Dockers Waterfront Bar and Restaurant

We spent three nights on Kelleys Island recently. All three nights, you could find us at Dockers. We ate at a table by the water each night and enjoyed great drinks and great food. I don't know who thought up a lobster martini, but pat them on the back! Friday night there was live music which added to the ambiance. Aside from being on an island and just being relaxing anyway, this place is great for just sitting, eating, drinking, and taking in the view!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Dockers Waterfront Bar & Restaurant on Kelley’s Island is one of those places you end up talking about long after you leave. The atmosphere is perfect. It’s right on the water, laid-back, and exactly the kind of spot you want to visit when you’re on the island.
And I have to talk about the lobster martini because it’s honestly one of the most unique and delicious things they serve. It’s literally three lobster tails served in a glass of warm, melted butter with lemon. Sounds wild, but it tastes incredible. It’s rich, it’s fresh, and it feels like the most over-the-top island treat in the best way possible.
The food overall was great, the drinks were strong, and the staff made the whole experience even better. If you’re visiting Kelley’s Island, Dockers is absolutely a must-stop—especially for that lobster martini. You won’t forget it.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

The burgers I don't need to order you can only get medium well and it was dry and flavorless. At 1:00 they have run out of their daily special what's my wife ordered. Second choice was a sandwich that was ok. It's all about the drinks and the atmosphere which or good being on the dock and the Sun is beautiful

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 4

Seat yourself. View is beautiful. Servers were attentive & friendly. We ordered crab cakes ($19.5) best I've had personally. Light w a slight crisp. Mostly crab. Lobster bisque ($8) was pretty good. Could have used alittle more flavor. The bread served w it tasted stale. Split the Cajun pasta w salmon ($23.5) The salmon was cooked perfectly & well seasoned. The pasta itself was cooked just right. Sauce was creamy. The sauce wasn't Cajun at all though. I added a ton of pepper & salt to give the pasta some flavor other than cream. I felt the portion of pasta was lacking. We were still hungry.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 5

I got the cheeseburger because the menu says fresh meat, not frozen. When it came out the cheese wasn't even melted and it was a premade frozen patty. I gave it a try and it was the worst hamburger I've ever had, very dry, tasted almost freezer burnt. If your looking for a good hamburger don't go to this place.

Kale was our server and she was great! The bruschetta was yummy! I wasnt a fan of the salmon...a little too fishy. Very cute spot tho

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 5

The absolute best scallops and shrimp skewers.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We come the same time every year but service was hardly available. They did announce kids went back to school which we all get and Are fine with. But it also doesnt help when your watriss was hardly working. 😕. Felt bad for the kitchen staff so seamed very overwhelmed. If you go in aug have lots of patience.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 2

Really really good, multiple very active waiters, and fun atmosphere, all outside seating with view of the lake. Lobster martini was extremely good a must have, aswell as the Lobster bisque. Highly recommend this place if it is a good day outside.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

My favorite place! We stay at portside everytime and this is my goto place. The food is the best and Joe and Delaney knocked it out with the cocktails! No waiting with these two! They are the best and so kind!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Food was great, I had the salmon with pierogis and the quinoa/rice blend, fantastic. My parents both had the crab cake dinner and they loved it. Prices are good for what you get, except the drinks lol. 9 dollars for a mule and 9 dollars for a high noon, 4.50 for a coke! But, very good nonetheless. Our server was Kale, she was awesome haha! Love the outdoor seating by the bay, fun environment.
Might have to come back for dessert later!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Always enjoy taking the boat over to kelly's island and having a pleasant surprise... There's a dozen places you can stop and get bar food. However, docker's waterfront bar has really good food... A diverse menu Anybody can find either a small snack or a full entree, to satisfy their needs.Great drinks too... I'm very busy on the weekends, but sunday evenings are the best

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very good crab cakes!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great food with lots of options, not just typical bar food. Homemade pretzel appetizer is so good. Great salads and tasty meals.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

We love coming to Dockers. Steve Brownell’s music brought us down on a Friday evening. We had a group of 10 and ordered drinks and dinner. Food was good, our waiter couldn’t care less about our service or was just a really bad waiter. We had to ask multiple times for refills, he was very inefficient as he continued to walk back and forth across the seating area with nothing in his hands. We ordered a dish without cheese and it came heavily coated in cheese. When I mentioned it to him, his reply was “well I told the kitchen”. That may be true, but you brought the dish out with the cheese on it, didn’t check, left it on the table and quickly walked away. He seemed surprised we’d actually want the dish served correctly when asked. His reply was, you want me to send it back? 🙄 He also left all our plates and food baskets sitting on the table even after everyone was done for ages. The breeze kept blowing the paper from the baskets and the napkins around, and birds started coming to get leftover crumbs off the plates.

I guess good help is hard to find, but with a large, non-needy party, he still got a really nice tip, for really poor service. It just doesn’t take that much to take care of a friendly table who’s there to enjoy themselves. It’s mid-j July, he should be well-versed at taking care of tables at this point in the summer.

So basically, if you can deal with the possibility of poor service, or can get a different server, you will have a great time. Lots of food options for everyone!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 2