Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant

Likely the best seafood place in central coast. Great views, food, and humble dining room. Consider this place if you want the best seafood anywhere. I can confirm the salmon bisque may have been the best I’ve eaten anywhere. Break away from the chowder and give it a try!

We always looked towards coming here every trip to the coast but seems like every recent visit gets worse. Really disappointed in the food this trip to the point it will be our last. Portion sizes are smaller. The food isn’t as good as it used to be to us. The staff are friendly and the atmosphere is great but we wish they would take a good look at the meals and portions.

We arrived soon after the restaurant opened on a Tuesday. We had a table with a lovely view of the Rock, but my tall husband had to be careful about the light fixture overhead that threatened to brain him every time he stood. Service was okay. I got the clam chowder bread bowl, and it was fantastic, everything I hope for. My husband had the five piece fried fish. While the fish was undoubtedly fresh, the breading was rubbery. My son had the macaroni and cheese; it was oddly soupy, which comes across in the picture. So, an uneven meal experience for us.

The fish sandwich and clam chowder were great! Really enjoyed the live music. They noticed we had a dog and brought him a bowl and a treat. Such a good experience.

Dockside will always be my go to spot in morro bay. Great live music, Great seafood, Great atmosphere. This whole fish was on special for $5. IT WAS EXCELLENT!!!! People will complain of lack of flavor, but Its a fish market with an oven in the back. Fresh seafood with salt and pepper is just fine by me. Edit: this is the outside location. Not the sit down restaurant next door. Different menus.

Our favorite lunch place when visiting Morro Bay! Everything is made fresh, you can choose your fish from the cold case for them to prepare for you. Patio sitting by the water next to a small pier. There was live music.

Super nice local place, with amazing oysters for super price-fantastic shrimp tacos!!! Everything is super fresh. Outside it is self-service-but its with live music-had my meal, vino and read my book-amazing chill.

Cozy spot along the harbor to have a meal. They were able to sit our large group of 13 and the staff dealt with our crew of 5 young kiddos very well. Friendly service, large portion sizes. I'd love to get a few more green veggies with my meal but otherwise it was a great meal!

Celebrated my mom's birthday at Dockside, and had the best experience! Thank you James for such wonderful service and a great sense of humor! Dockside has officially garnered regulars and we will be back! Amazing clam chowder and albacore tuna melt! The whole staff was friendly, engaging and helpful. You can tell they're a team that enjoys what they do!

This is my favorite restaurant in Morro Bay. The first time I came here was with my parents for dinner and everything was so good including the bbq oysters and steak dinner. I returned recently October 6, 2024 with my boyfriend (after 2 years) and had the bbq oysters again. I dream of it. It's that good. It's worth it! My boyfriend also really loved the oysters! You just can't go wrong ordering the bbq oysters. We also ordered the steak meal again because I remember it being soo good. It came with rice and carrots. There were little pieces of carrots in the rice too. It was an awesome meal and James our server gave excellent service and also excellent recommendations.

The restaurant is in dire need of a makeover. We decided to try this place because in all of the times we visited morro bay we had never been. Food was terrible. The crab melt smelled spoiled. I took one bite and decided not to eat it. Oysters didn't blow me away like most other places. The only thing enjoyable was the popcorn shrimp and onion rings. I wouldn't go back. Service was friendly, fast, and attentive.

We meant to go to the more casual Dockside Too but ended up coming to the actual restaurant itself. We got the Admiral's platter to share with a side salad and the barbecued oysters. We thought the shrimps were the best part of the platter. The fish were a bit dry. I loved the barbecued oysters which were bursting with garlicky flavors. Highly recommend requesting the complimentary bread basket with the whipped garlic butter which was actually one of the highlights of the meal for me

Went to non dine-in service counter stop by the water. Came on a Thursday and by noon, the place was packed. Plenty of free parking in the area. Great weather by the harbor and they also had live music. Beware of leaving your food unattended as the pigeons in the area are fearless. Ordered their fish/calamari and chips, clam chowder and fish sandwich. All were solid especially the chowder. Not sure how it compares to the other seafood spots in the area, but had a great view of the harbor.

This was the perfect place to have lunch! The weather was beautiful, and I loved how we could hear the busker from Tognazzinis Dockside Too from where we were sitting. They are dog friendly, our Bella stayed under our table while we ate lunch, they even brought her a bowl of water and treats!!!! The food was delicious, we all finished our food, no need to go plates! Our waitress was adorable and attentive even with our Bella. The only thing I want them to consider is putting signs outside informing customers tables are not first come, first serve and to first check in with hostess.

A friend recommended this restaurant, mentioning its award-winning clam chowder, so I was eager to try it. Our waiter was very nice and kept our drinks full, but the food didn't meet our expectations. The clam chowder was definitely not award-winning; neither of us enjoyed it. I had hoped to go to Splash in Pismo, but we couldn't make it there. We ordered calamari rings, a calamari sandwich, and a salad. Nothing stood out to us, and with so many amazing places in Morro, I can't say we would visit again. 7/10/24

Got fish tacos and hubby got fish and chips. Both were fantastic. Service was good, maybe a bit on the slower side which was ok since we weren't in a rush or anything. Great location as it's on the boardwalk very close to the Morro Rock. The feels like a local family restaurant- not fancy - but warm and welcoming.

Tognazzini's Dockside in Morro Bay is a fantastic spot for fresh, local seafood with beautiful waterfront views. The grilled fish tacos were perfectly seasoned, and the clam chowder was creamy and flavorful. The fish and chips were crispy and not too greasy--definitely a standout! The staff was friendly and attentive, making the experience even better. Great place for a casual meal or a stop while exploring Morro Bay. Highly recommend checking it out!

The clam chowder was delicious. My brother in law and I both had it and my sister wished she had ordered it. The brother wasn't runny and had nice pieces of clam. Would definitely order again. My husband had the shrimp and chips. He rates it 8/10. We also had the popcorn shrimp appetizer which was good, would definitely order again. We had the shrimp cocktail, dockside version and it's essentially a Mexican cocktail, minus the crackers. It was good but felt odd to eat without the saltine crackers or tostada. Would definitely eat here again.

Friendly service, good food, healthy portions and easily found parking. In addition to the sit down restaurant they have a side area with a takeout window of mainly wraps where live music was being performed. We decided for a sit down meal. The restaurant was hopping, but it was obvious the staff was use to a fast pace while providing friendly service. The sea food combo was well portioned and everything was cooked well. Only disappointment were the potatoes au gratin. They lacked flavor and had an off putting gray color. The clam chowder was different, a bit foamy like it was whipped, but flavorful and I enjoyed it. My side salad was simple, fresh and I enjoyable as well. With the seafood combo dinner we were given bread, flavored butter and some pickled vegetables. I really wanted the salmon bisque, but they ran out so opted for a side salad and clam chowder. On to dessert. Our waiter recommended ice cream with the olillieberry pie and it was a good recommendation. It gave the pie that little something, making it extra enjoyable. The banana cinnamon chimichanga was also right up our alley. Battered and fried bananas with cinnamon and sugar and lots of whipped cream. How can one not love that? Normally I'd say maybe drizzled with chocolate, but in this case perfect as it came.

Our absolute favorite place for dining in Morro Bay. The place is casual with a friendly atmosphere. Every time we go, we have the best service. Friendly, happy, prompt, personable, and helpful! Each meal chosen is delicious. Of course we get seafood, though if you go for breakfast, they have awesome pancakes too!

Lovely fish spot! Right on the water. Limited vegetarian items but great fries. My husband loved the special - rock fish. The server was very polite and attentive. The bathrooms were decently clean. I googled " best fish and chips" in Morro bay... this was the result. The fish was great!

I have been wanting to come here for years. Finally was able to come today. And such a disappointment. It's a family place that hasn't been remodeled for decades but that's the character of the place and I wouldn't change it. When we walked in Erika greeted us, answered our questions, then sat us. A gentleman that was cleaning and setting up tables took our drink orders but he didn't speak great English. But that didn't stop him and he gave great service! Actually he gave the best service to us tonight. CiCi helped him and also picked up dishes but she had other tables. We had no idea who our true waiter was until after we had ate the bread and crudités (awesome BTW). Then we waited another 5-10 minutes before James showed up (we are now at least 20 minutes being there) and asked us if we were only having drinks. In which we said No. We had come because we were hungry and wanted to try the fish and chips. He apologized. This is when we finally understood who our server was and what's interesting is he blamed everyone else for not coming to see us sooner but himself for not seeing about us or understanding why we were there. Being in the service industry, even though someone might tell you something, you find out for yourself how someone is doing and if they want something to eat or not. Horrible service by James. Don't care how busy you might be you should always check on people seated in your service area. It's a hospitality thing. Care about people. Now, the food. Erika did tell us that they lightly bread the fish before we sat down. It didn't register that it wouldn't be crispy until we got the dish. The fish was indeed lightly breaded but not crispy. Unfortunately the fries were soggy and not great. When you have fish and chips you want both great neither soggy. Not the case here. Have had better on the Central Coast and even better places in Morro Bay. Sad part, neither one of us have a desire to go back, nor will I ever recommend this place to anyone that I serve.

I had high hopes for Tognazzini's Dockside after hearing many positive reviews, but my experience was disappointing. It's possible that people are confusing it with another restaurant with a similar name, as this visit did not live up to expectations. While the service was friendly and accommodating, the food fell short. We started with the shrimp cocktail, which was underwhelming; the shrimp were acceptable, but the presentation was unappealing and not very clean. I ordered the grilled fish, which our waiter recommended, but it was dry, bland, and paired with mediocre fries. The fried oysters were decent but only palatable with a dipping sauce that was also lacking in flavor. The seafood Alfredo looked promising but tasted bland and watery. The restaurant does offer a beautiful ocean view, but unfortunately, that alone couldn't make up for the subpar food. Overall, Tognazzini's Dockside missed the mark for me, and I'm left wondering if another location with a similar name might be the one people are actually praising.

This place has been recommended by a few travel bloggers. We stopped in one afternoon on our way up Highway One. We decided to try the original rather than their new "Too" next door. We were greeted by a lovely woman who tried to give us a spot with the best view, though it was quite foggy that day. Our server was polite but a little on top of us. He stopped by so many times I felt a little rushed. The food, though delicious was priced for tourists which was unfortunate because otherwise I'd recommend this place a little more. Hubby ordered a burger which was surprisingly nice despite being at a seafood restaurant. I will say my shrimp scampi was delicious. Plenty of fresh shrimp with a decent pasta and a delicious broth that I wanted to drink straight from the bowl. Just not sure if it was worth $32 for a single dish.

We came here bc it was the only place open later than the other places. The shrimp scampi was ok but nothing special and I didn't feel that it was worth the $32. It was very salty. My hubby got the chicken Alfredo and his was really good! My other friend got the Captain's Platter (I think that's what it's called) with a bunch of different fried options and I really enjoyed the calamari and the scallops on that. Our server was very friendly and nice. And the view from the windows of the restaurant was nice also until it got dark and you couldn't see. But the decor and theme of the restaurant was very on point.

I had a reaction to the meal I ate here today for starters. l ordered the albacore ahi special, it was overcooked, dry and fishy (so not so fresh) I was really disappointed in the overall selection of food here. Soybean oil in the fryer, butter is fake, a "blend" and was told they would cook my vegetable in olive oil, and that was definitely not olive oil. I avoid seed oils now for many years and when I get a dose this heavy it messes me up pretty good as it did today. Conclusion: I won't be back period, the quality of the food is rock bottom. So frustrated with the lack of real food available in Restaurants today, they should make these seed oils illegal like they do in Europe, I'm so tired of getting poisoned by this stuff.

This place is a fun diner experience. The service is great and when the food comes out, prepare for the ooh s and aahs . The servings are generous but more importantly really fresh and great tasting! A real dockside experience . When im Morro Bay, be sure to come eat here.

Left so full! We walked in for an early Saturday dinner and were seated within 10-15 minutes. Service was kind and the restaurant has a great view along the dock! Was very excited ti try the bbq oysters based on reviews and my dad loved them! The best dish I thought was the seafood Alfredo, shrimp scampi, and clam chowder! We definitely could not finish everything so keep the large portions in mind when ordering.

It was a Sunday in April, Dinner. Not to busy, just perfect actually. We got a table by the window with a view of the bay. I ordered white wine and my husband had a beer. . The service was fast and polite. I asked for advice and the server was very kind and helpful. I ordered barbecued oysters in butter and lemon and they were to die for. Even my husband who is not an oyster lover loved them. For our dinner I ordered a salad with Ahi Tuna and it was huge. And delicious with about 6 large slices of Ahi. My husband ordered Fish of the Day. Good choice. It was Rock Cod and incredibly yummy. What a great place. Highly recommend. It made our vacation special.

I love coming here after getting BBQ oysters from the market right next to here. I always get the crab melt or Alfredo Seafood Pasta and they are always cooked with great quality and high quality seafood. Probably have ordered each one 10-20 times and the consistency is impeccable Staff are friendly. Vibe is nice. What else is there to say other than I highly recommend P.S. just don't get fish and chips, the other items are better.

Family owned, friendly servers, great food, on the pier. Convenient parking. Dog- friendly patio outside. Why don't I have food pictures? ⁉Sorry about that! We were seated immediately at the window, (Monday early afternoon) and I was really enjoying watching the boats, fresh catch at the dock, dog walking and kids exploring outside the window. We had a great meal: Fish (seared fresh salmon) & chips, Fresh Sea Bass and tasty veggies, a bowl of clam chowder and fish of the day -Great! - . The portions were large, everything was fresh and our friend who is a regular said "you can't go wrong". It was great!

Tognazzini's from breakfast to lunch and dinner is an outstanding venue. The fish of the day is always fresh and delicious and a superb value! The chowders vary day by day, but are always tasty and satisfying . I've been to Fish venues throughout the world, and Tognazzini is one of my favorites .

Went here on a Saturday evening. We were seated quickly. The waitress was beyond rude. The fish and chips were very oily and the fries were not fresh. We also had a shrimp cocktail the sauce was good but the shrimp were tiny. No complaints on the grilled fish tacos. Overall very disappointing and won't be back.

Four of us enjoyed a wonderful lunch here recently - two were locals and bought us here specifically. We were seated quickly and the staff was great. You get the feeling that things have not changed here in a long time, it was nice, kind of what you would have expected. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed thier meals. Nice wine selection too!! Next time we're in the area this will be a stop for sure!

Amazing lunch! I had the Shrimp Scampi Pasta plate! So flavorful & lots of shrimp! My husband had the fish & chips - big portion & great too! Server was quick & attentive to all her tables! Has view if the bay & tables inside or outside.

Always fresh and Great seafood but the entertainment and location are what stands this place apart.

The best food I've had in a long time! The shrimp scampi was a delight. The cheesy sourdough bread was wonderful! Service was awesome!! There were about 40 of us and our server was very attentive. Very nice location, close to the rock and the dock. Will definitely be back!

Visiting Morro Bay, we decided to try this harbor-side restaurant. My family ordered a hamburger, fish & chips, and clam chowder and enjoyed them. I ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with no bun, which came with fries. Unfortunately, the chicken breast was so over cooked and rubbery that I had to ask for a steak knife to cut it. I ended up eating about 1/3 of it. The chicken was placed on top of close to half the fries, which made them soggy. We also had to wait awhile for our check. I don't think I'd come back here.

Great place for the family and friends to share a 5-star meal! Service was great the food was amazing

Love love love this place. I camp around the area often and always make it a point to come get an early dinner here before heading back to my campsite. The food is sooooo fresh and tasty!! 10/10 would recommend

Salmon tacos were bad and overpriced. Salmon was extremely dry. Also got fish and chips - both were soggy. Wouldn't recommend.

It breaks my heart to change my 5 Star review to a 3 star. For years this place has been one of my very favorites in Morro Bay. However, over the last 4-5 years the service and the food have considerably gone down in satisfaction rating for me... and for my family. The view is spectacular and one of the best. Most of the food choices are decent; variety of bisques, fish of the day, oysters, crab melt, and a few others. There are enough choices here that I will still continue to go back and find something to make my taste buds happy. I think my issue really isn't the food as much as it is the decline in friendly and efficient service. The wait is always awfully long, and that is to be expected from one of the most popular places along the water. But the service, once seated, is extremely slow, inaccurate, and uninterested. Where have all the good ones gone? That seems to be a question I ask myself a lot lately at restaurants and retail places. How hard is it to be friendly? Our orders have been consistently slow the past few years to the point of frustration. Again, if the service were slow and still friendly it would not be so bad, but the service attitude and enthusiasm meter is really low. I'm so sad to report this but I can't, in my right mind, have my spectacular 5 star rating hang there in all its glory when so many things are not 5 star anymore. I waited a long time to finally bump the stars down, sometimes it is just an "off night" but this has been a few years now, stars needed to be removed. I'm so sorry Dockside, I really am. We will continue to dine here on occasion though, not giving up hope that this place can turn itself around again. Make me proud Dockside, do yourself better again.

First time in Morro Bay! A local recommend this place... the food was hearty and fuuuuuull of flavor. The staff was awesome a bunch of sweet lady's. Very chill and relax atmosphere perfect for the family or a hot date, the whole restaurant was clean and nice. I highlyyyyyy recommend the seafood Alfredo the cod was a hit in this dish

So I'm hoping I'm doing the review on the correct location. This is the location that is near the street and next to the saltwater taffy store. For starters we came on a Saturday afternoon and there was plenty of parking which is always a plus. My husband's co-worker suggested this place. We were actually in Santa Barbara for the weekend and decided to take a drive up to Morro Bay which is absolutely breathtaking. It's about a 2-hour drive from Santa Barbara. Totally, worth it because we were able to see Solvang and Pismo Beach too. Getting back to the restaurant it is on the beach. Thank God there was no waiting and we were seated fast. We ordered the barbequed oysters, cheesy garlic bread, and popcorn shrimp for appetizers. I really didn't care for the barbecued oysters. My husband enjoyed his shrimp though. We both enjoyed the cheesy garlic bread and it was delicious. For our meal we ordered the seafood Captain platter and the shrimp and fries. Our server was James and he was attentive and we had a good experience. Thank you Tognazzini's Dockside. Love Morro Bay and can't wait to return soon.

The food here can be really good but it can be hit and miss. The food can be inconsistent at times. The service is good, fast, and friendly. The restaurant is causal and clean

We got seated quickly at a nice rock View table. I was so excited to have a good meal out with my husband and kids. Right away the joy of the experience was stolen. Thee worst customer service ever. I wanted to leave right away but my husband said no. He ended up needing some sauce for his food and she was not happy about it and let us know, he then felt what I did. The clam chowder was very good. The oysters were good but when I asked if they could make some mignonette sauce she looked at me like I had grown an extra head. The fish and chips were ok, I'm used to a a crispy thick batter this place is like a weird thin breaded fish, for the price the 3 pieces were skimpy.

What a fiasco! We came here because a recommendation from our hotel staff. The place looks like it was built on the 50's and never got attention. Service was horrible, 10+ waitresses on the floor standing and not tending to the very few customers. Food was disgusting, had the fish of the day, which happened to be rock fish. It was colder than ice, it was probably thrown on the grill for 2 minutes right out of the fridge. Don't get me wrong, I love raw fish. But this fish was not raw or cooked, it was right at the salmonella temperature. Be aware if this place, it clearly doesn't care for their customers.

Our favorite restaurant in Morro Bay! We love both the main restaurant and the "Too" with outside dining. Food is wonderfully fresh and tasty! Live music is a terrific plus! Nothing better than great food and entertainment while overlooking the bay and rock!

I ordered bacon, two eggs over medium, crisp, potatoes, sourdough toast, and a large orange juice. I got two eggs over medium crispy potatoes, bacon, and sourdough toast and large orange juice. The eggs were cooked perfect and served hot. Potatoes were crispy and the toast was hot. So the order was perfect. Combined with great fast courteous service. Job well done!

The food is wonderful, eating outdoors listening to live music and a cold breeze coming from the ocean it was amazing. The service was great. Great place to relax

FUN VIBES! we love this place when we're craving oysters! the bbq ones are our fav - this place is great for groups and when it's raining there is an in door dining option too

Meh. Not great. Not bad. Old school seaside restaurant vibe but not the special seafood dinner we were craving. The halibut piccata was OK but a little overcooked for my taste. Left with a twinge of regret.

Honestly one of the best meals I have had in a while. I started with a local beer and the salmon bisque, the salmon bisque has so much salmon and the flavor was fantastic. Next, I got bread and an olive plate. The bread was fresh and warm sourdough, the olives and pickles were a nice addition and added to the meal for sure. I got the grilled fish sampler, which came with four types of fish/scallops/shrimp, a couple sauces, and I chose the polenta side. The polenta was the most underwhelming aspect of my meal, but still crispy and good. The veg was tasty, but the fish was exquisite. You can taste the freshness and literally see the workers and fisherpeople at the dock a few feet away. Absolutely worth the price, the tartar sauce was also fantastic and the cocktail was good too. Recommend to anyone trying to experience delicious, local seafood. The guy who brought me my bread was very friendly and nice, the waitress I had definitely seemed tired as it was the end of dinner service, but still was quick with her service and polite. Highly recommend. PS Fish pic didn't upload. Good portion and lots of variety, well-seasoned and delicious and want to come back to try more!

The food here is excellent. The service is so terrible. The wait staff "Esmeralda" took 20 minutes to come to our table after we were seated. After taking our order she ignored us. She brought our drinks, appetizers, and entrees all together after another 30 minute wait. I had to send back my salad because that arrived after my entree. Next came the bill. I asked Esmeralda if we were "allowed" coffee or dessert. She said "oh my bad on the service tonight I was too busy to take care of you." Yup me too. I forgot to add the tip. Jus remember, Reviewed K said "Food is excellent....service sucks!".

We stopped by Tognazzini's Dockside for breakfast on our drive from San Luis Obispo to San Simeon. It was such a nice breakfast! The restaurant has a casual, comfortable diner vibe and views of Morro Bay and Morro Rock. The service was great. And the food - such great options for breakfast. I went with the Fishin' Fool (two eggs as you like, country potatoes or fried polenta, toast or English muffin, with a choice of meat: bacon, ham or sauce - country, sweet Italian, or linguica). I chose eggs over easy, fried polenta, sourdough toast, and linguica (Portuguese sausage) that made for a really special breakfast! My husband ordered their omelet with salmon, which he really enjoyed. Overall, it was a great meal. I'd happily return.

Great location! The windows seats mean you dine right next to the Morro Rock! We came on a Monday in November with minimal tourists and the dining experience was relaxing and pleasant. Started with half a dozen oysters and they were delicious! The catch of the day was grilled nicely and very tasty; and finally the seafood pasta was big, delicious and filling! Service was perfect! Parking was super easy - plenty of spaces right in front and around.

Food is Great! We sat in the patio w/ live music playing , always a fun atmosphere , took some friends that never been they enjoyed food and music , simple menu , you stand in line and order they call your name when ready, only drawback parking might be hard to find