A make-or-break vacation can all come down to just one thing: the food. Unfortunately, the restaurants we went to were all just fine—mediocre, sufficient, or blah. I had to work hard to remember what I ate and where, since the experience faded quickly from my mind after each meal.
To be fair, there were some nice features, locations, or standout points, but we always have to return to the food. I was excited to get into some amazing seafood, especially considering how close we were to the ocean.
Everywhere you look, you see fishing boats, but I honestly don’t know if they’re catching anything or just permanently docked to set the aesthetic. Maybe this is just Jersey fishing. It’s not the same as getting your seafood from the best spots. Maybe “buying local” just means buying from a coastline that’s been beat up and picked over.
Here are the spots we hit and my quick takes:
The Lobster House
One of the well-known hot spots for regular vacationers with homes in the area. I had shrimp scampi over rice. The shrimp were good, but there was nothing memorable about the yellow rice it came with.
They did have good bread served with butter, and I managed to swap out the salad for a baked potato. I doctored it up with the same drawn brown butter, and that turned into a table-wide butter fest. Everyone started adding it to their food, and it made everything better.
They don’t put prices on the online menu, which is a faux pas for me. And portion size for what you pay was poor. We did enjoy the crew-style uniforms the servers were wearing.
Verdict: 6.5/10
Butter is better.
Ugly Mug, Cape May
One of the many classic Irish pub-style joints along the Cape May restaurant and shopping district walking path. Location is the key here—it’s one of the first spots you come across, which is the main reason we stopped in.
Food and service were fine. I had the Bavarian pretzel and grilled cheese with tomato and bacon. Everything came out chilled, mostly because they keep massive fans running, which is great for staying cool but terrible for keeping food warm.
I was really craving that grilled cheese, but it came out cold and missing the tomato. Big miss.
Verdict: 5/10
Duffinetti’s Restaurant & Lounge
This was the most interesting and fun dinner spot. The main draw? Lounge singers.
Edy, the male singer, was my favorite. He had a Ray Romano type of delivery with dry humor and wit. My son and his friend got pulled into the show for a patriotic rendition of “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, waving flags on stage. Gina, who only performs occasionally since she’s a full-time hairdresser, also held her own.
I was excited to give seafood one last try and ordered the broiled seafood platter. Huge disappointment. Quantity, quality, and presentation were sparse, undercooked, and sad.
Luckily, my family came to the rescue and offered bites of their meals, which looked way better and had way more food.
Verdict: 6/10
Higher score for the lounge singers.
The Crab House, 2 Mile Landing
This place was hopping. The first night we tried, it was way too busy to even bother, so we came back on Thursday. There are technically two restaurants—Two Mile and The Crab House—but only The Crab House was open.
The big draw is the location. Tons of nooks and crannies throughout the restaurant and even a docked boat you can eat on while watching the sunset.
I enjoyed watching the operation run like a well-oiled machine. Servers, runners, and bussers moving in harmony to serve a big, hungry crowd.
After a week of seafood, I opted for a veggie burger. It was very good and homemade, but came with a gluten-free bun that was just miserable—falling apart and full of resentment. I should’ve asked for a regular bun.
Verdict: 7/10
Every night on the island, we found ourselves at an ice cream parlor. The restaurants all offered desserts, but since they were all pretty fair, we didn’t feel the need to extend our time or risk a mediocre dessert.
It just felt right—the ocean breeze, warm summer air—you’re supposed to be eating some kind of frozen milk with sugar and candied treats.
We hit up several different locations including Duffer’s Restaurant and Homemade Ice Cream Parlor, Harbor Life Golf and Ice Cream, and Kohr Brothers Frozen Custard.
The winner for me was the simple, easygoing Harbor Life Golf. Ice cream is just a side hustle for this thriving mini golf spot, right on the left as you arrive in the Diamond Beach area. But the quality of the ice cream, fair pricing, and short wait times made it the best choice.
Enjoying our last cone on Thursday night at Harbor Life, I tried to soak in everything around me. The warm summer night. The salty dew of ocean air. I looked around at my family, each of us doing our own thing but fully together.
This four-night vacation didn’t blow us away with five-star dining or bucket-list experiences, but it gave us something better: our time together.
I’m so thankful for it and even more thankful for the people I got to share it with.
Life with Chicken and Broccoli 