Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Chicago / Illinois
  4. Chicago
  5. River West
The Dawson, Chicago, IL
Award-winning

The Dawson

4.7
4.7
2722 Reviews
$31 to $50
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 28 times today
  • Charming
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for creative cocktails
The Fulton River District is home to The Dawson, an expansive indoor/outdoor, multi-level space providing a multitude of dining experiences. The Dawson includes one of Chicago’s best patios conveniently found in the middle of the city.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Farm-to-table
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm
  • Phone number
    (312) 243-8955
  • Website
    http://www.the-dawson.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Private party facilities
    The Dawson is the gathering place in River West for globally-inspired American cuisine, award-winning libations and inviting decor. Featuring multiple spaces on two levels, including an expansive courtyard, The Dawson offers many options and is an event host's dream location.
  • Private party contact
    Events Manager: (312) 372-4001
  • Location
    730 West Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighborhood
    River West
  • Cross street
    Grand Avenue and Halsted Street at the Grand/Halsted/Milwaukee intersection
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    CTA Blue Line - Grand Avenue stop<br />CTA Bus - Grand Avenue/Halsted Street stop<br />CTA Bus - Milwaukee Avenue / Halsted Street stop<br />CTA Bus - Halsted Street / Grand Avenue stop
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Offers

  • Why limit happy to an hour?

    Multiple dates available
    Tue - Fri - 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
    Join us every Tuesday - Friday 4-6pm for happy hour for special features including $10 cocktails, $10 wines, $6 beers, and specially priced bites.

    Why limit happy to an hour? Photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,722 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Dawson offers a lively dining experience with a "beautiful outdoor patio" and "exceptional service." Guests rave about the "amazing food" including standout dishes like wood-fired oysters and squid ink fettuccine. The ambiance is enhanced by its festive atmosphere, making it a "favorite" for brunch or special occasions.

2,722 Reviews

  1. Christopher

    Chicago

    22 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    22 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food is always exceptional and this time was no exception. I had the wood fired pork chop and it was honestly the best pork chop I’ve ever had. The grilled octopus was a generous portion and very juicy with a good amount of chew. Their barrel pick bourbons are also really good. One of my favorite places in the city.

    Is this helpful?

  2. allison

    Denver

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Had a fantastic meal from start to finish. Special thanks to the management for their amazing customer service.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Ria

    Chicago

    68 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    68 reviews

    Dined on November 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Dawson is a firm favorite for us – brunch or dinner, inside, patio or in the covered area, always good!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Ed

    Chicago

    44 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Had not been at the Dawson to eat in a few years. Was as good as I remember and definitely would visit again

    Is this helpful?

  5. John

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 3, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We celebrated two birthdays and had such amazing service and hospitality! Highly recommend going there to celebrate any occasion or just for a lovely meal

    Is this helpful?

  6. Patrice

    Chicago

    31 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on November 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The duck wings! Amazing and drinks were really good. I have been here for both brunch and dinner and both were great!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Catherine

    Chicago

    3 reviews

    2.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 2, 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    We were rarely asked if we needed anything — a drink, food, more water, anything — constantly had to flag the bartender down. When the food arrived, I didn’t have silverware and when I asked for it, it was brought to me without a napkin so I had to get up and find my own napkin. One of the dishes we ordered was never put through so it came out over 30 minutes after our other dishes. Plates were never cleared from the bar. A really poor experience for a $180 tab before tip.

    1 person found this helpful

  8. Joanne

    Chicago

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a great time and good food at The Dawson! Great accommodations for a large group!

    Is this helpful?

  9. OpenTable Diner

    Los Angeles

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 24, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing vibe. Food was good. Drinks were exceptional

    Is this helpful?

  10. Danielle

    St. Louis

    4 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 20, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    This was my first time visiting during brunch. Because it was the afternoon I chose the Cobb Salad, and I will never do that again. I was presented with a bowl of romaine lettuce, chunks of a dry chicken breast, and some less than fresh tomatoes. The waiter later brought me avocados because even she thought my salad didn’t look correct. I also didn’t have eggs in the salad so I sent it back for them to correct. I am grateful the salad was removed from the bill before I had to request it, but the Cobb salad is not worth $21. Also, the in-house lemonade was ridiculously sweet. I’m not sure I’ll come back for brunch, but the dinner menu and service are worthy of a return visit.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Dawson offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. The Dawson also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (312) 243-8955.

The Dawson is rated 4.7 stars by 2722 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 28 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Dawson

730 West Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60654

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross street
    Grand Avenue and Halsted Street at the Grand/Halsted/Milwaukee intersection
  • Neighborhood
    River West
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service, Farm-to-table
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    CTA Blue Line - Grand Avenue stopCTA Bus - Grand Avenue/Halsted Street stopCTA Bus - Milwaukee Avenue / Halsted Street stopCTA Bus - Halsted Street / Grand Avenue stop
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Outdoor Firepit, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.the-dawson.com/
  • Phone number
    (312) 243-8955
  • Private party facilities
    The Dawson is the gathering place in River West for globally-inspired American cuisine, award-winning libations and inviting decor. Featuring multiple spaces on two levels, including an expansive courtyard, The Dawson offers many options and is an event host's dream location.
  • Private party contact
    Events Manager: (312) 372-4001
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Open for Business Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo