Dan R.
Yelp
"And my tires were slashed and I almost crashed,
but the Lord had mercy
And my machine, she's a dud, out stuck in the mud
somewhere in the swamps of Jersey''
(Bruce Springsteen)
Where on earth did that name "Mud Hen" come from?
Well, we have to go back into local history where we'd learn that in 1883, the West Jersey Railroad carried thirsty passengers from the Cape May Court House to a pub in Wildwood over dilapidated decrepit tracks through marshy wetlands. The tracks washed out so often that the train was nicknamed "the Mudhen".
Fast forward to April 2018 when an old Harley Davidson dealership was reborn as the massive Mudhen Brewing Company. The multi-building complex has so many options for you and your group to enjoy a beer and some great food. You can enjoy their 8 to 12 rotating craft beers on tap in their spacious two-story dining room and lounge, outdoor Bar, Biergarten and Patio, and separate structures for private events known as the New Garage Room and Station House.
Our party of twenty-one was seated in the New Garage Room. We shared that room with a big group of high school cheerleaders who entertained us with dance routines and cheer practice throughout the evening.
I started off the evening with a Mudhen Pilsner (ABV:4.8 %) that was light and very drinkable. Mudhen has over twenty appetizers to kick off your meal. I went with a cup of their Soup of the Day which was Italian Wedding (cup $7). I enjoyed it a lot, it was loaded with meatballs and was piping hot.
I counted 24 appetizers on their menu, and I sampled three of them that my table mates ordered. MOM'S PICKLES ($14) "golden-fried, tempura battered pickle spears with Cajun breadcrumbs served with chipotle mayo sauce" were excellent and spicy, the SOUTHERN FRIED OYSTERS - ($12) were served with cherry peppers, blistered cherry tomatoes, spicy ketchup, citrus zest and a pickled veggie tartar, and the BUFFALO CAULIFLOWER BITES ($14.50) were beer battered cauliflower tossed in classic buffalo sauce over iceberg lettuce with a side of bleu cheese dressing.
My order of preferences were the cauliflower, pickles, and oysters (which I thought were mushy and not very tasty).
My dinner was their Chipotle Salmon Salad ($23) with spring mix, roasted sweet corn, avocado, chopped red onion, fresh strawberry, black beans, queso fresco w/ cilantro vinaigrette dressing & topped w/ chipotle grilled salmon. It was extraordinarily delicious. The salmon was a big portion that was moist, juicy, and perfectly cooked. I loved it.
My wife ordered a Hen House Salad ($12) with an added six grilled shrimp ($8). The salad was spring mix, romaine, cucumbers, carrots, red onions, cherry tomatoes & crostini served with a side of balsamic vinaigrette dressing. The shrimp were pretty large, and she enjoyed her dinner.
Now, as I said, we had a group of twenty-one, and the cheerleaders must have had 12-15 in their group, and another table full of parents. All of us pretty much ordered their food at the same time.
This review would not be complete without offering high praise to the Mudhen kitchen and our server Amber. The food for the 45 or so of us in the New Garage Room came out fast, I mean really fast. And Amber was incredible, with a 1,000-watt personality who cheerfully handled every little question and issue that came up. She was a true professional and was great fun to interact with.
Well done Mudhen! And well done, Amber.