Covey

My husband and I dined at Covey while celebrating our anniversary in Wilmington. What an incredible experience! Our reservation was for Friday dinner, and the service and atmosphere were both wonderful. The food was "close your eyes while you savor it" delicious. Do not skip the potato pave -- AMAZING. For entrees, I had the swordfish, and my husband had the ribeye -- both were prepared PERFECTLY. We ended the meal with seasonal desserts, which is when I finally pulled out my phone to take a pic because by this point I knew I'd be leaving a 5-star review. We will definitely be back! Highly recommend!

It was my first time at Covey. We had octopus and it was delicious! Potatoe Pave - good. My friend and I split the 22OZ KC 45 day dry aged. We ordered medium rare and the temperature was fine. I thought the steak was slightly underseasoned. My friend thought it was seasoned OK. The fries and broccolini were good, but nothing I'd rush back for. Our server, Brook, was great. The right amount of attentiveness and engagement. We tried the white chocolate tort and affogato. Very good. Overall, the food was good, not great.

WOW! Everything was AMAZING. Covey is easily a top 3 restaurant in Wilmington. I didn't get an opportunity to take pictures of everything (::crying face::) but l was blown away by every single menu item we tried. We had the oysters, potato pave, blistered peppers, cavatelli and the fried chicken. The fried chicken was PERFECTLY brined and fried, the setup was collards and mash that were also excellently executed. The cavatelli was clearly fresh and if you like spicy this was DEF the move. The portions were nonpretensious and the quality was perfect, validating the price. Drinks were excellent as well. Although we were on the brink of being rolled out the door, we had to round out the night with the banana pudding suggested by our server. WE WERE IN HEAVEN. The bruleed bananas on top were more akin to marshmallows than fruit! To die for! And I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention the incredible service provided by Josh B. Josh BE doing the doin the damn thang! Thank you all for a wonderful date night experience.

Went here for date night and was pretty impressed! Beautiful restaurant inside and the food was really good. Had the crab dip special appetizer and my husband got the squid ink pasta. I had the ribeye and it was cooked perfectly. Also those biscuits are fabulous!

This restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere. The food was tasty and flavorful. The staff are polite and helpful. Great place to go with family and friends.

I held my birthday party there in their private room with 14 people and they were phenomenal. Great service, great food and so accommodating. I booked it a few weeks in advance and they stayed consistently to touch with me all the way up to the event to make sure my needs were met. We had a great time and it was even half price oyster night which was perfect!

Well I seen this spot a few months back and went there I wasn’t really pleased my food was extra salty and my smash burger just had to much bread over meat. But I decided to go back and try the Sunday brunch and it was delish! I wasn’t disappointed I had a Benedict and a cinnamon roll I kept it lite the cinnamon roll had good flavor just was harder then I would have liked but good and the crab Benedict was cooked to perfection, only had about two shells.

I stopped in for a drink at quick dinner at the bar as I had heard about the place from a server at a downtown Wilmington restaurant. The bartenders were friendly, the food delicious and prompt and the atmosphere very sophisticated for Wilmington. I was reminded of being in a country club. It's not a place for I'd bring friends for a casual dinner although you could, it's a bit more elegant or citified.

WOW! Everything was AMAZING. Covey is easily a top 3 restaurant in Wilmington. I didn't get an opportunity to take pictures of everything (::crying face::) but I was blown away by every single menu item we tried. We had the oysters, potato pave, blistered peppers, cavatelli and the fried chicken. The fried chicken was PERFECTLY brined and fried, the setup was collards and mash that were also excellently executed. The cavatelli was clearly fresh and if you like spicy this was DEF the move. The portions were nonpretensious and the quality was perfect, validating the price. Drinks were excellent as well. Although we were on the brink of being rolled out the door, we had to round out the night with the banana pudding suggested by our server. WE WERE IN HEAVEN. The bruleed bananas on top were more akin to marshmallows than fruit! To die for! And I would be completely remiss if I didn't mention the incredible service provided by Josh B. Josh BE doing the doin the damn thang! Thank you all for a wonderful date night experience.

Really beautiful restaurant with very average food. The best part of the meal was the free starter biscuits with butter-- they were perfect. Unfortunately, the meal went downhill from there. The shrimp and grits was good--nothing exceptional, but standard and tasty. The eggplant katsu dish was just bad. I've never seen such a huge portion of eggplant on one plate-- and with nothing of substance (just some charred bok choy) to compliment it except a balsamic sauce that did not make sense with a katsu. Very surprising that an upscale restaurant would present something like this. I will come back once more with my wife to try a dessert date.

This Resturant has everything great service, classy atmosphere and excellent food. The prices are reasonable and they provide for a variety of diets.

KUDOS to Madison for providing supreme quality customer service ! Our WWP Adaptive Sports Clinic appreciated everything! I ordered Oysters Rockefeller, Red Snapper with Ratouille, the Bundt Cake for dessert ! Thank God for Covey! Even the bathrooms are clean! The ambiance was quiet and quite mellow! I highly recommend all to come and visit to support this local business! The pics say it all! They even have a military discount!

First time visit to this amazing restaurant. Our waitress was enthusiastic and accommodating. The place has a modern vibe, yet is comfortable and inviting. The entrees our group ordered were thoroughly enjoyed. The pork chop, the swordfish and my eggplant katsu were prepared with great attention to presentation including the beautiful serving dishes and uniquely flavored sauces to set the dishes apart from other hum drum restaurants offerings. We will definitely return to further enjoy this gem of a restaurant!

Very good food. Beautiful place.the biscuits are amazing. Service was great. I got the skirt steak. The potatoes were perfect. My wife got the potato pave never had a better potato dish. Perfect amount of crunch and flavor. We will go back.

Reservations are easy to make through their website. Brandon responded very quickly when I emailed questions. The food and service were great! Inside is like a mature serious atmosphere. The complimentary biscuits were small, but baked perfectly. So buttery and soft. I tried the grilled radicchio salad, butterbean ravioli and for dessert, strawberry ice cream sandwich with chocolate cookies. I liked all of the different flavors of the radicchio salad with the sweet marinated peaches, beets, bitter radicchio, creamy whipped ricotta, and sweetness from honey. Ravioli and cookies were made in-house. The chocolate cookies were to die for. If you're craving chocolate, then definitely get this. I usually am not a huge fan of thick cookies, but these were so good, I did not mind. The strawberry ice cream tasted fresh. Other dessert options were a lemon bar and a cheesecake with blackberry sauce. High chairs are available.

Love this neighborhood restaurant , beautiful inside, wait.staff is awesome, the bar is great and the food is outstanding. The outside looks like a rustic lodge in the woods. I highly recommend them even being a wee bit on the $$$ side , the food is worth it.

We have been twice, once as a couple and once with friends. The food is poorly executed, for the prices they charge, you would expect really great food. The building is beautiful and ambience was nice, the concept was well thought out as far as design. The inexperienced executive chef will leave customers disappointed in the end. We tried 4 different "small plates" ( appetizers) and 4 different "large plates" Wanting to have a variety of food, but we're dissatisfied with all but 2 dishes.

We made reservations two months early to celebrate our 49th anniversary. Upon arriving at Covey there was no parking available due to a large party. We were told to park at a bank parking lot down the road. The walk was about a quarter of a mile away. By the time we walked to Covey we were so frustrated that rather than staying and walking back in the dark, we are in our late 70's, we canceled our reservation and left. We feel that if parking is available at the bank, Covey should have provided valet service or had the courtesy to advise us of this situation in advance.

This is a gem of a restaurant, located in a wooded area, outside seating has wonderful views and the inside is cosy. Every member of the staff we encountered was friendly, wonderfully helpful and knowledgeable about the food and drink selections. (I am a big fan of Bloody Marys, and I say without hesitation, theirs is the best I've had in town!) They meal was perfect (the Shrimp and Grits just wonderful) and dessert sublime! Their food and drink menus extensive! There is absolutely something for everyone's palate here! It is now my go to place with guests and friends.

We arrived at 6:15 for a 6:30 Friday reservation which was early before the peak evening hour. We had a reservation that included a seating request. Seating was perfect, meal was very nice at fair price. Service was outstanding, waitress had a nice friendly attitude and did a great job. We will go back and would recommend to others.

The restaurant is well planned out. The private dining rooms are very well constructed to have parties or to have some personal small gatherings. The menu was new and as a chef myself I could always find things that needed positive feedback. The cocktails.... Holy cow!! Just fantastic! Just the right amount of mixology can go a long way. Chicken and dumplings, great! However, it could have been thicker, it was a soup consistency. Let it stick to the ribs. The biscuits were absolutely amazing! The duck was well balanced, clean and flavorful. Tuna- it needed some acidity, the chips were good! The Caesar salad was seasoned and crisp and the shrimp melted in the mouth. The atmosphere was delightful and the lighting was spectacular. The management didn't make much of an appearance to the guests which, as a chef I find very upsetting.

Well if I could give higher rating then I would. Just flat out fantastic! We got seated in the bar, which was actually great atmosphere. Great service, great presentation, great meals!!

We went to Covey's first brunch today to celebrate our anniversary. Chef Austen has prepared us an amazing meal before and again today. We tried the Quiche Lorraine, the Fried Chicken Biscuit, and the Cinnamon Roll. All excellent, and we would definitely order it all again. The restaurant is beautiful, and I'm excited to go to dinner with a group of friends to reserve one of the private rooms.

Great food and wine list! Very cool layout inside. The small private rooms are an interesting concept.

What a wonderful addition to the Wilmington scene. The restaurant is beautiful. I stopped in during their happy hour from 4:00 - 5:00. Their biscuits are otherworldly - you don't even need the butter. I also tried the potato pave and the blistered peppers. For small plates the servings were ample - could easily have been shared by three to four people. Both dishes were delicious and not the usual. Highly recommend!

Just what we need in Wilmington- another excellent restaurant. Visited last night with friends and had a smashing dinner. First impressions were great. Beautiful physical plant, smart furnishings and lighting. With several dining areas, noise was not an issue. Next we were greeted by a great server. She was attentive but not intrusive, a true professional. As nice as all this was, the food was even better. A compact and well thought menu was executed to perfection. Potato app was outstanding. I had the special app, a tartine. It was fantastic. All of our mains (pork, tenderloin, catch of day, pasta and smash burger) were well prepared and extremely tasty. Extensive wine list and some killer cocktails were great additions to our meal. In my book, Covey joins the short list of ILM's best

This is one of the most inviting and aesthetically pleasing restaurants in Wilmington. The modern rustic ambience is right up my alley, and the indoor/outdoor seating, along with private dining spaces inside, are inspired! Service was excellent and non-Intrusive. Since good staff are not easy to find, kudos to management for clearing that hurdle. Food, however, didn't quite live up to my admittedly high expectations. There were six of us and between us all we sampled the smash burger, cat fish, chicken, shrimp n grits and salad with shrimp add on. Nothing was bad (except the fries my friend received were cold, but warmer ones were promptly brought out. They were not hot though, just warm, which leads me to believe they're not made fresh). The shrimp and grits were good, but not the best we've had. That honor still goes to cape fear seafood. The portion size was quite small, especially for the hefty price tag. Ditto for the catfish entree. The burger was good, but again, Winnie's takes the honor for best burger imo. The winner of the night was the chicken. Perfectly cooked and flavorful. This place has tons of potential and if the chef could up his game just a tad, it could be one of Wilmington's go to spots for years to come. As is, I'm afraid the service and atmosphere won't be able to compensate for the lack of 'wow' factors when it comes to the food.

Great food, attentive service, lovely restaurant We had an enjoyable evening at Covey.

Brandon, Keli and the staff at Covey add so much to the excellent food we were served! They go above and beyond to assure your dining experience is more than you ever expected. From the amazing craft cocktails, and an awesome wine selection, delicious appetizers and entrees that make your mouth sing! This place should be a must on your dining out list!

This restaurant has SO much potential to be the next "it" place in Wilmington. The location and structure are perfect. I pulled up and felt like I was in the mountains rather than Wilmington. It is a large building with outside and inside seating. Inside, there are 2 bars, 2 large dining areas, and private rooms for small parties. I was in love with the idea of the private small party rooms. Both dining rooms were very eloquent, the bar was large and also beautiful. Outside seating is very charming and wraps around the building. All staff were very friendly and made me feel right at home. They have an extensive wine and drink list. Our server Josh was very attentive and knowledgeable. He said that they change the menus often. What gets me is that this place is not advertised. I didn't even know it was there for the last 2 months. We started with a round of grey goose dirty martinis were really good and the bleu cheese olives were great. The biscuits and butter were outstanding. I ordered the tuna tartare to start. I was not impressed at all. It tasted much more like poke then tartare and was in a watermelon broth. My friend had the potato pave and I do highly recommend that. For my entree I had the duck, which I did like very much. My friend had the steak and it was delicious. They both came precut and were cooked nicely. The bill was $193 for 2 apps, 2 entrees , and 4 martinis. I hope that they start advertising and maybe get a better tartare. We had a nice time, though.

The food was outstanding, the service was supreme and the facility very inviting. My duck was the best I've ever had served in any restaurant. If desire top self dining, Covey's in a must go to place!

Great ambiance for a date night. Caesar salad among the best I've had. Shrimp and grits amazing. Friendly service. Nothing bad to say.

3 Glasses of vino, raw oysters with numerous accouterments, the burger (for me), an outdoor fireplace, great guests, and incredible customer service from the servers to management/ownership. We were here for the opening, again this past weekend, and will be back sooner-than-later!!!

Wanted to find a new favorite because of the beautiful setting. The service was great and everyone was friendly. Went for dinner and ordered the strawberry salad but sadly there was only 1 strawberry cut into a few slivers, a side of house ricotta and about 8 candied pistachios on top of mixed greens. Cost $13. Husband ordered the Covey burger with fries. He said it was good. Will probably go back and try again at a different time or for a drink but not dinner.

The food, the atmosphere and the service was incredible. It's a rare gem in Wilmington and one we will revisit again. They do have reservations online!

Service was awesome! Ambiance is beautiful and food was fantastic. My friends had a wonderful meal

A hidden 5 star gem has come to Wilmington. Everything about the exterior & interior design made one feel like they were arriving at a sophisticated mountain lodge . Even the spacious & ample parking lot was well designed & beautifully landscaped. Interior & exterior design details were simple, well chosen & complemented with dark wood tones.The comfortable upholstered dining chairs & table height were perfectly paired . Covey offers dining inside, outside & in private glass enclosed spaces for larger groups., as well as a large bar/lounge space. Not knowing what to expect from a new kid on the block, only opened for 2 weeks, it was a perfect choice to celebrate a soon to be 55 anniversary. The chilled melon soup & fondue hasselback potato appetizers were nicely plated & delicious. The same to be said for the main course of butter bean ravioli & vegetarian choice of grits & veggies in a very tasty sauce. A delicious Malbec & Rose were both excellent choices as was the tawny port served in a beautiful glass that complemented the creamy & creative cheesecake. The noise level in the space needs to be addressed & the manager did indicate that professionals have been brought in to work on this issue. Aside from the noise issue, food, service & ambience were all first rate. .Everything about dining at Covey was a home run to be enjoyed again

Firstly, this place is gorgeous. Loved the look and feel. However....the Caesar salad had arugula in it which overpowered the very bland dressing. There were no anchovies, no taste of garlic, no taste of lemon. The wedge salad was equally disappointing. The dressing tasted like mayo. Very bland blue cheese but extremely smoky bacon. I mean, it was so smoky you would swear you had a piece of charred wood in your mouth. The duck was fantastic. It was beautifully presented and tasted amazing. The ribeye was horrible. It was served sliced and was, no kidding, more fat and gristle than meat. It didn't taste like a premium cut of beef. In my opinion, great place for a drink and maybe an app. Save dinner for somewhere else. We did tell our server we were unhappy, but no one in management came by and she seemed quite unconcerned.

What a great new addition to the Wilmington dining scene! The facility is in a quiet neighborhood (no busy strip mall for a change) and has ample parking and nice woods views. The building itself has several rooms for large and intimate gatherings and 2 killer bar sets plus outdoor seating when nice. We had the shrimp & grits and the new pasta special - both were tasty! Our waiter was extremely attentive, accurate and cheerful making the experience all we hoped for. Healthy drink pours as well. Definitely an add to rival spots like Origin.

Totally agree with comments for Lawrence S. Very attractive outside and inside, contemporary design. But acoustics terrible. Lots of bar space. Dining areas are choppy. Service was very good. After initial 4 delicious biscuits, you pay for additional. Long wait for main entrees after ordering. Meals were mediocre, sides were small without much taste. Definitely not worth the price! Very, very unlikely to try again.

Same vibe as the movie "menu" but they didn't murder us. Food was great, beer was cold, Highly recommend

Thomas Keller and Jose Andreas come to Wilmington!, NOT Higher end prices for mediocre at best food and craft cocktails which need to be totally rethought and better validated. Entrees left very much to be desired and there are many better local establishments The building is very nice, however, the interior acoustics are a total failure as the noise level rose to obscene, where tableside conversation couldn't be heard over the roar of the dining room noise. Maybe all okf the kinks get worked out as time goes by, but the menu quality needs serious work. This might do better as a High-End Wine Bar

The beautiful building, lovely ambiance and creative menu would lead one to expect exceptional food; however, we found it to be mediocre at best as we dined. The "Catch of the Day" was bland. The sweet sauce and bacon on the oysters rockefeller overpowered the oysters as you could not taste them. The final straw was when one of us was sick for hours that evening with food poisoning. I called the restaurant twice to notify them but no one answered the phone. Obviously, we will not return or recommend it to any of our friends.

We had an amazing overall experience at Covey! The ambiance is beautiful and relaxing. As a rule, I don't like bistro seating, but we did sit at the "bistro" section of the dining room and it was just fine. I still felt like we had plenty of privacy. The food: the biscuits are off the charts. They melt into doughy goodness in your mouth. One is plenty as they are very rich! The potato appetizer and catfish entree were standouts for us. The pecan romesco paired with that catfish was out of this world. Compliments to the chef! We will be back!

We celebrated a birthday at Covey and the experience couldn't have been better. Our server, Haley, was fantastic. My wife had the the fish of the day, rainbow trout with root vegetables, and stated it was the best meal she's ever eaten in a restaurant. Wonderful atmosphere, great wine list and cocktails, delicious and innovative food, and outstanding service. This is Wilmington's hidden gem.

Excellent service, new decor, and interesting menu. First time at this beautiful restaurant.

Loved the space and excellent wait staff. Loud, but that was not too bothersome. I ordered the fried chicken and honestly, it was over cooked and over priced for what I got. I could have made better at home. The entree I was hoping to have (from the online menu) wasn't available. I want to like this restaurant so I'll go back again. Overall, a great upscale eatery.

The food was extremely salty! The service was slow. The waiter was not on point describing the foods.

A hidden 5 star gem has come to Wilmington. Everything about the exterior & interior design made one feel like they were arriving at a sophisticated mountain lodge . Even the spacious & ample parking lot was well designed & beautifully landscaped. Interior & exterior design details were simple, well chosen & complemented with dark wood tones. The comfortable upholstered dining chairs & table height were perfectly paired . Covey offers dining inside, outside & in private glass enclosed spaces for larger groups., as well as a large bar/lounge space. Not knowing what to expect from a new kid on the block, only opened for 2 weeks, it was a perfect choice to celebrate a soon to be 55 anniversary. The chilled melon soup & fondue hasselback potato appetizers were nicely plated & delicious. The same to be said for the main course of butter bean ravioli & vegetarian choice of grits & veggies in a very tasty sauce. A delicious Malbec & Rose were both excellent choices as was the tawny port served in a beautiful glass that complemented the creamy & creative cheesecake. The noise level in the space needs to be addressed & the manager did indicate that professionals have been brought in to work on this issue. Aside from the noise issue, food, service & ambience were all first rate. Everything about dining at Covey was a home run to be visited again

The food is sooo delicious and the service was top notch but the main dining room is soooo loud. My throat is sore from shouting to my dinner companions. I loved everything about this place EXCEPT that decibel level in that dining room. Quick, someone call an acoustic expert!

This place is a welcome addition to Wilmington and the mid-town area. It is a beautiful free-standing building with covered porches and inside is like a beautiful home or a nice winery ambiance. The food was very well thought out - a simple menu, yet complex and well-balanced flavors. You can get everything from oysters to a smash burger. There were four of us, so we tried many different things to share bites - we had the oysters, the charcuterie plate, swordfish, fish of the day the, the steak and the smash burger. Everything was perfectly cooked and well balanced and refined flavors. The service was fantastic, and everyone made us feel like we were guests in their home. The ambiance was just amazing, the colors are warm and inviting and although there are different rooms it was also very open. I saw others mention that it seemed loud but, I believe they adjusted that because the acoustics were great too. And the seats, super comfy and plush chairs - miss that from a lot of restaurants these days. Yes, a bit pricey but, there are many other restaurants just as pricey with less tasteful food and far less ambiance. We will be going back and are so happy to see this immaculate effort and welcoming hospitality. Great night - you will not be disappointed. And the dessert was divine - I am sorry I cannot remember the name but, it was a peach kind of flan, light and airy and so delightful - and tasted great with the espresso. Thank you for a great evening, Covey!