Extremely disappointing experience. Carlos was by far the rudest person I've ever encountered at a restaurant -- completely unprofessional and disrespectful. The rest of the crew wasn't any better; they were impolite and acted like customers were a burden. The atmosphere felt tense instead of welcoming. Definitely not worth coming back. There are plenty of better spots that actually value their guests. read more

Great, relaxed and friendly environment. Will be down in Cape May in a few weeks and will visit again.

We went here because we didn't have a reservation and it was right at dinner time. They took us in right away and we were sat within 5 minutes. The service was great. If give the food a 3 out ot 5. But the area is great, being right in the mall. The fries were great. The chicken fingers were awful. The salad was really good. I probably wouldn't spring for the more expensive $30+ items on the menu, but it's a decent place to go to if you want food and don't want to leave the area. read more

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Amazing lobster. Well priced. And the overall ambiance is very enjoyable. It is right on the main street blocked off to cars. read more

Ugly Mug - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

My girlfriend and I recently dined at Ugly Mug and chose to sit outside. Although the table was a bit small and being close to the street was a bit distracting, the excellent food and service made up for it. We started with the fried clam strips, which were amazing. The clams were plump and juicy, covered in a light batter, and the tangy tartar sauce was a perfect match. I had the Fried Flounder, and it was delicious. The fish was very fresh, with a crispy outside and a tender, flaky inside. My girlfriend picked the Maryland burger, and it was the best part of our meal. The burger was topped with very tasty crab meat, adding a delicious twist to the classic beef burger. A special shout out to our waiter Patrick, who was awesome and very attentive. His great service made our dining experience even better. We'd definitely like to be back to try more of their menu. Highly recommended! read more

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I have been here over 100 times in last 30 years over the yeas the food in very solid The ambiance is basically always super busy Lots of times me and my love one just eat at the bar But recently been coming with kids and grandkids and I realized the service is rushed and the servicers seem unhappy and create an environment I do not want my grandkids to see I guess it is hard to find people that want to work Will not be coming back and start referring my friends to lucky bone backwater grill read more

Came here Saturday very good food was seated quickly. Great place to get a quick flight. Definitely try the fried clam strips and the roast beef dipped Panini. Service was prompt. Food came out very good. Would recommend when you're in Cape May to come in here. read more

Solid pub fare and freindly vibes all around - love that they are open late - we go for the fried flounder sandwiches.

Fun night! Visiting through the holidays , stopped for a glass of wine. Staff is super friendly! read more

Ugly Mug - Friendly staff! Photo bomb! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

My wife and I went in for an early dinner on a slow night as the weather was cold and windy. We were seated far in the back near the wait staff station. We were seated and looked at the menu. We made our selections and waited about 6 or 7 minutes more. A male staff member was standing near the area where place settings are and he seemed to have a skin issue as he was scratching and picking at his scalp. I prayed he wasn't going to be our server. Anyway, this gentleman mentioned to a female server that there was a table for her. She looked over at us, and proceeded to engage in a conversation with another female server who was standing there. We waited and watched for another 5 minutes until we decided to leave because it was clear we would be very disappointed in our service and meal. We walked up the mall to Delaney's where we had a great burger and the service was excellent. We won't go back to the Ugly Mug. read more

Stopped by 6/21/25 to order a cool drink being we were walking & it was hot outside. The Margarita came in a small milk glass & was charged $13. Insane! Won't go back! read more

Great service from Mark the bartender!! Always great food! Dog friendly outside and they treat dogs great. Great bar. Friendly atmosphere! They saved our disastrous time at Iccara Bistro. We should've started at The Ugly Mug! The best ever!!! read more

Frozen food - do not recommend. Service was okay. Ambiance was good. I was so disappointed by this place. Everything on the menu sounded so good. I got the chipotle chicken panini. First off only thing that was good was my diet and the bread itself. The chicken is frozen chicken strips, so bland no flavor. I had to salt and Pepper myself. No taste of chipotle what's so ever in this entire meal. The guacamole is obviously from a supermarket along with the sour cream. I'm very surprised a restaurant would have the audacity to serve food like this. read more

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This is a really bad restaurant, the food is very bad and everything is cold. If this place wasn't on washington street it would be closed and it should be. read more

I hasn't been here in ages so on my last day of vacation we decided to come here for lunch. I got the fish and chips and my boyfriend enjoyed the shrimp salad on a roll. The fries were really good too! Everything was fresh and the staff was friendly. It was a good lunch! read more

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Food was great. Lobster was a great deal and a good portion. My issue is with service. Service was bad. The server Tina was so rude and didn't care about our table. Had to flag down three different people to get a refill. One busser didn't speak English, one host said she would but forgot and another server said I'll grab your server. I told the server and she was like oh... my friend asked for a coke refill and tina rolled her eyes at us. She is what is going to make us go somewhere else. It's a shame because my family and friends have been going here for over thirty years but we are done. We can go plenty elsewhere in cape May. read more

Ugly Mug - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

So first time, so good! Just the fun history here. Look up when you walk in. The mugs hanging from the ceiling, ask about them, they will give you a sheet to give you the time frame of the nostalgia. The food was great. I had the French Dip and my husband had the Hot Roast Beef Sandwich! Tons of seafood on the menu. The bartender was super nice. A must , must try when you are in Cape May! read more

Ugly Mug - The Bar - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Not going to lie the food was not the best. Portions are decent and so is service but for the price the food is really not that great. We had nachos and a sandwich both came deconstructed and we're pretty mid overall. I wouldn't bring guests here and I don't think I will be returning either. It has nice outdoor seating and the drinks are good, very expensive but good. we won't be back. read more

We had lobster dinner at Ugly Mug. It was ok, service was good but place is not very comfortable and not very clean either, which was surprising as most places in Cape May are pretty well maintained. read more

Ugly Mug - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

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Haven't been here in a couple years but man has this place fallen! We stopped by for a quick bite at a not so busy time of year. It took a bit to get service but our server was a tad on the b'tc'y side. We ordered nachos but what came out was a plate tortilla chips, beans and beef (that tasted awful) with a ton of cheese on it. on the side was a plate of some shredded lettuce, a smatter of diced tomatoes, a tiny container of guacamole, a mass produced container of sour cream, sliced peppers, olives, annnd a jalapeño. Sweet Lady of Guadalupe, save us from this disturbing mess! Also, cheesesteak egg rolls should have onions in them and served with a sriracha ketchup on the side, not an over fried steak and cooper sharp with a heavy white cheddar on the side. Whoever is managing or newly owns this Cape May staple needs to change some things, fast. Bah! read more

Everything was great except the lobster it was overcooked. Nice service and there's in door and outdoor dining. Once we ate inside and once outside liked having that choice! read more

Our order took long to come out from kitchen and when we did get it, it was cold. What caused the holdup? It wasn't crowded ... wouldn't have been so disappointing to wait if the food was piping hot. Thankfully, it was a beautiful day and our table was outside. read more

Ugly Mug - Picture of the restaurant from outside. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Usually, I have a great time at the Ugly Mug. The waitstaff is usually always friendly. The food and drinks are usually always on point. And the historical pictures of the foam-blowing contest--or whatever it's called--always make me smile. Not this time. We arrived and were greeted with an abrupt "how many?" I said "two" and was told there would be a twenty-minute wait. We returned in fifteen to twenty minutes, and the woman with whom we interacted before was gone. Instead, we were met by a gruff busboy with a rag stuffed in his pants. Before we had a chance to say anything, someone sat a party of one who had just walked in at a booth. The busboy asked what we wanted, and I told him that we wanted to check to see if our table was ready yet. He said that it would be a twenty minute wait, and I told him we already gave our name and had been waiting for twenty minutes. He went to seat us at a table in a room with no ambience that was overcrowded with other diners in close proximity rather than the main bar area in which I usually sit. I asked if there were any booths in the other room available, and he said that we would have to wait for twenty minutes. I told him that he sat the party of one before us, someone who had just walked in, and that we had already waited for twenty minutes, and he shrugged and said a lackluster "sorry." Unfortunately, the bad service did not end there. We ordered two cocktails, which we've had before here, and our waitress came back and said they were out of them. So, we asked if they could do two hot toddies instead, with no tea. She said they could, but the waitress looked incredibly flustered, so I told her that it's just hot water, whiskey, lemon, and honey. The drinks came out, and they were disgusting. They were dark brown, and believe it or not, they were actually served with a plastic packet of honey like you would get at a cheap diner. We each took one sip after adding the honey, which we had to stir with knives, and we sent them back, repulsed. After this, we were treated incredibly coldly, there was no apology given, and we were never checked on throughout our entire meal. Our waitress, if you can call her that, was named Allie. I'd like to give the Ugly Mug another chance, as I have several special memories there, but this experience put a horrible taste in my mouth. Literally. read more

Ugly Mug - Bub enjoying his hot buttered knocker... from the previous time that was actually great! - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Great lobster portion and taste, Cole slaw good and fries standard. Ac, outside & inside option as well. Had a bathroom as well! read more

Ugly Mug - Lobster roll came with a generous portion, Cole slaw was good and fries were well delicious. - Beer, Wine & Spirits Near Me - Cape May, New Jersey

Terrible service and management when we were there. After making a mistake with my husband's order, more than once at the same meal, they refused to make it right. They never apologized or seemed to care. Would not and have not gone back since. read more

Service was great, beer was cold, but the food left much to be desired. The pretzel was loaded with tons of salt and the cheese dip tasted like it came out of a can. The cheesesteak eggrolls taste like something you get at the grocery store for your 10 year old kid to microwave when you aren't home so they don't burn your house down. We won't be back. read more

Mocktails were excellent and the food was fantastic. Service was quick and helpful and the restaurant was well organized and friendly.

Haven't been here in ages and was back in town so swung by as it used to be a favorite. Must be under new ownership. Very rude service from host to wait staff. Won't be stopping again. read more

This place was just ok. I heard a good amount about it before visiting so maybe I thought it would be a bit better. Wings were solid! Avoid the pizza Chili was pretty good Philly cheesesteak was decent We were off to the room on the left and it was freezing due to the draft which sucks in December. Overall probably a good dive bar. You just have to know what to order and what not to take a risk on. read more

The drinks could be better. The Margherita pizza was reheated and not fresh at all and not heated long enough because the mozzarella on the pizza was hard and not melted like a fresh pizza would look like read more

This place has been around forever. You used to be able to pay for a mug with your name to put on the wall, but they eventually ran out of space, so the only way to get a mug mounted with your name is to win their annual beer foam blowing contest. Otherwise, service is great and attentive, without rushing you. The food is great bar food, and the beer choices are excellent. Groups are fine here and they get busy on seasonal weekends and holidays. read more

We have absolutely loved this place in the past. Presently, it has gone down tremendously. If it says family friendly it is not. Asking us to wait outside in 23 degree weather. Very unfriendly staff. I understand the space and what it's meant for. But this is a family friendly place. Very disappointed again. Would not recommend. read more

We placed a take-out order so I can't speak to the atmosphere but our experience with the Ugly Mug was great. The woman who took our order on the phone was very helpful and thorough. The food was prepared within 20 minutes. We asked for extra sauce for and they actually listened. Lastly, the food was delicious - we got crab fries (which had large chunks of crab) bbq & sweet tai wings, crispy green beans, the clam chowder (some of the best I've ever had), chicken fingers and a turkey club - There were absolutely no leftovers. read more

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We were served here and had a great time. Accidentally forgot to close out our tab upon closing hours. We returned within less than 10 minutes to pick up the tab and we were informed that tipping was no longer an option on our card within the system. We checked our pockets for cash because we felt bad and apologized for not having any, but bartending staff began to make rude remarks and acted with extreme unprofessionalism, even after trying to make amends. It's a shame because we had fun and the service was great, but we didn't expect their hostility over a simple mistake. read more

The Ugly Mug is a must stop while in Cape May. Every summer we do a ladies shopping day in Cape May and the lunch or dinner destination is always the Ugly Mug. The place is pretty big with plenty of outdoor seating. Our group of 8-10 is always able to get a table within minutes, which is always a huge surprise to us. They don't take reservations, so we usually send someone over to check on the wait time for a table. When we were there this week on a Monday evening, there was not wait at all and we were seated inside immediately. Our server was super friendly, took her time taking all of our orders and making sure she had everything right. I ordered the Lobster Roll with a Mug Crush to drink. Oh boy was that cocktail delicious and strong! The lobster roll came out absolutely overflowing with perfectly cooked lobster. I used the side of melted butter and doused that perfect roll in it. YUM! I love that they aren't skimpy with the portions. The side of fries and coleslaw are great too, seriously some of my favorite coleslaw ever - it's vinegar based as opposed to mayo based which is my preference. Why is this review 4 stars instead of 5? The entrees came out at different times, and one of us was left with no meal for a bit longer than everyone else. Ugly Mug is a glorified bar that has the added bonus of delicious food options. It's not a fancy, fine-dining establishment by any means. Give it a shot and you could become a regular with a mug hanging on the wall! We love that they honor their regulars past and present by keeping their mugs up. If you notice a mug facing a different direction, that is most likely a customer that is no longer with us. Such a beautiful tradition! read more

Im a regular.. local. Been coming here my whole life and im 60. We stop in usually when we open our house in the spring, in early April, were usually exhausted, hungry and thirsty - we looked forward to going to the Mug to start off our season. We got there after the evening rush.. there were still plenty of tables - the crowds were dying down. We were prepared to spend some time here.. having drinks and eating.. i was prepared to drop several hundred bucks here.. per usual. The waitress was immediately trying to talk to us about food and we indicated that we had just got into town and were tired from working and wanted to start off with drinks - she seemed to have an issue with that. She brought us a round of drinks and when we finished she came over again to pester us about ordering food - we tried to explain again.. we were going to order food - just not yet. She got very terse with us and began to bark, that it was a restaurant! and we were sitting at a table! - that if we were going to continue to stay there we MUST order food. Honestly we were put off by this. It was 630 in early April.. there were no crowds - the evening was winding down - we wanted to realx, enjoy music.. take our time.. order food when we were ready - we were there to unwind like we have hundreds of times before. We got our check and left. I dont think anyone cares. I don't know why im even writing this.. i don't think anyone cares anymore. The Ugly Mug was a part of my life, ive been coming here since i was a kid - i bring my friends here for the cheap lobster specials .. the great music and drinks Its changed. I wanted to get angry and complain to someone about it because i felt like we deserved better. I tried to find someone to talk to about our unfortunate evening but couldn't find anyone to care. So i guess thats it. They dont want our business - the tourist churn is really what they are after... I get it I threw away my Ugly Mug t-shirts and an said my goodbyes. I would rather remember it as the place that was close to my heart - than suffer the indignities of fighting with staff about churning over tables I guess we go to Delaney's now, maybe in time we grow to love it there as much as we did the Mug. Turn your mug out to sea.. your done read more

A must if you are visiting Cape May. They have great, fresh seafood and the best lobster rolls. read more

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Decent food, but it is definitely a little bit tight in the restaurant itself. Pricing is not bad and we had a good meal.

We found this place on a whim when looking for a place to eat in Cape May! It is located right in the middle of the Washington Street Mall and you can't beat the view of the beautiful streets. We got there a little before noon and it was already half packed outside. It was a beautiful day so happy that we snagged a table! Staff were good, but it took a little while to get the waitresses' attention as they were often talking by the front, so they would be in view, but just could not grab their attention for a few minutes. We would pass on the chicken sandwich, but the lobster roll was DELICIOUS! It was such an unexpected surprise, the best lobster rolls I have had were in Maine and don't find many in this area which taste good. The price was fair for a lobster roll and had a good amount of lobster meat. It was perfectly paired with the butter and lemon. My husband is not a big fan of lobster rolls, but kept trying to steal more of mine. We will definitely both get this next time we're in the area! read more

My wife and I had lunch at the Ugly Mug, Cape May, NJ on 07/08/25. This place is expensive for the lack of quality. The food sucks with the absolutely worst lobster roll I have ever eaten (keep in mind this is a seafood town). My wife had the cheesesteak sandwich which she said was not good and actually looked worse from my vantage point. The server was adequate, no more. Recommendation: AVOID THIS PLACE. read more