So good!!! We were able to walk over here from our Airbnb and it was so enjoyable! We sat inside…read morebecause it was a little steamy outside, and we were amused by the stickers and skateboards covering every inch of the restaurant. Our server was friendly and helpful. Since we were wondering how many tacos to get, I'll just say I think 2-3 per person is plenty. They do really pile them high, so 2 and some chips was great for me. My husband enjoyed 3 (we both loved the fried mahi, and the shrimp, and he also enjoyed the ground beef). These chips and guacamole were amazing- the chips almost tasted like Doritos and the guacamole was nice and garlicky! We were talking about these chips for days! The only have bottled water, so next time I'd probably just drink my own water bottle. Still highly recommend this spot!

TACOS 10/10 (we got the shrimp & the fried mahi) but we could have just ate 10 more each…read moreourselves!!! VIBES 10/10! Sky was a chill bartender!

We often get to-go from here. Quality burritos, they have a serve yourself sauce too so if you pick…read moreup make sure to grab some! The order online prices are inflated from ordering the store. You can save a few bucks by going in and ordering at the counter to take to go.

I've been a fan of Flaming Amy's for over 20 years, ever since my first tour to Wilmington. I was…read morelooking for a California style big burrrito and I found what would soon become one of my favorite restaurants. I love the vibe. It's the perfect mix of punk rock and hippie. I love that the teas are labeled with pictures of the rapper Ice T. and I love the food.

One of the best meals we've had since moving to NC!…read more We literally just left The Sandspur in Carolina Beach and I had to write this while it's still fresh because WOW. My husband and I are huge foodies, so exploring different restaurants and finding good food is basically one of our favorite things to do. We shared the duck tacos, shrimp & grits, and cheesesteak, and every single thing was delicious. The shrimp & grits were my favorite. The flavor was genuinely otherworldly. My husband's favorite was the duck tacos, which were incredible. And the cheesesteak deserves its own paragraph because this is officially the best cheesesteak we've had in the entire Wilmington and greater Wilmington area. We've tried quite a few, and this one absolutely takes the cake. The restaurant itself is really cute and has such a cozy, local feel. We went during locals season and it was perfect because it wasn't busy at all. We got to sit back, enjoy our food, and actually take our time (although it was so good we just shoveled everything in). We've tried a lot of restaurants since moving to North Carolina, and this is easily one of our favorite meals so far. Everything was flavorful, fresh, and just really well done. We'll absolutely be back. Although next time, I'm getting my own shrimp & grits because I will not share next time

"Delicious dive on Lake Park Blvd in Carolina Beach"…read more Came here for lunch on a Sunday at right around noon. The place is dark and kind-of makes you feel like you're in the bowels of a wooden ship. There's a large bar in the center, and a few tables around it, as well as a few tables outside in the back. We were seated right away. I ordered the hot honey shrimp wrap as well as the pickled veggies appetizer. My dining partner got the quinoa grain and greens bowl with blackened tuna. Our food came out in around 10 minutes. The hot honey shrimp wrap came with french fries, to my surprise (didn't see that mentioned on the menu), which were fine. The wrap itself was DELICIOUS. MAN, that hot honey was SO tasty, and the greens and corn batter on the shrimp really complemented it well. It is a very, very messy dish to eat with your hands, so be prepared, but it's well worth the sacrifice. The pickled veggies were local and very tasty-- also a very good value for $5. My dining partner really liked her bowl and the tuna in it as well. The staff were quite attentive, regularly checking in, filling drinks, and clearing dirty plates. Only caution is that a lot of the batters are corn-based, so be careful if you have that allergy. Overall, would very happily come back-- great in all respects. I recommend highly!

Consistent and delicious. Great service! Fish tacos and Steak Picado con salsa verde are our go…read moreto entrees,

Summer weekends in Carolina Beach are no joke, and we should've known better than to expect a quick…read moredinner. Everywhere we checked had hour-plus waits, so when El Cazador quoted us 50 minutes on a busy Saturday evening, we gladly took it. We grabbed seats at the bar, cooled off in the AC (which was working overtime in the sweltering heat), and enjoyed a couple of drinks while we waited. A cold Pacifico with lime definitely hit the spot. By the time our party of seven was finally seated, we'd already made a dent in the chips and salsa. Thankfully, the food didn't disappoint. Portions were generous, prices were very reasonable for a beach town, and everything came out fresh and flavorful. The biggest surprise was spotting lengua on the taco menu. That's not something you see everywhere, so of course I had to order it. The tongue was incredibly tender and well-cooked. My only suggestion would be to offer a salsa verde or salsa roja with the tacos--they deserve something with a little extra kick to bring all the flavors together. Overall, great food, fair prices, and a solid option when the rest of Carolina Beach is packed. I'd happily come back, especially for those lengua tacos.

We had a lovely dinner here on the Tuesday before Labor Day weekend 2026. They are famous for live…read moremusic every night, and we had a great guitarist who played lots of classic rock and country, and took requests. We learned this location will be torn down on October 3, and a new one built across the street. The food was great! Because of the reviews, I decided to try the ahi tuna nachos. And because I like produce I also got a side of steamed broccoli. Both were delicious! The nachos were huge- I only ate like half before getting full! The broccoli was also delicious and I'm so glad I incorporated it. My husband enjoyed his fish and fries too! The service was good, and I would definitely visit the new location once they're open!

We didn't think we would get seated right away but were wrong ! The host was great and got us sat…read morein a larger room . The waiter came over and he was very nice and super helpful. Ordered some drinks and looked over the menu. Its your basic food but has some good options if your hungry. I ended up just getting some chicken bites and a drink I would come back for the atmosphere alone .

Such a fun spot to go to! The food is delicious and so are the cocktails! Makes you feel like you…read moreare on vacation even if you're not! A must on the Wilmington list!

The Ocean Grill and Tiki Bar is a place I've been going to for years. Being right on the water, the…read moreocean view is fantastic, and I've always had a good experience--until today. Unfortunately, I feel the food quality has gone downhill while the prices have gone in the opposite direction. The food and drinks are expensive, and based on my experience today, the quality simply doesn't match the price. At this point, I don't feel it's worth what you're paying. The service was also disappointing. Our waitress seemed much more interested in being engaged with her phone than in providing good service or creating a positive experience for her customers. I found her attitude to be somewhat rude and inattentive, which only added to an already disappointing visit. It's unfortunate because I've enjoyed coming here for years, and I really like the location and atmosphere. However, I think I'll be putting my visits on hold for a while. Hopefully, the food quality, service, and pricing will eventually come back into better balance with what customers are actually getting. I'd like to see this place get back to the experience I remember and enjoyed for so many years.

For three years, now, we have rented a house down the street for a week of the 4th, family…read morecelebration. Hang Ten is a MUST, several times each visit. Everything is made with love. Hope to see y'all next time!! {{*.*}}

The only thing worse than the slower-than-imaginable service was the temperature of the simple…read moreburger we ordered. Would rather eat prison food than return.

After hearing recommendation after recommendation, I made my first stop at Island Burgers & Bites…read morein Carolina Beach. I even walked over a mile to get there... so if this burger was bad, I was going to have a very long, disappointing walk back. Thankfully, that wasn't a problem. I ordered the double cheeseburger Carolina-style with chili, slaw, mustard, and onions. A Carolina-style burger... in Carolina Beach. It just felt right. First of all, this thing was HUGE. The beef was incredibly well seasoned with those crisp, lacy edges. The chili had just enough sweetness, the mustard brought the perfect tang, and the onions added that fresh crunch. Then there's the toasted potato bun--still the undisputed champion of burger buns--and the perfectly melted cheese holding this glorious mess together. What makes this place even cooler is that it started in a gas station back in 2017. Now it's one of the most talked-about burger spots around. It's considered by many to be the third best burger in North Carolina and after one bite, I completely understand why. Sometimes the best food comes from the places you'd least expect. Despite being busy, the food came out surprisingly fast, and the staff kept things moving without missing a beat. Final score: 9.8/10. This officially takes the #1 spot on the Ev's Eats Best Burger List... for now. Every burger from here on out has a new standard to chase. #CarolinaBeach #IslandBurgersAndBites #NorthCarolinaEats #NCEats NCFood

We've been coming to island burgers for years as a family and it's truly our favorite place to come…read morewhile in the Carolina Beach area. We even stayed in Wilmington this time and made the drive! Years ago it was in a really small run down building and was such a gem of a find. Now they have a beautiful building with lots of parking too. It's truly such a great spot to eat- never disappoints!!

Enjoy the variety of their menu and can find food we want. The sizes of the items from salads to…read moremeals are very good(take home) and prepared well. Our server, Alex was friendly, provided suggestions and specials, she was attentive and hustled. The prices are as to be expected but, having leftovers to take home, you get bang for the buck. Plenty of beverage selection to go with indoor/outdoor sitting. Limited parking.

Food was excellent but service was slow and mis-timed. There were 4 of us and each one of us got…read moreare food at different times.

Make this a priority on your list of places to dine while in this area. Just superb. They do have…read moretheir own little parking area too so don't have to pay. They have a terrific waiting area as they are busy! They have a front bar and a back bar, as well as tables. We grabbed two seats at the back bar. Holly was our main server and she was a delight. Super friendly and attentive. She for sure added to the down home vibe that this place has. We ordered a margarita and another drink that was similar to a Manhattan. Both were great. Also grabbed a sangria that was good as well. Started with the chicken satay and it was great. Highly recommend this. Comes with 4 and the slaw and sauce were amazing. Ordered the seafood paella which was delicious and the burger. The portions are generous! Let me tell you that burger was one of the best burgers I have ever had. The bun - it was like a cloud. Maybe it was steamed? It wasn't heavy and it didn't take over the main star which were the two delicious patties with some fantastic cheese and then had caramelized onions with red peppers. This came with fries as well. Do not leave without getting this burger. It will ruin all other burgers you have ever had or will have. This is a no brainer! Get here.

Soul Flavor never disappoints!!! All four of us were extremely pleased and happy with what we…read moreordered! it was this Saturday of Memorial Day weekend so we were worried about getting in and how busy it might be in getting served! Our service was quick and efficient! We snuck in right before the rush around 5:45 PM our server Kyra was wonderful! Her timing was excellent and her suggestions were spot on! She was friendly, efficient, and just added to the great experience that all four of us had! My husband and I shared the mahi special and something called Crete Beets ( spelled on the menu beats); both were absolutely delicious! The mahi was prepared perfectly and had a nice light creole sauce which they put on the side for dipping and the crab mac & cheese was delightful with asparagus that was cooked on point; not overdone and not underdone which I know in restaurants is sometimes difficult to do. The crete "beats" was more or less a charcuterie board of roasted purple and gold beats with the most delicious whipped dip and perfectly seasoned and baked pita some of the best I've ever had with olives and cucumbers, and pickled red onions! I can't really describe the dip and apparently it's top-secret because I asked for the recipe! Our friends ordered the beet salad with extra beets; shrimp Tapatio and a bowl of the soup of the day. All were delicous and there was not a crumb or a drop left on their plates while my husband and I were still eating ours! The soup of the day was a potato jalapeño cheddar and it did not disappoint! this seriously is one of the few consistent restaurants on the island! I'm still dreaming about my food this morning!