Upside? - No. This place is attractive from the outside and is nicely decorated inside, but the service is bad and the burgers were cold. Not stroller or wheelchair friendly as you have to navigate two staircases to get to seating areas. Half-capacity seating in the bar area was too close; staff and customers were crowded together; deck seatings might be better? It took 45 minutes from order to delivery during a non-busy weekday lunch. The cold bowl and salad were better options than hot food, but were just okay. No drink refills offered and staff seemed distracted or disorganized. Maybe better restaurant management could be key to improving this place, as it looks nice and could have real upside. Plenty of better places nearby to try. read more

The best burger, appetizer and lobster quesadillas. Outdoor seating area was beautiful. Trio dip was satisfying and tasty. Burger with bacon jam and pimento cheese was fabulous. If you're in Corolla you must go here. read more

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Oh. My. God. This was the best find on our recent trip! It was a tad pricey but well worth it! I had the shrimp dinner special and I can't stop thinking about it. Service was awesome (thanks Taylor!). read more

Upside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

This place deserves a way better rating!!! We have been coming to the Outer Banks for over 20 years and decided to try somewhere new tonight. I had come in to Upside a few days prior just for a drink, so decided to check out the food. It exceeded all expectations!!! We started with a Caesar salad that was awesome - super light and fresh. For dinner, I had the crab cakes that were next level good. I loooove crab cakes and these were some of the best I've ever had. My mom had the lobster quesadilla and also loved it. My dad has the palette of a 10 year old, so asked for the chicken entree plain with some potatoes instead of the normal sides. They were accommodating and he was super happy with his meal. We finished with the key lime pie that was amazing. Forgot to mention the cocktails -- all of which were delish. This is a new go-to spot for us! read more

Upside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

We were tired of the typical beach restaurant menu and found this hidden gem! Every item that we ordered was perfectly prepared and wonderfully seasoned. The lobster and crab quesadilla starter was so filling that it was a main course with leftovers. The tuna was wonderfully seasoned and the oyster starter was a generous portion with big plump perfectly fried oysters! Our only regret is they weren't opened the next day for us to sample more of their wonderful food. The carry out order was packaged to prevent leakage. The staff, particularly Patrick, is pleasant and accommodating. We can't wait for our next beach trip!! read more

Hard to get in, we got very lucky. Yummy food and great atmosphere. Only problems were the spiders outside and the mojito. Mix was used and not great. Recommend overall though! read more

Awesome food, and service! Steamed spiced shrimp was amazing as well as the lobster quesadilla! Plenty of local beer on tap 10/10 all around read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Corolla. My family went here for a birthday dinner and loved it! The staff was very helpful and courteous. There does tend to be quite a wait, so put in the name for your table early. It's located within a shopping plaza, which makes waiting on your table much more pleasant. Also, the hush puppy appetizer is a must! read more

Upside Restaurant - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

Amazing atmosphere and ambiance at this delicious restaurant! Whats really great is that it is located in a shopping center full of gift shops and other fun activities. I will definitely visit again next time I am in OBX!! read more

Upside Restaurant - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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Great setting in the upstairs outdoor seating area. Service was attentive. I ordered the Southern Boil dish which was seasoned well and delicious. My wife ordered the Jerk Chicken - really good and the green beans were cooked perfectly. The hush puppies appetizer was a winner. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

We stopped here for lunch on a Sunday. Amazing service, great views of the sound, and delicious food! I had the crab cake which was phenomenal and a great value for the price. We had the fried hummus for an app and it was delish! I highly recommend this place and can't wait to come back and try the dinner menu! read more

Upside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

On of our favorite places to go in Corolla, not only for the good food, but to sit outside on the upper deck, enjoy sunsets and fantastic views. read more

Went this evening (Tuesday, July 2nd) with my son and wife. Made seating arrangements ahead of time on Yelp! and that seemed to give us some clout. We hung out in the downstairs lounge and got a couple of drinks while waiting. We may have waited 10-15 minutes before being seated, but there were others there before us that waited even longer. When it comes down to it, I think this place may not have a huge amount of seating and moves slow in the kitchen due to the quality and craftsmanship of the food. When we were seated upstairs (inside), things were handled very professionally by the server and dinner was nice. Food took a little longer than we expected to come out, but was very delicious once in front of us! Very pricey for the portions, but the quality of the food seems to make up for the price and any wait. Just, don't be in a hurry when dining at Upside! Great place with a newer, hipster style ambience. We enjoyed our time here! read more

If it wasn't for the heavy vodka pour, it would have been two stars. Peel and Eats were way over cooked, to the point of needing to use a butter knife to get the shells off. Server told us that "sometimes that happens" when asked to have the chef try to peel one. That means that "sometimes the food sucks", which doesn't seem to be a great selling point. The flautas were not executed very well either, maybe the kitchen had a bad night, but they weren't weeded or anything, so I don't know. My date had a strawberry basil lemonade beverage that she enjoyed, so maybe hit this place up for a cocktail before/after dinner. read more

Open for lunch. Beer selection is good. Service is fine. Food is ok but the bacon on the blt needs work. Thick and chewy ruining the sandwich. Maybe cook more or get a better supplier Update your info saying you are open for lunch read more

Upside Restaurant - The top of Upside Bites and bar overlooking the sound - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

My husband and I visited last night and we loved it!! He got Shrimp and Grits and I got the tuna. Both were amazing! Would definitely return! Matt was our waiter and he was great! read more

The food was very good. We had a fish sandwich and their house chips. The sauce on the sandwich made it a step above others. The wait for our food once our order was placed was unbearable. More than an hour for 2 sandwich. Our waiter was missing in action, could not get drink refills. They need to figure the timing out! read more

Terrible service. Terrible for a small group of 10. Waited 2 hours. When more than 10 tables were open. Didn't have enough cooks to serve the restaurant. I wouldn't recommend this place at all. read more

It's 1.5 hours till closing and we're told no more seating. #Pretentious. One hostess says an hour wait. Another says no, then starts clicking his pen and walks away. read more

Upside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

The wait was horrible. Over an hour for 2 lobster quesadilla and a PoBoy. Just wanted easy quick meal.

This is a wayyy overdue review (maybe i wanted to keep this place a secret all to myself so i never have to wait for a table at their gorgeous rooftop bar/dining area? :P). Fantastic, modern american dining in scenery that cant be beat. Wait for an outdoor table on the roof - its worth it for the views and that wonderful salty ocean breeze. While the food is modern and has unique, high end preparations and ingredients, the feel of the restaurant is laid back and casual. A perfect mix for its location. We went for lunch with a group of 4. Get the hushpuppies. Actually, get a couple orders, because you wont feel like sharing. The pablano pepper gives them that little unexpected twist and a delicious kick of flavor. We got a mix of entrees and shared them amongst ourselves -- the angus burger was perfectly cooked and the pimento cheese was a great choice (i could have eaten that bacon jam with a spoon), fish tacos (AMAZING flavor and super fresh), panzanella salad (cornbread croutons... yum), and one of the flatbread specials. We also got a couple deserts, including the strawberry icebox cake that has me dreaming of next June when I can taste it again. Their cocktails are INCREDIBLE as well, with lots of unique flavor. I had WAY too many coconut mojitos. Delicious and refreshing. You really cant go wrong with anything here. Its definitely a spot that was sorely needed in Corolla. read more

Arrived at the restaurant at 8:15 pm. When I asked the host for a table he replied I do not think I am taking names any more. While they close at 9:00pm they refused to seat our party of 5. I wonder if the owner knows the clown at the desk turned away about $300.00 in business ? What a joke! You can as restaurant in a tourist areas tell they do not care. read more

We were excited to try this place on our last day of vacation. Says they are open until 3pm for lunch. Arrived before 2pm and waited at the host stand for 15 minutes only for someone to come down at 2:06pm and say they aren't taking any more tables for the day. Asked to place a to go order and were told they don't do that. It shouldn't be advertised that you're open until 3pm if you're in fact not. Not to mention the host was rude and unapologetic. I suggest going somewhere else simply based on their poor business practice. read more

Went with a group of 13. They said they couldn't have a party that size because food would not come out at the same time. We said we would separate the 3 families and the food didn't need to come out together, they still said no and the restaurant was empty! Guy there was very rude. read more

Advised of a long wait once we arrived, but no one in the wait area and the upstairs tables were empty outside. Never advised of the wait time or if we were interested in seating in or outside. Guy advised us to try a grub hut next door?!? Not sure if he was assuming our social economic standing based on our beach attire or not. We were not "Cleaned up" since we were heading to the 4x4 beach for the evening with the kids. Tables were still empty upstairs 30 mins later. Just interesting customer service technical. No clue of the food quality since we will not be back on this vacation trip or others in the near future. Good luck turning away customers and potential future customers. read more

My husband and I have been waiting for over 40 minutes for a burger and a chicken sandwich, after a 20 minute wait to be seated. The lunch menu was small, fairly unimaginative. The area we sitting has had 3 of 10 tables full for the last 20 minutes. The food was just on this side of alright, but clearly not good enough to explain 40 minutes. We received a 10% discount, which is less than the 15% tip. No upside to this review. read more

Food was great! We unfortunately had the worst waitress in the place. Unfriendly and when the food took an hour to make and the 2 tables that ordered next to us at the same time got there food and were leaving by the time our food was starting to come out she didn't even say anything. The place is small 5 tables downstairs and 7 tables on the roof top. They do have a bar area so get there when they open and put your name in and you can sit at the bar until your table is ready. They have daily specials that are reasonably priced. read more

I never post negative reviews, but we were kicked out of this restaurant because it started raining. Seriously. After waiting an hour and a half for our food, we were told to leave (and another party was offered our table). The hostess smiled and said, "sorry." Seriously? Not to mention, they said "sit outside at your own risk" when we chose to sit outside. I thought that this disclaimer meant they would not tell us to leave in the event of weather. Note: This was AFTER we made a reservation on the PHONE two days ago (like, to a real person) and the restaurant was closed when we arrived that day. After two attempts, I have concluded that if you want to eat, don't eat here. I am shocked by the lack of organization and plain disregard for customers in this establishment. read more

Late lunch on upper deck over looking a soundside view. We shared roasted corn and poblano hush puppies. They were fried perfect, not greasy at all but golden brown and crunchy. The flavor was good but it was the herb butter that really made it great. The chicken pesto flat bread was very good with lots of chicken and fresh mozzarella cheese melted on. Lastly we shared the steamed peel and eat shrimp which were large and flavorful. Our overall experience was some of the best we had all week. read more

Upside Restaurant - Soundside view, good drinks, great food. - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

First time ever going here during my many visits to OBX. Will def be a stop on future trips. Great atmosphere and food was very good. Staff was super friendly. Thank you. read more

I would have liked to give 4 stars but the service was lacking. Our group of 7 were seated promptly as we arrived just as they opened for dinner. Nice decor, simple menu, nice wine list. The server gave the table a couple of small pitchers of iceless water and tiny juice glasses. I asked how many scallops are in the entree. "5 or 6 I think" at $28 I was hoping for 6....only 4, with a small amount of pasta. My wife asked how the Mahi was prepared. "It's umm well" The scallops, pasta and fish were excellent! One ordered Jerk chicken. The flavor was good, chicken was quite dry. The only thing we asked of our server was for 2 diet Cokes. The restaurant was not busy yet and we were her only table. The drinks were never refilled and we had to wave to her just to get more water. Took our order brought the food and the check. --A little pet peeve. She charged $1 for extra bacon bits on a salad. Then brought us a check for $225.--Seriously? read more

There seemed to be a lot of confusion with the hostess'... once seated, it took over 40 minutes to get our food. Food was delicious...our waitress was great... I'm sure there was a shortage of kitchen help. read more

I can't say enough about the service, the view, and the decor!! Everything was awesome. We were the first back deck which we got to watch a turtle lay her eggs and sip on some great vino while the birds did their thing and the sun got tired as we waited for the table. We got to our table and nothing but awesome Christina had great descriptions of menu and great views. I highly recommend this place as well please take the time to meet the owners Sherri and Patrick they were awesome. I give this place a top 10 place to visit on the OBX! read more

Upside Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

We stumbled upon this wonderful little restaurant on our first night in the Outer Banks, and were thoroughly impressed with the meal, the service, and the view from their second-story deck. I ordered their wonderful Crabcake entree, a delicious dish with mac & cheese baked right into the cake. My wife enjoyed the Caprese Portobellos, and my kids loved the sliders. There's a solid list of wine and craft brews from across North Carolina, and the view of the Currituck Sound, while limited, is still terrific. Service was friendly and courteous, although our drink order could've arrived a bit faster. One suggestion -- bring a jacket, as the wind on the outside deck can turn cold even in the middle of summer. All told, a great little restaurant that's well worth the visit. read more

Stopped in for a drink and a small bite while shopping, ended up with the portobello w/ crab and grits. Incredibly delish. I was tempted into the homemade chocolate strawberry shortcake even though I was satisfied by my lunch portion. The chocolate cookies are a bit crunchy but it blended well with the super creamy whipped cream between the 2. Cool breeze from the top deck and nice to people watch, view the sound and osprey nests. Oh! Try their craft cocktails; they're sure to refresh. Definitely recommend. read more

Upside Restaurant - Portobello topped with crab. - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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Yes, 3. I got a recommendation from a local to come here. I think she knew someone who worked here. Nice views from the upper deck. We waited several minutes to be greeted. We ordered a mojito and manhattan (my husband is on a quest for the perfect manhattan) he orders it up and in a highball glass. The server got it half right. In a highball glass but with ice. The food is made from scratch and is delicious (5stars) but very expensive. My caprese portobello dish was very very good and the right size portion (small but rich in flavor) but it was $19. Steaks are $34. Drinks are $11+. We ordered a second round after I flagged our server down (hate doing that). 10 minutes later our drinks were delivered. Our server never came back to check on us after our food came out. I will say that if our service had been better and drinks faster I would have given Upside 5 stars. read more

Upside Restaurant - Caprese portobello and watermelon ginger martini - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

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Had great service tonight!!! Small kids' menu, which made it much easier and even our server asked if we wanted their meals out first (given the fact they were cranky). The lobster quesadilla app was incredible. I got the Heritage Pork Chop, which was cooked to perfection! Everyone in our party practically licked their plates. Our server, Victoria (I think) was so great. Also, their special cocktail of the night that included peaches was very refreshing! This is the place you go for a nice meal out and enjoy a restaurant with a small kitchen, and few employees who know how to make the atmosphere feel bigger and give personal service! read more

Food was excellent. I had the crab cakes and they were so good. We also had the 1lb of shrimp and hush puppies for apps. All was delicious. The staff was great as well. They were a little busy and it took a long time to get drinks but other than that, the place is great. read more

Excellent food, drinks and service! Our family of 5 visited here for dinner. We were seated outside on a beautiful evening. Our waiter was so attentive and knowledgeable. We ordered the hush puppies w/caramelized onions(awesome) and artichoke dip (delish) for appetizers. My coconut mojito was light and refreshing(perfect). I ordered the mahimahi which was served over cilantro lime rice with mango salsa. It was so fresh and tasty! Others ordered the crab cakes and the tuna which they also really enjoyed. It was a little pricey so be prepared for that. I would highly recommend this restaurant for the quality of the food and service! read more

Upside Restaurant - Mahi Mahi w/mango salsa over cilantro lime rice. - Seafood Near Me - Corolla, North Carolina

Excellent service for our party of 8 on a very busy, rainy day! Hostess set-up was a bit odd, but we all ended up sitting together. Matt was very helpful with our questions & despite his warning that they were short-handed, food arrived hot, delicious and correct!! read more