The Trading Post; Southern Food & Spirits

Great food, great service. The wait for a table wasn’t too long, the wait staff was there promptly to take our orders and the food was out very quickly. . The food was amazing, the quantity was good, the taste was good. . Would love to visit again

Out of this world food. Sarah was our server and so bubbly and friendly. Her service was amazing. The food was outstanding. I got shrimp n grits. Best I’ve ever had. I come here every time we visit EI. I’ve had their fried green tomatoes too. Best ever. Their food has a unique southern twist to them.

We are visiting the area for the week and thought we would try it for dinner! We’re so happy we did! It’s a great cozy, environment. We sat inside but the outside sitting area is beautiful. Definitely get the crab dip - it’s delicious! Our server Slay was so kind and courteous. She even made us strawberry lemonades- again delicious. I ordered the blackened Mahi, it was really good just wish there was a sauce to tie it all together. Highly recommend 🫶🏽

The Trading Post in Emerald Isle is a true coastal treasure! The atmosphere is welcoming and laid-back, perfect for a relaxing meal, and our server Karen was phenomenal—friendly, attentive, and full of great recommendations. The Blackened Mahi was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly seasoned, and the Chicken Marsala was absolutely divine—tender pan-seared chicken in a rich Marsala wine sauce with mushrooms, garlic, and herbs, served with perfectly sautéed spinach and creamy garlic mashed potatoes. If you’re visiting Emerald Isle and want a wonderful dining experience, The Trading Post is a must.

Potentially the best Shrimp and Grits I’ve had. Debate me. Service is fantastic, and with a smile. Quaint little place full of flavor. Others had the Eggs Benedict, which also impressed.

One of my worst experiences in a small and locally owned restaurants. My wife, grandson, and myself have eaten and it was a pretty decent meal the first time. The 2nd time we brought 3 friends of ours thinking it might be the same, man were we wrong. As we arrived at 5:20 pm on a Sunday there were few patrons and we were escorted directly to the outside table. Our waitress came and took our order about 10 minutes after. As we sat and watched people come in after us and receive their food we were curious about our food but said nothing as we listened to the live musician. We watched the next set of customers come in and get their food the waitress finally came over after 6:15 and apologized after tapping my shoulder and asking were we good as I shrugged my shoulders and said no. It took that long to come and check on us as all of our drinks had not been checked and all of the ice had melted away. She offered us free hush puppies and a drink to one of our friends which she charged him for anyways at the end after another 30 minutes of waiting. We finally got our food around 7:00 and it was fresh at least and we finally got some ice, although they did not check our drinks at this time. Now we are at two hours and one of our companions has a piece of hair fried into her shrimp as she takes a bite and nearly vomits as it sticks on her tongue and in her throat she leaves the table and stays gone a while as we have her plate removed with just a couple of bites taken from her plate. At the end of this ordeal they offered to remove her dish and offered her a piece of cake, which she turned down. My daughter ended up getting the cake. After paying our tabs which were way too expensive for the service, food, and treatment we received. You can see my reviews and also see that I have only left one review as bad as this one over the years. Please read other post as they are similar, although most are high praises. This is a precautionary warning that when they mess up they really do nothing to ensure the customer is happy another than an apology. I really try to enjoy the local restaurants, but this was uncalled for. If you're hungry and want to wait an hour or two to eat and pay their prices head to the last stop light before the Carteret bridge and take a left.

Absolutely the worst experience we’ve ever had. We waited 30 mins to be seated, another 1hr at our table… still no food. The waitress never gave us updates and acted like she didn’t care at all about our experience. They lied about our food being ready and about to come out. Waited some more. We told them we were about to leave and they offered to make it to go. Well this was the food we were given. Absolutely disgusting and horrible customer service. We threw the food away it was so gross looking. Fish had skin and scales on it and was mushy. The sides were pathetic. Never ever will return. Wouldn’t surprise me if they messed with our food before handing it to us.

Okay, so the business itself is cute. Its small, the outdoor space is great. Our waiter was nice, and the shared mimosa presentation was good. Their eggs Benedict was not good.. two of us ordered this and neither of ours were good. Hollandaise should be creamy.. this looked like straight yolk. The ham had a sour taste. Our waiter was kind enough to switch it out with something else, but I wouldnt say that was anything to call home about either.. that said someone else in our party had chicken and waffles and said hers was good.

We eat at the Trading Post every time we visit Emerald Isle, and we've always had good food and service. This year we stopped for breakfast and it was so delicious we came back two more mornings. We think The Trading Post has the best breakfast in Emerald Isle. Between three of us we tried the Local Post Breakfast, waffles and pancakes. Everything we tried was wonderful, and the sweet tea is so refreshing. We will definitely eat here on our next trip down.

We love this restaurant! The shrimp and grits are delicious! The adult beverages aren't bad either!

The Shrimp and Grits at The Trading Post on Emerald Isle were by far the best Shrimp and Grits I have ever had. The shrimps were perfectly cooked, the serving size was incredibly generous, the grits were creamy and well spiced the toppings added so much earthy flavor to each bite, and the associated sauce was insanely savory and delicious. Did I mention there was also a perfectly cooked poached egg in the midst as well? My tastebuds have rarely been happier with a brunch. Our server was fantastic and attentive and it's generally hard to beat the beachy vibes of the whole island even when the weather was chillier.

We stopped here for breakfast on our way to the beach It was very good food Pancake eggs potatoes Grits bacon sausage patty (not great) Biscuit sourdough toast Service was fantastic-Molly got a cup of chocolate chips with a to go lid Ambiance was great beach theme and lots of reclaimed wood They had a bar, no we refrained today I recommend you stop here too

Our waitress was great, it was slow there - only a few tables inside and out. It was lunch time on Saturday actually; so I would of expected it to be busier but it is going into off season now at the beach. We walked there from the pier; party of 5. The Trading Post does have a free parking lot but it does fill up quick and the store next to them Colors does not do free parking and does not want non customers of colors parking there. So parking can be tricky sometimes! We were already at the pier and they had free parking that day. At the Trading Post the beers came out quickly; and so did the food. We all got burger, I was wanting to try the bbq but they were out. The mac and cheese was not good - do not recommend, tasted like plain noodles with pepper and not cheesy at all. The cucumber salad was delicious, and the fries were yummy too. I would ordered the fries next time, they had a perfect crisp. The ambiance was nice, very coastal decor; the outside patio was nice, a second bar out there and a small yard for cornhole it looked like. There was a fireplace as well near the patio. I would go back again, prices were average pricey for the beach. I was not blown away though, the burger was great.

Had breakfast on a Saturday morning. The service was great. They have a full bar. The menu is short and breakfast is $15-23 per meal. They have the basics but known for the shrimp and grits. It was really good, the shrimp especially. There were very little grits though. It was served in a shallow dish and there were less grits than you would expect. Portions are not huge in this case, and they are $18.

We've come here every year for four years, originally for the shrimp and grits which is over the top, and now for other menu items and the atmosphere. The shrimp and grits has all the things. LOTS of perfectly cooked shrimp, cheese grits, broth with bacon, mushrooms and onions, sautéed fresh spinach and tomatoes, and a dash of vinegar to finish. We also love the crab balls (basically crab cakes), and our not-seafood people like the burger. The backyard is relaxed and offers giant jenga and corn hole. There are even rocking chairs. Staff is always friendly, knowledgeable and service is fast.

Absolutely amazing all the way around, from the food to the service. Had the crab balls (tee hee), fried green tomatoes, shrimp, and crab legs. Got a side of mac & cheese that was phenomenal topped with Ritz crackers and everything. I wish I could actually give this place more than five stars. And our server Nick was awesome. I will drive from one end of the island to the other, just to come and eat at this place again!!

We visited for dinner on Mother's Day. My wife wanted to go to our usual favorite place on the island, but the kids wanted to try somewhere different. Oh boy... The seafood platters were a really poor attempt. We received 5 overcooked oysters and what appeared to be a previously frozen very small and soggy flounder. You only get ONE side on the seafood platters, so no coleslaw AND fries!?!? We waited over 40 minutes for our seafood platters to be served room temperature at best. The upside was the shrimp and grits. It was fantastic, served hot with fresh large shrimp and a poached egg. I really wish we would have stuck with the original plan for Mother's Day dinner as this was a deep disappointment for her. Maybe we'll try their breakfast sometime. I don't know.

Appetizers and food were amazing. Our waitress was very attentive and took care of us. Would have been 5 stars but the steak came out cold and not cooked as requested. Would still come back again.

This spot is a must try. The only negative I would say is parking, but that's well beyond their control. I recommend getting there early for parking. But the food!!! The atmosphere!!! ON POINT!! I had the low country boil and a few of the Brussels sprouts...phenomenal. Crab was so fresh and juicy. Deliciously seasoned. There is great outdoor seating, and games for big and little people. Wait staff were all so friendly and kept us fed and drinks full. It's also right near a good spot on the beach, within walking distance.

Excellent food. Good service. Some excellent servers. Take out available. Average ambience.

My go-to in EI is usually one of the pizza joints, but I was in the mood for something else, and beer. Think I found my new regular spot for when I'm in town! Got the oysters over grits and took home some fudge, and would def come back for more. Honestly trying to talk myself out of returning for breakfast in the morning because eggs benedict is my weakness. Staff was nice and attentive, and food came out fast (Wednesday evening). I would take the grits a little hotter, though; I like my food dangerously scalding when it arrives.

I had the shrimp and grits for brunch and it was absolutely amazing. I've had shrimp and grits in New Orleans and this was far better than any I've had. Also had a perfect poached egg on top of perfect hashbrowns. And top notch service besides!

This place was so yummy. They were really packed the first time we tried to come so we went to the bar down the street to waste some time before we came back. We started with the southern soul roll and the fried pickles and peppers and then we split the flounder Rueben. Everything was so good. The pickles and peppers were my favorite. It had pickles, banana peppers and jalapeños. They were nicely fried and came with a side of ranch. The southern soul roll was also delicious. It had collards, black eyed peas, ham, and some other southern things. It came with a molasses dipping sauce and was also delicious. The Reuben was also yummy and came with a nice piece of fried fish. We were happy we got to try this place and will definitely stop by the next time we're in town.

Unfortunately, I didn't take any pics.... Veggie Omelette was amazing, eggs cooked perfectly. Grits are good, buttery & salty. Chicken & waffles are amazing, they use great breading and chicken tendies. Bloody Mary has all the snacks!! breakfast pizza special was good, just not filling.

Ever since we discovered this spot 3 years ago, we make it a point to come back every year on our beach trip! Their dinner menu and brunch is always amazing no matter what we get! My husband had dietary restrictions this year and our waitress was so kind and accommodating. She made sure his food would be gluten free and clarified to make sure everything was correct. Amazing food, great staff, and fun environment!

Well I guess I'm the odd man out on the food. OK: soul egg rolls, hush puppies, crab balls, the dill aioli tasted off. Mediocre: fried flounder, blackened shrimp, French fries and the Mac n cheese was goopy with crushed crackers on top, what is that?? Bad: the pork chop dinner was a gristly piece of meat impossible to cut, the gravy on it was a thick clump of congealed fat that had obviously been made 8 hours prior and never refreshed. You couldn't cut it with the butter knife that came with it. Just awful. The corn on the cob was sticky because it had completely turned to starch...there was no sweet left of this mushy mess. Absolutely awful. The BBQ on the chicken wings was bitter, I'm guessing they either boiled it or microwaved it to the point the sugar burned thus turning it bitter and so so sticky. We had 4 adults and 2 kids in the party and they automatically added a tip. Why?? Service was good but wow. Place is small, ambiance is very casual, we were expecting much more than what we got. Doubtful we'll return. It was a Sunday night so I think we got all the leftovers from the weekend. Very disappointed.

Great neighborhood restaurant. Summers you can sit outside. Service is awesome, and love the food. Everyone has a choice. We have returned several times as friends, and a date with my husband.

Planned a goodbye lunch for six of us. The dinning room was a little cold. Our waitress was nice. I ordered the chicken waffles ($14) and was disappointed. The chicken was very salty and a little overcooked. The waffles were too sweet with the crystalized bourbon honey drizzle. I wish they would make the waffles savory instead. My friends had the Fried Green Tomato BLT ($12) which was good and she enjoyed but I thought it had too much cheese. The other friend said it was okay. My other two friends had the Mamma's chicken salad ($11) that looked really good. One lady said it had too much mayo but I thought, no I like looks of mayo, otherwise it is to dry. The other lady loved hers. The last friend had the Local Post Breakfast and must have really enjoyed it because her plate was clean. Interesting day with all the different meals. I love this place esp. during the summer when they have music. I think I will just stick to my favorite Fried Green Tomatoes appetizer though I will try that chicken salad sand next time.

The food was delicious! We went twice on our stay here. The southern soul rolls are good. They are stuffed with all sorts of delicious southern delectables. My daughter said the Mac and cheese was out of this world; it was very cheesy. I got the shrimp and grits on my second visit. I was expecting only about six shrimp, but it was jammed packed with shrimp! The only negative comment would be that it was super loud in there! But everyone had been stuck inside this week because of hurricane Debby, so we will cut them some slack!

5 stars on the food. Zero stars on the staff, minus the bartender, he was good. All the young girls were hanging out right where we sat at the bar and just talked and talked and talked, loudly. Being very rude to other girls that weren't working that day. The 'manager' if you can call him that, was very loud as well while training a new girl. The over all vibe in the place was one of dissent and not much fun.

Portions were huge! Staff were incredibly friendly. Food was seasoned perfectly. No imitation, anything! We enjoyed an assortment of fresh seafood with good ol southern hospitality. Will definitely return and bring visiting family!

Awesome food and service. I had the flounder and shrimp combo and it was excellent. My wife had the hamburger and she said it was awesome, cooked to perfection. A little shout out to our waiter Dakota. He was awesome, great service. Look forward to coming back when in the area.

Very nice staff, I got the ribs and they were amazing. I would recommend the shrimp appetizer and the hush puppies.

I got the BBQ sandwich and my husband ordered the 1/2 pound of shrimp - literally so good! We ordered another 1/2 pound!

Sunday mid morning, not really busy, but kinda busy. We waited about 45 mints for a table of 7. We were seated and waitress took our water drinks order and she's gone. We had the Eggs Benedict x2 no complaints. We had chicken tenders, chicken N waffles and chicken and biscuits, now it's only 11 am but the tenders seems liked they were cooked in old grease(see photos) My daughters chicken n biscuits, she likes however it was very skimpy on the gravy. Grits N Shrimp- very good flavor, however the grits themselves were runny, I preferred grits to be firm, however overall good. Customer service, get a 3/5 not that attentive, but got what we needed and did what we needed to do overall 3/5 definitely a place to try if your in the area, also had an kiddie area for the kiddos and just to stretch your legs.

Biscuits were ON POINT! Breakfast tacos were featured this AM. But hindsight says I should have gotten the Southern Eggs Benedict...They offer GF items for those interested - they substitute GF bread and steer you away from items with gluten. Great in/outdoor seating/visiting environment, full bar, super nice staff. Creative and nifty art decor and southern sayings. Could seem touristy in busy season but locals keep it running. Not your typical beach joint, and definitely not the same tired food I commonly see in these parts of the country. Highly recommended!!!

Spending the weekend in Emerald Isle so I ventured out for lunch. My plan was to visit snappers but they were closed till 5 (should have checked YELP before making the drive). The Trading Post was in close proximity and after reviewing its grade, photos, and remarks on YELP- we ventured in. I started the lunch with an Orange Crush ($12); you get your money's worth. I selected the shrimp & grits (best seller) and my friend selected the appetizer - The Southern Soul Roll. We sat out back where there is open tables as well as covered benches. A nice "greens" area for kids of all sizes to pass the time. Our bill was approximately $43 before tip.

The food was amazing, the service was excellent and the ambiance was chill!!! Would go again!

The food was excellent. appetizer of Fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese spread and hot pepper jelly to start. Burger and fries excellent. blackened shrimp and crab cakes great! Fried oysters with flounder another hit. Sweet tea a true southern favorite! The best Cole slaw in a restaurant we have ever had! We would definitely eat here again!

Food is superior. Simple done extremely well. My wife is a retired chef and says it is evident the chefs are truly outstanding here. Service is delightful . Efficient, friendly, attentive, and experienced, they made us feel welcome and didn't blink at the customized requests. The atmosphere is fun and relaxing, rather than excessively energetic. Easily accessible from the main road through town. Truly a "must try."

Loved the fried green tomatoes that was my favorite out of everything I had. Had a fantastic waitress who had only been working there 3 days (wish I remembered her name) so between the two it was a win for me! Will definitely return for brunch or breakfast next visit.

Great place for a Southern Breakfast. Everything on the menu is great. So are their Bloody Mary's! We recommend this place.

To sum it up quickly, mediocre at best. We've now been twice while on the island for dinner. Things that were good included the steak, which was cooked perfectly, and the grilled fish. The sides are pretty terrible... mac and cheese was completely dry, green beans were mush, fries were alright. It's a great spot on a nice day for the outdoor area and some drinks. Not the best food, but only so many options on the island.

Breakfast was horrible and the gooey gross things they call hash browns we're disgusting. Wouldn't recommend

Tasty breakfast and friendly service. Lots of locals, which is a sign that it is good. Drop by if you're in town.

Every time I come here, I always leave full and happy. A good local breakfast spot with great food and a comfortable setting. The bar area is a good spot for a quick breakfast with easy viewing of TVs. I keep it simple and usually go for the Bacon & Eggs. A simple breakfast that'll fill you up. If you have the time, ask for a Bloody Mary that won't disappoint you and get you off on the right foot. Thanks!

Great food and wonderful service. I really enjoy the Benedict. Casual and inviting. Worth the 45 minute drive when time allows

Megan. Nice, gave good explanation on menu choices. No Lettuce for salads Had to get own straws One stall bathroom Salty Mac n cheese Breaded fries, why? "Clam chowder" more like seafood chowder had corn, black beans, but was divine, perfectly seasoned. Fried green tomatoes served with housemade pimento cheese, red pepper jelly garnish. Was delish. Iced tea, brewed, good.

As a disclaimer, we just stopped in here for a drink on the way to another location for dinner. So we did not have dinner here. We sat at the bar and the bartender was a very friendly guy. We got a beer each. It was pouring rain when we got there and the place was not busy, but by the time we left it was full with a line outside. We saw all the plates leaving the kitchen and the food looked really good with ample portions. The menu here is not extensive but it is southern style food with a daily meat. Also, some seafood. We saw a huge plate of king crab legs go out! It was impressive! If we had had another night, we would have tried to have dinner here.

Food was good, not great. Service was a bit slow, although the staff was friendly. I don't think I will be back. Too many other good options in the area.

Saw a lot of reviews highlighting this place so decided to take the family here for lunch after arriving to Emerald Isle. Stopped in on a quiet lunch time with a few tables occupied by out of the place visitors as well. We sat our 6 person table and were taken care of by Megan. I got the sense that there were a shortage of staffing from the beginning with the wait staff also taking the responsibilities of the host stand. While previewing the menu, we enjoyed some local draft flight from the Isle and nearby while the ladies in my party enjoyed a cider. Being close to the water we wanted some fresh seafood. We grabbed half a pound of shrimp and fried green tomatoes. The shrimp came with cocktail sauce and a butter dip but didn't really scream to me local or fresh. For the time that it took to have the appetizers come out you would think that they did come from the ocean. We grabbed some of the platters with the fried oysters with grilled flounder and the clam strip platter. The oysters and the grilled flounder were decent with us opting for the grilled option as the other option was blacken and wasn't sure about the seasoning and how spicy it would be for my dad. The clam strips weren't anything spectacular being pretty much frozen and reheated...sad since again you were by the ocean. I would say try to make something else if you were trying to convey a sense of seaside cuisine. My mom asked for the flounder Rueben but unfortunately was served another fried flounder platter. With all of us sharing we made it work but my mom is a sandwich gal. The shrimp and grits were a little watery for my aunt's taste. The poached egg still had a vinegary aftertaste to it. Not a lunch choice but we try to enjoy the menu and there wasn't much options for us to choose from without repeating ourselves. My uncle and I got ribs for our meal which were pretty good. A nice BBQ sauce on them and fall off the bone pretty easily. Out of place a little bit but was pretty than my sister's clam strips. I would say service was the hardest critique of the place. We saw the three women running, taking care of sitting parties and taking orders along with ensure all the tables had no needs. There was a time that we did have another person from the back or a possible manager come to help with our orders that finally came out. With a pretty large indoor area and outdoor patio, the need for another wait staff was needed or having the manager/bartender at the bar help the room instead of conversing with the one patron at the bar that was enjoying his whiskey flight. It was interesting to see that he was sampling wine and new items with a distributor to add to wines to the bar options while the rest of the restaurant was waiting to be sat, have their orders taken or waiting for food to be brought out. I can't see ourselves tipping more than the 20% tip that was automatically added on for a party of 6 or more when the wait for food was a little too much, order was messed up and rather than comp us a meal chose to ask for more based on the service. The "service" wasn't there.

There are never enough servers. We waited at least 45 min for our food . Did not get a refill on tea. Food is not as good as it use to be.

Breakfast is overpriced & over cooked. On the other hand, Server was attentive and pleasant... party of 6 charged gratuity automatically.

Went for a midweek brunch and was immediately seated. There are some parking spots outside and we snagged one of the few ones right in front of the entrance. We got the Shrimp and grits and the Southern Eggs Benedict. Service: 4.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Loved the outdoor backyard setup. Food: 4/5 The eggs Benedict was ok. The ham was slightly too salty and overpowered the whole dish but the home fries were delicious and the eggs were perfectly poached. Now the Shrimp and Grits were amazing! Perfect texture and loved the sauce that came with it. I also loved the crispy hash browns underneath the egg that came along with it. I would highly recommend the Shrimp and grits.

Friendly service, a kid friendly outdoors, and an excellent fried green tomatoes app earned this place the first 2 stars but the rest of the food and drinks failed. Unbelievably swampy fish and grits was like fishing through a bowl of water and the shrimp themselves just were not good. The drinks were sugary and way too sweet. Nice server.

First time here. It was on our bucket list to try. The restaurant itself is nice, but not enough parking spot. We came when they had an event going on but hold us about 1 hr wait. We decided to wait but soon we also realized lots of open seats outdoor could have been used for us but they didn't... we ended up waiting for awhile. The salad was okay ... service avg. the Mac and cheese was wayyy to salty. Overall, I wouldn't recommend just bc we waited forever for the seat. Salad was not worth the money at all

Great place to have a drink and listen to live music. Gus making drinks was wonderful!! I've been there a few times, food is good as well.