We were very hesitant to give this place a try after reading some of the negative reviews but I am here to disprove them all after our experience. After an absolutely horrific dining experience at The Boathouse in Wildwood our party was genuinely concerned about going out to dinner and history repeating itself but thankfully that was not the case. Let me just start by saying most importantly... Our server Andrea was probably one of the most top notch on point individuals I've ever witnessed in the service industry. She tackled our party of 12 like a true professional knowing exactly how to deal with such a large group. Drinks, kids meals, appetizers and entrees all handled with precision. She even went above and beyond to provide us with bug spray. A party of 12 with children is not an easy task... we salute you Andrea! Moving on... the drink selection here is plentiful with a lot of unique frozen mixed drinks. No complaints with the food either, lots of variety for everyone's tastes. Let's just say no one left unhappy. The speed of the service from the kitchen was great too. The playground is a nice added bonus to keep the children entertained and most seating on the deck allows you to keep an eye on them while playing. Do yourself a favor... avoid The Boathouse at all costs and take the ride out to the Mad Viking. read more

Coming from a locals perspective- I REALLY wanted to love Mad Viking because the location is beautiful. The beachy vibe is great, the colors are fun, and you can tell the owners put a lot of thought into making it family-friendly (thank you for that!). The kids' play area is THE best around, the pirate ship is awesome, and the new jungle gym, tire, seesaw/boat, and additional seating they added this year are fantastic. That said, I've given this place four separate chances over the last two summers, hoping things would improve, and unfortunately, they haven't. The biggest disappointment is the food. Every visit, it's taken a long time to come out, and when it does, it's consistently over-fried and just not very good. I kept thinking maybe they were still working out the kinks after opening, but after coming back again this summer, it feels exactly the same. The drinks are another letdown. Their marketing makes them look incredible, but they don't live up to the hype. I've ordered several myself and sampled quite a few from friends during large group outings, and every single one has been overwhelmingly sweet with very little alcohol flavor. They look great for Instagram, but the taste just isn't there. The service has also been consistently disappointing (and I'm not talking about wait times, that's expected in a summer touristy town). I haven't had a single genuinely friendly employee in any of my visits. A smile and a welcoming attitude go a long way, especially in a beach town where people are on vacation and looking to have a good time. I truly wanted this place to become one of our regular spots because it has so much potential. The atmosphere, location, and family amenities are excellent. But good playgrounds and a beautiful location can only carry a restaurant so far. Until the food, drinks, service, and wait times improve, I just can't recommend it. read more

Do NOT go here. Our waitress had to actively try to be a terrible human. We waited 27 minutes to get a menu. After I'd asked waitresses 10 min in. Our waitress finally said she would be with us. And then waited on tables that came in after. We asked for our daughter's meal to come out first it didn't. The bar is fun. There is a playground. But the food was subpar and the not very flavorful. The waitress literally argued with us when we asked TWICE for more forks. She insisted she put some in the bucket. It was all knives. On almost $200 she got a minimal tip. I never do that but she was mean and rude. Wouldn't go back here again. Ever. read more

Mad Viking Dock Bar & Grill - Lobster poutine. 3 pieces of small lobster. - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Mad Viking is a draw for all Parents who want a moment to actually enjoy their alcoholic beverage with family and friends. The kids play while we eat and drink. The kids meal was also cool with the added slushie. I had the frozen margarita. It was super cold and hot the spot. 16 oz comes in a souvenir cup with $10 same day refills. The server was working her butt off back and forth to the playground area. Honestly amazing. The food was my least favorite part of this spot. I had the Cobb salad. Huge but everything was soooooo salty. I do think I will come back and order something different. read more

Love this place! Awesome views of the marina! So adorable, love the tropical beachy colors. Coconut shrimp was really good! Very pricey. We didn't love the tuna avocado appetizer. read more

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Went here and was AMAZED by how delicious the food was. The angry crabcake sandwich was out of this world. We really enjoyed our drinks served in the souvenior cups and have been regulalry using them since our visit. I am actually surprised to see the negative reivews here as our experience was great. The setting is lovely right on the marina! read more

We just ate here for dinner and and such a nice time! We had a very moody toddler in tow, which we thought was going to make the night...interesting. The servers were so nice and patient and made recommendations for kids drinks (the blue raspberry shushie was a hit). The playground is awesome! The environment is so chill and our little one was able to play and run back for some bites at her leisure. We had a cheese quesadilla that she ate most of, I really enjoyed the coconut shrimp, and my husband loved his crab cake sandwich. The frozen drinks were great too! We really enjoyed our evening and there was something for everyone. read more

NO Aquavit. NO herring or pumpernickel. NO freckadella. Nothing but Swedish MBs. Viking my ass! Your recorded message is also NOT a Viking. I'm very sad. read more

The service was absolutely awful. Waited 25 minutes before the waitress came. Hour and 15 minutes before the food came. We were going to leave but my daughter wanted to play on the playground. The waitress was awful and argumentative the entire time. I don't need the waitress arguing with me that I don't need another fork at our table. Just bring me a fork. Manager was just as bad. Kids play area is kind of trash and not worth the headache of dealing with this place. Food was decent but overpriced and atmosphere is cool. But the staff and manager are terrible. Would leave negative stars if possible. read more

If you have kids, I would definitely highly recommend coming here. The playground was perfect for my children to play while we were able to order our food in peace. Once the food came, the kids were able to come up and down to us to eat and go back and play. We sat at a table that was by the stairs so we were able to see our children from there which worked out perfectly for us. The food itself was average. But the views and the "childcare." Was perfect. read more

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This place is so fun and perfect for families. The atmosphere and service were both great. Food was great, especially the tuna poke wontons. Highly recommend read more

Mad Viking Dock Bar & Grill - Coconut shrimp and mussels - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

This place was a total home run. The business model alone sold us but the food and pirate ship playset will have us coming back! They were super efficient, just pick a seat sit wherever you want, first come first serve. A waitress came up within minutes to take our order. There are runners running food out as it comes up and bus boys clearing empty plates as they find them. The waitress was super attentive, the food was fast, it's definitely upscale seafood bar food. Everything we ordered was absolutely great. And we ended dinner with our son playing on the pirate ship playset and he was sold too. The ambience is 10 out of 10. Can't recommend it enough! read more

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One of Cape May areas few water front spots. I sat at the bar to grab a quick bite to eat. The bar has frozen drink slushie machines. I went for the local go to, an Orange Crush. The bartender was a familiar face from their other restaurant owned by MV and was friendly. I had the Tuna Poke Crisps. They were very good. The server recommended the Fish Cubano Wrap. I'll be back to try. They have a playground for the kids and boat docking. It's outside so bring a jacket or sweatshirt for cool nights. read more

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Visited this new entirely outdoor dock bar and grill at Snug Harbor marina last night with a friend. Will definitely return. Turning off the access road brings you into parking lot with decent amount of spaces. Restaurant was really busy but we were able to find a spot quickly. The business is adjacent to the marina behind the large building that houses the kitchen and bathrooms. They have a dog friendly section next to the bay with a handful of tables on your right where you can self serve, ordering food and drinks from the bar. Very nice. Walking up a short set of stairs to the main area brought us into a very lively scene. No indoor table seating at all, but an extended roof and lots of umbrellas provide coverage from the sun. Our server Melissa told us they're planning to install some extendable canopies as well. I'd be careful coming here with bad weather in the forecast as it could get windy and wet. There is no hostess, you seat yourself at an open table. I overall like this so you can grab the location you prefer. And I'm used to it from going to bar top seating over the years. I can see though why this may irk some people who don't want to hunt around on a busy night. My buddy and I found a perfect table within five minutes. It was busy but there are lots of tables and we passed up a few less attractive options. Upon sitting down our server came over right away. For a new place I'd say overall they are well staffed and well trained. My expectations were lower thinking they had to work out some kinks. Melissa did a very good job. Handling a couple round of drinks, some food and getting us on our way. They specialize in frozen drinks, which my friend enjoyed. You can get them in a signature refillable koozy cup. My Paloma was decent; I wish it was offered with a tahine rim to contrast the tartness. I didn't order a second one, instead trying a whiskey based Lingonberry drink I enjoyed more. (I've become a Paloma snob at one point so I have a high standard). Neither cocktail seemed very boozy which was fine with me. My friend's orange frozen drink was supplemented by a vodka floater add-on for a few bucks more. He was a big fan. I saw some beers on the menu but not a lot. Like ten or less. The frozen drink machines take up a good deal of bar space and that seems like their niche. Sitting there on the bay looking at the water and sunset, people around us having a good time, we both agreed this is what a relaxing Jersey shore summer scene is all about. Feeling the good vibes we ordered some dinner. Grilled street corn Caesar salad for me, tacos for my friend.. Both came out fast and were excellent. This salad was so cleverly constructed, I will visit again just to have that. Avocado, corn and cornbread croutons complement the traditional romaine lettuce. The bill came to around $90 altogether which felt right for the food, drinks and experience. We paid the server directly, no drop the check, pay, wait, etc. Some other points to highlight: 1) heavy Nordic theme throughout. Skol! 2) There is an awesome Viking ship and sand playground area adjacent to the far end of the seating area. Couples or friends with young kids can relax at dinner and keep an eye on their kids in a contained space. Someone planned that really well. 3) tables move easily so you can piece together a large group seating by yourself. Only low point was a small men's bathroom (one urinal, one stall) which got a little gross. There is probably another one where we entered that I missed. Overall I'll definitely be back at the Mad Viking this summer and I recommend you give it a try as well! read more

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Great spot for families with littles. My son had fun on the playground and then we got a bite to eat after. We got the red seafood chowder, tuna nachos and chicken fingers for my son. The chowder was good! Lots of good flavor, similar to a fisherman's stew. The tuna nachos were the star of the show! I wish there was some more vegetables like cucumbers and seaweed but was tasty! read more

As a self-proclaimed culinary connoisseur--which mostly means I own stretchy pants and an opinion--I eagerly anchored myself at the local waterfront joint, only to discover that Neptune's kitchen is apparently staging a quiet rebellion against flavor. I ordered the smashed burger and the surf and turf, but the burger was so astronomically dry it tasted less like beef and more like the existential dread of a cow that lived a very unfulfilling life. The french fries hovered in that tragic culinary purgatory between crunchy and soft, somehow achieving neither, while the pasta salad tasted aggressively like fresh-cut lawn clippings, forcing me to briefly wonder if I was dining or mowing the back forty. To wash down the botanical nightmare, I ordered a soda, only to learn that free refills are apparently a myth akin to Atlantis, hitting me with a cool three bucks for a meager twelve ounces. The waitstaff were lovely folks just catching stray bullets from management, and while the parking was a breeze and the bathrooms passed the white-glove test, the waterfront ambience was severely hampered by a wind tunnel that threatened to turn my napkin into a kite. Would I return? Well, if some poor sap invites me out and is footing the bill, maybe I'll suffer through the lawn-flavored pasta again--but if my own hard-earned cash is on the line, this critic is officially filing for a divorce from the menu. read more

Awesome views, delicious food and fabulous service! We were anticipating the opening and we're not disappointed! We docked at the transient slips which was super convenient! read more

Unsure if we came on an off day. First time trying. Food was overpriced for the quantity and quality. Received our food with several discrepancies as what is placed on the menu to receive with meals. Service was subpar. Took over 25 mins in between each interaction with our waitress to the point we asked for our check before we were even finished our food to ensure we would leave at a reasonable time. Kids enjoyed the playground area. read more

Great outside seats. Had Swedish meatballs yum Very good. Staff excellent. Will be back. read more

My 3rd time here did not disappoint but could be better. The grilled shrimp tacos were good and came with chips and their peach salsa. Nachos were pretty good but for $15 put some more toppings on there than 10 beans and some corn. The stuffies were great as always. Love the frozen drinks but a 6 year old could drink 2 and not get a buzz. Get the extra shot to add and perfect. On par with other places... $13 if you add the shot. The vibe is obviously great. Chilling in the sun and breeze at the marina. Staff have all been really cool. read more

Mad Viking Dock Bar & Grill - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Food Blackberry Burrata salad and Caribbean Bowl with shrimp. Very good. Service exceptional. Will come again! The breeze on the deck lovely. read more

Mad Viking Dock Bar & Grill - View from deck of Mad Viking - Seafood Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

I have been meaning to post up about mad Viking and got side tracked ... because well it's summer Speaking of summer ... it's not over so I highly suggest you head over to Mad Viking Why? Great outdoor hang ! Vibe - good times with water views slushies delicious and yes some of us added an extra shot to ours Beers were cold as well The sand play area for the kids with a pirate ship is excellent and allowed the adults to eat while keeping an eye on the kids while enjoying a beautiful night! Speaking of eating My husband said hands down the skol dog was his favorite I enjoyed the Tuna poke crisps and crabby poppers The others enjoyed the Swedish meatballs and the crab cake sizzle I was truly impressed that during opening week that they could deliver on the drinks food and atmosphere We are big fans and recommend this place ... especially to families !! read more

This is the perfect place if you have a toddler. There is a little pirate ship that the kids can climb while you enjoy a beverage. The food was also great. The Cobb is $22 but a good portion size. read more

Claire was the best server I've had in a long time and that's saying a lot. I work in the restaurant business and her service was top tier! With her energy, positivity and it all just seemed genuine. Mad Viking is a great vibe, not too pricy and great drinks/food. Will definitely come back read more

I'll start with the good. Attentive and friendly staff. Bottled and draft beer are cold. Beautifully renovated on the water!! "Slushy" drinks with and without a floater were considered good by friends. Now the food....most everything is Fried!! From appetizers to entrees everything was Over Fried and lacked taste!!! Blah! Boring!! So....go there for the ambiance and drinks and water view. When you get hungry move onto another place. read more

Great food and cold drinks. Best location right on the water. Good service and beach ambiance. Our new favorite place when we are at the beach read more

It's a tourist place with a beautiful view. The food is OK. The service is decent that's about it.

I came here with family for the first time on Labor Day Weekend and loved it! The atmosphere was great; very open and relaxing. Everyone enjoyed their food; I had the burger and it was perfectly cooked. The waitress was friendly and very attentive. Overall, I highly recommend trying this place! read more

Great new spot!!! Orange crush and fish tacos were solid!!! Frozen drinks are a little sweet for me but seem to be super popular.

Um, did anybody say horrible tourist trap; Yes, I heard that. You would think a freshly opened restaurant would put their best foot forward, it's horrible. Drinks are weak, very weak, frozen food that is likely microwaved. My friend, that never complains about food, ever; could not say a good word about this sad excuse for an eatery. Oh, be sure you have plenty of TP at home, you'll need it. Don't bother taking the left overs, you'll throw them away anyway. Find another restaurant, don't make the mistake of thinking the view outweighs the horrible food, it doesn't. Just another catchy name and an expensive bill that isn't worth the visit. Btw, this was twice burned, not a third time. Should name it the Bandit Viking.... read more

Long wait, but good food, good selection of drinks, and great family friendly atmosphere

The location is great, parking is ample, and the decor is cute and welcoming. There are a lot of seating options and good shade. If that's what you're looking for along with a drink, it's a good spot to hit. That's where our enjoyment ended. The beers are overpriced, although drinks not so much more than anywhere else. There is a decent selection of cocktails and styles, but not beer. They're big on the sugary frozen options. Our bartender couldn't be bothered with us, sort of acted as if we were a teeny bit of an annoyance. The food is sub-par at best. We got the tuna poke wontons and are lucky we didn't get sick from the grey bits of tuna that came with it. We were probably only saved by the fact that there was so little of it. The whole thing was drowning in sauce but had very little flavor. The Cobb salad looked like it came from an under-budgeted college cafeteria. The lettuce was "cut" into pieces bigger than a playing card. The tomatoes made me feel like we were visiting Ohio in January instead of NJ in peak tomato season. They also had a few rotten spots. I spent about five minutes making the salad eatable. Everything tasted like it had been refrigerated in its bowl all together for at least a few days. The peel and eat shrimp were a good size. However they came with a pre-packaged cocktail dipping cup like the Wawa marinara cups except with half as much sauce. I guess we could have asked for more. We had high hopes for this location, and with a kitchen overhaul putting more of those bar profits toward the food, it might get there. PS there was also some kind of device behind the bar making the candy crush coin sound every 15-30 seconds for the entire hour we were there and you could hear it from the docks. Unnerving to say the least. read more

Tried out this new location we were pumped to bring our pooch. They said dog friendly on the website and then stuck us in the corner of the parking lot to fend for ourselves. The food was good. The tuna nachos were a little sparse on tuna chicken fingers were very good otherwise nice view sitting on the dock read more

We wanted to enjoy a nice lunch on the last day of our vacation at the Mad Viking an advertised dog friendly establishment with our very docile, uber friendly, fluffy Alaskan Malamute. When we arrived there was a large sign saying, "No dogs beyond this point, please see a staff member for dog friendly seating." So we asked and was led to a picnic bench in a sectioned off piece of the rock parking lot. It was uncomfortable just to walk on for my dog much less to relax by sitting or laying down. After about 5 minutes of thought we decided to leave. By that time we hadn't even been greeted or serviced. NOT DOG FRIENDLY. read more

The food was just above microwave grade. The drinks were pretty cool but the overall buzz kill was the service (or lack there of). It's seat yourself, mixed with chaos and wondering if a waitress even saw you sit down. The bad service ruined the entire vibe for us. It's a one and done. read more

Unfortunately, we didn't stay long enough to make a decision on how the main courses are. We sat at the bar and it took several minutes for the bartender to acknowledge us, even though the bar was not busy. To note, the bartender was not friendly at all, and did not even make eye contact. We finally ordered drinks and an appetizer. The mussels came out and were placed in front of us with no set ups, no side plates, and no bowl for the shells. We had to serve ourselves from a bucket of plastic silverware next to us, and then ask for a bowl for the shells where then the bartender looked somewhat aggravated that we even asked him. Not once were we checked on to see how our appetizer was so we decided upon finishing, that we would leave and go elsewhere. I was a server and bartender for many years so I understand what the job entails and checking on your customers is not a hard thing to manage no matter how busy or not busy you are. read more

We went here for the first time 4th of July weekend and were able to get a table right away. Service was pretty good, prices were reasonable, and apps hit the spot. Frozen drinks were good but definitely light on alcohol. Overall a good happy hour spot! Will definitely go back! read more

Great location and fun frozen drinks, but found the food to be overpriced and underwhelming.The fries were cold and stale and the wings were chewy and full of gristle. read more

Great location, view and overall "feel" like it wasn't stuffy and people were really chill. Food was good, drinks were good and service especially was excellent. read more

The atmosphere here is very nice. Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. I ordered the OG smash burger and it was really good. I recommend coming here for lunch or dinner. read more