Poor very slow service. The chef needs to learn how to use a salt shaker. Fried food is very oily. Tgere are other much better restaurants in the area. read more

Went there on a date recently. Was not impressed. I would not recommend the Dolphin as the best seafood restaurant in the Barnstable area. The service was good, restaurant was busy. We both ordered the lobster special- baked stuffed. Both came out luke warm and the lobster meat in mine was very salty. Lobster must have just shed it's old shell, couldn't get any of the meat out. Very disappointed in the meal. When I called the next day to talk to the manager/owner about my experience, I had problems reaching the person I should talk to. I left messages, the owner never called me back. Staff was no help. After a week of frequent calling the woman I did speak to was rude and made me feel stupid. She did not even apologize. I was told the owner might call me back. Still waiting.... Not only was the food disappointing, so was the customer service. read more

I, along with my wife and daughter, have driven over 85 miles (a few times) to enjoy the delicious food at the Dolphin Restaurant. Everything here is great! Warm, friendly atmosphere, with outstanding food and service. We love it! read more

It's a nice place, nice service, good food....nothing memorable. I think it's biggest advantage is that it's not overpriced like most of Cape Cod. read more

12/7/12: Spending a winter weekend in Barnstable we decided to eat here. Glad we did. Ate at the bar. Lots of locals. Bar staff is friendly to non locals. We'll be back read more

We occasionally eat here and have never had a bad meal. I'd recommend any of the seafood dishes as well as the mussels appetizer. Bar is small and can get quite crowded when there's a wait for a table. Restaurant has a cozy Cape Cod feel and the crowd tends to be on the older side - I'd recommend for a family dinner. read more

We love the Dolphin, and were willing to try it again but tonight was not a good experience. To start there was 3 of us and I personally struck out 4/4 times. The first martini was awful- "the winter martini" - Tasted gross and wasn't even full. The other 2 patrons in our group: 1 enjoyed their cosmo, the other didn't have a full martini and didn't enjoy. My second out was the Cesar salad that was served with no dressing and anchovies on the side, waitress asked me if I liked anchovies and who wouldn't when ordering Cesar, but didn't expect a salad like that. Third out was the espresso martini that was straight baileys- no espresso-wouldn't order again. Fourth out for me was the "special" chicken and spinach creamy pasta entree that had no sauce and looked like it was pasta water- no garlic no cream no nothing-lol. Other 2 patrons 1) enjoyed the meal but didn't say it was the best, 2) said meal was ok but wasn't great. Would try again- but disappointing tonight for sure. read more

We had a party of 11, Amy was our server. Great meal and great service. Corn bread was amazing. Stuffed scrod, scallops and steak was great. Our 16 year old had the duck which was also wonderful! read more

Fabulous lunch. Almond cranberry scrod and blackened tuna Caesar salad were both awesome cute very Cape Codish restaurant. So glad we found this! read more

Great atmosphere, very cozy and welcoming. Service was friendly and prompt. We started with scallops wrapped in bacon, which were amazing. Then we each had scrod, my husband's had scallop and lobster stuffing, mine with almond and cranberries, very different and delicious. Dessert was a berry tart with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream, which was a wonderful treat. Great experience and we will surely be back during our next visit read more

Have enjoyed quality dining at this restaurant in past years. Recently had dinner with my family and the experience was not good. It was hot outside but the AC inside was not cooling the the dining area down. It was miserable inside and many people dining complained but the staff did not seem to care. Food was below par. Crab cakes appetizer was more like a crab croquette being deep fried and loaded with fillers. Other dinners were just OK but not the quality and flavors we were use to having from past experiences. Service was unfriendly since the wait staff was also very warm. We won't be going back very soon. read more

The Dolphin restaurant was a wonderful place to enjoy meals and moderately priced. The service was very good but the carpet smelled really bad!:D I will go again definitely though!!! read more

Great atmosphere and food - stop by to get a great taste of local flavor. Fantastic salads, shrimp risotto, and chowder. Quintessential Cape Cod atmosphere with fresh flowers on each table, local brews on tap, and house wines to match your menu choices. read more

Love this restaurant! Chowder & Quahogs.... sitting by the fireplace with a warm drink or glass of red wine. So, not only the food but the atmosphere is warm and inviting. read more

I cannot comment on the food, as we never got to eat. You can enter The Dolphin through the front, or the back as we did (from where the parking lot was). Once we walked in the rear entrance the clientele just glared at us - it was a little uncomfortable. It's not like we were wearing ripped jeans and clothing we normally use for painting the house. There was no one at the bar, or in the area that worked there to assist us. None of the patrons seemed inclined to inform us that the hostess was located in the front. Once I realized I walked up to put our name in. The girl disdainfully asked if we had reservations and when I said no, she responded in very final-tone terms, "Oh, well, we have nothing available." I felt like I was bothering her. She indicated we could grab a high top beyond the bar ("there may be room in the back of the bus"). The high tops were set up in a way that if we separated them for two people we would be in the way. And from the initial chilly reception, drawing more attention to ourselves didn't seem like the smart move. For a minute we debated what to do - finally a woman who seemed to be a waitress ask if we needed assistance, but by that point we felt very unwelcome. So we went to Gina's about 7 miles down the road where we were treated kindly and enjoyed a great meal. Maybe we caught The Dolphin on a bad night, but I'd be curious to read what other first timers think of their experience. At the very least, having someone who works there just say hello goes a long way for a restaurant's rep. read more

What a pleasant dinner. I had the Veal Piccata, which was excellent. My husband had the Scallop Carbanaro.... he said it was perfect. Would recommend this restaurant to all. read more

Dolphin Restaurant - Veal Piccata...excellent - Sandwiches Near Me - Barnstable, Massachusetts

We passed by and decided to try it for lunch. We're so glad we did! What a cute place inside! Fresh and clean welcoming. I had the soft-shell crab special and it was the best I've ever had! Just needed a squeeze of lemon, though the remoulade they served was also tasty. French fries were more like frites and very crispy! The Portuguese kale and chourico soup was also delicious!! My husband had the chicken Mediterranean and that was fresh and tasty. We'll be back!! read more

Best salad I ever had. Great service nice ambiance, very relaxed enjoyable late lunch.

A group of ladies went to the Dolphin last week. Service from our waitress Rachel was excellent. The food was great and there is such a choice from the menu.The portions were so large! The prices were exceptionally low. Cozy Cape Cod atmosphere. I cannot say enough nice about this restaurant. read more

I've visited the Dolphin more for the drinks and friendly bar socializing (even with strangers). The food is good but too expensive for a group of friends to go in on. Cozy place, of course we'll be back. read more

Great restaurant in Barnstable. I have had both lunch and dinner here. Loved the soups and sandwiches at lunch especially the crab melt. At dinner, I have had many different things but love the fish dishes. The salad are also very good. I enjoy the wines they serve. I have always been happy eating here. read more

The atmosphere is gorgeous, a quaint little beachy restaurant on 6A. The service was out of this world, I had 4 or 5 people waiting on my table at once. The food was mouth-watering delicious. I plan on visiting again when I go back to the Cape The owner Nancy is a sweetheart, they provide catering as well as host small weddings read more

The Dolphin runs "hot or cold." When they're on, they are amazing, but when they're off, it's just not great. (ok, but just not great). Problem is you never know which it's going to be when you get there. If you don't mind taking a chance, you might get something great. read more

We ate here quite often, we are the unknown regular type(2-4 times monthly). I chose to write a review now based upon the quality of food we have been receiving over the past couple months. Generally we have gotten very good food and ... decent... service depending on who we are sat with. But as of late the food has suffered. We have returned our meals more than a few times in the past month alone. Upon researching, a kitchen employee ,who we learned to love her cooking, has left. I have been told she will return mid September. PLEASE return soon, as we are sick of seeing the same things on the special menu and the lack of effort in the food. Until Mid sept, we will not return. Robert J read more

The 5 of us went there on 8/18/13 and had the meal of our lives! Started with the suggested red wine- just right. We had stuffed mushrooms and 2 huge codfish cakes. Great warm bread and corn muffins! I had the honey mustard glazed salmon special. It melted in my mouth- the best salmon I ever had! The others had Chicken Picatta and Shrimp Scampi- all great! Linda, our waitress was the best, sociable and attentive. At the end I tried the bread pudding. Again this did not disappoint. It was light but exquisite and delicious. We definitely will be back again. read more

My fiance and I were staying at an inn in Barnstable just a week ago and wanted to book a special dinner. We were very excited about the menu we saw online for Dolphin. When we walked in through the back entrance where we parked, we were immediately given horrible and condescending looks from the bartender & customers seated at the bar. We are both 28 years old but we weren't dressed inappropriately - not even remotely. I felt so uncomfortable that I began looking down at my clothes with insecurity wondering if there was something amiss. When we were seated, I looked around and realized based on the surrounding diners that it was likely we were just younger than the average clientele. I thought little of it after that. Unfortunately, the ill-treatment didn't stop there. Our waitress was flippant, unpleasant, and seemed like she had no interest in serving us in the first place. She treated us very much like children, and we got such an uncomfortable vibe from the staff that we couldn't HELP but jump to the conclusion that it had something to do with our age or how we looked. Part of me wanted to stand up and say to the server something along the lines of, "we are paying customers, and frankly, you don't know how much money we have or anything about our life accomplishments, so don't assume that the younger folks walking in are a waste of your time." What made it a waste of her time after all is that she received a poor tip from acting this way, whereas if she hadn't, she would have learned that my fiance and I always tip generously. With both of our courses, staff members came by multiple times (per dish) to try to remove the plates - with food still on them - and each time we had to stop them and say that we weren't finished. It was as if they were rushing us out, even though there were open tables all around us. Any time I made eye contact with what I assumed were the owners, they seemed to care very little. Had they noticed our discomfort and the shock in our faces every time the waitress said something snarky and walked away (which, by the way, was unwarranted since we never even commented on the poorness of the food or anything else), you would think they would have come over to ask how everything was. Nope. I would have at least given a second star to this place if the food had been better, but for seafood on Cape Cod, I expected my swordfish to not come out massively overcooked. It was like a rubber tire, and flavorless. I've eaten a lot of seafood in my life, and the swordfish I buy from the supermarket was better. My fiance ordered the exact same thing and it was of the same poor quality. Now I genuinely felt like we were either being targeted, or this place was just collectively that bad. We were so disappointed, and it was something we wanted to be very special. We even debated turning around and walking out after how we were received and after meeting our server, but we always have faith in places. We should have gone with our gut. I hate being critical and I hate not giving places the benefit of the doubt -- but this just was too much. read more

Nice atmosphere, food is so-so. If you are looking for a salad, DON'T get the Thai Chicken Salad...fried chicken nuggets on top of a bowl on noodles. read more

Very good food. Busier than they expected and under-staffed but the waitress was a talented pro and handled admirably... And I'm a tough critic... I'd go again .... read more

Our favorite- such a nice, quiet, romantic atmosphere with amazing seafood. Their bread basket to start has the most amazing homemade spread. We go here for all special occasions, so great! read more

Had a super lunch, excellent service and a delicious meal. I had scallops which were cooked perfectly. Nice atmosphere, nice bar area as well. Would definitely be back. read more

Went for my bday. And it was outstanding .. Had a party of 4 , and was seated right away. Great table and a wonderful waitress. Excellent service and top of the line food. From the filet to the lobster. All was perfect. Put this place on your short list and you will not be disappointed. ! read more

Very fresh fish prepared in a sophisticated manner. Pleasant service.

This had (note the past tense) been a favorite of my husband's and mine, but after our recent experience this weekend ( Saturday Night), we'd be hard-pressed to ever return. Everything was bad: from the inexperienced waitress (who actually told us that she wouldn't be able to pay attention to us because she needed to focus on the party of six seated next to us!); to the unusually bad food (the dressing on a salad special was so over-herbed it was inedible; they ran out a menu stable, the Sole A la Dolphin and the waitress was unaware); I was served the wrong dish, so it went back to the kitchen along with my husband's dinner; to a piece of swordfish we were told would be about 3/4 in thick, but instead was so thin as to be confused with a filet!) We complained to the manager and shared how this restaurant was a favorite of ours...her response was nothing short of stunning: a deer-in-the headlights expression, followed by, "OK"...yes, that was all she said. It was clear she could care less if we ever returned again. The final kick was that after all of this, they actually had the nerve to include the returned salad on our bill! Though the waitress offered us a comp desert, we really wanted to just leave. They refused to take anything else off the bill (i.e. a dinner, the wine we ordered etc). If this owner was really thinking, she would have apologized profusely, comped our entire meal, and offered us an incentive to return. None of that happened. I hope, for their sake, they figure out how to run a restaurant before driving more people away in the same way they did us. Truly sad, especially as we had gone there that evening to celebrate my husband's recent completion of his cancer treatment. Hardly the celebration we had in mind. Shame on the Dolphin. read more

Great food. My boyfriend and I went here to celebrate my birthday. He has been several times, and has never had a bad meal. This was my first time. I had the sauteed chicken with artichokes, sun-dried tomatos, in a creme sauce, served with fresh green beans & a generous helping of wild rice. Stuffed mushroom caps were awesome. My boyfriend had the hazelnut crusted swordfish, which he loved. I don't usually eat or like fish, but I tried his and even I thought it was good! Swordfish was served with green beans & potatoes. Portions were large, I packed a good amount of my meal to go. Oysters were fresh & good. They serve crackers with some type of onion/veggie/cream cheese dish which was also delicious. Our server warmed up and turned out to be great- we went in pretty late, and still the food was prepared with care, we weren't rushed, etc. We got a nice little table in front, and it was cozy & candlelit. Prices were right on target for the quality of the food. Most dishes around $20-$30. They don't take reservations for two, so plan ahead if you have a smaller party- you may have a little wait. read more

Nancy is attentive to patrons, Can't say that one Saturday night server was attentive until she saw Nancy greet our table at the end of the meal. In fact, she was argumentative from the star. She appeared annoyed that one in our party had dietary restrictions and needed certain questions answered. The questions focused on serious allergies. Dinners were delivered with little follow up. Having said that, The Dolphin is one of my favorite restaurants. The food was well prepared, and the atmosphere is cozy. read more

Very old crowd at the restaurant. This was probably a hot spot back in the 70's, but no longer. Their tag line "Fine Dining" is a stretch. Descent meal and good drinks, but certainly not fine dining! Salad was very limp. Chowda decent. Meal acceptable though the presentation lacking. read more

Excellent food! The steamed mussels were divine and the staff was very nice to grown ups and kids and the service was great :)

We hadn't been here in awhile but heard some friends were playing music here and decided to have dinner. Excellent seafood!!! We couldn't even finish our meal. I had the Dolphin assorted broiled seafood and my husband had the pasta with seafood. Highly recommend!! read more

Traveling to PTown from Chicago. Looked at the reviews and decided to give it a try. What a wonderful find! From the service to the food and reasonable prices....a must stop! Window seating gives an old town feeling. Just love these small out of the way places. Many locals eat here which really says something. Our waitress was friendly, funny and very efficient. Making reservations to go back two days later so we can take our friends who live here out for dinner. read more

The place look ok but one of the waitresses was complaining about how busy it was and somewhat flustered. Much of our food was super-heated so that it lost all texture and became rubbery. The portions were large though if you have to go here. This place also seems to cater to the older generation. We were the youngest in the place by 20+ years. read more