****I went tonight, and Amada was AMAZING! I felt like I had been transported to Spain. I had the sangria, pimientos del Padron, pulpo a la Gallego, a manchego cheese flatbread, the dessert sampler, cava, and coffee. Every single bite and sip was delicious! I have been to many "Spanish" restaurants trying to find authentic Spanish tapas, and I have finally found the one! From the music to lighting, from the hostess to the person who delivered my food, every single thing was perfect. I highly recommend Amada to any person looking for a delicious meal with a great atmosphere and perfect service. Amada will be my first stop should my travels ever bring me back to Philly!*** After posting my disappointment about the Grubhub snafu, the manager reached out and tonight I plan to go try the food! "Hi Brittany, My name is Joseph Quintela and I am the General Manager at Amada. I wanted to apologize for your frustrating experience, honestly it's a huge frustration for us too, because we do not partner with Grubhub--that listing is unauthorized and we have no control or information on it. Our exclusive partner for delivery is Caviar, where we are notified if your order and immediately will call if there are any problems. We get no notifications from Grubhub and no way to contact customers. They simply show up and ask for items that are not even on our menu (which is probably why your order was cancelled). It's actually a major issue for Restaurants in Philly right now and we are hoping for more regulation." read more

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After 6 years in Philly and countless Restaurant Week meals, I can safely say this was the worst among them all. By far. I don't even know where to begin. The service was terrible. We had to wait until our second course to place a drink order because the waitress was so inattentive (And then we got the drinks. $15 for cloudy ice cubes, bottom shelf gin, and bad tonic. Obscene. Criminal. Later, same waitress would take away a plate with food on it without asking if we were finished (we weren't)). Ok. The food. First course: Chorizo and garlic shrimp. Chorizo: nine thin strips of flaccid tasteless meat drowned (inexplicably) in olive oil with two pieces of stale bread. Shrimp: overcooked to the texture of leather. The garlic oil was good, but it's garlic oil - it has to be good. And I got to let the stale bread soak up the garlic oil to make it chewable. Hurrah. Best part of the meal. Second course. Scallops and paella. Scallops were fine? They were certainly scallops. Definitely seared. Yep. But now we get to the paella...the paella!! At a nice Spanish restaurant. The worst paella I've ever had. Dry as a bone. Served, as before, with several pieces of stale bread. (I mean truly an unconscionable amount of stale bread for the tiny portion of paella I got.) What's more, the paella was supposed to have artichokes and peppers. Those were literally the only listed ingredients. Instead it came with olives and mushrooms. I happen to not like either of those substitutions (really the only two foods I don't like), which makes me somewhat picky, but it's the principle of the matter that hurts. Ok, last and least, the dessert. Cheesecake with gelato. What could go wrong? What could possibly go wrong with cheesecake and gelato? Well, the gelato could melt. That's what could go wrong. And it did go wrong. I got served a plate of melted gelato. Literally a plate of melted gelato and mid-tier cheesecake. I was speechless. This is the first time I've felt insulted by a meal. Restaurant Week is a rare opportunity for those of us on a limited budget to experience the nicer things the city has to offer. I squandered my nice meal for this Week. I left feeling physically and spiritually drained. Please, please spare yourself. read more

Amada Philadelphia - the plating! inspired! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Amada was awesome! I enjoyed my Broken hugs cocktail to start, and most of the food was excellent. The lamb meatballs and Chuletas de Cordero (lamb chops) were tied for the best thing we ate. Calabaza (summer squash) was also great. Calamari was decent. Only letdown was the patatas bravas! They weren't super flavorful (the paprika or whatever that red powder was didn't add much) and were sort of just thick and potato-y as opposed to crispy - I was expecting them to be epic because they're the top highlight. Otherwise this spot was amazing. Cheesecake with passionfruit for dessert was lovely. 4.5 stars. read more

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AMAZING Spanish tapas in the heart of Old City!!! Beautiful ambiance, jumping restaurant and wonderful service. We got the grilled calamari, squid ink and crispy brussel sprouts. Good portion size and everything came out hot, loaded with flavor. New staple for sharing tapas! read more

Amada Philadelphia - Calamari, crispy brussel sprouts - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This was the best tapas experience I've had! Every single dish was uniquely scrumptious. If I didn't live on the other side of the city, this would be my go-to dinner spot. I will say the creme brûlée was over baked and didn't have that crunchy of a brûlée. Overall though, phenomenal drinks and perfectly cooked and spiced dishes. read more

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I am obsessed with this place it is truly one of my go to's!! All the food is delicious the drinks are also phenomenal. Very nice romantic ambience perfect for any date night. The staff was incredibly nice and helpful. 10000000% recommend read more

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Stopped in for lunch on restaurant week. Pretty establishment. Hosts were very polite. Food was good when it eventually showed up. The items all came out of order which seems weird. The main courses came in randomly and then an appetizer then a main course again. Two of the selections never came. We told the waiter and he apologized and the manchego cheese eventually came out. Not sure how three slices of cheese and honey could take longer than anything else to come out. Dessert was the same ordeal. It never came out. Again complained and eventually that came out too. Waiter apologized and said he would comp our drinks and take it off the bill. Never did. The food was great but the service was off at every step. Also the bartender kept coughing all over the fruits he was cutting. read more

Came here with my boyfriends family for a nice dinner. His sister had made reservations and we still had to wait awhile to be seated. We originally wanted to sit indoors but they tried to seat us outside so we had to wait an extra amount of time to be seated. When we finally sat down, we ordered sangria and i ordered their rose gold (the best cocktail I have probably tasted in a long time). The tapas were not as good as I had hoped. The octopus was okay, the lamb meatballs were my least favorite because the taste was just too overwhelming that not even the sauce and peas could save the meatballs itself. The garlic shrimp was tasteless to say the least and the pernil we ordered was too salty. Overall, I was very unsatisfied with the food. The service was good though I will give the restaurant that. If I do plan on returning, I will probably only go for the drinks because that was the only thing I was really happy about. read more

I've been to Amada a few times- the food is great for tapas! Expect to share everything with the table, which could be challenging if you have picky eaters. The happy hour menu is a great selection, but be sure to sit in the bar area. Happy hour doesn't apply to the main dining area which is a bummer since we planned a group HH and couldn't get the specials. This past time we ordered the paella , which easily can feed 3-5 people depending on how hungry everyone is. It takes about 40-45 minutes to come out (piping hot) and comes with a side of bread. It was really tasty. The chicken was really moist and the mussels didn't overpower the dish at all. Would definitely recommend. They do have a gluten free menu and can accommodate most dishes to be dairy free. With a wide area of meats and cheeses (cow, sheep, and goat), you can please everyone! read more

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If we could rate higher than 5 stars, we really would. Our dining experience at Amada was beyond incredible. We went for their Sunday night "Tapas y Vino" where select wines and tapas are only $5. Each dish was better than the next. We were left speechless from the mouth-watering flavors in each dish. Our waitress, Loreto was also so sweet and helpful! The management at Amada was also a delight. So welcoming and kind. Here is a list of each dish we ordered, and our personal favorites (it was so hard to choose since everything was unbelievable!): 1. Pan Con Avocado: Sourdough bread with tomato escabeche & sliced avocado. Although this dish seems so simple, it was by far the best "avocado toast" we've ever had (and we've had a LOT!) The fresh tomato escabeche was so flavorful and really made the perfect base to layer avocado on top of perfectly toasted sourdough bread. 2. Manchego Cheese: This dish came with 2 slices of hard Manchego cheese with a few mini slices of fresh sourdough bread, some sliced apples & truffle lavender honey (wow). We typically don't order cheese plates, but the truffle lavender honey intrigued us. This was such a perfect combination of salty and sweet. 3. Gambas Al Ajillo: This dish is a staple to the restaurant. Garlic shrimp with some slices of fresh sourdough to dip in the delicious sauce. Let's just say the flavor of this sauce will have you wanting to dip EVERYTHING into it. So flavorful and delicious, especially for garlic-lovers like us. 4. Arroz Temporada: ****** If we have to choose favorites, this would be in our top 2 choices. Wild mushroom rice, english peas, asparagus & manchego cheese. This tasted similar to a risotto, but even better. So creamy and bursting with flavor. This was truly delicious. 5. Fried Eggplant with Aioli: ***** Again, if we have to choose favorites, this is in our top 2 choices. The name of this dish seems so simple, but Amada takes the flavors to a whole new level. We're unsure of what the breading was made of, but there was a sweetness to the crispy eggplant that had us in complete awe. (We're thinking the truffle lavender honey was used.) This was truly a bite of heaven. We can't get over how flavorful and delicious this was. 6. Pollo: Roasted Half Chicken, Pimenton, Brown Butter, Bean Salad. Simply delicious. The skin on the chicken was cooked to perfection- crispy and flavorful. 7. Cheesecake: The cheesecake had a different consistency than typical cheesecake. It was fluffier and lighter, which we enjoyed. 8. Crème Brûlée: The mini cookies on top of the crème brûlée really added a delicious crunchy touch that complimented the soft custard perfectly. 9. Chocolate Cream Puffs: We got these straight from the oven. Crispy dough on the outside, smooth chocolate cream on the inside. We had an unbelievable experience and look forward to coming back very soon! - @Coupleatss of Instagram (Alex & Peri) read more

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I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. The small plates - all of which were delicious- make it easy to share and try a bunch of menu items. Drinks were great and they have a nice selection of mezcals which are my favorite! Definitely plan on going back to try more! We took so long ordering because we couldn't decide what to try first lol. read more

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This place was very nice the decorations were very very beautiful the lights were dimmed so very nice ambiance and the seating was placed except you could probably hear the people next to you.The service was nice they we're checking in and making everyone was satisfied . Then the food the food was good they have a wide menu and they made sure on their menu if you were allergic or vegan . Their dessert menu was nice but you mostly would focus on the appetizers which was amazing I would not recommend bringing children but if you have a date or business meetings. I would totally recommend read more

Amada Philadelphia - Outside of the restaurant - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My husband and I dined for restaurant week. We had: 1st course - Aged Manchego Cheese, 5/5 - 2 orders of Gambas al ajillo, 3/5 - Patatas bravas 4/5 2nd course - Paella (mushroom, artichoke, piquillo pepper 3.5/5 - Albondigas (lamb meatballs) 1/5 - Prawns 4/5 - Pulpo a la gallega 2/5 We also had red wine sangrias which were pretty good but could have more alcohol. Overall the food wasn't so memorable that we would go back. But the food was hot when served which was a plus. read more

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Good for people who: like the Iron Chef Bad for people who: dislike Food Network shows Okay so I've never even watched the Iron Chef but Jose Garces owns/runs this restaurant and he won season two for anyone who was curious. My friend S and I decided to come here during restaurant week because the menu looked so tasty and each person could pick 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and a dessert. We started off with drinks and I got the red sangria while S got the white. They weren't particularly strong or anything but we were both hyper and in such a good mood after these. When we left the restaurant we walked to Independence Hall and I just thought it was the funniest thing that there was a statue of George Washington in front of the hall (which is not funny at all?? like it totally makes sense that a statue of him would be there) and I attribute it to the drinks. Between the two of us we got the manchego, patatas bravas, chorizo pamplona, and gambas al ajillo for the appetizers, and then the pulpo a la gallega, albondigas, vierias, and coca de alcachofas y setas for the entrees. The honey served with the manchego was so floral and sweet. They also randomly served cornichons and another green thing with our appetizers and I don't normally like pickles but these were so cute and yummy. Such an amazing place and I would be more than happy to come here when it is not restaurant week. read more

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Giving four stars because of the drinks. My partner and I had an amazing experience before, so we decided in come back. Unforuntately, the drinks were subpar. We had to ask them to re-do it and it was still not good. Our waitress was also inattentive and only came to our table twice the entire time. It is very unfortunate because we had such a great time the last time we were here. read more

While visiting the area I came here because several friends recommended this restaurant. Thank you friends because this restaurant was stellar!!!!!!! I'm not for Milyer with the Philadelphia neighborhoods, but noticed while driving down Chessnut the street has lots of things to offer. Such a cute street! We had a reservation at seven but became really hungry and walked it at six and were able to be seated. Yay!We sat in the back section which I was really excited about because you get to walk to the kitchen area. Of course I had to take several trips to the restroom just to walk to the kitchen area just to take a peak of the cooking and to smell all the amazing aromas. Ha! Not to mention the super pretty candlelit hallway to the restroom. Ridiculous that I am writing about a hallway to the restroom when I am running a restaurant review but it really is pretty. Our server was super friendly and told us about the chef's tasting menu however we settled upon ordering our own place so we could get exactly what we wanted. We decided on the grilled octopus, bacon wrapped dates, parmesan artichoke, flatbread chorizo shrimp, crab peppers, and roasted pork. My favorites - dates, crab and octopus. I probably wouldn't order the chorizo shrimp again, but that's just me. Photos are posted below in that orders. There was bread service with tuna and balsamic vinegar which was absolutely wonderful. To drink I tried the blanco sangria and seasonal rose sangria. I really enjoyed the blanco. I didn't do red only because I'm not a red wine drinker however I'm sure it's very good. This has been one of the most satisfying meals I've had in a very, very, very long time. The flavors were mouthwatering and all so very different! Amada really knows what they're doing!!! Ps, checkout the walk to the bathroom! read more

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Delicious tapas selection and extremely helpful/friendly staff. Came here for a birthday and enjoyed all the starters. For locals, the happy hour menu is quite large and differentiated. Found the main course, paella, to be a little underwhelming, however. Really wished for the price and time we waited for this dish, it was better. Found it to be especially oily. All in all, a great experience despite the paella miss. read more

I had another opportunity to dine at Amada, this time for dinner. Truth be told, the happy hour menu does NOT do the restaurant justice. The regular menu selection features dishes that are more flavorful and overall much more memorable than the happy hour menu. The must haves from my dinner were without a doubt the datiles con almendras, the caña de cabra, and the coca de costillas. The bacon wrapped dates had an interesting flavor that just *worked*, the coca de costillas were perfectly crispy (and surprisingly large for tapas style), and the caña de cabra was so good that I was thinking about it for a solid 24 hours after the fact. Once again, the service was excellent---the general manager even checked in on us to ensure we were enjoying everything. The main drawback is the price---if you want to be full, you'll probably be spending a lot. But it's a tapas restaurant, so that's expected. If you're looking for a light and delicious meal, give Amada a try. read more

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I made a reservation for a party of 3 and I was told that they only had me for a party of 2. But they got us a table anyway. This place is smaller than the one in Atlantic City. The service is good the food is great. read more

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I listed during restaurant week and I am so happy we did. The outdoor space was nice, but a bit crowded. The food was decent, but was kinda disappointed by their Spanish tortilla, it was subpar to any decent place in Spain. The arroz temporado was good. What really put it over the top was the dessert- the tarta de chocolate was delicious and I would definitely go back for that. Overall, besides when one of the waitresses accidentally watered me instead of the plant behind me, it was a very solid experience. Amada means beloved and this place was definitely AM-azing. read more

Truly enjoyed this place. It's a nice little quaint Spanish restaurant that specializes in tapas. My best friend and I went for the January 'Restaurant Week' and we were so pleased with everything. We were scared that we were going to leave hungry, due to the small portions of tapas, but we couldn't have been more wrong! We were given a choice of four tapas (two for the appetizer and two for the entrée) and the portions were more than fair. By the time our dessert came along, we were stuffed! Everything was also absolutely delicious! We had a good balance of land and sea. I personally, felt like the menu had something for everyone. The staff was also very friendly! The bartender let me taste a wine because I wasn't sure if it would be too dry for my likings. The waitress was also very attentive. I would definitely recommend Amada for dates, but it's also good for friends wanting to catch up. Glad restaurant week gave me the opportunity to find this place! read more

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Came here for happy hour and was pretty impressed by the food and drinks. Ended up spending quite a bit of money after venturing off the happy hour but everything was very tasty, especially the green salad and octopus. The inside is nice and staff was very friendly. Definitely a solid tapas spot! read more

Amada Philadelphia - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Overall 3.5 stars - juusst making the cut. I was really excited about this place, and wish I could give it more stars. I just don't think I will be hurrying back anytime soon mainly because I feel l may have exhausted all of their veggie options in one sitting. With that in mind, I do think it was still, overall, a good experience. To start, parking around Old City is always a headache! Plan well in advance (at least an hour) to grab a spot. I parked about 5 blocks away in 2 hour parking and had to move my car midway through the meal to avoid ticketing - such a pain! Once inside, it's actually quite spacious. The decor is trendy and modern, with dark hardwood, exposed piping, butcher block tables etc. Once I entered, the hostess readily lead me towards the back room where my party was being seated. Everything is served family style. So lots of large portions were being brought out throughout the evening, and we all grabbed at things as they were passed around. The waitress was very attentive asking for drink orders and dietary restrictions. I ordered the white sangria (pretty good!) and let her know I am a vegetarian. While people were arriving, there was already a cheese board available for picking - awesome sauce! It had a variety options, including a few cheeses, this scrumptious hazelnut spread, and a truffled fig and lavender honey. I mixed the bleu cheese with the honey and made a makeshift spread of it to apply to the supplied bread. So good! It was a nice balance between the sharp cheese and the sweet honey! Next, we were served the ensalada verde. The dish consisted of of fresh salad greens, steamed asparagus, fava beans, avocado, and green beans topped with manchego cheese. It was dressed with this raspberry vinaigrette. So good! The raspberry vinaigrette was savory and sweet and really cut the sharp taste of the cheese. For appetizers, I was served a dish of roasted mushrooms over truffle oil and empanadas. The mushroom dish was forgettable. It was just a little too much mushroom going on in one dish. Not a fan of mushrooms as it is so the overload definitely didn't help matters. The empanadas were a nice surprise! Consisting of spinach, artichoke, and manchego cheese over flash fried peppers. I really liked this dish! I inserted the peppers into the filling of the empanada - very filling! For my entree I ordered one of their flatbreads. This was another good dish with repeat use of the same ingredients - artichokes, wild mushrooms, black truffles, and manchego. I thought this was pretty good, but nothing stellar. Admittedly at this point I was getting tired of the same ingredients being reused in different dishes. I did ask for some red chili flakes to increase the spice level. The dessert was rather anticlimactic :/...I was served a collection of caramelized fruit - whomp whomp! I think a few liberties could've been taken here and the fruit only dish was just not exactly rising to the challenge. Although enjoyable, I know I can get this at home, so was expecting something more. I would say the experience was decent, but nothing stellar. If they can increase their vegetarian options I may return, but not in the near future. read more

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I've been wanting to try Amada for a while now and glad I finally did. Came in late with a reservation on a Saturday night. The restaurant and bar areas were packed with people, and the vibe was just right. I immediately noticed the elevated open kitchen and absolutely loved the layout. Our server, Ray, was really sweet and asked if we had been to Amada before. When we both said no, he helped us and explained each area on the menu. To start, we ordered a pitcher of the temporada sangria. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and the pitcher was HUGE. Since Amada is a tapas place, we ordered a bunch of small plates - spicy potatoes, short rib flatbread, calamari, lamb meatballs, wagyu skirt steak, chorizo, and garlic shrimp. Each plate was better than the next. The spicy potatoes dish was an extremely small portion, but still tasty. The flatbread was also smaller than expected, but good. The calamari was grilled perfectly - not over cooked and not too rubbery - which is difficult to do when grilled (if it's fried, it's easily masked by a crispy outside layer)! The lamb meatballs came in this yummy, creamy sauce with peas and truffles (!!!). They were SO good. The skirt steak was perfectly marbled - each piece tasted delicious and fatty, but it wasn't overly chewy as if you were chewing on a piece of fat. Ah, I'm salivating just thinking about it! The chorizo was my absolute favorite - spicy and crisp. The garlic shrimp was also really, really good. Overall, the dining experience was good. I love the concept of small plates so you can try a bit of everything, though some plates here seemed a bit too small for the prices. Because of the prices, I probably won't add this to my regular rotation, but I plan to come back eventually to try the paella! read more

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Honestly on of my favorite places in the city. Glad to see they're keeping up to Garces standards, while just tweaking the menu a little. Great cocktails, even better sangria, and excellent tapas. We always just order multiple plates, and share. This is my special night out place, and I've never had a bad meal here. They have a good solid happy hour, and I've never felt rushed at dinner. Our server Lauren couldn't have been better, and was on top of everything from beginning to end. I will be back again, and again, and again... read more

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One of my favorite restaurants in Philly. Great vibes for date night. Delicious sangria, tapas & paella. Highly recommend coming here.

The thing I like about Amada is the tapas styled dining. We were able to try a little bit of everything. However, I feel like the quantity of food trumps quality. I wasn't wowed by any of the dishes I tried except for the two. Here's what we got: - Ham Croquettes: these were room temp when we received them, bleh - Tuna and bread crisps: complimentary appetizer that was surprisingly tasty but tuna was canned and dressed in tons of mayo - Chorizo platter: sliced chorizo with dry baguette - Crab stuffed peppers: now THIS was good. Melt in your mouth sizzling crab/pepper combination - Lamb meatballs: the sauce that was encompassing these meatballs were to die for - Pulpo!! (Octopus): this was good but I thought it needed a bit more salt - Wagyu skirt steak: good, nothing special - Roasted cauliflower: eh, could've done without - Chocolate cream puffs: ok these were my favorite of the night! The dark chocolate cream was so decadent and the right amount of sweetness!! All in all, I probably wouldn't return here but glad i tried it out! read more

Amada Philadelphia - Ham croquettes (left) and chorizo (right) - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Beautiful building with a very relaxing and historical feel. Seemed like a good date night spot. We received our first drinks and tapas very quickly. Everything was delicious- we tried the lamb meatballs, bacon dates and ham croquettes.Unfortunately we never received the octopus.. after waiting about 30 minutes we canceled and asked for our check. It was just the two of us so not a very demanding party. I also thought the serving size was SO small for the price. Not sure if our server or the kitchen was the issue as he never spoke with us about what was going on, just quickly dropped the check off. I would consider returning again but it wouldn't be my first pick read more

Unfortunately, we weren't seated in a timely manner. We got there and were told 15 to 20 minute wait and after an hour they still weren't ready to seat a party of four. So regretfully we left and did not eat! I am only giving a single star because nothing to report other than the food smelled really good. The staff were not present when we arrived and there were open tables both inside and out. Yet we were never seated and very disappointed after waiting as long as we did with no response after asking if we could sit outside. read more

Amada Philadelphia - The front entrance - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amada is a very nice restaurant. Service is prompt, decor is nice, and food is very good for the most part. Favorite dishes tried - spicy paprika octopus, braised short rib flatbread, jamon croquettes. The octopus was cooked perfectly and had great flavor. The short rib was so tender, and was perfect with the bacon and parm on the flatbread. The croquettes were addicting, not sure how else to describe them. The ok dishes - patatas bravas, wild mushroom rice with truffles manchego and asparagus, baked goat cheese. The bravas was pretty good but not spectacular, presentation was nice. The mushroom rice fell flat on flavor (how?), and the baked goat cheese is best described as lasagna dip. While all were good, none stood out really and I wouldn't order them again. I love tapas. Would definitely come back to try more read more

Amada Philadelphia - Short rib flatbread - 1/2017 - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Olde city has an awesome food scene, and Amada is definitely one of them. Food was perfect. Service was also superb. I believe Serrano ham and lamb meat ball is must! read more

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Brunch review! This is probably one of my favorite spots for brunch in philly for food and value. I always recommend Amada for brunch. They're brunch special includes a coffee or tea, basket of pasteries, and three dishes for $27 per person. They also also have $5 brunch cocktails. My fav dish on the brunch menu is the avocado toast. This is a must try! So much flavor. We also tried the seasonal berries, crab benedict tortilla francesa, patatas rosti, and chorizo. The berries were very fresh and sweeten with a touch of honey. The patatas rosti and chorizo are also very good and great shares for the table. The pastry basket in the beginning is also amazing. The cherry fig jam served with it was fantastic. I really enjoyed the olive oil cake in the basket. Staff is always friendly. The place is actually much bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside and I've never had an issue getting a reservation the same day for a Sunday brunch. read more

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I need to learn spanish. Who'd a thought these wordy menu items would translate to: Taco soup Pizza rolls Hot dog stick Chicken stick Turkey sandwich Eggplant fries Picture attached. Disclaimer: restaurant week read more

Amada Philadelphia - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Jose Garce's FIRST restaurant.. and can i just say the food was DELICIOUS at this dark but casual tapas joint BEST SANGRIA ever, although i couldn't taste the alcohol!! the blanca was the best of the 2 we tried ---tortilla espanola: SO unique & very filling for a tapa dish since it's stufffed w/ potatoes... super flavorful w/ yummy saffron aioli for dipping ---piquillos rellenos: (crab stuffed peppers) FRESH crab, comes w/ 2 ---beef short rib flat bread w/ parmesan & bacon: nutty flavors! the meat was so good but i wasn't a huge fan of the parmesan ---bacalao a la plancha: the black cod was MELT IN YOUR MOUTH, cooked just under medium & the crust was SO perfectly crispy ---complimentary almond cookie at the end of the meal: nice light sweetness it's an open kitchen but we were seated in back area away from kitchen where it's darker NOTE: the waiter said to shoot for 3 tapas dishes per person but it really depends on how filling the ones you order are! the two of us were fine w/ 2 each (prob since the tortilla espanola was so filling) i'd def come back for MORE read more

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I love Amada , so you should just go in and start enjoying yourself, there review over. I guess I can't really leave a review like that, I think you'd want some more into it in why I love it. Fine so I guess this review is not over as we dive in, let see maybe you'll love this place as I do. The ambiance is nothing but spectacular, with the lighting not to dark, not to bright making this for an amazing meal to come. It really doesn't matter where you sit in Amada from the bar with the hanging prosciutto to the subtle seating in the other room. This makes it a perfect dining experience in Old City so come in and enjoy a cocktail or two while exploring. As our night couldn't get any better our dinner was a marvel, nothing but phenomenal all around. Cooked to perfection, the flavors that they add to these dishes. The marinades, the time put into every little detail can not be matched, a burst , the smiles and sighs of satisfaction with every bite. This was on our menu, the traditional tasting menu with some other add-ons. I highly recommend everything by the way. 1) Datiles con Almendras~This is a bacon wrapped around medjool dates, with almonds, cabrales. 2) Artisanal Spanish~ These are olives that are prepared in a manner that I can not explain, it is just that good 3) Pulpo a la Gallega~ ** A must order** This is their Grilled Octopus and it is banging, so get 2 orders of this. 4) Almejas con Chorizo~~ Clams with Chorizo 5) Patatas Bravas~ Spicy Potatoes 6) Piquillos Rellenos~ Crab-Stuffed Peppers which is unreal 7)Croquetas De Jamn~ Ham croquettes, which is simply delicious Not from the traditional tasting menu we also went with grilled scallops and grilled calamari, with an aged Manchego, it is an traditional cheese in a truffled lavender honey. If you are wondering why we had ordered all of those items this is a tapas restaurant. Small portions for two, which makes this an exciting place to visit. All the fresh tastes to be explored without feeling guilty. Will I be back again? Yes!. Do I recommend this for you? Yes, I highly recommend this restaurant. This along with the service and treatment we received, this is a solid 5 on my end, plus order their traditional cocktail, its on point. read more

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The tapas and wine selection was great! The happy hour drink deals are excellent. We went during restaurant week and couldn't recommend it more! read more

Met a friend on a Tuesday evening and sat at the bar. Very cool upbeat atmosphere. We ordered martinis which were delicious and we ordered a few small plates. The cauliflower was absolutely amazing. I never tasted cauliflower that tasted that good. Nice bowl of olives which were yummy too. Great place for date night or to go with friends. read more

There is a reason why this place has such high ratings, the secret is in the ingrediants and savory small plates, with a little help from Iron Chef Jose Garces. I looked forward to trying Amada, because I love small plates and they had such high reviews. We decided to order up a little of everything, including: *Charcuteria, Cured Meats: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=X3pW-9wnjt1O_hSIxH7oQg *Cheese Platter, manchengo, garrotxa, cabrales cheeses and matching sauces: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=xQ_f0vGgmJ3MhUi6UZrARg *Artisan Spanish Olives: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=eShAfC7iMEi3NAidRXJc-Q *Grilled Scallops: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=-VsvHlbxHrB8trkIM1g4vg *Crab Stuffed Piquillos Rellenos: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=nLSc60HPUOeuOyYwOHXSfA *Grilled Chroizo: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=CRtcm3nkrv4z5ZrmnOnjJQ *Warm Lima & Fava Bean Salad: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=ZJ_3Pnk2l_tkf_7FhkMqjg All paired with the Ommegang Witte, a nice 5.1%ABV Begian Style Ale. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/S8ZFYEgMejpChID8tzKo9A?select=f37wxskbjjc9xdoDQ6jbrw The food and lunch was perfect, the plates came as they were ready so we sat and enjoyed our bites of different things during conversation. It's lunches like these that inspire my cooking and make me feel like a lucky girl. read more

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Amada is my favorite date night spot in Old City! They also have a great happy hour and brunch. I recommend trying the sangria! read more

Amada Philadelphia - Sangria - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I am slowly doing a little tour of semi-celebrity chef Jose Garces dining establishments. Tapas places are popular today partly because of Jose Garces's status and television exposure. His exposure has not been overwhelming yet and unlike many celebrity chefs that turn their attention to national exposure, nationwide chains, and a line of frozen pizza's found at Safeway, Jose Garces appears to be staying to his roots with slow expansion. The result is a small set of high quality establishments. Several follow a similar theme such as Amada and Tinto, while others offer a different experience like Village Whiskey and Guapos Tacos mobile truck. Amada was his first, opened in 2005 and is still going strong. Amada is billed as "authentic Spanish Tapas". I cannot speak to the authenticity (never been to Spain) and I am certainly not Spanish. What I can tell you is that in my 3 dining different experiences there, I walked away very happy and satisfied with the food - though I had bad service once, as you will read. 1. Dining alone, I was seated in the end seat at the Chef's Counter - a divider between the buzzing dining room and the high energy kitchen. It was a perfect place when alone - with the the entertaining view into the kitchen & the ability to scan the dining room or watch the crowd in the bar. I started with a Matador cocktail, sweeter than I prefer, but still tasty. I ordered the soup, Pulpo, Piquillos Rellenos and a glass of Tempranillo. The dishes were all well prepared, delivered in a timely fashion and full of flavor. The 1 thing I would change is the Rellenos - quite tasty but the more delicate crab meat was a little lost in the other flavors. The food was too much for me so I shared a little with the two young ladies to my left. They too were very pleased with their dishes. The service was excellent. 2. My second visit was with two others. We were able to score a table in the bar area. Plenty of action to see & pretty people to watch. Service was a little slower because of the crowds in the bar, but we enjoyed the scenery and did not mind the extra time. A round of cocktails was followed by 6 small plates and a bottle of wine. Again, every dish was well prepared and very good. We got a variety of meats & seafood and finished off with a selection of two cheeses. Sorry, can't remember the specific dishes - it was a few months ago, and I had a few glasses of wine with dinner before walking back to the hotel. 3. For my third visit I took my beautiful daughter - we were in the area for a wedding and were able to swing 2 nights in Philly before flying home to our respective states. It was the evening fireworks in Philly, so the streets, bars, and restaurants were all quite crowded. We were seated at a table off the bar area and right by the large windows looking out onto the street. It was another good location for people watching. Unfortunately this time my visit was a let-down - thus the 4 stars vs the 5 stars I was going to give them. The food was great as usual, but the service was painfully slow. I am not a pain-in-the-ass who expects prompt service all of the time. I enjoy a leisurely meal, I understand slower service on busy nights, I am very tolerant - and besides, I was enjoying a final evening with my daughter so I was in no rush. But service that night was bad to the point where I finally complained (something I rarely do). One thing about small plate dining is they bring out the dishes as they are prepared. So you get them spaced out during the meal and some of them come fairly quickly. This evening, after finally ordering, nothing came for quite some time. It wasn't everyone though, which is what really bothered me. The table of 3 guys seated outside after us received all of their plates & the bill before we received our first dish. The staff rarely smiled when they came by - particularly the female wait staff. They had a smile for just about everyone else. I got the strong feeling they thought I was an older guy dating a young hottie. So I did 2 things: first, politely told the hostess "MY DAUGHTER and I are getting quite hungry and have been here for quite some time. Could you please have someone check on that status of our order." Second, when our waiter came to ask if I wanted another glass of wine (still no food), I told him I did not want to order any more wine because I was afraid it would further delay delivery of our food and MY DAUGHTER is quite hungry. After that the food began arriving fairly quickly and the staff smiled at us when bringing it (including one of the ladies that was at the hostess stand. So did we really get bad service because they thought what I think they were thinking? I don't know, but after I made sure they knew that the young woman with me was my daughter, things picked up. Either way, I should not have had to say something. So that knocked them down to 4 stars. read more

Amada Philadelphia - View from the Chef's Counter - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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