DECK DOWN UNDER (THE)

Watch the trajectory here. DECK DOWN UNDER (THE) grades a B at 81/100 today, yet its recent DBPR record has been moving the wrong way.

Its most recent inspection on May 13, 2026 cited 3 intermediate and 10 basic violations. It currently ranks safer than 30% of Volusia County restaurants we grade. Diner rating: 4.4 from 5,978 reviews.

Trend: declining · B (81/100)

Get directions Call (386) 767-1881

Restaurant details

Health grade
B (81/100)
Violations
13 total — 3 intermediate, 10 basic
Address
78 DUNLAWTON AVE, Port Orange, FL
Cuisine
Seafood
Categories
Seafood restaurant, Restaurant
Price
$20–30
Rating
4.4 stars (5978 reviews)
Seats
225
Phone
(386) 767-1881
Website
Official website
Photo of DECK DOWN UNDER (THE)
Photo: Our Deck Down Under

Community Rating

Reviews via Google
4.4 Community-sourced rating 5,978 reviews
Read all reviews on Google →

What diners say — our read

If these 19 reviews agree on a topic, it is front-of-house. Where the staff comes up, the rating that follows averages 4.3, so it reads as a strength. Freshness follows at 21% of reviews, where ratings average 3.3.

More reviewers landed on 5 stars than any other score — 10 of 19. 16 of 19 rated reviews are four stars or higher; 3 are two or lower.

The inspection lands in between as well: DBPR graded this kitchen a B (81/100), citing 3 intermediate and 10 basic violations. That result dates from May 13, 2026. Its inspection trajectory is downward over the records we hold. That puts it ahead of 30% of graded kitchens in Volusia County. What the inspector actually wrote up: clean clothes and food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized.

With both signals pointing the same way, there is little to argue about on this listing. Full reviews follow below in the order they were left.

Our own analysis of 19 reviews for this restaurant, set against its Florida DBPR inspection record. How we calculate grades →

  • June 29, 2026

    Food was delicious and the drinks were great as well. The only thing I would suggest is considering adding an air-conditioned dining option so guests can choose between enjoying the deck or being comfortable indoors. We ended up rushing through our meal because it was just too hot in the middle of the day with a heat index of 100+ degrees to fully relax and enjoy our time there. Other than that, we had a great experience!

  • June 28, 2026

    Very friendly and fast service.

  • June 28, 2026

    Amazing fish, fantastic atmosphere and super service! Kudos to Addi!!!!

  • June 28, 2026

    Excellent atmosphere with good service crab cakes were average.

  • June 26, 2026

    We've been going here for years. It's a terrific place on the water. Friendly service, great food!

  • June 25, 2026

    great place, screaming birds that flew in brightened the mood alot, not very busy on wednessday at 2pm, scalops were great and they gave alot, fries were good, crab cake is good, i enjoyed everything, and they even gave me a personal pitcher of tea

  • June 22, 2026

    1/2 n 1/2 Shrimp n Crab Legs was some of the best I've ever had! Definitely order extra huspuppies.

  • June 22, 2026

    Service time I have eaten here in the past month First meal of scallops was wonderful ! Today I had clam chowder and was a bit disappointed. I am accustomed to smaller diced potatoes ... And more clams goodness. I will try a different menu selection on my next visit !

  • June 19, 2026

    Food was good and sitting by the water was fun to watch the staff throw fries at the catfish. Would not recommend the stuff and tuff taste like microwave dinner

  • June 19, 2026

    Did takeout of fried fish, boiled shrimp, seafood platter, shrimp wrap. Shrimp were absolutely HORRIBLE and un-edible. NOT deveined, mushy and fell apart when you tried to peel them,,,,nothing but Trash! Fish sandwich was limp fried fish and No flavor. DON'T eat here unless you are dining in so that they don't serve you crap.

  • June 18, 2026

    First, there is no air conditioning except in the restroom. The service was great because all servers cover everyone so for example a guy with refresher water was going table to table. Our table server was efficient and checked with the kitchen on questions we had. The ribs and vegetarian sandwich were very good. However they didn't bake on the sause on the ribs, just slathered it, so it wasn't caramelized. The onion rings are very good. The pups are even better. Cole slaw is a large helping and it was quite tasty. Up front if you offer to pay cash you get a half pound of shrimp free. They are tasty, but a little spicy, and unfortunately you have to peel them, and trust me, that was not easy. I am not sure if you could get them cold, but you could ask.

  • June 16, 2026

    The food, service, and vibes here are always fantastic.

  • June 14, 2026

    Great location and service. Just eat before you go. Had the platter. The grits were amazing, everything else was frozen. Nothing local or fresh. Stay away from the fried items on the nenu and you might be ok.

  • June 14, 2026

    Food: 2/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 We visited on a Saturday around 5 p.m. and only waited about five minutes for a table (we didn'thave a preference sitting inside or outside). The service was easily the highlight of the entire experience. The staff works as a true team—multiple people check on you, take orders, refill drinks, and make sure you never need to flag anyone down. Not once did we wait for anything, and my absolute favorite part: we never had to worry about getting a refill. We took advantage of the free steamed shrimp basket for paying $25 in cash. The shrimp tasted good but were a bit hard to peel. The hush puppies, though, were the standout—they should be what this place is known for. Our group ordered fish, crab cakes, and a burger. The crab cakes were a little dry and really needed a sauce, but lemon helped. The mahi mahi was good. Flounder was only available fried, so we chose a different fish sandwich, which turned out good as well. The burger and fries were exactly what you’d expect—solid but nothing memorable. Overall, everything was fine, but nothing really wowed us. The atmosphere was great. Even sitting inside, you still get nice views, and the fans kept the space cool so it never felt hot. I rated it 4 stars only because our table was lopsided and kept wobbling and rotating, which was frustrating but manageable. Service alone made the visit worthwhile, but the food didn’t quite match the level of hospitality.

  • June 11, 2026

    Beautiful view on the deck. Had blackened Mahi Mahi. Excellent.

  • June 9, 2026

    Great riverside restaraunt and bar. MAHI sandwhich Mondays, Great price and really good food. At at bar Great service too. True beach atmosphere.

  • June 7, 2026

    Great food and location Family friendly. Highly recommended.

  • June 6, 2026

    Cool place 😎

  • June 4, 2026

    We were there for lunch the food wasn’t good also watch you tipping they will add to your tip. They did ours and didn’t catch until my credit card bill came in

Overall Score

70 / 100

  • Health inspection grade 30/40
    Grade B
  • Dietary transparency 20/20
    6 options listed
  • Community rating 18/20
    4.4★ average
  • Hidden-gem status 0/10
    Not flagged
  • Track record 2/10
    Declining, 0% clean

Composite score from health grade, dietary options, ratings, and inspection record — distinct from the state-derived health grade.

Opening hours

Monday
11:30 AM to 9 PM
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
11:30 AM to 9 PM
Thursday
11:30 AM to 9 PM
Friday
11:30 AM to 9 PM
Saturday
11:30 AM to 9 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM to 9 PM

Inspection history

The following records are from Florida DBPR public inspection records, most recent first.

  1. May 13, 2026 · Routine - Food

    Inspection Completed - No Further Action

    0 high-priority · 3 intermediate · 10 basic

    • 02 — Consumer advisory, date-marking & labeling of ready-to-eat foods
    • 13 — Clean clothes; hair restraints; jewelry; fingernails
    • 22 — Food-contact surfaces clean and sanitized
    • 25 — Single-service and single-use items
    • 33 — Garbage and refuse; premises maintained
    • 36 — Floors, walls, ceilings clean & maintained; proper ventilation (×6)
    • 40 — Employee personal belongings
    • 53 — Food manager certification; employee food-safety training
  2. September 3, 2025 · Complaint Partial

    Inspection Completed - No Further Action

    0 high-priority · 1 intermediate · 1 basic

    • 35 — Insects/rodents/pests; outer openings protected against pests (×2)
  3. September 3, 2025 · Routine - Food

    Call Back - Complied

    0 high-priority · 0 intermediate · 1 basic

    • 14 — Food-contact & nonfood-contact surfaces properly designed/maintained
  4. August 29, 2025 · Routine - Food

    Warning Issued

    2 high-priority · 1 intermediate · 7 basic

    • 01 — Food from approved source; safe, unadulterated, sound condition
    • 03 — Temperature control of foods (cold/hot holding, cooking, cooling, reheating)
    • 06 — Potentially hazardous foods properly thawed
    • 08 — Cross-contamination: raw foods separated; food protected during prep/storage
    • 12 — Handwashing; employee eating/drinking/smoking practices
    • 13 — Clean clothes; hair restraints; jewelry; fingernails
    • 14 — Food-contact & nonfood-contact surfaces properly designed/maintained
    • 36 — Floors, walls, ceilings clean & maintained; proper ventilation (×2)
    • 53 — Food manager certification; employee food-safety training

Safer options nearby

Higher-graded restaurants close to DECK DOWN UNDER (THE), by Florida DBPR grade:

  • JIMMY HULA'S OF PORT ORANGE LLC

    4.4★ 0.1 mi away

  • DAIRY BAR LLC

    4.6★ 0.2 mi away

  • YAYA'S BEACHSIDE BAR

    4.4★ 0.3 mi away

This grade is calculated by us from Florida DBPR public inspection records — Florida does not issue official grades. How we calculate it →

Data last updated: May 13, 2026