Paon in Carlsbad left us underwhelmed. Servers were overly insistent on pushing pricey bottles, which felt off-putting. Bread and butter were delicious, but only one slice was offered — surprisingly stingy for fine dining.
The wine we chose was good, but steeply priced. Food was uneven: some dishes were solid, others forgettable. I was also disappointed to find oysters only on the bar menu and not available in the main dining room.
Service was attentive and polished, but overly formal. Overall, the experience just didn’t justify the high price point.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Rita
Ordered the filet, prime rib, and a lobster tail on the side. Food was very flavorful, meat was very tender. Outside patio was lovely on a warm evening.
Jeanette
First time trying Paon. I loved my duck, but the short ribs were mediocre. They have a different take on French onion that is interesting. Desserts very good. Wine list is very extensive
Yong Liao
Me and my family visited this place after a day in the LEGOLAND on a Saturday. It was not crowded at all. The services are very polite and attentive. We ordered 2 scallops for appetizers, a soup, and deer steak. My daughter loved the scallop a lot.
Mint ice cream with chocolate source for dessert. It was not too sweet. We liked it.
Recommended dishes: Pan Seared Maine Diver Scallops, Housemade Mint Ice Cream
Paul G
Had a wedding rehearsal dinner for 14 in the private room. The food and the service were outstanding. Every dish was prepared perfectly and the entrees came out fresh and hot. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Judi
We hadn't been for a while. The food was as good as ever. We had the salmon tartare and the short rib and sea bass. All lived up to expectations. Service was very good. We will go back.
Bob
Reserved birthday dinner. Surprised at 6:45 only 2 parties were in restaurant and outdoor. Server was abrupt, non-personal and didn't seem to enjoy his job! For an expensive night out celebrating birthdays (we declined dessert) very disappointing.
Tracy
My mother and I have been here previously, although it's been a while. I booked it for the 2 of us to celebrate her birthday. We truly enjoyed it as we have before. The food was delicious, the presentation was great, my cocktail was delicious, and our server (female - my bad I forgot to get her name) was so kind, engaging, and attentive. I can't wait to fit my mom again and return to Paon! It's an all around wonderful dining experience.
Leslie
Great service and delicious food. The Hamachi appetizer was outstanding as was the lamb entree. Very quiet restaurant and attentive service. Would recommend this lovely restaurant and will visit again.
Michelle
Service from beginning to end was exceptional. The complimentary bread and butter was hot and fresh, definitely wanting us to have more. It was a bummer that one of the soups was unavailable as it's the one I wanted, but the items we did order were exceptional, especially the Ribeye. We believe the dessert menu is lacking. We ordered the cheesecake hoping for something special, but it wasn't. A French focus on the dessert menu would've been preferred. We will definitely come back to try more entrees.
Whenever I'm in Carlsbad, I always go to Paon. Excellent food and excellent service. Nice portions, great presentation and the most delicious food. The steaks and sea bass is my favorite
Craig Wilson
Pricey but good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mike
Again, absolutely fantastic experience! The food was so damn good! Each dish was something to crow about. The scallops, pheasant, salad oh and the dessert...scrumptious. We had reservations at 5:30 and it was pretty quiet. Great ambiance. Service was spectacular and our server k ew what he was talking about. We had a wonderfully romantic experience. Yep, we will be going again!
Nauman
Good service - but seriously over priced ! Ordered a ($125) tomahawk which came out rare twice when I had ordered medium. I gave up as my friends had waited long enough to eat with me.
John
My duck confit had probably been cooked then frozen. The outer skin was tough and it all lacked flavor. The bean cassolet was bland. The mint ice cream was excellent. Order it without the chocolate which would overwhelm it. Wife's salmon was just OK.
Paon in Carlsbad left us underwhelmed. Servers were overly insistent on pushing pricey bottles, which felt off-putting. Bread and butter were delicious, but only one slice was offered — surprisingly stingy for fine dining.
The wine we chose was good, but steeply priced. Food was uneven: some dishes were solid, others forgettable. I was also disappointed to find oysters only on the bar menu and not available in the main dining room.
Service was attentive and polished, but overly formal. Overall, the experience just didn’t justify the high price point.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 3
Ordered the filet, prime rib, and a lobster tail on the side. Food was very flavorful, meat was very tender. Outside patio was lovely on a warm evening.
First time trying Paon. I loved my duck, but the short ribs were mediocre. They have a different take on French onion that is interesting. Desserts very good. Wine list is very extensive
Me and my family visited this place after a day in the LEGOLAND on a Saturday.
It was not crowded at all.
The services are very polite and attentive.
We ordered 2 scallops for appetizers, a soup, and deer steak. My daughter loved the scallop a lot.
Mint ice cream with chocolate source for dessert. It was not too sweet. We liked it.
Recommended dishes: Pan Seared Maine Diver Scallops, Housemade Mint Ice Cream
Had a wedding rehearsal dinner for 14 in the private room. The food and the service were outstanding. Every dish was prepared perfectly and the entrees came out fresh and hot. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We hadn't been for a while. The food was as good as ever. We had the salmon tartare and the short rib and sea bass. All lived up to expectations. Service was very good. We will go back.
Reserved birthday dinner. Surprised at 6:45 only 2 parties were in restaurant and outdoor. Server was abrupt, non-personal and didn't seem to enjoy his job! For an expensive night out celebrating birthdays (we declined dessert) very disappointing.
My mother and I have been here previously, although it's been a while. I booked it for the 2 of us to celebrate her birthday. We truly enjoyed it as we have before. The food was delicious, the presentation was great, my cocktail was delicious, and our server (female - my bad I forgot to get her name) was so kind, engaging, and attentive. I can't wait to fit my mom again and return to Paon! It's an all around wonderful dining experience.
Great service and delicious food. The Hamachi appetizer was outstanding as was the lamb entree. Very quiet restaurant and attentive service. Would recommend this lovely restaurant and will visit again.
Service from beginning to end was exceptional. The complimentary bread and butter was hot and fresh, definitely wanting us to have more. It was a bummer that one of the soups was unavailable as it's the one I wanted, but the items we did order were exceptional, especially the Ribeye. We believe the dessert menu is lacking. We ordered the cheesecake hoping for something special, but it wasn't. A French focus on the dessert menu would've been preferred. We will definitely come back to try more entrees.
Restaurantji Recommends
Whenever I'm in Carlsbad, I always go to Paon. Excellent food and excellent service. Nice portions, great presentation and the most delicious food. The steaks and sea bass is my favorite
Pricey but good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Again, absolutely fantastic experience! The food was so damn good! Each dish was something to crow about. The scallops, pheasant, salad oh and the dessert...scrumptious. We had reservations at 5:30 and it was pretty quiet. Great ambiance. Service was spectacular and our server k ew what he was talking about. We had a wonderfully romantic experience. Yep, we will be going again!
Good service - but seriously over priced ! Ordered a ($125) tomahawk which came out rare twice when I had ordered medium. I gave up as my friends had waited long enough to eat with me.
My duck confit had probably been cooked then frozen. The outer skin was tough and it all lacked flavor. The bean cassolet was bland. The mint ice cream was excellent. Order it without the chocolate which would overwhelm it. Wife's salmon was just OK.
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