Crescent Moon Cafe

Veteran-owned & operated

Locally owned & operated

We recently stopped here on our way from NC to VA, and we think this will be part of our travel…read morerotation. We look for highly rated restaurants, close to the interstate and which have outdoor seating because we have dogs. Bringing water for our dogs and cups to take our sweet tea with us, our server, Kiersten, was the epitome of friendly southern hospitality. The barbecue was delicious. You could see the smoker on the property. What set this apart was the choice of sides. There were several sides such as green bean casserole and creamed corn that you don't see at other barbecue joints. We will definitely be back on our next trip to NC.

Tried Hugh Q's BBQ and honestly... pretty mixed experience…read more The cheese curds were hands down the highlight -- uniquely made, you could tell they were fresh, and they came out crispy and full of flavor. Easily the best thing on the table and definitely worth trying. Unfortunately, everything else just didn't live up to it. The BBQ and brisket were a letdown -- lacking flavor, not as tender as expected, and just didn't have that true smoked BBQ quality you look for, especially in a place like Hickory where the standard is high. Service and atmosphere were fine, nothing bad there, but when the main focus is the food, it just didn't deliver the way I hoped it would. Left feeling disappointed and honestly wishing I had gone somewhere else. Might give it another shot down the road, but based on this visit, it didn't live up to the hype for me.

Inside counter

Side salad

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Inside bar area

North Hickory Market

4.2(24 reviews)

1.0 mi

North Hickory Market has quickly become my favorite restaurant in Hickory! I've been for both lunch…read moreand dinner, and every single meal has been outstanding. The food is consistently fresh, creative, and absolutely delicious. You can tell they put a lot of thought and care into every dish. The staff is helpful and always friendly. It's rare to find a restaurant that's this consistent, but this place delivers every time. In my opinion, it's the best restaurant in Hickory by far.

This is a great place to grab brunch and/or breakfast in Hickory. The service is great - it's…read morefamily owned - fresh bagels and lox, eggs, bacon, etc. They have a cinnamon roll of the week - sometimes it's mocha/coffee flavored, other times it is blackberry flavored, etc. Always changing, always tasty! Get one for the table to share! Absolutely delicious bloody Mary's and service is always with a smile - no matter how busy and crazy it gets! The owner is always checking on tables, bussing them when needed. Check them out - the outside isn't very flashy, to say the least - and we wouldn't have thought to stop In had not our friends invited us to join them to be Sunday after church. So glad they did! We love it!

Bar area

Spam musabi

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Storefront

Jason's Deli

3.7(66 reviews)

3.4 mi

First time eating at Jason's Deli. The food was awesome and the staff was great but the dining room…read morewas a mess. We had a sleeping toddler with us. We looked for a booth so we could lay him down. All the booths were empty, but not any were cleaned off. They still sat with ditty dishes. There were no customers in line and the staff were busy chatting to one another. All the booths and some tables were still sitting with dishes when we left 45 minutes later. I'm hoping this is not the norm as I really liked the food.

I haven't been here in a while, and was looking forward to it…read more Food is always good... but today was disappointing. Between lunch and dinner time, there wasn't a clean booth available. More tables had trays and dishes on them than people. There wasn't many people sitting, a lot of staff around, but no tables getting bused. Not sure what changed, but isn't the same since I been here last summer.

Spicy Sicilian Sub w/ ruffles chips

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Strawberry Shortcake

Notions

4.4(88 reviews)

0.1 mi

I was visiting friends that moved to NC recently. While they were showing me the shops in Union…read moreSquare they mentioned that they hadn't visited this restaurant yet. So we decided that we were going to give it a try. After looking at a menu and being approached by the host who gave us a brief introduction to the menu we were in for sure. We asked to sit indoors with it being a windy and somewhat humid day. They have plenty of outdoor seating with umbrellas. We were informed later by our excellent server, Ashlee that there is also seating upstairs! We forgot to take a tour! The decor is very chic, but not overly done. We were seated at a table, but booths are available as well. Even the women's restroom with chic. It needed to be picked up a bit but was nice. Our server Ashlee was excellent! Her upbeat personality and friendliness was in the 10 rating! For only being at the restaurant a couple of weeks I think her vibes will keep bringing customers back. But not only her vibes, the food is very good too! My friends were very happy with their main meal, me as well! I had the Chicken Panini and the companion (side dish) I selected was the Pan Fried Corn. Both very good! We did order shareables too! The Southwest egg rolls and the Charcuterie Board. We were very happy with both! I would definitely order them again. I ordered two alcoholic drinks. My first drink was called the Bees Knees (ginger, honey, lemon bourbon) and an Espresso Martini. Both were good. The ginger was very mild in the Bees Knees. We were quite full so we were not able to enjoy our desserts at the restaurant but did order them to go. We ordered the Crème Brûlée and Key Lime Cheesecakes to go. I enjoyed the Key Lime, a good balance of sweet and tart. A little perfumme for me but still good.The feedback on the Crème Brûlée, was ok. I didn't try it. When I visit this area again, I would surely come back here and try some other items on the menu. Parking in this area can be quite busy, especially on the weekends. We came during the weekday in July after 1pm. We had to circle a few times before we got a parking spot. Come early!

Notions was OK. I had a smash burger - the burger was decent, the side of a grit cake was…read morehorrid. It was a wedge of grits that were covered in breading and deep fried. Who possibly wants to eat deep fried breaded grits? We ordered some apps and I forget what my wife and SIL order, but the overall opinion was just OK. No one wanted to return. Plus... the inside restaurant smelled like something died in there. We ate outside, as eating inside was impossible due to the smell. When I went to use the bathroom about an hour later, they had heavily perfumed the restuarant.

Interior

Classic Reuben + fries (seasoned well, btw)

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Pimento cheese dip appetizer

Sub Station II

4.4(30 reviews)

1.0 mi

Very reasonably priced and consistently good food. Quick service and pleasant staff. Lots of booth…read moreseating, clean drink station, and the building is older but fairly clean. Gets busy at times but the staff fills orders quickly and accurately, a huge plus nowadays! All around good place for a quick lunch or dinner.

From the moment my husband and I walked in, we knew we had hit the jackpot! The bread was fresh,…read morethe meat sliced to order, and 90's vibes took us back to our childhood. We shared the super special sub and our food was very reasonably priced for the large portions we got. The tables were all clean and listening to the 80's pop in the background was a nice touch. The staff was extremely friendly and noticed/waved when we walked out the door. We WILL be back!

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Bubblys

4.3(300 reviews)

2.8 mi

Love Bubblys! Great food, great service, portions are awesome, location is great and the price of…read morethe food is also great. Definitely recommend!

The food was amazing! It is NOT a fancy place and your feet stick to the floor when you walk…read more However I will definitely come back for the Bulgogi Hamburger and try other dishes. The people who work there are super nice -as an added bonus.

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Charleys Cheesesteaks

4.4(7 reviews)

2.9 mi

Gave us 3 free drinks and 1 free wing, Asian lady at the counter was very nice and the ambiance of…read moreringing was nice

Great staff Snook and Angela were amazing , awesome food, go give it a try, you won't regret.read more

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Jersey Mike's Subs

3.0(25 reviews)

3.6 mi

My wife and I had a wonderful experience here today. We were enthusiastically greeted as we entered…read moreand received the best of care. Our meals were absolutely delicious! The staff went above and beyond the call of duty to make us feel valued as customers.

Ordered 2 sandwiches, both were missing meat off the original sandwich order (like ordered a club…read moreand missing ham and bacon on the club sandwich, when that is what the sandwich comes with). Got jalapeños on the sandwich, had 2 jalapeños on the whole sandwich. Had our orders messed up 2 times. Will not order from here anymore.

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Main Chick Jammin’ Biscuits

4.3(31 reviews)

0.3 mi

Eddie Z here again. Driving here for lunch today was a mistake.a grizzly chicken thigh on a…read morehomemade biscuit was barely edible.the biscuits are crumbly and not very tasty with an after taste.our beef tallow square hush puppies(4) were very good.my egg,cheddar,and sausage breakfast sandwich was not very good and after the first bite,most of the sandwich started to fall apart. I should have realized something wasn't right when we got there at 11:45 am and no one there. The female server was very nice and informative.

Tasty biscuits and generous portions. Only complaint is there was a bad smell lingering out on the…read morepatio

Chicken Biscuit with fruit and egg and cheese biscuit

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Interior

Cafe Gouda

3.6(145 reviews)

2.6 mi

Love love love the chicken salad sandwich on sour dough bread, I can't get enough of it…read more Every time I have ordered it, it's tasted exactly the same! In this day and age it's hard to reliably get the same food and it taste the same every time.

I placed an order thru DoorDash. I love the Rapp but it's not enough food for the price (photo next…read moreto my hand to show how small it is for $8+). Two of the sides were also incorrect. DoorDash did offer a partial credit but I won't be ordering from here again. The food is good (when correct) but the prices aren't worth it for what you get.

The breakfast "special"

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Burnt pancakes.

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16 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Presley B.

0

1

2

3 months ago

EDIT ** My friend ate here last night and was randomly told by a male bartender that I was banned from this restaurant. When asked why, the bartender said it was "for Leah's safety." Since I left my review in early May, which in no way was violent, threatening, aggressive, etc., I have not stepped foot into this restaurant. I do not speak to any of your employees nor do I want to. The 2 reviews immediately after my May review was 1. By an ex-employee of yours, which you know because it is the only review you replied to (Google) & 2. By a regular customer of Leah's, both to do some damage control it seems. I have no issue with being banned but I do have an issue with your staff spreading misleading information about me and creating a false narrative to benefit your reputation while dragging my character down. Mind you, the review I left, with pictures (that I will also include here), demonstrated how YOUR bartender, Leah, is unprofessional in a work setting and uses rude emojis on receipts, rather than the customer's name that she clearly knows. I have been a customer here for 5+ years and have never had an issue unless Leah was serving me. I am not an angry or aggressive person; Leah is unpleasant and under-achieving for someone who has been in the customer service industry that long. ORIGINAL ** I personally only come to this bar for the great food and darts in the back, never for the service. The waitresses here always have the worst attitude and act they would be happier doing anything else but their job. Leah is a waitress that consistently provides me poor customer service, always topped with a roll of eyes or a "Party Name" that never says my name, Presley, when she knows that is my name; my friends and I come here often. Tonight, 5/7/26 between 8-9pm, my friend and I ate here and were on separate tickets. I got here shortly after they did and waited at the bar for several minutes before Leah finally said, "you want to order something?" I then ordered my drink and proceeded to wait another 5 minutes before I got to order my food -- which was only done after watching her and the other waiter do circles around me standing at the bar & I finally asked the waiter if I could order some food. Leah left before I paid my tab but my friend's ticket had his name on it & Leah put the rolling eye emoji for my party name () I don't know what the issue is but this is not the first time and I am over it. I come to his bar for a good time, not to deal with high school pettiness from your staff. read more

GlenandGenea L.

21

22

54

2 years ago

The Crescent Moon Cafe is a fantastic spot for anyone seeking fresh and healthy meal options. The menu offers a variety of dishes and their selection of craft beers is impressive. The service was outstanding and left a lasting impression, making the overall dining experience memorable. read more

Elisha H.

37

3

0

10 years ago

One of my favorite places in Hickory. Love their menu options and the staff is very knowledgeable and eager to go over their beer selections. The only caveat is that the service can be slow but to me it's a place that I stay awhile and enjoy anyway so I don't mind. read more

Samantha N.

0

5

0

11 years ago

Pizza was off the charts good! Made exactly how i wanted it good amount of sauce and cheese, nice and hot! I'm coming here all the time.

R H M.

0

1

0

2 years ago

Good food. Good service. Great drink selection and specials. Servers are good and personable. Best senior center ever late afternoon.

Glenn F.

0

9

0

13 years ago

Great Food. Great beer. Can be loud sometimes. I still don't understand why they only card my son when he is there with me.

Rachel M.

0

2

0

3 years ago

Looooove the food and we usually get great service so we try to go every so often. When my sister visits I always end up going

Liz B.

0

3

0

8 months ago

Great food, amazing craft beer selection, and the kindest staff. Have been going for years and absolutely love them.

Kathy D.

0

33

0

13 years ago

Great sandwiches and soups! Clean, great service and friendly staff. Will definitely come back.

Kali S.

0

18

59

4 years ago

One of the few places in the Hickory area to find good Vegetarian and Vegan options.

Morgan O.

0

1

0

9 years ago

I love this place! Great location and great food/drinks!! Staff is friendly!!

Brooke B.

0

2

0

8 years ago

Great drinks, food, and vibe! Always a great dining experience.

Kirsten E.

137

73

12

11 years ago

Great food! Also loved how vegetarian friendly it was!!

David P.

1

30

7

14 years ago

Will Update Soon. Great Beer Selection!

Jason M.

1

15

6

7 years ago

Good spot for a late night meal!

Andrea W.

31

23

5

14 years ago

Great food and beer

Crescent Moon Cafe - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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Love love love the chicken salad sandwich on sour dough bread, I can't get enough of it…read more Every time I have ordered it, it's tasted exactly the same! In this day and age it's hard to reliably get the same food and it taste the same every time.

I placed an order thru DoorDash. I love the Rapp but it's not enough food for the price (photo next…read moreto my hand to show how small it is for $8+). Two of the sides were also incorrect. DoorDash did offer a partial credit but I won't be ordering from here again. The food is good (when correct) but the prices aren't worth it for what you get.

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