During our anniversary trip in the Outer banks my wife and I visited the Sandbars Raw Bar & Grill in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The Sandbars Raw Bar & Grill is located off of US 158 in a shopping center next to Food Lion. At the moment, it is one of the Outer Banks Best Kept secrets, but not too much of a secret with the locals! This place hit us in the “feels” as it was reminiscent of one of our Favorite bars, O Sullivan’s, we frequented when we were dating.
We were greeted at the door by a welcoming gentleman, who we would later find out was the Raw Bar’s owner, Chef Mark. As we walked inside the restaurant/bar had a modern, clean look, and was divided by a wall. On one side was a Bar with tables to dine at,while the other side was equipped with another bar with pool tables as well as room for live entertainment. As I’ve followed them on social media I’ve seen numerous local artists do live music there which is perfect setting for those who have had their full of the sun and the sand.
As soon as we stepped in we were warmly greeted by our server, Nicole. Nicole had a smile on her face which gave us smiles as well. We all have had those servers who don’t want to be there…but Nicole was one hard worker, which was most evident in her way of double checking every order . She let us know about the amazingly priced drink and meal specials on the happy hour. We went on a Wednesday night,so they had ½ off wine and $5.99 burgers. The prices at this Raw Bar even without the happy hour are very reasonable, but the extra discount allows for more drinks or extra wings to be sampled. We are not the biggest raw bar eaters but the awesome thing about Chef Mark’s menu is there is literally something for everyone. From a child’s menu to late night, you will find something to eat to your hearts content. My wife informed our server of her allergies to gluten and soy. Chef Mark came out to personally speak with us and discuss all the options on the menu. To our surprise Chef Mark was able to accommodate most of his menu to make it Gluten Free and Soy Free. We also got to enjoy hearing about Chef Mark’s experience as a Chef, and his involvement with the local community. In that conversation we could hear and feel the passion he has to make good quality food that’s both affordable and fun. That;s exactly what he has accomplished at this establishment. We also saw, by evidence of pictures hanging around, that he has a love for photography; the pictures that adorn his restaurant were personally taken by Chef Mark himself.
Here is some of the Daily Happy Hour Specials!
Named “Best of the Beach” by The Outer Banks Voice these are Served daily from 3 to 6 p.m.
James River Oysters
Order in half or full dozen increments .69 each
Oysters of the Day
Order in half or full dozen increments .80 each
Steamed Clams
Order in half or full dozen increments .65 each
Chicken Wings
Order in increments of 5. Choose Hot, medium, mild, teriyaki, BBQ, sweet Thai chili, honey/Old Bay or our famous “Samantha’s Sauce.”.75 each
Eddie Taco
Lettuce, tomato, onion and teriyaki beef
Shrimp Taco
Seasoned, fried shrimp, Asian red cabbage slaw, tomatoes and homemade cilantro sauce
Beef Slider
With cheese, Additional toppings.50 each
Steamed Shrimp
Half pound (6), Full pound (12)
Steamed Snow Crab Legs
Half or full pound -Market price
After a great conversation with Chef Mark my wife and I ordered dinner. We both decided on the Sandbar Burger on a Gluten Free bun with a side of steamed veggies, but we couldn’t pass up a plate of the Blackened Mahi Tuna Tacos. While we waited for our food my wife enjoyed a bottle of Prosecco on happy hour, and I sipped on a sweet tea. We spent some time talking to locals playing pool. This is very much a local’s place and enjoyed by many, that is a key sign that you are successful in the industry when you have a faithful locals following. From the numerous patrons we spoke to, everyone spouted their love for this place! They raved about the delicious food, especially because you can not beat their happy hour prices along with the quality of food. If you want bar food you can get bar food, but if you want a nice more fine dining meal, well Chef Mark will make that too!
Our food arrived and was beautifully plated, as in could be a picture for a food magazine. Although I don’t think I could capture all the plating in a picture, The burgers were cooked to the correct temp as we asked, veggies were perfectly sauted without being mushy. The steamed veggies were a combination of zucchini and squash with red onions. They were steamed al dente where they still had a bite to them, which is how my wife loves her veggies. The highlight for me was the Blackened Mahi Tuna Tacos on a leaf lettuce with a side of sour cream dressed with a lime wedge. These Tacos sound like something so simple, yet the fullness of flavor in each bite will rival even the nicest sit down restaurants. Everything we ordered was delicious, gluten free as well as soy free and we ate every bite!
After we finished dinner we thanked Chef Mark for not only serving safe allergy friendly food, but his delicious gluten free food that had his special touches. After our meal we spent the evening hanging out on the other side, playing a few rounds of pool,speaking with the staff, and smack talking some locals. It was a very fun night of food and drinks that we know will remind us for years to come to stop in and visit in the future.
Overall, the evening of food, drinks and entertainment made for a successful date night. As all men know this is a goal of most men, affordable meal, happy hour, happy wife, without breaking the bank! The Sandbar is a place that welcomes all patrons, to come try out his menu. If there is something you would like special he makes it known that he is up for the task, and is up to possibly create something new. There is something to be said about someone who is not afraid to take risks and to go out of their way to share what they love. In this case it is the love of people and food that the Sandbar has, so the next time you are in OBX stop in and pay a visit to Chef Mark. You will not be disappointed, let him know Bucket List Travel sent you!
Bucket List Travel With The Karr Family 