Quahog’s Seafood Shack

We ate here the end of June and really enjoyed it, so while visiting Cape May with friends this past weekend, we decided to return. What a disappointment! The entire experience was mediocre at best. This really was a 1 star experience but gave 2 because the guacamole was great. But that is where it ends.
When we checked in I was asked if we were all there and I replied yes, my husband is parking the car. So of course the hostess said they couldn’t seat us. If they are concerned about turning the table wouldn’t it be better to seat us, open the wine, pour water and give us our menus so we could order promptly? So while waiting for my husband I decided to visit the restroom. I was 9^th in line for the one bathroom and my party was seated in my absence. By the time I got to the table the wine was opened and specials recited. So even though they wouldn’t seat three of us initially, they ended up doing so anyway. Makes absolutely no sense.
It was downhill from there. Our server was m.i.a., and the food was awful. Three of us ordered specials. The flounder stuffed with crab was all but inedible. We would have sent all dishes back but our server was completely absent. We were never asked about our meals. You would think that when the dishes were cleared someone might have noticed that the plates were almost untouched. We left knowing that if we had returned our meals the replacements would have been poor as well.
Do yourself a favor and avoid this place.

I really liked this place! It would have been a 5 star but it’s pricey I think for sitting under a picnic pavilion.
My wife got the pacu ribs and the strawberry BBQ sauce was delish. Never had this before and we were pleasantly surprised. The coconut rice was a nice touch as well! I ordered the special which was clams with sundried tomatoes and pancetta with a blush sauce over linguine and it was very tasty. Wasn’t drowned in sauce like pasta dishes all too often are. We ordered the kids crab cake because, well our boy likes pretty much anything! But realistically, as good as the single crab cake was, 14 $ was a lot for a smaller sized crab cake with some fries.
We had read some reviews about poor service but we had Shannon as our waitress, she. was super friendly and quick with our needs and she knew everything about her menu! Perfect! She even helped some of the rookie seafooders at our table with suggestions they would like without pushing their boundaries as turning them off to seafood forever! I highly suggest asking for her on your next stop in!

This place was not good at all. There were eight of us and none of us were pleased with what we got. Fish special was dry. Clam Chowder was B-​. Clam Bake was horrible, dipped in bread the sauce was inedible and that’s the best part! The clams were bad, the shrimp was tasteless, and it came out cold. Crab Cakes were a B. Calamari was covered in BBQ sauce so that was strange.
The best part about the meal was the wine, but it’s BYOB so that’s that.

The host had an attitude, he seemed uninterested in helping customers, he told everyone of a 30 – 40′ wait but all tables were seated after 10′ wait. He was watching his soccer match on a small TV and I guess his team was losing. Once we passed that obstacle, everything was great, the waitress was very helpful and the food was good. The empanadas were tasty, the ceviche was abundant but a little bland. The crusted whole branzino was beautifully presented, I’ve never seen such a beautiful fish, it was tasty too. The atmosphere was also enjoyable, very nice covered patio. I would go back

I like 7 mile island because it’s the beach of my childhood, but every time I come now (after grown-​up summers on other east-​coast islands) I wish the food scene were better. I’m glad at least that Quahog’s is here. My group of 6 had a great time on the back patio, which is done up shaggy-​chic with string lights, creeping vines, and old refrigerators. It was a full house but the service was efficient and relaxed, and the food came out sooner than anyone expected. Among the things we ordered, the small plates were the best made, especially the tender grilled octopus and perfectly-​fried oysters. The clam bake and moqueca stew were nothing special, but by the time those came out we were full of enough beers run from Fred’s that we didn’t really mind.

This place has been a regular destination every summer for us and we love the food and the ambience. So it’s a little frustrating to write a bad review of a restaurant that can be excellent. The pretty but dumb hostess messed up our booking when we went in to get our name on he list. Gave the table away and then put us at the bottom of the list… with another hour wait. I am sure the food is still great but we didn’t eat here that night!

This is not your everyday beach joint! Quahogs was top notch. After reading reviews and studying the menu, I opted for the whole fish while my dad had the pacu fish ribs. (Mom had lobster roll, not so adventurous) We were excited and amazed with everything! It’s nice to eat at a beach restaurant with creativity and inventiveness. There was care taken with the preparation of the food, and the service (we had Brody) was friendly and knowledgable.
We had reservations at 6pm because we heard about what the wait we might encounter, and when we were leaving, there was a crowd of anxious eaters waiting to get in. I recommend planning accordingly.
If the price is right for you, I couldn’t recommend it more! I’ll definitely return.

Very cute place loads of cool ambience, but I wouldn’t go back. Starting with the hostess who could’ve been more welcoming & friendly. I ordered the crab cakes that arrived crispy on the outside but cold on the inside-​the waiter was very accommodating and took them back & returned shortly with a fresh plate of crab cakes that weren’t much better. For the price I could have ordered better take out seafood for half the price!

Went for luch. Liked the ambiance and shabby chicness overall. The strawberry lemonade was great, the guacamole was fresh, a bit salty, the chips it came with unremarkable. The empanadas were good, pastry was light, the beef filling a bit bland and somewhat greasy, and two for $ 9, was pricey… but it’s a summer town, I get it. The full belly clam po boy was overcooked… the small clams hadn’t any tenderness and the bag of chips it came with was a turnoff, especially for $ 12. The strange part was we were told when we sat down that they were out of FISH. That’s right, FISH. So no fish taco, sandwiches or platters… I think for a $ 75 luch for two with no cocktails, we could do better..

This place used to be excellent but is now very mediocre. We went on July 24,
2015. The appetizers were poor. The calamari was particularly bad as the portion was very small and what little there was very greasy. The service was awful. The server did not know who ordered what and the food came out in waves so everyone had to wait. Two of us ordered the fish special which was the last to come out. I would estimate that the first fish order did not come out for more than 10 to 15 minutes after the first person at our table was served. Mine came out first and it was completely overlooked, dry and tasteless. It took another five minutes for the other fish order to come out and it was just as bad. Neither were edible and we sent both back. Based on the dramatic decline in service and quality I can only assume there has been a change in ownership or management. We will not be back which is sad because this was our favorite restaurant in Stone Harbor. The prices have always been high but at least the food and service was good. Now,
that is no longer the case so there is no reason for us to go there.

My wife and I vacation in Cape May each summer and are always on the lookout for «The Place.» The place that we dream about all yearlong and make a pilgrimage to enjoy. After reading the buzz surrounding Quahog’s, we had hoped that this would be that place.
Even on a Friday night at 7pm, we made it right in. We were seated on the patio that, while very nice aesthetically, was super loud. I don’t know if it is the physical layout of this space or if we just came on an especially noisy evening, but it was difficult to share a conversation across the table. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and attentive, so high marks to that group.
We ordered a pair of seafood empanadas (crab, corn, and cheese). I think this works a bit better in theory than it does in actual application. We moved on to the clam chowder, which was delicious. It wasn’t as thick as it’s prepared in most restaurants, something that I appreciated in the middle of summer. We split the entrée of fried clams and were mostly pleased with this dish. The pieces of clam were large, though some were a bit tough. I felt that they were too heavily breaded, but I suppose that’s what fried clams are all about. It’s also worth noting that this is a BYOB establishment.
Would I return to Quahog’s? Yes, I would. What I would do differently, however, would be to get a bit more adventurous with the meal. It would seem that the specialty here is grilled fish and the like, so I would probably go in that direction. Ultimately, I felt that the meal we had was overpriced and a bit underwhelming.

Not worth the wait, not worth the price.
We got some oysters (small) and guac with crab (needed salt) for an app.
For dinner, we ordered both the lobster roll and lobster bake. The lobster in the $ 40+ bake was undersized, with more green gunk than pink meat. I didn’t know the green gunk could travel up to the claws, but it did. Covering something in fries doesn’t make it look any bigger.
The lobster roll itself was standard, nothing special. It did come with a full-​on lobster claw — which for the $ 24 price tag was a nice surprise. Until we opened it. And it was raw. Like, translucent, not cooked, RAW raw. The waiter didn’t believe me until I physically showed him the claw. They knocked $ 6 off our bill. Nice.

My wife, son and I went there last weekend for dinner. This was not our first time going to Quahogs, but was the first time this season.
We absolutely love the ambiance of this place, we are just not sold on the food. Quahogs is known for its fish ribs, so I ordered these as my entrée. The sauce flavor is very unique and just doesn’t do it for me. My wife had the clambake and, while the seafood, itself, was good… the broth left little to be desired. And the corn on the cob was way overdone and mushy. We love dipping bread into broth, but not so with this broth. Our son just had the seafood bisque and it was sensational!
Again, the flavors in many of their dishes are on the side of eclectic. That said, the service and ambiance is good to very good and a nice change of pace from the typical shore restaurant.

Horrendously overpriced hole in the wall. Avoid. Looks unimpressive outside and you’ll think you can’t judge a book yadda yadda… judge away… from the shack on 97^th.

This was an unplanned dinner spot but what a great surprise we came here without dinner reservations and only waited 20 min the food was outstanding! I had the lobster roll platter and it was outstanding ! My friend paid the bill which was even better!!!

A-​OK is right, but nothing particularly amazing or impressive.
Ordered the Pacu ribs and the fisherman’s stew for lunch. The stew was excellent, if a little salty. The ribs were a little ammonia-​ish, but I guess that’s what you get when you’re serving fish from the amazon that needs to be frozen. Coconut rice was nice.
Service was friendly and décor was pleasant and not overly crowded with a great outdoors covered patio out back.
All in all, prices for the more famous dishes, including the two mentioned here, are a little pricier than the other items on the menu, though they are probably fair. However, for that moolah, I was certainly not impressed enough that I would come back for seconds. Still overall a pleasant experience.

Spent a weekend in Stone Harbor and decided to give this place a shot based on our appetites and the reviews. It was a success, but every place has somewhere to improve.
We started the night with a LONG wait (1hr 15mins) but decided to stick it out to see what all the hype was.
We were seated outside and ordered our appetizer basket — the Calamari. It was done well and the salsa was a great original touch. Size was SMALL and $ 9 for the portion seemed steep.
Enjoyed a few self-​brought beers (note for next time: bring a bottle opener).
Dinner for her was the grilled swordfish. It was delicious. Nice thick steak with great flavor. Did remark that it would have been better if served over just a touch of a sauce.
Dinner for me were the Pacu Pacu BBQ Ribs. I see why they’re a hit. The coconut rice complemented the meal well and was a perfect size. Portion was adequate.
All in all we liked it. $ 60.99 for two wasn’t bad, and there wasn’t a «corking» fee (I have seen this at many BYOB’s).
Service was mediocre. Our waiter was knowledgable about the menu but was lackluster on the service side of things and his people skills.
I’d go again and I’d recommend it!

I have been wanting to visit Quahog’s ever since I saw it on the Food Network with Guy Fieri. The wait was well worth it and the meal was better than I had anticipated! It’s hard to find very good cuisine when visiting the Jersey Shore (comparable to what you would find in Philly) but Quahog’s sure hit it out of the park!
There is a take out portion of the restaurant and then the sit-​down, dining portion. I arrived with my family around 6pm on a Sunday and we had to wait about 45 minutes for a table. I didn’t mind because I was able to walk around and visit the local shops. We were seated outside and I loved the look. It had very much an eclectic seafood shack feel with ocean and fishing décor lining the walls, string lights above and different styles of tables and chairs paired together.
The food… oh the food… We started with a complimentary chick pea appetizer. I wanted to lick the plate, it was that good. We also ordered a half dozen oysters that came with a vinegar dressing. I skipped the dressing and drizzled a dot of lemon juice on my oyster. The oyster was so fresh and tasted like the ocean. I ordered the tuna and watermelon ceviche with a side of coconut rice. My other family members ordered the Lobster Taquitos, Steak with fries (Argentinian style fries and chimichurri sauce) and the Pacu Pacu Fish Ribs (featured on the Food Network). All of our meals were so good that we barely talked as we ate. I noticed that there was dessert on the menu but I was too full.
I read that the service can be hit or miss. Our server, Peggy, was very nice and attentive. Once my mother ordered the side of coconut rice Peggy mentioned that it was her favorite thing on the menu, which of course meant that I too had to have a side order of rice! Oh, it’s also a BYO! Score!

Went here with a small group of friends and had a great time! The food was great and the outdoor area out back was very nice.
The lobster toquitos and the whole fish were amazing and unique! The deviled egg was good as well and our group really liked the truffle fries.
We will be back for lunch!

Stopped in to Quahog’s on a Saturday after an event in Wildwood. Stone Harbor is really a welcome relief. It was a beautiful day, in the low 80’s with low humidity. We got there about 1:00 PM and we were seated right away. There were open tables and we ate on the patio. It was pleasant outside but it could get hot as other Unilocalers have written.
We had the Guacamole, the Lobster Taquitos, Calamari and the BBQ Pacu Pacu Fish Rib Dinner. Everything was very good, my party loved the Taquitos, but they were a little small. The BBQ Pacu Pacu Fish Rib Dinner was good also but wasn’t the super special dish I was expecting. Be careful of the bones, the coconut rice was really good that accompanied the BBQ Pacu Pacu.
We did see this place on DD&Ds and it is another restaurant off our hit list. Most of the places we have visited on DD&Ds have been pretty good, but seldom live up to Guys over the top, cartoon character hype. That being told, I would go back Quahog’s when in Stone Harbor as long as there wasn’t a huge wait. It had the beach vibe we were looking for and the food was better then decent. It is a bit pricey but so is everything at the shore during the summer. There is a public parking lot directly across the street and the beach is only a block or so away. They also have take out taco service if your beach bound.