omg YUM. if you haven't been here you need to! be here early as the place fills up we had amazing service and food! and bonus was music on the dock as your waiting for a table
Kathleen D.
This has always been my favorite restaurant to go to for my birthday! The food, service and atmosphere are always amazing!
T Productions
Beautiful scenery, we love living in North Carolina.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Darren H.
To begin this, me and my girlfriend go down to this area once a year and have turned it into one of our favorite traditions. Last year we saw this place but unfortunately didn't have time to make it by before leaving. The menu looked fantastic and we were so sad we didn't get to go. This year we made it a point we had to go. We went to the aquarium previously and called to verify the time they opened, and that's when we found out they start taking names an hour before opening. I'm so glad we made it a point to be there early for the list. We got there within 15 min of them taking names and got on the list and went to the around back bar, before we got our drinks we could hear the wait was already estimated at almost 90min, but it's worth it! Really nice concept by the way, with the people waiting being able to sit outside on the pier with the bar beforehand. Once they opened we were seated within about 20min and the service was phenomenal, they try to seat you by the window if possible first. Very polite and friendly staff, not to mention they are on the ball! We had drink orders and apps in within a few minutes. Both the app and the entrees were phenomenal! We had the hot crab dip appetizer and we both got the 'Tale of the Whale Special' with the only difference being that she got the standard filet and I upgraded to the 16oz Prime Rib. We could not have asked for the food quality, seasoning, and cook to be any better!! You certainly get what you pay for!! Probably my favorite meal of a week long trip and one of my favorites of 2023! Also worth noting that the way this place operates is like nothing I've seen locally, not just for us, but everyone we saw, they were constantly on top of not only service but cleaning as well. Within a few moments of someone getting up to leave the staff would come clean up, have the table reset, and someone seated seamlessly. They were so efficient that even when we left the wait hadn't gotten any longer while people were still piling in! Needless to say, we will be back next year for sure!! If I could give it 6 stars I would!
Holly Jo
Amazing Restaurant!! Our Favorite go to fine dining restaurant. It gets extremely busy every night so get there early! You can do call ahead seating for LARGE parties only. You can also sit and eat at the bar inside which we do sometimes but if you do then you have to have you WHOLE meal there. Just an FYI. Favorite food on the menu is the Mahi Oscar, the whole stuffed lobster with filet. House salads, bruschetta, crab dip. Really, everything is outstanding. Those are just ones that stand out. Check it out!P.S. they are closed for the winter now.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Surf and Turf
Ryan Taylor
Our favorite restaurant at the beach. Highly recommend trying the coconut shrimp! Can get crowded but service is extremely efficient.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marilyn
9-28-2023 - Decided to see if The Tale of the Whale was really as great as our first visit, little knowing this was their last evenning of the 2023 season. It was packed upon opening, so we chose "first available" which was in the bar area and Lo & Behold our waitress was once again Robin, and we couldn't be happier, since on our previous visit, she served us. Once again, she explained all of the specials, saw to our every need and the meal was a mouth-watering experience. Scallops were tender, shrimp perfect, oysters and crabcake succulent and flounder thick and perfectly fried. Thank you for the high quality, large portions and terrific service and can't wait until you open in 2024!!!8-29-2023 - This was one of the finest dining experiences we've had on the Outer Banks. From our wonderful waitress Robin to the most delicious fresh seafood, prepared, cooked and presented perfectly. Crabcakes were solid lump crab with little filler and the same for the she crab soup, loaded with crab. Both of our broiled and fried entrees were perfectly cooked and this experience leaves us wanting to try more items on the extensive menu. One word for Robin and The Tale of the Whale..... AWESOME!
Arrive by 4:30 pm in order to get there for their Early Bird discount which ceases at 6pm. We enjoyed the pier area while waiting & the weather was great. We had a seating wait time of 40 min which would've been longer had we not accepted a table in the bar area. The bar atmosphere was fine & the service was good (not noisy). My wife & I both had the mahi, in which the portion size was very generous. We ultimately had enough each to take home for leftovers the next day. The service was great & the chef prepared our meal exactly as requested. We would go again.
Tiffanyjim
We chose to dine at Tale of the Whale on our last evening on the Outer Banks. They had an early bird special going on 20% off entire check before 6. We didn’t show up until 6:00 so we did not get this special, but definitely got the crowded restaurant! We were told an hour wait time so took a pager and walked around the area. For some reason we missed our pager going off, so there was an additional short wait which was totally our fault. We were finally seated around 7:15 or so. The restaurant was packed and extremely loud! We could hardly have a conversation without yelling. Most of our family ordered the fried shrimp platter, but also got shrimp apps, the wedge salad, a Caesar salad and ribeye. Everything was delivered in a timely manner and was delicious. Our server as busy as he was, was very attentive and professional. Great ending to our stay at the beach!
Mje12518
We went to dinner here with friends. We all looked forward to the visit as none of us had been to the Tale of the Whale for a while. The restaurant is very popular in season and wait times are long, which we generally try to avoid. October is still busy, but not as much, and we still had an hour wait. The Tale has a nice ambiance and it is one of the better restaurants on the OBX. Our waiter, Matt H, was wonderful. He treated us great and made sure we had drinks and appetizers as soon as he could make it happen. The stuffed mushrooms and Tuna were both very good. Without any rush, we enjoyed our drinks and Matt put in our dinner entree orders which were served in a reasonable time. Three dinners were versions of the seafood trios, with different fish selections. All three reported that the taste was excellent and full plates/large servings. I ordered the fish duo, with wahoo and mahi. Unfortunately, the quality of the fish as served was not very good. It was overcooked, and dry, and both tasted almost identical . After many, many dinners here on the OBX, it seemed to me that the fish was either frozen and not fresh, not local, or just poorly cooked (or all of the above). My disappointment with one dinner causes a Very Good review only, with that only because of the great hospitality of Matt and the three other dinners which were a home run. If they served four good dinners, an Excellent rating would be appropriate. We will visit again and hope for 100% positive results.
Great dining experience for small and large groups. Fantastic service, great food!
Claire Grimm Logue
Great food and service! And make sure you save room for dessert!
trojan77
Very nice ambience with candles and cloth napkins. The food was excellent with exception of the green beans. My southern taste buds dictate southern style green beans and these were definitely el dente. The servers were top notch. Would recommend making reservations. Nice outdoor eating options with waterside view. I would recommend the broiled flounder. Discount for early diners.
holliw68
I called & made a reservation for 13. We didn't wait long to be seated. Missy was our wonderful server. We ordered drinks, appetizers & entrees. She told us the special of the day. Kudos to Missy, wait staff, chefs and Dan We will return next trip!
Nick Foster
Don’t believe the hype! The drinks were good but the food is not good. I got the surf and turf expecting a stuffed lobster and nicely seared steak for $60. I got a lobster that had already been tore open and completely ruined (not in a stuffed way, they just mixed some meat around in there and called it a day) and a piece of rubber with grill marks. The mashed potatoes were good though.If you are the cook and reading this please season your food better. Steaks should at least have a hint of salt even touching it. I would highly suggest baking the steaks low around 275 and searing it on a cast iron with oil for 30 seconds each side. I have attached a photo of my own steak and I believe that if I can do this at home you can do it to be paid to. Also everyone needs to be more organized as it is so crazy in the front end that you don’t have a clue where to go who to talk to nothing. Buzzers are a great start though.If you go in make sure it’s early.Mary was nice but didn’t help much with anything.For owner:0028Server: MARY H (#9)09/23/23 17:50, Chip
omg YUM. if you haven't been here you need to! be here early as the place fills up we had amazing service and food! and bonus was music on the dock as your waiting for a table
This has always been my favorite restaurant to go to for my birthday! The food, service and atmosphere are always amazing!
Beautiful scenery, we love living in North Carolina.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
To begin this, me and my girlfriend go down to this area once a year and have turned it into one of our favorite traditions. Last year we saw this place but unfortunately didn't have time to make it by before leaving. The menu looked fantastic and we were so sad we didn't get to go. This year we made it a point we had to go. We went to the aquarium previously and called to verify the time they opened, and that's when we found out they start taking names an hour before opening. I'm so glad we made it a point to be there early for the list. We got there within 15 min of them taking names and got on the list and went to the around back bar, before we got our drinks we could hear the wait was already estimated at almost 90min, but it's worth it! Really nice concept by the way, with the people waiting being able to sit outside on the pier with the bar beforehand. Once they opened we were seated within about 20min and the service was phenomenal, they try to seat you by the window if possible first. Very polite and friendly staff, not to mention they are on the ball! We had drink orders and apps in within a few minutes. Both the app and the entrees were phenomenal! We had the hot crab dip appetizer and we both got the 'Tale of the Whale Special' with the only difference being that she got the standard filet and I upgraded to the 16oz Prime Rib. We could not have asked for the food quality, seasoning, and cook to be any better!! You certainly get what you pay for!! Probably my favorite meal of a week long trip and one of my favorites of 2023! Also worth noting that the way this place operates is like nothing I've seen locally, not just for us, but everyone we saw, they were constantly on top of not only service but cleaning as well. Within a few moments of someone getting up to leave the staff would come clean up, have the table reset, and someone seated seamlessly. They were so efficient that even when we left the wait hadn't gotten any longer while people were still piling in! Needless to say, we will be back next year for sure!! If I could give it 6 stars I would!
Amazing Restaurant!! Our Favorite go to fine dining restaurant. It gets extremely busy every night so get there early! You can do call ahead seating for LARGE parties only. You can also sit and eat at the bar inside which we do sometimes but if you do then you have to have you WHOLE meal there. Just an FYI. Favorite food on the menu is the Mahi Oscar, the whole stuffed lobster with filet. House salads, bruschetta, crab dip. Really, everything is outstanding. Those are just ones that stand out. Check it out!P.S. they are closed for the winter now.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Surf and Turf
Our favorite restaurant at the beach. Highly recommend trying the coconut shrimp! Can get crowded but service is extremely efficient.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
9-28-2023 - Decided to see if The Tale of the Whale was really as great as our first visit, little knowing this was their last evenning of the 2023 season. It was packed upon opening, so we chose "first available" which was in the bar area and Lo & Behold our waitress was once again Robin, and we couldn't be happier, since on our previous visit, she served us. Once again, she explained all of the specials, saw to our every need and the meal was a mouth-watering experience. Scallops were tender, shrimp perfect, oysters and crabcake succulent and flounder thick and perfectly fried. Thank you for the high quality, large portions and terrific service and can't wait until you open in 2024!!!8-29-2023 - This was one of the finest dining experiences we've had on the Outer Banks. From our wonderful waitress Robin to the most delicious fresh seafood, prepared, cooked and presented perfectly. Crabcakes were solid lump crab with little filler and the same for the she crab soup, loaded with crab. Both of our broiled and fried entrees were perfectly cooked and this experience leaves us wanting to try more items on the extensive menu. One word for Robin and The Tale of the Whale..... AWESOME!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: She-Crab Soup, Fish, Crab Cakes
Arrive by 4:30 pm in order to get there for their Early Bird discount which ceases at 6pm. We enjoyed the pier area while waiting & the weather was great. We had a seating wait time of 40 min which would've been longer had we not accepted a table in the bar area. The bar atmosphere was fine & the service was good (not noisy). My wife & I both had the mahi, in which the portion size was very generous. We ultimately had enough each to take home for leftovers the next day. The service was great & the chef prepared our meal exactly as requested. We would go again.
We chose to dine at Tale of the Whale on our last evening on the Outer Banks. They had an early bird special going on 20% off entire check before 6. We didn’t show up until 6:00 so we did not get this special, but definitely got the crowded restaurant! We were told an hour wait time so took a pager and walked around the area. For some reason we missed our pager going off, so there was an additional short wait which was totally our fault. We were finally seated around 7:15 or so. The restaurant was packed and extremely loud! We could hardly have a conversation without yelling. Most of our family ordered the fried shrimp platter, but also got shrimp apps, the wedge salad, a Caesar salad and ribeye. Everything was delivered in a timely manner and was delicious. Our server as busy as he was, was very attentive and professional. Great ending to our stay at the beach!
We went to dinner here with friends. We all looked forward to the visit as none of us had been to the Tale of the Whale for a while. The restaurant is very popular in season and wait times are long, which we generally try to avoid. October is still busy, but not as much, and we still had an hour wait. The Tale has a nice ambiance and it is one of the better restaurants on the OBX. Our waiter, Matt H, was wonderful. He treated us great and made sure we had drinks and appetizers as soon as he could make it happen. The stuffed mushrooms and Tuna were both very good. Without any rush, we enjoyed our drinks and Matt put in our dinner entree orders which were served in a reasonable time. Three dinners were versions of the seafood trios, with different fish selections. All three reported that the taste was excellent and full plates/large servings. I ordered the fish duo, with wahoo and mahi. Unfortunately, the quality of the fish as served was not very good. It was overcooked, and dry, and both tasted almost identical . After many, many dinners here on the OBX, it seemed to me that the fish was either frozen and not fresh, not local, or just poorly cooked (or all of the above). My disappointment with one dinner causes a Very Good review only, with that only because of the great hospitality of Matt and the three other dinners which were a home run. If they served four good dinners, an Excellent rating would be appropriate. We will visit again and hope for 100% positive results.
Restaurantji Recommends
Great dining experience for small and large groups. Fantastic service, great food!
Great food and service! And make sure you save room for dessert!
Very nice ambience with candles and cloth napkins. The food was excellent with exception of the green beans. My southern taste buds dictate southern style green beans and these were definitely el dente. The servers were top notch. Would recommend making reservations. Nice outdoor eating options with waterside view. I would recommend the broiled flounder. Discount for early diners.
I called & made a reservation for 13. We didn't wait long to be seated. Missy was our wonderful server. We ordered drinks, appetizers & entrees. She told us the special of the day. Kudos to Missy, wait staff, chefs and Dan We will return next trip!
Don’t believe the hype! The drinks were good but the food is not good. I got the surf and turf expecting a stuffed lobster and nicely seared steak for $60. I got a lobster that had already been tore open and completely ruined (not in a stuffed way, they just mixed some meat around in there and called it a day) and a piece of rubber with grill marks. The mashed potatoes were good though.If you are the cook and reading this please season your food better. Steaks should at least have a hint of salt even touching it. I would highly suggest baking the steaks low around 275 and searing it on a cast iron with oil for 30 seconds each side. I have attached a photo of my own steak and I believe that if I can do this at home you can do it to be paid to. Also everyone needs to be more organized as it is so crazy in the front end that you don’t have a clue where to go who to talk to nothing. Buzzers are a great start though.If you go in make sure it’s early.Mary was nice but didn’t help much with anything.For owner:0028Server: MARY H (#9)09/23/23 17:50, Chip
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2