As a vacation destination, Cape May has plenty of drinking establishments, from swanky venues and…read morehipster havens to beach bars and local dives. Tucked in one of Cape May's leading landmarks, the renovated 1879 Congress Hall Hotel, we decided on dinner at the Blue Pig Tavern, which derives from a gambling parlor in the mid-1800s. A reservation was easily made via Open Table. Upon arrival as first timers, my partner and I were greeted at the host station and got our cozy table in a large glassed-in patio area. The restaurant was lively and welcoming. It was clearly a family-friendly spot, which showed in the higher noise level and the number of tables filled with multigenerational groups. Their menu is New American, from filet mignon and shrimp cocktail to legendary burgers, including the Beach Plum Farm Burger. They get a lot of its produce from its own nearby farm. As an appetizer, we decided on the Crispy Calamari and Baked Mac and Cheese. Our entree consisted of Rigatoni Bolognese and Chicken Pot Pie. Complimentary warm bread sprinkled with salt and chives accompanied by soft honey butter started our meal. Every dish hit the mark: flavorful, fresh, and well-executed. The portions were generous. Despite being very busy, the service was excellent from start to finish. The staff was attentive, friendly, and especially helpful; our server was Eugene. Overall, this establishment delivered a memorable dining experience.

I have always been a fan of the Blue Pig, but my recent visit was next level!…read more I'm not sure if they got a new chef, but there were updates to the menu. I felt there were much more interesting dishes. It was so hard to pick one! We had reservations and were seated right away. The service was quick and efficient! We started with the ahi tuna, which was incredible. If you like sushi/raw fish, this app is a must! Then I went with the scallops for my main. It was a summer version of the scallops I've had in the past and they were amazing! I loved the potatoes, sweet corn, bacon, all of it! I can't wait to come back here. The shrimp gnocchi is next on my must try list!

Our waitress was so kind! You could tell she loved her job and even mentioned us coming for dinner…read morelater on. We went in the morning for breakfast. She told us that we didn't have to marry the waffle or pancakes. We could just choose to get one pancake or one waffle ! Clam chowder 9/10: Out of this world! I wish I could take this home. Blueberry pancake 8/10: Everything a pancake should be. Came with ample amount of syrup Oatmeal blueberry pancake 7/10: Tasted different but not in a bad way. Would order again!

Very busy on a Saturday early afternoon. Sat at the bar and…read morehad their famous Bloody Mary, very good. Steven the bartender was fantastic. Had crab cake appetizer which was delicious and boyfriend had corned beef hash with pouched eggs , crispy potatoes and bacon. People were also super friendly.

Service is super friendly. We arrived a bit before opening and chatted with them outside like old…read morefriends :) They are related to the owners of Georges so this is a restaurant family. They were really gracious and service was perfect. The byob element I personally love (bring what you want and pay normal rates for it) but I could see how this could be problematic for vacationers not prepared. The glassware was beautiful - one of my pics shows it. The atmosphere is very pleasant - a little romantic, a little modern but all in all perfect for an anniversary dinner - we had a corner table with bench seating so we could snuggle :) We chose three apps because it was early and we thought we'd hit another place late. These two are the duck wings and the crispy shrimp. Both delicious but the wings VERY good. We also had a swordfish crostini done on a crispy won ton and we both liked that very much. Pricing seemed reasonable. I'd recommend.

I'd give The YB a 3.5 if Yelp allowed it. The location is great. I love that it's a small intimate…read morerestaurant. Our servers were polite an attentive. We had some ordering confusion which impacted my experience a bit. Overall the appetizers far out performed the seafood, which given were at the beach, was a bit sad. The wings were tasty. The stand out was the K&B salad which had great dressing. Loved the hot/cold contrast between the flash fried Brussels and the kale salad. I had the scallops- average and with quite a bit of grit. The carrots it came with seemed boiled and again relatively flavorless. My husband had the sea bass but unless you got some of the very minimal sauce it was plated with, it was fairly bland. I didn't even sense salt and pepper. For the price point, I wouldn't rush back for dinner but might try another meal.

I have been here several times, and the food has never disappointed. The past three times, my…read morepartner and I have sat at the bar. Bartenders were incredibly gracious and fun and gave great recommendations. My partner and I decided to dine here last Saturday with his parents since we were all in town coincidentally. I bring this up because we made the reservation for 6- I had been raving to them about this restaurant and really wanted to take them. My partner and I were working in Cape May for a wedding florist, and so we gave the best time frame we could based on the time we were able to leave the wedding and head to dinner. As it turned out we had to stay a little bit longer, his parents already arriving at 6 prompt. We did not make it there until 6:25 by the time we were able to park. Now, having worked in the restaurant industry nearly all my life, I understand the frustrations a host faces with the excuses and unawareness customers have. When I arrived, I apologized. I tried to explain the situation as best as I could. When I tell you I have never written a review because of poor service, I mean it. The host turned me off of the restaurant entirely, as delicious as their fried tomatoes are! When I apologized, he was so snarky it was absolutely shocking. He said as I listed what the reservation was under, "well, go find them then." HE DID NOT EVEN TAKE ME TO MY TABLE. I almost laughed at how childish his behavior was, and then it really got to me. After having finished the meal, in a timely manner where there were still empty tables (that had been empty the entire time we were there- yes I know how stacking works), my partner's father politely asked to speak with the host. The host was incredibly rude to him, even though he simply explained how his service was. I am not totally unconvinced the host had some unattended anger issues. Again, I rarely write reviews, but I so hope no one has to experience his unbelievable behavior, especially as they are about to have a lovely meal and delicious cocktails. So, I will end on the note that my 3 stars would easily be 5 based on all of the other experiences at the Cricket Club, but I cannot ignore my most recent experience, and hope it will never happen to anyone else! I myself, will never dine at the Cricket Club again, but I am sure it's just a pride thing. Good luck to those who try- but may I recommend do not be late!

Cricket has been a popular team sport for centuries. It's essentially a bat-and-ball sport that…read moreoriginated in England and is now very popular in countries such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, the West Indies, and South Africa. Built in 1885 at the former site of the Merion Inn on Decatur Street in Cape May, we decided on dinner at the Cricket Club honoring the Merion Cricket Club in Haverford, Pennsylvania, after driving for 3 hours with an appetite. Upon arriving as first-timers without reservation on a busy Friday night, my partner and I were lucky to get a table in one of their dining rooms with those familiar with the stained glass windows in the wall between the bar and the dining room and from repurposed light fixtures sporting new shades with live music added to the vibe. Their menu features contemporary American cuisine with local and international flavors. We decided on the Snapper Tacos and Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Even saved room for dessert and opted for the Tiramisu and Chocolate Torte. We washed them down with Prosecco and Downeast Cider. Great flavor profile in all of the dishes we tried, and the food was cooked to perfection. It was clear the chef knew how to combine the best flavors and textures. Service was on point and professional. Our server was Polina. It's a bit pricey but worth every penny. Thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our evening.

This visit we sat on the porch. We felt like the ambience there was perfect. It was sprinkling…read moreoutside, but the awnings are so large. We never felt to drop. Service by Kate was good. But the service by the woman who brought our water, welcomed us, and bussed the table was even better. We, of course, began with the Parker house rolls. So delicious! We also had the shrimp cocktail and the carpaccio for starters. Both were exceptional and I highly recommend both. For entrées, my wife had the halibut and I had the Cape May scallops. I had a sampling of the halibut and it was probably the best halibut I have tasted. It had a perfect crisp and was so juicy, tender, and flavorful. The Cape May scallops were cooked to perfection and so delicious. I wasn't a big fan of the corn risotto they sat on, but everything else was great. For dessert, we tried Kate's recommendation. The Lemon-Pistachio Semifreddo was good but I wasn't a big fan of the pistachio layer. All in all a wonderful evening!

Solid 4 star place!…read more Food: - Parker Rolls were really tasty and comes in 4 - hand cut pasta was really good and a table favorite - branzino was tasty - Iberico secreto is a must!! Service was friendly. They were a bit busy that night but not too bad. Ambiance is very fancy hotel vibes. I came at night with my group so it was dim inside and it was mostly large groups as well.

Carolina style grilled cheese is amazing! Go it to go…read more My wife tried this place with the kids while I was golfing. So I tried it myself today, and it was awesome.

I am a regular of this place when it's open. It's a neat place to get a quick meal. It's a very…read morecasual restaurant with a variety of good grilled cheese sandwiches. I've tried many of their sandwiches and nothing has disappointed so far. Highly recommend it if you want quick and easy meal. Also, I LOVE the pictures they have on the walls. It's fun looking at where they inserted a grilled cheese into the picture.

We were extremely disappointed with our experience at Ocean 7. We were charged full price for a…read moremargarita that should have been part of happy hour. When we brought it to the manager's attention, she came over with a dismissive attitude and simply said the best she could do was take $2 off. She didn't apologize, make any effort to resolve the issue, or seem to care about keeping our business before walking away. We're locals who spend a lot of time and money in Cape May, but even if we were tourists, this is not how customers should be treated. People come here every summer and support local businesses, and good customer service should be a priority. Mistakes happen, but it's how they're handled that matters. Unfortunately, the poor attitude and lack of concern from management left a bad taste in our mouth. It's a shame because we normally come here every weekend off season as well.

Outdoor seating and indoor restaurant and bar. HH from 3-5…read more Live music starts at 5 Our servers were friendly and helpful with suggestions. Great drinks Limoncello martini is so refreshing Apple Manhattan is a great classic Manhattan with a slight sweetness Blackberry bourbon smash Cheesesteak egg rolls- juicy and tender meat with a great thin crispy shell. Very greasy Soft pretzel- great creamy crab flavor.

My friend and I stopped in at the Rusty Nail yesterday after having spotted it from the beach. It…read moreis a cute little restaurant that offers indoor seating, outdoor seating on the patio, or outdoor seating in a sandpit. There is a bandstand with live music. All of this added up to very Island vibes, without having to leave New Jersey! For dinner I got the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. It was delicious! All the flavors and textures mixed well together. My friend got Mac n cheese balls and buffalo chicken dip. They were also great! Our only problem was we had to ask for utensils and napkins, probably a mistake by the waitress, but still strange. Overall, it was a great place!

We really wanted to like the Rusty Nail. The place has a great atmosphere and the kind of setting…read morethat makes you think you're in for a memorable meal, which is exactly why we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the food just didn't live up to the potential. We started with the nachos, which were probably the biggest disappointment. They tasted more like something you'd find in a school cafeteria than an appetizer from a restaurant. The wings weren't much better. Instead of being crisp on the outside, they arrived soggy and lacked the texture you want from a good wing. The burgers were the real low point. More than one person in our party described them as a hockey puck placed between two pieces of bread, and honestly, that assessment felt pretty accurate. The patties were dry and lacked the flavor you'd normally expect from a good burger. It's a shame because the Rusty Nail has so much going for it from an atmosphere and setting perspective. Unfortunately, the food left us feeling like the experience didn't match the potential of the place. Maybe we caught it on an off night, but based on our meal, it's not somewhere we would running back to in the future.

My sister and I came here for dinner on a Sunday at 6 pm. We made reservations a few days in…read moreadvance online through Resy. Reservations seem highly recommended because it seems most people came here with one. It's fine dining (price-wise - very reasonable for fine dining). It's also BYOB -- like the name says. I loved every moment of this. Service was very attentive and professional. I did feel worried that I was a bit underdressed because I had tennis shoes on, but it was not an issue. It is not a huge restaurant, but it's elegant and definitely meant more as a special night out than a casual spot. If you are looking for seafood options, look no further than here. If you want to impress someone, take them here. Now, onto the food. The bread is complimentary and we ate it all (along with our refill). The butter was freshly made, I believe. I had the winter prix fixe menu and my sister ordered à la carte. Their prix fixe and tasting menus tend to change quite often so it'll always be interesting. My sister ordered the Spanish octopus (1st course) and the Scottish Salmon. I had some of her octopus and salmon. They were both such well-made dishes. We would definitely order the octopus again. Chewy and delicate. I had the arancini, fra diavolo, and the chocolate tart. It was absolutely delicious. The arancini were small, but it was still well filled with tiny bites of clam. The fra diavolo was also very good and filling. Plenty of seafood to go around in that dish. Spicy too, which I like. At the end, we shared a chocolate tart -- and I must say, we were already full at this point. The chocolate was rich and the pistachio ice cream was perfect. We will definitely be back.

Grana was easily one of our best meals in Cape May, a restaurant that gets most of the important…read morethings right. We started with the caprese salad, which was fresh and exactly what you want from a starter, followed by the summer corn soup, which was comforting without feeling heavy. The standout was the special New York strip. It arrived beautifully cooked, tender and flavorful. Service was equally strong by being attentive without being overbearing. The one misstep was the rigatoni, essentially a truffle mac and cheese with mushrooms and shaved truffles. On paper, it sounded promising, especially paired with a steak. In practice, it was overwhelmed by garlic to the point that the garlic eclipsed nearly everything else. There was also surprisingly little rigatoni pasta; the dish was dominated by mushrooms. We wouldn't order the pasta again, but that's a relatively minor complaint for an otherwise excellent meal. Grana is absolutely worth a return visit and there's plenty on the menu that we'd happily order again. It gets a relatively older crowd, but I don't mind if that food is good.

Celebrating our 6th Anniversary this weekend, and having had an exceptional dining experience in…read moreCape May at The Washington Inn & Wine Bar. Having the opportunity to watch my wife enjoy caviar for the very first time was an experience I will soon not forget. The Wagyu Steak Tartare was simply a delight. One of the best I have ever had. CAPE MAY SEAFOOD CIOPPINO ® scallops, shrimp, mussels, little neck clams, white wine & tomato broth, roasted garlic aioli, grilled focaccia ~this dish was nothing less of extraordinary! The tomato broth was remarkable and delicious. MEDITERRANEAN SEABASS cherry tomato, caper & taggiasca olive relish, crispy creamer potatoes, salsa verde ~one of the best fish dishes for me in 2026 for sure! Every component on this dish was sensational and so balanced. We highly recommended The Washington Inn in Cape May. The wine list by the glass is very well done and not extremely expensive. The service was polished and executed at a high level and extremely personal & detailed to attention. We both agreed we felt we received good value on every component of the meal. We simply cannot wait to go back! #rushieeats

Attended for our anniversary this year -- a Cape May favorite for us. Food remains stellar but…read moredining room was crowded with large parties that were loud, distracting, and many with kids. While I'm a parent too, some kids don't belong at a restaurant like this and can spoil a special occasion dinner. Service was good but noticeably slower as our server coped with the larger sized parties (8-10 people). We were acknowledged for our anniversary which was nice, but the proximity to these large parties was not appreciated. The large dining room area here is loud and the silver walls are tacky. Appreciated a quieter table last year in one of the more intimate, quieter areas of the restaurant. While I still love this restaurant, removing a star for the reasons stated.