Went here for my birthday dinner and I have to say it was EXCEPTIONAL! I ordered the angels on horseback and WOW the flavors really packed a punch!! My boyfriend order the shrimp and grits which also was fantastic. We got our meal in a timely manner even with the restaurant being busy. Our server/waitress Lexi was OUTSTANDING and very nice. She sat us outside and the view was beautiful! 10 out of 10 would eat here again read more

Saltwater Grill - Angels on horseback - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

See all

Haven't been here for year so decided I wanted to get Eggrolls ($12 for three). Disappointed. Not sure what they have done differently but they were greasy and the outside texture was different. The inside flavors were still good and the sauce yummy, just the shell was not pleasant. Five stars to Breyanna... she was friendly and cheerful. She checked in on us several times. What I did notice is that she had to be a bartender and a waitress so she was not there when I did want something. I would like to suggest that the host/hostess (who was not busy) should be checking around to see if customers need anything when wait staff is short handed. He could have easily filled my glass with water or could have told Breyanna we were ready for out ticket. The property owner needs to change the parking signs to let us know that we can also park where the Looking Glass used to be. read more

Saltwater Grill - Sept 2025 eggrolls - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

Our waitress was super friendly and amazing, gosh I am bad with names but started with an M! I give her a 5/5 stars but unfortunately only give the food a 3.5!Waterfront dining with amazing views, it was a little hot and stuffy inside (I wish they had all the windows open). The food was decent, not as good as I was expecting. We stopped in on the boat after being out on the water all day. Nice that they have a dock that you can pull up too. We were dressed casual but lot of folks were dressed up! We started with a few cocktails and beers along with calamari and crab dip. My son had a N/A Pina colada served on the rocks (they don't have a blender! It was still good even though we were expecting frozen). I had a side salad which was a generous size and the ranch dressing was delish! Our friends are locals and said the food wasn't as good as last time, they were a little disappointed in this visit. Don't forget to use the restroom so you can use the amazing hand scrub (which you can also buy to take home!) and they have a cute little photo ooo in the front near the hostess stand. read more

See all

It was very hot in the restaurant, but the food came quickly. I got a blackened chicken Alfredo which was not really blackened chicken. It was great for seating our large party but I'm not sure I would go back. The staff was very nice b read more

Saltwater Grill - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

A bit disappointed in the food tonight. We were at a bar in town and a local recommended this place. The good: the view is amazing. Our server was extremely friendly. The bad: the food... all of it. The cleanliness. The need for some updating. Food safety rating was 90. My wife ordered the chicken with a butter piccata sauce. The chicken was undoubtedly frozen before served to us. Poor taste for sure. The sauce was unpalatable due to the amount of salt. I ordered the Mahi Mahi with pineapple salsa. The Mahi was certainly not fresh and was likely frozen before served to us. It was overcooked additionally and tough to chew. The "salsa" was basically just chopped pineapple. The outdoor deck, while the view is beautiful, needs some updating/repairs. The ceiling to the deck is just exposed plywood. I would recommend maybe some ceiling fans, or decorative wood rather than sheets of plywood. The flooring on the deck was old, dirty and worn. The sliding door to the deck was disgustingly dirty and in need of just some care. It spoke to the 90 food safety score that was posted. read more

Happy St Patrick's Day! Service was outstanding. Had elderly parents with us and the staff acknowledged and engaged with them. had them all laughing and smiling Specials for dinner were known as my comfort foods when I was younger. Shepherds Pie was wonderful and the Corn beef and cabbage had extra special flavor. Great job Chef! What beautiful scenery of the inter coastal water, and warmth of the sun in the background. You all made it extra special and we definitely will be returning for our next monthly gathering. read more

Very disappointed in our meals on Saturday night. All four entrees, whether chicken, tuna, or salmon were overcooked and dry. Then the mashed potatoes were cold. Not what we have come to expect. Going forward we will stick to the lunch menu that seems to be what they are good at. read more

I have been a loyal customer of Saltwater Grill for many years, which makes tonight's experience especially disappointing. This was, without question, the worst visit I have ever had. From the moment we were seated, our experience went downhill. Our waitress, Tori, was rude and dismissive from the start. There was no warm greeting, no professionalism, and no sense that we were welcome. We ordered salads to begin our meal. While waiting, I could clearly see our salads sitting at the kitchen counter for several minutes while Tori attended other tables and socialized with other staff at the bar area. The food was ready. It just wasn't a priority. When the salads finally arrived, our main courses were brought to the table within about a minute, rushed and poorly timed. There was no pacing at all. As I began eating my salad, I discovered hair in it. I immediately became sick and had to run to the bathroom. While I was gone, my husband approached our waitress, who was again standing at the bar talking with other employees, and informed her of what happened. She followed him back to our table and removed both my salad and my entrée. At that point, it was also clear that my steak was cooked incorrectly. I ordered it medium well, and it was brought out rare. Given everything that had already happened, my husband asked that all of the food be taken away. When I returned from the bathroom, Tori came to the table and asked if I wanted another meal or if I wanted the meal removed from the bill. Considering how rude she had been throughout the evening and the seriousness of the situation, the question itself felt dismissive. I chose to have the meal removed from the bill. She turned and walked away without any apology, concern, or attempt to make things right. As we were leaving, I asked to speak with a manager. A woman named Chris approached us. I calmly expressed how disappointed we were with both the service and the food. She stated that she was aware of the incident, which made the situation worse, because no one had checked on me or attempted to address the issue proactively. When I questioned this, she explained that she was not the manager and that they were "in a hiring process." I then asked to speak with the owner and was told I would need to call another day. This entire experience showed a complete lack of professionalism, accountability, and concern for customers. Between the food safety issues, incorrect preparation, poor service, and management's failure to step in, this was unacceptable. For a restaurant we have supported for years, this level of service, food handling, and management response is unacceptable. I will be contacting the owner to share this experience. Unfortunately, I will not be returning to Saltwater Grill, and I will be sure to share this experience with others. Long-time customers should not be treated this way, and no customer should ever leave a restaurant feeling sick, dismissed, and ignored. What was once a place we enjoyed has completely lost our trust. read more

Beautiful weather and seated on porch with nice breeze and good cocktails! A favorite of ours to eat dinner when down at the beach! read more

See all

Nice restaurant on the water. Very good food! Highly recommend the Angels on Horseback. It was an amazing dish! It's a bit expensive but worth it. Staff was very nice and we will definitely go back. read more

Ambiance is great, however the food left something to be desired. The Asiago risotto tasted like curdled cheese. Tried the crab dip for an appetizer, again way too cheesy not enough of a flavor profile and the flat bread was so hard you could barely bite through it. The service was good. But what does that get you when the food isn't? read more

This place was exactly what I was looking for! Great views and the crab cake sandwich was one of the best ones I've had, with a delicious remoulade sauce. The staff were really friendly. Everything was perfect! read more

Saltwater Grill - The Crab Cake Sandwich - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

Loved our visit to Saltwater Grill in Swansboro! The restaurant is open and airy with a beautiful view of the White Oak River -- such a relaxing spot. Service was super friendly and quick. We started with the southwest egg rolls (crispy and full of flavor) and calamari, which was tender and came with a balsamic glaze, tomatoes, banana peppers, and marinara -- so good! I had the fried shrimp Po Boy for my meal. It was huge, packed with shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and aioli. Definitely had leftovers! Pro tip: get the sweet potato fries -- they're extra crispy and seriously addictive. read more

Saltwater Grill - Key Lime Martini - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

See all

I wanted a seafood dinner and was visiting friends here and I took them here as a 'hosting me" thank you. What a mistake. They waiter did admit none of the seafood was fresh (fresh would be cost prohibitive) but I thought i would try it anyway, after telling the waiter i was apprehensive. I ordered the Fried Shrimp Platter with sauteed spinach and French fries. The fries were not even warm - I returned them twice before they agreed to cook some for me -- and they were HOT and yummy - best part of my meal. The spinach was oversalted and inedible, quite heavy on the garlic. I did not get a chance to mention this because after it took three tries to get hot French fries, the waiter never stopped by the table. The shrimp were overcooked, but worse than that, they had not been deveined. I had to remove a tough stringlike strip out of my mouth in the first bite - at first i thought it was a piece of shrimp shell, but it was the same for the next 3 shrimp -- and then I gave up and did not eat any more. When I asked for the check and was paying it I had to speak up to the waiter and tell him how disappointing the meal was -- he did not ask, but one look at my plate full of uneaten food probably scared him. His reply to my discourse on a disappointing meal was "sorry." Good grief. We had to wait as we were leaving for someone (the bar tender) to come and unlock the elevator and she asked how our evening was. My friend spoke up about the disappointing meal and the waiter's disinterest and she said she would speak to him about how to handle situations like mine in the future. No offer for a discount on the meal - no offer for a coupon to try the restaurant again......wow -- so that's why i have taken the time to write this review. PS the Caesar Salad was okay and the Shrimp Tacos were okay - that's what my dining companions had ordered. read more

We had a great dinner! Kate was an excellent and sweet server and the place was cute. We had alligator bites, she crab soup, angels on horseback entree, mahi mahi entree, key lime martini, and mango jalapeño margarita. Really impressed with everything we ate and experienced! read more

Saltwater Grill - Angels on Horseback, key lime martini and mahi mahi - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

Great service today. We are a party of 12, they made a last minute dash and set us up. Comfortable atmosphere, attentive staff (server and manager), menu with a lot of variety, excellent quality (taste and temperature), clean, and mostly affordable. Can not say enough about this place, maybe the phrase on the glass says it all, "a little saltwater cures everything". read more

See all

Servers could be more attentive and aware Food was great, definitely recommend the shrimp and grits! View is amazing especially on nice days. read more

Food: The alligator bites were available (and may or may not be), and were like chicken nuggets, with fried and battered jalapeño pepper slices as a secondary. Also had a shared sample of the Southwest rolls, which were delicious. Service: Super top notch. Cannot say enough good things about the service, which was all the right and appropriate amounts of attentive, and yet not oppressive. Ambiance: We were seated on the eastern/northeastern side and they opened the shades for us on the upper patio/deck area to get more exposure. The weather was great and the seating was good. read more

Saltwater Grill - Southwest Spring Rolls - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

See all

Such a romantic date night spot! We went around 6 pm and the vibe was perfect. The alligator bites and calamari were incredible appetizers, and our waitress (a blonde young woman) was so friendly and attentive. Highly recommend! read more

Went for dinner with our dear friends! We were in the perfect side of the building for the cool windy evening. Our waitress was fabulous. The best surprise was that all of the menu is Gluten Free!!! Well, they can make EVERYTHING on the menu GF! At the table was shrimp and grits, Shrimp pasta, Angels on horseback and a cesear salad. No one complained about the main meal. Drinks were great. We had crab dip w corn chips; the corn chips were stale We had key lime pie, chocolate torte(gf) and cheese cake The key lime pie was more like vanilla pudding (they said it was a disappointment, and not like they remembed) , the cheese cake was fabulous, the chocolate was fabulous. Definitely go back read more

See all

They were packed tonight and we were seated right away. Our waitress was amazing and very attentive. I took away one star because a waiter in Black jeans saw fit to walk across the restaurant, just to ask us if we were finished. Mister Side part black jeans was SO RUDE! read more

Saltwater Grill - Cajun shrimp and grits - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

See all

Great food and atmosphere! Friendly and attentive staff. Check this place out when in Swansboro! read more

Saltwater Grill - Bacon Jam Hamburger - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

Casual friendly atmosphere. We went for an early dinner and were not disappointed. They're located on the second floor, but they have an elevator (my wife cannot easily climb stairs). It's not self service, so you have to ring for the elevator. The manager was very friendly and helped right away. The food was excellent. read more

We waited 2.5 hours for a table for 3. Ridiculous for a Thursday night. We called ahead to ask about the wait and were told that there wasn't much of a wait. 15 mins later hostess tells us the wait is 2.5 hrs. We waited at the bar which was chaos. Dirty plates lay on the bar and staff's personal belongings on the bar cluttered the area. Ordered mixed drinks and mine tasted like all mix. Finally we were seated and ordered food. The shrimp scampi was bad. Waitress asked if we were on the same check or separate checks while we were still eating. I think the place is run by teenagers who have a lot to learn about service. read more

While visiting Swansboro with my family during our vacation, we decided to stop by Saltwater Grill for lunch. The service was great with both the waitress and host being super welcoming. The food was equally as good from the appetizers to the entrees and it was ready in a short amount of time. I'm very happy to have a come here! read more

Saltwater Grill - Turkey Brie Grilled Cheese - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

The food was incredible. I got a saltwater Club sandwich with a side of sweet potatoes fries. I could've eaten just the fries they were so good. The service was incredible as well and I received welcoming smiles the second I walked in. The inside was also very welcoming and I will be returning next time i'm in Swansboro! read more

Saltwater Grill - Saltwater Club sandwich and sweet potato fries - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

My family went there for lunch today for the first time. The host was rude!! She acted like we made her come to work!! Not pleasant at all! Ashley S was our server! I feel like the host should be the one who is welcoming! read more

Fish tacos with sautéed spinach & fries Our service food and view all were great. Even blessed with dolphins jumping out of the water at the end of lunch. Everyone's attitude even looking at other tables looked to be satisfactory. Would recommend and would come back again read more

See all

I would love nothing more than to give this place 5 stars, but there were a few things that made me go four. Let's get into it, as you approach there is an outdoor patio and some stairs. The sign out front could be updated. We took about five minutes to find the entrance as nothing really marks it or where to go. Upon entering, we were greeted right away by a smiling face and sat quickly out on the patio. The interior isn't to bad inside and it seemed fairly nice and clean. Julia was at our table fast and brought our drinks quickly. She was great in recommendations and seemed to truly care about the patrons she was serving. Now onto what everyone likes to hear, the food......I had the buffalo shrimp as an appetizer which was cooked well and tasted great. All five of us really enjoyed them. I was told by my kids and wife that their food was really good and tasted fresh. My wife had one of the pasta dishes, she is not a pasta person, but she said that it was delicious and she would eat it again. That tells you something there about the food they serve. The French fries seemed to be fresh cut and were crispy. I also ordered the fried shrimp. (Yes, I have a love for shrimp. Lol.). I will say that the breading they use is excellent in flavor with whatever it is they use. Most of the shrimp was cooked very well and stayed crispy. There were some that were a bit overcooked which was a little disappointing. I will say that they are a bit more pricey than some places, but for the amount and quality of food you get, it is worth the bill. The service also made a difference as it was an enjoyable experience. I can hope that when we go back, that all the servers are that way and it wasn't just a lucky day. Did I mention that I'll be going back? Lol. Yes, I definitely will! read more

See all

Recently came back to this establishment after not eating here for over a couple years. My first experience wasn't the best, so kept me away for awhile. But I returned recently with some friends that always eat here, and I was pleasantly surprised by the change of food and atmosphere. We came for their Ribeye one night, and the steak was pretty good. Cooked to how I liked it and the addition of asparagus and spinach was great. Had some cocktails to wash it all down, and the setting made for a nice evening. I enjoyed my time, thanks for having me. read more

Saltwater Grill - Ribeye w/ Asparagus & Spinach - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

See all

Horrible. An employee came out and screamed - yes, literally screamed - at my family, after he thought we fed some seagulls. Didn't even realize the table next to us fed a couple of seagulls. We tried to talk to him but he yelled over us and humiliated us. Two people in my family started crying. It was that bad. This was while we were already paying our over $200 bill for tasteless food. So they were awful and cowardly: way to kick the crap out of your customers on their way out the door. Pathetic. read more

We came here as a family of 9 around 4pm. Other reviews said parking is a challenge but we had no issue in a weekday. The restaurant had flowers on every table which was nice with the water views. Drinks were delicious with lemonade, peach mojito, mango coconut mojito, blueberry mojito and margarita. We even had some Shirley temple orders. We started with southwestern egg roll and crab dip. The fresh pita chips were so yummy and crispy. One of the teens suggested Angels on horseback which was scallops wrapped in crispy bacon with risotto topped with crab meat and asparagus. 5 of us ordered that and loved it. We also had a spinach salad with strawberries and feta, blacked chicken Alfredo, filet with fries and pork chop with asiago risotto and broccoli. I'm not sure how we managed but we also had dessert. There was several orders of pineapple strawberry cake, key lime pie and flourless chocolate torte. The waitress was nice and made sure our water and drinks were filled. She even took a family photo for us. The chef came out twice to ask us if we enjoyed it but wouldn't share his secret on how he got those bacon strips so crispy without overcooking the scallops. :) read more

See all

My husband & I came here last year for our anniversary & loved it so I thought I would bring my mom here for lunch. Yes the views are great and it's a prime location. We arrived at opening, seated quickly. But.... Flies everywhere. Even right at opening? Something weird and brown in my water glass. Then a large and loud argument broke out between a cook in the kitchen over bread being moved. Cussing, the N word being used. And you're seated 2 arms length from the kitchen so it was pretty unavoidable. I'm largely pregnant and was nervous and almost left. Our waitress was very nice though and profusely apologized. I wanted to bring my mom somewhere nice before she left to go back home but this was super embarrassing. I'm not sure if I'll be back after what happened. read more

Went here Sunday with some friends. Service was okay, but one of the appetizers was taken back by the server because "it looked unappetizing." Server brought back our appetizers, and there were hardly any gator bites, only jalapeños. One of our friends ordered the blackened chicken Alfredo. He kept saying he felt like it tasted weird, once we tasted it we knew the milk in the sauce was spoiled. Informed our waiter and they did take it off the bill and discounted his food. Overall experience was okay. Food was expensive for quality/quantity. Wouldn't recommend read more

The service by Allison was helpful and she was quite humorous! Food was great; highly recommend the chef special of scallops and shrimp wrapped in bacon. The purple martini was fab. The scampi was also very good! read more

We all had various sandwiches and salads. All good. The service was superb and she kept my friend full of tea and she drinks like a camel. We sat outside and the view is wonderful. Makes me want to move to Swansboro. read more

See all

While the view is incredible and the food was well portioned and delicious, the service has alot to be desired. Assumptions were made by our server that led to her receiving a .01 cent tip. I have been in food services in my life and know that you need to offer the same level of service to every table. This was not the case as her attention seemed to be on the table next to us, and rushed our tickets to our table without any offer of deserts as she had been to others. We were not unkind, or difficult on any way but definitely felt slighted by this person. read more

We sat out on the porch area during a rainy day with the enclosed shades and it was really hot and muggy so we decided to just have a drink and app and leave. Just as we were leaving they opened up the enclosed shades and let the breeze in which was more enjoyable. The drinks and service were good but the app (southwest egg rolls) were definitely a frozen and half warmed. It's a nice spot on the water. read more

Tried restaurant on the recommendation of our son. Nice waterfront view, but it's very loud if seated inside. Waited 30 minutes for a glass of sweet tea while our waiter went to every surrounding table to take their order. When we still didn't have our meal at the 50 minute mark, we asked to speak to the manager, Alex. He tried to tell us the tables that were finished with their meals were seated before us and called us liars when we said we had seen tables come and go. The food was fairly good, but we will not be back. read more

Came with my sisters to have a last meal with just us and no kids before we flew back to WA and the reviews seemed really good but damn we were so bummed. Our crab dip had a big parmesan rind that looked gross af cuz we didn't know what the hell it was (we certainly weren't expecting it) and to top if off all of our dishes arrived cold! The price they charge for food just for it to be cold is absolutely ridiculous. Our server Tre (I think that was his name) was nice and apologetic but the whole night was a complete loss. I wouldn't go here again. read more

Saltwater Grill - Very basic bland flavored shrimp tacos - New American Near Me - Swansboro, North Carolina

See all