Patou

I paid for a special package to spend New Year's Eve at Patou. The price was reasonable, and it was easy enough to get a drink, considering how crowded it was. Pros: young, attractive crowd Cons: messy, unstocked bathroom more

We had as appetizers the risotto with wild mushrooms (which was out of this world) and a boston lettuce salad with roasted figs and blue cheese. For main course, we had braised lamb shank (the meat was so tender it was literally falling off the bone) and a cooked to perfection strip steak. Our waiter recommended a delicious affordable bordeaux to pair with the meal. Pros: NICE PORTIONS AND GOOD SERVICE more

Menu was tempting with its savvy mix of small plates and full dinners. All four dishes I and my date had were savory, proper portions, and beautifully presented. Spices and herb and sauces absolutely appropriate for the fish or meat they accompanied and complemented. Had a very nice and moderately priced Rhone wine. Service was polite, unobtrusive, and attentive. Clearly a restaurant I will be returning to and recommending to one and all. Pros: Great food, excellent service, good value Cons: Parking can be a problem more

I took my mom here for her birthday, and made a note on the Open Table reservation that said so. Not only did the owner, head chef, and waiter cater to us all (Friday!) night, but they even made her a chocolate molten cake -- on the house! The food was delicious, service was superb, and I cannot wait to go back. Pros: excellent food & service Cons: a little cold on a winter night more

I usually try to avoid old city when eating out as I find that (overall) most restaurants in this neighborhood end up being nothing special and overpriced. In the end I was happy my friends insisted on celebrating at Patou. We opted to do the special 4 course tasting menu. Like most people nowadays, if I'm going out and spending a decent amount of money I don't want ""just OK"". Patou exceeded my expectations. Each course offered something special that made the meal memorable. The oysters were enormous and fresh, the lamb shank was fall off the bone tender. The server recommended a great digestif that paired perfectly with the souffle. I would have liked the main dining room to have been warmer. We decided to sit in the lounge because it wasn't so drafty. For $28 (not including drinks) I left feeling it was money definitely well spent. Pros: service, original menu, value Cons: old city, more

It was our first time and we didn't know what to expect. Upon entering the restaurant, it looked cozy and intimate but just past the bar was a cavernous eating place that looked more like a disco than a restaurant. The restaurant's strengths, however, were not the decor and atmosphere but the exceptional service, personal attention and the great tasting food. Both made the dining experience memorable. We definitely will come back. Pros: Service, Food Cons: Decor, Ambience more

So my boyfriend had reserved this place a little over a month ago for Valentine's day, to be quite honest, I've never even heard about the place before. But anyways, we had our heart set on the menu that was provided on their website and come to find out, they have a set menu for Valentine. Note that there is only a couple of items on the menu that night and NOTHING that we was looking forward too. I was so disappointed! There was nothing there that I wanted. I didn't wanted to look confused so I just ordered the salad which was terrible- I wonder what's so french about tempura shrimp? and for the main course I got the filet mignon & lamb-- which was so not-good. It wasn't favored! On top of that, eveything took so damn long. At first I thought, okay, fine dinning, fine food. B-S! Our waiter came over to apologize himself! and we didn't even have to anything. We sat right next to the kitchen which I thought was very lovely because we can see the chef and everything but HELLO, WE CAN HEAR YOUR FLAWS! Evidently, they had mixes-up and what not. *Sigh* Overall, I hated it. I will not go back even with the original menu. Kudo to my babe though for the v-day dinner. Pros: atmosphere Cons: everything but the atmosphere more

My girlfriend made reservations for us a few weeks ago, her friends said it was one of the best restaurants in old city. Im not usually that into french food, but it was valentines day so...whats more romantic right? Our reservations were for 8, we got there a little late and they held our table for us, I mean they were packed, I thought that that was really nice of them to do. It was my first time there, and I gotta say the place is big, really big, and really nice. we were sat at a table right in front of the kitchen which is completely open, so you can see all the action. Our server was great-really knowledgeable about the food and wine, and the food was excellent, even for someone who doesn't like french food that much, I really liked it. I had the lamb and filet mignon dish which was cooked perfectly, my girlfriend had the striped bass, she loved it. All in all it was really one of the best dinners I've had in a long time-the atmosphere was great and the food spoke for itself-I'll definitely be going back. I highly recommend this place Pros: Food and Service Cons: parking is difficult around old city more

We made a reservation for the restaurant as a large group (20 or so). They said they could take us at 8:30 PM on a Friday. We showed up and the chaos began. We didn't seat us for 2 hrs. Meanwhile, they took 20 minutes to serve one drink while the server assigned to our area lectured us on our behavior. We were upset and trying to deal with the manager and were denied access to him. We were never apologized to, given no discounts, and treated very poorly. Oh and by the way... the food is terrible. If you want to waste money on bad food and get treated like you are a petulant child you might enjoy this restaurant. more

My husband and I love to go to Bistro St. Tropez so when I discovered that this was a sister restaurant to Bistro, I decided to take him for Father's Day. Needless to say it was not crowded. We liked the banquets and pillows. Since I am rather short I had to use one of the pillows to get closer to the table. Our waitress was doing double duty as the bartender too but she was very efficient and friendly. The featured white wine was not available but the wine that was served went very well with my entree St. Jacques (scallops). The presentation of that dish was awesome. My husband had the lamb chops and throughly enjoyed them. We shared the chocolate crepe which was delicious. We will be going there again to try a few other things on the menu that caught our attention. Our only complaint was that the men's room stunk. more

Of all the restaurants in Philadelphia, this should be at the bottom of the list. The service and food are both bad. Despite hearing some good reviews, my experience was far from it. Service was lacking--the waiter paid no attention to us. He also spilled a drink on the table next to us. The manager failed to make good on a nearly inedible entree. The wine list was only ok, but nothing to brag about. Try one of the many other quality restaurants in Philly instead. more

I've been a long time foodie and fan of both Patou and Bistro St. Tropez . I think they are simply two of the best restaurants in the city. And Patrice Rames is certainly one of the most talented chefs in the city. Philly is so lucky to have him... Thanks for many years of great dining Patrice! more

I went to Patou last night for dinner and was not disappointed. The restaurant was itself beautiful and comfortable. Unlike many of the restaurants in Philly that have amazing food, you didn't have to sit ontop of other customers to enjoy it. The tables are spaced out nicely, but not so much its feels empty. I would highly recommend it for couples, you can actually hear each other talking but the table to your left and right can not. Amazing bonus thats hard to find in the city. Pros: Food, Spacious Seating more

I reserved a table for two at Patou for Valentine's day. When my boyfriend and I arrived, the whole restaurant was packed and crowded. The hostess was very friendly and asked us to wait at the bar. At the bar (again, friendly bartender), there was no place to sit so we had to stand up against the back wall for 45 minutes. I felt disappointed that on Valentine's day with a prix fixe menu, they could not have accurately estimated the amount of customers so that the wait would be minimised - or atleast offered those of us who were waiting with reservations a free drink. The food was good but our service was disappointing. I have worked in a restaurant setting in the past and am typically forgiving when a restaurant has a busy night- but I felt that service was subpar. The truffle soup was delicious but luke warm. The oysters were fresh but our waiter/busser forgot to bring us silverware. We sat near the cooking line and I watched our food sit for 10 minutes. My steak, which I had ordered rare, was very well-done. The waiter apologized, but by the time my meal came out (15 minutes later), my boyfriend had already finished his halibut (which was great). Then he had to wait while I ate.... The whole experience took nearly three hours. Under other circumstances, it might have been relaxing to sit over the meal and not be pushed to leave - but in this case, it felt as if we were just forgotten half of the time! Pros: great atmosphere, good food, superb location in philly Cons: cost, service was not great more

The first time I experienced Chef Rames cooking was several years ago, when I had the privilege of dining at Bistro St. Tropez. We had a fairly large group and everyone left dinner that evening raving about the food (as well as the experience). It was because of this that I chose Patou as the restaurant in which to celebrate my 30th birthday this past weekend. Pros: Location Cons: Service and food more

-Went there for a valentine's day dinner, was tremendously excited as the menu looked amazing. Our bread was pretty standard and the pinot griggio was great. Our actual appetizers - gnocchi and lobster rolls left much to be desired. We ordered both the couscous with chicken, and couscous with lamb dishes - both were again... just not that special... the couscous was dry, the lamb was oily, the chicken was dry... and about an hour afterwards left us both with awful stomach aches. Cons: Food more

I met five of my friends for dinner on Saturday night and had an incredible experience. With five different taste buds to please we asked the owner to pick our menu. The food was outstanding! From the tapas appetizer tray (the babba ganoush was excellent) to the sizzling tray of succulent grouper with an array of shell fish, highlighted by fingerling potatoes and fennel. All cooked to perfection! We ended up sharing many delectable desserts and I mistakenly left the table to early..... I heard the apple tart was off the charts. Can't comment because I didn't get to taste any, the only thing left to do is go back again to see for myself! Pros: The food was cooked to perfection more

We went to Philadelphia to escape NYC for New Years and found a gem of a restaurant! The food was amazing! Personally the appetizer* rocked as did my lobster and steak. The service was on point, and. The seating ( yes even in the front section) was comfortable and by New York standards roomy. I swear my partner and I had even commented that they could have fit another few tables in our area. As for the atmosphere we were taken aback by their ability to create a lively/colorful yet cozy and romantic ambiance. Anyone can be good for either food, or atmosphere or service. Rarely will you find a place that has all three under one gracious and inviting roof! Listen I have eaten in restaurants all over NYC and around the world and will tell you in my book this place deserves the five stars. Pros: Service Menu & Ambience Cons: Only that we dont live closer! more

Had dinner last saturday. Still great food and HUGE portions. I had the boullibaisse and there was at least a dozen mussels, a dozen clams, 1/2 a pound of monkfish, and a prawn the size of a small lobster in the dish. I couldn't finish. The broth was rich and perfect. For starters the table shared a huge oyster plate, fresh and tasty, spicy fried calamari, and a boston lettuce salad which was the coolest looking salad I've ever seen, the lettuce head had been reassembled with radicchio leaves to look like a flower on the plate. Dessert was the classic french apple tart, always a crowd pleaser. Add to the mix a few glasses of really nice wine and a glass of peach sangria, and a good time was had by all. Props to the servers, attentive and friendly. Seems the bar dining area has been remodeled, its warm and cozy, a nice contrast to the open airy main dining room. Highly recommended. Pros: Fresh and tasty food, you can't leave hungry, service and ambiance Cons: none that I can see more

I went during restaurant week, so-so service. Was seated in the front portion of the restaurant with tables too close together. Escargot wasn't very appealing, the pastry kind of hard as if it'd been sitting under a heat lamp. Cassoulet was just NASTY, the beans were mushy and the Duck was devoid of any flavor. Thank goodness for restaurant week, even though I was still angry that I wasted my time in that place at least I didn't waste too much money finding out. Pros: Ummmm Cons: Food more