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    Michael's on the Waterfront

    4.2 (233 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

    Michael's on the Waterfront Photos

    Business Info

    MICHAEL'S ON THE WATERFRONT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Michael's on the Waterfront

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    Caprese salad

    Food, ambiance and service were all amazing. Came here following a UNC-Wilmington tour. We got the crab dip to share, I got a caprese burrata salad with sea scallops, my boys got burgers and my daughter a HUGE pretzel. It was all delicious. They have a large beer, wine and cocktail menu as well. Super cute and delicious place to eat.

    Inside the crab cake lots of yummy crab.. not filler
    Courtney G.

    I was walking along waterfront came across this spot overlooking water. Very casual outdoor seating and nice seating indoors.. beautiful day out but it was bit warm so I went inside and was greeted by Lizzie who was my waitress.. she was sweet and helpful and gave me time to look over menu. I got the crab cake sandwich without bread.. some places give you hard time about it but they were happy to do it. It was very nice and very quiet inside. Everyone else decided to be b outside. My crab cake was full of crab.. great flavor and came with fries.. Lizzie asked if I wanted a mimosa which now I wish I had taken her up on.. I didn't because I had a medical test after lunch . Lunch was great and so was she! Recommend giving it a try

    Turkey Sammie
    Paul M.

    Great location, right off the northern part of the riverwalk looking over the river. We sat outside on a delightful day. Great selection of local craft beers were being offered for $5; amazing! The beer pretzel was good, the honey mustard excellent, the cheese sauce was ok, nothing great. All sandwiches were great. The server was horrible (sooooo slow) and I considered lowering another star for this reason but decided against idle to the excellent fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings.

    Penne alla vodka with shrimp
    Kayla P.

    We made a reservation to Michael's on the Waterfront on a Friday night during the Christmas tree lighting. 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.

    Prime Rib Dip
    Tim S.

    Solid 4 1/2 star restaurant. Food is handhelds (several sandwiches), burgers, with some seafood entrees. There is also a ribeye on the menu. The portion sizes are very generous. Huge draft beer menu. Decent cocktails and wine selection. Service was good. No issues. Friendly staff and very accommodating. Location is right on Water Street, in the heart of downtown. Indoor and outdoor seating available. Price range is higher but it's worth it. Recommend.

    Ian M.

    TLDR: Dog friendly patio and staff, good thick burgers, great fries. Wandering around looking for an open patio while walking the dogs on the Riverwalk and saw this place was open and had burgers, which was exactly what we needed. We were the early birds so we were seated, watered and ordered super fast! The burger was alright. I don't really like super dense brioche buns for my burger but I get that that has become the norm. The bun took over the entire taste profile. I ditched the top bun and used knife and fork and it was pretty darn good. The fries were perfect! Crisp on the outside and very well salted and peppered. Side note: Can we normalize pepper on French fries? Side of excellent ranch for fry dipping *chefs kiss! The waitress brought a big old bowl of water for my dogs. Thank you!!! Also, weird note, if you sit outside on a sunny day and then walk into the restaurant you'd swear you'd gone blind! It's nice and dark inside :D

    Huge pretzel
    Jeannette A.

    Location...Location...Location!!! Our first time to Wilmington. This place is right downtown on the waterfront by visitors center. The staff seemed short handed but friendly once they had a moment. I had a garden house salad with chicken with vinaigrette dressing. Delicious. My husband enjoyed the super burger with crinkle fries. We sat outside on their patio. Plenty of seating indoors or outdoors. Full bar and tons of beer options too.

    Scallops
    Sarah B.

    I loved this place! They were able to seat us super fast outside. Always make a reservation for inside though. The fish of the day was shark and it tasted delicious in the lovely Thai sauce. I could've drowned my entire meal in that. Calamari was a tad greasy but they were fresh and tender. Get the dill tartar sauce! The salad was okay and could've used some salt but otherwise yummy.

    Melissa M.

    That view tho!! Sit outside if possible, it's a great riverfront view. The catch of the day- was Drum. It was delicious. Served blackened over grits. My picture doesn't do it justice. Wednesday is 1/2 price bottle wine! Great service!

    Food and ingredients were both good. Had a few small bites and continued. Service was sub par. 5 collage kids all sitting around on their phones. My bartender never checked to see if we needed anything once the food was delivered. Had to flag down for a 2nd drink. They do have a giant pretzel that looked delicious

    Shrimp poboy

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    Food was very good nice sized helpings and fast service. The late afternoon view topped off the afternoon!!

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    1 month ago

    Great service and food. Haven't been there in years but will definitely return. Went when it was Waterstreet restaurant many years ago.

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    6 months ago

    Good food, good service, a bit pricey but a great location! Would recommend to anyone looking for a good meal and a great view

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    1 year ago

    Excellent lunch here last week with friends. All enjoyed their meals and will definitely return!!!

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    Ask the Community - Michael's on the Waterfront

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    What a fantastic evening at Dram Yard…read more We were a little concerned we might miss our 5:30 reservation after getting delayed by a seven-car accident on the bridge, but we arrived just a couple of minutes late and it wasn't an issue at all. From the moment we arrived, the experience was relaxed, welcoming, and exactly what we needed. We chose to sit in the beautiful courtyard, and with temperatures in the 70s, sunshine overhead, and a gentle breeze, it couldn't have been a more perfect setting. The outdoor gazebo bar creates a wonderful atmosphere for enjoying a cocktail before dinner, and if the weather isn't cooperating, the indoor dining space is equally inviting. A special thank you to Sarah, whose service was outstanding. She was cheerful, attentive, and genuinely seemed happy to be there. The restaurant wasn't crowded, which made for a peaceful and unhurried dining experience. For drinks, I ordered the Ghost Town, while my wife enjoyed the Venus Flytrap. Both were beautifully prepared and easy to see why they're among the restaurant's popular cocktails. The food was equally impressive. I had the Spaghetti Carbonara, and it was exceptional. The kitchen even accommodated my request for extra freshly cracked black pepper, which took an already excellent dish to another level. My wife ordered the Little Gem Salad with shrimp, and it was fresh, flavorful, and perfectly prepared. We also shared the Tuna Tartare Tostada, which was outstanding--beautiful presentation, fresh tuna, and a great balance of textures and flavors. Adding to the experience was a bottle of Albariño that paired wonderfully with the meal. What stands out most about Dram Yard is its atmosphere. It's the kind of place where you can settle in, slow down, enjoy a handcrafted cocktail, and forget about the stresses of the day. Whether you're looking for a date night, an evening with friends, or simply a quiet place to relax, Dram Yard delivers. Excellent service, creative cocktails, outstanding food, and one of the most relaxing outdoor dining spaces in Wilmington. We'll definitely be back.

    This was the 3rd time we've been here. The first two times we did not make it to the table because…read moreof the service. They generally do not care about the customer at all. The star of the show is definitely the food. The chef is super proud of his food, and he should be. The only reason I'm giving this a 4 on food instead of a 5 is because there was no iced tea (in the summer in the carolinas - not really forgivable) the water was nasty and the biscuits on my Benedict were towards the burnt side on the bottom. Honestly, everything otherwise was amazing. What was really great: The restaurant itself is AMAZING! It's like being transported to a Parisian cafe. I love that when you walk in, you immediately see the fully in view kitchen. I'm assuming a chef owns the restaurant and designed the layout. The patio is quaint and delightful and surprisingly private for a downtown sidewalk restaurant. The eggs on my Eggs Benedict could not have been more perfect. I'm not a fried potato person; however, the pan fried potatoes here are mostly whole and they are out of this world. They were exceedingly crispy on the outside and completely soft on the inside. My son ordered the dutch baby. It was delicious. The accompanied fruit was perfect and truly ripe. I feel like they would have to toss a lot of fruit to get the ones that were truly that perfect. What did not work: The water - it was about 85 degrees out and humid. There is nothing here refreshing. Water is served European style meaning no ice and out of the tap. Warm tap water on a hot day in South Carolina is just nasty. It's ironic that while Europeans visiting the US for the World Cup are posting social media reels raving about ice in drinks in the United States, meanwhile The Dram Yard is insisting on pulling all of the worst parts of eating out in Europe into their restaurant. I truly dislike restaurants that serve canned and bottled beverages. It screams, "nickel and dime". If you bought your cans of soda at Costco and charged $4.00 for a can, I'd have to drink 9 cans before you're losing money. There is literally no reason to limit beverages other than driving higher profits. I hate price gouging. At the very least get a fountain and serve iced tea. SERVICE - the service staff simply makes you feel like they're doing you a favor by being open. Don't expect anything after that. When we arrived, the restaurant was at about 25% capacity with 2 food servers, who also double as the hostess. After waiting 10 minutes to be seated (yes...even at 25% capacity), service truly went downhill from there. It wasn't that the staff was rude. They were just not present and extremely slow. It honestly seemed like they were doing everything they could to not be seen. We needed salt, a refill of the water carafe and our check. That was it. The staff would come to our part of the dining room but then not even glance around or come by to see if we needed anything. I'm giving them a 2 because they were exceedingly slow and not present. When we did chase them down, I felt rude asking for help. The chef delivered our food. He was very proud and should be. However, here's the rub. The chef needs to learn that being in the restaurant business is not only about creating great food. It also requires front of house service and an overall dining experience that people are happy with. Right now, I'm walking away feeling: 1. great food and great atmosphere 2. terrible service 3. nickle and dimed me on drinks 4. doesn't have the sense to serve iced tea in the Caronlinas So - as much as I loved the food - there are too many restaurants in Wilmington that are good enough to overcome 2, 3 and 4 above. The Dram could be fixed so easily: 1. hire servers who want to be there and smile a little 2. put ice in your water 3. serve iced tea - at least in the summer months 4. get a soda fountain - it's 2026 Unfortunately, we won't be back because there are simply other options that, at the very least, hit 1, 2 and 3 with good food.

    Photos
    Awesome bar
    Awesome bar
    After (Shrimp and Grits)
    After (Shrimp and Grits)
    Outside

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    Dining room
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    Copper Penny

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    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.

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    Photos
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    Onion rings with spicy ketchup.
    Onion rings with spicy ketchup.
    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

    Michael's on the Waterfront - seafood - Updated July 2026

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