Ok let’s get this out of the way first, North Carolina has some strange laws regarding Happy Hours. Bars and restaurants are prohibited from offering alcohol specials that run for a certain time of day (like 4 to 6 for example), but they can run drink specials that run the whole day. Restaurants on the Outer Banks CAN run food happy hour specials though, and there is some fantastic deals to be had.
It’s no secret we love Happy Hour at Frequent Islander, and we had fun seeking out the best deals we could find up and down the OBX for this post. Without further ado, here are our favorite Outer Banks happy hour deals:
Fish Heads Bar and Grill, Nags Head
15 cent Steamed Peel and Eat Shrimp; Daily 4-6 PM
We chose to start with our favorite of all the Outer Banks happy hour deals, and by far the best Nags Head happy hour special. If you’ve been to Fish Heads, located directly on the Nags Head Fishing Pier, you probably are well aware of this deal. EVERY day from 4 to 6 PM they have 15 cent (yes that’s no typo) steamed peel and eat shrimp. You must order them in multiples of 20. The shrimp aren’t huge, but they season them perfectly. 20 shrimp for $3 almost seems to good to be true but this deal is for real. The drinks here are reasonably priced and they have a good selection of craft beers. The only downside here is Fish Heads is closed during the winter. You can check in on their updated hours at their Facebook page: https://m.facebook.com/FishHeadsBarandGrill/
Hurricane Mo’s Bar and Grill, Kitty Hawk
35 cent wings, $1 tacos, and 15 cent steamed shrimp; Daily 3-5 PM
Hurricane Mo’s is a close second (probably a tie really) to Fish Heads in the competition for the best Outer Banks happy hour deal. While they offer the same crazy 15 cent peel and eat shrimp deal, there is also 35 cent wings and $1 tacos. Mo’s does hold an edge over Fish Heads by being open year round, but doesn’t have as good of a view or ambience. The wings are good, with a variety of sauces. The taco’s aren’t anything special, but they are cheap and filling. The shrimp special here is what makes Mo’s so incredibly popular. During the busy season it is usually 100% full during happy hour. The drinks here are cheap and they keep them flowing. Mo’s Kitty Hawk happy hour is legendary throughout the OBX for good reason. https://m.facebook.com/pages/category/Bar—Grill/Hurricane-Mos-126431787407769/
Sandbars Raw Bar and Grill, Kill Devil Hills
Half off raw bar oysters, shrimp tacos and sliders; Daily 3-6PM
Sandbars is a hidden gem in the OBX, mainly a “locals” spot. Tourists haven’t found it yet, but with the rising popularity of TripAdvisor and Yelp reviews, I’d guess that is about ready to change. You simply cannot beat their prices on oysters, even at regular price. When you take half off during happy hour the deal gets even sweeter. They usually have 4 or 5 different types of oysters on the raw bar, and it is fun to sample multiple kinds during happy hour. The shrimp tacos are top notch as well. The sliders are pretty good, but when you are at a place called Sandbars I’d stick with the seafood. They almost always run $2 beer specials daily, usually Bud Light and PBR but occasionally craft beers as well. You can’t go wrong with a dozen (or 3) oysters and a cold beer at these prices. This is our favorite Kill Devil Hills happy hour deal. Check out their Facebook page, they usually post even more daily specials in addition to the happy hour specials https://m.facebook.com/sandbarsrawbarandgrill/
Watermen’s Bar and Grill, Waves NC
2 for 1 Fajitas (Shrimp, Tuna, Mahi, Steak, Chicken or Veggie); Tuesdays 5-9PM
Heading a little farther South, Watermen’s has our favorite food special of the Southern OBX. I’m not even really sure this is a happy hour special, I’d call it more of a weekly special. Whatever you want to call it, it’s a delicious bargain. For about $15 you can get 2 huge orders of fajita’s, with whatever meat you want to accompany the peppers, onions and tortillas. This deal is so awesome I won’t even bother boring you with any of the other deals they run. People flock to Watermen’s on Tuesdays just for this deal, and they have become known for it across the OBX. If the fajitas weren’t enough, Watermen’s has one of the best views and coolest outdoor patio setups in the Outer Banks. Whether you want to call this another Outer Banks happy hour special or just a really awesome deal they have on Tuesdays, this is a must do. Watermen’s does close in the winter, so check their website for more info: https://www.watermensbarandgrill.com/
All the info in this post was current at the time of posting. That being said, happy hour deals can sometimes be altered so please leave comments below with any changes that may need to be made down the road. If you are looking for the most comprehensive guide to Outer Banks VRBO rentals check out our last post: https://frequentislander.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-outer-banks-vrbo-rentals/ Thanks for reading and happy islanding!
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