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We had a disappointing meal here. We came by for the early bird prix fixe and had the crab cake, burrata, salmon, lobster, tiramisu, and chocolate mousse. The tiramisu was great. Salmon and crab cake were both fine but nothing special. The burrata did not have a soft and creamy interior and was more like a ball of mozzarella - the flavor was fine, but the cheese itself was super cold and didn't really integrate with the other parts of the dish. The lobster tail meat was incredibly chewy and rubbery; this was the largest disappointment of the night, and in hindsight, we should have sent that dish back. The prix fixe portion size was larger than I expected and we left pretty content fullness-wise. Service and the atmosphere were both fine. For the prices, the food was super underwhelming (we both thought a 3 star review was generous). Maybe we caught Union Park on an off day, but based on our experience, I'd recommend checking out some of the other Cape May restaurants.
3.5 stars. We came in for an early dinner to try the Prix Fixe dinner. It's located on the main entrance of the Macomber Hotel in Cape May. The restaurant and what little I saw of the hotel are beautiful with plenty of elegant furniture and decor. It definitely sets a nice atmosphere for the meal. For my prix fixe dinner, I had: crab cake, salmon, and fruit tart for dessert. My friend had: scallops, short rib, and chocolate mousse. I'm a little torn. The food wasn't bad but it didn't really wow me either. I'd definitely say the food errs more on the side of style over substance. The plating of the dishes are phenomenal and are extremely photogenic; but the flavors are not strong enough. The ingredients are definitely high quality ones, I'll give them that. The crab cake had no filler and had a nice lemon taste to it. We really enjoyed the scallops appetizer which was a Ceviche style. Definitely one of our favorite dishes there. Both of our main entrees were kind of a flop in my opinion. The portion was a little small, there wasn't enough sauce or seasoning to make it interesting, but both were cooked perfectly. The salmon skin was seared and the meat was that perfect almost raw style cook. The short rib was very tender and had no bone in it at all. The mashed potatoes and the green beans were delicious and went well with the short rib. The desserts were good. I think the fruit tart might've been my favorite part of the meal. The chocolate mousse was good and sits on top of a soft chocolate chip cookie. My friend ordered some coffee to go with the dessert. He says it was very fresh and delicious. One part of the meal I do need to rip them apart for though: the bread basket. It was $7 for four pieces of bread and butter. That's something I could've easily made myself at home for half of the price. I didn't taste or notice anything special about the bread or butter that made it any different than your typical ones either. The bread basket is a complete ripoff and I really think should just be complimentary. That brings me to my next point. Maybe I'm too much of a cheapskate but I can't say I got my money's worth here. This was not a cheap meal and depending on what you get with the prix fixe, there's a chance you could still leave hungry due to the portions. I think the portion sizes need to be increased. It's still a nice place to go for a special occasion or if you want to get away from rowdy crowds. I can't wholeheartedly recommend it though. One last suggestion I want to make is to maybe add some music. I acknowledge we came pretty early during the off season. But the restaurant was pretty quiet and some music could really bring it to life. That's likely not going to be an issue during the summer season, but it couldn't hurt either. I also wanted to note that the restaurant uses the Open Table app to make reservations. It was very easy to make a reservation for this place using it. I'll end on a good note. Service was outstanding. Shirley and Laurie were very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu offerings. They did great. The food came out in a very timely fashion, both steps of our meals came almost immediately after we finished the last part.
Beautiful dining room, great service, byob lobster was incredible We really enjoyed our night
Wow what a great place. Food was amazing and service was great. We went early and in October. Great local wine also. We will definitely be back here.
and a succulent lobster tail, was a culinary masterpiece. The evening culminated with a decadent Creme Brûlée, presented with a celebratory birthday candle. The dessert was a delightful conclusion to a truly memorable dining experience. Throughout our visit, we were graciously served by a kind and attentive waitress, further enhancing the overall enjoyment.
This retreat dinner actually had foie gras--what an amazing experience! Hope there will be surprises next year too!
Overall 1-star and that's benefiting from the curve of a way overpriced food scene where many restaurants are lazily coasting, otherwise maybe 1/2. The food was a solid 2-3 stars at their price point (average $50 entree). I get it, restaurants can change for bread. But if I'm charged $7 for "artisanal" bread I expect warm artisanal bread, not cold, slightly stale Acme quality bread. Our group had the foie, octopus and tartare. All ok. We each had a different entree and they were all just ok. Salting was a little off, mostly under. My lamb was tasty but not worthy of $50. It is described as sitting on patatas and romesco. Most diners with experience in Spain would have trouble identifying that as "romesco." I don't know if Chef Schatz was out for the night but the kitchen needs to pick up their game. The server provided a bad 1-star experience. His demeanor was rude. He reminded me of a retired middle school teacher that most students didn't like. Zero flexibility whatsoever. Did not introduce himself. He refused to take any food order until we ordered everything. No exceptions. Every interaction with him was cringe-worthy and unpleasant. Despite booking as a birthday celebration and being acknowledged on arrival as a birthday, dessert came and went, nothing happened. Other tables had a candle on a small tart. Ultimately, he said the "birthday woman" didn't order a dessert so she didn't get anything from the house. I addressed all with one of the owners on the way out. His response, "I'll address it with the server, we'll do better next time and make sure we don't have the same server." I dropped $500 last night (6 people, no alcohol), so feel some feedback is due.
Restaurant week 2023. Great atmosphere and service. Prices are high for smaller portions but food is incredible. Overall a great experience
absolutely delicious, very classy place right across from the beach, great service and amazing food. It was pretty busy when I went
1 month ago
The meal we had here was absolutely amazing. They don't serve alcohol so you are able to bring your own bottle of wine. I had the tuna tartar appetizer which one of the best I ever had. Served on a crispy wonton, layered with seaweed salad. Amazing flavors. The lamb I had was perfectly cooked, sliced and served with a gremolata on top. My wife had the chicken breast which was also cooked perfect, crisp on top and moist when cut. Our waitress was very attentive and helpful. Wanted to eat there a second time but ran out of time. A most enjoyable dinner. read more
2 months ago
This is one of our favorite restaurants in Cape May. I love the ambience especially their lovely outdoor porch. The price-fixed menu is an excellent deal. I ordered the bay scallops appetizer, the twin 4-ounce poached lobster tails, and the brownie for $75. Quite impressive for lobster! Everything was delicious. Plus, we brought two bottles of premium wine as they're byob. Service is impeccable. It's very unusual that a restaurant like this hits it out of the park every time and makes you feel like a VIP, but they manage to do it consistently. read more
I think Union Park may be one of the most underrated restaurants in Cape May. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable. The interior dining room and porch both offer wonderful seating options. The food is so good, it will amaze you with every bite. This was our second time here. Party of 6. Wagyu Carpaccios, Scallop Ceviche, and the BLT for appetizers. All just knocked our socks off. Then four filets, the lamb, and the sea bass. Each cooked perfectly. Finished off with some Lavazza cappuccino, a couple Crème Brûlée, cheesecake, and a chocolate torte. It's was a wonderful evening for us and our guests. Check it out for yourself, you'll be rewarded! read more
2 months ago
We had a disappointing meal here. We came by for the early bird prix fixe and had the crab cake, burrata, salmon, lobster, tiramisu, and chocolate mousse. The tiramisu was great. Salmon and crab cake were both fine but nothing special. The burrata did not have a soft and creamy interior and was more like a ball of mozzarella - the flavor was fine, but the cheese itself was super cold and didn't really integrate with the other parts of the dish. The lobster tail meat was incredibly chewy and rubbery; this was the largest disappointment of the night, and in hindsight, we should have sent that dish back. The prix fixe portion size was larger than I expected and we left pretty content fullness-wise. Service and the atmosphere were both fine. For the prices, the food was super underwhelming (we both thought a 3 star review was generous). Maybe we caught Union Park on an off day, but based on our experience, I'd recommend checking out some of the other Cape May restaurants. read more
4 months ago
4 months ago
2 years ago
3.5 stars. We came in for an early dinner to try the Prix Fixe dinner. It's located on the main entrance of the Macomber Hotel in Cape May. The restaurant and what little I saw of the hotel are beautiful with plenty of elegant furniture and decor. It definitely sets a nice atmosphere for the meal. For my prix fixe dinner, I had: crab cake, salmon, and fruit tart for dessert. My friend had: scallops, short rib, and chocolate mousse. I'm a little torn. The food wasn't bad but it didn't really wow me either. I'd definitely say the food errs more on the side of style over substance. The plating of the dishes are phenomenal and are extremely photogenic; but the flavors are not strong enough. The ingredients are definitely high quality ones, I'll give them that. The crab cake had no filler and had a nice lemon taste to it. We really enjoyed the scallops appetizer which was a Ceviche style. Definitely one of our favorite dishes there. Both of our main entrees were kind of a flop in my opinion. The portion was a little small, there wasn't enough sauce or seasoning to make it interesting, but both were cooked perfectly. The salmon skin was seared and the meat was that perfect almost raw style cook. The short rib was very tender and had no bone in it at all. The mashed potatoes and the green beans were delicious and went well with the short rib. The desserts were good. I think the fruit tart might've been my favorite part of the meal. The chocolate mousse was good and sits on top of a soft chocolate chip cookie. My friend ordered some coffee to go with the dessert. He says it was very fresh and delicious. One part of the meal I do need to rip them apart for though: the bread basket. It was $7 for four pieces of bread and butter. That's something I could've easily made myself at home for half of the price. I didn't taste or notice anything special about the bread or butter that made it any different than your typical ones either. The bread basket is a complete ripoff and I really think should just be complimentary. That brings me to my next point. Maybe I'm too much of a cheapskate but I can't say I got my money's worth here. This was not a cheap meal and depending on what you get with the prix fixe, there's a chance you could still leave hungry due to the portions. I think the portion sizes need to be increased. It's still a nice place to go for a special occasion or if you want to get away from rowdy crowds. I can't wholeheartedly recommend it though. One last suggestion I want to make is to maybe add some music. I acknowledge we came pretty early during the off season. But the restaurant was pretty quiet and some music could really bring it to life. That's likely not going to be an issue during the summer season, but it couldn't hurt either. I also wanted to note that the restaurant uses the Open Table app to make reservations. It was very easy to make a reservation for this place using it. I'll end on a good note. Service was outstanding. Shirley and Laurie were very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu offerings. They did great. The food came out in a very timely fashion, both steps of our meals came almost immediately after we finished the last part. read more
3 years ago
Beautiful dining room, great service, byob lobster was incredible We really enjoyed our night read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Wow what a great place. Food was amazing and service was great. We went early and in October. Great local wine also. We will definitely be back here. read more
and a succulent lobster tail, was a culinary masterpiece. The evening culminated with a decadent Creme Brûlée, presented with a celebratory birthday candle. The dessert was a delightful conclusion to a truly memorable dining experience. Throughout our visit, we were graciously served by a kind and attentive waitress, further enhancing the overall enjoyment. read more
2 years ago
This retreat dinner actually had foie gras--what an amazing experience! Hope there will be surprises next year too! read more
2 years ago
Overall 1-star and that's benefiting from the curve of a way overpriced food scene where many restaurants are lazily coasting, otherwise maybe 1/2. The food was a solid 2-3 stars at their price point (average $50 entree). I get it, restaurants can change for bread. But if I'm charged $7 for "artisanal" bread I expect warm artisanal bread, not cold, slightly stale Acme quality bread. Our group had the foie, octopus and tartare. All ok. We each had a different entree and they were all just ok. Salting was a little off, mostly under. My lamb was tasty but not worthy of $50. It is described as sitting on patatas and romesco. Most diners with experience in Spain would have trouble identifying that as "romesco." I don't know if Chef Schatz was out for the night but the kitchen needs to pick up their game. The server provided a bad 1-star experience. His demeanor was rude. He reminded me of a retired middle school teacher that most students didn't like. Zero flexibility whatsoever. Did not introduce himself. He refused to take any food order until we ordered everything. No exceptions. Every interaction with him was cringe-worthy and unpleasant. Despite booking as a birthday celebration and being acknowledged on arrival as a birthday, dessert came and went, nothing happened. Other tables had a candle on a small tart. Ultimately, he said the "birthday woman" didn't order a dessert so she didn't get anything from the house. I addressed all with one of the owners on the way out. His response, "I'll address it with the server, we'll do better next time and make sure we don't have the same server." I dropped $500 last night (6 people, no alcohol), so feel some feedback is due. read more
3 years ago
1 year ago
3 years ago
Restaurant week 2023. Great atmosphere and service. Prices are high for smaller portions but food is incredible. Overall a great experience read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Incredible experience! Lovely service, clean restaurant and bathrooms. delicious meal, one of the best we've had. Will definitely go back! read more
Hmmm, so we picked this restaurant by process of elimination. Meaning, waits were too long every where else! BUT, we were ecstatic how good the food and especially, the service by our server, Liz. First course, crab cakes were spectacular! Second Course; I had the Shortribs, although tasty, it definitely needed the signature demi it's usually braised in. Creme Brulee finished out tasting and ot was very good. Thanks for a great dinner. Definitely coming back Chef Vince read more
5 years ago
A true all around five star restaurant in Cape May!! Easy to make reservations (through OpenTable), service with a smile, delicious food and reasonably priced (being BYOB helps)! Our waitress was such a sweetheart that I wish I could remember her name to give a shout-out. They offer a $65 three course pre fixe dinner (which is a steal if you're used to North Jersey/NYC prices), with up-charges for certain dishes. My favorite appetizer was the tuna tartare. The pre fixe size was only one bite, but when we ordered a second helping a la cart (because it was that good), it came with two bites (#winning). The Petite Tender entrée with truffle fries and North American poached lobster tails were also A+. The flavors on each dish complimented each other perfectly. I enjoyed the food and the restaurant so much that I could have eaten here 4 out of the 4 nights I was visiting Cape May! Can't wait to come back! read more
3 years ago
Excellent dinner. We both had the fillet mignon which was perfectly cooked. Shirley our waitress was wonderful. We normally come in July, so November was very different, but excellent as always. read more
5 years ago
3 years ago
We were there at end of the season and on a Sunday night. It was so quiet and not many people. Food was very good and service was very good. All went very fast. Not as expected but it was very nice and quiet. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
This review is based off their prix fix menu. I'm just disappointed that their only vegetarian option was literally just vegetables, not filling at all and not even a pasta included and it cost THE SAME as filet mignon and salmon. They really put no effort into the only vegetarian option it had no sustenance... just sautéed vegetables. Not worth $79. The staff was great and the place had good ambiance. I thought it was a little weird that they were charging for bread baskets at such a nice place but I guess it's the economy. read more
6 years ago
A really nice spot right off the beach, Union Park was a great place to grab dinner! It was a super windy night which I will not hold against them but it definitely made it a little difficult to eat (lol). We had 7:30 reservations but opt to wait a few more minutes to sit on the upper porch. Once sat we placed our three course prefix means; I went with the burrata app, salmon entree and fruit tart dessert while my boyfriend ordered the crab cake, short rib and creme brûlée. Everything was really yummy! We also purchased a bottle of Cape May wine as it's BYOB but they do sell that winery there which was a delicious Albariño - tad sweeter than my usual preference but very good none the less!! I recommend making reservation here if you can as the wait seemed to be pretty long when we left. All in all a really delicious dinner! read more
Fine dining in the middle of Cape May. Union Park provides great execution on classic dishes and some new ones, right on the beachfront on CapeMay. Restaurant is decorated in a classical way - white tablecloth and chandeliers, but allows for casual dining (jeans and polo fits right in). Food is prepared very well. While dishes are on pricy side, the portion size and execution leaves one satisfied. They have a nice wine list, but also allow BYO. So we had few good bottles from visit to Willow Creek Winery earlier in the day, that they put on ice and opened for us (no cork fee - great). Meal was excellent throughout - from appetizers to mains to desert. Classic apps enjoyed by our party - scallops, tuna tartare, foiegras- all got high marks. Mains - filet + lobster tail, scallops, Short Rib and Duck Duet - were all excellent. I had Short Rib and it melted in the mouth. Deserts were quite good too. Price tag is high and check can be big for a larger party. But at the same time - you walk out satisfied. read more
4 years ago
6 years ago
This restaurant is awesome. It's a little pricey but otherwise amazing. All the servers are wearing face shields and gloves. Food is delecious and on top of that, we had a beautiful view of the sunset and rainbow. Next vacation-definitely coming back read more
If you're looking for a more upscale evening, I'd highly suggest giving Union Park a shot. This place has great staff and offers both indoor and outdoor seating. The diversified menu offers something for everyone to enjoy. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
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More info about Union Park Dining Room
727 Beach Ave
Cape May, NJ 08204
Directions
(609) 884-8811
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.unionparkdiningroom.com/
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Ask the Community - Union Park Dining Room
Can a woman wear shorts?
Nice shorts, not gym or denim shorts. It's the type of place where the crowd dresses up slightly.
Is there a cover over the seating area? It's raining today so...?
Yes on the porches upstairs but not at street level
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
11 reviews that are not currently recommended
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