South Beach Grill

⭐ 1 Star Two Strands of Hair – Unacceptable Experience South Beach Grill has always been one of my favorite places to eat when I visit Wilmington—but after my most recent experience, I don’t think I’ll be returning. I’m honestly considering going to Oceanic instead. I was served a plate of food that had a long, straight brown hair in it—very clearly not from anyone in my group or our server (who had curly hair). Some of the staff members did have hair that matched, though. That alone was extremely off-putting. We flagged down a manager, but instead of addressing us directly, she passed the issue to our female server, who was the only one to apologize and ask if I’d like the dish remade. I said yes, because I understand mistakes can happen. It took about 10 minutes to get a new plate. Then things got worse. As I was boxing up the meal to take home, I noticed another hair—this time in my drink (which I had already drunk half of). At that point I was disgusted and just wanted to leave. The final straw? When we got the bill, we were still charged full price for my meal, despite finding hair in both the food and the drink. No discount. No manager apology. Nothing. We paid it and left, but I left feeling really disappointed. This restaurant used to be one I recommended. Now, I’m not so sure. The food may be good, but if this is how they handle cleanliness and customer concerns, it’s hard to feel confident coming back. 📸 Photos attached for reference.

This was my first time at the South Beach Grill. Everything on the menu looked really good. I heard some regulars talking to some other guests about the fried Black Eyed Peas. I didn’t have an opportunity to try them this time as I didn’t hear the conversation until after I was done with my meal, but I am planning on going back to try them. They really raved about them. I ate out on the patio. The service is very good with friendly, helpful people. I appreciated the view very much, you can see the water from your seat. I chose the catch of the day special for dinner. It was blackened red drum over a bed of seasoned rice with grilled asparagus and salsa verde. The fish is cooked to perfection and seasoned exactly correctly. The rice was the tiniest bit under flavored but, you know how that goes, it is rice. The grilled asparagus was very good and there were also some mushrooms in the dish that were excellent. I could use more of them, but I would also say that, no matter how many of them there were. The parking was a little tight with street parking available. The food was very good and I would guess that everything on the menu is delicious. I’ll absolutely be back.

our first visit on a day trip to Wrightsville and were looking for a place to eat by the water. this is not by the water and you may see the sunset through the trees. we sat off the main patio on a side deck, which was nice for a group but noisy with the kitchen fans and some smells on a hot day. food options are more limited with dinner than lunch. prices were on the high side and quality across our large party was hit and miss. Shrimp & Grits was the hit but pricey. fresh catch was the miss - nothing special at all with little seasoning and bland sides at an expensive price. Waitress was new but was attentive and very helpful. finally the required 3% on charges made the higher prices even more frustrating.

The main dish was very good. The chef was heavy handed with the salt on the tuna appetizer. We sat at the bar and she was friendly and mostly attentive. Solid A- overall.

Outstanding meal and good service. Friendly waitstaff. Drinks and food were really good. Only downside was it was loud inside. If the weather is good, sit out on the patio! Highly recommend the pesto pasta with shrimp and the Grouper Linda.

We go to SBG every time we are in Wrightsville, usually more than once. We have NEVER had bad food here. It is always excellent! We have always had wonderful service, as well. Some of my favorite dishes are the clam chowder, the makers Mark salad and the squash frites. My husband loves the sweet potato crusted flounder and the SB tacos. We also love their fried pickles. The flourless torte and PB pie are our two favorite desserts. Highly recommend this restaurant!

This is an awesome spot. The food is so good. Sara, you are the best! All of the safe is great and on point. Quick and amazing service.

Had one of the best salads I’ve ever eaten- with roasted tomatoes, fried artichoke hearts and a delicious dressing. Also really enjoyed the black eyed peas appetizer and my son loved his sweet potato crusted flounder. Very family friendly, roomy, lots of natural light, and comfortable seating. Great for couples too.

Came home from living landlocked and needed ocean air and a fresh catch and got everything I was looking for! everything was cooked perfect hats off to the chef!

We were for late lunch and it was great experience! Service was good, it was a busy time although it was late it seems is popular place. Food was delicious and big enough for our hungry bellies! I will recommend this place.

Well we thought all was fine until about 2 am in the morning when a bad scallop had revenge.... I never have blackened anything, since I believe it is often used to mask older food and other issues, but I had read this was a "signature dish". My mistake. Another "permanent "" lesson learned..... never blackened anything again!

Grouper Linda was perfectly prepared and the food arrived quickly. It was a great night to enjoy someone else doing the cooking. The rest of my table loved the Sweet Potato Crusted Flounder. It was a beautiful night on their patio enjoying a cold draft beer. Great job to the staff for making a great evening.

Stopped for a drink and snack when we got into town Friday evening. Great service. Sat outside and we were taken very good care of by our waitress. Drinks were delicious and we had no complaints on size. Tried the peel and eat shrimp and the fried black eyed peas. Perfection on both!! The cocktail sauce was some of the best I've had!! Almost got an order of the fried peas to go lol

South Beach Grill was a happy find during my stay in Wrightsville Beach! It was less than a minute from where I was staying! The service was prompt and the ambiance was chill and laid back! The food was delicious and I was happy to know that this type of service and food is consistently delivered! I went back for drinks and spoke to many locals and they stated I made a good choice coming to this establishment!

I had the sweet potato crusted flounder with green beans and rice - it was the best fish I've ever had! My husband had the Carolina bbq platter with sweet potato wedges, which he shared. The wedges are delicious! He loved the bbq! This is the best meal we've had since vacationing in Wrightsville, NC

Every time I'm in Wrightsville I end up at South Beach Grill because of the consistently good service and fresh catch specials. Keep in mind that you will probably have to wait during peak days and times because it's a small place. My favorite dish there is the Grouper Linda, I always get it.... pictured with the swordfish pasta special (pic taken after we started eating, oops). Normally served with rice but they let me sub their succotash instead. Very casual beach spot that's been around long enough to be dependable.

YUM!!! We were visiting on vacation. We are from the south (Gulf Coast) and love seafood so we were ready to try great seafood on the Atlantic coast. This place did not disappoint. In fact we ate there twice on our trip. The staff is the sweetest and the food was simply amazing. Truly a hidden gem! I had the flounder both times . Give this little restaurant a try and it won't disappoint you.

Great service, great drinks, not a great beer selection but not a big deal. Also well priced for island food. Loved the seafood nachos

Fantastic dinner on a busy Saturday night. Chalk board specials were generously proportioned and the sun kissed shrimp were well flavored--a hint of spice and sweet from the honey. The shrimp and flounder platter was tasty--perfectly seasoned. The shrimp and grits were made to order and entirely customizable so that we were able to skip the Tabasco sauce. Server was on point. He had a great attitude and knowledgeable to answer all our questions. I will recommend to others.

South Beach Grill for the win again!! Can't go wrong, lunch or dinner, grabbing a quick bite or sitting down for a relaxing meal, here at South Beach to satisfy your appetite!! Had a delicious Fried Shrimp Makers Mark salad for lunch with some friends. The shrimp were a great size and super fresh!! The salad was crisp and the flavors were beautifully balanced and blended well together! So refreshing. Their fried pickles are a favorite choice for us as well!! We love the friendly, welcoming servers and the atmosphere is always fun! Great location coming from the beach!! It's a must stop for us!! We love South Beach Grill!

As locals who live on the island, we've been to South Beach Grill before, but our recent visit was incredibly disappointing. We started with a Caesar salad that never arrived. We had to remind our server after the entrées were brought out, and when the salad finally did come, it was drenched in dressing and completely inedible. We ate a bite each. I ordered the grouper topped with crab meat ($42), expecting a top level dish as it was a famous dish for them. Instead, it came out fully raw. While they did remake it, I unfortunately had already eaten part of the undercooked fish before realizing it. Despite these significant issues--a forgotten appetizer, inedible salad, and a raw entrée--nothing was comped on the check. In all our years dining out, we've never experienced a restaurant not offering anything to make up for this level of service failure. We really wanted to love our meal, especially being locals who support the island's restaurants. But this kind of experience makes it hard to recommend South Beach Grill anymore. We will not return

First time trying this restaurant because they have outside tables. When we got there I was like, ok just another beach restaurant nothing special. Boy was I wrong. The service is amazing, inside is really really cute and the food was absolutely delicious. The corn bread was so yummy. They have 5 prix fixe meals to choose from 4 to 630pm. We had the Coastal Frogmore Stew which I have never had before. It was sooooooo delicious with a side of succotash that was epic. I can't wait to back and try more food items because I am certain everything will be outstanding. Next time we will eat inside

With so many good restaurants in Wrightsville Beach and surrounding area this is always one of my favorites. The food is actually some of the best around. I love sitting outside although my only complaint is it's not directly on the water and you half the street between you and the water. Staff is always excellent. I'll be returning here many times in the future.

If you're looking for creative, seasonal offerings, South Beach Grill is your place. This is one of my favorite restaurants that I visited while in the Wilmington area. First, it's located just steps from the beach! We sat inside while we ate, but they have patio seating, which you should definitely take advantage of during nice weather. South Beach Grill is a casual and family-friendly restaurant, but the menu is anything but basic. It's chef-driven and features unique items, with "Chef's Chalkboard Specials" that change frequently. We especially enjoyed the cold beet gazpacho (with edible flowers sprinkled on top!) and the zucchini fries with pickled onions. The shrimp and grits had a cold cucumber and radish salad on top (yum), and the yellow lentil soup was warm and earthy. They do have a kids' menu, with your usual kid favorites like cheeseburgers and mac & cheese (which my children ordered). But the mac & cheese is slightly elevated and made with penne pasta. Nice! The peanut butter pie is a must-order. I'm not even sure it's on the regular menu -- it might have been a Chef's Chalkboard Special -- but if you see it on the menu, get it!

Wow. Just wow. South Beach Grill at 1005 S Lumina Ave somehow manages to ruin the concept of seafood right next to the ocean. It's like they caught the fish, then immediately decided to punish it for existing. My "grilled grouper" tasted like it had been steamed in regret and served with a side of last year's frozen vegetables. The service? A slow-motion trainwreck. Our server looked like they'd rather be anywhere else -- and honestly, I wanted to join them. We waited 45 minutes for soggy crab cakes and a cocktail that tasted like sunscreen and despair. The view was the only redeeming quality -- and even that couldn't distract from the sticky tables and blaring 2007 country music playlist on loop. If you enjoy paying top dollar for microwaved sadness and ambiance straight out of a DMV waiting room, you'll love this place. South Beach Grill? More like South Bleh Grille.

Haven't eaten their for some time and it was excellent but we went for a late lunch today. We had shrimp and blackened chicken tacos. The presentation is great but grilled shrimp was undercooked and the blackened chicken tacos were mediocre. My wife became ill shortly after and suspects the chicken. The key lime pie on a scale of 1 to 10 was about a minus 2, maybe old?

Everything about South Beach is always excellent. We visit almost every time we're at Wrightsville Beach. The service, food, and ambiance are consistently great. Last night we had the fried shrimp platter and scallop appetizer. Both were prepared perfectly and tasted fresh and delicious.

The one restaurant I never miss when I'm in town. The service is friendly and professional. The prices are more than reasonable. Especially for the quality, locally sourced, menu. Absolutely delicious meals, small plates, and nice cocktail/beer/wine selection. Every visit is better than the last! Not a chain, fresh traditional favorites and unique combinations with something for every taste and new menu items regularly. I can't tell you how much I love this spot! Plus, an amazing sunset view from the covered patio! Chef Michael Overman really takes pride in his work and he and the staff make this cozy spot shine!

My family and I have been coming to Wrightsville Beach for years and South Beach Grill is a place we always make sure we visit! The service is always great and we love the view. We had another great lunch at South Beach yesterday. The Lumina Burger, the Buffalo Chicken wrap and our favorite fried pickles were delicious. Great food, great atmosphere!

There seemed to be a lot of confusion about getting us seated. The hostess seemed confused. But once we were seated, we found the food delicious and our server was excellent. I've been eating clam chowder from Maryland to NYC to across New England and have never had a more delicious clam chowder than this one! It was loaded with fresh clams and thinly sliced potatoes. The corn bread was delicious and well prepared with small bits of real corn. I loved the texture and the flavor! The fried shrimp platter was great. Perfectly prepared, jumbo shrimp. The coleslaw was good and fries are fries. The blackened fish was tasty and the mashed red skinned potatoes were fresh. The water even tasted good here ( believe this matters because I couldn't drink at a few eateries). I would definitely dine here again. The location is great and just a walk way from our stay.

Once again, we had a great time! We sat outside and watched the beautiful sunset while we enjoyed our dinner. The sweet potato flounder was perfect, as was the grouper Linda! Our server, Maddy, was great. She made sure we had everything we needed and were happy with our food...which we were! I highly recommend South Beach Grill!

Excellent experience! Best food we had during our week stay. We had the sweet potato grouper and braised beef short ribs. Both excellent! Great flavor. Sat outside. Nice breeze.

We chose South Beach Grill for dinner. We eat here at least yearly when we visit. It's a favorite of local folks and you can't go wrong with that. They have indoor seating as well as outdoor patio tables. We sat outside and it was a great evening. The menu has some staples ( Grouper Linda, for one) and a rotating chef selection "chalk board menu". The seafood is locally sourced. We had the crispy corn meal dusted fried oysters to start. They were delicious! Served on a bed of greens with black eye peas and rice.I had the soft shell crab sandwich as my entree. So good!!! Perfect with a side of fries! The sandwich was dressed with house-made tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato. The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Our server brought sides of cocktail sauce and extra tartar sauce "just in case". Wonderful and friendly service!!My husband had Grouper Linda, pecan crusted perfection with green beans. Our friend had the Caesar salad which he said was very tasty. South Beach Grill also offers a fantastic cocktail menu, good wine selection and local beer. Consistently wonderful place to dine! Never disappoints!

After parking, it took a minute to find the restaurant off lumina. In a plaza of other shoppes. Saw the hype about "seafood nachos for 2" on fb. Decided to try. I was disappointed. A mushy conglomeration of melted cheese and what seemed to be seafood dip poured onto the house fried flour chips, which were a mix of fresh and stale. I'll stick to CB and the ahi tuna nachos. Fresher, better. The service was fine. I was impressed with the server who took orders from three tables and didn't write anything down! It was busy and loud with beach traffic and fussy kids for a Friday. If in the area, I might try other items, but not urgent nor on my list. Won't go out of my way.

Clam chowder is more like soup than a chowder. The seafood nachos for 2 is terrible. The hamburger was overcooked and bland. The French fries are some of the worst around. The service was good, and for that, it gets 2 stars. This place must survive on tourists' business. This place could be really good if they simply improved the kitchen. Get a good chef and pay attention to each plate.

The grouper was amazing! The service was amazing! Definitely would go back! And can't forget the key lime pie! The crust was a graham cracker pecan crust. Delicious! Unfortunately, I do not have any photos.

We love eating at South Beach. It is our number 1 go to restaurant. If the weather is nice, outside seating is very comfortable. Their farm raised catfish is delicious, the seafood nachos are number 1 in WIlmington. And my husbands favorite "Grouper Linda" is top notch. The service is always fast and friendly. One of the best in the area!

Stopped by South Beach Grill Thursday night for some appetizers. The Benne Shrrimp and the Crab and Seafood Nachos were delicious. If you're in the area looking for some amazing food, go to South Beach Grill!

South Beach Grill is our number one go to restaurant every time we are visiting Wrightsville Beach! The food, service, ambiance, and location are top notch. You can never go wrong with their Fried Pickles, Short Rib, or Black Eyed Peas. Delicious!!. There are days when we eat lunch and dinner at South Beach. The place is fantastic and I highly recommended South Beach Grill!

The view was nice from the patio. They have a good kids menu with the basics. I had the pesto pasta and it was amazing. My husband had the scallops and he said it was spot on. We also had the chocolate torte for dessert and that was definitely worth over eating a little for! The portions are perfect as well. Our waitress was also very nice and quick to refill drinks. She took the time to let our young kids order for themselves as well. We will definitely become regulars. I suggest going early as parking is very limited and it fills up quick.

First time at the South Beach Grill, and had a nice time. We sat outside, and despite being right next to the road and traffic signal, we found the space relaxing (this was early November - would not try this in-season). the service was very good, although there were a few issues with timing (the waiter was apologetic, but the problem was in the kitchen). The 'Sea-cuterie' Board had potential, but was heavy on smoked fish (which I liked), but strangely the cheddar and blue cheese were diced rather than sliced - very odd and hard to eat. The sliced baguette was grilled - really good, but it took a long while to get enough to finish the board. The clam chowder was fantastic - very smooth and tasty (but sent to the table way too quickly). The Grouper Linda and sweet potato flounder were both good, but the side vegetables were ordinary. Overall, highly recommended.

food took forever had to drive boat home in the dark. waited 50 min for a couple dishes

Fantastic food! We had the Carolina BBQ and the Eggplant and Shrimp. Great presentation and the taste was wonderful. Our waitstaff was pleasant and attentive. He offered suggestions and was spot on. Great place to dine here!

First time in Wrightsville Beach and my family arrived just before noon for lunch and decided on South Beach Grill. Love the name! They are on the main business strip. Parking can be from one of a few spot in their own lot, or meter parking limited to one hour. Dining can be indoor or outdoor. On a beautiful April day our party of three elected outdoors. Service was prompt and friendly by our male waiter bringing menus and put order in for drinks. The menu has a bit of everything hot and cold, so mist can find something that will work. We decided quickly and our waiter took down our selections. I decided on the Shrimp Po Boy after it was recommended. Food flowed out within 20-25 minutes. My wife got the burger, daughter club. The plates looked visually appealing and we were starved. We all agreed the food was average, nothing wrong, just average. When we finished up and ready for the bill we were passed several times by our waiter with plates obviously ready to pick up. It did pick up and the patio was now full. However wait staff are trained to not head back to the kitchen empty handed. This occurred several times until we stopped him to ask for the bill. Then he began clearing. Prices were fair to somewhat elevated, it's resort so all good. I always tip at 20% even if things may not be perfect. I think they best fit at 3.5, but rounding down with average food and hiccup clearing our plate to expedite the bill.

This place is always great, and now they have "shrimp and grits" , that I used to get from Causeway Cafe, but now it's at South Beach and it a different most beautiful beast to eat. My family got that and Seafood nachos and the BBQ and all the things. This place is very worth the visit.

In Wilmington on business and was recommended this place for a meal. We had to make reservations to get in. There were 5 of us and we all decided to order plates to share, Watermelon jalapeño margaritas were great. The seafood charcuterie was a disappointment. There was supposed to be two types of shrimp on it. Only the pimento shrimp salad made it. Calamari was one of the best dishes, along with the sweet potato crusted fish. They got my top two votes. Seafood nachos, seafood Mac and cheese, and fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese was at the bottom-but not so bottom I wouldn't eat them again, but I'd never eat a whole dish by myself. Service was very slow. Took a long time for drinks to arrive and it was well an hour after we ordered that the food came out. Instead of bringing the appetizers first they brought everything, which made it very hard to eat. I was very disappointed. The server was good, she got more than a standard 20% tip cause I wasn't about to wait around and have to ask for change. Once she left the bill with us she was nowhere to be seen. Prices on the other hand were quite good. For 5 with drinks, it was only 211 (pre tip). I probably would never choose to go back on my own because it's too busy and wasn't with the wait or the error in the one appetizer. The waitress never came back to ask if everything was ok after we got our plates and I wasn't about to ask everyone to hold off on eating until I asked about the shrimp on the appetizer plate. We sat outside, which was nice. It wasn't too loud.

The food here is always good and usually you can get seated fairly quickly but don't expect to get your food or drinks in a timely manner. You will wait 45mins just for a drink...

Second time eating there. Absolutely delicious! All 5 of us ordered different entrees and all were amazing! Excellent service. Caring and attentive manager. We live an hour away and we will be back!

I have been here numerous times with my family and the food has always been amazing. Its got the pefect beach seafood shack vibe... love the patio! The chef is really good at what he does... you gotta go!!

FRESH seafood straight from the ocean and you can taste the freshness. Great and quick service. We enjoyed!

They have the best custom dinners! We absolutely love the grouper and flounder! The food comes out pretty fast and the service is nice with great views!! we go every summer and we have never been disappointed!

Wonderful lunch there recently. The broiled shrimp were amazing. Chef Michael and Host Tristan made it a special occasion. Try them, you won't be disappointed!

Wow is all I can say. The food is not only delicious but the presentation is so impressive. They make down home food so special!! Chef Michael does such an amazing job! Highly recommend to anyone in the area or traveling through!

Great food and a friendly atmosphere. A must stop while in the Wrightsville Beach Wilmington area!

A usual favorite, but not as of yesterday. It's common to come here and expect the freshest seafood, and to expect the bathroom to not be as fresh as you'd like. But yesterday was a putrid example of that for both me and my guest. Food wasn't as good and it seemed as if others agreed by the state of their facilities. I was so grossed out by washing my hands in the bathroom that I could barely order and now wish I would've gone somewhere else.

Saturday night, 7/29/24, absolutely excellent food and service. Assured by the waitress, the eggplant stack was my choice. Wow, what a great meal. Crispy eggplant smothered in a delectable sauce, loaded with wonderful shrimp and slices of sausage. My goodness what a meal. Also at our table flounder powdered w/sweet potato breading, fried shrimp platter that was awesome and finally the 17 year old visiting young man had a steak. He wanted to take some of the sauce home. Four delicious meals. (The calamari wasn't great, but quickly overwhelmed by the excellent meals.). Five stars!

We dined here Sunday for lunch & we're seated immediately. The waitress was nice & quick. I ordered the blackened mahi mahi sandwich & my husband got the blacked mahi tacos. The side salad I got was kind of bland & not too much to it. His French fries were great, probably the best item of the meal. My sandwich was okay. Seemed to be missing some small flavor or seasoning. It's not a bad spot, but hasn't been our favorite.