BYOB AND CASH ONLY. I really enjoyed the experience. It was a fun evening. The lights are dim and music is loud. Bathroom is dark and music from twilight zone. This is a small bite/plate tasting. They totally take care of their customers who are gluten free. My husband is not GF. We both had a delightful dinner. They change the menu every few weeks. Shout out to James the best concierge. read more

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BYOB and cash only! We scored a last-minute reservation for 4 people, presumably due to a cancellation. We were especially excited to visit Shamone's new location. Bigger space and same great vibe/experience. We love the eclectic décor and the fun music! One seating per evening at 7:00 PM sharp. No menus necessary...sit back and allow the chefs to wow you with their creations. It's a 14 course dinner, but I find we're not stuffed into oblivion when leaving. Perfect portion sizes with bites small enough to enjoy the works without tapping-out. This is truly a highly enjoyable dining experience. The lights are dim, but you can still see what you're eating. Dining by candlelight is the best! I even love the toilet paper display in the bathroom (extra rolls all up the wall). So unique! A Cape May must-try! read more

** This review is based off the New Years Eve dinner experience only. The previous one is of the brunch. ** After having an amazing brunch experience here before, we were dying to return to try their dinner experience. We saw they had seating available for New Years Eve dinner so figured it was the time to try it. FYI, their dinner menus are a 15 course tapas style with different meals each night. You don't know what you're getting until you get there. The New Years Eve dinner was an 11 course meal which included the below: 1. Butternut squash soup cooked with cream and champagne 2. Oysters on the rocks with a spicy Thai sauce 3. Smoked salmon Wonton 4. Miso and honey duck wings 5. Mexican sweet corn flatbread 6. Pear and pomegranate salad with arugula miso and ginger vinaigrette 7. Swordfish with asparagus with shallots and butter cream sauce 8. Lamb chops with chipotle risotto (very smoky which I love) 9. Grilled scallops, roasted zucchini, arugula (lemon butter shallots, vinegar) 10. Braised short rib with Yukon truffle mashed potatoes 11. Ambrosia salad and pomegranates (cantaloupe, cream, apples, and blueberries) Everything was delicious! My favorite dish was the Honey Duck wings which were really drumsticks. The duck skin was so crispy and the sauce was sweet. I was also a huge fan of the Chipotle Risotto, that smoky taste complimented the creaminess and the lamb chops really well. The braised short rib was so tender too! The only part that fell flat to me was the Ambrosia Salad. Don't get me wrong, it was good for Ambrosia Salad, but I think we would've preferred literally any other dish for dessert. The whole experience took about 2 hours which was a very fun experience I'll add. The anticipation and the surprise of what's coming next keeps the whole night exciting. The only criticism which I share with other reviewers is that the music is too dang loud. To their credit, I did notice they took it down a notch, but I think they could've take it down like 2 more notches, we still ended up having to talk very loudly to each other. One suggestion I'll make to diners: don't come starving, eat some french fries or a bag of chips before coming. You won't leave hungry, but you won't leave full either. Overall, I still highly recommend trying the dinner experience. Every dish we've gotten was cooked to perfection with amazing plating. I only wish the lighting was better so I could share pictures but it was pretty dark in there. This is a very fun, delicious, and unique experience for dinner. read more

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This is one of my new favorite restaurants. We went for the 15 course dinner and enjoyed every bite. The salmon course and the lamb chops were my favorite but the menu will probably be different next time we go. The ambiance was so fun and really elevated it all. Fun, top hits are played while you are there and it's dark but you can still see your food. Your eyes just need a minute to adjust from being in the sun. The service was also amazing and seamless! We can't wait to go again and see what the chef and his staff come up with! read more

Shamone Bites is a 15 course tasting menu. It's also BYOB. It was $55pp Basically you get 15 bites of food (some are bigger) chosen by the chef. James is the concierge guru and does a fantastic job making sure everyone's needs are met. It's a chefs choice menu but they were very accommodating to a vegetarian who was there tonight. The Chef also came out a few times to see what if everything was going well. The food was delicious and I was full at the end of the 15 bites. Another fun part of the night was they played 80s music. It was loud enough to enjoy but not too loud to limit conversations at the table. It was something different and fun and I highly recommend Shamone Bites! read more

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We went to Shamone for a nice night out after hearing about this place from other people. The food was flavorful, and all different kinds were served. For one dinner we had food from Korea to Greece. The staff were awesome and the ambiance was lively with a great classic playlist. Highly recommend people make a reservation for dinner. We will definitely be back and will look forward to trying brunch. read more

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Had Mother's Day weekend reservations. Drove over an hour only to be bumped by a bachelorette party that was 45 minutes late to their reservation. Host was moderately apologetic but we could tell the kitchen was in the weeds so we headed over to Mad Batter. Hopefully it's a one off. I'll give it another try. Might be a good idea to lower threshold to reservations. Went on their OpenTable and we were told our reservation was going to be at least 30-45 minutes later but their site said they had open reservations. Food must be outstanding if this is the experience. read more

Awesome, super fun evening. You are greeted outside by the owner...interesting banter and viola, you are seated. Michael Jackson music is blasting, creating an exciting vibe. We sampled 15 courses...so sorry, thought that I wrote the review already, so weeks later, I'm blanking on exactly what we were served. Each dish was uniquely flavorful, showcasing the depth of thought from the kitchen. It was amazing. Overall, there was too much food and it seemed to be served too fast...neither was true. Even though we didn't eat for many hours, we couldn't finish everything, or even consider dessert. Definitely can't wait to return to try more fun dishes. Great idea for one seating with set dishes. Allows for less waste and more delicious food! Service was excellent as well. We LOVED this place. read more

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This place has a quality breakfast at a very reasonable price. For 20 bucks per person (CASH ONLY) you get a made-to-order breakfast (one at a time) unlimited! Our favorite was the smooth criminal- their grits was fabulous!! Their guava Spano was great too first time but second time it was a bit soggy for some reason. Their avocado toast is fantastic I would definitely come back again! read more

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This is an interesting brunch spot in cape May in an ideal down town location. Very small cafe restaurant ten tables or less. Their brunch menu cash only $20.00 per person offers all you can eat essentially. There are some string attached which will be explained by the wait staff. The menu has some interesting options. Warning there are some things on the menu which they don't have or have altered with different ingredients. This is most annoying when you're looking forward to getting what's on the menu. When I asked the waitress her answer was we have new owners and have not changed the menu. Well that's unfortunate just print them on paper.... We tried the biscuits and gravy dish was no pastrami however it was made with brisket . I wanted to like it better but it's Smokey flavor might have been a little much also biscuit not house made. We had French toast which was breakfast cereal crusted this was most blah and underwhelming dish going. No flavor. The avocado toast was a nice dish fresh with avocado spread and greens on good bread. The shrimp and grits came to table with a really nice presentation. Three medium shrimp atop grits good portion. The breakfast flatbread was more like a pita grilled on a flat top, jarred sauce ... blah. The breakfast quiche was light small portion with feta on top. The breakfast burrito was good also standard eggs and chorizo on tortilla. The loaded tots were also good although more heavy dish. The lemon ricotta pancakes were not good , not cooked through still wet with batter and off consistency. The waitress was good and explained the process , menu and the items to us. They did give us gift card for 20 due to pancake issue which is great customer service. Restaurant required a reservation on the app and a credit card hold.... Seems excessive for a restaurant of this caliper especially since when we arrived there was only one table. The ambiance was a bit odd dark colors and cartoon vibe. I'm sure in the summer it's crazy just based on resort town location . If you like all you can eat concept this might be a try for you . I'll pass on my end. Everything came out fast which gave me the impression it was semi premade. All in bill was 91.00 so with gratuity 111.00 for 4 people this is not bad for brunch. Don't forget this place is BYO if you want to bring the bubbly to brunch. read more

Shamone Bites + Wine - Menu brunch - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

The evening starts with a line outside the restaurant. The host comes out and takes one party at a time to be seated. Oddly pretentious but at this point I'm open. Once inside you are seated in a small restaurant with loud music, black walls and very very dim lighting - which I now understand the reason for. You then spend two and a half hours eating a badly paced 12 course meal which should have taken no more than an hour and a half. All this could have been forgiven if the food had been good. It was not. It was at best mediocre and at times inedible. The only bright spot was our server who was a born showman. However even this wore thin after two and a half hours of subpar food. read more

Service was lovely for our tasting menu. Food was atrocious. We are quite certain that this meal is actually a joke being played on unsuspecting tourists. As others have stated, food is subpar and when foul, fishy tasting swordfish is accompanied by unseasoned, watery, frozen spinach and that plate is considered two of your 15 courses, you too may question your decision to dine here. Other highlights included acme deli meat on a pita as a "monte cristo flatbread" and pulled pork street tacos that were absolutely obliterated to the point of having a sawdust like consistency. On the upside, we had an *unforgettable* meal for almost $300 including tip. read more

Shamone Bites + Wine - Fishy swordfish with watery, completely unseasoned spinach. - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

what a great time. from the moment you walk in james is attentive and handles it all. we called in advance to request a vegetarian option and they did a great job! thank you to george and james! kurt b read more

I would give this 6 stars if I could. Our girls weekend party of 10 had the most amazing dinner at Shamone. For a small room, they create a vibe that you feel as soon as you enter. You feel as if your party is the only group in the restaurant. The music is just loud enough to entertain without disrupting the ability to converse with each other. The lighting was perfect....and OMG, th bathrooms are so cool. Vanessa did a FABULOUS job at serving and explaining each course. We had one member of our party with a gluten allergy and they accommodated her effortlessly. Here is what we were served - everything was spectacular Cream of carrot soup Fig bacon wrapped chorizo Pumpkin and Rosemary hummus with pita Chimichurri steak Vegetable tuna wonton cups November flatbread - cream cheese, garlic, bacon, goat cheese, arugula Maple bacon deviled eggs Kale, arugula salad with apples and pecans Rosemary garlic pork with butternut squash purée. Butter topped Cajun shrimp with asparagus Pistachio encrusted salmon with garbanzo bean casserole Maple mousse We will be back!! read more

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Just had the most amazing brunch here. Can't say enough good things. The quiche and shrimp with grits were excellent! Loved the service, the food, and the price! Bravo! read more

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Shamone breakfast review: it was fantastic. Awesome way to dine, pay one price to order as many dishes as you'd like. Incredible value for top notch food. All dishes are made by the chef as you order. We tried the quiche, steak pita, avocado toast, blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes, and French toast. Every item was excellent. Light and fluffy quickie with amazing flavors. The steak pita was out of this world, amazing tender sirloin with soft warm pita, eggs, cheese, hollandaise sauce all went together so nicely. Pancakes and French toast were light and fresh, amazing flavors. Will return for sure. Super kind waitress and relaxing atmosphere. Also went for dinner. What a treat. Music playing, low light high energy fun food experience. Will go again, food was amazing. Just the right amount of time between dishes. It is a tasting menu so smaller portions but overall it was a good amount of food by the end. Lots of amazing flavors in the dishes. Really kind waitress for dinner as well. The meats were insanely tender and melt in your mouth with some awesome new flavors. Everything we had was delicious. Nice touch by writing congratulations on our desert plate to celebrate our recent proposal. thank you! read more

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If it is possible the food keeps getting better and better With every visit. We have been going to Shamones for years. It has never been a disappointment. Our server James was a delight, charming and knowledgeable about all the small bites.We had a show with every course. Shamone's will not disappoint . The chefs and James did a fabulous job With tonight's dinner.7/23 read more

I wish I could give this place zero. I don't say that lightly. We arrived to literally blasting music where we couldn't hear anyone in our group, not the waitress or the person next to you- the entire night. They refused to turn down the music. The waitress then asked if we had dietary restrictions- I said I do- I'm pregnant. She said ok well we can't do anything for that- it's not like we can change the menu. I said, " then why did you ask?" Her response: "well that's arbitrary, no chef would know what to adjust for that." I was like "it means no raw food, soft cheeses, sprouts, etc." Ten minutes later she put a raw oyster in front of me. I'm like you "couldn't throw me an extra cracker instead of the raw seafood i just told you i can't consume?" She also proceeded to literally never fill a single glass of water all night. You are on your own for drinks - they provide one glass of water and you have to bring your own if you want anything else. My biggest peeve, every single course she put in front of me to then serve six people, every SINGLE time she brought out six new plates, napkins, six spoons- always in front of me to then dish out to everyone. I'm sorry, isn't serving your job? It got absurd when there is *15* courses. I was busy all night serving six place settings and food all night. The portions- The "fifteen courses"- one was a literal shot glass of soup, another was a cracker with cheese on it, another was a piece of crustini with cheese on it again. The entree, single undercooked rib that were too chewy to eat, and an over cooked lollipop lamb chop, and a single shrimp. The shrimp was accompanied by a quarter sized ball of risotto. That counted as a course. The lamp had a carrot stick with it. That carrot stick was "another course". After these "15 courses" at the end, she offered two dessert options and then served us coffee and dessert and then we were told it was not included in the courses and it was extra. What? You advertise fifteen courses and not a single one was the bite of desert we got? We were still hungry at the end. We ordered dominos pizzas on the way home. The service was pitiful, the portions pathetic, the food was terrible - over cooked, undercooked, or just evidently premade, did i say the service was terrible? And the ambiance was horrific- the insanely loud music that they refused to turn down was just the start of your terrible evening. I haven't left a one star review in I don't know how long. But this place is doing everything wrong. read more

Such a great place! Eclectic yet cozy!! The food is amazing, not your typical brunch food at all!! Everything we had was perfection. And James was not only friendly and entertaining, but very gracious in making our son feel extra special on his birthday! Thanks James! read more

Visited over Memorial Day weekend. Helpful and friendly staff. Great service and excellent food.

This is a spot we visit on our yearly Cape May trip. Don't get me wrong, we didn't eat anything that I couldn't have prepared myself but I do enjoy a good tasting menu and the experience and the service keeps us coming back. The variety of dishes is always fun and the very dim and candle lit room ties it all together. Definitely an experience rather than just an average meal. read more

We had so much fun here for our first anniversary! The owner was extremely personable and checked on us multiple times throughout the night. Our waitress was also extremely attentive! Each course was so creative and presented in a fun way! The ambience and music also made the evening so unique. We would totally come back here! read more

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Awesome dining experience! Food, service, vibe 10 out of 10 recommend! A must when visiting Cape May.

Went for brunch and had Greg as my server, he was amazing. Great recommendations and great service. The ambiance is very nice, awesome vibe. Try the blueberry lemon ricotta pancakes. It's also BYOB! Greg took great care of us and we cannot recommend this place more. read more

I'm down the shore this weekend and decided to take myself for a little solo brunch date, and this place did not disappoint! It was my first time here so I asked my server, Greg, for some recommendations and he suggested the chorizo breakfast burrito and the cereal crusted french toast, and they were delicious! This place has such a good vibe. Open concept kitchen and a cozy feel, and excellent service. Everyone was very friendly and my server was wonderful! For $25 a head, I cannot recommend enough! read more

This intimate ambience and delectable tasting menu made for a wonderful dining experience. The gourmet quality and portioning of each course was plentiful and satiable especially for the prix fixe pricing. Alex was our server and she was very well versed and informed in each unique dish, as well as attentive and friendly. Highly recommend to any foodie who enjoys expanding their palette and broadening your culinary horizons! read more

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After reading mixed reviews, we were concerned, but were pleasantly surprised! The evening was a blast! It was a fun experience with a selection of thoughtfully prepared foods, all delicious! Very interesting vibe. Great music (not too loud). Great hostess/waitress, and chef made the rounds halfway through to make sure everyone was happy. Trust me, you will not go home hungry unless you are Joey Chestnut! I understand that they switch up the menu every 3-4 weeks, so we will definitely make reservations to return! read more

Went over on a recommendation for brunch. I had the steak Pita as my first course, followed by the biscuits and chorizo backed with the quiche. Every thing was completely delicious. The staff ( our waiter was James) was extremely helpful and attentive. Highly recommend this establishment a diamond in the rough. read more

Instead of BYOB this place should be Bring Your Own Seasoning. This was a dreadful experience food wise. Our server was fantastic - adored him. We told him we weren't happy with the food (over cooked, not seasoned, very obviously cooked earlier in the day). The chef came over and apologized but blamed a new worker he has in the kitchen. Left and had to eat 3 slices of pizza to fill me. Also it was so dark we couldn't see what we were eating, which I now see was probably done deliberately. read more

Been here a couple times for the Unlimited Brunch and it does not disappoint. A bunch of different tasty options. Wait staff is very friendly and explains everything clearly and gives you the rundown. I did deduct one star for being cash only, with that said, it is definitely worth checking out. read more

It's kind of dinner theater. Brash and handsome chef-owner invites you behind the curtin for an evening of his curation, dining ensues. Truly special if you give yourself over to the whims of Yianni Karapanagiotis but if you are not prepared to go with the flow, he will eagerly announce that this is not the restaurant for you. It is dark (tough to admire the food) and the music is loud (our selection was mostly females, brava!) and he has no intention of changing anything for you. It's a labor of love and the diner is just lucky enough to be invited in. The food - served tapas style as 15 courses (loosely defined - YK will consider some blended plates - like salmon two ways - two courses) - is special. Reservations are essential. One sitting at 7pm. BYO. Our September evening: Panzanella salad with Black squid ink and bangers; Fresh Gorgonzola, Japanese eggplant and fresh basil purée; Garlic hummus over spinach pie with braised Lamb shank and asparagus. Olive garnish; Roasted baby pepper with queso fresco (to clean up the hummus); Fresh summer garden salad w homemade tortillas, bacon and siracha ranch dressing; Organic roasted beet w salsa and raspberry glaze; Udon noodles w duck sauce and a meatball; salmon two ways. Norwegian smoked salmon w mango salsa and miso marinated salmon on soba noodles; Feta cheese with fog preserve and fresh lime to squeeze; Ahi tuna, prosciutto and haddock w seaweed salad. Wasabi dressing over all and harissa. Up-charge for dessert (and coffee?). Worth it. And Joe is right, bad name. But they don't care. And I'm cool with that. read more

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Seven courses, no longer 15, for $30-35 (cash only) with an unannounced menu in a speakeasy type of setting is more for the experience. Make your reservation (only one timeslot) and bring your best company WITH the WINE to enjoy the experience of not knowing what you will have. It truly was enjoyable in that sense but a few disappointing factors were that we thought it would be 15 courses and dessert would be included. No longer as many and extra for dessert. My husband was really expecting more. Sure, the tapas came out quickly and each one was unique to the next. I couldn't really tell you which one was my favorite because the menu wasn't there but out of the 7 I felt 3 were definitely delicious. Since it was so dark inside, I think if you turned on the light, you'd see it's just a shop turned into a makeshift restaurant to make it seem prestigious. The bathroom isn't even inside the room, you need to go to a common area bathroom through dusty boxes and inventory. Meh. Go for the fun though!!! read more

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Walking into Shamone, we went from bright daylight to near total dark. A man's voice asked us for our name, and we could vaguely make out out a person shape. Still barely able to see, he showed us to our table. As our eyes adjusted to the dim lighting and many candles, we found ourselves seated in a small room of around twenty five bar height seats. There were people at every table. From the pop art on the walls to the table setting, it was both mysterious and fun. Our server, James, welcomed us to enjoy our foodie experience and started with chilling our wine. He was a great server, very attentive and friendly. Gave us a few good tips about the area, too. The food was delicious. It wasn't pretentious, overly gourmet. Familiar flavors leaning towards Mediterranean, nicely plated and thoughtfully paired. My favorite was the puff pastry with fig and brie filling, epic! Considering the intimate setting, the flair, and the excellent service, it was surprisingly affordable. This was by far the most enjoyable evening I've had in a while. Thank you to James and the owner-chef for making it special. read more

Shamone Bites + Wine - Fig and brie filled pastry puffs - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Should not be in business. Clearly a tourist trap set out to distract you from the food with the use of darkness and a boom box blaring a mids playlist. read more

We really enjoyed the food and our experience at Shamone. Gluten-free was happily accommodated with advance notice. My one suggestion to them is to replace the few metal stools with the nice chairs with backs and cushions. read more

Exceptional food and wonderful service from James who made sure everyone had a smile on their face!

My family and I went for brunch. The food was fantastic and the service was incredible. Our waiter James was friendly, attentive and made great food recommendations. 10/10 recommend Shamone and James! read more

Funnest night out with my wife we got a babysitter. We enjoyed 15 courses with homemade dessert really enjoyed the service as far as the ambience. I don't want to give too much away, but we were blown away.!!!! read more

Not only was brunch great, I had a great time with our waiter. His name is James. Excited to be back next year.

Went in this morning for brunch and it was delightful. Server was lovely, food was very good. This was their second day ever doing brunch so it was very quiet. By far the best meal we had in Cape May. It was fresh and light. The other highly-reviewed places my husband and I tried catered to heavy, fried fare and a traditional palate. Shamone is a breath of fresh air. read more