I've eaten at Amada several times, and it pains me to give it 4 stars. I wish, just once, that Yelp had a split rating system: one for food and another for service. If that were the case, I'd give Amada a 5 for food and a 3 or 4 for service. Here's why. (I'll admit that my last experience colors what I'm going to say.) I got an early reservation -- 5:45 -- because my client wanted to have an early dinner. We took the $65 prix fixe Chef's Tasting Menu. After only a few minutes after ordering, we had four dishes on our table. As we were eating those, two more courses came. Less than 30 minutes after ordering, all but the last 3 courses were delivered to our table. One of my dining companions got too full, and couldn't eat the main items -- lamb chop, flank steak, gambas. In total, we got 11 courses of the most expensive chef's menu delivered to us in 50 minutes. Seriously. It should have been two hours. I wondered if they were worried and wanted to turn the table for a 7Pm reservation...it seemed nuts. I mean, I have never been rushed that much for a premium dinner before. I'm going to keep going back. I've had some 5-star meals there, but the last time was really disappointing from a service standpoint. I didn't talk about the food. It was exquisite. Outstanding. Next time, I'm going to take the time to enjoy it and tell them to slow down. It's that simple. read more

I hosted a 30th birthday party for my son at Amada. We had 17 guests in the private dining room. It was everything I hoped for and more! The food was AMAZING as was the service. We had a beverage person, Jason, who attended to every guest's choice of cocktail, wine, sangria. I didn't see one glass that went completely empty before it was refilled with a smile. Zachary did an wonderful job explaining each dish as it was served. Olivia, who helped me set up the event was there to answer every question and offer suggestions. I would highly recommend Amada for an event! read more

Oh wow. It has been three days since I ate here, and I can't stop thinking about it. The food - in one word - phenomenal. We had the Ham Croquettes, Mixto (which was a selection of three cheeses and their accompanying sauces) and the Roasted Pork with white beans, arugula and oranges, which was so tender, no chewing was necessary, it melted in your mouth. I had the white sangria to drink, delish. We sat at the back bar and the bartender was almost our exclusive waiter. He was outstanding with his service as well as his suggestions. Go, it's worth the wait! read more

Date stuffed with Marcona almonds. Lamb meatballs. Chickpea with spinach. And goat cheese with tomato purée. The drinks were amazing. Top notch read more

Amada Philadelphia - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Amada has been thoroughly reviewed, so we'll try to be laconic. From the wisdom gleaned from prior reviews of fellow yelpers, our table was ornamented with: Crispy Flatbread and Tuna spread - The free appetizer was our favorite dish -- how ironic. Serrano Ham - Thin sliced ham, not too salty on chewy bread. I think we made 6 "sandwiches" with 2 slices of meat per tapa. Our second favorite dish. Garlic Shrimp - One of three "signature tapas." One reviewer said it best: shrimp scampi on crackers. Decent, but will not repeat. 8 large shrimps, 4 crispy bread slices. Hard to balance 2 shrimp on the bread, so ended up eating 4 solo. Spicy Potatoes - Presentation, awesome. Price, good $5. Taste...well...like old bay, orange mayo and tater tots. A bit salty for our taste buds. Pato Con Datiles - This dish is reminiscent of pizza with bbq sauce [a heaping pile of it] concentrated in the center of the slice. Crispy on the outside and soggy in the middle. Crispy is good, soggy is questionable. Sangria Blanco - Although we can appreciate the rave reviews of the Blano, alas, we prefer the red. Bon sante! ALERT: BANANA TORRIJAS NOT ON MENU - We chose this place because my friend likes desserts. I asked our wonderful server why this tragedy? He penitential replied, "They like to change things up a bit." Oh, the horror. After reading 4 promising reviews, we are rendered only to imagine the decadence. Come on Garces Restaurant Group, bring it back! Torta De Chocolate - Angel wings-like crystallized caramel shape, fried chocolate, and hazelnut ice cream. The crystallized caramel was our favorite. The rest was a bit rich and not enough sweet. Small portion, beautiful presentation. Complimentary almond cookie - After two nibbles, we had no more room left. Total cost: $65. Not bad for the sheer quantity of food. Presentation, check. Taste, -1 star. I'm still not over the fact that the best tasting dish was the free appetizer. read more

As close to Barcelona as I've been in the states. The jamon iberico was fabulous although I was a bit disappointed they don't have pan con tomate to go with it. All of the vegetarian tapas were excellent (pimientos de padron, setas, calcots, garbanzos con espinicas, as were items a la plancha. Would skip the paella though, too salty which overpowered the saffron.The torilla espanola was quite good as well. The space is warm and inviting, the open kitchen entertaining. I think it is considerably more affordable to order a la carte than off a tasting menu read more

I have been wanting to try this place since it opened but had never made it. I managed to snag a reservation during restaurant week. (I made it months in advance!) I figured this would be a great opportunity to try it out without spending tons of money although I was leary as some restaurants don't pull out all the stops for the lower priced deal during restaurant week. I went with a group of 6 people and we got the table right in the front on top of the river rocks. Very cool spot! We ordered just about everything that was on the restaurant week menu and pitchers of their red sangria which is spicy and sweet and just delish! Everything was honestly fantastic! Some of my favorite dishes included the manchego with lavender honey, chorizo a la plancha (prob my fav thing I had) and the shortrib flatbread. The dessert was so-so. I had the manchego mousse and I think it had been sitting awhile before it came out because the sorbet was almost completely melted. I would skip dessert and spend the money on more plates during dinner. I cannot wait to make another trip back here! read more

Before tapas became part of the trendy American culinary scene, Amada was Philadelphia's only authentic Spanish (as in Iberian, European Spanish) culinary experience. Amada is a raving sucess and the brainchild of the famous chef, Jose Garces. In my opinion, Amada an accurate and authentic expression of the typical metropolitan Spanish tapas experience. Dimly lit and immaculate, pricey and a bit pretentious, bustling and crowded... Amada captures the essence of the Spanish "tapas" experience. The goal in Spain is to see and be seen, to socialize and enjoy some tasty morsels of food whilst enjoying copious amounts of libations. Amada represents and succesful attempt to translate this experience into the American context. It's probably not the best place to take children because it's very dim and crowded, and there is precious little a child will eat there. They don't have bread on hand, so you couldn't even ask for a cheese sandwich if you were desperate. I suggest you reserve Amada for adult outings, or only for very well behaved, open-minded older children. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended, especially on weekends. I thought the food was very good by American standards, but not outstanding by Spanish standards. In Spain, much of the emphasis is on fresh local specialties and simplicity of excellent ingredients. That's a little harder to do when many authentic Spanish ingredients, such as cheeses, cured meats and seafoods and not readily available. If Amada was a tapas bar in Spain, I would only give it 4 stars, but in the US I'm compelled to give it 5. Now, most people don't understand that tapas are by their nature, small. As I lived in Spain, I DO grasp this concept. However, I thought the portions were TOO small, especially given the prices and how damn CROWDED Amada gets. I felt that the best items on the menu were the unprepared, traditional Spanish tapas, such as the cheeses & cured meats- which are of excellent quality. (The Cabrales cheese I sampled was better than I ever had, even in Spain.) The prepared items were conspicious & pretentious and not enough emphasis was given to flavor & authenticity. The biggest disappointment of the evening was the Patatas Bravas- a serving of 7 small morsels of uninspired bits of potato with some garlic topping was a whopping $5. Items on the menu that are definitely worth their weight are the "Mixto" platters of a samples of imported Spanish cheeses or cured meats for only $15. My only complaint is the bottom of the cured meat platter was drizzled with olive oil and it distracted from the flavor of some of the more delicately flavored items. The $12 "Piquillos Rellenos" Crab-Stuffed Peppers were excellent. The $20 "Atun y Tomate" was an interesting experiment for me because I don't eat tuna, but it was well prepared. I think a tuna lover would really enjoy it. By far the best tapa we had was the "Escalivada" of roasted vegetables & warm goat cheese for $8. And to die for for dessert... the Crema Catalan. It was really excellently prepared and authentic. Yum. For the two of us, we dumped well over $140 for 1 drink each, the check, tip and parking, and we could have easily spent more. I thought it was a bit pricey, but it's a heck of a lot cheaper than flying to Spain... I'll reserve Amada for special occasions, but I'll definitely go again. read more

It was good - I would like to give this a 3.5 but I can't. Service was slow, but it was also very busy at the time and we weren't in a rush so it was fine. The atmosphere was lively, which I really liked. The reason for 3 stars is the food. It was alright. I really disliked the dessert, which is rare for me to say for any restaurant - I got the chocolate dessert. How can you go wrong with chocolate? Overall, compared to food in Spain, it was a little disappointing. read more

Great place for brunch. They have a price fixed brunch menu or you can order a la carte. There is outdoor seating which is right on the street but a nice change up for the city. The waitress was very attentive and the sangria is great, only $5! The breakfast potatoes are amazing and a must order. read more

Loved it! Amada had a cool lounge vibe. It would be great for a small group or romantic date. I wish I could go back more often, but since it's on the pricey side I'll have to save it for special occasions. Our stand out faves included: -Sangria Blanco -Garrotxa (Garlic Dulce de Leche Cheese, like a savory caramel apple) -Pulpo a la Gallega (Spanish Octopus, infused with insane bacon flavor) -Pato con Datiles (Duck Confit Flatbread, the most luxurious "pizza") -Cordero Relleno (Lamb Chops stuffed with Goat Cheese, deep fried and delicious) -Banana Torrijas (Fried Spanish Bread with Caramelized Bananas & Anglaise, think funnel cake mixed with Bananas Foster) We probably could have passed on the Ensalada Verde (Green Salad) and Garbanzos con Espinacas (Chickpeas & Spinach), but overall the food was excellent and interesting! read more

We went to Amada last night and it was amazing! I ordered the cod and bacon wrapped dates. The dates were very good but the cod was out of this world. With every bite I was shocked at the medley of flavors. The fish was soft and they crisped the skin perfectly. My friend got the chicken dish which came with half of a deboned chicken and a piece of lemon. It was so moist, soft and delicious! The skin was super crispy... oh it was so good. And he got the quinoa carrot salad which took us both by surprise, it tasted like it had maybe a mustard vinaigrette? It was very tasty and healthy. I do wish we could have enjoyed all of our dishes at one time or closer together, they bring out dishes one at a time as their ready which I understand. We went on a Saturday with no reservation and the bar was open so we sat there, but there was a very short 15 min wait at the chef's table which I'm sure would be lovely. It seemed to be a teeny bit quieter by the bar area too. Overall a wonderful experience and I can't wait to go back to try more of their expansive menu! read more

5 HUGE STARS. I was a doubter. I was a disbeliever. I was expecting good tapas. I was maybe expecting even great tapas. I was wrong. I was blown away. BLOWN AWAY!!!!! I dont know if its my favorite restaurant i've ever eaten at, but its definitely in the running. LOVED the atmosphere, the stone floor under the front tables, the big wooden chunky giant table in the center, the open kitchen. We had a huuuge table up front and thrilled about it! We had the chefs menu because a) there was much too much to choose from, b) we love to try new things and c) we wanted to eat the things that the chef recommended. It was an outstanding decision because so many of the things we ate were things i never would have chosen, and some of those things were among the best things ive ever tasted. The courses just kept coming and coming and coming and no matter how full we got, we couldnt stop eating. We finished everything that was brought to us, with the exception of a really large side dish of beans. Some highlights/favorites were the tuna that was brought out first with crispy tortilla chips (i think i licked the plate...shhhh), the flatbread with artichokes and mushrooms (heavenly!!!!!), a trio of cheeses each of which had their own accompanying spreads like lavender scented honey, an oyster course that had so many flavors in that tiny little shell that it overwhelmed and delighted-- yes, delighted. (i know, i would make fun of anyone else using that word but its true! ). These were not your typical tapas folks. Ok what else? garlic shrimp, perfectly cooked scallops, octopus that was to die for, lamb chops, and stuffed peppers. all divine. But the absolute favorites of the night-- the DO NOT MISS dishes, were the seasonal wild mushrooms (seriously. oh. my. god. seriously), and a salad (sort of) of spinach, figs and spiced almonds wrapped in serrano ham. Trust me, its a whole lot better than it sounds and even a whole lot better than it looks. UNREAL! I picked this restaurant stricly based on yelps, without even knowing it was an Iron Chef Garces restaurant. I was skeptical cause i thought it might be ordinary. Then when i read about Chef Garces i was skeptical because he seems to be doing so many things at once, that it seemed impossible to focus on all those things well. But Amada surpassed every expectation and is well deserving of its 5 star 200+ review reptutation. Its tough to get reservations but, so worth it. You'll end the night on a food high. By read more

Its hard to describe something different that a few scrolls down the page will let you know in a heart beat. But I will say this right now, this place is as good as Tapas gets. Its kinda like hitting that perfect wave after wave, a perfect girl fall in love with you, or discovering the soundtrack for a moment lost in time. There isn't anything bad on the menu and I've tried almost everything, aside from seasonal items. Sometimes you just gotta hop in, close your eyes and let yourself get engulfed by ecstasy. Guys, Amada loosely translates in to darling or ladylove. So take your Girlfriends or Wives because lets be honest, they deserve this and more for what they endure with us. Love you Viki. read more

Philly is one of my favorite culinary cities, and Amada is one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. I've had the best tapas I've eaten outside of Barcelona here. Almost everything we ordered was delicious, but the gem of the evening was the oxtail potato croquette special. To DIE for. You can't go wrong with this place; it comes very highly recommended. read more

Tapas to die for. Amada is the perfect Spanish restaurant with great tapas from heavier meat plates to cheese and veggies. I would go back and have their lamb any day, anytime. The service was wonderful. And the atmosphere is perfect lending itself to the kind of great, intimate, fun conversations you usually only read about, yes this is one of those great restaurants you'll want to tell all your friends about. I was invited as part of a rehearsal dinner and I can assure you this restaurant is a good venue for private events. Amada means loved, and I loved this place. read more

After two visits, I have to admit that I don't quite understand what all the fuss is about. Our recent evening at Amada started off promisingly -- on Carrie E.'s recommendation, I had the white sangria (quince, pear and rosemary). Loved it. More please! However, I had to stand around with my sangria in hand in the crowded bar before a table finally freed up a good 15 minutes after our reservation time. Amada has a good selection of vegetarian tapas, which I appreciate, but I don't find any of them to be particularly memorable. Olives? Well, yeah, they're olives. The artichoke & wild mushroom flatbread was cute, but spendy and kind of bland. Warm asparagus salad with poached egg? The whole was less than the sum of its parts...and I didn't really think about how difficult it would be to share a poached egg. The spinach empanada was super greasy and pretty small. Loved the garrotxa cheese with garlic dulce de leche, though. It was an inventive plate, with a generous portion of cheese, sauce, bread and sliced apples. Dessert was again uneven - lovely banana cake with maple ice cream vs. a very basic blood orange sorbet. The service is very attentive, and they actually served us a free item - tuna salad and crackers (I'm sure there's a fancy Spanish word for crackers but I don't know it. Crostini? Nah, that's Italian). I appreciated the gesture, although I assume that's their standard we-apologize-for-the-wait plate because otherwise I don't know why they would have brought it to two people who were very clearly ordering from the vegetarian list on the menu. I'd rather go to Tinto (weirder than Amada in a good way) or Bar Ferdinand (hella cheaper than Amada). I'll probably go back to have another glass of sangria and some cheese at the bar, but I'm not dying to try dinner here again. read more

SUCKLING PIG FEAST! This is what happens when you watch "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" Meat Edition. A reservation for your pig has to be done 72 hours in advance (not 48). Half a pig serves 6 people fully, and whole pig is double that. The feast comes with 4 sides: some type of greens with spicy sauce, lentil soup, spinach and garbanzo beans, and rosemary potatoes. The potatoes were the best of the 4, then the garbanzo beans. We went with a party of 4 yesterday. The waiter recommended us to order some tapas since there would be a 20-25 min. waiting time after the party was seated. The waiting time was closer to 40 mins (we were keeping track because we were starving). Luckily we didn't order tapas because I ended up taking 60% of the feast home. We got the half pig for our party. They carve the pig on a separate marble table next to yours. It is nicely organized on a plate, and the slices from the head (everything, meaning even the brain) is on another plate. The pig was done well, the best part was the skin that was so crisp and perfect. You really got a nice mix of all parts of the pig. I would not eat the brain though, just a warning. Like I said, for the half pig, you should have at least 6 people. The 4 of us eat well, and we still had half of the feast left to take home. Having more people also cuts down on the costs since it's a flat fee of $225 for the half. Be sure to photobomb your neighbor's pictures of your pig. read more

One of the BEST restaurants in the city!! Jose Garces never disappoints. This was my third time at Amada and first time going for restaurant week. Since the menu offers so many great tapas, the restaurant week choices were a great way to experience all that Amada has to offer without keeping you away from the real gems on the menu like most restaurants do. Many favorites were available to pick from. What was on the menu? Well - a lot actually- dining with a total of 5 girls, we had a lot to taste from. Each person will dine for $35 and chose 2 starters, 2 entrees, and a dessert. Here's what I got: -Garlic dulce de leche with Aged Cheese (served with bread and apple slices)- Garlicy and sweet spread was thick and complimented the sharpness of the cheese and bitterness of the apple. A great start to the meal. -Escalivada (Roasted Vegetables & Goat Cheese Toast) - the (4) veggies (grilled to perfection and almost pureed in olive oil) roasted peppers , eggplant, cipollini onions, and confit tomatoes- served with toast with goat cheese spread. -Grilled Scallops -Costillas de Ternera Coca (Beef Shortrib Flatbread with Horseradish, Parmesan & Bacon) -Crema Catalana (Spanish custard, pistachio and pumpkin semifreddo, cranberry)- very delicate and perfect for the winter. even though served cold the pumpkin and cranberry with the custard was warming and seasonally spicy. Here's what I also tried: Aged Manchego Cheese - served with truffle lavender honey- this was to DIE FOR! Ham Croquettes - *I'm not usually a fan of ham, but this was phenomenal and a must get* - the ham was blended well with a warm cheesey filling. amazing. Garlic shrimp- with buttery toasted bread slices -amazing. Madre e hijo (chicken breast with truffles & fried egg) - one of the best things on the menu, the chicken was cooked perfectly and i wish i ordered this as my entree!! Habas a la Catalana (Warm Lima Bean Salad) Arroz con leche (rice pudding, figs and pine nuts). Additional Pros: Great service. Knowledgeable staff. Cons: (just being nitpicky, but if i had to 'con' something) Wine list on the pricey side. Tables near the window when its 18 degrees outside= bring a jacket. If you've been waiting to try Amada- make it happen. I'd give this place 6 stars if I could. read more

What a wonderful experience. I usually am suspicious of super hyped up, iron chef, celebrity restaurants but this place really delivered. The restaurant itself is very sexy. There's candle lights everywhere and the dining area is split up into different sections. The restaurant is not big but does not feel cramped either. If anything, it feels intimate. Our waitress was very helpful. She suggested we should get all different things to try as it is served family style. Between the two of us, we were offered 4 appetizers, 4 entrees and 2 dessert. It was my niece's birthday so I made my choices according to her liking. I told the waitress there was a roast pork dish that I wanted but since it's my niece's day I'll just wait till next time. Before jumping into the food review itself, my waitress brought me an extra entree! She knew how much I wanted it and it came as a compliments from the restaurant! Further more, our dessert came with a birthday candle! Is that 5 star service or what? On to the food, here are the dishes we ordered: for appetizers; braised pear and pork belly soup, chorizo sausage with bread, picked, olives and mustard, aged Manchego cheese with honey lavender and garlic shrimps. For entrees, we had; wild mushrooms rice with truffle oil, hanger steaks, crab-stuffed pepper, Spanish octopus and complimentary roast pork with Lima beans and orange with arugula. Dessert was puff pastry with cream and hazel nut and egg cream with caramel sauce. The meal was amazing! The chorizo came first and it didn't wow me. It was a cold appetizer and it was akin to salami and bread. Immediately after however, the garlic shrimps and braised pear with pork belly soup came out and I was lost for words. The shrimp was cooked inside garlic oil the flavor penetrated through nicely. They also had a really nice snap to them when bit into. The highlight however, has to be the braised pear soup. It was so sweet, so creamy, and the snaps from the fresh apple slices in the soup combined with the bacon-crisp pork belly was just out of this world. The Manchego cheese was also a hit with its exotic honey lavender pairing. For the entrees, the wild mushrooms rice with truffle came out first. This dish along with the pear soup was my favorites of the evening. It's very hard to have many layers of flavor when cooking rice. Rice does not stand up to long cooking and most times becomes soggy when you try to penetrate deep flavors. This here however, is blessed with myriad of flavors. The rice is creamy yet not heavy, the truffle oil ascends it to a lighter aroma and the wild mushroom creates a unique soft bit chewy texture. The cheese melts into the hot rice while not meshing all the individual flavors together. The Spanish octopus came next. It was grilled perfectly, the crusty and charred flavor combines with soft octopus meat was awesome! I did wish there was some sweetness to the octopus, it was mostly salty and sour. Nevertheless, it was a great dish to go with the sweet and creamy rice. The steaks was also very well cooked but again, lacked sweetness, all I tasted was saltiness. The surprise hit for me was the crab-stuffed pepper. The pepper is sweet and spicy, the crab is extremely soft and sweet. The almonds added a crunch textures and the spicy aioli reminds me of Japanese spicy mayo sauce. Combined together and you have a bite of Spanish spice, fresh seafood and Asian flavors. It was small subtle flavors that ended up being explosive in your mouth. Finally, there is my roast pork dish with Lima beans and orange. Pork is cooked perfectly, it's juicy and fatty but the skin is bacon crunchy! Who would have thought to put orange in with pork? But it works! The fatty, crunchy, salty pork is cut with the citrus orange, creating a refreshing palette for every new bite. I just love the food altogether. Our dessert was also very well made. The egg cream was light and foamy with a great caramel finish. The puff pastry was airy and the cream on top fresh and has a hint of citrus. Paired with caramel hazel nuts and you have an additive combo of crunchy texture with flaky pastry. Our experiences here was very satisfying. This is one iron chef restaurant that actually lived up to its name. Chef Jose Garces would be proud. read more

See all

So overated. Really is. Goto an Amis or Fork before here. Reservation's at 10pm after Zane Lampry comedy show. Walk in with a back pack and get a real nasty look from the Hostess. Give me a break we are in Phila and this is not near fine dining. Have drinks at bar and the bartender was very nice and helpful other then that forget it. Tapas was ok but had alot better. Do yourself a favor and goto somewhere where you are eating the food and not the name of the owner. Hoping Mr Garcia's other restaurants are a little better and alot more friendlier. read more

I have been waiting to try this place out and finally did last night for restaurant week. I was a little concerned about being a vegetarian and going to a Spanish tapas place but I didn't care if I slurped up a raw egg - I was going to experience Amada. We waited at the bar for our table and even though our pitcher of sangria was slightly diluted, it was still refreshing. We were seated a few minutes after our reservation time in a booth along the front window and it wasn't a typical floor - we were on pebbles! Hello - that's awesome!! Decor was seductive, trendy and the simple candles along the walkway to the restroom added a warm touch. I was more than satisfied with the vegetarian options - there were even leftovers to enjoy today. The service was fantastic except for this one waitress who was extremely rude for no reason. Bar areas are always crowded girl, but saying excuse me works better than hip bumping and rolling your eyes. Perfect spot for a date or group of friends. There is this large table on a platform in the middle of the room which you could section off with soft curtains - so pretty. Needless to say, my girlfriends and I had a great time and we cannot wait to come back. read more

Amada is my favorite restaurant on the whole East Coast ! I have been there around 5 times and each time was just perfect. I spent my last valentine's day there with my b/f. It 's such a romantic place to be! I always ask for a table at the back of the restaurant.; it's the most quiet and romantic spot. I avoid the bar area because it 's very loud. The stuff is amazing, very helpful and kind. They do have life music from time to time. Tapas! OMG! I love almost every tapa on their menu. It's just so delicious! I wish i remembered the names of my favs; the dessert is great , too. I love their ice cream and cakes. yummy!!!!!! read more

The wife and I hit up Amada for our 7th anniversary and it just so happened to be restaurant week. We got a sweet deal that included two apps each, two small plate entrees each, and two deserts. All for $35 each. We started off with Cana de Cabra Cheese, which was bread, goat cheese, fig & cherry marmalade. It was pretty tasty, but nothing outrageous. Next we got Pimentos de Padron, which was flash fried peppers. This turned out to be too spicy for me, but my wife enjoyed it. Then, we got Chorizo Pamplona, which was chorizo, caperberries, with dijon. This was good, but still nothing fantastic. For our last appetizer we got Ham Croquettes, which were really good. This was the best of the four appetizers. If we stopped here, Amada would seem like an average three star spot. But it went way uphill with the small plates. First we got Queso de Cabra, which is baked goat cheese, tomato, basil, and almonds. This was delish. I really enjoyed it. Then we got Calamari. This was pretty darn good too. For the last two dishes, my wife and I went our separate ways. She got Coca de Gambas con Garbanzos, which is flatbread with shrimp, chorizo, and garbanzo bean purée. i got to taste this dish and it was quite good, but a distant to what I got. Now for the dish that hit a home run. I got Coca de Costillas de Ternera, which is flatbread with beef short ribs, horseradish, parmesan, and bacon. I'm just gonna say, this almost doesn't deserve to be on the same many as the rest of their items. It was so good, so juicy, so tasty, just so amazeballs. This one item made my meal. We got a couple of deserts, nothing special, and a bit small. I'm not even going to bother going into details about these. read more

Wowza. Much thanks goes to our waiter, who was v cute and also incredibly knowledgeable about the menu at this fab tapas place in Old City. Among the many recommendations he made and we took him up on: garlic shrimp, chickpeas & spinach, short ribs flatbread, the cheese and serrano ham specials of the day, and the HAM SALAD which was totally amazing. We also ordered whatever banana bread pudding was on the dessert menu and it did not disappoint. White and red sangrias all around - yummmm. In summary, loved it and definitely coming back (after I try Tinto and Mercat.) read more

There could not have been a more suitable place for a group of friends who studied abroad in Spain to dine at. We made reservations almost a month in advance. Fortunately, they placed at a private table, separated from others with a curtain. The atmosphere was simple, yet sophisticated. Having lived in Spain, were experienced in ordering and devouring tapas and immediately ordered the red and white sangrias. They were both sweet and fruity, as sangria should be. Each of us ordered about two tapas, which were shared with the whole group. I seemed like we had one of everything on the menu, which is quite extensive, offering all of the basics and more. Not a single person complained. We will go back. These could be the best tapas outside of Spain. read more

Wow! I just realized I have never reviewed Amada. We have gone there many times for brunch and have enjoyed a number of tapas, particularly the mixto chacuteria y questos plate, patatas bravas, caldo gallego, habas a la catalana, and the croquetas de jamon. The food is generally excellent and very consistent. The service is always really good too and the desserts are yummy and not overwelming. A few years ago, the manager even arranged to have the chef prepare a whole suckling pig for us for lunch. How cool except that I felt like I was the pig afterwards...it's a lot of food! Anyway, where else in town can you get sparkling water from Garrotxa? read more

I went here for restaurant week during the fall and loved every minute of it. The restaurant itself is lovely, the staff and service impeccable, and the food spot on. I'd been hearing nothing but great things about this place, so I had high expectations, and I'm happy to say they were met. Even with the limited restaurant week menu, there were plenty to choose from. Highlights for me were the ham with melon (dreamy), the flatbread, the scallops, and the octopus. The drinks were great too, and strong! The staff is super friendly and helpful and will give you great recommendations. Even with the small plates, you get enough that you are definitely not hungry. This place is worth the hype! read more

We went to Amada on Friday for Restaurant Week. I'm an Iron Chef America fan and their menu sounded the most delicious. I do not regret my decision. The price was fair and the food was delicious. I appreciated the ambiance of the restaurant and the coat check. My only complaint - the couches at the tables. Haha! We were sat a table in the back dining room and I took what looked like the cozy couch seat. Then I sat down and realized I was about a foot lower than my boyfriend. We switched, since he's taller, and he was still shrimpy! I asked our server if we could switch and she said they usually suggest sitting in the pillows. Bogus. Thankfully, the pillows gave him the slight boost that he needed. So, OKAY. The food was delicious. First course: marinated olives (plentiful and tasty), garlic shrimp (so good and the little toasts were soaked in butter, just the way I like my little toasts), green salad (big, flavorful mystery dressing and green), and the roasted veggie & goat cheese toasts (fivy tiny toasts that were a little on the small side, but still tasty, but what's with the odd number of toasts?). The main course was my favorite part. The seasonal wild mushrooms are to die for. I've never referred to something as "to die for" before, but there's a first time for everything. So delicious. We also had the shrimp flatbread (pizza-like), the scallops (tasty, a scant bit sandy), and my boyfriend had some shortribs on sticks that he liked. The desserts were delicious, but not unlike anything I've ever had. The mushrooms were by far the highlight. They're dancing in my brain right now. All in all, it was worth it and delicious. We talked about coming back when they have their regular menu, so that says something. I will say, the service was extremely fast, which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. If you want to enjoy yourself and take in the dimly lit ambiance, do yourself a favor and eat slower. We're simple, hungry eaters, so the instant service made the meal fly by. But that was okay because just wanted to get home and into our jammies. Like how I felt after the Yelp Elite Event at Percy Street BBQ, I was suprisingly full afterwards. Beware of tiny servings of delicious things. It's sneaky. Four stars. Elevate those couches and serve everything in even numbers and we'll see about the 5th star, Garces. read more

Not five stars because... well, the atmosphere was a little too Main Line, let's say. Like, I know it's summer but whoa! Linen pant overload! But Amada definitely earns its four stars for delicious (Almodovar-themed!) cocktails, beautiful wine list, and very vegetarian-friendly dining options. These folks put truffles on everything, I think, but if you want someone to call that overkill you'll have to look elsewhere. If you're into savory/sweet combos, get the Garrotxa cheese with garlic dulce de leche. Then, put the leftover caramel on everything else you ordered. read more

The first time I went to Amada, I wished that I could win the lottery so I could hire Jose Garces as my personal chef. If, in any way, that wish was attainable, I would've made it the main goal of my life. Not too long ago, I fell asleep watching Iron Chef and had a dream that has now replaced my previous wish. In this dream, I was hired to be a permanent judge on Iron Chef America. The Iron Chefs consisted of Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, and Jose Garces. Giada DeLaurentiis was also there. I don't recall if she was cooking or not but I'm pretty sure she was naked in the dream. The only thing that would've made the dream better would've been If I got drunk with Anthony Bourdain too. It may seem like this dream has nothing to do with Amada but it speaks volumes of how I feel about Jose Garces and his flagship restaurant. There is no restaurant to which I'd rather go in Philadelphia. read more

Being that this is the restaurant of the moment in Philly, I felt surprised and lucky to get same-day reservation for four last Friday night. So thanks to OpenTable for that! We had a great dinner with some delicious Spanish tapas, white wines, and all the eye candy offered by Philly's most beautiful-people scene. Pros -Great location and restaurant layout. Really cool space, with a large, mood-lit bar in one room then a brighter, airy dining room. Check out the river rocks on the floor. -Excellent food - the seared tuna was excellent, as were the vegetable dishes - garbanzo beans, asparagus with poached egg, and a julienned vegetable ravioli which might have been the star of the show. -Service was professional, friendly, prompt and helpful by dint of anticipating needs like new silverware between courses. Cons (quibbles, really) -Wine - mostly Spanish stuff, which I'm not as keen on, but we got a not very good Viognier that tasted kind of like soapy water for $45/bottle. -Cheese - great cheeses dot the menu, so we tried a few and then realized they all come out in the same paint-by-numbers arrangement of a 3 wedges of the cheese (3 wedges, when we had 4 diners isn't a cool move), a stack of sliced apples and a cup of flavor (jam or whatever). I'd like to see some more out of the box thinking. -Dolla' dolla' bills yo! (But what were you expecting?) read more

Atmosphere: (A+) I loved the interior and was super excited when they sat us at the bench by the front windows with the stone/rock covered floor - not super comfortable on my shoes, but it felt so zen :) Food: (A) So I went here with friends for restaurant week and hoped the amount/portion of food would be sufficient, and indeed it was! My favorite dishes were ham croquettes and the wild mushrooms - super tasty! And I cannot forget the sangria, definitely recommend the Blanco. Service: (A) Good service, no complaints! Overall: (A) Definitely a repeat read more

This was the best meal that I have had out in sooooo long. The atmosphere is cool. The combination of sleek surfaces with white breezy gauze and dark rustic wood is very comfortable and very city. Go for the food. Every dish was exquisitely seasoned and bursting with flavor. The cheese courses are delicious and the cured meats melt in your mouth. The lamb meatballs were served in a very light brothy gravy with spring peas bursting with green and flavor. I have been dreaming about the smoked duck flatbread with fois gras mousse. The oysters are served with a little lemon, sea salt and a dollop of caviar. They are sweet and salty and taste like the sea. mmmm. I tasted two of the desserts - the goat cheese mousse with lavender honey & the lavender flan. I'm not sure which was better, so order both. It is pricy, but totally worth it. Go hungry. Eat everything and don't feel guilty about any of it. You can work off the calories later. read more

I had low expectations coming here since my brother thought it was just ok the first time he came but my experience here was excellent. We started off with the ensalada de jamon which had fig salad covered in serrano ham and was my favorite dish of the night. The pernil asado which was roasted pork with white beans and arugula, patatas bravas, asparagus dish and crab with roasted peppers were also really good. The only plate I thought was just ok was the madre e hijo but even that wasn't bad. The restaurant is nice, service is excellent and food was top notch. read more

Ok so yes 5 stars. Seriously, can this place really be this good. I am writing this review after visiting Amada for the 4th time. I first went to Amada back in 2007 and in the subsequent times I have been back, I have never been disappointed. Every single thing about this place drips with class, sophistication and sheer awesomeness. I'm not going to dedicate this review to Jose Garces and how awesome he is. I have been to his other restaurants and they all have their Amada influences but nothing exactly captures it like this restaurant. Time and time again I go here and I am continually wowed. It's kind of like watching your favorite movie over and over and finding something new each time that surprises you. Yes, it is that good. Last night, I had the pleasure of dining at Amada and I can honestly say that the food was so good, it angered me. I cook myself (on an amatuer level) and I only wish I could make food that good. It's certainly not an everyday place. It's something to be enjoyed with someone close to you or when you are celebrating something special. It's not about the price. Honestly, for what you get, the price is extremely reasonable. It's actually about the entire experience. You won't really understand until you eat there. The food is spectacular. All the entrees (and there are a ton of them) are playful, exciting, tantalizing and slightly addictive. You will go there and order 14 things, but they know in which order they should be presented and how long to give between successive courses. I find that when I'm going there, I don't eat very much beforehand because I want to thoroughly enjoy myself. If you're a foodie, you have to go. You're not going to find a restaurant like this anywhere else. read more

Smile points: + flatbreads are spectacularly drool-worthy + fantastic sangria + excellent service and decor + frequent complementary small samples (at least when i've been there) + imaginative and innovative flavor combinations + great for groups Frownie face: - my wallet got real thin afterward - many of the dishes are overly salted - I liked the food but wasn't falling out of my seat over it (which I would expect for the price) - I think (slash know) Jose can do better read more

Amada is indeed "beloved." It boasts a plethora of taste combinations, delicious sips and nibbles for both vegetarians and carnivores alike. This is a great place to go for a special dinner with a small group. If you go with a large group, you'll have to share your tapas with more people! This is deadly serious, given the deliciousness to portion size ratio. Sadly, it can be a Herculean feat to snag a reservation here (Amada is one of the few places I think worth hitting during Restaurant Week, but it's particularly impossible to get a seat then.) If you luck out on OpenTable, go! Your taste buds will thank you. read more

OK, when people ask my wife and I why we moved 300 miles away to Philly we give them one word...Amada. We've been traveling to Philly on and off and on for over a year and every time we make space in our plans for Amada. Always busy, so plan ahead or enjoy the wait at the bar, but it's worth it. Favorites...Lamb Albondigas, rare ground lamb served in a creamy sauce and topped with shaved cheese....Fried Anchovies, dusted in spiced flour I think and topped with a fried egg...Octopus, sliced in discs and given a spicy dusting with simple pan sear. They have an awesome spread of sliced meats and cheeses, as well as a deep menu...we can't wait to pick it apart further over the next few months. Only downside, prices could be considered high to some folks who really aren't up for the spanish cuisine...I couldn't see bringing somebody here who didn't appreciate the quality of the food and service...they may feel like they were over charged instead of overjoyed ...I'm always in the latter group after every meal. Speaking of overcharged, last time we were there one of our dishes took forever and a day to find it's way to our table...they took it off the bill w/o my having to ask. Nice! read more

Exactly as i'd expected: solid meal all the way arround and more expensive than I ever prefer. But alas, NO PHILA RESTAURANTS ARE OPEN ON MONDAY! What gives? So, monday is Garces/Starr night... About the food: very good if not a tad too salty. But that probably has more to do with the particular chef's hand movements that evening than anything else. About the wine: well, paying $10/glass for a $12 bottle of wine is upsetting, but it was very good wine for the meal and i'd never have found the winery if it wasnt on the menu. WARNING: the cushin seats sink far; seat yourselves accordingly... so, i wanted to do 4 stars, but this is more of a 3.49... so with the rounding... read more