The 13 best breakfast and brunch in Carolina Beach

What a great brunch treat! The food was amazing...so many options. The server and restaurant staff were so friendly and accommodating! A New Testament book on the table to read or take with you was something I've never experienced at a restaurant. Definitely will make this place a stop when I'm in Carolina Beach again!

Speaking with locals, and reading a couple of reviews, and this diner is awesome. Weekend off season breakfast at 9, no waiting. We heard that most of time there is a wait, but late October is a perk. Wait staff, and everybody is super friendly and fun. Lots of food selection from the menu, and it is cooked hot and fresh! Shrimp and grits platter was great. Small parking lot but we had no problem.

Our family came from MD and stopped here with our friends to enjoy a recommended breakfast and it was well worth it. The place is small and cozy and the staff were all working abundantly hard, including one of the owners. I appreciate Ms. Robyn for her excellent service and gentle demeanor. This is a five star establishment. I recommend the pancake trio.

This place has a warm welcoming environment. All staff are friendly and personable. The owners are very courteous and present! The food is absolutely delicious!! We had the pleasure of having Brittany as our waitress! She was so nice and on top of everything! She made sure we had everything we needed and she was beyond sweet! The food came out extremely fast considering the place was a full house! I highly recommend dining at Kate’s pancake house! Awesome place and tasty food with so many options it’s hard to choose!

we LOVED this place ... food was delicious .. my wife's trio pancakes were other worldly ... the only reason this wasn't a 5x5 star review was our server who we tipped decently anyway, CLEARLY was hating her life today .. everything was forced .. her entire demeanor screamed I dont want to be here .. and we both spent a lifetime in retail AND food.. so we get it.. but when the customer can FEEL the contempt you are having for your job today its time to take a breather. We loved the homey comfortable local breakfast joint feel here ... my bacon cheeseburger was on point..

Kate’s is a cozy little beach restaurant serving typical breakfast meals. I had the pancakes eggs and bacon meal and my wife had the French toast breakfast. The breakfast was good as was the service. My only complaint is that the ice tea was dry weak and had very little flavor it was like drinking water.

Best breakfast place I have ever been to. We went twice on our trip. Tracy is an awesome server. Everyone we interacted with was great. Thank you!!!

I’ll keep this simple and to the point. Getting donuts from Britt’s is literally about the “experience”; more so to say you’ve been there and tried it out. The donuts are “funnel cakes”; minus the powdered sugar. Walm*rt sells fabulous donuts that I prefer over these ANY day. Plan to spend an hour of your life; minimum during this excursion. Remember you have to pay for parking at the beach as well. So if you’re not already there, plan on spending a few extra bucks if you’re just coming to pick up donuts. Cash only at Britt’s. Staff is awesome. The donuts do not meet the hype this place receives. Keep your expectations low when it comes to the taste/ quality. They’re good; but FAR from AMAZING donuts. Eat right away or you can plan on throwing them in the trash.

If heaven had a snack stand, it would be Britt’s Donuts in Carolina Beach. I don’t know what kind of wizardry is going on behind that counter, but these folks have taken a basic donut and elevated it to something just shy of a religious experience. I bit into that warm, golden, glazed circle of joy and forgot my own name for a full 45 seconds. Let me be clear: these are not just donuts. These are the Beyoncé of baked goods. One bite and suddenly I was weeping softly and re-evaluating my life choices. Why have I wasted so many years on other, lesser pastries? Now, fair warning—there’s usually a line, but that’s just the universe’s way of building character. And trust me, the moment that sweet, sticky halo of fried perfection hits your lips, you’ll realize every second was worth it. I would gladly wait in line behind a marching band of tourists and a small herd of sunburned beach dads in flip flops for these things. Pro tip: don’t just buy one. You’ll take a bite, look down, and it’ll already be gone. Get a dozen. Then tell your friends you only bought six. Protect your stash. Thank you, Britt’s, for reminding us that in this crazy world, there is still good, there is still magic, and it is fried and glazed and served in a little white bag.

I actually live about 20 minutes from Britt’s donuts, but I never seem to get over there lol. It’s been years since I’ve had Britt’s, so we decided to go get some today. There’s always a line to get them but if you go early you don’t have such a long line to wait in. But, they were so good! Shows you that if it’s not broke, don’t fix it! They have been doing the same donuts the same way for decades now, but the minute you take your first bite, you realize why they haven’t changed it lol. It’s crispy but chewy and soft. If you’re not drooling from the pictures yet, you need to look closer lol. How about you just stop drooling and go get one! Seriously stop reading and go!!!!!

BUSY!!!!But the line moves fast. 🍩 Donuts are warm, crispy very simple. I recommend you try this place

i’m going to give it a 5-star for the experience. the donuts aren’t really the best but it was worth a try if you are visiting the Carolina Beach. better to eat them while they are still hot or else you may have to throw them in the garbage.

Every time I visit Carolina Beach, I make sure to stop by Britt’s Donuts. It’s been around since 1939 and is home to the best donuts I have ever tasted. They only serve on type of donuts, freshly made glazed but that’s all they need. As a NC native I have tasted fresh Krispy Kreme donuts of all varieties but nothing comes close to whatever goes on in the back of that Britt’s bakery. My personal record is seven donuts in one sitting but be careful because they come out burning hot! I’d wager these are the best glazed donuts in all of America.

Great tradition at Carolina beach. WARM donuts at $1.25 a pop. No specialized toppings or types, just straight glazed.

This was about a 10 minute walk from our Carolina Beach condo rental at Sands V. Very easy to get to if you're staying anywhere on the oceanfront. We had a full moon the night we ate here so the atmosphere was perfect. I didn't care for my lemonade or mahi sandwich, but my wife's fish tacos were great. And the fries were perfect. Also liked my son's chicken tenders -- really easy to share. The best views will be from the Tiki Bar. But anywhere on the deck is perfect.

Great spot to enjoy lunch or dinner on a pier. The tiki bar is super cute and on the pier. The restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. Good fish options, kids food, and grear views. There is free parking across the street from the hotel.

Great location, not mentioned much is the great 2nd floor of the main restaurant. The view is great, AC works wonderful. Food, decent, but your paying a premium due to location. Service was awesome.

Amanda, our waitress was delightful!! we had the fish tacos😋😋and they were delicious, also the salsa was sooo good, perfect spice and I’m Mexican so I have high expectations, they exceeded them!!! great experience!!

I ordered the Calabash platter with flounder, shrimp, fries, coleslaw, and hushpuppies. The shrimp and fish were nicely battered, though the fish could have used a touch more seasoning. The fries were crisp and well-seasoned, while the hushpuppies were a bit dry and lacking flavor. The coleslaw and cocktail sauce both had a pleasant kick from the horseradish, which was a nice surprise. Overall, it was a tasty and satisfying dish. For dessert, I tried the hot fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream. The brownie itself was a little stiff and only lukewarm, which took away from the experience. Service, however, was excellent—the staff were friendly and accommodating.

The coleslaw is the BEST slaw I have ever had in life. The food is really good, too. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and ocean views.

Actually the night was pleasant not that cold sitting on the deck it’s self service which is a OK , I’m still searching for the shrimp in the cocktail, the wedge salad was terrific, the shrimp roll was a OK the crab sandwich was disappointing, mai tai , shrug of shoulders

I’ll start with the service , Pam is amazing very sweet and nice . Now the food. The portions are huge so you get your moneys worth . I got the big breakfast and the bacon and sausage were perfect. But the home fries stole the show! The home fries were sliced with onions and seasoned perfectly (not to salty like most places) they were stove top cooked not deep fried which is the only way to do them . Nice outside eating area but the only thing that I don’t like is its cash only and it’s $3.25 to get cash at the atm on site so bring cash

My sister and our good friend went to the Gulf Stream on Tuesday the 16th of Septemberst 8:30 am. Our wait was a bit long to get our food since there were only 3 tables taken. Our waitress was extremely cold not one smile. I ordered shrimp and grits as the menu ingredients did not say onions were in them. And boy there onions in them!!!! It took me 10 minutes to dig them out. ( our waitress never came back to even check on us) as for my sister and our friend ,they had French toast and sausage links. Well… the French toast was not cooked enough and the sausage links were gray not browned at all. We ate cold food 😡could’nt send back as we never had our server even check on us. We letf talking about this bad experience. Walked across the road to get some gifts. My sister had to leave because she felt sick. Barely made it to McDonald’s and got horribly sick. What a way to send our yearly vacation. Been eating there for 5 years and it seems like the food and service has gotten worse! Very disappointed and it ruined our whole day. Do Better Gulf Stream!!!! Go back to the good food and service we are used too!!!

Stream Restaurant is a fantastic hometown diner that serves up some of the best breakfast around. The atmosphere is cozy and welcoming, making it a perfect spot to start your day. The menu is filled with amazing breakfast options that will satisfy any craving. Just a heads up, thoug, make sure to bring cash, as this place doesn’t accept anything else. Overall, if you're looking for a great breakfast experience, Stream Restaurant is definitely worth a visit!

Gulfstream is a locals spot for breakfast and lunch. They do fill up fast, so there may be a wait. The food was great. The service was great also, especially for a party of 7. They had room for a big party but we had to sit at separate tables but close together. Here we got The Big Breakfast - 3 eggs (any way), 2 pancakes or french toast, bacon, sausage patty or link, hashbrowns or grits, and toast or biscuit. We love Gulfstream so much that we will be back.

Great food and even better service. Courtney was awesome! Cash only.

A hidden gem!! Quality food, quality people, clean and reasonably priced….what more can you ask for?

This is a cardless restaurant. We didn't know they didn't take cards for payment. The old gentleman was not pleasant. He said there is a sign on the door. We didn't see the sign until he pointed it out. Our food was late getting to us. The waitress mess our ticket up several times. The waitress was kind the food was ok. I would visit again. The chicken in waffles were decent the chicken was just fried with no season.

Nothing short of AMAZING! Vibe was just what we look for in a southern eatery. Here with the fam for a quick vacation and I felt we discovered this place way too late. Growing up in the south, it is very difficult to find a decent country ham biscuit where I live now. These biscuits were to die for and this definitely will be one of our first stops whenever we return to Carolina Beach, which we will.

This is an absolute MUST when visiting Carolina Beach! 110% worth the wait and every penny. You immediately feel like family when you walk in and the biscuits are incredible!! My husband loved the brisket biscuit (add an egg) with the bologna being another favorite. I really liked the pork chop biscuit and the fried chicken!!

I would give them 100 stars if it were an option. The food is delicious. The swag is awesome (I still need a hat!) but the best part? The people. You’re coming to Granny’s to get a hug and a cat head biscuit. Except they’re elevated. Trust me, punch another hole in your belt and head over. The free stickers are just a bonus.

This is now our go to breakfast place when we are here! The most friendly people, fast service, and accommodating. Food was delicious! Even saw the employees bring breakfast sandwiches to the landscapers working outside. Great place. Highly recommend.

If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I would. The biscuits were the fluffiest, perfectly baked biscuits I’ve ever had! Go ahead and just order one of everything off the menu to try it all, you can’t go wrong with any selection. We tried the country ham and cheese, perfectly salty ham and the tasty biscuit, the pimento cheese was perfect and had a smoky flavor and the jam of the week so deliciously sweet, it worked so well. Also to mention, the lady working the counter was so sweet and vibrant and treated everyone that walked in like family. This place is a MUST if you’re in Carolina Beach!

I stumbled on this amazing spot and want to shout how amazing they are to everyone in the area. We were visiting from Atlanta and were made to feel like family on the first a visit we came back for seconds the next day. The sausage biscuit was the best sausage biscuit I have ever had! Everything about it was outstanding. My husband had the brisket and he can’t stop talking about how wonderful it was. The crack cake lived up to his name. We’re craving it and can’t get anymore. The customer service was amazing. I was remembered the next day and that goes along way with me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Me and my family went to The Southerly yesterday (Saturday) and it was absolutely amazing! The staff was awesome—super friendly and welcoming. We were planning to take the food home, but it smelled so good we ended up eating it right there in the car! Everything was delicious, and the customer service was hands-down the best we’ve had in any restaurant. My family is officially hooked — we’re customers for life!

Excellent spot to grab a bite to eat and a nice coffee. The people were friendly and welcoming and the environment was upbeat while also relaxing. Beautiful views and delicious eats! Highly recommend.

We enjoyed bunch here. Loved the outdoor seating. I had the Ocean smoothie Bowl and it was sooo good. My husband had the breakfast burrito and a coldbrew latte and enjoyed it too. A funky, clean little place by the sea.

Mālama was such a good find! The atmosphere was so cute and fun, perfect mix of beachy and aesthetic. The shop was pretty busy when we got there but there was still lots of seating and we got our food/drinks out at a reasonable time. The food was absolutely AMAZING, highly recommend the Caprese avocado toast! The coffee was great and they have lots of milk alternatives. And their merch is super cute and affordable! Overall the vibes were very fun, great place to hang out with friends 🩷

I cannot say enough good things about this place! Super friendly and energetic staff who worked like a well oiled machine! The food was exceptional, I ordered the rise & shine croissant and the orange turmeric smoothie. I loved the smoothie soo much that I went back for another one before heading back home after my short two day stay at the beach. Super cool merch and the cafe had a chill vibe, the kind of place you just wanna sit back and hang at.

Fantastic coffee. I got a seasonal cold brew with marshmallow cold foam. Not super into sweet drinks but this sounded too good and it did not disappoint! Not too sweet at all, very subtle. Delicious! Also staff is super nice and happy to be there.

This is a nice little place just off the boardwalk on Carolina Beach. The staff is friendly, helpful and professional. Service was quick and accurate. My only complaint is that the powder they use in their smoothies doesn't dissolve fully so the entire smoothie has that gritty powder taste. The atmosphere was very nice and not noisy even with all tables full. Give it a try!

I have worked from Malama the last few days and have enjoyed it every time. The atmosphere is the perfect marriage of beach and coffee shop. It's also super modern and clean. As a coffee snob, the espresso was decent but not excellent. Would love to see more love given to pure coffee prep (offer pour-overs, single-origin coffee options, etc.) but that may not be in demand a tourist spot. All in all I love this spot and would recommend. Beware of the busy-ness though, very popular so plan to wait in line.

This was our first time eating here and I would return. We had the flounder platter, shrimp platter, and shrimp cocktail. Overall the food was delicious! I felt the shrimp in the cocktail was a little small for the price, however they were still great! The bread and butter they give is wonderful!! Seems to be homemade dressing too. Outside there was a gentleman playing the trumpet and he was extremely good!

We had a group of 6 for 6:15. Sitting outside on the covered patio was lovely!! Our server was great and very attentive. I had the shrimp and grits (phenomenal)! My husband had the horseradish ahi tuna (good) my child had the shrimp basket which was very good and plenty of food for a child. My mom had the shrimp and scallop Alfredo and she said it was delicious. I was hesitant to come here because of the mixed reviews but I’m really glad we did. We had a perfect experience!

My husband and l celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary here. It is a beautiful restaurant with delicious food. I had the Catch of the Day, blackened and it came with rice and some seasonal veggies. The seasonal veggies included some butternut squash. It tasted good but wasn't my preferred vegetable choice. My husband had a filet cooked to perfection. Our favorite part of the evening was dessert - Bananas Foster for two. When l tell you we are considering returning just for dessert again during our vacation stay, l kid you not. It was to die for! The staff were very friendly and we enjoyed our time.

Cute little restaurant. Service was great.. but the food and drinks were a major let down.. a PRICEY let down at that. The one thing I did enjoy was the crab dip! It was good 🤤. The calamari was just gross.. never had such chewy FISHY tasting calamari and if wasn't fried well 🤢 the pts chicken was not good.. it tasted like someone poured lemon juice over an unseasoned fried chicken breast. My mom got some kind of shrimp with a Thai chili type of sauce on them.. those were also very mid.. Drinks were EXPENSIVE and mine was nasty.. the cocktail glass I had was small to BEGIN WITH then the bartender decided to add a whole MINT PLANT to my drink which took up about 1/4th of the glass and left the drink tasting like TOOTHPASTE. The food lacks "soul" its flavorless. I think if this restaurant focused more about the TASTE of what they serve instead of making it look esthetically pleasing they would have much more success.

Overall the atmosphere was pleasant and service was very good. However, the food was very disappointing. The nachos did not have melted cheese, very confusing and sad. The shrimp cocktail was wet, I’m guessing, previously frozen shrimp. Definitely not good. The clam chowder consisted of bacon and large potato chunks, but no or very few clams. I did not see any. The food was an experience that ensures I will NEVER return.

great place to eat. server was kind and explained the menu to us. we were seated inside because it was too hot outside, but if you want to listen to the live band and enjoy the view then opt for a patio seat. food serving was large and they tasted good. this is one of the recommended restaurants when you visit the Carolina Beach, so expect a line if you go during the peak hours. since this is a tourist spot, expect the prices are a little bit expensive.

Came in on a Saturday night, they seemed pretty busy but still were sat pretty quickly. All of the staff were super nice! Our waitress was very knowledgeable on the menu and made some amazing recommendations! Probably the best drinks we had all trip, would definitely recommend the Espresso High Ball and probably the freshest Mojitos I’ve ever had. The Parmesan crusted Halibut was amazing, the prime rib was amazing, everything was amazing! Casual Fine-dining but prices were super reasonable! If you’re looking for a nice dinner place for any occasion I highly recommend Havana’s.

I enjoy the local, small businesses normally. In this case I think Granny has given up. I ordered a cup of tea with milk. I got lukewarm water, a teabag and curdled milk in a cup. I ordered the short stack and got pancakes that were dark on the outside and mushy/raw batter on inside. The bacon tasted like very old grease. My husband’s coffee was watery and room temperature and his eggs were almost raw. $29 wasted. Now we are at a bagel shop.

This place really fits the need for a good, simple, and affordable breakfast spot. Our service was phenomenal and the food was perfect and quite good for the price. It definitely feels like a small family place, and there were some spots that just felt a little worse for wear, but nothing that majorly distracted from the experience but enough to hesitate for 5 stars. Definitely would go back and quite good coffee for a small place!

Thought this was supposed to be a 4.5 star place. It is not. The biscuits and "sausage" gravy was a hockey puck for a biscuit, and zero sausage in the white glue that served as "gravy". The sunny side up egg may have just been shown a griddle, instead of actually touching one. Sadly, the pancakes were gummy. Zero seasoning in anything they served. But hey, the bacon and French toast was good, and the Pepsi was cold....

Everything was good. I love little diners with homemade food. Breakfast was delicious. And coffee was awesome. I Loved it😀 The diner is a little small. But great 👍

Went here on a Saturday morning for breakfast. They had plenty of seating but got packed quickly. Great selection of breakfast! And very good. A cozy local breakfast spot. Good service, coffee, and breakfast. I highly recommend going here. Seemed like a spot where locals go!

Fried green tomatoes, home fries with toast eggs and smoked sausage, veggie omelet and Mickey Mouse pancakes. Everything was great and I loved being able to sit outside. Customer service was also really good! Highly recommend.

Outstanding place! The French Toast Club (I think that's what it was called) was HEAVENLY!!! I can't believe I haven't been here before with as many trips to this beach as I've had. Will DEFINITELY be my new regular breakfast joint!

The inside was much bigger than we anticipated. Our server Jesse was prompt to greet us and kept my coffee mug filled up and never let our waters go empty. The food was delicious and the service was fantastic!

Can’t believe we didn’t find this place sooner! Ate here for lunch on the last day of our vacation and realized we should’ve been there all week. Food was incredible, beautifully presented and tasted amazing. Everything we ordered was top-tier. Prices were very affordable as well! Great atmosphere, no wait for seating, and super quick service! Thankful more locations are opening!

The food was pretty good but I felt it was overpriced. They do run some sort of daily special though. Fridays had 6$ burgers…. But I only saw one burger on the dinner menu and fries are not included (it does seem breakfast/ lunch menu has more options). My husband got the firecracker bowl which he felt was also overpriced and dry (not really much of a sauce as pictured) so he felt he was spending around 16 for chicken chunks and rice. The kids all American meal (breakfast for dinner) got a thumbs up from our kid though. The service was good, friendly and polite. We did have to wait a considerable time for our check with only a few other tables sat, but we were there closer to closing time as well. The place had a cool atmosphere, pretty open concept with plenty of room.

From the moment we walked in, everything was top-notch. The food was delicious , flavorful, Every dish we tried was a hit, and we left completely satisfied. But what really made our visit special was our waitress, Kat. She was incredible so personable, attentive, and genuinely kind. She made us feel welcome from the start and added such a warm, friendly energy to the whole meal. It’s rare to find someone who goes above and beyond with such ease, but Kat did just that. She’s the kind of person who turns a great meal into a memorable experience. Highly recommend both the food and the service. We’ll definitely be back especially if Kat is working! Cheers!!!!! 🥂

This is a great place to get a good breakfast Brunch or lunch! And the best mimosas I've ever had. The atmosphere is awesome, and the Servers are Great. If you eat brunch, I recommend the All American On the menu, and definitely, you have to get the mamoises! You can sit inside or you can sit outside. Either way, it's a cool place to go.

So Brunches and Brews is a great casual restaurant focusing on Brunch. But their menu also includes dinner items as well. They have a full bar + solid beer menu that includes domestics, imports and craft beers. Their footprint is expanding with locations in Cary, Wilmington and Carolina Beach as well. New stores are planned for Raleigh, Charlotte and Chapel Hill, NC. Plan to visit one of these locations and you’ll enjoy a great meal with an excellent wait staff. If at the Carolina Beach location, ask for Mika, she’s one of the managers and will take great care of you and your crowd!

FANTASTIC!!! Our Server Kathy was Awesome! We had Nutella French Toast with Turkey Sausage Links, Crab Benedict, Powerhouse Bowl and all were absolutely perfect! Great Job Kathy and Kitchen Crew yall are 🔥👊👊!

When I say you’d better get you some donuts here, I mean make it a priority!! These things are delicious!! They have some cool merch too!!

Love me some vacation donuts. 😆 these are perfect for that getaway splurge. They also have good coffee too. They have a good selection of your basics and more gourmet flavors. They also offer vegan gluten-free options. I can't vouch for them. I just saw them in the case. The shop is smaller and is a little cramped when standing in line to order. So, they have to be patient because people tend to take their time looking at the menu. Boston Cream: Spot on. Custard is not too sweet and pairs well with the chocolate icing. Fritters: Big, chewy, and full of flavor. Cake donut: Soft and sweet. Pros: Good donuts, good selection, good coffee, not far from downtown Cons: Crowded order line

We brought Donuts after having a discount at a mini golf place. They were delicious. As a French person I have to say, America knows how to make it tasty.

We love the Wilmington location and actually came back to the area for vacation mainly for these donuts, 10/10 the best donuts ever truly!

I’m not sure what they do differently with their coffee but WOW!! It was amazing!! I had planned on trying other coffee spots while we were here but the coffee blew me away so I went back several more times. The donuts were amazing too!! They were so fresh and the variety was great!! The staff obviously takes pride in their business. What a gem!!

I love donuts and always try to find a donut shop in every town/city I visit while vacationing. I had heard a lot about Wake N Bake, so I decided to give it a try. I got a half dozen. They definitely are more "cake" donuts (for those who don't like cake donuts, you may want to skip) but overall they weren't bad. The Butterfinger Bash was my favorite with the white icing and Butterfinger bits making for a good combination. I was a wee bit disappointed with the Couch Potato merely because I had hoped for a much stronger mix of salt and sweet with the broken potato chip pieces. However the chips were a bit soggy so they'd lost their crunch and salt flavor. My go-to standard at any donut shop (or what I compare) is just a standard rainbow sprinkles with chocolate (or vanilla icing). It wasn't bad at all. Definitely not the tops (compared to other places I've been) but also not the worst either. My chocolate iced cream filled...well, maybe it was an off day, but there was no cream to be found whatsoever inside. Honestly, if/when I go back, I'll probably just stick with the plain glazed as they were very tasty. And my Mom loved the apple fritter. Definitely a unique shop and I would go back again.

It's nice this coffee and donuts shop is open later than most. We stopped by to pick up some filled and glazed sweet treats in the late afternoon. The donut dough was a little dry already but overall still good. Probably have to go before noon for the best selection and quality.

Best sausage egg and cheese I’ve ever had! I tried the bagel of the day which was bacon and cheese. I also had the sweetest lady take my order. She was super friendly and even gave me bacon for my dog when I mentioned she was in the car. They were also super quick. Highly recommend!

This was a first visit for us and we loved it! They were a bit more busy on a Monday, due to it being Memorial Day, but what great service and delcious bagels! The multigrain with cream cheese, and everything bacon, egg& cheese we tried were fantastic! We got a half dz to take home and we’ll be dreaming about bagels tonight.

Island Bagels = breakfast heaven 🥯☕️. This place has that perfect cozy beach-town vibe where everything feels fresh, local, and made with love. The bagels are legit — soft and chewy on the inside with that golden crust on the outside (aka how bagels should be). Whether you’re going classic with cream cheese or loading up with eggs, bacon, and cheese, every bite hits. The menu is stacked with options — breakfast sandwiches, flavored bagels, fun cream cheese spreads — and they don’t skimp on portions. The coffee is strong and smooth (big plus if you’re rolling in after a late night or early beach walk 🌅). Service is super friendly too, like the staff actually cares you’re starting your day off right. It’s also the kind of spot where you can chill for a bit — grab a table, sip your coffee, and just soak in the local vibe. You’ll see both tourists and locals rolling through, which is always a good sign. 💡 Insider tip: Go early if you can — the most popular bagels and spreads go fast, and once they’re gone, they’re gone. Also, don’t sleep on the specialty cream cheeses (strawberry is a game-changer 🍓). Overall, Island Bagels is a must-stop for breakfast or brunch if you’re anywhere nearby. Great food, great people, and the perfect fuel for a beach day. 10/10 would bagel again. 🏖️🥯✨

Very cool place, people were very nice. They actually know how to make a proper bagel... toasted beautifully. the cream cheese, we got two different types was terrific ... i had a toasted asiago. It was chewy and crunchy and still soft and perfect. Like I said you how to do a bagel here.

Update 8/5/25… was in the area and stopped in again today. So amazing and the gentleman that helped me out was very nice. If you want to have the most bagel options go early in the morning as they sell out fast! Thank you for the best bagel sandwich. Island bagel was amazing!! Came to Carolina beach for my birthday and had to try this place. Missing bagels from my hometown in NY, living in NC now this definitely hit the spot. I will be back again and will absolutely recommend this place. Cute, friendly and so many options. I took 1/2 dozen home for my family.

Very fresh and yummy bagels. Probably the best bagel I’ve ever had. Will be coming back!

I had a great experience at this place and even went twice due to the excellent service. The bagels were delicious! I got a regular egg, bacon and cheese bagel and my husband got the gluten free, sausage egg and cheese and both were delicious 🤤. The ladies at the counter were so helpful and knowledgeable about everything and helped us greatly. I will definitely go back there next time I am at Carolina Beach!

What a disappointment. I don’t typically write a whole lot of reviews unless it’s deserving of one. This is definitely deserving of one. The chicken nuggets that belonged in a KIDS meal looked like it had been chewed on and it was also missing the bbq sauce and small fry, the wrapper wasn’t wrapped around the burger properly, and unseen was a caramel macchiato served in a cup with a frappe lid instead of a regular flat lid (not the end of the world but didn’t help). I don’t expect McDonald’s to be served in the same way a five star Michelin restaurant would be served but I do expect it to be up to standard.

Saturday morning 5/17/25 Stuck in the drive-thru line with cars moving up a space every 10 minutes. I ordered ONLINE and if YOU do, I suggest going elsewhere. Waiting 15 minutes and haven’t got to the intercom. Don’t ruin your beach trip here, go anywhere else.

Terrible experience. Came here as a tourist for two shake. Both were incorrect. I ordered on the kioks, a chocolate and strawberry shake. Waited 20 minutes and they didn’t even call our order number. Both were vanilla I asked is this chocolate and strawberry the white woman wouldn’t talk to me she would only speak to her employee and when I asked she told her employee the strawberry was out and the chocolate was messed up. I had to go out of my way to ask THEM. One of the women said she would try to fix it and the same white lady came to the counter and just pointed at the shake and still wouldn’t talk to me. I told her nicely that the other lady said she was going to try and fix it. She rolled her eyes and walked away. This was a terrible experience and it makes me upset because I was so nice to them and they weren’t even busy. Don’t go here

Do not go to this McDonald's at night time. The manager cut off the drive through during business hours and didn't bother telling the long line of cars. Drove to the windows and they begrudgingly took my order, all the bread in each order was hard as a rock and burnt. I'd rather set $30 on fire than spend $30 at a business that doesn't want me there and punishes people because they tried to spend money with them. The chicken meat itself tastes like chemicals. So disappointed & dissatisfied.

Food was mediocre at best, cold fries and old cheeseburger. Fish was fresh, probably dont sell much of it, smelled fishy. The cashier acted like everyone was an inconvenience, but went out of him way for the homeless lady that was hanging out inside.

Do not come here in the afternoon the staff is extremely slow it took them about 2 minutes after acknowledging me help me out i spent 10 minutes out of my 30-minute lunch break from when I ordered to receive my food I ordered a medium chicken strip meal and that's what they came out with so sad

Went to pick up breakfast for My grandkids on Sunday 8/24/25 at approximately 10AM. I went through the drive up window. The car in front of me waited more than 10 minutes to be given his food. There was a line of car 20 deep, I asked the window attendant why he didn’t have the driver pull-up to help expedite the rest of the cars, and he couldn’t even respond, just appeared to be confused. He appeared as if he just didn’t want to work. (Young bearded guy). Need to move him to another area.

Amazing little spot! Got the biscuit sandwich with egg sausage and bacon, one of the best biscuits I’ve had! Wife got a burrito with bacon as well which tasted fresh never frozen. Topped it off with a caramel latte and walk to the beach to enjoy breakfast with the sunrise.

This place rules! It was a super quick walk from our rental and we literally grabbed a bite to eat here every day during our stay haha. The homemade breakfast biscuits are HUGE and so delish, açaí bowls were perfect, and coffee was great. Everything was made fresh and quickly. Would totally be back next time we’re in CB!

Delicious bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich on an amazing biscuit. So good! Great selection of beer, wine, and various grocery items. Will definitely be back next time we visit CB.

Pretty weird atmosphere and extremely slow service. We walked in, bought some items and a iced coffee drink. The guy taking our orders looked very unhappy, like he didn't want to be there, didn't communicate and just talked to other customers or walked away from the counter. Zero communication like "be ready in a sec" or "just wait one minute", there was nothing. We just paid and he ignored us. After about 15 minutes of awkwardness and standing around, the guy disappeared to the back and came back with the latte. Will not be coming back.

Grabbed coffees, a breakfast burrito & chicken biscuit before walking to the beach. They were so friendly & welcoming! Absolutely love this little cafe, especially since we were on a boat just a block away.

While visiting Carolina Beach, I made it a point to walk in the mornings to get a small workout in, as well as find some easy breakfast spot to enjoy. This place quickly became my "go to" because of the delicious breakfast options. I highly recommend the breakfast burrito; it's SUBSTANTIAL, albeit a tiny bit greasy, but packed to the brim with exactly what I wanted in a breakfast burrito. Eggs cheese and sausage with peppers and chunks of potatoes. Highly, highly recommend. The breakfast sandwiches were decent, I liked the brioche bun version best, as the combination of the traditional sandwich fare (meat, egg, melted cheddar) went well well the sweetness of brioche. The biscuit version they offer was great as well, and the bagel version was OK. I am a black coffee kinda guy, so most of the expansive coffee menu was lost on me, but they seemed to have a version of a drink for everyone; you will likely find something to get here even if you don't know what you want. The iced black coffee was unremarkable, but I'm not complaining. Lastly, the layout of the space is a little cramped; if you go with multiple people, its probably better to have some wait outside because the inside can't accommodate many people. But, it's a takeout place, so in now way is this a ding on them. The one guy working the counter was pleasant and friendly, and I never had to wait too long. Be prepared for an occasional wait if you go as often as I did, but still greatly recommend this place!

We were in town yesterday for a 1 night stay. I used Google to look up the best local breakfast spots. I gotta say, we're super happy we chose North End Cafe!!! Hands down, one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. My daughter loved her French toast!