Love this place. The ambience is unmatched in the area. Brick walls, lighting is perfect (I'm one…read moreof those people who despises dim lighting but theirs is right on), easy to sit at the bar solo or with friends. The cocktails and mocktails are delicious. And the bartenders are welcoming and happy to engage in conversation. It's an easy place to come in as a visitor to new bern and make friends with strangers or make it your regular spot.

This is a really cool bar in downtown New Bern tucked away between some historical buildings. When…read moreyou walk into it has a modern look to it and you'll immediately see a large number selections of bottles in their bar. If you're in search for Pappy this is the spot that has it! You won't be disappointed, their service is exceptional and the bartenders are great at what they do!

My fav new spot ! Great place great people great service allows dogs curb side seating and check…read moreout the " artwork "

This is the dog friendliest place I've ever visited. Quite amazing. Everyone here loves dog. Many…read morepeople bring their well-behaved dogs and it is a joyful place. The beer selection is excellent too.

Decent spot for a pint. Nice selection and friendly staff. Next time I roll through New Bern, I'll…read morehave to pop in again. Minus .5 stars because the main bar has a bit of a strange layout.

Nice spot downtown to sit and have a beer or glass of wine and watch the world go by outside the…read morefront window. The bartenders are always friendly. They have plenty of window and bar seating. They also have picnic tables outside to sit at. The fact that they are dog friendly is an extra bonus for us. I love the fact that if they don't have a draft beer I like, they always have a well stocked cooler of single cans to choose from. They also have a large selection of wine and beer to buy and take home.

It's been a couple years since my last review and there's a new chef at the helm. I was glad to…read moresee he kept the old favorites (the burger, egg rolls, etc.) but the menu is much larger now. We enjoyed the watermelon carpaccio, fried green tomatoes, garden risotto with added shrimp. Everything was very good. The tomato portion was enormous and the beer batter was crispy and light. The risotto? It wasn't really risotto, it was more like a creamy rice but it was delicious. And those shrimp were big, juicy and tasted like they just came out of the sea. The watermelon, though, was a shocker. It was grilled! It had a really great smoky flavor that was totally unexpected and the dressing was light and fresh. We always sit at the bar and the service is always on point.

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.

Amazing open face sandwiches. Worth it but make sure you get more than one! Try em allread more

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!

I want to jump right in here and say: the wings. So I stopped in for a beer and booze and a book…read more While I'm here I spot the wings on the menu. I remember the dry rub wings being amazing. Great crust and tender meat. Today's was not that. Tender meat but the crust was a smidge over done, not enough to ruin the meal, but nothing to fantasize about like the early days of this place. They have the Lagavulin 16. Winner winner chicken dinner right there. Tullamore Dew was well would have made 5 stars. Service was good though. Professional. And they have two pretty big TVs to watch sports on. Ladies Flag Football baby. No one to revisit though like other establishments in the area. Very light rock music in the background. But I'm here during the daytime. Great atmosphere for a sunny day.

Maybe I tried the wrong things but I was underwhelmed. If I was just scoring the outside bar and…read morethe staff they would get five stars. The staff was very attentive but not annoying. They worked well together and made sure we were well taken care of. If you went to a restaurant just for the staff then this would get them five stars. But I don't come just for the staff or ambiance. I come to restaurants for the food and with a limited budget I want value and quality for our money. When we go to a place we haven't tried before I like to try sampler plates or try smaller portions of more items to learn what they are good at. Most BBQ joints have a sampler platter but there wasn't one on the menu. I asked about it and they said it was common to get smaller portions of the proteins as a combo (again not on the menu) but if you do it, doesn't come with the bread or the side even though the price is a bit more. You get to choose three meats. Ok I ordered the sausage, burnt ends, pork belly and a side of fries. The sausage was very good, thank you. The pork belly was a very small portion and fattier than I've had before, sweetened and too salty. The burnt ends were bad, I couldn't even finish them. Perhaps the worst burnt ends I've ever had. Very salty, I mean way too much salt. greasy, truly burnt not just the bark and meat like most burnt ends, and the sauce wasn't very good either. I was really disappointed. The fries were great, I would come here just for those. My wife ordered the turkey pot pie which was small and dry. She asked for some gravy on the side which they promptly got out. She indicated it was very good gravy.

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

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…read morethe 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.

Great service and atmosphere, but would definitely not recommend for my fellow vegans or…read morevegetarians. Went here for a birthday party and all my boyfriend and I could order was the fries side and salad with basically no toppings. Probably best to just find somewhere else if you're plant based. Still a good place, just not for me

This place always great ! But the best are the people !!…read more The best bartender Evelyn Manza and waitress Rose Always great experiences

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!

I'm so disappointed with Persimmons on the Waterfront, in New Bern…read more First, the good things: I love that they sell local art in the waiting area, secondly, I love sitting out on the deck. There was a nice breeze off the Neuse, even though it's 86° right now you don't know that because they have these nice shades and there's a nice breeze coming off the water. So what I didn't like first: I feel the menu was really limited, I can get around that, but the red flag right off the bat was their fish tacos and their fish and chips are made with "white fish" I figured they it was gonna be tilapia or something equally horrible. When I asked the what fish it was he said it was Pangasius, which the waiter described as similar to flounder and I also overheard another waiter. Say the same thing to somebody sitting near me so that's the spiel they're told to tell people who ask what kind of fish. I suggest that you look it up. It's Farm raised and not in very clean environment usually... I never eat tilapia and this is actually one rung below tilapia. I wasn't going to get fish. I ended up getting a burger which I normally don't get at a restaurant, but I ordered my burger, medium rare and the waiter said, "We don't do that. We either do pink or not pink." They tried to tell me it was a health department regulation. Nope! Other than fast food like McDonald's and Wendy's and such I've never been to a restaurant especially a supposedly fine dining restaurant where you couldn't order your burger, medium, well medium, medium-rare or rare. I said, try to make it less than just pink please. Then when I cut into my burger. It was well done. Maybe the exact center was slightly pink, but that was just one bite worth. I'm very disappointed, but I have to tell you I would be back just to be able to have the same glass of wine. It was a white wine, a dry white wine from Spain and the appetizer of brussels sprouts while sitting out on the patio, it was a nice experience for that but not for a meal.

Came here for dinner while staying in New Bern. They have military memorabilia on display so…read morethought it was perfect for veterans. Ironically they do not offer a veteran discount. Ceilings were covered with draping American flags that had a cool visual effect. They have an extensive whiskey menu and a nice selection of local brews on tap. I tried one of the local brews: Beerista, a white stout from Shortway Brewing Company. It had a good nose of coffee and vanilla but it wasn't carried through on the sip. It was a lot lighter in texture than a traditional stout. For food I had the short rib. It was seasoned well and was super tender. The side of potatoes were tasty but on the border of being too salty. Green beans were average. They were good to counter the saltiness from the potatoes. I'd probably would give this place another shot if nearby.

Went on Saturday eve 8/15/26 at 6.15pm with 8 of us in a group, was seated upstair. Service was…read morevery slow, food items were just okay, my husband ordered the fish and chips (fries) the fries were cold, the fish was ok, the coleslaw was warm and just enough for a taste(very small container, I ordered a large salad with blackened shrimp, the salad was in a smaller bowl and had no shrimp, our waitress had to go back and get them from the kitchen. My sister in law got the pork pot stickers, the appetizer for her main meal and hers came out after everyone else's was served by 12 mins or more. the wings were salty. My brother got the reveille and it was delicious. The jalapeno poppers were good, just need to be cooked a little more. I was sadden that I took a group to try it before I tried it prior. Would not try again unless had a coupon in case it ends up the same service way