Is the Buckley family restaurant in Netflix’s ‘The Waterfront’ a real place?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Netflix built the Buckley Crab Shack interior as a set for "The Waterfront."
- Southport’s Fishy Fishy Cafe served as the real-life exterior of the restaurant.
- Scenes also featured Potter’s Seafood and The Basics at The Cotton Exchange.
Aside from the ongoing crime and family drama, there’s likely another element of “The Waterfront” that’s hooked your attention: the stunning Buckley restaurant.
The new Netflix series, filmed along the North Carolina coast, follows the prominent Buckley family who’s struggling to save their fishery and family restaurant.
Is ‘The Waterfront’ restaurant real?
The show features several Southport and Wilmington area businesses and local landmarks as part of their fictional coastal town, including one that was a small part of the Buckley Crab Shack.
The restaurant’s interior — adorned with framed nautical photos, pendant light fixtures and a full service bar— was a custom-built set, a Netflix spokesperson told The News & Observer.
But the exterior is a Southport seafood staple, Fishy Fishy Cafe.
The casual waterfront restaurant, which is easily recognizable in the first episode with its neon-colored decor, is nestled in Southport’s historic Yacht Basin.
The bright aqua blue building was formerly home to The Shrimp House, Southport Magazine previously reported, before Fishy Fishy was established in 1998. Since then, it’s been a hot spot for locals and visitors alike.
Southport’s Fishy Fishy Cafe
Built with indoor and outdoor seating plus two full service bars, there is a wide variety of fresh and fried seafood favorites on the menu, along with soups, salads, burgers and more including:
Bacon wrapped stuffed shrimp
Blackened NC tuna
Cajun mahi bites, fried calamari and coconut shrimp
Crab cakes, salmon and Cali tuna sandwiches
Fish and chips
Shrimp and grits
Restaurants featured in ‘The Waterfront’
Along with Fishy Fishy Cafe, Potter’s Seafood was featured in other restaurant and waterfront sequences, a spokesperson told The N&O.
In Episode 2, The Basics at The Cotton Exchange was the backdrop for an outdoor dining scene.
This story was originally published June 20, 2025 at 10:52 AM with the headline "Is the Buckley family restaurant in Netflix’s ‘The Waterfront’ a real place?."
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