Jordan's Smokehouse & Seafood — Restaurant in Swansboro

Mixed review here. First off, the owner is awesome! We sat at the bar and enjoyed her company and chat. Overall we had a great experience, but I was going to go with a 3 Star, but the few annoying issues can be overlooked.

The Good. Lobster Bisque A+++++. Large chunks of lobster in a creamy / savory bisque. Excellent flavor. Fatty cut Brisket. They can do fatty cut CORRECT! Melt in your mouth tender, great smoke flavor, two large cuts. Mac n cheese - makes Velvetta look like amateur. Very creamy and has serious white cheddar taste. Sweet potato Fries A++++. Scallops - YES PLZ! Medium size, excellent quality, flavor and seared perfectly. Okra was very good.

The Bad. Crab DIp - zero flavor, just not good. Served with bread - but not even toasted. Terrible! Flounder sandwich. Flounder was excellent, but served on a cheap Cosco hamburger bun….. Really? Flounder was fried perfectly and great, but still - hamburger bun? I ordered a side Soft Shell Crab, about average. I am not sure I would order it again for $12.

When we got there, the young lady whom started our order was excellent, just like the owner. The new gal that took over must have had a bad night or morning. Not friendly or attentive at all. If she smiled her face would probably break. Overall, a great place with lots of locals...

My hubby and I ate here on a Saturday evening. The parking lot and adjacent yard were packed, so we had to park across the street.

The wait time was just a few minutes, despite the restaurant being packed. The drink menu was minimal, so it wasn't overwhelming to choose from the standard choices.

As for the dinner menu, be warned that very few entrees offered a non-fried option. I ordered the scallops sautéed in butter with green beans and mash potatoes and gravy as my sides. The scallops were perfectly cooked with a touch of old bay seasoning. Very impressed. The sides were a complete disappointment. The green beans came from a can, while the mash potatoes were instant. When I go to an expensive restaurant, the sides should be made from scratch and freshly prepared. You are paying for that elevated dining experience, but it wasn't the case due to the sides.

The staff looked super busy, which explained the slow service. It took nearly 20 minutes to get the check. Unfortunately, this is another...

Ok, I ate here a few days ago and needed some time to gather my thoughts.

Phenomenal. Seriously.

The service was great from the moment we walked in. One look around and I knew I was in the right spot.

As soon as my butt hit the chair, a basket of fried perfection appeared in front of me. What are y’all putting in those hush puppies? Crack!? I ate the whole basket by myself. Didn’t even feel bad about it.

Ice tea was perfect. The mason jar mugs? Yes please. I never saw the bottom of the glass because our server was on top of it with the refills.

I thought it couldn’t continue like this. There’s NO WAY dinner will be good. Wrong. It was delicious. The clams and Cajun catfish bites were ab-so-lutely BANGIN.

I should have worn my buffet pants, but I had to settle for the ol “undo the top button” trick because dessert was next. Key Lime Pie. You guys aren’t gunna believe it… BUSSIN’ (see, I speak the same as the youth. I’m “with it”. Right?).

This place deserves a...