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    Captain John's Dockside

    3.4 (107 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood
    Open 4:00 pm - 8:00 PM

    Captain John's Dockside Photos

    Business Info

    CAPTAIN JOHN'S DOCKSIDE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    The fried flounder and shrimp plate.
    Jim B.

    Always a enjoyable meal and time. My oldest granddaughter loves the popcorn shrimp. It is a must eat every time she visits. I ordered the calamari appetizer for the table excellent , very warm and not rubbery. It was gone in a few minutes. For my entree I had fried flounder and shrimp with French fries. So, it was a fried treat night. It was a very tasty meal. Will be back.

    Bar Area

    Worst restaurant in area. Do not recommend. The food is bland and sometimes partially frozen. Never fresh. Usually don't have enough people working, open at 4pm and stop taking orders at 8pm. Their ambience is very distasteful, if any at all.

    Sweet tea, fried chicken sandwich, French Fries
    Elliot E.

    The food was really good. The appetizers are very good and have a nice variety. For the mains the variety was even better. I got the chicken sandwich and it was pretty good. Ambiance was nice but I think if it was a little fuller and some more energy this could be legendary. Now the service, it was incredibly good. I can not stress how good this was. Our waiter was really nice and even offered to take a photo for us. My grandma also is a little picky about her scallops and she asked the waiter and then a little later THE captain john came out and talked with her face to face about about the scallops. He also told us his story and he is a lovely man. Food 8.5/10. Ambience 8/10. Service 11/10. So I'm updating this rating to a 5 (previously 4) when we were leaving captain John came out again and gave us some of his cousins homemade Greek pastries. Service is now a 12/10 and the pastries were really good bumping the food up to a 9.

    Menu
    Lauren L.

    My partner likes their open mic night on wednesdays and you get $10 off your meal when you play. Pretty cool...

    Scallops &fried oysters
    Chris K.

    I called to see if they're now allowing dine in again, which they are, so we thought we'd come over, all the way from south Durham. I think they may be under new ownership and communication to even get in the door once there was lacking. Turns out you have to enter at the front side of the building that faces 15/501. I didn't even know there was a door there, let alone it being called the "front door"! It's the bar room and that's the only place they're allowing seating. I was told it was so they could keep people safe. Well the room was pretty packed. So much for safety. No seating allowed in the usual big dining room where you would normally enter by the side parking lot next to the take out door. There seemed to be only one person waiting the tables and she looked like she was in utter chaos. She took our drink order and brought it in decent time, but after ten minutes, she still hadn't returned to take our order. She even went to another table nearby that had come in after us to take their order. We couldn't even get her attention as she literally ran to the kitchen. I know many restaurants are short handed these days, but if one is why not put a cap on how many parties they seat rather than overloading themselves? The vibe in there was so unsettling we put money on the table to cover the soda we ordered and left. Probably won't return again either.

    The pitiful excuse for an Oyster Platter ($18)...minus one oyster that had already been eaten.
    James P.

    Ok, I've been going here for years, both in-house and takeout. I've finally had enough of this pathetic place. I just paid $18 for an oyster platter takeout...first it was 10 minutes later than they stated on the phone...I get that, sometimes things take longer than expected. Got home, we got 8 tiny oysters! I called to complain, first got told would I like to speak to the manager, I said yes...first person came back and said there was "nothing they could do" and that "oysters were out of season." Ok, I get that, but then put MORE in the plate? Absolutely ridiculous and rude to boot!!!!! Never again!

    Catfish, shrimp, amazing hush puppies (I'm not a hush puppy fan) and French fries.

    This was the best seafood I've had in ages. It was made fresh, perfectly cooked, and quick to arrive at the table. The service was amazing. Waitress tended bar and anticipated every request to our table before we ever asked. Sweet tea was great with the smallest dash of lemon. Plus this restaurant is locally owned and operated since 1992. 10/10 would HIGHLY recommend.

    Small gumbo
    Daniel P.

    I have family which has lived in the area for approx. 30 years and we've been visiting the area since they moved here. During that time, we've driven past Dockside for approx. 25 of those years (sign says they opened in 1992). Today was the first time we decided to try the food. Upon arrival, we were quickly greeted and offered a table along the wall. It was maybe one minute from the time we were seated to the waitress coming over to ask for drink preferences. We didn't have time to even open the menu, though no huge deal. Once we determined what we'd like to drink, it took another several minutes for the waitress to come over to our table and take the order. She walked past us several times, each time looking at us as we looked at her, yet she never stopped by or made any comments about coming back in a minute or two. When we finally got her attention, her comment was "you ready to order?".... Drink orders were taken with a "what do you want to drink" kind of attitude. Prior to ordering the food, I asked if there were any muscles in the gumbo, as the person I was dining with is allergic to them. The waitress said no and then walked away. About ten minutes later, the waitress reappeared with the same kind of attitude regarding the food orders. She had zero personality and it really showed. When the food came, it tasted pretty good. I had the salmon filet, which was served with a baked potato and some of the fried dough. The salmon was well cooked and not dried out, which was nice. However, my potato was rotten inside. The other person at our table also had a rotten potato. Our waitress never came by to ask how the food was; it took us asking another waitress for assistance to get food that we could eat what we paid for. Overall, service was just terrible. I am normally a generous tipper (18-20% for dine in), but tonight was an exception. While the food was decent, I don't see any compelling reasons to come here vs. one of the nicer fish restaurants around Franklin Street.

    Fried clam strips platter
    Ellen A.

    Sure Captain John's has Calabash-style seafood, but if you're overlooking the specials (posted only at the front) you are missing out on the real wonder that is The Captain. When we have that rare seafood craving in-and-around Chapel Hill, this is the only place we go. First, the basic menu is extensive. You can get pretty much anything served how you like it, from crab cakes or legs to broiled catch-of-the-day. The specials are incredible, though. Where the basic menu is good for a plain seafood meal, the specials are for when you're feeling like you need something more. Shrimp Fra Diavolo (not particularly spicy), Mediterranean dishes, and specialty pastas (as well as other catches of the day) are in abundance. All using fresh ingredients, fresh herbs, and a wonderful balance of flavors that far surpass places like Squids - hands down. Also, they have live bluegrass music on certain nights and "happy hour" specials. Go forth and eat man!

    Perfect Blend of spices with just the right amount of seafood. The mussels are the best I've ever had!

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    5 hours ago

    Had the best seafood ever ! Scallops and oysters-YUMMY ! Also great service and OK prices.

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    8 months ago

    Nice wait staff, perfect hush puppies and we enjoyed our meal. It reminds me of the seafood restaurants at the Carolina shore.

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    2 years ago

    Been going here several times a year for the past few years and have never had a bad meal. The Tiki Bar with live music is great!!.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Captain John's Dockside

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    Acme Food & Beverage Co - Peach and blueberry cobbler (3/5)

    Acme Food & Beverage Co

    3.8(634 reviews)
    4.4 mi
    $$

    This dinner had a full emotional arc…read more Let me start by saying this was one of the best meals I've had in the last 2-3 years. The star of the show in my opinion were the hush puppies and the corn and wild mushroom risotto. There were sooo many different flavors that perfectly complemented each other. I was blown away. And the pig cheek on top was incredible. 500/10. Our server made great recommendations! Then-- chaos and heartbreak ensued in the form of a fire alarm. We were forced to evacuate the restaurant as the fire department arrived , leaving about half our meal on the table. After 30 or so minutes of waiting out in the cold (we were apparently the only guests who hadn't paid out yet) our server came to find us. He asked us if we wanted to just give him our credit card information and he would ring us up later, when the fire department gave them the ok, as he understood not wanting to wait around. It broke our heart to leave our leftovers, but we agreed and went to go get the car. Thankfully we are stubborn.. and optimistic to a fault. And by the third time we circled around the block, the fire truck was pulling away. I ran in and asked if there was any chance our food hadn't been thrown away yet, and it hadn't! The staff was happy we had been able to come back, and they packed everything up for us, even taking the hush puppies off the bill and sneaking in a complimentary piece of key lime pie. I'm so glad we were able to tip our server appropriately for his great service-- and rescue our leftovers. Happy ending. All was well. (And the fire ended up being something innocuous in the unit above the restaurant)

    Pretty great spot to eat! Service was amazing, one of the best around the area. Our waiter was so…read morekind, thoughtful, and knew his stuff about the menu. He kept refilling our waters which is a gesture that doesn't go unnoticed. Their menu is quite confusing. They have a hot section, cold section, and "classics" section. I assumed the classics were their mains and the "hot" and "cold" were just appetizers due to the difference in pricing. I opted for the blackened salmon, and my friend got the watermelon salad and tomato plate to share. The wait for food wasn't that long, but once they arrived, they were beautiful. Vibrant, full of color, plates of food that I was dying to dig into. The salmon was a pretty small piece (I was expecting a larger portion) and was on top of black beans and cheese grits. The salmon had a green sauce on top which complemented each aspect of the dish very well. I loved eating a bite of everything together. The tomato plate special was also good, but nothing sensational. It's literally just tomatoes with oil on them, but I guess they tasted fresh. I probably wouldn't come back, but this was a good meal nonetheless.

    Photos
    Acme Food & Beverage Co - Outside seating area

    Outside seating area

    Acme Food & Beverage Co - Oysters

    Oysters

    Acme Food & Beverage Co - The gumbo was also super tasty, with a little bit of a kick. Better with even more shrimp ! 9.5/10

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    The gumbo was also super tasty, with a little bit of a kick. Better with even more shrimp ! 9.5/10

    Hawthorne & Wood

    Hawthorne & Wood

    4.6(234 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$$
    Locally owned & operated
    Luxury

    This is Chapel Hill's best restaurant, and it did not disappoint. Our server, Amanda, knows the…read moremenu well and was able to provide answers to all of our questions. We remembered her from a previous visit, and will request her in the future. Cocktails and mocktails were excellent, as was the sparkling wine enjoyed by one of our party of six. We were surprised and delighted to see foie gras on the menu, and it was perfectly prepared, with an accompaniment of blackberry jam. The lamb belly entree was very rich, but cooked perfectly. The vegetarian plate was beautiful and delicious. Celeriac soup and beet salad were both terrific, and the barbecued shrimp were spiced perfectly. Our only letdown was dessert - only one of the 3 options appealed, so we ordered 3 of those (key lime semifreddo) and found them to be beautifully sweet/tart. We'll be back.

    I came for dinner with my wife on a Saturday night, and even though we didn't have reservations, we…read morearrived right when the restaurant opened at 5pm and were promptly seated by the window. Our server was very friendly and knowledgeable and gave us a rundown of the menu before we ordered. I decided to start with the Cheese Plate, which included 3 different cheeses, buttered baguette slices, jam, mustard, and pickles. I enjoy cheese plates, and this one was great, but I can understand it may not be for everyone. My wife ordered the Red Fish, which had a more Southeast Asian-inspired twist to it. It came over rice and pickled onions and beets, and the flavors were a blend of lemongrass and coconut. The fish was cooked well - nice and tender, not too dry - and the flavors went well together. I ordered the New York Strip, which was delicious - the meat was well cooked, had great flavor, and was a generous portion that was very filling. The only gripe I had was that the char on the eggplant overwhelmed the flavor, so most of what I ate tasted like burnt eggplant. The place is clean and fairly laid back for a more upscale restaurant. If you're looking for a nicer restaurant in Chapel Hill where you might spend a little more, but you'll get great service with interesting food options / combinations, then look no further than Hawthorne & Wood.

    Photos
    Hawthorne & Wood
    Hawthorne & Wood
    Hawthorne & Wood

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    Tandem - Beef short ribs

    Tandem

    4.0(403 reviews)
    4.5 mi
    $$

    We have given Tandem a try a few times over the years. One time the oysters were served frozen…read more They brought us a new platter of a dozen that were better - that was 3 years ago. Lastnight, our family ate dinner there only to get sick from the muscles. 3 of us shared the muscles appetizer, which tasted great, but the three of us that ate the muscles ended up sick for a few hours later that evening and and next morning. Everyone else in the dinner party that had not eaten the muscles was fine. The service staff was over-extended. We had to ask the busing staff to get our waiter so that we could order and later in the meal to refresh our beverages. And finally, our dinner party was seated in the very furtherest back room that features an exit door with a large lit up exit sign over it. The room was not really fit to seat people at that price point. There are no sound buffers in the back room. It is akin to a large storage area with artwork on the wallks. There was no way to hear anyone talking at the table due to the roar of the sound bouncing off the walls. The room should not be used for seating at Tandem's price point. I rarely if ever give a bad review, but last night was really disappointing. My family came from Raleigh to join us and we had come over from Hillsborough. We were treating our parents out to a nice dinner - or at least that was the expectation. Otherwise the food was very good.

    Went out on Thursday night to tandem what a great experience. I ordered the Japanese eggplant with…read morequinoa, with a curry sauce. It was delicious and very tasty. With the quinoa adding a crispy crunch to the dish. Having only done lunch at tandem I was not prepared for the taste and unusual foods on the dinner menu. My wife ordered the 72 hr short ribs they were the most delicious and tasty short ribs I had ever encountered. I usually never order short ribs but I would try these out. Our dinner guest had the rib eye steak for one it was also delicious from our guests response. The service is always great with enough service but never overwhelming. For a night cap we enjoyed a Remy cognac. With there cheesecake and chocolate pudding cake. Both were delicious and very tasty.

    Photos
    Tandem - Lovely lighting and ample wine.

    Lovely lighting and ample wine.

    Tandem
    Tandem

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    Wheat - Tomato beef noodles

    Wheat

    4.2(43 reviews)
    5.0 mi

    We typically order from Jade Palace but decided to branch off and Wheat didn't disappoint. I…read moreappreciate being able to order delivery directly from the store and it arrived promptly and fresh! We ordered the beef "burrito," which is beef wrapped in a scallion pancake, with Peking duck sauce, the General Tsaos chicken, and noodles with scallion oil. We added on a soup and the cucumber salad to get the discount and it honestly was amazing. Everything had so much flavor and there was so much we wanted to try! The only thing was that the noodles were a little bland and clumped together but I was able to doctor them up, and I wish the beef appetizer came with a dipping sauce. Overall though, I cannot wait to order again and this might be our next date night. Definitely a hidden gem in Chapel Hill!

    2nd time coming here, but probably not returning for a third. My girl & I entered to see a less…read morethan ideal Sanitation Score (low A), and we got seated right away. Our original plan was to get 1 Braised Beef Noodle Soup and 1 Beef Filet & Tripe that we'd both share, but we only got half of that plan fulfilled this time. The waiter said that they are out of the tripe appetizer, which we enjoyed in our first visit few months ago. So we were really disappointed that they were out of their best appetizer. Wheat is a small indoor restaurant in downtown Chapel Hill, on the same spot as where another bad Chinese restaurant used to be. Its cramped space and uninviting ambiance make Wheat an unpleasant spot to eat. It took around 15 min. for us to get our 1 order of Braised Beef Noodle Soup, which tasted the same as we remembered when we first tried it. It comes with about 4 chunks of braised beef, 1 egg. 1 baby bokchoy, and noodles in spicy & sour soup with chili oil. $14+ for a beef noodle dish like this is not bad but I can think of other restaurants in Triangle NC that serve a similar beef noodle soup with better ambiance and customer service. Overall Score: 2.4/5

    Photos
    Wheat - Inside. View from entrance.

    Inside. View from entrance.

    Wheat - Fried Squid

    Fried Squid

    Wheat - Pork Bun

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    Pork Bun

    The Fearrington House Restaurant - Dessert. Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova with Basil. Lemon curd, sorbet, angel food.

    The Fearrington House Restaurant

    4.3(207 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$$$

    Kills me to write this because I so wanted to love it. My daughter and I were celebrating my…read morebirthday with afternoon tea -- a tradition we've enjoyed at places across the country -- and this one fell flat for the price. The good: beautiful space, excellent Harney & Sons tea, and outstanding scones. Unfortunately, that's where the highlights end. The milk bread used for all the sandwiches was dense, dry, and hard to swallow, which wiped out an entire tier of the service. No one came to check on us, so we had no chance to raise our concerns. A booked baby shower in the same room completely killed the ambiance, and despite noting a special birthday at reservation, it went entirely unacknowledged. Beautiful bones, but the execution made my birthday memorable for all the wrong reasons.

    Finally made it here! The Fearrington House has been on our list for years, so I made a 2026…read morereservation as my husband's Christmas gift. It was an incredible dining experience. The service and presentation of each plate was outstanding. We had the 3 course Prix Fixe menu, and we got something different so we could try 6 things. Overall, the food was good but did not quite rise to the same level as the presentation and service. Rating by plate: - Pumpkin Squash (2 stars): It was very hard and not very warm. Do not recommend. - Pork Osso Bucco (5 stars): Best thing we had. Wish we both ordered this one so we didn't have to share. - Beef Tenderloin (4 stars): We enjoyed it, but have definitely had better for less money. - Seared Chicken Breast (3 stars): It was a rectangular piece of meat, which was unexpected. I would compare it to chicken at a wedding, but I've had better at a wedding. - NC Cheese Trio (4 stars): Large portion of cheeses with a nice variety. I wish the crackers had more variety (not all seedy). - Chocolate Soufflé (5 stars): This is their signature item and a must get! The name on the menu is more complicated than the word chocolate, lol.

    Photos
    The Fearrington House Restaurant
    The Fearrington House Restaurant
    The Fearrington House Restaurant - Patio

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    Patio

    Tarantini Italian Restaurant

    Tarantini Italian Restaurant

    4.4(399 reviews)
    3.6 mi
    $$
    Full bar
    Private events

    We came here for our 44th & 45th Anniversary dinner. The service was impeccable, top shelf. We did…read moremake reservations as Tarantini's is a very popular restaurant near The Governors Club Community. The restaurant gives you a casual elegant feeling . As I wore a dress long sleeve shirt with dress pants, others were dressed in suits, t- shirt, jeans. No dress code but you do have to wear shoes and shirt. Pants optional?? you know !!! The food was excellent, The Grilled Blackened Salmon( wild caught ) was amazingly good . My wife's dish Chicken Parm was delicious also. We have been here two times and the food and are constantly great. Our server Jason in both visits did an excellent job in attending to us. The price was very reasonable as I have had twice as expensive bill other places with a lack luster feeling. Tarantini's will not let you down with their dining experience there. They provide excellent service coupled with great food . I do have to say , the parking could be a problem, but if you don't mind walking you can park in the grocery store lot . Overall, Tarantini's is a great place. I know we will be back. If you are reading this and looking for a great restaurant, this is the place. "Bon Appetite"

    Very nice ambience, quiet and the food is just delicious! We love going to this place and surprised…read morethat not more people know about it. They have nailed the Italian cuisine with an impressive list of wines as well.

    Photos
    Tarantini Italian Restaurant - Bar

    Bar

    Tarantini Italian Restaurant
    Tarantini Italian Restaurant

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    Captain John's Dockside - seafood - Updated May 2026

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