The Lowdown: Beautiful waterfront views, attentive service, delicious food, fair prices, and a laid…read moreback atmosphere that made for a great girls' night out. The three of us were on a girls' trip to Oak Island, so we took the golf cart over to Lone Rider. Parking was easy, even with a short wait for an outdoor table. But there were plenty of picnic tables and bar seating where we could relax in the meantime. Once we were seated outside, the view overlooking the sound was absolutely worth it. Peaceful, relaxing, exactly what we were hoping for. Our server was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout the meal. We all ended up ordering the Smash Burger, and yes, despite the lettuce headlines, we kept the lettuce on and lived to tell the tale. My friends chose tots, and I went with the fries. Everything came out hot and fresh, and the Smash Burger on Texas toast was a great twist. Prices felt fair for the area, especially given the location and overall vibe. No live music the night we visited, but they host bands and events on other nights, which sounds like a fun reason to return.

Have come here 3 years in a row and very much enjoyed it every time. I'm not a huge fan of most of…read moretheir beers, but their hefeweizen is really good and they have mixed drinks. Their patio is dog friendly which is great for my family. We all also enjoy their variety of food. Will come back next time I'm in town

Been a customer here for a few years... always a great place for a cold beer, wine, or a…read morecocktail...and great food from Amelia's next door. And now that Coach - the best bartender in SE North Carolina is there - it's even better. Great selection of craft beers!

Great little gem of a pub. Keith our bartender was very helpful. The man has an encyclopedic…read moreknowledge about beer. I had glass of Cabernet and it was quite good. Not your typical cheap house red. I recommend you try this place when you want a drink and conversation.

Huge walk in cooler full of beer, walk in and take your pick. Big outdoor sandy area with lots of…read moreseating and eclectic decor. Great staff.

This is probably one of the best little dive bars I've ever been to! My friend thought that it…read morewould be a neat place to hang out just have a drink before going to dinner. Unfortunately, for me, I did not know what I was about to drink because I wasn't paying attention and my friend thought she was funny by introducing this to me, but 50 g of cannabis doesn't sit well with someone who wouldn't even drink too lol The bar has an indoor seating option but they have an outdoor Z themed sort of hangout place. Swings rocking chairs, different Adirondack seating covered, uncovered whatever your heart desires group seating single seating, etc. etc. there are tables there as well outback if you have a group. The bartender was very nice. He even warned us about the drinks. My friend was used to drinking these, but I wasn't lol I should've stuck to my wine. But I will say the way it works is that you're basically going into a back room selecting what you wanna drink if it's not a bar menu item and then you pay for it and then you walk outside or go find a place to hang out and chill. Really enjoyed the vibe. People were really nice. There were some people there alone just having a drink, chilling out and they were others that were just there having fun before going out to maybe the carnival the boardwalk or even to dinner. I did not see anybody eating food so I do not think there is food there maybe some bar nuts and stuff like that but other than that, it's pure just alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic for those that don't drink. I'll go back there again for sure, but I definitely won't be having the drink that I had which was some canned cannabis whatever it was lol!

One of my favorites! Great staff and food. Get the peanut butter pie when they have itread more

The food and service has always been amazing every time we have been here. Don't forget to get the…read morechocolate cake, it is awesome.

We absolutely love Tap and Cellar!! The choice of beers is exceptional. Go to enjoy a beer or a…read morefood truck on certain days. Trivia and Bingo too! Great local place to hang out!

Southport Tap and Cellar is always a good option if you're looking for a unique beer or cider…read more Right now, they have the NoDa Cheerwine Ale that I am absolutely obsessed with. They're located right there on the main drag as you enter Southport which is great for a pit stop on the way in or on the way out of town. The service is walk up which keeps it super casual and fun. I have been here 3 or 4 times and there has never been a food truck when I've been but they have awesome snacks available behind the bar. For just $1 a cup, you can get goldfish, animal crackers, pretzels, and those delicious little peanut butter filled pretzels. I wish the outdoor area was more interesting but that's my only complaint.

On our way to Charleston and made a stop. Here is what we liked:…read more * Bat seating. Just not a fan of breweries where you can sit at the bar. * Beertender while being from Ohio was a pretty chill dude. Knew his beer stuff and was friendly. * Several good beer choices. * The misses loved the gift shop. Think we bought just about everything. What could of been better- * Wr loved our visit. While they didn't have food you could bring food in from other places. There is a deli right next door and it appears they often have food trucks. Cool vibe little place- will stop every time we travel in the area

Large space inside. All the beers we tried were really good, and there is a good selection to…read moreplease any taste. The bartender was friendly and knowledgable. No onsite food, outside of snacks, but the deli next door has great sandwiches you can bring in to eat while you drink.

Service and vibe are a plus. Definitely a friendly locals joint with an excellent selection of…read morecraft beer that features some of North Carolina's best small brewers in addition to some from out of state. The staff are extremely knowledgeable. And there's also two quality wines always on offer plus THC drinks if that's your jam.

While the quantity was a bit limited, the quality of the bottle shop selection was very strong. I…read morepicked up a few big stouts including an angry chair collab and a Bo and Luke. The B and L has been on my wish list for years and I've never been able to find a bottle or can. The service was kind and quick. They had about ten beers on tap with a nice variety of styles and a focus on NC brewers. The seating was great inside and outside. Outside even has a little walk up drive through style window for refills.

Tried for the first time today and was not disappointed! This place is so cute, clean and…read moreorganized. The outdoor patio is very spacious and comfortable. They even have insect repellent by the door if you need it. The gelato....so many yummy flavors to choose from. Samples were so nicely offered if anything we wanted to try. We settled on 4 flavors dark chocolate,coconut, raspberry and cherry vanilla. All were delightful. Next time...boozy milkshake!!!

This place ranks among the best gelato I've had. Great flavors, great consistency, really…read moredelicious. Awesome atmosphere out back as well with games and a cute patio. Will definitely be returning to this spot every time I'm in town. Flavors we tried: chocolate orange, coconut, caffe, tiramisu, pistachio

Bottom line: I liked my first visit to The Cove Restaurant near Holden Beach. Their Fish & Chips…read morewas satisfying and just what I needed that night. Service was good as well. This farm-to-table restaurant supporting local farmers and fishermen is worth a try if in the area with a little something for everyone on their menu. The Deets: A friend of mine drove down from Wilmington while I was vacationing in Holden Beach recently and we decided to get dinner to catch up. Looking at options on the trusty Yelp app, we decided upon trying The Cove Restaurant for dining. It is located just a bit out from Holden Beach, along Hwy 130 going towards Shallotte. It has pretty good parking that was almost full when we arrived. When we went in to place our name on the waiting list, we were told it would be about 30 minutes wait (we were actually seated around 15-20 minutes) and so we used the table and chairs outside the door to relax and talk. When seated at a booth inside, we perused their menu and they have plenty of different selections (not just limited to seafood). The cover of the menu describes The Cove as a restaurant "...featuring all natural ingredients supporting local farmers and fishermen." This farm-to-table format is good to know going in and I'm glad they share that on the menu. We were given bread service to start with (loved the bread!) and my friend got their Homemade Crab Soup to start with, and he liked it a lot. I went for Fish & Chips for my dinner entree while my friend opted for their Chicken Marsala for his meal. I was satisfied with my meal, the beer battered deep fried cod fish tasted great here. I sampled my friend's Chicken Marsala and it was good but was hoping for more flavor to come through on the Marsala sauce. Service was acceptable from the host desk to our server, all went well. I enjoyed the first visit to The Cove Restaurant and would like to revisit them on future trips to the area.

My husband and I are new homeowners on Holden Beach. One of the first things we wanted to discover…read morewas a local place with great seafood. We were thrilled to find this place! My husband ordered the special Trio: grouper (blackened) with shrimp (fried) and scallops (blackened). It was served with mashed potatoes. The portion was huge! He said it was the best mashed potatoes he's ever had. I ordered the seafood linguini, scampi style - it was delicious with a generous amount of mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops. There was an option to have the dish "fra diavolo" (spicy red sauce) which I may try next time. My husband shared his giant side-salad with me. It was an extra $2 for the salad that could have been a meal for me. Complimentary bread is served with olive oil and freshly cracked pepper and with single serving pats of butter. For dessert, we shared the housemade brownie with ice cream. It was recommended by our wonderful server, Bailey! It was a great first meal for us in Holden Beach as locals and no longer just visitors!

Stopped by for a few cold ones after a sunny day kayaking. Nice bartender, but the bill was $62 for…read more5 beverages, including a child's punch, a canned beer (no taps or glasses?), a very small bourbon, and 2 mixed drinks! That might've been ok and expected out here, but the breakdown also included unexpected various fees, including service and credit card surcharges. Outrageous and ridiculous! I like to support all beverage and dining businesses, but the end result of 4 adults and 1 child being charged $12 each for average bevs is shameful.

We love Will O' The Wisp! Pizza is great and it's perfect / convenient for a stormy night in. The…read morestaff is super friendly and accommodating! There was an issue with our order and they fixed the problem with a great attitude - even though it was probably our fault!! They even threw in some popsicles for the hassle. Restaurant work is not for the faint of heart - so the consistent smiles and flexibility did not go unnoticed!! Five stars! Ten if I could!!