Dock Cafe

My family was at the Dock Cafe on Labor Day. We expected a crowd so we ate inside. The food is bland- had the Salmon Sandwich - The wait staff was very rushed and the hostess was not professional/polished. Won't go back. Pros: view Cons: Staff rushed; Overpriced food/lousy decor more

We come to Stillwater yearly and thought this year we would try the Dock Cafe for the first time for a romantic dinner. Everything we read said this was a great place with great views...so we went. The staff was polite and nice...no complaints about our waitress...we order appetizers, dinner and wine...\r \r The appetizers and wine got there quickly...and we had barely finished that when the dinner showed...I had hardly had time to even taste my wine...we were told since it was Lumberjack days they were as busy inside and the kitchen just got it up fast...well from sit down to appetizers to dinner plate was a total of 15 minutes...\r \r Then of course we did not realize they had sat us in the kiddie section. Our romantic evening turned into four tables of screaming, tired kids...who did not want to be there...I was glad the food arrived so fast after that.....\r \r To top it all off...the food just wasn't good...I had the halibut that was way overcooked and my had the shrimp that wasn't very tasty...but sure did have the spice thrown on...\r \r So overall we won't be going back....just unpleasant all around.... Pros: Nice waitress, view Cons: Food, atmosphere more

A quick note of appreciation to the Dock for last night's New Year's dinner...As ""regulars,"" we've always found it warm and welcoming, quieter in the winter than in the busy summer months. Cozy. Fires in the fireplaces. Nestle into a booth overlooking the St. Croix. (Fabulous on a snowy evening.) Dinner from a special menu last night - steaks, chicken roulade, duck on risotto with fresh asparagus (mine) - was great, and service was exceptionally attentive. (Makes me wonder about a couple of the previous reviews. We've never encountered any negative service. I suspect they left out parts of the story?) In any case, this regular encourages you to wander down to Stillwater, browse the fun shops, and end your day curled up with a glass of wine and - New Year's menu aside - their chicken shiitake....... And while I'm here, Dock Cafe, can you do another girlfriends' luncheon? Pros: Setting, Service Cons: REALLY busy in summer more

""We will never go back to the restaurant. Although the view was great the food and service are awful so I would recommend spending your money elsewhere.\r \r We went to The Dock Cafe this evening for dinner and my family loves this place for the location. We had the worst customer service I have ever experienced and we will never return to this restaurant. We sat outside because the view is the best part about this restaurant. but when it started to rain we asked if they could put up the umbrella or move us inside. They said we couldn't put up the umbrella in the rain or move us inside because there was a waiting list. That was the managers only response. So we had to put our own name on the list. Finally when it started to rain too hard to stay outside we went inside. Matt, the manager, was so rude to my dad and basically told him that they were a very busy restaurant and didn't need our business. We ended up canceling our dessert and drinks because there was no place to eat or drink them. I understand that rain can cause a problem but the response we received was inconsiderate and downright rude."" Pros: On river Cons: Terrible service and management, below average food more

Granted we visited for the first time in March, so we didn't have any view to speak of, however, I don't want to return based on the food or atmosphere. The restaurant decor is dated and just plain ugly. The food was very mediocre at best. The place was dead on a weekend night. I understand why. I don't remember what we ordered, but we had a table of 4. We all ordered different meals, and no one was very impressed with the food. If you want to go to enjoy a view of the St. Croix. Skip dinner and just go to the outdoor bar out back. The margaritas are very good. Pros: summer river view, margaritas Cons: food, ambience/decor more

The beef tournedos are amazing! Two fork tender medallions of beef sauteed in butter and in a wine peppercorn reduction, with home made mashed potatoes make a date worth going on. Great outdoor view, and the best view of the Lumberjack Days fireworks. A must stop for tourists. Pros: worth the price Cons: bring a fat wallet more

We enjoy the Dock Cafe a couple times each summer, sitting out on their deck enjoying cocktails & a fine meal. Great view, good service, VERY romantic! We recommend this place to everyone we know. Pros: The view Cons: when parents bring crying children (happened on Father's Day) more

Date night...the place was busy but we still had no wait for a table with an excellent view...started with wine, and a delightful appetizer Gravlax (smoked salmon w/mustard dill sauce and chopped egg). Our server was efficient, funny and knowledgable. Dinner...I had Black and Bleu Tuna topped with bleu cream sauce and mashed potatoes and asparagus, cooked MR...incredible. Perfecto. Friend had Walleye, lightly breaded in cornmeal with wild rice. Light, fresh and tasty. Dessert was Key Lime Pie...sweet and sour with real whipped creme and rich grahm crust..WOW. A sensory experience on the tastebuds and a our bill was $70 for two. Hard to beat this night out...a nice stroll on the river after dinner was the perfect nightcap to a fantastic dinner. Cannot wait to go back. Only downfall....turn off your cellphones people! Pros: Dinner menu, Service, non smoking Cons: cell phone allowance, no reservtns sat. more

The food was once very good - but now - 7/9/04 -sat outside and though the river was beautiful, my meal was served in a red plastic basket with a waxed(?) paper in the bottom - reminding one of 'Burger In A Basket'. Halfway through the meal the paper was soggy and coming away on the food - chicken satay - was once very tender and spicy - now dull and flat. Don't order a split of Freixenet - they don't have it despite the menu - brought splits of Korbel without notification of the change!! KORBEL!!!??? Ye Gods!!!! The Dock needs to pull up its socks and start serving decent food and wine and PLEASE train your wait staff and GET RID OF THOSE PLASTIC BASKETS - we're adults expecting an adult meal! Pros: view, river traffic Cons: , service, wine quality more

Good, but not great. The king salmon chile spiced tuna was an interesting creation and it was very good. The encrusted walleye was enjoyed as was the shrimp diablo. We had no service problems, they were more than adequate from what we saw. The high point here is the magnificent view of the waterfront & outdoor dining. That is worth the drive alone. Be prepared to wait in the summer months, although we lucked out for a Saturday evening. Appetizers were nice; the catfish fingers were a bit greasy & over deepfried, but the artichoke ramekin gets high marks for taste. Come for the view, enjoy the food & the sunshine! Pros: Waterfront dining, Great location, Fun Stillwater area Cons: Parking lot tiny, A bit of a drive, Busy in summertime more

a great view, to bad the food is not as good. ah yes, the wait staff, we are still waiting for them. go to the bar and get your own drinks, it's a lot faster. try to bring your own food, it will taste better and be served faster. Pros: view, comfort, munchies Cons: wait staff, full meals, dirty tables more

We visited Dock Cafe for a group lunch, and were pleasantly suprised. The place has a swanky feel, even though it is a ""cafe"". The service personnel were very attentive, and worked hard to make the experience memorable. And the views out the windows to the St. Croix river were superb. The ""lift bridge burger"" received rave reviews from the two that had it. I had the shiitake encrusted chicken breast entree. The food quality was excellent, but the portion was a little small. More attention goven to presentation (artistic arrangement of the two small breast pieces, the mashed potatoes and the julienned carrots) than satisfying an appetite. But there was good bread to fill the gap. A good place to take some one you want to impress, or show that you care that they have a good experience. Pros: views, service quality, diverse menu Cons: small portion size, moderate price more

Ate here on a warm summer evening for a special occasion -- I'd go back in a minute. Steak was fork-tender; salmon was perfect; shiitake-encrusted chicken breast was mouth-watering. Instead of waiting for an outdoor table we decided to sit inside and were seated right next to a window overlooking the deck. It was pricey, but worth it. Mmmmmmm, good. more