Dock Bars of the Chesapeake Bay

We have compiled a PropTalk and reader-suggested list of some of the best dock bars and waterfront restaurants in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Locations are sorted alphabetically by region in Chesapeake Bay Country.

  • Upper Bay - North of the Bay Bridge
  • Middle Bay - South of the Bay Bridge to Point Lookout across to Big Annemessex River
  • Lower Bay and Potomac - South of Point Lookout across to Big Annemessex River down to Deltaville across to Belle Haven, and up the Potomac River to Washington, D.C.
  • Way South - South of Deltaville across to Belle Haven down to the CBBT and Virginia Beach

Chesapeake Bay Dock Bar Poll

PropTalk readers have spoken! Below are the winners of our 2023 Chesapeake Bay Dock Bar poll by popular vote.

Upper Bay - Shanty Beach Bar, Tolchester Marina 

Middle Bay - Skipper’s Pier Restaurant and Dock Bar, Rockhold Creek 

Lower Bay and Potomac - Dockside Restaurant and Tiki Bar, Monroe Creek

Way South - The Oyster Farm at Kings Creek, Kings Creek


Always remember to take along a designated skipper/driver for your adventures. If we missed your favorite waterfront food and beverage destination, please email [email protected] for inclusion. Looking for transient slips? Check out our Chesapeake Bay Marina Directory.

Row Boat Willie’s Dock Bar

Why go to the beach when you can come to the island? Enjoy our breathtaking view of the Bay while drinking your favorite beer or sipping on an icy, frozen drink. kitchen open during bar hours.

Lowes Wharf


Let the festivities begin! Live music, Keno, cold beer,cocktails, and wine, fireplace, patio bar, fantastic sunsets, and on the water! Are you having a special get together such as a wedding, birthday party or office party? Why not have it here!

The Tides Inn

Now with a new restaurant: The Fish Hawk Oyster Bar.

Upper Bay
Dock Bar Location
Admirals Club Beachside Bar Rock Hall Harbor at Haven Harbour South
Bowleys On the Bay Frog Mortar Creek at Long Beach Marina
Brewers Landing Bar and Grill Back River
Broken Oar Bar and Grill  Nabbs Creek at Nabbs Creek Marina
Carson's Creekside Dark Head Creek
Chesapeake Inn Restaurant and Marina Back Creek, Elk River
Dock of the Bay Miller's Island
Donnelly's Dockside Deep Creek, Magothy River
Harbor Shack Rock Hall Harbor
Hard Yacht Café Bear Creek at Anchor Bay East Marina
Island View Waterfront Café Browns Creek
Jellyfish Joel’s Tiki Bar Safe Harbor Great Oak Landing, Fairlee Creek
Lee’s Landing Dock Bar Susquehanna River
Little Havana Patapsco River
McFaul's Oyster and Reel Sue Creek
Mike’s Crab House North White Rocks Marina, Rock Creek, Pasadena
Nauti-Goose Restaurant North East River
Nick’s Fish House Middle Branch Patapsco River
Passages Bar & Grill Swan Creek at Haven Harbour Marina Resorts
Rams Head Dockside Furnace Creek
Raw & Refined Patapsco River
Row Boat Willie’s Dock Bar Miller’s Island, Bill's Yacht Basin
Rummur Lounge C&D Canal
Schaefer’s Canal House Back Creek, Elk River
Shanty Beach Bar Eastern Shore Chesapeake Bay, Tolchester Marina
Signals Grille and Deck Sassafras River at Skipjack Cove Yachting Resort and Marina
Stoney Creek Inn Stoney Creek, off Patapsco River
Sunset Cove Frog Mortar Creek at Maryland Marina
The Beach Bar  Furnace Creek
The Crazy Tuna Bar & Grille Hopkins Creek
The Point Crab House and Grill Mill Creek at Ferry Point Marina
The River Shack North East River at The Wellwood
The Rumor Reel Bodkin Creek
The Sea Horse Inn Oakleigh Cove
The Seasoned Mariner Back Creek, Patapsco River
The Wellwood North East River
Tidewater Grille Susquehanna River
Tiki Lee's Dock Bar Back River
Waterman’s Crab House Restaurant and Dock Bar Rock Hall Harbor
Middle Bay
Dock Bar Location
Abner’s Crab House and Marina Fishing Creek
Angler’s Seafood Bar & Grill Back Creek, Patuxent River
Arby's Dockside Bar and Grill Manokin River, Deal Island
Bar Mumbo Tilghman Island, Wylder Hotel
Beacon Waterfront Galley and Dock Bar Chesapeake Harbour Marina, off Severn River
Big Owl Tiki Bar Kent Narrows
Blue Point Provision Company Choptank River at Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay
Boardwalk Café Western Shore Chesapeake Bay at Rod 'N' Reel Resort
Boatyard Bar and Grill  Eastport, near Spa Creek
Bull Lips Dock Bar Wicomico River
Cantler’s Riverside Inn Mill Creek
Capsize OXMD Town Creek
Characters Bridge Restaurant Knapps Narrows
Charles Street Brasserie Back Creek, Patuxent River
Davis’ Pub Eastport, near Back Creek
Doc's Sunset Grille Tred Avon River
Dock House Restaurant Kent Narrows
Dock Tales Bar Wicomico River, Wicomico Yacht Club
Dockside Restaurant and Sports Bar Rockhold Creek
Drift Inn Crab House Patuxent River
Fisherman’s Crab Deck Kent Narrows at Fisherman's Marina
Fitzies Marina Restaurant and Pub Breton Bay
Foxy’s Harbor Grille Miles River
Goose Creek Pit & Pub Goose Creek, Manokin River
Happy Harbor Restaurant Rockhold Creek
Harper's Waterfront South River, Turkey Point Marina
Harris Crab House Kent Narrows
Harrison's Harbour Lights Restaurant St. Michaels Harbor, Miles River
Hidden Harbour Café Back Creek, off Patuxent River
Ketch 22 Herrington Harbour South
La Vela Italian Restaurant Safe Harbor Zahniser's, Back Creek
Libbey's Coastal Kitchen Bay Bridge Marina, Kent Island
Lowes Wharf Lowes Wharf Marina, Ferry Cove
Marker Five Restaurant Knapps Narrows
Mike’s Restaurant & Crab House South River
Palm Beach Willies Floating Dock Bar and Grill Slaughter Creek ​​​​​​​
Pirate’s Cove Restaurant & Dock Bar Pirates Cove Marina, West River
Portside Seafood Restaurant Cambridge Creek, off Choptank River
Pusser’s Caribbean Grille Ego Alley
Red Eye’s Dock Bar Safe Harbor Narrows Point, Kent Narrows
Robert Morris Inn Tred Avon River
Sandgates Inn Restaurant and Crab House Patuxent River
Seabreeze Restaurant and Tiki Bar Patuxent River
Skipper’s Pier Restaurant and Dock Bar Rockhold Creek
Snappers Waterfront Café Cambridge Creek
Stan and Joe's Riverside West River
Stoney’s Kingfishers Seafood Bar and Grill Back Creek, Patuxent River
Stoney’s Seafood House at Clarke’s Landing Cuckold Creek
Suicide Bridge Restaurant Cabin Creek, Choptank River
The Boathouse at Anchored Inn Rockhold Creek at Hidden Harbour Marina
The Choptank Ego Alley
The Crab Claw Restaurant Miles River
The Island Hideaway Back Creek, Patuxent River
The Jetty Restaurant and Dock Bar Kent Narrows
The Kentmorr Beach Bar & Grill Kent Island
The Lighthouse Restaurant and Dock Bar Back Creek, Patuxent River
The Pier Patuxent River
The Pier Oyster Bar and Grill South River
Tickler's Crab Shack and Restaurant Tilghman Island, Wylder Hotel
Tiki Bar-Solomons Back Creek, Patuxent River
Vera’s White Sands Beach Club Restaurant and Marina St. Leonard Creek, Patuxent River
Lower Bay and Potomac
Dock Bar Location
Capt. E’s Hurricane Grill and Tiki Bar Starling Creek
Coles Point Tavern Potomac River
Courtney’s Seafood Restaurant Smith Creek
Dockside Restaurant and Tiki Bar Monroe Creek
Fish Hawk Oyster Bar The Tides Inn, Carters Creek, off Rappahannock River
Fisherman's Grille Somers Cove
Leadbelly's Restaurant Fairport Marina, Cockrell Creek
Madigan’s Waterfront Occoquan River
Mallards at the Wharf South Branch Onancock Creek
Merroir Rappahannock River
Morris Point Restaurant Canoe Neck Creek, off Potomac River
Pier 450 Smith Creek off Potomac River
Portside Grill Urbanna Creek at The Urbanna Port Marina
Red Shell Shanty Bar Somers Cove at Somers Cove Marina
Reedville Market Cockrell Creek, VA
Reluctant Navigator Restaurant Tall Timbers Marina, Herring Creek
Riverwalk Restaurant York River
Ruddy Duck Seafood and Ale House St. Mary’s River
Something Different Urbanna Creek
The Crazy Crab Cockrell Creek
The Shack Yankee Point Marina
The Tides Inn The Tides Inn Marina, Carters Creek, off Rappahannock River
Tiki Bar & Grill at Windmill Point Rappahannock River, Windmill Point Marina
Tim's at Coles Point Potomac River
Tim’s II at Fairview Restaurant and Crabhouse Potomac River
Urbanna Seafood Restaurant & Raw Bar Robinson Creek
Way South
Dock Bar Location
Catch 31 Fish House & Bar Virginia Beach
Chicks Oyster Bar Wolfsnare Creek
Dockside Seafood and Fishing Center Wolfsnare Creek
Marker 12 Pop-Up Bar Mile Marker 12 on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway
Ocean Eddie's Seafood Restaurant Virginia Beach
Ocean House Waterfront Seafood Atlantic Ocean, Virginia Beach
Restaurant at Smithfield Station Smithfield Station Marina, Pagan River
Rudee’s Restaurant and Cabana Bar Lake Rudee, off Rudee Inlet
Stony's Dockside Bar and Grill Little Creek
Surf Rider Blue Water Sunset Creek, off Hampton Bar
Surf Rider Marina Shores Long Creek, off Broad Bay
Surf Rider Poquoson White House Cove
The Oyster Farm at Kings Creek Oyster Farm Marina, Kings Creek
The Shack Virginia Beach
The Shanty Cape Charles Harbor
The Surry Seafood Co. Grays Creek
Water Street Grille York River
Waterman's Surfside Grille Virginia Beach
York River Oyster Company Sarah Creek
Yorktown Pub York River