Gator’s Dockside

I’ve visited my fair share of Gator’s locations and this one stands up to the rest. The food is good, the service attentive, and the atmosphere filled with lots of action on the TV’s.
Two thumbs up for the lemon pepper wings!

I have always enjoyed the wings at Gator’s so of course I ordered them. They were cooked perfectly but the limited time sweet jalapeño sauce was disappointing. The sweet was there but the heat was completely absent. Service was good and the meal came out quickly. French fries were also cooked perfect.

Been going here now and then for the all-​you-​can-​eat wings on Monday nights. It used to be $ 10, but they recently raised the price to $ 12. They also brought out the wrong order of wings and wrong dressing and tried to tell us that it was Bleu cheese instead of ranch. Normally my experience here isn’t that bad, but this time plus the price hike makes me hesitant to go there again for a little while at least.

Went here tonight with my husband, 3 yr old son and another couple. Had a great time! We were seated right away, service was fast and very friendly. The food was good, the fried items batter is awesome! Even my 3 yr old ate the onion petals and battered shrimp and really enjoyed them! One of our friends dining with us got the new chorizo burger and said it was just OK. The sliders were really yummy, and large portioned. Atmosphere was good, nothing special, but in the side dining area was extremely family friendly. My husband and his friend played a game of pool and drank a beer in the bar area, while my friend and my son and I finished eating. They were slightly harassed by an overly drunk patron over the pool table, but that can happen in an establishment with a bar. Overall I enjoyed myself and will go again. It’s nice to have a place were the whole family can enjoy a meal.

The food is hit or miss depending on the night. I manage multiple food franchises so I usually work long hours and get home late. Unfortunately there’s only two places open in the tri-​city area to eat late.
So, my wife and I head here. We get in the door and are informed by the hostess that they close at 11:00. It’s 10:53. We turn around and go to the other place «Applebee’s» where we learn Gators is actually open until Midnight. I decide to inform the manager. I call Gators and the hostess with bad timing answers the phone. I reach the manager who informs me that she was «literally right next to the door and didn’t see anyone turned away». She then informs me that she doesn’t appreciate me cussing at her hostess. Which never happened. I asked her if I had cussed since our conversation started, she said no. I asked if she thought the conversation had escalated or de-​escalated since she got on the phone. She agreed that she hadn’t really made things any better. I asked her if I hadn’t cussed at her in the escalated discussion then what were the chances I cussed before things were escalated. She said I was lying about being informed about the store hours and about yelling at her staff. I can’t wait to have the General Manager check the video in the morning to see us turned away 67 minutes before closing. In one bad experience, you guys lost a customer who has been dining for nearly a decade. Good job Danielle the manager on duty.

This place has two big signs on their front doors stating that due to the Affordable Health Care Act they will be sticking it to their customers by adding a 1% surcharge to your bill.
#1 Way to repel your customers before they walk through the door.
#2 This is just a hacked off Republican owner who did not get his way and he is taking it out on his customers. Do not flaunt your political agenda to your customers.
#3 NOT LOGICAL THINKING!!! This is a government tax. Why don’t they put up a big sign about the FICA tax or Medicare tax on their employees paycheck?
#4 Gators Dockside SHOULD be giving their full time employees health insurance anyway.
I love their wings and the staff is great, but this kind of nonsense will keep me away from Gator’s Dockside and take my business elsewhere.
Their website says: «The costs associated with ACA compliance could ultimately close our doors.»
#1 If Gator’s Dockside is going to wine about this, then show it’s customers what their REAL «financial impact» is on their business. How did it’s owner come up with the 1% surcharge? Show me the money.
#2 If Gator’s Dockside would have been treating their full-​time employees better to begin with this would be a non-​issue.
What should «ultimately close their doors» is it’s customer base fleeing to their competitors for such a nonsensical choice of it’s owner.

Ordered the brisket sandwich with au jus dipping sauce. One word «Outstanding». The wings are great nice atmosphere. Would definitely return.

Onion petals good, service good and food overall good. Never been disappointed yet when we visit.

Rib was tender and their onion petals are awesome!

it was okay… it was Valentine’s day and busy, but slow service because there was one waitress for the entire dining area and food was average.

We’ve been here quite a few times and we really do enjoy it.
Draft beer is ice cold! They have dollar draft choices too and I think they vary.
Too many over the top fried menu choices, so if you are watching your weight and you don’t want to cheat, this is not the place to go. Appetizers choices I have had are the fried pickles (yum) and the Gators Tators (their take on potato skins). They are served up cubed in a bowl loaded with bacon, cheddar, and with a ranch sauce.
The mahi mahi sandwich is divine… as is the monte cristo (according to my husband). I have also had the Cobb salad in an unsuccessful attempt to be calorie conscious. The salad is huge… enough for more than 2 people. Everything on it was fresh.
Did not have dessert as we were way too full.
Definitely recommend this place! Food is good (although it use a few more healthy choices) and the service is excellent!
Look for special events as well… for example, Friday is trivia night.

oh dear. This place is like a fat kid’s wet dream. I think there are 187 different types of fried food. We had the fried pickles, which totally made my entire vacation. They were pickle CHIPS. chips, bitches! WTF is up with restaurants frying pickle spears? That ain’t right. Nachos. Good but not the best I ever had. Alcohol. Yes, please. Okay, so they are not craft cocktails like my spoiled ass loves to much but they will most certainly do in a pinch. And the alcohol is cheap. Like there are $ 2 bottles sometimes. Wings, yes. YUM. Magic games so I can watch Dwight Howard’s pretty eyelashes move while he dunks on everyone? yes, they have Magic games. In all likelihood, I will never come here again because I live in Chicago. But if you’re a city girl like myself who wants to watch men with mustaches flaunt their latest camo haute couture, this place will likely make your bitter, city snob heart break into pieces.
(seriously, I forgot how much camoflauge men ’round these parts wear. Where do they buy that stuff and may I please have some?)
(and I marked this as bad for kids, because let’s be honest, kids suck. I don’t want to be around them and I don’t want to see them when I am eating.)