The Dawson

Are at the Dawson and took advantage of their pop up Christmas themed heated outdoor terrace! Super cute and surprisingly very cozy and warm as some can be a bit chilly! Food was great! The chicken in the wedge salad was amazing and the meatballs were fantastic!

We loved our Saturday brunch at the Dawson! They greeted us with champagne for my husbands waiter and also covered our espresso martinis. The staff was so kind and the food was incredible! Definitely recommend the shrimp and grits if they have them while you are there!

That lamb shank was one of the best lamb shanks I’ve ever had! Thick, meaty, fall off the bone juicy and it was a huge portion, had to share it and I enjoyed it. The Dawson gets 10/10 for ambiance (music not too loud, could hold a decent conversation at the table), service (our waitress was so sweet and attentive), and food (nailed it). For starters we had the chicken fried lobster and wood-fire grilled octopus which were both so delicious. Mains were the lamb shank which was a delight and the wood-fire grilled elk which was delicious. Ending the night with some lovely 3 ice cream mix. Great night out, will definitely be back!

We had a wonderful couples night! The food was absolutely delicious, and dining outdoors with such beautiful scenery made it even more special. Our server, Phu T, was fantastic super professional, quick, and so pleasant. We can’t wait to come back again!

We had the best service! Even birthday cava from Spain that was super yummy. Wasn’t crazy about the clam linguini but the tuna tartare was great. This place has an amazing atmosphere. Great vibe super aesthetic. The bar was very welcoming and beautiful. This was a wonderful choice for a classy birthday dinner.

Came here for a brunch mid October, sat outside and everything was perfect. My friends ordered the avocado toast (which was a lot of food). I ordered the birrira grilled cheese and it was fire. All of the drinks were great too: espresso martini with pumpkin spice, green eye, spicy margarita, painkiller and bottomless mimosas. Johnathan our server was phenomenal. He recommended the painkiller and the green eye, and those drinks were strong and refreshing. Overall the Dawson is a good vibe with good service. If the weather is good sit outside because the patio area is cute and picturesque. Good for brunch, casual dates, or a large party.

The vibe is everything! The food was really good (the best meal I've had in a while) and the service was impeccable. I highly recommend coming here and will definitely be back the next time I'm in Chicago. Food pictured is the incredible french onion soup!

Definitely a fun hip restaurant in a cool neighborhood. This is a large venue with both indoor and outdoor seating, and the food is very flavorful and delicious! I was most impressed with the halibut! The cheese curds are paired with a really unique cinnamon ketchup, which was a neat experience. Just be aware that the music is played relatively loud inside the restaurant, so it may not be the best spot for dinner if you're looking for somewhere quiet to have a conversation. Overall a very fun spot, and worth checking out!

I recently photographed a wedding at The Dawson and it was gorgeous!! It's such a unique space that offers a variety of backdrops for photos. Sheena the coordinator was so helpful and kind! The food was 11/10. Would love to work here again!

Three of us had 2 appetizers, 2 drinks each, and an entree, it was approximately $130 per person. Everything was wonderful. Our server Sydney was perfectly attentive and helpful. The sticky duck wings were a delicious appetizer, and we had the Brussels sprouts appetizer to share with our meal. The Dawson Burger & fries were delicious. My partner’s paparadelle with rabbit was delightful as well. I ordered the curry with a side of chicken— YUM! The curry isn’t overwhelming, it’s the right amount for this dish, and has just a mild kick of heat. So good! The chicken breast was cooked perfectly— not dry, with excellent flavor. I’m eating leftovers for breakfast as I write this, and it’s still fabulous, so I thought it was worth leaving a review. I didn’t catch any pics of the drinks, but they were also great. My partner had 2 Old Fashioneds, I had 2 “Ceci n’est pas …French Cocktail”, and our friend had 2 Cosmopolitans. They were beautifully presented and sooo good. Beautiful restaurant! Lovely staff. The only thing I would change is adding just a little bit of sound mitigation so that we could talk less loudly at the table.

TL;DR The Most Incredible Wedding Venue + All Star Event Team! Our wedding at The Dawson in Chicago was an absolute dream, thanks to their incredible team and phenomenal space. Where do I even begin? Let's start with the food - it was beyond exceptional! Nearly every guest raved about how it was the best wedding meal they've ever had, and I couldn't agree more. The flavors, presentation, and attention to detail were simply outstanding. The location itself is a gem nestled in a vibrant area surrounded by fantastic bars, making it an ideal spot for afterparties or welcome gatherings. It added an extra layer of excitement and convenience for our guests, making our wedding weekend even more memorable. But what truly made our experience exceptional was Natasha, our venue coordinator. She's a rock star in every sense of the word. Natasha went above and beyond to ensure every aspect of our celebration was flawless. From orchestrating the rehearsal luncheon the day before to flawlessly executing every detail on the wedding day, she was our guiding light. Her professionalism, dedication, and genuine care for our experience were evident in every interaction, and she never failed to make us feel special. Natasha's attention to detail and willingness to go the extra mile made the entire process stress-free and enjoyable. Her expertise and coordination ensured that everything ran seamlessly, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the joy of our wedding day. Thank you, Natasha, and The Dawson team, for making our wedding weekend an unforgettable experience. To anyone considering this venue, you won't find a more perfect place or a more dedicated team to bring your wedding vision to life!

A truly awesome dining experience!! The Dawson provides a fresh, modern atmosphere with the perfect-sized menu and very attentive staff! We tried the Oysters to start, followed by Seared Scallops with Saffron Grits, Fish Tacos (not pictured, sadly), and the Peach Upside Down Cake for Dessert. Oysters are usually always pricey at restaurants, so no surprise there. In terms of value regarding the main dishes, definitely go for the Fish Tacos: a huge fillet of market fresh fish (delicious and cooked perfectly!), served with lots of warm tortillas and all the fixings. The Upside Down Cake was an excellent value as well. Highly recommend!!

Took my parents here for dinner and we had an awesome time. The food was soooo freaking good and the drinks were refreshing and strong! We sat outside and it was a beautiful day. The food and drinks came out really fast and our server was super nice and funny! Would definitely love to come here again!

Excellent drinks. Enjoyed the top notch pork chop and spaghetti & meatball. Seriously the size of a 12 inch softball (sorry not 16", Chicago... lol). Waiter was great. Owner stopped by to chat. Quality place.

Yum! First time dining here; enjoyed the happy hour drink specials, along with the scrumptious wood fired oysters and a beautiful Chicago night - what could make it better? An amazing wedge salad with a perfectly cooked piece of salmon - place is in walking distance of our condo - we will definitely be back!

It was a very pleasant dinner. Great atmosphere. Despite a busy Saturday we were able to get seated. Very accommodating for a Vegan. Drink menu was robust and eclectic. Ordered Burgundy Glow (sweet), Desert Blossom (citrus), Rust Belt (delicious) and New Growth (a sipper) for our party. The Star was the Roasted Cauliflower with Masala sauce with a pleasant surprise crispy chickpea. Dawson salad was good for two or three people!

Fabulous spot for a romantic date or classy get together with friends. Their "country fried lobster" is as unusual and delicious as it sounds! I loved their tortellini - perfect portion and tasted fantastic while still being light. Since it was a birthday dinner, they even brought of a complimentary whipped cream bourbon cake dessert. Phenomenal, and coming back to sit outside on the patio next time!

The Dawson makes you want to order 1 of everything on the menu. You're sure to leave here full and satisfied.

They are temporarily closed due to an unfortunate fire incident. Dawson is a great restaurant. Its pretty huge but almost full. We love that the chef experiments with the menu and introduces new dishes very frequently. We have recommended this restaurants to many of our friends and they have loved the food and service here. We love the service for sure but the food is exceptional. We can’t wait for Dawson to open back up and dine with them soon. Highly recommend this place if you are celebrating something special or for a date night.

I went here twice in the last week for dinner. Once with colleagues and once with my husband for their holiday burlesque experience. The food is 10/10! The spicy rigatoni is phenomenal! The mushrooms are a must-try and the ceviche and brussel sprouts were also favorites. Don’t sleep on the rabbit pasta, I had never had rabbit before and was afraid it would taste gamey but it did not at all, it was very good and I would liken it to ham. I had both the wagyu and the filet, I would actually say I liked the filet better, the wagyu was very salty and too well done for my liking (I order my steak medium rare for reference). The Mac and cheese side was not good, it’s very bacon forward but the cheese tastes like gross fake cheese. The dessert menu did not look appealing but we tried the peanut butter pie and it was not good, it was not flavorful at all. The Some like it Hot cocktail was very good, the wine list was good but they were out of the Barbera both nights when I went. Finished the night with a cappuccino. The burlesque experience was weird and we wouldn’t go to it again. First off, the reservation was for 8pm so naturally we assumed that we should arrive the customary 10-15 minutes early in case it was a hard and fast show start time. They would not seat anyone until after 8pm so we were waiting in their main entrance with everyone else that had booked the experience and it got quite crowded while we waited to be taken upstairs. Then as you can imagine they took everyone up at the same time so that was also very chaotic because then everyone was ordering at the exact same time and took a while to get drinks. The burlesque show itself was odd, it felt more like a drag brunch than burlesque. It was also set to holiday music which made for a weird / bad vibe and I wish they would have made it clear in the promos because we probably would not have booked it. The DJ was good between performers though. I would rate it very low quality burlesque.

Hosted a birthday event at the Dawson and it was both flawless and incredible! From the planning, to site visit to the event itself the staff was amazing and so kind along the way. The Denim Den was an amazing setting, and the layout of the upstairs space was easy to flow between seats, the bar and some standing areas to chat. The bar and food staff working the event were FANTASTIC and working with Michelle to plan the event was seamless. Her expertise led to a great menu and set up for a tarot reader to add to the vibe. Friends all mentioned how great the food and cocktails were throughout the evening! I will be recommending The Dawson to anyone, and would suggest you book it for your next event too!

Amazing service and food. Our waiter was great, has been with the group for 17 years, new to this location. But the real gem of the place was Stephanie the hostess or manager at the front. She went above and beyond to provide a plant cutting of a plant my fiance adored. We will be back over and over again.

Really beautiful refurbished building that kept all the history and richness. Went for mocktails and apps. Everything was really tasty. Lighting was very moody. Great date spot Service was wonderful, even had the manger stop at the table just checking to see if everything was going well. Would definitely love to come back and try some of the dinner options!

Had an excellent experience at the Dawson. We sat at the bar and started with the pull apart brioche, a g&t and an old fashion. The drinks were out of this world. The bartender Joey took care of us and definitely knew what he was doing. The service was perfect. We ended up ordering the Cowgirl ribeye and a burger with fries. Food was delicious and the service was on point all through dinner. I definitely recommend this spot.

We were visiting the place as a part of a birthday party. The place is super roomy, lots of space to hang while standing with spots to sit (oh yeah, we were on the second floor). Servers walked around and served food on trays. Besides swing a few times, I only saw them with a different food type only once. If you missed it, you lose it. The food was amazing as always. We had sliders with chicken, beef and steak (I believe). Some seafood and desert. With a background music and nice atmosphere lighting, our evening couldn't get any better. From eating there before, prices are fair too (for the location) Very recommended.

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.

The food is on the pricier side and the portions vary from big to very small. Very nice patio spaces and atmosphere but a little too loud. We shared a lot of the dishes and it honestly felt a little hit or miss both in the taste of the dish and the size. I really liked their Amish chicken. Huge portion and juicy. Their burger was a nice juicy charred burger as well. It’s off menu but they do serve it

Great service and good food! We had just landed & we had a craving for bottomless mimosas. We ordered the empanadas, they were okay. We also ordered the shrimp & grits and the burger. They were cooked perfectly and were delicious.

Had a good time here. The restaurant is gorgeous and I’d love to come back in the summer. The cheese curds were REALLY good, absolutely would get them again if we came back. Hands down my favorite thing we ate there. They give you some sort of fancy ketchup with them that I really liked but my SO was not a fan of. The cheeseburger felt like the most “worth it” of their expensive menu. For what it’s worth the burger was pretty solid albeit a little charred but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. The fries the burger came with were also very good. Kind of reminded me of a gourmet version of McDonald’s fries. The rigatoni pasta was solid but I’d pick the burger over it any day in terms of cost and taste. I wish the menu had a little more variety, it felt a little limited in terms of entrees, but everything we tried was solid.

I went for the 1st time last night. My girlfriend had been previously and recommended The Dawson. I really enjoyed the Chicken-Fried Lobster, the Macha Duck Wings and fries. My girlfriend thought the Halibut was ok, a lil dry, not a lot of flavor but the reduction sauce made up for it. Will definitely go back

Overall: The ambiance and drinks shine brightly at The Dawson. The good: The drinks are spot on, no matter what you're in the mood for. Our larger table got a healthy mixture of wine, beer, cocktails, and everyone seemed happy with their decisions. My personal choice, The Buddy System, was unique and robust in flavor. The patio was a highlight as well, with a varied mixture of greenery to go along with the "suburban deck" vibe. The elotes were incredible and the tuna ceviche was also a standout food-wise. The not-so-good: Some of the food was great but others were misses. The famous chicken fried lobster was disappointing due to being surprisingly too fried and chicken-y, with not enough emphasis on the lobster side of it. Plus it was far too small, with each person only get a bite or two if you split with 4 people. Also, the meatballs were bland and the broth they were served in wasn't very flavorful or spicy. Atmosphere: 9/10 Service: 8/10 Food: 7.5/10

American food with a fancy twist on the aesthetic appearance of a restaurant. We got the Dawson burger, the Rigatoni, and the Wisconsin Cheese curds. The Dawson burger is just your ordinary cheeseburger. The fries were crispy and tasted like an upscale version of McDonald fries. Their rigatoni was delicious, the portion size could be better for the price you pay. The Wisconsin cheese curds were good but not $12 worth, and their cinnamon ketchup that came with it, was not for me. But who knows, other people might enjoy it a lot. The food was good, could have more variety of items, and the price could be bargained with as well. A fun spot to go to for a first time but probably wouldn’t come again unless a special occasion.

Food was good, but chicken was a bit bland. The menu was small, but I enjoyed my meal and so did my date. The drinks were made very well to my instruction. There was a wedding party being held so there was only dine outside available and that wasn’t noted when making the reservation. Double checking before making a reservation in advance.

The food was good but our steak was cold by the time it made it to our table. Our drinks were made wrong when we ordered a second round. Also the woman at the hostess coat check made an inappropriate comment while handing me my coat, saying it “was so thin” noting I must be very cold. 🙄 like ok fashion police.

Mother's Day brunch was ok bit overpriced. we had reservations at 1pm and some of the food has been out since earlier. Lots of choices but I would like to try it on a regular day.

Love The Dawson and have always had great experiences, but last night was the first time things felt off. My friend and I stopped in for drinks and small bites, and I ordered a pisco sour, my favorite cocktail. I’ve had this drink here several times in the past. When the first drink arrived, it didn't have egg whites or bitters on top which are standard for a pisco sour, and there were ice cubes in it. I tasted it and it was clearly a margarita. I handed it back to our server and asked for the correct drink. A different server later brought out the replacement, but it appeared to be another margarita on the rocks. Again no egg white or bitters, which made it clear it still wasn’t a pisco sour. When I tried to explain the mix-up to her, she didn’t seem to understand the difference between what I ordered and what I was being served, so that drink went back as well. By the time the third drink arrived (about half an hour after I first ordered), I finally got something that resembled a pisco sour. It wasn’t on the rocks and it did have the egg whites, but there were no bitters on top and the flavor wasn’t quite right. Maybe the bartender the night of November 14 was not familiar with the drink? The staff overall just seemed a bit confused and off that night, which isn’t typical of this place. I still like The Dawson, would come back, and would recommend it, but this visit definitely missed the mark.

Service was too notch, will give them that. Food was remarkably mediocre. Basically not worth the money, you can do better in this large city. They seated folks in a really condensed manner that created a ball of echoing sound. I’d bet a large sum of money that the wagyu meatballs are just lean ground beef. Just dry and bland. That ain’t wagyu. Oysters were on special on Tuesdays so I guess they’re probably not peak freshness, and it absolutely comes through in taste. But growing up somewhere I frequent have had oysters that were in the ocean earlier in the same day, I’ve got high standards there. These were not at all fresh. Menu is a little confusing for a handful of items that don’t fall into any category, so the chicken fried lobster seemed like an entree but it’s really plated like an appetizer. It’s also quite bland, and the spicy ranch is weirdly overpowering to the point where I wanted nothing to do with it. I have a lot of criticisms for this particular menu item. You’ll end up with more waste than actual food. It was weird and not worth the price whatsoever. There’s a big premium here for location and ambiance, there’s a lot of other spots you can spend the same or even less and get better food.

Ambiance and music were nice but I would not recommend for food or service. I expected much more for a $95 Valentine’s pre-fixe dinner. We came for dinner and ordered the 4-course Valentine’s menu, which sounded great on paper but was disappointing across the board. The meatballs were overcooked and tough, the lobster was stuck to the shell and difficult to remove, and both the halibut and Filet Oscar were bland and lacked seasoning. Dessert is where the experience really went downhill. We ordered the sorbet with berries and the chocolate lover’s mess. When the dessert arrived, it was clearly the strawberry mousse. We asked the server if this was the chocolate molten cake we ordered, and he confidently said yes—adding that it’s “not the first time it’s been mistaken.” That didn’t sit right, so we checked the menu ourselves and confirmed it did not match at all (no chocolate cake, no chocolate ice cream). When we asked him again to verify, he came back with a smirky comment saying, “That’s one way to get a free dessert.” Excuse me? That comment was extremely rude and unprofessional. There was no apology, no accountability, and no proper send-off at the end of the meal. For the price point and the occasion, the food and especially the service were unacceptable.

The salad was drenched in dressing and salty. The oysters were bland. I thought it would be more grilled but the grill led shells had no affect on the actually oysters. No bottle water Service was fine they were nice The resturant seem to position it self as a higher end but its feels like an upscale pub. I may not be the target audience.

We stopped in after running errands and decided to check out happy hour since we were starving. Immediately, the vibes were off. The hostess seemed annoyed we were even there. When she asked table or bar, it felt like a trick question. We asked if happy hour was available at a table, and she sighed and said, “No, only at the bar.” So to the bar we went. Once seated, there were no happy hour menus , just the regular ones, as if they were trying to keep it a secret. Kind of defeats the whole purpose of happy hour. We ended up ordering from the regular menu anyway. We started with soups and cheese curds. The soups took over 15 minutes, which is wild considering it’s just pour-and-garnish. The rest of the food was mediocre and the service was lackluster. My salad dressing was so salty and acidic I had to basically rebalance it myself, and I wasn’t offered pepper. I had to ask. My husband ordered the cavatappi pasta and was disappointed that the sausage came in giant chunks instead of being broken down, making it cumbersome to eat. We even tried the cheescake for desert another flop . It was super dry .Rarely did the bartender check on us , we had to flag him down for everything while he chatted up his favorite regulars. It genuinely felt like we were a burden. Halfway through our meal, I noticed a table of young ladies get up and leave, I’m assuming after being completely ignored. A curly-haired woman who I thought might be the manager was hiding behind the bar instead of checking on guests. And to top it off, as we left, the hostess didn’t say thank you or goodbye. Overall, the entire experience was 0/10 would not recommend.