Kai-Joe's

4.4 ( 1348 reviews )
Checking... 11:00 AM - 8:00 PM See Hours
$10–20
4722 E Oak Island Dr, Oak Island, NC 28465, United States
+1 910-933-1073

Kai-Joe's, a delightful taco spot located at 4722 E Oak Island Dr, is making waves in the culinary scene of Oak Island, NC. With its walk-up window and inviting beach setting, it offers a casual yet vibrant atmosphere that instantly draws customers in. Despite the occasional line, patrons agree it's well worth the wait, as the food is made to order, ensuring freshness and quality.

Highlighted dishes include the mouthwatering steak burrito, fish tacos, and the incredibly popular Firecracker Shrimp Nachos, all bursting with flavor and generous portions. Customers rave about the tacos, with many considering them superior to other local options. Reviewers particularly appreciate the value for money, noting that even with lengthy lines, every bite is satisfying and delicious.

The friendly staff adds to the experience, with many guests mentioning the owner’s willingness to accommodate special requests. If you're visiting Oak Island, Kai-Joe's is an absolute must-try, securing its place as a top culinary destination on the island.

Amenities and More

  • Accessibility
    • Has wheelchair-accessible car park
    • Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
    • Has wheelchair-accessible seating
    • Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
  • Service options
    • Has outdoor seating
    • Offers takeaway
    • Serves dine-in
    • No delivery
  • Highlights
    • Has live music
  • Popular for
    • Popular for lunch
    • Popular for dinner
    • Good for solo dining
  • Offerings
    • Serves comfort food
    • Serves healthy options
    • Quick bite
    • Serves small plates
    • Serves vegetarian dishes
  • Dining options
    • Serves lunch
    • Serves dinner
    • Has catering
    • Has seating
  • Amenities
    • Has toilet
  • Atmosphere
    • Casual
    • Cosy
    • Trendy
  • Crowd
    • Family friendly
    • Good for groups
    • Popular with tourists
    • Popular with university students
  • Planning
    • Doesn't accept reservations
  • Payments
    • Accepts credit cards
    • Accepts debit cards
    • Accepts NFC mobile payments
    • Credit cards
  • Children
    • Good for kids
    • Has kids' menu
  • Parking
    • Free of charge street parking
    • Free parking lot
    • Plenty of parking
  • Pets
    • Dogs allowed
    • Dogs allowed outside

Reviews For Kai-Joe's

Colby Hinton
Jul 2,2025
Nice little walk up spot! Pretty busy had a decent line out past the tables ...took about 15 minutes for the food but that being said the food was freshly made you can tell cooked to order and hot and amazing ...the queso was good the beans and rice were wonderful ...the steak big MAMMA burrito and the beef nachos wow everything was great and we will be eating here again when back in town!
Cheatfood
Jun 30,2025
This little place, and it really is small, is amazing, but there are tables to eat at so don't worry if you're already worried from driving past it and seeing a long line... First off, the wait is worth it. Second off, the price is right. Thirdly, just shut up and eat your tacos or burrito and stop worrying about the line. The tacos are amazing, they are more than perfectly sized, and they are the sister company to KoKo Cabana, so the food is great quality and price friendly. The beef tacos at the time were on sale for only 2, and quite frankly if they were 4, I'd still order more... These are bigger and better than Sabor by the way, if your some Charlotte city-folk or something like me. I also ordered the Surf and Turf tacos (shrimp and chicken), 6/each, but man they are worth it.
Austin Young
Jun 1,2025
Absolute must try, outside seating, great atmosphere, friendly staff and try the fish tacos and the chicken and shrimp nachos.
Johnna White
May 28,2025
Everything is wonderful. I got full just from 2 tacos. The flavors are wonderful! I got the north shore tacos, Mel’s shrimp nachos which smelt amazing and had such great spice and we got the special with was fish tacos with some type of apple poppy seed sauce and I can’t rave enough. It’s worth the price. The atmosphere was also very chill and definitely a vibe. Check it out if you want something unique for your visit!
Sarah Phelps
May 4,2025
Have been wanting to try Kai-Joe's since the first time I saw it. The atmosphere is the perfect beach setting, walk up window, cheerful smiling staff, and the smell... oof it get's your mouth watering. We had a large order as we were getting takeout for a large family. My husband forgot to get his dad's tacos on corn tortillas (Gluten Sensitive), the owner very nicely made them again on corn tortillas, and then even gave us the extra tacos, so generous. The portions were more than generous as well. I had the Firecracker Shrimp Nachos, they were not overly spicy, they were dripping in queso and the shrimp was cooked to perfection. We ate at a different place on Oak Island every evening we were there and Kai-Joes definitely takes the cake for the best spot on Oak Island. I wish I would've grabbed some pictures of my food before I gobbled it up, but it was just too good!
Cycle-logical Tours
Apr 13,2025
Vibrant, whimsical, and packed with flavor—Kai‐Joe’s shrimp tacos and rice bowls are a hit. A great casual bite for our e‐bike tour guests. I’d love to explore ways to highlight you on our route. Let’s connect!
Greg Schmickle
Apr 1,2025
We were blown away by the tacos. The North Shore Tacos were amazing. The kids likes the meat and cheese tacos and the rice bowl. Definitely a spot to hit if you are tired of fried seafood and BBQ!
Corey Thorpe
Mar 13,2025
Had to give this place a try after seeing it all over TikTok. We did an online order in April 2025. The nice thing is we wanted to grab food quick and go back to our hotel. We arrived and noticed it was rather busy, we walked up to the pickup window and were quickly greeted and we had our food in seconds. The food was great! Not sure if they locally source their shrimp but the shrimp burrito was great. We will stop at Kai-Joe's on our next trip to Oak Island.

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