Went here with a group of three friends this week for dinner. I had not heard of the place before this week and was interested to stop in as I like historic restaurants. The building itself is quite a property; it is spacious and it seems that there is much space within it that isn't used, though I'm not sure. I would note that while it is a building with much potential, it could use a full restoration - this is of course quite an expense for any establishment but it would really make the place shine. It is well-worn inside but nice. The two dining spaces, the main dining room and the enclosed porch, had something like Christmas trees in them which was unusual. The menu has many items on it and the server was adamant that they make most everything in-house and use fresh food. At the prices they charge this is a must and based on what I ate I would believe that fresh foods are used rather than frozen items. I had prime rib, which was a special that night. It was sizeable "king cut" piece. I ordered it medium rare and received almost well done; I asked this to be addressed and they brought out another piece, but it was only slightly less cooked and was medium - at that point, I just decided to eat it. So the prime rib temp was an issue but it was tasty and they left me with both pieces, as well. The sweet corn risotto and green beans I had as sides were both delicious, though I think the beans could have been cooked a bit less as they were almost too soft. One of my friends had lamb chops; he noted they were tasty but they, too, were quite overcooked, though he did not address it to the staff. Another person at our table had crabcakes, which they loved, and they looked very good. The staff noted they were busier than anticipated for the night of the week we were there and while they were all very friendly and kind, they struggled to keep apace of clearing the courses when completed. The half-price food items and drinks during happy hour are a nice touch and I would certainly go back for that. Overall, everything was delicious, though there were some not insignificant issues with the food for the prices charged as noted above and service could use a boost in some ways. I must emphasize again, however, that from the hostess to the servers, each was polite and meant to be helpful, and was happy to offer recommendations. read more

It is a very nice building in the most unexpected setting. A couple things cause it to miss a higher review. First, our waitress was covering way to many tables and was therefore lacking a bit in follow up. The specials menu looked good but the regular menu is a study in uniformity. Every seafood dish has the same sides. Every meat dish has the same sides as the other meat dishes. I personally like places who structure the menu with sides that go best with the main protein. Finally, I had the steak fritte which was 1) overcooked and 2) very salty. The truffle fries were good and the sauce was good but either the steak, sauce or garlic butter was way oversalted. Dessert was ok but runny (creme brulee) and very uninspiring considering three other dishes were not available as they sold out (including the special). read more

I made my first trip of probably many to this new entry to an otherwise dry desert of fine dining in the area. The menu you is creative without gimmicks. We enjoyed appetizers, chicken, steak, sides, and desserts, all delicious, along with adult beverages prepared and served correctly. Service was friendly and professional. Appropriate pricing for what you are served. I hope the (new) Augustine Inn, with its stylish decor, and right on the Delaware River, becomes a successful destination. read more

We had heard good things about the food from our son. Booked a table and wasn't disappointed. Service was prompt and efficient with a very pleasant waiter. The place has been tastefully decorated. Good choice of beers ... bottles though... appetizers were very hood and all our meals were delicious We will be back for sure read more

If you had ever been here 15-20 years ago when this was an old building the owner operated as a bar for bikers who knew where to find it, then you would never believe what the current owners have done with it today. Husband and I stopped here for dinner in our way to Delaware - just WOW. The interior is gorgeous (it still smells like an old building - which I love). The dining areas are well arranged and atmosphere is friendly and relaxing. Menu is just right and the food.... (Chef's kiss). We had the prime rib egg rolls. Wrappings were very light and cooked just right, filling was tasty. I had the best piece of wild caught Bass I've had in as long as I can remember and my husband had the most delicious Fra Diavlo. Desert was vanilla creme brûlée and strawberry basil bread pudding. read more

New Local favorite - Augustine Inn After reading overwhelming positive reviews, We went to Augustine Inn last night. We were not disappointed. To start I will mention a couple of recommendations. They should use an online reservation service. On Thursday evening we tried to call for a reservation but could not get through after several attempts (constant busy signal). I then sent a Facebook message. On Friday my wife called again and was able to get thru. I also received a reply to my message but we already had the reservation. The second is that they should consider paving the parking lot. When we arrived the lot was pretty full. I found a spot behind the restaurant. Thankfully the ground was close to frozen because if it were warmer we would have been in mud. We arrived at the reservation time and were greeted and promptly seated. We sat in the enclosed porch. They have done a nice job in arranging tables, while the space was tight we did not feel like we were uncomfortably close to other dinners. Our server (Pete) dispite being very busy, was attentive throughout the meal. He checked on us at comfortable intervals to ensure we were not in need of anything. He also did something that was very much appreciated and we wish other establishments would do too; HE DID NOT HAND MY WIFE A BOX TO SCRAPE HER DISH AT THE TABLE, BUT INSTEAD HE TOOK HER PLATE FROM THE TABLE AND PREPARED THE BOX HIMSELF. Few thing disappoint me more than seeing people have to scrape dishes at the table. Now the meal: The food was excellent. We shared a Burrata with Prosciutto which was very good and a good choice to start with. The cheese tasted very fresh and went well with the prosciutto. For entrees I had the Fra Diavolo and my wife had the Striped Bass. The Fra Diavolo was delicious with Shrimp and Scallops that we're cooked properly, the scallops were moist, tender and retained their delicate taste. There was some crab sprinkled in but not enough to make a difference. My wife said the Bass was delicious with crispy skin and meat was done to perfection. Her bass came with risotto which caused her to say that she wanted to make it at home more often to achieve what she had just eaten. We did not have dessert, but I did have coffee and she had a chocolate laced martini which would satisfy any chocolate lover. We will be returning soon with friends to introduce them to this restaurant! read more

Delicious crab Mac and cheese that was way better than the same dish at Harry's in north Wilmington. Yummy and satisfying

happy hour menu is great! crab fries are a must! we went on a wend and came back the same week on a sat night for the full diner menu. my husband d had the tomahawk steak and it was absolutely delish! i had the stuffed lobster tail, which was not worth the price but it was good. the french onion soup had almost onions in it and was very bland, the wedge salad was very good and the blue cheese dressing was very good. we will definitely go back, i would like to try a few other things on the menu. read more

I was excited to try the refurbished Augustine Inn that has been subject to much buzz among my friends. The building itself is nicely done right on the water. The parking lot is crushed stone and was nearly full, but we still found a space easily. The local historical memorabilia on the walls added a nice touch. The extra bright chandeliers on both ends of the main dining area cast an awkward, unbalanced light, especially with one of the bulbs burned out on each of the two ceiling fans in between. Dimmers on the chandeliers would soften the light. In addition, the dining area was very loud. The space would benefit from some sound dampening decor to soften the volume of everything going on, including the live acoustic duo, that was a relatively good fit for the vibe. It was packed inside when we arrived for our reservation. We were seated relatively quickly by a super friendly hostess. Definitely make a reservation if you're going to visit. That's a must. The menu is dialed in with much that I'd like to try and a great variety in dishes. To start, we both ordered the BLT salad wedge. The appetizer came out relatively quickly. For the most part it was very good, however I was not particularly keen on freshness of the head of lettuce used as the toward the outer portion of the lettuce the leaves were edible but noticeably more soggy and not as fresh as the center leaves. One salad had croutons, but one did not despite being the same order, so it was just a small flag on consistency. Otherwise, the salad was very tasty with good ingredients. The service could benefit from mentoring to small things like increasing attention to water refills before being asked, making sure all utensils are available, and watching for needs of the tables. We needed to verbally request more water when we ran out in our glasses and to request extra utensil after being served and it took a few minutes to get attention. For dinner, my steak came out quickly and was cooked perfectly and was a quality piece of beef. Medium rare and the temperature was spot on. Bacon wrapped was a nice touch. However, the steak was under-seasoned. For the sides, the mashed potatoes were a little bland, light on salt and heavy on butter. The asparagus was overcooked. Our waiter was very friendly, but could benefit from coaching with some minor attention to detail you would expect for a meal at this price level. The manager was also enthusiastic and very nice. The manager checked on us at our table, but could have focused on moving around consistently throughout the evening helping staff perform at their peak as opposed to spending too much time at any one table (a table nearby may have had some friends eating in). In all fairness, the manager was buzzing around a lot towards the beginning of the visit when it was busiest and it was getting later in the evening service when I noticed. A minor comment is that wait staff should always allow time for the customers to walk ahead instead of intensely focusing to move quickly in the tight space by requesting being excused for slipping by (it's a little tight navigating between tables). At the exit we passed our server one final time, but we weren't greeted goodbye or thanked again for visiting on the way out. Minor etiquette/customer service attention to detail coaching will definitely help. Overall, I'd come back and recommend it to others. Just a few minor quirks of being a newly reinvigorated place that can easily be addressed with good leadership. I'm looking forward to trying some of the other menu items when I come back. I wish nothing but good luck to the restaurant and the staff! This place has a lot of potential. read more

While the food was good the cost of the drinks was ridiculous. $24.95 for a lemon drop Martini really but $9 for a Kettle One Cosmo and $31 for 1.5 ounces of Blanton - that was Highway robbery. The service was mediocre. We will never go back. read more

Great menu that made it difficult to choose. We ordered the crab bisque which was thick, rich, and very tasty! Clams with lots of garlic, parmesan chicken, and the baked stuffed lobster was all delicious! Also the risotto and mashed potatoes with goat cheese was very yummy! For dessert, try the bread pudding. They have a different flavor weekly. Don't come if you're in a hurry. The food was a little slow to come out but well worth the wait. And it's right on the water so we absolutely loved the location and history. We will be back! read more

We had heard positive reviews on the Inn and decided to make reservations for New Year's Eve. We were definitely part of the early setting (reservations for 6:30). Walked in at 6:15 and were seated immediately. Our table was on the newly enclosed front porch ... nicely decorated, warm and cozy. Gotta say that I had been in the building years ago, in the biker bar era. The new ownership has really made amazing renovations - the place has "personality", similar to the Cantwel Tavern- very nice. We ordered the coconut shrimp to share and both had the French Onion soup. Shrimp were delicious and the soup was some of the best I've had. The onion still had some texture - you could tell it was a new/fresh batch, not something that had been in the pot for a few days. Vicki had a salad with crab cake, looked good ... she enjoyed it. I went for the surf and turf. The filet was excellent, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The lobster was tasty (to be fair, I always think you taste more butter than actual crustacean), but it was good. We "shared" the bread pudding for desert ... shared as in Vicki tasted and I devoured. Once again, delicious ... our server (Aspen) was friendly, attentive and above all else - she had personality which I always appreciate. In short ... great place, superb food and outstanding service. I WILL RETURN (next time on a Monday to try the prime rib). read more

The food and service was good. The price matched the quality of the food. The pomme frites were off the hook. The crab cakes and risotto were good, but not excellent. But, the service was excellent! Only complaints were the bottle of wines were "way over priced" (3X) , and the sound system for the male singer was poor, or he was poor singer. I could not tell which one. read more

Augustine Beach used to be a resort destination before the massive industrial exploitation of the Delaware River. The opening of the nuclear facility directly across the river from Port Penn really shut the door. There are a few remnants of this old history as you travel along Route 9, however, and Augustine Inn is one of the neatest. Built in the 18th century as a wayfarer's destination, the Inn is still hanging on. Don't expect to find rooms to let, though. And for that matter, don't expect to find a comfortable spot inside to sit down. When last I visited, boxes and detritus were strewn everywhere in the seating area, leaving only a perch at the bar proper. This upheaval may just have been in preparation for winter, though. Regardless, the porch is pleasant in summer. The beers are a couple of bucks. And if you sit outside, you'll still be in earshot of the profanity-laden tirades of the bartender/owner. He's an affable guy who will warn you about hazards to the motorcyclist on Route 9 (despite your protestations that you don't even own a bike). Or he might complain winningly (though coarsely) about his dealings with the soda distributor. Delaware doesn't have a whole lot of character left. Preservation of spots like the Augustine is therefore essential. read more

We are local and have been to this restaurant before. The food is amazing so we thought for our wedding anniversary we would make a reservation for dinner. We called and made a reservation for 7pm. They asked if we wanted the porch or inside. We asked to be sat inside. A few days later we showed up for our reservation. When we walked in they told us the table was being prepped. Then I'm assuming the manager (she didn't introduce herself) came over and asked if we had a sleeved shirt. Both my husband and I were wearing tank tops. I asked excuse me? Both of us? I mean who carries around extra clothes in the summer for a dinner reservation. She said no, men need to have sleeved shirts. My husband felt as though he was being discriminated against because he has tattoos. We asked where this was posted. Their Facebook states they are a casual dining place, there are no signs indicating there is a dress code and the guys walking in behind us had grungy band T-shirts with holes in their jeans walked right in. The band was wearing sports shirts and flip flops....... we have been to fine dining restaurants and if there is a dress code those items aren't allowed either so we were confused. Especially since it's not posted and listed as casual. She said she hasn't had a chance to put it up yet on their new website (as if that's our problem) and wanted to see if he would wear one of their restaurant shirts. Since it was our anniversary and we wanted a nice dinner my husband agreed to the shirt but was not happy about it. His shoes costed more than we would have spent at the restaurant. She said that men don't shave their arm pits and she doesn't want to sit next to someone with arm pit hair. Which we felt was totally rude, there are some women that have arm pit hair. He explained and showed her that he actually shaves his arm pits and she said he was one of the few and he still had to wear the shirt. Fast forward and they say our table is ready, we follow the hostess out to the porch (which when making reservations we said we wanted to be sat inside) to a table with no chairs in the corner on the porch that only has a ply wood floor. The hostess was trying to put the table cloth on and said she had to find chairs. We told her don't worry about it and we left. Super disappointing because we had liked this restaurant. We had supported them with take out all through quarantine and this was a terrible experience. We ended up going somewhere else for our anniversary dinner and it was perfect. Definitely lost our business. Would rather go somewhere else. read more

My elderly parents made 6pm reservation for my dad's special birthday dinner with family and were so excited. Restaurant took down reservation incorrectly (had it down for 4pm???). When I called to confirm that day and error was recognized they would not fit us in during that time frame leaving us with no reservation for dinner with out-of-town family visiting. Poor customer service and left very negative impression for me. read more

The St. Augustine Inn Amazing Progress, Historical Character, Genuine Atmosphere If you want to experience the St. Augustine Inn, read this story. I became intrigued by the St. Augustine Inn after finding the place accidentally on the internet. What I found amazing was that a building hundreds of years old was under restoration, with the intention of redeeming the Inn's original qualities. I left my home state of Pennsylvania, to visit the St. Augustine Inn; I drove over 200 miles with reasonable expectations. I found a "Rome." Yes, not being built at a single moment, but a sophisticated reconstruction of a once thriving establishment. Before I could choose a seat, the bartender awaited my order. Naturally, I parked my car in their spacious parking lot, driving in hungry and tired. I was delighted that the kitchen was already running at full capacity with a great cook. I ordered a crab cake sandwich and wings. They were absolutely delicious. In fact, I even asked for the recipes, but the cook is not talking. I found more at the St. Augustine Inn than a bar, filled with all the popular stock, capable bartenders, and a superb cook. I found comraderie among people. I was treated with respect from the first footstep on the "Porch." You can enjoy the sunshine while viewing beautiful water on a covered deck or lunch on the picnic tables under the trees. You can even see New Jersey at the same time. To be sure, Mr. Rossi has not forgot about the sophistication of the St. Augustine Inn. The newly-remodeled dining room envelopes you with the aura of days long past. The restrooms are up-to-date, clean, and spacious. Although, many of the plans have been finalized, including the fresh herb garden in the front of the Inn; there are many more to come. As progress continues, this cash-only bar will be totally developed. For now, I am enjoying the construction of one pillar at a time. And you know, I will be back because, simply, I can relax there. Cheryl Durbin Miller read more

Very disappointed. Went with a group of 11 for brunch today.. My daughter had a crack in her class. Which server was apologetic and replaced it with a new one. Then my son had the bottom of his glass brake off and his soda went all over his lap. Never seen anything like that. Server again apologetic and replaced glass with no offer of compensation(discount on meal) or anything else. Then to top it off omelettes were overcooked. Will not be going there again. Drink at your own risk.. read more

The food is delicious!! The portions are large and the service is excellent. The caprese flatbread as an appetizer is a must have. Will be back here again. read more

Finally was able to visit the new Augustine inn! Let me start off by saying, if you knew what it was before (biker bar era) it has seriously come a long way! It looks amazing in there now with the new screened in porch. Now for the important parts, the food was out of this world! Prices are a tad high for drinks but everything else seemed to be in line with similar restaurants in the area. My partner and I enjoyed the pomme frites as an appetizer. The cheese fondue was good enough to eat alone and the fries were great! For dinner I had the bacon filet and my partner had the faroe island salmon. The filet was cooked to perfection and so tender I barely needed to use my knife! The mashed potatoes and asparagus were also good. My girlfriend loved her salmon, said it was the best she's had out! The risotto was fantastic and now a top fav on the menu. For dessert we shared a s'mores bread pudding which hit all the comfort food spots and I tried the chocolate lace martini - I recommend all chocolate lovers to try this! Everything was simply delicious and the staff were just as amazing. read more

Progress is being made on the renovations and they are having a ghost hunt on May 4th and 5th and they are having a bbq on memorial day

I recommend that everyone checks out this newly renovated landmark...the food is great...the bands are rocking...it is an all round great fun place to be for people of all ages! Check them out on Facebook...Augustine Inn, the Porch ! read more

My girlfriends and I dined at Augustine Inn Seafood and Chophouse last night for a birthday celebration. Everything about this restaurant earned 5 Stars!! Jim, Cheryl and the entire staff are simply the best! The restaurant is elegantly appointed, with white tablecloths and small lamps on each table, and there is seating inside and outside on the large screened in porch. We started with happy hour at the bar! The coconut shrimp, made with fresh coconut were amazing and the oysters on the half shell were nice and meaty. The chef is top notch and even came out to chat with us! For drinks, I definitely recommend a Lemon Drop Martini or Cosmo! For dinner, we had the day boat scallops(the largest I've ever seen), served over a creamy risotto and the lobster and crab ravioli! Both meals were flavorful, creative and cooked to perfection. The presentation was beautiful as well. We were told that all of their desserts are homemade, so you know what happened next! Our final course included coffee (even the coffee is above average), creme brûlée (my girlfriends were practically licking the bowl) and an apple cinnamon bread pudding that made me wonder who's grandmother was in the kitchen baking. The history and beauty of this Inn is something special and we truly appreciated Jim sharing stories and pictures with us! I am thrilled to have this Gem in our area and look forward to their growth and years of fabulous meals! Run, don't walk, for a culinary experience that you won't soon forget! read more

Renovations are coming along nicely. I spoke to the guy that bought it and it's his intention to restore the Inn to exactly that an Inn. He also wants to bring the bikers back. That was also a nice stop when riding on Rt 9, a good bathroom break, lol. Can't wait to get back inside and really check the place out. The last time I was in Augustine Inn was in 2005 the place was a mess. A path from the door to the bar was about it. read more

Ah the wonderful descriptions of the food on their Facebook page...I had to try it. My wife and I rode our motorcycles the 40+ miles, parked in their rutted gravel parking lot and went inside for our 22nd anniversary dinner. We showed ourselves to one of the dirty tables and waited for service. After 5 minutes the bartender finally came over and took our drink order and said she didn't know where our waitress had gone. After 5 more minutes with still no drinks or order our waitress showed up and with her being stoned, it was obvious where she had been. She was unfamiliar with their small menu but took our order. I ordered the wings w/ 2 Killian's beer special for $10. She didn't even think to ask what sauce I wanted. My wife ordered a crab cake sandwich for $12. The burnout never offered her tarter or cocktail sauce. She thought I wanted both of my warm beers at the same time and my wife's draft was warm as well. After a lengthy wait our food arrived. My wings were tiny, rubbery, their radioactive sauce was mild, not extra spicy as advertised, and there were only 2 tiny drummys. The rest were mostly broken flappers. At that point I would have enjoyed frozen Tyson's wings more. My wife's crab cake was tiny and on a stale bun. Her potato salad was tasteless. Her fries were nasty frozen ones. Not hand cut as advertised. My wife asked for water and was told it was undrinkable. She brought out bottled water. Hmm! What are they cooking their nasty food with. When I went to the bathroom, it was obvious why you couldn't drink the water. The water is where the strong sewage stench was coming from. I nearly had to hold my breath when I turned on the faucet to wash my hands. I couldn't dry them. The same staff who is too lazy to clean tables can not put paper towels in the restrooms either. My wife confirmed that the ladies room was the same. Luckily we had cash. They do not accept credit cards. After walking back to our bikes, we saw our burnout waitress sneak out the side door and go behind the building. I guess she wasn't stoned enough. What a huge disappointment. I'll never go back. read more

When I was younger, my mother & father would dress up on saturday nights and go to the "Bali Hai". The augustine inn! As they say the band played on : in the Ballroom! When I was first married, I went with husband. And the jukebox took nickles! Years later I took my oldest daughter, and the front package store became the "Porch" bar. No matter how I pleaded with the owner we could not see the ballroom. So heartbroken all the memories I wanted to share. Somewhere I would like to see pictures to show my children. read more

Eric, I was at the Inn that day. Its a shame that you felt this way. The service was a little slow because let's face it, it was packed! We had the Augustine Inn burger and crab cakes which were delicious. I have made so many good friends at the Inn in its short history under the new owner. He is an elite person who is doing a terrific job. Please stop by again, we welcome you. To anyone else reading, the music here is so good. I was just talking to a couple on the porch and they loved the music and the view. It is so good to see people here enjoying themselves. The Inn has drink and menu specials. Check them out on FB for who is playing at the Augustine Inn Porch. read more

Over the past year I have watched the progress of this old Inn come back to life. The owner is working diligently and is making great progress. I am excited to see it completed. Al keep up the good work! I had a great time Sunday and plan on returning soon for another yummy Bloody Mary or two and dinner. read more

The Inn was recently remodeled & is 100 times better than in the past. The place is nice inside & the new owner is cool. The food is really good too. read more