This place is absolutely, unequivocally, and without a doubt the best place in Philly for French cuisine. The atmosphere is cosy and comfortable. The food is unbelievably good. Service is exquisite. Perfect spot for a date or special occasion. I like that you can see the kitchen from your table. The owner sent us out rabbit ravioli during our meal and it was super tasty. Don't forget that it's a BYO. I stocked up on red wine, champaign, and chartreuse before our dinner.
(5)
Joshua G.
Disclaimer: this was a Sunday evening experience: (Notorious for B-squad wait staff) I went here with my Mom for a belated Mother's Day dinner with a gift certificate from a friend, my wife doesn't really do fancy food. I love the gourmet stuff, but rarely get the opportunity, so I took my mom to cash in the $80 gift certificate. We had: Arugula salad Duck with polenta Pasta Alfresco a half-press coffee flourless chocolate cake with rhubarb Basil shortcake with Strawberry ice cream The waitress was courteous enough, she wasn't exactly rude, but she wasn't exactly warm either. I think maybe I must have been under dressed and I did not hide the fact that I was using a gift certificate. We didn't bring any wine because my mom doesn't really drink and she was recovering from foot surgery and wouldn't be driving my drunk behind home, so we just had water. The ambiance was nice, and the salad was rockin! I ordered the duck because when else am I going to eat duck? It was decent. I probably won't order duck again, but it was well prepared and very tasty. I cleaned my plate. HOWEVER, the cabbage that came with it was totally burnt, not in a tasty way. Ever other bite or so I'd get a mouth full of charcoal flavor, it was a little less than I was expecting for such a highly rated establishment. Still, polenta duck and salad were awesome, as was mom's pasta dish. Dessert was OK. The rhubarb and creme stuff that was with the flourless chocolate cake would have been awesome with anything other than the chocolate cake--which was good on its own--just the pairing was a little off. Didn't jive with me anyway. The basil shortcake with strawberry ice cream was perfection. I'm rooting for this place especially for its location, I think it's gonna be a great establishment for the neighborhood, and I hope they pwn the Iron Chef competition I hear they're scheduled for, but if I was going to drop that kind of change on a fancy-schmancy meal, I expect it to be flawless. Thankfully, I used the gift cert, and the difference was about $5. (Total $85) I tipped the waitress $20 for her so-so service because I worked as a waiter for about 5 years, and everybody has a bad day sometimes. So, for $25 I think I got what I paid for. Still, unless they're offering a deep discount for early Sunday evening, they need to up their game on the service side. Then again, maybe I just don't belong in fancy restaurants.
(3)
Three R.
This place is so cool. From the moment we walked in the service was so good, that I assumed the waiter was the owner. I was WRONG! lol It is BYOB, so go to Bob's Tavern and get some great local beers. Then your ready for your taste buds to dance. Really they will! The food was amazing we met the chef/owner and she was so warm and friendly we felt like family. We are going back to work our way through the Menu. Please check this place out and enjoy the Dance. lol
(5)
Kelly C.
i had a lovely experience here!! honestly, i was very worried after reading some of the reviews on yelp.. i even went as far as to look on other foodie platforms for some reassurance lol~ anyway, i'm really happy that it turned out great. it was a very quiet and intimate dinner with my family :) on contrary to what some yelp critics have mentioned, i did not think PH's dishes lacked flavor.. i enjoyed my appetizers (crab souffle and foie gras) and pan seared duck very much. i don't think it's fair to put this on par with other well established restaurants. don't get me wrong but PH is a very low key spot. it actually reminded me of the idea of speakeasies. it has a very homey feel and taste to it. yet the dishes are complex enough that there is no way i can make it at home! Appetizer: Foie Gras - loved the pear sauce with it~ very wintery feel Crab Souffle - almost like a crab cake, i just wish there was more crab in it. very unique! but the horseradish salad was a little overpowering i thought.. Entree: Pan Seared Duck - loved all the elements on this dish! generous portion! Beef Bourguignon - similar to a beef stew~ i only had a bite of it but it was very yummy. portion seemed a little smaller compared to the duck Grilled Venison - yummy but nothing overwhelming~ the chestnut puree was a fine touch to compliment the game the only thing i could pick at was the quality of the ingredients. both the foie gras and the duck, frankly, were not the best-- quality wise. i don't know how to explain it but it just didn't deliver that winning blow~ the duck was recommended to cook to medium rare-- not a problem to me. however, the meat was too tough! we had a hard time cutting it on the plate. medium would have be better. the skin also carried just a tad too much fat than i would like.. other than that, the dish was very well prepared. it was very scrumptious! the other thing my family mentioned was them not offering warm bread :/ i mean it's pretty cold out~ warm bread would've been a beautiful start lol but the butter was fantastic! we ended up having seconds to a serving of bread anyway. other than that, it was a fantastic saturday night~ we left very full and satisfied. i would recommend PH to other people :) and definitely bring some wine to spice up your night! cheers!
(4)
Shauna G.
It was... well... it was extremely all right. Tragically so. All the makings of something that could have been great, but it was just... fine. Outside of the fact that the menu lacked a fancy French cheese plate option (a tragedy in and of itself), I don't have many complaints. The service was wonderful. Love me a good BYO. My scallops were plated and cooked beautifully. The atmosphere was charming, but... I don't know. It just lacked chutzpah to me. The menu was absent of the inventiveness and creativity that I've come to enjoy in the Philly dining scene. Nothing jumped out at me. Nothing inspired me. Nothing left me begging for more. Overall... Solid. Solid, but forgettable.
(3)
Michelle C.
The Pickled Heron has been on my list of bookmarked restaurants for a long time, and I finally got to check it out with two girlfriends on Friday. We arrived armed with three bottles of vino. Though the restaurant was featuring some type of restaurant week deal, they still had their full menu available, which was our preference. Unfortunately, the menu didn't exactly match the one online, and my friend was disappointed to see that the scallops were no longer being offered. Luckily, there were still a handful of other seafood options. I started with the moules frites. The mussels were served in a light, saffron-scented broth and they were fantastic. The fries were piping hot and served in a cone with a mild dipping sauce. Next up was a steak with bone marrow stuffing, mushrooms and onion. The steak was a perfect medium rare as requested. We passed on dessert but said yes to French pressed coffee. I'm glad I finally got a chance to try The Pickled Heron and I'd be down for a return trip sometime.
I visited The Pickled Heron with my sister when she was in town during Thanksgiving weekend. I was in the area for another function so we decided to eat dinner. I had heard rave reviews from locals in the area, but was none-the-less disappointed. Food: App: Mussels with fries - delicious and definitely a good app to share. The portion for this appetizer seemed ridiculous when we got our mains. It's very filling and could be a meal on its own. Me: Quail with mushroom (and foie gras?) risotto - The risotto was rich and nice but didn't make up for the dry and flavorless quail, which was rather messy and difficult to eat. Her: Grilled steak with some greens and what I believe was a yam pave drenched in truffle oil. Compared to the mussel app, this dish was absurdly proportioned. There were four bite size pieces of delicious steak done perfectly next to a gigantic slab of yam pave. My sister polished off the steak and greens, but barely touched the pave which filled up half the plate. I like truffle oil as much as the next person, but this was overwhelming. One thing to note is that unless you can find a very recent menu before visiting, it is likely that the menu in the restaurant will be different. They change the offerings frequently, and none of the dishes I had been hoping to try were actually on the menu. Service: Our waiter started out great at 6:30pm, we were one of two tables eating. Nice and observant, maybe a little too much. By 7:15, a few more tables had come in with larger groups and he couldn't handle the rush. We had finished our meal and were staring around us, it was too loud to have a decent conversation without shouting, but the waiter wouldn't stop by for another 15min to bring us the dessert menu. It took him another 15min to come around before we could tell him we didn't want dessert, and just wanted to leave. Final notes: The food is hit or miss and so is the service. For the prices they're charging in the neighborhood they're in, I expected more, and also maybe the ability to take plastic. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
(3)
Sagi S.
Nice little place for dinner. I heard of this place from a friend and I am glad we went and checked it out. We went on a Friday night armed with a bottle of wine. We started with mussels and frites and a micro green salad both were very nice. The greens were fresh, perfectly dressed with some crunchy beets and goat cheese. The mussels were delicious in a white sauce with Belgian style fries. We ate too much of the appetizers and had a hard time finishing the entrees which was very good as well. I ordered the beef bourguignon which tasted exactly like it should taste, melt in your mouth with a hint of sweetness in the sauce, it was lovely and very rich so it was a little hard for me to finish. We also ordered the lamb tenderloin this was very skillfully made cooked to medium rare with a side of cheek pea and potato which had a great Mediterranean flavor. Great menu for winter, I wonder what it will look like as the weather warms up! The service was very good, wasn't too noisy which I like, parking was easy, hope they do well! We would definitely make the trip again.
(5)
Adam R.
Wow is all I have to say. This place blew my mind with its great care and attention to detail. It is the definition of classy without pretension. My date and I wanted to try as much on the menu as possible, and we did! The staff was friendly, attentive, and not overbearing. We forgot our wine, and they very quietly poured us a couple glasses from their own stock. The bread and homemade butter to start wet my bill. Then came the mussels... oh my the mussels! I honestly have never had them prepared better. They melted in my mouth, just enough sauce, and the flavor was incredible. We had plate after plate of fantastic dishes. The highlight for me was the lamb. It was prepared just rare enough. The last time I tasted lamb so fresh, was when I ate a freshly slaughtered one. No lie... For me, a good peice of lamb is better than any cow steak. We finished with dessert that was just enough to fill my giant belly. The right amount of sweetness combined with bitter rich dark chocolate. This meal was filled with multiple foodgasms.
(5)
Sarah K.
I am so thrilled to be writing this review. At long last this little stretch of Frankford Ave has a new neighborhood gem to welcome. The chef-owners here really put themselves into their restaurant and their food (and practically built the place from scratch - amazing) and I agree with a previous poster that I truly hope the neighborhood gets behind this spot and does what they do best - support independent, talented Philadelphia chefs and small businesses. Philly has a serious lack of accessible, affordable, quality French bistro fare. French cuisine is so wonderful, but too often out of reach. The Pickled Heron fills this gap admirably. Starting with the bread and (homemade) butter through to the amazing skate wing (something else you rarely see in these parts) our meal was delicious, special, and relaxed - all the best things about bistro cooking.
(5)
Beth K.
Grew up not far from this location but now live in Michigan for the past 20 years. Ate a fantastic dinner with my aunt! Server was ver friendly and willing to tell us all about the menu. Due to a gluten-free diet, she said the chef would make adjustments. I had the yellow eye fish and it was superb. Nice size portion, perfectly cooked and tasted delicious. The polenta was rich & creamy and I cleared my plate. My selective, 80-year old aunt ate every drop of her beet risotto and said she thought it was very, very tasty and unique. She had never eaten beet risotto before. Make sure you taste their homemade butter - very nice! And speaking of homemade, try the buttermilk and the rum raisin ice cream - to die for. This was the best I've ever eaten. We loved the restaurant. It was elegant but not fussy. Food had flavor and flare and I could tell that trained chefs made our meal. I left feeling happy and full and delighted that a once dilapidated neighborhood is showing signs of sophistication with such a pleasant and delicious meal. Thank you, Pickled Heron. We'll be back!
(5)
Chris S.
Great dinner, nice atmosphere. Service was very good. The fresh tomato small plate was grown in the chef's back yard, drizzled with oil and topped with baby oregano. Damn tasty. I like that's it's byo,only gripe is it's cash only, which is fine unless you forget to get cash before you go! ATM across the street though.
(5)
Doug R.
Incredible! I've been in a few times, tried something different each time, and have never been remotely close to anything less than satisfied. If you're looking for a great dinner, prepared by people who clearly care about what they do, look no further. If six stars were possible, I'd give them that.
(5)
Thomas M.
Hands down the best fine dining experience I have had in the city if Philadelphia. Whether dinner or brunch the food is phenomenal and the prices won't break the bank. Make sure you try and make it to their Sunday brunch and the dinner as they are both great. I had a duck breast eggs bennie. It was like nothing I've had before and all their house cured meats...I can't even begin to describe how delicious they are...but I wish I could eat them everyday.
(5)
Ginger K.
My boyfriend and I went here on a whim after walking past it the day before. I think they had been opened for about a month or 2 at the time of our visit. I wish I would have done more research before going in. I knew it was a BYOB but we forgot to bring any wine... I feel like small BYOBs should still have a better selection of beverages to serve the customers. How hard is it to make some iced tea and not have a $4 soda? I ordered the Crispy Duck Breast which tasted fine but there was nothing "crispy" about it. My boyfriend had ordered some sort of fish dish. I want to say it was sea bass. The fish came in a shallow bowl with a wild rice. I have to say his portion size was horrible compared to my dish which took up the all the room on my plate. We will never return to eat here. The food is overpriced. I think they opened it in the wrong neighborhood. So if you like overpriced pretentious food this place is for you and not for me.
(2)
Lauren G.
We had the best experience for my birthday at the Pickled Heron! The cozy interior presented a great chance to catch up with old friends without the noise of large restaurant. We started with the Charcuterie, which was incredible and had the chance to experience the delectable squash soup on its premiere night. I would recommend anyone going in the near future to definitely try the squash soup! Between the 5 of my fellow diners and I, we had every large plate, and each was full of great flavors and unique to anything I have ever tried. We also had the chance to chat with one of the two chefs who created such a masterful meal for us. She revealed how a large portion of the ingredients put into each dish were local, which I LOVE. All around it was a wonderful night made better by a wonderful dinner.
(5)
A bradford C.
Fun, quiet place. I liked my meal. My girl wasn't a fan of hers (we actually got the same thing) so they took it off the bill, which was really professional of them. We devoured the dessert. We both agreed we'd go back again and try another menu option because it was such a great environment and they were so nice.
(4)
Sarah L.
Those guys have hit the bistro nail on the head. The charcuterie plate was duck 3 ways, the mussels and frites were truly exceptional (I started slurping the broth with a spoon after the mussels were long gone) and the lamb stew was fantastic, but a bit heavy for the weather. Probably should be taken off the menu until fall. This is the new monthly spot (sorry Barbuzzo, I still love ya). Daniella and her partner have hit it out of the park. Run, don't walk, before the rest of Philly figures out that this is the second coming of Django.
(5)
Jessica S.
This is a great BYOB... IN KENSINGTON!!! I scoped the place out before it even opened and was very pleased. What a great thing to open up so far north of Girard. Delicious food. - my first escargot! and every dish was flavorful and lovely. Friendly Service. - the server was delightful. took care of us and all his other tables too. Atmosphere. - a well put together not over the top place that was not too noisy for a small byob. We dressed for the occasion, but others were dining more casually... I think we'll have to go back again for brunch one weekend. Really nice place to have a really nice meal.. Give it a try!
(5)
Aaliyah P.
I sometimes make the mistake of having way to high expectations of a restaurant. Pickled Herron unfortunately falls into this category. My gal pals and I were eager for our meal here we love Byobs and French fare so to say we were highly anticipating this meal would be right. Service was flawless , I can't recall her name but she was super sweet and did a great job of checking in and keeping water glasses full. My reasons for 3 stars instead of four: -Menu online clearly different then the hand printed one placed before us. I always check a restaurants website to make sure there will be some options for me in the event something isn't available. I'm sad to say the scallops i had been salivating over were no longer an option - what French restaurant doesn't have a cheese board or at least a cheese feature ? I was very perplexed and slightly offended by this. I'm not sure you can call yourself a French establishment without any fromage. - the charcuterie board is actually house made but mostly or terrines and pates ...no thank you I went with the arugula and peach salad along with the mussels and frites. The peach salad left me feeling a little puzzled. The peaches weren't ripe enough in my opinion so the sweetness that should have been there was lacking. The salad was dressed lightly and featured a few nuts. It was ok but is something I could have made at home. The mussels were divine and I was very happy with my choice. The frites were perfect and I consider myself a French fry connoisseur. These two items were the perfect portion for me. My dining companions seemed to enjoy their steaks and as stated before service was on point . I'm not sold into coming back wish the outcome was different.
(3)
Mike Z.
Came here on a double date on a busy Saturday night. Its a small byob in Fishtown. It has a really nice atmosphere.. I like the simple menu thats to the point and very small. We started with a couple appetizers that included fois gras, crab salad, and assorted meats with crackers. The food was good but nothing that stood out or amazing. Also the bread that was served wasn't fresh or warm. The bread usually says a lot about a restaurant. For entrees I had the fish (forget name and cant find it on the menu online) but it was really amazing. My friends ordered medium cooked duck and beef. The duck just wasn't good. It didn't have much flavor and it was dry. We were recommended to try it medium rare but we were not about to eat bloody duck. Another person had the beef and he said it was good. For dessert we had the warm chocolate cake and it was tasty. Overall it was a good experience, good service and mostly pretty good food.
(4)
Aaron O.
Every time I eat here I have a better experience, and it started off very good. This is unbelievable value given the food quality - our last meal was near on par with what Le Bec Fin served when Le Bec Fin was actually good. The scallops were done perfectly with that perfect bite and consistency that only a scallop has, lamb was intensely flavorful and tender, duck was what duck should be - bold and fresh. The raspberry sauce with my venison had a delightful tart sweetness. Great, knowledgeable service, great food, reasonably priced and a unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere to really enjoy your meal. Hands down - one of the best experiences to be had in Philadelphia.
(5)
Kristen F.
What a fantastic meal. Living three blocks away, there was no excuse for not having patronized this fine establishment sooner, so, when the opportunity to meet some friends for dinner presented itself, we jumped on the chance to try Pickled Heron. What an adorable place. Small, intimate dining room with an open kitchen area, allowing you to see the chefs at work. Pretty sweet date spot! We had the charcuterie and some super-rad bleu cheese puffs to start. Oh. My. God. The charcuterie was unique, surprising, fresh, and delicious. While I'm normally not a pate person, it was hard not to fall in love with theirs. And the bleu cheese puffs? Heavenly, coupled perfectly with figs. I had the shrimp and he had the black bass for an entree, and, the portion sizes were perfect, the food was fresh and thoughtfully seasoned. We finished with some french press coffee, and, were simply delighted with our meals. With their ever-changing, locally sourced menu, creative food pairings, and reasonable pricing, this place is at the top of my list to visit again.
(5)
Diana H.
I've been wanting to try out a French restaurant in Philly for a while, so it just had to happen last night. The Pickled Heron wasn't my first choice, but I'm a procrastinator when it comes to making reservations so there wasn't much choice on a Saturday night. The decor is great. Warm, yellow walls in the dining room and even the restroom walls were beautiful deep red. I had the foie gras as a starter. It was tasty and it went great with the sauce. My husband had the charcuterie. He thought it was just OK, but I tasted it and thought it was lovely. For our main courses we had the duck breast and the lamb. The duck came with risotto. Flavors could've been a bit stronger, but on the other hand. It was cooked very well and so I was happy. My husband loved his lamb dish. He said it was rich in flavor. For dessert we shared the chocolate terrine which was simply delish! It's a nice restaurant, but I'm not sure if I'd go back. I thought service was just OK, not overly friendly or welcoming, pretty standard. Also, the crowd here is a bit older... Overall, we had a lovely dinner with interesting flavors. Well done!
(4)
Victoria L.
On a winter evening, my lady friend and I went to Pickled Heron BYOB. After hearing lots of good things about this place, we were surprised to be one of two seatings that night (probably the entire night, because we stayed for quite some time). Since it was a quiet evening, the service was great so we were not complaining. To start, we ordered the charcuterie - one of our favorite things. It was good (as always) but we've gone to some great places that really wow us and this was just standard. As entrees, my friend got the duck, which she loved. I got a fish that was pretty standard as well, not very memorable. Afterwards, we couldn't pass up dessert. We decided on opera cake and red velvet cake. Unfortunately, our meal almost ended on a poor note since the red velvet cake lacked any flavor of all (not enough butter or cocoa). The opera cake made up for it though with decadent chocolate flavors. In retrospect, I would have skipped dessert and maybe tried another appetizer.
(3)
David P.
I've now had several consistently excellent meals at the Pickled Heron. They've definitely earned their 5 stars. On the menu for the last visit was the duck breast (had to have again) and a duck cassoulet with homemade duck sausage and duck confit. It was fabulous. Finished with a wonderful rice pudding.
(5)
Olivia J.
One star goes to the very poor service, we ordered our food immediately after sitting down, but an hour and half later, our main entree still has not arrived. When the food finally arrived (one hour 45 mins later) it's definite more rare than medium-rare. Moreover, we were not given the proper cutting knife like other tables which made it even harder to cut though the already rare meat. Additionally, our waitress completely ignored us throughout the meal time. For example, we had to chase after another waiter to get our water refilled). The two 6-people tables that arrived after us received food within 30 minutes of sitting down, which was way before we got any of our main food. The food is good and the service is one of the worst I have ever received.
(1)
David B.
I had some pretty high expectations and I'll say they were met. Had dinner last night with my wife and a close friend. We were flanked by a wine tasting dinner, but not all the tables were filled. I would say this in general about The Pickled Heron. It's not a full service restaurant. That's not to say that the service is bad, but you are coming here for the food. We brought a bottle of Frecon Farms Crabby Granny and Gulden Draak 10.5 Brewmaster's Select to pair with our food. For appetizer, we had the salad, moules frites, foie gras and charcuterie plate. I would definitely re-order the moules frites and foie. I was extremely pleased to see the frites and moules separated. The frites must have been blanched in saffron water before being fried and really carried that bright minerally saffron essence. The aioli (mayo) was clearly homemade and delicious. The moules themselves were unsatifyingly tiny beasts in comparison to what I find in the regular grocery store, but the sauce was buttery saffrony decadence. The foie was nicely seared, rare on the inside and paired with a moist currant cake that was the bomb. The salad and charcuterie were delicious as well, but not memorable. For dinner, we shared the beef bourguignon, venison denver steak and duck breasts. They were all excellent entrees but the winner was clearly the venison. It was perfectly sous vide, sublimely tender and paired with a chestnut puree that tasted like maple nutty whipped potatoes. The duck was second best and only suffered from having been a tough cut of meat. It would have benefited from a sous vide sleep for several hours instead of whatever technique they did employ. Nevertheless, the perfectly cooked skin made up for it. Lastly, the beef bourguignon was excellent but could have been more stewy and cohesive. Each element felt a little too separated and it didn't have that country french flavor that it could have. All in all, I will definitely be back to The Pickled Heron. It was a delicious meal and worth the $$$.
(5)
John M.
Nice little BYOB. I tried their mussels and beef stew. The mussels were very good and a generous serving, the beef stew was a little too salty. Our waitress seemed a little new, and while the service was fine it was not outstanding. Overall I felt like everything was a bit overpriced for the quality and service level, but I was not disappointed at the end of my meal. I had their creme brulee for dessert, most of it was good but parts of the top were more black than browned and tasty burnt.
(3)
Khoa N.
I dined at the Pickled Heron about 2 years ago with a large party of 20+ a few months after they opened. I was able to try a number of dishes and was not blown away with the same experiences as other yelpers. I've been dying to give them another chance since then and did do last night. It was a pretty quiet night. I arrived shortly after 6pm on a Wednesday and, by the time I finished before 8pm, I only saw 2 other tables. The meal began with bread and butter. I usually don't mention that, but the bread was enjoyably crusty with a warm and chewy center and the butter was nicely softened. Next came the charcuterie and fioe gras. The housemade meat plate consisted of a duck liver mouse, veal terrine, and slices of some sausage. I've had better, but it wasn't terrible either. The seared fioe gras was accompanied by elderflower jelly. That was the only part of the meal I was nervous about. I'm not a fan of St. Germain in my drinks, but the elderflower paired well with the rich fioe gras. My wife and I continued with the duck and steak bavette. The seared duck breast came with grilled garlic scapes, cous cous, and a red curry sauce. The scapes were mildly garlicky and I wouldn't have known there was curry on the plate if I didn't see the menu first. The duck was seasoned well, but was unfortunately tough, even though it was cooked to medium rare. The grilled steak bavette came with asparagus, pickled lemon oyster mushrooms and cornbread. As with the other main plate, it was all seasoned well, but also tough. This was the first time I've had pickled mushrooms and it was a surprise. I'm more accustomed to savory and earthy mushrooms as opposed to tart and delicate. A huge slice of skillet cornbread rounded out the plate. You can't have a dinner without dessert, so I ordered the duck egg creme brulee. I was prepared for some gaminess, but it actually turned out pretty mild and was a good finish to the meal. I left the restaurant full and satisfied. The portion sizes were very generous and were full of flavor, however the proteins were a bit tough.
(4)
Joe B.
From the very beginning, it was clear that Pickled Heron was the best restaurant in Fishtown. Now after a few years of consistently delivering incredible food and impeccable service, PH has developed a reputation for being one of the finest restaurants in the entire city. Chefs Todd and Daniela have created such a welcoming place on Frankford Ave. The dinner menus are always great. But if you get the chance, try to get a reservation for one of their special dinner series. It's also a great place for private parties. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner there with about 40 guests and had a blast. It was fun to plan with Todd and Daniela - we were confident the entire time that they would do an incredible job. They surpassed expectation.
(5)
PJ H.
Fantastic. I have been working in Fishtown for two years, and it took me a minute to process that I was actually in Fishtown eating French Bistro food that I would put up against the likes of any french place in the city. Very high quality food and the craftsmanship really shows. Byob, so cant really complain about that, and the prices were reasonable for what you were getting. We had 3 courses, with 4 people and it ran like 180 bucks, which i thought was awesome. We essentially ordered the whole menu, but the highlights were the duck, the house charcuterie plate, and the foie, which was outstanding. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Steve K.
My wife and I ate here last week to celebrate yet another birthday...sigh The place is just lovely with nice small tables not too close to each other bright walls and art-y furnishings as well as a black ceiling to lend an intimate air with just right illumination. We came to this BYOB with what turned out to be a nice bottle of wine, albeit with a screw top - I was humiliated but the waiter handled it with tact and aplumb. The one guy handled the whole room with 3 parties of 2 and a party of 4. When running down the offerings he mainly named beef so i asked him why no fish. He said it was beef weather, so I followed his advice and ordered Beef Bourguignon - beef for perhaps the first time in a fine restaurant in many years. I am so happy I did - the dish was just outstanding with potatoes and other savory goodies along with beef, delicious beef with fat that gave it a great mouth feel and was so satisfying on a coldish day. If by habit you infrequently eat red meat when eating out (save for burgers and BBQ) take the waiters advice through me and try the Beef Bourguignon here! My wife has the scallops and the bit SWIMBO let me try was great - they came with (I think) Crimini mushrooms that my wife did not care for but which I loved. We finished with a shared Creme Brulee made with duck eggs rather then chicken that they said made it lighter - it was fine but not as outstanding as the main courses - perhaps because I declined coffee on a weeknight when I had to get up at 5 the next morning... All that with tip was in the 70's with tax and tip - a bargain all in all!
(5)
Chris M.
The Pickled Heron is a thoroughly lovely BYOB in the Fishtown section of the city. It's the sort of place that you just want to love as soon as you see it: small, unassuming, unpretentiously romantic. No overwrought decor here: just earnest work toward providing a superior restaurant experience. We strolled in on a Friday night without reservations, which we came to learn is seldom a good idea. Luckily for us, they had one more table available, and we got it--every now and again, we come up high on Fortuna's wheel. We were promptly seated, and our waiter came over and opened our wine for us. As we sipped a nice pinot and looked over the menu, I knew we had come to the right place for dinner. We split a nice baby greens salad and from there went to entrees, tilefish for me and the steak bavette for my wife. I loved the tilefish. It was perfectly cooked: moist and with some chew. My wife's steak was cooked to the medium rare she specified, and she enjoyed it. The food was delivered with quick, friendly, and efficient service. Because the Pickled Heron is BYOB, you can have a top-tier meal here for a very reasonable price. We had what felt like a $100 meal/experience for about $60--not bad at all. We will def be back.
(4)
David S.
I am proud to have such a fine French bistro-type restaurant in my very own Fishtown. Pickled Heron broke the barrier here of only bar food and pizza. It is a wonderful, cozy BYOB that delivers fine dining at a very high level. We were attended to by Sean (Shaun?), who made sure that every detail was taken care of in a very timely manner. The menu is varied enough to suit every palate. I started with the Foie Gras, which had a delicious smoky flavor and was quite enjoyable. The grilled octopus appetizer was cooked to perfection, not chewy at all. Our entree selections of veal breast and duck breast were surprisingly large portions, which I never expected (but was happy with) from a french restaurant. I can't wait to go back
(5)
John B.
Pickled Heron is a charming little place that is a bit off the beaten path. Every meal I have ever had there has been fantastic with the exception of the time I tried their Valentine's Day prefixed. Even then the food wasn't bad they were just massive understaffed. Otherwise it's a super charming place that really has it together. There servers are knowledgable and friendly and their food is some of my favorite in the city. There prices are also very reasonable for what you are getting. If you go in hungry I recommend getting a small plate as a starter and a large plate as your main. It's based very firmly in French cuisine so it's also maybe not a great choice for vegans or vegetarians. For everyone else I highly recommend it.
The last French restaurant my wife and I visited was the famous French restaurant Bouchon n Napa Valley. I had the lamb at Timothy Keller's famous restaurant. However, it was in Fishtown that I finished my Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin. Tres bien! Minus the celebrity sightings my experience in the hood beat the best California had to offer. And the service was authentic and kind. Fishtown high dining has arrived.
(5)
Walter K.
It's nice to see the neighborhood changing for the better. The chefs at the Pickled Heron are really trying to do something different, doing something well, in Fishtown/East Kensington, and they're succeeding. I was dining with my friend Emily, and we started with the mussels. They came in a good white wine sauce, and were a nice way to start the meal. For our entrees I immediately chose the duck. While not as flavorful as other duck dishes I've had, the whole dish was well composed, especially the grilled sausage on the side. Emily stuck with the bream and enjoyed the fish topped with fennel, mussels, and squid. The food is solid. Sure there are a few things to complain about. The menu is small, six starters and six entrees. It doesn't cater to vegetarians (that's French food for you). The service is leisurely but not slow. It's cash only. But overall, there isn't really anything that takes away from the dining experience. The biggest problem is that the dining room is overcrowded with chairs. This would be less of a problem if the place was packed. But I visited on a saturday night and the place was jammed full of tables, only half of which were occupied. I like that this spot is BYO, and the servers are really attentive with the wine. Everyone's white wines chill in a communal ice bath. The portions are good, and the menu is reasonably priced for the food, if not a tad high for the 'hood. And while the menu doesn't offer a whole lot of variety, I do respect places that focus on doing things well, even if there are only six of those things. Bottom Line: Decent BYO with French inspiration. Certainly worth checking out.
(4)
Kathleen D.
Something in the history of life happened; my husband heard of a restaurant before I! What the hey? Not to pretend that the ol boy isn't on the pulse, but rambling about restaurants and food constantly is my specialty. Pronounce that, "Spesh-E-al-ity," to be fancy. So, when he suggested that we try The Pickled Heron for our anniversary dinner, I clucked, "Pickled herring?! No wonder we've stayed together so long... know me so well..." Ah har. Ah har har... Of course the adorable name of this place is actually The Pickled Heron, complete with cute little logo of a heron beak-deep in a champagne coupe. Our 9:00 reservation on a Sunday night found us with the entire restaurant all to ourselves; a lovely little spot on Frankford, warm and cozy, with walls covered with photography by a local artist. Service was so friendly and excellent overall. The menu changes to offer preparations made from local and seasonal produce and products. Most of all we enjoyed the house-made charcuterie starter, mmm foie gras mousse... the second course of a brace of quail with mushroom risotto and foie, so I doubled up on the foie gras, don't gimme that look... and some of the best creme brulee that I've ever experienced in Philadelph-i-a. BYOB!
(4)
Daniel L.
This place was lovely and the food was great! I took my wife here for her birthday. Ambience and service was excellent and the food was excellent. We got the Arugula salad and garlic soup as appetizers. My wife got the shrimp (replacement for scallops) with sweet potato gratin and I got the bass with barley risotto. Both were really good. The bass was tender with a slightly crispy skin. For dessert, we got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the lillet blanc creme brulee. Both were really delicious! We will definitely come back to try more!
The food is delicious. Our group shared seared frois gras, a charcuterie plate and the mussels with frites. All delicious. My steak for dinner was Perfectly cooked. My only complaint is that the waitress could be a bit more attentive. She never explained what was on the charcuterie plate. While it was delicious, we were left to guess as to the contents on some items. She also didn't check in with us until we were almost done the meal. She was nice and wasn't rude at all though.
(4)
Giovanni I.
Our dinner at the Pickled Heron was very good, though it fell short of its 4.5 star rating on Yelp. I'll breakdown all the relevant pieces concisely: Food: -House Charcuterie--excellent. Really enjoyed this dish. -Gingered Roasted Pepper Soup w/ Lobster Wonton--we were really expecting this dish to wow us, but it somehow managed to underwhelm. If I could do it over, I would have gone with the foie gras or grilled octopus instead. -Veal Breast Villeroy--the closest dish I could compare this to is veal schnitzel, though the veal breast villeroy is far thicker (it almost has the shape of a small brick) and fattier, resulting in a lot more flavor. A very good option. -House Cavateli--the red wine soaked figs drew us to try the cavateli, but unfortunately the roasted fennel overpowered all other ingredients. If it had the proper balance, this would be a great dish. Side note: they were out of the duck breast unfortunately, but I suspect it would be very good. Dessert: -Jelly donut with peanut butter hot chocolate--truly a good, hearty dessert. It's a no-frills item that doesn't disappoint. Dunk the donut in the hot chocolate and you have yourself a very tasty PB&J sandwich! Service: The service was great. All waiters/waitresses were helpful, kind, talkative and friendly. It's a very nice place to dine. Conclusion: It's a BYOB, which is always a plus. Overall, I give 3 instead of 4 stars simply because the food falls a little short of what it could be. But for those looking to try something new or to dine in a different area (assuming you're not in the neighborhood), the Pickled Heron is worth going to and I would recommend to friends.
(3)
Matt K.
Wow, your first impression of Pickled Heron comes from the neighborhood, Fishtown. Yeah, we had doubts, but once you step inside, wow! The restaurant has ochre/orangey walls that are very soothing. Large original paintings hang on the wall. The kitchen in the back is tiny, gleaming, and completely exposed. But their are no tables near it, so you don't feel like the chef is top of you. The rest of the decor is warm and nice. The Pickled Heron is a BYOB, which is always great. Service was very professional, we tried to get the waitress to laugh at us, and she finally did. Kudos to her for maintaining professionalism, but finally showing that she was actually human. And now the food. It is French-inspired and the chef is not afraid of meat, and particularly interesting cuts of it. We had: Foie gras on top of a pumpkiny type of bread (one of their artisanal breads?) with a bit of spice, and a blackberry compote. Delicious, and quite popular, judging from previous reviews. Foie gras cooked perfectly. Head cheese croquette, on greens and a sauce that reminded me of tartar sauce, although it was not defined as such. Very nicely cooked and prepared. The head cheese did shine through the breading. Charcuterie plate featured a rilette (rabbit I think) merguez sausage, and a pate. All were outstanding, except I thought the merguez could have been spicier. Main courses included the crispy duck, which was incredible. Tender duck, and yes crispy on the outside. Served on a bed of white bean salad, which had the acid component necessary to cut through the richness of the duck. It was refreshing to eat a duck course WITHOUT the ubiquitous fruit sauces!! Lamb, Moroccan style. Had one bite, was tender and full of flavor. Everything here was great, what a find, in an unexpected place!
(5)
Erica M.
I ate here tonight for a Restaurant Week. I was very excited about french food and was excited about all the positive reviews about this place. First thing I noticed was the awesome ambiance. The food is pricy (but I expected that and was fine with it. I was planning on treating myself and my boyfriend to a nice meal) And the random playlist ("Sail" by AWOLNATION followed by a Velvet Underground song for example) was an interesting choice. First, the waitress gave each of us only one piece of bread. The first course was a corn soup with basil oil which was delicious. The waitress kept asking us if the soup was warm enough, which seemed a little weird to me, but I didn't think too much of it. Then came the main course, which was Grilled Steak Bavette, Squash Blossom Risotto, Local Tomato Salad, and Red Wine Jus. The Risotto was very sweet and creamy. There were red tomato slices and green ones, which I enjoyed. The plate was fairly small, but I expected that. The reason for the three star review was the steak. Everything else was great, but the steak was very difficult to eat. It was very fatty and hard to chew. For what I was paying, I expected to be consuming really good meat, and this just didn't seem like it it. I was very disappointed. The dessert was a blueberry cake muffin with buttermilk ice cream. I had never eaten buttermilk ice cream before and it was very interesting. It tasted like a sweet/slightly sour yogurt. Pretty good! So, the tl;dr of it is: the portions are VERY small. If you order an appetizer, a main and a dessert, it is the perfect amount of food, but I imagine if you only order a main, you will leave hungry. Also, the meat was not great quality. Otherwise, this place was great. I spent a lot of money on my meal and was disappointed with the quality of the meat.
(3)
Annecy L.
Went here for a romantic date with my boyfriend. "The burp I just burped tasted like the mussel broth and it tasted good. My burp tasted good," I purred to him, romantically. The mussels were also good for regular eating. So was the duck sausage! Good job, chefs! 1 star off for not giving me all the food I wanted at no charge. I hate when restaurants don't just give me things for free.
(4)
Stephanie A.
Fabulous Food, staff,a GREAT Gem hidden in Philadelphia! Scallops, foie Gras,lamb caringly prepared . Great BYOB!! As good as a restaurant gets in Philadelphia!!! Cannot wait to return!!!FANTASTIC!!!
(5)
Faer A.
The food was tasty, but not amazing. I had the duck, which was quite good, but wasn't so fond of the risotto. Also had a salad, and the dressing was kind of bland. The crumb cake with clotted cream was pretty yummy, as was the creme brulee. For the prices, kind of disappointing, even though the food was okay. Service was friendly, but kind of slow, especially given that the restaurant was pretty empty. I do appreciate a byo, though, so I might give it another shot.
(3)
Abbie D.
BOTTOM LINE: This place is great! continue reading if you'd like, but its pretty much summed up above. :) Oh Fishtown why the heck would I come here?? Well ladies and gentlemen The Pickled Heron is all the reason you'll need. My husband and I were invited here for a private dinner where the restaurant was closed to the public and prepared a 7 course meal for us all to enjoy along with 5 fabulous wines hand picked from Greg Moore :) Upon arrival there were butlered Hors D'ourves with a yummy champagne. The Hors D'Ourves consisted of confeit, arancini balls, almond gspacho, ect. all of which were fantastic; however, if I had to pick I would say the arancini balls were my favorite. They were served with a tasty aioli that had a bit of a kick! Next we were seated and dinner began. Course 1. House Made Mozzarella Salad WOW now, let me begin this by stating that I worked for a company in the city that is well known for its homemade cheeses... I make mozzarella at home too, and this was AMAZING! The texture was a cross between a mozzarella and a goat cheese, it was chewy yet soft and oh so delicious. Course 2. Black Bass Ceviche The perfect amount of jalapeño and lime to make this a lite citrusy second course. Course 3. Duck Rillettes OMG this was ridiculous! The perfect amount of ducky flavor on a crisp crostini with lava beans that was oh so delicious. You may have to fasten your seat belt for this one! AMAZING! Course 4. Pan Seared Halibut Perfectly seasoned and cooked beautifully. It was accompanied with ratatouille and a crispy panisse (which I'm still not quite sure what it was, but it was tasty!) Course 5. Grilled Steak Bavette MY FAVORITE COURSE! This beef was 100% spot on! Cooked rare to medium rare with a ton of flavor and super tender. There was a side of watercress that had the perfect amount of acidity and a little dollop of silky smooth potatoes. :) Course 6. Twice Baked Blue Cheese Souffle I'll start by saying I am not a fan of blue cheese AT ALL, but this was pretty tasty. I will admit that I did not eat the whole thing but at the end of the meal it is what most of the other diners were raving about. Good Job! Course 7. Grilled Peach Melba MMMMMMM I love dessert and this was the best ending to the amazing night. Phew! I know that was a lot, but I'm telling you it was worth every bit. DEEEELISH!
(4)
Chris C.
Went on a Saturday night. Decent crowd but not too loud for quiet conversation. Service was friendly and prompt without being obsequious. They're very good at the savory stuff. We had the crab cake and foie gras appetizers, and both were excellent. Entrees were seared duck breast and seared scallops. The duck breast had just the right amount of seasoning and crisp on the skin to provide contrast to the milder, more tender parts without overwhelming them. The scallops were well-seared but still had a silky texture. Probably my favorite item of the night. Dessert fell short of dinner. The chocolate ice cream served with peanuts and caramel didn't really stand out - the chocolate flavor wasn't as rich as I had hoped and the dish was heavy on caramel. The creme brulee crust had started to pick up a little bit of humidity and had gotten slightly tacky, just enough to stick to the teeth during that all-important crunch. Next time we go we're probably going to skip ordering dessert, walk a block, and get ice cream from Little Baby's. Coffee was very good.
(4)
Mr P.
May be I am jaded, but this place is not as good as I anticipated. Went last sat night and make the long trek up to Fish Town. The restaurant was nicely done. Would be nicer if they have a few out door sittings to complete that Parisian feel. One good thing about the whole experience was that I got a glimpse of Fish Town. It was way more developed than when I first moved here couple of years back. (Yea, once you are used to your own neighborhood, it is hard to get out.) Across the street is the Pizza Museum, the place was hoping. People were spilling out onto the side walk for half of the block. Anyway back to the food, this is a food blog after all. Food was not that impressive. Of the dishes I had tasted, only the mussel and the blue berry ice cream stand out. The zucchini flower and the lamb sirloin were just okay. Reminds me more of new american than french.
(3)
Anthony S.
I've traveled extensively throughout France (that sounds super pretentious, sorry), and really this is not the best French food. I tried the duck dish--which had duck in several different forms. There was a duck sausage (which was alright), and a fried duck steak (that was kinda bland) along with a bean salad (which was raw. Cool idea, but not the best tasting). My mom got a eggplant and lamb dish, and the lamb meat was rather tough and came with croquettes that didn't have much of a taste either. The creme brulee we had for dessert was actually pretty good. Overall, I won't be back to The Pickled Heron. It's cute, but the food doesn't really warrant a return.
(3)
Rachel S.
AHHHHH....I have so much love for you, Pickled Heron!!! I just ate there last night with a friend and it was marvelous. We started with the Charcuterie Plate and the Fois Gras - both were superb! Then onto the Crispy Duck and the Lentil Croquettes which were phenomenal. Clearly I am a carnivore, but I can enthusiastically say that this vegetarian meal is unbelievable!!!! We brought a few bottles of French wine which I picked up from the state store at 2nd & Girard and had a lovely time.
(5)
Meghan D.
This place is so special. My now-husband and I chose the Pickled Heron for our rehearsal dinner the night before we got married. Not only did they accomodate our 17 guests on a Friday night, but they were super great about the children who were with us (crayons, coloring book and a kid's menu). Everyone was thrilled with the delicious food and wonderful service. I had the foie gras for an appetizer - absolutely amazing. I also had the crab cakes, which I believe was a special. Very, very good. The staff kept the wine flowing (from bottles we provided) and the whole restaurant applauded my dad as he made a very sweet speech. It was an amazing night. To top it all off, the awesome, talented chefs gave us two bags of buttery home-made croissants for the morning of our wedding, with cute tags that said "to the bride" and "to the groom". What a wonderful spot, wonderful people and wonderful memories. Can't wait to go back, since we are practically neighbors!
(5)
Billy B.
The short walk to the Pickled Heron felt like a cold drink of water that Mother Nature shoved in your face, and into that little spot on your neck that scarves are paid to protect; it was a harsh introduction to February that was soothed by a hot bowl of French onion soup at the quiet, relaxing Fishtown French restaurant. I followed the soup up with a delectable beef bourguignonne, what Wikipedia says Julia Child once called "certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man." The beef dollops were so tender - OMG - and if you don't like that dish, then, well. It's a perfect meal for a wintry night, and with red wine, and some French press coffee to finish the meal, it's all you'll need. Each time I've been there the service has been attentive without being annoying, and the timing of the meals is always unrushed and pleasant, and that really is key isn't it? The crowd is typically a little older for a Fishtown crowd, which proves one of B.C. Bluewater's long-held truths: senior citizens love French food. Pack a $12 bottle of red into your girlfriend's Golden Girls-inspired oversized purse, and find this warm place on Frankford. - Billy Bluewater
(5)
J K.
This is a nice French BYOB located in Fishtown, where it seems there are not many nice restaurants. The decor is very pleasing, the dining room has an airy high ceiling and orange painted walls decorated with local art (for sale). The food was well prepared and beautifully presented, though nothing stood out as amazing. I had the pea/mint ravioli appetizer which was interesting but the mint flavor was too intense for me and I could not taste the peas. The striped bass entree was delicious with a unique accompaniment of crispy fried lentils and pickled ramps. The chef showed creativity with this dish. We did not stay for dessert so I can't comment on that. The service was competent but a little slow. This would be fine if you were planning to linger over dinner but frustrating if you have somewhere to go after dinner. Moderate prices, cash only, BYOB make this an affordable option for a nice evening in Fishtown. Though I probably won't be rushing back here, it would be a nice choice if you live in the neighborhood or happen to be visiting nearby.
(3)
Kim L.
Best French restaurant in Philly. I'm not even going to bother specifically recommending dishes because EVERYTHING is amazing.
(5)
Anthony N.
Went here for Valentine's day and thought the food was very good. I especially love the Halibut with fried rice cake, the cherry cake dessert, and the lobster bisque but too bad it won't be on the regular menu. The place has a nice ambience, the waiters were good, and it was very clean. Overall if I were to rate the restaurant itself, I would give it a 4 stars. Here are the reasons for the 3 stars: 1. I made my reservation for Valentine's day about 2 weeks in advanced and they told me the earliest time they had available was 9:30pm. So when I got there at 9:30pm, the restaurant was about 60% empty! Telling me that I could have gotten there around 8pm and they would have had a table. 2. The location. This place is not in the best neighborhood and this is not a safe place to walk around alone at night. Overall, very good food but I hated how they made me eat late when I could have gotten an earlier reservation and the location.
(3)
Karen K.
Daniella and Todd have distinguished themselves as a French Bistro, yet they were willing to put step outside their comfort zone with a Summer BBQ party held at their restaurant on the Sunday before Labor Day! They created an extensive and authentic menu and created a warm and loving atmosphere for our friends and family to honor my husband on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The food, the decor, and the warmth were incomparable! This review is way overdue: I intended to post this review months ago. My oversight became obvious because friends and family are still talking about the party we hosted at The Pickled Heron! Daniella and Todd deserve the success they're enjoying as a restaurant and as party planners.
(5)
Eric D.
Totally worth the trip from center city! The food is incredible plus the staff is wonderful. We had a babysitter and my gf tried to power through to keep our date night even though she wasn't feeling well. After we ordered and I had my incredibly good appetizer- she realized she just couldn't do it. Our waiter got our food packed to go in no time and even included a complimentary dessert. Big time bonus that the entrees were both still wonderful when we got home(I had to try both, of course). We will definitely be going back
(5)
Joy T.
Given our love of the Philly BYO scene and support of emerging neighborhoods, we had high hopes for The Pickled Heron. It was the greatest disappointment for us as Philly foodies. Service was atrocious despite the fact that we were one of three tables in the entire restaurant. An inattentive waiter coupled with an hour long wait for simple entrees to be brought out made for a horrible first impression. The food was aspirational but fell far below expectations. The salad was overdressed and mushy. The soup was overall bland though the presumably housemade ravioli was very good. The grilled shrimp was very good but the accompanying toasted bread crumbs, red onion, grilled peach made for a disjointed dish. The golden tile was good but unimpressive. The creme brulee was outstanding. The chocolate pots de creme might as well have been store bought. We would love to see this neighborhood flourish but do not intend to ever return to the Pickled Heron. The restaurant will need to step up their game substantially to sustain repeat patronage. For anyone with a discerning palate, there is a long list of better restaurants at a similar price point. Dine elsewhere.
(2)
Samantha K.
I absolutely adore this place. It's a small, romantic, simple restaurant with some dishes that you can't find in most restaurants around this area. This is my go to intimate date spot. It is BYO and parking is no problem here. The wait staffs are very nice. There should be more restaurants like this in town. I only wish they would expand their menu. Also, I was here for valentines day. LOVE IT! They had an awesome special (meals, desserts, etc.) and everything was set up so nicely. I've been returning again and again. For the meal and to feel the romance.
(5)
Brian D.
In two words : HEARTFELT WARMTH. In 22 words: even if you don't have the funds to try a full-course meal here, go for dessert. It's incredibly well-priced and tasty as hell. Now, onto the full review... On paper, it might seem a bit curious that a french bistro like Pickled Heron would find itself on this particular stretch of Frankford Ave. On paper, it might be slightly peculiar to some that a fine-dining spot like this is cash-only with a $$ on yelp and no ATM on-site. This isn't Old City - or even Frankford & Girard - for that matter. Having said that, I'd like to gently persuade you to put the paper down. In fact, I insist you throw it out. Just walk inside (with some cash) on a warm spring night and bring a date. The reality is, my entire experience during the first visit was oozing with heartfelt, genuine kindness - and it had everything to do the undeniably gentle nature of the couple running the place. After being greeted by two lovely members of the staff, the owners (again, such a pleasant couple) came to my table and thanked my friend and I for stopping in. We started off with the spring garlic soup with crispy duck prosciutto. Followed by the seared foie gras. The small plates are affordable, most at around $9 - $12. Again, go with a date and split one. Accompanied by the second complimentary basket of housemade bread and butter, we received our plate of housemade charcuterie. It was the definition of the word 'scrumptious' - and this is coming from a guy who rarely uses such highfalutin words. I prefer 'rad', 'stellar' and 'next-level' in most cases, but those don't do nearly enough justice. After some great conversation and drinking a Boylan's ginger ale, we received our main course: Pan seared lamb shoulder, and pan seared sea scallops. Before I go any further, let me just say I'm a man who loves pizza. And burritos. And a solid pint of craft beer. Foie Gras, charcuterie and things that are 'pan-seared' aren't typically a part of my weekly diet. With that said... THIS MEAL WAS PITCH PERFECT. I didn't expect to be so pleased and fulfilled by 4 scallops. But I was. They were gigantic, and perfectly flavored and cooked. Thinking about them now, I wish I could eat them for lunch today this very instant. There was sauces I've never tasted, and accents to the meal I didn't know how to pronounce. And I loved every second of it. Finally, we ended the night with dessert - easily the most affordable and brightest attraction to anyone wanting to try this place out without dipping too heavily into their weekly food budget. THE CREME BRULEE: best for miles. And at $6 dollars, a total score. Slightly warmed, perfectly sweet. And huge in relation to most creme brulees I've tried in my life. More than enough for a group of two. The cons: there walls could use a bit of attention, and the music wasn't exactly what I imagined when I picture 'french cuisine'. But those are easy fixes. The important part, the food and the people making it, are spot on, and deserve attention. As of this review, I'm an official cheerleader for the place. I want them to succeed. Spend an evening there with a friend or two (if only for dessert), and you'll find yourself in the same boat.
(5)
Mike G.
Despite the unappetizing name, the Pickle Heron was a delicious experience for me. I waited for that new-restaurant-smell to fade a bit and decided to try it out on a quiet weeknight with a couple friends. One of my friends is a vegan, the other does not eat pork or red meat. I of course love meat of most kinds, the more innocent the animal, the more tasty. As stated in other reviews, the house bread was impressive. The decor very nice. The music appropriate for most of the meal, until some 90's crap pop came on for a while. I think they should consider a more consistent playlist, though the music was far from a problem as it was set low and unobtrusive. The restaurant was very very quiet this particular Wednesday evening and our server was perfectly attentive w/o being too intrusive. Two of us shared a small plate to start; Sunchoke and lentil ravioli. It was one large delicious ravioli served beautifully camera-ready for any gourmet photo shoot. It was just as tasty. All three of us very much enjoyed our entrees. My vegan friend chose the Grilled Seitan, which he found impressive. My other friend chose the Pan Seared Skate Wing, which I tried and agreed, it's really delicious. I chose the Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin which was a generous portion and perfectly prepared. The Pannisse (polenta-and chickpeas pan fried rectangles) were incredible and had me considering just stopping by for this as a snack from the sides menu. For dessert, my friend and I followed the advice of another friend in the know, and ordered the chocolate mousse. It was perfect. The vegan asked if there was any way he could get some fruit for dessert. The server said he'd check. It should be noted, our server shared his first-hand knowledge of vegan needs with reference to his experience with his vegan girlfriend. The result of an attentive server and a talented (and admittedly unbusy) kitchen staff was the impromptu creation of a wonderful vegan dessert. They presented a cone of nice paper filled with apple slice-fritters and a vegan caramel sauce that we all agreed were wonderful. Hopefully they'll consider keeping this or repeating this, as I understand vegans are often left with little options. Honestly, I'd order that myself if the mousse wasnt so damn great. NOTE: if youre vegan, the server suggested letting them know early on so they can , if possible, figure something out for you ahead. Me and my non-vegan friend that shared a small plate and a dessert with me, paid about $35 each. That's pretty decent considering the quality of the food. I am really glad to have this addition to the city, especially within walking distance.
(4)
Sara N.
Adorable byob spot. great place and the cuisine is very authentic. The foie gras is a must and everything else was also delicious. the staff is nice and friendly and its kinda nice to be off the beaten path and not feel rushed cause someone is waiting for a table. worth the trip to Fishtown for a romantic evening
(4)
Angela J.
OH MY GOD. I am pretty sure that they lace their foods with something illegal because this took me to a different place! Everything was literally heaven in my mouth. I came in without a reservation, and given the prices, I wasn't really expecting a "fine dining" experience, but boy was I surprised. This hidden gem is worth the trek to Fishtown. I was visiting a friend in the area, but will definitely be making my way back sometime soon with extra bodies. I want to be responsible for exposing as many people as possible to the edible paradise offered at the Pickled Heron!!!
(5)
Genevieve P.
I went here with a party of six for a friend's going away party. The food was wonderful and the service attentive without being annoying. Todd and Daniella have done a great job bringing an exceptional restaurant to the Frankford Arts corridor. I also look forward to returning for brunch.
(5)
Kristen J.
Ate a perfect meal here last night. The Moules frites featured the most delicious mussels. Scallops were meticulously prepared; sweet potato gnocchi was amazing. Meyer lemon upside down cake was dense and delicate all at once. Finished with a perfect french press. Service was artfully attentive without ever feeling intrusive. Ambiance was especially charming. Please disabuse yourself of another reviewer's ridiculous suggestion that this neighborhood is unsafe. The restaurant is moments from numerous art galleries and remains one half mile from Frankford Hall, Johnny Brenda's, Barcade, Lola Bean, et cetera. Great food; great service; great decor; great location.
Had a great brunch Sunday morning. Fantastic eggs Benedict with house made mortadella and English muffin. Bring your own vodka, the bloody Mary mix is tasty.
(5)
Michael D.
The service was friendly and the food was great. My sister-in-law said the scallops were uncommonly good. We also enjoyed the sweet potato gnocchi and grilled seitan. The seitan itself was not heavily flavored but when eaten with the accompanying sides (Israeli cous cous, berries, and brussel sprouts) it was a nice combo. The waitress offered us bread several times throughout the meal. We shared a french press of coffee, and tried some deserts. The lemon cake was excellent.
(4)
Bb B.
Go to the Pickled Heron! I know people may be a tad skittish about the location (Fishtown/Kensington). But, it's on the eclectic strip of Frankford where other interesting spots are sprouting about, like coffee shops, art studios, and energy- efficient modern housing. Kensington is also not far from downtown/Old City and The Pickled Heron is a great place to go to have a quiet, high-quality dinner away from the scene that has consumed the trendy parts of the city. Also, that couple of extra dollars you'll spend on gas will be more than offset by the fact that you don't have to pay the ridiculous parking fees that you do downtown. And, did I mention that it's a BYO? The most important part: the food. The food was fantastic and as good as the best places on Rittenhouse, namely, Parc and Rouge, both of which I hold in high esteem. My only caveat: it is cash only. Who carries cash? Dinner for 2 with tip and 2 appetizers will run about $75. The menu is small in quantity, but, everything we had was deee-licious, including wild boar, which I previously would have thought would be disgusting. That wild boar was outstanding!
(5)
bros s.
ventured way out of my normal eateries in center city to this little gem on frankford avenue with a couple of friends on a sunday evening. unfortunately, they only had one foie gras left and one other of something else, so we couldnt order as much foie gras as we would have ordinarily, considering we are all closet foie gras gluttons, but the order that we managed to secure was very well executed (I wasn't so much a fan of the dry-ish weird textured biscuit it was resting on). The salad had delicious fried beets and pickled carrots, the moules frites were great, very fresh, even while the aioli wasnt anything special. the house-made charcuterie was done very nicely as well, with duck liver pate and some other salami-ish looking stuff that was just a little gamey-as it should be. gamey is good. 2 people had the scallops, which I thought were way over-salted, I had the sea bream with a magnificent watermelon radish salad on the side, over lentils. the side salad was probably my favorite thing about the whole meal-clean, tart meyer lemon peel, cilantro, and thin, cool, and visually pleasing watermelon radish, which I've never even encountered before. someone else had the beouf bourguignon and he loved it, and he is a very picky eater. it was also nice to see interesting desserts on the menu since philly is generally a really boring dessert town, although the menu did have the stand-by creme brulee. At least this was a duck egg creme brulee, and it was very rich and tasty. and we also got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream, which was greedily consumed by everyone. great dessert. the service is very understated and casually polite. the kitchen is totally open and they are they quietest chefs ever. normal and fair prices.
(4)
Rob F.
Beautiful gem of a restaurant, tastefuly decorated. Excellent service and the enrees were truly wonderful. In fact, at least as good as Bibou. I wasn't so crazy about dessert; it tasted like it came out of a box even if it didn't. I can't wait to try the brunch.
(4)
Jane E.
Amazing addition to the neighborhood - really hope it does well! On our first visit last night, we shared the Pickled Winter Vegetables, Beef Bourguignon and Sweet Potato Gnocchi - Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake for dessert. Friendly, attentive service - everything tasted superb. I thought the best gnocchi I ever had was the at Vetri, but Pickled Herron's is out of this world - I could eat those little puffs of heaven for days, and plan to since it's so close. This place might even convince me to try head cheese - we'll see! The style of the place is attractive and the art show they had on display meshed nicely.
(5)
Aleksandra A.
I am so glad to welcome this restaurant in our neighborhood! The food is just amazing! Just like in Paris! Everything was decadent and delicious! We had the onion soup, the muscles and fires, the duck, the halibut and the apple tart. Everything was really amazing and you can't beat the prices. This place is much better then some of the snobby places in Rittenhouse. Highly recommended!
(5)
km a.
what a nice surprise for the up and coming frankford row! i am not typically a fan of french food per say but we went to try it out. i ordered something i had no idea what it was. when it came out i still had no idea but ate it anyway. for the most part it was good! the part to die for was the lamb. oh.my .god. it was PERFECT!! i also have to eat gluten free and they were very accommodating and had no problem. i thought the atmosphere was nice and the christmas tree was beautifully decorated. it was a bit small- as all philly BYOBs are. overall the food was great and it was a lot cheaper than the BYOBs in center city
(4)
Anthony T.
Try the duck breast. Best duck I ever had! Perfectly cooked, medium rare. The home made gnocchi was a great complement.
(4)
Andrew A.
I went to the Pickled Heron last night with a friend to celebrate our mutual birthdays. I've been eagerly waiting for the arrival of this new restaurant in our neighborhood, and it did not disappoint! We ordered a number of items on the menu and every bite of every one was delicious! Especially loved the beef borgognone and the escargot. Service was attentive, pleasant and unobtrusive. Our waitress even brought me a complimentary glass of house wine (my friend doesn't drink so I didn't bring a bottle). The atmosphere is cozy (and I don't mean that as a nice way to say too small) and elegant at the same time. Great addition to Fishtown and worth a trip to the neighborhood for anyone who lives elsewhere. Highly recommneded!
(5)
Susan F.
Yummy, delicious french food. My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the music, please do something about the music, anything besides commercial FM radio. It is the only thing throwing off the ambiance in this otherwise very cute restaurant.
(4)
Silver G.
We live a few blocks from this lovely place and have been frequenting it often. We started with brunches and then had several dinners, we have now sampled most of the menu. At first we noticed a few customer service issues, they play top 40 radio in the kitchen and the restaurant, creating an annoying soundtrack to eat french food to . This was easy to overlook, until tonight. They seem to take reservations but cannot manage them... we have run into this before and the problem is very annoying. We made reservations for an early Sat evening - 6:30 and we arrived to an empty space with exception of two other tables. We were sat in between the two other only occupied tables and in the runway to the kitchen and bathrooms. We politely brought this up and asked if we could move to the many other desirable open tables for two open. The reason given had something to do with "every table is reserved". The evening went downhill from there when we received our entrees and we were served a $27 plate of FOUR overcooked shrimp, and some cole slaw on the side. The total meal was over $90 for a plate of grilled seitan, four shrimp, and a salad. We were finished our meal of disappointment and the restaurant was still vacant.... open tables everywhere. We brought all of this up with the waiter, whom at this point should know us, and mentioned that we want to support this place..we are neighbors! We calmly explained that we were very disappointed with the food, price, and the fact that we were sat by the bathroom in an otherwise empty-STILL empty dining room. NOTHING- he asked if we wanted to see a comment card and made some excuses about the tables again. I explained that this was unacceptable, they are in a competitive environment and the last thing they need to do is disappoint locals. We were so sad leaving, we barely got a goodbye from the waiter and the host ignored us. What a terrible experience. I have been a hostess and server for many Philly restaurants and they are in some serious trouble with service.
(2)
Todd R.
Well-executed classic preparations with interesting twists in each dish. Service was friendly and appropriately attentive. I really enjoyed the feel of the dining room, would have felt comfortable dressed up or down. Prices were extremely fair given the high quality of the food and the fact they can't make their margins on marked up alcohol. This is a welcome addition to the neighborhood for those times you want something a bit special.
(5)
Christine M.
Both of my visits (with out-of-town parents) were great. Charming atmosphere, local feel, delicious gourmet food. I am thrilled to recommend it to anyone looking for an upscale, intimate dinner setting. And I love that I can walk there! Menu and artwork change regularly. Check it out, and if you have, keep visiting!
(5)
Mal B.
The Pickled Heron is a brave idea done with extreme care and personal effort. The food is heavenly -- whether it's the on premise baked bread and salted, churned butter or the lamb with imaginative fried pave and greens or the Meyers lemon upside down cake -- each flavor joins to create a clean, clear and powerful set of tastes. If you don't like extremely well prepared dishes with complexity, don't come here -- you'll be overwhelmed! And the place is beautifully yet simply appointed with pumpkin walls, an intriguing black ceiling and beautiful hand laid tile in the entry and bath. When you reach for the cast heron door handle at the front door, you know you're entering someplace special. Bring your own and pay by cash.
(5)
Wes P.
I hope this place gets the support it deserves. Food was plate licking good. We tried the charcuterie plate, the beef bourguigon and the lamb as well as dessert. A very welcome addition to Fishtown. We plan to be back many times.
(4)
Scott s.
Went there for opening night. Everything was perfect. We had the escargot, lamb, gnocchi, and onion soup. All of the food was great, but the lamb with pomegranate marinade was to die for. A welcome addition to fishtown.
(5)
Michael D.
Went into the night really looking forward to the dinner as my bride and I have heard great things about this recently opened restaurant. We found the PH to be warm and inviting with a touch of rustic flair. Service was efficient and engaging to my level of preference. We appreciated the table side visit from the cute chef ( the girl ! ). The food was outstanding - had to mentally ask myself how inappropriate it would be been to lick the plate - it was that good. Glad we got in early as this one looks to be a winner. Will certainly be back.
(5)
Meghan G.
So excited to have found this place right around the corner. Excellent BYO with a solid, seasonal/local menu. Gotta love a place where the chef actually came out to talk to us because we were asking about the cooking classes they offer. She was super kind, chatted about her food and philosophy, and was very gracious. We will surely be back, and I am so happy to have this place mere blocks away in Fishtown!
I cannot possibly say enough good things about the Pickled Heron to fully do it justice. We have had dinner here twice and, each time, the meal was the highlight of our week. The restaurant has been very busy each time we were there, but I imagine it would be slightly easier to get in for a later dinner (after 9pm or so). On our last visit, we were lucky enough to try the head cheese as part of that night's charcuterie plate (along with fois gras & duck confit) which was crispy and delicious. We also ordered a few small plates. I had previously tried the onion soup gratinee and would gladly have ordered it again, but another member of my party beat me to it. Luckily, I got to try the moule frites instead, which were some of the best I've ever eaten. For my entree, I ordered the scallops which cut like butter, yet had an amazing sear. The rest of my party had the Lamb Sirloin and the Black Bass (that nights special), both of which were fantastic. After sharing some deserts (yum!) and finishing off our wine (love the BYOB) we left, discussing how good our meals were and how soon we can make it back to the Pickled Heron.
(5)
Giovanni I.
Our dinner at the Pickled Heron was very good, though it fell short of its 4.5 star rating on Yelp. I'll breakdown all the relevant pieces concisely: Food: -House Charcuterie--excellent. Really enjoyed this dish. -Gingered Roasted Pepper Soup w/ Lobster Wonton--we were really expecting this dish to wow us, but it somehow managed to underwhelm. If I could do it over, I would have gone with the foie gras or grilled octopus instead. -Veal Breast Villeroy--the closest dish I could compare this to is veal schnitzel, though the veal breast villeroy is far thicker (it almost has the shape of a small brick) and fattier, resulting in a lot more flavor. A very good option. -House Cavateli--the red wine soaked figs drew us to try the cavateli, but unfortunately the roasted fennel overpowered all other ingredients. If it had the proper balance, this would be a great dish. Side note: they were out of the duck breast unfortunately, but I suspect it would be very good. Dessert: -Jelly donut with peanut butter hot chocolate--truly a good, hearty dessert. It's a no-frills item that doesn't disappoint. Dunk the donut in the hot chocolate and you have yourself a very tasty PB&J sandwich! Service: The service was great. All waiters/waitresses were helpful, kind, talkative and friendly. It's a very nice place to dine. Conclusion: It's a BYOB, which is always a plus. Overall, I give 3 instead of 4 stars simply because the food falls a little short of what it could be. But for those looking to try something new or to dine in a different area (assuming you're not in the neighborhood), the Pickled Heron is worth going to and I would recommend to friends.
(3)
Matt K.
Wow, your first impression of Pickled Heron comes from the neighborhood, Fishtown. Yeah, we had doubts, but once you step inside, wow! The restaurant has ochre/orangey walls that are very soothing. Large original paintings hang on the wall. The kitchen in the back is tiny, gleaming, and completely exposed. But their are no tables near it, so you don't feel like the chef is top of you. The rest of the decor is warm and nice. The Pickled Heron is a BYOB, which is always great. Service was very professional, we tried to get the waitress to laugh at us, and she finally did. Kudos to her for maintaining professionalism, but finally showing that she was actually human. And now the food. It is French-inspired and the chef is not afraid of meat, and particularly interesting cuts of it. We had: Foie gras on top of a pumpkiny type of bread (one of their artisanal breads?) with a bit of spice, and a blackberry compote. Delicious, and quite popular, judging from previous reviews. Foie gras cooked perfectly. Head cheese croquette, on greens and a sauce that reminded me of tartar sauce, although it was not defined as such. Very nicely cooked and prepared. The head cheese did shine through the breading. Charcuterie plate featured a rilette (rabbit I think) merguez sausage, and a pate. All were outstanding, except I thought the merguez could have been spicier. Main courses included the crispy duck, which was incredible. Tender duck, and yes crispy on the outside. Served on a bed of white bean salad, which had the acid component necessary to cut through the richness of the duck. It was refreshing to eat a duck course WITHOUT the ubiquitous fruit sauces!! Lamb, Moroccan style. Had one bite, was tender and full of flavor. Everything here was great, what a find, in an unexpected place!
(5)
Walter K.
It's nice to see the neighborhood changing for the better. The chefs at the Pickled Heron are really trying to do something different, doing something well, in Fishtown/East Kensington, and they're succeeding. I was dining with my friend Emily, and we started with the mussels. They came in a good white wine sauce, and were a nice way to start the meal. For our entrees I immediately chose the duck. While not as flavorful as other duck dishes I've had, the whole dish was well composed, especially the grilled sausage on the side. Emily stuck with the bream and enjoyed the fish topped with fennel, mussels, and squid. The food is solid. Sure there are a few things to complain about. The menu is small, six starters and six entrees. It doesn't cater to vegetarians (that's French food for you). The service is leisurely but not slow. It's cash only. But overall, there isn't really anything that takes away from the dining experience. The biggest problem is that the dining room is overcrowded with chairs. This would be less of a problem if the place was packed. But I visited on a saturday night and the place was jammed full of tables, only half of which were occupied. I like that this spot is BYO, and the servers are really attentive with the wine. Everyone's white wines chill in a communal ice bath. The portions are good, and the menu is reasonably priced for the food, if not a tad high for the 'hood. And while the menu doesn't offer a whole lot of variety, I do respect places that focus on doing things well, even if there are only six of those things. Bottom Line: Decent BYO with French inspiration. Certainly worth checking out.
(4)
Aaron O.
Every time I eat here I have a better experience, and it started off very good. This is unbelievable value given the food quality - our last meal was near on par with what Le Bec Fin served when Le Bec Fin was actually good. The scallops were done perfectly with that perfect bite and consistency that only a scallop has, lamb was intensely flavorful and tender, duck was what duck should be - bold and fresh. The raspberry sauce with my venison had a delightful tart sweetness. Great, knowledgeable service, great food, reasonably priced and a unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere to really enjoy your meal. Hands down - one of the best experiences to be had in Philadelphia.
(5)
Kathleen D.
Something in the history of life happened; my husband heard of a restaurant before I! What the hey? Not to pretend that the ol boy isn't on the pulse, but rambling about restaurants and food constantly is my specialty. Pronounce that, "Spesh-E-al-ity," to be fancy. So, when he suggested that we try The Pickled Heron for our anniversary dinner, I clucked, "Pickled herring?! No wonder we've stayed together so long... know me so well..." Ah har. Ah har har... Of course the adorable name of this place is actually The Pickled Heron, complete with cute little logo of a heron beak-deep in a champagne coupe. Our 9:00 reservation on a Sunday night found us with the entire restaurant all to ourselves; a lovely little spot on Frankford, warm and cozy, with walls covered with photography by a local artist. Service was so friendly and excellent overall. The menu changes to offer preparations made from local and seasonal produce and products. Most of all we enjoyed the house-made charcuterie starter, mmm foie gras mousse... the second course of a brace of quail with mushroom risotto and foie, so I doubled up on the foie gras, don't gimme that look... and some of the best creme brulee that I've ever experienced in Philadelph-i-a. BYOB!
The food is delicious. Our group shared seared frois gras, a charcuterie plate and the mussels with frites. All delicious. My steak for dinner was Perfectly cooked. My only complaint is that the waitress could be a bit more attentive. She never explained what was on the charcuterie plate. While it was delicious, we were left to guess as to the contents on some items. She also didn't check in with us until we were almost done the meal. She was nice and wasn't rude at all though.
(4)
Erica M.
I ate here tonight for a Restaurant Week. I was very excited about french food and was excited about all the positive reviews about this place. First thing I noticed was the awesome ambiance. The food is pricy (but I expected that and was fine with it. I was planning on treating myself and my boyfriend to a nice meal) And the random playlist ("Sail" by AWOLNATION followed by a Velvet Underground song for example) was an interesting choice. First, the waitress gave each of us only one piece of bread. The first course was a corn soup with basil oil which was delicious. The waitress kept asking us if the soup was warm enough, which seemed a little weird to me, but I didn't think too much of it. Then came the main course, which was Grilled Steak Bavette, Squash Blossom Risotto, Local Tomato Salad, and Red Wine Jus. The Risotto was very sweet and creamy. There were red tomato slices and green ones, which I enjoyed. The plate was fairly small, but I expected that. The reason for the three star review was the steak. Everything else was great, but the steak was very difficult to eat. It was very fatty and hard to chew. For what I was paying, I expected to be consuming really good meat, and this just didn't seem like it it. I was very disappointed. The dessert was a blueberry cake muffin with buttermilk ice cream. I had never eaten buttermilk ice cream before and it was very interesting. It tasted like a sweet/slightly sour yogurt. Pretty good! So, the tl;dr of it is: the portions are VERY small. If you order an appetizer, a main and a dessert, it is the perfect amount of food, but I imagine if you only order a main, you will leave hungry. Also, the meat was not great quality. Otherwise, this place was great. I spent a lot of money on my meal and was disappointed with the quality of the meat.
(3)
Annecy L.
Went here for a romantic date with my boyfriend. "The burp I just burped tasted like the mussel broth and it tasted good. My burp tasted good," I purred to him, romantically. The mussels were also good for regular eating. So was the duck sausage! Good job, chefs! 1 star off for not giving me all the food I wanted at no charge. I hate when restaurants don't just give me things for free.
(4)
Stephanie A.
Fabulous Food, staff,a GREAT Gem hidden in Philadelphia! Scallops, foie Gras,lamb caringly prepared . Great BYOB!! As good as a restaurant gets in Philadelphia!!! Cannot wait to return!!!FANTASTIC!!!
(5)
Faer A.
The food was tasty, but not amazing. I had the duck, which was quite good, but wasn't so fond of the risotto. Also had a salad, and the dressing was kind of bland. The crumb cake with clotted cream was pretty yummy, as was the creme brulee. For the prices, kind of disappointing, even though the food was okay. Service was friendly, but kind of slow, especially given that the restaurant was pretty empty. I do appreciate a byo, though, so I might give it another shot.
(3)
Abbie D.
BOTTOM LINE: This place is great! continue reading if you'd like, but its pretty much summed up above. :) Oh Fishtown why the heck would I come here?? Well ladies and gentlemen The Pickled Heron is all the reason you'll need. My husband and I were invited here for a private dinner where the restaurant was closed to the public and prepared a 7 course meal for us all to enjoy along with 5 fabulous wines hand picked from Greg Moore :) Upon arrival there were butlered Hors D'ourves with a yummy champagne. The Hors D'Ourves consisted of confeit, arancini balls, almond gspacho, ect. all of which were fantastic; however, if I had to pick I would say the arancini balls were my favorite. They were served with a tasty aioli that had a bit of a kick! Next we were seated and dinner began. Course 1. House Made Mozzarella Salad WOW now, let me begin this by stating that I worked for a company in the city that is well known for its homemade cheeses... I make mozzarella at home too, and this was AMAZING! The texture was a cross between a mozzarella and a goat cheese, it was chewy yet soft and oh so delicious. Course 2. Black Bass Ceviche The perfect amount of jalapeño and lime to make this a lite citrusy second course. Course 3. Duck Rillettes OMG this was ridiculous! The perfect amount of ducky flavor on a crisp crostini with lava beans that was oh so delicious. You may have to fasten your seat belt for this one! AMAZING! Course 4. Pan Seared Halibut Perfectly seasoned and cooked beautifully. It was accompanied with ratatouille and a crispy panisse (which I'm still not quite sure what it was, but it was tasty!) Course 5. Grilled Steak Bavette MY FAVORITE COURSE! This beef was 100% spot on! Cooked rare to medium rare with a ton of flavor and super tender. There was a side of watercress that had the perfect amount of acidity and a little dollop of silky smooth potatoes. :) Course 6. Twice Baked Blue Cheese Souffle I'll start by saying I am not a fan of blue cheese AT ALL, but this was pretty tasty. I will admit that I did not eat the whole thing but at the end of the meal it is what most of the other diners were raving about. Good Job! Course 7. Grilled Peach Melba MMMMMMM I love dessert and this was the best ending to the amazing night. Phew! I know that was a lot, but I'm telling you it was worth every bit. DEEEELISH!
(4)
Chris C.
Went on a Saturday night. Decent crowd but not too loud for quiet conversation. Service was friendly and prompt without being obsequious. They're very good at the savory stuff. We had the crab cake and foie gras appetizers, and both were excellent. Entrees were seared duck breast and seared scallops. The duck breast had just the right amount of seasoning and crisp on the skin to provide contrast to the milder, more tender parts without overwhelming them. The scallops were well-seared but still had a silky texture. Probably my favorite item of the night. Dessert fell short of dinner. The chocolate ice cream served with peanuts and caramel didn't really stand out - the chocolate flavor wasn't as rich as I had hoped and the dish was heavy on caramel. The creme brulee crust had started to pick up a little bit of humidity and had gotten slightly tacky, just enough to stick to the teeth during that all-important crunch. Next time we go we're probably going to skip ordering dessert, walk a block, and get ice cream from Little Baby's. Coffee was very good.
(4)
Mr P.
May be I am jaded, but this place is not as good as I anticipated. Went last sat night and make the long trek up to Fish Town. The restaurant was nicely done. Would be nicer if they have a few out door sittings to complete that Parisian feel. One good thing about the whole experience was that I got a glimpse of Fish Town. It was way more developed than when I first moved here couple of years back. (Yea, once you are used to your own neighborhood, it is hard to get out.) Across the street is the Pizza Museum, the place was hoping. People were spilling out onto the side walk for half of the block. Anyway back to the food, this is a food blog after all. Food was not that impressive. Of the dishes I had tasted, only the mussel and the blue berry ice cream stand out. The zucchini flower and the lamb sirloin were just okay. Reminds me more of new american than french.
(3)
Anthony S.
I've traveled extensively throughout France (that sounds super pretentious, sorry), and really this is not the best French food. I tried the duck dish--which had duck in several different forms. There was a duck sausage (which was alright), and a fried duck steak (that was kinda bland) along with a bean salad (which was raw. Cool idea, but not the best tasting). My mom got a eggplant and lamb dish, and the lamb meat was rather tough and came with croquettes that didn't have much of a taste either. The creme brulee we had for dessert was actually pretty good. Overall, I won't be back to The Pickled Heron. It's cute, but the food doesn't really warrant a return.
(3)
Rachel S.
AHHHHH....I have so much love for you, Pickled Heron!!! I just ate there last night with a friend and it was marvelous. We started with the Charcuterie Plate and the Fois Gras - both were superb! Then onto the Crispy Duck and the Lentil Croquettes which were phenomenal. Clearly I am a carnivore, but I can enthusiastically say that this vegetarian meal is unbelievable!!!! We brought a few bottles of French wine which I picked up from the state store at 2nd & Girard and had a lovely time.
(5)
Meghan D.
This place is so special. My now-husband and I chose the Pickled Heron for our rehearsal dinner the night before we got married. Not only did they accomodate our 17 guests on a Friday night, but they were super great about the children who were with us (crayons, coloring book and a kid's menu). Everyone was thrilled with the delicious food and wonderful service. I had the foie gras for an appetizer - absolutely amazing. I also had the crab cakes, which I believe was a special. Very, very good. The staff kept the wine flowing (from bottles we provided) and the whole restaurant applauded my dad as he made a very sweet speech. It was an amazing night. To top it all off, the awesome, talented chefs gave us two bags of buttery home-made croissants for the morning of our wedding, with cute tags that said "to the bride" and "to the groom". What a wonderful spot, wonderful people and wonderful memories. Can't wait to go back, since we are practically neighbors!
(5)
Billy B.
The short walk to the Pickled Heron felt like a cold drink of water that Mother Nature shoved in your face, and into that little spot on your neck that scarves are paid to protect; it was a harsh introduction to February that was soothed by a hot bowl of French onion soup at the quiet, relaxing Fishtown French restaurant. I followed the soup up with a delectable beef bourguignonne, what Wikipedia says Julia Child once called "certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man." The beef dollops were so tender - OMG - and if you don't like that dish, then, well. It's a perfect meal for a wintry night, and with red wine, and some French press coffee to finish the meal, it's all you'll need. Each time I've been there the service has been attentive without being annoying, and the timing of the meals is always unrushed and pleasant, and that really is key isn't it? The crowd is typically a little older for a Fishtown crowd, which proves one of B.C. Bluewater's long-held truths: senior citizens love French food. Pack a $12 bottle of red into your girlfriend's Golden Girls-inspired oversized purse, and find this warm place on Frankford. - Billy Bluewater
(5)
J K.
This is a nice French BYOB located in Fishtown, where it seems there are not many nice restaurants. The decor is very pleasing, the dining room has an airy high ceiling and orange painted walls decorated with local art (for sale). The food was well prepared and beautifully presented, though nothing stood out as amazing. I had the pea/mint ravioli appetizer which was interesting but the mint flavor was too intense for me and I could not taste the peas. The striped bass entree was delicious with a unique accompaniment of crispy fried lentils and pickled ramps. The chef showed creativity with this dish. We did not stay for dessert so I can't comment on that. The service was competent but a little slow. This would be fine if you were planning to linger over dinner but frustrating if you have somewhere to go after dinner. Moderate prices, cash only, BYOB make this an affordable option for a nice evening in Fishtown. Though I probably won't be rushing back here, it would be a nice choice if you live in the neighborhood or happen to be visiting nearby.
(3)
Kim L.
Best French restaurant in Philly. I'm not even going to bother specifically recommending dishes because EVERYTHING is amazing.
(5)
Anthony N.
Went here for Valentine's day and thought the food was very good. I especially love the Halibut with fried rice cake, the cherry cake dessert, and the lobster bisque but too bad it won't be on the regular menu. The place has a nice ambience, the waiters were good, and it was very clean. Overall if I were to rate the restaurant itself, I would give it a 4 stars. Here are the reasons for the 3 stars: 1. I made my reservation for Valentine's day about 2 weeks in advanced and they told me the earliest time they had available was 9:30pm. So when I got there at 9:30pm, the restaurant was about 60% empty! Telling me that I could have gotten there around 8pm and they would have had a table. 2. The location. This place is not in the best neighborhood and this is not a safe place to walk around alone at night. Overall, very good food but I hated how they made me eat late when I could have gotten an earlier reservation and the location.
(3)
Karen K.
Daniella and Todd have distinguished themselves as a French Bistro, yet they were willing to put step outside their comfort zone with a Summer BBQ party held at their restaurant on the Sunday before Labor Day! They created an extensive and authentic menu and created a warm and loving atmosphere for our friends and family to honor my husband on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The food, the decor, and the warmth were incomparable! This review is way overdue: I intended to post this review months ago. My oversight became obvious because friends and family are still talking about the party we hosted at The Pickled Heron! Daniella and Todd deserve the success they're enjoying as a restaurant and as party planners.
(5)
Eric D.
Totally worth the trip from center city! The food is incredible plus the staff is wonderful. We had a babysitter and my gf tried to power through to keep our date night even though she wasn't feeling well. After we ordered and I had my incredibly good appetizer- she realized she just couldn't do it. Our waiter got our food packed to go in no time and even included a complimentary dessert. Big time bonus that the entrees were both still wonderful when we got home(I had to try both, of course). We will definitely be going back
(5)
Joy T.
Given our love of the Philly BYO scene and support of emerging neighborhoods, we had high hopes for The Pickled Heron. It was the greatest disappointment for us as Philly foodies. Service was atrocious despite the fact that we were one of three tables in the entire restaurant. An inattentive waiter coupled with an hour long wait for simple entrees to be brought out made for a horrible first impression. The food was aspirational but fell far below expectations. The salad was overdressed and mushy. The soup was overall bland though the presumably housemade ravioli was very good. The grilled shrimp was very good but the accompanying toasted bread crumbs, red onion, grilled peach made for a disjointed dish. The golden tile was good but unimpressive. The creme brulee was outstanding. The chocolate pots de creme might as well have been store bought. We would love to see this neighborhood flourish but do not intend to ever return to the Pickled Heron. The restaurant will need to step up their game substantially to sustain repeat patronage. For anyone with a discerning palate, there is a long list of better restaurants at a similar price point. Dine elsewhere.
(2)
Samantha K.
I absolutely adore this place. It's a small, romantic, simple restaurant with some dishes that you can't find in most restaurants around this area. This is my go to intimate date spot. It is BYO and parking is no problem here. The wait staffs are very nice. There should be more restaurants like this in town. I only wish they would expand their menu. Also, I was here for valentines day. LOVE IT! They had an awesome special (meals, desserts, etc.) and everything was set up so nicely. I've been returning again and again. For the meal and to feel the romance.
(5)
Brian D.
In two words : HEARTFELT WARMTH. In 22 words: even if you don't have the funds to try a full-course meal here, go for dessert. It's incredibly well-priced and tasty as hell. Now, onto the full review... On paper, it might seem a bit curious that a french bistro like Pickled Heron would find itself on this particular stretch of Frankford Ave. On paper, it might be slightly peculiar to some that a fine-dining spot like this is cash-only with a $$ on yelp and no ATM on-site. This isn't Old City - or even Frankford & Girard - for that matter. Having said that, I'd like to gently persuade you to put the paper down. In fact, I insist you throw it out. Just walk inside (with some cash) on a warm spring night and bring a date. The reality is, my entire experience during the first visit was oozing with heartfelt, genuine kindness - and it had everything to do the undeniably gentle nature of the couple running the place. After being greeted by two lovely members of the staff, the owners (again, such a pleasant couple) came to my table and thanked my friend and I for stopping in. We started off with the spring garlic soup with crispy duck prosciutto. Followed by the seared foie gras. The small plates are affordable, most at around $9 - $12. Again, go with a date and split one. Accompanied by the second complimentary basket of housemade bread and butter, we received our plate of housemade charcuterie. It was the definition of the word 'scrumptious' - and this is coming from a guy who rarely uses such highfalutin words. I prefer 'rad', 'stellar' and 'next-level' in most cases, but those don't do nearly enough justice. After some great conversation and drinking a Boylan's ginger ale, we received our main course: Pan seared lamb shoulder, and pan seared sea scallops. Before I go any further, let me just say I'm a man who loves pizza. And burritos. And a solid pint of craft beer. Foie Gras, charcuterie and things that are 'pan-seared' aren't typically a part of my weekly diet. With that said... THIS MEAL WAS PITCH PERFECT. I didn't expect to be so pleased and fulfilled by 4 scallops. But I was. They were gigantic, and perfectly flavored and cooked. Thinking about them now, I wish I could eat them for lunch today this very instant. There was sauces I've never tasted, and accents to the meal I didn't know how to pronounce. And I loved every second of it. Finally, we ended the night with dessert - easily the most affordable and brightest attraction to anyone wanting to try this place out without dipping too heavily into their weekly food budget. THE CREME BRULEE: best for miles. And at $6 dollars, a total score. Slightly warmed, perfectly sweet. And huge in relation to most creme brulees I've tried in my life. More than enough for a group of two. The cons: there walls could use a bit of attention, and the music wasn't exactly what I imagined when I picture 'french cuisine'. But those are easy fixes. The important part, the food and the people making it, are spot on, and deserve attention. As of this review, I'm an official cheerleader for the place. I want them to succeed. Spend an evening there with a friend or two (if only for dessert), and you'll find yourself in the same boat.
(5)
Mike G.
Despite the unappetizing name, the Pickle Heron was a delicious experience for me. I waited for that new-restaurant-smell to fade a bit and decided to try it out on a quiet weeknight with a couple friends. One of my friends is a vegan, the other does not eat pork or red meat. I of course love meat of most kinds, the more innocent the animal, the more tasty. As stated in other reviews, the house bread was impressive. The decor very nice. The music appropriate for most of the meal, until some 90's crap pop came on for a while. I think they should consider a more consistent playlist, though the music was far from a problem as it was set low and unobtrusive. The restaurant was very very quiet this particular Wednesday evening and our server was perfectly attentive w/o being too intrusive. Two of us shared a small plate to start; Sunchoke and lentil ravioli. It was one large delicious ravioli served beautifully camera-ready for any gourmet photo shoot. It was just as tasty. All three of us very much enjoyed our entrees. My vegan friend chose the Grilled Seitan, which he found impressive. My other friend chose the Pan Seared Skate Wing, which I tried and agreed, it's really delicious. I chose the Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin which was a generous portion and perfectly prepared. The Pannisse (polenta-and chickpeas pan fried rectangles) were incredible and had me considering just stopping by for this as a snack from the sides menu. For dessert, my friend and I followed the advice of another friend in the know, and ordered the chocolate mousse. It was perfect. The vegan asked if there was any way he could get some fruit for dessert. The server said he'd check. It should be noted, our server shared his first-hand knowledge of vegan needs with reference to his experience with his vegan girlfriend. The result of an attentive server and a talented (and admittedly unbusy) kitchen staff was the impromptu creation of a wonderful vegan dessert. They presented a cone of nice paper filled with apple slice-fritters and a vegan caramel sauce that we all agreed were wonderful. Hopefully they'll consider keeping this or repeating this, as I understand vegans are often left with little options. Honestly, I'd order that myself if the mousse wasnt so damn great. NOTE: if youre vegan, the server suggested letting them know early on so they can , if possible, figure something out for you ahead. Me and my non-vegan friend that shared a small plate and a dessert with me, paid about $35 each. That's pretty decent considering the quality of the food. I am really glad to have this addition to the city, especially within walking distance.
(4)
Sara N.
Adorable byob spot. great place and the cuisine is very authentic. The foie gras is a must and everything else was also delicious. the staff is nice and friendly and its kinda nice to be off the beaten path and not feel rushed cause someone is waiting for a table. worth the trip to Fishtown for a romantic evening
(4)
Tom F.
This place is a welcome addition to Fishtown. Now we don't even need to leave the neighborhood to have a quiet and romantic dinner. I have read a lot of reviews that this place is overpriced... I'd say if you go to a French restaurant and order a meal and expect to pay less than $25-30 for an entree... I think you should pick a different genre. The food is excellent and the menu changes quite often. The ingredients are fresh and the recipes creative. If you are looking to not spend the dinner prices, check out brunch. The prices are in line with every other brunch spot in the area ($7-14 for a meal) The food is well worth it and the brunch portions are substantial.
So good. Great ambiance. This place definitely illustrates the difference between dining and eating. It was very much the former, and not the latter. We started with the charuterie, which was good. I was far more impressed by the bread though. My friend got the bream provencal, which was good. The dish was beautiful, the fennel and saffron were such a delicate but flavorful addition to the crispy fish. I got the pork. I should have listened to the chef and gotten it med rare. I asked for medium, but it did look more med well. Regardless, it was juicy and so flavorful. It came with some kind of (cheesy?) risotto, which was phenominal, and kale. I think I'm just not texturally a fan of kale as a personal preference. For dessert, we got the chocolate mousse, which was a perfect balance between the bitterness of quality chocolate and sweetness. I liked how the portion sizes were not over the top. The place is about quality, not quantity. So good I would definitely go back.
(4)
Tough Crowd T.
Had dinner last Saturday with a couple of friends. We had white gazpacho (good), green salad (good), moules frites, lentil cakes (a vegan entree) (meh), steak with grilled peaches and corn (meh) and bbq boar shoulder (a disappointment). The boar shoulder is not an entree they should continue offering. I've had much better pulled pork (which is what the meat looked like) that this boar meat preparation. Had two desserts: peach melba (didn't try) and lillet creme brulee (okay). A lovely neighborhood french BYO. With the emphasis on "neighborhood." If I lived in Fishtown, I would probably eat here a lot. But not worth a car trip, like another lovely french BYO within walking distance of my house, Bibou.
(3)
Jeremy R.
WOW! I was looking for a nice BYOB in Philly and after some Yelpish research I chose the Heron. What a choice that turned out to be. Our party turned up at the appointed hour and were promptly seated. The ambiance is cozy brownstone that is not over-decorated. The kitchen is small and open. We started with charcuterie and Moules Frites, both were perfectly prepared and served in ample portions. The highlight for me was the duck liver pate which was velvety and delicious. On to the entrees. What really shined was the quality of the meat and fish used in the simple but elegant preparations. The venison was like a fine fillet of beef but smoother and perfectly. Crusted with coffee and accompanied by tasty brussel sprouts. The duck was another winner, a large breast perfectly cooked with a sweet/savory jus. The sea bream was delicate fresh, presented on a bed of French lentils. At this point I thought the best part of the meal was over but we had some Sauternes to drink so we ordered four of the desserts and a French press of coffee. All the treats were incredible but I felt the standouts were the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the apple frangipane tart. The cherry cake was crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside balanced by the smooth nutty pistachio ice cream was delightful where as the tart was fresh and apple-y with a tender crust filled with semi-sweet almond paste. The duck egg creme brulee was a wonder of richness that was not overburdened with sweetness. The sweet treats we balanced by the strong yet smooth carafe of French press coffee. Total bill around $150 for 4 which seemed quite fair but don't forget that they are cash only. Based on our experience, I can't recommend the Pickled Heron highly enough. The ambiance, food and waitstaff were all wonderful and I will return on my next visit to Philly. Go there now while you can still get a table.
(5)
Lauren J.
Who orders vegetarian food at a French restaurant? This girl, apparently. Now, I'm not a veggie head, but something called me to the tofu dish (which was amazing). It came with a side of fregola-sarda (homemade by Daniela!) which positively popped in my mouth- so refreshing and tasty. I also had the root vegetable salad, I believe they only carry it at certain times of year. I highly recommend it if it's on the menu when you go here. It was my birthday, and my significant other at the time had brought a lovely pinot-noir which had been suggested by the kitchen before hand, as he checked to make sure he got something that went well with most of their menu items. It surely did. He had the lamb, which I got to taste (see? I told you I wasn't a veghead). It was so moist and tender, absolutely divine. I would also like to add that the waiter, Sean, who is not hard on the eyes, was wonderful, graciously assisting us through this feast! While the delightful food and service may whisk your imagination away, to, say, France, the best part is, you're still in Fishtown! So what is a gem of a place like this doing in Fishtown? I don't care to answer that question, I just want to go again. Soon.
(5)
Jim R.
This was our 2nd visit and I'm afraid it turned out like our first - close but no cigar! I'm sorry, but if I'm spending around $110 for dinner per couple (with tip) I want to be impressed - I wasn't nor were the other two couples we were with.
My husband and I live in the neighborhood, so we finally had brunch here today and left so satisfied. I had the Mortadella eggs Benedict and my husband had the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. They make their own bread at TPH, so that made both our meals extra delicious, in addition to their homemade hollandaise sauce. I'm too intimated to make poached eggs at home, so I'm happy to leave it to the professionals! We also tried some of the crispy panisse, which is likely fried polenta cubes - great accompaniment to the breakfast items, which also come with fingerling potatoes. Hostess was friendly, attentive server without loitering around too long (which I always appreciate at a restaurant...I like good service and to me that means being able to sit, relax and enjoy my meal without feeling rushed). Daniela and Todd make a great team and the restaurant is a lovely spot. I hope it encourages more small businesses to come around and continue to liven up the neighborhood.
(5)
Kristen J.
Ate a perfect meal here last night. The Moules frites featured the most delicious mussels. Scallops were meticulously prepared; sweet potato gnocchi was amazing. Meyer lemon upside down cake was dense and delicate all at once. Finished with a perfect french press. Service was artfully attentive without ever feeling intrusive. Ambiance was especially charming. Please disabuse yourself of another reviewer's ridiculous suggestion that this neighborhood is unsafe. The restaurant is moments from numerous art galleries and remains one half mile from Frankford Hall, Johnny Brenda's, Barcade, Lola Bean, et cetera. Great food; great service; great decor; great location.
I visited The Pickled Heron with my sister when she was in town during Thanksgiving weekend. I was in the area for another function so we decided to eat dinner. I had heard rave reviews from locals in the area, but was none-the-less disappointed. Food: App: Mussels with fries - delicious and definitely a good app to share. The portion for this appetizer seemed ridiculous when we got our mains. It's very filling and could be a meal on its own. Me: Quail with mushroom (and foie gras?) risotto - The risotto was rich and nice but didn't make up for the dry and flavorless quail, which was rather messy and difficult to eat. Her: Grilled steak with some greens and what I believe was a yam pave drenched in truffle oil. Compared to the mussel app, this dish was absurdly proportioned. There were four bite size pieces of delicious steak done perfectly next to a gigantic slab of yam pave. My sister polished off the steak and greens, but barely touched the pave which filled up half the plate. I like truffle oil as much as the next person, but this was overwhelming. One thing to note is that unless you can find a very recent menu before visiting, it is likely that the menu in the restaurant will be different. They change the offerings frequently, and none of the dishes I had been hoping to try were actually on the menu. Service: Our waiter started out great at 6:30pm, we were one of two tables eating. Nice and observant, maybe a little too much. By 7:15, a few more tables had come in with larger groups and he couldn't handle the rush. We had finished our meal and were staring around us, it was too loud to have a decent conversation without shouting, but the waiter wouldn't stop by for another 15min to bring us the dessert menu. It took him another 15min to come around before we could tell him we didn't want dessert, and just wanted to leave. Final notes: The food is hit or miss and so is the service. For the prices they're charging in the neighborhood they're in, I expected more, and also maybe the ability to take plastic. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
(3)
Sagi S.
Nice little place for dinner. I heard of this place from a friend and I am glad we went and checked it out. We went on a Friday night armed with a bottle of wine. We started with mussels and frites and a micro green salad both were very nice. The greens were fresh, perfectly dressed with some crunchy beets and goat cheese. The mussels were delicious in a white sauce with Belgian style fries. We ate too much of the appetizers and had a hard time finishing the entrees which was very good as well. I ordered the beef bourguignon which tasted exactly like it should taste, melt in your mouth with a hint of sweetness in the sauce, it was lovely and very rich so it was a little hard for me to finish. We also ordered the lamb tenderloin this was very skillfully made cooked to medium rare with a side of cheek pea and potato which had a great Mediterranean flavor. Great menu for winter, I wonder what it will look like as the weather warms up! The service was very good, wasn't too noisy which I like, parking was easy, hope they do well! We would definitely make the trip again.
(5)
Adam R.
Wow is all I have to say. This place blew my mind with its great care and attention to detail. It is the definition of classy without pretension. My date and I wanted to try as much on the menu as possible, and we did! The staff was friendly, attentive, and not overbearing. We forgot our wine, and they very quietly poured us a couple glasses from their own stock. The bread and homemade butter to start wet my bill. Then came the mussels... oh my the mussels! I honestly have never had them prepared better. They melted in my mouth, just enough sauce, and the flavor was incredible. We had plate after plate of fantastic dishes. The highlight for me was the lamb. It was prepared just rare enough. The last time I tasted lamb so fresh, was when I ate a freshly slaughtered one. No lie... For me, a good peice of lamb is better than any cow steak. We finished with dessert that was just enough to fill my giant belly. The right amount of sweetness combined with bitter rich dark chocolate. This meal was filled with multiple foodgasms.
(5)
Sarah K.
I am so thrilled to be writing this review. At long last this little stretch of Frankford Ave has a new neighborhood gem to welcome. The chef-owners here really put themselves into their restaurant and their food (and practically built the place from scratch - amazing) and I agree with a previous poster that I truly hope the neighborhood gets behind this spot and does what they do best - support independent, talented Philadelphia chefs and small businesses. Philly has a serious lack of accessible, affordable, quality French bistro fare. French cuisine is so wonderful, but too often out of reach. The Pickled Heron fills this gap admirably. Starting with the bread and (homemade) butter through to the amazing skate wing (something else you rarely see in these parts) our meal was delicious, special, and relaxed - all the best things about bistro cooking.
(5)
Beth K.
Grew up not far from this location but now live in Michigan for the past 20 years. Ate a fantastic dinner with my aunt! Server was ver friendly and willing to tell us all about the menu. Due to a gluten-free diet, she said the chef would make adjustments. I had the yellow eye fish and it was superb. Nice size portion, perfectly cooked and tasted delicious. The polenta was rich & creamy and I cleared my plate. My selective, 80-year old aunt ate every drop of her beet risotto and said she thought it was very, very tasty and unique. She had never eaten beet risotto before. Make sure you taste their homemade butter - very nice! And speaking of homemade, try the buttermilk and the rum raisin ice cream - to die for. This was the best I've ever eaten. We loved the restaurant. It was elegant but not fussy. Food had flavor and flare and I could tell that trained chefs made our meal. I left feeling happy and full and delighted that a once dilapidated neighborhood is showing signs of sophistication with such a pleasant and delicious meal. Thank you, Pickled Heron. We'll be back!
(5)
Chris S.
Great dinner, nice atmosphere. Service was very good. The fresh tomato small plate was grown in the chef's back yard, drizzled with oil and topped with baby oregano. Damn tasty. I like that's it's byo,only gripe is it's cash only, which is fine unless you forget to get cash before you go! ATM across the street though.
(5)
Doug R.
Incredible! I've been in a few times, tried something different each time, and have never been remotely close to anything less than satisfied. If you're looking for a great dinner, prepared by people who clearly care about what they do, look no further. If six stars were possible, I'd give them that.
(5)
Thomas M.
Hands down the best fine dining experience I have had in the city if Philadelphia. Whether dinner or brunch the food is phenomenal and the prices won't break the bank. Make sure you try and make it to their Sunday brunch and the dinner as they are both great. I had a duck breast eggs bennie. It was like nothing I've had before and all their house cured meats...I can't even begin to describe how delicious they are...but I wish I could eat them everyday.
(5)
Ginger K.
My boyfriend and I went here on a whim after walking past it the day before. I think they had been opened for about a month or 2 at the time of our visit. I wish I would have done more research before going in. I knew it was a BYOB but we forgot to bring any wine... I feel like small BYOBs should still have a better selection of beverages to serve the customers. How hard is it to make some iced tea and not have a $4 soda? I ordered the Crispy Duck Breast which tasted fine but there was nothing "crispy" about it. My boyfriend had ordered some sort of fish dish. I want to say it was sea bass. The fish came in a shallow bowl with a wild rice. I have to say his portion size was horrible compared to my dish which took up the all the room on my plate. We will never return to eat here. The food is overpriced. I think they opened it in the wrong neighborhood. So if you like overpriced pretentious food this place is for you and not for me.
(2)
Lauren G.
We had the best experience for my birthday at the Pickled Heron! The cozy interior presented a great chance to catch up with old friends without the noise of large restaurant. We started with the Charcuterie, which was incredible and had the chance to experience the delectable squash soup on its premiere night. I would recommend anyone going in the near future to definitely try the squash soup! Between the 5 of my fellow diners and I, we had every large plate, and each was full of great flavors and unique to anything I have ever tried. We also had the chance to chat with one of the two chefs who created such a masterful meal for us. She revealed how a large portion of the ingredients put into each dish were local, which I LOVE. All around it was a wonderful night made better by a wonderful dinner.
(5)
A bradford C.
Fun, quiet place. I liked my meal. My girl wasn't a fan of hers (we actually got the same thing) so they took it off the bill, which was really professional of them. We devoured the dessert. We both agreed we'd go back again and try another menu option because it was such a great environment and they were so nice.
(4)
Sarah L.
Those guys have hit the bistro nail on the head. The charcuterie plate was duck 3 ways, the mussels and frites were truly exceptional (I started slurping the broth with a spoon after the mussels were long gone) and the lamb stew was fantastic, but a bit heavy for the weather. Probably should be taken off the menu until fall. This is the new monthly spot (sorry Barbuzzo, I still love ya). Daniella and her partner have hit it out of the park. Run, don't walk, before the rest of Philly figures out that this is the second coming of Django.
(5)
Angela J.
OH MY GOD. I am pretty sure that they lace their foods with something illegal because this took me to a different place! Everything was literally heaven in my mouth. I came in without a reservation, and given the prices, I wasn't really expecting a "fine dining" experience, but boy was I surprised. This hidden gem is worth the trek to Fishtown. I was visiting a friend in the area, but will definitely be making my way back sometime soon with extra bodies. I want to be responsible for exposing as many people as possible to the edible paradise offered at the Pickled Heron!!!
(5)
Genevieve P.
I went here with a party of six for a friend's going away party. The food was wonderful and the service attentive without being annoying. Todd and Daniella have done a great job bringing an exceptional restaurant to the Frankford Arts corridor. I also look forward to returning for brunch.
(5)
km a.
what a nice surprise for the up and coming frankford row! i am not typically a fan of french food per say but we went to try it out. i ordered something i had no idea what it was. when it came out i still had no idea but ate it anyway. for the most part it was good! the part to die for was the lamb. oh.my .god. it was PERFECT!! i also have to eat gluten free and they were very accommodating and had no problem. i thought the atmosphere was nice and the christmas tree was beautifully decorated. it was a bit small- as all philly BYOBs are. overall the food was great and it was a lot cheaper than the BYOBs in center city
Had a great brunch Sunday morning. Fantastic eggs Benedict with house made mortadella and English muffin. Bring your own vodka, the bloody Mary mix is tasty.
(5)
Michael D.
The service was friendly and the food was great. My sister-in-law said the scallops were uncommonly good. We also enjoyed the sweet potato gnocchi and grilled seitan. The seitan itself was not heavily flavored but when eaten with the accompanying sides (Israeli cous cous, berries, and brussel sprouts) it was a nice combo. The waitress offered us bread several times throughout the meal. We shared a french press of coffee, and tried some deserts. The lemon cake was excellent.
(4)
Bb B.
Go to the Pickled Heron! I know people may be a tad skittish about the location (Fishtown/Kensington). But, it's on the eclectic strip of Frankford where other interesting spots are sprouting about, like coffee shops, art studios, and energy- efficient modern housing. Kensington is also not far from downtown/Old City and The Pickled Heron is a great place to go to have a quiet, high-quality dinner away from the scene that has consumed the trendy parts of the city. Also, that couple of extra dollars you'll spend on gas will be more than offset by the fact that you don't have to pay the ridiculous parking fees that you do downtown. And, did I mention that it's a BYO? The most important part: the food. The food was fantastic and as good as the best places on Rittenhouse, namely, Parc and Rouge, both of which I hold in high esteem. My only caveat: it is cash only. Who carries cash? Dinner for 2 with tip and 2 appetizers will run about $75. The menu is small in quantity, but, everything we had was deee-licious, including wild boar, which I previously would have thought would be disgusting. That wild boar was outstanding!
(5)
bros s.
ventured way out of my normal eateries in center city to this little gem on frankford avenue with a couple of friends on a sunday evening. unfortunately, they only had one foie gras left and one other of something else, so we couldnt order as much foie gras as we would have ordinarily, considering we are all closet foie gras gluttons, but the order that we managed to secure was very well executed (I wasn't so much a fan of the dry-ish weird textured biscuit it was resting on). The salad had delicious fried beets and pickled carrots, the moules frites were great, very fresh, even while the aioli wasnt anything special. the house-made charcuterie was done very nicely as well, with duck liver pate and some other salami-ish looking stuff that was just a little gamey-as it should be. gamey is good. 2 people had the scallops, which I thought were way over-salted, I had the sea bream with a magnificent watermelon radish salad on the side, over lentils. the side salad was probably my favorite thing about the whole meal-clean, tart meyer lemon peel, cilantro, and thin, cool, and visually pleasing watermelon radish, which I've never even encountered before. someone else had the beouf bourguignon and he loved it, and he is a very picky eater. it was also nice to see interesting desserts on the menu since philly is generally a really boring dessert town, although the menu did have the stand-by creme brulee. At least this was a duck egg creme brulee, and it was very rich and tasty. and we also got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream, which was greedily consumed by everyone. great dessert. the service is very understated and casually polite. the kitchen is totally open and they are they quietest chefs ever. normal and fair prices.
(4)
Rob F.
Beautiful gem of a restaurant, tastefuly decorated. Excellent service and the enrees were truly wonderful. In fact, at least as good as Bibou. I wasn't so crazy about dessert; it tasted like it came out of a box even if it didn't. I can't wait to try the brunch.
(4)
Jane E.
Amazing addition to the neighborhood - really hope it does well! On our first visit last night, we shared the Pickled Winter Vegetables, Beef Bourguignon and Sweet Potato Gnocchi - Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake for dessert. Friendly, attentive service - everything tasted superb. I thought the best gnocchi I ever had was the at Vetri, but Pickled Herron's is out of this world - I could eat those little puffs of heaven for days, and plan to since it's so close. This place might even convince me to try head cheese - we'll see! The style of the place is attractive and the art show they had on display meshed nicely.
(5)
Aleksandra A.
I am so glad to welcome this restaurant in our neighborhood! The food is just amazing! Just like in Paris! Everything was decadent and delicious! We had the onion soup, the muscles and fires, the duck, the halibut and the apple tart. Everything was really amazing and you can't beat the prices. This place is much better then some of the snobby places in Rittenhouse. Highly recommended!
(5)
Silver G.
We live a few blocks from this lovely place and have been frequenting it often. We started with brunches and then had several dinners, we have now sampled most of the menu. At first we noticed a few customer service issues, they play top 40 radio in the kitchen and the restaurant, creating an annoying soundtrack to eat french food to . This was easy to overlook, until tonight. They seem to take reservations but cannot manage them... we have run into this before and the problem is very annoying. We made reservations for an early Sat evening - 6:30 and we arrived to an empty space with exception of two other tables. We were sat in between the two other only occupied tables and in the runway to the kitchen and bathrooms. We politely brought this up and asked if we could move to the many other desirable open tables for two open. The reason given had something to do with "every table is reserved". The evening went downhill from there when we received our entrees and we were served a $27 plate of FOUR overcooked shrimp, and some cole slaw on the side. The total meal was over $90 for a plate of grilled seitan, four shrimp, and a salad. We were finished our meal of disappointment and the restaurant was still vacant.... open tables everywhere. We brought all of this up with the waiter, whom at this point should know us, and mentioned that we want to support this place..we are neighbors! We calmly explained that we were very disappointed with the food, price, and the fact that we were sat by the bathroom in an otherwise empty-STILL empty dining room. NOTHING- he asked if we wanted to see a comment card and made some excuses about the tables again. I explained that this was unacceptable, they are in a competitive environment and the last thing they need to do is disappoint locals. We were so sad leaving, we barely got a goodbye from the waiter and the host ignored us. What a terrible experience. I have been a hostess and server for many Philly restaurants and they are in some serious trouble with service.
(2)
Todd R.
Well-executed classic preparations with interesting twists in each dish. Service was friendly and appropriately attentive. I really enjoyed the feel of the dining room, would have felt comfortable dressed up or down. Prices were extremely fair given the high quality of the food and the fact they can't make their margins on marked up alcohol. This is a welcome addition to the neighborhood for those times you want something a bit special.
(5)
Christine M.
Both of my visits (with out-of-town parents) were great. Charming atmosphere, local feel, delicious gourmet food. I am thrilled to recommend it to anyone looking for an upscale, intimate dinner setting. And I love that I can walk there! Menu and artwork change regularly. Check it out, and if you have, keep visiting!
(5)
Mal B.
The Pickled Heron is a brave idea done with extreme care and personal effort. The food is heavenly -- whether it's the on premise baked bread and salted, churned butter or the lamb with imaginative fried pave and greens or the Meyers lemon upside down cake -- each flavor joins to create a clean, clear and powerful set of tastes. If you don't like extremely well prepared dishes with complexity, don't come here -- you'll be overwhelmed! And the place is beautifully yet simply appointed with pumpkin walls, an intriguing black ceiling and beautiful hand laid tile in the entry and bath. When you reach for the cast heron door handle at the front door, you know you're entering someplace special. Bring your own and pay by cash.
(5)
Wes P.
I hope this place gets the support it deserves. Food was plate licking good. We tried the charcuterie plate, the beef bourguigon and the lamb as well as dessert. A very welcome addition to Fishtown. We plan to be back many times.
(4)
Scott s.
Went there for opening night. Everything was perfect. We had the escargot, lamb, gnocchi, and onion soup. All of the food was great, but the lamb with pomegranate marinade was to die for. A welcome addition to fishtown.
(5)
Michael D.
Went into the night really looking forward to the dinner as my bride and I have heard great things about this recently opened restaurant. We found the PH to be warm and inviting with a touch of rustic flair. Service was efficient and engaging to my level of preference. We appreciated the table side visit from the cute chef ( the girl ! ). The food was outstanding - had to mentally ask myself how inappropriate it would be been to lick the plate - it was that good. Glad we got in early as this one looks to be a winner. Will certainly be back.
(5)
Meghan G.
So excited to have found this place right around the corner. Excellent BYO with a solid, seasonal/local menu. Gotta love a place where the chef actually came out to talk to us because we were asking about the cooking classes they offer. She was super kind, chatted about her food and philosophy, and was very gracious. We will surely be back, and I am so happy to have this place mere blocks away in Fishtown!
I cannot possibly say enough good things about the Pickled Heron to fully do it justice. We have had dinner here twice and, each time, the meal was the highlight of our week. The restaurant has been very busy each time we were there, but I imagine it would be slightly easier to get in for a later dinner (after 9pm or so). On our last visit, we were lucky enough to try the head cheese as part of that night's charcuterie plate (along with fois gras & duck confit) which was crispy and delicious. We also ordered a few small plates. I had previously tried the onion soup gratinee and would gladly have ordered it again, but another member of my party beat me to it. Luckily, I got to try the moule frites instead, which were some of the best I've ever eaten. For my entree, I ordered the scallops which cut like butter, yet had an amazing sear. The rest of my party had the Lamb Sirloin and the Black Bass (that nights special), both of which were fantastic. After sharing some deserts (yum!) and finishing off our wine (love the BYOB) we left, discussing how good our meals were and how soon we can make it back to the Pickled Heron.
(5)
Tom F.
This place is a welcome addition to Fishtown. Now we don't even need to leave the neighborhood to have a quiet and romantic dinner. I have read a lot of reviews that this place is overpriced... I'd say if you go to a French restaurant and order a meal and expect to pay less than $25-30 for an entree... I think you should pick a different genre. The food is excellent and the menu changes quite often. The ingredients are fresh and the recipes creative. If you are looking to not spend the dinner prices, check out brunch. The prices are in line with every other brunch spot in the area ($7-14 for a meal) The food is well worth it and the brunch portions are substantial.
So good. Great ambiance. This place definitely illustrates the difference between dining and eating. It was very much the former, and not the latter. We started with the charuterie, which was good. I was far more impressed by the bread though. My friend got the bream provencal, which was good. The dish was beautiful, the fennel and saffron were such a delicate but flavorful addition to the crispy fish. I got the pork. I should have listened to the chef and gotten it med rare. I asked for medium, but it did look more med well. Regardless, it was juicy and so flavorful. It came with some kind of (cheesy?) risotto, which was phenominal, and kale. I think I'm just not texturally a fan of kale as a personal preference. For dessert, we got the chocolate mousse, which was a perfect balance between the bitterness of quality chocolate and sweetness. I liked how the portion sizes were not over the top. The place is about quality, not quantity. So good I would definitely go back.
(4)
Tough Crowd T.
Had dinner last Saturday with a couple of friends. We had white gazpacho (good), green salad (good), moules frites, lentil cakes (a vegan entree) (meh), steak with grilled peaches and corn (meh) and bbq boar shoulder (a disappointment). The boar shoulder is not an entree they should continue offering. I've had much better pulled pork (which is what the meat looked like) that this boar meat preparation. Had two desserts: peach melba (didn't try) and lillet creme brulee (okay). A lovely neighborhood french BYO. With the emphasis on "neighborhood." If I lived in Fishtown, I would probably eat here a lot. But not worth a car trip, like another lovely french BYO within walking distance of my house, Bibou.
(3)
Jeremy R.
WOW! I was looking for a nice BYOB in Philly and after some Yelpish research I chose the Heron. What a choice that turned out to be. Our party turned up at the appointed hour and were promptly seated. The ambiance is cozy brownstone that is not over-decorated. The kitchen is small and open. We started with charcuterie and Moules Frites, both were perfectly prepared and served in ample portions. The highlight for me was the duck liver pate which was velvety and delicious. On to the entrees. What really shined was the quality of the meat and fish used in the simple but elegant preparations. The venison was like a fine fillet of beef but smoother and perfectly. Crusted with coffee and accompanied by tasty brussel sprouts. The duck was another winner, a large breast perfectly cooked with a sweet/savory jus. The sea bream was delicate fresh, presented on a bed of French lentils. At this point I thought the best part of the meal was over but we had some Sauternes to drink so we ordered four of the desserts and a French press of coffee. All the treats were incredible but I felt the standouts were the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the apple frangipane tart. The cherry cake was crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside balanced by the smooth nutty pistachio ice cream was delightful where as the tart was fresh and apple-y with a tender crust filled with semi-sweet almond paste. The duck egg creme brulee was a wonder of richness that was not overburdened with sweetness. The sweet treats we balanced by the strong yet smooth carafe of French press coffee. Total bill around $150 for 4 which seemed quite fair but don't forget that they are cash only. Based on our experience, I can't recommend the Pickled Heron highly enough. The ambiance, food and waitstaff were all wonderful and I will return on my next visit to Philly. Go there now while you can still get a table.
(5)
Lauren J.
Who orders vegetarian food at a French restaurant? This girl, apparently. Now, I'm not a veggie head, but something called me to the tofu dish (which was amazing). It came with a side of fregola-sarda (homemade by Daniela!) which positively popped in my mouth- so refreshing and tasty. I also had the root vegetable salad, I believe they only carry it at certain times of year. I highly recommend it if it's on the menu when you go here. It was my birthday, and my significant other at the time had brought a lovely pinot-noir which had been suggested by the kitchen before hand, as he checked to make sure he got something that went well with most of their menu items. It surely did. He had the lamb, which I got to taste (see? I told you I wasn't a veghead). It was so moist and tender, absolutely divine. I would also like to add that the waiter, Sean, who is not hard on the eyes, was wonderful, graciously assisting us through this feast! While the delightful food and service may whisk your imagination away, to, say, France, the best part is, you're still in Fishtown! So what is a gem of a place like this doing in Fishtown? I don't care to answer that question, I just want to go again. Soon.
(5)
Jim R.
This was our 2nd visit and I'm afraid it turned out like our first - close but no cigar! I'm sorry, but if I'm spending around $110 for dinner per couple (with tip) I want to be impressed - I wasn't nor were the other two couples we were with.
(2)
Shaun S.
Phenomenal food, great prices, cozy atmosphere, and right in the heart of fishtown! I've already tried almost everything on the menu, and I couldn't be more pleased that The Pickled Heron is right around the corner from me. From the open kitchen, to the decor, to the (most importantly) food, this place will surely be around for many years to come! I highly recommend it!
My husband and I live in the neighborhood, so we finally had brunch here today and left so satisfied. I had the Mortadella eggs Benedict and my husband had the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. They make their own bread at TPH, so that made both our meals extra delicious, in addition to their homemade hollandaise sauce. I'm too intimated to make poached eggs at home, so I'm happy to leave it to the professionals! We also tried some of the crispy panisse, which is likely fried polenta cubes - great accompaniment to the breakfast items, which also come with fingerling potatoes. Hostess was friendly, attentive server without loitering around too long (which I always appreciate at a restaurant...I like good service and to me that means being able to sit, relax and enjoy my meal without feeling rushed). Daniela and Todd make a great team and the restaurant is a lovely spot. I hope it encourages more small businesses to come around and continue to liven up the neighborhood.
(5)
Anthony T.
Try the duck breast. Best duck I ever had! Perfectly cooked, medium rare. The home made gnocchi was a great complement.
(4)
Andrew A.
I went to the Pickled Heron last night with a friend to celebrate our mutual birthdays. I've been eagerly waiting for the arrival of this new restaurant in our neighborhood, and it did not disappoint! We ordered a number of items on the menu and every bite of every one was delicious! Especially loved the beef borgognone and the escargot. Service was attentive, pleasant and unobtrusive. Our waitress even brought me a complimentary glass of house wine (my friend doesn't drink so I didn't bring a bottle). The atmosphere is cozy (and I don't mean that as a nice way to say too small) and elegant at the same time. Great addition to Fishtown and worth a trip to the neighborhood for anyone who lives elsewhere. Highly recommneded!
(5)
Susan F.
Yummy, delicious french food. My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the music, please do something about the music, anything besides commercial FM radio. It is the only thing throwing off the ambiance in this otherwise very cute restaurant.
(4)
Daniel L.
This place was lovely and the food was great! I took my wife here for her birthday. Ambience and service was excellent and the food was excellent. We got the Arugula salad and garlic soup as appetizers. My wife got the shrimp (replacement for scallops) with sweet potato gratin and I got the bass with barley risotto. Both were really good. The bass was tender with a slightly crispy skin. For dessert, we got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the lillet blanc creme brulee. Both were really delicious! We will definitely come back to try more!
(4)
A. Jordan R.
This place is absolutely, unequivocally, and without a doubt the best place in Philly for French cuisine. The atmosphere is cosy and comfortable. The food is unbelievably good. Service is exquisite. Perfect spot for a date or special occasion. I like that you can see the kitchen from your table. The owner sent us out rabbit ravioli during our meal and it was super tasty. Don't forget that it's a BYO. I stocked up on red wine, champaign, and chartreuse before our dinner.
(5)
PJ H.
Fantastic. I have been working in Fishtown for two years, and it took me a minute to process that I was actually in Fishtown eating French Bistro food that I would put up against the likes of any french place in the city. Very high quality food and the craftsmanship really shows. Byob, so cant really complain about that, and the prices were reasonable for what you were getting. We had 3 courses, with 4 people and it ran like 180 bucks, which i thought was awesome. We essentially ordered the whole menu, but the highlights were the duck, the house charcuterie plate, and the foie, which was outstanding. I will definitely be back.
(5)
Ben B.
The last French restaurant my wife and I visited was the famous French restaurant Bouchon n Napa Valley. I had the lamb at Timothy Keller's famous restaurant. However, it was in Fishtown that I finished my Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin. Tres bien! Minus the celebrity sightings my experience in the hood beat the best California had to offer. And the service was authentic and kind. Fishtown high dining has arrived.
(5)
Joshua G.
Disclaimer: this was a Sunday evening experience: (Notorious for B-squad wait staff) I went here with my Mom for a belated Mother's Day dinner with a gift certificate from a friend, my wife doesn't really do fancy food. I love the gourmet stuff, but rarely get the opportunity, so I took my mom to cash in the $80 gift certificate. We had: Arugula salad Duck with polenta Pasta Alfresco a half-press coffee flourless chocolate cake with rhubarb Basil shortcake with Strawberry ice cream The waitress was courteous enough, she wasn't exactly rude, but she wasn't exactly warm either. I think maybe I must have been under dressed and I did not hide the fact that I was using a gift certificate. We didn't bring any wine because my mom doesn't really drink and she was recovering from foot surgery and wouldn't be driving my drunk behind home, so we just had water. The ambiance was nice, and the salad was rockin! I ordered the duck because when else am I going to eat duck? It was decent. I probably won't order duck again, but it was well prepared and very tasty. I cleaned my plate. HOWEVER, the cabbage that came with it was totally burnt, not in a tasty way. Ever other bite or so I'd get a mouth full of charcoal flavor, it was a little less than I was expecting for such a highly rated establishment. Still, polenta duck and salad were awesome, as was mom's pasta dish. Dessert was OK. The rhubarb and creme stuff that was with the flourless chocolate cake would have been awesome with anything other than the chocolate cake--which was good on its own--just the pairing was a little off. Didn't jive with me anyway. The basil shortcake with strawberry ice cream was perfection. I'm rooting for this place especially for its location, I think it's gonna be a great establishment for the neighborhood, and I hope they pwn the Iron Chef competition I hear they're scheduled for, but if I was going to drop that kind of change on a fancy-schmancy meal, I expect it to be flawless. Thankfully, I used the gift cert, and the difference was about $5. (Total $85) I tipped the waitress $20 for her so-so service because I worked as a waiter for about 5 years, and everybody has a bad day sometimes. So, for $25 I think I got what I paid for. Still, unless they're offering a deep discount for early Sunday evening, they need to up their game on the service side. Then again, maybe I just don't belong in fancy restaurants.
(3)
Three R.
This place is so cool. From the moment we walked in the service was so good, that I assumed the waiter was the owner. I was WRONG! lol It is BYOB, so go to Bob's Tavern and get some great local beers. Then your ready for your taste buds to dance. Really they will! The food was amazing we met the chef/owner and she was so warm and friendly we felt like family. We are going back to work our way through the Menu. Please check this place out and enjoy the Dance. lol
(5)
John M.
Nice little BYOB. I tried their mussels and beef stew. The mussels were very good and a generous serving, the beef stew was a little too salty. Our waitress seemed a little new, and while the service was fine it was not outstanding. Overall I felt like everything was a bit overpriced for the quality and service level, but I was not disappointed at the end of my meal. I had their creme brulee for dessert, most of it was good but parts of the top were more black than browned and tasty burnt.
(3)
Kelly C.
i had a lovely experience here!! honestly, i was very worried after reading some of the reviews on yelp.. i even went as far as to look on other foodie platforms for some reassurance lol~ anyway, i'm really happy that it turned out great. it was a very quiet and intimate dinner with my family :) on contrary to what some yelp critics have mentioned, i did not think PH's dishes lacked flavor.. i enjoyed my appetizers (crab souffle and foie gras) and pan seared duck very much. i don't think it's fair to put this on par with other well established restaurants. don't get me wrong but PH is a very low key spot. it actually reminded me of the idea of speakeasies. it has a very homey feel and taste to it. yet the dishes are complex enough that there is no way i can make it at home! Appetizer: Foie Gras - loved the pear sauce with it~ very wintery feel Crab Souffle - almost like a crab cake, i just wish there was more crab in it. very unique! but the horseradish salad was a little overpowering i thought.. Entree: Pan Seared Duck - loved all the elements on this dish! generous portion! Beef Bourguignon - similar to a beef stew~ i only had a bite of it but it was very yummy. portion seemed a little smaller compared to the duck Grilled Venison - yummy but nothing overwhelming~ the chestnut puree was a fine touch to compliment the game the only thing i could pick at was the quality of the ingredients. both the foie gras and the duck, frankly, were not the best-- quality wise. i don't know how to explain it but it just didn't deliver that winning blow~ the duck was recommended to cook to medium rare-- not a problem to me. however, the meat was too tough! we had a hard time cutting it on the plate. medium would have be better. the skin also carried just a tad too much fat than i would like.. other than that, the dish was very well prepared. it was very scrumptious! the other thing my family mentioned was them not offering warm bread :/ i mean it's pretty cold out~ warm bread would've been a beautiful start lol but the butter was fantastic! we ended up having seconds to a serving of bread anyway. other than that, it was a fantastic saturday night~ we left very full and satisfied. i would recommend PH to other people :) and definitely bring some wine to spice up your night! cheers!
(4)
Shauna G.
It was... well... it was extremely all right. Tragically so. All the makings of something that could have been great, but it was just... fine. Outside of the fact that the menu lacked a fancy French cheese plate option (a tragedy in and of itself), I don't have many complaints. The service was wonderful. Love me a good BYO. My scallops were plated and cooked beautifully. The atmosphere was charming, but... I don't know. It just lacked chutzpah to me. The menu was absent of the inventiveness and creativity that I've come to enjoy in the Philly dining scene. Nothing jumped out at me. Nothing inspired me. Nothing left me begging for more. Overall... Solid. Solid, but forgettable.
(3)
Michelle C.
The Pickled Heron has been on my list of bookmarked restaurants for a long time, and I finally got to check it out with two girlfriends on Friday. We arrived armed with three bottles of vino. Though the restaurant was featuring some type of restaurant week deal, they still had their full menu available, which was our preference. Unfortunately, the menu didn't exactly match the one online, and my friend was disappointed to see that the scallops were no longer being offered. Luckily, there were still a handful of other seafood options. I started with the moules frites. The mussels were served in a light, saffron-scented broth and they were fantastic. The fries were piping hot and served in a cone with a mild dipping sauce. Next up was a steak with bone marrow stuffing, mushrooms and onion. The steak was a perfect medium rare as requested. We passed on dessert but said yes to French pressed coffee. I'm glad I finally got a chance to try The Pickled Heron and I'd be down for a return trip sometime.
(4)
Aaliyah P.
I sometimes make the mistake of having way to high expectations of a restaurant. Pickled Herron unfortunately falls into this category. My gal pals and I were eager for our meal here we love Byobs and French fare so to say we were highly anticipating this meal would be right. Service was flawless , I can't recall her name but she was super sweet and did a great job of checking in and keeping water glasses full. My reasons for 3 stars instead of four: -Menu online clearly different then the hand printed one placed before us. I always check a restaurants website to make sure there will be some options for me in the event something isn't available. I'm sad to say the scallops i had been salivating over were no longer an option - what French restaurant doesn't have a cheese board or at least a cheese feature ? I was very perplexed and slightly offended by this. I'm not sure you can call yourself a French establishment without any fromage. - the charcuterie board is actually house made but mostly or terrines and pates ...no thank you I went with the arugula and peach salad along with the mussels and frites. The peach salad left me feeling a little puzzled. The peaches weren't ripe enough in my opinion so the sweetness that should have been there was lacking. The salad was dressed lightly and featured a few nuts. It was ok but is something I could have made at home. The mussels were divine and I was very happy with my choice. The frites were perfect and I consider myself a French fry connoisseur. These two items were the perfect portion for me. My dining companions seemed to enjoy their steaks and as stated before service was on point . I'm not sold into coming back wish the outcome was different.
(3)
Mike Z.
Came here on a double date on a busy Saturday night. Its a small byob in Fishtown. It has a really nice atmosphere.. I like the simple menu thats to the point and very small. We started with a couple appetizers that included fois gras, crab salad, and assorted meats with crackers. The food was good but nothing that stood out or amazing. Also the bread that was served wasn't fresh or warm. The bread usually says a lot about a restaurant. For entrees I had the fish (forget name and cant find it on the menu online) but it was really amazing. My friends ordered medium cooked duck and beef. The duck just wasn't good. It didn't have much flavor and it was dry. We were recommended to try it medium rare but we were not about to eat bloody duck. Another person had the beef and he said it was good. For dessert we had the warm chocolate cake and it was tasty. Overall it was a good experience, good service and mostly pretty good food.
(4)
Kristen F.
What a fantastic meal. Living three blocks away, there was no excuse for not having patronized this fine establishment sooner, so, when the opportunity to meet some friends for dinner presented itself, we jumped on the chance to try Pickled Heron. What an adorable place. Small, intimate dining room with an open kitchen area, allowing you to see the chefs at work. Pretty sweet date spot! We had the charcuterie and some super-rad bleu cheese puffs to start. Oh. My. God. The charcuterie was unique, surprising, fresh, and delicious. While I'm normally not a pate person, it was hard not to fall in love with theirs. And the bleu cheese puffs? Heavenly, coupled perfectly with figs. I had the shrimp and he had the black bass for an entree, and, the portion sizes were perfect, the food was fresh and thoughtfully seasoned. We finished with some french press coffee, and, were simply delighted with our meals. With their ever-changing, locally sourced menu, creative food pairings, and reasonable pricing, this place is at the top of my list to visit again.
(5)
Diana H.
I've been wanting to try out a French restaurant in Philly for a while, so it just had to happen last night. The Pickled Heron wasn't my first choice, but I'm a procrastinator when it comes to making reservations so there wasn't much choice on a Saturday night. The decor is great. Warm, yellow walls in the dining room and even the restroom walls were beautiful deep red. I had the foie gras as a starter. It was tasty and it went great with the sauce. My husband had the charcuterie. He thought it was just OK, but I tasted it and thought it was lovely. For our main courses we had the duck breast and the lamb. The duck came with risotto. Flavors could've been a bit stronger, but on the other hand. It was cooked very well and so I was happy. My husband loved his lamb dish. He said it was rich in flavor. For dessert we shared the chocolate terrine which was simply delish! It's a nice restaurant, but I'm not sure if I'd go back. I thought service was just OK, not overly friendly or welcoming, pretty standard. Also, the crowd here is a bit older... Overall, we had a lovely dinner with interesting flavors. Well done!
(4)
Victoria L.
On a winter evening, my lady friend and I went to Pickled Heron BYOB. After hearing lots of good things about this place, we were surprised to be one of two seatings that night (probably the entire night, because we stayed for quite some time). Since it was a quiet evening, the service was great so we were not complaining. To start, we ordered the charcuterie - one of our favorite things. It was good (as always) but we've gone to some great places that really wow us and this was just standard. As entrees, my friend got the duck, which she loved. I got a fish that was pretty standard as well, not very memorable. Afterwards, we couldn't pass up dessert. We decided on opera cake and red velvet cake. Unfortunately, our meal almost ended on a poor note since the red velvet cake lacked any flavor of all (not enough butter or cocoa). The opera cake made up for it though with decadent chocolate flavors. In retrospect, I would have skipped dessert and maybe tried another appetizer.
(3)
David P.
I've now had several consistently excellent meals at the Pickled Heron. They've definitely earned their 5 stars. On the menu for the last visit was the duck breast (had to have again) and a duck cassoulet with homemade duck sausage and duck confit. It was fabulous. Finished with a wonderful rice pudding.
(5)
Olivia J.
One star goes to the very poor service, we ordered our food immediately after sitting down, but an hour and half later, our main entree still has not arrived. When the food finally arrived (one hour 45 mins later) it's definite more rare than medium-rare. Moreover, we were not given the proper cutting knife like other tables which made it even harder to cut though the already rare meat. Additionally, our waitress completely ignored us throughout the meal time. For example, we had to chase after another waiter to get our water refilled). The two 6-people tables that arrived after us received food within 30 minutes of sitting down, which was way before we got any of our main food. The food is good and the service is one of the worst I have ever received.
(1)
David B.
I had some pretty high expectations and I'll say they were met. Had dinner last night with my wife and a close friend. We were flanked by a wine tasting dinner, but not all the tables were filled. I would say this in general about The Pickled Heron. It's not a full service restaurant. That's not to say that the service is bad, but you are coming here for the food. We brought a bottle of Frecon Farms Crabby Granny and Gulden Draak 10.5 Brewmaster's Select to pair with our food. For appetizer, we had the salad, moules frites, foie gras and charcuterie plate. I would definitely re-order the moules frites and foie. I was extremely pleased to see the frites and moules separated. The frites must have been blanched in saffron water before being fried and really carried that bright minerally saffron essence. The aioli (mayo) was clearly homemade and delicious. The moules themselves were unsatifyingly tiny beasts in comparison to what I find in the regular grocery store, but the sauce was buttery saffrony decadence. The foie was nicely seared, rare on the inside and paired with a moist currant cake that was the bomb. The salad and charcuterie were delicious as well, but not memorable. For dinner, we shared the beef bourguignon, venison denver steak and duck breasts. They were all excellent entrees but the winner was clearly the venison. It was perfectly sous vide, sublimely tender and paired with a chestnut puree that tasted like maple nutty whipped potatoes. The duck was second best and only suffered from having been a tough cut of meat. It would have benefited from a sous vide sleep for several hours instead of whatever technique they did employ. Nevertheless, the perfectly cooked skin made up for it. Lastly, the beef bourguignon was excellent but could have been more stewy and cohesive. Each element felt a little too separated and it didn't have that country french flavor that it could have. All in all, I will definitely be back to The Pickled Heron. It was a delicious meal and worth the $$$.
(5)
Jessica S.
This is a great BYOB... IN KENSINGTON!!! I scoped the place out before it even opened and was very pleased. What a great thing to open up so far north of Girard. Delicious food. - my first escargot! and every dish was flavorful and lovely. Friendly Service. - the server was delightful. took care of us and all his other tables too. Atmosphere. - a well put together not over the top place that was not too noisy for a small byob. We dressed for the occasion, but others were dining more casually... I think we'll have to go back again for brunch one weekend. Really nice place to have a really nice meal.. Give it a try!
(5)
Shaun S.
Phenomenal food, great prices, cozy atmosphere, and right in the heart of fishtown! I've already tried almost everything on the menu, and I couldn't be more pleased that The Pickled Heron is right around the corner from me. From the open kitchen, to the decor, to the (most importantly) food, this place will surely be around for many years to come! I highly recommend it!
(5)
Khoa N.
I dined at the Pickled Heron about 2 years ago with a large party of 20+ a few months after they opened. I was able to try a number of dishes and was not blown away with the same experiences as other yelpers. I've been dying to give them another chance since then and did do last night. It was a pretty quiet night. I arrived shortly after 6pm on a Wednesday and, by the time I finished before 8pm, I only saw 2 other tables. The meal began with bread and butter. I usually don't mention that, but the bread was enjoyably crusty with a warm and chewy center and the butter was nicely softened. Next came the charcuterie and fioe gras. The housemade meat plate consisted of a duck liver mouse, veal terrine, and slices of some sausage. I've had better, but it wasn't terrible either. The seared fioe gras was accompanied by elderflower jelly. That was the only part of the meal I was nervous about. I'm not a fan of St. Germain in my drinks, but the elderflower paired well with the rich fioe gras. My wife and I continued with the duck and steak bavette. The seared duck breast came with grilled garlic scapes, cous cous, and a red curry sauce. The scapes were mildly garlicky and I wouldn't have known there was curry on the plate if I didn't see the menu first. The duck was seasoned well, but was unfortunately tough, even though it was cooked to medium rare. The grilled steak bavette came with asparagus, pickled lemon oyster mushrooms and cornbread. As with the other main plate, it was all seasoned well, but also tough. This was the first time I've had pickled mushrooms and it was a surprise. I'm more accustomed to savory and earthy mushrooms as opposed to tart and delicate. A huge slice of skillet cornbread rounded out the plate. You can't have a dinner without dessert, so I ordered the duck egg creme brulee. I was prepared for some gaminess, but it actually turned out pretty mild and was a good finish to the meal. I left the restaurant full and satisfied. The portion sizes were very generous and were full of flavor, however the proteins were a bit tough.
(4)
Joe B.
From the very beginning, it was clear that Pickled Heron was the best restaurant in Fishtown. Now after a few years of consistently delivering incredible food and impeccable service, PH has developed a reputation for being one of the finest restaurants in the entire city. Chefs Todd and Daniela have created such a welcoming place on Frankford Ave. The dinner menus are always great. But if you get the chance, try to get a reservation for one of their special dinner series. It's also a great place for private parties. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner there with about 40 guests and had a blast. It was fun to plan with Todd and Daniela - we were confident the entire time that they would do an incredible job. They surpassed expectation.
(5)
Steve K.
My wife and I ate here last week to celebrate yet another birthday...sigh The place is just lovely with nice small tables not too close to each other bright walls and art-y furnishings as well as a black ceiling to lend an intimate air with just right illumination. We came to this BYOB with what turned out to be a nice bottle of wine, albeit with a screw top - I was humiliated but the waiter handled it with tact and aplumb. The one guy handled the whole room with 3 parties of 2 and a party of 4. When running down the offerings he mainly named beef so i asked him why no fish. He said it was beef weather, so I followed his advice and ordered Beef Bourguignon - beef for perhaps the first time in a fine restaurant in many years. I am so happy I did - the dish was just outstanding with potatoes and other savory goodies along with beef, delicious beef with fat that gave it a great mouth feel and was so satisfying on a coldish day. If by habit you infrequently eat red meat when eating out (save for burgers and BBQ) take the waiters advice through me and try the Beef Bourguignon here! My wife has the scallops and the bit SWIMBO let me try was great - they came with (I think) Crimini mushrooms that my wife did not care for but which I loved. We finished with a shared Creme Brulee made with duck eggs rather then chicken that they said made it lighter - it was fine but not as outstanding as the main courses - perhaps because I declined coffee on a weeknight when I had to get up at 5 the next morning... All that with tip was in the 70's with tax and tip - a bargain all in all!
(5)
Chris M.
The Pickled Heron is a thoroughly lovely BYOB in the Fishtown section of the city. It's the sort of place that you just want to love as soon as you see it: small, unassuming, unpretentiously romantic. No overwrought decor here: just earnest work toward providing a superior restaurant experience. We strolled in on a Friday night without reservations, which we came to learn is seldom a good idea. Luckily for us, they had one more table available, and we got it--every now and again, we come up high on Fortuna's wheel. We were promptly seated, and our waiter came over and opened our wine for us. As we sipped a nice pinot and looked over the menu, I knew we had come to the right place for dinner. We split a nice baby greens salad and from there went to entrees, tilefish for me and the steak bavette for my wife. I loved the tilefish. It was perfectly cooked: moist and with some chew. My wife's steak was cooked to the medium rare she specified, and she enjoyed it. The food was delivered with quick, friendly, and efficient service. Because the Pickled Heron is BYOB, you can have a top-tier meal here for a very reasonable price. We had what felt like a $100 meal/experience for about $60--not bad at all. We will def be back.
(4)
David S.
I am proud to have such a fine French bistro-type restaurant in my very own Fishtown. Pickled Heron broke the barrier here of only bar food and pizza. It is a wonderful, cozy BYOB that delivers fine dining at a very high level. We were attended to by Sean (Shaun?), who made sure that every detail was taken care of in a very timely manner. The menu is varied enough to suit every palate. I started with the Foie Gras, which had a delicious smoky flavor and was quite enjoyable. The grilled octopus appetizer was cooked to perfection, not chewy at all. Our entree selections of veal breast and duck breast were surprisingly large portions, which I never expected (but was happy with) from a french restaurant. I can't wait to go back
(5)
John B.
Pickled Heron is a charming little place that is a bit off the beaten path. Every meal I have ever had there has been fantastic with the exception of the time I tried their Valentine's Day prefixed. Even then the food wasn't bad they were just massive understaffed. Otherwise it's a super charming place that really has it together. There servers are knowledgable and friendly and their food is some of my favorite in the city. There prices are also very reasonable for what you are getting. If you go in hungry I recommend getting a small plate as a starter and a large plate as your main. It's based very firmly in French cuisine so it's also maybe not a great choice for vegans or vegetarians. For everyone else I highly recommend it.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Romantic Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
A. Jordan R.
This place is absolutely, unequivocally, and without a doubt the best place in Philly for French cuisine. The atmosphere is cosy and comfortable. The food is unbelievably good. Service is exquisite. Perfect spot for a date or special occasion. I like that you can see the kitchen from your table. The owner sent us out rabbit ravioli during our meal and it was super tasty. Don't forget that it's a BYO. I stocked up on red wine, champaign, and chartreuse before our dinner.
(5)Joshua G.
Disclaimer: this was a Sunday evening experience: (Notorious for B-squad wait staff) I went here with my Mom for a belated Mother's Day dinner with a gift certificate from a friend, my wife doesn't really do fancy food. I love the gourmet stuff, but rarely get the opportunity, so I took my mom to cash in the $80 gift certificate. We had: Arugula salad Duck with polenta Pasta Alfresco a half-press coffee flourless chocolate cake with rhubarb Basil shortcake with Strawberry ice cream The waitress was courteous enough, she wasn't exactly rude, but she wasn't exactly warm either. I think maybe I must have been under dressed and I did not hide the fact that I was using a gift certificate. We didn't bring any wine because my mom doesn't really drink and she was recovering from foot surgery and wouldn't be driving my drunk behind home, so we just had water. The ambiance was nice, and the salad was rockin! I ordered the duck because when else am I going to eat duck? It was decent. I probably won't order duck again, but it was well prepared and very tasty. I cleaned my plate. HOWEVER, the cabbage that came with it was totally burnt, not in a tasty way. Ever other bite or so I'd get a mouth full of charcoal flavor, it was a little less than I was expecting for such a highly rated establishment. Still, polenta duck and salad were awesome, as was mom's pasta dish. Dessert was OK. The rhubarb and creme stuff that was with the flourless chocolate cake would have been awesome with anything other than the chocolate cake--which was good on its own--just the pairing was a little off. Didn't jive with me anyway. The basil shortcake with strawberry ice cream was perfection. I'm rooting for this place especially for its location, I think it's gonna be a great establishment for the neighborhood, and I hope they pwn the Iron Chef competition I hear they're scheduled for, but if I was going to drop that kind of change on a fancy-schmancy meal, I expect it to be flawless. Thankfully, I used the gift cert, and the difference was about $5. (Total $85) I tipped the waitress $20 for her so-so service because I worked as a waiter for about 5 years, and everybody has a bad day sometimes. So, for $25 I think I got what I paid for. Still, unless they're offering a deep discount for early Sunday evening, they need to up their game on the service side. Then again, maybe I just don't belong in fancy restaurants.
(3)Three R.
This place is so cool. From the moment we walked in the service was so good, that I assumed the waiter was the owner. I was WRONG! lol It is BYOB, so go to Bob's Tavern and get some great local beers. Then your ready for your taste buds to dance. Really they will! The food was amazing we met the chef/owner and she was so warm and friendly we felt like family. We are going back to work our way through the Menu. Please check this place out and enjoy the Dance. lol
(5)Kelly C.
i had a lovely experience here!! honestly, i was very worried after reading some of the reviews on yelp.. i even went as far as to look on other foodie platforms for some reassurance lol~ anyway, i'm really happy that it turned out great. it was a very quiet and intimate dinner with my family :) on contrary to what some yelp critics have mentioned, i did not think PH's dishes lacked flavor.. i enjoyed my appetizers (crab souffle and foie gras) and pan seared duck very much. i don't think it's fair to put this on par with other well established restaurants. don't get me wrong but PH is a very low key spot. it actually reminded me of the idea of speakeasies. it has a very homey feel and taste to it. yet the dishes are complex enough that there is no way i can make it at home! Appetizer: Foie Gras - loved the pear sauce with it~ very wintery feel Crab Souffle - almost like a crab cake, i just wish there was more crab in it. very unique! but the horseradish salad was a little overpowering i thought.. Entree: Pan Seared Duck - loved all the elements on this dish! generous portion! Beef Bourguignon - similar to a beef stew~ i only had a bite of it but it was very yummy. portion seemed a little smaller compared to the duck Grilled Venison - yummy but nothing overwhelming~ the chestnut puree was a fine touch to compliment the game the only thing i could pick at was the quality of the ingredients. both the foie gras and the duck, frankly, were not the best-- quality wise. i don't know how to explain it but it just didn't deliver that winning blow~ the duck was recommended to cook to medium rare-- not a problem to me. however, the meat was too tough! we had a hard time cutting it on the plate. medium would have be better. the skin also carried just a tad too much fat than i would like.. other than that, the dish was very well prepared. it was very scrumptious! the other thing my family mentioned was them not offering warm bread :/ i mean it's pretty cold out~ warm bread would've been a beautiful start lol but the butter was fantastic! we ended up having seconds to a serving of bread anyway. other than that, it was a fantastic saturday night~ we left very full and satisfied. i would recommend PH to other people :) and definitely bring some wine to spice up your night! cheers!
(4)Shauna G.
It was... well... it was extremely all right. Tragically so. All the makings of something that could have been great, but it was just... fine. Outside of the fact that the menu lacked a fancy French cheese plate option (a tragedy in and of itself), I don't have many complaints. The service was wonderful. Love me a good BYO. My scallops were plated and cooked beautifully. The atmosphere was charming, but... I don't know. It just lacked chutzpah to me. The menu was absent of the inventiveness and creativity that I've come to enjoy in the Philly dining scene. Nothing jumped out at me. Nothing inspired me. Nothing left me begging for more. Overall... Solid. Solid, but forgettable.
(3)Michelle C.
The Pickled Heron has been on my list of bookmarked restaurants for a long time, and I finally got to check it out with two girlfriends on Friday. We arrived armed with three bottles of vino. Though the restaurant was featuring some type of restaurant week deal, they still had their full menu available, which was our preference. Unfortunately, the menu didn't exactly match the one online, and my friend was disappointed to see that the scallops were no longer being offered. Luckily, there were still a handful of other seafood options. I started with the moules frites. The mussels were served in a light, saffron-scented broth and they were fantastic. The fries were piping hot and served in a cone with a mild dipping sauce. Next up was a steak with bone marrow stuffing, mushrooms and onion. The steak was a perfect medium rare as requested. We passed on dessert but said yes to French pressed coffee. I'm glad I finally got a chance to try The Pickled Heron and I'd be down for a return trip sometime.
(4)Jude B.
Food was délicieux, ambiance was sacre-blah. Made an early (6:00) reservation for a romantic Christmas dinner with my girlfriend. When we arrived we were seated in a tight spot between the wall and the only other two person table with people. I'm not sure why they chose to smush us all together at one side of the restaurant, but it really set a bad tone for the date (we had a great date but were super annoyed at their obliviousness to the lousy seating). On top of that the only other table besides the one they wedged us next to was an obnoxiously loud, slovenly dressed (Dave Matthews Band 2005 Tour t-shirt to a French bistro, really?) party of 6. I guess I was expecting something a little more dimly lit, with well-dressed couples since it was described as "Romantic" on Yelp. That said, the food was really good. Though we both felt sick the next day, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and blame that on the two BYOB bottles of wine we polished off in an effort to drown out the other table and forget how cramped our table was. Could be a great little restaurant if they work on their decor, ambiance, and lousy seating logistics. Wouldn't recommend it for a date, but if you're looking for somewhere to go with a group, could be a fun spot.
(3)Amy H.
I visited The Pickled Heron with my sister when she was in town during Thanksgiving weekend. I was in the area for another function so we decided to eat dinner. I had heard rave reviews from locals in the area, but was none-the-less disappointed. Food: App: Mussels with fries - delicious and definitely a good app to share. The portion for this appetizer seemed ridiculous when we got our mains. It's very filling and could be a meal on its own. Me: Quail with mushroom (and foie gras?) risotto - The risotto was rich and nice but didn't make up for the dry and flavorless quail, which was rather messy and difficult to eat. Her: Grilled steak with some greens and what I believe was a yam pave drenched in truffle oil. Compared to the mussel app, this dish was absurdly proportioned. There were four bite size pieces of delicious steak done perfectly next to a gigantic slab of yam pave. My sister polished off the steak and greens, but barely touched the pave which filled up half the plate. I like truffle oil as much as the next person, but this was overwhelming. One thing to note is that unless you can find a very recent menu before visiting, it is likely that the menu in the restaurant will be different. They change the offerings frequently, and none of the dishes I had been hoping to try were actually on the menu. Service: Our waiter started out great at 6:30pm, we were one of two tables eating. Nice and observant, maybe a little too much. By 7:15, a few more tables had come in with larger groups and he couldn't handle the rush. We had finished our meal and were staring around us, it was too loud to have a decent conversation without shouting, but the waiter wouldn't stop by for another 15min to bring us the dessert menu. It took him another 15min to come around before we could tell him we didn't want dessert, and just wanted to leave. Final notes: The food is hit or miss and so is the service. For the prices they're charging in the neighborhood they're in, I expected more, and also maybe the ability to take plastic. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
(3)Sagi S.
Nice little place for dinner. I heard of this place from a friend and I am glad we went and checked it out. We went on a Friday night armed with a bottle of wine. We started with mussels and frites and a micro green salad both were very nice. The greens were fresh, perfectly dressed with some crunchy beets and goat cheese. The mussels were delicious in a white sauce with Belgian style fries. We ate too much of the appetizers and had a hard time finishing the entrees which was very good as well. I ordered the beef bourguignon which tasted exactly like it should taste, melt in your mouth with a hint of sweetness in the sauce, it was lovely and very rich so it was a little hard for me to finish. We also ordered the lamb tenderloin this was very skillfully made cooked to medium rare with a side of cheek pea and potato which had a great Mediterranean flavor. Great menu for winter, I wonder what it will look like as the weather warms up! The service was very good, wasn't too noisy which I like, parking was easy, hope they do well! We would definitely make the trip again.
(5)Adam R.
Wow is all I have to say. This place blew my mind with its great care and attention to detail. It is the definition of classy without pretension. My date and I wanted to try as much on the menu as possible, and we did! The staff was friendly, attentive, and not overbearing. We forgot our wine, and they very quietly poured us a couple glasses from their own stock. The bread and homemade butter to start wet my bill. Then came the mussels... oh my the mussels! I honestly have never had them prepared better. They melted in my mouth, just enough sauce, and the flavor was incredible. We had plate after plate of fantastic dishes. The highlight for me was the lamb. It was prepared just rare enough. The last time I tasted lamb so fresh, was when I ate a freshly slaughtered one. No lie... For me, a good peice of lamb is better than any cow steak. We finished with dessert that was just enough to fill my giant belly. The right amount of sweetness combined with bitter rich dark chocolate. This meal was filled with multiple foodgasms.
(5)Sarah K.
I am so thrilled to be writing this review. At long last this little stretch of Frankford Ave has a new neighborhood gem to welcome. The chef-owners here really put themselves into their restaurant and their food (and practically built the place from scratch - amazing) and I agree with a previous poster that I truly hope the neighborhood gets behind this spot and does what they do best - support independent, talented Philadelphia chefs and small businesses. Philly has a serious lack of accessible, affordable, quality French bistro fare. French cuisine is so wonderful, but too often out of reach. The Pickled Heron fills this gap admirably. Starting with the bread and (homemade) butter through to the amazing skate wing (something else you rarely see in these parts) our meal was delicious, special, and relaxed - all the best things about bistro cooking.
(5)Beth K.
Grew up not far from this location but now live in Michigan for the past 20 years. Ate a fantastic dinner with my aunt! Server was ver friendly and willing to tell us all about the menu. Due to a gluten-free diet, she said the chef would make adjustments. I had the yellow eye fish and it was superb. Nice size portion, perfectly cooked and tasted delicious. The polenta was rich & creamy and I cleared my plate. My selective, 80-year old aunt ate every drop of her beet risotto and said she thought it was very, very tasty and unique. She had never eaten beet risotto before. Make sure you taste their homemade butter - very nice! And speaking of homemade, try the buttermilk and the rum raisin ice cream - to die for. This was the best I've ever eaten. We loved the restaurant. It was elegant but not fussy. Food had flavor and flare and I could tell that trained chefs made our meal. I left feeling happy and full and delighted that a once dilapidated neighborhood is showing signs of sophistication with such a pleasant and delicious meal. Thank you, Pickled Heron. We'll be back!
(5)Chris S.
Great dinner, nice atmosphere. Service was very good. The fresh tomato small plate was grown in the chef's back yard, drizzled with oil and topped with baby oregano. Damn tasty. I like that's it's byo,only gripe is it's cash only, which is fine unless you forget to get cash before you go! ATM across the street though.
(5)Doug R.
Incredible! I've been in a few times, tried something different each time, and have never been remotely close to anything less than satisfied. If you're looking for a great dinner, prepared by people who clearly care about what they do, look no further. If six stars were possible, I'd give them that.
(5)Thomas M.
Hands down the best fine dining experience I have had in the city if Philadelphia. Whether dinner or brunch the food is phenomenal and the prices won't break the bank. Make sure you try and make it to their Sunday brunch and the dinner as they are both great. I had a duck breast eggs bennie. It was like nothing I've had before and all their house cured meats...I can't even begin to describe how delicious they are...but I wish I could eat them everyday.
(5)Ginger K.
My boyfriend and I went here on a whim after walking past it the day before. I think they had been opened for about a month or 2 at the time of our visit. I wish I would have done more research before going in. I knew it was a BYOB but we forgot to bring any wine... I feel like small BYOBs should still have a better selection of beverages to serve the customers. How hard is it to make some iced tea and not have a $4 soda? I ordered the Crispy Duck Breast which tasted fine but there was nothing "crispy" about it. My boyfriend had ordered some sort of fish dish. I want to say it was sea bass. The fish came in a shallow bowl with a wild rice. I have to say his portion size was horrible compared to my dish which took up the all the room on my plate. We will never return to eat here. The food is overpriced. I think they opened it in the wrong neighborhood. So if you like overpriced pretentious food this place is for you and not for me.
(2)Lauren G.
We had the best experience for my birthday at the Pickled Heron! The cozy interior presented a great chance to catch up with old friends without the noise of large restaurant. We started with the Charcuterie, which was incredible and had the chance to experience the delectable squash soup on its premiere night. I would recommend anyone going in the near future to definitely try the squash soup! Between the 5 of my fellow diners and I, we had every large plate, and each was full of great flavors and unique to anything I have ever tried. We also had the chance to chat with one of the two chefs who created such a masterful meal for us. She revealed how a large portion of the ingredients put into each dish were local, which I LOVE. All around it was a wonderful night made better by a wonderful dinner.
(5)A bradford C.
Fun, quiet place. I liked my meal. My girl wasn't a fan of hers (we actually got the same thing) so they took it off the bill, which was really professional of them. We devoured the dessert. We both agreed we'd go back again and try another menu option because it was such a great environment and they were so nice.
(4)Sarah L.
Those guys have hit the bistro nail on the head. The charcuterie plate was duck 3 ways, the mussels and frites were truly exceptional (I started slurping the broth with a spoon after the mussels were long gone) and the lamb stew was fantastic, but a bit heavy for the weather. Probably should be taken off the menu until fall. This is the new monthly spot (sorry Barbuzzo, I still love ya). Daniella and her partner have hit it out of the park. Run, don't walk, before the rest of Philly figures out that this is the second coming of Django.
(5)Jessica S.
This is a great BYOB... IN KENSINGTON!!! I scoped the place out before it even opened and was very pleased. What a great thing to open up so far north of Girard. Delicious food. - my first escargot! and every dish was flavorful and lovely. Friendly Service. - the server was delightful. took care of us and all his other tables too. Atmosphere. - a well put together not over the top place that was not too noisy for a small byob. We dressed for the occasion, but others were dining more casually... I think we'll have to go back again for brunch one weekend. Really nice place to have a really nice meal.. Give it a try!
(5)Aaliyah P.
I sometimes make the mistake of having way to high expectations of a restaurant. Pickled Herron unfortunately falls into this category. My gal pals and I were eager for our meal here we love Byobs and French fare so to say we were highly anticipating this meal would be right. Service was flawless , I can't recall her name but she was super sweet and did a great job of checking in and keeping water glasses full. My reasons for 3 stars instead of four: -Menu online clearly different then the hand printed one placed before us. I always check a restaurants website to make sure there will be some options for me in the event something isn't available. I'm sad to say the scallops i had been salivating over were no longer an option - what French restaurant doesn't have a cheese board or at least a cheese feature ? I was very perplexed and slightly offended by this. I'm not sure you can call yourself a French establishment without any fromage. - the charcuterie board is actually house made but mostly or terrines and pates ...no thank you I went with the arugula and peach salad along with the mussels and frites. The peach salad left me feeling a little puzzled. The peaches weren't ripe enough in my opinion so the sweetness that should have been there was lacking. The salad was dressed lightly and featured a few nuts. It was ok but is something I could have made at home. The mussels were divine and I was very happy with my choice. The frites were perfect and I consider myself a French fry connoisseur. These two items were the perfect portion for me. My dining companions seemed to enjoy their steaks and as stated before service was on point . I'm not sold into coming back wish the outcome was different.
(3)Mike Z.
Came here on a double date on a busy Saturday night. Its a small byob in Fishtown. It has a really nice atmosphere.. I like the simple menu thats to the point and very small. We started with a couple appetizers that included fois gras, crab salad, and assorted meats with crackers. The food was good but nothing that stood out or amazing. Also the bread that was served wasn't fresh or warm. The bread usually says a lot about a restaurant. For entrees I had the fish (forget name and cant find it on the menu online) but it was really amazing. My friends ordered medium cooked duck and beef. The duck just wasn't good. It didn't have much flavor and it was dry. We were recommended to try it medium rare but we were not about to eat bloody duck. Another person had the beef and he said it was good. For dessert we had the warm chocolate cake and it was tasty. Overall it was a good experience, good service and mostly pretty good food.
(4)Aaron O.
Every time I eat here I have a better experience, and it started off very good. This is unbelievable value given the food quality - our last meal was near on par with what Le Bec Fin served when Le Bec Fin was actually good. The scallops were done perfectly with that perfect bite and consistency that only a scallop has, lamb was intensely flavorful and tender, duck was what duck should be - bold and fresh. The raspberry sauce with my venison had a delightful tart sweetness. Great, knowledgeable service, great food, reasonably priced and a unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere to really enjoy your meal. Hands down - one of the best experiences to be had in Philadelphia.
(5)Kristen F.
What a fantastic meal. Living three blocks away, there was no excuse for not having patronized this fine establishment sooner, so, when the opportunity to meet some friends for dinner presented itself, we jumped on the chance to try Pickled Heron. What an adorable place. Small, intimate dining room with an open kitchen area, allowing you to see the chefs at work. Pretty sweet date spot! We had the charcuterie and some super-rad bleu cheese puffs to start. Oh. My. God. The charcuterie was unique, surprising, fresh, and delicious. While I'm normally not a pate person, it was hard not to fall in love with theirs. And the bleu cheese puffs? Heavenly, coupled perfectly with figs. I had the shrimp and he had the black bass for an entree, and, the portion sizes were perfect, the food was fresh and thoughtfully seasoned. We finished with some french press coffee, and, were simply delighted with our meals. With their ever-changing, locally sourced menu, creative food pairings, and reasonable pricing, this place is at the top of my list to visit again.
(5)Diana H.
I've been wanting to try out a French restaurant in Philly for a while, so it just had to happen last night. The Pickled Heron wasn't my first choice, but I'm a procrastinator when it comes to making reservations so there wasn't much choice on a Saturday night. The decor is great. Warm, yellow walls in the dining room and even the restroom walls were beautiful deep red. I had the foie gras as a starter. It was tasty and it went great with the sauce. My husband had the charcuterie. He thought it was just OK, but I tasted it and thought it was lovely. For our main courses we had the duck breast and the lamb. The duck came with risotto. Flavors could've been a bit stronger, but on the other hand. It was cooked very well and so I was happy. My husband loved his lamb dish. He said it was rich in flavor. For dessert we shared the chocolate terrine which was simply delish! It's a nice restaurant, but I'm not sure if I'd go back. I thought service was just OK, not overly friendly or welcoming, pretty standard. Also, the crowd here is a bit older... Overall, we had a lovely dinner with interesting flavors. Well done!
(4)Victoria L.
On a winter evening, my lady friend and I went to Pickled Heron BYOB. After hearing lots of good things about this place, we were surprised to be one of two seatings that night (probably the entire night, because we stayed for quite some time). Since it was a quiet evening, the service was great so we were not complaining. To start, we ordered the charcuterie - one of our favorite things. It was good (as always) but we've gone to some great places that really wow us and this was just standard. As entrees, my friend got the duck, which she loved. I got a fish that was pretty standard as well, not very memorable. Afterwards, we couldn't pass up dessert. We decided on opera cake and red velvet cake. Unfortunately, our meal almost ended on a poor note since the red velvet cake lacked any flavor of all (not enough butter or cocoa). The opera cake made up for it though with decadent chocolate flavors. In retrospect, I would have skipped dessert and maybe tried another appetizer.
(3)David P.
I've now had several consistently excellent meals at the Pickled Heron. They've definitely earned their 5 stars. On the menu for the last visit was the duck breast (had to have again) and a duck cassoulet with homemade duck sausage and duck confit. It was fabulous. Finished with a wonderful rice pudding.
(5)Olivia J.
One star goes to the very poor service, we ordered our food immediately after sitting down, but an hour and half later, our main entree still has not arrived. When the food finally arrived (one hour 45 mins later) it's definite more rare than medium-rare. Moreover, we were not given the proper cutting knife like other tables which made it even harder to cut though the already rare meat. Additionally, our waitress completely ignored us throughout the meal time. For example, we had to chase after another waiter to get our water refilled). The two 6-people tables that arrived after us received food within 30 minutes of sitting down, which was way before we got any of our main food. The food is good and the service is one of the worst I have ever received.
(1)David B.
I had some pretty high expectations and I'll say they were met. Had dinner last night with my wife and a close friend. We were flanked by a wine tasting dinner, but not all the tables were filled. I would say this in general about The Pickled Heron. It's not a full service restaurant. That's not to say that the service is bad, but you are coming here for the food. We brought a bottle of Frecon Farms Crabby Granny and Gulden Draak 10.5 Brewmaster's Select to pair with our food. For appetizer, we had the salad, moules frites, foie gras and charcuterie plate. I would definitely re-order the moules frites and foie. I was extremely pleased to see the frites and moules separated. The frites must have been blanched in saffron water before being fried and really carried that bright minerally saffron essence. The aioli (mayo) was clearly homemade and delicious. The moules themselves were unsatifyingly tiny beasts in comparison to what I find in the regular grocery store, but the sauce was buttery saffrony decadence. The foie was nicely seared, rare on the inside and paired with a moist currant cake that was the bomb. The salad and charcuterie were delicious as well, but not memorable. For dinner, we shared the beef bourguignon, venison denver steak and duck breasts. They were all excellent entrees but the winner was clearly the venison. It was perfectly sous vide, sublimely tender and paired with a chestnut puree that tasted like maple nutty whipped potatoes. The duck was second best and only suffered from having been a tough cut of meat. It would have benefited from a sous vide sleep for several hours instead of whatever technique they did employ. Nevertheless, the perfectly cooked skin made up for it. Lastly, the beef bourguignon was excellent but could have been more stewy and cohesive. Each element felt a little too separated and it didn't have that country french flavor that it could have. All in all, I will definitely be back to The Pickled Heron. It was a delicious meal and worth the $$$.
(5)John M.
Nice little BYOB. I tried their mussels and beef stew. The mussels were very good and a generous serving, the beef stew was a little too salty. Our waitress seemed a little new, and while the service was fine it was not outstanding. Overall I felt like everything was a bit overpriced for the quality and service level, but I was not disappointed at the end of my meal. I had their creme brulee for dessert, most of it was good but parts of the top were more black than browned and tasty burnt.
(3)Khoa N.
I dined at the Pickled Heron about 2 years ago with a large party of 20+ a few months after they opened. I was able to try a number of dishes and was not blown away with the same experiences as other yelpers. I've been dying to give them another chance since then and did do last night. It was a pretty quiet night. I arrived shortly after 6pm on a Wednesday and, by the time I finished before 8pm, I only saw 2 other tables. The meal began with bread and butter. I usually don't mention that, but the bread was enjoyably crusty with a warm and chewy center and the butter was nicely softened. Next came the charcuterie and fioe gras. The housemade meat plate consisted of a duck liver mouse, veal terrine, and slices of some sausage. I've had better, but it wasn't terrible either. The seared fioe gras was accompanied by elderflower jelly. That was the only part of the meal I was nervous about. I'm not a fan of St. Germain in my drinks, but the elderflower paired well with the rich fioe gras. My wife and I continued with the duck and steak bavette. The seared duck breast came with grilled garlic scapes, cous cous, and a red curry sauce. The scapes were mildly garlicky and I wouldn't have known there was curry on the plate if I didn't see the menu first. The duck was seasoned well, but was unfortunately tough, even though it was cooked to medium rare. The grilled steak bavette came with asparagus, pickled lemon oyster mushrooms and cornbread. As with the other main plate, it was all seasoned well, but also tough. This was the first time I've had pickled mushrooms and it was a surprise. I'm more accustomed to savory and earthy mushrooms as opposed to tart and delicate. A huge slice of skillet cornbread rounded out the plate. You can't have a dinner without dessert, so I ordered the duck egg creme brulee. I was prepared for some gaminess, but it actually turned out pretty mild and was a good finish to the meal. I left the restaurant full and satisfied. The portion sizes were very generous and were full of flavor, however the proteins were a bit tough.
(4)Joe B.
From the very beginning, it was clear that Pickled Heron was the best restaurant in Fishtown. Now after a few years of consistently delivering incredible food and impeccable service, PH has developed a reputation for being one of the finest restaurants in the entire city. Chefs Todd and Daniela have created such a welcoming place on Frankford Ave. The dinner menus are always great. But if you get the chance, try to get a reservation for one of their special dinner series. It's also a great place for private parties. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner there with about 40 guests and had a blast. It was fun to plan with Todd and Daniela - we were confident the entire time that they would do an incredible job. They surpassed expectation.
(5)PJ H.
Fantastic. I have been working in Fishtown for two years, and it took me a minute to process that I was actually in Fishtown eating French Bistro food that I would put up against the likes of any french place in the city. Very high quality food and the craftsmanship really shows. Byob, so cant really complain about that, and the prices were reasonable for what you were getting. We had 3 courses, with 4 people and it ran like 180 bucks, which i thought was awesome. We essentially ordered the whole menu, but the highlights were the duck, the house charcuterie plate, and the foie, which was outstanding. I will definitely be back.
(5)Steve K.
My wife and I ate here last week to celebrate yet another birthday...sigh The place is just lovely with nice small tables not too close to each other bright walls and art-y furnishings as well as a black ceiling to lend an intimate air with just right illumination. We came to this BYOB with what turned out to be a nice bottle of wine, albeit with a screw top - I was humiliated but the waiter handled it with tact and aplumb. The one guy handled the whole room with 3 parties of 2 and a party of 4. When running down the offerings he mainly named beef so i asked him why no fish. He said it was beef weather, so I followed his advice and ordered Beef Bourguignon - beef for perhaps the first time in a fine restaurant in many years. I am so happy I did - the dish was just outstanding with potatoes and other savory goodies along with beef, delicious beef with fat that gave it a great mouth feel and was so satisfying on a coldish day. If by habit you infrequently eat red meat when eating out (save for burgers and BBQ) take the waiters advice through me and try the Beef Bourguignon here! My wife has the scallops and the bit SWIMBO let me try was great - they came with (I think) Crimini mushrooms that my wife did not care for but which I loved. We finished with a shared Creme Brulee made with duck eggs rather then chicken that they said made it lighter - it was fine but not as outstanding as the main courses - perhaps because I declined coffee on a weeknight when I had to get up at 5 the next morning... All that with tip was in the 70's with tax and tip - a bargain all in all!
(5)Chris M.
The Pickled Heron is a thoroughly lovely BYOB in the Fishtown section of the city. It's the sort of place that you just want to love as soon as you see it: small, unassuming, unpretentiously romantic. No overwrought decor here: just earnest work toward providing a superior restaurant experience. We strolled in on a Friday night without reservations, which we came to learn is seldom a good idea. Luckily for us, they had one more table available, and we got it--every now and again, we come up high on Fortuna's wheel. We were promptly seated, and our waiter came over and opened our wine for us. As we sipped a nice pinot and looked over the menu, I knew we had come to the right place for dinner. We split a nice baby greens salad and from there went to entrees, tilefish for me and the steak bavette for my wife. I loved the tilefish. It was perfectly cooked: moist and with some chew. My wife's steak was cooked to the medium rare she specified, and she enjoyed it. The food was delivered with quick, friendly, and efficient service. Because the Pickled Heron is BYOB, you can have a top-tier meal here for a very reasonable price. We had what felt like a $100 meal/experience for about $60--not bad at all. We will def be back.
(4)David S.
I am proud to have such a fine French bistro-type restaurant in my very own Fishtown. Pickled Heron broke the barrier here of only bar food and pizza. It is a wonderful, cozy BYOB that delivers fine dining at a very high level. We were attended to by Sean (Shaun?), who made sure that every detail was taken care of in a very timely manner. The menu is varied enough to suit every palate. I started with the Foie Gras, which had a delicious smoky flavor and was quite enjoyable. The grilled octopus appetizer was cooked to perfection, not chewy at all. Our entree selections of veal breast and duck breast were surprisingly large portions, which I never expected (but was happy with) from a french restaurant. I can't wait to go back
(5)John B.
Pickled Heron is a charming little place that is a bit off the beaten path. Every meal I have ever had there has been fantastic with the exception of the time I tried their Valentine's Day prefixed. Even then the food wasn't bad they were just massive understaffed. Otherwise it's a super charming place that really has it together. There servers are knowledgable and friendly and their food is some of my favorite in the city. There prices are also very reasonable for what you are getting. If you go in hungry I recommend getting a small plate as a starter and a large plate as your main. It's based very firmly in French cuisine so it's also maybe not a great choice for vegans or vegetarians. For everyone else I highly recommend it.
(5)Brenna M.
This place embodies my favorite things about Philadelphia dining. A home-y ambiance, BYOB, delicious and creative dishes: these are the reasons Philly stands apart from other foodie cities. After spending a Saturday hanging in NoLibs, it was such a treat to end at the Pickled Heron. We split a simple salad, which the waiter brought out on two plates for us. I got the crispy duck with spaeztle, and my date got the steak with an apple fritter and celery root purée. I like to be impressed when I eat out by creative dishes and this did exactly that. The spaetzle had grainy mustard and was a great match to the perfectly cooked duck. The apple fritter was light and unlike anything I had ever tried. The best was the apple tart with almond mousse - the best French dessert I've had outside of France. Highly recommend!
(5)Denise H.
I feel weird. I'm not a nice person and I really don't like giving 5 stars to anyone and certainly not on a regular basis. Alas, this time I can't help myself. Everything was perfect. And I mean everything. The restaurant is clearly chef/owner run and it shows. From the greeting at the door to the last bite of the crème brulee. Everything is perfectly orchestrated. My foie gras was probably one of the best I've ever had. Perfectly sautéed, sweet and melt in the mouth. My husband got the duck which I almost made him switch with me. The only reason I didn't is because my fish was so wonderful. Perfect seasoning and balanced with so many flavor layers. I don't want to leave out the décor of this little restaurant. Keep in mind that the main dining room used to be someone's living room so it's small. I mean 6 or 8 table small. That, in my humble opinion, only adds to the ambiance. Don't forget, bring a nice bottle of wine and maybe a good brandy or sherry for the coffee they will bring you. That and make a reservation! You won't regret it. Enjoy!
(5)Ben B.
The last French restaurant my wife and I visited was the famous French restaurant Bouchon n Napa Valley. I had the lamb at Timothy Keller's famous restaurant. However, it was in Fishtown that I finished my Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin. Tres bien! Minus the celebrity sightings my experience in the hood beat the best California had to offer. And the service was authentic and kind. Fishtown high dining has arrived.
(5)Walter K.
It's nice to see the neighborhood changing for the better. The chefs at the Pickled Heron are really trying to do something different, doing something well, in Fishtown/East Kensington, and they're succeeding. I was dining with my friend Emily, and we started with the mussels. They came in a good white wine sauce, and were a nice way to start the meal. For our entrees I immediately chose the duck. While not as flavorful as other duck dishes I've had, the whole dish was well composed, especially the grilled sausage on the side. Emily stuck with the bream and enjoyed the fish topped with fennel, mussels, and squid. The food is solid. Sure there are a few things to complain about. The menu is small, six starters and six entrees. It doesn't cater to vegetarians (that's French food for you). The service is leisurely but not slow. It's cash only. But overall, there isn't really anything that takes away from the dining experience. The biggest problem is that the dining room is overcrowded with chairs. This would be less of a problem if the place was packed. But I visited on a saturday night and the place was jammed full of tables, only half of which were occupied. I like that this spot is BYO, and the servers are really attentive with the wine. Everyone's white wines chill in a communal ice bath. The portions are good, and the menu is reasonably priced for the food, if not a tad high for the 'hood. And while the menu doesn't offer a whole lot of variety, I do respect places that focus on doing things well, even if there are only six of those things. Bottom Line: Decent BYO with French inspiration. Certainly worth checking out.
(4)Kathleen D.
Something in the history of life happened; my husband heard of a restaurant before I! What the hey? Not to pretend that the ol boy isn't on the pulse, but rambling about restaurants and food constantly is my specialty. Pronounce that, "Spesh-E-al-ity," to be fancy. So, when he suggested that we try The Pickled Heron for our anniversary dinner, I clucked, "Pickled herring?! No wonder we've stayed together so long... know me so well..." Ah har. Ah har har... Of course the adorable name of this place is actually The Pickled Heron, complete with cute little logo of a heron beak-deep in a champagne coupe. Our 9:00 reservation on a Sunday night found us with the entire restaurant all to ourselves; a lovely little spot on Frankford, warm and cozy, with walls covered with photography by a local artist. Service was so friendly and excellent overall. The menu changes to offer preparations made from local and seasonal produce and products. Most of all we enjoyed the house-made charcuterie starter, mmm foie gras mousse... the second course of a brace of quail with mushroom risotto and foie, so I doubled up on the foie gras, don't gimme that look... and some of the best creme brulee that I've ever experienced in Philadelph-i-a. BYOB!
(4)Daniel L.
This place was lovely and the food was great! I took my wife here for her birthday. Ambience and service was excellent and the food was excellent. We got the Arugula salad and garlic soup as appetizers. My wife got the shrimp (replacement for scallops) with sweet potato gratin and I got the bass with barley risotto. Both were really good. The bass was tender with a slightly crispy skin. For dessert, we got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the lillet blanc creme brulee. Both were really delicious! We will definitely come back to try more!
(4)BostonBestEats X.
Man-about-town @KingRex (follow him on Twitter) organized a wine dinner for 6 of us back in late November, which was my first visit to this surprisingly under-the-radar new French-ish BYOB in the FIshtown area of Philly. A very small but quite interesting menu which we ordered from a la carte (no tasting menu option, but with such a small menu it wouldn't make sense): 1) Moules frites, with saffron, mustard and white wine ($12) -- I can never pass up moules frites--this reminded me of dining alone al fresco in Brugge--and almost a meal in itself 2) Seared foie gras, celery root puree, seedless rye bread, caraway jelly ($18) -- straightforward, classic preparation with a good sized piece of foie and some interesting flavors 3) Grilled brace of quail, Swiss chard, foie gras, mushroom risotto ($23) -- DOTN, outstanding, with a wonderful char, and it looked like a 4-legged mutant from Chernobyl (I mean that in a good way) sitting splayed on the plate (see photo) 4) Apple cake, buttermilk cardamom ice cream, caramel sauce ($6) -- Probably the least interesting dish, a bit dry, but tasty enough (and I was stuffed by this point anyway and should probably have skipped dessert) Recommend getting bottled water for the table, since they have the worst chlorinated tap water I've ever had in Philly. They really need to invest in a charcoal filter. Wine of the Night was a: ~1992 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Beerenauslese (375mL) Also: ~1995 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne ~1986 Stony Hill Chardonnay ~2005 Henri Germain Bourgogne Blanc ~1996 Jean Philippe Fichet Meursault Meix Sous la Château ~NV G. Schneider & Sohn Aventinus (strong, dark, wheat doppelbock, served with foie) ~1985 E. Guigal Côte Rôtie ~1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape ~1998 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf du Pape ~1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle ~1997 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle ~1983 E. Guigal Hermitage Located a block or so down the street from Pizza Brain, it wasn't very hard to find parking on the main drag almost in front. Quite attractive inside (I particularly love the brass heron door knob!), with lots of space between tables (~50 seats), it was less than 1/3 full on a Tuesday evening and so pretty quite. Todd & Daniela, the Husband/Wife (or Boyfriend/Girlfriend?) who own the place were very charming and accommodating, and also gave us a complementary amuse-bouche of grilled heart from a 250-pound whole pig they had just got in (served with pickled kohlrabi, a delicacy which is normally reserved for their chef friends). Counting after tax 20% tip, $78. I'm surprised that this place doesn't get a lot more press. Perhaps it's the location. I gather they can be quite busy on the weekends, but I hope more people support them during the week, since this is the sort of place Philly really needs to keep around. Good video: philly.com/philly/video/… Will definitely return soon... Cilantro!
(4)Jennifer H.
The food is delicious. Our group shared seared frois gras, a charcuterie plate and the mussels with frites. All delicious. My steak for dinner was Perfectly cooked. My only complaint is that the waitress could be a bit more attentive. She never explained what was on the charcuterie plate. While it was delicious, we were left to guess as to the contents on some items. She also didn't check in with us until we were almost done the meal. She was nice and wasn't rude at all though.
(4)Giovanni I.
Our dinner at the Pickled Heron was very good, though it fell short of its 4.5 star rating on Yelp. I'll breakdown all the relevant pieces concisely: Food: -House Charcuterie--excellent. Really enjoyed this dish. -Gingered Roasted Pepper Soup w/ Lobster Wonton--we were really expecting this dish to wow us, but it somehow managed to underwhelm. If I could do it over, I would have gone with the foie gras or grilled octopus instead. -Veal Breast Villeroy--the closest dish I could compare this to is veal schnitzel, though the veal breast villeroy is far thicker (it almost has the shape of a small brick) and fattier, resulting in a lot more flavor. A very good option. -House Cavateli--the red wine soaked figs drew us to try the cavateli, but unfortunately the roasted fennel overpowered all other ingredients. If it had the proper balance, this would be a great dish. Side note: they were out of the duck breast unfortunately, but I suspect it would be very good. Dessert: -Jelly donut with peanut butter hot chocolate--truly a good, hearty dessert. It's a no-frills item that doesn't disappoint. Dunk the donut in the hot chocolate and you have yourself a very tasty PB&J sandwich! Service: The service was great. All waiters/waitresses were helpful, kind, talkative and friendly. It's a very nice place to dine. Conclusion: It's a BYOB, which is always a plus. Overall, I give 3 instead of 4 stars simply because the food falls a little short of what it could be. But for those looking to try something new or to dine in a different area (assuming you're not in the neighborhood), the Pickled Heron is worth going to and I would recommend to friends.
(3)Matt K.
Wow, your first impression of Pickled Heron comes from the neighborhood, Fishtown. Yeah, we had doubts, but once you step inside, wow! The restaurant has ochre/orangey walls that are very soothing. Large original paintings hang on the wall. The kitchen in the back is tiny, gleaming, and completely exposed. But their are no tables near it, so you don't feel like the chef is top of you. The rest of the decor is warm and nice. The Pickled Heron is a BYOB, which is always great. Service was very professional, we tried to get the waitress to laugh at us, and she finally did. Kudos to her for maintaining professionalism, but finally showing that she was actually human. And now the food. It is French-inspired and the chef is not afraid of meat, and particularly interesting cuts of it. We had: Foie gras on top of a pumpkiny type of bread (one of their artisanal breads?) with a bit of spice, and a blackberry compote. Delicious, and quite popular, judging from previous reviews. Foie gras cooked perfectly. Head cheese croquette, on greens and a sauce that reminded me of tartar sauce, although it was not defined as such. Very nicely cooked and prepared. The head cheese did shine through the breading. Charcuterie plate featured a rilette (rabbit I think) merguez sausage, and a pate. All were outstanding, except I thought the merguez could have been spicier. Main courses included the crispy duck, which was incredible. Tender duck, and yes crispy on the outside. Served on a bed of white bean salad, which had the acid component necessary to cut through the richness of the duck. It was refreshing to eat a duck course WITHOUT the ubiquitous fruit sauces!! Lamb, Moroccan style. Had one bite, was tender and full of flavor. Everything here was great, what a find, in an unexpected place!
(5)Erica M.
I ate here tonight for a Restaurant Week. I was very excited about french food and was excited about all the positive reviews about this place. First thing I noticed was the awesome ambiance. The food is pricy (but I expected that and was fine with it. I was planning on treating myself and my boyfriend to a nice meal) And the random playlist ("Sail" by AWOLNATION followed by a Velvet Underground song for example) was an interesting choice. First, the waitress gave each of us only one piece of bread. The first course was a corn soup with basil oil which was delicious. The waitress kept asking us if the soup was warm enough, which seemed a little weird to me, but I didn't think too much of it. Then came the main course, which was Grilled Steak Bavette, Squash Blossom Risotto, Local Tomato Salad, and Red Wine Jus. The Risotto was very sweet and creamy. There were red tomato slices and green ones, which I enjoyed. The plate was fairly small, but I expected that. The reason for the three star review was the steak. Everything else was great, but the steak was very difficult to eat. It was very fatty and hard to chew. For what I was paying, I expected to be consuming really good meat, and this just didn't seem like it it. I was very disappointed. The dessert was a blueberry cake muffin with buttermilk ice cream. I had never eaten buttermilk ice cream before and it was very interesting. It tasted like a sweet/slightly sour yogurt. Pretty good! So, the tl;dr of it is: the portions are VERY small. If you order an appetizer, a main and a dessert, it is the perfect amount of food, but I imagine if you only order a main, you will leave hungry. Also, the meat was not great quality. Otherwise, this place was great. I spent a lot of money on my meal and was disappointed with the quality of the meat.
(3)Annecy L.
Went here for a romantic date with my boyfriend. "The burp I just burped tasted like the mussel broth and it tasted good. My burp tasted good," I purred to him, romantically. The mussels were also good for regular eating. So was the duck sausage! Good job, chefs! 1 star off for not giving me all the food I wanted at no charge. I hate when restaurants don't just give me things for free.
(4)Stephanie A.
Fabulous Food, staff,a GREAT Gem hidden in Philadelphia! Scallops, foie Gras,lamb caringly prepared . Great BYOB!! As good as a restaurant gets in Philadelphia!!! Cannot wait to return!!!FANTASTIC!!!
(5)Faer A.
The food was tasty, but not amazing. I had the duck, which was quite good, but wasn't so fond of the risotto. Also had a salad, and the dressing was kind of bland. The crumb cake with clotted cream was pretty yummy, as was the creme brulee. For the prices, kind of disappointing, even though the food was okay. Service was friendly, but kind of slow, especially given that the restaurant was pretty empty. I do appreciate a byo, though, so I might give it another shot.
(3)Abbie D.
BOTTOM LINE: This place is great! continue reading if you'd like, but its pretty much summed up above. :) Oh Fishtown why the heck would I come here?? Well ladies and gentlemen The Pickled Heron is all the reason you'll need. My husband and I were invited here for a private dinner where the restaurant was closed to the public and prepared a 7 course meal for us all to enjoy along with 5 fabulous wines hand picked from Greg Moore :) Upon arrival there were butlered Hors D'ourves with a yummy champagne. The Hors D'Ourves consisted of confeit, arancini balls, almond gspacho, ect. all of which were fantastic; however, if I had to pick I would say the arancini balls were my favorite. They were served with a tasty aioli that had a bit of a kick! Next we were seated and dinner began. Course 1. House Made Mozzarella Salad WOW now, let me begin this by stating that I worked for a company in the city that is well known for its homemade cheeses... I make mozzarella at home too, and this was AMAZING! The texture was a cross between a mozzarella and a goat cheese, it was chewy yet soft and oh so delicious. Course 2. Black Bass Ceviche The perfect amount of jalapeño and lime to make this a lite citrusy second course. Course 3. Duck Rillettes OMG this was ridiculous! The perfect amount of ducky flavor on a crisp crostini with lava beans that was oh so delicious. You may have to fasten your seat belt for this one! AMAZING! Course 4. Pan Seared Halibut Perfectly seasoned and cooked beautifully. It was accompanied with ratatouille and a crispy panisse (which I'm still not quite sure what it was, but it was tasty!) Course 5. Grilled Steak Bavette MY FAVORITE COURSE! This beef was 100% spot on! Cooked rare to medium rare with a ton of flavor and super tender. There was a side of watercress that had the perfect amount of acidity and a little dollop of silky smooth potatoes. :) Course 6. Twice Baked Blue Cheese Souffle I'll start by saying I am not a fan of blue cheese AT ALL, but this was pretty tasty. I will admit that I did not eat the whole thing but at the end of the meal it is what most of the other diners were raving about. Good Job! Course 7. Grilled Peach Melba MMMMMMM I love dessert and this was the best ending to the amazing night. Phew! I know that was a lot, but I'm telling you it was worth every bit. DEEEELISH!
(4)Chris C.
Went on a Saturday night. Decent crowd but not too loud for quiet conversation. Service was friendly and prompt without being obsequious. They're very good at the savory stuff. We had the crab cake and foie gras appetizers, and both were excellent. Entrees were seared duck breast and seared scallops. The duck breast had just the right amount of seasoning and crisp on the skin to provide contrast to the milder, more tender parts without overwhelming them. The scallops were well-seared but still had a silky texture. Probably my favorite item of the night. Dessert fell short of dinner. The chocolate ice cream served with peanuts and caramel didn't really stand out - the chocolate flavor wasn't as rich as I had hoped and the dish was heavy on caramel. The creme brulee crust had started to pick up a little bit of humidity and had gotten slightly tacky, just enough to stick to the teeth during that all-important crunch. Next time we go we're probably going to skip ordering dessert, walk a block, and get ice cream from Little Baby's. Coffee was very good.
(4)Mr P.
May be I am jaded, but this place is not as good as I anticipated. Went last sat night and make the long trek up to Fish Town. The restaurant was nicely done. Would be nicer if they have a few out door sittings to complete that Parisian feel. One good thing about the whole experience was that I got a glimpse of Fish Town. It was way more developed than when I first moved here couple of years back. (Yea, once you are used to your own neighborhood, it is hard to get out.) Across the street is the Pizza Museum, the place was hoping. People were spilling out onto the side walk for half of the block. Anyway back to the food, this is a food blog after all. Food was not that impressive. Of the dishes I had tasted, only the mussel and the blue berry ice cream stand out. The zucchini flower and the lamb sirloin were just okay. Reminds me more of new american than french.
(3)Anthony S.
I've traveled extensively throughout France (that sounds super pretentious, sorry), and really this is not the best French food. I tried the duck dish--which had duck in several different forms. There was a duck sausage (which was alright), and a fried duck steak (that was kinda bland) along with a bean salad (which was raw. Cool idea, but not the best tasting). My mom got a eggplant and lamb dish, and the lamb meat was rather tough and came with croquettes that didn't have much of a taste either. The creme brulee we had for dessert was actually pretty good. Overall, I won't be back to The Pickled Heron. It's cute, but the food doesn't really warrant a return.
(3)Rachel S.
AHHHHH....I have so much love for you, Pickled Heron!!! I just ate there last night with a friend and it was marvelous. We started with the Charcuterie Plate and the Fois Gras - both were superb! Then onto the Crispy Duck and the Lentil Croquettes which were phenomenal. Clearly I am a carnivore, but I can enthusiastically say that this vegetarian meal is unbelievable!!!! We brought a few bottles of French wine which I picked up from the state store at 2nd & Girard and had a lovely time.
(5)Meghan D.
This place is so special. My now-husband and I chose the Pickled Heron for our rehearsal dinner the night before we got married. Not only did they accomodate our 17 guests on a Friday night, but they were super great about the children who were with us (crayons, coloring book and a kid's menu). Everyone was thrilled with the delicious food and wonderful service. I had the foie gras for an appetizer - absolutely amazing. I also had the crab cakes, which I believe was a special. Very, very good. The staff kept the wine flowing (from bottles we provided) and the whole restaurant applauded my dad as he made a very sweet speech. It was an amazing night. To top it all off, the awesome, talented chefs gave us two bags of buttery home-made croissants for the morning of our wedding, with cute tags that said "to the bride" and "to the groom". What a wonderful spot, wonderful people and wonderful memories. Can't wait to go back, since we are practically neighbors!
(5)Billy B.
The short walk to the Pickled Heron felt like a cold drink of water that Mother Nature shoved in your face, and into that little spot on your neck that scarves are paid to protect; it was a harsh introduction to February that was soothed by a hot bowl of French onion soup at the quiet, relaxing Fishtown French restaurant. I followed the soup up with a delectable beef bourguignonne, what Wikipedia says Julia Child once called "certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man." The beef dollops were so tender - OMG - and if you don't like that dish, then, well. It's a perfect meal for a wintry night, and with red wine, and some French press coffee to finish the meal, it's all you'll need. Each time I've been there the service has been attentive without being annoying, and the timing of the meals is always unrushed and pleasant, and that really is key isn't it? The crowd is typically a little older for a Fishtown crowd, which proves one of B.C. Bluewater's long-held truths: senior citizens love French food. Pack a $12 bottle of red into your girlfriend's Golden Girls-inspired oversized purse, and find this warm place on Frankford. - Billy Bluewater
(5)J K.
This is a nice French BYOB located in Fishtown, where it seems there are not many nice restaurants. The decor is very pleasing, the dining room has an airy high ceiling and orange painted walls decorated with local art (for sale). The food was well prepared and beautifully presented, though nothing stood out as amazing. I had the pea/mint ravioli appetizer which was interesting but the mint flavor was too intense for me and I could not taste the peas. The striped bass entree was delicious with a unique accompaniment of crispy fried lentils and pickled ramps. The chef showed creativity with this dish. We did not stay for dessert so I can't comment on that. The service was competent but a little slow. This would be fine if you were planning to linger over dinner but frustrating if you have somewhere to go after dinner. Moderate prices, cash only, BYOB make this an affordable option for a nice evening in Fishtown. Though I probably won't be rushing back here, it would be a nice choice if you live in the neighborhood or happen to be visiting nearby.
(3)Kim L.
Best French restaurant in Philly. I'm not even going to bother specifically recommending dishes because EVERYTHING is amazing.
(5)Anthony N.
Went here for Valentine's day and thought the food was very good. I especially love the Halibut with fried rice cake, the cherry cake dessert, and the lobster bisque but too bad it won't be on the regular menu. The place has a nice ambience, the waiters were good, and it was very clean. Overall if I were to rate the restaurant itself, I would give it a 4 stars. Here are the reasons for the 3 stars: 1. I made my reservation for Valentine's day about 2 weeks in advanced and they told me the earliest time they had available was 9:30pm. So when I got there at 9:30pm, the restaurant was about 60% empty! Telling me that I could have gotten there around 8pm and they would have had a table. 2. The location. This place is not in the best neighborhood and this is not a safe place to walk around alone at night. Overall, very good food but I hated how they made me eat late when I could have gotten an earlier reservation and the location.
(3)Karen K.
Daniella and Todd have distinguished themselves as a French Bistro, yet they were willing to put step outside their comfort zone with a Summer BBQ party held at their restaurant on the Sunday before Labor Day! They created an extensive and authentic menu and created a warm and loving atmosphere for our friends and family to honor my husband on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The food, the decor, and the warmth were incomparable! This review is way overdue: I intended to post this review months ago. My oversight became obvious because friends and family are still talking about the party we hosted at The Pickled Heron! Daniella and Todd deserve the success they're enjoying as a restaurant and as party planners.
(5)Eric D.
Totally worth the trip from center city! The food is incredible plus the staff is wonderful. We had a babysitter and my gf tried to power through to keep our date night even though she wasn't feeling well. After we ordered and I had my incredibly good appetizer- she realized she just couldn't do it. Our waiter got our food packed to go in no time and even included a complimentary dessert. Big time bonus that the entrees were both still wonderful when we got home(I had to try both, of course). We will definitely be going back
(5)Joy T.
Given our love of the Philly BYO scene and support of emerging neighborhoods, we had high hopes for The Pickled Heron. It was the greatest disappointment for us as Philly foodies. Service was atrocious despite the fact that we were one of three tables in the entire restaurant. An inattentive waiter coupled with an hour long wait for simple entrees to be brought out made for a horrible first impression. The food was aspirational but fell far below expectations. The salad was overdressed and mushy. The soup was overall bland though the presumably housemade ravioli was very good. The grilled shrimp was very good but the accompanying toasted bread crumbs, red onion, grilled peach made for a disjointed dish. The golden tile was good but unimpressive. The creme brulee was outstanding. The chocolate pots de creme might as well have been store bought. We would love to see this neighborhood flourish but do not intend to ever return to the Pickled Heron. The restaurant will need to step up their game substantially to sustain repeat patronage. For anyone with a discerning palate, there is a long list of better restaurants at a similar price point. Dine elsewhere.
(2)Samantha K.
I absolutely adore this place. It's a small, romantic, simple restaurant with some dishes that you can't find in most restaurants around this area. This is my go to intimate date spot. It is BYO and parking is no problem here. The wait staffs are very nice. There should be more restaurants like this in town. I only wish they would expand their menu. Also, I was here for valentines day. LOVE IT! They had an awesome special (meals, desserts, etc.) and everything was set up so nicely. I've been returning again and again. For the meal and to feel the romance.
(5)Brian D.
In two words : HEARTFELT WARMTH. In 22 words: even if you don't have the funds to try a full-course meal here, go for dessert. It's incredibly well-priced and tasty as hell. Now, onto the full review... On paper, it might seem a bit curious that a french bistro like Pickled Heron would find itself on this particular stretch of Frankford Ave. On paper, it might be slightly peculiar to some that a fine-dining spot like this is cash-only with a $$ on yelp and no ATM on-site. This isn't Old City - or even Frankford & Girard - for that matter. Having said that, I'd like to gently persuade you to put the paper down. In fact, I insist you throw it out. Just walk inside (with some cash) on a warm spring night and bring a date. The reality is, my entire experience during the first visit was oozing with heartfelt, genuine kindness - and it had everything to do the undeniably gentle nature of the couple running the place. After being greeted by two lovely members of the staff, the owners (again, such a pleasant couple) came to my table and thanked my friend and I for stopping in. We started off with the spring garlic soup with crispy duck prosciutto. Followed by the seared foie gras. The small plates are affordable, most at around $9 - $12. Again, go with a date and split one. Accompanied by the second complimentary basket of housemade bread and butter, we received our plate of housemade charcuterie. It was the definition of the word 'scrumptious' - and this is coming from a guy who rarely uses such highfalutin words. I prefer 'rad', 'stellar' and 'next-level' in most cases, but those don't do nearly enough justice. After some great conversation and drinking a Boylan's ginger ale, we received our main course: Pan seared lamb shoulder, and pan seared sea scallops. Before I go any further, let me just say I'm a man who loves pizza. And burritos. And a solid pint of craft beer. Foie Gras, charcuterie and things that are 'pan-seared' aren't typically a part of my weekly diet. With that said... THIS MEAL WAS PITCH PERFECT. I didn't expect to be so pleased and fulfilled by 4 scallops. But I was. They were gigantic, and perfectly flavored and cooked. Thinking about them now, I wish I could eat them for lunch today this very instant. There was sauces I've never tasted, and accents to the meal I didn't know how to pronounce. And I loved every second of it. Finally, we ended the night with dessert - easily the most affordable and brightest attraction to anyone wanting to try this place out without dipping too heavily into their weekly food budget. THE CREME BRULEE: best for miles. And at $6 dollars, a total score. Slightly warmed, perfectly sweet. And huge in relation to most creme brulees I've tried in my life. More than enough for a group of two. The cons: there walls could use a bit of attention, and the music wasn't exactly what I imagined when I picture 'french cuisine'. But those are easy fixes. The important part, the food and the people making it, are spot on, and deserve attention. As of this review, I'm an official cheerleader for the place. I want them to succeed. Spend an evening there with a friend or two (if only for dessert), and you'll find yourself in the same boat.
(5)Mike G.
Despite the unappetizing name, the Pickle Heron was a delicious experience for me. I waited for that new-restaurant-smell to fade a bit and decided to try it out on a quiet weeknight with a couple friends. One of my friends is a vegan, the other does not eat pork or red meat. I of course love meat of most kinds, the more innocent the animal, the more tasty. As stated in other reviews, the house bread was impressive. The decor very nice. The music appropriate for most of the meal, until some 90's crap pop came on for a while. I think they should consider a more consistent playlist, though the music was far from a problem as it was set low and unobtrusive. The restaurant was very very quiet this particular Wednesday evening and our server was perfectly attentive w/o being too intrusive. Two of us shared a small plate to start; Sunchoke and lentil ravioli. It was one large delicious ravioli served beautifully camera-ready for any gourmet photo shoot. It was just as tasty. All three of us very much enjoyed our entrees. My vegan friend chose the Grilled Seitan, which he found impressive. My other friend chose the Pan Seared Skate Wing, which I tried and agreed, it's really delicious. I chose the Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin which was a generous portion and perfectly prepared. The Pannisse (polenta-and chickpeas pan fried rectangles) were incredible and had me considering just stopping by for this as a snack from the sides menu. For dessert, my friend and I followed the advice of another friend in the know, and ordered the chocolate mousse. It was perfect. The vegan asked if there was any way he could get some fruit for dessert. The server said he'd check. It should be noted, our server shared his first-hand knowledge of vegan needs with reference to his experience with his vegan girlfriend. The result of an attentive server and a talented (and admittedly unbusy) kitchen staff was the impromptu creation of a wonderful vegan dessert. They presented a cone of nice paper filled with apple slice-fritters and a vegan caramel sauce that we all agreed were wonderful. Hopefully they'll consider keeping this or repeating this, as I understand vegans are often left with little options. Honestly, I'd order that myself if the mousse wasnt so damn great. NOTE: if youre vegan, the server suggested letting them know early on so they can , if possible, figure something out for you ahead. Me and my non-vegan friend that shared a small plate and a dessert with me, paid about $35 each. That's pretty decent considering the quality of the food. I am really glad to have this addition to the city, especially within walking distance.
(4)Sara N.
Adorable byob spot. great place and the cuisine is very authentic. The foie gras is a must and everything else was also delicious. the staff is nice and friendly and its kinda nice to be off the beaten path and not feel rushed cause someone is waiting for a table. worth the trip to Fishtown for a romantic evening
(4)Angela J.
OH MY GOD. I am pretty sure that they lace their foods with something illegal because this took me to a different place! Everything was literally heaven in my mouth. I came in without a reservation, and given the prices, I wasn't really expecting a "fine dining" experience, but boy was I surprised. This hidden gem is worth the trek to Fishtown. I was visiting a friend in the area, but will definitely be making my way back sometime soon with extra bodies. I want to be responsible for exposing as many people as possible to the edible paradise offered at the Pickled Heron!!!
(5)Genevieve P.
I went here with a party of six for a friend's going away party. The food was wonderful and the service attentive without being annoying. Todd and Daniella have done a great job bringing an exceptional restaurant to the Frankford Arts corridor. I also look forward to returning for brunch.
(5)Kristen J.
Ate a perfect meal here last night. The Moules frites featured the most delicious mussels. Scallops were meticulously prepared; sweet potato gnocchi was amazing. Meyer lemon upside down cake was dense and delicate all at once. Finished with a perfect french press. Service was artfully attentive without ever feeling intrusive. Ambiance was especially charming. Please disabuse yourself of another reviewer's ridiculous suggestion that this neighborhood is unsafe. The restaurant is moments from numerous art galleries and remains one half mile from Frankford Hall, Johnny Brenda's, Barcade, Lola Bean, et cetera. Great food; great service; great decor; great location.
(5)Mike H.
Let me say right from the start: If you haven't tried The Pickled Heron you simply must! Also, LOVE that this place is a BYOB! Atmosphere: Walking into The Pickled Heron, one might feel as though you're walking into the front door of a close friends home. 8 tables in the center of the room, along with a lovely church pew along the right side of the room, make for wonderful decor. The lighting, mood, and atmosphere, are exquisite. Starters: The housemade charcuterie plate was superb. Foie gras mousse, hunter sausage, and prosciutto. The onion soup gratinee was delicious, complete with a house made veal stock. For dinner: 4 of the most perfectly seared sea scallops, and the most decadent lamb sirloin we've ever had. Followed up with the best creme brûlée this side of France, combine that with the friendly, knowledgable, and professional manner of our handsome waiter who really went the extra mile to make our evening superb and you can see why The Pickled Heron has become our new favorite dining experience.
(5)Peter F.
Had a great brunch Sunday morning. Fantastic eggs Benedict with house made mortadella and English muffin. Bring your own vodka, the bloody Mary mix is tasty.
(5)Michael D.
The service was friendly and the food was great. My sister-in-law said the scallops were uncommonly good. We also enjoyed the sweet potato gnocchi and grilled seitan. The seitan itself was not heavily flavored but when eaten with the accompanying sides (Israeli cous cous, berries, and brussel sprouts) it was a nice combo. The waitress offered us bread several times throughout the meal. We shared a french press of coffee, and tried some deserts. The lemon cake was excellent.
(4)Bb B.
Go to the Pickled Heron! I know people may be a tad skittish about the location (Fishtown/Kensington). But, it's on the eclectic strip of Frankford where other interesting spots are sprouting about, like coffee shops, art studios, and energy- efficient modern housing. Kensington is also not far from downtown/Old City and The Pickled Heron is a great place to go to have a quiet, high-quality dinner away from the scene that has consumed the trendy parts of the city. Also, that couple of extra dollars you'll spend on gas will be more than offset by the fact that you don't have to pay the ridiculous parking fees that you do downtown. And, did I mention that it's a BYO? The most important part: the food. The food was fantastic and as good as the best places on Rittenhouse, namely, Parc and Rouge, both of which I hold in high esteem. My only caveat: it is cash only. Who carries cash? Dinner for 2 with tip and 2 appetizers will run about $75. The menu is small in quantity, but, everything we had was deee-licious, including wild boar, which I previously would have thought would be disgusting. That wild boar was outstanding!
(5)bros s.
ventured way out of my normal eateries in center city to this little gem on frankford avenue with a couple of friends on a sunday evening. unfortunately, they only had one foie gras left and one other of something else, so we couldnt order as much foie gras as we would have ordinarily, considering we are all closet foie gras gluttons, but the order that we managed to secure was very well executed (I wasn't so much a fan of the dry-ish weird textured biscuit it was resting on). The salad had delicious fried beets and pickled carrots, the moules frites were great, very fresh, even while the aioli wasnt anything special. the house-made charcuterie was done very nicely as well, with duck liver pate and some other salami-ish looking stuff that was just a little gamey-as it should be. gamey is good. 2 people had the scallops, which I thought were way over-salted, I had the sea bream with a magnificent watermelon radish salad on the side, over lentils. the side salad was probably my favorite thing about the whole meal-clean, tart meyer lemon peel, cilantro, and thin, cool, and visually pleasing watermelon radish, which I've never even encountered before. someone else had the beouf bourguignon and he loved it, and he is a very picky eater. it was also nice to see interesting desserts on the menu since philly is generally a really boring dessert town, although the menu did have the stand-by creme brulee. At least this was a duck egg creme brulee, and it was very rich and tasty. and we also got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream, which was greedily consumed by everyone. great dessert. the service is very understated and casually polite. the kitchen is totally open and they are they quietest chefs ever. normal and fair prices.
(4)Rob F.
Beautiful gem of a restaurant, tastefuly decorated. Excellent service and the enrees were truly wonderful. In fact, at least as good as Bibou. I wasn't so crazy about dessert; it tasted like it came out of a box even if it didn't. I can't wait to try the brunch.
(4)Jane E.
Amazing addition to the neighborhood - really hope it does well! On our first visit last night, we shared the Pickled Winter Vegetables, Beef Bourguignon and Sweet Potato Gnocchi - Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake for dessert. Friendly, attentive service - everything tasted superb. I thought the best gnocchi I ever had was the at Vetri, but Pickled Herron's is out of this world - I could eat those little puffs of heaven for days, and plan to since it's so close. This place might even convince me to try head cheese - we'll see! The style of the place is attractive and the art show they had on display meshed nicely.
(5)Aleksandra A.
I am so glad to welcome this restaurant in our neighborhood! The food is just amazing! Just like in Paris! Everything was decadent and delicious! We had the onion soup, the muscles and fires, the duck, the halibut and the apple tart. Everything was really amazing and you can't beat the prices. This place is much better then some of the snobby places in Rittenhouse. Highly recommended!
(5)km a.
what a nice surprise for the up and coming frankford row! i am not typically a fan of french food per say but we went to try it out. i ordered something i had no idea what it was. when it came out i still had no idea but ate it anyway. for the most part it was good! the part to die for was the lamb. oh.my .god. it was PERFECT!! i also have to eat gluten free and they were very accommodating and had no problem. i thought the atmosphere was nice and the christmas tree was beautifully decorated. it was a bit small- as all philly BYOBs are. overall the food was great and it was a lot cheaper than the BYOBs in center city
(4)Anthony T.
Try the duck breast. Best duck I ever had! Perfectly cooked, medium rare. The home made gnocchi was a great complement.
(4)Andrew A.
I went to the Pickled Heron last night with a friend to celebrate our mutual birthdays. I've been eagerly waiting for the arrival of this new restaurant in our neighborhood, and it did not disappoint! We ordered a number of items on the menu and every bite of every one was delicious! Especially loved the beef borgognone and the escargot. Service was attentive, pleasant and unobtrusive. Our waitress even brought me a complimentary glass of house wine (my friend doesn't drink so I didn't bring a bottle). The atmosphere is cozy (and I don't mean that as a nice way to say too small) and elegant at the same time. Great addition to Fishtown and worth a trip to the neighborhood for anyone who lives elsewhere. Highly recommneded!
(5)Susan F.
Yummy, delicious french food. My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the music, please do something about the music, anything besides commercial FM radio. It is the only thing throwing off the ambiance in this otherwise very cute restaurant.
(4)Silver G.
We live a few blocks from this lovely place and have been frequenting it often. We started with brunches and then had several dinners, we have now sampled most of the menu. At first we noticed a few customer service issues, they play top 40 radio in the kitchen and the restaurant, creating an annoying soundtrack to eat french food to . This was easy to overlook, until tonight. They seem to take reservations but cannot manage them... we have run into this before and the problem is very annoying. We made reservations for an early Sat evening - 6:30 and we arrived to an empty space with exception of two other tables. We were sat in between the two other only occupied tables and in the runway to the kitchen and bathrooms. We politely brought this up and asked if we could move to the many other desirable open tables for two open. The reason given had something to do with "every table is reserved". The evening went downhill from there when we received our entrees and we were served a $27 plate of FOUR overcooked shrimp, and some cole slaw on the side. The total meal was over $90 for a plate of grilled seitan, four shrimp, and a salad. We were finished our meal of disappointment and the restaurant was still vacant.... open tables everywhere. We brought all of this up with the waiter, whom at this point should know us, and mentioned that we want to support this place..we are neighbors! We calmly explained that we were very disappointed with the food, price, and the fact that we were sat by the bathroom in an otherwise empty-STILL empty dining room. NOTHING- he asked if we wanted to see a comment card and made some excuses about the tables again. I explained that this was unacceptable, they are in a competitive environment and the last thing they need to do is disappoint locals. We were so sad leaving, we barely got a goodbye from the waiter and the host ignored us. What a terrible experience. I have been a hostess and server for many Philly restaurants and they are in some serious trouble with service.
(2)Todd R.
Well-executed classic preparations with interesting twists in each dish. Service was friendly and appropriately attentive. I really enjoyed the feel of the dining room, would have felt comfortable dressed up or down. Prices were extremely fair given the high quality of the food and the fact they can't make their margins on marked up alcohol. This is a welcome addition to the neighborhood for those times you want something a bit special.
(5)Christine M.
Both of my visits (with out-of-town parents) were great. Charming atmosphere, local feel, delicious gourmet food. I am thrilled to recommend it to anyone looking for an upscale, intimate dinner setting. And I love that I can walk there! Menu and artwork change regularly. Check it out, and if you have, keep visiting!
(5)Mal B.
The Pickled Heron is a brave idea done with extreme care and personal effort. The food is heavenly -- whether it's the on premise baked bread and salted, churned butter or the lamb with imaginative fried pave and greens or the Meyers lemon upside down cake -- each flavor joins to create a clean, clear and powerful set of tastes. If you don't like extremely well prepared dishes with complexity, don't come here -- you'll be overwhelmed! And the place is beautifully yet simply appointed with pumpkin walls, an intriguing black ceiling and beautiful hand laid tile in the entry and bath. When you reach for the cast heron door handle at the front door, you know you're entering someplace special. Bring your own and pay by cash.
(5)Wes P.
I hope this place gets the support it deserves. Food was plate licking good. We tried the charcuterie plate, the beef bourguigon and the lamb as well as dessert. A very welcome addition to Fishtown. We plan to be back many times.
(4)Scott s.
Went there for opening night. Everything was perfect. We had the escargot, lamb, gnocchi, and onion soup. All of the food was great, but the lamb with pomegranate marinade was to die for. A welcome addition to fishtown.
(5)Michael D.
Went into the night really looking forward to the dinner as my bride and I have heard great things about this recently opened restaurant. We found the PH to be warm and inviting with a touch of rustic flair. Service was efficient and engaging to my level of preference. We appreciated the table side visit from the cute chef ( the girl ! ). The food was outstanding - had to mentally ask myself how inappropriate it would be been to lick the plate - it was that good. Glad we got in early as this one looks to be a winner. Will certainly be back.
(5)Meghan G.
So excited to have found this place right around the corner. Excellent BYO with a solid, seasonal/local menu. Gotta love a place where the chef actually came out to talk to us because we were asking about the cooking classes they offer. She was super kind, chatted about her food and philosophy, and was very gracious. We will surely be back, and I am so happy to have this place mere blocks away in Fishtown!
(5)John N.
I came here for a Mother's Day meal. The decor was simple, but refined. The staff was courteous and professional. We had the charcuterie plate to start. My favorite was the duck prosciutto; the pâté and sausage were a little bit knuckly. The main dish my mother had, seared sea-scallops w/ lentils, was excellent. I ordered the grilled seitan with mushroom gravy, forbidden rice, and fiddlehead ferns as a departure from the usual. The fern was whimsical and delicious, while the rice had a nice, rounded flavor. The grilled seitan, unfortunately, was bland and lifeless. I informed the server of such and asked for another sauce to spruce up what the first sauce hadn't. I was given the au jus, which didn't do the service I hope it would. The server didn't ask again if the meal had improved, which was disappointing. The cheesecake and creme brulle were very good. I wouldn't feel right giving 4 stars to this restaurant.
(3)Laura P.
I cannot possibly say enough good things about the Pickled Heron to fully do it justice. We have had dinner here twice and, each time, the meal was the highlight of our week. The restaurant has been very busy each time we were there, but I imagine it would be slightly easier to get in for a later dinner (after 9pm or so). On our last visit, we were lucky enough to try the head cheese as part of that night's charcuterie plate (along with fois gras & duck confit) which was crispy and delicious. We also ordered a few small plates. I had previously tried the onion soup gratinee and would gladly have ordered it again, but another member of my party beat me to it. Luckily, I got to try the moule frites instead, which were some of the best I've ever eaten. For my entree, I ordered the scallops which cut like butter, yet had an amazing sear. The rest of my party had the Lamb Sirloin and the Black Bass (that nights special), both of which were fantastic. After sharing some deserts (yum!) and finishing off our wine (love the BYOB) we left, discussing how good our meals were and how soon we can make it back to the Pickled Heron.
(5)Giovanni I.
Our dinner at the Pickled Heron was very good, though it fell short of its 4.5 star rating on Yelp. I'll breakdown all the relevant pieces concisely: Food: -House Charcuterie--excellent. Really enjoyed this dish. -Gingered Roasted Pepper Soup w/ Lobster Wonton--we were really expecting this dish to wow us, but it somehow managed to underwhelm. If I could do it over, I would have gone with the foie gras or grilled octopus instead. -Veal Breast Villeroy--the closest dish I could compare this to is veal schnitzel, though the veal breast villeroy is far thicker (it almost has the shape of a small brick) and fattier, resulting in a lot more flavor. A very good option. -House Cavateli--the red wine soaked figs drew us to try the cavateli, but unfortunately the roasted fennel overpowered all other ingredients. If it had the proper balance, this would be a great dish. Side note: they were out of the duck breast unfortunately, but I suspect it would be very good. Dessert: -Jelly donut with peanut butter hot chocolate--truly a good, hearty dessert. It's a no-frills item that doesn't disappoint. Dunk the donut in the hot chocolate and you have yourself a very tasty PB&J sandwich! Service: The service was great. All waiters/waitresses were helpful, kind, talkative and friendly. It's a very nice place to dine. Conclusion: It's a BYOB, which is always a plus. Overall, I give 3 instead of 4 stars simply because the food falls a little short of what it could be. But for those looking to try something new or to dine in a different area (assuming you're not in the neighborhood), the Pickled Heron is worth going to and I would recommend to friends.
(3)Matt K.
Wow, your first impression of Pickled Heron comes from the neighborhood, Fishtown. Yeah, we had doubts, but once you step inside, wow! The restaurant has ochre/orangey walls that are very soothing. Large original paintings hang on the wall. The kitchen in the back is tiny, gleaming, and completely exposed. But their are no tables near it, so you don't feel like the chef is top of you. The rest of the decor is warm and nice. The Pickled Heron is a BYOB, which is always great. Service was very professional, we tried to get the waitress to laugh at us, and she finally did. Kudos to her for maintaining professionalism, but finally showing that she was actually human. And now the food. It is French-inspired and the chef is not afraid of meat, and particularly interesting cuts of it. We had: Foie gras on top of a pumpkiny type of bread (one of their artisanal breads?) with a bit of spice, and a blackberry compote. Delicious, and quite popular, judging from previous reviews. Foie gras cooked perfectly. Head cheese croquette, on greens and a sauce that reminded me of tartar sauce, although it was not defined as such. Very nicely cooked and prepared. The head cheese did shine through the breading. Charcuterie plate featured a rilette (rabbit I think) merguez sausage, and a pate. All were outstanding, except I thought the merguez could have been spicier. Main courses included the crispy duck, which was incredible. Tender duck, and yes crispy on the outside. Served on a bed of white bean salad, which had the acid component necessary to cut through the richness of the duck. It was refreshing to eat a duck course WITHOUT the ubiquitous fruit sauces!! Lamb, Moroccan style. Had one bite, was tender and full of flavor. Everything here was great, what a find, in an unexpected place!
(5)Walter K.
It's nice to see the neighborhood changing for the better. The chefs at the Pickled Heron are really trying to do something different, doing something well, in Fishtown/East Kensington, and they're succeeding. I was dining with my friend Emily, and we started with the mussels. They came in a good white wine sauce, and were a nice way to start the meal. For our entrees I immediately chose the duck. While not as flavorful as other duck dishes I've had, the whole dish was well composed, especially the grilled sausage on the side. Emily stuck with the bream and enjoyed the fish topped with fennel, mussels, and squid. The food is solid. Sure there are a few things to complain about. The menu is small, six starters and six entrees. It doesn't cater to vegetarians (that's French food for you). The service is leisurely but not slow. It's cash only. But overall, there isn't really anything that takes away from the dining experience. The biggest problem is that the dining room is overcrowded with chairs. This would be less of a problem if the place was packed. But I visited on a saturday night and the place was jammed full of tables, only half of which were occupied. I like that this spot is BYO, and the servers are really attentive with the wine. Everyone's white wines chill in a communal ice bath. The portions are good, and the menu is reasonably priced for the food, if not a tad high for the 'hood. And while the menu doesn't offer a whole lot of variety, I do respect places that focus on doing things well, even if there are only six of those things. Bottom Line: Decent BYO with French inspiration. Certainly worth checking out.
(4)Aaron O.
Every time I eat here I have a better experience, and it started off very good. This is unbelievable value given the food quality - our last meal was near on par with what Le Bec Fin served when Le Bec Fin was actually good. The scallops were done perfectly with that perfect bite and consistency that only a scallop has, lamb was intensely flavorful and tender, duck was what duck should be - bold and fresh. The raspberry sauce with my venison had a delightful tart sweetness. Great, knowledgeable service, great food, reasonably priced and a unpretentious, relaxed atmosphere to really enjoy your meal. Hands down - one of the best experiences to be had in Philadelphia.
(5)Kathleen D.
Something in the history of life happened; my husband heard of a restaurant before I! What the hey? Not to pretend that the ol boy isn't on the pulse, but rambling about restaurants and food constantly is my specialty. Pronounce that, "Spesh-E-al-ity," to be fancy. So, when he suggested that we try The Pickled Heron for our anniversary dinner, I clucked, "Pickled herring?! No wonder we've stayed together so long... know me so well..." Ah har. Ah har har... Of course the adorable name of this place is actually The Pickled Heron, complete with cute little logo of a heron beak-deep in a champagne coupe. Our 9:00 reservation on a Sunday night found us with the entire restaurant all to ourselves; a lovely little spot on Frankford, warm and cozy, with walls covered with photography by a local artist. Service was so friendly and excellent overall. The menu changes to offer preparations made from local and seasonal produce and products. Most of all we enjoyed the house-made charcuterie starter, mmm foie gras mousse... the second course of a brace of quail with mushroom risotto and foie, so I doubled up on the foie gras, don't gimme that look... and some of the best creme brulee that I've ever experienced in Philadelph-i-a. BYOB!
(4)BostonBestEats X.
Man-about-town @KingRex (follow him on Twitter) organized a wine dinner for 6 of us back in late November, which was my first visit to this surprisingly under-the-radar new French-ish BYOB in the FIshtown area of Philly. A very small but quite interesting menu which we ordered from a la carte (no tasting menu option, but with such a small menu it wouldn't make sense): 1) Moules frites, with saffron, mustard and white wine ($12) -- I can never pass up moules frites--this reminded me of dining alone al fresco in Brugge--and almost a meal in itself 2) Seared foie gras, celery root puree, seedless rye bread, caraway jelly ($18) -- straightforward, classic preparation with a good sized piece of foie and some interesting flavors 3) Grilled brace of quail, Swiss chard, foie gras, mushroom risotto ($23) -- DOTN, outstanding, with a wonderful char, and it looked like a 4-legged mutant from Chernobyl (I mean that in a good way) sitting splayed on the plate (see photo) 4) Apple cake, buttermilk cardamom ice cream, caramel sauce ($6) -- Probably the least interesting dish, a bit dry, but tasty enough (and I was stuffed by this point anyway and should probably have skipped dessert) Recommend getting bottled water for the table, since they have the worst chlorinated tap water I've ever had in Philly. They really need to invest in a charcoal filter. Wine of the Night was a: ~1992 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Beerenauslese (375mL) Also: ~1995 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne ~1986 Stony Hill Chardonnay ~2005 Henri Germain Bourgogne Blanc ~1996 Jean Philippe Fichet Meursault Meix Sous la Château ~NV G. Schneider & Sohn Aventinus (strong, dark, wheat doppelbock, served with foie) ~1985 E. Guigal Côte Rôtie ~1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape ~1998 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf du Pape ~1996 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle ~1997 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle ~1983 E. Guigal Hermitage Located a block or so down the street from Pizza Brain, it wasn't very hard to find parking on the main drag almost in front. Quite attractive inside (I particularly love the brass heron door knob!), with lots of space between tables (~50 seats), it was less than 1/3 full on a Tuesday evening and so pretty quite. Todd & Daniela, the Husband/Wife (or Boyfriend/Girlfriend?) who own the place were very charming and accommodating, and also gave us a complementary amuse-bouche of grilled heart from a 250-pound whole pig they had just got in (served with pickled kohlrabi, a delicacy which is normally reserved for their chef friends). Counting after tax 20% tip, $78. I'm surprised that this place doesn't get a lot more press. Perhaps it's the location. I gather they can be quite busy on the weekends, but I hope more people support them during the week, since this is the sort of place Philly really needs to keep around. Good video: philly.com/philly/video/… Will definitely return soon... Cilantro!
(4)Jennifer H.
The food is delicious. Our group shared seared frois gras, a charcuterie plate and the mussels with frites. All delicious. My steak for dinner was Perfectly cooked. My only complaint is that the waitress could be a bit more attentive. She never explained what was on the charcuterie plate. While it was delicious, we were left to guess as to the contents on some items. She also didn't check in with us until we were almost done the meal. She was nice and wasn't rude at all though.
(4)Erica M.
I ate here tonight for a Restaurant Week. I was very excited about french food and was excited about all the positive reviews about this place. First thing I noticed was the awesome ambiance. The food is pricy (but I expected that and was fine with it. I was planning on treating myself and my boyfriend to a nice meal) And the random playlist ("Sail" by AWOLNATION followed by a Velvet Underground song for example) was an interesting choice. First, the waitress gave each of us only one piece of bread. The first course was a corn soup with basil oil which was delicious. The waitress kept asking us if the soup was warm enough, which seemed a little weird to me, but I didn't think too much of it. Then came the main course, which was Grilled Steak Bavette, Squash Blossom Risotto, Local Tomato Salad, and Red Wine Jus. The Risotto was very sweet and creamy. There were red tomato slices and green ones, which I enjoyed. The plate was fairly small, but I expected that. The reason for the three star review was the steak. Everything else was great, but the steak was very difficult to eat. It was very fatty and hard to chew. For what I was paying, I expected to be consuming really good meat, and this just didn't seem like it it. I was very disappointed. The dessert was a blueberry cake muffin with buttermilk ice cream. I had never eaten buttermilk ice cream before and it was very interesting. It tasted like a sweet/slightly sour yogurt. Pretty good! So, the tl;dr of it is: the portions are VERY small. If you order an appetizer, a main and a dessert, it is the perfect amount of food, but I imagine if you only order a main, you will leave hungry. Also, the meat was not great quality. Otherwise, this place was great. I spent a lot of money on my meal and was disappointed with the quality of the meat.
(3)Annecy L.
Went here for a romantic date with my boyfriend. "The burp I just burped tasted like the mussel broth and it tasted good. My burp tasted good," I purred to him, romantically. The mussels were also good for regular eating. So was the duck sausage! Good job, chefs! 1 star off for not giving me all the food I wanted at no charge. I hate when restaurants don't just give me things for free.
(4)Stephanie A.
Fabulous Food, staff,a GREAT Gem hidden in Philadelphia! Scallops, foie Gras,lamb caringly prepared . Great BYOB!! As good as a restaurant gets in Philadelphia!!! Cannot wait to return!!!FANTASTIC!!!
(5)Faer A.
The food was tasty, but not amazing. I had the duck, which was quite good, but wasn't so fond of the risotto. Also had a salad, and the dressing was kind of bland. The crumb cake with clotted cream was pretty yummy, as was the creme brulee. For the prices, kind of disappointing, even though the food was okay. Service was friendly, but kind of slow, especially given that the restaurant was pretty empty. I do appreciate a byo, though, so I might give it another shot.
(3)Abbie D.
BOTTOM LINE: This place is great! continue reading if you'd like, but its pretty much summed up above. :) Oh Fishtown why the heck would I come here?? Well ladies and gentlemen The Pickled Heron is all the reason you'll need. My husband and I were invited here for a private dinner where the restaurant was closed to the public and prepared a 7 course meal for us all to enjoy along with 5 fabulous wines hand picked from Greg Moore :) Upon arrival there were butlered Hors D'ourves with a yummy champagne. The Hors D'Ourves consisted of confeit, arancini balls, almond gspacho, ect. all of which were fantastic; however, if I had to pick I would say the arancini balls were my favorite. They were served with a tasty aioli that had a bit of a kick! Next we were seated and dinner began. Course 1. House Made Mozzarella Salad WOW now, let me begin this by stating that I worked for a company in the city that is well known for its homemade cheeses... I make mozzarella at home too, and this was AMAZING! The texture was a cross between a mozzarella and a goat cheese, it was chewy yet soft and oh so delicious. Course 2. Black Bass Ceviche The perfect amount of jalapeño and lime to make this a lite citrusy second course. Course 3. Duck Rillettes OMG this was ridiculous! The perfect amount of ducky flavor on a crisp crostini with lava beans that was oh so delicious. You may have to fasten your seat belt for this one! AMAZING! Course 4. Pan Seared Halibut Perfectly seasoned and cooked beautifully. It was accompanied with ratatouille and a crispy panisse (which I'm still not quite sure what it was, but it was tasty!) Course 5. Grilled Steak Bavette MY FAVORITE COURSE! This beef was 100% spot on! Cooked rare to medium rare with a ton of flavor and super tender. There was a side of watercress that had the perfect amount of acidity and a little dollop of silky smooth potatoes. :) Course 6. Twice Baked Blue Cheese Souffle I'll start by saying I am not a fan of blue cheese AT ALL, but this was pretty tasty. I will admit that I did not eat the whole thing but at the end of the meal it is what most of the other diners were raving about. Good Job! Course 7. Grilled Peach Melba MMMMMMM I love dessert and this was the best ending to the amazing night. Phew! I know that was a lot, but I'm telling you it was worth every bit. DEEEELISH!
(4)Chris C.
Went on a Saturday night. Decent crowd but not too loud for quiet conversation. Service was friendly and prompt without being obsequious. They're very good at the savory stuff. We had the crab cake and foie gras appetizers, and both were excellent. Entrees were seared duck breast and seared scallops. The duck breast had just the right amount of seasoning and crisp on the skin to provide contrast to the milder, more tender parts without overwhelming them. The scallops were well-seared but still had a silky texture. Probably my favorite item of the night. Dessert fell short of dinner. The chocolate ice cream served with peanuts and caramel didn't really stand out - the chocolate flavor wasn't as rich as I had hoped and the dish was heavy on caramel. The creme brulee crust had started to pick up a little bit of humidity and had gotten slightly tacky, just enough to stick to the teeth during that all-important crunch. Next time we go we're probably going to skip ordering dessert, walk a block, and get ice cream from Little Baby's. Coffee was very good.
(4)Mr P.
May be I am jaded, but this place is not as good as I anticipated. Went last sat night and make the long trek up to Fish Town. The restaurant was nicely done. Would be nicer if they have a few out door sittings to complete that Parisian feel. One good thing about the whole experience was that I got a glimpse of Fish Town. It was way more developed than when I first moved here couple of years back. (Yea, once you are used to your own neighborhood, it is hard to get out.) Across the street is the Pizza Museum, the place was hoping. People were spilling out onto the side walk for half of the block. Anyway back to the food, this is a food blog after all. Food was not that impressive. Of the dishes I had tasted, only the mussel and the blue berry ice cream stand out. The zucchini flower and the lamb sirloin were just okay. Reminds me more of new american than french.
(3)Anthony S.
I've traveled extensively throughout France (that sounds super pretentious, sorry), and really this is not the best French food. I tried the duck dish--which had duck in several different forms. There was a duck sausage (which was alright), and a fried duck steak (that was kinda bland) along with a bean salad (which was raw. Cool idea, but not the best tasting). My mom got a eggplant and lamb dish, and the lamb meat was rather tough and came with croquettes that didn't have much of a taste either. The creme brulee we had for dessert was actually pretty good. Overall, I won't be back to The Pickled Heron. It's cute, but the food doesn't really warrant a return.
(3)Rachel S.
AHHHHH....I have so much love for you, Pickled Heron!!! I just ate there last night with a friend and it was marvelous. We started with the Charcuterie Plate and the Fois Gras - both were superb! Then onto the Crispy Duck and the Lentil Croquettes which were phenomenal. Clearly I am a carnivore, but I can enthusiastically say that this vegetarian meal is unbelievable!!!! We brought a few bottles of French wine which I picked up from the state store at 2nd & Girard and had a lovely time.
(5)Meghan D.
This place is so special. My now-husband and I chose the Pickled Heron for our rehearsal dinner the night before we got married. Not only did they accomodate our 17 guests on a Friday night, but they were super great about the children who were with us (crayons, coloring book and a kid's menu). Everyone was thrilled with the delicious food and wonderful service. I had the foie gras for an appetizer - absolutely amazing. I also had the crab cakes, which I believe was a special. Very, very good. The staff kept the wine flowing (from bottles we provided) and the whole restaurant applauded my dad as he made a very sweet speech. It was an amazing night. To top it all off, the awesome, talented chefs gave us two bags of buttery home-made croissants for the morning of our wedding, with cute tags that said "to the bride" and "to the groom". What a wonderful spot, wonderful people and wonderful memories. Can't wait to go back, since we are practically neighbors!
(5)Billy B.
The short walk to the Pickled Heron felt like a cold drink of water that Mother Nature shoved in your face, and into that little spot on your neck that scarves are paid to protect; it was a harsh introduction to February that was soothed by a hot bowl of French onion soup at the quiet, relaxing Fishtown French restaurant. I followed the soup up with a delectable beef bourguignonne, what Wikipedia says Julia Child once called "certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man." The beef dollops were so tender - OMG - and if you don't like that dish, then, well. It's a perfect meal for a wintry night, and with red wine, and some French press coffee to finish the meal, it's all you'll need. Each time I've been there the service has been attentive without being annoying, and the timing of the meals is always unrushed and pleasant, and that really is key isn't it? The crowd is typically a little older for a Fishtown crowd, which proves one of B.C. Bluewater's long-held truths: senior citizens love French food. Pack a $12 bottle of red into your girlfriend's Golden Girls-inspired oversized purse, and find this warm place on Frankford. - Billy Bluewater
(5)J K.
This is a nice French BYOB located in Fishtown, where it seems there are not many nice restaurants. The decor is very pleasing, the dining room has an airy high ceiling and orange painted walls decorated with local art (for sale). The food was well prepared and beautifully presented, though nothing stood out as amazing. I had the pea/mint ravioli appetizer which was interesting but the mint flavor was too intense for me and I could not taste the peas. The striped bass entree was delicious with a unique accompaniment of crispy fried lentils and pickled ramps. The chef showed creativity with this dish. We did not stay for dessert so I can't comment on that. The service was competent but a little slow. This would be fine if you were planning to linger over dinner but frustrating if you have somewhere to go after dinner. Moderate prices, cash only, BYOB make this an affordable option for a nice evening in Fishtown. Though I probably won't be rushing back here, it would be a nice choice if you live in the neighborhood or happen to be visiting nearby.
(3)Kim L.
Best French restaurant in Philly. I'm not even going to bother specifically recommending dishes because EVERYTHING is amazing.
(5)Anthony N.
Went here for Valentine's day and thought the food was very good. I especially love the Halibut with fried rice cake, the cherry cake dessert, and the lobster bisque but too bad it won't be on the regular menu. The place has a nice ambience, the waiters were good, and it was very clean. Overall if I were to rate the restaurant itself, I would give it a 4 stars. Here are the reasons for the 3 stars: 1. I made my reservation for Valentine's day about 2 weeks in advanced and they told me the earliest time they had available was 9:30pm. So when I got there at 9:30pm, the restaurant was about 60% empty! Telling me that I could have gotten there around 8pm and they would have had a table. 2. The location. This place is not in the best neighborhood and this is not a safe place to walk around alone at night. Overall, very good food but I hated how they made me eat late when I could have gotten an earlier reservation and the location.
(3)Karen K.
Daniella and Todd have distinguished themselves as a French Bistro, yet they were willing to put step outside their comfort zone with a Summer BBQ party held at their restaurant on the Sunday before Labor Day! They created an extensive and authentic menu and created a warm and loving atmosphere for our friends and family to honor my husband on the occasion of his 60th birthday. The food, the decor, and the warmth were incomparable! This review is way overdue: I intended to post this review months ago. My oversight became obvious because friends and family are still talking about the party we hosted at The Pickled Heron! Daniella and Todd deserve the success they're enjoying as a restaurant and as party planners.
(5)Eric D.
Totally worth the trip from center city! The food is incredible plus the staff is wonderful. We had a babysitter and my gf tried to power through to keep our date night even though she wasn't feeling well. After we ordered and I had my incredibly good appetizer- she realized she just couldn't do it. Our waiter got our food packed to go in no time and even included a complimentary dessert. Big time bonus that the entrees were both still wonderful when we got home(I had to try both, of course). We will definitely be going back
(5)Joy T.
Given our love of the Philly BYO scene and support of emerging neighborhoods, we had high hopes for The Pickled Heron. It was the greatest disappointment for us as Philly foodies. Service was atrocious despite the fact that we were one of three tables in the entire restaurant. An inattentive waiter coupled with an hour long wait for simple entrees to be brought out made for a horrible first impression. The food was aspirational but fell far below expectations. The salad was overdressed and mushy. The soup was overall bland though the presumably housemade ravioli was very good. The grilled shrimp was very good but the accompanying toasted bread crumbs, red onion, grilled peach made for a disjointed dish. The golden tile was good but unimpressive. The creme brulee was outstanding. The chocolate pots de creme might as well have been store bought. We would love to see this neighborhood flourish but do not intend to ever return to the Pickled Heron. The restaurant will need to step up their game substantially to sustain repeat patronage. For anyone with a discerning palate, there is a long list of better restaurants at a similar price point. Dine elsewhere.
(2)Samantha K.
I absolutely adore this place. It's a small, romantic, simple restaurant with some dishes that you can't find in most restaurants around this area. This is my go to intimate date spot. It is BYO and parking is no problem here. The wait staffs are very nice. There should be more restaurants like this in town. I only wish they would expand their menu. Also, I was here for valentines day. LOVE IT! They had an awesome special (meals, desserts, etc.) and everything was set up so nicely. I've been returning again and again. For the meal and to feel the romance.
(5)Brian D.
In two words : HEARTFELT WARMTH. In 22 words: even if you don't have the funds to try a full-course meal here, go for dessert. It's incredibly well-priced and tasty as hell. Now, onto the full review... On paper, it might seem a bit curious that a french bistro like Pickled Heron would find itself on this particular stretch of Frankford Ave. On paper, it might be slightly peculiar to some that a fine-dining spot like this is cash-only with a $$ on yelp and no ATM on-site. This isn't Old City - or even Frankford & Girard - for that matter. Having said that, I'd like to gently persuade you to put the paper down. In fact, I insist you throw it out. Just walk inside (with some cash) on a warm spring night and bring a date. The reality is, my entire experience during the first visit was oozing with heartfelt, genuine kindness - and it had everything to do the undeniably gentle nature of the couple running the place. After being greeted by two lovely members of the staff, the owners (again, such a pleasant couple) came to my table and thanked my friend and I for stopping in. We started off with the spring garlic soup with crispy duck prosciutto. Followed by the seared foie gras. The small plates are affordable, most at around $9 - $12. Again, go with a date and split one. Accompanied by the second complimentary basket of housemade bread and butter, we received our plate of housemade charcuterie. It was the definition of the word 'scrumptious' - and this is coming from a guy who rarely uses such highfalutin words. I prefer 'rad', 'stellar' and 'next-level' in most cases, but those don't do nearly enough justice. After some great conversation and drinking a Boylan's ginger ale, we received our main course: Pan seared lamb shoulder, and pan seared sea scallops. Before I go any further, let me just say I'm a man who loves pizza. And burritos. And a solid pint of craft beer. Foie Gras, charcuterie and things that are 'pan-seared' aren't typically a part of my weekly diet. With that said... THIS MEAL WAS PITCH PERFECT. I didn't expect to be so pleased and fulfilled by 4 scallops. But I was. They were gigantic, and perfectly flavored and cooked. Thinking about them now, I wish I could eat them for lunch today this very instant. There was sauces I've never tasted, and accents to the meal I didn't know how to pronounce. And I loved every second of it. Finally, we ended the night with dessert - easily the most affordable and brightest attraction to anyone wanting to try this place out without dipping too heavily into their weekly food budget. THE CREME BRULEE: best for miles. And at $6 dollars, a total score. Slightly warmed, perfectly sweet. And huge in relation to most creme brulees I've tried in my life. More than enough for a group of two. The cons: there walls could use a bit of attention, and the music wasn't exactly what I imagined when I picture 'french cuisine'. But those are easy fixes. The important part, the food and the people making it, are spot on, and deserve attention. As of this review, I'm an official cheerleader for the place. I want them to succeed. Spend an evening there with a friend or two (if only for dessert), and you'll find yourself in the same boat.
(5)Mike G.
Despite the unappetizing name, the Pickle Heron was a delicious experience for me. I waited for that new-restaurant-smell to fade a bit and decided to try it out on a quiet weeknight with a couple friends. One of my friends is a vegan, the other does not eat pork or red meat. I of course love meat of most kinds, the more innocent the animal, the more tasty. As stated in other reviews, the house bread was impressive. The decor very nice. The music appropriate for most of the meal, until some 90's crap pop came on for a while. I think they should consider a more consistent playlist, though the music was far from a problem as it was set low and unobtrusive. The restaurant was very very quiet this particular Wednesday evening and our server was perfectly attentive w/o being too intrusive. Two of us shared a small plate to start; Sunchoke and lentil ravioli. It was one large delicious ravioli served beautifully camera-ready for any gourmet photo shoot. It was just as tasty. All three of us very much enjoyed our entrees. My vegan friend chose the Grilled Seitan, which he found impressive. My other friend chose the Pan Seared Skate Wing, which I tried and agreed, it's really delicious. I chose the Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin which was a generous portion and perfectly prepared. The Pannisse (polenta-and chickpeas pan fried rectangles) were incredible and had me considering just stopping by for this as a snack from the sides menu. For dessert, my friend and I followed the advice of another friend in the know, and ordered the chocolate mousse. It was perfect. The vegan asked if there was any way he could get some fruit for dessert. The server said he'd check. It should be noted, our server shared his first-hand knowledge of vegan needs with reference to his experience with his vegan girlfriend. The result of an attentive server and a talented (and admittedly unbusy) kitchen staff was the impromptu creation of a wonderful vegan dessert. They presented a cone of nice paper filled with apple slice-fritters and a vegan caramel sauce that we all agreed were wonderful. Hopefully they'll consider keeping this or repeating this, as I understand vegans are often left with little options. Honestly, I'd order that myself if the mousse wasnt so damn great. NOTE: if youre vegan, the server suggested letting them know early on so they can , if possible, figure something out for you ahead. Me and my non-vegan friend that shared a small plate and a dessert with me, paid about $35 each. That's pretty decent considering the quality of the food. I am really glad to have this addition to the city, especially within walking distance.
(4)Sara N.
Adorable byob spot. great place and the cuisine is very authentic. The foie gras is a must and everything else was also delicious. the staff is nice and friendly and its kinda nice to be off the beaten path and not feel rushed cause someone is waiting for a table. worth the trip to Fishtown for a romantic evening
(4)Tom F.
This place is a welcome addition to Fishtown. Now we don't even need to leave the neighborhood to have a quiet and romantic dinner. I have read a lot of reviews that this place is overpriced... I'd say if you go to a French restaurant and order a meal and expect to pay less than $25-30 for an entree... I think you should pick a different genre. The food is excellent and the menu changes quite often. The ingredients are fresh and the recipes creative. If you are looking to not spend the dinner prices, check out brunch. The prices are in line with every other brunch spot in the area ($7-14 for a meal) The food is well worth it and the brunch portions are substantial.
(5)Thor T.
What a lovely dinner! The sequence of beautifully cooked plates that Ms. D'Ambrosio and Mr. Braley sent out from the open kitchen tonight made for a most enjoyable culinary trip to Kensington. The star of the housemade charcuterie plate was definitely the venison terrine, deeply flavorful and irresistible. The sunchoke and lentil ravioli (actually, the dish consists of one large raviolo) laid in plump splendor in the coriandor/meyer lemon broth. A salad with pickled winter vegetables was light and flavorful, and the foie gras on fig bread pudding was seared text-book perfect. The sweet scallops with sasify and hedgehog mushrooms delighted one of my dinner companions, her neighbor could not say enough good things about the beautifully prepared black bass fillet - the special of the day. Another well received dish was the seared lamb sirloin, done almost rare as requested. My favorite main dish was a beautifully done stuffed veal breast with a variety of vegetables - memories of late fall evenings in France. Please keep that dish on the menu. We liked the rich crème brûlée, the meyer lemon upside down cake, and the apple galette, all competently executed. The one minus was the profiterole dessert. The tasty fillings and even a dunk in the accompanying chocolate sauce could not make the thick pâte à choux taste exciting. Replace it. The service was solicitous and efficient, the atmosphere of the restaurant cozy and homey. Given the fact that the restaurant has only been open for a short time, the kitchen is already performing admirably and will only get better. As a geographic outlier, The Pickled Heron is doubly required to stand out - it does so with aplomb.
(5)Erika L.
So good. Great ambiance. This place definitely illustrates the difference between dining and eating. It was very much the former, and not the latter. We started with the charuterie, which was good. I was far more impressed by the bread though. My friend got the bream provencal, which was good. The dish was beautiful, the fennel and saffron were such a delicate but flavorful addition to the crispy fish. I got the pork. I should have listened to the chef and gotten it med rare. I asked for medium, but it did look more med well. Regardless, it was juicy and so flavorful. It came with some kind of (cheesy?) risotto, which was phenominal, and kale. I think I'm just not texturally a fan of kale as a personal preference. For dessert, we got the chocolate mousse, which was a perfect balance between the bitterness of quality chocolate and sweetness. I liked how the portion sizes were not over the top. The place is about quality, not quantity. So good I would definitely go back.
(4)Tough Crowd T.
Had dinner last Saturday with a couple of friends. We had white gazpacho (good), green salad (good), moules frites, lentil cakes (a vegan entree) (meh), steak with grilled peaches and corn (meh) and bbq boar shoulder (a disappointment). The boar shoulder is not an entree they should continue offering. I've had much better pulled pork (which is what the meat looked like) that this boar meat preparation. Had two desserts: peach melba (didn't try) and lillet creme brulee (okay). A lovely neighborhood french BYO. With the emphasis on "neighborhood." If I lived in Fishtown, I would probably eat here a lot. But not worth a car trip, like another lovely french BYO within walking distance of my house, Bibou.
(3)Jeremy R.
WOW! I was looking for a nice BYOB in Philly and after some Yelpish research I chose the Heron. What a choice that turned out to be. Our party turned up at the appointed hour and were promptly seated. The ambiance is cozy brownstone that is not over-decorated. The kitchen is small and open. We started with charcuterie and Moules Frites, both were perfectly prepared and served in ample portions. The highlight for me was the duck liver pate which was velvety and delicious. On to the entrees. What really shined was the quality of the meat and fish used in the simple but elegant preparations. The venison was like a fine fillet of beef but smoother and perfectly. Crusted with coffee and accompanied by tasty brussel sprouts. The duck was another winner, a large breast perfectly cooked with a sweet/savory jus. The sea bream was delicate fresh, presented on a bed of French lentils. At this point I thought the best part of the meal was over but we had some Sauternes to drink so we ordered four of the desserts and a French press of coffee. All the treats were incredible but I felt the standouts were the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the apple frangipane tart. The cherry cake was crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside balanced by the smooth nutty pistachio ice cream was delightful where as the tart was fresh and apple-y with a tender crust filled with semi-sweet almond paste. The duck egg creme brulee was a wonder of richness that was not overburdened with sweetness. The sweet treats we balanced by the strong yet smooth carafe of French press coffee. Total bill around $150 for 4 which seemed quite fair but don't forget that they are cash only. Based on our experience, I can't recommend the Pickled Heron highly enough. The ambiance, food and waitstaff were all wonderful and I will return on my next visit to Philly. Go there now while you can still get a table.
(5)Lauren J.
Who orders vegetarian food at a French restaurant? This girl, apparently. Now, I'm not a veggie head, but something called me to the tofu dish (which was amazing). It came with a side of fregola-sarda (homemade by Daniela!) which positively popped in my mouth- so refreshing and tasty. I also had the root vegetable salad, I believe they only carry it at certain times of year. I highly recommend it if it's on the menu when you go here. It was my birthday, and my significant other at the time had brought a lovely pinot-noir which had been suggested by the kitchen before hand, as he checked to make sure he got something that went well with most of their menu items. It surely did. He had the lamb, which I got to taste (see? I told you I wasn't a veghead). It was so moist and tender, absolutely divine. I would also like to add that the waiter, Sean, who is not hard on the eyes, was wonderful, graciously assisting us through this feast! While the delightful food and service may whisk your imagination away, to, say, France, the best part is, you're still in Fishtown! So what is a gem of a place like this doing in Fishtown? I don't care to answer that question, I just want to go again. Soon.
(5)Jim R.
This was our 2nd visit and I'm afraid it turned out like our first - close but no cigar! I'm sorry, but if I'm spending around $110 for dinner per couple (with tip) I want to be impressed - I wasn't nor were the other two couples we were with.
(2)Tricia D.
We came to Philadelphia for an art weekend and luckily had The Pickled Heron recommended to us for dinner. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, elegant and relaxed. The walls were adorned with the work of a talented local artist whose works added whimsey to the elegant surroundings. The young chefs assemble locally-sourced ingredients into an appealing variety of offerings. We started with foie gras and house-made charcuterie (duck rillettes, goose liver pate, sopressata, duck prosciutto, fragrant cornichons - served with homemade bread and butter). All were amazing.... the foie gras and the duck prosciutto maybe extra amazing. For the main course beefy beef cheeks, lamb sirloin, seared scallops and crispy-skinned pompano were perfectly prepared and accompanied by ingenious sides (forbidden rice! celery root hash! mushroom ragout!) that enhanced the main and added to the depth of flavor and to the delight in the eating. Desserts...perfect, light, creme brûlée, ice creams (honey and coffee...yum), peanut butter hot chocolate with homemade marshmallow (aahhh), chocolate terrine and a tender apple tart lined with marzipan. Our waiter was excellent and fun - he kept us informed and correctly wined (BYO). When my art-historian dining companion told him how much he resembled Auguste Rodin he acceded saying "I get that a lot". We were not alone in enjoying our meal...that night when the chef-owners (Todd and Daniela) took a break from the kitchen and came into the dining room every patron at every table rose to applaud them! For me the only negative about The Pickled Heron is that it is it is a two hour drive away!
(5)Holly L.
My husband and I live in the neighborhood, so we finally had brunch here today and left so satisfied. I had the Mortadella eggs Benedict and my husband had the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. They make their own bread at TPH, so that made both our meals extra delicious, in addition to their homemade hollandaise sauce. I'm too intimated to make poached eggs at home, so I'm happy to leave it to the professionals! We also tried some of the crispy panisse, which is likely fried polenta cubes - great accompaniment to the breakfast items, which also come with fingerling potatoes. Hostess was friendly, attentive server without loitering around too long (which I always appreciate at a restaurant...I like good service and to me that means being able to sit, relax and enjoy my meal without feeling rushed). Daniela and Todd make a great team and the restaurant is a lovely spot. I hope it encourages more small businesses to come around and continue to liven up the neighborhood.
(5)Kristen J.
Ate a perfect meal here last night. The Moules frites featured the most delicious mussels. Scallops were meticulously prepared; sweet potato gnocchi was amazing. Meyer lemon upside down cake was dense and delicate all at once. Finished with a perfect french press. Service was artfully attentive without ever feeling intrusive. Ambiance was especially charming. Please disabuse yourself of another reviewer's ridiculous suggestion that this neighborhood is unsafe. The restaurant is moments from numerous art galleries and remains one half mile from Frankford Hall, Johnny Brenda's, Barcade, Lola Bean, et cetera. Great food; great service; great decor; great location.
(5)Jude B.
Food was délicieux, ambiance was sacre-blah. Made an early (6:00) reservation for a romantic Christmas dinner with my girlfriend. When we arrived we were seated in a tight spot between the wall and the only other two person table with people. I'm not sure why they chose to smush us all together at one side of the restaurant, but it really set a bad tone for the date (we had a great date but were super annoyed at their obliviousness to the lousy seating). On top of that the only other table besides the one they wedged us next to was an obnoxiously loud, slovenly dressed (Dave Matthews Band 2005 Tour t-shirt to a French bistro, really?) party of 6. I guess I was expecting something a little more dimly lit, with well-dressed couples since it was described as "Romantic" on Yelp. That said, the food was really good. Though we both felt sick the next day, but I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and blame that on the two BYOB bottles of wine we polished off in an effort to drown out the other table and forget how cramped our table was. Could be a great little restaurant if they work on their decor, ambiance, and lousy seating logistics. Wouldn't recommend it for a date, but if you're looking for somewhere to go with a group, could be a fun spot.
(3)Amy H.
I visited The Pickled Heron with my sister when she was in town during Thanksgiving weekend. I was in the area for another function so we decided to eat dinner. I had heard rave reviews from locals in the area, but was none-the-less disappointed. Food: App: Mussels with fries - delicious and definitely a good app to share. The portion for this appetizer seemed ridiculous when we got our mains. It's very filling and could be a meal on its own. Me: Quail with mushroom (and foie gras?) risotto - The risotto was rich and nice but didn't make up for the dry and flavorless quail, which was rather messy and difficult to eat. Her: Grilled steak with some greens and what I believe was a yam pave drenched in truffle oil. Compared to the mussel app, this dish was absurdly proportioned. There were four bite size pieces of delicious steak done perfectly next to a gigantic slab of yam pave. My sister polished off the steak and greens, but barely touched the pave which filled up half the plate. I like truffle oil as much as the next person, but this was overwhelming. One thing to note is that unless you can find a very recent menu before visiting, it is likely that the menu in the restaurant will be different. They change the offerings frequently, and none of the dishes I had been hoping to try were actually on the menu. Service: Our waiter started out great at 6:30pm, we were one of two tables eating. Nice and observant, maybe a little too much. By 7:15, a few more tables had come in with larger groups and he couldn't handle the rush. We had finished our meal and were staring around us, it was too loud to have a decent conversation without shouting, but the waiter wouldn't stop by for another 15min to bring us the dessert menu. It took him another 15min to come around before we could tell him we didn't want dessert, and just wanted to leave. Final notes: The food is hit or miss and so is the service. For the prices they're charging in the neighborhood they're in, I expected more, and also maybe the ability to take plastic. I would give it 2.5 stars if I could.
(3)Sagi S.
Nice little place for dinner. I heard of this place from a friend and I am glad we went and checked it out. We went on a Friday night armed with a bottle of wine. We started with mussels and frites and a micro green salad both were very nice. The greens were fresh, perfectly dressed with some crunchy beets and goat cheese. The mussels were delicious in a white sauce with Belgian style fries. We ate too much of the appetizers and had a hard time finishing the entrees which was very good as well. I ordered the beef bourguignon which tasted exactly like it should taste, melt in your mouth with a hint of sweetness in the sauce, it was lovely and very rich so it was a little hard for me to finish. We also ordered the lamb tenderloin this was very skillfully made cooked to medium rare with a side of cheek pea and potato which had a great Mediterranean flavor. Great menu for winter, I wonder what it will look like as the weather warms up! The service was very good, wasn't too noisy which I like, parking was easy, hope they do well! We would definitely make the trip again.
(5)Adam R.
Wow is all I have to say. This place blew my mind with its great care and attention to detail. It is the definition of classy without pretension. My date and I wanted to try as much on the menu as possible, and we did! The staff was friendly, attentive, and not overbearing. We forgot our wine, and they very quietly poured us a couple glasses from their own stock. The bread and homemade butter to start wet my bill. Then came the mussels... oh my the mussels! I honestly have never had them prepared better. They melted in my mouth, just enough sauce, and the flavor was incredible. We had plate after plate of fantastic dishes. The highlight for me was the lamb. It was prepared just rare enough. The last time I tasted lamb so fresh, was when I ate a freshly slaughtered one. No lie... For me, a good peice of lamb is better than any cow steak. We finished with dessert that was just enough to fill my giant belly. The right amount of sweetness combined with bitter rich dark chocolate. This meal was filled with multiple foodgasms.
(5)Sarah K.
I am so thrilled to be writing this review. At long last this little stretch of Frankford Ave has a new neighborhood gem to welcome. The chef-owners here really put themselves into their restaurant and their food (and practically built the place from scratch - amazing) and I agree with a previous poster that I truly hope the neighborhood gets behind this spot and does what they do best - support independent, talented Philadelphia chefs and small businesses. Philly has a serious lack of accessible, affordable, quality French bistro fare. French cuisine is so wonderful, but too often out of reach. The Pickled Heron fills this gap admirably. Starting with the bread and (homemade) butter through to the amazing skate wing (something else you rarely see in these parts) our meal was delicious, special, and relaxed - all the best things about bistro cooking.
(5)Beth K.
Grew up not far from this location but now live in Michigan for the past 20 years. Ate a fantastic dinner with my aunt! Server was ver friendly and willing to tell us all about the menu. Due to a gluten-free diet, she said the chef would make adjustments. I had the yellow eye fish and it was superb. Nice size portion, perfectly cooked and tasted delicious. The polenta was rich & creamy and I cleared my plate. My selective, 80-year old aunt ate every drop of her beet risotto and said she thought it was very, very tasty and unique. She had never eaten beet risotto before. Make sure you taste their homemade butter - very nice! And speaking of homemade, try the buttermilk and the rum raisin ice cream - to die for. This was the best I've ever eaten. We loved the restaurant. It was elegant but not fussy. Food had flavor and flare and I could tell that trained chefs made our meal. I left feeling happy and full and delighted that a once dilapidated neighborhood is showing signs of sophistication with such a pleasant and delicious meal. Thank you, Pickled Heron. We'll be back!
(5)Chris S.
Great dinner, nice atmosphere. Service was very good. The fresh tomato small plate was grown in the chef's back yard, drizzled with oil and topped with baby oregano. Damn tasty. I like that's it's byo,only gripe is it's cash only, which is fine unless you forget to get cash before you go! ATM across the street though.
(5)Doug R.
Incredible! I've been in a few times, tried something different each time, and have never been remotely close to anything less than satisfied. If you're looking for a great dinner, prepared by people who clearly care about what they do, look no further. If six stars were possible, I'd give them that.
(5)Thomas M.
Hands down the best fine dining experience I have had in the city if Philadelphia. Whether dinner or brunch the food is phenomenal and the prices won't break the bank. Make sure you try and make it to their Sunday brunch and the dinner as they are both great. I had a duck breast eggs bennie. It was like nothing I've had before and all their house cured meats...I can't even begin to describe how delicious they are...but I wish I could eat them everyday.
(5)Ginger K.
My boyfriend and I went here on a whim after walking past it the day before. I think they had been opened for about a month or 2 at the time of our visit. I wish I would have done more research before going in. I knew it was a BYOB but we forgot to bring any wine... I feel like small BYOBs should still have a better selection of beverages to serve the customers. How hard is it to make some iced tea and not have a $4 soda? I ordered the Crispy Duck Breast which tasted fine but there was nothing "crispy" about it. My boyfriend had ordered some sort of fish dish. I want to say it was sea bass. The fish came in a shallow bowl with a wild rice. I have to say his portion size was horrible compared to my dish which took up the all the room on my plate. We will never return to eat here. The food is overpriced. I think they opened it in the wrong neighborhood. So if you like overpriced pretentious food this place is for you and not for me.
(2)Lauren G.
We had the best experience for my birthday at the Pickled Heron! The cozy interior presented a great chance to catch up with old friends without the noise of large restaurant. We started with the Charcuterie, which was incredible and had the chance to experience the delectable squash soup on its premiere night. I would recommend anyone going in the near future to definitely try the squash soup! Between the 5 of my fellow diners and I, we had every large plate, and each was full of great flavors and unique to anything I have ever tried. We also had the chance to chat with one of the two chefs who created such a masterful meal for us. She revealed how a large portion of the ingredients put into each dish were local, which I LOVE. All around it was a wonderful night made better by a wonderful dinner.
(5)A bradford C.
Fun, quiet place. I liked my meal. My girl wasn't a fan of hers (we actually got the same thing) so they took it off the bill, which was really professional of them. We devoured the dessert. We both agreed we'd go back again and try another menu option because it was such a great environment and they were so nice.
(4)Sarah L.
Those guys have hit the bistro nail on the head. The charcuterie plate was duck 3 ways, the mussels and frites were truly exceptional (I started slurping the broth with a spoon after the mussels were long gone) and the lamb stew was fantastic, but a bit heavy for the weather. Probably should be taken off the menu until fall. This is the new monthly spot (sorry Barbuzzo, I still love ya). Daniella and her partner have hit it out of the park. Run, don't walk, before the rest of Philly figures out that this is the second coming of Django.
(5)Angela J.
OH MY GOD. I am pretty sure that they lace their foods with something illegal because this took me to a different place! Everything was literally heaven in my mouth. I came in without a reservation, and given the prices, I wasn't really expecting a "fine dining" experience, but boy was I surprised. This hidden gem is worth the trek to Fishtown. I was visiting a friend in the area, but will definitely be making my way back sometime soon with extra bodies. I want to be responsible for exposing as many people as possible to the edible paradise offered at the Pickled Heron!!!
(5)Genevieve P.
I went here with a party of six for a friend's going away party. The food was wonderful and the service attentive without being annoying. Todd and Daniella have done a great job bringing an exceptional restaurant to the Frankford Arts corridor. I also look forward to returning for brunch.
(5)km a.
what a nice surprise for the up and coming frankford row! i am not typically a fan of french food per say but we went to try it out. i ordered something i had no idea what it was. when it came out i still had no idea but ate it anyway. for the most part it was good! the part to die for was the lamb. oh.my .god. it was PERFECT!! i also have to eat gluten free and they were very accommodating and had no problem. i thought the atmosphere was nice and the christmas tree was beautifully decorated. it was a bit small- as all philly BYOBs are. overall the food was great and it was a lot cheaper than the BYOBs in center city
(4)Mike H.
Let me say right from the start: If you haven't tried The Pickled Heron you simply must! Also, LOVE that this place is a BYOB! Atmosphere: Walking into The Pickled Heron, one might feel as though you're walking into the front door of a close friends home. 8 tables in the center of the room, along with a lovely church pew along the right side of the room, make for wonderful decor. The lighting, mood, and atmosphere, are exquisite. Starters: The housemade charcuterie plate was superb. Foie gras mousse, hunter sausage, and prosciutto. The onion soup gratinee was delicious, complete with a house made veal stock. For dinner: 4 of the most perfectly seared sea scallops, and the most decadent lamb sirloin we've ever had. Followed up with the best creme brûlée this side of France, combine that with the friendly, knowledgable, and professional manner of our handsome waiter who really went the extra mile to make our evening superb and you can see why The Pickled Heron has become our new favorite dining experience.
(5)Peter F.
Had a great brunch Sunday morning. Fantastic eggs Benedict with house made mortadella and English muffin. Bring your own vodka, the bloody Mary mix is tasty.
(5)Michael D.
The service was friendly and the food was great. My sister-in-law said the scallops were uncommonly good. We also enjoyed the sweet potato gnocchi and grilled seitan. The seitan itself was not heavily flavored but when eaten with the accompanying sides (Israeli cous cous, berries, and brussel sprouts) it was a nice combo. The waitress offered us bread several times throughout the meal. We shared a french press of coffee, and tried some deserts. The lemon cake was excellent.
(4)Bb B.
Go to the Pickled Heron! I know people may be a tad skittish about the location (Fishtown/Kensington). But, it's on the eclectic strip of Frankford where other interesting spots are sprouting about, like coffee shops, art studios, and energy- efficient modern housing. Kensington is also not far from downtown/Old City and The Pickled Heron is a great place to go to have a quiet, high-quality dinner away from the scene that has consumed the trendy parts of the city. Also, that couple of extra dollars you'll spend on gas will be more than offset by the fact that you don't have to pay the ridiculous parking fees that you do downtown. And, did I mention that it's a BYO? The most important part: the food. The food was fantastic and as good as the best places on Rittenhouse, namely, Parc and Rouge, both of which I hold in high esteem. My only caveat: it is cash only. Who carries cash? Dinner for 2 with tip and 2 appetizers will run about $75. The menu is small in quantity, but, everything we had was deee-licious, including wild boar, which I previously would have thought would be disgusting. That wild boar was outstanding!
(5)bros s.
ventured way out of my normal eateries in center city to this little gem on frankford avenue with a couple of friends on a sunday evening. unfortunately, they only had one foie gras left and one other of something else, so we couldnt order as much foie gras as we would have ordinarily, considering we are all closet foie gras gluttons, but the order that we managed to secure was very well executed (I wasn't so much a fan of the dry-ish weird textured biscuit it was resting on). The salad had delicious fried beets and pickled carrots, the moules frites were great, very fresh, even while the aioli wasnt anything special. the house-made charcuterie was done very nicely as well, with duck liver pate and some other salami-ish looking stuff that was just a little gamey-as it should be. gamey is good. 2 people had the scallops, which I thought were way over-salted, I had the sea bream with a magnificent watermelon radish salad on the side, over lentils. the side salad was probably my favorite thing about the whole meal-clean, tart meyer lemon peel, cilantro, and thin, cool, and visually pleasing watermelon radish, which I've never even encountered before. someone else had the beouf bourguignon and he loved it, and he is a very picky eater. it was also nice to see interesting desserts on the menu since philly is generally a really boring dessert town, although the menu did have the stand-by creme brulee. At least this was a duck egg creme brulee, and it was very rich and tasty. and we also got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream, which was greedily consumed by everyone. great dessert. the service is very understated and casually polite. the kitchen is totally open and they are they quietest chefs ever. normal and fair prices.
(4)Rob F.
Beautiful gem of a restaurant, tastefuly decorated. Excellent service and the enrees were truly wonderful. In fact, at least as good as Bibou. I wasn't so crazy about dessert; it tasted like it came out of a box even if it didn't. I can't wait to try the brunch.
(4)Jane E.
Amazing addition to the neighborhood - really hope it does well! On our first visit last night, we shared the Pickled Winter Vegetables, Beef Bourguignon and Sweet Potato Gnocchi - Meyer Lemon Upside-Down Cake for dessert. Friendly, attentive service - everything tasted superb. I thought the best gnocchi I ever had was the at Vetri, but Pickled Herron's is out of this world - I could eat those little puffs of heaven for days, and plan to since it's so close. This place might even convince me to try head cheese - we'll see! The style of the place is attractive and the art show they had on display meshed nicely.
(5)Aleksandra A.
I am so glad to welcome this restaurant in our neighborhood! The food is just amazing! Just like in Paris! Everything was decadent and delicious! We had the onion soup, the muscles and fires, the duck, the halibut and the apple tart. Everything was really amazing and you can't beat the prices. This place is much better then some of the snobby places in Rittenhouse. Highly recommended!
(5)Silver G.
We live a few blocks from this lovely place and have been frequenting it often. We started with brunches and then had several dinners, we have now sampled most of the menu. At first we noticed a few customer service issues, they play top 40 radio in the kitchen and the restaurant, creating an annoying soundtrack to eat french food to . This was easy to overlook, until tonight. They seem to take reservations but cannot manage them... we have run into this before and the problem is very annoying. We made reservations for an early Sat evening - 6:30 and we arrived to an empty space with exception of two other tables. We were sat in between the two other only occupied tables and in the runway to the kitchen and bathrooms. We politely brought this up and asked if we could move to the many other desirable open tables for two open. The reason given had something to do with "every table is reserved". The evening went downhill from there when we received our entrees and we were served a $27 plate of FOUR overcooked shrimp, and some cole slaw on the side. The total meal was over $90 for a plate of grilled seitan, four shrimp, and a salad. We were finished our meal of disappointment and the restaurant was still vacant.... open tables everywhere. We brought all of this up with the waiter, whom at this point should know us, and mentioned that we want to support this place..we are neighbors! We calmly explained that we were very disappointed with the food, price, and the fact that we were sat by the bathroom in an otherwise empty-STILL empty dining room. NOTHING- he asked if we wanted to see a comment card and made some excuses about the tables again. I explained that this was unacceptable, they are in a competitive environment and the last thing they need to do is disappoint locals. We were so sad leaving, we barely got a goodbye from the waiter and the host ignored us. What a terrible experience. I have been a hostess and server for many Philly restaurants and they are in some serious trouble with service.
(2)Todd R.
Well-executed classic preparations with interesting twists in each dish. Service was friendly and appropriately attentive. I really enjoyed the feel of the dining room, would have felt comfortable dressed up or down. Prices were extremely fair given the high quality of the food and the fact they can't make their margins on marked up alcohol. This is a welcome addition to the neighborhood for those times you want something a bit special.
(5)Christine M.
Both of my visits (with out-of-town parents) were great. Charming atmosphere, local feel, delicious gourmet food. I am thrilled to recommend it to anyone looking for an upscale, intimate dinner setting. And I love that I can walk there! Menu and artwork change regularly. Check it out, and if you have, keep visiting!
(5)Mal B.
The Pickled Heron is a brave idea done with extreme care and personal effort. The food is heavenly -- whether it's the on premise baked bread and salted, churned butter or the lamb with imaginative fried pave and greens or the Meyers lemon upside down cake -- each flavor joins to create a clean, clear and powerful set of tastes. If you don't like extremely well prepared dishes with complexity, don't come here -- you'll be overwhelmed! And the place is beautifully yet simply appointed with pumpkin walls, an intriguing black ceiling and beautiful hand laid tile in the entry and bath. When you reach for the cast heron door handle at the front door, you know you're entering someplace special. Bring your own and pay by cash.
(5)Wes P.
I hope this place gets the support it deserves. Food was plate licking good. We tried the charcuterie plate, the beef bourguigon and the lamb as well as dessert. A very welcome addition to Fishtown. We plan to be back many times.
(4)Scott s.
Went there for opening night. Everything was perfect. We had the escargot, lamb, gnocchi, and onion soup. All of the food was great, but the lamb with pomegranate marinade was to die for. A welcome addition to fishtown.
(5)Michael D.
Went into the night really looking forward to the dinner as my bride and I have heard great things about this recently opened restaurant. We found the PH to be warm and inviting with a touch of rustic flair. Service was efficient and engaging to my level of preference. We appreciated the table side visit from the cute chef ( the girl ! ). The food was outstanding - had to mentally ask myself how inappropriate it would be been to lick the plate - it was that good. Glad we got in early as this one looks to be a winner. Will certainly be back.
(5)Meghan G.
So excited to have found this place right around the corner. Excellent BYO with a solid, seasonal/local menu. Gotta love a place where the chef actually came out to talk to us because we were asking about the cooking classes they offer. She was super kind, chatted about her food and philosophy, and was very gracious. We will surely be back, and I am so happy to have this place mere blocks away in Fishtown!
(5)John N.
I came here for a Mother's Day meal. The decor was simple, but refined. The staff was courteous and professional. We had the charcuterie plate to start. My favorite was the duck prosciutto; the pâté and sausage were a little bit knuckly. The main dish my mother had, seared sea-scallops w/ lentils, was excellent. I ordered the grilled seitan with mushroom gravy, forbidden rice, and fiddlehead ferns as a departure from the usual. The fern was whimsical and delicious, while the rice had a nice, rounded flavor. The grilled seitan, unfortunately, was bland and lifeless. I informed the server of such and asked for another sauce to spruce up what the first sauce hadn't. I was given the au jus, which didn't do the service I hope it would. The server didn't ask again if the meal had improved, which was disappointing. The cheesecake and creme brulle were very good. I wouldn't feel right giving 4 stars to this restaurant.
(3)Laura P.
I cannot possibly say enough good things about the Pickled Heron to fully do it justice. We have had dinner here twice and, each time, the meal was the highlight of our week. The restaurant has been very busy each time we were there, but I imagine it would be slightly easier to get in for a later dinner (after 9pm or so). On our last visit, we were lucky enough to try the head cheese as part of that night's charcuterie plate (along with fois gras & duck confit) which was crispy and delicious. We also ordered a few small plates. I had previously tried the onion soup gratinee and would gladly have ordered it again, but another member of my party beat me to it. Luckily, I got to try the moule frites instead, which were some of the best I've ever eaten. For my entree, I ordered the scallops which cut like butter, yet had an amazing sear. The rest of my party had the Lamb Sirloin and the Black Bass (that nights special), both of which were fantastic. After sharing some deserts (yum!) and finishing off our wine (love the BYOB) we left, discussing how good our meals were and how soon we can make it back to the Pickled Heron.
(5)Tom F.
This place is a welcome addition to Fishtown. Now we don't even need to leave the neighborhood to have a quiet and romantic dinner. I have read a lot of reviews that this place is overpriced... I'd say if you go to a French restaurant and order a meal and expect to pay less than $25-30 for an entree... I think you should pick a different genre. The food is excellent and the menu changes quite often. The ingredients are fresh and the recipes creative. If you are looking to not spend the dinner prices, check out brunch. The prices are in line with every other brunch spot in the area ($7-14 for a meal) The food is well worth it and the brunch portions are substantial.
(5)Thor T.
What a lovely dinner! The sequence of beautifully cooked plates that Ms. D'Ambrosio and Mr. Braley sent out from the open kitchen tonight made for a most enjoyable culinary trip to Kensington. The star of the housemade charcuterie plate was definitely the venison terrine, deeply flavorful and irresistible. The sunchoke and lentil ravioli (actually, the dish consists of one large raviolo) laid in plump splendor in the coriandor/meyer lemon broth. A salad with pickled winter vegetables was light and flavorful, and the foie gras on fig bread pudding was seared text-book perfect. The sweet scallops with sasify and hedgehog mushrooms delighted one of my dinner companions, her neighbor could not say enough good things about the beautifully prepared black bass fillet - the special of the day. Another well received dish was the seared lamb sirloin, done almost rare as requested. My favorite main dish was a beautifully done stuffed veal breast with a variety of vegetables - memories of late fall evenings in France. Please keep that dish on the menu. We liked the rich crème brûlée, the meyer lemon upside down cake, and the apple galette, all competently executed. The one minus was the profiterole dessert. The tasty fillings and even a dunk in the accompanying chocolate sauce could not make the thick pâte à choux taste exciting. Replace it. The service was solicitous and efficient, the atmosphere of the restaurant cozy and homey. Given the fact that the restaurant has only been open for a short time, the kitchen is already performing admirably and will only get better. As a geographic outlier, The Pickled Heron is doubly required to stand out - it does so with aplomb.
(5)Erika L.
So good. Great ambiance. This place definitely illustrates the difference between dining and eating. It was very much the former, and not the latter. We started with the charuterie, which was good. I was far more impressed by the bread though. My friend got the bream provencal, which was good. The dish was beautiful, the fennel and saffron were such a delicate but flavorful addition to the crispy fish. I got the pork. I should have listened to the chef and gotten it med rare. I asked for medium, but it did look more med well. Regardless, it was juicy and so flavorful. It came with some kind of (cheesy?) risotto, which was phenominal, and kale. I think I'm just not texturally a fan of kale as a personal preference. For dessert, we got the chocolate mousse, which was a perfect balance between the bitterness of quality chocolate and sweetness. I liked how the portion sizes were not over the top. The place is about quality, not quantity. So good I would definitely go back.
(4)Tough Crowd T.
Had dinner last Saturday with a couple of friends. We had white gazpacho (good), green salad (good), moules frites, lentil cakes (a vegan entree) (meh), steak with grilled peaches and corn (meh) and bbq boar shoulder (a disappointment). The boar shoulder is not an entree they should continue offering. I've had much better pulled pork (which is what the meat looked like) that this boar meat preparation. Had two desserts: peach melba (didn't try) and lillet creme brulee (okay). A lovely neighborhood french BYO. With the emphasis on "neighborhood." If I lived in Fishtown, I would probably eat here a lot. But not worth a car trip, like another lovely french BYO within walking distance of my house, Bibou.
(3)Jeremy R.
WOW! I was looking for a nice BYOB in Philly and after some Yelpish research I chose the Heron. What a choice that turned out to be. Our party turned up at the appointed hour and were promptly seated. The ambiance is cozy brownstone that is not over-decorated. The kitchen is small and open. We started with charcuterie and Moules Frites, both were perfectly prepared and served in ample portions. The highlight for me was the duck liver pate which was velvety and delicious. On to the entrees. What really shined was the quality of the meat and fish used in the simple but elegant preparations. The venison was like a fine fillet of beef but smoother and perfectly. Crusted with coffee and accompanied by tasty brussel sprouts. The duck was another winner, a large breast perfectly cooked with a sweet/savory jus. The sea bream was delicate fresh, presented on a bed of French lentils. At this point I thought the best part of the meal was over but we had some Sauternes to drink so we ordered four of the desserts and a French press of coffee. All the treats were incredible but I felt the standouts were the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the apple frangipane tart. The cherry cake was crispy on the outside and delicate on the inside balanced by the smooth nutty pistachio ice cream was delightful where as the tart was fresh and apple-y with a tender crust filled with semi-sweet almond paste. The duck egg creme brulee was a wonder of richness that was not overburdened with sweetness. The sweet treats we balanced by the strong yet smooth carafe of French press coffee. Total bill around $150 for 4 which seemed quite fair but don't forget that they are cash only. Based on our experience, I can't recommend the Pickled Heron highly enough. The ambiance, food and waitstaff were all wonderful and I will return on my next visit to Philly. Go there now while you can still get a table.
(5)Lauren J.
Who orders vegetarian food at a French restaurant? This girl, apparently. Now, I'm not a veggie head, but something called me to the tofu dish (which was amazing). It came with a side of fregola-sarda (homemade by Daniela!) which positively popped in my mouth- so refreshing and tasty. I also had the root vegetable salad, I believe they only carry it at certain times of year. I highly recommend it if it's on the menu when you go here. It was my birthday, and my significant other at the time had brought a lovely pinot-noir which had been suggested by the kitchen before hand, as he checked to make sure he got something that went well with most of their menu items. It surely did. He had the lamb, which I got to taste (see? I told you I wasn't a veghead). It was so moist and tender, absolutely divine. I would also like to add that the waiter, Sean, who is not hard on the eyes, was wonderful, graciously assisting us through this feast! While the delightful food and service may whisk your imagination away, to, say, France, the best part is, you're still in Fishtown! So what is a gem of a place like this doing in Fishtown? I don't care to answer that question, I just want to go again. Soon.
(5)Jim R.
This was our 2nd visit and I'm afraid it turned out like our first - close but no cigar! I'm sorry, but if I'm spending around $110 for dinner per couple (with tip) I want to be impressed - I wasn't nor were the other two couples we were with.
(2)Shaun S.
Phenomenal food, great prices, cozy atmosphere, and right in the heart of fishtown! I've already tried almost everything on the menu, and I couldn't be more pleased that The Pickled Heron is right around the corner from me. From the open kitchen, to the decor, to the (most importantly) food, this place will surely be around for many years to come! I highly recommend it!
(5)Tricia D.
We came to Philadelphia for an art weekend and luckily had The Pickled Heron recommended to us for dinner. The atmosphere is warm, inviting, elegant and relaxed. The walls were adorned with the work of a talented local artist whose works added whimsey to the elegant surroundings. The young chefs assemble locally-sourced ingredients into an appealing variety of offerings. We started with foie gras and house-made charcuterie (duck rillettes, goose liver pate, sopressata, duck prosciutto, fragrant cornichons - served with homemade bread and butter). All were amazing.... the foie gras and the duck prosciutto maybe extra amazing. For the main course beefy beef cheeks, lamb sirloin, seared scallops and crispy-skinned pompano were perfectly prepared and accompanied by ingenious sides (forbidden rice! celery root hash! mushroom ragout!) that enhanced the main and added to the depth of flavor and to the delight in the eating. Desserts...perfect, light, creme brûlée, ice creams (honey and coffee...yum), peanut butter hot chocolate with homemade marshmallow (aahhh), chocolate terrine and a tender apple tart lined with marzipan. Our waiter was excellent and fun - he kept us informed and correctly wined (BYO). When my art-historian dining companion told him how much he resembled Auguste Rodin he acceded saying "I get that a lot". We were not alone in enjoying our meal...that night when the chef-owners (Todd and Daniela) took a break from the kitchen and came into the dining room every patron at every table rose to applaud them! For me the only negative about The Pickled Heron is that it is it is a two hour drive away!
(5)Holly L.
My husband and I live in the neighborhood, so we finally had brunch here today and left so satisfied. I had the Mortadella eggs Benedict and my husband had the sausage, egg and cheese sandwich. They make their own bread at TPH, so that made both our meals extra delicious, in addition to their homemade hollandaise sauce. I'm too intimated to make poached eggs at home, so I'm happy to leave it to the professionals! We also tried some of the crispy panisse, which is likely fried polenta cubes - great accompaniment to the breakfast items, which also come with fingerling potatoes. Hostess was friendly, attentive server without loitering around too long (which I always appreciate at a restaurant...I like good service and to me that means being able to sit, relax and enjoy my meal without feeling rushed). Daniela and Todd make a great team and the restaurant is a lovely spot. I hope it encourages more small businesses to come around and continue to liven up the neighborhood.
(5)Anthony T.
Try the duck breast. Best duck I ever had! Perfectly cooked, medium rare. The home made gnocchi was a great complement.
(4)Andrew A.
I went to the Pickled Heron last night with a friend to celebrate our mutual birthdays. I've been eagerly waiting for the arrival of this new restaurant in our neighborhood, and it did not disappoint! We ordered a number of items on the menu and every bite of every one was delicious! Especially loved the beef borgognone and the escargot. Service was attentive, pleasant and unobtrusive. Our waitress even brought me a complimentary glass of house wine (my friend doesn't drink so I didn't bring a bottle). The atmosphere is cozy (and I don't mean that as a nice way to say too small) and elegant at the same time. Great addition to Fishtown and worth a trip to the neighborhood for anyone who lives elsewhere. Highly recommneded!
(5)Susan F.
Yummy, delicious french food. My only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is the music, please do something about the music, anything besides commercial FM radio. It is the only thing throwing off the ambiance in this otherwise very cute restaurant.
(4)Daniel L.
This place was lovely and the food was great! I took my wife here for her birthday. Ambience and service was excellent and the food was excellent. We got the Arugula salad and garlic soup as appetizers. My wife got the shrimp (replacement for scallops) with sweet potato gratin and I got the bass with barley risotto. Both were really good. The bass was tender with a slightly crispy skin. For dessert, we got the brandied cherry cake with pistachio ice cream and the lillet blanc creme brulee. Both were really delicious! We will definitely come back to try more!
(4)A. Jordan R.
This place is absolutely, unequivocally, and without a doubt the best place in Philly for French cuisine. The atmosphere is cosy and comfortable. The food is unbelievably good. Service is exquisite. Perfect spot for a date or special occasion. I like that you can see the kitchen from your table. The owner sent us out rabbit ravioli during our meal and it was super tasty. Don't forget that it's a BYO. I stocked up on red wine, champaign, and chartreuse before our dinner.
(5)PJ H.
Fantastic. I have been working in Fishtown for two years, and it took me a minute to process that I was actually in Fishtown eating French Bistro food that I would put up against the likes of any french place in the city. Very high quality food and the craftsmanship really shows. Byob, so cant really complain about that, and the prices were reasonable for what you were getting. We had 3 courses, with 4 people and it ran like 180 bucks, which i thought was awesome. We essentially ordered the whole menu, but the highlights were the duck, the house charcuterie plate, and the foie, which was outstanding. I will definitely be back.
(5)Ben B.
The last French restaurant my wife and I visited was the famous French restaurant Bouchon n Napa Valley. I had the lamb at Timothy Keller's famous restaurant. However, it was in Fishtown that I finished my Pan Seared Lamb Sirloin. Tres bien! Minus the celebrity sightings my experience in the hood beat the best California had to offer. And the service was authentic and kind. Fishtown high dining has arrived.
(5)Joshua G.
Disclaimer: this was a Sunday evening experience: (Notorious for B-squad wait staff) I went here with my Mom for a belated Mother's Day dinner with a gift certificate from a friend, my wife doesn't really do fancy food. I love the gourmet stuff, but rarely get the opportunity, so I took my mom to cash in the $80 gift certificate. We had: Arugula salad Duck with polenta Pasta Alfresco a half-press coffee flourless chocolate cake with rhubarb Basil shortcake with Strawberry ice cream The waitress was courteous enough, she wasn't exactly rude, but she wasn't exactly warm either. I think maybe I must have been under dressed and I did not hide the fact that I was using a gift certificate. We didn't bring any wine because my mom doesn't really drink and she was recovering from foot surgery and wouldn't be driving my drunk behind home, so we just had water. The ambiance was nice, and the salad was rockin! I ordered the duck because when else am I going to eat duck? It was decent. I probably won't order duck again, but it was well prepared and very tasty. I cleaned my plate. HOWEVER, the cabbage that came with it was totally burnt, not in a tasty way. Ever other bite or so I'd get a mouth full of charcoal flavor, it was a little less than I was expecting for such a highly rated establishment. Still, polenta duck and salad were awesome, as was mom's pasta dish. Dessert was OK. The rhubarb and creme stuff that was with the flourless chocolate cake would have been awesome with anything other than the chocolate cake--which was good on its own--just the pairing was a little off. Didn't jive with me anyway. The basil shortcake with strawberry ice cream was perfection. I'm rooting for this place especially for its location, I think it's gonna be a great establishment for the neighborhood, and I hope they pwn the Iron Chef competition I hear they're scheduled for, but if I was going to drop that kind of change on a fancy-schmancy meal, I expect it to be flawless. Thankfully, I used the gift cert, and the difference was about $5. (Total $85) I tipped the waitress $20 for her so-so service because I worked as a waiter for about 5 years, and everybody has a bad day sometimes. So, for $25 I think I got what I paid for. Still, unless they're offering a deep discount for early Sunday evening, they need to up their game on the service side. Then again, maybe I just don't belong in fancy restaurants.
(3)Three R.
This place is so cool. From the moment we walked in the service was so good, that I assumed the waiter was the owner. I was WRONG! lol It is BYOB, so go to Bob's Tavern and get some great local beers. Then your ready for your taste buds to dance. Really they will! The food was amazing we met the chef/owner and she was so warm and friendly we felt like family. We are going back to work our way through the Menu. Please check this place out and enjoy the Dance. lol
(5)John M.
Nice little BYOB. I tried their mussels and beef stew. The mussels were very good and a generous serving, the beef stew was a little too salty. Our waitress seemed a little new, and while the service was fine it was not outstanding. Overall I felt like everything was a bit overpriced for the quality and service level, but I was not disappointed at the end of my meal. I had their creme brulee for dessert, most of it was good but parts of the top were more black than browned and tasty burnt.
(3)Kelly C.
i had a lovely experience here!! honestly, i was very worried after reading some of the reviews on yelp.. i even went as far as to look on other foodie platforms for some reassurance lol~ anyway, i'm really happy that it turned out great. it was a very quiet and intimate dinner with my family :) on contrary to what some yelp critics have mentioned, i did not think PH's dishes lacked flavor.. i enjoyed my appetizers (crab souffle and foie gras) and pan seared duck very much. i don't think it's fair to put this on par with other well established restaurants. don't get me wrong but PH is a very low key spot. it actually reminded me of the idea of speakeasies. it has a very homey feel and taste to it. yet the dishes are complex enough that there is no way i can make it at home! Appetizer: Foie Gras - loved the pear sauce with it~ very wintery feel Crab Souffle - almost like a crab cake, i just wish there was more crab in it. very unique! but the horseradish salad was a little overpowering i thought.. Entree: Pan Seared Duck - loved all the elements on this dish! generous portion! Beef Bourguignon - similar to a beef stew~ i only had a bite of it but it was very yummy. portion seemed a little smaller compared to the duck Grilled Venison - yummy but nothing overwhelming~ the chestnut puree was a fine touch to compliment the game the only thing i could pick at was the quality of the ingredients. both the foie gras and the duck, frankly, were not the best-- quality wise. i don't know how to explain it but it just didn't deliver that winning blow~ the duck was recommended to cook to medium rare-- not a problem to me. however, the meat was too tough! we had a hard time cutting it on the plate. medium would have be better. the skin also carried just a tad too much fat than i would like.. other than that, the dish was very well prepared. it was very scrumptious! the other thing my family mentioned was them not offering warm bread :/ i mean it's pretty cold out~ warm bread would've been a beautiful start lol but the butter was fantastic! we ended up having seconds to a serving of bread anyway. other than that, it was a fantastic saturday night~ we left very full and satisfied. i would recommend PH to other people :) and definitely bring some wine to spice up your night! cheers!
(4)Shauna G.
It was... well... it was extremely all right. Tragically so. All the makings of something that could have been great, but it was just... fine. Outside of the fact that the menu lacked a fancy French cheese plate option (a tragedy in and of itself), I don't have many complaints. The service was wonderful. Love me a good BYO. My scallops were plated and cooked beautifully. The atmosphere was charming, but... I don't know. It just lacked chutzpah to me. The menu was absent of the inventiveness and creativity that I've come to enjoy in the Philly dining scene. Nothing jumped out at me. Nothing inspired me. Nothing left me begging for more. Overall... Solid. Solid, but forgettable.
(3)Michelle C.
The Pickled Heron has been on my list of bookmarked restaurants for a long time, and I finally got to check it out with two girlfriends on Friday. We arrived armed with three bottles of vino. Though the restaurant was featuring some type of restaurant week deal, they still had their full menu available, which was our preference. Unfortunately, the menu didn't exactly match the one online, and my friend was disappointed to see that the scallops were no longer being offered. Luckily, there were still a handful of other seafood options. I started with the moules frites. The mussels were served in a light, saffron-scented broth and they were fantastic. The fries were piping hot and served in a cone with a mild dipping sauce. Next up was a steak with bone marrow stuffing, mushrooms and onion. The steak was a perfect medium rare as requested. We passed on dessert but said yes to French pressed coffee. I'm glad I finally got a chance to try The Pickled Heron and I'd be down for a return trip sometime.
(4)Aaliyah P.
I sometimes make the mistake of having way to high expectations of a restaurant. Pickled Herron unfortunately falls into this category. My gal pals and I were eager for our meal here we love Byobs and French fare so to say we were highly anticipating this meal would be right. Service was flawless , I can't recall her name but she was super sweet and did a great job of checking in and keeping water glasses full. My reasons for 3 stars instead of four: -Menu online clearly different then the hand printed one placed before us. I always check a restaurants website to make sure there will be some options for me in the event something isn't available. I'm sad to say the scallops i had been salivating over were no longer an option - what French restaurant doesn't have a cheese board or at least a cheese feature ? I was very perplexed and slightly offended by this. I'm not sure you can call yourself a French establishment without any fromage. - the charcuterie board is actually house made but mostly or terrines and pates ...no thank you I went with the arugula and peach salad along with the mussels and frites. The peach salad left me feeling a little puzzled. The peaches weren't ripe enough in my opinion so the sweetness that should have been there was lacking. The salad was dressed lightly and featured a few nuts. It was ok but is something I could have made at home. The mussels were divine and I was very happy with my choice. The frites were perfect and I consider myself a French fry connoisseur. These two items were the perfect portion for me. My dining companions seemed to enjoy their steaks and as stated before service was on point . I'm not sold into coming back wish the outcome was different.
(3)Mike Z.
Came here on a double date on a busy Saturday night. Its a small byob in Fishtown. It has a really nice atmosphere.. I like the simple menu thats to the point and very small. We started with a couple appetizers that included fois gras, crab salad, and assorted meats with crackers. The food was good but nothing that stood out or amazing. Also the bread that was served wasn't fresh or warm. The bread usually says a lot about a restaurant. For entrees I had the fish (forget name and cant find it on the menu online) but it was really amazing. My friends ordered medium cooked duck and beef. The duck just wasn't good. It didn't have much flavor and it was dry. We were recommended to try it medium rare but we were not about to eat bloody duck. Another person had the beef and he said it was good. For dessert we had the warm chocolate cake and it was tasty. Overall it was a good experience, good service and mostly pretty good food.
(4)Kristen F.
What a fantastic meal. Living three blocks away, there was no excuse for not having patronized this fine establishment sooner, so, when the opportunity to meet some friends for dinner presented itself, we jumped on the chance to try Pickled Heron. What an adorable place. Small, intimate dining room with an open kitchen area, allowing you to see the chefs at work. Pretty sweet date spot! We had the charcuterie and some super-rad bleu cheese puffs to start. Oh. My. God. The charcuterie was unique, surprising, fresh, and delicious. While I'm normally not a pate person, it was hard not to fall in love with theirs. And the bleu cheese puffs? Heavenly, coupled perfectly with figs. I had the shrimp and he had the black bass for an entree, and, the portion sizes were perfect, the food was fresh and thoughtfully seasoned. We finished with some french press coffee, and, were simply delighted with our meals. With their ever-changing, locally sourced menu, creative food pairings, and reasonable pricing, this place is at the top of my list to visit again.
(5)Diana H.
I've been wanting to try out a French restaurant in Philly for a while, so it just had to happen last night. The Pickled Heron wasn't my first choice, but I'm a procrastinator when it comes to making reservations so there wasn't much choice on a Saturday night. The decor is great. Warm, yellow walls in the dining room and even the restroom walls were beautiful deep red. I had the foie gras as a starter. It was tasty and it went great with the sauce. My husband had the charcuterie. He thought it was just OK, but I tasted it and thought it was lovely. For our main courses we had the duck breast and the lamb. The duck came with risotto. Flavors could've been a bit stronger, but on the other hand. It was cooked very well and so I was happy. My husband loved his lamb dish. He said it was rich in flavor. For dessert we shared the chocolate terrine which was simply delish! It's a nice restaurant, but I'm not sure if I'd go back. I thought service was just OK, not overly friendly or welcoming, pretty standard. Also, the crowd here is a bit older... Overall, we had a lovely dinner with interesting flavors. Well done!
(4)Victoria L.
On a winter evening, my lady friend and I went to Pickled Heron BYOB. After hearing lots of good things about this place, we were surprised to be one of two seatings that night (probably the entire night, because we stayed for quite some time). Since it was a quiet evening, the service was great so we were not complaining. To start, we ordered the charcuterie - one of our favorite things. It was good (as always) but we've gone to some great places that really wow us and this was just standard. As entrees, my friend got the duck, which she loved. I got a fish that was pretty standard as well, not very memorable. Afterwards, we couldn't pass up dessert. We decided on opera cake and red velvet cake. Unfortunately, our meal almost ended on a poor note since the red velvet cake lacked any flavor of all (not enough butter or cocoa). The opera cake made up for it though with decadent chocolate flavors. In retrospect, I would have skipped dessert and maybe tried another appetizer.
(3)David P.
I've now had several consistently excellent meals at the Pickled Heron. They've definitely earned their 5 stars. On the menu for the last visit was the duck breast (had to have again) and a duck cassoulet with homemade duck sausage and duck confit. It was fabulous. Finished with a wonderful rice pudding.
(5)Olivia J.
One star goes to the very poor service, we ordered our food immediately after sitting down, but an hour and half later, our main entree still has not arrived. When the food finally arrived (one hour 45 mins later) it's definite more rare than medium-rare. Moreover, we were not given the proper cutting knife like other tables which made it even harder to cut though the already rare meat. Additionally, our waitress completely ignored us throughout the meal time. For example, we had to chase after another waiter to get our water refilled). The two 6-people tables that arrived after us received food within 30 minutes of sitting down, which was way before we got any of our main food. The food is good and the service is one of the worst I have ever received.
(1)David B.
I had some pretty high expectations and I'll say they were met. Had dinner last night with my wife and a close friend. We were flanked by a wine tasting dinner, but not all the tables were filled. I would say this in general about The Pickled Heron. It's not a full service restaurant. That's not to say that the service is bad, but you are coming here for the food. We brought a bottle of Frecon Farms Crabby Granny and Gulden Draak 10.5 Brewmaster's Select to pair with our food. For appetizer, we had the salad, moules frites, foie gras and charcuterie plate. I would definitely re-order the moules frites and foie. I was extremely pleased to see the frites and moules separated. The frites must have been blanched in saffron water before being fried and really carried that bright minerally saffron essence. The aioli (mayo) was clearly homemade and delicious. The moules themselves were unsatifyingly tiny beasts in comparison to what I find in the regular grocery store, but the sauce was buttery saffrony decadence. The foie was nicely seared, rare on the inside and paired with a moist currant cake that was the bomb. The salad and charcuterie were delicious as well, but not memorable. For dinner, we shared the beef bourguignon, venison denver steak and duck breasts. They were all excellent entrees but the winner was clearly the venison. It was perfectly sous vide, sublimely tender and paired with a chestnut puree that tasted like maple nutty whipped potatoes. The duck was second best and only suffered from having been a tough cut of meat. It would have benefited from a sous vide sleep for several hours instead of whatever technique they did employ. Nevertheless, the perfectly cooked skin made up for it. Lastly, the beef bourguignon was excellent but could have been more stewy and cohesive. Each element felt a little too separated and it didn't have that country french flavor that it could have. All in all, I will definitely be back to The Pickled Heron. It was a delicious meal and worth the $$$.
(5)Jessica S.
This is a great BYOB... IN KENSINGTON!!! I scoped the place out before it even opened and was very pleased. What a great thing to open up so far north of Girard. Delicious food. - my first escargot! and every dish was flavorful and lovely. Friendly Service. - the server was delightful. took care of us and all his other tables too. Atmosphere. - a well put together not over the top place that was not too noisy for a small byob. We dressed for the occasion, but others were dining more casually... I think we'll have to go back again for brunch one weekend. Really nice place to have a really nice meal.. Give it a try!
(5)Shaun S.
Phenomenal food, great prices, cozy atmosphere, and right in the heart of fishtown! I've already tried almost everything on the menu, and I couldn't be more pleased that The Pickled Heron is right around the corner from me. From the open kitchen, to the decor, to the (most importantly) food, this place will surely be around for many years to come! I highly recommend it!
(5)Khoa N.
I dined at the Pickled Heron about 2 years ago with a large party of 20+ a few months after they opened. I was able to try a number of dishes and was not blown away with the same experiences as other yelpers. I've been dying to give them another chance since then and did do last night. It was a pretty quiet night. I arrived shortly after 6pm on a Wednesday and, by the time I finished before 8pm, I only saw 2 other tables. The meal began with bread and butter. I usually don't mention that, but the bread was enjoyably crusty with a warm and chewy center and the butter was nicely softened. Next came the charcuterie and fioe gras. The housemade meat plate consisted of a duck liver mouse, veal terrine, and slices of some sausage. I've had better, but it wasn't terrible either. The seared fioe gras was accompanied by elderflower jelly. That was the only part of the meal I was nervous about. I'm not a fan of St. Germain in my drinks, but the elderflower paired well with the rich fioe gras. My wife and I continued with the duck and steak bavette. The seared duck breast came with grilled garlic scapes, cous cous, and a red curry sauce. The scapes were mildly garlicky and I wouldn't have known there was curry on the plate if I didn't see the menu first. The duck was seasoned well, but was unfortunately tough, even though it was cooked to medium rare. The grilled steak bavette came with asparagus, pickled lemon oyster mushrooms and cornbread. As with the other main plate, it was all seasoned well, but also tough. This was the first time I've had pickled mushrooms and it was a surprise. I'm more accustomed to savory and earthy mushrooms as opposed to tart and delicate. A huge slice of skillet cornbread rounded out the plate. You can't have a dinner without dessert, so I ordered the duck egg creme brulee. I was prepared for some gaminess, but it actually turned out pretty mild and was a good finish to the meal. I left the restaurant full and satisfied. The portion sizes were very generous and were full of flavor, however the proteins were a bit tough.
(4)Joe B.
From the very beginning, it was clear that Pickled Heron was the best restaurant in Fishtown. Now after a few years of consistently delivering incredible food and impeccable service, PH has developed a reputation for being one of the finest restaurants in the entire city. Chefs Todd and Daniela have created such a welcoming place on Frankford Ave. The dinner menus are always great. But if you get the chance, try to get a reservation for one of their special dinner series. It's also a great place for private parties. We had our wedding rehearsal dinner there with about 40 guests and had a blast. It was fun to plan with Todd and Daniela - we were confident the entire time that they would do an incredible job. They surpassed expectation.
(5)Steve K.
My wife and I ate here last week to celebrate yet another birthday...sigh The place is just lovely with nice small tables not too close to each other bright walls and art-y furnishings as well as a black ceiling to lend an intimate air with just right illumination. We came to this BYOB with what turned out to be a nice bottle of wine, albeit with a screw top - I was humiliated but the waiter handled it with tact and aplumb. The one guy handled the whole room with 3 parties of 2 and a party of 4. When running down the offerings he mainly named beef so i asked him why no fish. He said it was beef weather, so I followed his advice and ordered Beef Bourguignon - beef for perhaps the first time in a fine restaurant in many years. I am so happy I did - the dish was just outstanding with potatoes and other savory goodies along with beef, delicious beef with fat that gave it a great mouth feel and was so satisfying on a coldish day. If by habit you infrequently eat red meat when eating out (save for burgers and BBQ) take the waiters advice through me and try the Beef Bourguignon here! My wife has the scallops and the bit SWIMBO let me try was great - they came with (I think) Crimini mushrooms that my wife did not care for but which I loved. We finished with a shared Creme Brulee made with duck eggs rather then chicken that they said made it lighter - it was fine but not as outstanding as the main courses - perhaps because I declined coffee on a weeknight when I had to get up at 5 the next morning... All that with tip was in the 70's with tax and tip - a bargain all in all!
(5)Chris M.
The Pickled Heron is a thoroughly lovely BYOB in the Fishtown section of the city. It's the sort of place that you just want to love as soon as you see it: small, unassuming, unpretentiously romantic. No overwrought decor here: just earnest work toward providing a superior restaurant experience. We strolled in on a Friday night without reservations, which we came to learn is seldom a good idea. Luckily for us, they had one more table available, and we got it--every now and again, we come up high on Fortuna's wheel. We were promptly seated, and our waiter came over and opened our wine for us. As we sipped a nice pinot and looked over the menu, I knew we had come to the right place for dinner. We split a nice baby greens salad and from there went to entrees, tilefish for me and the steak bavette for my wife. I loved the tilefish. It was perfectly cooked: moist and with some chew. My wife's steak was cooked to the medium rare she specified, and she enjoyed it. The food was delivered with quick, friendly, and efficient service. Because the Pickled Heron is BYOB, you can have a top-tier meal here for a very reasonable price. We had what felt like a $100 meal/experience for about $60--not bad at all. We will def be back.
(4)David S.
I am proud to have such a fine French bistro-type restaurant in my very own Fishtown. Pickled Heron broke the barrier here of only bar food and pizza. It is a wonderful, cozy BYOB that delivers fine dining at a very high level. We were attended to by Sean (Shaun?), who made sure that every detail was taken care of in a very timely manner. The menu is varied enough to suit every palate. I started with the Foie Gras, which had a delicious smoky flavor and was quite enjoyable. The grilled octopus appetizer was cooked to perfection, not chewy at all. Our entree selections of veal breast and duck breast were surprisingly large portions, which I never expected (but was happy with) from a french restaurant. I can't wait to go back
(5)John B.
Pickled Heron is a charming little place that is a bit off the beaten path. Every meal I have ever had there has been fantastic with the exception of the time I tried their Valentine's Day prefixed. Even then the food wasn't bad they were just massive understaffed. Otherwise it's a super charming place that really has it together. There servers are knowledgable and friendly and their food is some of my favorite in the city. There prices are also very reasonable for what you are getting. If you go in hungry I recommend getting a small plate as a starter and a large plate as your main. It's based very firmly in French cuisine so it's also maybe not a great choice for vegans or vegetarians. For everyone else I highly recommend it.
(5)Brenna M.
This place embodies my favorite things about Philadelphia dining. A home-y ambiance, BYOB, delicious and creative dishes: these are the reasons Philly stands apart from other foodie cities. After spending a Saturday hanging in NoLibs, it was such a treat to end at the Pickled Heron. We split a simple salad, which the waiter brought out on two plates for us. I got the crispy duck with spaeztle, and my date got the steak with an apple fritter and celery root purée. I like to be impressed when I eat out by creative dishes and this did exactly that. The spaetzle had grainy mustard and was a great match to the perfectly cooked duck. The apple fritter was light and unlike anything I had ever tried. The best was the apple tart with almond mousse - the best French dessert I've had outside of France. Highly recommend!
(5)Denise H.
I feel weird. I'm not a nice person and I really don't like giving 5 stars to anyone and certainly not on a regular basis. Alas, this time I can't help myself. Everything was perfect. And I mean everything. The restaurant is clearly chef/owner run and it shows. From the greeting at the door to the last bite of the crème brulee. Everything is perfectly orchestrated. My foie gras was probably one of the best I've ever had. Perfectly sautéed, sweet and melt in the mouth. My husband got the duck which I almost made him switch with me. The only reason I didn't is because my fish was so wonderful. Perfect seasoning and balanced with so many flavor layers. I don't want to leave out the décor of this little restaurant. Keep in mind that the main dining room used to be someone's living room so it's small. I mean 6 or 8 table small. That, in my humble opinion, only adds to the ambiance. Don't forget, bring a nice bottle of wine and maybe a good brandy or sherry for the coffee they will bring you. That and make a reservation! You won't regret it. Enjoy!
(5)