We made another visit here, this time for dinner, and with different friends who have not visited…read moreSouth Front Tavern before. It was great weather this night, so we opted for an outside table that was in total shade. Very comfortable. Our server came by for drink orders. We had no appetizers this visit and went right into entrees. We tried the Port City Burger, the Gnocchi with chicken, cilantro lime shrimp quesadillas and the salmon tacos. Everything was delicious. The only complaint I would have is that the Salmon Tacos was a bit small. The dish is two small tacos with a side of tortilla chips. There is no salsa, no pico de gallo, no slaw. I was actually sorry that I didn't get an appetizer. I was still a little hungry after I finished. We didn't want any of the dessert offered this time. Again, everything was great. Service, food, atmosphere, outside patio. Just my dish was a little less in size. I will keep that in mind next time we visit. I'm not sure something like this would be changed on the menu, but I still wanted to voice my opinion. Still a great place with a great menu and service. If the weather is good, opt for the patio. It is really nice sitting out there.

Came in for dinner at South Front Tavern with two colleagues who between them have nearly fifty…read moreyears of North Carolina under their belts. I'm the St. Louis visitor in the group, here to be educated on what Southern cooking is supposed to taste like. The verdict by the end of the night was mixed. The space itself is cute and clean, with an industrial-chic, open feel inside, but it gets very loud once it fills up, like hard to hear your side neighbor loud. We lucked into a set of club chairs in a corner away from the main dining area, which knocked the noise down enough that we could hear each other. Without that, I'm honestly not sure we would have stayed. The host didn't blink at seating us over there, and the wait staff throughout the night was friendly. Drinks were fine across the table. My grilled peach old fashioned was the only one I tried, and I was hoping for a sharper, smokier profile, what I got leaned peachy without much else going on. The clams my friend ordered had a little grit in them, so not perfectly cleaned, but the flavor was there. The six-hour baby back ribs was a great start, great sauce, not smothered, fall-off-the-bone tender, the kind of thing I'd come back for. I didn't get a photo because we tore into them too fast, which tells you most of what you need to know. After that, things got uneven. The pork empanadas are listed with an ancho chili jam, but no jam or sauce came with ours. The pastry was crisp and tasty, but the pork inside was under-seasoned, and we left a whole empanada on the plate. The crab cakes was the bigger letdown, my friend, who grew up in Maryland and knows what a crab cake should be, said hers tasted more like a flat, minced patty (possibly with fish filler) than actual crab. She didn't finish it. My gumbo ya-ya had chicken, shrimp, and andouille, but the sauce was thin and tomato-forward where I was hoping for, and a richer sauce. Spice was fine; the whole thing just landed middle-of-the-road. Desserts split the difference. The key lime crème brûlée was genuinely excellent, I'd order it again on its own. The North Carolina blueberry bread pudding was beautifully plated but a little dry in execution for use. We left half of it. One thing worth flagging: the restaurant closes at 8:30, and at 8:30 sharp, with us still finishing dessert, the music came on with the unmistakable "we're closed" energy, even though we'd arrived at 7 and no one else was wandering in late. It made the end of the meal feel rushed in a way that didn't match the otherwise warm service. 3.4 starts out of 5. To be fair: we didn't leave feeling the food was bad, just that we'd ordered into the weaker half of the menu. Our server highly recommended the skillet mac and cheese and the quesadillas, and the skillet cornbread looked great online - we just didn't pull the triggers. We have generous optimism a version of this meal that goes much better than ours did, and on a second visit I'd lean into those recommendations. For now, though, with friends in town and a list of places I haven't tried yet, I probably won't be steering people here for your one night in Wilmington. I'd come back to give it a fairer second shot if I lived here.

Wow oh wow! I'm quite impressed by how tasty this down- home local diner is. The kids devoured the…read moredonut holes and we adults loved the sweet potato biscuits to start (with a tasty cream cheese frosting dip). I had a perfectly vinegared chicken and dumplings (wedneaday lunch special), hub got a great goat cheese omelet off the specials board. Daughter did the best ordering with a fantastic chicken and waffle with juicy perfectly crisp and seasoned thin chicken breast and candied bacon. Her sweet potato fries were great too. Sons scrambled eggs had housemade sausage, very tasty. Love this place. Eat local!

Wow wow wow. Food is beyond amazing. Heather was great with the service. The ambiance was nice.read more

Sat at the bar on a Monday night to enjoy half night glasses of wine…read more Bartender Madison was very kind. Shared about the days specials and engaged in fun conversation with other parties at the bar and myself. Enjoyed rose and the shrimp n grits. While waiting for my entree a little cast iron skillet with two biscuits and butter appeared and they were hot and delicious. Perfect appetizer! All the fish is caught local except the mahi so I went with Madison's recommendation of the shrimp n grits and did not disappoint. Then the mousse was so yummy and beautiful presentation.

Made a reservation for a Saturday evening with a girlfriend at 6pm. Got seated immediately and our…read morewaitress was very nice. The duck appetizer was just ok. A little dry and almost tasted like BBQ instead of duck. The lamb shank was fall off the bone tender. Sauce needed a little bit of salt. Otherwise it was delicious. My friend loved her duck dish. The arugula with the vinaigrette made it. The pumpkin cheesecake matched the description. Very creamy but not overly sweet. The vibes there are great. It can get a little loud at times but nothing crazy. Would definitely come back for the next seasonal menu!

We stopped in for lunch today at Amanecer, Shipyard Blvd location. We have been here a couple of…read moretimes now, and the food and service is just amazing. The staff is friendly and the place is very lively. It seems to be a little quieter at lunchtime, no waiting for a table at this time. They also have outside seating. We ordered the birria sandwich, think amped up grilled cheese with very tender meat. It comes with the dipping sauce and a side of ultra crispy French fries. Next up is the enchiladas verdes with steak. This dish comes with refried beans and rice. So, so good. Food is not greasy at all. The verde sauce is delicious and not at all spicy. Really tasty. We always want to try dessert, but we were in the middle of our workday, so we passed this time. Their breakfast here is outstanding, go for something authentic, rather than your typical "American " breakfast items. You won't be disappointed with any choice here. We have loved everything so far.

I had to save this location to never forget because it was so emasculate in food, services, and…read moreambiance. The facility is clean, busy, and everyone is so kind. Not only did our waiter check in on us in an appropriate time frame but (Who I believe is the manager) came in to check in as well. Not just us though, EVERY TABLE! The food was amazing, the mimosa flight was just the right amount for an afternoon drink. We had the birria tacos, ACP, and breakfast skillet.10/10 amazing. I honestly have zero negatives for this establishment. We had an amazing time and the food was amazing as well. We WILL be back.

Tanner .. Piping Plover Pilsner...made here in Wilmington…read moreNC!! Wife had Red Oak Bavarian Amber Lager I ordered the Meatloaf, with asparagus and mashed potato's My wife had her usual chicken sandwich which I've forgotten the name but she did enjoy and the portion was large enough for me to get a few bites lol All was very good and we went be back

We had a larger party, so waited for some time but this was expected on a Saturday. Sat outside,…read moreshaded at high tops. Mixture of food from shrimp and grits to salads to blts. I had a Bloody Mary, well made. Some sodas and beers for all as well. I had the Cobb salad with a blue cheese vinaigrette- good, fresh veggies (great cucumbers). I do wish there was more roasted chicken/protein. Had a deviled egg on it, but flavor was a bit off on that so didn't eat it. Shrimp and grits x4 were good- grits a little thin, but flavor good. Only turn off was the tails being left on. On grits (and pasta) that is a pet peeve for me as you lose some of the shrimp and t makes it difficult to eat. BLT- good, fresh veggies and thick bread. French toast x2 - really good with a great variety of fresh fruit. Service was good.

Really cute coffee shop that's easy to get in and out of quickly or the perfect place to stay and…read morehang a while! They have an indoor and outdoor space and are very dog friendly. There's coffee, spirits, and snacks! Friendly employees and people.

New owners since end of 2023 and this places is such a cool vibe! The owners are so kind and the…read morecoffee is solid. Outdoor and indoor seating with some other options for wine, food and goods. Y'all have got to check this place out!

Great service good food!! Enjoyed !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Recommend. Great small dinerread more

I expect that if I ask for a change to a menu item, e.g. sausage instead of bacon, and if there is…read morean up-charge then I would expect to hear about it at the time I ordered. Not here, came with bacon and sausage, up-charges for the sausage $1.50/each link on the bill. I am not a server, BUT if I was I would probably ask "do you want bacon and sausage, cause it comes with bacon regardless, and the sausage is an addition charge". Not here, you won't know about the additional charge until the bill comes. Then I asked and the server confirmed, "yes, it only comes with bacon". The story goes on. I found a piece of plastic wrapper stuck to the bacon and pointed that out to the server, who responded "oh!"...and that was the end of it. Not a real concern for them, I guess they eat the plastic when it's on their plate. Anyway, if you like surprises on your bill and on your plate, this is definitely a destination for you.

We were looking for some new breakfast options in Wilmington, and this place was perfect. Super…read morecute and comfortable decor. The staff was very attentive and made us feel welcomed. My hazlenut iced coffee was perfect and our party chose the breakfast croissant and the bananas foster French toast. Both were really good! While it's not the easiest place to find, it's one of the best!

Stopped in this small café while I was near the hospital. Limited menu but I had a coffee and a…read morecroissant with egg, cheese, and grilled chicken that was super flavorful and I liked that it was not deep fried. I also got the hashbrown casserole which wasn't much. Cozy spot and really sweet staff. She even gave me a whole coffee to-go when I asked for a to-go cup. I would come back to try lunch if I'm in the area.

I can't believe this was my first time to the Fork and Cork after living in Wilmington for 7 years!…read moreThey had a full house on a late Saturday afternoon, so we sat at the bar where I had a delicious bloody Mary and the 'brisket biscuit' from the brunch menu.OMG, it was a perfect pairing with the cocktail. The bbq pulled beef over homemade biscuits was topped with a spectacular mustard sauce with two perfect eggs and a side of sweet potato waffle-fries sprinkled with cinnamon, cayenne, and sugar... You guessed it, I ate the whole thing! My husband had the beet salad topped with blackened chicken, which he raved about the whole time we were there. I highly recommend this restaurant, it is small and cozy with a unique ambience, great service with a smile, quite loud, but worth the wait!

Walking around Wilmington and discovered this neat little restaurant. Only 3 tables inside and…read moreseveral bar stools at the quaint bar area. Seating available outside as well on a warmer day. Had the crispy chicken chef salad...amazing! Their blue cheese dressing was tasty and the salad was fresh with lots of delicious items mixed in. Service was excellent. Will go back for sure!

I was staying at a nearby hotel this past Sunday and realized that a lot of breakfast/brunch places…read morein the area did not open until after 10am. At this point it was about 9:15am and I saw Brunch Thyme was open. Not doing a lot of research I walked over and assumed it was a sit down restaurant but quickly learned that it's actually take out. I think the worker saw the disappointment on my face when I walked in and she offered me a small foldable table to place outside which encouraged me to stay. My partner ordered the fish n' grits and I ordered The Frenchie which both turned out to be great choices. The fish was seasoned well, I believe it was whiting and the grits were rich and creamy. It came with a delicious gravy that we didn't notice until the meal was almost finished but ended up spooning like a soup. My French toast and eggs were tasty as well. For drinks they had canned Coke products, apple juice and bottled water. Sitting outside was hot and the bugs were constant but I was thankful to have a place to eat because again, I walked here (about 20 min). I observed many people eating in their cars or simply taking their food to go. With this, I also saw a few groups come and go as they didn't realize it was a take out style restaurant. Minus the heat, we enjoyed our meal and the customer service we received. Prices were responsible and portion sizes were filling. Check it out if you're in the area.

It was rather shocking walking in the door and realizing that this is not a restaurant but just a…read moretakeout counter. This establishment has been around for some years & the ambience reflects its age. The staff greeted us and were very friendly. The service was excellent, our order was ready in under 10 minutes. If you ask for a table one can be set up outside with a chair or two. Hubby had shrimp and grits. I had BEC and a side of grits. They were delicious and the portions were sizable. We will be back!