WhenWhen Smoke on the Water says it's dog-friendly, they really mean it! I brought my beloved dog, Saint, with me to enjoy the outdoor patio. He was a little nervous after the road trip and had a small accident. Sierra, our amazing server, didn't make us feel bad about it at all. She immediately took care of everything, making sure we weren't embarrassed--and neither was Saint. Between the wonderful food, the beautiful view, and the outstanding service, I highly recommend this place. A special shout-out to Sierra for going above and beyond. She was absolutely amazing! read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The view of the water & sunset is a spectacular feature that keeps bringing us back to this spot.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The drinks are always good. Had the brussel sprouts and spinach and artichoke dip and those were both pretty yummy as well. Overall, the service was great and we will always come back for the view. read more

Smoke On the Water - Brussels - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

[[HIGHLIGHT]]EVERY Thing went well from my Server to the atmosphere to the delicious crab cakes to the cook !!!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] An absolutely amazing place to dine ! marie read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Smoke on the water offers a lovely experience for dining with a gorgeous view of the river.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I have to specifically mention Sara by name. She was the most amazing server ever. It would probably embarrass her for me to share how above and beyond she went, but she gave the kind of service that this industry has unfortunately lost. She will be the reason we come back. As for the food, I highly recommend the shrimp nachos super yummy. read more

I had dinner at Smoke on the Water in Wilmington and overall it was a nice evening. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The setting is beautiful with a quiet, relaxed atmosphere and a view that really does make the experience feel special.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Watching the sunset over the water with a cocktail in hand was definitely the highlight.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the crab cake as my main. It was good, but it wasn't quite the lump crab I was expecting based on the menu, which made it feel a little overpriced for what it was. The brussel sprouts, on the other hand, were fantastic -- crisp, flavorful, and easily the standout of the meal. The Sunset Martini was smooth and refreshing, and paired perfectly with the view. [[HIGHLIGHT]]While the food didn't completely wow me, the ambience and setting make Smoke on the Water worth visiting, especially if you're looking for a quiet evening with a beautiful view.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Smoke On the Water - Sunset martini - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Personally, I wouldn't recommend this restaurant. The one bright spot was our waitress, Bri, she was incredibly sweet and attentive, and I would absolutely recommend her. My friend and I both work in the restaurant industry, so we understand that mistakes happen. We ordered an appetizer and two entrées, but the appetizer didn't come out until after we had already received our meals, so we didn't end up eating it. I also wouldn't recommend the fried pickles. I ordered the burger, and unfortunately it just didn't taste good. I let our waitress know, not because I wanted a discount or to complain, but simply to give honest feedback. Bri handled it professionally and was very kind. The manager, Matthew, was the disappointing part of the experience. He came over afterward, seemingly pretending to check on us, even though our waitress had already told him about my concern. It felt like he was testing whether I would actually say anything to him directly. When I explained my issue, he responded by saying, "It doesn't look like you're trying to take advantage, so we'll give you a discount, but the burger is a fan favorite." That comment rubbed me the wrong way. I never asked for a discount. In fact, I specifically said I didn't want one. I simply wanted to let them know about my experience. There are plenty of other great restaurants I'd recommend before this one. P.S. If you do decide to eat here, my friend ordered the shrimp nachos, and they were actually really good. read more

We went here for the 1st time & it was delicious! We had the mahi sandwich with a side salad & some drinks. The mahi was very fresh & seasoned perfectly. Good tomatoes too. Homemade ranch dressing & excellent brioche bun. Service was good -we sat at the bar. Excellent bartender! Made drinks just like we wanted. They also allow you to bring in your wine if you want for corkage. All in all a very enjoyable experience. read more

Overall, I was very disappointed with my experience here. When we arrived, we were told there would be about a 45-minute wait. We specifically requested an outdoor table and made it clear that we were willing to wait longer if necessary. Around the 50-minute mark, we received a text saying our table would be ready soon, only to find out we still had another 20 minutes to wait. To make matters worse, despite asking for an outdoor table twice, we were initially taken to an indoor table tucked away in an awkward corner. After reminding the staff again, we were moved to a random table around the corner that was still not in the outdoor area we had requested. By the time we were finally seated, roughly 80-90 minutes after arriving, it took another 10 minutes before our server even acknowledged us. No menus were brought to the table, and there was no communication regarding the delay. At that point, we had enough. After waiting nearly an hour and a half and receiving poor service once seated, we decided to leave and get pizza elsewhere. Unfortunately, this was a very frustrating experience from start to finish, and not one I would recommend. read more

It took over 15 mins for our drinks to come, over 30 mins for appetizers and our food came 5 mins after the apps. No offer for compensation, no visit from a manager, no apology. $181 for 2 adults and 2 kids read more

Our server was pleasant but seemed overloaded during the second half of the meal. I caught the eye of another server and waved for attention. She looked right at me and ignored me. The next server was friendly and got our waitress. We didn't like the fried pickles. Although the amount was generous, they were dry, and the dip made them even more salty. There was a choice of fried saltines or tortilla chips with the spinach dip, and our server brought fried saltines without asking. It wasn't great, but I might have liked it better with the chips. read more

Smoke On the Water - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Horrendous service. 60 min for drinks. Almost 2 hours for food (on a Monday). Food itself was decent. But be prepared to wait for hours.

I am going to come across as a serial-negative reviewer, but check my accounts there are no others. We went to SOTW tonight and were told there would be a 45-50 minute wait time. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We proceeded to sit on the front porch to wait with our 4 year old and 8 mo old. No ceiling fans, but arguably about the same temperature as inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We ordered an app to wait. We proceeded to wait an 1 hour 10 minutes until my wife checked on the remaining wait time. She was told it would be significantly longer so we placed a to-go order. After about 20 more minutes, my family went to the car for A/C. I went in and waited at the bar for the food. An employee was walking around the bar with a bag asking patrons whose to-go order it was. I told him my name and asked him if it was ours and he said he would need to ask someone. I see him ask and they put it behind the bar so I assumed it was not. I waited another 10 minutes and finally asked someone again to confirm it was not. They asked what we ordered to confirm it was the right one and I listed everything. He said it was, and I signed the tab and left. We drive home and one of the entrees was missing. I call the restaurant and asked to speak to a manager. I forget her name, but it was 8/16/25 (if the restaurant cares to investigate further). She asked which employee I interacted with and I told her that I felt bad for the employees and it was clearly a management problem. The host stand was being manned by trainee who was getting berated when we arrived. Very young staff. Very inexperienced. And this is on the busiest night of the week. All other patrons we talked to were also extremely frustrated and SOTW did not plan for the evening correctly. They offered to make us a fresh order and we could drive back the 30 mins round trip to come back. That is not the solution for an experience this bad. We won't be going back for any reason. When you take a small 3 hour window to spend time with your family after working hard all week, this isn't how you want to spend it. Take them to somewhere better in town with more experience, more tables, better management and better service. P.S. my fish was way overcooked but it was probably from sitting behind the counter so long and the drive home. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The view is nice[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] and the service was good but [[HIGHLIGHT]]there was so much off with this place.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Sunny Saturday afternoon there was no music on, no TVs on (guys were watching games on their phones)[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]], the blackened shrimp nachos were horrible (shrimp was cold, not blackened and guacamole was brownish). [[HIGHLIGHT]]Maybe just an off day, like I said the view is nice and the service was good.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Food was good but the highlight here is the setting. This is a very cool space that opens up to outdoor patio seating that overlooks the water. Has an excellent cocktail menu and I thoroughly enjoyed the ones I had here. Highly recommend for a place to have a drink, eat some oysters and enjoy the surroundings. Live music at night as well. read more

The service was wonderful, the beer was great and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the view was spectacular![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Come by and check it out. read more

Smoke On the Water - Saw this place and stopped in for a couple of drinks. The view was spectacular! The service was wonderful and the beer was great! - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Smoke on the Water is a really great spot overall. The food was delicious, and the Brussel sprouts were absolutely amazing -- definitely a standout dish. I genuinely enjoyed everything I ordered. My only disappointments were that they had run out of the baked potato soup, which I was really looking forward to, and that the service felt a bit lackluster. Not terrible, just slower and less attentive than I expected given how good the food was. Still, I really liked the place. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Great flavors, a nice atmosphere, and enough positives that I'd definitely come back[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] -- hopefully next time with the soup available and the service a little sharper! read more

Great location, but the food is terrible. They need a real chef and locally sourced food. Change the menu. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]The scenery is amazing[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . Bartender was awful (nice but not a good bartender) , drinks were not good , waited forever for two salads which also were not good at all. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It wasn't all that busy on a Sunday[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] . [[HIGHLIGHT]]We've heard go for the atmosphere and nothing else and that sums it up.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This place is at a great spot and has excellent food! Be sure to book a reservation before sunrise because it offers an incredible view! read more

Smoke On the Water - View of sunrise from the dock. - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Went for their $5 draft beer special on Thursday night to watch some of the March madness games and were told that they didn't even have a TV streaming service so we went next door to another restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] What kind of bar doesn't have TV!? read more

We ordered the seafood platter, Brussel sprouts and crab dip. Absolutely delicious. Drinks and food came quickly and waitress did her job A+++ read more

It needs a lot of help. [[HIGHLIGHT]]It is a great location.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]This restaurant should be packed![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service is ok and the food is average. But the location is great. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Awesome sunsets and there is always live music.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

UPDATED REVIEW 7-16-24 I will give the business 4 stars. The view is nice (bushes we're blocking a lot). Waited a long time to be seated even though there were many tables open. I would give the food an average rating, nothing spectacular but not bad at all either (based on that i ordered and ate). Would I come back? Maybe and try something else on menu. I had the smoked wings which were very tasty and a small salad. My husband had a salad with chicken added. Maybe next time I will try the ribs. I thought the prices were a little steep for what we ordered. So paying almost 100 for wings, 2 salads and 2 beers each was high. I've come to realize now that prices in restaurants in Wilmington are high. read more

Beautiful restaurant in the River Lights community perfectly situated alongside the Cape Fear River with wonderful views of the best sunsets in town. Lovely place to eat indoors or outdoors to watch the sunset. Good specials, rotating menu, rotating drinks, and live music are often happening here. The fried pickles I tried here are among the best I've ever had in my life. Prices are pricey, sometimes I'm not sure that the bill matches to the quality of the food or products, but I do think you pay for the beautiful view. I will be here a lot as the weather warms up. Happy to have this place to go to in Wilmington! read more

Ambiance and the doors opening are pretty awesome to make it feel like an outdoor venue. Service is okay, Food is okay. Drinks are good. That's about it. read more

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Service is atrocious. Nobody is trained, nobody smiles, employees actively ignore customers. They all act like the customers are bothering them. If it wasn't for the prime location this restaurant would never survive. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice atmosphere!![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The giant pretzel and fried pickles are excellent. I had the fish tacos not as good as I expected, we also ordered wings and fries and they were good! read more

We celebrated my family birthday meal here. They changed the menu and it was much smaller. Also, the drink menu was different but they still made me my favorite cocktail. They didn't garnish it all, though which made a semi boring drink. Service was VERY slow. I think they were understaffed. Tuesdays are half priced oysters which I was unaware of when I ordered my meal or I would have changed my order. No specials were told to us. We ordered the fried pickles as an app and they were delicious. My son ordered the crab dip as a meal -'d he enjoyed it. My mom had the shrimp scampi and the shrimp were delicious. Dad ordered the mahi sandwich (grilled) and it wasn't cooked in the middle. I had the mahi tacos and they were really good. Daughter had kids cheeseburger and asparagus and she liked it. French fries were decent. Caesar salads were average. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Basically, come here for the view!! It is breathtaking![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

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I recently had dinner at the newly reopened SOW restaurant-I experienced honesty in my questions whether it was what I wanted to hear and most importantly there is a positive focus in sourcing local fish and fresh vegetables for their dishes, which not only enhances the flavor but also helps support the community. I witnessed the co-owner come over because there was a question about the type of shrimp available. In a positive and reassuring way she taught those around the table, the importance of fresh shrimp and the ability to peel versus frozen or farmed shrimp. It truly shows their dedication, knowledge and desire to use locally resourced goods I also appreciated the attention to detail in the service and ambiance of the restaurant. The staff was attentive and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. It's clear that the new ownership has put in a lot of effort to create a welcoming and enjoyable dining experience. Overall, I was extremely impressed with the changes that have been made at the restaurant under the new ownership. I highly recommend checking it out for yourself and experiencing the local fresh food and service for yourself. It's clear that the new owners are dedicated to providing their customers with a top-notch dining experience, and I can't wait to go back again soon. Oh yeah, did I mention the view? read more

Smoke On the Water - Breathtaking, vibrant, serene, magical Cape Fear Sunset ..... - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I originally went here to just see the sunset. This place goes all the way down to the water and has an amazing view of the sunsets! It was a bit chilly but so worth the scenery. This place has a decent outside patio with heating lamps and a fire place. The inside was sophisticated and had an inviting atmosphere. The guy bartender was phenomenal as a cocktail maker and overall very personable. The drinks were great! We only ordered a pretzel which was very soft and warm. read more

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Really disappointed. This used to be my favorite restaurant in Wilmington. Now it's just ehh. Been going downhill ever since the original owner's death but held hopes that it'd be better when I arrived to see the "Bone and Bean" smoker in front....big disappointment. Not high on my list of "go to" restaurants now. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Even though the sunsets are spectacular.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Several weeks ago they lost there liquor license ... the main bar had no ac on and now 8-12 they are closed for "technical difficulties" i think your having difficulties i think they are out of business real soon. new owners have had it like 10 weeks and already they done soon hope you all pull it out..start with the menu were all the good food go? read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]This place is famous for their sunset views and sprawling indoor/outdoor venue.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I have enjoyed my drinks and most appetizers. Service is always with a smile. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Can meet people here easily, a bonus for this new resident![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

This was my first time here and I had a great experience, our server was very friendly and helpful for sure ! He recommended some great wines for us ! I got the fish sandwich and it was fantastic.. we all were happy with our meals but I can't remember what everyone else got ! The restaurants really nice. They have a big bar outside that you can sit down and have drinks. It wasn't open while I was there but there's a huge seating area with comfortable couches so you can sit and watch the sunset with some cocktails overall I was very pleased with everything and I can't wait to make this a regular local spot when in the area read more

Smoke On the Water - The view from our table - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I love the food here and very friendly staff .. i portions are perfect [[HIGHLIGHT]]view is perfect[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]]. Staff is perfect [[HIGHLIGHT]]clean atmosphere[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] love this place. read more

Food, service, ambiance -- everything was good! Absolutely beautiful restaurant right on the water! Nice, big patio. It was a little too cold outside for us to eat, but the view is great from inside too. We ordered the trio of meats, side salad and soup of the day, which was a broccoli cheddar. All was good! The homemade blue cheese dressing was the star of my not-so-small side salad. Being from Texas, we have high expectations of BBQ, but we know it's served differently here, which we liked. We just asked for extra sauce! Honey mustard with pulled pork is really good! read more

Smoke On the Water - Trio meat plate - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The location and atmosphere were lovely.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The service was good. My friend and I went to celebrate a milestone in her life. We each had a cocktail and an entree. We were both in the mood for comfort food. She seemed to enjoy her meal, thankfully. I ordered the meatloaf plate (my shellfish allergy limited my safe options). Unfortunately, the meatloaf was not very good. Instead of classic comfort food, it was disappointing. The ratio of meat to filler was off (too much filler), and whatever the filler was turned out slimy and flavorless. Slimy food is nauseating to me. The seasonal veg were fine, the mashed potato was fine. I barely ate my meal. I do not recommend the meatloaf plate. read more

This place is great! Tonight, Kathrine was our waitress and she was friendly, kept our drinks full, and attentive. The food was phenomenal. I had shrimp tacos with brussels. I love the green goddess dipping sauce and crispy pancetta. The smoked wings are the best in Wilmington. The brisket and chocolate cake are great as well. The restaurant wasn't super busy so we got a table right away (this is around 9:15pm). It is such a cute waterfront restaurant but you can't see as much in the dark. read more

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Tried it for the first time, and it was a very pleasant atmosphere and congenial wait and bar staff.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The staff seemed to be well trained and professional, which is a little uncommon nowadays, so salute on that item. The food was okay, just skimpy portions. It seems that if you go, you need to order an app or leave hungry. read more

Ate here for dinner while on Spring Break trip with my daughter. Loved the location, atmosphere and food! Live music, great food and a view: You can't ask for much more than that. read more