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Washington Inn

801 Washington St, Cape May, NJ 08204-1651
609-884-5697
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Ranked #1 of 107 restaurants in Cape May
Price range: €24 - €39
Cuisines: American, French
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Restaurant details
Good for: Romantic, Business, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Breakfast/Brunch, Dinner, Reservations, After-hours, Dessert
Dining style: Casual Elegant
Cross street: Jefferson
Description: Built in 1840, this former Cape May plantation residence is now home to the acclaimed Washington Inn and Wine Bar. The Craig Family has carefully preserved the beauty & essence of this distinctive treasure without undertaking major alterations to its original form. The Inns welcoming facade overlooks tree-lined Washington Street in the seaside communitys Historic District. The Washington Inn offers six unique dining areas, from a summer patio to cozy fireside tables. Cocktails are a must in the Wine Bar, where the passing Cape May scene can be best appreciated. Often described as romantic, our easy-going elegance will satisfy anyones craving for fine dining. Our enticing menu offers the best of American cuisine, but with an inventive, upscale edge. Food, Service, Ambiance, the essential ingredients for dining excellence, are all deftly blended here at The Washington Inn. We are what "eating out" used to be -- before it became hurried, incorporated & unimaginative
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317 reviews from our community

88% Recommend
    213
    69
    20
    12
    3
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Waldwick, New Jersey
Contributor
12 reviews 12 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013 NEW

We knew that this restaurant had good reviews but the food was above and beyond. We were talking about how good the food was the next day.

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Livingston, NJ
Senior Contributor
33 reviews 33 reviews
30 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 May 2013 NEW

The Washington Inn is a Cape May institution and continues to serve up great meals year after year. We recently dined there for probably the 10th time and had a great time as usual. The service is top notch. The food is also top notch. I had a pork chop with broccoli rabe and polenta which was excellent. My dining... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 3 more reviews by cyclinged for Cape May
Helsinki, Finland
Senior Reviewer
10 reviews 10 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 May 2013

This fine dining place turned out to be surprisingly easygoing and enjoyable experience. The restaurant also has a wine bar and sommelier. This sommelier also was a very nice guy who made us an excellent wine recommendation which we still remember as one of the best wines we have ever tasted! Also the deserts turned out to be better than... More

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See 2 more reviews by Perttu T for Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey
Top Contributor
61 reviews 61 reviews
49 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 27 cities Reviews in 27 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 10 May 2013

This is my second review of the Washington Inn. Not much different than the first, to be honest, but I just want to let all Trip Advisor aficionados know that when you are in Cape May and really want the best service, food, atmosphere and wine, there really is no better place than the Washington Inn. The Craig family knows... More

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See 14 more reviews by Brokenboat for Cape May
Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, United States
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
4 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

I belong to a Red Hat Group of Women who dine out as a group several times a year. The Washington Inn has treated us graciously and have always served the most unique dishes. We continue to select this restaurant as one of our favorite places to dine.

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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 May 2013

I hadn't visited the Washington Inn in quit some time. However, the atmosphere and service are still excellent. Took my husband for his birthday because I didn't want to worry about whether the food and service would be up to par. This is one place that will never let you down.. Love it Love it Love it!

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Hillsborough, New Jersey
Senior Contributor
39 reviews 39 reviews
25 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
21 helpful votes 21 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 2 May 2013

The restaurant was fantastic! We were seated in the front room with a view of the passers by. It was warm and inviting! The staff was very friendly, knowledgable and attentive! The food was very good. Very extensive wine list!

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See 3 more reviews by squirrelstaken for Cape May
Vineland, New Jersey
Senior Contributor
44 reviews 44 reviews
37 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 18 cities Reviews in 18 cities
21 helpful votes 21 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 28 April 2013

Nothing is as constant as change, and the same can be said about The Washington Inn. Living in South Jersey, we are frequently in Cape May, all year long. Of all the South Jersey shore communities, Cape May offers the most varied choices for dining. It is really hard to go wrong and you will find everything from sports bars... More

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See 4 more reviews by Bob46890 for Cape May
Senior Contributor
40 reviews 40 reviews
23 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 21 cities Reviews in 21 cities
19 helpful votes 19 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 27 April 2013

The Washington Inn definitely lived up to its #1 rating on TripAdvisor. We enjoyed our meal immensely. We did not sit in the main house area so it was a quieter meal, which is preferred. I will say the spotlights in that room made it extremely warm, I had one right on my face for entirety of the meal and... More

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See 4 more reviews by cms1012 for Cape May
Macungie, Pennsylvania
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 23 April 2013

The food is EXCELLENT. Our only complaint is when you arrive for the first seating, you are not given the first seating menu. This has happened the two times we were there. The first seating menu is limited but less expensive. We had to ask for this menu. I would recommend checking your bill. They overcharged us significantly. I'm sure... More

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See 2 more reviews by Linda I for Cape May

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