Had a very nice unexpected dinner here! We tried to get a table at a spot nearby and they didn't have any availability. Scrambling, we found this gem We walked in and they were able to accommodate us. Stand out for me was the gnocchi, crab and pear app. My husband loved the potatoes and roquefort. Love a surprisingly great meal! read more

Had been hearing good things about Helm so wanted to give it a try! Some notes when you visit: the establishment is BYOB so feel free to bring a bottle of wine! There isn't a physical menu, it took a minute for me to realize but there are chalkboards with what is available to order. You can order three things for a set price of $60. The menus is susceptible to change as they are farm to table so it fully depends on what they have. Lighting can be pretty dim depending on where youre sitting but the overall vibe is very relaxed and laidback. The appetizers were surprisingly filling. The shrimp appetizer was very refreshing, with the melon pieces adding a subtle sweetness. The lamb app was a bit gamey so if you're not used to lamb I would say to skip this one. The Arctic Char was a beautiful vibrant orange and basically fell apart (in a good way) when eating. The ginger rice cakes added a nice crunch to the meal. The steak was, hands down, amazing. They do cook it medium - they don't ask how you'd like to have it cooked but we didn't mind (we usually order medium rare). They don't cut off the fatty bits so it adds a nice punch of flavor when eating. The potato is also made to be a potato millefeuille and was executed wonderfully. read more

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Incredible BYO with elevated food and a relaxed atmosphere. If you want a 5 star meal without having to act pretentious in a blue collar city, or, even worse- waste your money on a corporate restaurant collective- Helm is your go to. This wonderful little restaurant has amazing service and food that is incredibly memorable. Some highlights are the BBQ, scallion and parm app; the shrimp, delicata and almond; the gateau and carrot cake; lastly- chicken liver mouse. read more

The food is unique and the team there clearly cares about their food. You can tell by how they described each dish, walked us through the menu, and was sincere with their check-ins throughout our meal. Sharing one dish each was just enough to have a full belly Absolutely love the intimacy of this location. It felt cozy/homey and I would absolutely bring anyone to enjoy this restaurant. Only thing I will note is that some of the items were a wee bit salty but not too salty where we weren't able to enjoy our meal. read more

Helm - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Went here for the second time by myself last night; it was just me. This time I loved what I ordered even more than the first visit! First off: I love the concept of the menu so much, every dish that comes out has an element of surprise to it since you only know three of the ingredients. I found it super fun to guess what was in the food. I also love the variety in the items and the seasonality of it all. You could come once a week and there would be a new inventive dish to try. Eating here feels like pushing The Flavor Bible to its delicious limits. The staples that stick around are must-tries though if you've never had them before. The interior of the restaurant is super comfortable and familiar while still feeling upscale and refined. The service is attentive and all the servers will check in on you regularly, not just the one who took your order. read more

We were there for a private party wedding. My partner and I are vegetarian and there is not a lot on the standing menu that is vegetarian or vegan friendly. However, we notified our server and he said he would talk to the chef. With a couple of exceptions of things that they could easily modify from the standing menu, they essentially created an entirely new vegetarian menu for us on the spot. And it was really out of this world. There were so many great and interesting flavors. The staff and kitchen really went out of their way to make sure we were served delicious food along with the rest of the party. There were also two children at our table and they made accommodations to the menu for the kids as well. I would return to Helm in a heartbeat. I did not catch our server's name but he was outstanding. read more

Another reason to keep giving accolades to this place! We took a friend tonite for dinner and it just made my week so much better! The carrots (appetizer extraordinaire) and the steak (so friggin' good)! Desserts are all divine! Our guest was in a glorious mood and we were delighted about that! He's a foodie and always wanted to try Helm so we obliged! It's a BYOB and the food and ambiance are the best part of this place! Make a reservation online and take advantage of this experience! You will not be disappointed! I have no pictures because I wanted to keep the experience in my schema for myself! read more

One of the best valued meals I've had in the city in quite some time. Really fair pricing for the quality Server was great and we didn't have a single bad bite on the night Highly recommend this cozy little spot read more

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So incredibly impressed. For $60 per person, you will be STUFFED. My advice is to go with a group of 4 or 5. There's are 5 choices in each category so with 4 people, we were able to try 12/15 items. We added banana bread as well (unique, yummy, savory). We sat by the kitchen and got to see how happy everyone was (kitchen staff had the playoffs on and they were rooting for the Commanders). Our waitress was excellent and explained every single item on the menu. It will change every time you go (unless you live across the street). Their smoked carrots are life changing and are always on the menu. Bring a nice bottle of whatever and have a blast. read more

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Great vibe, nice casual neighborhood spot with friendly service! I recommend grabbing reservations but could find a spot same day on weeknights which is clutch if you live nearby. The food is well prepared and the options are innovative. I really like the variety and amount of food you get for the value. I want to come back since the menu changes often. The appetizers were a huge highlight: the Fregola with sausage was delicious as well as the pierogi with braised beef. Both desert options I tried were impressive as well. It is a great spot to try new things, since all the options seemed very creative and well prepared. Real neighborhood gem! read more

Helm - Chalkboard menu - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

You know you've had a stellar experience when you're still thinking about your dinner a week after the fact. Helm was a nice surprise for Esq and me. The menu is truly seasonal and farm-to-table. Helm takes it to a new freshness level. The space is small and intimate. Not stuffy at all. Our server was intimately aware of the menu and shared details of each dish with us. I love a passionate team! The warm welcome we received upon arriving extended throughout our dinner. Our party of 4 essentially ordered the entire menu (as per). The broccoli ravioli was a table favorite, along with the scallops, pork cheddar ragu, and the carrots. The bread and butter were simply heavenly. Even the beets and strawberry dish was enjoyed by the non-beet eaters (2 of the 4 of us). See, beets do not have to taste like dirt! The flavor profiles on all dishes were creative, bold, and palate-pleasing. And do not pass up dessert. I don't care how stuffed you are! Helm is BYOB, which we love. We brought two big (read: fancy) bottles of Brunello, which complemented the entire menu. The menu is rotated out regularly, and we are already looking forward to a return visit! read more

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Best place in Philly Underrated, delicious And affordable* * helm has the most unique menu and they accommodated our party of 40 with true joy and professionalism. Chef is a genius. Everyone had the best time. This is my favorite restaurant ever! read more

Fabulous! Set menu 3 courses for $60 & BYOB. Fascinating riffs on a lot of things -- make sure you get them to explain the menu as even though 2-3 ingredients are listed, there are others! Portions very generous -- actually for entrees a bit much -- 16 oz strip for example and the Pork dish was huge! Had to really restrain to keep room for dessert! We got there early - ~6 and it was quiet, but as it filled up -- got quite noisy as an fyi! read more

Overall would give a 3.5-4 star review. Food: flavorful and unique, changes. The entire menu is written out on a chalk board with no descriptions, would recommend them explaining each dish. We got the scallops and the mushroom ravioli with lamb for our entrees and was delicious! The desserts left a little something to be desired. It is a BYOB! 55$ for 3 courses. Service: excellent, very attentive and provided good explanations. Constantly checked in to see if we were enjoying the food. Overall I would come back and would recommend this as a cute first date spot, it's intimate and quiet. I would be curious to try the NY strip next time read more

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I fell in love with the food here after the first bite. First of all, I'm not a fan of American food; however, Helm has changed my mind. This place is just became one of my favorite restaurant in Philly! The best scallops I've ever had, so tender and flavorful. It was just WOW in my mouth! Everything we had was so good. And what I like most about here is their menu, they based on seasonal ingredients. So you get to try different dishes every season. Can't wait to come back and try their next seasonal menu. FYI it's BYOB here, which is a bonus! It's such a cozy, fun vibe inside. Service was very attentive and helpful. Highly recommend this place! read more

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Everything, and I mean everything we ordered was SPECTACULAR. We had a 5:15pm and were warmly greeted and seated inside this nice and quaint restaurant. The gnocchi and octopus came out first and honestly, when I had that first bite of the octopus it was basically an explosion in my mouth. The octopus is mashed with other ingredients, so you my wonder where is the octopus, but it's def in there. The star of the show to tonight is definitely the scallops. I would recommend this place to everyone and will definitely go here again. FYI: menu constantly changes, which is awesome to keep the curiosity alive of what they're cooking read more

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Someone had recently told us that this was their favorite restaurant in Philadelphia, so we were both excited yet skeptical to try. It has to have a solid following if it's been around (as we learned) for 10 years. In the end, worth the try. Walking in, the place is quaint but packed. Your table will be fairly close to other tables, which was fine. The difficulty becomes seeing the menu. There are two chalkboard menus available to view and after hearing the waitress describe every single item, this option really doesn't do the offerings justice. I wish there were a paper menu describing things (for the sake of not having not having to remember the details verbally) or even an up-to-date online menu (the menu on their website says last update 1/2/2022). We were sat in the very corner so had no visualization of the chalkboard at all and resorted to pics. The deal is cool, $60 for 3 courses. BYOB (we committed the cardinal sin and forgot this= no wine). For apps: we went with the "tomato, beef, Swiss" and "tuna, sesame, peach". The former was surprising. Fried balls of Swiss cheese with brisket pieces strewn about. Actually quite enjoyed the flavoring of this and there was a good amount of brisket for an appetizer sliced into the mixture. The latter was never going to be my favorite as I don't love tuna, but I'll say it was a large portion of it and the peaches were a lovely addition. The thing to enjoy about the menu here is that they're locally sourced and base the menu on what's available, so there is a rotating theme of vegetables/flavorings that you wouldn't expect (like peaches with tuna). We were going to go with simple with bread & butter, but this was out so we opted instead for something I don't know that we've ever turned down-the housemade burrata. This was my favorite of the apps. The toast was perfectly toasted and the cheese itself had a nice tzatziki flavoring I wasn't expecting. For mains: "dourade squid shishito" ( and "steak, English pea, crab". The former we probably only got because we love squid and were pumped about this. However, I was surprised that we actually preferred the main fish, a flaky white fish. This was cooked quite nicely and the flavoring was delightful, especially the skin. I didn't feel like the squid in the end really added anything, actually. And the fingerling potatoes did their best to soak the sauce but maybe met their match in how much sauce there was. The steak was a $6 surcharge. It was cut nicely and at first I felt like the seasoning was nice, but quickly realized it was a very salt-forward steak and therefore not my favorite. Shockingly, our favorite part of the night was the English pea fritter with crab atop that seemed like an afterthought to us when ordering the steak. Lightly fried pea latke-like fritter with a healthy portion of mixed crab- this could have been the main dish and I wouldn't have noticed. We aren't super dessert people, but we went with the corn raspberry (a strange ice cream sandwich situation that was far too sweet but pleasant to look at) and the Gâteau Basque (we weren't totally sure what this was but after trying it and Google imaging it, it seems like this was done fairly nicely). The service was pleasant-again quite an intimate place. Overall, one thing I felt was a common theme was that the plating of the dishes was too saucy. Nothing that came out wow-ed us on presentation alone. When trying the dishes, we liked many of the sauces but, inevitably, things felt a bit drowned out by the sauces and, ultimately, messy on the plate. In the end, we would consider trying as their menu rotates again (albeit not forgetting the wine next time!) to see how they utilize a variety of interesting ingredients to create their menu but also may... not. read more

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The fact that we just got around to visiting to Helm for the first time, is straight up a disservice to our taste buds. If you haven't been yet yourself, make it a priority...like yesterday. From the outside-in, this is a no frills/no thrills type of spot. Very cozy, nestled into the first floor of a townhouse. Furniture and dishware is all mix and matched, and they pack yah in like sardines. Menus? Nah - you are going to catch what they are serving on either of their chalkboards (which are easy to see from any seat in the house.) Also, they had a killer playlist ~ we'd call it something like lo-fi funk..really sets the appropriate mood for dinner. Not sure how to interpret what's on the chalkboard? Not a problem - their servers are well versed on what's getting pushed out of the kitchen, and have no issues giving full descriptions of each dish. Much of it comes from their own experience eating the food (which was really fun to hear what they've enjoyed the most and what's been the long standing menu items), but either way you can tell each of them are passionate about the plates hitting the table. Definite plus - their menu has seasonal rotations and is locally sourced. Not to mention, really accommodating all the way around. We initially had a 7PM reservation and were running late. We called in the day of and they quickly moved it to 7:30! Very nice. We needed to know what dishes could be served vegetarian, and they walked us through so many options! The inside decor has plenty going on - lots of knick-knacks and interesting collectibles. There is an awesome little two top, that's tucked away from the rest of the tables. If you can request that in advance, I would highly recommend. Memorable dishes were: - This might seem super simple, but their bread & butter! Their sour dough is from Mighty Bread, and is fresh, airy, and crunchy. They serve it with a fermented butter too, which brings the flavor to a whole new level. - The brussels appetizer might be one of my favorite bites in the city. Served like a latka, it is fried and crispy, and splayed on top of apple sauce. Crunchy shitake mushrooms sprinkled on top, and each bite is a perfect flavor combination of sweet, savory, salty, and creamy. - Their scallop dish seemed to be well renowned, so I had to get it, and I think you'd be hard pressed to have had scallops like this before. They were served charred/grilled and cut in half, intermingled in this pozole sauce which was like this hearty/earthy broth. It was delicious and one of those plates that you have to swipe with any remaining bread you have left. Low and behold, their desserts were top notch too. They have a cheesecake crumb cake that goes really well with their coffee. Interesting spin on a cheesecake, where the base is actually more of the true crumb cake and then topped with something like a cheesecake icing. Incredible! Their staple dessert is the gateau basque, which rotates in flavor. We had a citrus version of this, and it resembled a pop tart in pie form. Packed with delicious and bright fruit, this was a refreshing way to close out the meal. We left with belly's full and a commitment to sharing our experience with others. If you didn't know, Helm has been on Philly Mags 50 best restaurant list since 2016. The cool thing is, this is the type of place that probably could care less about accolades, but with outstanding food and service, you can easily see why they are so well respected. read more

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Absolutely AMAZING The food had so many bursts of flavors it was out of this world. Helm is now in my top 3 favorite restaurants in Philly area. Carrots were a must very flavorful and smoky. The eggplant gnocchi was my favorite Best Brussel sprouts we have ever had NY strip cooked to perfection Scallops some of the best scallops I have ever had Desserts were also delicious. Service was top notch read more

Lived in Philly for 5 years and I am so depressed I am just finding this place. The menu is changed out often for the freshest of in season ingredients. Every. Single. Item. Was amazing. You get to watch the chefs work. Both chefs are so nice and talented and humble. Our server was so knowledgeable. Food was quick. The menu, again was so interesting. Can't wait to come back. Seriously such good value. read more

We loved the seating and overall vibe of the restaurant. It is BYOB which was nice. We got a variety of items and we noted how filling they were. read more

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I have been a big fan of this spot since they day they opened & had lacquered chicken hanging inside a glass front fridge. This restaurant continues to be a bright spot in philly dining. Fresh, creative, seasonal, unpretentious. Highly recommend read more

I know, I know, I was here a month ago and I was back last night! There were six of us and I didn't realize that they also offer a family style meal with all of the items on the menu. We decided on the regular 3 courses but I like knowing they offer that as well. Last night I enjoyed a tuna and pork belly appetizer, scallops and cauliflower entree and the cheesecake for dessert. Everything was wonderful! Four of my friends last night never dined here before and they were saying how much they loved it and will be back! read more

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Went here for a 7 pm reservation for 6 and will most definitely return! What a great BYOB in the city! It was such a homey but upscale ambience, and the place is shockingly large. Our server let us know that for groups of 6 or more, you can try the entire menu for $65 pp. their usual is $60 for the three courses. Wow! We particularly loved their staple on the menu, the carrots with the chèvre basquaise as well as the pork loin with fried Boursin - which was perfectly flavored. A couple of dishes veered a bit too salty for me personally(the steak), but I'm sensitive. Our absolute favorite course was dessert, and our favorite dessert was the cheesecake. Love the fresh rotating menu, the homy feel, and the food overall read more

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After years of COVID (will it ever end?) I went back to Helm for a wedding rehearsal dinner. The entire restaurant was booked for this event. Food was served family style, so big plates came out and we would serve ourselves and pass it along. To say the food was amazing does not begin to say enough. As in my last review, this is a fantastic tiny little place for some amazing food. Two notes - it can get loud as they don't have any sound management in the place. Also it is byob so bring your best wine to pair with the best food. I am gluten free and they were careful to point out what was being served and what I could or could not eat. Very good people there. read more

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Made last minute reservations for Helm a couple nights ago, and lucked out with an 8:30pm slot. It's been a few months since we were last here, but Helm never disappoints. This time around it's $45 for 3 courses, and still worth it. It could be hard to get excited about the menu since there are no descriptions, but having been here a few times, I think I can trust Helm, and Helm always gives you a few options to choose from. On this night, I had the smoked carrots for my first course, and my husband had the salad with NY strip. Both were delightful and the portions were generous. We were pretty satiated after that. Then came the lamb, deep fried and even bigger than you can imagine. Also very good, and very tender. For dessert, we both had the pineapple cheesecake, which was excellent. I have to say I enjoyed their winter menu very much. And service was on point. Can't wait to go back! read more

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Amazing food, amazing staff, so much food for what you spend. The food was so much more than we expected. From the freshness to the flavor - every bite was better than the last. This is a must visit restaurant. I'm nearly 40 and this experience is in my top 3 cuisine experiences. read more

Helm - Ravioli broccoli veal - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Really great food and rotating seasonal menu. Great ambiance and didn't feel rushed with the meal.

Helm BYOB is an experience. It started off a little frustrating since making a reservation was near impossible (they're open Wednesdays but the online reservation said they weren't...their website said they were..the staff said the manager would call me back..three phone calls later...) which was ultimately very frustrating since there was only one table in the restaurant for the rest of the evening with us. Helm is a smidge better than average and a BYOB which is the cherry on top (why the 4, not 3 stars). A $55 per person price fixed menu, but with a catch. You get to pick from their 5 selections of appetizers, entrees, desserts, and for a nominal amount more, sides. Their menu board requires a full read out from your server since only ingredients are listed. Unique pairings and elevated flavors, for sure. So for the food highlights - Fried tomato with mozz in chipotle pepper sauce: UH YUM. Hopefully this will always be on their menu. The sauce is to die for. Green beans with shishito peppers in pork belly: AVOID. While the green beans are crispyish, they are by nature soft. So you'd think you'd get crispy pork belly. No. You don't. It's veryyyy soft, almost all fat, and a texture almost no one wants. Mains- Bronzino with squid and cauliflower: MUST GET. The skin was perfectly crispy. The sauce was amazing and all over everything. Just get it. Salmon with potatoes and tomatoes: incredibly underwhelming. Don't bother here. Desserts- Butterscotch pear: GET. One of the smaller desserts, great flavor and well balanced. Masa cake with peanut butter and chocolate: DONT. this is the only dessert with chocolate. There was not enough chocolate to cake and the cake itself was on the dryer side. Corn ice cream sandwich with fig jam: Get...sorta. The sandwich is a take on oatmeal cookies, but it's SO dense with wayyyyy too much cookie to ice cream ratio (see photo). The corn ice cream with fig jam though. That was clutch. Also, this dessert is MASSIVE. Sides- Brussel sprouts in red curry: don't get this. I have no idea where the brussel sprouts were but I didn't see them. Also the dish came out lukewarm at best. Came here once because I heard great things. Happy I went once, but that'll be about all I do. read more

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The food was amazing. I love that the menu changes with what is available. The staff was so nice and it's a cute space. They make you feel like you're friends making you the best dinner. Can't believe they've been open 9 years and I'm just finding it. read more

My husband and I have recently started dating again and we chose Helm as our second date night. The food is delicious and shows the level of expertise and thoughtfulness in each dish. One thing that may get overlooked is the friendliness of the staff. We arrived early and immediately we're welcomed to drop off our bottle and enjoy the warm weather outside. As we sat outside the staff checked on us and made us feel so comfortable. It was a fantastic start and it carried all the way through our experience at Helm. Thank you Lenny, Melissa, and Ashleigh you really made us feel so comfortable and welcome! Of course Kevin we love your food! Everything about this restaurant exudes warmth, friendliness, and comfort. We will be back! read more

classically trained chiefs doing farm to table most creative menu in Philadelphia in a relaxed warm setting staff professional and friendly a must for a great meal read more

I loved our meal, and the service was excellent. We are new to Philly, and Helm will now be in our rotation. The laid-back atmosphere and the fact that the owner not only came over and took our order and served us. We came with a vegan friend, and how he handled her stringent dietary restrictions was beyond impressive. I can't wait to return. read more

What an amazing meal from @helmphilly !!! A hidden gem that I highly recommend for any special occasion or date night. Will definitely be visiting again soon. 1. Salmon & squash salad - very balanced 4/5 2. Cucumber and shrimp salad - light but bold flavors 4/5 3. Steak, ranch, radish - amazing, the homemade ranch was a nice surprise with some dill. The steak was served cold but didn't take away from the dish. 5/5 4. Chicken and potato entree - just as our server said "the chicken is special" 5/5 5. Pork and broccoli entree - crispy and light. Sauce balanced it out. 4/5 6. Chocolate caramel pie 5/5 7. Cherry tart 4/5 read more

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Got takeout sometime this summer form Helm and finally getting around to my review. Everything we got was very good and it was definitely such a good value! Got so much food and the cost was very reasonable. Shrimp, shitake, cucumber appetizer - Very good, had a tangy/sour flavor and a bit of heat as well. Maybe a bit too heavy on the sauce, I may have preferred for it to be a bit lighter Heirloom tomato, black bean, shishito appetizer - Very fresh and everything else in the dish basically highlighted the quality of the tomatoes Flank steak, tomatoes, potato terrine entree- My fiance had this dish and he really enjoyed it. There was a sauce that was served over the flank steak that he really liked Scallops, corn, smoked carrots entree - I very much enjoyed this dish. The textures of the vegetables complemented the softness of the scallops and everything was very well seasoned. Eggplant rice cakes in pesto side dish - We both really enjoyed this dish. It's a bit different and was a good addition to the meal. The appetizers and mains were good but I have to say that the desserts were EXCELLENT. All three desserts we had were so good and neither of us are big sweets people. Gateau basque - wonderful dish. Love the cream that is served on top and the cake itself is very moist Peach crumb cake - Also very good, moist, and loved the cream/sauce served with it Banana donut holes - These were so good as well! Not too overpowering on the banana flavor. You won't be disappointed with your meal and especially not with the amount of food you'll get for the price. You can't beat it! read more

It's been a very long time since I had the opportunity to partake in helm's dining experience! It's ironic it is because of covid that i had the time to take an adventure to fishtown for helm's signature dishes again! For a solid price of $25, you get to take home a 3-course meal! What a steal! It has been as delightful treat to be able to indulge in helm's cooking during times of lockdown. My most recent experience I had the opportunity to catch the soft shell crab season. crab was large, crispy and fresh! It was definitely the highlight of my weekend! The smoke carrots were one of my favorite as well! can't go wrong with their signature! and dessert! it was the perfect ending to a satisfying meal! i got the strawberry crumble and malted cheesecake for the fam and there is no way i can pick a favorite between the 2! love them both and got to have them! i'm really enjoying the take home experience and hope they continue to offer this thru the year! thank you for staying strong and being part of the philly community! read more

Helm - Take out dinner for 4 - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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I'll be succinct: 3 fantastic courses, each extremely creative, each fantastic. But really, the price point makes this menu ridiculous. Even from a portion standpoint alone, the price point is good. But when you take into account the quality of the courses, I'm shocked at how affordable this is. Easily rivals restaurants in the city where I would have spent (happily) twice as much. read more

tl;dr an austere New American BYOB in Olde Kensington, offering an ever-changing menu featuring seasonal ingredients New American restaurants are frankly a dime a dozen in Philly. Most restaurants will declare themselves farm-to-table to some capacity. Helm is no different in that regard, but it's just been doing it for longer -- and better. The minimalistic spot, half a mile from the hustle and bustle of Fishtown, is quaint and comfortable. The bucolic atmosphere is a stark departure from the city, fitting only a handful of wooden tables within its unadorned light green walls. Offbeat artwork, a number of them featuring mushrooms, unassumingly decorate the space, and hardwood floors, antique chairs, and dim candle-lighting complete the look. The focal decoration of the restaurant is the menu colorfully chalked onto the walls, with each dish tastefully summed up in three ingredients. My partner and I decided to visit early on a Friday evening, and we were shocked to find the restaurant basically empty. A waitress came up and carefully walked through each menu item with us -- I was very impressed that they can remember it all! We decided on the Swordfish, the Carrot, the Pork, and the Chicken. First up were the carrots and swordfish. The former were roasted, maintaining a crispy, but not crunchy, texture. The fermented bell peppers and tangy whipped chevre generated a biting acidity, which gradually transformed into a comforting savoriness of the sauce Basquaise. On the other hand, the swordfish was cooked nicely, with a heaviness that was nicely offset by the fresh flavors of melon and mint. The fennel was pickled and diced, offering a vinegar-y crunch. Unlike the carrots, the swordfish definitely felt more like an appetizer -- that is, the dish left me wanting a little something to push it over the top. The entrees were then brought out on antique china. The pork, slightly overcooked and somewhat chewy, was served beneath a cherry barbecue sauce, which while nicely sweet and spicy, definitely was a far departure from classic barbecue sauce. Sliced mushrooms and a whole charred shishito offered a welcome earthiness to balance out the tang. On the other hand, the chicken channeled more savory notes. The breast was braised, generating a delicious skin so crispy you could hear it. The meat was served beside a rich gravy and a pepper cornbread (which itself was topped with melted mozzarella and fried chicken). For dessert, we couldn't help but be tempted by the Gateau Basque, which was stuffed with a decadent blueberry filling, then topped with poppy-lemon curd and fresh blueberries. Our meal worked out to just a hair above $100 -- and we definitely saved money by bringing our own wine (in fact, there's a Fine Wine just a few blocks down Girard). I went back and forth between 4 and 5 stars for helm, but I had to give a nod toward the difficulty of a truly seasonal menu. The highs (the carrot, chicken, and tart) were out of this park, and may yet convince me to return sometime soon. read more

Helm - Chicken - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Service was amazing. Friendly and knowledgeable server. Loved the intimate homey vibe. I had the polenta gnocchi as my first course and was pleased with it. My two friends got different orders for the first course so I tried both of their meals and it was very good. For the main course I had the steak with lentils. I cannot express how horrible this dish was. Rare meat, overly fatty, everything on the plate was fighting against each other. I pushed it around, too awkward to say anything. Finally, for the desert I needed a real palate cleanser so I had the peach dish. Which was refreshing when I needed it most. Over all, pretty disappointing but both my friends enjoyed their meal so I am an outlier. read more

Another mind blowing experience at Helm. Their desserts are out of this world. I love it so much.