I've ordered take out from here before but have never dined it until this evening. It's a smaller restaurant, but has outer seating as well a small bar. Service is welcoming and professional. They have daily specials. My husband and I ordered the crab dip and hush puppies for appetizers. The hush puppies were perfectly fried and slightly sweet. They were served with a seasoned butter. The crab dip was served with toasted French bread as an option. The crab dip was delicious. For dinner my husband ordered the shrimp po boy and really liked the shrimp. I had the fried shrimp platter. It came with coleslaw, string fries, and hush puppies. The shrimp were large, breaded but not greasy. They were fresh and very well seasoned. We really enjoyed our dinner here and would definitely go back. read more

This was our first time dining here, and we were really excited to try it. Tidewater has a great selection of oysters, which is what initially drew us in. We started with a dozen oysters. Unfortunately, the presentation and accompaniments were disappointing--cocktail sauce and horseradish were combined in the same container, and the mignonette lacked flavor. More concerning, several of the oysters had small pieces of shell in them. We ordered another half dozen, but they sat on the counter for quite a while. Multiple servers walked past them before they were finally brought to our table, which was frustrating. To make matters worse, my husband noticed a server drop a ticket on the floor, pick it up, and then place it back above the food that was waiting to be served. That raised some serious concerns about food handling and cleanliness. Overall, while the oyster selection is impressive, the service and attention to detail really fell short of expectations. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Oyster variety - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

One of our favorite places to visit for oysters (better when happy hour is happening) and dessert when in the area. Love their steamed potatoes and ceviche too. Service is good, we have visited more than a dozen times and it is a complete different experience every visit. Food is great. Ambience is average. Nothing extraordinary... I love that they have an outside patio. Parking can be a hit or miss depending the time and the day. Overall great place to eat. read more

Very busy night, the staff waiting on the bar customers were great. The seafood/crab soup was amazing. Great place to eat!!

A family member's visit turned into a day at the beach. Immediately after our ocean adventure, a family meal. We had a blast catching up. Food is solid to very good. We split the fish and shrimp calabash plate for an extra $2. Food was plentiful. My only true complaint was shrimp size. The staff were absolutely amazing! Courteous and helpful. If we're ever in the area we'll definitely stop in. Seafood:4.2 read more

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This was the best kids meal - they were able to do sautéed shrimp instead of fried and it came with broccoli, fries and hush puppies. My son loved it and I liked that it came with veggies which you don't see enough! We enjoyed our gumbo and appetizer special. Everything was very filling. The staff were nice and attentive too. It's a small place and we enjoyed our dinner. read more

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Love it when they have clam strips on the menu. The was the perfect fall day, sunny and warm , and open tables outside. Checked inside if I could grab a table outside. I found a table and was given a menu as soon as I sat down and a beverage order was taken.Clam strips and a side of french fries was what I desired. Asked if I could get a half order of strips, no problem was the response. My beverage was brought out and short time after that my order arrived with house made tartar sauce. The strips were perfectly fried, just the right amount of breading and seasoning, and so tender. The shoestring fries were also perfectly fried and well seasoned. A perfect sized portion, well done. One of my favorite places to go for seafood. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - The 1/2 order of clam strips with shoestring french fries. - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

First time in. Oysters were fantastic as was the shrimp po boy. Will be back ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

We LOVE Tidewater Oyster Bar. We first visited last December when we brought our son back from UNCW for winter break. We went when we took him for his sophomore year. Not shows the BOMB crab dip. My son had the catfish only. I had the jumbaliah (not sure how to spell it) and my BF got the seafood boil. read more

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Highly rated but I'm not sure why. Carolina clam chowder was good but a little too salty for my taste, only ate half. Had the catfish and shrimp combo (fried). Catfish was ok the shrimp was better. Coleslaw kinda bland and fries could have been cooked more. Hushpuppies were great Service wasn't the best either. Said she would bring utensils but never did had to go get my own. Never refilled drink Place is ok but there are much better seafood places in Wilmington read more

Yes, I am leaving ANOTHER 5 star review. The oysters I had today were probably the best I ever had ANYWHERE! Service was impeccable and the tuna tartare rack was delish! You cannot go wrong here with anything you order. I love sitting both inside and outside. It's my fav place! read more

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We did not know what to anticipate because restaurant was in strip mall but hands down delicious! Service was great! Super nice staff. Place was small but it worked! We went Wednesday night. Loved the food and will definitely be back! read more

Total YUM! Hubby loved the clam chowder! Outstanding Po' Boys with shrimp and crab! Next time I'm trying the clams.

Great food and cute decor. The shrimp po boy was amazing and so was the seafood boil.

We split the fried shrimp platter and it was plenty to eat. Shrimp was fresh and perfectly cooked, fries were crisp and the coleslaw was very good. We sat outside and even though it was by a busy road it was still pleasant. Waitress was very good. We will definitely stop on the way back from the beach in the future. read more

Loved it. The raw bar selection was excellent. Staff very friendly and fast service. Will return many times more!

First time dining at Tidewater. Great service. Delicious food. 10 out of 10. Seafood was fresh. Really impressed.

Absolutely delicious! Graham did a great job waiting on us and the food hit the spot. Oysters and shrimp and tacos. We will be back next year ! read more

Ate there on a Friday night on the patio. Outdoor seatinv is nice and avoids the bar crowd. The oyster rockerfeller was huge meaty oysters but the cheese was sparce. The calamari were on point. The hot pot featured steamed crab, shrimp, potato, corn, and sausage. It was hot and fresh but really lacked seasoning. Definitely no Old Bay Seasoning. The service was standard... prompt but not exceptional. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - oyster rockerfeller - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I was in town for a couple days and wanted seafood. This place was right next door to where I was staying so we walked over on a busy Saturday night. We were seated at one of the last available tables for 2, so that was a good start. We started our dinner with two glasses of white wine and 1/2 dozen Oysters Rockefeller. This is a casual place so the wine was reasonably priced. But really, the star here is the seafood. The oysters were prepared beautifully and tasted very fresh and delicious. So good. Next, we had the Low Country Boil and the Flounder & Shrimp Platter. The portions a really big here, they don't skimp on the amount of seafood you get on your plate either. You will leave here full. The meals were reasonably priced for the amount of food you get, plus it is very casual, which makes for a nice atmosphere. Very glad this place was walking distance from my hotel and that we tried Tidewater Oyster Bar. I would definitely come here again. read more

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I was back home and was craving seafood and saw this spot was close to home. I was excited to try their crab dip because that's my favorite app at a seafood spot and theirs definitely hit the spot. It had pretty big chunks of crab, melty cheese, and perfectly seasoned chips for dipping. My boil however lacked a little flavor and I feel like I needed a lot more butter to get that real boil vibe. I took it home and doctored it up a bit and loved how fresh everything was. Also the portion was amazing for only $20. I just wished the items were more seasoned, but this is a solid choice to try out especially since the service was excellent. read more

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Came in a whim to see if they were any good. It's in a strip mall and not a.large place but it was packed (always a good sign) We ordered some fresh oysters that were excellent. Then we each got the individual steam pot. It was filled with 1/2 pound of big shrimp, potatoes, corn on the cob and smoked sausage. It was soooo good. We will definitely return read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Delicious!!! It absolutely hit the spot for a seafood craving. Maybe a hidden gem in Wilmington? All I know is I like that there is now a great option for my husband and I to try to get seafood without going through the downtown hassle, as this location is the complete opposition direction and makes your feel comfortable. The seafood options is big and we opted for the oysters Rockefeller and one of their steamed platter options. The oysters themselves were perfectly cooked and had the right amount of toppings. The seafood platter was huge! Definitely enough food for two. The seasoning was just right and the amount of sides they give you is a a lot! The waitress was very attentive and I like the laid back vibe from the employees. This restaurant will definitely be a norm going forward. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Oysters Rockefeller - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Stopped in hoping for something different from the other seafood restaurants, mainly something away from downtown or closer to the beach. Tidewater was great. Plenty of options, especially (and obviously) seafood options as well as some non seafood. My partner and I opted to share the Big Catch steamed platter. I myself only really eat crab legs and not much other seafood and glad that it was enough crab as well as sausage, corn, and potatoes for me to eat...while my partner ate the rest (crab legs, A LOT of shrimp, clams). The Oysters Rockefeller were perfect. I appreciate all of the sauces offered and the service was great. Our server was a younger lady but still very informative and attentive. Get a very family vibe from this establishment. Highly recommend and will be back when vacationing in Wilmington again. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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Never a bad meal and always great service. Their are few restaurants located in Wilmington that i know when I order anything on the menu "it will be awesome". Tidewater always delivers on a good meal and they support local fresh seafood. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - The Big Catch steam pot, the perfect meal! - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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I hate to say it, but, after a few years of excellence, my most recent visit was mediocre at best. The star of their menu has always been the ceviche. No matter which sea creatures are used, Tidewater found a way to make it great. Not this time. The ceviche was just seemingly unseasoned amberjack and radish slices and a few bell pepper bits. There was no sauce (there used to be a sauce, and of course seasoning, on their ceviches). There was no flavor. It was like eating a little pile of very wet fish chunks, with underseasoned chips. I sent it back, and they were nice enough not to charge me for it. But, I was still very disappointed, and am unlikely to return. I hoped that maybe there'd be a manager or chef who'd want to talk, but maybe they didn't appreciate my disapproval of the ceviche. The clam & oyster stew was about as good as before. I also got a single oyster rockefeller (why not get a special treat), but it was also pretty flavorless, compared to previous ones. Since the stew was good, and nothing made me sick (in fact, the seafood seemed to still be of very high quality, which makes their flavorless fate a little sad), so I can't rate the place too poorly. But, it's not what it used to be. At least for me. Sorry. read more

Exceptional service by a great waitress (Annette) Very accommodating to our group of 10. Food was very flavorful & the portions were great too. I would come back again & again! read more

Amazing Best seafood spot in town. Thank you Jayden Fried oysters Wow Snow Crab Bool Fried shrimp Blackened Flounder right on delicious read more

The best oysters in the area, no question. We have a great experience every time! Usually we sit outside on the patio where they have several tables with umbrellas. Our servers have always been attentive, super helpful. Today they made sure our food did not have/ was not cooked with dairy. In addition to the oysters, we ordered the blackened shrimp platter and the snow crab platter. Excellent as always! read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Dozen oysters--all local - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Came home from Calif and my friends took me here for my belated birthday. This place is great. You get a lot of food here. Service is excellent as is the food. I had the Carolina Clam Chowder soup today and it was so yummy. The flavor of the soup is perfect and the texture creamy. I could have had three bowls and been a happy camper. I also had the fried Shrimp. The hushpuppies and coleslaw that come with it is perfect. In fact, I always eat my friends coleslaw since he does not like it. On my next visit I am going to try the Cajun pasta dish. I'll report back soon. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

My wife and I finally got a chance to have lunch here. We were both very happy we did. The menu had a lot to choose from. The food was excellent. The staff and service were friendly and available; I never had to call out for assistance. The ambiance, both inside and out, was upbeat and clean. We will be regulars here returning as often as possible. read more

Definitely one of our go tos! 4 things this place doesn't skimp on; great food, fantastic service, cute ambience, and the merchandise fits and feels just right! Keep up the good job! Will be back soon read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Oysters rockafeller - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

Great service. Shrimp po'Boy was very good. Carolina chowder was delicious! My husband enjoyed his raw oysters and tidewater stew also. read more

Tidewater Oyster Bar - Shrimp Po'Boy - Seafood Near Me - Wilmington, North Carolina

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One of the best places outside of New Orleans I've had! Oysters Rockefeller was very authentic, I'd rate them 9/10. Broiled Garlic Herb Butter Oysters were not like the ones in New Orleans, but still, 8/10 Shrimp Creole was spot on, 9/10 Service was really good, 10/10 Restaurant was clean, didn't have a "fishy smell" like some seafood places, 10/10 The prices were ok, but hey, EVERYTHING is expensive nowdays, 9/10 read more

Came here for my birthday with my date. Nice vibe. The staff was attentive and kind. Food was great. I could bathe in the clam chowder y'all. Jk I'd rather eat it by the gallon. It was Tuesday so we had oyster special which is always a fun treat. I also had a lavender seltzer that hit the spot. read more

This place was absolutely banging in the best way possible and it's clear only good meals are had here. While staying on Figure 8, we had their low country boil delivered to our beach house (timely & convenient), and it was so good we wanted to stop at the actual restaurant for food before leaving Wilmington. My friend and I lived in Boston for a long time so we have an incredibly high bar for seafood. This place did not disappoint and we went really hard on the fresh/local options. The standout was the fried clam strips appetizer, which was a special of the day, but the oysters were also incredible - great variety of local NC that varied from salty/briny to fresh/clean/mineral. Napa Valley of Oysters, indeed. I was impressed. The clam chowder was hearty and full of meat (even a cup can be pretty filling.) The hushpuppies came fresh-to-order, hot, fluffy on the inside, with a sweet butter spread on the side. The fries were good but nothing to write home about. Still dreaming of how good this meal was a day later and shout out to our awesome server (didn't catch his name, but he was a blonde dude who seemed to be in his late teens or early twenties but chatted with us so knowledgeably about the food & wine and was stellar!) read more

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We have had difficulty finding a good place to get steamed oyster. Tidewater had a great array from the local area. The main meals were excellent as well. My wife and I split a shrimp boil and my daughter and husband split a blackened shrimp boil. Both were excellent. read more

We ate here while in town for the evening and enjoyed our time! We sat on the patio and enjoyed fresh oysters as our appetizer along with great cocktails. Our server was adorable and sweet and checked on us often! We will definitely be back when we are in town read more

Incredible, unforgettable meal in Wilmington. We were only there for 24 hours for a wedding, otherwise we would have eaten there every day. My boyfriend had a bowl of gumbo, I had a cup of the creamy oyster soup and we split a Shrimp Po'Boy. The gumbo was large and filling. The oyster soup had enormous oysters (not my fave actually, but that's a me-problem). Shrimp Po'Boy was absolutely delicious, crisp breaded shrimp and remoulade. Prices were also super reasonable. $10 for a bowl of gumbo, $5 for a cup, $14 Po'Boy. Can't wait until we can come here again! read more

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They are getting 5 starts because the place is super clean and we LOVED that wahoo fish with couscous and spinach , the best we have ever had. Our server was so sweet, helpful and fast, she even got us a free half dozen of steamed oysters for free because the kitchen made extra . The seafood boil was okay, the seasoning was a little salty and the clams weren't fresh but overall not bad. So as with the kid's meal, the fries were too salty too. read more

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