We are OPEN for the Season! Come see us for dinner!
Our Story
Generations of Coastal Heritage
Wild Will's Revenge is back in action, and we're better than ever! Originally launched as Wild Will's Gill & Grill in 1996 on Harkers Island, we stepped away in 2001 to focus on family commitments. In 2021, we seized the opportunity to transform the Morris Marina property into a vibrant RV park and restaurant and proudly opened our doors in July 2023.
Fast-forward to 2021. Coming from a commercial fishing family, we were tired of eating imported seafood and had the opportunity to buy the Morris Marina property, which had the license for a restaurant. The grill by the shore was beyond repair, so we decided to turn the house into a restaurant.
Much work later, and we were in business in July of 2023. Our children, William and Larrington, enjoyed culinary classes at East Carteret. They have worked in the restaurant business, so this would be an excellent opportunity for them when they are home from NC State. We are proud to provide our community with a local seafood restaurant that celebrates our fishing heritage and jobs for the community.
Voted one of the top ten seafood restaurants in North Carolina, our first year of business has been exciting, to say the least. The hashtag #coresounders and family commercial fishing photos on Wild Will's Instagram tell you it's worth the drive to Atlantic.
Grandchildren of esteemed community and fishing industry leader, the late Billy Smith, we have Down East roots dating to the 1700s. They named the restaurant after their late father, William Ellis Smith Jr, when they had the original Wild Will's 25 years ago on nearby Harkers Island.
The kitchen serves whatever's fresh, like jumbo-lump, blue crab cakes. Specials might spotlight heritage recipes such as corned spots in fall and fluffy Down East light rolls, or Janice's ham plate. Hours are limited, usually Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, starting at 5 p.m.
We start almost all of our sauces and recipes with Duke mayonnaise; it makes everything taste good. All of our dressings, as well as our cocktail and tartar, are homemade in-house. Wild Will's cheese and hushpuppies, homemade jumbo lump crab cakes and crab dip from crabmeat sourced from Garland Fulcher Seafood in Oriental. We also offer South River Soft Crabs, Sea scallops from up North straight out of the cloth bag, and North Carolina shrimp peeled in Beaufort. Additionally, we serve pound net flounder caught in Core and Pamlico Sound from Beaufort Inlet Seafood. I almost forgot the secret Spouter Prime Rib recipe—Certified Angus beef with all its aujusiness and homemade horseradish sauce. Homemade desserts are inspired by a rich tradition of family recipes and Down East favorites.
Cooking has always been a cherished tradition in our family, passed down through generations of talented women. Our mother, grandmother, great-aunts, and great-grandmother were all remarkable cooks. When William developed a passion for culinary arts at East Carteret, I couldn't help but think he had inherited the famous Smith cooking gene. My sister, Leslie, took her culinary journey a step further, studying for a year at Johnson and Wales in Charleston before returning to the family seafood business. She makes all the crabcakes, sauces, and decadent desserts.
We are excited to share our family's love for good seafood with you, and we sincerely hope to welcome you to our family restaurant soon!
Food is love...
Kathryn Smith Chadwick, Owner
Read more at Coastal Review, coastalreview.org.