49 Best Bars in Wilmington

“The Sangria is the best Sangria I have ever had. The food was great! Super cute and our server was nice. I can not wait to go back.“

“we had the pleasure of eating at Junction 421 this evening for a pre-Valentines dinner date I had the steak with mashed potatoes, asparagus, spears, and crab meat and topped with a delicious Bernese sauce . Michael had shrimp and grits and we had a nice, romantic dinner. Evan was our server and he treated us like we were VIPs. Highly recommend this restaurant is so close to our home.“

“BEST dinner and service we’ve experienced in such a long time. Our server (Frank) was amazing, attentive and taught us how to pour red wine 😂 For appetizers we had fried okra. Clam chowder and crab dip. Dinner was blackened salmon with risotto and green beans, fried haddock fish basket with fries and slaw, broiled seafood platter. Risotto and asparagus. Desserts were crème brûlée and blackberry cobbler with ice cream. We will absolutely be returning!“

“Great cocktails, a varied wine list, outstanding food, fun music and relaxed atmosphere. So glad we had dinner here!“

“Love this place! Great music and great environment!! Friendly staff always.“

“Good service and food from JD“

“Axes & Allies is such a fun place to hangout! There are board games and tabletop sitting as soon as you walk in so you can get a round before you start throwing. The staff are very informative and make sure you have a great time! The drink selection has something for everyone! Have come here with friends and also larger parties! Definitely a great date night spot, family time activity, or team building opportunity!“

“Stopped in around 2:30. Bartender and GM Lexi very friendly. Dwayne(The Rock)Johnson guarding the front door.“

“Epic experience — dont miss it!“

“Bottega is such an eclectic yet down to earth place to hangout with people in the neighborhood. There’s always beautiful art and an opportunity for music.“

“Wine Knot Sky Bar & Lounge brought the perfect blend of style and flavor to our community event! From the very beginning, Natalie and her team were a dream to work with—communicative, professional, upbeat, and genuinely fun. They fully embraced our Garden Party theme, even dressing the part to add an extra layer of charm. The bar setup was stunning and thoughtfully curated to match both the aesthetic and flow of our event space. With over 225 guests in attendance, their creative mocktails and cocktails were a crowd favorite—delicious, unique, and served with a smile. Cleanup was just as impressive. The team broke down quickly and left the space spotless. We truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Highly recommend Wine Knot Sky Bar & Lounge to anyone looking to elevate their event with standout service and unforgettable drinks! I cannot wait to visit their downtown location!“

“We had our annual Wandetlust Wilmington 2.0 Super Bowl party at Eagles Dare 2-9-25. Joe Apkarian the owner and his team were beyond superb for us all. We had a catered event there for almost 100 members of the group. The place was ready to rock and roll when we started to arrive. Joe was very accommodating in our set up of the room. The three bartenders Shelby, Gillian, and AJ were spot on with great customer service, attentive, and made wonderful drinks!! (They were so good I gave each one a personal tip and tipped again on my bill) Joe’s selection of the caterer was beyond expectation. Delivery was on time as well as the second refresh. He used Dough House Pizza Company” downtown. All the attendees could not stop praising the food. The place just made 100 new customers. In closing if you have a need for an event Joe and the Eagles Dare team needs to be your first stop. If anyone wants any personal info about the establishment feel free to DM me!!! Thanks again Joe and Team Sam“

“The BLT is the best you’ll ever have. Staff is friendly and efficient. Say hi to Olivia!“

“The Rusty Nail is one great spot to be in Wilmington NC. The staff and patrons are the friendliest around and the live music on Tuesday night nights and weekends ranks among the best blues I have ever seen and heard anywhere! In fact my wife and I are on our way there now, on Thanksgiving , for tonight’s Thanksgiving pot luck dinner. It will be a great time for those who don’t have local family, can’t travel or just want to have some holiday fun. No kidding, the Rusty Nail is a definite good time!“

“We walked upon this lovely place on a Sunday afternoon b/c of beautiful voices coming from the outside beer garden! Kids were playing and adults were enjoying beverages! Great bartender. we saw dogs having a good time too. lotsa shade too for when it is hot!“

“Awesome atmosphere, food, drinks, and staff! Highly recommend 10/10 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Hands down one of my favorite bars in Wilmington! This bar is the oldest bar in Wilmington and one of the first I came to back in the 90s. Great selection of beer and spirits! The staff is always fast and friendly! The restrooms were clean with plenty of products! If you want to play pool then this is the place for you! I would highly recommend Barbary Coast if you are in the area! You won't find a more down-to-earth or authentic bar in town!!“

“This place was so much fun. The whole family had a blast.“

“Never know what you'll see. Amazing is frequently on the list.“

“Chill atmosphere , great bands , FREE pool. Anybody and everybody that has good vibes and genuinely wants to have a great time this place is for you. Happy vibes only!“

“The atmosphere is the best around and the drinks are fantastic. We can’t wait to return back.“

“There's no food, but you can bring in food from the vendors/restaurants around. The music is kind of loud. Looks like they have a well stocked bar. Atmosphere is pretty relaxed and attracted all kinds of clientele. The staff is always ready to accommodate for accessibility! Huge plus as there is an I/DD social club that meets here!

Wheelchair accessibility: Staff is ready and happy to accommodate for accessibility!“

“Great Beer, great staff, up and coming.“

“Love it !! And a plus they are child friendly!!!“

“Great bar nestled right in the midtown community. We live in the Forrest hills area and it's right down the street. They have a great wine selection and the ladies room is beautiful! Never seen a bar restroom as nice! Tons of televisions and has pool tables. Staff was very attentive and sweet. recommend“

“First time in Wilmington and was looking for a place with a smart, friendly, diverse crowd among whom to have a drink. Tried several places, but this one is it, hands down. Great jukebox and great people there to make those selections. Even the drink prices are right. If you're in my shoes sometime, save yourself some walking and head straight here.“

“I love Ibis so much and really would recommend it to everyone - BUT since it's opening it has had terrible wifi connection. I know this is a problem with many others. I barely come here anymore because I often go to cafes to do a little bit of work. Currently writing this because I just missed a work meeting while here.

I do however recommend this place 100%. I love the atmosphere and music.“

“One of our very 1st customers! Just an awesome vibe, and killer hot sauce collection. Great craft draft selection!“

“Awesome place. Owner is great. Bartender friendly. First time there. Outdoor space is amazing. Dog friendly which is very important to me. Clean. Invited friends to join us. First time too. They loved it. I will become a regular. If I could give more than 5 stars, they would get them.“

“Great music and awesome stout“

“Great selection of beer and wine Upscale atmosphere Great music Loved meeting Banks the golden retriever!!!“

“I am so psyched to be seeing SPAFFORD at such a great, intimate venue. See you there June 21. Prepare your mind to be blown by the band.“

“My first nighr there was interesting...loved the vibe.“

“Security staff are extremely courteous and professional. Food is great!“

“Five stars until I was informed about the woman hating bartender who will hopefully be be behind bars soon for beating and choking a female“

“I was here for a Neebs Gaming event in the middle of January. The bar is fantastic with reasonably priced drinks and a great bartender. Nothing beats the view as you have an open rooftop view of both the river and the Battleship North Carolina. The theater is small compared to the Palace, but it is far larger than I was expecting to see in a bar scene. The sound quality was amazing and there was absolutely no stuffiness that you sometimes get in small theaters. I'm not sure I'd enjoy the open-aired bar as much in the humid summer months, but I can say the dead of winter was spectacular.Also note: the elevator works, it is slow and just takes a while. I didn't know until I walked all the flights of stairs and got to the top just as I heard the doors ding open.“

“Truthfully, I didn't order food but didn't want to risk giving anything no stars. Came in tonight for the first time. The bartender was super nice. The patrons seemed very nice and friendly. The bar is spacious so me and my friends could find a nice quiet spot to have a great conversation. Highly recommend, thank you for such a great time.Lindsay is freaking awesome.“

“local bar with good people.“

“Great place to grab a drink. Very welcoming and comfortable. Extremely clean. Has a neighborhood pub vibe mixed with sports bar. Becky is a super friendly and attentive bartender. And you can order food from Boardwalk Pizza next door (another awesome place) and they'll bring it over to you.“

“Great bartenders, great crowd. Fun place to go for a drink. Good sound system and playlist“

“Varnish is hands down the best bar in Wilmington! The bartenders are the best in all of downtown—they’re fast, friendly, and always make sure you’re having a great time. The venue itself is the perfect size—big enough to keep the energy high but never so packed that you feel like you’re missing out. Even if there’s a line, it moves quickly, so you never have to wait long to get in and be part of the fun. The door staff is always on point, making sure things stay safe and enjoyable for everyone. Whether you’re a local or just visiting, I can’t recommend Varnish enough!“

“@Ashley Tuckers review. Im a little troubled by this review. It sounds like you are describing my favorite bouncer there... I've known him and his partner for several years now... unfortunately your story can not be true.... because he himself.... is a Gay Man. My wife and I have shared many beers with him and his partner.. This bar does NOT discriminate against the LGBTQ community. In fact they even hire gay men.“

“Great bar food & atmosphere!“

“Paco is the man the other staff is great as well. Great evening spot me and my boys stop in the other night they pizza, NFL,cold beer and jello shots not to mention darts, pool and a kick ass jukebox. Appreciate what you guys and gals do ! Thank you.“

“Absolutely the most incredible experience we have ever had somewhere! Our amazing experience started with sending an email with some questions about the show we were coming to see (Jordan Jensen) as we live in Myrtle Beach, only about 1.5 hours each way, but it was our first time coming to the club. We received one of the kindest and most welcoming and informative emails we have ever received from a business when asking questions. Aimee was the person that responded to us and she was so so kind! We actually got to meet her before the show as she was working the ticket booth. From the person that welcomed us at the door, to Amiee at the ticket booth, to the kind person that showed us our seats/table right up at the stage (that we had so hoped for) to ALL the people working at the bar that were all so extremely kind and more than happy to help us with drinks, we had an absolutely amazing time and experience! We actually enjoyed ourselves so much that we already purchased tickets for another up coming show in July (Maddy Smith)!! Now we check out their events calendar every week!!! We absolutely know that we will not stop with just the two shows, as this is now our absolute favorite place for comedy greats! We absolutely had an amazing evening and can’t say enough amazing things about the club, bar, and EVERYONE that works there and is a part of the amazing experience! Thank you to the entire Dead Crow 🐦‍⬛ Comedy Club“

“i cant wait until I go here. sounds so good!“

“Awesome always! Best service and food in town!“

“Great view of the battleship and bridge. Sunset is gorgeous“