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Lone Cedar Café – Nags Head, NC: Specializing in fresh and local seafood. If you’re craving the freshest fish, clams, crab, shrimp, and oysters from local North Carolina waters, you’ll find them at the Lone Cedar Café.
For generations, Outer Banks families made their livings—and their daily meals—from the bounty of local waters, caught fresh every day. The Basnight family continues this tradition by serving only the freshest Outer Banks seafood, caught in local waters, and brought to our docks daily by local fishermen, then cleaned and prepared right here at the Lone Cedar Café. Our vegetables are “just picked” from North Carolina farms, we serve only all-natural beef and poultry, and even our herbs are grown in our own chemical-free garden on-site. Come enjoy delicious food, gorgeous sunsets, and panoramic water views, the antics of our resident ospreys, and our warm southern hospitality. Local Seafood Nags Head NC – The Lone Cedar Cafe.
We take great pride in serving fresh, local food—and in being a “green” restaurant, too. By keeping our environment clean and focusing on fresh, local, and natural foods, the Lone Cedar ensures that diners have a healthful, natural, and—above all–delicious dining experience.
The 1 thing I noticed;... is that NOT 1 EMPLOYEE SMILED. It was like they were all stiff, no personality, & no smiles!! Tourists & customers were walking in happy and smiling; yet not 1 employee. Very off & noticeable.
I ordered the Broiled Seafood Combo. Scallops were overcooked, shrimp was bland but OK, and the Flounder was mushy. The baked potato was excellent.
Another's entre was the Shrimp & Grits. This dish was quite oily and the sausage in it was almost brick hard. Was not fresh Andouille Sausage!
Another's entre was the Ribeye Steak. It was ordered medium and came out as med rare to rare. It didn't even look like a Ribeye either. I couldn't help but finally say something to our waitress about the steak being undercooked and that it was not a Ribeye! It wasn't even shaped like a Ribeye, and it did NOT included the tender portion either. The steak was not eaten as this person just wanted to leave. All she wanted was a good Ribeye!! Kind of ruined what we all thought was gonna be a great dinner.
We chucked it up as,... we just won't eat there again. We eat out several times a week, and there are plenty of other awesome restaurants.
The fish entrees, one of which is pictured, were quite good. However, several of my party ordered different shrimp dishes, and the shrimp was very clearly frozen and farm-raised. Not what I would expect at all from a restaurant literally at the shore. The she-crab was also mediocre at best. Tasted like it was out of a can.
Overall: a nice enough place for a large group or family, but far from the best option on the island.
The food is delicious. The waitress said, “if the seafood doesn't swim in the channel, we don't serve it.” You can bring your cleaned catch, and they will be happy to cook it for you.
If you are wondering, the lone Cedar is no longer there.
