This restaurant has been a staple in this area for over 50 dedicated years. There is a reason for that! This is the first time I have been here and it won't be the last. The reviews on here are either good or bad. I found this restaurant to be excellent from start to finish. We were greeted with warm smiles and our waitress Teri was also very nice and attentive. The restaurant is somewhat newly decorated and had a warm ambience. While the garden salad with blue cheese dressing and the lobster bisque were both a bit bland, the salmon with hollandaise sauce was the best salmon I have ever had. It was fresh and delicious and did not have the "fishy" taste that salmon usually has. The captain's choice with lobster and shrimp was phenomenal. They subbed out the sherry wine sauce with lemon butter sauce per my request. The lobster tail was more than a generous portion. Twice baked potato substitution was small, but fantastic. The custard dessert was fresh and delicious along with a Key lime pie martini. The French martini with the raspberry vodka instead of vanilla was absolutely fantastic too. I highly recommend you come for the early bird special like we did. I will definitely be back next time I'm in the area! This restaurant definitely earned their five stars!! read more

Dover Straits - Flan/custard - Seafood Near Me - Mundelein, Illinois

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I absolutely love this place. The food is fresh and delicious,we both had the branzino, which came with the option of soup or salad, something that's surprisingly hard to find these days. The atmosphere is just as special as the food. It's an adorable, classic venue that's been around for over 50 years and still has so much charm. On Friday and Saturday nights they even have live music, which makes it such a fun experience. Even if you're not dancing, it's great just watching everyone enjoy themselves. This place really has something special going on, and I can't wait to come back. read more

Dover is an institution that's been around almost as long as I have. When I was little, we used to live nearby and whenever we drove past I'd comment on their sign, which looks like a giant ship's wheel and has a picture of a lobster. Four year old me thought this was hilarious and fascinating. Anyway, we were broke as hell back then, so never ate there. Many years later well into adulthood, I finally started going as my Uncle and Aunt were regulars and lived in Lake County and we would all go together. I've been back multiple times separately too, as I'm periodically up there for dentist appointments or to visit nature preserves. Anyway- Dover Straits is a really solid and dependable seafood restaurant. They have a special dover sole meal where the server will debone the fish for you at the table, which is a nice touch. There's a lot of oldskool stuff like that here, nice touches that have an air of classiness and comfort. They used to have these "salad boat" carts they brought around and would make your dinner salad right there with whatever you wanted, a bit like Lawry's would do, but sadly they stopped that after COVID. I've never had poor service here. The moment you walk in there's two brothers there who will greet you and bring you to your table. They're always dressed to the nines in sharp suits and are super friendly. The actual servers, many of whom have worked there for decades, are excellent too. Knowledgeable, friendly and quick. The restaurant is spotlessly clean inside and though it's an old place they've maintained it well. The decor is nautical, of course, and there's aquariums throughout with tropical fish. As for food, I had most of what they serve and my favorite is the Dover sole, but the salmon is really good as is the swordfish. There's live music and even dancing on Friday and Saturday evenings. Drinks are very good. They have a brandy ice dessert that's delicious. If you go a bit early there's an early bird menu that will save you some money off the standard dinner menu. Check the website for the start and end time for that, but it's a good deal for a great meal. read more

Food was awful. The whitefish almandine and the beef skewers were tasteless and overcooked. The waiter was kind but the quality does not warrant the price read more

Service was very attentive. Loved that they had soft shell crabs on the menu. Delicious! Place is very old school...salad, twice baked potato...yummy tiramisu for dessert. Ambiance nice, again, old school. read more

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Made a reservation for 7:00.The service was lacking . Usually when you're walking to your table the servers let you pass and not cut you off. 3 times this happened . We were seated nice round table for four , lots of space. As soon as we sat down, we were brought water and then we waited and waited after 25 minutes of no one coming to our table or even saying that we would be there besides the bus boy that brought us water I went up to the front to let them know that we would like to order and then our waiter heard and said I'll be right with you. The menu sounded really good. A lot of choices we started off with oyster Rockefeller. They look beautiful. They're gigantic. It was mostly roux . They didn't chuck the oysters so they just poured this roux over it. Was very thick could have been cooked longer. The bread was pretty good. My son ordered the fillet, medium, rare and crabcakes. It came out, medium well with sent it back and he said that we should have it less cooked so it came back. It was weird because the inside was cold and the way they seared it. It wasn't even hot crabcakes were not good. We put sauce on it to try to make them better, but it was worse. My son took home almost his whole dinner, and most likely gave it to his father who eats anything.. I ordered the Bronzino that was excellent so tender delicious it was supposed to be on a bit of asparagus, but there was not asparagus. In sight was some overcooked green beans the rice peel off that I ordered tasted weird. I think they make big batches of it and just reheat it, but it wasn't even warm the rice. My girlfriend had the shrimp to Jean and she said it was very good. My boyfriend got a sampler platter of Cajun seafood. He liked it. We were celebrating a birthday . The server was very nice and brought out a cheese cake. The bill was two hundred dollars and was bummed that most of the food wasn't good. The branzino. I had was excellent My son's steak was seasoned good but cooked incorrectly two times. The service needed help. There was a lovely waitress which unfortunately wasn't at our table but was very kind and excellent customer service . I asked her where the restrooms were and she was kind enough to walk me half way thru the dining room and down the hallway .redish burgundy hair. Thanks. I've eaten here over the years and enjoyed it before . The attraction was live music, and it's been years since I've eaten here and for me the quality was terrible . I felt like I was Gordon Ramsey tasting it and just displeased with it all. Kitchen nightmares. read more

Food is delicious!! Their fish is so fresh. That's all I get! Walleye is exceptional and scallops are so flavorful! Bartender is so friendly and makes a great cocktail.......its worth the drive from Niles to Mundelein! Nice ambiance too! Great place to dine read more

If you want a nice place for Friday or Saturday night to enjoy some live music while you dine then this place has just that. Music and dancing are a lot of fun here. The waiting service here is exceptional. One of the best places I've been to where they really accommodate you. Staff is ultra friendly too! The food was good. I liked the lobster bisque but others in the group did not. Every meal came with soup or salad and a side. I had the fried shrimp and rice and enjoyed it. Others had the filet and crab cakes and thought it was pretty good. We will be back. read more

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Miguel was our server and did a great job. No issues with anything, refilled soda drinks without asking, he is on top of everything. The other workers are very polite and efficient.We always come here to celebrate my older kid's birthdays. The owner always greets us and thanks us. Background music is nice and soft. Food is always excellent here. The only thing I miss is the salad boat that use to come around before Covid days. read more

Dover Straits - Captain's Selection - Seafood Near Me - Mundelein, Illinois

Had a great time on New Year's Eve. They were busy but still gave individual care. our waitress. Terri, was a delight and very helpful. We had so much fun with the music and all the party goods were included, including the champagne to toast the new year . It was a great deal for the price. read more

Very disappointing for the money. Onion soup lacks flavor and served warm not hot Steaks are tough. Salads that come with meal are served with watered down dressing and fish that are high priced, sea bass, are cooked like they were taken right out of the freezer. Very mushy consistency read more

Apparently this restaurant doesn't read yelp reviews We revisited Dover after over a year away hoping they had improved this short answer is they have not. Nice people not a good experience read more

So disappointing! Stale bread- Boston clam chowder tasted like cream of chicken- fish very subpar and not cheap!

Food was amazing and the music was even better. Not a place for kids or infants because of the noise levels and they serve alcohol.

Wow, I pass this place all the time and I finally made it inside! The staff is truly amazing, I felt a real warm welcome when I entered! It's been in business for over 45 years! I ordered the Golden Tilapia filet! It was cooked perfectly and you get a choice of baked potatoe, rice of the day or roasted potatoes, I chose the roasted potatoes and these were the best potatoes I've ever had! You also get a choice of salad or soup! I got the clam chowder, I have to say that there wasn't enough clams in the soup! My husband had the sautéed jumbo shrimps, it was really tasty and very tender, not overcooked! The atmosphere was quiet and elegant, definitely will be going back! Our waitress Terri was very pleasant, helpful and funny! read more

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We had the most wonderful date night here tonight! We made a reservation for 6pm and were seated promptly. Our waiter Frank was VERY well aware of what was GF and safe for me to eat. The owner and waiter were incredibly nice throughout our stay and treated us like family; we felt at home. The drinks were delicious, seafood was perfectly cooked and flavorful, and we loved the restaurant feel. They had a nice band/saxophone artist play live and a few couples even came up to dance. Don't let the crowd fool you, the older generation is keeping this gem a secret! Cant wait to come back! Bravo Bill! read more

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We've been eating at Dover Straits for a long time and always enjoy it. The food is consistently good and you are always warmly greeted by the owners, whether it is your 1st visit or 200th. We usually get the salmon or walleye pike. The shrimp is good, too as are the soups - French onion or clam chowder are our favorites. I think Dover Straits is known more for quantity and price than for top notch seafood. The food is good here but may not rate as high as at, say a Wild Fire for example. Dover Straits is also known for the Early Bird menu!! Served in the late afternoon it brings in loads of hungry folks, many of them senior citizens, which is always fine. Lots of entree choices with soup or salad and spuds and veggies at a discounted price. You can't beat it price wise! I am nearing the senior years but at Dover Straits I am usually among the youngest diners! The decor here could use a little update, but it's always clean inside. Dover Straits is a local institution. It is not hip or modern and it does not pretend to be! If you want some good seafood without breaking the bank, this is the place to be!! read more

Dining and dancing with a fun atmosphere to boot! Great seafood and drinks with friends or family a like!

Food is good, service is good, usually good music by a live band on weekends. Can be a little expensive, especially the drinks ($9). White tablecloths in main dining room. Good place to celebrate bdays, etc. read more

What a cute place. We had a small party there and the staff was so friendly and welcoming. The food was delicious. read more

Dover Straits - Chicken Breast Marsala - Seafood Near Me - Mundelein, Illinois

Great food. Good service. Reasonable prices. Management very cordial. Wonderful place for a quiet evening.

The seafood was great. There were four of us and we each had a different dish. The sea bass, lake white fish, branzino and ciopenni (sp?). It was all very good, we had the clam chowder as a side and it was delicious. Staff was nice and friendly, ambiance was delightful. read more

My first visit with my adult son to belatedly celebrate my birthday. I was impressed with the ambiance and the courteous and professional staff. We arrived in time to take advantage of the early menu choices. The food was excellent and so was our waiter, Marvin. I look forward to visiting again. read more

As always amazing experience. From the moment you walk in the door and are greeted by the owners with a smile and firm handshake. The "leading by example" attitude carries to every employee for an amazing experience. Not to mention the food is amazing as well. read more

This place is fine. It has expensive seafood that's fairly bland, which is good to get the taste of the fish, but not great if you don't like bland food. They were incredibly nice in their service. I had ordered the twice baked potato as a side, not realizing it had dairy in it when I couldn't have dairy. They brought me a different side, no charge, and they offered themselves. I think if you are a general fish restaurant fan, you'll like this place. It's not my cup of tea though. read more

Food tastes like processed Cisco Food. may as well have gone to Publix and pulled it out of the frozen food section and heated it up.

Food is very bland and overcooked. Also, the atmosphere is dated, dark, and musty. We had lobster, crab legs, oysters rockefeller, a couple drinks and a few sides. Everything tasted like it had been frozen of just extremely overcooked & without seasoning. I really wanted to like this place... and the prices shouldn't be what they are for this low of quality. Our server was also very disinterested from the start, we were excited and asked what they recommend, and they said "just get what you like" and then he walked away. read more

This was not the worst restaurant I have ever been too but...... first most of the restaurant was elderly which is neither here nor there. It was simply an observation that I happen to notice. It took us a long time to get our meal and it took a long time to get a waiter/ waitress. We ordered our dinner and when we got it I was shocked at how much it changed. The portion sizes were small and none of our food was bad it simply was bland. There seemed to be little to no flavor. The restaurant was fairly quiet and if I Am not mistaken they were playing some old music. I would not go back! Too expensive for what you get read more

Service is good. Food is very bad. All food, not just certain dishes. Waste of money.

We have been coming here for almost 40 years. We have never had a bad meal. All the servers are fantastic. Bill, the owner, never fails to greet us by name. A true Mundelein treasure! read more

We have a tradition with my friends go to this restaurant few times a year. We really like the atmosphere and appetizers! Very delicious! read more

Classic old school seafood restaurant great hosts and super service to compliment great seafood

Always good reliable and realistic prices... Authentic people authentic restaurant, never disappoints! read more

I really like this place. The food is always fresh and service is always quick and polite. I had the bass with vegetables and it was cooked perfectly. Very fresh. The glass of wine was a perfect accompaniment. We'll be back. read more

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Supper clubs are not exclusive to Wisconsin. Dover Straits has all the elements--windowless décor with soft lighting, a spacious bar with live music on weekends, two attractive dining rooms with lots of elbow room, a genial staff, and a focus on fresh seafood and steaks. We dine here infrequently only because it's a long trek from Skokie. Mothers' Day found us in Mundelein around dinnertime and we took a chance on popping in without a reservation. Luckily we did not find ourselves in dire straits at Dover Straits. The host/co-owner welcomed us graciously and, even though the restaurant was booked solid, he squeezed us in after a 30-minute wait. A nice surprise was my Missus being handed an envelope containing a $25 gift certificate towards a future visit to the restaurant. The seafaring décor and menu hark back to the 1970s. To keep things moving, salads were assembled in the kitchen rather than tableside. The creamy anchovy house dressing was just as rich as I remembered. I ordered one of my faves here, the Maryland style crab cakes; nice-size chunks of crabmeat held together with a minimum of binder. Red pepper aioli (more like a mayo), a few spears of fried asparagus, and a twice-baked potato accompanied my entrée. My Missus indulged in her fave, jumbo shrimp De Jonghe. Everything tasted fresh and well-prepared. Service was friendly and well-paced despite this being one of the restaurant's busiest occasions (and yes, they still debone Dover sole tableside). Dover Straits has been in business for 40+ years. Though not as trendy or sophisticated as high-end seafood restaurants in and around downtown Chicago, it is considered a local classic. It's the kind of place where longtime owners and loyal customers hug and greet each other by name. read more

Dover Straits - Maryland style crab cakes & fried asparagus - Seafood Near Me - Mundelein, Illinois

Excellent food seafood is fresh and well cooked Service is very good eating area clean and well kept read more

Back in the day this restaurant was really nice with good food. After my experience today I don't have plans to return or recommend it to anyone. The food just isn't good anymore. I had a lobster tail and shrimp. This is the first time ever that I have to say the food was tasteless. The service is very slow but friendly. Bathrooms are clean. It was like an assisted living facility dining room. There is a term used in real estate called functional obsolete. That means that it is a functional restaurant, but it is so outdated and old that it needs to be renovated. Again, nice staff but there is nothing I can say for the food. read more

Great value for the price! Kind & hard-working staff, delicious food, plenty of parking. I love this restaurant! read more

Went for the happy hour special great food and portions were much larger than I thought.

I went with a friend for the early bird dinner. I ordered the Parmesan crusted cod expecting some light Parmesan dusted panko crumbs. The entire piece of fish was coated top and bottom with heavy bread crumbs. I would expect a vegetable or rice but it was served with a plate full of overcooked gummy pasta. The starter salad was inundated with garbanzo beans, which isn't a big deal but I dislike them. The food was pretty low quality. The waiter was talking to a "regular" for a few minutes and we waited a while for our food to be served. I used to go there years ago and forgot about the place so I decided to try it. I won't be going back. Maybe the full price dinners are different but that early bird was awful read more