If you are ever in New Bern, NC, you need to eat at MJ's Raw Bar and Grill. My wife and I were in the mood for seafood and I did a Yelp search. There were a few restaurants but MJ's stood out amongst the rest for the photos and reviews. MJ's is located in downtown New Bern. The restaurant is not very big but the wait (20-25 mins) was worth it. We ordered the Admirals Platter which had oysters, clams, shrimp, and crab legs. The oysters were steamed to perfection, the clams were not dried out, the shrimp was perfectly seasoned with Old Bay and red onions and the crab legs were not dried out. What I am trying to say is, the seafood was fresh and not pre-cooked. It was cook to order. Our waiter was awesome. Even though the restaurant was packed full, he paid attention to our needs. Our glasses never got empty. He kept our table cleared by replacing the shell bucket without asking. We really appreciate the customer service. After dinner, we decided on dessert and had the lemon blueberry pie. I highly recommend it ... deliciousness!!! Thank you MJ's for a special time with delicious food. If we are back in New Bern, you will be a definite choice for seafood. read more

Food was delicious and fresh! Our waiter was super attentive which was much appreciated with how busy the restaurant was. My husband had the raw clams, oysters and shrimp. Super fresh and he enjoyed every slurp. I had the snow crab legs with the lobster corn chowder. Again, super fresh and delicious! We will definitely return on our next visit to New Bern. read more

Stopped in for lunch and we were seated right away. They have art photos for sale on the walls. As the mother of an artist I love seeing these kind of opportunities for the artists. The place is a little small inside, but they do have a bar in the back. Bathroom was clean. Model sailboats adorn the top of the booths. We ordered shrimp and grits with hushpuppies to go. Then we had a chopped salad, fried oysters, Calamari and the tuna crisp. All the food was good, but the Calamari were amazing. Perfectly fried, tender and I would highly recommend trying them. My kiddo enjoyed the shrimp and grits but said the hushpuppies were excellent. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Tuna crisp - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

Some of the best fresh seafood I ever had. I knew the food would be good when I saw the restaurant packed at 4p on a Sunday. We tried gator bites, oysters, and two soft shell crab entrees. Everything was delicious and perfectly seasoned with large portions. I would definitely return next time I visit new Bern. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

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One of the most delicious and freshest sea food I've had in a very long time. Wide range of food, from seafood, to children's menu, to steak. Everything we ordered was a hit. As the restaurant did not accept any reservations and we went on a Friday night, we had to wait about 2 hours to get seated (large group of 7). Totally worth the wait though. Definitely recommend visiting this spot if you're visiting New Bern, NC. Order to oyster shot! read more

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Had the most amazing meal. Calamari had and unusual but delicious seasoning. I had shrimp and grits that were the best I've ever had. My wife enjoyed her fried Oysters. Kyleigh G was our server and was fantastic. I highly recommend MJ's read more

I was so excited to try this restaurant after walking by it several times... unfortunately, I left disappointed. My partner and I were seated after a 25ish minute wait. Not bad at all on a Friday night, and it gave us time to walk down Main St. We quickly got our oyster shooters and water... for some reason, the oysters in the shooter was tastier than the raw oysters we got later. We shared tuna nachos, a dozen oysters on the half-shell, and the New Bern Steamer... they came out in a timely manner, but none were especially good. We got the tuna nachos first. They look great and came with a sizable amount of tuna. For some reason, it just wasn't that good. Also, ginger shouldn't just be thrown on top. When have you ever seen ginger ON sushi? Next came the oysters and steamer. The oysters were decent but not nearly as good as others I've had. Might be due to location tho.. I'll have to try more NC oysters. What I was most disappointed by though was the steamer. The beer broth sounded unique, but it honestly just tasted like very watered down warm beer. Also, the potatoes were HORRIBLE. Super mushy, seems like they were boiling for HOURS. Unfortunately, we were served by someone who didn't seem very interested in us which just made the whole experience that much worse. However, the other servers seemed a lot more enthusiastic and friendly. The restaurant is dimly lit, homey, and cute, and the other food smelled tasty. I would come back to give it another try, but only after seeing what Front Street Fish has to offer! read more

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Mj's was recommend from our bed and breakfast hosts and some local shop owners when we were shopping. We were in town for a girl's weekend and took a sunset cruise followed by dinner at MJ's. The place was hopping on a Friday night! Everything we had from the shrimp and grits, salads, and crab cakes were beyond phenomenal. It was one of those restaurants I could have visited twice in the same weekend. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Shrimp and Grits - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

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Great food, excellent service, and a welcoming atmosphere. Definitely a restaurant worth visiting again!

Super casual. Clearly well loved / very busy. Seafood pot pie was INCREDIBLE!!! Fried oysters were also good. Friendly service. Random but important - the fries were hot and delicious! read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Fried Po-boys - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

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This place was a great find. I had 6 raw oysters & my hubby had 6 oysters Rockefeller. He then had the crab cake sandwich and I had the raw tuna on seaweed salad, it was the best. Our server, Joy, was so gracious and always checking on us. The ambiance was good. If ever going through New Bern, we know where will eat again read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

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Muscles were fantastic, however very concerned about the fact that the oysters Rockefeller were raw.. I've had oysters Rockefeller, many times and never raw underneath the Rockefeller crust on top. Painkiller drink was amazing. Service was amazing. Pass on the overpriced crabcakes.. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - The muscles were absolutely amazing - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

Sunday night dinner in New Bern. Went there on a recommendation. Jenna was our server and she knew the menu through and through. I wanted a total seafood experience and she help steer me in the right direction. Pro Tip: They only do fresh clams. They bring them in early and will likely run out by Sunday dinner if you have a craving. I started with the mini crab cakes with a remoulade sauce. The crab cakes were perfectly fried. The could have used a little more lump crab. Because of the clam shortage, Jenna recommended the trio of scallops, shrimp and crab stuffed mushrooms. The meal came with two sides, I order the green beans and cheesy grits. Sides first, the grits tasted good but were not quite creamy enough. The bacon and chives seem dominate the flavor a bit. The green beans were great. Cooked with a nice crunch and seasoned perfectly. The entree was soo good. The grill and char on the scallops was outstanding, shrimp cooked perfectly and crab stuffed mushrooms were good enough to eat as a meal. My friend ordered the tuna crisp so I could review it. Great tuna and outstanding aioli on the crisp. The only feedback is that the crisp was a little stale. We did order dessert since we were overly ambitious. I tried the strawberry shortcake special. Really good and really sweet (maybe a tad too sweet) Jenna made our drinks and I asked for an old fashioned with just the cherries and juice to cut on sweetness. She did it with a smile and it was great. Great experience and food. read more

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Very good oysters! The young lady that was my server was extremely knowledgeable about the oysters themselves. I did not try the actual food there, but I've heard mixed reviews regarding that. The restaurant is right out in the waterfront so it's quite pleasant to see the boats come by and people watch! read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Oysters and some bubbly - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

The service was excellent. The ambiance is lovely.The seafood chowder was excellent The Strawberry topped salad was excellentl. Our only complaint is $52 for 4 scallops. We should have asked. It felt like "tourist trap" pricing read more

Love this place. Come here every time we are in town and want a delicious, casual dinner. Staff is always great! Fun bartender, owner is super cool. Fresh and delicious every time! read more

Good service. Friendly atmosphere. However. I just paid $64 for lunch and came away hungry. One draft beer. One cup of chowder, a dozen tiny oysters, one snow crab cluster. Chowder was Ok. Oyster were ridiculously tiny, and the crab non-existent almost. The oysters were barely edible. The snow crab mealy and hard to extract from shell. Not a happy time. The prices were above average and not worth the value for the mediocre food. , . read more

Delicious food options! We enjoyed it so much we went back the next day! Service was great and efficient. Location right downtown was close to everything! Highly recommend. read more

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We went to MJs for dinner and had a great experience. This is a busy, bustling place with the expected noise level of a pub. I had the Crab Cakes which were amazing. My husband had a ribeye steak which was seasoned and cooked perfectly. Our server was friendly, efficient and quick once we shared we were in a time crunch for our next activity. All in all a very nice experience! read more

Keep trying in good faith to enjoy their oysters. Ordered the oysters imperial. Love their imperial in the mushrooms. After being overwhelmed with garlic in the Rockefeller ( no garlic in that classic recipe ). I took a leap. I don't understand why with a great crab beginning and a delicate oyster you would add Dijon mustard? I was taken aback. All I could taste was mustard with a hard Parmesan finish. It could be such a slam dunk to top the fresh baked oyster with their classic crab mix. No cheese. Please no mustard. The strawberry salad was very good. My husband enjoyed the seafood pot pie. I choked down lump crab with mustard. Reign in the chef. Enhance the morsels. Don't kill them. Our server was very good. Food was hot and prompt. Would you desecrate an oyster and lump crab with mustard? read more

Vibe was cool. Place was nice. Food was okay. $20.00 poke bowl was literally enough food to feed a 12 year old girl. Not much to it just about a half cup of tuna, 2 slices of avocado, and a tablespoon or two of greens with some dressing and 2 chips to eat it with. Im not a cheap ass but I mean $20 for maybe a cup and a half of food?? Ive gotten better poke bowls from a fast food joint for less money. I'd avoid this item. The cup of clam chowder was the best part of my meal. Throw some old bay in there and it was pretty good. Service was fine. As expected since it was fairly crowded on a Sunday afternoon. Id have to try it again but for this first experience, not super impressed with this dish. read more

On my first day in New Bern, after walking around DT, I asked if this place was casual and the locals said, absolutely. It's small, but such a great place. The staff is so friendly and my waitress was amazing. You can't come to an Oyster bar without having Oysters! At first I opted for Raw and then the waitress said they could half steam and it was such a great recommendation. For dinner I had the Crab Cakes and by far, the best crab cakes I've ever had! If you do them right, you don't need all the fluff. They are LUMPS of Crab meat. The second star though, was the potato salad. Probably the BEST potato salad I've ever had! To finish, I had the Key Lime pie and it was the perfect ending. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Crab Cakes with potato salad & bottle of Pinot Grigio - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

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We were visiting New Bern and a few of the locals said this was a great place to stop in for lunch. Well, they were right. The service was great. The staff was very friendly and helpful with menu suggestions. We had the grouper strips and hush puppies as an appetizer. The grouper was perfect! My husband had the chicken & grits entree and I had the shrimp basket with slaw. Not one complaint. Everything was great. read more

My husband and I wanted to sit at the bar, after a few minutes, a couple did get up, but when we tried to sit down, the man next to me said seat was taken. That was fine, but then another woman took the seat next to the one I was sitting in. My husband, being raised properly, gave her the seat, and pulled a random seat on the absolute corner. He ate his entire meal with the corner of the bar in his stomach, and every time a seat came up, everyone moved over, so he couldn't move. It's just a lousy click restaurant. My burger bun had mold on it. I would never go there unless you are part of the "crowd". It came highly recommended, but I don't see it read more

Although the bar area is a bit small and seats about 12 patrons, the atmosphere is wonderful. Our bartender, Kesse, was an absolute joy--friendly, attentive, and extremely helpful with the menu as we decided what to order. We were in the New Bern area for a week and stopped in at least three times. Aside from the oysters, which we enjoyed more than once, we tried a different meal each visit and were impressed every time. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

MJ's is definitely a YES from me. My mom and I went for lunch today and I had raw oysters with horseradish and cocktail sauce to start along with a tasty Bloody Mary. Then I had the crab cake sandwich with grits for my main event. First off, the seafood was the freshest and really delicious. Especially the crab cake was packed full of crab with minimal fillers. The grits had cheese and bacon in it and was the best grits I've had in New Bern. Our service was great. This is a perfect restaurant to slip into for some fresh seafood while you're out and about shopping taking in the sights and shopping of downtown New Bern! read more

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This is a must visit place if you are a seafood lover!! First time here as we re visiting from out of state, we will definitely be back! read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Admiral Oysters and the Hot Crab dip - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

Food fantastic service was perfect great quaint spot for lunch or dinner. We had fish and chips delish also had 1/2 lb steam shrimp everything was great can't wait to bring others to enjoy the good food and great service. read more

More of a fast food dive bar seafood place. Poke was stale... Drinks are good. Not fresh fish .. frozen fresh. read more

Enjoyed dinner here our first night in New Bern. Absolutely everything we had was delicious! Raw Oysters were the best we have had in years! Same for the Old Bay seasoned shrimp. The waiter was friendly and attentive. We enjoyed many delicious meals in New Bern but this was by far our favorite! We will make the drive back to the coast just to eat here again! Don't miss MJ's! read more

Sat at the bar for lunch on our way home from the Crystal Coast and pick the right spot. Steamed Shrimp (with onions) were second to none. Crab cake sandwiches were also a great selection, good seasoning amd meaty. Service was spot on and they made you feel as though you were one of the many locals that frequent their establishment. Will def make this a stopping point wheter driving by or staying in town. read more

The BEST shrimp and grits you will ever eat is at MJ's! Every time I try shrimp and grits somewhere else MJ's is always my comparison, and I haven't found a match. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Shrimp and grits - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

I'm so happy I wandered into MJs while looking around this beautiful town. The place was busy, which is a good sign, and it was just me, so I sat at the bar where they had the game on. The bartender was very helpful and friendly. I ordered grouper fish and chips, bacon grits, and a salad. My salad came out in a chilled bowl, and the ranch was homemade. Yum... The grouper was good with just lemon, and with both the tarter sauces he brought and the grits were perfect, texture was spot on, and they were packed with flavor. I'll be back ! read more

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Never a bad meal and great service and staff!!! Great bar staff and wait staff are awesome. Food is always delicious and fresh!!!

Absolutely AMAZING! This is truly a 5 star restaurant! The staff is perfection and the food is simply amazing! I really can't recommend this place highly enough! Started with succulent fresh raw oysters and moved on to our mains and sides. My Garlic mussels and side chopped salad with blue cheese crumbles was absolutely delicious! My husband's crab cake sandwich was so amazing and we learned the recipe is the owner's grandmother's recipe. I can see why this place is so popular. We arrived at 5:20 and they were already full. After a short wait of about 10-15 min we were in. I'm already craving their flavors again! Highly recommend! read more

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The food is amazing. We started with a sweet Thai chili crazy shrimp. It was lightly breaded and super fresh. I was so impressed by the amount in the appetizer portion. My wife had a shrimp wrap and I tried the fresh caught grouper in the fish and chips. Our server was fantastic, we commented how every single person in the place was pleasant and kind. Our server Alex she was incredible and you should ask for her. As for the atmosphere is so quaint and very welcoming. It is a smaller place maybe 20 tables at best. So plan to get there early or be willing to wait. They do have a bar seating that is first come first serve. I would tell you that you must try their cocktail sauce, I even bought a bottle to take home. I rarely ever say a place is a ten out of ten but this place was for sure. I heard people all around me talking about the freshness of the food and the super kind service. In this day and age those are discriminators for a local eatery. read more

Great Food, Great Service!!! Put your name in, take a stroll, enjoy the sights...it is worth the wait. You will not be disappointed! read more

Wait time is horrible! They definitely need a bigger location. Food was great. Service was fast. My boyfriend had raw oysters. Be advised for a raw bar they do not offer a variety of oysters. I had the tuna Asian wrap. It wasn't bad, just felt like it was missing something. read more

Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - Tuna Asian Wrap. - Seafood Near Me - New Bern, North Carolina

Great food! The town didn't feel busy with tourism and there was still an hour wait, be prepared to get there early and wait. The service wasn't overly friendly but the amazing seafood made up for it. We would definitely recommend to others and visit here again. read more

Great find. Food was excellent. Burger was over the top. Haven't had French fries that good it 20 years!! Great wine list. My dining companions went heavy into seafood and no one was unhappy. read more