Everything about the Reel is great! The food and drinks are great! Nightlife here is a great choice. There's an outside patio bar. The roof top bar is beautiful. And the second foot is more of a club feel. You get a little bit of everything all in one spot. Chill and relax with your friends. Party, drink and have dinner and not have to venture out. You'll find me on the roof anytime I go! read more

I originally took this trip to Wilmington to see Zion rootz and I def glad I made that choice they were more than I'd hope for I had crab cakes here SO good and so worth it they were big and tasty ! Angry orchard with a shot of crown apple(I think it's called the jackler) is one amazing drink I'm so glad I discovered this I will def be coming back again soon! Rooftop is awesome bartenders and servers attentive even tho I was by myself they didn't ignore me n I extremely appreciate that. read more

Easy late night food, fast and the bartender was friendly. We got the crab dip and it was delicious!

This place is typically hit or miss. The food is average and there's a dumpster outside that can stink it up, but the live music outside is a nice touch. I have often brought people here just for that. That being said, the organization and customer service has clearly gone down. I came here with a group of six assuring them a decent time. We walked through the front and asked for seating outside, to which the waitress responded that we can seat ourselves. As we went outside there was only one table with three chairs--we were able to spend some time finding a couple of chairs people were not using and then another waiter helped us grab a sixth. Fantastic, let's eat! After about fifteen more minutes a different employee came over and told us that a group was reserving this table and despite having told us to sit ourselves, and then making the effort to grab chairs from the area, that they made a mistake and we would need to give up the table. This is completely unacceptable customer service. If a mistake is made by the restaurant, you do not place the blame on customers. As someone who has spent a large sum of money here in the past, I can ensure that unless the issue is made right, I will not spend another cent here, and will not advise any Wilmington visitors to waste their time at a place that will make them stand up and leave after already being seated. Unacceptable. read more

This place never fails to disappoint. Please, do not pay a cover here, ever; there is absolutely nothing special about this place. The first floor is as good as it gets. I have never been particularly impressed with this location and my experience last night motivated me to right some reviews. The cover charge appears to be completely at the discretion of the 'bouncers' who appear to be random people hired off the street. The Real Cafe is one of the few places in downtown Wilmington that appears to be run by someone who does not want new customers and thinks its above customer service. There are plenty of better places to go, do not give them your money. Edit: the GM did respond professionally and throughly to my review, so I may give this place another chance. read more

STENCH, FILTH, & ATTITUDE. Avg. food, painfully slooooow service! As you enter, you are greeted with a wall of nostril burning foul seafood/ammonia stench! I wanted to immediately walk out but my party decided to stay. Very disgusting bathroom w/ no soap or paper towels. Dirty, sticky menus, floors & tables. It took us 1 hour 25 mins to have ice water and Po Boys w/ fries. The shrimp was good and jumbos, just too few (3). There were only a handful of other tables being served during our entire visit yet it took an additional 20 minutes for the bill. 1 hr 45 mins for a sandwich?? I would hate to have seen the actual kitchen. Never again! read more

This is one of those places that epitomizes Wilmington. I love Wilmington, born and raised there and went back to downtown ILM for my own wedding, BUT many business get away with lackluster facilities/food/service due to the location, and Reel is one of them. Reel Cafe has a great view from the rooftop bar and has a constant rotation of decent local bands that hits the patio stage. Reel also has an indoor bar/dining area as well. None of the areas are very clean, IMO, especially the restrooms. I have eaten here a couple of times and the food is standard beach/bar food, and the drinks are fine.... but served in little plastic cups which drives me crazy! This used to be on the regular rotation of bars in Wilmington for me, but I guess the older I get the more I expect from a place.... at least swap out the plastic and keep an eye on the cleanliness. I'm sure I'll be back here next time I am hanging around before or after dinner at one of the close by restaurants, but I am not going to go out of my way. read more

Went the The Reel for a sandwich and an appetizer this evening We were promptly seated Unfortunately it took over 30 minutes for the 2 dishes to arrive If you want drinks and some music ok If you want to eat keep on walking read more

The food was AMAZING!!!!!!! Blackened tuna with broccoli and fruit was a healthy tasty option. Happy baby had the fish and chips and loved it, especially the slaw. The service was top notch and as I looked around they were truly hustling. read more

Reel Cafe - Blackened tuna for me and fish and chips for him. Happy that we came here on a super busy holiday. - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

New in town and this was my second trip here. Food has been great both times. The crab dip appetizer is very good. The grilled chicken chef salad and the reuben sandwich are both delicious! I enjoyed the outdoor bar but I have yet to check out the rooftop bar. That will be my next trip! read more

Reel Cafe - Crab dip appetizer and the reuben sandwich. Yum yum! - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Had a great few drinks here, and the live music was so fun. Had a little too much fun (god forbid) and decided to step on the bar bench for a little live music was getting me happy and before I knew it the nice bar tender turned absolutely mad and screamed "get down!!!!!l" "GET DOWN" To be frank, he's probably just doing his job but managing people for 20 plus years I think a simple "please step down from the bench" would have been sufficient and after tipping well over 20 percent I felt a little crushed by the bearded asshole. We are just a bunch of 45 something's celebrating empty nests, and moms passing and really, who needs to be chastises for enjoying live music. There's plenty of nice ways to courteously require a customer to step down from a bench. I obliged but we decided more cocktails were no longer decided because we weren't given the respect of a paying customer. Just saying. read more

Unfortunately, I was not impressed with this place. We were here on a weekday afternoon for lunch. For as empty as the place was, the service was terribly slow. Hubby had a shrimp burger that he said was "OK" and I had a reuben. A pretty greasy reuben. Normally one of my favorite sandwiches, I would never get it again here as I fear it might ruin me for other reubens. My father-in-law and his wife were with us and they shared an appetizer platter which they said was lackluster as well. Safe to say that we wouldn't choose the Reel Cafe again. read more

During the season, the outdoor seating and open booths inside provide a fun and engaged hot spot to dine or sip the night away. I came during the off-season and during lunch it's still a go-to. Pay attention to the walls as there are posters all over that are signed by cast and crews for several productions that have been filmed in Wilmington. Food-wise: when you can, order the oysters. We had half_dozen that had a gorgeous melted cheese and bacon mix on top. My lunch date had a classic salad with fried calamari. Be aware that the lettuce is warmed and you will get the full head of romaine on your plate. It's an interesting display. I chose the shrimp po' boy and walked put feeling like a dough girl. There's a whole lot of shrimp and greatness in that sandwhich. You won't be disappointed. Quite enjoyed this little gem and would dine again. read more

Went here on a Tuesday night and the outdoor area was full and they had live music playing which was nice. At night time they have a limited menu which was mostly appertizers. We were able to be seated outdoors in a timely manner and the waitress was very nice and our orders came out in a timely manner. My friend ordered chicken nachos and I ordered mozzarella sticks. The nachos were really good. Drink prices were good. Would visit again. read more

Reel Cafe - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Finding myself in the historic section of Wilmington and hungry, I was happy to stumble upon Reel Cafe. This local eatery has it all--good food, casual vibes, and a cozy space that will make your dining experience one to remember. read more

This place was okay. The service was nice, but the food was fairly mediocre in my opinion. I split a humus plate with my date and it was fairly good. It wasn't the best but it was far from the worst. The entree I ordered, the scallop scampi, was actually ridiculously buttery. It had a lot of scallops, but I just felt that everything got lost in the extreme amount of butter. My date also expressed displeasure in his fish and chips. Overall, it wasn't bad, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to go here again. read more

Went on a Tuesday afternoon right after they opened. Got a table outside on the patio. The food and sweet tea was delicious. Service was a little slow and only came a few times. Waited on a sweet tea refill for a while. I will go again but I'm hoping for a different waitress. read more

Reel Cafe - Western Burger w/o cheese and onions. Delicious! - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Had the most amazing shrimp and grits I have ever had in my life. Living in New England it is a treat to go south and experience good southern food and this place had that for sure! I would have given 5 stars but my beer wasn't super cold and that was the only downfall. the service was fantastic and this place doesn't cost you a fortune to eat at! If I am ever in Wilmington again I will be going back! read more

I've been to the Reel Cafe on several occasions with friends (post college and during my first job experience). I specifically remember drinking myself to oblivion on the rooftop bar before. I've closed the place down with friends...and I can recall meeting some very interesting characters there....wow...I'm old b/c that seems a lifetime ago. Here I am several years later relocated on the west coast. I never thought, in my wildest dreams that I would be back at the "REEL CAFE" as an "adult", but this time to experience the food with some business associates. Unfortunately, I can only offer up 3 stars for the service. 1st because we ordered their famous oysters....only to be told AFTER we submitted our order that they had run out of oysters. Although, I could kind of understand their dilemma b/c it was the end of the oyster season (March 12), but I was particularly bummed about the way that it was handled by the waitress. What they did finally offer to us (a decrease in the initial quantity ordered) were oysters that were not steamed enough. Therefore, they were impossible to schuck with the utensils provided. In fact, I spent over 25 minutes trying to open some grudgingly difficult to open shells. UUUGH. The beer is good (GUINNESS) and the company I shared the meal with was great. Yet, I think we easily ended up spendiing over $300.00 for a party of 8 or 9 for very little food. Eh...I wasn't so impressed as an "adult" with this place. read more

I would skip this place at all costs. I travel a ton and use Yelp to guide me a bunch. This was one of the times we did not use Yelp to find a place and just went on a recommendation. The service was terrible, the food was not edible and two of us ended up throwing up for the evening because the clams were bad. On top of that we expressed the issues to the manager who did not seem to care at all. When I say the service wast terrible she told us the soup was good and we ordered it. It was like water, not a bisque. Then she carried the food to us against her body to where it splashed on her and back into the bowl. Twice we got dirty glasses and dirty silverware. The seafood was inedible and she never came to check. The potato was cold with some melty cheese wizy stuff on it. It was not great and the burger, how you mess up a burger I don't know, was bland as could be and dry. The manager tired to tell us food was a priortiy but we know better after eating there. I would say just drink but just order something that would not be in a glass as they dont seem to clean them very well. So we paid for bad service and bad food that made us sick. Awful experience that I hope no one else has to endure. read more

After a lackluster start, seemingly due to being a bit short staffed everything went pretty well. The service got better and the fish and chips were excellent. I especially liked the siracha tartar sauce, however, I think regular tartar should be an option. Biggest complaint was the live music outside. We choose inside to get away from it because it was loud, and awful. Yet, so many people kept going in and out to the patio it was inescapable. In addition, please don't ever remind the customer more than once about the drink menu. For one, I'm a recovering alcoholic, and second, if I wanted one I would have ordered one. I know they think this will drive up the tip, but I tip more than fairly when the service is good. read more

Bartenders are great here. Food is so/so. There are so many different bars, inside, outside and on the roof. A great place for drinks....even if they are a little overpriced. read more

Went on Sunday evening and they had football specials. Steamed shrimp and steamed oysters were half off and only $5 for a dozen. Very relaxing and satisfying meal after a long day at the beach. read more

While visiting Wilmington for a mini vacation my friends and I were wandering around looking for a place to eat. We walked by The Reel Cafe and I had eaten there once before. We walked in and got seated right away even though it was a Friday night. The waitress took our orders quickly and the food came within a good amount of time. I ordered the crab cake sandwich (grilled) and it was delicious. It was cooked just right and the sauce that came with it complemented it well. Two of my friends had pasta dishes and really enjoyed them as well. The inside of the place is fairly small but they offer a nice patio around the corner. Often there is live music on the patio and always a full bar. We didn't make it to the other floors of this place but there is apparently much to do, dancing and other entertainment. Friday nights ladies get in for free which is always a plus. read more

Delicious food. We had the Shrimp and Grits, Crab Pesto pasta and Steamed Clams. We enjoyed the food and I especially that they let you choose whether you want a large or a small portion of the dish. The food arrived quickly after we ordered the food and we gobbled everything up quickly as well. Our server was was very friendly. read more

Just not impressed by the restaurant at all and it was not worth what we paid for. When we first got seated nobody served us for over 20 mins and I had to go get someone because they forgot about our table. From being from out of town I guess I should have done some more research before coming. It was so bad we had to go to taco bell read more

Went with my boyfriend on a Saturday night. We ordered a half pound of lobster as an appetizer, it was just ok. Not very meaty. Our entrees came out not only 5 minutes later. With lobster as an appetizer, we needed more time to work on it. I had a seafood pesto pasta that was very tasteless. My boyfriend had the Alfredo special that was equally dissatisfying. Service was good, price was good. Food was not good. I would try another item on the menu. read more

I keep getting kicked out of this place for no reason. The bouncers are rude and unprofessional, and get highly offended when you politely ask them why you're getting kicked out. If you do choose to go here for some drinks, I would recommend not opening a tab, because you never know when they're going to randomly forcibly remove you, and then you'll have to cancel your credit card. read more

We never actually planned to eat here. We planned on eating next door at Dock Street Bar because I had heard great things about their raw bar food (which is what we were looking for). However they didn't open until 4 and we weren't trying to wait an hour for it to open up. So we ate here, and found out we definitely should have waited the hour to go into Dock Street. It's a basic wannabe seafood/American bar. The only options as far as seafood went were clams and oysters. We got the fried oysters for an appetizer to share and the clams too. The clams were probably the best part of the meal, only because the crab cakes were terrible. Zero flavor, and mushy. And the fried oysters were hardly "fried". I was not happy with this place to begin with though, I wanted a good raw bar from the beginning and this was not it. And the prices were outrageous for some crappy food. This was my highest bill for lunch throughout our whole vacation. Rediculous. read more

Meh. Service was good. Didn't have a wait for lunch. Blue crab dip was awesome. I got the grilled cheese, which had a bunch of different things going on. Was it goat cheese? Or maybe it was the pesto? Either way there was a flavor in there that I didn't like. I only took a couple bites and bagged it up. Hubby got the philly cheese steak and said it was great. Again, I thought it was mediocre. Go if you're hungry and you have no other options. Don't go out of your way. read more

We visited on a Friday at lunch and we had the crab dip and fried shrimp and it was delicious! The waitress brought our dog water as soon as we got here! The crab dip was to die for and the fried shrimp was paired with a savory sriracha dip. We loved this place! read more

Since the new "chef" took over, the food has been horrible. Tried it 3 different times since I know a lot of people there. First, they ran out of hamburgers at 1pm on a Sunday. Next, i had to send my food back (actually on the advice of the server who said it didn't look right). Last time, my friend got nachos and all it was was a pile of grease with some unseasoned meat on top. Unless they switch back to whoever made the food before, no way am I going back and i'm spreading the word. read more

This is a bustling three story bar and restaurant in historic downtown Wilmington, featuring outdoor dining at the street level, a nightclub on the second floor, and a rocking rooftop bar with an addictive ring toss game in the corner. Not sure that i would classify this joint as expensive. Typically, I'd give a place like this three stars; I've only eaten here once (it was not bad), and I've never been in the nightclub, but the outdoor rooftop bar overlooking the Cape Fear river may be the best place to enjoy a hefeweizen in the city. Ergo, four stars. read more

I went to Reel Cafe regularly while I lived in Wilmington for college and recently went there for the first time in years this past weekend. I was in Kure Beach for a bachelorette and we headed to downtown Wilmington for a big night on the town. We wanted to start with dinner and I thought Reel Cafe would be great because we didn't want to go somewhere too fancy or pricey. Unfortunately they don't take reservations and it was Memorial Day weekend so there was a 45 minute wait. We headed up to the rooftop bar and it was pretty easy for us to kill the time with some drinks. The rooftop bar is awesome, great views, and we enjoyed the music. It was nice to hangout before we went back inside for dinner. The wait staff was very helpful and accommodating with our large party, there was only one error with someone's order and the drink refills came quickly. I ordered the black bean burger which was absolutely amazing though a bit on the spicy side. Not too much though. Some of the girls ordered the grilled cheese which I tried and was phenomenal, whoever dreamt of putting goat cheese onto that sandwich was a genius. We all left with full bellies and happy hearts for a fun night out. I was glad to see that the food and service at Reel Cafe have maintained since I moved! read more

We originally set out to have seafood and the restaurant was closed so this restaurant was next door and we decided to try it. Contrary to what other people have written, the service was excellent and the food was good. We arrived on a Monday night and the appetizers were all half off. We could have just ordered the chicken quesadilla appetizer and have had enough to eat between two people. The quesadilla was very tasty as was the grilled romaine salad. We would definitely order these again. read more

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I've made two trips to The Reel so far, and both have been pretty average. The first time I sat inside and ordered some food. I can't even tell you what it was since it was two years ago, but that generally tells me it was nothing but ordinary. Later on the first visit I went outside on the patio near the street. The service was average, and it was very crowded with a bunch of kids acting pretty obnoxious. The second time I went was towards the end of a night in Wilmington. Someone had said that there was a good rooftop and if you wanted to dance, the music was good. I went to the rooftop and I have to say the setup is pretty appealing. That being said there wasn't many people and the DJ was horrible. i don't care who you are, and what decade your supposed to be spinning, but Right Said Fred's I'm Too Sexy should never be played. I left and went down one floor only to find it totally empty. The music was much better, but I'm not into being the only person at a club. I would say this place deserves a third try, and it might inch it's way up to a 3rd star. But for now, it's an average place at best. read more

My husband and I went to the Reel Cafe rooftop bar, while visiting Wilmington. We saw a local band "Just Yesterday" (a 90's rock cover band who were super awesome btw) and had a great time overall. The drinks were reasonably priced, the atmosphere was fun! The only recommendation we have is that they hire more mature bouncers who don't take their job "so seriously". It would have been a much more positive experience if the bouncers had been a little more professional and less arrogant, instead of looking to start trouble. We left early around 10:30pm, even after paying a $5 cover charge, due to the unnecessary drama created by the bouncers, after the band played. read more

Being from Wilmington and never have attempted to go downtown is crazy, I know. The reason I was here Saturday was because my high school reunion was hosted there. I didn't care for the bartender we had on the rooftop during the reunion meet and greet, BUT the food was amazing as the music was pretty good as well. We stayed a little after 10, when they opened up the rooftop to the non-NHHS reuniuon patrons and the music was good, so I can definitely see myself going back. What have I been missing out on?! read more

I'm not a huge fan of Reel. It's always mediocre. I think the location and atmosphere keep them going. If you're looking for food, you may want to try a different place. Especially for brunch. I ordered a caprese salad and my husband ordered the shrimp po boy this time. We eat here about once a year to see if anything has changed. It hasn't. The tomatoes were flavorless and had a weird texture and it was served on a bed of spinach. The po boy was okay. Their niche is nightlife. They have a great patio bar and roof top bar. I get it. They want to make a few xtra Bucks during the day. If they put a little extra effort into the food they would have it all. read more

We just went last night for the first time to experience the Cape Fear Comedy Festival 2016 (http://capefearcomedy.com). They have a great outdoor bar and seating. We arrived early and sat outside and had a drink before the comedy show. The bartender was very friendly and nice. It really is a great atmosphere and we loved the environment downtown with the old brick buildings. We went upstairs to the second floor and had an absolute great time at the comedy show. I highly suggest others to check out the festival. They had so many great comedians with short stand-ups that were just great. They had a lot of diversity and styles. We really enjoyed so much talent packed into the one show we went to last night. Afterwards, we sat inside and they had a great band playing outside. It was packed full outside. We had oysters Rockefeller that were delicious. They had two other, fried and baked options for oysters that we will have to return and try next time. It was hard to chose between the three but, the Rockefellers did not disappoint. The service was great and our server was very attentive and polite. My husband had the meatball sandwich and I had the grilled cheese. Both were so filling and delicious. We enjoyed our date night out. It just really captured Wilmington in a great way including more so the historical downtown side. I would highly recommend this place for a relaxed night out or for dinner. We will definitely be back! read more