“Tradition,” says Steve, who is now co-owner and general manager of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center (O.I.F.C.). “I know it’s cliché, but Oregon Inlet Fishing Center is truly one of the original Outer Banks traditions.”
O.I.F.C. started with humble beginnings more than 50 years ago. Owned by the local charter captains, it included a marina, a simple ships’ store and a fish-cutting facility.
Now Steve and his siblings, Russ King and Kristen King Robinson, are the current leaseholders. Over the past few years they worked hand-in-hand with the National Park Service to completely overhaul the marina and upgrade its facilities.
For starters they built a brand-new, two-story, 10,000-square-foot building that offers breathtaking views of Oregon Inlet, Pamlico Sound and the marina. Here you will find Oregon Inlet Fishing Center Booking and Reservations; Oregon Inlet Fishing Center Events Room for meetings, rehearsals, dinners, parties, celebrations and showers; an air-filling station in partnership with the N.C. Beach Buggy Association; an Oceans East Ships Store with a large variety of Oregon Inlet Fishing Center apparel and accessories and a bait and tackle shop; fueling stations; and Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen, O.I.F.C. ‘s first new restaurant since the early 1980s.
With this transformation at O.I.F.C., Steve says Oregon Inlet is more than a fishing center, it’s a family-friendly destination.
“Our charter fishing marina has everything for families, and it’s worth the drive,” he says.
It’s located just 8 miles south of Whalebone Junction in Nags Head on the north side of the Basnight Bridge over Oregon Inlet.
Of course, when most people think of a fishing center, they think of charter fishing, and O.I.F.C. offers four different options. Offshore trips head out to the Gulf Stream for a full-day adventure targeting billfish, dolphin and tuna. Nearshore excursions, aboard closed-cabin boats that stay closer to land, offer the chance to catch cobia, Spanish mackerel and bluefish, with both full-day and half-day options available. Inshore charters feature light tackle fishing from center console boats with the option for spin or fly fishing for species like speckled trout, flounder, drum and bluefish.
Miss Oregon Inlet II Head Boat continues the tradition of taking up to 65 passengers on two- to four-hour trips in the sound or ocean, making it an ideal choice for families with young children. All gear, including tackle and bait, is provided. On-site dolphin tours are also available and booked through Kitty Hawk Kites.
Even if you don’t go out on the water, you can come down to the fishing center any afternoon to walk the docks, watch the boats come in and see the catches of the day as they are unloaded from the boats and carried to the fish-cleaning facilities. It’s a memorable Outer Banks tradition that will soon be a favorite for your family, just like it was for the Kings way back when.
Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen: Casual Seafood with a Spectacular View
One of the most exciting additions to O.I.F.C. is Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen, a full-service eatery with a full bar, indoor and outdoor seating with stunning views and cuisine crafted by father-son chefs Jeff and Mac Buben.
Jeff is a world-renowned, James Beard Award-winning chef with 45 years in the business and a legacy that includes acclaimed Washington, D.C., restaurants like Vidalia, Woodward Table and Bistro Bis. Following in his father’s footsteps, Mac trained in several Michelin-star kitchens in New York City. But for Mac, who grew up vacationing on the Outer Banks, nothing compares to running a restaurant right at O.I.F.C.
“Sometimes I’ve got to just pinch myself because this is one of the wildest places in the world to run a restaurant,” Mac says. “It’s so unique and so special to the area.”
In this fun casual dining restaurant, Mac and his father are committed to serving 100 percent local seafood. Menu highlights include Savage Inlet oysters, grown just a half-mile up the channel from Oregon Inlet; yellowfin and bigeye tuna caught just offshore; and crab meat sourced from Belhaven, North Carolina. A standout item is their signature shrimp burger, a unique dish with an Asian flair that reflects the kitchen’s creative approach to regional seafood.
Not only can guests see the fish being brought in from the boats directly behind the restaurant, but they might also see Mac cut and prepare it right in front of them.
“You can sit there and be eating tuna that you just watched me cut 10 minutes before,” Mac says, adding that he often gives impromptu lessons on fish and seafood to patrons. “I’m telling them about the specific species and giving them a little course on seafood. It’s a full-circle experience for everybody.”
Overlooking the marina, Oregon Inlet, Pamlico Sound, sunsets and Bodie Island Lighthouse, the views at Sea Chef Dockside Kitchen will impress you almost as much as the food.
About the Author Maggie Miles
Maggie Miles is originally from the Outer Banks. She moved to Palm Springs in 2023 to work as an on-call reporter for the New York Times. Her portfolio includes contributions to The Times, BBC, MSN and many other media outlets. During her career, she has focused on a wide range of topics, including workplace corruption, gun violence, social justice, the environment, arts, health and wellness, travel and in-depth profiles of notable people and businesses.
