Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington

Name: Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington
Address: 1502 S 3rd St, Wilmington, NC, United States, 28401-6114
Telephone: (910) 769-0763
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7

364 Reviews

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Top Tags:

Bobby Zimmerman, owner of True Blue Butcher and Table, and his team opened Mariposa Tapas Bar in the Spring of 2021. Located at 1502 S 3rd St Wilmington in the South Front District, Mariposa will make sure to transport you to Spain with a menu full of authentic Spanish tapas, an intentional wine list and an intimate atmosphere.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 26, 2023

7:30 PM

Booked 3 times today

Experiences are available.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Tapas / Small Plates, Spanish
Hours of operation
Wed, Thu 12:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–8:00 pm
Phone number
(910) 769-0763
Website
http://www.mariposatapas.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Bobby Zimmerman
Private party facilities
Our dining room has limited seating for groups larger than 4 people, however, our courtyard offers private seating for groups as large as 20. Please call us directly for large party reservations and event details!

Location
1502 S 3rd St, Wilmington, NC 28401-6114
Neighborhood
Wilmington
Cross street
South 3rd and Greenfield
Parking details
Limited parking is located on 3rd and 2nd Streets. Additional parking is available in the gravel lot on the corner of Greenfield and Front Sts.We offer a shuttle service on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday brunch from the gravel lot on the corner of Greenfield and Front Streets. Our golf cart driver will drive you right to our front door!
Public transit
The Free Downtown Trolly makes a stop at the end of the block just west of Mariposa! Trolley schedules and routes can be found at www.wavetransit.com/free-downtown-trolley-schedule/
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Saturday Tapas Tasting
$53.00 per person
Multiple dates available
On Saturdays, enjoy our Prix Fixe menu curated for 2. Insalata Fresh mixed greens, piparras, crushed Marcona almonds, 3-month Manchego, piquillo pepper vinaigrette TABLA DE QUESOS Y EMBUTIDOS (Cheese & Charcuterie Board) Manchego, Idiazábal, aged Mahón, Jamón Serrano, Chorizo Ibérico, Salchichón Ibérico, olives Gazpacho Marcona almonds, grape tomatoes, sherry vinegar, olive oil ACEITUNAS Mixed Carmona olives, citrus, chilis, olive oil Carrilleras de cerdo Pork cheeks, Piquillo pepper, fennel, garlic ESPARRAGOS TRIGUEROS Green asparagus, olive oil, sea salt, Sauce Romesco ALBONDIGAS Beef & chorizo meatballs, tomato sauce, olive oil Dessert (Choose One) Flan Torta de aceite Lemon Sorbetto
Friday Date Night 5pm-til
$64.00 per person
Multiple dates available
DATE NIGHT FOR 2 $64 total 1st Course TABLA DE QUESOS Y EMBUTIDOS (Cheese & Charcuterie Board) Manchego, Idiazábal, aged Mahón, Jamón Serrano, Chorizo Ibérico, Salchichón Ibérico, olives Tapas EMPANADAS DE LA PASTELERIA DEL CHEF Chefs daily empanada selection PAN CON TOMATE Toasted bread, tomato, garlic, olive oil PAN CON TOMATE Toasted bread, tomato, garlic, olive oil TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA Traditional Spanish potato-onion omelet, aioli, roasted tomato sauce PATATAS BRAVAS Salsa brava, aioli CHORIZO FRITO Spanish chorizo, olives, piparras ALBONDIGAS Beef & chorizo meatballs, tomato sauce, olive oil Dessert Tasting for two Flan, Ponche Cake, Torta Cake

Offers

1/2 Priced Tapas
Multiple dates available
Fri - 2:45 PM - 8:45 PM
Come enjoy the patio and 1/2 priced tapas every Friday from 4pm-6pm!

Popular dishes

What 364 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Wilmington
Great for brunch
Wilmington
Innovative
Wilmington
Healthy
Wilmington
Neighborhood gem
Wilmington
Great for outdoor dining

364 Reviews

H
Hank
Wilmington
160 reviews
vip
4.0
160 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Great local Wilmington NC tapas wine bar (tasty beer and cocktails too). Wide range of food choices for everyone to enjoy. A place to go with people who like to try different things and share plates. Free parking lot and street parking as well. Located in the South Front district.
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E
Ellen
Greater Boston
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food is EXCELLENT! Perfect portion sizes for sharing and tasting multiple dishes, including dessert! Relaxed comfortable atmosphere and food is inventive but approachable. Love this place and it is a pre-concert go to.
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RB
RussB
Charleston
27 reviews
vip
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Sunday brunch after church. We enjoyed the food and the waitress was very helpful.
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p
pdxoriginal
Portland
57 reviews
vip
5.0
57 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We’re new to Wilmington and decided to try for brunch. EXCELLENT food! Great service and there weekly specials sound amazing. Can’t wait to try them!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Wilmington
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always great. We sat outside for brunch and the weather was beautiful and the service was great as always
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
Great as always. Cocktails are top notch. Chef came out to table and was truly interested in experience.
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E
Eva1
Wilmington
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our dining experience was above and beyond. We chose the tapas menu for 2. Lakisha was our server and she was amazing! The food was delicious and our overall dining experience was 10/10. We’ll definitely be back.
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VM
VMGP
Dallas
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Quaint, intimate, setting with friendly, attentive service — just what we were hoping for as this was our first experience at this establishment. We enjoyed everything we ordered, including a unique tequila drink with blood orange and a lime.
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C
Claudia
New York Area
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
We arrived 8 minutes early and weren’t allowed inside. It was so hot outdoors and weren’t even given a glass of water while we waited. Not very hospitable! My dish was not very warm and served much later than my 2 guests. I won’t be returning anytime soon especially since there are so many great restaurants in Wilmington.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Raleigh
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food and service were both outstanding. Our favorite items were the bread with tomato sauce, the empanadas, and the grilled octopus. I would love to dine here again.
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LG
LeannG
Philadelphia
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, drink, and service! I will definitely return
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MG
MaggieG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We came for my older brother's birthday. And we decided to go on Burger night too. We got a couple of Smash Burgers some potatoes and mushrooms. And it was all super duper delicious and we had a good time
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W
Wilson
Raleigh
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Very good! The Catalan spritz and the andalusian gazpacho were fantastic!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Wilmington
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Mariposa is one of my favorites in Wilmington. Everything on the menu is amazing and the cocktails are outstanding. I recently just had brunch there for the first time and that was phenomenal as well. Highly recommend!
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S
S2014
San Francisco
5 reviews
3.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 14, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Great potential but food overall was nothing special. Octopus was overcooked, would be nice if there were less beef options for large plates and more fish or poultry.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Wilmington
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Awesome experience had the shrimp dish and the ox tail empanadas also the ratatouille. Totally delish!!! Order aside or two of bread to absorb all the good juices up from the shrimp dish and the ratatouille.🙃. We had the Manhattan and also a old fashion. Both were delicious. Highly recommend the experience.
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on July 12, 2023
Thank you so much for the incredible feedback! We're delighted to hear about your experience and we truly can't wait to see you again!
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DC
DarrylC
Philadelphia
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious food, wonderful service and artsy ambiance… will be back often to try everything on the food AND drink menu.
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on July 12, 2023
Thank you SO much for the kind review!! We're so happy to hear that you had a wonderful time. We can't wait for you to come back and see us soon!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on July 3, 2023
overall1food3service1ambience3
We reserved a table via Open Table for 8 PM on Sunday, assuming if there was a seating at that time, the restaurant was fully open. When we arrived, we were unsure where to park and called to get suggestions and entered the restaurant around 8:05 PM. We were greeted right away and sat at a small table in a corner. We were immediately greeted by the waitress who asked for a drink order and what food we wanted. We said we had just sat down and needed a minute. She returned one minute later and repeated her request. We supplied drink orders and she asked what food we wanted. We said we hadn’t had a chance to look. She went to get out drinks. She returned in a few minutes and asked again what food she could get us. At this time, it is about 8:15 PM. We ask for a few dishes and say we will start with them and she responds that the kitchen needs to know if there is any other food we want. I smile and jokingly say, “are you closing?”. She responds, without a smile, “yes”. There are three other seated tables at that time. We hastily try to find food we want to try and order quickly. All the food was all delivered within minutes, overcrowding our table and making it impossible to move. The waitress never comes back again to ask if we want a second drink, if everything was alright (it wasn’t as the charcuterie board was full of cheeses that clearly had dried up and were crisp and translucent and sweated; we boxed it up and threw it away when we returned tothe hotel). We watched the waitress and hostess clean and shut down the restaurant and patio. Once the other three tables left, we were no longer comfortable eating and left. It was a terrible experience. Overall, the food may be good as I had some decent flavors in the dishes we tried but most were either over or under cooked as they were trying very hard to get us out of the restaurant as soon as possible. We were out by 8:45PM; you do the math. The experience was an overly expensive FAIL. There are better options.
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NC
NCGoodEats
New York Area
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on July 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Always a great meal at Mariposa! Brought family who had never been. Enjoyed a pitcher of Sangria, beautiful charcuterie and the chorizo is amazing. The potatos bravas, shrimp, and flan for dessert made for an amazing meal. Always love the art and service when done there. Despite the busy holiday weekend, service was great and fun atmosphere.
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on July 12, 2023
We're so glad that we can be a reliable place to bring your family! We're happy to hear about your experience & can't wait to serve you again!
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H
Hamilton
New York Area
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on July 1, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Mariposa’s was a great find in Wilmington. A small setting, we sat outside on the deck which was very nicely decorated. Food was priced typical of a tapas place and came very quickly. Portions were a bit small, even for tapas, but were very tasty. Overall, it was very enjoyable. You’ll be spending between $30-50 a person to be full.
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C
Chuck
Atlanta Metro
11 reviews
vip
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on June 24, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
I'm going to pass on saying anything specific further
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A
Adam
Wilmington
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 24, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience3
Seated outside alongside 3rd st. Very noisy with cars going by. Server was excellent. Very attentive and pleasant. Food was just ok compared to other tapas we’ve had. $3 sangrias were bland. But expected for the price.
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JK
JamieK
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect food and service! Cannot wait to go again.
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on June 28, 2023
Yay! We are so happy to hear you had a great time Jamie. We can't wait to see you again soon!
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F
Flinchy
Charleston
83 reviews
vip
5.0
83 reviews
Dined on June 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The date night menu is fantastic. There’s great variety and each course is tasteful and presented well. Service is excellent as usual. We love this restaurant.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on June 17, 2023
overall3food5service2ambience3
We came with friends over the weekend. Food was delicious but service was slow. Our waitress was new and kept forgetting to bring one of the items. We ordered some drinks and she brought us the wrong drink which was fine we still drank it but overall not a bad experience. Tapas were delicious.
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F
Frostyfeet
Greater Boston
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on June 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The date night for two was an amazing selection of tapas. We added the Andalusian gazpacho and the pulpo which were amazing! We will definitively be back!!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Wilmington
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 31, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place to eat outside with amazing small plates and drinks. It would be easier to order if they had images under each item. The cost was a little over board for the food and drinks.
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JA
JohnA
Washington DC
4 reviews
vip
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, great service in a loud restaurant. Only warning is that parking is a challenge.
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SJ
StacieJ
Raleigh
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Very cute restaurant with wonderful patio area. Great ambience. I really wanted to live this place. The portions of some items were tiny….even for tapas. We did not like the flavor of the sauces very much :( The same sauce was used in multiple items we ordered. Server did not guide us into a good variety of options and wasn’t able to describe some of the dishes.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Charlotte
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
The food and service was excellent. We enjoyed every plate especially the octopus, pork cheeks, and beef tenderloin. The empanadas are also delicious. Seating in the courtyard was quiet and quaint. Would definitely return the next time we are in town.
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M
Michael
Phoenix
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall2food1service1ambience2
I hate giving a bad review but this was a terrible experience. We did the Friday date night menu and it was awful. On the menu it includes seven or so items, we were there for an hour and a half and only got two of the items. We wanted to like the place but everything was just a poor experience. The drink orders were wrong, the food came out incredibly slow, and was just overall a bad experience. After an hour at the table I started thinking about what drive thru I was going to stop at.
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D
Danyelle
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
Food was really good. But we were there for two hours at our table because food took so long. So just be prepared on busy nights to wait awhile for the kitchen I guess.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Raleigh
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience3
Perhaps our expectations were to high, but we were disappointed by our dinner at Mariposa. We'd heard good things from neighbors (although we'd been warned about the high noise level). Four of us went. We all ordered cocktails and felt that three of the four tasted very medicinal (we'd never heard of replacing bourbon with brandy in an old-fashioned, but that's what one member of our party received). We ordered 8 or 9 dishes. The results were mixed, with a couple being "pretty good" and several being merely serviceable. One positive was the service. While our server was a clearly new employee, she clearly cared and did her best to get answers to our questions about the dishes. The evening ended on a particularly sour note when a DJ showed up and started blaring techno music. It would have been okay at a lower volume, but it was so loud that none of us could hear one another. As a result, we simply have up trying to converse. Thankfully, the DJ arrived near the end of our meal, so we didn't have to tolerate it too long. As mentioned, we'd heard positive things about Mariposa before trying it, so perhaps our expectations were too high. Nonetheless, as a result of the odd cocktails, mediocre food, and high noise level, I doubt that anyone from our group us will be back.
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BD
BrianD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very good food and service! We will be eating there again for sure!
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NC
NCGoodEats
New York Area
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a great meal! First time having brunch and did not disappoint.
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on May 2, 2023
We're so glad you enjoyed your brunch! The best pairing for a yummy brunch is $3 sangrias and we happen to have both. Hope to see you again soon!
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MK
MaryK
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always yummy food with their take on tapas. I love their ambience and the variety of choices. I LOVE GOING THERE!
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on May 2, 2023
YAY! We love hosting you! We're happy that we can provide a beautiful dining experience for you and your friends. We can't wait to see you again!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service and food!! It was an enjoyable evening!
Mariposa Tapas Bar - WilmingtonResponded on May 2, 2023
We are overjoyed to hear you had an excellent evening. Thank you for your kind words. We hope to see you again soon!
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R
Robert
Chicago
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on April 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was delicious! What we ordered had spiciness to the tapas. The staff were very friendly!!
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MM
MichaelM
Wilmington
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outside for Saturday brunch. Sophia was terrific. Excellent food and service.
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m
meli
Greater Boston
16 reviews
vip
2.0
16 reviews
Dined on March 26, 2023
overall2food3service3ambience2
We may have been there on the "wrong night" we went Sunday, they were out of many wines and much of the food on the small menu was unavailable. we were very disappointed. the waitress was very nice but was running the place her self, she was running the bar and all the tables her self but unfortunately knew nothing about wine so she was un able to guide us... we were dissapointed,
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Contactless payment available

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington is rated 4.7 stars by 364 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 26, 2023

7:30 PM

Booked 3 times today

Experiences are available.

Google Map for Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington

1502 S 3rd St, Wilmington, NC 28401-6114

Additional information

Cross street
South 3rd and Greenfield
Neighborhood
Wilmington
Hours of operation
Wed, Thu 12:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat 11:00 am–9:00 pm Sun 11:00 am–8:00 pm
Cuisines
Tapas / Small Plates, Spanish
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Limited parking is located on 3rd and 2nd Streets. Additional parking is available in the gravel lot on the corner of Greenfield and Front Sts.We offer a shuttle service on Friday and Saturday nights and Sunday brunch from the gravel lot on the corner of Greenfield and Front Streets. Our golf cart driver will drive you right to our front door!
Public transit
The Free Downtown Trolly makes a stop at the end of the block just west of Mariposa! Trolley schedules and routes can be found at www.wavetransit.com/free-downtown-trolley-schedule/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Bobby Zimmerman
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Vegan, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.mariposatapas.com/
Phone number
(910) 769-0763
Private party facilities
Our dining room has limited seating for groups larger than 4 people, however, our courtyard offers private seating for groups as large as 20. Please call us directly for large party reservations and event details!

Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

Saturday Tapas Tasting

Friday Date Night 5pm-til

Offers

1/2 Priced Tapas

Popular dishes

Gazpacho

Andalusian Gazpacho

Empanadas Mixtas

Menu

What 364 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Screening

FAQs

How is Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington restaurant rated?

Is Mariposa Tapas Bar - Wilmington currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information