text: Paul Martin's has a lot going for it - too bad the stuff on the periphery was bad. \n\nPaul Martin's is a nice and rather classy steakhouse that definitely reminds me of D.C. steakhouses. The lighting is dark but pleasant, the music energetic but quiet, and the ambiance rather pleasant. \n\nThe food is also good. I had the Sunday special offering, which is salad, prime rib, and ice cream for $25. The salad was good and had a decent flavor palette without being overwhelming.  The prime rib was tender and had an amazing spice rub that took it to the next level, but the interior was something of a vast wasteland of okay meat. The desert didn't happen for me - they had no options for lactose intolerant patrons, which was rather disappointing (and perplexing, given the upper echelons this place places itself in). \n\nThe service was rather poor. The server was clearly overwhelmed at times - at one point, he responded to our lactose intolerance inquiry by telling us that the ice cream was gluten free. It actually became rather offensive when we were made to feel guilty about using one of their gift cards - I have no idea why a steakhouse would make paying customers feel so awkward about using a gift card they sold!\n\nLong story short, the food here is four stars, the service two. Three seems appropriate.