My family gifted me with a special 87th birthday trip to Wilmington to traipse old familiar places and eat some fabulous foods. Experiencing this with family was a special treat. The culmination was a lovely sun kissed luncheon on the Crystal Pier seated where we could catch the breezes and see the rolling surf. Having grown up in Wilmington, I was blessed to have the delightful experience of enjoying freshly caught fish lovingly and skillfully prepared by my mother. It has been years since I've truly enjoyed fish. On Saturday, my lunch choice was the Fresh Catch which was locally caught Sea Bass, hand cut and pan seared. It was seasoned to perfection with just the briefest dash of salt and spices and lightly browned by the pan searing. It was served with grilled asparagus and a bed of rice with an elegant white sauce. I don't know when I've enjoyed a meal so much. The lovely end to the meal came with a tempting and delicious slice of Key Lime Pie. Vera G. read more

Let me paint you a picture. It's a Saturday night, the day of the St. Patrick's day parade in downtown Wilmington. Clear skies and 80 degree weather it's an early glimpse of summer in Wrightsville beach and the area is buzzing. Needless to say Oceanic was the perfect spot to bring our parents for dinner that night. I got the Sage-roasted chicken with potatoes and asparagus and I ate every bite of it. I eat chicken almost everyday at home and am shocked at how good this tasted, the sauce was delectable even the asparagus was admittedly delicious. Aside from the food, our view from the corner table was so incredible it bumped my review from a 4 to 5 stars! The whole experience came as a complete shock to me as I had long been told that you pay for the view at Oceanic while the food was mediocre at best, which I can honestly say is simply not the case. I loved every second of my time at Oceanic and highly suggest a visit when you're in the area! read more

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We came here on a Saturday afternoon, the day had relatively good weather but sitting outside was too chilly unless you were in the sun. So we sat inside but got a spot near the window. The menu looked good but we weren't too hungry so we got drinks and an appetizer. The crab dip was an excellent choice. Plenty of buttered toast and the smell was amazing. Our service was exceptional. I wouldn't hesitate to vibe back on a day when I'm super hungry and try other things read more

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Wrightsville Beach, NC - on a Girls Valentine's weekend celebration and needed a restaurant with a beach view and brunch. The view here is spectacular! We started with cocktails- I had a coconut martini mocktail which was honestly one of the best mocktails I'd ever had! Delicious! The glass was rimmed with toasted coconut and the drink was smooth and creamy. The food was good. Portions a bit small for the price. My bread pudding French toast didn't include real maple syrup and honestly could have used one more piece on the plate. My friend noted the fish sandwich didn't include tartar sauce. Server was warm and friendly. Gave us plenty of time to make our selections and kept our table clean as we lingered a bit. I would return when in town. read more

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We went about 5:30 and were seated immediately. Outdoor dining with the ocean right there, or indoor dining with the same stunning views. Our waitstaff, Caleb, was phenomenal! He knew everything on the menu and was able to recommend the best food! We had the she crab soup- so creamy and delicious. If you want a little kick, ask for some old bay on the side. We also had (thank you Caleb) the shrimp cocktail with the MOST delicious cocktail sauce! So so good! We both got the crab stuffed salmon- wow! I have never had asparagus cooked so perfectly- it was exceptional. And the crab stuffed salmon was so delicious! Thank you Caleb for excellent service and to the chef for an exceptional meal. read more

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The view from the deck is worth everything. The fried seafood platter was excellent. The she crab soup was good but not very hot and not very much for a $9 bowl. More like a cup. Service was good. Lucky to find an empty spot on their lot to park. We went around 3:30 pm. read more

Okay for ambiance and views and cleanliness, I would give it five stars. But the food, just wasn't up to par. I ordered grilled mahi-mahi tacos and as you can see from the picture, it was barely anything in my taco, they could have really done something with it but it was just sad. My husband's Burger came pretty raw. In our calamari was not very good, the batter made you sick after a few bites. But the views are beautiful, service was really good and the beer was cold. I probably would look for another Ocean view restaurant next time. But you can always come here and get beers and appetizers. I would still tell people to do so if they want an amazing view in this area. read more

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Hadn't been to the Oceanic in years, as our last experience saw a high decline in quality of food served. We decided to give it another try on an April Wednesday night. Asked to sit upstairs, as it was too cold and windy to sit outside. We were seated right away at 6:30pm, but all the window tables are reserved for parties of 5 or more, so our group of four had to take an 'interior' seat. When we left there were several of the window tables which never had customers the whole time we were there! To our surprise our dinners were well prepared and very tasty - an improvement over our last experience a few years ago - and we were glad we gave this longtime Wrightsville Beach pier restaurant another try. I had the appetizer tuna poke nachos as a main. Crispy hot flour tortillas, plenty of tuna and seaweed salad and tasty dressing. One friend chose the Carolina Classic salad with grilled chicken and loved the mixture of greens, dried cranberries, nuts and blue cheese topped with sliced grilled chicken. Another friend had the Calabash platter, consisting of fried flounder, oysters and shrimp on a mound of fries. He pronounced the fish to be hot, overly battered, and crisp :) the fries underwhelming and reheated. The fourth friend loved his crab cakes with sides of rice and asparagus to be perfect. All in all 3 out out of 4 thought that the food was a home run. The downside to the evening is the noise level. The 'new' Oceanic features lots of hard surfaces, with nothing to absorb sound. The noise of clanking dishes, talking patrons plus blaring music made it nearly impossible for our fourtop to have a conversation during dinner. Might suggest you consider an outside pier table if it isn't too hot, read more

Oceanic - Calabash seafood platter - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

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So we wanted it to be good, we came here thinking it would be good, but in the end...not so good. We started with calamari which was mixed in with pepperoncini, interesting but mostly you got peppers and not calamari. The batter was a bit over as well, but not greasy. My burger was WAY under and I thought, well maybe I should eat it since I like rare, but this was too rare and I didn't finish it. I should have sent it back, but in the end after finishing half that is a rude thing to do or ask for a comp. I finished half and then just enjoyed the view of the water. I would not recommend though. read more

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We held our daughter's wedding April 24th at this venue, which made for a very celebratory event! Meredith - the Oceanic event co-ordinator and all Oceanic staff provided an exceptional experience and a job very well done. The food was delicious and perfectly served. The view was picturesque and the pier was beautifully decorated making for a great party atmosphere. We highly recommend this venue. read more

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The food, definitely something different. I'd never had onions on chicken and waffles, but the red onion added a nice flavor. The potato's also great, not special. The live music really set the bar for the ambiance and the vibe. However the service was top tier. Ryan was amazing! He was very attentive and knowledgeable in his recommendations also. We loved it. Thank you. Will definitely be back. read more

Oceanic - Mimosa flight - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

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I'm not sure why this restaurant does not have a higher rating. We absolutely LOVED it!!! From the appetizers to entrees every single bite was delicious! We tried the sun-kissed shrimp and crab dip both were fantastic! Entrees we had the NC platter, she crab soup, mahi-mahi tacos , and shrimp tacos all these were wonderful! The service was good and the top floor was stunning . Finally the cocktails were perfect ! read more

We went there today for lunch. We looked at the lunch menu online and decided to have the Shrimp Cocktail and the Steamed Clams for appetizers. We are on a carnivore diet, so this was perfect for our meal. Lo and Behold, the menu at the restraunt does not match the online menu. Please update your website to reflect what you actually serve. We were disappointed and should have gone to another place for lunch. read more

Sat outside in sunshine on beautiful Sunday. Wait staff prompt and friendly. Flounder was perfect. read more

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This restaurant has really stepped up their game. Their food used to be okay but the last few times I have been the food has been amazing. I watched the NCAA tournament at the bar with a nice ocean view and was able to take a walk out on the pier with my beer to blow off some anxiety during the game haha. The pier bar opens in the summer as well. I love this restaurant read more

Loved e atmosphere, it was off season so not crowded at all. View from the top deck was incredible. The waiter staff was very helpful and assisted us with a smile. We ordered a number of apps and dishes all delicious The fried calamari was very good and the fried jalapeños on top were a nice touch compared to the typical banana peppers tossed about. The truffle fries were out of this world delicious. I had the fisherman's platter or as the call it the NC calabash platter... very well put together. Fish was fried to perfection flounder was tender and the shrimp were perfect. A couple of the other dishes needed some work on the presentation but the strip steak and mahi were both cooked perfect. Enjoyed our time and would love to return again. read more

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8 elderly people waited patiently for 1.5 hours for a table. We waited at the bar and watched numerous other groups being seated. Even though several hostesses tried to help...but there were no open spaces indoors as requested hour(s) earlier. The majority of the party was served dinner with 2 people waiting for their dinner for over 10 minutes. In addition, the waitress only came around for the check. Although the food was delicious, the lack of customer service was horrible. PS. We got a glass of water after dinner was served. read more

What's not to like about an oceanfront restaurant with a pier? We stopped by here during the Christmas week, and it was not too crowded. There's a gorgeous covered seating area on the 2nd floor with beautiful views of the beach. The pier and outdoor seating by the pier are on the 1st floor. We ordered a seafood gumbo bowl along with mahi-mahi and island shrimp taco plates. The food was pretty good; especially the gumbo was great. Friendly staff and good service. read more

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We only go here in the "off season" aka- the winter months. During the winter? It is on POINT! Service, meat temps, crispy fried treats, seasoned, thought after..... it seems as though during the summertime when the tourists are swarming it's hard for the quality to keep up with. I look forward to going here in the fall and winter but stay away during tourist season. It's got good bones. A wonderful bike ride day date for locals in the off season. Thankful it's around. No matter what it's always clean and I believe the prices are very fair/reasonable for the view/vibes that surround all the guests. Drink prices are great. read more

My wife has been after me for over a year to have dinner here. I have to say, I'm glad we went. This is a big edit for me. I was 10 paragraphs in and still at drinks and appetizers. Parking is free and right at the shore. We were seated quickly by a pleasant hostess. Ocean front dining on the first warm, sunny day of winter. Our waitress, was very quick, courteous and enthusiastic. Wine and appetizer arrived at the same time as we put in our dinner order. My wife had the catch of the day, grouper. I had the shrimp and grits. Both were excellent. I've been in the seafood business for 45 years and can be overly critical but not here. Loved every bite. It's not a white tablecloth restaurant, but the meal certainly was. Good job Oceanic. read more

We got there and were informed that it would be 45 minutes to get a table anywhere. Honestly that was expected so we walked out onto the pier and waited around by the bar to see if there were any spots to open up. Ultimately we did end up at the bar which was immediately met by a young man who disrupted my question about seating to say "no man I'll be with you in a few minutes." Cool, I get being busy that's never an issue, but he was very rude to me and my future step son about whether it was ok if we sat down at the open seats. I opened my tab by getting a glass of wine for my fiancé and a Buffalo trace on the rocks for myself. I attached the Buffalo trace I received, basically a watered down shot of bourbon. I can't begin to describe the abysmal nature of our food that we ordered. I ordered the mahi tacos, which included a portion of mahi fish that was so dry it could have been used as kindling for a campfire. The tortilla chips that were a "side" were the most stale thing I've seen in years. I wouldn't feed that to a stray dog. My fiancé got chicken tenders that seemed like they could have been air fried at my house. The only saving grace of it was the massive pile of fries that were "Cajun" but in reality someone just sprinkled old bay over them. My future step son ordered a salmon filet with a side of applesauce, which shockingly seemed to be the best thing that we ordered. I wanted to show my fiancé and future step son a cool experience on Wrightsville Beach because I grew up here. Good to know that the oceanic is still mediocre after all these years. If the oceanic was not a staple of Wrightsville Beach then it would not be open. Go anywhere else. read more

Oceanic - "Buffalo Trace on the rocks" - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Great location on Wrightsville Beach. If you can try and get a table outside to take in the Oceanside views.

Beautiful restaurant, good service, friendly and courteous, but the food is so below average it surprised me. Fish tacos had fishy mahi slathered in some white sauce with a few mango pieces encased in a cheap flour tortilla. My daughter had grouper which wasn't bad but again slathered in sauce. This place could be epic if the chef cared. read more

Food was GREAT, service was GREAT, parking was HORRIBLE. Told us that the lot was full and to park somewhere else and we couldn't find a parking. We circled 5 times and saw that they were letting cars in which was odd. They could've just said to wait a few minutes til a car leaves. We finally go in line and they cut us off when it was our turn, we were so annoyed that I think they got the hint and finally let us in. We were about to just wait there too. You only get like 2 hours or less for parking so you gotta eat QUICK. Thankfully there was no wait and we got seated promptly and that the food also arrived early. Our server was fantastic just not the parking attendants. View was also great and we love that it was dog friendly! read more

As we went here for a work social gathering, it was not exactly what I thought. It is more like a tourist destination as part of their facility is a pier that extends into the Atlantic Ocean. They have live music and that person was taking requests so it was fun. From what I could tell they also do private affairs, but only if you can blend into the pier crowd. The ambiance is great, especially at dusk. A full bar and lots of tasty food make it a good time for all. read more

Oceanic - Main Bar - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

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Gorgeous restaurant and view! Seafood centric so keep that in mind. They do have a tempura battered chicken strip meal that was actually very decent however only one choice for sauce ginger mustard and that's not everyone's choice.. Other than that everyone else white their food and service. read more

Oceanic - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

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Ugh! aside from the view this place is just frozen food reheated, fried, and served to you for a high price. The service was fun but I doubt I would return. At the price point offered, the food should be made fresh. I want to see fresh homemade ingredients. A minimum wage line cook is the only person in the kitchen there. read more

First the good news, it's a pretty view. We went on Easter Sunday. I had read reviews prior, so I told my husband to lower expections. I thought i'd keep it safe and order the she crab soup and a Caesar salad. Myself, my husband, and our daughter all had the she crab soup. It tasted great but was barely warm. Then, the entrees. I swear we waited 40 minutes for them...for two Caesar salads and a fish sandwich. I couldn't eat the salad, as it was dripping in dressing and the lettuce was warm. Like it had been sitting at room temp all day. My husband said the fish sandwich was "meh" and he had all these crumbs on his plate. Apparently, the chips that came with the sandwich, he got all those crumbs from the bottom of the bag or whatever they are kept in. The service was OK, I thought our server seemed a little bit unhappy to be there. So we experienced Oceanic, we won't be back. There are so many better restaurants in area. Sorry Oceanic, oh and spring for some window cleaning. read more

My Hubby and I went here for Valentine's day. We have been a handful times before. I love the ocean view, servers are super nice. My husband got the shrimp and grits he loved it. I had Carolina crab cakes, they were delicious and I enjoyed the remoulade sauce. We also had sweet tea and seafood gumbo as an appetizer. One of my favorite restaurants to go to in Wilmington. read more

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Beautiful location with wonderful food and drinks. Variety to choose from, the tacos were fantastic!! Service is extremely quick even when business is at high volume. Sat outside on the pier and it was a beautiful day with a wonderful view read more

Oceanic - Shrimp tacos with a side of chips and salsa - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Food was delicious! We had a shrimp cocktail, Mahi tacos, and the Poke nachos. Excellent! Service was with a smile! read more

Our experience started off badly when we sat almost 15 minutes before our waiter greeted us. Food came out fast, but my crab stuffed salmon was dry as if it was microwaved. My wife had fish tacos with fries. Her fries were soggy and tacos not very flavorful. The waiter came back to check on us halfway through our meal which was brought out by other staff. The only positive I have is the view. We plan on coming back annually to Wrightsville Beach, but not Oceanic EVER again! read more

The view from any seat in the house here is amazing. The food is not amazing. It's not BAD... but definitely not amazing. My husbands mahi was not mild like it should be and my salad was overpowering. Service was great, drinks were decent- but I'm not rushing back here. read more

Oceanic - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

The Wrightsville Grilled Chicken salad was delicious, as were the cheesy grits. My husband enjoyed the Calabash Seafood Platter. The outdoor seating on the pier was perfect and a great distraction for my overly active child. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. read more

Oceanic - Wrightsville Beach Grilled Chicken Salad and grits - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

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I visited the Oceanic 23 years ago & had a wonderful experience & tonight was just as memorable. The restaurant is just as beautiful & the view is remarkable. The team was incredible & so sweet & they know the menu like the back of their hand. Their recommendations are spot on. Thank you for making our dining experience so pleasurable. read more

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My boyfriend and I went for a date night last night to Oceanic. Unfortunately, there was a wedding that took place on a Saturday night on the pier. That's the whole reason for going to oceanic is to be on the pier and enjoy all of Wrightsville Beach. We did quickly find two seats together at the bar and still had a decent view of the ocean. What we noticed was the bartenders were overworked. I say that because it took more than 15 minutes for eye contact from one of the bartenders as well as the offering for a drink. Nonetheless, thankfully, I viewed the cocktail menu before we arrived and knew I was going to order the white sangria. It was delicious and certainly refreshing on the hot and steamy day we chose for date night. We stayed for just a few drinks and a few appetizers that were lackluster. I would definitely go again if I knew we could get onto the pier. read more

Oceanic - White sangria - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

We are locals to the area and it's been about 10 years since we've eaten here. We came for our daughter's 15th birthday per her request. Other than the view, Oceanic is nothing to rave about. We got there at 5 before the dinner rush and the hostesses were seemingly not thrilled to be there. The floors were already dirty with food and trash and our table was not wiped off. The bathrooms had paper towels COVERING the floor, the toilet paper dispensers wouldn't close , no paper towels, one sink broken, and the automatic dryers did not work. It is possible people from outside not eating at the restaurant are coming in and using the restrooms and not caring how they leave it, nonetheless, I'd think there would be regular services done on the restrooms and floors throughout the restaurant to maintain a professional environment for everyone visiting. The food was average. Fish tacos were yummy, burgers were meh, pasta dish was okay. Our server, Maggie, did a lovely job serving 5 of us and making sure we were taken care of and we did inform her of the bathroom situation. Sadly, I fear we won't be back unless there were improvements made. As locals, we get asked often from tourists or family/friends visiting what some good beach spots are to eat at, and we want to be able to say Oceanic because it's a fun location. read more

Great service, beautiful scenery, and DELICIOUS food! So wonderful to enjoy a great meal while watching the waves. read more

Oceanic - Shrimp and Grits - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

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I had a new item, the Thai Tuna Salad, which was so delicious! I made an exception from my vegan diet for this. It is ahi tuna, so know: that is raw. So relaxed atmosphere, off season. Our service was prompt & competent. Always a lovely view, even in rainy weather! read more

Oceanic - Thai Tuna Salad - Seafood Near Me - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina

Not for a large group Slow service, not organized at all. My shrimp scampi was delicious Banquet B was my server and argumentative with our complaint read more