The Dean - College Station (TX)

4 /5 Jarrek Hartsell: Overall it is a good dinner spot. The food was pretty tasty. Maybe some room for improvement but a solid 8/10. The decor and design is great and exactly what you’d expect from a restaurant called “The Dean”. The cocktails were pretty solid as well. Definitely worth trying if you are looking for a place to try nearby or staying at the Hilton.

3 /5 Regina Felice (iamlunasol): We had high tea at The Dean and it was a disappointment. Overall, I’d say you get what you pay for at $25 a person, and most of that is the nice-looking setting. At high tea, you should get all 3 courses/tiers at once. They brought out the first and third course. We expected they simply had full hands and would bring out the second course (scones) promptly. No. We had to flag staff down. They’d forgotten to give it to us completely. Then they brought us the scones, but none of the butter, jam, clotted cream, or other topping listed on the menu. We flag staff down again. 5 minutes later they brought us butter…and none of the other things we paid for. Edit: I initially wrote that the scones were raw in the middle. I was mistaken on this point, as one scone had a white chocolate filling and the other had a toga filling. That said, the mouthfeel was not to my preference as it felt soggy in the middle. The teapot of water was filled with lukewarm water. We had to ask for a HOT pot of water. The first course was good. The scones were raw as I mentioned. The desserts were pretty heavy and cloyingly sweet, so I only ended up eating a bite of each. There were also 6 desserts but only 3 savories, so it felt super unbalanced. Overall I was happy with the environment they have for high tea, but disappointed with the execution. I’m certainly willing to give them another try in the future because I love high tea and there aren’t other options that I know of locally.

5 /5 Bohdanna Khmilevska: Great experience overall. The service was excellent—Sarah was attentive and always made sure we had everything we needed. The food was very good, especially the pork belly, which alone is worth coming back for. The atmosphere was amazing; the only small note is that the R&B/ Hip hop music didn’t quite match the vibe. Still, a wonderful spot and we’d definitely return.

5 /5 Lindsey Cody (CCL): First time at The Dean, looking for a birthday dinner spot -- two low-key adults, years of trying restaurants hither and yon, happy with a Michelin star or a Happy Meal, as long as its done well. As soon as we walked in, the attention to detail was everywhere. Thoughtful decor and furniture, leaning into the cheeky "academic" theme but subtly. Surprising ambience, youd never guess youre in a hotel. Manager Jordan showed us around (including the speakeasy...shhhh...), made us feel instantly welcome, and he checked on us at the end of the evening. Our server, Sarah, had a big smile and great info, attentive but never pushy. Enjoyed a few cocktails, dipped into the extensive wine and whiskey list a bit. But the food is always the decider, right? Spoiler alert: everything was fantastic. This is a steakhouse menu, single sheet, not trying to be fancy or razzle-dazzle you with wacky variations or twenty pages of menu options, allowing the kitchen to really emphasize depth of flavor, seasoning, detail. The short rib fries were rich and balanced, the tuna fresh and bright. Basic sides like mashed potatoes easily held their own and more. The sauces were textbook examples of the skill, and thats hard to do. Desserts kept the quality going (as we found out later; took those to go on account of being royally stuffed). All well and good, but the steaks: hooo, boy. This is Texas, so one best bring it. Didnt even get the most expensive cuts, and my wife and I were astonished. Perfect sear, cooked exactly to requested temp, and (sounds like a cliché, but trust me) in the case of the filet barely needed a knife, it was so tender. There are several very reliable, well-established beef slinging joints in this town who should be nervous. I hope it wasnt just a particularly good day for the meat supplier (and the kitchen staff, and the servers, and the bartender, and everyone else) -- but we will surely be back to find out. Happy birthday, indeed.

5 /5 Carson Paul Walker: Sara and Jordan were absolutely wonderful. The food was delicious, everything was cooked to perfection, and let’s not forget that the service was absolutely immaculate. Make sure to take a special trip to the Hilton College Station and dine at the Dean and ensure that you ask for Sarah as a waitress. I definitely will be back again, and this was absolutely a fine dining exquisite experience!