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Name: The Dawson
Address: 730 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL, 60654
Telephone: (312) 243-8955
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.84

The Dawson

730 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL, 60654

(312) 243-8955
Store is closed

The Dawson Menu

Appetizers

Oysters (6 for)

Oysters (12 for)

Artisanal Cheeses

Chicken - Fried 6oz. Lobster

Summer House Salad

Chickpea Hummus

Shishito Peppers

House Smoked Fish Dip

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

Oysters (6 for)

Oysters (12 for)

Artisanal Cheeses

Chicken - Fried 6oz. Lobster

Summer House Salad

Chickpea Hummus

Shishito Peppers

House Smoked Fish Dip

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho
Appetizers Cold

Oyster (6 for)

Oyster (12 for)

Heirloom Popcorn

Artisanal Cheeses

Chickpea Hummus

Alba Core Ceviche

Summer House Salad

The Big Salad for Two

Heirloom Gazapacho

Oyster (6 for)

Oyster (12 for)

Heirloom Popcorn

Artisanal Cheeses

Chickpea Hummus

Alba Core Ceviche

Summer House Salad

The Big Salad for Two

Heirloom Gazapacho
Appetizers Hot

Shishito Peppers

Roasted Corn

BBQ Pork Cupcake

Baby Artichokes

Pork Belly Lettuce Cups

Chicken Fried 6oz. Lobster

Steamed Mussels

Pork Mac & Cheese

Shishito Peppers

Roasted Corn

BBQ Pork Cupcake

Baby Artichokes

Pork Belly Lettuce Cups

Chicken Fried 6oz. Lobster

Steamed Mussels

Pork Mac & Cheese
Entrees

Wild Salmon

Slow Roasted Half Chicken

Shaved Pork Belly Sandwich

Curried Lentils

The Classic Burger

Grilled Pork Chop

Oak Grilled 16 oz. New York Steak

Pan Roasted Scallops

Wild Salmon

Slow Roasted Half Chicken

Shaved Pork Belly Sandwich

Curried Lentils

The Classic Burger

Grilled Pork Chop

Oak Grilled 16 oz. New York Steak

Pan Roasted Scallops
Mahi Mahi

Chimichurri, Taco Fixin's

Chimichurri, Taco Fixin's
Dessert

Lavender Vanilla Cheese Cake

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sundae

Salted Candy Bar

Artisanal Cheeses

Housemade Ice Creams

Lavender Vanilla Cheese Cake

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sundae

Salted Candy Bar

Artisanal Cheeses

Housemade Ice Creams

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Dawson

Appetizers

Oysters (6 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oysters (12 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artisanal Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken - Fried 6oz. Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Summer House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chickpea Hummus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shishito Peppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Smoked Fish Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oysters (6 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oysters (12 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artisanal Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken - Fried 6oz. Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Summer House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chickpea Hummus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shishito Peppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Smoked Fish Dip [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Appetizers Cold

Oyster (6 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster (12 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Popcorn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artisanal Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chickpea Hummus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Alba Core Ceviche [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Summer House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Big Salad for Two [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Gazapacho [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster (6 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oyster (12 for) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Popcorn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artisanal Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chickpea Hummus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Alba Core Ceviche [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Summer House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Big Salad for Two [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Heirloom Gazapacho [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Appetizers Hot

Shishito Peppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Corn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Pork Cupcake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Artichokes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Belly Lettuce Cups [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Fried 6oz. Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Mac & Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shishito Peppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Corn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

BBQ Pork Cupcake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baby Artichokes [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Belly Lettuce Cups [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Fried 6oz. Lobster [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steamed Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pork Mac & Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Entrees

Wild Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Slow Roasted Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shaved Pork Belly Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Curried Lentils [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Classic Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Pork Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oak Grilled 16 oz. New York Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pan Roasted Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Wild Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Slow Roasted Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shaved Pork Belly Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Curried Lentils [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

The Classic Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Pork Chop [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oak Grilled 16 oz. New York Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pan Roasted Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Mahi Mahi

Chimichurri, Taco Fixin's [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chimichurri, Taco Fixin's [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Dessert

Lavender Vanilla Cheese Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sundae [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salted Candy Bar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artisanal Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Housemade Ice Creams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Lavender Vanilla Cheese Cake [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sundae [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salted Candy Bar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Artisanal Cheeses [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Housemade Ice Creams [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Alex R.

I've been here a few times and have always had a decent experience but this morning for brunch was exceptionally over the top. I rarely take the time to write good reviews (bad habit... I know). This morning when I arrived there was an accident that resulted in spilled condiments all over my boots. As an apology the manager not only took my phone number and offered to pay for the leather cleaning but also ended up comping our entire bill... Brunch for 7 girls. It was so unexpected and surprised all of us. Such AMAZING customer service!! Thank you Mia Lieberman. We all agreed that based on how the situation was handled we will absolutely come back more frequently.
(5)
Carolyn L.

I love this place so much. It's huge but it doesn't feel huge. I came here in the winter to escape the doldrums and met up with 2 girlfriends. We started downstairs near the kitchen with a couple of delicious cocktails and some french fries (that seems to be my standard bar order). My favorite part came when we went upstairs to check out the different rooms up there. We found one room toward the back that had awesome couches that we could relax and recline on while we caught up. It was so cozy and we didn't want to leave, so we had a couple more drinks up there. I'd love to go back before summer ends to check it out!
(5)
Wing L.

I can see why this place ia so busy. The patio is huge and it is very nice taking care of with the boss and general manager on duty. It is a nice place to stay out door patio when weather is nice.
(4)
Addison C.

We went here for brunch on St P's Day and it was phenomenal. Great ambience, coffee, and food. I highly recommend to anyone
(4)
Kim H.

Great ambiance, drinks and food. 40+ crowd, which is great. Oasis in the city. The burger and mussels were amazing. Try the specialty drinks. I asked the bartender where he suggested I take clients for bourbon tasting and he offered us one right there at the bar.
(5)
Ricardo R.

Really nice place! Food was great and service was good. This place is a must during summer since the patio is really nice and is always crowded. Went here for the first time on a Wednesday night and it was really busy despite that our waitress was always looking after us and that made the whole difference.
(4)
Alejandra P.

Restaurant and patio with fireplace is amazing. Well located off downtown Chicago. Food was very good and their creation of unique Pop Sodas are fantastic. Staff can be a little bit too caring, very friendly but to the point that everyone will stop by your table every 8 minutes asking if everything is ok, from the person who clean your table, your waitress up to the manager, so you will get interrupted pretty often. But, they are genuine and amicable.
(4)
Cana Y.

Went there a couple weekends ago with some friends for a party. I ordered the chicken and thought it was amazing - huge portion as well. The oysters were also amazing. I was not too impressed with the charcuterie, the dip or ribs. We were offered all the desserts on the house which was amazing but the only one that stood out was the chocolate mousse - loved it. Had a really good time, the waiter was EXCEPTIONAL and the decor is beautiful. More of a social, group setting than romantic, quiet dinner though our table did have candles and the lighting was quite dim.
(4)
Roberta W.

Last night, I dined at the Dawson. The experience was similar to having been given entry to the coolest place in town. The decor was stunning. Industrial chic, yet rustic, but welcoming. I took a chance, and only waited an hour for a table, as I was dining alone, without a reservation. I had the most delicious of potions, a drink called The Safe Word. It was potent, perfectly chilled, and filled with spices and wonderful essences. I spent my wait time enjoying that cocktail. I eventually ordered the pork tacos. They were tender, spicy, sweet, and wonderful. The shells were so crisp. The skate wing riette rested elegantly on a thick wedge of dark rye bread. It was perfect. The chicken fried steak with collard greens, mashed potatoes and a biscuit was truly awesome! The steak was so tender, and perfectly cooked to medium rare, and the coating stayed crispy until the last bite. I had absolutely no evidence to show that I had NOT enjoyed my dinner. It was soooo good. I also really loved the doors of the outer building. Roberta W.
(5)
Julia T.

Really want to like this place more than I do. Decor is cool. Food is okay. Service is pretty crappy considering how long it's been open. With all the amazing places to eat in Chicago, don't waste your money here. Go for a drink on the patio and call it a day.
(3)
James C.

Great ambience and concept. Impressed by the cocktail list. However, the food is way overpriced. This would be better served as a mid-range restaurant, considering the clientele. Biggest problem is that bussers use a napkin to stop splash when filling water. They use the same napkin, touching every glass from different tables in the restaurant. No telling what germs are on those napkins. For the love of god, stop doing that.
(3)
A. M.

I really enjoyed this place. We went here for a friends birthday, after I just happened to drive by and from the outside, this place looks awesome. I can't wait until the summer time for their outdoor seating. The owner came over and said hello to us and thank you for coming out, which was really nice, shows that he cares about his customers. I am really trying to get into the whole wine and cheese deal, although I don't know anything about it, all I know is that I love them both. The grilled bread and red pepper jam were an awesome compliment to our cheese, and we all concurred. I wish I could remember the wine that I ordered (it was a German white wine), because it was so crisp and fresh and went really well with the cheese. My brother and I split the whole chicken dish, which I liked, but it wasn't anything special so I don't think I will order it again. The rice pilaf tasted a lot like the boxed rice my mom used to make :-/. I don't think I will make this another dinner destination, but definitely a great place for a snack and good drinks. P.S...favorite part is the design and the set-up on the inside, rustic, chic, just loved it!
(4)
joe o.

We went here on opening night and the place looks great. The upstairs was not open yet but the downstairs had a bar in the middle with tables around it. It's kind of an odd arrangement but I know they're pretty focused on the drinks. The open kitchen in the back is neat too. The food was great, I got the chicken fried steak which was actually cooked rare to medium rare as requested. Props on getting that done. The steak itself was very delicious and not at all greasy, the perfect amount of fried goodness around a perfectly cooked steak! Living next door, I see this place get pretty busy during the weekend, especially with all of the people stopping by for drinks. It seems much better and intimate during the week. Once the patio opens for the summer I'm sure this place will be slammed.
(5)
Federico D.

I was there last Saturday night, thinking that this place was going to be awesome! It's in every single magazine and tv channel. Well let me tell you: I think This place is completely overrated!! Service: I was trying to spend money at the bar but bartenders were busy chit chatting in the back. Wine list needs help! Food: overpriced, not that good, it's bar food w a spin of creativity. Not to rave about it, we ordered 4 apps, 4 entrees. Can't talk about them, nothing memorable, yes I actually remember the chicken being dry and overcooked, Ambiance: white painted brick and some hanging light bulbs.?? Really??? Is this the hot spot this days? Chicago we really need to focus in what is good and not mediocre!
(1)
Whitney O.

Loved the ambiance! The cocktails were fantastic and the food was great as well (excluding the deviled eggs, they lacked flavor). Really loved the chicken fried lobster and I would highly recommend the red fish if you want something delicious and filling to share. They literally bring out an entire fish cooked to perfection and you can build your own tacos, love it.
(4)
Natasha C.

I've been here a number of times and have really enjoyed the food and drinks. The space is beautiful, both inside and outside. Creative bar program and solid food. The chicken fried lobster is particularly memorable. Service can be a bit slow, but as long as you don't mind a leisurely meal, then it's fine.
(4)
Stephanie L.

The Dawson is one of my new favorite places to go to in Chicago! The atmosphere is great for a night out! I have been here multiple times and have had a great experience each and every time. A perfect place to enjoy a nice patio when the weathers nice. My absolute favorite part is trying all the different cocktails they have to offer. As their cocktails are much different than most places the bartenders/servers are very knowledgable about recommending great ones to try! I also love that the food menu/cocktail list changes per season. Definitely, gives me another reason to continue to go back and try new things. If you're going for dinner, I would absolutely recommend the chicken fried lobster and the mussels for an appetizer. The Redfish and Grilled Sausages were great as well! Loved all the cocktails my friends and I tried, but most will depend on drink preference. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
E K.

More of a bar than a restaurant - it was 6:30pm and I had to scream in order to talk to my dinner companions and lost my voice by the end of dinner. I ordered the lamb and it was ok until I got 4-5 very sharp bones in the ground beef under the lamb - it cut my gums but I never saw my waitress after I was served so I couldn't even say anything. I also didn't want to make a big deal in front of my dinner companions so I couldn't even go out of my way to say anything to the staff. Took us about 20min to flag down a busboy to get a check for us then another 10 for someone to take our credit card (had to raise my hand in the air like I was in school the whole time). We were in a hurry to leave bc it was just that loud - maybe it's the acoustics in that room but I couldn't hear ANYTHING. Decent whiskey/bourbon selection. Good for drinks and if you want to be left alone to scream to your friends for a loooooong time.
(1)
mike w.

1st time and it was AMAZING!! Try the chicken fried Lobster and Ghost rider cocktail you will truly be hooked.. I will be returning soon to my New go to restaurant.
(5)
Karen N.

I like the place but it's like many places that are doing new American, nothing to write home about. It's not distinctive enough for me to go back until summer time. Their party space upstairs and outdoor patio have potential. We finished dinner and went over to Matchbox nearby to finish drinking.
(2)
Anna G.

The Dawson, inside & out, is beautiful. The drinks are great. The service is very attentive and friendly. Have only been here for happy hours and other drink-only functions, so cannot comment on the food. They have a ton of tables and space, particularly outdoors, and I can see it being a very busy patio during summer happy hours.
(4)
Renee S.

The Dawson is a nice restaurant with a friendly staff. But, I would not recommend it unless they make some major changes. First, The noise level in the bar is horrible. It's impossible to have a conversation, even with the person your are sitting next too. It was so loud, our ears where ringing. We ended up taking our drinks, once we finally got them, and stood outside just so we could have a conversation. Second, after finding seats at the bar, it took the bartenders over 15 minutes to take our drink order. They focus on craft cocktails, and thats fine. However, if it's going to take that long to make cocktails, then there should be more bartenders to cover the crowd.
(1)
Emily S.

Eh. I'd go back for drinks but I certainly wouldn't go back for dinner unless someone else was picking up the check. The oysters we started with were great. Fantastic, really. After that, everything was downhill. Not BAD, just not anything special. We waited for a really long time to get the three small plates we ordered - the deviled eggs, the crispy tacos, and the wedge salad. The deviled eggs were fine (I've had better at family parties) and the advertised Sriracha and white anchovy were noticeably missing. It was essentially a basic deviled egg with the teensiest sliver of white anchovy on top. The crispy pork tacos were disgusting. They were cold, dripping with grease, and kind of slimy. Pass. The wedge salad was pretty good, but there were literally four tiny pieces of tasso on it and they forgot the quail egg. When we mentioned it, our server brought out an overcooked quail egg in a little bowl - when we were nearly finished with the salad. Finally, we split the strip with chicken liver butter and garlic fries. They need to work on presentation, because it came out as three chunks of meat and a pile of frozen fries on a white round plate...for $35. It just felt like a complete ripoff, and it wasn't very good. The drinks were good, so I'd definitely stop in for a couple after work (especially in the summer when the patio opens), but I won't be back for a full meal.
(2)
Jamil T.

Not worth it. Not impressed. With those prices, I'm expecting something a bit more than what this place delivered. Date night Friday, excited to sit outdoors and enjoy a few drinks & eats as Spring weather finally hits Chicago. Unfortunately still a little chilly. Remnants of Chiberia still lingering. Space heaters were brought out and the fire place was alive & roaring, but alas it wasn't enough. My girl described this place as an attempt to find a happy medium between New York & LA, but unfortunately it's still just Chicago. Her reasoning for the bill being so ridiculous was that we were paying for the ambience. Still unjustified. Our venture to this new spot was inspired by the outdoor seating and gourmet-esque cheeseburgers. My girl got the Freebird chicken breast for $28. I was expecting something orgasmic when I bit into it. Not the case. The black truffle jus didn't save this bird. Also felt it came out cold. She said it was because of the weather, but my burger was still warm so that couldn't be it. The busboy saved the blonde waitress's tip. The receipt said for "good service" tip 18%. If it weren't for the busser (foodrunner as she called him) being so much more attentive, I would've left a lot less than I did. Wish I was carrying smaller bills so I could give him a separate tip. Just felt ignored as soon as I asked her for a table in the sun. I won't put that on her though, it's not like she could move the building out of the sun's way. Just felt I fell lower on her priority list after asking. Also had the feeling she was trying to pawn me off to another server's section. Probably should've took the hint. Of course I could just be reading too much into it. On the other hand I asked for the burger with No tomato. Of course it still comes out with tomatoes on it. What is this, Wendy's?! I will hold that one against her. She did manage to get the Louis sauce on the side correct. I wasn't a fan of the sauce, and if it had ended up on the burger, that would've been the straw that broke the camel's back. Now I'm more skeptical of $15 burgers. Only burger in this city so far worth $12+ is Longman & Eagle in my book. Fries were subpar. Full bill rounded out to nearly $100 including tip for 2 beers, a cocktail, and 2 entrees. Of course my experience could've been offset by the chilly weather, but suffice to say I won't be returning.
(1)
Alyson D.

Had dinner at the Dawson on their second night of service this past Saturday. Our server was on point...knowledgeable about wine and suggested amazing plates to share so that we could experience a variety of the menu. The squid dish was amazing and the pork tacos melted in my mouth--highly recommend those to start. The space is beautiful, comfy and sexy at the same time and there is a lounge on the second floor complete with a fireplace. Outstanding addition to West Town! The previous reviewer who complained about "legitimacy" is a joke. Every new venture takes some tweaking and a simple conversation with management would have solved their frustration (our table was hit by managers and owners to see how everything was throughout our time there). Go here, order a bunch of food, share it like tapas. If not up to par, talk to your server, talk to the host stand, talk to whoever. These people are clearly in the business of making people happy and will do so. Dreaming of squid and pork melting in mouth until the next episode...
(5)
Marla R.

I know this place will live up to its expectations, but we I think they still have some practice to make it perfect. We were disappointed to wait 20 minutes for our reservation, and then another 15 before our waitress came over (she was super great, just busy). She suggested that we eat family style, but in the future I would only recommend this for couples only as the portions are small. The prices reflected this, our bill was more reasonable than expected! Food ordered: Pickled Onion Rings - great crunch and nice to have a different taste Hamachi - balanced out the greasy onion rings, very fresh Crispy Pork Tacos - best app, like fancy taco bell Wood Grilled Squid - tasted like the ocean in a bad way, they removed this from our bill and gave us a free round of shots Panzanella - loved the salad, great presentation Mughlai Curry - great sauce, but since we were sharing I didn't get a very good taste of the different veggies Wood Grilled Whole Fish - Tasted great! Chicken Fried NY Strip - Best thing we had, perfect cooked steak, great garlic mash, and AMAZING biscutt Funnel Cake - Super tasty, loved the sauce We will be back in a few months.
(4)
Julie D.

I had dinner at The Dawson this past Saturday with a party of four. The food was good, and the cocktails were delicious. I enjoyed the pickled onion rings and the wood grilled squid. Others in my party liked the crispy pork tacos and the chicken fried NY strip. One person raved about the whole fish, but there is no way that was an entire fish. The service was dissapointing. I am aware that the restaurant is new, but I don't believe that is an excuse for poor service. The waitress was very friendly, but basically warned us right away that they have had a bit of a rocky start. We waited 15 minutes for our drinks to arrive, and at that time I was told the beer I ordered was out. The second round of drinks took just as long. I might go back just for cocktails, but I am in no rush.
(3)
Maegan W.

My husband and I brought family here last weekend. We sat outside by the fireplace and it was beautiful. We all loved our drinks; especially the cream cheese stuffed olives in the martinis. The shrimp cocktail rivaled Hugo's, which is our favorite. The oysters were also great! The waitress' behavior didn't really match the caliber if restaurant. She wasn't nice, informative or accommodating. Her attitude matched that of a waitress in a college bar annoyed by drunk kids... so that was annoying. We'll go back fo sho.
(4)
Jason B.

What a cool place. My wife and I went here for dinner and we were very impressed. The place has a very cool vibe but not pretentious. The inside was dark but not too dark and i loved the Spanish tile floors. The hostess sat us right away with our reservation. The waiter was very good and was attentive while not being annoying. The bus stuff was great too, water was constantly filled and my wife's dropped knife was quickly replaced. Food came out quickly as well despite how crowded the restaurant was. The food was excellent. We had the pickled onion rings for an appetizer. I'm not normally an onion ring guy but these were really good and seemed to be more of a tempura type fry than a deep fry. For the meal, my wife and I shared a rib eye special and a mixed seafood dish that usually serves as an appetizer. They were both excellent and there was a lot of seafood in the appetizer: muscles, clams, shrimp, scallop. The wine list was decent with some good values that paired well with the food. I tried their Rhone blend and it went very well with my rib eye.
(5)
Angela Z.

Had a really nice birthday brunch here on the patio yesterday. Came with the family and everyone was happy with the atmosphere and food. Loved the Bayonet cocktail with gin, watermelon and tarragon. I didn't get around to trying it, but the frozen Mai Tai looked good too. LOVED the shrimp cocktail. When it came to the table it looked like a mermaid had just dropped it off from the ocean. Huge shrimp perfectly cooked and presented on a bed of ice in a cute shell type bowl with the cocktail sauce in an oyster shell. So cute and delicious! Fig and pistachio French toast has a nice bread pudding consistency and my mom really enjoyed the American Madame egg dish. Service was good! The patio was lovely and relaxed but still lively, with music playing subtly just enough to not have to talk loud. The interior is also quite beautiful as well! My Dad loved the architecture. Thanks Dawson for a nice birthday!
(5)
Jamie S.

After reading the reviews I wasn't sure which version of the Dawson I was going to get but lucky for me I got the good one. It also looks like people who come here on the week nights have better experiences than the weekends. I'm guessing this will work itself out in time and quickly. We had a dinner reservation for 4 and were sat immediately in the downstairs bar area at a booth. Out server was friendly and very business like. That was the attitude of all the staff we met. Everyone was extremely cordial and professional. The wine was great, from the glasses we started with individually to the bottle we shared during dinner which came recommended, and was on point. The atmosphere is definitely that of a bar, albeit a nice one. Because of the large open space its noisy but not too bad because was had come on a slower night. When it came to the food we were all happy. Among the four of us there was: roasted chicken, pork shank, bacon cheeseburger, and scallops with beef cheek. The food was hot and delicious. The decor is interesting with photos of both female wrestlers and native Americans. The bathrooms are large, downstairs, and very clean. I'll be interested to come back on weekend to see if the set standard I got on a cold Wednesday can be upheld.
(4)
Brittany B.

We've been super psyched to see what the gorgeous new building that spring up in our neighborhood would have to offer, and the Dawson did not disappoint. When we found out the names Billy Lawless, Branko Palikuca, Rene De Leon and Clint Rogers were attached, we were even more excited to try out this drinks-focused establishment. Overall, they have brought to the neighborhood a great place with excellent drinks, unique food, and a fun atmosphere that's very reasonably priced for an evening out with friends or a date night - hoping for brunch very soon!!!! The front door is a bit unwelcoming, but once we entered the space, it was warm and well appointed - a very very cool space. But for the slightly overwhelming smell of wood plank fire roasted fish, that almost knocked us back upon entering. My hubby absolutely loved his old man scotch cocktail, the Officer's Club (he has two). I tried both of their soda offerings (being preggers, I was excited I got to try a fun, thoughtful beverage too!) and both the cherry phosphate and the greyhound were yummy - but I wish there was a bit more to them then a few sips. Drinks were slow to arrive but worth the wait. Service was outstanding overall. Friendly and very effective waitstaff provided a well timed, well served meal. Successes: both our starters - the pork tacos were outstanding, the warm artichoke and mushroom salad was divine and perfectly seasonal. Can't wait to have both again. In my Country Fried NY Strip dish, both sides were yummy - the mash potatoes and collards and especially the epically awesome biscuit. Drool. Misses: the country fried steak for me was underwhelming - I would not get it again, sad to say (I'll miss you most of all, biscuit!!!) It was somehow under salted and the fry batter was sadly bland. My husband didn't much care for his steak either - the Wood Grilled Ribeye, which came sliced in a pile with roasted fall vegetables. He thought it was overdone and over salted. The desert was also a bust sadly. Our chocolate cremeaux (cake) was dry as a bone. But overall we really like it and had a nice evening! I think we will try different menu items next time for entrees (will definitely try the burger) and maybe skip dessert, but the starters were very promising of better entrees to come and must-haves to savor again. Can't wait for them to start serving brunch!!!
(4)
Margaret C.

I have wanted to go in here for while as it is a beautiful building that I have driven past a bunch. Walking inside stood up to what I imagined from the outside. I really liked that there were multiple places to go - three bar options (two inside, one out). We went to the bar upstairs (one a Friday at 7 pm). There were plenty of seats at that bar though the bar outside was fairly full. The bartenders were helpful and we wound up getting a couple of drinks. The drinks were fabulous and not too expensive in the scheme of things. If this was River North or the Gold Coast, you would have paid a couple more dollars for each. I had the Cowboys from Hell and the CTO. Both were amazing - not too sweet. I can't wait to go back to try the food and even just get another drink as the ambiance is great.
(5)
Elise G.

Had a 6:15 reservation on a Thursday night and were sat promptly. Great waiter who suggested a Golden Elephant after inquiring what I liked to drink. Deviled eggs were super yummy, chicken fried lobster was incredible, and the cheeseburger and halibut were both amazing, including the fries. Wonderful experience!
(4)
Diana M.

I really enjoyed my entire experience.. The ambiance is great and out server was so sweet and put up with all of my questions.. And any of my friends would agree- I'm kind of an annoying patron. I'm like curious George when I'm out.. Anyway- the food was all very nice, she broke down almost every dish making it so hard to decide, but everything we had was awesome! We went on a Monday night so we weren't trying to booze it up so our server suggested their house made sodas- which I had the Root Beer, and it was so fresh and pure and refreshing- totally recommend it!! So yeah over all- perfect date spot with friends or significant other. I've already sent friends and I will for sure return.
(5)
Marc M.

Great spot for drinks after work especially if the sun is splitting the trees. Good selection of beers, the place is clean (inside and out) and you'll get a nice welcome from the staff when you rock up.
(4)
Charlene B.

3.5 stars if we could. We loved the ambience, our server's attentiveness, and the wine director's spectacular wine recommendation. Overall, we had a great time and will definitely return with friends. The food was hit or miss. The good: the smoked chicken was excellent as were the scallops and beef cheeks. Also, the cocktails were absolutely delicious. Disappointing: the onion rings were huge, greasy blobs with little flavor. The crab cakes were too dense/cake-like rather than loose and tasting of crab. The kale salad just didn't meld for me, although the components were labor-intensive and the plating was beautiful. Our hope is the food will improve with time because, in spite of the misses, we enjoyed the whole package.
(3)
Stewart V.

Great ambience. Awesome drinks, esp liquid swords. Loved the tartine. I would go back in a heartbeat just to sit at the bar, enjoy a cocktail, nosh on an appetizer and people watch.
(4)
Vivian K.

A few of my friends and I went for dinner on Wednesday and loved it! The atmosphere is great especially if you sit outside in the patio...I forgot I was in Chicago. It's definitely worth waiting to sit outside! Our server Nick had recommended the The scallops with farro and apricot, you can't go wrong with this dish. He suggested a coctail called capri sun but I passed on that drink for now, next trip I will definitely try it. I loved that he was on top of it even though it was busy. We will be back to visit Dawson and hopefully have Nick as out server.
(5)
Kat E.

Amazing amazing amazing. I just threw a reception for work at The Dawson. It was amazing. I had 25 people in the outdoor patio near the wood burning fireplace. Not only was the location amazing the staff was wonderful, the food was fantastic and it was great to work with Amy, the special events coordinator. She was incredible! The truly amazing part is how helpful she was in getting the event pulled together in less than a week! The event went off without a hitch and the group was impressed and had a great time. I would definitely host an event there again! And a bonus, if it had rained there was an indoor backup option. I highly recommend this location!
(5)
Meredith K.

Now I am sad. The Gage is one of my favorite places. And I love The Grafton and Henri. And I know other people are involved but I had really high hopes for a well established restauranteur. Usually I give a place more time to work out the kinks but since our anniversary was coming up I thought this would be good. The place is huge. For that reason you'd think when they were building it they'd consider a few things: putting the bathroom on the first floor (women's shoes are unforgiving!) sound proofing - even just a little bit, some decorations, and why the huge ugly speakers? I'm sorry but the place is loud and cold. There are no pictures or mirrors or any personality. Just lights. On a positive note the seats are comfortable. We started with a glass of champagne which I was excited to see on the menu at a reasonable price for a glass. However when it was served it was a little bit warm. Also the menu says $18 but our bill said $19. They're still working out some bugs. My boyfriend tried the traveling mercies which was wonderful. The menu is sparse. It doesn't scream out - "hang here and drink!" The couple next to us received what I think was the calamari right after we put our drink order in. So we had time to spy on their reaction. I heard "fishy" and "not fresh". The woman had a few bites and her guy didn't touch it. They sat for a bit before our server came over and removed it and offered something else. Then the manager came over and apologized many times and said it was all comped. They took off pretty quickly. So I was scared. The pacing is awkward so you have a lot of time to sit and think about what to order, or not order. We order the skatewing rillettes. The way it was described I thought we were getting the meat in a jar with bread. We waited a long time for a small piece of bread with the rillette spread on it. Not worth $11. It was super salty but that's what its supposed to be so just expect that. Then the waldorf salad which they split for us and was wonderful. A hit. It had a wonderful cinnamon spice to it. The time in between sitting, ordering and getting stuff is long and awkward. Some bread or popcorn or something would have been great. Even if you had to pay for it. Good thing we weren't on a first date! Our mains arrived lukewarm. I had the chicken and holy-check-your-blood-pressure it was salty! Everything but the waldorf was too salty and ironically the fries needed salt. But the chicken had this wonderful smoky flavor. The gnocchi was great but I needed more. And some seasonal veg would have been welcomed. For the price it wasn't worth it. My boyfriend got the burger because he says the burger at The Gage is one of the best in the city. This one had a nice bun and he said the pork jowl was a wonderful addition. It was good but not better than The Gage. The funny thing is on our bill the burger was $1 less than what's on the menu so with the champagne increase we ended up even steven. I am a little heartbroken. This place is so close to home and with May Street Market gone I needed a new random supper spot. I'll give them 6 months and try it one more time. Otherwise it maybe just a place for a drink.
(2)
Jamie B.

Had a great dinner at the Dawson last Saturday night. Fantastic cocktails, great food, service, and really fun atmosphere. I can't wait for the summer--the patio is gorgeous. House Charcuterie - delicious. You will definitely need more bread, but the server brought it promptly when we asked. Wood-grilled Burger - my husband considers himself a burger connoisseur. He said this one was definitely better than Grange Hall's burgers, and he is going to have to resample Au Cheval to make it a fair fight, but he thinks that it beats Au Cheval as well. Garlic Fries - Supposedly fantastic. I didn't get to snag one because I was distracted by the pork shank (see below) Pork Shank - juicy, flavorful meat and the paparadelle was perfect. I We had a couple cocktails, and my favorite was the Traveling Mercies. Flavorful without being sweet.
(5)
Jeff S.

Checked out The Dawson last night with a group of friends for restaurant week. We all left as big fans of The Dawson. I would give it 4.5 stars if possible. It was a crowded Saturday night and we had a table right near the bar. The place was buzzing with energy. We had great service from the moment we were seated. Drinks were great, the Easy Tiger and Eagle Scout both were table favorites. Food wise the restaurant week menu was fantastic. The portions were big and the favors were fresh and bold. The chicken fried lobster, the pork belly lettuce cups, and the short ribs were all delicious. After a great meal we all will be back.
(4)
Ben S.

First time there; host offered us our reserved table or a seat at the counter overlooking the kitchen. Wife and I both love chatting with chefs so took the kitchen bar. Host was super nice and sent over prosecco; and then the chef gave us some free oysters and to top it off a complimentary milkshake (the brown sugar whipped cream is to die for). Food was delicious; service prompt and attentive; and drinks smooth and strong (a difficult combination). Couldn't recommend highly enough.
(5)
Stuart B.

Excellent beer, great hamburger and fantastic sausages set in a beautiful outdoor terrace with friendly staff. What's not to like here.
(4)
Tara P.

Great outside area...only had a variety of small plates/apps but all were delicious! Drinks are good as well!
(4)
Faith D.

Overall 4+ stars! Very cool & groovy inside and out. I'd call it modern industrial. We started at the inside bar for a cocktail and moved outside for dinner. Beautiful evening. Decided to try something new (vs my usual GG vodka) and I ordered a Liquid Swords. It was good but a little too sweet for me. Glad I tried it. .Hubby and I shared an appetizer of Chicken-Fried Lobster (with green tabasco aioli) - very unusual and very yummy. We ordered a cheeseburger (medium temp) which came served on a wooden plank with fries and a great dipping sauce. Unfortunately, burger came WAY undercooked and had to be redone. Our friends also ordered the Fried Lobster and they ordered the honey brined pork T-bone which was WAY, WAY undercooked (like -- icky undercooked). Server & 2 managers were all helpful in getting our food redone without too long of a wait. Once everything was cooked to our preferred temperatures it was all delicious. We also ordered a side of Bloomsdale spinach -- outstanding. Staff (including busboys) all very helpful and attentive. Manager sent over a milk chocolate mousse dessert / comp -- for us to share and that was truly wonderful. Two perfect bites per person, very light end to our dinner. Prices are upscale (what I expected) but quality is solid; portions generous and a delightful evening.
(4)
Rob J.

Good atmosphere. A bit loud but if we're looking for a night out this is a great place to go. Loved the pork entree.
(4)
Kelley G.

I'm rating it two stars instead of one because we never even got to sit down and try the food. My husband and I had a Saturday evening and were excited to finally try The Dawson. We live in the city and wanted to try something in the neighborhood of where we were going afterward. I made reservation via Open Table for 6:30pm to give us time to have some drinks and relax over a nice dinner. When we walked in around 6:15, there were about five hosts and hostesses standing behind the host/hostess counter ready to check in customers. Since we were early, we had planned to just have a quick drink at the bar and then sit down for dinner. The male host suggested we might sit down, as the table was ready for us if that's what we chose to do. We decided to go ahead and take our table early. A female hostess led us to a two top beside two people in a bit of a cramped corner. Not a big deal, as I know they were planning ahead for other reservations and we're just two. However, when I asked if we could move to another table which wasn't right in the path of a very loud music speaker and right next to another table, the hostess took us back up to the front to ask the host. He said, "well, um, there are speakers all over the restaurant." He didn't offer us another table or try to accommodate us in any way. He just said that one sentence and then a long pause with no other alternatives. After that long pause, I suggested we go across the street to Piccolo Sogno. We love it there, but we really wanted to try something new and were particularly excited about The Dawson. I get there are restaurant styles - quiet, loud, etc., but the place was empty and it was 6:15. They could have tried moving us to another table that might be perfectly acceptable (i.e. the speaker not pointed directly at the table and not seated next to another table which was already cramped). I get this place will do business with or without us, but I am disappointed.
(2)
Britt C.

This is our new fav place! I have to say first off, our waiter was AMAZING. I really wish I remembered his name, he was really friendly - actually helped my friend to pick a cocktail, which most waiters just brush off to it really just depends what you like. He also gave us some recommendations for bars in the area to hit up. This guy was awesome! Beyond that, I had heard that the drinks were great but the food didn't live up the expectations - not the case in my experience!! You MUST get the chicken fried lobster! I'm not even a lobster person but it seemed like something you can't find just anywhere so I had to try it - totally worth it. I also had the sunchoke dish which was also awesome. My friend got the roasted corn and the pork mac n cheese and she liked them both. I did try the mac (couldn't help myself!) and it was really good. Definitely very rich so a good thing to split! We had a couple of cocktails and they were both good. There were several on the list that were enticing so I'm sure we'll be back soon. Plus if the menu keeps changing I'm gonna have to get back out there to try more! The patio was super super cutes, glad we caught a nice sunny day!
(5)
Donna M.

Wow!!! What an amazing experience! This was our second dinner at The Dawson and I would definitely give more than 5 stars if possible. My boyfriend and I have been going to The Gage (another Billy Lawless restaurant) for years and have to say it's one of our old favorites. Since its close to my home we have a tendency to stop in when we're out running errands or shopping and sit at the bar and have burgers and cocktails. YUM! But, The Dawson just hits it out of the park in every way. The management and waitstaff are AMAZING! On each occasion, a manager stopped by our table to chat and to make sure we were happy with our cocktails and food. Jackie was our server tonight and she was fabulous! She was very knowledgable about the menu and was able to make suggestions for both food and drinks. One of the things that's always brought us back to The Gage is the creative craft cocktails....and The Dawson follows suit. They have a wonderful selection of seasonal cocktails and even house made infused whisky. From the unbelievable foie gras appetizer which was on special tonight to the salted candy bar dessert, the preparation of the food was exceptional in every way. The Dawson shows consistency in food, service and preparation and always exceeds expectations. The legacy of exceptional hospitality continues...
(5)
Andrew G.

The ambiance is amazing. The space is large and inviting, the little courtyard is pertly decorated for a "summer evening" and the wait staff is quite nice. However, the food is nothing to write home about. It tends to be rather bland and over priced. The brunch is a total skip. Given the plethora of options near by, don't waste your time.
(3)
Kris R.

we were lucky enough to have our staff holiday party here, and i have to say, of the 6 holiday par-tays, this one was my favorite. 1) the food effing wonderful and plentiful. charcuterie plates are the shit. hor d'oeuvres we're all over the place and were great. i ate so much, i was so fat that night. 2) upstairs is huge. there's a big central bar and fireplace. cozy. 3) i did not get wasty-face since i had to teach yoga later on so i had a miller high life. it's the champagne of beers, yo. i would definitely come back to sit out on the roof deck during the summertime. if that still exists - summer.
(4)
Shambavi K.

Coming from someone who doesn't like to sit outside at a restaurant, Dawson seems to excel in the outdoor seating. Their outdoors seems to be the main dining is many ways... From the decor to the hanging lights to the fireplace with sofa seats for large groups. We really enjoyed listening to old school music over brunch and sipping on cocktails under the umbrella. Sure there are some bees and butterflies around but nothing too bothersome. There was a wasp that our waiter let out a little scream. The inside seating looks more diner style. We shared the following: - chicken fried lobster - this does not have chicken btw. It was tasty...also cuz it's fried. - bacon flight - came with 4 different kinds but besides the maple, it was hard to differentiate the others. I ordered the steak and eggs which was better than I expected. i liked the chimmicurri sauce and the mushrooms and onion medley. Others ordered the smoked salmon and eggs and the muffin. I'd probably look forward to coming back to sit in the patio and have cocktails.
(4)
Osiris V.

Stunning. The Dawson has a grandiose wood door entrance that makes you feel like you're walking into a castle and when you walk in you're greeted with a vintage industrial decor, which of course I love. Unfortunately we didn't get to sit outside to enjoy their beautiful patio and pergola. We sat in the back by the kitchen and waited for the rest of our group to join us. We got some drinks and then figured we'd order some appetizers while we waited. So we got two BBQ pork cupcakes. They were homemade soft, buttery, cheesy biscuits filled with tender, flavorful BBQ pork. One word....Glorious. We gorged on those and moved on to our cocktails. I ordered "The Black Angel" which included Old Forester 90 Dawson Barrel, zucca (squash), pineapple, blackberry, lemon and bitters. Pretty tasty, however, I don't think I'd order cocktails here again, they were good but I'm a beer person. I ordered a gumball head next, which is always a good choice and ended with a 312 Urban Raddler which I'll be making my summer beer! Who doesn't love a light refreshing cucumber flavored beer?! For dinner I ordered their classic burger. It wasn't outstanding but it wasn't as bad as some I've had lately. The fries it came with were soooo good! It made up for the lack of crispy mashed potatoes which they were out of. Darn it, I really wanted to try those!! As far as our waitress, meh, she didn't care to deal with us from the second we got there, so annoying. So we waited quite a while between our drinks, appetizers, meals and checks. Even thought they have a small menu, I'd go back. The atmosphere is very welcoming and I really really want to check out their patio.
(4)
Michael B.

I'd been refraining from going thinking it was just an over priced drinks and share plate joint with a cool patio but was pleasantly surprised to find innovative cocktails, interesting and delicious share plates from a small but refreshing menu and an intelligent, friendly, personable mixologist (Sorry Justin or Jason) who busy as he was had the knowledge and graciously made the time to explain some of the more esoteric components of their drinks. He turned us on to their house infused bourbon and fruit cocktail, which was surprisingly delicious. Dawson was than than I expected.
(4)
Tricia D.

Does this place remind anyone else of the Creek a la the 90s TV show? Our party of 4 visited with a Gilt City voucher*, so at the discounted price of $23, I got a cocktail, bourbon shot, and an appetizer. I would have been completely unsatisfied had I paid full price for what I consumed. These are a few areas where the Dawson is lacking: a) the "daily drip" bourbon was supposed to be flavored with lemon, berry, and other elements, but it just tasted like any other bourbon. b) the appetizers are on the small side. For instance, the pork belly lettuce wraps came with a few measly pieces of pork. The girls and I shared 4 appetizers, and we were still very hungry, so we each ordered individual entrees. You got us, Dawson! c) on the Gilt deal, we were limited to appetizers under $15, so 1/3 of the choices were off limits. The shrimp corn dogs and the bbq pork cupcake were so so. I enjoyed the beet salad the most, as it had a nice flavor with mustard and citrus ginger dressing. d) our waitress was tough to get a hold of at times. The outdoor patio has a nice atmosphere, including heat lamps, couch(es), and outdoor fireplace. If you find yourself here, I do recommend the duck entree. Duck was tender, and it came 2 ways: BBQ leg and sausage. I just spent more than I was expecting on this outing. *Funny story. A nice gentleman came by and was 100% surprised that we had a Gilt voucher because he said he was the owner and was unaware the Dawson was signed up for it. Hmm... he went away to check on the matter and came back, saying his wife must have signed the establishment up. Haha. Just funny that he was totally unaware of this.
(2)
Alyssa P.

{3.5} Its one star for the amazing space. - Two story entrance with large glass windows and black metal mullions. - Large dining room w/ bar and open kitchen. - Rustic meets industrial finishes everywhere. Wood flooring and tables, leathery seats and bar stools, exposed beams, weathered brick, simple vintage lighting. And that's just the inside. - Fenced in back patio w/ bar, fireplace and views of the neighborhood. Another star for the drinks and charming bartenders. - I had a super refreshing gin and cucumber cocktail. What's better on a warm summer afternoon? A third star for the bites they were serving up. - I attended a party at the Dawson - so the food consisted of appetizers and small desserts. - The meatballs and pretzel bites were especially yummy. - Little chocolates with salted caramel were fantastic. I don't know if they make them in house or get them elsewhere but I could have easily eaten 20 of those suckers. A bonus half star for the details. - The plates for the apps were dainty and darling and I want a set for my own kitchen. Reserving that last star and a half for my return visit - the dinner menu looks gooood and I need to spend more time on that patio. Until then Dawson...
(4)
Emann B.

Crowded and boisterous, but not overwhelming. We were seated promptly, and our server certainly did his best on a busy Friday night. The taper candles on the table are nice, but pose a fire hazard with the large paper menus. You are warned. Food was solid. I shared the charcuterie plate, and continued the meat madness with the grilled sausage entree, which was excellent. One each of lamb, pork, and blood. Mmmmmm! The hearty side of potatoes au gratin was a good balance, and stuffed me to the gills. Gotta love Billy Lawless when he buys your table a round of drinks!
(4)
Angela P.

The Dawson's entrance is awe-inspiring and leads to anticipation of an exquisite meal and experience. The windows invite a sky full of light, which contrasts the dark wood floors and dimly lit dining area. It's a beautiful sight. I highly recommend making a reservation. The patio is first-come, first-serve, but on a Thursday evening we were quoted a 1.5 hour wait. We were seated immediately inside though. My friend called a week before and was informed that only 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. reservations were available, so we took our chances just showing up and got lucky. They seated two of us while we waited for the remainder of the party. The Dawson is proof that a mixology bar can exist outside of a speakeasy environment. The Dawson's food and drinks are both dynamite! I started with the "Mellow Yellow," (rum, lime, vanilla syrup, etc.) and I tried some of the other cocktails floating around our table like the Capri Sun. I later had the Goose Island Radler, a quenching cucumber beer. I had the wise idea to mix this with my friend's strawberry-flavored ale which was a total win. We shared the BBQ Pork Cupcake, which is disappointing in portion size because it is so good! It's about the size of a cupcake, so one of these is really ideal for one, mayyyyybe two people. Even if you only get a forkful, order one. It's so worth it. The menu is small, with maybe about eight different entrees, I ordered the shaved pork belly sandwich. I wasn't completely sold on it by the description, but holy cow, this sandwich was full of flavor. I couldn't even eat all of it, as several layers of pork belly were stuffed between crusty, greasy, panini bread. I took half home to eat for lunch the next day which, surprisingly, re-heated quite nicely in the toaster oven. The sandwich came with fries, served with some yummy aioli on the side too. Somehow I found room to share desserts with my friends too. The Lavender Cheesecake (which comes with basil ice cream!) is to DIE FOR. However, if you aren't into floral or herbal flavors, this might not be for you. I love anything lavender, and the basil ice cream was remarkably good. The service is a mixed bag. The hostess who seated us and took a drink order was fabulous; she made some initial recommendations and answered any questions. However, our server just didn't like us from the start. We wanted to order the potatoes, but we were told they were out. We then overheard her telling the table next to us that she would check to see if they had any potatoes. It was just really weird. There was some lag time getting our check too. Her blase attitude would not keep me from returning though. Each of us ladies spent a good chunk of change on our dining experience here, but I feel it was worth every penny.
(5)
Ben C.

Delicious. The menu has improved recently (3rd or 4th time there). Service, atmosphere, and food were excellent. I can personally recommend the burger, the short rib sandwich, the smoked chicken, wedge salad, and the meyer lemon dessert. This place keeps getting better.
(5)
John G.

Bronco set us up for my birthday party. Thanks
(5)
Jennifer H.

Love it. It would be 5 stars if it wasn't so expensive. I was there two months ago. Great cocktail list. My favorite drink was the Safe Word! The guys I was with said the onion rings were the best they ever had. We got more then one order of onion rings. My friends loved their seafood. I had the Char; the fish as cooked just right and the veggies it came with were great. Large tables, good for groups. Nice lounge upstairs.
(4)
Trina J.

If you are looking for an off the beaten path restaurant with a cool vibe, great wait staff and delicious creations, this is the place for you. I dined with a group of eight ladies tonight and it was the perfect way to spend a great summer evening. We were seated at a large table in the outdoor area. Our seating consisted of two long wood benches. The patio also has tables, a full bar area and lots of string lighting. Along with lights, there was mid volume music, unlimited water refills and a faint sound of cars passing this corner establishment. To add to the list of things that set this place apart, was the service. Our waiter was the coolest of them all. He was adorned with sunshades until the sun had tucked it in for the night. He could be clearly defined by his style, but he was memorable in other respects as well. He was confident enough to offer suggestions in a way compelled you to try the item without giving it a second thought and sweet enough to provide each of us with separate checks and to check on us very regularly even with a fully packed house. BBQ Pork Cupcake - This is Red Lobster Biscuit meets BBQ. I do not like much about Red Lobster absent their biscuits but I could go there solely to order a dozen biscuits and this joint gives those babies a run for their money. It is a single biscuit appetizer but it was extremely filling. But of course, I ordered more anyway. (4 stars) ....I deducted a star because it is good but I think it would be even more amazing if it were stuffed with something other than pork. Perhaps beef or chicken. Chicken Fried Lobster - Very memorable. Lightly fried and served in its shell with a flavorful dipping sauce. (5 stars) Mai Tai - It is a frozen adult beverage. 8oz. Cute and tart. Not like most Mai Tais but I wish it was. Good but underwhelming. (3 stars) Ice Cream Sundae - Admittedly, I literally left this place less than an hour ago, but I have already forgotten the name of the dessert. But, it does contain the name sundae in it. So I remembered most of the name. Or I think I did. But I totally remember the taste!!!It is a sweet and salty lover's dream. The crispy chocolate shell and popcorn topping was picture worthy but I choose to eat it and keep you drooling enough to go over and try it yourself. (4 stars). I deducted a star because the popcorn had kernels in it. Our three hour dining experience was filled with great conversation in one of the best patio spaces I have encountered in quite a while. The Dawson is a class act and I look forward to dining here again. ****Valet parking is offered for $12. A better option over the $4 per hour parking meters if you plan to linger.
(4)
Erica L.

Hubby and I checked this place out on an early Friday night after work. Decor is nice, with the single tapered candle centerpieces at each table (I was paranoid someone would knock one over and start a fire). We grabbed drinks and a few appetizers so I can't speak about any of the main entrees. The Shishito Peppers were originally too "citrusy" for our taste, so our server was nice enough to give us a new order without the usual lime seasoning, which was much better. I liked the texture of the Crispy Smashed Potatoes, but it was on the salty side. The mussels were good and a decent portion size enough for 2 people. My favorite were the Shrimp Corn Dogs - they were delicious! For dessert we had the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Sundae. I liked the ice cream and the contrasting textures with the corn and chocolate sauce. Since I couldn't have alcohol, I tried the Greyhound Soda, which was a refreshing grapefuit based drink. Perfect for a spring day. Service, from the hostess to the server to the staff was great. By the time we left it was getting crowded and hard to navigate between the tables. I felt bad passing behind our server, who was bending down to take the order of a table nearby because my huge baby bump grazed his butt. Sorry, my spatial sense has been off for the past few months.
(3)
Ngoc N.

I have a ridiculously long list of restaurants bookmarked in the Chicago area. The list started before I even moved here and continued to grow over the past 2.5 years. I have been really diligent in hitting up all these places, but admittedly have hit much of a stalemate thinks for a mortgage. In any case, I only seem to be trying new places once in awhile now instead of every week, multiple time a week. I finally got to go to the Dawson, not only was this place on my digital bookmarks list but also one of those places you drive by and you're like "I HAVE to go here soon!" Me and my 7 friends hit up brunch here last weekend much to my delight. The weather was beautiful so it was patio weather. Their patio is amazing. It's big and nicely decorated. The experience is great from when you walk in through their large double doors through their patio with the GIANT fiddle leaf fig (which I wanted to steal) and straight back to the patio. My visual sense were going off! The brunch menu looked amazing and decision making was tough. I settled on the french toast, burger and of course...the flight of bacon. That's a first - a FLIGHT of bacon. That was the best part of the meal...oh and the 2 bloody mary's I downed. We tried pretty much most of the menu and the whole table was pretty happy with our food. Next time for me? The steak and eggs! My only gripe would be slow service. Maybe it was an off day...I hope it was an off day. Looking forward to going back!
(4)
Kevin L.

Came here on a Thursday night to grab some suppah! No wait, sat us right away inside (little wait for outside). Waitress very spunky and friendly yet knew the menu real well. Didn't get any cocktails but they definitely seem to know what they are doing in that Deepaaahtment. They had Gumballhead on tap which was fantastic. I got the burger (with housemade bacon). It was good. I ordered it medium but it came out medium rare which I guess is expected. The fries were a little too "potatoey". Aside from that, I really enjoyed it. I have been looking forward to going here for awhile since it's off our beaten path. Impressed with the size of the place and the "ambiance" if you will. V friendly staff as well. Looking forward to coming back and getting after it on the patio soon.
(4)
Elina S.

I really really liked this place. I honestly came in thinking I would be disappointed based on some comments about the food but I came out very happy that we gave it a try. First of all, if you're lucky enough to experience the outdoor patio, you have to sit there, there is no other way. It is one of my top five favorite outdoor experiences in Chicago, super cute and you just don't want to leave. Our server and we kind of ended up having two throughout our meal was super nice (both of them) like they actually appeared genuine and interested in making sure we had a good experience here. So we had some rose to start which is always pleasant outdoors when the weather is 75 degrees and perfect. My husband and I then decided to share the mussels entree for $19 as well as their lobster fried chicken for $16. Honestly, both were fairly priced for what you're getting. The mussels were a huge entree and it came with two huge chunks of delicious and I mean delicious bread that was warm and soft on the inside and crunchy on the outside. I wanted to dip all that bread in the mussels broth. They weren't the best mussels I've ever had but they definitely had a kick and I would definitely get them since the bread served with them was the best I've ever had when dealing with accompanying mussels. Next, was the lobster fried chicken which is basically two lobster tails and fried a little in the same stuff as you would fry chicken and I thought I would hate it and it wouldn't be moist and flavorful, but on the contrary it was really tasty and the spicy ranch sauce went so well with it that I wanted to dip my other piece of bread in it too, get this dish and you won't be disappointed. Overall, the place was a definite hit, super nice and accommodating staff since we had a stroller with us and they helped us get outdoors, one of my new favorite Chi-town patios to chill for a date night or with a group of friends having drinks and tasty food and drinks. We were too full to try dessert so I can't say anything about that, but there's always next time, and Dawson, there will certainly be a next time.
(4)
Abby D.

My favorite outdoor patio in the city with the best Old Fashions!
(5)
Cassandra C.

Can't beat this patio in summer. Patio has amazing ambiance, plenty of unique delicious cocktails, delicious food, great service. Live band played amazing Cha Cha while the sun set. Couldn't ask for a more pleasant evening. Impressive how they can create such a great ambiance in the middle of such a busy intersection. Smashed potatoes- filling and delicious Chicken fried lobster- an absolute must. Ask for a triple for three tails! Summer salad- good portion and delicious Chickpea hummus- a little bland but filling and decent Amazing bus service and constant attention- waters filled, plates cleared, etc. friendly server. Will be back!!
(5)
Steve I.

Went there for the Memorial Day BBQ was my first time there. The event was dampened by the rain but they made the most of it. Founders had a great beer line up included with a BBQ buffet it was very good. The corn may have been the best I ever had. My wife had spicy chicken sandwich its was amazing great bun and from the first bite the quality of the chicken shined through. The cocktails were meticulously made and were top shelf. It was early in the day but I could see the place really cool at night. Very cool decorating and fabulous patio and outside area. I would highly recommend it.
(4)
Alex B.

We went to The Dawson on a beautiful summer evening hoping to sit in their lovely patio. We got there at 8pm and were told it would be an hour wait for Patio seating. We opted to get seated immediately in-doors instead. A few minutes later when we were escorted to our table the host had managed to find us two seats on the patio at one of the super cool communal tables. Big props for superior expectation management and customer service. The Patio was swinging and a really great scene. It was a lovely oasis on one of those magical nights (of which we get 3 per year in Chicago) which was made to eat outside. That Patio alone is worth the trip. The cocktail menu is very creative and quite extensive. Really a nice service and it struck a good balance between sweeter drinks (not my thing) and boozier drinks (more my thing). Given the social nature of the patio I think it's a wise, fun, and palate expanding menu. No surprise that I settled on the "Double Feature" (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Cocchi Barolo Chinato, Ancho Reyes, Root Beer Syrup, and Angostura) served on the rocks it was cool, mellow, and had really interesting vanilla overtones. Good drink. How can you go wrong mixing chilies and bourbon? They've got an extensive beer list because, well, you know, hipsters. The one potential issue is that with the attention on Cocktails and Beer the wines by the glass were a little sparse (though the wine list was fine). Food was really good and kind of elevated pub food. We had Chicken Fried Lobster - super flavorful, a little spicy, and just a tad overdone. Not sure that can be avoided in a dish like this but in spite of that it really worked and was quite good. The Beet Salad was a triumph, one of the best I've had. Super fresh with whipped mustard (super good) and Urban Till Cress (essentially Frisee as far as I can tell). Really a great salad. We had the Red Fish for two, which is really a high class fish taco dish. Also a great plate of food. The fish was flavorful and juicy with just a hint of spice. It had really good sides of fresh tortillas, slaw, grilled avocado, and salsa. The only drawback was we needed twice as much fixins for the amount of fish provided. The fixins were yummy but we needed more. The only major drawback to the evening was that once seated service was a little sporadic with some very extended waits. I'm chalking that one up to a super busy Saturday night on the patio. But I think they do need to up the server ratio for an evening like that. Definitely looking forward to heading back to The Dawson.
(4)
Fletcher M.

Chicken fried lobster. Nuff said. Great cocktails and delicious appetizers. Mains are hit or miss. Come for the outdoor patio on a summer night!
(4)
Steve M.

This is a good restaurant, great food, great drinks, and good atmosphere. It's a bit pricey (for what you get) and the service can be pretty spotty. It would be 5 stars if they had consistently good service.
(4)
Dustin G.

After a dinner party in the West Loop, some friends and I decided to get some cocktails at the Dawson. None of us had been but it looked amazing. The decor is really nice, modern and urban yet still cozy and intimate. You're close to the next table but not on top of them. The drink menu is long and they have a lot of different options. Our waiter, Jake, took the time to explain all of our many questions and he even provided us with tasters when we couldn't decide. This attention to detail and providing a customer-centric experience is absent at many places like this especially in that neighborhood. It's refreshing to see well-trained staff working hard to ensure their guests have a great time. Now, as for the cocktails, there were some hits and misses. I thought the Daily Drip was just okay but the rest of my party loved it. It changes daily so ya never know! Tomorrow I could go back and love it. On the contrary, I loved the Chile Choke but everyone else at my table hated it. Fine by me! I got to drink theirs. We also tried the Mi Casa and I thought it was pretty good but I probably wouldn't order it again. Even though we didn't love everything we ordered, Jake made us feel right at home and gave us a wonderful experience. This type of service is what makes you want to go back and I'm sure all of us will return.
(5)
Alyssa D.

My friend and I went here for dinner on a Sunday night. We sat outside on the patio, which has a great vibe - couches by a fireplace, a nice-looking bar, and pretty lights on strings. I ordered a tasty frozen mai tai, and we split the albacore ceviche. Wasn't crazy about that dish, to be honest. However, we also split their shrimp boil (a Sunday night special) which came with a grilled corn mix. Both were quite spicy but delicious! I'd recommend The Dawson as a solid place to sit outside while you enjoy a cocktail and a bite to eat.
(4)
Abhishek M.

Review is based on cocktails and couple of starters. We went in on a Sun afternoon and sat outside. They do offer couches by the fireplace but since it was a little windy, we sat under some heat lamps. We ordered 3 craft cocktails and they all had a myriad of ingredients but ended up quite well balanced. What really took it home were the Brussels Sprouts and the Squash! You almost need to go just to try these 2 dishes. Rather than try and describe them, please just take my word :). Next time, we also want to try their Wagyu beef brisket for two.
(5)
Robert C.

Good food. Great character. It has a historical, but renovated feel to it. Modern. We had a special menu for a business function last night. Appetizers of Burratta cheese, crab cakes, and chicken fried lobster. Yummy. The house salad was awesome with special radishes. Chorizo and mussels were also good. Finally, we had shoshito peppers, brussel sprouts w bacon, and sirloin for dinner. I will recommend a visit to others. Next time I have to try Chicago's oldest irish pub across the street, afterwards.
(4)
Aditi M.

I live in the neighborhood and have been meaning to try this place for some time now, so I finally stopped in today for a few appetizers and drinks. The staff was super friendly and the restaurant itself was beautiful. It was a nice day, so we chose to sit outside and the atmosphere was cute and relaxed. They had a live band playing, but it wasn't so loud that you had to yell to hear one another. We sat at a table, but I noticed they had another area with barrels in lieu of tables where people were just having drinks, which I thought was nice. Our waitress, Meghan, was attentive, nice, and very helpful when we asked for recommendations. I was absentminded enough to leave my debit card and she returned it to me promptly. We ended up getting the Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Chicken-Fried Lobster, BBQ Pork Cupcake, and the Lavender Vanilla Cheesecake. For drinks, we had the Mi Casa, Tu Casa. All the food was incredible but the Chicken-Fried Lobster was my favorite. It came with a sauce that I think was Sriracha ranch, but I can't quite remember for sure. The potatoes were amazing as well and while the BBQ Pork Cupcake was good, it paled in comparison to the other items we ordered. I was initially hesitant about the cheesecake because of the lavender, but it was done well and the lavender flavor was not overpowering at all. It also came with basil ice cream, which added a really nice touch. I ordered a "savory" cocktail and I found the flavor to be complex and somewhat smoky. I noticed they had a brunch menu online and definitely plan to return!
(5)
Shruti M.

Amazeballs. I've heard a lot of great things about this place and it really did live up to the hype! I rode my bike here for brunch, and there were no bike racks outside so the hostess so kindly offered to keep my bike behind the bar on the patio. That was SO nice of her, so brownie points for that! Seated immediately on their gorgeous patio.Got the salmon with scrambled eggs (forget what it's called) but the dish was the perfect combo of salty/savory and the potatoes on the side were slightly crunchy and seasoned well. The little arugula salad on top added the freshness it needed. Skip the deviled eggs, 8 dollars for 2 eggs!??? Crazy. My friend got the biscuits and gravy, which she really enjoyed as well.
(5)
Irbad C.

Great atmosphere and patio! However, we waited 55mins for our food, AND I was starving because I just finished a 3 day cleansing diet! Try not to get addicted to the chicken fried lobster. I failed.
(5)
Britta M.

It was fun. I thought it was overpriced for the amount of food we got. The waitress was not the friedndliest. Not sure if she was hung over or just that was her actual personality. My drink was ok, I've had much better shrub drinks at other bars.
(3)
Monica B.

My friend and I were waiting for this place to open, and as soon as it did, we showed up for dinner! We shared one of the special appetizers that was an assortment of seafood. It didn't taste fresh at all -- seemed like leftovers from days ago. But the smoked chicken I had for my entree was amazing! Juicy and cooked to perfection -- I wish I could make chicken like that at home. I loved the combination of apple and bok choy. Just the perfect dinner. I'll return once weather warms up to enjoy the patio for drinks and apps. Great addition to this neighborhood!
(3)
Betty C.

The place is loud and vibrant. The lighting is soft but not dark. The service is exemplary. They check on you without being overbearing, fill your water more than often enough, ask you how you like your dishes, give you enough time to eat it but don't make you wait too long before they return. They do service right. It was our first visit and we chose two snacks to start - the pretzel with mustard sauce and the roasted acorn squash with burrata. The squash was a very small portion for three (1 slice) but it was perfectly cooked and tender squash with melted and oozing burrata and some toasted nuts. Could have eaten the entire serving by myself! The pretzel was a real disappointment. There was an unnecessary dry cheese sprinkle on the top that detracted from what might have been a good tasting pretzel but it was stale and lacked the traditional alkaline (high pH) water boil that gives all pretzels that dark rich color. They asked us how we liked it and I did mention it was a bit stale and they did take it off of the bill. The pretzel was served with what was an overwhelmingly large portion of whole grain mustard dipping sauce that would have been enough for 6 to 8 pretzels of that size - not one. The mustard sauce was nasal-clearing hot and overwhelmed the flavor of the bland pretzel. The pumpkin soup with roasted marshmallows was creamy and rich. The mcDucketts (sp?) were perhaps a bit over emulsified and uniform in texture, a few bits and pieces of duck in there would have been nice, but they did have a good flavor. The buffalo chicken sandwich could have been much better if the bread had not been so dry and if they had offered a blue cheese sauce and or s melting cheese. It was not spicy at all as one would expect of a buffalo sandwich. The menu description says it has a buffalo slaw but there was very little spice to speak of. The two thin fried chicken breast pieces had very good flavor on their own and once I took off the bun and added the chili aÃ¯oli (that really had no heat whatsoever either) to the chicken along with the Buffalo slaw it was quite good. Perhaps they have a problem with their bread supplier and need to make a change. The reuben burger really didn't taste like a reuben but it was very juicy and had great beef and sauerkraut flavor. The fries on both sandwiches were seasoned well but not quite hot or crispy enough. The two true saving dishes that pushed us to a four star rating from three were the pork belly lettuce cups and the chocolate mousse dessert. The pork belly was crispy, unctuous and had complex Asian flavors. $15 for 4-1 inch chunks of pork was rather expensive but the flavors were amazing. They were served with four pieces of Boston lettuce, a small dish of shredded carrots and pickled cucumbers. The chocolate mousse had three different flavors of chocolate - a light milk chocolate whipped center, coated with a thin, dark bittersweet chocolate layer and then topped with a dollop of a medium dark chocolate pudding, chopped cashews and a sprinkling of sea salt. Many of the beverages are quite expensive - lowest price on a glass of wine was $10 and as high as $19! Beers range from $4 to $9 and they have an interesting array of beers and cocktails. There were quite a few items on the menu that we did not try that sounded very interesting and given how well they executed the pork belly, the acorn squash, the soup and the dessert, The Dawson merits a return trip. We hope to make it back during restaurant week.
(4)
Bao L.

The Dawson is a chicly decorated, modern brunch spot. Went here with 3 of my friends for Sunday brunch. We started off w/ a Bloody Mary, which came with a block of cheese, tomato, jalapeno (with some serious heat!), and a piece of brisket as garnish. The Bloody Mary was real good - spicy and salty but not overly strong. For food, I ordered the chicken-fried lobster, which sounded very intriguing. I'm glad I ordered it though, because it was delicious. It was 2 lobster tails that were lightly breaded. The lobster was fresh and moist. Warning: the chicken fried lobster is just that - 2 pieces of lobster tail, nothing else. Normally, I would have been starving, but I was still feeling the effects of a wild night before so luckily I wasn't that hungry. If you're hungry and you decide to order this, I'd recommend ordering a side with it. My friends ordered the smoked fish plate, tri-tip steak & eggs, and french omelette. They were all very satisfied with their dishes. We all agreed that it was a very good brunch and that we would definitely come back. The patio wasn't open since we were having brunch in 30 degree weather, but it looked like a nice place to have brunch. I plan on going back when the temperature gets warmer to have brunch on the patio, which I imagine would be pretty awesome
(4)
Leslie B.

Celebrated my birthday at the Dawson with the boyfriend and had an excellent experience. Unfortunately, the only downside of our experience (not enough to deduct a star), was with the host/hostesses. I had called earlier in the day to request an outdoor table for our reservation, but was told it's first come first serve and would probably be a 20 minute wait. Totally fine. Upon arriving, the host let us know it would be an HOUR for an outdoor table. The only adjective I can think of to describe their demeanor is snooty. Not mean, just snooty. Committed to an outdoor table, we said ok and headed inside to grab a drink. After sitting down at the bar for literally 10 minutes, I received a text that our outdoor table was ready. Seriously? Ok, rant over, the rest of my evening at The Dawson rocked. The Dawson's cocktail menu can be overwhelming (what is cynar?!), but fortunately, the bartenders are all incredibly approachable and friendly. They patiently answered any question we had and provided solid recommendations for drinks. I started with the GTO, highly recommend for a refreshing and tasty cocktail. The boyfriend went with the Luchini which was a unique version of a Negroni. We were super happy with the cheese plate we ordered, this was a hearty starter for two. For dinner, we shared the shishito peppers, pork mac & cheese, and duck leg. Wow did we order right. Shishito peppers came in a huge portion, this is a great veggie side to order. The pork mac was incredibly rich and cheesy, how could you not like a dish that includes three kinds of pork?! The highlight was absolutely the duck leg. Every element was thoughtful, from the duck sausage on the side to the corn bread, it was also easy to share. Last but not least, salted candy bar for dessert. Oh man. There's a lot going on here. Overwhelming in components and rich flavors, this was the perfect sweet treat to end our meal. Just order it. Overall, I was extremely happy with our dinner at The Dawson. The patio has an atmosphere that you literally cannot beat, the bartenders and our server were very friendly and helpful, and you're paying for quality ingredients in filling portions. Dinner for two, 4 cocktails, and dessert, was a little pricey, but justified. We left full, buzzed, and happy. Head to The Dawson while it's still warm out!
(5)
Christie M.

Best patio ever!!!! I'm seriously in love with this place based on the patio alone. It so big and you don't feel cramped at all sitting out there. It's so nice for a place in Chicago to have a proper beer garden that is large, relaxing, and gives off such a chill vibe. I really loved the twinkle lights and high fence that blocks out the noise and traffic from the main street. The interior of this restaurant is stunningly beautiful as well. Just a beautiful place from top to bottom. I was recently here as a group with my husband and a couple friends. We each had a different cocktail; all were very well done. We split the cinnamon bun to start which was delicious; and we all loved our entrees. I had the steak and eggs which came with a great salsa and pinto beans. Others in my party had the specialty omelet that day and the eggs and sausage. We all really enjoyed our meals. Only damper on our experience was the very poor service. Our waitress was rude and standoffish throughout our meal. We had debated having another drink, however our waitress was MIA for 20 mins, in which time we decided to move on to another location to have a drink. By the time our server came back, she didn't even ask us if we wanted anything else; she just plopped the check down on the table and walked away. What??..... I really enjoyed the patio and food so much, I was able to let it go; but others in my party were extremely turned off by the standoffish and infrequent service.
(4)
Jinah Y.

AMBIANCE: Our party of 4 sat in the upper level. It is dark inside but it was perfect being seated by the windows with plenty of room. Great atmosphere with lots of happy, well-dressed patrons and gorgeous outdoor patio (although it was too cold to dine out there). The one complaint is the single person bathroom especially when the cocktails are a-flowing. FOOD/DRINKS: The cocktails were creative and tasty and I also like that they have good beers on draft. None of the cocktails are too sweet and they're well balanced in flavor. Per the other reviews, food is pricey but I think the burger is very reasonable and it was cooked to perfection! It is big so come hungry or be prepared to take some home. The pork belly sandwich was not as large but great flavor. SERVICE: This would have been a 5-star review had it not been for the service (or lack thereof). Our waitress was sweet but we saw her face a total of 3 times during our 2.5 hr meal (initial greeting w/drink order, food order & with the bill). We had to wait until a manager walked by to let them know that there was a mix-up with our food. We appreciate that she took it upon herself to correct the issue, discount our bill, and offer free dessert. However, had our waitress stopped by after the runner brought us our dinner, she would have noticed the mistake immediately and we could have avoided all the trouble. We also would have order another round or 2 of drinks if we were afforded the opportunity. It was a Friday night during prime dinner hours so I understand that it is busy... but if it is causing your servers to be spread too thin, perhaps its time to hire some more.
(4)
Daniel H.

Stopped in on a Saturday afternoon for a quick cocktail. The open atmosphere and natural light from the huge windows makes it feel like it's OK to be drinking in the early afternoon. Really nice vibe. This place is legit. Extensive cocktail menu, good beer selection, and the food menu sounded great. We didn't have anything to eat because we already had dinner plans and didn't want to spoil our appetites. I plan to come back and try dinner, and I'll be sure to update this review.
(4)
Kevin H.

Positives: +The space, decorations, and aesthetics are all incredible. Beautiful patio, balcony, lots of bar space, bathrooms are clean and cool. For this reason, Dawson has been on my list of restaurants to try. + I think the strength of this restaurant is in their mixed drinks. Lots of options. Lots made in-house. Good recommendations. A drink for all occasions. + Good food. Some dishes were only $15 if you like affordability. Other dishes were tastefully extravagant if you that. Negatives: - Our service was perfect, but a little too attentive. I got the sense that I was surrounded by busboys, managers, waiters, and hostess. I would advise the management to instruct busboys to be a little more distant. - A very corporate environment. Mainly due to its location, clientele, and prices. The table next to us were all still wearing their name badges and we're loudly gossiping about their co-workers. Personally, I am not interested in anything that feels corporate. For that reason, this place is somewhere I do not want to return to. The only circumstances that I would return for are if I'm looking for a nice mixed drink on a weeknight when it won't be as busy.
(3)
Tracy Y.

What a fun place! I love their space and the way they use it. My boyfriend had been here for work first, and we decided to eat here for Valentine's Day this year. We just recently returned with some friends for drinks and some late afternoon food. First, I think it was the best Valentine's Day meal I've ever had. I expected an overly crowded restaurant with tables very close together. Boy, was I wrong! We arrived for our reservation and were taken upstairs to our table where, to my delight, we had no one within more than an arms reach of us! What a great way to start the evening! We ordered drinks and one of the special appetizers. For entrees, we had a sandwich and a pasta. Everything was so good! Since it was a special occasion, we also ordered dessert. We loved our experience so much and had been looking for another opportunity to go back. Recently some friends were at an event nearby, so we suggested going to The Dawson. We were able to sit outside in their patio, which is top notch! Lots of space and just fun overall! Drinks were great! My boyfriend and I shared the shaved pork belly sandwich. It was some of the best pork belly I've ever had! We can't wait to return!
(5)
Lauren P.

We had an early Sunday evening dinner here and it was great. Came around 6 and it was pretty full. We got a table on the patio with no wait and there was a live band. Service went out of their way to get us a great table and work with us on time as we had to leave to make a flight that night. The fish tacos were good and so was the chicken.
(4)
Alex R.

Man, this place was disappointing. Went here last week and sat outside. Their patio is a really cool space, and the drinks we ordered were very good. I got the mi casa tu casa, which was excellent. On to the food -- which was super lame. We placed a relatively conservative order -- we got the chicken and the burger, and by the end our party agreed that the best food we had were the fries -- which came out cold at first. And our waiter -- where was our waiter?! We ordered apps and food all at once when he showed up -- and we didn't see him until we finally flagged him down for our check. Overall I would recommend coming here for a drink, but definitely would pass on the food.
(2)
Morganne B.

Very easy to get a table for 4 on a Sunday at 11:30. Seated quickly, served quickly. Bloody Mary was very solid, kinda spicy, and brisket was part of the garnish so those are all positives. The smoked fish plate was great--big portion of salmon with whitefish spread, cream cheese, a bagel, capers, and pickled veggies. Some loser I brought with me got a big plate of steak and eggs and he seemed to enjoy them! Chicken fried lobster and the omelet were also good. The coolest thing about this place is the place itself. The restaurant is gorgeous and I can't wait to come back in the summer to sit outside and have one of the warmer weather cocktails. They also had a lot of Michael Jackson playing which was the icing on the cake. Good job, Dawson.
(4)
Andrea H.

I give Dawson a solid three stars. With an upstairs, outside, and inside bar and tables aplenty, you can generally score a seat in under ten minutes SOMEWHERE. Yes it is loud but what bar isn't loud in downtown RN these days? The aesthetic of the restaurant is sophisticated and rustic modern. The exposed wooden beams, white-washed brick walls, and high ceilings lend themselves to a rather grand atmosphere. I always feel cool sitting at the bar ordering a daily drip, which BTW are an amazing deal. At $6 for a generous pour of infused whiskey or bourbon, you can get very buzzed very quickly and on the cheap. What's not to like? Oh yea, the hangover I always have the next day.. I look forward to getting around to trying the food one of these days too.
(3)
Not Eileen R.

It's a very esthetically pleasing space with a large bar for a focal point. Once I read over the cocktail list I was excited to try a couple different drinks...then I was disappointed. The first drink was mediocre, second drink I ordered was an old fashioned figuring that a classic drink would be better, but that was a big fail. But the biggest disappointment was my entree, I ordered the bucatini -- the sauce was unpleasant to say the least and there were morel mushrooms (which I love) tossed in the pasta, a waste of produce considering the sauce was so off. I mustered a couple bites then didn't touch it. I didn't want to complain because I was there to take my dad out and he loved his arctic char. But also the waitress saw I didn't eat 90% of my food and didn't say a word. Luckily I was able to eat some of my husband's fish, which was significantly better. The bill was about $300 for the 3 of us, I felt a bit jipped considering the food/drinks didn't merit the cost. I'm in no hurry back, but my husband & dad did enjoy their food so I'd be open to give it another try.
(3)
Vani O.

Came here for brunch and honestly not impressed. Got the smokey blood mary which was WAY too smokey for me. For my meal I got the biscuits & gravy which was kinda soggy and too much of the same taste on a plate. Pros - Drink menu looked good. I may come back just for drinks - Decor is beautiful Cons - Brunch was kinda boring--not sure if dinner or lunch is any better
(2)
Kathy D.

I hosted an engagement party today at The Dawson. Amy Kern was amazing in helping me plan it. Food was delicious. Staff was wonderful. Loved the upstairs space. A perfect day.
(5)
Tina L.

This place is so cool!!!~ It's loud, so get ready to yell at each other. I love the entrance, it's so open and makes you feel like you're walking into someone's fancy mansion or something. Just a really dark, fancy mansion. So maybe I'm describing a haunted house right now LOL. Anyway! We were taken upstairs into one of back rooms where there were tables, couches and those cube seat thingies for larger groups. We had a couple extra people join us, and it was no problem dragging over a few extra cubes to our table. I love that it was no hassle at all for us. I was initially blown away by the bar, it's just so beautiful with all the lit up bottles of alcohol. For desserts, our group ordered: Blueberry cheesecake sundae: lemon chantilly, cardamom graham cracker, and berry thyme compote. I didn't get to try this, but everyone agreed that this was probably their favorite (even though they were ALL tasty). Milk Chocolate Mousse: chocolate shortbread, cremeux, salted cashews. I love when the sweet is counteracted with the salty. Baked Cherry Custard: grains of paradise chantilly, and apricot chutney. Let me tell you, the custard was like heaven in a spoonful. I don't know how else to explain it. Just a beautifully and thoughtfully made custard, smooth and creamy and so delectable! On to the review of the drinks. For anyone going in to enjoy their libations, you should definitely try their daily drip. It's their "ever-changing infusion of old forester signature" for only $6. You can have it any way. We started off with a shot, but later I asked for it over the rocks. For me, it tasted like liquid Christmas. Probably the cinnamon that made me think of Christmas LOL. Did you hear those sleighbells ringing? More libations: Cowboys from hell: old foreseter 90 bourbon (house barrel), zucca rabarbaro, aperol, strawberry and lemon. Calexico: altos reposada, china-china amer, fernet branca, east india solera sherry, and cold brew coffee. This one stood out to me b/c of the cold brew coffee. It tasted like a refreshing cup of joe. Travelling mercies: bulleit rye, botran reserva rum, carpano antica, maraschino, sherry-brown sugar syrup, and bitters. This one was pretty similar to the Cowboys from hell. Old Fashioned: you know what it is. Classic. Delicious. Strong. Overall, our group had an awesome time over desserts and drinks, and we probably added to the loudness of the room. But that's typically what happens when you give strong drinks to a group of 6 or more, right? Plus, how else are we gonna hear each other over all the music anyway? HAHA.
(5)
Irene F.

Only came here for drinks... The bar and the atmosphere seemed really friendly and attentive.. The drink size looked small but they were delicious and served with the right amount of liquor
(5)
Chele D.

This place is doing it right - period. From ambience to menu creation, I was enthralled with every aspect of my recent visit. The Dawson was easily my favorite spot that my group dined at on a recent trip to Chicago. Kudos!
(5)
Toni R.

Ambiance is cool comfortable industrial interior. The pork belly sandwich was good. But the chicken lobster was off the charts phenomenal.
(5)
svetlana k.

I have unfortunately been here many many times and each time I have been disappointed by their food. The menu has changed each time I came to this place, A few things stayed the same: consistently all over the place and overpriced. When one looks at the menu, one cannot place their finger on what this place actually is. Bar food? No, not next to $38 pork shank and $22 sausage plate of three sausages and sour kraut. If the food was at least somewhat flavorful, maybe it would justify the cost. Last time I was here, for a holiday party, we were given a choice between salmon and NY strip. Both were pretty awful. Salmon was overcooked, the steak had ZERO seasoning, I don't think it was salted or peppered. It was left unfinished next to the salad of greens it was served with. The salmon was served with Brussel sprouts that were good. I have ordered the chicken fried lobster, which is the only really good dish I have had here. The mussel broth is watery and again lacked seasoning while the Brussel sprout appetizer is overwhelmed with salt and lemon. The seasoning is very disproportionate here and so are the prices. I will give this place credit for their awesome cocktail program. Truly really good cocktails and the servers are very knowledgable. The servers are also very attentive and friendly. The Dawson patio is one of the best in the city and I will definitely come back to have a drink any season of the year because the interior of the restaurant is just as beautiful as the outside.
(3)
Patty C.

This is a cool place to hang out. Beautiful entrance, and good service. The place is pretty loud, if you are a party of 4 or less, try getting a booth. That helps block out some of the noise. The food was pretty good. The pork belly lettuce wrap was tasty. The mussels were good and plenty. The grilled redfish was juicy and delicious, but we didn't care to make tacos out of it. My husband loved the grilled shishito peppers. The pork shank was tender, but it just lacked something. The banana toffee cake was awesome, my favorite of all things here. The chocolate coffee cake was very good too. It was moist, rich, yet not overly sweet. Overall, a great meal.
(4)
Nancy Z.

Came here for a late night drinks... Large, spacious yet intimate. Really friendly and knowledgeable staff. Menu changes all the time, and it seems that they love to experiment with their drinks. Get their Greyhound soda (non-alcoholic), it's amazing. My friends loved their GTO...one of their signature.
(5)
B R Hungry X.

Great food, pricey but met its quality. Had dinner with a friend, had oysters, shrimp, cocktails had the topsider and GTO, yum cocktails. Can't wait to come back and try brunch.
(4)
Maggie B.

Awesome drink menu, adorable outdoor seating area, delicious menu. I brought my parents here and the owner came up to our table to talk, made us feel welcome, and even brought free shots of their homemade whisky. I love The Dawson!
(5)
Brittany M.

Came here for Father's Day/my brother's birthday and won't be returning. My dad ordered the BBQ plate. He ended up spitting the first piece out. Half of it was rare, the other have inedible. My pork sandwich was drenched in whichever sauce they used. Everything else was just okay. They also wanted $25 for a cake we were going to bring in? Cocktails: 8 Food: 3 Ambiance: 8 Service: 7
(2)
Thu D.

I came here for a friend's birthday celebration with a party of 10. My friend chose this place because she wanted to have her dinner at a swanky patio, but unfortunately, Chicago weather struck again and it was rainy all day. Regardless, the inside of the restaurant was gorgeous with dim lighting, candles, and a castle-like feel. It was a bit loud in there (similar to the Gage), but this was fine since we were also a boisterous bunch. For drinks, my friends and I ordered the Bayonet, G.T.O., Toast 'N Jam, Cowboys from Hell, Calexico, and the Daily Drip, which was some sort of twist on an Old Fashioned. All of the Yelp reviews were spot on and the drinks were phenomenal, especially the G.T.O., which had the perfect amount of sweetness and tartness from the grapefruit. I would highly recommend that drink since it was my favorite by far! For food, a friend and I shared the blistered shishito peppers and the steamed bouchot mussels. Initially, I didn't think the peppers were all that good, but once you started eating them, they became addicting (though I do wish they came with a dipping sauce). The mussels were a bit on the smaller side, but that was okay because I really loved the saffron tomato broth and accompanying bread, which was thickly sliced and toasted perfectly. For the birthday dessert, they brought out the milk chocolate mousse, which was really good and melt in your mouth. The salted cashews were a perfect contrast to a very decadent dessert. Regarding the service, I would have to disagree with some Yelpers because our server was friendly and very attentive! He nicely explained the drink menu to us (more than once I may add since we were a little hard of hearing in there), promptly refilled our water glasses, and was very accommodating with the birthday desserts we brought in. He even brought out extra bread and let us try the red onion marmalade free of charge! All in all, I would give the food 4 stars, but whole experience 5 stars because of the awesome drinks, service, and ambiance. Highly recommend the Dawson for their drinks and small bites!
(5)
Darya I.

Made a reservation over the phone and still waiting for 30 mins. Poor experience for unreasonably high prices
(1)
Jen D.

I've been here just for brunch twice and both were quite good. Most recently I had their crispy chicken sandwich (buffalo sauce over coleslaw on a crispy chicken breast). It was a bit spicy but so delicious and comes with a spicy ranch. Their fries are awesome too - super crispy. Bloody Mary's are A+. I will be back!
(4)
Katie H.

Love love the Dawson! I work in the area and have been wanting to go, Friday night I finally did. My girlfriends all ordered the burger, which looked amazing-bacon, cheese and a spicy thousand island-style dressing, they all gave it two thumbs up. I ordered the pork chop, so delicious. It came with a polenta with thyme and greens, and roasted peaches. I def recommend! We also had the pork mac & cheese, pork cupcake (can you guess our theme!?) and the artichoke appetizer. You can seriously just order drinks and apps all night, it's all that good. The atmosphere is awesome, we sat upstairs, it's dark, cozy, candles on the tables... I really felt like I should be in a tavern on the sea ready to board a tall ship (if that makes sense!). The outside seating area was full, I hope to sit outside next time, it looked magical. I highly recommend The Dawson, we had a great time, and will be back soon.
(5)
Christina M.

I made a reservation, and requested out for seating which was available to me. Un fortunately it was really cold out. They were able to accommodate indoor seating by the time I grabbed a drink. The food was phenomenal, we went with shrimp cocktail, sausage plate and the pork chop. All of it was really delicious. I'm so upset I don't remember my servers name because he was beyond exceptional. (He looked like Spencer pratt, from the hills. ) (yes I went there, but it's not a diss) He was really nice and Personable, I always get scared ordering mixologist drinks because I have a tendency of choosing the wrong ones, luckily for me, he asked what I liked and placed me with the perfect drink. Everyone was so polite, the hostess, the servers, the bartenders. It was an all around great experience.
(5)
Karen D.

Came here for my best friends birthday on a Thursday night. I brought dessert to the restaurant for my best friends birthday and they didn't charge a fee or mind at all! We had a group of ten people, and they seated us upstairs. The place is dimly lit and has a very cottage like feel to it. You would think, by the way it looks that it would be an intimate setting, but it's actually very spacious and loud. If you're a gin lover, I recommend ordering the Bayonet! We ordered the fried lobster, oysters, mussels, and peppers. The fried lobster, full of the delicious taste of butter, was definitely the winner. And hands down, the lamb was the best dish at our table --juicy and tender, yum!
(4)
Kennen M.

We went here during restaurant and if I would have yelped then, I would have given it 2 stars. Even though the place was beautiful, we felt the food was very expensive and the waitresses dressed in sloppy, wrinkled denim shirts and were busy playing slap ass at the bar rather than actually serving. The busboys and runners were the only people seeming to do any work there. The other weekend when a friend wanted his birthday gathering there, the few of us groaned because we have already experienced the over-hyped Dawson. This time, we had a much better experience due to the changing up of the menu a bit, adding some more affordable options. The shining light was the way better service provided by Jackie. She was great and actually did what a server is supposed to do, explain the menu, give suggests and be patient when a group of chatting people can't figure out they are supposed to be ordering.
(4)
Emily J.

The Dawson is a great venue. I went there for a college alum party. You're going to think I'm crazy but as I'm currently on a raw diet (LAST DAY IS TODAY -WOO HOO) - I didn't eat anything and just drank water. From all the smells and what everyone tells me, the food and drinks are fantastic. Hence the 4 stars - like I said, the venue was great and close to the Blue line Grand stop but I didn't have anything to eat or drink. I'll have to visit the Dawson again and write an updated review complete with a food/drink critique.
(4)
Andie F.

Great outdoor seating and amazing indoor architecture, the burger is a must! Went for Father's Day brunch - highly recommend!
(4)
shu s.

Although the ambiance was great, the drinks were too salty or too sweet. And the food was definitely not worth it. Overall, it was nothing special and I will never go back again.
(2)
Tavi J.

A former coworker was in town last night and I wanted to take her some where outside the loop that had outdoor seating to enjoy the beautiful weather. This place did just that! We had reservations at 5:45 and we were seated right away.The hostesses that greeted us were friendly and even asked if I wanted to check my shopping bags. We both ordered the First Base cocktail which I thought was just okay, but our meal was excellent. We both went with the NY strip steak and it came with garlic fries and this really good aioli like dipping sauce. I was stuffed, but it looks like my trend every night this week is to finish dinner with bread budding so I couldn't disappoint myself :) We shared the apple bread pudding and.....DELICIOUS!!! Great way to end the meal. I also have to say this place was packed!!! It's such a nice outdoor patio with a neighborhood feel and what a great night to enjoy it. Plus the owner (I presume he was the owner) checked on us several times throughout the night. Wonderful service and excellent wait staff. I will be bringing my friends back to enjoy the patio and try more food selections.
(4)
Katie W.

Had my hopes set high for this place and was seriously disappointed. I came in this morning for brunch and my review goes as follows: Ambiance: 5 Food: 3 Service: 1.5 The patio is super cute! We sat outside and had a few cocktails to start... Which were good not great. Our server was not attentive AT ALL and was kind of hard to understand. I ordered the French toast and shared the salmon bagel plate win a friend. Salmon was good, again, not great. The French toast was pretty weird with the ricotta lemon on top. I love ricotta but the plate just wasn't cohesive. It took forever to get our bill and I asked for a refill if coffee which I never got. I've heard it's better for dinner so I'm coming back in two weeks to check it out... Let's hope the Dawson is better the second time or I don't see any reason to come back.
(3)
Heidi L.

This is an absolutely gorgeous space. Both the indoors as well as the spacious patio are just beautiful. It's also much bigger than it looks from the street! We sat out on the patio since it was a nice day. Initially the music coming from the speakers (one of which was right by our table) was a little loud, but we asked the waiter to turn it down and he was very accommodating. The food was pretty good, but I wouldn't say it was phenomenal. The main draw here is the atmosphere and environment. One thing to note is that when I called to confirm the reservation the person said that everyone in our party had to be present before we could be seated, but that didn't turn out to be the case (which I was glad for). Not sure what the official policy is.
(4)
Michelle P.

Came here for dinner one night with a group of four total for drinks and appetizers. The patio is great and has a fantastic ambience, but the food is just ok and very overpriced. There are better places for food in this area.
(3)
Crystal J.

Good gazpacho and oysters. Drinks were delicious as well. Open and fun. We sat outside and it's August so it was perfect.
(4)
Bart T.

We love their shishito peppers appetizer. Unfortunately, on our order today, they forgot the soy sauce, a critical part of the recipe. So disappointed ...
(3)
Veronica I.

I never leave reviews so this is going to be brief and to the point. Everything was amazing! Came here for my 25th birthday and they truly made it special. Not only were the drinks fantastic, and the food so delicious (everything big enough to share as well) but the customer service is what really made the experience. My sister told our waiter it was my B-day and within 20 minutes the owner (?) or someone important brought us a free round of drinks (of our choosing) and gave us free desert. So nice and thoughtful. Who doesnt love free stuff, especially on their birthday? Same guy also met us at the door when we left to say goodbye. Essentially: come here for your birthday, get free stuff, and have a great time. Thank me later.
(5)
Emily M.

I have several friends who have eaten here, and I was expecting great things. Unfortunately, this place just did not deliver. First, let me say that the patio area is beautiful, and the drink program is unbelievable...so creative and delicious! We ordered the chicken-fried lobster to start, and this was STUPID GOOD. We also got the mussels per the bartender's recommendation, and were very underwhelmed. They were good, but there was nothing great about them. We got the grilled duck leg and the shaved pork belly sandwich for our entrees. The duck was under cooked and tasted 'gamey', and the glaze on top just did not work. The pork sandwich was unremarkable, which is a shame because I LOVE pork belly. I would go back for drinks and that lobster, and maybe try a few other apps. But I do not think I would go back for dinner.
(2)
Gabrielle O.

there are many, many things to love about The Dawson. The ambience is great, the people are cool, the food is delicious, the drinks are awesome, and the patio is SUNNY. on one visit, I arrived early and waited for my friend at the bar. these bartenders are some of my FAVORITES. they are very nice, attentive, and also quite funny. It made waiting for my friend a true joy. I got a bloody mary which I would have to agree is one of the best, if not the best in the city! also one of my favorite patios! eating brunch out there is a dream come true. my personal favorite brunch item of all time is also one of my favorites at The Dawson: biscuits and gravy. Tis the season to go to The Dawson.
(4)
Debbie V.

We stopped over on a Sunday night. Appetizer tacos, (9), fettuccini Alfredo (10), pork brisket (10), custard dessert (10). Little pricey but food, drinks outstanding. Service was stellar. The patio was a definitely must this summer Will definitely return. Numbers 1-10 the best .
(4)
Alex W.

We ate here on a Friday night in the winter so the outdoor patios were closed but we would definitely come back in the summer and sit outside. Cocktail menu was huge and full of interesting ingredients and flavor combinations. Our waitress was very knowledgeable on all items on the menu and was able to give helpful info/ explanations to any questions we had. My friend and I shared the redfish (dish is meant for 2), it was fine but a little too fishy tasting for me. My wife tried the Arctic char and loved it. We also tried the French fries, pretzel, oysters, and the banana toffee cake for dessert. Aside from the pretzel being stale the entrees were ok. With the price tag they are charging you are better off going to a steak house.
(3)
Sarah H.

The Dawson is conveniently located right off the blue line Grand stop. I made a Sunday morning brunch reservation for 10:30 on Open Table. I arrived a few minutes before my reservation and they hadn't open the doors yet so I had some trouble figuring out how to get in. Once they opened we were greeted by a very friendly host who seated our party of 4 immediately in a cozy booth. When they first open there isn't much of a crowd but as the morning went on the restaurant quickly filled up. So, if you're trying to catch brunch I'd suggest going around 10:30am. I ordered the bloody mary to start. It wasn't what I expect from a bloody mary. It's called the smokehouse bloody mary which I assumed was because it had some brisket in it. But, the entire drink had a smokey bbq flavor. It was kind of like drinking a fancy bbq sauce. Not my favorite, but I didn't hate it either. The brunch menu is truly wonderful, though. There is quite a selection of bacon, and if you cannot decide on one of them then you can just order the bacon flight. BACON. FLIGHT. I ordered the smoked fish plate -- essentially a decked-out lox bagel. It was incredible and they didn't skimp on the salmon or cream cheese. Overall, I enjoyed my experience at The Dawson. I wasn't blown away-- there are definitely better brunch spots for less money. But I'd still like to return and try out their dinner menu.
(3)
Vishal P.

I have to say very cool bar/restaurant/outdoor area but eeeexxxpppeeennsssiiivvvee! Def for people who don't mind paying $8 for cheapest beer on tap and liquor drinks $12+. I'm person who ordered drinks for my group of friends from bar and bill was nuts. Also ordered tuna ceviche appetizer for $16 and got portion that was tiny full of lettuce and couple cubes of fish. I would def go back for the bar scene but would pre-drink and pre eat. They did have gumball head on tap.
(3)
Magen R.

So glad I tried out The Dawson. A co-worker and I had came in last Thursday night for what turned out to be a truly delicious dinner. We decided to share a bunch of appetizers and went with the Tieton Farms Cheese, Smoked Bluefish Dip, New Jersey Clam Fry, and Steamed Bouchot Mussels. The brought out the Bluefish Dip and Clam Fry first and the Mussels and Bread second. I was a little skeptical on the order and pairing but it made SO much sense once we got started eating. My thoughts on the food in order of favorites: Steamed Bouchot Mussels: Holy cow these rocked. Great flavor combination. A really large portion and just all around deliciousness. If you like mussels and come here, do not skip these. New Jersey Clam Fry: Such an unexpectedly awesome dish. It was served with a mustardy vinaigrette and roasted potatoes. The flavor combination was unreal and I wish I could've had the whole plate to myself. If you want to share this with more than one person get two orders because it's THAT good. Tieton Farms Cheese: A really simple platter of bread and spreads but so so delicious. The different combinations between the cheese and spreads were all awesome. I especially loved the red onion marmalade. I'd highly recommend this as a starter for any meal. Smoked Bluefish Dip: The bagel snacks served with this appetizer are buttery and delicious and a perfect complement to the dip, which has just the right kick of horseradish. I loved everything I ate at The Dawson and would also highly recommend their homemade sodas. I had the Greyhound paired with Titos vodka and it was heavenly. The service and ambiance also have to be mentioned. Both were quite stellar and I think a return trip to The Dawson will definitely be in the works for me.
(4)
Ashley H.

Went to The Dawson for the first time this past Saturday for brunch a friends party I had planned. I have to say that the venue in itself is unbelievable. The inside decor is very trendy and comfortable, but their patio is amazing. Great setup! But unfortunately the same can not be said for their service. We started inside while waiting for our entire group to arrive. The speed of service was so slow, it would like 15 minutes for our drinks to come and was a constant back and forth when he would forget to ask for everyone's order at once. We asked to go outside to the patio when something opened up. And service just got worse as we got out there. It would take so long to get drinks we would forget who all had ordered. Food items were multiplied and some drink orders were just never put in. So overall, venue was great, but don't be in a rush if headed there.
(3)
Sarah C.

I have been to The Dawson twice for brunch and overall I think it is worth a visit. They have a great patio space with a variety of seating options including some by a fireplace which is nice. The drink options get 5 stars. They usually have some good tab beer options, including some Chicago favorites like Moody Tongue. They have many options for cocktails. Today I had The Topsider which had vodka, cranberry, pineapple, and some lime-soda. It had a good citrus flavor without being too sweet which I appreciated. I would advise patrons to be cautious when ordering the Bloody Mary as it has a strong smokey flavor... which some may not enjoy. Now... the food. I have two words for you: English Muffinwich. You're welcome in advance for this. This is the breakfast sandwich that has ruined all other breakfast sandwiches for me. This sandwich has a fried egg, smokey swiss cheese, and some mildly spicy andouille sausage. The sandwich is served on a house made english muffin which provides the right amount of structural support. It also comes with a side of giardiniera aiol which is the perfect combination of creamy and spicyi. The sandwich comes with a choice of breakfast potatoes or salad but I highly recommend the salad as it is a nice simplistic mix of greens tossed lightly with house dressing. I do have to make a comment that during this visit my egg was overcooked which was slightly disappointing. Today, my husband got the Simple Good which the basic breakfast of eggs, meat, toast, and potatoes. I would give this option a B. It was prepared adequately but it's a simple dish. The standout item was the bacon. They have 4 options of bacon. He got the Braised Maple and it was amazing. During my last visit I ordered a very interesting dish that included fried rice, eggs, quinoa, and lobster. I had never tasted a brunch item like this before and was sad to see that it has rotated off the menu. I hope it makes a return some day. To good food and even better cocktails!
(4)
Emily T.

We celebrated a colleague's engagement on a summer evening here. The place, the food, the atmosphere was great. They graciously accommodated our large group and made sure we had everything we needed. The food and crafted cocktails were amazing. I will definitely revisiting this restaurant in the near future.
(5)
Donnie D.

I came to The Dawson after hearing such great remarks from colleagues. First off, their Twitter page was so friendly that they made me a reservation via a tweet :) We arrived and had a fabulous table outside on the patio. A manager introduced himself to us then came back to our table with complimentary mimosas. SO SWEET! And let me tell you, I've had many mimosas in this city and the second we sipped on these...I could tell that the champagne was of good quality. May have been the best mimosa I've had in Chicago! We ordered the French toast and the oyster scrambled egg dishes along with a side of bacon. Bacon was so crispy and delicious as was the French toast I had. There were figs on the plate and figs are so hard to find in dishes these days (they are my favorite fruit!!) loved both dishes!! Cannot wait to come back to The Dawson, this time for some happy hour drinks :)
(5)
James B.

This hangout was suggested by our waitress at Paramount Room in the neighborhood that locals are calling River West. The classic bourbon drinks are excellent and made cold and tastier by giant fresh ice cubes. We munched on Sheisido Peppers which were spicy and excellent. The overall space is impressive and would be a Brooklyn hipsters dream of 19th century Americana.
(4)
Carol K.

Do I love this patio? You bet I do!! Let me count the ways! First of all- it rivals one of my favorite outdoor patios in the Midwest and that is "the Yard" up ion Milwaukee at the Iron Horse hotel. There are many similarities between the two places from live music on Sunday afternoons (seasonal so they may not always have it),to comfy couches and plenty of areas to gather with friends. The food and drink are always great here but everything seems to just taste better on this expansive patio. And if you come on a Sunday afternoon- they have a sponsored BBQ going on where for $45 you can have anything you want from the BBQ area. On my last visit- we were able to snag the comfy couches around the fireplace which was absolutely great! They lit the fire on our request and this is surely going to be our new go to spot for those chilly nights this fall. It was great just to relax with friends, enjoy a drink, the fireplace and a glorious Chicago summer night. Hard to believe you are at the busy intersection where the Dawson sits, for behind the enclosed walls, the only thing you hear is the live music, friends talking and the tinkling of ice in your glass! Now if only summer would stay for a few more months!!
(5)
Adam K.

It was everything I didn't think it would be. From the outside, it comes across as very hipster-pretentious. Even when you first walk in, it has "that" look. But, while yes, it was indeed hipster filled, the service, ambiance and food, were anything but. We came for brunch. The bacon flight was out of this world. The flavored were on point and the portions filling, though not gigantic. Brunch was so good, we're already talking about coming back for dinner.
(4)
Shan D.

Good for drinks. Average for food. I was starving and ready to eat the whole menu. We started with the mahi mahi tacos. Very bland. Not a good sign when I'm asking for hot sauce. We also ordered the oysters which were doused in some brown butter sauce. It was fine, but it makes me wonder if they go on the lower quality side if you dump a bunch of sauce on it. Quality oysters should stand on their own. We then asked the waiter what else he recommended, and he just didn't sound all that persuasive, especially after he recommended the starters. Nothing else on the menu stood out. We asked for the check and went to Girl & the Goat. Their plays on the Manhattan and Old Fashioneds were great. The scene is great for drinks. I'd come back for that
(3)
Angie K.

THIS PLACE IS SO LOUD. THE WHOLE NIGHT I WAS TALKING LIKE THIS! I'm known to be unable to whisper and have been told to be quiet since I was a little girl, yet I still felt uncomfortable with the noise level here. If you're used to yelling in loud clubs and just nodding to pretend you understand, you'd have a great time here. Noise level aside, this place was a very chic place to get together for drinks and some small bites. The GTO was amazing and fresh. We passed it around the table for everyone to try and each person was shocked how tasty is was. The Daily Drip was another favorite. It was an old-fashioned with a tropical twist. Strong but with hints of pineapple and coconut. Unique and delicious. We had a few plates to share but my favorite was the plate of steamed mussels. The mussels themselves were a bit on the small side, but the broth had such depth and they gave us thick slices of toasted sourdough bread to sop it all up. Deee-lish! They provided us with 2 slices but were more than happy to give us some more when we ran out. The waiter was also willing to bring us a side of the red onion marmalade free of charge. This was tangy and vinegar-y so I was glad we were able to try it. The shisito peppers were pretty good but nothing special. They didn't have that much flavor except for the large grains of salt on them. Waiter brought out the house birthday dessert which was a chocolate mousse cake with cashews. Good flavor and texture contrast with the cashews and cookie on the bottom. I thought the service was exceptional. Our waiter was very patient and accommodating with our large group. He explained the drink menu multiple times because of the noise level, and brought out extra bread/ tapenade without throwing a stink. I'd definitely come back for drinks with a smaller group- maybe even just one person- because it was hard to yell amongst a party of 10. I will note that I think the drinks are more impressive than the food, but I will come back to try both!
(4)
Irina S.

Great outdoor atmosphere. Really friendly staff. The black angel drink was amazing , but chicken fried lobster could be better
(4)
Larry S.

Beautiful warm but modern space. Excellent drinks. Friendly knowledgable staff. Our group did some sharing. All were great. Redfish, Mussels, Fries w/aoli, wood grilled sausages, Brussels sprouts, home made ice creams. This place is outstanding and a fantastic value. Can't say anything needs improving so five stars. Also the outdoor space looks really promising so we will be back in the summer.
(5)
Tiffany C.

The exterior draws you in. The ambiance on the inside keeps you there. Its a cool spot check it out on a date, with your friend, or with a group. They even have live music sometimes. I went for dinner on a Sunday and it was a wonderful experience. Service: Good. Always a round and there seemed to be a lot of people working at once. Ambiance: Gorgeous. A beautiful patio that is fenced in so you do not see the street. You feel like you are in Cali with all of the greenery and vines running along the wooden beams and exterior. There is a large fireplace and some couches to lounge in if you are lucky enough to snag them. The inside is nice too. This place is great for a group and feels very French or Cali. Food: Yummy. I had the crawfish with cornbread and corn. Everything was well seasoned and it was a huge portion. My boyfriend had a salad which was also delightful. Very fresh with vegetables and roots in it that we had not heard of. Drinks: My boyfriend had a cocktail. I dont remember which one but he said it wsa just all right. Price: Its on average $20 per entree and $12 for drinks. It gets one less star because I wished there was more to choose from on the menu. I would have also appreciated more vegetable based items. But I will be back for sure.
(4)
Janel C.

I'm not really sure why this place doesn't have more stars. The restaurant isn't anything I would make a point to come to. But, if you're in the area, I feel like this is a solid choice. I was able to experience a drink at the bar and a seated meal. Food and drinks were good. Service was attentive (sometimes a little too attentive). And, the space is fun and lively. Both my sister and I ordered the G.T.O for our starting cocktail. Loved this gin cocktail! Crisp and clean tasting with thyme and grapefruit! Overall the food is a little bit pricey, as the portions are slightly on the smaller side, but all the dishes were good. We ordered the Roasted Strawberry Salad, Midnight Moon (wouldn't recommend on the basis that it was a very sad small portion of cheese), Chicken (very good! not dry), Blistered Shishito Peppers, and Fries (can't go wrong with fries!)
(4)
Cheryl B.

Leaving another review for brunch. Have been twice for brunch and twice for dinner. Brunch was 10x better than dinner. All of the brunch entrees are phenomenal. Love it! Minus one star because they don't offer a traditional Bloody Mary, only a BBQ flavored one. I have mentioned this to my servers and I have left comments on their social media sites (instagram and Facebook) to give them this feedback. If they add a stellar Bloody Mary to their menu this will be 5+++ stars. The bacon flight and deviled eggs are both great starters. Since the Bloody Mary's suck I order the Steigl Grapefruit Radler instead. I've had the basic breakfast and the eggs benedict, and I've tried bites of the country ham & eggs and biscuits & gravy with duck egg. All were amazing. The biscuits were awesome and made in house. The patio is great, we made sure to get a shady spot because I frankly can't handle the sun (fair-skinned). Definitely go for brunch and not dinner.
(4)
Emily W.

Came here for Sunday brunch. Got Bloody Mary's, the bacon flight, and biscuits and gravy to share. The drinks were delicious - although the smoked brisket was quite dry and I didn't end up eating it. The bacon flight is INTENSE. Definitely think twice if you don't have at least 3 or 4 people eating. Oh but the maple bacon...I will have dreams about it. Maybe just order that. The biscuits and gravy were fine, nothing to write home about. Service was good - plenty of water in our cups at all times to stave off the impending heart attacks we felt as we stuffed ourselves with bacon. Atmosphere and decor were quite pleasant. Love the huge windows and high ceilings. Natural light and indie jams? Yes please!
(4)
Saba A.

This is my #1 favorite Mixology place in the city. The cocktails are that sexy- and the bartenders are skilled. They are happy and watching them do their magic behind the bar is fun. This is the number one place you should go to have a romantic night while being in a trendy environment. I guess it doesn't 'pick up' till later on on weekend nights but we had so much fun celebrating a birthday there with tons of our friends. Location is great and the cocktail list is creative.
(5)
Jessica W.

"Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet." This quote is the perfect description of my recent trip to the Dawson. We arrived at 6:30pm and were told it would be around an hour wait for a table on the patio. After hovering around the bar for a few minutes we were able to secure a few seats and ordered drinks. The bartenders are very helpful and knowledgeable and let you try any beer you're thinking about ordering. With the beautiful weather it seemed that the customers seated outside were planning on camping under the stars because we were not seated until 8:20. After spending almost two hours waiting, we were finally seated on their patio. Although it was a bit over-crowded, we were happy to sit down and enjoy the lively atmosphere of the outdoor area. Some of the highlights from the evening include the: La Poderosa: a pisco-based cocktail, very refreshing now for the summer Tuna crudo: slices of high-quality tuna with a little aioli on the side Wood-grilled sausages: this platter included some of the best blood sausage (morcilla) I've had, absolutely delicious Blueberry-cheesecake sundae: delicious finish to dinner Overall, I was satisfied with dinner and I had a great time with my family, but the long waiting times-for both the table and the food make me give this place 3, rather than 4 stars.
(3)
Tim B.

Mmmmmm.... A great experience. Eat at the rail in the back. Pulled pork cupcakes!! Mmmmm... Chef Shaun is way nice- Brussels sprouts mmmm.. Very attentive wait staff, creative use of awesome ingredients. Eat here. now!! The time bandit- their take on an old fashioned- one of the best crafted drinks I've had in a while.
(5)
Lisa E.

This place is hip and has a cool vibe, but the service was killing me! We had to wait quite a while for a server to arrive. Once he did arrive, you could tell he was ready to run to the next table. When one of our drinks arrived he asked us what we wanted to order and I had to ask if there was a dinner special (he did not tell us about it)...which there was and we ended up ordering it. My friend's drink still hadn't arrived when the appetizer showed up so we had to ask the food runner to get it. It was just a glass of Prosecco, it is not like it was some fancy cocktail. Our appetizer, the mussels, was delicious and we might as well have licked the plate clean. The sauce had a bit of spice to it and it was delicious to sop it up with the yummy bread. I found myself waiting a long time on my next drink, and that is about the time the server must have informed the manager about the flops...which was the right thing to do. When the bill came the manager had given us the drinks complimentary, but the point is it shouldn't have happened in the first place. The salmon dish we had was good, it had bacon and some sort of syrupy sauce with it. It was indeed good but I would not say the flavors of the salmon were coming out in the dish.... bacon is always good but it can be very over powering when it comes to something like salmon. The Chocolate cake came out on the dry side but chocolate is always edible in my book...so we cleaned the plate. I doubt I would order it again though. If you are looking for a bite to eat before a night out I do recommend The Dawson. It has great atmosphere and an exciting vibe, a small but good menu, but the finer things could use a little help!
(3)
Evan S.

This place could quickly become a staple in the arsenal of Chicago spots - will check it out again VERY soon. New place in River West, great reason to get out in that area. Management is super excited about having a hip, culinary adventure that's rooted in the history of Chicago (The Dawson brothers - check out the site for more info.) I recommend the Tuscan Kale Salad and the Pork Shank. Grab a high chair with a group of friends near the open kitchen and you're in good form.
(4)
Alex R.

We came here for Saturday brunch. Definitely make a reservation because the outside area was packed. The English Muffinwich was amazing and so were the Mimosas and Bellini's.
(5)
Patrick C.

The food was fantastic, but it took about 45 minutes to get our appetizers.
(3)
Susan C.

Mother's Day Debacle. We were so embarrassed at how this restaurant treated us when the Mother's Day "toast" trio was sent back. Instead of crispy toast we got soggy tasteless white bread. Then things went from bad to worse. The manager didn't listen to the new order when was wrong - again, not once but twice! We got potatoes instead of salad. The salad arrived coated in dressing. The new salad reeked of raw onion. After 5 visits to our table I had lost my appetite and was deeply embarrassed in front of our Mother's Day celebrants. This party turned into a downer all because the food was poor and the service was even poorer.
(1)
Jody B.

Hubby and I made the trek downtown on one of these !@#$%*& winter nights. We met my bestie and her hubby there. After a SLOOOOOW crawl down the Kennedy, Hubby was in no mood for a bad evening. I kept hedging my bets by saying "It's getting mixed Yelp reviews. People either love it or hate it". I am happy to say I am in the LOVE IT category! I'm a big fan of Billy Lawless restaurants and was hoping this one was up to his standard... and it was. We had an early Saturday reservation (6pm). The place was half full, but still had a nice lively vibe. Our waitress (and all the help for that matter) was always attentive. She was also helpful in recommendations to order based on what we said we would like. For a cocktail, I had the infused bourbon on the rocks. You can also get a shot of it, which I did after I finished the cocktail. I just poured the shot over what was left of my ice. It's a nice balance between a straight bourbon, and something too over fruity, or overly sweet. Bestie and I split a kale salad and shared two entrees; the Char and the mussels. We both raved. The salad was dressed perfectly. The mussels were in a spicy tomato cream broth. The char was moist and flavorful. Hubby had the burger. He said it was good, but messy (oy vey)... But I wouldn't say it was the best dish at the table like some other yelpers. The mussels and char were just too darn good. Bestie's Hubby had the ravioli. He loved it. He also ordered the bread pudding for dessert. I snagged a spoonful It was worth saving room! All in all, we were glad we made the trip downtown on such a crummy winter night.
(4)
J R.

My father and I just had the worst experience at Piccolo Sogno a crossed the street. We decided to not head home on such a bad note. Went to Dawson's for a drink and the bartender GRAHAM was extremely knowledgeable and was wonderful. My father knows his stuff, they got into it about the different types of DOM Liquors. It was refreshing to have a conversation with a bartender who was 1. great at his craft and 2. made my father (visiting from out of town) feel so welcome and yet challenge him at the same time. I'd highly recommend this place for cocktails. Atmosphere is inviting and the cocktails were delicious!
(5)
Mandy K.

I went here for the first time on Saturday evening for a friends birthday celebration. I really wish I had not eaten dinner before coming here, all the food looked and smelled absolutely amazing. So with that said I am only able to review the atmosphere, drinks, staff and scents :-). I'll start off my describing the atmosphere- super cool, relaxed, rustic/modern (if that even exists). Staff was all very friendly and attentive. Prices were very good especially for the city! Although the bar was rather busy I never had to wait long for a drink and the drinks were made to perfection. They have a few good beers in the menu but the spirits is definitely where it's at. Unfortunately, I wanted some Four Roses and they were completely out and I had to "settle" for some Buffalo Trace. They offer homemade flavor a and bitters to pep up your ordinary drink which was a nice surprise. The staff were all nice, friendly and polite even with our large unorganized birthday party. Highly recommend this place! If I lived nearby I would definitely frequent this place.
(4)
kristina s.

Had dinner with girlfriends tonight! Wanted to sit on patio and had reservations, although unable to make reservations for outdoor patio, host was very accommodating and asked we come in a bit early and found us a table on patio. Was first experience at The Dawson and thoroughly enjoyed each bite. The server was very helpful and informative of the good items. Recommend the Mussels in a red broth - get xtra xtra bread cause you will want to soak up every bit!! Another app not to miss is the Chicken fried Lobster - yes, I said ckn fried and delish, order comes with 2, but ordered one tail for each person, too hard to share only two with the yumminess! Dinner was great as well - overall a great exp and would return. Dessert: blueberry cheesecake sundae looked awesome, but we ordered chocolate moose, was good, but would try sundae next visit!! K
(5)
S W.

Celebrated Father's Day here, food was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed the BBQ plate special, which was a trio of smoked meat (steak, brisket and baby back ribs). Very spacious patio seating! Service was great.
(5)
Terese C.

We decided to stop in for a night cap. Good thing as their kitchen was closed due to a broken pipe. We ordered a bottled wine & the service was outstanding. Our water glasses never went empty as the waiters kept filling them. The inside is lovely. We will go back for food.
(4)
Jonathon M.

This place is super nice - I mean, I absolutely love the aesthetic of the building. It creates a nice atmosphere weather you're dining with 1 person or 10. The drinks are great, really well made - real cocktails that I enjoyed (and I'm not even a big drinker). The food is fantastic. The bacon flight is amazing and so are the deviled eggs. It's not cheap, but you get what you pay for. Easily could bring friends or clients here; the outdoor seating is also fantastic!
(4)
Julia S.

3 stars for modern ambiance, 2 stars food. Ordered a fried chicken sandwich- there was like an ounce if chicken and the rest was fried dough and bread. Fries and dipping sauce were good though.
(3)
Christopher M.

We came here hoping to sit otuside for a drink and given the beautiful weather it was packed, so if that is your plan I would get here early or be prepared to wait. We sat inside at the bar and the bartender was very nice and made us some great drinks. This review is incomplete because I haven't tried the food, but we are looking forward to coming back, hopefully early enough to sit outside. 190/365
(4)
Danny W.

You don't know Jack if you don't like The Dawson and yes that's a Titanic play on words in case you were Amish in the late 90s. That opener was just for show, but Interestingly enough they do share some similarities with the famous sunken ship. The place is massive for one with two floors of dining space and probably one of of the biggest patios in town once it opens. The interior is stylish and sexier than a nude Kate Winslet portrait featuring antique bar tops, modern furniture, and an amazing staircase right at the entrance. Definitely great for groups, a first date, or dinner with your parents. The menu is across the comfort food board from Pazole to a Chicken Fried New York Strip while the cocktail program is equally inventive. Quite a few clever blends and an awesome house made infusion of bonded bourbon that's only 5 bucks a taste. I suggest trying it all. Everything is priced more for the first and second class passengers, but their motto is "delicious food, well crafted drink and zero pretension" so I guess even if you're a beer pounding peasant you can figure out a way to have a good time here. I came on one of their first days so they were a little slow and working out the kinks, but that's totally to be expected early on. Overall though I feel like the king of the world that they're in my neighborhood and unlike that lying beotch Rose I'll never let go of The Dawson.
(4)
Michael S.

Beautiful outdoor patio is great during nice weather. I went here for dinner and had a nice time. The Black Angel cocktail was delicious and the food was mostly good. We got the BBQ cupcake and the roasted chicken. The cupcake was awesome but the chicken I thought was mediocre, especially for the price. Overall, I think this is a great place for a date, but I would not have a family dinner here due to the limited menu and upscale/professional crowd. If you do come here for a date, I highly recommend a reservation, otherwise you may be placed at a 'communal' table smashed up against another group which isn't the most comfortable.
(4)
Lauren F.

As soon as I walked through the giant wooden door into the glass atrium reception area, I knew The Dawson and I were going to become quick friends. This spot, at the River West six corners intersection of Halsted, Grand, and Milwaukee, was once owned by the Dawson Brothers, manufacturers of fireplace mantels in the late 1800's. Co-owners Billy Lawless (The Gage, Henri) and Branko Palikuca (Amber, Topaz) have done a great job of keeping a small piece of the location's history alive in the rustic, relaxed atmosphere of The Dawson. As soon as we were seated cocktails were our first order of business. GM Clint Rogers stopped by our table and recommended one of his additions to the menu-the Luchini. Three of us went with Clint's suggestion and we were very happy we did. The Luchini incorporates their house-made cherry phosphate soda with Cynar Amaro, Luxardo Apertivo, and Carpano Antica (sweet vermouth) and the result is one amazing cocktail! We also each ordered one of their daily jello shots and I know what you're thinking, no we weren't pretending we were back in college! The Dawson takes jello shots to a whole new level-they're not just for frat parties anymore! Drinks in hand, we were ready to order! We all wanted to try as many dishes as possible so we ordered a bunch and shared. We started with a beautiful charcuterie board along with the pickled onion rings, crispy pork tacos, pozole, and smoked beef tongue sliders. We enjoyed each dish but the tacos were the hands-down favorite of our group. Do yourself a favor and enjoy an order of these all to yourself...after the first bite you won't want to share!\ After finishing off these smaller plates we moved on to the main events-the Chicken Fried NY Strip Steak and the Wood Grilled Burger. It's not very often that you find a chicken fried NY strip...and this one was delicious! At this point we were all pretty stuffed but we just couldn't say no to trying a couple sweet treats. We tried both their funnel cake and the gin and citrus dessert-both good but my vote went to the funnel cake. Just this week news broke that the original head chef Rene De Leon has left The Dawson and sous chef Patrick Russ will now be taking his place. I'm not sure if that means the menu will see some changes or not but regardless, you'll be in good hands and good company at The Dawson!
(4)
Travis W.

Can't speak highly enough of this place. I was here for a team dinner and we had no less than 9 or 10 of us and they actually seated us without hesitation. The food selection is mostly tapas style and the dishes are as unique as they come. The service didn't skip a beat even though we had a larger than normal group. Additionally, the outdoor area with it's fireplace was awesome and a great way to unwind after dinner. The manager was nice enough to light it up for our group even! Would definetly come back and suggest you do to.
(4)
Ritu R.

Amazing dinner experience! Went w my husband and 2 other couples for a birthday dinner on a Sunday. Service started good then got slow at the end which was disappointing. Other than that every single person was very very happy with their food & drink. Apps: Pork tacos - 5/5 2 per order. Yummy! Skate wing - 5/5 small portion but delish Onion rings - 5/5 great seasoning & crisp! Entrees: Pork shank - 4.4/5 by 2 diners. Cleared plates! Chicken fried steak - 4.5/5. Collard greens were eh but the rest was delish Chicken & gnocchi - 5/5. Wow Curry - 4.5/5 Whole fish - 4.5/5 Funnel cake dessert was amazing! We will be back Dawson. You were fab :) Highly recommended
(5)
Carolyn B.

I've heard the mixed reviews about The Dawson and had wanted to visit for awhile to experience it and make a decision for myself. So, when a friend had a list-minute opening for her reservation during restaurant week, I had to go. The space is really cool inside. It's warm and inviting, and I like the laid back rustic vibe. Our server was fine, but it was obvious she was annoyed that more of us at the table weren't drinking. Sometimes I don't want cocktails on a Monday night, but I don't feel like I should get server stink eye for that. I started with the chicken fried lobster, which was a generously sized lobster tail, battered, fried, and served with a delicious spicy remoulade. Both the lobster and the remoulade were fantastic, and a great way to start the meal. The main course, honestly, was kind of a miss. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't live up to the description on the menu. I ordered the short rib which was tender and well-cooked, but the bed of farrow it sat on was a little salty and luke-warm. Also, the endive was cooked in a way that made it near-impossible to cut with my knife, and the cold persimmon was a little jarring for an otherwise warm and hearty meal. We finished with the vanilla bean milkshake and butterscotch shortbread cookies. I mean, the shake was not bad, but for a $44 restaurant week menu, I expect to at least have dessert options besides a (teeny tiny) milkshake. The cookies were buttery and delicious, but again, it was a pretty basic dessert. Overall, it's not bad, but it's not the greatest.
(3)
Stephanie L.

Meh I found this place to be drab. When we got there, upstairs was "closed." The bar was an older crowd, which normally I like but this crowd was meh at best. Bartenders are meh. We sat at the bar for like 10 mins before anyone even made eye contact. The cocktail list is ok. One bartender was not helpful at all...the next one was super helpful. We stayed for like point two seconds because it wasn't what we were looking for. I would've liked to try the food but the service was too slow... Maybe I'll check it out for dinner, but it seemed really haphazard when we were there...
(3)
Catherine B.

My boyfriend and I have been to the Dawson several times----both for dinner and for brunch and have enjoyed our experiences. However, this time was a bit of an exception. We decided on The Dawson for brunch and were surprised to see that their menu had changed. Not a problem normally, however they took some of the simple basics like bacon and eggs right off the menu. It seems as though the options are more limited and far more expensive. We had an amazing cinnamon roll the last time we were there--for $4. Now? It's been replaced with carrot cake for $7 or monkey bread for $10. Who wants that? The menu options have gotten so precious, the girls next to us had to ask if the food they ordered was edible or was a garnish. As it turns out, it was an "edible garnish" which the young woman quickly removed to reveal a tiny bowl of food. We were at the Dawson--not Alinea, right? Our server came around at first to tell us our drink order had been misplaced. She then took our order for food and once it was brought to our table (by a runner), she came back to check on us and never refilled coffee. We didn't see her after that. We laughed and asked each other if she just didn't like us, since other tables were getting service. I would have expected better attention since we were there at 10:30 when they opened on Saturday and there were less than five tables filled inside. The ambience at night is lovely but now we're just not sure if we will be back.
(3)
Cece P.

A friend said we should try it as she had heard that despite the food being underwhelming, the cocktails were highly recommended. Well in our experience the food, beverages and service were incredibly good. They were quite busy at the bar when I arrived but the minute the (rather adorable bearded) bartender had a moment he was attentive, friendly and recommended some pretty amazing drinks. We had more recommendations from the lovely female bartender (forgetting her name - too much consumption) and when she wasn't recommending and making amazeballs beverages she was checking on our dinner reservations and ensuring we were properly taken care of for dinner service. Wow! Seriously, how many bartenders elevate your experience with that level of service? Not many, which is why I am going back for more drinks & delicious vittles soon. Oh and the food? Yum! The pork cupcake, gazpacho and mac and cheese are delish!
(4)
Chris S.

First, let me say I absolutely loved the food. People that say the food is average but have a beluga caviar and champagne palate. The place is tastefully decorated and it has a really cool vibe about it. The drinks were ok but all littered with bitters. For someone who cannot stand the taste of bitters it was a bit disappointing to not really find a drink I was really jazzed about. Now on to the dishes. We ordered the following: Oysters - pretty solid Tacos - very good. One of the better apps Dawson Deviled Eggs - I was the most excited about these but largely disappointed. Kind of tasteless Onion Rings - went full blown fat boy and these are amazing. Their house-made ketchup is a nice touch Steamed Bouchot Mussels - also very solid Slow-braised beef rib - a pretty good dish Garlic fries - standard but good Creamed spinach - awesome Now what sucked was the service. Sweet 6 lb 8 oz baby Jesus it was bad. Of course we had a hipster waitress with all the fixings, Drama major, large black rimmed glasses, a mysterious shade of red hair, tons of flannel and probably not hugged much as a child. I'm all for diversity but when your presence at a table brings disdain than you may want to consider another alternative career. I get needing to know the menu but everything seemed rehearsed and acted out. I kid you not I felt like I was the protagonist in a play or something. I would probably try this place one more time but if I got the same server I would get up and walk out.
(3)
Mihir P.

It was a BUSY night here. The waitress was friendly but rushed - not her fault. The food took a very long time to come out. Drinks: delcious and I recommend the Dig for Fire smokey tequila cocktail. Food: you MUST order the Red Fish for Two. Chicken-fried lobster is ok, nothing special; needed some sort of seasoning. Wood grilled sausages were very tasty - they're made in-house! I'm glad this place opened not too far away from me.
(4)
William H.

Personally I aways get exceptional service here, and really enjoy the food (some pretty crafty dishes that'll still full you up). I think the service and huge patio (a sort of Chicago oasis) justifies the elevated drink prices (and the drinks are pretty damn good).
(5)
Alex D.

The highlight of our visit was Gretchen. She made this outstanding- hospitable, personable, and fun. Food, drink, and atmosphere were perfect accompaniments as well.
(5)
Rachel W.

We went early on saturday night as we're more of a sit at the bar and people watch rather than get a reservation and have a date night couple. I was glad we were early because it filled up pretty quickly, but never got too loud. I love the ambiance in here, it's intimate, cozy, great decor and cool furniture. Marcus, the bartender took great care of us, and is a fellow vegan so steered me towards some items on the menu that are vegan. My boyfriend had the pork tacos and deviled eggs, of which he loved both, and I had the mediterranean salad which is fully vegan without the feta (not listed on the menu but is in the salad normally), and the wood-fired market vegetables (the butter is always on the side I was told). Both were delicious and I'm looking forward to going back and trying the other vegan items (pea shots, frites and another salad).
(5)
Rhom B.

My Boyfriend and I went to The Dawson to celebrate his birthday. I called early to make a reservation and informed the host I spoke with (who was very friendly) that we would be celebrating a birthday. Upon our arrival both the hostess and the maÃ®tre d' greeted us with a warm hello and a Happy Birthday to my spouse. The maÃ®tre d' then gave us options on where to sit and walked us to our table, shortly after being seated the maÃ®tre d' (Jorge) presented us with a celebration toast of champagne. This was a nice change from your normal free birthday dessert. Jorge is one of the best maÃ®tre d's I have met... attentive, warm, welcoming and knows how to control the room. Then came our waitress Gretchen. The Dawson is lucky to have such a talented waitress. She was very knowledgeable on the menu, she was able to answer any question and describe every drink we were curious about. Her relaxed and calming approach, great personality and humor is really what makes her such a pleasure. Keep her around. The cocktails, the food, the atmosphere and the service at The Dawson is wonderful and worth every penny, 10 out of 10 I would come back. Thank you for such a wonderful experience.
(5)
Samantha O.

I had been dying to come check out The Dawson, because my sister wouldn't stop talking about it since she had last gone. We finally checked it out this past Saturday. We had the shrimp cocktail and oysters as an appetizer, which were all ultra fresh and tasty. We ended up splitting their burger in half since it was huge, but it was also very juicy and came accompanied with this amazing orange sauce that you could dip their yummy fries in. for dessert we had the apple strudel....lord jesus! this was amazing!! because it came a long with a cinnamon ice cream. Have you ever tried the mexican drink horchata? well that's what the ice cream tastes like. for cocktails: PLEASE PLEASE try the zodiac cobbler! it's tangy with just the right amount of sweet. Although it didn't ruin our stay there because we spoke up. I was a little weirded out because we arrived right during opening time, so most of all the tables were open and everyone there was socializing at the bar. Being my first time at the place, I thought it be nice to be seated by the bright windowed area next to the trendy bar. Instead, the hostess took us to the very back where it was dark and no one was seated. We immediately spoke up and said we'd like to be seated by the windows where it was bright, after which the hostess had to go speak to her team, she came back promptly and seated us near the windows (made up of four tables which were completely empty). Bottom line is speak up! and make sure you get the best experience! our waiter Gregory made up for the little mishap, because he was ultra sweet and attentive.
(4)
Pam N.

I had been here previously for a reception that was fantastic. My fiance and I decided to go here for dinner this week as I had been wanting to try it out for dinner. We'll just say that this experience left a lot to be desired. Our server was less than seasoned and the menu selections were minimal. When she suggested we get the fries as they were their specialty I almost got up and walked out. I'm not pretentious but if you are going to say your fries are the best, then 1. you probably don't know much about the menu or 2. there isn't much about the menu to know. We tried the mussels, cheese plate, and McDucketts as none of the entrees seemed worth the cost. The cheese plate was good, but honestly how can you screw up a cheese plate. The McDucketts were dry and there was not enough sauce. We actually dipped them in the juice from the mussels to make them edible. The first dish of mussels they brought to our table had more than a handful of mussels that were empty. The size of the mussels were also so small you had to eat about 2-3 at a time to make what the size of one is at any other good Chicago restaurant. This place is so off the grid that I was really surprised they had no wine by the glass options that were under $12. After $100 bill we were dissatisfied, still hungry and angry we didn't go to one of the hundreds of other much better restaurants for the cost of this meal. I will not be back again and would not recommend to anyone to waste their time or money.
(2)
Matthew G.

Sweet outside bar/patio. Stopped by on a beautiful day, planning on bar hopping but we ended up just staying there the entire time. Good beers, good atmosphere, and great food. We had the chicken fried lobster and and albacore ceviche! Delicious! Will be returning throughout the summer sometime!
(5)
Shayna Y.

Overall: definitely go for an outdoor meal/drinks, just remember patio is first come, first serve. Likes: - outdoor patio is fabulous - first come first serve - great drink menu - great bar area - brunch was great Gripes: - I've only eaten dinner here once, but I remember thinking my chicken dish was bland - regardless I will be trying this place out again for dinner!
(4)
Christine S.

Excellent drinks. Excellent service. Beautiful decor. I could drink the Liquid Swords ALL night long. I think it's a creeper drink though...meaning it's gonna creep up on you and get you really buzzy. (Liquid swords: yuzu sake, kina l'avion, chai green tea syrup, lemon, prosecco, orange bitters) I'm really looking forward to going back for dinner.
(4)
Terry S.

Pretty cool spot. Great outdoor area and balcony upstairs.
(4)
Kristin M.

Had a great experience here! We took a chance on no reservation on a Saturday evening and landed a spot at the chef's counter! Great experience watching the executive chef and other staff prepare the dishes. Definitely come with an appetite, as portions are pretty large (but not obscenely so). We tried the acorn squash with burrata (I want to try this at home!), pork and fish entrees, and the steamed mussels. The steamed mussels were absolutely perfect, and it subbed well as an entree. Cannot wait to come back some time to try the redfish tacos for two... the platter looked absolutely gorgeous. The ambiance was also very fun--and close to all of the Randolph Street restaurants/bars. Definitely check this out if you consider yourself a Chicago foodie or just enjoy eating in general :)
(5)
Gunner F.

Came here for brunch and this place didn't disappoint. It may be considered breakfast, but this will make even the most serious foodie happy. We were seated at the stools all the way in back despite a number of open tables, but this ended up being a positive since the head chef was more than attentive and went out of his way to make it a great experience. Very impressive that the guy can run the whole kitchen and take care of customers at the same time. We've been back at least twice just to get the bacon flight again.
(5)
Lei D.

My favorite restaurant in the city right now. The food, the servers, the chefs and the owner/s were perfect two times in a row. We had a number of things we loved the first few time we were in there, but this time it was the chicken fried lobster and redfish. Amazing! They remembered us from the last time we sat at the chef's counter, and the owner sent us out some drinks! Not many restaurants in the city leave us feeling this way. 5 star dining at a 4 star price.
(5)
Leah B.

Super trendy new bar! I like that there is a large wrap around bar with a lot of seating. There is also a specious private party room upstairs with comfy couches etc. God crsft beer drink selections and tasty cocktails. We had great service, even though it was a busy Saturday night!
(5)
Niti B.

Only came for the drinks and they were phenomenal. Of course pricey but for a petite gal like me it only takes a few to hit the spot before I have to call it quits. I've been wanting to check out the new hot spot for quite some time now and patiently waiting to gather the right crowd to make my appearance. I will definitely have to come back for dinner and also take in the outdoor seating in the summer. When I got there I headed straight upstairs to join my friends that were celebrating a birthday. I started with asking the bartender for his recommendation on best beverage and he explained the cocktail list went from lightest and least alcohol content to strongest. I stuck to the middle with a Verdita Mixita. This drink had a smokey spicy bite that was amazing! I took it down like a champ and then tempted myself with a drink they call Safe Word...now I know what you're thinking and yup the first thing I thought of was Christian Grey!! This drink was as tantalizing as him! With two types of vodka and a hint of cinnamon leaving every sip as sexy as the last! I enjoyed these drinks surrounded by wonderful decor and can say the space is absolutely a great find! I can't wait to come back very very soon!
(5)
Laura H.

I really want to love this place. The inside is great and they have a beautiful patio and open entrance. 3.5 stars if I could. The fish tacos were good, a huge piece of fish so they're a good value, but I wish it had been several smaller pieces so there could be more seasoning. The inside of the fish was very plain, but not dry at least. Burger was okay, there are plenty other burgers in this city I'd pick instead. But the fries were great! La Poderosa was lacking in alcohol and way too sweet. My mom like the Calexico and said it had a good tequila taste to it, but I found the coffee overwhelming. Chile-choke shot was very interesting. Worth trying for cocktail/liqueur nerds. Valet is $12.
(3)
Richard B.

My work colleagues are Italian. They asked for something outside, Americana, yet Chic. The Dawson worked just fine. A gorgeous spring's evening -- temperate weather, pleasant polite staff, delicious menu options and bustling Clientele made for a spectacular evening. If I sought to show off Chicago ... (the city I am infatuated with) ... The Dawson would be it. No bullshit. It's genuine. Fun. Cheeky. Satisfying. ... And ends in a genuine happy ending! :-) ...
(5)
Yen L.

Updating my review as I had the opportunity to go for dinner as well. Such a GREAT experience. Our server could not have been better. He was extremely patient and understanding with our drink questions, and truly did help guide us to drinks we might not have otherwise ordered but ended up absolutely loving. My second cocktail was actually an off-menu 'experiment' the bartender made for me based on what I said I liked, which was not only very personal and cool but ended up being delicious. Also, rather than being annoyed by how many questions and requests we had, our server actually brought us over three of the house shots and told us he loved talking drinks with us and appreciated our interest! On to the food: SO GREAT! We ordered a bunch of small plates (brussel sprouts, smoked whitefish dip, acorn squash) and one main dish (the bass). Sprouts were amazing but relatively standard- what I would expect. The whitefish dip was very good and I highly recommend- it has a very unusual smoky taste. The acorn squash I have to especially highlight, as I did not expect to like it. It is served with burrata on top and sunflower seeds and is just so unique and surprisingly good. I think I ate way more of the squash and whitefish dip than was rightfully my share... In retrospect I regret writing this review right now because I am starving waiting for thanksgiving dinner and now I'm just salivating and thinking about last nights amazing dinner.... But to summarize: this place is really putting their all into the food, drink, and ambiance and it shows. Highly recommend!
(5)
A M.

The atmosphere really is all that it is cracked up to be. Such a cool building. You can tell that a lot of time, effort and $ was put into this place. Service was top notch. Ouur server was friendly, attentive and food came out so fast! Went with a group of four. We all enjoyed our meals, but it was nothing to rave about. Nobody left unhappy, but the curry vegetable dish was bizzaro and the Lamb sugo only "so so" according my my father. We all had one specialty drink and again, just "so so." Sometimes mixology goes a little too far. My drink had a bit too much happening. I will definitely come back for a visit in the summer when the patio is open.
(3)
Leah C.

vegetarian challenged menu but a beautiful space... sit outside while you still can, chicago! the heat lamps make it a comfortable dining experience and once the fireplace is lit, it is an even more perfect dining experience. the outdoor bar made me feel like i was on a 3-hour vacation. loved my glass of sangiovese. i wasn't a fan of the cab blend - i was told that it was from dawson's own vineyard but a little too earthy for me. there's a limited selection of wine by the glass; tons of great wines by the bottle - hoping they'll expand the glass selection one day. only one option for the vegi - and you guessed it - pasta. although i wished the noodles were a bit more al dente, i was fascinated by the preparation - lemon/ricotta - different and "light". i enjoyed it. the apple strudel was just okay; wished we had gone with the banana toffee dessert but apples are now in season. i don't need to go back to eat but i'll gladly go back for a snack/drinks outdoors or when it's colder, the indoor dining area with his high ceilings is very inviting as well.
(3)
Spencer P.

Been there three times now and still a great place to hang out, grab a drink or stay for dinner. They put some SERIOUS money into this place and it shows. Outdoor area is awesome, great and knowledgable staff and some pretty amazing beers on tap. I'm a big fan of the very hard to find, Low Life by Evil Twin Brewery out of NY which they have on tap here. Hung out at the big square bar on the inside one night, another night at the bar in the patio and the third time ate upstairs. Got their burger the only time I ate there. Pretty damn good job, but it does seem like everyone now makes a damn good burger. Place has always been packed when I've been there. Mixed crowd, from couples to large groups. Place is apparently known for their mixed drinks and can't say I can vouch for that - I'm still a beer guy. That being said and looking around the bar, I was in the minority as far as one having a beer. Definitely worth checking out -
(4)
Gabby F.

This restaurant/ bar is very large! I was hoping to enjoy the patio when I went here but it wasn't nice enough out. Cocktails are really good. Well balanced and something for everyone. They also had a rare goose island beer that only 4 bars in the city have on tap. Did not eat here but regardless I would recommend it! Chill, dark atmosphere. Medium level nosie. Very nice staff!
(5)
Dougie M.

Stop looking, I found them! Yes Mom and Dad are at The Dawson (again) sure why not? It's absolutely beautiful there, the drinks are tasty (and tiny) and the food very lavishly presented and stylish (if not a little bland - $36 for a bit of salty fish - oh add $8 for a side) plus everyone is in chinos and a shirt. It's a regular Christian-Mingle fest.... I told you Dad was there. In short, lovely bar, great surroundings and very stylish, food over priced (perhaps a burger?), staff were, to be honest, truly lovely. But I'm not sure what this place is marketing itself towards.
(2)
Kori E.

SO good. A friend and I came here on Friday night and were super impressed by our entire experience. We started out with the deviled eggs - which was such an interesting take. They are bright red, and topped with anchovies and a sriracha tempura crunch. They were fantastic. Next up was the smoked oysters and they were even better than the deviled eggs. They are smoked for just a minute, keeping them raw and topped with a spicy sauce. They were awesome. Next up we split the crab cakes and there was definitely a lot of crab in them. I hate fillers. Finally, we split the scallops and they were excellent. Cooked to perfection with a nice crispy outside and tender inside and the sauce with the mushrooms was amazing. Definitely recommend the scallops. Our only gripe was the wine list prices. I bugs me when a restaurant does not offer bottles under $40. I don't get it? Also, they do not have an espresso machine - only coffee. Those were definitely my only two small gripes of the evening. I will most certainly be coming back here. They have a nice little patio for when its warm, too!
(5)
Andrea C.

I love The Dawson! I've been there twice now and both times were lovely. First of all, the atmosphere is awesome. There are huge floor to ceiling windows and beautiful decor. I also loved that each table has a tapered candle on it. Definitely a swanky/trendy vibe. We had: deviled eggs (which weren't on the menu the second time around), oysters, mussels, brussel sprouts, the pork cupcake (limited quantities each night- yum), and the spicy chicken sandwich. Everything was awesome. They also have an incredibly creative cocktail list as well as a huge wine binder (a wineder?). I was feeling like something spicy and the bartenders were kind enough to create a Moscow Mule type drink with a spicy liqueur they had, which was wonderful! Besides the deliciousness, something should be said for the service- both times the staff has been incredibly attentive and kind. I can't wait to go back when their big patio opens!
(5)
Diane M.

Well you've probably seen this restaurant on the corner of Grand, Halsted and Milwaukee. It's hard to miss -- several stories of outdoor patios. I've been dying to try it for a while. Just a beautiful setting -- they even have a fire pit on the ground floor patio. Little too pricey of a wine list -- all domestic wines, but none are very affordable. The fried lobster tails were a yummy appetizer. There was a pasta dish that the sauce was really too rich and the waitress didn't warn us. The beet salad was good, but not a lot of flavor.
(4)
Andrea G.

The restaurant is spacious and a great spot to meet with friends. Love the upstairs lounge with the fireplace. The decor at The Dawson is gorgeous and the service was more than attentive. We had drinks here, and everything was great. Will definitely return!
(5)
Chiara P.

Honestly the place is really nice which is the only reason I can see the place has more than 3 stars but the food is just TERRIBLE. And to top it off they bring the food 5 minutes after you order which means everything is already cooked and they want to kick you out as soon as possible. Deff not coming back.
(1)
Alex B.

After going two times in a short period it was due for a review. Both times we ordered several plates and passed it all around - so I've tried enough to hand it a big five stars. Now everything was great, but some items were not as standout as the others. What was a MUST - deep fried lobster, pita/hummus (trust me, its awesome hummus), and the heirloom bet salad.. Good but not a differentiator - french fries, mussels, shishito peppers. Don't get me wrong, I cleared every last bit of those mussels, but to me its a formula of good sauce+bread makes them good, and nothing really took it to the next level. Main courses, what was good? well everything.. but two items here were extra fantastics. The first was the sausage platter. They make them in-house, and give you three different kinds (we had a cajun, indian, etc.). Then the pork shank blew it out of the water. Not only was the meat perfectly cooked, but the sauce and rice it came in was addicting. .. We also had the half chicken. it was really good, but we could have had that anywhere. Forgot about the drinks - some of my favorite in the city. I didn't hear much about this restaurant before first going, and I think they deserve more attention. They have it all.
(5)
Joe C.

It has taken me far too long to write this review. The food and the staff here are just fantastic. I proposed to my fiancee at The Dawson on Nov 5, 2013, we met at the location when it was the brunch place Orange. Everyone from the waiter to the owner made our experience as memorable as could be. After dinner we were led up to a private room, fireplace, dessert and complimentary champagne. I truly cannot say enough good things about the customer service experience. 4 months later, my fiancee and I went back and the waitstaff still knew who we were, sent over two glasses of champagne to congratulate us. I am just some random guy, so for the restaurant to go out of their way for me, just some random guy - leads me to believe the service is just a cut above the rest. I went on about the service, the food is excellent as well! I highly recommend the deviled eggs and the pork tacos for apps. I have been full off the apps - but the campfire chicken is killer as well.
(5)
Jennifer J.

Really... This place is great for drinks! Most of the food was good. Service is great... Tried the burger, charcuterie platter, shishito peppers, and sausages. I would pass on the charcuterie any day - it was weird pate (Artisan) meats that were, well... Weird. Everything else is pretty solid. The thing that's awesome about this place is the patio with the fireplace! Great patio space and good energy.
(3)
Vanna T.

Came here for dinner last night to celebrate my promotion! Whoo hoo! Excellent service, food, atmosphere. Chicken-fried lobster was SO good as was the duck liver mousse for apps. For dinner we split their newer entree for two- redfish. It was amazing, flavorful, and perfectly cooked! We got the beer-cheese potatoes au gratin and the pea tendrils as sides and yet again, both were excellent and unique! I highly recommend eating here and from friends it's an awesome place to go out to at night as well! Welcome to the hood Dawson!
(5)
Kristine C.

Another snowy night and of course that's when we venture out. It worked in our favor, plenty of availability at The Dawson. We came here for the more rustic, farm-to-table feel and a big beer list. We had our hearts set on a few dishes until the waiter informed us all but one dish was off the menu. Our hearts were sad. We had to recover with a Revolution Bean Gene and Evil Twin Doughnut. We reworked our plan, we were ready to eat: First: Dawson Deviled Eggs Two eggs, four halves. The pink color threw me off. (having just returned from Thailand I am still apprehensive about pink eggs, where that means they have been aged for 100 years). I was also not a fan of the anchovy. I was not expecting a fishy smell when I bit into my delved egg. My boyfriend also got the Tuscan Kale salad on the waiter's recommendation that it is more flavorful than the Butter Lettuce. It looked very good, deep in color. I tried a bit and liked it. Nothing outstanding for a salad. Main dishes: Chestnut Ravioli. My boyfriend does not eat meat. Because they removed several items from the menu that he could eat, he was almost stuck with ordering the ravioli. The dish was so-so, the ravioli was not sweet or powerful in flavor as you would expect. I was secretly glad I did not order it (as it was one of my choices). I ordered the burger and am very happy with my choice. The meat, while over cooked a bit than my requested medium rare, just fell apart. The onions and cheddar worked so well together everything tasted perfect. It was messy but a perfect mouthful in every bit. I could have left the garlic fries. Dessert: We decided on the bread pudding. Loved the crumbled vanilla cream. The bread pudding was super soft and sweet then drug through the salted carnal added an extra dimension.
(3)
Tarra T.

I really like the Dawson! Beautiful, large open space, cool crowd and great food and cocktails. The only negative, fairly slow and messy service, which could be due to it being a new restaurant. I'm sure they'll iron that out. I would recommend the Kale Salad and Chicken Fried NY Strip. Yeap, that's right. They battered and fried a NY Strip and paired collard greens, mashed potatoes and a honey biscuit with it. How would I describe it, you ask? It's like the perfect cupcake-that has a moist cake with bomb cream cheese frosting. A smart and good looking boyfriend that likes romcom. Its like a bad shoe that is also comfortable to walk in. A freakum' dress that has built in spanx. It's perfection is what it is. PERFECTION. Highly recommend the Dawson for any occasion. They also have a large upstairs space that can be reserved for large parties.
(4)
Mark C.

It's hard to give a place 5 stars these days, but the Dawson deserves it. I'm huge on service and the staff at the Dawson truly delivers. My visit came during restaurant week so quite a busy time but I didn't have one single disappointment. Drinks are great, and something as simple as deviled eggs were delicious! There's nothing bad I can say about this place
(5)
Maria B.

The Dawson restaurant is one of those places, where you want to celebrate your special night with your closest friends or with your significant other. And where you bring your guests from other states to show off your city . I visited The Dawson with my husband and we both enjoyed our dinner, drinks and service there. I love architecture and design, so any place that was created with extra care and attention to details, makes me curious. The Dawson was on my list of restaurants to go to for some time. You can't miss this place. The outdoor space is gorgeous, huge front doors , warm romantic lighting inside - very inviting first impression. Inside you will be pleasantly surprised by the elegance and modern feel of the main floor. The bar looks big , but not overwhelming . If you come early, you can choose a really nice corner table or booth, which will allow you to enjoy your conversation at the table and observe the restaurant at work. Their food. Pricy? Yes. Tasty? Definitely! Worth coming back? You bet! We tried the whitefish horseradish dip, chowder soup, brussel sprouts and Ruben burger. Couldn't miss the opportunity to try their version of an apple strudel for dessert. I liked everything we had on our table. Flavorful, fresh, distinctive. Each dish remarkable on its own. Despite the short list of items on the menu, there will be something to try for everyone from your larger group. They also offer interesting house mixed drinks, beer and wine. I tried one drink, based on rum (sorry, can't remember the name), it had very intense flavor -perfect for those cold Chicago evenings. The service was great. Our hostess and server greeted us with warm smile and attention, they seemed to be giving to every guest. I also noticed how much the staff of the Dawson respects their customers, by keeping eye on the tables without being intrusive . Always polite, calm and willing to answer every question. If you've ever been to Denver, CO there is this restaurant downtown The Kitchen , which has many things in common with The Dawson. If they don't share the same owner, they definitely share similar vibe and new approach that appeals to young, good looking, well dressed audience.
(5)
Jax R.

Love the outdoor seating area. Good service. Menu had a lack of options. Food was t e r r i b l e.
(2)
Megan K.

I had dinner here last week and our food was yummy. We especially enjoyed the mussel share plate because it had just the right amount of spice, and the salted Caramel ice cream dessert. The ambiance makes for a romantic date spot, we had a candle lit table for two upstairs. Cocktails are a MUST, they were phenomenal!! I had the simple geometry but my date's drink was equally great. Can't wait to check out the gorgeous patio in a few months.
(5)
Paul R.

Went here for dinner on Friday. It has a nice atmosphere, and the burgers were great. I had the Reuben burger, and I loved the way they made the cheese (it had a hard texture , and an almost gridlike appearance... Not sure what you call this style, but I'm sure there's a name for it). The servers were excellent and were quick to refill our glasses and take away our trays. Only two downsides to take away a star. The waitress was a little scatterbrained (messed up several orders and didn't notice us trying to get her attention), and the water glasses were very small.
(4)
Chris U.

Organized a going away party for a coworker on a Friday night in June. 14 people, we were trying to do the patio, but the weather didn't go in our favor. They sat us upstairs, and the ambiance was cool and eclectic, perfect what we were looking for, lots of couples on date night. Yes candles on the table but not in a stuffy steakhouse way. Our server, who was new-ish- can't recall the name.. but she was FANTASTIC. Everything was handled superbly, different folks with the different arrival times, a few separate checks and having never been there, she was really familiar with the menu and guided everyone to something delicious to eat. Best part, They have an excellent cocktail program! And there were some foodies and soccer moms in the group- everyone loved our night. Afterward there's enough nightlife within walking distance to satisfy anyone's afterglow.
(5)
Jill and Ying J.

We came here for a combined bachelor/bachelorette party, and boy, did we LOVE the canteens. They come in these Indiana Jones style canteens, and affectionately labeled "number one" and "number two." Better yet, our waitress was ever so patient with the shenanigans expected of a group of rowdy pre-wedding folk. Of course, the food was fantastic as well: chicken-friend lobster, steamed mussels, shishito peppers, sausage....all amazing. Only downside - it's a bit pricey. But hey, you get what you pay for, and this place is totally worth it.
(4)
Vivian U.

Came here for my birthday, and I've had dreams about the Chicken fried lobster ever since! Fries and WEST oysters were delish! Im not a big drinker also tried the home made bourbon drip. (Super smooooth) Service was fast and courteous. Planning my next trip!!
(5)
Raymond C.

The cocktails are amazing, my personal favorite being the Cowboys from Hell. They're seasonal but the Manhattan is always there and always solid. Try the Hoppin' John side as an appetizer. It's pretty big and so delicious. Most overlooked thing on the menu. Every food item is great, can't go wrong. Hand made pasta by the ever so sexy sous chef Kyle Beechum. In the mood for lobster? Deviled eggs? Duck liver mousse? No matter what you're craving, they have it and it's so tasty! If you go solo or with a date head to the back and sit at the metal table that faces the kitchen. So exciting for foodies. If you're extra special the chef might make you an off the menu dessert!
(5)
Julia S.

Came here for happy hour, and it was packed. We ended up sitting at the bar. Nice ambiance and decor. The service was rather slow. We got a couple of appetizers and cocktails, but didn't get dinner because it had taken so long. The drinks were excellent, appetizers were fine. On a side note, I watched someone throw a drink in another person's face sitting at the bar next to us. Didn't think that happened in real life!
(3)
Sierra G.

I wanted to like this place, I really did. I read a lot of the negative reviews on Yelp before going and figured they were just judgemental yelpers. I hate to say it folks, but this place needs some work. First the good- the space is awesome. It is right off the blue line, the building is huge, and the decor and design is great. I loved the layout, the lighting, and the matte charcoal walls in the dining room. We had a 7:30 reservation and were led upstairs to our table. The hostess walked in front of us, and her lower back and some underwear were right up in my face. Not the end of the world, but not my favorite. Completely forgivable, but it gives you an idea of the casual vibe. We were seated against the wall and I immediately regretted the decision to give my husband the bench. The chair was terribly uncomfortable. We were given menus and water and casually looked over their selection of artisan cocktails. We chatted, we decided on our drinks, closed our menus, and waited....and waited. I looked at my watch and waited some more. I looked around the restaurant, tried to make eye contact with a server. No dice. A couple more minutes went by and I gave my husband a warning, "one more minute and I am going to get up and go tell the check in desk that we don't have a server" . All of this would of been forgotten if the cocktails and food were fabulous (good food and drinks have that affect on me), but I left underwhelmed. When the server finally arrived, we asked about the cocktails. I ordered Verdita Mixta - it was smoky, spicy, and sweet, but had no indication of tequila or cucumber. Isn't the point of a cocktail to honor the liquor component? My husband got the Traveling Mercies, their take on the Old Fashioned. It was served neat, a little too sweet for my taste, but I loved that each element came through in the sip. For food, we started with the slow smoked brisket and the pork belly tacos and then ordered the chowder, tuscan kale salad, and a side of fried. Brisket- awesome flavor, SO much fat! There were three slices of brisket and each slice was half inedible fat. Pork Belly Tacos- hard shell, pretty good, but nothing very unique about the flavor. Chowder- The soup came out barely warm, so we took a bite and actually sent it back to be warmed up. Once it came back, it was phenomenal. The lobster roll crouton was a playful touch and the soup was creamy, smoky, and full of textures. Tuscan Kale Salad- weird presentation, a huge plate with salad on one side. The flavors didn't come together. I couldn't put my finger on the flavor of the crumbs, the Brussels sprouts were boiled and flavorless, and the beet puree was one note-sweet. I didn't get this dish. We picked on it, but it was the worst dish on the table. Fries- Delicious, but a very small portion. The chili dijonnaise is the perfect accompaniment to the crispy, seasoned fries. We also both ordered glasses of wine, which was mediocre at best. I left confused. Chicago is full of great restaurants, what was going on here? The Dawson has all the makings of a great Chicago hot spot, but something is off. The service isn't great, drinks under under-delivered on their whimsical menu descriptions, and the food was disappointing. The Yelp reviews are not harsh, they are an honest review of some of the shortcomings over here. Hopefully they can get it together because this place has potential.
(2)
Amy S.

The Dawson is a very unique restaurant. The menu is technically a cocktail-inspired menu, meaning that you pick a cocktail and the server will help choose an appetizer/entree to pair with the drink. We had to ask our server to do so, which confused us a little because we thought that was the whole point. However, besides that little glitch, everything else was amazing! The ambiance reminds me of the Publican, which big circle lighting spread out sporadically on the ceiling. The booths/tables are dark wood, which I loved. The bar is conveniently located in the middle of the floor, giving guests an ample amount of space to hang out before getting seated. The food was absolutely delicious- I tried the pork tacos (AMAZING!), this was my favorite. The crudo was room temperature, which was a little off-putting to me. The hake and oyster was out of this world. And the Waldorf salad was great, although not super creative. All in all, I would definitely come back here, at least for a cocktail and some small bites with friends.
(4)
Jason S.

Had a 7pm reservation. We got there at 6:15 pm and ordered two drinks and two apps, and one main. The Chicken-fried lobster, the sausage platter and the peppers plate. All I can say is it was just Ok.... Maybe a good lunch place but definitely not great for dinner. Very limited menu.... Time to make another reservation for dinner somewhere else tonight.... P.S. I will be shocked if this place stays opened for a long period of time.
(1)
Jennie C.

Been dying to go since it opened but the drinks were just ok and expensive. Hip vibe but way too noisy. Go there if you do not want to hear your friends. Food smells good but we didn't try any.
(3)
Elyse M.

Went to the Dawson for dinner late-ish (8:30p) on a Wednesday night. I was nervous because many reviewers seemed very upset due to poor service, which is really important to me because I serve people for a living and have very high standards when I spend my money dining out. Our server Kim nailed it. Always checked in at the right time and was comfortable and enthusiastic about the menu. Their support staff was incredibly on top of it with water, clearing, and resetting. The kitchen staff was fast and everything came out hot and delicious. Billy Lawless, the owner, came over to check on things somewhere in the middle, which is above and beyond for most places and really a hallmark of great service that he took the time - that he was even there for that matter! The ambiance is warm, rustic, and trendy. If you're intrigued by the exterior, the interior does not disappoint. The food and beverage menus are seasonal, fresh, and creative. You can tell the chef and bar manager care about the ingredients and this is reflected in the quality of the food and cocktails. Can't wait to return!
(5)
Sandra C.

Ambiance is swanky urban. Food mediocre not traditional American. Menu a bit challenging make sure you look ahead to see what they have in season. Young crowd I don't think they care what they are eating as long as there in a cool swanky place. Portions very french, beware big boys. I wasn't impressed with my dinner nor with the amount of money $$$$ not enough flavor bang for your buck$. So if your a grown up like me good luck!!!!
(3)
Natalya C.

I went to the Dawson last night with my mother. This was our first time going in. Service was really great, ambiance warm & inviting, upscale vibe. I had read some other reviews that said food was okay, but the cocktails were what people raved about. My mother and I sat at the upstairs bar as it first opened and chatted with our friendly and knowledgeable bartender. The drinks are indeed amazing. My mom had two of the Dawson's take on an Old Fashioned (she really loved it), which has a little banana flavoring. It was fantastic. I had one gin-based drink with coriander and lavender honey - light, a bit complex, and delicious. The next drink I tried was called Ghost Rider, something Arizona-inspired that our bartender had created herself. It was spicy, chocolaty, and tequila based. The food came next- which ended up being the downfall of my night. My mom and I both ordered the Reuben burger. It was a big, delicious, and filling entree -thankfully, at $15 each. Everything tasted good; nothing seemed amiss or was lacking. When I got back home, however, I became quite ill. Our waitress had assured us that the burger would look pink because of the corned beef, that it wasn't undercooked. Both burgers were ordered "medium". Regardless, I think something on mine must have been spoiled or underdone because I definitely got food poisoning. My mom, strangely, was unaffected. I don't think that this is a typical story of this place, but it shows that something went very wrong in the kitchen and no one caught it. I would probably come back here for drinks, but I really can't imagine eating here again anytime soon.
(3)
Rachel V.

I went to the Dawson recently for drinks. Excellent decision if I do say so myself! I'm not usually one for sweet, fruity cocktails (who needs the calories and that sugar hangover?!), BUT I had an amazing cocktail with fresh raspberries that I couldn't get enough of! (Sorry, I'm not seeing it on their cocktail menu now online, but look for raspberry garnish if you go!) Despite how crowded it was, the bartenders were quick and friendly. I didn't eat, but all of the food coming out, especially the burgers, looked great. I spent the night outside which is just such a nice environment. They've done a beautiful job with flowers and lights that make it very California-like when you're on the patio. Definitely will go back!
(5)
Karen T.

In a world where I fantasize about my dream wedding weekend, The Dawson is where I have my rehearsal dinner. I mean, in some ways, that's more important than the reception - your most immediate loved ones and nuclear family are bonding over the experience of this evening, and you want a place where everyone feels at home. That's the Dawson. In a large industrial like space at the Grand/Milwaukee/Halsted intersection, Billy Lawless, Chef Rene de Leon, GM Clint Rogers & the rest of the team have made an incredibly warm atmosphere perfectly conducive to good eats, drinks and conversation. Granted, everything we ordered sounds like a failproof classic. Hamachi kama? Chicken fried steak? Tacos el pastor and roast chicken? Sounds like there's no way to leave unhappy. But the Dawson doesn't just meet the standards for great dishes. It takes them and spins them on their heads or elevates them to a whole new level. Yellowtail collar is damn hard to find for me - and growing up all I ever had it with was ponzu, lemon and my good ole chopsticks. Roasted with broccoli rabe, cabbage and an "Asian barbeque" glaze, I ate my collar with a fork for the first time and I'll happily eat it "Dawson-style" for the rest of my life. Call me a convert, especially after Chef de Leon admitted it was quickly thrown together as a special because of the hamachi they have to order. As for the tacos el pastor, the shells made in house are a great accompaniment to the pork and crema. Perfect opener for a 2-top. The roast chicken with the ricotta gnocchi and the chicken fried steak...I'm sure you can find better descriptions for those two somewhere online. They've been kept on the menu for a reason. The soda and spirits program matches the quality of the food in every which way - the luchini, which combined their cherry phosphate with amaro, was digestif-like, paired well with everything I ate and so did a "safe word'. You can see a bit of a Japanese influence however ironic / intentional from the maneki nekos waving happily in the kitchen next to the heat lamps and in the shiso leaves with their "liquid swords" drink. There is something for everyone here, but not in a compromising fashion. All this, however wonderful, can easily be torched by bad service or a long wait. However, we snuck into the chef's counter overlooking the kitchen easily at 6:30 on a Saturday night, and everyone was perfectly attentive, from the owners, the GM, the chefs and servers. This is a well-seasoned group of veterans and it shows - I actually thought this place had been open for 2-3 months. My surprise to find out it's only been 2 weeks. I expect this place to be around a long time...maybe even until that one far off day where I actually plan a rehearsal dinner of my own.
(5)
H H.

Menu is not extensive, but most everything on it is good. Had the woodfire burger which was good. Wish I would have had the turkey baguette instead. Maybe next time. The best thing I has was the house made ranch sauce!!!! I would go back just for the ranch.
(4)
Elizabeth E.

This place was aesthetically very pleasing. It's very spacious inside, you're not sitting on top of the table next to you. The entire place surrounds the bar, high ceilings, interesting lights - really nice to look at. I was there in the winter but took a peak at the patio and it's huge, would be a great spot for a rehearsal dinner or engagement party. As for the food, I thought at best it was "fine". We started with the spring rolls which were DIY... I think it was supposed to be cute or something but it was too much work and they didn't turn out very well. They even brought us new wraps for a "do-over" but that didn't seem to do the trick. The onion rings were the best app we tried - cheese plate was also delicious, but how hard is it to mess up the cheese plate? We had two salads between the four of us, one was the leek salad with poached egg and the other was the pear and kale salad. Neither were that good to be honest. I love anything with a poached egg and it was almost bitter. I'm on the same train as everyone else in regards to kale and this salad was also nothing I'd order again, pretty bland, not well tossed. For entrees we went with the chicken, pork shank & burger. Chicken was great - really juicy and fun gnocchi balls on the side. Pork shank was a bit fatty for me, it was fine and gorgeous on the plate but not my favorite. And the burger had a 1000 island/in&out type sauce but still didn't quite taste great. Bun and fries were the best part on that plate. We skipped dessert. Cocktails and wine were fine, food subpar, ambiance nice. Would not go back if it was my pick, but wouldn't put up a fight if someone else picked it; especially in the summer if we got to use that patio!
(2)
Sara S.

This is kind of a heartbreaking review to write because I really wanted to love this place. I got the quinoa main dish. I felt like I was being punished. I eat fish but I'm otherwise a vegetarian. I've eaten plenty of veggie meals at a wide variety of restaurants. The carrots were undercooked. It lacked any depth of flavor. And for the first time at a Chicago restaurant I didn't take home a left over bag because I could hardly stomach the thought of eating that bland dinner again. My husband had duck and loved it. Service was okay at best. But the veggie meal was enough to make me not want to return.
(2)
Alisa Z.

Great drinks and food. Love the decor and ambiance. A must try for a date or big group gatherings. Can't wait to try the patio in the summer
(4)
Joel M.

Nothing to see here. Kidding, very good. Great atmosphere. Tall candles! Staff was friendly and courteous. Food was very good, as was the slightly over priced cocktail (due to the size of the actual liquid within). Exactly as I expected it to be. Nothing was mind blowingly good or bad but I will go again.
(4)
Sara Z.

I'm not really sure how this place is going to survive. It's pricey and the service was awful. Our waiter forgot our drinks, brought out our dinner cold, and was not even apologetic about it. Then, in an effort to "apologize" the manager gave us a free round of after dinner drinks which were basically fruit punch (didn't care what we would have preferred). Overall, the food was ok at best. The setting is cool which is the only reason I gave this review two stars instead of one. I'll be shocked if this place is around much longer.
(2)
Caitlin C.

First, let me say the outdoor space was gorgeous. If you're looking for a summer escape near an otherwise busy intersection, this could be it. That said, the food didn't quite match the environment (or the prices charged). I chose the pork with grilled apricots. It wasn't terrible, but it was a bit tough and the apricots were hard as rocks and bitter. Were I working in the kitchen I would have take one look at those things and suggested a substitution fruit to my customers. Also, it came with greens had a weird sandy texture. Is this due to the quality of the product? The cooking method? A lack of washing? I don't know, but I know I've never had gritty greens before. My dinner companion had the sausages which were pretty good but weren't very finely ground. There were some really big chunks of not-as-edible parts in them. If I return, it will be just to enjoy a frozen mai tai (yummmm) in their outdoor space.
(3)
Katie B.

This 3-star review is really a 2.5-star review. I didn't feel like it was fair to pick the 2-star label, but 3-stars is a little too generous for me. I expected more from The Dawson, but only because of its looks from the outside. I'm a sucker for the rustic-y vibe, & I'd been eagerly waiting for this place to open since I saw construction start. The recent reviews helped amp up my anticipation, so when I was able to snag a 6:30pm reservation on a Friday during the first week of business, I was excited. Everything about The Dawson was basic. My drink was fine (I ordered a prosecco cocktail), but I'd rather go to Maude's for a similar drink. Our appetizers were a mixed bag. We made the mistake of ordering the pickled onion rings. I mean, those are the same everywhere you go, so I don't know why I was surprised that they weren't unique. The pork tacos were awesome. I should have ordered two more orders for dinner! The flavor was great & the meat was super tender. My entree was by far the biggest disappointment. I had the roasted chicken with gnocchi. The waitress highly recommended the chicken because it was "tender & juicy," but what I got was completely dried out. I choked it down thanks to the gnocchi that was doused in sauce. Sadly, the gnocchi wasn't that flavor. My meal was just "meh." My boyfriend got the burger, which our waitress also highly recommended. We are DMK fans, & this burger paled in comparison. It was cooked just right, but again -- nothing extraordinary. The ambience is what saved the place for me. It reminds me of Grange Hall with a twist of Au Cheval. It's your standard "rustic-brick-exposed-dimly-lit" joint, but as I said earlier, I'm a sucker for that, & because of it I will give The Dawson another chance down the road! Just go in to dining here with lower expectations than me & you'll leave satisfied.
(3)
Ellie K.

THE BEST SERVICE EVER! I've been to many cities around this world and have to admit this was the best service I have ever received. One of the owners- Billy, manager- James and server- Marcos all went out of their way to make sure our experience was enjoyable and man, it worked! They bought us a round of drinks and a round of shots for our party of 4 and checked on us constantly. The drinks were top notch- The GTO being my favorite! All the food was extremely satisfying and tasty. Decor and ambience also a 5. The only negative thing we can say is to skip the deviled eggs.
(5)
Charlie C.

The Dawson, you are new and I want to write an review quickly for you. I am certain that you hold the potential to be a 4/5 star place in my heart... I know it! The location is awesome, the vibe is great, the whole situation has "it" going on. My date and I were very excited to try this new-awesome looking location and did both enjoy it. We started with a few apps (recommended by our waitress), a couple of drinks, then ventured into the menu. She had a chicken dish, I had the burger... it was quite good, but the price of the not so perfect chicken was a bit much. $2-3 less would have made it better in my mind. What makes it 3-stars? It was 6:30 on a Friday. The first beer I ordered was out, sad. My date's chicken was somewhat dry and the portion was slightly small for the price. My burger was terrific, but when it was served to me the bus-boy knocked over the fry cup, a few fell on the floor. Rather then bring a new order of fries he apologized and walked away. I was sad that I got a 3/4 order of them instead of the whole shabang. And our waitress was somewhat non-existent after taking our orders. So- the food was 90% there... the service was 80% there... the vibe is spot on. I want to like this place, I am sure growing pains are happening. I will come back to try it again.
(3)
Taylor B.

A beautiful bar banking on the idea that people love drinking overpriced cocktails served by people in vests. The amount of outdoor space is perfect and the ambiance is lovely. The cocktails, while delicious on paper, don't quite translate as well when the long list of ingredients aren't perfectly mixed and prepared properly, and bartenders at The Dawson haven't quite nailed this yet. It is nice to go to a place where you can hear your parties' conversation and sit outside in a rustic setting. As drinks go, it's a little pricey for the level of quality, and your $12-14 will serve you much better at places like Violet Hour or 3 Dots and a Dash. But I haven't seen it busy or noisy to the point of annoyance yet, so maybe that's a surcharge for having a pleasant atmosphere. As far as service, I've had much better and much worse, so that's a 6/10.
(3)
Shradha A.

I'd like to try it for brunch but on a Friday night the bar was packed with young college boys and the hosts could not care less about welcoming other guests. The patio and terrace are nice, but need heat lamps in Chicago!
(3)
Dan T.

First tip - bring a megaphone. This place is loud...I literally sat down and yelled at the Vego for a joke and realized it wasn't funny because it sounded normal. It may not have helped that we sat down for dinner at 10 PM when everyone else was well and truly lubricated...the sorrow of being the only sober person at a party.... Really wanted to like the Dawson but it did not hit any great heights. The charcuterie and cheese boards were the highlights with more imagination than the the pork shank parpadelle which was good but not great and I was full after the charcuterie so did not get anywhere near finishing it. Bottom line - I read a review that it is a good bar with ok food and that sums it up perfectly
(3)
Caroline P.

I've been here for brunch and for dinner and I'd recommend going for brunch (I'd probably rate 3 stars for dinner and 4 for brunch). Four of us made a Sunday brunch reservation at 10:30am when they open, but arrived at about 10:20 and they let us in anyway, very accommodating. The biscuits and gravy, hang town fried rice, and omelette looked excellent, I had the english muffinwhich and ate the whole thing. Our mimosas and bloody marys were also excellent. They have a variety of bacon options, so explore those as well. Only downside is it was oddly empty in there, which felt a little weird for brunch on a Sunday. Two of us went back for dinner and it was ok. The appetizers looked best to us so we mostly ate those tapas style. However, the tables for 2 are so small that we felt like we had to rush through plates before the next one arrived. They also had all of these tables lined up in a row, it felt like a date-a-thon: women on the inside booth, men seated on the outside. Shishito peppers were just ok, same with albacore ceviche, brussels sprouts were very flavorful, but my date thought they were too mushy, chicken fried lobster was good too and we had some tasty wine, but I left feeling underwhelmed. Moral of the story--go for brunch!
(4)
Amanda B.

Fantastic atmosphere for a summer cocktail... Came here with a couple girlfriends for an after work drink. We sat at the bar and that turned out to be a great decision since the bartender was so friendly and knowledgable. He didn't steer us wrong with the recommendations for whiskey drinks and an appetizer (shishito peppers - so good) and even taught us a thing or two about rye Not sure if I'd come back for dinner since the menu looked a little "beogy" and over priced but the drinks were A+
(4)
Missy C.

I know this sounds awful - but I had the Dawson's Creek theme song playing over and over again in my head the entire time I was at The Dawson. Anyway, I've been looking forward to this place opening for awhile and was excited about easily getting a reservation this past Monday via OpenTable. I dined there with a friend for dinner - we each ordered one of their signature cocktails and food. I ordered the Luchini cocktail, the crispy pork tacos, and the onion rings. The onion rings were incredible - super good. The crispy pork tacos were very good, but I wish they would use soft shells instead. It would make the tacos way easier to eat and just better overall. The Luchini was delightful - fruity goodness. OH - I just remembered - we also ordered a chocolate dessert. IT WAS AWESOME. The service was pretty slow, which was a big bummer. Also, the place is loud - I found it difficult to hear what my friend was saying at times and also felt like I had to shout things at him. It looks like they might have a pretty cool outdoor area, so maybe I'll check it out again come summertime.
(3)
Sam M.

WAY TOO OVERPRICED. Went there for brunch with a friend; we ordered 2 meals and 2 mimosas, the bill was OVER $60. The only cool thing about this place is the outdoor seating. The food is blah, service is mediocre.
(1)
Allison M.

This review represents service at the bar for drinks only. I made a reservation for 9:30pm on a Saturday, requesting outdoor seating. Apparently they don't take requests for the patio because when we arrived we were told we would be seated at the chef's table. This would have been wonderful if we planned on eating, but we were only doing drinks prior to visiting another venue. Once we were seated at the bar, service was a bit slow because they only had two bartenders working. Seemed a little odd for a Saturday night and considering how busy they were at the bar. Nonetheless, our bartender was cordial and fairly prompt. We tried four different cocktails; I'd recommend traveling mercies or first base, if you're looking for something a bit lighter. They have two floors inside the restaurant, which means plenty of room so you don't feel like you're on top of the couple next to you. Lighting and atmosphere are good; it reminded me slightly of Nellcote. This would be a great spot for a date. Cocktail prices are in line with Violet Hour, The Drawing Room, etc., so expect to pay about $12-$13 a pop.
(3)
Zack P.

Darn, I really wanted to love this place, and parts of it I did. Maybe The Gage just set too high a standard for me though. I think Billy's restaurants are always a great vibe and usually make you feel very invited and well taken care of. The good: -The cocktails are great, the bartenders are knowledgable and make consistently tasty and perfectly balanced drinks -The ambience is nice, especially on the patio where it's a little quieter -The prices are pretty reasonable for drinks and most of the entrees The bad: -The service was lacking. I went out of my way to let the server know that it was my friend's birthday. I let the host and the server know. And the server like an idiot blew the surprise by asking whose birthday it was at the table with everyone there then didn't do anything for it. I thought she'd bring a cupcake or cookie or buy her a glass of champagne or something. Just crickets. Nothing. If I had known she was gonna drop the ball I would have just ordered a desert secretly. So that was kind of an low from a service standpoint. Like, TGIFridays handles birthdays better than this place. -The food isn't terribly exciting, it's all good but nothing I'd rave about. I will definitely be back to the bar but I'd think twice before having an event here or even eating in the restaurant.
(2)
Earl P.

Great outdoor brunch!! Love the day drink menus and flights of bacon. They even brought out rounds if Preseco on the house!!
(5)
Andrea F.

Great family style meals. Best devilled egg apps ever (and not usually a favourite). Very tasty cocktails.
(4)
Trisha A.

Had an amazing dinner! Ceviche, redfish for two, and Mussels! The Mussels are the best in the city! A must try! Be sure to dip your bread in the sauce! Craving a drink that's delicious? Try a brandy old fashioned with soaked cherries!
(5)
Connie Y.

I LOVED the Arctic Char here!! Cooked to absolute perfection, the other ingredients that it was made with - spaghetti squash, kohlrabi, and caraway sabayon - brought about the best mix of flavors that had each bite simply melt in your mouth! I came here with friends to try out their prix fixe menu during Restaurant Week. While the Arctic Char was my second course, my first course was their chicken-fried lobster which was also amazing! I was skeptical at first (simply just going by the name), but it wasn't heavy at all (the breading wasn't super oily or thick) and was paired very very well with a togaranchi sauce that gave it a little kick. One of my friends who also did the prix fixe menu ordered two different first and second course items. She had the pork belly lettuce cups and the short ribs for her second. The pork belly was quite good!...The short ribs were okay and not quite as tender as I would have expected. Another one of my friends ordered the pork shank which was delicious and tender! Eating it with the cabbage relish and bbq orzo made it even better! Loved it. I wasn't too much of a fan of our third course which we were only given one option - a malted vanilla bean shake with (2) butterscotch shortbread cookies. The shake itself didn't seem like a shake....I felt like I was eating/drinking whipped cream. The cookies were quite good though at least. They were moist and very good. The venue is quite nice. Very easy to get to, right next to the Blue Line. The deco is modern and some of my friends thought it felt it had a bit of a European-style motif. I liked that the lighting, though dim-lit for an intimate feel, it wasn't uber dark like many restaurants are. Service was also very nice. Our server was very knowledgeable about our food and was quite courteous and considerate during our dining experience here.
(4)
Jaime S.

Well I know this place is hot hot hot when I run into 4 separate friends or acquaintances giving it a whirl the same night I tried it. Oh, and the 2 hour wait for a table without a reservation. (thank you, Open Table.) First off, the non-alcoholic drinks are so amazing. Look, I like a cocktail as much as the next person, but sometimes I need a break and just want something tasty. The cherry phosphate and greyhound drinks are different than the normal offerings and are complex without being too sweet or sugary. The other cocktails and beer selections are interesting too, but I'd say the non-alcoholic drinks are the shining stars. I came here with a friend just for a quick bite and some good catch up. The place was packed, but we were taken to our table quickly and didn't have to wait. Since it is relatively new, the somewhat slow service was to be expected. We had the onion rings (which were outstanding!), the tacos, and the skatewing rillettes ( a little salty.) All in all, a great place to grab a drink and do some people watching. The porch will be awesome in the summer.
(4)
Cody C.

Fantastic dining experience. My wife and I went here on a recommendation and were not disappointed. The first thing we noticed when we walked in was the lively, upbeat atmosphere. For the appetizer, the mussels were probably the best I've ever had. We enjoyed the entire meal. All of the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful, they really go out of their way for you. I can't say enough positive things about this place.
(5)
Shari B.

I was very excited to experience The Dawson on their soft opening night. There was a lot of buzz about the restaurant so it was nice to be a part of something special. My husband and I shared two appetizers and two entrees, which turned out to be a great amount for the both of us. We ordered the sliders, squid, curry and burger. Our thoughts: Smoked Beef Tongue Sliders- Don't be afraid of "tongue" and order this. We loved the kick brought by the jalapeno and pineapple, plus the buns were like dollar rolls Wood Grilled Squid- Squid cooked perfectly and chickpeas were delicious in the sauce Mughlai Curry- very flavorful Wood Grilled Burger- Delicious, juicy burger. Loved the french fries (we discovered that they baked then fried them) The service was attentive and my cocktail, Carillon Cup, was sweet but a little strong (just how I like it!). Overall, we greatly enjoyed our dinner. It was a little noisy and hard to hear each other at times, but that won't stop us from coming back.
(5)
Melissa S.

At first I was unsure how my experience at the Dawson would turn out with the hour wait for patio seating. I waited by the bar and the bar tender was excellent! Drinks were flavorful and the customer service was A1. Finally it was time to be seated outside after 1hr 15mins. To my surprise the ambiance was worth the wait. I ordered the Quinoa curry and it wasn't what I hoped for but the waiter was more than willing to take it back for another dish. The Spicy Chicken was awesome! The manager or owner came by apologized and sent over a glass of champagne for the trouble. Not to mention taking the meal off the bill. Talk about a lovely gesture! I will def recommend this place solely off the drinks and customer service.
(4)
Steve U.

We had our rehearsal dinner at The Dawson a few months ago and our family is still talking about how much they enjoyed the atmosphere and food. My 12-year-old nephew even called it, "the best meal of his life." We reserved a portion of the upstairs space for a 30-person dinner and then opened it up to all 85 guests for drinks after. The Dawson staff handled every part of the evening expertly. From serving the family style meal to adjusting the music to accommodate toasts, they were professionals. The food was fantastic and the drinks were delicious. It was a fantastic rehearsal dinner.
(5)
Ev A.

The Dawson is awesome. I highly recommend it. It is the perfect place for a date or an outing with friends. I started the night with just one friend and by the end of the night we had a table of TEN. The staff was very accommodating and we even got a photo with the owner (who also bought us a a round of the delicious Old Foster Drip concoction). The tacos are gourmet and the hamachi is fresh. Cocktails are just $10 and had me tipsy happy half way through my first. Great prices. Very cool inside. Delicious food. Amazing variety of cocktails. Perfect place for a night out.
(4)
Lila G.

The Dawson is a beautiful AND comfortable place to eat, to have a drink with friends, to hang out! The servers are always professional and friendly and we always have a great time! Funny think about the Dawson: their vegetarian and fish dishes are better than their meat dishes. We are big meat eaters, but every time we've been the veggie dishes have been outstanding and the meat dishes only so-so. Very dry wagyu beef brisket and stringy/fiberous (though delicious!) pork shank. Weird! On the flip side, the roasted acorn squash appetizer is one of my favorite dishes in the city! Melting with honey and rich with burrata, this could turn anyone's head dizzy! The friend cauliflower makes you feel virtuous and indulgent at the same time and the fries are perfectly crisp. We can't recommend the artic char more highly. They really know how to cook fish here! It's tender, flaky and never dry or overcooked. Avoid the land-meats. Eat the garden-meats and the ocean-meats! The drinks are spectacular. Sit at the large, comfortable bar, make some new friends, have a delicious beverage and order veggie appetizers. For the win! =)
(4)
Mary S.

Atmosphere seemed really cool BUT the hostess ruined everything. We literally just walked in and the hostess told us to find anywhere to sit. So we went to a table that had water cups on it but no people. We asked multiple people if it was open and all the workers said speak to the hostess. So...we go back to the hostess and she tells us she doesn't know and doesn't really make an effort to find out, talk about lazy.... Then she goes to talk to someone finally... We were almost already out the door when she spoke to us... Finally...
(2)
Megan M.

Such a pleasant experience. The service was incredible and the staff went above and beyond what was ever expected!
(5)
Robert O.

Had a fantastic dinner with the mussels and 3 sausages entree. The food was excellent. The night would have been good but became great thanks to the exceptional service. If you go then I recommend you request Mike D as your server. He went out of his way and surprised us with samples from the reception upstairs as we went there for Charc Week and were misled by the events website. He also was courteous the rest of the evening and made sure only to come around when needed and not constantly interrupt as most servers do constantly. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Mike M.

Great scene that provides a casual elegance. We went for our monthly burger night and enjoyed the burgers and appetizers. As a non-drinker, I loved that they had several house-made sodas to chooses from and the two that I tried were excellent.
(5)
Raul P.

A great deal of the stars have to do with the cocktaisl prepared at this joint. Awesome! The food was also spectacular. Service added a slightly Negative connotation and hence the star off. Cocktails had: cowboy from hell and some other, forgot the name, all looked good........guess thats hiw good they were!!!
(4)
Renee S.

Food and ambiance were both awesome. One of kind cocktails and the service rocked. Cant wait to check it out this summer!
(5)
Jennifer G.

Restaurant Week is a great thing because it allows restaurants to showcase their food and new customers to come in and try places they haven't before. As was the case for my husband and myself last night at Dawson. We do not live far from Dawson but just haven't gotten around to trying it. We were intrigued by the Restaurant week menu and great reviews and decided to give it a try. We are so glad we did because we will be back. Our waitress - Meghan - was really good - so friendly and helpful. Starting with the drink menu...Dawson is more a hard liquor place and for someone who prefers fruitier drinks, I was at a loss what to try. Meghan recommended a few and I tried the Swipe Right of vodka and apple brandy. It was delicious! She also recommended Day Spa (gin and cucumber) - which she equated to a refreshing drink you would have at a spa. My husband loved it. For the food - we started with the Chicken Fried Lobster. Now I do not like Lobster, but anything fried is good and this was no exception. It comes with what they call a togoranchi sauce (i.e. upgraded ranch sauce) that was really good. My husband had the Cavatelli Pasta with spicy lamb sausage and eggplant - he loved it. I had the Quinoa Curry with lots of vegetables and coconut curry and hint of peppers. It was excellent! I'm usually not the biggest fan of either quinoa or curry for that matter, but the combination of these two was really good. For dessert - I had the butterscotch shake (off the restaurant week menu) and my husband had the Banana Toffee Cake. Both were fine - but not up to the caliber of either our drinks or our main food items. As for the atmosphere - it's a beautiful place and perfect for groups of friends having a nice dinner. I can see how some people can say it gets loud by the bar but fortunately, we were as far from the bar as possible. It looks like they have a beautiful outdoor area and I can't wait to come back and try it. During our stay, Meghan came by several times to see how everything was - as did a manager. I was so impressed by this place - from the staff to the food and I highly recommend it for a fun night.
(4)
Earl P.

Very trendy. Very busy on weekends. It was so loud in here we couldn't hear each other sitting 1 foot away. The food and drink here were good. The chicken fried lobster was amazing!! If you're a fan of seafood--you cant go wrong with throwing it in the deep fryer. I shared with a few people and had just enough. The Bavarian pretzel with beer mustard was great. It had just the right amount of salt. The mcduckettes were gross. They were on the level of McDonald's. Not good. It was a blend of dark meat and it had an odd texture. The dessert selection was good and quite tempting. We tried the warm apple crisp and chocolate mousse. The apple crisp was ok, not a favorite at our table. But the chocolate mousse--AMAZING. So delicious. I would definitely recommend that.
(4)
Alex G.

Pretty bar and restaurant with great atmosphere. For an American restaurant, the food was off. I had curried quinoa and my dad had the wood fired sausage. Neither were great. Chicken fried lobster was good. Drinks were ok. Service was good. $90 wasn't worth it. Not really impressed. I don't think I would come back for the food.
(3)
Era N.

I love this place. My boyfriend lives right around the corner so we come here pretty often. the food is great, the drinks are delicious and if you're lucky and the weather is great, outside seating is where its at!
(4)
Dave G.

First time that I have ever really logged anytime serious time there this week. We had four work peeps there for drinks/eats this week and sat outside on a beautiful afternoon/evening. The food was different and good..... their house drinks were flavorful and creative. Heather our waitress was great and took very good care of us as a newbie. Overall there was a great vibe, food and drinks. Service was wonderful but my only thing with The Dawson is the price. The bill was crazy expensive and we didn't even have an entree? We went somewhere else afterwards to eat dinner having spent over $400. It just felt like downtown hotel prices while being that far west. It is obvious that price is not an issue as the place was packed. Great spot but spendy.
(4)
Kristi G.

Went last night with a group of 9 for a ladies night out. This place is cool with a bar in the middle of the floor on the first and second floors. A couple of us showed up early to try the drinks which were delish! When we sat down at the bar to wait for our table, the bartender immediately put a glass of water in front of each of us, this was a big plus for me. We tried the Liquid Swords, Surfer Rosa, Luchini and the Safe Word cocktails. As the bartender said, all their drinks are nicely balanced, not too sweet but not too harsh from alot of alcohol. She also told us that the drinks are in order of alcohol strength on the menu, nice to know. When our party of 9 was seated, service seemed to take awhile. First, the waitress took our drink order and then the drinks too ages to get to our table. Then we seemed to be forgotten until I waved someone down. Once we ordered, food was arrived in waves and everyone was happy. The pork tacos were wonderful but the deviled eggs weren't anything special, we didn't finish them. The burrata tartine was fabulous with the fried brussell sprouts, a must try. I had the pork shank which was amazingly good with the pappardelle. And it was good leftover too. I would go back for the drinks and and the burrata.
(4)
Christen W.

Love it! Had the roasted half chicken, cauliflower & Viognier to drink. Highly recommend all. It definitely lived up to the hype. It also had a really great energy and trendy decor without it having a pretentious decor. Fun hotspot for sure!
(5)
Jacob K.

Drinks are well thought out and as good as anywhere. They are just expensive for the size. I have no problem paying the $12-15/drink. But I want it strong and the whole shaker pour. These were a few sips and gone.
(3)
Tariq A.

Great Ambience! This is a great place to go for a drink or after dinner for a drink. The food is average and overpriced. We had the rose salad and the Halibut. The Halibut was 35 and okay, I've had much better at a more reasonable cost. Tariq
(3)
Kerry V.

Cool spot if it had the right staff. I felt like I was working all weekend...thanks...you can't be nice enough to this staff. Wow! You would think you were paying them! On a Friday night we got one round and wanted another but had to leave because they wouldn't come around again. Okay...next good looking bar please!!
(2)
Diane S.

I had a great experience at The Dawson with my party of 6. Food was delicious (pork tacos, cheese board and burger were my faves) and I loved the space. They gave us an actual table sized for 6, with 6 adult chairs and space. That has become SO rare with Chicago restaurants cramming people into banquettes/benches and tiny tables. Our server was knowledgeable and guided us along to make our decisions on apps and main courses gently. You could tell she was trying to encourage us to get to ordering but she did it so politely! The wait for our food was a touch long but since I was full from the apps, I didn't mind. Maybe if you were on a date you would be bothered but we were with a group. I would love to go back in the summer and check out the patio. Thanks for a great experience.
(5)
brian d.

4th time here. from the owners, to mgrs, to servers this place is 2nd to none in the city int terms of perfect and friendly service, they make you feel like family. the food is ridiculous!!!!!!!! strongly reccomend chicken fried lobster and redfish tacos. we had a long chat with the chef about sustainability tonight, these guys really, really care about what they do, quite refreshing!
(5)
Rachel B.

First time I came here was when it first opened at it was awful service. This time, amazing! Owner was there and offered to buy us a drink, very kind. The waitress was funny and attentive. Food was great. It was slightly expensive for food portions, but a great time so it was worth it! I had been to The Gage earlier in the day, both great experiences, keep it up.
(5)
Marissa R.

One evening, I went for a birthday party ... didn't know what to expect ... It had a cool atmosphere and a nice ambiance. We stayed upstairs and had several drinks! It was pretty crowded but we were able to find a seat at the bar. I would try it again ...
(3)
Caitlyn M.

I'm gonna make this short, beautiful restaurant, nice ambiance...but, worst service we've had in a restaurant in a long time. Drink re orders rarely taken, food took 45 min to come out..and the food was just eh. Cocktails were decent, but once we finished them they sat empty for 15 minutes until the waitress would check on us. Not worth $150 with tip (for 2) for the awful service and very average food. We had fried lobster, halibut, fries, and fish tacos. Won't be returning.
(2)
Kelley B.

Won't be back. They have incredible drinks and incredible service, but can't execute their own menu. Our chicken was overcooked and burger under cooked ( ordered med., got RARE). Go to Sable.
(2)
Amy F.

I'm from California and so happy to see they have some of our beers here! Fun place to visit as a tourist. We started off with the tacos and they were amazing and filling.
(5)
Laura S.

This review is primarily for the service and ambiance. Two of us arrived for our 9:30 table on time, two of us were late, and yet the restaurant was the one apologizing! Apparently the chef gave our patio table away just as we were ready to be seated, causing our group to wait another 5 minutes or so. We were perfectly fine and happy to sit by the bar, as we were waiting for the remainder of our party to arrive. Shortly after being seated, a manager came by to apologize again, and graciously offered us a round of drinks on the house. I was floored that they were so accommodating. Apart from the great service, the patio was beautiful and a perfect setting for a summer evening. We were only there for drinks though, so I don't know anything about the food.
(5)
Chris M.

Very cool space- they put a lot in to the design and layout of the place. Place was bustling on a Thursday night- but got a table for four in only about an hour. Great drinks menu, and each of the four dishes we had were all good. Nothing truly outstanding, but definitely good. Service was attentive- no complaints there. Can't wait to come back in the summer time- the patio looks like the real draw.
(4)
Jean P.

My pork shank entree was perfect...the shank was well seasoned and tender. The pasta accompanying it was cooked just right and the kale salad was refreshing in between bites of the meat and pasta.
(4)
Ryan P.

Amazing wine and excellent service. I had the cheeseburger and was fortunate enough to sample some whiskey. It looked like a great place for a happy hour.
(5)
Alexander D.

From the moment I walked into The Dawson to leaving I had an amazing time! Our server Meghan is one of the best servers I've had. She knows exactly how to make the whole dining experience fantastic. She was completely knowledgable on the menu, the prep, and the story behind The Dawson. The food was on point! I had sausage and my friend ordered the pork shank! They had a great selection of wine all very reasonably price. Needless to say I will return and be telling all my clients about The Dawson!!
(5)
Greg M.

DO NOT GO TO "THE DAWSON" Recently, there seems to be a recurring problem at many Chicago restaurants. Either they don't know how to manage their space properly or (more likely) they want you to go to the bar for a drink before "allowing you " to take your table. As you probably know, alcohol is wildly profitable for a restaurant. The Dawson is no exception. Our party of 6 arrived at 8:20 for an 8:30 reservation last Saturday night. We checked in at the desk and were told the table would be ready shortly. I dutifully went to the bar and bought our group a round of cocktails for $54.00. We were not seated until after 9:00. My wife and I decided to bail out go home-the rest of the group stayed for dinner. They told me the next day I did the right thing. The service was so slow incredibly slow that they didn't walk out until 11:15. Again, was this an attempt to get the alcohol bill goosed up by providing slow service? Some of the meals were good others were not. We're blessed to live a city that has dozens of great restaurants with great food and service. Don't waste your time here. DO NOT GO TO "THE DAWSON" G-Reg
(1)
Stephanie A.

This place was amazing. Best oysters I have ever had! Love love looooved them! And so much outdoor seating too. The manager came up to every table to see how they were doing and bought us a round of drinks... What a guy! Great service and food, can't go wrong with this place!
(5)
Brent A.

Our waitress, Megan was great. She did an awesome job taking care if our table. The food is unique. American contemporary and very good. The deviled eggs are delicious, even though the pink looks a little like Easter. And I had the campfire chicken. This was a nice half of chicken, roasted, Extremely juicy. Very good. Other appetizers were pork tacos, just ok. And bread and cheese. Good selection of beers and wine with lots of craft beers (10-12) on tap. Definitely worth another visit to try more items in the menu
(4)
Joanna H.

The night started off with a delayed reservation but the management was great and made up for any wait time with a glass if champagne. Very classy and nice touch. The service was fantastic and the appetizers were delicious. Best dinner is the pork shank amongst my party of 6 and the bread pudding dessert was off the charts. Loved the decor and would def come back.
(5)
A M.

Love this place! I only had drinks here before dinner one night, but the feel in this place is amazing! I will be back to try the food for sure!
(5)
Coleen K.

Fantastic new addition to the River West neighborhood. Tried this place out for an early dinner at 6:15pm. We were virtually the first people there, seated upstairs. From the get-go, service was impeccable. We didn't love being seated up against the wall, but our waitress immediately noticed and ushered us to a much larger booth-- she didn't have any issue giving us a table set for four when our party size was only two. As for the menu, I loved that it was split up equally into smaller dishes and larger dishes, great for sharing and trying a few things. We started off with the artisanal cheese board-- three delicious cheeses that complimented one another very well (gorgonzola, goat, and a nutty cow's milk) alongside 3 huge slices of bread, grapes, an interesting fruit bar, and most importantly, the RED PEPPER JAM. I had no idea red pepper jam even existed, but let me tell you, this has completely changed my perspective on jams. INCREDIBLE. For mains we ordered the mussels and the country fried strip steak. The mussels were served in a rich, chorizo flavored broth. Although the mussels themselves weren't huge, the broth made up for it. I'd rank these puppies pretty high in the scale of mussels in Chicago. As for the country fried steak, it was massive. Didn't try any, but judging by the fact that it was completely devoured in about 5 minutes, I'd venture to say it was well-enjoyed. Most notably, various restaurant management stopped by our table throughout the meal, offering us free samples of cocktails and some extra red pepper jam to take home that we loved so much. This level of personal interaction and customer service is really what brought our experience at The Dawson to the next level. Throughout the meal we felt especially cared for and appreciated. I really hope that as The Dawson becomes more established in the neighborhood, they are able to maintain this level of customer service. Five stars!
(5)
Scott S.

The steak was not even good. I agree 100% with Jason S. from 7/6/14. This was the most money I ever spent on bar food. We tried a few appetizers, the steak, and the burger. Chicken fried lobster (not a good idea), oysters were decent, that's about it. Poor service to boot, but you can't expect it to be bad for everyone- the reservation asked if we had any special accommodations and they ignored the request.
(1)
Mirko P.

We enjoyed our dinner selection, Chowder, Toulouse sausage and Wood-grilled burger. Tasty and what's important for us, the size of the portions are perfect. Clint Rogers, General manager helped us to choose the wine, "Poema" and we liked it a lot. Nice casual place, would like to recommend.
(5)
Ed C.

Good progress on all aspects of this already good restaurant. Bar tenders are great, knowledgeable and friendly. Menu is strong..pork tacos are unique and very good, pork shank is outstanding! Burger is pretty darn good too.
(5)
Adam M.

To hell with these one star snobs. They sound like a bunch of cry babies. This place is awesome and the food is great. I thought The Gage was good (and it is) but The Dawson is awesome and the perfect fit for their west River North location. Nice atmosphere too and they did a stunning build out of the entrance. I like the owners too. Their names elude me but I like that they stroll around and talk to people. They have pride in the product and it shows. Thanks for bringing your bars/restaurants concepts to Chicago. The new old timers appreciate the quality! They are a great and The Dawson is one of my new favorite hang outs!!
(5)
Kalee H.

I have been dying to try The Dawson and finally had the opportunity to try the new hip place restaurant in Chicago. My experience was awesome and loved loved the food. I totally recommend the pickled onion rings, tacos and spring rolls. The atmosphere is perfect for a night out and the patio will be a great spot in the summer. Super easy to get to from downtown, south loop or north neighborhoods. The grand blue line and Halsted bus both stop right in front of the restaurant.
(5)
Ashley S.

Not great and pricey. Many other wonderful restaurants in Chicago.
(2)
Aaron G.

The drinks are awesome. Clint is a true master of his art and a very good manager to boot. Made us feel super welcome and steered us into some amazing bevies!
(5)
Jen D.

Definitely will be back.. what a great atmosphere. Very accommodating wait staff and good service. I ordered lettuce wraps with tofu and was told the tofu wasn't fried, but turns out it is.. no problem.. the server apologized, and fixed it, manager bought me over a side of UNfried tofu, comped my meal and brought me a complimentary cocktail for the mistake. Never would have asked for any of that, but was very impressed and appreciated the kind fix. Definitely a spot where they care for their customers. A very nice spot and highly recommended.
(4)
Mike V.

I went to The Dawson last night, and given my experience, I really have to question the legitimacy of the other reviews posted thus far. I found the opening to be a complete, embarrassing disaster that reminded me of an episode of Bar Rescue (pre-rescue). We showed up for an 8:15 reservation and were greeted by a squad of four hosts, none of which seemed to have a clue what was going on. After multiple people went into and back out of the dining room, we were finally told it would be 10-15 minutes for our table. Not a big deal - it's their first night - cut them a break. So we went over to the bar area to grab a drink... As a side note, I will say that the space is very tasteful and well-done. Last night, only the first floor area was open, but there's a full second floor area and a pretty awesome patio with full bar and outdoor fireplace for warmer weather. Back in the bar, all of the bartenders were running around like maniacs, each trying to make four specialty cocktails at a time. It was a bit of a wait to order a drink, but the real frustration came in when he stopped making our drinks midway through multiple times to take other peoples orders and ring other people up. Once received, legitimately 20 minutes later, the cocktails were pretty solid. I had a whiskey concoction ( don't remember the name) and my girlfriend had the house manhattan. We finally get seated at our table and ordered three small plates, all of which were delivered at the same - when we told our server that we were a little thrown off by this, he seemed completely confused as to why we would have wanted them staggered. I honestly don't think this guy had any serving experience whatsoever, or at least not at an upscale establishment. We had the squid (which literally had four pieces of squid surrounded by a bunch of chickpeas), pork tacos (which were about 25% filled) and the Waldorf Salad (which was fine, pretty straight forward). Also notable is that the entire time we sat at dinner, we were never asked if we wanted another drink, and our waters were never once refilled. By the end of our time sitting there, we had four empty glasses, an empty water jug and four empty plates sitting in front of us. We would have been more than happy to buy some more $10 cocktails but were never given the privilege. So odd. Needless to say, we didn't order anything else and got out of there while we could. On our way out, we couldn't even manage to make eye contact with anyone at the host station - not sure if they knew things were a complete shit show in the dining room, but nobody cared to ask how things were. I just don't understand why they got themselves so far over their heads when they clearly were not prepared. If this was supposed to be a soft opening (which it was not even indicated to be), then they should have taken it easy and not jammed the place full. Everyone in the restaurant was completely overwhelmed, and with that said, a simple apology or even acknowledgement from the management could have gone a long way. Swallow your pride and get your act together or you won't last long.
(2)
Zander H.

The Lawless Group has done it again! We love The Gage and Henri, this place is awesome and loved the menu and whiskey selection. The decor is awesome as well, very 1920s, great place for a business dinner, date or a night out.
(5)
jim m.

The Dawson reminded me why we go to restaurants: Tons of money and effort put into a beautiful stone, wood, metal and concrete space, indoors, and outdoors where we sat. The buzz of a chattering crowd made up of all kinds of people. The clockwork (well, a bit stuttering, but still) rhythm of a team working to accomplish a herculean service and accommodate a host of requests such as our food allergies. Boutique cocktails with an abecedarian litany of ingredients. Chef-designed and interesting food that you probably would not make at home: mussels in rich fiery broth; fried sweetbreads with just enough spicy mayonnaise; "chicken"-fried lobster and aioli; and the topper, a trio of wood-grilled house-made sausages so fresh and succulent you wouldn't believe. Honorable mentions to the blueberry cookie parfait, the agreeably rustic house sourdough bread, the triple Belgian ale with a horse-felling alcohol percentage, and a delicious california red blend by the glass. One star subtracted for intermittent service including a slow start and a missing drink, and priciness (our meal with tip was about $200). They do have valet, at least on Saturday, though some online info seems to indicate they don't. The interior seating area features a kitchen facing counter and seems like it would be a bit loud... We shall certainly return, perhaps in cooler weather to hopefully see how that outside fireplace feels!
(4)
Paola C.

Awesome location, amazing food, great wine, free shots by the end of the dinner. Loved it
(5)
David S.

Went to The Dawson last night and I think this place will be a crowd pleaser. Great environment and terrific food. Had the Hamachi appetizer and also the spring rolls. Both were terrific. Main dishes I tasted we're the pork shank and the ribeye. Both were prepared to perfection and served in a nicely timed manner. The drinks were great and interesting. Save room for desert. The funnel cake was very good and worth eating. I highly recommend. Enjoy.
(5)
Dan H.

Visited this new restaurant last night with a party of three, needless to say, we were underwhelmed with the stuffy, sterile, and elitist execution of the Dawson staff, drinks, food, and atmosphere. I always give new businesses the benefit of the doubt when I visit, (understanding of menu type-o's and forgiving to wait staff because they're wrestling with a new menu and such) but everyone we encountered at The Dawson from start to finish seemed either uninterested in common hospitality, or untrained and scared to mess-up at their new job, which transferred to us (the customers) as rudeness and elitism. First off, we weren't greeted at the entrance despite the fact that there were two hosts standing behind a hotel-style kiosk with nobody else in the "lobby". We had to say "Hi, we're going to be three" after a few seconds of blank stares in our general direction. After an unenthusiastic exchange we were offered a coat-check, which is a nice touch. We were then led past the large centralized bar to our table. The space has been completely re-worked since the previous restaurant left and it's obvious the owner spend a LOT of money transforming it into The Dawson...I remember thinking: hopefully it's not all show. From our table the open kitchen was very visible, from here we did a good amount of people watching throughout dinner. Being a person who likes to go out and experience new businesses, along with having close to a decade of restaurant experience under my belt, I find that you can really tell the health of a business by observing the employees in action. I was surprised to see that throughout our entire experience (~2hrs) we didn't see one genuine smile or enthusiastic exchange between both co-workers and customers. This place acted like a dying restaurant! It's just started! Very concerning. It took a good three minutes for our waitress to approach the table (not a biggie, we were checking out the menu), but in the interim the bus-boy (who looked angry for some reason?) Poured us some water and grunted out a gruff "Hello" that took us by surprise, he said nothing else. No Welcomes, nothing. When our waitress finally approached we ordered two cocktails and a hard cider to start off. The cider was nifty: pecan-infused and great for the late fall/early winter. I got the Officer's Club which was too sweet for my liking, I thought the Aperol would have counter-acted the sweetness but was barely noticeable. One of us got the Zodiac Cobbler which was ridiculous: Served in the top of a shaker tin over crushed ice and garnished with the most absurd bushel of sugar-dusted mint, orange slice, and raspberry- it looked like a fruit salad. Both cocktails were over-garnished, leaving the liquid they contained underwhelming. Throughout the night we got a beer and two more cocktails: The Verdita Mixta, a cloudy-green tequila punch that tasted like sweet perfume and soap, and the Saca Palabras, which was thankfully un-garnished and smokey, but still relatively unbalanced. The only thing beverage-wise that hit on the money was the $5 house-infused bonded bourbon...very smooth and nicely done. We wanted to order a few apps to share and asked our waitress to explain a bit about the menu and suggest some favorites. I guess it was a mistake to ask her to do her job because the vague info she gave in a rather blase tone made us feel like we were putting her out and taking up her time (this was an overall theme). We settled on the Pork Tacos (GREAT!), Posole (EVEN BETTER!), Fried Onions (Way too much batter, standard Heinz dipping sauce), and Hamachi (pitiful excuse for a fish app, very little flavor, $15?) Yeah, the Hamachi was a suggestion from our waitress...great up-sell lady! She did offer to split the Posole into three bowls for us but when they came out there were only two, and the kicker was she added an additional pork taco (which costs $3) to our order without even asking us...we caught this at the end and she rolled her eyes and said "I assumed you each wanted one since you were sharing" Yes, we don't have a problem with paying for food, just let us know BEFORE you order it. She took it off the bill anyway. For entrees we got the Burger, Roasted Chicken, and Pork Shank. This is where the shortcomings of the cocktails and service evened out with the food: The Burger was ordered medium-rare and came out medium-well. It was dressed up like a senior prom and SALTY! Holy crap...I couldn't taste the overcooked meat over the salty garnishes. The fries were terrible, definitely frozen and hollow on the inside. The Chicken was awful too, over salted and rubbery. The Pork Shank was the best, but accompanying salad AGAIN over-salted. They really need to address this problem. Overall, (~$250 later) we agreed that our experience at The Dawson was pretty disappointing. It would take a lot of improvement to fill out this shiny shell of a restaurant with what it really needs to be a success. Hopefully they catch on.
(1)
Tom F.

Ventured out to the Dawson on Saturday night. I'm usually a bigger fan of smaller restaurants, but they have the restaurant partitioned nicely so it doesn't feel overwhelming despite the large size. We started with a couple cocktails and they were fantastic - definitely a strength of this restaurant. The bartender initially made my wife's dirty martini a little too dirty, but they were more than happy to re-make it and it came back perfect the second time around. We started with the bbq'd oysters, which I thought we just ok - though my wife liked the spice. We then tried the brussel spouts, which were fantastic. I ordered the burger and my wife had the shrimp as her main. The burger was very good (though a bit pricey) and my wife loved her shrimp dish. Overall, the food was very good. The prices seemed a bit high - we actually stayed away from a few of the main dishes due to some sticker shock. Service was fantastic.
(4)
OldIrvingPoodle H.

Loved the ambiance and food. Tastes were all very different - we thoroughly enjoyed. A couple things to note - menu is NOT pregnancy-friendly, wait staff service could use some work (skipped over our table several times, where most waitresses would stop by), poor choice in appetizer (pigs in a blanket - nothing special at all - super bland and not even thoroughly cooked). Upstairs was sharp - owner gave us a tour - backroom with fireplace and couches - a must see! Our entrees were amazing - I had the chicken dish and hubby had the chicken fried steak. We will definitely go back.
(5)
Elyse K.

Unique spot with gorgeous interior decor and lovely attention to all the little details from the logo to the attentive service. Only reason I gave 4 stars is because we ate at the bar, so I didn't get the full sit-down experience. Food portions were bigger than I expected, which was an awesome surprise at a hip new place, but drinks were pricey. I will return for the awesome staff and impressive space.
(4)
Anne S.

Perfect atmosphere if you're just wanting to grab some nice cocktails and a few appetizers. I went here last weekend with a couple of friends and we couldn't get enough of the pork tacos. We even placed a second order for them because they were so satisfyingly tasty! I also ordered the officer's club cocktail which was excellent. While we didn't stay for an entire meal, we loved the atmosphere and taste of what we had. Oh! And let's not forget the savory bourbon drip at $5 a shot--can't beat that!
(4)
Amalita A.

I came here on a few occassions and I've LOVED it everytime :) I sat at the bar and both blonde bartenders were awesome, friendly, and so knowledgeable! They gave great recommendations! I had the porkbelly tacos, devilled eggs slightly picked Iin beets, and the best was Acorn squash ravioli!!! Will be coming back agai.n soon :)
(5)
K B.

All the way around, it's A-Ok - it's a bit too expensive for the neighborhood and the quality of the food. However, the one item that is amazing is the pork tacos - and for $6 for two of them, it's a great deal.
(3)
John D.

I LOVE this place. As i resident of River West, I have been waiting patiently for The Dawson to open for some time. The wait was worth it. I've been there 5x in the past two weeks and have reservations again this evening, I can't get enough. My favorite dish to date is the Chicken Fried Steak w kale, it's insane. Also, being someone who is sober and doesn't drink my drink options are usually limited to cola or club soda or some gross iced tea, The Dawson has two of the most exciting grapefruit and black cherry soda water beverages i have ever tasted and they are specially designed by their " Soda Jerk". Fierce, see you tonight.
(5)
B J.

Great atmosphere. Babes everywhere. Sometimes crowd is a little older but prefer this over the 20 something's crowding every bar in River West. Food is overpriced for the taste. Drinks are fantastic. Also overpriced.
(4)
Daniel V.

This review is just for the bar The space is amazing. Reminds me of an even fancier pump room. The antique glassware is absolutely incredible. Great beer list (including local option beers). The beer list, however, is pricey (but this makes sense because it's a restaurant as well). The cocktails from the list are too sweet. I have tried the majority of the listed cocktails and every single one is overly sweet. I did order cocktails off menu and they were very well made.
(4)
M Peter G.

The Worst food I have eaten! I have never written this in a review before, but I guess there is a first time for everything. I will start with the food and continue with the vibe and the lack of management response. * I ordered their signature dish, Chicken Fried Steak and was truly disappointed from the first bite! This is a rather expensive dish ($32.00), considering you are only ordering Chicken Fried Steak. The mashed potatoes were lukewarm and over salted. The collard greens were way too salty and again were served on the cool side. The actual Chicken Fried Steak was just so, so. The lack of white cream sauce, could not cover up the bad tasting food! The ambiance was ruined when the manager of the line chefs was yelling at them and using profane language, not something you want to see and hear while dinning. When I contacted the restaurant's general manager he was indifferent. I dinned at the restaurant on Sunday November 3, 2013 at 5:00 pm and only eight to ten people were in the dinning room, so you can't blame the fact that the restaurant was busy. To drop $60.00 for one person on a quick meal that you thought would be, pretty easy to cover in a comfort meal, is sort of criminal. This is truly a Thumbs Down dinning experience. This site forces me to give it at least a one star rating, which is hard to do. This is a buyer beware?
(1)
Tyler B.

Im going to start out with a bold statement. BEST ONION RINGS I HAVE EVER HAD! Overall this place was great. The atmosphere was great I am sure its going to be even better in the summer when the outside is open. Great oysters. Amazing Drinks. Welcome to the neighborhood! I will be coming back!
(4)
Wilfried S.

Great meal and solid drinks, especially for having just opened. Came in around 6:30 on opening night. I ordered the Chicken Fried NY Strip, the Mrs. had the burger, and we shared the sliders and tacos and both deserts. The Chicken Fried NY Strip was so good that it reminded me of a better version of my Texas childhood. Everything was incredibly solid. Good food, talented chefs, attractive crowd, enjoyable ambiance. Can't wait to come back.
(5)
Sam C.

i have given the dawson multiple chances. their menu has changed multiples times, thankfully the drink list has overall remained the same. their food is small portioned, decent, but really overpriced. i have gone their a few other times for brunch, which is too hipster and contrived. they do have a nice patio, so i made a reservation over a month ago. they call me last minute, butcher my party number and time, and make no effort at all to correct this. no apology, nothing. thanks for ruining my weekend plans when i have people in town. i will never ever frequent your establishment again.
(1)
Christina B.

The food really was average at best. But the outside patio is really pretty and nice; a perfect place to get a drink! Also the manager and/or owner came around several times to check on customers which was kind. He also was holding the door for servers and being very involved.
(3)
Christopher W.

We went on Sunday for brunch . . . great food and drinks! The space is really beautiful. We opted for inside as it was pretty warm out, but the "backyard" is fantastic. The staff were really nice and gave prompt service and good advice when asked for their opinion. One of the owners - Billy Lawless - came up to tahk us for stopping by and asked if everything was OK. Told him we were also looking for a venue for our wedding. He showed around the place and mentioned some possibilities based upon previous events hosted at The Dawson. As a side note . . . the cinnamon buns are a must have . . . .really delicious.
(5)
Steven P.

The service was top notch especially when considering it was a busy Thursday evening in the summer. I had simply asked about sitting outdoors but since it was too crowded and they don't take reservations for outdoor seating, I was left with my regular reservation for 2 upstairs. However, Branko went out of his way to seat us at a table along the balcony overlooking the patio. The cherry on top was that he gave us 2 glasses of champagne on the house. THIS is exactly the kind of service that warrants a rare yelp review from me. Branko GETS IT as an owner.
(5)
Erik C.

This is not just another trendy place. The outside patio is large and inviting; the drink list is very unique and creative; and the menu changes regularly and everything we tried was delicious. And while one might expect some pretentiousness from such a place, the staff, management, and even owner were extraordinarily friendly and engaging with the customers.
(5)
Christina S.

Officer's Club. That is all. One of the most amazing drinks I've had this year....or ever actually. An exquisitely balanced taste of heaven. My soul sang. The Luchini was also very tasty. The dishes I tried were the Panzanella which I thought was really delicious (but beware those that don't like raw red onion as it is not listed as one of the ingredients on the menu) and the Wood Grilled Squid which was okay. The staff are all super friendly and a true pleasure to interact with. If you go, be sure to try the Officer's Club. It will change your life. I promise.
(5)
Nadezda S.

Amazing food and amazing service! I went with a friend last weekend! We had great time ! Food is so creative and tasteful !Cocktails are very good too!
(5)
Mike M.

Solid food and cocktail menus and execution but it's managed and staffed by night club rejects trying to turn it into an exclusive/pretentious spot in a laid back part of town. If they figure out what their target audience should be they'll stop having so many empty tables to tell people they can't sit at.
(1)
Vidya S.

We were having a great time. Ordered dinner and were looking at dessert when some guy came and told us the kitchen was closed and that our server must have "forgotten" to tell us that. Surprising since the server gave us menus and nobody thought it was worthwhile to tell us kitchen was closed. Guy offered us whiskey shot as compensation which we declined.
(1)
K L.

What happened to The Dawson menu? I had a great visit right when the restaurant first opened. Now, just a few months later, everything I enjoyed is off the menu. Bummed. If the chef who concocted the amazing oyster po' boy landed somewhere else, will someone please tell me?!
(3)
Alicia M.

I went in for drinks after work with a friend. They are still new and getting in their groove, but the drinks were amazing. We also had the beef tongue sliders that were amazing I will defintely be back to try dinner.
(4)
Tara L.

This perhaps is not a fair review since we actually did not eat. We planned to, but you guys- the menu was so unappealing- we LEFT; walked over to piccolo Sogno in the pouring rain, and enjoyed dinner there. The menu is all over the place. We like to get a few things to share, and usually those things go together. The items on the (small) menu didn't seem cohesive, and nothing really spoke to us. The atmosphere was lacking, though I'm not sure why exactly. I will say that as we reviewed the menu, I very much enjoyed my Luchini cocktail. I'll perhaps give another go further down the line when the kinks are worked out.
(2)
Danielle S.

The Dawson was a great spot to celebrate my sister's birthday - from the fun cocktails to the attentive staff, a good time was had by all. The Dawson occupies the space formerly held by the brunch restaurant Orange at the six corners intersection of Grand/Milwaukee/Halsted. I've been not-so-patiently watching the construction in anticipation of the new space. The full wall of glass windows and tall wooden fence hiding the outdoor space gave me just enough of a sneak peek and mystery to make The Dawson a must-try on my list. The Dawson was way more of a bar that happens to also be a restaurant than I had imagined. The large bar is center to the open space with tables flanking the perimeter. Both the first floor and top floor have the same set-up. The food had some hits and some misses, but the staff really added to an overall great dining experience. The manger (Abe Lincoln doppelganger) overheard that my sister was recently engaged (not to mention her birthday) and brought us a round of bubbly - and later comped the dessert. A man after my own heart. I look forward to returning to The Dawson once the weather warms up and I can enjoy what looks to be a really cool outdoor space. Read more here for reviews on what I ordered and some pics: thesonnisideup.blogspot.â€¦
(3)
Elizabeth V.

Beautiful space, good cocktails, very average food. I was really disappointing that the food wasn't as great as the space.
(3)
Emilija P.

My fiance is a foodie so we had to check out this new place in town. It's literally down the street from where we live so it was extremely convenient. We decided to walk in around 7:30 pm with no reservation whatsoever. We should really start getting into the habit of making reservations at restaurants, but being from Austin we still haven't gotten into the habit. The hostesses were very welcoming and laughed when we told them through cringed lips that we had no reservation. They gave us a 45 minute wait and showed us where the bar was. The bar was very big and it didn't take long to find two seats. We enjoyed two glasses of wine and a cheese plate when we got a text saying that our table was ready. Not too shabby! We were escorted to the chef's counter in the back and were greeted by the lovely waitress. This place felt a lot friendlier than some of the other hip and trendy restaurants in Chicago. The decor was very nice and the drinks were strong. We ended up having the Waldorf salad (delicious although a small portion) and I had the roasted Chicken. The chicken was phenomenal! I'm writing this as I'm eating the leftovers. It was perfectly seasoned and so so tender. The gnocchi were amazing as well. Like little clouds of potato joy. I thoroughly enjoyed my entree. The owner came by and introduced himself. I believe his name was Branko and he was a very welcoming and nice guy. He ended up giving us two free drinks and kept up with us throughout the night. My fiance told him that this was his second time at The Dawson and he loved to hear that. Overall, I had a great experience. The scene is a little trendy (which I'm not the biggest fan of) but the wait staff were very nice, I like the ambiance, and my entree was phenomenal. I'd say this was a very good experience and we will be going back.
(4)
Kendall B.

Now that I can see straight again (so full), I can write to tell you that The Dawson didn't disappoint. Our server (Amy or Emily - sorry :( chef's counter on Monday 10/28) was extremely intelligent and well seasoned in her craft, her support staff was beyond supportive (unlike the 2-star review below, my water glass was extremely optomistic, never falling below half way) the food was solid (over salted at times - but it's day 4 so I will acknowledge the learning curve) Portions were appropriate, shareable or not. We dined on the Squid, Tacos, Panzanella, Pork Shank and Chicken Fried Strip. Let it be known we rallied towards a victorious clean plate club. (Xsport will be happy to see me extra this week) Managers and Owners were working the room and engaging all tables, as well as those working the pass and expo station. Cocktails were slow on arrival but proved to be worth the wait, not lacking in balance or creativity. The space is a beautiful blend of industrial and delicate, the only thing i will note is the bathrooms (located downstairs) had extremely slick floors that appeared to have been buffed or waxed, nearly met the ground a few times navigating ... my only regrets? A) a small dessert list and B) not saving room for either of them. can't wait to return!
(4)
Kumar v.

Good food. Fantastic customer service. Mussels are highly recommended if you are in to sea food.
(4)
Gabby G.

I met some friends here for drinks and only tried the fries and mushroom raviolis as far as food goes. They where delicious but I must say that the drinks rock here! The service was a little slow on the weekend but there was a large party. I recommend it for a date night, birthday or even a special occasion.
(5)
Veronica R.

I really really wanted to like this place, but sadly, I left completely underwhelmed... and hungry. The place is huge and pretty, and the drink list is interesting, but those are the only redeeming qualities. When we walked in we were not acknowledged by any of the three hosts standing by. We had a 9pm reservation and arrived at 8:55 and were told we'd be seated closer to our reservation time because we were really early and people were staying late. Umm, ok, whatever. We hung out at the bar which was way crowded, but that's ok. Had a drink while we waited and went to check out upstairs. We were impressed with the looks, ok. So went back downstairs and waited at the bar some more. The manager or someone greeted us and for the first time got the warm welcome I was hoping for. He "expedited" our reservation, and eventually got us seated about a half hour late. It's a new place, it was Friday night, and so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Then it went downhill. Our server was pretty aloof and didn't really know much about the menu. That's cool, it's a new place and new menu and im sure a lot to take in, and he was probably super busy. But he had to at least have a few good recommendations, so I asked and he suggested the pork tacos (they were actually good), the pork shank was apparently the best thing on the menu (I had to spit out two pieces that were so fatty and it overall was meh)and the whole fish (the whole "fried fish head set up like a trophy was a little disturbing and the fish itself was extremely "fishy" tasting and I usually LOVE bass). We didn't have it in us to even stay for dessert...it was sooo loud and I was pretty disappointed so we grabbed our check and left. Overall a pretty disappointing experience, especially because we canceled our picolo reservation to dine there. I probably won't be back. Sorry Dawson, I really tried!
(2)
Molly F.

I wanted to like this place, but the food was terrible. the drinks were great, but it's not worth the money. the pork tacos were dry and presentation of dishes was lacking. The Dawson needs work, and needs a menu overhaul. Bottom line great atmosphere, bad food, and good drinks.
(1)
shivi d.

love this place - same owner as Henri, which is also amazing. The crispy pork tacos are fantastic - so much so that we doubled down on those. the bartender also made a mocktail that was so good and so real-tasting i had to double check that there was really no alcohol in it. it was unreal and so much more interesting than the crappy virgin mojitos or mixed fruit juices other bartenders have been serving for the past 7 months already . the staff is super-friendly and unpretentious - they even held two seats at the bar for us (they were full booked for tables) while we valeted and were attentive throughout the meal. made another reservation as we were heading out as I cannot wait to eat here again.
(5)
Dagmar J.

My husband and I went here for dinner last weekend and were fairly disappointed in both the service and food. Our waitress was friendly and seemed to know basic things about the food and drink menus, but was hard pressed to provide details about ingredients or other specific details when asked. For a restaurant with these prices, I would expect the waitstaff to be much better trained and more knowledgeable (compare to the Publican). One of the worst things is that we waited at least 25 or 30 minutes for our appetizer (devilled eggs, which were surely pre-made) before our waitress noticed we were still waiting, and she then went to check with the kitchen. They came out a few minutes later and I thought I could make better ones at home. My husband had to ask for another beer (our waitress didn't ask). Luckily we didn't have to wait an inordinate amount of time for our entrees to come out. The burger was outstanding; however, the agnolotti was not only flavorless and boring, but it also featured peas, which were not mentioned on the menu (very strange indeed). Luckily we don't hate peas, although these had zero flavor or seasoning. I really think I could have made a better pasta dish at home. In summary, I wouldn't spend the money to go back here unless I learn that the service and food have been revamped. It's too bad because we live really close. The ambience was nice though. Beautiful venue.
(2)
Regina M.

To preface this Yelp post, my boyfriend and I read the "Chicago Reader" review of The Dawson beforehand, which pretty much slams the poor quality of the food. We should have listened...they were right. We really make it a point to visit new restaurants and try new spots, and we were very disappointed. In a short space, here are our gripes: our reservation was almost 30 minutes late; the noise level in the downstairs area was ridiculous; the host said that he would text when the table was up, this never happened; the owner(?) was working the floor like a used car salesman, he asked my boyfriend if they had met before and then "coyly" asked us if we were waiting for a reservation, how long, etc., and that he would "take care" of us; after being seated he offered to get us a round of drinks, brought my boyfriend a drink, not me, too, and then it was added to our bill; the food was HORRIBLE, this is not an understatement; the pork tacos were over salted; the brisket was okay; the sausage was disgusting, which was served with mushy raisins and undercooked farro; and to top it off, the scallops and beef cheeks were served on a bed of hot yogurt sauce...if it sounds disgusting, that's because it was. This placed is hyped for the drinks, and I would give them a 2-star rating max. The decor is cheesy and reminiscent of a "distressed" renovated historic building with the recreation of exposed brick using plaster. Skip this place, it is a monstrosity.
(1)
Ryan L.

Cocktails were great, waiting an hour past my reservation not so much. As for the food I ordered the Curry which was ok, but it definitely needed more sauce added to the dish. Overall I wasn't too impressed, and was it me or is this place extremely loud? To the point where the waitress asked twice if we could hear her and apologized for the noise. I'd go back for a drink, but not to eat.
(2)
Amanda F.

I've been to the Dawson twice, once for drinks and the other for food and drinks. The drinks and the atmosphere are awesome...the bartenders were great and made me some crafty cocktails off the menu. I love the glassware and the decor of everything. It's a good addition to the Riverwest neighborhood. I wanted to like the food so badly. The place is just perfect for dinner with friends or a date...however, the food falls really short. I don't think i've had such a disappointing meal in Chicago in a long time. It's not cheap either. My friend and I shared a salad, the gnocchi, and a burger. The salad was bland, lacking anything special, and really boring. It was just a bed of uncut lettuce on a plate, really weird. The gnocchi was highly recommended by the staff..yet it was mushy/cooked poorly/and extremely flavorless. It was in a soupy dish and the whole thing was just terrible, we sent it back and they removed it from our bill. The manager did not come by to apologize, however. The burger was the only dish worthy of that dinner. It was a pretty good standard cheeseburger. The fries were not great, over cooked, and flavorless. I will definitely return for cocktails and lounging, especially on the rooftop in the summer, but I will not be eating here again.
(3)
Jacquelyn W.

We came here for a good friends birthday. We sat right next to the bar and had an earlier reservation. Our server Mike D. was AMAZING! He never made us feel like he wanted us out for the later reservations. The food was delicious and the ambiance was stellar. There were 6 of us and they brought our friend a birthdays dessert and a glass of champs for all of us! The level of service we received was memorable. We will all be back because this was one of the best places in the city. Highly recommend everyone to come!
(5)
Mike N.

The structure and decor of the restaurant is noteworthy. Ambience is good for drinking. Although the food is average.
(4)
Mike R.

Just went here for dinner with another couple and I couldn't believe how cool this space was. The two bars and outdoor space really could be the only thing you come here for and you would be leaving happy. I wasn't blown away by the food; it was good, wasn't great, and the service was a little lacking, but the place was packed. The ambiance is what keeps you here. The place is all about the atmosphere. And it's an awesome space
(4)
Kate W.

A+ on cocktails, A+ on wine, C on food. Went here with a friend at 7:30 on a Friday night. Were cited 30-40 minutes for a table, ended up waiting over an hour. This is nbd--it's a new place, and we had some amazing cocktails upstairs. The safe word is really, really tasty. The tequila/mezcal cocktail was a little weird but still good. The food was pretty "meh." Onion rings were good, dipping sauce wasn't very well balanced. Salad was good, but a little boring. The seafood stew was underwhelming and who doesn't serve a stew with a spoon? Dessert was not good, so sent it back. They took it off the check, which was appreciated. Overall: come here for the cocktails and the ambiance. Pass on the food.
(3)
Kari D.

Overall very good. Def pricey but it's owned by the same guy as The Gage on Michigan Ave, so that's expected. Great selection of craft beers, wine and specialty drinks, food was amazing I loved the outdoor area. Service was superb, the only negative thing about it would be the small selection on their "supper" menu. There were many sides and apps to choose from but only about 5-6 main dishes. What we did have, though, tasted great!
(4)
Ryan C.

Big fan of their patio and drink menu. I only came for lunch so not sure what their nighttime crowd. I'd say the ambiance and design of the building is a bit better then their lunch food offerings but I'd give it another try.
(3)
J C.

My friends took me to the Dawson and the food there was delicious. We ordered a couple drinks, I got a chocolate stout while she got a cream soda. Both were really tasty. For appetizers we ordered the McDucklettes which were very good and a great twist on chicken nuggets. Then we got the redfish and the lamb sugo pappardelle to split between the 3 of us. The description says the redfish is for 2 and it's right! Both were delicious! The redfish was cooked wondeefully, already deboned and a whole lotta fish. The taco fixings were also really good, we needed to asked for extra tacos (corn). They included avocado, salsa verde, and a light cabbage slaw. And the lamb pappardelle was really good and got approval from my very Italian friend which should be a clue. For dessert we split the apple strudel and pumpkin ice cream sandwich. Both very good but the ice cream sandwich was difficult to eat because the pumpkin cookies were so hard. Totally worth the effort though.
(4)
Danny D.

The service was consistently great- fast and very attentive. The apps/starters were just ok - we ordered the mussels (not memorable) , the squash (the best of the ones we ordered), brussel sprouts (under cooked and not too flavorful), a pretzel (decent and tasty dip) and fries (way small portion). The entrees looked amazing and were received well by all. I split the Redfish (a dish on the menu listed for 2 people) and I cannot say enough about this dish. It everything I've always wanted a fish taco entree to be. It' was served on two boards - one with a massive slab of boneless fish perfectly cooked with a Cajun dry rub on it (not too spicy but great flavor). There was a large thick cut of roasted lemon and a side of picante sauce. The second board had a number of folded warm soft shell tacos, a half of an avocado in its skin and a vegetable slaw that had a few roasted radishes in it as well. Placed all together together it was amazing and a significant portion! The ordered a couple of deserts but they weren't impressive. The desert menu as a whole could be improved to say the least. Coffee is offered - although I was told by the staff it is only "ok". They do not offer espressos or cappuccinos. We did order the Daily Drop (their signature shot) which that night contained an Italian aperitif and a blend of fresh herbs and it was pretty great. The atmoshpere is very cool, but since it's a cold time of year the outside space wasn't open and it is REALLY loud in there. Our table of six sitting at a long table was pretty much a scream fest. (Ask for a round table if you have a group.) Services was good. Entrees rocked. Apps were ok. It was pricey( and we knew that it would be) - I just expected a little better since it was $$$. I'll go back but when I can sit outside
(3)
Bryan W.

I should break this review up into two sections. The first would be the drinks and ambiance which would easily be in the 4 star category. The second would be the food which for me would be more in the 2 or three star range. The food wasn't awful just overpriced for what it was. Not to say this food was bad it just didn't wow me. On the other hand the cocktails were quite good and the staff was super friendly and responsive. Overall I'm not always sure where to rate places like this. For a drink and the wonderful outside space I would say this is reason enough to go. In fact maybe I just ordered the worst thing on the menu and this place has fantastic food but I can only comment on my first visit. I'm sure I will be back once the weather gets warmer. I'll just keep an eye on the reviews and see if it was just a one off experience with the cuisine.
(3)
Datis M.

Loved this place. The atmosphere is incredible. The servers are knowledgeable, friendly and timely. The food and drinks are top notch. Would highly recommend this place to anyone. I had east coast oysters, shoshito peppers and the sausage platter. The shoshito peppers reminded me of my travels to spain... sooo good!
(5)
Dhara S.

Solid 5 stars. Reading through other reviews the bar is already undisputed, but food should be too. I have been to the Dawson twice now and the food is consistently excellent. On my last visit we shared couple of small plates. The cheese plate which was absolutely delicious and onion rings which were fried to golden perfection served with house-made St. Louis bbq sauce. For my entree I had the pork shank with pappardelle and mascarpone was tender which great depth of flavor. The staff is attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. Clint, the general manger stopped by our table. He made us feel really welcomed and cared for. He also recommended some delicious classic yet creative cocktails and wine which was on point. Don't forget to try the daily dram! The ambience is lively, warm, and inviting. The space is beautiful with so many thoughtful touches. I am really looking forward to drinking on the patio once the weather warms up. Overall, the Dawson is excellent. Worth visiting Chicago for the drinks alone-- but you will be equally impressed by the food.
(5)
Jenny Y.

I would give Dawson 3.5 stars. Came here 2 times Love the ambiance here, causal, lively and chic, Patio is big. They have a good drink selection, cocktails were great. I enjoyed the liquid swords and cowboys from hell. Food was not bad- Cheeseburger and mushroom ravioli were average. Mussels was really good, i could just drink the sauce! Also their pork belly tacos was delicious Overall, good ambiance, great drink selection, food is a hit or miss. I like that they change their menu seasonally, will come back.
(4)
Joddi S.

Candlelight atmosphere with very attentive staff. Marco, our server was exceptionally knowledgable about the menu and made valuable suggestions as well. The food was eye pleasing and delicious. A little disappointed that they limited steak selection. However, overall, the whole experience was exceptional.
(5)
Neamen L.

This place was pretty good. They had ample street parking which was convenient. The ambiance was pretty trendy and hip. Food and drinks were on point and the whole group enjoyed their meals.
(4)
Indy G.

I had the Salmon dinner and it was delicious. Our waitress was awesome and the cocktails were great! The atmosphere was vibrant, decor was neat, love the open view of the kitchen. The manager was attentive and friendly. Definitely will return.
(5)
Victoria F.

I enjoyed the outdoor patio, but it was crowded, a lot going on, which isn't a bad thing if you like to go to a place where there is a scene. It is a great outdoor space. the restaurant itself is a big impressive space too. Both I and my friend thought the food was so-so, not excellent, but not bad either. We thought it wasn't worth the prices that they charged, but would be good if they charged less for the meal that we got. I gave it 3 stars because there is room for improvement, it has potential, and hopefully they will tweak the food to make it worth the money.
(3)
Meredith M.

I was super excited to try this place because it looks badass from the outside and definitely a trendy spot in River West as the available reservations on Open Table were limited. I went super early on a Saturday (5:30pm) because I had a CrossFit competition all day and was starving. My mom and I split the oysters to start, which were delicious. I am no oyster connoisseur by any means but they tasted good to me! I then ordered the ravioli, while my mom got the burger. Okay I know that ravioli usually comes in pretty small portions, but seriously there were only 3 ravs on my plate. I really wanted to just go to town and feast after my competition, so I did something I don't normally do- I complained about the portion. The waitress was super nice about it though and talked to the manager and I got a huge piece of devil's food cake on the house which was delightful! My mom's burger which she gave me about half of was really really good. The fries that came with it were also delicious. Not a huge burger by any means, but definitely wouldn't keep you hungry. All in all I would go back. Next time however I would skip the oysters (since my mom won't be paying) and just go for the burger. I would definitely top the meal off with the cake again as well. Oh one other thing- the service was really good but it was like too good- literally every time I took a sip of water someone came over to fill up my cup. And they had also left the bottle on the table so I could have easily just filled it up myself. Usually I appreciate this but it was excessive. Like seriously every single sip...
(3)
Lauren H.

Tuesday evening was amazing. A friend of mine who is a chef with an equally as crazy schedule decided that we should have a girls night out! I called The Dawson and made reservations for a Tuesday evening at 6:45. We were promptly seated and menus brought to the table. Service was impeccable. The attention to detail is experienced from the moment you sit down to the last bite. MENU: Wood Grilled Salt works oysters + AMAZING! I am not a huge oyster fan but honestly I would drive across a dessert to eat these again. dawson deviled eggs + Very interesting flavor profile. Pickled Beets and Eggs.. who knew?!? burrata tartine + This was the best thing I ate that evening! tuscan kale + okay , if you like KALE then you may feel differently about this one. pork shank + Handmade pasta was amazing, the pork needed to be seasoned a bit more and maybe an ajus? seared maine scallops braised beef cheek accented with blood orange. 2nd best thing I ate this evening. DRINK: Pinot Noir- yum, perfect rec. from our server. SAFE WORD- this cocktail was served in the perfectly chilled glass. And it was delicious. Closing statements: I read some comments regarding this place being loud.. well what do you expect it is a bar and when you go anywhere at 10:00 it's going to be loud. Do yourself a favor and go around 7:00/8:00 and prepare to be relished in amazing food and great service. You will NOT regret it-
(5)
V S.

Had an excellent meal here last night. The service was good, not great, but the food was awesome. For appetizers, we had the fish tacos (fresh and great textures) and the carpaccio (again, fresh and delicious). For mains, we had the scallops (perfectly seared on the outside) and the pork shank (fall off the bone tender). The portion sizes were also huge. For dessert, we shared the apple cake, which was dense and pretty good. The cocktails (Manhattan and their take on the Old Fashioned) were also strong and had unique flavors. A pricey meal (~$90 per person with tip), but worth it. Also, the owner (I believe his name is Billy) stopped by to say hi, which was nice.
(4)
Carmen G.

Came back a couple of weeks after. Looks like there were changes in the chef and menu. Had the burger which was pretty decent. But still one food item out of all the others doesnt cut it. I stand by my 3 star review.. come here for the drinks but skip the food. But if you must eat, then order the burger.
(3)
Kim K.

Where should I start....This place is AMAZING! My husband and I came here with another couple on a Saturday and had such a great experience. The restaurant is massive, and quite the sight to see. I am extremely impressed with the look and feel of the main dining room where we ate. Apparently there is also an upstairs and a very spacious patio. I would love to go back and dine alfresco sometime. The drinks...the drinks are out of this world! I had a couple of hard ciders from my hometown in Michigan (a shout out to Virtue Cider in Fennville). My husband had a couple Manhattans. I am not a fan of whiskey. AT ALL. But I tried his drink and it was smooth and surprisingly palatable for my non whiskey loving taste buds. The couple we were with had some of their signature cocktails. Absolutely delicious and well crafted. Dinner was phenomenal. We started with the deviled eggs (sounds weird, but they were so good!!) and the cheese platter with brie goat cheese l, fire roasted grapes and honey. Small, but so full of flavor. For dinner I ordered the pork shank which was massive...I will have left over for days. My husband had the braised beef ribs. To. Die. For. The service was great. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable and gave great advice on what to order. Definitely returning.
(5)
Chinwe N.

I desperately wanted to LOVE this place, but the food just wouldn't make that possible. The space is beautiful, the layout is nice with a full bar on both floors and plenty of room to sit (at the bar or tabletop). Very trendy crowd, good music (Little Brother anyone) good cocktails..... The food needs work- plain and simple. The bf and I ordered the pear salad to start- way overdressed and the ingredients didn't really come together in a cohesive way. Pears, greens, candied nuts, cheese.... something about it just failed to come together. I ordered the tagliatelle which was flavorless and gummy. The serving was too large and the noodles were clumped together. Our friends ordered the crab cakes as an app- and the mustard dash was the tastiest thing on that plate. Their burger was good but 1 out of 4 still leaves much to he desired. We'll be back, bur only for drinks.
(3)
He K.

Very fancy and hip place. Love the way it looks a lot. The menu is a little bit disappointing though. Its very pricey and there are not a lot of options. Drinks prices are a bit higher than usual too. And, what i didn't like at all are all the "wanna be"s in there...
(3)
Todd S.

Yikes! WIth the Gage and Henri already on the resume and both amazing....What is going on here? Its too much for MGMT to handle. 8pm reservation-sat at 9:27pm! Whats worse is to have been told people were still sitting at their tables since 6:15pm by MGMT. Heres a thought, fire some checks at these tables and try to turn the restaurant before 10:00pm you already missed crunch time. The food was sadly overshadowed by the wait. The place is really cool inside. A very nice build-out for sure, but inability to turn the tables in this place is going to kill them. I wanted to dig this place, but I'm not rushing back anytime soon. Good luck!
(2)
Elle M.

Clearly the Dawson already knows how great they are, but we all like a little ego boost at the end of the day, right? I didn't have any food, so I can't speak to that, but the drinks here are completely fantastic. I like to try a good cross section of any cocktail menu when I'm visiting for the first time and I feel like I made some pretty good headway here on Saturday night. Their seasonal Zodiac Cobbler is seriously delicious. Tastes like summer in a much less humid environment. I also had the First Base, which I adored (I would've repeated that one, but like I said, it was my first time and I felt obligated to try them all). Next I had the Travelling Mercies, which is a bit deadly. It's definitely a "sipper." My drinking companion was in a hopping mood, so we didn't eat there, but I'll definitely be heading back sometime soon. Maybe when the el stops sweating so I can sit outside without fear of melting. Merci beaucoup, Dawson!
(5)
Ben P.

Definitely skip this new "hotshot". Everything from the food drinks and service was disappointing. I could have given it a higher rating but the fact I've been suffering from food poisoning all weekend from the hamachi, I'm not in that generous of a mood. 1) bar staff was not engaging at all, took forever to get a drink and it wasn't that busy. When attempting to settle the bill, they were way too busy to even acknowledge me. 2) food was dismal. Hamachi tasted fishy which it isn't supposed to and explains why I spent most of Saturday "occupied". The chicken was over salted and lacked taste 3) drinks were "interesting". Not for me and I can stomach most types of cocktails. One drink was returned which they actually very kind to replace but it's gotta be pretty bad when it needs to be returned. The decorum has been over done. Let's get something fresh in that area. Might be a nice place during the summer. But I'll give it a pass.
(1)
Laura L.

Relatively predictable menu for a trendy Chicago restaurant but they're doing most of it right. Great oktoberfest pretzel Delish fish dip (as was the salad that came with it!) Lobster left me wanting... a lot Good hushpuppies Shishito peppers - I've had better Burger was really great Cheese was very forgettable Didn't explore the cocktails too much but I liked the one I had. Overall, its a really nice restaurant, cool setup, but since I live far away I doubt I would make the trek without a very specific reason. If I lived close, however, I could see it being a hang out.
(4)
Samantha W.

I met my friend here on Friday for a couple of after work drinks. I got there right at 5 and was able to snag 2 seats at the bar. They fill up quick though. We both had several glasses of wine. The service outside was great. We also ordered a few apps, (shrimp cocktail and something else that I forgot) which were decent, but nothing to write home about. I would definitely go back for drinks because it's a super cute trendy spot, but I don't think I'd stick around for dinner.
(4)
Kristy C.

Worth trying out. I've been twice now and both times the food was good. Service was great once and horrible the second time, so inconsistent I suppose. Great atmosphere. Prices are a bit high for the quality of food but not terrible. Between the two times I went the menu offerings were completely different, which I appreciated. Nothing particularly special but you won't be disappointed either.
(4)
Andy D.

While the outside seating is wonderful, the food is way over priced for what you get and the service was subpar to back up the high prices. $10 for a small draft beer, $15 for a cheeseburger you could get at any other upscale burger joint for $10 or less and $3 oysters which are small, not fresh and served with crushed garlic & onions as opposed to cocktail sauce. I wanted to appreciate this spin on the oysters but it wasn't very good. I could have bought larger and more fresh oysters at Jewel for less than $1 each. Our server was somewhat attentive without any personality. My recommendation is to go to The Dawson before or after dinner for 1 drink (maybe 2) to enjoy the outdoor seating.
(2)
Nora D.

Went with three friends from out of town and we all loved it. Great drink selection and we shared about 8 small plates and were full. Brussel sprouts and the pork cupcake were favorites - also got Taco Tuesday specials (lamb sausage and chicken) that were fab.
(5)
Frances H.

Great place for drinks. Especially during the warm weather, enjoy the outdoor patio area. The 2 of us ordered the canteen drink, which was absolutely delicious. Even though it says serves 4 people, it is definitely doable for 2 if that's the only drink you're planning on ordering. To be fair, we were there for dinner as well, so that may have helped with us being able to finish the canteen. Overall, the food was ok, a bit overpriced considering it wasn't all that memorable. I know we got the chicken fried lobster and I think the charcuterie plate? See? I'm a huge food person and was a waitress once upon a time, but even I can't recall exactly what we ordered. I would definitely go there for drinks and possibly small bites, but that's about it. I do love the location, right across the intersection from the blue line stop.
(4)
Debbie M.

I've tried the dawson 3 times now. All of which, food was amazing, drinks were great, but service was miserable. First time waitress forgot to put our food order in, so we waited literally 2 hours for appetizers. Second time waitress was just very forgetful and inattentive. Third and probably last time, we sat outside, asked to sit at a table a little further away from everyone. Hostess said no because they are trying to consolidate the patio to one section.... At 830. So we sat at the table in the middle of everyone and didn't get a waitress until 20 min later after having to ask for service. And when our waitress finally did make it over she was really rude and came Over not greeting us just said "what can I get you" haha
(1)
J R.

I've been here for brunch and for dinner. Both times I left full and happy. This place has ample outdoor seating as well as indoor with a fun/lively ambiance. The staff is very nice, especially the hosts. They made my girlfriends and I feel like superstars. We could not resist the bacon flight on the brunch menu and I would definitely recommend every one tries the ever-safe deviled eggs for supper. They will not disappoint!
(4)
Laura L.

Stylish patio that honors the original building. Good but pricey food. Entrees around $30. I don't feel compelled to make a return trip.
(4)
Midori C.

This place has a very, very cool ambiance inside and outside in the warm weather. The entire place is set-up with excellence and looks great! The servers are very familiar about each of the drinks on the menu and can pretty much answer any question you may have about any of their drinks on the menu. One time I was there with my girlfriend and they even showed us the different ingredients that they put in their drinks, which was very nice of them and they did not have to do that as they were very packed at the bar. They have a WIDE variety of very cool different drink options that you do not normally see at the all restaurants. They also have a very large wine selection to choose from. I would recommend going to The Dawson for their drinks. The food options however are not my favorite at all, their menu is always changing I believe my last server said that their menus change every 3-4 weeks (that number could be off) But I went there and had this AMAZING kale and brussel sprout salad and then the next time I went back it was not on the menu. I wouldn't recommend The Dawson if you are on any sort of restrict diet plans as they do not have many veggie/salad options at all on their menu. I would HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend The Dawson as a great place to grab a drink with a friend, create conversation with people you meet at around the bar/restaurant, and also the bartenders/servers. There is a lot of street parking around the area and they offer valet.
(4)
Grennan K.

Great space but overrated over salted menu. Came here on valentines day for dinner & the upper space seemed more like a nightclub set up with a wraparound bar & awkward tables along the perimeter. My review mostly has to do with the questionable ambiance because the food wasn't as striking.
(2)
Frankie T.

I had high expectations for this place because of the rave publicity given to it. Unfortunately, I wasn't wowed by anything. Nothing about it stood out. For me it's just another new restaurant with average tasting food. We had the pork shank and our server said it is the best in the menu - if that really is the case, im not sure if we'll like the others at all. The pork shank just had good texture, but flavor wise, we've tried better. For the price of their food, I'm hesitant to think if it was really worth it.
(3)
Meg R.

We went here for a friends birthday and had a wonderful experience. We ordered only appetizers and everything was delicious. The chicken fried lobster, mussels and ceviche was all amazing. The staff was very friendly and sent us a round of champagne to celebrate the birthday. We will definitely be back!
(5)
James S.

Pretty average, the menu has several items on it where you have to ask the waiter "what is this"? I had the waldorf salad which was ok, the curry which was below average and the bread pudding which was very good. The wine list is so-so. The bar was nice, they had the bar-stools with the low backs that are very uncomfortable and the seats were sort of too short to eat dinner. Attractive space and near my home so Ill be back but only for drinks.
(2)
James R.

A pretty awful experience, Here's how I would grade it: The cocktails: B+ creative, great flavors, nice selections, well thought out. Atmosphere: B Main Floor F Upstairs Dining Room, (unbearably loud, couldn't hear my guest at a table for 2) the acoustics are abysmal Appetizer: C Skatewing Rillet Tasty, nice presentation, quite small though (3 bites for $11.00 !) Appetizer: F Cioppino ENTIRE dish was flavorless, no herbs, garlic or wine detectable Shrimp and Scallops in it were cooked to death, also got 1 dead clam in bowl Broth was "like dishwater" as my guest put it. weak, flavorless EntrÃ©e: F Chicken The Chicken was salt brined to DEATH, and inedible, Gnocchi was simply awful, off-flavored, grainy and poorly executed garnish of 3 romaine leaves atop was bizarre and inappropriate EntrÃ©e: D Striped Bass with "Som Tam" Fish was tasty, but full of scales that fell off into the rest of the plate. The Som Tam was also poorly executed, no where near what a true green papaya salad should be like, dressed with mayo instead of lime and too bland. We had a decent bottle of wine with our meal, but I am still scratching my head at a bill of $110 for really poorly executed food. Service: D Took our waiter about 20 minutes to greet us once we were seated by hostess. Knowledgeable, but we didn't see him much at all during service once the food came out by the runners. Finally, I would have to say our entire experience was like having bad sex with someone who you were attracted to initially, and then found out that the longer they stayed around, the worse it got. In that kind of situation, the best thing you can do is leave, so we did.
(1)
Roxana B.

Great cocktails ! Will go back to dine !
(4)
Dave L.

Checked this place out for restaurant week. Had a drink at the bar and and then dinner in the restaurant. Overall solid place. Good food and friendly service. We had the deviled eggs, pork belly tacos, scallops, and pork shank. Everything was very good except for the tacos which were pretty greasy and messy. Nice draft list too. I can definitely see myself coming back (although not for those tacos).
(4)
Holly S.

This place is all around great. Our server was incredibly attentive and had great recommendations for the very extensive drink menu. My husband and I shared the steak for 2 which was literally perfection and very filling. The menu is limited, but based on that steak dish alone, I cannot wait to come back and try more otpions.
(5)

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Address : 730 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL, 60654
Phone (312) 243-8955
Website https://the-dawson.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :4:30 pm - 10:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Brunch, Dinner
Parking : Valet
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Loud
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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The Dawson

730 W Grand Ave, Chicago, IL, 60654

The Dawson Menu

Appetizers

Appetizers Cold

Appetizers Hot

Entrees

Mahi Mahi

Dessert

Healthy Meal suggestions for The Dawson

Appetizers

Appetizers Cold

Appetizers Hot

Entrees

Mahi Mahi

Dessert

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