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    Mj's Raw Bar and Grille

    4.2 (583 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, American, Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Mj's Raw Bar and Grille Photos

    Business Info

    MJ'S RAW BAR AND GRILLE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Mj's Raw Bar and Grille

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    Reviews With Photos

    Shrimp and Grits
    Jenn D.

    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.

    Linda D.

    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

    Tina L.

    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!

    Oysters and some bubbly
    Krystal A S.

    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!

    Fried Po-boys - Oysters
    Dee L.

    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!

    The muscles were absolutely amazing
    Kat M.

    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..

    Bill A.

    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.

    Chicken and Grits with sweet chili sauce
    Steph A.

    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.

    Admiral Oysters and the Hot Crab dip

    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!

    Crab Cakes with potato salad & bottle of Pinot Grigio

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    14 days ago

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

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    2 months ago

    Great food and service. Crowded but fun atmosphere. Servers are excellent at handling large tables. Get there early!

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    1 year ago

    Food was good, service was great, prices were excellent. Will definately revisit on our next trip.

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    6 months ago

    Food and service are on point. My sister and I had lunch here and the food, drinks and service were all good. Worth it!!

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    5 months ago

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    Page 1 of 15

    Ask the Community - Mj's Raw Bar and Grille

    About how long would wait be on Saturday if we want to eat around 4 pm?

    I visited this Saturday just before 4pm and got a table for two (that could have seated four) immediately. There was a wait by the time we left. There were a lot of people, so I would expect a wait of maybe 30 mins? The oyster bar was the most… Read more

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Delicious food and our server was Cody and he was fantastic. The live music was a great touch to…read moremake the atmosphere feel like a special occasion.

    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.

    Photos
    Baxter’s 1892 - Friends enjoying brunch

    Friends enjoying brunch

    Baxter’s 1892 - Short rib brisket reuben

    Short rib brisket reuben

    Baxter’s 1892 - Liqueurs and cordials

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    The Old Pinnix

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    We had such a wonderful experience today at The Old Pinnix! From the moment we sat down, everything…read morefelt welcoming and easy. The staff were both knowledgeable and genuinely friendly--such a great combo. The standout for us was the fig & pig toast--absolutely amazing. It was perfectly balanced with sweet and savory flavors and easily one of the best things we've had in a while. The drinks were bright, fresh, and really well done too. We'll definitely be back!

    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!

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    The Old Pinnix - Cozy seating

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    The Old Pinnix - Tea bar

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    Mj's Raw Bar and Grille - seafood - Updated June 2026

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