The Rebel Fail

We tried to check out the new Caribbean and Southern food restaurant, The Rebel, on Market St. in downtown Wilmington this past weekend, but were not too successful. This new restaurant has been open a little over one week, but clearly needs more time to get their act together.

We almost weren't even allowed in the door when the doorman with a metal detector wand told us t-shirts weren't allowed. Another man waved us in after a brief discussion with the fashion enforcer. This is no fancy joint, but a restaurant with a bar/club vibe, so knock off the trying-to-eliminate-undesirables dress code bullshit. And you'd think on opening week the owners would want to welcome people, not turn them away.

Once in the door and seated at the bar, we ordered a bourbon and coke which was served in a pint glass with the equivalent of two shots of bourbon. Thanks, bartender, for the liberal pour! The beer drinker had an expensive Leffe Blonde on draft ($7), while remarking about the odd beer list - a few Belgian beers and one summer special Sam Adams on draft, and the major US swill beers in bottles. Where were the local brews, or even just a regular beer like Yuengling (also local)?

The place was hopping at 8:30 when we arrived, and as we waited at the bar for a table, the bartender informed us that they only had nachos and wings left in the kitchen. Apparently the owners didn't count on people actually showing up. Well, they did! And then they left. In the time it took us to finish our drinks and have a most fabulous convo with our bar neighbors, the place pretty much cleared out because there was no food.

I'm gonna give The Rebel a bit longer before I attempt their Caribbean and Southern offerings, and you might best, too.

The Rebel
210 N. Market St., Wilmington, DE 19801
302-658-2018