I recently dined at the Ebbitt Room, and I have never had such a conflicting experience. While the kitchen and bar are clearly talented, the service and management decisions completely ruined the evening. The Positives: I have to give credit where it is due as the food and drinks were genuinely great. We ordered the calamari, celery root soup, scallops, and the chicken breast. Everything came out delicious and perfectly prepared. The drinks were also a highlight specifically the pomegranate margarita and the winter sangria. The bartender clearly knows what they are doing. The Service: Absent and Unprofessional. Unfortunately, the night took a sharp turn regarding the service. Our waitress was virtually non existent. She spent the entire night chatting with another couple, barely sparing a moment for our table outside of taking the initial order. It got to the point where the bartender had to do the waitresses job. Our drinks were sitting on the bar for quite a while until the bartender finally walked them over to us, saying, "I just wanted to drop these off so they wouldn't sit out." Later, we watched the bartender go into the back and run food to the other couple, the very table our waitress was busy socializing with, telling them he, "just wanted to bring this out so it would still be hot." The bartender was acting more like a waiter than our actual server was. Sketchy Billing & Atmosphere: Things got even stranger when the check arrived. We noticed a $24 charge for a "cheeseburger"--an item that isn't even on the menu. We flagged down the waitress, and before we could even explain the issue, she immediately said, "Oh yes, you are right, there is an error, sorry about that." It was an incredibly odd reaction; she knew there was an error before we even vocalized what was wrong. To top it off, the dining room was absolutely freezing. When we asked why, the waitress claimed the heat was broken. However, upon visiting the restroom, the heat was pumping just fine. It felt deliberate--like a corner cutting measure to save money during the off-season rather than a genuine mechanical failure. Overall: Despite the food being delicious, the terrible service, the suspicious billing "error," and the uncomfortable temperature make this a place I cannot recommend. For the price point, you expect a certain level of professionalism and comfort, and Ebbitt Room failed on both counts. I will not be returning. read more

Came here for a dinner and the service was alright, just nothing special. In my opinion, the food was acceptable. We had their soup, calamari and their grilled oysters. The portion sizes were average as they weren't entrees, but we managed. Decor was cute but the tables are really smushed in together. read more

Each year my wife & I come to the Jersey Shore to attend a car show. We like to experience the best the Jersey Shore has to offer, this year we chose The Ebbitt Room. We walked in and it was jumpin'! There's a lively bar with a piano player, great cocktails being poured and people socializing. The hostess welcomes us and asks us if we'd like to sit inside or outside on the porch. My wife, she loves eating outside. I grew up in Brooklyn, there's bugs outside! I ask to be seated outside at a two top on the patio. We ordered cocktails, they were very good but served in small Nick & Nora glasses? I ordered a signature cocktail made with a reserve bourbon. Why is this cocktail being served in this weird glassware? I read the menu before arriving and know what I would like to order. Our waiter reads off the specials but I ask for the Cape May Scallops. For the starter (which was outstanding) I asked the Grilled Octopus Al Pastor. Wow! This dish was prepared perfectly. It's easy to mess up octopus, cook it too long and it turns to rubber. The chef charred the protein just right, this is a must order dish. After reading the menu, I could order all of the starters for my meal. Hand cut pasta, Local Duck Breast and Tempura Calamari would be fine for me. When dining in another state, I want to sample the regional cuisine. I ordered the Cape May Scallops. Another great dish, I loved the corn crema! The scallops didn't have a dark sear but cooked perfectly. My wife ordered the Whole Boneless Trout, placed on a bed of Kale. The chimichurri that topped the trout was very flavorful. We didn't order dessert but what we had for dinner was satisfying. We enjoyed our meal at The Ebbitt Room. If you're spending time in the Cape May area, make a reservation for one of the areas best restaurants. read more

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We had stopped at a brewery when we got to Cape May and the bartender highly recommended The Ebbit Room to us. It was a block from where we were staying so we decided to stop in after dinner that night (it was a Monday night mid October). We were thrilled we did! The property is so beautiful! I love looking at every detail! When walking in there is what looked to be a lounge area to the right, and the room to the left of the lobby was the bar and restaurant. The bar is a wonderful space that seats about ten people. It was full when we got there so we sat to the left of the bar. The bartender was great and made sure we enjoyed our drinks. I had the sangria and my boyfriend had an old fashioned I believe. Next time we stay in Cape May we decided we'll get staying at the hotel here! read more

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Came here during a fantastic week in Cape May in late July & this was one of the evenings we randomly walked around looking for a spot. I've come to appreciate open bar sitting when there are no reservations. We had a lovely meal, the bartender & staff were fully on point & the piano player was fantastic. Good food, great drinks & a very full restaurant that never felt loud or crowded. Love Ebbit & hope to go back on a future trip! read more

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The restaurant is pretty, old world ambiance, and service was good. The food was good but definitely not to the expectation considering the prices of the food. The wine also was super expensive. They need to add more wines that are reasonable. read more

The Ebbitt Room - New York strip, medium rare - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Great way to spend the evening while sipping on a cocktail and chilling outside. Ordering some great seafood from the raw bar and the cheese & charcuterie board. Love the cheeseburger as well. I haven't had the seafood entrees on the finer dining side of the restaurant it it looks delicious. I tend enjoy watching the people and sitting outside at this place. read more

Went for a birthday celebration and had a wonderful time. Dining room is beautiful with live piano music throughout. Lighting is romantic and wall sconces and decorative plates make for a nice atmosphere. The sitting room to the right had a fire going in the fireplace and the bar on the left was jammed. We were seated immediately and service was good. Plates are well executed and tasty; selections are fairly standard and somewhat limited but really good. Parker rolls are a must but $8 for 4 small dinner rolls (???). Really enjoyed the lamb chop which was excellent. The NY Strip steak was perfectly medium rare. Cocktails were good - I just have a hard time paying $25 for a cocktail, but it was good. Treat yourself, this place is worth a visit while in Cape May. Dessert was accompanied with a candle to celebrate a birthday. We enjoyed and would return but not our favorite up scale restaurant in Cape May. read more

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Heard so much about this place and it is worth the hype! Enjoyed the scallops and the drinks were tasty. Service was on point as one would expect of a fine dining restaurant. Would definitely come back! read more

The Ebbitt Room - Blueberry tart - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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We had a nice time at the Ebbitt Room. We were able to get a reservation same day at 515 for 2. Food: good to almost very good, but not great/ amazing. I had the Burrata and tomato with cherries. I thought it was strange that you didn't get the whole ball of Burrata, it was 3 small chunks (see picture) never before have I seen this. And I found one pit inside a cherry, and I was trying to be careful checking, almost got my tooth My husbands calamari was cooked perfectly, but needed a sauce or something to dip into, the red peppers weren't enough. The soft shell crab special was good, but was over another bed of tomatoes like the app. My husband enjoyed is miso halibut. Wine pours seemed small, but a few reasonable prices by the glass. read more

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Excellent food service and ambiance . Well established Restaurant with Legions of Fans

Sorry for the long review but this was a great experience: Thirteen seasons in Cape May and every one included "we should try The Ebbitt Room" and alas never seem to make it. This year we made reservations before arriving on island. I'm so glad we did. Our party of 6 was welcomed on time with our reservation to a table waiting for us. There were others waiting and a full house so it's not like they weren't busy. They were prepared! We had a great table, outside. It made us feel like we were in a private space yet we were well attended. Drinks were unique and delicious. Wine by the bottle fairly priced. Starters: The Deviled Eggs were soooo good. Wagyu Carpaccio was perfection. Pastas and the Tomato & Burrata Salad were all excellent! Mains: A trout, rack of lamb, scallops, NY Strip, A5 Wagyu, and roasted chicken were all delicious. They were each perfectly prepared and served together. Nice touch. Don't miss the Mexican street corn! Desserts: Sorbets, Doughnuts, and Tortes all filled our table together with cappuccinos, and some very nice after dinner drinks. We really enjoyed ourselves and the staff must have enjoyed having us. There were a few items missing from our check and when I questioned it I was told with a big grin, "No sir, that's on us with our compliments." Excellent all around. read more

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This place was the absolute coziest bar in Cape May that we went to and was packed for good reason. Their Christmas decor was on point and they had a piano player there to really set the mood. The entirety of the restaurant transports you to a dinner era. We went here for a pre dinner drink and we loved it so much that we went back for a night cap as well. I got the blood orange margarita pre dinner and the hot toddy as a night cap and both were impeccably made. My husband got the black manhattan both times which speaks to how delicious it was. The bartender and bar wait staff were attentive as well. This place is not to be missed when you're in Cape May. read more

This place is wonderful. We had wonderful drinks, started with the carajillo. Amazing blend of coffee and tequila. For apps we had the tuna crudo, again amazing. Also had the grilled octopus which was perfectly cooked paired with an amazing slaw. For dinner we had scallops and a 20oz ribeye special which was to die for. The cowboy butter was magnificent. For dessert we had a trio of the ricotta donuts, the pistachio semi freddo, and the blueberry tart. All were amazing. Service was quick and attentive. The overall vibe of the place is quaint, fancy, and a wonderful step back into the golden age of cape may. read more

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We had dinner there last night . All dishes were phenomenal. Scallops , halibut , calamari, salads , Brussels sprouts. The holiday ambience is unsurpassed. Service was great . Highly recommend read more

Incredible dinner last night for 4th of July Server Jordan was attentive and did an amazing job! Highly recommend the food and drinks! The hand cut pasta is the best! We almost got a second order read more

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We enjoyed spot-on drinks on the porch during the Christmas holiday season. Very good service, great atmosphere and super friendly patrons. Looking forward to coming back here for sure! read more

I loved this place and was so excited when my husband made reservations for dinner. I was counting the days until we went. Well it was very disappointing! My husband had a bad feeling from the minute we sat down. I was trying to be optimistic. The first 10 minutes I was trying to get someone to light our candle. Eventually the waitress did. The restaurant was extremely hot. The appetizer of burrata and tomato was very good. I liked that it was a little different than normally served. From here it went downhill. I ordered the wild salmon and it was overcooked and horrible. It was inedible. They offered to take it back and I opted for a salad as nothing really appealed to me and I did not want to take a chance on another fish. The salad was ok. It was just a dinner salad so I was not expecting much. My aperol spritz was good, but small. The whole experience was a 2. Even though the waitress and manager seemed somewhat apologetic. I didn't feel like they really cared much. Funny enough, the lady next to us had the same dish as me and confirmed that it was not good. She ate it because she did not want her husband to eat alone. It might have been a bad night, but it will be a long while before we go back if we go back at all. read more

The Ebbitt Room - Wild salmon - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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The good - our waitress, April, was very attentive and friendly. The salmon special and scallops were cooked well. The bad - raw oysters had no flavor. I've had buck a shucks that were 10 times more flavorful. When we first sat down, a gentleman came to our table asking what type of water we wanted, I wanted regular so I said still and wound up with an $8 dollar bottle of Evian. The ugly - after the oysters were finished a different gentleman from the waitstaff took away our empty plates and dumped oyster juice all over the banquette seat. He apologized but didn't even attempt to clean it up or ask if it got on my dress ... it did! The prices are absolutely absurd but there seem to be plenty of patrons out there that believe this place is top notch. read more

Delicious food, beautiful setting, friendly and attentive service. And live music (pianist)!

Although we had a reservation, we had a 2.5 hour wait for our table. In addition to the wait, being seated so late in the evening minimized the entree options as the desired entrees were sold out. read more

My first part of the review starts with the host stand, which was a reenactment of cousin from the bear, as he was a very detailed oriented gentlemen who paid attention to not only those dining, but those that have been revisiting and celebrating special occasions. My wife and I started out with the Parker rolls and the caviar service along with the Hamachi Crudo special. The caviar service was a 10 out of 10 and the Parker rolls also. The Hamachi Crudo was sliced inconsistently and should been served chilled as it was tepid. We then had what I would argue was one of the freshest most beautiful Burrata and tomato salads paired with the deviled eggs, which were by far the best deviled eggs I've ever had in my life. Lastly, we moved the crab pasta appetizer dish to accompany the 8 ounce New York strip and broccolini. These two final dishes were excellent. The ambience in there is always very good with the live piano playing a beautiful, finishing touch along with energy at the bar. read more

The Ebbitt Room - Caviar - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Always top notch service at the bar or at the tables. Leo and Fletcher are A1 bartenders and the ambience can't be beat. We will always return. read more

Had a birthday dinner for my wife 70th, food and service was great. Only complaint I had was they charged me a $350 holiday room charge without ever advising me when I booked the room. I spoke to the GM on Sept 2, said he would check it out and revert, despite calling the GM numerous times, no call back yet, thus would no longer support this restaurant read more

Sat in the garden. Top five meal -- and @hyamben and I eat out a lot! Dover Sole and scallops and incredible Wagu tartare (not pictured) and some phenomenal red blend. And some flourless chocolate with mint that isn't pictured because we ate it up read more

Got a table for two in the garden beautiful place with the service being extremely friendly, will definitely be going back next year.

This place is worth the hype. I'm a sucker for great decor, and this place scores high for that. They offer free valet which is clutch when you are here on a Friday or Saturday night. The music was great and set the right atmosphere. We came for a romantic dinner for our anniversary and it was the highlight of our trip. The food is spectacular. I have no idea how they make that calamari so soft and tender. It was SO good. We also ordered the salmon with sweet pea risotto and I had the herb crusted chicken. Usually don't order chicken when I go out, but I felt like this would be worth it and it was. Both of the tables beside us got the Miso Halibut and that looked amazing as well. For dessert w head the mango cheesecake... again a winner. There doesn't seem to be much on the menu that wouldn't be amazing. Hard off to the chef and this hotel. read more

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You can't beat the location - the Virginia Hotel is just beautiful. An homage to the bygone Victorian era. The main dining room is lovely - decorated in an old fashioned way that is chanting - candlelight and fresh flowers from their Beach Plum Farm on every table. I loved that 90% of the diners were dressed up. No tee shirts or gym shorts etc. allowed. It's not the beach after all, it's the Ebbitt Room. I dined here 20 years ago and sadly think the food was much better then. I wanted to love my dinner but there were too many missteps for a place like this. First we started with the Parker Rolls - absolutely delicious - you can't go wrong, they are perfect and fluffy and delicious with or without the butter. My husband ordered the calamari which was fantastic. Perfectly fried and a lovely light sauce that didn't make it soggy. Unfortunately my son and I split the cheese and charcuterie app - which is not an app! It's humongous and they should have told us. It was a PLATTER. Maybe I wouldn't have been irritated if it was good but it wasn't. Now how on earth can you mess up a cheese platter???!! Well it was just so-so as to quality and tastiness on all accounts. For our main meals the guys had the strip steak and both said it lacked seasoning. They took care of this by getting some s&p and doing it themselves and they said then it was better, but nothing great. The mashed potatoes were good. My halibut was cooked perfectly, but same issue, no seasoning and hence no taste. This was the special - so for $50 - it was ok and the seasoning was left for me to try and do. The server was nice but he was overwhelmed and so through no fault of his own couldn't be at his best. He came to find us wanting the check and realized we were foregoing dessert...Oh well. The ambiance saves the place but my advice is to forgo the dinner and have drinks in the bar or on the porch and if you like calamari, order that! Bummer as I fell in love with the Ebbitt Room two decades ago but it's lost its touch. read more

The Ebbitt Room - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

First time here excellent service excellent food make sure you try the calamari it's excellent. The dessert was awesome. Try the chocolate tart. Service was great ambience is excellent. Just a reference. It is a little loud for conversation. read more

Only had some delicious drinks but it was an absolutely beautifully crafted. I would be a regular here if I lived closer. read more

The Ebbitt Room - 89 Manhattan - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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This is another one of my go to places when I visit Cape May. I love to dine outside on their front porch, and recently I had the opportunity to dine in their garden which was also quite nice. While expensive, everything is delicious. Their baked clams are great, and regardless of it being a starter, I always, always get the duck for dinner. It is tender and full of flavor (much like everything else they put on your table). My friends and I also ordered the Parker rolls to start (with the clams and an order of calamari) and they were warm, pillowy, and the right amount of salty and sweet. Their desserts are also great too if you've got enough room after dinner. Service is fairly quick and even when things get a little slow, your waiter is often close by for a quick flag down if needed. read more

What a charming surprise! Was not expecting that food to be as elevated and delicious as it was. I mean, I was expecting "good" but this was great. Much more sophisticated than expected-- everything from the décor (place was decked out for the holidays), to staff to menu selections and even some of the other guests. The piano player was the perfect touch for a classy, holiday ambiance and the perfect "pair" to some Smokey cocktails. Ordered scallops for dinner, which apparently are a Cape May specialty (now you know), which were exquisite. I'm so happy to have found this place and look forward to dining there again. read more

The Ebbitt Room - Banoffe pie dessert - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Very good restaurant and Hotel. Rooms available, restaurant bar with music, nice small bar. Lots of ambiance! Very good read more

I made sure our stay in Cape May included a first time visit to the Ebbitt Room. E. R. is really more of 4.5 stars for me which I will comment on later*. The dining room is beautiful and gives off a warm, elegant vibe. It was surprisingly busy for an off season Wednesday. Service was good overall. Now onto the food. Appetizers- Hamachi crudo- good but I have had better Rabbit Cavatelli- very good Entrees- Swordfish - excellent Scallops- very good Whipped potato side- very good Dessert- Key lime pie Apple tart Since Yelp doesn't have an option for 4.5 stars I gave them the 5 but here are my caveats: *Since they charge for bread-( and I love a good bread) the dinner rolls served were good but not on par with their food. There should have been a more artisanal offering for that charge. *Wine service was a little slow at times. We enjoyed our evening at the Ebbitt Room and would come back. It's a nice dining experience in Cape May. read more

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We were in Cape May celebrating our anniversary. The vibe was relaxed and the waiter was knowledgeable and attentive. The wines and cocktails were uncommonly good. I had the Cioppino which was tasty. read more

Wednesday night dinner for two our first time here we had reservations for 6:15 April 23 April our server was great so was the food but be prepared for a expensive meal also the inside restaurant gets loud read more

The Ebbitt Room - Cappuccino - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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I am so glad we chose the Ebbitt Room for our special meal in Cape May. We arrived about a half hour early for our reservation which gave us the opportunity to have a couple cocktails at the bar. The bartenders did a great job with the cocktails. Once seated, we had our dinner and I have to say, some of the things we had are definitely on my "10 Best Things I ever ate" list. That is saying a lot, because I am a dedicated foodie. Some favorites: the rabbit appetizer, the steak, and the scallops. The staff was attentive, friendly and efficient. It was a rather expensive meal, but very much worth the cost. We will definitely return here when we return to Cape May. read more

Amazing meal with great service in a beautifully space all decked out for Christmas. We started with the amazing butternut soup, a perfect share, very beautiful and tasty. My husband had the lamb shank wonderfully prepared on a bed of polenta. It was giant, way more than anyone can eat, but flavorful. I have the halibut, beautifully prepared, and perfectly cooked. For desert my husband had the apple tart, once again beautifully presented and delish, while I had the amazing mint mocha martini. That was so good o could have had several. Overall a perfect dining experience. The only reason we landed on 4 rather than 5 stars is because we felt a bit rushed, like they wanted to turn the table very fast, so no loitering was going to be tolerated.....a shame because we would have loved to sat for one more drink. The manager was constantly stating and speaking to our waitress, there was no doubt they wanted to have us put in 75 minutes....... read more

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I think The Ebbitt Room is my favorite fine dining option. I just love the atmosphere. The building is beautiful. Service is exemplary with no stuffiness or pretension. Their cocktails are well executed. Food is beyond reproach. read more

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Enjoyed dinner at the bar one night during off season. Started off with a martini that was served in the smallest glass ever - when drinking a martini it needs to be in the normal standard glass; not a shot glass on a stem! We enjoyed a Hamachi ceviche to start and it was amazing! We then both ordered cheeseburgers - excellent & the fries were so good. Bartender was friendly & we had fun chatting with others at the bar. I would go back again but not ordering a martini again! Piano playing starts at 6 pm which makes it even more enjoyable. read more

The Ebbitt Room - Hamachi crudo - yum! - American Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey