Spectacular service, great food. One of my husband's and my favorite restaurants to visit together. Particularly attentive staff when you mention in your reservation that you are coming for a special occasion. While the food is wonderful, I admit that if I were eating it in a different atmosphere with below par service, I would not think the same. But, neither my husband nor myself have ever been disappointed with our meal. Love where it is geographically situated, too.
(5)
Ellen W.
Paul's is an excellent spot on Tuesdays with their 50% off sushi (I got at least twice a month and it is truly a steal!!). It's a great neighborhood joint with great service and food.
(5)
Kathleen M.
Paul's is the definition of a 3 star experience. It's all just... fine. My whole family came here over the holidays as my parents had a pretty big giftcard they were looking to use and the rest of us are always up for new experiences. I liked the setting a lot: tucked back in a quieter residential area away from all of the Buckhead noise. We had a table right up front which was nice, but I couldn't avoid the very bright TV that hovered over our table... definitely not a nice family dinner setting. I had a shit day (my car was broken in to that morning) and the waitress was nice enough to keep my gin and tonics coming with the quickness. So big score for that. The menu was big and varied and wholly uninspired: it's all just kind of basic, if you ask me. Nothing innovative, which isn't always a bad thing, as a good neighborhood joint that has perfected the classics just can't be beat. Sadly, this was just all over the place. Sushi, steaks, Italian dishes... there was just no flow. I ordered the lobster bisque and the stuffed pork tenderloin and wasn't wowed or disgusted by either. They were both just fine, what you might expect from any basic neighborhood place. Note that the prices aren't shy here: my mediocre tenderloin racked in at $24 and it was the second least expensive entree on the menu. I wouldn't recommend Paul's for a special occasion or if you're coming in from out of town. But if you're in the neighborhood, looking for a cozy spot for a drink and a light bite, I wouldn't hate on it.
(3)
Toni D.
Love this restaurant - the food is always superb and the service is excellent.
(5)
Lena S.
Usually I don't visit places with less than 4 stars. However, I came here for a retirement party. The food was terrible. I had pork and my date had chicken. Both were bland and dry. The sun dried tomato compolt on top of my pork was even dry. The drinks were over priced. We had our choice of several desserts. Not impressed with any of them. The bread pudding was so bad my daddy (a connoisseur of the dish) rolled over in his grave; rest his soul. We ended the night with a long black hair on my dessert. That's when it was time to exit; stage left....
(1)
Michael C.
A client of mine suggested we have lunch here and we have been back twice since. I didn't review the first time because I knew I would be back. Didn't think it could be that good twice in a row and I was wrong. It was great! The lobster BLT...enough said. Eat it and eat it now. Warning, you'll dream about it.
(5)
Felix C.
I stopped by for a late dinner one night. I was just there for the sushi - good quantity of rolls and such. Fairly decent. I didn't get a chance to try any of the other entrees. I'd consider it for a return visit but it didn't seem especially super.
(3)
Stu G.
Old school with many of your past Pano's & Paul's faves. Sentimentally sound food.
(3)
Lawrence C.
Having been to his Panos & Paul restaurant years before and enjjoyed immensely, now that I'm recently back in Atlanta, this time as a resident, I was thrilled to discover that Paul had his own restaurant. I was really made aware of this restaurant by a groupon offer. Once I realized the affilaiation, I bought. So, a few weeks ago, my wife & I dined here on a Sat night, with the groupon. To experience the biggest range of the menu, we ordered 5 small plates/appetizers and a side of sauteed spinach. With the bottle of baby super tuscan, we left very full. We had a very comfortable experience, but it is really best described as a very decent neighborhood joint. There are a few sports tv's lining the bar, and the rest of the space is geared for the diners. The sushi area is in the rear, in full view of some of the rear tables. Many of the patrons appeared to know each other and lots of air kisses being blown by the women. Now for the main reason to go: the food. The five small plates we had were: smoked salmon @ $13 (best plate of the evening); fries @ $4 (good); tuna sampler @ $14 (fair-good); Tortellini appetizer @ $7 (ridiculously small portion, though tasty); fried lobster app @ $24 (grossly overpriced and not anywhere near deserving the hype Paul made his reputation on); accompanie dwith the sauteed spinach @ $4 (good portion/value and taste). The Tuscan wine was $48. As I said, it was a comfortable dining experience, and as a result, with the benefit of another groupon or scoutmob, I plan to return (I just purchased another Living Social cert for Paul's, so obviously I like it well enough). I just don't think I'd feel real good about spending the retail price without an inducement.
(3)
Michael B.
Stopped by Paul's one Sunday for brunch. We had to wait 15 minutes to be seated, which was ok since we would have had to wait longer at the Treehouse. Afterall, it was after church, so like 99% percent of the restaurants in town the place was packed; mostly older folks with stiff drinks in hand. When we got to our table we had to wait a while before someone came over to tell us our server would be right with us. Finally our waiter showed up and took our drink and food order as we had time to look over the menu to decide what we wanted. My date and I both ordered a bloody mary and split a black angus blue cheese burger (med well). The bloody mary was great, almost clear there was so much Absolute in them! The burger on the otherhand was nothing special and was cook medium at most. This place is ok, but not really that big of a fan unless it is for a stiff drink.
(3)
Jennifer N.
Tried this place a few weeks ago with a Groupon..I wasn't disappointed. The fare is a bit pricey ($15-$35 per entree) but it was worth it. I love a spot that has great specials every day of the week. Try their Wednesday special : mussels, fries and a glass of white or red wine for $15. They also do half off sushi on Tuesdays. I love sushi and they serve a decent variety of choices. The sushi was fresh and light. I really enjoyed it and I plan to add this place into my regular rotation. Although I just learned about this spot it seemed like everybody else has known about it for years! The place was packed. It's small so make a reservation. We waited a 1/2 hour for a table on a Wednesday night. The service was good. Our server was knowledgeable and down to earth. Anyway, I'm giving it four stars ...I didn't try enough of the menu to give it five. If you are looking for a nice spot off the beaten path with great specials and a lively scene try Paul's. I'm a fan ....
(4)
Jessica P.
YUMMY and excellent service! I highly recommend this restaurant! Our private room was amazing and I can't wait to dine in the main room as well. 5 stars!
(5)
Allie B.
Paul's on the Patio, an extension of the restaurant Paul's downstairs, is a great place for cocktails and appetizers/dinner. The menu is surprisingly extensive: the seafood and sushi is popular, but their bar food - a quesadilla made with gouda and chicken tenders - is actually delicious. One beef I do have is that the wine list is pretty outrageous - the half-off wine nights on Sunday and Monday just make the bottles reasonable, it's hardly a bargain. However, the do have a list of $5 "specialty cocktails" including some flavored martinis and then more standard drinks like a Greyhound. Dirty Martinis are $7.50 - the bartenders do a good job there, I'd go with cocktails over wine. The patio can get pretty crowded and it's seat yourself, first come first serve seating. I always see people I know - it definitely has a neighborhood feel to it. The servers are super friendly and, even when both the downstairs and upstairs are crowded food and drinks tend to come out in a timely fashion. Also, on Tuesday they have half-off all sushi. I recommend going for the Surf & Turf roll - it's pretty tasty, and, at $7.50 (with discount) it's a bargain.
(4)
Scott R.
Updating only to add the fact that Paul's got a whopping 54 in failing its health inspection in September 2012. The rebounded with 100 in October (sure, they made an effort then), but it is troubling that they allowed it to get to a 54. Also, a few people comment on the 50% sushi on Tuesdays. Think about that. Why do you think it is deeply discounted on Tuesday??
(3)
Kate O.
Homemade chips with blue cheese was outstanding! Fried green tomatoes were good but baslmic sauce was inadequate. Shrimp and grits were a delightful twist. Fritata was saved by the toppings.
(4)
Rick B.
Why the low rating.........?? You do not offer complimentary valet parking then park someones car on the street. When we got there the valet lot wasn't even half full. When we were leaving the car attendent ran out on the street, brought my car to the valet lot, turned it around, and jumped out like he expected a gratuity. I just told the nerdy looking pimple faced kid that I could have parked the damn car on the street myself, thanks for nothing. The worst part is I found scratches on the car the next day.............they had not been there before. So Paul, I won't be back. Aside from that the food was merely satisfactory and Abbey, you are awesome!!!
(1)
Sebastian C.
I have been to Paul's 5 times and have sampled much of the fare. Why 5 times if I think so little of it? Well, I had coupons for $20 that gave $50 of food. Hard to pass up $50 of food for only $20.00. I hesitated to write this review as long ago I had made a decision never to write a review of a restaurant that I could not recommend. I did not want to harm a business where feedback is so subjective. However, with this restaurant being SO bad, I feel that this reviewer owes diners AND the restaurant well thought out feedback so diners won't throw away their money. And restaurants CAN get their act together so my comments do not have to have a lasting impact. That said, let me move on to the meat of the review. Some history - Paul Albrecht, chef and owner, has a celebrated pedigree as part of the early Buckhead Life Group restaurant "Pano's and Paul's." P&P is an outstanding restaurant known for is signature dish of deep fried lobster. Years ago, Paul left P&P, moved to the FL panhandle and opened up a restaurant in the Destin/Seaside area to then close after a few years. With this outstanding pedigree, one would expect a fine dining experience at this tony restaurant in Peachtree Hills. Not so. It's embarrassingly bad from the sushi to the beef. One must then ask, with all of the fine food available in this city, why would do guests dine here and how does it stay open? Cool neighborhood location? Charming interior? Or maybe its the $50 coupons for $20. We have sampled over half of the sushi menu and only the Tuna 3 ways is even edible. This was, bar none, the worst sushi we've eaten. The rice was not sushi rice. The texture was BOTH mushy and hard - a disasterous blend. The sauces actually had a bad taste. Embarrassingly bad. So, on to the celebrated fried lobster tail, crab cakes and filet. The lobster is NOTHING like that made famous by Paul at P&P's. It was tough, overcooked and chewy. It was as if they had fried it a while back, and then reheated when we placed our order. The filet was also as if it had been cooked earlier and then reheated. The crab cakes were $30 and perhaps the worst we have eaten. Fishy, mushy and also seemingly reheated. I truly hate to say this, bottom line, this is a very bad restaurant and positive reviews must be coming from people who think fast food is haute cuisine (BTW-McDonalds is a MUCH better restaurant than Paul's) or were so drunk that they couldn't taste anything. Go there for cocktails, but feed at any fast food restaurant first!
(1)
Lola M.
I really wanted to like this place. The patio was an ideal setting on a perfect Georgia fall night where I could still wear sandals. The set up is nice but the food was underwhelming. Like others I visited based upon a LivingSocial coupon. I'm a poor doctoral student so I use these to explore the city. This was one of my early buys and I don't think I'd purchase another. I ordered a yeungling, the filet mignon, and the caramel chocolate torte with pistachio ice cream. Sounds heavenly, non? Heaven would object. The filet was tough (ordered "medium") until the very, very center. Of an 8 ounce filet, then, 2 ounces were of fair quality. The asparagus was overcooked but OK. The potatoes were odd. Half of the pile were crispy and thin like chips. Then underneath there was a pile of potatoes that were half cooked and half raw. I couldn't tell if the pile was a different item or a pile of the crispy potatoes on top that were not separated, fried together, and just lumped on the plate. I didn't bother asking the server who was underwhelming. The worst was dessert because the bar is set so low for dessert. All it has to be is chocolate and edible. This got one of the two right. The chocolate crumb base of the torte was cold and hard. The caramel topping was OK but I couldn't really separate it from the crust as it was so thick and sticky. I just kind of broke it apart with the knife, shook off some crumbs, tasted it and called it a night. So, the ambiance is relaxed. The neighborhood and patio are cute and comfortable. The food, to the extent of what I ordered, was very underwhelming. Perhaps the mistake was ordering "real" food. The bar food -- wings, burgers, small plates -- may be the better bet just for the patio and cold drinks.
(1)
Nicci R.
We stoppped in for lunch because of our scoutmob coupon for 50% off. The menu is seafood heavy with an odd combination of high end dishes and bar food. We ordered the lobster bisque, house salad, patty melt and grouper rueben. The soup was good except for the two tiny rubbery pieces of lobster. The rest was average at best. On the bright side, the service was very good.
(2)
Lindsey F.
Solid experience but now a Wow experience. The hostess and management were great but the waiter was a little flighty particularly when it came to my celiac disease and what I could and couldn't eat. The food was very good- HUGE portions which explained the $28 pricetag for Free Range Chicken. I'm happy to pay more for happy chicken but at first that seemed a bit much. Once I saw how huge the portion was it made sense- I had just bought dinner and lunch which is nice. Will definitely be back on a "promotional" night for $5 burgers or half off bottles of wine.
(3)
Alberto V.
I live in the neighborhood so I want to like this place really bad. Its within walking distance of my house and it occupies an nice little spot in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood. I have eaten here twice now and the food is just ... food. That is it, nothing special. The sushi was decent, and their entrees are okay. They seem to cater to the older crowd so maybe the menu is adjusted for their tastes. Like I said, I really want to like it but I can't. I will not be going back simply because for my money there are better places to eat in Atlanta. That said I gave it 3 stars because there is nothing catastrophically wrong with the place, it is just uninspiring.
(3)
Danielle P.
I would have given this 4 stars but my recent experience there knocked off a star for me. We were there last weekend (May 14). First off, our waiter tried to up-sell us on the wine, which annoyed me. If I ask you which of these wines would you recommend, I expect in a restaurant like this one that you will have actually tasted them - not just go for the thumbs up on the most expensive bottle in the category. I know the tricks, but I really didn't appreciate them being worked on me. We all got the soft shell crab appetizer and it was FANTASTIC everyone loved it but I especially loved the jicama slaw that came with it. It was available as an entree and in hindsight I should have had that. Instead I ordered the pork tenderloin. A major disappointment. Yikes! I couldn't even finish it - it was that bad. It tasted as though they had marinated the pork in Liquid Smoke. The collard greens were the best thing on the plate and they weren't much to speak of. The macaroni and cheese was overcooked and gloopy. It looked like it had been sitting on the plate for hours and had no flavor of cheese at all. I complained and as any decent restaurant should they took it off our bill. And that smoke flavour? It was so overpowering that I was still tasting it in my mouth hours later. I have had many great meals here but never have I left a restaurant still feeling hungry. I hope this was an anomaly and the food isn't suffering. None of my other dinning companions had the same experience, they liked their food. Paul wasn't there that evening, we asked, so maybe somebody got a little sloppy in the kitchen as a result.
(3)
Jim D.
Paul's is just down the street from my house. My wife and I finished some much delayed yard work, cleaned up, and were in the mood for a nice casual meal. Decided to try Paul's on the Patio. The experience was very nice. Very comfortable upstairs, with a menu to suit (although Paul's regular menu is always available). The patio on the 2nd floor was clean and comfortable. We started with the Blue Cheese Potato Chips. Not the best I have ever had, but still good, albeit a little decadent. Next, my wife did the Tuna Sampler as her entree, a very tasty dish, and a decent portion. I went with the Grouper Reuben, and was very happy. Not the Grouper Reuben like Off the Hook in New Smyrna Beach, but still a solid sandwich, and much closer to home. Overall, as I am less of a fan of Paul's regular menu (would probably rate is a 2.75 if I could), Paul's on the Patio is a great afternoon spot on the weekends, and have a selection of beer ranging from MGD 64 to your typical locals. A great alternative to other choices, including one right across the street.
(4)
Alexa G.
Can't write too much about the food, but I can for the restaurant as an event space. I've been there a couple times over the last few months for private gatherings, both of which have included an open bar- hello root beer vodka ,light appetizers ( I could eat a whole bowl of that blue cheese dip if they let me!), and gigantic ice cream cakes with no less than 5 layers of ice cream some of which included fresh fruit! They have space upstairs as well as downstairs closed away from the main dinning area. With room for about 20-25 people in each space without still being crowded, more of an intimate setting.
(4)
Sarah M.
I feel a bit sheepish because I didn't consult Yelp reviews before making a reservation for this restaurant. On Zagat, the food was rated a 26 out of 30 (a *really* high score), and it was marked as a romantic location. So, I happily put on a sexy outfit, expecting it to be similar to the atmosphere at Spice (another restaurant where Paul was the executive chef). So, you can imagine my surprise when my boyfriend and I walked into a restaurant that was bellied up to a bar area. Honestly, it looked a bit like Applebee's! Even though other people were dressed in business casual, I felt severely overdressed, like a girl going to brunch in the clothes from a previous night on the town. My boyfriend and I are adventurous, so we decided to try the sweetbreads. We were disappointed, but I don't know if that was the restaurant's fault, or if it was us. We decided to get the blue cheese potato chips. This was probably the best thing that we had all night -- but even the chips lacked proper seasoning. For dinner, I had dover sole and my boyfriend had the pork tenderloin. OK, for anyone who's ever had sole, you'll know it's a fish that melts in your mouth. And dover sole is a rarer type of sole. So, you'd think that a piece of fish that is priced at $38 would be out of this world. Let's just say I had to use a knife to eat the fish. For fish! The pork tenderloin was also overcooked. It came with collard greens that were decent, though. When I made the reservation, they asked me if we were celebrating a special occasion. I said yes. Not sure why they collect such info, because there was no indication they'd be doing something special for the occasion. In fact, the service was ridiculously slow, and when it was dessert time, my boyfriend suggested getting a dessert since it was my birthday, and of course, it was on the bill. Come on, even Canoe will give you free dessert! I will say, though, that the dessert was heavenly, even though what we ordered from the menu wasn't what we were served. I regret, regret, regret making my boyfriend paying for a $200 dinner that was so lackluster. We probably would have had a better meal at Applebee's. Don't go here.
(2)
Todd F.
I'm shocked by the bad reviews of this place. My family had dinner here tonight and it was nothing short of spectacular. We started with the blue cheese chips & tuna tataki. The chips were just how I remember them from many past meals at Pano's & Paul's ... some crispy & some softer ... covered with blue cheese. The tuna tataki was good but not great. The pieces were very thinly sliced, seasoned and served with some seaweed and whatnot on the plate with ponzu (and I think soy) sauces. I was also tempted to try the vegetable tempura or the foie gras ... maybe next time. For the main courses I got to try a little bit of everyone's dish. From left to right ... The lamb sirloin was served in a tangy sauce with big fried pieces of cauliflower and an some orzo served looking like a crab cake. The swordfish was nicely grilled and moist. The steak filet was very juicy and tasted fresh off the field (or wherever). The halibut came coated with peppercorn but was a little dry (though to be fair I only ate a piece off the end) and was served on a bed of wheatberries which nobody had ever heard off but were quite tasty. Saving the best for last, my meal was a tuna loin seared rare, wrapped in spinach tempura, and served with smooth/creamy wasabi mashed potatoes and candied shiitake mushrooms that were a little too sweet even for me. I paired it with a glass of "A to Z" 2006 Pinot Noir which opened up nicely and complemented the tuna perfectly. Aside from the food, the ambiance is nice and relaxing. We sat downstairs though so our table bordered the walkway and kitchen counter which was mildly annoying. I never got bumped but there were constantly walking past the back of my chair. I hear the upstairs seating area is quieter which I imagine would be nicer. We also saw "Chef Paul", as they obsessively call him, come out and talk to two different groups sitting nearby to us. I'd totally return here and recommend it to those living in or visiting the area. It's kind of isolated in a neighborhood that has lots of speed humps so be careful driving to and from here.
(4)
Marc F.
After stating that I would never return to this place, we ended up at Paul's this weekend by the choice of a friend. We again had a poor experience.
(1)
Russ G.
I've eaten here several times now, always through a special event planned through Tower Package. So while I haven't ever seen the real menu, I've tried a number of items plus specialty courses made by Chef Paul. Everything is always excellent, well prepared, appetizing in looks, and the wait staff is quick and efficient. The place is set up well though a little crowded, and the parking, well, it's Buckhead, so either be prepared to walk or pay out the ass for valet service. Otherwise, I've enjoyed the times I've been and hope for more soon.
(4)
Rebecca O.
Much to my dismay, I too, experienced less than stellar food at Paul's Restaurant. Had several months not passed since my experience there I probably would have gone with one star, which breaks my heart because I wanted to like it so badly. Perhaps Chef Paul is willing to invite me back for round two ... We started off with sushi that was lower than disappointing, followed by entrees that were literally inedible. The fish tasted fishy, and it was served over grits that tasted of cream cheese. I swear I am hardly ever one to leave food sitting about, but even I just couldn't bring myself to eat more than a few bites. I whole-heartedly agree with Kitty L. I'm sorry, Chef Paul ... like I said, I really wanted to like it.
(2)
Natalie G.
I'm sorry being a southern and belle and all I hate to have to give 3 stars or less but nothing about this restaurant impresses me. The 2 times I've been (once today) It takes forever to get your food..I'm always in there for at least 2 hours so don't go if you're stressed for time. I have ordered the lobster bisque each time. Word to the wise (this is more of a puree'..do not expect lumps of lobster anywhere) It always comes out a little on the cooler side. I also have had the sashimi small plate and that is also a dissapointment. Not rich or flavorful like other sushi places but of course it's not a sushi place. Also the waitors seem a little bit nervous sometimes... Oh the dish I got today was a crab encrusted (some type of fish) that was topped with what looked like oranges of some sort and capers...this combination of tastes where a little strange. I opted for fries instead of the asparagus... fries tasted like burnt grease? The mashed sweet potatoes were ehhhh. Ok. They don't offer their tea sweetened honey so be prepared to add your own suga'. This place gets 2 stars not for the food but for the strong attempt the employees try to make. lol. Not my favorite spot. I am a foodie.. I like to TASTE my food. Not just look at it :-)
(2)
Rob W.
We had a very different experience from the last reviewer. My fiance and I had brunch at Paul's about a week ago. We were very impressed with the food and service. The vegetable omelet was big and full of fresh vegetables and the grits were some of the best she and I have ever had. Finally, the chef came and personally greeted us at our table when we finished to make sure everything lived up to our expectations. I cannot comment on dinner, but for brunch, Paul's is a good bet with generous portions of great food that won't kill your wallet.
(4)
Dilani W.
We went for lunch on a Sunday. Not crowded, but parking is probably an issue on busier days (they do have a free valet service). We tried the vegetable tampura appetizer (vegetables fried in a light batter, huge portion) and the lobster bisque soup (very creamy, and very yummy). For our entrees we had the flounder (also tasty, cooked perfectly with a great texture, and the garnishing with the new potatoes was also delicious) and the crab cake sandwich (also very good, and could probably be eaten without the bread). The hostess and waitress were very pleasant.
(4)
Kitty L.
Can one rate a restaurant with negative stars? I feel SO strongly about how bad this restaurant was that I am purposefully adding it as a first review on this site. I went to this restaurant with the hope and excitement usually associated with trying one of the "hot" new restaurants in any city. I had found it as a top restaurant in the "Atlanta" magazine and I was sorely disappointed all the way. I should have paid heed to my first impressions, but I thought I should keep an open mind and stick it out through the meal. First, this is an "American" restaurant that offers sushi, usually a sign that is highly suspicious. Second, our waiter was a complete weirdo with a black toupee and 1970's aviator glasses. He did not speak much English. Third, the bottle of champagne we tried to order was out of stock (how does that happen since they just opened?). Well, on to the actual food....I ordered almost everything the Atlanta magazine had touted as "to die for." First came the double chicken matzo ball soup. Ew. The soup was room temperature, the chicken looked like slices from a frozen bag of pre-cooked Tyson's chicken you would get in the grocery store and the matzo ball was cold in the middle (maybe they needed to nuke it in the microwave for another minute). Next I shared their $20 fried lobster tail apetitizer It was edible (anything fried, ain't too bad), but I think even your local Applebee's could make a fried lobster tail taste comparable. Then, I had some mediterreanan plate, which was actually not bad, but then what actual "cooking" is required of a plate of bread, cheese and olives? My coworker ordered some seafood plate, which included lump crab, warm shrimp cocktail (high suspect! doesn't that violate some kind of restaurant regulations?) and calamari. Gross. Also, in case you haven't noticed, I had put this restaurant as "American (New)" but honestly the menu was a complete haphazard assembly of random dishes/cuisines with no consistency in theme or preparation style (seafood, sushi, matzo balls...there were also pasta, too) Our waiter, by now nicknamed by me as Fonzie, must have felt guilty (or maybe he was trying hard for a bigger tip) because he gave us free dessert and took my coworker's warm seafood plate off the bill. I usually jump at dessert, but I have to say it was all around awful. The strawberries must have been cut on the same board or with the same knife (or both) as onions because it tasted more like an onion than a strawberry. The only positive thing about this restaurant was its decor - they have a cute upstairs/patio. Overall, this was one of the worst restaurants I've been to in a long, long time. Food was expensive too -at least $30-$50 per head, excluding alcohol. I'd rather eat at McDonald's any day.
(1)
Kathryn S.
Great place- went for 1st time- had a reservation and sat immediately. I ordered the lamb with orzo and fried artichokes-delish- others ordered sushi and raw oysters-very good- waiter gave us a free dessert b/c sushi came out too early-supposed to be for dinner- will definitely go back if in town again
(4)
Jack L.
Visited Paul's on Sunday evening. Small, quiet crowd. Excellent service, ambiance and meal.The grouper was cooked to perfection. Very expensive. $$$$$
(4)
Elky M.
The atmonsphere. The professional service. The Stoli martinis with bleu-cheese stuffed olives. The Maine Lobster Bisque with heavenly Brandy Foam. And the Crabcakes. Everything was simply perfect last Sunday evening. I can't wait to go back. You MUST eat here.
(5)
J U.
I've been a lover of fried lobster tail and missed panos and Paul's. We'll it's great to know that Paul opened Paul's and it's on menu. A great evening. Amanda was our server and made the evening perfect. Great food and not to miss.
(5)
Daniel U.
Food is absolutely amazing...Lobster Bisque...Wedge Salad & The Highly Recommended Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Suited My Taste Perfectly...Service Was Outstanding & The Ambience Was Very Comfortable...The Upstairs Would Be A Nice Date Spot & If You Are In For Just A Casual Time Then The Downstairs Is For You! Definitely A Must..!
(5)
J T.
Yelpers, I have two words for you. DISGUSTING & AWFUL. I have been to literally every decent single restaurant in Atlanta & know good, better & best, but let me tell you-Paul's is TERRIBLE. I ordered one of the specials, which was salmon with scallops, topped with risotto & asparagus. I couldn't even eat the salmon because it was so tough AND smelled disgusting; it was very, very fishy. I sent it back & they charged me for it & my replacement meal, which is tacky. Note: The replacement meal of scallops was fine, but still not a fan. They were very salty. My boyfriend ordered the pork tenderloin with macaroni & cheese & collard. No lie, the entire meal looked (and tasted) like it came out of a Stouffer's box. I was horrified. We used our Scoutmob coupon, so we didn't have to pay full price, but believe me, that was the worst $41 we have ever spent. I will NEVER go back there even though they have a nice atmosphere. Ick. Pano, congrats for breaking away from Paul.
(1)
Tracy S.
Despite the mixed reviews on Yelp, we decided to eat at Pauls last night and boy am I glad. The feeling the place gave us when we first walked in was wonderful - lively but not loud, warm, and completele filled. Our server had been there since 2005 and she was friendly and very efficient. When I said I was blind and had forgotten my reading glasses, she brought me a pair from the bar. We were a total of 4 people and my friend and I were so indecisive that our husbands were mortified. The server did not lose patience at all and gave us the time we needed for choosing our wine and our meal choices. We started with the calamari and it was nice, but nothing special. Then my friend Jay and I ordered salads - the wedge for him and the tasty arugula for me. For dinners I got the liver, a first in a restaurant. It was gorgeous! The liver was cooked to perfection, with carmelized onions, apple and mashed potatoes, and a side of haricots vert. For the life of me I can only remember that my friend ordered salmon. They all loved their entrees as much as I did. For dessert we got te tart tartin (I replaced the rum raisin ice cream with vanilla) and the little ice cream cones, which were luscious! Paul came over to our table and was absolutely delightful - he seemed genuinely happy when we told him it was the first time we'd been. Last year when we visited, we went to Two Urban Licks, which was absolutely magical, but I must sat that Pauls was a wonderful choice!
(4)
Elizabeth H.
Paul's Upstairs is a great weekday relaxed dinner! I recently went there with a few girlfriends after a long walk at Chastain Park. We went straight in our work-out clothes and sat on the patio... they even allow dogs on the patio- always a plus for me! We had a ScoutMob coupon (50% off) so we we're pretty excited! I had a grilled chicken sandwich with fries and a Yuengling - the food was standard, nothing spectacular. One friend had a tempura sushi and the other had a quesadilla, as you can tell, the menu is pretty eclectic! Overall the experience was nice and relaxed... the patio also has several tv's which will come in handy when football season starts!
(4)
Shane P.
Lobster BLT!!! Amazing!
(5)
Thomas E.
I really like the vibe of this space. I think the food -- two times that I have had dinner here -- is very good. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)
Tricia B.
Food tonight was delicious as always, but I am missing the Bibb lettuce salad from the old menu. There just isn't a good replacement on the new menu for me. And I miss the flourless chocolate torte! I've been having to satisfy my chocolate cravings elsewhere
(5)
Bahn Mi A.
I want to like this place. Nice environment and good food, but they completely disregarded a food allergy of mine and acted like as$$holes when I had to leave - sick. Not so much as an apology and insisted on billing me full price as I tried to go home. So - sorry Paul's, you blew it! I could not have been more clear.
(1)
Mit P.
The food is quite good, but the air quality in the restaurant is pretty poor and it detracts from the dining experience. In fact after walking in, I spend 5 minutes deciding whether to stick around or not (and this is on my third visit). What is good: 1) Very good appetizers. The crab cake is delicious. The lobster tail is not bad but not as good after you have had it the first time. The smoked salmon was very fresh. The fried green tomatoes were good too. 2) Sushi is pretty good too. Very fresh tasting. I really enjoyed the dragon roll although it is different to what other places sell as a Dragon roll. What could be better: 1) The air quality. This restaurant smells funky. It may be the combination of an open kitchen with poor ventilation. However it is annoying and detracts from the experience. Without this issue, I would rate it 4 stars for the food. 2) The waiter was a bit intrusive. 3) The shredded kale salad wasn't so great.
(3)
Stacie S.
Oh, by the way, they completely changed their menu and do not have sushi at all. And the "new" menu is less than impressive. This is a classic example of "if it ain't broke..." Don't change the whole concept of the restaurant..
(1)
Julie S.
I went on Tuesday night for the half price sushi special. We arrived around 7pm and sat upstairs with nearly no one else. The service was great in the beginning. I made the mistake of ordering two fried rolls which was a lot for me.. they really know how to make deep fried sushi here! While they weren't my taste, they were really good and my friend loved her food. Towards the end of our meal the entire upstairs filled up and it took us 30 minutes to get the check. Then the waitress didn't have any change and ran away before I told her she could keep the change and we sat there awkwardly for another 10 minutes until we gave up and just left. If I came back I would dine inside because I don't think they had enough servers manning the upstairs patio. I would branch out and try something new, but I do recommend the Paul's Roll & the Super Crunchee for delicious fried rolls.
(3)
Rebecca F.
I love Tuesday Nights at Paul's... 1/2 Price Sushi! Their rolls are pretty good for an American restaurant, but I was disappointed to find out on our last visit that they removed my 2 favorite rolls from the weekly special. The surf and turf roll is delicious & different, and maybe worth the new full price on Tuesday, but I also enjoy the super crunchee and the spicy tuna avocado.
(3)
Carrie Neal W.
Oh, last night was so nice. We had breakfast early-ish, and neither had eaten lunch so around 5pm was perfect to go to Paul's! Amanda took such good care of us and I am pretty sure this will be a regular spot in our rotation henceforth! He felt like sushi, I ate part of the crabcake, and I got their filet with mushrooms and a side of spinach to go - whether I needed a "real" meal later or for breakfast this am, which is what I did with the spinach added to an egg white omelette. Oh, and a side of the pappardelle (one of my favorite types of noodles) with their tomato sauce- I couldn't resist and that's what I ended up having for my real dinner late last night. And now I (or . . . Luke) have steak for our 4th of July park picnic today!! Love this place and love being so close by! (And that I was able to sneak my credit card to Amanda so he wouldn't know in advance I picked up the tab! I just love servers who get that kind of thing).
(5)
Corbin P.
So bummed they just redid their whole menu and took the sushi off the list. The new menu focuses on more small plates but they still have the lobster tail!
(4)
James R.
The best brussel sprouts in the universe!! The hostess was very polite and courteous. Our server was informative and prompt. I will be back!! It was so nice to be in a restaurant where you can talk to your friends without shouting. Overall great experience
(5)
Justin S.
This place is nice and tucked away. I had driven past it quite a few times and finally went into this place. The host was very friendly so i was immediately impressed. The food was great too. I have been back several times since then. My most common reason to go back is the half price sushi on tuesday nights. The atmosphere is quiet and romanitc and would be a great date place too. I recommend the tuna tataki for sure. Paul also owns social vinings over in (you guessed it) vinings. Exact same sushi at both places. Great fish considering we aren't very close to any water. I will be going back for sushi often!
(4)
Lauren P.
Paul's offers 50% off sushi on Tuesday's if y'all are dining on the patio. So that's exactly what we did! On a weeknight, it was a gathering of a few Yelp ladies (Elizabeth, Katrina and Tilia) who attempted to go to Divan but the place said it was a $25 minimum per person. WTF?! So Elizabeth suggested we head to Paul's and I am glad we did. I had two of the specialty rolls plus a glass of wine, and with tax & tip I was still well under the $25 mandate at our first stop. The sushi was great. Service could have been a bit more attentive but we were clearly not high rollers. Other than that, Paul's was really lovely. The dining room is the epitome of Buckhead neighborhood dining but upstairs was more casual with lots of 20-somethings mixing and mingling. I'll definitely go back to Paul's for another weeknight adventure.
(4)
Greg R.
I went here with a group and ate in the private dining area. The service was good, the meeting area was large and quiet. This restuarant is hidden in a residental community and could be missed easily.
(4)
Addy C.
Paul's describes their food as "Classic American Continental Cuisine w/ French influences." Before reading that on their website, I had no idea what kind of food to expect - their restaurant name is pretty generic except if you're familiar w/ Pano & Paul's. But surprisingly they serve sushi, too - I'd never expect that from a place that calls itself "Paul's Restaurant". Anyway, it's only b/c of Scoutmob that we decided to check it out. Yay for 50% off coupons b/c otherwise not sure if I'd come back - most lunch entrees are $11-15, and food was just ok. ARUGULA SALAD - $8 My friend & i were going to share a salad, and our server's first choice was the "Vine Ripe Tomato & Grilled Onion" but my friend wasn't a fan of grilled onions so we got the other "popular" choice, Arugula Salad which also had pecorino, dried cranberries, and white balsamic vinaigrette. Well, they forgot to bring the salad before our meal, so we ended up eating it as a side salad (in addition to the Asian slaw that came w/ our meal). But kudos for plating our shared salad on two separate plates :) Salad was disappointing though - it was pretty bland so we got more dressing ... except even the dressing was bland :( GROUPER REUBEN - $11 Server highly recommended this dish (in addition to the pan-fried flounder filet) - decided on this one b/c it sounded "different" plus I wanted to try the Jicama Asian Pear Slaw that came w/ the sandwich. Presentation was unimpressive but fortunately tasted better than it looked. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the Asian pear slaw even more. The Grouper Reuben also had sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Chipotle Louis dressing on marbled rye. GOLDEN LUMP CRAB CAKE SANDWICH - $14 Our server didn't exactly rave about this dish but my friend was craving the crab cakes. My friend gave me a generous sample, and sorry but I did not like it at all. The crab cake was bland & very fishy-tasting. And thankfully we paid just $7 and not $14 (thanks, Scoutmob). Service was friendly but not as attentive as I would've expected for a nice restaurant like this. Our server was busy playing hostess plus looked like they were also busy serving a large private party on the other side of the restaurant. The "public" side had just 2-3 tables occupied. Hopefully for Paul's Restaurant, lunch is busier on the weekdays.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Upscale Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Michelle M.
Spectacular service, great food. One of my husband's and my favorite restaurants to visit together. Particularly attentive staff when you mention in your reservation that you are coming for a special occasion. While the food is wonderful, I admit that if I were eating it in a different atmosphere with below par service, I would not think the same. But, neither my husband nor myself have ever been disappointed with our meal. Love where it is geographically situated, too.
(5)Ellen W.
Paul's is an excellent spot on Tuesdays with their 50% off sushi (I got at least twice a month and it is truly a steal!!). It's a great neighborhood joint with great service and food.
(5)Kathleen M.
Paul's is the definition of a 3 star experience. It's all just... fine. My whole family came here over the holidays as my parents had a pretty big giftcard they were looking to use and the rest of us are always up for new experiences. I liked the setting a lot: tucked back in a quieter residential area away from all of the Buckhead noise. We had a table right up front which was nice, but I couldn't avoid the very bright TV that hovered over our table... definitely not a nice family dinner setting. I had a shit day (my car was broken in to that morning) and the waitress was nice enough to keep my gin and tonics coming with the quickness. So big score for that. The menu was big and varied and wholly uninspired: it's all just kind of basic, if you ask me. Nothing innovative, which isn't always a bad thing, as a good neighborhood joint that has perfected the classics just can't be beat. Sadly, this was just all over the place. Sushi, steaks, Italian dishes... there was just no flow. I ordered the lobster bisque and the stuffed pork tenderloin and wasn't wowed or disgusted by either. They were both just fine, what you might expect from any basic neighborhood place. Note that the prices aren't shy here: my mediocre tenderloin racked in at $24 and it was the second least expensive entree on the menu. I wouldn't recommend Paul's for a special occasion or if you're coming in from out of town. But if you're in the neighborhood, looking for a cozy spot for a drink and a light bite, I wouldn't hate on it.
(3)Toni D.
Love this restaurant - the food is always superb and the service is excellent.
(5)Lena S.
Usually I don't visit places with less than 4 stars. However, I came here for a retirement party. The food was terrible. I had pork and my date had chicken. Both were bland and dry. The sun dried tomato compolt on top of my pork was even dry. The drinks were over priced. We had our choice of several desserts. Not impressed with any of them. The bread pudding was so bad my daddy (a connoisseur of the dish) rolled over in his grave; rest his soul. We ended the night with a long black hair on my dessert. That's when it was time to exit; stage left....
(1)Michael C.
A client of mine suggested we have lunch here and we have been back twice since. I didn't review the first time because I knew I would be back. Didn't think it could be that good twice in a row and I was wrong. It was great! The lobster BLT...enough said. Eat it and eat it now. Warning, you'll dream about it.
(5)Felix C.
I stopped by for a late dinner one night. I was just there for the sushi - good quantity of rolls and such. Fairly decent. I didn't get a chance to try any of the other entrees. I'd consider it for a return visit but it didn't seem especially super.
(3)Stu G.
Old school with many of your past Pano's & Paul's faves. Sentimentally sound food.
(3)Lawrence C.
Having been to his Panos & Paul restaurant years before and enjjoyed immensely, now that I'm recently back in Atlanta, this time as a resident, I was thrilled to discover that Paul had his own restaurant. I was really made aware of this restaurant by a groupon offer. Once I realized the affilaiation, I bought. So, a few weeks ago, my wife & I dined here on a Sat night, with the groupon. To experience the biggest range of the menu, we ordered 5 small plates/appetizers and a side of sauteed spinach. With the bottle of baby super tuscan, we left very full. We had a very comfortable experience, but it is really best described as a very decent neighborhood joint. There are a few sports tv's lining the bar, and the rest of the space is geared for the diners. The sushi area is in the rear, in full view of some of the rear tables. Many of the patrons appeared to know each other and lots of air kisses being blown by the women. Now for the main reason to go: the food. The five small plates we had were: smoked salmon @ $13 (best plate of the evening); fries @ $4 (good); tuna sampler @ $14 (fair-good); Tortellini appetizer @ $7 (ridiculously small portion, though tasty); fried lobster app @ $24 (grossly overpriced and not anywhere near deserving the hype Paul made his reputation on); accompanie dwith the sauteed spinach @ $4 (good portion/value and taste). The Tuscan wine was $48. As I said, it was a comfortable dining experience, and as a result, with the benefit of another groupon or scoutmob, I plan to return (I just purchased another Living Social cert for Paul's, so obviously I like it well enough). I just don't think I'd feel real good about spending the retail price without an inducement.
(3)Michael B.
Stopped by Paul's one Sunday for brunch. We had to wait 15 minutes to be seated, which was ok since we would have had to wait longer at the Treehouse. Afterall, it was after church, so like 99% percent of the restaurants in town the place was packed; mostly older folks with stiff drinks in hand. When we got to our table we had to wait a while before someone came over to tell us our server would be right with us. Finally our waiter showed up and took our drink and food order as we had time to look over the menu to decide what we wanted. My date and I both ordered a bloody mary and split a black angus blue cheese burger (med well). The bloody mary was great, almost clear there was so much Absolute in them! The burger on the otherhand was nothing special and was cook medium at most. This place is ok, but not really that big of a fan unless it is for a stiff drink.
(3)Jennifer N.
Tried this place a few weeks ago with a Groupon..I wasn't disappointed. The fare is a bit pricey ($15-$35 per entree) but it was worth it. I love a spot that has great specials every day of the week. Try their Wednesday special : mussels, fries and a glass of white or red wine for $15. They also do half off sushi on Tuesdays. I love sushi and they serve a decent variety of choices. The sushi was fresh and light. I really enjoyed it and I plan to add this place into my regular rotation. Although I just learned about this spot it seemed like everybody else has known about it for years! The place was packed. It's small so make a reservation. We waited a 1/2 hour for a table on a Wednesday night. The service was good. Our server was knowledgeable and down to earth. Anyway, I'm giving it four stars ...I didn't try enough of the menu to give it five. If you are looking for a nice spot off the beaten path with great specials and a lively scene try Paul's. I'm a fan ....
(4)Jessica P.
YUMMY and excellent service! I highly recommend this restaurant! Our private room was amazing and I can't wait to dine in the main room as well. 5 stars!
(5)Allie B.
Paul's on the Patio, an extension of the restaurant Paul's downstairs, is a great place for cocktails and appetizers/dinner. The menu is surprisingly extensive: the seafood and sushi is popular, but their bar food - a quesadilla made with gouda and chicken tenders - is actually delicious. One beef I do have is that the wine list is pretty outrageous - the half-off wine nights on Sunday and Monday just make the bottles reasonable, it's hardly a bargain. However, the do have a list of $5 "specialty cocktails" including some flavored martinis and then more standard drinks like a Greyhound. Dirty Martinis are $7.50 - the bartenders do a good job there, I'd go with cocktails over wine. The patio can get pretty crowded and it's seat yourself, first come first serve seating. I always see people I know - it definitely has a neighborhood feel to it. The servers are super friendly and, even when both the downstairs and upstairs are crowded food and drinks tend to come out in a timely fashion. Also, on Tuesday they have half-off all sushi. I recommend going for the Surf & Turf roll - it's pretty tasty, and, at $7.50 (with discount) it's a bargain.
(4)Scott R.
Updating only to add the fact that Paul's got a whopping 54 in failing its health inspection in September 2012. The rebounded with 100 in October (sure, they made an effort then), but it is troubling that they allowed it to get to a 54. Also, a few people comment on the 50% sushi on Tuesdays. Think about that. Why do you think it is deeply discounted on Tuesday??
(3)Kate O.
Homemade chips with blue cheese was outstanding! Fried green tomatoes were good but baslmic sauce was inadequate. Shrimp and grits were a delightful twist. Fritata was saved by the toppings.
(4)Rick B.
Why the low rating.........?? You do not offer complimentary valet parking then park someones car on the street. When we got there the valet lot wasn't even half full. When we were leaving the car attendent ran out on the street, brought my car to the valet lot, turned it around, and jumped out like he expected a gratuity. I just told the nerdy looking pimple faced kid that I could have parked the damn car on the street myself, thanks for nothing. The worst part is I found scratches on the car the next day.............they had not been there before. So Paul, I won't be back. Aside from that the food was merely satisfactory and Abbey, you are awesome!!!
(1)Sebastian C.
I have been to Paul's 5 times and have sampled much of the fare. Why 5 times if I think so little of it? Well, I had coupons for $20 that gave $50 of food. Hard to pass up $50 of food for only $20.00. I hesitated to write this review as long ago I had made a decision never to write a review of a restaurant that I could not recommend. I did not want to harm a business where feedback is so subjective. However, with this restaurant being SO bad, I feel that this reviewer owes diners AND the restaurant well thought out feedback so diners won't throw away their money. And restaurants CAN get their act together so my comments do not have to have a lasting impact. That said, let me move on to the meat of the review. Some history - Paul Albrecht, chef and owner, has a celebrated pedigree as part of the early Buckhead Life Group restaurant "Pano's and Paul's." P&P is an outstanding restaurant known for is signature dish of deep fried lobster. Years ago, Paul left P&P, moved to the FL panhandle and opened up a restaurant in the Destin/Seaside area to then close after a few years. With this outstanding pedigree, one would expect a fine dining experience at this tony restaurant in Peachtree Hills. Not so. It's embarrassingly bad from the sushi to the beef. One must then ask, with all of the fine food available in this city, why would do guests dine here and how does it stay open? Cool neighborhood location? Charming interior? Or maybe its the $50 coupons for $20. We have sampled over half of the sushi menu and only the Tuna 3 ways is even edible. This was, bar none, the worst sushi we've eaten. The rice was not sushi rice. The texture was BOTH mushy and hard - a disasterous blend. The sauces actually had a bad taste. Embarrassingly bad. So, on to the celebrated fried lobster tail, crab cakes and filet. The lobster is NOTHING like that made famous by Paul at P&P's. It was tough, overcooked and chewy. It was as if they had fried it a while back, and then reheated when we placed our order. The filet was also as if it had been cooked earlier and then reheated. The crab cakes were $30 and perhaps the worst we have eaten. Fishy, mushy and also seemingly reheated. I truly hate to say this, bottom line, this is a very bad restaurant and positive reviews must be coming from people who think fast food is haute cuisine (BTW-McDonalds is a MUCH better restaurant than Paul's) or were so drunk that they couldn't taste anything. Go there for cocktails, but feed at any fast food restaurant first!
(1)Lola M.
I really wanted to like this place. The patio was an ideal setting on a perfect Georgia fall night where I could still wear sandals. The set up is nice but the food was underwhelming. Like others I visited based upon a LivingSocial coupon. I'm a poor doctoral student so I use these to explore the city. This was one of my early buys and I don't think I'd purchase another. I ordered a yeungling, the filet mignon, and the caramel chocolate torte with pistachio ice cream. Sounds heavenly, non? Heaven would object. The filet was tough (ordered "medium") until the very, very center. Of an 8 ounce filet, then, 2 ounces were of fair quality. The asparagus was overcooked but OK. The potatoes were odd. Half of the pile were crispy and thin like chips. Then underneath there was a pile of potatoes that were half cooked and half raw. I couldn't tell if the pile was a different item or a pile of the crispy potatoes on top that were not separated, fried together, and just lumped on the plate. I didn't bother asking the server who was underwhelming. The worst was dessert because the bar is set so low for dessert. All it has to be is chocolate and edible. This got one of the two right. The chocolate crumb base of the torte was cold and hard. The caramel topping was OK but I couldn't really separate it from the crust as it was so thick and sticky. I just kind of broke it apart with the knife, shook off some crumbs, tasted it and called it a night. So, the ambiance is relaxed. The neighborhood and patio are cute and comfortable. The food, to the extent of what I ordered, was very underwhelming. Perhaps the mistake was ordering "real" food. The bar food -- wings, burgers, small plates -- may be the better bet just for the patio and cold drinks.
(1)Nicci R.
We stoppped in for lunch because of our scoutmob coupon for 50% off. The menu is seafood heavy with an odd combination of high end dishes and bar food. We ordered the lobster bisque, house salad, patty melt and grouper rueben. The soup was good except for the two tiny rubbery pieces of lobster. The rest was average at best. On the bright side, the service was very good.
(2)Lindsey F.
Solid experience but now a Wow experience. The hostess and management were great but the waiter was a little flighty particularly when it came to my celiac disease and what I could and couldn't eat. The food was very good- HUGE portions which explained the $28 pricetag for Free Range Chicken. I'm happy to pay more for happy chicken but at first that seemed a bit much. Once I saw how huge the portion was it made sense- I had just bought dinner and lunch which is nice. Will definitely be back on a "promotional" night for $5 burgers or half off bottles of wine.
(3)Alberto V.
I live in the neighborhood so I want to like this place really bad. Its within walking distance of my house and it occupies an nice little spot in the Peachtree Hills neighborhood. I have eaten here twice now and the food is just ... food. That is it, nothing special. The sushi was decent, and their entrees are okay. They seem to cater to the older crowd so maybe the menu is adjusted for their tastes. Like I said, I really want to like it but I can't. I will not be going back simply because for my money there are better places to eat in Atlanta. That said I gave it 3 stars because there is nothing catastrophically wrong with the place, it is just uninspiring.
(3)Danielle P.
I would have given this 4 stars but my recent experience there knocked off a star for me. We were there last weekend (May 14). First off, our waiter tried to up-sell us on the wine, which annoyed me. If I ask you which of these wines would you recommend, I expect in a restaurant like this one that you will have actually tasted them - not just go for the thumbs up on the most expensive bottle in the category. I know the tricks, but I really didn't appreciate them being worked on me. We all got the soft shell crab appetizer and it was FANTASTIC everyone loved it but I especially loved the jicama slaw that came with it. It was available as an entree and in hindsight I should have had that. Instead I ordered the pork tenderloin. A major disappointment. Yikes! I couldn't even finish it - it was that bad. It tasted as though they had marinated the pork in Liquid Smoke. The collard greens were the best thing on the plate and they weren't much to speak of. The macaroni and cheese was overcooked and gloopy. It looked like it had been sitting on the plate for hours and had no flavor of cheese at all. I complained and as any decent restaurant should they took it off our bill. And that smoke flavour? It was so overpowering that I was still tasting it in my mouth hours later. I have had many great meals here but never have I left a restaurant still feeling hungry. I hope this was an anomaly and the food isn't suffering. None of my other dinning companions had the same experience, they liked their food. Paul wasn't there that evening, we asked, so maybe somebody got a little sloppy in the kitchen as a result.
(3)Jim D.
Paul's is just down the street from my house. My wife and I finished some much delayed yard work, cleaned up, and were in the mood for a nice casual meal. Decided to try Paul's on the Patio. The experience was very nice. Very comfortable upstairs, with a menu to suit (although Paul's regular menu is always available). The patio on the 2nd floor was clean and comfortable. We started with the Blue Cheese Potato Chips. Not the best I have ever had, but still good, albeit a little decadent. Next, my wife did the Tuna Sampler as her entree, a very tasty dish, and a decent portion. I went with the Grouper Reuben, and was very happy. Not the Grouper Reuben like Off the Hook in New Smyrna Beach, but still a solid sandwich, and much closer to home. Overall, as I am less of a fan of Paul's regular menu (would probably rate is a 2.75 if I could), Paul's on the Patio is a great afternoon spot on the weekends, and have a selection of beer ranging from MGD 64 to your typical locals. A great alternative to other choices, including one right across the street.
(4)Alexa G.
Can't write too much about the food, but I can for the restaurant as an event space. I've been there a couple times over the last few months for private gatherings, both of which have included an open bar- hello root beer vodka ,light appetizers ( I could eat a whole bowl of that blue cheese dip if they let me!), and gigantic ice cream cakes with no less than 5 layers of ice cream some of which included fresh fruit! They have space upstairs as well as downstairs closed away from the main dinning area. With room for about 20-25 people in each space without still being crowded, more of an intimate setting.
(4)Sarah M.
I feel a bit sheepish because I didn't consult Yelp reviews before making a reservation for this restaurant. On Zagat, the food was rated a 26 out of 30 (a *really* high score), and it was marked as a romantic location. So, I happily put on a sexy outfit, expecting it to be similar to the atmosphere at Spice (another restaurant where Paul was the executive chef). So, you can imagine my surprise when my boyfriend and I walked into a restaurant that was bellied up to a bar area. Honestly, it looked a bit like Applebee's! Even though other people were dressed in business casual, I felt severely overdressed, like a girl going to brunch in the clothes from a previous night on the town. My boyfriend and I are adventurous, so we decided to try the sweetbreads. We were disappointed, but I don't know if that was the restaurant's fault, or if it was us. We decided to get the blue cheese potato chips. This was probably the best thing that we had all night -- but even the chips lacked proper seasoning. For dinner, I had dover sole and my boyfriend had the pork tenderloin. OK, for anyone who's ever had sole, you'll know it's a fish that melts in your mouth. And dover sole is a rarer type of sole. So, you'd think that a piece of fish that is priced at $38 would be out of this world. Let's just say I had to use a knife to eat the fish. For fish! The pork tenderloin was also overcooked. It came with collard greens that were decent, though. When I made the reservation, they asked me if we were celebrating a special occasion. I said yes. Not sure why they collect such info, because there was no indication they'd be doing something special for the occasion. In fact, the service was ridiculously slow, and when it was dessert time, my boyfriend suggested getting a dessert since it was my birthday, and of course, it was on the bill. Come on, even Canoe will give you free dessert! I will say, though, that the dessert was heavenly, even though what we ordered from the menu wasn't what we were served. I regret, regret, regret making my boyfriend paying for a $200 dinner that was so lackluster. We probably would have had a better meal at Applebee's. Don't go here.
(2)Todd F.
I'm shocked by the bad reviews of this place. My family had dinner here tonight and it was nothing short of spectacular. We started with the blue cheese chips & tuna tataki. The chips were just how I remember them from many past meals at Pano's & Paul's ... some crispy & some softer ... covered with blue cheese. The tuna tataki was good but not great. The pieces were very thinly sliced, seasoned and served with some seaweed and whatnot on the plate with ponzu (and I think soy) sauces. I was also tempted to try the vegetable tempura or the foie gras ... maybe next time. For the main courses I got to try a little bit of everyone's dish. From left to right ... The lamb sirloin was served in a tangy sauce with big fried pieces of cauliflower and an some orzo served looking like a crab cake. The swordfish was nicely grilled and moist. The steak filet was very juicy and tasted fresh off the field (or wherever). The halibut came coated with peppercorn but was a little dry (though to be fair I only ate a piece off the end) and was served on a bed of wheatberries which nobody had ever heard off but were quite tasty. Saving the best for last, my meal was a tuna loin seared rare, wrapped in spinach tempura, and served with smooth/creamy wasabi mashed potatoes and candied shiitake mushrooms that were a little too sweet even for me. I paired it with a glass of "A to Z" 2006 Pinot Noir which opened up nicely and complemented the tuna perfectly. Aside from the food, the ambiance is nice and relaxing. We sat downstairs though so our table bordered the walkway and kitchen counter which was mildly annoying. I never got bumped but there were constantly walking past the back of my chair. I hear the upstairs seating area is quieter which I imagine would be nicer. We also saw "Chef Paul", as they obsessively call him, come out and talk to two different groups sitting nearby to us. I'd totally return here and recommend it to those living in or visiting the area. It's kind of isolated in a neighborhood that has lots of speed humps so be careful driving to and from here.
(4)Marc F.
After stating that I would never return to this place, we ended up at Paul's this weekend by the choice of a friend. We again had a poor experience.
(1)Russ G.
I've eaten here several times now, always through a special event planned through Tower Package. So while I haven't ever seen the real menu, I've tried a number of items plus specialty courses made by Chef Paul. Everything is always excellent, well prepared, appetizing in looks, and the wait staff is quick and efficient. The place is set up well though a little crowded, and the parking, well, it's Buckhead, so either be prepared to walk or pay out the ass for valet service. Otherwise, I've enjoyed the times I've been and hope for more soon.
(4)Rebecca O.
Much to my dismay, I too, experienced less than stellar food at Paul's Restaurant. Had several months not passed since my experience there I probably would have gone with one star, which breaks my heart because I wanted to like it so badly. Perhaps Chef Paul is willing to invite me back for round two ... We started off with sushi that was lower than disappointing, followed by entrees that were literally inedible. The fish tasted fishy, and it was served over grits that tasted of cream cheese. I swear I am hardly ever one to leave food sitting about, but even I just couldn't bring myself to eat more than a few bites. I whole-heartedly agree with Kitty L. I'm sorry, Chef Paul ... like I said, I really wanted to like it.
(2)Natalie G.
I'm sorry being a southern and belle and all I hate to have to give 3 stars or less but nothing about this restaurant impresses me. The 2 times I've been (once today) It takes forever to get your food..I'm always in there for at least 2 hours so don't go if you're stressed for time. I have ordered the lobster bisque each time. Word to the wise (this is more of a puree'..do not expect lumps of lobster anywhere) It always comes out a little on the cooler side. I also have had the sashimi small plate and that is also a dissapointment. Not rich or flavorful like other sushi places but of course it's not a sushi place. Also the waitors seem a little bit nervous sometimes... Oh the dish I got today was a crab encrusted (some type of fish) that was topped with what looked like oranges of some sort and capers...this combination of tastes where a little strange. I opted for fries instead of the asparagus... fries tasted like burnt grease? The mashed sweet potatoes were ehhhh. Ok. They don't offer their tea sweetened honey so be prepared to add your own suga'. This place gets 2 stars not for the food but for the strong attempt the employees try to make. lol. Not my favorite spot. I am a foodie.. I like to TASTE my food. Not just look at it :-)
(2)Rob W.
We had a very different experience from the last reviewer. My fiance and I had brunch at Paul's about a week ago. We were very impressed with the food and service. The vegetable omelet was big and full of fresh vegetables and the grits were some of the best she and I have ever had. Finally, the chef came and personally greeted us at our table when we finished to make sure everything lived up to our expectations. I cannot comment on dinner, but for brunch, Paul's is a good bet with generous portions of great food that won't kill your wallet.
(4)Dilani W.
We went for lunch on a Sunday. Not crowded, but parking is probably an issue on busier days (they do have a free valet service). We tried the vegetable tampura appetizer (vegetables fried in a light batter, huge portion) and the lobster bisque soup (very creamy, and very yummy). For our entrees we had the flounder (also tasty, cooked perfectly with a great texture, and the garnishing with the new potatoes was also delicious) and the crab cake sandwich (also very good, and could probably be eaten without the bread). The hostess and waitress were very pleasant.
(4)Kitty L.
Can one rate a restaurant with negative stars? I feel SO strongly about how bad this restaurant was that I am purposefully adding it as a first review on this site. I went to this restaurant with the hope and excitement usually associated with trying one of the "hot" new restaurants in any city. I had found it as a top restaurant in the "Atlanta" magazine and I was sorely disappointed all the way. I should have paid heed to my first impressions, but I thought I should keep an open mind and stick it out through the meal. First, this is an "American" restaurant that offers sushi, usually a sign that is highly suspicious. Second, our waiter was a complete weirdo with a black toupee and 1970's aviator glasses. He did not speak much English. Third, the bottle of champagne we tried to order was out of stock (how does that happen since they just opened?). Well, on to the actual food....I ordered almost everything the Atlanta magazine had touted as "to die for." First came the double chicken matzo ball soup. Ew. The soup was room temperature, the chicken looked like slices from a frozen bag of pre-cooked Tyson's chicken you would get in the grocery store and the matzo ball was cold in the middle (maybe they needed to nuke it in the microwave for another minute). Next I shared their $20 fried lobster tail apetitizer It was edible (anything fried, ain't too bad), but I think even your local Applebee's could make a fried lobster tail taste comparable. Then, I had some mediterreanan plate, which was actually not bad, but then what actual "cooking" is required of a plate of bread, cheese and olives? My coworker ordered some seafood plate, which included lump crab, warm shrimp cocktail (high suspect! doesn't that violate some kind of restaurant regulations?) and calamari. Gross. Also, in case you haven't noticed, I had put this restaurant as "American (New)" but honestly the menu was a complete haphazard assembly of random dishes/cuisines with no consistency in theme or preparation style (seafood, sushi, matzo balls...there were also pasta, too) Our waiter, by now nicknamed by me as Fonzie, must have felt guilty (or maybe he was trying hard for a bigger tip) because he gave us free dessert and took my coworker's warm seafood plate off the bill. I usually jump at dessert, but I have to say it was all around awful. The strawberries must have been cut on the same board or with the same knife (or both) as onions because it tasted more like an onion than a strawberry. The only positive thing about this restaurant was its decor - they have a cute upstairs/patio. Overall, this was one of the worst restaurants I've been to in a long, long time. Food was expensive too -at least $30-$50 per head, excluding alcohol. I'd rather eat at McDonald's any day.
(1)Kathryn S.
Great place- went for 1st time- had a reservation and sat immediately. I ordered the lamb with orzo and fried artichokes-delish- others ordered sushi and raw oysters-very good- waiter gave us a free dessert b/c sushi came out too early-supposed to be for dinner- will definitely go back if in town again
(4)Jack L.
Visited Paul's on Sunday evening. Small, quiet crowd. Excellent service, ambiance and meal.The grouper was cooked to perfection. Very expensive. $$$$$
(4)Elky M.
The atmonsphere. The professional service. The Stoli martinis with bleu-cheese stuffed olives. The Maine Lobster Bisque with heavenly Brandy Foam. And the Crabcakes. Everything was simply perfect last Sunday evening. I can't wait to go back. You MUST eat here.
(5)J U.
I've been a lover of fried lobster tail and missed panos and Paul's. We'll it's great to know that Paul opened Paul's and it's on menu. A great evening. Amanda was our server and made the evening perfect. Great food and not to miss.
(5)Daniel U.
Food is absolutely amazing...Lobster Bisque...Wedge Salad & The Highly Recommended Stuffed Pork Tenderloin Suited My Taste Perfectly...Service Was Outstanding & The Ambience Was Very Comfortable...The Upstairs Would Be A Nice Date Spot & If You Are In For Just A Casual Time Then The Downstairs Is For You! Definitely A Must..!
(5)J T.
Yelpers, I have two words for you. DISGUSTING & AWFUL. I have been to literally every decent single restaurant in Atlanta & know good, better & best, but let me tell you-Paul's is TERRIBLE. I ordered one of the specials, which was salmon with scallops, topped with risotto & asparagus. I couldn't even eat the salmon because it was so tough AND smelled disgusting; it was very, very fishy. I sent it back & they charged me for it & my replacement meal, which is tacky. Note: The replacement meal of scallops was fine, but still not a fan. They were very salty. My boyfriend ordered the pork tenderloin with macaroni & cheese & collard. No lie, the entire meal looked (and tasted) like it came out of a Stouffer's box. I was horrified. We used our Scoutmob coupon, so we didn't have to pay full price, but believe me, that was the worst $41 we have ever spent. I will NEVER go back there even though they have a nice atmosphere. Ick. Pano, congrats for breaking away from Paul.
(1)Tracy S.
Despite the mixed reviews on Yelp, we decided to eat at Pauls last night and boy am I glad. The feeling the place gave us when we first walked in was wonderful - lively but not loud, warm, and completele filled. Our server had been there since 2005 and she was friendly and very efficient. When I said I was blind and had forgotten my reading glasses, she brought me a pair from the bar. We were a total of 4 people and my friend and I were so indecisive that our husbands were mortified. The server did not lose patience at all and gave us the time we needed for choosing our wine and our meal choices. We started with the calamari and it was nice, but nothing special. Then my friend Jay and I ordered salads - the wedge for him and the tasty arugula for me. For dinners I got the liver, a first in a restaurant. It was gorgeous! The liver was cooked to perfection, with carmelized onions, apple and mashed potatoes, and a side of haricots vert. For the life of me I can only remember that my friend ordered salmon. They all loved their entrees as much as I did. For dessert we got te tart tartin (I replaced the rum raisin ice cream with vanilla) and the little ice cream cones, which were luscious! Paul came over to our table and was absolutely delightful - he seemed genuinely happy when we told him it was the first time we'd been. Last year when we visited, we went to Two Urban Licks, which was absolutely magical, but I must sat that Pauls was a wonderful choice!
(4)Elizabeth H.
Paul's Upstairs is a great weekday relaxed dinner! I recently went there with a few girlfriends after a long walk at Chastain Park. We went straight in our work-out clothes and sat on the patio... they even allow dogs on the patio- always a plus for me! We had a ScoutMob coupon (50% off) so we we're pretty excited! I had a grilled chicken sandwich with fries and a Yuengling - the food was standard, nothing spectacular. One friend had a tempura sushi and the other had a quesadilla, as you can tell, the menu is pretty eclectic! Overall the experience was nice and relaxed... the patio also has several tv's which will come in handy when football season starts!
(4)Shane P.
Lobster BLT!!! Amazing!
(5)Thomas E.
I really like the vibe of this space. I think the food -- two times that I have had dinner here -- is very good. I look forward to my next visit.
(4)Tricia B.
Food tonight was delicious as always, but I am missing the Bibb lettuce salad from the old menu. There just isn't a good replacement on the new menu for me. And I miss the flourless chocolate torte! I've been having to satisfy my chocolate cravings elsewhere
(5)Bahn Mi A.
I want to like this place. Nice environment and good food, but they completely disregarded a food allergy of mine and acted like as$$holes when I had to leave - sick. Not so much as an apology and insisted on billing me full price as I tried to go home. So - sorry Paul's, you blew it! I could not have been more clear.
(1)Mit P.
The food is quite good, but the air quality in the restaurant is pretty poor and it detracts from the dining experience. In fact after walking in, I spend 5 minutes deciding whether to stick around or not (and this is on my third visit). What is good: 1) Very good appetizers. The crab cake is delicious. The lobster tail is not bad but not as good after you have had it the first time. The smoked salmon was very fresh. The fried green tomatoes were good too. 2) Sushi is pretty good too. Very fresh tasting. I really enjoyed the dragon roll although it is different to what other places sell as a Dragon roll. What could be better: 1) The air quality. This restaurant smells funky. It may be the combination of an open kitchen with poor ventilation. However it is annoying and detracts from the experience. Without this issue, I would rate it 4 stars for the food. 2) The waiter was a bit intrusive. 3) The shredded kale salad wasn't so great.
(3)Stacie S.
Oh, by the way, they completely changed their menu and do not have sushi at all. And the "new" menu is less than impressive. This is a classic example of "if it ain't broke..." Don't change the whole concept of the restaurant..
(1)Julie S.
I went on Tuesday night for the half price sushi special. We arrived around 7pm and sat upstairs with nearly no one else. The service was great in the beginning. I made the mistake of ordering two fried rolls which was a lot for me.. they really know how to make deep fried sushi here! While they weren't my taste, they were really good and my friend loved her food. Towards the end of our meal the entire upstairs filled up and it took us 30 minutes to get the check. Then the waitress didn't have any change and ran away before I told her she could keep the change and we sat there awkwardly for another 10 minutes until we gave up and just left. If I came back I would dine inside because I don't think they had enough servers manning the upstairs patio. I would branch out and try something new, but I do recommend the Paul's Roll & the Super Crunchee for delicious fried rolls.
(3)Rebecca F.
I love Tuesday Nights at Paul's... 1/2 Price Sushi! Their rolls are pretty good for an American restaurant, but I was disappointed to find out on our last visit that they removed my 2 favorite rolls from the weekly special. The surf and turf roll is delicious & different, and maybe worth the new full price on Tuesday, but I also enjoy the super crunchee and the spicy tuna avocado.
(3)Carrie Neal W.
Oh, last night was so nice. We had breakfast early-ish, and neither had eaten lunch so around 5pm was perfect to go to Paul's! Amanda took such good care of us and I am pretty sure this will be a regular spot in our rotation henceforth! He felt like sushi, I ate part of the crabcake, and I got their filet with mushrooms and a side of spinach to go - whether I needed a "real" meal later or for breakfast this am, which is what I did with the spinach added to an egg white omelette. Oh, and a side of the pappardelle (one of my favorite types of noodles) with their tomato sauce- I couldn't resist and that's what I ended up having for my real dinner late last night. And now I (or . . . Luke) have steak for our 4th of July park picnic today!! Love this place and love being so close by! (And that I was able to sneak my credit card to Amanda so he wouldn't know in advance I picked up the tab! I just love servers who get that kind of thing).
(5)Corbin P.
So bummed they just redid their whole menu and took the sushi off the list. The new menu focuses on more small plates but they still have the lobster tail!
(4)James R.
The best brussel sprouts in the universe!! The hostess was very polite and courteous. Our server was informative and prompt. I will be back!! It was so nice to be in a restaurant where you can talk to your friends without shouting. Overall great experience
(5)Justin S.
This place is nice and tucked away. I had driven past it quite a few times and finally went into this place. The host was very friendly so i was immediately impressed. The food was great too. I have been back several times since then. My most common reason to go back is the half price sushi on tuesday nights. The atmosphere is quiet and romanitc and would be a great date place too. I recommend the tuna tataki for sure. Paul also owns social vinings over in (you guessed it) vinings. Exact same sushi at both places. Great fish considering we aren't very close to any water. I will be going back for sushi often!
(4)Lauren P.
Paul's offers 50% off sushi on Tuesday's if y'all are dining on the patio. So that's exactly what we did! On a weeknight, it was a gathering of a few Yelp ladies (Elizabeth, Katrina and Tilia) who attempted to go to Divan but the place said it was a $25 minimum per person. WTF?! So Elizabeth suggested we head to Paul's and I am glad we did. I had two of the specialty rolls plus a glass of wine, and with tax & tip I was still well under the $25 mandate at our first stop. The sushi was great. Service could have been a bit more attentive but we were clearly not high rollers. Other than that, Paul's was really lovely. The dining room is the epitome of Buckhead neighborhood dining but upstairs was more casual with lots of 20-somethings mixing and mingling. I'll definitely go back to Paul's for another weeknight adventure.
(4)Greg R.
I went here with a group and ate in the private dining area. The service was good, the meeting area was large and quiet. This restuarant is hidden in a residental community and could be missed easily.
(4)Addy C.
Paul's describes their food as "Classic American Continental Cuisine w/ French influences." Before reading that on their website, I had no idea what kind of food to expect - their restaurant name is pretty generic except if you're familiar w/ Pano & Paul's. But surprisingly they serve sushi, too - I'd never expect that from a place that calls itself "Paul's Restaurant". Anyway, it's only b/c of Scoutmob that we decided to check it out. Yay for 50% off coupons b/c otherwise not sure if I'd come back - most lunch entrees are $11-15, and food was just ok. ARUGULA SALAD - $8 My friend & i were going to share a salad, and our server's first choice was the "Vine Ripe Tomato & Grilled Onion" but my friend wasn't a fan of grilled onions so we got the other "popular" choice, Arugula Salad which also had pecorino, dried cranberries, and white balsamic vinaigrette. Well, they forgot to bring the salad before our meal, so we ended up eating it as a side salad (in addition to the Asian slaw that came w/ our meal). But kudos for plating our shared salad on two separate plates :) Salad was disappointing though - it was pretty bland so we got more dressing ... except even the dressing was bland :( GROUPER REUBEN - $11 Server highly recommended this dish (in addition to the pan-fried flounder filet) - decided on this one b/c it sounded "different" plus I wanted to try the Jicama Asian Pear Slaw that came w/ the sandwich. Presentation was unimpressive but fortunately tasted better than it looked. I enjoyed it, and I enjoyed the Asian pear slaw even more. The Grouper Reuben also had sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Chipotle Louis dressing on marbled rye. GOLDEN LUMP CRAB CAKE SANDWICH - $14 Our server didn't exactly rave about this dish but my friend was craving the crab cakes. My friend gave me a generous sample, and sorry but I did not like it at all. The crab cake was bland & very fishy-tasting. And thankfully we paid just $7 and not $14 (thanks, Scoutmob). Service was friendly but not as attentive as I would've expected for a nice restaurant like this. Our server was busy playing hostess plus looked like they were also busy serving a large private party on the other side of the restaurant. The "public" side had just 2-3 tables occupied. Hopefully for Paul's Restaurant, lunch is busier on the weekdays.
(3)