Tl;Dr: The best restaurant in Duck. That’s it. Nothing else comes closeThis restaurant does not only just produce tremendous food, but they do it consistently. I am writing this review after visiting the paper canoe for the 3rd time. I have ordered different menu items, while my partner has only ordered the scallops as “they have the best scallops I’ve ever had in my life”. She has gone so far as to stop ordering scallops elsewhere as The Paper Canoe has ruined all other scallops for her, as they are just so good.The paper canoe is one of the, if not the best restaurant we have dined at. The atmosphere is top tier, and if you book your reservations the right time, you’ll be able to watch the sun set while you dine.The beauty of nature, mixed with the pure culinary skill of the chef, and the professionalism of the staff make this so much more than a restaurant, it’s an experience.I can not recommend The Paper Canoe enough. 15/10And attached are photos of the scallop entree, the cast iron shrimp and grits, and the sweet and sour lemonade w/ edible straw
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cast Iron Shrimp and Grits, Scallops Entree
Pork chop
My wife and I absolutely loved the food and the service…
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Duck Spring Rolls, Crab Ravioli
Jess N.
We on vacation in duck - and I always look for the best of the area. This came up so I made reservations for that Friday and it was one of my favorite meals I've ever had, anywhere! Great service, right on the water, cozy with a relaxed vibe. Loved it ALL! Will be back anytime I'm close!
Stephanie L.
Food and service is exquisite! Menu could use a few tweaks, but view is amazing. Cocktails are on point!
Tommy W.
Over the top food, service and ambiance! One of the best restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of dining at! Six stars!!
Jenny S.
Best place consistently in Outer Banks. It's worth the trip from Kitty Hawk! We love the food and love the service! Always the best!!
Shane Dowler
Excellent place if you can get it. Will definitely be going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Doreen Jemison
We sadly did not time our dinner for sunset, but even a bit past the prime sunset moments, the setting was stunning. Dinner was excellent- fresh and delicious. Our server spoke expertly about all the menu items and could offer suggestions based on our dietary needs. Typically restaurants at the beach seem overpriced and lackluster. The Paper Canoe is a definite exception!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallops Entree
Greg Mcmahon
You can't beat the ambiance of a high top, window table next to the bar. Beautiful sunset views, attentive service, and scrumptious food! The cheese ravioli with crab meat topping, and the stuffed shrimp can't be beat. Too bad we'll have to wait another year to visit again.
I believe this is a five star restaurant, definitely on the higher end of good food done well. Having said that and I'll add pictures in awhile, we went there on a fixed menu for Thanksgiving so they could have been short staffed in kitchen and dining room. I'm not familiar with normal dining pace but it took 3 hours and 15 minutes for 3 of us.....kind of on the long side. Huge lag between dinner and dessert. Pluses were the french onion soup which was exquisite. Also the duck wontons were amazing. The beef wellington was melt in your mouth but my turkey was overcooked and salty. The apple wellington was super bland but the ice cream was yummy. Bread was fresh and soft (but its bread so limited comments here). The cranberry sauce was perfect, the mashed potatoes were bland but the green beans were perfectly cooked. Waiter did a good job keeping drinks filled but again plates sat a bit long and pacing was off (this was kitchen not him). Will come again NOT on a fixed menu. Also gave a really cute cookie that was pretty yummy to us when we left. Charming restaurant overall. Great job guys.Vegetarian options: I feel you could do okay here with sides, soups and/or salads.Parking: There were some weird things in the parklot you have to work around. And it seemed scrunchie.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Duck Spring Rolls
Heidi Erb
The food was really moist and filling. We got the crab stuffed shrimp with the asparagus and cornbread. It is more on the expensive side but it is definitely worth it. Definitely suggest going there for date night or special evening with a loved one(s).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Kathy R.
Outstanding food with a warm and welcoming staff. Cozy atmosphere, low ceilings so could get noisy.
Amy J.
The service was good, it was the last night before they closed for the season, so they were out a few of the entrées and sides. A lovely place to dine on the sound, but certainly go back.
Dennis M.
Went with four people made a reservation. Got there on time first thing we noticed was that the atmosphere was very dark. We had to use our phones as a flashlight to see the menu. That is really the only negative thing I can say... First off, the bread that was delivered to our table as we were reviewing the menu would bring me back all on its own. Delightfully warm and hit the spot wonderfully with the balsamic glaze & olive oil dipping plate. We decided on the Rockefella oysters which were really yummy with pimento cheese & sriracha. We also got the crispy oysters which are breaded in corn meal (which was attractive to us as we had a member of our party that was gluten-free). It came with a house made tartar sauce and pickled vegetables which paired perfectly with the fried oysters. Two members of our group ordered the scallops. One of them ordered the catch of the day, which was a pompano fish with couscous, topped with a strawberry salad. I ordered the paper canoe ravioli entrée with creamy Parmesan white sauce (there was the option of that or a basil red sauce). It was topped with blue crab chunks, and some sort of green & red drizzles that paired with the creamy Parmesan sauce perfectly. One of the best ravioli dishes I've had in a long time, and the blue crab took it to another level. You could tell that this was really a homemade dish, and that the chef put his heart and soul into this. Bravo chef .. BRAVO ! We came on the last night of the season in the final hour which they easily could've put their B team in but they didn't and it really showed because they went out with a bang. Our server, Veronica, gracefully answered every question & tended to every need. We will be back in the spring!
Amazing food!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Crab Dip, Burrata Salad
Tl;Dr: The best restaurant in Duck. That’s it. Nothing else comes closeThis restaurant does not only just produce tremendous food, but they do it consistently. I am writing this review after visiting the paper canoe for the 3rd time. I have ordered different menu items, while my partner has only ordered the scallops as “they have the best scallops I’ve ever had in my life”. She has gone so far as to stop ordering scallops elsewhere as The Paper Canoe has ruined all other scallops for her, as they are just so good.The paper canoe is one of the, if not the best restaurant we have dined at. The atmosphere is top tier, and if you book your reservations the right time, you’ll be able to watch the sun set while you dine.The beauty of nature, mixed with the pure culinary skill of the chef, and the professionalism of the staff make this so much more than a restaurant, it’s an experience.I can not recommend The Paper Canoe enough. 15/10And attached are photos of the scallop entree, the cast iron shrimp and grits, and the sweet and sour lemonade w/ edible straw
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cast Iron Shrimp and Grits, Scallops Entree
My wife and I absolutely loved the food and the service…
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Duck Spring Rolls, Crab Ravioli
We on vacation in duck - and I always look for the best of the area. This came up so I made reservations for that Friday and it was one of my favorite meals I've ever had, anywhere! Great service, right on the water, cozy with a relaxed vibe. Loved it ALL! Will be back anytime I'm close!
Food and service is exquisite! Menu could use a few tweaks, but view is amazing. Cocktails are on point!
Over the top food, service and ambiance! One of the best restaurants I've ever had the pleasure of dining at! Six stars!!
Best place consistently in Outer Banks. It's worth the trip from Kitty Hawk! We love the food and love the service! Always the best!!
Excellent place if you can get it. Will definitely be going back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We sadly did not time our dinner for sunset, but even a bit past the prime sunset moments, the setting was stunning. Dinner was excellent- fresh and delicious. Our server spoke expertly about all the menu items and could offer suggestions based on our dietary needs. Typically restaurants at the beach seem overpriced and lackluster. The Paper Canoe is a definite exception!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Scallops Entree
You can't beat the ambiance of a high top, window table next to the bar. Beautiful sunset views, attentive service, and scrumptious food! The cheese ravioli with crab meat topping, and the stuffed shrimp can't be beat. Too bad we'll have to wait another year to visit again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
I believe this is a five star restaurant, definitely on the higher end of good food done well. Having said that and I'll add pictures in awhile, we went there on a fixed menu for Thanksgiving so they could have been short staffed in kitchen and dining room. I'm not familiar with normal dining pace but it took 3 hours and 15 minutes for 3 of us.....kind of on the long side. Huge lag between dinner and dessert. Pluses were the french onion soup which was exquisite. Also the duck wontons were amazing. The beef wellington was melt in your mouth but my turkey was overcooked and salty. The apple wellington was super bland but the ice cream was yummy. Bread was fresh and soft (but its bread so limited comments here). The cranberry sauce was perfect, the mashed potatoes were bland but the green beans were perfectly cooked. Waiter did a good job keeping drinks filled but again plates sat a bit long and pacing was off (this was kitchen not him). Will come again NOT on a fixed menu. Also gave a really cute cookie that was pretty yummy to us when we left. Charming restaurant overall. Great job guys.Vegetarian options: I feel you could do okay here with sides, soups and/or salads.Parking: There were some weird things in the parklot you have to work around. And it seemed scrunchie.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Duck Spring Rolls
The food was really moist and filling. We got the crab stuffed shrimp with the asparagus and cornbread. It is more on the expensive side but it is definitely worth it. Definitely suggest going there for date night or special evening with a loved one(s).
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cornbread
Outstanding food with a warm and welcoming staff. Cozy atmosphere, low ceilings so could get noisy.
The service was good, it was the last night before they closed for the season, so they were out a few of the entrées and sides. A lovely place to dine on the sound, but certainly go back.
Went with four people made a reservation. Got there on time first thing we noticed was that the atmosphere was very dark. We had to use our phones as a flashlight to see the menu. That is really the only negative thing I can say... First off, the bread that was delivered to our table as we were reviewing the menu would bring me back all on its own. Delightfully warm and hit the spot wonderfully with the balsamic glaze & olive oil dipping plate. We decided on the Rockefella oysters which were really yummy with pimento cheese & sriracha. We also got the crispy oysters which are breaded in corn meal (which was attractive to us as we had a member of our party that was gluten-free). It came with a house made tartar sauce and pickled vegetables which paired perfectly with the fried oysters. Two members of our group ordered the scallops. One of them ordered the catch of the day, which was a pompano fish with couscous, topped with a strawberry salad. I ordered the paper canoe ravioli entrée with creamy Parmesan white sauce (there was the option of that or a basil red sauce). It was topped with blue crab chunks, and some sort of green & red drizzles that paired with the creamy Parmesan sauce perfectly. One of the best ravioli dishes I've had in a long time, and the blue crab took it to another level. You could tell that this was really a homemade dish, and that the chef put his heart and soul into this. Bravo chef .. BRAVO ! We came on the last night of the season in the final hour which they easily could've put their B team in but they didn't and it really showed because they went out with a bang. Our server, Veronica, gracefully answered every question & tended to every need. We will be back in the spring!