Paladar Latin Kitchen & 610 SOCIAL Bar + Lounge — Restaurant in Upper Merion Township

Favorite spot in KOP!! 2025 update: still favorite spot in KOP. While there are excellent steakhouses in KOP, on par with Del Frisco's in the city, Paladar is one of a kind, just as it ever was. Thank you, Jessica, for absolutely on-point recommendations for dinner and for after-dinner rum. A+😁😁😁🙏🙏 for finding a dark rum that pleased both me and my date, who has a flavor palette that could not be more different than my own. Also, Jessica, it was a special treat that you have worked at Paladar virtually since it opened, and we could talk about some of your former co-workers, whom I know as a former regular. Paladar is lucky to have you! We were party of two on the outside patio, that was packed with a 30+ party and another group 5+ affiliated with the Eagles ( that is what I was led to believe, not making any statements of facts regarding the Eagles organization) and you still found time to give me a lot of personal attention to catch up on your coworkers. A party of 30, I know from years of bartending and waiting tables, is a big responsibility and can be stressful depending on the mood of the group. The party of five or six affiliated with the Eagles was a strong presence - in the middle of the patio & quite the chatty/flirty bunch - I can only imagine how much time they commanded from you. Despite all that, you gave perfect service to my date, a 1st-timer at Paladar and on his own 30+ minutes before I overcame traffic and "parking wars" to join him: I finally arrived, and he was comfortably seated away from the "chaos" of the two large parties, at a four top table - just as I had requested when I called ahead - and enjoying red sangria that was made to his liking. The caipirinhas I ordered remain 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟. (FYI to those unfamiliar with this cocktail: a caipirinha is similar to a mojito, but made with cachaça instead of rum. Cachaça is made from the sugarcane plant - like rum is - but higher ABV and less sugar. So, that means fewer calories and a more distinct taste that is not overpowered by sugary sweetness the way light rum can be. If you live in Southern Florida, you might see it in your liquor stores. However, iit is a Brazilian liquor and so overall, notwithstanding bars that pride themselves on having the best of everything, such as the lobby bar at the Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, or a Brazilian Steakhouse, you'll be hard-pressed to find this wonderful, unique liquor.... so, check it out and fall in love with it at Paladar. The Caipirinha - - just sharing for the sake of edification - is the national drink of Brazil and has been considered one of the best cocktails in the world by websites like TasteAtlas.) Full transparency about my updated review: when I previously wrote, I only frequented Paladar for happy hour, not for dinner. During Happy Hour, usually we would get the guacamole and loved that it came with plantain and Yuca chips, not just tortilla chips. My current review has a three-star for food because the guacamole has changed. It is not at all chunky or flavorful, like it used to be. I actually think that the store made guacamole from Acme much better, which was a surprising disappointment. But, thank you, Jessica, for giving us so many plantain chips. They were delicious! Your dinner recommendation of the tacos was perfect for me, and my date enjoyed his pork dish. Hopefully, we'll...

I belong to a dinner club and the main host recommended the group Go there again based on their previous accommodations. I STILL called to confirm 2 important things we ask BEFORE deciding to set reservations. 1) can you accommodate up to 20 people. 2) can you do SEPARATE checks for each person. NOT multiple checks within the party. SEPARATE. I was told YES, no problem! We don't all know everyone. it's a large online group. We aren't family/close friends etc. And to figure out what people owe and people who short their bill and make others have to put more out etc. This was CONFIRMED by a woman (she may have had an accent) scheduled on 5/20 around 11:40am. We get there and sit down. I informed the waitress we are doing separate checks. she said she was not aware and she didn't look happy. She came out and said they couldnt do separate checks and explained why. The place ,on a tues, was dead.....NOT busy. I asked for the manager. She was nice and professional. She questioned me who i spoke to. I had no idea and how could i remember who and dont think they even told me there name. Mgr tried to do damage control and say thats never been their policy. So am i lying?! i would have NEVER booked there if i was told they couldnt do sep checks for the 18 people..we werent even 18. it was 12 people that came. we ONLY book restaurants that accomdate our size group and do separate checks. Meanwhile i looked at the waitress and she had most p'offed look on her face. She got better by the end but she should watch her facial expressions and smile more or she is in wrong profession. we didnt just show up and expect sep checks. i did my homework first. The main host suggested the place because they DID do sep checks before. As far as ambiance and food...very good! ill give them that. But i felt like this was bate and switch and if our business was not appreciated and made to feel like we were inconveniencing them we certainly wont be back. Otherwise we would have NEVER booked Paladar. They ,at least, did 6 sep checks but thats still unacceptable. Not to mention my sister had a bad customer service exp there and other reviews as ive...

I would love to give this place a 5 for food because of many good things they did, but I feel like they missed the mark for so many things that should have been givens. I dined with some friends- Fluffy was a great server and enthusiastic with his recommendations. -Ropa Vieja- rice was hard (read: undercooked and/or not heated thoroughly)-- I think I am qualified enough to say this as a person who eats home-cooked rice at least 5 times a week..My friend said "ummm I think there is soap in my food"-- turned out to be the herb that was sprinkled on top --oregano(?? or something else?) Fortunately, she was able to pick it out-- she was debating whether or not to send it back because she truly thought it had been contaminated by soap. Plantains were nice and sweet, creamy, and well-cooked. -Red snapper- It was presented very nicely, but my tortillas were not heated all the way (tasted on the hard side and not flexible/bendable), and...the fish was not salted. I was told the fish was marinated for a few hours before being deep-fried, which was one of the main reasons I got it-- sounded like something that'd require more planning and forethought--not as easily or readily done as home. I asked for salt because it was so bland- was almost embarrassed to do so, because I do not expect to have to add salt for a $29 plate. My husband tried the leftovers and unprompted, mentioned that it was really bland and needed salt. Mixed grill- beef was cooked as ordered (medium rare) by my friend, but it didn't taste like much until I added chimichurri. The rice here was also poorly heated. Had the house-made chips which were all fried nicely with even thicknesses and were crispy, but...were not seasoned- did they forget the salt here, too? Some really nice things--- fresh sugar cane in the mojitos, tasty chili oil for the snapper, well-seasoned chimichurri, but also some things that made me scratch my head. Would have to think twice about coming back, OR would have to be ready to be that person who sends...