Davison’s Steaks

Brought a group of 40 people to this restaurant and could not have been happier with the food, service and atmosphere. Everyone’s steaks were cooked perfectly and we’re all delivered to the table at the same time. Mike (owner) and his team were extremely attentive to detail and making sure my clients had a great dining experience. Look forward to the next opportunity to dine here.

My wife and I typically avoid steakhouses as both of us don’t really care for beef. However, we are new to the area and wanted to try several different restaurants, so we went to Davidson’s.
I ordered the Ahi Tuna Steak and I really enjoyed it. The cut of fish I had really was sushi grade. It was cooked exactly how I requested, and had minimal seasoning to allow the taste of the fish to stand out. My wife ordered pork chops and she said her dish was excellent. The entrée’s come with a visit to the salad bar and a side dish. The asparagus I ordered was bland, and my wife said the same thing about her sweet potato. The salad bar is very basic, but it was serviceable. The service was good.
My only real complaint is the inside/​outside décor is badly in need of updating. Its not dirty, but it does feel a bit dated and rundown. When combined with higher prices than other restaurants in the area ($ 20 – 35 for an entrée), I felt a bit … cheated … for the lack of a better term. I think improving their side dishes and some basic updates to the décor (even just a new coat of paint would go a long ways), would improve the overall experience.

Save your money. It is as over hyped as it has ever been.
It had been at least 3 years since our last time trying Davison’s. It seems nothing has changed and, had it not been for a family event, we wouldn’t have gone back a second time. At least I know that my opinion was justified.
Walking into the dimly lit restaurant from the entrance, one notices the steaks are being cooked «right in front of you.» I’m sure this adds to the aura of quality and adds to the meal to some people. I assure you, it does nothing for the quality of the meat. More on that in a moment.
First you decide on which undersized and overcooked piece of meat you’d like. The filet is $ 29 for 9 oz. There’s a kabob or chopped steak for $ 19. A special note on the rib eye: it is $ 24 for 8 oz and $ 1.50 for each additional oz of meat. You can get cheaper steaks at the Angus Barn, no kidding. You can also add a side of a microwaved potato, microwaved sweet potato, precooked «steamed» vegetables, or (I’m assuming) precooked asparagus (for $ 1 more).
You’re next given the opportunity to head over the the salad «bar.» I’ve honestly had better salad bars at all-​you-​can-​eat Chinese. Golden Corral’s salad bar puts this one to an absolute shame. Yes, I said Golden Corral. There are 13 «vegetables.» Yes, I counted. What else did I have to do while the other huddled and shuffling patrons tried to fill their terribly small bowls? The standard high school lunch room salad bar has more items and variety. Here you get a «mixed» green lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli, pineapple, carrot peels, eggs, black olives, peppers, onions, sliced mushrooms, cheese, and beets. No, I didn’t stand there and memorize them. That’s just what there was. At the end of the «bar» there were 7 dressings, all in the same deep vat seen at pretty much any all-​you-​can-​eat place. After the bar, one can make the choice of adding questionable pepperoncini, bacon bits, raisins, and sunflower seeds or premade croutons.
Once the steaks arrived, I had pretty much confirmed why we hadn’t come back and why my opinion had been justified. The 8 oz is not a joke. Do not expect more. If you want more, go somewhere else or be prepared to pay the additional for it. Everyone in our party of 4 ordered exactly the same thing and all our steaks were fairly consistent in appearance, doneness, and size. And since they cut the steaks in house, that should be expected. Back to the star of the show: The steak was bland, overcooked, and lukewarm. How do you overcook a steak and it not be hot? I have purchased much better pieces of meat from the Food Lion just down the road and have certainly cooked them better. And I didn’t pay $ 3 per oz for those steaks, either. The potato was of the microwave variety but at least it was hot. The soaked with butter small piece of French bread «toast» was also cold so at least consistency is there between the things actually coming off the grill.
The service was good. No complaints.
I’ve had much better steaks at the local chain establishments including Applebee’s, Ruby Tuesday’s, and Sagebrush. Much better, larger portions, cooked as desired, and for about the same price. While I don’t mind supporting a local establishment, I won’t spend my money needlessly on something that is overpriced and not as good as something I can get elsewhere for less.
In my opinion, the popularity of this place is solely due to the fact that they charge so much for the food that people think it is special. If this food was put against pretty much any other restaurant in town in a blind taste test, it would very likely lose. Go to Sagebrush or drive to Southern Pines and get a better meal for the same price. For the price of two «dinners» here, you can afford to go to the Angus Barn and eat more and better food. No kidding. For me, eating good food is more important than spending more money.

Best filet mignon around! They have awesome food and wonderful salad bar. It has a very nice atmosphere. I Love to eat here!

Had a date night with my husband recently and could not ask for a better meal. I had chicken and my husband had ribeye. Both meals were spot on. Cooked to perfection. Staff also very friendly and made sure we always had everything we needed.

First I will say that I had the prime rib and it was excellent. The Ahi Tuna Steak is not sushi grade tuna but still tasty. My companion was done with his Ahi Steak when they came by to offer him the wasabi sauce that was supposed to come with it 30 minutes later from the time we got our meals. It is not a classy place and needs to be updated from the 90’s era with a little more ambiance. Service was decent but could always be improved upon. For the small salad bar it was decent and had a good selection. For what you pay, you should have classy service and atmosphere, I got to realize that this is Sanford, NC not a sophisticated city.

Everything was great from the food to the service. We had the lobster scampi as an appetizer and split a ribeye — both were excellent. Good salad bar as well. We will be going back.

Well yum! This place was great. No wait, great ambiance, excellent salad bar and awesome dinner. The manager (I think) brought out a big olé hunk of beef so we could see our meat and choose the cut. It is something fun and different. Not a huge menu so if you aren’t going for the steak this place isn’t for you. Manager came back several times to check on us and to deliver cheesecake to our birthday girl. Artichoke dip was bomb. The grilled mushrooms were a perfect addition to the steaks which were all cooked perfectly with great flavor. Awesome little touches like water served in wine bottles and little individual pitchers for refills of sodas were just a nice touch. Not one even thing here to complain about. It is pricey but meal includes the salad, side, and soda and it is a great place for special occasions. Too bad I live in California or I would definately be back. If you haven’t eaten there you are missing out.

The steaks were good, but the sides left a lot to be desired. Unseasoned vegetables. And what’s up with a salad bar? Time to leave the 80s behind. When I go to a nice steak restaurant, I don’t want to wait in line at the Ruby Tuesday salad bar. It takes away from the overall experience. Tons of potential, but in need of some updates, to the building and the menu.

We came for lunch on father’s day.
Service was abysmal, at best. Seated quickly by a friendly host. Waitress was ready to go home when we arrived.
Nicely appointed dining room and looks like it would reflect the experience. My in-​laws had a ribeye sandwich and chicken kebobs, my wife had the steak kebob, I had a steak wrap. The food is the only thing keeping the rating at the level it’s at.
It seemed like every table was hearing more and more apologies as the meal went on. I’ll come back, just to try a steak. but you’d keep many more customers if the quality of service matched the food itself.

If you are in the area and don’t give this wonderful restaurant a try you are missing out. Thank you so much for the food and hospitality!

Although a funeral brought me to the town I worked in over 15 years ago, the night was topped off with a stellar meal. Having a friend with extreme food allergies, she wanted to go to Davison’s Steaks, and she knew her food would be cooked properly. From the moment I walked in, the service was impeccable. Mike was incredibly attentive and demonstrated such a strong sense, of not only compassion due to the circumstances, but professionalism as well. It is clear that he knows how to create an atmosphere of comfort while producing quality food. The steak melted in my mouth and the tuna made me feel like I was on the coast again. The menu offered a plethora of options to satiate any pallet. I loved the fact that it has a salad bar in which I could create the exact salad I desired for the night. If only this type of quality steakhouse existed in Uptown Charlotte! Davison’s Steaks is a MUST for EVERY Sanford resident and those in town!

Great steak. Aged from Omaha. Sanford NC is not known for it’s cuisine. I’m glad I did not read the one review posted. Finding a quite place with cloth napkins and a smooth relaxing environment in Sanford with great food makes my day. Eat here. You will not regret it.

This place is a lot nicer on the inside than it looks on the outside. It’s very big and has a warm and inviting décor. The prices are typical for a steakhouse. Approx. $ 20 – 35 for a steak, but it also comes with access to the salad bar and a baked potato or other veggie option. We got the surf and turf and I couldn’t even finish everything! The portions are great and the steak is cooked perfectly. Nothing extraordinarily, but good local place. Wine list is eh…
Crab, lobster dip appetizer was super salty!!! Not for me!