River 128 Restaurant

An iconic Riverwalk destination rolls out an updated menu and interior to usher in a new era

By Judy Royal  »  Photos by G. Frank Hart

Business partners Edson Munekata and Freddy Lee fell in love with the waterfront restaurant at 128 South Water Street in downtown Wilmington in 2021. In fact, they were so enamored with the prime location on the Cape Fear River that by early 2022 they found themselves as the new owners of The George on the Riverwalk, which had been around since 2004.

For three years they forged ahead with some minor changes, mostly to the menu, but by early 2025 they began thinking it was time for a major overhaul.

“When we first took over the restaurant, we wanted to hit the ground running so we really didn’t make an effort to do a whole lot of changes,” Munekata says. “After three years, we felt like the restaurant was kind of looking old and tired. Since January is a slow month, we decided to close it down and do a complete remodel of the dining room and kitchen, and along with that we did a rebranding.”

The eatery reopened on February 11th  as River 128 Restaurant, a nod to its address. Updates focused on a new look for the interior, including fresh paint in more inviting colors, new light fixtures and the addition of a fireplace. The outside was also repainted and equipped with new fans. 

“Looking back, I think we should’ve done the rebranding when we first took over the restaurant, but we wanted to get started right away and never did that,” Munekata says. “Now we felt like we wanted to do something that was completely ours and not inherit the old name that came with the restaurant.”

There were some staffing changes to go along with the new name. Rebecca Geyer, a server at the restaurant for nearly five years, became the General Manager in January, and former Sous Chef Andrew Meade is now the Head Chef. He and Lee have worked together to revamp the menu, which kept a few staples but now has a heavy offering of seafood and steaks. Meade also features a daily fresh catch special during dinner hours.

“I think seafood is commonly asked for in our location on the water, and in Wilmington in general people want some good seafood,” Geyer says.

Among the most popular dinner menu items are Black Bass, Seared Sea Scallops and Lobster Ravioli. Steak offerings include a Certified Angus Beef Filet Mignon, Angus Ribeye and New
York Strip. 

The lunch menu, available until 3 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, has the same small plates, soups and salads available at dinner as well as select entrees, plus a burger, sandwiches and two kinds of tacos. Sunday’s brunch menu, also available until 3 p.m., offers entrees such as benedicts, omelets, waffles, French toast and a classic plate of eggs with bacon or sausage and home fries.

Even the cocktail menu has gotten a makeover and now includes a Cucumber Spritz, Mango Martini and Rum on the River, a blend of coconut rum, spiced rum, banana liqueur, bitters, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine.

The new interior offers a cozier and warmer atmosphere, especially in the bar, Geyer says. The high-top tables have been replaced with booths, and more people are sitting in the bar area now, she says.

“We are getting good feedback,” Geyer says. “We still want to continue to make everybody happy. We want guests to feel welcome and come back.”

River 128 is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is closed on Monday.

A luxury among downtown businesses, River 128 offers free two-hour parking for its patrons in the lot directly across the street, which can be accessed via Market House Alley off Front Street. Customers must ask to be added to the parking list or request a paper pass when they arrive. There’s a 90-foot dock if you want to come by boat, and the large outdoor patio offers several dog-friendly tables. Reservations may be made on the restaurant’s website or via Open Table.

After undertaking such a big transformation, River 128 is going to assess how things work through the busy season and then re-evaluate whether anything needs to be tweaked, but so far, the restaurant has seen positive results, Munekata says.

“I think it kind of paid off big time for us,” he says. “We’ve been doing summer-like numbers in the spring here. So far things are looking awesome.”

128 S Water St. 
Wilmington, NC
910-763-2052
river128.com