All Aboard! A Family Adventure at Pirate’s Landing in Elkin, NC

Written by Kodia Byers 2026 | Originally written by Aprille Donaldson

While North Carolina’s coastline is well-known for its notorious and infamous pirates of the golden age, you probably wouldn’t think there would be any pirate attractions nearby in the Piedmont. I admit, I was quite surprised myself when I Googled “pirate attraction near me” and something came up less than an hour away!

Let me introduce you to Pirate’s Landing Seafood and Steak Restaurant in Elkin, NC.

“AHOY THERE MATEY! Welcome aboard Pirate’s Landing, where dining becomes an adventure! Located in Elkin, North Carolina, Pirate’s Landing is the most exciting restaurant in the Southeast! Your entire family will enjoy not only our delicious seafood and steaks, but also our unique pirate-themed atmosphere.

Your voyage begins upon approaching the deck of the ship surrounded by water and fish. The outside and inside have been constructed to resemble a dry-landed ship, with 200-year-old supporting wood beams brought directly from the St. Lawrence Seaway and antique planking throughout. Not to be missed are the detailed murals of the history of piracy and of the book Treasure Island.”

Meet the Man Behind the Ship

Pirate’s Landing is owned by Theofanis Kakouras, who emigrated from Greece to the United States in 1974 with his family, who went on to own and operate several restaurants across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. He opened Pirate’s Landing in Elkin in August 2003, building it into one of the most memorable dining destinations in the Yadkin Valley — spending two years personally sourcing weapons, cannons, antique rugs, tapestries, wine barrels, and other artifacts to give the restaurant its authentic “plundered treasure” feel.

Planning Our Pirate Adventure

We have been studying pirates in our homeschooling as part of a greater study of United States history. Our boys loved getting dressed up in their pirate gear, even though they had no idea where we were going.

A quick heads-up before you go: Pirate’s Landing is closed Monday and Tuesday. Current hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 3–9 p.m., Friday from 3–10 p.m., Saturday from 2–10 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. — so plan your visit around those days to avoid showing up to a locked door like we did!

We showed up to an empty parking lot on a Friday afternoon, and my heart sank. I called the restaurant and confirmed we’d arrived before opening. The building’s exterior was a bit run-down, and my husband was skeptical. Our boys, however, thought it was incredibly cool. They loved exploring, and we got a lot of great pictures! There were cannons, a fish pond, ropes, pulleys — and even a crow on the crow’s nest!

Once the Doors Opened

Finally the doors opened, and we were pleasantly surprised at just how interesting it was inside! I had brought a bunch of pirate-themed coloring pages and worksheets for the boys to do at the table, in case there was a long wait. After we ordered, my husband and I took turns with one boy each to explore the multiple levels of the restaurant.

The restaurant is covered in huge murals and there are life-sized pirate sculptures around every corner.

We had absolutely no issues with timely service and hot, tasty food. My picky boys had a corn dog and grilled cheese off of the kids’ menu, and I had a wonderful steak!

Worth the Drive

For us, the experience was worth it. It was definitely the most grown-up restaurant we had ever taken our children to, but it didn’t feel so fancy that we couldn’t enjoy ourselves and let our kids be kids.

Pirate’s Landing has also built a strong reputation over the years, now holding a 4.2-star rating across nearly 2,000 reviews — a solid track record for families considering the drive. If you live in the Triad and feel up for it, I think it’s somewhere you should take your kids at least once!

Pirate’s Landing is located at 161 Interstate Way in Elkin, NC, just off I-77. They also offer catering and can accommodate events for up to 320 guests across their multiple dining levels, making it a fun option for birthday parties or family gatherings too.

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