Peter Shields Inn and restaurant is situated across the beach Peter Shields Inn is the perfect setting for a romantic dinner in Cape May! Located directly across from the beach, this stunning property has a grand, elegant feel, with its beautiful white columns, expansive front lawn, and gorgeous ocean views. From the moment you walk into the foyer, you're greeted by a beautiful chandelier and the sound of a piano, setting the tone for a luxurious dining experience. The downstairs is equally gorgeous, with an elegant, timeless atmosphere. We dined on the patio, which offered a romantic setting with stunning views. The service was exceptional--attentive, efficient, and prompt without ever feeling rushed. We started with the scallops, which were cooked to perfection, and the mushroom bisque, which was absolutely fantastic! They also offer an impressive selection of cocktails and wines to complement the dining experience. Between the gorgeous atmosphere, beautiful views, delicious food, and impeccable service, Peter Shields Inn offers a truly memorable dining experience. A wonderful choice for a romantic evening or special occasion in Cape May. Highly recommend! read more

See all

Loved the porch ambiance with a view of the ocean between a gap in the trees. Service could have been more attentive. We waited for about 10 minutes before our waiter introduced himself. It didn't get better the rest of the night (other than time to provide the bill and run my credit card. Cocktails were great (Bees Knees and martini). Table bread was boring and tasteless. I'd just skip it next time. Our first course was fantastic! The Beet and Lobster salad was delicious and I highly recommend it. Also had the Foie Gras which was a large slice and delicious but the beet and lobster salad was better. For our entrées, my wife had the Bolognese, which comes with large penne pasta and pretty good. I would've preferred fettuccine noodle or shorter tube to pasta. The large tube penne was impossible to get in your mouth by itself. I had the tile fish entrée which was OK. I just probably wouldn't get it again. For dessert, we shared the blueberry cobbler. It was a bit cold, but had a good flavor. Not an inexpensive evening, so I wish things have gone a bit better given what we paid. Kind of interesting that the manager came by and made sure to talk to every table but ours on the porch. Not sure why, but it didn't give me a chance to express how things were going either. read more

See all

The food was excellent as always. We are fortunate to stay at the Angel of the Sea, located behind the restaurant, a short walk to an engaging meal experience. Service is always provided by a gracious staff. The decor is elegant yet simple and appealing. It's nice to have the soft piano music in the background accompanying your meal. read more

Excellent choice for a special night out for our anniversary. Food and service were top notch.

Loved our stay at Peter Shields - an adorable bed and breakfast that's just steps away from the beach. I really liked the location in Cape May. It's easy to get to all the shops and eateries, but you aren't right in the thick of everything, which made for a more calm and relaxing stay. The hotel has complimentary bikes, and we were able to bike to town in just a few minutes. The hotel is small and there are only a few guestrooms. We stayed on the top floor and our window had ocean views which was such a treat. I was worried about the room being hot but the AC was extremely strong. Rooms are a bit dated and the carpet really needs to be replaced. The bed is super comfy and the bathroom is more updated, but new carpet would really make the room - the current carpet is like a funky green. We had to try the restaurant since it gets such great reviews and it definitely lived up to the hype. The lobster fra diavolo was sooo good and came with so much lobster meat. Breakfast is included in the stay and was so delicious. They have a screened in porch that overlooks the ocean and there's really no better way to start off your day. Everyone that works here is friendly and helpful, and there are little cute touches like complimentary drinks and snacks, a wine and cheese hour and beach items like umbrellas and chairs. Overall this is a super cute hotel - it's classy and beautiful and the perfect backdrop for photos, and the oceanfront location is prime. read more

See all

Made ahead reservations and were eagerly waiting to try this 'acclaimed' establishment to celebrate our special occasion. But unfortunately our experience was absolutely ruined. All these positive reviews and we were expecting culinary delight that's turned out terrible. Warm Octopus salad was overly salty and we had to send it back to kitchen as it was completely indigestible. 15 later another octopus was totally overcooked. My risotto was a mess. Too creamy looked more like a sloppy Joe, your chef does have a skill s to maintain heat control and timing, pathetic. When desert came no recognition for our special occasion even though it was mentioned in our reservation and acknowledged when we checked in. Another thing, pianist was playing out of tune and hitting the wrong notes, it was painful to listen all evening. Bottom line, Peter Shields charges top dollar for a subpar dished and less than mediocre service and ambiance. Avoid read more

See all

We came here to try their restaurant week menu. It was easy enough to make a reservation through the Open Table app. Right away, there was kind of a snafu that I made. Somehow I mistakenly made a reservation for 5 even though there were only 2 of us (I reviewed the reservation to confirm I somehow made that mistake). It clearly threw a monkey wrench into some of their planning but they graciously course corrected (I apologize again if you're reading this!) and we continued on. For the restaurant week prix fixe meal, we went with: corn and crab chowder, carpaccio, pan roasted chicken breast, garganelli pasta, cherry bread pudding, and flourless chocolate. Everything we ate was mouthwatering good. That chowder had an insanely savory cut of bacon that just made the whole dish. The garganelli with truffle oil was a satisfying pasta dish for an entree. The chicken breast was cooked to perfection with a very well seasoned skin. My favorite dish had to be the cherry bread pudding. Every bite of that dish just popped with sweet flavor. This is definitely a great place to come for a special occasion. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience from start to finish read more

See all

Amazing place! One of the best restaurants I've been to! Nice ambience with the live piano and the newly renovated place is super clean and well done with the aesthetics! Food was great! We had oysters, Mahi Mahi, rib eye, lobster, bolognaise and cocktails! Waiter, Chris, was professional and prompt! Thank you for the great experience! read more

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant - Oysters - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Honestly my husband & I were underwhelmed. The crab appetizer was in my husbands words delicious. The arugula salad was a 3. My husbands entree seafood with pasta was unremarkable. Marinara sauce was bland. My entree, scallops, were extremely salty making my $50 dish unpalatable. All in all we were very disappointed after thinking this would be a scrumptious birthday dinner. Not what we anticipated especially considering the high prices. read more

A Monday night brought us here to this fine dining experience. After being seated by the hostess, our server Amy and her helper provided wonderful service, being attentive and friendly without being over bearing. The restaurant was busy, yet thankfully not loud. My wife ordered the Colossal Crab Salad to start, fresh and delicious, followed by the Chilean Sea Bass en' Papillote. This was cooked to perfection served on truffled fried rice with Leeks and Shitake mushrooms. I ordered the Autumn Spiced Pork Tenderloin, served with White Cheddar Grits, Broccolini, and Smoked Candied Bacon with Maple-Pork Jus. The meat tender, the Grits heavenly and the candied bacon to die for. Dessert for me was ice cream, for my wife the peach crumb cobbler. I think she enjoyed it, she did finish it. When in Cape May, for an upscale dinner, come here to Peter Shields. Recommended! read more

Amazing service, food and ambiance. Lobster bisque, steak were outstanding. Sea bass was a generous portion, very well prepared- didn't care for the risotto... will be back for bisque! read more

We've been to Peter shields several times and it's one of our favorite special restaurant so we are down in the cape May area. It is difficult to make reservations because the place is often very busy so you need to make them in advance, especially if you want to get a decent time. There is no parking, but we had no trouble finding parking on the street for our 715 reservation. The place is very romantic and fancy and I like that they encourage dressy clothes. Service is always outstanding and the menu rotates, depending on the season with the freshest and best ingredients. Everything that we've ever had, there has been delicious and we cannot rave enough about this special restaurant. read more

See all

Peter Shields is the epitome of fine dining! The elegance is felt as soon as you walk up the outside stairs & continues all the way through as you enter. All the servers & staff were completely accommodating. My friends & I were in Cape May for a week long vacation in July & this had been on our radar since booking the trip. PS exceeded all our expectations, food & presentation were all spot on. TBH we had the most fun with the piano player, you could text him any & all of your requests & we happily waited for our song to come up, he was fantastic. read more

See all

Back for our 28th Wedding Anniversary... no longer BYOB but the menu remains amazing, atmosphere perfect, service exemplary, and just perfect for a special occasion. Thanks Dillon for the amazing service and experience!! read more

See all

Our first time at PSI & it didn't disappoint! The ambiance is perfection-beautifully preserved historic property, piano player in the lobby, candles, flowers-ocean front setting. Very attentive service & delicious food! Friendly atmosphere, perfect for date nite or larger parties-we will definitely be returning. read more

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant - Front porch - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

See all

Excellent service, good noise level, fun piano player taking requests via text, very good cocktails and pretty good upscale food ($40 - $80 entrees). Ambiance varies widely depending which of many rooms you get seated in. Classic menu with chicken, beef, pork, lamb, fish, shellfish, etc. The octopus app was excellent but the tomato, guacamole, crabmeat was mediocre (Guac tasted store made). The bucatini and crab meat entree was excellent but the pork chop was clearly not right off the grill... it had definitely been cooked earlier in the day and heated up before serving. The peach cobbler was mixed... peaches part was excellent, biscuit part was bad. read more

My wife and I dined here a few weeks ago. We had booked a reservation weeks before and we're assured "just the table" for a romantic anniversary rendez-vous. When we arrived we were shown to an intimate table... wedged near the entrance door and front desk not twenty feet away. A high-traffic, high-noise area. The opposite of romantic. What an awful disappointment. Oh well, we still had the food to look forward to. Not so fast. Despite being seated at 7, not exactly late in the evening, they were already out of the one appetizer I was looking for (the foie gras). OK, then, I'll order the raw oysters instead. I have literally never been served such small oysters. One was actually smaller then the oyster fork I was provided to eat it with. The rest of the meal did not compensate. Sometimes dining at an expensive restaurant is worth every dollar. Other times it just feels like one is being taken advantage of. This was definitely the latter. read more

Had a fabulous meal in the restaurant. They definitely offer meals you don't typically find at the shore and their menus do change based on season/holidays. they make great cocktails, and have a wonderful atmosphere. It is more of a fine dining experience. Their appetizers are on the smaller side so you don't fill up with them. I had the steak tartar which was very tasty and unique to others I've had. For my main I had rabbit Ragu with homemade pasta that was perfect and the sauce it was cooked in was so tasty and I greatly enjoyed it. Finished the meal with desert which was apple cobbler. It also was very nice that they had a live piano player that would take song requests. read more

See all

Now thisssssss place is, for lack of an even better word, perfecto. The food? - there is no number to give!everything - delicious; everything - artfully served. Service is top notch - of course. The place is gorgeous. I'd go back there in a minute. Hands down, the best place in Cape May. read more

We attended during restaurant week for my wife's birthday. Sublime, a place worthy of its price. It recently converted out of BYOB and the resulting cocktails were definitely worth it, well considered and smart. The food was excellent, both the pork and short rib were each cooked perfectly. The service was extremely good and professional. It sounded like ownership had recently changed, and at least in my view, it has resulted in some really positive shifts so far. The chef clearly knows what he is doing and provided a top tier experience where they could've made a tourist trap read more

The service is spectacular. The Manger Sean was delightful and very accommodating. The lobster bisque was delicious, the sea bass en papillote was as well. The decor is elegant. This is a very romantic restaurant. Definitely make a reservation. read more

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant - Sea bass in papillote. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

See all

We went to Peter Shields Restaurant for the first time tonight for the last night of restaurant week. The food was amazing! Our server Peter was very warm and welcoming. The restaurant is beautiful! We will definitely be returning. read more

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Best lobster we've ever had. Pasta special & short rib were excellent. Server was warm and welcoming. Look forward to coming back.

An absolute gem of a restaurant with some haunting history.. We had a fantastic evening here for dinner. The bread service was unique; offering three different types of warm dinner rolls. The lobster bisque is a must -- this bisque was much lighter than every other bisque I've ever had. It's still cream-based, but it was just delicate without compromising depth of flavor. The deliver eggs were also unique and are arguably the best deviled eggs I've ever had (which surprisingly is a fair amount of deviled eggs). Lastly, the filet: it was prepared well and accompanied by three delicate mushroom ravioli alongside a demi glacé. read more

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant - Grilled 8 oz. Filet Mignon - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

See all

While vacationing in Ocean City, NJ, my wife and I nipped out for dinner at Peter Shields. In short: one of the best. We started off sharing a yellowtail crudo, one of my favorite fish from our local sushi haunt; this dish arrived garnished with cucumber and watermelon, a heretofore untasted melange of flavors for this diner. We also split blue point oysters on the half shell, which were plump and briny. I ordered a bone-in pork chop, which our server, Chris, was quick to point out was a pounded and fried dish; this was not necessarily my preference nor the dish I'd imagined in my mind based on the menu, but I readily agreed to this preparation. It was, in turn, excellent. The pork was pounded flat and dredged in breadcrumbs, and pan fried until crispy, with no residual oil on the surface. Topped Milanese style with greens and tomatoes would have been satisfying, but the lily was gilded with some chunks of meat and mozzarella. It was excellent and I'd order it again in a heartbeat. My wife was craving a steak, and she got the filet. It was perfectly cooked to medium rare, as requested, and beautifully served. For dessert, they offered a steamed caramel cake a la mode, which we split and adored. The dessert was swimming in a pool of molten caramel and was delicious and the perfect size to split. It was a whimsical nod to the classic caramel sundae, with the cake dressing the dish up to something elegant. Peter Shields is a BYOB, but you can order bottles from the nearby Cape May Winery, which they should advertise more. Chris, our server, was prompt, attentive, informative, and polite. read more

See all

We reserve this restaurant for special occasions due to the price and the amount of food we eat when we are here! Much appreciated this first trip during which we were able to get cocktails with dinner! Service and food and ambiance are always on point. Love the piano player and his text request option! read more

See all

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant is fantastic! The service was top notch! (Believe our waiter was named chris, hes amazing). Had to wait a bit for a seat but was well worth it. The food was fresh, colorful, and came out hot. Cannot wait to go back again! read more

See all

We've dined at Peter Shields every summer for over 10 years. It's been a tradition, and last year we were excited to bring our toddler for the first time. They had high chairs then, and we looked forward to returning again this year as a family. The night before our reservation, we received a message via OpenTable saying they no longer offer high chairs. There is now a policy, buried in fine print, stating they don't provide high chairs, booster seats, or accommodate children under 12. It wasn't visible when we booked, and we were never told directly until the last minute. This policy feels needlessly exclusionary. If kids aren't welcome, just say so. We canceled and dined elsewhere. There are other fine dining options in Cape May that offer the same level of food and service while being more inclusive. For those looking for fine dining that accommodates children, The Ebbitt Room was exceptional and very welcoming. read more

Can I give this 10 stars?!?! My parents and I had the most special meal here yesterday. I have been coming to Cape May my entire life and I can't believe this was my 1st time here! From the setting right on the water, to the live pianist, to the food, it was a true 5 star experience. Our server, Sean, was the best! He took great care of us and we never felt rushed. It is BYOB, but they do have some bottles from the Cape May Winery for purchase if you forget your wine! For my appetizer, I had the tuna ceviche. Often I like some sort of cracker or wonton, but this did not need it! It was the perfect on it's own. I loved the lime flavor and the avocado paired so well with the tuna! My dad had the burrata salad and my mom had the raw oysters. They both loved their apps! For our entrees, we all had the crab cakes. They were so special! Tons of crab meat with no filler and the flavors were next level. It was inspired by Mexican flavors and the mexican street corn topping with cotija cheese risotto was so unique. I would order this again and again! We were pretty full, but needed to try some of their house made desserts! We split the stick toffee pudding and got coffee ice cream instead of vanilla, per Sean's recommendation. OMG was it delish! I loved the caramel flavor and the bitterness of the coffee ice cream perfectly cut the sweetness. I would recommend this, especially if you don't want a super sweet dessert! I can't wait to come back here again and again. Definitely a must try for a special night out in Cape May! read more

See all

Breathtaking! Food, ambiance, service, location...all over the top amazing! This is a very special place...arguably the best restaurant and b&b in all of Cape May. Snag one of the seven rooms if you can. Walk across the street and stumble onto the beach. Watch dolphins. Come back for tea or happy hour. Relax. Have dinner on the porch then enjoy a bottle of wine beside the fire pit. .... Can't wait to go back. read more

See all

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant is everything you hope for in a fine dining experience -- and then some. From the moment you step inside the elegant, historic seaside mansion, you're treated to top-tier hospitality and white-tablecloth service that's warm, attentive, and effortlessly professional. The ambiance is classic Cape May charm -- refined but not stuffy, with candlelight, ocean views, and just the right amount of formality. It's the kind of place where every detail feels considered, from the pacing of the courses to the knowledge of the waitstaff. As for the food? Absolutely exceptional. Every dish was artfully plated and full of flavor -- seasonal ingredients, thoughtful pairings, and precise execution. Whether it's fresh seafood, beautifully cooked meats, or inventive vegetarian options, everything feels elevated without being overcomplicated. Peter Shields isn't just a dinner -- it's an experience. Romantic, special, and worth every penny. If you're looking for fine dining in Cape May, this is the gold standard. read more

The ambiance is very romantic. The restaurant sits across the street from the ocean. The dining rooms are perfectly restored and a piano plays softly in the background for you listening pleasure. The service was very attentive. That being said, the food was lack luster. I thought with such an abbreviated menu, the selections would be perfect. I ordered the oysters which were small and routine with a mignonette that tasted only of vinegar. Second course, I ordered scalloped with summer squash. I was served 3 diver scallops with the vegetables reduced to a puree and scribbled on the plate. It looked so conveyor belt. Dessert did not fare better. I ordered the white chocolate croissant bread pudding with vanilla custard and raspberries. The croissant was chewy like it had been warmed up in a microwave. I still don't know where the vanilla custard is and once again the white chocolate was scribbled on the plate. The meal overall was extremely disappointing. My husband fared much better with his burrata, prosciutto and apricot salad. He was served his filet mignon with whipped potatoes and real baby carrots. He won again in choosing the cobbler with ice cream. I did very much enjoy my cocktail, the Social Butterfly. Overall, from the other dinners I have enjoyed at Peter Shields Inn, this was a complete letdown. With such a small diner menu, it should have been gastric delight as other meals I have enjoyed there. read more

Amazing!!! Food was absolutely great!! Bread wow...toasted and warm The pistachio butter was out of this world ! Service was attentive and friendly !! Loved it! read more

My family always had dinner at PS during our Cape May vacation after being dissatisfied we took a 2 year hiatus. Last night my husband and I returned. The first course was great. However I ordered the pork chop amd it came out cold. I sent it back to be warmed up. The table next to us, ALSO complained that their fish dinner was cold. This was very disappointing amd a true reflection of cooking to soon amd having dishes sit around. The best thing about thos restaurants is the piano player, we won't be coming back here We gave it a chance, but at these prices serving cold food is unexceptable. read more

Once again, Peter Shields delivers. It was a perfect summer evening. The ambience is rich with live piano music softly in the background. We were particularly pleased with the paring of an Argentine red blended wine, Cocodrilo by Paul Hobbs, with our pot roast. Laura was surprised and delighted with her burrata panzanella. Our waiter and the rest of the staff are top notch and really make you feel welcome. read more

Gross 0/10 so bad not even fresh food at all the seafood is not even fresh it's like old not even fresh just show up wearing your bathing suit they have to severe you bc that bad read more

See all

Our first time in the restaurant. Beautiful ambiance, great services and excellent food. The price is definitely worth it. Our drinks were amazingly delicious read more

See all

The food HAS to be the best at the Jersey Shore. Beautiful ambiance, and every part of the meal was fantastic. The drinks, the bread, the Buratta, the main course and the dessert were all top quality that I haven't really had in the state of New Jersey before (let alone the Shore). If I had to be critical, the prices were a bit high but the experience and food quality were incredible. read more

Last evening, a friend and I dined at Peter Shields for Restaurant Week. This restaurant has been one of my favorites for many years, and I would dine here about six times a year. My recent experience was extremely disappointing. The shaved brussel sprouts appetizer was good because of the delicious goat cheese. My friend's house made rigatoni with braised lamb was excellent, the better of the two appetizers we ordered. The entrees were the downfall of our meals. My friend asked for her duck to be cooked medium towards thoroughly done, and it came out rare. My blackened, blue fin tuna was so spicy that made my lips burn at the first and second bite. Yes, I have had blackened foods before, but never so spicy. The server offered me another entree, so I ordered the flank steak medium - it was rare and extremely chewy. The steak was accompanied by tasty roasted onions and heavily salted potatoes. Strawberries and blueberries were my friend's dessert since she could not eat the offerings on the menu. My dessert was the highlight of my meal because of such beautiful presentation - coconut gelato with passion fruit sorbet over a square of tres leches cake served in a half of a real coconut with a fan shaped caramel garnish...the gelato and sorbet were perfect, and the cake was surprisingly frozen; perhaps the the dessert was assembled the kept on a tray frozen until served. Overall, the environment was lovely with piano music being played, however, the food did not make it the dining it should have been for $70.00 excluding tax and gratuity. read more

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant - Coconut, Coconut Gelato, Passion Fruit Sorbet Over Tres Leches Cake - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Went to Peter Shields Inn as party of five to celebrate MIL's birthday. We called the day before the reservation to request seating on the screened in porch. Was told 'no problem!' How lovely, until we showed up and were told that they can't seat a party of five on the porch and were ushered to a parlor room turned dining room directly off the lobby. The manager was appropriately sorry for the miscommunication and brought us a small tasting of prosecco to ease our disappointment. I will say that our server was a pro, both congenial and attentive throughout the meal. Unfortunately, the meal is where our Peter Shields Inn experience really came apart at the seams. The bread was nothing special. Very nice butter though. We ordered spicy lobster with crispy rice appetizers, a raw tuna appetizer, and the lobster bisques. Nothing bad but certainly nothing extraordinary. Solid B for quality of ingredients and presentation. (The bed of crispy rice was both over and undercooked at the same time.) The entrees were a big disappointment all around. Four of us ordered Halibut. The fifth order bucatelli with crab meat. I am quite confident that we were not served halibut. The flavor, texture, and cut had me convinced it was cod or haddock. It was rubbery and bland. We were excited about the accompanying crab risotto but that too was an overcooked and bland disappointment. The crab w/pasta was so flavorless that BIL sent it back. How this establishment has over 4.5 star ratings is stupefying to me. We accept the high prices that accompany a fine dining experience. But Peter Shields Inn is unremarkable fare disguised as something more. Avoid this mid-level restaurant with average (fake?) ingredients, serving bland dishes at duly outrageous prices (think Michelin star in NYC) relative to the quality of food. read more