Dana’s

Excellent service and dinner. We had the prawn and beet salad appetizers, and the filet mignon. The complementary garlic/​olive oil dip with peasant-​style bread was outstanding!
I ordered the steak rare, with only light salt and pepper; it came out just as I ordered it. The wine list was on the sparse side, but we found a reasonably priced cab that was really nice with the steak. We’ll return!

Manager reached out due to slow service since they were short staffed. Food was good and I’ll give them another try. I will update the review once I go back.

My favorite spot for a quick bite and drink. Happy hour selection for drinks is kinda limited though but I go there for a relaxing afternoon.

I am at a total loss to understand the high reviews for this place. We’ve been here twice for dinner and neither experience was great. The first time, we came with another couple. That was a decent enough experience but not memorable nor good enough to write a favorable review. We thought the food was just OK, the menu selection a bit sparse, the service OK and the prices as just typical for Danville.
The second time was with 2 other couples and it was decidedly much worse. The food was not bad but $ 32 for 3 scallops was a bit pricey, even for Danville. I had Steamed Clams but it was was not anything like what I expected. For one thing, there was no broth. Instead, it was more like a salty, savory sauce. I sure never got the impression there was enough liquid to consider it as «steamed» clams. It wasn’t a bad dish but just not what i wanted. The sauce was heavy and strong enough tl overpower the clams. It reminded me of Chinese Sauteed Clams in Black Bean Sauce! I also asked the server if the Crab Louie was made with fresh crab, assuming that it would be Dungeness, if the answer came back as ‘fresh.’ Well, it was fresh but it wasn’t Dungeness! I should have sent it back but because we had 2 other couples with us, I didn’t want to make a scene.
Well, as it turns out, nobody was very happy, anyway. The service was on the verge of terrible! There was an ERROR ON EVERY COURSE OF OUR MEAL!!! It started with drinks. We all ordered a glass of wine of different varietals. They got them mixed up and had to redo two of the wines. Then on the salad course, two couples split their salads. The kitchen split one but not the other and the third salad was the wrong salad! Yikes! Then, because I did not order an entrée, I asked for the Steamed Clams to come first as an appetizer and I would have my Fried Calamari when the others had their salad course. Nope! The Calamari and the Clams arrived at the same time as the rest had t heir (incorrect) salads. The final insult, of course, was the Crab Louie made with some kind of crab other than fresh Dungeness. My personal feeling is that if they couldn’t get fresh Dungeness, they should have warned me of what the crab component was or take the thing off the menu, entirely. The Calamari was OK but just a tad greasy. My wife had the Beet Salad and she said it was decent but pricey for the serving size/​price.
The server was very new and improperly trained and had very little knowledge of fine food in general. He might gotten his experience at a Chili’s, Denny’s or some other chain eatery but he should not have been allowed to out on the floor on his own! He was very young and every response to any of our requests was always the same, «ABSOLUTELY,» as if enthusiasm was a substitute for knowledge and experience!
None of us wanted to continue any further than we had to and quit without dessert and went next door for ice cream!
So there you have it. Again, I wish I could reconcile our experiences with all the folks that gave such high marks for this place.
Jim

The fillet sandwich with a garlic fries were absolutely amazing I don’t know what kind of sauce they put on it but it was absolutely fantastic I will be coming back

My wife and I just had Brunch here and it was one of the best Eggs Benedict meals we have ever had. The eggs were over palenta and there were crab cakes and asparagus included. Outstanding taste along with a fantastic ambience. Truly wonderful experience in a beautiful, quaint part of the Danville Livery.
We’ll be back again soon!

Had very high expectations of Dana’s from the reviews and our good friends also raved about it. The place was jam packed on Sat and they managed to get us a table outside on the patio. The heating lamps worked well so it was very comfortable.
The place does not seem kid friendly but there was a couple with two small kids next to us and a large party of 10 or so inside with 5 kids/​babies. At one point I heard that «newborn» cry from through the windows. Not a biggie but if you’re annoyed by children at nice restaurants you may huff and puff as it appears people bring there kids here.
Our server was attentive and pleasant. The bread and oil were really good. The oil had garlic and some lemon zest (mild) and was very tasty.
We ordered the fondue and I must say the beef tips were one of the most delicious pieces of steak/​beef I have ever had. So tender and cooked to perfection. Seems whenever I eat steak, even at fancy steakhouses I’m constantly trying to hide the fact I’m spitting it in my napkin and the old ’ hide the fatty pieces in the mashed potatoes you didn’t finish.
Things went downhill from here. I ordered the phyllo wrapped portobello and my husband got the pork tenderloin which he said was «pretty good» but not amazing. Well, the portobello wrap was inedible. It tasted like I was eating pure cinnamon and nutmeg. I’ve maybe only sent 3 dishes back in my entire early 30-​something life.
The truffle hash was incredible but the string beans were so salty I could not eat them either. I can tell they added salt once they were cooked and added way too much.
We had to get back to the sitter so I asked if I could have the ravioli to go. About 15 min later they brought me a bag with the ravioli in it. Luckily I looked at what they gave me before we left and I was appalled. Inside was THREE ravioli, yes TRES, TROIS. Not only did they give me 3 measly ravis but they were also inedible. They were hard as cardboard on the outside with barely any filling. What the? This is the great Dana’s?! Did they take off a few ravioli to compensate for the bite of mushroom wrap I took plus the few bites of hash I ate?
So now I’m ticked and ask our waiter nicely (as it’s not really his fault) that I would like to speak to a manager as I feel jipped and even if there were an acceptable amount of ravioli, it was again inedible.
After about 5 minutes I lost even more respect for the «ahhhmaazzing Dana’s». The manager or owner did not come out. They sent the poor, sweet hostess to do THEIR dirty work to talk to me. I found it funny because I saw the owner check in with the table in front of us earlier in the night to see how their dinner was. I explained to the hostess (who seemed uncomfortable and terrified of me– though again I was super nice and not ‘complainey’) that I can’t eat the I’ll-cooked ravioli and there are only 3. She couldn’t even look me or my husband in the eye and like it was scripted in a movie (i.e. what the manager told her to say) she «we will gladly refund you for your dish».
So if you love steak tips, fondue and cardboard rav’s then Dana’s just may be the place for you.

Dana’s is probably the best of the «upscale» restaurants in downtown Danville, and that is the basis for my 5-​star review. It hits the mark on all of the things that matter, which is more than I can say for several other notable spots in town.
We were here on a Wednesday night with a table for 7. Dana’s is located in the otherwise non-​descript Danville Livery in a spot previously occupied by Martini Sky, and perhaps others before it. It isn’t a huge space, but it is pretty comfortable and is what I would consider to be casually elegant. nice enough for a business dinner or date night, but I also wouldn’t be totally opposed to bringing my kids here either (though I probably won’t).
Our server was everything you’d want. friendly, attentive, knowledgeable, unpretentious, efficient and available. She was also assisted by a team of other staff that orchestrated a very comfortable evening for our table.
The food here was also excellent from start to finish. The Princeton Platter featured a variety of shellfish and the usual accompaniments. On this the oysters were the real hit, but the crab and prawns were perhaps a bit overdone and chewy. The fried calamari was also nice, paired with a slightly spicy chili and garlic sauce.
The real star here were the entrees, though. My bone-​in lamb chops were expertly prepared and a generous portion. a perfect medium rare with a flavorful char surrounding an otherwise tender meat laid atop a polenta cake, sauteed kale, and some cucumber raita. It was on par with the best lamb chop dishes I’ve had.
I saw several other dishes around the table, including the pork tenderloin, ribeye, and scallops. The reports from my colleagues were similarly rousing, and each plate looked as well executed as my lamb. From that standpoint, it appears you can hardly go wrong here. Desserts and coffee rounded out a really great night.
Now, this all comes at a cost, but I wouldn’t consider it to be outrageous given the quality of the food, the service, and the location. The wine list isn’t extensive, but is respectable… and there is NO CORKAGE for your first bottle, which is a great perk to keep the total bill in check.
In a town crowded with fancy restaurants delivering hit-​or-​miss cuisine and service quality, Dana’s seems to be a shining star. Hopefully, they are here to stay!

Dana’s offer an impeccable American cuisine with a Mediterranean flare, which makes sense when the owner is from that country region. We had the Crab Cakes to as a starter and the flavors of the sauce, arugula and beets were a perfect blend. The Scallops, which came highly recommended were exquisite and the roasted potatoes topped with Micro Greens was a unique and incredible paring. The Burger was also tasty and the French Fries were the right texture. Aside from the wonderful dishes, the staff and our waiter, Mike provided excellent and friendly service. Dana’s is a fantastic dining option in the Tri Valley and a must try if you are in the area.

Well, they try. It’s a thoughtful nice restaurant, cozy inside, American comfort food menu. I really like the garlicky oil and warm soft bread table setting, a good touch and it puts you in the mood.
Service on a weekend lunch was friendly but gangly and amateurish, which translated into long waits and awkward moments and getting up from the table to ask for things. Fried squid was overcooked to the point of rubbery, onion soup was nice enough but uneventful, squash ravioli was under-​seasoned, over-​boiled, and kinda boring, but saved by some pomegranate seed and vegetable excitement. Prawn add-​ons were big and copious, but frozen and not fresh, and one of them smelled very fishy.
The setting is very sweet, it feels like the mountain village it is. The menu promotes chef so-​and-​so as running the kitchen, so it would be nice if it felt like somebody was in charge. Perhaps on a busier day with more chef attention this could be a decent place.

Last night we met Tam and Kevin for dinner here after Jazz Vespers. We haven’t been in this space since it housed Patrick David’s, where we had a fairly poor Father’s Day brunch in 2010. When we arrived Tam and Kevin were already ensconced in a table by the north facing windows, banquettes against the window, chairs facing them. We were given dinner and drink menus to look over. There are an array of starters, appetizers and mains. We had been brought a plate of bread w/​an additional plate of their garlicky olive oil dip. Alan and I decided to share an order of crab cakes and Tam ordered a Harvest Platter to share. The Harvest platter was comprised of white bean hummus, marinated feta cheese, roasted cherry tomatoes, green beans, grilled mushrooms, Castelvetrano olives, roasted garlic and grilled bread. Both were $ 16. The crab cakes were very tasty, w/​almost no filler. On the side was a small salad of mixed greens topped w/​shaved fennel. The presentation was beautiful. The Harvest Platter was a bountiful mixture of tastes and textures. It was a very nice choice. Kevin ordered the French onion soup to start and pronounced it excellent. Tam ordered a Mai Tai and I ordered a glass of old vines Zinfandel. Her Mai Tai was huge, strong and tasty. Alan and I helped her w/​it. My Zin was very smooth and flavorful.
For our mains, I chose the salmon special, which came w/​a farrow «risotto» and chard, sprinkled w/​pomegranate seeds. Alan chose a steak salad. Kevin ordered Day Boat Scallops and Tam ordered the butternut squash ravioli w/​chicken added. The server asked me the level of doneness I wanted for my salmon and I requested it medium rare. Alan requested the same level of doneness for his steak. The bread and olive oil were a wonderful combination, the bread warm and the dip so, so tasty. We requested three plates in all. When the mains were brought the presentations were again beautiful. Kevin’s scallops were spread out on an oblong plate w/​broccolini, caramelized shallots, Yukon gold potatoes, corn purée and a cherry tomato vinaigrette. Often scallop mains are only three, but this looked like 4 or 5. My salmon was stacked atop the farro and chard and was topped w/​more shaved fennel. It was beautifully cooked. Each bite was a pleasure. Alan gave me a taste of his steak and it was melt in the mouth tender. Tam found the ravioli a bit sweet for her taste and thought salt would help. She liked the chicken. She took a good portion home for today’s lunch. We were tempted to look at the dessert menu and of course found things we wanted. Tam ordered the New York cheesecake, I ordered a lime curd tartlet and Alan ordered a cheese plate w/​Manchego cheese. My tartlet was small, perfect for me, and very good. Tam liked the cheesecake and Alan liked the cheese plate. It was a delicious dinner, well prepared and well served.

I’ve had Dana’s bookmarked to try for the longest time, and finally got to try it out the day before Thanksgiving. We called 20 minutes in advance to ask about their availability, and the lady on the phone instantly reserved us a two-​person table. Already turning out to be a great evening. Even the day before Thanksgiving, this place was pretty packed. As we were shown to our table (7:30 PM), two more parties came in.
Although every other table around us was sipping on fine wine, my boyfriend and I opted to get cocktails. He ordered a spicy bloody mary that he found amazing, and I ordered the raspberry lemon drop, both of which we found delicious and strong ;)
My boyfriend and I like to order small plates to share, so we ordered the following:
— Ahi Poke: while the quality of the tuna wasn’t top-​notch, fresh out of the ocean, they did a really interesting twist on the classic ahi poke dish by searing the tuna slightly, and with the taro chips, it was different and unique from other ahi poke dishes I’ve had at other restaurants. Would recommend to those whose eyes always gravitate to the ahi poke in any restaurant.
— Steamed Mussels: DELICIOUS DELICIOUS DELICIOUS. A good amount of mussels that weren’t overcooked, and weren’t overpowered by the chorizo. The fuji apple bits were not too crunchy, and still a good texture contrast to the mussels and chorizo. highly recommended.
— Truffle Mac n Cheese: I’ve had truffle mac n cheese at other restaurants where the truffle overpowered the mac n cheese and it felt disgusting, but Dana’s did it quite honestly.perfectly. It wasn’t too strong, and it wasn’t too light. For the price it was perfect as well.
Would give this place ⁵⁄₅ stars if it weren’t for the overly attentive staff. They kept coming by to ask us how the dish was within two minutes of it arriving to our table. it felt a little stifling, and it made me sort of uncomfortable to discuss the meal with my boyfriend, in fear of them rushing in and asking me about it. Also wasn’t fond of how our table (along with those near us) were right by the door, and as people kept coming in and going, I could feel the cold air.
Will be coming back again! Until then, stay yummy :)

Dana’s offers an excellent menu, friendly service and food cooked to perfection.
Chef Preston has a wide menu with fresh, quality ingredients at very reasonable prices. The portions are generous and every dish I’ve had has exceptional flavor and depth.
I have enjoyed the fresh spinach fettuccine several times (seasonal) as it’s amazing. The sole is another go-​to dish and is light and full of flavor. I paired the crab cakes and mac and cheese for an entrée another visit. The portion size of the crab cakes was excellent and the rich cheesy mac was a great compliment.
The steak salad is amazing, as is their smaller starter green salad. Desserts are homemade and sooo good.
This is another nice addition to the Danville dining scene.

Awesome place to grab dinner or just grab a couple of cocktails. This joint has a super cool interior as well as a very nicely appointed exterior complete with ample seating, heat lamps and a nice ambiance. The service here is actually fantastic, prompt and extremely friendly. The meals was pretty freaking good too if you ask me, started with some bread, ahi and then finished with a prosciutto stuffed chicken all washed down with a Mojito. Overall, 4.5−5 star experience all the way!
Pros–
Location
Ambiance
Seating
Service
Food
Portions
Drinks
Cons–
A bit pricey
Parking
Dessert menu left a bit to be desired

I didn’t even see Dana’s coming last Saturday night. Wow – what a treat! We sat in the bar area and had great, attentive service by Andy. He was a lot of fun and pours a generous drink:)! I don’t care that they didn’t do any renovations. The space is great and the food was even better. We had several appetizers and salads, however, the standout for me was the burger. Omg – absolutely delicious. Honestly, I can’t wait to go back and have another. The lunch menu looks really good and I will be back very soon. Thank you for a GREAT evening!

The Boys and I decided to give this new restaurant a try after hearing great things about the food and having eaten Chef Preston’s food before at another local spot.
The inside of Dana’s is very nice, clean and modern. There’s a classy-​casual and homey feel to the interior and an open kitchen to view the staff.
We started things off with appetizers of salmon gravlax and salmon tartare. Both were excellent! The fish is very fresh and sushi grade in quality. The gravlax was nicely flavored and came with toasted bread. The salmon also had great flavor and came with taro chips. What a great start!
For dinner, S had the fresh crab Louie salad, B had the house made fettuccine with pesto and grilled chicken, and I had the steak salad that featured filet mignon tips. The portions were all generous. The Louis had a good amount of fresh crab and the right balance of dressing and crisp greens. The fettuccine was very light and tender, and the mixture of flavors from the house pest was excellent. My salad had a big portion of filet (nicely cut and tossed in the salad), creamy blue cheese dressing, fresh butter lettuce and crisp onion strings. Everything had value, fresh ingredients, and great flavor.
For dessert, the Boys had an assortment of gelato and I had the chocolate flourless torte (of course). The gelato was brought in, but was very, very good. The torte was made in house and was very light and delicious.
Overall, this place is in its way! The food is delicious, generous and reasonably priced. The place is clean and very nice. The staff were friendly and very helpful. We will definitely be back!
Iced Tea Rating: 4 stars! Delicious fresh-​brewed black iced tea!!!

A great night at the 12^th annual Danville Art and Wine stroll ended here at Dana’s. We have been to this location a few time prior when it was Martini Sky. Was really sad to see it go but Dana’s offers more on the menu than their predecessor. While the famous martinis are missing there is a larger selection of wines than before, not to mention the menu has expanded… a 40 oz ribeye for $ 90? Who can eat all of that in one sitting, maybe there is a prize for the person that actually accomplishes this amazing task.
Being under after 3 hours of walking around Danville tasting wine is an understatement. We were lucky enough that the restaurant was staying open longer for all the buzzed people looking to eat. We sat at the bar area, ordered a cheap glass of wine, the truffle Mac n cheese and the beef burger. Food overall was pretty good, burger slightly over cooked more of a medium than medium rare but still tasty. Mac n cheese was delicious but be careful it takes awhile to cool off. Service was excellent the bartender kept checking in on us and was very friendly. Hopefully Dana’s sticks around awhile we will definitely be back!

Little Gem in D’ville. I was in town for a day on a stop over, my sister found this place and had been here before.
Started off with the Ahi poke while we were waiting for my sister to arrive. Love the combination of the avocado, cucumber and thinly sliced baby radishes dressed with a soy based vinaigrette.
French toast and Chantilly cream was great. Bread used had nice texture which complimented the Chantilly cream and fresh sweet strawberries.
Crab cake with polenta, eggs Benedict and hollandaise was just what I wanted on this brunchy afternoon. If I had to critic this dish, the egg yolk was about 50% over cooked and had very minimal yolk leaking out after cutting into it.
Steak and eggs with potatoes was very substantial. The grilled Angus tenderloin came with what appears to be a roasted tomatillo sauce and great duo together.
We finished off the meal with a crème brûlée which was surprisingly good and threw me off guard. In addition to the vanilla which you normally get, it had a nice basil flavor which was infused into it.
Our server Craig was very friendly and talkative. Would recommend if you are in the area or vicinity as it is worth driving too. Would definitely be back

Dana’s is the latest addition to Danville Livery, replacing the previous Martini Sky. It specializes in American comfort food. We came here for Sunday dinner and was curious to see how it compared to its predecessor, Martini Sky (which we liked quite a bit!).
Food overall I’d give 4.5 stars — majority of our dishes executed really well and big on flavors, with minimal flaws. Service was excellent throughout most our meal, but when the restaurant got busy it took a while to get our bill, so –0.5 star for overall four stars! As for the food:
— The free bread came with this amazing garlic-​olive oil spread. It reminds us a bit like the dip from Piatti, but with more intense garlic flavor.
— Basic green salad had good amount of crunchy almonds and fruits, which we liked. Decent size for sharing for sure.
— Ribs Appetizer was fall-​off-​the bone tender. We asked for the Guinness BBQ sauce on the side but wound up slathering it all over the ribs anyways since it was so good — barely sweet and very smoky.
— Sole was a very basic preparation — lemon butter and capers. Cooked well and light on breading. The roasted fingerling potatoes were really good — crispy outside, soft inside!
— Herb Roasted Chicken was huge! I’d say 90% of it was cooked perfectly and even white meat was soft and juicy. There was a small portion near the drumstick bone that was a bit too pink, so I ate around it. The mashed potatoes were rich and creamy. The bitter collard greens helped balance everything out though.
— Desserts were quite limited here and nothing creative really stood out. We opted for vanilla crème brûlée with their black coffee and was pretty satisfied.
We would probably come back in the future — the dishes are basic but generous in size and well executed.

This restaurant was called Martini Sky. I knew Jeff Dudum who was running it and recommended him my famous «aloe vera martini» which I believe is still on the menu or the bartender can make it. It’s a healthy martini :-)
I came to get lunch here and was surprised it was re-​named. The name Dana’s is not very eye-​catching as Martini Sky. The owner named it after his wife I was told.
The lunch menu was great. Food was excellent and service was good as well. We had reservations for my best friend for tonight at Corners Tavern and I’m bringing everybody to Dana’s tonight (12 people). We’ll see how they do with a large party.
The prices are higher than in other restaurants but they put white table cloths on tables and brought in very good chef. And he’s good looking too :-)
I will update after tonight’s big bday party.