Captain Tom’s Seafood

Seafood in N.C. doesn’t get any better! The wait staff and cooks are professional, funny, and hospitable. The service is always top notch! Everything is always fresh! Sauces, slaw, and dressings are homemade, and delicious! Best sweet tea and ranch dressing ANYWHERE! The flounder is always great, as is white fish. Portions are huge! You will never leave hungry! BBQ, spaghetti, grilled chicken, hamburger steaks additional options for the non fish eater are fantastic as well! I have been eating here with my family for my entire 32 years and will continue until the end of time!

The BEST fried seafood in North Carolina! Hands down. I live in Miami, Florida so I get my fair share of delicious seafood, but when it comes to fried seafood Captain Tom’s is the best. I must have my «fix» every time I come home. The staff and owners are exceptional! Take a trip to «fried popcorn shrimp heaven»… You won’t be sorry. The homemade cocktail & tarter sauce… Ridiculous! Hashtag nothing from the bottle!

I have driven past the billboard for Captain Tom’s since the 1980s, as it was one of the only sights along US 64 between home and college. About 5 years ago, now with a spouse and children, I decided to try it out. My only regret is that we didn’t come here sooner! Oh man, that is some good seafood. Not greasy, not salty, not expensive, and good-​sized portions and quick, friendly service. We have not had a single bad experience there. And don’t even get me started on the décor. The sheer number of nautically themed tchotchkes is perfect for what Captain Tom’s is. And did I mention the place is sitting in the middle of a pasture? So right.

Went there last night for our celebrate our anniversary because we wanted seafood. We were the first customers there at 4PM walked in and the place had a musty smell to it like the rugs have been spilled on for years without being cleaned. The booth we sat at was a bit sticky all over including the table, everything looked like it needed a good cleaning. The interior is dated and walls were painted with pictures of fishing villages and Greek ruins kinda like a Greek Diner. We both ordered fried dishes scallops, shrimp, clams, and I had one stuffed crab. There was no difference in taste from a scallop, clam, or one of the teeny tiny miniature shrimp. The batter or coating had no flavor at all. The fried clams none of which over an inch long were dried out and tasted like the stuff in the bottom of the frying process that you throw away. The hushpuppies that came with the dinner had a different coating on them and were uniform in size so probably frozen but tasted OK. They don’t serve alcohol so we both had water. All in all this place was a wash, I will never go back only reason I gave it 1 star is because the waitress was good.

Being from Massachusetts, we have eaten the best seafood. Stopping here was a last minute stop on our way to Raleigh. We both had combo fried seafood platters. Everything was cooked to perfection. The scallops were juicy and flounder flakey & moist. The jumbo shrimp were Jumbo, and cooked perfectly. Our newly hired waitress Deb was friendly and very attentive, but not overly so. We highly recommend!

Visited this place on my way back to Raleigh from the Zoo. I was very disappointed with the food… when I read 4.5 stars on Unilocal and Google I expect more than just unseasoned fried fish… hush puppies where outstanding, but the fish was very bland, the shrimp overcooked and overpriced when compared to the way these dished are prepared. There is nothing elaborated about the food here… in my opinion it feels more like a diner that serves fried (previously frozen) seafood with absolutely not elaboration or presentation. Again it functions like a local diner.

This place has a very nice staff, friendly and clean. However the food was bland. We ordered the clam chowder and it was missing seasoning, very bland.
Second we ordered cocktail oysters… to our wonder these were huge oysters, washed under water and served in what looks like a layer of saliva. The dish is not appealing at all and the oysters tasted like nothing… washing raw oysters defeats the purpose.
Then we ordered stuffed whitefish and stuffed flounder (stuffed with crab meat) and 5 «jumbo shrimp» stuffed as well. Let’s start by saying that the shrimp were overcooked… under-​seasoned and I wonder if the definition of jumbo varies from city to city here in NC… because those were not jumbo. There was very little taste to the shrimp by themselves. Is like the purpose of all this food is for one to add ketchup, cocktail sauce or tartar sauce to every dish… so whats the purpose of having a Chef behind these dishes?
Next the stuffed fish… one side of the fish was bland and sitting in its own unseasoned juice (fish taste) which made it for a bad combination when one bites into it… the other side is supposed to have a crust over what i was expecting to be a good crab stuffing… well, it wasn’t good. Again very bland, lacking many essential seasonings. Seems like this reiterated our thoughts around the seemingly obvious fact that they are counting on the customer smothering the food with some bottled sauce… but whats the point of paying $ 17 per dish if all you are eating is unseasoned bland fish with Heinz Ketchup or Kraft’s Tartar Sauce… and even if they make their own tartar sauce, why pay $ 17 for a sauce to mask the lack of seasoning of the bland dish.
I just felt like reiterating that…
Overall experience… great customer service but food was a disappointment. And the main purpose of our visit was to dine, reason why my rating of 1. I am willing to give them another chance, but the Chef needs to think 21^st century and update his menu, seasoning and techniques. There is a great opportunity for the business owner to not only provide better food to the locals but also… this place is located on the way from the NC state capital… Raleigh… on the way to the Zoo. So, if this business would like to become a staple, it better buckles up and evolves.

Food here is fresh and waitress was great! If traveling on Hwy 64 or just looking for that nice seafood restaurant you must come here.

This hidden gem in the countryside of Randolph County, NC, knows how to prepare great fried seafood that is succulent on the inside and not rich or greasy on the outside. I have come here for over 25 years, and they haven’t ever missed a beat. Their fried oysters are good, but I think they excel at fried fish. My fried catfish was excellent, and I have ordered fried fish from coast to coast. It is a pleasure to have fried fish that isn’t greasy or wet on the outside.
Their hush puppies were delicious, and the french fries were good, too. The service is friendly and nice.

Large portions, good prices. Wait staff always pleasant, friendly, and attentive. I’ve visited dozens of times and I’ve never had an issue. Consistently good and consistently quick. my favorite seafood restaurant.

Visited here with the family when I was on vacation in North Carolina. It was way out in the country a bit of a drive from Greensboro, I understand it has been around for a long time and can fill up quickly on weekends.
It was a nice place, large and the service was fine. The food we had on this night was good, ie OK. We had various shrimp and fried fish with fries, slaw, and hush puppies, the hush puppies very very good.
Would I go back? Sure!

I have been coming here for over 30 years, with my grandparents and parents and now with my family. Friendly service, great food — always get the fried catfish and fried shrimp platter with hush puppies. Better be hungry because the portions are huge!
I WILL COME BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN…

Captain Tom’s is an area institution. It draws upon a large, local crowd. Most dinner services will be quite active with lines not completely uncommon.
The food is basically Calabash Style seafood most commonly served with your choice of seafood battered and lightly friend. Other preparations such as broiling are available.
Hushpuppies, a requisite side dish in North Carolina, are always available. You’ll also find cole slaw and choice of baked potato or french fries with most dishes. The combinations are a good way to try out a variety of seafood choices.
There are children’s portions available as well as beef choices for those who may not be fond of seafood.
Captain Tom’s has a large carryout business that is serviced via a separate entrance just past the main entrance.
Overall, I give it 3 stars as I feel they can be a little bit complacent at times with the quality of the food. Service is normally pretty good though they don’t always handle complaints in the most gracious manner. Prices are fair. Décor is average, nothing too special. Portion sizes are good for the main dishes and a bit small for the side dishes, you shouldn’t leave hungry.

Out in the middle of nowhere– but build it and they will come!
It’s a huge space with a huge menu-​all kinds of fresh seafood, fixed many ways.
Delicious food and plenty of it! I keep coming back!

Gigantic menu! Huge portions! We come here every time we visit NC! Make sure you’re hungry if you come here! There is seafood of all types, prepared in all ways!