Saltwater Grill

28 years vacationing in EI, and this was our first time dining at Saltwater Grill. Reservations are highly recommended during peak season. Atmosphere was great due to having outdoor seating overlooking the water with mid 70s temps. Service was good. Food was good, but not the best that I've had on the island. Appetizers: Crab Dip was OK and we tried the Alligator Bites for the first time. They were interesting but would not order again at any restaurant. Salads: I was really disappointed in the Ranch dressing. Such a nice establishment should have homemade Ranch dressing, not Hidden Valley bottle Ranch. I can eat it, but I complain about it. Entrees: Seafood Platter- good, Fried Shrimp- good, Salmon- good, Yellow Fin Tuna- good and Blackened Chicken with Butter Caper Sauce ... chicken- good but not a fan of the sauce. It wasn't a bad experience, but we have other island favorites that we'd rather eat twice. I always post reviews, but I never rely on reviews. I'm a culinary snob, so I like to form my own opinion.

Nice little spot. Food was solid, service was great. View of the landing was very nice. A few gluten free options available that didn't upset my celiac fiancée.

We made a reservation and still had to wait because the hosetess forgot about our party. Food came out dry and hair in 2 seperate dishes. We ended up mostly paying for alcohol because of the wait. I think that is their goal NOT serving good food. The staff was always standing around talking and not much else. We will never eat there again.

Fantastic service! Outstanding food! Shrimp were incredibly fresh & succulent! Tuna was delicious and flavorful! The she-crab soup was award 🥈 winning Overall 5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Overall we had a good experience. The drinks were perfect, the mango jalapeño margarita was amazing, the perfect level of spicy. Food was great and didn’t take ages to be delivered to our table. The sautéed spinach would be amazing if added just a touch more salt and some fresh garlic. But no other complaints from us about the food. We had Ashley take care of us and she was amazing. The view was also amazing, I recommend getting seated outside, the breeze feels so good in the heat!

First things first, our server, Lexi, was awesome. Friendly, attentive, and so helpful. The food came out fast. The crab cakes were fresh and delicious. The seafood platter, while fried, it was a light batter. The fish was excellent, and the oysters were delicious, as was the shrimp. We were able to get a table outside and enjoy the setting sun. Great experience for our first time, and if we move to the area, Saltwater Grill will become a great habit. 5 gold stars! AAA!

Eating on the deck was nice! Food and service were okay. Crab dip didn’t have much flavor. Grilled chicken sandwich was bland.

Came for a late lunch with the whole family. The fish tacos were PHENOMENAL! Staff was super friendly. Depending on the time of day you visit, it can get crowded, so plan accordingly.

Stopped in for lunch . Alex was very attentive ! Food was awesome . The elevator helped my wife and mother in law get into the spaces . I'd recommend , can't beat the view of the inlet .

My husband & I came here last year for our anniversary & loved it so I thought I would bring my mom here for lunch. Yes the views are great and it's a prime location. We arrived at opening, seated quickly. But.... Flies everywhere. Even right at opening? Something weird and brown in my water glass. Then a large and loud argument broke out between a cook in the kitchen over bread being moved. Cussing, the N word being used. And you're seated 2 arms length from the kitchen so it was pretty unavoidable. I'm largely pregnant and was nervous and almost left. Our waitress was very nice though and profusely apologized. I wanted to bring my mom somewhere nice before she left to go back home but this was super embarrassing. I'm not sure if I'll be back after what happened.

The service was bad, we had to wait a while for our order to be taken because our waitress was chitchatting at the bar and paying no attention to our table. Then had to wait some more just to get drink refills. Not the best experience, specially being out celebrating a birthday. I will not recommend this place for a special occasion.

Have not been here for a long time. It's Sunday afternoon and the place is full but there are tables available near the bar, yet we are told we have a 30 minute wait. We sat at the bar and the bartender said they do that so the kitchen can catch up. The restaurant is clean and the bathroom was clean. We ordered ice tea and less than 30 minutes we were seated outside. Our waitress, Hope, was excellent. She was friendly and attentive. I ordered the Southwest Eggrolls hoping they would be as good as the ones at Chili's so I would not have to drive into Jville when I want them. They were good but cooked a little to long. I asked for a side salad which was a good size and fresh! The meal total was $17.65. My friend had fish and chips with sweet poto fries and it comes with coleslaw. She was very happy with the fish and fries but a little disappointed in the size of coleslaw she received. I agree, why bother. Other than that I look forward to visiting again.

Food: The alligator bites were available (and may or may not be), and were like chicken nuggets, with fried and battered jalapeño pepper slices as a secondary. Also had a shared sample of the Southwest rolls, which were delicious. Service: Super top notch. Cannot say enough good things about the service, which was all the right and appropriate amounts of attentive, and yet not oppressive. Ambiance: We were seated on the eastern/northeastern side and they opened the shades for us on the upper patio/deck area to get more exposure. The weather was great and the seating was good.

Went for dinner with our dear friends! We were in the perfect side of the building for the cool windy evening. Our waitress was fabulous. The best surprise was that all of the menu is Gluten Free!!! Well, they can make EVERYTHING on the menu GF! At the table was shrimp and grits, Shrimp pasta, Angels on horseback and a cesear salad. No one complained about the main meal. Drinks were great. We had crab dip w corn chips; the corn chips were stale We had key lime pie, chocolate torte(gf) and cheese cake The key lime pie was more like vanilla pudding (they said it was a disappointment, and not like they remembed) , the cheese cake was fabulous, the chocolate was fabulous. Definitely go back

Ambience on the water is very nice (but a lot of flies!!) alligator bites were yummy, but my Scallops/shrimp (angels on something) was cold and hard. Service was great.

Super friendly to pups and very kind staff. Food was delicious. Amazing fries and seafood. Service was great. Fantastic view. Don't be afraid of the 2nd floor access as they have an elevator.

Delicious crab cake sandwich and sweet potatoes fries. Friendly staff, amazing views. Can't wait to return!

This place has the location, the view, the ambiance. Unfortunately the food is sub par at best. My husband has the fish tacos (3) with Cole slaw and asparagus as his sides $21, the Mahi was flavorless even with the sauce provided it it was bland, (my husband never uses salt and I saw him grab the shaker a few times in the hopes of gaining some flavor in his meal) the asparagus was super thin and over cooked, my husband said it was like chewing on tough grass and the coleslaw (if you can call shredded cabbage with a teaspoon of mayo or whatever that was, was dry, it was basically just some shredded cabbage in a cup. My son got the kids flounder with a side of Mac and cheese, the flounder was small and limp, again no flavor or seasonings, the taste of the Mac and cheese was more of a cream with garlic powder (my sons favorites are fish and Mac and cheese and he would not eat this meal. I tasted it and I understood immediately, I asked the waitress to swap his Mac and cheese for fries and we were brought a bowl of French fries that you could tell were frozen checkers fries they sell in the grocery store (if you've had checkers fries, you know they have a distinct flavor) $9 +$3 add on charge for the disgusting Mac and cheese. I ordered the calamari appetizer as my meal and it was atrocious, it came out with about a pound of jarred banana peppers, cherry tomatoes and balsamic glaze or something on top of what was clearly store bought frozen calamari $17. Honestly if you want a place to sit and with a lovely view this is a great place for that but save yourself the money and eat somewhere else. Even LJS would be a better choice, at least your price point would be on par with the quality of food you'd receive. Our waitress was nice, so there's that. No stars for the food, 1 star for the view.

Amazing Food I got a Whiskey Burger and it's definitely Top 3 burgers I've ever had and i love my burgers. Also the Tropical Sangria was Veryyyy Good! I'm definitely coming back.

Always have such a great time when I'm here. Incredible views, atmosphere and service. London was my server today and was so sweet and attentive. The food and drinks are always consistent so it's absolutely a staple when friends and family visit. Highly recommend the fish tacos and southwest egg rolls!

Went out for a New Year's Eve dinner. This place has been one of our favorites for 20+ years. To be fair, I have grade solely off the reason for going to restaurant, which is eating and the fact the place is under new management. Ambiance: Remains a four; everyone was enjoying themselves and the views remain amongst the best. Service: They require more wait staff and had the bartender managing a row of tables, patrons at the bar and drink needs throughout the whole restaurant - inefficient, but this guy was hopping and give it a five Food/Drinks: Had calamari and famous crab dip. Neither were that hot and crab dipped was scooped in a bowl and nuked. Spinach/Strawberry salads were over dressed and less than eight strawberry segments. The tuna was not hot. Hopefully things get better and we will give it another shot.

I would love nothing more than to give this place 5 stars, but there were a few things that made me go four. Let's get into it, as you approach there is an outdoor patio and some stairs. The sign out front could be updated. We took about five minutes to find the entrance as nothing really marks it or where to go. Upon entering, we were greeted right away by a smiling face and sat quickly out on the patio. The interior isn't to bad inside and it seemed fairly nice and clean. Julia was at our table fast and brought our drinks quickly. She was great in recommendations and seemed to truly care about the patrons she was serving. Now onto what everyone likes to hear, the food......I had the buffalo shrimp as an appetizer which was cooked well and tasted great. All five of us really enjoyed them. I was told by my kids and wife that their food was really good and tasted fresh. My wife had one of the pasta dishes, she is not a pasta person, but she said that it was delicious and she would eat it again. That tells you something there about the food they serve. The French fries seemed to be fresh cut and were crispy. I also ordered the fried shrimp. (Yes, I have a love for shrimp. Lol.). I will say that the breading they use is excellent in flavor with whatever it is they use. Most of the shrimp was cooked very well and stayed crispy. There were some that were a bit overcooked which was a little disappointing. I will say that they are a bit more pricey than some places, but for the amount and quality of food you get, it is worth the bill. The service also made a difference as it was an enjoyable experience. I can hope that when we go back, that all the servers are that way and it wasn't just a lucky day. Did I mention that I'll be going back? Lol. Yes, I definitely will!

We all had various sandwiches and salads. All good. The service was superb and she kept my friend full of tea and she drinks like a camel. We sat outside and the view is wonderful. Makes me want to move to Swansboro.

Food was pretty good. Portions are very large for the price. Service was ok. Even though we dined during a lunch hour on a weekend in the summer- the restaurant wasn't busy. We were seated quickly and treated cordially. The host and wait staff were pleasant but seemed preoccupied and wouldn't make eye contact with us, as if on purpose to avoid our needs. The only persons that appeared truely busy with real work were the cooks, line prep and bus"boys". The views from the deck or even window seating are beautiful!!! It's worth a try.

Recently came back to this establishment after not eating here for over a couple years. My first experience wasn't the best, so kept me away for awhile. But I returned recently with some friends that always eat here, and I was pleasantly surprised by the change of food and atmosphere. We came for their Ribeye one night, and the steak was pretty good. Cooked to how I liked it and the addition of asparagus and spinach was great. Had some cocktails to wash it all down, and the setting made for a nice evening. I enjoyed my time, thanks for having me.

We came here as a family of 9 around 4pm. Other reviews said parking is a challenge but we had no issue in a weekday. The restaurant had flowers on every table which was nice with the water views. Drinks were delicious with lemonade, peach mojito, mango coconut mojito, blueberry mojito and margarita. We even had some Shirley temple orders. We started with southwestern egg roll and crab dip. The fresh pita chips were so yummy and crispy. One of the teens suggested Angels on horseback which was scallops wrapped in crispy bacon with risotto topped with crab meat and asparagus. 5 of us ordered that and loved it. We also had a spinach salad with strawberries and feta, blacked chicken Alfredo, filet with fries and pork chop with asiago risotto and broccoli. I'm not sure how we managed but we also had dessert. There was several orders of pineapple strawberry cake, key lime pie and flourless chocolate torte. The waitress was nice and made sure our water and drinks were filled. She even took a family photo for us. The chef came out twice to ask us if we enjoyed it but wouldn't share his secret on how he got those bacon strips so crispy without overcooking the scallops. :)

Great views and food! We ate lunch on the deck and enjoyed the breeze coming off the water, while watching boats come and go. I had fried shrimp, and hubby had beer-battered fish. The food was fresh and tasty, and we both enjoyed our meals. Hubby especially appreciated having healthy options for sides (sautéed spinach and broccoli).

Fantastic fish & chips! Two generous portion with perfectly batter and cooked to perfection. I also enjoyed a Saltwater Martini and highly recommend. Wonderful views. Service was really good. and all staff culture a friendly & welcoming atmosphere.

While the service was excellent and the location was waterside, the windows were so dirty the view was virtually obstructed. Now for the food: we have been to this restaurant several times before on our boating journeys, and have enjoyed many delicious meals here. Last night was the exception. Both my husband and I were greatly disappointed with our meals: his seafood platter was "institutional food" and all the seafood was overly done. My southwest egg rolls were nearly burned, and the shrimp cocktail was so sad...shrimp were limp. Has the restaurant changed hands? Did the chef have the night off? (Wednesday). Again, the service was excellent, but one cannot eat the service.

This place was incredible! They have a fabulous patio that overlooks the water and they're dog friendly! My fiancé and I came out here to go the beach and decided to stop in for a bite. We arrived at the front to make sure they were indeed dog friendly and they definitely were! They were so sweet to my very large husky German shepherd pup who was overly excited about a day spent at the beach for his birthday. They immediately brought him out water and a little treat of bacon. We ordered the alligator bites with house made chipotle ranch dipping sauce as an appetizer and ohh my, they were delicious. We split their shrimp po'boy with a side of coleslaw and their bacon jam burger with a side of sweet potato fries. Everything was amazing! We got our dog an unseasoned hamburger patty with a side of bacon, he very much approved and was looking around for more! We each ordered a cocktail, I got the raspberry lemon drop and my fiancé got the "perfect margarita", both were okay. Mostly tasted like juice so a little pricey for what they were, $15 each, but they were decent! Totally spaced on taking any actual photos of the food as I was on dog duty with all of the people wanting to pet him. But I did manage to get a photo of their hilarious bathroom signs. All in all it was a delicious meal for not too shabby of a price all together, especially for being right on the water, and it was a beautiful view. We will be back!

I had a fantastic experience at Saltwater Grill in Swansboro, NC. The waterfront view and delicious seafood made for a great atmosphere. What truly stood out was the service, especially from the manager,she was incredibly attentive and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. Her warm and professional attitude made the visit even better. I highly recommend Saltwater Grill and will definitely be back!

Great place to have lunch or dinner overlooking the water. The food was good especially the fish and chips. The gator bites were under cooked, a little tough and could have just as well been chicken nuggets.

Great food Angels on Horseback - wife 12oz Ribeye with sautéed spinach - me Key lime bar for dessert Ally was our server and she was fabulous Best of all they are dog friendly Amos & Nellie were with us for dinner

The food was awesome!! Shrimp scampi is excellent!! My husband had the tuna it was great!! The only problem is the tables on porch are a little close and some people kind of abuse their space!!

We stopped in for a nice dinner on our last night in the area. We sat out on the patio overlooking the water and it was really nice. The restaurant has a great location in the heart of historic Swansboro. Our waitress was GREAT! (Thank you Mariah)!! she was very busy but extremely pleasant and we were glad she took care of us. The food was delicious and the portions big. We had fish tacos, mahi mahi and shrimp and grits. No bad choice here and it was all phenomenal! We would definitely be regulars if we lived here or were within an hour. Highly recommend this place!!

Myself n a friend went for lunch yesterday the service by Molly was outstanding very friendly n outgoing!! We were seated outside it was a beautiful day n the view was beautiful as well!! I had the fried seafood plater with 2 sides coleslaw, and sweet potato waffle fries my friend had the fried flounder with french fries and coleslaw. Their coleslaw was one of the best that I've ever had and I am very picky with coleslaw. The food for the price you couldn't be plenty for your dollar!! I highly recommend saltwater grill. It is wonderful for lunch and we will be back soon. Located in Riverbend 10 minutes from downtown new Ber

can't say enough good things about the food - yummy crab dip and freshly fried chips - get the waffle sweet potato fries also only disappointment was the breading on the flounder it fell off as soon as i tried getting it to my fork but cooked perfectly. ambiance was cute as it's on the waterfront and a little romantic. i had a great drink also mexican candy watermelon margarita. the service was a little slow but it was busy but the kitchen was putting out the food quick !!! hard to park bit very nice downtown shops and bars close by

Most recent visit was delightful. We went for early dinner on a Wednesday. Food came out hot and fast. Waitress was fabulous.

Came with my sisters to have a last meal with just us and no kids before we flew back to WA and the reviews seemed really good but damn we were so bummed. Our crab dip had a big parmesan rind that looked gross af cuz we didn't know what the hell it was (we certainly weren't expecting it) and to top if off all of our dishes arrived cold! The price they charge for food just for it to be cold is absolutely ridiculous. Our server Tre (I think that was his name) was nice and apologetic but the whole night was a complete loss. I wouldn't go here again.

RUN RUN RUN. When you walk into a restaurant and the sanitation score is only a 90 (which is an awful score) you know something is wrong. We couldn't be more disappointed in this place. The only good thing was our server who tried so hard to make things right but he obviously has no support from the kitchen. Also don't take the bait for the "perfect margarita". It's the worse I have ever had.

My partner wanted to come here for a nice dinner with a view of the water. We were seated in the outdoor patio after 30 minutes. The ambience is very romantic out in the patio. Foodwise, we ordered the She Crab soup, Chicken Alfredo, and a Tuna entree with sautéed spinach and asparagus. The She Crab soup was very rich and tasty. I first heard about this dish while in Charleston SC and I heard it's a regional specialty so I wanted to try it out. The Chicken Alfredo was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The Tuna, even though we asked for Medium, tasted dry, even though it has a pink center. This made me think it was probably frozen. Service was good, just want to share what other Yelpers said and with a check in on Yelp app, you get a free slice of Key Lime pie.

We had a wonderful dinner with friends last night. This place was recommended by a friend who also had a great experience. We went on a Thursday at 6 pm- limited parking area, 40 min wait but you can order drinks from the bar and bring them downstairs where you can see the river view. It was dinner time so service was a bit slow- food came out after 20-25 minutes but the food was delicious! Definitely recommend trying this place!

After another glorious day on the beach it was time to have an early dinner. My friends and I opted for salt water grill for some seafood. The location and the restaurant are beautiful. I ordered fried flounder with sides of french fries and coleslaw. a friend of mine ordered the shrimp wrapped in bacon the chef's special, which she absolutely loved. My fried flounder was OK. The breading was crisp and tasty but I wasn't so sure about the fish. I don't remember flounder tasting fishy, but a white fish does. Give the sweet potato fries a try. They are yummy The coleslaw was not enjoyable. Something was missing. It seem to be just mayonnaise and slaw. Our server was attentive and even went so far to deduct a small sum from the total bill because of the coleslaw and thanked us for letting her know so they can improve upon that situation. I thought that was great.

Great all around. Everyone at our table enjoyed their meals and the view of the water is awesome. Our waitress was so nice and the manager checked on us multiple times and gave great recommendations of things to do around the area. We will be back!

As with most of my reviews I first state that I have Celiac Disease therefore I like to help others with finding gluten free food! There are Lots of gluten free options here at Salt Water Grill!! It's a busy area with several local restaurants around and parking is difficult. We asked for first available table which I regret because we sat inside and I kid you not it felt like it was at least 85 degrees inside. I was miserable. I ordered the she crab soup which was good. I've had better and It was a small portion with very little crab but I was grateful to be able to have it gluten free. They are able to fry seafood gluten free in a separate fryer which is great!! I got shrimp fettuccine Alfredo (gluten free pasta and made sure that the pasta was cooked in clean water). The waitress was so sweet and she double checked everything for me. It was really good! My daughter got chicken tacos (she doesn't eat seafood) with rice pilaf and sweet potato fries. She gave it 10/10!! I would definitely return but sit outside by the water because it was just too hot inside. I truly appreciate their willingness to accommodate those of us that HAVE to eat gluten free!!

I've been here twice this year, once in May and again in August and I must say that the food has been excellent each and time. We added 45 mins to our 3.5 hour drive time back up to Virginia just to stop here. The restaurant is located up a staircase, and if the resident ducks let you by, you will see that the restaurant overlooks a gorgeous harbor. From the moment you walk in, you are greeted with a smile by some of the kindest servers I've experienced in a long time. These days eating out is such a crap shoot. You either receive wonderful service, or you are attended to by people who behave as though you are lucky they showed up at all! Saltwater Grill has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. I've chosen outdoor seating both times, and I'd do it a third as well! Now for the food! My first visit I had the She Crab Soup and the Crab Dip. They were both very nice! Lots of crab meat. I also had the Bacon Jam Burger, and it was honestly the best burger I've had in years! I couldn't finish it all, but I surely wish I could have. The sweet potato fries are amazing! They are waffle cut and taste as though they have a light batter coating. Today I had the Shrimp and Grits, it was very delicious! The shrimp were cooked to perfection, the grits were perfect in texture. The sausage was mildly spicy and added the perfect balance to the sauce. Our server was kind, attentive, and fast! She was intuitive enough to serve my children's (5, and 10 years old) food as soon as it was ready, which is ideal for me and my family. Great experience at Saltwater Grill! I'll be back the next time I'm in town for sure!

Overall the food was delicious. We got the southwest egg rolls, the tuna sandwich, fries, and she crab soup. Everything was delicious, however my soup was tepid in temperature at best. My fries were hotter than my soup. Service was great!

First off, I would like to say that I was able to make a reservation for a larger party with ease. The inside of the restaurant looked nice, but we sat outside. To say we were shocked by the deck would be an understatement First off It was poorly maintained! Second, it was so crowded you could hardly move. There was 11 of us, and we were set a roundtable where we didn't even have elbow room to eat. Now let's talk about the food.

They were busy and I get it. I had to ask to get my order taken after 20 minutes. Then another 40 minutes my food came out and rosotto was cold. They keep it in a bowl by the serving line because i saw it.The kids food which was flounder (1 piece) came put hot and good. My daughter liked her salmon. I am sure they tried. But they failed sadly. It was our first restaurant on vacation. Not a good start for food in this town

great service by Alex and a wonderful location to enjoy a beverage and appetizer. Recommend this place any time.

Great views and great food & drinks! Crab dip was my favorite. Service was good. We will definitely be back.

Disappointing lunch. Thin shecrab soup. Sub par turkey on the turkey and brie. Nearly exclusively Iceberg lettuce in house salad. (Tiny bits or stringy piece of what might pass for tomato.) Blackened Tuna that wasn't blackened. Fries were room temp. Calamari was delicious.

Cute place on the sound! We stop here since we are vacationing in Emerald Isle. We loved the atmosphere and the food was great. I got the Maui Maui and my husband ordered the salmon. Mixed drinks are also great. Our waitress, Hope, was awesome!! We will be coming back here!

Great location right on the river, with a covered porch. Good selection of seafood and non-seafood meals. Our server was very good with just the right amount of attention and even offered to go cups for our drinks.

Just wanted to grab a snack of some local seafood and checked out this place. They have a wheelchair accessible elevator to get you up to the restaurant. The open area bar inside is lovely. We sat on the balcony and because it's February it wasn't open air. I had an entree of fried oysters along with an appetizer of calamari. Really enjoyed this spot.

My parents in law love to eat dinner on the water so we thought this would be the perfect place to go! We sat outside on the patio and you had a beautiful view of the dock and water. It was the end of December and while it was 70 degrees that day, it started to cool down. They have plastic covering that can go down and cover the whole patio. While it keeps the breeze off, it does seem to stay a little chilly. We ordered the alligator bites, Philly cheese egg rolls, and Buffalo shrimp. The alligator bites were by far the favorite. Most of the table had never had them before so they were very interested in trying them. I also liked the Philly cheese egg roll. Buffalo shrimp were okay. Just seemed to be missing something compared to the others. (The table next to us for the crab dip and were raving about it. So we might or missed out there). My sister in law got the she crab soup. She let me have some and baby that stuff was rich. She couldn't even finish it. It was good but wish there was a bit more crab flavor and maybe served in a small option. It was $10 for the bowl but I didn't see any cup options. For my meal I got the mahi mahi with pineapple salsa. My sides were asparagus and risotto. Usually I feel like sides can be short sticked but I throughly enjoyed both sides. Asparagus was cooked and seasoned great as well as the risotto. The mahi mahi was overcooked. I wish I would of had more pineapple salsa to compensate. I also had a piece of my husbands fried shrimp and oysters. They were both cooked awesome. The oysters were so tender and the shrimp were huge and juicy. Overall pretty good food here and a very nice view. I had heard a lot of mix feelings about this restaurant but I definitely think it's worth a try. Seafood is a bit pricier so it would be nice for a date!

Great service every time. Excellent food cooked with care and met expectations. Excellent atmosphere with outdoor dining. Will definitely return Menu items for all!