The PourHouse 222 — Restaurant in New Bern

This bar strikes a perfect balance between a hometown, welcoming atmosphere and a touch of old-time apothecary charm. The drink selection caters to just about everyone. If you want a real, well-crafted cocktail like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan, or one of their unique in-house creations, you can expect it to be made with care and to taste fantastic. Those drinks can run on the pricier side, but honestly, if you’re ordering high-quality cocktails, you’ll pay just as much or more anywhere else in town. For those on a tighter budget, they’ve got cheap drafts, bottled beers, and rotating specials that make it easy to enjoy a night out without breaking the bank.

They also offer a generous rotation of local and craft brews that keeps things interesting for beer lovers. Madison, the head bartender, does an excellent job running the place and takes great care of customers. Although I did have one negative experience during one visit, as soon as it came to the staff’s attention, they immediately took steps to make it right, which says a lot about how much they value their guests.

Despite the walls being covered with pictures of people flipping the bird, the vibe here is anything but rude. Everyone is treated like family, and the entire bar has that genuine, small-town, welcoming feel that keeps you...

Visiting a friend in New Bern who took me to the Pour House for a couple of drinks at midafternoon on July 15, 2025. I had a bourbon rocks and an old fashion and he had two gin and tonics. He recommended the bar because of its atmosphere and ambiance and, granted, both were exceptional. But....the bartender service was subpar. The bartender on duty was having a really bad day or he just doesn't possess a personality. I hope it was the former and he was better the next day. He might have spoken 10 or 15 words to us that we didn't force out of him. Never did he engage us at customers. There were two single guys in the bar during the hour we were there and they received the same treatment . My old fashion was really bad - dead fruit and an orange rind in the bottom.

But, his active conversation was with a couple of friends at the far end of the bar. One was a female with a dog. I don't have a problem with dogs in bars (many people do). But I do have a problem when they are sitting on the stool beside its owner. "Let me see, I think I'll sit here where the dog's a** was before. That should be sanitary enough."

Hard to believe their Google rating is 4.7 when Yelp is 3.4. Hmmm. Can't recommend...

Enjoyed it when it first opened, we really enjoyed the atmosphere and how it felt upscale and we didn’t need to go to another bar, where sometimes you feel “out of place”. We enjoyed, that same sense of being in a very upscale location with great cocktails. We’ve been twice lately and it’s no longer somewhere I would want to sit and stay for awhile. I know they are still going through opening, growing pains, but the staff is like a rotating door. The staff themselves, are dressed sloppy. Clothes that don’t fit and very mismatched with other staff members. The cocktails we once loved are now subpar. One female bartender, was incredibly rude. We witnessed very poor behavior from her towards other patrons. Her attitude towards myself and husband was deplorable. We don’t know what happened and how quickly everything has gone downhill. The atmosphere is not relaxing anymore. It doesn’t feel upscale, in any sense, anymore. Everything my husband, and I liked about this bar no longer exists. As I said, we will continue to go, if a friend asks to meet there for a drink. However, it is no longer a place I want to stay and hang out. It’s...