This gets 2 stars which are all for our excellent server. We stopped in about two weeks ago for a late lunch. It was my husband and me, plus 5 teenagers (4 of them boys 14-17 who can eat their weight in food every 24 hours). I picked this place because it had a diverse menu and I figured everyone would be able to find something they liked. I also knew, my son's girlfriend his a huge fan of chicken tenders and I heard these were good. (They weren't , but more about that later.) The place isn't all that clean and the bathrooms were "icky" at best. They sat the 7 of us immediately, in a back room area. Which was great until they sat another large party right beside us and we could not longer have a conversation at a reasonable level. We started with a large Dune Fries. $16 for "Our signature appetizer! Fresh hand-cut and seasoned fries piled high and smothered with melted cheeses, bacon and scallions. Served with ranch dressing for dipping." It was a large serving and was demolished by the teens in about 5 minutes. I had about 3 fries and it did taste good. It was, by far, the best thing we were served. One person ordered the Cottage Chicken Fries for $14 is was ""FRESH" Never Frozen Chicken Tenders, hand-dusted and fried. Served with our signature homemade honey-mustard for dipping." They were disgusting. The coating was soggy and the chicken was rubbery. The person who ordered them, ate one bite and didn't eat any more. The others tried them and nobody made it beyond a single bite. They were taken home and fed to the dogs. One person ordered the cheese burger. About $14 with fries and cheese for the burger. This teen ate half of it but didn't finish because he didn't like it. This is a kid that can eat a terrible burger and not complain. The second half went home to the dogs. (Note: The dogs might be the happiest ones when it comes to this meal). One person ordered the The Ultimate Grilled Cheese which is $15 ($3 for bacon) and supposed to be the best grilled cheese you can get with American, Provolone, Cheddar Jack and Swiss inside then topped with crusted Parmesan cheese on wheat bread. It was greasy and the cheese was rubbery and . . . I couldn't imagine that sandwich not tasting good so I insisted on getting a bite. He was right, it wasn't very good. My husband got the Sea Witch which is $19 for "Our bewitching sandwich made of broiled sea scallops, hickory bacon and melted cheddar & jack cheeses on a toasted roll." My husband liked it because (quite frankly) he likes anything with scallops. He insisted I have a bite and I didn't really like it. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't worth $19. Not even close. I got the Bodacious BBQ Sandwich which was $15 for "Tender pulled beef in our Jack Daniels BBQ sauce. Served on a kaiser roll and topped with fried onion frizzles." Of all the dishes, this was the most appropriate serving size for the price. The meat was decent but had too much BBQ sauce. I ordered it with tater tots which was an extra $1 but a tiny serving. They tasted blah but were crispy so I added some Old Bay and they were the best thing on the plate. One person ordered the mac and cheese and all 5 teens named it the worse mac and cheese they ever ate. I tasted it. It was very pasty and the cheese sauce was too thick. I don't blame him for not eating it. It also became dog snacks. Drinks were $3.50 for typical fountain drinks with mostly ice in the cup. That's nuts. Coffee was $3 for a small cup that needed to constantly be refilled. This goes in my two-thumbs down column. read more

Service was great! I had the special which was crab stuffed shrimp with broccoli and mashed potatoes. Great portions for the money!

We always visit when we come to OC. Dune fries are my favorite! Always nice service. We will be back when we come to Bethany and OC again. Finally bought a tee shirt! Always say we are going to . read more

very good service very fast and a nice waiter. It looks really nice and I like all of the pictures on the walls and the seats are very comfortable. They gave us muffins and they were so good. The dune fries were good but the ranch was even better it was the best ranch I ever tasted. The burger was cooked to perfection it was so juicy and so good but the only bad thing was I couldn't finish it, it was so big. the bun was toasted and it was so good. Overall this restaurant is five stars. read more

Great food, lovely cozy atmosphere, and the service was good. The burger was a nice size and looked delicious -- I didn't order it but saw it. However, I did order the scallops and they were fantastic. read more

I have been coming here for years to get you rib eye. I came over the weekend for my birthday and my favorite meal was gone. I am so disappointed . read more

The off season special of the Friday Fish Fry is worth the trip to Cottage Cafe alone. Your choice of fried or broiled, then choose flounder, cod, or a piece of each along w two sides. Get the mac n cheese, I can't stress that enough. It's one of the best I've ever had. The meal starts off w their yummy corn, cranberry and coconut mini muffins. If the seasonal pumpkin bread pudding is available, try it. It tastes like the holidays. The Sunday turkey dinner special is not as successful, but it's still a solid choice if you are craving Thanksgiving. Your choice of a mix of white and dark meat, or all white for an additional charge, was juicy and tender but didn't have much flavor. Mushy bland dressing was a disappointment, but the mashed potatoes and gravy were good. Mac n cheese is a must, and the applesauce was fine, albeit a pedestrian choice. Cranberry sauce had skins (yuck). Service is fine and I appreciate all of the COVID precautions. The place is very clean and they are always busy. Obviously the locals think this is a solid place to go and you should too. read more

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While visiting Bethany Beach, I stopped in for dinner at Cottage Café. We were told the place can get super busy but you can call ahead and put your name in. When we called at 5:30 there was barely any wait. When we called back at 6 pm, the wait had jumped to an hour. We put our names in and drove over there 15 minutes later. Lucky for us, there was a high top table in the bar area open and we sat there instead rather than waiting for our table. The restaurant is a very casual family restaurant. The bar area is a decent size and the dining rooms are fairly large with several tables for large parties. Our server was very friendly and helpful in making recommendations. We started off with their signature dune fries - we got a sandpile portion which was huge! Can't imagine how big a dune portion is. The fries hit the spot. For mains, I had the Cottage Crab Cake with broccoli and a baked potato. My bf had Mary Lou's meatloaf. Everything was tasty and a good sized portion. We didn't even touch the basket of their homemade biscuits. We took those and our leftovers to go - we had the biscuits the next day with breakfast and they were awesome. I would dine here again if visiting the beach. Service and food were good! read more

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The crab cakes have more filler and less lump crab meat this year (2025). The cream of crab soup used to have hunks of crab meat in it. sadly no more. I don't like that the take out menu has set sides- French fries and slaw. We have been yearly customers for 10 years and this is the first year I have been disappointed with the food. read more

I've eaten here before and this time is a disappointment. The oyster sandwich had some uncooked oysters. I like oysters all different ways but when the batter is mushy its nasty. We were told the crab cake was 4 Oz. But it was pretty small and not much flavor. I'm a fan of old bay and this was bland. It did have a few nice pieces of crab in it but a little bigger with some old bay would have been just right. They do have good fries but one plate was way over cooked and dark while the other plate was cooked just right. We were eating at lunch time and it was zero wait time and they did have a lunch menu. I've been there at dinner before and it was busy. They give you cole slaw and it was good but ,as seen in the picture, it looked like they dipped the cole slaw cup it the pot to fill it up. Our waitress was in training ,but was good . Her trainer was helpful but seemed impatient as the girl was taking our order. Again the place was not busy. After today's experience I won't get the crab cake or fried oysters. I'll keep trying other items on the menu. But you decide on your own . read more

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Lettuce in salad was slimy/black spots. Hot food was cold, bland. Average at best service.

New Menu, a step sideways. I think the old was kind of expected that you were getting comfort food. A value meal in a sense. Overall the quality of that comfort food meal suffered during and after Covid. But Under SoDel, which the local consensus is any place they ever bought has been ruined, I'll give them props that they got the "being consistent" part correct in that perspective! New menu seems choice less. Ordered a scallop imperial, frankly it was bland, except for a strong mustard taste which is not how I view a crab imperial. I had ordered something with crab last month and this stood out also. Unsalted mashed potatoes. Bland all around. I was married to a European chef for years. It's not hard to season food, if they can't do that they have no business being in a kitchen. Otherwise the dish was well presented. They could have browned the scallops and gotten a good butter taste. Unfortunately they were whiter than Joe Biden on debate night, which, in that frame, really paints the picture here . Maybe culinary talent is hard to find and it's just is what it is given what they have to work with. Theres no steak on the menu now. Throw on a good quality steak, price no object, offer toppers like imperial, Oscar, Béarnaise sauce. Easy stuff. I miss the good old days of off season happy hour nightly meal specials. The prime rib. Have a good "creamy" horseradish with it. Will I come back? In the dead of winter when nothing is open, maybe.... It used to be old faithful. Idk anymore. read more

Great food at great prices, and a wide selection for everyone in your group. Fresh ingredients, especially the salads. Recommend getting there early to beat the crowds. read more

Service was amazing! The food was rather bland in my opinion. I ordered the burger and it lacked flavor. The fries were the most redeeming part of the meal. read more

The Cottage Cafe buffet breakfast is a must stop for my ride home after every visit to Ocean City, Maryland. I stumbled upon the Cottage Cafe when I was a college student at UD, traveling back to campus after a weekend trip to the beach. We decided to stop on our way in the hopes that some brunch would cure our hangovers and I'm so glad we found The Cottage Cafe. The price point is super fair for the food options and selection. The staff is very prompt with drink service, clearing plates, and ensuring that you have everything you need. I've sat inside and outside and enjoyed both options. One highlight that I've never seen anywhere else is the pancake wrapped breakfast sausage on a stick. It's essentially a breakfast corn dog and it is next level! read more

We had a holiday party on Thursday with 37 guests and it was wonderful! Individual checks, ordered off the menu, and everything went smoothly. I had the special of the day, shrimp salad sandwich, which came with fries and coleslaw. It was delicious! A pinch of old bay, served with lettuce and tomato on toast. The fries were hot and handmade. The servers did a great job handling the orders, delivering the food table by table, hot and fresh. The kitchen was extremely organized to deal with this many individual orders. Everyone was very happy with the food, loved the crab soup, the salads, the sandwiches, everything. I highly recommend, even with a group as big as ours it was great. Thank you for making our party successful! read more

Cottage Cafe - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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This was our very first time at the Cottage Cafe. Our server's name was Rae - she was PHENOMENAL! From appetizer to dessert, everything was absolute perfection! We ordered the Caprese Flatbread for our appetizer, for dinner my husband had the pot roast and I had the chicken scampi. Both were very flavorful and they served an abundance. Presentation was great. For dessert my husband had the carrot cake and I had peach cobbler. The carrot cake was superb! Whoever their baker is, they should be doing wedding cakes - that's how great this one was! All in all on a scale of 1-10, we both agreed this was an 11! Will definitely be back! read more

Just not the same as it was. It was our favorite place to eat. They toke many items off Happy Hour. Could not taste Crab or taste crab in their soup. Other foods we had so far are good but not as good as they were. read more

Great service but food is not as fresh as before the owner change. The once fabulous fresh made hamberger now was a frozen patty, hard and dry. So disappointed Very generous with the muffins tho read more

This is a go to favorite with friendly staff and good food. In the winter, the cozy fireplace is a treat and in the summer, it's fun to enjoy seasonal treats and guests from far and near. Cottage Cafe's nightly specials are like eating at home with family. read more

We attempted to call but no one answered. The portions of shrimp with the Fried Shimp Platter were meager. The apple sauce and cole slaw for $5.50 a piece were paltry and the Cobbler looked like puke. This order was completely unacceptable. be read more

Cottage Cafe - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Great Happy hour specials (coconut shrimp) and drink (spicy margarita) . Great quality. Great Service.

Had lunch at Cottage Cafe on February 5. The food was very good but the service was terrible and ruined the entire experience. Will not be returning and would advise organizations to find other businesses to host a meeting. read more

Dune fries - Amazing Cream of Crab Soup - Out of this world For dinner, we enjoyed Fried Shrimp and a Chicken Chesapeake. Great stuff. Staff was friendly. The restaurant is not small, but with multiple individual rooms that give the place a very local, "down home" kind of feeling. Much different than the places I'm used to in NY. But no complaints, this place was great. I would highly recommend and will definitely be back again. read more

Food was amazing. Service was not great though, we had to go to the host stand and ask for more water because the server forgot about us. Food was amazing and ambiance was great. read more

We went in for dinner this week. We all felt the food was good, but the portions were really small and it appears they have raised their prices. Also, when we arrived, we were asked to wait for a table. No biggy, but when I reminded them that we were there for the early bird special the hostess said, "You have to be seated by 5:30 to get that. " Hmm.... That's why we arrived at 5:15.... Ok.... Also, the waiter seemed a bit pressed. I literally sprayed a lemon in my eye, accidentally, and he seemed a bit frustrated that I wasn't prepared to order immediately. Sorry, kid. Things happen.... At one point he looked at my mother and said, "Do you guys need anything else?" When we asked for more napkins.... Like we were running him or something. So, service is mediocre. Food is good, but the portions are really small and not compatible with the prices they are charging. read more

Good food good service family friendly restaurant nice comfort food Make reservations can get busy read more

I've ordered takeaway and eaten inside here now and both times, the food has been tasty. They offer call-ahead/online waitlist options, which is helpful if you're visiting on a busy weekend. Each meal comes with muffins which are phenomenal. I know, how great can mini muffins really be? The answer is very great. Each time I've been here, I've ordered the blackened scallops, which is a huge meal with maybe 10 scallops. The scallops are a little spicy but nothing too overwhelming. My boyfriend ordered the pot roast the last time we came in, which was really good! I think there was a little too much gravy on top of it, but I can see why it's a crowd favorite. Service was really friendly. Would love to come back and try something new. read more

Seemed like a nice place, and I'm sure it is. Staff was friendly. Bathrooms felt maybe too small, but otherwise it was a nice aesthetic for a sit and eat. But now I'm on vacation with food poisoning right after I ate there. And now instead of a fun day. I get to spend it in the hotel on the toilet every few mins, with a waste basket in front to catch from the other end too. So something is, as one might say, fishy. Maybe skip the oysters folks. read more

Cottage Cafe - Fried Oysters, Mac and cheese, and coleslaw. - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

The food here was incredible. Cottage cafe was a great choice for me and my families first meal on our trip to Bethany Beach. Our waiter was very attentive and made sure to check everything was up to our standard. The Cream of crab soup was one of the best soups i've ever had and the burger was perfectly cooked and delicious. My grandfather's Cali sandwich had way too much mayo, besides that everyone's meal was perfect. Would come here again. read more

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This restaurant was a nice stop on our visit and first time in Bethany Beach DE. We were here on St Patrick's day and my husband ordered from the St Patrick's day special Menu. All the items on the dinner menu looked delicious. I ordered the special for $15 of 6 fried shrimp and two sides and my husband ordered the corned beef and cabbage. His corned beef was plentiful and very tender and delicious. He had mash potatoes and cabbage and my sides were Brussels sprouts and creamed spinach. My sides were excellent and we also ordered a side of oysters for a extra $8. Our meals with drinks and tip was $50, which we thought was a excellent value. I would visit here again if I am in this area. read more

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We enjoyed this restaurant from start to finish. Excellent food and service. Tobi was awesome. Definitely will come back.

Our nostalgic restaurant pick. It was one of the only restaurants around, when we moved here 20 years ago!! Sadly, it was sold, BUT the new owners kept everything the same, including the staff Great happy hour, specials, delicious food, cozy ambiance and service!! read more

I get that this is just a tourist trap beach restaurant. And I'm super forgiving about embracing a restaurant for what it is and rating it accordingly. But c'mon man - have some pride. The fries were limp and tasteless, crab cakes were fishy, and the steamed shrimp was rubbery. And that doesn't even address the terrible service. I don't want to ask 3 times for Splenda. read more

We eat here every year on vacation. But I don't know why. I mean, the restrooms are fairly clean and they typically seat you pretty fast even on busy nights. Other than that, it's average food for above-average prices. The service was friendly but lacking real motivation to serve. Questions about some menu items resulted in responses like, "I'm not sure" and "Maybe... I think so." A quick overview of the food: Fried oysters - tiny little oysters that appeared larger than they seemed because of overbreading Fried flounder - not just overbreaded, but also swimming in so much grease that it left a large puddle of oil on my plate Fries - average Sea witch sandwich - was declared "good" by Kid #1, but I thought it needed one more scallop Burger - dry with oversized bun Cream of crab soup - good, though not great. Just adequate amount of crab but flavor was appetizing. Prices - would've been acceptable if the food had been better. As it was, too high for subpar meals. Will we return? Yes, because we eat here every year for some reason. read more

I planned on giving 5 stars until we paid. The menu was excellent, with a nice mix for those who like seafood and those who don't. we got the Tuesday special of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and coleslaw. it was superb! Coffee was delicious with a smooth, rich taste. The service was great too! our waitress was friendly and delivered our meals quickly. The atmosphere was nice and decorated tastefully. Seating was comfortable and not crowded. Why am I leaving 1 star? I'd actually leave 0 if I could. We were given our bill and it was $42 even. The waitress took our check and the $100 bill I was paying with. I had left a $10 tip, which was in plain view and is 23.8% of the check. She came back and set the change on the table and walked away. I counted it and she gave me $42 back....honest mistake I thought....giving me back the amount of the check rather than $58 of change due me. We waited for her to come back around and I asked her about it. She said "Oh this happens sometimes", which I thought was odd, then took all the money back and then, rather than go back to the register for the additional $16, she got in her tip money and counted what was supposed to be $58 and this time rather than a $20, two $10's and two $1's she gave me back a $20, one $10, four $5's and three 1's which equals $53. So she still shorted me $5. Her taking the money back, using her tip money to "make it right" and then shorting me again just seems so odd to me....is it off season and this is how she makes extra money? Regardless, I would never go there again, or ask for Ann not to be our waitress. Yes, I took back my $10 tip since she ultimately chose her own tip of $16 which then she turned into $5. Not nice Ann! read more

Food is only OK. Since Sodel bought them definitely not the same establishment. Miss the old owners. Quality was much better before. Won't be rushing back. read more

Food always great nice people relaxed and consistent - lots of variety and good! Dune fries to pasta you can't miss.

Cottage cafe is definitely a solid choice for a meal in Bethany. They have a convenient waitlist option which helps to keep the wait time down especially during the summer. Their menu captures a little bit of everything and the entrees we had were all pretty solid. We had the fried shrimp with mashed potatoes and Mac n cheese, meat loaf, and roadhouse burger. No complaints rd with any of these options. The portions were large and you definitely won't leave hungry. Their crushes is the souvenir cups are good too. Overall you won't be disappointed and can rely on this place for a good dining experience. read more

Cottage Cafe - Absolut Mandarin Crush - American Near Me - Bethany Beach, Delaware

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Food is always excellent. Service is efficient and friendly. Glad SoDel didn't change it too much.