Latitudes Bar and Grill — Restaurant in North Carolina

So, if you told me a few years ago that I would be excited for my next visit to a little bar and grill in the middle of NC, I would've rolled my eyes and replied sarcastically; but not today! Small and unassuming, this bar and grill shares a building with several other businesses, but I feel like if it wasn't located in such a tiny town, it would definitely fill up a much larger spot. The atmosphere is quaint and the space is a bit small and a touch cramped, but inviting enough overall. The service is not big city service, but prompt and friendly enough to not leave you wanting long. (If I had a complaint, it would be that they've jammed enough tables into the place that staff doesn't have much room to loiter and fully observe the room at all times.) The food is the big selling point for me; everything that my dinner date and I have ordered, in our two visits, has been fantastic. I can't say that anything seems particularly fancy (it's a bar and grill!), but everything seems to be planned and prepared with care. On the original visit (shrimp and grits, and breakfast burger; good, but maybe not worth a regular 20+ min drive out for us), we learned of their Friday and Saturday night sushi, and tonight got to partake; it was well worth the drive out. They do a really nice spicy marinade on their spicy tuna that is jjuusstt right (for someone who likes heat; less so for tolerators; roughly medium jalapeno hot), and oh...

Okay, we are locals and decided to give the place a second chance way after the bar rescue crowd had died down but in the 4pm-ish time frame. The food was phenomenal….wings w/Nashville sauce and the shrimp appetizer w/thai chili sauce; these were off the charts and hats off to the cook! But our experience was sullied when it came to the bill…it was supposed to be ½ off wine. BTW, the bartender had to get the manager and said “He’s busy so please be patient”…a lovely young lady who will soon leave this place, but she went back to retrieve him twice. Eventually, the manager tried to pass it off on our waitress as she was with them for a long time when ½ off was of ALL wines and said, “remember next time it is ½ off house wine”. REALLY!?! I was planning on coming back but the devil is in the details…your sign by the road for Wednesday says “½ Wines” as does the chalkboard by the entry…no mention of “HOUSE” so the blame doesn’t land on your waitress. The food was awesome, but would I give them a third chance? Our first response was "YES!" this is a great place to add to our regular rotation based on the food but after the mix up with the wine the answer is "NO!!!" definitely not. The food we had was really good, so you need to check it out...

Subject: Concern About Food Safety and Declining Service

To whom it may concern,

I’m writing to express serious concern about the experience my brother and I had at your restaurant recently. My brother ordered a burger that was so undercooked it was visibly pink inside. He has stomach issues, and unfortunately, he became physically ill shortly after we left. We showed the staff how undercooked it was, and while they did remake the burger, the damage was already done.

As regular customers, we’ve noticed a significant decline—not just in food quality, but in the level of care and attention from the staff. The restaurant was nearly empty when we visited, and yet the service felt rushed and disengaged. It’s troubling to see that customer care and food safety don’t seem to be a priority anymore. That’s what keeps people coming back—and keeps businesses alive.

Frankly, my brother should not have been charged for a meal that made him sick. It reflects poorly on the management and culture of a place we once supported. I truly hope this feedback is taken seriously, because if things don’t change, I’m afraid your business won’t last much longer—and that’s unfortunate for...