Mulligans Grille Food Review

By the time we had gotten to Nags Head, North Carolina, it was 8 pm. We were starving, to say the least. We were hopeful about the food selections because we assumed it would have the same kind of vibe as Myrtle Beach in South Carolina; lots of restaurants, amazing nightlife, and just overall a very busy kind of environment. However, it was the exact opposite.

By the time we had dropped our bags at the hotel, it was 9 pm. While it was our fault that we did not look up places to eat in advance, we were kind of hoping that the spontaneity would make the trip even more enjoyable. Unfortunately, there were hardly any restaurants open in Nags Head. 

The open places were either extremely expensive or a drive-through, with maybe one or two spots that lay somewhere in between the two extremes. This was not what we expected out of what seems to be a very popular beach town. 

After driving to a couple of restaurants, and finding out that they were closed or soon to be closed, we came across Mulligan’s Grille. 

Mulligan's Grille was mainly a seafood restaurant. There were many different types of seafood offered. One could get a cup of Clam Chowder, a Crab Pretzel, a Burger, or even Chicken and Waffles. There was an array of different meals to choose from, so we knew we could not go wrong with this restaurant choice.

For dining on a Friday, there was hardly anyone there, and the people that were there were all in a much older age bracket than us. It was one of the more confusing restaurants we visited just because we thought it would be packed and hard to find a table anywhere in Nags Head, but everything closed around 9 pm, even on Fridays.

After looking at the menu for a little, we both decided to split the Calamari. I was planning to get the Cali Burger, but instead of it being red meat, I asked for it to be made with a turkey patty. Gayatri Chopra, my project partner, decided to get the Fish N’ Chips. While it is hard to account for what Gayatri thought when she was eating her entree, I know that I was shocked by my meal.

The Calamari we shared was exceptional. The amount given to us was easily shareable and it came with both marinara sauce as well as a sriracha aioli to dip the pieces in. The calamari itself was so crispy and flavorful. I am used to squeezing a lemon on top of the dish when it arrives at my table, however, it tasted as if there was already lemon squeezed as well as a couple of other spices sprinkled on top. It was genuinely extremely enjoyable. 

For the Cali Burger, my initial feeling was confusion. The Cali Burger, with a turkey patty, was topped with avocado salad, bacon, pepper jack cheese, and chipotle aioli. I believe it would have been much better if it were with a normal burger patty, but it just seemed a little off. For one thing, the food came out eerily fast, making me wonder if the food was prepared in advance and then just heated to order. However, that is beside the point. The avocado salad was nonexistent. When I first picked up the burger to take my first bite, a large blob of avocado fell off and I believe that was the entirety of the avocado on the burger, so I was unable to get a large taste of it when I was eating the burger. The bun was a little dry and the patty, while there was good flavor it did not look too appealing on the inside. 

Unfortunately, due to some outside circumstances, I was unable to finish the burger. But altogether it was a pleasant experience.

--Caroline Kilborn