The Happiest of Hours: Outer Banks Waterfront Drinks at Sunset

Visiting friends asked me this week where they could get a drink – with a few stipulations: outside in the nice fall weather, by the water, with a view of the sunset. Simple enough question, but my mind started swimming with all the possibilities. Locals know exactly what I’m talking about: Friends are in town or coming soon and they ask you a seemingly simple question about where to stay, what to eat, the best place for fill-in-the-blank, and an hour later you’re down the rabbit hole of recommendation-making like some kind of travel agent. Or, if you're a blog writer, you just write a blog about it.

Photo: The view from the deck at NC Coast in Duck

The Outer Banks has so many great options so there’s rarely a quick and easy recommendation, as you'll see below. The best locations for a sunset drink are, obviously, on the west side of the islands overlooking the sound. Duck and Hatteras Island have the most options. Keep in mind that this is a specific list of where to get a drink and maybe a snack outside right by the water and see the actual sun actually set into the water or over land (depending on the weather and time of year). 

This blog does not include all the other fun drinking establishments like beer gardens, rooftop bars with a view, pet-friendly patios, yard bars, indoor restaurants, etc. that might have a view of a pretty sky at sunset — that list would go on and on. To see more of the outdoor drinking options, click here. There are other restaurants that offer sunset views, but these are the places where it’s easy to just go get a cocktail at sunset and not have to worry about securing a coveted table by the window at just the right time. For a full list of Outer Banks restaurants, click here.

If you enjoy an outdoor cocktail in a waterside setting and you want to catch a sunset, you are going to love this list of soundfront bars on the Outer Banks. If your favorite is not on the list, feel free to comment below and tell us why you love it.

Photo: Sunset firepits at Village Table & Tavern in Duck

Duck

Village Table & Tavern – soundside outdoor bar with covered seating and yard games

Sunset Grille and Raw Bar – huge soundfront deck with plentiful seating

Back Bar at The Blue Point – soundside yard bar

Eventide – sophisticated deck seating right on the sound along Duck boardwalk

NC Coast – outdoor seating along Duck boardwalk

Aqua – outdoor deck seating and in the yard

Kill Devil Hills

The Blue Crab Tavern – soundside dive bar on Colington Road, outdoor area

Photo: Sugar Creek Soundfront Restaurant offers decks and a gazebo for sunset watching.

Nags Head

Miller’s Waterfront Restaurant – outdoor dockside seating and upstairs open-air seating

Sugar Creek Soundfront Restaurant – dockside gazebo bar

Manteo

Stripers Bar and Grill – three levels of indoor seating and outdoor seating on the dock

Downtown Manteo - The Town of Manteo has a social district designation downtown, so it’s an option to buy a drink at one of two wine bars, the rum distillery’s lounge or one of the other restaurants and take your drink to a waterfront bench to watch the sunset.

Photo: Soundfront drinks at Good Winds Restaurant in Rodanthe

Hatteras Island

Good Winds (Rodanthe) – second-level deck seating

Waterman’s Bar & Grill (Waves) –huge yard bar with lots of seating

Po House (Avon) –deck seating on the sound

Sandbar and Grill (Buxton) – deck seating on the sound

Inn at Pamlico Sound (Buxton) – upscale soundside bar with deck seating

The Wreck Tiki Bar (Hatteras) – deck seating overlooking the sound and marina

Dinky’s (Hatteras) - deck seating

Hatteras Sol (Hatteras) – deck seating

Breakwater (Hatteras) – deck seating

Ocracoke

SmacNally’s – waterfront dive bar overlooking Silver Lake Harbor