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Toucan Grill & Fresh Bar

3.4 (89 reviews)
Closed 12:00 pm - 9:00 PM

Toucan Grill & Fresh Bar Photos

Business Info

TOUCAN GRILL & FRESH BAR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Quiet
Outdoor seating
Good for kids

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Recommended Reviews - Toucan Grill & Fresh Bar

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chicken wings and carrots
H W.

We absolutely adore Toucan and their staff. Most bad reviews here of our favorite Oriental restaurant note the elevated prices and availability during peak times and seasons. The reality is food prices everywhere have risen 30-40% in the last 2 years, especially seafood at waterfront restaurants. Their website menu is outdated, so don't expect the same menu options or prices. The prices are indeed high for several menu items but many locals, us included, are thankful for this restaurant and it's not uncommon for it to close in the winter due to lack of profits, so we consider it a convenience tax to not always feel like we need to drive to New Bern. If you are simply concerned about prices, Brantley's would be a better choice for you. Just like many waterfront restaurants and charming towns, there are times where there may be events or they may be understaffed. To give an entire business and their staff 1 star because you couldn't get the table you wanted and prompt service during an event seems ridiculous. Call ahead and check availability during festivals, events, and peak tourism seasons. And have a bit of patience. This is a small town, and a friendly and lovely one at that. The lovely people that work here really make the difference for us, and the bar is always a great time! Our favorite items there are the crab dip, which you can order with pita or fresh chips, the burgers, salads, chowder, wings, and pick 2-3 seafood (albeit pricey). Great side items include the loaded baked potato, fries, sweet potato fries, and side salad. They can add additional toppings to your side salad like cheese or red onion if you ask. Several desserts are locally made, while the rest are frozen, so simply ask what was locally made that's available and you'll have a very decadent end to your meal! A great place to visit! And their porch is also dog friendly!

View from outside restaurant
Meena P.

I've heard many opinions about Toucan grill, some good some not so great. Figure I'll find out my own this time while I was in Oriental. One of the few places open on a Monday night , toucan is a pretty casual place, bar with a couple of tvs. This happens to be off season, so as we got seated our server, Chelsea, told us they had a limited menu right now, but it had a little of everything and the bar had a decent amount of liquor. We got the bottle of Cava, which was a great price, less than $20 for the bottle. Surprisingly pretty good too! All 3 of us got 2 glasses each, not a bad deal! Ordered the tuna tatakappetizer, served with a seaweed salad, soy and wasabi. Loved the seaweed salad, something different . The tuna was cooked nice and rare, and the wasabi! Wow. Perfect app! My friends ordered the hamburger, no bun, keto ! With the California veggies as a side. Said it was cooked perfectly, and she loved the veggies, and the burger looked fantastic. Had lots of cheese, onions and mushrooms. Also the Mahi Mahi bites also, nicely battered and not greasy, nice big pieces of fish. She also loved the veggies. I had the peel and eat shrimp, loved the seasoning, and the spicy cocktail sauce, opened up my nasal passages well! The hot chips, also great, crunchy, not greasy and plentiful. Everyone loved those! The key lime pie rounded us out, nice tart, great crust. Perfect meal ender. I have to say my first experience here was really good. It was a smaller menu, for the season, but still enough options. I would return here for sure. They have a great view of the water, and a covered patio too, which I'm sure opens up in the warmer months. I can see why it's a staple here, and shockingly open 7 days a week, a rare find in the restaurant world these days.

Jarrod S.

Oriental is a quaint little town with limited eating options. Out of those options I would recommend the Toucan Grill. It took forever to get our food and the burger was clearly a frozen patty. The menu also said house made pimento cheese. That was definitely not the case. We were not very impressed. Especially for how long we waited and the price.

Peel and eat shrimp 1/2 lb.
Lauren B.

Came here for cocktail and appetizer. Absolutely charming bartenders, strong drinks and the shrimp were absolutely the best I've ever had in my life. Like not kidding, and I'm married to a southern man that LOVES shrimp and we both agreed these were the best, cooked to perfection, super fresh, nicely seasoned, they were almost sweet tasting! This is the spot to chat with locals and learn about the amazing town of Oriental.

Fish tacos

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1 month ago

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10 months ago

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7 months ago

The service can be slow depending on who is working the food is alright depending on what you are wanting!

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3 months ago

Good food, good service, and love the rustic feel, water views and can park at the docks.

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2 years ago

Amazing key lime pie and everything was perfect. Personally I think this might just be the best restaurant I've been to in a while

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3 years ago

Great service. The bartenders are awesome. They give a generous pour. The wings and home chips are delicious.

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2 years ago

Don't go. This is by far the worst seafood I've had . The wait staff inattentive and distracted. Undercooked and over priced.

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

I loved my experience there! Their was this nice young lady I believe her name was carrie and she was the sweetest person.

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9 years ago

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6 years ago

Fantastic food and GREAT staff!!! Gotta get the Bread pudding. BEST I ever had. It's a must

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Baxter’s 1892 - mac n cheese with a mystery meat when I ordered short rib

Baxter’s 1892

4.3(101 reviews)
20.3 mi

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.

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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Liqueurs and cordials

Beachside - Brew & a Pina Colada

Beachside

4.8(6 reviews)
32.5 mi

This shop is close the water park and public beach parking close to the bridge end of the island…read more It has a good selection of frozen slushie alcohol drinks which my wife really enjoys. The hours are a little weird so you need to either check the hours on the door or expect to find them closed. I think when we were there they were closed M-W. THere is plenty of parking and the drinks bring us back

Beachside on Emerald Isle: A Slice of Paradise!…read more After a day of sun, sand, and pretending I could surf, I stumbled into Beachside and found my new happy place. The frozen margarita? Absolute perfection - like a beachy, boozy kiss from a margarita-loving mermaid. Chef's kiss indeed! Shout out to the beach yoga crew - nothing like a little downward dog at 8am to justify that 5pm margarita. Check out Isle Sol Collective for the yoga schedule with the best teachers around. It's donation-based and just a minute from the west side beach access. Trust me, you'll earn that drink! The locals at the bar? Hilarious. They should start charging for comedy hour - I haven't laughed that hard since sunscreen in the eyes at high noon. And the staff? Pure sunshine wrapped in tank tops and flip-flops. 10/10 - would recommend this spot to anyone looking to end a perfect beach day with a perfect margarita. Cheers, Beachside!

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Beachside - Yoga play anyone- frozen drinks after? Yes- please!!!

Yoga play anyone- frozen drinks after? Yes- please!!!

Beachside
Beachside - Miami Vices with a floater to go . They were AWESOME!! Best drinks we had all week

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Miami Vices with a floater to go . They were AWESOME!! Best drinks we had all week

Toucan Grill & Fresh Bar - tradamerican - Updated June 2026

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