Breakfast, lunch, and sushi on NC-12 in Buxton, named for the shoals just offshore
Diamond Shoals Restaurant & Sushi Bar sits right on NC-12 in Buxton, the village that anchors the middle of Hatteras Island and is home to the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The name comes from Diamond Shoals, the shifting sandbars stacked up a few miles offshore that have wrecked ships for centuries and given this stretch of coast its reputation as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Inside, the menu splits its attention between straightforward breakfast-and-lunch cooking and a sushi bar, a pairing that's harder to find the farther you get down the island. Hours run early morning through early afternoon only, seven days a week, which makes it a better bet for a post-beach or post-lighthouse meal than a dinner plan — worth double-checking current hours before you go, since NC-12 closures and storm season can shuffle schedules along this whole stretch of the seashore.
5,458 reviews
3 months ago
BEST CLAM STRIPS I’VE EVER HAD!!! They aren’t lying when they say fresh. I grew up on Calabash seafood too. My husband got the clam chowder and raved about it. For my vegan/vegetarian friends, there is a beyond burger available as well as a legit, fresh salad bar. The service was also excellent, and I loved the atmosphere. It was casual, but really nice, bright, fresh, and clean. It’s a really legit seafood place.
a month ago
This is by far one of my favorite seafood places on the outer banks! We had the catch of the day, and it was exceptional. The hush puppies are so good, and the crab tomato bisque is the best I've ever had. We loved it so much we came back for just the soup, and bought a quart to go home with us. The servers are kind and helpful, and they're very knowledgeable about the menu. It's small, so during the busy season there might be a wait, but we never had one.
a month ago
We were seated right away. Staff is friendly. There's a sign outside claiming to have the best clam chowder. My wife tried it and said "It did not disappoint". I had the grouper. It was great and they have a really good tarter sauce. Also tried the fried clam strips. They were really good.
5 months ago
Diamond Shoals was great! Our server Chloe was very friendly and attentive. The service was very fast. The clam chowder was amazing and we enjoyed the complimentary hush puppies. The shrimp and scallop dinner with sweet potato and green beans was so delicious. Overall the experience was well worth the price!
5 months ago
Ate here with friends. A good time was had by all. Chloe was our server and she was on top of it. We never ran out of anything and the food was great! I would definitely come back again! I had popcorn shrimp, baked potato and fresh veggies 😋