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Valentine's Day at The Dawson: We made reservations a few weeks in advance which is highly recommended for any special event. We arrived a bit early but were seated right away. There is also a coat check at the front which was super convenient. The ambiance was perfect for Valentine's Day. The light was low and the tables were set up with roses. Some of the staff also embraced the red and pink theme in their attire. The menu was a four course fixed-prix menu where you have the option to choose one of three or four dishes for each course. For the starters, our waiter, Taylor, recommended the wagyu meatballs or the lobster dejonghue so my boyfriend and I each got one and shared. Both were good but the meatballs were the highlight. The tomato sauce was so fresh and it was a nice combo of textures between the meatballs, sauce, and ciabatta toast. The lobster was also good but pretty difficult to eat. I felt like I wasted so much food because I struggled to get it out of the shell. For the seconds, we tried the roasted baby beets and the creamy mushroom soup. The soup was super flavorful and came with some puff pastry on the side. The beats were also very fresh and came with a very decent amount of goat cheese. For my main I had the halibut. It was soft but had a crispy crunch outer layer which was satisfying. The champagne tarragon cream was also a nice compliment for the fish, carrots, and potatoes. To finish the meal we shared the chocolate lover's mess and the strawberry cream of the heart which were both very different desserts. The favorite was the chocolate mess. It was super rich and filling. The strawberry heart had cute presentation but wasn't a big hit from either of us. Overall, a great date night! Delicious food, great atmosphere, and professional service.
I have heard great things about this restaurant and perfect timing to go during CRW . Walking in greeted by hosts who were so kind , a friend had set up the dinner so we were placed upstairs which was great by the window more private so that the girls and I can chat so definitely the ambiance is best upstairs with a group . When I saw the menu for dinner for CRW I was ready to order it had everything I wanted and more . Thank you to the host for her great drink recommendation had a perfect spicy margarita on the menu ! Started with the hamachi ceviche and wish I could have seconds super fresh flavorful the chips perf t saltiness love a homemade chip Grilled wagyu had to have it and perfectly medium cooked melted in my mouth and fries were perfect crisp (no picture because I ate first not my camera) Ended with tropical meringue which was perfect palate cleanser that gave me vacation vibes All in all Nicholas or Nick made our experience amazing so attentive and to top off my birthday with a complimentary glass of champagne it was perfect start of birthday week . Thank you The Dawson can't wait to come back
Food was amazing, loved everything they were serving for their menu! Will come back when I come back to Chicago. Our waitress was very welcoming for our big group and we were all very happy! The area was really nice too, inside felt super organized when it comes to the kitchen, dining area and bar area. Would recommend, super delicious!
I recently came here with a larger group and we sat out in the back. It's a very cute space that feels a little bit like an escape from the city. For a drink, I got the Some Like It Hot, which is basically a spicy margarita. It's very pretty and comes with a pepper in the cup. For my main, I went with the vodka rigatoni with added sausage. The sausage was definitely the best part, so I highly recommend that everyone add it. The sauce itself was also very good. My girlfriend got the steak frites. They have a dedicated gluten-free fryer so she was able to eat the French fries. Unfortunately, her steak was very well done and they didn't ask her how she wanted it cooked. As to the service, it left a little to be desired. It was pretty slow and maybe it's because they were super busy inside, but outside was not crowded at all.
Went for the drag brunch which was a fun atmosphere. Very lively much and the food was absolutely delicious. We were sat upstairs but love the interior design of the is place. I got the open faced lox sandwich, Mac & cheese, and aside of breakfast potatoes, which was just what I needed after a long night out. It was incredibly delicious and the performers were a fun addition to the meal!
came here for happy hour and I love the vibes! We were on the back patio. Our waitress was really sweet and everything came back in great time. I had some wine, shishito peppers and oysters. The oysters were amazing and the shishito peppers were just the perfect summer app. I will be back for more happy hours!
Had brunch with the girls here and had a good time! The moment you walk inside, you are greeted with kind staff and their beautiful interior! I also found out that they host wedding receptions too! They have a decent brunch menu with good variety. Brunch is only served on the weekends. To share, we got the biscuits and empanadas all of which were delish. The chilaquiles rojas came in a big portion! Came with 2 eggs and guac on top. Spice flavor was good so I didn't need extra hot sauce. Overall very good American restaurant. Would love to come back and try their dinner menu!
I really wanted to like this place but it just didn't do it for me. Although service was stellar and the atmosphere nice, I found a huge hair in the topping on the sourdough we ordered. It was good. Just didn't enjoy pulling the long hair out of my mouth. The chicken fried lobster was the family favorite. Worth ordering. Loved my salmon. Cooked and seasoned well. The dessert menu was uninspiring. I got the pumpkin cheesecake and it was fine, I just thought the choices were kinda boring. And maybe I just ordered poorly, but I didn't like either of my drinks Parking was abysmal. They say they have valet but nobody was there. This place was a one and done for me. I'm told the outside seating is great. I guess we missed out since it was winter.
Visited the Dawson 3 month ago and thought the food was amazing. I thought I wrote this review but all of my pics were just sitting waiting for me to write it.
WOW! Stopped by The Dawson for Saturday night dinner for a special occasion and they know how to make a couple feel special. When checking in for our reservation, both hostesses said congrats. They made sure to seat us in an intimate and comfortable section of the restaurant so we could enjoy each other's company. Our server came over to welcome us and brought complimentary glasses of champagne to also say congrats. How nice! We started with a Cosmo and GTO drink. The Cosmo was well balanced and GTO had earthy and floral notes but was also sweet and fruity. We decided to share a bunch of food options to try more. We started with the Wagyu Meatballs and Grilled PQB Sourdough. The Wagyu Meatballs were phenomenal! It came with three dense meatballs paired with creamy polenta and red sauce with a slight heat to it. The Grilled PQB Sourdough felt like a half flatbread, half salad. It was piled hight with shaved brussel sprouts, apple slices, and nuts. It's a bit hard to eat politely but the flavors were fresh. For the main, we shared the Rigatoni with crumbled sausage as well as the Everything Bagel Focaccia. The bread came with light seasoning, was warm, and had lots of butter to share. The Rigatoni was wonderful being creamy, savory, and had a slight heat from the calabrian. We loved our experience and the atmosphere of the restaurant. I would highly recommend trying out the Dawson and I will certainly be back to enjoy their summer patio!
One of the best ambiance in the city. You get the feel of the old school industrial Chicago era with a touch of elegance. The food is amazing too, Alejandro is such a great person and cook. He was working the grill outside and took the time to explain to me the preparation of meats. Our server Taylor is such a cool guy. Everything made for an exceptional experience. Keep uk the great work guys.
Brunch is so slept on here- particularly in the fall and winter. Yall the patio is closed but the food is divine! It's also so nice to have a good quality, dependable restaurant in the neighborhood that you don't have to hassle over a reservation for. I just love it here plain and simple. Long distance bestie and me always come here when she's in town. This past week we got our usual order of the breakfast empanadas (comes with sausage gravy dipping sauce. Enough said) and the omelette which is fabulous and this time had a delicious charred veggie accoutrement. We got the fruit plate and the bacon to share and they were just the perfect addition to the meal. The fruit plate is well plated with candied ginger and mint on top. Pto tip order a lime wedge with your water and squeeze it over! The bacon is so substantial and extremely smokey and sweet. I crave it! Side note: skip the salad. I always have to get a yummy salad to eat with my meal but for $16 this one is a big disappointment. Try something else!
My meal here was decent. Far atom exciting but also not the worst food in the world. The highlight of the meal was the sauce accompanying the lobster if that's any indication as to how I feel about this place. Drinks were ok. A bit overpriced in my humble opinion. Not pictured is a kids portion of butter pasta which my daughter enjoyed. I probably wouldn't return but it's also worth mentioning that the staff is extremely hospitable & personal. read more
1 year ago
The dawson has an pretty awesome patio. With wood plank tables evenly spread out. Standard metal patio chairs and umbrella and wood trellis. Nice sunny spot to enjoy some drinks and food. A short but decent drink list. And the food menu is well thought out and has some great inspiring dishes. Frozen Mai Thai mehh lots of sugar and lime. The Fried Chicken Sandwich decent. Buratta and Heirloom Tomato meh as well was not a Buratta but a solid whole mozzarella zero cream and couldn't really tell stracciatella. Although the Tomatoes were juicy and flavorful definitely well sourced Mac and Cheese. Yes yes yes this is a must order perfectly al dente cork screws with plenty of melty cheese. The elote was also amazing this is another must order!! Overall for the price the food didn't hit that level service missed and drinks were not consistent. read more
1 year ago
My friend made reservations for a party of 4 for restaurant week and I am glad because we got seated right away. Our server was very nice and helpful. They had so many options on the menu; I wanted to try everything! If my stomach could handle that much food, I would, but here's what we ate: - Sticky Duck Wings - wow it was full of flavor! The meat was so tender. They top off the dish with fresh honeycomb and that was a great pairing with the bread underneath. - Mussels - the sauce that it was cooked in was so rich and creamy. Highly recommend dipping the bread that comes with it into the sauce. It all comes together so nicely. - butter chicken pot pie - I've never had pot pie before, so I can't really compare it to anything, but it was still delicious. The crust was so fluffy and the inside was quite full with chicken and veggies. - Wagyu skirt steak - This dish was part of restaurant week. It wasn't a large portion and the meat was a little tougher than expected, but the flavors were there. - Quail - also another dish part of restaurant week. There weren't a lot of pieces, but it was super crispy and actually had a lot of meat. - we also ordered 2 different desserts, but I don't remember what they're called unfortunately. I liked that both weren't too sweet and still hit the spot though. The Dawson is a great spot to go for any occasion. Highly recommend! read more
3 years ago
Had a girls trip in Chicago in celebration of my birthday and my daughter's birthday. This was a great place to come with a group of women. Ate on the second floor and ordered several apps & entrées and chose to share everything family style versus everyone just ordering an entrée each. So glad that we did that because everyone got to experience several dishes. Everything was delicious. For appetizers we really enjoyed the, twice baked potatoes and the fried oyster mushrooms. we also ordered the focaccia appetizer although it was good, it didn't really stand out or anything. One of my favorite dishes was the Sriracha butter chicken entrée. And another really delicious entrée was the lamb pie. It was a very generous portion which was great for sharing with our group. At the end of our dinner, our service graciously gifted us 2 desserts to share for the birthday occasion. read more
We came here for brunch on the Saturday before St. Paddy's day to embrace the festivities. They had a special menu with corned beef breakfast hash that 2 out of the 4 people at our table ordered. We had reservations, but it wasn't that crowded, so I feel like we didn't necessarily need them. There were so many tasty options on the brunch menu that it was tough for me to decide, but after looking at photos of the chicken fried lobster on Yelp, I had to get it. To warm up to that, we got the banana bread and the cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll was massive and the frosting was to die for. The banana bread had a delicious apple compote with it that was tangy and complemented it nicely. To drink, we split a bottle of champagne and were able to choose our own adventure with grapefruit, pineapple, or orange juice. I also had a splash of Bailey's in my coffee as a nod to St. Paddy's. The chicken fried lobster was everything I expected it to be and more. When I think of fried lobster, I think of the flavor being lost, but the batter was so light that you could still taste the lobster all the way through. I didn't even dip it in the sauce it came with because I loved the pure flavor of the lobster. Another key component of this dish is the fried banana peppers. Those were a revelation for me because I love vinegary goodness and dipped in the aioli, it was just the perfect bite. My bf got the corned beef hash and I had a bite and it was super tasty. We had a great brunch experience here and our server was super friendly and knowledgable about the menu. read more
3 years ago
Such an inventive menu!!! We loved the sriracha butter chicken - really unique and flavorful. And can't go wrong with a burger that has bacon jam, also divine. We didn't love many of the seasonal cocktails we tried unfortunately but my mezcal cocktail was delicious. Service was pretty quick and the ambiance was so stunning. This place is big and beautifully decorated!! Highly recommend :) read more
Nice space with good drinks and you can get as noisy as u want giggling because it's that kinda of space..... I wasn't overly excited about the menu but what I ate was good.. I really liked the fried lobster and the salad ., must have been some heavy cheese dressing .....would have preferred to sit on the patio but we could not get a reservation for a large group like ours . The restrooms are on the lower level and clean. Service was okay for most part but we had to flag down our server a few times. I had some drink that had the word death in it ... was good. Will certainly revisit if in the area. read more
3 years ago
Very fun restaurant during the holiday time. Love all the Christmas lights and decor and the fun menu. I got a drink called Deck the Highball which was good. The service was great and so friendly. Rigatoni was good the noodles were a little hard but the star of the show were the crispy fries. They were incredible and so delicious. They came out hot and crispy. read more
I've been walking by the Dawson for so long now, always curious and envious of the lights and laughter coming from behind the tall fence that surrounds the porch. Well, I finally had the opportunity to come here for dinner over the weekend and it is really pleasant. The ambiance on the porch is wonderful on a summer night. It was not too loud even when full. The service was really great and the food and cocktails came out in a timely fashion. I got the mushroom pappardelle which was really good. The reason for the 4 stars is the food was a little bit pricey (the mushroom pappardelle was $23 for just a regular pasta) but the burger and other dishes may have been a better deal. The portions are big. The cocktails were also expensive for what tasted like regular premixed cocktails. There are definitely better spots for just cocktails in the city that have more ingenuity. But overall this was a great spot and I'd be back again. read more
3 years ago
Always such a great go to spot! The food never disappoints and they always have fun cocktail options. Happy hour is always easy to grab a seat at the bar and the atmosphere is perfect inside and on the patio. The service is always terrific as well. Just overall consistent, never been disappointed by anything. Can't recommend enough! read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
Our experience at The Dawson was great. First and foremost our server, Daniel, was amazing. Warm, friendly, welcoming and very knowledgeable about the menu. He provided recommendations that did not disappoint. The grilled octopus appetizer was tender and charred to perfection. We would go back just for that! The short ribs literally melt in your mouth. The only thing I can say is that their dessert menu could be a little better. Other than that, a great dining experience. read more
5 years ago
4 years ago
MUSSELS gochujang, coconut broth, pickled fresno, toast, charred lime BRUSSELS CHICKEN FRIED LOBSTER banana pepper, spicy ranch, lemon (s) read more
5 years ago
The Dawson was a very cute place for dinner. I would totally recommend for birthday parties. You get free Glass of champagne, and free dessert for the birthday person. The food is great, the server was very kind shout out to Jay he was very nice. read more
Very cool spot with a great variety of food and drink options that do not disappoint. We came here predominantly for drinks. There's a nice craft beer selection, a very good whiskey selection, and solid cocktail and wine choices as well. The food, too, is top notch. The ambience really ties this place together, it's "urban classy" without feeling too exclusive Looking forward to returning for a friend's wedding in May. read more
Holy fuck the lamb shank and the bruschetta. Literally salivating just thinking about it right now. Will go back to this place again 100% Service: 5/5 our server was soooo goood at explaining and recommending dishes. None of the dishes she recommended disappointed, and she had a very captivating speech style Food: 10/5 would recommend. The lamb literally fell off the bone with the lightest pressure Ambience: 5/5 it was pretty quiet and didn't feel crowded despite being quite packed. read more
Great place for brunch and/or dinner and drinks! I went here recently for dinner and was not disappointed. The restaurant itself is quite large so they are able to space the tables apart for social distancing purposes. Their large patio is tented with heaters for even more seating. Servers and table busers wore masks as well as the hostesses in the front. There are also hand sanitizers at the front door and by the restrooms. The restrooms also have the foot handle for the door so you don't have to use the handle! The restaurant as a whole is Covid-19 safe. In regards to the food, we ordered the beer battered cheese curds and they were delicious!! They were lightly fried with super soft, melty cheese inside. The ketchup that came with it was curry ketchup which wasn't my favorite, but the curds tasted just fine on their own. We also split a burger which came with fries and the half burger was just enough to fill me up. My only complaint about this venue is that they don't have ranch dressing, which I like to dip my curds and fries in! Otherwise - very satisfied with our meal and experience. read more
2 years ago
I've been here once before for drinks and never had their food. It was delicious. The chicken fried lobster caught my eye and it didn't disappoint. (Just fried lobster) the sauce was great and so were the fries. Everyone was spread out just fine cause of Covid protocol and hand sanitizer stations all around. The music was an extra treat on top of everything! Not sure if there was a DJ but they played all my favorites from the 90s to 2010s. read more
5 years ago
We had the best service and the best meal here! The outside patio is nice. There are tons of tables, but they are spread out, so you're not cramped on top of each other. Pretty plants surround you. The mood is upscale but casual. We ordered the chicken fried lobster, the green salad, duck tacos, and the rigatoni. Omg! The rigatoni was everything I think a rigatoni should be! The chicken friend lobster was good. I didn't care for the friend green peppers that came with it, but that didn't take away from the lobster. It was a fun and delicious appetizer. The green salad was cool and refreshing, but hearty. The duck tacos were my least favorite, but still pretty solid. I will totally come back to this place. Yum! read more
3 years ago
I came here for dinner for my birthday celebration a few weeks ago. Ambiance: I love the entrance and it's still nice with the Christmas lights, but IMO not as beautiful as it is in the daytime. It was packed with people and my friends and I were seated in a section that I did not see when we previously had brunch here (since we were on the patio). It was quite loud and hard to hear my friends across the table. It was also hard to get to and from the table since there was a group of guys taking up too much space by the bar. Service: We had a great waiter! He explained the specials and came back enough times to check on us. Food: We ordered two Chorizo Fondues to start and my main meal was the House-Made Cavatelli. The fondue was delicious and flavorful. The pasta was good and a big portion but not good enough to be worth $24. My friends did like their dishes: Mussels, Mac & Cheese, chile aioli Fries, and the Meatballs. I did write in my reservation that we were celebrating my birthday but no dessert was given. I appreciate when restaurants remember these things. Too bad read more
5 years ago
Had a lovely time with two girlfriends celebrating a birthday on a Sunday night. This was my 5th time and I think each time I go it gets better here. We were pleasantly surprised by the live music (so much fun!) and ended up staying close to 4 hours for cocktails, dinner and dessert. Our server Manny was extremely attentive and hooked our table up with whatever we needed. Our table shared the buffalo cauliflower, cheese curds and empanadas to start; I had the Garden Party cocktail. We moved on to the fish tacos - a must order when it's on the menu - and mac and cheese, finishing with the peanut butter fudge pie for dessert. Completely stuffed and had leftovers to take home. The weather was absolutely perfect and we had such a great end to the weekend on the patio. read more
We really enjoyed are meal here! The ambience, service and food was great! We ordered the fried lobster, Spanish octopus, roasted cauliflower and Burrata & Brussels as our appetizers. The fried lobster, cauliflower, burrata & Brussels were all awesome! Everything was cooked and seasoned perfectly. The Spanish octopus was slightly more spicy than expected and slightly tough, it was still delicious though. For our main course we split the pork shank, Ora king salmon and lamb Bologna's. We also ordered a side of Mac and cheese, carrots and green beans. All entries were delicious and the best side were the green beans. They were chargrilled and topped with a light seasoning that were the perfect mixture to add to the beans. The carrots were good too. The only big miss was the Mac and cheese. It was so salty to the point we could not eat it. We were sad, because it looked good too. As for the desserts we ordered the cheesecake mouse, ice cream and brownie. The brownie was awesome, you have to try it. Please stop by soon! We can't wait to go back. read more
2 years ago
Overall The Dawson was very solid, the atmosphere and location is fabulous and in a fun part of town. The appetizers were the standouts with the duck wings, fried lobster and oyster all amazing. I got the lamb chops and they were quite good if not a little on the fatty side but it did come with 3 which I thought was more than generous. Wine selection was good and service was above average as someone with little need for over the top style service. Overall i think a 4.5/5 would be a more accurate rating but truly think the apps carried the overall experience and would highly recommend. read more
6 years ago
We are new in the neighborhood so we were excited to check this place out. We came on Sunday around 1:45. The patio was packed but there were a lot of tables open inside. We decided to sit inside. Our waiter took forever to get to our table and it seemed like he was focused on the patio (I understand but don't forget about us). Cooks were seen without masks and gloves (we could see down the hallway). He told me the Dawson had the best burger, so I ordered one medium rare. As you can see the burger is pretty rare. I ate about half and took the other half home for the dog. We actually ended up both getting pretty sick the next day. I know we got sick from the burger because we were both ill & both are just that. Wouldn't come back based on experience and obviously getting sick. read more
4 years ago
2 years ago
Great place to dine for both food and drink as few places can provide both. I had a chance to sample the dinner menu. Menu is QR scan. I provided some screenshots of the current menu. Food (8.5/10): Wisconsin Cheese curds - wow. It was my first time having cheese curds so honestly I can't make any comparisons but wow. I wanna say these cheese curds are better than others bc I can't imagine them getting much better. Although they are fried, I would describe them as airy. Or maybe even pillowy. It comes with a ketchup sauce on the side. The reason I say sauce is bc when you take your first bite you'll have a pleasant surprise that leaves you questioning is it the curd or the sauce? There's an aromatic curry cinnamon flavor to it. It's the sauce. I've never had curds before but I know this sauce is a unique touch to the dish. Fried chicken lobster - this dish is great and what you expect it to be. The housemade ranch sauce on the side is exceptional. I also dipped my cheese curds in this too. Yellowfin tuna ceviche - nothing too special. The diced tomatoes have a sweet flavor from the marinade. Hudson Bay scallops - so soft and tender. If you love scallops this is your dish. Rigatoni - my favorite of the entrees. Love how it is cooked right al dente. Creamy sauce. This dish has some heat that sneaks up on you. I prefer splitting this dish cuz it can get hot if I eat the whole thing. Wish I could. Drinks (8/10): GTO - as stated on the menu. The tried and true. The Dawson favorite. This drink is palatable for everyone Buy low celery high - you can taste the celery alright. I feel like it has an herby taste as well. Keep on keeping on - very fragrant! Some like it hot - has that kick of heat that sneaks in at the end Atmosphere (7.5/10): Dimly lit wood warehouse vibes. Extremely lively atmosphere. Depending on what you're looking for it can be loud. You will have to use your outside voice. If you're not looking for some place super quiet and intimate then this is a good time Value (8/10): Pretty good value for the quality of the drinks and food. I'd estimate about $60 per person with drinks. read more
8 years ago
Not a fan. My experience started off to a weak start. I was there with a group and was one of the first to arrive. Not positive whose name the reservation was under, I named a few names. When I didn't recognize one, I asked the hostess if she could let me know the other names she had down for our reservation time. She then named a name, that I realized was someone's husband from my party. After declaring that that was the reservation she asked me to sit and wait for my party so that it could be determined if it was the correct reservation, as if I was there to steal someone else's party of 7 brunch reservation! The hostess was needless to say rude and very uppity. Once seated, the waitress was fine. She wasn't very friendly and sort of took orders like a drill sergeant. I had to request that my coffee be refilled. My salmon breakfast was also a bit fishy smelling and un-fresh. I'm a major lox fan, so I certainly know the difference between a good and bad smoked fish. I definitely won't be back. The Dawson is way overrated for what I experienced. Find another trendy brunch place and you'll be much happier! read more
Wow, shocker, another five-star dining experience in Chicago. This city is so impressive! A friend and I had a 5:30pm dinner reservation on a Monday, because we are grandmas (just kidding, we just wanted to go right after work.) We were seated right away, and I was taken aback by the beauty of this place. Clean wood tones, candles everywhere, a gorgeous bar -- what more could you ask for? Our server was incredible and did a great job explaining cocktails, drinks, desserts, and everything in between. He definitely made the experience unforgettable. I started out with the New Growth cocktail, made with cutwater barrel-rested gin, Copper & Kings immature brandy, St. Germain, falernum, honey, and lavender. Yeeeeah. It was like a garden in your mouth, in a really good way. I later had the Devil in a White Hat, but the mix of mezcal and sweetness didn't work for me. The entire cocktail list in general is really impressive, though. Alright, let's talk about the food. Here's a rundown of what we ordered: -Meatballs (rice noodles, hot & sour broth, cashews) -Roasted cauliflower (masala, burnt lemon, crispy chickpeas) -Tortellini (spring pea, mint, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, parmesan) -Mussels (gochujang, coconut milk, lemongrass, pickled fresno, grilled miche) -Macadamia banana cream pie (macadamia nut crust, banana compote, banana mousse, whipped cream, caramel, candied nuts) I cannot sing the praises of this food enough. It was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. The meatballs were tangy, the tortellini perfectly creamy, and that banana cream pie -- just wow. This place is amazing! I'll definitely be returning. read more
We stopped by The Dawson for drinks and appetizers before heading out to another restaurant for dinner. The service was friendly and efficient. We loved the relaxed atmosphere. They have a great bar menu but we settled on the Wood Fired Oysters and the Mussels. The mussels are made with saffron lager broth with burnt lemon, fingerling potatoes and grilled miche. The mussels were teeny tiny chewy pieces inside of the shell. They were disappointing but the broth was delicious. Our oysters were amazing. They taste fresh and were served with grilled ciabatta. We used the bread to soak up the broth from the mussels. read more
The Unexpected. Proof that trying new places is a very good idea! Came to experience the midweek jazz series upstairs not knowing what I was in for. On entrance, the foyer of The Dawson was quite beautiful and at such a busy intersection of the City I didn't expect it to feel so tranquil with 3 oversized chandeliers and iron lanterns illuminating the darker corners. The host greeted and escorted up the stairs. There were twinkle lights woven in reclaimed tree branches through the ceilings and for a mid-week night, it was seemingly busy. The MAIN dinning room is on the main level but I only got a quick peek. Looks nice... but comes the warmer months ahead, I'm definitely coming back for the atrium which the host told me is quite popular! Looked like a garden just waiting to bloom up:)) As for service, admittedly a little shakey at first. I saw a picture on the Yelp app that was posted only a few weeks ago and asked the waiter which item it was. He said they just changed the menu so it's not available now... (might have just been his tone seemed snippy) but after my order came, any doubts left because OMG if you enjoy mussels, these are soooo sooo good and plentiful in portion! Please whatever you do, don't take these off the menu... I'll be back asking for them :)) Also I appreciate the Manager came by shortly after to introduce himself making sure I was satisfied and dropped off a pitcher of table water. read more
More info about The Dawson
730 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60654
River West, Noble Square, Near West Side, West Town
Directions
(312) 243-8955
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https://the-dawson.com
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Ask the Community - The Dawson
Valet or parking area?
They have valet for $15. It's going to take about 15-20 minutes to actually get the valet out there. I would suggest finding street parking.
Do they have a covered patio if it rains?
Yes! The entire outdoor space is not covered, but a portion is
Did they add a heated patio for outdoor seating in the colder months?
Yes! The Dawson has heated tent dining :)
Do they allow dogs?
Do they do bottomless mimosas here? On Saturday mornings?
No they do not. If that's what your looking for- Mad Social, 80 proof, lokal, etc do
Do I need to make a reservation?
Mostly yes. However you can just walk up for a drink
On a Sunday afternoon is it kid friendly?
Yes, I would say so. As kid friendly as most restaurants are...
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39 reviews that are not currently recommended
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