Seafood/Steakhouse

Airlie Seafood Company $$-$$$
1410 Airlie Rd., Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-3693
This newly renovated waterfront restaurant features a magnificent view of the Intracoastal Waterway in a sleek and contemporary package with eye-catching art. Expansive outdoor dining space and a new outdoor bar make this an ideal location for warm weather dining. You can even pull up by boat to the adjacent dock if you prefer to leave your car at home. With knockout lunch and dinner menus served daily, there is no shortage of choices for the avid seafood fan. In addition, the bar menu offers a more casual selection with non-seafood items as well. They also feature the unique "design your own entrée” option, which allows the customer to pick their seafood, sauce or glaze and side items from an extensive list. So for a customized dining experience alongside the scenic Intracoastal Waterway, look no further than Airlie Seafood Company.

Bluewater $$
4 Marina Street, Wrightsville Beach 28480
(910) 256-8500
Located just over the bridge on the Intracoastal Waterway, Bluewater is a sprawling two-story restaurant that offers great food with a panoramic view of the waterway that you won't want to miss. Open daily for lunch and dinner year round, Bluewater serves hearty American cuisine with a distinctly coastal flair in a tastefully nautical atmosphere. Lunch or mid-day snack choices include a dozen tasty appetizer selections (the hot crab dip is a must), numerous salad options, soups and chowder, sandwiches and generous lunch-size entrees. The coconut shrimp plate and the seafood lasagna are excellent choices, but the lump crab cake entree is incredible. Bluewater's dinner menu is equally generous in its choices and, while fresh-catch seafood is an obvious feature, the restaurant also excels with prime rib and steak entrees, chicken and barbecue baby-back ribs. Seating is available indoors on two floors, on a waterside patio downstairs and an intimate covered terrace upstairs. Bluewater has all ABC permits and serves a full range of imported and domestic wine and beer.

Boca Bay $$$
2025 Eastwood Road, Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-1887
A Tappas style in a relaxed island atmosphere. Serves one of Wilmington best Sunday Brunches. A lively lounge atmosphere thrives at the center of Boca Bay. Whether it’s a casual cocktail after work or some late night jazz, the bar is always bustling. 

Bridge Tender Restaurant $$$
1414 Airlie Road, Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-4519
Located at the foot of the Wrightsville Beach drawbridge on historic Airlie Road, The Bridge Tender Restaurant features the finest steaks and seafood with a spectacular panoramic view of the Intracoastal Waterway. Since 1976, this fine casual dining establishment has earned their reputation for excellence through careful attention to detail, unparalleled cuisine and impeccable service. The Bridge Tender offers inside and outside dining with unobstructed views of the marinas, boats and waterway. The dinner menu includes a wide variety of appetizers and entrees along with several nightly specials. Served from 11:30 AM daily, the lunch menu has everything from salads and sandwiches to fresh seafood entrees. If you're in the mood for something lighter, visit the waterfront bar and deck to sample one of the unique appetizers as well as a selection of specialty cocktails. The Bridge Tender caters large and small events and is the perfect setting for a rehearsal dinner. The Bridge Tender serves lunch Monday through Friday and dinner nightly, and is a non-smoking restaurant. Nautical enthusiasts can glide right up to the adjacent dock and go from sea to seat in a matter of steps, making this one of the truly unique dining locations in the region.

Dockside Restaurant $$
1308 Airlie Road, Wrightsville Beach 28480
(910) 256-2752
The view of the Intracoastal Waterway alone is worth a trip to Dockside. But if you're craving delicious and well-prepared local seafood, you'll also find the dining experience to be a mouthwatering adventure. The menu, not surprisingly, is dominated by fresh seafood. Broiled or fried (lightly coated with fine cracker meal) combination platters, snow crab legs, shrimp Creole and the popular Baja tuna are just a few of the dinner options. The seafood lasagna, a Dockside favorite, is definitely worth a try. Ask your server about the day's fresh catch, and check Dockside's special board for daily soup, sandwich, wrap and chef's specials. The lunch menu, available all day, is a generous listing of soups, salads, sandwiches and house specials, including broiled or fried seafood plates, served with french fries and cole slaw. Be sure to try the homemade Key lime pie. A children's menu is available. Dockside has all ABC permits, wine, and imported, domestic and draft beers. Seating is spectacular anywhere in the restaurant, but you have a choice of indoors with a view, on the outdoor deck along the ICW or outdoors under the canopy. Dockside is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Jerry’s $$-$$$
7220 Wrightsville Avenue, Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-8847
Located just before the bridge to Wrightsville Beach, Jerry’s has been serving the finest in upscale cuisine for the past 12 years. Utilizing the freshest seafood, Jerry’s offers gems like the Caribbean grouper, the stuffed flounder and Jerry’s favorite, the grilled salmon. In the mood for something on the heartier side? Try the New Zealand rack of lamb or perhaps the mouth-watering Chateaubriand, served with a port wine and shiitake mushroom sauce.

Max’s Prime Steakhouse $$$
1900 Eastwood Road, Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-9950
Max’s offers the finest selections of prime meat available, cooked to 1,200 degrees in our custom broiler. Fresh local seafood and chops round out the entrée offerings. Choose to accompany your meal with a special bottle from our wine list of more than 300 bottles. Max’s is home to Wilmington’s best collection of ports and single malt scotches.

Oceanic Restaurant $$-$$$
703 S. Lumina Avenue, Wrightsville Beach 28480
(910) 256-5551
Few culinary experiences are as delightful as dining on the pier at the Oceanic, and there's nothing better than a pier table in the moonlight. By day, as pelicans and seagulls kite overhead and the surf crashes below, you could be enjoying a chilled beverage, fresh blackened tuna or some of the region's most acclaimed crab dip. Should the weather turn angry, the Oceanic's three floors of indoor seating offer breathtaking panoramic views. The Oceanic offers a menu that is satisfying, delicious and dominated by fresh seafood. From entree salads, seafood platters and specialties to chicken and steaks, the menu is quite varied and includes items for kids. Entrees include a variety of extras ranging from salads, seafood gumbo and heavenly she-crab soup to hush puppies, slaw, rice pilaf, vegetables, potatoes and confetti orzo. The Super Duper Grouper, pan-seared grouper in a crust of cashew nuts and sesame seeds served over celery mashed potatoes with roasted red pepper butter, is just one of the popular selections. Nightly specials feature fresh-catch seafood that can be grilled, sauteed, blackened or prepared with Cajun spices. Full bar service, including domestic and imported beers, is available, and the juices used in mixed drinks are all squeezed fresh daily. Those seeking the perfect margarita should definitely stop here. The Oceanic also offers a generous wine list, with most available by the glass. The maritime decor features replicas of historic newspapers, the aerial photography of Conrad Lowman and a spectacular Andy Cobb sculpture of a huge copper grouper. Lunch and dinner are served daily with brunch served on Sundays. Parking is free for patrons; towing of all other cars is strictly enforced.

Port City Chop House
1900 Eastwood Road, Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-4955
A unique and superior dining experience in casual surroundings. They have everything from steaks to seafood, salad and dessert. Plus, they have an excellent wine list to pair with our favorite meal.

Portland Grille  $$$
1908 Eastwood Road, Wilmington 28403
(910) 256-6056
A five star restaurant alone is worth a trip to the coast. Portland Grille knows the art of fine dining. Chef Shawn Wellersdick is renowned for his ability to transform quality ingredients into a meal of layer flavors and side dishes that rival the entrée in taste and creativity. The menu includes meal-sized appetizers, especially when coupled with one of Portland Grille’s salads. A favorite is the crab cake nestled on a bed of buttered baby lima beans and served with applewood-smoked bacon, fennel vinaigrette.

Savannah's Restaurant $$-$$$
530 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach 28480
(910) 256-6464
Offering a dining experience that they refer to as “low-country casual,” Savannah’s features perhaps the most tantalizing menu on the island of Wrightsville. Their signature seafood dishes, such as the crab-stuffed salmon and grouper pecan, are sure to delight any fan of fish. With light pastas and savory pork and beef dishes available as well, there’s no shortage of choices for discriminating diners. In addition, the atmosphere of their cozy Oak Room (complete with magnificent bar) complements the more spacious décor of their Charleston Room, a perfect spot for large gatherings or corporate functions. Their monthly wine dinners create an ideal learning space for the burgeoning wine aficionado as the chef expertly pairs culinary delights with the finest in international and domestic wines. You’ll want to make your reservations for these tastings well in advance.