Came here for a work dinner and we had a large group, was very impressed with the fast and attentive service! We ordered many of the starters but my favorite was definitely the spring rolls. The beet salad was delicious! I had the salmon and it was very good. Mostly everyone in the group had the scallops and they all said they were really good too! read more

Circa 1922 - Salmon - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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One of the top 5 in Wilmington. Everything is fantastic, decent prices and great service. This is my wife and my go to date night spot.

Fantastic Food and Service. One of the better restaurants in Wilmington. Give this place a try.

11-15-21 Boy I had a lot of expectations going into this restaurant, both good and bad. From reading the Yelp reviews I was expecting a dark romantic setting, expensive but worth it. Talking to my neighbor I got the impression that they had small portions and high prices. All reported that the food and service was excellent. So, it was with a little trepidation that we arrived at 5:30PM for our dinner. We were met by a hostess that showed us to our table on the second-floor dining room. Since I couldn't use the stairs, we were shown the elevator, which is basically a service elevator and gives you a scenic tour of the back part of the restaurant. Our table was the first table as you enter the dining room. I would not recommend this table because you get a lot of kitchen noise, since the kitchen is just around the corner. Also, since our reservations were at 5:30 the dining room was as bright as day since the room faces west and the whole west wall is windows. So, if you want a romantic dinner reserve an inner table at sunset or later. The food was magnificent as advertised, the main course portions were larger than we've gotten in many other like restaurants, which was a pleasant surprise. For an appetizer, they call them "Small Plates", we ordered Roasted Bone Marrow and yes it was an appetizer for one, luckily my wife didn't want any. It came with Lemon Gremolata, Shaved Shallots, and Grilled Baguette. It was the first time I had a Bone Marrow dish and was delicious. We followed that with Caesar Salads that were prepared to perfection. For our main course my wife ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognese with House-Made Pasta, Veal & Pork Ragu, Pecorino Romano. She said she could have been in Bologna, Italy it was that good. I had their Braised Short Ribs with Local Root Vegetables, Pommes Puree, A Jus. Everything was cooked to perfection and I loved every bite. For dessert we had a Colossal Crème Brûlée - Caramelized Vanilla Custard Poças White Port / Lustua East India Sherry. A perfect way to end a perfect meal. The service was outstanding, all through the meal the came by to see if we need anything and made sure our water glasses were full. I thought that the prices were reasonable for what we got. We will definitely be returning to Circa 1922 again, although, since we like to eat early, I will probably try to sit in the bar area to get away from the sun light. read more

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Upscale restaurant in downtown. No suit required (pants are) but a nice place for a special occasion or just to be a baller for a night. The food is well executed and the service is excellent. Our waiter really knew the specials, full menu and best drinks to pair with the meal. Menu has several seafood options, duck, steaks, and other items. Now about the important stuff; good wine selection, acceptable draft beer menu and very nice craft cocktails menu. The tuna poke appetizer was good. Sear scallops as a main entree was very good. My only compliant is there were only 4 scallops on the plate and they were the size of a quarter. If it wasn't for the complimentary bread and appetizer, I may have left hungry. read more

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We planned a business dinner here for 22 people and it was an amazing experience. We were within walking distance of our hotel in beautiful downtown Wilmington, NC. They were so accommodating and had us upstairs away from everyone so we felt like we had a private event. They had a buffet style area that i had pre-selected five different appetizers for and my favorite was the hot crab dip. For dinner we had a selection of salmon, pasta or filet mignon. Most of us ordered the filet and it was cooked perfectly. We had wine with dinner and it was a perfect match. The dessert was the hi light of the evening with a sample of small cakes - the chocolate cake was to die for! Over all it was a great time and I'll definitely go back not only for another business meeting but for a date night! read more

Circa 1922 - Desserts - key lime pie, puff pastry and chocolate cake! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

We were recommended this place right after going to an escape room next door on our first evening in town. We couldn't have asked for a better first meal in Wilmington. We sat at the bar and were helped by Chris, who not only made great drinks (even suggesting clever modifications to adjust for taste... Like putting Licor 43 in an espresso martini to balance out a request for tequila instead of vodka), but also recommended delicious food. We ended up sharing a few things, including the Poké Bomb, Brussels sprouts and scallops. It was out of this world. The Poké dish in particular was probably one of the best tuna dishes I've ever had. We went back for takeout on our last evening there right before close and got that again, as well as some braised pork shank, and that was delicious too. Really good time all around. I highly recommend it. read more

Circa 1922 - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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This place just blew us away!! First impressions coming into the place the host was so super friendly and made us feel welcomed and not like tarantellis which there hosts are rude and on power trip. This place has incredible ambiance and is just beautiful inside. The new waiter was Michael and he was super friendly and professional and was being trained by a women who was great ! The wine was amazing. We shared the mussels and they were to die for. Then my wife got the lemon ricotta ravioli which she loved and I had the fillet which was heaven!!!! Amazing depth of flavors. It was my wife's birthday and they came out with a sparkler candle with our chocolate layer cake which was to die for. Amazing experience! read more

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Excellent Food, drinks, service, ambiance, location...what else can you say... A little pricier but worth the visit. read more

The food was pretty exceptional!!! Everything the table ordered was good. I had the roasted chicken my guest had the steak! The Fries were a bit salty but that's me looking for a down side to even out the review!!! The atmosphere was really nice! Clean swanky! Not top notch but very pleasant. Waiter was prompt and attentive. Highly recommended!!! read more

Caesar salad was very good. Salmon dish was excellent. Waiter was fantastic. Ambiance is classy but a little too dark for my liking, I like to see my food, but I can't mark this one down as the overall dining experience was very, very good. Great service. read more

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As a local of Wilmington, I must have walked by this restaurant a thousand times, and yet I had never once stopped by. Fast forward to present, after reading up on reviews, I decided to book a reservation for my fiancé's birthday. I was especially drawn in by the mentions of romantic lighting and excellent cuisine. Sure enough, we got sat at a romantic table near the back, service was amazing and our food came out perfectly timed each time. We ordered the Mushroom Ravioli, Beef Carpaccio and Crab Dip small plates for appetizers and they were absolutely amazing! The dried truffles on the ravioli were one of my favorite parts of the night. For our entrees, I ordered the tagliatelle Bolognese and he ordered the filet. 10/10! I haven't had better Ragu anywhere in Wilmington and my fiancé said it was the best filet he had ever ordered. His only comment was that he wished they had different sizes you could choose from, like a few other restaurants right have visited. He loved it so much, he definitely wanted more! For dessert, I was stuffed, so I ordered the mini creme brûlée and he ordered the 7-layer chocolate cake. The brûlée was heavenly, however his cake was a bit rich for my tastes. He loved it though, so if you're a chocolate lover, be sure to try it! We've already began to plan our next trip to Circa and can't wait! read more

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The food was beautifully spiced, prepared and presented. The flavors of everything were first rate and the service was excellent. Highly recommended! read more

Everyone needs to try this place! Actually one of the best meals I have had since COVID started last year. Everything was perfectly plated, colorful and appetizing. The have a great pre-fix menu with lots of options and it's only $32! Caroline (our server) was very sweet, attentive and had the food times well. You won't retreat going here! read more

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I don't usually write reviews but I was so disappointed and angry that I felt I needed to do this. We've been going to Circa for almost 10 years and this is the first time that it not only let us down but was BAD. Water spilled on the table right away, drinks clearly forgotten about a few times, then the big one, an entree not arriving until after the rest of us finished ours. That's all amongst other smaller things. I honestly couldn't even enjoy my meal cuz I had to go speak to a manager and then was concerned about where my mother-in-law's entree was! The manager seemed to have a 'these things happen' attitude. NO in a restaurant of this caliber when paying those prices these things absolutely should not happen! Oh, and screaming kids at the table next to us didn't help. We will go back.... eventually. I truly hope this was a one-time issue and that this place isn't going downhill. read more

I have been coming to Circa since it opened and have always thought it was a shining star in the downtown food scene-- but I haven't visited in a few years, and boy have things changed. First, the good stuff-- the space is beautiful! Two floors of beautiful tables and velvet booths, I would call it baroque 'lite.' You could have your wedding here and feel grand and cozy at the same time. The staff and service is also really awesome. Our server was really nice and knowledgeable and everything came out with a smile. The problem was --what came out!!! We ordered a few small plates--crab dip, glazed carrots, brussels, tuna bombs, fried calamari. Nothing too overwhelming right? I took a few bites of each and wondered if the kitchen staff was mad about something. In general the food was extremely underwhelming, tasted like it came out of a box or at least was prepared with low budget ingredients last Tuesday and then refried a la minute and sludged in sauce. The calamari was the worst-- the calamari (if it actually was calamari that was alive at some point) was minuscule and overtaken by the breading, triple fried, super duper salty and covered in sticky sweet sauce. The brussels were very greasy and also a salt mine and sloshing around in a tahini lemon sauce, a thai sauce and some peanuts? The crab dip was a dip but crabs took the night off. The carrots--oh Lordy Lord the carrots!!-- were so overcooked and floating in a pool of honey, they dissolved instantly when I put them in my mouth. Tuna bombs were good! Frustrating to go to a place that holds itself out as a more upscale Italian small plates restaurant and expect that level of food--and actually get food of lesser quality than any appetizer you can get at the Irish bar across the street. read more

The atmosphere was everything we hoped for, with the feel of a speakeasy. Service was top notch and the bolognese was excellent. Definitely will return. read more

My husband and I went here for our 2 year wedding anniversary! Every time we go, we rave about the service and food. The vibe is very rustic, food is phenomenal and service is top notch. They have options for both seafood and farm food. Definitely suggest if you're going for a celebration or just nice night out! read more

Circa 1922 - Wine - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

This is a WOW restaurant! Great vibes, atmosphere and delicious food. Highly recommend.

The NewYear's Eve Meal was a joke. First, the person booking reservations DID NOT say it was $75 per person for a set menu. For my $100 I got a tiny ( on the house) black eyed pea appetizer, six tiny oysters on a half shell, seven scallops on a bed of grits, and a pie dessert that was unrecognizable and thick as, I don't know, one. One last thing the service was lacking, and the noise level was so high. You could not talk to the person across the table from you! Not a fan! You should be ashamed of yourselves, very disappointed! read more

Great atmosphere and food. Good for a nice date night. Key lime pie is elite for dessert.

We finally made it to Circa 1922 and I'm so glad we did. First off, it's really nice inside, so inviting. Our server was fantastic, very attentive. The calamari was some of the best my wife and I have ever had, even my picky daughter liked it, and they give you a lot! Their pasta is amazing and the filet was perfect. My daughter ordered the chocolate cake for dessert and it's tremendous in size and flavor. We will definitely be going back. read more

I've gone here a couple of times for special occasions. Food is excellent. Sometimes the noise level gets kinda high but overall great dining experience. The Filet Mignon is fantastic. Usually there are a few seasonal items on the menu. Side note: bathrooms are clean and cute. read more

Circa 1922 - Sesame Tuna - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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WOW! Absolutely beautiful restaurant, great menu and excellent service. Scallops were perfectly cooked, crab dip was excellent and the mussels were to die for. The broth the mussels were in was amazingly, we even asked for seconds on bread so we could sop it up! Highly recommend! read more

My wife and I are Foodies. She from L.A. and me from N.YC.. The food and creativity is phenomenal, bursting with supreme freshness of farm and ocean to table. We let our wonderful waitress Paige know the nuances of our excitement with each dish as we tried to piece together the numerous flavors. I was blown away by the oysters and lemon sorbet combo! My Grouper was toasty outside and perfectly soft on the inside. My wife's chicken was so good you could tell that they were pampered and pasture raised. Circa 22 is not an eatery but an experience. Enjoy! We'll be back! read more

Delicious food and romantic ambience. Everything we ordered (crab dip appetizer, steak frites, and the scallops) were amazing and the service was excellent. We will definitely be returning! read more

Fabulous meal and service. Everything was delicious. Great cocktails. Best food we have had in Wilmington.

Nice ambiance and the sharables were delicious (we tried the crab dip, brussel sprouts and the mussels) and then I got the sea scallops with asparagus risotto for dinner and it was good but it lacked texture and it was very lemon heavy. Overall, the experience was great, our server was wonderful and I would try it again for sure! read more

Wonderful ambience. Piano music in the background, but no too loud. Elegant. Spaced nicely. Wonderful service. Not rushed. Delicious cocktails and superb dinner. Can't wait to go back read more

Excellent service, ambiance, and food!! Mussels were some of the best we've had. My husband raved the whole night over how good his paella was. I had the salmon en croute and loved it. It was something I had never had before. Drinks were done well and pretty presentation. We went back the next day because this place was so good. You cant beat the weekday 3-course menu either. It's a shame that there is no dress code but I understand that places can lose business over dress codes in a tourist/beach town. Second day here we got the Octopus appetizer and it was excellent as well as the table paella which again was to die for. read more

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We stopped by with the intention of having one drink; after walking in and seeing the atmosphere, we bought a bottle and shared a charcuterie plate. We had a great server named Robert who was very helpful and accommodating. The charcuterie was nicely presented and everything tasted great. They bring warm bread and olives when you sit down which is a nice touch. We really enjoyed this restaurant because it reminded us of something you'd see in Chicago..just had an old city feel..dark wood, low lighting..it was perfect! read more

Circa 1922 - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Went to Circa last night for the first time,,and man it did not disappoint!! Such beautiful ambiance, and great seating! I had the Tagliatelle Bolognese and my boyfriend chose the Short Rib with Goat Cheese Ravioli, which was a special for the night, and then we paired it off with two of the mini desertsNot to mention the service was impeccable!! Our reservation was at 6 and we signed the check a little before 7!! For a busy Saturday night, that's an A+ in my books! Circa 1922, now could be our favorite restaurant. Can't wait for next time! read more

Circa 1922 - Tagliatelle Bolognese - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I had a wonderful birthday eve birthday dinner tonight. I chose Circa because I was craving their beef carpaccio. There is something magical about it. It is not filling at all but the favors just melt in your mouth so organically. We stared off with some cocktails and then a dozen raw oysters. They were very pricey at $45.00/dozen. The price is not on the menu so be prepared. We split the charred octopus which was absolutely delicious (but also very small), cauli flour, beef carpaccio and a Caesar salad. Their Caesar has always been one of my favorites. Service was good, not fantastic. I love the atmosphere here and it's haunting vibe. If you need to use the restroom you have a large amount of steps to walk up. So, in case you need an elevator there is one but you need to ask about it. This is very helpful after a few drinks. I loved everything about this meal including the very spicy hot sauce for the oysters. read more

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We popped in last night and loved it. We were underdressed, but that didn't make a difference. - decor: dark wood and exposed brick, very warm - appetizer: charred octopus. Very fresh, properly cooked, and tasty - filet: cooked perfectly with asparagus and potatoes - grouper: pan fried just right with spinach and Carolina gold rice and a light sauce. Excellent. - desert: chocolate coconut sushi. Chocolate ganache rolled in coconut and more ganache with toasted coconut on top. Served with chopsticks and dipping sauces. Words can't describe how good it was. - drinks: generous pours and reasonable for restaurant prices. - service: friendly, attentive, and unobtrusive. This is an outstanding restaurant. We'll be back. read more

Clearly I visited this restaurant before North Carolina got shut down for the Corona Virus, so I'm going off memory. Luckily for me it was one of the most memorable dining experiences I've had in a good long while. The restaurant resides in downtown Wilmington, which is quaint and beautiful. We loved the interior, and I got pictures of our cozy booth and the "vault" from where the building once was a bank. The service we received was second to none, and the dishes came out perfectly timed. These folks get it right. The food is where this place owns me. I was dining with 3 friends and we all shared each other's food...everything we put in our mouth was just incredible. Seriously not a bad dish in the whole lot. The Charred Brussels Sprouts were smoky and tender with crispy edges. The chili oil gave them a little bite while the lime crema cooled it down. Very balanced dish with bright flavors. The scallops were seared perfectly with a crispy exterior and tender insides. Loved the pairing with pomegranate and cauliflower! Perfect for sharing, too. The Proscuitto-Wrapped Dates were oddly delicious. The sweet date, paired with that salty proscuitto. Just wow. Stuffed with marcona almonds and gorgonzola cheese made for a bite that hit every taste bud! The Grilled Filet Mignon was like butter. It was served with roasted winter vegetables, a potato puree and a mushroom sherry sauce. It was pure decadence! This was one of our favorite dishes of the night. The other favorite was my pick: Black Truffle Pappardelle. I'm nuts about mushrooms and these paired with truffles, handmade pasta and Parmesan cheese had all of us raving. The pasta was perfection, as only homemade pasta can be. The sauce was drinkable. I still think about that dish. The Crispy-Skin Organic Salmon was different than any salmon I've had before. It really did not taste strong or fishy at all. Cooked perfect, it was tender and buttery. It was perfect with a little bite from the horseradish. The Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls were also a favorite of the table. Fried lightly and filled with tender pork and sweet shrimp complemented perfectly by the cool lime cilantro slaw. It was served with a thai peanut sauce for dipping. The crab dip was the best I've ever had. Chock full of sweet tender crabmeat with artichokes and spinach. The cheddar gave it a bite to cut through the richness of the cream cheese base. Those crispy bread dippers were perfect in and of themselves. When I return to Wilmington, this is the first place I'll grab a reservation! read more

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Phenomenal experience at Circa! Started within fantastic espresso martini's, followed by the artichoke spinach crab dip. Ordered the pan seared flounder and steak frites and was not disappointed in any sense. Finished with the mini desserts. They were the perfect amount to finish the meal with a cup of espresso. The beautiful building and live pianist made a wonderful night. Would surely recommend this to anyone looking for a perfect night out. read more

The food and atmosphere was amazing!! The servers were so kind and fun! We had crab dip for an appetizer and I had the seafood paella for my meal. Everything was perfect! For dessert we got the chocolate coconut sushi and it was incredibly delicious! The only mistake was being too full to enjoy it all! The atmosphere was fancier, and because it was raining all day before our reservation we were wearing jeans. However, we didn't feel out of place! Great for a date night, girls night, or if you're just feeling like fancy drinks and amazing food! read more

Circa 1922 - Chocolate Coconut Sushi - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Delicious! We walked up and down the street looking for a welcoming spot to enjoy dinner and drinks. We say at bar, and started with the hummus & deviled eggs with pickles... They were both amazing, they really know how to make pickles. They also know how to make drinks (when you say straight up, they know what straight up means). For the mains, he had the fillet and I had the duck, again, both delicious! In the end, we'd come here again and again. Unfortunately, wee didn't have room for dessert. So there's a next time in our future! read more

Circa 1922 - Tapas Bars Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Went there for my wife's birthday and prior to, made the restaurant aware of the occasion. She received a "Happy Birthday" when we were seated. We ordered the mushroom bruschetta which was excellent. Our entrees included the flounder/shrimp, well prepared and delicious; filet mignon cooked to medium. Filet was presented medium rare at best. Not impressed. Unfortunately it had to go back to the kitchen. I expected a complementary birthday dessert, especially when I saw deserts being presented with sparklers in them at other tables. Will think twice before going back. read more

Very beautiful, old wood and Victorian style decor, tile floor, very comfortable plush booths, but very dark inside which seems intentional to add to the ambiance. Food is expensive but choices look interesting. We ate from the prix fixe menu for $35 and had garden salad, trout with rice and spinach in brown butter sauce, crème brûlée for dessert. Everything was delicious. Service was excellent and constant checking up. The bathrooms are on the second floor which is reached by a rickety elevator, not my favorite part of the experience. read more