A wonderful seafood restaurant in old Route 6A! No negatives whatsoever. A warm and nostalgic establishment that reminds me of the Statuit in Scituate, Mass. back in the 1980s-early 1990s. This place, hmm, it is like going back to my childhood home; nice woodwork, good lighting, and strewn with nautical themed items throughout. A large dining room, a bar, and an area of hightop tables. Exceptionally clean with plenty of room. Plenty of parking behind the building. Don't go too fast of it will take you a five mile trek to do a "youie". Another lovely and warming touch, much like the Statuit or the Wayside Inn, you start with crackers and cheese - very nice. We ordered raw bar, a Baker's Dozen of the fatest, coldest, and delicious oysters along with a half dozen shrimp. All prepared very well too. My bride ordered the fish tacos and she loved them. I had the stuffed scallops with mushrooms and lobster - again fantastic! A sophisticated dish. Excellent staff, friendly, accommodating, and just a pleasure to be around. Zack and George, just the best! Wonderful service!! The prices are spot on too. It may look like a typical New England Pub/Tavern burger joint, but it is so much more than that. Go slow on Old Route 6A, on the left as you are heading west. Five stars. Worth the stop!! read more

See all

We had a really enjoyable dinner here last night using a Cape Cod Daily Deal, and the experience ended up being wonderful from the moment we were seated. Our server, Mitch, was outstanding -- soft‑spoken, professional, and genuinely attentive. He explained the specials clearly, checked in at just the right moments, and kept everything moving smoothly. In the off‑season on Cape Cod, that level of service is rare and very appreciated. We started with mai tais. They weren't traditional -- definitely on the sweeter side -- but still very tasty and fun to sip. For an appetizer, we shared the calamari, which was excellent: crisp, tender, and full of flavor. For dinner, my husband had the salmon special, coated in pistachios and cooked beautifully. I ordered the shrimp and scallop fra diavolo, which was delicious -- generous portions, perfectly cooked seafood, and a sauce with just the right amount of heat. Both meals were so plentiful that we brought home leftovers, and neither of us had room for dessert. Overall, this was a great meal with standout service. Mitch made the late afternoon feel smooth, warm, and well cared for. We left happy, full, and impressed -- a lovely meal out. read more

See all

We live on Cape and know many restaurants. Often a very good meal and service at the Dolphin. . On 8/22, had Lobster Thermidor. It was a small, sliced baked lobster which had no dressing or flavor . Really tasteless , unseasoned and poorly prepared. For $60.00 , I felt I should have sent it back. Very disappointed.A. special for the evening should be just that . You can do better than this ! read more

During our overnight stay in Cape Cod on Sunday, July 21, 2013, DJ and I met up with the newlyweds, Deb & Anthony, for dinner at Dolphin Restaurant, a recommendation by the Inn Keeper where they were staying, LAMB & LION INN. Nestled along the picturesque coastline in Barnstable, MA, Dolphin Restaurant is a Cape Cod classic renowned for its gracious and inviting atmosphere. The establishment, adorned with white picket fencing and perfectly groomed landscape, exudes a charming New England ambiance. Inside, the comfortable atmosphere is refined with a cozy bar adjacent to a more formal dining room with tables elegantly dressed in crisp white linens, toile, and a nice fireplace. Embracing a legacy of fine dining, Dolphin Restaurant dazzles guests with an unforgettably delightful culinary experience. Their menu specializes in seafood offerings and is rich in comfort food dishes as well, featuring mouthwatering options that showcase the essence of coastal dining. Anthony, Deb and I all ordered the Maine Lobster Thermidor Topped/Stuffed with Scallops, an expertly crafted and elaborately presented dish that was decadently rich and flavourful. The shellfish was luscious; however, I did gross out on the unremoved red lobster eggs, yuck. DJ had the Pistachio-Crusted Halibut with Fruit Salsa, an exquisite dish of a symphony of flavours which he enjoyed. Our delicious dinner was complemented with extremely warm and friendly service. A wonderful time and quality dining experience we had. Dolphin Restaurant's intimate but inviting atmosphere combined with exceptional service, delectable plates and dedication to quality create an alluring culinary destination, making them stand out as a hidden gem, enchanting customers with fine dining Cape Cod style. read more

See all

We have gone to the DOLPHIN ON OUR OWN AND WITH GOOD FRIENDS Lovely polite service always Only if some one is rude to start with would they be rude 20 years of well made drinks Delicious dinners and quiet place ( mostly ;) Highly recommend bc locals and tourists are there My poor man s lobster casserole was hot with generous lobster sections The staff work weell together assisting as needed We will return ! read more

I recommended this place to go to with 2 other couples. We called ahead and said they had a Hightop.. We arrive and woman at the front barely acknowledged us and said go sit in the back. 30 minutes later bartender comes with menus and takes drink. Order. 30 minutes again comes and takes food order. We ordered appetizers and meals. 45 minutes later meals come out. No appetizers. Two of us had the casserole. The toping was burnt to a crisp. The onion soup the same. He tried to bring appetizers after he served the meal. The chicken marsala was as bland as could be. The 3 others said there meal was not very good as well. The bartender was over busy with no help. Manning the people at the bar. Making drinks for everyone in retaurant. Plus waiting on 4 Hightops in the back. Not sure if the food was under the lights to long or what but it was barely edible for 110.00 a couple. The Dolphin had good reviews but our meal was one of the worst we had. I had to apologize to friends. read more

Food and service It's a very good restaurant pretty consistent Good seafood The service is especially good here at this restaurant. They are very attentive. read more

Ordered a steak. It was completely covered with a dark brown gravy. It was so full of grizzle it was inedible! I told the waitress. All she did was take the plate and bring me a check. I complained to the manager and she just walked away! read more

A terrific Cape Cod venue. Service is excellent and the food always delicious. Owner on site maked sure everything is as ordered and staff is always happy and very friendly. A great place for lunch or dinner read more

We took my parents here for an anniversary dinner. Of note, parties of four or more must call at least 24 hours in advance to make a reservation. When we arrived we were seated right away. Tasteful artwork and nautical memorabilia line the walls. There are tea candles on each table. Our server Amy was very attentive and graciously answered our (many) questions about different dishes on the menu. We were served crackers and rolls before our meals arrived. I also sampled some of the chowder. Everybody at the table was very satisfied with their meals and two of us took leftovers home because the portions were so generous. The only reason I give four stars inside of five is because the restrooms smelled truly awful - every other part of my experience there was wonderful. read more

Dolphin Restaurant - Nautical memorabilia - Sandwiches Near Me - Barnstable, Massachusetts

Have been by this place many times and never noticed it. I'm very glad I tried it out. The interior is old Cape and it was an older crowd but it was still pleasant. The waitress we had was very attentive and nice as well. I had a chicken sandwich which was great and it had the biggest chicken breast I have had on a sandwich! Also make sure you try the amaretto bread pudding, it was fantastic! We all enjoyed our food and are glad that we stopped in. read more

See all

One of the best lunch spots on 6A. The atmosphere is great and the service is too. When it comes to the food....the menu offers a lot of choices. Try the grilled chicken sandwich with cheddar cheese & bacon. It was incredible! Delicious. Sit by the front window on a sunny day and watch the world go by. Or, grab a table next to the fireplace and forget all about the snow outside. Either way, this place is not going to disappoint. read more

Great service, Mitch is the best server! Great quilts food and drinks! If you're visiting the area, this place is a must 10/10!! read more

See all

A nice experience. Cozy atmosphere, attentive servers. Food was good. I had the swordfish tips, and my wife had the naked stuffed scrod. We went off the specials menu, which was more reasonably priced than the main read more

We live on the cape. We went there in March. Was wonderful !! Went tonight June 30. I've worked in the I dusted for 35 years. The hostess was the rudest employee I've ever encountered. ABS NO customer service skills. She was offensive. We walked out. Do NOT go here in the summer or when she's working g read more

This was a bad choice. The waiter and maître d' were very rude. They looked down on us I guess because we were from out of town on vacation. The food was so so nothing special to write home about. I will not recommend this to friend or foe. We will never go back to the Dolphin Restaurant. We were rushed and verbally abused. We were not allowed to have the pasta on a separate plate with oil and garlic. Linda rudely said, "NO". read more

Had a great experience here recently. Got the scallop casserole and steak. Both were great. Nice ambiance inside. But the service from our waiter Gustavo was outstanding. Will definitely be returning when in the area. read more

See all

Service is outstanding. Food is very good. Bathroom smells like it needs to be gutted of mold and mildew.

We have been on the Cape 5 days and eaten in fabulous places but the Dolphin in Barnstable is the BEST. A TRUE TASTE DELIGHT.

Just for the fun of it, if you can call it fun, I read the most negative reviews. Assuming those reviewers were telling the truth about their experiences, I can only chalk them up to the realities of statistics. I know from my own long lifetime of experience dining out that even the best restaurants can have a bad day, or serve a less than perfect meal. Sometimes you get a host/hostess or waiter/waitress who had a bad day. But if the place has a good reputation, you owe it to yourself to give it a second chance. Maybe come back a month later. If you forswear the place forever you may be letting go a good thing based on a low probability experience. My wife and I have dined at the Dolphin (or Dauphin as we enjoy calling it) over the years and never had a complaint. Last time, tho, we had a surpassing experience. Hostess and waitress were fine. Waitress delivered on my very specific preparation deviations from a menu listing - a steak. My instructions (sauce and "topping" to leave out, how well to cook it) were followed precisely and the steak was so good that I still remember the taste months later, which rivaled some of the NY steakhouse experiences I've had (am serious about that). Accompanying potato was perfect. Ambience and decor were very nice and in keeping with a Cape Cod location. So I'd say ignore the more negative reviews as mere aberrations. (One person wrote that the hostess asked "What are you doing here"? Common sense suggests that question must have been asked for a reason.) The Dolphin is well worth trying. My dinner companions over the years certainly agree. And I'd add this piece of common sense: no restaurant can survive for decades in a small village like Barnstable unless it has something to offer. read more

Great little bar with very friendly bar tenders. Early bird specials are very good. Salmon is a favorite dish but the buffalo cauliflower is the best! read more

Many thanks to Elaine and Gus for making our party of 6 dining experience wonderful! Dinner for all of us was plentiful and delicious. Four of had "to go" boxes. This is a quintessential Cape experience. You won't be disappointed! read more

We had just gotten back to the Cape from Logan, we're very hungry, and found this place. We arrived 35 minutes before closing and the hostess was not pleased but sat us anyway. Our waitress (Lynn) was very nice and the food was served quickly and was tasty. read more

Wonderful food and a delightful waitress made for a fun evening. Thanks to Linda for taking care of us and working hard . It's very crowded so be sure to have a reservation on a Saturday night. My friends all enjoyed their meal although there was no lobster in lobster stuffing for baked stuffed shrimp or scallops. Swordfish was flavorful served with mashed potatoes and asparagus . read more

Dolphin Restaurant - Scrod with shrimp corn and spinach - Sandwiches Near Me - Barnstable, Massachusetts

See all

We were delighted with our early Christmas Eve dinner December 24th. The restaurant was festively decorated, the background music full of holiday cheer, the staff happy to greet us and the menu holiday ready. We started with a shared bowl of crab bisque, followed with scrod baked in Cranberry and pecans, scollops baked in a crab and cream sauce. The vegetables were crisp tender broccoli, whipped butternut squash and fluffy mashed potatoes. Accompanied with this fine meal were cocktails and a chocolate cake floating in whipped cream and chocolate sauce. Every single calorie was worth it!!! Obviously we recommend the Dolphin without any reservation....but do remember to make a reversion bc they are always busy! read more

The best scallops i have ever had. Also buffalo cauliflower a must try. Service was welcoming. We will definitely be back. read more

Dolphin Restaurant - Sandwiches Near Me - Barnstable, Massachusetts

Wasn't sure what to expect. I drive by here at least once a week but never stopped in. That was my mistake. Finally had dinner with my wife and a family friend. Food was very good and the service was great. We will definitely be back with more friends when they visit us on the Cape. read more

Delicious food ever time The Steak Au Poirve is my favorite My wife luvs the Chicken Piccata Great Service read more

We are a group of 9 friends who like to eat out monthly. November was the first time we picked the Dolphin as a destination, mainly because of the prefixe menu offered that month. The menu provided a wonderful selection of entrees that were very generous & everyone was pleased with their meal selection. The fireplace was lit & the rooms were decorated with seasonal greens. Utterly charming! We enjoyed meeting Linda, our server, who was as entertaining as she was efficient. We hope the Dolphin will continue their prefixe menu through the winter. We all want to return, as it is now our premiere choice for the great food, spectacular service & warm, inviting ambiance. read more

Our first night in the Cape Cod area, my husband and I wanted to check out this restaurant. Prior to coming I checked online if they take reservation whether via online or by phone. It had no info, we went and you needed a reservation but the waiting time wasn't too bad. I should've called to confirm if they take reservation but didn't, that's my bad :) We were seated and the Ambiance was warm, romantic and cozy. All the workers we interacted with were friendly. They brought out bread and crackers with a cheese butter like of some sort, that was yummy! I ordered the Caesar salad to start, it was pretty good. I love a good Caesar. I ordered a steak au poivre style, it was my first time ordering this type of style and it was ok. Just too much for my taste haha, but hey at least I gave it a try. It came with two round potatoes and asparagus. In the beginning I was bummed there wasn't enough potatoes but honestly for me it was the right portion. Lastly I ordered the bread pudding for dessert and that was great as well! Overall will definitely come back if I'm in the area and try another dish on the menu. read more

See all

The dinner we had on Friday night was very good. Even though it was off-season, they were quite busy so we would recommend calling for reservations if at all possible. They had interesting specialty drinks, and the specials were quite good We've been there a few times And Service has always been excellent read more

Nasty reception from the hostess. Waitress served wrong dish to one of our guests with late apology. Caesar salad dressing bitter taste, worst ever. No itemized bill, suspect overcharge. Never again... read more

Meal was excellent as well as the service Beautiful ambience and attention to detail with furnishings A very nice old school new england feel Unfortunately it suffers from a common restaurant malady. Piped in old 70s and 80s pop music that wore out its welcome years ago. If that's what you play in your home at dinner time by all means go and enjoy This very good establishment deserves a better selection of backround music That is why only 4 stars from me read more

Very rude hostess! She acts like someone pissed in her Cheerios! She was one nutty old lady! When we walked in she rudely asked us what we're doing here. We gave our name and number and she never called us. We took our business elsewhere because she was so pissy read more

Had dinner here for the first time tonight and it was a great experience! We sat at a high top in the back bar area and bartender Zack was our server. Super nice guy who gave us great service. We ordered the scallop special and coconut cod and both were excellent, as were the potato and asparagus sides. We will definitely dine here again! read more

Came here for dinner on a Friday night, they were pretty busy despite the weather being pretty gross so I'd recommend getting a reservation. It has a nice old fashioned feel to it, almost like you're in someone's old fashioned home. Our waitress was friendly and helpful with any questions we had about the menu, which had a wide array of options in the seafood and pasta areas. They also had a lot of specials that evening and a nice selection of beers, wines, and cocktails along with a small but comfortable looking bar area. A lot of their seafood options featured nuts which I would usually go for, but I was strongly recommended the steak and it had been a while since I had a good steak. I remembered having au povire sauce on a burger in New York and loving it, so I was excited to see how it came out on the strip steak. This version of the sauce was much creamier, if I hadn't seen mustard mentioned in the description I never would've guessed it was used, but it balanced out the abundant and strong pepper used on the steak. The steak itself was fairly juicy, but without the pepper and sauce I don't think it would've been anything special. The only vegetable available was asparagus, but for the starch they had a couple of different options. The roasted potato was good, but the portion size for both sides was very small. If you're in the area I think it's worth checking out if you're looking for a somewhat fancy dinner location. While I enjoyed my steak, if I were to go back I think I would stick to the seafood, as it certainly seemed to be their strong point. read more

Dolphin Restaurant - Strip Steak Au Povire - Sandwiches Near Me - Barnstable, Massachusetts

I used to come to the Dolphin quite a bit back in the day. A buddy of mine and I frequented this place, mostly the bar, for drinks. The vibe was nice and the service was always great. The seafood is definitely good and worth a try. read more

Good food, great service. I loved the shrimp scampi. So fresh and homemade. Hubs had the salmon on arugula & really enjoyed it. Server was awesome. Very attentive & friendly & we really appreciate that. One star off b/c they didn't have lobster that was featured on the menu b/c it was too pricey for them to buy. But that was our only complaint. read more

Dolphin Restaurant - The front door view - Sandwiches Near Me - Barnstable, Massachusetts

Very friendly service. Great atmosphere. Outstanding food! This is a little oasis at the Cape and well worth the visit. The scallop casserole was to "die for"! read more

First time visiting for dinner last evening and it was fantastic. Homemade, warm bread was wonderful. Swordfish tips were very tasty, perfectly prepared and terrific. Wine list modest but nice selections. Charming ambiance, friendly staff. Looking forward to our next visit already. read more