Tale of the Whale — A Restaurant with a Lasting Family Tradition

About

Located at 7575 S. Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959, The Tale of the Whale Restaurant carries forward the legacy of Don Bibey. Don devoted his entire professional life to the food industry and traveled internationally during his service in the United States Air Force. Those travels gave him a collection of recipes and ideas aimed at making dining more enjoyable.

In 1980, Don and his wife Carole established their restaurant around a straightforward standard: good food served in generous portions, superior service, and a comfortable atmosphere. They selected Whalebone Junction as the setting for their vision. At the time, a whale theme was unusual among restaurants, and the couple's interest in saving whales made the name a natural choice. They hoped the restaurant would encourage support for these gentle giants as they remained threatened by man.

Under Don's leadership, The Tale of the Whale Restaurant operated successfully for over 20 years. After his passing in 1997, Carole continued the restaurant's traditions with their son Dan and his wife Kathy, motivated by deep respect for Don and his demanding standards of fine dining.

The family hopes The Tale of the Whale will uphold Don's ideals for many generations. They also hope each guest enjoys a pleasant meal and allows the restaurant to become part of their family's Outer Banks tradition.

Thank you for dining with us — The Bibey Family & Staff

Contact

7575 S. Virginia Dare Trail Nags Head, NC 27959
info@taleofthewhalenagshead.com
252-441-7332

Amenities

Dining

• Dinner
• Gluten Free Options
• Live Entertainment

General

• Work w/Motorcoach Groups in Senior/Student Markets

Guest Reviews

Yelp lists 455 reviews for The Tale of the Whale. Recommended reviews attributed to Brianna M. (08/07/2026), Brinda R. (08/24/2026), and Skyler G. (08/23/2026) highlight delicious meals, well-prepared steak and shrimp, hush puppies, attentive and accommodating service, a pleasant view, and a positive celebration-dinner experience. The reviews also note that the restaurant is consistently busy and may involve a wait.