Circa 81

Circa 81 quickly became one of my most memorable meals along North Carolina’s Crystal Coast: a restaurant that understands both timing and tone. We arrived with a reservation (always a wise move), though we were seated immediately, greeted by a gracious host who set our lunch off on the right note. Once settled, we were welcomed by Philip, whose ease and genuine enthusiasm made the experience feel less transactional and more personal. He spoke about the menu with confidence and curiosity, the mark of someone who truly enjoys being there. Drinks came first: my husband ordered a Painkiller easily one of the best we had during our time on the coast while our son stuck with a classic Coke, and I opted for water. As we ordered, it became clear we were leaning fully into the small plates philo

It was very quiet for lunchtime 12.45 pm, yet we were still seated at a tiny table. Our server Paul, was great. The perfect blend of being attentive, but not overbearing. The food took 40 ish minutes which I thought weird since they weren’t that busy -and mine was a salad and the Serrano ham. My dining companion had the seafood mac & cheese. The side order of bread was huge and a bit lackluster. The bread with the ham was warm and fresh, the balsamic vinaigrette had a stale aftertaste. that was quite disappointing. I lost interest in eating the salad. Tomatoes were kind of old and tasteless. The egg was some white blob. It looked like feta cheese. The coffee was so-so, the water had that slightly funky taste you get in some places. Not great. I would go back for the ham, but wouldn’t order

We had high hopes for this restaurant and booked dinner for Christmas Eve, which made the experience even more disappointing. We arrived about 20 minutes early and were seated right away since they said they were ready. Unfortunately, that was the last smooth part of the evening. We sat with menus for about 20 minutes without any acknowledgment. Plenty of employees were nearby, walking past us and clearly seeing us, yet no one offered help or even checked in. It felt like we were invisible. Eventually our server came over, took our drink order, and then disappeared again. After another long wait, she finally returned to take our food order. The restaurant is tapas-style, so we started with a cheese board. What arrived was laughable for the $17 price — basic grocery-store crackers (poppys

This is a must stop! Everything I’ve ever ordered from here was so delicious. The menu has a really great range of different options so you’ll always be able to find something for everyone to enjoy. The cocktails are also have a great ratio of liquor to whatever additives included. You will be spending some money here though! (Worth it)

Circa 81 just may be my new favorite restaurant in the area. Highlights: Tapas menu selection is diverse. Everything was fresh and perfectly prepared. Service was professional. (Jared was our waiter). Appropriately priced. Best dish we ordered was the Garlic & Shrimp. It was divine! The garlic sauce was rich & velvety while the shrimp were expertly cleaned & prepared and cooked to perfection! Everything we ordered was great. As for the service, everyone (from the hostess, to the manager) was friendly and attentive. Even showing initiative when something was needed. You can tell that this restaurant is extremely well run & that the people who make this delicious food take pride in what they are doing. Decor is a bit dated & could use an update. Avoid the booth seating to the right when