Located in the heart of historic Cape May, New Jersey, The Ugly Mug Bar & Restaurant stands as a cherished landmark for locals and visitors alike. Situated at 426 Washington St, this establishment captures the quintessential spirit of a coastal town, offering a welcoming atmosphere that balances casual comfort with a rich sense of community history. Whether you are wandering through the charming streets of Cape May after a day at the beach or seeking a reliable spot to gather with friends, The Ugly Mug provides a quintessential dining experience that feels both timeless and inviting.
The character of the restaurant is defined by its unpretentious charm and its dedication to providing a space where everyone feels at home. From the moment you step through the doors, you are greeted by an environment that prioritizes genuine hospitality and a relaxed pace of life. It is more than just a place to grab a meal; it is a social hub where stories are shared, memories are made, and the vibrant culture of Cape May is celebrated daily. The interior reflects a classic aesthetic that honors the heritage of the area, making it a must-visit destination for those who appreciate authentic local flavor.
What Makes The Ugly Mug Special
A Prime Location in Cape May: Positioned perfectly on Washington Street, the restaurant is centrally located, making it an ideal stop during your exploration of the town's famous Victorian architecture and boutique shopping districts. Its accessibility ensures that it remains a focal point for those enjoying the coastal lifestyle.
A Welcoming Community Atmosphere: The Ugly Mug is renowned for its friendly staff and inclusive environment. It serves as a gathering place where the community comes together, fostering a sense of belonging that is often hard to find in busy tourist destinations.
Classic Coastal Hospitality: The establishment prides itself on maintaining high standards of service while keeping the vibe laid-back and approachable. It is the kind of place where you can settle in, enjoy your surroundings, and experience the true essence of New Jersey shore culture.
Rich Local Heritage: With deep roots in the Cape May area, the restaurant carries a legacy that resonates with long-time residents. Its presence on Washington Street is a testament to its enduring popularity and its role in the ongoing story of this historic seaside town.
Experience Cape May at Its Best
Choosing where to spend your time in Cape May is part of the joy of visiting this beautiful region, and The Ugly Mug Bar & Restaurant offers a unique perspective on the local scene. By focusing on quality interactions and a comfortable setting, it remains a standout choice for those who value authenticity. We invite you to visit us at 426 Washington St to experience the warmth and character that have made this location a staple of the community for years. Whether you are a first-time visitor or a returning friend, there is always a seat waiting for you at The Ugly Mug.
As you plan your next trip to the Jersey Shore, consider making a stop at this iconic venue. It represents the heart of Cape May, blending the history of the town with a modern, friendly approach to hospitality. We look forward to welcoming you and sharing the unique charm that defines our restaurant, ensuring that your time in Cape May is as memorable and enjoyable as possible.
Amenities and More
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible car park
Wheelchair-accessible entrance
Wheelchair-accessible seating
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Menus
Photos
Reviews Ugly Mug Bar & Restaurant
Jessika Szatny
17-06-2026
Stopped in for a quick bite after a railway tour. We sat at the bar. We were helped right away. I had the manhattan clam chowder, probably one of the best I’ve ever had! I also had the local oysters and they did not disappoint! The coleslaw was crisp and was seasoned perfectly. My husband had the French dip and his sandwich was loaded with meat. Food was amazing, service was exceptional, and the atmosphere was great. Overall a wonderful experience and we will most definitely be back.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
alder almo
13-06-2026
We’re drawn in because of the 1 1/2 lobster deal posted at their entrance. I was skeptical at first because of how cheap was the lobster. To my surprise, it was the best meal I had on our Cape May trip. The Lobster & Clams Fried Strips were winner to me! This whole feast only costs us $62 + tip. Check them out when you visit Cape May. More
Mike Mackintosh
03-05-2026
The food was alright. The beers were great and def the highlight of our visit. It’s a pretty central Washington street location and easy to walk pretty much everywhere in the area. Service was great and the servers were very attentive. More
craig tullo
24-02-2026
We ate at the Ugly Mug today for lunch. The food was great, including the fall off the bone ribs, hot roast beef sandwich (which had enough meat to make 2-3 sandwhiches), the oriental mixed greens salad with grilled chicken, and the hot boneless wings and French fries.
Service wasnt bad, just a little slow. Other than that, we really liked this place, and would absolutely go back again
Price per person
USD 10–20
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Group size
3-4 people
Wait time
No wait
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Bar area, Outdoor patio / terrace
Austin Song
24-02-2026
Good food, fast and attentive service, nice location.
It was Friday evening in summer with no reservation. Went up to ask for table … More
andreww0369
15-02-2026
Thought this place was pretty good for being in the middle of a shopping center. Very unique look to the place, and all 6 of us were pretty happy with their meal. $180 after tip for 6 people isn’t too bad in an area like this. They sell pretty good beer on tap too!! Would for sure come back.
Portions were good, Wedge salad was delicious. Margarita Pizza was thin crust so it wasn’t too heavy at all. Only slight complaint is we wish they served fries with the burgers instead of potato chips, but they did state it in the menu so we could’ve tried to be more specific. Great experience overall!!
Pictured: Cheeseburger, Veggie Burger, Margarita Pizza, Rueben & Sauerkraut, Wedge Salad with Crab
Price per person
USD 20–30
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3
Group size
3-4 people
Wait time
Up to 10 min
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Outdoor patio / terrace, Booth seating
Recommendation for vegetarians
Somewhat recommend
Vegetarian offerings
Not sure
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Free street parking
Leigh Garcia-Conte
11-02-2026
Food came out fast, service was great! I got chicken cheese steak, wish I did regular cheese steak but that my preference. Was still a good time! Also had Cajun burger, that was great!
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
USD 10–20
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Noise level
Moderate noise
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Bar area, Outdoor patio / terrace, Booth seating, Counter seating
Elaine Kreeger
19-01-2026
We did take out this past Saturday night. Food was delicious. The menu had something for everyone in our group. The personally had the crabcake sandwich, with coleslaw and sweet potato fries. So good. More
Joe Raitano
05-01-2026
I’m going to say it … I think I’ve had the best burger I’ve ever tasted. The Maryland Burger is a juicy burger, topped with crab, cheese (I went with sharp cheddar) and Lettuce, Tomato Onion. Just amazing. The family ordered the crab cake sandwich, pepperoni pizza and chicken fingers. Side of sweet potato fries was a great add on too. The buffalo wings were delicious. All white meat with just enough hot sauce so the “buffalo” isn’t overbearing. Friendly service! A must visit when you’re in Cape May!
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
USD 20–30
Brian Phillippi
04-12-2025
The interior is beautiful paying homage to how old the location is. Unfortunately the service wasn't very good. My wife asked for no lemon with her water and no pickles on her sandwich which seemed like simple requests and both were failed. The waitress also only checked on us once the entire time and we waited quite a while to get the check. My wife liked her pastrami sandwich but my roast pork was a little dry. Really like the atmosphere but it leaves a lot to be desired.
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
USD 20–30
Noise level
Very quiet
Seating type
Bar area, Outdoor patio / terrace, Booth seating
Ariel Liu
02-12-2025
We had a wonderful lunch for our trip to Cape May.
The food is fresh, especially since it is not frozen seafood.
I love lobster 🦞 roll best. … More
Elisa Monterroso
21-11-2025
Very popular place to eat when going to Washington Street Mall in Cape May.
It was getting a bit muggy no pun intended so we ate inside. They have specials menu and regular menu. We started out with wings and they were a good amount, … More
Pat H
09-11-2025
Typical bar/pub feel. Indoor and outdoor seating. Food was semi flavorless and mediocre. Burgers are hand made and huge! Nice amount of hand cut cheese from a block and garnishes are fresh, as well as the bun! BUT…not seasoned. Fries are typical pub fries with no real pizazz. Sweet potato fries were half uncooked, half soggy. Drinks come in plastic cups outside unless you’re getting tap beer. Chicken fingers are traditional frozen bulk-bagged tenders. Chicken wings were par. Hot dog for the kids was huge, and grilled which was nice!
There’s half a dozen or so places like it in the area, with 3, including this one, on the mall. So pick your poison. You can find something for everyone here. But it’s nothing that you’ll be raving about, nor walking away wishing you didn’t go. If you’re hungry and can’t decide, just pick one of them and eat (pubs/bars in the area).
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3
Marina O'Hagan
05-11-2025
Here for vacation and decided to stop here for lunch while browsing the surrounding shops. Walked up to the hostess stand where five young adults stood chatting with each other. When they saw us they all just stood there giving us the Gen Z stare until WE greeted THEM. We got sat at a tiny sticky table outside. Our waitress seemed annoyed to serve us. We were given water that tasted like it was from a dirty bathroom sink. My husband ordered a drink that turned out to be incredibly mediocre. After all of this we couldn’t stand to be there for a whole meal so we just asked for the bill, which the waitress dropped at our table with not a word, not even a “have a good day”. Terrible vibes here, would not recommend.
EDIT: since the owner wants to be weird and accuse me of lying in a reply that they know I cannot reply back to, I did not say anywhere in this review that I came to this place the day I wrote this review, nor did I say all the young adults at the hostess stand were hosts themselves, nor did I say anything about music?? if they want to spend their time reviewing cameras of all the days prior to get their “gotcha” moment, it shows where there priorities are and why the place is the way it is. I really don’t care if they think I’m lying or not. plenty of other absolutely lovely restaurants in the area to spend my money! god forbid I have an opinion :-)
Price per person
USD 1–10
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1
Noise level
Very loud, hard to hear
Group size
Not sure
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Outdoor patio / terrace
Unofficial Phillies
20-09-2025
With family in from out of town we stopped in for a quick lunch. Very disappointed with the food. The overall attitude was nice, but could use a little TLC since every time someone bumped the fence outside a piece fell off. The Ugly Mug Fries were a huge overpriced waste. Looked good, but tasted like a frozen French Fry with a canned cream gravy and old bay. Crab was nonexistent. Everything from the sandwiches, to the soups were just extremely overpriced and underwhelming. It was a hot day and I didn’t even receive a single refill on my drink. So much potential but lost me.
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
USD 20–30
Food: 2
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4
Noise level
Loud, but you can still talk
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Bar area, Outdoor patio / terrace
Kenneth Londregan
24-07-2025
Stopped by for a quick drink and snack during a pit stop in Cape May. A pint of Cape May lager was $10, which felt a bit steep for a local brew, even by tourist-town standards. On the upside, the pizza was surprisingly good and hit the … More
Brent J
20-06-2025
Just a great place to have a drink and enjoy some yummy pub food. On nicer days, hanging outside under the covered sidewalk is a great place to have a beer and people watch. Service was a little slow but it was a busy Saturday so understandable. Either way def worth a visit for the food and atmosphere. More
Aida A
14-06-2025
We ordered the Lobster Roll with French Fries & Coleslaw. Although I didn’t care for the coleslaw (tasted greasy), I loved the Lobster Roll! It was delicious, fresh and the portion was generous. In addition, we got the Big Garden Salad with Crab Meat. This was also a generous portion with fresh lumps of crab Meat. Ask for Tristan when you come, he’s a great server.
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
USD 30–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Group size
2 people
Wait time
No wait
Food of CT
13-06-2025
While exploring Washington Street Mall with my friends, we stopped at Ugly Mug for dinner. We were happy that they were able to seat us right away and their menu had a nice variety. The food was all average - we had the crab cakes, fried flounder, clam chowder, and Bavarian pretzel for an appetizer. We’re never picky about cheese sauce, but this one had an acidic flavor we really didn’t like. I see myself trying other places before I would come back here, though the service was attentive and quick, and the outdoor area was perfect for what we were looking for.
Order type
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
USD 20–30
Food: 3
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Clam Chowder
AnnieCee H-D
11-05-2025
Vibe and Music Good vs. Food was not cook fully (fish & chips) how difficult can it be to make? The cheese pizza was bland. Frozen market pizza taste better than that. It was an experience. I'll never repeat.
Price per person
USD 60–70
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Noise level
Moderate noise
Special events
No special event
Seating type
Indoor dining area, Booth seating
Reviews Ugly Mug Bar & Restaurant