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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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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

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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

Classy restaurant decor with excellent service and food. My husband and I visited during restaurant week while in Cape May and were very pleased with our meal. Because of our anniversary, we were treated to small glasses of sparkling wine, which was a lovely surprise. We had the corn and crab chowder to start, with black truffle pesto pasta/pan roasted chicken breast, followed by Death by Chocolate/Amarena cherry bread pudding. Everything was delicious and well presented. The live piano music in the background added even more to the experience. We'd definitely return next visit! read more

It was definitely a highlight of our Cape May stay. The vibe was great, with a piano player taking requests (we had several!). We enjoyed the Prime Strip, which was cooked perfectly and the cocktails were spot on. We finished with the apple cobbler for dessert, which was delicious. All around, a really memorable dinner. read more

This is a really wonderful venue with a remarkable service team which was eager-to-please. I'm not sure if this is an error by Yelp or the restaurant management: the restaurant is listed as "$$$", which across the world would generally mean main courses might be in the $16-32 range. Holy cow the main courses start at $48 (roasted chicken) and range up to $80. Why is this relevant? A freind asked me to pick the dining venue on the basis of buying me (and the rest of the party) dinner. The degree of embarrassment and awkwardness when realizing the tab was shifting from $200-250 to north of $1000. (Party of 5, including the host, and BY frighten OB. Now I'm sure the locals and others would say "you should have known or checked the menu in advance..." The food was average, but I'll leave a little snippet of the experience: the requisite raw oysters (ocean front venue) was $27-one could easily do the math and figure out this was going to be 4, maybe 6 oysters and certainly not a dozen. Okay fine: "local oysters hand foraged from surrounding waters". When the oysters were served I asked where in particular on this New Jersey shoreline they were gathered? "Oh those are PEI's...err Prince Edward Island...oysters." With all due respect to the precious taste buds and pallets of the northeastern shoreline, but that dog don't hunt down south. The beef shank? A bit dry and the overly generous portion out punched the gravy by a country mile. The crab cakes ($52)? Holy cow at $26/ per one would expect to have your socks knocked off. We asked for Tabasco sauce to wash them down. Average food at outlandish prices presented in a spuriously misleading manner. Come on man. Be better. I don't leave cranky reviews but the price-value ratio was out-of-balance and you sure don't print "hand foraged local oysters" and then plate commodity PEI's (no disrespect to Canadians and their sundry shellfish). read more

The food and wine selections were so great. The biggest disappointment was the matter of fact state of the arrival and discovery of the broken chair that my wife almost sat down on. Our server "Chris" was a reason that if we were to go back again, I would have to leave. He captured an attitude when he brought our guest a Cabernet instead of Sauvignon wine. Just ruined what we anticipated for the evening. The Inn is beautiful. read more

I was really looking forward to going back to Peter Shields, but after my experience yesterday I won't be back. The maitre'd, Shawn B. embarrassed my family and made us all uncomfortable over a $15.00 drink that we never said we wouldn't pay for. The drink is described as being made with rum and lavender. It tasted like it was made with tequila. After asking for something else from our waiter. Shawn B. came to our table with a shot of the rum he said they made the drink with. A local distillery rum tasting like tequila? It was rude and extremely unprofessional. It set a tone for a terrible experience. Our waiter, another Shawn was great and the food was good. read more

The food remains overall very good, though for the first time in 4 years I had a big disappointment with my filet, and portion size has gotten a lot smaller, while prices have doubled for my Thanksgiving prix fixe. Service was very hands off, which can be nice but despite having two bussers for my small party, I never had enough water for two hours dining, food came out very slowly, plates cleared very slowly, and no offer of more rolls. It all felt stingy, and unwelcoming, and I was conscious of their need to turn over tables like I never felt in years past. Again, prices have doubled since my first Thanksgiving at PSI. Inflation is inflation but charging 100% more for 20-25% less isn't going to go unnoticed. This was my 4th, after missing last year due to illness, and by this year, prices just cannot justify the portions nor service, and I hate to say food quality on my entree (the last thing you want to screw up) was just not there. It was very busy, as they pack the house, round after round, starting at 2:30pm, but with PSI's reputation they ought to demonstrate they can handle that! In years past we were able to sit out on the porch, with enclosures and heat lamps. It absolutely contributed so much to the experience. But this year, they wouldn't allow it at the time of my reservation, though tables were dressed on the porch upon arrival, and further request was denied. So this year I paid more for a lesser experience. My filet was actually tough on the edges, like so tough it was not easy to chew. I asked for medium rare but it was overdone on the outer edges and raw inside. I know they're capable of rendering it pink-pseudo-cooked inside and throughout. Both filets in my party were awful. A few months ago I had a beautiful (bigger) filet at Lobster House for a lot less. First course was crafted well, taste was excellent, but portions and offerings are not exciting like they used to be. Thanksgiving turkey entree was as good as always. Heaviest plate on the table. They began offering light or dark meat this year (always light before). Got a mix but I didn't feel the dark meat was prepared as well, unfortunately. Otherwise this plate is always a win. Desserts were classic standards, tastily prepared, and the raspberry sorbet is a new life food memory for me, absolutely perfect! I will never forget that sorbet. My God! Unfortunately the godly sorbet didn't make my filet any better, nor magically add more food to each plate, nor fill up my water. Probably won't return next year. Paying a 23% tip (30-35% in past years) was painful for this experience. Sad to move on after years of good memories. Maybe things will improve in the future? read more

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Just had an amazing dinner for restaurant week. All three dishes were delicious and service very good. Will be back to try regular menu read more

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

Not the Peter Shields I had gone to in the past. The piano player 5 stars The water server 5 stars Front desk - front of house - 5 stars Ambiance / The entire property - 10 stars - except parking - no parking provided for dinner guests. Waitress 2 stars - inattentive the entire service - never offered or brought out a bread basket - then when the check finally came we waited forever for her to retrieve it and cash us out Appetizer - 3 stars - could have used just a tad more something flavor wise Entree - 4 stars - the duck skin managed to stay somewhat crispy even though there was a topping on it - after putting in the work to get that skin perfectly crisp - don't then put something on it Dessert - negative stars - described as a Classic Crème Brûlée- what came out under the crusted sugar was a white runny substance - disgraceful given this establishment. Couldn't believe they pushed that mess out! As if someone eating there would not know exactly what Crème Brûlée was! So while Peter Shields is still just a lovely place to be - sadly- dinner was a very disappointing experience. read more

Great food great service the only thing l would like to eat in dinning room for 2 people

Great food with outstanding service,a tough combination to beat. A great place to visit on special occasions.

This restaurant is definitely for a special night out beautiful mansion with baby grand piano playing and the food is wonderful

The service was impeccable. Our waiter Dillon was friendly, efficient and there when we needed him without being overbearing. A pianist played and you could text your request to him, which we did several times and loved hearing every one of our appeals granted. It was also fun deciphering the pop tunes we'd hear turned into piano sonatas. The setting was elegant but not stuffy and the food-two courses for each of four of us all getting something different- was truly an array of culinary creations! Truly exceeded expectations! read more

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

My wife and I came here for a nice meal. We brought our own cocktails and enjoyed them with great ice service by the waiter. For appetizers, I had foie gras and my wife had a crab salad. Both were very good. Then for main courses, my wife had a fillet which she loved, and I had crab cakes, which were great. And we shared a dessert. In another locale, it would have been a four star meal but in Cape May in August, definitely a 5. There seems to be a general lack of "summer help," and businesses are using thT as an excuse for weird hours, daily closures and bad service. PSI is the opposite. If you want a fine dining experience in Cape May, go here. read more

I've dined here 3 times now over the course of the past 5 years and while the atmosphere and service remain incredible, I feel the food has gone downhill - though still good. They got a new chef a year ago and I suspect that's why. still good, no longer great IMO read more