Louisa's was my first lunch meal in Cape May and came highly recommended. My friend who spent a week in the island said this was her family's favorite spot, so I had to give it a try. I read a lot of reviews about the food lacking in flavor and was a tad worried. However, I didn't mind the simple flavors and thought my curry shrimp dish tasted fresh and spiced just right. I would have appreciated more curry to coat the rice, but no complaints overall on that dish. Tasted very homemade and I spared no crumbs! I was highly looking forward to tasting dessert having read that they are made in house. Plus, Louisa's owns the chocolate store next door. I ordered the chocolate bread pudding with caramel and sea salt, and sadly it was refrigerator cold. I wish there would have been a flag somewhere because biting into it expecting a warm dessert wasn't particularly pleasant. I ended up taking it to go and it was lovely warmed up. The flavors really shun through. I later noticed "warm" was included in the description of the vanilla bread pudding. In terms of the service, some of the waitstaff appeared to be students and they were nice but a little robotic. I was asked if I wanted my check while still chewing on my food. The restaurant was fairly empty. There was also no acknowledgement when I noted I thought the bread pudding would be warm. My food came out quickly. The table next to me waited a bit and we were the only two outside. Overall some growing to do in this area, but okay. I loved the decor. Thought it was charming and pleasant on the eyes. Sitting outside people watching was a treat. I would give Louisa's another chance. read more

Louisa's - Chocolate bread pudding with salted caramel - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Tried this place for lunch! This is apparently the first year they are open for lunch -- and though we were nervous to see only a few patrons seated, it was such a great decision! Our server was lovely and attentive and the food was as they say - bomb diggity - with generous portions! The color palette is one of my favorites and they've done an excellent job with the detail using that externally and internally. The bathroom has a pleasant surprise that audibly made me chuckle! Solid lunch spot!! read more

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10 stars. One of my favorite meals in recent memory, and will be a must any time I return to Cape May. The menu is small, simple and fresh. Reservations are a must and don't forget to BYOB. The vibes are quaint with a very small indoor dining room and an outdoor patio that's a bit larger. I'm really glad we requested a table outside, because the patio was so nice on a warm summer evening. What we ate -- started things off with mozzarella and heirloom tomato salad (on special) and kale cesar. All produce is sourced locally from Beach Plum Farm and both dishes were fab. For our main we shared crab cakes and scallops. Both were so fresh and came with a large portion. Every entree comes with brown rice and house cabbage slaw. Reviews will mention that this is pretty plain, but with the fresh seafood and dipping sauces it's really the perfect accompaniment. The scallops came with a delicious sweet ginger sauce and the crab cakes came with a creamy lemony tartar sauce. The decor is fun and kitschy and the inflatable whale in the bathroom tub made me laugh. Don't forget to grab a chocolate bar at the Louisa's chocolate shop which is adjacent to the restaurant. I'll be thinking about this meal for a while. read more

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Have not been here for a long time. Wish I hadn't waited so long to go back. That won't happen again. Went with a friend. I had the Thai peanut cold noodle salad for starters. She had the farm fresh salad. Both flavorful. Entree for me, 2 sautéed soft shell crab special. Don't knock them until you've tried. I am a huge fan and these did not disappoint! Cooked perfectly with a nice crunch to the shell. I will not eat if battered and fried. Scallops for my friend. We shared the dark chocolate salted Carmel bread pudding. Flavor was more of a gingerbread Then chocolate and definitely not dark chocolate. Could have used a hint more of the sea salt. Over all not bad. Just not as advertised. Highly suggest reservations as far out as possible. Small intimate spaces. read more

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Hard to believe this place has been in business for over 40 years. Worst food I've had out in a long time. My fellow reviewers mentioning the tasteless cabbage and brown rice sides are depressingly accurate. Even the scallops didn't taste like much. I was truly shocked they had the audacity to charge $36 for their plates. Additionally, we were packed in there like sardines, basically touching elbows with the customers next to us. Not sure why anyone would enjoy this sort of cramped and loud atmosphere. I have nothing bad to say about the service, but if I'm paying such a premium for a meal that I could've prepared much better (even as a complete amateur), that's not going to move the needle into "could've been better" territory. It was just insultingly bad for the price. They are clearly just coasting off of their reputation as a local staple. We had a drink at the corner bar nearby beforehand and I caught a glimpse at some of their food. Wish we had just stayed and had our meal there. Just because you label yourself "farm to table" doesn't mean you can get away with your food tasting like fodder. read more

Food was expensive and bland. Fish and scallops were overcooked and dry. Coleslaw was simply cabbage. Rice was bland. Service was good and cute ambiance. Only saving grace was the crab cakes. read more

Dined there last night for the first time in years - I was disappointed - flounder pan fried was good , but came with dry Cole slaw and tasteless rice . Not what you would expect - I will not return . read more

I'd give it none, but my salad appetizer was very good. After all the hype from everyone telling me I had to eat at Louisa's when they knew I was visiting Cape May, to say my friend and I were underwhelmed is an understatement. Dinner was tasteless. As in no seasoning! The sides are always brown rice and a cabbage salad. Fine. I like both. Neither one had any seasoning, not even salt! Nothing! Who cooks rice without salt? And it was cold. I added salt to the cabbage salad and rice, but still blah. My friend and I ordered the scallops which I usually love. They were a pale beige, no seasoning and seemed to have been steamed or something. No evidence of a pan fry or roast or grill marks...nothing. Just kind of, I don't know really. They came with a tamari and ginger dipping sauce. No Bueno. The woman at the table next to us had the same dish. Her scallops were over cooked, chewed and sandy. The sides had the same problems. No seasoning and cold. At least staff comped her dinner. Don't know if the chef had an off night or what, but we were sorry we wasted the time and money. Total waste.​ read more

The service is always the best love going there never rush you own management and wait staff n bus boy n girls are wonderful. The food wonderful a lot of of there food is farm to table n if they run of that one thing that is for the night they do have dealy specials too just ask them you have to bring own wine too it great indoors outdoors n they don't rush at all we been going for a long time now read more

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I truly love this place and has become one of my go to food spots when I am in Cape May. Reservations are easily made online with enough planning, and I love their local fish options, which change. I had a peach tea which could've used a little sweetener, but that little moment completely pales in comparison to their service and their food, which again, is great. I had their local flounder and it practically melted once my fork touched it. Bonus is if you get to dine outside in their little garden, which is also very relaxing! read more

Louisa's - Local flounder with dill sauce, cabbage slaw, brown rice. - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Always fresh great food, and great service! Would recommend to anyone coming to cape May! read more

Louisa's - Bread pudding - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

A popular kitchy place, cozy inside and has outdoor seating. BYOB. Friendly service. Enjoyed the kale caesar special - so fresh but the pieces could have been smaller bite size, great dressing. There were a variety of seafood/fish options $36 we ordered the crabcakes and blackened blue fish. Glad dipping sauces were included as both were just ok, lacked flavor. Didn't really care for the plain sides of brown rice and shredded cabbage. I guess that's farm to table. read more

My wife and I have been coming to this cozy little BYO restaurant every first week of August for the past 20+ years... always delicious. Fresh, high quality vegetables and seafood served simply. And some awesome desserts. Yes, their once bargain-level prices have increased quite a bit over the past 10 years as they've cashed in on their popularity. And yes, the brown rice and shredded cabbage that accompanies each meal are a bit bland. And yes, they often run out of dishes after 8:00pm. And yes, the indoor tables are so close together that you hope, pray and cross your fingers that your table neighbors don't have a communicable disease. And yes, the walk up the narrow stairway to the single bathroom is less than ideal. But... it's worth all of that and more. Hopefully, I've scared you away so I don't have to compete with you for a reservation every first week of August. read more

We went with two friends have literally went here since the nineties. Unfortunately not much has changed on the menu although desert has vastly improved. I will go by my experience I got the sesame peanut noodles app was a good start kinda small for the price not much involved noodles covered in peanuts cucumbers and green onion in a sesame dressing. I liked it my companions enjoyed their salads. My main I went with the jerk chicken really bland. You would think for jerk chicken the flavor would be more pronounced. Side of basicly raw cabbage masquerading as Cole slaw and undercooked rice masquerading as rice. My wife got the salmon weird thing they gave her bbq sauce where as mine had a red pepper sauce I used it for the coleslaw because of its mayonnaise type consistency I gave it to my wife for her salmon and told her my coleslaw idea which she thanked me for, she said hers was good except the bones she encountered in the salmon and I'm gonna say people do miss bones in a fish I was a chef at a restaurant in Philly I know I did. Besides that mains were a bit of a let down. Now desert I stumbled on a home run it was a mint chocolate Pot de crème my wife had the key lime pie and our friends apple crumb w vanilla ice cream and chocolate pie they looked great and from the looks went down great too. Our server was so nice and accommodating kept my ice teas filled. The outside on an early sept night couldn't be beat. We will prob be back because it's a tradition with us like I said the 90s but it'd be great to see them step it up and try some new things. I guess if it ain't broke don't fix it but it's the same menu I remember from thirty five years ago. There are too many new places to try and if it wasn't our friend's favorite we would not go. Sorry not sorry.did I mention how nice our server was read more

Our dining experience was marred by subpar food, despite the restaurant's cozy atmosphere and versatile seating options. The bread was stale, the water was warm, and ice was not provided. Furthermore, the main dish arrived with cold brown rice and flavorless slaw, although the crab cakes and tartar sauce were notable exceptions. Dessert was shamefully small for 12 dollars a slice, but was the only tasty thing of the whole entire meal. Despite, of the nice decor the food is not worth a single penny. This restaurant should be a-shame to even call farm to table fresh food. It's the worst experience we ever had in fine dinning. Disgusting ‼ "For the poor family who also posted about their experience purchasing a meal for a child, and had to pay full price $ 26.00 dollars for a bowl of pasta. Is insane!!" So, buyer beware‼ Don't want another family to spend their hard earned money on Louisa's. "Will not be eating here again!!" read more

Louisa's - Dinning area - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Had a very nice dining experience at Louisa's, we were greeted warmly and given a few options of tables upon arrival. The menu is written on a chalkboard with daily additions. We decided to have cajun crab soup and beet salad for our starters. The soup could have had a dollop of crab dedicated to it, as there wasn't much in the broth. It was flavorful and tomatoey with a hint of spice. The salad was generous, baby spinach, white onion, slices of gorgonzola and plenty of beet chunks with a nice creamy dressing that clung to the spinach. Next we chose swordfish and bluefish entrées, as I haven't had bluefish in ages. All entrées come with the same sides which could use a little more love or an update. Dressings for the fish dishes were served on the side. I hesitate to call them sauces as they are just whisked oil with herbs & juice. It definitely makes things easy for the kitchen! Nevertheless, the choices were very tasty. The highlight was dessert for sure, one of the specials was chocolate banana peanut butter cake with chocolate frosting. a real standout- a banana bread-esque cake with pb and choc in the middle of two layers, and the best frosting ever. we also tried the chocolate pie, which was very dense and cocoa-y and fit my chocolate desires. The vibe is very nice in this tiny restaurant and all of the staff are super nice & attentive. Don't miss it when in the Cape May region. read more

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Food was great. Service was perfect. Ambiance was dripping from the ceiling. Menu up on the board. Started off with the chilled cucumber soup. Peggy ordered Ginger Sesame Peanut noodles. Both starters were served chilled. Both starters tasted excellent. Peggy liked the peanuts. I like Peggy. Ordered the Atlantic salmon. This little gem came with a lemon barbecue sauce that was to die for. Would definitely do Louisas again. read more

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Fantastic, simple menu always made with very fresh ingredients. Terrific service, pleasant vibe.

i thought this would be a wonderful place to eat, given people's reviews and the place being busy. But it was horrible from beginning to end. First, we got bread for starters, and the bread was hard as a rock, and four dollars really?! That should be free. Second, we had the crabcakes. Crabcakes were yummy and I loved the tartar sauce, but the sides were disgusting, ice cold bland brown rice with their so called famous cabbage slaw was only cabbage and had zero flavor. and dessert the key lime pie was okay but nothing amazing either the pie taste like pure lime concentrated way to sour. and the water is european style meaning no ice and its straight from the tap so basically you are drinking pool water. I would never recommed this place to anyone ever. they need major improvement all around. and not kid friendly either. what kind of restaurant doesnt have a childrens menu? The only pro really about this place is the cozy atmosphere. and the biggest shocker of all, the prices!!! Better leave your wallet at the front door. read more

Louisa's is a quaint staple in downtown Cape May, decorated beautifully. The ambiance is adorable inside, our party was larger so we were seated outside. This is a BYOB, so pick up wine before heading in, and reservations are recommended. Our only qualm was that for all the entrees the side/salad was the exact same and they were both majorly lacking in any seasoning. Then the seafood options that everyone ordered were also very bland and lacking any seasoning. I've heard from many people that they love this restaurant so our party assumed maybe they were having an off night. read more

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My wife and I first visited Louisa's in 2001, when we spent the weekend in Cape May. It was an inspiring experience, and we are determined to return when we are back in town. We love the casual atmosphere, attentive service and of course the appealing variety of menu options that never disappoint. On this trip, we had a reservation for an outside table on Night 1 of our getaway. The salad, fish entrees and both desserts (a rare treat to get two) were breathtaking, and we thoroughly enjoyed the leftovers at our hotel room. We lucked out big time on Night 4, when we found ourselves struggling for where to eat, moments after a table changed their reservation. Again, everything we ordered was spectacularly memorable. read more

Not sure wha the buzz is about this restaurant but I didn't get it it. Simple decor, very small and noise level does get high. First time dining there and not sure if dining is the correct word. We were seated near door and I didn't realize menu was on wall behind me. We had been sitting there for a while when finally waitress came up to us and told us specials and then just stood there. I assumed after the fact the she must have thought we were had seen menu and were ready to order. I did order the Asian noodles to start which were good and then sword fish which was ok, nothing great. Truly disliked the sides. Both meaningless. Not a bread pudding fan so I skipped dessert. Most minimal dinner ever and was not really dining. read more

Great food, great service. Reliable excellence. We had the scallops and the swordfish. Both great. Prepared perfectly. I always love the simple complimentary sides of lightly dressed slaw and brown rice. I'll be back on my next visit to Cape May. read more

I usually stay away from Washington St when it comes to Cape May restaurants. The tourist traps usually outweigh the better places. But not in the case of Louisa's. This is a very small restaurant off Washington St. on the corner of Jackson, and I mean small. They have outside seating in the back, but we made reservations specifically inside. That's where the charm is......the chill music, nice atmosphere and away from people walking by and watching you eat. Louisa's is BYOB like many restaurants in Cape May, and I'd say bring some white based off the menu. The menu is probably 90% fresh fish, so don't go if you're looking for a lot of meat options. The menu is written on a chalkboard inside. Adding and subtracting fresh fish options is probably common. For apps we had the heirloom tomatoes with fresh mozzarella and the ginger sesame noodles. I loved the noodles and the mozzarella was good as well. For entrees, I tried the swordfish. It was delicious. It came with a thai, basil sauce on the side and rice. But the fish was great with or without it. I do wish it was a thicker cut. My wife got the flounder with dill. Again, sauce was on the side, but her flounder was cooked to perfection. Flakey and delicious. My son went with the meat choice and got the jerk chicken. Outside his comfort zone, but he loved it. Louisa's has a chocolate shop next door and seems like they pride themselves on good desserts. My son had the chocolate pie which he loved. My wife and I both got the chocolate mint Pot de Creme. The Pot de Creme was super rich, delicious, and a must. The food at Louisa's is really good. The small room didn't bother me as I've been in bigger restaurants and felt like I was on top of other people more than here. I wish the portions were a bit bigger, but for the price, not too bad. Most entrees run $30 and as always , you save with the BYOB. Just be in the mood for lots of fish options. read more

Louisa's - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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What a beautiful little restaurant right by the Washington Street Mall. We had outdoor reservations and about 15 minutes before our reservation it began to downpour heavily. The hostess was so gracious in calling us and moving our reservation back 30 minutes. To our surprise she called back 20 minutes later and shared they would be able to accommodate us inside. The food is made with simple ingredients, but made well with fresh ingredients- the scallops, flounder and sea bass were delicious, as was the beet salad. The desserts stole the show - the panna cotta was incredible and you can really taste the lavender. Our waitress, Brianna was the sweetest and really made our experience. We came with our two young daughters 7 and 4, and while there is no "children's menu" (specified on the website) our girls loved their meals and want to come back for more scallops and fish! read more

Louisa's - Vanilla bread pudding and Panna Cotta - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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One of the best dinners during my shore visit was here at Louisa's. I appreciate the last minute reservation even though upon coming we waited a few minutes. The waiting area on the second floor is nice and wouldn't mind actually eating up there if seating was permitted. I had the Mahi Mahi with I think a mango salsa and the standard brown rice and cabbage salad all entree's come with. It was excellent and I normally don't really like the mixture of sweet and savory but it worked very well for this. The Mahi Mahi had a great flavor on it's own and I could tell it was prepared well. The Bread pudding for dessert was also excellent. To top it off, it's BYOB so that's always a welcoming perk with a liquor store being less than a block away. They even have a Chocolate Shoppe next door which seems to also be very popular. The Menu is written on a chalk board which is a unique way to present it and I suppose makes it easy to change the menu as needed but as someone pointed out, if you aren't facing it, it's a bit annoying to have to keep turning around to view it. Still though, Louisa's is must try if you like seafood and are down visiting. read more

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My family and I come every year. The food was good as always. But the way the night was going took a turn. We had an 8:15 reservation and it wasn't busy. Being a Wednesday. Our server rushed us more than I have ever experienced at a restaurant. She kept asking about taking away our entree plates when we weren't finished. Which was unnecessary to keep asking.... The most annoying part was we ordered one dessert and without even barely eating it she said do you want something else. She asked us twice! For fine dining no one should be rushed. We felt that way the entire time and made it not enjoyable to dine there. read more

We wanted to love this place so much, but the food was bland and sadly one of lesser meals we have had in Cape May. The fish was bland; but if you do go, the best dish is the sesame noodles. read more

Louisa's is quite a gem! The bright yellow and blue nautical ambiance provides a great dining atmosphere and the decor (including the shark in the bathroom) is sure to put a smile on your face. In terms of the food, simplicity is the key here: 1. Ginger Sesame Noodles with Peanuts, Cucumbers and Scallions - great flavor and a light appetizer to get you ready for the next course. 2. Pasta with homemade sauce - a good option if seafood is not your thing. Though I do think that this dish needs something a bit more. 3. Local Flounder with Dill Horseradish Sauce - though the flounder is minimally seasoned, this brings out the natural flavor and freshness of the fish. read more

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This restaurant was amazing!! Me and my husband were here for dinner. It's a BYOB so we brought a white wine which went well with the food. We had the bruschetta as an appetizer, which was our favorite dish! It had Gorgonzola and very fresh tomatoes. It really was out of this world and highly recommended. For mains we got the scallops and blackened bluefish. Both dishes were very flavorful and came with sauces, brown rice, and a cabbage salad. For dessert, we got the special which was a buttermilk cake (my husbands favorite) and the pot de crème. The pot de crepe had mint in it. Both incredible. Service was great and prices were reasonable. We are weary to come back to Cape May and not come back here! This is definitely a repeat restaurant for us. read more

Louisa's - Buttermilk cake (top) and pot de crème - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Honestly the highest price I ever paid for such bad entries. We had the caprice salad not bad great ingredients also the smoked salmon rillette basically smoked salmon and cream cheese we had the flounder with dill sauce it came in about 6 broken small pieces also the sword fish with Thai basil no flavor whatsoever, all mains comes with plain brown rice and under seasoned cabbage slaw, very very disappointing, come on be a little creative at $30 something a plate? Really? Desert we split the buttermilk cake not bad and decent portion. Our waitress Kayla was beautiful!! read more

Had dinner as a family of 4 with two young kids. Good: Outdoor ambiance was nice. Bad: Food was pretty meh. I had the bluefish, which was dry and overcooked. My wife had the pasta, which was mediocre pasta with red sauce. The worst part was that we ordered plain pasta for our kids (no other kids options) and were charged $28, which seems excessive and soured the experience. read more

Delicious! I had the blueberry goat cheese and arugula salad followed by their famous mushroom risotto. We will be coming back!

Love this place so much! Everything is super fresh and great they put sauces on the side so you can control how much you want Loved the beet salad and the scallops were some of the best we've ever had Also BYOB is nice to have read more

I dined at Louisa's for dinner, I went with another couple and my wife and we all split entres, so we each got a taste of 4 dishes. To say the food was bland is an understatement, I've tasted plastic that has had more flavor. We had the shrimp, crab cakes and baby blue fish, not a single dish tasted like anything. Every dish comes with the same sides, undercooked brown rice and shredded cabbage they call slaw. We shared with the waitress our dissatisfaction, and instead of trying to make it right, she decided to get aggressive and justify that our meals are good based on how long the restaurant has been open. I would highly recommend you avoid this place. read more

This is a small restaurant with VERY CLOSE seating. I mention this because we suffered through 2 very chatty couples. I had the swordfish. The swordfish portion was generous, but I prefer a thick-cut swordfish steak. It was slightly grilled. I would have preferred a more charred, grilled flavor. Overall it was good, but not overly flavorful. It was served on a bed of rice with what appeared to be a small amount of shredded lettuce. A sauce/dip was also provided, which I sort of liked. But, if the swordfish had been more flavorful, I wouldn't have been dipping it into anything. The heirloom salad was BEAUTIFUL! It featured multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, very fresh basil leaves, and perfectly pretty nasturtium flowers. This dish is elegant summer dining. I had the chocolate pie for dessert which is served with home made whipped cream & an apricot-orange sauce. The chocolate pie is very sweet but good, the whipped cream yummy, but the sauce was sickeningly sweet. Once I scraped off all the apricot-orange sauce, I enjoyed the dessert. Pass on coffee. My dining companion's decaf coffee was burnt (they did replace it), and my regular coffee was just lousy. Louisa's is a BYOB, so our wine was great. read more

We were loyal customers for 20 years. Recently reserved a 5pm and we we're first customers in the door. Chose our usual table and gave our order to waitress at 5:07. Had my salad ($16) at 5:25. Main course finally arrived at 5:54 with other later arrivals being served before us. Waitress arrives with scallops ($36 for 6) and swordfish rather than scallops and blue fish. More delay. No apology. Nothing but an overpriced bill. It's a shame but bad service combined with excessive cost means never again. read more

Have been a patron going back to the mid 80s. Went here for birthday dinner for many years but not for the last several, until last night. Read reviews and was a bit skeptical about it since new owner. Attentive, friendly service, delish smoked salmon rillete, crab cakes & Thai basil shrimp entrees. Louisa's was farm to table before it was a thing & it shows. Everything was fresh & mostly local. It's unfussy & simple food. You either get Louisa's or you don't. I appreciated SO MUCH when a large piece of peach cake was brought out with a candle for my birthday. My husband had mentioned we were king time customers & it was a birthday dinner & that was acknowledged from the start. Thanks so much for a lovely dinner, Brittany! read more

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OMG! The food, service outdid themselves this time!we both had the grilled swordfish.. perfectly grilled & the Thai basil sauce on the side had the right amount of spice! We are not big on restaurant desserts BUT this is the place to indulge!!! I had the peach blueberry crisp & my husband had the buttermilk cake .. we literally ate all the crumbs!!!! Can't recommend this restaurant enough.. Go & enjoy! BTW they do take credit cards now & definitely need reservations! read more

Very disappointed with this adorable BYO. I would describe the menu as "deconstructed". All of the Entrees are prepared very simply; Salmon was Grilled, shrimp was sautéed. All Entrees are served with Sauce on the side. My wife's Salmon was grilled perfectly, however the BBQ-honey preparation was basically a ramekin of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce out of a bottle. My shrimp was cooked and the tomato roullie was a cup filled with Russian Dressing. ALL entrees were served with the exact same starch & veg: Short brown Rice & Shredded Cabbage. Although the portions were generous, this menu show NO IMAGINATION, no context for the the meal. The Cajun Crab soup was the only thing that had some flavor. Our server Heather was excellent!! Spending close to $100 with tip for 2 entrees and a bowl of soup (no bread) is ridiculous. I would spend my $$$ elsewhere. read more