Growing up in Swansboro, NC, being the daughter of the owner of Capt. Charlie’s Seafood Paradise was my one and only claim to fame! When I turned 16, my father put me to work at the restaurant. I served there in many capacities over the next 15 years from waitress to bartender to hostess. I did not realize it at the time, but the many hours I spent there helped me form the foundation for my work ethic and my professional life and made many lasting impressions upon me. I certainly developed a love and appreciation for deliciously prepared seafood and for the value of excellent customer service!
We have all moved on and Capt. Charlie’s has been through numerous renovations and reinventions since our tenure there. But I continue to carry a bit of nostalgia for those sweet days in my quaint and friendly hometown. In this blog, you’ll find stories about those good ‘ole days, my favorite recipes, restaurant reviews, guest posts from friends and family of Capt. Charlie’s, and much more!
I welcome your comments and feedback. If you have a favorite story or memory of Capt. Charlie’s or Swansboro, please feel free to post it or send it to me directly. And if you have a special recipe request, I’ll be glad to respond if I can.
Capt. Charlie's Daughter 
Home! Captain Charlie help introduce my love of Seafood. ..you carrying on his Legend and love cooking is wonderful…combining the talent of Lou Tucker with engraving of writing is better! You and Rosemary hold places in my heart that are in replaceable!
Never try to use a Smart phone to Post!! Gotta love auto correct and things change after the proof!!
I always loved going to Captain Charlie’s. Guess I first went in the 60’s. I would be so happy if I could get your devil crab casserole recipe. I have never had any that was as delicious as yours. Thank you.
You would make me the happiest person ever if you would e mail me Captain Charlie’s devil crab casserole recipe. This was always my most favorite meal at the beach. Thank you so much. robinbwarren@live.com. no other restaurant comes close to Captain Charlie’s. Thank you.
Hi Robin,
Thanks for your comment…. I am working on the deviled crab blog now. The original recipe is such a large quantity and I will need to test a scaled-down version for fewer people. I hope to have it ready and posted very soon. Thanks again, Val
I know it’s been years since you have updated this blog but if you see this and can share the recipe for crabmeat augratin I would love it.
Hi Jessica. Thanks so much for your comment and request. I have neglected this blog for far too long! I will be glad to post the crabmeat au gratin recipe very soon. Please watch for more recipes on the way. Thanks again! Val
I grew up traveling to Emerald Isle for summer vacation from the midwest every year. Captain Charlie’s was our favorite restaurant to visit. Is is true that it is no longer there? We were planning a trip back and I was so looking forward to visiting again! Kelly
Hi Kelly,
Thanks for your comments. I’m sorry to say that Capt. Charlie’s Seafood Paradise exists no longer. The restaurant remained in operation for a number of years after my dad’s death and eventually his partners sold the building. There is a totally different restaurant in the building now and I’ve heard it’s very good. The name is Swansboro Food & Beverage Company— here is their menu….. https://www.swansborofoodandbeverage.com/menu/
There are other wonderful restaurants in Swansboro now— you really can’t go wrong! The town has managed to recover from several devastating hurricanes and is still a fun place to visit. Enjoy your trip!
Val Tucker Short
Thank you! Your dad’s was the best though. 💕
I grew up in Jacksonville and our family used to go to Cap’n Charlie’s for Sunday dinner as a treat. My dad would always order the stuffed flounder and I got the stuffed shrimp, which left us all “stuffed”! I would then walk down to the waterfront to throw shells at the croakers and pinfish while the adults paid for dinner…I so miss those days and that delicious seafood. Never been able to find those dishes at any seafood place and taste half as good! I’d appreciate it if you could send me one or both of those recipes…
Hi Stuart, Thanks for your comments and for sharing your sweet family memory! Stuffed flounder and stuffed shrimp were my favorites as well…. quite often I would do my homework at the “little table”– reserved for smoke breaks for the waitresses and busboys– at the restaurant and order stuffed shrimp for supper! Definitely the good ‘ole days! Those were signature dishes for Capt. Charlie’s and the recipes were created by the cooks, who had worked there for decades and would be called sous chefs nowadays! I’ll have to do a little research, but will try to post these recipes soon. Stay tuned! Thanks again, Val
Val,
I’d be forever in your debt if you find those recipes, especially the stuffed shrimp. I’d love to be able to make it for my family as we all love seafood. Thx for your reply, it really takes me back to think about your dad’s restaurant.
While living in Swansboro in the mid1960s we enjoyed eating at Captain Charlie’s in special occasions. My very favorite meal was the stuffed flounder.
We moved to Jacksonville and continued to eat at Captain Charlie’s for many years. Our very favorite restaurant!
I still live in Jacksonville. My son “Charlie” will be with me for Thanksgiving.
I would love for us to be able to make the Captain Charlie’s stuffed flounder while he’s here.
Could you possibly send me the recipe or tell me where I can find it.
I would like to have the stuffed shrimp recipe too.
Hi Carol, Thanks so much for your comments. I’m sorry that I don’t have the Capt. Charlie’s Stuffed Flounder recipe. I may be able to give it a try based on memory, but I don’t have access to fresh flounder to test it! I will also reach out to one of our “chefs” who may remember it, but I’m not sure I’ll get a reply before Thanksgiving. I do have the Stuffed Shrimp recipe and will post it here soon. Please stay tuned!
Hi! This is a random request but I’m hoping you will reach back out to me. I believe you are the Val Tucker who took pictures of my grandmother Rebecca McDaniel in 1977 in preparation for the Jones County Bicentennial Celebration in 1978 working alongside Rena Henderson. If so, would you mind contacting me? I would be so grateful. I don’t have any good pictures of my grandmother and she was something special. I’m trying to see if it is possible that some of those pictures survived and I could get copies somehow.
Hi Donna, This is indeed random and you are correct… I am that Val Tucker! In 1976-77, I worked for the Jones County Arts Council as a photographer through the state Arts Council’s Third Century Artist program. I took thousands of photographs while I was there— of historic landmarks and houses, beautiful landscapes and river scenes, and the people. I have no doubt that your grandmother McDaniel was one of the many Jones County folk in my photos. My friend and supervisor Rena Henderson, who was the Arts Council president at the time, encouraged me to document as many people and places as I could. Unfortunately, I did not keep any of my photos, slides, or negatives. I left everything with the Arts Council and I left my color slides at the Trenton Library. There may be a slim chance the slides are still at the Library— maybe in storage. I’m not sure what happened to the Arts Council files and Rena passed away several years ago, but you might contact her nephew Chris Henderson in Trenton just in case Rena may have kept some pictures. This is a long shot but The Jones Post published some of my photos and maybe there is a digital archive of the newspaper somewhere.
I wish you the best of luck in your search. Please let me know if you find any of my photos, especially your grandmother’s! Val Tucker Short
Thanks so much for your kind reply and some avenues to pursue. In the article that I have of you taking a picture of my grandmother Rebecca McDaniel, it discussed a 150-page magazine to be published with your pictures. Any idea what that was or how I might find it? I could email you the newspaper article clip I have that discusses the magazine and has the picture of you taking a picture of my grandmother. My email is donnabahorich@gmail.com if you want to ping me so I can send you the article I have. That may be helpful.
I did just get an inter-library loan of Rena’s book about Jones County published around that time. That was neat to look at. I did call Chris Henderson and he says he has pics of the bicentennial parade itself he could send me. I think my grandma was on a float. I think she was the oldest resident (97) at the time. I might get lucky and she’ll be in a pic there.
Again, I thank you so much for your reply. Let me know if you know where I might get the 150-page magazine! Blessings and health for 2022! Kind regards, Donna McDaniel Bahorich
Hello. I am looking for anything Captain Charlie’s to buy especially a old menu. I have a old T shirt and a ashtray and a original post card. My grandmother was working back in the kitchen when I was a child. Lots of memories Thank you
Our family loved to go to Capt Charlie’s. We’d drive up from Havelock. Imagine my surprise freshman year when my 907 Sullivan suitemate was Rosemary Tucker. Please tell her hello from Elaine Long (Duke). I’ve moved back to NC and live about 20 min from Nancy Jeanne. We should have a Sullivan reunion!
Our family loved to go to Capt Charlie’s. We’d drive up from Havelock. Imagine my surprise freshman year when my 907 Sullivan suitemate was Rosemary Tucker. Please tell her hello from Elaine Long (Duke). I’ve moved back to NC and live about 20 min from Nancy Jeanne. We should have a Sullivan reunion!
My family & I visited the original restaurant & stood in a long line with other hungry families that had traveled over 100 miles to experience dinner in Paradise. I would dearly love your recipe for crab-stuffed prawns, especially the heavenly sweet “cocktail” sauce poured over & baked with. Have you published a cook book yet? R
Love the blog Val. Keep it going and so good to chat with you today.
Lisa
Love the blog Val. Keep it going and so good to chat with you today.
Lisa