18 Seaboard

After seeing great reviews on this restaurant both in the paper and here on Citysearch I just had to try it last night. I just don't see what all the fuss is about. The owner obviously spent a lot of money on this restaurant, it looks like it is in a building that was once a warehouse on a side street. It looks great on the inside, really tall ceiling with interesting lights hanging, exposed brick, nice bar area and nice table settings. They even have a pretty hostess to seat you. But then we opened our menus, and not only are the choices pretty limited, but the menus themselves looked sloppy with wrinkled paper as if water had been spilled on them. Ok not a big deal but kind of a stark contrast to how carefully everything else seemed planned out. Our server was just average, he took a long time to finally appear at our table to take our drink orders, and then kept saying he'd return to get our food orders so we finally just had to stop him and let him know we were ready now! He asked if we wanted pepper, but he didn't have it with him so while he took more time getting it our entrees were getting cold. Ok I can look past all that if the food is outstanding, but it wasn't. The wood smoked mahi definately had the smoky flavor, but not much else. It was a little tough and not that warm when they brought it to me. One interesting thing this restaurant offers you a choice of ""sauces"" for your meat or fish but I was surprised to find the sauces were extremely runny and not that flavorful. I tried my husband's supposedly 24-hr marninated flank steak and it was just blah. The prices seemed reasonable at $19 for my fish, but then you notice the portions are very small. They literally put a small ice cream scoop of potatoes on the plate and serve some of the side dishes in tiny bowls. We left still feeling hungry and very much led astray. Pros: ambience is nice, might be a good place to get a drink Cons: food is bland, portions are very small making it a bad value more

The art gallery next door is a nice precursor to a dining experience at 18 Seaboard. At the right time of the eve, enjoy! Objectively, it has all of the right stuff--high ceilings and dark wood, contemporary design, unusual wine list, and an upscale, experimental menu with an NC twist. The highlights of the evening were the goat cheese fondue, spot-on wine recommendations, the pork shank with grits, and the pom-tonic creation. The dampers? Seating mid-dining room (acoustically challenging and a little crowded at peak dining hour), undercooked salmon, rushed/then slow service, and a quirky dessert menu. If you decide to go, request a table near the bar, the back windows, or in the cozy booths near the kitchen (as featured in the pic of their website). Pick an early time to beat the rush, and the experience *should* result in a recommended or highly recommended review. Bon appetit! Pros: wine list, NC items on menu, bar, booths, parking, art gallery next door Cons: salmon, scallops, service, dessert menu more

We have now dined at 18 Seaboard 3 times. Each visit finding new menu offerings. Some of our favorites have included the: roasted beet and goat cheese salad, short rib bolognese pappardelle, and filet mignon (prepared perfectly medium-rare) and served with a side of goat cheese smashed potatoes. On our last visit we experienced some misses: grit and shrimp skewers were dry and overly smokey, tuna entree was flavorless, and the cracklin' pork shank was less meaty than expected. Overall, 18 Seaboard offers an inventive and changing menu served by an attentive waitstaff in a modern atmosphere. We look forward to returning to see what the chef has to offer next! Pros: Ambience, changing menu Cons: Price - smallish portions more

my second time dining @ 18. took some coworkers from DC and recommended the Carolina Black Grouper--my first meal there. they both loved it. i tried the flat iron steak. nice flavor-a tad on the chewy side though. i wanted the grouper but also wanted to try something different. my experience with the grouper was fabulous. a wonderful hickory taste that doesn't overpower the fish. i ordered the lemon butter side sauce but only dipped once. the grouper was fine as-is. the braised greens and goat cheese smashed taters were my sides and both very tasty. nice wine selection. the staff was on the ball. hostess was courteous and our waiter was great. prompt and ""johnny on the spot"". will definitely go back. oh-try the bacon appetizer-delicious & different. also-wasn't a fan of the wedge salad. dressing too strong. nice decor. i would avoid first dates-too intimate but a great place to take your wife or girlfriend. Pros: good menu, great staff, intimate setting Cons: nothing that bad to put on list more

From the moment you step into 18 Seaboard, you know that this is not your usual restaurant. We loved the decor, lighting and fixtures that conjure up a feeling of modern, hip, tasteful surroundings. The wait staff was very friendly and concerned about us feeling pampered. My wife had the trout, and I ate the braised lamb shank, we're not experts but we know good food when we have it, and this was great ! Loved the sauces and the Southern touches ( e.g Catfish, grits ), Definitely try this place, you'll love it, and the wine selection is impressive without breaking the bank Pros: Great food, value with a modern southern twist more

No atmosphere, slow service, very, very over priced. This is NOT gourmet food, folks. Menu is extremely limited. Garlic chips are SWIMMING in grease and burned. For nine dollars, a portobello sandwich should have a portobello that AT LEAST covers the bread. Salads are swimming in oil and salad toppings are sparse. \r \r DO NOT be hooked into the hype. This is nothing but modern decor and a hopeful chef-wanna-be. Pros: Quiet Cons: Poor quality of food, taste and service. more

I recently went here with four girlfriends and it was absolutely wonderful. The service was very good, the decor interesting and modern. We had a round booth which made us feel like we had our own private room. The food itself was tasty, well priced and the menu had a good variety of things to choose from. Several of us had grilled fish and along with the sauces, our meals were perfect. I think we got 3 desserts to split between 5 of us and it worked for us to have a couple of bites of each. The portions of everything are just right - not enormous. However, if you are a dessert person you might not want to share! I would highly recommend it for a night out with friends or a date. Pros: parking, ambience, food, location, service and price more

Go try this place out now! This new restaurant is the best place for under $20 fine dinning. Everything we ordered was awesome. The scallop and grape appetizer was wonderful. As were the filet mignon and mashed potatoes. The service is good, fast and knowledgeable. Atmosphere is very zen/cozy. Exposed brick and low lighting. A good place to celebrate a special occasion without having to spend over $80 (including wine!). Pros: Service, relaxing and romantic atmosphere, great food! Cons: none! more

I went here on a weeknight with one of my girls for a mini-ladies-night-out and sat at the bar to enjoy a meal and some wine. The bartender waited on us, and his service was superb. \r \r We both got grilled seafood dishes, and both were delicious. I had the salmon, and while the temperature was a bit over what I had requested (closer to medium than medium-rare) it was still very good. The goat cheese potatoes were to die for. The portions were generous for the money, and upon professing to the bartender that we were too full for dessert, he brought us tiny spoonfuls on the house of some sort of sponge cake dish that was quite tasty. How sweet! \r \r The wine we picked was good for the price, since we were on a budget and didn't order an expensive bottle.\r \r The place looked really cool inside, and the bathrooms were clean.\r \r The parking lot was full, but I parked in an adjacent lot, and didn't get towed or anything, so it was okay.\r \r I'd definitely eat here again. Pros: great bartender, delicious grilled fish. Cons: full parking lot, but whatever. more