We decided to go celebrate our engagement out one evening and had only heard great things so Nicola's was the pick! We did not have a reservation (you definitely want a reservation for a weekend night) and ended up sitting at the bar which was super fun. The bartenders were all super fun, as were the people sitting beside us. We started with the calamari which was a big portion, nice and crispy. My fiancé had the carbonara which is one of his favorite dishes. He loved it! The sauce was fantastic! I had the zeppoli which was so tasty! Then when we thought were were completely stuffed, we were talked into trying the dolce e piccante. Best choice! read more

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This place is fabulous!! 5 stars if you want authentic Italian food dont walk Run!!! Their pasta is homemade highly recommend , Cesar salad was wonderful also had the butternut squash ravioli was wonderful, Bruschetta for a app, read more

We will be going back soon. I'm not sure why the restaurant has low reviews. We decided to try it on our way back from Wrightsville, as we have passed it many times. After looking at the menu, which had a lot things I wanted to try, as there were some old favorites but with a twist as well as your expected Italian standards , I was really hoping we would enjoy our meals. I ordered the Pasta al forno amd my husband ordered a pizza. Both were delicious! Our waitress was young but did a great job, actually surprising me as I have had much more seasoned waiters fall short. We plan to take some friends back and try out other things on the menu. read more

Ate here as a party of six at 7 PM on a Friday. Our table wasn't ready immediately since they were still cleaning it, but it didn't take that much longer. The whole restaurant was full and loud, but we were still able to hear each other. Our waitress was busy, so took her a few minutes to finally take our order for the entrées, but she did get our drink and appetizer orders put in pretty quickly. It took forever to get our entrées. Understandably, they were busy with a full house. The food was worth waiting for! Can't beat homemade pasta. Everyone liked their food, including bruschetta appetizer, Bucatini All'Amatriciana, Dolce Piccante, butternut squash, ravioli, creamy pesto ravioli, and Parmesan chicken substituted with pappardelle instead of spaghetti. I got the Pappardelle with meat sauce and meatballs, the meat sauce was a little bit on the sweeter side. They gave a good portion of meat for the entrées that came with meat. Most of us couldn't finish our entrées and most of them were enough for a second meal. The bruschetta was a little different than the typical, with basil pesto, sliced tomatoes, smothered with melted mozzarella cheese, and a balsamic reduction drizzle. I thought it was good, but I was hungry too. Received complementary bread, a small French bread with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar with fried garlic slices. Don't know if the bread was warm since we didn't eat it right away and the bread was not covered. Eventually, around half of the restaurant emptied out during the time we were there. The staff didn't mind that we were still at our table socializing until after 9 PM. Not a super fancy restaurant, but a nice place to eat for homemade Italian food at not so bad prices. read more

I've been going here for years and I've never had a bad meal! All of their pasta is made fresh daily. Their sauces and everything on the menu is made from scratch. Their staff is friendly and attentive. I highly recommend Nicola's! read more

I ordered the pappardelle with meatballs and sausage. The pasta was way too soft and I've noticed that's a thing in nc. The meatballs were hard and tasteless. I thought the sauce was pretty good as well as the sausage. The bread and olive oil dip were delicious. All I see here are great reviews. With that in mind, I will try again. Also, great service and good karma! read more

We have eaten here several times while in Wilmington. I have been pleasantly please with each dish we have ordered. The food is great and so is the service! It feels like a nice Italian restaurant! read more

Our family had dinned there this past Saturday night. We had made a reservation and arrived on-time, but were not seated for over an hour. The hostess had given our table to another party that complained their table wasn't big enough. Two other parties were given larger tables also because they did not like the first seating option. Its a small place that is very busy, on a Saturday night your lucky to get seated at all. If it wasn't so late, we would have gone elsewhere. 1. You need an experienced adult that can handle customers better and the high volume of customers to manage the hostess station not a high school girl. 2. If you know you cannot seat a large party on Saturday night, decline the reservation. 3. Folks in front of us were there on time for their take-out orders and waited an additional 15-30 min for their food. The Service & Food were Excellent!!! read more

Twelve of us dined here for my birthday in July. Been meaning to post my review and photos. It was our first time here and we really enjoyed the food!! DH and I shared the calamari with others. I had the butternut ravioli with chicken and DH had the linguini with clams. Everything was well prepared. The ravioli tasted fresh made and the chicken was tender. Busy place with a nice atmosphere; and you need to call for reservations. read more

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Food was amazing. We had the tortellini and the meatsa pizza and the Hawaiian. We had the garlic knots and antipasta and the mozzarella sticks. The cannolis were the best we've ever had and the coconut cake was amazing. Staff was super friendly and attentive 10/10 can't wait to visit again read more

Wonderful restaurant. Jazzy background music. Great ambiance. Great service. Delicious food.... We had the fried calamari which was perfect! For dinner I ordered the chicken Saltinbocca - which was good but missing the sage, spinach and white wine. The Mrs. had the gorgonzola risotto with filet tips and it was outstanding! My Saltinbocca came with spaghetti and the sauce was just perfect. The spaghetti had been sautéed in the sauce and then they added a nice ladle of sauce on the bottom of the spaghetti and on the top. I had them put a ton of grated parmigiano cheese.... And I was in heaven. Would we return..... absolutely! The red sauce was way better than most other Italian places I have tried in the Wilmington area. Their sauce is the real deal. Well done guys! read more

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Risotto is to die for. Love Nicolas! Watch out and call ahead because hours and days they are open are a little counterintuitive

Excellent service great place Had ravioli . Asked for it with spicy marinara . Excellent Read a few reviews that complained about portion size. Could not finish mine One of the best Italian places in Wilmington read more

We ended up here a bit on an accident - my boyfriend got thought he was calling Roko when he made the reservation. Nevertheless, I had heard wonderful things about Nicola's and was excited to try them. Had reservations for 8:30 but we were able to be sat around 8 which was wonderful. The service was awesome throughout the whole night. The owner was very hands on and spoke to all of the customers which I loved. I was a little disappointed with the menu. I didn't feel there was a ton of variety and most of the dishes sounded very similar to one another. We ordered Chicken Emiliana and Dolce Picante. The chicken dish was kind of like chicken Marsala with a little twist. However, to me, it tasted like maple syrup. It was good, but the sweetness of the dish was overpowering. The Dolce Picante was great and had the perfect amount of spice and flavor. The fried mozzarella was outstanding! Loved every bite of it. The complimentary bread was very hard and difficult to eat. And I really didn't enjoy it that much. The entire meal I couldn't help but compare the food to Roko. Which is the only reason I gave four stars. Had I never been to Roko, I think Nicola's would have gotten 5 stars. read more

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Nicola's Italian is a Wilmington gem! Real NY Italian food. Everything was so good we bought extra to bring home and have over the weekend! Arrincini, eggplant parm, eggplant rollatini were to die for. And the pasta dishes are big enough to feed 2 or 3 people. We were too full for dessert, but next we will try the cream puffs and chocolate bread pudding. Or maybe the zeppoles! read more

The food was fabulous! It did take 40 mins to get the entree after receiving appetizers so pack your patience. If you're looking for aesthetics this isn't it but if good food is what you want, look no further this is it! read more

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The pizza was very good, our server was sweet, and the tiramisu was probably one of the best i've tried read more

Nicola's Italian - Margherita - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Never had a bad meal or experience of any kind here. The food is more than excellent and you get more than the average person can eat. The staff are the best especially Nolani who works the bar. All staff are very professional and friendly. The food presentation is exceptional. Can't say enough good things about it. I usually never review so this is saying something. Almost forgot. I'm not a cake eater but tried the coconut cake and now have to order it whenever I go there. Big enough for three to share. You won't be disappointed. read more

10/10! Absolutely loved everything about this place. Ambience, food, service- all incredible! I am already planning my next trip back! Make a reservation! read more

Nicola's Italian - Lasagna - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I truly wanted to give this place five stars. I've heard great things about it and was looking forward to genuine Italian fare. Sadly, it's hard to imagine the chef is from Sicily/Long Island, as the food did not live up to the hype. Four of us started with the antipasto app, which was clearly premade and had been refrigerated. Mozzarella was served chilled, a huge faux pas, and the quality was sub par. Certainly something that could be purchased at any supermarket. For entrees, hubby got the pappardelle, I got the l'inguine pescatore, and friends got the eggplant parm and eggplant rollatini. All entrees were bland and lacking flavor, though my seafood was cooked perfectly. The quality of the pasta itself was good, but no where near the best I've had. Our server, Ashley, was excellent! She never stopped smiling, and her knowledge of the menu was evident. A huge asset to this establishment! The atmosphere is casual, and I would recommend this restaurant for families rather than romantic or quiet dining. Overall, I don't think we will be returning any time soon. read more

Nicola's Italian - Antipasto with 'chilled' ingredients - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I will go again. I dined alone at the bar and had the Chicken Emiliana. The chicken was cooked properly and I liked the prosciutto and pasta. I probably won't get it again, but do look forward to my next visit to try something else with bit more flavor- something with red sauce or garlic instead. read more

Reservations are only taken over the phone, which can be tricky when they don't open until 5. We were seated promptly but booth was very tight for 4 people. Server was attentive and explained the specials. It's weird that baked pasta dishes like manicotti and lasagna are served in bowls though. It makes it more like pasta soup since everything just sinks into the bowl. It also makes it hard to cut and it just makes it kind of a slop. Tasty but a pile of unshaped pasta and cheese and sauce goo. We had an early reservation but as it filled up around 6 it was very loud and echoey and made conversation very hard. And not the fault of the restaurant really but there was a SCREAMING child and I don't think management said anything to them but it was really disruptive and sort of ruined an otherwise nice dinner. read more

Pasta tasted like egg noodles chicken was way to thick and tough The staff there was friendly but I won't go there again read more

Nicola's Italian - Pasta tastes like egg noodles chicken was way to thick and was tough. Staff was friendly but I would not go there again - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

The atmosphere was great! We were seated right away. There was a little wait for our server, but we were greeted right away by another server who got us water and explained it would be a slight wait. The Caprese Salad was amazing, my Beef Tip and Mushroom Risotto was really good. The meat and mushrooms were a little salty, but when eaten with the risotto it balanced out well. I was on a road trip heading home so I didn't try any wine or cocktails so I can't comment on that. The reason for the 4 stars is purely the kids food. My daughter is eight and we ordered off the kids menu for portion sizes more than anything else. She got her spaghetti and meatball ($2 For the meatball), she takes a bite and starts adding salt. At first I told her to stop, but after taking a bite...I understood. It was super, super bland. She later buried her meatball and I asked if I could try it and it was HORRIBLE. The texture was just...mushy and the taste lingered in my mouth and somehow survived the blue cheese risotto for 3 or 4 bites. She wanted the ice cream that was listed on the kids menu and she takes a big bite then says, "it has like...ice in it". So I tasted it and sure enough it was full of ice crystals. Like it was old or had defrosted and refrozen. Next time we will simply split an adult entree and dessert and forget the kids menu. My daughter is not a typical 8yo when it comes to food so most kids may like the kids menu and not have an issue...but my discerning child was not having it. read more

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Came with three friends, two of us really enjoyed our food, the other two did not. We waited a little under an hour which was insane. Waitress was very nice though as she brought us extra bread to hold us over and came back with updates. Overall, didn't love the experience but it wasn't the worst. read more

I had a wonderful experience at Nicola's last night! This was my first time and it was great! Food- the food was amazing! I had never had a Stromboli before and I got the veggie! I also got a traditional salad which I could have had as my meal, the dressing was so good! Both of the appetizers were amazing and everything tasted so fresh! The portions were huge and the price was just right for the quality! Everyone enjoyed their meals! I would have liked to see some healthier options other than salads. That would be my only complaint about the menu. 4.5 stars Service- our server was Sarah and she was so great! She was quick, kept our refills coming and really nice. She continued to check in and made sure we were happy. The food camp out really fast! We made a reservation but went in an hour early and they had plenty of seating for us! I saw the outside seating and thought I was really unique. 5 stars!! Environment- it was a really cool place. I over the colors and decor hanging from the ceiling. This is a place where you would feel comfortable dressing up or in work out clothes. They had fish bowls for decoration and I thought that was really cool. For the restaurant not being so busy the bathrooms were a mess. Toilet paper, paper towels and water all over the place. The soap was out and the toilet did not want to flush. The bathrooms did not match the rest of the restaurant.. 3.5 stars! Over all I would recommend! read more

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Kris and Nick run an absolute superstar restaurant. Best steak in Wilmington and that's not even their wheelhouse. Every dish prepared and plated beautifully. It's the care and attention to detail that raises the bar at Nicola's. Pasta to die for. All of the Italian dishes are superb. Bar is always fun and wines are delicious and very fairly priced. Just walk in and say, "nutrimi ho fame" and you'll leave with a big smile. Have a tartufo Buon appetito! read more

Came in last night with my wife. Maybe just because I'm back from Brooklyn but prices are really high for standard Italian entrees. Had the Marsala. It was fine, a little sweet, not terrible, not worth $30. My wife and I were not super hungry so we just ordered one entree and a larger salad. The server brought us 2 entrees/a split fee with extra food we didn't order. Pretty much ruined the night because we now knew we were getting charged for food we didn't want. I made it clear when it arrived it's not what we ordered but the server didn't pick up. I could've argued but she already put the food in our table, but I will not be returning. read more

All I can say is, "wow!" Unbelievably good food in huge portions. Service was excellent. A true Italian dining experience. We will always remember to stop here for a great dinner when we are in Carolina Beach! read more

Made reservation. Arrived 10 min early. Promptly seated. Sat at table for 12 min, I finally had to go to the bar to order drinks Went ahead and cashed out. Relayed to bar tender that we needed at server. Finally got a server. Ordered an appetizer it arrived within 6-8 min. With no silverware ,then server disappeared Had to go back and ask bartender for silverware. Server finally came back and took our order, food arrive cold and tasteless. I mean it's simple. It's not molecular science, its chicken park and ravioli. Bartender did apologize to our table for "slipping through the cracks". Said she would remove the appetizer from the bill. Server returned, explained that food was below par and I'd like the check. Check showed that appetizer was still on bill. Paid full price and tipped sever 20% (even though food was poor) this was my first and last time to this restaurant. Next time I'll go to Zoras fish market on the shitty side of Castle street. read more

Nicola's Italian - Pizza Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Always amazing food and service. We had a reservation which included a baby this time. When we arrived, they already had the booster seat at the table for us. That little detail made us feel really invited. We had an issue with an order (our fault), and the staff fixed it immediately without issue. Best restaurant in town, can't recommend it enough! Shout out to our server, Bella for taking care of us. read more

Nicola's is one of the BEST cooks in this town (Period) if you like Italian food. The family is great all work in the restaurant and they are very Knowledgeable on whatever your needs. Love them all. The Campagna's read more

Finally got a chance to be in the are and try this sweet spot! Sorry I forgot to take pics but we started with the calamari with fried angel hair pasta cause we've had bad fried angel hair it was interesting delicious and just a bit too chewy. For an entree we got the chicken parmigiana. It was a generous serving and the homemade paste stood out . Had the Chianti and fresh braked bread with a savory dipping sauce! The service was top notch and the ambiance was modern and spacious. we were happy with our meal but would not go out of the way to have dinner here again. read more

After having driven by many times and intending to stop, we finally got there and I am kicking myself for not getting there sooner. Everything was terrific. The service was impeccable. The food was absolutely delicious and the portions were generous. The highlight of the evening, however, may have been the homemade coconut cake. It was moist and delicious. Please don't make the mistake that we did by driving by. You owe it to your taste buds to make plans to ASAP. read more

Really good food , authentic Italian flavor and the service has been great each time we have been here

For a fine dining Italian place, its pretty good. They make their own pasta. Portions are very large, and the service is great. Had to leave a review. 4th time here, although I didn't find it until last year read more

Adorable spot, awesome waitresses, amazing food. Never disappointed here. It takes a while for food sometimes, but its worth the wait. Dolce Piccante never fails! Love it here. GF options as well! read more

Some context is needed here. My mother's maiden name was Melarangi and her family originated in Cassino, Italy which is South of Rome. Mom was a consummate cook of all manner of wonderful things, but when she did what we kids took to calling an Italian pig-out...my oh my! Once or twice a year she would spend days preparing and cooking up the wondrous dishes; among them spaghetti with meat sauce, lasagna, veal scallopini, and for dessert she always made cream puffs with fresh whipped cream filling. What was funny to all of us is how once Mom started inviting the priest from St. Mildred's (Swansboro, NC), the bishop from Raleigh always seemed to show up as well. So, yeah, I have experienced the best in Italian cuisine even in a home setting. A friend suggested we try them out and, persevering through repeated calls to make a reservation, we did go there for my birthday. The staff all do wear masks and diners as well until you are at your table. They THOROUGHLY sanitize each table between diners and the tables are correctly spaced per COVID guidelines. It is off of Oleander past the water park; it can be a challenge to find it (especially after dark), but the gps got us there without difficulty. Ella was our server and was one of the best who have helped us at any of the places we have gone. Prompt attention to bringing out some fresh-baked bread with olive oil (nice mixture of spices) then the appetizer we had ordered (Garlic Knots). We both ordered the lasagna (the selections are incredible, but I always go with lasagna whenever we go to a new place to compare it to mamma's). First, the Garlic Knots: soft inside with a perfect amount of crunch on the outside. The mixture of cheese, spice, and GARLIC, was perfectly done and these vanished fairly quickly. Second, lasagna! Layers of a delicious pasta, cheese, meat sauce that was the best I have had in many years. The portions were HUGE and we elected to eat about a third and take the rest home as we wanted to leave room for the dessert. Third, dessert: Remember what I said about how Mom always made her cream puffs, well what did I see on the dessert menu but cream puffs! We split a serving (five nice sized with what I think was a sweet ricotta cheese filling and chocolate mousse on the outside with chocolate drizzle to top it off). I had a wonderful Chianti (Gabrielle, if memory serves) and it was a perfect blend of flavors complementing all we had. Yeah, we have a new favorite in Wilmington and we will return (with apologies to General MacArthur). MANGI!!! read more

This was a real disappointment. My wife and I have been here before and at my wife's Christmas party there it was really good and the service was amazing. Last night was a horse of a different color. We decided to sit at the bar and the bartender was Kathryn ( not sure of the spelling) she was very nice and on top of things until we noticed that people around us were served their entrée and they ordered way later then us. Our meal was easy, Spaghetti and meatballs! Our mussels for our appetizer were on time and outstanding. When we asked where our dinner was, she said she would check on it. She came back and told us they were backed up in the kitchen because so many people came at one time and I said to my wife that doesn't make any sense because the people around us got their pasta dishes before we got ours we ordered before them. I think the order was forgotten in the back or wasn't put in .The people next to us said my God you guys been sitting here forever. They had already completed their meal and they had arrived after us, and they also had pasta dishes which were much more complicated than ours. Our dinner finally came out. It was cold lacking taste like the sauce had just come out of a can. It wasn't even cooked down. Kathrine asked us how we liked her dinner and we told her it was cold and really wasn't good at all. At this point to me good business would be the discount the meal, give a free dessert or a glass of wine. None of the above happened just bad business I'm sure Nick isn't aware of this. To add insult to injury she charged us three dollars also for splitting the pasta dish which I understand is policy but after the order of events that definitely shouldn't have taken place. Like I've said in the past by bartended for 18 years and worked in restaurants in Manhattan and Long Island as a bartender, I never would've done that to customers nor would my boss have liked that I did that. Free dessert free glass of wine goes a long way to keep people coming back. It's OK that you mess up but just fix it. read more

Service very good, food excellent. They had an Old fashion coctail on the drink menu made with premium bourbon for $14. I opted for and old fashion with Jim Beam . Didn't ask ptice, assumed it'd be less expensive. Wrong, $14 as well. A real turn off. read more