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22 E 54th St
New York, NY 10022 b/t 5th Ave & Madison Ave in Midtown East
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“But there is loud live opera upstairs on Saturday nights.”In 24 reviews -
“Great beer selection and reasonable prices.”In 7 reviews -
“A little on the pricier side, but hey, this is midtown.”In 24 reviews
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The beginning of many long nights has started at the Pap. This is the go-to after work spot for the SwissRe kids and by some random association, myself as well.
What you'll find here is plenty of suits, lots of drinks, stiff cocktails and a dapper manager named Alberto who will gladly show you his bike out front.
Be mindful of the kiddie toilets, you may fall in once you realize how low to the ground they are. -
There's nothing sincerely wrong with Papillon, but the food definitely lacks flavor and substance. This place is a classic case of venue/location trumping dining. The burgers don't taste like anything except bread and skillet grease, and at $15-$20 an entree you'd expect something decent. Unfortunately, Papillon can't deliver, and will be content simply staying in business because of its magnificent location in Midtown East.
I'd recommend you go elsewhere for lunch during the work day. It simply isn't worth a visit. -
- Regina D.
- Forest Hills, NY
- 4 friends
- 67 reviews
Came in with 15 co-workers on Tuesday night, we were offered a nice space in the back of the first floor. We had plenty of room to stand or sit, the only problem it got a little hot but they were able to push some cold air our way. The waitress was excellent, she kept the food and the drinks coming and she was extremely pleasant.
We ordered sliders, nachos and fries. I did not have sliders but everyone loved them both beef and pulled pork. Nachos were just the right kind of cheese and loads of guac, and real cheese now days its rare. French fries are like drugs once you have it you can't stop eating them, its that good. Wine was $11 a glass and most drink were around $15, there are no special and they do not offer happy hour.
I think I will try their sister properties in the future. -
- Hannah L.
- Brooklyn, NY
- 0 friends
- 2 reviews
Waited 30 min to order, then an hour for food. A 90 min business lunch meeting ended up taking 2.5 hours. Slow service. Rude managers. Watched the female floor manager role her eyes when the waiter told her our table wanted to speak with her. Food was mediocre at best - salads waaaay overdressed, croque monsieur burnt, shrimp undercooked. Find another midtown lunch spot. -
- Juliet H.
- New York, NY
- 0 friends
- 82 reviews
Yes, it's busy and can be sort of loud but I've eaten here 2x and the food has been fantastic. I've had the salmon and the sea scallops and they were prepared with care and cooked to perfection. So delicious, I will definitely be back. -
- Scarlette T.
- Bethesda, MD
- 33 friends
- 247 reviews
great as a bar! ordered apps with drinks with friends. had fun, food was alright, a teensy bit pricey for the amount but service was good! ask for ana at the upstairs bar. she's awesome! -
- Vincent D.
- Valley Stream, NY
- 2 friends
- 9 reviews
Great atmosphere. Large variety of beers to choose from. Food was ok but can use some upgrading. Not enough monitors to watch all football nor open long enough. -
You would think that a place serving $15 cocktails would have better service. Granted, we came here after midnight on a weekend so maybe most of the servers had gone home by then and the remaining ones were just dead tired? They were definitely friendly, which is what's keeping me from giving this place 1 star but service was sllllllloooooowwwww as hell. The waitress didn't even notice us for a good 20-30 minutes after we were seated!
Got a gin & tonic because I was put off by the $15 sangria. Why is it so expensive, really?? Shared the appetizer plate with my group. Tasty enough, but nothing I can't get at T.G.I.Friday's. -
- Jennifer S.
- New York, NY
- 6 friends
- 1 review
Went Thursday, May 30th.
Whomever picked up my signed receipt at the restaurant decided it would behoove them to INCREASE THEIR TIP ON MY DIME.
I specified a $ amount to be charged, that included tip, as I was splitting the bill with a friend of mine who paid in cash. My portion: $40. My cc bill activity now show $45, with a note of $5 tip.
I have a dispute in with my CC company. I am amazed at the lack of integrity from this place.
WILL NOT RETURN, I SUGGEST YOU DON'T EVEN BOTHER. -
- Anastasia A.
- Rego Park, NY
- 7 friends
- 29 reviews
Came here on a weekday, around 4:00pm. Not only was the AC on full blast, even though it was not a hot day, but it was so unbearably loud (we were seated in the dining area, but apparently they could not control the people from the bar, because they inching over). I get that it is crowded, which should mean it's popular, but there has to be some level of respect for ambiance.
The food was good, I had a french onion soup which was good, and a caesar salad. The chicken on the caesar salad was charred (not really "grilled" but more black) which was a bit disappointing because I could not finish it.
Overall, a loud, seemingly trendy french bar with two levels and creepily identical dressed hostesses. -
- Kimber C.
- Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY
- 81 friends
- 108 reviews
Lilies in Union Square is one of my favorite bars in the city and this is their big sister bar... and by big sister... Its MUCH bigger! But just as charming and beautifully decorated and with friendly helpful staff.
I came here for my birthday with a group of about 20 people and were allowed to use their semi-private back room on the ground floor.
The space was great and cozy and the perfect place to grab drinks, nibble on appetizers, and relax and enjoy the night.
Keep in mind Saturday is opera night upstairs so you wont really be able to go up there aside from using the ladies and men's room. But the opera did sound amazing! Maybe next time ^_^.
The staff was really attentive and we never felt rushed or hovered over. Once in awhile, they did make us turn down our music because I guess we got too loud, but not a huge deal.
Cant wait to try this place out for a happy hour one day :) -
- Alex W.
- New York, NY
- 9 friends
- 57 reviews
This is for my review as a lunch spot. The restaurant has lunch specials for $15 where you get a bar type of entree (hamburger, sandwich, etc.) + a beer. The kicker is that you have to sit at the bar to eat that. Otherwise you're looking at the regular priced lunch menu where the average price is around $20. Not the best place for lunch in terms of value.
But it might be a good choice for a business lunch since you can be easily seated given its size. I think this and that they were willing to switch our meals were the only pluses.
Here is the downside.
We only had a waitress in training serve us and so service was a little lacking. She did bring bread over but forgot the butter. We tried to flag her down for a full minute as she was checking the other tables but for some reason she never noticed us and we had to rely on another waiter walking. When our original waitress brought the beers over, she was unsure how to take them off the tray so we had to help ourselves.
When our food came out, the short ribs that I ordered were ok. The vegetables that came with it were covered in an unhealthy grease and oil and the mountain of mashed potatoes were chunky and definitely not mashed. It was basically an unskinned half potato placed on the plate with some greens above it for decoration. Didn't want to finish my meal. My guest originally ordered the tuna sandwich but we noticed the tuna didn't look that fresh. We forgot the rule of thumb to not order "sushi-like" fish on Mondays since the fish market is closed on weekends. After some explaining the waiter was willing to switch out the meal for another one. But given the prices they charged for the quality of food we received, my money can be spent elsewhere. -
- L H.
- Irving, TX
- 0 friends
- 14 reviews
Penne rustica was ketchup and water sauce. Seriously. I'm not trying to be harsh but marinara sauce should be the staple of your establishment and it falls way short of the mark. I'm no chef or food connoisseur, but flavor is lacking here. I would not order this dish again. Aside from the food, service was well but service can only take your establishment so far. -
- Allison P.
- London, UK
- Elite ’13
- 90 friends
- 300 reviews
There are a lot of pluses for this place. Mainly the convenient Midtown location and the selection of beers.
There is also lots of space. Don't forget there is an upstairs! It can get really crowded at the downstairs bar so head on up. And then keep going because the main bar continues further than you would guess.
As to food, I've never eat a meal there but have ordered all of the appetizers. My general take is that the fried and unhealthy ones are safe bets but the healthier options like the chicken skewers are not very good. So if you order, go for the grease.
Why the 3 stars instead of 4? While I've never been for lunch, I have been many times after work. There were a few specific visits where i did not feel well after two beers. Too many times for this not to be a coincidence.
Give me a few months off...and I'll likely add it back to the a-ok rotation. -
- Elizabeth J.
- Manhattan, NY
- Elite ’13
- 306 friends
- 422 reviews
Great selection of beers.
OK selection of wines
Good bar food, awesome nachos, good mixed platter
Came here for happy hour with a group of friends. Did not see any happy hour prices but overall we had a great time.
Service: the service was good but confusing, not sure if we had group service, but we constantly had two different girls come up to the table and take our orders --this resulted in a few double rounds and a very tipsy table. -
- NoCooking R.
- Manhattan, NY
- 5 friends
- 35 reviews
I love coming here for casual drinks and meeting up with friends. My favorite items when there for lunch would be their beet salad. I've had almost every appetizer on the menu. No complaints. I like their thin fries for noshing with a nice glass of wine. A little starch action to help there. I've been at the bar downstairs, bar upstairs, in booths for lunch and finally a window seat facing East 54th. I love how the sun shines through and its just bright and airy - the layout by the window. The music sometimes (when it's not as busy) can be a little loud. Last time I was there, had to ask them to turn it down so I could hear the person I was speaking to. Otherwise, always good service and good grub. I like the atmosphere. -
3.5 Stars
I had a nice business lunch at Papillon. We were left alone to talk and work, yet we were attended to. I had a mushroom pasta that was very good. There was even a lunch special that was not costly at all. The music was loud, and that is what I wanted. I had a good experience.
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