Don's Dock Seafood — Restaurant in Maine Township

So - a little backstory here prior to starting my review. bear with me, it pertains ~ We lived down the street from Johnson's for over 20 years. It was THE place for us to get our fish feast on until approx. 10 years ago. I once took my young son here who really was not a fan of fish..until we checked out this retro decor joint. Eventually, Johnson's closed, and Lawrence's purchased. yes the same as in Hillside and Canal Street in the City. I grew up going to the one on Canal. I was super stoked. But it is difficult to eat breaded shrimp on a weekly. I did have hopes that they would eventually partner with Rainbow Cone who was now in the hood and hosting a carnival. Unfortunately this never happened. We happened to check out the Des Plaines Theater last weekend. Knowing that I've been wanting to get my oyster fix on, the hubby searched out places in the area and stumbled upon Don's. We were enticed by their history. I drooled over the pics of their seafood. It was decided that we check them out. Based on my previous experiences. I have to say Des Plaines is much, much better then the Lombard location ever was. Keeping to tradition, they are a small deli styled place. I'm super cool with this, we LOVE seeking out places that have been seen some history. My father used to purchase bait at Henry's prior to taking us fishing. Don's has been the freshest seafood that I have enjoyed in quite a while. Coming from the burbs, our usual visits included Shanahans and Pappaduex. (No offense, we are still fans) For a buck cheaper then Pappaduex, Don's oysters were extraordinarily fresh - and tasty using minimal Tabasco and lemon. I was initially a little worried about their greens. It IS a Fishery after all. But, I really wanted to sample their salmon at a good price. am super happy to say that their greens were fantastic and that I enjoyed their homemade poppy seed dressing. Hey, I pay a good price for this dressing at the grocery..should be purchasing a bottle at your location instead! Shrimp - is simply amaz! Less breading then Lawrence's - and better then I remembered. Some try to mask how fresh their catch is, Don's does not need to. We did a quarter pound this round, just to sample. Our eyes were huge, we wanted (scratch that...needed) to sample everything. And let's face it, seafood is not the best when reheated... Their old Skool atmosphere was appreciated and enjoyed. They offer about 6 tables outside of the building. It is BYOB. Tiki's were a perfect partner for this evening. Does appear to have a steady flow of customers through-out the day and evening. We were fortunate to come when there was not a long wait. Service is AMAZ and fun. Super glad to have found this place. We will be...

WHAT A GEM!

Stayed in nearby Arlington Heights and just picked this place based on local reviews and they were right on the money. This stalwart of the area didn't stay in business all this time by luck.

Met and talked to the daughter of the owner who wondered how we found the place since we had never been in the area. The staff was very friendly and helpful since the menu offerings are plentiful and can be overwhelming for the first timer.

We had the following: Crab cake meal, I was able to substitute potato salad for coleslaw since I don't like it. Lobster roll meals with fries. Hush puppies.

I've thought about the crab cakes many times since returning home. The crab cakes were full of crab, not a filler patty flavored with some crab meat. Since I'm not a large portion eater (grazer) I struggled to finish both cakes, I'd opt for the crab cake sandwich next time if we ever go to Chicago again. It was one of my favorite meals during an 11 day road trip all the way down to GA through all the states south of Iowa, and back.

Lobster rolls were delicious, not too much mayo and just a little celery for added flavor and crunch. Bread was well prepared, just a delicious lobster roll with tender properly cooked lobster.

I'm no hush puppy expert (not a thing where we're from) but any examples I had in the past were totally flavorless compared to the ones here. I might as well have never tried any before, I never understood what the big deal was. Don's were flavorful and delicious.

For us the prices were so reasonable. Where we're from in CA, the things we ate are easily 30%-40% more. This was just a great place to have eaten at near the last day of our trip. I would choose to eat here over most places we've eaten at in the city proper. Just a modest, long standing family business, turning...

Don’s Dock Seafood is amazing and highly recommended! This gem is very accessible and very easy to visit. They are also near other well-known places around the area. This place is full of awesome dishes and fresh seafood. The menu here is mind-blowing and they have a huge variety of selections. They have grilled meals, fried meals, shrimp, lobsters, sandwiches, salads, desserts, etc. What a wonderful menu! You can absolutely find anything you want here and fill your stomach up. Also, they have child meals that are really perfect for all those customers who have children with them that also want to dine. This place makes life amazing! Don’s Dock Seafood can really satisfy your seafood cravings. Everything on their menu is worth trying and very affordable. The food was fine and delicious. A spot to go for a wide variety of fresh seafood either raw, boiled, steamed, grilled, or fried. Don’s Dock Seafood really knows how to satisfy its customers by cooking great seafood dishes. All of the people who work here are really nice, friendly, helpful, and professional. They are really fun to be with. They are always willing to help and assist their customers around the place. Also, they got the orders correct and serve all of them on time. They also have a mini market inside the place for those customers who want to take seafood uncooked and bring it home. Their prices are reasonable and fair for a seafood spot. Don’s Dock Seafood has very fast service and prompt. I will definitely go back again and explore more food on their menu. Kudos to all the people working at this place! Keep it...