Kemp’s Seafood House

THis place was beyond terrible. The seafood is frozen. We ordered a calamari appetizer which came out of a freezer box. It was served with some kind of weird canned chili sauce. It was inedible and so salty. The side sald had an unidentifiable lettuce and mushy grape tomatoes. The broiled fish was frozen and pasty. My wife’s baked potato had some fish skin inside the potato.
Everything is geared to cost control. The food is not fresh or is frozen. We will never go back again. I am glad I did not come down with food poisoning.
I hope this place dies a speedy death. Avoid at all costs.

This place is top 3 worst restaurants I have ever eaten at.
You walk in to an empty hole. It feels like a gymnasium or auditorium. There is 1 person at the desk and you look left right up down and you see a void… just empty chairs and space. You then walk about 1 mile to get to your table passing empty space. It is visually depressing.
The service staff was friendly however the food took a while, not sure if this was because we got broiled/​grilled rather then fried. The shrimp was small and over seasoned. I could not taste the shrimp because the salt content had to be over 3000mg. Nasty! Scallops tasted watery… not sure if they were frozen then fried. The side dishes were just ok, nothing I would order again. most of the seafood is claimed to be fresh… no way. My other companions fish looked soggy and had no spring to it. I believe most of their fish is farmed raised not fresh caught. So you are basically eating the same shrimp and seafood you can get frozen from food lion.
Hush puppies and water was the best part of the night.
People at work tell me it used be a great place to eat and lines were out the door, then they changed to a counter type ordering now back to full weight staff. I don’t know where they went wrong but i will never go back. they need to be featured on restaurant impossible or kitchen nightmare.
It all starts with the food and the food was bad. I hit the bathroom right when I got home.

I came from snowy new england to visit a conference in RTP. Kemps was our designated dinner spot for the first night of the conference. I’ve never had North Carolina «Calabash» style seafood before, and Kemps was a good introduction.
The Calabash style is based on lightly breading and frying the sea food in fresh vegetable oil. The local fish of choice is the North Carolina flounder.
The flounder and hush puppies, and other soul food dishes are highly recommended, not oily and very flavorful. I had an all around good experience at Kemps.

Kemps at one time was one of my favorite seafood places to eat. Around mid-​2011 something changed. Not sure what but the portions became smaller and the prices higher. Their standards have taken a dive which is unfortunate. And what’s up with the scallops??? Oh and please quit trying to make macaroni and cheese.

Kemp’s is my go-​to place in Raleigh for seafood or when I want to get out for a casual meal and want great service. Portions are huge and the place is crawling with staff. You will never have an empty glass. We waited 35 minutes one Saturday evening (the food was worth it, though), but most times we are there, it is either immediate seating or a short 5 minute wait.
The popcorn shrimp is a consistent favorite. Had the broiled fish and shrimp with a Cajun seasoning my last visit. I can recommend either plate. Food there for us is always good.

Cool looking seafood place seems a bit out of place along Route 70 instead of near the beach but it’s impressive looking! Had to wait about twenty minutes for a table on a Wednesday night. The atmosphere was casual with lots of maritime décor. Seating was at tables which was nice. It did seem a little chilly as the room we were seated in had a vaulted ceiling, not a big deal for me but one of our party members was cold. This place is HUGE, although most of the seating wasn’t full it was nice that they had separate areas for groups and it tended to cut down on noise. The restrooms are all the way in the back. On the trip back to the restrooms there are pictures and weather photos of various hurricanes throughout the years. Also passed by a nice built in trash area, a wood counter top with about five holes for trash cans or something else (not sure). Maybe they host parties or sometime in the past this was a seafood buffet like so many at the beach rather than a menu order place as it is now.
One of our party was cold so she ordered the lobster bisque soup which warmed her up and was tasty. We munched on the complimentary hush puppies while waiting to order. Our party got platters with various seafood on them. All of the food was fried. Popcorn shrimp/​scallops, oysters, white fish, clams and deviled crab. The platters came with a nice baked potato and huge portion of REALLY good coleslaw! As for the fried items they were good bordering on just OK tasting. The deviled crab aside from the crab shell contained no visible crab, more like a flavorful crab stuffing which was what I really was expecting so no disappointment really. The plates they use are smaller than I’ve seen at most other the seafood places I have visited making it look like there is more food but also making it difficult to eat the items without knocking them onto the table. The platters of fried food ranged from $ 12 to $ 20.Our waiter seemed to be clicking along trying to keep all of his tables going with a little help from the kitchen staff. As someone who has worked in food service, I was thinking he might not have to run around so much if he would slow down long enough to ask ‘Is there anything else you need?’ rather than run away as soon as he brought something out. Then remember oops I forgot something. He was working hard, just not smart.
The overall experience didn’t live up to my expectations as far as food quality/​taste considering this was a little more expensive than other fried food seafood places I’ve visited in North Carolina. The food was a two star experience considering price but my overall was bumped up to three/​four for the atmosphere and great attitude of the employees we encountered during our visit. A return visit may have to take place to see if this was just an off food night.
I would recommend Kemps Seafood to a group wanting some seafood at a nice looking restaurant. It seemed like a fabulous place for groups as they have the separate rooms.

Out of popcorn shrimp in the middle of the day. Almost all of their selections are fried, and what I tried was much too greasy. Odd dining experience, and not great service.

Googled Kemp’s via my mobile phone yesterday for hours, which listed to 10pm. Confirmed hours on Unilocal as well. We arrived as a family of 3 to eat and found Kemp’s closed @ 9pm? Afer leaving mad and hungry we went back to Raleigh. I googled Kemp’s this morning and found 10pm still listed for Fri. & Sat. Emailing mgt., and will update soon if respone. At current I see no email contact for Kemp’s.

If you like the seafood found in Calabash NC then this is the place for you. Had the baby fried shrimp and got the small order and it was plenty big enough. Not a big fan of their french fries but the cole slaw was good and not too creamy. the corn of the cob was not really that good. But the hushpuppies more than made up for the corn. Tea was good but not too sweet. My co-​worker had the two types of fish from the make your own platter and he finished his plate. although he did comment on the collard greens. He said they tasted like they came out of the can. service was great and not at all hovering.

Great Seafood place with a decent choice of non-​seafood items as well. If there is any problem it that the meals are too big, but they do have take home boxes. Several different areas with half walls to help reduce noise pollution, and at least 2 large private rooms you can book. Staff is friendly, though beyond the waitresses not many speak English, and even the waitresses have a hard time. Would have given a full 5 stars but the best waiter they had moved away.

Went back for a seafood fix at lunch today… still friendly and fast service… still great seafood. New surprise… their special today was fried cod (fish & chips)…the cod was as good as what we got when living near Boston. They remain a real gem of a restaurant in the Triangle… now, if I could just get them to move closer to my house…:-)

I came on to find the phone number, and read the reviews… and now feel compelled to add to them.
We have eaten at Kemp’s on average once or twice per month since the place opened. So we’ve probably gone there 150 – 200 times. We’ve seen all the changes, the up and down prices, the formats.
Suffice to say, if you are from the Carolinas and you want a nicer seafood restaurant like you would find at the beach, Kemp’s is the closest thing to that in the Triangle. It reminds me most of places like Twin Lakes at Sunset Beach, or Boundary House at Calabash, or Sanitary at Morehead City. It’s a step up from the basic places at Calabash, and the prices are too. The seafood obviously isn’t quite that just off the boat quality, but it is pretty close in our opinion.
Kemp’s started as a full-​service sit-​down restaurant, but since the economy went downhill, Kemp has experimented a lot, even going to doing away with servers, ordering at the counter and serving in takeout boxes. It’s now back to something close to what it was in the beginning, but the prices went back up accordingly (although to be fair, down a little from six months back).
Service is always excellent, many of the servers have been there for years. And I must say, I am very surprised at the reviews discouraging straying from the calbash-​style fried options. I’d suggest just the opposite. I rarely eat fried seafood as a choice now, and have been very pleased with the grilled seafood platter options. I highly recommend the tuna, mahi or salmon (cajun-​seasoned) — thats my favorite. Steamed shrimp is very good. Even the salads are excellent (best Ranch dressing around). Not crazy about the change in hushpuppy style, but they are still quite good.
A lot of changes over the last 3 years, but Kemp’s is a very good seafood option (especially if your standards are the better beach restaurants in the Carolinas), and I encourage folks to stray from the conventional fried seafood — eveything is subjective, but you may be pleasantly-​surprised.

This is a terrific option if you’re looking for a seafood location with a few more options for those who don’t love fish. Best items on the menu are by far the fried seafood options, and the sides are good complements to the main entrée. Overall, very tasty BUT there are other places in town where you can get food that’s just as good for much cheaper.

The place is packed, so be forewarned.
The service is great.
Why 3 stars? We ordered TWO four item platters. = 8 items + 4 sides.
Everything was fried. If you REALLY like fried seafood, this is the place for you. The breading is light and everything isn’t overly greasy. The hush puppies have a slight sweetness, and is piping hot! As for sides, the green beans were bland and but the corn on the cob was deliciously sweet.
The deviled crab had no crab, or that I had tasted… it was interesting.
The fried oyster «sticks» were a little too much breading.
The fried baby shrimp was baby alright.
The fried scallops were tiny.
I’m just not a huge fried person. what a terrible unenthusiastic review.

Yummy once or twice a year.
You can get better seafood in the triangle but here the prices are good, the portions are large and it is really convenient being right off of hwy 70.
I will say the baby scallops here are some of the best I’ve had! Never gritty and soo tiny!
And on a non-​seafood note: The coleslaw here is really good! I usually pass on anything swimming in mayo but here the slaw is chunky, not finely shredded and it isn’t coated in mayonnaise.

So after reading all the reviews, you’re probably aware that major changes have happened at Kemp’s over the last year or so. I’m here to say that, unfortunately, the changes are NOT for the better.
Kemp’s USED to be a gigantic open floorplan of a building where you came in, placed your order at a counter, then sat yourself. Someone would bring you hushpuppies, but drinks and everything else was up to you. I never really had a problem with that. Now it’s a sit-​down-​and-​be-​served kind of place that’s been walled off into a maze. The service is fine, but why change? I was perfectly capable of serving myself. On the upside, the prices are still about the same (maybe even less) than I remember.
But let’s talk about what matters: the food. I’m sorry to say that, while the stuff being served today is OK, it’s NOT up to par with what it used to be. Everything just seems too bland and generic now. They used to have the BEST hushpuppies in the area. They were huge, plump, and kinda soft. Now they’re just over-​fried flavorless balls. The broiled scallops I used to LOVE have long been replaced by tiny flavorless bay scallops. Bleh. Seeing this, I ordered a sampler of deviled crab, catfish, and jumbo shrimp. All were just too bland to stick out. Same for the sides of fried okra and greens I ordered.
If I had never been to Kemp’s before, I would have probably given them 3 stars since it’s not really terrible in any way. It’s just not all that good either. But seeing how I know this place used to be better, I’m just disappointed.

For the Raleigh/​Durham area, this is one of the best calabash places around. The menu is quite varied but stick to close to the calabash and you will be very pleased. I can also recommend the grilled selections. I recently got combo and the fish and shrimp were grilled perfectly. This also came with a fresh salad which had a generous number of cherry tomatoes. A co-​worker has a grilled wrap which looked really nice as well — it was my 2^nd choice.
We went with a larger party of about 10 people for lunch and we had absolutely no wait. I have not been there during the dinner hours.
Overall, I have hit Kemp’s several times over the past few years and have been pleased each time with both the food and attentative service from the staff.
Because Kemp’s located off of highway 70, if you are not near the location, it can be quite a drive from some areas of the Triangle, but in the end, it has always been worth the drive if you have a taste for calabash.

I’d almost give it five stars… the only thing that stopped me was that they keep messing around with the format. I never know if I’m gonna get counter service, sit-​down service, or what?!?
The food — freaking fabulous! However, you must follow the Southerner’s cardinal rule — order fried seafood. Their menu is anchored by good ‘ol fried seafood, wander from that and you may be disappointed.
Seafood is fried perfectly. Best shrimp and oysters in the Triangle. The hushpuppies are perfect. The sweet tea is divine. In fact, one night I drank so much sweet nectar that I couldn’t even sleep from all the sugar and caffeine.
So, let’s review kids. Get fried seafood. Enjoy sweet tea. If you’re looking for fancy presentations of ocean-​going delights, go somewheres else.

Having tried pretty much everything from the fryer and then some at this place, I think it’s time to give them a review. This place is OK — not great, not bad, just OK. What keeps me coming back is the fact that there’s never been a wait anytime I’ve gone there and not because their food is terrible or anything, but because the restaurant is just that big. Seriously, when you go inside, you’ll see what I mean.
Everything from the fryer is pretty standard. Seafood dipped in batter then fried. It’s really the cocktail sauce that gives it its flavor and I love the fact that they have a giant bottle of it at the table for you. The fried clams however, are my favorite. Mostly because I’m a shellfish whore, but clams in general are naturally salty and having it dipped in batter and fried just adds to the deliciousness. The sides are pretty standard and a little sad actually. The broccoli definitely came from the freezer as well as any other vegetable side you get there. The fried okra isn’t bad, but I’ve had better. The stuffed crab is pretty tasty and comes with the Captain’s Platter (I think that’s what it was called — but I definitely remember the word captain being in there). The Captain’s Platter is a great entrée to order if you want to try a little bit of everything from the fryer. It’s a really huge plate though, so make sure you’re hungry.
This place honestly edges on being two stars, but I’ve received excellent service every time I’ve been here. It’s just sad/​funny though, when I ask the waiter what’s good, and he looks around to make sure his boss isn’t around and tells me that nothing’s really good there, lol. His honesty was greatly appreciated :)

I’m calling Shenanigans on the reviews for this restaurant.
This restaurant used have at least 2 pages of bad reviews and now it only has 2 reviews total, and those are YEARS old. I personally reviewed the restaurant before and gave it a bad review, but now there are only a couple of good reviews left. Pardon the pun, but something fishy is going on.
At any rate, I live down the road from this place and have eaten there 3 times. I have a general rule that I’ll try a place twice, once to see how it is and if it’s bad I’ll visit a second time in case I just visited on an off night. I made an exception here, but won’t do it again. This place has a pretty extensive menu, but most patrons seem to opt for fried fish, calabash style.
I’ve always gotten baked/​broiled items, while my dining companions have done fried food, none of which they do well. If you’re looking for very large portions of mediocre food this is the place for you. If you’re into calabash style just go to Mayflower seafood instead.