Southport
Southport is a city in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States, near the mouth of the Cape Fear River. Its population was 3,828 as of the 2018 census. The current mayor, Rich Alt, was elected to a two-year term in November 2023. Wikipedia.
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2
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Top places to visit
Marina
Sights & Landmarks
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Stored my boat here for a week and couldn’t have been happier. Staff was more than nice and accommodating and the views were absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend checking them out.
Bryan Naab — Google review
We had a blast at the Crazy Birds home. The house was beautiful and clean. The only drawback was the lack of a living room area. Our group of ladies mainly gathered in the kitchen, but having a more comfortable space to congregate would have been welcomed. However, the home is located within walking distance of where we wanted to go so it was perfect.
This is a calm, well thought-out Marina in an excellent location within walking distance to the beautiful downtown. Plus there's a fenced in dog potty area. So very nice!
Staff was amazing! Enjoyable time on the water. Docked at Sheephead Island. Store insight for incidentals and merch.
These guys are great. Wow if you want a great place to stay a few nights this is definitely a good call. Excellent customer service. Amenities. Good value.
The marina is very clean and nice overall. The rates are very reasonable as well. Don't stay on the fuel dock though. You'll get waked starting around 5am.
Just love walking the docks and taking pictures of all the different type of boats, yachts, sailboats, etc.
We have had our slip here at Morningstar Southport for about 18 months now. We are here about 8-10 days per month and are extremely happy with this Marina, the management, the staff and the facilities. The marina is very close proximity to good food, parts and supplies.
Recently Morningstar sponsored a 4th of July event for marina patrons that included food and the local band “Rusty Bones”. It was spectacular!
I highly recommend stopping at Morningstar SPT if you are traveling up, or down, the east coast.
Great experience docking our boat for a few hours to visit Southport.
The guys at Morningstar Southport are top notched. Reservations through Dockwa went smoothly and the guys were quick to safely secure our boat. The marina is located next to the quaint town of Southport. Plan to visit around the holidays. Christmas is magical there.
Just signed a lease for inside storage of new Carolina Skiff. Have not delivered the boat yet. Too early for a review of anything other than paperwork. Will review later once I have a feel for the operations of boat issue and retrieval. Everything looks professional and and appears well kept.
We are new to the area, and to boating. Theresa in the office was very helpful. The guys on the dock were very friendly, competent and also provided plenty of information. Our first experience with this organization was great! We are so glad we found them!
Morningstar Marina it top notch! Eric King and his team go out of their way to make sure everything is outstanding for the customer. Great experience - whether keeping your boat there or just passing through - you won’t find a better full service Marina!
Loved our stay at this marina but we found the markers for the slips very small and hard to see not a big deal but we went through several lanes to find ours. No one came to help us tie up (or find the slip) which would have been preferred. Facilty is new and clean..
Excellent atmosphere and customer service. We took a boat to Frying Pan Tower and used a parking pass for the time being. We were still impressed by how well we were treated.
606 W West St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
Historical place museum
Museums
Specialty Museums
The Old Brunswick County Jail is a restored two-story brick jail that dates back to 1904. It houses cells and the jailer's quarters, all equipped with period artifacts that provide an insight into how things were during those times. The museum may be small in size but offers thorough exhibits packed with historical features about Southport, making it a neat little place to see and learn local history.
We visited the Old Brunswick County Jail in the midafternoon on a weekday. It was a great time since we were the only ones there. Another group came in shortly afterwards.
We were met by two volunteers who started telling us about the jail and its history. As we walked through the door of the next room the others came in so one volunteer continued with us and the other started with the new group.
The volunteers were very knowledgeable, and gave us a detailed description of the various rooms and their uses.
While it is a small building, there were diverse uses for the rooms.
We particularly enjoyed seeing the small jail cells upstairs, and the stories about the inmates. One story described how they managed to dig through a brick wall and jump down about ten feet to the ground.
We also each got to take a mugshot, as you can tell from my wife’s picture!
While the admission was free, don’t miss the opportunity to make a donation to help out with the maintenance of the building!
Tom Fletcher — Google review
This is such a unique place. While the exhibits are small, they are thorough and packed with artifacts. The two guides were incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. They made it highly engaging for our young children and even gave them sheriff badges. It is a free, quick stop that should be added to every trip to Southport!
I loved learning about the some of the history of Southport here! Although small, it has many interesting and historical features. I haven’t gone back since Covid, but would like to when I get the chance. I really enjoyed my visit here and would come back again 😊
Why are old jails so much fun to explore? This jail located in the town of Southport, is such a fun hands on roadside attraction! Life in this old brick building had its share of criminals that left their marks throughout the cells. We loved seeing their drawings on the walls and items left behind. The kids enjoyed checking out the cells and even taking their own personal mugshots (that better be the only one they ever take!) A nice tourist attraction!
Great for us history nerds! A lot of information both inside and outside. Mark and Dave were very informative.
Very interesting place to visit and learn about the history. Staff was knowledgeable.
Neat little place to see & learn a little local history. Right across the street from super old, extra sad cemetery.
Great tour, very informative and interesting
Such an awesome place! The volunteers are very informative and friendly. Highly recommend a must visit
318 E Nash St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
Park
9-acre park with a fishing pier, Cape Fear River vistas & a long line of porch swings & benches.
This peaceful little town of Southport not only provides this quaint little sitting park on the waterfront, but also less than 10 minutes awaits the beach. The best of both worlds! Come and relax on the beautiful swings to watch the ferry and cargo ships go by. There is much tranquility to enjoy along with the breathtaking, beautiful scenic views. 🌟
Donna R. — Google review
Great place to enjoy coffee in the mornings and sunsets in the evenings. The historical sides of Southport are just walking distance. Great place, wonderful people, and beautiful old homes tucked in amongst massive vacation rentals.
This is an awesome vantage point you can see "Old Baldy and the Cape Fear Light and lots of Boat activity
This is a small riverwalk, but it's really nice! Great little green space for pets, and there are several benches to sit on, as well as a couple of gazebos with porch swings. Lovely place to end your walk or have a nice cup of coffee!
The waterfront park is a great place to sit and relax. You can take you lunch and sit to watch the activity on the water. There is a pier for fishing, picnic tables, and bench swings all along the waterfront.
Beautiful view of the historic village of Southport. there are plenty of seats and swings, many eateries and nice shops to explore.
Lots of history here. Parking is very limited. Lovely view of the river and large ships coming through. There are several historical monuments on the site. There are swings and park benches available. You can see the oak Island lighthouse from here.
One of the Most Beautiful Quiet Nooks of the world! Go here if you can!
Beautiful place to walk. Nice pier to fish or just take in the views. They also have events here such as a large July 4th celebration where they recite the entire Declaration of Independence and even let you sign it afterwards!
Incredible view of the intracoastal waterway, Bald Head Island, the Baptist Assembly and Oak Island Lighthouse. Swings and picnic tables on site, pier next door.
We were down in Southport for the day to grab lunch and ended up walking through this area. It is a nice, clean, and cool place to find when you are not expecting it. We loved that there was a car show in progress near the water and we were able to enjoy walking around taking in the variety of cars while listening to live music!
Great park! I always enjoyed going there to enjoy the beautiful view of the water and sit on their swinging chairs. Without doubt worth going to!
146-176 E Bay St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
Museum
Maritime museum
Specialty Museums
Maritime museum focusing on history of local waterways plus exhibits on piracy, shipwrecks & storms.
Nicely done set of exhibits about the naval history of the Cape Fear River area. Includes info on native peoples, colonial times and 20th century history.
Rodney Hess — Google review
Great place to visit while in Southport. They offer public restrooms when many other places do not. The plentiful seating out back has beautiful views. I spotted dolphin within minutes.
Nice little museum in Southport! Next door is the Fort Johnston historical museum too! ☀️🌴😎. Please donate when you're there!
This free museum is smaller than I expected, but provides plenty of information. Looking through the periscope was very cool. There are plenty of interactive elements throughout that make it a more engaging visit.
Self guided tour museum. In chronological order from early settlements in the Cape Fear River area through the modern day coast guard. Friendly and helpful staff. Nice gift shop with many cool maps and books. We got a brass sextant.
Enjoyed a guided tour with friends. Dan was very informative
Wonderful small museum detailing the maritime history of the Southport area. Lots of stuff to interest kids, but also lots of cool exhibits for the adults. Nice gift shop. Clean cool restrooms. Helpful and friendly staff. Highly recommended!
Very informative museum.
South Port, NC Official 4th of July celebration!
A wonderful celebration of the birth of our great USA! 🇺🇲
Pretty neat place and best of all its free. Informative and well laid out. Very friendly and helpful staff. Had scavenger hunt for kids which was a nice touch. It’s nice area around to walk about as well with fishing pier and benches to talk.
Free! Historical nautical displays of the Southport NC area. Interactive displays and gift shop.
Scavenger hunt paper puzzle for kids to keep busy.
The neat thing is the real functional submarine telescope that you can look through and swivel 360 degrees. It extends above the museum roof. I have never seen anything like it!
Great historical museum with so many interesting displays. Great for kids too!
Need a place to entertain the kids for an hour? This is it, especially if they don't want to be dragged around craft shops in Southport. A delightful museum that gives adults an introduction to colonial and maritime history of our area, including a great diorama of native life. Volunteers give great information and the exhibits also include hurricane history and maritime rescues. Their gift shop has a great selection of kids books and toys and even books for adults. If you are going to Southport for the day, do the kids a favor and stop here, then take the ferry back. Better yet, drive up 133 and stop at Ft. Anderson and Brunswick Towne for a great outdoor walk along the river, when the weather is cooler!
Beautiful views and nice little museum. My grandson loved doing the scavenger hunt in the museum for a "treasure".
Small but cute museum, very friendly staff and volunteers per southport norm. They also have a periscope
204 E Moore St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
Visitor center
Museums
City government office
Historical landmark
Tourist information center
Specialty Museums
Here's the history of Southport, displayed on the wall is a timeline from inception. Special exhibits dedicated to the film industry, Robert Ruark, veterans, businesses, the fort itself and it's diverse history. The ladies there were very helpful with answers to questions about Southport and their own journeys that brought them here.
J Y — Google review
We visited the Visitors Center early in the morning and found that they don’t open until 10:00. We went about exploring the downtown area and came back for a quick walkthrough before they closed at 4:00. Unfortunately, we got there at 3:53 and they were closed and the lights were off.
Not to be deterred, we came back the next day when we were sure that they would be open.
What we saw was a nice history of the town, with a lot of information about movies that had been filmed in and around town.
There were volunteers there who answered questions and provided other information.
Our kids enjoyed finding artifacts listed on the scavenger hunt. My husband and I enjoyed the scenery overlooking the water. There's a wealth of history throughout these few small rooms. With free admission, it's definitely worth the stop.
Really interesting place. The gentleman at the desk was very kind. My 6 y/o enjoyed the scavenger hunt, it made the visit engaging for her. The prize is really special to her. The history displays are interesting and informative. Recommend checking it out, even just to use the nice clean restrooms and grab a self-guided history tour map.
Was our 20th Anniversary from Kansas City Mo.. Wife is a big Nicholas Sparks fan. So had to visit Southport. Stopped in to the Museum and Donna was beyond exceptional. Could have spent all day in there talking to her but had to get around to see the sites. She was our Mom from another State very enjoyable.
This is an important museum that documents the history of Southport. There are numerous historical photos dating back to the 1800's as well as interesting artifacts. They also have a room dedicated to the film projects that have taken place over the years. This is well worth a visit if you are in the area. Admission is free but it's important that we support the museum with a purchase or donation in the gift shop. We purchased a neat cookbook chock full of southern recipes from the area complete with photos.
Excellent records of local personal history. This museum holds a wealth of historical information and memorabilia that spans hundreds of years of a diverse population. Pieces of personal history from all walks of life are represented with respect here, whether famous author or local citizen. Books, movies, television shows, local historians and the everyday lives who shaped this area have a presence here.
Awesome amount of history info for the local area. Would take hours to read it all. Includes an area outlining the movie production projects that have happened there. Very accommodating staff
203 E Bay St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
Top places to eat
affordable
Seafood restaurant
Oliver's on the Cape Fear is an elegant waterfront restaurant in Southport, offering upscale New American cuisine and a wide selection of wines. Housed in an 18th-century ship chandler, the restaurant provides indoor seating, a covered patio, and outdoor terrace seating with stunning views of the Cape Fear River. The establishment prides itself on combining southern charm and hospitality with exceptional food and service excellence for both lunch and dinner.
This review is worth the read, trust me… We arrived at the restaurant literally about 15 min to close (unbeknownst to us). To celebrate the very fresh engagement of two of our closest friends. The hostess was less than friendly to say the least, but both the manager Timothy, and the waitress Jessica were a game changer! Aside from a select one or two, this is the place you want to go to if you want exceptional service, patience, and great food. Highly suggest!
Zachary Lauber — Google review
Burger and fries were very good. My husband had the seafood calabash seafood platter. He said the food was okay but the cod was not good at all and the sauce was frozen. He ordered a class of wine that he never got but was charged for. The server gave him a taste of a white wine after asking for his wine,but never brought a full glass of wine. We paid our bill and just left. Last time dinning here. Hope your experience will be better.
This was our first time here, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The view is great. We sat at a table by the window and had a view of the water with boats passing by. Our server Christian was pleasant, informative, and funny. Our food was delicious. We had shrimp & grits and the Calabash special. There were lots of great menu items, so we will definitely be back.
Loved the bright, bubbly hostess. We got the Cape Fear Platter and the Shrimp Po Boy. Both were fresh and delicious. The Pain Killer cocktail is a must have! They also serve Beck's NA beer for those of us who don't drink alcohol!
The restaurant itself needs a bit of polishing but had a nice view of the ocean. 🌊
The lobster bisque was very rich and flavorful . Would highly recommend it for a starter. The rolls with whipped garlic butter and herbs. Went hand in hand with the soup. The bacon wrapped scallops were a great choice, I only got one. The shrimp and grits were delicious the shrimp were so fresh. The grits were nice and creamy. They had some really good andouille sausage bits with it. It has great views of the ocean. There are options to eat inside or outside.
Walked in with no reservation. The friendly staff was great and sat us within 10mins. Ocean view as well!
Everything about this place is amazing! The food, staff, atmosphere was great!
I had the chef daily feature: swordfish! And it was incredible
My partner enjoyed the salmon and enjoyed it as well.
The bacon wrapped scallops were to die for! That sauce!
Definitely would return
Yummy food!! Amazing view just wish it was warmer when we went. Service could have been better. Server was overwhelmed and seemed unhappy with a bit of a frustrated attitude. Reasonable prices and a nice atmosphere..would be even better in the summer. Always busy and don’t accept same day reservations!
Beautiful views, great service, yummy food and drinks! Our server was so nice!! All the staff were courteous and welcoming. Thank you!!
👏🏾April 12, 2023 ~ Wonderful experience eating by the Cape Fear River. Our waiter Mr. Ben was very friendly and polite. The Veggie Burger was delicious and the French Fries were Devine 🤩 He gave great recommendations and converse with my toddler son. He told us that the big ship “One Falcon” would be turning and that he should keep looking out and it was a beautiful sight to behold. It is such a blessing to enjoy when good food is combined with excellent service 🙌🏾👏🏾🙏🏾We Will definitely visit again and ask for Mr. Ben to serve his Jamaican friends 🇯🇲😉
This was our first time 'back' in 10+ years since the rebranding/remodel. the atmosphere is clearly geared towards the higher end clientele, and it was nice. service was friendly and welcoming. out of the blue, our 5yo decided she wanted shrimp. She's never eaten it before so the waitress got us a sample, which was great, so we didn't have to waste an entire meal if she didn't like it.
Lastly, the meal, I ordered Chicken and Waffles and it was AMAZING, the best I've ever had, and I loved the C&W from the now closed Taylor's restaurant. but this set the bar high, I can't wait to go back and try another meal.
Server Cathy has been at Oliver’s for over 9 years. After ordering, I asked if she could take my photo and she took the time to tell about the area and took the photo outside with the great view of Cape Fear. The food was fabulous. The daily drink specials were perfect for this weary traveler. A bread basket wasn’t an added cost. Cathy’s kindness and hospitality was wonderful and her smile lit up the restaurant.
Stopped by for an early dinner! I had the tenderloin appetizer and Fall side salad. Husband had the Seafood platter. The food was delicious and filling! Our waitress Kathy was very attentive and took very good care of us! The water views and sunset were gorgeous!
Great service and really great atmosphere, the food was very good. Top quality meats and seasoned to perfection. We had the filet with mashed potatoes and we tried asparagus and the brussel sprouts. You'll notice in the picture that it looks so good I couldn't even get a picture in before I started lol....
We LOVE Oliver's! We're on OKI, but when we want a more upscale dinner it's always Oliver's. Went recently with a group of girlfriends and had the prime rib, scallops, fettucine alfredo and salmon. Everything was delicious, and topped the meal off with some yummy cocktails. We also loved the view and the ambiance. Can't wait to go back.
This was a wierd one. We didnt have a baad time. But it was definitely not good. Our waitress was medicore at best and abonded us on the patio for so long waiting on the check we had to hunt down someone ourselves to pay and leave.
The food was good other than the monkey bread which they push to fill the plate. Everything was under salted but id rather have it that way than the oppisite. Had steak and eggs, french toast, and mimosas. The outdoor porch was heated and nice but so over heated i had to turn off heaters. The heaters were so close to where we sat it was burning my skin. The fan above our table was rusted and covered in dust. Hopefully i didnt eat too much of it from falling in my food. The manager or owner we spoke to was pretty great and we witnessed a waiter with a different table doing a great job and being very personable, it just wasnt our experience. :/
We walked in for a late dinner and grabbed the last two seats at the bar! One of the bartenders Ben helped us choose from their excellent beer selection. Made a delicious Cosmo as well! We each got the specials of the night, prime rib and swordfish which were excellent (I was upset when my plate was empty). The other bartender Adrian continually checked the kitchen for our food and brought it out as soon as it was done. Overall excellent experience and we will definitely be back!
101 W Bay St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
2Fishy Fishy Cafe
affordable
Seafood restaurant
American restaurant
Fishy Fishy Cafe is a charming dockside seafood eatery that offers a delightful dining experience with its picturesque waterfront location and occasional live music. The menu boasts an array of delectable Calabash-style cuisine, fresh local seafood, succulent steaks, and flavorful pasta dishes. Visitors can enjoy the beautiful outdoor seating by the water adorned with string lights and beach-themed decor.
Coming to Oak Island for the first time, my immediate google search for dinner was “best seafood restaurant near me.” Fishy Fishy was one of the first few options that showed up, and although I admit I was a little skeptical, it is truly one of the best seafood restaurants I’ve been to. The outdoor seating by the water is beautiful, with the string lights and beach bum decor contributing to that ambience I love at places like these.
We ordered calamari and the local NC peel-n-shrimp for starters, both amazing. The calamari was a classic, perfectly crispy with a nice tang from the banana peppers, but the star of the show was the shrimp. I have never had such perfectly cooked shrimp in my entire venture of trying seafood restaurants. The seasoning had a kick to it that paired so well with the lemon and I genuinely think I ate at least 10. If you are unsure of what to order, I highly recommend both of these.
The rest of the table ordered surf & turf with scallops, the carolina seafood shrimp plate, and fish & chips, which were all very good. The grilled shrimp that comes with the seafood plate is a little too peppery for my taste, but the flavor was there. Overall, it was a great dining experience and I would definitely return again instead of bothering to find some place new.
Jessica Lee — Google review
Great Place! Great Setting! Great Views! Great Service {Caroline} and good food! Chowda was very very good! Shrimp grilled was not overdone and had great seasonings! Fried shrimp breading a little salty. Fried Scallops spot on! Steak descent. Will say steak didn’t come out as asked and immediately was brought another which was awesome! Can’t say enough about the service! Desert was the topping with a good key lime pie! Descent Beer and alcohol selection as well!
Came here with the wife and family and we enjoyed ourselves. Some of the best fish and chips I've ever had and that tartar sauce was delicious. Calamari and the Jalapeno Hushpuppies were our apps and both were fantastic. If you are hungry, definitely give this place a try!
Great service with a very fast kitchen staff. The wait to be seated was quick, and the food quality was amazing. The shrimp and grits are delicious, and the fried shrimp and flounder cooked to perfection. Sitting outside allows you to enjoy the views of the waterway and watch the bird life fly by as you enjoy a great meal.
Scott was a great bartender. Made me a "Naked Margarita" - yummy! Blackened tuna was excellent. Salmon was great as well. The tide came in and flooded the parking lot in front of the restaurant, but there's a ramp to get you pit to the car.
During the off-season, you can walk right in and get a table without a wait. Weather was great for outdoor or indoor seating. We had a nice window table overlooking the water with magnificent views of the sunset while we ate. Restaurant was pretty busy, but the service and food were great! Our waitress offered nice recommendations for drinks and food.
If you own a boat, you can even pull right up to one of the slips. Nice spot to visit for a drink, meal, or both when you're in Southport.
This place was a dinner option for my girls' trip party of seven. They had a wait, but we were seated within 30 mins. The hostesses seemed nice and the food was good while giving a beautiful sunset view. That being said, the restaurant traffic had very few minorities eating there, so we were unsure if we were welcome by all. Our server did an excellent job, so we felt right at home. I enjoyed the food and would return.
Great food and service. They have a full bar and plenty of outdoor seating. You can watch the boats go by while looking at two lighthouses. They also have about six or seven boat slips so you can pull right up and dock at the restaurant. The fish sandwich and shrimp po boy are fantastic! Parking can be a little hard to find during the peak season.
We had a wonderful lunch here recently. Such a nice place for a bite to eat with views of the ocean/bay and the beachy decor. Our server was great and never let my iced tea reach anywhere near low lol. Food was great as well, would definitely recommend to anyone visiting or in the area!😊
The Seafood plate is pretty good. It has a variety of options as well. You can add oysters and scallops for a $3 upcharge/each. I was slightly disappointed with the upcharge.
I decided on a fried platter for little extra crisp. There was no crisp as the breading was soggy from the coleslaw juice that spilled from the bowl. The upcharge and soggy breading would be my only two complaints.
The seasoning was on point; not too much and not too salty. The serving size was appropriate for the money spent. The mashed potatoes were delicious especially because the skin was left on.
I will definitely visit again but with more specific request about my plating.
Attentive, friendly, and responsive staff.
Comfortable and Lowkey Environment.
Food was spectacular and far surpasses most other food options I have tried around Southport. Grilled Seafood Platter, with shrimp and scallops, was cooked to perfection.
Scallops were rich and Shrimp was seasoned to be delicious!
Also, their french fries were sublime. . . glassy, crunchy outsides encasing a perfectly fluffy potato center for each and every one.
Definitely a place to come back to!
Sanitation Rating: 98
This was our first visit to Fishy Fishy Cafe and we thoroughly enjoyed it.
We ordered the Carolina Seafood Plate with flounder and shrimp. My fiancé ordered asparagus and Pilaf with his and loved it. I ordered mine with Mac n cheese and fries. The Mac was not what I was expecting and unfortunately I didn't enjoy it. The fries were crispy and delicious.
We visited at a very busy time and waited around 25 minutes for a table on the dock and only about 20 minutes for our food to arrive.
All in all this place is really worth a visit and we would 100% return in the future.
Everything we had was absolutely fantastic. We got to sit on the water, great location, and right next door to the ice cream place. Ordered Stella Artois for drinks, the local shrimp pot (TO DIE FOR!), blackened NC tuna with a superb dressing, and chowder. Highlight of the week! Definitely recommend and one of the best seafood meals I’ve ever had.
Tasty waterside restaurant! Love the ambiance and location. I went for my standby of a lb of shrimp, wife got a tuna sandwich. Both were excellent! Enjoyed a nice afternoon by the water, nice and warm in the sun on a delightful March day.
The atmosphere the location is really good I think that's why people like to rate this one high but it is probably just locals that come here all the time they give it good ratings people who are used to food that's over breaded and overpriced. The fried flounder I had was $24 a little steep I guess they think because this is some kind of a vacation spot for certain people that they should have high prices. That's fine just have the food to match. I could have sworn they used a cornmeal breading for the flounder. It was the saltiest mess I've ever tasted in my life and it had a little bit of sweetness I don't know why you would do that with flounder. And there was so much of it you'll see in the picture I picked all the fish out That's just breading left. In their defense though it did come off the fish pretty easily. But I had to keep sucking down water to hold back the nausea. The waiter was nice he just had no idea how to adjust the temperature it was like an ice box in there. Which is counterintuitive if you want people to stay for dessert or whatever.
But hey maybe I just got a bad dish.
Nice water front seating. The fish and chips were very good. The breading of the fish was a bit thick, but the taste was great. Really good coleslaw! Limited beer selection but there is something there for most. Will be back!
Came here with a crowd and had a very nice time.
You have to wait a bit because they tend to get busy but when we came for a later lunch it was only like a 15min wait so honestly it wasn’t bad.
The service was good however it did take almost 45 minutes to get food so we took our kids down by the American Fish Company and played in the sand for a while.
The Cole slaw was simple and not bad but also not anything to write home about either.
The shrimp was good and not to overwhelming with butter or spices that you can’t taste the shrimp.
The fish was nice however the dipping sauce with the fish was super good and rounded off the fish nicely.
The views here are nice and you get a wonderful breeze off the water.
When we were there a few patrons had dogs so they do seem to be pet friendly as well.
Awesome atmosphere right on the water, perfect for the sunset. Lots of parking and easy to find. Lots of yummy seafood options. Their tuna and fish and chips are awesome. The jalapeño hush puppies were good but not spicy at all. Staff was friendly.
We absolutely love this place! One of our favorite restaurants in Southport. Love that you can eat on the water and that it is dog friendly. The food is delicious, but the fried food is a little bit too salty but the service is usually wonderful! Love it.
3Southport Smoke House
cheap
Barbecue restaurant
Southport Smoke House is a casual eatery that serves traditional BBQ dishes and sandwiches in a modern and spacious environment. Located in Florida, this restaurant has gained recognition for providing outstanding barbecue meals. During a cross-country road trip, one customer had the opportunity to try various BBQ joints in North Carolina but found Southport Smoke House to be the best.
Stopped in for lunch today. Everything was great. We had brisket, ribs, chicken, tater salad, collards and my absolute favorite was the Brunswick Stew. And don’t forget the sweet tea 👍🏻. Friendly staff and very clean. Highly recommend
Sherri Tobin — Google review
We live locally in Brunswick county, and recently began dining at the Southport Smoke House for BBQ. It has a great reputation with the locals.
We like the food there and they do a great job with the BBQ. The brisket is especially good. The food prices are not low. However it’s definitely worth the cost.
One plus we like, they don’t put sugar in all of their food items. Some barbecue restaurants in the area seem to add sugar to everything.
They offer a wide variety of different meats and side items, and several choices of BBQ sauces. Definitely one of the better restaurants in the area.
This is THE place to your barbeque fix! The main entrées and the sides are always on-point. Before you leave, be sure to hit up their Sauce Bar to gather all the sauces and pickles and hots you need. Oh--and be sure to get a large banana pudding (or two) plus a medium cobbler of the day. You'll thank me forever!
I love BBQ and this spot is a must for anyone that shares that hunger. High quality Q with a dizzying array of sauces available and ample sides choice make this a definite spot to hit. Friendly service and excellent food will have you coming back. The brisket and the ribs are really their best options. The pulled pork was good but just a tad on the dry side. Good thing there was plenty of sauce. Perfect and super easy for take out too.
I’m a big Texas bbq fan and this sausage knocked it out of the park, hard to find in NC. Everything they made was super high quality and tasted amazing. Next time I’m in town it’s definitely somewhere I’ll come back to again.
My husband and I have eaten here many times. We always try to bring our out-of-town guests to this great establishment for their delicious food. This is the very first year we ordered a smoked turkey for Thanksgiving. For all the turkeys we've had on turkey day, this had to be the BEST turkey ever!! It was moist and absolutely delicious. Our company just kept raving over this turkey. We want to thank Southport Smokehouse for making our Thanksgiving a true blessing. It was so wonderful not to have to worry about cooking a turkey. This turkey was huge (over 20 lbs) all for a very reasonable price. We will highly recommend your smoked turkey in the future to others. Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for an awesome job! 😊
Bbq was the best I've had in a long time. Glad. I stopped for lunch. Sauces are good, love the pickles. I could buy it all! Yummy. It's a must stop place. Your taste buds will thank you.
I’m from Florida, doing a cross country road trip… I’ve been in North Carolina for two weeks and I’ve eaten at 6 different BBQ restaurants. I can honestly say that Southport Smoke House has provided my first excellent BBQ meal. The brisket was moist and buttery tender, simply amazing. The ribs were fall off the bone tender, only needing a knife to get through the bark - which is my only acceptable reason for using a knife with BBQ (I’m weird, I eat ribs with a knife & fork) . The sides were just above average (though the mac’n’cheese was nice and cheesy) - but side aren’t meant to be the star. If you’re looking for great BBQ - this… is… THE place to go. Thank you so much!!!
Our 3 hours drive to visit this restaurant was totally worth it!!! OMG, the food is so delicious, I cannot pick just one favorite. Everything we ate were so tasty! Buffalo chips were so tasty, I can foresee a problem in the near future... What am I to do when cravings for this comes??? The bristket and ribs were tasty and tender. The fried okra? Perfect batter for the crunch. One of the best meals I've had in a while!
First time trying and was not disappointed. The ribs were excellent and fell right off the bone. Also had delicious collard greens, baked beans, green beans and fried okra, all were delicious:) Sorry but husband ate the ribs before I remembered to take a picture.
Everything was a home run. Ribs, pulled pork, collards, and hush puppies were excellent. I checked reviews and traveled 2300 miles to visit. Will definitely be back next year. Ordering was quick. Queue to the door was served in 20 minutes.
This was some of the best bbq ever! The meat was tender and has a very nice flavor from the hickory wood it was smoked with. The hush puppies were so good we had to purchase more! The baked beans along with the coleslaw and fried okra are so delicious! This was our first visit here and I highly recommend this fine establishment. This will be a regular stop for us every year.
After trying some of the local competitors, I have concluded that this place is definitely my favorite! For the price, you get a lot of food.. very delicious food at that. My husband and I split a 2 meat plate of pulled pork and brisket (also 2 sides included), and we usually have some leftover for another meal. Compared so some other locations, you just don’t get as much food and end up paying more.
4Moore Street Oyster Bar
affordable
Oyster bar restaurant
Located in scenic Southport, Moore Street Oyster Bar is a cozy spot offering creative bar food, steamer pots, and a wide array of hard-to-get bourbons, delicious wines, and craft beers. With its chill atmosphere and ten TVs playing NFL Sunday Ticket games, it's the perfect place to unwind. The oyster pub specializes in coastal Southern cooking and also offers a great selection of tap beers. Visitors rave about the excellent food and kid-friendly atmosphere.
Best restaurant in Southport!! We had an amazing lunch. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was perfect. I have two young energetic children and we felt like we were in the perfect place! The kids meals were affordable and the variety was great!
Our server Kelsey was phenomenal. We were tired after 3 hours of driving and she was so patient with us. I couldn't decide and she suggested the fried oysters between what I had narrowed down, and I am SO glad she did. They were huge and so filling. She was amazing with my kids...I was so appreciative of her patience.
Random additional thought: The drink glasses are HUGE. Normally I need 3 or 4 water refills, but I didn't need one. And they have the good chewy ice!
So glad I spent time researching to find this place!
Heather Hummer — Google review
Solid 4.5 restaurant. The vibe was great, the beer prices are head to toe legit, and the food was on point.
Snow crab legs with butter and old bay! Just eat it.
Our server was fabulous, she was friendly and provided us with good suggestions to eat and drink.
We are two happy Canadians! And we will definitely return before heading back home in a few days
I got the Surf and Turf burger with lobster meat and firecracker sauce plus the Lobster Grilled Cheese. This burger was absolutely phenomenal! Easily one of, if not, the best burgers I’ve ever had! The Lobster Grilled Cheese is also absolutely killer. Do yourself a favor though and get it with the fire cracker sauce. Out of this world! I honestly don’t know which one I like more.
Nice place super busy on a Sat night. Expensive if your wanting Oysters. Hour wait to eat inside so we ended up eating outside on sidewalk since we didn’t want to wait. Service was great. Great draft selection and cocktail list with good bourbon. Bloody Mary oyster shooters good with rim dipped in Old Bay. Oysters $3 dollars each but had a good variety including Blue Points and Carolina Golds. Hot topping oysters had the Southern which featured Collards wasn’t a fan. Been eating collards for 30 years but seemed to be lacking something on top of the oyster. Wide selection of sandwiches. Fried Pickle Spears great app along with Ahi Tuna. Simple wedge Salad with shrimp was descent as well.
Skylar was our server,. Very sweet girl. Great atmosphere, courteous and fast service. The food was very good! The seafood bisque was delicious, fried oysters were very good. It was Taco Tuesday so we ordered those and they were pretty good.
Your typical Southern Bar with good food and hospitality, located smack in the middle of the a high traffic Touristy beach town. I think that sums up everything.
They have a healthy selection of beers on tap, a lot of them are local. The staff is friendly and efficient. Food Came out in a timely manner. No complaints, no dramas. We stopped by here for some lunch before exploring the rest of the town.
#LunchGrinds
~ Hot Sampler Platter - 3.5/5
This is an Oyster Platter. My friend summarized it perfectly; "I don't like East Coast Oysters as much. West Coast Oysters have more flavor." I gotta agree with her. I had much better Oysters.
~ Seafood Chowder - 4/5
A very good bowl of Seafood Chowder. Rich, Creamy and flavorful. I do wish it had more seafood in it.
~ Pomegranate Martini - 4/5
A tasty flavorful Martini. Easy to drink and enjoy.
Cheers!
Great oyster bar with a tongue in cheek vibe. Staff is very laid back and there is a good range of options on the menu. Steamer pots are generous and very tasty. Tots were really crispy and oysters of course were on point. Good selection of bourbons and whiskeys at the bar and some fun flights available for sampling. Downside would be the speed as everything took a long time to come out. Price was as expected for seafood and oysters, so certainly not cheap but understandable. Great place to hang out with friends but fills up fast and is a fairly small restaurant inside.
Three of us shared the Southern Steamer -- absolutely delicious Lowcountry Boil. It's really meant for two people, so just order sides of Andouille sausage (which was also amazing) and maybe extra corn. My teens enjoyed their cheeseburgers with homemade chips. And the service from our server, Ben, was superb! Definitely going to be a regular stop when we're in town.
My wife and I celebrated my birthday there as our first visit. Our server, Taylor, took wonderful care of us. All of the food was great. I had the Brunswick Bucket of Bivalve (pictured on two platters with one oyster missing) with the lemon pepper seasoning and was happy. My wife had the seafood chowder and loaded tots. We'll be back when we visit Southport again.
Came here for a light dinner and had the Charbroiled Garlic Parmesan Oysters. Also fried pickles. Everything was very good. The service was fast and friendly. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. We chose outdoors on a beautiful evening. Will come here again
Waited 30 minutes to get in, but it was well worth the wait. Food was incredible, and our waitress, Alysa, provided first-class service with a great sense of humor. I ordered the fried crab balls, the fish and chips, and seafood chowder. Everything exceeded my wildest expectations. Will definitely be returning!
We've gone to this restaurant many times since it opened. It has been mostly good however, our visit yesterday was extremely disappointing. We have never experienced clams like this. They were the tinest clams we've ever seen. I'm not kidding. They were smaller than the size of a dime. I'm sorry but if your is restaurant is charging the same price for regular sized clams, then some compensation should be given to the customer even if that minisule size is what you received from the supplier. We said something to the server who replied "yeah they're small huh".
Secondly, the fried shrimp had a very hard coating on them that I wasn't used to and was tempted to pull the coating off. They may want to consider a light tempura coating that doesn't hurt when you chew tham.
We are locals and we felt like it was a waste of money for our afternoon out.
The food was great, our server was very patient and attentive. My family and I had no idea it was trivia night when we walked in, but that was very cool and we enjoyed it tremendously. My girlfriend is coming down for our birthday month in May and this will definitely be on the itinerary.
Tiny little place with a varied menu of more than oysters. But the selection of oyster preparations was quite nice. We both really enjoyed our lunch.
I was able to look at what alcohol they had, say "that butterscotch liquor sounds good! Make me something with that". Next thing I knew I had a caramel martini that was dangerously delicious! The fried okra reminded me of home and the wings were to die for. 10/10
This place was so amazing! We went last night and ordered a dozen of oysters and a kind regular treated us to an extra dozen! The hosts were so nice, the atmosphere was great, and the oysters were SO AMAZING!
food was so good especially for their sea food boil named steamer pot. it was the only place with REAL seafood still open late. food was so good and a great visit for beach trip or late night
110 E Moore St, Southport, NC 28461, USA•
5Bella Cucina
affordable
Italian restaurant
Bella Cucina is a relaxed eatery that offers a variety of dishes from both Northern and Southern Italy, as well as small plates and hand-tossed pizza. The restaurant provides excellent Italian cuisine in a cozy environment, where many customers have formed familiar relationships with the staff. It has a pleasant atmosphere that evokes memories of being up north. Some delightful options to start off your meal include dipping bread into flavorful garlic and oil.
We had an amazing experience. The bartender Andre was amazing! The food was amazing..we live 4 hours away but we will definitely be back!! Real Italian food.. Not frozen
Kay Amico — Google review
We went here for a quick pizza prior to seeing a movie. We got the basic pepperoni since we were in a little bit of a hurry. It was delicious and fast! We will definitely go there again. We ate a few months ago on the restuarant side after a movie and the service was superb and the food very good. We will go back their.
Always attentive, sincere employees.
Food never dissappoints, reasonably priced and delicious to boot.
Easier to have conversations here than most dinner places in Southport in terms of acoustics.
Love their small dinner plates!
My husband and I came in for lunch on Tuesday and
man were they packed! Even (what I assume) the owner was out helping the staff! The guy making the food in the kitchen was moving and the food was delicious. However the other customers were being very out of pocket with the staff! I even saw one table yell at the girl that was making sandwiches and salads because the table they wanted to sit at was dirty when there were at least 4 clean tables available. Yet she smiled and cleared and wiped down the table for them. Absolutely amazing! She definitely knows what she's doing and was going out of her way to make sure every customer was satisfied! Even with as busy as they were we only waited 10 minutes for our food and it was served with a smile. The girl even made a second trip to our table to make sure everything was tasting great! The food was
great but the service was amazing, even with it being a self service type of lunch! Can't wait to stop back in next time we are down!
Our waitress Chloe was fabulous. Attentive and kind. The food was fast and was very tasty. Margaritas was wonderful too. Thanks to the bartender.
Can not say enough good about this spot. In Brunswick on work for two weeks and I eat here almost every night. The food is simple, fresh and delicious, exactly how an Italian dish should be. Servers are possibly the best I have ever had. Great at engaging with you and making you feel as if you’re a friend and not just a customer.
Wow! Based upon photos and reviews one would think this was a slam dunk. I'd have to say that it ranks among the top three worst Italian restaurants I've experienced in a long time.
The ciabatta bread and oil were quite good, in spite of the fact that this particular restaurant actually charges for it. I'd also have to say that it was the best part of the meal.
We ordered the linguini with clams and it arrived looking like a naked pile of pasta with a ring of shells that lacked any appeal. The sauce was so thin that it had drained completely away from the al dente linguini and left us trying to grind our way through a few sandy clams.
The mussels weren't bad, but lacked any real flavor appeal and we certainly didn't want to contaminate the bread in the watery sauce.
The tortellini bolognese had an unpleasant smell and looked a lot like cheap canned cat food.
If it wasn't for the great martini and an excellent waitress, I would probably have tried to recover the $120 I wasted.
I would certainly visit the bar there, but I suspect that the chef must have suicidal tendencies and has given up on any aspirations for a greater role in the food world.
Excellent Italian food, homey atmosphere, most of the patrons knew the workers. It was very nice. We started off with dipping some bread into the garlic and oil. It was wonderful, like being back up north. I had the Veal Parmigiano and my wife had the Chicken Francese. Both were wonderful and the service was great. If you ever are in the neighborhood you have to give the little place a try.
Marcus is the best and he took care of everything we needed. The food was excellent (Salmon, steak and lasagna.) This is a definite place to visit!
Great food, garlic dipping oil for bread was over the top! Linguine w/ clams was great and Valerie provided excellent service. Highly recommend!
Amazing, great service. Really enjoy the atmosphere. Food comes quick and it’s yummy!!! Below is there club. With drink for less than 10!!! What!? Thank you
Excellent service, atmosphere and food. Valarie our server was super attentive, nice and very knowledgeable about the menu. The bread with the oil and parm was probably the best I've ever had. My husband had the Lasagna and I had Epplant Parm. Food was delicious. We will definitely be back!!!
Real Italian foods prepared with great care. Pastas, chicken, meats, and fine seafood. Excellent bread, salads and desserts. Superb customer service. Well-appointed bar area. Fine dining room and a casual pizza / sandwich / deli room.
Very delicious food, and great variety of both meals and desserts. Very friendly staff. Beautiful interior decorating; plus TVs to watch sports. Going here to eat is an awesome opportunity not be missed!
I forgot to take pictures to share, because we were all too hungry to think about it. We are not locals by any means. Decided since this place had pretty good reviews and was across from the hotel we are staying at, that we would give them a try. We got a medium pepperoni pizza for my husband and son, and I got a small spaghetti and meatballs. The guys loved their pizza and a medium was big enough for both of them. Their meatballs were very large and tasted pretty good. They weren’t over seasoned at all, but weren’t horribly bland either. The sauce was nice and hearty and the noodles were perfect. The young lady that helped me with my order was very kind and polite. She helped me figure out what size was best for our pizza. She was even thoughtful and sent me cutlery without me even asking for them. She answered my questions about their cheesecakes as well. I got my husband a NY style cheesecake and my son and I got their chocolate cake. We haven’t tried them yet, but I will update my review when we have.
We had an amazing dinner with equally amazing service from Valerie and Natalia. They play just the right kind of music that is enjoyable but not so loud that you can't hear your table companions. A must try, and try and try again... A Plus to the owners...
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All road trips from Southport
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Explore nearby places
- Caswell Beach
- Oak Island
- Boiling Spring Lakes
- Bald Head Island
- Kure Beach
- Carolina Beach
- Bolivia
- Supply
- Holden Beach
- Winnabow
- South Brunswick
- Shallotte
- Leland
- Wilmington
- Wrightsville Beach
- Ocean Isle Beach
- Sunset Beach
- Castle Hayne
- Riegelwood
- Calabash
- Little River
- Hampstead
- Bolton
- Rocky Point
- Currie
- Topsail Beach
- North Myrtle Beach
- Nakina
- Longs
- Kelly
All related maps of Southport
- Map of Southport
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- Map of South Brunswick
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- Map of Riegelwood
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- Map of Nakina
- Map of Longs
- Map of Kelly
Southport throughout the year
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