The Dawson

"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."

"We came here for Chicago restaurant week brunch and it was beautiful in the restaurant. My favorite item I had was the parfait. It was light and delicious. The food was great. Our server was attentive and personable. I can’t believe I have not been here before. I will definitely be coming back here to taste the rest of their menu."

"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!"

"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."