Went here for the first time last Friday. The calamari was amazing and the salmon salad was very fresh. Â However the best thing about my experience was our server Ryan. I asked about picking me a Chardonnay and he was right on. Very personable and attentive to my girlfriend and I. Perhaps we reminded him of his mother, LOL
Review Source:My last visit here was rather disappointing. Came here for happy hour with a friend on a Sunday at 4pm. There weren't very many people in the restaurant and yet the service was SOOOO SLOW. It took almost an hour for our 3 little appetizers to come out. The bartender making the drinks made them pretty weak and the flavors just weren't as good as in the past. Â I've been here twice before and the drinks were fabulous. I'm sure I'll be back I just hope my next experience is better.
Review Source:When I went to the OC Restaurant Week Launch Party, Paul Martin's stayed on my mind as my favorite sample there. Â When I saw a deal on Bloomspot, I snapped it up immediately.
I was finally able to visit the actual restaurant this past weekend. Â The place is huge and we got seated right at our reservation time. Â The service here was excellent, with our waiter checking in at right intervals and our food arriving on our tables with good timing. Â Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and gave us honest recommendations on the wine and beer list. Â I love the concept of local and sustainable food. Â Because of this, their menu changes seasonally. Â Unlike some other reviewers on here indicated, we actually got a good portion of bread to start off with (about 5 slices of wheat bread).
=Appetizers=
We started out with the calamari, which came with some amazing red pepper sauce. Â The breading on this was perfect--not too thick and crispy.
=Main Courses=
Brick Chicken and Hangar Steak - Both were moist and delicious! I ordered my steak medium rare and it was perfect. Â My only complaint is that both dishes sat in the plate in oil(?)--might have been the chimchurri for the steak. Â I have a feeling they do this on purpose though, but I personally would like less oil on the plate. Â I can see how this would lead to soggy fries if you opted to replace your side.
=Sides=
Spinach - Not overly sauteed or seasoned, just how I like it.
Mashed Potatoes - A rather large portion and perfect to go with our meal.
=Dessert=
Banana Cream Pie - I loved this dessert! It was nice and light and wasn't too sweet. Â It could have used more slices of banana though.
Overall, I really enjoyed eating here and will definitely come back again!
Reservations - Recommended
Service - Friendly but poor. Â Our dinner for four people was over two hours. Â We had to flag the food runner twice because he was wandering around trying to find the right table for the food he was delivering. Â It took forever for our dish to come and constantly, we had to ask for utensils (steak knives for our meat, spoons for our dessert). Â At the end, we were given the wrong dessert and even overcharged for dessert that came with our meal.
Food - Very inconsistent. Â I've been here a couple of times and every time it's different. Â Some times the food is good, other times overly salted. Â This time, everything was very bland.
1. Artichokes - Overpriced. Â $11 for one small artichoke cut in half?
2. Prime Rib - Bland and chewy. Â The horseradish should have been call sour cream sauce. Â We even ordered and tried to mix raw horseradish in but couldn't make it taste better.
3. Cedar Plank Salmon - Very good. Â On the other hand, this dish had a great kick, nicely seasoned. Â Salmon was perfectly crusted on the outside and very flaky and tender on the inside.
4. Caesar Salad - Light vinaigrette which was refreshing and not overpowering.
5. Garden Salad - House vinaigrette was too tart.
6. Â Homemade Ice Cream - Good.
Went for date night. Was looking forward to a good steak. Had the New York strip. Was very disappointed. No flavor at all. Â Husband had prime rib special. Same thing. No flavor. Ordered fries and waiter offered to bring out garlic aioli for dipping. Forgot the order. When he brought it out later, he forgot the sauces. Seemed like a long time to receive meal. Was very disappointed. Will not be returning :(
Review Source:Great Happy Hour - 3pm - 7pm which helps with my schedule
Drink specials - ranging from $4 - $7ish. recommended drink: the blue and green (i think that's what it's called) - the gin and cucumber drink. though it was a bit odd that one of the drinks i got had muddled mint in it.. reminded me of a mojito but meh.. i like mint so i drank it anyways.
- lemon drop - not sure why there was some blue curacao in it.. but meh still tasted like a lemon drop
Food specials - ones we tried
- flatbread - procciuto and barrata cheese.. yums!
- sweet potato fries - soo good, fried just right
- smoked salmon - very smoky but it tasted very good. i couldnt eat too much of it as it was a bit too smoky for my taste.
- recommended: burger combo. you get to choose a burger, beer and either regular or sweet potato fries for $12! since i wanted my gin drink gave beer to a friend. burger - ordered the cheddar burger and it was DELISH. the meat was just right. very large burger so was happy to share.
i have dined here before for dinner which was nice/fine, but happy hour is the winner. it can get very packed especially right after work so get there quick!
There was more mashed potato than steak in my HANGER STEAK dish. Also my steak was alrdy cut I WAS SUPPOSED TO LOOK SOPHISTICATED CUTTING MY STEAK AND DRINKING MY WINE
Reasonably priced for a fancy restaurant. Highly recommended for first dates, but nothing else unless youre rich. +1 star b/c it was such da good timez~
I felt like one classy broad coming here. The interior is really nice, probably most likened to Javier's of all places at Spectrum. Came on a weeknight for some drinks & dinner. Unfortunately we missed happy hour by a little bit, so everything was a little pricey for my taste. The spinach & artichoke dip was $14! My boyfriend said it's the best spinach dip he's ever had so I guess it was all worth it It. We shared the French Dip sandwich ($17) and a burger. Both were pretty good, but it's hard to mess them up. The burger wasn't anything spectacular, I asked for it medium and it was nice and juicy. The french dip was better, but nothing too memorable. I had two vodka tonics and he had two gin & tonics, so our bill was a bit steep. Another plus is that they had the game on, but the atmosphere doesn't lend itself to screaming/cheering.
Review Source:My husband had the burger, I had the 3 mushroom burger, my sister had the salmon tacos and her hubby had the pulled pork sandwich. Â We all loved our meals.
My mushroom burger was tastier than expected! Â I was bad and had chocolate cake for dessert. Â It feels so good to be bad.
Great service, great decor, great food. Â I'll definitely be back!
I have had some wonderful meals at Paul Martin's American Grill. Â I am a fan of the Brick Chicken. Â But the dining experience is occasionally a let down. Â Tonight I enjoyed the calamari as an appetizer, but the sea bass was overcooked and dry. Â Too bad. Â It had a lot of promise, but did not deliver. Â Speaking of not delivering, the service was gracious but VERY slow.
Review Source:I am a semi-regular at Paul Martin's because of its convenience to my home and office. Â My husband and I meet up there several times a month, and I have eaten lunch, dinner, and happy hour. Â While I really liked the concept when they first started, I do feel that the food and service has slipped, and I don't like the newer menus as much as the older ones. Â Let's face it: this is a very expensive restaurant, and there are quite a few options for a $30+ steak in Orange County. Â If I am spending that much for dinner, the food should be exceptional. Â This place has a few ongoing problems with dinner service including slow service, TERRIBLE bread, and consistently overcooked/undercooked mediocre entrees. Â I have had a few times that were outstanding, but it is definitely hit-or-miss. Â I would say that the salads are a high point, showcasing seasonal and local ingredients that are generally fresh and delicious. Â There is also a mushroom soup and a banana cream pie that are to die for.
That being said, this 3 star restaurant has a FIVE STAR HAPPY HOUR! Â There is a whole list of decent wines, cocktails, and appetizers starting at FOUR DOLLARS. Â And they don't serve the cheap, greasy stuff like most happy hours. Â I love that over half of their choices are low-carb. Â Each appetizer comes with a nice slaw or relish, a tasty sauce, and meat. Â The smoked chicken wings are absolutely outstanding, nice and crispy every time, and only $4. Â I think that they $4 cocktails are also the best in OC, particularly the lemon drop (fresh and lemony, not too sweet) and the Cosmo. Â Seriously, where else can you eat fantastic, low-carb appetizers and drink your fill for like $16? Â There is also a burger, fries, and beer deal for only $12. Â We will often have a 3:00 lunch or 5:00 dinner just to get our fill of this tasty food. Â If you have a chance for afternoon cocktails, GO HERE. Â You won't regret it.
Better rethink the dishes!
I have been to PM's more times than I can count. We stopped for a drink at the bar since it was Happy Hour and the gents behind the bar were engaging and drinks were great. We usually eat there too but decided to have dinner instead because our son was in town.
Although our waitress was outstanding, the food was not. What is this 3 slices of bread on the table? Can't you get some real bread yet with a little crunch? I ordered the ribeye with fries. The steak was OK but for $30+ I would hope so and if they put anymore salt on the fries I'd still be drinking water a week later. Please use some restraint!
The chimichurri sauce on my son's steak was poor and the steak was sitting in oil. The ribs - supposedly new ribs were not that great. We get better ones at HH at half the cost.
It doesn't look like we will be going back again for dinner anytime soon but for a couple of drinks at HH - they are still OK.
Yes, I'm a fan. My crew and I love Paul Martin's, and I can count the reasons.
First came here right after opening for a patio lunch when I lived across the street at The Village, and was pleasantly surprised by a great soup-and-sandwich combo. Then came back months later to meet friends for drinks which were equally good. Later, it became a regular spot for the happy hour team to gather on the patio. We even did their brunch there on a weekend, which was a delicious steal. Here's the thing about Paul Martin's: they do it all, and it's all handled well.
The service is great- always pleasant and capable. They're also not afraid to make changes to improve the guest experience. On my first lunch visit just after opening, there were a series of tarp-like canvas shades on the patio, weighed with mushroom anchors that still caught the wind and took out some stemware at an unseated table. On subsequent visits, they had changed the style and color of the shade control to avoid a problem in windy conditions (golden outdoor curtains, if you're curious).
Menu highlights include the happy hour burger combo (great preparation, and large servings), omelets and fruit plates at brunch, and the Cuba Libre cocktail at other times. Enjoy!
Came here with the family for a birthday dinner after remembering good things on a lunch visit in the past. We ordered the calamari and the salt and pepper shrimp as apps and enjoyed them both. The pesto aioli dipping sauce for the shrimp was good and had a nice bite to it and the calamari was fresh and tasty as well.
I ordered the short rib for dinner with sweet potato fries and the short rib came out fairly bland and also lukewarm. The fries were okay but seemed a bit soggy.
We got a banana desert and the strawberry shortcake and both were great deserts.
I will be coming back but I was slightly disappointed with the entrees.
Nice centralized location, great atmosphere and service.
We tried this for brunch - the French toast, applewood smoked bacon omelet, fresh bay shrimp omelet, eggs benedict, lemosa and bloody Mary. Included rye bread and fruit salad. The rye bread was not good at all, the fruit salad was not ripe nor sweet. The main entrees were tasty. Unfortunately, the ones that had the bacon omelet had stomach pains and were attached to the toilet the next few days. :(
We returned for dinner a few months later, long after all stomach issues and their memories had subsided. Complimentary bread was not good at all - again. We had the grilled maple-glazed salmon salad, blackened ribeye, draft beer and a cosmo. The cosmo was super sweet, but we enjoyed the entrees. They redeemed themselves...somewhat. :)
I just don't understand how people can give this place bad reviews. I've been here many times, to this location and the one up north in Roseville. Â
The food has always been great and fresh, I love the burger, especially the mushroom burger and I'm not the type to eat veggies over meat. Â Big fan of the steaks and seafood.
Nothing beats the wine selection though! Â The bartender Brandy is there at lunch usually when I go and she is fantastic, I have become a avid drinker of a few new wines that I wasn't into before. Thanks for the suggestions and good service Brandy.
My favorite waitress so far is Katie. She has to be one of the sweetest and most genuine people I've ever met. Very tentative and her customer service is unmatched so far. I wish all servers can take a page out of this young ladies book.
We recently went for dinner and there was a small mistake in the food that came out, ordered one type of fish but mistakenly got another. Â Immediately Karly the manager shows up, apologizes, and comps us a dessert. You are too kind lady! Your team is amazing and we will be diners for life thanks to you guys!
My wife and I's main entree was lukewarm. Wife had the ribeye and I had the cedar plank salmon. My assumption is that our food was sitting on the counter for a bit before it was served to us. Two of my friends got sick. I think it was from the spinach dip because no one else ordered that dish.
Service was decent. Our main server did a good job handling our party of 16 but she didn't get too much help. We were missing a steak knife for wife so I ask for one from one of the main server's helpers. After 10 mins, I had to ask my main server for one since her helper did not return. By that time, the lukewarm ribeye entree was even colder. Thought about asking to cook another but was too hungry so we let it slide.
This place is great for Sunday Brunch! Â I met up with a friend of mine who I hadn't seen in a while. Â We had such a great time here, we decided we were going to come here more often. Â We each had a cocktail and a main dish.
My cocktail was delightful and she was happy with hers. Â I hasd a refreshing spiked lemonade. Â And for my meal, I had the shrimp omelette with potatoes. Â Everything was delicious. Â It was also a great value for the price. (Especially considering the last time I was here I dropped about 50 bucks for dinner). Â I'm a fan of their brunch and will definitely be returning.
Nice place, it looks good, I ordered a Steak salad the vegetables were mushy and the meat was cold very cold I asked the server if it was supposed to be cold and he said - No, I'm going to talk to the manager, and nothing happened, they still charged me for it and the manager never come over to say anything.. My friend said her fish was also cold and her salad wasn't fresh.
So if you like your meat or fish cold and mushy lettuces that's the place to go.. Â I will never go back..
I went here for a post work event and was very happy with their ability to take our large party and attend to us as well as they did. The ambiance was nice too with both indoor and outdoor seating (to include heat lamps). I recall having a fish dish, but sadly don't remember which one, but it was delicious. l also had the mushroom soup and it was rich and delicious (a bit too creamy but still the mushroom earthiness came through). It was a bit pricey which is why I went 3 stars instead of 4, but that is the sort of place PMAG seems to be; it's a bit trendy. The food and service were good and I'd return if I was in the area but don't know if I'd seek it out as it's missing that something special I like in a 4-5 star place.
Also, noteworthy is the parking garage nearby and valet out front plus the easy access to the freeway if you're commuting back to Santa Monica ;-)
I was really excited to try out this new restaurant at the spectrum especially because it looks really classy and nice from the outside. I had reservations at 8pm for 2 and they still made us wait just as long as the people who didn't have reservations.
Also, as we were waiting to be seated we noticed that about 80% of the people leaving or eating there were senor citizens. once we were finally seated we found out why it's so popular with the older crowd, the food choices! There were such boring run of the mill menu options except they were way overpriced! $17 standard hamburger, really? Just no. The appetizer and drinks were so underwhelming and over priced we just left after without ordering dinner.
Additionally, the waiter asked us if we knew what we wanted about 2 minutes after sitting down and once we said we haven't really been able to look at the menu he left and didn't come back for about 15 minutes, nowhere to be seen. this was a recurring theme throughout the time we were there. He would just disappear and not come back to collect the bill ect. As we were leaving we saw our waiter flirting with the hostess and didn't even acknowledge we were leaving. at least we know where he was all those times he disappeared!!
Over all, Paul Martin's is a fail.
Saturday Brunch. currently $19 per person, includes a personal fruit dish, scone, a beverage of your choice and a main dish. Additional drink is only $4. Next week, brunch is $11 per person, for the same deal!! GREAT price for the food. Everything is delicious. The Bloody Mary has a whole bacon in it and is a little on the spicier side. Definitely coming back.
Note: Restaurant located left of Valet parking lot on Pacifica. Or if you're walking past the theater on your left, make a right into an alley before you hit Javier's.
Back from my maternity hiatus.
So came here yesterday for our annual D*kat bday dinner...seated promptly because it wasn't busy at at at 7:30pm. The hostess and manager were delightful and great. Also, our waiter(s) were nice but let's talk about the runner and food. He plopped down our dessert without spoons and ran off.
On the tab
Ribeye=good but more fat than meat
skirt steak=on a bed of olive oil and flavorless
Tuesday Fried chicken dinner= which I ordered. When the runner plopped it down in front of me..it was super dark..pretty much burnt, which I thought was maybe canjun so I gave it a try..but definitely burnt and I'm breastfeeding so I can't chance it. The waiter was super nice and took it back. The manager came over and said he would get me a new one and take it off our bill, which was super nice. I waited awhile then got full so I told them just to pack it to go. My mom ate it later that night and the chicken was raw and super salty. Good times!
Mushroom soup=really good cause I la la love mushrooms
Overall, I would have given them only one star cause of the food & service but they were really great about my burnt chicken. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone cause it's really overpriced for what you get but the decor is really nice. High five to the designer.
I absolutely love the interior of this restaurant. It's nice and open with a lot of dark woods. Very modern yet classy. The customer service has been exceptional the last two times I have been there. Once for lunch and the other for brunch.
I like the presentation of the food and it tasted good.
I came here with my girlfriends after work on Thursday night around 6pm to try their happy hour at the bar. Their bar was packed!
We ordered:
Sauvignon Blanc-I did not like it. I wouldn't order this again.
Bistro Cosmo-This was good, not too sweet.
Raspberry martini-This was really sweet!
Burger, Beer, Fries combo-We split the vegetarian mushroom patty but it was excessively salty!!! The sweet potato fries were ok, not very crispy though.
St. Louis Style Pork Ribs-Wow, melt-in-your-mouth with meat falling off the bone! It was so delicious, I wish I ordered my own! I would definitely order this again!
Flatbread-This was really bland and flavorless. We barely touched this...
Smoked Salmon Lettuce Cups-Light, healthy, this was pretty good.
Happy hour prices are pretty good. However, they need to expand their options and add more variety! It was really limited and none of the items really stood out. I suggest that they delete all the non-popular items and add new items that are unique and flavorful!
Came here with friends after work and had a great dining experience. It is definitely a little on the pricier side, but you have to splurge a little, especially when it comes to quality food. Â The ambiance and interior architecture is really top notch. I made a reservation on open table and we were seated quickly.
Started with a champagne lemon drink (forgot the name), it was very tasty. Spinach dip appetizer was mouthwatering and we all wanted second helpings.
For dinner my husband and I split two entrees. I got the brick chicken and mashed potatoes and he got the cheeseburger. Wow, so freaking tasty, probably some of the best chicken I've had. But the burger, it was EVEN BETTER than the chicken... I wish I had a burger of my own and I'm planning on going back just to get it, but this time I'll get it my way with the blue cheese on top.
The cheeseburger was a grass fed patty, so juicy, perfectly done and to top it off bacon on top. So good it needed a sentence of it's own in this review.
I have been to the Paul Martin's in El Segundo a few times and I love the food and I had been wanting to try this location for a while and I had not had the chance.
After visiting the Irvine location I might never visit El Segundo again, I was amazed by the service that I received from the moment I stepped into their door.
I was greeted by the hostess and she asked if I had a reservation and she said "Hi Evelyn! I am glad you could make it" I went in a few minutes late because I parked pretty far. I asked for a booth and got one. The hostess was very friendly and asked how our day had gone.
We were seated and taken care of right away, I ordered an arnold palmer and the girl promply apologized because they had ran out of lemonade. I do not drink soda or alcoholic beverages so I opted for a water with lemon.
I ordered the mac n' cheese with prosciutto, braised short ribs with mashed potatoes and my date had grilled salmon with mashed potatoes.
I believe that Paul Martin's may have the best mashed potatoes I have ever had in my life, I mentioned that in the review for the El Segundo location also. I have been told I make the best mashed potatoes and it was hard to find a restaurant that could beat me and Paul Martin's does without a doubt, even my date told me that.
The braised short rib was tender, juicy and it had a delicate texture with lots of yummy flavors. It had a lot of broth which I used to mix with my mashed potatoes. My date wanted my plate! it was that good so he ate his salmon and half of my plate.
The mac n' cheese was spot on, I am not a fan of white mac until I tried this one, usually baked mac n' cheese tends to be dry but this one was not. Â Creamy, soft with crispy prosciutto topped with breadcrumbs. It was too rich for us two to finish it but I will definitely order again.
I have never had a dissapointing dish at Paul Martin's, my least favorite is the chimichurri steak. It's good but any Argentine restaurant can top it easily. Other than that I have tried the linguini with prawns, the 3 mushroom burger, the steak and my new favorite braised short rib.
The waitress offered us dessert but I was too full to get any so I skipped it. We were taking pictures of ourself and the waitress saw us from a distance and offered to take a picture. Now, that's good service.
I will definitely drive an extra 30 minutes for this location. Great food and top of the line service.
This place is quite nice and reasonably priced (the food, not the drinks.) Â The ambiance is lively, with many conversations going, as well as sports games on TV at the bar. Â One would think that organic, locally sourced cuisine would cost more than usual, but this one didn't. Â We sat at the long wooden high table in the bar area - it's different.
Things we ate (that were spectacular):
* Calamari - their dipping sauces are excellent (both the chili aioli & house cocktail)
* Butter Lettuce & Pt. Reyes Bleu Cheese salad: the lettuce is so buttery, a good portion of ingredients of candied walnuts, fruit slices/pieces and bleu cheese
* Braised Short Ribs: served in a big slab of meat with no knife, because the meat separates with your fork and melts in your mouth (paired with savory mashed potatoes and beef jus)
They also have $10 cocktail specials, as much of the wine selections are $11+
OC restaurant week! After glancing through the long list of restaurants participating, my boyfriend and friends met here for a late night dinner. I had heard good things about this place and was pretty excited for my meal here. Because I came in a group, I was able to try a little bit of most things offered on the menu.
I started with the Organic Baby Lettuce Salad which came with tomatoes and a tasty house vinaigrette. It was slightly overdressed in my opinion but I loved every bite of my salad. I snuck a few spoonfuls of my boyfriend's Roasted Butternut Squash Soup which was garnished with Sonoma Sage Oil. I actually didn't taste the oil at all and tasted a lot of Cinnamon or Nutmeg. It went nicely with the house bread.
For our main course, both my friend and I went for the Braised Short Ribs that came with mashed potatoes, horseradish cream, and beef au jus. My boyfriend ordered the Brick Chicken which came with mashed potatoes and a fresh herb jus. Visually, my boyfriend's chicken looked much better. It was huge and it tasted just as good as it looked. Crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. I fell in love with my short ribs. Super tender and juicy. My only regret was being unable to finish it and having to have my boyfriend finish it for me. THe mashed potatoes were also the perfect side to both our plates.
Of course we can't end without having dessert. We settled for their homemade Ice Cream. I sampled both the Vanilla and Mocha Chocolate Chip and found both to be the perfect palate cleansers. Not too sweet and the shortbread cookies were a delight.
For $30 per person, my group left stuffed and happy. Our servers were polite and checked up on us often and made sure we were satisfied. With their dim lighting and modern decor, this restaurant is ideal for a group outing or a date. 4/5
SERVICE REVIEW ONLY
(Only because we never got our food)
We arrived at 12:30 for their prix fixed $19 brunch.. And left around 2:15 bc our food never came out. If the kitchen is busy, understandable. If you're understaffed, understandable. If you're having a bad day, that's fine. Just let us know or at least stop by our table and ask if we want another round of drinks. Although we weren't ordering a lot of food, we could had been drinking a lot more if the server came back at all to check on us. I never got the water I asked for and didn't have a chance to even order another round. It's about 2pm and I'm no longer in the mood for an omelette we just wanna pay for our drinks and leave so we left hungry and disappointed.
My friends were regulars and have been raving about their food but it looks like we're going to have to find a new Sunday brunch spot. Â
**TIP: Avoid the LIMOSA (lemon mimosa) it's disgusting!! It tastes like rotten homemade lemonade. [sadly I know what that tastes like].
We decided to try Paul Martin's for Happy Hour because a majority of high end restaurants in Orange County are overpriced, poor quality and disappointing. Â We had above average hopes for the place, but unfortunately did not have a chance to try the food. Â We were second in line for the "first come, first served" HH seating at the lounge and patio.
Apparently the floor manager doesn't follow the house policy of FCFS. Â A group of guys (party of 3) were before us and apparently had been "skipped over" by a "manager" (a man wearing a white shirt and red tie--not the restaurant uniform). About 15 minutes into our wait time another couple arrived and was told by the "manager" that they did not need to bother waiting and he would push them ahead of the 2 parties in the waiting area.
I was left with two questions (1) Is the manager a homophobic tool, because in the group a head of us, two guys were a couple and (2) Is the FCFS policy BS because they want to look busy by having a large number of people waiting to be seated in their establishment (located near the valet stand at the Spectrum).
Adding insult to injury, the manager did this while I was close enough to hear him state he was cutting his friend to the front of the line. The restaurant apparently does not train their staff very well because there were also reserve signs on the only empty spots in the bar area. I had been previously told on the phone that they never take any reservations for the bar during HH, not even for special occasions.
KEEP IT CLASSY PAUL MARTIN'S.