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I love, love, love this restaurant! These are the best tapas I have ever had and the service absolutely exceptional. I plan to come here on a regular basis ! I highly recommend coming to this res when you are in Philly!
Enjoyed my happy hour tapas experience here. Opted for the bar to try some of favorite tapas, tortilla, shishito peppers, and the garlic shrimp. The tortilla was the best, shishito peppers were nicely charred with crunchy finishing salt. Shrimp were good, about 6 to an order but a tad overcooked for me. Happy hour red sangria was tasty with plenty of freshly chopped fruit. Bartender offered efficient pleasant service. Dining room was filling up despite the early dining hour. Amada has been on must try list since it was closed for holidays last year when I had visited the city. So glad it was open, a delicious meal that exceeded expectations. Gracias!
78/100 Amada is certainly a good date night restaurant with its polished interior, small bites, and intimate lighting. However I found it to be unsuitable to dining with a large group due to it being very loud and crowded. I'd recommend the tasting set if you want to be full when you leave without breaking the bank. --- I dined at Amada on Friday night with a party of 8. Typical of a Friday night in Philly, Amada was packed. It was incredibly loud, which meant you couldn't hear anyone past those seated directly next to you. Our server, Alexander, was excellent. Since the whole restaurant was fully seated, service was a little slow (2 hours for our meal-not tasting menu), but his attitude and friendliness were exceptional. The tapas (small bites) are meant to be shared, meaning it will come out at different times if you all order individually. The staff plated nuts separately so that we could still share while being mindful of our party's dietary restriction. We ordered numerous tapas try for the table: (1) chorizo Bilbao, (2) piquillos (crab-stuffed peppers), (3) tortilla española (Spanish omelette), (4) espãrragos blancos (asparagus), (5) pimientos de padrõn (shishito peppers), (6) setas (mushrooms), (7) torreznos (crispy pork belly), and (8) chicken skewers. Overall, everything came out smaller than we expected for the price. (Not too upset since it's a $$$/$$$$ restaurant.) The flavor of every dish was tasty, if not all a bit salty. The standouts for us were the: (2) piquillos, (3) tortilla española, and (8) chicken skewers. I really enjoyed the crab filling of the piquillos, the balance of flavors in the tortilla, and the juiciness of the chicken. In the end, we racked up quite a bill and were still hungry afterwards. Personally, Amada is out my price range, but everything was quite flavorful. For others, I would recommend dining at Amada with smaller parties (6 or less) to accommodate the loud ambiance. Amada is definitely better suited for a romantic date spot or small gathering. For better value, the tasting set may make more sense.
I did a tour around Philly and decided to pop in here for happy hour and I was pleasantly surprised by how good everything was. The atmosphere is dimly lit and romantic, as I was eating alone I sat at the bar. There were plenty of seating available so that was a plus for me Service was quick and attentive Garlic shrimp: 4/5, loved it! I love the garlic flavor of shrimp which was cooked to perfection. Chicken skewers: 4/5, loved! The chicken was moist and packed with flavor. I enjoyed my meal here and my overall experience
How do I rate this place, first I'll say the atmosphere is great, it had a warm and welcoming feeling. For tapas we had the salmon, croquetas de Jamon, and Pinchos de pollo, the Pinchos were very good, croquetas were not so good, and salmon was just ok. For drinks we had the white sangria (don't order it, this is just cheap wine with a few pieces of fruit in it), the Mojito (awesome), the old fashioned (really well made). Finally for the main dish we decided on the paella Valenciana. Really bad decision, it was one of the worst paella's I've ever had, actually no, it was the worse paella I've ever had. They earn gold on "worse paella". If you've ever had Spanish or Portuguese food and you enjoyed it, this place isn't for you. If you've never had it, don't try this place because this shouldn't be your point of reference as to what Iberian food should taste like. I know, I didn't mention service, it was okay. Overall, and this is hard for me, because I really wanted to like this place, this place gets a 3 for food, a 6 for drinks and some appetizers.
I was excited to visit Amara for restaurant week! Having multiple courses and being at a tapas place allowed us to try a full range of the menu! It was a prefix menu, but there were options for everyone! Some of our favorites were the Brussels and manchego. Things we would not order again- short rib which sadly lacked flavor and the octopus was delicious but there was barley a half of a tentacle on the plate. Didn't have a wide selection of wine by the glass. They definitely promote buying by the bottle. Service was good but I wish we got new plates for each course!
Went to Amada for restaurant week and unfortunately didn't have a very good experience. For starters our waiter had an extremely unpleasant attitude and was rushing us from the moment we sat down. She removed plates from our table while we were in the middle of eating. The calamari was their best item. Chorizo was inedible and tortilla española was extremely salty. The salmon was great until a couple bites in we discover a long blonde hair in the middle of the dish (mind you none of us have long blonde hair lol). We pointed this out to our server who did not apologize. The only thing she said was "want another?" We said no as we felt quite nauseous thinking about the hair and she just took the dish and walked away. They continued to bring the rest of the dishes we ordered but at this point you can't enjoy the meal when all you're thinking about is the long hair you just found in your food. Still no acknowledgment or apology from the waiter. When she brought the check out she said she removed the salmon which is the only reason Im giving 2 stars. We thanked her and left. It's not about the price it's about the principle. We were very disappointed with the service and the lack of a response right when we discovered the hair. An appropriate response would be "We sincerely apologize for this and we will let our chef / manager know" Wouldn't recommend. Servers are not very professional and quality of food is low.
Tasty food for what we got! For the price point, I wish the portions were bigger. The ambiance of the place was amazing, it's a nice place to grab a drink. We do wish the service was better. We didn't get our waiter to come by until an hour after getting seated and by the time we placed our food orders, it was last call for food, so we couldn't order more despite wanting more food.
Remember the time you went to The Melting pot just to have chocolate fondue and cocktails? Wait... that was me. This place reminds me of that. Go for the amazing cocktails- all of them - especially the ones with Sherry or Vermouth. And the desserts- all 3 of them. Pairing the quince Crusta with the paprika-sugar rim and the Arroz con leche with crispy puffed rice on top was chef's kiss. If you have to have proper sustenance first, get the stuffed dates: Dátiles--Medjool dates stuffed with ground almonds, wrapped in bacon, and served over a warm bleu cheese fondue. Maybe 2 orders. Perfect for date night or a weeknight indulgence. Thank me later!
The flavor, presentation, and quality of all the dishes we had were fantastic. I was most impressed with the asparagus and salmon with the amount of flavor they had. Our waitress was so sweet and patient - really kind staff. The ambiance was moody, warm, and elevated. I would come back for a special occasion!
Such good food and ambiance. I just came back from Barcelona in January and this took me back a bit. Our drinks were potent. Food came out quick and with lots of flavor. Everything was delicious. I wanted to try everything after having a few things. Staff were nice and inviting. I surely want to return.
long time amada goer here. recently they added and changed a few things so I thought i'd give some input. as usual the service, and ambience was impeccable. I am vegetarian, so here are my thoughts on the new items. Ensalade Verde: is the absolute best salad in the city. in the country even. absolute must get. it's big, however me and my sister still refuse to split it. definitely shareable though if you're not as greedy. Patatas Bravas: slightly different iteration than their past one. I think it's actually better. you get more potato's, more sauce, and the sauce just tastes slightly better but who knows. always ordered when we go Brussels Catalana: technically there is blue cheese in this, however, I am a certified blue cheese hater and I had no idea. so don't be turned off by that. first time having this dish and it was solid. good portion, well coated, right texture. will get again Pimientos De Pardon: shishito peppers were good, decent amount of them. I think everyone had three and we had 4 people. wouldn't get again just because there are other things more worth it but still great. Unknown Cauliflower dish: i'm not seeing it on the menu, so maybe it was just removed, but it was essentially a cauliflower gratin dish. I wouldn't get again. it was good, but lacked salt and was basically just a cauliflower in some heavy cream with a tiny amount of bread crumbs. Valenciana Paella: this has meat in it obviously, but I did eat around the pieces. if you're vegetarian and don't mind your food touching the meat, it's very easy to pick around. all the meat pieces are medium sized. This was very good, the rice was amazing, the watercress was so good. presentation was great. worth the time and money especially if you eat meat Ganache de Chocolate: pretty good. honestly interested in trying the rice pudding next. or just ordering another patatas bravas for dessert. shareable between two people. Passion fruit mocktail: MUST GET for all non drinkers! expensive? yes. worth it? yes. taste is great and it's also a nice thing to have if you're with others who drink and don't want to be left out. it's set up just like an alcoholic drink would be.
Amada is Chef Garces' iconic first restaurant. When searching for a romantic dinner location during our weekend away in Philadelphia, we searched no further than Amada. Entering the rustic industrial space one is immediately nestled in a warm and sexy ambiance. This tapas style restaurant offers a plethora of delicious bites expertly prepared and complemented by vast wine and cocktail selections . We chose The Estrella and Pain & Glory cocktails to start. The Estrella is a vodka based drink mixed with St. Germain, lemon, blueberry and finished with club soda. The P&G is a habanero tequila based drink blended with agave, lime and fresh apples. Both were a wonderful pairing with our tapas selections. We began with Gambas al Ajillo and the Bruselas Catalana. The shrimp were plump, perfectly cooked and steeped in a rich and flavorful garlic sauce that offered a slight hint of smoky heat. The Brussels were like none I have ever tried and probably the best I've ever had, and I am a frequent Brussels eater! They are enveloped in a Valdeon fondue then sprinkled with pine nuts and tart green apple. A marriage of flavors absolutely made in heaven! Last we culminated our meal with the Entrecote, a thinly sliced Wagyu Skirt Steak served with a bright and herbaceous chimichurri and a petite Salmon filet served with a Saffron Vinaigrette. The steak was beautifully marbled and the preparation highlighted the natural rich flavor of the meat. The salmon skin was seared to perfection and the filet was moist, juicy and seasoned to perfection. Overall, Amada is a MUST when in the Philly area. Chef Garces' first concept is truly first rate!! You will not be disappointed!!
solid restaurant for restaurant week! 4 entrees and dessert for $45 per person! service and ambiance were amazing. friendly waitress who made sure we were always taken care of. my favorites were the garlic shrimp, potatoes and mushroom flatbread! for drinks highly recommend the strawberry summertime gin cocktail! everything comes out fast and staggered - we were there for almost hours! will definitely be back! read more
3 years ago
One of the best way to assess the quality of a restaurant is to look at the diners. Are they glumly looking down, frowning, or staring at their phones? Or are they smiling and engaged in animated conversation? Located in a promising block on Chestnut in the Old City, Amada promises much and delivers more. The room is tastefully and comfortably decorated with upholstered banquettes and indirect lighting. Entering the room, there is a palpable excitement of the many animated diners enjoying their evening. Service is efficient and helpful in general. The standout is the food that is if consistent high quality. We loved the entrecôte that was perfectly cooked and sauced, rivaling the dry-aged steaks in Josiah Citron's Charcoal in Venice, CA. Squid was sauced with a squid ink-based pâté that invited spreading it on bread - I had to repeatedly shoo off the servers from clearing the leftover sauce. Every dish for that matter had unique flavors with complementary sauces that merged into a harmonious whole. When multiplied by ten or so, it was a overwhelmingly pleasant sensory experience for the most jaded palate. The wine list is exclusively Spanish, ranging from light whites to intense, rare, and costly tintos. Bear in mind that although the prices appear reasonable, the dishes are small, obligating ordering multiple dishes. Also be wary of servers upselling the paella and the set dinner, since it would be difficult to beat à la carte ordering. Also, the bread was dry. When in Philly, skip the cheesesteaks and head for Amada. You won't regret it. read more
2 years ago
Food: Nothing special. Got the patatas bravas, which were pretty soft rather than crispy and not very flavorful. The Brussels sprouts were drenched in sauce and oil, which took away from the veggie itself. The steak was no memorable in any way. We had high expectations for Amada and were disappointed with the experience. Drinks: Our sangria and whiskey sours were the best part of the meal. Very well-balanced and high quality. Service: good service Ambiance: The place is really lively, full of large groups Would I go back? Probably only for happy hour drinks read more
You know it's good when I forgot to take pictures of most items prior to eating half of it... I did almost just post a simple three word review: truffle. lavender. honey. what the literal fuck - it's so good I immediately googled if I can purchase this perfect meld of flavors nectar on Amazon . Croquettes were like candy - just gimme a frozen bag for my air fryer. Now please. Albeit- they'd be 10% as good but I'll take that. Chefs selection of meat and cheese was totally worth the value of $25. I will say it again - truffle lavender honey and manchego. Garlic shrimp sauce I could bathe in. While eating truffle lavender honey of course. Lamb chops were great size but overall the weakest item we had. Paella was awesome, saffron was on point as were the mussels. Chicken was moist. Portion and labor matched the price. (Albeit mostly rice and little meat but done very well) Gin and tonics are totally worth the $15, it is a nice goblet size and yummy. White sangria was on point as well, went down way too easy. read more
2 years ago
Everything we ordered was decent, the Spanish tortilla however was a letdown, did not taste much like the tortillas we've had in Spain. The drinks were quite good, and the ambience is nice, also the prices are pretty reasonable. read more
6 years ago
I am absolutely over the moon about finally trying Amada. My friend & I were able to get a spot outdoors Friday night. The weather wasn't too chilly and of course I love Old City, easy parking just a block or two away. Tapas style restaurants are my favorite. I love trying new dishes and lots of them and this is the best way to do it. Started out with a tasty drink, Rose Gold (Tito's vodka, passion fruit & rosemary) Our share dishes: jamon Serrano, Manchego w/ honey, ham croquettes, potatoes topped with paprika aioli, crab stuffed peppers, garlic shrimp, fried goat cheese salad, empanada, and the trio of desserts. I can't rave enough about how much I just loved eating here, even the bread for the charcuterie & cheese was incredible. Finished off perfectly with an espresso martini. Great service, friendly, quick to clear plates. If looking for recommendations on what to get, see above!! read more
This is one of my favourite restaurants in Philadelphia. And the one of the best tapas restaurants I've been to. Great happy hour menu, lots of tapas options to choose from. Great selection of Spanish wines, and delicious craft cocktails (including red or white sangria). I pretty much had every tapas on the happy hour menu, plus the shrimp tapas from the main menu. I love a good gin and tonic. Amada has about 3 different kinds. They are all amazing! They use Fever Tree tonics. This makes all the difference in my book. Come see for yourself. The decor, food, service and overall dining experience at Amada won't disappoint you. read more
4 years ago
Never disappointed when we come here! We were surprised to find a prix fixe menu the day before Valentine's Day and enjoyed every bite. So much so that I barely took pictures of our plates. Our server was tentative and easily answered questions. She was also friendly and we joked around a bit. This was our first time sitting in the back past the kitchen and we actually enjoyed hearing the chef and kitchen staff communicating. It wasn't very loud so it wouldn't necessarily interrupt your experience. read more
2 years ago
Food is amazing here! I love all the tapas they have to offer. Decore is beautifully done and staff were so informative about all the dishes that were on the menu. Perfect place for a date night as well! read more
2 years ago
First time here and overall was a good experience, but the food wasn't mind-blowing for the price. My favorite thing we got was probably garlic shrimp, and my least favorite was the duck confit entree. I also liked the complimentary tuna cracker dish in the beginning! We also ordered the paella which takes 45 min to cook, and it was a little disappointing because it tasted kind of dry. I've had better paella elsewhere! The ambiance is really nice and service is good. It was super busy even on a Thursday night during COVID! read more
My family came here after a dress fitting Sunday afternoon and we were seated right away. The service was friendly and attentive. Food was flavorful and delicious. I got the Old City Burger and I highly recommend. The Amada fries were to die for. read more
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My wife and I went to Amada after a long day of sightseeing. We've been in the Philadelphia area for six days and have really been underwhelmed with the restaurants that we have chosen. Amada was an awesome surprise. The food was fresh, the service was great and the ambiance was quite positive. We thoroughly enjoyed the Carnes y Quesos Mixtos. This was a delightful charcuterie highlighting the meats and cheeses of Spain. We also indulged in the Pulpos plate (grilled octopus). This dish was seasoned perfectly and the octopus was tender and juicy. This was the best octopus we've had since we visited Santiago de Compostela in Spain. For a vegetable, we had the Judias Verdes. My wife thought they were the tastiest green beans she's ever had. Hats off to the chef and the staff! We had a quite enjoyable dining experience. read more
2 years ago
4 years ago
I came with very high expectations and unfortunately wasn't too impressed. Came with 2 other friends at 5 pm on a Saturday evening and the restaurant was pretty empty. We ordered the pulpo, gambas, patatas bravas, tortilla espanola, albondigas, and the croquettas de jamon to share. My overall take was that each dish was very small for the price (and I do understand that they're just supposed to be tapas). The pulpo, patatas bravas, and paella were all good. The patatas bravas here are like tater tots. Overall it came out to $50/person, and I wouldn't go back here for that price. read more
3 years ago
This place was such a good time. They were able to accommodate a large party (16), as well as food restrictions, and allergies. That is always a plus! The atmosphere is beautiful the service was top-notch. Will definitely be going back to enjoy a more intimate dinner for two. read more
3 years ago
Food was amazing, the white sangria was soooo good too, will definitely be back. Patatas bravas and short rib flatbread stand out! read more
4 years ago
I have been highly anticipating dining at Amada and I'm glad I finally got to go. The food was absolutely delicious! Here's what we ordered: - Jamon Iberico - It came with bread but the meat was such great quality that we could eat it by itself. - Patatas Bravas - I think I would've enjoyed this more if it had a bit more spice or maybe was slightly crispy, but honestly just a personal taste preference. I'm glad I got to try it, but would rather order something else next time. - Piquillos - Phenomenal. Every flavor within this crab-stuffed pepper came together so well. I wouldn't mind having a whole entree of this! - Albondigas - the cream the meatballs sit in complimented the lamb well. - Entrecote (skirt steak) & Solomillo (pork tenderloin) - Both cooked perfectly. The skirt steak was our favorite out of the two entrees. - We also got two desserts as well, but unfortunately forget the names of them. The rice pudding wasn't our favorite, but the cookie w/ ice cream was the perfect treat to wrap our night. Overall great experience! Staff was very friendly and service was quick and seamless. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu! read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Popular tapas spot in Old City with a wonderful happy hour on Saturdays! Came in around 5:30 on Saturday and it was probably 90% full. Atmosphere: Our server was so friendly and helpful on navigating the menu. Very dim inside which creates a nice romantic vibe that made 5:30 feel like 9pm. Some of the tables gave a lot of space to share tapas, which was nice. Food: Would come back for happy hour sangria and the croquettes! Our favorites were the octopus and lamb chops, though they're in the pricier side - very flavorful though. I wish the lamb came on top of more potatoes - they gave you about two cut potato wedges. I liked the chocolate mousse cream puffs but would try another dessert next time - they're on the lighter side, which I wasn't expecting. Overall: 4/5 - would definitely be back for happy hour but the prices were a bit high for their other tapas. read more
2 years ago
3 years ago
Great food and great service. We stopped in on a Saturday night without reservations and were seated right away. The ambiance was low-lit and upscale, but very welcoming. Our server made a great recommendation for a red wine based on my likes and dislikes, and the chef's choice charcuterie board was delicious and well-balanced. We ordered three tapas and a small plate to round out the night. It was the perfect amount of food for three people and everything was prepared to perfection. read more
One of the best tasting restaurants I've been to this year! Was in Philadelphia visiting my aunts and they took me to Amanda for Brunch. I told the waiters about my allergies and they took it very seriously notifying me right away about what foods I can have. We ordered around 5 dishes all delicious the table favorite was the bacon wrapped dates and the chorizo. I personally enjoyed the burger the best it had a unique sauce on top that was sweet but also had a spicy kick to it read more
Love this place so much for restaurant week that I came twice in a week! Everything here is so good and the restaurant itself is quite nice! However, it's not very big so make sure you make a reservation! - Garlic shrimp is absolutely delicious. Even though there is not a lot, every bite is pure bliss. My favorite thing here - Scallop is really tender and yummy. It is lightly seasoned so you can still taste the freshness and original taste of the scallop! - Chicken over rice is pretty good but not too special. It's not bad but just not that special. Had similar tasting ones at other restaurants - Paella is yummy. By just thinking about it while writing this review, my mouth is watering again!! Definitely worth a try. Tip for restaurant week: the lunch and dinner menu are fairly similar but dinner is ~$15 more expensive. You should check if there are things you really want to try on the dinner menu. If not, the lunch price is definitely a steal! :) read more
Amada offers great ambiance, wonderful service and delectable tapas. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted at the door by friendly and personable hostesses. Although, we didn't have a reservation (highly recommended), we were quickly seated at a cozy high top in the bar area. Our waiter was also wonderful by providing recommendations and suggestions as this was our first time here. We ordered a selection of tapas: Tortilla espanola - It was tasty, light and fluffy Gambas al ajillo - This was one of my favorites; a nice combination of garlic and shrimp. Berenjenas con miel - I was expecting something different, but this was basically fried eggplant sticks. Just ok. Special of the night - I forgot what it was called, was enjoyed by my husband. It was some sort of ham concoction. As one comes to expect with tapas, it's expensive without really eating a lot food. However, I would definitely come again to try some other items which caught my eye. read more
2 years ago
More info about Amada Philadelphia
217 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Old City
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(215) 625-2450
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https://philadelphia.amadarestaurant.com
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How much is the prefix menu for dinner?
$65 per person with an extra $35 for wine tasting
Why does Yelp recommend reviews?
169 reviews that are not currently recommended
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