The Full Moon Oyster Bar

To us having a bar tender as a waiter isn’t practical. The environment was so loud with the music we couldn’t hold a conversation without yelling. The food…“so so” I can easily make it at home and not impressed with presentation or taste. Not ever returning.

Update: 2^nd visit exceeded high expectations! The alligator craw daddy cheesecake was amazing, as the reviews said! Calamari was Delish. Moon Rockers also so so good and the shrimp scampi didn’t disappoint! Thank you to Ty and Meghan, and of course, Matt.
Wow! Loved the relaxed bar atmosphere and our servers David and Mart were incredible! Since it was our first time they brought us a raw oyster to try and I found a tiny pearl in mine!
The stuffed mushrooms were incredible! I didn’t even mind the horseradish flavor. Ashley and I both had the special, 1 ¹⁄₃ lb King Crab Legs. Amazing! We couldn’t even finish ours! The side of potatoes was hands down the best potatoes I’ve had! The cole slaw seemed a bit sweet at first bite but once we starting eating the buttery potatoes and salty crab it was a welcomed sweetness.
We left so happy and satisfied and have officially named The Full Moon Oyster Bar our new favorite restaurant!

Starting with the service. Took a while to take an order. Asked about the beer list and was told they have rotating taps. Could not name them. Asked if they had a IPA. Was brought a Goose Island. I asked if they Han any others and was told they also have Sculpin. Wish they gave me the choice initially. Got a plate with very tasty potatoes and very bland cole slaw. Tried to order the pick three with 2 dozen clams and shrimp. Was told you could not double order with the pick three (no two of same thing). The oysters ordered were not bad. Size, texture and flavor were on. The clams were also good. Bottom line, Tony’s or 32^nd street are much better. From a «local» perspective, Ruckus has better service, if you are not looking specifically for a raw bar.

Process: Mostly impressed with the whole process. Eating fresh oysters could be a messy thing. But they made it so smooth. You even get a bowl of warm lemon water to wash your hand in the end!
Atmosphere: Live band, nice decorations, cozy space, comfortable lighting. Good for casual dates.
Food: oysters are good quality! Love the crab legs too. What surprised me most are 1) full moon shoot (oyster in vodka or beer) 2) their banana pudding cake is out of this world!!!
Service: friendly and efficient people here!
Price: very reasonable.
Will definitely go back :)

So I love oysters went in tonight ordered 12 told they were 50 cents great. Oysters came out kind of cold ate them anyway hungry so I ordered 6 more told them to cook a little longer I like them hot but came out cold. I asked the guy he tells me they were warm when I shucked them. I was great just give me my bill. Oysters came out regular price the guy argues with me telling me it’s between 5 – 7 I look at the clock 6:15. He corrects it but not nice about it I guess he’s embarrassed he can’t tell time. Just a bad experience I leave still hungry would have eaten a lot more but seemed like no one cared enough. everything I mentioned wasn’t their fault from the cold food or the guy who couldn’t tell time so I guess I’ll drive to Raleigh to eat oysters. Thx guys

We enjoyed this restaurant! It had a fun atmosphere, friendly service, good music and good food. We got the «The Full Moon» which was a combo of crab legs, oysters, mussels, clams, scallops and shrimp. Mussels were small, crab legs were yummy. We opted to pay a couple bucks extra to have the scallops and shrimp grilled and the were amazing! Very tender and I loved the spicy seasoning. The only thing that bugged me, and I know this is stupid, was that they charged $ 6 extra to throw 4 scallops and 10 shrimp on a grill… Really?
Not a place I would recommend for kids.

I had a wonderful lunch here recently on a Saturday.
We ordered a bottle of sauv blanc which was reasonably priced at $ 25. The waiter accidentally gave us two glasses and then when we said we ordered a bottle, He gave us the two glasses of sauv blanc for free. Such a nice guy.
The tuna sandwich was delicious. The crab cake sandwich was good, not the best I have had but tasty. The mac and cheese side was very good as were the chips.
Cool, laid back atmosphere in a modern Cary strip mall.
Great place with attentive service!

Absolutely love this place! The only big downside is it’s usually pretty packed and there’s almost always a wait time, but it’s definitely worth it.
They always have a great selection of raw oysters from all across the country. If you’re a raw oyster fan, I would really recommend Full Moon, so you can get a taste for a few different kinds of oyster. They chuck them right in front of you, so you know they’re super fresh.
As for food, the beef ribs are amazing. But we usually get the snow crab legs, which are to die for! The seasoning is just right and the crab is so fresh.
They also have great choices for beer, not just your run of the mill beers… so you can try something new.
The only negative thing I can say… and I don’t want to take any stars off here for this because it’s just one person… there is one girl that works there behind the bar, who has always been really inattentive to us at times each time we get seated in her area. It’ll be 15 minutes before she asks us what to drink or what we want, etc… doesn’t really check on us. Then I’ll see her talking and laughing with other staff members, so I feel like it’s a bit unprofessional because she’s neglecting customers. Other than that, the rest of the staff are pretty great and friendly. Also, it’s probably not the best restaurant to bring children. Never really see kids here, and it’s probably because of the way the restaurant is set up (little bars. there are no tables unless you go outside). Really recommend if you’re a seafood lover, though!

Tonight my husband and I went to this restaurant only to find that the ‘low’ tables that are required for people in wheelchairs were relegated next to the drafty front door. When asked if there were other tables, we were told that we would have to wait at least 20 minutes for one table, despite a quarter of the restaurant being empty. This table also requires at least 4 people to get up from their seats due to its cramped location to accommodate us.
These arrangements are totally unacceptable and violates, if not by law, the intent and spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Why should we have to sit right next to, and I mean RIGHT NEXT TO, the front door on cold or hot nights and where those waiting for tables have to congregate?
Low tables need to be scattered throughout the restaurant, not relagated to the one area. Reminds me of those in the 60’s who could only sit in the back of the bus. The analogy is no different.
I felt like we were treated like second class citizens.

We have been coming here since it first opened. Over the months, their specials got better. Now, we ended up here every Tuesday afternoon for the all u can eat snow crab legs. It’s fresh and good. Service is always excellent! Would be nice to have some regular height seating for families with small children.

An incredible value especially if you are a fan of oysters. The seafood is very good, but making steamed stuff leaves little room for creativity. It just has to be done right, which they do.

This place is located inside the Park West Shopping Center in Morrisville (it can be a bit difficult to find, since it’s not visible from the street area). The place does not have tables inside as seating is accommodated by multiple counter tops. However, there is a service bar and tables outside along with a small lawn area for live music.
They do have everyday specials such as all you can eat crab legs on Tuesdays (gets really crowded) and ½ price on select wine bottles on Wednesdays.
I’m not a big fan of shellfish so I will pass on specific food review, but they do have items such as fried calamari, salmon, and various other non-​shellfish related items.
The beer selection is pretty decent, but I wish that they would extend their wine selection, especially for their Wednesday wine specials.
Overall, the service is friendly with knowledgeable staff, and the atmosphere is laid back and casual. Thus if you like oysters, crab, as well as other types of shellfish, then Full Moon Oyster Bar is worth the visit.

I had never been to an oyster bar, because I assumed all they had were raw oysters and I’m not so much a fan of those, but I’m glad I came here. We’ve been back multiple times and the food and service is consistently great.
As others have noted, you do sit at a U-​shaped bar with other strangers, but it’s not at all awkward or anything. The only downside to full moon is that it doesn’t take reservations, so it might be hard to come with large party and be seated at the same bar altogether.
Like I said, I don’t eat raw oysters, but I do love those chargrilled oysters! It’s great that they give you a slice of garlic toast with it, so you can soak up all the juices and butter from the oysters. yum.
I’m a fan of the seafood mornay, because they don’t skimp out on the jumbo scallops in it. My boyfriend and I have also split the half moon with all the steamed seafood and raw oysters. The crablegs are HUGE and you get a decent amount. He’s also tried the quarter moon spicy oyster and those things are gigantic. Apparently very dangerously spicy… he about died doing the full moon challenge (free shirt woohoo)
All in all, I’m a big fan of full moon. The staff is super friendly and the seafood is so fresh. My tip? GET THE CHARGRILLED OYSTERS!

This place was hopping on Friday night! Live music and a lively atmosphere, this could be a good date spot as long as you don’t mind that you might not be able to hear each other.
Seating is counter style with 2 shuckers working each U-​shaped counter. They got a little busy at times, so expect to wait a little bit as they help others customers.
Ended up with the lobster ravioli appetizer, a half peck of raw house oysters, the Quarter Moon (their dare menu item, it was very spicy!), and a slice of key lime pie to finish up. Everything was fresh and tasty. My only disappointment was that they had run out of the alligator cheesecake that everyone has been writing about. I’d go back to check out the snowcrab and try some of the other varieties of oysters on their menu.
If you like oysters or other kinds of shellfish I recommend that you come check this place out.

This is the first 5 star review I’ve been able to give since moving to NC 6 mths ago & I’m so excited about it. The area is one of the most beautiful I’ve been to & the most beautiful I’ve lived in. With that said finding a restaurant that has both good enough service & food to make a return trip to has been very challenging. After living in Austin TX for the last 3 decades I’m used to good service & exceptional food.
As for the Morrisville/​Cary area service has been for the most part slow yet friendly & the food has not been worth repeating… until I found Full Moon Oyster Bar.
The service has always been friendly & welcoming, giving a very down home eating with friends feel. Over the months I’ve visited here I’ve consistently seen the same servers which tells me, although not speaking on the employees behalf, that something about this place works well enough to retain a set of employees (which equals better service). I’ve been to many places that I haven’t seen the same employee twice, they don’t know whats going on, & service has been near non-​existant. All that makes this place a refreshing change. The employees recognize their regulars & even if you are not a regular yet they still acknowledge each individual. From what I’ve seen, at least one (if not more), of the managers is the type who is out getting their hands dirty, leading the place & socializing with the patrons.
The food is fresh & well flavored & I love the variety of hot sauce (around 7 at each station). The chargrilled oysters are hands down the best thing I’ve had here with the fried shrimp po-​boy coming in a close second. The bread is not New Orleans fantastic but really good for a bread outside NOLA. I’ve never heard anyone say a bad thing about their meal & I’ve noticed there are many repeat customers so this place is doing something right.
If you are near Full Moon Oyster Bar stop by & give them a try!

Finally had a full Full Moon experience on this recent Saturday! Having had a half moon before (just a drink after having eaten at a nearby place), we were bound and determined to get back to try some of the delicious-​looking food we had seen and have a FULL experience.
Early lunchtime proved to be a great time to almost have the place to ourselves. Tried the only dark brew they had and it was a bit too bitter even for me, so I just went with the BV chardonnay for five bucks. Not bad.
We decided to share two of the lunch items. (although they serve a full dinner menu at lunchtime as well)…the Shrimp «Burger» and the Crabcake Sandwich. Each came with a choice of sides. Side choices are all pretty carb heavy. We decided on the mac n cheese and potato salad.
Everything was totally spot-​on! The shrimp burger is very moist. I couldn’t figure out exactly how they did it, but it was quite tasty, especially when dipped in the very yummy cocktail sauce that was offered. The crabcake was offered grilled or fried and we asked for grilled. Very nice, especially when dipped in the tasty remoulade. As for the sides… the mac n cheese was of the baked variety (Husband scarfed it down fast). My potato salad was simple and good. TIP: kick it up with some of that yummy cocktail sauce.
Server gals were friendly and helpful and totally helped us have our great full moon experience!

I’ve never been a fan of oysters. I mean come on, they’re typically eaten cold and slimy!
After seeing such positive reviews, I couldn’t help but want to give this place a try.
There is no place like this in the triangle.
They really know how to embrace the ambiance of what’s expected at an oyster bar.
Live music? Check.
Seating only around bars? Yup!
Yummy seafood? You got that right.
We got a dozen of the chargrilled oysters and crab cakes.
I wasn’t intending on getting oysters but our server persuaded us to get some. I’m so glad we listened to him! It’s chargrilled with some butter and garlic– absolutely delicious! They also come with bread. Even the bread was yummy!
The crab cakes were huge. Bonus, they are generous with the amount of crab that they put in it! No filler nonsense!
My only criticism goes out to their potatoes. They were soft and bland. I was hoping they’d be crispy and flavorful. Oh well…
Ambiance is very casual. You’ll end up sitting next to other guests.
They don’t take reservations so you might not want to go at the peak of dinner time. It gets loud inside but what do you expect? It’s an oyster bar!
(It’d be weird if it were awkwardly quiet inside)
Our servers were very friendly and got us everything we needed whenever we asked for them.
Will I be back? You betcha.

I was banned from a buffet shortly after I last ate all you can eat crab legs. This was many years ago. I’ve had a hankering for crab legs years in the making, and multiple people have suggested doing all you can eat crab legs at Full Moon Oyster Bar on Tuesday nights. Recently, the triple terrors — Kuanyu, Romin, and myself descended on Full Moon Oyster Bar to leave nothing but desolation, destruction, and fear in our wake. Also, to enjoy some delicious crab legs.
At $ 29, the price is more than reasonable. Full Moon also includes steamed potatoes, corn-​on-​the-​cob, and coleslaw in this price. Our first round of crab came in a reasonable amount of time, and I was overjoyed. Full Moon steams their crab perfectly and adds the right amount of Cajun seasoning. Some may find it hard to believe that crab legs can be messed up. These people have not seen some of the brilliant restauranteurs in the not so shiny parts of Los Angeles.
9 total rounds of crab later, the clock struck 10 PM. Kuanyu mentioned that we would keep eating until close, but I didn’t think that would actually happen. I was prepared for a manager to tell us that we are no longer welcome in the restaurant. As of this review, that has not happened.
Service was terrific from start to finish. Multiple servers helped to make sure that the terrible three didn’t have empty plates in front of us for too long. Our drinks were always near full, and the servers had just as much fun with us as we had with the crab.
I want to sincerely thank Full Moon Oyster Bar for being very gracious hosts to 3 of the Triangle’s craziest appetites. I will love to return to try the other menu items, and for more all you can eat crab. After reading the end of that last sentence, the owner has officially canceled all you can eat crab leg Tuesdays.

Very cool concept. I don’t know of another place in the great suburbia that is Cary-​Morrisville-​Apex that puts itself out there as just a ‘bar.’
You walk in, and there’s no tables. You have a snaking bar that weaves back and forth throughout the space. Apparently they will have outdoor seating once the weather warms up, so that might be better for groups that want a more intimate experience.
We had the shrimp cocktail and calamari while watching UNC take care of Louisville during the ACC Tourney. It should be noted that the TV volume is a bit louder than average — or at least seemed so.
Decent beer list, although didn’t appear to have all the drafts listed on their menu. We switched to gin and tonics and they were about perfect.
Once you know your gal a bit, take her here. Not a good first date place — probably too loud.

Full Moon fills a spot for seafood that the Triangle is lacking.
It has great décor and a cool setup. The majority of the restaurant is filled up with these «U-​shaped» bars. In the center of the «U,» you are attended to by your server. The only complaint I would have with the setup of the bars is that it can make it difficult to talk with others if you come with a large party. The service was great and the servers were attentive and friendly. What is cool about the service is that the servers are right in front of you the entire time and you can get whatever you need immediately.
We ordered the «Full Moon,» which serves two people. It is a steam pot consisting of crab legs, mussels, oysters, shrimp, clams, and scallops. We elected to pay an extra $ 3 for extra crab, instead of clams. You get to choose how you would like your oysters served, so we ordered them raw. And for raw oysters, your server actually shucks them right in front of you, which I thought was cool. However someone else in our party ordered the chargrilled oysters, which were my favorite. All the dishes came with a side of potatoes and coleslaw. I wasn’t a big fan of the coleslaw, but the potatoes were really good. The price wasn’t bad either. It was comparable to any other steam pot we have ordered at the beach and I left VERY full.
While I would consider the seafood from Full Moon as above-​average in this area, it is not as good as you would get on the coast.