This is a really neat space with great drinks, just make sure you park strategically... the road…read morecan get entirely blocked by a train for a really long time, and you might find yourself a bit stuck! Didn't happen to us, but when we arrived, there was indeed a train sitting there, and some cars in front, well, they weren't going anywhere anytime soon. Inside is all vibes, kind of set up like an old pharmacy, but slinging cocktails instead, and I have to say, the cocktails were very tasty and well priced. All the tables were full of friend and family groups playing board games and enjoying various flatbreads and libations. Seems like the kind of place the local neighborhoods enjoy and spend quite a bit of time at. At the moment, can't remember the names of the cocktails we got, its been a few months. But I do remember the toasts. This place doesnt have a kitchen in a traditional sense, more like a prep area where they bring ingredients together (that I imagine are made off site) and toast it up to present you with some pretty unique combos and flavors. Honestly, a great way around some of the health code restrictions that start to apply to more in-depth operations while still having a robust menu. We ordered a variety for the 4 of us, as this was dinner that evening. Gettin Figgy with it was a favorite, as were the Pig and the Goat, and the Reuben. Their version of a Cubano was alright, but as could be the case you'd imagine, the pork was a little dry. The caprese was the only one we got that seemed to be a universal thumbs down, the avocado spread wasn't working with the other ingredients. Definitely would come back for some of these toasts, and drinks!

Visiting family near New Bern, they recommended an easy night out at the Old Pinnix. This is an…read moreintimate space, a little off the main strip, with ample parking. It has a large and interesting drink menu and enjoyed several cocktails while we were there! I tried the Spiced Whiskey Mule, which was decent--more of a lemon taste than I expected--but then tried the Minty Cherry Mojito which I really enjoyed. We were intrigued by all the fun toasts, so we ordered several to share. My favorites were: Gettin' Figgy With It (cute names, for sure); The Pig and the Goat; and the Reuban. We did not enjoy the Caprese toast. Something about the avocado spread did not jive with the other ingredients. This is a great space for a small group friends. It's been intentionally set up with sitting areas and a wall of games you can choose from. You may struggle to find a seat and it's a place where people will park and sit for a while. Wouldn't mind going back to try out more cocktails with fun toast the next time I'm in the area!

Delicious bagels that are nice and crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. My everything bagel…read morewas very well seasoned as well. The breakfast sandwiches are the perfect size! During the very busy festival rush, the staff at Bella's Cafe & Catering really seemed to keep their cool and remained composed and kind the entire time. We sat at a nice little table under their beautiful accent wall right near the window which added so much to the ambiance of our breakfast.

Cool little Cafe. Food is sandwiches, wraps, and baked goods. Everything looked delicious. They…read morehave all the coffee drinks. I had the egg, bacon, cheese on a croissant and their daily grind coffee - enjoyed both. Will be back

We had a spectacular lunch at Persimmons recently, highlighted by the amazing service and tasty…read moreofferings. This was our first visit, so we were excited to get a water view when seated at our table - it was a bit too blustery to sit outside overlooking the river and massive boats parked alongside the waterfront restaurant. Our server, Brooke, guided us through everything from the cocktail menu to the entrees, effortlessly - she made solid suggestions from the get-go and was a delight to have helping us. Our two-top started off with a classic Persimmons Old Fashioned ($18) cocktail and a pear vodka, habanero and cucumber lime drink called the Bon Voyage ($14). We chose to split the Roasted Beet Salad ($13) as our appetizer and it was certainly large enough for two to share. The spring mix was topped with delicious red and golden beets, flecks of goat cheese and pistachios, as well as a thick fig balsamic. The salad could have easily been a meal topped with an optional protein. The entree menu features most of the coastal classics, including Fish Tacos ($16), a couple of massive burgers and some heavier offerings like Seafood Pasta ($32) and a huge Fried Seafood Platter ($30) We opted for the Tequila Salmon ($32), served over rice pilaf with green beans and a spicy margarita sauce. I ordered the Unicorn Fish ($30), mostly out of curiosity and upon Brooke's suggestion. The latter was an amazingly flakey fish with the taste and texture of grouper. Topped with honey pecans and served over a lemon scallop risotto with asparagus and spinach - certainly the most nicely prepared fish I've had in a very long time. We wrapped up the meal with a couple more cocktails and enjoyed the late afternoon view - the Wake Breaker ($18) drinks feature reposado, bailey's chocolate and a touch of habanero - the perfect end to an amazing meal.

My small group wanted to eat waterside, so we went to Persimmons for lunch. We were quickly seated…read moreupstairs with picturesque views of the water. Our server Ridley, came to the table promptly, answered our questions and took our orders. Our drinks came quickly and were always full. The food arrived soon after our orders were placed. The presentation of our meals was terrific. Three diners in our party ordered the Fish Tacos and one got the Fish and Chips. It would be an understatement to say the servings were seriously generous. The fish & chips came 3 large fried fish filets and a heaping of seasoned fries. The taco orders each had 3 full vs mini sized soft tacos overflowing with fish filets...the fish was legit spilling out over both ends of the tacos! The fish was lightly battered, nicely seasoned and fried to perfection. The quantity of the food was so generous, only one of us could finish our meal!! On our way out, we stopped and spoke with the manager Kelsey. She is the spirit behind the "the new and improved" Persimmon's ethos. She took no credit for the changes or improvements and instead placed our exemplary experience squarely at the feet of her employees! It's obvious she's a wonderful, caring leader of the Persimmon's team. Cheers to Kelsey, Ridley and the Persimmon's crew!

Enjoy a little Jazz Brunch with my love. The food, service, and atmosphere were lovely.read more

I had been so looking forward to dining at Baxter's 1892 with the speak easy feel and the live…read moremusic. I tried to make reservation but the restaurant would not take a reservation for one so I went early. My options were the bar or in the dark tunnel. I chose the tunnel as I thought I was going to get a table not a high top there. Then where the menu was placed that would have me facing the back wall as the other seat was near the kitchen entrance. So I moved there but I still didn't have a view of the performers. So things didn't start well but I ordered the boba boat mocktail and the mac n cheese with short ribs. My waitress then informed me that they were out of the short rib and would brisket be ok. I hate brisket so I said no and she went and got me the menu to order something else. While I was looking at the menu with my phone flashlight (other tables had actual flashlights, they came prepared) as the tunnel was too dark to see without it, I was given mac n cheese with short rib according to the food runner. I questioned him as I had been told they were out but he went and checked and told me it was the last of the short rib. It was not short rib and someone lied. When the waitress returned, she thought it was burnt ends and checked with the kitchen and they told her brisket. Whatever the mystery meat was, it was not what I ordered. Did they think I wouldn't notice or know the meats are prepared differently. It is dark there so it is hard to know what you are eating. The mystery meat dish was taken back to the kitchen and I asked if they could prepare it with vegetables instead as mac n cheese seemed like the safest option on the menu with the mystery meats. I wish they just had what I originally ordered. The specialty made veggie dish was good but I expected more flavors with the cheese. It was kind of bland. I did try the dessert too. I got the strawberry lemonade cake. The strawberries were the best part as the cake was on the dry side. While eating this, the check was brought to the table. This is my biggest pet peeve to not wait until the guest is finished eating. The most frustrating part was that while they refused to increase the lighting when I arrived and asked as I couldn't read the menu. They immediately turned the lights up when another guest asked as I was finishing my dessert. The chef came to the table from the front dining area. It was my understanding that things were going to be made right. I didn't expect to be charged the full price for the dish without the premium meat. Then there was the service failure of bringing out a dish I hadn't ordered to begin with. The decor here is outstanding, with the copper ceilings and the speakeasy feel. The clock out front caught my attention too. They went all out with the details and elegance. So it is disappointing that the food and service is not up to the same standards.

There is little to no decoration at Sea Glass Cafe. It is basically in just a square-open room…read moreconnected into a small shopping center. Despite of this, the people are great and they have some solid food!! They have a "make your own coffee" station. Unfortunately, the coffee was lukewarm at best. This tells me that the coffee had been sitting in those containers waiting to be poured for a while. We both ordered the kids/senior portion waffle, with bacon and eggs. They have great scrambled eggs (soft scrambled, not hard), and their bacon is pretty solid as well (kind of tough, though). Their waffles are Belgian-style, which means that they were generally a bit crisper on the outside, and soft on the inside. They are filling, and have solid flavor! Contrastively, their bathrooms are not the cleanest. But, in the end, their food is solid and is set at a good price, but needs more character in their restaurant! Where's the decoration?

Our original breakfast plans fell through, so we gave Sea Glass Cafe another try. That was a…read moremistake. There was only one table occupied when we arrived, but the server was in no rush to wait on us. After finally ordering, our meals arrived promptly. My breakfast tacos were huge, but with virtually no sausage or flavor. I gave up after eating one of them. The hash browns were the highlight of the meal, but were so-so. My dining companion was not impressed with her huge omelet, but at least it had a generous portion of ham. My unsweet tea was clearly at least a day old, but came with a premium price of $3.49. According to the menu, my meal was supposed to come with hash browns but after paying I noticed that I had been charged an extra $4.99. This was not good and a poor value.

After more than a decade, we finally made it back to Carolina Bagel--and now I'm kicking myself for…read morenot returning sooner. My husband and I split The Woods sandwich with Maui onion chips, and it was exactly what you want from a great lunch spot: perfectly toasted, flavorful, and not overloaded--just the right balance of meat and cheese. Our server (brown ponytail, floral sleeve tattoo) was fantastic--super friendly and thoughtful enough to split our sandwich onto two separate trays without us asking. Those little touches make a big difference. We grabbed pastries to go and had them later with coffee at home... just as delicious as lunch. The place was hopping (always a good sign), service was smooth, and even the bathrooms were spotless. Safe to say this won't be a once-a-decade visit anymore!

I have nothing bad to say about the place. Everything is…read moregreat. I will say when they say they're closing at 1:30 they are closed. At 1:10 the chairs are up on the tables. They're mopping and cleaning the grill and counting money. You can call in an order at 1:20, but you'd better be on time to get it, pay for it and leave. They don't play about the time.

Captain Ratty's is a good place to dine in Downtown New Bern. They have inside and outside seating…read moredepending on what you prefer. I liked the large menu and the reasonable prices. My waitress was on top of things and very patient with a customer at a nearby table who was struggling to get the words he needed to order. I had the filet mignon with baked potato and did a lava cake for dessert. I enjoyed my meal and would return here again.

BTW, the staff told me this place is changing names - possibly Buzzys Chophouse…read more The inside is a little quaint on the one side by the bar but the main entrance is a bit confusing since they had a salad-ish bar behind the divider. The main room had a lot of room and good bar seating. I read the reviews and wanted some seafood and the fish and chips caught my eyes. I was also going to try the clam chowder but the last two reviews were not appealing so I asked the waitress other options. I was offered the Tomato Bisque soup which was very good . Very creamy and tomatoey. For the main course I changed from the fish and chips to The Bounty, and unfortunately it was NOT. The meal was fried with French Fries and Cole slaw. I mentioned I didn't like coleslaw so they left it off but didn't offer any as a substitute or knock the soup price off. The meal came with 5, average sized shrimp with the tails off, what was supposed to be scallops, and small fried oysters. The fries were better than the oysters and scallops, and I believe the scallops were imitation because they did not have any grain when I cut them. I wasn't asked if I wanted tarter or cocktail sauce and just got tarter. I had to chase down the waitress for water since I didn't want anything else. I'm not sure this would make me a return trip but every place is worth a try

Had a nice dining experience last night. Wait staff was very attentive. Food servings are on the…read morecostly side. Spaghetti sauce had scorched taste to it.

One of the places open on Monday night in New Bern. I went because I met the owner the night…read morebefore at MJs and she told us about Cork and the amazing lobster rolls. I went because that sounded really good. Pro Tip: They only sell lobster rolls on Sunday. It appears food cost are rising and the orders don't fully justify the expense in the customers eyes. The menu still looked good so I stayed. Olivia was my server and she was great. Super knowledgeable about the menu with great suggestions. I wanted the brussel sprouts but was a little reluctant because of the beets. She said it was good and give it a try. I glad I did what a treat. The brussels were lightly fried. The real treat was the flavor profile. The bitterness of the brussels, pickled sweetness of the beets, creaminess of the goat cheese with the crunch of the pecans....wow. So good and it was lightly dressed with the pickling liquid. I went with the jerk salmon for the entree. The salmon was cooked perfect and had a nice crust on it. It was served with a citrus (mango forward) salsa on top of jasmine coconut rice. It is all a great idea and the combo was good. Only feedback was the red bell peppers seemed out of place and took away from the dish and the jasmine rice was a little too bland. I could taste the hint of coconut which was good but some seasoning or a touch of salt on the rice would have paired great with the salmon and orange glaze. Over a gem in New Bern with great service.