We are buying a home in Emerald Isle, NC and experimenting with finding favorite restaurants. Well Kathryn's turn out to be a place we will return to many times in the future. Service was friendly and the decor pleasant. Their martini menu is extensive and they have many of our favorite wines on the menu, too. The food was excellent and plentiful! The goat cheese appetizer was spectacular. There was not room for dessert but next time I will order lighter, maybe appetizer and soup or salad , so I can try a dessert. No reservations, a disappointment, but we will just have to go early or late to avoid the crowded dinner time. Love this new place! read more

Great spot for appetizers and martinis. Espresso martini is 12/10. The calamari is a great choice. It was my first time trying Escargot and I enjoyed it from here as well! I got the grouper special- it was good but not great. Not sure I would go back for a full meal as entrees were not the best on the island read more

Kathryn's - Espresso martini - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Great dinner. Great Martinis. Got the grouper with crab and it was perfect. Also got the crab cakes and they were delicious. Great service. Let me this place read more

The food was no more than average. It has been several years since we dined here but it was a special occasion. Arrived before 6:30 PM. Long wait for a table, I can understand this. The waitress like forgot about us. After our meal we waited and waited for the check. Finally had to ask the hostess for the check. She was very nice. When the waitress finally brought us the check she had excused that every one wanted to leave at the same time . Most people that came in after us had left and we just had to keep waiting. Poor service which spoils what was supposed to be a good evening. read more

Good service but mediocre, overpriced food. My dinner was so-so. Should have been half the price. 52 bucks for grouper? If you choose a "special" make sure you ask the price you know what you are getting yourself into. Cocktails were good and the service was good. read more

Nice atmosphere, good service. Menu's has a great variety of appetizers and delicious entrees. The Martinis are my favorite on the island! A little pricey but worth it. read more

Kathryn's - My cosmopolitan - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

I finally came to Kathryn's after many times visiting Emerald Isle. We have a huge group, 11 of us! The food was great! My husband and I picked from todays special and we enjoyed it very much. My in laws had the salmon filet and both said it needed more seasoning. My so loved his food. Our waitress was awesome, price was just right, ambience was all inviting. read more

See all

When I read the reviews I was a bit put off. However, we just had dinner here at Kathryn's and it was great. Dinner was yummy from the martinis to the bread, salad and entrees. Service was spot on and everyone we dealt with was friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend this restaurant. Yes pricy but so worth it. read more

I usually get the short ribs but I was not in the mood for red meat tonight so I went with something new. The sauce was very tasty and the chicken was cooked perfectly. Tomato pesto penne with blackened chicken. Delish. read more

Kathryn's - Tomato pesto penne with blackened chicken - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

The six of us ate there last night. The service was excellent as was our food. We enjoyed our dirty martinis and appetizers. The complimentary bread with oil and balsamic vinegar was a nice touch. All of our entrees were delicious and cooked to specification; rare steak and tuna. The beurre blanc sauce on my perfectly cooked scallops was fabulous. We will definitely be back! read more

See all

Great wait staff. Friendly greeting. Fun drinks. Wonderful food. Will be back when in the area.

We had to visit my namesake restaurant while visiting EI and it did not disappoint! I started with a peach Bellini martini (Bellini-tini??) that was incredible. Everyone including the waiter warned us that the martini's are strong but this was so good I didn't taste a drop of alcohol. Then we tried the crab au gratin app--so delish. It came out hot with nice little crackers for dipping. Our entrees were spectacular. My husband got a grouper special that was delicious and I got the pork tenderloin from the regular menu. It was all so good, we can't wait to go back! read more

See all

It's always easy to write a bad review. It's always easy to read a review and listen to what others say. The hard thing is going, trying it out for yourself and 100% disagreeing with the bad reviews. This place is awesome. Never had a bad meal. Pricey? Food is pricey! Help is pricey! Supplies and inventory is pricey! Coming to Emerald Island is pricey! Stop complaining about prices especially if the food is good! Will always come back! read more

Go here for drinks only unless you like to overpay for mediocre food. Our waitress was annoyingly overbearing , I know she was trying to be helpful with my company's gluten free requests but she wouldn't even let her ask questions without cutting her off and telling her what she should do; it got to the point she was giving suggestions on other restaurants to go to before we could even order. I ordered the short ribs with smashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. I would expect more seasoning in the vegetables and potatoes other than butter, salt and pepper. The taste of black pepper was overwhelming in both sides and although our waitress told us they were fresh vegetables , they were definitely frozen. I also ordered a side of broccolini for some extra veg and they were barely steamed , came out cold and completely plain - no seasoning , no olive oil- nothing. Also very weird garnish of an orange slice... Lastly, I would like to add the olive oil for bread had a balsamic vinegar in it . Gross . I have known restaurants to make bread dipping sauce with a white balsamic which taste very different . It's almost like they had left over salad dressing and were trying not to be wasteful lol. read more

Kathryn's - Broccolini - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

See all

One of the best martinis you'll ever have. Quant atmosphere and can be romantic when not boasting with children. Delicious menu, used to always miss crab dip from this place. read more

Service / Food / Ambiance all Excellent!!!! Kathryn's is one of our favorite restaurants. Todd and Denny provide outstanding service at the bar and bar area. Over time they have made us feel like family and we always look forward to seeing them. All staff that we have dealt with are courteous, professional and genuinely work hard to make sure our dining experience is exceptional. Highly recommend Kathryn's to all. read more

Excellent food, excellent service! Nice ambience and it is not rushed at all. Give it a try!! read more

Visiting town and chanced on this restaurant. For its price range i was hoping for more finesse. Service is sub par. Waitress was inattentive. We had steak and only had bread knives until we asked for it. Lemonade and water refills took forever. I ordered medium well and steak came out well done. Asparagus were disappointing. Cheesecake tasted old. Plating was good though. But would not come back if we ever visit again. We had limited choices since most of places aren't open on Monday. read more

See all

My friend suggested we try Kathryn's and we were not disappointed. There were so many martinis to choose from, so of course I had to try two! After looking around at the martinis on the tables of other diners, I chose The Prickly Pear and it was delicious, not too sweet. We started the meal with caesar salads served on ice-cold plates with a light dressing - very good. The grouper special had a sun-dried tomato paste and topped with panko crumbs. It was also served with a bit of pure lump crab. The fish was so fresh and every bite had a little tart crunch to it. The sea scallops were served with a lemony beurre blanc, jasmine rice, and broccolini. The scallops were huge and the sauce was light so as to not over power their flavor. They were so tender with a nicely seared exterior. Perfection! And for my second martini I ordered the Dark Chocolate Martini with shaved chocolate floating on top. What a way to end a great meal. The service was outstanding as well! I think it's my favorite restaurant on the island! read more

Kathryn's - Sea scallops - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

See all

Fantastic meal. Drinks were superb. Wait staff was sufficient. Tuna was beautifully done. Pistachio martini was fantastic.

Kathryn's is one of my favorite places on Emerald Isle. I always make a point to head there for an awesome night out. Don't let the location of the restaurant fool you! It's too die for! My parents and I headed to Kathryn's around 5pm on Monday evening. Since it was the beginning of the week, it wasn't too busy and we got a table right away! Score! To start I ordered a Peach Bellini martini. It was fantastic! For an appetizer, they give you bread and oil. It's warm - it delicious. We also ordered the crab dip. It's one of the best crab dips I've ever had. We also ordered the corn crab chowders - Yum! For my entree, I ordered the crab cakes with rice and veggies. The crab cakes were out of this world! My mom ordered the surf and turf - a perfect steak with shrimp and smashed potatoes. My dad ordered the Grouper special! Everything is delicious at Kathryn's - you must go! read more

See all

My husband and I had not been to Kathryn's in a couple of years and boy were we missing out. I have to say that our meal was one of the best we have had in thirteen years of visiting the area. Our waitress was very attentive and pleasant. We will definitely be back soon! read more

We missed coming when we were here for the wedding this year. Never disappoints!! Kathryns is our absolute favorite place on the island. We didn't wait last time because there was a long wait. We found another steak place that had great reviews and were very disappointed. If there is a wait... wait!! I promise it will be worth it. The service is on point, and the food is devine!! read more

See all

We were very surprised because looks are deceiving. Small corner area, not very big and if you are not there when they open at 5 pm plan on waiting. The good part is the wait is worth it. The martinis were very well made and a lot of choices. The food was delicious. Our table of five had no complaints about drinks, food or service. The seafood dishes were very impressive. read more

Had a date night at Kathryns, decided on their well known martinis (which are AMAZING), and a crab dip appetizer. Overall the food and drinks were great 10/10 but our waiter, Michael, ruined our first experience here. He asked us three times if we were going to order food before we even got our complementary waters.. after telling him we were set with our drinks and app he said we shouldn't be sitting in the dining section and left with our menus. Once our food came we did not see Michael again until the tab, which we had to ask for. When he came back with our card he said "thank you for being quick". Overall, it felt like we were a waste of his time and our service wasn't welcomed. When I apologized to the host on the miscommunication she said thats just "Michael being Michael". Very unfortunate as we are locals and our first time here. read more

We stopped at this restaurant on a fluke and ended up with a phenomenal dinner. My mother and I had the daily specials and were not disappointed. The service was excellent, but the prices were a bit high. However, the overall experience was worth the cost. This is not a casual restaurant, so please dress accordingly. read more

Kathryn's - Filet mignon with mushroom cream sauce, Portobello stuffed ravioli, grilled shrimp and green beans. - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

See all

Phenomenal, on all fronts. Aesthetics area superb, staff well trained and menu diverse and delicious. Been to this island over 20 years and this is our first time here. Big mistake, it, live vacations, will be annually read more

Based on recommendations from a waiter in another restaurant we enjoyed a wonderful meal here along with friendly and efficient service. I ordered the nightly special of grouper encrusted with crab meat, steamed vegetables, and risotto. For the appetizers, my wife and I shared the classic French escargot. My wife's entre was filet mignon. The filet was butter soft and melted in our mouths. My wife ordered the Emerald Isle Martini, and it was so good she treated herself to a second. We were exceedingly pleased with our meal and would certainly return when we are in town. read more

See all

Basically every restaurant in/around Emerald Isle is bad except this one. Tastyy food

The Spicy Shrimp and potato cake appetizer was delicious. Grouper and crab meat special was outstanding. Martin's were definitely worth the money. read more

One of my favorite restaurants!! Very crowded during tourist season and they don't take reservations The food and service are definitely worth the wait!! Best filets I've ever had in a restaurant!!! Martinis are definitely a big hit!! Not sure how they get them to the table without spillage!! read more

My wife and I tried this on a whim and were not disappointed. For a bistro, the prices are certainly reasonable. Note - If you are a bargain diner, skip this establishment, as you are not the intended customer. If you are on the isle and want a terrific meal at any price, this is for you. The steaks, salmon, and scallops were terrific. For an establishment in a plaza, you will be surprised by the class of service and food once inside. We also had dirty martinis, which were very good. Any reviews you read that are less than 4 stars are likely better off at a burger joint. No offense, but, it's the truth. This place should be on everyone's "must" list while staying on Emerald Isle! Rachel D... Excellent service. We will be back! read more

To say I'm disappointed is the understatement of the century. I've been coming here since 2004. It's literally my favorite restaurant. I look forward to it all year. Tonight we came in as a party of 6, and we're told it we liked be 90 minutes. We waited 2 1/2 hours. We've watched people come and go all night. Never, did they come out and apologize. Or offer anything. It's absurd. We asked if they could just pull tables together and were told they could not bc it would throw off the servers. 20 years we've been coming. This has never happened. I understand the ownership has changed hands and I guess that's the only explanation. My family has joked for nearly two decades that this was my happy place. Well no longer. We can't rate the food bc after 2 1/2 hours we are still waiting. We are out of here. And sadly never coming back. I went in very calmly to tell the hostess that I understand she's just the messenger and planned to tell her how long we've been coming and she told me I can't with you. I. Am. Disgusted. And I'm sure the original owners would be heartbroken. We reached out to the new owner and have yet to receive an apology. Just "it's out of our control" read more

Love. It's a toss up between here and The Boro for best food in town. It's very small so you want to get there before they open; if not by 5:45 you're looking at a 30 minute wait, though it's well worth it. They have an extensive martini list to browse while you wait and the wait staff are friendly, attentive, and well versed in the specials. The food was great and the dessert was a delicious end to the night. Will definitely add it to my list of places to go back to in the future. read more

Amazing food and service every time we visit! Never disappointing! My favorite on the island

A diamond in the rough in Emerald Isle; my family & I go to Kathryn's every year while on vacation. Usually it is the only restaurant that we patron (besides Flip-Flop Donut Shop & Muttigans) we cook in the rest of the time so we can get in as much beach time as possible. Kathryn's offers a great menu for those that have a more refined palate or are looking for something besides fried fish or pizza. The food is amazing, the restaurant is quaint & the service is second to none in the area. Also, the !!! Mmmmm. Be prepared to pay a bit more than you would at some of the surrounding establishments, but you get what you pay for. You WILL NOT be disappointed. read more

Sadly the management here doesn't seem to care about their business or customers. With all of the large homes to rent on this beach you'd think that there are restaurants that would be happy to host a large party after the peak beach season, but this place isn't one of them. We called and received mixed signals about our dining ability, but when we asked for a manager we heard them say they couldn't believe we "were calling again" (since they didn't hit the mute button). All they had to say is that they were booked, instead the manager seemed like an angry jerk, so we won't even give it a chance. It's sad since the service industry was so hurt by Covid, yet they are obviously not interested in helping themselves. read more

We come here every summer on vacation and LOVE it!! Martinis are fabulous and food is even better.

Best bartenders on the isle! Encrusted Grouper is to die for; every meal I've had here is special. Even the salads are top shelf. Great friendly staff. read more

Kathryn's - The Famous Martini Bar! - American Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Very nice staff and very good food. It's a bit small so getting in can be a bit tricky but once you do it's worth the wait.