The Basics

Brunch here on Labor Day was epic! We ordered the Crab Benedict with spinach, Southern Benedict with okra, and Blueberry Oatmeal Pancakes with peach cobbler yogurt. There was too much food, but everything was delicious. My favorites were the pancakes and the yogurt. Those biscuits are legit, too. Our meal was well worth the wait. We would definitely come back!!

Amazing place with delectable food. I’ve only had breakfast from here and it is always amazing. They have some extremely creative meals that never disappoint!

This place is exactly what I was looking for today. Yummy mango mimosa and an incredible brunch special (avocado, egg and smoked salmon on a delicious 2" slice of sourdough with this heavenly chipotle sauce). Even the side of fruit was gorgeous: pineapple, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and more. Add in the great service and good music, and you have the perfect brunch spot. I will make a point to come back here every time I'm in Wilmington!

The Basics is CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT in every way! The quality of the ingredients, the delicious dishes expertly prepared, and the southern sweetness from the friendly staff! I love this place, and eat here often. Their Carolina Cobb is the best salad in town (with fried chicken, a deviled egg, and bacon, it's a meal for lunch or dinner). Really great breakfasts, brunch, lunches, and dinners! Healthy or comfort food? Either way, often both, always excellent!

If you craze good flavors and fresh food without overdoing the dishes, The Basics doesn’t disappoint. Perfect portions of seafood and vegetables with unmatched flavor. Reasonably priced and ideal portions. You can’t go wrong with the menu or drink options. A must visit!

The reviews are accurate, cool relaxing place with good food at a reasonable price. The place isn't huge so you may have to wait since it is fairly popular. Portions good and the service is very good. I had the pork sandwich with slaw which was good and the cobb salad and that was very good with the blue cheese vinaigrette.

The Basics is an awesome place to eat, and I am VERY picky. I love the delicious options on the menu and drinks as well. One thing though is that the environment is VERY loud and traffic in every direction. The set up is weird. Also, the staff seem to be stressed out and unable to really offer you any attention, therefore it takes a while to get a meal here. Last, the hours are a bit different, and there have been times that we have tried to eat there, when they are closed, and that was always a let down.

The Basics is the casual friendly elevated dining experience downtown. The menu and staff alike are unique. The staff are an eclectic bunch of friendly people that are super attentive. While the food is clever twists on classic southern dishes. Everything might look very clean and simple but the flavors are anything but with huge bites and richness. It won’t break the bank either with mid range prices that are lower than what most would expect from a restaurant downtown.

excellent food, staff and music

You know that amazing feeling you experience when you sit down to a meal and realize you've never had anything QUITE like it? That's how I felt about this place, and the meal in the photo. Simply phenomenal, and all for a reasonable price!

Outstanding food. Great staff. Daily specials always make it a treat. Don't miss weekend brunch either!

This is some of the freshest and tastiest stuff you can get for lunch anywhere. Relaxed and music-themed atmosphere. Excellent service.

Food and service was mediocre for breakfast. The chicken biscuit had a huge pounded out chicken breast that was disproportionately large to the biscuit. It would have been much better to not pound it so thin so you can actually taste the chicken. The potato cake wasn't good. It's just mashed potatoes rolled in a ball with bread crumbs and fried. Everything need a little more seasoning.

I was walking back to my hotel and passed multiple restaurants. I decided to stop here because it had great reviews, the atmosphere looked good and the menu was unique. I’m glad I followed my instincts because this place was great! I got the hook special which was a catfish with black beans fresh vegetables and arugula. It was sooo good I’m still thinking about it. The wine was a Cabernet called Pendulum from Washington. It was the only cab they offered by the glass but I couldn’t have picked a better one if I tried. Very pleased with my dinner selection last night and look forward to my next trip back.

Good. I'd give it another shotLiked the shrinp & grits, spicy and could use some more bacon. Didn't care for tail on shrimp, hard to eat.Neat place.

Mushroom risotto. Fried green tomatoes. Some of the best mac n cheese in town. That's reason enough.

Absolutely delicious! I had the Carolina Cobb salad with blue cheese vinaigrette dressing. The dressing was different but amazing!

The staff is very upbeat, the food is excellent. Went for Sunday brunch and had a great time. Definitely worth a visit.

Found this quaint place online. The recommendations were spot on. My family and I loved our selections. Will definitely return.

Great food and really fast service. Prices are average depending on what you order. Will definitely eat here again.

Great service. Sit at the bar in front of the kitchen. It’s fun to watch the chefs and their well oiled machine.

Oh. My. God. We stopped here for breakfast while visiting friends in Wilmington, NC and it was incredible! Everyone was extremely friendly and the food was absolutely phenomenal. The Southern Benedict came out cooked perfectly and paired very well to their potato cake. I will definitely go back when in Wilmington.

Ordered the family BBQ dinner during #covidquarantine and it was amazing!! Ordering and pickup were a breeze. Super tasty BBQ, sides and sweet treats. We’re doing our best to support local spots during this time and The Basics, as always, did not disappoint!

If I could I'd give it 3.5 stars but while it was not bad, with the amount of restaurants in Wilmington, I would try another place. Everything was edible, somewhat tasty, the eggs, the potato cake (fried mashed potatoes), the pancakes (a bit doughy), the crispy bacon, the coffee. Service was good although it was busy being the morning of new years.

We came up to see a concert at the Wilson Center and stopped here for dinner. I had the butternut squash over risotto, fabulous. My girlfriend had the duck, she loved it. Very reasonably priced, you actually get more than what you pay for. My only disappointment is that it’s an hour drive from my home but I will come back.

Honestly the food was fantastic! We started with a spinach dip. The bred that came with it was fresh and toasted. Then we had pulled pork, mashed potatoes, and asparagus. The pork was well made and had a tangy sauce to go with it. The asparagus was delicious. The potatoes were tasty. Them we had the chefs special dessert. Lots of peaches. So friggin good. Highly recommend.

This is by far my favorite place to eat downtown! Breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner...never disappoints!!! The staff is fun, entertaining and always so kind and helpful! Some of my favorite people! Katelyn is the best server ever! Christie is the chef and that girl can cook!!! The crab cake eggs benedict on Saturday/Sunday brunch is to die for! The potato cake as a side is a must! The risotto will make you cry (in a good way)! The fish is fresh. You really can't go wrong! My bestie loves the Mac n Cheese side and the BLT! You won't be disappointed!

Basic is a cool place! Great tasting food with superior service. The waitress takes care or your order but as soon as is ready at the kitchen counter another person delivers. This fact certainly improves the quality of your food upon arrival.

I ate an outstanding lunch here. This is one of the best burgers that I have ever had. All the food for our large party looked amazing. The service was super professional, attentive, and friendly. Highly recommended. #travelformortals

Excellent food and service. It's a must try if you haven't.

Brought my husband to The Basics for a birthday dinner. The service was wonderful from the start. We ordered cocktails, one Old Fashioned and one Dark & Stormy. They were absolutely beautiful and delicious. He got the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer and I got the crab cakes. Without exadurating, we both closed our eyes from enjoyment with each bite. Incredible. The best of our experience came when our entrees arrived. My husband ordered filet mignon and I ordered the lamb chops. The lamb chops made me want to stop people walking by on the streets to tell them how amazing the lamb chops are. The Basics made our night and my husband thanks everyone there for a great birthday!

Victoria was the hostess and our waitress!! Gorgeous attitude!!! Ordered the breakfast special, potato cakes with gruyere cheese, over easy eggs, and a tomato chutney. Oh and Canadian ham somewhere in there. Side was a blueberry pancake. DELICIOUS!!! Great suggestion from the valet parking guy at Hampton Inn around the corner. My girlfriend ordered the Southern Eggs Benedict. VERY GOOD ALSO!!! Great experience, great food, and great service. Loved it!!