Oak Island, North Carolina | Best Restaurants | Kai Joe | BBQ House | Tranquil Harbor | Koko Cabana

We enjoyed breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Oak Island, a beautiful and family friendly beach town at the southern tip of eastern North Carolina. We visited Old Bridge Diner, Island Jo, Kai Joe, BBQ House, Tranquil Harbor, Koko Cabana, and Tropical Treats. Oak Island has a picturesque, sandy coastline with great fishing amped by two noteworthy piers. We found many restaurants to explore as well as opportunities for beach-side music. Nearby is the Oak Island Lighthouse, a magnificent structure to behold - and one from which you may climb to the top and experience sweeping views. For a local serious adrenaline rush, you can follow our kids, Joella and Jordan, to Skydive Coastal Carolina.
CONTENTS
00:00 Intro Teaser
00:55 Map & Overview
01:35 Skydive Coastal Carolina
03:57 Old Bridge Diner
05:33 Island Jo
06:14 Kai Joe's Taco Shop
08:05 Bar-B-Que House
08:58 Tranquil Harbor
11:19 Koko Cabana
13:26 Tropical Treats
14:06 Outro
Old Bridge Diner
The Old Bridge Diner is a coastal breakfast spot of local legend. Interestingly situated adjacent to a gas station, this joint can swiftly get lines of people seated and served. Their short order cooks are efficient with high quality traditional breakfast and lunch output. What they lack in menu creativity they make up with fresh ingredients and exemplary execution. This is where locals and visitors alike chose to get a full menu from open to close.
Island Jo
Island Jo is a quaint locally owned and operated coffee shop and cafe. They serve a wide variety of lattes, cappuccinos and espressos while offering breakfast sandwiches, quiche, soups, and a number of traditional lunch sandwiches from a reuben to a philly cheese steak. Add some delicious-looking baked goods and you have an experience worth pursuing.
Kai Joe
Kai Joe is an island-style taco and burrito stand with an east coast flare. It serves up creative, Hawaiian-inspired recipes for take out or dining at the outdoor picnic tables. This small building at the side of the island’s main drag turns out delicious food for locals and tourists alike. But be prepared for a wait as this spot can be popular - especially at lunch time.
BBQ House
The BBQ House is well awarded and touted as the “Best BBQ on the Beach”. In addition to Oak Island, they have locations at North Myrtle and Surfside. We used the BBQ House to cater our small post-skydiving celebration - and were not disappointed. The pork is hickory smoked and slow roasted on premise and they offer a variety of homemade sauces to satisfy just about any flavoring preference.
Tranquil Harbor
The Tranquil Harbor is a casual restaurant with locally sourced seafood, steaks and burgers, serving the Oak Island community for 20 years. In addition to their dining room, they have a nice bar and outdoor patio area. Their cinematic decor and cozy atmosphere is not fancy, but the claim is that their food is. And we would agree. The local catches are featured specials and their preparation is spot on.
Koko Cabana
Koko Cabana is a festive eatery located at the Oak Island Pier with a full bar and seating available on their ocean-view patio. Perhaps the best selection of healthy and vegetarian options on the island, they have an impossible plant-based lunch burger, cauliflower dinner entrée, tofu nachos, poke (p-okay) tuna bowl, and a selection of sweet and savory salads. Mate that with a variety of creative cocktails and carnivorous plates, and you have options to fit any preference.
Tropical Treats
Tropical Treats has one of the best selection of quick desserts on the island. From espressos and lattes to sundaes, fudge and Italian ice, this place has all of your beach treat favorites. There are even picnic tables just outside to have a seat while you down the sweet snacks.