Tucked away in the Jacobi Warehouse near the historic downtown Wilmington riverfront, this 5,000-square-foot billiards hall features a number of diversions — two 9-foot diamond pool tables, four valley blackcat tables, air hockey, Ping Pong, darts, Foosball, video games and a video projector with a 10-foot screen. Worked up a thirst? They stock 54 brands of beers, including 14 on tap. Bluepost is open from 3 PM to 2 AM Monday through Friday and 2 PM to 2 AM Saturday and Sunday.

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Wilmington's largest billiards parlor is also a popular bowling alley, sports bar and casual restaurant, serving sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads and more. Break Time possesses all ABC permits and has 29 top-quality pool tables, including coin-operated tables as well as regulation-size tables. It has 19 televisions, 24 lanes of bowling and arcade-style diversions. Neat attire is required; no tank tops. It's open 11 AM until 2 AM, and food service is available until closing.

Caprice Bistro's second floor is an intimate, New York–style sofa bar, perfect for relaxing with a martini or glass of wine. The Caprice Martinis are amazing concoctions of the finest liquors and delectable ingredients. Their chocolate martinis will send you to chocolate-lovers' heaven, or try one of their seasonal martini specials, made with fresh fruit ingredients and garnished with locally grown herbs. During the early evening, the setting is romantic, with candlelight and soft music, but after 11 PM the music gets turned up a notch as the crowd gathers. This is the place to go in downtown Wilmington to enjoy an after-theater martini or dessert with friends. The sofa bar is open until 2 AM. Their full dinner menu is served until 11 PM, and appetizers and desserts are available until midnight.

A staple of Wilmington's downtown nightlife, Fat Tony’s Italian Pub has a selection of 24 draft beers that are hands down the best in town. One of the stops along the Haunted Pub Crawl, Fat Tony’s has a house brew that's called the “Haunted Pub Brew” in honor of the ghosts (former guests of the old Orton Hotel that burned down in the 1940s) who are said to linger here at the site of their old haunt. With Fat Tony’s selection of beers on tap, a big-screen TV and plenty of seats and pub tables, you won’t want to leave either. Along with your beer, you can enjoy Fat Tony’s late-night menu of Pizza Chip Nachos and New York–style pizza with all the toppings. There’s also live music and an outdoor deck with a fabulous view of the river. Fat Tony’s Italian Pub is open until 2 AM Monday through Saturday and midnight on Sunday.

Formerly a set for the locally filmed TV show Dawson's Creek, Hell's Kitchen has fast become a popular downtown destination for good times among friends. This pub-style setting has a fun atmosphere, so when you're feeling devilishly hungry, stop by and try something from their menu of pub sandwiches, burritos and nachos. Hell's Kitchen has a full liquor bar and offers a wide variety of draft and microbrew beers. Hell's Kitchen is open in the afternoon until closing at 2 AM.

Located on the top level of downtown's former Masonic temple, Level 5 has the best rooftop view in town. On summer nights locals and tourists alike mingle beneath the bar's massive awning and enjoy cool breezes off the Cape Fear River. Inside, a 250-seat theater boasts weekly comedy shows and a six-month-long season of theater produced by the owners of the club. In the warm months, the bar features deejays Thursday through Saturday evenings. Available for private parties, the theater/bar combination lends itself well to wedding receptions and fund-raising events. Enjoy a sunset cocktail from this lofty downtown perch.

Named after a Civil War general, Longstreet's was once part-owned by actor Tom Berenger, who portrayed General Longstreet in the film Gettysburg. Longstreet’s is a cozy basement pub in the Irish tradition, offering several draft and bottled beers, nightly beer specials, mixed drinks, an Internet jukebox, Foosball, a jukebox and live music. The pub is located in what used to be the barbershop of the old Orton Hotel, which was destroyed in a fire in the 1940s (and may still have a few ghostly guests). The Fat Tony’s Italian Pub menu is available at Longstreet’s, so you can enjoy fabulous homemade Italian food and New York–style pizza along with your pint of Guinness. Longstreet’s is open Monday through Saturday until 2 AM and closed on Sundays.

More than 35 televisions, pool tables, Foosball, shuffleboard and a winning menu make this restaurant and bar a hot spot for sports enthusiasts and food lovers alike. Located in the Mayfaire Town Center, Main Street Brewing Company features 11 rotating taps with microbrewery beers from around the world and more than 50 bottled microbrews. Open for lunch and dinner, this non-smoking restaurant boasts excellent slow-cooked wings and pulled chicken nachos as well as the best seats in town to watch your favorite sports.

Known as “America’s Oldest Pool Room,” Orton’s is located in what was the basement space of the old Orton Hotel prior to its burning in the 1940s. The space is entirely renovated, and with 17 satellite televisions with NFL Ticket, it’s a perfect place for catching a sports event. But it’s the pool that keeps people coming to Orton’s. Where else can you play on the very table used by the famed Willie Mosconi in 1953 to set a world billiards record of 365 consecutive balls? Take a trip downstairs and into history with a game of pool at Orton’s. The pool room has competition Brunswick tables, coin-op tables, a dart alley and an Internet jukebox, and Orton's has all ABC permits.

Pool prices at this club-style parlor are an affordable $2 per person per hour until 7 PM. From 7 PM to closing, prices are $3 per person per hour. Rack 'M is open on weekdays from 3 PM until 2 AM and Saturday and Sundays from noon until 2 AM. However, after 10 PM you must be age 21 or older to enter. You'll find it in the rear of the University Landing shopping center near Krazy Pizza & Subs.

Rum Runners is one of downtown Wilmington's hottest night spots. With its wildly tropical atmosphere, dining at Rum Runners will make you feel as though you’re whiling away the hours on a Caribbean island. Then there is the high-energy show — two baby grand pianos played simultaneously (dueling pianos) by entertainers who encourage the audience to sing along with hit tunes from the '50s all the way up to the '90s. The staff also joins in once every hour with a song and dance routine, inviting more audience participation. The great food menu includes steak, specialty pizzas, chicken and fish dishes. Advance reservations are highly recommended for their popular dueling piano show. Rum Runners opens for dinner Wednesday through Sunday and the fun continues until 2 AM.

Live blues and jazz enthusiasts won't want to miss this downtown Wilmington club's weekly line-up. The Blues Society of the Lower Cape Fear cuts loose on Tuesdays and the first Saturday of each month. Beth's Karaoke Night is on Wednesdays. Thursdays feature Making Rent with local guitar wunderkind Justin Fox and his partner, John Pollock. Various local bands play live on Friday and Saturday nights; call for a complete schedule. Beatty’s Famous Jazz Jam is a Sunday-night tradition. This live-performance venue includes a state-of-the-art digital recording studio designed to capture some of the amazing music performed here. Open daily at 1 PM, Sundays at noon, the club has all ABC permits, serves beer and wine, offers bar specials and provides a sandwich menu. The Rusty Nail is a private club, but non-members can be signed in as guests. New members are welcome, and fees are reasonable, with several membership options available. Call the club for details. Located between Marstellar and Greenfield streets, the club boasts its own parking lot, a rarity in downtown Wilmington.

The downstairs portion of The Soap Box features a sprawling space with couches, televisions, arcade games such as pool and Foosball, and Internet access. These diversions prove useful when utilizing one of the numerous washers and dryers in the back, the only Laundromat located downtown. Upstairs lies a good-sized music facility that features some of the hottest local and regional bands for very reasonable cover charges. The downstairs bar is beer only but upstairs features all alcohol permits. A new basement space, The Speakeasy, has been added and features live theater and music.

Water Street's relaxed, cozy atmosphere invites you to linger with a friend or loved one late into the night, any night of the week. The decor is colorful, somewhat rustic and warm. Sidewalk seating offers a view of the riverfront, and good food is always available. Water Street provides a musical venue for jazz, bluegrass and more with performances Thursday through Sunday.