This Locally Owned Gem Is So Much More Than Seafood

If you’re looking for where to eat in Concord, NC, especially somewhere locally owned, family-friendly, affordable, and serving portions that will absolutely not leave you hungry, Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant deserves a spot on your list. And I’ll admit, I completely underestimated this place.

I’ve driven past Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant in Concord, NC plenty of times and always assumed it was your basic old-school seafood restaurant. You know the kind: giant platters of fried fish, hush puppies, french fries, and not a whole lot else.

I was wrong.

Yes, you can absolutely get a massive platter overflowing with fried seafood at Pier 51. In fact, that’s one of the things they’re known for. But you can also order broiled seafood, grilled salmon, homemade Alfredo, an incredible hand-cut ribeye, ridiculously good chicken wings, and one of the most impressive seafood deals I’ve found around Concord. After finally eating here with my family, I walked away thinking one thing:

Pier 51 might be one of the most underrated restaurants in Concord, NC.

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A Locally Owned Seafood Restaurant in Concord, NC

Pier 51’s story didn’t actually begin in Concord. The restaurant originally opened in Pineville, NC before relocating to Concord about 10 years ago. Today, this locally owned Concord restaurant continues to focus on big portions, fresh ingredients, homemade recipes, and the kind of comfortable family dining that’s getting harder and harder to find.

One thing that really stood out during our visit was just how much is made in-house. The salad dressings and sauces are all made fresh, and after trying several of them, I completely understand why. The homemade tartar sauce and cocktail sauce were perfect with the seafood, but surprisingly, some of our favorite sauces weren’t even seafood sauces. My daughter couldn’t decide whether she wanted BBQ sauce or honey mustard with her chicken tenders, so naturally she got both. We would have happily bottled both of them up and taken them home.

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Don’t Skip the Chicken Wings

Here’s something I never expected to tell you about a seafood restaurant: Order the chicken wings.

Seriously.

We ordered wings as an appetizer, and I could have eaten an entire plate of them for dinner. They had that perfect combination of being slightly crispy on the outside while staying incredibly juicy on the inside. Then they’re tossed in your choice of homemade sauce.

Our pick?

The Bourbon Sauce

If you order one sauce at Pier 51, make it the bourbon sauce. It’s the same bourbon glaze they use on their salmon, and it was absolutely delicious on the wings… sweet, savory, rich, and the kind of sauce that makes you keep reaching for just one more. These wings were one of the biggest surprises of our entire meal.

The Peel and Eat Shrimp Make a Great Appetizer

Since we were at a seafood restaurant, we obviously needed at least one seafood appetizer too. We ordered the Peel and Eat Shrimp, and these weren’t bland boiled shrimp tossed onto a plate. The shrimp were beautifully seasoned and broiled until perfectly cooked. Pair them with Pier 51’s homemade cocktail sauce, and you’ve got a simple appetizer done really, really well.

You Don’t Have to Order Fried Seafood

This might actually be the thing I appreciate most about Pier 51. I love seafood, but I sometimes hesitate to visit traditional seafood restaurants unless we’re on vacation because so many menus revolve almost entirely around fried food.

Fried shrimp.

Fried fish.

Fried oysters.

Fried everything.

That’s great when you’re craving it, but sometimes you want seafood without eating an entire plate of fried food. At Pier 51, you have options. Many of their seafood dishes are available fried or broiled, plus you’ll find several grilled seafood options as well. That makes Pier 51 a great choice when one person in the family wants a giant fried seafood platter while someone else wants grilled salmon, broiled fish, pasta, chicken, or steak.

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The Seafood Alfredo Passed the Teenager Test

My teenager went straight for the Seafood Alfredo, and there wasn’t much conversation happening once that plate arrived. He completely devoured it. The Alfredo sauce is made in-house and served with grilled shrimp and scallops over pasta. It’s rich and creamy without the seafood getting lost underneath the sauce.

So if you’re searching for a family-friendly restaurant in Concord, NC and have someone in your family who isn’t interested in a traditional seafood platter, don’t overlook the pasta section of the menu.

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The Stuffed Salmon Might Be My Favorite Dish

My husband ordered the Stuffed Salmon with broccoli, and I’m pretty sure ordering separate entrées was the only thing preventing an argument over who got the last bite. This dish was incredible. A beautiful salmon filet is cut open, stuffed with crab cake, and baked until tender. His was served with broccoli, and then we drizzled lemon butter over everything. This is the kind of meal I could happily eat every single week.

If you’re looking for one of the best non-fried seafood options in Concord, NC, put the stuffed salmon near the top of your list.

Don’t Sleep on the Ribeye Either

Remember how I said Pier 51 isn’t just a seafood restaurant?

Let’s talk about the steak.

I ordered the hand-cut ribeye, and when I tell you it was one of the most flavorful, perfectly cooked steaks I’ve had at a restaurant in a long time, I’m not exaggerating. I’ve gotten spoiled because my husband makes an incredible steak at home. He knows exactly how to season it, cook it, and get that melt-in-your-mouth texture, which means I’m usually a little disappointed when I order steak at a restaurant.

Not this time.

The ribeye at Pier 51 had me ready to come back before we had even finished dinner. So if your family is divided between seafood lovers and steak lovers, Pier 51 makes choosing a restaurant incredibly easy.

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The Famous Pier 51 Seafood Platter

Of course, we can’t talk about Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant in Concord without talking about the dish they’re probably best known for.

The Seafood Platter

This thing is enormous.

The Seafood Platter comes loaded with:

• Flounder
• Deviled crab
• Calabash shrimp
• Oysters
• Jumbo shrimp
• Scallops

It’s exactly what you picture when someone says they want a giant Southern seafood dinner. If you love traditional fried seafood and want to sample several different things instead of choosing just one, this is the platter to order. And come hungry. Very hungry.

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Caroline’s Seafood Platter: The Broiled Alternative

But what if you want that overflowing seafood-platter experience without everything being fried?

Order Caroline’s Seafood Platter.

Named after the owner Billy’s wife, Caroline, this platter gives you that same impressive seafood feast with a broiled preparation.

This seafood platter is piled with:

• Flounder
• Deviled crab
• Green shrimp
• Jumbo shrimp
• Scallops

Everything is seasoned and broiled, making this one of my favorite options for anyone who enjoys a big seafood dinner but doesn’t want a fully fried platter. This is another reason Pier 51 surprises me so much. You don’t have to choose between eating at a classic seafood restaurant and having something lighter. You can do both.

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All You Can Eat Seafood in Concord, NC for Under $20

Now we need to talk about one of the biggest reasons Pier 51 deserves more attention:

the prices.

Fresh seafood can get expensive very quickly, which is why I couldn’t believe some of the specials Pier 51 offers. They have rotating All You Can Eat seafood specials starting at just $12.99.

But the deal that really caught my attention is their:

$18.99 All You Can Eat Mix & Match Seafood

For $18.99, you can mix and match from:

• Calabash shrimp
• Fresh filet of ocean perch
• Catfish filet
• Deviled crab
• Flounder filet

And yes…. it’s all you can eat. You can continue ordering until you’ve had your fill. The only catch is exactly what you’d expect: this is dine-in only, and there are no doggy bags from the All You Can Eat special.

But seriously…

Where else around Concord can you get All You Can Eat seafood for less than $20?

If you’re searching for affordable seafood in Concord, NC, this is one deal worth knowing about.

Don’t Miss the Early Bird Special

Want to make dinner even more affordable? Go early.

Pier 51 also offers an Early Bird Special that makes a great late lunch or early dinner.

For under $10, you can choose from options like:

• Calabash shrimp
• Catfish filet
• Flounder
• Double cheeseburger
• Stuffed deviled crab

Your meal also comes with a side and cole slaw. For a locally owned sit-down restaurant serving fresh food, that’s getting harder and harder to find.

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Is Pier 51 Good for Families?

Absolutely. One of the reasons I would recommend Pier 51 for families is the sheer variety of the menu. This isn’t one of those restaurants where everyone has to love seafood. Your husband can order fried flounder while you get the broiled salmon. Your teenager can order the Seafood Alfredo while their younger sibling can have chicken tenders. And grandma can completely ignore the seafood section and order a ribeye instead.

That makes Pier 51 a particularly good option when you’re trying to choose a family-friendly restaurant in Concord, NC that will make everyone happy. The portions are generous too.

Let’s just say this:

If you leave Pier 51 hungry, that’s your fault, not the restaurant’s.

What I Would Order at Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant

It’s really hard for me to narrow this down after our visit, but if you’re going for the first time, these would be at the top of my list:

For an appetizer:
Chicken wings tossed in bourbon sauce or the Peel & Eat Shrimp

For something lighter:
Stuffed salmon with lemon butter and broccoli

For the classic Pier 51 experience:
The Seafood Platter

For a big seafood dinner without all the fried food:
Caroline’s Seafood Platter

For pasta lovers:
Seafood Alfredo

For the person who doesn’t want seafood:
The hand-cut ribeye

For the best value:
The $18.99 All You Can Eat Mix & Match Seafood

Honestly, though, one of the best strategies may be going with several people and ordering completely different dishes so everyone can try a little bit of everything. That’s what we did and I’m so happy because I found so many amazing dishes to eat next time we visit Pier 51!

Is Pier 51 One of the Best Seafood Restaurants in Concord, NC?

Pier 51 completely changed my expectations. I went in thinking I knew exactly what kind of restaurant it would be. I expected a basic seafood restaurant with baskets of fried fish and shrimp… but this place is NOT basic! Instead, I found homemade sauces, perfectly cooked wings, broiled and grilled seafood, homemade Alfredo sauce, stuffed salmon, a fantastic ribeye, massive seafood platters, and some seriously affordable specials.

That’s why I think Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant is one of the most underrated locally owned restaurants in Concord, NC. It’s the kind of place you can drive past a dozen times without realizing what’s waiting inside.

Whether you’re searching for the best seafood in Concord, NC, trying to find an affordable family-friendly restaurant, craving All You Can Eat seafood, or simply looking for somewhere new to eat around Cabarrus County, Pier 51 belongs on your dinner rotation.

Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant Concord, NC

Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant
744 Cabarrus Ave W
Concord, NC 28027

Hours: Monday – Tuesday Closed Wednesday – Thursday 11:00am – 9:00pm Friday 11:00am – 9:30pm Saturday 3:00pm – 9:30pm Sunday 11:00am – 8:00pm

Pier 51 offers dine-in meals along with takeout options…just remember the All You Can Eat Seafood options are only available as dine in and there’s no doggy bags allowed.

Follow Pier 51 on Social Media at: Facebook – Instagram – Yelp

Menu items, specials, hours, and prices can change, so always check with Pier 51 before visiting for a specific special.

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Check out these other locally owned restaurants in Cabarrus County, NC.

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