Decided to treat myself while I was in town for a conference and wow, this is definitely a place to treat yourself. The cocktails, desserts, and every dish are creative and fun and delicious! The atmosphere is cozy and quiet and perfect for settling in after a long day. It's excellent but not pretentious, which is a hard balance. I can tell everyone is down to earth and yet the food is very high quality. It seems like it would be impossible to go wrong on this menu. read more

See all

We had a fantastic dinner last night at Dram Yard! I started with the Little Gem salad--green goddess, benne seed, and country ham crumb. It was delicious: cold, crisp, beautifully dressed, and generously sized. For my entrée, I had the spaghetti carbonara with crispy guanciale. Honestly, I could have danced on the table I loved it so much! My husband and friends thoroughly enjoyed their tuna tartare, cheeseburger, and curried sweet potatoes--every dish was a hit. Our server, Emily, was outstanding--adorable, professional, knowledgeable about the menu, and with a great sense of humor. The kitchen sends dishes out as they're ready, which we appreciated. The ambiance is quaint and intimate, with a smallish dining room and a bar front made from old metal mailboxes--such a cool touch. I've also been for brunch recently and loved it just as much. Dram Yard offers a smaller, thoughtfully curated menu, and everything we've tried has been beautifully prepared and absolutely delicious. read more

Went in for brunch. Great service, excellent food. Sat at the bar and I don't recommend the bar stools if you're wanting to linger a bit. They can get uncomfortable. But had the prosciutto toast with poached egg...Amazing! The duck fat fried doughnuts....you get 5, they were sooooo good. Definitely recommend for brunch. read more

Different, and good enough to go back again. There were four of us, and we ordered two appetizers and four entrees. The plates are meant to be shared, we were told, and we did so, though the servings were adequate but not large. There was enough on each plate for us to share a few fork-fulls each. The trout dip was tasty, not smoked and very mildly seasoned. The wagu tartare was, as the one person at the table who does not care for raw fish or meat noted, not actually tartare but more like ceviche. No real beef flavor, but not bad. Both appetizers were served with botched house-made chips, which were flabby and greasy. The best dish of the night was the spicy noodles, with a bit of heat and a beautifully poached egg to mix in. The duck breast flesh was delicious and the sauce was excellent, but there was no sear on the skin. The carbonara was, unfortunately, over-cooked and under-seasoned, but the body of the sauce was ok, and the bits of pork were tasty. We enjoyed the swordfish, which fortunately was not cooked into a hard medium-well steak-like consistency. Very good, except my first bite had a bit of bloodline that was unpleasant. The "front-of-house" service was very good; the "back-of-house" service and execution was a bit more spotty with timing and execution. The restaurant is small and nicely decorated, just what you would expect in the historic district. The Gazebo part of the business has an attractive patio area where we enjoyed an after-dinner drink. So, while this was not a perfect performance we agreed we would like to try again, perhaps in the off season. read more

The service and vibes were awesome and the food was amazing. We ordered almost the entire menu between the four of us. I'm exaggerating but also wishful thinking. Everything we had was amazing drinks, apps, dessert. I had a lamb special they are considering putting it on the menu and should it came with a coconut rice that was to die for! When in the area we will return. read more

DON'T DO IT! Slowest service ever (with only 2 tables & 4 people at the bar top). My friend's food was delivered a solid 5 minutes before mine. They messed up our order and we overheard that they messed up on two other orders for the other diners. Left us waiting to pay. No apologies. Just terrible. Go to The Toastery, Amanecer, or anywhere else. read more

No detail in this establishment was overlooked. From the layout, the menu, and the decor, everything pairs well and creates a calm, welcoming environment. The drinks were 10/10. Their scotch cocktail was wonderful, even for someone that doesn't care for scotch. Nothing in any cocktail was overpowering; each ingredient was recognized and complemented the others nicely. Unfortunately, we were just getting drinks and dessert. The desserts we tried were to die for. Made in house which is a big plus. Cannot wait to come back soon and try dinner. They have a chef's choice option as well! $75/person and you get a variety of shareable options. That will likely be a must try. Would definitely recommend making a reservation as it is a small venue and given the impressive quality, is a downtown favorite. read more

So good!! The decorations were so cute and fun! Service was amazing, we had a huge party and she was quick, efficient, and kind! Food was great! I got the O.G. plate(?) with sunny side up eggs, bacon, toast, and smashed potatoes. Everyone else really enjoyed their food! SO GOOD! highly recommend! read more

The sauce on the Charred Brussels Sprouts. The crispy char on said Brussels. The trout dip. The black olives and mushrooms in the chicken and dumplings. The salad with the duck. The duck. The sauce with said salad and duck. This is a list of my new favorite things. read more

See all

Beautiful restaurant with a stunning outdoor courtyard. Food, service, and drinks were all phenomenal. If you're an out of towner or a local, this is the place. read more

Dram Yard - Australian Waygu - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

See all

This was one of the coolest places I have ever had dinner...such a beautiful restaurant! We had several delicious dishes, but the Caesar salad is worth having! The salty smoked trout row with the slightly sweet dressing..wonderful. The server was attentive but not hovering, so we felt very taken care of. The management went out of their way to make sure we had a delightful evening. Would highly recommend! read more

Lucky to come in on a quiet cold Monday evening, seated right away. Got the Brussels sprouts, Corn Vichyssoise, and chicken and dumplings. Hands down one of our favorite Wilmington meals to date, we are newly relocated to the area. Great glass of wine and cocktail to enjoy by the fire puts. Simply executed food that lets the flavors shine. Loved it here, will return for sure. Please come. read more

Amazing! Ambiance and service were top notch. Enjoyed oysters, hamachi Kama, beef tartare, and black bass with a Greek flair. Incredible. read more

See all

Nice ambiance and great service. My partner had the chicken and waffles. I had the salmon on flatbread. Sat at the bar and definitely will be back. read more

Dram Yard - Chicken and Waffles - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

It is IMPOSSIBLE to get through to anyone at the restaurant. The phone line has an AI concierge and regardless of what you say, you are forwarded to the same automated message giving info that's already online. No one responds to emails either. Absolutely absurd. I've been trying to get through to someone for 3 weeks. read more

We met here to begin a Walking History Tour of Wilmington (Wilmington Walking Tours with Amanda). What a great find! I lovely atmosphere with a great selection of wines. Great service. I beautiful outside seating area with fire pits. I look forward to a return visit to try the menu and stay at the Inn. read more

We arrive on time for our reservation for six. We were seated in a timely fashion but then waited more than 15 minutes before a waiter came by for drink orders. We also ordered small plates then sensing a staffing problem. The drinks and small plates arrived piece meal so we had pass cold plates to finish. Then, we ordered the entrees. Within about 15-20 minutes the Dram burger showed up. After about 10 minutes, two more plates showed up. In all, it took over 30 minutes for all six plates to be served. It took over 2.5 hours for our meal! And the quality of the entrees was marginal! read more

Dram Yard was delicious. We came in for brunch this weekend and the food was great. We got the brunch wrap and the eggs benedict. The benedict was great although the eggs were more hard boiled than poached but the taste was still fantastic. We asked for a sauce to pair with the food and the server brought a special hot sauce that the chef makes that he calls "Lot Lizard Hot Sauce". It's certainly a must try if you can, the sauce was amazing. The ambiance is very cute and I would highly recommend checking this place out. read more

See all

The two stars is for the atmosphere and the wait staff. It's a nice place and the staff was friendly and professional. The problem is that the food was just okay for the price. For less I would have let it go and never reviewed, but at the cost it doesn't work. The portions were small too and we ended up getting another meal elsewhere a few hours later because we were hungry. That shouldn't happen. It was $20 or so for a bowl of dumplings ( a small bowl ), and we were charged for each tea in small glasses. My pork chop had only pickled beats and no other sides. Throw a cheap starch in there at the least. It has potential to be one of the best restaurants around, but the portions need to increase for the prices or the prices need to be reduced. And, never charge for refills on tea. I haven't seen that since the 1990s. read more

If you haven't been to dramyard yet you have to try it! Every other Monday night they have dim sum night at the gazebo bar! The gazebo bar is outside of dramyard, it's the cutest little outdoor bar with an amazing atmosphere! We went for dim sum night & it did not disappoint! The food was so yummy, it is all hand made. The waitress was very bubbly and seemed happy to be there - she was also very accommodating. Adrial the bartender is the best in town! He is the nicest guy! If your ever in downtown Wilmington check them out! read more

Dram Yard - Char Siu Bao - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The food and cocktails at Dram Yard are spectacular. I love coming here when the weather is nice for their patio space, which has all the garden terrace vibes. Flavors are on point, the menu is elevated but approachable (wish it was just a smidge bigger with a few more selections). I would recommend making reservations, the one time I didn't we ended up waiting quite a while for seats at the bar. This is a great date night/special occasion place that we always look forward to. read more

See all

Cully was so nice and knowledgeable, explained everything super well and the food was great! Inside is super cool as well! Definitely recommend read more

Dram Yard - Australian Wagyu - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

See all

First, before I give a review I just saw a 4 star review and the review says the food was " not memorable ". 5 would be the best and 4 would be pretty darn good. So I wonder why in the world someone would be giving a 4 star to a " unmemorable food experience" So folks, let's give reviews on the actual food not the fact you had a nice time with your friends. I see 4 stars on fast food restaurants, so ratings can be all over the place. But when you go into a higher end place you expect a different judgement on ratings which is why I gave it a 3. This is based on a hope of success. The restaurant has a very nice interior, comfortable and very reasonable prices including 1/2 off bottles of wine on Wednesday evenings. The servers are courteous and friendly. The food was disappointing. The " she crab soup" had great flavor but no actual crab. "Crab flavored" just doesn't cut it in this exquisite soup. Even just a few little sprinkles of crab would have been nice. The Brussels sprouts were way, way overly saturated with the ingredients. They should be light, crispy and delightful. The duck breast was just okay, my husband ordered. I had a few bites and found it bland. I ordered a dish highlighted as " crispy chicken skin, chicken and dumplings". There were no " crispy chicken skins ". Which I think is important to this dish flavor. The dumplings were very heavy and just not appetizing to this dish. The broth was a kind of salty. I mentioned the lack of crispy chicken skins it to my server who apologized and spoke to the chef and gave me a discount of 10%. Do people not get it? It's not about a $2.00 discount. As a "die hard in search of good food" person .... I really want chef owned restaurants to thrive and have droves of people come to their restaurants. I am an artist entrepreneur myself, and criticism is a difficult thing to take. But after 50 years in business it is essential to hear it and learn and grow from it. I judge every dish I eat on a " would I order this again?" basis. And no I would not. I also want to mention that on a Wednesday evening at about 6:30 that they no longer had ant duck confit remaining. There seems to be a new standard of 20% to 30% tip. But if a a server can't be bothered to top off our wine that doesn't warrant that kind of tip. We just refuse to give 20% on that kind of service as I see it takes just as much effort to bring a $100 bottle of wine to the table as a bottle of water. Proper training is needed for these servers to understand just what it takes to get a good tip and reflect good service for the restaurant. Will I go back? Probably not. I'm hoping the chef will take this as honest feedback and consider looking at how he can make his lovely place an outstanding Wilmington "have to go to " restaurant. I know the heart and soul that goes into running a business and I wish you the best. My husband says no one cares about reviews. But I do and I have found some truly amazing restaurants through Yelp when people give informed and honest feedback. read more

Hostess wasn't the nicest which is the first impression, the food was okay but would have liked more options! The atmosphere was very nice.

We've been meaning to come here for both dinner and the gazebo bar ever since they reopened and we finally made it last weekend! We started off at the gazebo bar for a drink before our reservation. The space is much bigger than I'd realized - there are a lot of separate seating areas. We each grabbed a drink and they were both pretty great. For dinner, we asked about the tasting menu and learned that for $50 you can also add a cocktail pairing. We decided to go for it and try both. Our first course was smoked trout dip and crispy Brussels sprouts - both amazing!! Next up was scallops and beef tartare, again both were fantastic. Our third course was chicken and dumplings and uni carbonara - if you're noticing a pattern, those were great too. This was followed by the whole fried fish. I generally shy away from ordering this because it feels like so much work, but our server gave us some great tips to get the most meat with the least effort and that was really helpful. Finally, for dessert we had the butterscotch budino (topped with caramel popcorn!) and vegan strawberry shortcake. Literally the only thing on the whole menu that I didn't love was the biscuits on the shortcake - everything else was amazing. We weren't expecting the drinks to be full size which was a nice surprise for the value but was a little much for us - next time we'd order one drink pairing to share. All in all I'm glad we finally made it and we're able to sample so much of the menu! Great spot for a fun date night. read more

See all

I don't usually do review updates (especially so soon) but I just wanted to reiterate how damn slept on Dram Yard is in this town. They have one of the most interesting menus in Wilmington, and they absolutely crush all the details. We went again for my birthday tonight and everything was amazing. Great food, friendly staff.. a total win. I can't stop thinking about dinner and how great it was. Make a reservation for sure. read more

See all

Great Sunday Brunch!!! Food was delicately prepared, and lush! Portions were spot on and we ate everything! Can't wait to go back! read more

Dram Yard - Sunday Brunch - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Fabulous brunch at dram yard! Loved their take on Taco Bell's crunch wrap supreme. We also had the French toast. That was great as well. Super light and fluffy! Would definitely come back. read more

Dram Yard - Breakfast Crunch Wrap - New American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

See all

Normally, when a review starts out that an establishment has changed one can expect they've either gone downhill OR upped their game, right? Not here. We've been to Dram Yard before and in fact this isn't my first review, but they've changed quite drastically from what they once were I simply had to share. Their initial approach was what I would call, for lack of a better description, 'Elegant comfort food'. Portions were large and the emphasis was on hearty fare. Now, the chef has taken things to a new level of creativity and taste. They still emphasize 'family style', but only to the extent they encourage sharing. The portions are a bit smaller but still quite satisfying and shareable. Our server was knowledgeable and friendly and her suggestions were spot on. Sorry, don't remember her name nor do I remember the specific names of the dishes other than the burger two in our party ordered, but pretty much anything you order will not disappoint. With six of us we received a fairly good sampling of menu options and loved every delectable bite. Too many people are unaware this place exists. Too bad, because it's a gem. read more

See all

Been to dram yard many times! This new chef and menu is great. Outside bar before or after your meal works! Great service, fresh food! Enjoy. read more

I love the interior, especially the ceiling wallpaper print. I sat at the bar which I enjoyed watching the bartender prepare people's drinks. The bartender mentioned that they change up their drink menu every now and then so I ordered the 2 newest cocktails on the menu... Ghost town cocktail was my favorite! Just the perfect amount of spicy and a good sipping drink. Astrologist cocktail was a refreshing drink and went down my throat super quick. For dinner, it is more of a tapas style restaurant. I came with 5 friends and we each ordered a plate to share amongst ourselves and it was plenty. Our favorite plates were the Brussel sprouts and the skirt steak. We also ordered the duck which tasted good but I've had better. read more

See all

Really disappointed with Dram Yard. The salad was spicy, the spicy noodles were weird and gross, and the espresso martinis tasted bad. Service and the hostess weren't great either. Won't be back. read more

The downtown setting is bright, shiny and alluring. The reviews had been enticing and we were set for a wonderful weekend brunch Our waitress was friendly and efficient I ordered a Bloody Mary which was "meh." I then ordered the OG Breakfast, eggs over easy. However the yolks were hard and the toast was barely toasted. My wife got biscuits and gravy and they were wonderful! I followed with the Tiki Cafe which was just OK So it was a mixed experience and I drew the bad hand . We will return and hope for the best. read more

Have had mixed experiences dining here. They are better for dinner than brunch. Had brunch recently, duck, the portion was very tiny and the duck was dry and salty. read more

Wife and I have been here at least 3 times. Wife loves the drinks and I love the potato salad. Now I am hooked and will be a regular here.

Went for brunch and sat at bar. Bartender very friendly. Drinks were excellent and food very good. Will return.

Had a gift card and brought my parents one evening for dinner. We came in without a reservation at about 7:00pm and only waited ~5 minutes. Staff was friendly and helpful throughout the meal. We Got: Burrata - burrata would be hard to mess up and this was no exception Smoked Trout Dip - always a staple when I come here and by far everyone's favorite Drum Nam Tok - I think this is an item where they often (?) repeat and rotate the protein. The drum was a great add, I just wish the sauce was a little thicker We also rotated through a few drinks, all amazing, and shared two desserts. Would highly suggest coming here with friends for some drinks, date night dinner or to celebrate any event. read more

Made reservations for 6pm on their grand opening day, a Thursday. It was hard to find street parking so ended parking in the parking lot ($1 per hr) across the street. The restaurant's interior decor and design is an eclectic feel, from the elephant door handles, plants strung up high, painted green palm tree ceiling, to the faux gold utensils. For appetizers, we started with the pickled vegetables ($5), which included sliced cucumbers, carrots, jalapenos, baby capers, and cumin seeds. The jalapenos were my favorite-they were not spicy (although may be spicy for anyone who is sensitive) and had a touch of sweetness. A second appetizer we tried were the chickpeas panisse "fries" ($11), which are fried rectangle-shaped chickpea flour cakes. They were 1-inch thick so the inside was mushy. The exterior was crispy. I prefer it to be thinner and crispier. The dip served with it absolutely tantalized my taste buds. My husband disagrees (he's crazy). It's a roasted lemon aioli topped with harissa oil and minced cilantro. For entrees we ordered the seared duck breast ($30) and Peruvian lamb chop ($39). The duck breast came chopped with crispy skin, topped with crispy julienned scallions and served on top of a hoisin flavored sauce. It was good. The lamp chop was okay. Be prepared for a lot of fattiness. It was cooked perfectly to my request, medium, and came with sliced tomatoes, sauteed onions, and cilantro. Husband ordered the bourbon smash ($10), a mixture of bourbon, sugar, fresh mint leaves, mashed blackberries, and a touch of lemon. He enjoyed it. They definitely did not skimp on the bourbon! To end the meal, we got the giant apple fritter ($6) for dessert. It's basically a funnel cake with chopped cinnamon flavored apples, topped with whipped cream and a strawberry sugar powder. Couldn't taste the strawberry flavor. It would have tasted better if it was uniformly crispy. The restaurant was only about half full during our dinner and it was pretty loud. I can't imagine what the noise level would be if it was full. So it might not be a good setting if you're looking for a quiet romantic meal. If you do come here, it might be a good idea to get reservations, just in case. It was cute how the bill was served in a hollowed old school book. If you're feeling fairly hungry, definitely get an appetizer or two on top of an entree, because the entree is not filling enough. It was an expensive meal, but this is a great place to try creative dishes. Staff were friendly from beginning to end. I hope they expand their entree menu in the future! read more

See all

The cost has doubled in 6 months and the say they are serving Wagu steak BS $200 per couple not even close to edible I've eaten there twice before went WAY DOWNHILL Owned by a Facebook multimillionaire... you've been warned read more

Are at Dram Yard for a Sunday Chef's Prix Fix menu meal. For $40 we were served three courses, with the option to add on focaccia bread (of course we got it). Our menu was seafood centric (2/3 courses) which fit our taste buds. Service was very attentive, and the ambiance of the restaurant is such an elegant yet laid-back style. Tables were spaced out, hand sanitizer was available, and employees wore masks. read more

See all