Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant

Dinner with family and ordered the Unicorn fish with scallop risotto and asparagus… KNOCK THIS OUT OF THE PARK! Excellent dish. Service was amazing, our waitress was friendly and professional. Will definitely be back! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Beautiful location and wonderful staff. I’m always happy with my meal and the experience, and have been visiting Persimmons for years. Fantastic building with a delicious menu! Can’t say enough about this place. Yummy.

Always have an amazing time here! The views/vibes are perfect and all of their food/drinks are good! Highly recommend their Brussels sprouts, Carolina chicken sandwhich and fish tacos. And for drinks they make a great espresso martini and margarita. This is literally the only place in New Bern that I feel like actually knows how to make a margarita 😅

Food was delicious,, drinks were tasty, service was great and we sat outside the deck next to the water . My husband and in-laws had a great time.

Visited on a beautiful Sunday morning around noon. We ordered the crab eggs Benedict, and it was excellent. The location is unbeatable. The restaurant is clean and bright, and the staff was very friendly and attentive. I would definitely go back.

Had reservations here for dinner tonight. Arrived a little early, but were seated within 5 min of our reservation time. Great for Mother's Day weekend! The ribeye was perfectly seasoned, tender, and juicy! The views from inside were great. Couldn't enjoy outdoor dining due to precipitation. While we were dining, the rain stopped. Afterward, we took in the ambiance of the dock and waterfront.

Delicious food plus stunning views! We had the scallops and fish tacos. Both were very good. We loved their book-themed cocktails and the outdoor seating. You get to see the entire bay and they also have specialty seating if you just want to have drinks outdoors. Our waitress was phenomenal and the rest of the staff were very kind and friendly too. We can’t wait to go back!

This is by far one of the best restaurants I have ever eaten in any state that I've traveled to for work. I travel every week, so Im always in a different state. This place is right on the water, beautiful views in all directions (beer sure to sit outside if weather permits). The food was absolutely stellar. My server, Gordon, was very friendly and attentive. I ordered the fried green tomatoes with pork belly as my appetizer (the pork belly was a little dry and could have been cooked a little less to retain some of that moisture, but it was still full of flavor, and swirling it around in the hot honey was awesome. For my main, I got the Mahi and coconut shrimp, with potatoes and asparagus.....best Mahi I've ever had to date anywhere, and the coconut shrimp was perfect. I will definitely be visiting Persimmons when I'm in the area again. Highly recommennded!

Great views and atmosphere, very friendly server and the manager was hands-on checking in on the guests. Excellent food (shrimp & grits & a burger) as well.

Our recent visit in July was our second. We love Persimmons! Everything was perfect! Love the view from the outside patio. Our meals were delicious! Our server was pleasant and just the right amount of checking on us. We’ll be back!

We had a great “Galentine’s” experience on Saturday. Emily was our waitress and absolutely fantastic and friendly. It was warm enough to enjoy dinner outside. The atmosphere was great! Food was top tier!! We loved it. It was my second visit and even better than the first. Highly recommend! The chicken Marsala was some of the best ever.

Food was very good abd presented well. They can make one off cocktails and have a good selection of spirits. The server Julia which we have had before was great. Not all the servers there are as attentive and knowledgeable as she is, but they are all pretty good. The views are great day or night, large windows to see out, or outside dining.

Went here for an early dinner on Saturday night. The views from the restaurant are excellent. Our waitress Emily was awesome. Service was fast and accurate. The food and drinks we got were very good. Definitely recommend this restaurant for a place to dine in New Bern.

A return visit, which was just fantastic!! A reservation was not possible because we decided to go at the last minute, however, sitting at the bar with outdoor bar seating was offered and worked perfect for what we were seeking Ordered at the bar, Food delivered to our seating area. The beet salad with goat cheese was amazing, fried green tomato appetizer with pork belly delicious, and with a view like this made for a pretty wonderful visit.

Absolutely delicious we enjoyed everything from the beautiful view to the last bite of the dessert!!!! We had wonderful service and great atmosphere!! Definitely worth trying if in the area. It is also locally owned so we love that because we try to go local as much as possible!!

I eat out all over the world. This is the best meal I have enjoyed in twenty years. Emily, our server, was an absolute joy. Even though Dr. Pepper was not on the menu she found one in the kitchen that the chef kept personally and gave it to me. See the picture below.The first Dr. Pepper was actually Pepsi with a little note that Emily wrote "Dr. Pep" on and stuck to the glass. Not much later she arrived with the real can of doctor pepper and ice and gave that to me. Front end manager was exdreamily friendly helpful and talkative. Now for the food. Owned restaurants for years.This is the best meal I have had in years. The pork was cooked perfectly.The fish was cooked perfectly.The food was properly seasoned.There was a correct amount of food given. I can almost always find a reason to complain about a restaurant but I cannot find anything wrong with this one at all. Highly recommended if you are in the area. I highly recommend it for every single meal you eat while you're in the area. Personal note to Emily thank you again.

Wonderful place on the water. I highly recommend! We enjoyed a table right at the edge of the water at sunset. Food was delivered quickly and was delicious. Service was friendly and on time. Overall a great vibe.

From the food to the atmosphere to the service, everything was perfect. We had a great time at our first choice of persimmons in Newbern, North Carolina.

Hoped in for a to-go lunch. The restaurant was warm and friendly. Service was prompt and the food was ready when I arrived. Highly recommend. Freaking delicious

We always make sure to stop here when we are in New Bern! The food is creative, high quality, and delicious! We have never been disappointed by the food or views. Their drinks are all named after books too, so creative! The only downside is that you can't make reservations for outside, but I completely understand why, so we just plan ahead and put our name in ahead of time!

Everything was so good!! I had the peppercorn chicken with jasmine rice and crispy Brussels sprouts( these were so good I could have just eaten them alone for dinner). My husband had the stuffed Mahi with chipotle mac n cheese and rice. Both meals were amazing. The only thing I could say about it was the mac n cheese was a little bland for chipotle flavoring. Service was great and the mixed drink I had was also really good. I forgot the name but it has coconut rum in it.

Crab cakes with sweet potato fries for 2, out of this world, and the Mac and Cheese. Pricey but good. Kate, our server was excellent.

This was our first time visiting, and everything was delicious. The star of the show was the fish and chips!!! I am still thinking about them. Service was great, and I recommended making reservations as this is a very popular restaurant.

Highly recommend! One of my favorite restaurants in downtown New Bern to visit, among the many other delicious choices to choose from. Persimmons offers a delightful choice of options all with top notch flavour and presentation. Menu items change frequently as their chef is always expanding palette choices with sophisticated cuisines. Located on the riverfront with spectacular views no matter which seat you take. Wide open spaces inside and huge seating option on their deck on the water. The service is always exceptional, being very attentive, prompt and friendly. Restaurant is well maintained, cleaned and organized. If looking for a nice lunch/dinner/drink date be sure to visit Persimmons Waterfront as it is always a satisfying experience. Recommend!

Food was great atmosphere being on the waterfront was great as well. The warm Hawaiian bread appetizer wasn't really want I was expecting but it was still good. It was literally just package of Kings Hawaiian rolls that were warmed up. I guess I was thinking it was going to be some sort of homemade bread. It was still good though.

We went for a date night and were pleasantly surprised. Sat down right when we arrived at time of our reservation. It was a little slow for food however we were in no rush. The salmon and seafood platter were very good. Reasonable prices and good amount of food. Also enjoyed splitting the cheesecake for dessert. We would go back.

We had lunch there today and it was wonderful! We had a party of 3, made an online reservation (incredibly easy) for 1:30P and were seated the moment we arrived. We were given the choice between indoor or outdoor seating and opted for outside (the weather was perfect for this) and were pleasantly surprised by how well the patio was setup. We had an outstanding server (Kaila you’re the best!) who was very educated concerning everything on the menu (both food & drinks) so we each got the perfect meal to suit our tastes (Unicorn fish/Pork chop/Crab cake Sandwich) the food was perfection and their sweet tea was amazing too! We’ll be back soon!

Just had a great lunch! The Unicorn fish was delicious and the service was great. The menu is diverse and they have a full bar. We sat at a table with lovely views of the Neuse River. I would absolutely recommend it.

I love this place for the food, the service, and the atmosphere. But, what I loved most, is how family friendly they are. They allowed me and my toddlers walk around the restaurant after we finished eating because my kids love to explore and they were so friendly and sweet about it. We also do this during a slower pace for the restaurant but still loved how we were treated. This is now our go to place for when friends and family come to visit.

I had the Port Blue Burger and it was absolutely delicious! I also had a margarita. It was really good not necessarily worth $14 I’m glad I didn’t order another one because I didn’t look at the price. But service was fantastic and the food was delicious. I’ll definitely be back to try something else while I’m in town.

We had an excellent dinner here yesterday. We had the calamari for our starter. I’m finding that I may not be a fan of calamari, so it wasn’t my favorite. But my husband really enjoyed it. The horseradish siracha sauce that came with it was amazing! My husband ordered the unicorn fish. We had never seen this on a menu before but he said it was an excellent choice! I tried some of his risotto per the waitresses recommendation - 10/10. The best risotto I’ve ever had. I had the fried fish platter. It was a huge portion - far more than I can eat personally; however, the value is amazing. Everything I had with my meal was perfect. Our waitress was a sweetheart. We enjoyed her personality and recommendations. The environment was fine, they had some live music that was nice. A table next to us seemed to be intoxicated and was talking very loudly so that made our meal slightly less enjoyable - but what can you do? We will definitely be back!

Nice view and good food for my birthday vibes! This place is perfectly located right on the waterfront with beautiful views of the marina and surrounding area. Our greeting by the young hostess was quite lack luster but our server was great! Tobias was attentive and knowledgeable of the menu and made great recommendations. The food arrived in good time and was delicious. We would visit if we are ever in the area again.

8-3-2025 First time, it was a beautiful day, we ate on the balcony with our puppy Moose 🐶, the water was choppy by comfortable. Service was great. Food was great our son got the stuffed mahi and it was dry but every thing else was great.

Recently decided to visit a year later & it is much better, like it used to be. Very clean, waiter was good & so was the food. We will return again. It's a beautiful location. *Feel the need to alter my original review. This used to be our favorite place in New Bern but our last two visits have been lacking much. The visit b4 we were ignored while the waiter was in deep conversation with a customer, it was not busy. Food was still pleasing then. We went this past week & was quite disappointed. One dish was very salty, the butter shrimp just isn't that anymore, thinking who perfected that before is gone & again the shrimp were VERY salty. And there was no bass so snapper was substituted & "crispy skin" just didn't suit it. Our wait person, forgot our appetizer & brought it when we were done. Hope these last two visits were just a staffing adjustment. It's a lovely place but we are gonna break for awhile. Lovely place to eat along the waterfront. Staff was very kind, the place was very clean & the food was simply delicious & fresh. The first in flight cocktail & the butter shrimp were excellent!

We visited this place years ago and we found it horrible. Things undercooked, wrong order, small proportions. But this time, there was a very nice experience. I got the salmon, and except for the grey underside which I don't like and removed, it was tasty. The side dishes were nice proportions. My wife got the special burger and fries, and she enjoyed it as well. Much improved and I would consider a better restaurant to visit, especially if you can overlook the water. Unique no but I didn't expect it.

My other half and I have visited this restaurant multiple times, first for drinks, then an appetizer, and finally for a full dine-in experience. While the staff and atmosphere consistently deliver a 10/10, the food, unfortunately, rates a disappointing 2/10. Our first foray into their food offerings was the fried green tomatoes. They offered a creative twist, but the tomatoes were undercooked and the accompanying pork was tough to eat. This initial disappointment was echoed during our recent dine-in visit. On a busy Saturday night at 7:30 PM, we anticipated a wait and indeed had one for 45 minutes, spending it at the outdoor seating with a beer before being seated on the outdoor patio. We decided to give the fried green tomatoes another try, hoping for an improvement. Sadly, they were again a disappointment: undercooked tomatoes, overcooked pork, and pineapple that was barely seared. Our drinks also left much to be desired. My other half's sweet tea was overly sweet, far from a classic southern sweet tea. My water had a distinct, unpleasant metallic tap water taste, leading me to switch to a glass of Pinot. To my dismay, the Pinot was not chilled, making it a $10 waste. I also noted that the waiter, under scrutiny from his manager, refilled my unappetizing water despite my polite refusal. It seems management's focus might be better placed on kitchen efficiency rather than drink refills when the kitchen is clearly struggling. Our dinner finally arrived at 9:20 PM, almost an hour after ordering, and neither dish was served fresh and hot. My other half ordered the special, a fish dish with corn salsa and jasmine rice, which he did not enjoy. At $29, a significant portion remained uneaten. The image I provided in the comments. I ordered the seafood Alfredo, which arrived lukewarm. It contained only three shrimp, no scallops, and a single chunk of lobster. The next day, I made the mistake of eating the leftovers and felt nauseous again, reinforcing my initial reaction. The overall experience felt rushed by the kitchen, despite the long wait times. It seems a focus on making the food "right" rather than just "fast" would greatly improve the customer experience. Our total bill for two entrees, one appetizer, two beers, one sweet tea, and one glass of Pinot came to $126. As residents of New Bern who dock our boat at the restaurant, we appreciate the good vibes and convenient location. However, the food truly needs a thorough re-evaluation. The presentation in the photos attached, which I would describe as looking like something an inexperienced home cook would present, perfectly encapsulates the lack of flavor and overall quality. I am hopeful that a visit during a less busy time might yield a better culinary experience. Consistency is paramount, especially when customers are willing to wait.

The whole experience was a bit less than I expected. The fried green tomatoes were phenomenal! The seafood pasta was a little bland... I had to ask for salt. The pork chop was very well seasoned. The chipotle mac n cheese was less spicy than I expected. The rice was cold. The service was meh. Our actual server was nice, but I think she forgot about us sometimes because we were the only ones sitting outside. Overall, not a bad experience. Maybe I just had higher expectations than I should have. Kinda didn't like that we were charged an upcharge for a substitution for an allergy we disclosed on the reservation.

Views are fantastic. Great place to watch thunderstorms roll in. Food is ok. Had the tacos. Generous portions. Next time I'll ask for grilled instead of fried. Hubby and stepdaughter had the scallops and crabmeat pasta. A tad dry; could have use more sauce. Service is so so. Waiter had too many tables. Forgot our straws, etc; my daughters had told him we're celebrating birthdays tonight and if he could bring a cake with candles. Totally forgot...

We took a client here for lunch to celebrate. We were sat promptly and sat on the back deck and the atmosphere was great. Waters came out quick and we were asked if we wanted any other drinks. We ordered a round and the Calamari as our app. Drinks came and the app much later. We ordered and got 2 crab cake salads and a fish & chips. After we were done with our app and waiting for our entrees we we’re asked SEVERAL times if we wanted to drink more. Honestly became a bit uncomfortable how many times we were asked. Food took a super long amount of time to come out. People that were sat after us were getting served. Finally food came out and it was so so. And would you know it, we were asked if we wanted more drinks again!! Service was OK. We were checked on but not serviced right. They’d ask about something but not fill the waters. They’d ask how the food was but didn’t notice we needed napkins. Kind of unaware. I’d come for drinks and the ambiance. That’s about it. ✌🏽

Very limited menu, no substitutions for fries, sides are expensive as are the meals for what you get. No healthy options. Not recommended for seafood allergies as fries as sides are obviously deep-fried with fried shellfish. Views were nice, but we won't return.