North Banks Restaurant & Raw Bar

No wait on a Friday night in November, although it was pretty crowded. Food was excellent. Our server was wonderful & attentive. The selection of oysters was nice- the local ones and two varieties of special PEI oysters to choose from. I liked the variety of sauces that came with the special oysters, but I didn't like that mignonette didn't come with the local oysters. Would have been annoying if we didn't have both orders to share sauces between. My entree was a salad and I added local yellowfin tuna, rare of course, and that was really delicious. The salad was dressed but also had a sauce that was good with the tuna. It was cooked perfectly- glad they didn't overcook it, which is sometimes a problem. My dining companion had the tuna burger, also seared, and he said it was excellent. He also had several nice looking cocktails including a special dessert cocktail that was pineapple upside down cake; he said was really good. Bread was $6 extra so we didn't get any, even though I really would have liked bread. I hate when it's extra, and probably would only pay like $3 tops. Maybe it's really amazing fancy bread or something, but I guess I'll never know.

I've visited this place annually for years when our family heads down to OBX. The food is typically well done, chef specials are worth indulging in and the fresh oysters and accoutrements are well appointed. In fact I'm fairly sure I've posted a 5 star experience her in years past. Unfortunately our family's unplanned mini escape to OBX coupled with our typical visit here was disappointing. The waiter seemed tired and disengaged (we've had him before over the years and this wasn't his best day), there was little to no engagement around the specials of the day, more of a 'what do you want' vibe through and through. Bartender didn't quite hit the mark with my French 75 and clearly annoyed without tbt desire to improve when I asked for a redo and more simple syrup to cut the tartness. The ceviche of the day was solid, ended up being the best of my selections that evening. However the oyster presentation was stripped down and didn't come with the accompanying items we typically have there (I had to ask for another lemon slice as they gave me one for my platter). I wish I could say this was maybe an off-season low but we've visited outside of Sumner in years past and the service/attention to detail was not lacking. By comparison, the very next day when I ordered a French 75 at Broken Plate further down in the next center the bartender asked for my preferences of liquor and bubbles before mixing and then circled back to make sure it was the way I wanted. I don't want to wipe North Banks off our family's rotation each year, we may return in 2025. If we do, they will have to show us something closer to what we've come to expect in years past.

My family and I recently visited this restaurant while on vacation in OBX, and it absolutely exceeded our expectations! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with friendly smiles and seated in a room across the restaurant, which gave us a nice, quiet space to enjoy our meal.The food was amazing--everything was so fresh, and each dish tasted incredible. We tried a variety of items, and not one thing disappointed. To top it off, our server was not only attentive but also funny, which made the experience even more enjoyable. The service overall was excellent.We had such a great time and can't wait to come back next time we're in town. Highly recommend!

My family wanted to have a nice dinner on vacation so we stumbled across this lovely restaurant on yelp. I understand now why the wait was 1.5 hr long with a line out the door. We arrived around 6pm for dinner too. I would advise to go early. While we waited, we went to a bar across the way and the wait ended up being only 40 minutes total, which was perfect. The restaurant was very dim but still a really cute vibe. They have different sections of the restaurant for seatings. We were in a separate section of the restaurant with like 6 other tables. It was intimate for each group which was nice. Our Server name was Kat. She was awesome and took great care of us. For appetizers, the table ordered the homemade hush puppies with jalapeño honey butter, mushroom potstickers, and firecracker oysters! THEY ALL WERE EXCELLENT! The hush puppies were definitely the best I ever had. They were so fluffy & once you dipped it in that butter, it was a grand slam! The potstickers were phenomenal , you could still enjoy if you weren't a fan of mushrooms. Those Firecracker OYSTERS will blow you away!!! We seriously could have got a second order of every single appetizer. That's just how great it all was. For dinner, I wanted something local. Kat sold me on the tile fish. It reminded me of cod. That garlic lemon butter sauce on top of the fish with the whipped mash and green beans. The pairing was out of this world. I don't know where the green beans were sourced from. They were like a combination of snap peas and French green beans. I loved them so much. I could eat them everyday. The food was so good here that we tried to go back Sunday but the wait was 2 hrs. That didn't sit well with us hangry folks so we chose somewhere else. This establishment was definitely a HIT! I will definitely return and highly recommend to everyone going to the outer banks. Thanks again for such great food and service.

I reviewed this place several years ago and then came back twice this week! They deserve all 5 stars! Be aware they do not take reservations. Walk up to put your name on the list and they seat at the bar for dinner as well. They get very busy so be ready to wait. On Friday we waited 1.5 hours and sat at the bar, on Tuesday we had no wait to sit at the bar (3 of us). Lots of shops around to check out while you wait, so just be patient. You're on vacation and it's worth the wait! It can be casual or special/dressy. No dress code and a comfy atmosphere.The guys at the bar were awesome! Brady, Alex and Ian were so friendly, funny and kept up with us all evening (both times). Brady's drinks are great, highly recommend the pineapple smash! My friend loved the basil lemon drop martini. Food was delicious! Both times we had oysters and the horseradish cream stuff they serve is soooooooooooo good!! You must order the Brussels sprouts app. The walnuts make it even more special. All of the dishes we had were wonderful and included: mixed grill, fried seafood meal, pasta special with scallops and shrimp (super sized so had leftovers that reheated on the stove easily and just as tasty the next day!), halibut special, scallops with risotto, steamed crab (perfectly steamed btw), greens salad with herb vinaigrette. Yes we ate a lot. Seafood was all cooked just right and everything was flavorful. Also, I would be remiss to not mention the chocolate pudding!! It is divine. I didn't need the potato sticks, that pudding and whipped cream is worth every calorie. I couldn't wait to order it a second time! So put this place on your must eat list when in or around Corolla!

Stopped in our first night in Corolla because of the great reviews we'd read. It's a smaller restaurant/bar so there was a wait, but we were able to sit at the bar immediately since there were only 2 of us. The bartender and servers were very friendly, attentive and gave great recommendations on popular drinks and food. The food was very good and well seasoned and the drinks were great. If you want that small town, everybody knows your name ambiance with delicious food and drinks, make sure you stop in and say hi.

Being at North Banks is the only thing that makes me happier than being at the beach in the Outer Banks. I've had many fun girls nights here during the summer. Recently came here during off season and loved everything. Our dirty martinis were just right, oysters were fresh, and the shrimp were delicious. Their drink menu is inventive and varied, I love the basil lemon drop. Service was quick and attentive. The vibe of this place feels laid back even though the drinks and oysters will make you feel fancy. If you're coming during the summertime, put your name down when they open and be prepared for a bit of a (totally worth it) wait!

Went here with my wife while we were on vacation last week. It was busy on the night we went but we got lucky and we're seated right away. We really enjoyed the tuna appetizer special and the hush puppies. My wife got the mixed grill and really enjoyed it and I got the chefs pasta which was also really tasty. It was a big serving, with 5 shrimp and 5 scallops, so I saved most of the pasta for the next day! Again, we had a really great time and would love to go back if we're ever back in the area!

Awesome place! Fire cracker oysters are the bomb! Great fish dishes. Grouper was favorite. Staff very friendly. Call ahead to get a seat.

Came here at recommendation of my brother who owns a home in Corolla and frequents North Banks. We came for dinner in the shoulder season and still had a 30-60 minute wait for a table. Recommendations highly recommended, and a must during the peak summer season. If you end up waiting, worry not - there are plenty of stores to peruse and even a delicious ice cream shop for pre-meal treats. They offer a regular menu as well a daily special menu. Service was friendly and quick. Started with hush puppies that come with a honey-jalapeño butter. Delicious large pieces that are perfectly soft and moist on the inside, a welcome surprise since it's easy to make them too dry. The butter was the bomb - will have to make it at home. For the main course I ordered a seafood pasta which came with shrimp, scallops, macaroni noodles, and a ground mustard cream sauce. The portion was bountiful but I'll confess I didn't care much for the cream sauce. The flavor combinations just didn't work for me which is only reason I'm giving this place 4 stars instead of 5. Overall highly recommend for good food, service, and a great bar to knock back some brews with friends old and new.