Rusty's Surf & Turf — Restaurant in North Carolina

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2

Sun, 10/10

8:00 PM

6:45 PM

7:00 PM

7:15 PM

7:30 PM

7:45 PM

8:00 PM

8:15 PM

8:30 PM

8:45 PM



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What you can expect during your visit

Socially distanced dining tables

Tables disinfected between guests

Safety precautions are provided by the property and are not checked by Tripadvisor for accuracy.

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4.5 740 reviews

#4 of 13 American in Buxton

#3 of 11 Restaurants in Buxton

Travelers' Choice

RATINGS

Food

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Value

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Food and ambience

Local cuisine, Steakhouse, Seafood, American, International, Vegan Options

FLOWERS IN THE PASTA!?My husband had the jerk chicken which he enjoyed, I had the crab cakes.The shrimp and grits and seafood pasta were too die for.

Special occasions, Business meetings

Anniversary Dinner

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47355 Nc Highway 12, Buxton, Hatteras Island, NC 27920

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Does this restaurant allow dogs or considered pet friendly?Yes No Unsure

Sponsored by: Rusty's Surf And Turf

Top 3 Reasons to Eat Here



Don't miss out!

"OMG AMAZING SEAFOOD"

163harmony

See reviews that mention seafood



Highly Recommend

"food was AMAZING!"

KadievY

See reviews that mention calamari



My favorite restaurant

"superb quality"

jessicaboyd1977

See reviews that mention surf and turf

Details

Claimed

PRICE RANGE

$12 - $35

CUISINES

Steakhouse, Seafood, American, International

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

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Meals, Features, About

Reviews (740)

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Traveler rating

Excellent458

Very good158

Average60

Poor32

Terrible21

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All reviews hush puppies seafood surf and turf calamari steak sticky rice crab cakes ribs fries mahi salad the outer banks hatteras island great dinner catch of the day liza rustys

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Robcwag

Reviewed yesterday

Good eats in Buxton

Nice casual dining experience with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I had the sesame seared tuna and my wife enjoyed the jerk chicken breast with sweet potato fries. The tuna was seared perfectly and the sesame seeds crusted across the top left a satisfying crunchy texture to compliment the lightly seasoned tuna. Paired with sauteed green beans and sticky rice it was a light and satisfying meal. The jerk chicken breast was served with a mango salsa as a garnish and steamed vegetables with crispy sweet potato fries substituted instead of sticky rice. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the slightly spicy jerk seasoning flavored it perfectly without being overbearing. Interestingly every meal was served with an edible orchid flower which was a nice touch. For dessert we shared a home made slice of key lime pie with a drizzle of delightful raspberry reduction which served to mellow the tang of the key lime for a perfect finish...

Terrible experience from the moment we arrived. We arrived about , prior to our reservation time of 7pm. While we didn’t expect to be seated early the host said he would probably forget about us and to remind him when it was actually 7. Umm…ok I guess. Anyway we arrived back at the host stand promptly at 7 and were seated about 10 minutes later after they carried a table and chairs past us from the deck area. Once the table was finally set we had to wait for menus until we could be sat. After finally being seated we waited another 5 mins or so and finally ordered draft beers and appetizers. Our appetizers were served before our drinks arrived as the “bar was backed up.” The hush puppy oysters and the calamari were just ok. I thought it was strange that two separate dishes would use the same sauce, especially given the reviews and the website’s claim of the “renowned” chef. I had the special “Seafood Pot Pie”. It was comprised of Shrimp, bay scallops, and assorted vegetables, with a puff pastry and a delightful sauce. However other than the sauce I found the scallops to be overdone and the vegetable were almost certainly not fresh. The puff pastry seemed to be added as an afterthought as opposed to being integrated into the dish. My wife ordered the fried oysters with French fries and mashed potatoes. The oysters were mediocre at best as they lacked flavor in spite of the massive amount of batter around each oyster. Perhaps this is the “Hatteras Style” as espoused by the menu but needless to say, not very appetizing. The mashed potatoes had a touch of sweetness that didn’t seem to fit the flavor profile. My wife did not enjoy them but I thought they were ok. My wife’s cousin ordered the fried fish (“Hatteras Style” as well) and while it wasn’t bad we were not offered the type of fish that was served. A small complaint but one would expect the identity of the fish to be part of the presentation. He ordered French fries as well along with the garlic green beans. The green beans were the highlight of the meal as they were clearly fresh and then cooked and seasoned very well. Our waitress was constantly apologetic about things coming out very slowly while blaming it on her very large party seated next to us. While I understand this can be difficult it should not serve as an excuse for subpar service to other customers. Overall a poor experience. 1/5 stars and would not recommend...

After 4 years of mistrusting Rusty’s due to a poor experience, we decided to finally visit again. And we are glad we did, because things have much improved.

We booked a reservation at 7:00 PM on a Sunday. There was no wait, and our group of 3 was seated promptly. Our server took our drink and appetizer orders, and within 10 minutes, our drinks, hushpuppies, and calamari were on the table.

As always, the hushpuppies were delicious: warm, soft, and comforting. The calamari was even better, with its flavorful and fiery volcano sauce and sweet red pepper garnish. Unlike most restaurant calamari apps, Rusty’s calamari is soft (not rubbery) and melts in your mouth.

Right after finishing our appetizers, our server took our dinner orders. I ordered the Sesame Seared Tuna with sticky rice and garlic green beans, and it was fantastic. The tuna was cooked to perfection (medium), and the flavor of the teriyaki glaze and sesame seeds complemented it perfectly. When we last visited Rusty’s four years ago, the green beans were unpleasantly spicy, but things have since changed. The green beans were no longer spicy and were cooked normally with butter and garlic—a welcome improvement. The sticky rice was also good, but a bit bland for my taste. I think an Asian-inspired dish like the Sesame Seared Tuna would benefit from jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk, similar to the Tuna entrée at Café Pamlico.

My mother also ordered the Sesame Seared Tuna, but requested mashed potatoes rather than sticky rice. When her entrée arrived, it came with rice instead of the mashed potatoes she had asked for. Our server apologized for the mishap and promptly replaced the rice with mashed potatoes. When she cut into the tuna, it was undercooked (she had asked for it medium-well, but it came out medium-rare). However, she didn’t mind it being undercooked and actually really enjoyed the flavor.

My father ordered the Kalbi steak, and he loved it. It was cooked to his liking (medium-rare), and the flavor of the marinade was on point. Like me, he also enjoyed the sticky rice and garlic green beans.

After finishing our entrees, my mom ordered the Flourless Chocolate Torte for dessert to go. She ate it the next day and said it was delicious.

Overall, we were very pleased with our experience at Rusty’s and will come again during our next trip to...