Jimmy’s Seafood Buffet in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, has posted an October 17 cutoff for its 2026 season. The restaurant’s announcement says it will be closed for the season on that date, following a reduced fall schedule of Wednesday–Saturday service beginning at 4 p.m.
The notice on Jimmy’s official website puts a date on the annual pause at 4117 North Croatan Highway, milepost 3.5. This is a seasonal closure for the Outer Banks buffet, with a history extending back to June 27, 1999.
Crab legs and lobster have long been prominent in its identity, alongside local fish and Caribbean-influenced preparations. Its published restaurant profile advertises more than 100 choices, with seafood examples including blackened tuna, crawfish, scallops, mussels, fried oysters and deviled crab. Selection varies, so that list is a picture of the buffet’s range rather than a guaranteed inventory for the remaining service days.
There is also a substantial non-seafood side of the operation. The profile lists chicken, ribs, pineapple-glazed ham and fettuccine Alfredo, plus children’s options such as tenders and mac and cheese. A person who declines the shell-cracking assignment can still participate meaningfully in dinner.
The family story reaches beyond the seasonal calendar. Jerry and Liz Dowless opened Jimmy’s with two partners in 1999, then bought out those partners in May 2003. Jerry died that August, and Liz continued the restaurant while raising their three children.
In a 2019 anniversary interview, Liz described the restaurant’s beginnings and her decision to keep it going. Contemporary local coverage also documented returning guests who planned visits around its seasonal opening, including families willing to drive to the Outer Banks for opening-night dinner and then head home again.
That makes a seasonal deadline useful information in this particular corner of buffet culture. For some regulars, Jimmy’s is already part of the vacation itinerary before anyone has discussed the beach. The October notice also follows fall hours that took effect September 2, narrowing service to four days a week.
One calendar detail deserves care: Jimmy’s says it will be closed on October 17, rather than advertising that Saturday as a final-night buffet. Anyone arranging one more seafood supper should confirm the remaining service schedule with the restaurant at 252-261-4973. A 2027 reopening date has not been announced in the current notice.
