03/03/09

Power Lunch or after theatre

by GIANNI1870

Great for a big lunch, nice location on the avenue of the arts. If your in the mood for steak or seafood after the theatre, this is a winner

01/31/09

$16 Ice Cream With A Straight Face

by oldbillig

I have spent a lot of money here over the years with friends and clients, but I am done after this experience -- particularly considering the great new steakhouses that have opened across town. Notably, they are packed on a Saturday night at 9:30 or 10:00, unlike the Palm -- which seems to be fading away quickly. Nevertheless, the Palm clearly did not appreciate my business this evening. Our party of four arrived around 9:45 for dessert after seeing a show down the street. Although the restaurant was nearly empty, we were asked if we had a reservation -- a bizarre request, to say the least. We ordered the chocolate cake for three of us to share and also requested 3 scoops of ice cream and three plates to go with it. I had a bourbon/ginger and the others had coffee and soda; two of them tried to also order port, but the waiter disappeared for about 15 minutes only to eventually report that they did not have the variety that was requested. In sum, this was a meal that was almost pure profit for the restaurant, in a down economy, and after the end of normal business for the night. Yet, when the bill arrived the chocolate cake was accompanied by a $16+ charge for the ice cream -- specifically, a $3+ dollar charge for ice cream and then $13 more for 2 additional "orders" of ice cream. I promptly explained to the waiver my concern with this charge since we had simply asked for the chocolate cake with a few scoops of ice cream and plates to share. He looked annoyed, abruptly said "fine, we'll take off one order" with a tone of disgust, and walked away. As a result, I still paid about $10 for the ice cream, including an extra order that I never even requested. The fact that the restaurant even attempted to add a $16 ice cream charge to the bill, then was not particularly friendly about my objection, and then declined to do more than eliminate one of the three orders, is frankly absurd -- particularly when we had just bought a $15 piece of cake.

12/08/08

Wonderful food

by SVRYSWEEET

Very good food,great and fast service, just a bit pricey though.

I think that this is the best steak and lobster restaurant around.We all had sumptuous dinners,but all felt

that it was a bit too much food and the prices were somewhat high.

Overall I would go back as often as possible. Quiet and relaxing.

• Pros: great steak and lobsters

04/15/07

Not like I remembered

by kellyluvsteaching

I am not going to go as far as saying that I had a bad experience at the Palm, but I used to eat there regularly and remember it being a lot better. I know for some, the food is not really the issue. It will always be a place to be recognized and a good place to entertain someone, but the food just lost it a little for me. The oyster appetizer was very good but my clams were bland and so was my lamb chop. It breaks my heart to give a knock on a place I used to love but it just is not what it used to be. Still worth trying for a first timer but there is a lot better food in the city right now.

10/31/06

The best Lobster I ever had-and the biggest!

by nivtsi

Wow. The 5 pound lobster (we shared it) is really 5 pounds. This was great. The sald and the veggies were also super. Love this place.

10/26/06

Overrated

by alee34

I've been to the Palm and I can honestly say I would be hesitant to go back. I know that its more of a see and be seen than a place for a great meal, but even then its a lot of show and not much substance. The food was so so; I've had a better steak at other restaurants. It was so nosy, especially since the alcohol was flowing more than freely at nearby tables. I guess if you're in or trying to be in with Philly's power elite, eat here. If not, try a quieter more modest place for a meal.

• Pros: See and Be Seen
• Cons: Noisy, Overrated

09/20/06

Nouveau riche and old school blender!

by Craiggers

Disclaimer: I must confess that I love The Palm. I have always been a fan of the ridiculous caricatures on the walls (and have been tempted to throw an impromptu version of myself just for kicks). The 837 Club is a bit of a problem. You have a 50/50 chance of having your points credited, or so has been my experience. The room is swimming with those eager-to-impress young lawyer types kissing up to those overweight, prone-to-another-heart-attack types with their sad-faced wives or lovers who hide their self-loathing behind botox cosmetic treatments. Anyway, all that fun aside, the delicious and decadent 6-pound lobster here cannot be touched elsewhere in the city (note I said 6-pound, not just any lobster). The filet is always spot-on for me (uber-rare w/ bernaise) and the asparagus tends to be good on most occasions. Gus is the prize of this place; always a gentleman. The martinis are generous and the maitre d' is always welcoming. Expensive, yes. Loud, YES. Worth it? Why not wash away an evening in a tub of vodka while figuring out that rich doesn't necessarily mean happy? Consider dining here if you want to see Philly's rich and "famous" collide in a hilarious sideshow of egocentricity. Personally, I think the food rocks!

• Pros: Fun people-watching
• Cons: Expensive

The local version of this international steakhouse chain is the epicenter of carnivorous power lunching.

by Contributor

In Short
This is power central in Philly--all the suits show their status here. If you're a somebody in town, you'll be greeted by at least one diner who will get up from his table and shake your hand as you enter the room. Classic big-meat and potatoes. Mammoth, double-size steaks and chops, crab cakes, palm tree-size shrimp cocktails, creamed spinach, and potatoes more ways than are necessary.

04/12/06

Still the Place to Be Seen

by karenagrace

We had the surf and turf. Biggest lobsters we ever saw and prepared by broiling rather than boiling them and what a difference! Tender and delicious! The steaks are prime aged and way better than what we've had around town. The waitress was a lot of fun and very knowledgeable when it came to helping us select a wine. Didn't try to sell us something too expensive. Definitely a place to celebrate. There were celebrities everywhere!

• Pros: steaks, lobsters, service
• Cons: too much food!, call early for resv

04/02/06

GREAT STEAK AND LOBSTER

by loislane30

A BIT EXPENSIVE BUT IF YOU ARE IN THE MOOD FOR A 5 POUND LOBSTER THIS IS THE PLACE

• Pros: STEAK AND LOBSTER