RESTAURANTS
Cape Sea Grille
31 Sea St. (off Rte. 28), Harwich Port, 508-432-4745
www.capeseagrille.com
Cherished as a “favorite splurge” for a “sophisticated” dining experience, this “beautifully appointed” Harwich Port “treat” set in a “quaint country house” may be “as good as any swanky joint in Boston”; providing a “welcome escape from all the rustic fried foods on the Cape”, it features an “exceptional”, “innovative” New American menu (“who needs a view with a meal like this?”); be forewarned, however, that the service can be “ slower than midsummer traffic on Route 28.”

Chatham Bars Inn
Chatham Bars Inn, 279 Shore Rd. (Seaview St.), Chatham
508-945-0096
www.chathambarsinn.com
Evoking a “wonderful feeling of long-ago luxury”, this “grand lady on the hill” – a “captivating” “beauty” set in a tranquil resort perched high on a bluff “overlooking the ocean” in Chatham – “makes you remember why you sit in traffic to get to the Cape”; along with the “exceptional view”, patrons are served “well-prepared” Electic dishes by a “formal” staff, making for a “sophisticated culinary experience”; N.B. jacket required.

Clancy’s of Dennisport
8 Upper Country Rd. (bet. Rtes. 28 & 134), Dennisport
508-394-6661
www.clancysrestaurant.com
“There’s something for everyone” (including the kids, despite a logo that specifes “Ladies and Gents”) at this tavern “overlooking the Swan River” in Dennisport, which may explain why the “casual” room is “always a mob scene” in season; the Irish fare that once dominated the menu has mostly been replaced by Traditional American grud bhat may deem “good” if “plain”, though a few call it downright “boring.”

L’Alouette
787 Main St./Rte. 28 (Julien Rd.), Harwich Port
508-430-0405
It’s “easy to miss” this “hidden jewel” in Harwich Port as “traffic whizzes by on busy Route 28”, which may explain why it remains “one of the Cape’s best-kept secrets”; owned by a “husband-and-wife team”, it achieves the “perfect marriage of classic French cuisine and Cape Cod seafood”, turning out “incredible”, “artfully presented” dishes; habitués who simply swoon “oui, oui, oui” bet that “once you visit, you’ll return often.”

Naked Oyster Bistro & Raw Bar
20 Independence Dr. (Rte. 132), Hyannis
508-778-6500
www.nakedoyster.com
One of the “best raw bars this side of the canal” lurks in ths “New York-swank” Hyannis “meeting place” that “doesn’t look like much from the outside” (it’s “tucked in a nondescript building”); inside, the menu showcases “lots of seafood choices”, all “fresh” and “outrageously good” and paired with a “delightful selection of wines by the glass.”

Ocean House
Depot St. (Upper Country Rd.), Dennisport
508-394-0700
www.oceanhouserestaurant.com
“So close to the water” “you’ll think you’re on a cruise” raphsodize “romantics” about this airy, elegant bistro in Dennisport that boasts an “incredible view of Nantucket Sound” through its endless windows; the “adventurous chef” prepares “outstanding” New American fare with “flair”, but some grumps grouse that “you’re mostly paying for the amazing” setting; N.B. there’s live jazz in the lounge.

Red Pheasant
905 Main St./Rte 6A (Elm St.), Dennis
508-385-2133
www.redpheasantinn.com
“Delicious, delightful, de-lovely” sums up this “quant”, “very New England” “gem” set in a 200-year-old barn in Dennis that’s particularly “inviting” if you nab a seat “next to the fireplace”; wherever your table, you’ll be treated to an “inventive” New American menu “filled with interesting choices” and delivered by an “informed, approachable” staff; a “real comfort zone”, it provides a “perfect escape from all the claim shacks and lobster shanties” around.

Sosumi Asian Bistro
14 Chatham Bars Ave. (Main St.) Chatham
508-945-0300
“How refreshing” to find this “wonderfully funky addition to stuffy downtown Chatham”, where the “very fresh” sushi and “imaginative” Asian Fusion fare, all “beautifully presented”, make for a “nice break from the ubiquitous American seafood on the Cape”; while most appreciate the “creative” menu (“so good we wish this place were in Boston”), critics contend that the “unresponsive” staff can be “slow” or downright “rude.”

All restaurant reviews are from Zagat Survey, 2004/05 Boston Restaurants