Heard great things about this restaurant and decided to visit. I am SOOOO glad I did because it did not disappoint in the least bit! The service was great and the food was excellent. I ordered the old fashioned smash burger and it was so delicious! The smash patties were cooked to perfection with crispy edges, gooey cheese and fresh toppings & onion straws. The tots were hot and crispy which was a nice touch to round out a great meal. Order at the counter, grab or fix your drink, then wait for your order to be called. I dined in and seating is pretty adequate and the vibes are great for convos- the noise level isn't loud at all. I can't wait to try a milkshake the next time I'm in town as well as some of the other menu items. I'll definitely be back and will bring my hubby and friends for them to try as well! read more

Mess Hall - Old Fashioned - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Great way to start a day in Wilmington, NC! We were visiting over Christmas Break and decided to get some breakfast on a beautiful December morning in Wilmington, NC. We had heard a lot about Mess Hall but have never had the chance to visit. We could have walked from where we were staying but we had a couple of others joining us so we drove. The location is very much in a neighborhood. Kinda to cool to include such a fun place to have breakfast. Upon entry we immediately saw the casual setup...plenty of tables, a concrete floor, Specials Board, music playing, a bar and a low-key set up overall. I should have taken more pictures of the interior but it was kind of busy and I didnt want to spook people out taking pictures while they were eating. We had a group of 9. Not everyone was going to eat. Most were drinking either coffee or water. I ordered a single burger with tater tots. My daughter ordered a breakfast burrito and my wife ordered a vegan breakfast burrito. We set up a few tables in the back after ordering and waited for our food. They must have been playing Sirius radio "Petty channel" because most of the songs were Tom Petty's top hits....which we all enjoyed! The food came in a reasonable time and all of us raived about our selections. I had burger that reminded me a burger that I use to get when I was a kid at the Boy's Club...small with a fresh bun and delicious! The tater tots were just kind of a throw in for me but boy, they were delicious! Both burrito's were met with rave reviews as well...fresh and tasty! As we were getting ready to move on, we noticed how fast the place filled up. The room that was relatively quiet when we arrived was all of a sudden crowded with almost all the tables taken! Vibe- Fantastic....which I lived closer Parking- easy, plenty of spots Price- fair & reasonable Staff- friendly & helpful with the menu Food- 5 star Would I come back? 100% YES Great spot! read more

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Delicious food and so glad they have a amazing vegan option. We actually got this to go and it was still delicious even after it was delivered to us. I actually did go there for drinks and it's such a fun vibe with 100% come back the service is great as well super nice welcoming staff and the decor is fun. read more

Mess Hall - Vegan smash burger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The burgers are flavorful and very tasty. The restaurant is a nice relaxed environment. Come back for the tater tots. Always a winner. read more

Mess Hall - The "Old Fashioned" burger with bacon. Worth every cent. - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Inside is usual bar scene. Music wasn't too loud. Was served quickly but service after was lacking. Food didn't disappoint and reviews hyping the burgers and tots are correct. Ordered Samburger and Scott's tots. Burger was tasty, flavorful and filling, even for someone who doesn't like smash burgers like me. Scott's tots was a surprise and so good. read more

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I had the pleasure of stopping in for lunch today and let me begin by saying WOW. Living here for almost two years I was always confused as to how a tater tot business could survive in an area so saturated with good food but today's experience confirmed a lot of things. Yes, the tots were absolutely phenomenal but the burger I enjoyed was something different. The two patties smashed and stacked were something I've never experienced before. They may have been the freshest beef patties I've ever eaten as you could feel the unique texture of the hand crafted shaping, and taste the love they were made with. With all this being said, I really enjoyed the entire meal but one thing struck me odd about their service. The lady told me they don't have BBQ sauce. Not that they're out, or they have alternatives, straight up they do not serve bbq sauce at this establishment. To me this disappointment is inexcusable, and deducted a full star from my overall review. Mess Hall if you're listening, find some bbq sauce for us!! read more

Mess Hall - Original Burger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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"Mess Hall" was a very inviting place, the menu wasn't too big but had a variety of things to choose from. I had the Bourbon Bacon Jam Burger and my son had the 3pc chicken tenders with Mess Sauce. The burger was tender. Juicy and the buns were very soft. I really enjoy it. The chicken tenders were huge and seasoned really well. I personally did not care for the Mess Sauce but it wasn't "nasty". All meals are served with tater tots. The price was decent, I paid about $37 for both meals and that's with me adding two fountain drinks. Service was quick and there was more than enough seating. read more

Mess Hall - Bourbon Bacon Jam Burger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I came back to Mess Hall after about 4 years, and I'm happy to say the quality is still the same! The food is just as amazing as I remember. They've changed locations since my last visit, but the flavor and consistency haven't missed a beat. The new spot has a great vibe clean, comfortable, and welcoming. The staff was friendly and attentive, and I love that they now offer adult beverages, which is a nice touch! read more

Mess Hall - Old Fashion - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

My kiddo gobbled up the kids burger so did I. They do have lemonade and the cashier was willing to get it from the bar. Very casual place inside. Dinner for 3 adults one child is $75 dollars with one cocktail and four fountain drinks. Great patio but we are from Cali and the heat was too much! Missing one star because we would prefer fries over tots. read more

Mess Hall - Drink special - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

We kicked off our morning at The Mess Hall right at opening--and while it was still quiet, the vibes were already promising! The decor? Totally on point. You can tell this place comes alive during events or weekend rushes--definitely somewhere we'd want to return when it's buzzing. Now let's talk food: I had to try their BLT--it wasn't a showstopper, but their breakfast burger? Total redemption! Add in their crispy, golden tater tots on the side, and you've got a winning combo. Everything hit the spot, and the service was friendly and fast. Early visit or not, The Mess Hall delivered a great first impression. We'll be back for the full experience--next time with a crowd! read more

Mess Hall - BLT - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Burgers were very low quality meat and both my wife and I felt sick a few hours after eating. Very pricey, but I'm not sure why because we didn't get an itemized recipe. Two burgers and water (fountain, not bottled) cost us $34 Plus you tip even though you go up to get your own food. Also no option on your side, tater tots only! read more

It was an ok experience. I wish they had coffee iced options in morning but I'm so glad a new coffee place goes in soon one store down. I liked how they collab on events with the rift. The rift owns the middle yard so it's not open until the rift opens. The staff is not as attentive as other places. That said they were thoughtful about accommodating my youngest who is a bit crazy at times. A real joy to restaurants. lol parking is easy and has some on property but there is also handicap spot too. Bathrooms are no where near entrance which is great and tucked away. The vibe is very casual and it's a great place to meet friends to hang out grab breakfast or lunch and or work imo but it may get loud during day from what I can tell. The menu while fixed is modifiable to tailor around allergies etc. I like the food is fresh and the place is spacious and clean. Will I go back?...., probably. But I'm not jumping to untili try other places, if that makes sense read more

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What a great way to enjoy some delicious food with friends. Met up with some friends here at the Mess Hall and was pleasantly surprised with how comfortable the atmosphere was inside. Nested in a nice suburban area of Wilmington, the Mess Hall sits as a quaint little burger joint with a well stocked little bar and generous seating. The menu options are somewhat limited, but they are all great. The tots are tasty and the burgers are juicy and smothered in delicious toppings and sauces. While the staff seemed a little direct and not overly friendly, they remained professional and conducted themselves as expected with nothing significantly exceptional to report. Everything tasted great and if I can recommend any one thing to anyone, it would be to get a shake for dessert! They are over the top delicious lol. Looking forward to going back soon! read more

Mess Hall - Tots and Burgers - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Best burger and tots combo I have ever had, the Scott's Tots were amazing. Food came out quick and a chill but lively environment.

For a girl who grew up on a cattle farm and had eaten some of the best beef in the world.... Wilmington NC takes the burger crown!!! Mess hall where have you been my whole entire life? My son and I had an appointment earlier in the day and found mess hall for our burger craving!!! Big parking lot with lots of outdoor seating, plus indoor! Cute decor with lots of plants all over!!! Plant lovers unite! Tytan got the Sam burger and I got the original omg the sauce the onion straws the bun!!' I'm not a brioche bun girl but this one was so good! The whole burger I'm about to make the hour drive to get one right now lol. My son's bday is in may and he has already asked for that to be his bday dinner!! We aren't tots fans so we didn't enjoy them but we did try them and they are nice and crunchy and tasty! But having the burger was enough! We also got shakes. Service is great! Ahhh please come up to Jacksonville we need you here too!!! read more

Mess Hall - Original I'm sure it doesn't come with the bite lol - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Had the craving for a burger and was in the neighbrohood, so I stopped in for a late lunch. The place was empty with a few Door Dash guys.Took about 5 minutes to get my burger, but that was Ok because it was freshly made. Had a Carolina burger. Two smashed patties and slaw and Chile. I have been cutting down on salt and the Mess Hall hasn't . The burger initially tasted very salt forward. I attribute that to my taste-you may like it. The star was the tots. Feeling all Napoleon Dynamite, these were some of the best. crispy on outside, still tender inside. A real treat. Great staff and very clean. read more

Got breakfast at the new location. It's much bigger than the old location with plenty of outdoor and indoor seating. They have alcohol options too. A little chilly inside (weather outside is 66°). We got the breakfast burger ($10) and breakfast burrito ($9). Both were good, but the breakfast burger tasted better. I think the breakfast burrito would taste better with the mess sauce. The burrito came with a chipotle mayo, and avocado Crema. Didn't really see much of the avocado Crema. The sauce/crema in the burrito was a bit tart. Tortilla for the burrito was thin, I would've preferred a bit thicker tortilla. The burrito was filling for me-was satisfied with just half of the burrito. You can also add extra protein for an additional price which I didn't do. Tots came with the breakfast burger. Free refills on coffee. Coffee is from local Vigilant Hope Roasting. read more

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Had a couple great IPAs and a very delicious smash burger with fries. Very cool atmosphere too!

Came to Mess Hall on recommendation & I will now be recommending it to anyone who's looking for a place in ILM. You order at the counter & you're given a number to place at your table where food is delivered. It's a fairly spacious dining room & open concept. They have a limited menu of burgers but they do them well. I love smash burgers & the Samburger was absolutely amazing & so flavorful. I loved the crispy onions, grilled onions, mess sauce & crispy bacon. Usually I do not get a double patty, even with smash burgers, but I really enjoyed the flavor of the burgers. The tots were also crispy, just how I like & the sauces were delicious. I'll absolutely be coming back next time I'm in town! read more

Mess Hall - The Samburger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

My son and I dined here today because I have heard nothing but great things over the years. The location has a lot of parking and I love the vibe (both indoors and outdoors) . The female server who took our order was really friendly and I loved her enthusiasm. I eat healthy and so there was literally not one thing on the menu that I could order (which was disappointing). My son however, ordered the sarnburger and added bacon and cheese to the tots. Pricing was average for burgers. We sat down and waited a while for the food (and there wasn't hardly anyone in there) Tots were delicious but were not that hot. They were awesome, though. The burger was also very good with the bun being the best part. He really likes the onion straws and sauce on it I definitely recommend coming here do a great vibe and great burger! Also, he loves the Oreo milkshake read more

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The burger was worthy of all four stars (maybe a little more). It really was good. The organization inside worked although it seemed fragile and I could see how if they were busy, the staff could get overwhelmed by the layout of the space inside. Also, the location was precarious -- I know the Cargo District is "expanding" but it seemed like it's too far away from other shops to be considered apart at this point in time. read more

Mess Hall - Single Burger with Cheese - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Food was delish, the vibe was delightful and the tea was sweet!! I appreciated the buzzers as it was popular during lunchtime when we went read more

Mess Hall - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The food was excellent! The tots are so delicious too! My husband had the Smash Burger (first one on the list). I had a BLT. Both hot and fresh! I had the Bourbon Peach Sweet Tea too - yum! Loved the service, ambience (all the plants around). Everything! We will be back - and bring friends! Quite a gem! They also share a beer garden with the brewery next door and it was amazing too! read more

Came here for an early dinner around 4:30 on a Tuesday! This is exactly what my friend and I were looking for! Lots of free parking in the lot. The building is cute with inside and outside seating options. The cashier was nice and able to take our order quickly. I ordered the chicken sandwich and loved it! It was really filling! The chicken was crispy and the tots were great! I got a side of special sauce as well and really loved the flavor and consistency! Very fair price of $14 for the sandwich and tots. Would definitely come back! read more

Mess Hall - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Extremely Disappointing and Unprofessional Service We witnessed a shocking display of poor customer service during our visit. A friendly group of older adults was celebrating a birthday when one guest--an elderly man--politely raised a concern about being shortchanged by just a few dollars on a $50 bill. Instead of resolving the issue respectfully, the staff responded with unnecessary hostility, ultimately telling him he was no longer welcome. Even more troubling, the manager then approached the rest of the group--eight others who had done absolutely nothing wrong--and told them to leave as well. It was humiliating and completely uncalled for. Watching paying customers, especially a group of seniors celebrating a special occasion, be treated with such disrespect was uncomfortable and unacceptable. They had not even finished their meal. With so many excellent burger spots in Wilmington, customer service is often the differentiator. Unfortunately, Mess Hall fails spectacularly in that area. We will not be returning. read more

Terrible experience! Have been 5 or 6 times and the service is ALWAYS lacking. We come back because our 10 year old son loves cheeseburgers. $110 for a family of 4 for burgers and drinks?!?!?! You expect great service or great burgers for that price. Room temp tater tots weren't ideal. The service always sucks but the burgers have been good until today...the food quality was bad, my wife got sick and the service was terrible again. Not on one of their busy days either. Won't be back. Asked if their was an issue and didn't even get a response. read more

I ordered the Old Fashioned burger and cheesy tots. Burger was perfect. Their secret sauce is delicious and not just some version of Thousand Island dressing. I think it has a bit of Dijon in it. Cheesy tots were well cooked and crispy. Would have been better if it was cheese sauce instead of shredded cheese, but still tasty. They have a roll of paper towels and ketchup at every table, which is helpful. I used 3 paper towels to finish my meal, so not the messiest ever, but just messy enough for me. Just under $20 with a drink, so average for a "fancier" burger place. Worth it in my opinion. read more

Mess Hall - The Old Fashioned and Cheesy tots. - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Can't visit Wilmington without getting Mess Hall. Holy smokes. It's definitely thick, but the bun squishes down so it not as dense. Piping hot and fresh, the tots are also FIRE. So crispy and not much potato inside, which I like. The smash burger style. Takes a bit for the food to come out, but they have a bar with local beers and everything comes out fresh. Not great for larger groups if you want to be inside, but there are more picnic style tables outside where the dog park area is read more

Mess Hall - Old Fashioned - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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A girlfriend was having a really rough day so we decided to go grab a burger. Since it was a week night finding parking wasn't too bad- we ended up parking on a nearby street. The team took our order, and we grabbed an outdoor table. It took maybe 10-15 mins for our food to be ready, and it was absolutely delicious. Honestly, based on taste alone, I would order two burgers, but based on amount, I would be SO sick... so I'll stick to one :) read more

Lots of places claim to have smashburgers, but few places actually do. Mess Hall is a place that actually does and they are exceptional. I got The Samburger and it was delicious. The burger patties were wispy and crispy on the edges, the bacon was quality crispy bacon, the caramelized onions, and secret sauce all came together to make a delicious bite! I also got my tots, Scott's tots style. I would have preferred if the pickled onions were a little bit smaller, it is a bit unwieldy to eat a whole pickled onion ring in a bite of tater tot. The inside a plenty of seating and a full bar and outside there are a ton of picnic tables to eat at. I will definitely be back again because these burgers are legit! read more

Mess Hall - The Samburger - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Great food and service. Burgers were on point and a good beer selection. Really a neat concept

Where to start? How about with their special sauce. Ohhh boy. Come here for the sauce alone! Be sure to get an extra side (or two) for the crispy crispy tots that come with your smashburger. I love the vegan version, and even my non-veg friends appreciate how great it is. With the pickled onions, secret sauce, and a flavorful veggie patty, it is a 10/10. Try the tot bowls too! Since everything is made to order and it is popular, sometimes there is a hefty wait at peak lunch & dinner. Order online and you can pick up easily. I think they have a delivery option as well, but I work on the block so I've never needed it. Eating there you can enjoy the beer garden, or find a spot to sit somewhere in the ever growing Cargo District! Will miss them when they move to a larger spot, but they deserve it! read more

Comfort food at its finest. Came to check out the new location and the food is still as delicious. Went with the classic Sam burger to compare to the one I had at the old location and it's just as perfect. Cheddar, bacon, onion straw caramelized olds are perfect on the juicy flavorful patties. Paired with the super crunchy tots and a cold beer it's all just perfect. I love a gourmet burger with all the fancy toppings but sometimes you just need a classic. Mess Hall is definitely one of Wilmingtons best burgers read more

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Food is awesome The Sam burger is awesome very well. Made the tots are very good I'll definitely be back

Burgers are on point! The meat was flavorful and the tots were seasoned perfectly! Service was very friendly and answered our questions with a genuine small. read more

Fantastic Smash Burger joint about 2 miles outside of downtown Wilmington. Burger were perfectly jarred and juicy. We had two options, the Samburger, which contained carmelized onions and mess hall sauce, with bacon a, lettuce, cheddar, tomato and onion straws. My wife had the Old Fashioned, basically what the name implies. Both baskets served with tater tots. read more

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Came here for shakes after walking around the cargo district. They had lots of flavors! I got the nutella wafer. It was nice and creamy and refreshing for a hot day. The place is really nice and spacious. I want to come back to try their burgers! read more

Mess Hall - Nutella wafer shake - Burgers Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Best burger I had in a long time, and very messy. I am.very picky on my burgers and enjoyed this one very much.

It's been awhile since we've visited but I only recently learned that they are now open for breakfast. I went and ordered a breakfast burrito to go. Came out great! Next time I would probably order it with minimal to no sauce but otherwise I thought it was great. It came out quickly too. I remember the burgers being good when we went for them as well. read more

Early dinner at the bar. Kendall on the taps. Lots of Klosch from Waterline. Alex had the Patty Melt and I had the Old Fashion Burger. Tots were excellent. Delicious food and pours. read more