Cape May vs Flying Fish

[SpeechGuy]

We have heard many rave reviews about the Cape May clam bake. I read in one of the Disney touring books that some of the buffet seafood at the CM tends to dry out and become tough and chewy. I also read that having seafood sit out in a steaming tray is an invitation to bacteria to set in. My wife and I love seafood and was looking forward to eating at the CM clam bake. But after discussing with her what I had read, she thought we may want to try the Flying Fish Cafe instead. Is this a wise choice on our part or should we stick with our original plans. I would like to hear from folks who have been to either place or both. Thanks much for your help!

 

[sotoalf]

I've eaten at both. Cape May is a buffet, and no matter how good it is it's still a buffet, which means the food sits in the open air.

Flying Fish is fantastic, one of the best restaurants in WDW (after Citricos and California Grill). It's a sit-down meal, more elegant and urban, and much more expensive.

You can't compare the two. Cape eMay is excellent for the value, but Flying Fish is a real restaurant. Decide ewhich one fits your budget and tastes. You might want to also check out their respective menus on Deb Willis' site wdwig.com. Good luck!

 

[daisy112878]

I agree with the previous poster. They are totally different types of places. It all depends on what you want. I didn't really like Cape May. I don't enjoy seafood buffets. I love Flying Fish. The seafood was fresh and tasty. I enjoyed our dinner at Flying Fish alot more.

 

[jennymouse]

I too agree with the above comments except I have grown to really love Cape May Cafe. But to compare the two is like apples and oranges, you can't do it. The first time I ever ate at both Flying Fish and Cape May I did it in the same vacation and Flying Fish won hands down. But I've returned to Cape May Cafe twice and I haven't been back to Flying Fish yet. I think it's because for my more expensive dinners, I chose California Grill, Yachtman's Steakhouse, Le Cellier or to try one I haven't experienced yet. Cape May Cafe is a very good reasonable priced buffet dinner that I'll probably return to each trip.

 

[clhcpaca]

I've been to Flying Fish once when my brother and his family decided on the restaurant. The food was good, but expensive. I also found the restaurant to be crowded (tables close together) and noisy.

I go to Cape May every visit---just for the mussels. The clams and mussels are steamed right there at the buffet and the food turns over very quickly. I like to atmosphere and the food.

If someone I was with insisted on the Flying Fish I would go there, but I would not go back on my own. As someone else said, if I'm going to an expensive restaurant it would not be the Flying Fish.


Cindy

 

[k&a&c'smom]

We liked Cape May Cafe, but we really loved FF!! While Cape May is good, FF is fantastic! We loved the atmosphere, even though it is kinda noisy, and the food was delicious. DD had scallops which were wonderful, and I had the signature dish, the Potato-wrapped Red Snapper with creamy leek fondue - MMMMMM!! And, we had a chocolate souffle that was to die for - you have to pre-order this, though.

Good luck, have a great vacation!

 

[Cinderella37]

I agree with k&a&c'smom, FF is fabulous! We had almost the exact same meal in December, except I had a pumpkin tart and my fiance had the Banana Napoleon. If you want excellent seafood, this is the place.

 

[Oh Kay!]

I have a somewhat mixed feeling about FFC. It's mostly due to the fact that a few weeks before our trip, we went to a restaurant in Manhattan that had a very similar menu as FFC. As much as we liked FFC, we couldn't help but think how much better the food, the atmosphere, the service, and the price at the other restaurant were. On the other hand, we would never take our children to that restaurant, whereas we had no qualms about going to FFC with them. Also, the fried fish from the children's menu was excellent!

 

[Kimmykins]

We ate at Cape May on our last trip at the beginning of June, I thought it was pretty good. The clam chowder is to die for and the creme brulee with fresh berries was really good too. The only thing I didn't like was our server. Now, I am a server myself and I usually have higher standards than most people, but our server was just downright dry and unwelcoming. He acted as if we were just a bunch of kids that won't give him a good tip. (DF is 22 and I am 21.) So we sat for a few minutes while waiting on him to come get our drink order and also waited for him to refill them later. And at a buffet, I mean c'mon, you should really be on top of the drink refills, its pretty much the only thing you do for your tables. So needless to say we didn't leave him a great tip, though we did leave him one. As soon as we got back to the room DF filed the amount of dinner into the register of our checkbook and threw out the original receipt. Big mistake! We were just looking over the online statement of our bank account and it says that Cape May was $1.00 more than the original amount. So, we don't know if this server added another dollar onto his tip or DF just added wrong, and he is a math teacher so I find that very hard to believe. I told DF to call and complain since that is absolute grounds for firing, but we don't have the original receipt or remember his name.

Didn't mean to put a damper on Cape May, it was very good. Just be careful.

 

[ILUVDXL]

Being from New England, we tend to be a bit bit picky about our clam bakes. After looking over the menu several times we've always decided to pass. The Flying Fish , on the other hand, is one of our very favorites. Pricey, yes, but the quality of the food and the service is well worth it, IOHP. Last year, for the first time, we opted to have dinner at the bar, rather than sit at a table. What a wonderful experice with lots of interaction with the servers and cooks. Having heard such wonderful reviews about the steak, I decided to depart from my usual fish fare and go for the beef. All I can say is OUTSTANDING. It rivaled any steak from a good steak house. This is a restaurant I think you'll truely enjoy.

 

[SpeechGuy]

........Thanks to everyone who responded to my questions and concerns. After reading all of your great posts, DW and I have decided to do the FF. Our 12 yr old ds loves seafood and fish so this will be a treat for him, as well. DD is 11 and bit more finicky when it comes to food selection. She will probably go for a child's pasta dish. Thanks again to everyone who helped out!!!!!


Mick