Koko Cabana — Restaurant in Oak Island

Stopped for dinner at 7:00pm on a Tuesday evening. The wait was 45 minutes. We walked the pier with three children. Outdoor space for waiting had games; cornhole, etc. We stopped at the bar after our pier walk and I tried to order a beer for my husband and a drink for myself. The bartender would not sell me two drinks without seeing my husband in the flesh. (He was helping our 4yo use the restroom outside of the bar pier side). Once he showed himself, she allowed me to order a second beer. Then she told me I couldn’t leave the bar with our drinks. (Strange because the only waiting area for our table was in front of the restaurant located just outside). I asked if my children could come inside at the bar as we were waiting on a table and the bartender replied yes. I waved my girls in and attempted to let them sit on a stool and the bartender barked at me that the kids were not allowed to sit at the bar and that they could stand instead. Thankfully our table was ready and we paid for our drink and left the bar area. As we were leaving the bar another bartender had told me I needed to pay for my drinks (we already had) and she began explaining why their liquor laws were so strict. I just walked away. I understand there are rules, but the original bartender was rude and not accommodating. I’ve never been to a restaurant bar while waiting on a table for food and been told I cannot buy more than one drink without proof that it’s for another person and that I can’t take the drink to a place in the restaurant that is designated for waiting for your table. It also makes zero sense that my kids can stand at a bar, but they cannot sit down. They are 4, 8, and 14yo.

Aside from the rude staff at the bar, the food was fantastic. Our kids were upset that their kids menu didn’t include staple kids food, but mine and my husband’s food was great.

The restaurant was hot, humid, and needed better ventilation/air conditioning. The air was stale and the tiny ceiling fans were not helpful. We were sweating and uncomfortable.

This place is great if you’re stopping for a quick drink or bite to eat—maybe even best if coming right off the beach in your swimwear. However, it would not be a place to come with kids for a...

Ate there for the first time last night and absolutely loved it! The food was so good, the atmosphere is perfect, and the staff was nice for the most part. We were told the wait would be 45 min - 1hr; expected on a Friday night in the summer so we happily accepted and went to grab a drink at the bar. Space was limited so one person in our party squeezed in to an open space at the bar to order while the others hung back in a corner out of the way. The bartender was a little busy, but would not acknowledge anyone who wasn’t sitting at the bar (which is only about 7 seats). Finally after several attempts my friend was able to get her attention to order our drinks. We brushed off the experience and enjoyed our drinks. I went back for a second round and stood exactly where we ordered the first round. The bartender looked at me and then turned her head. I knew she was busy so I patiently waited for her to acknowledge me. She looked at me a second time, this time for a little longer. I said “you ready for me? I didn’t want to interrupt what you were doing”. Her response blew me away …. “Ready for what?” In a very rude way. (Not to mention the server standing there that laughed at the entire situation). I explained how we wanted to order a round of drinks, this is where we ordered the first round so I thought I was in the right place, etc. And isn’t it normal for someone who can’t get a seat at the bar to stand there and ask for a drink? A good bartender acknowledges anyone who approaches the bar. Drinks were good but the attitude was horrible. The rest of the staff seemed very kind and...

We had such high hopes for this place. After reading so many amazing reviews we tried it at the recommendation of my local friends. We had a group of four. I’m not sure if it was an off night or if the server was new or what the situation was. We ordered 3 cocktails and a soda. We got two cocktails and didn’t get the soda or the other cocktail until we were well into our appetizers. My husband ordered their steak entree and we were told it would come with mash potatoes and squash and zucchini. It came with rice and green beans instead. My plate was also supposed to come with squash and zucchini and came with green beans instead as well. If we were told prior, it wouldn’t have been a big deal. Our server barely came back to the table for us to even say anything about it. Another person in our party also ordered an extra side of fries, which he didn’t get until well into our meal because we couldn’t find our server. He also couldn’t get his soda refilled because again, we couldn’t find our server. I feel bad for the server because again, I don’t know what was going on but she seemed awfully frazzled. No check ins from management either, and they didn’t clear our appetizer plates until they cleared our dining plates which really crammed us of room. We’re super bummed because we spent nearly $100 on this meal and it was incredibly disappointing. I would love to try it again but as we were visiting, we won’t be back for...