I think its important to frame your review based on where you are, and what the reasonable expectation for a meal is in the area. I come from a larger city with a lot of great foodie joints and niche restaurants with unique flavors. These are not the types of places you will find in Oriental, NC, which is a small town with a good chunk of locals and a smattering of people who come in and out at various times of the year (people like me). The food is good. It isn't going to bowl you over, but it will leave you satisfied. The staff is friendly, and the people eating there doubly so. The prices are a bit high in my opinion, but I think that is reasonable based on what I'm sure is a pretty season-based crowd. They have a nice little bar and plenty to wet your whistle. Overall, I'm satisfied with my experience there, and would come back (as I have a few times now). read more

We (2 couples) stopped in for lunch on 9/16 while visiting Oriental. We are so glad we found this place! The food was delicious and the service was great! Our server had just started that day at this place but really had a great personality and was very efficient. I didn't get her name, but she was terrific! I had the fish and chips and upgraded to the flounder. It was light and very good. For dessert we had the homemade pecan pie (and 4 spoons) and it was to die for! Great place - stop in if you're in the area. read more

Reminded me why I haven't been to M@M's in 6 months. One hour and seven minutes and still no food. We were the second table seated at 4:00. Which is when they switch to the dinner menu. Watched two tables eat and leave. Watched two Large to go orders come in, not called in, and they were served first. Rude waitress that claimed there were so many orders in front of us. Talked to bartender that remembered when we got there. Customers sitting around us asked how long we had been there. I am in the industry and understand being short staffed. Not the issue here. If you lost my order, tell the truth. We will wait another 6 months and maybe try again. Happy Mother's Day to me. And yes we got up and left!! read more

If I could Give it no stars I would , WORST FOOD I've ever eaten in my life. So disgusting and disappointing, do NOT Order WATER literally tasted like she took it from the toilet. We stopped because it looked like a super cute Little Mom n pop restaurant, and I like family owned over change restaurants. The service was a ok but the food was god awful not worth the 40 bucks we spent there. It could be such a great restaurant if the food didn't taste like straight up trash. read more

While on business in Oriental, I asked the barista working The Bean (also a must have) where a good place for lunch was. She recommended M&M's Cafe. It wasn't until 2pm or so that I ventured in for lunch with a friend. We both ordered the crab cake sandwich which was highly recommended by the waiter. The sandwich arrived and looked pretty good. The flavor was great. Impressed especially considering the time of day. Service was good by a very attentive waiter. When business has me back in Oriental, I'm stopping over at M&M's Cafe again for sure. read more

M & M's - Crab Cake Sandwich - New American Near Me - Oriental, North Carolina

We were so terribly disappointed tonight. After being seated promptly and specifically asking if there was a long wait and told no, we waited 1.5 hours without even getting our appetizers or salads. We had two toddlers who needed to eat and when we finally flagged down our waitress, we were told there were 3 orders ahead of us. I have never been treated so badly. The manager was rude and basically said it was a long wait and to be expected on Labor Day weekend. What?!? I guess they figure they can get away with being terrible at customer service since there are very few restaurants in town. Just be honest and tell people if there's an issue in the kitchen or if you forget an order. And especially when there are children waiting to eat. And then apologize. Terrible experience in an otherwise nice town. read more

Oriental is wholly lacking in dining options and forget being a late night diner in this town. BUT....M&Ms came through for us! After being turned away 2 nights in a row from the other "bird named" restaurant we walked over to M&Ms and they welcomed us both nights with smiles. We were never made to feel rushed through our meal. We chose to sit on the screened patio in the corner high top bar where you could get a peek of the water ;). The atmosphere was cozy and relaxing. Our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the food: grilled cobia, shrimp and grits and Cajun seafood. The best is their dessert menu, yum! read more

OMG! Where do I start! We moved here from California about 6 months ago. After trying many of the local eateries , my husband and I have adopted M & M's " our absolute favorite"! The food is so good, seasoned to perfection and gosh, so many choices. We could have a different entree every night and still not have all they have to offer. The desserts ...to die for. Service is always attentive and friendly, especially Berna. I just love her. She is always pleasant and smiling and just a joy. If ever you venture to this sailing capital of the world, please stop in at M& M's. You will not be disappointed! https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g49412-d633162-r467352597-M_M_s_Cafe-Oriental_North_Carolina.html# read more

This restaurant was the biggest disappointment of our lovely trip around NC. The food was terrible, my husband's crab cakes were uneaten because they were so bad and instead of the waitress asking if everything was ok she gave him a dirt look! We didn't ask for it to be removed from the bill but it was not consumable. I has the chicken parm, the chicken was tough, the sauce was from a jar and the pasta was mushy. Not many choices in Orential for restaurants, you might want to bring your own food and eat in the hotel. read more

Rude! Turned out the front light just as we walked in and coldly stated that the kitchen was closed, even though it was 8:45 and their stated hours were until 10pm. They claimed they had been slammed all day. Oh, pooh! Won't be back. read more

We love M&M's! Always great food, atmosphere and staff. Check out the specials on the whiteboard when you walk in! Try the jalapeño chips if they are on there. Thankful that we have such a great place in our small town of Oriental. Plus they are open everyday!! read more

It is hard to do this place justice. It's funky. A nice enough bar that is masquerading as a diner counter - except with drinks. A wine list that is totally adequate for the food they serve - but with prices that are unbelievably low - almost retail - not like most restaurant wine prices. Their menu is kind of stodgy, but everything I had was pulled off very well. The secret here is to look at the specials menu on the whiteboard by the front door and cash register. We had really great conch fritters (too many for something called an appetizer). We had very interesting duck pot stickers . They were juicy, flavorful, and pretty well pulled off. We had a salad with smoked salmon. I expected lox-like smoked salmon since it was being served on a tossed salad. It was, instead a plank of really, no REALLY good apple hot-smoked salmon on a huge bed of crisp mesclun. On another night we had grilled tuna (fantastic dry rub with rosemary) that was very juicy. Their onion rings are truly wonderful. We had fried shrimp (it's Oriental - known for shrimp) and oysters. Great ones, too many of them. This place is easy to discount on appearances. It has that well-lit bar, Formica tables, and vinyl clad chairs. But do not be fooled. Good food can be found here. AND fantastic, friendly, hard-working, and professional wait staff. read more

Shrimp and grits are amazing! Flounder was delish! Also the best pasta salad I've ever had, and the coconut shrimp are great! read more

M & M's - Whatever you do, don't get the shrimp and grits! You will eat the meal that will destroy all meals! AMAZING!! - New American Near Me - Oriental, North Carolina

I hesitated to write a review about a place we've loved to eat at over the last five years but this dinner was the last time for us. We've seen the struggle with staff and have understood long waits for service in the past but we dined on a light night. Only two other tables on the deck were taken and a few inside. Saw at least two servers and a young man bussing. We were given menus by the greeter and told to take any seats. After waiting 30min without anyone saying a thing we had a male server approach us. No hello, just a "Do you know what you are ordering?" My husband ordered the special and he replied "okay, two then" and closed his pad. I said "no, I want the Shrimp and Scallop Penne please." He asked what type of dressing for my salad, said okay and as he was ready to walk away we asked him if we could order drinks. We hadn't been asked. He took our drink order in a huff and we received them ten minutes later (we ordered sodas). Another 30min and two empty glasses later our food arrived. We still didn't have silverware. So then we waited for that before we could eat and I reminded him about my salad. The waiter said that it'd be out shortly. I received it halfway through my meal and with the wrong dressing. I didn't say a word. Funny thing is when the server brought it out, he also brought out a stack of garlic bread and tossed the top piece to my husband's plate, it missed and landed on the table. The server said "oops" and he picked it up and put it on my husbands plate. (It was supposed to come out with his meal). Gross. Don't get me wrong, the food was good. But it was an hour after being there that we got it and it cooled while we waited for silverware. We never received refills on our soda after being there an hour. The waiter was the worst. Rude, unapologetic and seemed to care less about doing his job. Food was good but didn't make up for the bad experience. It will take a change in management to bring us back. Two stars only because the food was decent otherwise a one star for sure. read more

Mediocre food (ordered a BLT that had one tomato on one of the halves of the sandwich and none on the other). But even worse is that no one was wearing a mask, not even the servers and cooks. There was no option for curbside pickup either. Not only am I concerned for the health of their staff, I'm concerned for the small town that operates around this type of place. Restaurants need to take care of their staff and communities. Taking temperatures is not enough. read more

The food was excellent! The service was pretty poor. Our waitress only came to the table once and that was only after other staff had been asked to get her. I know things are sticky in these times, but the service was a huge let down. read more

Go for the food, stay for the friendliness. OK. Once you've read the other reviews, ignore the ones that aren't 5s. Unless you hated Cheers, this is the place for you, plus hushpuppies. Where to start? First of all, the building. You go into a place with a couple of outdoor patios (which are not the seating of choice in December, but at our first visit in September, totally wonderful) with cool views of an old fisherman's hotel and some of Oriental's totally cool harbor. M&Ms has sort of a "lived in" look from the outside, and when you enter, you're already standing at the bar, with people looking at you and smiling. This is not a bad thing. Then Andrew shoves a couple of menus in your hands with a big smile, and tells you to sit where you want. That's if you don't want to sit at the bar and just enjoy a nice selection of draft beer, hard stuff (Oriental's the only town in the county where you can get spirits by the glass), and nice people. Sitting down (we like the back room with the fireplace) is at plain tables and fast service that doesn't harass you, either. While you're guzzling your drink, order a basket of hushpuppies. Damn. Double damn. They come from the fryer (what a great way to burn your fingers a little!) with butter, and these are they way God intended 'puppies. Move on to the menu, and it looks like most things are pretty good; the large burger is a handmade patty, with a real pink streak in it if you order it medium. Crisp fries, a nice roll, and cheese and bacon if you're smart. THIS is a wonderful burger. Flounder, crab cakes, crab/corn chowder, other things we've had were fantastic, as you'd expect with the seafood boats about 20 yards away. My wife let me have a taste of her chocolate cream pie. A small taste. She hogged the rest. On the way out, Luke - the chef (he calls himself a "cook" but he deserves the real title) comes out and asks you how things were. As for the Cheers part, every time we've gone in, as newly transplanted Yankees-from-California, we've had people just strike up normal conversations with us as if we've been in Oriental for years. It's hard to leave when you get the check. And if you want cheap food, go to cheap places; M&Ms serves good food at a good price. Works for me. read more

M&M's was one of our first stops on reaching Oriental by boat. After a disappointing dinner the previous night in Beaufort, we didn't have high expectations. We were utterly wrong. It was fantastic. The burger was so good that we ordered another round, and the fried fish wrap was as good as anything you'd find in a West Coast eatery. Monday night is sushi night, and once again, I went in skeptical. Utterly wrong of me, again. Lovely, fresh tasting fish - evidently Dave, the owner took a sushi-making class a while back, and it shows. Special for the evening was triggerfish, which I'd never had before. Buttery yummy goodness. I decared it "probaby the best sushi for miles around" ;) It's not perfect - the rice isn't anything to turn cartwheels over, and the shaping on the sashimi wouldn't pass muster with most Japanese sushi masters. But for the very reasonable price, the location, and the sheer charm. . .a winner. read more

Without a doubt a fantastic restaurant, and the best - by far- in Oriental. The food is delicious and plentiful, the selection is enormous. The help is cheery and right there to assist. They have an inside dining room and an screened outside section. There are specials galore and the waitress has even more items in the back of her tablet and they are very helpful, and knowledgeable about what they serve and how it works... enjoyable right down to their wide selection of deserts.. scrumptious.... this is a must go, must try and enjoy place, young or old.... if you're looking for discriminating food that will satisfy your palate, this is the place...enjoy!! read more

Paper thin fish and chips lots of grease and salt. My date ate 3 bites and said she was full? She refused sharing my old smelling shrimp cocktail ? I assume that maybe they don't like non locals as other guests dinners good !!!!!! read more

M & M's - Gross - New American Near Me - Oriental, North Carolina

No one working here is wearing a mask. Also the service is terrible. We had a table of four tonight. Our server was so hateful and messed up our order several times. I typically leave a large tip of 20%or more but I tip according to service. Since we had such bad service we did not tip well. As we were walking to the car she comes outside and yells at us about our tip. We have eaten here in the past but after tonight we would never go back. read more

Out of towners beware. If you are looking for poor service, incorrect orders and an uninterested owner this is your place. Waited over an hour for our food and only our 2 year olds chicken tenders where correct. They over cooked our medium salmon, under cooked the medium well hamburger and just missed one order all together. Owner did not apologize or make any attempt to make things right. Beware of the buffet as well. Watched the cook come out a couple of time and pour a cup of water over the top of the food one of which was lasagna. This used to be our go to place when we came into town but I guess it is time to move on. read more

Our favorite place to dine in Oriental NC!!! Incredible experience and allows us to rub elbows with all the friendly locals and dine at the bar! Barbara and all other staff are just what the tired weary traveler from the mountains of NC needs to unwind and come to a peaceful state of mind. The food is excellent and the beer is the coldest in the state of NC - At Lunch have Thomas get you one to try -- it's also walking distance to the village docks and waterfront. An incredible little town and ONE OF OUR FAVORITE PLACES TO GET AWAY - we are there at least a few time a month. read more

Small town. Few choices. So we mix this in the rotation every now and then. In our family of four at least one of us always seems to have a pretty major fail- chicken not cooked through, appetizer completely forgotten, service as if we were invisible, or just an entree that's not that good. Were it a great deal I'd have lower expectations. But prices are consistent with other coastal restaurants (in larger beach communities) and the food just doesn't seem to be. read more

M&M is a pretty decent spot in downtown Oriental that I've had the pleasure of eating at many times over the years. While the food is decent, if even a bit on the pricey side, the service is good and the fresh raw oysters are phenomenal. Not a bad spot to visit if you're tied off at the town dock around the corner or just staying in Oriental. read more

Although the food there is good, i order a cocktail from the bar with my dinner and receive a filthy glass complete with lipstick from the previous customer. I bring the lipstick laden glass inside and upon making the "bartender" (miserable old lady) aware of this, I get a shoulder shrug and no apology. She asked if I wanted another drink and I opted out. The busy season is coming guys --- there's no excuse for this garbage read more

Service excellent. Friendly staff. Coconut shrimp the best. Good variety of foods. Prices very reasonable.

great spot in a little town. friendly people and tasty food. love sushi night. a comfortable place to go in and sit at the bar and have some appetizers or a meal. read more

In summary I would say that this restaurant has no chef. The house salad was right out a bag and none of the dressings were made in house. The shrimp and grits were the worst we have ever had. Shrimp were tasteless and tough, probably from Vietnam, and the grits had no flavor at all. Shame on you, located in the heart of shrimp and farming country. We will not return until you start actually cooking something rather than reheating cheap ingredients. read more

Quaint little restaurant full of character. Flounder 'n Chips were delicious. Beer was cold and Key Lime pie was to die for! A definite winner! read more

Our second time visiting M&M's, the day after Christmas. I'm so happy they were open! It was very busy, but we were promptly handed menus and decided to eat outside on their large screen in porch area. We were promptly waited on by an amazing waitress, she was nice, talkative and was attentive to our needs without being "too much". I loved the way she treated my children, she asked them for their orders, she did not look to me to order for them. The menu had a lot of choices and the specials/additions were a good selection as well. We had a party of 5, 3 Adults and 2 Children. The entrees we ordered were: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with mixed vegetables and red potatoes x 2 (this was a special), Child's Grilled Cheese, Pot Roast with mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes (also a special)and the Ribeye with red potatoes and mixed vegetables (also a special). The food did take some time to arrive, longer than we wanted but once it arrived... the time we had to wait no longer mattered. The food was beyond delicious. Everyone ate ALL their food. The pork tenderloin was completely amazing, I've NEVER had pork cooked so well and grilled. The Ribeye was HUGE, it took up the entire plate. GREAT serving sizes! The mixed vegetables nothing like you assume you're going to receive. Complaints, with the wait time I wish there was something offered besides ordering an appetiser, hush puppies or bread of some sort would be great. Again, the food is NOT overpriced, great prices for the quality of food you receive. It is nice to leave a restaurant feeling good about what you ate. Not full of regret or a sick stomach. I would go out of my way to eat at M&M's, it is great to eat REAL food! read more

This is the worst place ever! We ordered take out and as soon as my husband walked in the door, they quickly took his temperature. They never even told him that is what they were doing. No one was weaing a mask. When my husband told them they had no right to do it, the owner lied and said it was the law. Well none of the other restaurants in Oriental do it so it is not a law. When my husband left one of the employees followed him out and said "Do us a favor, don't come back". No problem there. Why would you eat where they outright lie. Invade your privacy and the food is not good! Can't wait for them to go out of business! They don't deserve to be in business. Also Overpriced! read more

My husband and I recently visited this cafe on Sunday, May 11, 2014. My husband asked for a cup of coffee and was given a coffee cup that still had lipstick from the lips of the last person who used the cup. We were so disgusted. When they finally brought him a new cup, I went to put in creamer and sugar for him. I opened that little white cup of creamer only to find that it was soured and chunky in its little cup. Again, grossed out. When it came time to pay our tab, I gave the waitress my card. When she brought my card and the receipt back, she rang us up for $45 dollars. I had to go question them at the register only to find out that they rang the wrong ticket up on my card. They voided the transaction and re-rang mine and I was told it will take a few days for the money to be credited back to my card. I will tell everyone that I know that if they ever visit Oriental, to stay away from this cafe. read more

First time here. Last time here. Service was fast and efficient. That's all. The food was sub par in my opinion. We ordered the fish and chips and crab cakes. Fish and chips were perfectly cooked. However there was zero seasoning. Bland and boring. The crab cakes had a good ratio of meat to breading.... Again no seasoning. Salt and pepper are cheap condiments... Oh one last thing... Cheap ketchup. That is all. read more

Arrived at 11:30 today for lunch. We ordered burger and fish "n chips. At 12:10 inquired about lunch as others had arrived and were eating. Was told by owner that they were busy and if I didn't like it, I could leave. Reason was that burgers take a long time. Insulted my intellegence. Told him I didn't like it and was leaving. No apology, just beligerence. Eat there if you want be be insulted. No way to run a business! read more

M & M's is alright. Kind of expensive. Average food and average wait staff.

Just ate at M&Ms and it was the worst service I have ever had at any restaurant, anywhere. We came after lunch rush and were handed menus when we walked in and told us the table is in the back. We ordered drinks and food an after we got our drinks we didn't see our waitress for another hour. When the food finally did come they had one order wrong, forgot one and dropped the bread off one sandwich. She returned with a non toasted piece and was continually rude to us for asking for things. The food was pretty good but I won't ever be coming back here. read more

Went back to try M&M's again after a bad experience a year ago. Sad to say not much has improved unfortunately. Very, very slow service and the food when served was poorly prepared. Asked for rib eye medium rare; got it well done and leathery. French fries undercooked (probably cooked in oil not hot enough) and the fried oyster breaking was soggy. Caesar Salad was ok but way too much dressing. Lettuce was crisp and chilled. Very unfortunate there isn't a truly quality restaurant in Oriental. read more

Never again, last two meals were not good. Takes over an hour to get sub par food. Crab cakes are tasteless gooey blobs. Silos or Brantleys are way better. read more

M&M has for more than 10 years been our favorite go to place for food in Oriental. We always loved the unique food choices that were available. They have always been able to take a simple meat or vegetable and turn it into a delightful dish that said , "we have a chef not just a cook in our kitchen." Last night we were disappointed for the first time. The wonderful menu that used to be posted on the wall with choices galore that left you not being able to decide on a dish, had become much more ordinary. The regular menu was changed and didn't prove to be much better. What once was a unique gem in a small coastal town just seemed like a mom and pop's seafood restaurant. The food was good, but disappointing from what used to be. I had Mahi which was good, but the vegetables served with it were overcooked and mushy. My husband had catfish and said that it was good, but the rice was just ordinary and black beans nothing special. I left hoping that we had caught them in an off season lull and that by spring they return to what they have always been. It is hard to find really good places to eat. I hope they haven't lost who they once were and become just another status quo. You were perfect the way you were! read more