The Mad Batter Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Cape May

I have never left a review but I feel that it's important to leave one for parents of children with food allergies. My toddler is allergic to peanuts and dairy. I always call before I go to restaurants to ensure they have food she can eat or at least are willing to modify foods. In this one instance I didn't because I saw vegan options listed and many people in reviews had mentioned vegan pancakes and french toast across Google, Yelp, and on Facebook. We waited 30 minutes to get a table last week, and when our table was ready, it took a few minutes for a waiter to check in. When we were approached, I informed him of my child's allergies and asked about pancakes or french toast being dairy-free. He said there was probably milk in them and that the manager makes them in the beginning of the day. I asked if he could just check to make sure of the milk and that they can't be modified. He came back a while later and said there was milk in them. We then asked about the oatcakes and he again said there is probably milk and stood there. I asked if he could please go ask rather than just assume since we were having a hard time finding her something to eat. He returned a while later and said they had milk. I quickly scanned the menu and said we would order the eggs, bacon, and potatoes for her but I wanted to double check that the eggs don't have dairy in them. We have never had an issue order eggs for her, but I thought we should probably check since he seemed unclear on ingredients without asking. He responded, "yeah, let's just assume they have milk." I told him that I didn't want to assume since we would need to leave if there isn't food she can eat, so to please go ask. At that point he went and asked, but what we found was that he had not gone and asked a chef, rather, he was asking the hostess who seemed incredibly annoyed. Upon asking her about eggs, which we overheard because we were seated next to her station, she seemed extremely frustrated and stated, "YES! Everything has milk!" He came over and told us everything has milk, so at that point we stood and left. I'm honestly not sure if that was accurate considering a chef was not consulted, and I'm not sure if it had been possible to modify any items. At minimum I would have liked anyone to help me find something she can eat. Considering the seeming lack of care for allergies or for our being able to order anything, we felt that it was safer to find somewhere that can accommodate. We chose Bella Vida, minutes away, and had a wonderful experience and no issue getting her pancakes, eggs, bacon, and potatoes. Yes, I was disappointed that there were no foods that she could eat for breakfast and that the reviews that I had read regarding vegan pancakes and french toast must have been inaccurate, but I was much more disappointed over the extremely annoyed attitude of the hostess (who should not have been asked about food ingredients in the first place), the waiter who seemed to not know how to approach allergies, and just the overall indifference toward whether our child ate or not. We have never experienced that before. Typically if I am having a hard time ordering, the wait staff will help me find something that would work. We will not be returning...

Today 4 of us dined for late lunch. My wife and I being from Oklahoma and In-Laws from Michigan. My Mother-in-law ordered the Mad Batter Cheeseburger (WELL DONE), the outside of the meat was at best (Medium) while inside (Medium Rare).

My order was also the Mad Batter, ordered Medium. Upon initial view did not appear Medium, I cut into the burger and the inside was extremely rare and bloody juice poured out which the bun became sloppy wet and my fries began soaking up the juices. Our Waitress who seemed like and spoke to us as if we were an inconvenience.

Upon waitress returning after discovery of rare hamburger meat, I brought it to her attention, she asked if I wanted it to go back on the grill, I respectfully said please and thank you, Upon receiving my reheated burger, she did not wait to see if it was acceptable, I cut into it, same burger, still original melted cheese on top, leading me to note it had not been back on the grill on both sides, meat was still very pink, I brought it to the waitress attention again and her response was that it was "Perfectly Medium", I digressed, accepting the still bloody, Medium rare, mostly rare, burger.

Myself and my in-laws both nearly always tip, my in-laws paid and verbally at our table expressed how displeased they were with the attitude, presentation and extreme lack of concern for food health standards and told my father in law not to tip. Again, Holiday season, and nearly always tip, to my shock chose not to tip, myself and my wife all in agreement, no tip.

My photo attached is of the final product after it went back to be heated to a medium .

Though EXTREMELY displeased with the burger situation, they do have some giant pickle slices and thick tomato slices.

May be that the waitress was having a rough day, however it does not excuse poor treatment of guests.

Kitchen, grillmaster, chef, cook... a medium or well done meat is not simply how it appears on the exterior of the meat, rather the inside center. Please re-evaluate your process, time and temperatures for each side while considering the thickness and starting temp of the meat. All crucial to safe standards.

While it is inherently understood that not all meat is cooked the same, as a food connoisseur, guide and critic, the standards in the food industry...

Been driving down from North Jersey three hours for 35 years just to come to the mad batter for the crabcake Benedict! Last time I went, the crab smelled like a dirty Bronx hooker! This time I was standing 10 feet behind my wife and the gentleman at the podium Alfonso at 7:45 in the morning seem to be having a terrible day already! My wife just received the phone call from work and had to pick up the phone at that moment and that seemed to piss Alfonso off! He/she Proceeded to loudly while making faces tell my wife I cannot seat you until your whole party is here, I responded. I’m right here, but Alfonso raised his voice louder and tried to say it again with an attitude, but I can have worse attitude than anyone I ever met! I said louder, standing right here and he got huffy. My wife asked if we can sit on the front deck and was told it’s only for parties of four! They put us in the corner of the back room, looking out a window at an unkept garden! My wife received another phone call from work and had to walk back outside on the phone and noticed that there were plenty of parties of two sitting on the outside deck and when she asked Alfonso He said she specifically asked for a banquet which my wife doesn’t even know what that word means so on top of a bad attitude, they openly lied! However, Alison, who was a waitress, save the day!! Alison had a wonderful personality and she was a morning person like myself being in catering for 37 years she knew how to speak to people and make me Smile, And was very accommodating! She made breakfast wonderful but I don’t think I’ll ever go back to the mad batter because no one deserves to say good morning to someone and get a terrible attitude at 7:45 AM. I found out Alfonso was not just a terrible worker, but he was the manager, and I cannot believe that with such a terrible attitude, he held the position of Manager in what used to be such a wonderful establishment.! Thanks to Alfonso. I woke up this morning and I will never return to the mad batter again! Alison, you were a pleasure and Alfonso take a good look in the mirror and maybe you should try a different career because dealing with people is not your forte!! You all have a wonderful day, Try to laugh and smile life is too short for...