It was my first visit to Don's Dock, and I was impressed. They've been around since 1951, and this small building carries a sense of nostalgia, both inside and out. I enjoyed the lobster roll very much. What appears as a small sandwich is densely packed with goodness. The fried shrimp was also excellent. The tables are well stocked with condiments, including hot sauces. The service is excellent, and they have an obviously steady crew, working an excellent system for taking care of their customers. Everyone was smiling and polite. The lady that took care of me was knowledgeable, answering all my rookie questions. The menu is extensive, and I found the pricing reasonable. I'll be back for more things to try. read more

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Ordered to go, so I can't judge the service or ambiance. Good prices for what you get. Their red beans and rice are darn good, with a nice spice. Gumbo was good, with a good roux, but slightly sweet and no real spice to it. It had plenty of shrimp, and I got a couple of meals out of it. If I were in New Orleans, it would probably receive a low score, but by Chicago standards, it is good. They used okra in their gumbo, which some may consider sacrilege. However, it was properly prepared, and I like okra, so I approve. Their jambalaya and fried rice were approved of by others in the family. Overall, good food and good value. If it weren't for my gout, I'd be eating here a lot more often. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Red beans and rice - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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I had my first taste of Don's Dock in late 1969. My family were regulars at the time..I moved out of the area in '83. Hadn't been here in quite a while but Don's Dock did not disappoint! Food is still fresh as ever. And so many choices. I had the scallops and rice with broccoli on the side. Butter sauce was so good I'd like it off a tire. read more

The lobster roll was sooooooo delicious!!! It was perfection! The sweet lady behind the counter was so nice and brought the lobster roll to the table after the other food had come out, she's a gem! My daughter's kids meal was so cute with the little ducky! I'm sad I didn't find this place sooner! I'm definitely coming back and going to be recommending this place!! Wow read more

Don's Dock Seafood - My daughter had eaten most of this and took the goldfish out the little container but it was all so cute!! Love the rubber ducky! - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

Absolutely amazing fresh seafood, wonderful taste, not overly breaded. Your seafood can be ordered three ways (fried, grilled, steamed). If you can't find something you like you obviously don't like seafood. Everything is cooked fresh and comes HOT. read more

The seafood at Don's Dock is on point. No misses so far. Probably my favorite thing was the blackened cod meal. Staff is friendly and helpful with suggestions. Seating is a bit tight, so coming at lunch may not be ideal if you want to eat in place. I've been several times and will continue returning. Wonderful local spot. read more

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The gift and curse is in the simplicity of the menu. On one hand everything is fresh, not overcooked, and the seafood portions are ample. My clam chowder was delicious and none of the fish was greasy. However I found catfish in my order, the food was utterly flavorless, the fries need to be cooked in a different oil , and I wish there were better sides other than rice , broccoli, corn. It wasn't bad. But it's not my first go to for fried seafood on the go. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Fried Walleye Meal - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Ordered their Blown Up Catfish Meal. They should have blown it up before it was served. Just not good. Too much breading on the tiny amount of Catfish in each small strip of fish. It was overcooked so that also did not help. Yes, there was ample pieces since I ordered it. The Cole Slaw was warm since it was put inside with the fish. I got the Mixed Veggies instead of fries and they were watered down and also not good. Will not return. read more

Outstanding fried fish with great fries and hush puppies! Service was awesome...this was our first visit and she walked us through the menu and helped us make some choices. Cute little place with great pictures on the wall, clean restrooms and easy parking. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Pickled herring and creamed herring! - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Friendly, albeit very small place, with many seafood options. Food is fresh and priced fairly. Looks like a nautical deli inside. It is fairly clean, and the staff are attentive, but don't expect your food quickly. read more

A neighborhood staple for many years,this family owned seafood market and eatery does not disappoint. We used to order from Dons Dock multiple times when we lived in the area so since we were in Des Plaines ,we decided to stop in for a late lunch. The staff is super friendly and their food is mainly homemade recipes. We ordered the Fish n Chips meal which came with fries and coleslaw. My wife had a small order of jambalaya since she is gluten free. The food is cooked while you wait and is brought to your table. As we were waiting there was a constant flow of customers. The food portions are perfect and everything tasted great just like we remembered. They must be doing something right since they have been open since 1951. Next time in the Des Plaines area,stop in for some fresh seafood ..you will be hooked! read more

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Between my parents and my family we have been ordering from Dons Dock for 50 years unfortunately last weekend we phoned in an order and decided we try their fried shrimp dinners. Got home and realized the $18 dinners had 3&1/2 shrimp which were so heavily breaded that you could barely taste shrimp. along with a small portion of fries. poor quality and quantity value for a jumbo shrimp dinner. So another dining establishment that changed and puts $ over quality and customer satisfaction. read more

Amazing sea food, fair prices. The staff is super pleasant. My go to for all things from the sea! read more

I am so glad I discovered this seafood market/restaurant! I wanted to pick up seafood on the way from work to my house, and this was not too out of the way. I wanted to cook a wonderful seafood dinner for myself as a treat, and this seemed like the place to go. Be forewarned that it's tiny in there. If you're claustrophobic or bringing a huge group, you should reconsider. It's very cool to see all walks of life eating and buying fish here. There is a solid variety of fish on display, and the menu seemed extensive. I got one premade item, the crab-stuffed mushrooms, which wound up great after baking them, if a bit oddly sweet flavor-wise. The cod, after being baked and broiled in my oven, was fresh and perfectly flaky. Although one or two of the scallops had a tiny bit of grit, they were still fresh and overall grit-free. Best of all was the shrimp - juicy, fresh, and easy to cook! read more

We haven't been here in a while and I dropped in to pick up a carryout sandwich for the wife. She had one of their March specials - a fried Alaskan cod sandwich for $8.75.  It was still moderately busy with both carryout and dine-in patrons at 2pm on a Wednesday.  Wife said the sandwich was tip-top fresh and delicious and a good deal, and good deal is not an oft said comment from her! They also don't fix what ain't broke here - the very casual interior and exterior is unchanged from my last visit a while ago.  Only the prices have kept up appropriately with time. read more

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I HAVE FOUND A NEW FRIED FISH EATERY AND I LOVE IT! Let me tell you. Look at the menu before you go because there are so many choices and options and they're all delightful. Don't be afraid to try something new either. Everything is amazing there. OK, where to begin? Ah - walk in. It's not that huge, but enough to fit about 10 tables. It's a long building rather than wide, so if you eat inside, you might be close to your neighbor. They also do take out. When you order, you pay and wait for your food at your table (or at the counter) and pick it up. It's like a fast casual but not fast food. Everyone, I mean EVERYONE, is friendly and courteous. You get your food, and eat! I ordered the fried Maryland Crab Cakes and it came with fries, a roulade? sauce, and coleslaw. I also ordered a quarter pound of the fried clam strips and my partner ordered the grilled scallops plate. Everything was fantastic there. The service, the food, all of it. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Not good at all. Got a lobster roll and hush puppies. It was nothing special and nothing to write home about. I do not understand the positive reviews. read more

Ordered 2 crab cakes Got charged for two. Only got one. sucks cause the food is good but tired of getting gyped everywhere.

Tiny restaurant with huge flavors! I've passed by this place and always meant to go in - now I can't stop! First of all - the clam chowder is out of this world! It's the real thing! Like everything they serve - it's house made - not prepared from a box or can. Delicious, well seasoned and plenty of goodness! They have specials based on what seafood is in season and FRESH - Mardi Gras is a top fav season for them - all kinds of seafood & shellfish dishes w Cajun flavors. They have beautiful crab, stuffed salmon, shrimp, scallops - all looks great and expertly prepared. I've never had a bad meal! And, it's BYOB! Very casual, and they do get busy, so seating can be at a premium! Totally worth the wait! read more

The people who work here are wonderful In that they are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful with at home fish preparation advice. The food is fresh. The fried shrimp and fried fish are breaded more heavily than I prefer but still good. Smoked salmon is delicious as are the side dishes I've tried. read more

So fresh and so clean! Delicious! A must have! Everything on the menu is awesome! The staff are so professional and pleasant. Great atmosphere on NorthWest Highway. read more

This classic Des Plaines seafood joint is a true neighborhood treasure. We used to live nearby and visit whenever we are back in the area. Serving mostly take-out but they do have a few tables indoors and picnic tables outside. Service is always outstanding. I was given many gluten free options and chose jambalaya which was loaded with fresh vegetables and had great flavor. My husband enjoyed the fried fish and chips his go to favorite. read more

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Best staff good Lake and Seafood. Fast service reasonable prices. Not fancy but the best. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Lobster Roll Meal and Salmon with crab - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

My friend and I visited for the first time Oct. 7. The place was smaller than I expected, with not many tables for dining in, but we had no trouble getting one for our Saturday lunch. It's definitely a no-frills place! We ordered and paid at the counter and waited a bit for our number to be called. I ordered the Maryland Crab Cake Po Boy, which was served on soft bread and sauce on the side. It also came with a choice of fries or chips -- I went with fries. Everything tasted good. My friend ordered a grilled salmon meal that came with rice and a vegetable. It was noticeably more expensive than my sandwich, but not much more substantial of a meal. She said it was good. Overall, it was a good first experience and I'll return to try other items. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Crab cake po boy - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

We have gone to Don's Dock forever! I am 72 years old & can't remember there not being a Don's Dock. In the last couple of years, the breading seems to have changed. It's a little spicy now. I miss the old breading. But we still go and enjoy our food. read more

I wonder if they recently changed owners or something, because the service and, in one case fish, seem off the last three times I went there. A pound of catfish order I got at the end of September 2025 ended up having half the pieces be sort of slimy under the breading. An order placed at the beginning of October 2025 tasted fine, but one meal was missing sides. An ordered kid's meal was also missing the toy and Goldfish crackers snack that is typically included. Today's order ended up having a "crabby patties" meal that didn't have the included fries and coleslaw meal part like the physical and digital menu said. When this was brought up, the staff member tried to ask if it included that or I ordered that. (The receipt showed the higher meal amount.) The food still tastes okay, but I recommend checking your order if it is a to-go one. read more

Don's Dock is a small seafood specialist located on E Northwest Hwy in Des Plains. I've been here a few times, and gotten takeout so it's time to review. I'll go through each item and review with a grade. Blue Crab Bisque A- great flavor Crab Pasta A fantastic and unique Jambalaya B+ nice spice, all around very good Fried Shrimp A+ Outstanding, I prefer the larger size shrimp and it is worth the extra $ Fried Clam Strips C+ a little underwhelming as we got some very small clams, maybe just luck of the draw. The larger ones were very tasty Fried Catfish A+ was astounded by how good this was, highly recommended. Big pieces and full of flavor. Fresh. Slaw A+ they do it right here, creamy but with enough punch and tang to balance the taste I recommend getting the larger sauces (cocktail and tarter) when ordering fish by the pound. I have had a fish sandwich from here in the past but can't recall what type. I do remember being very impressed. The inside is small but for a lunch crowd it shouldn't be an issue. I think for what you get the prices are fine, as with most restaurants you'll pay for what you get. Don's Dock is doing it right, give them a visit today. 5 stars! read more

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Great fresh seafood by a family owned business. Excellent knowledgable staff to guide you on your journey. Place is small and mom/pop feel, you're better off ordering to go. Moderately priced and definite take out must do. read more

I told them I had an allergy and exactly how to make the food and they completely ignored it. Not a great place to eat if you have a gluten allergy read more

It's a very small old school kind of place not too far from the Des Plaines metra station. There aren't too many tables inside so you might want to get take out. I went on a Friday afternoon during lent and it was extremely busy. There was a long wait but that was expected. They even had a sign on the door warning customers it would be a long wait. I got the crab cakes, and I thought they were pretty good. Nothing spectacular but I might come back if I'm in the area again. There aren't too many seafood spots around. read more

This is a solid place for fried seafood. Everything I ordered was delicious. You can receive food fried, baked or broiled. You can, also, purchase uncooked items to go. They are very versatile and friendly. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - 1lb of delicious jumbo shrimp and fries. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Whether you're a seafood fanatic or just in the mood for something fresh and satisfying, this place is a must-visit. I'll definitely be back! read more

Unfortunately we just weren't impressed. Place has the local vibe feel. There are less than 10 tables. We stopped by this place for a late lunch/early dinner. The menu looks impressive with so many different options to pick from. The lady that rung us up, was very hyped about the place and talked it up a lot. She answered all our questions with lots of enthusiasm. We ended up ordering the grilled shrimp and a shrimp po boy. And the non seafood eaters ended up with chicken tenders and a chicken tender sandwich. Our bill came out to $60. Everything was just okay. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything that stood out about our meal. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great. Wee wouldn't go out of our way to visit here again, but we might stop by if we're in the area looking for a quick bite to eat. read more

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Been going back and forth for years..and wanted to try them again..7/2025 May I say very, very pleased...Remained the same excellent quality through the years..Great! Food..service..and atmosphere..all good..Since our last visit ..we look forward to going back..real soon..we get emails from them and well sooo tempting...well worth the ride....ALL friendly and super delicious.. read more

The food was OK. I had the shrimp po boy and my son had the chicken tenders. There's a lot of breading going on. Very affordable with great customer service. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Stopped in on a Friday evening to dine in. The place was hopping, it was very busy, but service is quick and efficient. My husband had spicy shrimp tacos. They shrimp was fresh and very good. It came with rice, chips and salsa. I tried the tropical tilapia sandwich. I did not eat it as a sandwich, but the tilapia was fresh and tasty. The grilled pineapple with melted swiss, added the sweetness, and the swiss was sweet, but nutty. Prices were very reasonable. They did bring our food to our table and clean our dishes after we ate. Service and food were A+. read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Shrimp Taco Meal - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

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Who would've thought in the middle of downtown Des Plaines, you'd be able to get access to some great quality and delicious seafood. I will be honest and say I didn't go to this place for about a year or so. Something about fresh seafood and Des Plaines just didn't seem right. But last night, my gf and I decided to give it a shot and see what the hype was all about. And my god... were we missing out on a hidden gem So, up until February 13th, 2024, Don's Dock has a special Mardi Gras menu that has 9 special dishes they've curated. We went with the "Gator Bite Meal #3", "Cajun Shrimp Pasta #6or#7?" And the "Louisiana Crawfish Boil #9". All 3 of these dishes were delicious and a generous surprise with the portions and quality of the fish and ingredients. Now I will say that this isn't the best seafood I've had. My bar is super high as just having fresh fish at the Haeundae Beach (해운대 해변) in busan, South Korea. But for a local spot, this restaurant was great and very reasonably priced. I'll put photos of our takeout food below. Always up to y'all on where you want to spend your hard earned money, but I would say give Don's Dock a try. You may like it, love it or hate it. I personally loved it for the closeness to our home, good flavor balance in every dish, the quality of seafood was a solid 7.5/10 & 8/10 for some, and the pricing of everything is very reasonable. Wonderful spot and will be coming back more often. read more

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Very good sea food (fried) mom &pop very well established in desplains ill .the plce has goodservice, alway fresh seafood ,large parking lot they have tables inside and out will be back read more

This is such a hit I love how everything is fresh how everything is seasoned correctly how the food is so good prices have gone up but I still won't stop the support of small businesses read more

Don's Dock Seafood - Seafood Markets Near Me - Des Plaines, Illinois

I love Don's Dock (and Natalie too) for always delivering the best customer experience! Food...come on, the best! Service....beyond my expectations! I thank you for making my special order so very special for Thanksgiving for my 99 year old Aunt who only wanted Lobster Rolls (and she always gets what she wants) read more