Board & Barrel

Overall, I’m giving them 5 stars because of the friendliness of one of the bartenders, Elizabeth. She was very helpful and one point, recommending a drink when they didn’t carry my favorite wine. As for eating there, we had the breakfast buffet, which was as expected for a hotel. The food was tasty and plentiful. The servers were polite.

As hotel restaurants go, this one is definitely very good. As a vegetarian I do wish they had a few more options for those of us who are meat free, but that said, the Tomato Pie I had was absolutely scrumptious and being that I live across the street from the hotel, I will definitely be going back just to have that again. As for the service, my party and I did come in late and it was clear that our server was not thrilled to have a new table come in so close to closing time and she had a bit of a detectable attitude at first. In all fairness to her, she did rally and became a bit more pleasant as our meal progressed, but she should have done a better job hiding her feelings about seating a late table. Where Board and Barrel really shines though, is with their bar. This was the 2nd time my parents were in town this summer and their second stay at the hotel and my mother could not say enough about Grace, the bartender and my sister who was also here for this visit also sang Grace's praises. She takes mixology to a true art form. As locals, my husband and I will definitely be going back to visit Grace and enjoy her wonderful alcoholic and non alcoholic libations!!!

We were guests at the Ballast Hotel so we went down for a quick bite. The food was delicious, the view was amazing (sunset with the Battleship) but the real star….the amazing service! It’s been a long time since we’ve had service this great. The waitress, hostess and manager all worked together so well. They kept us filled up with drinks, asked about our food, and were super attentive the entire time. We tried the crab waffles & fish tacos which were both yummy. Also, the tea was yummy! Great job everyone 😀

Wow! Just. Wow. Stayed the night recently with a special lady friend. However, I spent most of the time at the bar with Grace. Her cocktail and spirits knowledge is truly second to none in Wilmington. The menu she has curated there is impressive, thoughtful, and exciting. Best gin and tonic I’ve ever had (no, seriously). Needless to say, my special lady friend is no longer talking to me but totally worth it. 10/10 recommend

Simple venue inside the Ballast hotel in Wilmington, NC. Service is poor on tables due to minimal personnel. Bar is great with good selection of Bourbons, Scotches, and Vodkas. Excellent bartenders and a short , but very good menu. Recommended for an afternoon with friends having good drinks and simple good tasting food.

We were a group of four just wanting cocktails. We sat at the bar and the bartender was Grace. She was amazing! She didn't just make our drinks she crafted each one with care and creativity. Our drinks were spectacular! Grace was easily engaged in conversation and is very knowledgeable about the art of cocktail making and spirits in general. We had a delightful and relaxing time and look forward to returning.