Bridgewater Wines+Dines — Restaurant in Kirkland

This store/ restaurant has been open for about three months. Their first location was in Leland and that is where they learned their business. This location has a larger inventory of wines from all over the world. I think it is the largest that I have seen, I am pretty sure it is larger than Costco’s and Harris Teeters.

They have a free wine tasting on Thursday, Friday and Saturday starting a 4PM, you get to taste 5 different wines. Each day is presented by a different wine distributor. Fifteen wines in one week, where else beside California are you going to find this.

Now for the food, we can only speak of what I had at it was delicious. My wife had their Meatball which is listed under their “Small and Not so Small Plates” They were three meatballs aptly described as “ not so tiny meatballs with house-made marinara sauce, a dallop of chilled ricotta, shaved parmesan, & fresh basil. The meal was the perfect size and she said it was delicious. I ordered the Reuben Flatbread which consisted of Swiss cheese, mozzarella cheese, corn beef, sauerkraut, finished with a special sauce & and sprinkled with caraway seeds. The special sauce didn’t replace Thousand Island, but it was good. There were two pieces of flat bread, if it wasn’t so good, I could have easily taken one home, but I ate both of them.

For dessert I made a mistake that I am going to regret but it was too good to pass up. We ordered the Chocolate Fondue “warm fondue with dippers”. The Chocolate is Belgium Chocolate, and it is creamy and delicious and definitely not on my diet, but I don’t give a dam. If I die, I’ll die happy.

My only criticism is the way the display their wines. I understand why they do it, space limitations, but I’m old school and believe wine should not be stood up. Now I understand that more wines are using rubber stoppers and screw on caps as sealers, so the position of the bottle is not important. For quality wines that still use cork to seal the bottle the position the bottle is stored in is still important. In the standing position the cork can dry out allowing air to get in. Oxygen and wine make vinegar. If you have a high enough turnover, you don’t have a problem. If you, don’t you have an expensive and lousy tasting salad dressing, I’ve had one.

Before I finish this review, I have to say something about the service. It rivels he best I have seen in Wilmington. ALL the waitstaff are interested in seeing that you enjoy your meal. Our waitress, Brook, went beyond her requirements. When our desert came out it was missing the Don Nut Holes. Since we have never been there before, we would have never noticed it, but she did. Dipped in chocolate they were fantastic. It would have been a small enjoyment that I would have missed if it wasn’t for her attention to detail.

Everything considered, I’d give them six stars if I could. If you are visiting Wilmington, you have to put this location on your agenda for a Thursday, Friday, or...

I have been here numerous times, including a small event with a party of 8 back in May that went very well. I took some out-of-town guests here last Monday for their first experience . I made a reservation for 5:30. We were the only ones in the restaurant for 30 minutes. They had a brand new menu and we ordered the charcuterie plate for four, the tuna tartar, tower, and the mushroom flatbread. Our server was fairly new, but Tony was a seasoned employee. At 6 o’clock several parties arrived and we noticed they were all getting their food and we still hadn’t received anything. We were going to a show downtown and needed to leave at a quarter till seven thinking we would have plenty of time. We asked the server the status and she told us it was coming soon. We eventually got the charcuterie platter and the flatbread at 6:15, 45 minutes after sitting down and ordering. (With 3 other tables well into their meals) Our server couldn’t tell us what the cheeses were on the platter nor the meats and they weren’t described in the menu- so who knows I asked her to please cancel the tuna tartar as we would not have time to eat it at this point. Five minutes later, Tony brought the platter out to us anyway. Nobody brought us anything to serve these appetizers with. Tony, who was standing behind the bar doing nothing was impossible to get the attention of and when asked for a spoon to serve, they brought one spoon for three hors d’oeuvres and four people. I had to ask multiple times to get additional serving spoons. Nobody wants to use the same fork to pick up your items when you’re sharing. It was an extremely frustrating experience and they were clearly understaffed, but especially so since Tony was doing virtually nothing This was such a poor experience, I really hesitate to bring people who have never been to Bridgewater there again. I was completely embarrassed, having talked up the restaurant and how good the food and service is. Very...

My wife and I recently dined at Bridgewater at Porters Neck in Wilmington, NC, and I cannot speak highly enough of the exceptional service provided by our server, Tony. From the moment we were seated, Tony’s warm and welcoming demeanor set the tone for an outstanding dining experience. His professionalism and attention to detail were evident in every interaction, ensuring that our needs were met with genuine care and efficiency. Tony demonstrated an impressive knowledge of the menu, offering thoughtful recommendations that perfectly complemented our preferences. His suggestions elevated our meal, showcasing his expertise and passion for providing an unforgettable dining experience. He was attentive without being intrusive, checking in at just the right moments to ensure our drinks were refilled and our dishes were timed perfectly. What truly stood out was Tony’s ability to make us feel valued and appreciated. His friendly conversation and personalized service created a warm, inviting atmosphere that made our evening truly special. He handled every request with a smile, even accommodating special dietary needs with ease and professionalism. It’s clear that Tony takes pride in his work, and his dedication to exceptional service reflects the high standards of Bridgewater at Porters Neck. Tony’s outstanding service turned our meal into a memorable occasion, and I would highly recommend dining at Bridgewater and requesting him as your server. He is a true asset to the team, and I look forward to returning for another exceptional experience. Thank you, Tony, for making our visit...