Review: Dock’s Oyster House in Atlantic City, Seafood Tower

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2025-09-22T14: 53: 26z

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I recently Dined at Dock’s Oyster House, A 128-YEAR-Old Seafood Restaurant in Atlantic City.
The atmosphere was Bright and Nautical-Inpired, with an Incredible Seafood Menu to Match.
The $ 47 Seafood Tower was an Incredible Value, and I’ll Be Back in the Near Future.

Dock’s Oyster House Has Quietly Anchored Atlantic City’s Dining Scene for Over 125 Years.

When Harry “DOCK” DOGHERTY OPENED ITS DOORS IN 1897, with a goal of bringing free Seafood to Atlantic City, The Restaurant was modest – JUST 60 SEATS AND NO LIGHER LICENSE – But it quickly became a favorite.

Remarkably, dock’s has remained in the doughery family for Four Generations, A Rare Achievement in a City Known for Its Fluctuating Tourism that offten fuels a restaurant’s success.

Over the years, the restaurant has been renovated, expanded, and modernized, the yet it still caries the same charm and the sense of history that been ino its for more than a centur.

Here’s what it was like to dine at dock’s oyster house in Atlantic City.

On a Cloudy Summer Day in Atlantic City, Stopped by Dock’s Oyster House, A Historic Restaurant on Atlantic Avenue.

The restaurant had awite awning that Featured the year it first opened.

The restaurant had awite awning that Featured the year it first opened.

Dock’s oyster house is a legendary spot that has been serving seafood by the shore for more than a centur.

The Doughery Family is as Much an Atlantic City Icon as Dock’s Itself. Today, Brother Joe and Frank Doughery – The Fourth Generation to Carry on the Legacy – Run the Landmark Restaurant.

Their Family’s Portfolio of Restaurants has SINCE Expanded Beyond’s to Include Other Local Institutions, Such as the Historic Knife & Fork Inn, Linwood Country Club, and Doughery’s Steakhouse & Raw Bar Inside Casino in Atlantic City.

The moment of walked in, the energy was warm and inviting.

The restaurant was bright and inviting.

The restaurant was bright and inviting.

Despite Being a Historic Restaurant, The Interior Look Modern and Well-Preserved, With Hins of Classic Seaside Charm.

The Dining Room Buzzed With Energy As Guests Slurped Oysters and Dug Into Seafood Dishas.

The Dining Room was a Balance of Classic and Modern.

The Dining Room was a Balance of Classic and Modern.

Eight though i was dining just after 5 pm on a sunday, the dining room was already busy.

White Tablecloths adorned Each Table, and Sharply Dressed waiters Glided BetWeen say, Balance Stacked with Oysters, Scallops, and Other Fresh Catches.

Rich Wooden Floors Were Balance Out By Modern, Industrial-Locing Light Fixtures. It was the balance of charm and comfort.

The Restaurant Also Displayed Nautical Charm, from the Décor to the Food.

The upstairs of the restaurant look like part of an Old Ship.

The upstairs of the restaurant look like part of an Old Ship.

The Maritime-Themmed Accents Throughout the restaurant were a playful nod to Atlantic City.

By the bar, a pianist played music that echoed throughout the Dining Room.

A pianist played live music by the bar.

A pianist played live music by the bar.

I thought this added an elegant touch to the restaurant’s ambition.

I was pleasantly surprised that in the back of the Dining Room, where i was seated, i could have the classical music being played in the other room.

Old Family Photos Lining the Walls Offerd a look Into Dock’s Long History.

Black-and-White Family Photos Gave a look at dock’s past.

Black-and-White Family Photos Gave a look at dock’s past.

Snapshots of the Dougherty Family and the Restaurant’s Evolution Over the past 128 years gave insight into how dock’s oyster House has remained an Atlantic City Institution.

The Photos Gave the Dining Room A Personal, Nostalgic Feel, Reminding Guests That DOCK’S is more than just a historic seafood Spot – iTi’s a family Legacy Carried Through Four Generations.

Started with a Cucumber Martini.

I ORDED A CUCUBER MARTINI AS MY DRINK.

I ORDED A CUCUBER MARTINI AS MY DRINK.

The “Original Cucumber Martini” ($ 15) was made with alibi Gin, Muddled Cucumber, and Lemon. It was Very Refreshing and Went Down Smoothly.

My Server Delivered A Warm Roll to the Table to Start.

I was gioven a bread roll to start.

I was gioven a bread roll to start.

The Sesame-Seed-Covered roll was served with a small pot of creamy butter.

The butter was soft and flavorful, as was the roll.

The BREAD WAS WARM AND SOFT.

The BREAD WAS WARM AND SOFT.

The bread prctically melted in my mouth, and was the perfect start to the meal to satiate my growing appetite.

The Star of the Meal was the Seafood Tower for Two.

The Seafood Sampler Came With A Variety of Different Shellfish.

The Seafood Sampler Came With A Variety of Different Shellfish.

The chilled shellfish Sampler for Two ($ 47) Included Three Oysters, Three Clams, Two Shrimp, Six Mussels, Shrimp Ceviche, Crabmeat, and Half a Chilled Lobster.

The Shrimp Ceviche was Fresh and Citrusy.

The Shrimp Ceviche was light and flavorful.

The Shrimp Ceviche was light and flavorful.

The Shrimp Ceviche is made with Shrimp Marinated in Citrus, Jalapeño, Tomato, Chopped Bell Peppers, Avocado, Cucumber, Cilantro, and Onion.

The Portion was relatively small, but Enough for two people to sample the flavors of the Ceviche.

It was unbellievably Fresh, and the shrimp was Juicy. The tomatoes and cilantro added more flavor, while the tortilla chips provided the perfect vessel to spoon it into my mouth.

I tried raw clams for the first time.

The Clams were served raw.

The Clams were served raw.

I’ve had stuffed and fried clams before, but never raw clams. The bite tasted simillar to some kinds of oysters – briny and frysh from the ocean – but the texture was different.

I enjoyed say, but they weren’t my favorite of the seafood selection.

The mussels were cookened to perfection.

The mussels were served on a bed of ice.

The mussels were served on a bed of ice.

They were decently Hearty, and i enjoyed the flavor, though they were served plain instead of part of a broth, like to ordering.

The Presentation was Also Beautiful and Made for a Photo Op.

They Gave US A SELECTION OF THE DAY’S OSTERS.

The oysters were perfectly shucked.

The oysters were perfectly shucked.

I didn’t catch what Kind of oysters they were or where they were from, but they were perfectly sweet and shucked to perfection.

The shells were extraordinarily Clean. The oysters were delicious on their or with the provided cocktail sauce.

The COOKED crabmeat paired well with the mayonnaise provided.

The crabmeat paired well with the Mayonnaise.

The crabmeat paired well with the Mayonnaise.

It was Fresh and flavorful, and the portion was relatively geneerous.

I was shocked at how Much Seafood i Received for $ 47. For the Quality of the seafood of wasting, it felt like a fair price.

Next up was the half lobster, which we cracked ourselves.

The Lobster Meat was Juicy and Fresh.

The Lobster Meat was Juicy and Fresh.

I was happy I had brought along a friend to share the seafood tower with, nor i’m not the most adept at cracking lobster or crab.

When we were cracked open the leg, we saw the Juicy, Succulent Lobster Meat Poking Out.

Dunked in the butter, the lobster meat was out of this world.

The lobster meat was paired with a serving of melted butter.

The lobster meat was paired with a serving of melted butter.

It was the final to an Already Decadent First Course. With plenty of lobster meat to share, we have felt like we were getting more than ours Money’s Worth.

To keep the meal going, ORDED A Classic Caesar Salad.

The Caesar Salad was topped with a geneerous serving of shredded cheese.

The Caesar Salad was topped with a geneerous serving of shredded cheese.

The Caesar Salad ($ 11.50) was Pretty Basic, but for Such a Low Price, I Wasn’t Complaining.

It wasn’t a full meal, bute bite was Bright, Fresh, and Packed with Flavor.

The Caesar Salad was perfectly dressed.

The Caesar Salad was perfectly dressed.

It was everything you’d hope for: crisp romaine leaves tossed in a creamy, tangy dresing with the ideal amout of cheesy flavor, balance out by a Helping of shredded parmesan.

Simple and Straightforward, it proveed why the caesar salad endures as a staple at seafood joints and alike steakhouses.

I ORDED ONE OF THE DOCK’S CLASSICS FOR MY ENTRéE.

The crab cakes were served with a vegetable medley.

The crab cakes were served with a vegetable medley.

To stick with tradition, I ORDED ONE OF THE CLASSIC MENU ITEMS DOCK’S OSTER HOUSE HAS BEEN Serving for Generations: The pan sautéed crab cakes ($ 38) with jumbo lump crabmeat and a roasted red pepper.

The crab cake was packed with flavor.

I was impressed by the crab cakes.

I was impressed by the crab cakes.

The crab cake at dock’s was all about the start Ingredient: Sweet, Hearty Lump Crabmeat with Barely Any Filler to Distract Frag.

The outside was crisp and golden, while the inside was tender, flamy, and full of FRESH crab flavor.

Paired with the roasted pepper pureée, the crab cakes were Among the best i’ve ever haad.

By the time of left, I felt like I was part of the family.

My Dinner at Dock’s Oyster House was incredible from start to finish.

My Dinner at Dock’s Oyster House was incredible from start to finish.

Between the exceptional Service, High-Quality Seafood, and Timeless atmosphere, I was wowed by my Experience at dock’s oyster house.

With Its Long Legacy, Authentic Nautical Charm, Delicious Food, and Fair Prices, I Can Easily See Why Dock’s Oyster House Remains an Atlantic City More than a Century AFTER OPENING.

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