I must say I was sadly disappointed by Freda's overall experience. We arrived around 7 on a Sunday and didn't have to wait for a table which was good because we were starving. The waitress was nice taking our order promptly and bringing us some warm bread. The decor was very old fashioned without the nostalgic feel that some other places do so well. I ordered the stuffed rack of lamb medium rare and my boyfriend ordered the crab cakes. Both entrees came with a house salad. When I got my dish I cut into the lamb and it was cooked medium well to well. I also cut into the lamb rack in several spots and it was all a medium well and well on the ends. She took it back to the kitchen an then after a few minutes returned with the rack implying that the meat was medium rare on the inside which it was not and asked if I would rather have it rare. I knew after this moment that I would never get the correct temperature for the meat and began eating my boyfriends crab cakes. I received my dinner 15 minutes later of practically raw meat that was fatty and tough. I chose not to eat the meat and when the waitress suspected I did not like my dish I was honest. Needless to say we were charged for it. read more

this place served me the best sandwich i ever had , for flavor, this past saturday. we had never been there before, were at the mall fr a stroll & felt the need to try a new-to-us restaurant. thankfully, we made this choice. while i am only a hot sandwich fan & eat those only occasionally, the bratwurst sammie on toasted baguette with kraut & spicy mustard was just ridiculously delish. the toasted baguette was too hard for me, & i was afraid the brat was going to shoot out across the tiny restaurant every time i bit into the sandwich, but the flavors were perfect together & that more than made up for me. they also served us a bread pudding with some kind of caramel sauce of delight. We were not thrilled with our server; i asked to use the ladies' room when we were seated & the server came over, & she very forcefully stated she would give me the key once she told us the specials. i am glad i wasnt about to pee in my pants or i'd have had to get demanding. she also did not want to wait for us to give her our payment when she dropped off our check, despite our need to leave & her lack of tables. She remained dour & curt and oddly forceful in the way she spoke, interacted & delivered our food until she brought our dessert. maybe not a good day for her, but i've served during undergrad, so i may be a bit more critical than others. However, this time, the person i was with agreed that the server was not the most pleasant. the other server working was a doll, though, & the food was good, so if you have not been, give freda's a try. The food was so good that our weird server would absolutely never deter me from returning during our next trip to cape may. *it IS a super-tiny dining room, so when the season starts, you can see how reservations are a must & quite limited. read more

Amazing food! Very cute place; friendly staff, and one very talented chef! Highly recommend.

Go off Washington and try Freda's. Everything I saw was made with LOVE - I had portobello and boyfriend had chicken pesto. Quality ingredients! Pleasant staff! I would come back here again for sure. You can tell the cook cares about presentation. Don't be scared by the inside of the restaurant, it's like grandmas living room. It will only take 3 minutes to get all cozy. 6 STAR. read more

My family and I have been dinning at Freda's Cafe for over 10 years and it never disappoints. The service is always friendly and the food consistently delicious. Whether going for lunch or dinner we have always had a great experience. The restaurant is also byob which is a plus. read more

Went on a Saturday so was real busy. Server had a bunch of tables but did a great job. Food was great. We had that oyster appetizer. The ahi tuna entree was best I ever had. A little pricey but worth it. read more

Freda's is one of the best places to eat in Cape May. I have never had a disappointing meal at the place. The staff is always so friendly and accommodating, the food is top notch and the atmosphere is quiet and cozy. Call ahead for a reservation and you won't be disappointed. read more

This was our favorite restaurant until last night. Our waitress asked how our dinner was, and when I said my steak had no flavor and was over cooked, she took it back to the chef. She returned with and unprofessional message. We were not the only ones that left unhappy. read more

We are in Cape May for jazz fest which by the way is a fantastic experience and tonight we had the pleasure of eating at Frieda's. First of all Carly was a friendly professional and very nice server. The food was exceptional. We started with very fresh garden salad. My wife had halibut and I had the tuna. Needless to say neither plate went back with any remnants of food on them. These were both beautifully prepared and plated and full of flavor. Just fantastic in every way. The room is exquisite and it is a BYOB establishment. We loved this restaurant and would travel the two hours from home to spend a day in cape may and finish at Freda's. Thanks for a delicious mouthwatering experience. read more

We ate lunch at Freda's during our recent visit to Cape May. It is quite small, however, it's worth cozying in to get a seat. We found the portions to be ample; wished that we had gotten one sandwich and shared. However, we tend to eat less than most, so check out what you see on others' plates before you order one dish for two. Absolutely incredible food...will go back on next visit. read more

Freda's is a small restaurant so be sure to make a reservation. It was recommended by locals and they were right on target. The food was delicious and the service excellent. read more

My wife and I go to Cape May each year for are anniversary. We stay at the queen Victoria and eat at Freda's. The meals are always delicious and the desserts are out of this world! read more

The food at Freda's was excellent! The only reason I didn't give this review 5 stars is that we had to wait over 20 minutes for a table and we had reservations. Then when we were seated, the table was practically in the kitchen. But, the waiter was able to move us to a different table towards the front of the restaurant. After that, the food and service made up for the earlier problems. The salmon stuffed with lobster & crab was out of this world! read more

Went here for birthday lunch for my mom, party of four. Small one room space but the atmosphere is warm and friendly, well-kept. I would eat here again. The food was quite scrumptious and menu was well designed with nice selections. Fair prices. Crab cake was awesome! read more

Excellent food, service, ambiance! (Formerly the old post office.) Crab cakes were outstanding! Came for lunch but recall having great appetizers on the dinner menu last year. read more

Food was so delicious and unique! And great service! Just subtracting one star for the claustrophobic feel of restaurant and the fact that you have to go outside to the bathroom. (These things probably only annoyed me because I was 35 wks pregnant.. I normally wouldn't even care.) something to consider if you are a larger person or have someone who has a harder time getting around in your party. read more

There were 5 of us for dinner. Keep in mind that there was a table right next to us but it wasn't an issue. We all had a wonderful dinner. We had the cod special another has the tuna and one had the crab cakes. All dinners came with a salad and bread which is rare in Cape May. Our sever was pleasant and very attentive. They gave us a setup for our wine remember BYOB. Some of the specials were a little pricey but they tell you the price which was cool. read more

Cape May has its share of great white table cloth restaurants, but this little BYOB gem can hold its own with the best of them. While a bit cramped and noisy, the happy people inside have found a place with delicious culinary creations that were expertly prepared. We started with appetizers that included tangy pecan crusted goat cheese and some of the best mussels I have ever tasted. Good thing they give you lots of bread because we all wanted to dip it into that mussel broth. Our foursome all had seafood ranging from sesame crusted ahi tuna, delicate crab cakes and two takes on scallops, all were outstanding.  The staff was very prompt, pleasant and attentive and made us feel very comfortable.  We were very glad we made reservations on a Saturday night because there was not a single empty seat in the house.  The menu changes often and we will be back again soon to see what other surprises we will find at Freda's. read more

I would have wanted to eat almost everything on this menu and the food we did get was absolutely fantastic and very creative. Tight accommodations but good service. read more

We make Freda's a regular stop during our annual Labor Day week in Cape May. Once again it was by far the best meal of the week this year. The halibut special (with lobster, shitake mushrooms and a fresh peach glaze), and a chicken dish with lobster, scallops, crabmeat and shrimp were both simply amazing. Their menu always seems to have some unique, original offerings and we have yet to be disappointed. Seating can be a bit tight, it is a bit pricey and the rest room outside and around the back is a bit strange. I'd recommend a reservation and using the potty before you eat. read more

Food, service, & ambience were great! The food served was prepared as if it was being served to royalty, but the dessert. May I tell you about the dessert, may I say this? The best ever, better than sex, better than a day on the beach. read more

Excellent food and service - a really great find!! Dishes, including appetizers, were all very creative, beautifully done and very very tasty. Service was very good too - friendly and very helpful with making our selections! We all really like our dishes - seafood dishes were out of this world, and pasta dishes too. The only reason I'm holding back on a 5 star rating is because it is really cramped quarters. Excellent value!! read more

Finally made it to Freda's for dinner. We enjoy byob's. We've received mixed reviews from friends about this place. Upon entering I was struck by how dark it was, candle light is nice but it was tough to see the menu and my wife had to use a flashlight app to read it. Thought we might end up the only ones eating that night but within 20 minutes the place was packed. Waiter was warm, friendly, and attentive. I ordered the stuffed salmon over spinach and mashed potatoes. Fish was cooked well and it was tasty but not piping hot when brought to the table. My wife ordered the shrimp and scallops in a pesto pasta and temp was just right. Pesto was rich and she enjoyed her selection. Salad included with entree was nothing to speak of, bland and not much more than lettuce. Restrooms outside around back, an inconvenience to say the least. My wife is willing to try it again for lunch but not I. read more

The food and service were excellent! It WAS pricey, but the food was so good we didn't feel cheated. Seats are very close together, but not uncomfortable. I got the crab cakes, and my husband got some sort of seafood pasta dish. They both were even more delicious the next day as leftovers! And yes, it's BYOB read more

We visited last summer. Food was good but the special menu did not have prices and we were surprised how much higher they were than the regular menu. We felt a bit duped and will not return. read more

Quaint little place, great staff. Fish tacos were excellent! I'd come back for more.

My boyfriend and I went there tonight for what was supposed to be a 'nice meal.' First when we called for reservations (Facebook and yelp have open till 9:30pm) we asked for the latest reservation they had wanting an 8 or 8:30 pm and the girl on the phone said 7:30pm (okay we get being locals this time of year can be finicky, we get it, but at the same time your hours are posted until 9:30 pm.) Next, once we got there, the spring rolls were amazing and the soy ginger salad dressing was too. As for our entrees, they were not up to par. My boyfriend ordered the filet medium it came out medium well if not well to some people. I ordered the crab cakes after all the amazing reviews and having them in the past but they were not amazing. They had what some people would say an after bite, I would say too fishy. It was almost like they tried to pass off either a left over or something was up with the refrigeration. Crab is not supposed to taste fishy. They were nice enough to comp the crab cakes but even still after they took off the cakes, it was still pricey for what it was two apps and one entree was still $70. If it was amazing good food worth the price, I wouldn't complain, it was mediocre to say the least. Needless to say we not be returning which is a shame because we are locals and it used to be a favorite. read more

We used to love this place until the hostess had a bee in her bonnet and made up wait an hour after our reservation time. Customers who showed up after us were seated before us, even those without reservations. She even held 8 seats open, while we waited for an hour, until her friends showed up. They had no reservations either. After eating there for 10 years, we will find other places in Cape may to eat. read more

I really can't tell you about the food because, despite having made reservations well in advance for last friday night, we were never seated. We arrived 10 minutes before our reservation and were told our table was not ready and it would be 5-10 minutes. We said we would wait outside since there is no space inside and were told they would come and get us. After 25 mnutes my husband went in to check. The person who had told us 5-10 minutes did not even remember we were waiting and when reminded said the previous party was slow to leave. Though there was an open table for 2, she did not offer us any option but to wait longer. Thankfully, Tisha's saved our evening. They not only seated us right away despite not having a reservation on a busy friday night but food and service were wonderful. Interestingly, since we were seated outside, I was able to observe a similar scenerio with a party of 4 whose table was not ready at Tisha's. The difference was the hostess sought them out, apologized for the delay and offered them a choice of different tables. It was like the night and day of customer service. Not only will we never return to Freda's but I had friends who were waiting for my review and I have shared my experience. read more

Although I think the food is good, I think this place needs some new management...I recently was there for dinner with four others...it was a Thursday evening and we had 8:30 reservations...we were seated about 8:45 or so...about 9:00ish, a party of six arrived...they were very, very noisy...to the point that none of the other diners could even carry on a conversation...they were laughing and talking very loudly...I believe that it was the obligation of the management to ask them to quiet down...or leave. No one in the management bothered to do that. Also, earlier in the day, around 5:15, I stopped there to purchase a $100 gift certificate to give to my hosts when I left town...I stood inside the door for 25 minutes waiting for them to get it for me...there were only two tables with diners at them...finally, the waitress came to me and said that they were much too busy to take the time to get the gift cert for me!!!...Amazing...so, the bottom line is they need a manager who actually cares for the diners...this place doesn't seem to have such a person...granted, the food was very good...but I would not return here...the aggravtion of that evening has stayed with me... read more

My husband wanted to go here because he admired a photo of the lamb chops on their Facebook page. We attempted to look for an online menu since I have to eat gluten free, and discovered that an online menu was difficult to find. I did find what appeared to be an older combined lunch / dinner menu, which had several promising salad options, so I agreed to the choice. Alas, we went to discover no salad options on a dinner only menu, with only one item on the menu that I was told could be adapted to be gluten free; so if you don't want chicken and don't like the spice tarragon you are out of luck! There were no vegan options, at all, and no prices listed on the menu for the specials. My husband's lamb chop entree ended up costing $40.95, which he was not informed of. Food was not memorable, the garlic mashed potatoes were cold, didn't like the chicken which had a burnt flavor to it and I don't care for tarragon. The one carrot and green beans on my plate were appealing. The restaurant was quite small, it appeared we were the first to arrive to the restaurant at our booked 5:30 PM time. When we asked to not be seated at an inconveniently placed table smack against the front door, our hostess became flustered and told us she had to juggle other reservations to accommodate us in an empty restaurant, which was quite odd. Unfortunately, was not a pleasurable experience overall and was pricey, perhaps the lunch menu selections are more extensive and we would have fared better. We most likely will not be back to find out. read more

Wow! What a find! My husband and I both were in high-end NYC restaurant business and are rarely impressed by food outside of NYC. But everything we ordered were fresh, good quality and were cooked just right. We ordered spring roll salad, seafood bisque, the Shrimp and Scallop pasta with pesto and the Crab Cake Marcus. They were DIVINE!! The soup/ bisque were not too creamy, the Spring roll over field greens had a hint of sweetness to it, making it a delicate appetizer. The pesto sauce was not over-saturated with cream, it was still bothy which made the pasta dish not too heavy nor over powering with cream and pesto. The Shrimp and scallops were not over cooked like most places. They were just right. The crab cakes were all crab meat with Savory herbs and very little breading lightly pan seared and top with a light mango sauce. Best crab cake ever!! At first my husband was upset I picked a no alcohol served restaurant or BYOB, but during the meal he said, "they don't need alcohol revenue because their food is so well prepped and delicious." We will make sure to go again the next time we are in town. read more

In July, while staying at N. Wildwood on summer vacation, my wife and I were afforded an opportunity to go out to a nice dinner with with her sister and brother-in-law as our In-laws watching our kids. After looking up places on the Internet, I suggested Freda's based on the electic menu and reviews. I had a ho-hum response to my suggestion (as some are very picky eaters that like "basic" food) but the party decided to go ultimately because it was a BYOB. I was certainly hoping I wouldn't regret my choice because I knew if they didn't like it, I would hear about it later. I have to admit, the description that place is place is "intimate" can be a nice way of saying cramped. Unfortunately, that was our parties first reaction. We were lucky that, it was a rainy weeknight and not very crowded otherwise it could have been very uncomfortable. That aside, we were all very pleased with our appetizers as we shared with each other. I was not prepared for what was to come. I have to admit, this was one of only a few times I was ever "wowed" by a restaurant. I ordered the Chilean sea bass special on a whim. It turned out to be one of the 2 best dinners I've ever had dining out. My diner was AMAZING. I could not stop smiling even as I walked to the bathroom in some area outside of the restaurant. I was not the only one. Everyone in our party raved about the food from the appetizers all the way to the desserts. In addition, we had very helpful and gracious servers who gave excellent suggestions. Idiosyncrasies aside (small restaurant, detached bathroom, etc.), you owe it yourself to give this place a try. When given the opportunity, I will definitely go back. PS. Can someone send me their Chilean sea bass recipe??? read more

chef totally dissed my son. served him steak off childs menu in 1/2 in of sauce even after asking to have it plain and separate from other items on the plate. cut up half of steak and my son was like no way. so i sent it back and instead of making a new 4 oz steak that cost me 15 he rinsed it off and reserved same piece of half cut up meat. except now it was gray n had no seasoning at all must have nuked it tio heat it back up. totally disgusting. i tasted it. inedible. was charged and my son left w no dinner. really crapy move to well paying regular customs for 15 yrs ---no more!!! im done. read more