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    Mj's Raw Bar and Grille

    4.2 (581 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, American, Bars
    Open 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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    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

    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!

    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!

    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!

    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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    4 months ago

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    4 hours 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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    23 days ago

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    1 month ago

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

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    10 months ago

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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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    9 months ago

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    11 months ago

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

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    5 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Service was great and we both enjoyed our seafood dinners also the lobster bisque ..............

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    10 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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    We listened to the many raves about the Grill and finally decided to check it out. The raves…read moreweren't wrong. We went there on St. Patrick's Day and had one of the best Reubens ever, along with absolutely the best fries ever. It is such a pretty restaurant and when you walk in and see the water and the boats you totally relax. It's like you're on vacation. Our server Christie, was so, so nice, and didn't blink an eye when I changed my drink. We are looking forward to going back there for dinner. The people at the bar were raving about the shrimp. We gotta try that next time.

    ***This is a review for Saltwater's seasonal Thanksgiving buffet, open to reservations only***…read more Oh, Saltwater Grill... where do I begin? Let's begin with the gravy, or lack there of. It's Thanksgiving. Unless the chef has UNWAVERING, super-heroic confidence the turkey is going to be ultra-moist, gravy needs to be on standby. Even IF the turkey is perfect, what about the mashed potatoes? The dressing? Gravy is the cohesiveness that brings it all together, the savior lifeblood of the holiday dinner plate. (FYI, the turkey needed said gravy.) Let's check in with the alternate entree offerings: chicken & dumplings or shrimp & grits. They're lucrative ideas for options other than turkey & ham. But... the execution was lacking. The chicken & dumplings had a cloying, sweetish flavor. I couldn't put my finger on it; maybe I was getting undertones of nutmeg & allspice in my bites. It was, um, unique (to be polite). The shrimp & grits. Bless it, I just don't know what to say. The grits be gritting, not creamy & smooth like they should be for this dish. The shrimp swimming in the sauce in the adjacent pan struck me as the tiny salad shrimp most of us have seen before. Speaking of the 'sauce': This wasn't a thoughtful carrier vehicle for ANY type of shrimp, great or small. It seemed to be a thinned out mornay with no thought or attempt at flavor. Ah, wait. There is always dessert batting last to save the day! It's the last thing that touches your palate, erasing all vestiges of earlier misgivings. Except... NO pumpkin pie or variation thereof. NO pecan pie or attempted version. There was red velvet cake, flourless chocolate torte & a snickerdoodle'ish crumb cake available. The crumb cake would have to be my go to to close out this meal. For reserved, timed seatings of patrons the dining area was never overwhelmingly crowded. With that said, overall service was subpar. We never received beverage refills (everyone drinking water or tea, no difficult orders) & plates were cleared slowly. Well, that's that. We know to make better choices next year. However, you don't know what you don't know until you know. Now we know. p.s. - It's a good thing I have pumpkin pie stashed at home.

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    Saltwater Grill - Waterfront view.

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    Cypress Hall - Sweet Pea Risotto

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    Wow. Great dinner. Great service. Before I forget Samantha was awesome. Charming and informative…read more Did not hover but provided excellent service. Appetizers both oysters. Rockefeller and Raw. Both were excellent. Well seasoned and fresh. Entrees I had the striped bass. Husband had the swordfish. Every bite was perfect. Great flavors. Mixed textures on the plate and mine with a little heat to finish. The food could not have been better. Truly a celebration on a beautiful day in New Bern.

    I dined for lunch at Cypress Hall in Downtown New Bern. The decor is great. I liked the exposed…read morebrick and high ceilings in the historic building. It also feels modern. One half feels historic and the other half feels modern with the artwork, mirrors, and finishes. The lighting is dim but you can still read the menu. It wasn't busy while I was there but quiet enough I couldn't hear other conversations. Initially the host wanted to seat me at the bar but when I declined, gave me a seat near the open kitchen. My waitress was friendly and helped me select the strawberry blonde to go with the strawberry salad. This was smaller than expected and just one or two strawberries. There was a little too much dressing for my taste as I forgot to order it on the side. I did like how the flavors came together. I also had the chocolate torte which was rich and decadent. I left here a little squeamish from what I witnessed. After all, I was seated at a booth table with a full view of the open kitchen. I noticed the food runner repeatedly touching his nose then the plates of food. I watched him reset a table and was touching the silverware by the tines, the part that goes in your mouth, rather than the handles. I'm not sure if the hands had been washed when he added by hand garnish to my dessert. I immediately removed the garnish but should have returned the dish to get it remade. Also, a table of six was seated then left a few minutes later and the glasses and silverware were not replaced while I was there, leaving me to assume they were not replaced for the next guests. I also noticed the restaurant had many cameras, so these hygiene lapses were likely recorded. For an upscale spot, these hygiene issues were disappointing. I truly enjoyed the flavors and the atmosphere, and I would be happy to return in the future if I could be confident that basic hygiene and service protocols were being strictly followed. I'd particularly love to come back and try the strawberry cake next time.

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    Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant

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    I've been dining here for numerous years. My sister and I arrived from Warsaw first seeing a 3…read morelegged ginger cat who was just sublime as we parked. The weather was extremely generous for Feb no jacket sun in 70s with a view you can never buy. Persimmons being on waterfront is huge pull but so much more its the history of a small town which played such a huge history in NC history and all the historical architectural structures and ability to park walk enjoy. The entrance lounge area is so comfortable and filled with local artist portraits for sale. We were quickly seated. My sister thought she reckonized an old family friend they were just ladies who liked our outfits who came over to chat. Toby was our server very gracious and splendid service. We decided to switch previous entree orders plus I added appetizer which was so divine the feta pita was amazing. I am unfortunately plagued by allergies and sensitive to certain spices got a peppercorn during appetizer so had to excuse myself and refresh but the flavor profile of appetizer was worth my fault of chatting too much got pepper rush. Nothing could spoil our time my sister had just had bday day before so it was festive conversation and dining. Her entree of pork chop was a tad rare for her our server was very accommodating and Mananger quickly came over to reassure her that Chef was making her the chicken which I was having fresh to perfection. The plate size here match charger size plus heated and food always arrives extremely freshly cooked even broccoli isn't overcooked so rare. Portions are beyond most dining experiences. I could never eat full entree here always having leftovers is great to bring back to Raleigh. Look at pics there are 3 butterfly chicken breasts buttery mashed potatoes and succulent broccoli the mushroom peppercorn en glaze tie all flavors to a higher taste profile. After dining chatting enjoying as we were leaving I asked staff about ginger cat whom is named Sampson he's quite the legend in marina. Thanks for wonderful time as always will be back soon!

    Service is truly rude and not worth the wait or the expensive attitude to serve you a meal.read more

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    Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant - Braised chicken and pork belly pasta

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    We celebrated our anniversary at The Chelsea. From the scheduling of our reservation right to our…read moredelicious dessert our experience was just great. The must have Cream of Crab soup was so good! My husband had the perfectly cooked and presented Candied Bacon Ribeye. We'd been in town for a few days and he was in search of a great steak dinner and finally struck gold at the Chelsea! I had the Horseradish Salmon which was perfectly prepared and so wonderfully seasoned! Thank you to our fantastic server, Karen, who made our experience all the more memorable! Highly recommend this restaurant!

    Disappointing Birthday Experience…read more We chose The Chelsea in New Bern to celebrate my wife's birthday. We've been here once before and had no issues, which is why this experience was so frustrating. This visit was below average. The food overall was overly salty, but the biggest issue came when we were packing our food to go. As my wife was about to box up her chicken bruschetta, we noticed a hair stuck between the chicken breasts. We immediately informed the waitress. Instead of allowing us to document the issue, she quickly took the plate away. No replacement entrée was offered. The manager came over and offered a dessert, but since it was my wife's birthday, we already had cake waiting at home. A replacement meal or removal of the entrée from the bill would have made more sense. For a restaurant that presents itself as upscale, the way this was handled was disappointing; especially on a special occasion. Cleanliness and proper resolution matter, and unfortunately this experience missed the mark.

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