We understand restaurants can have “off” days and we always give it a second and sometimes third shot but not this time. My husband and I have been to many of the restaurants in Cape May, Wildwood, Stone Harbor and surrounding areas. We eat out 3 times a week. We have our favorites (Primal, Grana, Exit Zero, Lucky Bones and all Kara Group restaurants). We decided to try something new so I went to social media and decided to try The Black Duck on Sunset. It was the one of the few restaurants that still had availability last night (now I know why). Our waitress was super nice (I was told she was the manager). For appetizers, my husband ordered the Blue Crab spring rolls and I had the arugula salad. Both were very good. For dinner, I ordered the lamb chops and my husband had the duck. We both asked for our meat to be medium-rare. When the plates arrived, the duck was well done. My lamb had two chops medium and one chop well done. We asked the waitress if we could have the meat as requested. She took the duck back and asked me what I wanted her to do with the one over-cooked lamb chop. Maybe bring me another? She put it on a small plate and left. She returned with the duck which was now medium-rare. All good. She also returned with the lamb chop stating they were out of lamb so what did I want her to do with the over-cooked lamb chop. I guess just leave it here since there is no other option! The food is not necessarily the reason we will not be back. The rooms are small and a man entered our dining area with a cup of coffee in hand and pulled up a chair at the table across from us to chat with these customers. The prices are expensive and the staff as well as customers were dressed nice. This man had on jeans and a t-shirt and was obnoxiously loud. He was sloppy. He then pulled out his phone and started talking to someone while on speaker. This went on for about 8 minutes. It was rude and distracting. He was at this table for about 15 minutes. The next customers came in and he went over to them and did the same thing. I asked the waitress who the owner was and she indicated it was this man along with his daughter, who was made aware of our food issue earlier. Not once did either of them come over to our table to apologize or offer something for the mistake (specifically since the lamb did not get resolved). Instead, he was working the room to his regular customers. I can’t even put into words the scene in this room as we felt we were in a loud coffee shop instead of a nice restaurant. The customers behind us were annoyed as well. Also noted was their website has inaccurate prices. It states the lamb chops are $52 when we were charged $56. While the food may be good, the owners do not know the proper way to run a business. Truly disappointing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 5
Rose Przygodzinski
Service was awesome. Food was excellent. We would go again!Parking: Went in off season. Parking not a problem
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pu Pu Platter
Matthew Skidmore
Very fun time and great experience. Loved the dishes we all shared.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Julia D. Diehl
Very beautiful restaurant with excellent food. The staff was extremely kind, as well. Cannot wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gerry Os
The Black Duck has lost its luster. The new owners don’t seem to understand the difference between running a gastropub and a fine dining establishment. We dined at the Duck for decades because we could always count on a consistently excellent menu, professional table service, a prix fixe menu, and the best lobster bisque on the cape. While our meals were good enough they lacked finesse. And we were seated in an impossibly uncomfortable space wedged between two doors — one leading to the kitchen and the other into the main dining room. We wish the new owners well as they seek to attract a new clientele. We won’t be returning to the Duck any time soon.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
michaelstevenson493
Came in here with some friends. Turns out one of the friends was related to the owner through marriage. The food was absolutely to die for. It was crowded it was packed. I'll definitely be back. I got the duck breast. It was excellent. Then we tried to dessert trio. All three were superb and excellent and fresh.
alex lawall
Owner was incredibly rude. Just a few minutes after paying the bill the owner came up the table and said if you’re done we need you to leave because we have people waiting.
Service: 1
Bud Smith
They did not honor our reservation. We waited over 1/2 hour and the table was not ready. Never coming back.
Service: 1
courtney zamora opem
We had a “Crème Brûlée emergency” while vacationing in Cape May with my in-laws. My mother-in-law and father-in-law were excited to get some but the restaurants we had eaten at were always out. On our second to last night, on a whim, I called the Black Duck to see if they had Crème Brûlée and if they could seat 7 people on a busy Friday night. The hostess was so friendly! She checked with the kitchen (plenty of brûlée on tap!) and found us a lovely table where we could sit and enjoy some dessert. My mother-in-law proclaimed it was the best crème brûlée she had ever had! We also enjoyed some upside down peach cake, a flourless chocolate torte, and some sea salt panna cotta! Service was impeccable. The restaurant space is lovely. And the staff were friendly and accommodating. Black Duck is already on our list for a full meal (and dessert!) during next year’s Cape May vacation! Thanks for making my 80-year old in-laws happy!!
I ordered the Five spiced lamb chops for $54. Expected to get five lamb chops, no, I was told that Five referred to the spices, NOT the chops.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
shrena shah
excellent food, impeccable service, great environment. Best meal we had in Cape May.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ Ribs Over
Michael Wheaton
This place is the very best... Chris the owner and head chef is remarkable the food was beyond great. In fact canceled other reservations to to go back to eat there to again. The menu is wonderful but the food and service is just great. Crab cakes and filet mignon were beyond great... Go there and enjoy!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ Ribs Over
marktaxman
HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS PLACE. LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR PRICES. NOT EVEN CLOSE. PU PU PLATTER ACTUAL IS $46, NOT THE $28 STATED ON THE INTERNET. SAME WITH OTHER ITEMS. FOOD WAS OKAY, BUT NOT WHAT THEY CHARGED. 5 TINY RIBS WERE $20. MAIN COURSES WERE $46 AND UP MOSTLY. THE FOOD WAS QUITE GOOD, BUT JUST OVER PRICED. IT IS BYO, SO THAT WAS ALSO A GOOD THING.
Ken Imp
Food was ok, filet mignon was a bit tough, caprese salad was just
Food inconsistency is bizarre.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 1
We understand restaurants can have “off” days and we always give it a second and sometimes third shot but not this time. My husband and I have been to many of the restaurants in Cape May, Wildwood, Stone Harbor and surrounding areas. We eat out 3 times a week. We have our favorites (Primal, Grana, Exit Zero, Lucky Bones and all Kara Group restaurants). We decided to try something new so I went to social media and decided to try The Black Duck on Sunset. It was the one of the few restaurants that still had availability last night (now I know why). Our waitress was super nice (I was told she was the manager). For appetizers, my husband ordered the Blue Crab spring rolls and I had the arugula salad. Both were very good. For dinner, I ordered the lamb chops and my husband had the duck. We both asked for our meat to be medium-rare. When the plates arrived, the duck was well done. My lamb had two chops medium and one chop well done. We asked the waitress if we could have the meat as requested. She took the duck back and asked me what I wanted her to do with the one over-cooked lamb chop. Maybe bring me another? She put it on a small plate and left. She returned with the duck which was now medium-rare. All good. She also returned with the lamb chop stating they were out of lamb so what did I want her to do with the over-cooked lamb chop. I guess just leave it here since there is no other option! The food is not necessarily the reason we will not be back. The rooms are small and a man entered our dining area with a cup of coffee in hand and pulled up a chair at the table across from us to chat with these customers. The prices are expensive and the staff as well as customers were dressed nice. This man had on jeans and a t-shirt and was obnoxiously loud. He was sloppy. He then pulled out his phone and started talking to someone while on speaker. This went on for about 8 minutes. It was rude and distracting. He was at this table for about 15 minutes. The next customers came in and he went over to them and did the same thing. I asked the waitress who the owner was and she indicated it was this man along with his daughter, who was made aware of our food issue earlier. Not once did either of them come over to our table to apologize or offer something for the mistake (specifically since the lamb did not get resolved). Instead, he was working the room to his regular customers. I can’t even put into words the scene in this room as we felt we were in a loud coffee shop instead of a nice restaurant. The customers behind us were annoyed as well. Also noted was their website has inaccurate prices. It states the lamb chops are $52 when we were charged $56. While the food may be good, the owners do not know the proper way to run a business. Truly disappointing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 5
Service was awesome. Food was excellent. We would go again!Parking: Went in off season. Parking not a problem
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pu Pu Platter
Very fun time and great experience. Loved the dishes we all shared.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Very beautiful restaurant with excellent food. The staff was extremely kind, as well. Cannot wait to go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The Black Duck has lost its luster. The new owners don’t seem to understand the difference between running a gastropub and a fine dining establishment. We dined at the Duck for decades because we could always count on a consistently excellent menu, professional table service, a prix fixe menu, and the best lobster bisque on the cape. While our meals were good enough they lacked finesse. And we were seated in an impossibly uncomfortable space wedged between two doors — one leading to the kitchen and the other into the main dining room. We wish the new owners well as they seek to attract a new clientele. We won’t be returning to the Duck any time soon.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Came in here with some friends. Turns out one of the friends was related to the owner through marriage. The food was absolutely to die for. It was crowded it was packed. I'll definitely be back. I got the duck breast. It was excellent. Then we tried to dessert trio. All three were superb and excellent and fresh.
Owner was incredibly rude. Just a few minutes after paying the bill the owner came up the table and said if you’re done we need you to leave because we have people waiting.
Service: 1
They did not honor our reservation. We waited over 1/2 hour and the table was not ready. Never coming back.
Service: 1
We had a “Crème Brûlée emergency” while vacationing in Cape May with my in-laws. My mother-in-law and father-in-law were excited to get some but the restaurants we had eaten at were always out. On our second to last night, on a whim, I called the Black Duck to see if they had Crème Brûlée and if they could seat 7 people on a busy Friday night. The hostess was so friendly! She checked with the kitchen (plenty of brûlée on tap!) and found us a lovely table where we could sit and enjoy some dessert. My mother-in-law proclaimed it was the best crème brûlée she had ever had! We also enjoyed some upside down peach cake, a flourless chocolate torte, and some sea salt panna cotta! Service was impeccable. The restaurant space is lovely. And the staff were friendly and accommodating. Black Duck is already on our list for a full meal (and dessert!) during next year’s Cape May vacation! Thanks for making my 80-year old in-laws happy!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Creme Brulee
Restaurantji Recommends
I ordered the Five spiced lamb chops for $54. Expected to get five lamb chops, no, I was told that Five referred to the spices, NOT the chops.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 3
excellent food, impeccable service, great environment. Best meal we had in Cape May.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ Ribs Over
This place is the very best... Chris the owner and head chef is remarkable the food was beyond great. In fact canceled other reservations to to go back to eat there to again. The menu is wonderful but the food and service is just great. Crab cakes and filet mignon were beyond great... Go there and enjoy!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: BBQ Ribs Over
HEARD GOOD THINGS ABOUT THIS PLACE. LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR PRICES. NOT EVEN CLOSE. PU PU PLATTER ACTUAL IS $46, NOT THE $28 STATED ON THE INTERNET. SAME WITH OTHER ITEMS. FOOD WAS OKAY, BUT NOT WHAT THEY CHARGED. 5 TINY RIBS WERE $20. MAIN COURSES WERE $46 AND UP MOSTLY. THE FOOD WAS QUITE GOOD, BUT JUST OVER PRICED. IT IS BYO, SO THAT WAS ALSO A GOOD THING.
Food was ok, filet mignon was a bit tough, caprese salad was just
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 4