Dockside Restaurant

My husband ordered fried flounder and I ordered the crab cakes so we shared. The food was absolutely delicious. The staff were hustling around, taking care of everyone the whole time. Very clean and friendly atmosphere after a morning playing at the beach!

We have been coming to this restaurant for 10 years now and over the years we have noticed a decline in the food quality. A time or two ago, we swore that we would never come back but we always get sucked back in because it's on the water and after a few hours of kayaking we are usually hungry and just want a cold beer and some shrimp. The peel and eat shrimp use to be good but lately they have been just ok. The beer is no longer served in bottles but now is in cans only. They use to have beer on tap but no longer have that either. Today we stopped in after kayaking, knowing that it was going to be hit or miss. Well today was the final straw. We were seated immediately and then waited about 20 minutes before somebody came to take our drink order. It was a female waitress who did not introduce herself and we asked about the beer hoping that maybe something had changed, but no. We don't like beer in cans, so my friend ordered a coke and I ordered a cocktail, a Spicy Paloma which I have had before at other restaurants. We waited another 20 minutes for our drinks to come and mine seemed like it had been sitting a while because the ice was mostly melted and the drink was very watered down. My friends coke was watered down also. We should have sent them back and left at that point. Once I found a straw and stirred my drink it was a little better. However a Paloma is usually a little fizzy and this was not. It was just not good. The Tajin was all over the outside of the plastic "glass" instead of on the rim. We finally placed our food order and waited another 20 minutes until our food came. We both ordered the fiesta bowl. Mine was with chicken and my friends was with shrimp. We had never had this before and will never again. The shrimp were tiny and looked like they had been frozen. My bowl with the chicken was a little better. The bowls were mostly rice and it was very dry. Of course when we realized this our missing in action waitress was nowhere to be seen. We asked another male waiter for ranch dressing and he went and got her. So we asked her for ranch dressing and she brought us 2. This made the bowls a little bit better but just ok. The other food item that we ordered was the homemade potato chips which are always good. When the waitress brought our ranch dressing we went ahead and requested the check because by now we had been there over an hour. Of course she brought the check immediately. I put my credit card with the check to let her know that she could take the check but she never came back. When we waited as long as we were willing to wait, we got up and went to the hostess station like we had seen the couple at the table next to us do. The hostess asked who our waitress was and we told her that we had no idea as she had not introduced herself. The hostess then asked us what she looked like - at this point we were really annoyed and showed her which table we were seated at. She went off to find our waitress and left us standing there waiting. Our waitress finally appeared and took our payment and we left. We were there for 1 hour and 20 minutes....for lunch, not by our choosing. As we walked out we once again said.. ..never again. I'm not sure who is managing the staff but they should be fired. It appears that there is very little training or accountability.

Beautiful Seafood Rehearsal Dinner at Dockside! We would 10/10 recommend Dockside as a rehearsal dinner venue. The gorgeous, laid back atmosphere is just what we needed the night before our wedding! The intimate upstairs room overlooking the water was perfect for the family and bridal party to kick off wedding weekend! Food was delicious, drinks were fabulous. Staff were amazing! Kris and Corey helped us throughout planning and were exceptional to work with. I have no complaints at all! What a special night. Thank you, Dockside!

Great spot by the water with lots of outdoor seating and is dog friendly. Thomas took excellent care of us and the food was served faster than expected. We had the Founder platter with hushpuppies. Both were cooked perfectly with great flavor. I got the crab cakes entree with fries and a southern harvest salad. I was spoiled by Maryland crab cakes and I think these are the best I’ve had since. The salad came with a fruit vinaigrette that paired perfect with the fruit and nuts on the salad. We’ll definitely be back.

I ordered the dockside lemonade. It’s 14 dollars served in a small glass and the description says strawberry purée and really the just mixed strawberry lemonade from the store w the vodka. We ordered the tsunami honey fire shrimp app and it’s just a bunch of small tiny chewy shrimp with Buffalo hot sauce drenched in it. I have had dinner here before and the entire parties food that included tacos/burger/fish were all disgusting. My tacos were inedible. The fries were amazing tho!

I expected at least a decent experience based on the thousands of reviews. However, when we arrived, the area near the front desk was crowded with teenage staff chatting in groups. Thankfully, our server was polite and attentive — probably the only positive part of our visit. I was shocked to see our food served on flimsy white plastic plates — the kind you wouldn’t even expect from Dollar Tree. Even more disappointing: they only serve canned beer. No draft options at all. We ordered the $30 "special pasta," and it was an absolute disaster. It looked like something a child might throw together — overcooked macaroni in a watery, cheese-like sauce, topped with a few shrimp and two small sausages. Honestly, calling it “food” feels generous. My son, who was starving, ate half before giving up with a look of disgust. I took one bite and broke out in hives around my neck. I normally tip 25% or more, but this was the first time I walked out without tipping. I even asked the server who had prepared the dish — was it one of the teenagers hanging around the kitchen? If the owner is reading this, I sincerely ask: was this dish actually prepared by a trained chef in your kitchen? This meal was not worth the price — not even for the view. I’d take Chick-fil-A over this any day.

Had the zucchini fries, they are cut like pickle chips. They also had a plant based veggie burger option. $16 for the burger only extra for sides.

One of the best spots in Wilmington area. So many cool boats to see. Great food.

Food is aways good, service is great and best part you can sit outside and eat. It's a locals hangout and have music in some nights. It's been in several movies. The only 2 negative things I have to say are 1. The Flys are awful to keep away. 2. They need different buns for the burgers. The one they use fall apart.

We love this waterfront bar for drinks! There is plenty of outdoor seating with beautiful views of the waterway and marina. They had lots of slushy drinks on special as well as beachy cocktails. They can also make non alcoholic options so I went with a virgin pina colada. It was delicious and refreshing on a hot day! It gets crowded but we were there early to snag a seat. The people watching is top tier and watching the boat traffic is fun too. Check it out!

The first red flag was parking. Good luck with that. We circled around for several minutes waiting for someone to leave so we could park. Patio seating was an hour wait but we got seated immediately (6:00 pm) because we chose inside seating. Waited 15 minutes for our waitress to bring us some water. Ordered beer and an appetizer at 6:15. (At this point it was entertainment for me to track times). 6:20 the cans of beer arrived. At 6:30 the table sitting next to us was seated. 5 minutes later they received what looked like our appetizer. The proceeded to eat away while our waitress, who was also theirs, seemed shocked they had an appetizer since she had not taken an order for one. She then proceeds to avoid us. 6:45 we decided to leave. Paid for the beers and went to McDonalds. I do NOT recommend this place. Service was God-awful.

Met a group for happy hour on the veranda. It was early evening ,weather was perfect and it was not crowded when we arrived. Found several tables and pushed a few extra chairs together. They have several bars available to order your beverage from. The bartenders were busy fulfilling orders. There was a good list of mixed drinks available and beer, sours, cider, seltzers and wine. Also some non alcoholic options. I ordered a Meomi Pinot Noir, it was a generous pour. Found my way back to the table, enjoyed my wine and watched the boats go by. It's a great place to sit, drink your beverage of choice and watch the boats on the water go by. There was also un upper deck with more tables. There was music being played, low enough you could hear people talking at your table. The parking lot can hold quite a few cars. A place that I would return to.

I looked up this place on Yelp and was hopeful my Yelp community would give me some insight! I like that this restaurant was on the Marina. There was live music playing upon arrival! The waitstaff were young (high school & some college aged kids) and they were not very attentive and took to much time to follow up on orders and asking if there were any additional things needed during our time there! The food was average ..not much seasoning and I felt the prices were above average for the offerings!

They have great views and vibes, and the food was delicious. We were a large group, and our food came out in a timely manner. Everyone enjoyed their meals!

Good food with a great view! We picked Dockside very much for the view and weren't disappointed. There is a terrific view of one of the bridges and all of the boat traffic coming and going is very entertaining to watch, especially if you have younger folks in your crowd. You can sit inside with a good view or outside with a direct view. The food was pretty good - not the best seafood in town (that's what we all got) but certainly good. The kids menu was well received as well. The bar options included local beers which were great, and good drink selections. The price wasn't too bad considering the location and the premium you normally expect from that sort of thing.

Excellent food, service and ambience. Our server, Hunter, was phenomenal. Great experience overall.

Ate late lunch/early dinner...ordered the flounder Blackened with cole slaw and house made chips. With the flounder (fish of the day) being a bottom feeder like catfish, I feel the price was exorbitant. The blackening seasoning wasn't flavorful. The person I was with ordered the crab cakes, which he felt tasted pasty and lacked a sufficient amount of crab. The crab artichoke dip tasted very cream cheesy, with artichoke, but lacked crab. We were disappointed by the taste and amount charged for the dishes.

We were in Wilmington yesterday and stopped here for lunch. Plenty of seating and the place stays busy. Nice view of the intercostal waterway. I ordered the Crab cake Sandwich it was not that good. No real crab flavor and was overcooked. All I tasted was the oil. Another person in our group said the same thing. My son ordered the Peel & Eat Shrimp and he said that it was really tasty. My wife had the Calamari appetizer (excellent and very nice portion size) and their fries (they were cooked to perfection) I felt the drinks were a little watered down and if there is a next time would order a beer. Great views & good service overall.

4.5/5. Absolutely floored at the 2.9 star review. The view and vibe of the place alone bring it to at least a 3. A casual place to eat and drink by the water, yes please! My experience: I had no problem finding parking and was quickly seated. The waitress was friendly and attentive even though they were pretty busy. The cocktail service area is nice to hang out after eating (or if you weren't planning to eat). I got the Caesar salad with a crabcake on top and a side of hushpuppies. The meal was pretty standard (nothing especially amazing) and I enjoyed it. The hushpuppies hit the spot and were very generously portioned. My biggest issue was there aren't any draft beers! The selection of cans is good, a little pricey but in line with what you would expect to pay for waterfront drinking. I did not try any cocktails or food other than mentioned. I came around 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon.

Went on a Friday around 12:30. Sat outdoors. Food was fast, fresh, and hot. Great waitress. No complaints.

We've lived here 20 years. Haven't been to Dockside in quite awhile. Four of us enjoyed a delightful evening. Haley was our server and she was fabulous. We enjoyed the fiesta salad with various toppings such as blackened chicken and shrimp. Get this dish. And yes, the French fries are wonderful.

We had lunch here a few years ago on a trip to the area and I rated the experience five stars. This time the seafood again was fresh and we received prompt friendly service. We enjoyed lunch but I felt that the cost was a bit excessive for a fish sandwich and my wife's crab cake. The total including tip was $70. We had lunch so we didn't have any drinks or desert just tap water . Because of the cost, I'm going to give the restaurant a new rating of four stars. The view of the Harbor is nice and the furnishings in the restaurant are also excellent. I guess that's what you're paying a premium for.

Great food, staff, and atmosphere !!! Lots be the water view! I would definitely recommend!!

I love this place - mostly for the amazing views, beach vibes and every time I am here, I am on vacation! But the food is pretty good too. My husband ordered the clam strips and fried shrimp - I sampled them but I really don't eat fried food. The clam strips were really good and reminded me of summers I spent at Rye Beach in New Hampshire. Shrimp was okay - just not my thing. I had the tuna with a side of mixed summer veggies. Both were perfect for a hot summer day at a marina. The tuna was cooked to perfection (medium rare) and the veggies were perfectly sauteed and tasty. Service is great and again - you can NOT beat the view!

Food is just ok. Nothing exceptional. $10 for a Tropical Lightning IPA and 20% gratuity. $12 bucks for a can of beer. Maybe it's time for Dockside & some of the other Wilmington, North Carolina bars & microbreweries ripping people off to be Bud-Lighted. Do better!!!

Delicious! Yummy yummy chicken strips and crispy calamari Spanky's blue crab dip is so good! We bought the bride a tequila soda and she had much fu!!!!!

Service and the atmosphere was great! Drinks at the bar by the water. Good times with family and friends!!

We had a late lunch here on a Friday. We waited about 15-20 minutes for a table but we're able to hangout at the bar while we waited. The restaurant is pretty large with lots of seating. Our waitress was very attentive & nice. We both got tacos - I got the shrimp and my husband got the fish tacos. Both were good. I will say almost $20 for two tacos & a side is pretty pricey but that's my only complaint. The restaurant could use some updating but it was a nice vibe sitting right on the water. We'd come back!

A beautiful sunny day we got to sit out and watch the water while eating some great food. The wait staff was very helpful! We will be back!

Prices have really gone up..... Had shrimp tacos and they now charge for the house made chips...been going for years and can't justify going back.

We never went here - we went on a Friday, waited 45 minutes for our phone to get a message. Was seated and was surprised by how small the menu was. Not much to order. I was going to get a drink on the menu but for $16- no thanks. Prices were a lot for what we were getting. I felt like leaving but I already waited 45 minutes. Food was OK - but you're really paying for it. I won't come back.

Food was decent. The outside area was pretty full with people, good weather today. Great spot to have a drink and hang out by the water.

Let me say " Up front " . I will not return to this restaurant. You do have a view of the dockside, hence name. The parking is good as they have an annex parking lot across the street. As I was walking in I noticed they were getting mileage out of an old building. It needs a restoration, some fresh paint . As we entered we were cheerfully greeted. As were we're entering the outside area , I noticed a different in floor elevation between the building and patio. This was enough of a uneven area that people slightly stumbled going in and out. I seen at least a dozen people stumble as I was there. I did not see a sign that would warn you or even a bright colored paint on the area on the floor . We were seated outside on the patio deck. The day was sun , clouds, sun , and clouds. When the sun was out it was blazing. They did have table umbrellas and were setting them up. They started with the tables that were closest to where the umbrellas were stored. As I told my wife , I am starting to sweat from the heat of the sun. They put up about 6 umbrellas, all were closest to where they stored them , then they stopped. You had many more tables that could use an umbrella. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I figured that he went in the gather something, but come back and finish setting the umbrellas for the restaurant patrons. I was wrong. The food was mediocre at best. Although the homemade chips were good. I had a shrimp burger. It was ok , I have had better shrimp burgers though. They have only cans of beer , nothing on tap, if you are a draft beer drinker. The service by our waitress was very good. She was cheerful, attentive, and prompt. Oh yes , continuing on the building. The back of it was rotting in some areas, they had some areas patched with wood putty. It was in desperately need of major upkeep. As I said I will not return as there are so many restaurants in that area that are better and priced the same. The place has potential , but major upkeep is needed.

It is with sadness that I write this review of Docksides. So many wonderful nights here in the past and while the view is still the best in NC, sadly the food tonight just was not good. My table was under a speaker and it was loud enough for the whole outside. I had fried shrimp. They were OK. I love tartar sauce. The tartar sauce was awful. The chips were ok. The slaw was ok. Back to that tartar sauce, it was really awful. I really loved this place and practically raised my kids here, but not tonight.

Looking for another restaurant came across the parking lot for Dockside it was filling up quickly so I parked and decided to take a look. Ask for seating outside the view of the boats on the water are worth it. My server was slow and seemed in training which was fine I had time to kill. Looking for a snack ordered the Hot Crab dip after seeing it go down on another table. It will come out hot and bubbling with your choice of tortilla chips or pita points. The dip is rich and creamy with plenty of crab. At sixteen dollars felt it was a decent portion for the money. It is also gluten free if you go with the tortilla chips. I would suggest bringing a sweater or a light jacket if there is a breeze and your in the shade it can get chilly.

Tonight we ate at Dockside Restaurant. It was a little confusing finding the actual entrance. We ended up walking through the patio bar area to get to the hostess station. When I told her that we were a bit confused, it looked like we were wondering around, she said a lot of people do that. Maybe some signage would be better. Our waiter was Diego. He was very polite and helpful. The view of the boats and water from the patio was awesome. It was entertaining, watching the boats going through the canal. At first, I wasn't sure that there was anything I wanted on the menu. But we ended up ordering shrimp and grits and fried shrimp dinner. The fried shrimp was smaller shrimp. But it was lightly breaded and very good. And a good quantity of shrimp. The shrimp and grits was very different from what I have had in the past. It was very good. It had peppers, onions, tomatoes and mushrooms in the sauce. Two scoops of grits. Also was a bit spicy. There was plenty left to bring home leftovers. All in all, it was a good experience. For 2 dinners, a Cola and 1 glass of wine it was $62.

Used to be my favorite place to go until I found issues on my bill and they then gave me the run around and said they would fix it never did then gaslighted me and interupted me.. So yes after that I was rude.... They guy picking up the phone on 11-12-24 should be fired.... VERY UNPROFEESIONAL. Watch your bill here..

Bar had tons of options, many local brews! Great atmosphere and balcony situation. Busy after 5.

Arrived 15 minutes before opening on a Sunday morning and the line was forming (we were #3). Our server was great and showed plenty of attention even though he seemed to have all 8 tables on the top deck. Our breakfast selections came quickly (specials) and were very good, though my wife said her was leaning more warm than hot, which we thought weird as

I walked in, took one look around, and immediately walked back out. This spot is undeniably dockside, with all seating outdoors on picnic tables. Unfortunately, there's no bar to sit at and chat with friendly neighbors. However, it did offer stunning views of the waterway.

What a view! We stopped here for dinner to relax and watch the boats coming in to dock. The parking was easy, just across the street. We walked in and asked to sit outside, beautiful views. Lots of outside seating, some higher up which would be nice to try too. The menu had a good variety and we started off with the crab dip. You could choose tortilla chips or pita chips with it, we went with tortilla, yum-o! I had the crab sandwich and my daughter had the shrimp tacos, you can request the shrimp to be grilled not fried and I thought that was great, not every place does that. The good was divine as were the drinks. That view though, it'll bring me back for sure.

Stopped by for a late lunch after the beach. It was raining so the servers were accommodating and let us move to the covered tables. We ordered 2 beer and the calamari to start. SO GOOD! Crispy and light. We killed the whole thing. I ordered blackened mahi mahi sandwich and my fiancée got the mahi mahi fish tacos. He enjoyed his meal and so did I. Good casual beach food. Loved the lemon pepper fries. Nice surprise. Would eat here again.

We came to dockside for a Saturday afternoon cocktail as a recommendation from a friend. We each got a painkiller and then a rum runner! We enjoyed them on their upper deck and watched the boats go by. Definitely head to dockside soon for great service and a strong cocktail!

Great place to dock the boat and have a great lunch. Very dog and people friendly. Easy access to tables and drinks. Love the atmosphere.

This review is strictly for the location, environment and drinks. I have not eaten here and can only recommend it as a sweet spot to park your boat and "Dock and Drink" after a nice day on the water. They do not have a technical Happy Hour but around that general time period, the bar gets super packed and you will definitely have to wait a minute to get your order in, especially if it's really nice out. They have a massive craft beer list filled with tons of local favorites. I generally go for a vodka bloody mary (topped with celery, lime and shrimp) or a tequila margarita (salt rim). Most cocktails are around the $5-10 range. You come to Dockside for the views and the vibes. It's kind of like a fancy beach bar with average drink prices and great views of the boats on the Intracoastal. It's not a place I'd go if you're in a rush but rather a cool spot to park up for a while and have a couple drinks amongst friends before getting back out on the water. They have their own dock for boats right out front, and free parking lot for cars, across the street. Would recommend!

We had a great meal. This is a true gem in Wilmington and will certainly visit again. Shrimp was great

Great food. Server was very friendly and loved eating lunch overlooking the water! Salad was plenty full of delicious vegetables and chicken, nice & refreshing.

This is such a classic Wilmington staple for me. When I come back to the area I always try to make a stop here. The food is always good ( though occasionally greasy) but filling and delicious. The view is great to eat seafood and is perfect for summer brunch. Hands-down I love/miss/crave the crab dip. I can eat this as my meal, it is so fresh and delicious. I also lust for their hush puppies, I love eating these to switch up the flavor and texture on the palette. I've never had any issues with the service, although be prepared to wait for a table if you are coming with a large party on a nice day. I'll be back, probably with friends. 4.5/5

Me and my wife had lunch here. Food was delicious. Shrimp tacos and fish sandwich. Best ever. Atmosphere and view were awesome. Our new place to hang out. Highly recommend.

Every time I've been to dockside lately, it's been amazing! Today I had Maggie as my server! She is HANDS DOWN the best server I have ever had here. So attentive and personable! I can't wait to come back! My typical order is 1/2 peck of oysters and a glass of champagne. Perfect weekend activity. I also love the "fish & chips" pictured here.

Holy MID. The prices are a little steep. Got 2 measly fish tacos for $17. I don't know if the shrimp was overcooked or not fresh but it had no bounce to it all, almost mush. Clam chowder 5/10. Just love getting 3:1 potato clam ratio . Hush puppies were good. Flounder decent. Service was ok I guess, messed up my partner's order on her salad but the waitress seemed new and nice so no biggie. Basically paying a premium for the view. This is just my opinion though

We were staying at Shell Island Resort and wanted to eat lunch at a local place (2-27-20). The guy at the front desk sent us to Dockside. To start, we ordered Spanky's Blue Crab Dip. This had a bit too much mayo for us. Not enough crab flavor. She ordered the Fish & Chips. If you are an Ireland kind of fish & chips person, DO NOT ORDER THES! You literally get a pile of chips! The Ahi Tuna is really not that great. It is not worth ordering. I ordered the Crab Cakes. I ordered a salad but they brought the salad out at the same time as my crab cakes. I was not going to eat my salad while my crab cakes got cold. The crab cakes were good! Besides the actual crab cakes, the entire meal was very mediocre! For the price, you can do better. The view is what you are paying for! Most Sincerely!

This is a cool outdoor bar and restaurant. It's directly on the waterfront and has really lovely views. I was here with a very large group and they accommodated us well. Service at the bar was fast and drinks were super inexpensive. Even some of the group's more unusual requests like 15 irish car bomb shots were handled with ease. Definitely a fun place to enjoy a few drinks.

My husband and I LOVE dockside! The vibes, the view, the food, the drinks, everything! One of my favs

I just love this place. Not a fan of the slaw, but that's my opinion. Great food, staff, and atmosphere.

Over priced. Mediocre quality food. Paying $25+ per person for Applebees quality food. View is decent. Although it smelt like gasoline coming from the boats passing by. Won't come back again.

Come to dockside for the bar and view along the water. Post-COVID, I'm positive this will be a nice place to grab a drink after being at the beach all day. Food is definitely subpar. Dry blackened fish, frozen fries, and the tiniest shrimp you'll ever see. Extensive beer list, with plenty of local options. No social distancing within the bar area, with mask rules hardly being enforced.