Saltbox Seafood Joint

A James Beard award tends to get my attention so when in Durham, made it a point to check out Saltbox and came away feeling good about doing so. First thing to love is the chalkboard menu knowing it changes based on what comes in fresh.I wound up trying a combo of fried catfish and shrimp and both of them had great flavor and a nice light breading. The cocktail and tartar sauces are both house made and it shows. The food's cooked to order so the intent is you get it fresh out of the fryer or off the grill. That's where the only downer came on the visit with there being a mix up with the order so it sat in a to-go container for five min before it was figured out. This led to a bit of steaming of the fried food but in the end, the great flavors made it all ok.There's no doubt I'll be back the next time I'm in the Triangle area.

I've heard a lot of good things about it Saltbox so I was excited to try it out. I wasn't sure what to get but ended up choosing the mackerel (requested it grilled). The food took a while to come out and the worker taking the orders wasn't very friendly. Maybe my expectations were too high, but when the meal finally did come out I was a little disappointed. Taste wise it was fine, but nothing special, and the portion size didn't feel worth the over $20 price point. Overall, it was fine to try once, but I don't think I'll be coming back.

Saltbox is a unassuming seafood restaurant located in Durham- not in a restaurant row or shopping plaza or anything of that nature... so you will surely be surprised how freakin' delicious this fish and seafood joint is! I was told the owner won the James Beard in 2022? Well give it to him again! I wanted to try the trout but they were out so hubby and I went with the flounder and shrimp with honey glazed hush puppies, raw fries and collards. We also tried one of the cider offerings ( ginger). The restaurant was clean and the staff friendly. You order at the counter and wait for your order to come up. Everything was perfectly seasoned, the right texture and crispness and those raw fries were just scrumptious. Do yourself a favor and give Salt box a try (but save me some trout!)

I was craving a fish fry without having to do the work so I checked out Saltbox. It wasn't quite what I was looking for but it did the trick. I got a flounder and shrimp plate with fried potatoes and honey hush puppies with an Arnold Palmer to drink. The flounder was fried well but slightly bland but the shrimp was delicious being fried well and seasoned to perfection. I was able to order and receive my food quickly and even though it was a little warm out, I was able to enjoy my food outside at a nicely shaded picnic table to top off the vibes I was looking for.

Finally got to the Saltbox Seafood JointBeen trying to eat here since I first visited Durham in February 2023Let'ssss goooooo.......Outside reminds you of an old Diner ...really nice, bright and welcomingWhomever decorated had a visionFrom the seafood trap baskets with the lightening to the fisherman/seaman pictures ... very nice (Detail & Vision)The menu is on the wall... chalk board (I guess to change the daily catch)Platters/Rolls (so no explanation needed to order)Platters come with slaw & fried potatoesThey also offer collard greens & hush puppiesThere is a variety of fish on the menu... also scallops, shrimp and oystersFood is cooked to order (fresh)And wait time is fast... nice steady flow of customers also. We're greeted by an nice lady (accent/lovely)Drinks are given at register as order is placedOur order was:Hush puppies .. fried to perfection, w/honey drizzledFried shrimp platter... nice portion (shared)Fried scallops.. seasons and fried well (shared)Note I was impressed with the coleslaw... can't really explain it but it's a winner for meOver all my experience was worthy of a return trip. Stop by the Saltbox and show them some genuine Love

Too much salt on my oysters! Great menu, especially if you love variety of seafood! Staff and ambience very good. Down to earth simple, clean organized place. Crowded, I am guessing that much salt doesn't bother a lot of people. That's why I chose Maybe.

A great seafood "joint." Stopped for lunch and had the flounder. Lightly fried but lots of flavor and an ample portion. I substituted collards for potatoes and really enjoyed them, not as bitter or vinegary as you sometimes get. Fast counter service, good experience.

We really enjoyed the food at Saltbox Seafood Joint. I knew this place was popular and now I know firsthand why. Simply put, for fried seafood and chowder, this place is worth checking out.During our visit, at the back of the restaurant, there was a framed certificate and medal from the James Beard Awards 2022. "Elects Ricky Moore, Saltbox Seafood Joint, Durham, NC for Restaurant Chef Awards, Best Chef: Southeast." Pretty cool. Moore is the founder-owner and, according to Saltbox's logo, established the business in 2012.I didn't know Saltbox previously had two locations. The original location in downtown Durham closed in August 2021. I thought that was the only location. It was takeout and outdoor seating only, kind of like a food truck. However, I happened to spot this second location while on the way to nearby Q Shack and I noticed it had a dining room. That's when I knew I had to come here (I prefer dining indoors). I later learned this location opened in December 2017. I noticed a Saltbox food truck parked in the back as well.Saltbox's menu changes daily "depending on what has been caught by North Carolina fisherfolk." When we visited, there were nine kinds of fish and shellfish on the blackboard menus: spicy mahi, trout, shrimp, catfish, bay scallops, flounder, oysters, salmon, and red snapper. These were served two ways: (1) in rolls garnished with slaw for $13-17 each and (2) as plates served with slaw and fried potatoes for $16-23 each. There was also a 10th item, whole black bass, offered as a plate only ($19). There were only four sides: collards, "Hush Honeys®" (apparently, a registered trademark), slaw, and fried potatoes plus "chowda" ($10). For drinks, they have a Pepsi fountain machine in the back and also serve a limited selection of beer, wine, and cider ($6-13 each). Overall, a simple and straightforward menu.This is a counter-service spot. Whether you dine in or take out, all food is served in disposable boxes with cheap, flimsy plastic utensils. Higher-quality utensils would work better with the food served. For example, I felt like my fork might break on both the fish and hush puppies. You get your own drink and bus your own table.Here's what we got:* Catfish Plate with slaw and fried potatoes ($18)* Red Snapper Plate with slaw and fried potatoes ($20)* Chowda ($10)* Collards ($4)* Hush Honeys ($4)* Ponysaurus Pilsner beer ($6)This meal for two totaled $81.57 after 7.5% sales tax, 4.0% "S Fee," and tip. I tipped 18% since there was no sit-down service. I usually don't point this out in my reviews, but I thought this was a little expensive for casual fried seafood. That said, I understand there are costs to run a business and seafood isn't cheap, and I do think there is a higher quality to Saltbox's ingredients. Also, in addition to quality, Saltbox brought the quantity. Each plate came with plenty of fish meat, and the chowda and sides weren't small. So, I don't think we overpaid.We ordered both the catfish and red snapper fried. I believe all items can be fried, but only some can be grilled (described as "spice griddled" here). I love fried catfish and Saltbox does it great. It was just really flavorful and crispy, and well-seasoned. Tender and meaty too. I could eat it all day. The same can be said about the red snapper. The snapper was meatier, but did have a tougher, less appetizing texture to me (which I expected). Saltbox uses a different seasoning/spice blend than I'm used to on fried fish. It gives their fried fish a subtly unique flavor. Old Bay? Lawry's? I have no idea.The sauces - tartar, cocktail, mustard - are a must. They were all terrific. I believe they're all homemade.We liked Saltbox's coleslaw. It's not the creamy, mayo-based kind and it's not the vinegar-based kind that you might see in a lot of parts of North Carolina (red slaw). The menu describes it as "shredded cabbage, vegetables, herbs & citrus dressing." Ours was fresh, crunchy, and tasty. The fried potatoes were good too. They are sliced potatoes cooked with green peppers and white onions. Yummy.My wife and I love clam chowder. Saltbox's "chowda" was more than clams. It had clams, shrimp, and maybe even crabmeat too. Again, like the slaw, the chowda wasn't creamy, but a different take. Whatever it was, it was really buttery and delicious. The broth was addictive. I highly recommend the chowda.The collards and Hush Honeys (hush puppies) were solid as well. The collards had great flavor, but they were also a little too salty. The Hush Honeys were hush puppies with honey. I mentioned Q Shack above. Coincidentally, I think Q Shack has the best hush puppies in Chapel Hill-Durham. If I had to nitpick, Saltbox's hush puppies were a little too dense for me, but still, solid.Ponysaurus beer is local to Durham. I liked the pilsner.Service was great.The spot where the original Saltbox was, at 608 N Mangum St (https://www.yelp.com/biz/saltbox-seafood-joint-durham), is now townhomes.

Dropped in here for my brother in laws birthday and man was I blown away! I ordered the spicy mahi and shrimp plate. The plate came with a side of crispy potatoes (think homemade potato chips) with onions and peppers. The shrimp was fried perfectly- coated with the perfect amount of breading/seasoning. The spicy mahi was grilled, flaky and full of flavor. Don't miss out on trying their homemade tartar or cocktail sauce! ((Or their lemonade!))The food was so great that I came back here the following weekend when my friend was in town! Be warned, this spot is popular and will fill up quickly. Try to get here right when they open or during odd hours for quick service. Everything is made to order so be prepared to wait. It's worth the wait!

I've been wanting to go here for years, and finally made it today. I was afraid after all the good press that my expectations would be too high and I'd end up being disappointed. I ended up being very happily impressed, and I would come here all the time if I lived closer.I came mid-afternoon, so it wasn't crowded, and the place has a very unique but pleasant and laid back ambience. The young man behind the counter was friendly and helpful.I ordered the grouper plate with the fried potatoes and slaw, along with a side of hush honeys and a fountain drink. After tax and a 14% tip (not needed but I wanted to), the total was about $35.00. Not cheap, but I think this was worth it for the quality of ingredients, the skill that went into making everything from scratch and preparing it well, and the opportunity to taste unique flavors.One of my pet peeves is when specialty restaurants (e.g., seafood or barbecue), put no effort into the sides. Award-winning entrees with sides fit for a bad hospital cafeteria irritate me and make me feel like the owners have contempt for the customers. Either serve good stuff, or no stuff. Saltbox is the opposite of this. The sides are creative and delicious, and the flavors tell you that an excellent palate formulated the recipes.I started by tasting the slaw, and I knew right away this meal was going to be good. It was crunchy and very lightly dressed (no mayo), and had plenty of fresh dill. Wonderful. The hush honeys were also delicious.The grouper pieces had a light cornmeal breading and were perfectly seasoned and fried. Not too salty, not too bland... perfect... with a faint dusting of a spice/herb powder that was unique and just the right amount. I got tartar sauce to go with my fish, and I loved it. Homemade, with more fresh dill, some finely minced sweet pickles, and minced red bell pepper, which was an interesting and welcome twist. The potato slices were fresh cut, seasoned, and flash fried, with strips of crispy onions and peppers throughout. Delicious and--once again--unique.I could've eaten more, but it was a good amount of food. Not ridiculously large like many places, and not too small. Expensive, but a worthwhile treat of an experience and no feeling of being ripped off. I told the young man at the counter how happy I was with everything, and he called up the man and woman who were preparing all the food. Very nice, and they seemed happy to be making people happy with their food. I've already told family and friends to try Saltbox, and I'll be going back any time I have the chance!