Dobbs Ferry Restaurant

My boyfriend and I came here on Valentine's day for dinner. We made reservations knowing that most restaurants would be packed with customers. This restaurant was recommended by one of his former coworkers. This was our first time here, so we were excited to give this place a try.

When we arrived at the restaurant, our hostess asked us if we had reservations then asked if we wanted to get our coats checked. We were seated within a few minutes.

This restaurant offers free bread upon request. Honestly, I can never turn down free bread at restaurants. I am a carbs lover. The bread was perfect for dipping with our meatballs.

We ordered the following foods to share:
-Brussels sprouts (5/5): I love that there were bacon bits in this dish. It really helps complement the dish. It would be nice if the brussels sprouts were roasted a bit more. I like them nice and crispy haha.
-Meatballs (5/5): The meatballs were very juicy and soft to eat. The sauce was perfect for dipping our complimentary bread.
-Filet of beef (5/5): The portion size of the meat is a bit small. The beef was flavorful. The salad gave the beef a nice balance to the meal.
-Llano seco pork loin (5/5): The pork loin was very scrumptious and perfectly cooked. I also enjoyed the soft yams.

By the end of our entrees, we were too stuffed to over any desserts. We ended up ordered a 2nd refill on bread, we didn't have any room for desserts. We had a pleasant experience with the food and service. We would definitely come back here again!

Notes:
Since the restaurant is located in Hayes Valley, parking might be a bit tricky. I wouldn't recommend driving to the restaurant. The food prices are a bit expensive, but I think it's worth the money. The restaurant isn't very big, so I don't recommend parties large than 6. The service here is excellent. Hopefully you won't be disappointed!

Thanks Yelpers! This place was great and very close to our hotel.

My only complaint is when we walked in there were four tables with parties already there and lots of space. The hostess went to seat us right next to another couple eating. Now this would be fine with me however, the restaurant was pretty open, and it was 8 on a Tuesday so why right on top of that couple? So we sat at the bar. This proved to be great as the staff was fun except for the hostess in my opinion.

We started with the Brussels sprouts. Ok you must order these! Simply must eat them. And we had the pate. Yes yes yes. The pickled veggies and fig jam were great. We split the rockfish which was so fresh and almost a tempura batter.

Sheana (so?) was so fun to talk with and seemed to be having a fun night. Sorry to have missed the owners who were gone for a family thing. My only hope is they stop seating everyone on top of everyone when there's room to not do that. No one wants to listen to others when it's not needed. And I know it was her thing because some single man came in and she sat him next to a party of five. Like why? Oh well the food was good.

I was waiting for a girlfriend to finish up a concert she was attending, so decided to grab a few drinks. Luckily, a friend was in the area and was down to hang out. While driving around Hayes Velley, we found parking right in front of Dobbs Ferry. Figured we were meant to drink here and walked in on Saturday, September 8th around 9:30pm and sat at the bar.

*Besserat de Bellefon: brut, epernay-champagne, france nv ($18 glass) x3
*Cock 'n Bull Ginger Beer ($5)

We were here until closing, so a good 1.5 hours. My friend doesn't drink, so he sipped on a ginger beer while I drank bubbly. It was a good amount of time to talk and catch up as we hadn't seen each other in a while. The bartender was nice and sweet and kept the refills on my champagne coming.

I guess they also have a Dobbs Bar around the corner if we really wanted to keep drinking, but we decided to call it a night with the drinks at closing. The space looks like a cute little neighborhood restaurant. If ever in the area again, I wouldn't mind coming by for a meal. I imagine it would be good for a pre-show dinner since the symphony, ballet, etc, are fairly close.

Close to War Memorial and Davies Symphony hall. The weekend brunch menu is small and all items sound yummy. Was surprised there were not vegetarian options though.

I had the chicken and waffle and it was literally one piece of half a chicken breast, flattened and breaded on top of my waffle. I thought the chicken was dry and the waffle was mushy. A big scoop of whipped cream and very little syrup. Needless to say I was disappointed.

My friend has the egg benedict. And it was one egg Benedict with lots of fingerling potatoes. She did enjoy it.

Convenient location but I was hoping for better food.

One of my favorite cuisine spots in the city is Hayes Valley and recently, I had a chance to experience Dobbs Ferry. It's a very solid 4 stars as there are several aspects that make it a place for you to check out. First noticeable feature for me was the service. It was exceptional from top to bottom. We had a large group an the could not have been more friendly and accommodating.

Second, the menu was varied and presented well with great and honest suggestions from their team. I settled on the pasta (shown) which was very good. Good mixture of ingredients. I prefer things on the spicy side, but it's nothing red pepper flakes couldn't resolve. Everyone in my group expressed great satisfaction with their choices. Really, there is something here for virtually all preferences.

If there was one opportunity, it may be on wine selections. Perhaps more local (Ca) and upper end options would prompt the fifth star. Of course, bringing a favorite bottle is an option too!

This was an excellent spot and one that will be added as a "go to" for me in the future. Very reasonably priced and with the added nice atmosphere, I suggest that you give it a try!

The food in a ball concept is interesting, and I've expected more than the food delivered before, but, man, these risotto balls are disappointing. I'm not sure if the bigger issue is dry risotto or too much cheese or not enough crunch or lacking moisture. Thank goodness for the aioli sauce. I drenched these darn balls.

The cauliflower soup is seasoned well and is just about thick enough for my liking, but it's asking for another texture, like calamari bits in clam chowder, maybe something more subtle.

Delivery order. I'll probably go in person for perhaps a better experience.

I stopped by here for a late dinner after bar hopping with some total strangers. I don't remember too much because I my mind was already on Mars.

I do remember ordering this delicious dish:
TAGLIATELLE - fresh, knife-cut semolina pasta, parmesan cream, roasted black trumpet mushrooms, spinach, thyme and truffle oil.
It was the perfect non-obese amount of food and very flavorful.

The service was great. We weren't being rowdy or anything, but they were accommodating a drunk group of people and not being rude about it. So, good place to go after you've been drinking and want something light-ish to eat.

Upscale and luxurious, Dobbs ain't for the unrefined palette or the thin wallet. This restaurant serves a more affluent crowd, so I, embarrassed, have to admit that I had to look up terms on the menu. I definitely knew a third of the ingredients but I had to rely on Siri to check for gluten allergens. Confession: the bread was not good for my stomach but it sure was good to my tastebuds. Also,I will say those tater tots surprised me with their shape; they were off-the-hook. Best part of dinner. My beef was hardy but I wish I had more meat. All in all, Dobbs did dinner damn well.

Looked forward to our pre-opera dinner dinner and was disappointed given the great reviews on Check Pease. Must make note that the fried chicken and mashed potatoes are a solid 5 stars as well as the tater tots. Chicken had a super crunchy crust and moist meat. Potatoes were creamy with the perfect seasoning. However the rest of the meal was a disappointment.

Started with a rose, lovely crisp cold shot of wine. Yep, that's right a shot of wine. Lovely large wine glass with a serving amounting to a few ounces. Certainly a small serving.

Now on to my entree, summer seafood boil. Sounds heavenly however what was served was a large bowl
of milky broth with a 2 inch square of halibut, a few of the tiniest of unshelled crunchy bay shrimp (see the photo)a few minuscule pieces of squid, 8 marble sized potatoes and a few slices of fennel. Broth lacked the spice promised and was fennel dominate, certainly could benefit from some salt. This does not represent SF's typical bowl of seafood. And what is with the biscuit, tasty but an odd accompaniment to a bowl of broth. I had to request butter which was needed as the biscuit just didn't seem to taste right when dipped into the broth.

For dessert we shared donut holes with a raspberry sauce. They were okay, nice crunch on the outside yet a bit doughy inside.

We were off to less than welcoming start when the host took his sweet time to acknowledge we were standing in front of him. Not the best way to begin a dining experience however the servers were attentive, professional and friendly.

Not sure how this is a Hudson Bay meet the Bay Area (their tag line) Will not return as there as so many other restaurants in the area which are worth trying.

My wife made a reservation here before the symphony and LOVED it.
Not sure if it is because it was because I went into it with no expectations or the food is just that good!
I had the winter salad which was so fresh and the Pepita seeds was so enjoyable. The fried chicken I had was Perfect. Juicy on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside.
My wife had the seared ahi which she really enjoyed as well, but kept nibbling my chicken.