"Dirty Dicks" is an Outer Banks Tradition

The very first restaurant my husband and I ever ate at on the Outer Banks was "Dirty Dicks." I even remember what we ordered. It was blackened Mahi Mahi and it was unbelievably delicious. It was a meal that we have never forgotten. So, when we knew we would be visiting the Outer Banks this year, it was the first restaurant that we put on our list of things to do and places to go.

I realize that the name - - "Dirty Dicks" - - sounds atrocious, but it shouldn't scare anyone away. According to owner Derek Dinkler "We're like a crab house with a tuxedo. The food is so unexpectedly good that it blows people away." That was certainly true upon our first visit there some three years ago. And it must be true a lot because the restaurant has won the People's Choice Award for the past several years.

"Our quality sets us apart," says executive chef Beany Macgregor, who backs every dish with a serious devotion to good ingredients and a stellar cooking career. As former corporate executive chef for both Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Café, he brings the same level of skill to this Outer Banks landmark.

Everything on the menu is made from scratch from homemade soup to sauces to dressings to desserts. "Dirty Dicks" features signature dishes like oysters, scallops, crab dip, shrimp and more. However, their menu is not all about seafood. They also offer chicken, pork, burgers, ribs, salads, and much, much more.

This is not a fancy schmancy place. It is actually pretty casual; with the look of an over grown shrimp shack. The interior features both booths and tables with chairs. The lighting is subdued and the color scheme dark. Fishing photographs line the walls.

We were seated immediately upon arrival and our waitress arrived promptly to take our drink orders. We were given two menus; one-marked "Daily Specials" and one that was obviously their regular menu. A lot of the seafood items were not priced but marked a certain amount (typically $4 to $6) over the current market value which was posted on black boards throughout the restaurant.