Southport Magazine

Best Burgers on Oak Island 

Story by Kass fincher

When daughter Kim Bifano describes the grill that her mother – aka“Little Bit” – runs on Oak Island, she points to her mom. “The only thing little here is her,” she says with a laugh.

And that’s the truth. Known for their huge hamburgers, Little Bit’s Grill is a small but popular destination on the Island. The all-fresh, hand pattied burgers will put the fast food versions to shame. The small burger is 8 ounces and the large is 14 ounces. “You definitely get your money’s worth,” says Bifano. “Most people order the large one the first time they’re here, then they come back and go with the small. It’s a lot to eat!”

The burgers are all cooked to order, and the Grill also offers a couple of custom options. “All the Way” includes chili, slaw, mustard and onions. “Bit’s Way” has lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, onions and pickles. Or if you want it “Your Way,” you can choose from any of these items.

The Grill is open for lunch from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Lunch plates are popular. The hamburger steak plate with fries, slaw and grilled onions is a big favorite, with a pound and a half of meat. When asked whether people can eat all of that at one sitting, Bifano laughs. “That depends on the person,” she says. “We’ve had women come in here, order the hamburger steak plate and devour the whole thing. And when the college kids come in over the summer, those boys can take it down easily.” Other popular lunch plates are the BBQ pork and the chicken strips, each served with slaw and fries or onion rings.

For those with lighter appetites, Little Bit’s offers lunch sandwiches like grilled chicken, turkey club and BLTs. People fishing at the pier often come in and get the all-beef hot dogs or sausage dogs to go. “We keep it simple,” says Bifano in describing their menu. “We’re just a basic grill; we don’t offer a lot of choices, but people seem to like it that way.”

The only day open for breakfast is Saturday, serving from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The Grill offers breakfast plates, breakfast sandwiches and omelets. The western omelet with ham, tomatoes, onions and cheese is a favorite. So is the vegetable omelet with tomatoes, onions and cheese. Little Bit cooks everything; her daughter describes her mother’s work ethic. “She’s 77 years old, but she comes in here on Saturdays at 2:30 a.m. and leaves around 5 p.m.,” says Bifano. “This place does not open without her.”

Bifano runs the front of the restaurant while her sister Lien Williams runs the back. The Grill has been in this location for 17 years; before that they were at Long Beach Pier for 12 years. The family moved here from Saigon, Vietnam in 1975 on the last day of the war. Bifano’s father died in 1978; her mother has raised her daughters by herself since that time. Little Bit summarizes her story like this: “You gotta do what you gotta do. You can’t just sit around; you’ve got to work.”

The results speak for themselves. In 29 years of successfully operating her business, Little Bit must have it right.

Little Bit’s Grill

5902 E. Oak Island Drive

Oak Island, NC

910.278.6430

Open Mon, Wed, Thur, Fri, Sat

10:30 a.m.– 2 p.m.

Open Sat for
breakfast 6 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Closed Tues and Sun