We had a great dinner here! Luckily it wasn't extremely busy so we were seated right away! Our waitress was extremely pleasant and took great care of us without being annoying. We had the calamari appetizer and it was excellent! It was very lightly battered and was so soft and flavorful. I ordered the fried oysters which were plentiful, light and so tasty! My husband had the scallops platter and they were very large and tender. I can't remember having such delicious seafood! What was so nice was we walked from our rental to the restaurant and enjoyed the fresh air! It was a lovely evening with family. P.S. - they had live music -a guitar player who played a wide variety of beach favorites from the 70s to the 90s! We've loved this vacation to Atlantic Beach and hope to return again soon! read more

Shrimp and grits was pretty good. The sauce was great and the shrimp were good but the andouille sausage was awful. I couldn't even get my teeth through it so I didn't eat that at all. Side salad would've been much better if the ranch had been homemade. My family enjoyed their chicken wrap and burger. read more

Thank you for a great dining experience while I was there on vacation. The food was great and the service was excellent. The restaurant has that welcome home feel. Much appreciated. I look forward to stopping by again when I'm in the area. read more

Lovely local eatery. The menu offered limited gluten free options. I got a burger with gf bun, the sides share a fryer so not cross-contamination safe. The service was slow but it was a busy Saturday night featuring live music. The wait didn't seem as bad since we had great music to listen to read more

Excellent service. The food was very good. Also a nice place to watch a game. The honey barbecue dry rub was excellent. read more

Experience was overall just "okay". Our waitress wasn't overly friendly (which was fine). We did get a dirty plate for our appetizer and it took a really long time to get drinks, refills, and even our food. The food itself was pretty good. The restaurant was super crowded but it didn't feel overwhelming. Parking was definitely a challenge. read more

Our experience here was clinically remarkable. Between the time we ordered and our server brought our food we had plenty of time to analyze and hold a discourse on the cool-toned lighting, the sparse decor, the difference between the All Star Game and The Pro Bowl, the top 10 places to get dinner the next night, all the movies we've watched with our teenage kids since they were born and which ones we need to, and more! My salad and the kids' appetizer arrived at the same time as our main courses. By a stroke of luck I was able to eat my salad without my burger getting cold because my order had to be recooked. The burger had a pure 75% lean beef flavor without any unnecessary flavor additives. The tater tots were crispy through to the core. The no-name ketchup was plentiful. I would definitely return when the staff turns over. read more

Take an honest look at my review and then read this unprofessional response. It could be farther from the truth. Your bar was not full and there was no one waiting to be seated when I walked in. I patiently waited for 15 minutes to get a glass of water while enjoyably talking to a customer next to me. Had two sips of water before the whole thing started. It's ok I know what happened and it was going to be my last night there before I moved back home. It's ashame you had to ruin and stain a good experience I had for several years. I decided not to order that night after the rude comment neither did the group of 16 at my condo that decided to go somewhere else but I guess your don't care since according to you customers were stacked at the door. I now really regret reccomending you establishment to so many. Been there many times. Staff nice, food good. Normally went there weekly to have several beers with a good friend. Sometimes ordered an appitizer. Was told by my Dr. To step away from the beer for awhile. Went in On The Rocks for weekly visit. Ordered a water with the intention of ordering food later after my friend arrived. Barley had gotten my water When the bartender asked if I was going to order food. I said yes a little later. I was informed by the bartender that the owners daughter wanted me to leave if I was not going to spend any money. I really thought the comment was inappropriate. I decided to leave without ordering anything. Been going to Atlantic Beach my whole life. I also worked in marketing for a national resturant chain. I have never experienced such rude and unprofessional behavior. I will never return to this establishment. Business owner information On The R. Business Owner Jul 5, 2026 Baxter, we are disappointed that you've chosen to misrepresent what occurred. During the busiest time of our season, our bar was full, and guests waiting to dine needed seating. You were informed that our seating is reserved for paying customers only ordering food or beverages, which is a standard business practice--not an act of rudeness. Our team simply explained this policy to you, that applies equally to everyone. As a small seasonal business, we have a limited window each year to serve our community and visitors. We cannot reserve seats indefinitely for guests who are not making purchases while others are waiting to be served. We stand behind our staff, who handled the situation professionally and respectfully. read more

The shrimp plate was delicious. Not little baby shrimp! The staff was so friendly. We actually went there three times the week we was there. read more

Such a wonderful experience here! Friendly servers. Excellent food. Fast and delicious. The shrimp was absolutely outstanding. Some of the best we've had. Very generous portions. The whole experience was relaxed and enjoyable. Highly recommend if you're looking for great seafood, friendly people, and a meal that's truly worth the price. read more

I had the shrimp and grits and it was delicious. The wait staff were very nice and efficient. I look forward to eating here again soon.

Atmosphere was extremely loud and hot! Our food was brought out and was not what we ordered. We were asked to take our sides off the plate- keep in mind we did not have anything but a napkin to set our sides on. Made a formal complaint and nothing was done about the issue read more

Dollar tree food. What we paid 144 for I could have bought for 6 dollars at dollar tree because that's where they bought the ingredients. Don't waste your money. This place and most places on the island are here to just rip you off. I ordered a 12 oz steak and I May have got 4 oz of meat. The rest of it was fat. It looked like the steaks you get at dollar tree or Waffle House. Never again!! read more

Dreadful. We have been here many times and this time was very disappointing. Salads came with meal after asking for them. Most of our meal was wrong. Only my husband ate. Mine was inedible. Yes new server but managers couldn't be bothered to help him at all. My inedible meal was comped but my husband charged as well as being charged for a salad we didnt order. Managers could not have cared less. Dont take advantage of vacationers. We leave reviews too.also disgusting that managers blamed new server. Be aware. Lots of places to spend money in AB. read more

Nice atmosphere. Friendly waitstaff. Keno is available. Variety of entrees and music.

Very, very disappointed. We ordered wings. They were warm on the outside but completely raw on the inside. After eating a few we sent them back. They didn't give us a new order, they only recooked the ones that we didn't eat and put some additional sauce on them, now overcooked. I had the Cajun chicken past, which was more like some sort of Mac and Cheese. Just buried in a thick cheese sauce with some Sort of cubed chicken. It tasted like a microwaved mess. My wife had something similar with shrimp. We could only eat a few bites before giving u. Just terrible. read more

We stopped in for an after-dinner drink and sat at the bar. The bartender named Maci, was the worst! She got us our drinks after quite a while of waiting and never came over to ask if we would like a second. To get her attention, I waved my Keno paper, as I had hoped to play, but still she ignored us. I don't recommend this bar for good service at all. read more

Our server was attentive and very friendly as well as the other server who joked around with us even though we weren't sitting at her table. Enjoyed the food also. My husband said his tuna steak was cooked perfectly and my steak was also. read more

There are not a lot of options in the area which is the only reason I can imagine this place has higher reviews. We visited on a Sunday evening and when you walk in it is VERY dark. There is tint on the windows and the lights are low. We ordered a drink which was good but supposed to be prepared frozen and was instead served on ice. The crab dip appetizer was mostly cream cheese and the pita points weren't toasted, they were warmed. So you couldn't "dip" anything. We had to pay 2.95 additional for each "premium side" which we did for a loaded baked potato and side salad. The salad was tiny- about half a cup of wilted greens, 2 cherry tomatoes, 3 cucumber slices, a pinch of shredded cheese, and a few onion slices with far too many croutons. I sent the first one back and the second one came out with a different type of cheese than the first- still just as tiny. The baked potato was over cooked and cold- so the butter didn't melt. The lemon snapper was tough and couldn't be cut into with a fork while the sauce was bland and lacking in both lemon and seasoning. The flounder po boy was huge and we had high hopes for it but it was so greasy we could only get a few bites in. Fries were also greasy and cold. The service was pretty slow but they did look understaffed. Our server was polite, kind, and did check in with us. We let her know about all the issues we had and sent back full plates. I come from restaurant management and expected to see something taken off the bill since it was sent back, not eaten, and communicated. Or at least a visit from the manager. But no- $100 bill for terrible uneaten food. We'll not be returning. read more

This is an addition to a previous review from a year or so ago. I now live in the area, and have found that the service and food is just as good as when I was in AB as a visitor. It is winter-time yet the food is still top notch and the service outstanding. My mother loves the Three-C chowder which is chunky, creamy, and chock full of seafood (I had to get in my 3-Cs!). The shrimp dinner has an ample portion of shrimp and the sides are a nice addition. Burgers are cooked as you ask, and tater tots make it an awesome meal. The wait staff in here are incredibly friendly, efficient, and personable. I still highly recommend On the Rocks as the food is delicious and reasonably priced, and the service is impecable. These ladies are awesome! For a great place to eat during the winter as well as the busy season, I will continue to go to On the Rocks. read more

Old school charm and locked on seafood and prime rib. Server was very attentive and obviously had the experience and energy to get the job done with grace. $$ read more

Bartender, lose the face piercing. Otherwise, decent service but about what one would expect from such judgment. Planned to have a couple drinks at the bar with dinner. Drinks were ok and shrimp were great. There were a few guys spread across the bar for some reason who obviously work together. Not bad guys, just loud and obnoxious after drinking and being catered to by bartender. Shrimp were great but the place is awkward. Strange layout. read more

Second time back in as many weeks. Easy to come in and eat solo at the bar. Nice selection of wines by the glass, including one I've been meaning to try. Only a handful of people in just before closing time on a weekday so service was fine. read more

On The Rocks - Clam Chowder - Sports Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

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Not sure how this place stays in business. It is poorly run. Don't waste your time. No reservations. No seating. Empty tables not cleaned. Told 20-25 minutes .... after waiting over an hour just left. Hostess is rude. Staff is slow. Not inviting or friendly. Clearly based on the reply it must be our miss. Visited a different "local" place and it was excellent - even got a text when our table was ready instead of no name, no number and blanket 30 mins wait to never be seen again. Wish I could rate the food here but never made it that far. Note--this rating is based on service not food. read more

The Bar is great and has a great vibe with good service. Prime Rib is my goto on Fridays. I can get another meal out of it. Which equals value. The rest of menu is good as well. read more

I'd give MY food a solid four stars, but others in my party weren't as lucky. Burgers were drastically undercooked. As a person who cooks on grills and griddles often, I know there's a huge difference in cook time between a medium burger and a rare burger, and these were rare. They chose not to send the food back, which may or may not have been the right choice. Rare meat was the the least of my issues (mainly because I didn't order a burger). The men's restrooms were severely neglected. We got there 20 minutes after opening, which is when you'd think the entire place would be the cleanest, yet not so much). I was smacked in the face with a very pungent p!ss smell as soon as I entered, and it got worse from there. Urinals and sinks were filthy in every way. The garbage can was overflowing and spilling onto the floor, the paper towel dispenser was hanging wide open with a fresh roll sitting on top (and not even loaded into the dispenser), and there was no soap in either of the two soap dispensers. Simply based on the cleanliness of the restroom, I really want to rate this place one star, but that would be unfair. That said, two stars is as much as I can manage for this scenario as a whole. I will, however, say that I intend to come back soon to see if that was an accurate sampling of who they are as a business. read more

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We ventured out looking for seafood around 6:30pm. We went to many other popular spots and ran into long lines and wait times. We headed back towards Atlantic Beach thinking we would have to go over the bridge but decided to try this place. I'm glad we did! Fresh food, no wait and laid back atmosphere . Give it a try for good seafood! read more

Ordered half pound of steamed shrimp with baked potato and brussel sprouts. The shirmp came out rubbery with very little flavor even though rhey were suppose to be cajun. The brussel sprouts were the worst I have ever had. My wife tried one and could not stomach it. They came what looked sauteed with bacon and onion. Told waitress about them and was just given the check. I will not be returning there for a long time now. read more

On The Rocks - Worst brussel sprouts ever - Sports Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

We were visiting from out of town. Hostess was very sweet. Sat down and got three C Soup. It was luke warm. Disappointed. Then I got bang bang shrimp and it was luke warm too. Husband got peeled shrimp. They were rubbery and chewy not good at all. Very disappointed on the whole meal. Waitress was not very attentive to us. She was just ok. Honestly I would not go back or recommend. To many other options that I could have driven too. read more

On The Rocks - Bang bang shrimp. Luke warm and not very good. - Sports Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

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Honestly was so hesitant to try this restaurant bc the low ratings but it was 8pm on Saturday night and four other places we tried were closed or closing so we ended up here. There was a 25 minute wait but it was Saturday and as mentioned-no other choices so we waited. Food was tasty and totally fine--had shrimp tacos that had lots of good looking shrimp and a nice spice level and prime rib cheese steak sandwiches. Server was friendly and helpful even though she seemed slammed. (all the staff seemed friendly). Tried to think of how to make the inside feel less cavernous but don't have any good ideas. It is loud and feels like it could double as a dance club when the restaurant is closed. Regardless, we would go back and eat here again. read more

I didn't know what to expect when I walked in. There was a large waiting area in the front , and bar to the left, a huge stage and what looked like a dance floor with some tables on it. Then around the exterior were booths and tables. Evidently this was an old night club. I wasn't feeling the decor at all. Felt like everyone was looking at you My server was really nice though. My Bloody Mary was good, too. I ordered the half pound peel and eat shrimp and a cup of the shrimp and corn chowder. Shrimp were average and soup was, too Nothing was great. It seemed to be very overpriced for the quality and atmosphere, too . There are much better restaurants around that are high quality. read more

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Definitely do not recommend. Crab dip came out with melted cheese on top and cold on the inside, food was like someone frying grocery store freezer section items and plopping down canned green beans. Server had no personality, never refilled our drinks or anything, but she did take the crab dip charge off, which was great since we didn't eat a bite of it. We were vacationing, just wanted to tip off others to maybe go elsewhere if you're looking for good food. read more

I got the ribeye and added on scallops. The steak was not ribeye or if it was then it was an end cut, which should not be served in any restaurant as a ribeye. When someone orders ribeye they are expecting that fatty tender strip. This was not there and the taste was not there either. Absolutely no seasoning on it. The scallops had no sear or color to them also no seasoning. Fries were bomb though, but how can you mess up a French fry. Drinks were alright. Food was terrible. Would not go back. read more

They have a vegan veggie burger and it is delicious! The fries are also worth coming back themselves. The fried shrimp was great and fresh. The staff was super polite, helpful, and accommodating. The food was all fresh and tasty. We were visiting from out of town and we will be back! read more

Great food but the service was outstanding. This is not a pretentious restaurant. The Scallops were cooked to perfection.

Great service! Stopped here while at Atlantic Beach to grab dinner with friends. Had the grilled snapper, enjoyed sneaking away from Raleigh for a few days for a little relaxed beach vacay. Check out the local Art on display here. Love to see it! read more

On The Rocks - Local Art on display - Sports Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

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The food was exceptional here. The drinks were also delicious. We got two mixed drinks. Our server was super friendly and the service was almost alarmingly fast. My only complaints are with the actual layout of the restaurant. There is a huge stage in the center and when no one is performing it's just weird. Also I would say this place is VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY. There were three crying babies around us all night lol. But yeah the food was great. read more

On The Rocks - Bang bang shrimp tacos and Cajun pasta with extra shrimp. - Sports Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

We went there on a Friday night, they get a star just for being open while the majority of places closed at 8pm. The staff is super friendly and took care of us right away. There was live music and the design of the place is open which was nice. The food was delicious, the wings were , the shrimp tacos were delicious and the ribeye steak was just perfect. The PO boy shrimp sandwich was okay. We definitely recommend it read more

Good prices and the food is good. The service however is in dire need of work. A lot of the servers seem to have no clue what's going on. Other than the service, it's a nice place read more

If you are going to get anything, Key Like Pie. Wow it was so good. The o e thing we forgot to take a picture of. Everything else we ordered, the chicken wrap, was super strong bacon flavor. And the Mahi had a good amount of breading, and just plain iceberg lettuce and a lime crema but didn't have much lime flavor. Our waitress was super nice so that was helpful. But it was a quiet night so there wasn't loud music and it was nice! read more

On The Rocks - Chicken wrap - Sports Bars Near Me - Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

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