Service was very disappointing, as we had to ask for everything including plates and silverware. We had to chase down our waiter any time we needed something and were never asked if we wanted anything. Food was average and overpriced, and none of the draft beers were available. Our biggest issue, however was with the Valet Parking. We were told by the young man working that "for $20 we could park for the evening and go to the bar next door when we were done eating here". We gave him $20 and went inside to eat. We later went next door to Proving Ground, and when we returned to get out car, the restaurant was closed, the valet worker was gone, and our key was not in the car or valet stand. Assuming our key was inside the closed restaurant, we had no choice but to Uber home and come back for the car the next morning. The valet company and the restaurant seemed to want nothing to do with the issue. read more

New ownership sucks. No idea on running a a previous successful restaurant. Everything slow. Food below average. Wait time a joke.

Very disappointed. New owner has taken a great summer spot and ruined it. Menu is limited. None of the previous favorites. We ordered steamers. Overpriced and sparse serving. Our waiter left to become the bartender because he left. Service suffered. Food was mediocre.only ordered sandwiches. Also overpriced. But water view is still nice. Can't ruin that! Valet attendant left at 7pm. No one to park or retrieve cars. We will not return to Inlet Cafe. Very sad. read more

New owners ruined it. It used to be a great local place now its anesys closed because they acted rude to the locals. Sad.

Worst experience I've ever had somewhere. Ordered calamari without cherry peppers because my mother in law can't have spicy food, came with peppers. Waited 30 minutes for someone to come over to resolve the problem. Server doesn't even look up from tables to help. Finally got a new calamari just in time for the rest of the MESSED up order to come out. Fish n chips didn't have the side that we ordered, the fish was small and SOOOO GREASY. The lobster roll started off delicious. But after picking out shell and cartilage, my boyfriend found a piece of RAW squid in his lobster roll!!! We called over the manager and he said "Ill be right back". He never came back.... and the server said he will take 25% off!!!!! 25% off a $130 check... for multiple messed up and DISGUSTING items?! The icing on the cake. Received the bill WITH NOT EVEN THE 25% OFF! They tried to play us! I will NEVER EVER return to this place. Worst experience. Don't give them your money. read more

Terrible Service, I don't know what happened to this place. It used to be spot on. Waited forever for out initial drinks and even longer for our orders to be taken. We were a group of 6 and 4 of us ordered sushi, waited 20 minutes only to be told that the sushi chefs go on break at 4:30? Where in the world does that happen on a Sunday that a chef goes on break during the dinner crowd? I would not recommend this place to my worst enemy. So sad an institution in The Highlands is now being run by the inmates!!!! read more

Went on Saturday night with my girlfriends for dinner. First the menu was different than online. Very boring menu with no pasta dishes and extremely pricy. We had a hard time deciding as the choices were not great. 2 of us ordered the wedge salad with shrimp, avocado and blue cheese. It came smothered in dressing and warm (not room temp but warm) it was fine but for $21?? My 2 other friends ordered the fish and chips that were not at all crispy in fact 1 was under cooked (not sure of the price on those). All in all terrible food. The check showed there was an extra charge for credit card use. The waiter was a young and friendly boy. It was a hot evening and the lights were too much, The only thing that was great was the view. read more

New owners took over they change the menu tons of sushi but I don't like sushi they should bring back the old menu

After we were done with our Sandy Hook visit, we told our daughter that we wanted some seafood. So...she took a look at the Yelp app to see what was nearby. She narrowed it down to 2 places---one of which was Inlet Cafe. We all agreed that it was where we would have dinner. We were there on a Wednesday around 5 p.m. and the place wasn't very busy at the time. We chose to eat inside. Much as the view outside was nice, we didn't want to have to share our dinners with the seagulls LOL! Inlet Cafe has been around for 50 years and is a family owned business. Our server, Anthony, was very friendly and had a great sense of humor. After looking at the menu, we placed our orders. Each table gets a bowl (or in our case, two) of cole slaw. We really enjoyed it as it had a mayo based dressing that had a creamy texture. There was an undercurrent of onion through it---just enough to give it flavor but not overpower it. We were also given some bread. For starters, our daughter and I both got a cup of lobster and crab bisque. It had a creamy broth with added tomato. The lobster and crab were finely shredded. We both enjoyed it. My husband got the "deluxe shrimp cocktail' which comes with "Doug's famous cocktail sauce, crackers and lemon". He raved about it. The shrimp were large and very fresh. He really liked the cocktail sauce. For my main course, I chose soft shell crab. You have a choice as to how it is prepared---scampi style or fried. I chose fried. It comes with fries. The two crabs were battered before being fried and were plump and flavorful. My husband got a scallop dish (we don't remember the name and the online menu doesn't list it) that had bay scallops in it. He really liked how well they were prepared. Our daughter got linguine with clams that had Alfredo sauce. She enjoyed this dish and it had a generous amount of clams in it. Also, it came with 2 pieces of garlic bread. Our son-in-law got fish and chips which he enjoyed. As for the kids---one of them decided to try the fried clam strips as he was curious since he never had them before. Even though it was a kids' menu item, he got quite a lot and ended up not being able to eat it all. He did, however, decide that he liked fried clams. One of his brothers got the kids' fish and chips, while the other one got his go-to restaurant meal (no matter where they eat) fried chicken strips. For drinks, my husband and our daughter had beer, while our son-in-law and I had soda. The kids all had milk. We all agreed that we were glad we ate here and would go back again. The restaurant does have a small gravel parking lot in front. We easily found spots but I can imagine that if it were busier, parking might be a problem. Dinner wasn't cheap. For 7 of us, it came to something like $170 before the tip---a splurge to be sure, but well worth it! read more

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We've been coming to Inlet Cafe for many years. Always looked forward to a fantastic meal which was always worth the long wait. Tonight was different. Arrived about 5:30 on a Friday in July and no wait? And not a single familiar face anywhere. Concerning. We knew there had been a death, thought maybe it changed ownership and hoped for the best. Waiter Jordan really was professional, thanks for that. Ordered our usual pitcher of sangria. I think it was all juice and ice. Disappointed. Menu is mostly sushi. Not that I mind sushi but not at waterfront dining at the Jersey shore. Searched the menu, few choices. My "go to" was the Tokyo Tuna. Not there. So I got scallops and hub got crab cakes. Used to be you got a nice basket of good bread and a bowl of their cole slaw which was always awesome. We're people watchers and watched the hostess seat two ladies at a still wet table. Watched other plates come out and no matter which choice all the plates looked the same. A ball of smashed potatoes and a few asparagus bb only the protein was different and most of those were sprinkled with frizzled onions. Not platings had any personality. Now I'm concerned. Our plates came out and guess what....no personality. Scallops were well cooked but lackluster. Crab cakes were forgettable. Portions were small and prices were way higher. Both our plates were $39. Nothing was outstanding. Except our server Jordan who was very good. The hostess ran looking for menus because they ran out. Really? So since our portions were small we ordered coffee and dessert. Server came back to report that they ran out of coffee filters. They we're getting more. Ok we wait. Coffee finally arrived and my decaf you could see thru. Very weak but full of coffee grounds. I turned it down. My hub's cup also had grounds at the bottom but was drinkable. Carrot was ok but nothing to write home about. Jordan was apologetic. We said that although we appreciated him, the meal was not impressive for the price. He again apologized. Although he asked the manager to remove our coffee from the bill, I would have thought in a newly purchased restaurant and our other comments, management would have stopped by the table. Did not happen. Crowd was different. Not Jersey people. Someone we thought might be an owner smoked a cigar on the dining patio. The live music was very good although I always enjoyed the quieter ambiance of the bay. Ok so we understand now that new ownership is only 3 months young. I'd like to say maybe we will try again in a few months to see if they can improve, it becomes not so enticing when a sub-par dinner for two costs $150 before the tip. No appetizers. Just a pitcher of sangria, 2 plates, a piece of cake and 2 Baileys WITHOUT coffee. Very sad. If management wanted to reach out, I'd be happy to talk to someone. I doubt think it will happen. In the meantime thanks to Jordan for handling with class. read more

We just had a terrible experience at the Inlet Cafe....started out great at the bar....awesome drinks....the hostess forgot us for almost an hour....we sat, ordered cod sandwiches, which arrived dry--they ran out of tartar sauce...it took us 3 asks to find this out and 3 more asks to get plain Mayo. One of the waiters was so rude to us for complaining...was SO rude. The manager didn't manage anything, rather first discounted the bill minimally, and when questioned just said--"FINE! I'll take off all of the sandwiches!" We weren't looking for a free lunch, and we were treated so poorly, food was ok...could have been really nice...my advice, wait the hour and eat at Prooving Ground. read more

This may sound like a carbon copy of the other reviewers, but we have been coming to the Inlet Cafe for years, and this was not the same restaurant that we have known and loved. It was a beautiful night, and the place was not crowded at all. Now we know why. It is not a seafood restaurant anymore. It is mostly sushi. None of the basic seafood menu staples were on the menu; for example, no fried or broiled shrimp or scallops, no flounder, clam strips, steamers...I can go on and on. No warm bread or coleslaw, like the old Inlet Cafe used to offer either. Menu prices are very high for the amount and quality of the food. My advice? Skip it and go somewhere else. read more

Excellent, attentive service on a beautiful day for sitting outside. Excellent mixed drinks and tasty salads (lobster salad for her, Islander Salad for me). The place is a little pricy but I guess that pretty much describes the Jersey shore especially in the summer. Nice touch is the large bowl of complimentary coleslaw placed on the table with the bread. read more

There are few better places to be on a glorious New Jersey summer day than the Inlet Café. Today we enjoyed a lunch at the edge of the deck with a view of not only the water below us, but of Sandy Hook across the water and New York City in the distance. We enjoyed eating steamed clams, and my salmon salad was one of the best that I have ever had. We were also impressed by the service, and how the waitress took one member of our party's allergy quite seriously. The atmosphere is fun and casual. Parking can be rough, but we got lucky since we came early. Even if we hadn't, it would have been worth walking a long distance to! read more

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Wouldn't come back here again. The place was very nice for an outdoorsy by the bay feel but a lot of things felt like corners were cut. I could barely read the menu to start. Some were on card stock, some were on a sheet of paper that had crap all over it. Looks like they went to copy them with a basic copier and did it poorly. Everyone's menu was not centered. Words were cut off. Menu also did not match online. The waiter took forever to get things going. It was a Monday night too. Not busy at all. I don't mind waiting but it was about 20 minutes until we were greeted for drinks. This trend continued the whole night. It took about 30 minutes to pay. Food came out decently quick but everything else was not very good with timing. The food part was not very good. I ordered lobster bisque and I try a lot at different places. This had to be the worst I have ever had. It tasted like a bucket of salt. And also it was $18 for a bowl! I ordered soup and fish and chips and my fish and chips never came out with everyone's meal. It took the waiter 15 minutes to realize as I could not find him anywhere. I told him never mind because at that point I had lost my appetite and everyone at the table said the fish was battered heavily. It was almost like a pancake batter with barely any fish. I don't complain about places usually but this place consistently disappointed. read more

Casual dining by the bay. As expected, plenty of seafood options with enough turf to satisfy those that don't eat fish. The main dining area isn't terribly big. Has two bars, one of them is a circle bar in a covered area with a water view. The other is a regular wall bar in an enclosed area with no view. Can't fit large parties in the covered area with water view. Food was good. The coleslaw is complimentary with bread and is very good. Probably one of the best coleslaws I've ever had. As for my meal, I had one of their specials, Grouper Francaise. It was loaded with francaise flavor which almost completely masked the natural taste of the grouper. But it was enjoyable to me. Some people I know might not like that much flavor. The mashed potatoes were good and the steamed spinach was a surprising favorite. Not a big beer selection but enough variety to get something you'll enjoy. My wife ended up having a steak sandwich which looked very good. Her French onion soup was also delightful. Overall, good food so can't complain. Service was on par with most places, although we couldn't fit our whole party by the water. They do have outdoor seating for when it starts to warm up. read more

Inlet Cafe - Grouper francaise - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

i was going to write a scathing review, but after reading the reviews there really is nothing more to say. My heart is broken. This was my favorite go to place on the shore. What was once a wonderful dining experience, has turned into a shore shit show. I was warned that it was terrible, but, I could not imagine in a million years how really bad it is. This is a shore restaurant and they are serving frozen fish......My God, it's a travesty of justice. They really need to remove The Inlet Cafe name from the sign, it is such a embarrassment to the original Inlet. Shame on the new owner for luring people in under a false sense of a wonderful meal. The old Inlet Cafe was a 5 star Shore eatery. Always knew you were going to get a excellent meal. $120.00 bill and i left my whole meal and not a second glance from our server. They need to close their doors, change the name and reorganize. read more

Bad meaning bad, not bad meaning good. Ordered appetizers, one never came others came w the meal. Nothing came before the meal. The food came after an hour and was mostly cold. We ended up canceling 2 items (which they did not charge us for). The manager was ineffective. Felt bad for the waiter who had to work there. Also felt bad for my kids who were starving and had to listen to the patrons dropping f-bombs and discussing bashing people's heads in while we waited for our cold food. The one star is for the view, otherwise would give 0 stars. read more

i have never given anyplace a bad review, but I just have to say that was one of the worst dinning experiences we have ever had. I understand it was new but the salad came out with dinner, after a long wait. One persons in our party did not get there dinner till 20 minutes later at the same time as the appetizer. Everyone was pretty much finished with dinner. When ask to cancel the two things, we were told no. It was awful and the bill was outrageous! . read more

Should come with a warning: Must take 2nd mortgage to eat here! 6 cocktail shrimp $27. It was barely enough to feed my 5 year old. Menu is mostly sushi rolls. No kids menu unless you ask and you have two choices : chicken tenders or motz sticks. Beware of mysterious Service Charge and Credit Card Charge. Like to overpay? Like a limited menu? This is your place! The view of the bay is nice, but that's a dime a dozen in those parts. read more

Great fresh seafood with a wonderful view on the water over looking Sandyhook. We shared an amazing Admiral's Feast and soup sampler. This seafood platter had a whole lobster, shrimp, oysters, clams and crabmeat. All the shellfish was cleaned well before serving. The two of us could barely finish the platter. The soup sampler was a great way of trying their three homemade seafood soups. The size portion of each was about 3/4 cup. It was the perfect size to tease the palette! All three were so delicious but I claimed the Manhattan Clam Chowder to finish. It was the best Manhattan I've ever had. I will be back again especially since I can bring my pup outside. Aug. 27th...yummy lunch with the family. We had soft shell crab sandwich, Fish and Chips, Strawberry/pecan salad with Blackened Tuna, Cuban sandwich. All were very good. Next visit I think I'm trying the lobster salad. Looks amazing! read more

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The atmosphere is nice. I tried their bing bang shrimp they were delicious ! Totally worth the trip from Nassau county ! I also had their piña colada, I am not a heavy drinker but it was kind of weak. However the server fixed it by adding a rum floater. I will visit again read more

Inlet Cafe - bing bang shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

Decided to do take out and unfortunately both of our entrees were underwhelming. The Lazy Lobster was chewy and poor quality- no tail or claw, just really chewy. The grouper was over risotto which was yellow rice and mayonnaise- not a good combo- the fish was fresh but tasteless read more

This place was recommended by a local gentleman so we decided to come in on a Saturday afternoon. We were seated immediately by the friendly staff. They have a good amount of outdoor seating as well as an outdoor bar that has more covered seating. They also have indoor seating but due to the pandemic it is currently closed. Our server was a very nice young gentleman who was friendly and efficient (can't remember his name). They have plenty of different options to offer on the menu. I had the shrimp sautéed dish which was amazing. We also had calamari for an appetizer which was also amazing. No draft beer on tap currently but they offer many specialty drinks as well as a full bar with domestic bottled beer. The view of the water and ambiance of this place has you feeling like you are on a tropical island not NJ. Love this place and can't wait to come back to try the tacos! read more

Inlet Cafe - Shrimp sauté dish. So good - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

OK! I am happy to say that I have visited Inlet Cafe again and I can elevate the rating for 4 stars :) Update: parking after 4pm is only valet, which is great - there is limited parking onsite. Also be aware the menu online hasn't been updated in some time so the prices /menu items are slightly different than on their website then what is avail at the restaurant. We had: - oysters rockafeller as an app. $15 for 5 oysters (although the waitress told us it was 6.) We didn't mention anything though to the waitress since it wasn't that big a deal. They were great. Made with sweet italian sausage and you could taste the fennel seeds. Also came with a lovely undressed chopped tomato and mixed greens garnish which I ate as my salad as my entree (pasta) did not come with a salad. - The Codfish sandwich without the bun and a side salad as the side. Codfish was a big piece and you could tell it was fresh. Salad was very good. Blue cheese dressing was delish. - The clamwitch sandwich - fried clam strips on a potato roll with tartar sauce (a good serve) on the side. LOADS of big tasty fresh clams - yum. And great value at only $10. Came with a side - opted for fries which are flavourful, spiced, coated steak fries. Delicious all around. - Linguini with white clam sauce. OMG. I was weighing up whether to have the crab cake sandwich or the linguini. Opted for the linguini as I haven't had it in awhile... SO good and so glad I did! $14 for a decent lunch sized portion - not humungous but definitely generous, with loads of chopped up clam meat and garnished with 5-6 whole clams in the tastiest, buttery-ist, garlicky sauce... and a side of garlic bread which came in handy to mop up that tasty sauce (very rich - def not diet friendly but great if you are treating yourself on vacay!) - Home made key lime pie for dessert which was tasty but served with Cool-Whip instead of real whipped cream (seriously?) and an overly sweet raspberry coulis. Were lucky enough to grab a seat right by the water. Can't beat that gorgeous view. Our waitress was friendly and personable and attentive. Bill was $200 (incl gratuity) for 3 for a lunch with wines, beers, mixed drinks, the aforementioned food and a double espresso. Not terrible value considering the meals and drinks we had. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

Inlet Cafe - Yummy linguini and clams in white sauce before I ate it all! - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

We had some great burgers and enjoyed a lively atmosphere near the water with friendly service. When this quarantine is over lets support our local businesses, & this will be top of the list! #supportlocalbusinesses read more

Not sure how this place only has 3.5 stars, people must be crazy! Let's start with the amazing location , right on the water , you watch the boats go by and kite boarders play in the waves. The staff were all friendly and courteous and made us feel welcome from the get go. The food was not only delicious it was bountiful! I'll probably eat my dinner left overs for lunch tomorrow and the next day! The Inlet Cafe is great spot for a special dinner or just dinner on a random, don't feel like cooking night! read more

Menu online was NOT the menu I was given. It was very limited. We arrived at 3:04. Menu was over 60% sushi. However sushi bar was closed, so no sushi available. Frozen drink had no alcohol or flavor. It tasted like melted ice when you've finished your drink. Bang bang shrimp, classic fried calamari & fries were all good. The mussels were bad & we barely touched them. (Maybe too old to serve). I didn't complain but server also didn't ask about them. (We took the leftover calamari & fries with us) The server also never offered us a second drink! (I would have declined). I worked in restaurants many years & found this place a disappointment! read more

GO TO PROVEN GROUND NEXT DOOR NOT HERE - NEW CHEF NEEDED ASAP! Seen this little restaurant while I was at the proven ground that is literally right across the way So I decided to recommend it and try it with my family. SO DISAPPOINTED. Thought the waitress was great but as far as the taste of our food that came out, not good. We all rated our food each one of us and we were a party of 5 between a number 1 and the best a 4. 2 orders of linguini and clam sauce both of my family thay ordered it said The fish was not fresh and clams came out of a can and the linguini soggy. Huge disappointment when we are on the water eating and expected great fresh seafood and fish. I personally Ordered the vodka sauce over pasta and the garlic was Soo overwhelming In the sauce that it was unbearable and I was not able to eat it. No joke my mouth burned. I am Italian and LOVE garlic so you can only imagine how bad it was. My sister ordered an islander cafe salad. The salad was Slimy and uneatable and she wished she would have it taken off the bill. She could not eat it. The lobster roll was decent but not the best but ok. It was a 200 dollar meal for all of us. Not a terrible bill for a party of 5 but when all of us hardly ate our meals I think that's pretty sad and quite an expensive night for eating nothing And No one even asked why are all your plates were still filled with food. In my opinion I have been to the proven ground too and I would just go there, definitely better food with the same on the water experience. This place definitely need a new chef! read more

Inlet Cafe - Vodka sauce with pasta - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

Been coming to the inlet cafe for decades but it's really not what it was anymore. Gone is the family atmosphere, yummy coleslaw and bread in are over cooked 50$ steaks and 40$ crab cakes and salmon (well not really because only 7 entrées and those were out). The new sushi is decent but I'll take the friendly service and casual dining back in a heart beat. Dinning companion sent back his steak with request to have it prepared properly (come out Well to MW and ordered M) and the sides on the menu (mushrooms and frites as opposed to the asparagus and mashed potatoes it was served with) waiter took and said he'd talk to manger. After everyone else finished the waiter came to drop the check and said the manager took the steak off the bill. I said so no refire? He just gets no food? We paid and left. I did tip 15% because not the servers fault though he disappeared for long stretches but wow has this place gone way down our list. We are locals and usually don't go in prime season but company was in who loved the place sadly for the free bread and coleslaw also long gone. View is still great (1 star for the view and 1 for the mediocre sushi) same view next door at the new Proving Ground or at Bahr's go there. read more

I can't say enough good things about Inlet Cafe. Absolutely the best happy hour in Highlands. The food is always fresh and delicious. Service is attentive and friendly. AMONG THE BEST WATERVIEWS ANYWHERE. Prices are great and portions are good. Highly recommend the cod fish sandwich. **Order a Rum Bucket!!!** Side note - the accessibility for people with mobility issues cannot be beat. If you have a member of your party who can't walk long distances well but wants to sit outside and enjoy the extraordinary view of the water and the NYC skyline, you can't do better. Drop them off by the door before you park. You may also be able to valet. read more

The View of Sandy Hook fantastic, fantastic, fantastic The Food, terrible, terrible, terrible Don't bother looking at the menu online as many items listed are no longer available (the chef died last year and now under new ownership). 80% of the menu is sushi. ??? Jersey shore restaurant, you want seafood not sushi. we had the clam strips (all batter no clams) and the fried calamari with sweet and sour sauce. why fry the calamari to make it crispy and then drench them in the sauce making it a soggy mess? To top things off they add a surcharge for using your credit card but don't inform you of this fact if you miss it on the printed bill. My advice is buy a couple of fish sandwiches at MickyD, drive out to Sandy Hook and enjoy. you will save lots of $$$ and have a great meal and view. read more

We went to Inlet Cafe on a Monday, I expected the place to be crowded- only a few tables. To give a background- I've been coming here for close to 40 years. The waiter was slow and uninspired. We had to keep asking for drinks when he finally showed up. I understand that there are new owners- they need to get on the staff and take pride in their place. The Proving Ground next door was rocking, Inlet was just surviving. It's sad to see such a wonderful location going down hill. We probably will not be back; Barnicle Bills does it much better. read more

This place was exactly what I was looking for. The seafood was delicious, the scenery was beautiful- I could ask for anything more on a great night. The waiter was very friendly and we sat outside right by the water. The wait wasn't too bad and it helped that the restaurant next door had music (seemed like a noisier and younger crowd). I waited in the pier which was just fine. All around great restaurant and great experience! read more

Inlet Cafe - Flounder stuffed with crabmeat. Wonderful! - Seafood Near Me - Highlands, New Jersey

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We went to Inlet Cafe for dinner with guests from out of town over the holiday weekend. We expected slower-than-usual service (this was NOT the issue) but we didn't expect subpar food. The sandwiches were downright skimpy with a tiny piece of chicken on the club sandwiches. Literally to the point that my husband who never complains about anything pulled off the bread to show me how little was on there. The rest of the food was meh including the burgers which our kids typically will gladly eat. Most left theirs largely uneaten. The service was fine and the view was nice but won't go back as food was not good at all. read more

The prices are insane for the quality. Crab cakes had freezer smell and flavor. Mussels were mushy and mealy (not fresh). The fries were clearly re-fried. We had to ask for silverware and napkins after the food arrived. We waited a long time to get service and the place was half empty. The prices would be fine if the food and service were amazing, but $7 per shrimp, $4 per oyster, $23 for a single (bad) crab cake and $40 for a fish entree? Yikes. read more

Lunch was a huge disappointment. Chicken sandwich and chef's salad were skimpy and overpriced. View is great,

Horrible service we had to ask for for everything the food was cold not good at all we had a table of 10 and everyone did not like what they order it was so dirty all bar area and tables do yourself a favor go somewhere else the waiter was terrible not friendly at all we didn't even get plates for apps how to wait 10 minutes by that time food was cold read more

Stopped in on a beautiful Sunday afternoon it was chilly out but we just wanted to see the water. Always do Bhars when were in the area but decided to try Inlet Cafe. We went to the dock area bar which is enclosed in the winter they have a little fire going which is nice, the bar was full so they had a nice crowd for the day.. bartender was really nice brought us menus and made us some nice spicy bloody Mary's. Look at all that horseradish in there Yum! We told her we would share a few appetizers I had a cup of the lobster bisque not much lobster in there few tiny pieces, nice flavor but a little thick. Fried calamari was perfect! Not over done and rubbery, the rings were tender and delicious and not a tom of tentacles which I was happy about. Didn't even try the marinara with it, they didn't need it. I didn't see it on the menu but asked the bartender if we could get scallops wrapped in bacon as an appetizer to share she said she would ask the chef and came back and said no problem. Yeah!! When they arrived they looked perfect had a nice horseradish dipping sauce which was again nice and spicy they were well cooked! I asked for the bacon well-done because well mushy bacon is gross LOL..they were crispy outside, juicy inside but I noticed a greasy spot on the plate as if one was sitting there and taken off hmmmm. See photo how four are nicely placed on one side and then three are spread out strangely on the other side? S and I also thought it was weird that they gave us seven scallops for two people to share and it cost $17 for this appetizer but whatever, S decided not to eat them, and to order a burger instead, so it was plenty for me alone anyway..never did I expect to see this (zoom in on photo of empty tables inside) when I went inside to go to the bathroom right after our food arrived..Ah ha, our other scallop wrapped in bacon sitting at a table on a plate alone!!! No Way!! Yes Way!! I HAD to take a photo to show S! It was gone off the plate by the time I got out of the bathroom but the waitress who was working inside was sitting down in front of the now empty little side plate!! Hmmm I guess she wanted to share our appy with us, guess she could have paid for a portion of our app then!! Hope she used a clean fork to take it off our plate. Honestly, we came for the beautiful view of Sandy Hook, didn't really expect much of the food. We were pleasantly surprised, for a small bar it was pretty great food..worth a shot, just invite the waitress to join you, cause she's hungry! PS..saw someone ordered the fried clam platter OMG that looked good, nice large clams and more clams then fries which is not typical!! read more

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No more bar. Food was terrible. Fish was charred and dry. Very disappointing.