In response to vast interest in this topic (location, food quality, prices ($ to $$$), kid friendly?):
- Deluxe: downtown, very yummy, $$$, leave kids at home
- Jerry's: Right before the Wrightsville Beach bridge, very yummy, $$$, leave kids at home
- Caffe' Phoenix: downtown, yummy, $$, kids OK but leave them at home if you can
- Elijah's: downtown with river views, yummy, $$, kids OK but leave them at home if you can
- The Oceanic: Wrightsville Beach with ocean views, yummy, $$, kids OK but leave them at home if you can
- Indochine: crummy location, yummy (Thai), $$, kids OK but leave them at home if you can
- South Beach: Wrightsville Beach with a view of the ICWW, yummy, $$, kids OK but leave them at home if you can
There are other good ones rated "yummy" (e.g., Pilot House, K-38, Circa 1922, Dockside, Bluewater) but these are my favorites. Anything else is rated "kind-of yummy" and you can find those on your own.
One final tip: order seafood (but not if Tilapia [actually leave if you hear this one as I did at a decent restaurant that won't be named] or Spanish Mackerel is the catch of the day).
One more final tip: Grab a beer at Front Street Brewery and maybe an appetizer, but forget the meal.
Still another: Port City Java for coffee.
And another: Take the Cape Fear to Southport ferry and hit The Provision Company for lunch (but not on the weekend).
