Sunday 20th of November 2016 08:06:05 PM

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When in North Carolina (for beer geeks), THE place to go is Ashville, in the Western part of the state.

However, since wife Perismmon & I were on the Eastern "coast", it was not feasible to drive the 350 miles to the one of the alleged Best Beer areas in the good ol' USofA.

So, for the one night were we there, we headed into downtown Wilmington, to see what we could see.

What we saw was Front Street Brewing, recommended by the young lady at the concierge desk in our hotel.

Let me just say that if I should return to the area, I will spend at least another day (if not 2) if this little, Southern oasis.

Front Street had some OK beers, a a coupla that were outstanding. As a plus, the head brewer (Christoper) offered us a sample of their Tiny Tim 2016 Xmas Ale, not yet ready for consumption (not carbonation) but full of Xmas spirit and vitality. The St. Stans Baltic had an interesting nutty flavor on the back side setting apart from others of the same ilk.

The service was commendable, the atmosphere acceptable (no loud TV's and music), the food delectable, the beer agreeable.

A block away from the Cape Fear River, I was sorry to have to leave the town after one brief evening. I will come back for certain to re-taste and re-experience Front Street as well as the other breweries / brewpubs in town.

Who needs Charleston?

Saturday 15th of December 2012 06:31:07 PM

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Front Street Brewery is a gem. They have a great selection of beers and the food is quite good. When I was there they must have had at least 10 different ales available and I got a flight of 5 which contained; Absurdity, Coastal Kolsch, Dram Tree Scottish Ale, Oktoberfest and Port City IPA. I liked all of them but my favorite of this group was the Oktoberfest. Front Street will definitely warrant another visit the next time I am in Wilmington.

Thursday 18th of October 2007 07:20:27 PM

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This was the first visit to Front Street in quite awhile. We were seated promptly in the upstairs area and at no time did we smell any smoke. The draft list required a trip downstairs to view the offerings and the board seemed pretty well rounded.

The beers were ok, nothing to go crazy over, but a nice pint if you drift in. The service was good and attentive. The food could use a kick in the pants. Our appetizer was good as were our entrees, but they could have been so much more. The grouper was just a skinch overcooked but the rice and asparagus which came with it, were perfect. The buffalo shrimp appetizer was good, but just seemed to be heavy on the heat.

I'll certainly drift back to Front Street when in Wilmington, but probably not for $17 entrees that don't make it past good.

Monday 28th of May 2007 11:54:41 AM

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Parking can be a problem. It’s downtown so you’ll need to find a spot and feed the meter.

As you enter, the beer brewing apparatus is prominently displayed on the left. They had quite a few (8 or 9) of their own beers on tap. I had the Scottish Ale (good) Belgian Wit (marginal) and the Oatmeal Stout (good.)

I was impressed by the menu. My wife had a Cuban sandwich, which was OK. I had a crab cake sandwich and cole slaw… both very good. We also had a cream of wild mushroom soup, which was excellent.

Prices were pretty normal. The coupon I happened upon made the meal a better deal. It’s in a nice area for a walk afterward.

They are still working out a few kinks from re-opening. The waiter forgot the soup so he apologized and gave a bowl at the price of a cup. They are still working on some items, like samplers and growlers.

All in all, it’s a good place. I will definitely go back.