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Primal By Mia

4.4 (199 reviews)
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Updated 1 week ago

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Appetizer of lobster ravioli with seared scallops in a shallot cream sauce.
Ocean City B.

Absolutely incredible. Food is wonderful and artfully presented. The salad and dressing were the best. Wood fired filet with truffle mashed potatoes were beyond belief. Dessert was imaginative. The price point was very reasonable considering the inclusions.... homemade bread with two dipping sauces, a large salad and dessert. Service was impeccable. Beautiful surroundings with ocean and beach views. Primal is an absolute must visit!

Jeffrey S.

Had a really nice dinner here last week. Service was attentive and the décor was chick and inviting. Unfortunately we arrived after dark so we couldn't see the much lauded ocean view. Food was excellent. Steak was cooked to perfection over a wood fired grill giving it a perfect sear. The restaurant isn't cheap by any means and the $20 plate sharing for a massive $80 steak that I assume is usually shared by more than one person is annoying. I also took exception that an additional shot glass sized steak sauce was $6. Delicious salad and dessert is included as is service of amazing piping hot bread. When visiting Cape May if you're in the mood for a truly delicious meal, if cost isn't an issue, I highly recommend you give them a spin. You won't be disappointed.

Filet
Vivian R.

Gorgeous Waterfront, Excellent Service. Primal by Mia in Cape May offers stunning waterfront views and takes reservations -- a big plus! Our three appetizers were delicious and beautifully presented, and the complimentary salad was a pleasant surprise. The Chilean seabass was perfectly cooked, and the steaks. The steaks all came out medium well instead of one medium rare. I'd suggest going lighter on the salt, especially in the mashed potatoes & fish. Service was flawless -- our waitress was attentive and friendly, and presentation was 5-star. The cakes for dessert were the perfect sweet ending. Highly recommend for a memorable meal by the water!

Donna P.

Primal by Mia was a great experience. The steaks were absolutely delicious--perfectly cooked and seasoned. The staff was warm and attentive, and the views were wonderful. Every dish we had was excellent. Highly recommend!

Bread
Larry M.

Our first visit to Primal was for my wife's birthday. It was so good that we returned last night for our anniversary. Ambience, service and food are all first rate. It's now our favorite restaurant.

Grace A.

Came to Primal for dinner during a July weeklong vacation with friends. Happy to report the meal, the location, the ambiance, all lead to a fantastic spot to check out. The entire staff was extremely kind & helpful, food was delicious.

Dinner menu
Alexandra I.

WOW! What an amazing spot. Now I see why a reservation is so tough to get here. If you don't already know, they open reservations 10 days out and they're completely booked within minutes. Totally worth the wait though! The food was absolutely incredible. Every dish felt so fresh and full of flavor. And the special dessert that's included? Truly the perfect finishing touch, unique and delicious. We left already talking about when we can come back. Highly recommend this place if you get the chance to snag a reservation!

Filet & lobster tail
Nicole P.

We've been following chef Mia for over 10 years and she does not disappoint. The restaurant feels cozy, rustic, yet elevated. The menu is on the smaller side which is nice. We sat ocean view and started off with their fresh bread and complimentary salad (perfect portion for 3). Skipped apps this time, but ordered the 6 oz filet paired with an Alaskan lobster tail. I'm super picky with lobster in general because i have a weird texture thing. However, this was the consistency of crab which I love! 10/10 would recommend this dish. My mom got the Chilean sea bass and it was also 10/10. My dad got the NY strip(not pictured) but was also raved about it! The mashed potatoes are also a MUST!!!! They are fantastic!!!! Ended the meal with a complimentary dessert (such a nice touch!). Our server was Trey - he was fantastic. Did not try to upsell and offered honest opinions on what he liked/didn't like. Again, Mia does not disappoint. If you are in cape may or near-this is a must go too!

Primal
Jim G.

Another trip back to Cape May and of course a stop at Primal. Always the best meal of the week! Service by Trey was exceptional and the dinner, well let me just say the pork chop never disappoints! Tender and juicy! The mashed potatoes were incredible! If you're looking for that special dinner, this is the place to be in Cape May.

My wife and I so enjoyed everything about this restaurant. Trey was an excellent server and very knowledgeable of the menu items. His suggestions were spot on. His service was above and beyond. He was a big part of our most wonderful experience. The food....MY GOODNESS....prepared perfectly and absolutely delicious. Our compliments to the chef(s). First, the dressing on the salad. Made right there. So tasty. The twin African lobster tails were outstanding (a Trey suggestion). Always had the Maine, not the African Lobster Tail. The meat did have a sweeter taste. Can't wait to have that again sometime. My wife had the Filet Mignon with the garlic peppercorn sauce. She loved it!!! She said the Filet Mignon almost melted in her mouth it was so tender. The vegetable platter we ordered was delicious! Even the bread served before the meal was delicious. The decor is beautiful. It wasn't brightly lit. Perfect for dining. This will be one of our favorite places to fine dine when we visit the Jersey shore.

Chuck O.

My wife had been wanting to go to this restaurant for years and we were able to finally snatch a reservation a week earlier for our large group. This place had deliciousness all over from beginning to end. We had the tuna app which was delicious. I had the filet which was top notch. I got the sauce mix to try everything. They give complimentary salad and dessert which were fantastic. Definitely one I would go back to. The staff was great and I got to say hello to Mia as well! Thank you!!

Double bone Pork Chop, Truffle Yukon, Mixed Vegetables, Chilean Sea Bass
Vince D.

Down in Cape May for a family vacation and researched a good place to celebrate our wedding anniversary dinner. All signs pointed to this place, so I tried my luck and snagged a reservation 10 days prior at 9am ( they were quickly out of slots after that). Our waiter Connor was as attentive and knowledgeable as you could have ever wanted. His recommendations were on point and he guided us perfectly. The food could not have been better. A pickled vegetable salad and a decadent dessert were included with our meal and they did not miss. The hostess stopped by for a great chat and we were even able to catch Mia's ear for a few as well. The place made you feel at home, feel fancy, and surpassed all of our expectations. If you're able to get a reservation, do not hesitate!

Complimentary salad
Madison P.

Wow. PLEASE EAT HERE!!!! The food is amazing. The dry aged ribeye was downright the best steak everyone at the table has ever had, and we had some serious steak lovers at the table. I could go on and on about how delicious everything was but there's no point, just go and make that reservation.

Burrata appetizer

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1 year ago

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8 months ago

After we had a problem with our reservation the staff bent over backwards to accommodate us. The food was outstanding. Love this place

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10 months ago

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9 months ago

Amazing... amazing... amazing... from the service to the steak... rivals some Manhattan places

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Business owner information

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Mia C.

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2 years ago

Great location, food, ambience, staff all make for a 5 star experience. Highly recommend.

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Ask the Community - Primal By Mia

Are table for one reservations available? I just checked the reservation site. Multiple date and time reservations are available for a table for two but none for a table for one.

Just click 2 and note you will be 1 person !! Mia

How can I purchase a gift card?

I'll give cards are available for pick up only between the hours 4 to 9pm thursday through sunday.

Is the bar seating first come first serve?

Yes it is !!

I'm aware that kids need to sit upfront by the kitchen area and that you don't have highchairs. Can they sit in their stroller upfront?

Thats fine

I was told kids and highchairs must sit up front in the kitchen area, has anyone sat in the kitchen area before? If so, what is it like?

Hello i do not have any highchairs in my establishment or a kids menu .All kids must sit upfront.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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We stopped in this restaurant for some seafood while shopping in the Cape May Washington street…read moremall Our server Edwin was amazing. Very attentive with an infectious smile. He took great care of us. We loved all our food. The lobster roll was my favorite. I have some left over for dinner. Can't wait to return to try something else

I wasn't planning on reviews while on my vacation, but Hubs asked for this one. While there are…read moreseveral places in Cape May to get a Lobster Roll, we chose Cape May Fish Market because it had lots of seating indoors & out. It was quite chilly while we visited Cape May so we really wanted to sit inside. First, the positive: The place is clean and the staff is nice. The Lobster Roll is delicious and the Shrimp Cesar Salad tasted good, but this is also where it goes bad. It is a huge salad and only had 3 shrimp. The cost of the salad is the same as the Lobster Roll. There is no way a salad should cost 26.99 and only have 3 shrimp. A pound of shrimp market value is approximately $25.99 depending on size & location. When it was expressed to our server, she quoted market price increases and that we could order more shrimp at an upcharge. If market price for shrimp is that bad, take it off the menu or offer alternatives like adding chicken that won't result in an upcharge or advise your customers upon ordering that they'd only get 3 shrimp. Hubs probably would have ordered something else. It's Cape May Fish Market so they should be upfront about their seafood. I didn't really care for the fact that we asked about it and were brushed off. While we'll definitely return to Cape May, we may not return here. .

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A popular kitchy place, cozy inside and has outdoor seating. BYOB. Friendly service. Enjoyed the…read morekale 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.

10 stars. One of my favorite meals in recent memory, and will be a must any time I return to Cape…read moreMay. 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.

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We loved it here and definitely would come back. We searched comprehensively for a special dinner…read moreexperience for our last night in Cape May, and initially we were taken aback because we could not get a reservation before 7pm on a pre-season Tuesday in May. So we went early (no problem being seated around 5:30 or so, but it did seem full an hour later) and were we ever rewarded. Everything was simply perfect, including Vicki, our veteran and down to earth waiter. When we are unsure of things, she provided expert guidance with kindness and wisdom. The mussels appetizer are an experience not to be missed - save the bread for lapping up its saucy juice. My wife loved the pork chop - its huge and she took half home for lunch. I devoured the blackened fish of the day over bok choy. Both simply were outstanding. If/when again in Cape May again, we'd certainly come back. With a reservation!

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Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar - Eggs Benedict

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3.8(1.4k reviews)
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Yelp Mad Batter…read morereally impressed me. There we were, in Cape May on Thanksgiving Saturday looking for parking nearby. After finally finding a space, we walked up to Mad Batter, where there were already a number of people standing outside. We were a party of seven, so this wasn't looking good for us. Well, we had a Thanksgiving miracle. They had a table ready for us in less that ten minutes! The food and service here were both very good. I had the crab cake sandwich. It was very mild in flavor but still good. I recommend it, but I'll try some of their other offerings before I get it again. My sister-in-law had one of the specials, the Fried Tomato & Cracked Black Pepper Bacon Sandwich. She and my brother agreed that it was messy but delicious. The lobster mayo set it off nicely. Our server was really friendly and accommodating. She made sure we were taken well care of. We pointed out an error in the check, and she was very kind in taking care of it, and gave no attitude. If you can find parking, this place is worth coming to!

The worse possible service ever! TO THE OWNER: Please…read moreremind all waitstaff to ask customers about any allergies before serving food, to ensure their safety and prevent any potential harm. I ordered the harvest salad with candied walnuts. I have no idea what candied walnuts are, so I wish the waiter asked if I had any allergies because they can SOMETIMES contain cinnamon in it and I am allergic to cinnamon. When the salad came out I started to eat the salad and noticed my throat starting to feel funny. I didn't mix the salad well so I just ate the arugula with the sauce and the chicken. Half way through I noticed there were walnuts and I took a bite of it and my throat immediately started to swell and I can feel my face and tongue getting itchy. Thank god I have my allergy medications on me, but what if the next person this happens to doesn't... We immediately told the server about my cinnamon allergy and the waiter looked at me like I was joking because I ate half of it and then asked me "So you're done with that?" and I said, "Yes I can't eat it anymore, I'm allergic to it and it's contaminated with everything else. I felt my throat starting to close up, but I am okay because I have my allergy medicine. " He asked if I wanted anything else and I said no just a hot tea to help with inflammation. I appreciate that the server was trying to help us out, but he still came back with the bill and said the owner is still going to charge me because it says candied walnuts on the menu, implying that it's my fault...I really expected this place to have better service, but looking at past reviews I can see how this place has overpriced underrated food and terrible service. They don't care about their customers and certainly just focused on making money. Hopefully after today they include that their candied walnuts have cinnamon in it! Or at the very least ask the customers if they have any allergies beforehand

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Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar - Inside area

Inside area

Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar - Double pepperoni pizza; Chicken Caesar (1/3/26)

Double pepperoni pizza; Chicken Caesar (1/3/26)

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Primal By Mia - seafood - Updated May 2026

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