The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort

4.2

783 Reviews

$30 and under

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 11, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 1 time today

Charming
Innovative
Great for craft beers

Located in the original Caffey’s Inlet Life Saving Station No. 5, the Lifesaving Station is Sanderling’s casual, three-meal-a-day restaurant celebrating southern coastal cuisine. After the winter renovations, the second level now offers sweeping views of the Currituck Sound and available for large parties with an expansive kid’s menu.

The menu changes seasonally, and specials feature the freshest of the day’s catch. This season’s highlights are Shrimp and Grits, Crab Stuffed Flounder or Pan Seared Duck Breast. Since the restaurant's inception in 1985, the Sanderling Blue Crab Chowder has been a favorite.

The Lifesaving Station maintains an impressive wine list. At the newly renovated No 5 Bar now located on the first level, local North Carolina breweries are featured on tap while specialty cocktails include “Keeper’s Watch” . A new No 5 bar food menu is available all day.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Contemporary Southern, Comfort Food
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–11:30 am Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–4:30 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(252) 449-6654
Website
http://www.sanderling-resort.com/restaurants-and-bars/life-saving-station
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Private party facilities
We offer private event space for up to 24 guests. Please contact info@sanderling-resort.com for more info!

Location
1461 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949
Neighborhood
Duck
Parking details
None
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

New England Clam Chowder$15.00
Bacon | Potatoes | Celery | Onions | Oyster | Crackers
Crab Cake$18.00
Panko | Lump Crab | Piquillo Pepper Coulis | Pickled Mustard Seed
Shrimp and Grits$16.00
Stone Ground White Grit Cake | Jumbo Shrimp Cajun Butter
Coastal Crab Dip$18.00
Lump Crab | Melted Cheese | Mini Naan Bread
Fried Green Tomato$16.00
Pimento Cheese | Balsamic Glaze | Goat Cheese | Crispy Capers

Salads

Add-Ons: Grilled Chicken $9 | Tuna $18 | Shrimp $13 | Crab Cake $18

Caesar Salad$17.00
Parmesan | Garlic Croutons | Fried Capers | Anchovies
Mixed Greens and Endive$16.00
Candied Pecans | Blue Cheese Crumble | Heirloom Tomatoes | Red Wine Vinaigrette
Wedge Salad$17.00
Baby Iceberg Lettuce | Bacon Lardons | Tomato Pickled Onion | Blue Cheese Dressing
Panzanella & Fresh Mozzarella$20.00
Heirloom Tomato | Cucumber | Red Onion | Torn Crouton | Basil Pesto | Mint | Lemon-Balsamic Dressing

Mains

Sesame-Miso Glazed Salmon*$38.00
Forbidden Black Rice | Coconut-Cucumber Salad
Steak Frites*$52.00
12 oz NY Strip Steak | Herbed French Fries | Cajun Butter
10 oz Center Cut Top Sirloin*$52.00
10 oz Sirloin | Whipped Potato | Asparagus | Red Wine Sauce
Fried Local Flounder & White Cheddar Grits $39.00
Holy Trinity | Heirloom Tomato | Creole Cream
The Day Boat (Market Price)
Fresh Local Catch | Sage Wild Rice Pilaf | Butternut Squash Puree | Blistered Tomato Chutney
Mushroom Ravioli$30.00
Wilted Spinach | Mushroom | Parmesan Cream
*Seared Ahi Tuna$39.00
White Gigante Bean Stew | Spinach | Tomato-Olive Sauce
Brick Chicken$35.00
Charred Corn Succotash | Bacon Lardon | Whipped Potato | Herbed Chicken Jus

Sides

Rice Pilaf$6.00
Whipped Potato$8.00
Sauteed Seasonal Vegetables$9.00
Herb Encrusted Mac and Cheese$11.00

Dessert

Flourless Chocolate Cake$10.00
Decadent Dark Chocolate | Berry Compote | Vanilla Whipped Cream
Cobbler$14.00
Peach | Ginger | Pecan | Bourbon | Streusel | Vanilla Ice Cream
Tiramisu$12.00
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans | Fresh Berries
Chef's Ice Cream of the Day$10.00
Key Lime Pie$10.00

What 783 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.2

4.2 based on recent ratings

4.1Food
4.5Service
4.3Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Coastal North Carolina
Innovative
Coastal North Carolina
Great for outdoor dining
Outer Banks
Best Overall
Outer Banks
Best Food
Outer Banks
Best Service
Outer Banks
Best Ambiance
Outer Banks
Best Value
Outer Banks
Good for special occasions
Outer Banks
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Lifesaving Station at Sanderling Resort offers a "beautiful establishment" with a "fantastic" staff and a "casual restaurant with an upscale menu." While some find the food "delicious" and the service "wonderful," others note inconsistencies in service speed and food quality, highlighting the need for improved coordination.

783 Reviews

J
Jeff
Greensboro
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
We enjoyed our meal. The service was great. A bit pricey, though.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
4 reviews
vip
1.0
4 reviews
Dined on November 27, 2024
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
We were initially kept waiting at the hostess stand even though the bartender was within eyesight. It took a server walking past to ask him to help us. We were seated next to the server station in a virtually empty restaurant with far nicer tables wide open . (And only one server so not like they had to split the tables amongst servers) Our server was very nice but the kitchen totally dropped the ball. My daughter ordered soup and a salad for her main. I ordered steak and frites. After her salad, I was finally served my steak and she got her soup - one hour after we were seated. Her soup had a thick skin on it from sitting in the kitchen. My steak was absolutely hammered. I cut it in the center and showed my server who apologized and took it back. I was then informed sometime later that they had no more steak but the chef offered me a filet. I asked for a small one medium rare. It came after my daughter was finished with her soup and it was raw and purple in the middle. The manager came to apologize and offered me anything else I wanted. We just called it a day and said “no thanks.” Our bill was still $80, because of the alcohol (including a $20 dirty martini my daughter had!) I questioned how they could justify charging me $80 when I had nothing to eat and my server apologized and took off 2 glasses off, but I shouldn’t have had to ask. Obviously I do not recommend eating here, but if you do, ask for Betty as a server. At least she cared.
Is this helpful?
K
Karen
New Orleans
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 15, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Excellent food and experience. Service was fast. Food was tasty & hot! The Flounder and grits were great!
Is this helpful?
C
Christopher
Wilmington
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on October 18, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
For the quality of the food the prices were extremely high. I would not recommend and probably never go there again. But we did find a place that was extremely good and it was La Dolce Vita it was priced about the same. We ate La Dolce Vita 2 night in a row and the first night we met a couple while waiting for our table and we showed up the next night they were waiting again for a table too.
Is this helpful?
r
rick
Richmond
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Salmon dish was one of the best I have ever had. The manager of the restaurant was amazing with his knowledge of the old Life Saving Station and its history !!
Is this helpful?
D
Dan
Washington DC
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 6, 2024
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
We’ve been eating here for years and are sorry to see the quality of the food decline.
Is this helpful?
R
Robyn
Wilmington
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Food was great. Service was wonderful. Price was high.
Is this helpful?
J
Jeff
Cincinnati
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best tasting food. So well done. Fabion was a very good, attentive server. Got to learn about the U.S. Life Saving Station service too. What a cool place. Glad it has been saved for us to enjoy. Can’t say enough about the food quality. I can see how the noise level could get higher with the acoustics in there. But we had a great experience.
Is this helpful?
M
Mark
Baltimore
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Liked the place but it was very expensive for size of entrees.
Is this helpful?
S
Sliceoflife
Washington DC
16 reviews
4.0
16 reviews
Dined on August 25, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Very nice. Good service My shrimp and grits were delicious
Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (252) 449-6654.

The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort is rated 4.2 stars by 783 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 11, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 1 time today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort

1461 Duck Rd, Duck, NC 27949

Additional information

Neighborhood
Duck
Hours of operation
Breakfast Daily 7:00 am–11:30 am Lunch Daily 12:00 pm–4:30 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American, Contemporary Southern, Comfort Food
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.sanderling-resort.com/restaurants-and-bars/life-saving-station
Phone number
(252) 449-6654
Private party facilities
We offer private event space for up to 24 guests. Please contact info@sanderling-resort.com for more info!

The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Starters

New England Clam Chowder$15.00

Crab Cake$18.00

Shrimp and Grits$16.00

Coastal Crab Dip$18.00

Fried Green Tomato$16.00

Salads

Caesar Salad$17.00

Mixed Greens and Endive$16.00

Wedge Salad$17.00

Panzanella & Fresh Mozzarella$20.00

Mains

Sesame-Miso Glazed Salmon*$38.00

Steak Frites*$52.00

10 oz Center Cut Top Sirloin*$52.00

Fried Local Flounder & White Cheddar Grits $39.00

The Day Boat (Market Price)

Mushroom Ravioli$30.00

*Seared Ahi Tuna$39.00

Brick Chicken$35.00

Sides

Rice Pilaf$6.00

Whipped Potato$8.00

Sauteed Seasonal Vegetables$9.00

Herb Encrusted Mac and Cheese$11.00

Dessert

Flourless Chocolate Cake$10.00

Cobbler$14.00

Tiramisu$12.00

Chef's Ice Cream of the Day$10.00

Key Lime Pie$10.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort restaurant rated?

Is The Lifesaving Station - Sanderling Resort currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information