Before fishermen discovered the edibility of fish, they used each catch as bait for larger species, hoping in the end to hook the biggest fish of all—friendship. Join first mates to feast on freshly caught fare with today's Groupon for a captain's choice dinner at Captain Stanley's Seafood Restaurant on South Wilmington Street or Falls of Neuse Road. Choose from the following options:

• For $12, you get dinner for two people (up to a $24.99 value).
• For $22, you get dinner for four people (up to a $44.99 value).
• For $34, you get dinner for six people (a $68.99 value).

The chefs at Captain Stanley's fry up fresh Calabash-style seafood, shunning heavy grease in favor of light hand-breading and delicate trans-fat-free vegetable shortening. Today's deal encompasses an assemblage of seafaring specialties with a captain's choice dinner, which includes the following:

• One cup of clam chowder per person.
• A platter of lightly fried flounder, shrimp, oysters, scallops, and deviled crabs sized for two, four, or six.
• A choice of two sides per person.

The prix fixe foodsperience begins with a cup of house-brewed clam chowder, which envelops tender morsels of potatoes and clams in a creamy broth. For the main event, an immense platter brims with deviled crabs flanked by angelic fresh fried shrimp, oysters, scallops, and flounder. Meals can be tailored to suit taste buds with lemon-pepper or Cajun seasoning upon request. Couples split one platter, while groups of four or six share two or three platters respectively. Sides such as brunswick stew, a baked potato, or coleslaw complete meals like the piece of your 'N Sync puzzle that grandma swallowed.

Both Captain Stanley's time-tested South Wilmington location and its newer north Raleigh venue exude family-friendly vibes and a nautical ambiance ideal for entertaining pirate houseguests. Whether seated at tables or inside intimate booths, diners are wrapped in maritime relics including oars, harpoons, monstrous fish, and incomprehensible maps to Atlantis.