Southport Magazine

A view of the back decks of Fishy Fishy Cafe from the long dining deck. Photo by Bethany Turner.

In the Yacht Basin, where the fishing industry once ruled amongst shrimp boats and menhaden vessels, now another trade claims its share of the Southport dollar—dining.

Where working men unloaded the day’s catch, now waitresses unload the night’s special from trays to tables. Thankfully, it’s usually still the fresh catch.

In the case of Fishy Fishy Cafe, its building once was a plain wooden shack of sorts known as The Shrimp House, serving up fried seafood baskets on a regular basis. No frills, just local eats served the quickest way possible. But since its latest incarnation, established in 1998, Fishy Fishy Cafe has evolved into one of the Yacht Basin’s finer choices for a meal.

As owner Bridget Chirico describes, the family-run business crept into more space by adding one deck and then another. A separate semi-outdoor bar affectionately known as “The Fishbowl” hosts live music most weekends throughout the year. And one could never overlook the sprawling restaurant or its aqua blue and yellow paint job. It’s become an iconic part of the Yacht Basin “skyline,” visible in paintings and photos from local artists. No, The Shrimp House wouldn’t fit in here now.

The dock’s wooden pilings are hosts to a motley of hand-painted signs, all boasting a locale either near or far: Bald Head Island, Key West, New Orleans, Dominican Republic—even Milwaukee. While it’s a simple concept, each sign conjures an image of a place that folks can dream of. It breathes the wanderlust, seafaring life into any landlubber.

The live music bar better known as ‘The Fishbowl.’ Photo by Bethany Turner

“Our signs have a lot to do with our customers and where they come from,” Chirico explains. “It also has a lot to do with our family and friends of our family. My parents are very much involved in the running of the restaurant. My mom does all the books, payroll, and HR. Both my parents owned a restaurant, an inn. A smaller restaurant but really finer food. They’ve been involved in helping since day one.”

Chirico and her husband both hail from New York, but their careers with IBM lead them to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “We started vacationing here, going to the beach at Bald Head Island,” she divulges. “We bought a house over there and our summers always consisted of trips to Bald Head.”

When IBM uprooted the Chiricos again, it took them to Singapore, where the family lived for eight years. “We came back and it was time own a restaurant—don’t ask me why,” the cheerful woman jokes.

“When we came back from Singapore, the girls went to high school in Chapel Hill, and I was there doing the books and payroll for the restaurant, not here hands on,” Chirico clarifies. “When my youngest went to college, I came down here in September, and then all of a sudden it dawned on me that I hadn’t been home in nine months.”

Local clams sautéed in a garlic herb broth with Tasso ham, diced tomatoes, and red onions and served with toast points. Photo by Bethany Turner

That Chirico would lose track of time is understandable; Fishy Fishy Cafe consistently deals with a high volume of guests throughout the year, though especially in the summertime. “We’re open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, except for the Fourth of July, Christmas, and Thanksgiving Day,” she says. “One of our biggest days is the day after the Fourth of July. Every year, our numbers are off the charts. We just keep growing and growing and growing, but we’re really out of space. The calendar that we have, I can look at last year’s sales, and I can tell you within 10 percent of what we’re going to do that day. But you’ve got to be sure you don’t wear out your staff, especially over the holidays.”

At the end of the peak season, Chirico and executive chef Ryan Seemes pick apart the menu, verifying what was well received and what wasn’t.

The Southport Salad: fresh Romaine, Gorgonzola crumbles, fried onions, roasted garlic, tomato wedges, and smoked bacon with balsamic vinaigrette. Photo by Bethany Turner

“We’ll add a few things new every year, and then at the end of the summer we’ll go, ‘Woah, that is a winner!'” the owner muses, noting the bourbon-bacon salmon has remained a huge hit since its first season. Grilled salmon comes topped with bourbon-bacon onions and served with roasted sweet potato bites and fire-roasted vegetables. The sweet potato bites themselves are extremely popular.

“Our sweet potato bites—everyone loves them—but when we run out, we run out,” Chirico details of the prep-heavy item. “We’re constantly making our Cajun cream cheese-stuffed shrimp. It’s labor intensive to sit there and do that. One holiday weekend, my other daughter was here, and all she did for an entire day was sit in the kitchen and stuff shrimp. She said she could do it in her sleep!”

Taxing as it can be—and certainly so when serving up to 700 people per shift, Chef Seemes adds—it is this dedication to a higher level of food preparation that sets Fishy Fishy Cafe apart from other restaurants in the area. “In other restaurants, the goal is to go in, eat, and turn that table. Here, I think it’s go in, enjoy, and stay,” Chirico describes. “The music is here for the entertainment of the diner, and all the tables are set up along the water so guests can just enjoy the views and take it all in.”

“We have delicious food and we’re right on the water, so it’s a really beautiful, fun atmosphere,” manager Brittany Chirico, Bridget’s daughter, adds.

Horseradish-encrusted tuna steak topped with a Thai sweet chili glaze and served with Jasmine rice and broccoli. Photo by Bethany Turner

Chef Seemes plays a large part in the makings of the menu. He always ensures the use of local seafood. “We’re part of the Brunswick Catch program, so we support local fishermen,” he conveys. “We really try to get what’s in season without harming the environment.”

He says the Brunswick Clams appetizer—local clams sauteed in a garlic herb broth with Tasso ham, diced tomatoes, and red onions—was “Safe Haven” actor Josh Duhamel’s favorite dish while he was in town filming.  Another specialty of Seemes’ is the horseradish-encrusted tuna topped with a sweet Thai chili sauce. Yet, for dinner, the chef sits down to a simpler meal. “The Baja tacos and the shrimp and grits are my favorites,” he shares. “For the shrimp and grits, we use a Tasso gravy over yellow stone-ground grits. We use fresh grouper for the tacos and a pineapple slaw, and just put a little cheese on top, and you’re ready to roll.”

For Chirico, running Fishy Fishy Cafe is all about helping share the beauty of Southport with its guests, from higher quality dishes (though she concedes the fried shrimp platter remains the eatery’s top seller!) to the waterway’s breathtaking sunset views.

Manager Brittany Chirico, executive chef Ryan Seemes, and owner Bridget Chirico. Photo by Bethany Turner

“The other day there was a family—a husband, wife and some small children. You could tell they were visitors,” Chirico begins. “I went to the table, and I asked the kids if they’d finish their dinner. They had, so I asked them to come with me over to the dock. There was a school of dolphins right here, and they were playing and jumping and rambunctious. The whole family was here watching the dolphins for maybe 30 minutes, and I know they’re going to remember that moment.”

Fishy Fishy Cafe
106 Yacht Basin Dr.
(910) 457-1881 • www.fishyfishycafe.com