The food was really good. We had the raw oysters, fried shrimp and a cheeseburger. It was all fresh and well seasoned. We'd definitely come back again. The service was great and the ambiance was very chill and laidback. read more

6/28/2025: We stopped in for a bite after hanging out at the beach. We needed a spot where my dog was welcome. The downstairs area is dog-friendly. The first level of the establishment is right on the water. It is very very casual. One guy showed up in swim trunks, a cowboy hat, no shirt, and no shoes. The area is open, so there is no AC in that part of the bar. They have large fans to cool the area, but I was still hot. They have large round picnic tables, high bistro type tables, and a bar seating area. The bistro tables have very uncomfortable chairs. They are those small metal stackable chairs. Some have backs and others have no backs. Even the tiniest butts would not find those seats comfortable. I stood for the majority of the time. Dollar bills are stapled to the wall and ceiling from previous customers each with a saying, a name, and/or the date. They have one unisex restroom downstairs. There was a line each time I needed to go. The crowd seemed to be locals and people who work there and recently got off their shift. I think that is pretty common in these type beach bars. The energy was happy and everyone was nice. They play great music. During our stay, I heard Elvis (twice!), ABBA, Willie Nelson, other 70's artists, and some country. They also have live music. We left before the set started because we had to get home to Houston. The service was good. Our waitress was very attentive. We had the ceviche and shrimp Jammers to split. The Jammers are fried with gooey goodness inside. 5 Jammers to an order. They are really good, so I highly recommend those. The ceviche was refreshing. It came with tortilla chips and a large slice of avocado. They have very good drinks, plus whatever you might like bottled. The two of us each had two drinks. Our drinks and food totaled to $56.00 before tip. Good place to visit. Can't do anything about the heat, but it would be nice if they changed their seating. read more

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was my first time going today and will be my last. our server was undertrained apparently and blamed her poor service on being new, our food was soggy and bland had the Belgian waffle and looked and tasted like mush. 2 of my family members had ordered bloody Mary's of the breakfast menu, which was the ultimate bloody Mary and we got plain underdressed bloody Mary's that were very underwhelming. Also ordered a frozen screwdriver and it was horrible it was awful almost could pass as a virgin drink. then when our food came out she didn't put our food in at the same time so everyone got their food except one person at our table and that sucked unfortunately. our servers attitude was very poor and rude. it was the 30 something yr old with a saggy face and bun. then after our inconveniences she didn't come back to our table and had another woman serve us and apologized for her. My family was very excited to take me out for the first time and i will never be back and will never recommend it for anyone to go. read more

Oysters and shrimp were super fresh, fish fried perfectly. Got the Captain crush cocktail and it wasn't watered down, solid place here right by Surfside! Cool staff and I like the ship channel views for the ships passing through read more

Went upstairs and found an open seat at the bar. The bar was dirty, but a guy came over and wiped it off. When he approached I said hello, and he didn't even look up or acknowledge us. Then he grabbed a with a wet rag from a water bucket. He didn't bother drying off the area and left it to us to get bar napkins and dry It off ourselves. The bartender came by within 2 minutes and greeted us promptly. She served me a cool beer from the refrigerator behind the bar. There was a good selection of drinks, but they were just cold enough to drink. She recommended the sampler appetizer and we obliged. The food came out just a touch on the slow side but was piping hot. The food quality was crappy. Everything seemed as it was frozen and the shrimp was tasteless. Texture was good. The boudin balls were shaped like oversized tater tots and if anyone from Louisiana tried them they would have been outgoingly vocal about them.the fried pickles were good and the fried mushrooms were ok. My wife's burger wasn't tasty but it was served with good temperature and texture. I ordered shrimp tacos and they were blah... The service was ok and the food was edible but had no taste. Busboy hasn't been taught anything about customers. Prices were fair. Nothing special here. read more

I have eaten at Dorado's approx 40 times. Problem is: turnover in the kitchen. The Parmesan grilled oysters vary from 10/10 to 1/10, depending on who is in the back. This is the third horrible experience over the past three years and I do not believe that we will ever order the grilled oysters at Dorado's again, sadly. read more

Thank you Sam,as far as McKenzie please try to be more attentive to your customers. You thinking hanging out at the opposite end of the bar away from customers and then try to be a smart $&@ when I get up and ask a different bar tender for something is not necessary read more

Dorado's - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Surfside Beach, Texas

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We loved the Boudin balls and fish tacos. Atmosphere was nice. The waitress that served us was the 5 star! Very kind and attentive. We will be back! read more

Unimpressed. They definitely aren't trying to be a restaurant... A place called Dorado's on the coast and the only fish they serve is catfish?? Wanted to give this place another chance after a bad experience years ago. We were one of 3 tables in there for dinner and had to get up to ask for iced tea refills. Servers were too busy cleaning at 8:15pm than serving customers. The fried shrimp was decent, but served in a basket and even the ketchup came in a little container like it would in to-go food? Perhaps I was expecting too much in wanting a decent meal and not just bar food. Ambiance inside is just OK, outside is nice if you go for sunset and just want a drink with a view. Just don't expect good food or service. read more

Grabbed dinner quick one night as we cruised through Freeport. Drinks were good and the seafood was light and well fried. Definitely be back when we visit the area. Bar downstairs looked fun too. read more

7/5/24 For years Dorado's has been our go to place when on the island. When we went the other day and got our favorite fish tacos we were blown away as they had a major upgrade. The flavor was amazing the fish was so fresh and the mango and cojita was delightful. We asked our waiter about the pleasant surprise and she said they have a new chef! We were so pleased with our fried calamari, another member in our had a fried fish sandwich and said it was great and the Cole slaw on top was a good compliment and the burger juicy and fries very good (stole a few). Must order a watermelon refresher, so delish, it is similar to a ranch water! We've never been to the dive bar below as we typically go with our kids, but it seems like the place to be! Super pleased with the new chef and can't wait to go back! We've heard they have an epic weekend brunch, may need to try! 7/6/24 Gave in and went back for brunch, sold on bloody Mary's and huevos rancheros! My daughter had the chicken and waffles and I've never seen her clean her plate like she did, I was able to snag a piece of the waffle and if had a pleasant yet surprising hint of coconut which was sooo good! My son had the breakfast tacos and said they were great! The huevos rancheos were good too, the salsa they served with could rival and Mexican restaurant DELISH!! Can't stop thinking about those island style chicken and waffles read more

Dorado's - Huevos rancheros, the salsa on eggs was sooo good! - Seafood Near Me - Surfside Beach, Texas

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Arrived from DFW for a girls bday weekend. Really glad to have found this little local spot. It's was packed from the time we arrived. The delicious food was worth the long wait. The fish Tacos were fresh & amazing. It's definitely an original Local/casual hole in the wall vibe with the restaurant upstairs and a bar down stairs with a live band playing. Loved the view from our outdoor seats. Our server Liissa was a sweetheart & definitely deserves a raise. Jackson Avenue Band was playing down stairs, which made the evening even better, they were outstanding! read more

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Amazing view with a nice breeze after a day at Surfside Beach. We sat on the back patio and enjoyed the sunset. The kitchen was supposedly a bit backed up but our food came out in a decent amount of time. The first round of appetizers were a bit skimpy.. not very many calamari and fried mushrooms in the basket. We ordered a 2nd round of fried mushrooms and it came with twice as many! I think they were making the orders smaller to get through the bottleneck.. not ok. But we did enjoy the two appetizers, surprisingly because they weren't heavily battered and wasn't extremely salty. My toddler loved them, though I felt they could use a bit more flavor. The calamari were skinny sad little rings. We've definitely had better but were pleasantly surprised - so don't judge a book by its cover. We just didn't go in with very high expectations. The seafood platter, we choose all fried, was also pleasantly surprising. I enjoyed the fried oysters and the fried catfish was decent. Fiance liked the fried crab, though they were super tiny little crab cakes! We ordered a toddler cheeseburger and he ate a decent amount, which means he liked it as well. Nice way to end the evening! read more

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We came in with a large party. We got a table quick but sat there for over 20 minutes and not one person came to the table to get our order. When we asked where our waitress was and all we got was a stare and a shrugged with the shoulders. The entire table got up and left with another table that was treated like this. I will not be back and will spread the word how we were treated read more

Good food good pricing great drinks amazing views great staff strongly recommend Super fast time getting my order in and getting the food out both days I came here to eat read more

I was not happy with this place at all. The service was ok, food came out in a timely manner. Our server recommended the boudin balls, they were ok. I wanted the coconut shrimp but they didn't have the Chile dipping sauce for it so I got a poboy instead. Again it was ok, a little on the drier side. I asked if the onion rings were homemade and I was told they were but they looked and tasted frozen. We got a side of hush puppies and they had no flavor. They were served with ketchup which I thought was weird but I ended up using it because of the lack of flavor they had. My boyfriend got the catfish and shrimp combo and he enjoyed his fries and catfish but his shrimp were not peeled all the way so he ended up not eating them. We sat outside and the chairs were not very sturdy nor were the tables. The best part of this place was the sunset that you can see right from their patio. It really was a gorgeous sight. I don't recommend this place though for their food. They did have a bar downstairs from the restaurant and were doing karaoke so maybe for that so you can see that sunset! read more

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Great food, amazing sunset and fun waitstaff. Jasmine was terrific and we will be back when we are in Surfside.

We went on steak night. Took 1 hour to get food, us and another family was all that were there. We went on Steak night. No joke -the worst steak I have ever had. So tough and just bad. Fish was a slimy mess and the littlest catfish I ever seen. Just terrible. $ this mess cost us $120.00 Way overpriced .Eat anywhere else . Yuk read more

This place is very cute! On the water and nice aesthetic for Surfside haha. The shrimp tacos were very good as well as the kid fish plate. The fried mushrooms were decent. The charbroiled oysters could've been broiled more. You can see in the picture the cheese isn't melted down. The staff was also nice and check on us often. read more

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Fun atmosphere and good place for a bevy when resting from a motorcycle ride. Food good have yet to try crawfish but want to.

Cute little Restaraunt on a little canal. I was concerned that the reviews fell below 4 but so glad we gave it a try. When in doubt always ask the server ( which probably eats there all the time their favorite). My husband ordered the fish tacos grilled. It was good but I think he would have ordered it blackened next time. The elotes were so good. Another yelper complained it was canned corn but I know when I make it with fresh corn it's very labor heavy to do it with fresh corn but the spices, cojito cheese and sauce was on point. Our waiter said his go to favorite sand which was the chicken Philly which was so AMAZING! Perfect crusty/ soft bread, marinated chicken bell peppers, onions and mushrooms. Then not a bland but perfectly melted white cheese. I upgraded the fries for $1.50 to onion rings They were good but the fries looked really crisp and great that it came with. My hubs and I enjoyed a blue moon beer and I a Bloody Mary. It would have been a little better Bloody Mary with celery, olives or lime but the mix was great. Someone described it as a dive but it's honestly super cute inside and cool on these hot days. Great stop. Waiter was attentive and we had great service. read more

Dorado's - Grilled fish tacos that come with a side of elotes - Seafood Near Me - Surfside Beach, Texas

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Even on a weekday/rainy day, Dorado's didn't disappoint! The service and food were great. read more

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Tried to go here last night for dinner. We were sat right away upstairs. After that we gave them 20 minutes and was never acknowledged by another. We than got up and gave the menus back to the hostess and left. Was very disappointed after being here a few times in the past. read more

Went here for dinner, party of six, followed another family of 4 into Dorado's. We were seated immediately and so was the other party of 4. Waited over 20 minutes, never acknowledged our presence or the other family. The other family of 4 got up and left. We asked the guy at the front desk if we could get served. We saw him ask a server to wait on us and she looked at us, rolled her eyes and was definitely not happy and made us feel that we were not getting served by her. At this point, we all got up and left. I will never ever, and either will any of the rest of us, ever go here again! As we were leaving we advised people walking up to restaurant to not waste their time. read more

We come for brunch almost every other weekend and Shonda is always there with a smile, knows our name, and provides exceptional service!

Wonderful food, wait staff, and and it's fun to watch the barges go by! We always come back when we're at the beach.

Very unorganized. We were told that the downstairs area was family friendly and we were even directed to sit there by the staff, once we'd already sat and ordered they've threatened to call the cops on us for having children at the bar area?? read more

Love this place!!! I had eaten here probably 7 to 8 years ago and had been looking for it ever since. So glad we found it. Will be one of our two go to. Manager, Laura and waitress, Michelle were great and the rest of the staff was friendly too. Sat out in screened in porch. Stayed longer than planned because of weather. The drinks were good and the food was really good. Started out with the Ultimate Bloody Mary, a meal all on it's own(Hush puppy, oyster, shrimp, Brussel sprout, cheese, olives, sweet pickle, pickled okra, asparagus, mushroom, carrot & jalapeño), All American breakfast, Belgian waffle breakfast, crab bites, Dive burger with onion rings & shrimp dinner with fries and hush puppies. Burger and hush puppies were our favorites. Everything was delicious! read more

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Great spot, right on the water. My Bloody Mary was perfect! Service was fast and friendly. Will definitely go back next time we are in the area. read more

Dorado's - Best Bloody Mary in town! - Seafood Near Me - Surfside Beach, Texas

Dorado's is a crowd pleaser! Oysters, ceviche and shrimp tacos are some of our favorites. Staff is always great and every now and then we caught a few dolphins swimming! read more

Rare that I give a 5 star but I did! Coconut shrimp and fried shrimp great! Boudin balls really good, nice touch with the cheese in the middle. Only issue is it's a little expensive, but it's in a beach town so I get it. Will def be back! read more

Absolutely adore this spot in Surfside! The salads were amazingly fresh and loaded with veggies, cheese and bacon. My friend ordered some tasty fried crabcakes that were honestly the best I've had in a while. Especially with that jalapeno dip. It was a nice dish to share. I ordered the cheesesticks on the side and they were lightly battered and very cheesy. The patio upstairs is perfect to dine outside while enjoying waves and conversation. My vino was also crisp, cold and fairly inexpensive. I was wishing we had stayed for karaoke but there was lots going on and just a fun spot to be at on a Sunday. Very happy we decided on a whim to come here. This will without a doubt be my dining option of choice the next time I come down here for a run or just for some fun! read more

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The shrimp fish was rubbery. The chicken tenders weren't great/ I would not come here for a delicious meal. The ambitious is nice for a drink on the water, and the service was friendly. Just wouldn't recommend it for food. read more

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This is a 'go to' place in Surfside. Enjoy friendly, reliable service from bartenders, servers and runners. Enjoy amazing sunset views across the Intracoastal. Check out Steak Night or their amazing burgers and peel your own shrimp. Live entertainment most nights. Watch mariners come in with their catch or their tales of the one that got away. Locals and first timer vacationers enjoy the vibe at the Well down below. read more

Dorado's - Sunset from the deck at the Well @ Dorados. - Seafood Near Me - Surfside Beach, Texas

Brought our fish that we caught. They did a great job cooking it and prepared it multiple ways (fried,blackened and grilled). Our waitress Jesse was attentive and super friendly. read more

Dorado's - Seafood Near Me - Surfside Beach, Texas

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The service here was super fast. We were in & out very quickly! The food was good, decently priced, and filling. The shrimp needed a lot of the shell peeled before eating. The music was a bit loud for the type of restaurant, I feel as if it did not have to be that loud because it wasnt a party-like atmosphere. Our server was kind and the place was great despite that there are no beers on tap and a limited menu. read more

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TLDR: Dive in cuz you could do a lot worse! Good drinks, nice water view, and a few tasty food items. Visit: Weekend (lunch) Order: Ultimate Bloody Mary: 7.6/10 A mildly spicy Bloody Mary accompanied by a plethora of pickled vegetables, fried oyster, bacon, and a boiled shrimp. It's practically an appetizer! Michelada: 7.4/10 Standard michelada mix, with Tajin around the rim. Can't go wrong. Ocean Water: 7.8/10 Love sweet drinks?! This one tastes like a cotton candy pina colada. It's a doozy cuz it's served in a giant glass goblet. Whipped vodka, blue curacao, pina colada mix, sprite. Raw Oysters: 7.9/10 $1 oysters!!! Do it. Spicy Crab Bites: 8.1/10 Crispy fried crab balls with ranch (maybe ask for the slammer sauce too). The stuffing had a decent amount of crab and had a slight hush puppy sweetness to it. Def not bad! read more

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We stopped in for lunch today and were greeted with a big smile welcoming us in. She ended up being our waitress and was so personable and friendly, we were really impressed with her. We loved the view, being right on the water is awesome. I had the spicy grilled chicken sandwich and my husband had a burger. He absolutely loved his burger! My chicken sandwich was really good, but the fries were my favorite! Crispy and really good flavor. We will definitely be back! read more

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I found this spot one day just driving around Surfside and decided to head back there yesterday for an enjoyable afternoon on the patio. BOY did we enjoy ourselves!! We walked into a piece of heaven! The cool breeze on the patio was to die for! The music was perfect! Who knew it was Karaoke Sunday?! Wow, what a treat!! Some local lady graced us with her voice as she sang everything from country to Alicia Keys! She was amazing! A few others also graced the stage with their amazing vocals. While listening to the awesome music, we enjoyed some delicious fried fish, shrimp & oysters. They were fried perfectly! And were seasoned just right! We washed it all down with the best Malibu Sunset drinks. What a perfect ending to our Sunday! Can't wait to stop by again! Oh, and the service is impeccable! All of the wait staff is super nice and friendly! Trust you will want to return over & over again! We had such a good time, I forgot to take pics!!! LOL, I will have to remember to do that next time! read more

Good food and service. We say outside on the upper side deck. They had a band playing but it was extremely loud. We must have been sitting right above. It was too much trouble to move but something to consider next time. read more