It's my go to place in Dewey ! I love the Rusty Rudder , the orange crushes and the view

Run don't walk his scrape Mecca of scratch cakes and other Sea Fare include great nachos great drinks great find hot women and cold drinks because I'm now come off read more

Rusty Rudder - Here is a real crab cake dude - American Near Me - Dewey Beach, Delaware

I recommend this restaurant. The view is amazing and the entertainment is awesome!! The service is amazing. My friend and I came to celebrate my birthday and the food was not what I expected and the waitress, Leah, took it out of our bill and she was super nice about it. If you want to have a great time, go visit Rusty Rudder. I hope you will have an amazing time as my friend and I did!!! :) read more

Rusty Rudder - American Near Me - Dewey Beach, Delaware

Saw group of 10 bouncers knock out a kid unconscious and still continued to kick him in the head. Heard multiple stories like this. Management encourages it. There are purposely no cameras on site. If you want to have a safe night do not recommend at all. read more

My wife & I enjoyed a very pleasant meal on their outdoor dining area overlooking the bay. I had the blue cheese wedge salad with a generous grilled salmon filet. My wife's salmon BLT sandwich was reportedly worthy of a repeat order. Live music was provided by the talented Chris Diller Band. We will be back during our next Dewey Beach vacation. read more

The Drinks & Live Music Were Amazing but the Blonde Hostess with the American Flag Mask was extremely rude and she destroyed the whole good vibe I had. Definitely not something I'd expect from such a friendly looking restaurant and would not recommend coming for the rude service. read more

Having made the Rusty Rudder an annual family tradition I couldn't have been more disappointed. Clearly the quality has gone WAY down. The sushi was mushy, the crab cooked to hell and back, was not edible, the salad bar was warm, and the shrimp were way way way over cooked and mealy. Nothing I had was enjoyable except the ice cream, however the dessert bar was out of hot fudge and there were no spoons. Also the only offering for meat was the very end of the prime rib... not appetizing at all. For $40 per head, the Rusty Rudder should be ashamed of this type of quality. The fact we spent over $400 for this makes me sick. We won't be back, ever. read more

Rusty Rudder - Nasty - American Near Me - Dewey Beach, Delaware

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Food was delicious. Got Asian chicken wraps. Dan got the crab cakes. Everyone was very pleasant. read more

Rusty Rudder - Asian chicken wraps. Yum - American Near Me - Dewey Beach, Delaware

It's rare I feel the need to take the time to leave a bad review but this one I couldn't avoid. There were a number of issues with my visit which will certainly be my last but I'm going to limit it to one thing. My six year old daughter was served applesauce covered in mold. Not just a little but all out stinking nasty green turn your stomach mold. My wife couldn't eat her food, all of our stomachs were doing flip flops and no manager ever appeared. I have never asked for any consideration on a check at any restaurant but if ever there was a time it was this one. No manager, no consideration for something that could have put my child in the hospital, asking for simple things like old bay fell on deaf ears and their buffet is gone. I certainly won't be back and I can't imagine why anyone would decide to put their family at risk and eat here. read more

If you're looking for a nice venue for bayside drinks and music, the Rudder is still nice for this. And as a disclaimer, my review can only speak to the Land and Sea buffet. This was my wife's first trip to the Delaware shore, and I wanted to offer her a wide variety of seafood to try. 20 years ago, the Land and Sea buffet was a sumptuous feast. Not anymore. I should have checked out the buffet before I ordered. The crab balls were dry and overly salty. The cod and other white fish portions were likewise dry and somehow managed to be luke warm even though they were on a steamer table. Whitefish should generally be flaky, not leathery. Aside from the clams, I doubt that any of the seafood on the buffet was fresh and/or local. The deep fried seafoods were the best items on the buffet. But, of course, I can get those at any seafood chain in the midwest. Sincerely disappointed that the Rusty Rudder's standards have fallen to this. Certainly not worth $40/person. read more

Tried to place a to go order from multiple other businesses in Dewey on a Thursday night and was met with a few rude hostesses and poor customer service. Called into Rusty Rudder and they happily took my HUGE to go order for a large group and were SO kind and friendly, even nearing the midst of a busy dinner rush! The food was amazing and delicious as always and they practiced great safety measures during Covid. I've been coming to Rusty Rudder for years and was happy to continue to be pleased with them during these "unprecedented times". Can't wait to see them again next summer! read more

Worst nachos I've ever had. The cheese was cold and lumpy. Nothing here was good and the service was so slow. I get you guys are a beach town restaurant and probably don't rely on repeat customers to stay in business but come on. Do better. read more

Rusty Rudder - Cold and lumpy cheese - American Near Me - Dewey Beach, Delaware

I went with a group of friends to celebrate our friends 21st. We are all of age obviously using real ID's. Our rude server- short w the pink hair, told our other friend with a Jersey ID his was fake which it wasn't. She double checked with the managers and bartenders and they all agreed before we handed him back his BENT ID- they damaged his license. We talked to the manager and she stood with the server. We BEGGED them to get the police here and they wouldn't because they probably knew his ID was real but didn't want to get stiffed. Bottom line they were really rude and disrespectful over a situation they were wrong in. Would highly recommend against ever patronizing this business. Thank read more

This was a night from hell! We ordered food which took 30 minutes and wanted to cancel the order, when I told the bartender I wanted to do this she went from A to Z in a matters of minutes, she became very abusive! And just sent off on us for no reason, when we asked for the check she threw the pen at us! Then she became belligerent started screaming at us! I will do nothing but pass bad word of mouth! She should be fired I have no name for her but she was on the thick side brown Hair and a bad attitude. read more

A friend recommended this popular place & our adventure began with a broken parking meter. Took our credit card info but gave us no ticket. The prices were ridiculous ($27 for a caprese salad with chicken; $23 for mediocre fish & chips!). A storm was coming thru with rain & winds & gray skies. The door divider was open & the breeze was so cold, our food was not hot 5 minutes after placing it on the table. When we asked if they could close the doors, she said no. We were a party of 10 & the policy is no split checks! 10 adults digging into their wallets for cash and calculating the 18% automatic tip was absurd!! Such a bad experience. I gave 2 stars for the attentive waiter & prompt service. We were greeted on the way in but no acknowledgement as we left. Will not go back! read more

This place has an awesome view, and great live music as well. I love to sit out on their deck and have a margarita, and we recently were allowed to bring our well-behaved dogs to sit in certain areas of the deck. We had a nice dinner here - would love a few more vegetarian options, but everything we did have was very solid, and the service was excellent. This is not intending to be a high-end kind of a place, but it's fun, and the people who work there are very good at their jobs. Definitely recommended! read more

Used to come here years ago and was classy establishment and could count on a good quality meal. Dinner tonight was a disaster, very poor service, some of my food was not done and we could not find our server. I would not recommend this place for a meal. Way overpriced for the poor quality and horrible service. What I did enjoy was drinks at the bar before we were seated for dinner. Drinks were excellent and pretty location on the water. So I'd say fun place for drinks, but nothing more. Very overpriced food. Total rip off. read more

We had a great experience here. We arrived close to closing and did not realize it, but they were accommodating and did not rush us. Food was delicious and service was great. Highly recommend. read more

Cold, tasteless food, warm beer and poor service. Great entertainment and sunset views are the only reason to come to this establishment

Ewww the star is because the view. All the food sucked. My beers were 8.50 and our waitress was blah. I hate to complain I swear but this was a waste of money and calories. If I ever return it will be for drinks. I've actually changed my mind already because beers ate 8 freaking 50 ! The best part of this joint was view. read more

First, let me get the good part out of the way. Since it sits right on the bay, the scenery was welcoming. Service was ok. Now the bad: I got the fried shrimp and their french fries; my wife got the steak, fries, corn, and a salad. The fries are not that good. They are, in my opinion, over-fried and did not taste very well. My wife's steak was tasteless and overpriced. The corn tasted bad and my wife chose to get another salad instead. Overall, nice location, but not good food and overpriced. We will never come back to this place again. read more

On Thursday 8/5, my friends and I decided to eat and have drinks here. I put my card down to open a tab and throughout the night consistently bought drinks. Everything was going great until my friend and I noticed that two of our friends were being escorted by security. When we got up to see what was going on, a bartender pointed in my friend's and my face and said "AND HIM AND HIM GET THEM OUT OF HERE!!!" As we were asking why we were being kicked out, the security said it was because we were ordering and not tipping (which was not true). After we went to close out the tab, we tipped the bartender very generously but still got thrown out for whatever reason. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. NO WAY AM I EVER COMING BACK HERE AGAIN. read more

Not sure how it has a 3.9 star overall rating on Google, but it deserves 1. Thé food is very overpriced. Our mistake for ordering the tempura lobster tails as an app. 37 bucks wasted on a fried lobster tail the size of that you get at your local Red Lobster. Felt nauseous as well. Service nothing special. Stay away. You would rather spend your money at the local deli down the road for a lunch you can take to the beach. read more

This place has gone down hill. We used to come for the seafood buffet which was a great value. Unfortunately, since they did away with the buffet you need to depend on waiters and waitresses. The service is abysmal. After being seated at out table, we waited 1/2 hour for the waitress to even notice we were there. The food was nothing special and the crab legs were severely overcooked. You might want to note that they remove the tables at 9:00 p.m. which means they start taking them out at 8:30 and you'll feel very rushed to finish up if you come to dine during sunset. We used to look forward to this place every year. Not any more. read more

I went a couple days ago for a light lunch and a few drinks. Will the server was awesome. The crushes were great as always. We had wings, chicken tenders, and clams. All came out on time and tasted as expected. Thank you Will!! read more

Just left. Sat at the bar and watched several folks get service. The Bartender Mitch? Ignored me. Even gave the guy head nod. Left the bat and went to another. read more

So I'll start off with a compliment: They have a gorgeous view of the water and that would seriously help if you brought a date for dinner. A few friends and I came in for dinner and I was not impressed at all with the food or the drinks. I had the worst pina colada I've ever had here. I never send anything back at a restaurant and normally would just suffer through something bad, but that one had to go. The dark and stormy that followed it wasn't very good either. We also ordered some other appetizers and, while they were okay, they definitely weren't memorable. If I came back, it would only be to relax and enjoy the view over some beer and appetizers. I wouldn't stay for more than that. read more

Very pleasantly surprised!! After the less than stellar reviews for RR I fought my group and didn't want to go here. So glad we did! The staff was welcoming from the parking guys on in. I saw where they did a refurb and I can't help but to think that helped. The dining room was bright and clean as was the buffet area. Now on to the food: everything everybody had was great! The crab legs were some of the best I've had at buffets! They were well cooked, fresh not strong crabby tasting and there was enough variety on the buffet for everyone in our group if nine. read more

Food is mediocre. Our 1st waitress, Marina, was very attentive. Then we moved our location to be closer to the water and the breeze and we became invisible. The waitress never asked us if we needed drinks or anything. She was very busy waiting on much larger tables. A Corona Light cost $7.50! Very pricey! Tried the Skinny Raspberry Lemonade and it was awful- sent it back. The music was fun! Enjoyed Greaseband and Special Delivery. Wish the sound was a little better though. Often hard to hear the vocalists. Won't rush to go back. read more

I have a feeling that whatever I write here won't matter much because this place is a Dewey Beach iconic location and people will go no matter what. So, 2 caveats with this review...we're vegan and it's off season. We were staying at the hotel next door so this was convenient but we had to piece together things from the menu that we could eat. The servers were very accommodating and very friendly. They do have a terrific, albeit expensive buffet but it wasn't worth it for what we could eat. Other people seemed to like it a lot. That being said since it was off season they were out of a lot of stuff...like several draft beers. On a FRIDAY NIGHT. Plus they were out of balsamic vinaigrette. Really? The bar area and deck looked cool but we didn't really experience those unless you include the guy who told us he was really drunk. read more

Service was sub par. They refused to give us separate checks for a party of 8. Ordered fish and chips and received 1 small piece of fish with the fries. However, one of the kids at our table ordered Salmon and got a piece 3 times the size of my fish for $7 LESS. Maybe I should've ordered off the kids menu. Not a good evening at all. We were made to feel rushed because it took almost 45 minutes to get our food and they needed to tear down our table due to staffing. So much more to tell but not enough room. Manager was a little combative after I had a discussion with her. Not the a good value, but the 20 something's were having a good time after 9:00. read more

My first time in Dewey Beach was a couple weeks ago (Early June) and the Rusty Rudder was the exact place my friends and I were looking for. We got there around 1030 on a Friday night and the band Split Decision was playing there. We paid our $5 cover and made our way to the open back area of the bar. The layout of the bar is great. The place is huge, and the back deck has a giant spot for people to dance or just be close to the stage when the band is playing. There was another bar behind the stage that served us really well during the night. Even though it was pretty crowded I felt like I didn't wait more than a couple minutes to be served at the back bar. They didn't skimp on the drinks and they were pretty cheap, too. We had so much fun Friday night, we came back SATURDAY night too. Every other bar seemed like it was going to be a madhouse, and Rusty Rudder was right next to our hotel so we said screw it and had another great time. The live music is on point here and it's a really fun atmosphere. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

The bouncers at the establishment exercise excessive force as a result of their sense of entitlement. A group of us witnessed 3 bouncers put a non-threatening man in a chokehold and drag him out. When asked why they did so we were told it was because he was stumbling, when we had seen him leaning against the pole in the same spot for 5 minutes prior. We then saw them do this to a second man, who they also insulted using profane language that was unnecessary. Both men put their hands up defenselessly but the bouncers continued using excessive force regardless. I also was personally told to "f*ck off" by one of the bouncers when asked why they did this to the guests. I am a lady and do not appreciate being spoken to in such a vulgar and disrespectful manner. They should be extremely ashamed of their behavior and management should be aware of this and train their staff in order to avoid assault lawsuits. By law, bouncers are required to ask guests to leave before attacking them brutally. Additionally, the drinks are watered down. I will not be recommending this place to anyone and will be sure to tell those of all the wrongdoing they commit toward their guests. What I saw was assault. Know that you are taking that risk and it may occur without explanation if you choose to go here. read more

Stopped in for lunch and quickly got amazing seating out doors and under cover crib the blazing sun. There was great live music and the atmosphere was fun and relaxing. The calamari and trio dip appetizers were very good. I had a chopped salad with a crab cake, it was OK. Crab was a bit fishy but edible. Margarita was good, but the second one that came was gross, it tasted like sour mix. Oh well, we will give them another shot. read more

Rusty Rudder - Margarita - American Near Me - Dewey Beach, Delaware

I'm a 56 year old guy and I was physically thrown out of the place for questioning the bouncer about the policy of letting people in after leaving the place. read more

We checked in to our Hotel and were starving and just went to the nearest place and sooo lucked out we landed here. The Lobster Roll and the Lobster MAC and Cheese was amazing. The Mac and Cheese was in a pot that helped give that amazing cheese crust on all sides. We didn't have drinks this time but they had a great fun menu. We will be back though before we leave. read more

If you're in Dewey Beach and looking for a fun night out, check out the Rudder. It was happening on the Thursday night we were here, and probably gets crazier on weekends. Decent cover band outside on the packed deck area. Less decent DJ inside... who insisted on sticking with hits from the first half of this decade, classics such as Hollaback Girl. Crowd ranged from early twenties looking to hook up, to 40s and 50s getting drunk off their arses. Many more middle aged folks than I expected, but they were partying and shaking it along with everyone else. Leaving the bar and the parking lot are quite the scene at 2am... if you're still looking for a wasted guy or girl to bring home that's the time... Metered parking til midnight in their lot is a bit of a chafe, especially since one quarter only buys you 12 minutes. But no cover (at least on thurs) and reasonably priced drinks ($3.75 beers and $5 shots). Definitely go if you've got that "I'm at the beach and looking to party" feeling going on. read more

Ate here on a vacation with my family. I got buffalo chicken wings and a margarita. The food was great. I'd say the food in general here is 4/5 stars however the great customer service, beautiful scenery, musical talent and fun atmosphere made this night one to remember. Plus they have a sundae bar unlimited ice cream and toppings for only $5. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for a great night out! read more

Fantastic buffet, everything you could want and excellent quality. It's not cheap ($35/PP) but if you love shellfish/seafood - it's great. Crablegs, Sushi, Clams (little neck, very tasty), raw oysters and clams, beef station, pasta station, and an entire buffett of other foods (fried chicken, meatloaf etc). I love clams and oysters, the quality here is excellent - not oily/buttery clams you get at most buffets. I doubt there is a better buffett in Dewey/Rehobeth or OC. read more

What an entertaining evening! First off, they had a DJ and live band. The DJ was good but only on for a bit. The main act was a band named Kristen and the Noise. I'm not usually a live band. I think they always sound kinda corny covering radio hits. But the set of pipes on this chick was impressive! They hopped between pop hits, oldies and even some alternative (who knew a chick could sing Rage Against the Machine so well?). I was thoroughly entertained by them and rockin' out all evening! But the other entertainment was also high-larious! The entertainment is called people watching. The bar is mostly college age kids, so I guess we were the old heads at 30. I did spot the random mom and dad out for an evening of "crazyness" too, but they weren't half as entertaining as the youngin's! There was the blacked out drunk couple sucking face and swaying sloppily from side to side. I'm betting neither knew each other before or will remember each other in the morning. I witnessed two almost girl fights, with fighting words such as, "watch where you're going (insert roll of the eyes)." I know, intense! Oh yeah, drinks were cheap, although you will not find any craft beers on tap. Not that kind of spot my friends. Miller Light, Coors Light, Light, Light, Light... you know the drill. But the good thing is, it was mostly happy drunks to out to have a good time, probably a good time that lasted all summer until school started up again. Normally this isn't my scene, but I totally embraced it (except for the getting black out drunk part)! read more