South Jersey Restaurant Named One Of 100 Most Romantic In U.S.: Study

CAPE MAY, NJ — A restaurant on the southern tip of New Jersey is one of the most romantic restaurants in America, according to OpenTable.

The Washington Inn was first built in 1846 in the style of Mount Vernon, the plantation house where George Washington lived. In 1940, the building became an inn and became known for its service and food, according to the restaurant history. Operation moved to just the restaurant around 1981.

Freehold's 618 Restaurant was the other New Jersey spot on the list of the top 100 most romantic restaurants in the U.S.

When the restaurant shared the news on its Facebook page, a number of people expressed congratulations, saying the restaurant is "the very best in New Jersey." Several people said they have been going there for many years.

"Often described as romantic, our easy-going elegance will satisfy anyones craving for fine dining," the restaurant's OpenTable page says. "Our enticing menu offers the best of American cuisine, but with an inventive, upscale edge. Food, Service, Ambiance, the essential ingredients for dining excellence, are all deftly blended here at The Washington Inn. We are what 'eating out' used to be."

The restaurant recently reopened.

On Valentine's Day, the restaurant appears to be booked all day on OpenTable.

Patch reached out to The Washington Inn for comment.

OpenTable examined diner reviews from 2021 to come up with the list, including diner rating, reviews, and which restaurants were denoted "romantic" by diners.