Even though I was sweating throughout the entire meal, the food was amazingly luke warm at best- all of it, whether it was intended to be hot or cold, it made no difference. The crust was soggy.ДЇirst of all, it was hotter than hell in Captain Ratty's, especially after climbing stairs. We shared a key lime pie very nice, but not as outstanding as the rest of the meal. My husband drank New Belgian Fat Tire beer, which he really enjoyed, while I had a very nice crisp Pinot Grigio. Superb! Then, we both had (grilled) shrimp and grits, which Captain Ratty's does with chorizo, bacon, and a touch of barbecue sauce.

The menu features mostly fresh local seafood, and the best part for me was that it isn't all fried. The ambiance of the place was informal but professional, and the noise level very pleasant. Our server - so sorry I don't remember her name - was attentive and efficient without being intrusive. This was a very lucky break for us! Captain Rattys is wonderful, from the first welcoming moment to the moment we left. To be honest, we had planned to go to another restaurant nearby, but there were no tables available there, so we ended up at Captain Ratty's. This is a higher-end restaurant on a lovely historic street in New Bern. I will definitely be more cautious about online reviews. I paid, we left (with a take out box destined for the bin) and will not be back. I could not eat the remaining 90% of the plate. I really tried to like it but I was really just shoveling the stuff in my mouth to be polite. The shrimp were unseasoned, of course, and the dish was just so heavy it was like eating cheesey glue. My plate was 99% covered in grits, had maybe 8 shrimp, a pile of bacon bits slathered in BBQ sauce, and was completely coated in shredded cheese. I ordered shrimp and grits because everyone in the south raves about shrimp and grits. I could have just stayed home and made a better salmon and mashed potatoes myself. No salt, pepper, or garlic to be tasted at all. The catch of the day (grilled salmon) was absolutely flavorless along with the garlic mashed potatoes. The side salad could have come out of a bag from a grocery store. Then the tables are so packed together I could basically touch elbows with our neighbors. We were seated by staff that was nice enough but everyone seemed confused, like they never sat down customers before. The online reviews were not bad so I gave it a shot. I came here with my husband after finding it being recommended online as where to eat in New Bern.

Dont touch my cheese in ratty catty