Chef Dave's — Restaurant in Newton

So disappointing.

To begin, if you are charging $19 a glass for wine that retails at $23 a bottle, do not use that tacky carafe to fill the glass. Pour the wine at the table for the diner to taste first, then pour the wine from the bottle into the glass directly. And be generous with the pour. At a 4x mark up you can afford to do that.

The salad was so overdressed that the lettuce, which was described as field greens but was, in reality, just Boston lettuce, was soggy and drooping. The oven roasted fennel had a texture akin to beef jerky and the crispy beets were limp and flaccid. The only textural counterpoint in the salad were the pepitas which lost much of their crunch due to the tsunami of dressing, which was overly sweet, for no particular reason. Thank goodness I asked that the cranberries be omitted otherwise I would have experienced an insulin spike.

The halibut was undercooked and wildly underseasoned. I cut the halibut into three large pieces to determine the extent of the undercooking and discovered it was the entire piece that was still slightly pink. I called over the server who, at this late point, informed me that the chef likes to prepare fish medium rare. I get it. However, it is incumbent upon the server to mention this to the diner and get his/her/their approval at the time the dish is ordered. I would have declined and asked to have it cooked thoroughly, knowing and understanding that is not how the chef prefers to prepare it and also understanding that my cooking preference might alter the outcome of the dish.

The server took my plate back to the kitchen when I very politely asked if it could be cooked more thoroughly. Most restaurants would simply fire up a new plate. Not Chef Dave. When the plate was returned, the halibut looked like it had been attacked by a feral cat who had scarfed down more than two thirds of it and had preemptively shredded the remainder of it before relinquishing it to the server. I took one bite, realized it was somehow even more bland than its original presentation, and was now ridiculously overcooked (I immediately recognized the passive aggresive play by Chef Dave) and chose to eat only the spinach and mushrooms.

When the server returned to ask if we were “still working on” our meals, and we said we were finished, she did not ask me how my fish was, nor did she comment on the fact that I clearly had not eaten any of it. She simply cleared our plates.

When the bill arrived I expected at least an apology that my meal had not been to my satisfaction or perhaps to see that our carafe pour wine had been comped, but it was a no on both counts.

My husband’s meal was similarly disappointing.

Needless to say, we will not...

“Disappointed” does not begin to describe our experience. We had heard great things about Chef Dave’s including a TV review and friends who had visited. We knew this was an expensive spot with limited seating, so I was thrilled to get a reservation for my wife’s birthday.

When I visit a place like this, I have just a couple of expectations – excellent food, cooked and presented beautifully by an attentive staff that works hard to make the journey worthwhile. We split a Ceaser salad, which was very good, and decided to split the 22oz Ribeye steak (cooked medium) for our main course, along with a side of horseradish mashed potatoes.

Well, the steak had a great crust, but when I cut in, it was absolutely raw inside. I waited a few minutes to see if the waitress would return to check on us (there are only 6 tables in this very small restaurant), but she did not. I had to chase her down. She took the plate back without any apology. After 10 or 15 minutes, which seemed like a long time to finish a steak, she returned and left before we could cut in again to be certain we were satisfied. The result – STILL RAW! To be sure, I cut it into a few pieces. I was stunned. And again, I had to find her rather than her checking in with us.

We sent it back again, expecting that either they would start from scratch since the steak was now in pieces or suggest we choose something else. Again, no apology. She returned a bit later with the three or four pieces of the same steak, this time cooked beyond medium. She did not even offer to refresh our side dish which was now very cold.

The final insult – We were charged full price for a meal that should have been on the house. At $85 for the steak, this was unacceptable. Next time, we’ll head down the street to the Capital Grill, a steak house that knows how to cook meat and treats their...

Chef Dave’s earns a full five stars from me, without hesitation. I returned for what I now consider my absolute go-to meal: the prime ribeye, cooked medium rare. It arrived with that perfect char on the outside and an impeccable medium rare center, seasoned and prepared with whatever magic Chef Dave works. The steak was melt-in-your-mouth tender, perfectly cooked, and bursting with deep, savory flavor that lingered long after the last bite. The grilled asparagus was excellent, tender yet crisp, and full of flavor. We also shared the mashed potatoes, which were laced with just the right touch of horseradish, enough to complement the steak beautifully without overpowering it. Paired with a glass of Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon (full-bodied, smooth, fruity, and remarkably balanced), the entire meal was pure perfection. Honestly, if I had to order a last meal, this would be it.

I've now had this same meal more than half a dozen times since Chef Dave’s opened in 2022, and not once has it disappointed. That level of consistency deserves acknowledgment.

Some reviews have mentioned pricing, particularly questioning the location in a Chestnut Hill strip mall. For me, the quality of the food, the precise execution, and the high-end ingredients put it squarely in line with top steakhouses in Boston or NYC for that matter. You’re not paying for flash; you’re paying for exceptional food and in my case, exceptional prime ribeye. Chef Dave has transformed the small space into something comfortable, cozy, unpretentious, and intimate. Small setting, big flavors, and a deeply satisfying dining experience.

Each visit reminds me why this meal, and this place, have earned my loyalty...