Pier House Restaurant, Cape May, NJ: A Dining Review
Pier House: Restaurant Highlights
Fare: Contemporary American - Seafood focused.
Price: Expensive
Food Quality: A notch above the many other Cape May/Wildwood family style restaurants.
Service: Friendly. attentive.
Ambiance/Decor: Contemporary, done up with wood flooring, blue-and-white tiles, white stone bar and blue hue accents, with a spacious bar with an ocean view.
Overall Rating: 2 1/2 Stars
Note: Four star Rating System from 1/2 star = poor to Four stars = Best in Class
Noise Level: Moderate - High (near the bar area)
Dress: Casual
Recommended For: Diners who enjoy an upscale setting with fresh seafood and attractive outdoor dining.
Not Recommended for: Budget conscious diners who prefer a more casual family menu with less formality.
Recommended dishes: When available, The Pan Seared Branzino Filet with Red onion, fennel, heirloom tomatoes, caper berries, limoncello sauce; The Grilled Bone-In Ribeye with Yukon mashed potatoes, roasted jalapeno butter, seasonal vegetables; and The Pan Seared Crab Cakes with Jasmine rice, seasonal vegetables, lemon basil aoli.
Alcohol: Full service bar with a good, reasonably priced wine list.
Restaurant Review
The Pier House restaurant, located on the grounds of the La Mer Hotel, at the quieter north end of Cape May, re-opened in the summer of 2019 after being closed for several years while they tore down the original restaurant and completely rebuilt it.
After the reopening with a new general manager and chef, there has been a falloff in the quality and preparation of food.
However, in 2023 the Pier House has hired a new General Manager, Kelvin Mercado and a new Chef and early indications are that the quality of food has improved over the past year.
While the food is a notch above the many other Cape May/Wildwood casual family restaurants, --- and it is certainly worth a visit to this restaurant for an enjoyable dining experience --- it has yet to achieve its former status--- prior to the rebuilding of the Peir House in 2019---as a destination dining experience for diners who enjoy a well executed menu with high-quality ingredients, creatively prepared.
The ambiance is contemporary, done up with wood flooring, blue-and-white tiles, white stone bar and blue hue accents. There is also a spacious bar with ocean view.
In the warmer months, they offer romantic open air terrace dining with twinkling lights overlooking the ocean and the beach.
Parking is plentiful and the service is attentive and friendly. Child friendly.
The Pier House is open 7 days/week for Breakfast, Lunch, & dinner
(Updated May 2023)
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