Emma G.
Yelp
Mad Batter was our final Cape May stop before the sojourn back up the Parkway, and it was one of the best. This was a recommend from a few others, and while I was a LITTLE apprehensive at the vibe/décor (the logo literally has the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland on it with JUST enough of a difference I suspect to avoid an intellectual property issue), the substance matched the style. My chums weren't quite as enthused as I was, but no one could actually come up with a negative comment to compel me to consider this anything less than perfect, so here we are.
The restaurant was pretty busy, which makes sense as a notable brunch location on Sunday morning. Despite that it was very easy to procure a table without a reservation - the place is VAST. We were led through about two or three rooms (all full of people) before we got to our table in the back of the building, which was a few feet away from giant windows overlooking a small garden. Every room seemed to have its selling point. And while yes, this is unquestionably a themed restaurant, it's honestly pretty subtle as far as that goes. You're not eating brunch and making eye contact with a creepy Cheshire Cat statute or anything - there's plenty of other non-Lewis Carroll shizzle to look at.
Somehow I still had an appetite after consuming my weight in Doritos and pizza the prior few days, and ordered the Chesapeake Bay Benedict without capers ($17). Delicious and reaffirmed (not that it needed to) my commitment to it as my go-to vacation brunch meal. It was also an ample serving, with scrumptious, perfectly seasoned home fries. I don't know what it is about hollandaise sauce, crabmeat and eggs together, but I'm down for it every time. This is also a major statement given that I left our Airbnb intent on righting the ship and ordering something healthier like oatmeal, but as soon as I made eye contact with this item on the menu, that was that. (I fixed the situation the following day, and all is right with the universal balance, etc.)
Last year, our crew finally figured out how to navigate the eternal sweet/savory brunch debate, and we ordered a waffle to split. I'm pretty sure based on my memory and the accompanying picture that it was some variation on the Pecan Belgian Waffle but I think it was on the daily specials menu. Anyway. For four people it was the perfect sweet portion to round out the breakfast palate. I honestly don't remember the last time a restaurant butchered my waffle (isn't that stuff timed on the waffle iron?) but you'll be stunned to learn that this one was cooked just right.
The service was very good. I don't recall a particularly gregarious waitress (at a busy touristy brunch place, I wouldn't expect one), but I also don't recall having to wait a significant amount of time for anything, and there was plenty of coffee and water to swill down while I awaited the appearance of my beloved Bennies. She got the job done.
Both of the mornings we woke up in the area, I trudged outside for over 20 minutes in uneven weather to locate coffee and other forms of sustenance. Don't do that. Wait for everyone to wake up, and then go to a place like this with the rest of civilized society.