Ordering a DoorDash pickup, I was anticipating clam fritters and a side of whole belly clams. The fritters were crispy, plump, and flavorful. The fried whole bellies were on the small side. Fresh and a tad under seasoned, something a sprinkle of salt or tartar sauce wouldn't fix. Very nice. But not my personal favorite as I like larger bellies. There is a lot of assorted seating, picnic tables, and a tented area with a bar. The immediate parking lot is small but I'm sure there are ways. Be weary of the GPS I took some wrong turns. read more

The dock is consistently one of the best restaurants in the area! Throughout the years I have gotten the bay scallops, fried shrimp, and their lobster rolls- all are super delicious! I find that they have high quality food at reasonable prices & the location by the water can't be beat! Ideal to go on a warm, sunny day! read more

The Dock Restaurant - frozen rose - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

See all

This is the coolest place around. Nice food, nice people, fun/casual atmosphere. Nice mix of people. Worth the visit.

Tim is awesome! The quick service and food is a sure thing. Prices are on par and the food is fantastic. Right on the marina with a nice view. Do not miss out! read more

Typical fried shoreline eatery. But Good food. Try the fish Rueben. Not fancy - find your own seating. The bar had great frozen drinks. Must have. read more

Cold clam chowder soup not even lukewarm! Driest fried fish! Long lines to order, staff in kitchen fighting, ran out of a lot of food over the weekend (French fries/cole slaw) and then up charging for the other side options... not a great start to the season! Dogs on deck (fine) dogs behind raw bar counter gross! read more

The ambiance gets a 10 out of 10. This is CT's seafood shack by the water at its best, with plenty of seating and parking. It took 15-20 minutes just to be able to order (which is better than the crazy line we encountered at a different place. We were told that once we ordered it would take 30 minutes for the chefs to start our order. Except that our order wasn't called for 45 minutes. Honestly it would have been worth the wait, except that all of the friend seafood we ordered wasn't even slightly warm. The flavor and ambiance were enjoyable. My sister in laws swordfish was warm, but none of the sides were. Would I come here again? Absolutely I would give them another try, but probably off hours or no later than 5pm, just to see if they're ready read more

See all

I gave it 4 stars because it was so expensive, but the food was a 10! I got a lobster roll with butter hold the bread and it was delicious! So many times, you order a lobster roll only to be disappointed, but not this time!! The meat was HUGE and perfectly cooked! Of course i paid $23 for it.. No fried, no slaw, no bread, just meat. My friend got it with fries, slaw & a bun and was just as happy. I stole a few fries and they were GOOOOOOD! I think she paid 26 or 28 for hers. No pics because we swilled it! LOL We didn't make it over to the tent for review.. next time. read more

The Dock Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

I'm sure this spot gets pretty busy during the prime time of summer. The view is beautiful, there's plenty of parking if you don't mind a little bit of a walk. We got lobster rolls, which were delicious. I ordered a side of fried shrimp and seriously think these were the best I ate all summer (and I'm definitely a fan of fried shrimp!) As with all summer seafood shacks, it's a bit expensive. There's no table service, so once you order at the food counter, there's a separate bar to pick up beverages at. I am hoping to get back there soon to get a full serving of those shimp for sure! read more

If you happen to be in Niantic CT on a sunny afternoon, craving a cold beer and fried seafood, then The Dock is a good place to hang out. The location- off of the main drag, overlooking the marina and commercial docks is great, outdoor seating and an ocean view, plus the occasional Amtrak Acela train, give an easy laid back vibe. Food is typical New England seafood fare, nothing special about it, everything is fresh, batter is plain, maybe bland for some. You order at the window, go get your table, and they announce your order when it's ready, and pay for drinks separately next to the seating area. Simple and no frills. $20 to $30/ person, depending on what you're drinking. read more

Casual take out dining up top to enjoy the summertime weather and sunset. Beer and spirits under the tent. Families and dogs welcome. read more

See all

The food was good but it was small for the price but we'll never know what the corn will taste like because they ran out. read more

The Dock Restaurant - This photo is of the chicken Cesar wrap it was good but a little too much sauce and the fries were good - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

We went for lunch. Thought it would be nice to get outside and enjoy the fresh, BREEZY air. Their fresh Niantic oysters and huge shrimp cocktail were outstanding. We ordered a fisherman's platter to split. Whole belly's, fresh caught fish, bay scallops and shrimp. Honestly, it was better peeling off all that tasteless batter. The seafood was much better without it. The lobster bisque was ok.. nothing to rave about. read more

The food has been great the few times I've visited. Excellent steamers! As far as the ambiance, it's very laid back with waterfront views! Service is great if you want a drink on the upper deck. You order your food first and wait for your number to be called. We love it! read more

See all

The whole belly clams were the worst that I've ever had. As soon as I saw them I mentioned that I ordered the whole belly clams not the clam strips and she told me they were small this year. Don't buy the whole belly clams there. read more

I wouldn't call this seafood. Cold clam chowder needed to be microwave. The clam bells didn't have any bells because it was over cooked. You would think it would be good seafood near the shoreline. $38.00 dinner a can of soup and fish sticks would have been better then going to The Dock for dinner. Only good thing out of the dinner was the coleslaw. read more

The Dock Restaurant - Fried Whole Belly Clams over cooked. - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

Whole belly clams $21 for side very delicious! Small bellies, but cooked to perfection and very tasty. Clam strips equally as delicious and cooked to perfection very generous portions. Fried calamari again cooked to perfection with a generous portion coleslaw delicious french fries crispy and delicious as well.. The only thing preventing the five star is there were small gray hairs (3) in the food that appeared to be from the cook. The wine slushy looked appealing, but wasn't very good. After it melted some it was very strong tasting. Atmosphere is wonderful! Right by the water and the bridge. Service was slow to order as kitchen was backed up, but once order was placed it was quick. read more

This place is OK. I had a grilled haddock dinner with 2 sm red potatoes, 1/2 corn on the cob and cole slaw. The fish portion was decent. The potatoes and cole slaw were good. The corn...eh. My bf got a 2lb side of muscles and fish n chips. He liked them. You order at one shack and dine on the deck located on the water, a river or inlet. The deck has a sm bar and raw bar. But it's surrounded by boats. For the atmosphere it's good. I forgot to take a picture of our meals. read more

Love the location on the water and a kicked back vibe. However, this is a coastal town and the seafood should not be frozen...ever! People will pay for fresh!! read more

The food was extremely delicious! The fish sandwich was flavorful and the coconut shrimp was cooked just right! Sweet potatoes had a great taste to it and the coleslaw was amazing! The best part of our lunch was definitely the view! After enjoying lunch you can go down to the bottom of the dockside and sit right by the water and just watch the bridge open and close in the boats go by! Great crowd of people, good music and met new friends! Can't complain for a sunny Saturday in Connecticut! read more

See all

Simple place! Order and the window, then they call your number to pick up. We got a great seat on the upper deck over looking the bridge and water. I loved the Broiled fish Ruben sandwich! I want to go back! read more

See all

Ordered fried clams and steamed mussels. The clams were done before the mussels so they put the clams back in the fryer to warm them up but unfortunately they turned rubbery...hard to chew. Very disappointing. read more

This hidden gem is by far my favorite summer place in the area. We have a lot of seafood places down near the shore but none compare to the dock. You can literally purchase the catch of the day cooked on the spot. The food is always fresh and they have the best prices around that I have seen. The delish food is matched by the beautiful background of Niantic river. It's a must try in the area! read more

The Dock Restaurant - Clam strip dinner - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

Best Seafood in the Entire Shoreline of Connecticut , it comes fresh straight off the Boats that are literally 10 feet from the Restaurant and it's a little pricey but Soooooo Worth the price because of the Amazing Views of the Ocean and the Sail Boats going under the Niantic Bridge and there's a Bar downstairs and restrooms , an absolute Favorite place of mine and never want to leave, you gotta check it out read more

My colleagues and I visited this establishment for the first time. I love raw bar so this was right up my alley. The oysters were shucked to order. The only thing I wasn't happy about was the food shack. They don't have table service, so we had to trek over to this food shack where you would order from a full menu. Anyway, I had been eating oysters and shrimp from the raw bar located in the seating area. As I'm approaching the shack, the sign says closed. I ask the young gentleman working the counter and I say, are you really closed, he responds with yes. We're at capacity. I'm not a smart person, but you're in a shack cooking. There are hungry people in your establishment. We're at capacity doesn't really make much sense to me. Not cool guys. Fix it read more

The service is terrible. They take a few orders then you wait 25 minutes for the to take another order. Waited an hour to place our order. There weee only 4 groups ahead of us when we got there. The food is not worth the wait . read more

I recommend the lobster roll basket! crazy good price, 26 for a lobster roll with fries and coleslaw. A LOT of meat in the roll and perfectly seasoned. read more

Mid-summer...Niantic...bay breezes... The Dock is nestled up on a shoal, a backdrop of bay-blue waters and crisp white sails. It's a practical, walk-up and order affair; one window takes orders , another serves, while gulls quip. ORDER: Menu... deep...wide...endless options soups, clam chowder, steamers, lobster rolls, beer battered fish and chips, burgers... Take number, walk the path... DRINK: Tent...classic rock...beers on tap... picnic tables, whole set up is a surprise... When you hear your number take your shandy and fetch the food. EAT: And I mean chow down, son. The fish and chips was the best, bay flounder caught fesh, beer battered to perfection, steamers were bigger and mushier than I like, and not cleaned, but you work through, they tasted fine, corn on the cob and chowder, oniln rings, all great. DRINK: Now take the path down to the dock and find the members only club; not really mo but if you drove up in a boat you'll have lots of friends. Good times. read more

See all

Great view and a great place to eat after a day on the water but I honestly could have bought and made better seafood than I had there. I got the coconut shrimp and it was honestly just alright which is disappointing since coconut shrimp is one of my favorite things. It was $10 for 6 pieces and they were just okay. I didn't taste the shrimp at all because the coconut was so strong. I wonder if they used coconut oil as well because it almost tasted artificial. My boyfriend got a hot lobster roll and some pieces of lobster were over cooked, very hard/crunchy/and chewy. Definitely paying for the location and view verses the quality and quantity of food. read more

The Dock Restaurant - Coconut shrimp and a hot lobster roll. - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

Cajun shrimp wrap was disgusting...saturated in cocktail sauce that was overloaded in horseradish. Not edible. Returned to window...they argued between each other and then refunded price of wrap but not fries (ok, fries for my husband for Father's Day is great) "ran out of shrimp to make over". Girl at raw bar couldn't make raw bar food. read more

Very overpriced and the food was not great for the price.... they forgot to give us coleslaw with our dinners... I got so sick vomiting when I got home so beware.. I'll never go back again read more

The food was amazing! Reasonable priced. I couldn't finish everything I bought the left overs were just as good as when eating it fresh!!

The food from this place has been continuously been bad. IMO this place ranks as one of the worst clam shacks in the state. That's food-wise. Location-wise it's one of the best because of it's scenic deck (that's the only reason to give 1 star). First of all, they usually run out of a lot of menu items. They often run out of the lobster rolls. On my most recent visit, my clam chowder had several isolated cold spots in it. I mean, geesh, would it have killed them to stir the pot a little bit? It was pretty bad. It was thick and lumpy too. :-( Bleeeech. Also, my crab cake was downright awful too. I don't know what they did to it, but it seemed like a Mortons dump truck backed up and dumped 10 tons of salt onto my crab cake patty. It was sooooo freaking salty. Like the clam chowder, it too, was barely edible. Seafood is expensive. You shouldn't have to settle for poor quality. Your best bet is to go to Dad's Restaurant only one mile away for your seafood fix. I can vouch for their food. Then afterwards, drive to The Dock to enjoy a beer and the sunset from their deck. They can't mess up a bottle of beer, right? read more

This is my SECRET restaurant. Whenever my central-CT friends visit me at the beach, I always suggest lobster rolls at "this great little shack I know". If it wouldn't be too weird to blindfold everyone I bring here, I totally would, so that they could never share the secret for the best lobster rolls ever! Luckily for me, this place is hidden at the back of a dockside gravel parking lot, at the end of a dead end road, behind a biker bar and a sports supply store. So, if my friends violate their bloodsworn oath never to return without me, they'll probably end up lost and/or heckled by drunk bikers...perfect! That said, the quintessential elements of a lobster roll are all here: fresh seafood, dockside location, teenage cashiers on summer break...you get the picture. We also tried the clam chowder, which, though a little salty, was delicious! The menu also offers things like fried or stuffed clams, cheeseburgers, whole lobsters, swordfish, scallops, etc. There's even a separate counter where you can order beer, wine, sangria or other alcoholic beverages and ice cream too. For me though, there's no choice--it'll always be the hot lobster roll when I come to The Dock. read more

The Dock Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Waterford, Connecticut

How do you sell me a $31 lobster dinner and neglect to tell me you have no lobster crackers available? How am I supposed to eat dinner? By cracking the lobster with a large knife the bartender lent me against the filthy table that no one wiped down....that's how. The potatoes that accompanied my lobster tasted as if they were boiled in urine. How do you mess up a boiled potato? Apparently you can. The Rhode Island style chowder was sour and inedible. At the height of the summer you would expect fresh sweet corn, but what we got tasted frozen and bland. Overall awful meal. read more

Ordered lobster roll platter, soggy bun not toasted well and lobster overcooked (probably canned lobster) but the worst part during this covid 19 pandemic was that the cook was wearing his mask around his neck with mouth and nose uncovered. read more

If I could do a review without a star, I would. The only good thing is the view and pleasant girls working there. The food is absolutely the worst. Shrimp was frozen and not fully cooked. Hamburger was tasteless and have no onions nor did they melt the cheese. The worst was the soggy frozen corn, not sure melted butter was real butter. Total waste of $40. read more

If you want steamers, full body fried clamps, delicious fresh clams and oysters and a view of the Niantic River, this is your place! I'm CT born and raised and love in AZ and had to have steamers, this place was perfect. Great service and huge portions too. For a great price! read more

See all

Delicious seafood! The raw bar is amazing and the location is just impeccable. You sit right on the water and can watch all the boats go by. The staff is very friendly and willing to go above and beyond. read more

I went for lunch yesterday.We ordered 2lb's of Steamers Dinner,which included red potatoes and corn on the cob.When we were served our meal was luke warm and the warm butter already separated.The Steamers were very good,no sand,but I have never in my 46years had a Corn on the cob so gross!!!It wasn't sweet at all and just terrible!!!The potatoes were ok,not water soaked,again almost cold.The only thing that was good was the atmosphere.I will go back for drinks only next time.What a disappointment.The man who took our order downstairs in the Market area did comp us 15% and a free Corona.So he did feel bad about the terrible meal even though in NO way was it his fault. read more