I don’t leave many reviews, but our experience was worth sharing. My family has been coming to Ocracoke since I was little (over 30 years). We were excited to see Jolly Roger come back (and expand the seating area, with upstairs seating as well). The harbor views are hard to beat (especially at sunset), the food was great (even better than the old JR was). But the biggest reason for leaving a 5-star review was our server Emre (I believe that’s how he said he spelled his name). He was one of the friendliest and most welcoming servers I (we) have ever had at any service industry establishment anywhere. I manage all our servers/bartenders at my family’s brewery in Virginia, and Emre is exactly the kind of person I want all my staff to emulate when they are representing my business to the public. Best part is he seemed very genuine and sincere in his kindness and hospitable demeanor. Keep him as long as you can (and give him a raise)!! 🍻
We have been waiting since 2019 for the rebuild and reopening of the Jolly Roger on Ocracoke. It is located on prime real estate, with the best views of Silver Lake, the light house and sunsets. We have been coming to the island for 37 years and the Jolly Roger has always been our favorite hang out.
Well, today was the day and we were among the first customers to experience this modern era of the Jolly Roger. It did not disappoint. Beautiful. Spacious. Nicely decorated. Fantastic staff and a great starting menu that will slowly expand. You’ll likely see John, the owner, greeting customers, helping staff and getting hands-on with what needs to be done. That’s how to run a great restaurant.
Let’s get to the most important part first: the food. Our party of four ordered the grilled tacos, calamari and grilled shrimp and avocado salad. We were very pleased with each dish. Fresh, flavorful, filling and reasonably priced. The calamari was perfectly crisp and had wonderful flavor with added jalapeños and seasoning. On our taco dish, the jasmine rice was unique and delicious. The tacos and shrimp were perfectly prepared.
A big shout out to our server, Ashley L., who was attentive, kept us posted on the status of our meals and provided fun stories about the preparations, behind-the-scene, for opening day.
We bumped into Alex Garrish, a resident of Ocracoke and past employee at the Jolly Roger. Always good to see his friendly face. We know the kitchen is in good hands with Alex around.
The opening days, as expected, will include glitches, waits and a whole lot of motivated people learning lots of new stuff and learning to work as a team. Please be patient, enjoy the views and become part of the Jolly Roger family.
