Sugar Creek Seafood Restaurant

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#15 of 47 Restaurants in Nags HeadAmerican, Seafood, $$ - $$$

What is Travelers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Sugar Creek Seafood Restaurant

Review

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Website

+1 252-441-4963Improve this listing

About

Travelers' Choice

2024

Soundfront

Features

CUISINES

American, Seafood

Meal types

Lunch, Dinner, Late Night

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Live Music

Outdoor Seating

Parking Available

Private Dining

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Table Service

Takeout

Television

Waterfront

Wheelchair Accessible

Location

7340 S Virginia Dare Trl, Nags Head, NC 27959-9130

Parking Available

Can a vegetarian person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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Hours

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Closes in 1 min

Sunday

11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

Monday

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Tuesday

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Wednesday

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Thursday

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Friday

3:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Saturday

11:30 AM - 9:00 PM

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4.1

1,624 reviews

Excellent

861

Very good

352

Average

207

Poor

122

Terrible

duffey3700

Richmond3349 contributions

Great Seafood

Jul 2024 • couples

My wife and I stopped in for dinner. We were seated quickly by a very friendly hostess and within a couple of minutes our waiter took our order of popcorn shrimp and clam strips, both with slaw and a baked potato. Great tasting seafood. We had a window seat and the view was amazing of the water. Ready to go back again!! At the time they were offering a 20 % discount from 3:00-5:00.

Written July 30, 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mje12518

Southern Shores764 contributions

Location, Location and Great Food

Sep 2024 • couples

We have been to Sugar Creek for years and for this visit (and this review) I am going to focus on the Soundside atmosphere that makes Sugar Creek so enjoyable. We have had many dinners inside, or favorite seating being on the gazebo style addition on the far right end of the building. A great view of the sound and sunsets. This visit we had outside seating, on the opposite end of the building. The weather was perfect and another great view of the sound and sunset. Not to forget the food and service, as is usual the food was great as was the service. Sugar Creek not only has great food, the location, view and atmosphere is classic Outer Banks.

Written November 24, 2024

Clare Marlow

13 contributions

Great service, perfect setting, amazing food.

Jun 2024 • family

Awesome find, amazing food with a perfect view. Calm and friendly atmosphere. Felt very welcome with our younger children, even customised a meal for a fussy boy. Our server was Carson and he was so lovely and attentive. Would highly recommend this place for a chilled meal but high quality.

Written June 17, 2024

Claire L

1 contribution

They sold us old fish and had horrible customer service about it.

Sep 2024 • family

Will not be coming back, ever. Immediately when we walked in it smelled musty and moldy, should’ve been a clue. My husband got fried flounder and as soon as he cut it open it smelled like ammonia and looked like it had turned and was bad. We notified our server and she offered to bring out another one but my husband declined. We thought they might give a discount to our meal for serving old fish, that’s what normal resting would do but nope. I asked our server and she said she would have to ask the manager. She came back and said because he ate his plate they weren’t going to discount it. He ate 2 bites of the fish and his few scallops that came with it. I asked to speak to the manager (very Karen of me I know.) The manager did not come out but sent the server out again who said the manager gave us a $2.50 discount! Only $2.50 for a whole fish my husband wasn’t able to eat!? I mean the worst part is the customer service we received! And I mean as a seafood restaurant how do you sell someone old fish!!

Written September 28, 2024

Fran F

Waldorf631 contributions

Had a good lunch here, came back for dinner (mistake!)

Aug 2024 • family

They get really business around dinner-time, so goby earlier and get your "name" on the list - they do not take reservations!?!? Here for dinner with family. NOTICE on menu - EXTRA 3% charge for using credit Cards! (at least they tell you up front! We had: Crab dip app ($15.99) - it was very cheesey and had a few bits of crab in it. I would NOT order it again! Prime rib ($32.99) which was jus OK. the baked potato was VERY hard and dry and veg-of the-day was a cucumber "salad" swimming in a dressing. I had broiled shrimp (12) ($23.99) Shrimp were mid-small size and almost rubbery. Lota money for a few small shrimp! My baked potato took 5 pats of butter and soaked it all up and was still dry! Fried Flounder ($26) was two large pieces of nice -looking fish. Cole Slaw was tasteless. Broiler flounder ($26) looked good and probably was the best dish on the table. Shrimp and grits ($23.99) was very spicey with spicey sausage and hot sauce! (It did say spicey on the menu). Salmon (($24.99) was a nice-sized piece, the side of rice was just that, a side of plain white rice with no additives or flavor. We saw of meals being served that looked much better then ours! (both quantity and quality)! We'll probably not go back - too many others to try!

Written August 16, 2024

davebein

Westwood67 contributions

Kinda dirty, but very nice waiter

Aug 2024 • family

Overall the waiter we had saved this review. He was friendly and professional. When we arrived, I cannot say we were not warmly welcomed by the hostess. We were sat at a table that had previously had a small child at it(the highchair was still there) and as it is with small children the floor was very messy. The hostess did not sweep the floor and there was a lot of visible food there(again, not the child's fault). The server was very friendly and the meal was good for basic no frills seafood. Hush Puppies were tasty. The view is nice. Not rushing back as there are many places that have nice views and are cleaner/friendlier.

Written August 14, 2024

paradiseseeker753

York5 contributions

Don’t eat here

Aug 2024 • couples

Went for dinner on vacation. Plusses: great view and great service. Minuses: drinks are watered down, food has no flavor and tastes like it’s been sitting under a hot lamp for an hour which is why it comes out so fast, and the place itself is old and smelly (needs a total facelift inside). I had a broiled crabcake and it tasted weird and smelled weird. I only had a few bites. If you are in the nags head area make dinner reservations so you don’t end up at a place like sugar creek. Or if you don’t make reservations pick up fast food. That would be better.

Written August 13, 2024

Traveler20298202248

1 contribution

Don't waste your time and money.

Jul 2023 • family

Awful! Don't waste your money. Our anniversary dinner was a failure. High prices and the waitress was under dressed--meaning her shorts were up her butt. She flirted unmercilessly with the man next to our table. Food was bland at best. Seafood platter consisted of catfish, really, and some rubbery shrimp. Spent over $85. Will never go back!!!!!

Written May 14, 2024

Lauren M

1 contribution

Save your money!

Jun 2024 • family

This place is average. The prices are inconsistent. They have very lazy side dishes (white rice, really?) They overcook their shrimp. They charge you to use a credit card, a kid's grilled cheese is $11 but so is kid's shrimp. The ambiance stinks. The condensation from the cooling ducts leaks on the customers. The one bright spot was the service. Leanna was wonderful and gave us awesome service.

Written June 26, 2024

Jacqueline C

3 contributions

Eating Elsewhere

Jun 2024 • couples

Sugar Creek Seafood Restaurant was a disappointment. The food was mediocre at best. My husband ordered the fried flounder and was given one piece. We could tell the fish had been previously frozen. We were told it would be fresh.There was an upcharge of $4.00 to get the flounder. It was served with ordinary white rice that was gummy and tasteless. My oysters were lightly fried but bland. To top it off, straws are not used at this restaurant. The server was polite and efficient. We will choose to eat elsewhere.

Written June 22, 2024

Adventurer739256

4 contributions

Don’t eat here!

Jun 2023 • couples

We have been in nags head for a full week and have enjoyed wonderful food so far. Sadly, on this our last night, the experience was pretty terrible! I ordered the tuna salad plate, which boated in the menu that it came with a side of fresh fruit. There were 3 small bites of pineapple on the entire entree salad. The greens were brown and some were slimey. There were a few grape tomatoes, one being rotten. My husband ordered the broiled shrimp, which was over cooked and rubbery. Our server only spoke to and looked at my husband. When he told her we would like to see the dessert menu, she handed ONE menu to him and ignored me. It is sad that this was our final evening here, and the meal was so bad!

Written June 9, 2023

Marlene E

2 contributions

Did not disappoint Sugar Creek 🥰

Jul 2023 • family

My husband and I regularly travel to OBX and Sugar Shack has been a primary stop for over 10 yrs. However, we had a birthday guest and it was dinner time we decided to dine at Sugar Creek. It’s the busy season parking lot was packed however the host stated we will seat you immediately. Great live music 70’s classics. Leanna, our server was outstanding. She paced our meal, no rushing no waiting, no lag!! Bartender made an awesome margarita!! Great service, food, and atmosphere!! Entire staff sang happy birthday to my friend, who flew in from Las Vegas! We were so stuffed from appetizers, we had to pack up our main course! It was a great dinning experience

Written August 1, 2023

173carolina56

Newport News2 contributions

Owner needs to learn people skills

Sep 2022 • none

We dined at this restaurant frequently when it was RV's. We continued to have occasional meals there after the new owner (former employee) took over. We are familiar with the owner and were always amazed at how aloof and distant he is walking around the building from dining area to dining area. Tonight was no different, Mr. Bateman walked through the dining area multiple times, as usual he didn't acknowledge anyone as he walked by them, he seems to avoid eye contact with customers. I don't have the need to talk to him, I just find it odd that the owner of a restaurant would go out of his way to avoid speaking to his customers. He looks miserable like he wishes everyone would just go home. I doubt he wishes that, his business rewards him well. Tonight as we left the restaurant, he was sitting on the bench just past the door we were exiting out of. Others were coming in, he glanced at us then started looking at his phone like he was distracted. He didn't acknowledge the people entering either. It's just plain odd. Many times we have left that restaurant with the owner standing within feet, staring in space. You would think he could manage to say "thanks for coming in". The meal wasn't cheap, there are other places to eat with equal or better food for less or the same amount. Additionally, as another reviewer noted, a service charge was added to our ticket for using a credit card. It would be nice if they would point that out when you order since it's a new thing. I assume it's in the fine print on the menu, we should have verified that. So we're done again. With the cost of meals out, we'll take our business where the owners at least act like they appreciate your business.

Written September 2, 2022

Miriam E

9 contributions

Forgettable

Jul 2021 • none

We probably should have put the menus down and left when the wait staff said the fish of the day, included on the "Broiled Seafood Platter," was catfish!!! Wait, a bottom-feeding river fish was part of the supposedly fresh seafood served by the restaurant (as advertised on their street sign)? I paid extra for the flounder, but when the platter arrived, the scallops and shrimp served as part of the platter were obviously previously frozen judging by their taste (zero freshness). The other entree ordered, the tuna and shrimp salad combo, were baseball sized scoops of mayonnaise and tuna (tasted as though canned) and tasteless tiny shrimp. The margarita cocktails were primarily a mix. If tequila had been added it was hard to detect. We left most of our meal on the plate and our cocktail in the glass. As I looked around, other diners had glum looks on their faces and were also leaving food on their plates or boxing it to-go. I'm not sure why they were doing the latter since the food was definitely not going to get better at a later time. We tried this restaurant because it had a variety of positive on-line recommendations. It is hard to believe we ate at the same restaurant as those reviewers.

Written July 29, 2021

Cole B

1 contribution

Thank You Amber!!!

Jul 2023 • family

My family and I had a lovely evening sitting outside on the patio deck, eating fresh, local fried shrimp, and were amazed by the service of Amber. She would routinely come and check up on us and made great conversation. She is a true local of the Outer Banks! We were pleased to have her as our waitress and will ABSOLUTELY be coming back specifically because of her great service and even BETTER food! You can't beat great people, great food, and a great view for dinner!

Written July 7, 2023