We made another visit here, this time for dinner, and with different friends who have not visited South Front Tavern before. It was great weather this night, so we opted for an outside table that was in total shade. Very comfortable. Our server came by for drink orders. We had no appetizers this visit and went right into entrees. We tried the Port City Burger, the Gnocchi with chicken, cilantro lime shrimp quesadillas and the salmon tacos. Everything was delicious. The only complaint I would have is that the Salmon Tacos was a bit small. The dish is two small tacos with a side of tortilla chips. There is no salsa, no pico de gallo, no slaw. I was actually sorry that I didn't get an appetizer. I was still a little hungry after I finished. We didn't want any of the dessert offered this time. Again, everything was great. Service, food, atmosphere, outside patio. Just my dish was a little less in size. I will keep that in mind next time we visit. I'm not sure something like this would be changed on the menu, but I still wanted to voice my opinion. Still a great place with a great menu and service. If the weather is good, opt for the patio. It is really nice sitting out there. read more

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2 stars only because food was so good. Service was probably some of the worst I've ever had. A table arrived after we got our appetizers and got their food, a box, paid, and left before we even ordered our entrees. Each drink took minimum of 15 minutes and were incorrect. The server had to come back and double check multiple orders. We were not checked on once unless we flagged her down. The list goes on. Will not return unless we order take out. read more

Came in for dinner at South Front Tavern with two colleagues who between them have nearly fifty years of North Carolina under their belts. I'm the St. Louis visitor in the group, here to be educated on what Southern cooking is supposed to taste like. The verdict by the end of the night was mixed. The space itself is cute and clean, with an industrial-chic, open feel inside, but it gets very loud once it fills up, like hard to hear your side neighbor loud. We lucked into a set of club chairs in a corner away from the main dining area, which knocked the noise down enough that we could hear each other. Without that, I'm honestly not sure we would have stayed. The host didn't blink at seating us over there, and the wait staff throughout the night was friendly. Drinks were fine across the table. My grilled peach old fashioned was the only one I tried, and I was hoping for a sharper, smokier profile, what I got leaned peachy without much else going on. The clams my friend ordered had a little grit in them, so not perfectly cleaned, but the flavor was there. The six-hour baby back ribs was a great start, great sauce, not smothered, fall-off-the-bone tender, the kind of thing I'd come back for. I didn't get a photo because we tore into them too fast, which tells you most of what you need to know. After that, things got uneven. The pork empanadas are listed with an ancho chili jam, but no jam or sauce came with ours. The pastry was crisp and tasty, but the pork inside was under-seasoned, and we left a whole empanada on the plate. The crab cakes was the bigger letdown, my friend, who grew up in Maryland and knows what a crab cake should be, said hers tasted more like a flat, minced patty (possibly with fish filler) than actual crab. She didn't finish it. My gumbo ya-ya had chicken, shrimp, and andouille, but the sauce was thin and tomato-forward where I was hoping for, and a richer sauce. Spice was fine; the whole thing just landed middle-of-the-road. Desserts split the difference. The key lime crème brûlée was genuinely excellent, I'd order it again on its own. The North Carolina blueberry bread pudding was beautifully plated but a little dry in execution for use. We left half of it. One thing worth flagging: the restaurant closes at 8:30, and at 8:30 sharp, with us still finishing dessert, the music came on with the unmistakable "we're closed" energy, even though we'd arrived at 7 and no one else was wandering in late. It made the end of the meal feel rushed in a way that didn't match the otherwise warm service. 3.4 starts out of 5. To be fair: we didn't leave feeling the food was bad, just that we'd ordered into the weaker half of the menu. Our server highly recommended the skillet mac and cheese and the quesadillas, and the skillet cornbread looked great online - we just didn't pull the triggers. We have generous optimism a version of this meal that goes much better than ours did, and on a second visit I'd lean into those recommendations. For now, though, with friends in town and a list of places I haven't tried yet, I probably won't be steering people here for your one night in Wilmington. I'd come back to give it a fairer second shot if I lived here. read more

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I'm not sure how we've missed this place in the time we've lived here, but I'm glad we found it. It has a great outdoor patio area and it doesn't face the sunset so you don't roast while eating. They take reservations, which is helpful in Wilmington. The service was fantastic - attentive without being a pest. The food was good. Burgers seemed to be the most popular so they must be good. They also have a good drink menu, with a nice selection of unique cocktails. Parking is a PIA in this area, so patience is a must. read more

We were pleasantly surprised by this place - meaning the food was better than expected! The wings with a jalapeño cilantro glaze were so good as was the short rib chili and cilantro lime shrimp quesadillas. The margaritas were pretty good too. read more

Came here for lunch and shared a couple of plates: Potato Leek Soup - Super flavorful yet still light Empanadas - Filling could use a bit more seasoning but overall was pretty tasty with the sauce Crab Cakes - Slightly underwhelming and didnt have much flavor read more

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Food is good, and we love the ambiance of this small eatery. I had the Port City burger and it was delicious. Hubby had the ceaser salad. I would definitely return. Service was also excellent. read more

Food, service and ambiance were all great! Loved the blueberry mimosa's for $5! And the cornbread was very good!

Food .. excellent Service .. excellent Bar... excellent Ambiance... excellent Owner on site and always attentive to your needs... read more

Some friends introduced us to this restaurant. What a wonderful hidden gem in Wilmington. We actually all had the Quesadilla's, some had the shrimp others had the chicken. Very good. Service was excellent. Ambiance great. read more

South Front Tavern - Lots of seating indoors. Plus a lovely patio. - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

What a phenomenal restaurant from the people to the food and the atmosphere. I highly recommend EVERYTHING about this place!! read more

South Front Tavern - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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We had the most lovely Easter brunch at this fabulous restaurant. Our server, Jordan, was fabulous and made our visit extra special! It is a charming place with hints of modern architectural appointments and it was uplifting and bright! Our food was delicious and so very filling! Try the Coconut Margarita for sure! We will be back! Adorable neighborhood! read more

South Front Tavern - Yogurt Parfait with fruit and homemade granola ~ - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Great restaurant with delicious food. Waitstaff was attentive and knowledgeable! Went for Mother's Day brunch- the shrimp salad was delicious! read more

Four of us had brunch today (6 July 2025). We had been here previously when it was a different restaurant. The bar is still there, which I really like. Open room with lots of high tops. There is outside seating too. The owner greeted us warmly and called me by name, as I made the brunch reservations. Our waitress, Jordan, was very nice and attentive. I had a delicious mimosa with pomegranate juice. There were about four other juice options. The menu had some very interesting choices. I selected the skillet, which had pulled pork, potatoes, green peppers, onions, Andouille and topped with arugula and a fried egg. It was a very nice portion; however, it was very salty, especially the potatoes. My husband had the steak and eggs, grilled Skirt Steak, fingerling potatoes, fried egg, and chimichurri sauce. Our friends had the farmer's market salad with strawberries; and the steak quesadilla. Everyone liked their food but they also mentioned being very salty. I would like to come back and try their Maryland crab cake sandwich (if there's no filler). We will have to remember to ask the chef to cut back on the salt; otherwise, this was a nice brunch. read more

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This place has a great outdoor seating area. We loved the vibes. Came on a Sunday to celebrate a friend's birthday. Our server was great and had spot on recommendations. Everyone's food was good as well as their drinks. The crème brûlée and bread pudding are a must if you're splurging! read more

South Front Tavern - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I had the pleasure of visiting South Front Tavern during a trip to Wilmington for my graduation, and it was an exceptional experience. The food was absolutely incredible, and both the ambiance and service were top-notch. Everything exceeded my expectations from start to finish. I only wish I didn't live two hours away--otherwise, I'd be there every week! read more

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Food and drink great. Our server Jen is amazing. Remembers everyone's favorite orders and is always cheerful.

Jen is and has been our fabulous server numerous times. What a gift she is! The owner and his staff are amazing and the food and cocktails are always a win! read more

We arrived at about 5:15 PM and the street parking in front of the restaurant was already filled up so ended up parking around the corner and walked over. Both indoor and outdoor seating. Nice looking with the furniture and lighting. We sat at the half booth area, which was very comfortable with the fabric seating and plush back pillows. We ordered a marinated chicken quesadilla as our appetizer, which came with tortilla chips, pico de gallo, shredded lettuce, and cumin crema. The chicken was very tender and the tortilla was crispy. Tasted great with the crema. For our main dishes, we got the Plancha burger and the gumbo ya-ya. Both were overall good and flavorful. However, asked for the burger to be cooked medium, but it was overcooked. Fries were served hot, on the softer side, but seasoned well. Gumbo had plenty of sausage, chicken, and shrimp, had a tinge of spiciness, and came with white rice. Gumbo was a little too salty for my taste though. Skipped dessert but they did sound good. Will have to try the dessert next time. Staff were friendly. read more

We enjoyed brunch at this restaurant and the food was delicious. We had the chicken wings for appetizer and they were cooked to perfection. The Thai chili flavoring was amazing. My husband had a deliciously fresh salad with shrimp and I enjoyed the steak and egg combination. The servers we received was amazing with such elegance and poise. The ambience was quiet and very relaxing. The wait time was great, we will definitely be returning to this location. We were able to experience the chili at The Feast Wilmington, but unfortunately, it was not available during the brunch hours, but we will return to get it later. Highly recommended. read more

Food was excellent! Service was outstanding, Natalie, was very attentive. Weather was perfect! Seating and ambiance was perfect! Can't wait to go back!!! read more

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Excellent service, food, drinks and atmosphere / we will be back again soon!! Nice remodel of the previous wine bar. read more

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Excellent food. Attentive service. Attractive setting. We've recommended this place to several friends. We will return.

This was the best restaurant experience I've had in a long time. From the second we walked in, we felt genuinely welcome and appreciated. The gentleman at the host stand treated us like family and was s o kind! Our waitress was equally as amazing and the food was absolutely incredible. The biscuit basket appetizer was delicious and the seasonal jams were perfect. My burger was cooked PERFECTLY which I feel like never happens. The restaurant was calm and clean and we had a great time on the patio with the covered terrace and the fans. 10/10 recommend! As you can see, I actually created a yelp account simply to write this review, it was that good. Food My Party Got: Biscut Basket 10/10 Brunch Burger 10/10 Pancha Burger 9/10 Pulled Pork & Andouille Skillet 10/10 Shrimp and Grits 8/10 Roasted Vegetables 10/10 Key Lime Creme Brulee 10/10 read more

Great food, atmosphere, and customer service! Kim was an excellent sever and I will be retuning soon!! read more

Ambiance cute! Service fantastic!! Food phenomenal!!! Everything was wonderful and everyone in the party was delighted. Hoping to make this a regular spot. Definitely recommend the roasted corn and shrimp bisque with the drop biscuits for a light Sunday brunch. Yummers! read more

South Front Tavern - Roasted corn & shrimp bisque with drop biscuits - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

I have always enjoyed dining at this location (whatever the restaurant is) Today a friend of mine went for brunch and ate outside. There are a lot of tables in or out of the sun. We decided to split a shrimp quesadilla. It came with chips and pico . The chips were really good and the quesadilla was so chewy with high quality shrimp. I had a side of the veggie cold slaw which was light and flavorful. She had the butternut squash with goat cheese. It was a huge protein and also very good Out server was great, and the manager came out to say hello. They have $5.00 bloody Mary's on Sunday and they also have happy hour for food some days. I can't wait to come back and try more! read more

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We came here to celebrate our four year anniversary. I probably would have preferred a different environment since it gave more a social bar. If you're looking for a great time, look no where else. Make sure you book online since it's a popular spot. The food was super delicious and I will be visiting again read more

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The biscuits are other-worldly! Excellent service and a great playlist equaled a wonderful experience! read more

South Front Tavern - French toast!! - American Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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From the minute we stepped foot in the restaurant, the service was great. Our drinks were fantastic and the biscuits with the local jelly was delicious. Our food came out quickly and everyone in our party commented how good their food was. Thank you South Front Tavern for an amazing brunch. read more

Great service and good food! The waiter was very patient with our table while our other guests arrived! The food was really good the drinks were good as well! Our favorite part of dinner was the Parmesan aioli that came with our wings!!!! It was AMAZING a must for the fries! read more

Every time we dine here, we feel welcomed and the food is always good. A great place to go any night of the week. Love love the servers as well. read more

We have been there twice in the last week, first for Sunday brunch then for dinner on Friday. Both times we had great service and great food. Everything was fresh, flavorful and well prepared. During our first visit, the owner came to our table and welcomed us. During our second visit, even though we were an hour ahead of our reservation time, we were made to feel welcome. We ended up eating at the bar and had a fantastic experience with Leah, the bartender,who took exceptional care of us. We will be back based on two wonderful experiences. read more

Love, love, love this place!! Been here 8-10 times since they opened and never a disappointment. Today for brunch we had the bacon and egg wrap, plancha burger, and wild mushroom quesadilla. Of course we had to try the biscuits. All AMAZING!! Service is always perfection and we love the outdoor dining to people and dog watch. read more

The food is delicious. A great atmosphere and staff. I highly recommend giving this restaurant a try. You won't be sorry.

Excellent service and ambiance. Food is very good and different Well worth the experience in the popular city section read more

The atmosphere was great! Very nice vibes. We ordered a bunch of the appetizers and desserts so we could try a bit of everything. My review of the food is what gives it a 4 out of 5 because there is room for improvement. Homeskillet cornbread - was really excited for this but unfortunately very dry Pork empanadas - very good/love the dipping sauce! Thai chili wings - the texture was really good, not overly fried. There was no flavor though- felt like I was eating bland chicken Short rib chili - very good/tender Not pictured: we ordered baby back ribs which were good Flourless chocolate cake- very good/rich Keylime pie crème brûlée - could have used more keylime flavor and a little thicker consistency. Overall good place, it's brand new so I'm sure they'll only get better in time. read more

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First of all South Front Taven has wonderful sophicated ambiance without being pretentious. The service is absoutley top notch. The food... so delicious!! We had the steamed little neck clams and chicken quesadilla and both were delicious. I could have made a meal out of the clam broth with a loaf of Italian bread. Natalie, the bartender who took r order told the kitchen to split r quesadilla into 2 plates which was a class act touch and a pleasant surprise. The sauce was so delicious! Gigi the other bartender was just as wonderful. Both had great personalities and make tasty cocktails. I absoutely LOVED everything about this tavern! Best wishes to Mark and his staff, u have a true gem. Mark couldn't have been any more attentive to his business and patrons. read more

Amazing food and service. Lovely ambiance, eat indoors or out. Love the tasty menu, something for everyone...

Food was great. Service was great. Ambiance is great. Owner met us when we sat. Very nice touch