Yes we ordered the whole roasted pig. It was soooo good ! I'm not a huge fan of legume but the roasted scallions that was paired with it was amazing. The restaurant is beautiful and staff amazingly friendly and accommodating and the drinks lovely. I brought 2 of my kids here and the staff made them really enjoy their time unlike some restaurants that basically turn their nose up at bringing children. I would definitely come again. read more

3 1/4 Stars. I just finished writing a review for Tinto (the other tapas restaurant located in Rittenhouse Square / Center City, also owned by Chef Jose Garces), so this review may be redundant. This place is much bigger than Tinto, and I like the layout, which divides a large space into different areas. Again, don't come too hungry (or short on time)! Mainly a fun/enjoyable experience to try little bites of each thing (best to share with others) and just linger, drink wine, have a nice time with your friends or your date. The food is very good, but the service is just okay (like at Tinto) but better looking here, LOL. Live flamenco is always a treat to liven up any dinner. Refreshingly different from the usual Philadelphia Olde City fare. I will say, though, that the first time I came here, soon after it first opened, I was impressed not only by the food but also by the service. My server was very knowledgeable, helpful, and enthusiastic about wine, which made for a great experience sampling not only a variety of food but a variety of wine. Unfortunately, later visits were disappointing, especially after a great first impression. read more

I've dined here at least a dozen times. I really don't know where to begin with a review. It's my favorite restaurant in town, hands down. From the hostess stand, to the candle-lined corridor heading to the facilities. From the bar to the view of the kitchen in action. The ambiance is perfect. The first time I was there, one of their specials was a flatbread which was normally not on the menu. White anchovy. It was amazing. When I went back my second time, I mentioned it to the waitress - she saw the chef and had it made for me. The waitstaff is excellent. As far as the food, you really need to go judge it for yourself. If you know what good food is you will appreciate Amada. I've had just about everything on the menu and can't wait to go back for more. The bar can get crowded. If you don't have a seat, you can be left standing waiting for drinks and dodging waitstaff serving the bar area, but what worthwhile establishment doesn't get crowded? Make a reservation, be seated and enjoy. Tip of the hat to Mr. Garces. This is the restaurant not to miss in Philly. read more

Blah Blah Blah Amada Amada Amada. Nothing was bad, everything was ok, but Chifa is better. Our service was impeccable. Garlic Shrimp were over salted. Won't be going back for a while. Too man other, cheaper, better places. read more

Went here for drinks only with friends last night. The bar was a bit crowded and there isn't much room for doubling up. However, the drinks were worth the wait! I really enjoyed the Tie Me Up Tie Me Down martini which had lemon and rosemary in it...I also tried a sip of the Women On the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and it was flavorful but a little bit too sweet for me. I've heard nothing but great things about their food menu so I'm definitely planning to go back and will update this review. The reason why I knocked it down a star is that there was a band there last night and it was SO loud that it was nearly impossible to have a conversation even at the bar when we were all within 2 feet of each other. They need to tone that down!!! read more

I've been here three times and its one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Very hip, well-decorated space, with a great bar area and solid crowd ranging from 20-somethings to boomers with babysitters on retainer. Loud enough for you to know you're somewhere happening, but quiet enough to carry on a conversation. Go with the chef's tasting menu -- you get a ton of food for the price and will definitely be full (I eat three cheesesteaks for a meal at Jim's and I was full here). Standout dishes (from what I remember) are the grilled mushrooms, crab-stuffed peppers, shrimp and wild mushroom shirred eggs, and the cheese place. Wine list is short but eclectic, in a good way, as it carries some rarer Spanish reds. My only complaint is that the food is unexpectedly on the heavy side -- just because these dishes are small doesn't mean you won't feel them. But Amada is a great bet for almost any occasion, or non-occasion, for that matter. read more

Amada is my favorite restaurant in Philly. I've been here three times for dinner and all three times I've been blown away with the quality and taste of the food. I've always tried different tapas - vegetarian, cheeses, seafood, meats... everything. You can't go wrong with any of the options. The restaurant itself is small, so it's not a good place for groups but a great place to go on a date. I love the ambiance and drinks. They have a great wine selection and the cocktails are delicious. Amada is definitely a restaurant worth checking out... it will not disappoint! read more

A couple months ago, Amada hosted a special pig out event for all-you-can-eat suckling pigs. I was very excited and booked a reservation for a group of us. However, I was extremely disappointed with how the dinner turned out. First of all, we had to wait for almost 20 minutes to be seated. I would be okay with it if we were just here for any other day. But for a special event like this, they have already known how many people to expect at an exact time. I am not sure what caused this long wait. Second, the majority of our dinner was actually the side items many of which are rather salty. Over the course of 2 hours, 9 of us were served with 3 small plates of suckling pig. I am certain that this is not they meant by "all-you-can-eat." Finally, at the end of our dinner, we noticed that we were not the only ones who were disappointed. The manager ended up going around each table and offering to take care of this dinner. The reason she provided was that they underestimated the amount of pigs they ordered from local farms, therefore, they ran out of pigs in the middle. Note that there were other earlier seating prior to ours. I don't understand how they were not able to foresee what may be a problem, and act to prevent it. Overall, our experience did not match with what I expect a Jose Garces restaurant would and should offer. I truly hope Amada can keep up with the level of service they used to offer. read more

I agree with Keith R. as far as tapas in Philly, this may be one of the better restaurants since I'm comparing to those tapas restaurants in the SF area. Fun, happy, hip and great to come with friends. read more

Amada had a nice upscale rustic decor. We ate here while in town from Chicago for the weekend. While the food was tasty, the portions were small for the cost the and service was lacking. The Spanish octopus was prepared with smoky paprika and very good. The tuna was plated with a nice pesto sauce, a little salty. Mushrooms very good as well. The vegetarian empananda was my favorite. Yum! If you are looking for upscale tapas you will enjoy Amada, if you are looking for traditional tapas, I'm sure you can find better. read more

What??!! I don't understand the great reviews and how this place is ranked so highly here and all other best of lists. My food was mediocre right from start to finish. The salad was overdressed, not seasoned enough (borderline too sweet) and lacked acid; it's a salad for christ's sake, where's the damn acid? I also, had the lobster bomba rice (came lukewarm and too sweet - does amada despise salt and pepper) and the special of the night, elk. The elk was great, cooked to med-rare, however, a bit on the salty side; the micro arugula salad that accompanied it tasted like I ate a salt shaker! And dessert, ugh, just skip it, awful execution (sloppy) and awful flavor/balance of the different components. There's clearly not a pastry chef here, but they charge pastry chef prices...however, the complimentary tuile was tasty though - JUST EAT THIS. I would recommend skipping this joint altogether - the chefs look uninspired and bored. I was falling asleep watching them. Also, another fault - why do they sit all the single diners at the bar when there are plenty of open tables (for 2 and under) in the centre of the restaurant where it's cozy and full of ambiance. I felt like I was the bad kid wearing the dunce cap. BOO AMADA, BOO YOU! read more

This kitchen is all about gilding the lilly, and the food suffers for it. NEWSFLASH: Throwing pimenton and fava beans on everything does not make you creative. Nothing here is bad, it's just muddled. The booths sink so low your chin is on the table. Cramped bar. Typical olde city prices. Best you just walk/drive/57 bus it up to Bar Ferdinand and get a better meal for half the scratch. read more

This was my second trip to Philly and my first trip to Amada. The boy toy actually picked it, so I was even more impressed. I'm pretty sure that the restaurant is owned by Iron Chef Jose Garces, which was cool because I'm slightly obsessed with competitive cooking shows. Needless to say, my knowledge of this made me set my bar of expectations pretty high...and Amada more or less lived up to it! Fast service, friendly & knowledgeable waitstaff, good portion sizes, and pretty good food made it a nice experience. My only qualms (and yes, they are snooty, nit-picking things): -the beef was under-salted -the shrimp had too much butter and not enough seasoning -my adult beverages were good, but had wayyyy too much ice to justify their $15 price tag -there is no salt or pepper on the table (which would be fine if the food was perfectly seasoned, but it wasn't...and the waitress was very busy, so we just ate our food & kept our mouth shut) -it's pretty loud & the tables are close...like "reach out and hold hands with the stranger next to you" close; it made it difficult to carry a conversation What made me happy: -very cool drink menu. I always love eclecticism in a drink menu. -great sangria -a great salad that wasn't overpriced or overdressed -the meat & seafood was cooked perfectly -because it is difficult to hear what your dinner mate is saying & the tables are so close, you can eavesdrop on the people next to you for shits and giggles... Overall, I really enjoyed dinner & will definitely come back when I visit Philly again. read more

Wow. Seriously, wow...if I could give Amada 10 stars I would, that's how great this place is! My fiance and I came to Amada recently to celebrate the anniversary of the day we started dating. The 2 of us have been all over the city of Philadelphia, trying a whole gauntlet of different restaurants ranging from all different kinds of cultural cuisines. This also includes dinner at several of Chef Garces other restaurants throughout the city, which were all amazing. After all that, I can say with firm confidence, that Amada is THE BEST RESTAURANT in Philadelphia! Upon arriving, we were 30 minutes early for our reservation on a Friday night. They were unable to seat us early (not something I hold against them), so we grabbed 2 seats by the bar to have some drinks before being seated. The cocktails here are downright awesome! Not only do they taste great, but a couple of them will definitely knock you on your @$$ (aside from putting a serious dent in your wallet). Trust me, a trip to Amada is not complete without sampling one or 2 of their cocktails. Moving onto the main course...I'm not sure if I have the words to justify how amazing the food was, but I'll give it my best shot lol. Amada is a Spanish tapas style restaurant, which means all the dishes come in small portions and are generally meant to be shared, thus for a group of 2 people, 2-5 dishes is standard. Since my fiance is vegetarian, this makes it slightly skewed in the sense that she can't really eat anything I order that has meat in it, but I can definitely have some of what she gets lol! So I decided to go for the Croquetas De Jamon (fancy ham sandwiches) and the Costillas De Ternera (flatbread topped with beef short ribs. bacon, and other goodies). The fiance got Arroz Temporado (wild mushroom rice), Amada's empanadas, and Ensalada Verde (green salad). Before even receiving our food, they served complimentary crispy flatbread (fried I think) along with a tuna based dip. Since my fiance is vegetarian, the waitress brought out a red-pepper based dip as well. These items were so good, we practically filled up on them before our actual meal came! Of course the items we ordered started coming, and despite how full we were getting, there was no stopping the feast that ensued. I'm not going to dissect each dish, however, I am going to say that I have not been to a tapas restaurant before where I thought each and every dish was made perfectly. Food was cooked perfectly, flavors were amazing (as well as unique), and portions were perfect. Everything was pretty much devoured, and afterwards all we could think about was going to bed satisfied by the best meal either of us have ever had. Seriously, I know it sounds like I'm raving like a mad-man, or that maybe Amada paid me to post this review, but they didn't. Everything about our meal was perfect, and even when the bill came it was modest compared to other meals I've had in the city (which included the food, 2 cocktails, and a glass of wine). We don't get to eat out in Philly very often anymore, but next time we're back we may have to come here again! read more

The meal I had here a few nights ago has a place on my top five. I know another yelper has said the same thing and it's no lie. It was one of my most memorable dining experiences. I have a gluten allergy and was so delighted when I informed my server and she returned with a menu that almost everything on the normal people menu except the flatbreads. Hell she could have just said "you can pretty much have everything but the flatbreads". We ordered a pitcher of sangria and started with the mixto of meat. MMMMmmmm meat. I don't remember what they all were but just get the mixto because you get all of them. We then had a selection of cheeses. This I will have to refer to the menu for because it was an experience. the pairings were out of this world. We had the aged manchego with lavender honey. Woah. I don't usually love honey except in my greek yogurt but this combo was divine. We also had La Peral which is a blue cheese that was paired with a currant pistachio...jam for lack of a better word but it was so rich and caramelly that jam doesn't do it justice. I LOVE blue cheese and I LOVE spanish blue cheese so I knew no matter what I would not be disappointed. But this pairing was so wonderful. but then. BUT THEN. Against my POOR judgement, I almost didn't order the cadi urgelia...it was paired with a chocolate hazelnut puree and it just seemed wrong at the start of a meal. But I couldn't decide on a third cheese and my server (Jenn I think?? delightful) chose this one for us. OMG. The cheese alone was delicious but with the chocolate hazelnut puree...I could have not eaten another thing all night and been completely happy. In fact if I ever go back, I will probably get a mixto of three cheeses and just have three servings of this. And I know you're thinking nutella. Yes but times 1000. Just order this cheese. We took it easy on the tapas and just ordered three and it was perfect for two people. We had the olives (all of which seemed to be marinated differently and were all surprising). We also had the traditional tortilla espagnol which was just ok for me. compared to everything else it just couldn't compare. And finally we had the dates. stuffed with blue cheese. and almonds. wrapped in bacon. and grilled. with perfectly cooked cippolini onions. I gasped. I closed my eyes in ecstasy MANY times through out this meal and I barely got through 1/8 of the menu. Please go here. And report back. read more

Get to the Chase: Pros: 1) Every single choice is delicious, well-executed, and mouth-wateringly worth it 2) MMMhmmm fun boisterous place great for a group 3) Classy meets Casual with some damn good eating Cons: 1) Pobre gato, you'll be paying mucho cuz ull be paying per tapas order and they be smaaaaall pickings 2) Can get packed and hard to get a table read more

Went to Amada last night with a group of girls for my sister's bachelorette party and we had an AMAZING experience. The waitress did an awesome job giving us a rundown of how the menu worked and how many dishes per person she recommended. I can't have gluten and she told me what contained gluten, what was cross contaminated, and which dishes were safe. Every employee that brought food to us would then repeat whether things were cross contaminated/contained gluten which is SO helpful when you're sharing dishes and can't remember which was which! Also cannot say enough about the manager Rich. He gave us a round of champagne on the house and then an espresso martini for the bride at the end of the night! We would honestly go back just to see Rich again! Absolutely great service, great food, and great hospitality. We will be back!! read more

Though I've done my fair share of "restaurant tourism," (since I can't afford to actually travel all over the world at the moment), I had yet to go to a tapas place. So when my partner-in-crime got the idea in her head that she really wanted a salad with figs and piscuitto in it, who was I to argue? We sat outside, because we weren't really dressed for the occasion inside, it was a nice night, and there seemed to be a fair amount of douchebaggery afoot. As I've said in previous reviews, I'm a misanthrope so take that as no slight against this particular restaurant. We ordered the fig and piscuitto salad, a white bean and ham soup, an olive plate, and rabbit sausage with chanterelle mushrooms. We also shared a watermelon and basil sangria. The salad was probably the stand out best. The gorgonzola cheese was incredibly intense (a good thing), paired well with the figs, piscuitto, and almonds. Based on the intensity of the flavors, they probably could've been a bit more sparing with the oil but it was still damn tasty. The olives were diverse and tasty, the rabbit sausage was good and had a kick, though there was something slightly lacking about the sauce. Like it had kick but not enough substance. The soup was rustic and tasty but also a little flat in flavor- possibly just because it was being compared to the gorgonzola. I feel like there are probably better tapas places in existence, and the atmosphere, though nice is a tad on the pretentious side- but it's a damn tasty meal all the same. read more

Great relaxed atmosphere, whether you're getting dinner or drinks at the bar (although the bar fills up fast). Good place to bring a date and the staff is always on point delivering great service. If given a choice, I'd choose Tinto over Amada any day (another Garces tapas restaurant). I gave it 3 stars because of the food. Some of Amada's dishes I just find to be too bland, such as the garlic shrimp and ham croquettes. With the shrimp, it's almost like they don't cook them enough in the sauce so it lacks the flavor you would expect. I do love the chicken croquettes with pesto and all of the flatbreads. The artichoke and wild mushroom flatbread is delicious and my favorite. Oh and I can't forget the free almond - flavored thin, crispy whaffer thing (I know, great description!). It's simple yet pretty damn good. Oh and don't forget your wallet. Dinner for 2, with about 4-5 tapas and 2 drinks, will run you about $90-$100. I still need to try some things on the menu but so far mixed reviews on the food. I have my few favorites. It wouldn't be my first pick but I'd come back. And there's no discounting the great bar scene, if you can get a seat :) read more

It had been a long wait for me to find a reason to splurge on dinner at Amada. I'm always hesitant to book a meal at a restaurant with such a great reputation, since my expectations are very high and I worry about being disappointed and stuck with a big bill. Well, no worries. Amada did not disappoint and was worth the price! Although Amada is small plates, they are not the fussy kind of small plates you get at places like Sbraga. Instead, this is earthy approachable Spanish style cooking. There were four of us, and we ordered numerous dishes, so that I can't remebmer or describe them all. Some of the items I enjoyed most were really simple, like the gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) which were perfectly cooked and served in a hot casserole bathed in a garlic sauce. Or the artisan dish of mixed spanish olives, each with a different color, size and flavor. The filet mignon with foie gras was heavenly. I don't give Amada 5 stars (although the food by itself deserves it) because the service had some glitches. Two of the items we ordered never showed up (since we ordered too much food anyway, it didn't matter, and the server took it off the bill) and one of the drinks we ordered came wrong. The latter error was probably due to the high noise level as I suspect our server could not hear which kind of sangria we wanted. Overall, dinner at Amada is a memorable experience, one that I hope to repeat some day for another special occasion! read more

This used to be my go to place, until I started getting frustrated with the loud atmosphere, and the long wait even after having a reservation. I sat at the bar waiting for about a half hour. This time I went I sat in the back room which was sooo much quieter, and much more enjoyable because I could hear the friends I was with. The wine list was great and our server was able to recommend good ones. The octopus salad, risotto with truffle (could have had more truffle), the Caña De Cabra, as much as I love goat cheese I really disliked this dish, I thought it was flavorless. And as everyone says 100% get the patatas bravas, they are so delicious and literally so adorable looking! It's a staple place that you at least have to go once. read more

Having done tapas in many places in Barcelona, I can tell you that this place has nothing to envy original tapas bars in Spain. Our party of four got the Chef's suggestions menu ($65) and we were simply delighted. Amongst my favorites were the lamb chops and the hot foie-gras. Each bite is full of flavor and unless you're a picky eater, it'll be an amazing tasting experience. The sangria had a very fresh and fruity taste to it without tasting like juice. Went on a Friday night so we could catch the Flamenco/Spanish guitar performance which was great. The atmosphere, the crowd, the service and the quality made this place one of my favorite in Philly. The chef-owner went through El Vez and Alma de Cuba and finally branched off to bring us Amada. He's planning to open more Nueva Latina themed restaurants soon! Cant wait! read more

Absolutely fantastic Five stars The atmosphere is bustling, the reservation was made weeks before. The sangria was on point. Was still ordering 2hrs lasted when the manager asked us to move to the bar because of the backup of reservations. He offered to buy the next sangrias. Definite return read more

Second time I've been here :) It was so good the first time I was super excited to return. Our waitress was Carla and she was super friendly and really made us feel welcome. We had: Amadas Empanada (Spinach, Manchego, Artichoke) Patatas Bravas (Spicy Potatos) Pulpo a la Gallega (Spanish Octopus,) Lamp Chops (With garlic, lemon, and parsley) Almejas Con Chorizo (Clams with Chorizo, SO GOOD) Esparragos con Trufas (Grilled Asparagus, Truffles, Poached Egg, Mahón Crisp) My favourite dishes were the Lamb Chops, Spanish Octopus, and the Almejas con Chorizo. We were only going to get 3 dishes but each one was better than the last so we kept going :) Also, the service couldn't have been better. Carla somehow managed to time her visits perfectly. She was always there when we needed something but also gave us enough time to figure out what we wanted. And the busser/runner (??) Manny was so sweet and kept our water glasses full, our table clean, and also gave us fresh share plates-- which is always really nice. There are so many more dishes I haven't tried yet and I'm very excited to come back! Thank you Carla & Manny for a really nice night out ^____^ read more

tapas were hit or miss. None were real standouts beside the stuffed pepper. I could've spent all night they're ordering tapas and still not gotten full or satisfied. the "bravas" were the most disappointed i've ever had; akin more to gummy tater tots. server was nice but greeter has an attitude. decent wine and cocktails. crowd seems to be business people & visitors who don't know the Philly dining scene has moved on to more interesting things. read more

Excellent restaurant. Lots of regulars and great service. Had the chefs choice of tapa and they were so good! Will go back if given the opportunity! read more

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One of the best meals I have had in a while! The restaurant week menu is absolutely excellent and extensive. Service is always amazing and the egg cream dessert was out of this world! read more

This is by far on the the best meals I've had in Philly. I agree with the others about the decor - both hubby and I loved the vibe of the space and kept commenting on what a great job they did creating ambiance. We were seated in the front part of the restaurant, which I completly enjoyed - but I like to people watch. The service was excellent, with our waiter enthusiastically explaining the menu to us and offering suggestions on ordering, since it was our first time eating there. Each time we finished a dish, someone immediately was there to take it away. We never wanted for anything. The food was OUTSTANDING. Incredible ingredients. We ordered 6 tapas and it was just the right amount of food. We had the Mixto meats, the aged manchego with truffled honey (which was TO DIE FOR), the clams and chorizo, the stuffed lamb chops, the artichoke and mushroom flatbread, and the filet with fois gras (which was also AMAZING.) Every dish was absolutely delish and I only wished I had more room so I could continue trying all the different things on the menu. We will definitely be going back! read more

Boyfriend and I were able to snag a reservation during - oh my gosh - Restaurant Week. Unheard of! I've yet to have a bad Garces dining experience, and Amada didn't disappoint. The high points: - Serrano ham: - Croquetas de jamón - Gambas con garbanzos coca: the better of the two flatbreads, in my opinion - Scallops: cooked and seared perfectly The low points*: - Costillas de ternera coca: this flatbread was sweeter than I would have liked - Lubina al pescador: I usually love sea bass but this was a little more "fishy" than other sea bass dishes I've had elsewhere *"Low points" doesn't mean that the dishes were bad, it just means they weren't my favorites that night. I was disappointed that the desserts published on the website and those on the actual RW menu were different. I was so looking forward to trying the lemon torta. Instead, I opted for the chocolate dessert, a flourless cake with ice cream. It was really rich and very tasty. In all, the meal was decent, the service was great, but if I find myself craving a Garces meal (and we all do from time to time, right?) Amada would likely not be it. read more

I should have written this review a month ago because now my memory is a little foggy. Anyway, I had late reservation but I was still late (caught up at the tattoo convention, if you care) and they still were able to accommodate me and my husband. The bartender was great! The service was great! I didn't like how close we had to sit next to other people but the intimacy remained constant between the parties. I can't remember all that I had but I do remember the grilled squid, omg, now that I can still taste on my tongue! Even though the kitchen was closed I begged for them to make me some more and the did. I definitely would like to go back next visit. SN: I got towed, sheesh they don't play...Imagine midnight walking to your car, in the cold, after a great dinner and drinks. BUMMER! I will use a taxi only next time! read more

I would never go back to Amada. We ordered 6 tapas for brunch. Except for one dish (crab stuffed pepper), which was excellent, everything was unbelievably salty. Boring dishes (used same sauce in 3 different seafood dishes???) and disappointing service. The waiter didn't even ask if the food was ok or if we needed anything else. No wonder this place is empty. I really can't believe that this place has 5 star reviews all over. Come on philly people, aren't you guys known to be foodies??? I mean, why would I order three different dishes that taste exactly the same? I couldn't believe that they used the same sauce over and over. They might as well tell us that these are all the same dishes with different names. The lobster was rubbery and tough. Seriously... I would have gone to red lobster instead (AND I NEVER EAT AT RED LOBSTER because the food is too salty and greasy for my taste. But that's how bad this dish was) I think I am even more disappointed because this is supposed to be an Iron chef's restaurant. If an Iron Chef's food is worse than a chain restaurant..... that's some serious problem there. Mario Batali's restaurants are known to be excellent, and I enjoyed eating at a couple of his restaurants in NY. Morimoto was ok. Some dishes were great, some were eh. Amada was definitely the worst. I don't know if this was just one bad day, but it was really really disappointing. read more

Amada Philadelphia - Lamb meatballs. Extremely salty... kinda tastes like swedish meatballs... - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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This girl i knew wanted to do late dinner here. Our reservation was for 11:15pm on a saturday night. The restaurant is situated in Old City (a busy night spot on weekends). So we walked there dodging the sober and drunk people. Since it was a late rsvp, we were seated immediately. The restaurant/bar was still busy, but only about 2-3 tables had diners. The interior was pretty nice. The table we had was for 2, so one would have a bench, the other the chair. ***the chair was surprisingly a bit high***The bathroom is situated all the way in the back of the restaurant. I can see how it would be a pain if the place was crowded, but the facilities were nice and clean. The menu was really big because its tapas. It was separated according to types and styles etc etc. My friend that suggested Amada said i should try the tasting menu, but i figured we just order random things to make our own "tasting menu". First and foremost, drinks!!! i heard the sangria was good here (i love sangria). We opted for the white bc it was talked about. It was light and refreshing with the peach. I wouldn't suggest eating the peach, its filled with alcohol and really bitter!! T_T. Food: we ordered a total of 6 dishes. spanish octopus, grilled calamari, shrimp flatbread, pork with bed of white beans, chicken potato and truffle, peppers stuffed with crab. Everything was great. There were two gripes we both had. The spanish octopus and the pork was a bit on the salty side, but not that bad. The grilled calamari was tender and the seasoning/sauce was fresh and light. The white beans with the pork were savory and filling. The crab in the peppers was jumbo and every bite was filled with crabmeat. The best dish of the night imo, was the chicken with potato and truffle sauce. The chicken was juicy and the sauce was really really good---deep, complex, yet melted in your mouth. Those are the flavors i look for that make certain restaurants stand out. The girl i went with was too full for dessert, as was i. So we skipped that. The bill wasn't that bad considering its now considered a "famous" spot in the city. read more

Amada, you broke my heart tonight! I've been to Amada at least 5-6 times in the past few years (both during restaurant week and for their regular menu), and until my experience tonight I would have given it a solid 5 stars. Something seemed very off today. Our sangrias tasted watered down. The portions had NOTICEABLY decreased since the last time I was here (about a year ago for restaurant week), and the service was subpar. In my previous experiences here, I've always had superb service. Tonight, they did not clear our plates after our first or second courses that at one point there was no space left on our table. We stacked the plates ourselves before someone finally came to take them away before dessert. Our server did not come over once to check-in except the very end when he wished us lots of happy good nights while dropping off the check. We also received the wrong dessert - we asked for a crema catalana but they gave us some olive oil cake instead. At this point, we were tired of trying to flag someone down that we just ate what was given - the cake itself was delicious, just not what we had asked for. All the other items we ordered were delicious and on-point, which was in line with our expectations given our previous experiences here - but the portions were noticeably smaller. I would be back to give Amada at least another try before giving up on it, but tonight was thoroughly disappointing - perhaps because we had such high expectations to begin with. read more

Three friends and I decided to splurge on a good meal by going for the chef's choice menu at $65 per person. Paired with the white sangria, it was quite a filling, satisfying meal. My friends and I concluded that this menu is more worth it for two people, and not three. And we were a little disappointed by the lack of flavor variety. Almost every plate had the green sauce or the truffle oil. It was delicious, but striking to us that every dish was prepared with similar sauces--or maybe we don't any better and it was the chef's intention? Either way, I am happy to go back to find out. read more

Amada Philadelphia - The $65 chefs choice. Really filled us up. Order if you are a group of 2 or 4 - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tough call on this one...but can't find it in me to give it a 4. Went for lunch on a Sunday which meant the brunch menu. Asked the waiter for his opinion and he recommended everything on the menu. Thanks! I ordered a Dark Habits cocktail for $12.50 which was underwhelming. We proceeded to order a variety of dishes ranging from the calamari to the crab stuffed peppers. Everything "from the grill" tasted the same...the garlic. lemon and parsley was the star. Prices were high for the portions provided (yes...I understand the concept of tapas). On a positive note, the ricotta pancakes and chirizo con papas were very good. In the end, the waiter was less than helpful, the food was tasty but a bit monotonous and overpriced. I would return to try the famous suckling pig but for now i was left a bit disappointed. read more

3.5- I kinda always felt compelled to go since moving to Philly, and finally got the chance this restaurant week winter 2017, and it was good! Not great, a good meal of simple traditional tapas. Especially good for the restaurant week price I paid! we had- -ham croquettes (good, but were cold when brought out to the table. probably because of the restaurant week factory assembling or some process going on but still) -cheese with lavender truffled honey (I'm not big on cheese so can't tell, but the honey was good! I was a little disappointed I couldn't taste the lavender) -shrimp (this was goooood. I wished there was more than 2!!) -pork sandwich (without this, I would've ended the meal hungry. Perfect texture, a faint mustard type taste, greens. delicious bread.) -cauliflower (very Mediterranean inspired. of course it was good, because how could grilled cauliflower taste bad?) -goat cheese (I didn't try this) -egg cream (a good decadent end to the meal. I loved the foam on top!) A bit of a mixed bag, as you can see from my comments! If I craved tapas and if it's restaurant week again I'd come back. Not sure I'd pay Amada's usual prices. read more

I've been meaning to go to Amada for a while now. I knew the food would be great, but I just had the feeling that it would be a little overpriced and I'd leave feeling like a needed a cheesesteak. That is not the case - I'm a fan, I left full, and I'll be back often. We relied heavily upon our waitresses advice for how much food would be enough, she suggested 3-4 plates per person, I think we started out by ordering six things and that really ended up being plenty. The things that stand out in my mind are the mixed cheese plate, if my memory serves me correctly we ordered the cana de cabre, garrotxa and the manchengo, all were delicious. Other things ordered were: croquetas de jamon, a flatbread and a few meat selections. There's not one thing that we ordered that I wouldn't get again, and there were so many other things on the menu that I'd like to try next time. The only two negative comments I can make is that we were asked to wait at the bar for about 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. I usually wouldn't mind but the bar was so crowded we couldn't even get a seat or order a drink. The second complaint is that the tables are so small when they bring out multiple plates at a time you feel like one wrong move and everything could go crashing down. The food was still worth it and try the sangria! read more

How is it that I have lived here for five years and this is the first time I have ever stepped foot in this place? How could I ever have called myself a foodie? Not many places blow my socks off like this restaurant did, and it takes its rightful place as tied for first in my list of Philadelphia restaurants. (Sharing the pedestal with the Latest Dish, who still has my heart). The answer to why I haven't been there is mainly the price. It's not cheap, but the dishes are extremely innovative. Amada means "ladylove" in spanish, and this place is aptly named, there is so much passion emanating from each dish. Having never really experienced a tapas restaurant, we decided to go during restaurant week when it was a little bit more in our budget. For only $35 you get 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and a dessert. Since I went with my friend, we ended up sharing everything. The joy of a tapas restaurant is sampling so many things! Here is what we tried: Tortilla Espanol - Classic spanish tapas, sort of like a potato omelette with saffron aioli. tasty! The dish is a deceivingly small portion, but is quite filling. Ensalada Verde - Very light and refreshing, with avocado, asparagus, lima beans, and other yummy green things. Melon con Jamon - This was one of my favorites because it was such a complementing flavor contrast. The sweetness of the cantaloupe and the saltiness of the serrano ham was perfection. Aged Manchego with truffled lavender honey and sliced apples - Another favorite. I had to resist the urge of licking that honey bowl. Scallops grilled a la Plancha - Grilled to perfection, delicate, slightly sweet. We also had the Chicken version of this dish. Esparragos Con Trufos - Grilled asparagus, poached egg, cheese crisp, and truffles. We wanted to dip everything in that sauce. Madre E Hijo - Chicken Breast with truffles, fried egg, and fingerling potatoes. This dish was so buttery and the chicken was incredibly tender. It was the last entree to come, and although I was pretty stuffed I still ate the whole thing. This was comfort on a plate. Crema Catalan - Chocolate Lavender Custard with Grand Marnier whipped cream and strawberry gelee. Heavenly. Desserts also came with an almond wafer. Arroz Con Leche - Saffron Rice Pudding, Blackberry Compote, Lemon Jam, Cinnamon Bric, Fromage Blanc. We couldn't finish it all so I brought some home. Setting: The bar area was a little loud... we sat there while waiting for our table. We had reservations, but had to wait a tad longer (like 15 minutes) which was understandable since the place was PACKED. At least we got a seat at the bar and I got to try their sangria which sits in lovely wood barrels. When seated, we were brought to the back which was much quieter. Cute little candle lanterns at each table gave a great warm glow. Fantastic. Service was quick and the staff was extremely friendly. I will surely be back! I can see what the Garces' hype is about now, and of the three I've visited (Village Whiskey, Tinto, and here) this is byfar my favorite! read more

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If you have the cash, they have the rest, to make your dinner experience amazing, Jose Garces plays no games, this guy is freak'n serious with his food. All of the dishes were simple, sophisticated, and delicious, I am definitely going back at some point, it is a wonder they have not expanded yet, LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT... read more

We went for the iron chef name but fell in love with the food. From the cocktails to the soap gallego. The mushrooms on the parilla. Every dish was perfect. Best meal we have had in Philly and one of the best ever read more