A-J’s Dockside Restaurant

I’m from Kansas City and came down to visit my best friend for her birthday (who lives in Georgia) and she kept telling me all the great things she had heard about this place, but had never been. She decided that’s where she wanted to try her birthday dinner. We called on our way to see if they had Wifi, as she had a small amount of work from her laptop to finish up while we had a pre-​dinner drink. The hostess was extremely short and rude, hanging up on my before I could ask whether they had a wait or not. So we chanced it and got there. The hostess asked whether we wanted to be seated out or in, and we told her wherever there was a plugin. She then asked again with more attitude and annoyance, ‘OK. Outside or in.’ We assumed what anyone would, and that they had access to it. So we said outside. Then she snobbishly replied that they didn’t have it outside. So why ask us whether we wanted to go out or in. Then she told us it would be an hour and a half wait, with open tables, no customers waiting outside or in. It couldn’t be that there were reservations, because they don’t accept them. Needless to say, we would down the street to another place, and had great service for her birthday.

This is where the locals come. That in and of itself should tell you what you need to know about this classic dockside restaurant and bar. The ambiance is super casual. Its not unusual to find folks in «straight off the beach» attire. They offer both inside and outside dining options. The inside option is by the bar and the only reason that this is not a five star review. The food, however, was amazing. I got the rib eye and blackened shrimp special and my wife got the fried shrimp plate. The ribeye was cooked perfectly and the fried shrimp were not greasy at all. The kids all got chicken fingers and they were good as well. No complaints at all.

Pretty location but gets crowded fast. Be prepared to wait for a good table or take a seat on the hot deck and enjoy the view. Food was just OK, nothing special. The best part of the evening was driving a few streets down where there was a small beach and we saw the end of the spectacular sunset. PS lots of specialty drinks but they were kind of weak.

I’d make it 3.5 stars if I could. Thr atmosphere is very casual. The service was great. The boiled shrimp were large, fresh and delicious (not overcooked like at a lot of places). My partner got the fried combo of scallops and flounder. Both were very good, as was his coleslaw. I got a house salad topped with blackened Mahi. The salad was good, but the Mahi was not what I expected (little bite sized pieces of charred fish). Our server asked how it was and promptly got me some more fish. It was still charred bite sized pieces, but not as overcooked this time. I’ve never had blackened seafood that wasn’t blackened with spices, so that was disappointing. Otherwise everything was great!

We went back this past weekend and had a fantastic experience. The Buffalo Shrimp was great and my husband thought the Mahi Mahi was the best he’d ever had! The view of the bay was beautiful as well.

20+ years of visiting Savannah, GA, and I’m so glad my husband convinced my family and I to visit this joint 8 years ago — it’s become a «must visit» regular stop on our Tybee Island field trips ever since.
And why?
First of all, the seafood is always fried to perfection. Yes, it’s fried and it’s typical beachy bites, but it’s also capably stellar fried seafood every time I visit. My fave lunch is typically the combo platter of fried oysters/​scallops (heavenly) with a side of slaw or dill potato salad (sooo refreshing!). My *only* reason for ditching an extra star on my review is the lack of broiled/​baked/​raw/​steamed seafood options though — it’d be nice to enjoy some seafood platters here that aren’t all fried, just saying.
Secondly, the ambiance here is spectacular: so laidback, unpretentious, quiet and scenic… we always love dining on their patio and taking in the stunning dockside view. And Hell, I think all those loud, crafty patio birds are hilarious and qualify as added entertainment!
Finally, the staff has always been a pleasure to deal with — Robin has served us there for years and is as sweet and kind as she can be.
Oh, and don’t forget to try some of their awesome key lime pie!

What a great place for lunch! The spinach salad with strawberry vinegaret was a treat and their key lime pie is wonderful.

We had A-J’s two times during our stay. Lunch and Dinner. Both times food was good. Could use more shade for the deck. Sun was quite harsh for the evening meal (around 6:30). Wait staff was very nice and accommodating.

Okay, here’s the deal. The atmosphere is very «Jimmy buffet,» and if you have a boat you can pull right in. Their shrimp were HUGE, meaty and to die for!!! I wish I could say the same for their sides… Fries were tasteless, slaw had hardly any vinegar. and sad to say, but their «Spinach and artichoke dip» was quite frankly, disgusting. It comes with these chips that I can only assume are actual pita bread deep fried, they are so thick, you can hardly taste what little flavor exists in the actual dip itself. It needs spices, it needs better cheeses in it, and i needs WAY more than the 2 artichoke hearts and couple sprigs of spinach that were thrown in it… If you come here, I HIGHLY recommend shying away from the sides and the dip, and going for the gusto — their meat/​seafood!
I also want to mention a few things: Love-​bugs and gnats are prevalent if you are eating outside, so be aware of those nasty things flying about!
Also, the birds are looking for a handout so be careful if they are present, they like to jump on the tables and such looking for food.

Conch fritters are great, but food — fried seafood, mostly — is otherwise meh. What more than makes up for any lacking in the food, however, is the view at AJ’s. You can’t beat the dockside seating, the dolphins and boats coasting by, the sunsets.

A surprise in two ways– the food is very overpriced (paid $ 20 for what would be $ 8 worth of food if the restaurant was not dockside), and the view was better than expected.
Also, while the view was good, expect EVERYONE at the restaurant to obnoxiously, not subtlety, take sunset pictures if you sit dockside.
The staff was nice, the food was good enough, but I cannot bring myself to justify spending $ 20 on small town mom-​and-​pop esque average food.
I would recommend looking at other venues– the food will be similar, the view will be similar, but the price will be more fair.

After visiting the Tybee Light Station, we asked a volunteer for s recommendation of a restaurant. He recommended AJs Dockside for the food and the gorgeous sunset. He was absolutely correct on both accounts! The food!
Best meal we have had since we go to the area last week! You must try the BUFFALO SHRIMP! They give you 12 shrimp, this could be a meal! We then opted for the special which was Shrimp Broccoli Alfredo, excellent meal! We were stuffed and could t eat another bite! However, we brought home two pieces of Key Lime pie to eat later! They were excellent! Our server was Tatum! She was awesome and helpful
With the food choices! And, to top off a wonderful dinner… The wonderful sunset!

The location is absolutely stunning. I went there and was lucky to see the sunset from this beautiful location. It’s very romantic, with boats tied to the dock on the right side of the restaurant, and you can sit outside on their deck — or be inside where it’s nicely decorated.
It was a really nice atmosphere with laid-​back music. My waitress was super friendly and I did not have to wait long at all.
The food was pretty basic, though. I had the crab chowder as a starter which was actually better than my main entrée, which was grilled shrimps, mashed potatoes and broccoli… The shrimps were alright but nothing special. The portion was a good size, but I would not come back to this place just for the food. I think it’s the mix of location, the charming atmosphere, and the food which makes this a hotspot.

After feeling the breeze of the wind and smelling the food being cooked from nearby A-J’s Dockside Restaurant, we didn’t want to drive anywhere for lunch. It was perfect and by the beach for a beautiful view. I really wanted to sit outside but after being outside for so long, I got outvoted to sit inside. The restaurant was packed inside and outside. We sat down on uncomfortable stools on a wobbly table near the bar, but we were next to the view of the porch and beach. Even after sitting down for ten minutes, the waiter finally came over and gave us menus.
I was already irritated at the poor customer service but since we already sat down and got our water. It took another fifteen minutes to finally order. I personally think the restaurant is understaff. While waiting for our food, we looked out to the porch and couldn’t believe how much these birds were fighting for leftover food on the table after the customer already paid and left. They were aggressive. The staff was so busy that they didn’t have time to clean the table. I am glad now that we didn’t sit outside!
When our food finally arrived, seemed like forever, probably 45 minutes, we ate our food. I ordered Mahi Mahi sandwich. It was really tasty. The fries on the side was just average. I do not remember the other dishes since we were really hungry, wanting to eat asap but since I am a Unilocaler, I made sure to take a pic of my food before eating it lol.
3.5 for sure. Maybe 4 if it was packed and so busy? Not sure. I would come back though.

Aj’s is on a beautiful dock and it’s definitely worth it for a date night or meal with friends! Especially at sunset, the scenery can’t be beat. Do wear long bottoms or be prepared to be bitten up.
The food was pretty basic and yummy, and the portions were huge, especially for the price. I didn’t think I liked hush puppies until I tried them here! Service was just a bit slow, but it was a Friday night so no hard feelings.

Day 1 on Tybee and I fell in love. AJ’S Dockside was the perfect ending to an already perfect start to what I hope will be a perfect vacation.
My husband and I have hidden the car keys and picked up some bikes, deciding for once we’re going to stay active on vacation to work off all the huge meals we already know we’ll be enjoying. On a relatively calm and peaceful Monday evening AJ’s was the perfect bike ride from where we’re staying on South Beach.
We pull into the parking lot (small, but we’re on bikes so it really doesn’t matter… plus they have reserved bike parking anyway) and the restaurant looks exactly how I’d hoped it would. Two story, beach-​shabby looking building, right on the dock of the back river with year round Christmas lights strung about. There weren’t many people there, but being small (and right after a huge downpour came through that soaked all outdoor seating) we had a short wait, so we decided to grab a drink and an appetizer from the bar while we waited. As manly as my husband tries to be, he can’t help but love dessert — like drinks, so we ordered a chocolate martini and an order of salmon dip.
By the time we got our drink our table was ready. We were seated on the covered back porch area with a perfect view of a cotton candy sky over the water. The app came out shortly after and was delish. Fresh salmon. We decided what to eat and didnt have to wait very long before it was delivered. We shared the deviled crab plate. 2 crab shells stuffed with a sea food stuffing with mashed potatoes, broccoli, and hush puppies. After the appetizer, it was more than enough to fill us both up (I even had leftovers) with no room for dessert.
The appetizer and drink were pretty reasonably priced, the crab plate a little more expensive than I thought it would be, but it was all extremely tasty so I won’t complain.
Overall, AJ’S was a hit for me (oh, and free wifi), and there’s a good chance my husband and I will cruise back over for another meal before we leave.

I love Tybee Island, but rude hostesses seem to be an issue here. What ever happened to Southern hospitality? AJ’s has had the worst hostess yet. We arrived around 7:30 on a Thursday evening and the place was busy. We stood at the chalkboard sign that says «Please wait for the hostess to seat you.» A girl was sitting several feet away, cleaning silverware behind a counter. She looked right at us but didn’t say anything. Another employee walked by without a word. Someone with another group finally asked the girl where the hostess was. She’s like, «How many? I’ll put you on the list.» What the what? You’re the hostess?! We’ve been standing here at the hostess stand for several minutes and you didn’t even acknowledge us.
In the meantime, a member of my party went to the bar to get a beer. He comes back with his bottle as she’s putting us on the waiting list and asks her if we’ll be able to hear our number called outside. She nods and he says, «Then that’s where we’ll be. Thanks.» We walk out the door and moments later he’s chased by another employee who’s yelling at him that he can’t take his beer outside unless he pours it in a plastic cup. That’s not a big deal, except that it was a little annoying being chased down and yelled at, especially since the hostess knew he was walking outside with a beer and didn’t say anything!
So then we stand outside and wait to be seated. For over an hour. We’re hungry. We’re hot. We’re still a little annoyed with the treatment we’ve received so far.
But then they seat us on the deck and it’s lovely. We’re right on the marsh with a wonderful view of the sunset. A gentle breeze is quickly cooling us down. And our waitress shows up with a smile on her face. She was wonderful through the rest of the night.
And the food was delicious. Between the three of us, we had fried shrimp, fried scallops, fried flounder, ribeye steak, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, snap peas, and hushpuppies. The shrimp was fresh and the homemade sauce that came with it was wonderful. The flounder was flaky and the batter was perfect. I’d never had fried scallops before; they’re awesome. The steak was cooked correctly. All the sides were good, but particularly the cole slaw and hushpuppies. We had zero complaints about the food.
The drinks weren’t great and were a little pricy. I paid $ 8 for a pineapple margarita. I ordered it because there was a sign outside that said, «Try a pineapple margarita! They’re great!» After standing under it for an hour in the hot sun, I thought, «Yeah, that sounds refreshing.» I didn’t even finish it. It wasn’t awful, but the sweetness was a bit overwhelming after awhile.
So, food and view and waitress get 5 stars. Rude hostess and the long wait get 1 star. My overall ranking is a solid 3. I don’t think I’d come back for dinner, but perhaps for breakfast or lunch.

Seriously great! The menu is not huge but I am an indecisive eater so this helps me! We got a table outside right next to the water. Beautiful day, gorgeous scenery. Friendly wait staff. My only complaint is not against the restaurant but the idiots sitting next to us… Now I am a HUGE animal lover but not pigeons while I am eating. Apparently these people love the movie The Birds because she kept throwing bread on the deck for them… I really don’t think these pigeons are hurting for food, and it is like they all have a special food radar so like twenty of them came flocking in very close to our heads. Thanks lady. Very considerate. So my suggestion to AJ’s at least post a decent sized sign on your deck not to feed the birds. Not sure this would help totally because obviously you can’t fix all stupid!
On to the food. Finally a decent seafood meal! The fried flounder is fabulous! Perfectly cooked, seasoned, breaded and not greasy! Salad is beautiful «fancy lettuce» as we call it in our house. Chicken tenders are very tasty and moist. Oh and don’t skip by the potato salad. I remembered it from the last time I was here and oh yum! It is fantastic. Thanks for a very lovely lunch!

Sometimes you just want to go to places only locals roam. My last visit to Tybee, I went here with friends. To be honest, I’d never heard of the spot before, which is always intriguing to me. Once we got to Tybee, I noticed that we veered from the beaten path to the Back River. AJ’s is on the marsh, and it is worth driving out of the way.
I ordered shrimp and two drinks. Their watermelon margarita has freshly pressed juice: when it’s hot, it’s nice to know your drinks are refreshing. The shrimp was huge and tasty. A house made sauce comes with it that I drowned my fries in.
Even more so than the food, I dig the vibe at AJ’s. It’s really chill, you can sit on the dock, and the wait staff isn’t pretentious. They aren’t super present, but sometimes you just want to get tipsy with your friends without interruption. Thumbs up.

I wish I could give this place 3.5 stars because it’s not nearly 4 stars. This is one of the better restaurants on tybee island but it’s still pretty average.
I came here for lunch with two of my friends. They both got the lunch special which was a rack of ribs, mac n cheese, baked beans and a dinner roll for $ 8.95. They said the ribs was pretty good but the sauce got tiring after a while. All of their sides were pretty good though. I got the buffalo shrimp w ranch and celery. I enjoyed my dish but it wasn’t amazing or anything.
The service was kinda cold but it wasn’t bad. Overall decent food and pretty view of the water.