Wooden pilings, salty air, and a dining room floating right over the water make a strong first impression on the North Carolina coast. Some spots look plain from the street and then surprise you the moment you see the view out back.
This one has a story that stretches back to 1938, long before most beach towns had traffic lights. Grab a napkin, because this tale is part seafood, part history, and all coastal charm.
A Waterfront Landmark on Evans Street
Drive down Evans Street in Morehead City and you will find 701 Evans St, a building that seems to lean out toward the water. For decades, this address belonged to Captain Bill’s, a seafood stalwart that called itself the oldest restaurant in Carteret County.
That is quite a title in a part of North Carolina known for its fishing heritage.
The whole restaurant sits on pilings above Bogue Sound. Diners could look down and see the water moving beneath them, with boats drifting past the windows.
Few places on the Crystal Coast could match that kind of front-row seat.
Over the years, the menu grew beyond fried fish. Steaks, burgers, and a children’s menu joined the lineup, so families with picky eaters had options too.
Still, seafood was always the star of the show.
Today the building has a new chapter. It was purchased in 2016 and now operates as Southern Salt Seafood Restaurant, with a sea-to-table focus.
Visitors who want to understand Morehead City’s food story, though, should know the name that came first. Captain Bill’s helped shape what eating on this waterfront means, and its legacy still floats over the sound.
From Atlantic Cafe to Capt. Bill’s
Back in 1938, a man named Headen Ballou opened a small spot called The Atlantic Cafe. Most folks would later know him by a friendlier name: Capt.
Bill. His idea was simple, serving good seafood to hungry people near the water.
Things moved quickly. Within about a year, the restaurant shifted a short distance down Arendell Street and took on a new name, the Morehead Cafe.
Small coastal businesses often changed and adapted like that, following customers and better locations.
Eventually the place settled into the name everyone remembers, Capt. Bill’s Waterfront Restaurant.
By then it had found its true home, perched over Bogue Sound. The nickname of its founder became the brand, which feels fitting for a town built around boats and captains.
Fun fact for history buffs: that 1938 start date means the restaurant was serving plates before many of today’s Crystal Coast attractions even existed. Atlantic Beach was still a quiet strip of sand back then.
Morehead City itself was a working port town, and a seafood cafe was a natural fit. Capt.
Bill simply gave the community a place to gather, eat, and watch the water.
Dining Room Perched Over Bogue Sound
Ask almost anyone who ate here what they remember most, and the answer comes fast: the water. Even guests who had mixed feelings about other parts of their visit agreed the setting was sublime.
Sitting right next to the sound simply worked its magic.
The building rests on pilings, so the entire dining room hovers over Bogue Sound. Tables near the windows offered views of gentle waves, passing boats, and that wide coastal sky.
Several visitors mentioned grabbing a seat beside the water as the highlight of their meal.
Inside, the look was rustic, with a country-style decor that matched the old fishing-town mood. Nobody came for fancy design.
They came for that feeling of eating seafood practically on top of the place it came from.
One happy diner even called it a great spot to bring a date, thanks to those waterside tables. Imagine an early evening in late spring, the light turning gold over the sound and a basket of something crispy arriving at the table.
That kind of moment is exactly why waterfront dining became such a big part of Morehead City life.
Fried Seafood Platters of the Crystal Coast
Golden, crunchy, and piled high, fried seafood dinners built this restaurant’s reputation. For generations of North Carolina beachgoers, a fried platter by the water was the whole point of a coastal trip.
The historic menu read like a tour of local waters. Fried filet of flounder was a classic choice, along with oysters, shrimp, scallops, and clam strips.
Softshell crabs showed up for those who loved that seasonal treat, and daily fish selections gave regulars something new to try.
Homemade crabcakes rounded things out for anyone wanting a break from the fryer basket. Mixing and matching these items into one big plate was a favorite move, letting diners sample a little bit of everything.
Opinions on the cooking varied over the years. Some guests said the food was good, not fantastic but solid, and one later visitor praised how fast plates came out.
Others in the final years felt the seafood fell short of what they hoped. That range of reactions is part of the honest story.
Still, the tradition of the Carolina fried seafood dinner, served right on the sound, is what the name Captain Bill’s will always bring to mind.
Conch Chowder and Other Menu Curiosities
Conch chowder is not something you see on every menu, even along the coast. Captain Bill’s was known for it, and that made the soup a small point of pride beyond the fryer.
Chowder lovers will appreciate the idea of a warm bowl on a breezy fall day at the coast. Diners described versions with potatoes and corn in the broth.
Some found it lighter and thinner than expected, so anyone who prefers a thick, creamy style might have been surprised.
The menu also branched out in ways that suited mixed groups. Steaks and burgers were there for land lovers, and chicken dishes appeared too.
A children’s menu meant kids could order shrimp in smaller portions without parents splitting plates.
Side dishes followed old-school pricing habits. One guest noted that a baked potato came as a separate charge, which was common at traditional seafood houses of that era.
Looking back, the menu tells a story about coastal North Carolina dining. It mixed local catch, family-friendly basics, and one signature soup that stood out.
Curious eaters still love hunting for conch chowder on the Crystal Coast today.
Who Felt at Home Here
Families, snowbirds, couples, and road-trippers all passed through these doors over the decades. Its spot on the Morehead City waterfront made it an easy stop for anyone exploring Carteret County.
Parents liked that there was something for everyone. Kids could pick from their own menu, while adults chose between fried seafood, steaks, and burgers.
That flexibility mattered on vacation days when everyone was tired and hungry.
Couples found romance in the water views. One visitor said it was the best place to take a date, especially with a table beside the sound.
Friendly waitresses also earned kind words from several guests, even some who were less happy with other parts of the meal.
To be fair, not every experience was smooth. Some diners in the later years mentioned slow service and food that missed the mark, and a few noted the dining room was quiet when other places nearby were busy.
So who did it suit best? Travelers who valued history and scenery over polish probably got the most from a visit.
The building rewarded anyone who loved old coastal places with character, creaky floors and all.
Planning a Trip to 701 Evans Street
Here is the practical part. The address is 701 Evans St, Morehead City, NC 28557, right along the waterfront where the town meets Bogue Sound.
Remember that the original Captain Bill’s has closed. The historic building now operates as Southern Salt Seafood Restaurant, so check its current hours before you go.
Hours and prices from the old days no longer apply, and there was little consistent price data to share anyway.
Getting there is simple. Most visitors arrive by car using US 70, which runs through Morehead City on its way toward Beaufort and the Outer Banks region.
Once you reach downtown, Evans Street sits a block or so off Arendell Street, the same road where the restaurant got its start in the late 1930s.
Make a day of it. The waterfront is great for a stroll, with boats docked nearby and other seafood spots lining the street.
Weekends from spring through early fall bring the liveliest crowds.
A quick tip: arrive a little before sunset. Even if you only stop to look at the building on its pilings, the evening light over the sound makes the trip worth it.
A Legacy Worth Remembering
Nearly ninety years of seafood on one stretch of water is no small thing. Captain Bill’s began as a tiny cafe in 1938 and grew into a landmark that many North Carolina families still mention when they talk about beach trips.
Was every meal perfect? No, and honest memories include some rough patches near the end.
Yet the place stood for something bigger than any single dinner. It showed how a simple fried seafood house could become part of a town’s identity.
Now the building carries on as Southern Salt, with a fresh sea-to-table approach. That feels like a fitting next step.
The pilings still hold up a restaurant, and people still sit by the windows watching the sound roll by.
For curious travelers, a visit becomes a small history lesson with a view. Stand outside, picture Capt.
Bill serving flounder to fishermen and vacationers, and then enjoy a meal in the same spot.
Plan a Crystal Coast day trip this weekend, add Evans Street to the route, and let this old waterfront story be part of your own North Carolina memories.