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    The Bridge Tender

    4.1 (589 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Steakhouses
    Closed 4:00 pm - 9:00 PM

    The Bridge Tender Photos

    Business Info

    THE BRIDGE TENDER ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Romantic
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Bridge Tender

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    Birthday party!
    Todd R.

    We celebrated my MIL's 80th birthday here last night and we were completely pleased with the experience. Our server was attentive and very helpful with questions and suggestions. The food arrived promptly and was excellent. I ordered the fried oysters and they were fantastic. Usually I am hesitant to order them at some restaurants because they typically are premade/frozen; however they stated these were made by hand to order and they certainly tasted like it. On top of that, the serving was very generous for the price. Others in our party had the fried flounder, swordfish, Brussels sprouts, crab-cakes, etc., and all of them were very pleased. Definitely recommend!

    Horseradish Encrusted Tuna
    David S.

    I think I would honestly drive back to Wilmington just for this place. Holy crap it was amazing!! First, you need a reservation and get there early because parking is a pain. The restaurant is right on the water and they have indoor and outdoor seating, I'd go outdoor for the boat views. The staff was super friendly and even left a card on our table for our anniversary, which was such a nice touch. The food is pricey but the portions are huge and every bite was perfect. You will not leave hungry. The horseradish tuna was immaculate and the salmon was amazing, both cuts were huge. And seriously, GET THE BREAD PUDDING. Every table had one and now I know why. Easily one of the best desserts I've ever had.

    Pesto chicken
    Haley B.

    I came here to celebrate my anniversary and it was not a let down! I did extensive research on nice restaurants in Wilmington and I decided The Bridge Tender looked like the best option for me. We had outdoor reservations and the view of the harbor was absolutely beautiful. Our waiter was so kind and attentive and the food was brought out faster than we expected. The calamari was amazing and the sauce it came with was so unique and outstanding. I ordered the chef's trio while my partner got the pesto chicken and they both tasted amazing. The portions are quite large and the prices are reasonable. I highly recommend if you're looking for an excellent restaurant in Wilmington for a special occasion.

    Warm bread with butter served while we were still considering menu options.
    Phillip A.

    One of my new favorites in Wilmington/Wrightsville Beach. We came here for a special anniversary dinner and we were not disappointed. Our server, Phillip, was very friendly, attentive and engaging. We sat right next to a window overlooking the innercoastal waterway which added to the restaurant's ambiance. The food was cooked perfectly and very large proportions. My grilled shrimp was served as an even dozen. We got keylime pie to go because we were just to full to enjoy dessert while we were there. We'll definitely make The Bridge Tender a regular stop whenever we're visiting Wrightsville!

    Jeff B.

    A great dinner experience. Great staff, good food, great views and fairly priced. Just can't say enough good things about experience. Staff was too shelf and made the experience. Big shout out to Constance our server. We will visit again.

    Bread pudding - big enough to share with many!!
    Lisa H.

    Service started out strong but dwindled as they got busy - food was exceptional / we didn't get a pic of the crab dip because we were so hungry and it was sooooo good! Great wine list - maybe one of the best on the beach! Even with hiccup in service I still give a 5!

    malbec wine

    Food was absolutely delicious, great service as well. I got rj pasta, which was delicious. I was happy to see that I could exclude the mushrooms from the dish, as some restaurants don't allow exemptions to set meals (especially fancier places). My partner got the steak, which was tender and delicious. Got a bottle of the Malbec, which was great as well. Overall, great food, good views, and good service.

    Swordfish special - capers, wilted spinach, tomatoes, brown rice, butter sauce

    My wife and I went for an early birthday celebrstion and had a great meal and exceptional service. Caity was awesome - highly recommend! We had oysters Rockefeller and split a wedge as apps. Petite filet and the swordfish special with capers, tomatoes, wilted spinach and melted butter sauce. A local staple continues to impress.

    Gorgonzola Walnut Salad with Salmon
    Sam W.

    My fiancés and my favorite place! We have had the Bridge Tender 3 times on vacations to Wilmington, and it never disappoints. Staff is professional, views of the marina are fantastic, and the food is EXCELLENT.

    Whipped key lime pie

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    9 months ago

    We go here every time we visit Wrightsville Beach! GREAT food, great service & incredible views!!! See yall again on Sat. night!!!!

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    Catherine M.

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    11 months ago

    Excellent food, service and atmosphere! Right on the water. Been a number of times for birthdays and anniversaries.

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    Ask the Community - The Bridge Tender

    Can the Bridge Tender handle a party of 24?

    Yes they can, they do have rooms with advance notice.

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    Sugo Italian Steakhouse

    Sugo Italian Steakhouse

    4.2(91 reviews)
    7.9 mi

    We had an absolutely amazing experience here!…read more We went on a belated Valentines date the Monday after, they still had their V-day specials available and our waitress, Ella, was so kind and well-informed! She told us about all of the specials and gave us suggestions to help us select our meal, honestly her personality alone made us want to come back but the food sealed the deal. We started with the Filet Tartine which absolutely blew us away, then shared the beef Wellington and the brussells, this was our first time having a Wellington and on top of being delicious the tableside service was outstanding! The side of brussells were the star for sure, with pancetta and apricot, savory but sweet. So amazing. We also shared a few drinks throughout the meal, the tiramisu martini, the lemon meringue, gardens of Augustus, and the10 year tawny, everything was amazing, though we're definitely coming back for the tiramisu martinis! And finally, don't get me started on the view, the large windows face out over the river and look out to the battleship, we got there right as the sun was setting and added to the romance of it all. Overall we had the best Valentines anniversary of 4 years thanks the Ella and her team at Sugo, Thanks!

    Food was ok, I'm Italian and this was not top end Italian…read morecuisine and the price was ridiculously high for the food quality and portions. There are so many other great Italian & Steak options than Sugo and the food quality, portions blow auto's away and much cheaper.

    Photos
    Sugo Italian Steakhouse - Bar

    Bar

    Sugo Italian Steakhouse - White Clam Pasta

    White Clam Pasta

    Sugo Italian Steakhouse - Cocktails

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    Cocktails

    Rumcow - Crispy pork belly pockets

    Rumcow

    4.3(303 reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $$

    Absolutely, recommend this place. Food and staff are top shelf. This review makes me want to go…read moredown there right now for brunch.

    We've been to Rumcow many times over the years and always enjoyed it. It's a cool spot with two…read morefloors, a lively atmosphere, and a strong A sanitation rating (96.5), which is always reassuring. The service was friendly and attentive, and we started the evening with a bottle of Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay (2023), which was a nice way to begin dinner. Unfortunately, the food this time around just didn't live up to what we remember. We started with the Asian Tots, which used to be one of the best items on the menu. In the past, the peanut sauce was poured over the top so everything came together as one dish. Now it's served in a small cup on the side, and there isn't enough of it to properly coat the tots. They also stopped finishing the dish with the salt they used to sprinkle on top, and even the presentation has changed -- the silver dome they once used is gone. What used to be a great appetizer has been reduced to something that's simply okay. For the main courses, the results were mixed but mostly disappointing. My blackened chicken was a little overcooked. My wife ordered the miso salmon, and that was overcooked as well -- which is especially noticeable with fish. When salmon goes past the sweet spot it quickly becomes dry, and that seemed to be the case here. None of the food was terrible, but none of it really stood out either. Dessert didn't help much. I ordered the carrot cake, but what arrived looked more like a small cupcake buried under a heavy amount of icing, with a large mound of whipped cream on the side. There wasn't much actual cake there, and it wasn't what I expected from a carrot cake dessert. One thing that stood out during the meal is that it feels like the kitchen may be constantly adjusting dishes -- moving sauces, changing presentations, tweaking things that didn't necessarily need fixing. In restaurants, sometimes the best move is to pick a lane and execute it consistently rather than continually modifying dishes that customers already liked. So here's the bottom line. Rumcow is not the Rumcow of yesteryear. Was the food terrible? No. But it was mostly meh, and that may be the most disappointing part. This used to be a place known for memorable dishes and small details done right. Right now it feels like a restaurant that has drifted away from what made it special. The atmosphere and service are still good, but the food just doesn't match the reputation it once had.

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    Rumcow
    Rumcow
    Rumcow - Caipirinha

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    Caipirinha

    Copper Penny - Southwest Burger

    Copper Penny

    4.4(1.4k reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $$

    Finally! After many years, we made it back to Copper Penny! On our return trip from Southport we…read morestopped in downtown to grab a bite before heading home. We started walking around and my wonderful wife suggested Copper Penny. Absolutely! There was a short wait for a table, but we didn't mind. The inside is almost like we remember it. We did notice the menu is a lot smaller. The last time we dined here was around ten years ago. Definitely plenty of options. We went with the onion ring appetizer, Cobb salad, and the BBQ Burger. The atmosphere of Copper Penny is the same. Definitely missed this place. After a short wait our food was brought out. Everything was delicious. This is just an update, but we still love Copper Penny and will continue to return.

    Went on a Saturday night, no reservations. Told 45 minutes at 7 for a table of 5 but seated within…read more25. Our server was wonderful, super helpful and nice. Inside we a long and narrow, mostly large wooden booths and a large bar. Darker. Started with sodas, a beer, and the dragonfruit mimosa (I didn't wind up drinking/liking the flavor- but also didnt say anything as honestly know my taste better. Sharing feedback for others that it is on the sweeter side- which you may love). Buffalo chicken sandwich, sauce on side with fries. Enjoyed, typical but large sandwich. Chicken pita, enjoyed- fries on side. Philly cheesesteak with Caesar salad side- really liked. Owner is from Philly, which made a difference. Grilled chicken with side Cobb salad- lots of cheese and mushrooms and onions. Super delicious bread- soft with some flake since still crunch and not soggy. Salad was fresh and delicious. Pork sandwich- my husband liked, it was good but I didn't love the meat flavor. Concepts with having spinach and such was great. Manager/owner(?) came by to each table too. Definitely worth a trip to explore- fresh ingredients. Next time the wings...

    Photos
    Copper Penny - Order pick up!

    Order pick up!

    Copper Penny - Onion rings with spicy ketchup.

    Onion rings with spicy ketchup.

    Copper Penny - Bbq wings delivered plain with bbq for those who like it that way

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    Bbq wings delivered plain with bbq for those who like it that way

    JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Nominated best lunch in Wilmington Magazine.

    JohnnyLukes KitchenBar

    4.3(573 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$

    I was staying next-door at the Home2 suites and the front desk said this was a great place, so I…read morefigured I'd try it out. It's sort of Italian and sort of steak and sort of a little bit of everything. Really clean, strait forward , reasonable menu, nice ambience. It feels kind of high end but the pricing is definitely mid range. I selected the tomato basil soup as my appetizer. It came with a nice toasted crustini. It was a really good soup. It tasted fresh. It had a lot of body to it like, maybe they did the tomatoes here in the house from fresh. It was definitely tomato. The basil was kind in the background, but it was a true red sauce. It was almost tomato paste or tomato sauce flavor. I would've not complained if they given it to me over a bit of penne.. It had a really nice flavor on it not too sweet not too acidic really a very good soup. It came out in a footed coffee cup so you're getting about one cup of soup. The main course was the broiled seafood platter. It was anchored by a large piece of mahi-mahi, that was amazingly well prepared, firm and tasty. To the side of that was a wonderful crabcake, one of the best I've had anywhere and definitely the best in the Carolinas. It did not have too much breading and it had a wonderful texture with lots of good crab flavor. Drizzled across all of this were scallops and shrimp. The shrimp were a little overcooked if you asked me. The scallops were sweet and perfect and everything you would want them to be. The side that comes with this is their crab fries which essentially our beer battered french fries dusted with old bay seasoning. If you've ever had the crab fries at the Philadelphia, ballpark, this is the way they do it. For dessert, I ordered the lemon cello mascarpone cake. It comes drizzled with raspberry sauce. I had visions of lemon curd, and what I got was really good and really lemonade and good cake. But it's not a very big slice. I know about the weight staff. I don't know if they're all good, but mine was exceptional and lovely to talk with. The place was very busy. It had a nice vibe to it, it could've been in South Beach or Miami or Los Angeles, not that it was over over the top just that it was very clean and nice and well done. This is a professional restaurant not some amateur attempt. I recommend it.

    Casual restaurant serving a variety of items. Ahi tuna app was very fresh seared perfectly…read more My daughter had a cheeseburger and fries Burger was ok fries great I had crab cake dinner which was very good. Crab cakes were light with hefty amount of crab and a side of asparagus , grilled, which was good. Service was friendly and prompt and the vibe had a nice chill atmosphere .

    Photos
    JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - The Draft list!

    The Draft list!

    JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - Auntie O's Homemade Bread Pudding

    Auntie O's Homemade Bread Pudding

    JohnnyLukes KitchenBar - "Luke, I Am Your Father" Crab Cakes

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    "Luke, I Am Your Father" Crab Cakes

    Michael's on the Waterfront - The pretzel is a must-have!

    Michael's on the Waterfront

    4.2(225 reviews)
    7.8 mi
    $$

    I've walked past this restaurant three times on three different occasions, but today we went in…read more The restaurant wasn't packed so we didn't have to wait for a table and was immediately greeted and sat at a table. There was a nice amount of menu options and drinks . There was plenty of dining room seating with a large bar area as well. The restaurant gives off very much coastal vibes! Lol, I ordered a crab cake and my son ordered the Wellington sub (I probaly got the name wrong). My crab cake sandwich was okay, but I must mention that it was big in size. My son loved the Wellington sub , the fries with the gravy sauce was amazing. Our server was amazing , service was awesome. The Restaurant itself was tidy and well kept and good times were awesome. The restaurant cuts right on the Wilmington Riverwalk and outside seating is available.

    We made a reservation to Michael's on the Waterfront on a Friday night during the Christmas tree…read morelighting. We were seated promptly by our wonderful server, Taylor (I hope I'm getting her name right!). We got a round of amazing espresso martinis along with crab dip and a jumbo Bavarian pretzel to start. I get a big pretzel everywhere I go, and this one definitely didn't disappoint. It came with a lovely cheese sauce and a honey mustard-like sauce. We also loved the crab dip. Taylor quickly resolved any issues we had and got us everything we needed. I got the penne alla vodka with shrimp, and it was very good! Everyone who came with me was very happy with their meals as well. My partner got the prime rib dip and loved it. Overall, I had a blast and would definitely recommend dining here.

    Photos
    Michael's on the Waterfront - Sitting area

    Sitting area

    Michael's on the Waterfront - Shrimp linguini

    Shrimp linguini

    Michael's on the Waterfront - View from the patio

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    View from the patio

    Jerry's - Bread service

    Jerry's

    4.5(121 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$$

    We decided on a date night out while in town, and have had Jerry's on my list for a little while…read more We made a reservation the night before for Saturday night. Reservations are recommended since the dining room is cozy and they might not be able to accommodate you without one. The place is so cute inside, very cozy with fresh roses on every table. We were seated toward the back against the wall, which is great. This table had comfortable high back chairs that seemed just for the tables for 2. Our server came by and introduced herself and said warm bread was coming. We had filled water glasses and took our order for additional drinks. We had a chance to look over the menu. The menu is small, but has a nice variety of favorites that you will find it easy to choose. I asked if there were any specials, but not on Saturday night. Friday night has a short rib special you could call ahead and reserve. That is a nice tip, since she mentioned they may run out. We decided to start with the tomato basil soup and a Caesar salad. Beautiful presentation on the soup and an amazing flavor. So delicious. The salad is very large and looked great. They brought out a second basket of bread with delicious herb butter. I really had to stop eating the bread! For entrees, we went with the goat cheese crusted grouper, with had beautiful puréed potatoes and squash and zucchini. I wasn't sure if I would like goat cheese with grouper, but it was a fantastic pairing. The scallops were large and crispy on the outside on top of a spinach risotto. So rich and tasty. The grouper paired well with a Pinot Grigio. The server went over the dessert choices and there were several to choose from. We decided on a chocolate toffee mousse cake. So incredibly rich and delicious. If you love chocolate, get this cake. My hubs and I shared one slice and it was enough after a filling dinner. Jerry's is located in a strip mall near the Wrightsville Beach area. It is very unassuming from the outside but, this place does service, atmosphere and food in high standard. They have been here a long time and it's clear the locals love it. This was my first visit, and will definitely return for the next date night or special occasion. 5 stars

    I had a lovely meal here for my birthday, I was visiting from out of town, enjoying the beach! Met…read morethe loveliest locals at the bar, the staff couldn't have been friendlier, and the food was wonderful

    Photos
    Jerry's - Inside (we had an early reservation 6pm, but every table was occupied when we left)

    Inside (we had an early reservation 6pm, but every table was occupied when we left)

    Jerry's - Chocolate Toffee Mousse Cake. Incredible and rich

    Chocolate Toffee Mousse Cake. Incredible and rich

    Jerry's - Full house

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    Full house

    The Bridge Tender - seafood - Updated May 2026

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