Dobson’s Bar & Restaurant

Loved this place from the first step walking in. I am French (been living here for many years) and this place brought me back home instantaneously. It looks like a real French Brasserie, with a great bar, crammed quarters, amazing food and excellent service. Absolutely recommended!

BY (Before Unilocal) this used to be the ex and moi’s favorite DTSD fine dining spot along with Athens Taverna a few blocks away:
. Bud RCP joined me for the YSB ( Unilocal Spring Break) blowout 2 weeks ago and we decided we needed steak dinners after all of the random munching and booze of the previous 30 hours or so.
One of our fellow YSB participants recommended Donovan’s Steak and Chop House, but since Billy Joel was playing at The Pet that night most of the better restaurants were rezzed out. I immediately thought of my old mainstay and off we were via Lyft.
As we are prone to do we opted to sit at the bar, hosted by a matter of fact and less than gregarious Btender. That’s ok, we were pretty sauced at this point and probably shouldn’t have been interacting with ppl anyway.
I had been dying for a filet mignon and this is surely the place to satiate that need. 8 oz of juicy red flesh served with buttermilk mashed potatoes. Oh Lord, perfection personified. My requested med-​rare was a tad to the rare side, but I was not going to let this bad boy out of my sight. So tender and seasoned perfectly. Yeow! I am amazed on how much I have cut down on my red meat intake over the last several years, and was reminded how much I have missed it. The Lapis Luna Zinfandel accompanied my seared bovine perfectly, and the generous pour for $ 10 was much appreciated. On second thought, maybe the btender wasn’t so bad after all.
Great to see that Dobson’s is still successfully rocking out OG style, just like Billy Joel. OK, that may be a bit of a stretch.

Dinner at the Dobson’s was a very nice experience. The server was very apt with her recommendations of the mussel bisque, lambchop, mussel with curry and cheese platter. Best way to finish off the wonderful dinner with the berry cobbler and vanilla ice cream. Definitely must try. Worth all the gained calories

I have been there once for dinner, but several times for drinks at the bar. The food is excellent, and having a drink or two at the bar is just as good. The bartenders are very friendly and personable. Prices are reasonable and good happy hour menu.

Dobson’s is full of old world charm with a soft, French-​kiss savior-​faire that encompasses you with its warm hospitality. One merely needs to cross through the front door and you’re feeling right at home. Greeted by a sweet hostess, we opted for our usual seats at the bar to feel the place out. The bartender welcomed us kindly and we were soon looking at menus for both the drinks and the food. I had the house made sangría and Hubby had a martini. We both shared a generous pour of the chef’s in-​house made, double aged añejo tequila. Oh. Em. Gee. Not on the menu so ask for a shot and sip it like its your kiss :) take your time, No joke. The stuff is spot on!
For us, Dobson’s is like that unique French brasserie that is very distinct with its dishes and crafty with is libations; just like the secret neighborhood spots you would find while wandering the cobbled streets of Paris. The restaurant itself is on the cozy side, a small two-​story spot with a fine bar to the right of the front door and select dining seats to the left. Take the stairs and you’re in a decent sized loft area that provides a very romantic yet relaxed dining experience. This is the type of place I absolutely love!
Signature dishes like the ever popular mussel bisque (A MUST) and clams a la Provençal which are perfect starters. The entrees to order are the Duck (perfectly crisp on the outside with a zesty orange glaze) and the filet with escargot earthy but so full of flavor! They have pâté and also an outstanding Chilean sea bass.
I could go on and on, but no need to … This is a definite 5star «kind of spot you return to just because it’s part of your story now» review from me for Dobson’s.

After hitting the trendy spots in the neighborhood with fellow musicians in the City Ballet of San Diego’s Orchestra, It was time to try Dobson’s. My guests for pre-​ballet dining were four of the women in my life (wife, sister, mom, and ballet-​student granddaughter) so I needed
to impress. Dobson’s didn’t disappoint. Our second floor table overlooked the bar with a view to the street. Server was friendly and quickly joined our conversation. Food and drinks were tops, Mussel Bisque lived up to it’s reputation, and picky eater granddaughter is now a fan of Filet Mignon. Expect us back, Dobson’s !

Visited this place with my wife on a Saturday night. Must say that the restaurant looked really nice front the inside. We sat upstairs right on the edge of the loft. Service was nice (not screaming wow factor but nice).
My wife had the mussel bisque and I had the linguini fruits de mer. Not bad but wasn’t screaming wow factor. I was expecting a really unique taste but didn’t find it.
Overall, nice experience but pretty typical.

Several people recommended that I try the Mussel Bisque from Dobson’s. I was nearby awaiting a show at the Balboa Theater and came here for a quick bite. I sat at the bar and was greeted by the friendliest bartender. He was very helpful and accommodating.
I already knew what I was here for, a cold draft beer and their infamous mussel bisque. They have few choices of local craft beer on tap but a draft pint is $ 5 during happy hour.
My mussel bisque came fairly quickly and everyone around me oo’d and awe’d as it came out. As tradition has it, my server broke my bread and drizzled in some sherry. I was blown away as were the dinners around me. The gentleman next to me mentioned to his dinning partner, «My favorite!»
This was no hype. It was an experience. The flaky puff pastry atop the bisque was perfection. The bisque itself was creamy and comforting for a chilly night.
It is reminiscent of an old San Francisco dining place. Frequented by many attorneys, local politicians and theater clientele you surely able to network.
¹⁵⁄₁₀₀

I have never written a review on a place before and unfortunately I will have to start with this place, due to the most unsatisfactory service during the recent SDRW 1÷22÷16. You would think that being a part of SDRW you would want to promote the restaurant in a positive way, so customers can keep coming back.
Guess not, not with this place.
Positives:
The restaurant was cozy and cute with some old world touches. Our night started off good with the hostess being friendly and seating us right away with our reservation. Then it was just downhill after that. Food was ⁴⁄₅ (fillet mignon and a fish entrée) Dessert was ²⁄₅ (tiramisu and brownie (hard) with ice cream)
Negative:
The waiter that served us just didn’t have any customer service or etiquette. He came to our table just standing there, didn’t say a word or no introduction of himself or offering anything to drink. I had to literally tell him, uh Hi we would like two cups of water please? Seriously. We didn’t mind it at first, trying to understand its probably a busy time but as time went on, our meal courses kept taking longer and longer. For crying out loud even getting wine and the dessert took a half an hour, if not more to get! The table next to us, that got there after us even left before us! Service ⁰⁄₅!!!
TO TOP EVERYTHING OFF, we were over charged, which we are still waiting a response to. Our receipt total and the amount from our bank account statement did not match!!! Unbelievable!!! one of the top worse places we have ever dinned at for restaurant week.
Unfortunately I cannot recommend this place to friends or family, nor will we come back!

Came here for SDRW, One star for the filet mignon, the only thing that tasted good. I don’t know what these people are talking about, the salad was mediocre, that mussel soup thing was over hyped sent their duck plate back, tiramisu was the worst I’ve had in San Diego. Waiter was nice enough not to charge me for just one SDRW price.

A charming, upscale local favorite, that was bustling with activity on a Friday lunch hour. Service was efficient, and our wait staff offered great suggestions. We were greeted and seated by the owner, Paul Dobson. We had two special items not on the regular menu: Ceviche and Roast Pork, and both were exceptional. I definitely recommend Dobson’s if you want an upscale yet friendly dining experience.

Came here on short notice before a holiday concert at the Balboa Theatre and sat bar side. So fortunate that we caught happy hour and was able to split a burger & fries special and two glasses of wine for just $ 26 (including tip)!!! Not only that but the bartenders who tended bar that night were really cool dudes! Burger and fries hit the spot! Their bar menu and happy hour is pretty good that we may add them to our downtown rotating list of places to drop in at every now and again! It’s kinda a nice cool spot where you know you can grab a bite and a nice drink without all the riffraff crowd which you may encounter deeper into the Gaslamp. Kudos to the folks at Dobson’s for this little cool spot of theirs!

Looking for that «old skool» ambiance backed by good old-​fashioned superior service and tasty food? Pop into Dobsons and you’ll find it all.
Took my wife here for our 1-​year wedding anniversary and were both amazed how awesome the food was. One item worth noting is the sourdough bread, which someone brings to you fresh and hot with a pair of tongs straight to your plate. This is the best bread I’ve had South of San Francisco and I’m actually from there, so my standards are quite high. Another must try is the mussel bisque; it’s absolutely stellar.
Aside from the food, our server was a nice, dark-​haired woman who treated us very well. She found out it was our anniversary and gave us complimentary champagne and later crème brûlée, which was delicious.
Try and get table #2, which puts you upstairs overlooking the bar. Great people watching.
Keep up the good work!

Pleasant setting in a small pub. My lunch special, the lobster sandwich, was delicious.
Wish I’d seen the mussel bisque before ordering. It looked wonderful.
I’ll have to return to try it.

This place was in walking distance from my hotel (Westin) after searching Unilocal,this was the top best picked eating spots. Dobson’s is so tiny but this place is full of surprises! I enjoyed our waiter, he knew I was a picky eater and he put me in the right direction to receive the best seafood pasta I’ve experienced in a while. Although we didn’t have reservations the host was perfect and seating us quickly. My guess and I didn’t to dine in around happy hour; the drinks were half price. I will definitely go back while I am here!

I found this place on the food network app called food maps, had a bit of trouble finding the place, and people who worked within blocked of the restaurant had never heard of the place. The hunt was worth it. The place was adorable, it was on the smaller side, quant. And we came at an off time between lunch and dinner, so we got special attention from the bartender. We both ordered the mussel bisque en croute. It was served in a bowl with a flaky pastry baked on top. The spoon was stuck in the middle of the bowl, and after setting both of our soups down, the bartender poured sherry into each. Excellent presentation. It was the best thing I ate throughout our 16 day road trip. I highly recommend.

Dobson’s is a cozy neighborhood bar you will come to again and again. Their staff is extremely friendly and accomodating.
As for the dishes, you have to try the mussel bisque. The bisque is creamy, velvety and luscious.
The drinks are great here and the bartenders do not skimp!
If you want to go to a comfortable bar/​restaurant where you feel right at home, this is the place to go to.

Small and cozy, Dobson’s is my spot. The server highlights the Mussel bisque en croute is featured on The Food Network. I’m happy to try it even without all the advertisement. First comes a piece of extra sour sourdough baked by by a local baking company (server says SD baking co) Though overwhelming at first, the tanginess became addicting. The combination of a soft bread and hard outer crust is perfection. Butter makes it better. The mussel bisque en croute comes, and immediately the server pierces the puff pastry crust with a spoon and pours sherry inside.
The broth is smooth and delicious. I cannot wait to come back to have this again.

Went here with the family to grab a bite for dinner on a Tuesday night. The restaurant itself has a nice setup and has a nice ambiance as well. It was busy, but we were able to grab a table upstairs right away.
To start we ordered the baked brie and the famed mussel soup. Mussels aren’t really my thing, and because of that, I wasn’t a huge fan of the soup overall – as was anyone at our table. The brie was pretty good, but we had to get it reheated since they had undercooked it the first time around.
For my meal, I decided to go with the chilean sea bass at the recommendation of our waitress and was pleasantly surprised. The fish was cooked perfectly and went well with the sauce and potatoes that it came with, and was a decent-​sized portion to boot. I also tried bites of my parents baked salmon and my brothers ribeye – both of which were tasty as well.
Overall, the service here was excellent and the food came out in a decent amount of time. The dishes are a bit pricy, but the quality and amount of food is well worth it. A great dinner find in the Gaslamp area for a nice night out.

BEST – Happy Hour margarita in downtown! Great menu, historic, cozy and all around awesome! Alex, the bartender, is fantastic and makes a mean Manhattan.

Fuimos al dobsons por recomendación el bisque no tiene pierde buenísimo y pedimos un linguini clams muy bueno también y el pescado del día que era un yellow tail bueno pero un poco overcooked muy seco
2 copas de merlot y pagamos 90 dls con todo y propina buen lugar frente al hortons plaza en downtown San Diego