Frying Pan

We had a wonderful dinner at the Frying Pan. The view was beautiful! As soon as we sat down, they brought out complimentary hush puppies (similar to bread service at other restaurants). They were a definite 5/5—so good that even I, as someone who doesn't typically like hush puppies, really enjoyed them. Our server was excellent (4.5/5). She was friendly, gave great recommendations when we asked, and was very attentive, keeping our drinks full and checking in often. The view from the restaurant was also beautiful. For our meals, I had the Safe Haven and the Molten Chocolate Cake, and both were outstanding (5/5). My dining partner had the Chopped BBQ, which also got a 5/5. We highly recommend this restaurant!

Would highly recommend this place for some delicious food! My wife and I visited and will def be back! We both got the blackened fish and shrimp and I would suggest it for sure. We also started with a shrimp cocktail, and loved that they give you an even number. Cocktail sauce had great flavor. Be sure and pay this place a visit. Friendly service and great views!

Visiting here and the reviews were welcoming enough to give this place a try. Friendly staff for the conditions that were going on, busy lots of customers and yet it was as warm inside as it was outside. Really felt bad for everyone working, with this kind of business you would think someone who run some climate control. At least if the unit is broken put out a sign or tell the staff to let customers know. If this is normal I wouldn’t return, an exhaust fan pulling air through or something is needed. As the food goes my blackened fish and shrimp were delicious, maybe put a note on the menu that the green beans have pork in them if I would’ve known that I wouldn’t have ordered them. My friend enjoyed her fried bay scallops, though her french fries were either overcooked or were the cheaper kind that when you broke them open, there wasn’t really any potato inside. This place has a lot of potential all these issues are management problems. Before the drinks were served in washable cups as well as the condiments. Cutting corners for extra money isn’t sustainable for us or our environment.

We popped into the Frying Pan with our dog today not realizing they didn’t have service for their deck. Staff went above and beyond, ensuring that we had drinks from the bar and carry-out service. They also piped outside music, even though we were the only ones enjoying the deck. We enjoyed a great lunch, and sparkling views on this beautiful, sunny day.

Looking for a good, fresh, and authentic tasting seafood restaurant? We'll you've found it, not to mention the beautiful view of the waterway you have. Highly recommend the crab cake. Food is excellent, and the service here is great.

Waited an hour but it was well worth it. I got the flounder and my husband got the shrimp and fish. I am a picky seafood eater and the flounder was so good I didn't need any sauce with it. The red potatoes had this seasoning that was so good I wanted the recipe. The green beans were great too. Will be back.

Pretty cool place. Great view. Apparently a staple of the Southport. 8 outta 10. Portion size is good. Flavors are balanced. Tried unicorn fish for the first time.

The view is absolutely breathtaking, with sweeping vistas that seem to stretch on forever. The staff member, Riley, greeted us with a warm smile and an impressive knowledge of the menu, making us feel right at home. The chowder soup arrived piping hot, rich and flavorful, with each spoonful bursting with comfort. Riley recommended the Safe Haven plate, and thoughtfully selected the perfect sides to accompany it. Her choices were spot on, showcasing her culinary expertise. Thank you so much, Miss Riley, for the delightful recommendation and for gently guiding my meal choice!

Come hungry! This place has all the things. There was nothing that was in front of us that wasn't tasty. This place is in the small town of Southport. There's plenty of parking. It is located up in a building on stilts so there's an elevator contraption thingy if can't do steps. They do have an outdoor seating area, indoor seating, as well as a bar. The views are amazing!!! Waterfront - great ambiance. There was a 50 minute wait so sat at bar. Our server was Justin and he was absolutely amazing. He was managing the bar, fulfilling drink orders for tables, all while being super attentive and friendly. Every employee here is friendly. A server from the table behind is even came along the bar to make sure that we were all good. The fry guys are maxing and there's never a dead moment back in that kitchen (can see them working from bar). Hushpuppies are delivered when you sit down with a whipped creamy butter. These are handmade and the most delicious treats ever. You will not be able to stop eating them so don't even bother. Little butter gems kissing your tastebuds! Ordered a lemon drop martini - they call them Pantinis and a French 75. They were great. They do have a large selection of beach vibe drinks. They also have beet and wine. Lots of options. Ordered the calamari. It was tasty - lots of crust. Thai sauce comes with it. Ordered the seafood platter that had unicorn fish, shrimp, scallops, crabcake (not MD kind), green beans and potatoes. It was delicious! Also got the Southport Cheesesteak. Highly recommend! It's short rib meat and served with au ju and fries. Cole slaw and a mini buttered roll came with both of these. You get a ton of food!!! No wonder there is a wait here. Super delicious food made to order with terrific quality for the price!! Don't pass up this gem!!

We decided to visit the frying pan, and the views were spectacular! The restaurant was busy but we were seated quickly. Our server was kind and did a great job checking in on us. They immediately served hush puppies for the table which were delicious with the sweet butter. The gator bites were great but the sauce didn't match them (sweet chili) I ended up using the hot sauce on the table and it was great. I would definitely come back.

All went well with our visit to the Frying pan! The staff was great and the food was delicious! We will be returning on our next beach trip! Slam dunk!

After a beautiful ride on the ferry and traveling to The Frying Pan for some very good food. No longer do the "all you can eat " crablegs, but they have "all you can eat" popcorn shrimp on Wednesday. The service is awesome, attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. Very good selection and prices are affordable.

We've only been to this town 2 times in ten years and this fish was so perfect I can't wait to come back one day !

I enjoyed my lunch visit today. I had take out before from TFP but had not been inside. It sits on a very high spot over looking the water. The view is one of the most beautiful restaurant views ever, The whole room is a giant window. It was very clean and spacious, My server was great! She was in training and did an excellent job. There is an elevator if needed. They sell a lot of their sauces and a Bloody Mary mix. This was a work day so I ordered a Virgin Mary to try the mix. It was alittle sweeter than I like but still good. Hush puppies and butter are brought complimentary. They were average tasting. I ordered the grilled unicorn fish and it came with green beans and roasted potatoes. It also had a biscuit and Cole slaw. I never had unicorn fish and I liked it very much. All of it was really good.

Food was fine. The staff was just standing around and sullen. Only 3 parties were there (including us) but plenty of staff doing nothing because no guests but looking like they were at a funeral, talking to each other or on their phones. They gave incorrect information about the food such as accompaniments and ingredients. No apology when I told him that the dish had different ingredients than he told me. I just got the Gen Z silence. We've had good experiences there before but probably won't be back.

This restaurant has an amazing view of the sound from the dining room. The restaurant is on pilings so you do have to climb stairs to enter the building, but there is an elevator available. The food, service, and experience were completely amazing! Would definitely recommend!

had dinner here with family while on vacation food was fantastic. Staff was accommodating even though we had an hour wait it was worth it only complain. It was very hot inside restaurant... other than that I highly recommend trying this place.

This restaurant is one of my favorites bc of the location. You get a great view while eating your meal. The wait staff was delightful. Calamari was ok, a Lil too much breading and super crunchy. Alligator bites were good with the chilli sauce provided. My crab legs were delicious. My husband's bacon scallops were salty and a tad over cooked. The sides were a salty but flavored well. Over all, it's a really good place to eat. The menu has a variety of dishes.

We came in around 4:20pm on a Sunday with 6 people and were happily accommodated. The view was incredible, the staff was very friendly, and the food was outstanding. We got a few apps to start with. The hush puppies were fresh out of the fryer and served with melt in your mouth honey butter. The warm biscuits were such a treat! The coconut shrimp were perfectly cooked and perfectly crispy. I opted for the Unicorn Fish because why not with a name like that? It's also a crowd favorite and I can understand why! It was recommended blackened by our server. It was beautifully cooked and just melted in my mouth! The green beans were packed full of flavor! I believe there was bacon in them. We were treated like friends and family rather than customers. I wish I would've remembered the server's name because she deserves recognition from leadership. Thank you for the incredible dining experience we had!

This is a mandatory stop when we come to Southport. The food is FRESH!!! if you're looking for a ton of flavor/seasoning. This is not your place but it is fresh and you can taste the freshness!!! Service was great. Very tourist-(y) type vibe which I stray away from but the food good!

Great location by the water. Food was delicious and generous portion. Lovely view and casual fun atmosphere.

Came today with a friend to celebrate Mother's Day. We arrived before they opened and there was already several people waiting.. Both of us had never been. We sat outside and it was a beautiful perfect day. We had the whole place to ourselves for the first hour. Sarah gets 5 stars! Friendly, checked on us often and made recommendations. I had bacon wrapped scallops, kinda bland. The fried grouper and hush puppies were awesome! My friend had the unicorn fish plate and said it was excellent. Crab cakes were the best I had so far in NC. We were both too stuffed to try dessert. Prices were super reasonable too. Not much parking, so glad we arrived before opening. We will definitely be back for sure!

This was my first visit to the Frying Pan. We chose it for the view and the variety of options on the menu--including that they offer several gluten-free options! The restaurant is on the 2nd floor, but they do have an elevator available for patrons who are unable to climb stairs. I can't stress this enough--Southport traffic gets crazy after 5PM. So either arrive early, or expect to drive around in circles for a parking spot to open up, followed by a line to be seated. The prices at Frying Pan are what you would expect for seafood with a water-view, but the portions were generous and the food was well-prepared. The staff were friendly and helpful. This place is definitely on my short-list the next time I visit Southport!

The view and ambiance were the only positives with my visit, though the service was OK. The food was...poor. Breaded fish was over-breaded. Side of coleslaw was miniscule, and lacked "sauce" but the most edible part of the meal. The fries looked good, but when I bit into them they were cold and actually tough to chew. They had obviously been sitting around for a while or freezer-burned. Even the lemonade was subpar, tasting watered down. The rest of my party were similarly unimpressed with their meals. Not recommended.

Our first time in Southport, Frying pan was recommended to us. We were there early (4:30 ish) it wasn't super busy yet. We asked to sit by a window when one was available to see the water. The hostess looked at me never responded. After we were seated a window table opened up, we asked a young gentleman crew member if we would be able to move. He was abrupt and said no, we have someone we are going to seat. The friend who loves seafood said the food was good that she ordered. It was disappointing that we were disregarded about sitting by a window. We are on holiday so we only had one night for dinner.... It's clearly a popular restaurant but I was disappointed we were treated as though they didn't care.

Food tasted great and quick. Service was wonderful, hostess and waitress both very polite. Location is perfect, right on the water.

When this restaurant first opened they were great. Good food, great atmosphere... so good that I still remember the grilled Grouper & fried oysters which are no longer an offering. Unfortunately I cannot say the same today. I visited for lunch on Wednesday, August 13, 2025. I ordered the much lauded chowder (it was good but not special) & crab cake appetizer, which failed by every measure. 'Couldn't taste any crab (not lump crab) & whatever filler was used was minced into the mix, It tasted like something that was prepared, frozen & imported far ahead of time in a far away place. After two bites I didn't eat any more of it. A sad case of a place that focuses on bar drinks & nabbing the flow of tourist. How to ruin a good view of the channel... order a meal.

The food and service were absolutely amazing. Chris was our server and everything we ordered was delicious. The popular dishes were the Lobster Mac and Cheese and the Popcorn Shrimp and Fish dinner. For the most enjoyable experience, arrive for dinner between 4 and 4:30 pm. If you arrive after those times, your wait is going to be an hour, especially if you are dining with a large group.

Love it! One of our go to's in Southport. Food is decent view is awesome from top floor. Hushpuppies are great.

View of the ICW was amazing. Waiter though new to the job was excellent. So far so good. Now the Food: AWFUL. The 3 crab cakes were frozen crab pancakes. So salty they approached inedible. The 1oz of slaw was dry and flavorless. The string beans were from a can. My luncheon partner had the shrimp po-boy which was equally disappointing. Frozen tasteless shrimp. We are not tourists. We know lowland seafood. Save your money. Oliver's is just 100 yards down the street and it provides excellent ambiance + delicious fresh seafood.

5/5 recommend for quality of food, speed of service, taste of food, view and especially service. Our server was April L. And she was amazing!! The shrimp chowder and the corn ribs were our favorites but everything was good. They were really busy so we figured we would be waiting for our food for a while. Nope, it came out quick and hot!

Choose another restaurant! We had a party of six and were seated at 7:30. We were served at 8:32 and only after 6 other tables seated after we had been seated were served. I spoke with Justin the manager who could have not been more rude. I've always found managers to be more understanding and professional but this is not the case with Justin - he is RUDE and does not value the patrons. Several expletives come to mind to describe him but I choose not to add those words here. The server was apologetic- she was the only positive. Long Wait and Average Food. This restaurant was our fav a year ago and it's disappointing how much this restaurant has changed for the worse. Save your money and choose another restaurant that values its customers.

Food was and is always really good. The host skipped our table and was quick of try to make up for it. Our server was MIA for 90% of dinner, drinks came slow, and checks were entirely incorrect when we got them. Lucky the food was good and we had a lot to drink at the beach or our group would have not been happy. Overall, meh if you want to have mediocre service with good crab legs.

Quick overview bc this might be a long one: Views - 5/5 Service - 5/5 (thank you Anna S!!) Food - 2/5 Cleanliness - 3/5 Value for price - 3/5 (view makes up for food) We were in town for July 4th weekend, we went around 5pm on a Monday night (day before the 4th) and we were seated immediately (but they did require the entire party to be present before being seated). It was busy so we were happy to be seated so quickly. We had a great waitress (Anna S), she was super friendly, attentive, and hospitable. She got our drink orders and brought out a bowl of some of the smallest hush puppies I have ever seen (they still tasted good though!). Given how busy they were, it was strange how quickly we got our food after ordering, which in this case threw up a for us and made us wonder if the food was prepared in advance and just reheated. I ordered the Cheese Ravioli with Sautéed Spinach and Bacon that came with a small side house salad that I shared with my friend. Because of the price ($22.95) we were expecting a larger portion that we could share since neither of us were very hungry. But there were just 5 medium sized ravioli and the side salad (not pictured) was a small bowl of lettuce with 1 slice of tomato, 1 onion ring, and 1 slice of cucumber. I know it's a side salad, but really? My boyfriend ordered the Crab Cake Dinner which he also wasn't satisfied with. The crab cakes were mostly batter, very well done, flat, and overall just unacceptable for an ocean side restaurant. The "cajun cream sauce" served with the crab cakes looked and tasted like brown gravy. The sides were extremely small portions and the green beans were served in a styrofoam cup. It seemed strange that a "nice restaurant" would serve anything in a styrofoam cup since everything else was in ceramic or glass. The green beans however were flavorful and well prepared. We also tried one of their specialty cocktails, the Cape Fear Sunset, and I honestly wish I didn't. It tasted like something you would get at a college bar, sickeningly sweet and the pourer was heavy-handed. There was no balance of flavor. There was a great waterfront view, they do offer outdoor seating, and we even saw some dolphins while we were eating our meal. The table was kind of sticky and the bathroom was gross and dingy. I've used nicer bathrooms at a gas station. Overall, we had higher expectations for a restaurant that had so much potential to be a nice waterfront restaurant. For the portions and flavor profile of what we were served, we would've expected to pay half the price. We've had better seafood 3 hours inland. We were disappointed and probably won't be back.

The fried fish and shrimp were good and hot. The fish was tender and flaky. Wife's dish was the blackened shrimp on skewers and slathered with too much butter & cold. After she said the shrimp temperature was not hot, I took one bite & it was cool. It was definitely made and then sat for a long time in the kitchen before being brought to our table.

The food was amazing and the view was great!! we had a nice server and were given plenty of time to make up our minds. The frying pan is really seafoodish so if you have picky eaters i'm not sure if there are many other options for them.

Always good, but miss their sweet potato biscuits. Service was outstanding, and the view of the water is amazing. Their grilled fish bites are always a treat following the mini hush puppies. Bring back the sweet potato biscuits.

Service and food were both excellent! My hubby is a southern gentleman and he loves grits; he was not disappointed! I had the shrimp dinner which was also delicious. We had strawberry cheesecake which is the best I've ever had! I dont think you can go wrong here!

The food was absolutely delicious!! They greet you with a basket of hush puppies and honey butter (yum!), and have incredibly fast service. Our appetizer (corn ribs) came out in 5 mins flat and the dinner was 8 mins max! The ambiance was amazing, the whole restaurant was a wide open space with panoramic views of the water! I recommend going by 5 otherwise you will have a wait. By 5:45 there was a line and by the time we left at 6:20 the bar was packed with people waiting. They do a great job of cleaning tables quickly and making the food fast so they move it along well, but to avoid the wait be there by 5! Enjoy!

Beautiful views and good food. This is one of the quintessential visits in Southport for lunch or dinner!

In spite of mostly good reviews, the restaurant only had a few diners on a beautiful Sunday afternoon- nearby restaurants had wait times. Food was salty, greasy and the blackening seasoning was used much too liberally. Beautiful view- too bad food doesn't live up to surroundings. Would not go back.

Family vacay 2024. Last night of our trip and I ordered a mojito and the salmon platter. By the time we all were finished I was deathly sick and just believe me, my meal was wasted in the parking lot of the ice cream shop. Trip ending with misery.

Another OKI/Southport staple for us. Their hush puppies are unmatched. All the service in Southport is about the same - good local, seasonal workers who are generally friendly. We love the Frying Pan for the views of the Cape!

My party of 6 arrived at Frying Pan Saturday Night at 5:30pm. We had about a 60 minute wait to be seated. Once seated, service was fast and friendly. The server brought out the hush puppies and took our drink order. We were not rushed and ordered Calamari for appetizers. Very delicious. Once the calamari was delivered, we could order our main course. I ordered The Blackened Line Fish and shrimp meal. It was presented covered in light butter. Good hints of Blackening, very mild meal. Would have been sensational with a mango salsa. I recommend this restaurant and recommend you arrive before 5 to have less wait time.

Beautiful setting and views. Fried popcorn shrimp and grilled shrimp were delicious. Their sides need some help. The green beans looked awful and should have been thrown out. Please turn your ceiling fans off on cold December days! They were running on high and it wasn't pleasant for us. When I asked about them, I was told they could only turn them all off, not individually. Well how about just turn them down to low!!

We had a long wait but that's to be expected in a coastal town it took a little while for initial service but it was good after that. Food was pretty tasty but portions were a little small for the price.

Man oh man... I hate writing bad reviews but my coconut shrimp was not like the picture and was cold in the center. The waitress dropped a fork on my aunt..Spilled tea in my mother's plate of food (ignored that she did that and walked away) and all of my family's food was tasteless. View 10/10, Service: 5/10 (she was sweet), food 2/10 (good biscuits).. Never would go back

This place was out of this world! First of all- the view is absolutely breathtaking. The hush puppy starters were a nice touch. The food was delicious and the service was top tier. This was our first visit and won't be our last!

This place is truly exceptional, offering some of the best seafood on the East Coast. The shrimp is so hot and delicious that it practically melts in your mouth. I had a great experience sitting near the window, where I could enjoy watching dolphins flip while savoring the best hushpuppies in the United States. Highly recommended! One last thing, this place is kid friendly, the staff is A1, beautiful views and vibes. Please don't sleep on that sweet tea

Came for the Wednesday all you can eat crab legs. It was a long wait but totally worth it. Never had to wait for a refill and they were hot and delicious every plate. Yum!!!

I stopped in late one night when everything else was closed in the off-season, but it was well worth it. I grabbed a bunch of apps, and they came out quickly, and I had no complaints!

Frying Pan is a great place to go for drinks and apps to watch the sunset. They have among the best views in Southport. I don't particularly care for the dinner entrees which are almost exclusively deep fried. I have however very much enjoyed their shrimp and grits. They drop a nice basket of hush puppies at every table too. That's a nice plus. I strongly recommend a visit if you've never been to the Frying Pan.

Ambiance is very nice but noisy. Our waiter was attentive until our food came then sat at the bar while we finished eating and waited for the check-.-.and waited for the check. As to the food, I was saddened. My family and i ate there last summer and was impressed. This time it is as if the place has a new owner or something. Crab cakes were a JOKE. Nothing but frozen breading. The food seemed to have been dumped from a fryer basket onto the plate and shoved down a delivery line. I for one will not go back. There are too many prime dining locations in Southport to spend money here.

Went for all you can eat crab legs. Service was amazing. Staff was friendly and couldn't ask for a more welcoming environment. Top notch food with top notch service! I will eat here everytime i come back to the coast!

Waitress was inattentive. Had to ask several times for basics, drinks , condiments. Never checked back with us once food was served. Spent her time talking to the bartender and other servers. Food was great. Service was the worst we've experienced. .

The food was so salty 2 of the people couldn't eat it. Worst food we have eaten in a long time. Service was good, but stay away if you want good seafood

Ate here a while back. The atmosphere doesn't get much better than this! What a view! If you are looking for fried seafood, the food here is fairly typical for the area. The service I had was good. Very attentive. Give this place a try...