Patou

We went to Patou during Restaurant Week (as well as a few other restaurants) and the food was more than enough to make us go back after the crowds were gone. From the homemade sangria to the $1 seafood happy hour at the bar to the exceptional management (including a hello from the chef/owner), you won't be disappointed. Make sure you have the mushroom appetizer and leave room for extra bread! more

Good Food, Awful Sevice more

Good food, nice atmosphere, really bad service, go when they're not busy so you can get what you pay for more

I was in there last night for Restaurant week and not knowing what to expect. I was extremely impressed with the selection of entrees. Not your typical scaled down selection because of restaurant week. The restaurant was very comfortable (not stuffy like other French resurants in the city) and the food was great starting off with the Tuna Tartare, then the striped bass and finally the Colonel for dessert. All three offerings were first class. Tuna tartare was fresh and the striped bass was cooked to perfection. The colonel topped it off with a shot of Absolut inside. Perfect way to end the meal with the sherbert and a shot of Absolut. I am also glad to hear that they are extending restaurant week as they do every year. I can't wait to go back. I was able to look at their regular menu and the prices are very reasonable. I think you can throw out the stereotype that good French food are expensive. This is not the case at Patou. If they can send the food out this good during restaurant week, I would love to taste the food when they can cater to your specific needs. They got me hooked. Who would have thought, french cuisine at a reasonable cost. Great job, please don't change a thing. Pros: Great beers on tap Cons: Parking, No Valet more

Their happy hour consists of your choices of $1 each of Alaskan King Crab legs, Oysters and Shrimps. You can order as many as you like for only $1 each. For my main course, I ordered the Entrecote (Sirloin Steak). It was prepared just right in terms of temperature and seasoning. The steak was not overpowered by spices, just enough to enjoy the cut of meat. I love steaks and seafood and I've had steaks and seafood at all of the fine steak houses in Philly (Capital, Morton's, Ruth Chris, S & W...), and the Sirloin Steak I ordered was comparably better and cheaper (about $10 cheaper) than I ever had before at other locations. I can't wait to try their Hangar Steak and their Filet, because our server (Rosa) told us it's just as good and better depending on your preference of cut. Our service was very pleasing, we had enough time to enjoy our meal without being rushed. I would recommend Patou to anyone looking for a great steak and happy hour. more

Went for restaurant week and started feeling a little off during the entree after eating the Tuna Tartar for an appetizer, which must not have been properly handled. I'm quite sure of this since I went home and promptly stayed in the bathroom for a longer time than is otherwise necessary. Considering that the food wasn't even recommendable I was upset I even took the risk. Now I have a perpetually queezy stomach and sore throat. As an aside, another member found copious amounts of sand in their mussels appetizer and didn't think it did her any good either. For safety's sake, best to stay away. more

I have been going to Patou for several years and have always thought that Philadelphia is fortunate to have such a lovely and affordable French restaurant in town. The dining areas are spacious and nicely decorated with a contemporary flair. The service is attentive and unpretentious. The food is superb. There's a great, reasonably-priced wine list. The restaurant is also very creative with special evenings (Bastille Day specials, chef's table, music groups, etc.). If you're visiting Philadelphia it's a great spot in the heart of Center City for a nice drink in the long bar or for an excellent meal after a day of sightseeing. If you're lucky enough to live in Philadelphia, you should certainly go and be sure to get on the mailing list. Very highly recommended. Pros: Excellent food, decor, and service. Very good reasonably priced wine list. more

I am not a professional review writer. In fact this is the first time I've ever posted a review and it's not as though I've never had a bad meal or poor service. None the less, the experience I had a Patou this past Saturday was enough to move me to action. My husband and I enjoyed a lovely day walking the streets of Philadelphia and when we came across Patou it seemed the perfect way to complete the day. We were seated almost immediately and our drink orders take. Bread was soon served and our orders taken. After that, things went down hill very quickly. We waited 30 minutes after placing our order to receive the first course which was a chilled soup and when the server finally came to the table he only had soup for one. Following our first course, we waited an hour with no sign of the server or our entrees. When we finally flagged our server and enquired on the wait time, she said she would check and promptly disappeared again. After another 20 minutes we requested the manager. Another 15 minutes and a second request later we finally spoke with someone - we're still not sure it was the manager. Anyway, he said he would check on our entrees and make an adjustment to the bill. 10 minutes later - now beyond the 2 hour mark from the time we were seated - we were served our entrees. To our dismay, the fish was raw! That was the last straw. We spoke with the ""manager"" again and informed him we were leaving and would not be paying. Neither my husband nor I have ever done anything like that before. We ended up eating a piece of pizza for dinner at 9:30 at a little pizza shop about 2 blocks away. I don't recall the name but the service was ten times better than what we received at this establishment! more

Go to Patou on Tuesdays...what a deal! When you're done with your dinner the server asks you to call heads or tails while they flip a coin. If you guess right...Patou pays for the food! We won. Had a really great filet mignon. Never heard of a restaurant doing something like this before. I'll be back. Pros: Amazing Promotion, Large Portions more

I went to Patou during restaurant week with my husband and another couple. I had heard some bad reviews but was definitely pleased that I decided to go. Our waiter was excellent and service throughout the night was exceptional. He suggested a bottle of very nice French wine. I ordered the mussels as an appetizer and while they were not the best I have ever had, they were definitely very good. My husband had the calamari, which was excellent. Our guests had the marguerite pizzette (basically just a little pizza, but great for picky eaters and flavorful) and the escargot in a fluffy pastry, not my favorite, but decent. I had the cassoulet for dinner (usually an appetizer), which was great. The sausage was my favorite part. My husband had the coq au vin which was full of flavor. Our guests had the scallops and the cous cous, both of which were very good. Dessert was excellent all around. The cheese platter was very tasty and the chocolate mousse divine! Overall, I was very pleased with the experience and will definitely return. Pros: food, service, atmosphere more

So I finally got out on restaurant week, and I have to say I was quite pleased. I had been to Patou's a few times over the summer for happy hour, and have to say I like the new paint job they gave their bar and front room. The drinks of course are good, though being a Monday, I really didn't part-take this visit. The service was superb. Being a weird pesco-vegetarian, the waitress was quick to find out whether or not the soup had chicken stock for me, on top of being very polite and giving us plenty of time to select items form the menu, and checking back at the appropriate intervals. We didn't have to wait long to order or for the complimentary bread, which i wish there had been a few more pieces, but was glad there wasn't so I had room for the three- course meal. I ended up with the mussels which were excellent (large and buttery with herbs). My date had the calamari which was also delicious, as they calamari was breaded and fried along with onions which added to the flavor. For my second course I had the salmon, which was great. It was cooked perfectly (not too dry or moist) and the flavor was excellent. My date had the paella which she really liked. The desserts were also good, though hers was definitely better ( a chocolate mousse type dessert, nice amaretto flavored, while being light too). My only complaint had nothing to do with the food, but with where we were seated, which was unfortunately right down from the from door so I caught a draft the whole evening whenever someone would enter or leave the restaurant. I high suggest asking for a table in their back (or second?) room as a posed to the front, at leas tin the winter. It is a beautiful open space though, so you'll have ot decide which you prefer. On the whole though I was very satisfied and my date was impressed so intend to keep this restaurant on my list of places to frequent. There was a lot on the menu that looked interesting, and I would like to see what else is available as the seasons change. Pros: Food, atmosphere, drink, and cute bartenders Cons: avoid siting in the front in the winter, and cute bartendes (must pay attention to your date) more

My friends and I went to Patou in Old City on Market Street last night. The menu offers many appealing selections that are creative yet not odd as we've found in some places where the chefs make it more about the art than about the food. Every course (we we're there for the 3 course/$30 restaurant week price-fixe) was delicious. I even enjoyed my friends salmon - and I rarely eat seafood. They have a broad selection of wine though we were hooked on the tasty Patou cocktails. The deserts were inspired. Rich. Sweet. Almost sinful. We joined their repeat diner program so we can get the price-fixe on any night. We're definitely going back to Patou on a regular basis. Pros: Delicious food. Great drinks/music. Superior staff. more

Just got back from dining out with my friend for restaurant week. We had a waiter who, in his defense, was new, but lacked the ability to serve us well. Our salads came out and we waited for about 10 more minutes for our wine to be served. We were at the table almost a half hour without food or bread or wine. The wine was anything but the description posted on the wine menu. As a wine collector and enthusiast, I feel I know my wine, and was very disappointed. The food lacked any personality, my steak had come out over cooked, and a filet mignon, it should not be fatty or chewy. The manager attempted to make good on it by comp-ing $10 off the bill, but I would rather have had a better meal and paid the $10. To end the night, our waiter made things awkward between my friend and me with unnecessary conversation regarding whether we were dating, and while we are very good friends, she and I could do nothing but laugh at the unconventional questions. Of all of the options in the city for fine dining, this was overpriced and overrated. This is my first restaurant review, and I thought it necessary to share. Pros: nice decor Cons: bad food, bad service (even though he was nice) more

This meal was even better than the last time. This is probabaly the eighth time that I and my wife have eaten at Patou. The meal was delicious. All the flavors always remind us of all the foods we experienced while traveling the South of France. True to its form. The pizzas are just like the ones you find in St. Tropez at Le Canastel (one of the best pizza places in South of France). All the ingredients in all the dishes we ordered (friscasse of mushrooms, braised chicken, pizza margharite) were super fresh. Save room for the warm chocolate cake and Creme Brulee. Best in the city and we've tried these in all the notable restaurants in the city. Yummy stuff! Pros: great menu Cons: parking more

Really nice ambiance before and after the renovations. Drinks are weak. Pretty good food. Very nice staff. French Nights on Fridays. Dress is trendy but a relaxed atmosphere. Try the salmon in a pastry shell dish. If you never had it before, its not as bad a some of you might think. Its a very light dish. For something richer, try the Coq Au Vin. Its chicken cooked/stewed in red wine. The meat is very tender. This dessert is also very good, tarte aux pommes. Pros: Very Nice Staff Cons: Parking more

My company held their holiday party at Patou last evening, and I highly recommend this venue for yours! Restaurant staff was accommodating, the Events Coordinator I dealt with was very helpful, and the General Manager was there all during the event in case anything came up. The atmosphere is inviting, warm, cozy, sensual and fit for any event. The food was fabulous and got many rave reviews from my staff--the salmon and lamb were top of many's list! Planning this was made easy by everyone there. I will definitely use Patou for future events! more

After a desperate search for a space to hold a partners meeting, I got connected with Roman from Patou, and we were set! He created a number of different spaces within Patou's main dining area for us to meet and dine in. Our menu was fabulous- we enjoyed breakfast and lunch in the space, and it was a diverse enough menu to satisfy even our vegetarian and vegan associates. Pros: Service, Menu Options, Space Cons: Lighting, Noise more

Excellent service, great atmosphere, great for parties. Very accommodating. Food is very good, but not quite great. Price is right. Pros: service more

After our endless search to find a venue for our Wedding in Phila., we made the decision to have the reception at Patou. This was the perfect setting for our 125 guest reception. Roman's expertise with event planning and coordination helped us plan a flawless and unstressful reception. We received many positive comments from our guests about the food - very well prepared and delicious. Pros: great service & staff, delicious food more

I've been there for dinner and brunch and both were great experiences. You can't beat their brunch for $20, which includes a a variety of hot items and salads, and breads, fruit and cheeses. Light jazz is played by 2 musicians and you can watch the street traffic on Market street. Dinner is superb- all the food was excellent and it was all reasonably priced for such quality, atmosphere and good service. COnvenient location-close to other bars and restaurants on Market street. Pros: TRendy and upscale without being pricey or stuffy more