Catch

Five stars all day long. I have been wanting to try this place for a while and can’t find a better excuse than Valentine’s Day. There isn’t much to say other than «why did I wait this long to come here?» The food was immaculate. The starting Caesar salad was an indicator when I almost licked the plate clean. The meal that I had was molasses ribs with fried spicy shrimp on top with grilled zucchini and curry sweet potato salad. This is the closest thing to a perfect meal that I have ever had. Every single component to this plate was awesome by itself but together, it really justified why the chef was so esteemed and great at what he did. To round it off, the dessert wasn’t too shabby either, the chocolate bundt cake with fresh whipped cream… Holy smokes. The ambience of this place was really awesome and signaled date night or special occasion restaurant. The was special and must change with the season and not varied if you aren’t looking for seafood dishes or if you are looking to eat on the cheap. It was very refreshing to see a seafood menu and not see just popcorn shrimp with fries or other very cliché items one would find at a seafood restaurant. I’d give more than five stars for this restaurant.

We were excited to try this place as we just moved into Wilmington. We made reservations after a failed attempt to drop in on a Saturday evening previously. So, I would highly suggest to make reservations just so you aren’t disappointed if you can’t get a table.
We had deviled sriracha eggs with fried oysters on top as a starter. These were not a standard menu choice, but they were by far my favorite part of our entire meal. They were very good and delicious. The fried component with the creaminess of the deviled egg and the hint of heat and flavor from the sriracha was wonderful. Highly recommend these!
My husband had the drink special of cucumber bliss (?) and I had citrus sangria. Our drinks were pretty bland and not very good. We were really hoping for some delicious drinks with our meal and they both fell flat on flavor and delivery.
My husband had the shrimp and grits and I had the crab cakes that had a yukon potato purée and a bed of spinach. The food was good, but I felt like we weren’t that impressed with the flavor. The shrimp was a bit over cooked and my meal was pretty bland tasting overall.
We shared a trio layer chocolate cake with a ganache and a nut crusted bottom. It was very sweet, almost overly sweet.
Our bill came out to around $ 117 without a tip. For that price in a smaller city, I was really hoping for a meal we would be able to rave about. I just felt really disappointed we aren’t able to relay that from our experience. I just think it is a bit overpriced for what we experienced for Wilmington.
The inside is very casual and relaxed, which is surprising. The service was good. I would skip the specialty drinks and dessert though. Hard to say if we will return. We travel a lot and I feel like for $ 140 with a tip, we could have a flawless meal easy in Vegas or San Fran.

Catch gets better every time I go. Chef Keith was around (always nice to see), and the food and service reflected that. Perfectly seasoned and creative dishes. I had one of their specials — scallops with mussels, with sweet potato purée, bok choy, and a Thai coconut sauce. Wow. So fresh, so well-​cooked. Beautiful illustration of Keith’s signature southern/​Asian fusion. Loved every bite. Our server, was friendly and helpful, and attentive. We were served by all other waitstaff, as well. They obviously are working really well as a team, helping each other where they can.
Such a lovely experience. Highly recommend.

Upon walking up to this establishment, I knew immediately that I was actually «at the right place.»
The ambiance was casual yet elegant upon walking in.
I got a little frightened when I saw the sanitation rating which was lower than normal places. Just then, the «dirty oysters» arrived and I was blown away. Oyster, sautéed Kale, pimento cheese, bacon (it could have had dirt on it, I wouldn’t have cared).
From that point forward, I was in pure culinary bliss.
Mahi mahi and swordfish for the main dish. Chocolate fantasy and banana fosters crème brûlée to follow.
The staff was friendly and entertaining.
The true beauty of this restaurant was the interaction we saw between a satisfied customer, to the waitress, who immediately conveyed the patrons appreciation to the «Cook» who was slaving away making his masterpieces. Turns out he was the owner too.
This chain reaction of appreciation and positive environment led to a fantastic dinner experience.
You have to check this place out!

Wonderful. As good as it gets. We almost drove right on by. I wanted my fiancée to have a great birthday and he selected this place for his dinner as he had heard wonderful things about the chef. Casually cool and candle lit inside, we chose to be seated off to the side. We had the Calamari to start which served with both a sweet chili sauce and a sriacha aioli. The bread we had was nicely complemented with a balsamic-​pesto.
Entrees! I chose the salmon which was cooked to a perfect med-​rare over sooo delicious rice noodles (my chef fiancée thinks they were sauteed in plum wine) with baby bok choi, beet, and thai basil. He chose the special, the swordfish over grits. It got quiet on the table from his side which is always a good sign. This place is a diamond. Fantastic service and top notch quality food. We will definitely be back.

Really amazing food, but the service was impeccable! I made a reservation through open table where I left a note about it being my husbands birthday. I made no other arrangements and was as surprised as hubbie when a chocolate lava cake landed at our table for him. AND the review I read about their coffee being awesome was Absolutely right! So many restaurants can’t do that simple thing right, end your meal with a cup!
Crab cakes so lumpy and flavorful! Oscar ribeye was good flavor but nothing special. Lava cake was great!

You can always count on Catch for a great meal and customer service. Chef also does a fun night out at the cooking classes. Made a great birthday present for a mom and adult son night out.

Don’t be fooled by the outside. This is a hidden gem. The complex flavors of each dish, the specialty drinks and even the background music were fantastic.

Oh my goodness! The food was absolutely delicious! Jessica at the bar where my husband and I ate because we did not make reservations was a delight! Friday and Saturday must make reservations as it is small! Do not be in a hurry as it is worth the wait!

Put in your dumb cliché here «» but this food was better than … Oh my. The shrimp and grits was fantastic. Like seriously one of the best things I have ever eaten. A cross between Chinese conji and Japanese food with a bunch of the south thrown in. BAM! The wait was excessive once food was ordered and they charge a small fortune however I would pay it and wait for it all over again.

This is about Catch, owned by Chef Keith and Angela Rhodes. I’ve never had a bad meal there, the quality is outstanding and the fact they use locally sourced seafood and locally grown veggies makes me smile. I like knowing where my food comes from. Tonight, they surpassed any meals I’ve ever eaten at catch since they opened the doors at their tiny downtown princess street location. The mussels were perfect, the surprise baby crab cakes with nc chowchow was tangy, the lobster crab soup was the bomb, seared scallops, oh my goodness, and the buttermilk pie by resident pastry chef Kristen Rhodes, was better than grandmas! I cannot stress to you the amazing quality of the food Chef Rhodes sends out if his kitchen! If I were not so full I would have eaten more! Oh I almost forgot the scallop ceviche, which I have not tried yet, but was beautiful. Go to Catch, eat good food, thank me later.

Delicious food from warm and caring owners. Catch catered my mother’s 70^th birthday for 100 people. All the food, particularly, the various seafood items, salads, and chicken wings, were outstanding. My entire family, full of food snob New Yorkers (like me) who say what is on their mind, loved it. On top of that, Keith, Angela (the husband-​and-​wife owners) and their entire crew were on top of every detail from start to finish. They left our house as spotless as they found it and anticipated our every need. Truly a world class experience.

As soon as we arrived, we were wondering if we drove to the wrong location. The staff here must get that a lot, because outside of the restaurant, it says «yes you’re in the right place!» Nice atmosphere, and photos of the sea/​sea creatures are decorated on the walls.
We shared the scallop ceviche, and the sweet potato salad. That salad was to die for! They’re famous for it. We both got the crab cakes dinner, and every part of it was delicious, from the seasoned greens, to the creamy mashed potatoes. Then, we finished off our dinner with a bananas foster crème brûlée, topped with blackberries and whipped cream. It was by far one of the most amazing desserts we’ve ever had!
The staff was top notch! Very personable and attentive.
We will be coming to this place again next time we’re in town.

Very tasty. We had the oyster app, grouper special, and a drunken lobster special. For me the highlight was the oysters, which were fried and accompanied by some veggies and very tasty chunks of pork belly.
The grouper was good and came accompanied with sweet potatoes, wilted kale, and crab meat. This was yummy. The lobster fell a bit short however. It was cooked perfectly, but was very pricey and only came with a small portion of fried rice. I would have liked a veggie of some sort.
Overall, very good food, but also very pricey.

Fine dining, while casual and unpretentious. Great crab cake (at least get it as an appetizer if not the dinner) with a wonderful drizzled lobster bisque-​like sauce (I’d ask for more of this). They can cook things rare, as they should, but be aware of that and ask if that’s an issue. Lots of «not on the menu» daily specials which are very special. .
Warm chocolate cake wasn’t like a runny lava cake, but was very good.
Key Lime penne cotta was delicious.
Amazing draft beers, though a small selection. Full bar.
Wonderful service.
Food truck: best brussel sprouts you’ll ever have. Really.

I have wanted to go to Catch since I saw Chief Keith on Masterchief. It lived up to every expectation. Service was fantastic. The wine list is great. We had Fire cracker shrimp, grilled octopus and fisherman’s chowder for apps. Wok fried lobster and blackened scamp for the mains. It was by far the best lobster I have ever had. I can’t wait to go back.

Appetizers at the bar of Catch this evening. I called about the $ 10 Tapas Tuesday, which is $ 10 select apps. I’m not sure that they still promote this, as it was a winter promotion, but they said they would do it, so I stopped in.
I started with the Cajun Fried Oysters, which were fried perfectly, sitting a top wilted baby spinach, a warm Roma tomato, and chunks of crispy pork belly. The oysters were topped with a creamy, delicious roumalade sauce. I followed that dish with the Lobster Roll Slider and substituted the pomme frites with the crispy, fried Parmesan Brussels sprouts. The bun was soft, the lobster salad delicately seasoned and fresh, and the Brussels sprouts out of this world!
Service was terrific from my initial phone call, until the moment I left. My server, Liz, is always very knowledgable of the menu and describes the dishes perfectly. Ricky is a top notch bartender and offers a creative, innovative cocktail list. He made me a fantastic ginger-​orange cocktail that was refreshing; a sip of of sunshine in a glass. The prices were fair and the experience outstanding. Always a favorite. Check them out soon, they’re releasing their spring menu any day now and it is sure to please.

Check in on smartphone to receive a free glass of wine with entrée.
Very well thought of by both fellow Unilocalers, and some locals. Thus, we dined here tonight.
Menu is terrific; varied with seafood, poultry, and meat. The descriptions speak of creativity.
Everything we ate was very good, or better:
Dozen oysters for $ 24, I thought was expensive. They were fresh and salty/​briny.
Grill grouper was properly prepared, yet @ $ 32, a tad expensive. Succotash complement was described as crab/​corn/​etc, yet was overly corny. They missed providing the wilted greens, so we ordered a side portion.
Angry/​drunken lobster @ $ 40 was delicious, but again, a tad expensive. Excellent taste of chili oil. Bok choy was good instead of the truffled rice.
Chocolate bundt cake @ $ 7, a/​k/​a molten lava cake was sweet, yet not nearly as warm and «flowing» as it should have been.
Wine selections by the glass were excellent in variety, and value @ $ 8−10/glass.
Service by Chelsea & Melissa was MOST excellent!!!
All in all, a very good choice for dinner, but definitely overpriced. Dinner was $ 144, plus tax/​tip.

Catch makes my tastebuds wish I was a Food Network judge for a living.
Things I loved:
–Fresh local ingredients
–Creative southern flavors with Asian influences
–Beautiful presentation
–Delicious daily specials
Ambiance: yes, the outside is deceiving. It looks like a tiny strip mall shop, but open the doors to find yourself immersed in the warm glow of candlelight, engaging conversation, modern (but simple) décor, and delectable libations.
Service: really top notch, what I would expect of servers at very high end restaurants like Le Cirque in Las Vegas
Drinks: you know those bartenders that can look at a person and know what kind of drink would be right for them? Yeah, Catch has just that vibe to their full bar. I had the Pepper Peach Cocktail. Holy amazing… We had to try and recreate this magic at home it was just that good
Food: just. Amazing. Period. everything we ordered happened to be from the specials, but it seems some are recurring features (ie. drunken lobster)
Blue crab claw scampi — local crab caught that day, beautiful presentation, and did I mention tasted great too? We used the sour dough bread to sop up the scampi sauce to savor every morsel of that deliciousness
Soft shell crab entrée — if you love soft shell crab, you’ll love this. Healthy portions of meaty perfectly fried crab. Yum!
Drunken lobster — 1.5 lbs of fresh Maine lobster steamed and marinated Asian style with buttery/​spicy sauce. Divine.
If you couldn’t tell from my review, I would definitely recommend Catch to seafood lovers wanting something a little special for the evening.

I have been eager to dine at Catch since I saw the chef on Top Chef. I have mixed feelings about my experience wavering between 3 – 4 stars. As much as I enjoyed Keith’s asian infused southern creations, the spotty service left me fearing that Chef Gordon Ramsay would furiously storm in any moment to take over this show. A one woman showdown, that is. This poor server was juggling between so many tasks simultaneously that the only thing that set her apart from being a circus act was a pair of roller skates and a costume. She waited, bused, hosted, and bartended attentively but I could see it was bit much for a single server racing around to and fro. Can we agree that two heads are better than one even if one chicken is running around like her head is cut off. To be fair, perhaps I came at a time when a second server or host was absent.
As for the meal, for the most part unique and delicious:
The BEST CRABCAKE I have ever had (around $ 14) – nongreasy, lightly breaded, and loaded with chunks of fresh crabmeat over a bed of curried potato salad. However, the side of organic greens was drenched with some kind of sesame dressing resembling thai chili sauce too thick for my taste
Shrimp ceviche (around $ 9)-A very light citrus appetizer mixed with corn kernels, red onion, and mandarin slices. Paired with crispy pita chips. Hubby enjoyed this one, I thought it didn’t have enough zing.
Cajun fried oysters (around$ 10)-small oysters served over a bed of blue cheese slaw and drizzled with tabasco or sriracha aioli, just an excellent combination
Fried softshell crab and catfish platter (around $ 18) — while I tend to avoid fried platters my husband convinced me that this catfish would change my mind. I agreed that this was the best fried seafood I’ve tasted. The catfish was not salty nor greasy. It was perfectly tender and not overwhelmed by batter. I did not try the softshell crab but hubby enjoyed it and said it tasted fresh, not fishy like most tainted shellfish.
Watch out for the price on the honey fig beer on tap-​a pint is $ 12 ouch, for this price I deserve a show
I suggest to make a reservation for a first hour slot if waiting long is a concern so that you are seated and served promptly. I am really rooting for Catch to stay in business and out of an episode of Kitchen Nightmares.