Came here for breakfast on a whim with a large party. They were awesome and super friendly. The place was busy but they were able to make room for us. The food was delicious and perfectly made. I liked that they had a cool outdoor area where the kids could play, which was a huge bonus. Overall, solid place and might just be our go to breakfast spot from now on. read more

Have been going here for many years. Always very popular, quality of food always good, very attentive to customer needs.

We both got the buttermilk chicken tenders. They were good but over priced. Also why are the waffles only available until 12. This is NC. Does the waffle machine not work after sun reaches solar noon? The fries with the chicken tenders were old and cold. Also $27 for shrimp and grits, bless your heart. The server was very kind, but we still wouldn't come back. read more

Staff was friendly but very slow. There was only two tables in the place and it took a long time for us to get our special of the day, Country Fried Chicken. It was tasty. The meal with an ice tea was $21.89 Place was clean. read more

A party of about 14 of us showed up for brunch after attending a memorial service for a loved one right on the beach. They were more than happy to accommodate us with a large table outside. Some of us including myself started with a coffee and a Bloody Mary. Quite possibly the best Bloody Mary I've had. It's right up there with the shrimp garnished Bloody Mary at Hymen's in Charleston, SC. The flavor and bacon added to the Bloody Mary was fantastic. I then ordered the shrimp and grits ( the south is the only place I'll eat them, because they taste so damn good. I wish I had a little more grits in my meal, it's seemed to be a very small layer of grits lining the bottom of the plate. Despite that, it was delicious. I wanted seconds. Our waitress was fantastic and very funny and even quicker with the jokes than some of at the table. 10/10 recommend all day everyday. read more

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Wonderful food and atmosphere. Great place for breakfast/brunch. Repeat customers, would recommend.

After an hour wait and a seperate party being given our table we finally got sat down, when we went to order they were out of over half of their side options( no indication was given to us before our wait). 20 min later we were then told that 2 of the sides we did order were handed out to others and that they would make us more( yay more waiting!) when the food finally did start coming out some in our party had to wait an extra 10 min while everyone else had there's Despite the long wait the sides we did get tasted microwaves and stale and the main courses were pretty meh( when u spend $25 on a burger u normally hope for little better than "meh") I can't help but feel bad for the waiters who's tips are affected bc of a lack of management and ability to have a functioning seating/ food system Food: 0/5 Service: 0/5 (5/5 when it comes to our poor waiter who had to deal with the managements mess) Ambiance 2/5 read more

Service was great! Food was outstanding. Shrimp and grits & penne Ala vodka with grilled shrimp and chicken. Would dine there again..... read more

The Trading Post - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

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The waiter was so amazing and helpful with the menu! We had a group of 7 and we had no wait . The ambiance was bright and cheerful but I didn't understand the name with the theme as there were boats and beach items around the restaurant. We ordered tuna nachos, for an appetizer and I ordered a mojito which was so good I ordered another :) my chicken sandwich was delicious. My daughter n law got the shrimp and grits and raved about how great it was. The portions were so large she ate it for a few days after! This place is a gem in NC and you should visit! read more

Ate at the bar. Staff is top notch - Nick is AWESOME. Absolutely the best spicy tuna nachos, crab cake probably in the best, full of crab no fillers . Blackberry bread pudding great. Cool place, it's a must read more

10 out 10 do not recommend terribly managed restaurant manger doesn't even understand the basics of seating a restaurant, which is extremely sad as the restaurant only has 18 tables which is an extremely low volume of customers to serve, this is a job so simple most restaurants hire teenagers to handle it. It's honestly surprising to see The Trading Post not being capable of the most basic and simplest aspect of running a restaurant sitting customers at empty tables. After making it half way through an absolute dumpster fire of a summer, with numerous Management and clear leadership issues especially considering the number of recent Google reviews describing many of the same recurring concerns that management and ownership has clearly buried their head in the sand and has refused to acknowledge. A common theme throughout those reviews is extremely long wait times despite empty tables inside and outside, inconsistent seating practices, slow food coming from the kitchen, and a dining room that often appears to be operating well below its capacity. Many reviewers also describe being told they would have to wait even longer to place their order after already waiting to be seated. When customers experience that while seeing numerous empty tables, it's understandable why many decide to leave and spend their money elsewhere. The menu is priced as though it's offering a premium dining experience, but many recent reviews question whether the food quality matches those prices. In a coastal community known for seafood, customers often expect fresh, local products when they're paying premium prices. When those expectations aren't met, people notice--and they tell others. The people I feel for the most are the servers. They rely heavily on tips, and when customers leave because of long waits or operational issues, those servers lose income through no fault of their own. That's unfortunate because many of these problems appear, at least from the outside, to be operational rather than the fault of the waitstaff. The owner owes them a massive apology on servers losing $1000s this summer season due to poor management and ownership. Seriously shocked u still have servers. Based on the pattern of recent public reviews, the biggest issue appears to be leadership and day-to-day operations. When the same complaints continue to surface week after week without noticeable improvement, customers naturally begin to question whether ownership and management are responding effectively. Every successful restaurant depends on strong leadership, accountability, and the willingness to make difficult decisions when something clearly isn't working. No restaurant can afford to lose customers on a consistent basis. Every guest who walks away because of long waits or a disappointing experience is a customer who may never return. In a small coastal community where word of mouth carries tremendous weight, a damaged reputation can be difficult to rebuild. Once tourist season ends, earning back the trust of local customers becomes even more important. I sincerely hope ownership takes the recent feedback seriously and is willing to make whatever operational changes are necessary. Whether that's improving management, adjusting procedures, or investing more attention in the day-to-day operation, the restaurant still has an opportunity to rebuild customer confidence. If the recurring issues highlighted in recent customer reviews continue to go unaddressed, there's a real risk that the restaurant's reputation will continue to suffer, making it increasingly difficult to attract repeat customers and compete with the many other dining options in the area. I hope that's not the outcome, because with the right leadership and meaningful changes, The Trading Post has the opportunity to regain the reputation it once had. Lastly Trading Post Ownership and Management owes ever single person that has walked in their doors this summer a massive apology for price gouging with poor quality food while showing absolute no care or concern and for not knowing how to perform the absolute simplest job in the restaurant industry seating the restaurant and serving customers in a timely manner. Food: 1/5 | Service: 1/5 | Atmosphere: 1/5 Group size doesn't matter if it's 1 or 15 they gonna make u wait an hour plus if theirs more than four tables in the restaurant even if those tables already have their food. Never seen such poor managment. Do better for your servers sake and the customers. The ownership and Management should be absolutely ashamed of them selves. This business is clearly failing from from the top and I would say down but not it's only falling in its leadership roles. Wait time 1+ hour read more

The chicken and waffles is delicious!!! And my husband loved the flounder Ruben and fries. read more

The Trading Post - Chicken n waffles - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Tried the Trading Post for brunch on a late weekday morning. We arrived just in time before they stopped serving breakfast which was not easy to see on their website. One of us had breakfast and other had lunch. Typical southern dinner food. The food was good and everyone was friendly. The place was not busy when we arrived and our food came out quickly but once a few tables were filled, it did take a long time to get the check. read more

This was a good breakfast spot. I enjoyed my eggs thoroughly. The coffee was hot and good.

We stopped here for breakfast on our way to the beach It was very good food Pancake eggs potatoes Grits bacon sausage patty (not great) Biscuit sourdough toast Service was fantastic-Molly got a cup of chocolate chips with a to go lid Ambiance was great beach theme and lots of reclaimed wood They had a bar, no we refrained today I recommend you stop here too read more

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We love Trading Post. They have delicious food and drinks, including the best steak and eggs! read more

The Trading Post - Southern Omelet - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

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We treated our friends to breakfast and while the service was friendly, it took quite some time to get our food. That can happen sometimes, however, it went downhill from there. Two of us ordered eggs over easy and got overcooked eggs with hard yolks. The other two ordered scrambled eggs, however one person got a smaller than normal portion (one egg) while the other got a normal portion. The eggs were not scrambled before they cooked on the grill, so they came out like a strange version. The toast was barely toasted and the potatoes were cubed fried pieces - not home fries. Breakfast should not cost a fortune in addition to being badly cooked. We will not be going back. read more

Review "The Trading Post" Emerald Isle, NC 05/25/2025 We have eaten at the Trading Post before on one of many of our sojourns to the Crystal Coast, and had good experiences, but tonight was one for the record books--in a bad way. And apparently it was partially a bad experience intentionally engineered by the front of house manager. We arrived around 515 and ordered drinks on the outside patio and enjoyed the beginning of a great musical performance by Dan Miller. The drinks took an extremely long time to arrive, and just around 630 we ordered our food. We didn't see a server again for over 30 minutes. Eventually, one of our party went inside the bar and waited at the cash register until drinks could be secured without the server's help. Our drinks easily expired by 730 and still our server was nowhere to be found. Our food, with incorrect orders (ex. no cole slaw, lemon, no cocktail sauce, no chicken on salad, well overcooked mahi, no sides, etc.) and did not arrive until past 830 pm. TWO HOURS. We asked to see the manager multiple times and he walked by us, ignoring us, mumbling about needing a server to take trash bags to the dumpster. When he finally did see us because we literally stood up and cornered him he said that he would give us 10% off. WHAT? There is no restaurant in the world where I would spend a couple of hundred dollars and get treated the way we did. Employees told us they had other employees walk out that night due to the manager--including the line cook. OMG they should have said drinks on the house and we will do bar food, and not try to fleece us for an experience they couldn't live up to. Someone owes us a huge apology, but at the very least I owe it YOU to let you know what happened before you go there. read more

The Trading Post - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

The Shrimp and Grits at The Trading Post on Emerald Isle were by far the best Shrimp and Grits I have ever had. The shrimps were perfectly cooked, the serving size was incredibly generous, the grits were creamy and well spiced the toppings added so much earthy flavor to each bite, and the associated sauce was insanely savory and delicious. Did I mention there was also a perfectly cooked poached egg in the midst as well? My tastebuds have rarely been happier with a brunch. Our server was fantastic and attentive and it's generally hard to beat the beachy vibes of the whole island even when the weather was chillier. read more

The Trading Post - Shrimp and Grits - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Now folks, let me tell you about this little joint that's serving up some ocean treasures. I rolled up to the counter and went straight for their signature combo - the fried oysters and grilled shrimp. The shrimp hit the grill with some solid technique - nice char marks, cooked through without being rubbery. But here's where things got a little sideways: these bad boys were crying out for some flavor love. We're talking minimal seasoning action here, people. The grill work was money, but flavor? That's where this spot missed the boat. Now, the fried oysters - that's where the wheels really came off the bus. These little gems from the sea were working overtime in that fryer, coming out smaller than a silver dollar and tougher than a two-dollar steak. When you're dealing with oysters, timing is everything, and unfortunately, these guys took a trip to Rubbertown. Look, I've been to a lot of places across the south and this spot is playing in that comfortable middle ground - you know, that buffet-style experience where you get what you pay for. It's not gonna knock your socks off, but it's not gonna send you running for the hills either. However for the prices on the menu they need to step it up a notch or two. Sept 2024 read more

Food was good but chicken Marsala and the spinach were salty! Took awhile to get our good. Not sure about going back. I love salt but this was a bit much! read more

Marleigh, Karen, Shelly, & Nic were the best for our party!!! We sat at the bar and all came up to us and were super nice and chatty. Made me feel welcomed during a busy weekend. The food and drinks were awesome too!! Got a burger, mac n cheese, hush puppies & some crab balls (the best!) super great group. Thank you!!!! read more

Great neighborhood restaurant. Summers you can sit outside. Service is awesome, and love the food. Everyone has a choice. We have returned several times as friends, and a date with my husband. read more

Waitress (Sarah) denied my very real ID. I offered to have the cops come down and scan it and everything as I really was hoping to try the jalapeño margarita. She claimed they are trained to look for certain things on an ID and mine didn't have what it needed...very strange. Faulty training from the management? High and mighty feeling server? Kinda ridiculous regardless to even question my ID as much as she did if you ask me. 10 minutes after taking our order we were told they only had 1 burger left. We got up and left. Pretty poor experience if you ask me. read more

I hate saying this but the staff seemed overwhelmed on Wednesday 6/4. Despite seeing open tables in the dining room we waited at the door 10 min before staff even acknowledged us and the party of four ahead of us. We were told 20 min wait but after 45 min we left. They never suggested we come into the bar for a beer or cocktail despite the bar being nearly empty. Really wanted to try the shrimp and grits. We ended up going next door for ice cream instead. Bummer. read more

So first off absolutely terrible showed up for dinner at 4 left at 6 pm also the bill was $245 for 5 of us.. drink was left empty twice had people come in after us same group size comes in they get food before us.. wouldn't recommend especially with little ones not a in and out dinner place... read more

The BEST place to eat in Emerald Isle. - hands down. Out of my entire week of here - this is THE BEST SPOT. First and foremost- the service and people who work there are a delight. From the moment I came in with my family - Sarah our waitress was 100% on point- charming, smiling and just completely present and not rushing us. I have 2 kids and they took to her like a duck to water. She made sure we all had everything we needed without intruding on conversation. The place is clean, decorated charmingly and the back yard is a plus if you have kids so they are not just sitting at the table waiting for food. Games were set out and before I knew it the food arrives. THE FOOD WAS SO GOOD AND SEASONED ! One of my biggest complaints in the area is lack of proper seasoning in the food. All the restaurants I ate at had fresh and good ingredients but seemed to error on lack or minimal seasoning. They did it right. Excellent eggs and pancakes to die for. THE GRITS WERE THE BEST I HAVE EVER HAD. The buttermilk biscuits were so fresh when they put the plate down you could smell the love. How do I know this was the best place in the area? Not one table was looking at those phones. It was 70% full and family's were laughing, parents playing jenga or connect four with their kids, teenagers laughing. Not one person on their phone scrolling social media or bored. The Atmosphere was so welcoming and charming that if you were to try to explain to someone what it's like to experience southern hospitality. I'd tell them go eat at the Trading Post. Then they will understand what that truly means. read more

Breakfast for a family of four was about 100 bucks with tip. We had 2 pancake, 1 omelette and one eggs Benedict...and 2 coffees. Coffee was terrible...had to switch tables because ours was crooked and rocking.....food was just ok but really should have been better. Service was great... people were friendly....my kids were fine with it but really the breakfast was mediocre. read more

This place was so yummy. They were really packed the first time we tried to come so we went to the bar down the street to waste some time before we came back. We started with the southern soul roll and the fried pickles and peppers and then we split the flounder Rueben. Everything was so good. The pickles and peppers were my favorite. It had pickles, banana peppers and jalapeños. They were nicely fried and came with a side of ranch. The southern soul roll was also delicious. It had collards, black eyed peas, ham, and some other southern things. It came with a molasses dipping sauce and was also delicious. The Reuben was also yummy and came with a nice piece of fried fish. We were happy we got to try this place and will definitely stop by the next time we're in town. read more

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This used to be one of our favorite restaurants in Emerald Isle but wow the quality has plummeted. Been going here since it opened and the food was always great - but this year it tasted reheated, greasy, cold and just plain weird. The oysters and grits were tiny chunks of oyster with a bunch of tasteless fry coating and the grits tasted strongly of lemon juice and nothing else. very weird. The crab cake tasted like nothing and disappointment- shreds of canned crab with a greasy outer fried layer. The chicken Marsala ... wasn't Marsala and thericotta ravioli was cold and in a sauce that was just congealed chunks of canned parmesan. Save your time and money and skip this place. read more

Even though Trading Post's website states you must call to place an order, they refused to fill ours on a Wednesday night in early June at around 6:30 pm because they were "too busy." Nowhere on their site does it say that do not take orders (although they point out they do NOT deliver, do NOT take reservations, and do NOT take online orders.") It sounds like they do NOT really want to operate a restaurant. Too bad. You lost a customer and earned this review. read more

Ever since we discovered this spot 3 years ago, we make it a point to come back every year on our beach trip! Their dinner menu and brunch is always amazing no matter what we get! My husband had dietary restrictions this year and our waitress was so kind and accommodating. She made sure his food would be gluten free and clarified to make sure everything was correct. Amazing food, great staff, and fun environment! read more

The Trading Post - Shrimp and Grits, Southern Omelet with gluten free toast! - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Had breakfast on a Saturday morning. The service was great. They have a full bar. The menu is short and breakfast is $15-23 per meal. They have the basics but known for the shrimp and grits. It was really good, the shrimp especially. There were very little grits though. It was served in a shallow dish and there were less grits than you would expect. Portions are not huge in this case, and they are $18. read more

The Trading Post - Outside seating - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

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We've come here every year for four years, originally for the shrimp and grits which is over the top, and now for other menu items and the atmosphere. The shrimp and grits has all the things. LOTS of perfectly cooked shrimp, cheese grits, broth with bacon, mushrooms and onions, sautéed fresh spinach and tomatoes, and a dash of vinegar to finish. We also love the crab balls (basically crab cakes), and our not-seafood people like the burger. The backyard is relaxed and offers giant jenga and corn hole. There are even rocking chairs. Staff is always friendly, knowledgeable and service is fast. read more

Sunday mid morning, not really busy, but kinda busy. We waited about 45 mints for a table of 7. We were seated and waitress took our water drinks order and she's gone. We had the Eggs Benedict x2 no complaints. We had chicken tenders, chicken N waffles and chicken and biscuits, now it's only 11 am but the tenders seems liked they were cooked in old grease(see photos) My daughters chicken n biscuits, she likes however it was very skimpy on the gravy. Grits N Shrimp- very good flavor, however the grits themselves were runny, I preferred grits to be firm, however overall good. Customer service, get a 3/5 not that attentive, but got what we needed and did what we needed to do overall 3/5 definitely a place to try if your in the area, also had an kiddie area for the kiddos and just to stretch your legs. read more

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Absolutely amazing all the way around, from the food to the service. Had the crab balls (tee hee), fried green tomatoes, shrimp, and crab legs. Got a side of mac & cheese that was phenomenal topped with Ritz crackers and everything. I wish I could actually give this place more than five stars. And our server Nick was awesome. I will drive from one end of the island to the other, just to come and eat at this place again!! read more

The Trading Post - Fried green tomatoes, crab balls. shrimp, crab legs, And "The" Mac-n-cheese - Southern Near Me - Emerald Isle, North Carolina

One of the local favorites and I agree. Small menu but daily specials. There is outdoor dining, full bar, and courteous. Open breakfast lunch and dinner read more

We eat at the Trading Post every time we visit Emerald Isle, and we've always had good food and service. This year we stopped for breakfast and it was so delicious we came back two more mornings. We think The Trading Post has the best breakfast in Emerald Isle. Between three of us we tried the Local Post Breakfast, waffles and pancakes. Everything we tried was wonderful, and the sweet tea is so refreshing. We will definitely eat here on our next trip down. read more

As a disclaimer, we just stopped in here for a drink on the way to another location for dinner. So we did not have dinner here. We sat at the bar and the bartender was a very friendly guy. We got a beer each. It was pouring rain when we got there and the place was not busy, but by the time we left it was full with a line outside. We saw all the plates leaving the kitchen and the food looked really good with ample portions. The menu here is not extensive but it is southern style food with a daily meat. Also, some seafood. We saw a huge plate of king crab legs go out! It was impressive! If we had had another night, we would have tried to have dinner here. read more

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We visited for dinner on Mother's Day. My wife wanted to go to our usual favorite place on the island, but the kids wanted to try somewhere different. Oh boy... The seafood platters were a really poor attempt. We received 5 overcooked oysters and what appeared to be a previously frozen very small and soggy flounder. You only get ONE side on the seafood platters, so no coleslaw AND fries!?!? We waited over 40 minutes for our seafood platters to be served room temperature at best. The upside was the shrimp and grits. It was fantastic, served hot with fresh large shrimp and a poached egg. I really wish we would have stuck with the original plan for Mother's Day dinner as this was a deep disappointment for her. Maybe we'll try their breakfast sometime. I don't know. read more