Paul

S-​L-​O-​W
Don’t come here if you need to be somewhere within the next 2 hours. They need to help out the staff, because a single server on a Friday night is not adequate.
Now that I’ve got that unpleasantness out of the way, on to the slightly pleasantness. The food is fairly good, and presentation is pretty interesting. But overall, it’s not worth the price. Or the wait.
EDIT: Didn’t realize they closed. My backlog is getting out of hand.

I loved this place when it first opened. As many reviewers have said, they had an unbeatable $ 20 prix fixe. Yes, the portions were smaller than at other places, but they were totally adequate for this 6-​foot-​tall guy with a healthy appetite. And the dishes were exquisite, both in taste and presentation.
That is all in the past now. They got a new chef, who makes large plates of bland, generic food. On a recent evening, my wife and I were craving the prix fixe of old. We both had gazpacho soup (decent), she followed with fried shrimp, and I had the chicken mole. The best that can be said for the entrees is that they were large. The shrimp were greasy and flavorless, and the mole a poor impersonation of what you’d find at a Mexican place.
One more thing: it’s no longer true that the full menu is available as a prix fixe. They limit you to soup/​salad and 3 entrees. So we sampled ²⁄₃ of their offerings.
With three large, bland courses for $ 20, this place has turned into TGI Friday’s, except with a smaller menu and no booze. There are much better eats all around.

Very very disappointed! I feel like there had to be something off on the night my friend and I went (Sunday) because most of the recent reviews were awesome and our experience was just terrible.
So we sat down and were given menus and told the specials. We actually thought that the $ 20 (or $ 25 on Sunday) price fixe was just on Tuesdays, so when our server told us that they had a «neighborhood appreciation special» ($ 25 for 3 courses) we were impressed.
The thing our server forgot to mention was that the portion sizes would be at least half of the normal size. My friend and I had no problem splitting a salad and getting our own entrees, but under the guise of this appreciation thing, we thought you would be getting the same food (or at least something similar).
The salads were really good– mixed bibb lettuce with bacon and tomato in a buttermilk dressing. And really big!
When we were brought our entrees, we thought it was a joke. I ordered the bass, and I eat a lot of fish so I know what it is supposed to look like. Bass is a meaty, thick white flaky fish. The thing that came out on the plate looked like a piece of scrap they give you at the fish store to cook with your food and give to the dog. It was so tiny and thin that you literally had to scrape the fish off the skin so you wouldnt eat the skin. To top it all off, the portion was two small bites and it was under seasoned and borderline overcooked. The side dish, kind of like a vegetable hash with corn and asparagus, was bigger than the fish itself– really sad. Also, compared to the salad it was really inconsistent.
My friend’s chicken dish was fine, but it was one really thin chicken cutlet served with a side of romaine salad and one fingerling potato chopped into four tiny rounds. Thats it. One baby potato. Those things are tiny. The chicken was so thin that it was also undercooked.
I mentioned to the server that I didn’t like my dish and she suggested I try the cod. I tried it and it was slightly thicker than the bass, but once again the plate was covered in leaves and garnishes. The summer rolls didn’t have an assortment of vegetables, just lots of lettuce and tiny pieces of pineapple. There were also mounds of microgreens all over the plate. The poor little piece of fish got lost in all of those leaves.
We decided to stick around for dessert since it was part of the meal. The cheesecake was disgusting. The pan they cooked it in was too wide for the amount of filling they put in it and it probably immediately fell when it started to cool and was thin, but thick dense and really eggy.
I guess the server felt bad for my friend who was clearly still hungry so she brought out this HUGE strawberry rhubarb «cobbler» for her. It must have been four to five cups of the stuff in this huge ramekin, and sprinkled with crumbled oats, not cobbler. It was ridiculous and kinda sickening after such little food for the entrée.
I am so disappointed with Paul and can’t believe that this is how they do business. I don’t think that it’s right at all to cut down portions and quality as much as they do and call it «neighborhood appreciation.» Even if they had doubled or tripled the portion of meat they served it still wouldn’t be of the same cut and quality as other BYOB’s such as Fond.
I prefer to eat at places like Paul instead of patronizing Stephen Starr restaurants on a regular basis, but the inconsistency and outrageous price will make me re-​think ever returning here.

Paul is an elegant little BYO that accommodated the BF and me with a cozy little outside table, despite the fact that we were Saturday night walk-​ins, without reservations – on graduation weekend.
The menu is light, fresh, and varied. I had the Spring Salad, with fresh peas & asparagus, and a lemon-​basil viniagrette. For dinner, I had the Striped Bass, grilled with a vegetable ragu – delish. I sampled the orecchiette (with a shrimp chorizo), and the shrimp tacos that my boyfriend ordered. Pastas come in half– and full-​order sizes.
Even as a BYO, I do wish they’d offer more than iced tea & lemonade (sparkling water, mayhaps?), and I also wish they’d note «Cash Only» on their menus, rather than on the bill at the end of the meal, but fortunately mobile Unilocal clued me in to that fact.
Paul still seems to be working a couple of kinks out, but the staff is very friendly; the food is excellent, and the Chef was checking in on tables to make sure everything was up to par. I will definitely be back.

Concise review: Cash only, reasonable prices, high-​quality ingredients, innovative menu twists on classic items. BYOB++
Friendly staff, great décor, really good food.
Wordy review:
Brunched at Paul’s on Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day, and i was really confused that we were the only ones in the restaurant. The space is lovely, modern & sleek. Fresh white tulips lines the walls & natural light poured in through the many windows. Soft, unobtrusive music.
BYOB worked out perfectly for us, we’d recently bought a large Belgian beer from Hawthorne’s Beer Boutique. The waitress brought us a bucket of ice, then menus. It was difficult to choose! Corn-​flake crusted French toast? Potato Croquettes? We settled on Eggs Paul: poached eggs resting atop toasted brioche, thick, crispy slab bacon, & topped with a GUAVA SAUCE. This was a wonderful new take on a classic brunch dish.
We also ordered the «Big Breakfast»: 2 eggs, home fries, 3 pancakes & Scrapple. The chef came out to explain (to us NYers) what Scrapple was, its Pennsylvania Dutch origin, and the restaurant’s source of its organic & farm-​raised meats.
Both plates came adorned with small piles of pea shoots & a tiny wild strawberry. Huzzah healthy edible garnish.
The portions are what one would expect from a place that calls itself «upscale comfort food.» A tad on the small side, but if you eat slowly & drink a bunch, you can get full. Silver dollar pancakes were nothing special, home fries were WAY too small in portion (hash pile was the size of a small spatula). *Scrapple was the star of that plate*
Turkey-​sage sausage was a special blend, patties may have been ground on-​site. Delicious, just as flavorful as pork with a nice crispy outside.
Dessert was an «Amish apple dumpling». The apples & dough were well-​cooked, but though the menu said it would be served with farm fresh cream, it only came with a messy dollop of Breyer’s vanilla ice cream on top. The «dumpling» was actually just open-​faced: a cup of the pastry with a layer of thinly sliced apples on top, heated up. It was okay, but skippable.
I’m glad we supported this local business. It has a lot of character, a great menu, and we loved that the chef came out to talk to us. It would be a nice place to have a relaxing & tasty meal, though it probably won’t knock the socks off any «hard-​core» foodies.

Ok — so get ready for a series of inflated ratings for Philly restaurants. I’m new in town, and am VERY easily amused. :)
But OH SO CUTE! Small little BYOB (what a novelty! what a grand idea! why don’t they do more of this in NY too???) with friendly, attentive service, fine eats and an even more appreciable price tag.
$ 32 — prix fixe on a Fri night that offered an app, entrée, and selected dessert.
App — I got the special of the night, octopus over orzo risotto and other various seafood. Other than it being served in a large, unwieldy bowl that made scooping out the risotto/​octo difficult — this dish deserved FOUR stars. Omg it was delish.
Entrée — The Bluefish wasn’t anything special. Cooked onto the edge of being overcooked, the fish was fine enough but nothing spectacular
Dessert — The waitress made certain we knew that Effie’s MOM actually made it — but I have my doubts. It was like this baklava/​éclair mix. Good, but non-​traditional.
But with the flowing wine (our OWN) and comfortable atmosphere, I grant thee, Paul — a winning four stars! :)

The $ 20 prix fixe Tuesday menu has made Paul a staple location for seminar speakers this term in my department. The food is competent new-​American, with the short-​ribs and duck ragout being particularly solid, and the location and service are good.
On the down side, there’s nothing interesting for vegetarians, and the deserts, especially the crème brule, are a bit disappointing.
But for $ 20 you aren’t going to do much better in Center City for «table cloth» type places.

Went for the $ 20 prix fixe on Tuesday. An amazing value. We had the ‘shrimp tacos’ and ‘bacon mac-‘n’cheese’ as appetizers and the scallops and steak-​frites for an entre.
Dessert was excellent — a cheesecake and a crème brûlée.
This was far, far beyond a $ 20 value. Even better, everything on the a la carte menu is included on the prix fixe. (steak-​frites being the only supplement — $ 5.)
Service was first-​rate, as well. The only thing that kept them from a 5-​star rating was the steak-​frites. Unfortunately, it was overcooked (I ordered rare and got a solid medium /​medium-​rare) and a bit tough. Frites were great, though.

Everyone seems to be talking about the $ 20 prix fixe on Tuesdays and if you haven’t been, you reallllly should go. Both times I’ve gone I’ve had some super creative, mouth-​watering dishes, minus both desserts, which I found average. But considering the unbelievable quality of the app and entrée each time, a mere vanilla bean cheesecake with fresh berries doesn’t hold it back that much.
The thai shrimp tempura! Duck ragu! Braised short rib! Seared scallops! Cider braised pork chop with that MUSHROOM BREAD PUDDING (unforgettable)! Veal ragu pappardelle! In short, this place has some bomb food.
The atmosphere is so simple and elegant, the two servers are unpretentious and friendly, and the crowd is always lively! Bring your own wine — no cork fee — here’s a hint: pick it up at the new Garces Trading Company wine room only a few blocks down 11^th St.!!

Please keep in mind that my review is based on just Sunday brunch. It seems most people have very positive things to say about Paul’s dinner menu (especially their Tuesday night special.)
One of the girls suggested brunch on Sunday and seeing as it wasn’t frigidly cold or snowing, I thought it seemed like an excellent idea. I chose Paul because I had heard some good things about the place on Unilocal and was hoping that it could be a new brunch spot for us.
My first impression of the place was that it was quite small. Seriously it feels like you’re in someone’s living room albeit well lit and comfortably furnished. The chairs are cushy and comfortable and the tables aren’t cramped but the place over all had maybe 10 tables. We were one of only 2 parties and it felt like the server just wasn’t on her game. It took several reminders from one of my girlfriends to get her coffee that she ordered. And a few more request before sugar was brought to the table and finally it took a really long time for the food to come out.
The prices were decent everything was priced between $ 5 — $ 10. I ordered the eggs benedict and that was executed well and came out with these great little potato croquets (basically fried mash potato balls that everyone enjoyed). The food was all good but not exceptional. but then it was brunch and I don’t know how innovative you can get with eggs.
The portion sizes are adequate and maybe on the small side for some. It was fine for me as I can’t eat a large quantity in one sitting but I think some people might leave feeling a bit unsatisfied.
Overall the experience was just OK — the food was good, the service not so good. Perhaps a dinner experience might have been better.

Dear Paul,
I called to make a reservation to try out their Tuesday night deal but was transferred to an answering machine with no instructions, so I didn’t know whether the reservation went through. While $ 30 on a Tuesday sounds like an amazing deal, cutting the portion of everything in half (or less) is not enough to satisfy a grown man. Since there were no description of the deal anywhere and no warning from the single waitperson, I fully expect bigger plates. Having only one sad little baguette as bread doesn’t help either. My friend who ordered the crêpe while delicious, was the size of my index finger and I have small hands. The crème brûlée was good but it was thinner than an eraser.
One waitstaff for the entire restaurant doesn’t seem to be enough. There were long wait for food and service, which I suspect there’s only one staff in the kitchen as well. Though the taste of the food is excellent other than the bitter greens that comes with the short rib. But still, given the portion and the slow service, I don’t think I can recommend the restaurant to my friends. Jean Georges, a Michelin 3-​star restaurant in NY, offers a $ 20+ prix fixe meal with bigger portions.
I’m sorry but I wish it was better and I wished I didn’t have to go next door to buy hoagies afterwards.

Dear Mindy Y,
You are so right — 3 courses for $ 20 on Tuesday is a real treat that Paul offers us, but have you tried visiting on the weekend for brunch? If you think this beautiful little BYO looks great at night by candlelight, you’ll be amazed at how glorious a bright, crisp Sunday morning makes this interior. Its like a breath of fresh air that’s gently perfumed with flowers.
Of course, Paul knows his food and his food is great — and when you see guava sauce on a menu, you order it! Eggs Paul epitomizes the very essence of this eatery, and the guava sauce is the sweet icing on the cake, so to speak, the cake of course being the tiny toasted brioche roll topped with poached eggs and bacon bits, and accompanied by potato croquettes. Simple, classic, but with a twist that’ll have you craving more. His club sandwich is not your typical one either, with a curried chicken salad receiving added oomph! from the applewood smoked bacon and roasted red pepper mayonnaise.
While you wake up your palate, wake up your mind with their smooth, rich coffee. You’ll be smiling all day — just be sure to bring cash, or someone will have to make a dash for the closest ATM. And why risk that when you know that Paul just wants you to relax, enjoy the weekend morning and have a lovely meal he so artfully and tastefully prepares for you.
Sincerely,
Zoe and other friends of Paul’s

Amazing food. I’ve been twice and now plan on going every other Tuesday (Tuesday’s neighborhood special is $ 20 per person for a 3 course meal!) You can’t beat that! In a city overrun by Stephan Starr’s upscale restaurants (many are great but some are overrated) Paul is a breath of fresh air. This BYOB is cozy yet elegant. The food is phenomenal! Easily on the same playing field as food I’ve had at Eric Rupert’s 10 Arts or Amada by Jose Garces! I would suggest the avocado & pulled pork filled crepes to start or the duck prosciutto salad or the spring roll crab cakes. I’ve also had the skirt steak and the duck ragu. Others dining with me enjoyed the short ribs … the fish I am told (waluu) is also excellent. Support this local business and be blown away by its culinary excellence! This place is a gem.

Dear Paul,
Thanks so much for having us over for dinner last night. It was great to spend time getting to know you and your lovely menu. offering 3 courses for $ 20 was really quite a treat. The french onion soup was light and fresh, which is a rare find in a dish that’s traditionally more hearty. Adding the parsley was really a nice touch. I’m sorry to say the short rib was still a bit tough and the crème brûlée was a bit overcooked, but for our first dinner party you did a great job.
In addition to the great meal, your place is really beautiful as well. It’s very simple and classic, and we felt right at home. I look forward to more Tuesday night gatherings in the future!
All the best,
Mindy

Paul is going to be the new brunch spot for me and my girlfriends on Sunday! What a great way to end our weekend. The waiter was very attentive, the food delicious, and the BYO… makes for interesting drink combinations with friends. We took champagne for mimosas and vodka for bloody marys. I had the eggs benedict, my girfriends had the french toast, Frittata, and the fruit pancakes! DELICIOUS!!! All of it. I will be back again! The cute, straight, latin waiter will be nice to see again too!
:-)

Get on this Tuesday train! Paul’s has a 3 course «neighbor appreciation» menu on Tuesday nights for a mere $ 20!
You get the choice of pretty much any appetizer (minus cheese plate) and entrée on the menu and then a choice of crème brûlée or choc pancakes for dessert. All the portions are smaller than are normally served, but were enough to be filling for me, could potentially be less filling for others.
I would recommend my appetizer– a duck prosciutto salad with pear spheres over a gorgonzola patty.
I was also pleased with my entrée, short ribs with a polenta queso fresco tamale and braised radicchio. The tamale thing could have been served warmer but the radicchio was not at all bitter, it was extra vinegary (kudos to you if you get the south park reference) and sourkraut– like which I loved.
Desserts are definitely an afterthought, but its still nice to end with something sweet.

Paul is a splendid, quaint BYO with very decent food and very friendly service. I had the opportunity to sample the Chicken, Skate, and crab spring rolls.
In order of preference, here is how I rank the dishes:
1. Chicken — Really good.
2. Crab Spring Rolls — I thought these were very tasty. Though I would’ve liked to see more ingredients besides a large crab stick in the roll (some vegetables perhaps?), it did satisfy me.
3. Skate — Now just because this is number 3 on the list doesn’t mean it was bad. The texture of the fish and the hash it was served over made it a strong choice even though it was a wee bit too salty.
This location is worth checking out. I will probably go back to sample some of the other things that looked good on the menu.

I really wanted to love this place. I really did. A charming little American BYO just steps from my door? Why, yes, I think I will, thank you. But unfortunately, no dice. At least not on the night I visited.
We had reservations on a Friday night, and arrived a little early, so we were prepared for a tad bit of a wait, but being forced to sit outside on a rather chilly evening for upwards of 45 minutes left us wishing we had gone somewhere else. Right before we arrived, they had seated a very large party of 12+ people, which took up a huge portion of the room, and gave the place all the auditory ambiance of a bowling alley. Many small restaurants in the area have a rule of not taking parties larger than 5 on weekend nights, but this clearly did not apply at Paul.
To top off our ridiculous wait time, no one came out to let us know that our table was ready – we just sort of looked through the window, figured it out for ourselves, and wandered back in, only to be looked at by the hostess like she had not a clue who we were or what we could possibly want. After being (finally) seated, we did not receive menus for another 5 minutes, and our wine was opened and left at the table unpoured.
They redeemed themselves momentarily with a fantastic scallop and ravioli dish, but everything else was uninspired, with strange ingredients that did not seem to belong together on the same plate. The pancake dessert was a bit plain, but an interesting choice.
We later learned that the entire restaurant was being operated that night by the owner herself, who was acting as hostess, waitstaff, and food runner all-​in-​one, with no other assistance. I’m sorry, but as charming and personal as service by the owner has the potential to be, hire a goddamn waiter on a Friday night!
Needless to say, we’re unlikely to return, especially with the other selection of fantastic BYOs a stone’s throw away. Sorry, Paul.

I loved Paul and I love Effie’s…so wonderful!
My friends and I went for dinner… and just happened to be a night they were doing 3 course price fix meal for $ 30! So good (otherwise it is pricey if you order app, dinner, and dessert)
3 of my friends ordered the Bibb Salad, Wahleo fish (spelling) and then Choc banana pancakes
Everything was wonderful
PLUS it is a BYOB — -fantastic place!

I’ve walked past Paul a few times, and while I’ve been intrigued, I’ve never been certain of what they had to offer. Then of course, I consulted Unilocal and low and behold, Paul had a mere 2 reviews. So I decided I wanted to blaze a new trail (i.e. try spot that doesn’t host 50+ reviews); they only recently opened after all. When the gays decided it was high time for a classy, self-​affirming team dinner, I quickly offered up Paul. They were understandably confused since they thought I was bringing new bait (named Paul) to dinner…
The interior is bright, airy, and *gasp* not cramped (as many BYOs are known to be). Sure, it’s small, but they’re not forcing communal dining to accommodate more guests. The menu is inventive but accessible; I’m used to going to fancy restaurants where I’m asking the server for a translation– this isn’t the case here. Halibut, chicken breast, scallops, oysters, duck… they make it sound much better, but they cover the basics and offer something for any omnivore.
I had the pancetta wrapped halibut. I recently started eating fish, so my palate is still in development, but this dish left me considering dropping red meat altogether. Perfectly flavored and generously portioned! I was expecting a thin filet, but what arrived was at least 10oz! I highly recommend ordering it, or at least convincing someone at your table to order it so you can steal a bite.
After your meal, you’ll want to open another bottle, chat up Effie and your server, and close the place down. You’ll instantly feel at home. As for the name, the BYOB is named after Effie’s late father, Paul. It goes without saying, but he’d be pretty proud.