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The Red Sky Cafe
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
24 reviews for The Red Sky Cafe
Review Highlights
"The Asiago Artichoke Dip and bread."
(in 3 reviews)
"Seared ahi, shrimp and grits, stuffed chicken and roast..."
(in 5 reviews)
"Last meal here I had a slice of Key Lime cake."
(in 2 reviews)
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24 reviews in English
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Review from Vanessa A.
Eustis, FL
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stooopid yummy food, friendly service, and a tasty assortment of beverages makes this someplace I'll revisit on our next trip to NC.
We started with the seafood dip (wonderful and not too fishy) and the chorizo sausage app (oh such a wonderful mix of flavors). I had the charred raw tuna app (oh, the wasabi sour cream!) since I wasn't too hungry and it was more than enough for a reasonable eater. Hubby had the delectable Blue Moo (fork-tender filet w/blue cheese), and his aunt the amazing crab cakes (redneck risotto and all).
Even the desserts, which I believe change regularly, were scrumptious.
I guess my only complaint stems from years in the hospitality industry: we were auto grat-ed. Yes there was six of us but c'mon, read your clientele! As nice as she was we didn't even look at the bill and ended up double tipping...which REALLY annoyed me.
Over all, though, an enjoyable experience. Go check it out. -
Review from Christine G.
Raleigh, NC
10/19/2011
We went out for lunch on a rainy Wednesday. We had perused the menu online ahead of time and decided to try this place for lunch versus dinner. It wasn't busy, but then again, it's off season. Decor is nice, although we were seated next to the bar, which offers up a great view of the kitchen. Service was perfunctory, and we were out of there in about 40 minutes.
My boyfriend had fish tacos and I had the fajita quesadilla. He liked his tacos--it was made with mahi mahi instead of the usual tuna. Mine left something to be desired, although that could be because I couldn't easily pick out the onions and peppers (I like the taste they bring to food, but don't like to actually eat them). Also, I was a bit turned off by the refried beans in the quesadilla...and the fact there was not much cheese or chicken in it. It was heavy on veggies and light on protein (unless you count the refried beans).
I'd try this place again for lunch and get a burger. I'm still on the fence about trying this place for dinner. -
Review from J C.
Purcellville, VA
9/21/2011 2 photos
Solid food. Great take on the turkey sandwich (I-Neal). Pricey, lackluster desserts.
My wife and I ate lunch there today. She ordered fajitas grilled shrimp. I ordered the I-Neal, a turkey sandwich with brie, cranberry sauce, bacon and lettuce on hearty toasted bread. Both of us had iced tea to drink.
My wife seemed to enjoy her fajitas, which had lots of freshly grilled shrimp on top. My I-Neal was excellent, with just enough cranberry sauce and brie to accompany, not overpower, the turkey and bacon combo. The potato salad that came with the sandwich was tasty, but on the sweet side.
After the meal we were asked if we had room for dessert. The waiter described the options, rather than presenting them or offering a menu. I chose the coconut cream cake. The waiter left, then reappeared with a dessert tray. The coconut cake was all gone, but the Key Lime cake looked good so I went with that. It did indeed 'look' good. It was, however, mostly sugary icing and flavorless cake. I pointed this out to the waiter, who basically said "yeah, most guests just eat around the icing". When we got the bill, we found out just how proud they are of this cake. It's listed on the bill as "$9 Dessert" for the price of, you guessed it, $9.
I don't know if we'll get back for dinner. I will say, I'd avoid their desserts at all cost, unless you feel obliged to overpay for lackluster options.
3 Stars for the food, .5 stars for the dessert. -
Review from Anna S.
9/6/2011
2.5 stars. Ate a solid meal here with my family last Friday, but I was bothered by the restaurant's refusal to get off the fence of family vs. fancy, reservations vs. no. This fence-sitting created major problems in service of which the staff seemed to be in denial.
Prices looked high for what was on offer--most entrees were in the realm of $30 and didn't sound that expensive (grilled fish, chicken, shrimp and grits)--but the restaurant delivered good value for the money. My caprese salad was big and full of fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, and the shrimp and grits were spicy, satisfying, and way too big to finish. By the time they threw in hot, fresh bread and artichoke dip, I knew I wouldn't resent the cost.
Here's what annoyed me: the wait. They operate a "priority seating" system, which the upbeat afternoon hostess told me was like a reservation system, only we might have to wait an extra few minutes when we got there. OK. We signed up for a 7:30pm slot fully expecting to wait a few minutes, and when we arrived, the equally-upbeat evening hostess said that every table in the restaurant was just about to clear out! And in a few minutes this place would be a ghost town!
For the next hour, we waited outside in a crowd of cranky, impatient fellow "priority seating" list members. Many were sniping that their kids needed to go to bed and they wouldn't have brought them out if they'd known they wouldn't eat until 8:30. Their kids in turn were running around, wailing their heads off. Buzz kill.
Not the queen of patience myself, I twice went in to check with the hostess on our progress, only to hear again the same upbeat "in a few minutes, this place will be a GHOST TOWN!" and an assurance that there were only two people ahead of us on the list--the exact same thing she then said to the woman behind me. We did eventually get seated, but by then we were famished and bored from a wait we hadn't expected. And the dining room was screamingly loud, full of toddlers and parents yelling "inside voices! INSIDE VOICES!" Guess what: it never became a ghost town.
What is the point of the "priority" system if the wait is so long? Why not just do reservations or not? This is a restaurant that charges reservations-venue prices for reservations-quality food that's delivered with cheap-Mexican-place timing in a cheap-Mexican-place ambiance. The disconnect is noticeable, but the staff just pretends it doesn't exist. The hostess's relentless positivity just highlighted the fact that she wasn't telling the truth about wait times, and the deliciousness of the food just highlighted the jarring chaos of the surroundings. -
Review from Bob H.
Abington, PA
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Nice beer selection. Crab bisque was awesome. Waiter was great.
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Review from Halani X.
West Sacramento, CA
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had dinner here in October for my cousin's rehearsal dinner. The food was presented nicely, but was unexpectedly bland. The portions were generous, however, and the service was attentive even though we took up most of the restaurant space.
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Review from Jason R.
Santa Monica, CA
9/27/2011
I ate at Red Sky two days in a row completely by accident. I attended a wedding of a good high school friend at the historic Whalehead Club in corolla NC where the event was skillfully catered by the Duck dining establishment. People were literally raving about the food. Seared ahi, shrimp and grits, stuffed chicken and roast beef. I quickly texted an extended family member who works for Red Sky to see if she was also at the wedding. While she wasn't, we set up lunch at the actual brick and mortar restaurant for the next day- where I had a grilled tuna burrito that literally blew my mind. Head chef Wes Stepp came out and talked to us a little bit This is one of my favorite places to eat, not just while in Duck, but of all the Outer Banks. Keep up the good work.
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Review from Jamey M.
Roanoke, VA
10/7/2011
They catered my wedding yesterday and that's all my guest talk about the next day. Amazing food. Shrimp amd grits, BBQ. A+++++++
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Review from Paul L.
Norfolk, VA
7/19/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Had lunch here today with Dr. J and two of her friends. We all ordered from their daily specials board and were pleased with the results. Dr. J and I had the fish taco's (Mahi),and Lee and Kathy had the grouper. All were cooked and seasoned perfectly. For drinks I had a Fat Tire (not too cold, though), and the ladies had Bloody Mary's, which they enjoyed (very meaty, spicy and flavorable were the comments). We always enjoy this place and have been many times for dinner and lunch. A good recommendation for Duck with good service and reasonable prices (always check out their specials, very tasty and original). One small ding this outing, beer needs to be colder, especially the one's on special and my cheese had melted on my plate before arriving at the table. Did not complain because I do not put cheese on my fish taco, but for those who do, an issue.
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Review from Mandi F.
Glenolden, PA
8/7/2011
I go with my family and everyone loves it. Once I had grits with my entree and they were AMAZING! I don't even like grits. It is pricey but the food is worth it. There is no doubt that it will be crowded but come in the mood to have good food and good conversation and you'll leave totally satiated!
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Review from Mike G.
Mansfield, MA
4/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was not our first time to Red Sky, though it was our first foray in pre-season. Again, the decor and the staff and the menu were great. Again, the food was plentiful and delicious. Again, the drinks were well done. And, unfortunately, again we were in and out in under 45 minutes.
My wife started with the she crab soup and I had the Ceasar salad. Both came out quickly. So quickly, in fact, we never got the famed asiago artichoke dip. Wasn't even offered. Maybe it's only for larger parties. Maybe that was a blessing in disguise because the entrees showed up before we got halfway through the appetizers. As good as my salad was, it instantly became less tasty when I felt I needed to either shovel it down or just give up on it.
My wife ordered the tuna special (tuna with lump crab meat) and I had the basil chicken pasta. Sorry, I can't stand seafood, so much of the menu at a beach location is lost on me. My wife liked her tuna, but wished she had ordered it medium-rare instead of medium. The chicken in my dish was ok,, but the tortellini was perfect.
We chose to skip the desserts, partly because the meals were good and partly because they looked like they picked the desserts up at Harris Teeter earlier today.
I want to give Red Sky a great rating, but I can't get past the feeling that I just paid Ritz prices for a McDonalds-length dining experience. Again, the food was top-notch but the rushed service kills a star. -
Review from Jon K.
7/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
Wife and I had our last OBX vacation dinner here. It was a last minute decision.
The meal begins with the complimentary warm asiago artichoke dip. The waiter informed us that it is normally served with an in-house baked baguette but they ran out so ours came with lightly toasted and olive oil drizzled sourdough. Great start!
I began with a perfect cup of she crab soup. Amazing. Chunks of crab with a perfect balance of sherry. Mmmmm.
Next I had the charred ahi tuna. Described as "local Yellow Fin Tuna dusted in kosher salt & pepper, cast iron seared & thin sliced Served with seaweed salad, wasabi sour cream & Asian laquer." Quite possibly the best, and freshest, seared ahi tuna that I have ever consumed. The seaweed salad was run-of-the-mill sushi bar type and the wasabi sour cream had no reason to be on the plate. The chef is very talented but might want to keep things a bit simpler at times.
Wife began with a Caprese salad. Menu described it as "Fresh Mozzarella Served on Summer Steak, Tomatoes, Field Greens & Shaved Red Onions, finished with Sweet Balsamic Reduction, Olive Oil,Cracked Black Pepper & a Chiffonade of Fresh Basil." She seemed to enjoy.
Her main course was the Buttered Beef. Again, described on the menu as "Black Angus Rib Eye, Kosher salt & cracked pepper dusted Grilled & wood fired to temp with a Horseradish gorgonzola butter." The quality of the meat was suspect. She seemed to like the combo of the meat and horseradish gorgonzola butter but something was just off.
My main was the Wood Fired Mixed. Described as "Freshest of the Catch, stung by sea salt & cracked pepper, paired with local shrimp & a petite crab cake, Finished with a summer breeze salsa, fresh mozzarella and Striped with a Balsamic laquer." All of the seafood was tasty and well executed. No clue why they would include fresh mozzarella.
We passed on the in-house desserts.
The bartender was our waiter and he did a great job. -
Review from Bev S.
North Brunswick Township, NJ
8/19/2011
Ate a late lunch at Red Sky. The food was great- I had the fish tacos and others had the fish burritos, fajitas and hamburgers. Everyone liked their food. Would recommend.
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Review from Dan B.
Jackson Township, NJ
5/9/2011
I've never had anything but lunch here, but I always leave full and happy. Fish tacos, shrimp and grits, and reuben are all good options The potato salad that most of the lunches come with is a great side and I'd much rather have that than fries.
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Review from bubba g.
Atlanta, GA
6/20/2010
Good for lunch, atmosphere is casual and food way overpriced for dinner. Get the shrimp and grits-lacking only tomatoes, bacon makes a surprise cameo in this dreamy over creamy, slightly cajun spiced edition that isn't too stingy on the shrimp. An enemy to a svelt waistline, but very enjoyable to eat. Service was brisk, polite, and refreshingly competent. Beer on tap just $5.
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Review from S B.
Hatfield, PA
8/26/2010
Had an amazing lunch special for just $9 - a BBQ Chicken Sandwhich w/bacon, w/fries and coleslaw. I normally would not order this, but we were in a rush. It was fantastic - the sauce on the chicken was amazing. Portion was huge!
The kids menu was OK - why do restuarants dumb-down food for kids? -
Review from Candace K.
Gaithersburg, MD
9/17/2008
We went for lunch and I'd say this is a solid lunch spot. Our server was good, we sat at the bar area so we were able to see all the food as it came out. Hubby got a cheesesteak thingy and I got a chicken wrap. I had ordered my wrap without tomatoes and when the server picked it up (right in front of us, we were that close to the kitchen) he noticed that it was made incorrectly and asked if I minded. I wasn't in the mood to pick apart the wrap so I asked him to have another one made for me so I ended up watching my hubby eat his lunch. Still good food but the kitchen needs to tighten up a bit.
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Review from Lindsey W.
San Francisco, CA
7/14/2005
I used to come here for the great pizza and sandwiches. The recently revamped the place as more upscale and pricier. Kinda miss the old Red Sky.
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Review from Nate K.
Granville, OH
3/30/2010
Really good crab fritters, rockfish special was soo good, place was great! nice sunset to watch!
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Review from Laine A.
Norfolk, VA
7/20/2009 1 photo
The Asiago Artichoke Dip and bread. Amazing! The dip was asiago cheese melted (maybe with a little sour cream or something) and then topped with fresh, chopped tomatoes, green peppers, red onion and I believe a little jalapeno. What a spread. I noticed on the menu that they charge $5 for any dip and bread after the first serving. I can see why, people would wipe them out otherwise. Very quickly, our appetizer, the Thai Pork Spring Roll, arrived. Another winner. The roll was very tasty and was served with a soba noodle and seaweed salad mixture. We had barely finished the Thai roll and our entrees arrived. We were both astounded. I have never had a meal move this quickly. My choice, the Sesame Lacquered Salmon, was okay. It more more Teriyaki than orange-glaze (and yes they could be considered in the same family of flavors, I suppose) and I am not a huge fan of Teriyaki. My mistake. The side vegetables were steamed and could have had more flavor but the the mashed potatoes were very creamy...that was my favorite part of my meal and I am not a mashed potato-addict.Nikki fared much better. Her Chardonnay Shrimp and Pasta was fantastic. Shrimp, mushrooms, peppers and onions and the Chardonnay sauce was not as heavy as an Alfredo but very creamy and full of flavor. The winner of the entree course. Lastly, I had spotted the dessert tray and had to know what some of those decadent things were. There were about ten choices, including three or four types of cheesecake, some kind of cookie pie and a host of others. I had my sights set on the three layer devil's food cake with white-Hershey icing. A good choice to ease my entree disappointment. The one kicker, we arrived at 6:50pm and were in the car by 7:48pm. We knew the food came out quickly, but there was almost no break between courses to relax. I think we might have just missed the early bird rush and just beat the dinner surge. Prices are standard for a good meal.
I will definitely journey to Red Sky Cafe again, but will choose a different entree. They have a wide variety of dishes, so I am sure I will find something to fit my pallet. I do suggest making a reservation. This prevents a long wait at most of the nicer restaurants on the Outer Banks. -
Review from Mla A.
Kill Devil Hills, NC
6/4/2010 1 photo
Great place! Also agree, the dip is sooo good and everything else is good too
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Review from S J.
Howard, MD
10/11/2009
Just spent a week down in OBX and had lunch and dinner here. Everyone in the party agreed these were the best meals of the week. For comparison we also ate at Blue Point, Outer Banks Brewing, JK's and the Roadside. At lunch, which is a pretty good bargain, I had the shrimp and grits which was really, really good, I highly recommend it. Dinner was the ahi tuna appetizer followed by the half duck. The tuna was outstanding and the duck was very good. It's a small casual place, about 20 tables, has a fairly priced and eclectic wine list and the service was very good. About the only things I can find to pick on was that the server didn't know much about the wines and the desserts desperately need to be upgraded. On a list that includes a lot of blends and no descriptions, I would hope that the server would at least be able to tell me if it's semi-dry etc. The dessert tray had four offerings, three of the four resembled store bought items and were all either cheesecake type stuff or cake slices, just didn't seem to compare to the rest of the meal. To be fair, we didn't try any of them and passed. If you liked Meridian 42 before the change in ownership and like Blue Point, you should definately check this place out.
Update: 6/18/11 Okay, evidently everybody else has discovered this place and they've doubled the prices from the time that I wrote this review. Still good food, but not nearly the value it once was. Also, the desserts have been upgraded as well. Last meal here I had a slice of Key Lime cake...yes cake...it was awesome, but at 9$ a slice, it had better be....:) -
Review from christina F.
Arlington, VA
10/31/2010
1. Make reservations. We did, and passed a lot of people waiting.
2. the food is pricey, but, as someone else said, it is on par for any other decent restaurant. You also get a ton of food. We brought home a lot of leftovers.
3. the food is great. the bread and dip is included with the entree and the in house bread is great. I had the soup of the day (Gazpacho Soup) and it was excellent. I then had the mixed grill - fish of the day (mahi) plus local shrimp and a crab cake - all great. the side of saute veggies and grits were amazing. and they have cake for dessert. so. freaking. good.
4. this restaurant is also good for kids. which is awesome, since we have them and all, and like to take them to dinner of decent food. the food come fast. the kids menu is decent (though i ordered the chicken off the regular menu for my kids to split, so i can't judge the kids menu. the chicken, however, was also excellent)
We've eaten at most "good" restaurants (including the really expensive ones) in the outerbanks over the years, and i think this one is top three, if not my favorite. -
Review from Lisa W.
Rockville, MD
12/31/2010
Went to Red Sky Cafe after the December snow storm that hit the OBX. Roads were a little icey and so there were only a few couples in the restaurant. This was our first time going to Red Sky. We frequent the owners sister restuarant "Outerbanks Seafood" in Corolla, NC. However, they remain closed in the off season. The waiteress bought out a warm artichoke dip. I wish the bread would have been warm but it was still delicious. We split an appetizer of the fish and chips and they were cooked just right. Tons of chips. Husband and son got the rockfish and I got the salty oysters with poor mans risotta (grits). It was all very good. Not sure why there have been some bad reviews posted on here. However, during season I now there are not enough good restuarants to handle the crowds. Only disappointment was they did not have the tuna appetizer. If it is anything like their sister restuarant it is out of this world. I will definetly recommend this to others!
