Be Prepared for a Growl
One thing I can tell you is that the worst place I have ever been treated is at the Beaufort Grocery Company in Beaufort, North Carolina. My husband and I planned our wedding reception at the “Beau Gro.” You know how it is, invitations out, deposits down, the whole nine yards! All excited, I called and emailed the owner to coordinate the details more than five times. I asked the bookkeeper are we still all set for our reception and she would say yes, of course. The owner would still not call or email me back. They had my deposit, the invitations were out.

I went to the restaurant and waited for her to talk to me. She was there. She did not smile one time, no, not once. I actually thought she might growl, seriously. We talked for 15 minutes and she said we could discuss the final arrangements in a week or so. So...a week or so goes by and of course she does not call or email me back. So back to the restaurant I went along with my planner. The owner informs us that she has accidentally double booked the restaurant for the evening and if we could just have our December reception outside in the courtyard (where there are no bathrooms) then everything would work out fine. Puzzled, I said, we have booked the entire restaurant for the evening for our wedding reception. Are you telling me that someone else is scheduled to have a party here as well? Yes, she said.

No apology, nada, nothing, I again thought she might growl, seriously...

Sarcastically I said, well ugh... Thanks and peace to you and yours.    [11 Feb 2006 19:21:36]

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     ­Anonymous, Beaufort, NC   

Great Dinner
My fishing buddies and I were quite shocked to find such a nice dining experience at the Beaufort Grocery Co. We have been fishing in the Harker's Island area for years and there is only one restaurant in Harker's. We traveled the distance over to Beaufort and really, really enjoyed ourselves. We will add this to our annual trip from now on, it was such a nice break from 'fried food'.    [16 Nov 2006 09:32:09]

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Recommended Dishes: daily specials

     ­Anonymous   

Great Food, Excellent Service
We come to Beaufort once a year for fall fishing on the Cape, and the Grocery is a highlight of every trip. It is a smart idea to get reservations - the place has been packed every time we've been there. Showing up early, we've always been able to walk in and get a good table. The specials are always intriguing, and the wine list has nice depth. Waitstaff is attentive and knowledgeable about the menu/wines. Safe bet for a good dining experience.    [17 Nov 2006 18:26:58]

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Recommended Dishes: seared ahi appetizer, rib eye steak, pecan pie

     ­Anonymous   

Worst Experiece Ever
While visiting Atlantic Beach, we were taken to Beaufort Grocery. It was the worst dining experience I have ever had. Not only did we wait over 20 minutes for our appetizer (they were not busy at all), our food didn't come until we had been there almost an hour. (We also had small children with us.) I could see our food sitting in the window for 5-7 minutes before our waitress brought it out to us. Even after it sitting there, there was still a meal not served. She said it would take a few more moments. Try about 10. I was almost done with my lunch before the entire table was served.

When she brought our checks to us, we told her we felt we shouldn't have to pay for the meal that arrived almost 20 minutes after everyone else's. She talked to the owner and she said with no apologies, that because she ate the sandwich, we had to pay, although we could have free desserts. And of course she ate her food! She had been waiting an hour and was starving! We told her we had already been there an hour and a half and were ready to leave. The owner came out and was very rude, obviously not caring that we had not enjoyed our lunch.

Finally we asked for our checks. When I got mine it was over $70! It was way off. I told her it was wrong, we had two salads, one kid's pizza and three waters. The 2nd time around, it was still wrong, almost $50. I sent it back once more, getting very frustrated. 3rd time, it was still wrong charging me for sodas this time. I was furious at this point, being there for two hours and them being in the wrong and having attitude. Finally after the fourth time, I paid and left and now disputing the charges on my credit card for services not rendered. Never once an apology, just an "I don't care attitude" Very disappointed! They still kept on the added 18% gratuity and I felt they didn't deserve one penny. I used to wait tables myself and could never imagine treating customers the way we were treated.    [20 Mar 2007 18:56:50]

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Recommended Dishes: Asian chicken salad

     ­Anonymous, Raleigh, NC   myskyy_99 at yahoo dot com

Awesome
I have such amazing memories of the Beaufort Grocery Company! I only have one complaint, the chef won't give me the recipe for his cranberry vinaigrette salad dressing, even though I live in New York.

My husband (who passed away in 2004) and I owned a home about one hour away from Beaufort. We planned to retire there, but someone had other plans and we rented it for the entire 10 years that we owned it. We would check on it each year in early October to go to the NC Seafood Festival in Morehead City. We would stay at the Ramada Inn in Pine Knoll Shores, but would eat most of our meals in Beaufort. The Beaufort Grocery Company was always the highlight of our trip. We never had a bad dish there or any problems with the service. I still dream about the food there. Someday I hope to get back and eat another meal there, but I live 14 hours away. I love all the food there!    [29 Jul 2007 18:55:40]

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Recommended Dishes: Aunt Marion's salad

     ­Bonnie from Babylon