Dockside Seafood & Fishing Center — Restaurant in Virginia Beach

Fresh Catches and Waterfront Charm: Four Stars for Dockside Seafood & Fishing Center Dockside Seafood & Fishing Center on Shore Drive is a Virginia Beach institution, beloved by locals and tourists alike for its authentic seafood experience. It's more than just a restaurant; it's a working fishing center with a vibrant atmosphere that truly connects you to the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay. The biggest draw here is, without a doubt, the seafood. It's incredibly fresh, often caught by the very boats docked just outside the restaurant. Whether you're craving steamed shrimp, fried oysters, crab cakes, or a fresh catch of the day, you can taste the quality. The menu is classic seafood fare, prepared simply and effectively, letting the natural flavors shine. Their she-crab soup is frequently praised and a must-try for many. Plus, the convenience of having a fresh seafood market downstairs means you can even take some of that freshness home with you. The setting is equally appealing. Overlooking the Lynnhaven Inlet, you get fantastic waterfront views, often accompanied by the sights and sounds of fishing boats coming and going. It's a casual, laid-back atmosphere perfect for a relaxed meal. The outdoor seating is especially popular when the weather is nice, offering a great spot to soak in the coastal ambiance. What keeps it from a perfect five stars is primarily the occasional inconsistency in service during peak hours, which can be expected at such a popular spot. While typically friendly and efficient, it can get a bit overwhelmed. Also, while the food is fresh and good, it tends to be more straightforward preparation rather than highly innovative culinary creations, which might not appeal to everyone looking for a more "fine dining" experience. Overall, Dockside Seafood & Fishing Center delivers a genuine, no-frills, incredibly fresh seafood experience in a picturesque waterfront setting. It's a fantastic choice for anyone who loves seafood as it should be – straight from the water to your plate. A solid four-star experience for its fresh catches and...

This is as much a seafood market as it is a restaurant, and actually they have quite a variety of things in the market that a traveler (like us) might be interested in picking up. But we didn't buy anything there, so this review is about the restaurant part only. Do here we go. After walking thru the market we were greeted pleasantly and seated in a shaded booth outside by the dock as we requested. The star attractions for us turned out to be the atmosphere and the roasted potatoes. Sitting dockside on the bay, watching boaters go out and come in (and in some cases dock and come into the restaurant) was very entertaining, and let's face it, that kind of setting can just make seafood taste better, right? But kinda unfortunately, it was the roasted potatoes, or maybe we should call them steak fries, that were the shining light among what we sampled. (Also, the regular fries were not bad.) Second best item would be the crab cake, which was nothing special by Chesapeake Bay standards, but would knock me out for sure if I got it in Florida or Texas or wherever else. The huge disappointment was the most expensive item we ordered, and at least what I think of as a signature item in this area: crab legs. These were at best overdone and salty, and at worst unpleasant. We actually left some on the plate. Maybe just a bad day for the kitchen, who knows, but it was not good. On the positive side, the hush puppies and potato salad ordered with the crab legs were quite good. The hush puppies had little corn kernels in them that made for a nice texture. Drinks were fine, nothing made a big impression. Ditto the service. And in the end, what could have been a very good experience turned into average at best with the crab leg fiasco. I will say they seemed to have quite a few locals who were regular customers, so maybe we just ordered the wrong thing on...

Let me start by saying that the food is always good when we go there. However, this last Friday evening, the service was not so good. It started out good. Sam, our waitress, was very polite. But she didn't do a few things right. I ordered the special scallops, and my friend ordered the whole sea bass. Having seen the prices on the menu, I wasn't too worried about the price of these dishes. The waitress did not tell us the prices of the specials. When I got the check, I saw it was more expensive than all the dishes listed on the menu. Some "special". Also, I ordered the red potatoes. She brought me potato salad, which I specifically said I didn't want, after asking some questions about it. It turns out, another person at the other end of the table (3 seats down) got my side dishes and I got his. She took the orders and brought the food out. So, she should have known where to put which dish! The way I "got" my bill was on a little credit card machine. I couldn't see the itemized bill before I paid. So, I paid it and selected a printout of my bill. When I got it, I noticed that I was charged for 3 cups of she-crab soup. The waitress was nowhere to be seen. So, I asked for her to come back. After a long while, she did. I showed her the mistake. It was pretty obvious that I was paying for TWO people. So, why would there be 3 cups on the bill?? So, she just started asking around the table about who else had a cup, instead of trying to remedy my bill. Then, she went to look at the menu for the price, so she could see how much to take off. One of my friends asked if the price was on the ticket. She said it listed 3 and she didn't know how much ONE cup was! Well, $24 divided by 3 is......drumroll.........$8! Again, the...