“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 clients correctly.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Michelle Prescott
Chef Dave elevates the classics. The menu, even in Chestnut Hill, is unpretentious. The proteins are cooked and seasoned to perfection. I got the salmon which is seasoned with curry. The curry did not over power and I left knowing I had to come back because I was going to think about that dish. The Ribeye special may have been even better. A perfect special occasion spot and a far better meal than the other high end places in the area. Enjoy!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs
om
Amazing food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jessica DellAquila
This place was a huge disappointment. I made a reservation for 5pm for my birthday dinner. We wanted to order the crab cakes as an appetizer, but were told that they wouldn’t be ready until later. Really? You didn’t prepare something to be ready by the start of dinner service on a Saturday night? Within 20 minutes a server was asking us order our dinner entrees. I told her we hadn’t looked at the menu yet. Within 5 minutes another server came over insisting that we order our entrees, telling us that they had another reservation coming in at 7 and needed us to hurry up. Super rude, but we ordered. The food took 40 minutes to come out, and we did not order anything that would have required that long. When the food finally came out, it was extremely lackluster bordering on terrible. I ordered the lobster carbonara, which was basically just bland pasta with lobster chunks in it. My friend got the prime filet, which was absolutely disgusting. The other two entree were the appetizer ribs and a swordfish. We barely had time to eat before the server was asking us if we wanted boxes. Because it was my birthday, we ordered a dessert. It was some kind of caramel cake that was not good at all. We paid our bill and had to stop the server because one of us was literally still getting our card out when she took the check! At 6:58, the server came up to our table to tell us we needed to leave because her next reservation was there. Absolutely rude and unwelcoming service and terrible (expensive!!!) food. Avoid this place!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Jessica Dam
Rude waitress. We had a reservation for 6:45pm. Called at 6:50pm to make sure it was okay for us to still arrive without an issue. The host on the phone told us that if we came at 7:00pm we would still have an hour window to sit at our reserved table or that we had the choice to sit at the bar quickly. We got there and the waitress that was working came up to us and said that our table was no longer available and that the bar seats would take 20-30 minutes to open up for a party of two. She wouldn’t admit that our reservation was given to someone else and approached us with a rude demeanor. We both decided that their menu is subpar and not worth all the stress. Needless to say, the staff is extremely unprofessional and our Friday night is ruined because of their lack of professionalism
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Joyce K
The food is magnificent. Ribs are the best I ever had. Halibut with spinach was perfect, every bite a treat. Chocolate mouse was perfection. Shrimp appetizer was very good but not as outstanding as everything else I tried. Crazy expensive yet it seemed worth it
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs
Madeline Wolfield
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 be returning.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
Evan R
My wife and I have enjoyed this restaurant twice over now! Last night, we started with southwestern grilled shrimp, then enjoyed our main courses of halibut and prime filet. We also enjoyed a side of the mac and cheese.
As for drinks, we enjoyed sparkling water and an espresso martini. Excellent service and food as always.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Mac & Cheese
Erika Tsipouras
Everything about this place was incredible! They made it easy to change a reservation, parking was simple, and the outdoor patio was so cute we said we felt like we were in Miami. The food was exceptional. Fresh ingredients and made with love. The Greek touches from the water to the dessert were also impressive. Will definitely be returning and telling everyone about it!
Been meaning to check this place out for a while and it did not disappoint.
I sat at the bar, and had the ribs to start (very good, and just the right portion size for an appetizer).
I then had the 8 oz filet Au Poivre, which was cooked perfectly and not too peppery.
Paired that with a really nice glass of wine and an old fashioned—and it made for a great meal.
It was a little pricey for what it is, but I think it’s worth it. I’ll be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs, 8 Ounce Steak
Baraa Hijaz
Don’t usually write these, but the food, and service, was too incredible to ignore
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
nick depasquaLe
First time at Chef Dave’s , one of the best meals i’ve ever had ! Had the strip special med rare with horseradish mashed and farm fresh asparagus . Steak was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth . Chef recommended a delicious red wine to go with the meal and it was perfect. Thank you Chef Dave can’t wait to come back .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Robert Wennett
Worst front of the house ever. Service was terrible waitress was rude. No napkins or silver with our meals. You can not run a restaurant at these prices and provide such horrendous service or attention to details. Chef should be ashamed to have such good food with the worst attention to details I have ever seen. The waitress practically dropped the plates at our table. First time ever I have not even left a tip. The whole experience was an embarrassment. The lighting is also horrendous and the attention to details is the worst I have ever seen. I have never been so disappointed in a restaurant in years.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
tasha davis
Perfect Intimate Boutique Restaurant! Food Quality is Phenomenal.
“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 clients correctly.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
Chef Dave elevates the classics. The menu, even in Chestnut Hill, is unpretentious. The proteins are cooked and seasoned to perfection. I got the salmon which is seasoned with curry. The curry did not over power and I left knowing I had to come back because I was going to think about that dish. The Ribeye special may have been even better. A perfect special occasion spot and a far better meal than the other high end places in the area. Enjoy!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs
Amazing food
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place was a huge disappointment. I made a reservation for 5pm for my birthday dinner. We wanted to order the crab cakes as an appetizer, but were told that they wouldn’t be ready until later. Really? You didn’t prepare something to be ready by the start of dinner service on a Saturday night? Within 20 minutes a server was asking us order our dinner entrees. I told her we hadn’t looked at the menu yet. Within 5 minutes another server came over insisting that we order our entrees, telling us that they had another reservation coming in at 7 and needed us to hurry up. Super rude, but we ordered. The food took 40 minutes to come out, and we did not order anything that would have required that long. When the food finally came out, it was extremely lackluster bordering on terrible. I ordered the lobster carbonara, which was basically just bland pasta with lobster chunks in it. My friend got the prime filet, which was absolutely disgusting. The other two entree were the appetizer ribs and a swordfish. We barely had time to eat before the server was asking us if we wanted boxes. Because it was my birthday, we ordered a dessert. It was some kind of caramel cake that was not good at all. We paid our bill and had to stop the server because one of us was literally still getting our card out when she took the check! At 6:58, the server came up to our table to tell us we needed to leave because her next reservation was there. Absolutely rude and unwelcoming service and terrible (expensive!!!) food. Avoid this place!
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Rude waitress. We had a reservation for 6:45pm. Called at 6:50pm to make sure it was okay for us to still arrive without an issue. The host on the phone told us that if we came at 7:00pm we would still have an hour window to sit at our reserved table or that we had the choice to sit at the bar quickly. We got there and the waitress that was working came up to us and said that our table was no longer available and that the bar seats would take 20-30 minutes to open up for a party of two. She wouldn’t admit that our reservation was given to someone else and approached us with a rude demeanor. We both decided that their menu is subpar and not worth all the stress. Needless to say, the staff is extremely unprofessional and our Friday night is ruined because of their lack of professionalism
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
The food is magnificent. Ribs are the best I ever had. Halibut with spinach was perfect, every bite a treat. Chocolate mouse was perfection. Shrimp appetizer was very good but not as outstanding as everything else I tried. Crazy expensive yet it seemed worth it
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs
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 be returning.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 2
My wife and I have enjoyed this restaurant twice over now! Last night, we started with southwestern grilled shrimp, then enjoyed our main courses of halibut and prime filet. We also enjoyed a side of the mac and cheese.
As for drinks, we enjoyed sparkling water and an espresso martini. Excellent service and food as always.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: House Mac & Cheese
Everything about this place was incredible! They made it easy to change a reservation, parking was simple, and the outdoor patio was so cute we said we felt like we were in Miami. The food was exceptional. Fresh ingredients and made with love. The Greek touches from the water to the dessert were also impressive. Will definitely be returning and telling everyone about it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Burrata Salad, Fried Calamari Salad, Sea Bass, 8 Ounce Steak, Chocolate Cake
The entrees are second to none. They come out piping hot and cooked perfectly.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Veal Chop
Restaurantji Recommends
Been meaning to check this place out for a while and it did not disappoint.
I sat at the bar, and had the ribs to start (very good, and just the right portion size for an appetizer).
I then had the 8 oz filet Au Poivre, which was cooked perfectly and not too peppery.
Paired that with a really nice glass of wine and an old fashioned—and it made for a great meal.
It was a little pricey for what it is, but I think it’s worth it. I’ll be back.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Ribs, 8 Ounce Steak
Don’t usually write these, but the food, and service, was too incredible to ignore
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time at Chef Dave’s , one of the best meals i’ve ever had ! Had the strip special med rare with horseradish mashed and farm fresh asparagus . Steak was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth . Chef recommended a delicious red wine to go with the meal and it was perfect. Thank you Chef Dave can’t wait to come back .
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Worst front of the house ever. Service was terrible waitress was rude. No napkins or silver with our meals. You can not run a restaurant at these prices and provide such horrendous service or attention to details. Chef should be ashamed to have such good food with the worst attention to details I have ever seen. The waitress practically dropped the plates at our table. First time ever I have not even left a tip. The whole experience was an embarrassment. The lighting is also horrendous and the attention to details is the worst I have ever seen. I have never been so disappointed in a restaurant in years.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Perfect Intimate Boutique Restaurant! Food Quality is Phenomenal.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...