Dobson's Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in San Diego

My habit: After having been in the restaurant/food service business for over 15 years from dishwasher to management I inspect and reflect on the restaurants I patronise. Experience: Went to Dobson's for dinner after the ballet & were sat immediately (A+). We were ahead of the dinner crowd so this should have happened even with our reservations. Noticed we were not greeted simply taken to our table (F-). We were sat on the second floor immediately overlooking the bar. The waiter was prompt but did not introduce himself or welcome us (F-). Did not ask if we had been to Dobson's before. He did not state if there were specials or what soup of the day was so I don't know if there was and must assume there were none. He did state we made good food choices when we ordered (A+). Cleanliness: The wrought iron banister is caked with grease, covered in dust, bread crumbs and ? (F-). This filth then falls into drinks and the ice as well as food on the bottom floor (F-), The top of the picture frames as well are covered in dust which then will fall/float into food plates (F-). The condiment holder for sugar was also not clean (sugar and other was on the bottom which shouldn't happen after just one day) which then tends to also question the cleanliness of the other condiment containers and shakers (not washed and/or sterilized daily (F-)). The top of the wooden display case for liquor bottles is covered with a layer of dust which is obvious from a moved bottle (F-) which also means that the bottles themselves are not wiped down regularly and that filth falls into the drinks when poured (F-). Food: Beef stroganoff and pork chop plates are bland and both need to be seasoned much better, beef appeared to be off color/boiled/still can't pinpoint it (F-). We both used salt and pepper to add seasoning which shouldn't be done. Bread was served warm which is always a plus (A+). Butter was hard and not spreadable (F-). Wait staff: The waiter was prompt - but again we were ahead of the dinner crowd (A+). We were not asked how everything was after dinner plates were served (F-). He lacked the courtesy, thoughtfulness and expertise/training of asking if we were done and simply took the plates, and bread away (F-). Ice tea was not topped off or refilled (F-). The bread was not offered simply brought and I then found I was billed for it (F-). A different waiter? introduced himself to the surrounding tables but did not follow thru with us which my wife noticed (F-). At the end of our meal he simply brought the bill and thanked us. Exiting: We were not thanked or asked to return as we exited, simply ignored (F-) Overall: The experience was not memorable and we would not return. I even joked that we should have driven to a casino for dinner. Suggestions: Retrain the wait staff, teach the staff on how to clean and sanitize, reevaluate your cooking and ingredients or your cook. I am intentionally avoiding the...

Good things come in small packages. Y’all…this place is AMAZING!! This cozy, teeny-tiny restaurant / bar is one of the best places I’ve eaten in a long while. And I travel globally for a living. Let’s get this right: the place is SMALL….but the warmth and charm of its decor, and more importantly: its wonderful STAFF, make it feel inviting and comfortable. I went to eat dinner by myself and was warmly greeted by the lovely hostess. I had a few cocktails and the complimentary sour dough bread, which was amazing. No seriously, like life changingly amazing. The free bread is worth it alone.

Now…the food. I had the Mussels Bisque. Nothing short of perfection. Rich, creamy, covered in a chewy phyllo dough that was pierced table side and splashed with a shot of sherry. Decadence!

For my main course I had the Filet Mignon Chez Martin which was cooked perfectly to my “medium” specifications and topped with a decadent escargot sauce.

For dessert I had the crème brûlée which was made from scratch. I know this because I heard the whirring of the egg beating machine and saw the young lady torching it before bringing to me. The perks of dining in a TINY restaurant! LOL

Even the piped in music was on point!! The Cure, AC/DC, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Foo Fighters. My lil GenX heart was as full as my tummy.

This place feels “local”, but still inclusive. I saw several patrons who clearly knew the staff (joking and laughing with them) come and go. And yet I, too, was made to feel right at home …. even as a first timer. Like I belonged there.

I 100 percent recommend this place for cocktails or an amazing dinner. PS: I just KNOW this chef trained in France. I...

I made reservations weeks before our trip to SD because it was a significant birthday. On the online booking form, I mentioned the birthday and indicated, "please, try to get us a nice table". We were seated upstairs all the way to the back and my medium sized husband was cramped next to a pillar that pushed out into the room. I rearranged the table a bit and was able to get him away from the pillar. Looking back, I think we should have just sat at the bar instead of being squeezed into a small space.

There was a nice couple next to us who were impatiently waiting a long time for their food because they had theatre tickets. They said normally, it isn't that bad. Understanding the current state of overworked, understaffed personnel, we tried to be nice about the whole situation. We ordered salads, my husband ordered sea bass and I ordered linguini with shrimp. While we were enjoying our salads, they brought our entrees. I hate being rushed like that. I asked that they hold the entrees until we were done with our salads. Big mistake for me. By the time we got our entrees, the food was still hot, but the shrimp was so overcooked it was chewy.

They did give me a nice big carrot cake for my birthday dessert. Yum! Maybe it was a bad night for the staff due to the...