Del Mar Bar & Bistro

I have been here a few times but hadn’t been back in years - last night though was one of the best halibut dishes I have ever had and the butternut bisque and pumpkin ravioli were also absolutely incredible. I love the atmosphere in there and the service was also super great. Would highly recommend as someone that grew up on cape it’s a top 3 restaurant for sure!

such a gem of a place! amazing food, service & atmosphere! the pizza is a highlight with the fig & prosciutto being such a great mixture of salty and sweet - highly recommend! cocktails are fabulous as well, espresso martinis are a great night cap! would definitely make a reservation if you can, fills up quite quickly with the bar being popular as well.

The food here is the signing star. We made a reservation for 7:45pm on a Tuesday. The place was packed. Unfortunately it was so busy we didn't get our entrée amd eat until 9:05pm. The delicious food made up for it. We ordered steak fretes, cod, salmon, and filet. Drink specials were also wonderful. I would recommend this place but make sure you have a reservation.

I am so happy for JZ, the Chefs & whole team to see the smooth operation of this incredible restaurant purr with perfection! From the creative specials to the popular menu options, there are such delectable items to choose from; makes it difficult to decide! If you've never been, run & reservations are highly recommended! For those who've been, need I write more?!!

We had a 5:30 reservation and were greeted and seated immediately. We split the fried artichoke hearts small plate to start and it was beautifully served and delicious! We had a tuna entree and cod entree, both from the specials menu. Both were exceptional! The atmosphere and noise level were great. Service was attentive and personable. Highly recommended!

Top meal of the year.. We decided to wait over an hour with no reservation on a Friday night and we have no regrets. We love that they use 100% olive oil and not cheating you with low quality ingredients. The Caesar salads were so fire. Calamari was the best we ever had ! The Halibut was fantastic, the salmon was good (wasn't my fav because we don't like to eat grapes in our dishes) but the fish was cooked well. Our waiter was working hard and was great. Dessert we had carrot cake and deconstructed apple pie. Both were good 💗 can't wait to come back.

Most unique delicious food in the area. It’s very busy in season but it’s to be expected when a restaurant offers such consistent amazing food, including great gourmet pizza. Neat, casual, cocktail attire. Smart fun vibe.

Cozy, cool, and the best place for refinement in the area! The food was superb and the drinks were heavy-hitting perfection. Mushroom Tart, Calamari, Cod, Tuna, Bananas Foster, and Key Lime Pie were all on point. As our server said "We have no specials, everything we do is special". Touche

Well it has been one year and we made it back to Delmar bar and bistro. I'm happy to say we were only a little disappointed. We started with the Oyster Rockefeller. They were just good not great like last time. They were flavorful, but just not the same. The filling was not as creamy, they were a little dry. I was excited to get them again when we got there and left kinda disappointed. For dinner we had the halibut and the cod. My wife's was excellent. The halibut was so flavorful. The fish itself was perfectly cook. The cashew sauce was a perfect complement to the fish. As for my cod, I was a little disappointed. On the menu it says wood charred peppers and zucchini. Unfortunately the zucchini was not charred at all. Is was made into spaghetti strands and warmed in the sauce. The peppers which I love were tasty, but left whole with the seeds still inside. It's was a beautiful presentation, but not exactly what was on the menu. The cod itself was cooked perfect and had a great fresh flavor. The server was just ok. Very rushed, not very attentive and offered no insight into the menu. He just kinda was there with no emotion. The ambiance of the restaurant was just a nice as last time. We were able to sit in the patio area which was nice because the weather was perfect for that. All and all was still good but not as perfect as last time. Last year when we went, it was so amazing that I called the following day and was able to get squeezed in for a second reservation. This time one meal there will do.

Went last night with the wife. Greeting at door was pleasant and we were seated immediately even though very busy. Our server was excellent and our drinks and food were delivered promptly and as ordered. Food quality was good and cooked as requested. Prices are also very fair, both drinks and food. Our biggest complaint is that nearly every app and entree we ordered was drenched in the same, very heavy sweet chemical tasting thick dark sauce that overwhelmed the food we had ordered. As a result of the thick pungent sauce we discerned virtually no taste difference between our short ribs, pork belly, and filet mignon orders. In a blindfold test it might have been impossible to discern which dish we were even eating. This was especially disappointing in the case of the filet mignon, which was high quality beef, and perfectly cooked as ordered, but was obliterated by the thick black sauce.

Beautiful atmosphere, excellent service and absolutely delicious food. The halibut, fried artichoke hearts and bolognese are some favorites. Pizza is excellent. Never a bad meal.

Everything about this restaurant was GREAT. Ambiance, service and food!! We will definitely be back.

Another home run dinner. This place keeps getting better and better with high quality ingredients and creative menu choices. Reading the description of the grilled swordfish (with a raw baby kale salad, peewee potatoes, toasted pine nuts, strawberries, crumbled feta & Meyer lemon jalapeno vinaigrette), I thought that's a risky flavor combination I'd probably not like. WRONG. Really, really great. Glad I took the chance. The toasted parmesan polenta topped with house made Bolognese sauce & fresh basil is not to be missed. A real "wow." And the Linguini alla Bolognese, too (huge portion). Dining in the garden room is more laid back than the main dining room.

For the most part, Del Mar was very good. I had the fried tempura shrimp appetizer and the sweet chili sauce was excellent. Unfortunately, they only give three pieces of shrimp so it is definitely not suitable for sharing. The wood roasted cod was cooked well and tasted good, albeit the seasoning was slight and could have been a touch more flavor. The oysters were also very good, and I am not a big oyster fan. The disappointment was the lava cake. It was hard as a rock and cold as well. I couldn't even eat it. Dessert usually is the smile at the end of a good meal and this one was a smile turned upside down. It would have been five stars but for this letdown at the end!

Had a great dinner here tonight. Have had so much seafood lately, went for some different options. Between the three of us, had the caprese salad and Bibb salad which were both excellent, then the butternut ravioli and Diavolo pizza; both great; really lived the pizza with super thin, chewy crust, great sauce, and tasty toppings. The Dahlia cocktail with Tito's vodka, guava juice and lime was really refreshing too!

Food was fantastic. As a single diner, I was unable to make a reservation. I ate at the bar but it was a long wait, During my 20 minute wait there was a couple nursing a bottle of San Pellegrino well after their plates were cleared. There should be a time limit since seating is so limited.

Amazing place. The fried artichoke appetizer is the best food I've had in years. My wife had the tomato burrata bruschetta and I got a taste of that--the warm tomatoes really make a difference. We ended up sharing the halibut main course because our appetizers were so filling. The drinks are also very creative and good. I had the "in" fashioned and my wife had some blueberry concoction. She is pretty hard to please when it comes to drinks but she loved it. The service was quick, friendly, and our waitress really knew the menu and had great suggestions. Overall, we would give five stars on food, ambiance, drinks and value. Highly recommend.

What a great space, wait staff/service, and menu. At 5pm we just missed getting one of the 12 open-seating spots at the bar and the hostess let us get a table until 6pm reservation arrived. We very much enjoyed our steak salad and fig & prosciutto pizza. Please open a second bistro at our old (closed) Friendly's in Falmouth.

You all let me down with this place. Came once and got turned down so this time we made a reservation on a Sunday for 5:45 and got in. I couldn't get a reservation for any reasonable time I think because the restaurant appears to be pretty popular with the locals. Outside it's updated but inside is really old and not taken care of. Light fixtures are broken and dirty and paint is sloppy etc. Lack of bar and outdated banquet seating. Our table was broken and wobbly so the waitress had to put a shim under it to stop it from rocking. I think people visit because their drink prices are fair i.e. a beer for $4.50 and carafes for wine for cheap. I also think it works for families because you have the pizzas and basic pasta etc mixed with some seafood and a steak for parents. Their drinks were some of the worst I have ever tasted though. I should have sent them back. A habanero spicy peach margarita both of which weren't spicy and had zero peach flavor and my bf got the blackberry gin fizz which just tasted like cough syrup and cleaning products. Not good! My wood fired cod with crab, corn, and greens was good but that's about it. Our apps of caesar was basic canned type of caesar not homemade and the calamari was decent just not exceptional. You can't really mess up fried calamari. My boyfriends szechuan tuna was meh. Not a lot of flavor and the pad thai was not thai at all. Seems like the menu hasn't ever been updated bc it's worked for this restaurant and they stay doing the same. Pictures all look better than inside and the actual food tasted. Whoever said this place was fine dining needs to get out more. This place needs a reno and a new chef with a reimagined menu. Service is really poor and waitresses were all chain smoking outside the restaurant between courses. It shouldn't take 20 minutes just to get your first drink with a reservation. Would not visit again. $148 before tip. For just meh food and service. Go somewhere else. The Cape has outstanding restaurants but this was not one of them. By the way tons of people report less favorable reviews of Del Mar only because they are trying to artificially inflate their rating. Beware.

Food was very good as was the service--found it to be a bit noisy for any intimate conversations

Went with other reviews and decided to go with the half chicken and gnocchi dish. I was happy I did great flavor. My husband got a steak dish with fries and a polenta appetizer. I think the appetizer was his favorite he loves Polenta and it was a very well done dish!

First bar seating since big bad Covid. Missed it and bartender Nancy delivered. Good conversation with a sommelier who sells them wine from France. This is why I sit at bars in Chatham a few times a year.

Really excellent dining experience tonight at Del Mar. Started with a generous Buffalo Trace neat, a nice rosé and a Shirley Temple from the bar. The gazpacho was really delicious, as was the pork belly app. We had filet mignon, a tasty pork chop and the wood roasted cod for our entrees, all disappearing in minutes. The pistachio gelato and the lueberry pie a la mode were perfect finishers. Avery our server was efficient and personable. (Review from 8/1/2019)

I try to dine at Del Mar whenever I am back on the Cape. The food and beverage options are always amazing. Connor, behind the bar, is a true professional.

Refreshingly inventive menu, beautifully prepared. My partner and I ate at the bar, arriving before 5 to insure we got a seat. We sampled the apps menu, ordering the wild mushroom and brie tart, crispy cauliflower, and the pork belly with melon. Everything was excellent: great flavor combinations, perfectly prepared and satisfying portions for sharing. We finished with key lime pie and crème brûlée, both of which were among the best we've had in higher end restaurants. Our only disappointment was the bread served at the start of our meal, which we both found uncomfortably crusty and tough and not much improved by the garlic infused olive oil it is served with. Overall, a really wonderful, memorable meal at a very reasonable price, well prepared and served by their friendly and attentive staff.

Visited here with a group at a "Post Thanksgiving" dinner recently. Didn't take any pictures but loved the food, the service and the place itself! Our reservation was honored and we were seated as soon as we arrived, at a large table in front of the open kitchen. The sights of the working crew and the aromas coming from the kitchen added to the wonderful experience. We shared several appetizers, including the fried calamari and the Asian ribs. Excellent both! I had the duck with a glaze. Probably the best duck I've had yet! Crisp, well cooked and flavorful! The glaze added a whole other level of deliciousness. My only regret is not taking any photos of the servings. Will definitely return - and will take photos then!

It greatly pains and saddens me to say this, because I've been happily coming to this restaurant since it was converted from a Friendly's and called Roo Bar 20 years ago, but I'm done with Del Mar. While the quality of the food remains undeniably superb, the service and overall experience has diminished to the point that it's no longer worth the hassle of dining here. They have a line out the door so they don't care about you and it shows. Inconsiderate patrons squat at the bar chatting over empty drinks and a settled tab for 45 minutes while the staff and management look on in neutered indifference. The past two times I've been here we have waited over an hour and a half and had a couple who arrived after us seated before us. Both times the bar tenders offered nothing beyond empty apologies and there was silence from management. The time before that, in April, we were served bad oysters from the wood fired oyster dish that made us sick. Granted, this has never happened before. I wish this wasn't the case, but those are just the most recent incidents in a litany of bad experiences that have occurred over the past 18 months for us here. Perhaps the table service experience is better, but I could not more highly recommend skipping the bar at Del Mar and going literally anywhere else where you might be treated with an ounce of respect and valued. Deep down I genuinely hope that management can rekindle the magic that once made this restaurant one of my favorites in the world. The sad part is that it's an easy fix. Management could both enhance customer experience and improve the restaurant's bottom line by enacting two simple policies. First, diners at the bar who have finished their meal and paid their bill (after a 5-10 minute grace period) will be gently asked to continue their conversation in one of the waiting areas so those currently waiting and ready to order can have a seat. Second, no parties of 3 at the bar. The reason for this should be obvious at a bar with an even number of seats. Parties of 3 will be directed to a table. Unfortunately, for the time being, management seems content to allow the inmates to run the asylum. Del Mar has become an establishment where rudeness is rewarded and patience is tested and that is not what I look for in a dining experience.

Del-Mar is like your favorite sweater: it wears well and never disappoints. The ambiance is perfect: everyone wants to be there as evidenced by the energy and staccato of friendly conversations that elevate the dining experience. The food is varied and expertly prepared and presented. The staff knows how to help you navigate the menu with nuanced candor and helpful recommendations. The bar experience is exceptional with the added value of a bartender you want to bring home for Thanksgiving. This is not the place you think of first for that very special occasion, but rather it's the place you select when you don't want to be disappointed. I simply love this place.

I have given a number of 5 Star reviews, but if I could give 10 stars to Del Mar I would do so. As oft we do, the Great Gal and I shared our meal, going with grilled halibut as the main course. The success of halibut, like cod, has to do with flaking. With ours, this wonderfully prepared hunk of fish was separating as we moved it from its serving dish to our plates. It was as delish as it looked. The bed of rice it rested on was as every bit filled with flavor galore. We also pushed around a very nice Caesar Salad. All of this was accompanied by a very nice Jordan Chardonnay (from our neck of the woods in California) and I think may be a first; we ordered/shared two desserts... a molten chocolate lava cake and a creme brouillade. Owen, our server, did us, also sharing that he teaches young children during the day. Big compliments to him. We has enjoyed a remarkable coincidence when we learned that the Great Gal and a couple seated next to us had shared incredibly close life experiences at Lake Sunapee, NH ... our next destination. The ambiance of Del Mar clearly showed that it is a local fab. This was a great meal, a great place, and a great experience.

Originally we were going to eat at the Chatham Inn but we decided to go into town and find something to eat. Reviewing Yelp, this showed up as #1 or high on the list and I called to see if it would be possible to get in for a table if 5. The person on the phone actually told us that they have a table of 5 available and could hold it for us if we can be in and out in 1.5 hours, which for sure was do-able! Customer service and flexibility 5/5 right here! This place I can tell was popular. I sat next to the front desk and people that were dining in were requesting to make a reservation for the next week, next month, and some even the next day! I ordered the pork shank as that was recommended by our waitress. A couple people in our group ordered halibut, filet, and the chicken. The halibut was more on the undercooked side but it was way better than some of the previous halibuts we've had that were over cooked and tasted bad. The pork shank I thought was okay but the vegetables/Brussels sprouts in there tasted great! I tried the filet and that was more tasty than the pork shank and thought it was more tender. Overall food I thought was good! Highly recommend making a reservation if you plan on dining in!

If you like Cape Cod basic food with a little bit of pretense and local ideas of creative food and high prices you may like it... Now about their attempts at creative food. Ceviche mostly had corn and other common local ingredients but not much fish and pretty sweet taste without citrusy notes found at other truly gourmet palces. Gazpachio was also uniinteresting and just mostly sweet with little other flavors. Salmon was decently made but abundant amount of side rice was also garnished with over sweetnes, in this case abundance of grapes.

there is dining .. and then there is fine dining. Del Mar in Chatham delivered fine dining beyond expectation. With reservations hard to come by, John phoned me proactively several times during my two week stays offering my family reservations. Exceptional hospitality, service, food quality - highly recommend! With many excellent local restaurants in Chatham to choose from, make it a priority to dine at Del Mar!

Great food and stellar service. Handled our large group seamlessly and with a smile! Delicious, elevated food. A great find! Would definitely return.

One of my favorite places on Cape Cod. Food is always superior as well as the service. Make sure you make a reservation as it is pretty much impossible to get in otherwise. They do keep the seating at the bar pretty organized so you may luck out that way. John and his team are top notch.

Excellent cocktails Service was excellent Noisy in restaurant Good parking Easy to find Get a reservation

Great place for dinner. My mom and aunt had the filet mignon and ate the entire meal. My sister had the meatsause with pasta and said it was really good. I has a caesar salad and pizza delicious. Service top notch. Definitely a place to go again.

This family has been a staple for good Cape restaurants for several decades. Del Mar doesn't disappoint. Great seasonal menu and blackboard specials. We had the oysters rockefeller, shrimp cocktail, beat salad, salmon quinoa bowl, and cod entree. Everything was fresh and full of flavor. We brought our 2 year old, they were extremely accommodating and friendly. It's a refurbished "friendly's" with a big, open kitchen and a 3 season patio for when the weather is nice. The bar is first come first served and the run a waitlist, so call ahead!

We just ate at Del Mar this evening. We have been coming for years and we have always loved it. We were surprised that the food was not as good as it once was. We returned the swordfish (2 plates) because it was inedible. And the waiter told us he would replace with something else since we didn't like the way it tasted. It was not a matter of how it tasted. It was terrible. I was surprised when we had to wait 20 minutes for a replacement and no effort was made to take those 2 dishes off the bill or to comp us at all. Really disappointed and we will not be returning.

We were up on the Cape for my wife's birthday and Del Mar was highly recommended. Of all the dinners this weekend, Del Mar was our favorite. We both started with their Simple salad, with fresh greens from their garden and a tasty, light fresh dressing. My wife had the halibut, which she loved. I had the Seared tuna, which was amazing. Our server, Eva was friendly, knowledgeable and attentive. All in all it was fantastic experience.

Our one night away from Wequassett, we booked wayyyy in advance (like two months) for this top rated Chatham restaurant. Glad we did - place was packed! Frequently, high expectations can lead to disappointment, but I assure you this was not the case here! We were given a killer table - a booth overlooking the kitchen, where the head chef and her twin brothers run a line that makes food magic come to life. Our server was delightful, and made our visit even more enjoyable, and allowed lots of time between courses. We gobbled up the venerable pumpkin ravioli appetizer, cutting the cream with some Sauvignon Blanc. The food continued to blow us away and we paired by-the-glass wines with Maple Glazed Roasted Free Range Duckling with sweet potato purée, broccolini & bourbon soaked black cherries (pinot noir) and my Wood Fired Catch of the Day with lemongrass creamed corn, lump crabmeat, native pea greens in a Thai basil & tomato ginger confiture (unoaked Chardonnay). The complimentary dessert and birthday candle sealed the deal.

Had an amazing dinner as a college send off with our two youngest. Appetizers and our main courses were delicious. One of our favorite places to go.

Loved my experience. Salads are awesome. Sausage pizza was delicious. Ambiance. Can't wait to go back

Our favorite dinner place on Cape. Will is a fantastic bartender making the best expresso martinis!!!

Another great meal at Del Mar Bar & Bistro in Chatham. We dined at the bar and enjoyed attentive and friendly service. Both bartenders presented as experienced and professional with great interpersonal skills. Del Mar feels like a happy place that's warm & welcoming. We started with a Caesar salad and a cup of butternut squash bisque. The salad tasted fresh and satisfying but offered almost no flavor. Nothing akin to Caesar salad flavors in the indistinguishable dressing. The bisque was delicious and flavorful and served in a modest cup portion. Our entree choices were a tender filet mignon which was especially complemented by the frizzled leeks and port wine demi-glacé. Our request for medium temperature was perfectly fulfilled. The Szechuan peppercorn crusted tuna over spicy peanut dressed noodles was perfection. The promise of vegetables was missed. Would've enjoyed more than the suggestion of vegetables that were included with the noodles. The crusty Italian bread tasted like it had just been cut from a fresh loaf and was served with fruity olive oil and soft, sweet garlic cloves. We enjoyed wines by the glass from their selection of varying ounces offerings. Del Mar doesn't disappoint and even when they miss a few things, it's still great.

Good food and drinks. Busy place year round. Nice staff. Good brick oven pizza. Good cocktails. Make a reservation.

Del Mar Bar & Bistro did not disappoint. The service was exceptional and the food was absolutely delicious. We shared the artichoke appetizer and the grilled peach and burrata salad special. Both were outstanding. I had a halibut special and my husband had the seared tuna. Both were fresh and flavorful. Cocktails were great. Highly recommend!

Best food we had on the Cape. Japanese Pumpkin Ravioli, Ribs, Duckling, and Snapper all great. Service was exceptional.

Outstanding swordfish. Excellent service and a very nice ambiance. Was brought there on my birthday and they treated me special.

Great food and atmosphere. A lot of locals eat here, and that is a good sign. One of the best in the area.

Del Mar Bistro is our favorite restaurant on the Cape. Never disappoints... great service, ambience and food. Just book early bcuz it can be tough to get into!!

Pretty solid food, very mediocre service for the price point and location. Poor communication from the hostesses, waiting forever for drink order to be taken once seated, and then they really fumbled a birthday surprise for my fiancé. (His parents had called to pay for the bill as a surprise for him because they live on the west coast... but they handed my fiancé the bill.) Only offered a rushed "it's busy" as an apology for the mistake. I've worked in the service industry, and I currently consult for service-based businesses. I get that Covid has every short staffed and stressed, but if people are paying for an experience it is so important to try to deliver! Things don't need to be perfect, but I just wasn't remotely impressed at how anything was handled - an authentic apology would've been enough to bump this review up a star. TLDR; staff needs some VERY basic customer service training... especially when you could head up the hill to Chatham Bars Inn and be treated way better for only slightly higher dinner pricing!

We celebrated my husband's birthday with family there last night. The waitstaff were friendly and helpful. The food came out pretty quickly and everyone loved their meal! We all got something different all off the regular menu and it was delicious. Their drinks are nice too. I think the atmosphere is celebratory, but also sophisticated. It's a nice place to go with friends or on a date. I would not bring young kids. It's extremely popular so you need a reservation.

Food is excellent as are the drinks. The interior is lovely and very comfortable. However, I wouldn't return - dinner is very rushed and it is extremely apparent they are prioritizing turning tables over. For these prices, I'd like to enjoy what I ordered.

Del Mar has always been one of my favorite restaurants on the Cape and in Chatham, until this year. I went out to dinner at Del Mar recently and was very disappointed. The bread they served was sliced paper thin and the sauce on my fish was bland. I could not find some of the ingredients listed on the menu. Our server was overloaded with tables; they must have a staffing problem similar to other businesses or are skimping on hiring. My drink did not have the proper cherry and they skimped on the olives in my husband's martini. I always looked forward to dining at Del Mar, but it looks like I'll be dining at the Impudent Oyster this year, which is my other favorite restaurant in Chatham.

Loved their mushroom tart pastry. Another said the chicken was amazing. Pork belly appetizer and lamb chop dinner were perfect. Everything was 5 star.

I like Del Mars very much food was delicious and the service was kind.My New England Clam Chowder was really good. For my entree I had the Japanese pumpkin ravioli. It was delicious.

Great place, popular with the locals, so you know it's great. We'll keep coming back.