In the area for the weekend for a cousin's wedding. Want to take the GF out tonight but really have no idea what's good. Looking for a nice seafood/local place. Found a couple places online right on Wrightsville beach but they're reviewed as tourist gimmics (Oceanic, Bluewater, etc.)

Recommendations?

6/25/2011 6:14:43 PM

Elijahs

6/25/2011 6:35:26 PM

That place looks good. Someone recommended Deluxe. Any good?

6/25/2011 6:43:54 PM

ibt Dockside

Bluewater has always been good when I've gone there. Maybe a little overpriced, but I enjoyed it, and the view is good.

6/25/2011 7:29:08 PM

Boca Bay

6/25/2011 7:57:50 PM

my wife is from Wilmington and says Deluxe is downtown and $texas

She suggests Dockside, more casual and good seafood

[Edited on June 25, 2011 at 8:42 PM. Reason : yea]

6/25/2011 8:42:20 PM

Just saw you want seafood

Boca Bay and bluewater are both solid. Also bridge tender is really good and really close to dockside. its better than dockside too.

Dockside is good for drinking on their patio/dock area





[Edited on June 25, 2011 at 8:51 PM. Reason : seafood only]

6/25/2011 8:48:05 PM

Bluewater is nice

my sister had her wedding reception there

6/25/2011 9:01:30 PM

as has been mentioned, dockside for more casual, bridgetender for higher class and oceanic and bluewater for the middle (although I'm not sure why they would be called tourist gimmics, both are good)

6/25/2011 9:16:01 PM

Elijah's

6/25/2011 9:23:37 PM

Roy's Riverboat and Landing. Downtown Wilmington. Intersection of Market and Water street. Amazing food.

6/26/2011 1:58:19 AM

Elijah's

6/26/2011 6:41:27 AM

I'll have to check out Bridgetender, Oceanic, and Bluewater next time I'm up here. The ocean side view would have been nice.

Quote :

"(although I'm not sure why they would be called tourist gimmics, both are good)"

I don't know I got that impression after reading a bunch of reviews. I won't place any judgement until I check them out though.

We decided to go into downtown Wilmington because neither of us had really been. We walked past Elijah's and a few other places and finally decided on Deluxe because of the menu and staff. Our waiter was awesome and loved to talk about the food.

Per the waiter's suggestion I got the grouper which was simply amazing. Their wine list was spectacular and with desert I ordered an 18 yr. Macallan which he promptly replaced with a 25 yr. Glenlivet for no extra. Overall great experience. Very personal and intimate. Not a large restaurant and the inside was pretty cool looking.

Now we're just debating whether to go back for brunch or not. Boco Bay apparently has a nice brunch but gets packed.

6/26/2011 10:19:12 AM

For seafood downtown I'd recommend Dock Street Oyster Bar. IMO, Oceanic, Bluewater, Dockside are tourist traps. Bottom line, they are owned by restaurant groups that really don't care about quality and freshness. Your fish comes off the same trucks that you can get in Raleigh-I worked at Dockside and Fish House growing up there in high school. Many friends worked the area restaurants too. It was bad then and it's worse now. Good seafood is hard to come by in Wilmington, believe it or not. When the Hieronymus' actually owned their restaurant it was good and fresh, but now it too is blah. Michael's in Carolina Beach is about the only place I go out to get seafood.

6/26/2011 11:14:13 AM

http://www.circa1922.com/

http://www.pilothouserest.com/


For breakfast, a must-eat-at (Get there early, always slam packed!)

http://www.yelp.com/biz/causeway-cafe-wrightsville-beach

[Edited on June 26, 2011 at 11:29 AM. Reason : ]

6/26/2011 11:28:32 AM

Elijahs

omnomnom

6/26/2011 3:29:18 PM

^^I'll 2nd causeway cafe. that place is awesome..great breakfast

6/26/2011 3:52:51 PM

Flaming Amy's

Jimbo's at 3am

/thread

6/26/2011 6:25:00 PM

mmmmmm flaming amy's burritos!

6/26/2011 6:28:28 PM

Quote :

"IMO, Oceanic, Bluewater, Dockside are tourist traps. Bottom line, they are owned by restaurant groups that really don't care about quality and freshness. "

That's the impression I got from the reviews. Our waiter at deluxe commented on which fish was on special for the day and where they had gotten it. I was very impressed. I tend to avoid any larger seafood restaurants as the source of the fish isn't always local and as you said the same I'd get in Raleigh. The chef's aren't paying any particular attention to each dish and it's not very personal.

Another good rule of thumb is the smaller the restaurant the better the food.

6/26/2011 7:33:01 PM

Trolley Stop

6/26/2011 8:44:19 PM

Portland Grille

6/26/2011 10:12:18 PM

While it's not a seafood place, my favorite restaurant by a mile in Wilmington is Caprice Bistro. Downtown about a block from the river, on Market street. It's a small place with a French/Belgian menu, and the food is flat-out amazing, service attentive, and priced reasonably for what you get. We make it a point to go every time we're in town--guaranteed not to disappoint.

6/26/2011 11:44:25 PM

Quote :

"Elijahs"

My sis-in-law had her wedding reception there and the food was really good

She also used to work at Bluewater so I'm familiar with them too. Probably my fave place to go when in town

6/27/2011 1:07:40 PM

^^ Good call. That place is awesome.

The bar upstairs is great after dinner as well.

6/27/2011 1:53:49 PM

nvm

[Edited on June 27, 2011 at 5:47 PM. Reason : ]

6/27/2011 5:46:31 PM

Quote :

"Bluewater is nice"

+1 for bluewater.


also for lunch be sure to hit up the south college sandwich deli. It's a little expensive but be sure to get homemade chips w/ ranch.

6/27/2011 6:21:12 PM

The food at bluewater is bland and uninspired. South Beach and Bridge Tender are the only decent places to eat near the beach. I thought Boca Bay had closed so I must be thinking of something else.

Oceanic is sometimes ok, but you're mostly going to eat on the pier, crab dip is decent though.

Circa 1922 is great downtown, but its not really seafood. Same goes for the brazillian place I can't remember the name of. Don't waste your time at Elijah's or the sister restaurant next door, nothing special there. The Basics is a pretty good spot too.

For breakfast hit up Sweet & Savory. Don't waste your time waiting in line at causeway, its doesn't live up to the hype & can't hold a candle to MOI.

If you're in the mood for mexican look up k38, best salsa, ever. Tower 7 is a similar menu on the beach but its not quiiiite as good.

[Edited on June 27, 2011 at 8:27 PM. Reason : *]

6/27/2011 8:22:40 PM

in DT Wilmington I've always been a huge fan of Front Street Brewery, but its mostly due to the beer

6/27/2011 8:26:32 PM

My work group went out to circa 1922 the other night and the bill was over $1,000. Thats with 10 people.

Check out Sweet and Savory or Kefi at night. Bluewater is probably your best bet for scenery. If you go, get the seafood lasagna and crab dip. Thats all I ever get there. Bridge Tender is good too but its expensive. They're across the bridge but are pretty good. Avoid downtown...its nothing but Marines, weird hippies, and thugs from the ghetto after 12. If you go earlier, Elijah's is probably your best bet.

6/27/2011 8:47:06 PM

Not all seafood, but something different that I like is Indochine.

6/27/2011 8:48:52 PM

bluewater use to have 35 cent wings and 2$ yuenglings on tuesdays. You were fucked up and full belly after 2 hours.

6/27/2011 8:51:58 PM

Go down to Robert's Deli and buy a loaf of bread and a pound of chicken salad.

6/27/2011 8:58:24 PM

is THAT the name of the place with the fantastic chicken salad, that's near the waterway? I couldn't remember the name...or maybe that's not what I'm thinking

6/27/2011 11:31:33 PM

What are the best places that have dinner entrees with average price less than $15?

blue water, south beach, oceanic, etc...that have been mentioned are pricey

6/27/2011 11:38:31 PM

Indochine +1

not seafood but the place is really really amazing!

6/28/2011 2:13:20 AM

which place has a better view, bluewater or dockside?

also, what about the best BEACHFRONT restaurants?

7/22/2011 10:00:14 AM

the oceanic isn't just a tourist gimmick, i love it. dockside was disgusting the last time i went, it's off my list. they served me a visibly rotting salad, so who knows what is going on with the fish

7/22/2011 10:05:12 AM

And while you're there, stop at Salt Works on Oleander for a burger.

I second Elijah's. Pilot House. Roy's Riverboat Landing.

7/22/2011 10:07:51 AM

If you are willing to make a 30 min drive from Wilmington do yourself a favor and go to Fishy Fishy in Southport. By far my favorite seafood place in the area and yes they do get fresh local seafood daily. They are also right on the bay and it's beautiful. Its one of those places you can pull up to on your boat if you have one. If you are staying closer to Carolina Beach you can take the Fort Fisher Ferry to Southport. It's a pretty cool ride.

7/22/2011 10:08:35 AM

^Good call. Fishy Fishy is quality. There's another place basically next door to it that's very highly regarded too.

On the topic of Southport, Live Oak cafe is also worth a stop if you're looking for a nice dinner. Not cheap but the food is quite good.

7/22/2011 10:58:22 AM

Dockside used to be solid back in the late 90s early 00s, but its garbage now.

We ate at Bluewater last weekend and it was alright. The food wasnt bad, wasnt great either, and the prices were way too high

7/22/2011 1:17:50 PM

Osteria Cicchetti...same ownership as Circa and Boca I believe, but a lot better food and good prices.

http://www.osteria-cicchetti.com/images/menus/dinner.pdf

7/22/2011 1:43:24 PM