Tortugas Lie

We got there as they opened as we were the first ones there and the line was long to get in so I’m glad we got there early. Shout out to our server Holly, who took good care of us. I highly recommend the steamed clams and the clear broth clam chowder was fantastic. Will definitely be back.

We arrived around 8:00 on a Thursdsy night. We put our name in for first available seats at the bar or a table. Meanwhile we had a drink at the timing bar in back. There was live music, which was nice. We ended up at the end of the bar next to the merch. It was pretty hectic, but I said first available. My partner ordered the special which was blackened tuna with goat cheese and pineapple salsa. It was perfectly cooked medium rare and was delicious. I went simple and ordered a bacon cheeseburger with extra crispy fries. The burger was juicy and flavorful and my fries were exactly what I wanted ... super crispy and salty! Tortugas Lie was an excellent choice. Kind of a beach dive bar with great food! I will be back!!!

We stopped here mainly due to its featured Caribbean islands flavored cuisine. Many different handheld sandwiches are also offered as well. Although the Jerked dishes were nicely done, we felt that the Jerked sauce/spice used lacked heat/spiciness, like it's missing the "It" factor. The staff was friendly and helpful. The interior decor was mainly island themed. You can choose to dine in either indoor or outdoor settings. So if you haven't had a chance to try out Caribbean cuisine, this may be a good place to start.

We will definitely eat here again. The coco loco chicken was delicious, juicy, and tender. Fish tacos did not disappoint. Many large chunks of mahi in each taco. The black beans were cooked perfectly. We weren't terribly impressed with the white pizza sampler, but the rest of the meal made up for it. We usually take some food home for later, but everyone cleaned their plates. We bought a round for the kitchen!

I looked up gluten free restaurants in the area, and discovered this restaurant. When we arrived it looked packed from the outside, but was pleased to discover that we got a seat quickly. The atmosphere was fun and friendly. The staff was extremely helpful and our server was very knowledgeable about gluten free choices. Our food was delicious. We would definitely dine here again when we are in the area.

Staff were awesome! Food even better! We had the jerk chicken (boneless breast) and a special, ahi tuna sandwhich with watermelon salsa—if I remember correctly. Either way, been there twice in the past few years and both times were great. Recommend this place. This place is also featured on, “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.”

This is a must if you are in the area! ( on Dinners Drive inns and Dives). Cool set up and vibe - cool dive feel. Food was great! Creole crawdawgs app was AWESOME! Conch fritters were delicious with some kind of shrimp taste. My jerk beef was WOW! Perfectly done with a little kick. Fish tacos were ok, nothing special.

First time to obx and I'm 44. We were lodged right across the street from this place. First stop after we unpacked, get food and drinks. They were great. We went back a few days later for dinner and it was incredible as well. Great service, nice little homey place, great flavors. The conch fritters were bomb, and their coleslaw is to die for. I'm back in Ohio now and wish I could have some of thay Cole slaw and soft shell crab as I write this. Thanks Tortugas!

We were playing volleyball on the beach and enjoying ourselves doing so. Someone looked up places to play beach volleyball and so we went to check it out. They have two courts and both were open. The sand is awesome, and they have rakes and straightens to keep it that way. There are nets around the courts so that out of bounds balls usually stay in bounds. After playing three games, we decided to grab some lunch. Now, I was so happy with the courts that I figured I would grab some food as a sign of gratitude for hosting the volley ball courts. I ordered the Jerk Beef Flank Steak. It came with beans and rice. This was one of the best meals I had while in outer banks. I don't remember the name slim redhead that served us, but I wish I could because she was awesome also. Next year, if we end up in OBX, I hope this review does make this Diamond in the not-so-rough blow up so big that we cant get in there. I don't write reviews, hardly ever, but this place was awesome and I wanted to share with anyone who is looking for a cool place in a beach atmosphere, that has ridiculously good food. My son (21) who is my eating buddy, ordered a chicken sandwich (think it had apples on it) and he was extremely satisfied with his also. Everyone around the table enjoyed their food. That doesn't always happen.

Came here around 7:30 on a weekday and was told an 1 hour and 20min wait time but we opted to also put our name down for bar seats which we were told would've been a shorter wait. They have a bar around back, however with only one bartender and complete disarray with people cutting in front of everyone else trying to get their order in, we weren't able to order a drink. Thankfully, we ended up only waiting 15-20 min for bar seats to open up. I ordered the Jamaican jerk beef and really enjoyed my meal. It was a little spicy so if you're prone to spice sensitivity, this dish may not be for you. The service at the bar was 10/10 and the food came fairly quickly. Overall, would highly recommend dining here but would not recommend the bar out back.

Came here for lunch the other day. Originally intended to come for dinner but glad we didn't. We waited about 15-20 minutes to be seated when I saw multiple tables open. No biggie just irritating. Can't imagine how that would have been at dinner time. The place is a bit divey inside but we appreciated the unique decor and fish tanks. Ordered drinks-one drink we got was extremely strong and the other tasted like it had no alcohol. The food was the redeeming factor; it was worth the wait and super good. Everyone was happy with it. I had a teriyaki burger and it was fantastic. My husband had a chicken sandwich and said it was really good! Overall, not sure about this one. Would probably go back because that burger really hit the spot!

We stopped here mainly due to its featured Caribbean islands flavored cuisine. Many different handheld sandwiches are also offered as well. Although the Jerked dishes were nicely done, we felt that the Jerked sauce/spice used lacked heat/spiciness, like it's missing the "It" factor. The staff was friendly and helpful. The interior decor was mainly island themed. You can choose to dine in either indoor or outdoor settings. So if you haven't had a chance to try out Caribbean cuisine, this may be a good place to start.

Guy Fieri does NOT LIE! Come to Tortugas Lie. Classic and Charmong. Varied menu. Something on here for everyone. Craft beer. Cocktails Seafood. All Local. You must visit. I loved the art work and the tile and the beautiful fish tanks. Servers were exceptional and very nice. I would go back to eat more Local stuff. Bought a hoodie.

Restaurant is small and loud. Jerk chicken and chutney was delicious. Special of the day was grilled tuna - tuna was good after you wiped the goat cheese off and smeared chutney on it instead. Cheese and fish especially goat cheese not a good combo at all. They charge for anything extra (sauces, etc.) so just beware $1.50 for a tiny side of chutney.

We showed up unannounced with a party of 10, had no wait time. Waitress was very helpful, she was very understanding with our crew. Crab legs per the kids were good but not the best on the island. The burger (mine) was cooked to perfection and fries were amazing, my wife's first burger wasn't cooked enough, she will not eat anything but well (extra dead) done. The key lime pie on appearance was a little off but the taste was amazing also. The little bar seen was nice to relax and enjoy with the family. Overall good place to eat if in the area 7.4 overall

The ambiance was eclectic and funky. We sat in the area with a ton of license plates, which I enjoyed ready with my daughter. The service and food were adequate. I actually like my daughter's meal best (fish and chips). I would probably try another spot if I return to the area.

I was just cruising around and stopping in a couple different places in the area that are locally owned and stopped in here had a couple beers and a hamburger and it was absolutely amazing fresh hot yeah just the way I like it

Had dinner here on the recommendation of a colleague and so glad I did. The restaurant is set up is typical for a beach side restaurant. It was extremely busy but I luckily grabbed an empty bar seat. I started off with the chowder which is different than your typical chowder but had really great flavor. I ordered the pound of peel and war shrimp and they were awesome. They were fresh and the seasoning was on point. The service was great, the guy behind the bar was very attentive.

Never been here after years and years in OBX. Obviously this place has massive hype around it, being a local spot that was featured on diners, drive-in's, and dives. There is always a wait so be prepared for that, we were sat in about 45 min. I got the bajan burger and my wife got the big wave Dave chicken sandwich. Others at our table got the scallops, tuna burrito and a Greek salad. Everything was really good, the only down side was the chicken sandwich was incredibly tough and hard to eat. This place has a cool vibe, and the server was good. Would come again

I always make a point to come to Tortugas every time I am in town. Tonight we only had to wait a few minutes for a table. We have never had to wait an unreasonable amount of time in the past either. The ambiance is a little loud bud always fun and laid back. Tonight Patrick was our waiter and he was on point and took good care of us. The food was cooked and prepared just as I had asked and it was delicious. I always end up getting the Bog Wave Dave and add the teriyaki sauce. Crispy fries and their delicious ranch to dip them in.

Nice place. Walk to the beach. Food, beanbag toss, volleyball and drinks. We went there with our dog. I went to the hostess to be seated out back. There are water bowls set up for the dog. We ordered drinks and the conch fritters-the conch fritters didn't have much flavor It is a nice place to hang out and have drinks and play volleyball or bean bag toss.

Walked in at 8:15 with a party of four. A lady with short curly hair just stared at me--no greeting or anything. I asked her for a table, and she told me their wait time exceeds their closing time. I was confused, as they close in an hour and there was no one waiting outside. Even if that's the case, the host should be a bit more friendly. Probably a good thing we're not eating here.

This is a frequent spot for me and my family! We love the way the place is decked out with license plates and other decor on the inside. And the food is consistently fresh, unique and delicious. A favorite of mine is the Teriyaki Burger that has a pineapple slice on it. Service is great - even when we sit at the bar. Since I like my drinks sweet, I go for the Shark Attack!! (comes with a grenadine filled plastic shark) Thank you Tortuga's!

Celebrating at OBX has to include Tortuga's Lie for sure if you appreciate Caribbean Food. Our waiter- Shawn took great care of us and the food was magnificent. Conch Fritters started us off followed by shrimp kabob for my husband and Coco Loco chicken for me. Rice and beans complimented each dinner choice perfectly. Fun decor of license plates and aquarium with colorful fish in the shabby chic location. We didn't take part in the volleyball backyard- but enjoyed watching others while we waited for a table. Enjoyed the chocolate chip pecan pie for dessert. Can't beat the whole experience.

Always a go-to when we are in the area. Staff is always so friendly, and service is great. The chicken was so juicy. The fries have a lot of pepper, and I asked for light pepper, but you can see what I got. Had to pay 99 cents for a small ramekin of teriyaki-wasn't happy about that, but it was so good! It's pretty loud if you sit on the closed in porch area, so try to get up front. Can get very busy, so go early!

WOWola WOWinsky! Sooooo... the wife unit has been coming to the Outer Banks since she was a toddler, and she has been to this iconic restaurant many times since it opened, but this was my first time and I was super impressed by the following "extra" mile efforts in addition to the great food. As this joint is apparently always packed, both by locals and tourists, be prepared to wait. When we got there about 5:30 pm on a Tuesday during high season, we were told that our wait was gonna be about an hour and ten minutes. It was worth it! But let me expand on the wait time. At the back of the joint, there are two full beach volleyball courts and a corn hole set up. Also, a beach bar and several tables are under cover and outside. We ordered drinks, and our son joined the volleyball match, and I'd be darned if he didn't immediately start to dominate the game. We had 8:30pm tickets to the Lost Colony theater play in Roanoke island, about half an hour drive, and around 6:45pm we started to get a little nervous and went up to the front to see where we were in the wait process. I also passed to the shaved head dude with the giant mustache that sorta looked like a 1950s Hollywood rubbing bottle genie, that we had the 8:30 tickets, and we're getting a little concerned. With a giant smile, he walked over to the back area, cleaned and assembled two tables from the bar area, and sat us down. He then came back with menus and took our orders... we had 6 people in the group, and my wife asked him: "Aren't you working the front greeting job?" With a giant smile, he nodded yes and said that he could do both, as our emergency seating area didn't have a waiter assigned. Talk about a motivated dude! The food was worth the wait! We had hummus as one of the entrees (giant serving), delicious broth clam soup, and chips and salsa (free refills). Our main courses were three orders of fish tacos, burger, quinoa salad (spectacular), and a dozen steamed clams. I can not say enough good things about the joint and the genie in a bottle waiter/front greeter dude! Thank you for going the extra mile sir! And the food, great American fair, was also really good! If you're out in the OBX, do not miss this local and iconic place!

a bit underwhelming! every time my family and i travel to the area we try to go to tortuga's lie but the wait is always overwhelmingly long. finally we were able to get there at a time where we didn't have to wait for a table (about 15 minutes after their opening time). we were seated and the service was definitely friendly! the part that disappointed fell with the food. i went with my family of 6, and we all tried different things. i ordered myself a teriyaki burger, which was honestly really good. i wasn't craving seafood, so i got the next best thing and i was pleasantly surprised that it was good. however the rest of my family ordered seafood and left disappointed. the Coco Loco Chicken was honestly kind of dry and flavorless. there was a tuna wrap special that day, and the fish was definitely odd tasting. i'm sure it was supposed to be raw, but it was really blue, and the size of it compared to the rest of the filling was too big. it was flavorless, and my partner that ordered it left with a stomachache. i really wish i loved it, but it's definitely a bit overhyped. definitely not worth waiting a while in line.

The hostesses are consistently rude and snappish. Sour faces and ambivalent responses. The food is not good enough for that attitude you get from door to done.

Heard great things about this place and knew it was the first place I had to try when I came down here! The wait was long on a Tuesday night about 90 minutes, but the food was well worth it. Ordered the chowder which was pretty good -- one interesting thing was it was clear. I ordered the shrimp Barbados which came with grilled shrimp in some kind of sweet, chili sauce topped with scallions and peanuts with rice, beans, and grilled pineapple. 10/10 the flavors were on point and each ingredient complemented each other well. Our waiter was attentive, quick, and nice. There is a cute little tiki bar located in the back with a more limited menu. There is also a small merch shop to the left when you first walked. Would recommend!

2:30 PM. Group of 8 of us walk in for beers and a shot because we just got in town. Not a soul sitting at the bar and there's about 25 stools. Bartender said "no you have to order lunch at the bar." We said ok then can we grab some oysters? He hit us with an "I guess" insuating that he didn't want us too. Sounds like an easy 200 dollars in 20 minutes to spend at an EMPTY bar for them. Anyone know what a bar is anymore? Lol. These guys have no feel.

3rd day of vacation ordered a steak there and have been on the toilet since. Food poisoning. Kitchen must not be clean. 1k+ down the drain. Been stuck in my room since.

Great food, the service was very very good too. The place was empty as we came late but it did not impact the level of service and quality of food that we got. Total bill for 3 entrees and 2 pies and 2 sodas - $73.

Great food great service!!!!! Nice little local place . A++++++++++ don't pass this up

The service is typical of the beach or shore community... the server just doing their job, low level of enthusiasm for being server in should a nice environment. Everyone helps in keeping the light on (wink wink) not just the locals. Atmosphere has an island, Bahamas vibe to it which is cool... the food is nothing special... I'm not sure what Guy had.

Food was bland and not good at all Clam chowder was watery and salty Burrito was bland Overall very bad food

We really enjoyed this restaurant and they outdoor space is amazing - corn hole, volleyball and dog friendly

Woah there was a long wait! Small restaurant so not surprised on a weekend. We came here since I am a vegetarian and wanted more than a salad at a restaurant. They had several options I ordered the house margarita. First time I've had one in a beer pint glass. A bit odd but I guess more bang for my buck? Salted rim wasn't done well - it wasn't on the entire rim and had already started dripping down the glass. Bar was busy, so I get it, but this was a shame. Was a bit sweeter than expected. I got the bean/rice burrito. It came with BBQ sauce. I don't think I would get it again but it wasn't bad. The BBQ sauce had a kick, so if you're not a fan of spice, ask for it to be not a lot or on the side. Server was super nice. Just turned 21 so couldn't offer his faves for drinks, but told me options he has had a lot of people order. The garlic bread was PHENOMENAL! Highly recommend.

Visiting town with family and was recommended to try this spot- would be nice if we even got in. My nephew was finishing a soccer game with his Dad and we wanted to grab drinks for 20minutes before ordering dinner. The host lady on Wednesday evening said we had to wait for our full party. After we explained our situation she said we can get drinks at the end of the bar where there's no place for our senior father and 2 children to properly sit. She couldn't even look us in the eye and said we had to wait for our full party before seating. There was people but nobody else waiting. They had tables open and just wanted to stick by policy. Their food might be good but maybe this spot isn't for families.

This is the place ! We are staying in Nags Head and drove the 4 miles, found a good parking spot. We put our name in but got a seat a the bar right away. Good local vibe and experienced patrons. We split the the Clam Chowder cup and Sea Scallops special with mashed potatoes and green beans. Excellent. They have a good t shirt selection and we had good interaction staff and other folks. Highly recommended. The food is above expectations, not a sea food mill like so many other places.

Walked in during lunch rush . We were told the wait was 40 mins but was taken in less than 20 mins. We sat at the bar and had delicious app . amazing crawfish dip . My food was shrimp pasta and man , it was amazing . My husband got fish tacos and it was bomb . Our drinks were always delish ! We will be back ,

Rating this place 5 stars was EASY! Super accommodating to dogs and nice outdoor seating. Great service, delicious food and excellent experience. We met a group at Swells'a Brewing and they told us it was their on their list of "must stop spots for lunch in town" and we agree!

We started coming to Tortugas probably 15 years ago and it never disappoints! Super friendly service - we came during the busy lunch rush today and were able to sit at the bar. We got tasty shrimp & clam steamers to start. The shark attack brought me back to my childhood with the souvenir shark / grenadine dirty Shirley moment. The special tuna sandwich was delicious as was the cocoloco chicken! As always, the ambiance here is fun for families! Our meal was so great it warranted buying t-shirts, mugs & stickers for the whole family. Totally worth the drive from Southern Shores this week!

We came here based on Triple D and was hoping for a good experience. We waited about 45 minutes for a table but when we were called, the woman at the podium just kind of pointed to the bar area and expected us to know where to sit. When we tried to clarify, she seemed very annoyed that she had to get out of her chair to show us to our seats. Not exactly the best first impression. The place has a nice chill vibe with lots of fun things on the walls to look at. Our bartender was nice. I had the fish tacos which were just ok, nothing special but the fries were great. Hubs had the tortola chicken which was a very nice portion! We probably wouldn't return for dinner, maybe just for drinks and apps.

Cute spot right on the beach road. Good location and great service. The food is pretty good. It's definitely a lot of bar food options, but I really enjoyed some of the variety and spice offered with some island type dishes. I had a jerk beef/rice dish and it was very tasty.

My family has been coming here since about 1990. Always amazing food, service, and ambiance. This is always our first stop when we arrive into OBX. I ordered my go to, the Cheeseburger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, raw onion, and a pickle. With fries of course! Perfection! The fries have cracked salt and pepper on it. I asked for a side of the curry lime dipping sauce for my fries. Yum! This place is a must!

The Jerk Chicken is Fantastic, sides are wonderful, service can be a bit lacking luster unless you are ordering lots of food and alcohol. So please keep in mind this is a bar and they cater to the drinkers. Over all food is 5 out of 5 and service is 3.5 out of 5, the Ambiance of the restaurant is very cool however and easy on the eyes even with a lot of design elements. The seating is a little rough the longer you sit there but overall not bad!

We went there at 6 pm, the Monday after Easter. Seems everyone else had the same plan. We were told there would be about a 1-hr wait and we told them we would except any available seating; bar counter, outdoor, indoor. This was off-season as they were not fully staffed and the outdoor bar was still closed. But the kitchen staff must have been fully staffed because when we sat down for dinner, our apps came right out and I bet we didn't wait more than 20 minutes for our meal. We had a crab dip appetizer first, served with toasted pita triangles. My wife had a 1/2 lb spicy peel-n-eat shrimp and I had the loco coco chicken, served with the traditional jerk spiced salsa, fried rice and black beans. We ended the evening sharing a key lime pie. I can't imagine how busy this Triple D destination is like during tourist season. Food was fantastic and worth the wait. Staff were friendly and very hospitable.

i went early in the day to ask about pet friendly seating area and if they had crab legs etc. they told me of course just walk around back and talk to the people in the back when you come here later. when we went later on we walked around back. only to find out they only served part of the menu for outside... and that i needed to talk to the hostess. i went inside to talk to the hostess while my dad sat with my dog outside. the two hostess' were on their phone scrolling and said they had no idea what i was talking about. that they didn't even "serve the tables" out there. didn't even look up from their phones until I apologized for doing what the servers said to do earlier in the day. all they said was "again we don't do that. you can sit at the bar or wait for a table." (the tables weren't even outside and we had the dog....." not worth it.

Ordered the fish tacos. They were great and the rice was really tasty as well. My friend ordered the bbq cluck. She's a a super picky eater but really enjoyed it. Also, shout out to Cole who waited on us. He was super attentive and personable. It was our first time hearing about the place and we will surely be back.

Nice spot to grab a meal if you are hungry and in the area. Not great but not bad either.

Great local vibe and excellent casual food! The coco-loco chicken sandwich was served "the way the staff liked it" and it was awesome! My wife had a quinoa salad and apparently it was very good as well... I would have no idea! - worth the visit and worthy of the "Best Dive in the Beach"

Really delicious food. The tuna sandwich with portobello was so good. Great recommendations by our waitress.

Wow, the food was absolutely incredible. There was six of us dining the other night and all of our meals were different and they were all excellent. The taste and flavor profile was wonderful. The service was excellent above and beyond on top of everything every second which was wonderful. I absolutely love the ambience the license plates from all the different places around the outdoor dining area everything about it was fun.

Good food. I ordered the fish tacos and they were yummy! They accommodated our large group. The restaurant was close to the house where we were staying.

This place is always busy during peak times. I am not sure if they take any reservations. When we came here, we waited for 30 minutes to get a table. We had a Cayman Conch Fritters. I had conch fritters for the first time. I enjoyed the texture that gave me a little chewiness. I had a Coco Loco Chicken because it is getting a good review on Yelp. I am glad that I had it. It reminded me of having that in Hawaii. The chicken was nicely fried and gave me coconuts flavor. My husband had a tuna steak. It was not his favorite because the flavor was very bland. My daughters had a fish taco and a chicken tender. They enjoyed them all. It was nice to get Caribbean food in OBX. I highly recommend this place to try something different.

Absolutely best food, vibes, drafts, people and scene on the OBX. Make some room for the peanut butter pie, legendary status

Not a single bad thing to say about tortugas! Our first time in OBX and I've heard allot about this place so we gave it a shot and it was great! I always do my ratings based off of food/service and compare it to the price point and found this place hit above the mark! The food and drinks were good, the service was fast. They said it was about a 2 hour wait on a busy Saturday night but we got sat in about 45 minutes. This is a popular place so that wait time is about what you should expect on a busy night. While we waited for our table we made our way to the outdoor bar around back and had a few drinks, the time passed quickly. They have volleyball and corn hole set up for something to do which was cool. Overall really liked it here.