Don’s Dock Seafood
1220 E Northwest Hwy, Des Plaines, IL, 60016
Don’s Dock Seafood Menu
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Salads
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Sandwiches
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Fried By The Pound
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Fried Meals
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Other Lunch Dinners
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Shrimp
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Side Orders
Diabetics at McDonald's
Most burgers served at McDonald's are low in sugar but there are several burgers which are high in sodium. You must choose burger options which are low in sugar and moderate in sodium content. You can also avoid extra dressings or cheese over your burger to control diabetes at McDonald's.
Foods to Avoid for Diabetics at McDonald's
Diabetics will find many tempting food items at McDonald's but most of these food items are also high in sugar or sodium. Diabetics must skip desserts and shakes at McDonald's to avoid sugar spike. You should also skip all McCafe drinks except a few containing low sugar and fat-free options. Besides the drinks and beverages, you should also avoid bacon-based and sausage-based burgers and sandwiches to limit your sodium intake. Diabetics should also skip the sausage-based salad options available at McDonald's.
Food Suggestions for Diabetics at McDonald's
Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad
Nutritional Facts: 350 calories, 12g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 1070mg sodium, 27g carbs, 6g sugar, 6g fiber, 37g Protein
Egg McMuffin®
Nutritional Facts: 300 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 760mg sodium, 30g carbs, 3g sugar, 2g fiber, 17g Protein
4-piece Chicken McNuggets®
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 340mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0g sugar, 1g fiber, 17g Protein
Kiddie Cone
Nutritional Facts: 45 calories, 1g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0.5g), 20mg sodium, 8g carbs, 6g sugar, 0g fiber, 1g Protein
4-piece Chicken McNuggets® Happy Meal
Nutritional Facts: 180 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2g), 340mg sodium, 11g carbs, 0g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g Protein
Iced Latte
Nutritional Facts: 90 calories, 4.5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 65mg sodium, 7g carbs, 7g sugar, 0g fiber, 4g Protein
World Famous Fries®
Nutritional Facts: 230 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 1.5g), 160mg sodium, 29g carbs, 0g sugar, 3g fiber, 3g Protein
Healthy Meal suggestions for Don’s Dock Seafood
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Salads
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Sandwiches
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Fried By The Pound
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Fried Meals
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Other Lunch Dinners
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Shrimp
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Side Orders
High Blood Pressure at McDonald's
Most burgers at fast food joints contain a high amount of sodium. You must keep your sodium intake in check if you are suffering from high blood pressure. McDonald's offers a wide range of burgers based on your diet preferences. Choose the right burger and avoid French fries at all cost while dining at McDonald's.
Foods to Avoid at McDonald's for High Blood Pressure
Avoid Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit Burger and Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddles at McDonald's as both these burgers are high in sodium. Skip extra cheese and avoid French fries if possible as they are too greasy and can add to your sodium intake. Also, avoid all types of sausage-based burgers or sandwiches at McDonald's to limit your sodium levels.
Food Suggestions for High Blood Pressure at McDonald's
Side Salad
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 10g Protein
Filet-O-Fish®
Nutritional Facts: 390 calories, 19g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 560mg sodium, 38g carbs, 5g sugar, 2g fiber, 17g Protein
Baked Apple Pie
Nutritional Facts: 240 calories, 11g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 6g), 95mg sodium, 35g carbs, 16g sugar, 4g fiber, 2g Protein
Vanilla Cone
Nutritional Facts: 200 calories, 5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 95mg sodium, 32g carbs, 16g sugar, 4g fiber, 2g Protein
Americano
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 10mg sodium, 0g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Coffee
Nutritional Facts: 0 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 20mg sodium, 1g carbs, 0g sugar, 0g fiber, 2g Protein
Apple Slices
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0 g), 0mg sodium, 4g carbs, 3g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g Protein
Visit below restaurant in Des Plaines for healthy meals suggestion.
High Cholesterol at MCDONALD'S
Cholesterol is the biggest concern for people visiting McDonald's, especially people suffering from high cholesterol. You can order chicken or egg burgers instead of ham or cheeseburgers to maintain your cholesterol levels at McDonald's. In addition, you can also try the salads and opt for drinks that low in sugar.
Foods to Avoid at MCDONALD'S for High Cholesterol
Bacon-based items are often too greasy and high in bad cholesterol. If you are concerned about high cholesterol, then you must avoid all bacon-based burgers and salads. Also, skip the Buttermilk Crispy Chicken Tenders to keep your cholesterol levels in check. You must also keep sausage-based items at bay when dining at McDonald's.
Food Suggestions to Maintain Cholesterol Level at MCDONALD'S
Side Salad
Nutritional Facts: 15 calories, 0g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 15mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g sugar, 1g fiber, 1g Protein
Egg White Delight McMuffin®
Nutritional Facts: 260 calories, 8g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4.5g), 780mg sodium, 29g carbs, 3g sugar, 2g fiber, 16g Protein
McChicken®
Nutritional Facts: 410 calories, 22g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 4g), 590mg sodium, 39g carbs, 5g sugar, 2g fiber, 15g Protein
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Nutritional Facts: 140 calories, 5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 2.5g), 125mg sodium, 22g carbs, 12g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g Protein
Hamburger Happy Meal
Nutritional Facts: 480 calories, 16g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 5g), 680mg sodium, 62g carbs, 21g sugar, 3g fiber, 22g Protein
Cappuccino
Nutritional Facts: 120 calories, 6g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 3.5g), 80mg sodium, 9g carbs, 9g sugar, 0g fiber, 6g Protein
Yoplait® GO-GURT® Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt
Nutritional Facts: 45 calories, 0.5g (Tans. Fat 0g & Sat. Fat 0g), 30mg sodium, 9g carbs, 5g sugar, 0g fiber, 2g Protein
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Q & A for McDonald's
When McDonald's first opened?
McDonald's began its operations by converting food and drinks stand called "The Airdrome" into first McDonald's restaurant.
When does McDonald's open?
McDonald's opens daily at 5:30 AM and stays open until 11:00 PM.
Which McDonald's is open 24 hours?
Unfortunately, there are not a single McDonald's which operates 24/7.
Where's McDonald's near me?
There are over 13,905 McDonald's outlets in the United States itself. You can find a McDonald's nearby with the help of our Restaurant Listings directory.
When McDonald's start and stop serving breakfast?
McDonald's starts serving breakfast at 5:30 AM daily until 10:30 AM.
When McDonald's start and stop serving lunch?
McDonald's starts serving lunch at 10:30 AM from Monday to Friday and 11:00 AM on Saturdays and Sundays. Happy Meals are also served during lunch hours.
Will McDonald's bring back the McRib?
McRib is back at McDonald's since October 2018.
Will McDonald's bring back spicy McChicken?
McDonald's in the United States has no plans currently to bring back the Spicy McChicken.
Will McDonald's bring back the Grand Mac?
McDonald's doesn't serve Grand Mac currently and there are no plans to bring it back anytime sooner. You can always try the Big Mac if you have a large appetite for burgers.
Are McDonald's milkshakes gluten free?
Yes, all flavors of McDonald's milkshakes are gluten-free. Nearly all beverages served at McDonald's are gluten-free.
Are McDonald's burgers gluten-free?
Unfortunately, McDonald's does not serve gluten-free burgers. All the buns and other ingredients such as fried chicken patties, grilled chicken patties, beef patties, sauces, condiments, etc. contain gluten.
Are McDonald's Apple Pies vegan?
Generally, Apple Pies are prepared using shortcrust pastry which contains eggs. However, McDonald's Apple Pie pocket is vegan-friendly as it is both dairy and egg free.
Are McDonald's Veggie Burgers vegan?
Veggie Burgers served at McDonald's are purely vegan. Just remember to skip the sauce as the sandwich sauce contains egg.
Are McDonald's Milkshakes vegetarian?
Yes, McDonald's milkshakes are 100% vegetarian and don't contain any meat product.
When did McDonald's introduce McCafe?
McDonald's McCafe was introduced by McDonald's as a separate coffee chain in 1993. The café also served great bakery and pastry besides offering a great variety of coffee beverages.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
About McDonald's
McDonald's is the largest American fast food company with over 37,855 outlets spread across 100 countries. Primarily known for hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and French fries, McDonald's menu also serves chicken dishes, breakfast products, soft drinks, wraps, milkshakes, and desserts today. The restaurant chain introduced smoothies, salads, fish, and fruits on the menu to offer healthy food options at McDonald's.
The restaurant began its operations in 1940 in San Bernardino, California, United States. The name of the restaurant comes from its founders Richard and Maurice McDonald. The siblings started the food business as a hamburger stand which was later converted into a restaurant franchise in 1953. The first Golden Arches logo was also introduced in the same year.
Healthy Food Options at McDonald's
McDonald's was highly criticized for its unhealthy food options. Being a renowned brand and a popular fast food chain, McDonald's decided to revamp its image and decided to serve healthy food options. Most of these healthy food choices were salads, smoothies, fruits, and fish items.
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Address :
1220 E Northwest Hwy
Des Plaines, IL, 60016 - Phone (847) 827-1817
- Website https://www.donsdockseafood.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :9:00 am - 8:00pm
- Mon : 9:00 am - 8:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : No
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Steve W.
Good seafood at a good price. I had the Fish Chips and Chips. Note that Fish Chips are not Fish & Chips. My mistake. Everyone in my party enjoyed their meal (Even a non seafood lover who had the Chicken sandwich). Will definitely go back for the Grilled Tilapia or perhaps Fish & Chips (Beer Battered Cod and Fries). Everything is very fresh!!! Just the way you want seafood to be.
(4)Amanda C.
SHRIMPZZZZZZZZZ ALL DAY EVERY SINGLE DAY. I want to eat here everyday until the day I die. Is that wrong? The cajun shrimp are unreal. The coleslaw is phenomenal. The crab salad is too legit to quit. And you can call in your order! So hush up about the wait, people! Eat here. It will BLOW.YOUR.MIND!!!
(5)Lawrence Y.
Came here on a quick lunch. It's a small little establishment but it's cute, and most of all: efficient. I had the combo (shrimp and perch, with fries) plate - can't go wrong for $7! It looks kinda small when it comes out but it's filling. I also had a side of the crab salad --- mmm. I already want to come back! PS - They have rotating monthly specials - so your taste buds will never get bored!
(4)April P.
After our beloved King's Fish closed down two years ago, we've been searching for a place since to replace our favorite fish and shrimp fry spot...We haven't been exactly unsuccessful, but as of late, it seems like our favorite spots all seem to be out of state. So, still on a mission for a Chicago-land seafood spot, Hagens was already tested and failed. I was excited to see a review from Jacob for Don's Fish, a restaurant not far from our area. Ordered a few items to get a smorgasbord of seafood. We ordered two dinners of the half fried shrimp, half perch, and a pound of the peel shrimp with bay seasoning. The fried shrimp was good, but the seasoning was sorta bland. The perch has the same seasoning and batter, so it can be rated the same. As for the peel shrimp, they were of good quality. Very fresh and plump, but again, the seasoning had same lackluster as previous two items. I was pretty disappointed, but am willing to give other items a try, such as the catfish and the crab cake sandwich, as those items had high reviews. Parking ample. They have specials year round, including their Labor day, half off everything fried sale. They also have a fresh fish available to prepare and cook for yourself at home.
(3)Chuck P.
By the looks of similar reviews, we were looking forward to this place. But we were all disappointed...with only a few tables, nothing was jet fresh. Shrimp scampi was 5 cents of noodles with 5 cents of old sour tiny POPCORN shrimp. The 2 guys working there would always disappear in the back room. We would not recommend, especially with so many other restaurant choices and fresh seafood at Mariano's that is more affordable.
(1)J S.
Always good! A big thank u for the rose and chocolate covered strawberry. ...you really made my day!:)
(5)Michelle B.
I had a craving for Fish Tacos. I decided to finally give this place a try. They were delicious! It was busy, so our food took a little while to make, but I will definitely be going back.
(4)Anita R.
the catering trays of calamari,french fried shrimp & smelt we had this ChristmasEve were delicious! And your staff was so helpful & friendly during the process of ordering & pickup on a hectic ChristmasEve... thanks so much.
(5)Darlene A.
Depends what you're seeking: not a date-night, romantically-lit impress your girl spot. Maybe not the place for exotic foodies or all healthy baked or broiled seafood. If you love really fresh fried shrimp or a seek a good, old-fashioned fish fry - this is the place! If I didn't have to watch my weight, I'd probably eat here twice a week. They improved their fries several years ago, so there is still hope for the person that wished for better hush puppies (haven't tried them myself, but will do that). The Labor Day half-price fried seafood sale is absolute chaos!
(4)Gonka D.
Just moved to Des Plaines from the city. I was pleasantly surprised that this place was still around as I haven't been here in over 20 years since I was a kid and my mom would take us there to pick up fish. Well, I hated it then as I hated any chores with parents as well as the fact that any kind of fish could never compare to McDonald's at that age. I am delighted to report things have changed over the years and my palette has expanded beyond McDonald's cuisine! Dons Dock is a nice little place with great food. The service and staff are amazing. I ordered a 1/2 pound of fried shrimp and a crab cake sandwich which they accidentally rang me up as a Crabby Cake sandwich. When my order was up and they called it out I asked the guy what the difference and he explained the Crabby Cake had some imitation crab while the Maryland Crab cake was pure crab. He was happy to trade my sandwich for the Maryland Crab and I was on my way. Now - I would normally not get fish or fried anything for take out - I hate when you get home and it is all soggy! That being said, it was a special occasion that called for take out...whats a girl to do?! By the time I got home 10 minutes later the shrimp were still crisp as could be. I snuck a few on the way so I know the car ride had not affected them one bit! The breading was delicious, crisp, and thick and the shrimp were plump and juicy. Our crab Cake Sandwich was perfect with a nice doughy bun and tarter sauce that was so good we even dipped our chips in it! My only wish was that the crab cake was a little bigger but at a price of 6 bucks including chips I mustn't complain too much! We will definitely be back and try some of the other menu options. I have read about the salmon burger but it is only available seasonally and that season is not now - bummer!! My fiance is itching to try the Stuffed Tilapia...perhaps a surprise Don's Dock dinner is in store for him this week!!
(4)Jeff W.
Tried tonight for the first time. Everything was great: fish chips, crab cakes, popcorn shrimp, hush puppies. Even the fries were really good. And the staff was seriously the friendliest I have seen in a long time. They clearly appreciate their customers. Glad it's nearby. I'll be back.
(5)Les O.
Crawfish over rice. Delish. Mardi Gras special worth stopping in for. Fried shrimp never is bad here.
(4)Ariella G.
A fourth generation family business, where they make each customer feel special. Great crab bisque, crab stuffed shrimp, fried shrimp and nice chicken tendeloin kids dinner. Solid food, wonderful people with all the kids working behind the counter. Feels good to support a small family business and the fact that it is tasty and delicious makes it an easy choice for future visits!
(5)Debbie M.
A friend brought me to Don's Dock about a year ago and now it's one of my favorite resturants. The fried shrimp is fantastic. Whatever they put in their batter to make it taste so good keeps me coming back. I brought their cocktail shrimp to a party and they were a big hit. After years of bring cocktail shrimp from my grocery store and getting "Thanks for bringing the shrimp." I now get "Wow ! These great, where did you get them?" They do party trays too, but I just put the shrimp on a plate myself. Some other things I recomend are grilled salmon, crab bisque, beer battered cod, calamari and cloe slaw.
(5)Bonkzilla Z.
A fresh selection of seafood - IF they have it. I've been going to Don's Dock for a couple of years now since my husband grew up in the town by it. I do like the fresh seafood that they have. But damn it, we don't live by them, so when we decide to take a special 45 minute trip on a Saturday once in a great while just to eat a fried clam strip lunch, you'd think they'd have the seafood you want. NOPE! This is the countless time I've gone out there for clam strips and they tell me after I order and about to pay, "Sorry, we just sold the last of it." Um...so at 11:30 am on a Saturday, the busiest day for people being out and about, and you're completely out of clam strips?!? And NO, I don't want the smoked chub instead. I also hate how they only have lobster tails around New Years. Grilled lobster in the summer is better than an oven-broiled one for New "Drunk" Eve. Who the FRACK is out of food at a market/restaurant anyway?!? Order more then idiots! Because you lost $40 bucks that day when you're out of one thing. Do you actually think I'm going to stay, put up with it by eating something else that I didn't drive 45 minutes to eat. I can make a salmon burger at home for a quarter of the price you charge! Get one of the 8 people who work there to check the stock, dumbf**ks!
(2)Diablo L.
As good as I remembered it from the past,excellent fried cod, large fried shrimp and a very good shrimp pasta salad
(4)Jim T.
Orgasmic on the taste buds. Need I say more?
(5)Dan G.
Meh. I had a sampling of fried items and they were okay. The hush puppies were sad. I come from having Hagen's at my disposal so I have the disappoint. I haven't tried anything else out (tried the shrimp and fish, both fried), but there we go. Not bad, not great.
(3)Brian J.
Don's Dock is a very legit place but you have to be careful about what you order or you will over pay for what you get. I've been going there for years, about once a month. Love the food. Would go there more, but the place is way too expensive. The only thing they need to figure out is the hush puppies.
(4)Ethan S.
Wow. Waited a long time here. But good food. Here's how it went: We came here hoping to get our shrimp, and get home. But oh, no! There were about 10 people in front of us with mile long orders. They really need to make that place bigger. But when we got home, the shrimp was PERFECTO. If you're not in a hurry and looking for seafood, go here.
(3)Y.D. K.
Great place for seafood - I had: shrimp was excellent, de-veined and clean, and tasty though the breading seems a bit heavy but is still good; fries were great as they were like a thicker cut and battered; clam chowder was tasty; hush puppies were good too, but I wonder if my batch was sitting for a bit or just an odd one - still, quite a good hush puppy compared to the locally unavailable Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. You can definitely eat in, but its not made for big groups of people due to limited chairs and tables.
(4)Anthony U.
The perch dinner is excellent! Ive been eating here since i was a kid and have never been let down. Its a great place to go when you want some good fried fish, fast. Also, the all you can eat smelt are great when they have them. I believe its April and May, but I could be wrong.
(5)A. T.
When it comes to food, I am absolutely obsessed with seafood. I love almost all of it. Shrimp, in particular, is my favorite. I've had it made almost every way, and I can't stop eating it. It's hard to find absolutely amazing seafood in the Midwest (due to obvious geographical reasons), but that's where this little gem comes in. I absolutely love this place, seafood junkie that I am. Sure, it's crowded, but the food is worth it. It is a little pricey, but isn't all seafood? I'd be worried about the quality if I was eating cheap seafood. The fried shrimp and hush puppies are amazing. The crab cakes, grilled salmon, and coleslaw are pretty good, too. Also, I love how here, they have cocktail sauce and tartar sauce in lieu of ketchup, and how they have hot sauce at each table, too. In addition to being a restaurant, it's also a fish market. They have fish out for display like in supermarkets, and you can pick how much of each item you want, and then you take it home. (They have a whole variety of different types of fish and seafood to buy.) It's always crowded when I come here, but I don't mind. (Since this place is by my one job, I usually dine in.) The food is totally worth it. And if you decide to do take-out, they put your food in a paper bag that's lined with wax on the inside, so it keeps your food warm. I live half an hour away, and when I arrived home with my order, the food was still piping hot.
(5)Dan W.
I like that it is a local place rather than part of a chain, and I like to support local businesses. There isn't much around the area for quick seafood...and I give them credit for trying. However, I have had much better tasting seafood elsewhere, and the portion sizes are ridicuously small for the price you pay. And the latter statement is why I am not a regular, and only drop by every few years just to see if they improved. And in 15 years...I am saddened that they have not.
(2)Joe W.
Fresh seafood done right and simple. I just had one of the specials of the month... Louisiana shrimp & crawfish boil. Seasoned perfectly and simple... potatoes, corn, shrimp, sausage, and crawfish. Fresh seafood at a reasonable price. If you are looking for fresh seafood and do not want to break the bank, this place is for you.
(4)Patrick W.
Hands down, my favorite joint for seafood outside the state of Louisiana. This is a small seafood market with the bonus of counter service of fresh homecooked seafood. My favorite is the pound of small shrimp, which I slather in hot sauce. They use an excellent breading on all the fried seafood. They have a few fish sandwiches, good crab cakes, and great shoestring french fries. This place gets jammed every day at lunchtime by office workers from downtown Des Plaines, Des Plaines cops, Pace bus drivers, and everyone else who knows where to get great seafood. Fridays during Lent are an absolute mad house here, as all of us Catholics avoid meat on Friday. With seafood this good, it's no sacrifice to give up meat during Lent!
(5)Jacob J.
Fried fish! Just in time for Lent too. Or anytime I think, I dig fried fish joints. Ya gotta love these places, fried or grilled seafood, fried chicken tenderloins, boiled shrimp, hushpuppies, crab cakes, sandwiches, clam chowda, jambalaya and garden salads with choice of topping. I think they do some smoked items also. I think. The shop is small, with tables for less than twenty or thirty at the most. The exterior is decorated similar to a Long John's Silver's location with its own parking lot. The price of fish can vary and pricing online matches the signage perfectly. One detail to remember is while the menu says "by the pound" you can order in increments of 's. I inquired about the chicken tenderloins and was told it's only available in a dinner portion, drats! I assume those come in larger pieces or strips. Combo meals and dinners are a best bet for a newbie since you can sample a bit of different sides. Most fried joints (like this one) offer an array of sauces and those can be purchased in small increments, up to the pound. The shop has for sale, many options of bottled sauces and other interesting additions to your home fish cooking. On occasion I've had their fish sandwich which blows other fish fry eatery filets out of the water. Soft bakery bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and a perfectly fried piece of fish and tartar, which comes disassembled so you can pick and choose toppings. Not the best fish filet I've ever had, but okay and if it's a month with a special, then it comes with hushpuppies, which are a bit sweet to the taste. So far I've mainly stuck with the fish fry which is pretty good, crisp with a tender inside. Served hot and their tartar sauce compliments it perfect. If you'd like to avoid a rush, then you'll have to eat elsewhere or check it out on a weekday afternoon or evening. Check out the website to learn more about their business and reputation, I like that they've been in business since the 1950's and have been fishing and serving fresh seafood for over eighty years. They are obviously doing this correctly to be in existence for so long.
(5)Joan K.
First time there! Folks working there were very kind and helpful. Ordered a bit of this and that just to see what they had to offer. Well we had the best french fried shrimp around! The shrimp were big, juicy and fresh. Highly recommend those. Smelt was good and crab cakes,kinda need some crab. Now you must know that I carried out this food and it was about 1 and 1/2 hrs before we could enjoy this fare. Some items carry out better than others. That was the case with the Cajun crawdads and the hushpuppies. Dried out, but I bet if you could have eaten them right after they were prepared it would have been another story. Great coleslaw, fresh potato salad complimented the other foods. I want to have this shrimp again..and wish we could eat there and enjoy the food freshly cooked. maybe next time
(4)Ben W.
This is one of a kind restaurant, you see lots of fast food ones, but very few focus on seafood. Great location if you live near downtown Des Plaines, IL. Very friendly staff and very quick service. They give you a welcome pack with introduction, coupons, and menu, Price is reasonable. I don't go there very often because I can cook very good seafood myself at home.
(4)Jay W.
Expensive (for what you get), bland, very little substance. I remain unimpressed.
(2)Sally W.
A small, very friendly, family owned (I think) establishment. I have had about 5 meals there so far, and they have all been delicious. The grilled meals are delicious, healthy, and reasonably priced. The fried items are also excellent. Delicious fries.
(5)Kate R.
When my husband and I moved here from Wisconsin, we went on the hunt for a good fish fry. We tried a few places, but nothing matched the fish fries that have become the Friday mainstay of the North Woods. Then our vet (yes, our vet!) recommended Don's Doc, and we've been happy regulars ever since. The fish is always light and flaky. The breading is tasty and does not overpower the fish. The selection is very good: salmon, shrimp, catfish, calamari, tilapia, and--what really made us feel at home--lake perch, whitefish, and walleye! They even have smelt in season. We've ordered both the grilled and the fried dinners and both are good, just depends on your mood. Grilled dinners take a little longer to prepare, but are worth the wait. I recommend the grilled tilapia with shrimp stuffing. They do a big business in carry-out lobster dinners at New Year's Eve and Valentine's day. Some day, we're going to take the plunge. We also highly recommend the french fries and the hush puppies. (An insider's tip--look for the shaker of french fry seasoning on the counter if you want a little zest.) And the staff is great. Friendly and fun. We didn't really feel at home until we found Don's Dock. If you're looking for a casual, delicious fish fry like they do it in Wisconsin, this is the place.
(5)Micky M.
Still as good as it was ten years ago. Hot, fresh, delicious, mouth watering bags of shrimp...fresh crunchy coleslaw...huge selection of hot sauces (and fresh seafood to prepare at home) you can purchase...right at the edge of civilization, kind of in no-man's land if you're not familiar with the area. If you are driving down NW highway to or from anywhere and like seafood, STOP HERE for sure. If you're local....what are you doing??? The staff knows what they are doing and can give you instructions for cooking you lobster or anything else at home. Squeaky clean too!!
(5)MaryLou G.
Here's a touch of the Great Northwoods right outside downtown Des Plaines. Good freshwater fish and seafood in a friendly and casual atmosphere with counter service. Try the hushpuppies - whatever artery damage they might do is worth it because they taste SO good!
(4)Steven J.
My dad use to take me to the Dock for years when I was just a little kid. Now I'm taking my family. I love their fried shrimp and clam chowder. They freshly bread the shrimp and cook it in non trans fat oil. The rest of the family feast on the grilled shrimp & salmon. This place is not big, seats only about 35 to 40 people, so most people take their food to go or eat in their car. They have really fast service, so if they look like they have a large crowd don't sweat. I think the owners are from Door County Wisconsin because they have lots of photos from there. The Dock is worth the trip if your a seafood lover.
(5)Rochelle S.
The best fish and shrimp you will find anywhere in the Chicago Suburbs. Who would think this little place would be so delish.. The fish chips are my favorite, light and fluffy fried fish always fresh. And the shrimp we can never get enough!! They do have a batter that is on the thicker side, but the flavor is perfect. And talk about Cole Slaw. I hate the stuff, but at Dons Dock I will eat the entire container!! Every time we go to Des Plaines we stop here!! And the price is very low for two people to be stuffed it cost us $15. For fresh fish and shrimp. For a family of 4 I would recommend 1lb shrimp, 1lb fish chips, and large cole slaw. Will run you about $30. And you will be so very full..
(5)MoMo K.
Love their fried shrimp!!! Very good! Also the service is excellent! Alexis took our order and she smiled the entire time and every time we approached her afterwards. My mouth would hurt after smiling that much. You order at the register and then they call your number and you get your food from the counter (no table service, so no tips!). I'd suggest eating their so your food is still warm. They have many tables inside even if the dining area is small. Dining area isn't anything special, they have a lot of seafood related decoration on the walls. They must really really like their decoration. Their were a bunch of condiment bottles put out as decoration and the owner came out to make sure they are aligned perfectly and that the label was facing forward (See the pictures). I thought I'd take lots of pictures of the decoration since they work so hard to make sure it's perfect. I would return to get the fried shrimp!
(5)Foodie A.
Excellent Lobster Tacos and Fried Walleye Sandwich. Superb seafood and salads. Watch out! Catch of every minute of the day is the place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Open 9am. Closed Sunday. Well, one day off of Don's Dock is ok. Monthly Specials, catering, salads, fresh fish and, and Hushpuppies! Yep, Hushpuppies! Fish Fridays
(5)Rob N.
Just ordered two dinner size lobster mac and cheeses costing about $30. The price I find very reasonable as it is full of lobster(love) and is why they get two stars instead of one. If the noodles were anymore over cooked it would be a chowder. Pure mush... they use very small shells and it's just not good. The portion is very good and the amount of lobster is very good but the completed meal for both dinners....lobster gelatin. On a better note the crab stuffed salmon is amazing and can be cooked at home to impress any guest!!
(2)Amy K.
My father has been coming here for YEARS. It is his favorite place ever. He normally just gets the popcorn fried shrimp but they have many other options as well. We ordered in one night from here and I only have two qualms: its a tiny bit expensive and the hush puppies were jalapeno. I would not have been upset by the hush puppies but they did not have any description that they were flavored so I was expecting more of the traditional hush puppies. We got some fish and chips [which were good but the 'fish' was small chunks rather than larger pieces] and then clam chowder. I really enjoyed the clam chowder as it was full of flavor and a little looser than traditional new england style chowders [which i guess doesn't make it new england style since the spoon should be standing up in the soup]. We will probably be returning as the items we got were good; just not as consistently as the pricing is a little high.
(4)Jennifer P.
My boy Lefai K. has a knack for knowing what I like. :) He's been wanting to take me to a particular seafood joint, but, much to our dismay, it closes at 7, so we haven't been able to work it into our schedules just yet. Thankfully he has driven by Don's Dock and suggested we try it. When we arrived we were initially overwhelmed with the choices. Alexis was super sweet and friendly, and explained the whole menu AND specials to us. She gave us suggestions and let us know what the most popular items were. He ordered the Fish Tacos and I had the Fish and Chips. Both were reaaaally delish! I enjoyed the biscuit-type bun and the tartar sauce was a great compliment to the fish. I was really pleased with fresh fruit on the side. His salsa (both on the tacos and on the side) was a bit too sweet for my particular taste. I love that the tortillas were grilled. I also like that this is not "fast" food by any means - we waited about 10 minutes for our food, it came out piping hot, and you could tell it was made with care. Not only that, but it was both fresh AND reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back for another dinner date!
(5)Dinah T.
It's Mardi Gras and we had a taste for Cajun food. I checked on yelp and found out that this place was serving Mardi Gras food specials so off we went. When we arrived, it is a small place about 8 to 10 tables of four on one side and on the other side is a display of fresh seafood sold by the pound and premade food by the pound and also you can order different meals over the counter. Of course their speciality is seafood. They sell fresh seafood from oysters to smoke salmon. But we were here for their mardi Gras dinner specials. They had a wide variety of choices. The prices are not bad. It's a tiny place more of a divey establishment. There were a lot of take out orders too. They serve your food in plastic containers and plastic utensils so nothing fancy here. You pick a number from the ticket taker and place your order and they will call your number when your meal is ready. I have to say the folks here were very friendly even when they were really busy tonight. I like the fact that they were wearing Mardi Gras colors and passing out free beads on Fat Tuesday. The decor was also Mardi Gras theme of New Orleans. Even the music that was playing in the background got you in the mood. We ordered the shrimp Po boy sandwich, it came with homemade chips and coleslaw. The bread was soft and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. The fried shrimp were baby shrimp so they kept on coming out of the sandwich every time hubby took a bite. We prefer bigger size shrimp for the sandwich. But it was fine, because they had enough baby fried shrimp in the sandwich. The homemade chips were crispy and the slaw was okay too, it had a sweet taste to it like KFC slaw taste. I had the sausage and baby shrimp jambalaya in a bowl which was flavorful. I would get this again. I also ordered a quarter pound of their hush puppies which had a Cajun seasoning kick to it which was pretty good too. I got a free cornbread muffin when I checked in from yelp. I'm glad it was free because it was cold and dry boo. I would not have paid for it. Overall, it was an nice experience the food was good so we would come back and try other things like their Maryland crab cakes and a lobster roll that's on the menu and it's also BYOB oh Yeah!!
(4)Matt K.
I drove an hour to and from this place on a Tuesday after work just to find a poster in the window saying they were "closed and resting due to anniversary sale" although their own website posts hours open until 8PM (I was there at 6:30PM on a Tuesday) and nothing about them being closed that day. That may be convenient for the owners but it's very inconvenient for anyone who's driven out of there way to do business. It's also difficult to find with Des Plaines' very-difficult-to-navigate roads and train tracks with very few places to cross. Seems like a place only for locals and those "in-the-know".
(2)Donnarae H.
This place is the best Seafood Market & Restaurant around! The freshest seafood in the area. Had the fish & shrimp tacos which tasted amazing. Since its shrimp fest am couldn't leave without buying some boiled shrimp, Cajun shrimp and coconut shrimp to take home! The coconut shrimp was out of this world, could eat it every day. The service was great and the owners always go above and beyond to make sure everything are amazing.
(5)Vicky G.
Super fresh seafood very close to home! Though I have a couple places in the city that know how to make a good oyster po' boy, Don's Dock gives all of them a run for they money! I've only tried their fried oysters, fried shirmp, and clam chowder - all were delisious!
(5)Jennifer K.
Fantastic place!!! Met the owner while we were there, she is so nice and down to earth. I had the Maine lobster roll .. Omg it was delicious !!! Just enough food for your dollar. When you want to get away from the seafood chains this is the place to go for great fresh seafood
(5)Solitaire L.
Eh-dible Wow! What a disappointment! We were excited to try dons. I had jerk chicken and grilled shrimp plate. Bland bland bland...and did I mention bland? My fiance had bourbon shrimp. It looked like a frozen microwave meal...and pretty much tasted like one. The steamed broccoli was good. Crab bisque also good. Maybe stick to fried items here. Staff was nice at least.
(1)Bill B.
We had the grilled crab stuffed shrimp dinner and a grilled shrimp dinner bowl of clam chowder soup and a Maryland crab cake free order of hush puppies for checking in. Get there early cause it's really super busy waitstaff is very very nice. It's about a three minute walk from the Metra train stop in Des Plaines. The dipping sauce for the hush puppies is out of this world. The fresh seafood pasta salads are very good.
(5)Mikey A.
The place has better than average food but the portion sizes are not worth the price they charge. It is wayyyy overpriced. If you want more bang for your buck, and just as good if not better seafood, go to Boston Fish Market. I've been going to DD forever but they're so cheap on their portions.
(3)melissa d.
I'm a seafood connoisseur. Being Asian decent, we eat A LOT of seafood. I moved to Arlington Heights about a year ago and was super excited to discover this place. My family and I ate there a few nights ago. The staff were very nice and efficient. I was very excited to see that they have Blue Point raw oysters. I'm obsessed with raw oysters. I was sooooooooooooo disappointed because it was really fishy smelling and tasted just as fishy. Any raw oyster fan will tell you that a good quality raw oyster is NOT supposed to smell. At all. Bad smelling ones will smell fishy. A seafood place like this SHOULD NOT have bad quality oysters. Now I get that maybe one bad oyster will slip past their expert sniff test but I order half a dozen and EVERY SINGLE ONE was bad. That's too bad because I had really high hopes for this places. My second order was crab tacos (it was crab season there) and it was ok. there were more fillings than crab meat itself. Once again, disappointed. But I have to say, I'm more overall concerned and disappointed with the raw oysters than anything. A busy restaurant that's as packed as this place and specializes in seafood SHOULD NOT be serving bad oysters. It's a shame. I really, REALLY was excited about this place.
(1)Rich G.
Had the all you can eat smelt ... mostly breading not much fish and greasy. But my friend had the seafood tacos ... they looked great ... should have gotten those. Maybe next time.
(3)Jennifer S.
Many moons ago, my now husband couldn't shut up about Don's Dock. Seriously. He's been talking about this place as long as I've known him. And so once I became a Yelper, I bookmarked Don's Dock. Now, I have suggested about two million times that we hit the Dock to which I have been greeted with a: It's too far...we'll go another time. Recently, fate stepped in. We were fifteen minutes away and hungry. Woo hoo! I entered this very clean, yet very small establishment and I was immediately overwhelmed. (Side note: I was visually impaired this day. Recently dilated eyes at the doctor's office. I knew I was in the right place by the delectable smells alone!) Making a decision was next to impossible. The hubby easily chose the fried shrimp with fries and potato salad. I took longer to decide and landed on the Maryland crab cakes with shrimp pasta salad instead of fries. We waited patiently at a table right in the middle of the restaurant. It's counter service which was perfect. Soda in a can. Enough options to make this caffeine-free girl happy. When the food arrived, we were immediately tasting everything on each other's plates. My favorites from top to bottom: Shrimp pasta salad Fried shrimp Cole slaw Maryland crab cake Potato salad (with dill!) Fries Shrimp sauce I loved the pasta salad!!! I'm so glad that I tried it. The shrimp were great without any sauce. The husband didn't love the potato salad but that's because it was different. I like different. ;-) Overall, I wish they were closer to home. They have waaaay too many options, so I will absolutely need to visit again soon. The prices were fair. It's not a cheap visit, but certainly didn't break the bank. Thanks Don's Dock!
(4)Linda L.
Don's is just a few blocks away from me, and I'm a frequent patron. Their fish is always fresh and they rotate a good variety of specials. Even with all the varieties of fish you can order, my favorite is still fish and chips along with the delicious cole slaw. If you go during Lent, on a Friday, be prepared to wait a while. Should have taken my own advice last Friday!
(5)Denis J.
At $29 per pound, the boiled shrimp and lobster were A+! But the Lake Superior Walleye and Whitefish dinners were...well, disgusting! We're astonished at how bad the dinners at this iconic fish restaurant was. No plans to return!
(1)Chet M.
Nice friendly place with surprisingly deep menu offerings. Has lobster roll, clam chowdah, and fresh fried shrimp. Beats Hagen's and Fish Keg in my book.
(4)Kevin N.
Very tasty seafood at a good price get there early ithis place gets very busy. Also it's BYOB shrimp shrimp and more shrimp
(4)Howard L.
It was great trying this place and it's the real thing - fresh fried seafood, and a friendly family run business and rustic Door County decor to go with it. They are having their 63rd anniversary on Labor Day, and it's a 50% special that day, so a particularly good time to try 'em. It's a generally casual t-shirt type crowd that comes here (though one customer that came through did have a tie on), and we fit right in on this day. We enjoyed their lobster roll (a top seller at $13.95), a half pound of fried smelt, and a quarter pound of fried calamari. You can order whatever you want by weight which is nice for sampling if you like. It's also BYOB. There's lotsa selections on the menu board, and it all looks good. I enjoyed the smelt a little more than the calamari, as the calamari was a little chewy. Lobster roll was delightful. We'll be back and will bring some beer for a nice casual dinner next time. Don't expect fancy - just good food.
(5)Karen H.
Came in for the lobster rolls.it was delicious. Best i ever ate , also the only one i ever ate. Love the toasted bun. The staff was very helpful. & fast. Before we left we ordered up some of the crab cakes . Stuffed shrimp. And mushrooms with this delicious seafood stew. . Later that day we cooked up the take out and it was just so good . I love crab cakes and these were off the hook, over the top delicious. The building is cute nothing fancy but hey its a restaurant/Fish market. .Clean, and not fishy smelling at all. A must go back
(5)Linda R.
What a fun little place! Kept seeing the ad in the Daily Herald, and found just the right evening to run to DP for dinner. It's like stepping into New England from the little place with a few tables, very rustic, to the boats on the wall. Two orders of walleye and one of the crab cakes. Have to say the order of crab cakes beat the walleye - nice sized cakes, thick, moist, delicious. Walleye was also good - fresh, juicy. Fries were good. Coleslaw wasn't your norm, but good nonetheless. This place hops with a steady stream of people coming in for take out. Table area is small, and packed tightly, but still a nice, casual place. Had a great time!
(4)Natalya N.
This is my 3rd time and of course they never disappoint! August was Lobster Month for them-Each month is a different special. They were unbelievable.The owner Donna was there to help us select exactly what we needed for my party. 6 Lobster Tails(so meaty) that were so plump and yummE. lobster claws shrimp what a feast! She packed everything explained how to prepare the Lobsters to perfection I might add. This place is unbelievable and worth the drive! Beware during lent it fills up fast and the lines maybe long but they are quick. There service kindness never changes no matter how busy slow or hectic. Hats off to best lil seafood Place for Miles!!!
(5)Omar A.
Insane. This place was just fantastic First time and I tried calamari, coconut shrimp, and po-boy shrimp. So much food. So good! Staff was great and super helpful. Menu has something for everyone. Truly a must try if you like seafood (grilled and fried)
(5)Tony U.
Let me preface this review by stating that I'm not a big seafood fan. The only kind of seafood I like is breaded and deep fried, or it comes in a can. If you're like me, this review is for. I was introduced to Don's by a coworker. I told him I'm not a fish guy so he recommended getting the "fish chips." Fish chips are whitefish chunks that are breaded and deep fried. You get them in a brown paper bag and you order them by the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or 1 pound bag. I ordered them and really liked them. Dons has a plethora of hot sauces for you to try too. On another occasion I ordered the gumbo and it was excellent. The hush puppies are tasty and so are the fried shrimp. There are a TON of fried fish choices on the menu, and they also sell fresh fish. The place is small, but it is very clean. The staff was courteous and helpful. Prices are very reasonable. I highly recommend this place to fish first timers or people just plain sick and tired of Long John Silvers. Good tasting fried fish, good quality, a large selection, and decent prices.
(4)Bryan B.
Well would like to say food is good, had walleye dinner, and wife had lobster roll. But was disappointed by amount of food compared to price. Also for lobster roll was hoping for more then hotdog bun. It was i 1st time getting dinners to go, so we will just stick to buying by the pound. Seems to be better value there.
(3)jay t.
Felt like i was transported to the seaside.... who wouldve guessed there would be such delicious seafood so readily available in the burbs?
(5)Inigo M.
I've had family in this area for years, and I've always been ambivalent about this place. Tonight they furnished our entire New Yrars Eve dinner. BluePoint oysters were first rate, though seriously tough to shuck. Crab bisque was great...a nice amuse bouche, really. And they made a believer out of me re South African lobster tails. The folks working were friendly and helpful. What more can I say? If any of these had been off the evening might have sucked. But everything was on. Thank you Don's Dock.
(5)S T.
Very nice friendly service! Not much table inside like 7 and each table has 4 seats only!!
(4)Steve H.
This was our first visit here. Nice clean place and very friendly and prompt service. My wife had the fried clam dinner, which was very good with an ample amount of clams, fries and some cole slaw. I had the blackened catfish sandwich. It was very good and a nice size! It came with a nice and tasty portion of red beans and rice, and some tasty hush puppies. There are only 7 tables with 4 chairs each, so seating is very limited. We will definitly be back! It was a great lunch.
(4)Rob B.
Don's Dock is not pretty on the outside, but you go there for good seafood. They have a friendly family atmosphere and a large delicious selection to choose from. There are tables available if you prefer to dine in and it is very casual. They go out of their way to answer questions and they do a lot of take out too. Give Don's a try. You will like it.
(5)Vishal S.
Great food at a great price! This place is your classic hole in the wall restaurant . I drove by it the first time and it looked shabby but the selection is great and ( not surprising) the customer service was top notch. The place was constantly buzzing at 7:45 ....... They close at 8 . Three thumbs up. V
(5)Michael S.
When I remember this place exists I can't help but stop in for the specials. My wife loves the Lobster Month and you know a seafood place has fresh fish when you can't smell it.
(5)MJ E.
I had forgotten how much I enjoy this place. It is just a little bit out of the way for us but will make more of an effort to get out here. The food is fresh and delicious. The place is part fish monger and part seafood restaurant counter service. And, it is tiny. Well worth a trip and BYOB if you do! Don's Dock has been around forever and that is a testimony all by itself!
(5)Kate W.
Absolutely delicious. Fish tacos, lobster roll and crab cake were to die for.
(5)Ron G.
I ordered the Softshell Crab Sandwich and 1/4 lbs. cod to unlock the check in for free hush puppies. Unlike other review's I enjoyed the hush puppies. They were irregular shaped and not completely soft, but were very well flavored. The softshell crab had an overly fishy flavor. The Beer Battered cod was more than acceptable, but not the best I ever had and if I would do it again I would of ordered $13 worth of cod in order to unlock the check in.
(4)Debbie I.
Geez, I really hate giving this place two measly stars because the workers are very friendly and efficient. However, I ordered the fried scallop dinner and was extremely disappointed. Normally I would have ordered the grilled version but my gf wanted to try fried scallops. I picked up the food and headed straight to my girlfriends place about 7 minutes away. We both tried a scallop and to our disappointment found them to be so chewy they were not edible. We spit them out and threw the rest away. Super disappointing!
(2)Cheryl M.
Never had a bad meal here! People there are very helpful and nice
(5)Sunshine M.
I love this place. Just ate some lobster tacos and lobster bisque. Amazing!!! I will go back again and again.
(5)Therese D.
Wow! They were right, it's really that good. There is a lot to choose from, we kind of stood there with our mouths open trying to pick something. The counter guy was very nice and patient as we stared at the menu and changed our orders a few times - we had calamari, salmon sandwich, fried shrimp, and smelt. The fries had a nice crispy coating, all if it comes with a tangy cocktail sauce. The calamari was tender and tasty, I tried the smelt - even though I do not like smelt, I will say I it was good - for smelt. The fresh seafood looked so good and very reasonably priced, had we been going home I would have purchased some scallops, tilapia, and lobster salad. I wouldn't call this place a hole-in-the wall, it was very clean. There are maybe 8 tables inside, lots of people were getting takeout so we were able to sit and eat dinner. I'm not much of a coleslaw fan - didn't care for their version. That's ok. The dessert looked really good, key lime pie!
(4)Joan D.
Good lobster roll special. I want to try the grilled fish tacos. Skip the coleslaw. Great friendly, pleasant staff. If I need high quality fish to cook for a special occasion I will order it from here. With a little notice they can get you anything.
(4)Bob H.
I grab the pre-cooked shrimp and some of the dips for holiday dinners. They are spot on. I am a fisherman and would rather catch and cook my own fish but dont always have the time. Don's has quality perch and walleye, I just wish they would cut down on the amount of breading. A lot of times I remove most of it. The medium sauce has just the right amount of horseradish. It is clean. Call ahead with your order during lent. I would give 3.5 stars if that was an option.
(3)Danita J.
We ordered only the items off of the Mardi Gras menu. We are from Louisiana. It is kind of a 'hole in the wall place.' Our mothers both cook Louisiana style! It is just like home. They have Mardi Gras music playing too. They carry a great selection of Louisiana products you cannot find in the Chicagoland. If you are from Louisiana & live in the Chicago area, it is worth the drive!
(5)Ted B.
I moved to Des Plaines about 2 years ago. I never really cared for this place. Even thou the parking lot always looked full, it felt kind of abandoned to me. Living a block away from it, I finally decided to walk down and see what they have to offer. Right away I was greeted warmly by the staff. I looked around the place as well as the menu to see what would clench my hunger. I decided to order the Atlantic Salmon burger with chips with Teriyaki sauce on the side. After getting my order, I walked back home - it was a really nice night, why not get some extra exercise in them legs!? As I sat by the table I was hesitant to open the box, but then again I just spent $10 for a sandwich I didn't even know I would like. Let's be honest, I'm not really a fan of fish, but THIS didn't look like your ordinary fish sandwich. Between the gold colored warm pretzel bun I found a large piece of salmon grilled to perfection (with lettuce, tomato and onion). On the other side of the box was a bag of ordinary chips. With both hands I grabbed the bun and moved it closer to my already watery mouth. I took a bite out of it and suddenly I felt like I was reborn. Unfortunately the feeling didn't last long. Within couple of minutes I was staring at an empty white styrofoam box scattered with leftover potato chips and crumbs. It was hands down, the best sandwich I have ever had. Since then, I visited the place multiple times, and I have to say, it never disappoints. All jokes aside thou, the place is absolutely fantastic. The only reason why I am not rating it 5-stars is because one time I ordered a sandwich with no chips, but was charged for them anyway. If you haven't been here yet and you get a chance to, please do so. It is really worth it!
(4)Stacy N.
Extremely friendly and fast service. I've never dined-in but have been ordering take-out for about 6 years. They've never disappointed me.
(5)Anna S.
Make no mistakes: it is a seafood shack. It is not a restaurant. Fresh, nice choice of grilled, boiled, fried or fresh. Could be cheaper, but it is a-ok option for cooking at home. Also, could use more description: Atlantic salomon may be farm raised, not wild. The best in my opinion: smelt in May, craw fish for Mardi Gras and lobster in August. Good fries too for those who are not seafood fans!
(5)chel s.
Awesome seafood for the right price. Tried the lobster roll, fried scallops and shrimp po boy.. All worth the money. Check yelp occasionally for free side items. It's worth it.
(4)Kevin H.
I never write reviews but I just had to tell people about this place, so I created a Yelp profile. I'm fairly new to Des Plaines and have been to Don's Dock eight times so far. I'm smitten! The food is great! I love their fried shrimp but, with a goal to be healthier, I've been ordering their grilled dinners lately. I'm so impressed! I especially enjoy the Crab Stuffed Shrimp and the Fish Tacos. The food is usually ready pretty quick, less than ten minutes for a grilled order. The longest I had to wait on a busy night was about 17 minutes. Still pretty speedy considering how many people were there that night! If you're like me, you are sick of the same old chain restaurants. This place is family run, literally. Such a welcomed change of pace. They provide a very warm atmosphere and offer incredible service. I think I'm hooked for life!
(5)Linda N.
This time sampled cod, chix tenders and the yummy coleslaw. I love this place! I really need to come more often. FRESH FRESH FRESH. Was actually able to dine in this time and my companion (her first visit) loved her shrimp dinner and wants to go back. And boy did my kitty enjoy the chicken left overs. Love that homemade tartar
(4)Lisa D.
We stopped in to buy some smoked whitefish (oh yum) and stayed for lunch. Skip the slaw, but be sure and order the Maryland crab patty and a lemon aid. The buttery bun is almost croissant-like. So much to try. The scallops were beautiful. Hush puppies!
(5)Angelica S.
Oh god I love coming here! I wish it was a little cheaper, but I don't mind too much. It's always super fresh tasting and SO JUICY! I LOVE the fried large shrimp and calamari, with the garlic butter sauce. Nom nom nom! It's always so delicious! Service has been great! Everyone is always so friendly there. But during busy times, it can get really busy. There can be a long wait, but totally worth it.
(5)Gregory B.
This is the kind of place I usually love. But didn't. Fresh seafood, to be sure. Too-small portions, and too-thick, greasy cornmeal breading. I left feeling bloated and unhealthy. I'd give it two stars for taste, three stars for price and four stars for freshness.
(3)Pam D.
I stopped here a few weeks ago. I had been called for Jury Duty and after wasting a whole day at the court house, I decided to reward myself with some fried shrimp and bring a blue crab salad home for mom. The salad was quite good and there was ample crab in it, but my shrimp were deep fried too hard. The breading was very crisp and actually uncomfortable to eat. I would try other options in the future, but I don't think I will eat any of their deep fried options again. The shop itself is cute. To be honest, I had always assumed it was carry - out only. There is a limited amount of tables for dining and ample parking as well.
(3)Stephanie B.
As always, I checked in to my destination, using Yelp's app. After doing so, I was able to unlock a free half order of hush puppies. SCORE! I'm such an indecisive dining partner, thankfully I was by myself, but there was a bit of a line. After asking some suggestions and taking notice of the Mardi Gras specials. I ordered the Gulf Shrimp gumbo to go along with my free hush puppies. It was everything I expected it to be. It was spicy, filling, and authentic. I expected the shrimp to be larger, but I can't complain because they were uber tender. While the food was excellent, I'm taking one point away not for the 20 minute wait, but for the nearly $10 price tag on one entree. However, I cannot wait to go back!
(4)Fancy N.
IF you are looking for poor quality of seafood, this is your place! Since it was lent, on Friday's I experimented with new places. I regret picking Don's as one of my new finds. When I arrived, the parking lot was packed, and the door wasnt closing, there were so many people inside. I got excited thinking this was a good sign. Surely so many people can't keep coming if it was bad? Maybe these people have been coming here for so long, they dont remember how GOOD seafood is supposed to taste. Let me break it down for you in all honesty, this place is dirty, its old, the average age of a person in here is 55+. The place has a few deep fryers and that's about it. They have a messy style of ordering, then you wait to have your number called like in a deli. No one can hear them yelling, cause everyone is so loud in there. There are about 5 or so tables you can eat at. I had the crab cake dinner, the 2 crab cakes tasted like they were made 3 days ago, ewwww. They were mushy and all I could taste was bread crumbs and oil. Lots of disgusting oil. The "dinner" also had coleslaw which was the equivalent of about 1.5 tablespoons, and mediocre fries that tasted like fish. I also ordered a half pound of the calamari. It was breaded and seemed that it was breaded as one big clump, and thrown into the fryer. Or it was stuck after being taken out of the freezer and no one cared. If they dont care, neither do I, I will never ever come back to this place. I will wait to see it on the news one day being shut down by the Des Plaines food dept or someone dieing of food poisoning. Seriously people, go have a Wendy's cod sandwich and dont come here!
(1)PJ J.
Meh! I can say that I'd rather have Don's Dock in that space versus an empty lot, or a Subway sandwich place. I think that if it weren't for Lent, and the feeling that regular Don's Dock customers aren't chewing their food with their real teeth -This place WOULD be an empty lot, or a Subway. It is bad enough to use instant rice in the first place, to have undercooked instant rice is a kick in the teeth. I had the #7 Mardi Gras platter today...it blew pretty hard. Cajun catfish, fried beyond recognition and salty. This was the best thing on the platter. Hush puppies, have you ever let a kindergarten class cook you lunch? It would taste like these hush puppies, hard on the outside, irregularly small shaped, raw dough on the inside. Crawfish Ettoufee... I imagine that this recipe came out of some jail or institutional cookbook. I'd poke more fun here, but this isn't funny. Service is great, seriously nice people. I would however, trust the Gorton's fishermen instead.
(2)John M.
hadn't eaten here in 5 yr's. Very disappointed in value, ordered $15 shrimp sampler to share (after asking if qty was enough for two), server said it was ...WRONG! It wouldn't have been enough for 1! I don't think there were more than 15 sticks of french fries, the shrimp were small living up to the name "shrimp" , there was only one "shell on shrimp" and 2 each of the others. At best, on the outside this was a $10 meal. At establishments of this nature you usually are served more than you can eat, not here! The taste was OK, not offensive or anything but far from having any distinctiveness, just fried food. The curb appeal of this place is diner fare and it misses the mark on value by a long, long way.
(2)MetroGypsy NY C.
Listen: Apparently rumor had it there were fresh crawdads here! Dove in seconds before closing, so no craw on the night we came, but none the less, we did score some delicious halibut and a perfect flank of salmon! Flaky, buttery morsels, topped with light crumbs and a pleasant waitstaff schooling us on prime cuts of fish and the best take home options for seafood! If only they weren't such a long plane ride from NYC! Great for locals according to those we came with!
(4)Judith A C.
I love the flavor of their fried shrimp and fish, but I find that the coating is much too hard - not crispy, mind you, but just plain hard. If it weren't for that I'd give them 4 stars. Still not 5, though - the food is a bit expensive. For example, the $15 shrimp sampler left me hungry and I'm not a big eater. For the amount of shrimp you get I'd say it was worth at the most $10.
(3)Laura S.
This New Year's Eve I had a plan to order lobsters for me and my 3 children. Excitedly, I searched the internet for a place to get fresh lobster and came upon the website. I called a few days ahead, ordered 4, two pound lobsters to be cooked for me. Later that day, I even called to add one additional. "No problem", I was told. New Year's Eve came and I had to take my mother to the emergency room, where she stayed for 12 hours. I had to call Don's Dock and postpone the lobster pickup time. "No problem. Sorry to hear about your mother. Drive carefully. The roads are terrible." And the roads were treacherous with an abundance of snow falling. I finally arrived and was greeted by a friendly young lady who had my 5, two pound lobsters waiting for me in the Styrofoam box. Jenny, the woman who arranged my order, totaled it and said "that will be $189.95". I just stood there, frozen, staring at the cash register. I had only brought $100 dollars with me because by my calculations, with each lobster costing $18.95, 5 would run me close to $100. Jenny calmly asked why I was staring at her that way and I said "I thought the total would be closer to $100. Aren't the lobsters $18.95 a piece?" "No, they are $18.95 PER POUND and you ordered 2 pound lobsters." Well, with that, I burst into tears and reiterated the day had been difficult. She looked at me, told me to just breathe and asked me what I could pay at that moment. Jenny was so kind, compassionate, professional and patient with me as I explained my financial predicament. She said "pay me what you can, take the lobsters and bring me the rest when you can." I was SO GRATEFUL and it made a horribly difficult day end up being not so bad. She patiently waited for me to come by the store with the remaining money and when I didn't, she kindly called to remind me of our agreement. I then forgot again and then finally called her with payment over the phone. We finished our transaction and she was thoughtful enough to ask how my mother was doing. My mother missed out on her lobster, but I know that there is one in her future and it will come from Don's Dock Seafood. I can't recommend this place more, simply because on a night like New Year's Eve, when it was so busy and the staff had worked a long holiday season, they had great attitudes, great energy and wonderful customer service.Thank you for ending 2013 on a good note. Laura Park Ridge
(4)Dorothy B.
We ate at Don's last week and had the all you care to eat fish and chips which was battered cod, french fries, cole slaw and hush puppies for $9.95. The meal was very good with the exception of the hush puppies. I wish that Don's would look at these reviews and figure out a better recipe for his hush puppies - they were heavy, greasy and not much flavor at all. On a good note, when you order your second helping of fish, you have the option of getting a repeat on everything (fries & coleslaw & hush puppies :-(). Very generous servings. We will be back!
(4)Linda H.
I'm sorry folks, but I do not know how this place gets 4 stars. The crab cakes were not crabby..just crummy. The crab bisque was like tomato soup mixed with sour cream and sherry. No crab! And the hush-puppies were absolutely the pits. I will say they do have good cole slaw. Oh, and beware of the plastic spoons. The edges cut the inside of your mouth. Just no flavor folks.
(2)Nancy E.
I want to thank Don's Dock for the fresh live lobsters we purchased for my mother's birthday party. They took the time to explain the boiling and gave us some seasonings and the all important bibs!
(5)Derrick T.
Good Friday = No Meat... but fish is okay? I never quite understood that... but I'm trying to be the good fiancee and help support her beliefs so why not! After some good ole web searching for a place to eat some Catholic friendly food, my boyz and I settled on Don's Dock, a place we had seen been never been. We pull into the parking lot and it is PACKED. This must be a good sign right? Walking in, there is only standing room as we attempt to make our way to the counter and order up. Between the three of us, we ordered up a lot of different things, but here's what I tried: Salmon Burger, Grilled: $4 for a tasty homemade salmon burger on a chewy roll with chips. Great for the price and filling! Fried Catfish: This took us the longest for the order to come through, however it was tender, boneless, and crisp. Very nice! Came with tasty french fries for $6. Good choice. Crab Bisque: It was definitely a good homemade soup, but for $4 for a half pint, it was definitely slightly over priced IMHO. If you're a fan of crab bisque, try it and help provide a better review, but I don't think I'll be getting this one again. New England Clam Chowder: While a little bit watery, flavor and texture was good. This is my soup of choice when I get back here. The main thing to note is that Don's consistently has sales ALL THE TIME. If you can make it there, check out their monthly/daily specials to know what to take advantage of. Great fish for a good price! Sashimi fans beware, there is nothing here for you unfortunately... Verdict: I'll definitely be making a trip back, especially to check them out on their special days. They have all you can eat specials pretty regularly on Monday/Tuesday nights which I'd like to give a whirl. Check it out seafood fans... worthwhile! To be noted: There really isn't much of a dine-in area, so don't come expecting to bring a whole family! Very limited space, but still great take home food!
(4)Kim H.
Wow.,.. I guess I am in a minority here. I hated it. I ordered a shrimp po'boy and some hush puppies. The hushpuppies were heavy, dense, greasy (oil thru most of the puppy) while over done on the outside. Really bad. The shrimp po'boy. Well, I will say they gave a fair number of shrimp. However, the remoulade was non-existant on most of the sandwich and from what I was able to taste was just a bad mayo with cayenne (sorta, kinda). There was too much bread and the token tomato was soggy, the lettuce wilted. I ate some of the shrimp and called it a day. Really was excited about this place since it had such good reviews. Good points: It does not smell fishy inside the restaurant. It's clean and cute.
(2)Leo E.
This place is very small, almost too small for comfort, the tables are cramped and don't accommodate more than 4 people together. The fish chips dish is what to get, by the pound or dinner form with sides, it's one of the best I've tried, but some of the other seafood could use a little help. Every time I venture off from the norm here I get disappointed, however it is very fairly priced for seafood as well; so I guess beggars can't be choosers in todays market! The washrooms are clean but smell like a sewer; so if there is a plumber reading this, please offer them your services.
(3)Christian M.
Always busy and lively on Friday night. Had one of their March specials the Crab bisque with fried Cod. The Bisque was seasoned just right, just wished it was 60% crab as I love Crab! I enjoyed the fried Cod, lightly battered. I'm think Don's Dock has the best Coleslaw I have ever had. :-) another excellent dinner.
(5)Donaye N.
Maryland crab cakes are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
(4)Matt C.
I eat at Dons Dock often. I would not say that everything on the menu is "the best," however a few of the dishes are really tasty. My favorites: -Fish tacos -coconut shrimp with the plum sauce - crab pasta salad -Grilled Salmon Not a fan of the poo boy or the hush puppies. The restaurant itself is really unique to the area. The staff are really friendly and take pride in the place as it is family owned and operated. A really good alternative to the same old same old
(3)Jeanette W.
I have been going to Don's Dock since I was a kid and it has not changed! Although the breaded shrimp are probably not the best for you they are to die for! The cocktail sauce makes it even better. Great memories here.
(5)David S.
Just ate there. I had the fried calamari. I've been to many a place where the calamari was just the rings cut from the squid's head, and overcooked. It was like chewing on sliced rubber hose. The calamari here however, were whole calamari, and cooked to perfection.
(5)Dan A.
I live very close to Don's Dock, as a result I eat there fairly regularly, especially during Lent. It definitely is madhouse on Fridays during Lent and is busy in general. The place really seems to be a favorite amongst the older generation. The average age in there must be early sixties. I personally think the food is ok, but slightly overpriced. A seafood dinner which includes shrimp, perch and fish chips is $8.40 pre tax. That means you're paying almost $9.50 for a limited amount of fried fish with a side of fries and slaw. Im my opinion their portions could be slightly larger. If you phone in your order they can usually have at ready in 10 mins or less for their fried options. The staff is very friendly and a nice mix of younger kids to adults. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
(3)Roberto F.
Look for some good fish during those Lenten Fridays? Or how about just some good fish in general. Well Don's Dock is the place for you. Similar to Frank's Fried Shrimp in the city you can order fried seafood by the 1/4 pound. The better part about this place is that if you don't want fried food you can go ahead and buy it fresh. They also offer a great crab bisque as well as some good seafood gumbo. Last but not least don't forget to ask about the monthly specials.
(4)Denis J.
At $29 per pound, the boiled shrimp and lobster were A+! But the Lake Superior Walleye and Whitefish dinners were...well, disgusting! We're astonished at how bad the dinners at this iconic fish restaurant was. No plans to return!
(1)Chet M.
Nice friendly place with surprisingly deep menu offerings. Has lobster roll, clam chowdah, and fresh fried shrimp. Beats Hagen's and Fish Keg in my book.
(4)Kevin N.
Very tasty seafood at a good price get there early ithis place gets very busy. Also it's BYOB shrimp shrimp and more shrimp
(4)Howard L.
It was great trying this place and it's the real thing - fresh fried seafood, and a friendly family run business and rustic Door County decor to go with it. They are having their 63rd anniversary on Labor Day, and it's a 50% special that day, so a particularly good time to try 'em. It's a generally casual t-shirt type crowd that comes here (though one customer that came through did have a tie on), and we fit right in on this day. We enjoyed their lobster roll (a top seller at $13.95), a half pound of fried smelt, and a quarter pound of fried calamari. You can order whatever you want by weight which is nice for sampling if you like. It's also BYOB. There's lotsa selections on the menu board, and it all looks good. I enjoyed the smelt a little more than the calamari, as the calamari was a little chewy. Lobster roll was delightful. We'll be back and will bring some beer for a nice casual dinner next time. Don't expect fancy - just good food.
(5)Karen H.
Came in for the lobster rolls.it was delicious. Best i ever ate , also the only one i ever ate. Love the toasted bun. The staff was very helpful. & fast. Before we left we ordered up some of the crab cakes . Stuffed shrimp. And mushrooms with this delicious seafood stew. . Later that day we cooked up the take out and it was just so good . I love crab cakes and these were off the hook, over the top delicious. The building is cute nothing fancy but hey its a restaurant/Fish market. .Clean, and not fishy smelling at all. A must go back
(5)Linda R.
What a fun little place! Kept seeing the ad in the Daily Herald, and found just the right evening to run to DP for dinner. It's like stepping into New England from the little place with a few tables, very rustic, to the boats on the wall. Two orders of walleye and one of the crab cakes. Have to say the order of crab cakes beat the walleye - nice sized cakes, thick, moist, delicious. Walleye was also good - fresh, juicy. Fries were good. Coleslaw wasn't your norm, but good nonetheless. This place hops with a steady stream of people coming in for take out. Table area is small, and packed tightly, but still a nice, casual place. Had a great time!
(4)Natalya N.
This is my 3rd time and of course they never disappoint! August was Lobster Month for them-Each month is a different special. They were unbelievable.The owner Donna was there to help us select exactly what we needed for my party. 6 Lobster Tails(so meaty) that were so plump and yummE. lobster claws shrimp what a feast! She packed everything explained how to prepare the Lobsters to perfection I might add. This place is unbelievable and worth the drive! Beware during lent it fills up fast and the lines maybe long but they are quick. There service kindness never changes no matter how busy slow or hectic. Hats off to best lil seafood Place for Miles!!!
(5)Omar A.
Insane. This place was just fantastic First time and I tried calamari, coconut shrimp, and po-boy shrimp. So much food. So good! Staff was great and super helpful. Menu has something for everyone. Truly a must try if you like seafood (grilled and fried)
(5)Tony U.
Let me preface this review by stating that I'm not a big seafood fan. The only kind of seafood I like is breaded and deep fried, or it comes in a can. If you're like me, this review is for. I was introduced to Don's by a coworker. I told him I'm not a fish guy so he recommended getting the "fish chips." Fish chips are whitefish chunks that are breaded and deep fried. You get them in a brown paper bag and you order them by the 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 or 1 pound bag. I ordered them and really liked them. Dons has a plethora of hot sauces for you to try too. On another occasion I ordered the gumbo and it was excellent. The hush puppies are tasty and so are the fried shrimp. There are a TON of fried fish choices on the menu, and they also sell fresh fish. The place is small, but it is very clean. The staff was courteous and helpful. Prices are very reasonable. I highly recommend this place to fish first timers or people just plain sick and tired of Long John Silvers. Good tasting fried fish, good quality, a large selection, and decent prices.
(4)Bryan B.
Well would like to say food is good, had walleye dinner, and wife had lobster roll. But was disappointed by amount of food compared to price. Also for lobster roll was hoping for more then hotdog bun. It was i 1st time getting dinners to go, so we will just stick to buying by the pound. Seems to be better value there.
(3)jay t.
Felt like i was transported to the seaside.... who wouldve guessed there would be such delicious seafood so readily available in the burbs?
(5)Inigo M.
I've had family in this area for years, and I've always been ambivalent about this place. Tonight they furnished our entire New Yrars Eve dinner. BluePoint oysters were first rate, though seriously tough to shuck. Crab bisque was great...a nice amuse bouche, really. And they made a believer out of me re South African lobster tails. The folks working were friendly and helpful. What more can I say? If any of these had been off the evening might have sucked. But everything was on. Thank you Don's Dock.
(5)S T.
Very nice friendly service! Not much table inside like 7 and each table has 4 seats only!!
(4)Steve H.
This was our first visit here. Nice clean place and very friendly and prompt service. My wife had the fried clam dinner, which was very good with an ample amount of clams, fries and some cole slaw. I had the blackened catfish sandwich. It was very good and a nice size! It came with a nice and tasty portion of red beans and rice, and some tasty hush puppies. There are only 7 tables with 4 chairs each, so seating is very limited. We will definitly be back! It was a great lunch.
(4)Rob B.
Don's Dock is not pretty on the outside, but you go there for good seafood. They have a friendly family atmosphere and a large delicious selection to choose from. There are tables available if you prefer to dine in and it is very casual. They go out of their way to answer questions and they do a lot of take out too. Give Don's a try. You will like it.
(5)Vishal S.
Great food at a great price! This place is your classic hole in the wall restaurant . I drove by it the first time and it looked shabby but the selection is great and ( not surprising) the customer service was top notch. The place was constantly buzzing at 7:45 ....... They close at 8 . Three thumbs up. V
(5)Michael S.
When I remember this place exists I can't help but stop in for the specials. My wife loves the Lobster Month and you know a seafood place has fresh fish when you can't smell it.
(5)MJ E.
I had forgotten how much I enjoy this place. It is just a little bit out of the way for us but will make more of an effort to get out here. The food is fresh and delicious. The place is part fish monger and part seafood restaurant counter service. And, it is tiny. Well worth a trip and BYOB if you do! Don's Dock has been around forever and that is a testimony all by itself!
(5)Kate W.
Absolutely delicious. Fish tacos, lobster roll and crab cake were to die for.
(5)Ron G.
I ordered the Softshell Crab Sandwich and 1/4 lbs. cod to unlock the check in for free hush puppies. Unlike other review's I enjoyed the hush puppies. They were irregular shaped and not completely soft, but were very well flavored. The softshell crab had an overly fishy flavor. The Beer Battered cod was more than acceptable, but not the best I ever had and if I would do it again I would of ordered $13 worth of cod in order to unlock the check in.
(4)Debbie I.
Geez, I really hate giving this place two measly stars because the workers are very friendly and efficient. However, I ordered the fried scallop dinner and was extremely disappointed. Normally I would have ordered the grilled version but my gf wanted to try fried scallops. I picked up the food and headed straight to my girlfriends place about 7 minutes away. We both tried a scallop and to our disappointment found them to be so chewy they were not edible. We spit them out and threw the rest away. Super disappointing!
(2)Cheryl M.
Never had a bad meal here! People there are very helpful and nice
(5)Sunshine M.
I love this place. Just ate some lobster tacos and lobster bisque. Amazing!!! I will go back again and again.
(5)Therese D.
Wow! They were right, it's really that good. There is a lot to choose from, we kind of stood there with our mouths open trying to pick something. The counter guy was very nice and patient as we stared at the menu and changed our orders a few times - we had calamari, salmon sandwich, fried shrimp, and smelt. The fries had a nice crispy coating, all if it comes with a tangy cocktail sauce. The calamari was tender and tasty, I tried the smelt - even though I do not like smelt, I will say I it was good - for smelt. The fresh seafood looked so good and very reasonably priced, had we been going home I would have purchased some scallops, tilapia, and lobster salad. I wouldn't call this place a hole-in-the wall, it was very clean. There are maybe 8 tables inside, lots of people were getting takeout so we were able to sit and eat dinner. I'm not much of a coleslaw fan - didn't care for their version. That's ok. The dessert looked really good, key lime pie!
(4)Joan D.
Good lobster roll special. I want to try the grilled fish tacos. Skip the coleslaw. Great friendly, pleasant staff. If I need high quality fish to cook for a special occasion I will order it from here. With a little notice they can get you anything.
(4)Bob H.
I grab the pre-cooked shrimp and some of the dips for holiday dinners. They are spot on. I am a fisherman and would rather catch and cook my own fish but dont always have the time. Don's has quality perch and walleye, I just wish they would cut down on the amount of breading. A lot of times I remove most of it. The medium sauce has just the right amount of horseradish. It is clean. Call ahead with your order during lent. I would give 3.5 stars if that was an option.
(3)Danita J.
We ordered only the items off of the Mardi Gras menu. We are from Louisiana. It is kind of a 'hole in the wall place.' Our mothers both cook Louisiana style! It is just like home. They have Mardi Gras music playing too. They carry a great selection of Louisiana products you cannot find in the Chicagoland. If you are from Louisiana & live in the Chicago area, it is worth the drive!
(5)Ted B.
I moved to Des Plaines about 2 years ago. I never really cared for this place. Even thou the parking lot always looked full, it felt kind of abandoned to me. Living a block away from it, I finally decided to walk down and see what they have to offer. Right away I was greeted warmly by the staff. I looked around the place as well as the menu to see what would clench my hunger. I decided to order the Atlantic Salmon burger with chips with Teriyaki sauce on the side. After getting my order, I walked back home - it was a really nice night, why not get some extra exercise in them legs!? As I sat by the table I was hesitant to open the box, but then again I just spent $10 for a sandwich I didn't even know I would like. Let's be honest, I'm not really a fan of fish, but THIS didn't look like your ordinary fish sandwich. Between the gold colored warm pretzel bun I found a large piece of salmon grilled to perfection (with lettuce, tomato and onion). On the other side of the box was a bag of ordinary chips. With both hands I grabbed the bun and moved it closer to my already watery mouth. I took a bite out of it and suddenly I felt like I was reborn. Unfortunately the feeling didn't last long. Within couple of minutes I was staring at an empty white styrofoam box scattered with leftover potato chips and crumbs. It was hands down, the best sandwich I have ever had. Since then, I visited the place multiple times, and I have to say, it never disappoints. All jokes aside thou, the place is absolutely fantastic. The only reason why I am not rating it 5-stars is because one time I ordered a sandwich with no chips, but was charged for them anyway. If you haven't been here yet and you get a chance to, please do so. It is really worth it!
(4)Stacy N.
Extremely friendly and fast service. I've never dined-in but have been ordering take-out for about 6 years. They've never disappointed me.
(5)Anna S.
Make no mistakes: it is a seafood shack. It is not a restaurant. Fresh, nice choice of grilled, boiled, fried or fresh. Could be cheaper, but it is a-ok option for cooking at home. Also, could use more description: Atlantic salomon may be farm raised, not wild. The best in my opinion: smelt in May, craw fish for Mardi Gras and lobster in August. Good fries too for those who are not seafood fans!
(5)chel s.
Awesome seafood for the right price. Tried the lobster roll, fried scallops and shrimp po boy.. All worth the money. Check yelp occasionally for free side items. It's worth it.
(4)Kevin H.
I never write reviews but I just had to tell people about this place, so I created a Yelp profile. I'm fairly new to Des Plaines and have been to Don's Dock eight times so far. I'm smitten! The food is great! I love their fried shrimp but, with a goal to be healthier, I've been ordering their grilled dinners lately. I'm so impressed! I especially enjoy the Crab Stuffed Shrimp and the Fish Tacos. The food is usually ready pretty quick, less than ten minutes for a grilled order. The longest I had to wait on a busy night was about 17 minutes. Still pretty speedy considering how many people were there that night! If you're like me, you are sick of the same old chain restaurants. This place is family run, literally. Such a welcomed change of pace. They provide a very warm atmosphere and offer incredible service. I think I'm hooked for life!
(5)Linda N.
This time sampled cod, chix tenders and the yummy coleslaw. I love this place! I really need to come more often. FRESH FRESH FRESH. Was actually able to dine in this time and my companion (her first visit) loved her shrimp dinner and wants to go back. And boy did my kitty enjoy the chicken left overs. Love that homemade tartar
(4)Lisa D.
We stopped in to buy some smoked whitefish (oh yum) and stayed for lunch. Skip the slaw, but be sure and order the Maryland crab patty and a lemon aid. The buttery bun is almost croissant-like. So much to try. The scallops were beautiful. Hush puppies!
(5)Angelica S.
Oh god I love coming here! I wish it was a little cheaper, but I don't mind too much. It's always super fresh tasting and SO JUICY! I LOVE the fried large shrimp and calamari, with the garlic butter sauce. Nom nom nom! It's always so delicious! Service has been great! Everyone is always so friendly there. But during busy times, it can get really busy. There can be a long wait, but totally worth it.
(5)Gregory B.
This is the kind of place I usually love. But didn't. Fresh seafood, to be sure. Too-small portions, and too-thick, greasy cornmeal breading. I left feeling bloated and unhealthy. I'd give it two stars for taste, three stars for price and four stars for freshness.
(3)Pam D.
I stopped here a few weeks ago. I had been called for Jury Duty and after wasting a whole day at the court house, I decided to reward myself with some fried shrimp and bring a blue crab salad home for mom. The salad was quite good and there was ample crab in it, but my shrimp were deep fried too hard. The breading was very crisp and actually uncomfortable to eat. I would try other options in the future, but I don't think I will eat any of their deep fried options again. The shop itself is cute. To be honest, I had always assumed it was carry - out only. There is a limited amount of tables for dining and ample parking as well.
(3)Stephanie B.
As always, I checked in to my destination, using Yelp's app. After doing so, I was able to unlock a free half order of hush puppies. SCORE! I'm such an indecisive dining partner, thankfully I was by myself, but there was a bit of a line. After asking some suggestions and taking notice of the Mardi Gras specials. I ordered the Gulf Shrimp gumbo to go along with my free hush puppies. It was everything I expected it to be. It was spicy, filling, and authentic. I expected the shrimp to be larger, but I can't complain because they were uber tender. While the food was excellent, I'm taking one point away not for the 20 minute wait, but for the nearly $10 price tag on one entree. However, I cannot wait to go back!
(4)Fancy N.
IF you are looking for poor quality of seafood, this is your place! Since it was lent, on Friday's I experimented with new places. I regret picking Don's as one of my new finds. When I arrived, the parking lot was packed, and the door wasnt closing, there were so many people inside. I got excited thinking this was a good sign. Surely so many people can't keep coming if it was bad? Maybe these people have been coming here for so long, they dont remember how GOOD seafood is supposed to taste. Let me break it down for you in all honesty, this place is dirty, its old, the average age of a person in here is 55+. The place has a few deep fryers and that's about it. They have a messy style of ordering, then you wait to have your number called like in a deli. No one can hear them yelling, cause everyone is so loud in there. There are about 5 or so tables you can eat at. I had the crab cake dinner, the 2 crab cakes tasted like they were made 3 days ago, ewwww. They were mushy and all I could taste was bread crumbs and oil. Lots of disgusting oil. The "dinner" also had coleslaw which was the equivalent of about 1.5 tablespoons, and mediocre fries that tasted like fish. I also ordered a half pound of the calamari. It was breaded and seemed that it was breaded as one big clump, and thrown into the fryer. Or it was stuck after being taken out of the freezer and no one cared. If they dont care, neither do I, I will never ever come back to this place. I will wait to see it on the news one day being shut down by the Des Plaines food dept or someone dieing of food poisoning. Seriously people, go have a Wendy's cod sandwich and dont come here!
(1)PJ J.
Meh! I can say that I'd rather have Don's Dock in that space versus an empty lot, or a Subway sandwich place. I think that if it weren't for Lent, and the feeling that regular Don's Dock customers aren't chewing their food with their real teeth -This place WOULD be an empty lot, or a Subway. It is bad enough to use instant rice in the first place, to have undercooked instant rice is a kick in the teeth. I had the #7 Mardi Gras platter today...it blew pretty hard. Cajun catfish, fried beyond recognition and salty. This was the best thing on the platter. Hush puppies, have you ever let a kindergarten class cook you lunch? It would taste like these hush puppies, hard on the outside, irregularly small shaped, raw dough on the inside. Crawfish Ettoufee... I imagine that this recipe came out of some jail or institutional cookbook. I'd poke more fun here, but this isn't funny. Service is great, seriously nice people. I would however, trust the Gorton's fishermen instead.
(2)John M.
hadn't eaten here in 5 yr's. Very disappointed in value, ordered $15 shrimp sampler to share (after asking if qty was enough for two), server said it was ...WRONG! It wouldn't have been enough for 1! I don't think there were more than 15 sticks of french fries, the shrimp were small living up to the name "shrimp" , there was only one "shell on shrimp" and 2 each of the others. At best, on the outside this was a $10 meal. At establishments of this nature you usually are served more than you can eat, not here! The taste was OK, not offensive or anything but far from having any distinctiveness, just fried food. The curb appeal of this place is diner fare and it misses the mark on value by a long, long way.
(2)MetroGypsy NY C.
Listen: Apparently rumor had it there were fresh crawdads here! Dove in seconds before closing, so no craw on the night we came, but none the less, we did score some delicious halibut and a perfect flank of salmon! Flaky, buttery morsels, topped with light crumbs and a pleasant waitstaff schooling us on prime cuts of fish and the best take home options for seafood! If only they weren't such a long plane ride from NYC! Great for locals according to those we came with!
(4)Judith A C.
I love the flavor of their fried shrimp and fish, but I find that the coating is much too hard - not crispy, mind you, but just plain hard. If it weren't for that I'd give them 4 stars. Still not 5, though - the food is a bit expensive. For example, the $15 shrimp sampler left me hungry and I'm not a big eater. For the amount of shrimp you get I'd say it was worth at the most $10.
(3)Nancy E.
I want to thank Don's Dock for the fresh live lobsters we purchased for my mother's birthday party. They took the time to explain the boiling and gave us some seasonings and the all important bibs!
(5)Christian M.
Always busy and lively on Friday night. Had one of their March specials the Crab bisque with fried Cod. The Bisque was seasoned just right, just wished it was 60% crab as I love Crab! I enjoyed the fried Cod, lightly battered. I'm think Don's Dock has the best Coleslaw I have ever had. :-) another excellent dinner.
(5)Donaye N.
Maryland crab cakes are awesome!!!!!!!!!!!
(4)Matt C.
I eat at Dons Dock often. I would not say that everything on the menu is "the best," however a few of the dishes are really tasty. My favorites: -Fish tacos -coconut shrimp with the plum sauce - crab pasta salad -Grilled Salmon Not a fan of the poo boy or the hush puppies. The restaurant itself is really unique to the area. The staff are really friendly and take pride in the place as it is family owned and operated. A really good alternative to the same old same old
(3)Jeanette W.
I have been going to Don's Dock since I was a kid and it has not changed! Although the breaded shrimp are probably not the best for you they are to die for! The cocktail sauce makes it even better. Great memories here.
(5)Laura S.
This New Year's Eve I had a plan to order lobsters for me and my 3 children. Excitedly, I searched the internet for a place to get fresh lobster and came upon the website. I called a few days ahead, ordered 4, two pound lobsters to be cooked for me. Later that day, I even called to add one additional. "No problem", I was told. New Year's Eve came and I had to take my mother to the emergency room, where she stayed for 12 hours. I had to call Don's Dock and postpone the lobster pickup time. "No problem. Sorry to hear about your mother. Drive carefully. The roads are terrible." And the roads were treacherous with an abundance of snow falling. I finally arrived and was greeted by a friendly young lady who had my 5, two pound lobsters waiting for me in the Styrofoam box. Jenny, the woman who arranged my order, totaled it and said "that will be $189.95". I just stood there, frozen, staring at the cash register. I had only brought $100 dollars with me because by my calculations, with each lobster costing $18.95, 5 would run me close to $100. Jenny calmly asked why I was staring at her that way and I said "I thought the total would be closer to $100. Aren't the lobsters $18.95 a piece?" "No, they are $18.95 PER POUND and you ordered 2 pound lobsters." Well, with that, I burst into tears and reiterated the day had been difficult. She looked at me, told me to just breathe and asked me what I could pay at that moment. Jenny was so kind, compassionate, professional and patient with me as I explained my financial predicament. She said "pay me what you can, take the lobsters and bring me the rest when you can." I was SO GRATEFUL and it made a horribly difficult day end up being not so bad. She patiently waited for me to come by the store with the remaining money and when I didn't, she kindly called to remind me of our agreement. I then forgot again and then finally called her with payment over the phone. We finished our transaction and she was thoughtful enough to ask how my mother was doing. My mother missed out on her lobster, but I know that there is one in her future and it will come from Don's Dock Seafood. I can't recommend this place more, simply because on a night like New Year's Eve, when it was so busy and the staff had worked a long holiday season, they had great attitudes, great energy and wonderful customer service.Thank you for ending 2013 on a good note. Laura Park Ridge
(4)Dorothy B.
We ate at Don's last week and had the all you care to eat fish and chips which was battered cod, french fries, cole slaw and hush puppies for $9.95. The meal was very good with the exception of the hush puppies. I wish that Don's would look at these reviews and figure out a better recipe for his hush puppies - they were heavy, greasy and not much flavor at all. On a good note, when you order your second helping of fish, you have the option of getting a repeat on everything (fries & coleslaw & hush puppies :-(). Very generous servings. We will be back!
(4)Linda H.
I'm sorry folks, but I do not know how this place gets 4 stars. The crab cakes were not crabby..just crummy. The crab bisque was like tomato soup mixed with sour cream and sherry. No crab! And the hush-puppies were absolutely the pits. I will say they do have good cole slaw. Oh, and beware of the plastic spoons. The edges cut the inside of your mouth. Just no flavor folks.
(2)Derrick T.
Good Friday = No Meat... but fish is okay? I never quite understood that... but I'm trying to be the good fiancee and help support her beliefs so why not! After some good ole web searching for a place to eat some Catholic friendly food, my boyz and I settled on Don's Dock, a place we had seen been never been. We pull into the parking lot and it is PACKED. This must be a good sign right? Walking in, there is only standing room as we attempt to make our way to the counter and order up. Between the three of us, we ordered up a lot of different things, but here's what I tried: Salmon Burger, Grilled: $4 for a tasty homemade salmon burger on a chewy roll with chips. Great for the price and filling! Fried Catfish: This took us the longest for the order to come through, however it was tender, boneless, and crisp. Very nice! Came with tasty french fries for $6. Good choice. Crab Bisque: It was definitely a good homemade soup, but for $4 for a half pint, it was definitely slightly over priced IMHO. If you're a fan of crab bisque, try it and help provide a better review, but I don't think I'll be getting this one again. New England Clam Chowder: While a little bit watery, flavor and texture was good. This is my soup of choice when I get back here. The main thing to note is that Don's consistently has sales ALL THE TIME. If you can make it there, check out their monthly/daily specials to know what to take advantage of. Great fish for a good price! Sashimi fans beware, there is nothing here for you unfortunately... Verdict: I'll definitely be making a trip back, especially to check them out on their special days. They have all you can eat specials pretty regularly on Monday/Tuesday nights which I'd like to give a whirl. Check it out seafood fans... worthwhile! To be noted: There really isn't much of a dine-in area, so don't come expecting to bring a whole family! Very limited space, but still great take home food!
(4)Kim H.
Wow.,.. I guess I am in a minority here. I hated it. I ordered a shrimp po'boy and some hush puppies. The hushpuppies were heavy, dense, greasy (oil thru most of the puppy) while over done on the outside. Really bad. The shrimp po'boy. Well, I will say they gave a fair number of shrimp. However, the remoulade was non-existant on most of the sandwich and from what I was able to taste was just a bad mayo with cayenne (sorta, kinda). There was too much bread and the token tomato was soggy, the lettuce wilted. I ate some of the shrimp and called it a day. Really was excited about this place since it had such good reviews. Good points: It does not smell fishy inside the restaurant. It's clean and cute.
(2)Leo E.
This place is very small, almost too small for comfort, the tables are cramped and don't accommodate more than 4 people together. The fish chips dish is what to get, by the pound or dinner form with sides, it's one of the best I've tried, but some of the other seafood could use a little help. Every time I venture off from the norm here I get disappointed, however it is very fairly priced for seafood as well; so I guess beggars can't be choosers in todays market! The washrooms are clean but smell like a sewer; so if there is a plumber reading this, please offer them your services.
(3)David S.
Just ate there. I had the fried calamari. I've been to many a place where the calamari was just the rings cut from the squid's head, and overcooked. It was like chewing on sliced rubber hose. The calamari here however, were whole calamari, and cooked to perfection.
(5)Dan A.
I live very close to Don's Dock, as a result I eat there fairly regularly, especially during Lent. It definitely is madhouse on Fridays during Lent and is busy in general. The place really seems to be a favorite amongst the older generation. The average age in there must be early sixties. I personally think the food is ok, but slightly overpriced. A seafood dinner which includes shrimp, perch and fish chips is $8.40 pre tax. That means you're paying almost $9.50 for a limited amount of fried fish with a side of fries and slaw. Im my opinion their portions could be slightly larger. If you phone in your order they can usually have at ready in 10 mins or less for their fried options. The staff is very friendly and a nice mix of younger kids to adults. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.
(3)Roberto F.
Look for some good fish during those Lenten Fridays? Or how about just some good fish in general. Well Don's Dock is the place for you. Similar to Frank's Fried Shrimp in the city you can order fried seafood by the 1/4 pound. The better part about this place is that if you don't want fried food you can go ahead and buy it fresh. They also offer a great crab bisque as well as some good seafood gumbo. Last but not least don't forget to ask about the monthly specials.
(4)Lawrence Y.
Came here on a quick lunch. It's a small little establishment but it's cute, and most of all: efficient. I had the combo (shrimp and perch, with fries) plate - can't go wrong for $7! It looks kinda small when it comes out but it's filling. I also had a side of the crab salad --- mmm. I already want to come back! PS - They have rotating monthly specials - so your taste buds will never get bored!
(4)Steve W.
Good seafood at a good price. I had the Fish Chips and Chips. Note that Fish Chips are not Fish & Chips. My mistake. Everyone in my party enjoyed their meal (Even a non seafood lover who had the Chicken sandwich). Will definitely go back for the Grilled Tilapia or perhaps Fish & Chips (Beer Battered Cod and Fries). Everything is very fresh!!! Just the way you want seafood to be.
(4)Amanda C.
SHRIMPZZZZZZZZZ ALL DAY EVERY SINGLE DAY. I want to eat here everyday until the day I die. Is that wrong? The cajun shrimp are unreal. The coleslaw is phenomenal. The crab salad is too legit to quit. And you can call in your order! So hush up about the wait, people! Eat here. It will BLOW.YOUR.MIND!!!
(5)April P.
After our beloved King's Fish closed down two years ago, we've been searching for a place since to replace our favorite fish and shrimp fry spot...We haven't been exactly unsuccessful, but as of late, it seems like our favorite spots all seem to be out of state. So, still on a mission for a Chicago-land seafood spot, Hagens was already tested and failed. I was excited to see a review from Jacob for Don's Fish, a restaurant not far from our area. Ordered a few items to get a smorgasbord of seafood. We ordered two dinners of the half fried shrimp, half perch, and a pound of the peel shrimp with bay seasoning. The fried shrimp was good, but the seasoning was sorta bland. The perch has the same seasoning and batter, so it can be rated the same. As for the peel shrimp, they were of good quality. Very fresh and plump, but again, the seasoning had same lackluster as previous two items. I was pretty disappointed, but am willing to give other items a try, such as the catfish and the crab cake sandwich, as those items had high reviews. Parking ample. They have specials year round, including their Labor day, half off everything fried sale. They also have a fresh fish available to prepare and cook for yourself at home.
(3)Chuck P.
By the looks of similar reviews, we were looking forward to this place. But we were all disappointed...with only a few tables, nothing was jet fresh. Shrimp scampi was 5 cents of noodles with 5 cents of old sour tiny POPCORN shrimp. The 2 guys working there would always disappear in the back room. We would not recommend, especially with so many other restaurant choices and fresh seafood at Mariano's that is more affordable.
(1)J S.
Always good! A big thank u for the rose and chocolate covered strawberry. ...you really made my day!:)
(5)Michelle B.
I had a craving for Fish Tacos. I decided to finally give this place a try. They were delicious! It was busy, so our food took a little while to make, but I will definitely be going back.
(4)Anita R.
the catering trays of calamari,french fried shrimp & smelt we had this ChristmasEve were delicious! And your staff was so helpful & friendly during the process of ordering & pickup on a hectic ChristmasEve... thanks so much.
(5)Darlene A.
Depends what you're seeking: not a date-night, romantically-lit impress your girl spot. Maybe not the place for exotic foodies or all healthy baked or broiled seafood. If you love really fresh fried shrimp or a seek a good, old-fashioned fish fry - this is the place! If I didn't have to watch my weight, I'd probably eat here twice a week. They improved their fries several years ago, so there is still hope for the person that wished for better hush puppies (haven't tried them myself, but will do that). The Labor Day half-price fried seafood sale is absolute chaos!
(4)Gonka D.
Just moved to Des Plaines from the city. I was pleasantly surprised that this place was still around as I haven't been here in over 20 years since I was a kid and my mom would take us there to pick up fish. Well, I hated it then as I hated any chores with parents as well as the fact that any kind of fish could never compare to McDonald's at that age. I am delighted to report things have changed over the years and my palette has expanded beyond McDonald's cuisine! Dons Dock is a nice little place with great food. The service and staff are amazing. I ordered a 1/2 pound of fried shrimp and a crab cake sandwich which they accidentally rang me up as a Crabby Cake sandwich. When my order was up and they called it out I asked the guy what the difference and he explained the Crabby Cake had some imitation crab while the Maryland Crab cake was pure crab. He was happy to trade my sandwich for the Maryland Crab and I was on my way. Now - I would normally not get fish or fried anything for take out - I hate when you get home and it is all soggy! That being said, it was a special occasion that called for take out...whats a girl to do?! By the time I got home 10 minutes later the shrimp were still crisp as could be. I snuck a few on the way so I know the car ride had not affected them one bit! The breading was delicious, crisp, and thick and the shrimp were plump and juicy. Our crab Cake Sandwich was perfect with a nice doughy bun and tarter sauce that was so good we even dipped our chips in it! My only wish was that the crab cake was a little bigger but at a price of 6 bucks including chips I mustn't complain too much! We will definitely be back and try some of the other menu options. I have read about the salmon burger but it is only available seasonally and that season is not now - bummer!! My fiance is itching to try the Stuffed Tilapia...perhaps a surprise Don's Dock dinner is in store for him this week!!
(4)Jeff W.
Tried tonight for the first time. Everything was great: fish chips, crab cakes, popcorn shrimp, hush puppies. Even the fries were really good. And the staff was seriously the friendliest I have seen in a long time. They clearly appreciate their customers. Glad it's nearby. I'll be back.
(5)Les O.
Crawfish over rice. Delish. Mardi Gras special worth stopping in for. Fried shrimp never is bad here.
(4)Bonkzilla Z.
A fresh selection of seafood - IF they have it. I've been going to Don's Dock for a couple of years now since my husband grew up in the town by it. I do like the fresh seafood that they have. But damn it, we don't live by them, so when we decide to take a special 45 minute trip on a Saturday once in a great while just to eat a fried clam strip lunch, you'd think they'd have the seafood you want. NOPE! This is the countless time I've gone out there for clam strips and they tell me after I order and about to pay, "Sorry, we just sold the last of it." Um...so at 11:30 am on a Saturday, the busiest day for people being out and about, and you're completely out of clam strips?!? And NO, I don't want the smoked chub instead. I also hate how they only have lobster tails around New Years. Grilled lobster in the summer is better than an oven-broiled one for New "Drunk" Eve. Who the FRACK is out of food at a market/restaurant anyway?!? Order more then idiots! Because you lost $40 bucks that day when you're out of one thing. Do you actually think I'm going to stay, put up with it by eating something else that I didn't drive 45 minutes to eat. I can make a salmon burger at home for a quarter of the price you charge! Get one of the 8 people who work there to check the stock, dumbf**ks!
(2)Diablo L.
As good as I remembered it from the past,excellent fried cod, large fried shrimp and a very good shrimp pasta salad
(4)Jim T.
Orgasmic on the taste buds. Need I say more?
(5)Dan G.
Meh. I had a sampling of fried items and they were okay. The hush puppies were sad. I come from having Hagen's at my disposal so I have the disappoint. I haven't tried anything else out (tried the shrimp and fish, both fried), but there we go. Not bad, not great.
(3)Brian J.
Don's Dock is a very legit place but you have to be careful about what you order or you will over pay for what you get. I've been going there for years, about once a month. Love the food. Would go there more, but the place is way too expensive. The only thing they need to figure out is the hush puppies.
(4)Ethan S.
Wow. Waited a long time here. But good food. Here's how it went: We came here hoping to get our shrimp, and get home. But oh, no! There were about 10 people in front of us with mile long orders. They really need to make that place bigger. But when we got home, the shrimp was PERFECTO. If you're not in a hurry and looking for seafood, go here.
(3)Y.D. K.
Great place for seafood - I had: shrimp was excellent, de-veined and clean, and tasty though the breading seems a bit heavy but is still good; fries were great as they were like a thicker cut and battered; clam chowder was tasty; hush puppies were good too, but I wonder if my batch was sitting for a bit or just an odd one - still, quite a good hush puppy compared to the locally unavailable Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips. You can definitely eat in, but its not made for big groups of people due to limited chairs and tables.
(4)Ariella G.
A fourth generation family business, where they make each customer feel special. Great crab bisque, crab stuffed shrimp, fried shrimp and nice chicken tendeloin kids dinner. Solid food, wonderful people with all the kids working behind the counter. Feels good to support a small family business and the fact that it is tasty and delicious makes it an easy choice for future visits!
(5)Debbie M.
A friend brought me to Don's Dock about a year ago and now it's one of my favorite resturants. The fried shrimp is fantastic. Whatever they put in their batter to make it taste so good keeps me coming back. I brought their cocktail shrimp to a party and they were a big hit. After years of bring cocktail shrimp from my grocery store and getting "Thanks for bringing the shrimp." I now get "Wow ! These great, where did you get them?" They do party trays too, but I just put the shrimp on a plate myself. Some other things I recomend are grilled salmon, crab bisque, beer battered cod, calamari and cloe slaw.
(5)Anthony U.
The perch dinner is excellent! Ive been eating here since i was a kid and have never been let down. Its a great place to go when you want some good fried fish, fast. Also, the all you can eat smelt are great when they have them. I believe its April and May, but I could be wrong.
(5)A. T.
When it comes to food, I am absolutely obsessed with seafood. I love almost all of it. Shrimp, in particular, is my favorite. I've had it made almost every way, and I can't stop eating it. It's hard to find absolutely amazing seafood in the Midwest (due to obvious geographical reasons), but that's where this little gem comes in. I absolutely love this place, seafood junkie that I am. Sure, it's crowded, but the food is worth it. It is a little pricey, but isn't all seafood? I'd be worried about the quality if I was eating cheap seafood. The fried shrimp and hush puppies are amazing. The crab cakes, grilled salmon, and coleslaw are pretty good, too. Also, I love how here, they have cocktail sauce and tartar sauce in lieu of ketchup, and how they have hot sauce at each table, too. In addition to being a restaurant, it's also a fish market. They have fish out for display like in supermarkets, and you can pick how much of each item you want, and then you take it home. (They have a whole variety of different types of fish and seafood to buy.) It's always crowded when I come here, but I don't mind. (Since this place is by my one job, I usually dine in.) The food is totally worth it. And if you decide to do take-out, they put your food in a paper bag that's lined with wax on the inside, so it keeps your food warm. I live half an hour away, and when I arrived home with my order, the food was still piping hot.
(5)Jacob J.
Fried fish! Just in time for Lent too. Or anytime I think, I dig fried fish joints. Ya gotta love these places, fried or grilled seafood, fried chicken tenderloins, boiled shrimp, hushpuppies, crab cakes, sandwiches, clam chowda, jambalaya and garden salads with choice of topping. I think they do some smoked items also. I think. The shop is small, with tables for less than twenty or thirty at the most. The exterior is decorated similar to a Long John's Silver's location with its own parking lot. The price of fish can vary and pricing online matches the signage perfectly. One detail to remember is while the menu says "by the pound" you can order in increments of 's. I inquired about the chicken tenderloins and was told it's only available in a dinner portion, drats! I assume those come in larger pieces or strips. Combo meals and dinners are a best bet for a newbie since you can sample a bit of different sides. Most fried joints (like this one) offer an array of sauces and those can be purchased in small increments, up to the pound. The shop has for sale, many options of bottled sauces and other interesting additions to your home fish cooking. On occasion I've had their fish sandwich which blows other fish fry eatery filets out of the water. Soft bakery bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and a perfectly fried piece of fish and tartar, which comes disassembled so you can pick and choose toppings. Not the best fish filet I've ever had, but okay and if it's a month with a special, then it comes with hushpuppies, which are a bit sweet to the taste. So far I've mainly stuck with the fish fry which is pretty good, crisp with a tender inside. Served hot and their tartar sauce compliments it perfect. If you'd like to avoid a rush, then you'll have to eat elsewhere or check it out on a weekday afternoon or evening. Check out the website to learn more about their business and reputation, I like that they've been in business since the 1950's and have been fishing and serving fresh seafood for over eighty years. They are obviously doing this correctly to be in existence for so long.
(5)Joan K.
First time there! Folks working there were very kind and helpful. Ordered a bit of this and that just to see what they had to offer. Well we had the best french fried shrimp around! The shrimp were big, juicy and fresh. Highly recommend those. Smelt was good and crab cakes,kinda need some crab. Now you must know that I carried out this food and it was about 1 and 1/2 hrs before we could enjoy this fare. Some items carry out better than others. That was the case with the Cajun crawdads and the hushpuppies. Dried out, but I bet if you could have eaten them right after they were prepared it would have been another story. Great coleslaw, fresh potato salad complimented the other foods. I want to have this shrimp again..and wish we could eat there and enjoy the food freshly cooked. maybe next time
(4)Ben W.
This is one of a kind restaurant, you see lots of fast food ones, but very few focus on seafood. Great location if you live near downtown Des Plaines, IL. Very friendly staff and very quick service. They give you a welcome pack with introduction, coupons, and menu, Price is reasonable. I don't go there very often because I can cook very good seafood myself at home.
(4)Dan W.
I like that it is a local place rather than part of a chain, and I like to support local businesses. There isn't much around the area for quick seafood...and I give them credit for trying. However, I have had much better tasting seafood elsewhere, and the portion sizes are ridicuously small for the price you pay. And the latter statement is why I am not a regular, and only drop by every few years just to see if they improved. And in 15 years...I am saddened that they have not.
(2)Joe W.
Fresh seafood done right and simple. I just had one of the specials of the month... Louisiana shrimp & crawfish boil. Seasoned perfectly and simple... potatoes, corn, shrimp, sausage, and crawfish. Fresh seafood at a reasonable price. If you are looking for fresh seafood and do not want to break the bank, this place is for you.
(4)Patrick W.
Hands down, my favorite joint for seafood outside the state of Louisiana. This is a small seafood market with the bonus of counter service of fresh homecooked seafood. My favorite is the pound of small shrimp, which I slather in hot sauce. They use an excellent breading on all the fried seafood. They have a few fish sandwiches, good crab cakes, and great shoestring french fries. This place gets jammed every day at lunchtime by office workers from downtown Des Plaines, Des Plaines cops, Pace bus drivers, and everyone else who knows where to get great seafood. Fridays during Lent are an absolute mad house here, as all of us Catholics avoid meat on Friday. With seafood this good, it's no sacrifice to give up meat during Lent!
(5)Jay W.
Expensive (for what you get), bland, very little substance. I remain unimpressed.
(2)Sally W.
A small, very friendly, family owned (I think) establishment. I have had about 5 meals there so far, and they have all been delicious. The grilled meals are delicious, healthy, and reasonably priced. The fried items are also excellent. Delicious fries.
(5)Kate R.
When my husband and I moved here from Wisconsin, we went on the hunt for a good fish fry. We tried a few places, but nothing matched the fish fries that have become the Friday mainstay of the North Woods. Then our vet (yes, our vet!) recommended Don's Doc, and we've been happy regulars ever since. The fish is always light and flaky. The breading is tasty and does not overpower the fish. The selection is very good: salmon, shrimp, catfish, calamari, tilapia, and--what really made us feel at home--lake perch, whitefish, and walleye! They even have smelt in season. We've ordered both the grilled and the fried dinners and both are good, just depends on your mood. Grilled dinners take a little longer to prepare, but are worth the wait. I recommend the grilled tilapia with shrimp stuffing. They do a big business in carry-out lobster dinners at New Year's Eve and Valentine's day. Some day, we're going to take the plunge. We also highly recommend the french fries and the hush puppies. (An insider's tip--look for the shaker of french fry seasoning on the counter if you want a little zest.) And the staff is great. Friendly and fun. We didn't really feel at home until we found Don's Dock. If you're looking for a casual, delicious fish fry like they do it in Wisconsin, this is the place.
(5)Micky M.
Still as good as it was ten years ago. Hot, fresh, delicious, mouth watering bags of shrimp...fresh crunchy coleslaw...huge selection of hot sauces (and fresh seafood to prepare at home) you can purchase...right at the edge of civilization, kind of in no-man's land if you're not familiar with the area. If you are driving down NW highway to or from anywhere and like seafood, STOP HERE for sure. If you're local....what are you doing??? The staff knows what they are doing and can give you instructions for cooking you lobster or anything else at home. Squeaky clean too!!
(5)MaryLou G.
Here's a touch of the Great Northwoods right outside downtown Des Plaines. Good freshwater fish and seafood in a friendly and casual atmosphere with counter service. Try the hushpuppies - whatever artery damage they might do is worth it because they taste SO good!
(4)Steven J.
My dad use to take me to the Dock for years when I was just a little kid. Now I'm taking my family. I love their fried shrimp and clam chowder. They freshly bread the shrimp and cook it in non trans fat oil. The rest of the family feast on the grilled shrimp & salmon. This place is not big, seats only about 35 to 40 people, so most people take their food to go or eat in their car. They have really fast service, so if they look like they have a large crowd don't sweat. I think the owners are from Door County Wisconsin because they have lots of photos from there. The Dock is worth the trip if your a seafood lover.
(5)Rochelle S.
The best fish and shrimp you will find anywhere in the Chicago Suburbs. Who would think this little place would be so delish.. The fish chips are my favorite, light and fluffy fried fish always fresh. And the shrimp we can never get enough!! They do have a batter that is on the thicker side, but the flavor is perfect. And talk about Cole Slaw. I hate the stuff, but at Dons Dock I will eat the entire container!! Every time we go to Des Plaines we stop here!! And the price is very low for two people to be stuffed it cost us $15. For fresh fish and shrimp. For a family of 4 I would recommend 1lb shrimp, 1lb fish chips, and large cole slaw. Will run you about $30. And you will be so very full..
(5)MoMo K.
Love their fried shrimp!!! Very good! Also the service is excellent! Alexis took our order and she smiled the entire time and every time we approached her afterwards. My mouth would hurt after smiling that much. You order at the register and then they call your number and you get your food from the counter (no table service, so no tips!). I'd suggest eating their so your food is still warm. They have many tables inside even if the dining area is small. Dining area isn't anything special, they have a lot of seafood related decoration on the walls. They must really really like their decoration. Their were a bunch of condiment bottles put out as decoration and the owner came out to make sure they are aligned perfectly and that the label was facing forward (See the pictures). I thought I'd take lots of pictures of the decoration since they work so hard to make sure it's perfect. I would return to get the fried shrimp!
(5)Foodie A.
Excellent Lobster Tacos and Fried Walleye Sandwich. Superb seafood and salads. Watch out! Catch of every minute of the day is the place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner. Open 9am. Closed Sunday. Well, one day off of Don's Dock is ok. Monthly Specials, catering, salads, fresh fish and, and Hushpuppies! Yep, Hushpuppies! Fish Fridays
(5)Rob N.
Just ordered two dinner size lobster mac and cheeses costing about $30. The price I find very reasonable as it is full of lobster(love) and is why they get two stars instead of one. If the noodles were anymore over cooked it would be a chowder. Pure mush... they use very small shells and it's just not good. The portion is very good and the amount of lobster is very good but the completed meal for both dinners....lobster gelatin. On a better note the crab stuffed salmon is amazing and can be cooked at home to impress any guest!!
(2)Bill B.
We had the grilled crab stuffed shrimp dinner and a grilled shrimp dinner bowl of clam chowder soup and a Maryland crab cake free order of hush puppies for checking in. Get there early cause it's really super busy waitstaff is very very nice. It's about a three minute walk from the Metra train stop in Des Plaines. The dipping sauce for the hush puppies is out of this world. The fresh seafood pasta salads are very good.
(5)Mikey A.
The place has better than average food but the portion sizes are not worth the price they charge. It is wayyyy overpriced. If you want more bang for your buck, and just as good if not better seafood, go to Boston Fish Market. I've been going to DD forever but they're so cheap on their portions.
(3)Amy K.
My father has been coming here for YEARS. It is his favorite place ever. He normally just gets the popcorn fried shrimp but they have many other options as well. We ordered in one night from here and I only have two qualms: its a tiny bit expensive and the hush puppies were jalapeno. I would not have been upset by the hush puppies but they did not have any description that they were flavored so I was expecting more of the traditional hush puppies. We got some fish and chips [which were good but the 'fish' was small chunks rather than larger pieces] and then clam chowder. I really enjoyed the clam chowder as it was full of flavor and a little looser than traditional new england style chowders [which i guess doesn't make it new england style since the spoon should be standing up in the soup]. We will probably be returning as the items we got were good; just not as consistently as the pricing is a little high.
(4)Jennifer P.
My boy Lefai K. has a knack for knowing what I like. :) He's been wanting to take me to a particular seafood joint, but, much to our dismay, it closes at 7, so we haven't been able to work it into our schedules just yet. Thankfully he has driven by Don's Dock and suggested we try it. When we arrived we were initially overwhelmed with the choices. Alexis was super sweet and friendly, and explained the whole menu AND specials to us. She gave us suggestions and let us know what the most popular items were. He ordered the Fish Tacos and I had the Fish and Chips. Both were reaaaally delish! I enjoyed the biscuit-type bun and the tartar sauce was a great compliment to the fish. I was really pleased with fresh fruit on the side. His salsa (both on the tacos and on the side) was a bit too sweet for my particular taste. I love that the tortillas were grilled. I also like that this is not "fast" food by any means - we waited about 10 minutes for our food, it came out piping hot, and you could tell it was made with care. Not only that, but it was both fresh AND reasonably priced. I can't wait to go back for another dinner date!
(5)Vicky G.
Super fresh seafood very close to home! Though I have a couple places in the city that know how to make a good oyster po' boy, Don's Dock gives all of them a run for they money! I've only tried their fried oysters, fried shirmp, and clam chowder - all were delisious!
(5)Jennifer K.
Fantastic place!!! Met the owner while we were there, she is so nice and down to earth. I had the Maine lobster roll .. Omg it was delicious !!! Just enough food for your dollar. When you want to get away from the seafood chains this is the place to go for great fresh seafood
(5)Solitaire L.
Eh-dible Wow! What a disappointment! We were excited to try dons. I had jerk chicken and grilled shrimp plate. Bland bland bland...and did I mention bland? My fiance had bourbon shrimp. It looked like a frozen microwave meal...and pretty much tasted like one. The steamed broccoli was good. Crab bisque also good. Maybe stick to fried items here. Staff was nice at least.
(1)Dinah T.
It's Mardi Gras and we had a taste for Cajun food. I checked on yelp and found out that this place was serving Mardi Gras food specials so off we went. When we arrived, it is a small place about 8 to 10 tables of four on one side and on the other side is a display of fresh seafood sold by the pound and premade food by the pound and also you can order different meals over the counter. Of course their speciality is seafood. They sell fresh seafood from oysters to smoke salmon. But we were here for their mardi Gras dinner specials. They had a wide variety of choices. The prices are not bad. It's a tiny place more of a divey establishment. There were a lot of take out orders too. They serve your food in plastic containers and plastic utensils so nothing fancy here. You pick a number from the ticket taker and place your order and they will call your number when your meal is ready. I have to say the folks here were very friendly even when they were really busy tonight. I like the fact that they were wearing Mardi Gras colors and passing out free beads on Fat Tuesday. The decor was also Mardi Gras theme of New Orleans. Even the music that was playing in the background got you in the mood. We ordered the shrimp Po boy sandwich, it came with homemade chips and coleslaw. The bread was soft and the lettuce and tomato were fresh. The fried shrimp were baby shrimp so they kept on coming out of the sandwich every time hubby took a bite. We prefer bigger size shrimp for the sandwich. But it was fine, because they had enough baby fried shrimp in the sandwich. The homemade chips were crispy and the slaw was okay too, it had a sweet taste to it like KFC slaw taste. I had the sausage and baby shrimp jambalaya in a bowl which was flavorful. I would get this again. I also ordered a quarter pound of their hush puppies which had a Cajun seasoning kick to it which was pretty good too. I got a free cornbread muffin when I checked in from yelp. I'm glad it was free because it was cold and dry boo. I would not have paid for it. Overall, it was an nice experience the food was good so we would come back and try other things like their Maryland crab cakes and a lobster roll that's on the menu and it's also BYOB oh Yeah!!
(4)Matt K.
I drove an hour to and from this place on a Tuesday after work just to find a poster in the window saying they were "closed and resting due to anniversary sale" although their own website posts hours open until 8PM (I was there at 6:30PM on a Tuesday) and nothing about them being closed that day. That may be convenient for the owners but it's very inconvenient for anyone who's driven out of there way to do business. It's also difficult to find with Des Plaines' very-difficult-to-navigate roads and train tracks with very few places to cross. Seems like a place only for locals and those "in-the-know".
(2)Donnarae H.
This place is the best Seafood Market & Restaurant around! The freshest seafood in the area. Had the fish & shrimp tacos which tasted amazing. Since its shrimp fest am couldn't leave without buying some boiled shrimp, Cajun shrimp and coconut shrimp to take home! The coconut shrimp was out of this world, could eat it every day. The service was great and the owners always go above and beyond to make sure everything are amazing.
(5)melissa d.
I'm a seafood connoisseur. Being Asian decent, we eat A LOT of seafood. I moved to Arlington Heights about a year ago and was super excited to discover this place. My family and I ate there a few nights ago. The staff were very nice and efficient. I was very excited to see that they have Blue Point raw oysters. I'm obsessed with raw oysters. I was sooooooooooooo disappointed because it was really fishy smelling and tasted just as fishy. Any raw oyster fan will tell you that a good quality raw oyster is NOT supposed to smell. At all. Bad smelling ones will smell fishy. A seafood place like this SHOULD NOT have bad quality oysters. Now I get that maybe one bad oyster will slip past their expert sniff test but I order half a dozen and EVERY SINGLE ONE was bad. That's too bad because I had really high hopes for this places. My second order was crab tacos (it was crab season there) and it was ok. there were more fillings than crab meat itself. Once again, disappointed. But I have to say, I'm more overall concerned and disappointed with the raw oysters than anything. A busy restaurant that's as packed as this place and specializes in seafood SHOULD NOT be serving bad oysters. It's a shame. I really, REALLY was excited about this place.
(1)Rich G.
Had the all you can eat smelt ... mostly breading not much fish and greasy. But my friend had the seafood tacos ... they looked great ... should have gotten those. Maybe next time.
(3)Jennifer S.
Many moons ago, my now husband couldn't shut up about Don's Dock. Seriously. He's been talking about this place as long as I've known him. And so once I became a Yelper, I bookmarked Don's Dock. Now, I have suggested about two million times that we hit the Dock to which I have been greeted with a: It's too far...we'll go another time. Recently, fate stepped in. We were fifteen minutes away and hungry. Woo hoo! I entered this very clean, yet very small establishment and I was immediately overwhelmed. (Side note: I was visually impaired this day. Recently dilated eyes at the doctor's office. I knew I was in the right place by the delectable smells alone!) Making a decision was next to impossible. The hubby easily chose the fried shrimp with fries and potato salad. I took longer to decide and landed on the Maryland crab cakes with shrimp pasta salad instead of fries. We waited patiently at a table right in the middle of the restaurant. It's counter service which was perfect. Soda in a can. Enough options to make this caffeine-free girl happy. When the food arrived, we were immediately tasting everything on each other's plates. My favorites from top to bottom: Shrimp pasta salad Fried shrimp Cole slaw Maryland crab cake Potato salad (with dill!) Fries Shrimp sauce I loved the pasta salad!!! I'm so glad that I tried it. The shrimp were great without any sauce. The husband didn't love the potato salad but that's because it was different. I like different. ;-) Overall, I wish they were closer to home. They have waaaay too many options, so I will absolutely need to visit again soon. The prices were fair. It's not a cheap visit, but certainly didn't break the bank. Thanks Don's Dock!
(4)Linda L.
Don's is just a few blocks away from me, and I'm a frequent patron. Their fish is always fresh and they rotate a good variety of specials. Even with all the varieties of fish you can order, my favorite is still fish and chips along with the delicious cole slaw. If you go during Lent, on a Friday, be prepared to wait a while. Should have taken my own advice last Friday!
(5)