50 Best Bars in Wilmington

“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.“

“Great people and owners! All the best“

“This is THE spot! Owners are amazing. Super friendly and accommodating. Visited while at a conference across the street. Brought a few friends the next day. They stayed open a little later to make sure everyone was taken care of. Had a great time, sitting outside, music on, and a great atmosphere. We will be back. Get ready!“

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

“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!“

“Good service and food from JD“

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

“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“

“Great place for live Jazz and good drinks.“

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

“Coffee is delish and the staff is always genuinely friendly! ☕️❤️“

“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!“

“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!“

“Great spot to meet up with friends. Usually have a few good drafts and a ton of cans/bottles to choose from. Cons (in my experience) are that it can take a while to get served at the bar and parking can be tough on the weekend evenings. But, being connected to Block Taco is a major plus. Cool decor and vibe inside, on the front sidewalk area, or in the huge patio area in the back. Live music and movies often here - check their event calendar!“

“10/10 what food & service should be, excellent!!!!!!!!“

“Great music and awesome stout“

“If you're in downtown Wilmington, you've got to stop in. And if there's no music playing, play something, it makes the atmosphere so much better. Loved this place. Had to visit it twice. Apparently the oldest bar in Wilmington. I don't know, but the bartenders were nice.“

“Felt like a kid all over again. Great drinks and great vibes! Will definitely be back.“

“Really love the aesthetic design and the drinks were phenomenal. The bartender was so knowledgeable and really took time to educate us and steer us in the direction. We went on a Friday night after dinner around 7:30. They were setting up for a house music DJ which we couldn't stay for. The music while we were there was a little too sleepy and there were only 2 other patrons, which was surprising considering how great the place and drinks were. Not a high energy place, next time we'll bring a chill group of friends with us and come a little later. Maybe we just hit it up at the wrong time.“

“The Cryptid Den, 225 S. Water St. is located in Chandler's Wharf in downtown Wilmington. Nice atmosphere, attentive staff and live music on the weekends. Last night music was by John Hussmann. You can order food from the Rooster & Crow, and it will be served to you in the lounge.“

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

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

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

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

“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.“

“One of our first little stops while visiting Wilmington. Alex the bartender was an absolute god send ! Chill dude and great conversation. The crowd of customers matched the vibe too, we met some good people. a night for the books for us. Thank you again, Alex ! 🍻“

“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 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“

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

“Absolutely love this place ! Great people !“

“Best family pub by also late night without the kids spot. Great conversation“

“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“

“Visited 8/16/25, Greenville, NC. The food was excellent.. hot, fresh, and flavorful. Our waitress, Ramsie K, was excellent. Speed of service was excellent. We will definitely visit again.“

“Awesome food and great prices.“

“THE NASHVILLE NIGHTS BAND was amazing!!! Best band yet that I’ve seen there. Your drinks are a little pricy but great music!“

“Small little dive bar that you would never find if you were actually trying to look for it. My GPS randomly took me there but I almost left the parking lot when I pulled up front until I realized it was on the other side of the building not facing the road. Was only a couple people in there and I didn't stay too long because I was tired but the bartender was really cool and it was a nice little place that I would visit often if I live in the area. If you want something with a couple pool tables and a few dart boards with no frills and a true dive this would be the place!“

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

“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.“

“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.“

“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.“

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

“Great bar food & atmosphere!“

“What an amazing first experience we had tonight! My wife and I live in Myrtle Beach, but our child lives here. We are staying at their place watching their pets while they are away. This place has been on our to try list for a while now and we finally had the opportunity. What an incredible experience! The food was outstanding! The flavor was on point and the servings were huge! My wife and I each had an amazing pasta dish and split the largest piece of coconut cake we have ever seen. Now, you would think after all that I just wrote that would be the best part of our experience, but it wasn’t! The absolute best part was one of the kindest people we have ever met, Bella! Let me tell you the meaning of her name fits in so many ways! She was absolutely incredible! So kind! So caring! I honestly could go on and on! She made my mine and my wife’s evening such a memorable night.“

“Amazing venue. Nice employees. great drinks. they get some good talent in there too. 💙“

“Great spot for a big group. The staff rocks and they take great care of their customers. Go there if you like to dance 🙌🏻“

“We were hesitant to try this place due to some of the reviews. I’m so glad we decided to give them a go. We ordered the Brie pastry as an appetizer along with espresso martinis. For our entrees we ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and the chicken pot pie. Truly amazing. The waitress was attentive and the atmosphere was great. We will be back.“

“Great appetizers and good local beer“

“Best luncheon Best service Best venue & ambiance Best price Best dining experience“

“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!“

“delish!! 🤌🤌 will return!! nothing left on our plates from the drinks, app, the entrees and dessert! service was great. Skylar thanks!“