Dagar's is getting 5 stars, first and foremost, because with 24 hours notice, they were willing to accommodate a catered lunch for 40 people in my office. We had a last minute presentation with out of town doctors coming and we wanted to make a nicer impression than take-out food brought in aluminum and plastic containers. I sheepishly called the day prior, almost embarrassed to ask, was abruptly told "NO" by the person who answered the phone ...but then heard a little conversation in the background and knew that an owner had intervened. As a business owner myself, I can appreciate ANY owner who hesitates to turn down a sale before learning all the parameters even when it seems impossible to be able to fulfill the request. Kathryn Dagar Albarado got on the phone and offered me a solution - if I would accept the menu she proposed based on the late notice and limited availablity of supplies, she would gladly cater our luncheon. The offer she extended was actually one I was considering choosing anyway so it looked like a win-win situation. She even agreed to my request to substitute one of the side dish offerings. Earlier than expected, the polite and petite Miia showed up and began to work her magic on our less than glamorous office lunchroom. She dressed the tables with cloths, set up chafing dishes, and by the time she was finished, it looked like a cute little cafe. It made a very nice impression on our visiting guests, our staff was thrilled to have this higher level of service and ambiance from our usual lunch offerings, and the food was delicious. We had the chicken Vera Cruz - which was made all the tastier in my estimation because they'd gone to the trouble to pound the chicken breasts, making for an easier opportunity to load up the delicious mushroomy-tomaty sauce on top. Green beans amandine,some very tasty rosemary roasted new potatoes, and doughy dinner rolls rounded out the meal and we were delighted to find that the beverage service included pink lemonade as well as the standard iced tea (I had not asked for that in advance). Miia sat by patiently, staying through the entire buffet service, on hand should we need anything further. Beyond the fast booking for this catering, the good food and stellar service, was the price. I was amazed to find that I didn't spend a dime more than I would have had I gone down the street to a local BBQ joint and brought in an equivalent quantity of meat and sides. I was pleased with the whole experience and will definitely be using Dagar's again. read more

Dagar's Catering of Austin is absolutely the worst catering service I have ever seen. The wedding I attended last month, was brought down by the service they provided. Their staff was rude, out of line and pretty much walked around with a chip on their shoulder the entire night. They spoke to guests as if the guests requests were too much to bear, and were a problem. They treated each other like plague victims, not helping one another and being very rude, to the point it made my table very uncomfortable. The manager that night was no other than the owner Kathryn Dagar, and she was terrible at running her staff; I've never seen a woman angrier or more broodish in front of their client's guests. I can guess that people hire those that are like them. The food was cold, and tasteless. My 12 year old son cooks a better breaded chicken and it's "shake n" bake"! Don't even get me started on their limp tasteless vegetables, it's like they opened an expired can and decided to serve it anyway. I sincerely hope this is their last year in business. A warning to anyone else who might hire these horrible people. Don't try and save a dime with them, spend more with anyone else; you'll thank yourselves later, because their prices aren't as low as you think and other aren't nearly as expensive. read more

When booking your tasting, come hungry! This by far is the best BBQ. It's hard to believe that this is strictly a catering business. It's amazing. They package the bride and groom food. Because even if you get a chance to eat at your own wedding, it's not that much and you don't get to enjoy it! Kathy is great to work with. You can email her through out the process with any questions and she replies in a timely manner. Not only can you get mouth watering BBQ from this catering service but you can also rent tablecloths, napkins, glasses, all your dish wear and flatware. She is so flexible. They even include cutting up the rest of your cake afterwards. They have a sister company that takes care of you liqueur needs. The only draw back is, they are pricy but worth it. My guest stated that the bartender for that night was a bit rude. Other than that I was told that service was outstanding. read more

Dagar's Catering for your office lunch or breakfast is a must! They have an extensive, tasty menu and are very accommodating. Professional and courteous staff, will serve your colleague's warm, flavorful food. I appreciate the follow-up and ability to complete the online survey. Dagar's is our go-to caterer here in Austin. read more

Kathryn & her team at Dagar's really go above and beyond for their couples! We used them for catering (buffet style, with passed appetizers during cocktail hour) and bartending (beer & wine set-up package), and also rented several linens from them for our tables. They were SO easy to communicate with, and when the big day came around, everything from set-up to break-down was seamless and professional. They even made plates for us (the bride & groom) and served them to us before opening the buffet to our guests! We received so many compliments on the food, and we could not recommend them enough. Thank you, Dagar's! read more

Kathryn Dagar and team did an outstanding job at my wedding at Laguna Gloria - from the table and chair rentals to the food, the event was flawless. Kathryn worked with me one year before my wedding date, and I always felt she had my best interest in mind. Kathryn also kept pricing in mind as well - we were interested in having a specific kind of chair for our wedding dinner guests. Kathryn monitored the rental company prices (which were seasonal) and secured our desired chairs when the rate dropped by $5/each. I would never have had time to do this, but Kathryn is very detail-oriented and she got it done. Kathryn's wedding planner, Kira Daugherty, was amazing. Even my wedding guests noticed what a hard worker she was - from directing the flow of the ceremony to substituting at the bar and serving drinks, she made me feel that I could relax and actually enjoy my wedding, knowing she was handling everything expertly. I highly recommend Kira - she is a perfectionist and you can be at ease knowing she will get everything done as you want it to be. read more

I live in Chicago and recently used Dagar's Catering of Austin for a movie premiere after party during South By Southwest. Prior to the event, I had never been to Austin and had no means of getting a personal referral. After speaking with several local catering companies, Dagar's was the clear choice. Their event specialist helped me plan a menu that provided a strong variety of good food, including vegan options, and a specific bar service package that offered everything we needed while adhering to our limited budget. The event staff was professional and efficient and management was more than generous. When planning events like this one, peace of mind is as equally important to me as the quality of the food and beverage. With Dagar's, I got both. read more

Kathryn and her wait staff at Dagar's Catering did a fantastic job at my son's wedding! Cocktail hour had servers coming around continuously with food served at just the right temperature. At dinner, over 220 guests were served buffet style in 20 minutes!! After guests got the initial plate of food, the wait staff bussed the tables so frequently it felt more like it was a full service dinner. Beautiful serving table spread with silver chafers and uniformed carvers serving Dagars' famous melt in your mouth smoked brisket added so much class to the reception. Platinum serve package is recommended too to top off the event. Many thanks to Kathryn, a true professional, who handled everything from beginning to end after just giving birth to her son. May you continue to enjoy much success! Jeanette read more

About 3 months ago we went to Dagar's to have a food tasting and the service and food was AMAAAZZZZINNGG. Kathryn showed us around their facilities and they are complete rockstars. Their day to day operations take a village and they do their jobs so perfect and gracefully. Yesterday at our wedding we were so pleased with the food and service and it was proof that this company HAS IT ALL. Amazing food, service and people and we are so thankful for everything this company did to make sure our wedding was perfect. Your next event, choose Dagars!! read more

Dagar's Catering provides food service to the company where I work. While the food in general is just ok and the pricing is reasonable, it is lackluster flavor at best. One of the main staff is always very cold and never smiles -not just cool professional acting, but almost angry. There were several occassions when I had to wait a significant amount of time for my order and there were no apologies. There was an incident where someone became very ill from food that Dagar staff had not completely cooked. And there have been several reports of uncooked meat. They could be here the next 10 years, but I won't go back. They lost my confidence. If I learn that they are catering an event I will be attending in the future, I either won't go or I'll not eat. read more

We hired Dagars for catering our wedding and I'm SO happy that we did! The guests raved about the food and there was plenty leftover. Unlike other catering companies, they give you all of the leftovers. The service was fantastic! Their customer service was so so great; every email and communication was quickly returned with respect and kindness. We went with them because we were able to get a gluten free menu AND they worked with our budget. The food was slightly different than what we had at the tasting. But it was still delicious and they worked very well with accommodating my family's food allergies and sensitivities. read more

If you want to save the most amount of money and don't care what the food tastes like, then let Dagar's cater your event. Unknowingly, we confided in Kathryn and her 50 years in business sales pitch and signed a contract without a tasting. We went to a wedding vendor event and tasted their food. We were very disappointed with the over seasoned food. When we expressed our concern to Kathryn, she became very defensive and vocal & stated that they knew what they were doing since they've been in business for 50 years. Just because you've been in business for 50 years, does not guarantee good food today. We were still 6 months away frrom our wedding day, so we called Kathryn and told her to cancel our contract but she wouldn't refund us our $500 deposit or even a portion of it. Again, we were still 6 months away from our wedding and she had done nothing as of yet to prepare for our wedding day. We understand we signed a contract but this is a matter of ethics on Dagar's behalf. Six months out is still enough time for them to re-book a Friday wedding. We are paying more with our current caterer and the food & service is amazing. We're HAPPY to pay them more in order to have a better experience on our wedding day....and so should you! RUN AWAY FROM DAGAR'S CATERING!!!! read more

We hired Dagar based on our budget and the spectacular reviews. I can honestly say, they were a pleasure to work with and exceeded our expectations tenfold. They really made the process fun with their extensive menu options, delightful tasting experience, and flexibility. We had their "southern comfort" lemonade service during a pre-ceremony time period, and all my guests RAVED about the lemonade selections. We then had three tray-passed appetizers and bar service during a post-ceremony hour (while bride and groom did pictures), and again everything was delicious and on point. We then had the beef tenderloin (with carving station), salmon, asparagus, beet salad, mashed potatoes, and bread. My guests are still bringing up how delicious everything was. Our bartender and service staff made sure the bride (myself) and groom didnt' wait in any lines and kept us fed and drinking the whole event. Do yourself a favor...hire Dagar! They're worth every penny and then some! read more

Kathryn Dagar and Dagar's catering was a home run at our wedding! Throughout the wedding planning process Kathryn and her staff answered many questions, gave great suggestions and provided multiple taste-testing options. After our first meeting with Dagar's we knew they were well prepared to handle a wedding of 200+ guests. The day of the event, Dagar's did an ABOVE and BEYOND job catering to our guests and their needs. One of the biggest compliments from our wedding was the delicious food and great bartending service. Dagar's allows you to create an individualized plan and menu to meet your event's needs! In addition they provided a lot of great options for place settings, table linens, tables and chairs. On a scale of 1 to 10, they are absolutely a 10+. read more

We recently attended a large catered event and while the staff was very helpful and kept the food and drinks available, unless you like "mystery meat" and stems in your green bean casserole, you might look elsewhere read more

Dagar's catered my wedding and they were amazing! The food was delicious, the table settings were beautiful and the service was excellent. Nothing but good things to say about this company and what they have to offer :) read more

Dagars catering did a phenomenal job at my recent wedding! The free tasting and the very fair prices were so helpful in helping us decide to go with them. Kathyrn understood the importance of cultural sensitivity and seemed very experienced working with guests from all different backgrounds. Before the wedding, she was very flexible with changing the final guest count as last minute people dropped out even after I signed the contract. At the event her staff ( as I heard from my guests and from personal observation) was kind and attentive! Most of the guests commented on how great the food was and everyone had enough to eat! They also helped us serve boba that we obtained from another vendor and provided platters for snacks family brought. They went above and beyond what I expected from a caterer and for that I am so grateful and would not hesitate to recommend Dagars to any couple for their wedding day! read more

Dagar's catered our daughter and son-in-laws wedding reception Saturday, August 7, 2010 at Mercury Hall. The did a tremedous job, we have nothing but great things to say about the food and service. Thank you Kathryn for help us with our decisions and planning and the staff that served the wedding were just awesome to work in the terrible August heat!!! Lauren, Fred, Ty, Diana and there are 3 more that the names slip my memory because I wrote it down and someone miss-place my paper. Hopefully you know who you are, we appreciate you!! We got so many compliments on the food. Thank You DAGARS!! read more

Overall, I was very happy with the service Dagars provided at our wedding last month. The food was actually even better than I expected it to be--the chicken was moist and delicious, they also created a shrimp and grits station for us that was very tasty. We had so many compliments on the food at our wedding snd were able to create a fall menu based on the options provided thst suited our wedding perfectly. I thought the food was better the night of the wedding than at the actual tasting. They also created a signature cocktail for us to serve as guests arrived--I didn't get to taste it so can't speak to the flavor but heard that it was good. They give the bride and groom a personal waiter to serve their food at the reception so you don't have to stand in line, they even brought us the passed hors d'oeuvres that we missed while taking photos. At the end of the night they pack the bride and groom to go boxes also. The wait staff and bartenders also went above and beyond and cleaned the trashed bathroom at the end of the night. For an extra fee they will set up and tear down the chairs and tables as well. I do have a couple of complaints...there was prompt and courteous communication initially, however there was a staff change after we signed the contract and towards the end we felt they were friendly and didn't communicate as effectively. Kathryn was quite slow to respond to some emails and abrupt (a little rude) in her responses. Also--there was no water on the tables at the dinner, something that would have been nice (especially for those not going to the bar for drinks). The biggest complaint I had was that they pulled out the cake table to cut the cake but did not push it back. As a result an expensive backdrop we created fell and broke and caused a loud crashing noise during the reception. They did clean it up quickly, however we were not compensated for the damage. They also only have monthly tastings if you want to try the food (you can request a particular dish if you'd like)--this was difficult as I was planning the wedding from out of town. Overall--for quality and taste of food, Dagar's was excellent. They offer some nice touches for the wedding and made the night run very smoothly for the most part. read more

Dagar's catering did an amazing job at my wedding. My wedding coordinator was sick and Kathryn came in and went above and beyond her job to make sure all the details were taken care of. She made sure my husband and I had drinks the whole night, she put together our candy buffet, I could go on and on. The food was also amazing. Everyone can't stop talking about my avocado station and all the food. I would recommend them to for any event, but especially for weddings. read more

I spent a lot of time worrying about having quality food and service for my daughter's wedding reception. What a waste of time! Dagar's was outstanding! Working with Kathryn and her family was a pleasure. The staff was attentive to guests and I received many compliments on food and service. We checked out several caterers before choosing Dagar's and are 100% satisfied with our choice! read more

Our wedding was in March 2013, and we used Dagar's to cater the reception. They were fabulous. We looked at a lot of caterers around Austin, and Dagar's was by far the most competitively priced. When we told other vendors our food budget, they scoffed at us and would always send us a bid far outside of what we had budgeted. Kathryn, one of the owners of Dagar's, was the exact opposite. She worked with us to create a menu that was well within our budget, even with the rentals and service fees factored in. And, to be clear, the lower price was no reflection of the food or service they provided. Everything was exactly how we asked for it to be. We had food stations that consisted of comfort foods, and everyone at the wedding commented on how great the food was, particularly the barbecue sliders. I worked closely with Kathryn, and she was very responsive and always followed up quickly on any questions I had. She also worked with us to personalize our menu to exactly what we wanted. The night of the wedding, her staff was great. They ensured that the groom and I had food waiting at our places so that we had a chance to eat during the reception. They also packaged up a care package and put it in our car to take with us at the end of the night, which was much appreciated after a long night of dancing! read more

Our experience with Dagar's was horrible! We contracted with them April 2013 for an October 2013 wedding and our representative was Adrianne. We had planned to visit the wedding venue together and I also needed Dagar's to sign a simple contract with my wedding venue (basically about insurance, cleaning etc). After we paid the down payment, it was nearly impossible to get a response. The signed contract from Dagar's was due 60 days prior to the wedding for the venue and I literally got it on the 60 day mark. Then Adrianne, our rep, was fired about a month and a half before the wedding. I was not surprised at that. Adrianne took zero notes so I basically had to start from scratch with the owner, Kathryn. Kathryn was nice but Adrianne had told us things that were not standard with Dagar's and we ended up getting charged more. We gave everything we could to Kathryn so she could wrap it all up (Dagar's had never catered at our wedding venue and the set up was kind of different than normal). About two weeks before the wedding, Kathryn sent us a final layout which was completely different than what we had sent her. We felt like she really did not care about our event and was not putting in the time or care that should have been. She was supposed to be the catering manager the day of our wedding but about a week before, she handed it off to her brother. Again, we felt like our event was being passed off like a hot potato and that the $15k we spent wasn't worth their time. For the actual event, Dagar's forgot knives completely, a cake cutter and ran out of napkins. This is only what I noticed! Also my mother started busing tables because their staff was not taking care of it. The food was mediocre and not as good as our food tasting but I guess you can expect that when it's made in mass quantities. I will say the bartenders did a good job. All and all, I would not recommend Dagar's Catering and if we could go back, we would definitely choose another catering company. read more