Lobster House remains partially closed after New Jersey nor'easter

The Lobster House in Cape May, New Jersey, is still cleaning up after this weekend's nor'easter, with part of the popular seafood restaurant remaining closed after floodwaters damaged its dining room.

Dehumidifiers are running nonstop inside the restaurant on Schellengers Landing Road as crews work to dry out the space.

Third-generation owner Keith Laudeman said the entire dining room was underwater Saturday. The room can seat about 400 people and is closed indefinitely while the cleanup continues.

"It's just a pain," Laudeman said. "It's a lot of work."

The restaurant is still partially open. Customers can order from the takeout window and seafood market, and outdoor dining is available on the dock while the dining room airs out.

"It's all outside eating now, till I get it fixed up in there," Laudeman said.

For some customers, the restaurant is more than a place to eat. David Kinder and his wife were married on the restaurant's second floor on Sept. 29, 2012. The couple usually returns to the Lobster House for their anniversary dinner.

This year, with the dining room closed, Kinder found another way to mark the occasion.

"I just went into the fish market and I didn't buy fish," he said. "I bought six cannolis for dessert for tonight."

The Lobster House has been a fixture in Cape May since Laudeman's grandfather opened it in 1922.

Laudeman said the flooding was comparable to what the restaurant experienced during Superstorm Sandy in 2012. He said the support from the Cape May community has helped as the restaurant works to recover.

"I got a lot of calls from local people offering their help and services," Laudeman said. "Just a lot of good people down this way."

As the cleanup continues, the restaurant is relying on that community support while working toward reopening its dining room.