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Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria, Morehead City, NC

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria

4.9
4.9
1220 Reviews
$30 and under
Tapas / Small Plates

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
Clarke Merrell's (Circa 81 Executive Chef/Proprietor) goal is for Circa 81 to provide creative, quality, & delicious food in a beautiful setting. Offering small plates that are perfect for passing around the table in true tapas style, our dishes are meant to inspire and engage our diners. So, start a conversation, relax, and enjoy a fresh take on cuisine. Clarke developed Circa 81 in hopes that guests will try something new and different and truly have a dining experience. Circa 81 offers great wine and cocktails too, with more than 30 specialty drinks on our cocktaileria menu. Our menu also includes medium and large plate selections - delicious sandwiches, homemade soups, local seafood and fresh-made desserts.

Circa 81 also offers take-out and catering - just contact us for more details.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Tapas / Small Plates, Seafood, Regional American (Southern)
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30–14:00 Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30–14:00 Dinner Wed–Sat 17:00–21:00 Sun 17:00–20:00
  • Phone number
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Clarke Merrell
  • Catering
    Circa 81 offers full service catering. Let us cater your next event. Think of us when you are planning your next, wedding, rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, office party, dinner party, baby shower. Also popular is our drop off menu. Email Clarke@81hospitality.com or call 252.648.8300 for your catering needs.
  • Private party facilities
    Circa 81 can be used for semi-private events or rented out and closed to the public for events. Contact us for details on special event bookings.
  • Area
    Beaufort / Morehead City
  • Cross Street
    Across from EJW Outdoors
  • Parking details
    Big private lot. Will accommodate large vehicles
  • Public transit
    Taxi Cabs (sorry MHC does not offer public transportation)We are located 2.5 miles west of the Atlantic Beach bridge in Carteret Village Shopping Center.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 1,220 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.9
4.9 based on recent ratings
  • 4.9Food
  • 4.9Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.6Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Overall

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Food

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Best Value

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Great for brunch

  • Coastal North Carolina

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria in Morehead City offers an "outstanding" dining experience with "excellent food, great service," and a "creative Sunday brunch." Guests appreciate the "delicious tapas," "amazing cocktails," and "attentive staff." The charming atmosphere and "wonderful menu variety" make it a favorite for both locals and visitors.
1,220 Reviews
  1. Stephen VIP

    Raleigh6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service! Great food. Sunday brunch is very creative.

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  2. Terry

    Wilmington1 review

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Food was good to excellent, service excellent. We were seated at a table right by the kitchen door, so lots of traffic all through the meal which was off-putting.

    Is this helpful?

  3. OpenTable Diner

    Raleigh3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was great. All of our food was good with the exception of the Rosemary Beef steak part.. There was a little too much char on the steak. I will definitely be back as it is one of our favorite places to eat here in Morehead City.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Holly

    Exclusive1 review

    2.0

    Dined on 14 March 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    My friend and I did not have a good experience at this restaurant and will not be returning. We ordered many plates; crab cakes ( couldn't find the crab but lots of breading)did not eat it, brie dish (not enough bread for the amount of cheese (asked for more and received 2 slices, still wasn't enough), potato dish was so salty we didn't eat it, Brussel sprouts (tasted burnt but not crisp) did not eat it, beef tip, asparagus and whipped potatoes was the best dish but still saltier then needed. But, the icing on the cakes, the waiter didn't seem to care.
    Circa 81 Tapas & CocktaileriaResponded 5 days ago
    Hi Holly, sorry to hear you did not enjoy your food and did not have a great experience. I can assure you that your server did care, he brought your concerns up to the manager on duty that night to share with the team. I apologize if you felt that your concerns were not responded to appropriately. We are reviewing with our team again as well. Please message us directly so we can address your concerns. It is always our goal to provide great service and food and I apologize that we missed the mark on your visit. We would appreciate an opportunity to serve you again and earn you back as a valued patron. Thank you for taking time to share your feedback and we look forward to hearing from you.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Scott VIP

    Wilmington68 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 9 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was outstanding.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Yvonne

    Minneapolis9 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 6 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We ordered about 10 tapas to share and every bit was a WOW. Cute place, great service. Would go again, wish it was in my town!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Mary

    Charleston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We will certainly return to Circa 81. Great variety on menu. Tapas are a great concept as diner can get small amount of various foods.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Charles

    Wilmington3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Small restaurant with a very attentive staff. The food is always excellent and delivered with a smile. We go here for an “after Church” lunch on the occasional Sunday and it is always good. During the “off-season” it isn’t as crazy as during the summer but still make reservations for your preferred time.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Paula

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We love having brunch here on Sundays. Maybe one day I will have an opportunity to come have dinner.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Dr. John VIP

    New York City94 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 23 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Outstanding - Chris always is there to great us with a smile! The food is excellent! The drinks are delicious and the staff are wonderful! One of our favorite places !!!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (252) 648-8300.

Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria is rated 4.9 stars by 1220 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 5 times today
Google Map for Circa 81 Tapas & Cocktaileria

4650 C Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    Across from EJW Outdoors
  • Area
    Beaufort / Morehead City
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sun 10:30–14:00 Lunch Wed–Sat 11:30–14:00 Dinner Wed–Sat 17:00–21:00 Sun 17:00–20:00
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Tapas / Small Plates, Seafood, Regional American (Southern)
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Big private lot. Will accommodate large vehicles
  • Public transit
    Taxi Cabs (sorry MHC does not offer public transportation)We are located 2.5 miles west of the Atlantic Beach bridge in Carteret Village Shopping Center.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Clarke Merrell
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
  • Catering
    Circa 81 offers full service catering. Let us cater your next event. Think of us when you are planning your next, wedding, rehearsal dinner, bridal luncheon, office party, dinner party, baby shower. Also popular is our drop off menu. Email Clarke@81hospitality.com or call 252.648.8300 for your catering needs.
  • Private party facilities
    Circa 81 can be used for semi-private events or rented out and closed to the public for events. Contact us for details on special event bookings.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
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