Worst meal in Corolla

We stayed in Corolla for a week during early September and had a great time We had many good meals (Rt 12, Mike Diannas, and Nicolettas) , but one was particularly bad and we felt a big ripoff. We ate at Groupers in the Timbuk II shopping center on our lastnight and the food was horrible. First we had a portabella appetizer that was a mushroom with a slice of cheese thrown on top with some cold canned corn. For dinner I had a Salmon special that tasted like bad cafeteria food. Other entrees were equally bad and I cringed at paying the bill. The whole meal was like the chef had not shown up for work and someone who was a school cafeteria cook took over. The only good thing was that we had a nice wine--- but that was the only thing worth paying for.

Worst meal in Corolla

Yes, we have always found that the meals at Groupers are way over priced and just not good. We just cannot justify paying those prices.

Especially when we live in an area where we can cook our own seafood dinners.

We too enjoy Nicolettas, Rt 12 and Tomato Patch!

For the volume of tourists up there, they really need some more restaurants.

Worst meal in Corolla

Okay, you%26#39;re dissing Groupers and loving Tomato Patch? Sounds totally backwards, but to each her own.

I%26#39;ve eaten at Groupers just two times in the last few years, but each time was wonderful! It%26#39; easily the best meal in Corolla.

Living in Va Beach, we are spoiled with wonderful seafood restaurants/markets year round that cater to residents, not just tourists. (I am marinating rockfish as I type).The quality of the food at Groupers and the price they charge cannot compare to what is available to us here. So, I can%26#39;t see spending the $$$ on vacation, particularly for kids who would be just as happy with pizza.

Perhaps if I lived in an area without fresh seafood, I would be more likely not mind the price, as long as the food was palatable.

I%26#39;d have to say the same thing. We have a great variety in Mass so we are a little spoiled. However it is nice to try new dishes from other regions that we don%26#39;t normally find here. (Crabcakes come to mind)

We have them but not the same.

I prefer to buy fresh seafood down there and cook our own.There’s that little seafood stand at Timbuck II and Harris Teeter has a good variety too. One of the advantages of renting these big homes down there is having a well equipped kitchen. With a big group, taking turns cooking each night works out well, saving a night or two for dining out.

We looked at Groupers last year and decided to pass when we saw the prices on the menu….there were no “must haves” that jumped out at us. After reading this post, I’m glad that we did!

Maybe I got spoiled cause both times I had the sea bass :-) The rest of my family didn%26#39;t have fish, but they enjoyed their meals very much. Oh well, I haven%26#39;t visited Elizabeth%26#39;s in Duck for the same reasons you gave re: Groupers - I read reviews about it being way over priced and pretencious. I just didn%26#39;t want Groupers to suffer the same fate knowing I enjoyed my 2 visits with them.

BTW - I live in Baltimore and have lots of excellent, fresh sea food options galore. So it%26#39;s not like I don%26#39;t know the good stuff. That%26#39;s the reason I avoid crab cakes and steamed crabs entirely at the Banks, cause they just don%26#39;t get how to prepare them. I didn%26#39;t think they knew what to do with streamed shrimp either until I found Awful Arthurs one night - yum!

Yes, you cannot beat a Maryland crabcake!

We too, enjoy cooking some fresh cought seafood at home.

But, there are some really good restaurants that do a great job. Colington Cafe comes to mind, which is not that far south of Corolla for an evening out.

Also there are several places in Ocracoke, Cafe Atlantic has out of this world seafood at very reasonable prices, they really could charge more.

Now that I have the seafood lovers attention. What place would you recommend that is not too far from Corolla?

I forgot to mention (Steamers I think it is)in Timbuck II. I thought their steamed spiced shrimp were very good. And the woman who ran it was a gem. We only went once and upon returning several days later she knew us by name the second we walked in. This is after serving literally 100%26#39;s of customers a day. She even set us up with a container of their bay seasoning to take home for nothing. Obviously not a place to sit down for a quiet meal, but for on the go I thought it was great!

I%26#39;d second Lynn%26#39;s Colington Cafe recommendation as one choice. I liked North Atlantic in TimBuck II. Red Sky Cafe in Duck is my favorite spot of all. I used to like Clara%26#39;s in Manteo, but they%26#39;re no longer there.

Crab is not real big in Mass. Our native seafood is lobster, clams(steamers %26amp; quahogs) %26amp; fish, the most obvious cod.

Nothing quite like fresh seafood right off the boat.

We%26#39;d love a good genuine Maryland crabcake recipe if you know of one.

thanks for the recommendation. We%26#39;ll give it a try.