Food was excellent,Service was perfect and the Ambiance was perfect. My neighbors told me about Dockside two weeks ago, so my wife and I decided to Make a road trip and see for ourselves, and it is everything he told . It's the perfect DOCKSIDE Dining and I believe that all the people I met must feel the same way. Was a very nice visit read more

Excellent place to eat by the water ! Good service and good food, reasonably priced. Manager Chris was very helpful with it. Thank you guys. read more

This is one of my favorite places to eat every time I come to town. I love the open air atmosphere after the beach, for lunch or drinks with friends. I also enjoy being inside by the water for dinner. The variety and quality of the food is amazing. The tuna nachos are a favorite, as well as the blackened mahi tacos, and a side of beans and rice is a must have almost no matter what I'm eating! The prices are comparable and the wait staff is always attentive and friendly. You can't go wrong going to Dockside! read more

Susan was our waitress today for lunch. She has been here with Dockside for ten years. Lovely personality and very knowledgeable about their excellent menu. Today I got my usual The Mango Crab stack. Hubbie got a fried grouper sandwich. Food is so good. We love this restaurant! Excellent service and food. Not to mention the view of the water and boats is so beautiful. Highly recommend! read more

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Join the wait list... or really wait. It's open sir, little actual "dockside" view. The Cobb salad was nice, the blackened shrimp were cold with blackening season, quite disappointing. Conversely, my friends blackened shrimp was swimming in overly hot blackening seasoning. Drinks were good, service was attentive. It's slightly better than bar food, food. If you have to wait more than 10 minutes.. go somewhere else. read more

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We are only visit Venice for a week each year. We love this place. The food. The service. The ambiance. Great job, folks. read more

Not bad to have a 10 minute wait when you can sit by a beautiful harbor with yachts and pretty boats! We went for lunch on a beautiful Sunday and chose here because they have good GF options and a kids' menu. Fantastic server who helped deliver all necessary info and great food. She brought extra shark gummies for three little girls when she served my shark rum drink! The fish taco options were great! Blackened grouper bite appetizer with two spicy dippers was yummy. Kids' hot dogs were ginormous! The dockside fresh air breezes in through the tiki. Those sitting at the bar have the nice harbor view. A great casual and fun place in such a scenic spot! read more

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Tops ! Food, service, location! Dockside friendly staff! Tops! And they're reliable. read more

Excellent service; big place right on the water, and best grouper in the area. I came twice over the long weekend for a blackened grouper sandwich with the sweet chile sauce instead of tartar, which was excellent and the best cornbread crusted top salad out there. Love my trips to grandma's house with at least one mandatory trip to Dockside every visit. read more

Dockside Waterfront Grill - Loved the sweet chile sauce for my grouper and sandwich and best corn salad ever - Seafood Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Tiffany was our awesome server today and I repeated my order from last year which was the Fish and Chips and swapped out the fries for their homemade chips and "ranch sauce" and it was just as amazing as last year! Terri order up the Blackened Chicken Alfredo this year and it was fantastic! The Fish was a very generous portion and flaky with just enough of a crunchy coating to make it perfect. Oh yeah..can't forget the Chowder Soup that was loaded with clam and potatoes...very good! The Blackened Chicken Alfredo had enough seasoning to give it a kick without being too much and the pasta and sauce were perfectly executed. While it reminds me of an old school Florida FishHouse I'd have to say that it's an upscale fish house yet retains a reasonable price level. I hope that we get a chance for a three-peat with Dockside Waterfront Grill it's definitely one of our favorite places. read more

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We've eaten here twice and this visit. First time there were four of us we start out with drinks and the iced tea is excellent. Hubby's beer was nice and cold. Hubby and I started with a cup of their seafood chowder and it is incredible! He had blackened shrimp with their homemade potato chips and loved it. I had grilled shrimp with fries and corn salsa and it was very tasty. Friend had grouper with roasted red potatoes and broccoli. He enjoyed it. His wife had fish tacos and said they were great. It was a very pleasant evening and if you're not outside, they broadcast the sunset via a camera. We went today for lunch and were seated fairly quickly. We decided not to wait for a table on the patio, but ate inside. We started with a bowl of seafood chowder each, and then shared the fish of the day: red drum fish with a side of corn salsa, and their homemade chips. The waitress did an excellent job of describing the fish - - Flaky, mild flavor and tender. We really enjoyed it and that was enough food for us. read more

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I love that Dockside has the waitlist option because we'll join during the post beach - getting ready for dinner - time and by the time we make it to dockside we are close to 10th in line. Place is always busy but they are a well oiled machine with plenty of friendly staff. Highly recommend the fire coal marg (very spicy but you can request less so!) and ahi tuna nachos. read more

Dockside Waterfront Grill - Fire coal marg with tajin rim! - Seafood Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Love, love, love Dockside! Lunch there today (Mother'sDay) was spot on as always. Tuna nachos, crab cakes, grouper reuben, grouper sandwich, salmon, seafood chowder, shrimp linguine and for apps, the calamari and grouper bites were all cooked to perfection. Our server Matthew was the best!! Personable, attentive and great. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience Dockside! read more

If I can order one last meal before I leave this earth, it might just come from Dockside. This place has it all. Ambiance. Terrific service. Refreshing drinks. Tasty food. And Yelp waitlisting. You'll want to use that wait list option. Trust me. This place invites a crowd no matter the season. Once seated (wait list was right around an hour on a Thursday) we were promptly greeted by Tristian (sp?), a diligent server who offered some great, and honest, recommendations. We chose to be seated in the main dining room, although you can also eat at the bar or the tiki. The menu is seafood heavy, with many ways to have your seafood prepared. Apparently the grouper and lobster are the top dishes, available in many forms. We started with the crab and mango appetizer and oyster Rockefeller. For our main dishes we enjoyed the Lobster Lover, Two lobster Rolls, scallop Linguini with vegetables added, and grilled grouper. Everything was as advertised, tasted fresh, was presented well and came out fast, but only after we enjoyed our appetizers. Management was also present. Checking on the occasional table (but not ours this evening.) The young ladies working the hostess stand were not exactly nice, happy or friendly but they are young kids, so whatever. It wouldn't change my opinion about this place. If your find yourself in Venice and want a solid meal, this is your spot. read more

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We went up to Venice for the afternoon and thought this would be somewhere delicious to have dinner. It's tucked back off one of the bridges. They have abundance of parking. We ordered the Crab Mango Stack as an appetizer; it was well presented with fresh Mango. My wife and I both thought it was okay, for how nice it looked and the ingredients we thought it would have more flavor. We both had the Reuben sandwich, one with fried Grouper and one with the fish of the day, which was Red Snapper, which I had blackened. We both had the famous "chips" as a side. The one we got with the fried Grouper we substituted the bread for wheat instead of rye. The wait staff was, generally, friendly and helpful. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive. The restaurant has a large bar, patio dining along with "inside" and tiki dinning. All seemed nice, we sat in the covered area, but it was considered outside. So... now onto the main course review - the famous "chips" were unseasoned, several of them burned, and mostly just blah chips. The Reuben's had nice size pieces of fish. Neither sandwich seemed to be missing the Thousand Island dressing seemed. Overall, they were not very flavorful including the blackened seasoning. The prices are mid-to-high for the quality/taste of the food. read more

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Outstanding meal of shrimp & scallops. The corn salad side dish was excellent. The red-skin potatoes were just OK. Shrimp Bisque & Caesar Salad were also good, though the salad was a little watery. We had some good cocktails while we waited and my Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, of course) was excellent. Beautiful view of the marina and the setting sun. The only drawback to this place is the VERY long wait times. You can put your name on a list, but they don't take reservations. But it was worth it. read more

Dockside Waterfront Grill - Shrimp and Scallop dinner with corn salad and red-skin potatoes. - Seafood Near Me - Venice, Florida

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Wonderful food and service. We had Kiley as a service person and she was the greatest read more

Dockside Waterfront Grill - Mark - Seafood Near Me - Venice, Florida

Love this restaurant. During the winter months We consider ourselves a regular. Spent New Years Eve dinner here two years now in a row. Staff friendly. Excellent food. read more

We really had a nice visit here at Dockside. We enjoyed the wine list and variety of fish options. Everything was served promptly and with a smile. The entrees were delicious. There were 4 of us who each had something different. I don't think you can go wrong. read more

We sat at the bar. It was very busy, but our bartender was very attentive. I am sorry I cannot remember her name. Also our food was absolutely delicious. read more

Tuna nachos absolutely the best! Seafood pasta with the garlic butter sauce ‍ The water views and sunsets are so pretty here! We've been coming back here for YEARS! read more

We frequent Dockside and usually enjoy it. I hope today wasn't a sign that things are declining but it felt that way. Check in via yelp was a disaster - we waited 40 minutes when they said the wait would be 20. When I inquired at the hostess stand they told me I hadn't checked in upon arrival even though I did it at their kiosk! Then our server took 10 minutes to even ask for our drink order. Food took forever. One meal (cheeseburger) was cold like it was ready first and then waited on the side for other entrees to be ready. I hope today wasn't an off day and not a sign of things to come. read more

Food and service was amazing and fast. The fish (Corvina) was very fresh. We sat at the bar but waiting for a table was only 10 minutes! Highly recommend for atmosphere, food, and fast friendly service. read more

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In town visiting family and we went here for dinner. I have to say, the food was a hit and miss but the misses definitely outweighed the hits. The service was also subpar. We got the calamari and I had a taste of the clam chowder, both delicious. However I ordered the crab cakes and seared tuna fish , both were verrrry... disappointing. Especially the crab cakes, which tasted more like a paste than a cake. The asparagus side we had with it was also a let down, chewy rather than crunchy. In fact, my entire family was disappointed with the vegetables at this place. I spent the entire night just munching on some coleslaw which wasn't bad. What made the night especially frustrating though wasn't even the food. It was the service, our waitress came to our table immediately when we sat down but we hadn't had a chance to peruse the menu so I asked for a few minutes. She disappeared and never came back, it took forever for us to even order drinks. That became a theme, she was a ghost the entire night except for times we spotted her chatting in the corner, which is fine but on multiple occasions we needed refills and my sister needed water. Overall, frustrating to get service. I added a star because the ambiance with the sunset and the live music was great. Also wanted to mention: we went here last year and came back because the food was amazing back then. Ordered the exact same crab cakes off the menu, they were just terrible this time. My entire family tried them, we all agreed. read more

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Went here with the in-laws and was so delighted with the food and service! They were able to bring their pup in as we sat outside in the tiki / bar area where it is well covered and they even have up netting on the "walls" to prevent bugs and wind. We had, Tiki Chicken, Fish Tacos and the Chicken quesadilla which all were super delish! Can't wait to add this to the rotation! read more

I didn't plan on being in Venice that Friday, but once I read the Yelp reviews for Dockside Waterfront Grill, I definitely planned on dining there. Oh, Yelp universe, you never disappoint. It's right there on the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41). It's north of the historic downtown, west side of the road, near a small bridge. Look for the big tiki roof, the boats and the bright aqua building (nothing's ever sounded more Florida than that and I love it) I was there at lunchtime on a Friday, which made me nervous at first. But this is a big place... with lots of seating under the huge tiki roof, semi-inside-adjacent to the large bar and in the covered patio area. The latter two locations have views of the gorgeous marina. And despite being just off a busy road, you'd never know it. It's very chill and relaxing on the marina side--and I couldn't get the "Gilligan's Island" theme song out of my head. I could have easily done a three hour tour here, but I had to get back to Tampa. So I appreciated that the food came out quickly. My server was excited about their daily specials, but I had spied the grouper sandwich on the menu and in some Yelp photos-and my heart/stomach was sold. It was $25 for a blackened grouper sandwich and fries-which is more than I'd usually spend on a regular Friday lunch-but the setting was so nice and the quality so high-it was worth every penny. The grouper was cooked to perfection, excellent texture, the spices had just the right amount of heat-and the fries were tasty and right there on the crispy outside/soft inside scale. I devoured every crumb, from the cute metal tray. It more than made up for the disappointing margarita (just my take. Everyone has their own 'rita preferences). My server was very efficient. Parking was a breeze (either in the private lot or in the overflow area, under that aforementioned bridge) and I had zero wait to be seated. I will definitely come back, any/every time I'm in Venice. If I got shipwrecked here, it would be just fine. read more

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Delicious food, great atmosphere, and a beautiful waterfront view! The waitress was very friendly, and it's a relaxed, casual spot to enjoy a meal. read more

We just moved to the area and have been trying different places in the area. Today we decided to go and check out their Happy Hour as we have with other restaurants in the area. The bartender Mary was not very welcoming and we felt like we were an inconvenience to her. I guess because we were just having drinks she didn't seem she wanted to be bothered. When asked for the check, she tossed it at us, no thank you, nothing! We do Happy Hour almost everyday and would of liked to find a new place, but it won't be here! read more

Good food and drinks. Waitress was really attentive. Food wasn't incredible but it was a nice dinner, Kid friendly as well. Corn salad and seasonal veggies were great. I'd definitely go back! read more

My husband, and I have been coming to Dockside Waterfront Grill for about a year now, and it's truly become one of our favorite spots. Not only is the atmosphere beautiful and relaxing right on the water, but the staff consistently goes above and beyond to make every visit enjoyable. One thing I especially appreciate is how thoughtful they are about gluten-free options. As someone with celiac disease, dining out can be stressful, but they do such a great job accommodating and making me feel safe and confident in what I'm eating. It really means a lot. Just wanted to give a big shoutout to Dockside for their care, consistency, and delicious food--and to let others in the celiac community know this is a place you can feel good about visiting. Highly recommend! read more

Patience and Reward. I am excited to have this restaurant as my debut review on Yelp. I am not a foodie. I do not get excited about food, I don't treat myself, and I don't find food. Dockside Waterfront Grill had my curiosity at a chokehold when I realized my waitlist line position was at 83rd. I tried two consecutive days and that's when I knew something was worth waiting for. The tiki bar while you wait is rather an exceptional treat with a beautiful view of the boat docks. I am not a local. I know what to order that isn't safe from a restaurant. I know what is safe. The food here from looks and photos were eye catching. I sat down and ordered a corona to gain back a neutral citrus taste. The first course was raw oysters. Adventures but safe. The plate decor was basic, as oysters are mostly all the same prepared. The main course, Shrimp Linguini. You could make this, you could order it from Olive Garden, you could have eaten this from your grandma. But what you COULDN'T have experienced was the powerful garlic wine pasta unless you were there at Dockside Waterfront Grill. The shrimp, noodle, sauce ratio was superb and satisfying even for my two hour wait. I found this shrimp pasta to be different character than the ones served on common dishes. I hope you find the same reward as I did with this restaurant. I have no photos, as I live in the moment. Each dish is different no matter how many times you make it with the same ingredients. read more

Crazy busy. Always a long wait. Food was good and the view is beautiful. Friendly service.

Food was okay... water tasted like the filter needed to be changed, fries came out cold, etc. Waiter was awkward and did not improve our experience, just did the bare minimum. read more

I'm not sure how I feel about this place. I like the fact that it was in a harbor but it's not easy to access if you're unfamiliar with the area. It was nice to be able to add ourselves to a waitlist. Upon arrival we were able to get real time updates on our position in line. We waited at the bar which was ok. Plenty of fun cocktails on the menu. However, they're expensive and the pour was mid at best. Our server was great. She was fun to talk with a plenty of energy. I had the blackened grouper and it was good. No different than any other restaurants. The sunset view of the sunset was pretty. The patio is a great place to sit since it's bright from the sunlight. The tiki area is darker and reminded me of sitting in a cave. Overall, in a land of so many seafood restaurants, Im glad I tried Dockside to say I've been here. read more

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Wonderful food and drink. Grouper was delicious. They make their own potato chips. Very good. Very casual. Nice setting. Music was good. No complaints about this gem read more

You just can't beat the consistency and variety of the menu! Everything from the perfectly fresh out of the fryer fries to the delicately prepared seafood is wonderful! A great always upbeat vibe from the staff (who calls you by name and proactively refills drinks) to the beautiful waterfront views. Take your out of town company here and they'll ask you to come back! read more

Service and food were both excellent. We waited about an hour for dinner, but it was as really worth it.

We'd love their tuna nachos and all of their seafood options . The views are amazing and staff are all very kind.

Great food great service!! Love the waitlist option! Seafood chowder never disappoints!

Love love love Dockside. Atmosphere, drinks, food, people. I could go on and on. Mary is our favorite bartender. Makes a superb Cosmo!! We will be back. Thank you. read more

Dockside Waterfront Grill - Best Mary the Bartender Cosmo ... Ever! - Seafood Near Me - Venice, Florida