Pop's Diner — Restaurant in Carolina Beach

Let me start by saying the atmosphere is charming—there’s a nostalgic 1950s vibe that transports you back in time. Unfortunately, what the place gains in ambiance is quickly lost in nearly every other aspect.

We visited late at night after walking the boardwalk, intrigued by the positive reviews and the retro diner appeal. The service started off rocky. Our server seemed overwhelmed and frazzled, despite the restaurant being far from busy. She didn’t appear to know the menu well, and though we watched her write everything down, our order still came out wrong.

We ordered a little bit of everything to get the full experience, and the total came to around $67, which would have been fine if the food and service matched the price. Unfortunately, they didn’t. Two hot dogs with charged toppings never made it to the kitchen—even though we clearly saw her note them. No explanation was provided, and when we called afterward, we were simply told they were never put in and there was nothing they could do.

We also ordered boom boom shrimp tacos with no slaw. Again, we saw her write it down, but they came out with slaw. This was chalked up to a “kitchen error,” and while they did remake them, the damage was done. Most of the fried food was either overcooked to the point of being hard and dry or undercooked and greasy—no middle ground. Quality and execution were both seriously lacking.

To top it all off, there’s an automatic 10% gratuity on to-go orders. I generally have no problem tipping, but in this case, I don’t believe the $5–6 added was warranted, especially when the server failed to enter items correctly and the food was subpar.

After nearly 20 years in the restaurant industry and dining up and down the East Coast, I can honestly say this was one of the worst meals I’ve had. I won’t be returning to Pop’s Diner, and I don’t recommend it to others looking for a reliable...

Oh my goodness, I may end up eating here every night this week!! The hush puppies are TO DIE FOR!!! Get the full basket and ask for extra butter. YUM!

I ate here with 3 family members and we are all big fans and can’t wait to come back! I got the Philly Cheese steak, but asked for provolone cheese, as it comes with American which I thought was kind of odd for that sandwich. The bread was so soft, which I loved because they usually toast the hoagie rolls so much you have a hard time eating it, it’s so hard. This bread was soft, moist and absolutely delicious. My mom & aunt both got grilled cheeses which they said were amazing! My cousin got the Jackie’s Dip and ate every bite! Tater tots, sweet fries & French fries were some of the sides we tried and all were good.

We didn’t have room for desert but they had some amazing options! I so appreciated that they had diet cherry coke & crushed ice. Doesn’t get much better. Our server was a doll, and he was on top of the refills and whatever we needed! We may be back tonight and every night this week! If you’re in Carolina, Wrightsville / Kure area make the...

Food was fresh and delicious. Service was on point. Friendly and fast, but not rushed. So many options to choose from with a wide variety for everyone in our group. It was obvious the food and sauces were made in house. It was a hard decision but I went with the chicken and waffles. Hand breaded and super tender chicken tenders with a thick deep fried Belgium waffle, topped with powder sugar. I went with maple syrup all over for the complete experience of the dish but the homemade honey mustard was the best I have ever had! Excellent sanitation score 99.5! The dessert menu was mouth watering and again to tough to choose. The deep fried Oreos are a must with creamy vanilla Icecream and whip cream. My mom couldn’t stop raving about the homemade chicken salad and a side of homemade macaroni salad. A true southern light lunch meal on a warm spring day! One of the most unique and old school classics is they serve kool aid. This 50s style diner is a must try on Carolina Beach. The owners have been the same for 15 years so clearly they are doing...