Captain Dan's — Restaurant in New Brunswick

Absolutely the Worst Dining Experience – Poorly Managed and Not Worth the Wait

Avoid this place during and after supper time, especially on busy weekends.

We arrived at Captain Dan’s at 7:28 PM on a hot summer Saturday (July 12,2025) during a local festival. As expected, the place was packed — a lineup of about 20 people just to get seated on the second floor. We asked if the beer garden served meals and were told yes, so we got a table and waited... and waited... and waited.

One waitress kept walking by with drinks, bills, payment machines — but never once stopped at our table. I tried waving my menu to catch her attention. After 30 minutes, my wife finally got up to speak to her directly, and only then did she come take our order. I asked for the seafood chowder, and my wife ordered the overpriced lobster roll with fries.

We received our glass of water fairly quickly — but that was it. Around 8:00 PM, they put up a sign saying the second floor was closed, but no one warned us about what was coming.

We then waited ANOTHER full hour — until around 9:00 PM — when a different waiter came to inform me that they had run out of seafood chowder. He asked if I wanted to order something else, but at that point, why bother? It was already late, and I had no intention of sitting around another 30–60 minutes for greasy bar food. They completely wasted our evening.

This disaster falls entirely on poor management. It was the middle of July — a hot Saturday night during festival season — and yet the place was drastically understaffed. For the beer garden alone, there were about 75 patrons, with only four waiters to serve drinks, take orders, deliver food, and manage the entire first floor inside as well. That’s easily another 40–50 people. It was obvious the team was overwhelmed.

Rather than plan ahead or manage the chaos, they kept letting people in and seating them on the second floor — even though the staff and kitchen clearly couldn’t keep up. There was no mention of wait times, no communication, and no accountability. If you can’t serve your customers, you have to close areas down earlier, not after everyone is already frustrated and hungry.

To top it off, the lobster roll was also wrong — butter only, even though my wife ordered the one with mayonnaise.

We’ve been eating here 3–4 times a season for years. The only time I’d ever consider returning is at lunchtime, when the crowd is smaller — because it seems like they have the exact same staffing levels at noon as they do on a busy Saturday night. That’s just greedy, short-sighted management. Avoid this place unless you enjoy wasting two hours for subpar food...

A Memorable Canada Day and Wedding Anniversary Celebration at Captain Dan's

Captain Dan's in Point-du-Chene, NB, continues to be our go-to spot for a delightful dining experience, and this time was no exception. As we celebrated Canada Day and our Wedding Anniversary, we enjoyed a scrumptious meal that left us completely satisfied. It's truly a great value for the price.

The restaurant's picturesque location overlooking the wharf, boats, and the bay added to the charm of our visit. We love the vibrant ambiance at Captain Dan's, especially in the evenings when live bands take the stage downstairs, and the upstairs area comes alive with dancing. It's truly a lovely place to unwind, soak in the atmosphere, and enjoy the lively entertainment.

Despite the bustling crowd on Canada Day, we were promptly seated by the friendly staff. However, a sudden downpour forced us to relocate to the downstairs area. Although it lacked the same ambiance as upstairs, we appreciated the shelter it provided.

Now, onto the highlight of our visit—the food. We shared a generous 4 piece Haddock and Chips, accompanied by a delectable potato salad. The fish was perfectly cooked, encased in a crispy batter that wasn't overly greasy. The fries were a delight, with their extra crispy exterior and soft, tender interior. Our son thoroughly enjoyed his Double Burger, which boasted juicy, flavorful meat and a satisfying array of toppings. While he found it a touch greasy, the bite I stole was absolute perfection. The fries were a hit with him as well.

The only minor disappointment was my drink order. Despite emphasizing that I wanted just a small amount of ice, my glass was filled to the brim with ice, leaving only a third of it for the beverage. Next time, I'll make sure to be extra clear in my request.

Overall, Captain Dan's remains one of our favorite destinations for great food, beautiful views, enjoyable entertainment, and incredible value for the price. This visit lived up to our high expectations, earning a solid rating of 9/10...

The atmosphere is very summery and nice! Staff is friendly and food came very fast. Salt and pepper was missing from the table so we started our meal without it which left me and my friend disappointed as I wanted some on my rice and he wanted some on his fries. We were already a bit into our food when the staff finally came and we asked for it. Keep this in mind if you like salt and pepper, make sure to ask for it before your food arrives, we had not noticed. I found the “lobster roll” very underwhelming and disappointing for the high price charged. I expected your typical loaded lobster roll full of pieces and mayo etc in a long bun, my first this summer, but shockingly was presented with a hamburger bun with a few dry lobster pieces inside - keep this in mind if you are hoping for the other type of lobster roll which are popular all over Shediac. The rice pilaf was very good, bland at first but very good after we got salt and the artichoke dip was very good. Wasn’t a fan of the white Sangria, and I normally love all Sangrias. I almost didn’t drink it but then I felt bad so I forced myself. The virgin strawberry daiquiri wasn’t liked by my 5 year old toddler which was sad considering she loves all sugary drinks normally and I wanted her to enjoy a nice treat. I tasted it and I also didn’t like the taste so I couldn’t drink it, my friend tried it too and also didn’t like it, so it got wasted. For the high price paid, I was left very disappointed with the drinks and food but still glad we headed to Shediac and enjoyed a bit of time in the sun by the water on such a beautiful day. Will try other places next time but might give this place another go before end of summer and try something else. Upon reading other reviews, it seems like I’m not the only one surprised or disappointed by the lobster “burger”, maybe it should be better explained or have...