review-Morgan's Tavern and Grill

Hungry Bear is ALWAYS in the mood for Morgan's Tavern and Grill in downtown New Bern!  the 235 Craven Street location, has seen many different locations over the years, but Morgan's is proving to have some staying power and has created a positive buzz in the community.  rightly so!

a Hungry Bear favorite are the steamed mussels and a trip to Morgan's almost always includes this delicious feature.  the mussels are available as an appetizer or with noodles as an entree.  the restaurant caught on and now includes pita points or bread for sopping up the mussel's delicious garlic juice.  as with any shellfish, there is always a risk of getting a bad mussel, and Morgan's is no exception to this rule.  management was accommodating and respectful and immediately offered a replacement or fresh bowl of mussels.  HB was not discouraged and ordered them with no problem.  to anyone unaccustomed to eating mussels, just avoid the ones that have not opened.

the crab dip is another deliciously decadent appetizer and comes with a generous amount of dip and pita points.  some other tasty Hungry Bear favorites are the salads (big enough for 2!), salmon, pork chops, meatloaf, and the cordon bleu (limited quantities nightly).  the burgers are considered the best in New Bern, and are cooked-to-order with 100% certified Angus Beef.  if you're in the mood, the mac and cheese is fresh out of the oven and absolutely sinful.

Morgan's features their own beer on tap and they offer a large variety.  on this particular visit, HB enjoyed a flavorful IPA and delicious pilsner.  there are a wide variety of fruity martinis available on special, but don't let the sweetness fool you...they pack a pretty good punch!

since Hungry Bear's first visit a few years ago, Morgan's has changed the menu, each time for the better.  the mussels were improved, new recipes kept old staples interesting, and some old favorites just got better.  the bathrooms have been remodeled and look cleaner and newer.

the biggest problem HB found was the service, but the restaurant is not all to blame.  in a small town like New Bern, it seems like servers move in and out of jobs quickly and the consistency appears to suffer.  one of the neatest features at Morgan's are the honey covered croissants but on this visit, they were not offered.  water refills were few and far between and drinks from the bar took long enough for HB to second guess ordering a second beverage. the dining room was clean overall, but the staff seemed casual and left note pads, debris, etc on the stairway to the extra (at the time, unused) stairway.  the wait for the food was also a little longer that expected, but it was absolutely worth the wait.

the Hungry Bear left Morgan's Tavern and Grill with a happy, full belly and considers this restaurant to be a local landmark with the extra bonus of the handcrafted beers!