surprisingly REALLY good! cute outdoor seating, live music & so giant of a property that you don't have to be up close to the loud music, you can still get away for a nice view of the ocean and be upstairs sat by the bar upstairs on the right side and we were so happy there! the horseradish crusted salmon was AMAZING. it wasn't too strong for you horseradish haters & it was one of the best things i've ever eaten !! wow it was horseradish crusted salmon with mashed potatoes and lemon butter asparagus. phenomenal. i will definitely be back!! my best friend nat had the scallops with a caesar salad and french fries. they were super buttery and she absolutely loved them!! thank you mr dockside dave :-) read more

Dockside Dave's - horseradish crusted salmon w mashed potatoes and lemon butter asparagus - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

We were excited to try Dockside Dave's after hearing good things, especially since the seafood spot we originally planned to visit unfortunately never recovered from the hurricane. The bartenders were cool and friendly, and they talked us into trying the grouper. We ordered two grouper sandwiches with fries and a blackened medium shrimp meal with fries, plus onion rings. Our quick takeout lunch for three somehow ended up over $100. I don't mind paying market price for fresh fish, but I would've appreciated being told the current price of the grouper and that the fries were an additional charge. The grouper meal ended up around $31 compared with other sandwiches in the $14-$17 range. Unfortunately, opening the food was the bigger disappointment. The fries with ALL THREE meals were so hard we couldn't eat them. The blackened shrimp were cooked to a crisp, and the onion rings were extremely over-fried and greasy. The bright spot: the grouper itself was DELICIOUS. We tried both the beer-battered and breaded versions and really enjoyed them. That's what makes this so disappointing. There was clearly potential here, but for a $100+ takeout lunch, having that much of the order inedible was unacceptable. I wish we'd checked the food before leaving because we would've asked for those items to be remade. Hopefully the restaurant will give us an opportunity to make this experience right. read more

Dockside Dave's - "Small" Onion rings were one big clump of grease - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

It has potential. Just walking into the place, it wasn't clear where to find the hostess. We just sat at the bar. Everyone that came in after us was asking the bar tender where to find the hostess. The food and service was average. There was nothing special or outstanding that makes me want to go back. read more

Service was great! Recommend sitting on 2nd floor to get the great ocean views. We went there as the grouper sandwich was highly recommended. It was good but very expensive and didn't come with a side and definitely not top 5 as recommendation noted. The wedge salad was really good and it was HUGE! Enough for 2 people. Lots of outdoor seating. Free parking which is nice and walking distance to Madeira Beach. read more

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SOLID 5 STARS My Wing Man Gary (USAF Pilot, retired) and I had a taste for scallops, so off to Dockside Dave's we went. I had my 8 large scallops ($24.95) prepared with my fav, lemon pepper, and Gary went with his fav, blackened. We also went with Dockside Onion Rings appetizer ($9.95). Topped it off with a great Bloody Mary. Dockside Dave's is a local favorite with great prices and great food. Emilie provided spot on service as well. Can't go wrong with any item on the menu. Trust me! read more

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Probably the best grouper on the Pinellas County FL gulf-beaches! Dockside Dave's in Madeira Beach is finally open after the hurricanes! (May 2026) It's better than ever! The onion rings were crispy, huge and flavorful! The fried grouper was truly half a pound. Delicious and crispy in their beer batter! They still have the pink soup! And the tomato basil was very flavorful and homemade. They have covered seating out front, on the side, upstairs, too! Also indoor seating of course. It's great to see such excellent quality food again from this classic beach restaurant :-) read more

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We sat at bar as there was a wait for a table. James greeted us and got us ice cold beer to start. We ordered the Gigantic onion rings. They were so good. We shared the Grouper sandwich as it was HUGH!. Got it blackened Nice atmosphere. Open to outside downstairs and an upstairs bar and outdoor seating as well. We'll we got the grouper sandwich and it warm at best. We got it blackened, but flavor was lacking. We thought we were getting fries, but we were served waffled fries which were just barely warm. The slaw was warm at best. We went here way before the hurricane and the grouper was not that great then either. After hearing all the rave reviews about their grouper sandwich, not sure we'll be back. James the bartender was attentive as the bar was busy. The atmosphere was ok, just it was a little pricy, but I guess its for tourists mostly. read more

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We lived in the general vicinity of Dockside Dave's for many years and frequently visited them for great grouper, scallops, homemade onion rings and more. After living in N. Carolina for 4 years, I am returning to this area for a week-long vacation, and I fully intend on going to Dockside Dave's several times, during my stay. read more

Love Love Love this place - so glad they opened back up after the big storm! Grouper Nuggets were so good! Fish was moist and the outside was crispy. Perfecto! Dave's Citrus Shrimp sooooooo DELICIOUS!!! Get them!!! Onion Rings... something changed..? The batter didn't seem quite the same as last time we were there. Still good, but not as "airy" and light as they were before. The staff was the same friendly, maybe even more upbeat, as before. Always happy to be there! The renovation is amazing - the new upstairs seating and the added bar is GREAT!! Love what they did. Got me some nice merch to show off that they are back in business!! Would I go back? YES... totally worth the trek from California ! read more

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Best fish sandwich I've ever had and great onion rings too! We were only in the area for about 4 days and we went back for it! Staff was nice and the vibe was laid back. read more

Dockside Dave's - Grouper fried sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

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Took a day trip and had lunch at DD's. The outside seating allows to enjoy a nice day with an ocean breeze to go along with some good food. The hand made onion rings are a meal by themselves which is what may happen next time with a beer. The fried oysters meal came with waffle fries sprinkled with old bay and they spoke to me! The shrimp po' boy had some really good Gulf shrimp that was good by themselves which. Our server Amanda was always there and made sure you were never in need. read more

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First time back since the remodel after the hurricane. The grouper was TREMENDOUS!!! The onion rings were AMAZING!!! Met friends from Avon Park. My wife and I came from Fort Myers. HIGHLY recommend. Sam was a great server. Thomas was also a great help. read more

Our family came here on the last night of our vacation and we were blown away with the hospitality we received. The hostess accommodated us and found us great seating outside for our party of 6. The vibes are chill and beachy, and perfect for a family. The food was super delicious, and the portion sizes were great for the prices we paid. Affordable seafood. I ordered the clam strip basket and I loved it. Sailor was our server and she was absolutely incredible! Her energy was so great and she was so bubbly. I would credit most of our positive experience tonight to her amazing energy and service. read more

Dockside Dave's - Clam strips basket - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

They just recently renovated the building. It's nice and clean with outside seating and inside as well. Service is friendly and helpful. We ordered the large grouper sandwich blackened. It was huge and plenty for us to split. The largest onion rings I have ever seen. We got a small order. They were cooked perfectly and crispy. Best rings ever. We are always happy at this restaurant. Good drinks also. read more

Dockside Dave's - Huge onion rings - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

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Great food and great service! The food is delicious. The grouper sandwich and the onion rings are their famous dishes. Now I know why. Everything, even the strawberry lemonade cocktail, was delicious. The service was great too. Kelsey was our server, but multiple people checked on us, refilled drinks, cleared plates. Great teamwork. The manager, James, stopped by. I can't remember the last time a manage did that in a restaurant. This place goes on the list of must visit when in town. read more

First time back since the hurricane disaster. Its completely remodeled with 2 stories and full bars. Yes I said bars. 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs. Ordered the grouper sandwhich batter fried and its better than it was before. Didnt think this was possible but it was! And the onion rings are magnificent. The batter is unbelievable. Love love love this place. And now with better views on the second story read more

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As a veteran 37 year resident and loyal customer of Dockside Dave's since the late 80's when they occupied the now Mad Beach Cantina location have been enjoying FRESH off the boat, never frozen Grouper known to locals as the 1/2 Pound Super Grouper Sandwich that has never disappointed EVER! At 14701 Gulf Blvd, this completely renovated & restored structure has been dramatically improved from its pre Hurricane Helene stature in a great way. All new bars and the total addition of a second floor eating & bar area has enhanced the restaurant 500%! Renovations have taken 18 months and locals have patiently awaited the reopening with total satisfaction! Service at the brand new operation is very good and the food was exceptionally good ! This restaurant will likely grow to be the STAR of Madeira Beach Seafood. Offering free parking for patrons and a PSTA STOP directly in front makes for a prime location! Many local residents as ourselves are so very fortunate to walk making this truly a HIDDEN GEM!!! If you love fresh Grouper and a great olde Florida ambiance - this is a Must Try! read more

Visited the area for the weekend, and this place was recommended by our Airbnb host. We sat on the rooftop, which had a really nice vibe. Even though we arrived close to midnight, the atmosphere was still great. Our server was awesome--friendly, funny, and made the experience even better. We started with the grouper cakes, and I highly recommend ordering them as an appetizer. They were perfectly crispy on the outside while staying incredibly tender and moist on the inside. The pink sauce served with them was delicious and paired perfectly. They were so good that I ordered two extra servings to take home. For my entrée, I had the horseradish-crusted salmon. I've never had a dish that used horseradish this well. It added a vibrant kick of spice without being overpowering, creating a really balanced flavor that complemented the salmon instead of masking it. If you're a seafood fan, I definitely recommend giving this dish a try. read more

The best tasting grit cake I I've ever had! Please try it soon Great spot on Madeira Beach read more

Dockside Dave's - Blackened grouper and creole fried grit cakes. The best I've ever had! - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

Nice view upstairs. Great service. Fish tacos were good. Cold beer. Bar food for sure. Parking is a little tough.

I had previously (pre hurricane) gone and wrote a Great review. Fast forward after hurricane to celebrate my husbands birthday and support a local place, what a horrible difference! Stood inside to be acknowledged when walked in and not kidding waited over 20 minutes, only because we asked a waiter. Took forever for food to arrive and not all at once, 5-15 minutes between plates arriving and on top my husband whom was celebrating his birthday was the Last one to receive his meal. Complete disappointment between the time and the food being horrible. Yes, they've only been open a month but at that rate I don't know. Saturday night was not full house. We were told they were trying to work everything out. Today Sunday, Everyone is sick to their stomach! Good Luck read more

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To start, the service. Holy hell I've never been more annoyed in my entire life and I'm like State Farm. I know a thing or 2 because I've seen a thing or 2. Our waitress aka most annoying woman in the world couldn't get through us ordering without forcing a southern accent . Next the freaking food department needs to be up in this hoe. Serve safe is a JOKE. I have an allergy and cannot even order French fries or a chicken sandwich without being in fear of an anaphylactic episode that was described as a "tummy ache". Reassuring. Finally the food was mid at best they prolly were ground zero for the parasite going around. read more

Dockside Dave's - ANGER - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

The grouper sandwich is likely the best grouper sandwich I've ever had. 11 out 10. Delicious!!!

Okay, they're finally back!! They unfortunately were devastated by the hurricanes a year and a half ago and had to shut down. NOW THEY'RE REOPENED and we had to come get my favorite Grouper sandwich ever!! Definitely best in the area! No one compares! Our server, Carla was so awesome!! Such a great server!! So we came here with my Wife's parents. We decided to order all of our favorites instead of each of us ordering our own meal and all of our food came out and wow!! They did such a great job!! Everything was so delicious!! I attached pictures!! Such a great vibe at this place and everyone is so nice! Ironically enough. We were walking out to our car and another customer on the way to his car said "that was the best grouper sandwich ever!! Frenchy's doesn't have anything on this place!!". I laughed because I've been saying the same thing ever since I've been coming here! So to sum this up, if you want the best grouper sandwich on the area, DO NOT go anywhere but here!! Highly recommend you make this a go to spot on your vacation or if you're local, you should pay Dockside Dave's a visit!! read more

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Amazing food, great views and phenomenal staff! This place is a must go in the Madeira beach area! read more

Dockside Dave's - Waffle fries with the blue sauce! - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

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Delicious food with attentive and friendly service. This place was awesome. The blackened group sandwich was fresh and delicious. The shrimp po boy was also a favorite and we had some of the best calamari we ever had. Everything was expertly prepared and seasoned perfectly. We put this on our list of a place to go back to often. read more

food was quite good! for the price you definitely get the amount of food that you are paying for. I would say that the system of service was kind of odd with the second floor, but i'm one to try new things! I would definitely come again! read more

We did a pickup order. This is what $35 apparently gets you. Worst calamari I have ever had. Threw away almost all of it. Tasted like chewing on rubber bands. Save yourself and stay away read more

Dockside Dave's - Grouper bites and calamari - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

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No kids menu available, we were seated upstairs in the bar area which wasn't a problem however the bartender seemed like he would've preferred to be doing anything other than waiting on tables. I got the shrimp and scallop combo fried, don't recommend it, the scallops were soggy and wet. Shrimp were okay. read more

strong drinks, good shots mixes, good crispy food, good crab cakes. We got a mix of things off the menu for the whole table and feasted. Amazing onion rings. Would come back. Nothing too crazy. read more

We had the grouper sandwich (2 blackened & 1 fried), onion rings and chowder. My son thought the blackened wasn't seasoned enough and was bland. Loved the fried grouper sandwich and the onion rings. The 2nd time we visited, we ordered the fried clams which we immediately sent back! Absolutely horrible! They looked like pieces of batter on the bottom of the fry basket! There was no way anyone would think it was anything else. I don't know any cook that would put that on a plate to serve including fast food restaurants! The server, Emily, was an excellent server and took it off our bill. It made me question the quality of their kitchen staff. read more

My wife and I went to Dockside Dave's for the first time since it's reopened. We ordered some of their famous onion rings as an appetizer, but they needed more salt and I wish they came with a dipping sauce of some kind. I ended up using cocktail sauce which wasn't great. My wife got the grouper bites which she loved and I got the grouper sandwich (blackened). The sandwich looked great but seemed to be under seasoned -- but it was also a huge portion. It came with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and peperoncini. The sandwich and a few other menu items are permanently on the menu as MP (market price), which I can understand. We enjoyed our dinner but maybe we set our expectations too high based on our pre-hurricane experiences. Overall we enjoyed ourselves, had a good diner and will definitely be back to this landmark. read more

Dockside Dave's - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

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The grouper here absolutely lived up to the hype! It was incredibly fresh and seasoned to perfection. As good as the food was, the highlight was definitely our bartender. She was so great and suggested some amazing drinks. Believe it or not, I had never tried Jägermeister in my 50 years, but she brought us a surprise shot of it and it was incredible. Great food, stellar service! read more

Wonderful Place. Great food! Been going here for many years but first trip to the new building. read more

Dockside Dave's - Dockside Daves Grouper Sandwich is the best and largest on the beach. The new building is awesome! - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

it was terrible. got the grouper sandwich and it was loaded with Burnt batter and cooked in old smelly grease. the same for the onion wrings.sent them both back and the new order was just as bad. went there for my wife's birthday and it was not a happy one. management better check what's going outl before they get crashed read more

The best onion rings I've ever had! The whole meal was great and came in a good time. Definitely better than the score it has read more

Dockside Dave's - Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Madeira Beach, Florida

Great place. Grouper sandwich is amazing. Ambiance is awesome with the view of the beach. A must visit

Great food- excellent water view on 2nd floor/ good beach location. Limited parking. Unfortunately our servers were terrible! Two separate members of our party asked for mayonnaise. We got 1. We asked for more for our fries (a few times) & the guy pointed to the bottle of tartar sauce on the table & said "you HAVE tartar sauce". We both told him that is NOT the same thing as mayonnaise! Also I can't eat tartar sauce. Our primary waitress was rude, curt & didn't make eye contact- no smiling - as little interaction with us as possible. Didn't check on us- despite being within eyesight- didn't refill waters - was basically ignoring us. It was early afternoon on a weekday so not busy at all. Really no excuse. We ordered three grouper sandwiches at $30+ dollars each which is pricey but we knew that. Either she was having a really terrible day or she has forgotten that tips are contingent upon service. We did tip but it wasn't deserved... read more

Our server Mandy was great and made sure we had all we needed. We tried to eat outside upstairs but it was just too HOT! The salad was too chunky with huge pieces of broccoli and carrots, onion rings were pretty good but were all stuck together . Fish was fresh and well prepared. read more

The grouper sandwich was one of the best I've ever had. We were in treasure Island on vacation and had to stop in.