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    Avana

    3.8 (67 reviews)
    Closed • 4:00 pm - 11:00 PM

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    Ice cream
    Tash M.

    I'll start by saying I came here for a bachelorette party, so before they let us in I believe they notified the restaurant that a bride was coming bc upon entering the restaurant was clapping and saying congratulations! The food was so delicious . We shared some cornbread and I wish we didn't have another place to go or I would've asked for more! I had the Braised Short Rib and substituted the grits for mashed potatoes. Nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. The right amount of gravy for my mashed potatoes and I liked the crunchy onions. My friend had some type of burger meal that included a purple drink. On the menu it said that Avana swag was included as well but they brought out 3-4 lil plastic spiders.. idk what that was about??? It was the service that left me dissatisfied. It took minimum of 10 minutes for water after seating. Wasn't asked if we wanted sodas/tea, (tried looking at the menu before posting and idk if they have soda but again idk). After the cornbread it was another bit of a wait before our entrees to the point of getting hangry. We had to flag down for all of our refills, swag, check, etc service. We were a party of 5 so kinda expected gratuity included but I see otter comments say that party size doesn't matter... and it showed. Overall I enjoyed the food and give a 3.5 but I'd probably only go back on a special occasion.

    Mr Rib was huge
    Alicia O.

    Blacktastic. All the melanin in my body is rooting for this adorable spot in center city museum district Philly. The decor is modern and plush. The service is friendly and attentive. The food is wow. Everything I tasted was amazing and we ordered a lot of food. I highly recommend the oxtail pizza. The lobster mac is enough for two and my Mr Rib sandwich melted in my mouth. The only catch was the drinks. I would go back to choose different drinks. They were strong which I like but need a little work to satisfy Black bourgie tastes. Aside from that, I'd be a regular for special occasions. Highly recommend for a girls night, date, or graduation dinner.

    Deviled eggs and catfish
    Deforio B.

    Avana is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. It's a large indoor space with very elegant and soft decor. It screams fancy and delicate all at once. There is also a great outdoor space. Ok, so let's get into the food. The wait staff was all women -very friendly and engaging with each customer. Once the order was placed, the food was ready in less than 15 minutes. EVERY dish was plated beautifully. You could tell the chef takes pride in presentation. Crab dip and pretzel toast: you can taste crab in every scoop. It was both cheesy and creamy. The pretzel toast was warm and paired nicely with the dip. There was just the right amount of salt on the pretzel toast. Highly recommend. 5/5 Cheesesteak dumplings: They were seared nicely on both sides. The steak was very flavorful. It was plated with a smear of house-made spicy Ketchup, sweet peppers, and fondue cheese. I wished there were 6 instead of 4. They were delicious. 5/5 Deviled eggs topped with catfish. Not a favorite for me. Again, the presentation was beautiful, but the egg filling and the fish lacked flavor. 3/5 Charbroiled oysters: I've only had them in New Orleans and fell in love with them during my stay there. When I saw them on the menu, I had to try them. They did not disappoint. Packed with seasoning. The Parmesan, crostini, and garlic butter all melted together in my mouth. Again, I wished the portion size was larger. They should sell them by the dozen or 1/2 dozen. 5/5 Braised oxtail & collard greens personal pizza: It was covered with seasoning and looked amazing. However, it fell flat on taste to me. It was too sweet and greasy. I did like the amount of crunch the crust had, but overall it wasn't what I had hoped. 2/5 Nonetheless, these are my opinions. I always encourage you to try it for yourself. There are other great menu items to choose from. FYI...Happy hour is from 4pm to 6:30pm Til we eat again....

    Ambience
    Ameil S.

    Popped in over the weekend for the World Cup and man was this wonderful it's black owned. If that's important to you the vibe is electric. It can be a little bit loud so if you're trying to have a conversation depending on where you're sitting that might be challenging, but from the time you arrive till the time you leave, what you will have is delicious food be prepared. It's pricey so pack your wallet and the lobster mac & cheese for example is priced at $62 we didn't order it. That being said the food is delicious. You may valet park your car which we did and overall you have a terrific experience we were a party of four and gratuity was included in the check. Overall, I would go back again. There's some items I wouldn't mind having another time. The service was terrific and pretty expedient. I think you get what you pay for.

    Under the brick Amish chicken
    Naomi S.

    Everything was overall delicious. The only thing that was not liked was the chocolate cake jar. My friend had that and said that it was dry. I ordered the peach cobbler cheesecake so she switched it out. The cheesesteak dumplings were good but I prefer the cheesesteak beignets at Amina. We had to look for our server more than we would have liked. It wasn't crowded and we were seeing other servers numerous times but now ours. Another instance where an automatic gratuity doesn't workout for the customer. This location was pretty nice. I liked the size and decor. People were there on dates or just hanging out. There is outdoor seating but was not offered.

    Table setting
    Leah M.

    Three stars for now, but I'm sure in time it'll improve moving it to five. This restaurant has all the makings of something grand, but there's some tweaking that must be done. For me the owner has done this several times opening a restaurant and they're not getting better at the launch. Staff lacks knowledge, it takes too long to seat people with reservations, the host seems disoriented. The reason for reservation is to make sure you know what section, server and table is available. 6pm on a Friday please tell me upfront that you don't have any draft beer as shown on the menu or anything else! Nothing worse than having your palate prepared on a menu item only to be told after the fact they're out of it. BIG NO NO!!!! What keeps me returning to this ownerships restaurant? The Chef! This chef is innovative and creative. I have yet to return food because of it being too salty cold or bland. And that says a lot because this third restaurant that I patronized the service is extremely slow in each. For the most part you can't fault ownership because it's hard to find people who are willing to work and show up. With that being said, there's always one courteous and efficient worker at each one of the establishments. I'm sorry I didn't get their name, but I know that they are a carpenter and work at ALL of the owners restaurants. Me and hubby always chat a little bit with them. I enjoyed my oxtail pizza. However, the amount of oxtails meat was minimal, I could barely taste it. Next I nibbled off a piece of my husband's burger, which was absolutely delicious. The caramelized onions were cooked to perfection and the handhand cut fries are a home-run. The deviled eggs are decent, but they are too sweet in a sugary way not pickled relish. Will I return? ABSOLUTELY!!

    Chicken skewers
    Cashmere R.

    Dined @ Avana on 7/18/2025 @ 9pm and it was a party inside instead of a restaurant. We decided to eat outside due to the overly loud music. Street parking was available but scarce. They have reserved parking for a whooping $25. The entrees were a little pricey so we decided on apps instead. We ordered the Oxtail pizza, cornbread, chicken skewers and catfish deviled eggs. 1. Oxtail pizza - something different to eat, however, it was overly sweet instead of savory, like pizza should be. Watch out for leftover bones 2. Cornbread - best thing from the 4 items ordered. 3. Chicken skewers - these were just ok, gave that charcoal taste, but was dry and the cole slaw looked like someone chewed it up and spit it back onto the plate. 4. Catfish deviled eggs - save your money, there was no sight of flaky catfish, just crust from something fried. *Buyer beware, a 20% tip is automatically added to ALL SIZE PARTIES. This way, the waiter doesn't have to try to be nice and move on their own accordance. (At the bottom of each menu) On our visit, we encountered 2 blind MICE forging for food from leftover scraps left behind from previous diners. They weren't scared at all, it was if they knew it was there time to eat. Due to the sighting of mice, we decided NOT to eat at the restaurant and instead asked for to-go containers. *The first impressions was my last visit

    Cheesesteak Dumplings
    Dom A.

    All I got to say is get the Oxtail Pizza. It's so so good. They have a nice happy hour menu Monday thru Friday 4-6:30 offering a lot of food and drinks

    Hey Frankie! We miss you.
    Renee D.

    I had dinner at Avana this evening for a birthday celebration and I would give the experience two and a half rating. Here's why. Location. I suggest you use a ride share period. You'll be hard pressed to find your own parking. Or pay to valet. Ambiance is beautiful just as others have said but the trendy blue seats at my table were not comfortable. Very low backs and a high hard seat. There were four of us and our table was small. We were constantly shuffling items around. Food. Some of the descriptions of the menu items did not seem cohesive to me so I played it safe. I mean pop rocks on the oysters, a huckleberry gastric on the lamb, somewhere there was mention of a Welches Grape Juice sauce....huh?!! I totally understand creativity and experimenting but some things are just nonsense. I started with the char broiled oysters. At 24.00, I expected a half dozen plump oysters. I got four baby oysters and felt ripped off. Two people got the catfish deviled eggs. My neice hated them. I tasted the egg and it was just to sweet. My sister got the cheesesteak dumplings. So tiny and only three, we didn't ask to share yet this item is on Pass the Plate header?!! Three of us also had the salmon. Mine was moist but devoid of any seasoning. Again my niece did not like hers. I did not taste this one but her fish looked oddly different. The flesh was red, not pink. We threw a napkin over it and moved on. Other items included the blue crab dip ( I took this to go so update on that later) Brussels, Mac and cheese (very tasty) and the Mr. Rib. Let's discuss the Mr. Rib next under........... Service. A few missteps here and it had mostly to do with etiquette. While delivering drinks to the person to the right of me, instead of going behind me to get to her, the server stretched her whole body in front of me to sit the drink down. I had to lean back to accommodate HER! The Mr. Rib required a deboning. I thought this might involve a glove, a tong and a plate to receive the bone. Nope. The man simply reached down with his naked hand, pulled the bone out and walked off with it just like that. Appetizer plates sat used while still continuing to bring out mains. Napkins and cutlery were missing for some of us and the lag time at the end was unnerving. That was enough for me. At 500.00 for four of us I can think of plenty of deserving restaurants to spend my money in.

    Jenae M.

    Food options were creative but the flavor and execution wasn't top tier. The server was sweet and the restaurant is super chic. I'd like to go back and try happy hour to enjoy the dj vibes.

    Foyer when you first walk in
    Paapa N.

    Food was very good. I got popcorn shrimp and French fries for Wednesday night sips. Would recommend.

    Exterior welcome sign
    Terra B.

    I went here during Philadelphia's Restaurant Week to celebrate my best friend's birthday along with other friends of ours. Every year we pick a restaurant to try during Restaurant Week. This has been our worst experience ever. Most restaurants were charging about $45 per person but, Avana was charging $60. That generally covers appetizer, entree, desert. The five of us were agreeable to the price but not to the big let down especially since we enjoyed their other restaurant Amina. Let's get into to it. Parking is scarce but they offer $20 to valet. The esthetics are beautiful decor with amber lighting, clean, great music playing. The vibe is very nice. The waitress was nice but lacked finesse, constantly trying to take our plates off the table and we weren't done eating. We asked for a drink menu but she never took our order, reaching over our plates to hand plates of food to other people in our party. We had to ask for water...not a big deal. The glasses were only about 6-8 inches tall and she filled the glass less than half, no ice and it wasn't cold. It came across very odd as if there was a water shortage. I asked for ice. It took a while to get the ice. The water tasted so bad. It couldn't be filtered. It might as well have been straight from the schuylkill river. As for the food, it was a big let down. I ordered the jerk chicken skewer, cauliflower, salmon stuffed with crab meat and the peach cobbler cheese cake. The jerk chicken was tender and good, the cauliflower was amazing (battered and lightly fried), the salmon was tiny yet tasty. The cheese cake tasted old in my opinion lacking the creaminess that I have come to know when it comes to cheese cake. I hope the best for this restaurant and its future. My friends and I will not be returning to this location due to the poor experience, it's high priced, and less than stellar food.

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    2 months ago

    Lauryn was our server. My friend was over an hour late to dinner, and Lauryn made sure I was comfortable while I waited.

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    1 year ago

    Amazing! Great food and service will return and bring my people with me. Such a great vibe!!!!!

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    1 year ago

    Food was very good. I've been to Black Hen and Amina's. I really enjoyed the food, the service was great along with the atmosphere

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    1 year ago

    I had a wonderful experience at Avana's! The food was amazing, the service was great and the ambiance was superb.

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    1 year ago

    Awesome is the word if you want a unique experience tht gives a taste of elegance this your spot to try food outstanding

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    Four Humours - Velvet Remedy

    Four Humours

    4.8(72 reviews)
    2.4 mi

    The bad news: the last time I reviewed this spot was over 5 years ago!…read more The great news: IT HAS JUST GOTTEN BETTER! Admittedly, when we used to go, it was during a time we could only really sit outside and enjoy our bevs, or take them to go, and NOW we get to bask in the warm lighting, the INCREDIBLE soundtrack, and the perfect energy of the staff, so I think it's about time to re-review. Four Humours is the place I'd take a date (in fact, I did bring my husband last night), a girlfriend, a group getting ready to hit the town, OR for a night cap. it's so versatile - it can be whatever you need it to be. Like the Room of Requirement, only boozier. The crew gets SO creative with their cocktails - we've sipped on ones featuring pho-infused agave, chicken schmaltz-washed bourbon, carrot and pineapple foam, pandan - and they're always switching it up seasonally and I can not WAIT to find out what's coming this fall. Cocktails range from $15-20, pretty similar to most of the neighborhood, but they are STRONG. I started buzzing after 2 the last time I went. I love this for the jump-off to a night out or, as a mother of 3 who's hustling home for the babysitter, a one-stop shop. Added bonus: you can order food delivered to the bar! Pro-tip, if you get pizza share with the bartenders. If you order South Sichuan you just might melt from the SPICE level. No matter what you're doing with the night, you're gonna have a great time AND a few great bevs!

    Omg great drinks BUT The service was glacial…read more Make the drinks faster * Great use of space

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    Four Humours
    Four Humours
    Four Humours - Bartender

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    Bartender

    Poison Heart - Awesome cocktails!

    Poison Heart

    4.2(20 reviews)
    1.3 mi•Spring Garden

    We only stopped for a drink but we enjoyed our visit. The service was quick and friendly , and the…read morecocktails we got were both good ! I got the one Jump in the Fire and my husband got the New rose in town. The vibe and ambiance were great. I look forward to coming back before show at UT

    Conflicted experience for our pre-game here before taking in a concert…read more First off, there are not many options in this part of the city for bars which is located across the street from Union Transfer (small concert venue). As we were attending a show at 8pm at Union Transfer we met up for a drink and some food at Poison Heart. The vibe is a very darkly lit bar, heavy grunge music (think screaming, all screaming and rage), and a movie on a large screen in black and white from what looked like the 1950's. I started with the Yamanote Line (Midori, Japanese vodka, Tequila, Honeydew & citrus, bubbles). This drink packs a punch and I enjoyed it; it is a bit too sweet to have multiples of the drink, so I moved on to the Trouble Boy. Trouble boy consists of a Thai tea infused mezcal, aged rum, coconut, orange & lime, and nutmeg. Again, the drink was a bit sweet and now I am in for $32 for two drinks. They have interesting drinks for sure, but my gut told me they may be trying too hard to find a killer drink as neither of these really spoke to me except on raising my blood sugar pretty severely (I can watch in real time as I have a dexcom blood glucose monitor that shows my sugar). On to the food. Again, very interesting items. I went with the Keeg Veeg (fried eggplant, long hots, pickled carrot, cukes, cilantro, black bean paste & vega sriracha mayo). Now this item definitely cleaned out my sinuses. I only ate half as I didn't love the seeded bread. The sandwich reminded me of a Vietnamese hoagie. I enjoyed it but didn't love it. My friend got the Gary Cooper, which is a hand cut ribeye burger. The burger appeared to be very small but looked good. Couple tips based on my experience, do not get the Oyster River dry cider, my friend said it tasted like oysters and he had to send it back as it was undrinkable. All in all, the place wasn't bad but after the concert we had a choice to go back to this place or walk about half a mile to the nearest bar and that's what we did. The four of us each getting two or so drinks per person and some bar food came out to $267. This one is a one and done for me, but I appreciate they have some unique items on the menu.

    Photos
    Poison Heart - Double locked cherries  Cool industrial/80s new wave vibe. I did it.

    Double locked cherries Cool industrial/80s new wave vibe. I did it.

    Poison Heart - Yummy snacks! Loved the cheeseboard! Grilled oysters! Wings, oysters, fried shrimp.

    Yummy snacks! Loved the cheeseboard! Grilled oysters! Wings, oysters, fried shrimp.

    Poison Heart - On top of one of their cocktails

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    On top of one of their cocktails

    Avana - tradamerican - Updated October 2026

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