My family recently visited the Crystal Coast area of North Carolina and wanted a good local meal spotlighting the culture and foods of the area. We asked for recommendations and read reviews and decided that the Ruddy Duck Tavern in Morehead City sounded like a good bet.
The Guys Behind Ruddy Duck
Ruddy Duck is owned by Bill Kingery who has been in the restaurant business for over 30 years, and his head chef, Fabian Botta, likewise, has three decades of professional culinary experience under his belt.
Bill has a commercial fishing license, and he brings in part of the seafood served at the restaurant. What he can’t bring in, he buys from other local fishermen. He doesn’t cut costs and doesn’t buy lower quality frozen seafood in bulk. The seafood is all local and fresh.
Chef Fabian has owned and operated his own restaurants in North Carolina, and he can work magic with not only seafood but a range of ingredients and flavors. His dishes are truly inspired and have not only flavor appeal but also eye appeal.
The Menu at Ruddy Duck Tavern
The menu is varied at Ruddy Duck which sometimes means that dishes are spotty; some are great and some are not so great. In this case, the variety makes sense, and the dining experience is good across the board.
Ruddy Duck, of course, features a host of seafood dishes ranging from pecan crusted flounder and fish tacos to peppered tuna steak and barbecue shrimp. There are several pasta based dishes and some with a Tex-Mex flare. The tavern theme is complimented by the wide range of seafood sandwiches as well as inspired burgers and a Philly steak and French dip offering.
They also offer specials, and they don’t jack the prices way up. When we visited, they had a whole founder with black beans and a tropical slaw. I don’t recall ever having a flounder so tasty and so perfectly cooked, and I don’t usually like slaw, but the tropical blend with pineapple took the dish to a different level that left me a fan.
Really, there’s something for everyone at Ruddy Duck Tavern, and the servers don’t blink an eye at special requests. My son loves calamari, so we wanted to order that as an appetizer. In the menu, a spicy sauce was mentioned. My son can’t handle much heat in his food. Our appetizer was served with the spicy sauce (which was great) on the side and with a smile.
Atmosphere at the Ruddy Duck Tavern
The theme at Ruddy Duck is “tavern” but upscale. If you do enjoy drinks, you can wait at the center bar area or on the waterfront deck. Do expect a wait during prime season, but the wait is comfortable and relaxed. It’s not excessive either.
In the main dining areas (some adjoining the center bar area), the décor is spot on for the theme and area. Most tables have a view of the water. Lighting is bright enough to see but artsy with a combination of overhead and table or stand lamps.
Outside, you get the “on the water” dining experience with boats pulling in and out. During the prime season, it can be quite hot and muggy outdoors, but if you watch the weather or opt to eat later in the day, the boat deck area is excellent.
I would not recommend Ruddy Duck Tavern for a romantic date, although romance can bloom anywhere. It’s a high energy environment, and I’d consider it a friend or family kind of place that feels somewhat private in a few areas but more of an open plan on the seating.
Our Experience at Ruddy Duck, Morehead City
My dining group included a range of ages and a range in food preferences. Our youngest group member was my 18-year-old son. We had a couple of college kids. And, we had some adults in our group.
Part of our group visited the bar area where we enjoyed drinks before dinner and an interactive group of locals and tourists. Underage members of our party and some adults spent some time out on the water. Total wait time during the dinner hour was about half an hour.
Our orders spanned a wide range from a pasta dish with shrimp to fish tacos to a burger advertised as being super hot. Likewise, the sides varied from person to person. We had a good range and overview of the house dishes, and since this was a family group, everyone shared samples so that I could get a good feel for this southern restaurant.
I must say that from start to finish, the Ruddy Duck delivered. I did not sample a single dish that I found lacking in any way. The flavors were complex but subtle and not over the top with the exception of the hot burger which was advertised for heat lovers (and still had nice layers in the execution). The service was the perfect balance of friendly but professional (and the tip certainly reflected that). The atmosphere was beachy and fun – inspired, upscale, but still relaxed. I would certainly go back to the Ruddy Duck Tavern. It was a memorable dining experience.
Cyndi Allison - Southern born and fed, Cyndi Allison is a college lecturer and newspaper advisor as well as being a freelance writer. She writes on ...
Join the Conversation