Boiler Room

You won't be surrounded by flappers or busted by Elliot Ness on a prohibition witch-hunt but you…read morewill melt into the Speakeasy charm of The Brown Room at Cape May's surviving antiquity, The Congress Inn. The place is usually loud and packed so if you're looking for a summer idyll by the shore this may not be your speed. However, it does have the charm of being around before your great-great grandparents were born. Definitely worth a visit. Five Speakeasy stars

The look of disgust and the eye roll from the waitress when we ordered one drink instead of two…read morebecause I was driving... really? Not that it should matter, but it was a Tuesday night with plenty of empty tables. . We've been longtime customers of Congress Hall and The Virginia, and experiences like this are disappointing. Do better Curtis.....

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Inside

Taco Caballito Tequileria

4.4(762 reviews)

0.2 mi

Loved the food and the margaritas! Was a little loud but to be expected when crowded. Bonus is the…read moreability to get on waitlist!

Bad ambiance, great service and food but dj music way too loud too early in the evening. trying to…read moretalk to anyone at your table forget about it. felt bad for the families with small children out to dinner. I love a good dj but do have to turn the restaurant into a club at 8? hold off a few hrs. also waiting for table outside upstairs patio so we could enjoy the summer night and the dirty window coverings were closed ? so much for enjoying the view? maybe it was to keep the music inside and not being cited by ciTy?

Upstairs dining area/lounge

Brussels sprouts

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Corn and crap chowder. It is sweet!

Fins Bar & Grille

3.4(521 reviews)

0.1 mi

Walked up and seated immediately; staff super friendly! Indoor lighting didn't do it for us and it…read morewas pretty cool - temp - so we sat outside. Food was ok but nothing I haven't tasted before in other parts of the country. Prices were high but I expect that for a beach town. Staff saved the day with friendliness and attentiveness! I'd recommend when in Cape May!

I almost skipped Fins after reading several reviews saying the food was "just okay" or that the…read morelobster roll wasn't worth it. I'm glad I decided to try it anyway because my experience was the complete opposite. Everything I ordered was fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious. The service was exceptional from beginning to end. Every employee I interacted with was friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed, making it the perfect place to unwind after a day exploring Cape May. I'm glad I formed my own opinion instead of relying on the reviews. I'd definitely come back. Side note: I went for dinner. Not much options open late. They had a live band. I sat outside where it was quieter and just street life noise. Very calm. Very appreciated.

Bar area

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Happy Hour House Margarita and Merlot

Harry's Ocean Bar & Grille

3.2(527 reviews)

0.7 mi

I came here for dinner and it was good! My dish was asked for without dressing and then came with…read moreit so I did have to send it back but they fixed it no worries. Drinks take a while to come out but are tasty. It was pretty loud but that is OK! Overall would come back but I wasn't obsessed. My salad on the other hand... I've never had anything like this before and omg I loved it!! Soooo worth it!! It was crab, lobster, shrimp, and salad! Yummmm!

It's unlike me to arrive to a new spot without a few restaurants picked out so that was how we…read morefound ourselves here after the torrential rain. Starved and ready to eat at the closest spot was how we came upon Harry's for a late afternoon lunch. Service was quick when we arrived but there were tables ahead of us who had waited forever for their food. We got the clam chowder and the spinach crab artichoke dip. The crab was nowhere to be found in the dip but that was probably a fortunate turn of events as my crab cake sandwich was mediocre at best. It was not fresh. Perhaps it was frozen but wherever they get their frozen supply from was not a worthy brand. This was a lesson that a simple Yelp or Google search should take precedence over hungry bellies.

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Lucky Bones Backwater Grille

4.0(1.1k reviews)

1.5 mi

Excellent food, courteous waiter, and great location to eat before cruising. Highly recommend!read more

Always had good service and good food alot of choices pizza is great a nice place to go. You can…read moredress if you want but its a place you can dress casual.

Interior

Famous Lucky Bones Mussels

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Oyster Bay Restaurant & Bar

3.8(333 reviews)

0.3 mi

We just had dinner there and were very pleased with the entire experience. Everything was excellent…read morefrom start to finish. For appetizers, we ordered the stuffed long hots with sausage, shrimp cocktail, and burrata--all of which were delicious. My wife and I both chose steak for our entrées. She had the New York strip, and I ordered the ribeye. Surprisingly, the ribeye had very little fat and was cooked to perfection. Our entrées were served with mashed potatoes and broccoli, which complemented the meal nicely. Our server, Sam, was prompt, attentive, and provided excellent service throughout the evening. We'll definitely be back.

The entrance of Oyster Bay Restaurant & Bar is absolutely darling, and I was impressed by the size…read moreof the parking lot. The spaces are fairly narrow, though, so be careful to park fully between the white lines. If you come in through the back entrance near the bar, you'll need to turn right and walk all the way to the front to find the hostess stand. The bar-area staff seemed a little annoyed when people asked where the hostess stand or restrooms were, although I imagine they probably get those questions often. The hostess was pleasant and seated us promptly. One note for anyone who tends to get cold: bring a cardigan or light jacket. There was a floor vent right beside our table, and I got pretty chilly as the evening went on. The menu offered a wide range of options, from pork chops and duck to salmon, but I was not especially excited by many of the pairings. I started with the crab soup and ordered the blackened sea bass special with coconut rice for my entrée. For the table, we shared the bang bang shrimp and burrata. Both were adequately portioned for our party of five. The bang bang shrimp had the right amount of heat, and the burrata was a nice combination of warm pita bread, portobello mushroom, cooked red peppers, fresh greens, and burrata. I would recommend both appetizers. My crab soup arrived hot and was perfectly seasoned. The spice level was just right, and I liked the balance of small strips of crab throughout, along with a few larger pieces. In my opinion, it had an excellent ratio of crab meat, vegetables, and broth. Unfortunately, the entrées were less impressive. They were all beautifully presented--colorful and nicely portioned--but the flavors left something to be desired. My sea bass was certainly blackened, but I would have enjoyed it much more if the skin had been crisp. Instead, it was soggy, likely because it was placed directly on top of the coconut rice, which also became soggy. The mango pieces were larger than necessary, and there was far too much of the tomato, green pepper, and onion mixture on top. At $46, I expected more in terms of flavor. On a positive note, our waitress was friendly and professional, and the young man who brought out our food was pleasant as well. The food also arrived quickly. Since this was my first visit to the area, I would like to explore other local restaurants before returning. Still, I would not be opposed to giving Oyster Bay Restaurant & Bar another chance and trying a different entrée--possibly the swordfish.

Weekly specials- wednesday are burgers, thursday are pot pies, Friday are prime ribs

Happy hour oysters (a buck a shuck!)

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Rusty Nail Bar & Grill

3.0(608 reviews)

0.3 mi

My friend and I stopped in at the Rusty Nail yesterday after having spotted it from the beach. It…read moreis a cute little restaurant that offers indoor seating, outdoor seating on the patio, or outdoor seating in a sandpit. There is a bandstand with live music. All of this added up to very Island vibes, without having to leave New Jersey! For dinner I got the buttermilk fried chicken sandwich. It was delicious! All the flavors and textures mixed well together. My friend got Mac n cheese balls and buffalo chicken dip. They were also great! Our only problem was we had to ask for utensils and napkins, probably a mistake by the waitress, but still strange. Overall, it was a great place!

We really wanted to like the Rusty Nail. The place has a great atmosphere and the kind of setting…read morethat makes you think you're in for a memorable meal, which is exactly why we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the food just didn't live up to the potential. We started with the nachos, which were probably the biggest disappointment. They tasted more like something you'd find in a school cafeteria than an appetizer from a restaurant. The wings weren't much better. Instead of being crisp on the outside, they arrived soggy and lacked the texture you want from a good wing. The burgers were the real low point. More than one person in our party described them as a hockey puck placed between two pieces of bread, and honestly, that assessment felt pretty accurate. The patties were dry and lacked the flavor you'd normally expect from a good burger. It's a shame because the Rusty Nail has so much going for it from an atmosphere and setting perspective. Unfortunately, the food left us feeling like the experience didn't match the potential of the place. Maybe we caught it on an off night, but based on our meal, it's not somewhere we would running back to in the future.

Inside bar.

Crystal chicken Panini

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My first stop at the outside bar.

Willow Creek Winery

3.6(863 reviews)

1.6 mi

Ryley did an amazing job with the service. Friendly funny and respectful as well as knowledgeable…read moreabout the menu and recommendations. He made the visit worthwhile. Great atmosphere. Honestly the Red wines could be better. If this is to be an upscale location, wines can use an upgrade. The Cab Franc was the best and closest to being a Franc. I would pass on the Cab Sav if you are a lover of Cab Sav.

Food; was pretty good they do have more to offer now…read more Service; is good as well Ambience: wonderful inside or outside can't go wrong only thing is used love go to the bar n get ythe wine testing not a flight or just a bottle . I would give it higher if it was better

Combo Cheese Board

Sangria flight

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Rose

Peter Shields Inn & Restaurant

4.4(486 reviews)

1.1 mi

Amazing service, food and ambiance. Lobster bisque, steak were outstanding. Sea bass was a…read moregenerous portion, very well prepared- didn't care for the risotto... will be back for bisque!

Loved the porch ambiance with a view of the ocean between a gap in the trees. Service could have…read morebeen more attentive. We waited for about 10 minutes before our waiter introduced himself. It didn't get better the rest of the night (other than time to provide the bill and run my credit card. Cocktails were great (Bees Knees and martini). Table bread was boring and tasteless. I'd just skip it next time. Our first course was fantastic! The Beet and Lobster salad was delicious and I highly recommend it. Also had the Foie Gras which was a large slice and delicious but the beet and lobster salad was better. For our entrées, my wife had the Bolognese, which comes with large penne pasta and pretty good. I would've preferred fettuccine noodle or shorter tube to pasta. The large tube penne was impossible to get in your mouth by itself. I had the tile fish entrée which was OK. I just probably wouldn't get it again. For dessert, we shared the blueberry cobbler. It was a bit cold, but had a good flavor. Not an inexpensive evening, so I wish things have gone a bit better given what we paid. Kind of interesting that the manager came by and made sure to talk to every table but ours on the porch. Not sure why, but it didn't give me a chance to express how things were going either.

Peter Shields Inn -- dining room

Cappuccino, Latte

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Peter Shields Inn -- storefront

Mario's Pizza and Italian Eatery

4.1(252 reviews)

0.2 mi

•$

10/10 experience! Everyone was incredibly kind and even took the time to answer our questions about…read morestreet parking with the storm coming in. You can tell this place is run by people who genuinely care AND the pizza was fantastic. We ordered the Meat Lovers pizza slices (and honestly would've gone for a whole pizza if we were hungrier). I loved the wonderfully thin, crispy crust and how the toppings were packed with flavor. The restaurant itself is cozy, decorated with Cape May artwork, and has a charming diner-style vibe that feels both local and welcoming. Would recommend to anyone visiting!

Awesome!!!!! I expected average boardwalk pizza.... What a got was some really well made pizza;…read moregreat crispy crust, fresh ingredients on the "works" pizza (see picture) and high quality cheese. My guess is grande cheese, the best of the best .if it's not, I'd be shocked. Anyway, highly recommend!!! ‼

Cheese pizza and garlic knots! Delicious and great service as always! Our go to spot when visiting Cape May!

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Store front

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9 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Keegan R.

8 years ago

PLEASE READ: second time here, I was cautious as tourist season is upon us however there was no wait and plenty of seating at the bar. We started with the meatballs (turkey) and they were delicious. They were gone within minutes. Still the best pizza in all of cape may! If you're here on vacation this is a must do! Great atmosphere, delicious food, and refreshing cocktails! However, our waitress tonight, Mickey, was TERRIBLE and abrasive. She took our order and then we didn't see her again until our plates were clean and she cleared them. Someone else brought us our food and it wasn't until she cleared our plates and our glasses had been empty for about 15 minutes that she asked if we wanted refills. She never stopped once to ask us how our food was. And I get it, it's sort of busy in here tonight. I was a server too. Being in the weeds sucks but this wasn't that. If you eat here ask for Rachel. She knows her stuff and is constantly on the move checking on her tables. read more

Britania R.

7 years ago

A hidden gem! If you don't know of it, you may very well pass by it every day without noticing. The Broiler Room is apart of the chain that owns Congress Hotel and others and so it's located beneath it. The live music there is great and the vibe from the tourist makes it even better. Great pizza too. Express service and a trusted bartender. I can't remember his name but he was open to all my questions and in the end whipped up something I absolutely loved! read more

Jackie O.

14 years ago

This place is over priced and filled with snooty people. DO not bother here. If you want to go to a fun place go out in Philly or Sea Isle or literally ANYWHERE but here. The bartenders and staff are rude and ignorant. Terrible experience, unless you are a snooty wasp read more

Dennis F.

7 years ago

Best. Pizza. Ever.....In cape may you can walk every four blocks has a pizza shop, but the boiler rooms is the best and its a good little break from the beach at only one block away! read more

Angela S.

7 years ago

Great place to have some drinks and Great pizza !!! Very friendly and fast service. Nights are such a good time here !! Never been disappointed. read more

Kate H.

4 months ago

Please stop using my vegan photo as a cover photo if you can no longer make vegan pizza boiler room is no longer vegan friendly

Leslie O.

7 years ago

Fail. It's terrible - These people don't know how to run a restaurant. You'll want to avoid all together. read more

Teve' U.

368

14 years ago

Atmosphere 5/5 Music 5/5 ( it's cape may) be sure to call and make sure they are open read more

Holy S.

12 years ago

We at Holy Smokes enjoyed our evening, great night

Boiler Room - lounges - Updated September 2026

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Sabbia Doro Italiano

4.3

(33 reviews)

The food was very good. I had chicken parmigiana with penne. My husband had it with spaghetti…read more Definitely plenty of food. My grandson had gnocchi with pink sauce he loved it. The service was excellent very friendly and fast. The place was very clean. The only problem was parking.

The food was delicious! The service here is horrendous…read more We had a reservation at 8:00 pm. We had one drink each at the bar prior to our dinner at 7:30pm. We were seated at our table at 8:00. No one came to our table for 20 minutes, in which time we would have had two more drinks each. We had to request waitstaff. The waitress took our order at 8:20. Still no one asked if we needed additional drinks (except for the water server, he was very attentive). We had to flag someone else to get us another round of drinks. Our food was not served until 9:35pm. You'd be better off to order take out from here than dine in because the service is so bad. The food was very good. We will not be going back due to the lack of service here.

The Local Tavern

4.1

(25 reviews)

Love that it was taken over by new owners, the decor is so much updated in here now and it is a lot…read morecleaner. Waitstaff were very friendly and on point with serving my table of 11. Came in Memorial Day weekend and there were a lot of drink specials and food specials which was a plus. Food was hot fresh and way better than the place called Jake's that used to be here. Very happy we came in and gave it another try now that it is called something else. If you are in this area- definitely come and check it out.

This is a great place to dine, some more casual restaurant that the area needs more of. It's a…read morecasual bar restaurant that you can come in to unwind and play pool. The food overall is pretty decent too! I've been here a few times so far and I've liked most of what I ate. To get it out of the way, there are two duds: the Nashville Chicken and the Truffle Potato Wedges. The Nashville Chicken is cooked well but was boring and lacked any flavor (did they forget the sauce when I tried it?). The truffle potato wedges are a little more interesting but it was such a small portion that it's almost pointless to get it. Fortunately, the rest of the food is much better. The dinner menu is a stronger showing. We loved the French Onion Soup, the turkey pot pie, the kielbasa sandwich, and the blueberry cobbler all knock it out of the park. They're all cooked perfectly, portioned well, and have strong flavors. I can wholly recommend all those dishes. I can definitely recommend coming here for dinner. It's a very well run restaurant with good food.

Jersey Girl Kitchen and Bar

4.2

(406 reviews)

one star off the rating just because they have jerk chicken on the menu and the dish could not be…read morefurther from jerk chicken while still being chicken. blackened chicken breast would be the more accurate description. HOWEVER love the food and the atmosphere! my family goes anytime we visit cape may!

If I could give this place more than 5 stars I would! Everything is amazing here. The food is…read moreoutstanding and you couldn't ask for better service. I will definitely be coming back.

Founders Grub & Pub

3.8

(27 reviews)

Family of 10+ on vacation stopped here while walking boardwalk. Smaller but ample seating and they…read morestored out dual stroller behind register. The staff was friendly and service was quick. The theme of the restaurant seemed to be all about different founders and inventors. Not sure about the history of the place or why that was chosen. Can't say I found any flaws here. Food seemed solid although I only opted to have an appetizer - the coconut shrimp. Didn't come with Cocktail Sauce - instead came with some type of sweet/sour verde sauce, it didn't take away from the meal - it complimented it well. No complaints from family or kids. Solid spot to sit down and eat if you're looking for a break from the heat or the crowds on the rides.

Founders is part of the Morey's Pier family (amusements, rides, water parks). It is open only…read moreseasonally. It is more of a casual fast food/touristy spot. You can dine in and be served on paper and plastic and pay a lot for average food at best, or you can do what I usually do and grab a jumbo slice or a bucket of Curly's fries (close to $20 now!). The slice is very good and the pizza is made by hand with a real pizza maker. It could use more sauce and it's not always consistent but it's still a decent slice. The fries taste just like Nathan's Famous. They are really good and cut fresh to order, just way overpriced.

The Rook

3.4

(30 reviews)

Big family gathering, 10 people including children. Nice casual atmosphere - it was a sports bar…read morefeel but not rowdy or anything. Servers were excellent. I thought the Steamers (appetizer) were fantastic. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the bread that came with it. Ordered the crab cake entree - it was solid and what I expect out of a meal like that. The side dishes that came with it - the mashed potatoes and vegetables - were incredible. Probably the best meal I had during our vacation. They were also hospitable and kept our dual stroller behind the bar counter while we ate.

Apps, drinks and dinner were all delicious! Buffalo chicken dip is a must and lots to share.read more

Port Marina

3.6

(157 reviews)

The Port Special sushi roll was great! For apps we got the whipped feta, calamari, and a dozen…read moreoysters and all of it was tasty but the portions for the apps were on the smaller side. The vibes outside are fun and it's right on the water. There was a dj playing that night as well. Since the outside does not take reservations our group of 8 had to wait about 90 mins for a table. We were able to get a drink from the bar while we waited. Overall the food was good but it gets very busy outside on the weekends. Be prepared to wait a while.

Unfortunately, this was one of the worst dining experiences we've had in a long time. We arrived…read morearound 5:30 PM and waited nearly an hour to be seated. When we finally were, we were placed at a "couch table" where the table itself was so low that we had to completely bend over just to eat. We were also seated directly next to the DJ's speaker, making it nearly impossible to hear each other throughout the meal. The service only made things worse. Our entrees were completely forgotten, including two sushi orders. At first, we were told the sushi bar was "backed up," but we watched multiple tables that ordered after us receive several rolls while we continued waiting. Our waitress also seemed to avoid our table while we were waiting for an update. After another 25 minutes, we finally asked to cancel the sushi. The manager then came over and told us our order had actually been delivered to the wrong table. She then joked that she "hoped they were allergic to it," which was an incredibly strange and inappropriate comment to make. Nothing was offered or comped to make up for the situation, and two people in our party ultimately left without ever receiving their entrees. What should have been a simple dinner turned into a two-and-a-half-hour ordeal. Between the hour-long wait, uncomfortable seating, extremely loud music, forgotten food, lack of communication, and the way the situation was handled, we unfortunately won't be returning.

Carneys

3.2

(38 reviews)

Just had dinner at Carneys. Drinks were great, food great and service was great. Place is…read morecomfortable and very clean. Burgers were delicious, crab cakes were awesome. Would definitely come back. Shoutout to our waiter Shawn!

We had an amazing happy hour here! Drinks were fabulous, we tried a bunch of them on the happy hour…read moremenu. All of them outstanding! Happy our menu for food was also delicious. We got fish tacos, crabcake sandwich, and a Caesar salad. All were excellent. The bartender was great and we had a lot of fun with her! We will be back!

Blue Pig Tavern

3.5

(864 reviews)

I have always been a fan of the Blue Pig, but my recent visit was next level!…read more I'm not sure if they got a new chef, but there were updates to the menu. I felt there were much more interesting dishes. It was so hard to pick one! We had reservations and were seated right away. The service was quick and efficient! We started with the ahi tuna, which was incredible. If you like sushi/raw fish, this app is a must! Then I went with the scallops for my main. It was a summer version of the scallops I've had in the past and they were amazing! I loved the potatoes, sweet corn, bacon, all of it! I can't wait to come back here. The shrimp gnocchi is next on my must try list!

Blue Pig Tavern is located in a glassed-in patio area adjoining and contiguous to the Congress…read moreHotel. It is a bit hard to find as it seeming;y lacks its own outdoor signage. The odyssey to finding it was well worth the effort. We had dinner reservations but on a Monday in May, probably did not need them. We both loved our flounder almondine order, despite it being a Monday night (when one does not typically order fish and expect it to be fresh). This really was! Service was top-notch and super-friendly from Jared, who was deeply apologetic when the oyster appetizer we ordered failed to appear - he comped a beer without prompting (and insisted upon it). Even absent this gesture, his attitude and manner made our evening - the excellence of the entrees was a cherry on top. One note and not the fault of the restaurant at all - a number of families with small children were dining at other tables. This is not an especially well-suited restaurant for families with under-5 kids. Their collective noise and behavior was more akin to, well, a Chuck-E-Cheese or MacDonalds. There was nothing anyone could do, of course.

The Ebbitt Room

4.0

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