Wednesday, October 28, 2026
By Outer Banks Voice on February 17, 2022
Just days after the announcement of the sale of Mulligans Grille to a South Carolina restaurant owner, the sale of Red Drum Grille & Taphouse in Nags Head was announced on Feb. 17.
A statement from the sellers, Brian Brown and Craig Errickson, said that “after 24 years of owning and operating Red Drum & Grille Taphouse, Brian and Craig announce the sale of the restaurant to Larry and Kristine Ponzi. We want to thank the Outer Banks community and visitors who have supported our business and hope you will continue to support the new owners.”
The new owners also released a statement on the sale.
“We are thrilled that our family will soon be the new owners and operators of the Red Drum Grille, and truly grateful to earn the trust from Brian and Craig who started this legacy business in 1998.
After several years working as a cook, chef and manager in the restaurant industry, I, along with my wife Christine, (a business consultant at the time), launched our very own creation in Northern Virginia, Cafe Pizzaiolo, in 2007. Since then we have moved on to open a handful of other thriving neighborhood restaurants in Alexandria that we will continue to operate thanks to our loyal and talented staff we have been fortunate to have for many years.
When we found this opportunity, it couldn’t have felt more right. The Outer Banks was our first family vacation after our second daughter was born and we have had a life-long goal to get to spend real time on the coast. Getting to pursue our passion for food and hospitality in such a beautiful location is a dream come true.
Our vision for the Red Drum first and foremost is to retain the great staff and clientele that have supported the restaurant for many years, and to build upon that success. We are eager to-get open very soon just after some light remodeling and a few menu additions. (Rest assured the Red Drum favorites will remain!)
We will continue to focus on great quality comfort foods and warm hospitality with a true neighborhood vibe. We can’t wait to meet you all as we take on this new chapter!”
Comments
C A
My family and I wish you the best, and welcome you to the Outer Banks. Hope you have a great season.
C A
Mark St. John
Please don’t make sweeping changes.. The place is perfect as is… Ask anyone who goes there…
Chris Smith
Just want to say thanks to Brian Craig and the crew. Had many great times in there with ya’ll
Anna D Sadler
Best wishes on your new venture here on the Outer Banks and know the community will continue to support this wonderful place.
larry d johnson
Love the Drum,been going since 80’s hope nothing changes. Mole and the girls there are the best. Good luck,will see you soon.
RAJ
As a frequent diner at the Red Drum the best change you can make is improve the acoustics to dampen the chatter in the restaurant. If it hasn’t already be done fix the latch on one of the steamers. Trying to eat while the staff is slamming the steamer door shut 3 times to get it latched gets old fast.
kdh back seat reviewer
This will be an interesting challenge for the new owners.
Owning and operating in NOVA is a whole heck of alot different than doing business here on the OBX. Coming here on vacation then the hard reality of cash flow can be jarring.
Glenn
Wishing the new owners the very best! It’s a shame that, in recent years, so many restaurants throughout the OBX (though not all, for sure) have declined in food quality. So many are just not as good as they used to be. Don’t know if there’s been an exodus of some of our best chefs but it just seems these days the overall quality of local restaurants is, at best, average. One really notices it when you visit restaurants in Charleston, Savannah, St. Augustine, Sarasota to to name only a few. The quality difference is remarkable. Again, wishing the owners much success…we’ll definitely stop by & support you.