Dawson's Steakhouse — Restaurant in Sacramento

I recently tried Dawson’s because I heard good things. My wife and I spent date night here on a Friday night at 8:30.

The place looks nice and service was friendly. Unfortunately, that was the best part of the night.

We spent $420 for 2 people and my review is based on that price. For that price, I expect to have a good meal, and this wasn’t that.

We received bread and butter promptly, but there was a coffee bean in the butter. Not disqualifying by any means, but a data point for the night. The bread was bland, kinda cold and seemed like a sourdough multigrain. Mediocre bread isn’t disqualifying, but just another data point.

We ordered a bottle of Prosecco, and it was served with filmy, dirty glasses. My wife noticed it right away and asked for new glasses.

The service was adequate/average for a mid tier steakhouse, not exceptional, but not bad.

We ordered the Crab Cakes to start. I liked the crisp of the crab cake, but the flavor wasn’t great. It tasted mostly of Old Bay and I couldn’t really distinguish the crab or crab flavor. We are used to crab cakes from another local steakhouse and they are infinitely better and cost less. Also, the hummus and pico de gallo seemed to be what they were relying on for flavor and taste. Side note, all the extra hummus/pico from the crab cakes did go nicely with the bread from earlier. Crabcakes - 2/10, have had better crab cakes from the frozen section.

For our meal, my wife and I both ordered the Ribeye (medium rare for me and medium for her) and added on the Lobster tail. We also had the bacon/bleu cheese jam, whipped potatoes, and mushrooms for accompaniments/sides.

The ribeyes were overcooked and tough. These are supposed to be Prime steaks, but they were not good. There was not a stitch of salt or pepper. It seems like they rely on the sauces/crusts/sides to provide flavor. I cooked Choice NY strips for my kids before coming out and I would have rather had that. Ribeyes - 2/10 - Not even salting steaks before cooking is an unforgivable sin.

The Lobsters were bland, like they were just boiled and put on a plate. Seasoning was lacking and a little color would have made it better, a little sear or grill or something. My wife didn’t even finish it. Lobsters - 0/10 Carnival Cruises has better Lobster.

We got the potatoes, the mushrooms, and the bacon and blue cheese jam. The potatoes were whipped decently, but average at best. Flavor was just meh. The mushrooms seemed like they were boiled, I expected more of sautee and a little color. They were also just meh. The bacon and bleu cheese jam didn’t add much and isn’t really necessary. Very forgettable. Potatoes - 5/10, Mushrooms - 3/10, Bacon/Blue Cheese Jam- 6/10.

We did get dessert (we weren’t going to at this point because of how things were going) and the restaurant gave them for free because I guess the time got away from them and the kitchen was closing soon. This was a nice point. I ordered the Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten cake and my wife ordered the Apricot Pistachio cake. The Apricot cake was light and airy, but the flavor felt basic and muted. The Molten cake was great because I’m a sucker for peanut butter. Apricot Pistachio cake - 5/10. Chocolate Peanut Butter Molten cake - 9/10 - This was the highlight of the night.

All in all I was very disappointed with this meal for the price, but also just in general. Even if I spent half, this still wouldn’t be a good review.

TL:DR - Overpriced, bland and underwhelming with a nice atmosphere and...

Of the 34 restaurant options available to us in the Dine Downtown experience, four colleagues and I chose Dawson’s for our experience yesterday. For the past 15+ years, we’ve worked in the building next door to the Hyatt, yet none of us had ever been to this restaurant. What began (and almost ended) as a perfect meal was ultimately spoiled by the rude, tactless conduct of their staff.

We had a reservation and showed up right on time. We were seated at a table semi-adjacent to the food service/kitchen counter. We enjoyed the 3-course meal and our server, Juan, was excellent.

However, just as we were finishing up, a male employee by the name of Arty (who appeared to be a server but was not our server) stood at the service/kitchen counter, looked towards us, and turned to a female manager and said, “I’ll get them out of here in 5 minutes”. She then glanced at our table, then back at him. We were shocked by the audacity of these staff, who either didn’t realize (or didn’t care) that such a statement was within audible range of guests--guests who just spent $500 on a meal. Less than a minute later, Arty came over to our table and told us we needed to wrap it up because they had another group coming in and needed the table. We had not lingered long, and had just finished our dessert. Unbelievable.

Of all the ways this could have been handled, this was the worst possible approach. We were just finishing up anyway and would have been out of there in 5 minutes on our own. To say something like that at all, but especially where it could be overheard by guests, was incredibly unprofessional. This could have been handled with candor and diplomacy, but was not.

We made the decision to dine at Dawson’s and had every right to complete our visit without being insulted by the staff. Dawson's made it clear we were only valued as customers up until the point where they were ready to turn the table over (to guests who, by the way, had still not shown up 10-minutes after we were asked to hurry).

The entire purpose of Dine Downtown is to entice locals to find new places to add into their regular dining rotation. This could have easily turned into one of our group’s regular dining spots, especially since it’s so close to work. Sadly, that will not be the case based on the regrettable interaction at the end of our meal.

While the female manager (can't recall her name) on shift was understanding and apologetic, this never should have happened in the...

$500 dinner for 4. straight up.

Indulging in a dinner at Dawson's was an experience beyond compare, one that transcended the mere act of dining and elevated it to an art form. From the moment we stepped foot into the restaurant, we knew we were in for something truly extraordinary.

The steaks at Dawson's are nothing short of perfection. Each cut is meticulously selected, expertly prepared, and cooked to absolute perfection. The chef's mastery of the grill is evident in every tender, juicy bite. From the perfectly seared exterior to the mouthwatering pink center, these steaks redefine what it means to savor the flavors of premium beef.

The servers at Dawson's operate at an expert level of experience that sets a new standard for hospitality. From their impeccable knowledge of the menu to their intuitive understanding of each diner's preferences, they anticipate every need with grace and precision. Their attention to detail is unmatched, ensuring that every aspect of the dining experience exceeds expectations.

The ambiance at Dawson's is equally enchanting. Elegant decor, subdued lighting, and soft music create an atmosphere of refined sophistication, perfect for indulging in a culinary journey of the senses. Each element is carefully curated to enhance the overall dining experience, from the moment you take your seat to the final sip of wine.

The wine nerds I was with were glad we were able to have our business lunch meeting there. And speaking of wine, Dawson's boasts an extensive selection of vintages to complement every dish. From bold reds to crisp whites, each bottle is a testament to the restaurant's commitment to excellence in all things culinary.

A dinner at Dawson's is not just a meal; it's an unforgettable experience that lingers in the memory long after the plates have been cleared. From the chef's perfect steaks to the servers' expert level of experience, every detail is crafted with care and dedication to culinary perfection. Five stars simply aren't enough to capture the magic of Dawson's. And if you dont feel this way after you see the bill...did you even get your...