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.

I look forward to visiting this place with it looks like new owners and atmosphere. I love this…read morespot on the island for gorgeous sunset photos with family or alone. Beautiful part of the island

really nice place. beautiful art and friendly staff and dog. love the wine and live music. went…read morewith a bunch of friends and we absolutely loved it. Heard the food was good too. cozy and fun. will definitely be going back. they have free wine tastings so you can choose which kind you like . was fun trying the different kinds and bought a bottle of white that we loved. would definitely recommend this place and we will be back again soon . thanks for the wonderful service.

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!

Cool experience! Think liquor store with an eclectic seating area both Janice and out…read more Located on main drag of beach town with paid parking only (even golf carts pay). This place is a vibe. All relaxation and good times only. The decor is great and will have you constantly finding new things to look at. It's for sure overstimulating in a good way. Comfortable seating outside where you have protection from the sun and cute lighting at night. You walk in and then go to a walk in cooler that has all the drink options. There's non alcoholic, beers galore, THC drinks (must be a big thing in NC), ciders, and some other canned concoctions. You grab what you want and head to the register. If you are staying and grab more than one, they have to hold it for you as your second round. You can only have one open drink per person. There is a $10 minimum on purchases. Once your drink is secured, you then find a spot to perch. There's indoor and outdoor options. It was rainy when we went and we were able to find a spot that was covered. This is a super chill place. Worth coming with a group or alone. You will be chilled! They do have bathrooms, merch, and some machines to play. Super nice employees too!!!

One of the employees made a racist comment and assumption about my friend. I am posting this on her…read morebehalf. There were some major generalizations happening that were very uncalled for. I enjoyed the vibes of the place until she told me about the comment an employee made.

We were just here for a couple days- but seafood was a must! We both had a glass of wine which was…read morea nice pour and very reasonably priced. I ordered the tuna- it was wonderful but wish I'd asked for a vegetable instead of the potatoes. ( not sure if that was a choice) They are good but too heavy to go w the tuna imo. The lobster bisque was also very very good- enough for 2! Waiter Mark was very helpful! My husband ordered crab fritters - they were also very good! Hush puppies were hush puppies- but the grits were very good... all and all an excellent choice.

Great food! Great service! Never disappoints. And the desserts, oh my! Highly recommend giving them…read morea try.

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.

When traveling I always like to try as many local breweries as possible. This brewery has quite a…read morelarge inside seating area and allow food to be brought in, so go right next door to the Butcher of Brunswick and get yourself a deli sandwich to go with a beer. I had the kolsch and the pilsner both of which I enjoyed.

Is Hawaii themed, without being tacky. Love this place. Beer is great, service is on top of it,…read moredecor is local without being stereotypical, and there's plenty of space!

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.

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

Super cute gelato shop! Service was good and the gelato was very tasty - huge portions! The outdoor…read moreseating area in the back is really cute. Would recommend for a sweet treat while walking around Southport!

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!!