Hooked Up Seafood

This restaurant is a 10/10. Not one single complaint. To start, the vibe of this place is just perfection. No frills, you order at the front and pick out a picnic table in the back right on the bay. There was a really talented guy singing and playing guitar creating a relaxing ambience. The crab and corn chowder was decadent. The crab cake sandwich was packed with so much flavor it may have been the best I’ve had. My friends swordfish tacos were literally dripping juice with every bite. I’ll be recommending this place to anyone who visits the area.

This was our first visit and won't be our last! The food was great, the wine was superb from the Cape May winery and the service was excellent! The only problem I saw was they didn't have blue claw crabs. Other than that, the menu is great. Food is great. Can't wait to go back

I have to choose the right words here. First, I'm very disappointed....IN MYSELF for never stopping here even though l've passed it roughly 3,000 to 4,000 times in my life. Second, I'm so glad I finally stopped and tried it with my wife. This will be a STAPLE in our lives going forward. I got the John Dory fried sandwich, the seafood chowder, and the stone crabs (who knew Jersey had our own version of stone crabs???). My wife got the John Dory tacos. I never even heard of a John Dory until today but it was absolutely delicious. In fact, everything was outstanding. Everything was fresh and excellent. The service could not have been friendlier and the chef even came out to check on us. We now love this place and will be dining there on a consistent basis. We are HOOKED on Hooked Up. Boom. Roasted.

The friendliest staff with the freshest fishes! We had three different tacos: swordfish, cod, and flounder. All of them were delicious, but the groupfavorite was the blackened swordfish! Next up was the blackened swordfish steak, which was also super outstanding. We tried the seafood chowder and loved it -- so this trip was worth it in all the ways! The staff was incredibly nice, friendly, and attentive! Highly recommend!

Classic seafood shack that is a must have if you are in the area. Family owned and operated. Seared tile fish and seared swordfish were fantastic. Best peel and eat shrimp in Jersey. Everything is fresh and very tasty. Excellent service.

Phenomenal food! Super fresh seafood! We had the chowder (which is ahhhmazing), flounder and cod tacos, peel n eat shrimp, little neck clams, catch of the day sandwich, crab cake sandwich and the chowder fries! My family digged in before i can snap pics! The best part is the super chill deck where you can enjoy the food and a glass of wine from Cape May Winery

Great seafood lunch for Father's Day. Everything was fresh and delicious. The crab and corn chowder was amazing - the Hooked Up recipe is perfection! You will not be disappointed and we will be back!

I have not had the experience to actually attend their restaurant but I have tried their soups! & they are absolutely delicious, you can tell they really make it to perfection, savoring every bite with amazing aromas. Thank you! Sara for bringing me a lovely treat! Always a pleasure to chat with you & your family. 🙂🙂 -Kim @ farm market.

We called in on their first day open for the season and asked about gluten-free options, and the person on the phone was great about walking us through that. The fish of the day was John Dory, so we decided to order that blackened. In addition, we ordered a dozen peel & eat shrimp, and then I headed over to pick it up. Pickup went fairly smoothly aside from some technical issues with their payment register, and the seafood tasted great! The blackened fish tasted great, and the shrimp was very fresh and was delicious with the lemon and cocktail sauce. We saved some of the fish for later, but it was definitely much better fresh. Something to be mindful of, most of them weren't wearing masks, but there are shields between customers and the cash register. It's open-air, and I figure they may be vaccinated, but just something to note.

Fresh food, great variety. Place your order early because they get extremely busy this time of year. We always just do takeout and don't eat outside . Taco is outstanding. However if they put the salsa on the bottom it will break through the soft shell and then you need a fork.

This is the first seafood "shack" you see as you enter The Wildwoods, so I think they can get away with charging such high prices. Nearly our most expensive meal of our trip. Our food was good, but we got it at all different times. So we weren't even really eating together. And unfortunately the hot weather amplified the stink of the seafood garbage. On days like that maybe they should gather the garbage periodically and take somewhere away from the eating area. I watched several groups move from the smelliest spot. I did really enjoy my little neck clams. The broth was super tasty. And the bread didn't even need butter on it, because it got totally dunked in the delicious liquid. Boys tackled 50 peel n eat shrimp with delight. Hubby had fried shrimp. One other suggestion - add a beer option. Hubs ended up with some weird cherry alcohol drink 'cause he was ready for an adult beverage. Refreshing beer would have been better.

Quick ordering and very friendly staff but it was just ok. Everything tasted fresh but why the high prices for no frills operation. The crab corn chowder was delicious. The mahi mahi sandwich only came fried and was thick so center was only lightly cooked and served with lettuce, tomato and premade tarter sauce.

What I like about Hooked Up Seafood is that it sticks to what it does best and doesn't try to be something it isn't. Whereas some restaurants in the area aim to appeal to families, or to couples, Hooked Up Seafood retains a lot of its "roadside seafood shack" kind of vibe. It's almost like a neighborhood pub - it doesn't have the most extensive menu, but it has a cozy, lived-in feel. The fresh peel and eat shrimp are always popular, and incredibly fresh, but I really dig the clams. Nothing quite like sitting right on the water, on a summer day, with a platter full of little neck clams. This is definitely one of those "your food will resemble it's living form" type of seafood stops. For the kids, there are plenty of fried options - shrimp, cod, chicken tenders, fries, etc. This is an easy place to miss. It's not flashy or elegant. It's a good ol' fashioned roadside seafood stop that consistently provides tasy, no frills options.

Looking for DELICIOUS, FRESH seafood? Look No further, don't make that same mistake that my wife and I did, which was drive past this place multiple times, before finally stopping for lunch! It's no frills, BYOB, but great quality seafood, caught fresh, and well prepared! I'll be back during every visit to Cape May!

I can't understand how this place gets such good ratings. The seating is hot and uncomfortable. The food is overpriced. Yes, the seafood is fresh. It is fun to arrive via boat for lunch.

Tasty shrimp but for a quick meal.. nothing fancy Would recommend. Not a lot to choose from but good

Are you looking for fresh seafood? This is the place where you can get fresh fish like tuna, swordfish and John Dory. A family run business with the Best seafood in the area. They have a full menu, as well as clams, shrimp & crabs. The best is that they have outdoor picnic tables on the water, and you can bring your own beer and wine! Make sure you grab a T-shirt on your next visit too! Enjoy :)

One of my favorite meals ever! We were so happy to see we'd be in the area for Hooked Up Seafood's opening on May 21 for the 2021 season. This restaurant is truly boat-to-table market catch--we even saw their fishing boat the next day while doing a fluke fishing boat trip! We came by for lunch, and the wait was only ~20 minutes for takeout. We ordered 50 Littleneck Clams, 12 Stone Crab Claws, John Dory Fried Fish Sandwich, and Seafood Combo platter. Everything was incredible and tasted so fresh. The fried stuff were all still hot and crispy even when we got home! The staff were all so kind and friendly as well. At the time (May 2021), the restaurant was take-out only with no outdoor seating available. You can't go wrong with anything on their menu. I can't wait to be back at Hooked Up Seafood!

Hooked up is the best kept secret in the wildwoods. Right over the bridge, it's unassuming and right at the little light for old 47 which makes it accessible with plenty of parking. The food was excellent and as fresh as it gets; don't skip out if you see John Dory on the menu, and as tacos? I'm pretty picky about my tacos as a transplant to the southwest but it's the best of both worlds. Steamers, fish fingers for the kiddos and the crab cakes were also top notch. The only miss and I should've trusted my gut was the seafood chowder; I wanted the crab and corn chowder but talked myself out of it and now I know for next time...which will be soon! Don't pass up the chance for local seafood this good...go get hooked up!

"Crab feast" If you want a roll-up your sleeves, picnic table style crab boils, this is the place ! It's all takeout and counter service, but what better way to enjoy seafood at the shore? They have a lot of options but The crab is the way to go. Bring your beer or adult beverage if so inclined!

This is a locals haven and for those fortunate enough to "be in the know", you can expect fresh seafood EVERY time. We love it at Hooked up. You can sit right out on the picnic benches at the bay - no muss no fuss. We often go for lunch before heading to the beach.

YES YES YES to the crab cakes! This place had us hooked from the very first bite into their crab cake. We went back the next day for crab cake before coming back to NYC. We also tried their stone crab, John Dory fish and another type of fish that I don't remember. Everything else was just average but I'd come back just for the crab cake.

This is the ultimate shore seafood eatery!! Captain Bill brings the fresh fish in, they are fileted, cooked and out to the customers. Have never tasted better tuna or swordfish! All sides are freshly made and the sauces are Devine. We make a stop here a priority every visit to Cape May.

I don't even like seafood and I LOVE hooked up. seriously the best fresh seafood and the chefs are the best!!

Excellent seafood! The crab cakes were delicious! No need to make them myself anymore!

Black Eye Tuna was awesome!!! I recommend this place. Fish are so fresh...right off the boat. People are so friendly.

Came over here in a whim due to "Crab and seafood shack" being closed. I'm not familiar with the area, as I was just here for a few hours to see my husband graduate from the Coast Guard boot camp, but the driving around here is crazy(I thought Virginia Beach had difficult roads). This little shack is off of a beach road (that's what we call ours in VB). You at least get a light to get IN to the restaurant but getting out is a little more difficult. Regardless, they have a small parking lot, and you can park on the side of the Beach road. I walked up to the counter and was greeted by a very sweet young lady. I decided to get a crab cake and their famous Fish Tacos. I'll start with the crab cake because it is hands down the BEST I've ever had! So thick, full of crab, not overly fried, and tastes delicious. If you need sauce for this then you are crazy. It stands on its own so well, any sort of sauce would completely mask the flavor. 10/10 order the crab cake! The fish tacos, which is what they are famous for, actually aren't all that awesome. The fish is fried, first off. Which, to me, any time you fry something you are taking away from the true flavor of the food. Because you can fry anything and it's delicious. So I feel like it's a cop out. Anyway, it comes with a mango/pineapple sauce, which is good, but after a while it became a little much. Couldn't taste the fish part at all. So definitely NOT the best fish tacos I've ever had and I honestly wouldn't recommend them either. Everything's made fresh, so yes there's a little bit of a wait. But if you're waiting on the crab cakes then it's worth it ;)

meh... Came with high hopes after reading the reviews, but the coleslaw was rancid and the crab cakes were mushy. The fries, shrimp and hush puppies were tasty. $100 bill, but probably will be my last visit.

Tried to go here the last time I was in The Wildwood area and they weren't opened yet for the season. The wait was well worth it! The fried scallops were beyond delicious, others in the party had the to die for crab cake sandwich & superb seafood chowder. Nothing better then sitting eating your meal and seeing staff working fresh caught ingredients. Service by the staff itself is worth 10 stars.

We phoned in an order for takeout and the person we spoke with was knowledgeable about gluten free options. Of course all fried things were off the table so we ordered blackened John Dory to supplement a meal at our rental. The portion was definitely larger than I had anticipated, and it was delicious! The blackened seasoning was just right! I never had John Dory before, but it had a soft texture and mild flavor. We also had the pineapple salsa on the side and it went with the fish very well. We also had the peel and eat shrimp, which was fresh and good, but nothing super special.

After seeing Craig LaBan rave about this place last week on Philly.com, I knew I had to target this place for dinner on my upcoming trip. After all, he doesn't throw praise around lightly. Yeah, it lives up to the hype. I went for the blackened John Dory sandwich. It was perfect. Perfectly seasoned, perfectly portioned, perfectly fresh. It's an absolute winner. My wife loved her crab cake sandwich. Mom devoured two portions of the peel and eat shrimp. We all fought over the fries and loved the Jersey corn. Even my son's hot dog was higher end than what you get most places. Not only do they do great seafood, they care about quality on everything else they serve. That's special.

This place reminds me of the local places you find in New England where they sell lobster dinners right on the harbor. Excellent food! No frills. Order at the window and pick a picnic table and enjoy. The John Dory fish (sautéed) was excellent! Add a salad and an ear of Jersey white corn and you are set. BYOB. Will definitely return during our next trip to the Crest! Back again for lunch this time! Blackened swordfish tacos with pineapple salsa. Excellent! And of course, a crab cake sandwich for the hubby. He loves crab cakes! Tartar sauce is good, but different. It has horseradish in it. Not hot, just a bit of heat. Delish!

Go here!!!! Super fresh and delicious seafood. The staff here is extremely friendly and helpful if you don't know what to order, or if you don't know exactly what kind of fish is on the menu. Excellent local spot. Check their Instagram for updates before you go

If you're in the area you must come here. Get the crabs and enjoy with a beer. BYOB is a plus! Crabs that were live just a few minutes before. That's when you know you're getting quality fresh seafood. They give you a mullet for cracking which I felt was the best to get in that crab but messy because the insides can splash on you. I didn't care. Wiped and moved on to get that meat out! Definitely try this spot out ... Friendly staff and delicious food!

this little spot heading into wildwood use to have the best tacos meals. i just purchase my first tacos for the summer and very disapointed. 23.00 dollars for two cod fish taco's, nothing else. i waited for my take out order for 25 mints or more , while i was waiting, i watched teenagers goofing around taking selfies, trying food out and other things, there was no one else was in line when i pulled and no one was infront of me that placed and order that i could see. i had to asked about my meal, she said it would be another 10 mints, there reason why it was taking so long that they had a large table order in front of mine. which i didn't see any food being taken out to any customers. i finally go my order, when i got back to the office i open my food ups and i said i just can't believe that i just paid 23 dollars for two taco's . very disapointed and not the same as proviouse years. i will not be going back and it's a shame my work is right down the street and we use to order from them alot. not this year for the prices are way to high and everything is al cart, so yes 23 dollars for two taco's.

I love fish tacos, and Hooked Up has my absolute favorite. It's a totally casual little spot: you order at a window and can sit at a picnic table outback. They also have a fresh seafood takeout window. What's really cool is that their fishing boat is parked out back (or out fishing) and you can follow their instragram to see what they're catching and what's fresh. Their fish tacos aren't cheap ($15 for two) but they're amazing. The fish is battered and crispy, they have pineapple and mango salsa and crispy slaw. My boyfriend and I usually share an order of tacos and an order of onion rings. The onion rings remind me of Outback's Bloomin onion, but very skinny. They are delicious. We've also gotten fresh takeout seafood which is always fresh. Definitely worth the trip off the island!

This is where you want to go for the freshest catches. Stuff is coming right off the boats that day and when they sell out that's it. I am giving 5 stars because in Wildwood I haven't found anything fresher, and when it comes to seafood, freshness is top priority to me. All of the battered and fried items are done perfectly. Eat it there if you can instead of taking it to go. I did not try any raw items or grilled catches, but I imagine they would be top notch.

Wow, I'm so disappointed. I was so excited to have blue claw crabs in Wildwood. Thursday night I called at 6:30 for a take out order. I was told they only had medium crabs, ok, I figured they would be just as yummy. We ordered crab cake sandwich, fries, onion rings, scallops and a a mixed seafood platter. The crabs were dirty, small, missing claws and tasted like they weren't fresh. I was sooooo disappointed. I watched the videos of the fresh food being caught and thought I was in for a treat. That being said, I gave it three stars for the scallops and shrimp that were fresh and delicious. I won't go back, it's out of the way, closes at 8:00, we had to wait for the food after they asked us to come before 8:00 because they were closing. No onion rings were had, apparently the chef decided that he was done cooking. Not worth the time and price.

Happened upon this place while driving and thought to stop in. Glad I did! We got the blackened swordfish and the fried mahi mahi. The swordfish was amazing, super flavorful. My bf liked his mahi mahi too. Prices are a little high (we paid over $40 for our orders plus soda/water) but definitely worth it for the quality. Will be back next time I'm in Cape May.

Hooked Up Seafood is a rambling old shack by the bay on the road into Wildwood. From Craig Le Ban in the Philly Inquirer to other food critics, this has been well-reviewed over the years. I had to try it out. And I am glad it did. Hooked Up Seafood is very seashore rustic and the fishing boats dock right behind this old joint. You order at a window and if you chose a prepared item rather that a raw one, you can eat at a table looking out on the boats and the bay. I chose a crabcake sandwich which was def tasty enough. The remoulade-like sauce which accompanied it was a total winner. And note there are always a couple of "Catches of the Day" direct from the fishing boats. This old seafood shack is worth seeking out.

Having never been to Wildwood before, my husband & I decided to do a quick search of seafood places near us that were open for lunch & not too terribly far from our hotel. I just have to say THANK GOODNESS we kept scrolling through the establishments that were closer to us with even higher star ratings (we can't quite figure out how Hooked Up Seafood doesn't have a PERFECT FIVE STAR rating for the life of us). Our lunch was absolutely FANTASTIC!! Every single thing we ordered, which was quite a lot (50 clams, 2 shrimp tacos & a dozen crab claws) was pure sweet, melt in your mouth, seafood perfection. Every meal was fresh & quickly prepared while we waited (less than 4 minutes for the first part of our meal to arrive). It's a cute little place with a road side foodstand sort of vibe to it. They dock their fishing boats just out back, so you know the 'catch of the day' is really, truly fresh. The staff is exceptionally friendly & eager to help you with not only their menu (& how to most effectively get the most delicious meat from the claw) but also pointed out the best local 'hotspots' we should be sure not to miss. We have to be honest, although we were less than impressed with Wildwood in and of itself, we believe it would be worth the 6 hour drive to visit again, if only to have another incredibly delicious meal from here. We truly thank you for such an incredible meal!! Randy & Janis

One of our regular dinner in Wildwood when . Good seafood, chill vibes. A little pricey but no more so than most of the tourist traps in town, and the quality here is far better.

To all the Filipinos and other asians... try to bring your rice and coconut vinegar :) Service and food are great. Portable potty is only available in premise. There is an outside sink to use... Just use your knee for the spout to spew water ;) There are shaded tables, and some more umbrella tables...mostly al fresco style seating, with views of docked boats. Fresh crabs got delivered when I was eating. Star of the restaurant: crabs. I wish they have garlic butter seasoning for the crabs. My hack: order a dozen clams, and then order the crabs. Use the remaining sauce of the clams and halve the dozen crabs. Open the halved crab tops, drizzle the sauce on them. Now you have one half old bay, and the other half garlic wine butter! Try it! It's ahh maazziiinnnggg Hubby and I got the itis afterwards

Very nice, good family business!!! Delicious food!! This is my favorite place for seafood in wildwood!!!

Great setting , quality food but small portions. I left hungry after having the shrimp skewers, served with a small side salad and very tasty onion rings.

Great seafood with really amazing prices! Fun little picnic lunch on the edge of the bay.

I can't say enough good things about this place. Its a tiny roadside stand-ish place as your getting to Wildwood. Its as fresh as it gets since the menu is dependent on what they catch with their boat that day. Literally the boat is docked behind the place. My favorite tradition of wildwood is to stop by here and pick up 1/2 dozen large crabs cooked with old bay and bring them back to eat outside on our deck with cold beer and jersey corn. Mmmm. Makes me almost tear up thinking about it. Great prices, friendly people, amazing seafood.

A+ overall experience! I called when they first opened and asked about placing a take out order & they were very patient and courteous! I ordered 2 dozen cooked crabs, peel n' eat shrimp, the catch of the day (swordfish) and chicken tenders & fries (for the non-seafood eaters). Picked up the food on time as requested, it was still hot and packaged very nicely for travel home. Staff was very professional and friendly! Purchased mallets for the crabs for less than at most grocery & kitchen stores! The food was delicious! Everything was fresh! Highly recommended & will certainly be repeat customers!!!

Best seafood combination ever!!! Breading is a lighter version of batter/tempura. Crab cakes are deliciously seasoned! Fast and friendly service! Great views of the Bay!

Best seafood in town! I would not go anywhere else! The oysters and clams were so fresh!! Outside seating was clean and fun! The crabs were sweet and perfectly cooked!! Can't wait to go back!!

We LOVE Hooked Up!! Get the steamed clams-- they are incredible! Everything we had (blackened fish, fried seafood platters, onion rings, clam chowder) was soooo delicious. Great, quaint locale-- picnic tables right by fishing boats. BYOB!!!

The crab cakes contain way more crab than breading and the sauce that comes with them is homemade and very good. No indoor seating but the picnic tables next to the water make it a great place for kids.

Best crab cakes and large cod fish sandwich, the seafood combinations is wonderful ! Large size of steam shrimps

I came here during my visit to ocean city and my boyfriend and I wanted to get seafood somewhere casual. There's limited parking and about 8-10 communal tables. The food was mediocre at best but for the price, it should've definitely been better. I got the fish tacos ($14) and it came in 2 per order. I'd say if you were to come here, definitely skip the tacos because $7 for bland, soggy tacos is not worth it. We also got the crab sandwich which wasn't bad and large fries. I overheard the boys cooking the seafood tell a customer that they cook the shrimps ahead of time so they come cold when you order them, but they do offer to heat them up for you. Although I understand that it saves time, I feel like advertising your place as a fresh seafood spot, you shouldn't be cooking your seafood ahead of time because it makes it less fresh.

Great seafood at decent price. Here are some takeaways I got from this place: - If you cannot stand more than half a tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning in your mouth, ask for less Old Bay seasoning on your blue crabs. - The medium crabs are slightly bigger than the small crabs so choose at your discretion. - If you are not a big fan of smelling engine fumes while eating, try to sit closer to the kitchen side. - Since you are sitting outside, there will be insects. - Two dozen small blue crabs, a pot of steamed clams, a pint of chowder, and cocktail shrimp should be more than enough to feed four hungry people = under $100 - Be prepared to share table with other people if you cannot fill up the entire table as a group Definitely order the clam chowder (they do not skimp on the clams) and the blue crabs!

I can't say anything that hasn't been said. Thought this was secret place until I read Yelp. Fresh seafood and friendly service. Fish tacos. Fried Cod sandwich. Excellent. Recommend

A great spot off the island with quick service, good food and nice staff. The peel and eat shrimp were big, plump and fresh. I love a good spicy cocktail sauce with my shrimp and my only complaint was there wasn't enough. The littleneck steamers were good as well. We loved that they were 100% sand free and delicious. The crab cakes had a decent quantity of crab and were well cooked - not greasy or cold in the middle.

A small kitchen that turns out outstanding and delicious seafood dinners every time. If you are a "Crab Lover" then this is your place. You sit and watch the young men load, cook and serve you your crabs by the dozen to your table. A family owned and operated by the Bright family, all of them are there to serve you and the rest of their staff are all their friends who are as interested in your dining pleasure as are the Bright's. Do not miss eating here for your enjoyment.