Dockside Seafood Market

My husband and I decided to catch an early dinner here with our toddler instead of Chix (too long of a wait with a toddler). I am very pleased we stopped here instead. If you like a fruity mixed drink, the lynnhaven sunset will not disappoint you at all. If my toddler wasn't crying, I would've ordered a couple of those. I got the fried platter and enjoyed every bite. The shrimp were huge and the crabcake was honestly the best recipe I've ever had. The lumpia appetizer was also very fresh and enjoyed. Last night before coming to the beach, I looked at yelp reviews to see which restaurant I wanted to try this trip. Honestly, I skipped over this one because of their score. If I could give this place more than one 5 star review to raise their score, I would. We will definitely be coming back!

The service was slow on a relatively slow night.The French onion soup had little taste and was not comparable to other good French onion soups I have had. It was their soup special for the night. I ordered chicken Alfredo penne pasta that came out with cold Alfredo sauce. The chicken tasted good, however, the Alfredo sauce had no taste as well. Overall not impressed with the food or the service. Sitting on the dock and eating was pleasant.

They were out of crabs when we arrived, but the space looked clean and orderly. I also saw then freshly steamed fish being prepared for customers waiting. We didnt get actual service becasue they notified us that the oysters were sold out.

Went by for a late lunch. The three of us sat at the bar. I ordered the fried clams with fries lunch special. Others ordered shrimp basket and another got the she crab soup. My clams were great. Nice big perfectly fried strips. Very good dipped in the cocktail sauce. The shrimp were big and the soup delicious. Great view of the water from the bar. Our server was friendly and provided great service.

Our server, Kai provided exceptional service! He evoked warmth and was attentive without being overbearing.We came in for an early dinner and chose outdoor seating, which ended up being peaceful as we were able to look out onto the water and land in the distance. We took advantage of their $18 sunset special entrees, opting for the shrimp parmesan and crabcake. The former was coated in a flavorful tomato sauce garnished with parsley; the shrimp was breaded well but there were sparse pieces. The crabcake was served with chunky, well-seasoned fries and coleslaw. However, we did encounter bits of shell. We also got the fried calamari appetizer, which was served as a generous portion and seasoned well. Would recommend this spot to anyone in the area craving seafood!

I stopped by during the week, I'd say early afternoon and it wasn't busy. We were seated immediately and sat outside on the dock. It was fairly quiet, everyone outside is just enjoying their meal. With all the boats and jet skis passing by it was still peaceful and if anything contributed to the ambiance of being near the water. The menu is decent, but limited. There isn't an option to add to your plate (i.e extra scallops) with the exception of a side of fried shrimp. You'd have to order a whole platter if you want something not included in your meal. My husband likes to order a variety of seafood so not having the option to add to his platter was disappointing. My husband ordered the seafood platter. He enjoyed the scallops, the crab cake had excellent flavor and texture but that came to an end when he kept having to pick shells out of it. Keep in mind if you order the seafood platter fried it comes with fish, broiled doesn't.I ordered the whole fried red snapper. It was excellent and I don't mind picking through bones (my mom worked at a seafood cannery my entire childhood so I've learned some things from her). I ordered potatoes and Cole slaw but received the vegetable medley instead. Wasn't thrilled about that but didn't return it back since our waiter wasn't around often. The medley lacked flavor and so did the coleslaw as it was watery. I recommend looking at their menu prior to going, and reading current reviews from other patrons as I did. Our waiter didn't mention other items/info not listed on the menu. I had to ask and only did so because I read past reviews about the availability of items. Otherwise, he would not have brought it to our attention. The ambiance and main entrees will bring me back. I'll give this place another shot and try something new, especially the sides, to see if it'll keep me there as a long term repeating customer. I do suggest going during the week and if possible earlier in the day. Bottom line, this is a great place to get fresh seafood. Just a few changes on the things mentioned would make it even better.

If you're looking for the true waterside VA Beach vibe, this is it! Food is not the best per se, but the menu is the best you'll find, service is fantastic, and views to die for (or just hang out with your meal and drinks.)We found the food all somewhat bland, and sadly, the salt shakers are all pretty much solid due to being outside.I was so excited for Halibut! But mine was visibly tasteless and pretty underdone, but edible. And I was not expecting the veg medley to be mostly cabbage. The Potato side was very good!Crab dip was good, but I guess I wasn't expecting bagged tortilla chips (although I'm sure that was on the menu), and I was pretty annoyed that the shareable serving was mostly crumbs, impossible to dip. But again, this is a great joint especially for out-of-towners looking for real seafood in a CASUAL and great setting. Our Indiana family visitors were tickled and said it was exactly what they were looking for before heading back to the Plains states! Pro tip: on Sunday evenings, they are getting to the end of the fresh fish haul, so you might get much larger portions as they need to deplete the stock! Also though, some items may be out. But your server will certainly tell you! Parking is a little tight, as several places share the main lot. I do not recommend taking a large vehicle (like a Chevy Silverado for instance ;-))

Dockside is the bast seafood restaurant I have eaten at and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants an exceptional experience. The service and ambience is right on and what you would expect from an excellent seafood restaurant. They are located right on the water and can be enjoyed by boat. You can enjoy your experience inside or out depending on the weather. If you want fresh seafood, Dockside is for you.

Great experience! Food was amazing. Fresh fish, crab legs, and cocktails were wonderful! Can't recommend this place enough!

had our car towed At the end of the night. terrible place to go. Do not recommend this place