Dennis's Guidebook
Pub Crawl
A four block walk from Pontiac Place (10 min walk), fantastic selection of excellent beers! And if you become a Beer Ambassador member (good for one year) then every time you order a regular pint, they give you a giant 22oz mug of beer instead! Wednesday is Ambassador Appreciation night, where mugs are almost half off!
Order pizza from Pizzeria Don Luca, and they'll deliver it to you at Ed Teach!
60 locals raden deze aan
Edward Teach Brewing
604 N 4th StA four block walk from Pontiac Place (10 min walk), fantastic selection of excellent beers! And if you become a Beer Ambassador member (good for one year) then every time you order a regular pint, they give you a giant 22oz mug of beer instead! Wednesday is Ambassador Appreciation night, where mugs are almost half off!
Order pizza from Pizzeria Don Luca, and they'll deliver it to you at Ed Teach!
Fantastic outdoor patio scene, often a food truck onsite, and a great selection of experimental beers and sours. Just two blocks from Pontiac Place (5 min walk).
84 locals raden deze aan
Flytrap Brewing
319 Walnut StFantastic outdoor patio scene, often a food truck onsite, and a great selection of experimental beers and sours. Just two blocks from Pontiac Place (5 min walk).
Opera Room
119 Grace StreetThis is our favorite dive bar in town. Cheap drinks with an 80's skater punk vibe.
Man, this place is a scene! And the party never stops! Even in the middle of a hurricane, Slainte never shuts down. Stagers hang out on the front benches to watch the nightly downtown parade. Good chance you'll see Pontiac neighbors there! If they're drinking shots of Jameson picklebacks, do not try to keep up!!!
11 locals raden deze aan
Slainte Irish Pub
7 N Front StMan, this place is a scene! And the party never stops! Even in the middle of a hurricane, Slainte never shuts down. Stagers hang out on the front benches to watch the nightly downtown parade. Good chance you'll see Pontiac neighbors there! If they're drinking shots of Jameson picklebacks, do not try to keep up!!!
Lula's
138 S Front StA cool underground dive bar with a nice foosball table!
River Rat
110 South Front StreetA tight, narrow, bar, often packed with friendly folks and cool bartenders!
Food Scene
Right across the street, in the original Cotton Exchange, eat at The Basics! Breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, the owner and staff are all friendly and the food is delicious!
77 locals raden deze aan
The Basics
319 N Front StRight across the street, in the original Cotton Exchange, eat at The Basics! Breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, the owner and staff are all friendly and the food is delicious!
Our current favorite nice dinner joint! Thai elements fused with Southern cuisine, this place is just incredible!!
19 locals raden deze aan
Dram Yard
101 S 2nd StOur current favorite nice dinner joint! Thai elements fused with Southern cuisine, this place is just incredible!!
A sport-bar scene, with lots of seating, and an excellent selection of wings, from sweet to fire! My favorite are the Nashville Hot Wings, which come with house pickles!
31 locals raden deze aan
Rebellion NC
15 S Front StA sport-bar scene, with lots of seating, and an excellent selection of wings, from sweet to fire! My favorite are the Nashville Hot Wings, which come with house pickles!
Home town pizza bar! One of our favorite places in town! Open late!
46 locals raden deze aan
Slice of Life Pizzeria & Pub Downtown
125 Market StHome town pizza bar! One of our favorite places in town! Open late!
Best roof-top river view restaurant, with incredible truffle fries and I love the bison sliders.
7 locals raden deze aan
Aloft Wilmington at Coastline Center
501 Nutt StreetBest roof-top river view restaurant, with incredible truffle fries and I love the bison sliders.
A classy bar, good food, and amazing deals on their happy hour menu! My favorites are their Cesar salad and their mussels!
79 locals raden deze aan
Circa 1922
8 N Front StA classy bar, good food, and amazing deals on their happy hour menu! My favorites are their Cesar salad and their mussels!
I love the birria taco which comes with a spicy dipping jus! You don't even have to cross a street to get there from Pontiac Place! It's right on our block!
tacobaby
125 Grace StreetI love the birria taco which comes with a spicy dipping jus! You don't even have to cross a street to get there from Pontiac Place! It's right on our block!
An easy 15min walk along the river. My favorite time to go to Marina Grill is weekend brunch!
29 locals raden deze aan
Marina Grill
18 Harnett StAn easy 15min walk along the river. My favorite time to go to Marina Grill is weekend brunch!
This is the best restaurant on the river. Some of those other places are just for tourists.
46 locals raden deze aan
Pilot House Restaurant
2 Ann StThis is the best restaurant on the river. Some of those other places are just for tourists.
Elijah's
2 Ann StNice outdoor space right on the river!
Decadent ice cream and delectable sweets, all made in house! An easy walk from Pontiac!
65 locals raden deze aan
Kilwin's Chocolates
16 Market StDecadent ice cream and delectable sweets, all made in house! An easy walk from Pontiac!
This was a downtown staple for years! They moved out to Wrightsville Beach in 2023. Great burgers, especially their elk burger! And I love their wild boar soup! Current focus is exotic meat pizzas.
17 locals raden deze aan
Platypus & Gnome
7205 S Front StThis was a downtown staple for years! They moved out to Wrightsville Beach in 2023. Great burgers, especially their elk burger! And I love their wild boar soup! Current focus is exotic meat pizzas.
I grew up in San Francisco, with access to lots of excellent sushi. Genki is the only sushi in town I will eat, and it is excellent! A 10min drive from Pontiac, but worth it.
15 locals raden deze aan
Genki Sushi
4724 New Centre DriveI grew up in San Francisco, with access to lots of excellent sushi. Genki is the only sushi in town I will eat, and it is excellent! A 10min drive from Pontiac, but worth it.
Just over a mile away from Pontiac Place, the short drive is worth it for excellent beers and some of the best pizza in town is wood-fired next door at Cugino Forno Pizzeria!!
28 locals raden deze aan
Hi-Wire Brewing - Wilmington
1020 Princess StreetJust over a mile away from Pontiac Place, the short drive is worth it for excellent beers and some of the best pizza in town is wood-fired next door at Cugino Forno Pizzeria!!
Great grilled mahi sandwiches and zesty lemon pepper fries overlooking the Intracoastal!
46 locals raden deze aan
Fish House Grill
1410 Airlie RdGreat grilled mahi sandwiches and zesty lemon pepper fries overlooking the Intracoastal!
Tiki bar
Great little mahi sandwich while you sit on the beach pier!
Entertainment
An incredible historic theater, just two blocks from Pontiac Place (8min walk).
101 locals raden deze aan
Thalian Hall
310 Chestnut StAn incredible historic theater, just two blocks from Pontiac Place (8min walk).
An easy 15min walk to the Live Oak Bank Pavillion Riverfront Amphitheater! Outdoor concert venue.
70 locals raden deze aan
Riverfront Park
North Water StreetAn easy 15min walk to the Live Oak Bank Pavillion Riverfront Amphitheater! Outdoor concert venue.
A modern performance space, just four block from Pontiac Place (10min walk).
41 locals raden deze aan
Wilson Center at Cape Fear Community College
703 N 3rd StA modern performance space, just four block from Pontiac Place (10min walk).
Transportation
Getting around.
Less than 10 minutes away from Pontiac Place door-to-door!
22 locals raden deze aan
Wilmington International Airport
1740 Airport BoulevardLess than 10 minutes away from Pontiac Place door-to-door!
Sightseeing
This is a cool aquarium just a 45 minute drive away. And they just had TWO BABY OTTERS born there!
550 locals raden deze aan
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
900 Loggerhead RdThis is a cool aquarium just a 45 minute drive away. And they just had TWO BABY OTTERS born there!