Dockside Restaurant & Bar — Restaurant in Port Macquarie

Well....where do I start. Had a bad feeling when we got there for our reservation for Valentines day as the place looked disorganised. Was greeted by young lady who said there's a spare table over there number 16 and we went over there on our own and couldn't find it so we asked to go upstairs. Same waitress said yeah go up and find a table. Found a table in a nice spot with marina views. Waited 30 minutes to take an order and ordered 2 cocktails only to be told 20 minutes later we don't have any espresso Martini and also we don't have any crab arancini (from a set menu mind you) Waited about 50 minutes for drinks to arrive. Seen a couple of tables get up and leave in this time and we should of as well. The 4 waitresses constantly coming upstairs not knowing what tables food was going to and asking customers if they have received entrees or mains and 1 of the managers even swore a couple of times. Entrees came out finally after 1 hour 20 minutes and weren't too bad. Waited another 40 minutes for mains my wife ordered the fillet Mignon medium rare (pictured)and a rump steak come out well done. Took it back and asked for another steak cooked properly and luckily it was but still wasn't a fillet Mignon and no one even mentioned it to us. Oh and they tried to give us dessert before our mains. Finished mains only to be told there was no dessert left. Went and had a 50.c maccas icecream and the service from the 15 year old was top notch. Very rare you see a lot of interaction with couples in a restaurant but we all had something in common....terrible service from a completely incompetent owner who never even showed his face to us who were upstairs. We were all laughing and having the same terrible service ....we were told the 1st 4 couples got upstairs even had to turn the lights on. At least we got a discount but it's only money....but hey this was a money vsnt buy experience. So happy valentines day to all the unlucky guys who booked the restaurant and probably won't get lucky tonight. I know I'm in...

I don’t like to leave negative reviews for any business but after last night I feel like it is needed. Myself and my partner had booked a table for last night for valentines. Upon arrival we were left standing with several staff walking past us without acknowledging us, we then approached the women behind the bar who gave us our table number and we found our table and sat down.

Once we were seated it took 35 minutes before any staff approached our table. When the waitress finally came over to take our order we were not even greeted or didn’t even acknowledged how long we were waiting and simply just goes “yes?” While standing there with her iPad.

Part of the set menu stated that “On arrival” a glass of champagne and focaccia would be included. 45 minutes into our arrival before we received our glass of champagne which we actually had to go to the bar and get ourselves. It was one hour and fifteen minutes before we received our starter as well as our “on arrival focaccia”. The only saving grace of the night was the food was actually pretty decent.

There was no sign of any manager on duty And staff seemed to be all over the place with some clearly working a lot harder than others. We actually felt quite bad for some of the staff who seemed to be trying their hardest. This restaurant has a lot of potential as it’s in a lovely location and the food is great but until they sort out their service it’s definitely a place we won’t be back too.

Multiple tables walked out while we were there and everyone that stayed just found the whole thing comical. We paid nearly 200 dollars for an extremely poor experience which was suppose to be a beautiful valentines meal. I feel sorry for anyone that booked this as their first valentines meal and hope ye survived after this...

Like many couple's we booked a table in a lovely little restaurant call the Dockside.💕

Upon our arrival at 6:55pm we stood awaiting to be seated. Um the owner said just go upstairs and sit anywhere. 🤔

We climb the steep staircase to be greeted by couples with blank faces, a silence of confusion as to what to do. 😱👻 The only tables left was on the dark side of the room. As we sat in the dark my partner's chair made aloud crack noise from under him, the chair's legs were very unstable. 😬

The room burst into laughed 🤣🤣, unknown to us many couples have been waiting for an hour to be served, a drink of water maybe but nothing. One couple got up and left, then another than another and so on.

Aloud pop of a pink ballon🎈 in the hauted room, silence was felt again as we all looked at each once more. New couples arrived then left. 👋

After awhile of waiting a lovely waitress came around , took orders and drinks.🥂🍺

After 40mins nothing, My partner went down the stairs to ask for our drinks, to only received a blank look from the lady behind the bar 😶, he grab a bottle of water, run back up the stairs. Apparently a backlog of drinks 🤔 8:20pm our champagne arrived,🥂 The waitress asked if everyone has had there meals yet, we all looked at each other again with disbelief.🤔 Finally at 8:40pm one by one the meals arrived, Some even received their desserts 🍰 before the main meal. 9pm arrives, a young waitress comes into the room and ask would we l Like our candles lit 🕯🕯🕯

With all the couples that stayed we laughed, talked, it felt like we were at a school camp. Thankyou to all that stayed The night wasn't so bad after all. The meal was okay Waitress were great The owners need to do better planning.

Happy Valentine's ❤ 🤣🤣 Thankyou for the rose and yes...