From the time we walked in and ordered to the time we walked out the whole experience was fantastic. Super friendly staff. Food came out quick despite a regular flow of customers at lunch time on a Wednesday. Blackened shrimp po-boy Shrimp basket Peel and eat Fish basket All were good and enjoyed by our group. Will definitely return when we are back in town. read more

The cheeseburger was great! My blackened shrimp poboy was huge and delicious! Staff was friendly and welcomed my service dog!

We made our way into Dockside. You have to walk to the back of the building (water side) to get in. You are not greeted warmly when entering unless you're a local I guess. We went to a table and were told to go up front and look at a menu and order at the counter. All of the food came out super hot, which is always a plus. The shrimp is seasoned well. The fries are average but the hush puppies are great! We ordered tea but had to show a receipt to get a refill and our cups were marked. I have never seen this before and didn't notice a sign that said limited refills. The view of the water is nice and there are tables outside where you can eat. read more

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My peel and eat red shrimp were absolutely delicious!! The hush puppies were also delicious!!! My husband was not at all happy with his meal-the French fries tasted fishy and the mahi was not good either. Service was good! We ate outside so that was great! read more

Our party of 20 went to Dockside this evening. Know before you go - you order at the counter here. We didn't have an issue with this, but some may. Now, back to the good stuff. I ordered the jambalaya special. My husband and oldest son got the fish tacos. Middle kid got the chicken tenders and baby kid feeded off of the fries. The jambalaya was okay... I added hot sauce for extra flavor. My husband and son liked the fish tacos. Chicken tenders... middle kid is hit & miss with eating dinner and unfortunately tonight was a miss. Baby kid finished off the fries though. Food aside... these workers kicked butt. They were busy beyond belief with the dinner rush. It was quite warm inside. I didn't hear any grumblings from the people waiting for food though. Good work! read more

Very disappointed. Say they are open until 8:00 pm. We arrived at 7:04 and were told they stopped serving at 7:00. Even after imploring them to serve us they refused saying they were out of everything anyway. read more

We arrived and the place wasn't too busy. Plenty of tables, short line. You order at a counter and they bring out the food to you. We placed our order. Well they had a little surge of busy and we ended up waiting over an hour for our food. They don't provide an itemized bill, be sure to ask for one. We were clearly overcharged by $14. We did try the fish grilled, blackened and fried. We thought the fried was the best. The food was alright but nothing that stood out to bring us back. The place was small but at a nice location on the water. read more

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There are several things to be aware of if you are planning a trip to the dockside restaurant on Dauphin Island. First, the seafood is very good. Second, they do not keep long (or perhaps consistent?) hours in the evening, so it may not be open if you go there just before any posted closing time. Third, they serve no alcohol. My first point speaks for itself: if you want some good seafood, especially the boiled royal red shrimp, come on in! You can get a half pound or a pound of peel and eat shrimp. It comes with a couple of potato pieces and a small ear of corn. It was delicious. Next, several people have mentioned in reviews that it doesn't always keep to posted hours. The night I ate there, I noticed that they did turn the lights off early. And fortunately, there is a remedy for the third point: the Pelican Pub is directly above the Dockside. They have a full bar of drinks and have a number of beers either on tap or in the can or bottle. You can buy your drinks upstairs and bring them down to eat in the restaurant or order in the restaurant and they will bring your food up to the bar. So do not despair if you like alcohol with your meal. I did enjoy my seafood dinner there, and if my days had ended just a little earlier, I am sure I would've eaten there again. read more

Fresh caught fish cooked fried, blackened, or grilled. Fabulous water view with indoor and outdoor seating. Quick friendly service with a hometown read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Outdoor seating and view - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Food was great for lunch, shrimp cooked perfectly and hamburger and fries yummy! You order at counter and they bring it out fairly quickly. We sat outside in the shade at picnic tables looking over the water read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Dock area - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

The food was decent but very overpriced for what you get. The shrimp po'boy came with only 9 tiny shrimp on it. The sandwich was all bread. $80 for 4 people to eat and then be hungry an hour later is not worth it. Probably wouldn't go back. read more

I was driving thru Mobile and I decided to drive down to the Gulf. After walking all over Fort Gaines, I became hungry. I looked up some restaurants and this one had the best shrimp pictures. The staff was very friendly and the restaurant has lots of windows and very open. It has the feel of an open concept with the kitchen very visible. I asked the ladies what would they recommend and they suggested the baskets or the steamed shrimp . I had two kinds of shrimps as I know that I will not be back anytime soon. One was a basket of grilled shrimp with potatoes salad. The next was steamed red shrimp . I can say that it hit the spot and it was delicious! If you are looking for a place to eat and a welcoming staff that has tasty food?.... Look no further! You can thank me later. read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Steamed red shrimp . - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

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Good food, fantastic atmosphere (out on the deck when the weather is good). Not the best food you've ever had, but it's good. I love a good fish sandwich with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. This one is good - maybe could use another piece of fish, but it's good. The fried shrimp taste fresh and appear hand-battered. And the slaw and fries are very good. Definitely worth a stop if you're pass read more

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Informal, rustic, in the water. Grilled shrimp outstanding. Wish they had a salad other than coleslaw. read more

Best fried shrimp on the island. We had a late lunch early dinner at 3:00pm, tables are first come first serve basis. They have a few boat slips if you are coming from the water. This will be my first place I visit when I come back into town. read more

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Some ass stole our tee shirts. Candy the owner, graciously replaced them. So kind!!!

Great food options and a great crew to serve it. While Dockside is not the prettiest place to look at, it is clean and comfortable. Plenty of seats in and outside and tasty menu options that are prepared quickly. There are several places to eat on the island, but many are frumpy, or a lil too much, while Dockside is down home done right in my book. Great job team. See you next time I'm in town. read more

I expected more for the rating. Fish basket was bland, fries were unseasoned, place was a ghost town at lunch, should have guessed. Kids chicken tasted like fish, probably fried in the same old batter. read more

An absolute disappointment This place came highly recommended by some locals, so we decided to go ahead and check it out. Service was slow as their kitchen is small , which I understand. The food... Just awful the shrimp was heads on but that was not an issue ... It was that it didn't seem like they were washed and prepped at all, pretty awful actually . The picture of the food on their website looks nothing like what we received. I would not recommend this place. read more

Everything was wonderful. Having family in the restaurant business , we know what good food is. This was excellent Highly recommend it read more

Food was okay. Jambalaya needs to be skipped. Tasted like a box food w slivers of sausage similar to pepperoni on a pizza. Royal reds were good. Hamburger was ok. read more

The steamed shrimp was over cooked, the corn was still cold and uncooked, the boiled potato was well cooked but no salt. The shrimp basket... the shrimp was very good and the French fries were raw. Maybe they are having a bad evening or a new cook. I don't recommend food based on this visit, but the view and service is good. read more

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We were in line when they opened. Read reviews and looked at the menu beforehand. We knew exactly what we wanted for lunch. I ordered the special: chicken tacos. The picture does not do these tacos justice. They are so full you can hardly close them. I couldn't eat both, so my husband finished off the second one after his blackened shrimp. He enjoyed his as well. A lot of shrimp in the basket. Next time he wants to try the fish tacos. read more

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Friendly Service! Good food! Casual dining. Family friendly. Great boiled shrimp! Good prices! read more

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TERRIBLE.... I've been to this place twice. Once in May, 2020, and again today, April 2025.....and I have to say that it was bad then, and even worse now. We had the fish and shrimp tacos. The fish was Pollack, that had no flavor and smelled funky, and the shrimp tasted like they had come from a frozen bag.... Before we ordered, I asked, what I assumed was the owner/manager, who was working the the register, what type of fish was on the menu, and she said "Pollack"....I asked if they had another type of fish, because I wanted a Gulf of America(Mexico) fresh fish like grouper, red snapper, trigger fish, amberjack, Mahi Mahi, cobia, etc...etc.... She began to tell me the BIGGEST 'STORY' I'VE HEARD IN A WHILE....SHE SAID THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO FRESH FISH COMING OUT OF THE GULF FOR OVER 2 YEARS DUE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NOT PERMITTING COMMERCIAL FISHING IN THE GULF.....I guess she thought I was an uninformed tourist and naive enough to believe her bullshit story. I am very knowledgeable about the Gulf fishing industry, so I know the regulations, both commercial and recreational, and what fresh Gulf seafood looks like, tastes like, feels like, and smells like, as I was born and raised on the Gulf Coast, and have fished the waters of the Gulf of America(Mexico) my entire life. I have friends that own a seafood market where I live in Florida, who also have their own commercial fishing boats, which go out daily, to catch fresh Gulf fish that they sell in their seafood market store front. I also have several friends who captain commercial fishing vessels, that fish the Gulf of America every day.... In addition to eating a terrible meal at this place, for the second time in 5 years, I might add, I guess this lady who runs or owns this place thought I was some sort of dumbass tourist she could bamboozle into believing her place wasn't a tourist trap restaurant.... I didn't buy her story. But because it was one of the only restaurants open this time of year, on a weekday, on Dauphin Island, I thought I'd give it another try.....My mistake.... 5 years later, I WAS ONCE AGAIN DISSAPOINTED....NOT BY JUST THE FOOD, BUT MOSTLY BY THE BULLSHIT STORY I WAS FED....insulting my intelligence. FYI: If you have any doubt...please check out the link below for NOAA Gulf of America Commercial Fisheries quotas, up to date catch amounts, and which species are currently open/closed to commercial fishing. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/sustainable-fisheries/2024-2025-and-2025-2026-preliminary-gulf-america-stock-annual-catch So the manager/owner replied to my review, and unless there is another dimension I had traveled to....myself and my girlfriend were definitely there in May of 2020...!!!! We took my motorcycle over on the ferry and as usual for that time of yeat....it was about the only place open on Dauphin Island.... You may not have owned it then but it was called by the same name, served a very "similiar" menu and strangely enough, the restaurant decor and layout was identical.....either way IT WAS THE EXACT LOCATION AND EXACTLY THE SAME RESTAURANT WE DINED AT, AND IT WAS TERRIBLE BOTH THEN AND NOW...!! ALSO YOU NEED TO QUIT TELLING YOUR CUSTOMERS LIES THAT YOU CAN'T GET FRESH GULF FISH, SO YOU CAN SERVE THEM THAT CHEAP CRAP....YOUR UNTRUTHS WILL CATCH UP WITH YOU.... And one more thing....the link you provided in your reply has nothing to do with the availability of commercially available seafood from the Gulf of America!! More misleading info.... read more

We called in advance to see if it was okay to have dogs on the patio. They said it was. When we got here they said we can't have a dog. So we had to leave. It would be helpful if their employees knew their own policies. I can't comment on the food since I didn't have a chance to try it. read more

Super nice staff and delicious food!! I had the shrimp tacos and they were so good!! Others in my party had the steamed shrimp and it was great also. Highly recommend! read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Awesome place for a casual meal. Beautiful view of the water. Owner was very welcoming.

5 stars for this restaurant! We ordered the royal reds and they were a great size and seasoned perfectly. I love that they give you a side of melted butter ! The potato's and corn were also cooked perfectly. The owner is so nice and sweet and we loved sitting outside by the water! I recommend this place 100% read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Royal reds - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Very quiet inside, no music so a little odd with just a few other diners. Ordering was easy at the counter and short menu made for quick decisions. Food came out quickly, but we were missing some sides. Asked at the counter and staff brought items out quickly. Extremely disappointed in portion sizes. For $72 I didn't expect all of us to leave still hungry. We ordered a variety of shrimp basket, fish tacos, chicken strips and a burger. All we're just ok, nothing seemed fresh. Maybe it's better during their busier times..? read more

I can't say enough good things about this special little gem of a restaurant. The food was hot, deliciously spiced, and served with a big smile. The staff went over the top, thank you, Candy! read more

If on Dauphin Island, you need to checkout Dockside. Food and service was amazing. Staff super friendly and helpful. I felt like I was dining with family. This was my first time to have Royal Reds! I am HOOKED!!! read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Best Seafood and Amazing Staff - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

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Good restaurant with a great seaside view. Has both interior and exterior seating.. This restaurant is just below the Pelican bar and grill. They have good food. We ordered the fish tacos, fish basket and shrimp basket. For dessert, we had key lime pie which was also great.. Fast and great service... family friendly also. read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Entrance - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Food was decent but I'm unsure if they are selling fresh, locally caught produce. The waitress said their fish was farm raised catfish but did not clarify if the shrimp was wild or farm raised. read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Fried shrimp basket ($14.99 plus tax on 2/25/2023) - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Good food. Nice atmosphere. Owner is very friendly. Good service. I would recommend for a nice casual experience. read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - a picnic table on the deck - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

Location location location !! Dockside has an excellent location with great views and a true local feel. The services is friendly and fast ! The shrimp is a solid choice !! The jambalaya was ok, good but not great .... After the meal the bar upstairs is a excellent next stop ... read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - a bowl of rice and sausage - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

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Haven't tried the food, but the upstairs bar is great.super friendly staff and very good atmosphere

This was one of the only real seafood places open on a Monday in October. It was not as good as I hoped but also had tempered expectations since Skinners was by far my top choice but not open. The price was not cheap, but fair. Family got 1/2 lb shrimp and 1lb Royal Reds. I wish we had just gotten shrimp because they are cheaper and I much prefer the taste/texture. First time eating RR and I don't get it. Texture is not that pleasant and flavor is so mild it borders on bland. Not their fault for that if course. Being used to Appalachicola and Port St Joe, I would take Indian Pass or even the shrimp from the Piggly Wiggly they steam for you over these. They leave the heads on and count that as part of your 1/2 lb. I don't eat the head insides so it's wasted for me. The APP/PSJ are much bigger, no heads/deveined and about the same cost. I hate comparing two different gulf areas when they only serve what is local but I'd much rather have just gotten shrimp from ZIRLOTT'S or Skinners (later) than spent money on inferior seafood here. It's ok just not what I've come to expect from the gulf using FL panhandle as a lens. They are nice people there and good service so I hate saying this but honestly I could have made a much more enjoyable local seafood meal at home with very little effort. Shrimp, boiling water, and old bay...Melted butter... Done. read more

First time hear and it was very good! They have both inside and outside seating and there are pretty good views outside. Got the fried shrimp basket and some smoked tuna dip. Both were very tasty and the service was very good- food came out pretty quick. Everyone was very nice! read more

Dockside Seafood Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Dauphin Island, Alabama

We came here due to the reviews. Filthy doors and windows and we had to clean off the salt & pepper shakers. I got the seafood boil. I've made them and have had them many time. This one was subpar Potato not cooked and corn overcooked. Coleslaw old and not good Poor boy not good as the bread and tomatoes were old . Sorry this place was a real let down read more