Stopped in for dinner this evening over holiday break with the family. It was our First time visiting and we will definitely be back. We had the sourdough focaccia, crab Rangoon (special), and pork tacos. These items were so good, we ordered them twice! We also enjoyed the calamari, turmeric seared ahi, and shrimp & goat cheese grits. Each plate was well thought out and fresh! We were all very impressed and I wanted to take a moment to leave a positive review. The portions are small, but that's tapas read more

If you like artfully (and deliciously) prepared food, I highly recommend a trip to Metropolis if you are vacationing in Corolla. This place puts some of our favorite, high-end restaurants in Charlotte to shame. I can immediately tell I'm going to like a restaurant when they have a well thought-out martini menu. In addition to the offered menu, our host (owner?) offered two martini specials on the day we visited - fresh puréed strawberries or peaches, and we had two of each. He filled the glasses to the brim, and both were absolutely delicious. We shared six dishes at our table: 1) Soup of the day - a creamy asparagus crab soup with truffle oil - one of our favorites, this was a light, creamy soup 2) Salad of Olive Oil Poached Shrimp, Israeli Couscous, artichokes, feta - served cold, this dish was served in a small martini glass and was full of flavor 3) Artisanal cheese w/charcuterie plate - our nicely complementary selection included a fontina and another cheese similar to a sharp cheddar, two types of sausages, fresh green apples and strawberries, water crackers, candied pistachios, and spicy mustard 4) Pan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops, Sweet Corn Puree, Garlic Fried Bok Choy - this was served with three jumbo scallops, cooked to perfection, with a delicious corn sauce and bok choy; while the dish was small, it was packed with flavor 5) Pancetta Stuffed Fried Carolina Quail, Goat Cheese Grits, Lemon Thyme Jus - this was served with four quail legs that were just as tasty as the scallops 6) Chocolate fudge torte with toasted hazelnuts We were served by both the gentleman behind the bar (owner?) and the female host. Both were attentive and helpful. Our bill came to $134 plus tip. We had a phenomenal meal, and would absolutely return. It was worth every penny, and I highly recommend Metropolis! read more

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Metropolis is hands down the best restaurant in the Outer Banks in my book. I highly recommend if you're looking for solid good food and great service. I've found many restaurants around here are vastly overpriced but Metropolis is worth every single penny. We were seated by Mark who was very friendly and agreeable. Throughout the meal Mark, Matt and (I believe) Mary Claire took care of us and did an EXCELLENT job. All were informative, friendly and attentive. Easy five stars for the service. Matt waited on us two years ago and was just as exceptional now as he was then. Thanks guys!! The interiors are very cool and the artwork gets two thumbs up. I almost took pictures but you should go visit so you can see it in person! Everything (bathrooms included) was very clean and tidy. The drinks are excellent. They always have drink specials (tonight was fresh strawberry or peach martinis, which were SO GOOD) I highly recommend one from the special list and one from the standard list they make a mean sidecar if you're having a tough time deciding. The menu changes but I've never once had anything less than scrumptious and I am not exaggerating! Tonight we had (check pics) the brioche bread, lump crab in martini glass, foie gras, abalone mushroom and goat cheese, risotto, steak kebabs, tuna to ways (incredible), country ham pasta, and last but not least sea scallops. Y'all better not be judging me right now!! We ordered the brioche bread just to have some bread and it ended up being my favorite plate we ordered! It's prepared with truffle oil and honey butter and I could have put away 12 loaves if no one had been looking!! Can't wait to come back next vacation to dine here again! read more

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Just dropped $250 on the worst takeout since the pandemic started. Not only was the quality a 1 out of 10, but the quantity was a 2 out of 10. Really, really bad. Calimari was a joke. Crab cakes...joke. Shrimp risotto? Unreal. read more

Food and atmosphere are top notch! Variety of drinks full of flavor! Corolla Chowder was absolutely a favorite and the Lobster and Angel Hair Pasta was so light and delicate, they were both delicious! Dessert is a must! Owner and Chef are very attentive and explained the food and drinks in great detail! read more

Ok look. The service was fantastic. Our waitress refilled my water six times because well, I'm a thirsty boy !! The environment was just fine. THE PRICING THOUGH??? FOR THE PORTION SIZE??? I got the fresh bed of arugula, plucked finely from the green field of arugulaville, and according to the rumors of the menu, this was to come with a shrimp upgrade if you so desired (for a steep price). Naturally, I ordered the shrimp to show off my mass amounts of wealth. IT CAME OUT WITH TWO SHRIMPS. A 6 DOLLAR UPGRADE FOR 2 SHRIMPS? WHAT ARE YOU SAVING THEM FOR ?? Perchance, I should've listened to the whispers of yelp when they said this was a steep price. But from my experience, steep prices return with generous portions. I heard WHISPERS that the fresh shrimp came straight from shrimplandia, but I must've been lied to. They came from the Harris teeter up the street. Unless you want to fall trap to the societal scams of today.... Stay away! read more

Holy smokes! What a meal. Absolutely sublime. The shrimp couscous salad with the lemon vinaigrette was light and citrusy. The arugula salad with nc strawberries, just right dressing to have a nice peppery & sweet palate cleanser. We also tried the calamari, crispy, subtle, and just right. The scallops, perfect. The pork cheeks, a little sweet and tangy with the Asian influence. My least fav was the duck confit. It was good, just not my thing. Metropolis rivals New York and LA eateries. ps great wine selection. The Malbec was good and my dear friend loved her peach martini. read more

Metropolis - Pork Cheek. Delish. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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I don't understand why this place isn't packed? We kept to the daily specials. Gorgeous asparagus and crab soup. Amazing crab and tomato cocktail. Delicious mushroom saffron risotto. A foie gras with peach sauce. With a brioche with truffle butter to mop up the sauces. Incroyable Go there. It needs more recognition. It's first class dining in need of love read more

Happened upon Metropolis quite by mistake. Extensive alcohol menu and beer menu. Ordered 2 "heavier tapas" at $15 each: blue crab with bow tie pasta and scallops with risotto. The blue crab was very hard to find, but the scallops were delicious. The server was very busy, but friendly and attentive. I won't be returning to this restaurant. read more

Come here! These guys have been putting out great food and quality cocktails for nearly 20 years here. On or off season, this is where I want to go. Food and drinks are always impeccable. You can get satisfactory stuff elsewhere for your vacation I guess, but if you want the real deal, come here read more

We loved metropolis! My BF's family and I went after playing golf all day. This tappas restaurant has a plethora of great eats & cocktails. We ordered: crab rangoon, lobster penne, scallops, fried calamari, cream of asparagus soup - each one was better than the last. The cocktails & wine were particularly outstanding. The only thing better than the quality of the food and drinks was the service. We were accommodated with outside seating & personally helped by the executive chef, Mark. We highly recommend & we will be back. Thank you Mark! read more

I'd say this restaurant is a 3 1/2 stars. It's very cozy and well decorated. The service was excellent and their drinks are great. (And I don't typically drink) I've eaten at a lot of tasty tapas restaurants both in the U.S. and Spain. Unfortunately, I think this meal missed the mark. The fried calamari was dry, mushrooms with goat cheese was quite plain and needs more flavor, and the shrimp stew (a special) was too spicy with some starch that had no flavor at all. I can't even recall the 4th dish which says something about it. 3 dishes used the same tomato / chili sauce which was quite boring and unoriginal. Tapas should be fun and each dish have its unique flavor. My favorite by far was the ground lamb. It was flavorful and juicy. If they could focus on perfecting each dish like the lamb it would have been a much better experience. Even with these comments I would definitely recommend the restaurant especially if you like great martinis. read more

A hidden gem in Corolla, tucked away in a strip-mally-type place across Hwy 12 from Spindrift! We ate at Metropolis twice during our week in Corolla, and loved everything. The place has a funky hipster vibe, but the food is innovative, beautifully presented and delicious. Both nights we went, the restaurant was quiet (this is September, after all). Plenty of craft cocktails to choose from, along with a decent wine list. The menu features a mix of small and large plates, with seafood front and center. Portions aren't huge, but perhaps that will just leave enough room for dessert. :-) Recommended: Kung Pao Calamari, Duck Foie Gras Oscar, Seared Scallops, Ahi Duo, all of the soups. I can't imagine you could go wrong with any of the specials listed on the chalk board near the front door. When you can't get a reservation at Blue Point or Paper Canoe, try Metropolis. Better yet, put it first on your list: if you love food, you won't be disappointed. read more

We ordered almost everything on the menu, and every single plate amazed us! The plates are all about appetizer size, but they are great for ordering lots and sharing together. The service was so friendly and nice. The atmosphere was great. The entire experience was amazing. I would come back in a heart beat !! read more

SAVE YOUR MONEY. Great place for a couple nightcaps but not the best for food. Chef tried to justify mediocrity of preparation with accounts of difficulties due to staffing issues. Look, every restaurant has gone through difficulties over the last 18 months. The cook tried to tell my fiancé that he consumed an almond and not a crab shell - please. Trust me, we know more about crab than you. Such cold service and disrespect. Save your show and tell for uninformed guests. read more

Truly yummy food...try the asparagus soup...best I've had! We mentioned to the waiter we wanted to split, and instead of bringing one bowl with two spoons, we each received two small bowls...nice attention to detail!! Drinks were very cool too. Chill atmosphere. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed our evening at Metropolis. The drinks prepared by the person at the bar (owner?) who took the drink orders made drinks that were great, as was the wine. He was very knowledgeable. All the dishes we ordered - 6 + dessert chocolates, were very good, although a bit small, even for small plates. The server/owner(?) was attentive but not intrusive. This place is as special today as 20 years ago. read more

Pretty interesting place for dinner. The bartender and the chef stopped by every table when we were there to explain the specials. Ate several different small plates. Delicious food. Good ambiance. Would come again. read more

One of the best places to eat and drink in the Outer Banks. The food is amazing. The chef is creative with the specials and they always deliver an excellent meal. The drinks are fantastic! Matt the bartender is so friendly and an all around fucking awesome dude. read more

Excellent service and solid menu. No traditional tapas but they had terrific small plates and treated us well. 4 small kids and made accommodations. Terrific cocktail and wine list. read more

Literally our favorite restaurant in the entire Outer Banks! Craft cocktails paired with amazing handcrafted dishes that are out of this world fabulous!! The special board is always a real treat and the menu is sure to please everyone in your party. A dining experience like no other!! read more

Metropolis - Tapas Bars Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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This place is wonderful and was incredibly accommodating to a crew who was last minute planners! Great food, wonderful experience and thanks to the manager Mark for making it work! read more

I really really wanted to like this place bc tapas and craft cocktails are at the top of my list when dining out! I left hungry and underwhelmed. Location: tucked into a type of shopping center by the Corolla Visitors Center. Not a bad location but also not a single view from anywhere. Too many great places offer sunset views, etc while on the outerbanks. If the food and drink were outstanding the I would forgo the view but alas, this was not the case Drinks: Decent martinis and a lot of fun options. I really liked the displays above the bar with the bottles and their descriptions as well as the active lava lamps. The drinks tasted great but nothing I haven't had before. Had we stopped at drinks only this review may have been different. Food: We ordered the Charcuterie and Steak Kebabs with grits. I agree with the other reviewer that the charcuterie is basic. What's funny is the bartender was telling us how seasonal and fresh everything is - he even told us the mustard had been flown in from France yet in reading the other reviews, it seems the menu has not changed for 2019 as the "specials" people are describing in 2018 were the same specials this week in 2019. There was definitely some heavy BS going on but he tells a good story. He claimed the ginger ale they used was like no other and scores above all craft ginger beers out there. It was Goya. Sold at Food Lion and Walmart. Oh well. The beef kebabs were sirloin steak at best. Had to work them into smaller pieces with a sharp steak knife. Not what I expected for the price. The grits serving was a tablespoon at best. Grits are so inexpensive - be a little more generous so your guests feel satisfied for the price! After two tapas and three drinks, we paid out $100 and left hungry. We went down the road and had a decent dinner and enjoyed views of the sound - had 4 drinks and two meals for $60. Our overall take was that this restaurant has some really good ideas but not a lot of money to spend so they are trying to pass off Outback Steak House grade food at Ruth's Chris prices. The dishes are inventive and could really be outstanding if they weren't trying to cut so many corners. And the staff needs to be honest about what they are selling. I appreciate a good story about the menu but don't build things up without the ingredients to back it up. True foodies see right through it and it ends up being insulting. read more

We were delivered to Metropolis as the location for a rehearsal dinner. Our first impressions of the spot was, "that's a touch of class!" The bar and staff blew us away with their professionalism and poise. The bartender is clearly a master of his craft, which we understood nearly immediately upon his first few speedy deliveries of perfectly made drinks. He also guided us through the high end spirits menu and pointed us to the perfect drink for our pallet. My partner and I are vegan, so we were dreading the inevitable disappointment and subsequent hunger pains of being passed over as a consideration for accommodation--We were planning to go hungry again; however, we were surprised by the menu as it claimed that they had a vegan menu when requested. Color me intrigued! I asked one of the gentlemen working behind the bar, maybe the manager, about the vegan menu and he quickly replied, "We have a vegan menu, but I'm not sure what's available for this event." I was grateful that he was kind and was normally willing to provide for my plant based people as a regular matter of course. Therefor, I was surprised when the gentleman said, "hold on, I'll see what I can do." My expectations were low and after we received a small, but delicious baby spinach salad I was full of gratitude even if the salad didn't fill me up. Although, out comes an amazing dirty rice with oyster mushrooms and grilled asparagus. The food was incredible, it blew us away. So delicious and vibrant, multilayered and diverse. They didn't just throw together something for us, they made us a real meal and a fabulous one at that. I would recommend this place to anyone, vegan or not. The staff is incredible, accommodating and extremely professional. The aesthetic is impeccable--it could be mistaken for a highly rated restaurant in any major city. The food has a depth of flavor and quality that might be unparalleled on the entire Outer Banks. 5/5 make it a mandatory stop on your next visit. read more

100% mask compliance and outdoor seating was in a covered area in case of rain. Our dishes were delicious and we loved the variety of cocktails. Service was thoughtful and efficient. Can't wait to return! Very generous portions for tapas and I loved the variety of flavors. Fantastic chocolate mousse; be sure to save room! read more

Greeted right away! Very friend warm welcoming staff. You can tell they are like many other restaurants and short staffed but that did not impact the great service! Manager/owner was great recommended drinks, waiters were supper friendly and had great recommendations. The wait staff also makes all the cocktails. Spacing between plates was perfect timing. So much fun and very tasty food!!! Definitely a must stop!!! read more

The food was fantastic. Service was great. Very COVID responsible. Def 5 Stars. Spinach salad, shrimp risotto and foie Gras were hits. The chocolate mouse was outstanding. read more

Metropolis - This Foie Gras was round two as the first was so delicious. This place was simply awesome. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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We were able to get seated with no reservations. Service was good, yet the portions were shockingly small for the price. The food was okay, not anything worth coming back for. read more

We stumbled upon Metropolis in a Google search for local eats and we were not disappointed. We had the arugula salad, the chef special cream of asparagus soup, the lobster fried rice with yum yum sauce, Spanish meatballs, bouillabaisse, and shrimp and grits, as well as the Italian chocolate flight for dessert. We also each sampled their drink specials for the evening, which were equally amazing. This was one of the best meals I've ever had, and to find it in a resort town was nothing short of shocking. Metropolis might be Corolla's best kept secret. I've had Shrimp and Grits in the south, and they've never tasted so good as the dish prepared at Metropolis. I'm not kidding when I say I wanted to reorder the entire meal so it would never end. Did I mention we ordered most of the entrees off their extensive gluten free menu? Leave the kids at home and treat yourself to a night out. read more

This place is fantastic! The drinks and tapas were delicious. Nicely paced and friendly service, highly recommend.

We ordered $80 worth of tapas and it wasn't enough to feed 1 person. They charged$20 for a 1 inch square of beef and $18 for three shrimp.

OK, my bad, so we walked into a restaurant 15 minutes before they closed. Usually when I'm behind the bar and this happens, I force a smile and serve my customers. They usually end up being super cool and great tippers and I feel bad for cursing them as they walked in the door. Clearly, the staff at Metropolis needs a reality check. Six of us walk into the restaurant, there are still about 4 tables dining or probably finishing up. The staff looked at us like we were inmates. No hello and they begrudgingly give us menus. Six $12 drinks = atleast $75 tab. That's ATLEAST a $15 tip or a case of PBR. Felt rushed into choosing a passionfruit margarita that I totally regretted. Didn't even have enough time to look at the menu. Wished I had ordered the dirty Tito's martini. ANYWAY, I was barely halfway done with my 'rita when they started shutting the lights off. It's literally 9:55pm at this point. We have alteast 5 more minutes. Where do these people have to rush off to? Everything in the OBX clearly closes at 10pm. The bottom line is this, just because you think you're a 'bougie mixologist' at a tapas bar in Corolla, just remember that you aren't. Just because you throw St. Germain in a cocktail doesn't make it taste any better than you think it does. I'm sure that wasn't the first time someone has walked in 15 til close and it sure as hell it won't be the last. read more

Pretentious in a dive bar setting. Don't get me wrong, I love dive bars but... Tapas (cheese plate and calamari) were good but nothing special. Tried to sell me Dan Aykroyd's Skull vodka as an upsell?? Service made us feel like they were doing us a favor by being there. read more

Incredible tapas and martini bar. By far the best selection of tapas I've had. Ever. They have a great assortment of cold and hot platters that all seem to mesh well with one another. Be sure to try just about everything - you can't go wrong. They have an extensive list of martinis...be sure to try a few. As for a finale...get their "Make Your Own Smores" dessert -- it's heaven! This place is so fun with a big group. I'd say kids older than 12 who aren't off the wall can fit in here. As a suggestion.... Loved this drink...obviously ordered it because of the name...but damnnn it tastes good... SEX AT MY HOUSE : AMARETTO, CHAMBORD & PINEAPPLE JUICE. $7.5 read more

We came here on a Sunday night in March and had a great meal. I will say that the place wasn't very full, they had two waitstaff and only only of them was qualified to be behind the bar. Unfortunately, she was caught up with a large party so we waited a LONG time for our cocktails. Without any prompting, our waitress told us they were on the house and apologized for the wait. Her attitude completely turned our night around and is an example of where good service can hit the reset buttn on a dining experience. The calamari is very interesting and comes in a sauce vs. being fried. I wish they had brought bread out there was a lot of sauce! I would not however purchase the cheese plate. Not that it wasn't good, but the amount of cheese we received definitely made it some of the most expensive cheese per bite I had ever had. Try the duck meatballs! They were delicious! Also make sure you check out the specials. On the night we were there we had a fois gras special that was amazing. We will be back. read more

Our family's last night on the Outer Banks, and we had heard great things about this restaurant...we decided to give it a try. After being seated, we were presented with a menu of 20-ish specialty martinis and other cocktails, and an equally impressive/eclectic beer selection (they carry Rogue, a personal favorite nearly impossible to find). After ordering cocktails, we were chatted up by the executive chef - obviously relaxed in his khaki shorts - who described his entire menu to us as if it were his most impressive work of art; and it was. At least seven daily specials were written on a chalkboard and changed during the course of our meal, so the food was obviously very fresh. While we inevitably ended up trying the *entire* menu (some dishes twice), some highlights were the foie gras (goose liver) that seemed to be marinated in a sweeter sauce and served over a type of bread pudding, the tuna tartar, the morel mushroom soup with floats of black truffle oil (I don't even like mushrooms), and the scallops (they're to *die* for). The service was impeccable, which is a contrast from other restaurants earlier in the week, but it was very early in the season and most of the staff were just arriving to new jobs. The atmosphere was that of a relaxed, upscale martini bar turning their attention more toward food - which fit our mood at the end of vacation perfectly. I'd highly recommend this restaurant for a group of 4-6, as it was easier for everyone to try all of the dishes this way without ordering 3 of each one. A fantastic experience, not to be missed on a trip to the "OBX". read more

It's neat. It's unique for the area. But...that's it. You'll leave hungry, and broke. Maybe a tad buzzed, because of the awesome drinks. But...again...you're wallet will be empty, as well as your belly. Just not worth it. Unless you're into that sort of thing. Then, by all means, make it rain. read more

Metropolis served up the best dinner on our vacation in Corolla! It's tapas; not Spanish style but small sharing plates so good company is a must to enjoy the experience. Yes the service was a little slow at times A) they have about 4 people on staff (including the bartender and cook) and B) YOU'RE ON A BEACH VACATION! slow down and savor BUT everyone is super friendly and passionate about what they do. All of our dishes and drinks were delicious! -risotto made with fairy wing mushrooms (picked by unicorns) -chilled pea soup (must have!) -crab mixed with everything that screams summer -scallops with braised leeks -halibut with pancetta and asparagus -beef tenderloin with fingerlings -meat and cheese plate -BOTH DESSERTS although if you HAVE to choose one go with the panna cotta The four of us shared everything, had 2 drinks apiece and left satisfied and very happy. read more

We had high hopes for this place after reading all the 5-star reviews here, and while it was a decent meal and we had a fun night out, I don't think it's worth such superlatives. I really wish Yelp allowed for half-stars, because I'd really put this as 2.5. Two stars is two low (but the description of "Meh, I've had better." is pretty accurate, and the "A-OK" of three stars is a bit too positive. I'd label it as "Just OK." I liked the casual vibe, as it fits with being at the beach, but at times it was a bit too casual. e.g. I liked that the executive chef came over and introduced himself and confidently and casually said that "you're in the right place; my food rocks," but the fact that when he set our drinks down and flung a wet straw at me accidentally, he didn't apologize but just sort of commented on the fact that he just flung a straw at me. And if you say at the outset "my food rocks" you better back it up beyond a shadow of a doubt... The food choices are great, and cover a wide variety of tastes. Can't fault them on the menu. Our party of four all commented when trying to choose that pretty much all of the "heavy tapas" choices sounded good to us. The specials were aplenty and seemed interesting as well. That said, when it's tapas you expect each dish to be a little gem of perfection, and with the exception of one or two (we sampled 8 or so dishes), they all had some minor or major flaw. The beef was overcooked, the green beans were over-sauced, the calamari in the Captain's Platter seemed like it was pulled from the freezer, etc. The best were the raw dishes we ordered, so take that as a recommendation. The wine list - both by the glass and by the bottle - was limited and not too interesting. The beer list - both on tap and bottles - was the opposite. If you're looking for decent food and a casual atmosphere this is definitely better than anything you'll find in Corolla. If you're looking for truly superlative food, go to Blue Point or Ocean Blvd a bit further south. Metropolis gets extra points for being in Corolla, since that's where we were staying this year. Another restaurant of it's quality to give it some competition and maybe force it to up the ante on the details would be good for it and the area, if the area could support it. read more

Fantastic restaurant! Great service, great food. We make it a point to stop at Metropolis every year when we visit the outer banks. It's hard to believe that such a nice restaurant is right there in the middle of all of the cheap beach food, but there it is- a perfect end to a day in the sun. My favorite dishes were the pork pot stickers and the shrimp risotto. Amazing! read more