As you can see from my last review in January this is one of my favorite top ten restaurants for happy hour. We were here in March on a Sunday at 2 PM for happy hour at the bar with our friends. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were able to get 5 bar stools in a row.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]The bar area is relatively unchanged except for some new paint, however the two adjacent dining areas to the left and right of the bar were totally renovated and painted white with a much cleaner and brighter appearance.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I enjoyed my usual 2 rum punches for $10 each and my usual happy hour broiled blackened flounder fish sandwich with tomato, red onion, lettuce, french fries, cole slaw and tartar sauce for $12. I opted for their hot sauce on my flounder and french fries. Bartender Andrea F. served us very well as usual. Consistency is a character of this restaurant. My total bill was $77 excluding gratuity. We agreed we will continue to return here for happy hour. read more

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Ordered cheesesteak , w/ltmo. Came plain, not even mayonnaise . Fries are good , would be better if warm . Slaw and pickle good .

My son and I went to Bethany Beach early July 2026 for vacation, we stopped at Cottage Cafe one evening for a late night dinner. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was lively with the sound of the trivia game that was going on.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]Fortunately, we were seated in their dining area where things were a bit quieter.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I ordered the fiery fingers (buffalo chicken tenders) and my son ordered the fried shrimp platter. Firstly, my chicken fingers, were literally the "best" I've ever had! No joke, they were fried with a light crispy breading and seasoned to perfection, not too hot, but just the right amount of spicy! My son enjoyed his shrimp and had nothing but good things to say about his meal - except for one little thing. He thought that for the price, they could have maybe added a couple more shrimp to the order (he had only eight). Other than that - Cottage Cafe is fantastic and five stars to the chef and staff! I will return and would recommend this place. read more

Cottage Cafe - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

This is a nice little place. Everyone working there was very friendly, and the waitress was very attentive. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Is a very cozy atmosphere inside.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] That all being said, it's pretty pricey for lunch. read more

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Not as impressed as I thought I would be. From the outside it reminded of some of the places on Cape Cod. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Inside was modern and clean.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] [[HIGHLIGHT]]We were there at lunchtime and there were only two other tables of families (4/table). Maybe we were too early or maybe too late, but we were seated around 12:30pm on a weekend.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There were more people seated at the bar, but it appeared that they were mostly there to drink. I ordered the Sea-Wich, because it sounded interesting. At first I didn't think that cheese went with scallops, but figured they must know what they're doing. First thought was that it was very sloppy. The bread only lasted a few bites in. At that point, I started to eat with a fork, but didn't bother finishing my meal. Let's just say that I will go with my initial thoughts on cheese and scallops. My husband ordered the Caesar Salad with chicken and our son had a cheeseburger, they both said that they were good, but nothing to add. Needless to say, none of us took our leftovers home. read more

I'm going to start off by saying that I got very sick after eating here and the only thing I can attribute it to was the fried flounder. It didn't smell bad and it didn't taste spoiled but it had a very peculiar taste - I don't know if they soaked it in something too long so it wouldn't taste fishy but it definitely was not a good taste. Aside from the fish everything else was good. I was disappointed that happy hour was only at the bar and not a single person mentioned that to us or asked us if we wanted to sit at happy hour. We ordered mostly items from the happy hour menu so we definitely paid more just to sit at a table. Our waitress was nice but didn't check on us too much. It definitely was busy. The cocktails were good, the fries we got were good. My fiancé enjoyed his burger and he did not get sick. Again we paid $12 for dune fries that should have been $7 at HH. The sandwich was $16 and I threw out all my leftovers- which was half a sandwich and all of my fries. Again it was only a $12 sandwich at HH. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The place was overall nice but I'm definitely hesitant to go back after the way the fish tasted and then having such an adverse reaction.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The little muffins were good - I enjoyed them. The cocktails - some of them came in glasses you got to keep too and I thought mine was one of them but no one said anything. They're just not overly communicative. I really wish I had just gotten a dinner or the crab cakes. But you live and learn. It seems like this is a local spot that people really enjoy and it definitely could have been but between the odd fish and paying more for stuff just because we were seated at a table - rubbed me the wrong way. read more

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We reviewed Cottage Cafe a year ago and gave it all 5's. We have been coming here for past 10 years and loved the food and service. We were shocked at how bad the food was on a recent visit. The iced tea was freshly brewed and excellent. The mini muffins were a hallmark, but no more. There were 3 different kinds, but all tasted the same. I ordered the flounder with crab imperial. The fish was mushy and only had a tablespoon of crab imperial. The Mac and cheese was rewarmed and had very little cheese. It was clearly not fresh. The cheese did not even stick to it. The fries were a large portion, but also limp, rewarmed, and tasteless. My husband had sea scallops that were overcooked and chewy. Our server, Calley, was very accommodating and excellent! Whatever cutbacks have been made in the kitchen have significantly affected the quality of the food being served. We won't be returning. read more

Food was delicious as usual, however the crab bisque as well pumpkin soup were lukewarm

SO AMAZING!!! we stopped for a late lunch on Friday May 22. Apparently my sister brought me here because they have so many choices to accommodate everyone's palate, even mne. Ella our server was so fabulous, I asked her recommendation and she suggested a few things, and the Salmon burger spoke to me. Well hot dang it was superb, even the second half reheated today was amazing. We also had soup and appetizers, everything was so good. Oh yes we'll be back. read more

Instead of bread, we were served these delicious coconut cranberry mini muffins. I heard they are made fresh everyday. My husband had the pot roast and he said it was tender and good. He liked his coleslaw as well. I had the salmon and it was good. I had mashed potatoes as well as the roasted mushrooms which were good. The service was excellent and they were fairly busy. read more

Still a great choice when in Bethany. Food, service and atmosphere are very good. Last night, my hubby & our friend ordered the Twin Jumbo soft shell crab entree from the daily specials menu, which was excellent. Both were completely finished along with the delicious fries. I ordered the beef BBQ sandwich, again excellent in flavor and portions. We had a great waiter, but everyone that works here are talented and provide excellent service with a smile! read more

Cottage Cafe - Soft shell crabs, fried with fries and Cole slaw. - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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So cute. Friendly staff & great food. Definitely reccomend this cute place if you're in Bethany Beach. read more

Cottage Cafe - Mozzarella pies. So good. They are not called Mozzarella pies but that's what they look like. Yummy!! - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

We were a large party of 14 people which is never easy on wait staff but they rose to the occasion and handled our table very well. Even dealt with splitting checks. The food was good, the service was good and [[HIGHLIGHT]]the atmosphere was very family friendly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We always come back here when we visit Bethany. read more

Cottage Cafe - Mean Bloody Mary - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Comfortable setting.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Extra friendly attentive service. The food was very tasty and a good value. My margarita was one of the better ones I've had in the area. The special; swordfish was perfection. It was not dried out; moist and tender. The fresh peaches were a perfect compliment. The stuffed flounder was excellent. Very enjoyable meal. read more

Have been eating here off and on for years for their seafood but until tonight never had a bad meal: crab cakes seasoned with horse radish? Never before, never again! read more

I highly recommend the cottage cafe here are a few reasons why first of all excellent service the staff are extremely friendly and the food is on a whole new level it is the right size and you will leave satisfied and it is affordable and I would love to give a shout out to my waitress Brittney she was very helpful and kind read more

Cottage Cafe - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

The food was really good and the service was great! [[HIGHLIGHT]]Cozy spot in Bethany Beach[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] -- definitely worth a visit.

We ate here for dinner earlier tonight and enjoyed it. We came in around 8pm on a Monday night and were seated immediately without a reservation, which was nice. Our waitress Brittney was quick & attentive, and did a solid job. As for the food, both the cream of cream soup & my stupendous stuffed flounder entree were delicious! I also tried some of my moms stuffed scallops, and those were good as well. Their sides were okay. Overall though, good soups & entrees. We would come back again. read more

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We ordered take out on a Wednesday night during the summer. It was an easy walk from Sea Colony where we were staying. We ordered the jerk salmon for my gluten free husband and he had coleslaw and fries. My daughter is 3 and she really enjoyed the fried flounder kids meal(also came with fries and applesauce). I had the harvest salad without blueberries (I also removed red onion) and it was great. Everything was very fresh and tasty. Surprisingly, my 3 year old liked the fish and applesauce the most. She even removed the breading. We were disappointed that the meals did not have ketchup included. I noticed when I picked up the food that the dining area was pretty full but they also had several tables outside! I was not aware that was an option. read more

There are only a few restaurants in Bethany Beach that are a legend. Well this is one. The menu is interesting. Kinda all over the place but here are my favorites. The crab cakes. The harvest salad!! Sea Scallops off the charts. Crab soup to die for. Just go for it. Everything will be executed well. read more

Great selection of food. I ordered the fired shrimp. The cornbread muffins they give you in a basket were good!

Very nice place to eat if you're in the area took my family there for lunch. Food was OK and normal. Typical American food services very nice and easy. No issues at all. Establishment was very welcoming and staff was very nice. Had no issues here we come here again. read more

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It was fine. Stopped by for an easy Saturday lunch during an overnight stay in beautiful Bethany Beach. We must have missed the lunch crowd because we were seated quickly. My friends have specific dietary preferences and asked the server about certain ingredients in the soups. He made sure to check with the kitchen before coming back to confirm the ingredients so they could choose wisely. I enjoyed the salad with the nuts and strawberries. I asked for a cup of the crab soup, and it was reallllllllly salty. Wasn't a fan. Appreciated the quick check in by the hostess and a manager. read more

Walkable from Sea Colony, this family restaurant is another SoDel restaurant (do they own all the food establishments in Delaware now?!). I had an excellent Harvest salad and wonderful cranberry cobbler. Will go back! read more

Great first time at the Cottage Cafe. Happy hour I think from 1 till 6 everyday ~ a very nice menu and good deal .We snagged the last 2 bar stools, had a great Bartender Tracy, friendly and efficient. We each ordered a drink, a cup of their cream of crab soup which was devine, and a burger to share. The burger was excellent, perfectly cooked and tasty. It came with house cut fries and a small but good coleslaw. This is a locals place ~ we eventually earned our spot and ended up chatting everyone up. It was a really great environment- especially when looking for a low key old school vibe. A DJ came on around 5 and played some great classics - not to loud but just added to the setting. We really liked the entire experience and will be back. We are always looking for a local spot- and this fits the bill. read more

Cottage Cafe - Happy hour vibes - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Quite Quaint Cottage feel with a very nice different seashore menu. We were seated on time with a table of 8 meals included everything from Pot Roast to Stuff Flounder, Chicken Parmigiana to Portobello Stuffed with Crab Cake and assortment of Shrimp Dishes. I chose the Stuffed Flounder with Crab and Imperial sauce with a sides of Mac & Cheese & Broccoli. The 2 Flounder Filets were light and tender with a delicious amount of lump crab the Mac&Cheese and broccoli were the perfect accompaniment washed down with a pint of Guinness. The wife ordered the special which was Stuffed Bell Peppers with Garlic Mashed and Green Beans! The twin bells were a little too much delicious so she took it home to enjoy another day her drink of choice was a Margarita Crush. The serving staff did an excellent job of keeping up with all the orders and drinks. We enjoyed our first visit here and plan to return in the future! read more

Cottage Cafe - Stuffed Flounder - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Another new stop (for us) on our summer journey- the Cottage Cafe and it was a very BIG HIT for my kids who stated "these are the BEST chicken tenders anywhere in DE and MD area". They wanted to go here more than once on our trip. Both times happened to be for lunch which seems to be optimal for prime summer season if you do not want to wait for a table. Cottage Cafe is a long time staple restaurant in the BB area and very loved by all. I think that is why it's the first time we went. There is often a wait for a table and I questioned why. Well, we all get it now. It was fabulous! Staff could not be sweeter and more welcoming to start off which really makes you feel at home and want to come back! There is a ton of seating from indoor, outdoor under a shaded patio, and cool bar seating which we opted for on our second time. The food and drinks obviously also need to be good and they are and then some! They have a wide array of drinks and the Bethany Breeze (while not particularly strong) was so refreshing after a day in the sun. It was so good, my husband got one and it's not usually his kind of drink. Cute note- you can keep the cups for a souvenir as well. We got a variety of food on our two trips which I snapped photos of. Stand outs to me was the crab dip with pretzels- SO GOOD and sounds silly but their salads which all come with homemade dressing were great. My husband loved his Crabcake sandwich and I thought the crab melt was wonderful. As I said before- my boys devoured their tenders and loved them. I guess the Cottage has another family in love with them and they will certainly stay on our regular meal routine when we visit next. Thanks for the hospitality Cottage Cafe! read more

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Great Food! The service was very good. The crab cakes were also very good. Would definitely go back again.

Drove up to Bethany for a quick dinner with the family and had a lovely meal here. The biscuits they bring out were phenomenal. Service was excellent. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Very family-friendly.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Had their crab cake dinner and it was delicious. The spouse had their country fried chicken meal and enjoyed it as well. Highly recommended! Will be returning when in town. read more

This place was great! I came here with a bunch of friends during our stay at the beach. We got a bunch of appetizers to share - Fried Mozzarella, Cottage Chicken Fingers, Eastern Shore Crabby Pretzel, Crab Pizza and Pickle Fries. My boyfriend and I also got the Cream of Crab Soup and my friend and I shared the Spicy Shrimp Scampi. We were all stuffed and had lots of leftovers. My favorite appetizer was the crabby pretzel and pizza. Both were delicious and they did not skimp on the crab. The soup was also great flavor and not too salty. The pasta was good, but I would say I've had better. Overall, service was really nice and they had these yummy free muffins for the table. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant is very welcoming outside with plenty of parking.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were greeted by a friendly hostess upon entering. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The space is clean, but, though large, has a diner vibe as does the menu.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] There are plenty of comfort dishes such as pot roast and turkey dinner. We both ordered a soft shell crab sandwich. The fried crab lacked salt, which we remedied tableside and was a bit overcooked. It was offered with tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato which we did not want, so perhaps it was overcooked expecting to derive moisture from the toppings. If I was in the area, I'd probably try it for a quick lunch, but probably not for dinner. read more

The food was good, but I can't say it was totally amazing or even made me want to go back rather than try a new place next time. The portions were generous, and the appetizers were big enough for the whole table. Apparently it was recently under new ownership, and the owner came to our table to ask how we were doing. He was polite, seemed genuine, and made us feel welcomed. I appreciated the interaction. Our server was fantastic, an energetic young man who had a good memory and checked every box for being an excellent server. He had the chops to work at an upscale place making more money, in my opinion. Wish I remembered his name so I could thank him here! My only concern, and one which I have never noticed anywhere else, was that the entryway was so clogged with waiting patrons, a small door, and a hostess stand too close by, that in the event of an emergency, I honestly don't believe people could make it out that door in a timely manner. I suggest reworking the flow at the entryway so there's room for unobstructed passage. read more

Cottage Cafe is part of So-Del and is very good. They have a great variety in their menu and the food is always delicious!

Fried chicken, crab cake sandwich both very tasty. The fries were amazing. The patron relaxer was light on the patron.

Food was amazing! We were told wait would be about 30 min but not even 2 min later our hostess got us a table. The fried flounder was really good and the portions were just enough. I would definitely return read more

Cottage Cafe - Fried Clopton's Floppin' Flounder - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

Went there with a party of 6 and 1 child - waited 30 minutes for the food to be served. The salmon had absolutely no taste. They were out of fried calamari so we got the fried clams - not edible. Salad was so so and the tuna appetizer tasted like tuna fish from a can. Would not return. read more

Food excellent, a lot of choices and great salads. Service was good, friendly; but do recommend clearing plates before giving us the check. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance family friendly, bar, music[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend...family style meals. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Clean and well maintained restaurant[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Cottage Cafe - Chicken Parmesan, side of stewed zucchini, berry salad with grilled chicken. Before our meal brought mini muffins... cranberry and coconut - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

We've been coming here every year on our annual vacation to Bethany Beach for quite a few years. The food and service has always been outstanding. Our server this time was named Maddy and she was very pleasant and attentive. Never had a complaint, great retaurant. read more

Great food, friendly service! The blushing crab soup was delicious, as was the crab cake platter.

This gets 2 stars which are all for our excellent server. We stopped in about two weeks ago for a late lunch. It was my husband and me, plus 5 teenagers (4 of them boys 14-17 who can eat their weight in food every 24 hours). I picked this place because it had a diverse menu and I figured everyone would be able to find something they liked. I also knew, my son's girlfriend his a huge fan of chicken tenders and I heard these were good. (They weren't , but more about that later.) The place isn't all that clean and the bathrooms were "icky" at best. They sat the 7 of us immediately, in a back room area. Which was great until they sat another large party right beside us and we could not longer have a conversation at a reasonable level. We started with a large Dune Fries. $16 for "Our signature appetizer! Fresh hand-cut and seasoned fries piled high and smothered with melted cheeses, bacon and scallions. Served with ranch dressing for dipping." It was a large serving and was demolished by the teens in about 5 minutes. I had about 3 fries and it did taste good. It was, by far, the best thing we were served. One person ordered the Cottage Chicken Fries for $14 is was ""FRESH" Never Frozen Chicken Tenders, hand-dusted and fried. Served with our signature homemade honey-mustard for dipping." They were disgusting. The coating was soggy and the chicken was rubbery. The person who ordered them, ate one bite and didn't eat any more. The others tried them and nobody made it beyond a single bite. They were taken home and fed to the dogs. One person ordered the cheese burger. About $14 with fries and cheese for the burger. This teen ate half of it but didn't finish because he didn't like it. This is a kid that can eat a terrible burger and not complain. The second half went home to the dogs. (Note: The dogs might be the happiest ones when it comes to this meal). One person ordered the The Ultimate Grilled Cheese which is $15 ($3 for bacon) and supposed to be the best grilled cheese you can get with American, Provolone, Cheddar Jack and Swiss inside then topped with crusted Parmesan cheese on wheat bread. It was greasy and the cheese was rubbery and . . . I couldn't imagine that sandwich not tasting good so I insisted on getting a bite. He was right, it wasn't very good. My husband got the Sea Witch which is $19 for "Our bewitching sandwich made of broiled sea scallops, hickory bacon and melted cheddar & jack cheeses on a toasted roll." My husband liked it because (quite frankly) he likes anything with scallops. He insisted I have a bite and I didn't really like it. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't worth $19. Not even close. I got the Bodacious BBQ Sandwich which was $15 for "Tender pulled beef in our Jack Daniels BBQ sauce. Served on a kaiser roll and topped with fried onion frizzles." Of all the dishes, this was the most appropriate serving size for the price. The meat was decent but had too much BBQ sauce. I ordered it with tater tots which was an extra $1 but a tiny serving. They tasted blah but were crispy so I added some Old Bay and they were the best thing on the plate. One person ordered the mac and cheese and all 5 teens named it the worse mac and cheese they ever ate. I tasted it. It was very pasty and the cheese sauce was too thick. I don't blame him for not eating it. It also became dog snacks. Drinks were $3.50 for typical fountain drinks with mostly ice in the cup. That's nuts. Coffee was $3 for a small cup that needed to constantly be refilled. This goes in my two-thumbs down column. read more