Absolutely loved Paon and sad to hear it has just closed! I still wanted to share my experience here because it is well deserved. Our wonderful server John really made our last visit fantastic. He helped us decide at every course and we were incredibly thankful for his perfect suggestions. All of our food was even more delicious than it looks, if that is even possible. Paon will be missed! read more

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I was in France back in September 2024 and what I missed most was the bread at various restaurants and bakeries. I was pleasantly surprised by the chewy texture of the complimentary bread offered at Paon, and one bite took me back to the streets of Paris where I strolled along the Seine River munching on my baguette. Our waiter only offered one small piece each, so I had to ask for a second piece. If my meal were just the bread alone, this would have been a 5-star review. Unfortunately, my dining experience declined after the bread... I ordered the Organic Beet Salad, and it was a disappointing stack of 3 round pieces of beets, each 1/4 inch thick and 2 inches in diameter, topped with arugula and small pieces of pistachios sparsely scattered on the plate. My friend and I looked at each other and asked, "what happened to the rest of the salad?!" Seriously, $21 for 3 pieces of beets?? My friend ordered the French Onion Puree for $19 and got a regular sized serving so we continued to ponder what happened to my beet salad. It was the joke of the evening. This dish was an unconventional spin off the traditional French onion soup, and sadly, while it was a creative idea, it failed to deliver in taste. My favorite thing about French onion soup is the gooey gruyere cheese. There was a small dollop of melted brie on top and that was it. It was a disappointment, but not nearly as sad as my beet salad. For my entree, I ordered the Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass $55. The fish was very tender, but the dish itself was extremely buttery and oily. I ordered this dish because I wanted something healthy, but it turned out to be a very heavy dish. The basil beurre blanc was just too overwhelmingly rich. My friend ordered the Seared Rare Hawaiian Yellowfin Tuna $52. The execution on this dish was better than mine. For dessert, we shared a Creme Brulee $18. We did not like this dessert because it was room temperature and tasted like it had been sitting out for hours. We like it chilled but with the hard sugary glaze. The top wasn't torched enough. Overall, while we enjoyed the ambiance, we did not really care for the food (except the amazing bread). Seeing how much we enjoyed the bread, it would've been nice had our waiter been more generous and offered us more bread. A good server would be more proactive and not wait to be asked. read more

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We made a reservation on Open Table and decided to dine outside at 6:30 pm. The bar is happening on a Wednesday evening. The menu is very seafood oriented which fits my needs perfectly! The scallop appetizer looks awesome. Our waitress is great and we ordered some Nickel and Nickel wine which is under the Far Niente umbrella of Napa wines. read more

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I came to the wine bar with some work colleagues back in March, and we has some appetizers and wine and it was a great time. Easily were able to find a table. Our waitress was super knowledgable about all the wines and pairings, and so sweet. I mentioned that I love Sauvignon Blanc's and she brought one out for me to taste and it was to die for, easily one of the tasty SB's i've tried. I absolutely loved it. IIt was a great little place, chill mellow vibes, food was yummy, and wine was delectable. I would absolutely recommend coming here, and will for sure be back. read more

Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar - Inside the wine bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I chose this restaurant for a celebration dinner with my wife for her birthday since she had wished for a heritage themed venue and it definitely fit the bill. Paon is truly a hidden gem nestled in the heart of Carlsbad Boulevard. The entrance leads to a nicely appointed outdoor patio with plenty of tables and heating lamps for those chilly evenings. The interior was equally cared for with tasteful Christmas decorations and table dressing. Our waitress was very attentive, knowledge of the menu, and provided great insight on the wine list which helped us in making the right selection to accompany our meal. For our dinner we ordered the French onion soup and organic beet salad for starters. Both were very delicious. For dinner, we ordered the pan roasted King Salmon and the braised Beef shortribs. We both very pleased with our choices and enjoyed every bite of it. To close the experience we ordered the Creme Brulee and shared some complimentary Pistachio ice cream. It was the perfect touch to a very sweet evening celebrating my wife's birthday. We recommend Paon and look forward for our next visit. read more

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First time dining here. Celebrating a birthday in our Ohana. Located in gorgeous Carlsbad! Unfortunately I didn't get the name of our server as she was amazing! We started with *WARM WALNUT CRUSTED GOAT CHEESE -Grapes, peppered honey and walnut raisin bread *SMOKED CHICKEN RAVIOLI Brunoise vegetables, buerre noisette, wild mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano *HOUSEMADE GNOCCHI Organic vegetables, wild mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano *ORGANIC BEET SALAD Golden and red beets, goat cheese, arugula, pistachios, madeira glaze *FRENCH ONION PUREE Caramelized onions, toasted baguette, melted brie, chive oil ALL the appetizers were delicious. You can't go wrong with your choices. My favorites were the Walnut crusted Goat Cheese and Beet Salad!!! Since the night before we were at Steak 48 we all chose Seafood. Lol *PAN SEARED MAINE DIVER SCALLOPS -Premium blue crab, ragout of organic vegetables, potato puree *Chef Special Chilean Sea Bass Both Entree choices were delicious and cooked to perfection. The Sea Bass was tender and flakey. The Scallops were soothing and buttery. For dessert we enjoyed the *House Made Mint Ice Cream Delight - fresh kiwi, chocolate dipped banana, pistachio crumbles, chocolate sauce I've never had fresh mint ice cream. Definitely not like the already made mint ice cream you buy at the grocery store. I loved it. read more

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I absolutely love the wine bar! Hannah and Roxanne make amazing recommendations and always have interesting stories to tell! Very welcoming environment. Makes you feel at home in France! Yummy food too I love the Filet. read more

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We had such an amazing dinner here 2 years ago and 5years ago Unfortunately Food has gone downhill. I ordered the apple salad. My gosh it was so bitter and sour I couldn't eat it. My son who loves sour gave it a go but it was truly over powered with the vinegar. The waitress offered to redress it but I didn't want more dressing mixed in. It was $21 for greens and 4 slices of apple. My hamachi collar appetizer was bland. My son loved the lobster tail but the steak was cooked med well. Not med rare. Asparagus was thick and chewy. The special of the night was tomahawk steak, it was just okay and didn't justify the price. Lots of fat. The sea bass was just okay. There's nothing special about the food. This compared to the dishes made a few years ago which wowed you. Service was slow and not friendly. They did give my son a complimentary scoop of mint ice cream for his birthday. But this happened after the check was given and I suspect the staff overheard me talking about how they no longer do the bday treat. I was disappointed. The mock tails (we ordered both ) were great, light but rich in flavor. I should have noted it was a ghost town inside Not the usual place full of diners. I don't know what happened to this place. read more

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We love this place! The patio is gorgeous and even sitting at the bar to eat there is great elevated service. All of the staff are very friendly and remember us even months later. The food is drool worthy and I have never had anything I don't like here. It's not super loud and they offer enough space between seats that it's a comfy vibe. read more

Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar - So good he picked up the bone. - Wine Bars Near Me - Carlsbad, California

We have visited Paon on multiple occasions. The service is always impeccable. Ivan is one of the best servers in San Diego County and maybe the state. We love the upscale feel to the restaurant without the pretentiousness that sometimes comes with it. The food this time was not my favorite and for the prices it was a bit of a let down. The escargot was excellent, the pheasant my wife had was really great too but my Sea Bass was not seared well and lacked flavor. Still enjoyed the night and will go back but will skip that menu item. If you like French cuisine at a reasonable price, this is the spot. read more

Overpriced and overrated. Service wasn't friendly and the food was average at best. I won't return

Had Thanksgiving dinner with a friend today. However, we opted for scallops and filet minon steak. Both were fantastic. The steak was perfectly seasoned and cooked medium rare. The apple salad was very good. Pumpkin pie was excellent. Very impressed with the quality. The only reason not giving a five star was that the bar didn't have Bloody Mary mix which seemed unusual. Also the inside front booth window was covered with spider webs. Very strange. Wait people were very nice and efficient. I plan to go next year as well. read more

Really good food, friendly service and nice patio to dine on. We got the filet and the ribeye (it was a small thinner cut of meat than most ribeye) the food was delicious- the BREAD was AMAZING, you know me I'm a bread girl!! And the brownie dessert OMG. We hope this place stays open because it's one of our favorite places!!! The wine bar around the corner is great too! read more

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We are pleased paon will be staying open. We don't get a chance go often, but we love the place when we can. My wife and I celebrated our wedding anniversary on Friday at paon. I spoke with the owner and he suggested a bottle of champagne. What a beautiful bottle and tasted great. Our server Chris and bartender John were professional, courteous, and pleasant. My wife had the lamb which was outstanding. I ordered the skirt steak. It was the toughest piece of meat I have ever had. It tasted like Guy Ferri's famous flip-flop, I told Chris and she apologized and suggested the fillet. What a great back up. Outstanding. We also received a mint green ice cream. We did order the crème brûlée and it was good. I have seen some people complain about the bar area looking old and dark. I say great. I love it that way. Old school. We highly recommend Paon but keep in mind to bring your Gold card read more

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We had a private room for a business event. I picked one bottle of wine from their large selection that was great. Unfortunate it was the last one and the other two I have ordered did not compare. The food was good, most o my team mates ordered the lamb chops, I had pheasant, executes well, not too exited abut the pile of risotto underneath, it was way too much. The mint ice cream was a hit with the team as well, I didn't try it. I will definitely be back here read more

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Wow what a terrible experience. This place has gone completely downhill. We used to come here all the time, but our Easter lunch was an absolute disaster. The service was painfully slow and we barely saw our waiter. The food was awful and has gone down hill terrible. The whole experience was a mess. The worst part? My 9 year old son sent back his burger because they put blue cheese instead of cheddar, and the replacement came with a nasty, coarse hair smack in the middle of the bun. Not sure if they did it on purpose, but the place was a ghost town, and it's no mystery why. Terrible food, terrible service, terrible everything. Absolutely disgusted. We won't be back. read more

Love this place. I love this place so much I drove 45 minutes just to eat here a second time. Such a wonderful experience. The service always makes me feel like a VIP. Primo caviar service and superb wine selection!!! Our server had a solid recommended wine pairing for every dish and even poured half glasses so we could enjoy several bevies without feeling over served. read more

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Was very happy to have stopped in on a random Carlsbad adventure. I didn't make it into the restaurant, so this review is just for the wine bar. When you enter the first thing around is wine by the bottle from all over the world.The bar area is an intimate space that invites you in. Looking through the menu I was pleased to find quite a few wines I wanted to try. The bartender knows her stuff and was ready to help me navigate to something I would enjoy. I had 2 glasses of red wines (Malbec & Pinot Noir) and was really happy with the quality of both. They soft music in the background is great for conversation. I happened to be there at happy hour so I ordered a tuna tartare appetizer from the kitchen. It came out quickly and was a great compliment to the drinks and ambiance. I'll definitely come back here and am looking forward to the next visit. read more

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I have been wanting to dine at Paon for a while, so I made reservations for our milestone anniversary. We arrived at 7:00 and the bustling dining room was filled with happy, well heeled people. I felt fortunate to be seated at a cozy booth with a window overlooking the patio. For the first course I enjoyed a pear salad with tender spring greens, tart pears and candied walnuts tossed in a fresh vinaigrette with a pop of blue cheese. The greenery was as fresh as it gets and the light acidity in the dressing paired with the sweet and tart pears was insanely delicious, but the blue cheese elevated this dish exponentially. Scallops are my favorite weakness. I have no willpower to order anything else when they are available. Paon's seasonal scallops are paired with a rich corn, tomato lobster sauce and served with pureed potatoes. The sear on my scallops was excellent and I enjoyed them, however the sauce was too rich and salty for me. Throughout the meal our server was highly attentive, bringing water and refreshing the bread and butter frequently, until the finale. We selected some sort of a tart with pistachio ice cream, berries and fruit glazes and my husband ordered a port wine. The port came out in a small snifter well before the dessert, and was half way gone when our server arrived with the news that they were out of the home made pistachio ice cream, and she asked if they could swap vanilla. We declined on dessert at that point but I had ordered a second glass of wine to sip during the dessert course as well. When the server arrived with my wine the table had an awkward emptiness and the server quickly recovered by bringing us the dessert dish with vanilla ice cream on the house. That kind gesture made up for the awkwardness of the timing and lack of Pistachio ice cream nicely. It was a lovely night and I will visit again for a special occasion. read more

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We had a lovely dinner after the theater at Paon - delicious short ribs and steak with yummy starters. We stopped in at the bar for a cocktail first and the bartender was great; frosty full classic martinis made as they should be. Happy this restaurant is still open and glad to support them. read more

Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar - Beet salad and Warm Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese - Wine Bars Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Loved this place -- super bummed the foie gras is no longer on the menu but it was an exceptional dinner all the same.

Enjoyed an amazing Valentines Day dinner with my bride. The atmosphere was pleasant, and it was only topped by the service and food. Given the special occasion, the menu was set. My wife's filet mignon entrée was simply described as "melt-in-your-mouth" delicious. I had the seabass cooked perfectly... impressive. the meal presentations, ambiance, and service made the diner feel how special the day was. Paon is a special date place for us! read more

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You feel like you are in a bistro in France. Very private very good food and excellent service.

Horrible place. No sign anywhere that this place is closed. Phone service says nothing about it either. Never eating here even if it opens again read more

Delicious! Excellent quality food with an excellent staff. This is fine dining at its best. The bread is served fresh and hot before you get your appetiser. The butter is warmed to room temp so it spreads easily in the warm bread. I ordered the escargot appetiser an was impressed by the quality and flavour of the dish. It's truly done right. The pheasant was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and seasoned perfectly. The bed of mushroom risotto with fennel was tender, savoury, and complimented the bird perfectly. The dish had a natural earthy flavour that really highlights the flavour of the bird. The in house mint ice cream was fresh and delicious without being too heavily. The place is a gem if you're celebrating something special or just want an upscale date night. read more

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We really wanted to love this place based on reviews but..... 5 stars for service. MATTHEW did an AMAZING job. 1 star for food. The fish tartare had an interesting take. Lots of sun dried tomatoes and the fish meat was more blended so it looked and tasted like a tuna salad sandwich. Not your traditional tartare. Asked for medium rare when ordering the filet mignon and received medium well with dry meat. The carrots were undercooked, but the asparagus was perfect. I've never struck out with wine from the Saint Emillion region, but tonight's wine had too much acid surprisingly. It opened up a bit by the end of dinner in a decanter, but definitely needs to be aerated. It was probably because it was too young. Dessert was literally a loaf of brioche bread warmed up in the microwave with vanilla ice cream on top. Once you cut into the loaf of bread the middle was cold and REALLY unpleasant to eat. Average out at 2 stars for food and experience. read more

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Another outstanding dinner at this fine establishment. We love dining outside on their beautiful patio, which has heat lamps available for our California friends who find 68 degrees to be a very chilly temperature indeed. Our party of four ordered: Duo of King Salmon & Yellowfin Tuna Tartare 17. Fresh Herbs, Lemon, Capers, Sun Dried Tomato and Crème Fraiché Warm Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese 16. Grapes, Peppered Honey and Walnut Raisin Bread Housemade Gnocchi 17. Organic Vegetables, Wild Mushrooms and Parmigiano-Reggiano Two Preparations of Duck 39.75 Duck Confit Leg, Duck Breast, Roasted Turnip, Sweet Potato Purée and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce Braised Beef Short Rib 35. Wild Mushroom Ragout, Spinach and Yukon Gold Potato Angus Rib Eye Steak 39. Broccoli, Baby Carrots, Potato Gratin and Red Wine Sauce Both the service and the food was excellent. The steak was prepared perfectly and the duck was delicious. We look forward to a return on our next west coast trip! read more

Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar - Nice patio - Wine Bars Near Me - Carlsbad, California

I've been here a few times and it's still my favorite in the area. One of my favorite French restaurants in SoCal. Beautiful restaurant inside and out. The patio has about 15 tables with full shade and elegant trees and plants . The service has always been impeccable. Ok let's get to the menu: fantastic cocktail selection and impressive wine choices. The appetizers are not overwhelmingly huge which is nice because you can order two or three to share plus dinner and not be overly stuffed. My favorite dishes are the scallops and the duck although I've tried almost everything on the menu and I've never been disappointed! read more

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A memorable dinner in food, service and friends. We took my elderly aunt out to Paon for dinner at her recommendation. It exceeded all expectations in every way. Food was excellent with super high quality ingredients, traditional dishes and everything done to perfection. Portions are large, unlike the postage stamps you might be served at other gourmet restaurants. The Chilean sea bass had a huge portion of fish that was.perfectly cooked. It was literally melt in your mouth. Staff made us feel right at home and anticipated our every need. We will definitely return next time we are in Carlsbad. read more

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The food they served was subpar.. The salmon was dry and the sweetbread appetizer was a not a sweetbread.. if it was, they turned it into a fish stick. Thank goodness for a good glass of wine to wash it down. 1. I've ordered sweetbreads at several French restaurants, and this was not even close to one.) 2. We had dinner at PAON a few years back, and it was great then,) read more

I can't believe that I haven't been to this restaurant yet. Wow, what a treat. Bill was our server and was on par. Steve the owner made multiple rotations to make sure we were well taken care of which we were. Had one of the best bottles of French rosé, suggested by Bill. Perfect and refreshing. The food was prepared beautifully. You can see the pictures below. Wonderful service, we sat inside, beautifully decorated in a French style. Just found out there is a wine bar in the back as well which we will be back too! They had ample sitting on the patio as well. Thank you team for a wonderful time. I can't wait to visit with you all again! read more

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Paon is an upscale French restaurant in Carlsbad Village. It is usually filled with a rich demographic of well heeled locals. Make a reservation. We were helped by a friendly hostess who walked around in command of the restaurant. She seated us inside, which unfortunately was near a loud table filled with boozy patrons telling stories and laughing at their own jokes. That was annoying and can happen at any restaurant. It was two semi drunk couples and, boy, they had stories to tell. The heavily French accented waiter was a bit hard to understand, but we successfully managed to order in English. Before ordering, the waiter listed a bunch of items, with great details. I thought it was an optional fixed price menu, but my date thought it was individual specials. When in doubt, order off the menu. The highlight of the dinner was the warm goat cheese appetizer, with sliced walnut bread, grapes, sliced apples, honey, grapes. I may copy this recipe for going to the summer concerts in the park. Lovely. I had Duck Confit, and it was delicious. I love oranges, and it had cooked orange rind pieces, on top of duck. Yummy. It was served with swiss chard, sweet potatoes and some veges. I had to eat it all, and left stuffed. My boyfriend was annoyed by the loud boozy laughter nearby, and complained to the staff. Nothing was done. My man ordered the Ribeye steak, and it was also all eaten. Very meaty. Tasty sauce, a red wine reduction. The ambience is old money french intimate with California influences. Parking it street parking and it usually takes a while to find a spot. Plan an extra 5-10 minutes to park. It is in a popular spot, so the parking is a problem. I do want to come back and try more menu items. Very pricey. Two people without drinks may be $200.00 with tip. read more

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We had a wonderful dinner last night at Paon. We always dine here while visiting Carlsbad. The ambiance was beautiful and the food was amazing. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

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I was in Carlsbad for a work conference and came to Paon after having found it on Yelp. And I'm sure glad I did! Upon walking in, I noticed the peaceful music in the background that reminded me of an awesome neighborhood restaurant I went to once in Lyon. JK, the fantastic bartender and comsummate conversationalist, was attentive and engaging. Immediately made me feel at home. I ordered the pan roasted pheasant. Normally, I would go into detail and describe the medley of flavors etc. This time, I'm just going to say "Excellent and delectable" as that about sums it up. I paired this with a glass of Ferrari-Carano Merlot, which was a great accompaniment. You could tell that a lot of the people dining that evening were regulars, and JK knew each of their names. This place is such a jewel, and if I'm ever in Carlsbad again, I'll be running right back here! read more

Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar - Menu - Wine Bars Near Me - Carlsbad, California

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Sat at the table closest to the door in the patio and our server agreed it was the best seat in the house (especially for people-watching hehe). The food was (for the most part) delicious. And we were right to trust our server's wine recommendations too. He did not steer us wrong. We got the walnut crusted goat cheese and the presentation was a work of art. Everything on the plate paired so perfectly together. The complimentary warm bread they gave us was fluffy and yummy. The cannoli dessert also was to die for. So delicious and beautifully plated too. My only complaint was the housemade gnocchi I got as my main. The organic vegetables looked like the frozen peas and carrots pack you get at any grocery store and the gnocchi was rather dry. At least the mushrooms were tasty and the sauce was nice. Wish they had more vegetarian dishes I could order as a main (their only veggie options are under the Starters section). read more

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Oh Paon, what has happened to you? Maybe it's not you, maybe it's me. You do not thrill me like you once did. You are feeling a bit worn around the edges, your staff seem listless and your food... well, its just lacking something/anything special. Your escargot seem like you pulled them out of the freezer, popped them in the microwave and slathered them with the weakest attempt at a garlic butter sauce and haphazardly arranged them on a plate and almost apologetically, set them on the table whilst running away, knowing they are insufficient. your Pheasant, which in it's heyday, was an excellent choice for a meal at Paon, and a favorite by many, is now prepared if it had once been in a food dehydrator. The once tender meat is now something in the realm of a dry thanksgiving turkey. I will still give points for atmosphere and that old money feel that so many have come to feel comfortable relaxing in. Your plush, dark and cozy dining room is still a great place to order a top shelf wine and sit and laugh with your retired friends who love to congratulate themselves on their success. read more

Excellent restaurant for a special occasion. Superb service & amazing food. They have a lovely adjacent wine bar that also serves food and has live music on Fridays & Saturday. We always enjoy going to Paon. read more

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AMAZING food! The Staff is friendly and very helpful. JK the Bartender is a Fantastic Mixologist. I'll go back just to hang out with him. The Owners make you feel important and the Chef is a artist. I had the Chilean Sea Bass and it was the BEST ever. 5 Stars all the way! read more

Paon Restaurant & Wine Bar - Wine Bars Near Me - Carlsbad, California

Paon is a good fancy dinner night out or date night. Their casual dining is next door with a cheaper menu. The first time we loved their short ribs, this time around it wasn't very impressive. Had this weird off taste to it. Their seared scallops were awesome! The steaks were good but they were too saucy. I got the New York and it was cooked perfectly. The sauce was good but probably didn't need it. I come to realize that there's a lot of sauces in French cooking. Although not all bad but sometimes can be overwhelming. This is post covid, service wasn't as great as it used to be! Not as nice and not as attentive. Also they messed up on my Open Table reservations, which luckily I was notified by Open Table while I was still there and corrected with the guy. I'll still come here though because for the most part food is delicious! Next time trying their more casual side next door. read more

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What a lovely evening at Paon! We celebrated our anniversary here and everything about the evening was great. Our server, William, was extremely knowledgeable and personable with us. He recommended delicious items from the menu with great wine pairings! He knows his stuff :) We started with the tomato, mozzarella salad. I had the Chilean sea bass special and my husband had the Venison with Cherry sauce. Both were delicious. We finished with a delicious strawberry dessert. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was cozy and romantic. read more

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