Really good food. Would recommend the polenta and lamb. And carrot dish. Dessert crisp was delicious as well. Really cute atmosphere with no menus just two chalkboards posted with options. Tiny tiny restaurant but size is independent of quality!! read more

Note: This review stems from a 6PM reservation on Dec 22 The Good: The food was impeccable, and our FIRST server (read more on this below), was friendly, polite, and funny, as well as being capable of describing the food in detail. The Bad: The service.... which may seem to contradict the above. Our reservation was for 6:15. All of us had arrived by 6:18, with two members of our party being early. We waited at least 10 mins to have someone take our orders for appetizers, at which point we asked for 5 mins to look at the menu. 20 minutes later, someone returned to take our entree orders. After our meals, we were asked for our dessert orders. All of these exchanges took place with our initial server (see above). After placing said orders, another individual told us they would be happy to comp us the dessert if we would take it to go, which didn't work, as I was having dinner with my family for the first time in many months, as I live out of the country, and wasn't staying with them. We were then told we had to leave (sans desert), except that we had to wait 12 mins for the check (in which time we could very easily have eaten our deserts). The restaurant also allowed the people who were waiting for our table to come over and make eye contact with each of us, checking how much wine was left in our bottle, before walking away, laughing out loud. This sort of behavior from guests would not have been an issue if restaurant management had seen it fit to pay someone to serve in the role of host/hostess, but they evidently chose to save money in this respect. My biggest issue, however, is the staff... or, perhaps, the situation management chose to put staff in. The first gentlemen who came over to inform us that we should be leaving told us that "management had thrown him under the bus" and "he was a messenger," showing a lack of professional discipline on the staff. After he came by, another server set down our silverware for dessert, before being informed, from above, that we would not be able to have dessert. He then apologized and took the silverware away. After he came by, another server gave us our check, without any apology or explanation. Throughout this time, our initial server was helping other customers in a friendly way, and never came by to apologize or interact with us again, after taking our order for dessert and likely initiating or receiving communication from management. I'm from Manhattan, and live in the Caribbean, and have never run into service like this anywhere, despite eating at what I'd call some of the most pretentious restaurants in the world. The fact that it happened at a small place in Philly with a good local vibe is absurd. read more

I am one who usually bows down to creativity. I am envious of the imagination some chefs have in their craft and then presented on the table in front of you and subsequently appreciated by your palate. If you were walking through a museum, Helm's productions definitely would be categorized as abstract art, i.e. art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, forms, colors, and textures. And add the word "taste" to that definition. OK, rant over. ;-) Time to get down to the real nitty-gritty. The blackboard menu was confusing at first, until our waiter explained in detail every dish. If you can't see one of the two boards while each dish is being described to you, following the words flying out of a quick talking millennial's mouth could be a tad difficult. I had no problem asking him to repeat each word which was slurred over. The use of vegetables and grains was a major part of every dish, and their preparation had as much, if not more, effort into their creation and inclusion We shared a bunch of menu offerings and as I realize, the menu changes frequently so I won't describe every dish we had in detail, just the highs and not so highs. Appetizers --the beef carpaccio, cut into cubes, sat atop a disc of beautiful tasting sunchokes. The beef a little difficult to enjoy in chunks, it would have had to be a different tender cut of meat or a thinner slicing to pull off perfect and easy delectability - 3 stars --ravioli stuffed with puree'd red onion was fabulous - 5 stars --farro soaked in lapsing tea before cooking, with some squash, was extremely interesting and a the most talked about dish during apps - 4 stars Entrees --the pappardelle special was amazing, with apple, a lite creamy sauce I can't remember - 5 stars --the lamb was cooked perfectly rare-ish, but I found a little tough and chewy, but very tasty- 3 stars --the lamb bolognese over the polenta was something you can sit with a bowl on your lap and eat all day - 5 stars Dessert --we split the Gateau Basque with caramel sauce and peanuts, a perfect conclusion to a very good, complex foodie experience. - 5 stars A couple of the dishes were more salty than the rest. Too much salt is a distraction, but it did not take away from the depth of each dish. The service was good. The kitchen was slow when it came to our entrees vs our appetizers which came out in a normal amount of time, but it was Saturday night, the place was jumping. Don't expect warm, cozy and romantic, it's a simple dining atmosphere.. Add this to my growing list of "Fave BYOB's". I shall return!! read more

An intimate BYOB with great food and friendly staff- I loved our dinner here last night. We ordered 7 appetizers to share. Loved the Brussels sprouts app and the steak with ricotta. Six small plates would have been enough for the two of us in hindsight, since we regrettably had no room for dessert. I'm glad we took the drive to check out Helm. I'd recommend this place to anyone. read more

I have been waiting to eat at Helm (and am lucky enough to live a block and a half away) since my birthday a few weeks ago. The food is INCREDIBLE and innovative and complex in the flavors but simple and precious and cozy in presentation. I'm so happy to have this little gem in my locale and have since switched my favorite Philly restaurant from Vernick to Helm. Congrats to these young chefs for a spectacular restaurant. Also thanks to Madeline, our server, who made each dish on the menu sound like poetry. read more

The success of Helm - full tables nightly - is nice to see. I love it when enterprising restaurateurs have great success in an unlikely location (always loved eating at Taco Riendo next door) and continue the fine Philadelphia byob tradition. After several dinners at Helm, I have some mixed feelings about this restaurant. My biggest reservation is that the dishes are over-conceptualized, with too many ingredients listed that may or may not play an integral part in the tasting experience. And many plates are heavy, lacking the requisite finesse such a melange of ingredients would require in order to be balanced. Yes, the flavors are bold but sometimes less is more. Also, my last steak, while cooked to order, was of very poor quality, with fat and gristle making up a big part of the portion - that should not happen in a place like Helm. As other reviewers have pointed out, the lengthy recitation of the menu - basically iterating the list written on the blackboard - is almost unbearable. While I welcome additional information of particular choices if I ask for it, most menu items are self-explanatory and I assume that most patrons can read. The simpatico maître d' repeats himself at every table with élan but, having overheard the list at two other tables, I wish nothing more than not having to hear it again. Please print menus and simply write the specials on the black board (maybe they could be repeated to customers). read more

One of the best meals I've ever had the opportunity to enjoy! Menu may be overwhelming for those with a more "narrow" palette as it was for my wife. However Helm provided her with the opportunity to step outside of her comfort zone and try things she would never try in a million years, and she loved it! From start to finish you can tell the entire team's expectations for themselves is top tier! The restaurant though small is simply decorated and provides an intimate atmosphere for friends or couples to spend time together. The service staff is very friendly and impressively educated by the culinary team on menu knowledge. For food you can tell only the freshest of ingredients are allowed to make it into dishes and are prepared with a sense of pride-- no shortcuts are taken! No liquor license so make sure you pick a nice few bottles of wine, i would recommend bringing a variety because you never know what exactly it is you will be ordering. As far as pricing-- this is not a chain, they do not use cheap ingredients from a mass distribution center, they have chefs in the kitchen, and you will want to order multiple plates and courses... expect to pay a decent total--- however expect similar quality of plates to that you'd expect in fine dining but nothing near the price. To our experience-- we were having such a great time and enjoyed everything so much, one of the sous chefs, Mark, came table side and educated us all on the dishes he had helped prepare, he was extremely genuine in his inquiries of our thoughts--- AMAZING touch!!! The Helm was one of the most fantastic culinary experiences I have ever had the opportunity to participate in! Tips: -Make a reservation (they are on open table). -if anyone in your party has any allergies or dietary concerns, let the Helm know a few days in advance so they can be sure everyone in your party can enjoy the ride!!! -if your culinary experiences are limited, don't be scared! Be open minded! Thank you entire Helm team!!! Hats off to each of you from start to finish! read more

On point!!! Hands down, best dining experience in a while...the place just speaks for itself. We ordered everything on the menu except for the rabbit. Excellent flavor combinations on every single dish; even something as simple as asparagus had so much flavor & texture, and was alluring to the eyes. The unassuming atmosphere, pleasant service and ease of parking has made this spot my new fav byob in the city. read more

not as crazy about as all the other reviews app salads were a miss--totally overdressed--nothing special 3 out of 4 entrees were pretty delicious for the most part: skirt steak, tortellini with duck ragu, fancy pork and a fish dish (although this one was actually somewhat uninteresting) and mixed root veggies have to say te pasta was pretty skimpy for a $20 pasta...i get scarcity in duck ragu but throw in a couple more tortellinis! desserts were good not great. choc pudding with black pepper had great taste, consistency a little weird, dining companions love the macerated pears which had a great taste but not really my thing. reciting of the menu and detail about each item by above-average, hot, hipster type chefs and waitstaff would be fabu if you were able to hear!! pretty loud. parking sitch is great though because of the area--found a spot right out front--though I was there on early side i think. it was on the inexpensive side. $50/pp with tax and tip for 4 people for 2 apps, 4 entrees, 4 desserts. with all the other restaurants to try though I probably would not go back, just saying. though I dont want to say that...but yea there I said it. read more

Seasonal menu. Fresh ingredients. Octopus app and lamb main was great! The service was casual and BYOB made everything ok!

i so want to love this place. the appetizers were amazing. the service was good, but when we ordered the monkfish for two and it showed up cold. i tried to eat it and while the carrots were perfect, the fish was insanely cold. we sent it back and they literally just put it under the broiler for 5 min and then reserved it to us. i appropriately called bs to the chef. though a 1 star review is harsh, its all based on how the restaurant responded to a quality control issue. i literally have sent things back at restaurants 3 times over thousands of meals in my life, but this dish was not appropriate for customers. the issues are: 1). served cold food 2). to solve the cold food issue they just cooked it some more, fundamentally changing the dish and not getting why we ordered it in the first place...their creative take on monkfish - not a reheated version of it 3). when i complained about the solution i was told it was my fault the dish was cold because i had the nerve to take a bathroom break (120-180 seconds) literally 14 feet from my table 4). then i was told it takes 30 minutes to cook the monkfish again, so would i like something else? they sent chicken and arctic char and while tasty the poor service on the monkfish was tough to forget. they didn't charge us for mains to make it right, but i insisted they charge us because we weren't looking for a discount...we wanted a special experience. blaming the customer for cold food is not special in our opinion, therefore the 1 star review. this is fixable, but they need to know that this is not how to treat customers read more

Each dish was more delish than the next. I went with a fellow vegetarian and there were so many options! We had 3 apps, 1 entree, and 2 desserts. We left stuffed for the bargain price of $75! Service was great. Attentive but not intrusive. Only thing was our check was dropped off while we were eating. I get small byo and they need the turnover, but no one was waiting! As soon as we saw next couple arrive we skedattled. Highly recommended for vegetarians! Cozy dinner. Great service. Excellent food. read more

Food is good but they seated us thirty minutes after reservation saying the table before us is not done. Hasn't happened in a long time. Threw in some free vegetables - fine with gesture but they need to do a better job honoring reservations. read more

Aside from the friendly, professional service and incredibly well executed dishes, what I found most interesting was the shared flavor palette across apps, mains and even desserts. There wasn't anything especially spicy, salty, bitter, fatty or peppery. All the food felt like it came from the hands of a single creative mind utilizing a conservative palette, high quality ingredients and some incredibly refined techniques to express their admiration of, and highlight the depth of, fresh and local food. Without any particular "pop", this was one of the best meals I can recall having. It's all about the ingredients at Helm and the chef has reserved himself to make the food the star. read more

Unbelievable. The best meal I have had in Philadelphia and I have lived here for half a decade. The ingredients are fresh, the chef is ingenuitive, the service is great, the price point is fantastic, it's BYO... I could go on and on. read more

Tried to go this past Saturday at 8:00 pm. Hostess said it was booked with reservations. Honestly, the place was empty. We waited a bit, and it was still empty at 8:15.. pretentious much? We took our $120 and spent it elsewhere.. I call BS on this place read more

I love trying new restaurants in different parts of the city and this did not disappoint. Especially liked the byob part. There were 5 of us total. We had the octopus, lobster croquette, the brussel sprouts and ham, and the beets for appetizers. For dinner we went with the server recommendations and had the tortellini and pork and the lamb with polenta. The menu changes alot so I am looking forward to going back and trying a new menu items. And the service was excellent as well. read more

Couldn't have had a better experience. Everything was amazing. For entrees we had the Monkfish, Octopus, Red Curry & the Lamb, Spinach, Crepinette plates. I mean, flavor on flavor on flavor in this place. And everything masterfully balanced. On top of that, the owner Mike took greatttt care of us, feeding us 3 extra apps to sample to get the whole Helm experience just bc he discovered we have some mutual friends and I happen to know his brother. Great guy doing really amazing things. Helm is an absolute must if you're from Philly and appreciate incredible food. read more

Amazing menu. The food was so fresh and full of flavor. Farm to table concept. Portions seemed small coming out but were perfect. You will want and app and an entree. Small intimate setting, perfect for date night. read more

Creative menu. Really enjoyed the Pork/Buckwheat Noodle dish (the broth in particular), the Brussels sprout pasta dish, and the leek starter. The grapefruit/custard based dessert was spectacular as well. Top 2 all-timer. read more

The duck. Get the duck. Oh wait. The leeks! And the asparagus! The pork cheeks. And the risotto! Outstanding!!! Love love love this place! Amazing food. Service is outstanding! The Brussel sprouts! The char! Yes. We ordered a lot. And everything we tried was unfreaking amazing. I have yet to get dessert. I had to review this while I am here. Please do yourself a favor and come here. You will not be disappointed!!!! Amazing!!! read more

I came to Helm to celebrate my 30th birthday this past week and was absolutely blown away. I'd been meaning to visit for a while after hearing several positive reviews, I only wish I had come sooner. The atmosphere of the small restaurant is warm and inviting. Our servers we're on the ball throughout the meal. They explained the menu thoroughly and checked in often enough but not so often we felt rushed. The food...... oh man. Since the menu changes so often I wont go into detail but our party of three ordered 3 starters, 3 entrees and 3 desserts and shared everything. Each bite was better than the last and we left feeling extremely full and beyond satisfied. My meal at Helm was one of the best i've had in years, maybe ever. Check it out, you won't be disappointed. read more

Immediately one of my favorite restaurants since moving back to Philly. The food (creative & delicious), staff (engaging & honest), and atmosphere (come as you are) are all as good as it gets. I plan to go back often. read more

Excellent food and an excellent value. Inventive seasonal couplings without any silliness. Harmless premise: each dish is listed by its three main ingredients. Cozy space. Attentive but unobtrusive service. (One night forgot to bring wine and the server found a bottle for us in the back, gratis.) Sometimes a little heavy on the salt, to the point where I asked them to lighten it up on a return visit, which they made good on. Overall feeling that this is a place that is passionate about food and exercises some good judgment. Philadelphia could use more restaurants in this category. read more

My boyfriend and I tried Helm for the first time last night. The food was amazing and the service was flawless. Everything we ordered was tasty to eat and beautiful to look at. I don't have one bad thing to say about this place. My boyfriend works in fine dining and he was beyond impressed. read more

One of best New American/farm to table places in all of Philly. Lower prices by a decent amount than any similar place. Cute, homey dining room, very friendly service, and extremely good about adjusting dishes for food allergies in a way that preserves quality. read more

After reading Craig LeBan's amazing review I decided to try out Helm in celebration of my husband's birthday. I was glad thaI had made reservations because the place was packed on a Tuesday night! We started with two appetizers: the smoked carrots and the mixed greens and rhubarb salad. Both were absolutely delicious. The complimentary bread was also quite tasty. The three entrees we ordered were beautifully presented and also scrumptious. I would recommend all three - the duck, the lamb and the skirt steak entrees. My son thought the steak was a little overdone but still thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband is very particular about his coffee but gave that a two thumbs up. We ordered the only two desserts on the menu - the cherry tart and the chocolate mousse. I definitely preferred the cherry tart which was very flavorful but very light. The servers were wonderful and we never had to wait for anything. The only reason I did not give this five stars was the very small portion size. We usually share an appetizer when we go out and each have an entree, as well as sharing a dessert. I am glad we ordered as much food as we did. We ran into someone we knew at the restaurant who told us that they come at least once a month. We definitely plan to return! read more

Helm came as a recommendation from a foodie friend who lives in NoLibs. We will definitely be regulars. The squid starter was incredible and had us asking for more bread to soak up the sauce. Never order chicken out since it can be done pretty easily at home, but really wanted a hearty dish and the smoked, roasted, lacquered and pan-seared chicken at Helm - tender with skin crisped to perfection. My husband ordered the Lamb, also delectable. The rhubarb Gateau...there are no words - the couple at the next table over ordered a second helping. Scrumptious. Attentive, well-timed service. Definitely the best meal in many many months. This weekend, skip East Passayunk. Helm's got it goin on. read more

Proteins play an ensemble role in Helm's fabulously original, surprising and, most of all, supremely delicious menu items. Who knew smoked carrots could be SO FABULOUS! Our party of 5 ordered 4 left column, 4 center column and 2 right column items from the blackboard menu (apps, mains and desserts, respectively). To avoid sensory overload, I highly recommend sharing. Each dish served and tasted brought a new delight. Speaking of served, while the style of service was informal, the level of attention was gracious and impeccable. And our party is not easy to please - one of our number has been in the restaurant business for over 30 years, another was a pastry cook at Gramercy Tavern. Living closer to Center City than NoLibs, I thought this location across from a deserted lot an improbable setting for a great meal. Couldn't have been more wrong. Simply put, Helm provided some of the most outstanding flavors I've tasted in decades. One warning. We got lucky. Our res was for 9:45. We didn't actually sit until about 10:15. Believe it or not, that was a good thing. The noise level, which was literally excruciating when we first arrived, abated somewhat by the time we sat down. A reverberant interior amplifies the happy, noisy, byob-stoked diners and exacerbates the LOUD beats piped into the dining room. Initially conversation, even standing toe to toe, was IMPOSSIBLE. If din with dinner is not your thing, go early, go late ... or bring earplugs. read more

Best meal I've ever had. I'll be making a point to going back here as many times as possible in my last months living in philadelphia. Foody heaven! read more

I've lived in Philly 5+ years, have been to hundreds of restaurants, and this place stands out as one of the best - 1) the service: Lenny took care of our 9 person table and didn't skip a beat... he was timely, polite, patient, informative, and just an all around great sport considering he had 9 loud people to deal with. 2) the food: incredible, every dish.. we did the chef tasting version and that was 100% the way to go, as we got to sample dishes I would have been hesitant to order (which by the way these ended up being my favorite dishes, such as the Brussels sprouts), 3): very price friendly. We dined like kings and paid only approx $55 per person (not including tip). Don't let the location deter you from this gem of a restaurant... we can't wait to go back and hopefully Lenny will be there again! read more

Everything about the whole experience was fantastic. The mussels & Brussels sprouts appetizers were excellent. We had the pork & steak entrees and they exceeded our expectations. Service is excellent & everyone who works there has a passion for their work. I made another reservation to return. read more

One of the most amazing places ...food...I've ever had!!! Really... you have to try the shrimp appetizer and follow your heart thru the rest! I can't say enough about this place. I have to go back and try everything on the menu!!! What a delight read more

Great new BYoB for Nor Lib! Next level, super-fresh food and presentation at really decent prices in a cozy, comfortable atmosphere. Went with some friends and it was a great night. Love the approach chef Kevin and Michael have taken, a chalkboard menu that will change with whatever fresh foods are available to them daily/weekly they said. Nice. The place is simple and cozy but the food is anything but. My fiancé and I have been to a TON of BYoB's all over Philly, you will not find one serving such high quality food, with 5 star presentation and plating execution, not for the $ you pay here anyway. I had the skirt steak n potatoes, (never had potatoes like that), my fiancé the chicken n 14hr cabbage, and a couple of our friends had Brussels sprout tortellini, pork and everyone loved their food, raved about it actually. The polenta app was REDIC, for real. Get it. Squid app was so good, and the mussels app was killer. Dessert was real good too and I usually don't do dessert. They really just take simple fresh food, then take it to another level. Look, go check it out, you'll thank me. We'll be back soon. read more

Helm - Apps board 1st sat night @ Helm. - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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If you were on the fence about going to this restaurant please do not. It was not good. Our first appetizer was cucumber and tuna. The tuna tasted like it was left out for hours, now the sauce was good, however the tuna was awful. My next meal was the lamb. Now it sounds so good at first but god awful as well. CHEWY is an understatement. Never again will I go to this restaurant again. read more

If I could give this restaurant 10 stars I would, because it's that amazing. Helm offers a innovative and creative menu that is based on seasonal ingredients. I came with a group of friends a few weeks ago and we did their tasting menu. I wasn't aware that they even had this as an option but the server recommended it and I'm so glad he did. For $55 a person we were able to try everything on the menu, minus one entree. This included all of their desserts as well. The food was out of this world. There was five of us at dinner and we each had our own favorite. There were smoked carrots, chicken confit, homemade ravioli and lobster to name a few. And to top it off it's BYOB, which makes it that much more awesome. You can have an amazing meal on a budget. If you don't check out this place you are definitely missing out. The menu changes every few weeks so I'm looking forward in going back to see what creative meals they will be offering. read more

Helm - New American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Helm is, in a word, excellent. The menu is both eclectic and unique. But more importantly, everything is fantastic. The prices are more than reasonable for food of this quality. And because it's a BYO, it's hard to find a better value than Helm. read more

One of the best places ive eaten in the city. Quality ingredients and attention to detail with their recipes makes for some delicious meals. great atmosphere. For the quality of the food, i think this place is very fairly priced. Would highly recommend this BYOB. Make Sure to reserve a table ahead of time. read more

All dishes were presented beautifully. Skirt steak was flavorful and perfectly cooked. The sour cherry tart the standout. The restaurant is made up of the first floor of two row homes that were opened up into one large room. The atmosphere was very loud, and so I would suggest using some sound deafening material on the ceilings. The waitstaff needs some work - it appeared to me that the owners hired their friends without much experience. read more

The food is healthy, local and delicious. You can bring your own wine. You will love it. Go there. DO IT NOW.