The Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar

Why Should I Go? The Mad Batter building was erected in 1882 as a beautiful seaside retreat house for families. When Harry Kulkowitz found himself playing poker there nearly 100 years later, he recognized what great potential the space, with its sweeping front porch, would have as a restaurant.

Harry, who’d been responsible for locating German troops by listening to the enemy’s radio transmissions during World War II, scoured junk yards for kitchen equipment, built a garden terrace, added skylights, and hung a yellow-and-white awning over the front porch where visitors and locals have been enjoying great food ever since. (The Mad Batter has been voted Best Brunch by both New Jersey Monthly magazine and CapeMay.com.)

The restaurant also hosts art exhibits and live music nights, hangs the artwork of local artists, and serves as a venue for social organizations.

Now you can feel even better about being a Mad Batter groupie — they installed solar panels, and the bar is made of recycled glass, shell and concrete. The only carpeting in the building is corn carpet, and the dishwasher saves 25,000 gallons of water per year.

Insider Tip: Take advantage of their daily Happy Hour specials featuring a nice selection of wines, cold beers on tap, and a great martini list.

Menu Highlights

Orange & Almond French Toast

A rich batter of heavy cream, eggs, fresh orange juice and almonds.

Chesapeake Bay Benedict

Poached eggs on a toasted English muffin with jumbo lump crabmeat and caper hollandaise.

Waldorf Chicken Croissant

Chicken, apples, grapes, walnuts, celery, red onion tossed in a creamy Waldorf dressing on a croissant.

Mad Batter Crab Cakes

Two of our championship super lump crab cakes with three cheese macaroni, tomato coulis, and remoulade.

Apple Salad

Romaine and radicchio with Granny Smith apple, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, crumbled bleu cheese, cranberry vinaigrette.