Ate at Helm recently for a birthday dinner and it was perfect! Service was excellent and every bite was flavorful and delicious. Can't wait to go back! read more

Nothing is perfect. Nothing. Except our night out at Helm. The service was exemplary. Knowledgeable, attentive, friendly, courteous, and all with a sense of humor. The food was phenomenal. Not one bite left on anything from appetizers to desserts. Seriously. New favorite for sure. Thank you Helm Team! read more

Perfect. Beet/duck and crab and potato apps were amazing. My tortellini dish was phenomenal. Great service. We'll be back! read more

Some of the best dishes I've ever had! Attentive staff, unpretentious decor, no attitude anywhere, with really fresh ingredients and inventive approach to classics. But really really loud. They need to figure that out fast. Only thing preventing 5 stars. read more

This place is great. Came here with friends and family who are teachers. Gettin weird on a school night. Anyway it was Incredible. All meals are great. So different. Everything is so good. Please if you can get a reservation, eat there !! read more

Great cozy spot, but not cramped feeling at all. The menu was very inventive, and the waitstaff was knowledgeable and attentive. Two of the appetizers seemed slightly "forced" in that you can only come out with so many ways to combine certain ingredients. For example, the buratta/corn/cucumber was good, but only because I enjoy those three things separately. I didn't really see why they should be paired together. The artichoke/steak app had nice flavor, but again, I don't get the pairing. We also had the smoked carrot appetizer which is apparently a long-standing menu favorite. Would highly recommend that. The mains included duck, lamb and a pork and long-hot tortellini, which were all excellent. I liked that the portions were on the smaller side. Keep that in mind when ordering. All in all besides my nitpicking about the appetizers, this place is a solid BYO. It's really between a 4 and a 5 for me. read more

What a gem! Food is so clean and delicious with simple fresh ingredients. Menu is delightfully limited and it's surely because less is more. No fluff or over describing on the menu items and it's surely because if you order monk fish and octopus that's exactly what you'll taste! And it's super super tasty! Good stuff Helm, can't wait to go again read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. It is small and unpretentious but the food is something very special. Beautifully prepared, healthy menu, BYOB, creative. We hosted a wedding rehearsal dinner here and it was splendid. read more

We came for a special treat and were very impressed. We went all out and ordered 3 starters and 2 mains. It was F@&$ing fantastic. For real. All from a 3 man crew. These guys know what's up and how to present and deliver. I am so happy they came to the hood and I hope they stay for along time. Forget the No Libs hype. Come here. read more

This place is awesome. We had a reservation and they were about 20mins. late with seating us, but offered us a Miller Lite from their kegerator while we waited. I am a bit of a beer snob, but hey, why not. It's a free, ice cold be'r. Shut up and drink it. They gave us a complimentary, amazing cauliflower soup and an extra appetizer which we didn't order, "...on the house!"-De Niro in Goodfellas. Pieces of bacon with apple slices and melted chevre? Of course! The food was excellent, and the staff was very friendly. Then to top it all off, the gave us a complimentary dessert "...on the house!" I would totally go back to this amazing BYO if I wasn't moving to Oregon. Oh, how I'll miss the BYOs. read more

Definitely lived up to the high praise they have been receiving. We'd 3 appetiser: hickory smoked carrots, Brussels sprouts with escargot and the squid. All 3 were outstanding but the squid and Brussels were tied for first. The sauces that both of them came in were amazing. For entrees we had the NY strip steak and the kale duck ravioli. Both were excellent. The ravioli were an unusual shape and they burst with flavor when bitten in to. The duck that came with the ravioli literally melted in our mouth. The steak was a perfect medium rare accompanied by tasty broccoli and potatoes. The chocolate custard and ricotta dessert was fantastic. We'll definitely return. read more

Fair. Food was good not great. Service was.a.bit off. I asked our waiter a few questions about menu items and each time he said he would ask the chef. Probably won't go back. read more

Have been part of the Philadelphia dining scene for well over two decades it was with great interest that my wife and I first tried Helm during the recent holiday break. Were favorably impressed on the first visit so we returned last night. However, our dinner could not have been more disappointing. Early seating (second table to arrive), which is why we were surprised (and a bit annoyed) to wait nearly 1 hour for the main course. Service not terribly attentive and did not really acknowledge the situation. Appetizers were only ok...the beet special was somewhat pedestrian and the carrots were unevenly roasted. All of that would have been tolerable were it not for the main course - the chicken confit, which we both ordered because we liked it the first time. This time, however, the chicken was extremely salty and somewhat dry, and the celery root side dish was inconsistent throughout and likewise uninspired. Could not finish it...left 1/2 behind. Given the heavy dose of "fresh & local" marketing, the ingredients may have been local but they certainly did not seem fresh or thoughtfully prepared. We are normally tolerant of start up ventures but the bugs should be out of this one by now, given the destination-restaurant hype. Probably would not return - too iffy. read more

I'm lowering my rating to one star after the restaurant refused to respond to a thoughtfully written and polite email and call I made reaching-out about our experience. read more

Helm is hands-down the best farm-to-table restaurant we've been to; and we like us some farm-to-table. Helm received considerable press as of late and deservedly so. This place on the northern edge of the Fishtown gentrification opened last year to great reviews from Philadelphia Magazine (#10 on its Top 50 list) and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Almost more impressive than the menu and plates themselves is how this place was started. The two chefs, Kevin d'Egidio and Mike Griffith (whose collective backgrounds include Lacroix, Stateside, Fork, Will BYO) opened the restaurant with a mere $10,000 between the two of them a and little help from their friends and family. (This project involved renovation of the restaurant's interior, refinishing tables, as well as online deals for chairs.) The result is nicely quaint with simple decor and a most definite "eat local" vibe. Upon entering the place one notices two chalkboards which serve as the menu and the small yet intimate dining space, 36 chairs in all. There is an old record player in the corner that was unfortunately not churning out tunes during our dinner. The wait staff was very helpful and offer a detailed run-down of the chalkboard menu items. This run-down is extensive and mildly over-whelming. The menu does have a considerable amount of non-conventional concoctions with very conventional, local ingredients. Furthermore, one glance of the starters, entrees and desserts, we noticed not one item was valued over $24. Toss on the fact it is a BYO, you quickly realize you will not leave your entire wallet with the bill. This was a pleasant surprise considering this restaurant is quickly becoming one of the best in the city. We kick-started our dinner with two starters shared between the two of us. One of their appetizer specials was curry squash with goat cheese inside house-made ravioli, broccoli and fermented pepper paste. Individually, the ravioli was creamy and tasted of fine goat cheese with the curry offering a fuller bodied punch to the creamy center. The broccoli was seared and slightly crispy. Finally, the fermented pepper added a strong kick. However, combine all the ingredients and it tasted like a jalapeño popper. This is not meant to be an insult. You get the creamy cheese, the spicy pepper and the crispy bite comes from the broccoli. Our second was a dish piled high with Gettysburg apples, guanciale, and smoked shepard cheese. Guanciale is cured pig cheek (imagine a small piece of bacon with more flavor than a whole package of the store-bought stuff). The shaved cheese is a mix of sheep and cow's milk and tastes similar to manchego. The combo of these flavors with the apple makes the apple, while the most abundant part of the dish, just there for the texture and a little sweetness. Its a great result with plenty of dish to take in. Regarding entrees, the chicken with spaghetti squash and pilsner malt totally won our hearts. The chicken was a juicy seared breast presented sliced. However, the side that presented with the breast stole the show. Spicy, creamy, spaghetti squash lay atop impeccably prepared greens. Jalapeño was definitely included with the spaghetti squash and this little slap in the mouth was not too overpowering. The squash was also lightly fried on the outside giving it a slight crunch. It actually did complement the chicken well but this savory, spicy dish of various textures was a great way to kick-start the new year. The coffee-rubbed pork with braised cabbage (for 18 hours), house made sauerkraut, mushrooms, and arugula pesto was dimmed in comparison to the chicken. It was not a dish to be laughed at however. The pork was nicely done and the cabbage offered some amazing sweet and earthy flavors you don't traditionally expect with cabbage. The mushrooms rounded out some of the flavors, but there wasn't much of them to be had in the dish. Overall it was the weakest of the dishes, which doesn't say anything bad because it was still an impeccably done pork. Finally for dessert we had gateau basque (an apple tart with apple butter and buttermilk cream) which quickly translates to all that is heaven. The tart is crispy on the outside and the perfect mix of creamy and flaky that words just don't do justice. The apply apple butter has a distinct caramel taste to to it and the buttermilk cream is more like ice cream. So to put it simply-best dessert ever if I am being honest. The only downside to this part of the meal is the sad lack of tea and coffee options (basic english breakfast and regular or decaf, respectively). To be fair, we are kind of tea and coffee snobs and might expect the full array of options at most places we go to. read more

comfortable, casual setting with visually stunning dishes. the components of some dishes were disproportionate, such as being too acidic, but otherwise was a fun, delicious dinner. byob is a plus as well! read more

"Superb" is not an adjective I use often..if at all. I save it for those times it is called for. My family and I had a celebratory dinner last night at Helm. It was superb!! The place is really nice; the staff incredibly knowledgeable about their limited menu, and patient about explaining it. Having a/the chef come around to explain things makes the experience even better for those of us who care to understand the dishes. The food went from strength to strength to strength, with no gaps in the link. (My favorites were the appetizers, though.) For mains, the monkfish was terrific, as was their pork medley with pork cheek cassoulet. The appetizers we loved were the Brussel sprouts; the farro; and their signature smoked carrots (sounds nowhere as good as it actually is). The beauty of the food was that though the ingredients were limited to 4 or 5 (as opposed to haute cuisine's interminable list in every dish; obscuring them all), which all showed up and contributed. Texturally, something I rarely think about, the dishes were also very diverse and stimulating (the farro was toasted in a pan before getting the smoked tea broth; the buckwheat "crumble" on top of the chocolate mousse was really special.). The displays on the dishes were all worth taking note of, too. My monkfish dish used 1/3 of the plate..leaving most of the plate gleaming. Desserts, very limited were also memorable, especially the chocolate mousse with smoked ricotta and topped with toasted buckwheat "crumble". Who thought of that one? Of course, the ability to BYOB is a real benefit of being in Philadelphia, and makes the overall experience seem like that much more of a value. Bravo!! A great family night and a truly memorable restaurant experience. Now that they have an outpost in the Pennsport section, we'll look forward to that place, too. read more

Four of us ate at Helm last night. We have been to several of Philadelphia's best restaurants so I believe we have a very good perspective. Helm's #1 quality is the imaginative and creative combination of tastes. The culinary skills are right up there with the best in Philly but it was the creativity that "wowed"us; in my opinion,unrivaled in the city. The service was excellent (4.75 stars) and the atmosphere was warm and eclectic (4.50 stars). Value was amazing - $50 per person with taxes and tip. Yes, it's BYOB but still, for this experience this was a steal. I had the octopus starter, daughter had the rabbit, mother-in-law had the carrots and wife had a salad. The octopus and rabbit starters were AMAZING. A mix of tastes I have never experienced. For mains, I had the veal ravioli. Ok, I almost licked the dish. Wow, wow, wow. Daughter had the lamb: again, fabulous. I understand Chicken was excellent; I wouldn't know because wife would not share. Desserts were incredible. (By now we were in a "food high" and had lost touch with reality.) Lastly, and with respect to the service: When we arrived I had a question about parking. A waitress kindly walked outside with me and showed me two good places to park. This same waitress cut herself later in the evening and was taken to an Urgent Care. Despite being down a waitress on a Saturday night, the place never missed a beat. Excellent teamwork. All in all a memorable evening. Helm deserves all the accolades. read more

Hands down best dinner you will ever have. This is my fiancé and I's favorite date night restaurant, we have dined here 4 times already and continue to be amazed by the flavor and freshness of the dishes offered. On our most recent dining experience we went with a chef's tasting menu. We were served four courses, a total of 9 dished between the two of us. One dish was better than the next filled with flavors I cannot even describe because I have never tasted anything like it before. This was also the first time we had desert and from here on out I don't plan on leaving without desert in the future. It is also BYOB which is nice. I would 100% recommend trying this place if you are looking for an excellent meal, attentive staff and a comfortable environment. Also, the Chef's/Owner's deliver your food to your table and explain everything they serve you --make sure you make a reservation! read more

Awesome dinner. Bring a bottle of good wine. The food here is a creative and refreshing--you won't find menu like this elsewhere! Everything was fantastic except the squid app was a little anticlimatic for me. I also love that there's an abundance of vegetables that come with meat dishes to balance everything out. It's rare to have that in my experience. Mostly restaurants just sell you the expensive stuff and you end up eating 5 different animals in one meal and no veggies. On my list of favorite byobs! read more

My opinion with the wait staff has changed radically, they really seek to make you feel at home...and the food still stuns everytime! Can't praise this place enough. Go here and enjoy American cooking again! read more

This place doesn't need another 5 star review, but whatever. I guess I feel compelled to say that Helm totally lives up the hype. Great space and superb service. Every dish was delicious and well executed. I would probably give this place 4 stars, but the prices are so good that it gets the bump to 5 stars. One of the best meals my partner and I have had as a couple that was well under $100. read more

The food here is delicious, but it's the service that really separates Helm from the rest. The menu changes seasonally and the staff walks you through the entire thing, so whatever is posted online gives you a general idea. Initially, I had been a little skeptical when we were first looking at it since I'm vegan and the menu online has meat/fish in just about every dish. But the promise of a good BYOB won out and I'm so glad it did. In particular, Justin does a great job looking through the menu to come up with options and the chef (Michael, I think) creates the best meal! Now we've been three times and while my meat-eating husband loves it, I'm the one who keeps making reservations. Vegans and vegetarians should go here! read more

We checked Helm's reviews on Yelp and other sites before visiting. Mostly rave reviews, so we decided to visit. We were a party of six and to be honest 4 of the 6 praised the ambience and food. Two of us were not so happy. To be fair, going in I was aware it's not MY style. Pretentious menu and food, unimpressive ambience with uncomfortable old tables and seating. All of the dishes needed full explanations as to the ingredients and how they were prepared. I felt like i was at cooking school. It was a chore to say the least. Our sever (very helpful) spent so much time explaining each menu item that it was kept us from enjoying the limited time with friends. My cabbage appetizer was too difficult to cut and had a rich sauce that I could feel percolating in my stomach the next day. The Lamb dish was almost Tapas sized and was so undercooked that I had difficulty chewing it. I did like the sauce though. Small consolation. My score is a 2 out of five only because most of the others really liked it. If you're not a "foodie" and like armchair or comfy booth seating, dishes you find familiar or at least recognize, leave Helm off your list. Otherwise you will probably love it............................ read more

Helm is perfect. By a lucky coincidence we ended up dining at Helm two nights in a row and, as a result, got two opportunities to try the current menu. It speaks to our wonderful experience the first night that we didn't choose to go somewhere else the night after. No, we kept our accidental double reservation because we were excited to go back! Everything about helm is charming - their chalkboard menu, the eclectic cookbook bookshelves, and of course, the wonderful waitstaff. This is comfort food at its finest. Over two nights we tried spaghetti squash with raclette and prosciutto, a delightful porcini and kale tart with beets, tangy brussels sprouts with bacon, and plump swordfish. For our entrees we had the chicken - a dish large enough to split between two people, the hake, the lamb, and the crab and sweet potato ravioli, which were delicious enough for someone who does not eat seafood to try. It was savory decadence. Please save room for desert, of which we tried all three and are still wistfully thinking about. I'm convinced there's not a single bad dish on this menu. read more

Amazing food highly executed and seasoned. The polenta and brussel sprout tortellini dishes are ridiculous. This place is hitting on all cylinders and must try. Very accommodating host. read more

I wish I didn't have to write this poor review. We have been to Helm before and it was great. Interesting, well-prepared food, great service, well paced enjoyable evenings. This evening we took another couple there, excited to show them a really excellent restaurant near our new apartment on Girard Ave. What a colossal disappointment! It was a slog from start to finish. Despite it being a light night, not at all crowded, we waited a very long time before someone came to explain the menu (the menu always needs explaining at Helm) and our order placed. After a reasonable time, our appetizers appeared, and they were ok but not anything special. Then came the long wait, over an hour before dinner showed up. We had to hunt down our waiter at one point to ask if our order was lost; he was pleasant, and asked what he could do to make it right, but when you've got kids and pets you need to get home to, nothing makes it right except getting served. He should have let us know he was on top of the delay, but he actually seemed less than concerned until we complained. When the meal finally came, it left a lot to be desired; my fennel ravioli was sitting in a pool of oil and was unappetizing. My friend's lamb was undercooked, and even though the waiter came by to ask if everything was ok, we couldn't risk waiting another 15 or 20 minutes (who knows?) to fix things. He did comp us an appetizer which we appreciated, but it was a miserable evening. We will not be back. read more

Ate at this new place, Helm, last night. The food was exquisite! Fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere with relaxed pricing! Impossible to pick a favorite. Tortellini, skirt steak, Arctic char, Brussels sprouts, leeks, Tewksbury cheese and goat yogurt! Amazing! Gorgeous desserts! Reminded me of an old favorite in San Fran and NYC- La Petit Ferme. The food rivals all the big name restaurants! Service was superb. Charming decor. Crisp, clean, open! We will be repeat customers and we live at the Jersey shore! read more

amazing....... it's that good! Definitely one of the best places. The chicken with squash is divine!

This restaurant is fantastic. The dishes are innovative, well-executed and delicious. A modern twist on the farm to table menu. The service is excellent. The staff is comprised of well-versed professionals who exude passion through their explanation of the menu. Prices are overwhelmingly reasonable for the quality and portion of dishes you receive. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting. Whether on a date with your significant other, having dinner with your parents, or joining a group of friends you haven't seen in awhile, this is the place. It was a wonderful experience from start to finish. One of the best restaurants I have ever visited in Philadelphia. Keep up the good work! read more

I was so disappointed with the much buzzed about Helm, that it's worthy of my first Yelp post, ever. Here's the brunt of it: we sat at the table for over an hour without any water refills, the fluke was not cooked, which is ok, but it was warm, creating a very odd consistency and it looked like a macchetti was used to prepare it. The chicken was medium-rare and the lamb dish, served with medium-rare pieces and sausage included two nickel-sized pieces of sausage. Overall, huge disappointment and quite pricey for what it actually was, small portions with fancy explanations and ill-prepared meat/fish. The service was really the worst though. My friend had made a comment about the fluke (appetizer), she wasn't mean or aggressive, she just called it what it was and they took it off our bill. But I think it scared the server away, we never saw her again and had to trace down the other server/manager for water, the bill, new glasses for wine, etc. Though my first yelp post, I'm a frequent BYO-er and have had a bad experience or two, but this tops the cake. I would not recommend Helm, to anyone. Come hungry, leave thirsty and a bit uncomfortable with what you ate. read more

Such a wonderful restaurant! It's a special spot. We enjoyed a great meal in a great setting. We especially enjoyed the octopus and the duck--outstanding. Enjoy and cheers! read more

without question, the best dining experience i've encountered in philadelphia;hia in the last 14 years. if food is important in your life, the unexpected and uncommon mix of textures, flavors, and foods will leave you in an altered state of bliss. if food is unimportant in your life, eating here will be transformational. so much so, that food will become incredibly important to you forever more. a special thank you to the chef to catering to my desire for a vegetarian menu -- created in the moment without advance notice. possibly the most gracious restaurant i've ever experienced, and unquestionably, the most creative. i cannot thank the chef, his staff and the waitstaff enough. a big big thank you. read more

Does not live up to the hype. Hipsters confusing too much salt for flavor. Went on a Friday night with my husband, we're 30-something foodie types so I wanted to try something different. I love the "fresh & local" selling point, the place itself was very hipster-esque as expected. But it was SO LOUD. SO LOUD!! I've never been to a restaurant of this caliber that was so noisy, we couldn't even have a conversation between 2 people. Very weird as there aren't even that many tables in the smallish restaurant. Perhaps it's because the waitress has to explain the entire menu to each table as they sit down, as they do not have printed menus to read. The menu itself was very interesting & cohesive. But all the food was WAY salty. Which is really what prompted me to write this review, because I am a salt-lover and even I felt this whole meal was extremely over-salted. We ordered the rabbit & lobster appetizers, the rabbit was good but very heavy & rich (for a midsummer dish) and definitely too salty. The cold lobster salad was ok, husband liked it. For mains we ordered the octopus ravioli & the lamb, both were too rich and salty. Seriously I couldn't even eat more than a few bites of the octopus, and I NEVER leave fancy expensive food on a plate. Straight up tasted like a cheesy mess of salt, green olives, and capers. Husband's lamb dish was cooked perfectly but he kept saying how it needed some kind of starch (was just meat and a huge serving of very al dente snap peas that he didn't enjoy). Also very salty. Even the dessert, which is 100% my favorite part of every meal, fell flat on the floor. We tried both options, the lemon custard was a sloppy serving of VERY tart lemon pudding with cherries and the blueberry tart was over-baked, dry & flavorless. I might be picky, but I do hate spending $100+ on a meal for 2 (not including any booze, since it's byo), and leaving hungry & slightly nauseated. read more

Definitely delicious. The interior of the restaurant and the food just feels comfortable and relaxing, not at all pretentious. Our reservation was fairly early (6:45 PM on a weekend night) but it was still plenty noisy, so I believe the folks who say it's loud later on. While I did appreciate the explanation of every dish, it seems a bit much for the waitstaff to explain it in its entirety to each table. Maybe better to just answer questions if diners have them. (?) The carrots were very good, but not as amazing as I'd been expecting. The ravioli insides were silky smooth. And the gateau basque was truly divine. I would return for that alone. Mah husband had the bean appetizer and lamb curry dish with the appetizer being his favorite of the two. And all together, it was very reasonable. All in all, just a lovely experience. I'd definitely return to see what the next season offers. Well done, Helm. read more

The kids were away with their grandparents all week so we took advantage of this to go out for every single meal. We were looking forward to dinner at Helm being the defining meal of the week. We had had dinner there previously and were delighted by the thoughtful selections and amazing construction of flavors. We brought friends with us who were celebrating significant birthdays. The flavor profiles and food preparation was second to none at this little gem. Alas, our experience was done in by the service. We didn't think it was possible but it was literally 31 minutes between the time we were seated and when our order was taken. Multiple attempts at making eye contact with the waitress failed, despite the fact that she was clearly circulating to other patrons. Later on, although our food was served expediently, our waitress did not come back to check on us until it was time for our plates to be cleared. We were completely flabbergasted at the service, or more accurately the lack thereof. We have previously made rave reviews about this establishment but are now bitterly disappointed. read more