4. Restaurants

Amada

217 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19106
  • (215) 625-2450
  • Store is closed

Amada Menu

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  • Anthony Y.

    Most high end restaurants i have tried in my life have been quite the disappointment. Most often, I feel like I'm paying for ambience and service and lacking in the food department. This is not the case at Amada. The food is served tapas style, small plates..I'd save 5 or 6 plates for two people would be good. We started off with a free appetizer on the house which was delcious. We ordered several other delicious dishes. Everything was great from some of the best san gria i've ever had to some amazing calamari and flatbreads. I ordered 5 dishes and was thoroughly satisified with all 5. Can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • Jaime V.

    The place is great. Food is excellent, its expensive but worth every penny...Went on a friday night they had great entertainment too!

    (5)

  • Jeremy B.

    What can I say about Amada to do Mr. Garces' operation justice? A beautiful restaurant with great food/service for starters. I went to Barcelona this summer, experienced some great food and dishes and could not wait to try Amada, no disappointment involved. I had only one complaint-the table we were sat at was way too large for two, I could not hear most of what my gf was saying because of a combination of the table size and decibel level of the music, we were right under a speaker as well. I digresss on the negatives...The food was great, as authentic as it could be and fresh as well. We started with patatas bravas, a great tasting fried potatoes dish which we devouered in a minute. Probably the least authentic of everything we ate because the size of the plate with six shaped potatoes with spicy sauce for $5 is not at all similar to the large bowl of fried potatoes with sauce you get in Spain for 3 euros. They tasted authentic but $5 for six pieces of potato is a little much. We had the peppers stuffed with crab which was amazing and probably the best of all the dishes we had. We tried the fried peppers with sea salt, tasted just like I remember. The croquettes of ham were a litttle overfried but still tasted amazing. The flatbread with manchego, artichokes, mushrooms and truffle was excellent. I love the vegetarian options given,even though I am a carnivore through and through, a decent change. while gorging on meat and cheese. We ended this spectacular meal with the lobster and clam bomba rice-I cannot say enough to how good this was. I was happy to have a tradicional cafe con leche-not since my trip to Spain have I come across something this authentic in the way of coffee. I cannot wait to go back to get the feeling of Spain again because Amada has captured it.

    (4)

  • Valerie S.

    We came here for a friend's pre-graduation dinner. There were 10 of us and I'm pretty sure we ordered just about everything on the menu. We ordered a couple of cheese, garlic shrimp(which were delicious), the green salad with fava beans (one of my favorites), the artichoke/mushroom/black truffle flat bread along with the pork shoulder flat bread,grilled green onions(which were surprisingly good), we ordered the paella valenciana, which was pretty tasty but pretty heavy compared to the rest of the dishes,lamb chops, and spicy potatoes. Oh, I can't forget the numerous pitches of sangria (I think I lost count). I really liked this place.. the setting was great for us.. it was a bit strange that we were eating on a bench like table on a stage in the middle of the dining room. However, the bar area and the rest of the restaurant had medium lighting.. so it would have been suitable for a dinner with friends, dates, or a family dinner like ours.

    (4)

  • Jim M.

    Fantastic place! Were there last night and feasted on a never-ending stream of plates, each as good as the next. It really created a fun atmosphere. There was no coursing, plates are delivered as they come off the line. Once everyone had a bite, no one cared who ordered what, we just all sampled everything. Created a neat interactive experience. We never got to dessert, too many good tapas were ordered initially. Definitely would return.

    (4)

  • D. A.

    I think this is my favorite restaurant in Philly so far. We had to make our reservation 2 weeks in advance but worth it. Ambiance was beautiful. Hostess was very friendly and professional when our table was just 5-10 min late. By the time we got a drink at the bar the hostess was there with a tray to take our drinks to our table and transfer the bill. The food was freakin amazing as was the service. It was the perfect example of how a great server can make your experience perfect. He didn't hover but always appeared exactly at the right time to refill a drink or get us clean plates (with tapas this is important). Especially nice was when we had a goat cheese dish with toast and we finished our 4-5 pieces of toast but there was plenty of the goat cheese left. I didn't even really notice until a few minutes later he appeared with more toast - such a nice touch. Can't wait to come back again and bring some friends.

    (5)

  • Joanne P.

    I loved the food-generally all tapas they served. I'm pregnant, so it was a pity i could not taste their signature sangria, but my husband was happy with the white wine sangria he ordered. The ambiance, service was all satisfactory. Just one thing-if you do not like salty food, don't go with paellas! I have been craving for a good paella, and that was why we went to Amada in the first place. We patiently waited thirty minutes before it was served-and we couldn't finish half of it. I had to drink two bottles of water at home. Hope this helps!

    (3)

  • william d.

    So friggin expensive but I've never been so happy to throw down 12 bucks for one pepper with a little crab in it. The goat cheese with tomato is the best veggie dish ever. Love the dancers too, a real amazing date place.

    (5)

  • Shilpa P.

    Dinner at Amada has always eluded me....but I finally made it there recently - and for restaurant week too! Between our party of four we ordered almost every dish on their special menu - and every single item was great - but especially the cheeses, the veggie dishes and the chicken served with an egg on it. The red sangria was polished off very quickly - overall a great time! A little on the pricey side even with restaurant week - but still an epicurean's dream. Highly recommend!!

    (4)

  • John C.

    We just went to Amada on Sunday night for a friends birthday. We had 18 people in the back private room and we had a great time. The food was outstanding and the service was very good. My wife and I cannot wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Giggs A.

    Wow, if you enjoy quality food and have some money, check this place out. I recommend the chef's tasting menu bc it's a nice surprise. I'm not a big mushroom person but those sauteed mushrooms were damn ridiculous. Awesome ridiculous...pricey but well worth it.

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    So after reading all the reviews I decided this was a place I had to at least try once. I made reservations for my sister and I to go tonight and we came we saw we ate. Our reservation was for 6:15 we arrived at 6 and were seated right away. This was my first tapas experience so I wasn't sure what to expect but I really enjoyed it. I can see why they tell you to order 3-4 plates a person because the portions are pretty small for the most part. Between the 2 of us we finished off 6 plates including the dessert. It was really good. I can't even really list highlights cause it was all pretty good. The crab stuffed peppers were out of this world as were the scallops...I could've sat there and ate just those 2 dishes all night. We also got the spicy potatoes which were tasty as well as the short rib flat bread which I heard so much about ( which wasn't quite what I expected but it was pretty good) and the strip steak (I think that's what it was). We felt like pigs...each time a platter came out we devoured it within 2-3 minutes if that. And for dessert we had fried ice cream with a scoop of almond ice cream and hazelnut chocolate sauce...that was gone in about 30 seconds. I also tried a sangria which was actually really refreshing even though I'm not big on wine. For all this the bill came to about 80 not including tip. It can obviously get a little pricey but it was definitely worth it and it's some place I would go again when I have some extra money to spend. Also our waitress was very sweet as was everyone else that worked there. I can officially say that after this experience I'm on Jose's nuts and ready to try out his other restaurants!

    (4)

  • Vaia I.

    I had gone to Amada for a work related party and hadn't ever eaten there before. The food blew me away - every dish we tried was great! The Cordero Relleno was excellent - the lamb chops were tender and done just right.

    (4)

  • Dave F.

    Great restaurant - best thing to do is get the $45 option with $20 wine pairing - expensive but you get what you pay for.

    (5)

  • Sally f.

    there is a reason amada is contantly on on "best of" lists. its one of those top notch places you treat yourself to once every year. (or more if you are wealthly) because the price adds up fast!!! but come preapared to splurge. get the chefs selection. get the nice wine. converse with the "at your service" staff. and eat the best food you have ever had.

    (5)

  • Kristen P.

    I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at Amada. The chef does a terrific job of enticing all your senses and invites your taste buds to do a salty/sweet tango. Each dish was perfectly balanced with just enough flavor. The meats were left as just that--meat cooked to perfection--not doused and hidden under sauces. Sauces accompanied each dish and the diner was left to arrange each bite. I liked how each ingredient had a purpose, either it was placed on the dish for flavor (sweet, salty, or savory) or for texture. No plate had unnecessary components. Every ingredient was fresh and seasonal items, such as the heirloom tomato flatbread (one of my favs of the meal) were delicious! Overall, the portions were larger than some other tapas restaraunts I have been to, justifying the prices. I highly suggest doing the mixto of cheeses (choosing 3 for $15), as all the cheese are great and their accompanying sauces/salsas are even better. You really can't go wrong ordering any of these plates, as each plate is very thoughtful.

    (5)

  • Tanya L.

    Their tortilla espanola came straight from heaven, and their garlic shrimp sizzled. Paired with sangria, you cannot go wrong :) The plates burst with flavor and I would without a doubt return!

    (5)

  • Linda S.

    I've been walking past Amada for over a year, and finally took three friends for dinner last night. We were welcomed by a friendly hostess and seated within about five minutes after arriving. Our waitress was wonderful-- very knowledgeable and warm, without any of the pretentious airs you sometimes get at Philly's "hot spots." We happened to be in the back room, which was much quieter than the bar/restaurant up front, and once our meal began, it was fantastic from start to finish. Try some of the flatbread options, and if you're a mushroom lover, be sure to sample the shrimp/mushroom dish. It really is a great place to come with a group and suprise your tastebuds with some of Chef Jose Garces inventive dishes. We finished our meal with a few desserts to share, but our favorite was the deep fried vanilla ice cream accompanied by the hazelnut ice cream. Tip: go on a Monday night when other restaurants might be closed, but the crowds at Amada are a little more manageable.

    (4)

  • Alicia O.

    delicious. we ordered the chef special and just about served was great! very tastey food. although somewhat pricey it is worth it.

    (4)

  • E. J.

    I came here recently prior to seeing a play at the Arden and sat at the bar. I ordered the salmarejo -- like gazpacho (tomato-based soup), but smoother and garnished with a hard-boiled egg. In the hopes of reminiscing to my days in college eating this while in the cafes of Córdoba, I was a bit disappointed that it was salty and as such requested my water glass be filled on multiple occasions. Also, Im still at a loss that I have to request for bread in a Spanish restaurant.

    (5)

  • Will G.

    Amada is a great restaurant. My fiancee and I have only been here once, but it was a great experience. We loved everything but the lamb meatballs (which we thought were just OK), but all our other tapas were excellent. It is a pricey place, but worth every penny. We ordered 6-7 tapas and shared them all, which was a perfect amount. Definitely will be going back again.

    (5)

  • Lena W.

    The sangria here...amazing. The tapas...also amazing. The atmosphere...warm and, well, amazing. One of my favorite places in Philly that I definitely rave about to my friends and family.

    (4)

  • Sharon G.

    Great. I like Tinto better, but yummmmmm.

    (4)

  • Sharon W.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. The cheese pairings are spot on, the pork belly is melt in your mouth goodness, and the desserts are beyond words! It is a hard place to get in on Fridays and the weekends, but it usually isn't too bad on the weekdays. Btw, this is a great place for a girls night out because the drinks are so yummy! I love the drink "A Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown." Lastly, it's awesome the Chef Garces beat Bobby Flay on Iron Chef.

    (5)

  • Julie H.

    Really, my experience was 3.5-stars. An extra 0.5 star because of the diversity and creativity of the menu, and some of the other dishes might have been more delicious and less salty (see review below) than the ones I ordered. I wanted to be blown away because I've heard nothing but good things about this place, so I went to Amada with very high expectations. In retrospect, the food was okay, but would have been better if they weren't OVER-SALTED. Even for my parents, who engage in high sodium diets and are not that sensitive to salt. I woke up the next morning with very puffy eyes. The menu itself is extensive and creative. My dinner party ordered a few plates from each section. We got the following: - mixto cured meats (good) - melon con jamon (rectangular slices of cantaloupe that is bruleed on top, and wrapped in ham) --- deliciously refreshing - spanish octopus --- very good flavor and texture, but very salty - oysters with strawberry escabeche & cava granita --- just okay, but still salty - lamb meatballs & shaved manchego --- I'm sensitive to the game-y taste of lamb, so I didn't enjoy this. The other diners liked it though, but it was still on the salty side - gazpacho amarillo --- good, the avocado ice cream was a great complement to the soup - flatbread with artichoke & wild mushrooms, black truffles & manchego --- ohmygahhhhh so DELICIOUS. I will have dreams of this at night. - Quail with Chorizo, Chanterelle & Potato Escabeche & Harissa Mustard --- a delicious flood of umami, spiciness, and tangy-ness... still a bit salty - Warm Fava & Lima Bean Salad --- nothing special - Pan-Roasted Barramundi, Ajo Blanco & Grapes --- good! and yay! wasn't salty! For desert, we had the almond cake with roasted plum, which was good. But, they forgot the birthday candle that I requested for the birthday boy. :( Overall, it was good, but I don't think I'd go back.

    (3)

  • Susan J.

    Amada is a new upscale tapas restaurant in Old City. It's great for a date or a large group, although the tables are very close together, so your conversation is not very private. Amada offers swanky late night dining, and the white sangria, flatbread and strawberries in balsamic vinegar were DELICIOUS! Didn't care for the potatas bravas, though, but perhaps that's a matter of personal taste.

    (4)

  • Josh K.

    I went to Amada on 1/31/2010 with five others for the roast suckling pig. We sat near the front of the restaurant at a table with two benches. The atmosphere was nice. Although the benches weren't uncomfortable, per se, I did feel a bit fidgety throughout the evening because they were backless. We ordered a pitcher of red sangria and four tapas to share before the pig came out. I enjoyed the Sangria--it wasn't too sweet and the spicing was good. We got the patatas bravas, the shortrib flatbread, the melon with ham, and the fresh goat cheese with balsamic strawberries. I have to say, while all of them were enjoyable, none of them impressed me--they weren't new taste experiences, and the presentation was the main thing that made the dishes stand out. The patatas bravas were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the sauce was tasty. But, I think I could've made something similar myself for less money. It just wouldn't have been as pretty. The ham with melon was nice, but I wish there had been a bit more crunch from the caramelization, and a bit more ham. The goat cheese was yummy, but it was still just a cheese platter. The flatbread was the least visually appealing item, and while it had a nice cheesy meaty thing going on, the flavor kind of reminded me of something from Taco Bell. Taco Bell is one of my guilty pleasures, so I'm not knocking it, but I expected something more sophisticated at Amada. My last minor complaint was that the number of pieces that came with each plate varied, so sharing was a tiny bit difficult. Service was alright. Our server seemed a bit impatient and not very warm--I hoped she would give advice about how much to order unbidden, or ask if we wanted advice, but mostly she just sort of stood there. Servers took plates away a bit prematurely once or twice--there was a small amount of goat cheese that vanished, and later in the meal, after the pig, they took some not completely empty plates when my dining companions left them to feed the meter. Between the tapas and the pig and the pig and dessert, they brushed the table of crumbs, but the table was pretty clean, so it felt more intrusive than anything. The pig was the best part of the meal. They brought half of it tableside, with the head, and carved it in front of us and heaped it on a platter. Afterwards, they brought two plates from the other half of the pig, one with meat, and one with skin and the ribs. The pig was tender, juicy, greasy in a good way, and had good porky flavor. The skin was crispy. The sides it comes with were also really good. We had charred green onions with a romesco (?) sauce, rosemary white beans, garbanzo beans with spinach, and roasted fingerling potatoes. Everyone loved the white beans, which were very flavorful and buttery. The potatoes must've been roasted in pork fat, and were crispy and had nice porky taste. The garbanzo beans were also good, although the texture (I don't know if they were cooked al dente or if they were crisped somehow) was disarming--they were crunchy, which kept surprising me. And the grilled onions had a nice balance of sweetness, smoky charred flavor, and oniony flavor. Lastly, we ordered desserts--two saffron rice puddings, a brown butter cake with plums, and mixed berries with cream. The rice pudding had an interesting flavor, although some of us thought it wasn't as thick as we would've liked. The brown butter cake was good but pretty small. The plums were nicely spiced. And the berries with cream was simple but good. I also tried some cafe con leche--I don't usually like coffee, but I did like this. We got out spending about 64 per person, give or take a few dollars, which wasn't bad. I would definitely go for the roast pig again, which was a fantastic value. We wound up taking home a serious amount of the pork and sides. If I had gone just for tapas, I probably would have been pretty disappointed. Again, they were all decent to good, but not exceptional, and to actually make a meal of them would be quite expensive. It may have also been an off night, as one of my friends said that she remembered having had some of the same things previously, and they were much better.

    (4)

  • C K.

    Incredible Paella Valenciana and I could easily die happy in a bath of peach compote with sheep cheese. Thanks, Garces.

    (5)

  • Richard T.

    I've been to Amada many times over the year. I would say it is one of the best tapas. However, with my recent dinner visit I got a major stomach flu which I'm still recovering (4 days). I may have to think about going back again.

    (2)

  • Ti L.

    I might actually be able to live off the lamb meatballs and spicy potatoes. And the sparerib flatbread... and the desserts (make sure you save room)... I was in foodie heaven. Every dish seemed very simple, but once you bit in, it had these amazing layers of flavor that popped up. If you want to take a journey in your mouth, this is definitely the place for you.

    (5)

  • Peter A.

    An unexpected mindblower. I was in town on business and some friends and I stumbled in randomly on SuperBowl night only to have one of the best meals we've had in recent memory - and we've eaten at some pretty amazing places. It's an extensive menu and since none of us are Tapas mavens we surrendered ourselves to the 14 item (I think) tasting menu. The meal was a well paced procession starting off with flatbreads and cheeses, ending with Lobster a la Plancha and in between were; tournedos with foie gras, shrimp, charcuterie, tortilla, and...well it's all sort of a blur of beautifully presented plates with satisfying little explosions of perfectly juxtaposed flavors and textures. The room is quite handsome, the service was friendly and efficient, the specialty cocktails and sangria were quite good. The meal haunts me to this day...simply inspiring. The only negative is that they could use better ventilation in the open kitchen because my clothes were teasing me with scent a few hours later.

    (5)

  • Hels C.

    so far my favorite restaurant in philly. for starters go ahead and get the mixto of cheeses. they are glorious! salty & sweet combined to make a delicious combo. we ordered the queso de cabra (goat cheese & balsamic strawberries), manchega (came with truffled lavender honey), and cana de cabra (goat cheese with fig/cherry sauce). AMAZING. we knew from then on out it was going to be a tasty ride. 3 girls who can eat: 7 main tapas dishes + 2 desserts= stuffed! My favorites of the night were: their lamb special, the crab stuffed peppers & CREMA CATALANA ( which is a creme brulee but infused with lavender). This dessert caused us to exclaim adoring adjectives in spanish for over 5 minutes: FANTASTICO! MARAVILLOSA! EXCELLENTE! oh yes, their white sangria was wonderful as well, get ready to spend around $50 per person (unless you get their Lobster Paella=$78 for two). be nice and make friends with your waiter/waitress, they can hook you up with special comps like: 2 plates of tuna mix & an almond crisp to dip in chocolate. good times. cons: i sunk into the couch and the table edge was close to my chin ( i am not a short girl either) and the waitress ended up giving me a pillow to sit on. we were placed three to a small small table. also, I sat literally a foot away from the guy at the next table. he was sitting in my personal space, and we had to listen to his annoying date go on and on about how cheese/ham and bread are "lame" (while we were eating them). DO ask to sit in the back room, there is more ambiance and less loud and crowded, i think it makes for a better concentration on your food rather than your surroundings.

    (4)

  • J W.

    went to Amada on a regular bases when I lived in Philly, way before Chef Jose Garces won the Iron Chef title. we'd go for birthday dinner, graduation dinners and all kinds of occasions. i love the white sangria and melon con jamon. flat-bread is a great choice too! I can't really think of anything I don't like from here! we usually go and try out lots of different things. but my fiance and I were disappointed last time we went. most things were just over salty and over greasy. and everybody seemed a bit overwhelmed. however, the service was still great as always. we'd probably give it a try some other time.

    (4)

  • Keith R.

    Amada is a fun place and would be awesome for a big group. They mix trendy decor and good spanish tapas. The ingredients were all very fresh and delightfully prepared. In contrast to many of the restaurants we've been to lately, the waitstaff was very knowledgeable about both wine and food. If you like tapas you know a good patatas bravas is hard to find. Look no further. The patatas here were outstanding and we were chowing down hard on them. I thought the calamari ala plancha could have been a bit better, but for Philly this is by far the best tapas you're going to find. A fun place and good food make Amada worth a look.

    (4)

  • Griffin I.

    Although a little pricey for my wallet, this is the best substitution for authentic tapas straight from Madrid itself. Their tapas include such classics as: Albóndigas, Gambas al Ajillo, & Patatas bravas. Their sangria is excellent as well as their pallea. Highly recommended for any special occasion but not recommended for any day eating.

    (5)

  • Laurie B.

    The absolute best restaurant in Philadelphia (in my opinion). All small plates (Tapas). Can get surprisingly expensive: be careful. I recommend the Chef's Tasting Menu. They will make it according to the amount of people at your table. If you see something on the menu that you must have, inform your waiter, and the chef will be sure to include the item in the tasting(very accommodating). Stay away from the grilled meat and fish section of the menu: they're boring. In my opinion, the best dishes are the chilled asparagus, the filet mignon with foie gras and the crab stuffed peppers, but you truly can't go wrong. The cocktails are fun and innovative and their Cava (Spanish champagne/sparkling wine) is great and inexpensive. It is located in Old City on Chestnut, between Second and Third Street. Reservations for the weekends and Restaurant Week* are difficult, so notice would be appreciated. Chef Jose Garces also recently opened a second, smaller location called Tinto on 20th and Sansom.

    (5)

  • Philip K.

    Overall an excellent experience. Amanda probably has the best tapas in the city, really true to the real experience in Spain, albeit a lot more expensive. But that is not unexpected given the cost of rent, servers, overhead, etc. The atmosphere is happening and bustling and can be a bit loud. And to get a table in a thoroughfare it can be a bit tricky, but the tables in the back are much quieter. Food is excellent.

    (4)

  • Marie F.

    Visited here during the restaurant week and it was amazing. The food is so delicious and the portions are just right.

    (5)

  • L T.

    It's an okay Tapas restaurant. Service was friendly and the food was decent. But to be honest, I wouldn't come back here unless I had to. Iron Chef Jose Garces' other tapas restaurant, Tinto is soooo much better. I highly recommend going to Tinto over Amada.

    (3)

  • Simon M.

    Yep it was awesome. Tapas were super delicious. Reminded me of Spain. We loved the sangria. Get there early and have a drink at the bar. If you're taking a loved one out for a romantic evening I'd suggest the back dining room. Its a bit more intimate. The main room is cool too with a more boisterous feel its good for larger parties.

    (5)

  • Jeff M.

    I was here once last year and once this year and each time the service was appalling. Service during my first visit was arrogant and this past time deserves a whole explanation. My mother and I were seated at 8:25pm for 8:00 reservation on a Thursday night. We had a drink at the bar while waiting which should have been comped but was not. It took nearly 10 minutes for the server to come to our table, which are very uncomfortable because if you are sitting on the wall side your neck will be close to table height. When our server finally did come by our table she was not knowledgeable and her clothes and breath smelt like cigarettes. As someone who's worked in many restaurants I am 100% positive she was taught to mint after a smoke before returning to a table. The service itself was adequate but far from friendly. If I never had Spanish food in Spain I'd probably really enjoy this place. I know tapas are bold and unrefined but the tapas at Amada are to heavy with butter, oil and garlic. Grilled dishes such as lamb are very good. A salmon with a foam was also very good. If you order the chef's menu you will not believe how much you'll get. I cannot say whether or not I will ever be back at Amada. If I ever do come back it may be at the bar to escape the downfalls of the service and I'd certainly not order any tapas.

    (3)

  • Donnie V.

    Wow. Food was so tasty. Why did we wait so long to go here? So much flavor, done so well. Beautiful plates of unbelievably delicious food. The ham crochettas were like deep-fried jewels bursting with flavor. The short-rib flat bread was everything I like about food- umami, crispy, warm and cheesy with a touch of sweet. The chicken breast with truffle and egg was dee-lish and who knew I had mis-judged Lima beans for 35 years. The Lima beans in the white bean salad were so good, I take back my jihad against Lima beans.

    (5)

  • Lucy S.

    I've been to Amada a few times, and each visit I seem to find something new on the menu I love! Not only are its authentic Spanish tapas incredible, but the ambiance and setting of the restaurant is very pleasant and relaxing. I also found the service to be great. Though a little expensive, Amada's overall high-quality experience is completely worth it.

    (4)

  • Frank R.

    An elite restaurant that exemplifies why I love to go to eat. Perfect execution, great service and a beautiful interior are the reasons why Amada might be the best restaurant in Philadelphia. I went here for dinner on 12-April. This was one of the top 3 dining experiences I have ever had. The flavors weren't the boldest I have ever had but the way each component blended together showed great synergism. Each dish was clearly well thought out and planned. Everything on the plate worked together. The pork belly had a crispy skin that complimented the nice fatty aspect of the pork. The lamb chops were perfectly grilled. The chickpea dish tasted like a good summer BBQ with little crispy skins on the chick peas. The sangria was the best I have had at any restaurant. The servers were very professional. This is a HUGE asset to a place that serves food that some people might not be accustomed to. I can't wait to go back to Amada. Best restaurant I have been to in Philly!

    (5)

  • Amanda B.

    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!

    (5)

  • Diesel H.

    I love the menu and the topas style of food. really cool! They kept the food coming, when it was ready, they brought it out. Which is a win/lose situation. win because your food is warm, but lose because you can't all enjoy your meal together. I like that we were there for almost three hours from app to dessert. it was pretty cool to spend time with everyone [we had a party of 10]. They took great care of us. The prices were expensive and they actually forgot one of my dishes. I thought it would come out because everyone's food kept on coming, but after all was over I never got it. So I was really bummed about that b/c I was still hungry and never got my calamari, but everyone else was done so I wasn't going to order it that late. :( We may go back because our family likes it, however it wouldn't be my first choice. Oh and I almost bit the ground outside on that marble side walk because it was wet and slippery from the rain!

    (4)

  • Mallory D.

    In my opinion, the measure of an upscale restaurant is how their service measures up during Restaurant Week. Using this foolproof formula, Amada really wowed with not only great service, but unbelievable food and selection as well. Before diving into the tapas I hung out at the bar for a while. Their sangria was unbelievable, and everything the barkeeps were serving up looked fantastic. Of all the placed I've tried on the cheap during restaurant week, Amada had by far the best menu. Two things that stood out the most were The garlic shrimp and prosciutto and melon...some of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. Amada was an excellent restaurant experience. However, if you want to go the other 51 weeks of the year when it's not $35 price fix, you better bring the bankroll because it's not cheap.

    (5)

  • Shawn P.

    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.

    (3)

  • Katherine X.

    I hate to totally dog a place, especially when I was looking forward to it so much, but the positive reviews on here are blowing my mind. I feel like a large part of that must be chef buzz and novelty. The menu looks so exciting and tasty, and I admit I'm a sucker for small plates. We got: patatas bravas, lamb meatballs, ham croquettes, tortilla espanila, grilled chorizo, short ribs flatbread, crab stuffed peppers and maybe other things but I can't remember, due to the majority of the food being so tasteless and forgettable. Only thing paletteable were the lamb meatballs, but every other thing left both my date and me in awe of how they get away with it. The tortilla espanola really took the cake - it was gelatinous, dense, lukewarm, and without any semblance of flavor. It seemed like something you'd be served in the Hunger Games. I'll sum up the rest of the food by saying I've gotten better frozen apps from Trader Joes. Then, the service. We had about 5 different waiters and people coming to our table. I ordered a martini, and when I got it, it was so unbearably sweet, almost like something went wrong. Let me preface this by saying I have never in my years on this earth sent a drink back, but I did here. Since 10 minutes had gone by without seeing our first waiter I asked someone else if she could let our waiter know, which was met with a patronizing smile, then a mocking, audible-from-too-far-away 'that girl doesn't like her drink" to waiter 1, accompanied with a visible-from-too-far-away eyeroll. I don't love to send things back so I felt super uncomfortable. While we were waiting for our final course, hanging on to a shred of hope that it would be just mind-blowing and make up for our depressing dinner, our waiter asked if we wanted our check. We said we had not yet gotten the last course. He came back 15 minutes later and asked to clear our table...we had still not gotten the last dish, but it was fine we didn't want it anymore - he brought it out after another 10 minutes and took it off the check. They also took once of the drinks off. Due to this it ended up not costing much but you couldn't pay me to go back.

    (1)

  • Andy S.

    It's been 6-7 months since our visit. I went with my girlfriend. We ordered two Sangria pitchers. She got drunk and made the couple next to us very uncomfortable. I didn't make a big deal of it because I was in a state of food bliss. I don't remember the specifics of what we ordered... but we spent a good $125/$150 and I had no regrets. The best part of tapas is the portions aren't overwhelming, leaving plenty of room to try other items on the menu. Thank you Jose Garces.

    (5)

  • B G.

    Had dinner reservations on a Friday night here. Arrived early and was greeted by the hostesses. Decide to sit at the bar until our reservations. Luckily we did. Sasha the bartender was awesome. Not only was she attentive but she made several recommendations for our dinner. We were seated right at our reservation time and our waiter stopped to introduce himself and than proceeded to ignore us for the remainder of our meal. Luckily Sasha had made excellent recommendations, garlic shrimp and bacon wrapped figs. Would definitely go back for the food but hope for a better server.

    (4)

  • Wenjie C.

    I went to Amanda when I was travelling in Philly. It was one of the best surprises during my trip! Excellent menu and great service. I love the garlic shrimp and cheese steak! It was crowded, so I would recommand people to make reservation first. But I enjoyed my meal a lot even though I was sitting at the bar!

    (5)

  • Ricky J.

    Experienced by far the worst server I have ever had in a very long time!! A few friends and I decided to grab dinner before leaving Philadelphia for the holidays and we decided on Amada since we enjoyed the whole ambiance, food and drinks the last time we were here. When we arrived for our reservation at this establishment, the hostess greeted us with a warm smile and offered to take our coats and sat us at our table right away. Then, after getting settled at our table, Karey, the server/waitress, came to offer us water. After we ordered the sangría blanca, a few tapas and the paella valenciana, the waitress/ server did not visit our table and asked to see if there was a possibility that we needed anything else or even how the food and drinks were. We thought this was just the type of service she provided, but during the whole time in which we were waitress-less, we noticed that she was selectively not visiting our table. After we noticed this stark contrast in service we asked a nice gentlemen who was bring out food to another table for a manager. After speaking with the manager and explaining our horrible experience with the waitress, the manager was very attentive to our concerns with the waitress and handled the situation in a very professional manner. Overall, the ambiance of this establishment is great and not too loud. The sangría blanca was very flavorful and pretty on point in terms of sangría I have had in España and the paella valenciana was by far the best paella I have had in the states. Wish we could have had better service to accompany the wonderful and scrumptious food and drinks. So, if you do not want to experience horrible service that was selectively delegated by the waitress, then avoid Karey.

    (1)

  • Sara G.

    I haven't been here since my days of expense accounts and trade shows and corporate life, so we made a little lunch pit stop here today to revisit the delight that is Amada. Low key lunch time crowd, fantastic server (literally, she couldn't have been any more knowledgeable or friendly) and a to-die-for Mixto cheese plate to start off our meal. Really? Garlic dulce de leche? The ambiance as always was fantastic, the glasses of rose delightful, service top-notch (literally, I was thinking as she described the wine to us that this was one of the best of the best in town) and the Pernil (sandwich) to-die-for good. Places like Amada remind me of just how good the restaurant scene in Philadelphia is... this City has it going on.

    (5)

  • T. B.

    Man, I'm so disappointed. I came here for the 3rd time and finally had the mid range tasting menu. It was not worth what we paid and didn't even come with dessert! The main problems: no beef (no beef??) dishes, too much truffle oil served with too many of the dishes, dishes arrived sparingly for the first 3-4 courses, then suddenly all at once, as if they'd forgotten about us. I think you're better off ordering what you want from the menu. Service as always was great.

    (2)

  • Da X.

    My girlfriend and I ordered the chef's tasting to try out various dishes. Some of the dishes that came out were too salty to eat. The scallops had a salt finish that was basically inedible. Lamb and desert was good. If you are going for the tasting, be sure to come on an empty stomach as we were full by the end of the second course and still had a third round as well as desert.

    (3)

  • Mara B.

    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.

    (4)

  • Sarah K.

    I've been to Amada a couple times but last night was my first opportunity to go with a group of vegetarians like myself. We sampled quite a few options. My favorites were: Setas: Mix of grilled mushrooms. Buttery and hearty. Our waitress encouraged us not to overlook it and she was right. Berenjenas: Roasted eggplant with raisins and goat cheese. Perfect combination of sweet and smoky. Amada's Empanada: Delicious but pretty small given the price. If I had the $ I would eat 10 of these. Alcachofas Y Setas: the vegetarian flat bread option. Very satisfying for manchego fans. We also tried the Tortilla Espanola, Arroz Temporado and the Esclavada. All really nice but didn't stand out as much as the others. The only disappointment was the bread. Apparently the complimentary bread is not vegetarian. They brought out a spiced cracker with tomato dip that was very eh. Seems like they should be able to do a more interesting complimentary options for vegetarians.

    (4)

  • David D.

    Extremely enjoyable dining experience. Amada sits at a great location, and has a fun swanky (but not overly so) interior. This is tapas at its best in the US, and one can go a little haywire sampling various dishes. I know I did. My waitress recommended 3 to 4 courses, but I think I ended up doing 8 plus champagne! Here's a review of the experience...keep in mind I was dining with one other person, so a lot of these dishes were shared: 1) Complimentary flat bread and tuna (4/5): Oddly, I loved this, and I'm not a big bread guy. The flat bread had a nice consistency to it, and the tuna salad for lack of a better descriptor was extremely tasty 2) Aged Manchego with Honey (3/5): People go crazy over this dish, but I thought the honey was weird (too distinct) and I've had better cheese courses 3) Spanish olives (3/5): About standard. A whole bunch of different olives served in an olive-oil base. The presentation left something to be desired, but for $5 or whatever I didn't expect much 4) Salad Verte (5/5): Delicious mix of greens in a light vinaigrette dressing. Greens were super fresh and varied with items such as cut asparagus and a little avocado. PERFECT 5) Ham Croquettes (2/5): My partner ordered this. Big disappointment. Basically fried pieces of ham and cheese. it might sound good, but way too low brow for this place. I didn't touch it (rating is based on partner's interpretation) 6) Garlic Shrimp (5/5): This is where I started noticing the seafood is what Amada does best. Simple dish, but perfectly prepared and tasty 7) Crab-Stuffed Peppers (4/5): Crabs was moist, sweet, and perfectly fresh. I could have done without the weird cheese on top 8) Chickpeas and Spinach (5/5): Comes in a tomato sauce, some of the chickpeas are smoked. Absolutely wonderful mix of favors! 9) Setas (seasonal mushrooms) (3/5): Simply grilled seasonal mushrooms. Good, nothing spectacular 10) Paella Valenciana (chicken paella) (5/5): This is the classic dish (albeit sans seafood). My dining companion ordered this, but I couldn't help indulging...big time. Wonderful burst of flavors, textures, tons of food to share. At this point I felt like a giant beast 11) Sorbet trio (4/5): Can't go wrong with something lite at the end of this meal Waitstaff were decent, although I had to fill my own water. Servers were a mixed bag, some presented the food and explained it, others would brusquely plod down the dish with nary a thought on positioning or explanation. Go here for a fun time in a good environment, but keep in mind in the LeBan world this would be a 3-bell not 4-bell experience.

    (5)

  • Josh K.

    I kind of have a love/hate relationship with Amada. My wife loves going there, but I'm always a bit hesitant to go. I have to say my favorite item is the Sangria. I can drink that stuff all night long. As far as the small plates go, The portions are truly tiny. I usually end up in one of two situations: 1) We don't order enough food, 2) we order way too much food. There can also be a little sticker shock at the end of the meal, especially if you're still hungry, as the prices are pretty high for what you get. The food is average, and I get the feeling that the place is continuing to be pretty busy because of its reputation. Service was average, food average, atmosphere average. I guess I don't get what all the hype is about. As the place is completely average, I find it hard to recommend going or not. Maybe a good one time date spot, just for the experience? Sorry, I feel like my review is as lukewarm as my experiences there have been...

    (3)

  • Alka J.

    Awesome place for brunch! We made reservations on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. I was surprised by how empty the place was. There are 4 tables outside and we got one (3/4 were open when we arrived). Even though we sat outside the service was still great. We tried: Gazpacho - Amazing! The crab and avocado is so delicate and blends well with the yellow tomato soup. The soup was chilled and refreshing. The blend of flavors was incredible. Lemon Ricotta Pancakes - my favorite! I usually do not order pancakes when I go out (frankly because I love to make them at home) but these were so different than anything I've had. They were not fluffy, rather they were moist - due to the ricotta - and melted in my mouth. The flavor of lemon was very subtle. Salmon Ahumado - Another great dish. The salmon was good - nothing mind blowing - but the toasted bread it was served on was so soft. It came with a small portion of egg salad and the Mustard Crème Fraîche added a burst of flavor. Patatas Bravas - a little salty, but the potatoes were crispy and spiced well. I don't seek out fries or potatoes often, but these were notably delicious. I hear dinner is pretty good here - perhaps scene-y- but if you focus on the food, you'll be fine.

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    Food: Some dishes are great! Some dishes were a little salty, and the olives were soaked in too much vinegar. Service: well, if the food, aside from the super tart olives, was good and still they get 3stars you can guess. What gives!? The waiter was an idiot, duh I play football with the chef? Excuse me? Or erasing the CID on my credit card? He must have liked my friend or something. He also recommended the seasonal mushrooms.. hello, is freaking the middle of winter! I've hunted mushrooms, and there ain't any nowadays. Also, the restaurant was freezing! I mean really chilly, and then I had to wait outside for the vale myself... it's subzero and u send your customers into the cold to stand and freeze?? Sorry, I hope Iron Chef learns out to keep the wait staff etc in line the same way he keeps his kitchen staff. I'm never going here again!

    (2)

  • Brian L.

    Been waiting to have dinner here for a longggg time. Finally got around to going a few weeks ago. We sat at the chef's bench overlooking the kitchen. It was really awesome seeing everything happen and everyone moving around so quickly. Though it is pretty rough sitting on a bar stool for a long dinner...didn't quite consider than when I made the reservation... We (me and the gf) ordered La Mesa de Jose, which is the chef's "tasting" menu. There were three different levels and with my "gotta try it cause I don't know when I'll be back here" attitude we ended up getting the highest one. We also got the lower (4oz., I think) wine pairing to go with the meal. They gave you three total, 2 red and 1 white. The first dish that came out was some sorta flatbread/cracker with a tuna/capers dip - don't remember what it was called...not bad, definitely wasn't expecting this type of dish though. Another dish came out shortly which was oysters in cava granite and strawberry escabeche and immediately followed by a three cheese platter of garrotxa, la peral, and manchego with the respective sauces/spreads (garlic dulce de leche, currant pistachio salbitxada, and truffled lavender honey) with slices of bread and green apple. Both the oysters and cheese platters were good. The sauces complimented the cheeses pretty well. After that they brought out the ensalada de jamon which was a fig salad, spiced almonds, and cabrales cheese wrapped in serrano ham. The mixture of all these things was delicious! It was sweet, crunchy, and salty. Next was the alcachofas y setas which was a flatbread with mushrooms, artichokes, black truffles topped with thin slices of manchego...very tasty. Following the flatbread were piquillos rellenos (two crab stuffed peppers) and pulpo a la gallega (grilled? Octopus with a smoky paprika flavor). Both were pretty good, though I really enjoyed the octopus, it might have been the smoked paprika too. I've used it in cooking before and it works magic! Once we finished the octopus, they brought out slices of yellowfin tuna with a potato salad. The tuna was alright, not something I would order if I came back though. Esparragos con trufas was the next dish which was grilled asparagus with truffles, poached egg, and topped with fried mahon cheese. Ehh..I've grown to appreciate asparagus over the years but for some reason I didn't really enjoy this dish. Just when we though the meal was coming to an end they brought out lamb chops drizzled with a green sauce (don't remember what it was). Wow...so good...some of the best lamb I've ever had. Cooked perfectly, very tender, tasty, and flavorful. I want it now! Then...there's another plate! Entrecote a la catalane which was sirloin slices atop spinach served with goat cheese and membrillo. This was just as good as the preceding lamb...though it definitely couldn't top the lamb IMO. Finally the plates were done and we were asked about dessert. We ordered from the helados y sorbetes section of the menu since we didn't want anything heavy and a sorbet seemed to be a good choice. We ordered the blood orange sorbet, which was really, really yummy. The experience at Amada was fantastic. From the friendly hostess to the good waiter, and the several runners serving the food. The restaurant was comfortable and perfect for a relaxing meal/date. The meals & service was quick...they served one plate after another! The only reason the meal was long was because we did the tasting menu. I wish we had known that when you order from the helados y sorbetes section that it comes with three scoops...we totally woulda tried 2 other flavors! Probably my only complaint would be that dessert should be part of a "tasting"/course menu. It was kind of a bummer realizing that we still had to pay extra and dessert wasn't included... They do offer a chef's tasting of desserts (though we had absolutely no room to do that). I love this place...and I will definitely be back., when I can find the money to do so haha.

    (5)

  • Heesun K.

    After listening to all these compliments about Amada, I was excited to try this place. Temporada white wine sangria. Mixto cheese plate: Aged Manchego (Truffled Lavender Honey), Fresh queso de cabra (Balsamic Strawberries), and.. forgot the 3rd one.... Spanish Octopus and Braised Pork shoulder Flatbreads, Lamb chops and Prime Sirloins: MUST TRY! All of these were delicious. Would definitely come back for these. Some things I didn't like:: Garlic Shrimp - not a big fan since it was too salty for me (i think) Escalivada - none of us enjoyed it. EH- I've been to Tinto, Amada, Chifa and Village Whiskey..and I like Amada the best - I think the portions were actually more generous than Tinto and Chifa (surprisingly ;) ).

    (4)

  • MaryKate M.

    I liked everything I had just fine...I would give it all 5 stars if I thought it was any different than all of the other Garces food I've had. Really good food, not good if you are a common restauranteur and already tried Garces Trading Company, for example.

    (4)

  • Ingrid W.

    Amada, I have been to you a few times and I was hoping to be able to write a stellar review after I went last night for restaurant week. However, I regret saying it was a pretty bad experience. To start the food, it was brought out way to fast, and they didn't even change our plate between the 1st and second course, which is something I know they do normally. As a matter of fact it only got changed after we had to send some food back, and we were waiting for it to arrive again, ie it was changed for one dish. We were left eating off of dirty plates the whole time. First Course: Garrotxa with garlic dulce de leche - the best item we had from the first part of the menu. Serrano Ham - the ham as eh, it wasn't anything special. The Dijon that came with it was way to overpowering, i mean i put almost none of it on and it was all I tasted and could still have my sinuses cleared out. Also I don't understand giving 4 pieces of bread for 6 pieces of ham. Escalvida - the 4 pieces of bread were pre spread with the goat cheese, and it was so thin, that you could barely taste it., The roasted vegetables that came with it tasted good, but was a bit on the greasy side. Croquetas de Jamon - they tasted ok, they were not stellar, but were not terrible. We had to send them back the first time as they were brought out cold, the second time they were luke warm. The one redeeming thing about this was the sauce that they were sitting on. Second Course: Beef flat bread: It tasted great, although some parts of it seemed to be lacking some meat. Lubina al pescador(sea bass): The sea bass was cooked perfectly, although there was an odd flavor in the potatoes, but I have to say this dish overall was excellent, due to the way the fish was cooked. Scallops: Probably one of the best items of the night. The presentation was interesting, but the flavor was amazing. Madre e Hijo: This dish I have had before and had no issues with. However, we had a lot of problems with it last night. 1) it was first served with an over cooked egg. So we sent it back, as the yolk was almost cooked through. 2) The second dish had less than half the amount of chicken on it and it was over cooked and dried out so it as sent back again 3) This one was finally made well. Dessert: I tried both. The chocolate one is heaven. The vanilla one was eh. PS this is not the first time I had issues with how the food was made, on a previous visit I had the garlic shrimp and there were more red peppers in it than shrimp making it completely inedible due to how spicy it was. Service: The one issue I have is that you think when people keep getting overcooked food, or cold food that you would send over the manager to talk to them. NOPE no one came over to talk to us at all. Our server asked in passing oh is this one better and then walked away. The dishes were brought out a bit haphazardly, In my experience usually in the first course you get the cheese and meat first and then get the hot food. We got the cheeses last and it was kind random. I am glad I was sharing all of the items with my friend, otherwise there would have been many times where only one of us would be eating. Needless to say after this being my favorite restaurant to go to, I will be hard pressed to come back here again.

    (2)

  • Lauren T.

    Wanted to take advantage of the last night of Restaurant Week. We gambled on finding a spot at the bar and snagged the last two spots. $35 per person got us enough food to feed four people. Thumbs up for the ensalada verde (a huge mountain of asparagus, avacado, fava and green beans) and the scallops. Oh man, the scallops. These rival the best. Grilled and skewered and drizzled with a ridiculous parsley sauce (I realize it's probably not the parsley that provided thYe flavor, but it's sticking in my head for some reason). Not so thrilled with the chickpeas and spinach (tons of paprika give this an overpowering smoked flavor) although the bartender did warn me about this upfront. The bartender was attentive and knowledgeable and very understanding when we accidentally ate someone else's beef brochettes - oops. The red sangria was notable and strong and poured from barrels lining the wall behind the bar. The watermelon and basil sangria was a little too sweet, though I admire the attempt at the combination. Overall, very happy with Garces' flagship.

    (4)

  • Grace G.

    We went to Amada with a group of 7. We aimed to do 3-4 plates per person, doubling some of the more popular items so there was enough to share. It ended up being fairly expensive, but we did order a lot. I'll just note the highlights out of the 21+ items: Lemon Rosemary Martini (aka tie me up, tie me down) Ensalada Verda - very tasty dressing, ordered 2. Lamb Meatballs All of the flatbreads were phenomenal, with shortribs and then duck being the favorites. (ordered 2 of each of those) Tuna Tartare (special) Salmon

    (5)

  • Nguyen K.

    Out of 9 dishes that we ordered, only enjoyed 2 dishes so don't know what all the rave is about. There's a much better tapas restaurant if you ever visit Las Vegas called Firefly (we went to the one in downtown Vegas). At Firefly, all the dishes were excellent and enjoyed by everyone in our party of 12. If you come here, you should definitely order the crab-stuffed Piquillo pepper and wild mushrooms. Can't say much about their other dishes. This place is overpriced for the taste.

    (2)

  • Kevin D.

    Let me start this review by saying that I have been to Spain and I am quite familiar with traditional Spanish cuisine -- when I was in Spain I did nothing but eat regional dishes cooked by locals and traditional restaurants for two weeks. Never EVER, in a million-billion years, did I ever think that I could find Spanish cuisine that came anywhere close here in the States. Chez Garces certainly proved me wrong. Garces is Spanish, so these are true Spanish tapas -- very few Latin American twists to the traditional recipes. You'll find tapas and wine from all regions in Spain -- of which I sampled on my last visit to Amada. Tapas from Catalan, Segovia, Toledo, Madrid and wonderful wines from each region to compliment every bite. Every detail of your meal is thought out -- right down to the sparkling water... Absolutely check this place out if you haven't -- it is a MUST-go when you're in Philly.

    (5)

  • Andrew S.

    Probably the best dining experience of my life! Everything was delicious, you can't go wrong with anything on the menu, and the cocktails and sangria were outstanding. I admittedly got suckered in by the whole ICA Food Network thing, but this place more than lived up to the hype. I'd recommend the garlic shrimp and clams & chorizo, and the Matador for a cocktail. A surprise hit was the beef shortrib flatbread. According to my dame, the braised rabbit pasta and linguine with calamari, clams and scallops were also mind-blowing. For dessert we had the saffron rice pudding and dark chocolate custard, both winners. To top things off, we even had great service, which is never a guarantee in Philly.

    (5)

  • Yvonne W.

    Very impressive. And I loved the pig at the front when you walk in.. If only it were real.. We had a reservation to eat here on a very busy night and were given a table overlooking the chef's kitchen. We sat closest to the dessert plater, who definitely knew what she was doing. It was a lot of fun to watch all the chefs at work. Tapas that we had here that were memorable include the lamb meatballs (with some unbelievably good truffle and sauce), the pork shoulder flat bread, and the complimentary tuna tapenade (?) with flat crispy tortillas. The sangria here is delicious with a special touch - some chopped rosemary. It looked and tasted beautiful. When our check came, we were also presented with a pretty half-tube-shaped almond cookie. It was so good that I was tempted to ask for another to eat on my way out. This place is definitely a winner, though not a good value place to eat at honestly: we had the artichoke dish, which was literally 3 halves of an artichoke heart. While they were delicious, it was hardly worth $3 a piece. The portions here are a bit on the sparse side, even for a tapas restaurant.

    (4)

  • Vahan A.

    Good wasn't bad. Service wasn't bad either but wasn't "pro" level. Forgot to bring our drinks, then more... several times. I have to leave 2 stars but not more.

    (2)

  • Loy G.

    i left amada during restaurant week utterly unimpressed. however, with so many glowing reviews, i felt the time was right for a second chance. i came back with reinforcements because i refused to let garces and amada disappoint me and had a truly contrasting experience. tapas in general should be a meal tackled by at least four friends. for me, it's all about sharing food and wine and trying to get as much of the menu as possible. this time, i definitely had one of the most memorable food experiences since moving to philadelphia. three weeks later, i'm still salivating over a select few items. the queso de cabra is a classic tapas dish that amada does perfectly. a large portion of creamy baked goat cheese on tomato basil marinara with crostinis for dipping seemed to be plated in a never-ending bowl. the datiles con almendras are bacon wrapped dates, which sounds weird but it's an incredible single bite of food. the aged manchego isn't the greatest cheese ever but combining this with the accompanying truffled honey makes this a game changer. and even though i usually hate truffle oil, the truffled honey was one of the best things i've ever tasted. lastly, we tried almost all of the desserts, but the pear clove sorbet just seemed to steal the show. an amazingly sweet and fragrant scoop of ice cream, i would make sure and add a scoop of that to any of their desserts. essentially, these are all must haves on my list for my next trip to amada. i can't wait to go back and try the paella or lechon for a special occasion.

    (5)

  • Lydia H.

    My boyfriend and I tried Amada for the first time last September for a special occasion. The location itself is prime realty in Old City, and the interior is unlike anything I've ever seen. We ordered five different items from the menu along with a pitcher of sangria. The food was beautifully prepared and the timing of the courses was perfect. Each course was two or three bites per person and just the right amount. The sangria was delicious, and our waiter was attentive. The only drawback to this wonderful place is the actual space that they have inside the restaurant. It is not a big location to begin with, and they have crammed more tables in than necessary. Sliding into the booth side of the 2-tops that are lined up is uncomfortable to say the least when you are almost on top of the couple next to you. A little more spacing would do everyone, including the waiters, some good. I am looking forward to my next meal at Amada. It's definitely not a place that you could go every week for dinner - the whole experience is just that, an experience. It is a little pricey and best saved for a special occasion.

    (5)

  • Andrea G.

    This may be one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. I always walk out of Amada completely satisfied and happy and full! No matter if your getting the tasting menu or the pig (remember to call ahead for the pig) you will have a great experience. My favorite dishes are Costillas de ternera, the wagyu sirloin, shrimp and believe it or not the lima bean salad. No matter what you decide to try you'll love it. Another great thing about Amada is that its not nearly as cramped as some of Garces other places or any place in Philly for that matter. All around a great experience.

    (5)

  • Aubrey H.

    Went here with a group of 10 for restaurant week. It was amazing!! Loved every second of it. The sangria was incredible! I recommend the scallops and garlic shrimp!

    (5)

  • Frank M.

    May be the best restaurant in the city. Consistent quality, attention to detail, and well executed dishes make Amada hard to beat

    (5)

  • Matthew L.

    My wife and I were in town for a business trip, and couldn't wait to try this place. We went on Friday at 9:30pm. We didn't have a reservation, but luckily there was a cancellation and they sat us immediately (how lucky can you get). The place is beautiful, a mix between french country kitchen, upscale gastro pub and charcuterie. There were some really great dishes, and a few things which were so so. First off, mixed drinks. We tried three different ones, dark habits, broken hugs, and tie me down. They were all a bit too sweet for my taste. The mixed drinks are something I'd pass on. There were three dishes which I would list as good as anything I've had. They served a fig and spinach salad wrapped in serrano ham which was excellent. We also had the Spanish octopus, which was cooked perfectly. The dish I was most partial too was the roast pork and white beans. It reminded me of chinese style suckling pig. Tender and delicious with just the perfect texture of crackling skin. There were a couple of dishes which were just okay. There signature dish is a chicken breast with truffles and a friend egg. It was okay, but not spectacular. I would also pass on the flat breads. I found them to be a bit salty. The restaurant was pricey, but not over priced considering the quality. I would like to try the roast suckling pig another time (needed to be preordered).

    (4)

  • Sarah C.

    Pretty solid. Everything was tasty, and I love tapas so much I don't think I could be unhappy with Amada. That being said, everything was really rich. I might be in the minority, but I like it when a meal includes vegetables, not just meat and cheese and starch. We ordered some of the vegetable-based tapas, like the fava beans, but those were not very good. It's not too hard to make something taste good by piling on oil and cheese (and serrano ham and chorizo...mmm....), but making vegetables taste that good takes a little more work. But I sympathize with restaurants on this- no one makes a name for themselves for having amazing sauteed spinach. But anyways. Everything else was very tasty, and they had some very nice cocktails as well.

    (4)

  • Billy Z.

    Yes... I'm giving this place 5 stars because it was exactly what I needed... I had had the longest of long days. I was in town producing a Rocky Parade. That's right - a parade of 1000 Rockys. Followed by a celebration of Rocky on the plaza of the Philadelphia Museum of Art... So - after putting in a 10 hour work day on a Sunday, I wanted to treat myself to a nice meal. How to find such a place when 2000 miles from home? With the Yelp... The walk over took me right past the Liberty Bell and Constitution Hall, a great bonus for an out-of-towner. When I arrived there WAS a homeless, pantless man sitting outside, but I choose to not blame the restaurant for that!!! Food was stellar... The only middling reviews I've seen on here are from people who ordered sampling dinners, then ended up with some stuff they didn't like... Well - order what you like then!! All of the dishes I had were complex without being overwhelming. And, contrary to how I normally consume food when alone, I took my time and savored every bite. Thanks for the great meal, Amada. Open up in LA!

    (5)

  • Retta H.

    One of Garces' better Philly restaurants. Ambience, food, service are all good. Flatbreads are awesome. Great deal for restaurant week. If you haven't gone, go during restaurant week because it is pricey at other times (like all tapas places). Great pitchers of Sangria. Tight space on the weekends, but obviously that means its good!

    (4)

  • Alexander S.

    First off, if you're going for the first time, just do it right and get the tasters menu. . My favorite dishes were the steak on a skewer and the lamb chops. The steak was American Kobe which was sinful, the steak just melts in your mouth its so tender. The lamb was my favorite though full of fat and flavor just like I like.

    (5)

  • Erin s.

    I just went here for the first time tonight for an anniversary :) it was the best meal i've ever had at a restaurant. i had the beer tasting menu, and i know that i limited myself by not liking fish, but they cater to your likes and dislikes, it's amazing. the service is wonderful, everyone is so kind, explaining every meal to you... but lets get down to the highlights: MERGUEZ. CHEESE PLATE. CHICKEN SALAD LAMB SAUSAGE (the one thing i didn't like was the green bean almondine) oh wait. that was my whole meal. please, everyone, have a sincere visit here because it was so wonderful.

    (5)

  • Mindy C.

    OH MY GOODNESS. Beautiful, yummy food!!!! I went there last night with a group of older, well-traveled classical pianists and violinists (read: they've had enough wine and jamon Iberico receptions in Salamanca, Granada, & Barcelona to know their tapas), and we were all very impressed by the quality of the food. While eating there can do some damage to your wallet, it is a classy establishment after all-- and the cost of our dinner came out comparable to dining at a run-of-mill sushi joint. Def a place to come for a nice date considering 1) you get exquisite tapas s and 2) the 5 of us actually all got full from sharing 10 items. My favorite? Shrimp and Wild Mushroom Shirred Eggs w/ Truffled Toast! Aside from the mouthwatering delicious morsels, I was equally impressed by the quality of service. After we had ordered desserts, our waiter came back and informed us that they had just run out one of the items. In compensation, he asked us to pick another item, and gave us all desserts on the house! That is five $8 items on the house, just cuz they ran out of one thing. I was astounded. This is the nicest service I've ever had in Philly! I think my partner and I will be going back there for our upcoming anniversary...

    (5)

  • Carrie E.

    Despite the fact that it's usually quite crowded, I keep going back to Amada again and again. I highly suggest you order the Chef's Tasting Menu - it's like playing Russian Roulette but instead of guns and possible death there's food and happy tastebuds. Don't skip the sangria, either. It's the best I've ever had, and trust me, I've had a lot of sangria in my time. Give yourself a full evening to enjoy your dining experience at Amada, because it's like a food orgy. The food just keeps coming and coming...was that too much information?

    (4)

  • Amanda F.

    My boyfriend and I had the chef's selection, which I highly recommend. It's comprised of several plates making up several courses, all paired with the chef's recommended wine choices. We had the house cured sardines, wild mushrooms, green salad with asparagus and manchego, a cheese plate (which included pairing cheeses with things like honey, quince and nutella - yum!), flatbread with braised pork shoulder, sizzling shrimp and garlic, steak with goat cheese mousse (my favorite) and so much more. The food was delicious all around; the wine was paired perfectly; and the service was fantastic. I never felt rushed - in fact, we asked the server if she would wait a few minutes between the courses so we could pace ourselves, and she was lovely about it. I thought it was a beautiful dining experience - delicious, innovative food, and fantastic service. I might not be able to afford to go to this restaurant often, but it's the kind of place that is actually worth the money when you do go.

    (5)

  • Douglas C.

    I went there with my wife for our 11th anniversary dinner and it didn't disappoint. The restaurant itself is beautiful if a tad noisy. We did the tasting menu (La Mesa De Jose) with the wine pairings and the food was amazing. The Ensalada de Jamon was our favorite. The wines were very good as well. We finished with the Mixed berries, Cava Gelee and Creme Fraiche Ice Cream - Wow that was good. The Saffron rice pudding was good as well. The food at Amada will be enough to "get happy" but we also saw Danny Bonaduce outside the restaurant. Apparently he lives close by and is a Philly radio personality.

    (5)

  • Sean G.

    Food: 4.0 Stars The quality of ingredients is excellent at any Jose Garces establishment. The 'chef's choice' is highly recommended and adds a sense of excitement and mystery to your restaurant experience. The tapas tend to be well prepared and taste delicious; Some of the same tapas can be found at the Garces Trading Co. for cheaper. While the food is delicious, the variety of preparations does not change between his other well known restaurant. Once you've tasted a meat prep, it will be the same across the board, diminishing the experience at another restaurant of Chef Garces. Service: 4.5 Stars The service at Amada is impeccable. The servers are knowledgeable about the dishes they are serving and they work diligently to provide attentive service to the table. I was very impressed with the attention to detail that the staff possessed. Ambiance: 4.0 Stars The restaurant is beautifully decorated. Your experience very much will depend on how busy the restaurant is and where you get seated. Some of the seating can be very cramped and the tables are long causing you to feel disconnected from the other members of your party, particularly if you are on a date. I would recommend sitting in an area where you and your significant other can share one side of the table. It will help with the dining experience, particularly if you have sharing a variety of tapas. Otherwise, a very well decorated and beautiful restaurant. Price: 3.0 Stars Amada is on the upper level pricing of Tapas restaurants. Depending on how you order and if you buy wine/alcohol, the price of a meal for two can reach $200-250. With the chefs choice and wine pairings, this level of cost is to be expected. While the meal is fantastic and a fun experience, it is a little bit more than it is worth. Location: 4.5 Stars Amada is located in a great location in Olde City, right in the heart of the area surrounded by other top restaurants and bars. The area is great for after dinner drinks and the restaurants location fosters a good dinner and evening on weekend/weekday nights. Overall Impression/ Miscellaneous: 4.0 Stars Amada is a great restaurant to go to with someone who you want to have an interactive tasting experience. If you are looking for the full experience, be ready to pay a little bit more than you might expect but overall the experience is worth it. The bar is great, the food is delicious, and while the same foods can be found at other Garces restaurants, Amada is still a unique experience.

    (4)

  • Mike D.

    Went here last summer before my girl's sister went abroad to Spain. Food was very good but unfortunately I don't remember what I had. The atmosphere was great with live music and dance and it helped it was a cool summer night. I distinctly remember both the light and dark sangria and how amazing they both were.

    (4)

  • Nik B.

    I am hesitant to toss out a 5 star rating...but I have to. This may not make sense: I like the act of going to dinner more than the physical act of eating. I'm a fan of nice decor, an interesting menu, a good vibe and great drinks. Amada is off the chart in each regard. I would never tell someone what to order..but if you walk out of this place without drinking a sangria and eating the stuffed peppers, your bad. My only beef is the seating arrangement in the dining area. They stuff you in like sardines. My girlfriend and I had no choice but to hear two really weird conversations going on at each table next to us. You're literally that close. Having said that, still a 5. Go here.

    (5)

  • Cherryl L.

    I celebrated my 32nd birthday in here for dinner with friends. While most of our friends wanted the chef's tasting menu, I opted to order from a la carte menu. I had the Fresh Queso de Cabra / balsamic strawberries- i like the balance of goat cheese and reduced balsamic strawberries. Patatas Bravas- only 6 pieces, it was ok but the sauce that came was it's a lil spicy but only mild! Lamb meatballs & Shaved Manchego- i find the meatballs very salty Boquerones white anchovy, pine nutes and olives- i loved the white anchovy . the olives was shared with my friends Baked Goat cheese, tomato basil and almonds- it was A-ok i actually ordered this first but it came to me the very few last meals so by the time I get to this i'm actually getting to be full already!!! I had Leche Frita- Fried Vanilla Cream, chocolate hazelnut sauce, hazelnut ince cream- i love the the hazelnut ice cream it seems like i'm eating a jar of nutella. i didn't like the fried vanilla cream it tasted like custard inside and it's not cream... this is the 2nd tapas bar i love i wish they make tres leches cake!! then it would have been perfect!!

    (4)

  • X Z.

    Love this place! Came here on a weekend trip in May for a wedding. Having gone to school in Philly, I always love coming back for the city's culinary treasures. This was our first time at Amada and we will definitely be back! (luckily, another Philly wedding in September. Heehee :) The food was amazing. Hubby and I did the $65 chef's tasting and I think there must have been a dozen or more dishes. All the dishes were just bursting with flavor and character. Everything was delicious but some of the unexpected standouts include an olive caramel dip that came with the cheese plate. I'm normally not an olives fan but that was delicious and perfect with the manchego. The asparagus with poached egg on top was surprisingly good too- never had asparagus so perfectly cooked. Each spear had a "gentle" crispness to it and just this very subtle natural sweetness. Yum! So many dishes so little room in my stomach to enjoy it all. The only complaint we had was the portion (too big!) and pacing of the dishes. We didnt know how many in all there would be and they brought dishes out in clusters of ~3. About 8 courses in, the "main" courses started coming out and we were already stuffed! Broke my heart to not be able to do the rest justice (so perhaps a 4.5 rating is more appropriate.. but who's counting?). Love love love the food!!

    (5)

  • Autumn E.

    An unfortunate piece of old city restaurant culture is an undertone of demand for high-end patrons. It's like the area has earned the right to have a selective focus group, which excludes those that save up money to go there. So, Amada has this undertone. They have an open kitchen, but don't detour by it to see it or you're kind of looked at like you're too interested. Be cool- this isn't benihana. The napkins are nice quality. The bathroom hand towels are the light linen-like high quality hand towel. We came slightly under-dressed, so they sat us at a high-top by the bar. And we weren't even dressed casually. Like they only wanted SUPER nice clothing in their main dining room? They send out a complimentary app of the night, and a light desert bread. But the tapas are just what you expect... tapas. A light meal at most if you get a meat. It's definitely pricey, and without a gift certificate we probably wouldn't go there because it's not worth the cost for such tiny food. VERY high quality food, but 3 bites each dish. Ouch.

    (3)

  • Jaime W.

    Like, whoa. Okay, so I'm never for Philly...I'm a New York sort of broad, and believe that everything in New York has to be better than anything in Philly, food included. Then I went to Amada. So, I kind of have the hook up at this place, so I got to kind of try whatever the hell I wanted for kind of next to nothing. The wine was killer. The Alvarino that I got (sorry, I don't know the winery it was from) was fantastic. The beer selection seemed to be great, I know it made my hubby happy. The food. Get the Serrano ham salad with the figs. If you don't try anything else at this place, make sure you try that. I know, I know it's just a salad...but it's the best damn salad you'll ever eat. You will not regret this decision, I can promise you that. The grilled lamb was cooked to perfection, the clams were awesome, the pulpo more tendor than I've ever had. One thing that I never normally would have ordered was brought to us, the Rivuelto (shrimp and wild mushrooms with shirred eggs) and it was unbeleivable! Every single thing we had here was perfectly prepared and tasted fantastic. The wait staff is great, and very helpful with recommendations, and the bartender is equally as knowledgeable when it comes to anything beer, wine, or liquor related. I only gave 4 stars because it's far from me, and that makes me jealous of everyone that can get here easliy. All in all, at the end of the day, New York is still better than Philly (for the most part), but there is something that I can say New York is lacking, and it's definitely Amada.

    (4)

  • Anjali M.

    I really liked Amada. But I don't think I came with the right outlook. This would be a 3.5 star review but I had to round down because I wasn't quite full from my food. I came here for a birthday shindig. I was really excited to come because I kept hearing these awesome things about the place. And that excitement stayed with me while entering the establishment, getting seated, and drooling over the menu. But then we received our food. As much as I loved all the dishes I got to sample (patatas bravas, alcachofes y setas, escalavida, salmon con alcachofas), I wasn't too keen on the portion size. I appreciate the fact that Amada uses top ingredients and their presentation is fabulous, but I totally didn't read that this was a tapas bar before I went. In a large group split amongs two tables, it was hard to coordinate such dishes because everyone wanted their own thing and not for the whole table. It was just bad coordination on our part. One solid deal though was definitely the sangria. It was like those typical cliches where you go to a nice restaurant and don't get enough portions, but that was my fault for not realizing what to invest before I came. I will visit back with that in mind now though and with a more intimate group to get a fuller experience. And probably with a more pleasant mood (I think I was behind in class or something, so studying was in the back of my head).

    (3)

  • Danielle F.

    Excellent meal! I went alone during a conference and enjoyed my experience at the chef's table. The tapas I had provided a great culinary experience. I will be dreaming about each dish, including dessert for years to come.

    (5)

  • Rocco R.

    Went to Amada for the first time and LOVED it!!! I think it was the combination of the flavorful food and accomdating staff. Everyone working was very friendly and helpful, I felt like a GUEST and not a customer!! The food was great!! Went to spain this summer and ate at an authentic tapas restaurant and I felt like the food at amada was more authentic then the food we actually had in Spain. Some of the more memorable dishes were the Manchego cheese with lavender truffle honey. omg so good. The little potatos were delish, ham croquette sauce awesome, and the flatbread with the short rib was cooked perfectly. Goat cheese to me was just ok, but my husband loved it. However, you could tell time and effort was put in the preparation of every dish. We also ordered a pitcher of Sangria, for 32 dollars got like 3-4 glasses each out of it, you really cant beat that. The restaruant itself is very cozy inside and as stated before felt elegant without being overdone. We sat in the back room which was signtifcantly quieter then the front room. I'm glad we did, might have been too noisy up front. Def recommend reseravtions we made ours about a month in advance. Really looking forward to going back soon!!

    (5)

  • Mio S.

    The early reservation on a Wedneday night (5:45pm) helped me to secure the back room seats for two. In addition to being more spacios and romantic, the back is definitely warmer ... a little tip to remember especially when it's 20F out. The tapas themselves were so-so. My bf and i thoroughly enjoyed the warm fava and white bean salad, but other items failed to make big impact. EXCEPT, the rice pudding. It's out of the world good. If you'd like to heighten the experience of this heavenly dessert, I recommend pairing it with a glass of Graham's late bottle vintage ($18 per glass, but i heard that you can buy it from a liq store for $22). The dessert definitely gave me a happy ending.

    (4)

  • Conrad I.

    This would have to go down as one of my top 5 meals of all time. I LOVED this place. We were just visiting Philly and some friends recommended it. The ambiance is nice and relaxed and nothing pretentious about it. The food? To die for. It's like a party in your mouth with every bite. We're thinking of heading back just to go there again!

    (5)

  • Ritu K.

    I can't believe it has taken me this long to try this restaurant. So I would highly recommend this restaurant. Highly knowledgeable waitstaff who planned the meal out perfectly. We ordered a ton of small plates and they brought the plates out at specific times so that the meal followed a natural progression. Really fresh delicious flavors! Wine list was extensive and we ended up ordering 2 bottles of a yummy red which was recommended by our waiter. My one complaint would be the price. To pay so much for something which is free in Spain- painful! Overall we had an awesome, albeit expensive meal. Highly recommended!!

    (5)

  • Maria S.

    Very average meal. Nothing was bad, but nothing was exceptional. Had shrimp, scallops, crab stuffed poblano, chorizo, wild mushrooms. I really think I could make better myself, or at least as good.

    (2)

  • Stephen S.

    love. this. place. My friend says that it was a conspiracy that forced the waiter to incorrectly deliver the Ensalada de Jamon to our table. Because of this, it is now a staple order each time we visit. Staples are natural at Amada and each of you will develop your own personal ones as you develop the habit to return and return to this place. But you must force yourself to expand and try new things. Although this will create more staples - a vicious cycle. Cheese: The Cadi Urgelia dipped in Chocolate Hazelnut was a surprise, and another reason to frequent Jose Garces restaurants. Cheese + chocolate sounds weird, but I loved it. I was impressed with the Truffled Lavender Honey on Aged Manchego this visit. The florals of the Lavender were intoxicating, especially when mixed with the pungent Truffles. My girlfriend kept going back for the Fresh Queso de Cabra spread on bread covered with strawberry balsamic. Revuelto: This is killer. Spoon this crazy mushroom egg concoction over a toast covered with truffle and top it off with a little tasty shrimp. Madre e Hijo: This truffled chicken is made sous vide, which creates the most tender and juicy chicken breast, then topped with a sunny side up egg. Break the egg with your knife and mix, split the portion, share, fight. Pernil Asado: This is my staple. This is a healthy portion of juicy pork covered with crispy skin on a bed of white beans, arugula and orange. The skin crunches between your teeth before it magically dissolves in your mouth. The ability to maintain the juicy pork, render the fat from the dish, and keep the outside crispy is impressively addictive.

    (5)

  • Vee W.

    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!!!!!!

    (5)

  • Monique H.

    I came down to Philly for the weekend and this was my first stop. We ordered (in order of enjoymen) (1.grilled octupus, 1.5. pitcher of sangria, 2. short rib flatbread, 3. serrano ham and fig salad 4. olives 5. pernil 7. grilled shrimp) Everything was delish and our waiter was awesome. I LOVE this place and will definitely be back....

    (5)

  • Mike D.

    The food was excellent. We picked about 10 different tapas and one was better than the next - we can't wait to go back!

    (4)

  • Melinda L.

    Tapas...very good. Atmosphere...very good. Look it up for the nights that they do flamenco, make a reservation, and then request that you can be seated to see the flamenco. I surprised my boyfriend with this (he loves flamenco guitar), and I think this is why he kept me around. Oh, and the sangria is excellent.

    (5)

  • rachel p.

    we found this gem of a restaurant on a stroll around old city on a very hot day. after a very disappointing meal at the midtown continental the nite before i felt fat and gross and all i wanted was some light, healthy food and a glass of cold sangria to restart my system. amada was the answer to my foodie prayers. we shared the ensalada verde, an amazing combination of every green veggie you can think of in a light and crisp dressing. we also had the amarillo gazpacho with avocado ice cream. holy flavor. this was possibly the best gazpacho i've had outside of spain. and the avocado ice cream was a dream, the perfect buttery counterpart to the bright, clean flavors of the tomato soup. another favorite was the machego cheese with lavender truffle honey. we also shared the warm olives. it was a simple, but perfect lunch. i would have loved to have had dinner here witha bigger appetite so i could sample more goodies. we watched everything come out of the kitchen and it all looked beautiful. they pay attention to detail here, the food is plated beautifully, and even the simplest dishes feel like a treat. the restaurant itself is beautiful. those laquered wood floors killed it for me. gorgeous. the aesthetic is a mix of old world and new, and that felt appropriate, because that's exactly what you feel in spain as well. our waitress was incredibly professional, attentive, and kind. it restored my faith in eating after that continental midtown meal.

    (4)

  • Josh Q.

    Best tapas I've had in my life, in terms of food, service, atmosphere - everything. All of the dishes were made perfectly, even the ones with ingredients I would not normally try. Worth the price and would definitely go back again.

    (5)

  • Hayley W.

    Delicious! Definitely a fan of the shirred eggs and of the flat bread with pork shoulder. I also had the croquettes, which were good, and the meatballs, which were also good, but not my favorites of the night. Dessert was fine- we had apple cakes. I've had better desserts, but the meal was consistently delicious, which is more than I can say for other restaurants. The furniture and decor of the restaurant were also fantastic and I definitely enjoyed my visit.

    (5)

  • Matt B.

    Took some friends out to celebrate their wedding so we splurged for the expensive chef's tasting menu. The dining room is a bit cramped and noisy, so it was hard to understand what was being served at times, although the service was very good. It's a lot of fun to share a tasting menu with friends and to get 1-2 bites of 10 different items sometimes, and this one did not disappoint. As already posted in other reviews, the pernil asado and lobster ala plancha were delicious. But the truly sublime and surprising menu standouts were the octopus and serrano and fig salad. Worth every penny and the slight discomfort of the noise and table nearest the front door to enjoy this meal with special friends.

    (5)

  • Alex C.

    Amada truly lives up to all the fuss that's been made about it since it was voted one of the best restaurants in Philly. Everything from the atmosphere to the food, to the service is absolutely topnotch. Whether you're here for a drink and appetizers or a full meal, you will not be disappointed! I've had the pleasure of eating here twice, once as part of a "restaurant crawl" down Chestnut St and a second time for a birthday dinner. Both times the food was absolutely amazing. It was simply fun to eat here since the dishes are meant to be shared and you have to fight for the best of whatever hits your table! The flat breads are fantastic and they do switch them up so you can always try something new. My recommendation is to either do one of the tasting menus, or just order a whole bunch of stuff and enjoy! You really can't go wrong. Even their meats and cheeses are extraordinary, much better than what you might get at other places of you order meats and cheese. I don't pay much attention to wine selection usually but my wife usually manages to sample the sangria at any Spanish place we go to and she had no complaints at all about the apply-cinnamon sangria she ordered. I would recommend Amada either for a romantic dinner or as a location for a big group dinner because it truly does have both the menu and atmosphere to suit both. I look forward to returning soon! One last note, if you do plan to go for dinner, do so wayyy (and I mean weeks) in advance. You can, however, usually get a seat at the counter even on short notice.

    (5)

  • Rafael C.

    I was in town and was looking for the premiere foodie spot in Philly, so I did a little yelp research and found this place. I met up with a couple of friends and I believe we ordered five small plates plus desert and 6 sangrias, Our bill came out to more than $150 just so you get an idea. Tip: go for the pitcher of sangria! lol Anyway, the food was AMAZING! and with our reservation we got seated right away.

    (5)

  • Tina D.

    This is close, but not quite a five star place. Parking is a nightmare, and although they valet the attendants are awful. They don't pay attention to you at all and leave you in your car for 15+ minutes before acknowledging your presence. Once inside, it's a completely different story. It's very cute and a fun place to people watch. The food is amazing! I'd suggest skipping the spanish olives and patatas bravas, but everything else is great. The flat bread with duck confit is sooo good! They have three types of Sangria, and being adventurous, I tried to Tempada (sp?). It was an interesting taste of white wine and apple brandy and very refreshing. I really enjoyed it there. This would be a nice place for a date. Did I mention I wish we had an Amada in Boston? :-(

    (4)

  • Courtney J.

    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!

    (5)

  • Cherie C.

    It's a little expensive, but I enjoyed Amada. The food was very good. We got the chef's selection tasting menu. We had no idea what was coming next, or even if there was more food coming. That meant I didn't pace myself and could barely find room to taste the last few dishes. Just when we thought we were done, more food arrived. The first course (or round) of dishes was overwhelming. Six dishes at once was a bit much. I would have preferred to stagger them a bit. We could barely fit it all on our table. But I did enjoy everything, especially the goat cheese with a cherry-fig something or other. The service was good. Our waiter was enthusiastic and knowledgeable but not overbearing. He answered questions and chatted about the dishes. To drink, we ordered a pitcher of sangria. It was good but would probably be better suited to a hot day. Next time I'd opt for some regular wine that might pair better with the food. The negative: it was LOUD. Tables are close together, and we got caught in the middle of a conversation between people on either side of us (they'd struck up a discussion before we arrived). Worse yet, the ambient noise was so loud we couldn't hear each other across the table. We couldn't lean in because there was too much food in front of us. I'd return to Amada, but I'd rather sit at the bar.

    (4)

  • Jen L.

    I will always head back to Amada for a nice meal and something wonderful to drink. If you still haven't been, and you enjoy tapas, get your ass over here. My last review mentioned the verrrry steep price tag, but we were total drunks that night, and had at least three (THREE) cafaffes of the red sangria, along with other cocktails. I'm surprised I could walk out unassisted. Anyway, just went again last Wednesday night and spent a lot less for our little party of two. This is what we ordered: The Baked Goat Cheese in Tomato/Basil Sauce The Arragones Cheese The Serrano Ham The Chickpeas and Spinach The Roast Pork with white beans and arugula Everything was simply fabulous. The cheese and ham were presented perfectly and were both luscious. The baked goat cheese was also divine. The pork was excellent, with a perfect crispy fat layer on top, and this went especially well with the chickpea/spinach dish. I had a glass and a half of the merlot/cabernet/shiraz wine (yes, they gave me a half glass of wine at my request) and my friend had a mojito. I was very impressed with the service, and everything was just about 100%. Oh, and if you skip the booze-fest, you can get away with spending less than $100, including tax and tip. Like we did.

    (4)

  • Justin K.

    If you want an epic night of coma inducing gorging of massive quantities of meat, then you need the Whole Roast Suckling Pig dinner at Amada in your life. Truly it is one of the pinnacles of human feasting. A group of 9 of us ordered up the pig dinner for my buddy Mike's 30th bday and we were not disappointed. They suggest 4 people per pig at the least. Our pig, we were informed, was a 29 pounder, hand picked from a farm in upstate PA and roasted to perfection for hours. Half of it was carved by hand tableside in a beautiful display of craftsmanship by one of the Jose Garces trained chefs. He asked us if we wanted to be adventurous and try the cheeks and the brain (a few did) as he expertly dissected the mounds of juicy succulent meat. While he was doing that they brought out what seemed like infinity side dishes to go with it (FANTASTIC fingerling potatoes, long steamed green onions, some chick peas and spinach in a sauce, and some white beans). Finally after what seemed like forever we were presented with plates stacked with meat. We ate. And ate and ate and ate and ate some more. The meat was perfect. The skin was crispy and delicious and tasted like what bacon in heaven must taste like. It was phenomenal. And this was all following up the assorted Tapas we ordered prior to the main course, foolishly thinking we should eat more food! (For the record the Ham Croquettes were delicious, the grilled Lobster was otherworldly and cooked beautifully, and the cheese and Dulce De Leche plate with apples was also wonderful of the ones I tried.) In the end we had to stop eating for fear of exceeding our bodily capacities. Ladies and gentleman I am a dessert man. And I tell you this night, I had no more room for dessert. Not one inch. As we settled up the bill they brought out 9 DOGGY BAGS! There was enough meat for all of us to have leftovers! Thats how much meat there was. My one and only complaint about the meal is that we were sat at a long table with bench seating....the benches were really hard. Sitting there for that long feeding was starting to hurt my rear end. All those seats should have cushions like the booths across the room. Other than that a meal of pure bliss!

    (5)

  • Jenn C.

    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.

    (4)

  • Ryan E.

    My favorite restaurant in the city. Wonderful tapas and amazing sangria. The flatbread pizzas are out of this world. With four restaurants in the city, Jose Garces, is quickly becoming one of my favorite chefs not only in Philadelphia but the country. I can only describe this as exceptional. Would highly recommend, especially for a great date night!

    (5)

  • lucky r.

    Ok this place is the business! Whoever designed this restaurant did a amazing job. I love the meat hangings from the ceiling, the plates in the wall, the lighting, the tables, etc. It shouts sophistication, sexy with a old Spanish charm. Now the food-make sure u order the fig and ham, sauteé mushrooms with truffle oil and shrimp croquettes. Service was good. There's nothing really to complain, we will definitely go back.

    (4)

  • Charlie S.

    Amazing... Tried 6 different items... All excellent.. Crowded, loud, cool... Just like a hipster place should be...

    (4)

  • Matt S.

    I ate here during Restaurant Week and very much enjoyed it. RW meals are always a gamble, you know? At some places the service gets a little overwhelmed or they are trying to turn tables over quickly. Sometimes, the menu choices are limited. Sometimes, you get the sense that it's the kitchen that gets overwhelmed and what should have been a great dish ends up coming out subpar. Amada had none of these problems. The food was great, service was handled gracefully, and the menu was full of choices. As with every other time I've had tapas, there were almost too many choices, in fact. My brain can't handle it! Fortunately our server was able to walk through everything and lead us to many of the stand-out dishes. I don't remember everything, but I do remember great bread, a nice pitcher of sangria, and a great variety of taste, texture, and happiness that comes from making a meal from a half dozen different menu items. I remember we had a flatbread (yum), a few wonderful vegetarian items (yum x3), and some very nice scallops (again yum). There was a chicken dish that was ok, but didn't knock my socks off. The nice thing is that if you happen to get a dud, there are plenty of other dishes coming to pick up the slack. Desserts were worth saving room for. The only fault I can find with this place is the set up of the room. We had a 2-person banquette table. Because diners need some room on the table for all those plates, it was a somewhat long table. But because they want to accomodate as many parties as possible, it was also very close to our neighboring tables. The end result is that I was closer to my neighbors on the right and left of me than I was to my wife at the other end of the table and I could hear their conversations better than ours! I don't hold it against the place (if it wasn't set up like this I probably wouldn't even have been able to get a reservation), but I just thought I'd mention it as a warning. Don't plan on talking to your dining companion about your insider stock tips or the affair you're thinking about having with that guy from the mailroom. Fortunately the food is interesting enough that it can be the surce of your whole conversation. All in all: 4 stars. + 3 for the wide variety of good food + 1 for the helpful service + 1 for the general dark sexiness of the place. - 1 for the lack of privacy / noise level Also: Don't that affair with the guy in the mailroom. He's no good for you!

    (4)

  • Kelson H.

    A wonderful restaurant if you get the chance to eat here. Just a few notes its very crowded, the tables are tight and its quite loud in the restaurant. A few times I couldn't hear the waiter ask us a question. We had the 10 course tasting menu. - Crispy Flatbread with a tuna salad mixture. - 3 cheeses - Mixed Salad - Oyster Spoons - Cane Sugar Scallop Kebabs - Lamb Meatballs - Lamb Shank - Kidney bean compote - Squid Compote I forgot the 10th item, but with so many tasty treats its easy to forget. Enough said. Brilliant! Decor:4 Food:5 Service:4 Would I go back? You bet your pastrami I would!

    (5)

  • Sarah S.

    $65 for the higher tier of chef's menu, $55 for the lower tier. Great ambiance and amazing food. There were two of us who did the tasting menu and we couldn't finish dessert at the end. The tapas were delicious, and the real deal. My favorite dishes were the mushrooms and a ham and fig salad. I was slightly... maybe more than slightly, buzzed before the meal started because we got drinks at Franklin Mortgage Company, so I can't remember exact details, and it was too dark to take pictures without using a flash. The iberico ham was fantastic. I've always wanted to try it since I found out what it was, and I was not disappointed. The only thing I can remember as being disappointing was the lamb chops. They were well-cooked, and the sauce was good, but compared to the rest of the flavorful tapas, it was a "meh" plate. If I had them at any other restaurant, I'd probably rave about how tender and juicy they were, but hey, just because you're mall-hot in Ohio doesn't mean you'll turn heads in NYC.

    (5)

  • Erin G.

    MMM. I admit that I came to Amada for a birthday dinner, and started with drinks at a local dive bar, had another fancy concoction at the bar while I waited for my table, and then plenty of white and red sangria (both delicious!) so my memory of the evening is a bit hazy, but I do remember that I liked it. A lot. It's cozy (though I didn't feel that it was overly crowded) and dark, but not too dark. There was a decent selection of vegetarian tapas, though I would agree with other posters that you should skip the olives (boring!) and dive into the cheese combinations. While other place might be cheaper and easier to get a table at, the atmosphere here is the best.

    (4)

  • Omar F.

    Amada (My Beloved) is the perfect name for this restaurant. I still remember the first time that we looked at each other it was love at first bite. Like young lovers it did not take long before my mouth made it's way around the plate at La mesa de José. Sampling each piece incessantly. Losing control of my tongue feeling the overflow of my saliva and my heart pounding out of gluttony, anxious to see the next tapas, every second more excited than before. The evening was culminated with a whipped, creamy and savory dessert, La crema catalana. I left feeling warm, elated and even a little sleepy.

    (5)

  • Jedi M.

    We thought cool, Food Network chef's restaurant. Go here if you must, but you will come away feeling hoodwinked. The staff is pretentious and rude. We felt so rushed, the place was loud and dark, bring your flashlight to read the menu and your voice will be gone by the end of the evening from yelling across the table to talk. Then there was the food...it was either salty or bland. We were with a group and had about 10 tapas so we had a wide variety. Out of all those only 1 (the octopus) was worthy of a 2nd time. Then the highly reviewed Paella, do not waste your money, it was so salty we could not finish. In a word this place is DISAPPOINTING!

    (2)

  • Wanda J.

    Excellent food and excellent service. $35.00 for priced fix restaurant week. Who would think you could get so filled on tapas. Here is a few of the tapas we had: grilled squid in aioli sauce, sea bass, short rib flatbread, Manchego cheese w lavender honey. Will not list all, but also came with dessert. Wonderful dining experience.

    (4)

  • Tina N.

    Amada is easily one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. I try to order different tapas every time I go and so far everything I've ordered has been on point. If you're looking for more of an entree to fill you up in a way that tapas can't (not without breaking your wallet at least), their paella is good, although they no longer have the squid ink paella, which I loved. The Chuletta for two is wonderful as well. I've tried the roasted suckling pig and I'm almost sad to say that it was not that great. The presentation, side dishes and price for 4 people is all very good....even the crispy skin. However, the actual meat is bland, but tender. The decor of Amada is.....sexy. The simpliciy mixed with warmth and elegance is very inviting. Just watch out for the candle lined hallway to the bathroom after too many sangrias. That big metal pig in the entrance....that's Jamon. And fyi, on Aug.17, 2008 on Iron Chef, Jose Garces (of Amada, Tinto and Distrito) will be battling Bobby Flay. The week after this airs, those 3 restaurants will offer Garces' dishes from the episode.

    (5)

  • Todd V.

    While the meal started out a little slow, it ended with a bang. The patatas bravas were kinda sucky and the pato of duck confit was fairly good, the rest of our meal was excellent. The fideos con mariscos, entrecote a la catalana and the crab rellenos were awesome. The drinks were delicious as well. Notably, the Matador and the Pomegranate Margaritas. Strong and delicious. Overall it was a bit pricey for tapas, but they course them out, so you really only need a few to feel full. Especially since the specialty drinks are on the heavy side. If your looking for lively, request the front room. If you are looking for low key, request the back room. Either way you are near a great bar. However the main bar is super tall, so shorter folks beware!

    (4)

  • Anthony C.

    This was the first time we dined at the Amada In Philadelphia and we were not disappointed. The specialty drinks are delicious and I went with a bourbon and elderflower concoction. The sangria is filled with cinnamon and all spice and is my favorite. For dinner we chose to go with the higher end tasting menu. The food was amazing with Iberico ham and a ham, fig, blue cheese and balsamic salad two of the highlights. I was with my girlfriend so by dish 9 or ten we were so full we could barely eat any more. Overall a great experience.

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    Its situated on chestnut street which is a charming cobble stone street. When we walked into the restaurant it reminded us of a modern Tapas bar that we ate at in Barcelona. The hostess was very friendly. She sat us right next to the open kitchen. Watching the kitchen staff was like watching a ballet. The server was friendly and extremely knowledgeable of the menu. . Let's skip to the food. Chef Garces truly is an iron chef. Every bite was full of flavor. The seasoning was aggressive but not obnoxious. They really played with my taste buds. There was nothing that was one note. The pumpkin soup was scrumptious. It was creamy with a burrata and pumpkin seeds. It was rich in a good way. Then we had a Serrano ham plate that was served with bread, mustard and pickles. It was awesome. Not much to say about it except it was very tasty. Then we had kobe skewers. It was succulent. The meat was extremely soft and the sauce was fantastic. It was sweet with a lil spice behind it. The shrimp and garlic was amazing. It definitely had some chili which woke upbthe taste buds. If you get a chance to go out to this restaurant then go. It is a fantastic night out. I liked everything about this restaurant. I can not wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Leanne P.

    My sister recently took me here for my birthday. Adorable little modern looking place. She had been here a couple of times before so she helped with deciding our order because it was like a different language to me-literally. The tables are a little bit small, and it was hard at times to fit all the plates of each meal, even though I think thats part of the whole feel of the place. I didn't think I would get as full as I had gotten because portions that look smaller are decieving, but we were stuffed at the end. I thouroughly enjoyed everything. One of my favorites were the cheeses. The lamb was also cooked to perfection. Our waiter was also extremely nice and helpful with our questions about some of the things on the menu. I'm a fan of trying a little bit of this, and a little bit of that so this was right up my alley. I would be excited to return here.

    (4)

  • Julie K.

    Overrated and way too salty. My husband and I went here to celebrate our anniversary. It was our first dinner out since moving from Los Angeles, and we had made reservations a while back. We both chose the prix fixe menu and almost every dish, minus the dessert, was oversalted. Even the couple next to us were complaining about how salty the dishes were. The service was mediocre, but overall, it was a disappointing dining experience.

    (2)

  • Miss H.

    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!

    (2)

  • Chester W.

    Tapas here was amazing. Everythign I had was delicious. I definitely want to come back to try the paella.

    (5)

  • Alice S.

    If you go here and you love meat, you HAVE to get the lamb chops. I'm not sure what they put on it, but it's absolutely delicious and flavorful. I've never been disappointed with a Garces restaurant, and this is probably one of my favorites. Everytime I've been here, it's almost always busy. I would also recommend the Tinto Sangria

    (5)

  • anne r.

    Great tapas selections and Impeccable service! Can't say that all the tapas we ordered were authentic, but this place definitely had some star dishes. Top tapas choice for the night was a delicious spinach salad with carmelized figs and blue cheese rolled up in proscuitto! Second was their ropa vieja- good portion and the meat was so tender with a light crispy skin! Love that they give you two amuse bouses! These were not skimpy dishes by any means so depending on how hungry you are, I would scale back next time on ordering 3 tapas/person (as advised by our waitress) to maybe 2/person. The layout of the restaurant gave it a great vibe. They had several dining areas including a small bar facing the kitchen and a more private dimly lit room in the back (with it's own bar). I also like that it's connected to the bar area with some very cool high wooden tables for a more casual eating atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Bruce W.

    Wow, shockingly overrated! Spent about 150 a pop and was very disappointed. Everything was either bland or Underwhelming. Nothing special and a big waste of money. Maybe it was an off day.

    (2)

  • Tina B.

    Hubby and I went out for a date night and the tapas were top notch! We started off with 4 different plates (shrimp in garlic, short rib flat bread, lamb meatballs, and ham croquettes), but depending on what you order some portions are smaller than others. We ended up ordering a total of 6 plates (quail and empanada were the final 2), which was perfect. Being of Hispanic descent some of the plates brought up a sense of nostalgia from the dishes my mom and grandmother prepared when I was a child. I highly suggest making reservations as we went on a Thursday and it was completely crowded. The service was great as our first plate was out in five minutes and the other plates were spaced out at a steady pace.

    (5)

  • Keith S.

    While the other reviews are great and well deserved I am writing to offer the highest praise for the Chef's Tasting menu, at $45 this has to be one of the best values in Philadelphia. Come hungry and enjoy every savory bite!

    (5)

  • Meg C.

    Beautiful food. I am a sucker for tapas. Amada's cuisine is earthy, whimsical, and comforting. Here's what we had: Tortilla Española - thank god this isn't any bigger, the dense potatoes could easily overwhelm. Great aioli. Albondigas - lamb meatballs, my boyfriend liked them more than me, I was happy to eat the peas in the yummy sauce. Ensalada De Jamón - this was my favorite dish. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. A perfectly dressed salad with serrano ham, cabrales, almonds and chewy figs. What could be better? Alcachofas a La Parmesan - I love artichokes. I hate dishes say they have artichokes in them and they really have those canned little nasties instead. This dish has real, fresh globe artichokes. Sangria - perfect. Pastel De Calabaza - came with bay leaf ice cream and what we think was citrus snot. Loved it. Your server will recommend 3-4 dishes per person, but that is a lot of food. We started with 4 between us and it was enough. Great service, cozy atmosphere. We spent less than $100 for two people. Reserve a month ahead.

    (5)

  • Kate C.

    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.

    (3)

  • Larissa S.

    one of the best restaurants in philly. i thought that amada would be very pricey, considering tapas can be tiny and add up quickly. my mom and i ordered far too many dishes. we shared the olives, white anchovies, patatas bravas, the jamon salad, garlic shrimp and grilled scallops. this was way too much food for two people but everything was delicious. standouts were the potatoes (loved the spicy aioli on top), the amazing serrano ham salad with figs and the grilled scallops. we enjoyed everything but those were the best. the bill came out to less than $30 per person, a great deal for the quality and portion. on other occasions i have tried the sangria (not too sweet, nice cinnamon flavor) and the desserts are incredible. lots of gluten free options as well (including 3-4 desserts!!) and the kitchen is knowledgeable with gluten free requests.

    (5)

  • Tom G.

    Been here many times, the first time only a few months after it opened. Nice decor, fantastic food (for the most part), top service. Favorite dishes include: grilled octopus, patatas bravas, and the ham croquettes. Tip: Try the House Specialities. The Paella Valenciana is delicious and only $19/person (and the portion is huge). Probably my favorite restaurant in Philly.

    (5)

  • Heather L M.

    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!

    (5)

  • Rita V.

    Another visit, another hit! And we had the pleasure of meeting Chef Garces himself! What a charming, down to earth soul. By all means, have their signature pork tapa - but know that it takes a good half hour to give the skin that perfect CRUNCH that had us all weak at the knees. Seriously, if I'm going to up my cholesterol - this is the way to do it! Food is prepared with a lot of love! I wasn't too thrilled with the spanish octopus though, it was tough and dry. But the oysters with strawberries and cava sorbet - what a delight! That short rib flat bread? Amazing! The wagu beef skewer? Delicioso! The cheese and charcuterie with some wonderful tempranillo - definitely a great starter! I can't wait to visit some of his other restaurants. The place was PACKED on a Tuesday night, and not a single diner seemed unhappy - the food is and was all this iron chef says he offers! Next time Im bringing friends and we are ordering the cochinillo! GRACIAS AMADA!

    (4)

  • Erik s.

    I'll probably get death threats cause I'm not huggin Jose Garces nuts this time like all of Philadelphia; and yes I'm breaking my rule of yelping after only dining once, but I have decided I should be saving more $ these days if I plan on making some plan trips in the near future, plus the recession is still rockinandrolling. About a month ago I took my pops, the legendary Chiman to dinner. He mentioned he was trying to eat lighter so instead of our usual steak dinners I brought him to Amada. First thing first we were raised w/ only a few simple rules at the dinner table by the Chiman: only pussies didn't finish your plate and get seconds. So why may u ask I bring my dad to tapas restaurant like Amada's... cuz I had a gift card and he said he wasn't that hungry. Crab stuff peppers= bangin, so were the wild mushrooms. I thought the stuff lamb was tasty, but my dad claimed the cheese overpowered the very little lamb. We got another dish that wasn't memorable enough for me to remember. Review is going pretty good so why the 3 stars? The chicken paella was pretty bad. First off ,no la soccarat, come on Jose for 40 bucks a pop u can't skip out on the best part. Secondly, it was way over salted, I felt like I was eaten rice shaped salt. Thirdly (if that's a word), my pops kept on say "in ironbound in Newark u can get thees mus cheaaper." Fourthly ( still not sure if a word) I had to eat the whole platter since if u remember Chiman's #1 dinner rule: only pussies didn't finish their plates. Fifthly, I think chicken paella in Jose Garcia's language means ex lax cause I had one way ticket on the porcelain train for a bit and my pops was ok. In all fairness chicken was cooked very well....

    (3)

  • Grace G.

    I have never had a bad meal here since it opened back in 2005. On evenings when we're not in the mood to make decisions, we have gone with the chef's tasting and have never been disappointed. Sangrias are refreshing and the wine list filled with Spanish selections that complement the food wonderfully. Service is excellent, the timing of the food coming out has always been good, too. I wish I could find something to complain about. I have even held a special event here and that was executed well, too. I guess my only complaint would be that reservations can be a little tough -- but since we live in the city, it's an easy walk any night of the week (or even lunch) if you're flexible.

    (5)

  • Candace C.

    ive been to many spanish/tapas restaurants in major metropolitan cities (sf, ny, dc, and barcelona), so when someone suggested amada, i was stoked! but i really didn't think it lived up to the hype. the food is good and the place is gorgeous, but it wasn't all that memorable for me. i just remember leaving feeling like the food was really salty and the sangria was too sweet. needless to say, i was underwhelmed. It was strictly a 3 star event. however, i came back here for the suckling pig meal with my best yelper grace s and co. this time around, the food was MUCH BETTER. the sides were very yummy and complimented the main course (the pig) beautifully! the pig came out still piping hot and the server carved the pig nicely. definitely come here for the suckling pig meal! +1, upgrading to 4 stars based on this experience.

    (4)

  • Kianna S.

    I came here for dinner on my birthday with 2 friends. We ordered the chef's tasting menu with wine pairing. Aside from the food being absolutely amazing, I was most impressed that the chef took into consideration my vegetarian limitations, while still providing meat dishes for my friends. The atmosphere was great, definitely busy, but we were able to hear each other talk. By no means cheap, our bill came out to about $400, but it was well worth it. This will be one restaurant I take all of my visiting friends and family to.

    (5)

  • Leilah D.

    Wow. My husband and I were in Philly for one night and since we both love Spanish food, we decided to try out Amada. It was amazing! We had the chef's tasting menu. I'm a little picky, but other than a special request for the Albondigas, which my husband really wanted to try, we didn't have any other restrictions. He also said that the Albondigas were the best meatballs he's ever had in his life. You get three courses, plus dessert. Each course consists of about three tapas but they are generous portions. Believe me, it's plenty of food! We had a wide variety from chorizo to oysters, salad, flatbread, sirloin, and much more. Everything was delicious. Another reviewer described eating the oysters as licking the bottom of a boat (in a good way) and it sounds crazy but they were right, the oysters really are that fresh and reminiscent of the ocean! The food was all very rich so you definitely have to take your time and enjoy it. I think the tasting menu is a good way to go if it's your first time visiting, and you want to experience a range of plates. Next time I think I would like to do a similar three course meal, but with my own choices because there are a couple of plates I'd still love to try. Of course, my husband wants to come back with a group of people to have the suckling pig! All in all it was a great experience and we'd love to come back (for a special occasion, it's not something you can afford to do every week!)

    (5)

  • Din L.

    Love the tapas here . Must try tapas: sausage with spicy potatoes,, octopus, wagyu beef, white asparagus. Skip ham croquette ( not that good) . The tinto sangria is best out of the three in my opinion. The spiced cinnamon taste really adds a kick to it.

    (4)

  • Heavi K.

    Like this place a lot on previous visits. Last night service experience was disappointing. I expected more professionalism. They have lateness rules, they must be followed, even though I spoke with hostess in advance, it was a weekday in summer, and restaurant was clearly not packed. Very disappointing for a client dinner experience. I spent my money at Zahav instead. Being nice matters.

    (1)

  • Statia M.

    My husband and I are always a sucker for a place that presents a good cheese plate. And we were hoping to find it at Amada. We went for my birthday and were looking for someplace different. We had a reservation, which we were on time for, but ended up having to wait at least a half an hour until we were seated. Now, a busy restaurant is usually a good sign, but I get kind of annoyed when I make a reservation and still end up waiting a while. To me, that's just kind of rude. We waited at the bar and I ordered a drink called "woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown." As a mother of a fearless toddler, I thought that this was pretty apropos. When we were finally seated at our table, I noticed just how "cozy" this place was. The tables were a little too close for my taste, which made it hard for me to try and hold a conversation. And I don't really like having to drag my ass across my neighbors table when getting in and out. The food was delicious. I don't think there was a single thing that we ordered that wasn't fantastic. The server recommended that we each get three things (tapas) and share them, but two dishes a person is way more than enough. Especially because you need to save room for dessert. I ended up getting the manchego mousse, and it was to die for. This is a great place to come with a group of people. I definitely wouldn't go on a first date here.

    (4)

  • Chris B.

    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!

    (5)

  • Anne L.

    This is the best restaurant I think I have ever been to. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The drinks are amazing, try the sangria. The food is to die for. The cheese plates come with crisp green apples, baguette slices and are individually paired with it's own condiment. Yum. Other standouts are the lamb meatballs with manchego cheese, octopus salad, and all the flat breads are delish. When the bill comes I am always pleasantly surprised. I always feel like it will be much more expensive than it actually is. Great place to go on a date or with friends just make reservations! Can't wait for Jose Garces new restaurants!!!!!

    (5)

  • CC M.

    Amazing tapas. Refreshing white wine "sangria" (minus the added liquor, which for me is a bonus - just white wine and fruit). Impeccable service. I'd go back in a heartbeat.

    (5)

  • Sid E.

    We, my wife, sister-in-law, and cousin-in-law were so please with our last visit (see my quick tip), that we came back to try their hyped suckling pig. Food Network simply over hyped the damn pig. As good foodie should do, we requested to have the head of the beautifully prepared pig included (note: not for those who can't deal with the fact that it was a living a living and breathing creature). The experience - 3.5 stars We arrived 25 - 30 minutes late due to logistics issues, but the hostess was gracious enough to not give up our reserved table on a busy Friday night. Kudos. That said our room was in the back where the a/c was blasted on high, which made the private room feel like a walk-in fridge relative to the rest of the restaurant. Our prior server seemed to have left big shoes to fill as she did not live up to our prior experience, was not as friendly nor had the sense of humor as our prior. The pig - 3.75 stars (mixed reviews) As mentioned we asked for the head of the pig to be included with our order and we asked for it to be brought in whole rather than to opt for it already butchered. Had to pay homage and know and appreciate the life that was given. That said the pig was prepared beautifully. The skin, the best part of a roasted pig in my opinion, was crispy and golden. The meat was moist and tender, due to their 32+ hours in a brine and a low and slow roasting before their high heat under their pizza oven to crisp up the skin. With the head came the cheek muscle, the most flavorful part of the pig, which was delicious, tongue, sweet bread (aka brain), and the ears. Per Chef's recommendation we passed on the eyes. The tongue was what you'd expect in terms of taste. The sweet bread was creamy and paired up with with their beacon and beans side dish that was included in the order of the suckling pig. Flavor wise for the pig, you tasted the pork, it was not masked by seasoning, but it could of used a little more spice (recommendation: ask for tobasco), but that's more of a personal preference. Overall - 3.5 stars The experience was one to be had, that said, I probably would not come back to for the suckling pig, but rather for their aged rib-eye, which we enjoyed. Last tip: when you order your suckling pig 72 hrs in advance, just order it for their minimum 4 person. There's so much meat that you won't finish it unless you have more than 7 to 8 in your party and you'll get more value if you have a party greater than 4 and want to try to pig. Lastly, the sangria is a must! This time around we ordered the Tinto, lose the straws as you get the full sensory experience.

    (3)

  • Steve G.

    Came here with my wife and parents but this time for lunch. We got a pitcher of the Tinto (red) sangria which was just as good as the blush version. We ordered the lunch tasting menu ($35/person). This turned out to be a great deal. We got to try about 10 different items from the menu and the portions were about a double portion for the 4 of us. Since their menu is so huge, only 2 of the things that they brought us were items we had the first time. Some of the items that we had this time that were really good: Garrotxa Cheese w/ Garlic Dulce de Leche Tortilla Espanaola Croquettes de Jamon Serrano Ham & Fig Salad Chorizo a la Plancha Although we didn't go with the Catalan Express Lunch ($12.50 for a bowl of soup and either a salad or sandwich), judging by the size and quality of the sandwiches that I saw a couple people eating, this appears to be a very good deal. Amada impressed me again and I would love to try Tinto and the 2 other Jose Garces' restaurants coming in the future.

    (5)

  • JAD M.

    Here for my birthday lunch, I decided to order the $35 tasting menu. Highlights: 1. thinly sliced bread, manchego cheese, green apple and lavender truffle honey - an unbelievably unique and well-thought out combination of flavors 2.crab-stuffed Piquillo pepper- came out piping hot with generous chunks of flavorful crab 3. green salad with blue cheese, figs, cured ham and lemon dressing- a wonderful combination of sweet, salty and sour 4. truffle oil mushrooms - perhaps my favorite, buttery, tender and perhaps the best mushrooms I have ever had 5. lamb chops - perfectly cooked, simply prepared The tasting came with 3 or 4 more dishes which left me stuffed with goodness. Our waiter brought out a little dish of chocolate ice cream with fresh strawberries and a candle. Very nice touch. My husband ordered the $17 soup and sandwich combo. It came with some flavorful, crispy, fluffy fries. He loved it. We've been to many fine dining restaurants and we agree that this is the best in Philly. Bravo Jose! (And thank you!) We will be back again (and again and again...)

    (5)

  • Ro D.

    Let me just start of by saying I am not a big fan of Tapa's. To me, it's just not good value for money, so I really did not want to go here, but after the meal I had, this restaurant goes up there on my top 5 best restaurants I've ever eaten at. Came here with a group of friends and we ordered 12 dishes from the menu, the grand total - $150, and I was the first to say that every penny was worth it, because every dish we had was delicious. Five people, and none of us could find anything wrong with the food. We loved everything, everything!! I'm not from Phili but would happily drive up just to eat here again. The Philadelphia tourist bureau should send me a thank you card, those people flocking to your city, ya, its because of me. I've been raving to everyone about the good food at Amada.

    (5)

  • Ian G.

    The food at Amada is excellent. I stumbled across it after a trip to the Museum and everyone in my party was impressed with my random choice. The only negative I can say is that the food is a bit pricey and it's hard to leave full if your only ordering Tapas. Other than that it's top notch and the food is definetly worthy of 5 stars. Tapas are a great social meal with lots of passing/sharing giving you the ability to try everything. Garces brings them to another level. They are all good but the Pulpo (Spanish Octopus) is not to be missed. I would also recommend that everyone at the table get's their own White Bean and Ham Stew. Trust me on this. Any meat ordered here is expertly cooked and you can even see the food being prepared. I have never tried the Whole Roasted Suckling Pig but I have heard it is the best thing on the Menu.

    (4)

  • Robert B.

    Amada provided a memorable meal for a variety of reasons. First, this is one of the tasting menus where you are not going to say at the end of the night. Should I have a lot more food for what I paid? The end of the night I was stuffed, completely. Three rounds of tapas was served from the menu. Each round had three dishes and some kind of palate cleanser. Second, the food was cooked to perfection. I am not even talking about taste here. I've not been to a restaurant where everything was so perfectly cooked, For example, a chicken dish with an egg on top. I've never had chicken so tender and moist before. It could almost melt in your mouth. The shrimp was also cooked to perfection as well as scallops. I was a little surprised at the casual nature of the restaurant. Every review I read said business casual was the attire, however people came dressed a lot more casual than that. I would bet that because the location is in Old City that a lot of tourists came dressed as is on a Saturday night. The waiter was wonderful, friendly and knew the food. He was quick to steer us to the tasting menu and adapt it to my dislike of most seafood. And if you show up, check out this guy. He looks and talks almost like the red haired guy on the TV show Modern Family. Finally the tasting menu. It was wonderful. The food was simple and allowed to stand on its own flavor. Let me go through what we had to explain this better. The first round was a mountain salad as my wife and I called it. That is how it looked. It was a combination of avocado, lima beans, asparagus, green beans and salad. They combined it with some slices of cheese, mustard seed and green olive oil. Wow, the flavors were delicious. Natural and fresh ingredients allowed to be themselves. The salad almost had a nutty taste to it. To complete the first round we were given a variety of hams that were cured in various manners along with some bread. This was a very generous portion on a huge plate. It came with olives, very spicy mustard and pickles. Then a plate of cheese, honey and green apples accompanied with slices of bread, Simple fresh and delicious. Do not feel hurrried when all the plates come out at the same time. Take your time and enjoy the festival of flavors. The second round was even more intriquing. Shrimp cooked in garlic and oil came out steaming hot in a round dish, still cooking and sizzling in the oil. The waiter, encouraged me to try it, knowing I do not like seafood and said I would enjoy it. My wife loved it and I tried a couple of shrimp. I loved the other dishes in this round better. A epinanda with cheese, greens, sweet red peppers and onions was also served. I wished there was more than the two slices of it. But, then the masterpiece came out to the table. A flat bread with pulled pork and cheese on top. Wow, my mouth exploded with flavor. My wife let me eat most of this dish. There was sweetness to it in various bites and savory with the cheese. The final round was the wonderful chicken dish, scallops and a dish of wild mushrooms. I am no lover of mushrooms either, but loved these. A nice smokey flavor and not too chewy as mushrooms can be. They were soft and delicate, cooked to perfection like everything else. The chicken I mentioned earlier. The scallops had a nice sweetness to it. The dessert was perplexing to me. Most tasting menus will come with one. We were stuffed completely by this point, but I still had to order one. I ordered a napolean of peaches that was scrumptous and a great finish. Overall, a wonderful meal and a good value compared to other high end food establishments.

    (5)

  • Gina L.

    This restaurant has a very nice, romantic atmosphere; the food, however, is not made for all tastes. We ordered white sangria, which turned out to be the best of all orders we made that night. We also ordered, garlic shrimp (it was way too garlic), fig and ham salad (did not like that at all), crab staffed pepper (pretty good), my husband got lamb chops (he said they were very good), I ordered seared tuna (that was not good at all), so instead I ordered chicken scwer (it was very plane white meat chicken, I could have made that at home). We also ordered spicy potatoes, which came about one hour late, so the restaurant was nice enough to take it off our bill, the potatoes though were nothing to write home about. Finally, we ordered desert, which was ok. For a restaurant that has this much hype, I expected much more from it. But that sangria was really good. :) Overall, we had a good time and the service was good as well, the food though desires something better.

    (2)

  • Sarah K.

    Food was ok but for a place supposedly well-known for tapas and sangria, I was a little disappointed. Host staff seemed snobby but waitstaff were very friendly. Ended up taking over an hour to get my second dish since it got delivered to the wrong table. Only reason this isn't a 1-star review is due to my super-nice, very apologetic waiter (brought me a complimentary cookie with my bill as a "sorry for the wait").

    (2)

  • Kai Z.

    This place gives me a boner. Jose Garces, I hope you're reading this. I got the tasting menu here and I almost died, not only because of the sheer volume of food I took in, but also because it was so mind-blowingly good. I would recommend something specific to get, but I'd just as easily recommend everything. If anyone ever comes to Philly and doesn't eat here, they are messing up, real bad.

    (5)

  • Steve V.

    Went here for restaurant week. Super crowded, but it is always like that from what I hear. The table next to us was 6 inches from out table. We were pretty much on a double date with our neighbors on either side of us. The menu was great though and had something for everyone. The food came out perfectly and was very delicious. Would like to try again during a "normal" time. The Sangria is also very good!

    (4)

  • Bob R.

    Menu is Tapas. Typical order is 3-4 plates per person at the table. Don't let the small prices of each plate fool you. This restaurant is rather pricey, however all items were magnificent. I highly recommend the goat cheese with balsamic strawberries. The only dish that was not up to par was the Ensalada Verde as the chef had a very heavy salt-hand that evening. Otherwise everything was perfect.

    (4)

  • Chloe J.

    Amada is AMAZING! The food is always PERFECT and the service is IMPECABLE. This is by far my favorite restaurant in the city.

    (5)

  • Alina K.

    Reservation is almost impossible to make, but when there experience is unbelievable. Favorite tapas dish was wild mushrooms - very tasty! Service is great though I do understand that they want to turn tables over ASAP. It is not cheap for Philly, but a great deal if you are used to NYC pricing. Definitely worth visiting this gem in the heart of old city.

    (4)

  • Emily A.

    Haven't been out in awhile, so I am not certain that 5 stars is warranted, but it sure did feel like a 5 star evening to me! Again, wish I could do half stars. 41/2 is the perfect rating for this place. The food was delicious, the decor was warm and rich-- to match the feel of the food (and I appreciate the thought that actually goes into that!) Loved the sangria, and just about everything we tried. My husband had the waiter pick his 4 favs off the menu, and I wasn't that brave so I got beef shortrib flatbread, crab stuffed peppers and fava bean salad. They were all yummy, but surprise- Mark's stuff was better! I wish I knew the name of the chicken thing... it had an egg on it and shaved truffles was amazing! And yes, the rest was equally impressive. Only suggestion would be to start slow cause these little dishes sneak up on you! I wish that I would have saved room for desert. Next time. Oh, and now I really wanna try the owner/chefs other 2 places. Probably next on my list.

    (5)

  • Natalie D.

    I went to Amada with a very classy, low-key family bachelorette party, and for having such a picky stomach, I liked it. The atmosphere was lovely, and our private room in the back still felt like it was incorporated, not so isolated like some can feel. The drinks were very good, and strong (at least for me), although I did end up leaving a bit on the hungry side still. Our waiter was an absolute sweetheart, but the girl at the door did leave something to be desired.

    (4)

  • Michael E.

    The first time I went here was before Amada had been reviewed anywhere, it was just this new place that opened in Old City that was suppose to have great tapas. And well, it was great. The place with buzzing nicely, the wait staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and even recommend a great wine. There was no rush and we sipped sherry while we enjoyed a front row seat to watch the flamanco dancers. I didn't get back here for quite some time. Now every db in Old City needs to be there. We couldn't get a reservation until 9:30 and were elbow to elbow with the other hurried patrons. The food was still excellent, but the staff no longer had time to chat with us. It felt much less special. Next time I'm looking for tapas, I'll be heading to Bar Ferdinand or possibly Tinto. I am making a vow to avoid Old City whenever possible.

    (3)

  • Sarah B.

    This was my first time at Amada and we did "the pig" -- a definite must! I highly recommend finding 3 or more friends and getting on the list as reservations book up a couple months in advance. They bring the roasted suckling pig tableside to carve -- it's quite the site. The bowls of chick peas with spinach in a red sauce, grilled green onions, roasted fingerling potatoes, and white beans with rosemary that accompany the pig were all delicous. We also started off with a few tapas which I recommend while waiting (garlic shrimp and a chef's cheese plate selection -- both delicous). I'm also hooked on their wine list -- if you like whites, try the Verdejo!

    (4)

  • Leslie R.

    I went to Amada for a splurge. Will splurge there again when I am in Philly. I did the multi-plate tapas (non-seafood). It was such a delight to have so many different flavors..... all were excellent. I am still remembering this meal. I don't like to be lukewarm about a really good restaurant and this is top on my list for not disappointing.

    (5)

  • Callan W.

    My lovely college friend came to town visiting from Boston and I had a major decision to make. Do I show her the greasy food Philly is known for or do I show her what all Phialdelphians know, that we are indeed a city overflowing with delicious upscale restaurants that put NY and Boston to shame. I chose the latter. I was told you have to have reservations at Amada, but we had no problems getting a table on a Sunday night at 7pm. The atmosphere is lovely. Great lighting, great textures, very intimate....perfect for sharing some food together. We of course had to get a pitcher of Sangria. Amada had three choices, but we went with the refreshing white. It was great! My friend, though she hated that it had rosemary in it, raved about it and the girl was born in Mexico. The staff was wonderful, explaining things on the menu for a tapas virgin like myself. We chose some bold choices and some safe choices. The bold choices proved to be the better. We started with goat cheese on toasts with a beautiful array of roasted vegetables. Delish and a perfect start. We then moved on to garlic roasted shrimp-one of our safer choices, but done perfectly. Next was Flat Bread with Duck Confit, Jamon Serrano, Cabrales & Date Glaze. This was an even tie for my favorite dish. It was amazing! Also worth mentioning, are the lamb meatballs with manchego cheese. Beautifully plated were the spicy potatoes. As if I couldn't eat anymore, my friend wanted dessert and since the decision was too hard, we went with two choices. Banana Torrijas, which was a crispy sweet bread with caramelized Bananas, Maple Syrup Ice Cream, Banana Anglaise. This dessert punched you in the kisser with all its flavor, but surprisingly, our favorite was the Manchego Mousse. This consisted of Sheep Cheese Mousse, Pistachio Shortdough, Apple Crumb, and Apple Cider Sorbet. The flavors in the Mousse dish were so slight, layered and complex. Honestly, I thought the bill would have been so much more considering the two desserts, and the never ending pitcher of sangria, but it was about 60 dollars a person with tip. I was happy to show my Bostonian friend that Philly has so much more to offer than cheese steaks and soft pretzels- though they may be the heart of the city. I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Jen F.

    my favorite restaurant. whenever i go everything is perfect and tasty. sangria, amazing. filet with foie gras, amazing. oxtail stuffed potatoes, amazing. sometimes they give you a little cookie when you are done with your meal, amazing. nothing is less than amazing. it is like heaven for your taste buds. service, amazing. i once asked them about how they make the clams and chorizo, the server came back with the recipe. i have been eating here for 5 or 6 years, and each time is just as magical. the only issue i have is that it is in philly and i live in nyc.

    (5)

  • Rhonda L.

    This is my favorite restaurant In Philly. Ive ordered many different things from the menu, dont ask me though, I cant remember! I seem to get something different each time. My foodie friend and I choose together and if we cant decide, we get whatever they recommend. I have loved everything we have ever tasted. My favorite drink is the Tie me up, tie me down- its rosemary infused vodka with lemon. And of course the ambience is sophisticated and relaxing.

    (5)

  • Melissa H.

    When my husband and I decided to go to Philly for a weekend, I asked some people for restaurant recommendations. All said to try a Jose Garces restaurant. Since we love tapas, we decided to have dinner at Amada this past Saturday night. We had 5:15 pm reservations and the restaurant and bar area were over half full when we arrived. By the time we left at 7 pm, it was completely full. Our server (I can't remember his name, but he totally looks like Mitchell from Modern Family) was so incredibly friendly and helpful. He checked on us just enough to be attentive without annoying, and I really appreciated that he suggested the grilled lamb instead of the lamb stuffed with goat cheese and herbs since we were already getting the baked goat cheese. Little suggestions like that separate, to me, waiters just there for a paycheck from the ones who really care and want people to have good dining experiences. Since we are experienced tapas diners, we knew to only order six dishes between the two of us for dinner. We got: Patatas bravas - good, but I wish the potato portions were just a little bigger. I really liked the aioli but had to scrap it off the top of the potato so I could rub the whole potato in it. Tortilla espagnola - more than enough for my husband and I (dare I say, even too much?) and good. After a few disasterous encounters lately with tortilla espangola in the DC area, the one at Amada was a welcome relief because we finally got something quite tasty. Baked goat cheese with tomato basil - delicious! Of the three non-meat/seafood items, this was my favorite. Scallops - cooked perfectly and had just the right amount of flavoring to them Beef shortrib flatbread - I can't believe I am saying this, but this was my favorite thing we had. It's surprising because I don't really like meat. However, for some reason, I loved this dish. It was so delicious...I didn't even realize there were onions on it until my husband mentioned it (again, not a huge onion fan either). I highly recommend this dish. Grilled lamb - I don't have much experience with lamb, but I thought it was delicious and cooked really well. My husband must have thought the same because he ate every bite. He remarked afterward that the lamb could have been a meal by itself because of the generous portion size. We also had the fried cream with hazelnut ice cream as a dessert. It was a perfect way to cap off the meal - the combination of the fried cream and ice cream with some chocolate sauce was a nice explosion in my mouth. Our bill for four drinks (1 sangria, 1 glass of Albarino, and 2 beers) and our seven dishes came to $105 before tip. Next time in Philly, I would definitely check out another Garces restaurant after a good experience at Amada.

    (4)

  • Megan C.

    We went to Amada for our Wedding Anniversary. It was wonderful. We went with the Chef's Selection and it was wonderful! The Garlic Shrimp was delicious, our flat bread was amazing, we loved the meat and cheese plate. Everything was wonderful!!

    (4)

  • Maria W.

    Love it and great great value! Their sea food paella is to the die for. Even the best restaurants in Spain can not compare.

    (5)

  • Yolanda Y.

    We came here for lunch around one and were seated immediately. We got a tall table with what I found were really uncomfortable stools, so we asked to sit in a normal table with regular chairs. There was no problem with that, and we ordered drinks right away. Surprisingly, the coffee was really really good. The sangria with mint and peach is also very good and very refreshing. Even for a chilly October day, the sangria was perfect. We got the cured meats mixto, and then we went through a bunch of the tapas: tortilla, eggplant, peppers stuffed with crab, and something else I cannot remember. Everything looks really cool, but be careful if you come here with an odd number of people, like three, because most of the tapas come in two, so you may have to do some weird splitting if more people come and want to try one of each. If you do not find parking on Chestnut, that's normal, keep driving around and don't despair. During the day there is 3 hour parking on Front St. which you will hit if you stay on Chestnut past Amada. Also when you sit down there are these little things on the napkin that look like they came from a fondue set, so we just used them to hook the meats and stuff, but no one could tell us for sure what they were for. Now that I have an idea of their tapas, maybe I'll come here for dinner and try a traditional entree. AND they just got a makeover inside last week!

    (4)

  • Leah M.

    We went to Amada back in February and I'm still thinking about how good it was! We went there on a whim to celebrate a birthday and they were very accommodating. We didn't have reservations but their sat our party of 6 even though it was packed. As others have said, the sangria was excellent and quite possibly the most delicious thing I've ever eaten was the spinach & serrano ham dish that Denise F. describes. Absolutely amazing. It's a hard-to-top favorite in Philly.

    (5)

  • Marianna V.

    Went here for a bachelorette party dinner. IT WAS A-MA-ZING...and I've been to my fair share of restaurants. Decor was elegant yet maybe a little too simple, but I understand they want the focus really on the food. BECAUSE IT DESERVES IT. The cheese stuffed pepper was to die for. basically I loved everything we ordered, and we were in a big group so that was a lot of tapas. This is for when you really want to wine and dine someone special.

    (5)

  • Arielle W.

    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.)

    (5)

  • Caroline H.

    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!

    (5)

  • George G.

    Definitely not as great as I would have expected.

    (3)

  • Cian D.

    Few restaurants in the country have impressed me as much as Amada, and I was lucky enough to live a few blocks away from it for a year.. If in Philly you MUST go here, the food, the ambiance, the presentation, the service. The whole package. GO. but book well in advance!

    (5)

  • Jess D.

    So far, my favorite restaurant in Philly. I went here with a girlfriend and we had a sampling from each area of the menu. Everything was AMAZING and I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting. Please note that this is a tapas style restaurant, so everything is just enough for a taste or two. Make sure you order the sangria because it was the best accompaniment to the meal!

    (4)

  • Patrick C.

    Mr picky eater i am. Went with 5 friends from work while in town at a convention. Had Janice order everything for us. Each appetizer was fantasitc, unique and delicious. Amazing flavors. Portions are ok for the price. You need lots of tapas to fill up which is both good and bad. Good because you get to try so many things, bad because it adds up really fast. Very nice comfortable environment with a fairly quiet noise level. You could hear eachother no problem. Do not hesitate to try it Amada as it is truly a unique and excellent dining experience. Loved every minute of it. The tapas are timed in three or more waves. Go for it, you won't regret it.

    (5)

  • Stacey S.

    Just to speak my creds: I have had authentic tapas in the following countries/places: Spain, Mexico, Peru, Argentina, & Hawaii. This place is by far the best tapas restaurant I have been to on the East coast. I went here during a restaurant week & it was so good, I would revisit during a non-restaurant week evening (I know, crazy- right?)

    (5)

  • Mike O.

    I passed this place on a walk to Penn's Landing. I saw the serrano hams in the window and I knew I had to go in. I can't really speak to the cooking because I only had serrano ham and manchego cheese--both excellent. The ham was served with a delicious spicy mustard and pickles. The cheese came with a sweet honey. The bartender knew the perfect white wine to have with it. A little pricy, but worth every penny.

    (4)

  • Rebecca K.

    A plus for Amada. Ate at Amada on Saturday night, had a 9:30 reservation and were seated right away. We were seated at a two top in the front of the restaurant behind the hostess stand. Before I get to the good I'll start with the not so good. As others have noticed the bench seating is quite low and I had to switch with my date to have a reasonable chance of eating at a normal height. So if you are short...make sure to sit in the chair. Secondly the tables are long...so long that it is hard to talk to the person you are with unless you are both leaning over the table at all times. (Now this makes sense from a serving perspective because you are eating one or two dishes that take up table room and to maximize the # of tables they need to have long vs. wide tables. Thirdly, the Blanco sangria, though yummy, was definitely on the weaker side. But c'est la vie. Ok...now to the good stuff. THE FOOD. OMG. It was amazing. We opted not to do the chef's tasting menu but rather ordered without abandon from all over the menu (choosing at least one dish from each section). Afterwards we were so stuffed we had to return to our hotel for a food coma induced slumber. Highlights: Aged Manchengo with Truffled Lavender Honey (ahh-mazing, seriously we were drooling over the honey which had the most distinct yet light lavender flavor.) Spanish Octopus--even I a non-seafood eater had to have a few bites, interesting and flavorful. Lamb Meatballs---delicious medley of flavors in a small ball, ours were a bit salty but still melt in your mouth delish. Baked Goat Cheese and Tomato--served with 6 oil toasted crostini...good take on a standard tapas. Chorizo from La Plancha---super salty but a yummy portion size. Beef Short rib Flatbread...seriously the best piece of the meal (served last of course) crisp flatbread topped with tender beef short ribs with a heavy dusting of parm and a dash of horseradish. perfection. Lastly to top it all of, an order of the Lecha Frita (Fried Cream served with Hazelnut Ice Cream). The perfect sweet treat ending to a meal that was close to perfect. As others have commented that Amada runs on the pricier side I'll say that our dinner for 2 that included the above mentioned tapas/desert plus a pitcher of Sangria ran just over $100 before tip. Not terrible for an excellent Saturday night meal in Olde City.

    (4)

  • Chi S.

    This is a terrific place. I don't have anything to add to the other reviewers, other to say that the food was amazing, the ambience was great, and the chef's choice thing is really the way to go if you don't know your tapas (the choices they made for us were perfect).

    (5)

  • Krista A.

    Great restaurant! Very attentive staff and interesting drunk menu. Two of us split 5 tapas and the cheese plate and it was more than enough. If you're looking for a "special occasions" place, this is it!

    (5)

  • Thomas T.

    The presentation is excellent. The food is very good but I like Barcelona in Connecticut better. It is load. I mean shout across the table load to talk. It is $50 per person so not awful for dinner.

    (4)

  • Jennifer H.

    If you want dark, small atmosphere, this is the place. If you want rude, unattentive, snobby managers and bartenders, make a reservation now. We had eaten at their sister property Tinto and it was fabulous. The service was amazing, the food was good. We called on our way over and there was a wait, so we headed to the bar. The bartender took a little over 5 minutes to even look our way and we were SITTING at the bar. My family received their drinks before I did, which was a martini. Waiting another 5 minutes, I finally asked and the rude, Irish bartender said he didn't have any glasses. He never offered me something else OR let me know that was the hold up. He had already mixed the martini, so when he finally got a glass it was so watered down, I had to ask for another one in a rock glass. He then removed the menus that were in front of us for other customers without even asking if we wanted to eat. Not to mention we were actually looking at it. My brother is a chef, my ex-finance is a restaurant manager, and I work in the hospitality world, so we know what good service is and how managers, especially should act towards their patrons. One of the absolute worst experiences in service I have ever had. However, the food was amazing. So, be prepared to love the food, but hate the service. Go to Tinto instead.

    (2)

  • Tim B.

    Hard to add much to what's already been said, but this is a really excellent place. One thing that might surprise some diners is how controlled and even austere both the decor and the cuisine are. Certainly there are some of the classics of tapas cooking but only a few of them are prepared pretty much as you would get them in a more typically rowdy tapas joint. (Patatas bravas, for example, is pretty much what you'd get anywhere, though it's better here.) Much of the rest of the menu is original either in the quality of the ingredients or in the preparation. The service is also very adaptable to the needs of diners, staying out of the way of people who are comfortable with the cuisine and the menu structure and helping anyone who has questions. I just like the overall look of the place as well--the tables, the dark, modern interior.

    (5)

  • Rob F.

    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.

    (2)

  • Tammer F.

    I'm probably preaching to the choir, but this place is just amazing. I've made the splurge probably 7 or 8 times now, and while it's not cheap, I've never regretted it. If you have a large party, the tasting menu is definitely worthwhile, and the friendly and attentive staff always to a great job of accommodating vegetarians or those with allergy limitations in the courses. The albondigas are simply amazing. It's one of those places (along with some of Garces' other restaurants) that I wish I could eat at weekly.

    (5)

  • Zack T.

    you should not go during peak hour, the tapas I had yesterday was overpower by salt and the food was not delicious at all. ;(

    (2)

  • Lisa W.

    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.

    (5)

  • Kaitlin L.

    I went here last night with two friends for Restaurant Week and really enjoyed the entire meal. The tapas style serving allowed us to share everything, so we managed to test most of the menu offered. Highlights: the garlic shrimp were delicious but not overpowering; the grilled asparagus with poached egg was amazing, the seasonal wild mushrooms were a real surprise, possibly the best mushroom's i've ever had. both dessert options were delicious as well. We ordered a pitcher of rose sangria which gave us each about 2 drinks, not too shabby for the price. It was a more bold sangria then we expected, but it was delicious. This restaurant is best with a group of about 6 people so that you can try a little of everything.

    (4)

  • Louis K.

    For awhile my wife and I have been waiting to go to Amada, however when ever I wanted to make a reservation for a Friday or Saturday I was told that they only had available reservations for 5is or late at 10ish. So Finally we decided to go during the week on a school night. I believe it very much lived up to the hype and I now understand why they were always booked up. The restaurant only has about 20 tables. We decided to split a caraf of Sangria which was delicious, nice and fruity but not to sweet. it fealt like it was never ending, we must've gotten close to 8 glasses out of it. We ordered 8 Tapas. We tried to order something from each part of the menu. Our favorites seemed to come from the Grill menu and the flat bread menu. My personal Fav was the grilled Squid delicately laced with olive oil and pesto. We'll definitely be going back.

    (4)

  • Sarena S.

    Hands down my favorite restaurant in the city for various reasons, including: - The simplicity yet uniqueness of their tapas - A warm ambiance/modern decor -Cultura y musica -- flamenco shows Overall, heavenly food and good athmosphere. Your meal won't be cheap, but it's well worth it.

    (5)

  • alicia g.

    The first time I came here, I was astonished by how delicious it was! I have never had octopus cooked the way I had it here, with little potatoes and paprika. It wasn't chewy AT ALL. I love José Garces, but didn't come here for that. Everything he makes is practically perfect.

    (5)

  • Liz M.

    Very nice restaurant. Very good food, good atmosphere, good drinks. We will be back.

    (5)

  • Ana A.

    Great tapas. Good atmosphere. Defintely will be back when we are in town,

    (5)

  • Kat J.

    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!!!

    (4)

  • Tricia K.

    Had a great meal here on Saturday night with three of my girlfriends. We had to wait a while beyond our reservation for dinner, but thoroughly enjoyed our cocktails at the stylish bar during the wait. We shared a series of tapas for dinner. I would say that for all of them, the portions were a little small, but perhaps that is because we split each one 4 ways. We did, however, enjoy the variety of flavors and the pace of the meal. - Serrano Ham: delicious - Patatas Bravas: pretty good, but a little like tater tots - Ham Croquettes: not a fan, but I don't care for most croquettes because they are heavily fried - Lamb Meatballs: these were a little off, very gamey - Duckbreast flatbread: delicious duck, not too fatty, but the pieces were small - Shortrib Flatbread: generous portion of shortribs on all the flatbread - Parmesean Artichokes: My favorite of the lot, fantatsic flavor and a great way to prepare these veggies - Chickpeas and Spinach: a little spicier than I expected We also had dessert, where I had the brown butter cake. This was pretty good, but not nearly as moist as I expected. The coffee was delicious.

    (4)

  • Tom M.

    I thought this restaurant was overrated. Definately does not live up to the hype. Food is fine, just not as spectacular as people said. Ambience is also lame. Tables for two about as small as a newspaper. Don't get all the fuss.

    (2)

  • Simon E.

    I went here for Easter with my girlfriend in 2006. The staff were extremely friendly and I like the general vibe of the place. It was busy, always a good sign, and seemed to be occupied by a fairly diverse crowd of people. I was hoping to try the pomegranate mojito but unfortunately they had just switched it for a Tangerine version. I would have minded but the Tangerine one was so good, that it offset any disappointment. I managed to fill my lust for a pomegranate one at Sea in New York a few days later so that was fine as well. The food was top notch. I can't remember exactly what I had, it was so long ago but I wasn't disappointed. The capers were amazing, I hadn't realised they could be so big after years of getting the little ones in jars. My only downside, it can be expensive, especially when you get carried away with the small plates as we did. Dinner with four drinks was well over $200. Well worth it but I will definitely have to be a little more restrained next time!

    (4)

  • Em B.

    I should preface this review by saying that I LOVED the food at Amada, but the service and the over all experience did not live up to my expectations. My in-laws came to town specifically to eat at a Garces restaurant. My mother-in-law is a foodie and has been following Chef Garces' career, mouth watering. We were very excited for our 9:30PM reservations. We arrived around 9:00 planning to get a drink at the bar and wait for our table. The host was very curt with us and told us we had "a lot of time," so we should go to the bar. The restaurant was extremely crowded with tables crammed into the bar and people standing, hovering over the poor people's tables who were in the bar area. We opted, even though it was a really hot, humid night, to stand outside and wait across the street. We told the host we'd be back in 20 minutes. He looked at us and smirked, "Come back at 9:30." Okay. We can take a hint. Our table wont' be ready until then. We came back at 9:27 and checked in with the host. "Oop," he says, "Not quite 9:30." His tone was not appreciated. We were not seated until nearly 9:45PM. This would not have been a problem if we could have actually waded through the crowd to get to the bar or... if we were just not shirked off like we hadn't showered in a week. Maybe I'm wrong, but when we're spending $300 for a meal, we expect to be treated with a little more respect. We decided on the tasting menu and it did not disappoint. The Spanish octopus was my favorite--so garlicky and tender. I also really loved the warm fava and lima bean salad. I would love to be able to replicate the vinegar dressing. It was amazing. What was not so impressive was, again, the service. The main waitress was nice enough and the service was adequate, but when you order a tasting menu you expect to be able to discern what the wait staff is saying you're about to consume. The restaurant was loud and crowded and the wait staff seemed rushed. They did not ask us if we had questions about the food and in fact, if we even heard what they said. Often, we were left to guess what they said as they rushed back to the kitchen to get more food for another table. Another dish that disappointed was the Cordero Relleno--lamb chosp stufed with goat cheese, herbs, and romesco sauce. The presentation was beautiful and we were very excited as this was the last dish they brought out to us, the finale of a very tasty meal. However, there was a very fried exterior that was greasy and the cheese was a bit gushy, making the lamb meat a bit soggy. Unimpressive. With all of that said, almost all of the dishes we got were really quite good, the flavors bold, but not overpowering, the presentation elegant, and I certainly did not leave hungry. I was just disappointed by how we were treated in the beginning of the evening and we felt we were rushed through our meal. Say what you will about Stephen Starr's food, his restaurants do know service....

    (3)

  • T N.

    This place is awesome. I wish i could try their sucking pig, which is what they are famous for. But i only went with one person, who doesn't eat meat.... :-\ It was an all around awesome dining experience. Price was right too... not too crazy pricey for the food.

    (5)

  • William R.

    A phenomenal dining experience. Loved the ambiance, quality of the drinks, food and service. Craig at the bar is great. On point and knows his menu and offers great service. After a stop at the bar, we sat at the chef's table (6 bar seats in front of the kitchen) which I highly recommend. You can watch all the stuff being prepared. If you sit to the right you are in front of the desert and cheese preparation - makes your mouth water. The menu is Spanish which implies Tapas - you won't be disappointed. The names of the dishes are in Spanish, but I'll tell you the english names of what we loved - the "mother and son" - chicken in black truffles with a fried egg - so good - our favorite. The mushrooms. The flatbread with cheese. The spanish octopus. The crab stuffed peppers - so rocking good. You'll definitely need to make a reservation. I guess one thing that really got me was that the place has been around for 7 years (as of 2012) and it looks so cool and current, you think it's opened in the last few months. The kitchen appears to work like a well oiled machine - their attention to detail and precision is amazing. Highly recommend.

    (5)

  • Dave B.

    Hands down best restaurant in the city. It's not Hoity toity yet it is 5 star food. It is not very over priced but beware tapas add up quickly. The best part is that every single dish is banging- and since it's tapas you can try like 4 things. It's a fun place with spectacular food. Definitely go here.

    (5)

  • Jamie W.

    Tapas, tapas, and more tapas. Great dining option for a group of folks who enjoy interacting and sharing. They suggested 3 plates apiece .... around $5-$20 per plate ... so, yeah, it racks up the bill pretty quick. Genius on their part! I really liked the garlic shrimp, spicy potatoes, lamb chops, anchovies and olives, some cheese (can't recall exact name, sorry - but I think they're all pretty good), some white and seasonal rose sangria. Maple syrup ice cream - yummy! I think its overpriced, but it is great food for sure.

    (4)

  • Rick N.

    Always one of the first places i recommend to someone visiting phila. You really can't go wrong with the menu, if you are going as a group just order a lot of different tapas and you will be very happy :)

    (5)

  • Bill P.

    Was in Philly recently and decided to try Amada. Great food! It's a bit pricey, but we had a terrific meal and the ambiance was cool. The front part is loud, but we sat in the back part and it was quieter. The food was terrific and much better than Jaleo in DC. Well worth the visit!

    (5)

  • Juliana S.

    There's only one word that can describe Jose Garces' flagship restaurant: AMAZING! (If I could put it in size 72 font with bold lettering, I would!) I've been itching to go here for so long - it's a little too expensive for me to eat at during a non-restaurant week week. Let me tell you, it was more than worth the wait. I went with 4 people, which meant we could order almost everything on the menu. It was all mind-blowingly delicious. Here are a few standouts: First course: 1. Garrotxa cheese served with garlic dulce de leche. The garlic caramel sounded both terrifying and interesting at the same time. It flat out rocked. 2. Aged manchego cheese with truffled lavender honey. I'm always a little bit nervous eating lavender. It's one of those things that you NEVER associate with food so it could go horribly wrong - kind of like eating a candle. But, with honey and cheese it's so pleasant. 3. Escalivada - roasted vegetables (we deduced that they were red peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, and onions) with goat cheese toast. This was definitely the best of the first course dishes. It was so simple and just perfect. Second course: 1. The beef shortrib flatbread was simply amazing. 2. Grilled scallops a la plancha - definitely the best scallops I've ever had hands down. Scallops can be tricky to cook - just a moment too long and they turn all rubbery and gross. These just melted like butter. 3.There was a special that night - a roasted pepper stuffed with crab. I can say that this dish silenced a table of chatty girls for a solid 5 minutes. It was THAT good. 4. The lima bean salad - it's pretty safe to say that I HATE HATE HATE lima beans. Every time my mom made me eat them as a kid they were dry, waxy, flavorless, and GROSS. If they had been cooked like this warm salad (with red onions, red peppers, peas, and loads of flavor), I would have eaten them and begged for more. Listen up moms of the world! Go to Amada, try this dish, try your very best to copy it and give it your kids and turn them into veg lovers. Sadly the desserts were very anticlimactic but still wonderful. The chocolate custard has lavender in it. You'll either really like it or be disgusted. The brown butter cake was quaint but the scoop of almond ice cream on the side was infinitely better. I know this post is long but I have just one more thing to say... JOSE GARCES, PLEEEEEEASE MARRY ME!

    (5)

  • Nitasha S.

    My roommate and I have been here twice. We live literally 500 feet away so it is very convenient. We've only been their for lunch but what we had was so good! For an appetizer we got their cheese platter. The garlic sauce that is served with one of the cheeses is to die for, I could literally eat just that all day! Of the things we've tried, they were all delicious!!! (Burger- huge but tasty, with awesome fries [tuffle possibly? with a cream sauce on the bottom]; Steak sandwich - really good, meat could be a little more tender and I wasn't a fan of the cheese but my roommate loved the cheese, served with just as good of fries [the 2nd time we went however my roommate seemed to get old fries that didn't taste as good as mine did the1st time]; verde salad- definitely green and definitely delicious!!!; chicken "caesar"- had a great garlic ranch sauce to it and the chicken was so moist!!; their tea was made on site, not lipton from the fountain- very good!!) The service was decent, some what slow but I think it's because it was lunch and there weren't that many customers there. Our waitress recognized us the 2nd time which made us feel "special" and it was more personalized at that point. We definitely want to try it here for dinner sometime.

    (4)

  • Anne H.

    delicious extraodinary mouthwatering

    (5)

  • Julia L.

    Overall, I thought it was good - ambiance is casual and inviting, not pretentious, but tables are too close together. I'm not a big girl but wouldn't be able to squeeze through without sitting on our neighbor's table. You can unwillingly overhear your neighbor's conversations. Somewhat understandable as the total square footage of restaurant is pretty small. I had previously commented on Barclay Prime and expressing EXTREME dissatisfaction at the seating and as my husband pointed out, the spacing between tables was the same at Amada but for some reason, due to the ambiance, it didn't seem as oppressive/invasive. As for food, we ordered garlic shrimp which was standard but really tasty. The scallops were REALLY salty as were the Wagu Beef Brochettes. I am not shy with sodium so for me to comment that it was salty means it was extremely salty. I did appreciate that we were graciously given a free appetizer compliments of the kitchen - completely unsolicited, which was very nice. I did not complain about the saltiness of the aforementioned dishes. The braised short rib flat bread was good - a touch oversalty but not like the scallops and brochettes. The pork and broccoli rabe sandwich was flavorful. We also enjoyed the crab stuffed chile relleno. The description for "calamari linguine" is quite literal. For some reason, in my head, I translated it as linguine with calamari and not actual calamari shredded into noodles. That was my fault. But I wasn't a fan. It was calamari overload.

    (4)

  • Corey B.

    Amada is not only one of the best restaurants in the city, but one of the best restaurants in the world. That's all I have to say about that.

    (5)

  • SR S.

    seriousely? not that good!

    (1)

  • Sally T.

    You know this place is gonna be good if you walk in and see a statue of a pig! The sangria was delicious but the lamb meatballs weren't...then again, that could just be a personal taste thing. The scrambled eggs with shrimp and toast thing was THE best thing I had. I wanna eat that EVERYDAY for breakfast! Oh yeah, one of their chefs makes good salads. I mean, good enough to have his salad featured by Salad Works and his very own billboard!

    (4)

  • Sean E.

    Best Tapas in Philly. Even the time we went here during restaurant week we still got a great selection. Could say its a little pricey but well worth it. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Nucky T.

    The food and atmosphere is fantastic. The prices are kind of steep for something the size of a free sample at a supermarket, but that's tapas baby! Deal with it. The menu is kind of overwhelming at first, so you can opt for a $55 option where the chef picks out 4 traditional dishes plus desert. It's a great idea if you want to try a few things without embarassing yourself by mispronouncing the dish's spanish name. The crowd reeks of pretentious douchebag...but I was there too, so who am I to judge right? Bottom line: Upscale spanish-style restaurant that's bound to get you laid on a first date without making it look like you're trying too hard.

    (4)

  • Phil G.

    Here with a group of six, wife and adult children with friends. Shared everything. Everything was awesome. No disappointments. Good spanish wines. Great atmosphere. Came here years ago when our son was attending UPenn, so fun to be back and glad to see it is still so good. Highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Foodie C.

    Being half Spanish and having lived in Spain for 30 years I have eaten tapas all my life. Some better than others even in Spain but one thing for sure is that Amada is NOT authentic Spanish Cuisine. I was very excited to dine here having seen all the great reviews but what a let down it was. Nothing resembled what we eat in Spain. -Pulpo a la gallega should be boiled not cooked on the grill -Fideua should not have any cream in it and definitely not the cup of cream this one had. -Berenjenas were sweet like a dessert and sour with vinegar. Why? -Meatballs had the texture of Ikea meatballs. Too perfectly round and most probably made in a factory somewhere. No love at all in that dish. -Croquetas should be larger and crunchier. These were like fried baby food and I could not pick them up even with a fork. Zero texture but tons of salt. -The table next to us had arroz negro which should just be rice blackened with squid ink but this one was covered in salad and had lobster on top. Que? -Our charcuterie plate had the quality of the crappiest cold cuts one can buy. Probably not even Spanish. Really bad. The whole dinner was just a parade of one bad dish after another. Food that is merchandised as authentic but really it is anything but. If they want to make this awful food and still find some people who think it is good then I am very happy for them but do not call it authentic because it is not. It is not even Spanish. At a stretch it is perhaps Spanish-inspired but even that might be too much of an association with Spanish cuisine. Everyone who thinks this food is good should not visit Spain because then you will never want to go back to this restaurant. An absolute waste of money and complete let down. Nunca mas!

    (1)

  • Jen H.

    YUMMY!! My favorite meal when I was in Philly!! Cheers to Jose Garces! Friends: What are you doing in Philly? Me: To eat!! (oh of course, to visit my bestie) We arrived around 8pm, and were 30 minutes early for our reservations. We went over to the bar and ordered a pitcher of white sangria. Pretty satisfying--If you have 3-4 people, a pitcher would suffice. Since it was our first night together, we decided to go with the chef's choice menu at $65/person. Definitely worth it!! There was plenty of food. However, there was a party of 2 next to our table (our party was 3ppl), and they also ordered the chef's choice menu too, and they precisely received the same amount of food as we did. I guess I would highly suggest going in pairs to this restaurant. If my assumption is false, maybe just go with two ppl. One of Amada's cons was that if the table orders a particular tasting menu, the ENTIRE table has to order that same exact one. We were thinking doing 2 $65s, and 1 $55, but the waiter said that was not allowed at the table. I lost count, but we probably had 7-9 different tapa plates that came out. My favorite were: 1) W A G Y U B R O C H E T T E S 2) R E V U E L T O Another con is that the sauces tasted very similiar throughout our meal. It was either the green sauce (cilantro?) or Truffle oil, lacking unique flavors for each individual tapa plate that came out. If you're using truffle oil, the chef is cheating b/c anything tastes good with truffle oil!!! Besides those two cons mentioned, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal at Amada with lovely company!

    (4)

  • M G.

    As soon as I knew I would be in Philly for business I made reservations for my boss and I to have dinner at Amada. I had never dined here before, but I will pat myself on the back because this was a genius move! Not only because my boss loved it, but because he also paid the bill ; ) We ordered the $65 chef's selection of tapas which I recommend. Every. Single. Plate. Was. Awesome ! The food just kept coming and coming. This is my favorite way to dine- tasting and sharing many different things. I especially enjoyed the grilled octopus which I have not found here in Metro Denver. The service was impressive and impeccable without being stiff. Our waiter was extremely knowledgeable about the wine list. Our flatware was replaced after every course and then mid-meal, right when I was wishing I had a clean towel to freshen our table, lo and behold someone appeared and cleaned it. I have no idea how the kitchen and wait staff manage which table has gotten which plates but they have this down to a science. Our waiter was even good humored when I asked him ( only half joking) "where is my room? because I am moving in" I simply cannot say enough good things about this restaurant. It is not the cheapest restaurant you can eat at but there is nothing cheap about this restaurant. Everything is top notch and you definitely get your money's worth. It is a great value. By the way... still waiting to find out where my room is so I can move in my stuff ! XO Amada

    (5)

  • Brian S.

    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?

    (5)

  • Sarah F.

    For our anniversary, we decided to cash in on a Garces gift card. My choice was Chifa (RIP) but I got talked into Amada. I was really underwhelmed with the service. We had reservations, but were seated late, so we went to the bar to order drinks. The bartender gave us a drink menu and did not check back for several minutes. Our server was initially inattentive as well, but improved as the night went on. Some food was tasty, some not so much. The complimentary tuna salad appetizer was terrible. It tasted like Chicken of the Sea mixed with Hellman's and a little garlic powder. The garlic shrimp may have been good, however I accidentally ate a chili pepper on my first bite, so I was overwhelmed with spice. The parmesan artichokes were nothing spectacular. I thought the arroz temporado was absolutely horrible, but my boyfriend enjoyed it, and ate all of it. I enjoyed the cheese plate very much. I'm referring to it as the cheese plate that got me hooked back on dairy. Darn it. The mushroom flatbread was also enjoyable. My favorite dishes of the night were the fried baby squid and the crab stuffed peppers. If I make it back to Amada, I am ordering those two things and not sharing with anyone. We didn't order dessert, because by that point I was so uncomfortably full that I couldn't even THINK of dessert. We tried two of the sangrias, both which were excellent. I would probably go back solely for one of those. Amada had its high and low points, but overall I was expecting more from Garces.

    (3)

  • K D.

    Hands down the best meal my boyfriend and I have ever had. We went for our anniversary and it was absolutely perfect. We were nervous we wouldn't get a table because it was a Saturday night during a holiday weekend and we called for a reservation midday. They told us they didn't have a table until 10p but we could stop by to see if there was a bar table. We did that and I think it worked out even better. Our wait for a table was only about 20min & it went so quickly because we were having a great time at the bar. Great wine selection. The calamari, scallop, vermicelli in cream sauce awesomeness was my favorite. I would have licked the bowl. We also tried the spicy potatoes, ham croquettes, spinach & artichoke empanada, short rib flatbread, and wagyu beef brochettes. Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Eric P.

    Tried the Philadelphia Amada for Brunch last weekend. After dining at the one in Atlantic City, we had high expectations, and after dining here, we certainly were not disappointed. We decided to order Tapas style as opposed to just ordering our own individual dishes. I'll start off by saying that the first thing you must order upon sitting down is the the Garrotxa with Garlic Dulce de Leche. You will be licking the little bowl of sauce, without a doubt. Other notable dishes include : Croquetas de Jamon, Tortilla Espanola, Queso de Cabra, the Scallops, and definitely definitely the Chorizo on the grill. All of the breakfast dishes like the Pancakes and Omelettes looked delicious, so something that I will definitely be returning for.

    (5)

  • Tanna F.

    Our favorite restaurant in the city. Go get the chef's tasting menu, you will not be disappointed. Go get anything on the menu, it will melt in your mouth. Sangria is good (red or white) but is just 4/5 stars. Best Jose Garces restaurant in the city. Service is great too.

    (5)

  • Sarah H.

    Top three reasons I'm glad I'm not a vegetarian: (1) Amada's Costillas De Ternera Coca (2) Amada's Costillas De Ternera Coca and, you guessed it (3) Amada's COSTILLAS DE TERNERA COCA ...also known as the impeccable unification of crispy flatbread topped with thinly sliced beef shortrib, shredded horseradish, parmesan and bacon. Seriously, just tryyyy it. Other meal highlights included: (1) The aged manchego appetizer accompanied by truffled lavender honey. I repeat: TRUFFLED.LAVENDER.HONEY (the emPHAsis is extremely necessary). (2) The asparagus/poached egg/mahon crisp/truffle dish. O-face. (3) The chocolate-hazelnut-caramel flourless cake. It's like a whole jar of nutella hopped into your mouth and exploded (in an utterly realistic and delicious way, of course). Areas for improvement: (1) The seasonal wild mushrooms. I don't know what it was but...this dish just wasn't spectacular (which I came to expect and demand after my first three plates, naturally). (2) The serrano ham and melon - while I appreciate the unique flavor and lovely presentation, it was excessively sweet for my enjoyment. (3) THE LACK OF SPACE. Squeezing out to use the restroom involved far too many bending/sliding/shuffling motions for this fancy of an establishment.

    (4)

  • S R.

    Great happy hour which allowed for a good sampling of the tapas without spending a fortune. Highlights were scallops, flash fried peppers, and bacon dates. Unimpressed by the tortilla. Liked the gambas and patatas bravas. After all this and two cocktails each, my partner and I left full and buzzed for $60. Would not return for dinner.

    (4)

  • Matt K.

    I love most Garces' restaurants. My favorites are Tinto, Chifa and Distrito. Amada is fourth. That is not a indictment, but it lacks the originality and/or excitement of the others. We came for dinner and overall the experience was very satisfying. We had 6 tapas. The salad verde was really good, it had a ton of bitter greens which I like and cheese. It was piled high into a tower. Happy stuff. The lamb meatballs were very tasty, and the sauce was wonderful. We finished all the sauce. The artichokes were kinda small but good flavor, to the plate. Very similar sauce to the lamb meatballs. Hmmmm. Covered with parmesan cheese. The shrimp was very good too, but that sauce kind of reappeared. The yellowy, cream and butter based thing again? One other that escapes me but finally, the special skewer, the pork belly! I have officially decided that pork belly is passé. I mean seriously people, it's bacon with a fancy name! Undercooked! Not crispy! You want fancy bacon get pancetta! I swear I have had pork belly like 20 times in 2 years, and I hope it has run its course. So often it is either undercooked or bland. This one was both. I am not sure why I wanted to try yet another pork belly, but I couldn't resist. But I am officially done with it. Their wine list is depressingly short and almost all the wines on the less expensive list are from 2009 or 2010. We actually had a couple glasses of the 2005 Tempranillo, which I recommend. I think it's time to spruce up Amada before Philly's fickle diners get bored and move on, but I could be wrong. It was mostly full on a Thursday. All in all, pleasant. But Amada is out of my Garces rotation.

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    Good food and service. Portions are a little smaller than expected for the price.

    (4)

  • Steven B.

    Great Expectations is not only the name of a famous novel but also a description of my feelings as I visit a Garces restaurant. Last night the lovely wife and I kicked off Restaurant Week by visiting Amada and as expected, our meal was extraordinary. Depending on the dictionary Amada translates to darling or beloved. Whatever the translation, I am in love. We are no strangers to Garces places and have visited Distrito and JG Domestic several times. This is also not our first visit here. Our Open Table reservations were honored perfectly and we were seated about five minutes early. Our waiter was Harrison and throughout our meal he was competent and friendly. The Restaurant Week menu included two appetizers, two entrees and a desert each. So the two of us enjoyed a total of ten plates. Note to new visitors; five plates each was the perfect number. We were pleasantly full but not stuffed. As we sighed and moaned over each delightful morsel we discovered we had a problem. We would have a very difficult time deciding which dish or dishes were our favorites. If you are visiting a tapas restaurant this is exactly the problem you want to face. In the interests of brevity I'll mention three wonderful plates. The Cana De Cabra cheese with fig and cherry marmalade was a perfect appetizer. My wife's eyes lit up when she had her first taste and I agree. The Costillas De Ternera Coca (beef shortrib flatbread with horseradish, parmesan and bacon) was beautiful to behold. The kick from the horseradish worked well with the beef. Finally the Madre E Hijo (chicken breast with truffles and fried egg) was plated beautifully. I am a sucker for truffles and I was not disappointed. At a Garces restaurant I've learned to expect at least a four star if not a five star experience. Once again we were blown away. Kudos to Jose for creating one of the best dining destinations in Philly.

    (5)

  • Serena D.

    This place is going to be my new favorite spot! Love dark tone and wood table, it was fun eating at the kitchen area where you can see the chefs prepare your food. The food was very good, I highly recommend the Spanish octopus, it's very fresh and has lots of flavors, comes with some pieces of potato, I almost ordered a second round :) The beef short rib flatbread was awesome too. I ordered verdejo, which is a light and a bit dry white wine, I loved it. The service was very attentive, nice ambience, it can get very packed during dinner time, so make a reservation before headed there :)

    (5)

  • Justine J.

    First and foremost, do not get the $55/person chef's tasting. Maybe $65/person... or just order individually. I am a little confused by this place. First, it's a really pretty place. I think it's cool how you can see the kitchen. I don't think I enjoyed the food too much though, but it could have been because of the $55 chef tasting. Maybe the $65 would have been better. Or even just ordering things on the menu. Oh well. The waiter was not very well informed. We asked him what the difference was between the $55 and the $65, but all he said was "$65 has better ingredients." This was the such a disappointing response. I proceeded to ask, "What's in the $55?" And he gave me the same answer.. which actually really go on my nerves as to how uneducated he was about the menu. It's nearly equivalent to not know what your "Today's Specials" are. At Zahav, they were very VERY thorough in explaining what was in the Chef's tasting. Unfortunately we settled for the $55/person chef's tasting. Everything was pretty much bread. Bread with two meager slices of drunken goat cheese and granny smith apple slices with this dark chocolate marmalade thing which was not very good. Oh, this is a good one. Bread and pepperoni. HAHA! That's what I would eat in college. Oh, bread with random dips (one of the dips was really bad - the grey colored one). Buttered bread with garlic shrimp.. What is that...three already (out of 9). The salad was pretty good though - I'll give them that one. The crab stuffed pepper was also good, as well as the wagyu beef. The chickpeas with spinach in this tomato sauce was not so great. The fish with this odd orange foamy sauce was... not good ether. It tasted like rubber orange. It also came with some basil paste... which I don't think compliments fish very well. I would have very much preferred dill paste and lemon/garlic glaze - not orange. The dessert was good - cheesecake with blueberries and lemon sorbet. They also give you this almond crumpet in the end, which was also good. The best way I can describe the $55/person chef's tasting is a lot of the dishes were half-assed. Sorry, but that is my honest opinion. I pretty much spent most of the time making fun of everything. Oh, the white wine sangria with peach, lemongrass, and gin was HORRIBLE. Not worth $9. Service and management was not the best. Actually, it's really bad for a 4-5 star joint. They were bad with refilling water. The table next to us had undercooked chicken.. and I couldn't help but notice the lack of apology. Yes, they took it back to cook it some more, but the manager just floated around like a dust particle and didn't anything about it. Last I checked is that when you really mess up (e.g. under cook someone's chicken) you better get over there and apologize and reassure that it will get taken care of. It's really unsafe to be serving undercooked chicken. On the bright side, I do think that this place has potential. I really do just think I got unlucky with this visit. If I were to come back, I would just go for the tapas.. that's what everyone else seems to be doing... which I think is a better idea... but who knows when the next time is that I'll be making it back down here AND to be able to convince someone to come with me. Some of the things on there I really wish I would have been able to try were ham croquettes, lamb meatballs, spanish octopus, clam chorrizo, and fries squid with squid ink and saffron, as well some cheeses. Would I go back? Absolutely - I think this place has potential. We just got unlucky with the server (which is almost always hit ot miss in many places) and the chef's testing.

    (3)

  • Mary P.

    Hands down best charcuterie in town.

    (5)

  • Thai P.

    We had great expectations for this place considering all the high reviews so we were saving it for our anniversary dinner. We were very disappointed with everything, from the food to the service. Our waiter didn't introduce himself, wasn't very informative or friendly, never once stopped to check on our plates and I had to flag him down to order more food. We had to request to get our dirty plates cleared everytime. We ordered 7 dishes and sadly our favorites were the free tuna appetizer and the free crunchy dessert cookie/cracker. - Patatas Bravas: nice & elegant presentation but the paprika that covered it was overpowering. Kind of reminded me of a smoked bbq chip. - Datiles con almendras : bacon wrapped dates. The dates were good but the bacon was burnt, which ruined it for me. - Parsnip soup : Very interesting, kind of like a sweet cinnamon soup but not in a good way. - Amada 's empanada : this was pretty tasty - Fideos con mariscos: seafood fettuccine with sweet onion sauce. I liked this dish, it was filling and perfectly seasoned. - Grilled calamari : salty and soggy :( - Olive oil cake : I've always wanted to try this, but it wasn't anything special. Dry sponge cake with a hint of olive oil. We only got tap water and our bill came out to be $76. I rather spend my money and calories somewhere else. Tinto's was better.

    (3)

  • Annie L.

    My friend and I went there for restaurant week, and the food was pretty good. We really liked the calamari, and were pretty impressed with the rest of our dishes (chorizo, flan, etc). Just be aware that these dishes are pretty small, and the desserts are really small as well.

    (5)

  • Alex L.

    Trendy place to check out Garces small plates and tapas. Even after stardom Amada seems to always please me and my appetite for good charcuterie and spanish flavors. Try the octopus, iberico jamon and the any of the salads. I prefer to sit at the bar and order in flights. Pairing most of my tapas with either a light white or the famous sangria. If you want a more refined drink experience check out his other place Tinto at Rittenhouse. This is a great place to take a date, to take a group and even just a great place to dine alone and appreciate the food.

    (4)

  • Yasmin C.

    Best tapas I've EVER had. Period. This was actually one of my favorite meals for the entire month I was in Philly. I stopped in with my husband and a girlfriend, without a reservation, and we were offered a table on the patio. Worked out great since we were a tad underdressed and it was gorgeous out. We ordered the mixto of three cheeses, the crab-stuffed peppers, the albondigas, the garbanzo beans, the scallops, and the flatbread with artichokes, mushrooms, black truffles, and manchego. I will say that everything was amazing, but highlights include the manchego with lavender honey (my new obsession), the crab-stuffed peppers, and that flatbread. We were all so amazed by it all. For dessert, we ordered the cheesecake with black currant and meyer lemon sorbet. Also delicious and a perfect sweet treat that was not too heavy. Service was excellent and the meal was actually not too expensive either. I'm considering downgrading my reviews for all tapas places I've been to because of this place. Who knew tapas could be THAT good? Shit just got real. Can't wait to come back. Lobster paella has caught my eye...

    (5)

  • Pape T.

    Fantastic every time!

    (5)

  • Kim L.

    What's not to love? Fantastic, creative and beautifully presented small plates, perfect for sharing and grazing; sangria available by the pitcher; a casual atmosphere, and attentive staff. We stopped in early on a Friday night hoping to snag a seat at the bar. Thankfully, they had a cancelled reservation and we were able to sit at a table by the door and enjoy the breeze during dinner. I was in heaven! DRINKS: Tom and I shared a pitcher of the red sangria. Lots of finely chopped up fresh fruit and not too sweet, this was the perfect beverage to pair with our tapas and a great start to our Friday night. FOOD (in the order it arrived): -Aged manchego, served with truffled lavender honey, crispy sliced baguette and thinly sliced green apple. A great first bite! -Lamb meatballs with shaved manchego: yeah... we doubled up on the manchego and it was delicious. The meatballs were subtley spicy, in a way only lamb can make happen. -Serrano ham & fig salad, with cabrales and spiced almonds: do yourself a favor and just get this. You won't regret it. It's not a traditional salad in the way it is presented. The entire salad is "wrapped" in serrano ham and we cut it up into portions before devouring every last bite. This was hands down my favorite plate of the evening. The figs - oh my god. Can't stop thinking about them! -Chicken breast with fried egg, mojama, and truffles: I rarely order chicken at restaurants because I can cook it at home. Welp... I can't cook it like this. The chicken was so tender and the skin still attached was crispy. This was Tom's favorite dish... and I've now made it my mission to figure out how to cook chicken at home like that. -Scallops: these were unremarkable. Still good, but probably not worth $12. -Costillas de ternera flatbread, with beef short ribs, horseradish, parmesan, and bacon: you can't really go wrong with those ingredients. The flatbread had a nice crisp, cheesy edge. SERVICE: At this style of restaurant, you get contact with pretty much everyone who works there, since they bring you the plates as they are ready. Everyone was pleasant and checked in to ensure we were enjoying everything. As soon as we were finished with a plate, it was whisked away and we didn't have to wait long for our next dish. The pace of the meal was appropriate and we never felt rushed - even though it was a busy Friday night. I had high expectations going into the meal, and every expectation was met or exceeded. I do recommend visiting Amada outside of restaurant week to get the full experience, although I do think it is one of the best restaurant week values in Center City. We'll be back!

    (5)

  • Minerva Y.

    Not as good as my expectation. Almost all the dishes are salty. I won't come next time.

    (2)

  • Assaf G.

    Great atmosphere and service. Food is inconsistent. The lunch deal is reasonable as you get a soup and a salad, or sandwich with the spicy potatoes, and a soft drink for $14.5. All in all, I wouldn't come back here, definitely not for dinner, if I had any other culinary options. As one of my lunch mates remarked: "If its this(place) or McDonald's, then this". Following is a breakdown of the food if you're interested: The "spicy" potatoes were well cooked, but not spicy at all, under salted, and lacked acidity to balance the mayo based dressing. The gazpacho was very delicate and good. The chorizo were good, but the hanger steak was nothing to write home about. The jamon salad with figs was very good, but the Verde salad was basically lettuce with a mundane vinaigrette. The hanger steak sandwich was overwhelmed by the glazed onions and lacked acidity and any distinction of flavors.

    (3)

  • Roopa S.

    I have been dying to try this place ever since last year, because everyone on my campus swears by the wonder of this restaurant. I finally came here for lunch (restaurant week menu). Overall, it was a solid dining experience, but I can definitely say that I was hoping for a bit more (especially due to all the hype from my peers). For my first course, I chose the ached manchego cheese with lavender honey, which was unbelievably yummy. It came with green apples and soft bread, and all the flavors together were just wonderful. I was surprised by the amount of bread and cheese that were given (considering it was a first course option) but it was enough to fill me up during the first course. The cheese was perfect and soft and cut into cute triangles, and that on top of the sweet sweet honey with the apple was just divine! I would definitely recommend this for those sweet toothed people and lovers of cheese in general. Writing about it makes me want it again! Next, I selected the patatas bravas and garbanzos con espinacas. I fell in love with the patatas bravas. Upon first glance, I thought of french fries with a chipotle aioli, but it was much better and the flavors were just really different. I definitely do admit that the spices were a bit off-putting at first. However, by the end of finishing the plate clean, I found that I had grown to love it! The garbanzos con espinacas was definitely a letdown, and ultimately is the reason for my minus 1 star. It was so completely standard and unoriginal, and I found myself feeling unable to finish the dish (and opted to take the rest home). I was at such a high with the cheese dish and the potatoes dish, and this just completely detracted from my happiness level. The beans were slightly cold, and the sauce was weirdly flavored... I wouldn't recommend it. It was weird also because the waiter definitely recommended this dish to our table when we asked for menu highlights. I closed the meal with the pastel de chocolate, which was yummy! It was a chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream and caramel sauce-- an odd pairing, definitely, but it somehow worked! I would have liked for the cake to be a bit more decadent and rich and chocolatey, but it was a nice light dessert to end the meal. Amazing ambiance and the service was pretty good (nothing to complain about). Portion sizes were also bigger than I expected (especially at a tapas place, and ESPECIALLY for a lunch menu). I'd love to come back to see what their non restaurant week menu is like, and would LOVE to get the patatas and aged cheese again! Overall verdict: I was hoping for more of a "WOW" factor but was still extremely satisfied with my dining experience.

    (4)

  • Chrissy M.

    I have always loved this place. Tapas is really cool but Jose Garces takes it to a new level. Everything on the menu is unique and delicious. This last trip was so awesome. We did the chefs tasting. I'd definitely recommend it! They picked all of my favorites: manchego with lavender truffle honey, octopus, lamb chops, artichokes. They even made our date more romantic by acknowledging our anniversary. The sangrias are amazing. My husband even loves them! Service was great but just know that if you do the tasting that you will be there over an hour! Also, on busy Saturdays you'll have to wait like 20 minutes even with a reservation. But if you camp out by the bar it isn't so bad.

    (4)

  • Ronald L.

    Made a reservation for dinner here for a Sunday night anniversary dinner with my wife and it did not disappoint. We ordered the bacon wrapped dates, wagyu potato brochettes, salt cod croquettes with caviar, and the lobster paella. The bacon wrapped dates were delicious in that the savoriness of the bacon with the sweetness of the dates was accented perfectly with the creaminess and saltiness of the blue cheese smear. Perfectly balanced. The pit if the date was also replaced with a roasted almond which was just so smart. The wagyu was good too, however, there was slight inconsistencies with the temperatures of the cubes on the skewers. Some pieces were cooked perfectly to a medium rare, while on the same skewer, another piece would be medium well. Beefy flavors. Nicely seasoned. The salt cod croquettes were delicious in that they were not overly fishy and salty. Creamy in texture with a punch from the caviar on top with a crispy exterior. Lobster paella was epic. This is not a tapas sized dish. It can feed 3 people, 4 for average appetites. They take a whole lobster and cut it in half and roast is after being seasoned. Tons of squid, clams, mussels, shrimp, and scallops. The squid ink made it decadently rich. It's worth every penny. Overall, I'd have to say chef Garces deserves to be an Iron Chef. Get to here!

    (5)

  • S G.

    Hm... well, went for happy hour and sampled the vast majority of their happy-hour menu plus the gambas al ajillo (from their regular menu). Bartender was great- I loved the drinks, music, decor and ambiance but the food was nothing spectacular. A loud place with sexy lighting- makes for a great date spot... Can't go wrong with drinks and a couple orders of the garlic shrimp.

    (3)

  • Jeff H.

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

    (4)

  • Rob B.

    A wondrous, exotic variety of tapas available at what is surely one of the 2-3 best restaurants in Olde City. Everything I had was absolutely delicious and well-executed. The flavors in the pork tapas are especially astonishing. Why four stars instead of five? -- The food tends tend to be a bit salty and the dining room and counter top seating overlooking the kitchen are too crammed.

    (4)

  • Tim O.

    Sure...its loud in here, but it is because everybody is having fun. Start at the bar while you are waiting for a table and enjoy a beer or cocktail while the friendly staff takes care of you. Then, at your table, the chill staff will explain all of the unusual delights the chefs have in store for you. Experiment with your order and you will be happy. We ordered from the many tapas selections and got more than we needed and everything was nicely prepared and thrilled our taste buds. Don't be in a hurry, but the tastes are worth the wait.

    (5)

  • Billy T.

    I think I'm not a fan of tapas. Cause I've heard great things about this place and I was not that impressed. The vibe is cool. A bit more mature and refined, but with youthful drinks. The drinks were fantastic, but the food was too buttery and small. We went for happy hour, which is 5-7PM. The tapas available are about half off. Garlic Shrimp - This was actually pretty fantastic. The shrimp was buttery, but not overly rich. The garlic cut through the richness nicely and the bread adds some texture if you don't want all shrimp. Spicy Potatoes - Not that great. The potatoes were a bit raw on the inside, so it conflicted with the spicy cream that the potatoes come with. The portions are also tiny. Only 4 potatoes about the size of a lollipop Diver Scallops - The scallops come out on a skewer and is on top of some pesto sauce. The sauce is fantastic and I would recommend dripping anything you have into the pesto. The scallops themselves are seared and served semi-raw on the inside. I personally liked it cause it made the scallop flake off in layers like salmon. Spanish Octopus - Sliced octopus and grilled with some spanish marinade. I wish I knew what the marinade was. Its served with some diced potatoes. Matador - Awesome drink. Bourbon, elderflower and ginger. It was delicious. Imagine a stormy night with a bit more fresh bit. Red Sangria (Tinto) - I'm not a fan of wine, so I didn't like this too much. It had a bit too much of oak flavor for me, but my friends that like win said that thats the best part. Overally, Amada has decent to good food that are small portioned (understandable cause its tapas) but is pricey.

    (3)

  • Trisha G.

    Food is very reasonably priced - however, I've gone twice expecting more from the experience and food. Service was sub par both times - the food is okay, but nothing special. Good for sharing small plates to try a good amount of the menu. Although, The sangria they make is AMAZING. Valet parking available. I wouldn't go out of my way to dine here again though.

    (3)

  • James S.

    Went here for a friend's 28th birthday. We all partook in the Chef's tasting special for $55, and what a bargain it was! Wave after wave of bountiful, tapas-style delicacies. Starting with a tuna/mayo/brown olive oil appetizer, 3-cheese board and a prosciutto-wrapped salad with sun-dried tomatoes and greens, followed by seasoned asparagus and poached eggs, steamed shrimp, and mushroom flatbread. Then for the main courses we enjoyed marinated (BBQ?) chicken over fingerling potatoes with an over-easy fried egg, pork roast and finally a massive helping of medium rare steak that absolutely melted in your mouth. Dessert was a warm and moist olive oil cake with house-made vanilla butter ice cream and a sweet goat's cheese. As a surprise, because my friend LOVES Fireball shots and they did not have Fireball whiskey, the bartender went out and bought a bottle for our table. Couldn't believe it!

    (5)

  • Joseph C.

    May have been the best meal I've ever had. Ordered the suckling pig..... Its incredible! José Garces does it again!

    (5)

  • Patrick D.

    Best tapas in the city. Favorite spot to eat. I always had great service along with great meals every time I dined. If you are a fan of red sangria, go here.

    (5)

  • S D.

    Amada- how you have let me down! So I came here about 3 years ago and had an absolutely delicious meal. One of the best in Philly. I could not stop raving about it to everyone I met for that year. Skip to year 2 - granted that we showed up an hour before closing, but the food was average at best and the service was nothing to write home about. Skip to year 3 (and restaurant week) - shamefully bad service and food that could have been purchased at any diner. The spicy potatoes were made into fries with some spicy mayo on it, and that's only the starting point. No water refills, food arriving cold, food tastes below average this time around. I have seen a slow deterioration here and although I love Jose Garces restaurants, this is one I'll not be coming back to.....

    (2)

  • Angel A.

    Great food and sangria! This place is really worth making a trip out to the city!.

    (4)

  • P. S.

    Excellent menu choices, and each we shared was a winner. Sampler of 3 cheeses, each with either honey, fruit or chocolate-nut spread. Simple green salad that was simply delicious. Scallops, lamb chops, flatbread, asparagus all extremely well prepared and presented. Good wines and guidance. Pleasant service.

    (5)

  • Jerimi F.

    The flavor profiles here are just amazing. Here are the things that were unbelievable: Manchego cheese and apples with truffled lavender honey, hanger steak, roasted veggies with goat cheese crostinis. This is truly an experience for your taste buds...

    (5)

  • Kai C.

    The food was very good here. I am a big fan of their sister restaurant, Tinto so had high expectations for this place. My friends have also been raving about the place to me for a while but I never had a chance to eat here since I moved out west. I made sure to come here with my friends when I went back to Philadelphia for the Thanksgiving holiday. There is a happy hour special for special drinks and small bites. The sangria was delicious and tasted like juice. There was a catch to the place. The service was off the night I was there. The waitress that served us seemed really out of it that night and not very attentive. The service involved broken glass which took a while for it to be fixed and resolved. Despite this catch, I would definitely come back and have some more of their scrumptious food.

    (4)

  • Mariel S.

    **Disclaimer: Restaurant Week Review** If you want to get your money's worth during restaurant week, come to Amada. I came here with three other people and we all ordered different things so we could try everything--it was all awesome. The highlight for me was actually an appetizer: the aged manchego cheese with apples and lavender honey, amazing. I also really enjoyed the Temporada sangria (white wine, apple cider, apple brandy). Now I'm eager to try Amada again on a non-restaurant week week.

    (4)

  • Zach V.

    Amada was worth every one of the 5 stars I gave them. I had the chance to sample a ton of their food with 7 friends. Every item with exception of the Calamari had robust flavors and had me craving more. If you have a food allergy to nuts make sure to ask your server what plates have nuts etc.. There are several and they are not listed as such on the menu. My favorites: Al Bondigas - Lamb Meatballs Fideos Con Mariscos - Calamari Linguine & Vermicelli, Clams, Diver Scallops with Sweet Onion Cream. This dish was INCREDIBLE!!!! I forget the name of the salad rapped in ham but it is a MUST try. The pricing was very fair. You can sample a few items and not break the bank. I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Andrew F.

    First things first - calling this a tapas place is a huge compliment to every other tapas place I've been. Went for a business dinner so price was no object (I can understand some of the other folks mentioning the numbers as an issue) - but we stuffed ourselves like Thanksgiving day and kept asking for more. Stand-outs: the Jamon Iberico was exactly as you'd expect - the best f-ing pork product money can buy (and I'm Italian and Southern in epicurean spirit so it's really hard for me to type that), bacon-wrapped dates (order these on every menu you find no matter the restaurant but these were exceptional), short rib flatbread (another must-order everywhere but this one was gorgeous), really rare that I'll name a salad as a fav but the Ensalada de Jamon (prob butchered the spelling on that) but this one was exceptional with the greens and cabrales wrapped in a sheath of ham - beautiful presentation. Add to these that the service was great, vibe was fun / upscale but not pretentious - and we had a great time. Pack your mileage card and go as fast as your legs or Uber will carry you....

    (5)

  • Tom B.

    This is my favorite restaurant. The food is incredible and it's not outrageously expensive. I love it here. Great energy. It can be loud and crowded but it isn't a negative.

    (5)

  • Chris H.

    Our favorite restaurant. The food and service is beyond exceptional. We're at the point where the only reason we don't make a reservation is because we're afraid of wearing out the restaurant. My wife always gets the chicken with the whole egg, and believe it or not, the chickpeas with spinach is one of our favorite dishes. I would skip any of the pork specials, never worth the hype, despite the quality of the pork.

    (5)

  • Dan L.

    Having been somewhat spoiled with an abundance of Tapas restaurants in Chicago, I was not expecting too much from a Tapas restaurant in Philly (no offense), but I was really surprised by the quality of food and service here. A little on the fancy side for Tapas, but pretty fantastic flavors nonetheless. We ordered the ENSALADA DE JAMÓN, which is basically a salad wrapped (like a beef wellington) in Serano ham with figs and almonds....sounds odd but it was amazing. The ALCACHOFAS Y SETAS (Artichokes, Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffles, Manchego) flatbread was also amazing and full of flavor. The olives were a little "meh" so I wouldn't order those again. The service and the ambiance were great, but with a price tag to match. This is not the typical tapas experience with cheap easy to share dishes, but I'd for sure recommend this for a special occasion or to impress a date.

    (4)

  • Mel L.

    This was the meal on our trip to Philadelphia we were most excited about and it did not disappoint. We needed a reservation for 8 and made a reservation online about a month in advance... couldn't get a Saturday night so opted for a Monday. When we arrived they wouldn't seat us right away as 2 of our party was not there. Not a huge deal as we sat at the bar, but they also didn't seem very busy and we could see our table was empty so they really could have if they wanted to. I love eating tapas style but wasn't sure of the size of menu items. Our server made a suggestion on how many to order per person (I can't remember how many...) and I'm glad we didn't listen to her, it would have been far too much food! It was a bit odd how some items come with 5 pieces, others with 7 but not a big deal. I won't list all the items we ordered, just our favourites - the patatas bravas (nice bite sizes and great flavour), the prosciutto and fig salad (the salad is rolled up in the prosciutto like a roll and you cut pieces of it. Definitely the favourite!) and the short rib flatbread (just yum). We had also ordered the paella and originally we just ordered one but the server said we would need 2 for sure so we did and really, we could have done without. It was not our favourite dish (I prefer a dry paella and this one was very wet). The portion was really big and it looked really good but it was also the last item to arrive so we were already full for a rice dish. The food was great and we also really enjoyed the different types of sangria - I liked the blanco the best. I'm taking 1 star off for service. Everything was okay, nothing bad, but nothing great and she wasn't very good with recommendations and her ordering suggestions were off. Plus she was hard to find when we were looking to pay by credit card and made an off comment when processing one friend's card and not seeing that the rest of us had paid with cash on the table.

    (4)

  • Anna B.

    Finally got to check this restaurant out one night while I was in town for work. Loved the ambiance of the whole restaurant and even for a 9:00 pm reservations this place was still packed. We proceeded to go to the bar and grab a drink. Their sangrias are something I suggest you try on their menu. As far as the dinner went, everything was really good. It's served tapas style. A few of my favorites are the crab stuffed peppers, the scallops and the ham and fig salad I couldn't get enough of. Chef Garces did really well with this establishment. Thumbs up from me :)

    (4)

  • Nelle C.

    Went here today for brunch. As they say first impressions are lasting impressions. We had a party of 6 and our reservation was at 12:30p.m. We ordered our food at 12:45 p.m. and I lie to you not the food did not come out until 2:10 p.m. This is unacceptable! The one lady I was dining with ordered steak skewers and they were raw and cold. Um after all that time the food is not even warm? She went to a manager and complained. They claimed they were very busy because of restaurant week but the restaurant was not even that crowded. Since we all complained they gave us a discount on our food but I will not be going back. The wait is to long and the food is just ok it is nothing to wow you about.

    (1)

  • Kenneth M.

    The flavors seemed interesting on the menu but didn't come together in the final dish. Our waitress had a sour puss on her face and seemed annoyed that we didn't want to take her advice on how many dishes to order per person. I know she obviously wants a good sized tip but should be more subtle so she is not at risk of turning off a customer. The decor was nice.

    (1)

  • Milinh N.

    I've heard great reviews about Amada and it was only right that I chose to go here for my birthday. We had a 8PM reservation on a Wednesday night and it was packed inside. Very noisy and lively but we ended up sitting outside since it was quieter and warm enough. We started out with a pitcher of the red sangria and it was delicious with chunks of nicely cut fruit in it. One pitcher was able to give us 6 glasses of sangria so it was not bad for the price of $32. For appetizer, we started out with the aged manchego cheese which was very good. For our dinner, I decided to order 6 dishes: crab-stuffed peppers, ham croquettes, wild mushroom and truffle flatbread, calamari linguini with diver scallops and clams, chicken breast with fried egg, and lamb chops. Overall everything was tasty except for the ham croquettes, it tasted like melted soggy meat with a fried outer shell. My favorite dish were the lamb chops; they were cooked perfectly medium rare and seasoned perfectly. We were full and had to take some food home so ordering 6 tapas and 1 cheese was too much for us. Next time I come to Amada, I would probably just order cheese and meat as my appetize and the lambchops as my meal because it is worth coming back for!

    (4)

  • Shauna L.

    It was good, we ordered a bunch of dishes and enjoyed the cured meats and other things on the Tapas menus. Can't go wrong with a place with this price. lol...meaning, not a special find, we ate, we've had tapas before. Same old bla bla bla

    (3)

  • M K.

    Enjoyed a terrific lunch at Amada today. Hubbie and I took 2 seats at the chef table which was fun and interesting. The chef was meticulous, organized and the kitchen super clean. We tasted croquettes, meat platter, baked goat cheese, ham and fig salad, lamb meatballs - every dish was unique and so flavorful! I also got to try all 3 sangrias yum ; ) service was prompt and very friendly. Had an awesome time!

    (4)

  • Lena D.

    Quite disappointed. Reading previous reviews, I felt as if this was one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. Instead, I found it to be a mediocre restaurant. This is perhaps a bit mean: the quality-price ratio was quite good. Yet the dishes I tried were mostly disappointed. The scallops wer well cooked with no "zest". The patatas bravas were nothing like those I had in Madrid, which were fried potatoes cubes with tomato sauce. Here, they were French fries with spicy sauce... Those fries were not great, edible but with a redundant taste which I quickly became tired of. The highlight of the meal, which earns Amadas its three (instead of two) stars was the La Peral cheese which was superb. Then again, it was the dish which required the less skill, only good ingredients. I'm not sure I would recommend this restaurant, as I am sure Philadelphia has more to offer.

    (3)

  • Marla W.

    I went to this place with a group of friends unsure exactly what to expect and was very pleasantly surprised. The staff was pleasant and attentive without hovering. The sangria was light and refreshing and the food was out of this world delicious. There was something on the menu for everyone and although it was a bit pricey, it was definitely worth it. It's someplace I definitely will be going back to.

    (5)

  • Chad T.

    Wow!!! Amada is an absolutely amazing Tapas restaurant, as good as anything you might find in NYC but definitely at a cheaper price point. For a $65 prix fixe, we had an insane amount of food and almost couldn't finish it (2 big guys). You get 3 courses, with 4 tapas in each course. Some of the highlights were: - Canteloupe with Serrano Ham - Ham Salad - Lamb Meatballs with truffle oil - Pork Croquettes on roasted red pepper mashed with almonds - Grilled entrecote with goat cheese mousse and quince sauce - Lamb Chops The menu was pork heavy because we had someone who could not eat seafood. I would love to come back here again and try some of the seafood dishes on the menu. Also, if you're at the bar before your meal, definitely try the Apricot Rye Manhattan. I'm not a huge fan of Manhattans, but this was so well-balanced. I would love to come back here and try some of their other drinks.

    (5)

  • Jessie Z.

    One of the best restaurants in Philly. If possible, it is better to make reservation before you go. Among all the things we tried at dinner, I love Jamon Iberico which is $23, but well worth the money! Also love the bacon wrapped dates, lamb meatballs, calamari, truffled lavender honey and wild mushroom rice. Not a big fan of the spicy potato, shrimp flatbread (too salty for my taste) and baked goat cheese. They were all good but just not as great as the ones I mentioned above. Also tried two of their desserts: Las frutas and crema catalana. I prefer the latter one but I didn't really taste the ginger. Looking forward to coming back soon!

    (5)

  • Christine B.

    Finally made it to Amada. I love tapas because sometimes its really hard to pick one entree. With the restaurant week menu, my companion and I picked two dishes from each part of the menu, plus a dessert for each of us. Loved: tortilla espanola, short rib flatbread, and the asparagus with truffles, flourless chocolate cake Good: garlic shrimp, chorizo, ham croquettes, scallops (didn't taste fresh) Not a fan: lima beans (very weird texture), vanilla custard My Tinto sangria was good, the service was good, and all in all it was a very positive experience. If trying to choose between Tinto and Amada for restaurant week, go with Amada.

    (4)

  • Rich J.

    I came here for Saturday brunch, and me and my wife shared seven things. Half the dishes he others...not so good/memorable. Case in point....we ordered patatas bravas, which is a Spanish tapas of fried potatos with a spicy mayo. We had put in front of us a bowl of french fries with the sauce poured on top...not very iron chef-like in my opinion. I had seen pictures of Jose Garcia's version of that dish and it didnt look like that. I guess that's the lazy Saturday brunch version. I'm sure dinner is a lot better, with a better selection of modern tapas, but I am in no rush to go back.

    (3)

  • Ryan H.

    I've been twice, and Amada did not disappoint each time. Definitely a nice place where people tend to look ok when they dine. The service was also great. Lastly, the food was fantastic although some of the dishes weren't exactly how they are typically done in Spain. By chance, I've went to Andalusia last summer and tried a variety of the standard tapas (many of which are offered free which the purchase of a drink -- liquor or soft drink). So all in all: this is a very nice place (probably one of Philly's finest) but I dock them one star for minor breaches in authenticity.

    (4)

  • Michael M.

    I have been in Philly for 2 days and was really looking forward to dining at Amada. To start off my family and I walked in 10 minutes early for our 8pm reservation and the hostess did not even find our reservation, after 2 or 3 mins of a blank look on her face displaying a great lack of interest for seating us she was able to find our reservation. We were asked to wait at the bar where after 40 mins of waiting still had no table, after the lack of ownership from the now 2 hostess that were just standing there not able to honor their part of the reservation (which was made 3 months in advance) we simply walked out and dined at another restaurant. The name Amada will never even be coming out of my families mouth and we will not be making any plans to go back because if the service starts like this I do not want to see how it will go as the night continues.

    (1)

  • Jason B.

    This place was great! We tried it for restaurant week in Philly. The food was excellent and the atmosphere was excellent. The dishes were very tasty and original. It is what I anticipated from Chef Garces. Will have to go back soon. One side note, the floor was a little slippery for my wife. She had heels on the couldn't get a good grip. It was great because she held my arm as we walked through the restaurant.

    (5)

  • Ceasar B.

    Given how highly regarded this restaurant is, it is not terribly expensive to get a top-quality filling meal, at least if you don't have a huge appetite. I visited yesterday evening with a date. Despite it being a Thursday night the place was packed, but in a good way, although occasionally we had to repeat ourselves to overcome the other conversations. Decor is very intimate. Lighting is very dim and everything feels authentic. As for the food itself, naturally everything was good, but to different degrees. The aged manchego was blander than I remember it usually being for one (the honey that came with was interesting though). The asparagus with truffles was not particularly memorable either. However, the baked goat cheese dish was phenomenal, and the crab-stuffed peppers were a delight. We also got a dish with crackers and I think tuna dip on the house that was quite tasty. Finally, we split a "Pastel de Chocolate" for dessert. Highly recommend it. It'll stun you visually, and the taste and texture delight equally. All in all, excellent experience.

    (5)

  • Alejandro P.

    Delicious. I can't think of anything else to describe my eating experience here. We came in here loving the decor and the hostess was very friendly letting us know that food isn't served til five but were more then welcome to enjoy drinks at the bar. We had a few minutes to spare so we waited. I wanted to try their sangria. Great choice. Their red sangria was so full bodied. With flavones so complex it was absolutely delicious. So sweet yet spiced perfectly. After wondering what the sangria had that made it so delicious the bartender told us it was the anis simple syrup that was added to it. A great touch. Once five o clock came around we ordered two tapas. The garlic shrimp and the lamb meatballs. The shrimp was very good...but the lamb meatballs- I can't begin to describe how amazing they were. So juicy. The flavors so rich yet not over whelming and sized just perfectly so that you got all you needed yet not leaving you completely empty handed. The bartender was very helpful and attentive. I would come back in heartbeat. Worth the trip and would be a great place for a date, a night out with friends and family or lunch or dinner. If I could give more stars I would. Absolutely fantastic and def a winner in my book!

    (5)

  • Sarah F.

    An amazing experience every time I've gone (6-8 times since 2008). I highly recommend coming with a group of 4 or more so you each can really get a feel for the menu. Every plate is unique and delicious and a great opportunity to share and talk about food! Otherwise be sure to do the Chef's tasting menu where you will enjoy a wide selection of the tapas personally ($55/$65 per person). I personally have gone with the $65 but be prepared to eat!! Tons of food. Must Haves: Get a chacuterie board to start! Octopus, patatas bravas, HAM CROQUETTES, CRAB STUFFED PEPPERS, chorizo clams, truffles and asparagus, lamb chops Brunch: One of the best experiences I've had at Amada was for brunch. Two of the plates that really stood out for me were the chorizo con papas and the lemon ricotta pancakes. In particular the chorizo con papas was the perfect way to start my day. I do wish however that the egg has been done over easy as opposed to fried to give a little bit of moisture to the dish...but easy fix! Just ask the waiter when you order and they'll have to done for you.

    (4)

  • Kelly P.

    Wow. So much food. I am drafting a review in anticipation of the impending food coma. Tonight I enjoyed the chefs tasting menu with wine pairings. The amount of pig I consumed tonight is simply not fathomable. There was delicious flavor after delicious flavor and our service was top notch. Some of the favorites were the spinach empanadas, sea bass, and both desserts, as well as the tempranillo. I have to say that this expensive meal was a most memorable experience in KP's Philadelphia dining history. the desserts were heavenly but i had such little room left! note to self: be sure to save room next time :)

    (4)

  • Carmella O.

    Amazing Tapas. I luv this place. They have a good variety of tapas and drinks. Even the dessert is good. Nice setting for a group. The ambience is cozy. Check out some footage of Amada and other spots in the area: youtube.com/watch?v=31A-…

    (4)

  • Katelyn I.

    So we made a reservation here for my birthday. When the hostess called to confirm our reservation, she was less than delightful... Skip to the day of, we arrived right on time, but were told our table was not ready and to have a seat at the bar... Which would have been fine, but all the seats were already full. We stood around wondering what to do next and luckily someone else left. Okay, fine, so we had a cocktail while we waited. Since we weren't given a time frame, we decided to request menus so we could get a head start on our selections. Fast forward 25 and we were on our way to a great meal. Overall, the starters and entrees were amazing, the dessert was sub par. What we got: Ham croquettes (juicy inside, crispy outside. amazing), garlic shrimp (sizzling, lemony , fried garlic. yum), aged manchego with AMAZING truffle honey, cheese with a tart cherry/fig marmalade, scallops perfectly cooked, short rib flatbread cheesey goodness, creamy baked goat cheese, and chicken with an egg (very simple, our least favorite). Dessert was a custard of sorts and a chocolate cake... Not our favorite. Oh, and even though I made a note on Open Table and mentioned that it was my birthday when the hostess called to confirm our reservation, it was not even acknowledged... Disappointing. We will return to enjoy tapas and just skip dessert in the future!

    (4)

  • Meg S.

    Restaurant Week at Amada: not exactly what I expected. The service was incredibly lackluster-the entire time I felt like a lower being for deciding to come during RW; dishes between courses were thrown out within 1-2 minutes of each other, hurrying our meal. In terms of the food itself, I was actually pretty disappointed in the majority of the dishes. The olives were maybe a half-step above eating straight out a can; the croquettes and chorizo relatively one-note, etc. The fava bean salad (although very liquid-y) was relatively good, but at non-RW prices, I'd probably find it hard to justify ordering again. The real standouts were the beef brochettes and the desserts (we got the Catalana and their chocolate cake). The beef brochettes, medium rare, were amazing. As I truly only liked three dishes, I find it hard to give Amada more than 3 stars, although I would have loved to. I'm definitely planning on coming back during non-RW to see if it's any better or different.

    (3)

  • Kevin F.

    We dined here on April 3rd at 7 and both enjoyed the $65pp tasting menu. Only negative was really too much food. The first course of roasted peppers were a bit too hot for us, but we managed to enjoy most of the plate. The menu also included a selection of cheeses, a light salad, beef, octopus, scallops, and an excellent dessert to top it all off. I'm sure I am leaving out a course or two, but I would absolutely return. This was actually a great value considering the food quality and my best dining experience overall on my recent trip to Philadelphia. My favorite item was the surprisingly good octopus and potato dish with smoked paprika. Would happily return.

    (5)

  • Cathy H.

    I love this place! The food is delicious and service is great. I tried the short rib flat bread and asparagus and truffle salad. They were each such large portions that I didn't even feel like it was tapas style. It is a very hard place to get a reservation on a weekend so we ended up going to dinner at 10:00 pm but it was definitely worth it!

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    By far the best Jose Garces restaurant in the city. Make sure you go with a party of about 4 in order to try all the different tapas and delectable fare they offer without either having to order several of the same dish or feeling you're unable to try many dishes. Here are my suggestions: Cheese Mixto - Really you can't go wrong with cheese paired with different jams, fruits, nuts etc. All the pairings are delicious, I personally love manchego and that truffled lavender honey that it's paired with is so good we asked the waitress to bring us some at the end of the meal and bought a small bottle right there. Jamon Iberico - This until recently prohibited meat is like eating ham flavored butter. So soft with a melt in your mouth texture. Salty and nutty. Yum. Pulpo a la Gallega - Don't be afraid of eating this cephalopod. It's prepared in a very non-affronting way and perfectly grilled and seasoned. Esparragos con trufas - Anything with truffles really can be quite delicious yes I know, but perfectly tender asparagus and a nicely poached egg is a perfect pairing. Anyway, anything you get here is sure to please. Make a reservation early because it can get quite packed. Just enjoy.

    (5)

  • Lauren L.

    I had the opportunity to research Amada's locavore policies one night, on behalf of GPTMC's Philly Homegrown initiative. Philly Homegrown is an initiative of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, GPTMC, to "inspire customers to shop within the 100-mile foodshed, to broaden the market for local food, and to amplify the work of the local food movement of Greater Philadelphia". Wawa is within the 100-FOOT foodshed, does that count? Unfortunately not. But it does allow for late night trips to Whole Foods. Aside from the economic and environmental reasons for eating local, like reducing carbon emissions, stimulating the local economy, and fostering regional pride, the meats and produce that you eat are frequently more tasty. Mac, head chef of Amada, elaborates: "During the summer, we source as much locally as possible. I go to the farmers markets at Headhouse Square and the Piazza for our bell peppers and Spanish onions, and the chicken comes from an Amish farm in Lancaster. And it does taste better. The produce is fresher because it hasn't had to travel as far, and the meat has a lighter, fresher taste as well." The chicken in Amada's valenciana paella is from D'Artagnan, which sources their chickens from small Amish and Mennonite farms all over PA Dutch country. The chickens are raised in a low-volume, truly free range environment, where each is guaranteed to receive lots of sunshine, freedom, and only organic feed. And it's true, happy chickens are tasty chickens. See for yourself. The chickens are then processed by Bell & Evans. What makes Bell & Evans chickens juicier than the average grocery store chicken is the three-step chilling process, which uses cold air rather than cold water to chill the chicken. The traditional method of chilling chickens is to soak them in cold water, causing the meat to absorb 7-8% of its weight in water, which later will "weep" out. If you ever wondered why there is an absorbent pad inside the package of chicken meat at the grocery store- it is there to catch this water. The method that Bell & Evans uses is to chill the chickens with air, in a massive refrigerator. You can easily see the benefits to this method- the chicken juices are not diluted with water, so the chicken tastes better. The diaper is no longer necessary, which requires less packaging, which allows Bell & Evans to use recyclable and reusable shipping containers. And, of course, there is an enormous savings in water, because the air chill method does not use any. All in all, Tim and I found the D'Artagnan chicken to be succulent, well complemented by the savory sausage, and with a strong undertone of... happiness? We couldn't quite place it.

    (4)

  • Chelsea L.

    Amazing! Great service, great food, trendy decor but not pretentious. We ordered the chef's selection, which is against my nature, but so terrific! One of my favorite tapas dishes was truffled eggs. OMG! Definitely worth a trip to Philly if you're not from the area!

    (4)

  • Rachel G.

    Ohhh Amada, how I love thee. Amada is like a precious pearl that is a very rare find. After living in nyc for over a year, I have not found a place as delicious and wonderful as my beloved...despite searching far and wide! In fact, Amada is top on my list of places to visit on a short trip back to Philly. Considered I lived in Philly for 21 years and spent the latter years exploring the increasingly impressive restaurant scene, that is something to write home about! Whether you live in Philly or strolling through for a long weekend, Amada is as essential a visit as the liberty bell!

    (5)

  • Kirt K.

    I read that Jose Garces restaurant was a must do for an overnight trip to Philly and man am I glad I did. The food was phenomenal. I've done tapas else where but the food here really stood out. Three out of four of us decided to go with the chef tasting menu at $65. There was also a $55 course but since I was trying to get it in with my date I had to do the $65. During our ordering we found out everyone at the table had to get the tasting menu, so we convinced our 4th friend Matt, aka the Hermit Kingdom, that he had to do this or he'll ruin our night. Hermit Kingdom was not happy and even told the waitress that he doesn't do seafood. The chef accommodated his land loving needs with a separate dish during the seafood course. In the end we all agreed that this place was a great stop for our overnight Philly trip. This place also had the best sangria I've ever had, the rose was the best one.

    (5)

  • Johnny K.

    I have traveled all over the USA and this restaurant is by far one of my favorites. It is definitely on the pricey side but hey, you have to treat yourself sometimes right? The quality of the food is incredible. The chef's attention to detail is superb. I have been to this restaurant at least 3 times and cannot wait to go back to Philadelphia so I can go eat there again. Everything from the appetizers, to the tapas, to the desserts, is simply delicious. Not sure what else I can say to recommend this place. If you are in the Philly area and are in need of some really good food, you want to impress a lovelly lady, or for any other reason, you have to check out Amada.

    (5)

  • Anna Marie C.

    i love this place. my friend and i frequented there for drinks and a snack often, and the sangria is probably the best in the city. i'd gotten a couple of the tapas before and have always loved them. but the restaurant week deal is amazing. 2 first courses, 2 second courses, and a dessert for $30. the shortrib flatbread is the tastiest thing ever...and so is the artichoke drenched in a parmesan cream sauce. the gazpacho is made with yellow tomatoes for a lighter flavor. and try the seasonal sangria. tasty tasty. can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Courtney K.

    Made the reservation, hired the sitter and took my partner to a surprise dinner to congratulate him on passing his medical boards. Arrived to find they had no record of my reservation. They seated us at the "chef's table" which sounds fancy but is really an uncomfortable and too-high bar which seats too many people where you get to watch underpaid immigrant workers make salad. Great. We left without ordering, and were given no apology by the managerial staff. We went to Eulogy instead and had a great time.

    (1)

  • Deborah H.

    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.

    (5)

  • Stosha S.

    We ate here during restaurant week, so maybe that caused the lack of quality, however counterintuitive I think that might be. The service seemed rushed, we received a wrong plate, the manchego cheese tasted like it sat out for quite awhile, I received that feeling from some of the bread too, the truffle aioli was lacking truffle, and one of the flat-breads was burnt. That being said, the decor was lovely, the honey lavender sauce was amazing as was the beef flat-bread, local mushrooms and ham croquettes; albeit they go a tad heavy on the salt for me. Out of 15 plates, those were the only worth mentioning, the rest were plain dull. Our waitress (when we saw her) was helpful and polite which was greatly appreciated, seeing as how the host was borderline mean. If my experience was representative of their everyday foods, I doubt I will be going back, my money is better spent at Tinto which has many less flops.

    (3)

  • Melissa D.

    Te amo Amada for real!! By far one of my favorite restaurants in Philly! After a two year hiatus I fell even more in love, if that's even possible. We ordered the garlic shrimp (definitely a must, I was instantly transported to Madrid with my first bite), spicy potatoes, the green salad with fava beans and asparagus - AWESOME, scallops, the spinach empanadas - AMAZING, lobster from the grill and the chicken with the egg which looked tantalizing but I gave up meat! The service was a fabulous as usual and I love the sangria! I definitely won't be waiting two years for my next visit.

    (5)

  • Sandra C.

    Went here with a large group of colleagues and was not disappointed. The food was absolutely outstanding. We sampled so many dishes that I lost count! Some that stand out include the Croquettes de Jamon (spinach and serrano ham rolled like a cigar with figs, cabrales blue cheese and spiced candied almonds) and the stuffed piquillos (crab stuffed red peppers). I also thought the grilled lamb chops were fabulous--simply seasoned and cooked just enough to be crispy outside and pink inside. The only negative comment is that the room we were seated in was very echoey and we all had a hard time hearing each other.

    (5)

  • Bonnie C.

    tasting menu: good deal one of the best tapas places i've ever had! not true omakase in the sense you can customize with things you definitely want to include from the overall menu. some winners: - jamon iberico, YUM. paper thin slices. - rabbit pasta pouches w/ sour cherries - strawberry granita w/ shucked oysters - octopus salad portions are rather small but there is quite a bit of variety and it eventually adds up. beer tasting selections were better than the wine selections. and that's coming from a wine fan. assuming you like cider & belgian brews that is (basque cider!) service was also quite lovely. go go go!

    (5)

  • Yonatan R.

    Grate tapas place. Sangria is incredibly tasty and equally potent ;) It's a lot of fun to try to fish out the drunken cranberries from the glass.

    (5)

  • Melissa V.

    Everything was delicious and the service was perfect! The Sangria was among the best I've ever had! Try the shrimp or beef shortrib flatbreads - both were yummy!

    (5)

  • Chris C.

    Outstanding. Go there. Period. 5-stars is rare for me... you have to earn it. I'm a foodie and Amada may be one of the best restaurants that I have been to. Amada's execution is spot-on, the food quality is evident and uncompromising, the atmosphere is fun and sophisticated without being over-the-top, and the drinks were fantastic. Out of all of our meals from a week in NYC, Philly and DC this was the best (almost tied with Peasant in NYC) and any return to Philadelphia would have to include this one. I have great memories of this restaurant despite the fact that I was getting a fever in the process. The tapas of goat cheese and basalmic-marinated strawberries was refreshing. The garlic shrimp was very good, not great. The one tapas we almost didn't order of seasonal mushrooms from the grill was outstanding in it's simplicity (olive oil and lemon) and was devoured. We ordered too much food which did include the Valencia Pallea - which is the best (and authentic?) rendition of that dish we've ever had. The problem is that we were stuffed by the time we got it (takes 45 minutes to prepare). Next visit would be a few less tapas (thats going to be hard to do) and get the Pallea again. It was amazing.

    (5)

  • Ann M.

    I've been to Amada several times in several seasons and have always had a fabulous time. The food is brilliant, the service is friendly without being smarmy or intrusive, and the drinks are interesting in both summer and winter. (Delicious sangria. Truly delicious, but this is really a summer drink. ) It's not cheap but it's not unreasonably expensive given the quality of the experience. It's a tapas restaurant so they do small plates but they're good-sized small plates, not a tablespoon or two. The salad wrapped in serrano ham with figs is celestial. I've never done the tasting menu, it's too much fun to choose.

    (5)

  • Michelle R.

    Wow. Was in Philadelphia for a business trip and sent here on various recommendations from colleagues. I've had tapas before but these were phenomenal. Every dish did not disappoint. Atmosphere was cool and trendy (which I think I am but not really) and it was pretty easy to get a reservation for 2. Loved that they had a white sangria option and I think the best scallops I've ever had! Even though it was restaurant week and we got a great meal for an awesome price, I'd go again and pay full price for the same experience. Be sure to check them out.

    (5)

  • Kristine D.

    Try the wine tasting! They really know what wine to pair food with. Amada never dissapoints in terms of incredible food and incredible wine pairing. 1 star off because its too pricey to go to as much as i would like.

    (4)

  • Erin W.

    Amada is my favorite of the Garces Restaurants. I've gone twice and always get the chef's tasting when I go. Can't go wrong with the chef's tasting. The $55/person option is way more food then you'd think. It was a good mix of protein heavy and veggie focused dishes.

    (5)

  • Steph H.

    I can confidently say that now I can die happy. I had the most amazing dinner in the whole wide world ever and ever and ever. Seriously, in my 21 years of life I have eaten quite a bit, but never have I enjoyed a meal as much as I did tonight. The charming server was informative and made the experience so enjoyable. We had the chef's choice sampler (the mid range one) with the wine pairing, and it was simply to die for. The food just kept on coming, and once we thought it was over, MORE FOOD CAME! Tapas is so much fun to begin with and the people sitting at the table next to us were more than happy to recommend the dishes they were eating. I loved the ambiance, the staff and the food (duh!). I would come back here in a heart beat, no question.

    (5)

  • David L.

    Superb and fun in every way. Casual. Amada is a gem for Phila !! Noise level was just right for conversation. Easy parking on street for under $5. I just returned from Spain and especially enjoyed Amada.

    (5)

  • Dilbert D.

    Amada is one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. The food and service are excellent. Wine selection is very good as well. I have eaten here 2 times for dinner and one time for lunch. I highly recommend going here for lunch, as the prices are very reasonable for what you get. The salads, cured meats, and cheeses are my personal favorites. Most of the tapas are excellent as well. The way the menu is set up, its pretty easy to eat on the lighter and healthier side, or to go all out for decadence. There's a lot to choose from, including good vegetarian options. I cannot remember ordering anything here that was not delicious.

    (5)

  • Vicki Z.

    The dishes overall very tasty. The plates are bigger than small plates standard. Tuna dipping, calamari, grilled octopus all very tasty.The lamb chops and wild mushrooms are not as good as the waitress recommended. Sangria is pretty good. Very popular and crowded. Decor very interesting. Overall a fun dining experience.

    (4)

  • M P.

    Amada is good, and I'm willing to give it another shot to convince me that it could be great. I came with a really big group, so we were placed at the very back of the restaurant in the private room. The assortment of appetizers we had were all very good, but since we were a large group I only had a teeny morsel of each dish. The dinner itself was really expensive, and decent overall, but I wasn't too impressed. I'll wait till someone pays for me to give it a second chance :).

    (4)

  • Ellena S.

    Went for Restaurant Week *vegetarian* Had the vegetable / goat cheese appetizer - pretty good, but Garces' Village Whiskey pickled cherry tomato app, at $4, was much better. Tortilla - bland. Tasted like glue, was really not appetizing.. Roasted asparagus with truffles and egg - best part of the meal. So creamy and delightful.. really made the meal. Setas (wild mushrooms) - far, FAR too salty.. Chocolate dessert - very rich. Berries were delicious. Also had a bite of the aged manchego with the truffle honey and apples, which was delicious.. but did not blow me away.

    (4)

  • Alison C.

    I went to Amada with a group of 7 for 9:30 on a Friday night. By the time we got there, the lounge vibe was in full swing. I don't usually like it when a restaurant is like that, but that vibe doesn't spill over into the main dining room. Unfortunately, the only place to wait for your table is in the bar, which was pretty crowded that night. Our server was very attentive and friendly. Each of us ordered a couple of dishes to share, and she let us know if we gave her an order for something that someone else had already put in. (That said, we still wound up with three orders of garlic shrimp, but WOW, was that ever worth it.) They did a great job of keeping water & sangria glasses full, and also swapped out our plates and flatware about halfway through the meal, which I thought was a nice touch. As for the food -- amazing. We had several amazing cheese plates, including one with a caramel & black olive sauce, and another that came with strawberries & balsamic vinegar. Those were just delicious. The garlic shrimp, as I mentioned, was incredibly flavorful, and I don't think I've ever eaten shrimp that tender. Amazing. I don't think we had a complaint about any of the other dishes, but those were the standouts for me. I would certainly go back to Amada, but it is pricey -- I think it's perfect for a special occasion or more upscale date night.

    (4)

  • Dkj R.

    each time i have visited amada, the cuisine + experience just keeps getting better. sangria- white or red- you cant go wrong ive had most apps + entrees- you cant go wrong. everything is delicious. food is also very authentic. of all my fav philly dining destinations- amada is my favorite.

    (5)

  • Erica J.

    Had tasting menu with 2 other friends. We totally love it! My most favorite Jose Garces' restaurant.

    (4)

  • Jessica S.

    I went to Amada with an open mind and came out with an empty stomach. We ordered a lot of tapas plates, knowing how small they can be. in the back of my mind though i knew it was going to be really expensive. i usually dont have any reservations with paying for good food but i was really not impressed with Amada. The food to me was full of strange combinations, overly flavorful and overly salted. one after the other i sampled my portion and was disappointed. i thin my favorite dish was some simple bread and cheese platter. skipped dessert, wasnt worth it to me. i didnt even really like the sangria, ive had much better in new york. oh, the decor was kind of cool though, but the curtain in the front was strange and confusing and the bench we sat in wasnt very comfortable. i didnt have an enjoyable experience personally...

    (1)

  • Kevin O.

    I was really looking forward to it, so I guess I had built it up too much. Love Tinto, and have been there 3 times. But I don't know, it didn't blow me away. Modo Mio kills it, in my opinion. The best part was seeing the waiter who looks and talks exactly like Michell from Modern Family. He was great.

    (2)

  • Kate T.

    Amada was a taste sensation!! We braved the snowstorm of the decade, and sloshed through puddles of grey melting snow to keep our lunch reservation. Try the tortilla espanol with saffron aioli and chicken broshettes to start. The sandwiches were very tasty, with distinct flavors melting together on fresh crusty bread. The rock floor area in the front was unique!

    (4)

  • Jenny S.

    After countless visits, I'm fairly certain that I've tried nearly everything on the menu and worked my way through at least half of the wine list. Although it is best to go here with a large group so you can try more dishes in one visit, don't underestimate it's value for a glass of wine and a snack after work. Favorites are the tortilla and the cocas, but I will never leave without having the stuffed lamb chops--best thing on the menu!

    (5)

  • Megan G.

    My fave restaurant in the city, I've left each time impressed and incredibly satisfied. The ambiance is warm, classy and overall makes me feel like I'm somewhere special and in for a treat. My service has always been friendly, my table always ready as soon as we arrive. I've ordered the chef's tasting each time there because I always think I'm in for the best treats if I sit back and let the chef do his thing. I can honestly say I have enjoyed every single thing I've been served, I've never received anything less than great. Our servers are always right on the ball with explaining just what is being served. Some of my favorites are the seared scallops, warm salad with asparagus and fava beans and the omelet with black truffle. We seem to luck in to the ham croquettes each time and though I'm not a ham fan I really enjoy those and the red pepper puree that accompanies them. The last time my husband and I were there we had our daughters (10 and 16) and another 16 year old friend of theirs. Even the girls dove right in to each platter and they particularly loved the cheese plate, mixing each cheese with the fruit and dips. I've purchased the truffle lavender honey and roasted garlic dulce de leche for entertaining at home. Both are out of this world! On our last visit our server Christopher placed birthday candles in my daughters dessert after overhearing us mention it was her birthday, it goes a long way with me when you dote on my children! I can't wait until our next visit!

    (5)

  • Joy C.

    This place is amazing! We had the garlic shrimp, octopus, calamari, jamon serrano, flatbreads and the portions were plenty. We went during restaurant week and I thought maybe 4 tapas wouldn't be enough for each person. It was more than enough and there was plenty. The sangria is unique, I like the white more than the red. The white sangria had fresh pears/apples/rosemary while the red had fruit and cinnamon. I've been to tapas in Spain and to Jaleo in DC and this place is quite authentic. I can't wait to go back. Everyone loved the food in my party. The service was quick and our drinks were always filled.

    (5)

  • Patricia H.

    Can I have 5 plates of salt with extra salt? I had the worst tapas here ever. Everything was extremely oversalted where my tongue and lips were still numb the next morning. If this was top chef, I would fire them. If you can't season, then what are you doing in the kitchen?

    (1)

  • Stan P.

    I am a New Yorker and NY definitely sets the standard for tapas very high, and AMADA definitely meets the standards. I made a reservation two weeks before I went to Philly for an 8:30 pm seating. We got there slightly early and had to wait for at least 25 minutes. Despite the long wait and hunger, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Loved all the tapas, except maybe the patatas bravas which were slightly dry. Even though I had a stomach problem that whole night following the meal, I still highly recommend it.

    (4)

  • trish g.

    After years of hearing everyone buzz up this joint, I finally stopped by for Restaurant Week 2010. OMG. Amazing. Everything was good. And while I may not be able to afford much on the menu during the rest of the year, the Restaurant Week prices were great and portions incredibly generous. My friend and I couldn't finish all of our food. The drink menu is on the pricy side, but for a beautiful restaurant with excellent service, not completely outlandish or surprising. I love that their drinks are named after Almodovar movies. The flatbread was amazingly delicious and as someone who's got some issues w/ cheese and dairy - it didn't bother me at all. I think it would be ideal to go with a group of 3-6 people so you could try a few bites of almost everything.

    (5)

  • Chihee K.

    Loved the relaxed and modern ambiance. I ate at the bar with a friend and we found seats fairly quickly at 8:30pm on a Saturday night. Eating and drinking at Amada really did remind me of eating at this one particular restaurant in Barcelona, so that was great and set the stage. I ended up only drinking the blanco sangria and it was delicious - light and sweet. I highly recommend the fried green peppers (they were not spicy, although I would have preferred them to be slightly so), grilled/spiced octopus, any one of their flatbreads, olives, salads, and selection of cheeses/meats. Loved everything I tried - including the rice pudding dessert that was both sweet and tangy.

    (4)

  • Anthony D.

    Just amazing. Service was excellent, food perfectly balanced and executed. The Asparagus con Trufas was beyond beautiful!

    (5)

  • John A.

    UPDATE I went there again with a friend...TRY THE SCALLOPS if you dig seafood. For an appetizer, I had the caramelized melon and Serrano ham. I'm a HUGE fan of charcuterie and fall instantly in love with well presented cured meat appetizers. One thing which has stood out to me is that since it is a large dining space, the staff can be "on edge." Though I completely understand, the tightness of the atmosphere does not go well with a sangria.

    (4)

  • Laurel M.

    I was really rather impressed by Amada. The decor of the place was amazing. I particularly liked the decor in the back part of the restaurant, where luckily I was seated. Large, very plus chairs and benches decked out with pillows, candles flickering in the windows, and a darker, more loungey and romantic atmosphere than the front seating area. If I return (and I will!) I will be sure to ask to be seated in the back room again. As for the eats and drinks: Very very good! There were 3 of us, and we ordered 9 different tapas. Each was interesting and delicious. I was worried it may not have been enough food initially, but we all left feeling full. A few of my favorites were the QUESO DE CABRA / Balsamic Strawberries, REVUELTO / Shrimp & Wild Mushrooms Shirred Eggs, and PIQUILLOS RELLENOS / Crab-Stuffed Peppers. The specialty cocktails were fantastic, and I tried the white sangria as well which was also wonderful. I think for a return trip I will definitely try the chef's tasting menu.

    (4)

  • Waniboo C.

    Delicious food, poor service. The four stars are for the sangria, bar area, and the spanish octopus. And while I'd like to cut my stars down to three stars for the service, (the waitress was.....not good, i'll spare you the boring details) the manager was super nice so I kept it at four. He probably figured out how bad the waitress was because he came over to pick up our check himself and saw us going into the bar area for more drinks and dessert, instead of ordering it at the table. All in all, very good tapas place. try the octopus and the vegetables.

    (4)

  • David K.

    Finally took my wife to Amada after seeing Iron Chef Garces on tv a while back. Overall we enjoyed it, but maybe we're just not tapas people. Nothing was bad, but it's a little weird that our favorite dish was the flat-bread. I would have thought it would have been one of the other specialty type dishes. The dining area was a little too crowded for us. Our small table was pretty much on top of the ones next to us, so it was really tough for my wife to hear the waitress describe dishes, etc... I guess it's just not our type of place. I don't think we'll be going back, but not because of anything in particular. We have so many other places to try that I think we'd rather try a new place, than go back to a place that didn't impress us.

    (3)

  • Kim P.

    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!

    (5)

  • Kyle N.

    A group of us ate at Amada recently and after all the plates had come and gone, my impression of the restaurant was the same as before I knew it exist. The upside to Amada was the service. The wait staff was very polite and gave great descriptions of each dish. The vibe was pretty chill, a good spot for conversation with a big group. Having said all that, the food was just average. Everything we ate seemed to rely heavily on some variety of sause or seasoning, a flavor other than what it was we were actually eating. It all tasted very rich and I had trouble eating more than two bites of any one thing. I guess we made the mistake of ordering from the 'large group' menu and didn't actually pick what dishes came out. My favorite plate was the mashed potato ball (I'm sure they have a nicer name for it). And the lavender honey that came out with the cheese plate was great.

    (3)

  • Pete L.

    We visited this restaurant on a Sunday afternoon at 4 pm for an early dinner. Super ambiance, very attentive helpful staff and top quality food. I would qualify the food here as a sort of 'nouveau cuisine tapas'. Prices are steep, but worth it, like on average $11 for a glass of wine and tapas at $9 to $14 each.

    (5)

  • Emily C.

    Amazing food and service and definitely paid for it. I went with a group of 6 and we got the chef's selection and loved everything we tried, which included scallops, shrimp and raw oysters.

    (5)

  • Jessica A.

    I think that my only problem with Amada was that I tried to get reservations for so long that it was extremely built up in my head, which usually equals disappointment. That said, the atmosphere was great, service was good, and food was delicious. I went for Restaurant Week, so it was a limited menu, but the shortrib flatbread and beef brochettes were highlights. I don't know if I'd go back again at full price.

    (4)

  • Gina F.

    Honestly, this place is superb. The food is amazing, as in, I wish I could eat this stuff every single day. We went for Restaurant Week in September and even though the menu was limited for the event, it didn't feel like the selection was too small. The CAÑA DE CABRA - with Fig & Cherry Marmelade rocked my world. I love cheese and this stuff did not disappoint. The Patatas Bravas were excellent and enjoyed by all. But the highlight of the meal was the COSTILLAS DE TERNERA, a flatbread with Beef Shortribs,Horseradish, Parmesan. I am still thinking about that bread and the meal was two months ago! I should also mention that the service at Amada is top-notch, but not in that overbearing fancy restaurant way. Instead, the servers are friendly and efficient, with just the right amount of presence at your table and an uncanny ability to clear and replenish at exactly the right time. The design of the restaurant is understated, but completely chic. We sat in the front by the windows at a long, communal style wooden table. Our seats were basically long wooden benches and the table was set on a floor of worn, kind-of sea polished pebbles. I also love the long hallway towards the restrooms that was lit by candles and the table on an elevated platform in the middle of the restaurant, with a semi-private curtain. We will definitely go back to Amada...it's worth every single penny.

    (5)

  • m j.

    I love Amada! It's very vibrant and lots of attractive people. Their sangrias are so delicious. I like both the blanco and tinto. I haven't tried their new sangria w/ watermelon yet. I like the mix cheese. Most of the tapas i've tried were really good. I really liked the garlic shrimp.

    (5)

  • Greg N.

    I have to say that we had a great experience here. Traveling with 5 other co-workers into Philadelphia, yelp was my source to find this place. We decided to go with the Chef's Selection and were not disappointed at all. The favorites were Albondigas, Gambas Con Garbanzos, Cana De Cabra and Costillas De Ternera. The waitress was spot on, even with a quick witty attitude to deal with our crowd. Highly recommended!!

    (5)

  • Behn K.

    Went here with my wife and in-laws for Restaurant Week. Have been to other Garces restaurants before (Chifa and Village Whiskey) and am definitely a fan. Somehow I hadn't been to Amada before. I love getting to this part of the city for it's historic value. Just amazing to think about what was going on here 200 years ago. Anyway, the atmosphere is great from the lighting to the hip vibe that seems to be going on. Since it was restaurant week, we each got two appetizers, two entrees, plus a dessert. It is tapas style, so smaller portions and we were each able to try some of each others. Some highlights of the appetizers were the garlic shrimp, cheese plate, and the ham croquettes. For entrees, I cant say enough about the hanger steak I got. I kept this one all to myself! My wife liked her chicken with truffle and fried egg, but thought it could have used more salt. My mother in-law got the sea bass, which also was delicious. The desserts did not disappoint either. I got the Spanish custard and everyone else got the rice pudding. Those plates were cleaned! All this washed down with a couple bottles of Rioja made it a very enjoyable and delicious night out. Will definitely be going back.

    (4)

  • Libby P.

    I was here Friday night as part of a party of 5. All but one of us--who was visiting from out of state--had dined at Amada before on the $65 chef's tasting over a year ago and loved every morsel. Unfortunately, our past experiences here set our expectations WAY too high. We chose the $55 chef's tasting to try and save a little cash for the long weekend, and requested no mushrooms in the dishes (a sad time for me and my boyfriend, but we were in the minority with this group). With every dish that came out, we became more and more underwhelmed. While the lamb meatballs with foie gras were fantastic (I mean, it's foie, I was expecting to love them), I had already had them in my previous chef's tasting! Every other protein served was prepared more simply than what I normally do at home. Boiled shrimp in olive oil and garlic? More complex dishes are served to-go at Whole Foods! At least the proteins were still edible. Due to our no-mushroom request, two of the four courses were accompanied by fava bean salads--both of which were topped with triangles of Parmesan. Odd, considering that Parmesan isn't the least bit Spanish, right? The first salad was palatable with a mix of sprouts and a light dressing, but the second similar salad that came out with our main courses made me want to throw up the minute it was placed on our table. The dressing verged on straight vinegar rather than a vinaigrette. Luckily, our waiter was observant enough to realize that the two bowls of fava had gone mostly untouched between five people, and offered a replacement dish--the amazing artichokes with pine nuts, which was my highlight of the meal. This point of service is what bumped this review from 1-star to 2. I understand that the "lower" level of the chef's tasting gets you a "lower" quality of food here, but regardless, that should not leave patrons disappointed with their experience. I am still kind of in disbelief that we had two dishes that were almost exactly the same that didn't go with anything else on the table. A chef's tasting should reflect the best the restaurant has to offer, and if that's the case, Amada is on a slippery slope downhill. I won't be returning again knowing I can have a better, more cohesive meal elsewhere in the city for the same price.

    (2)

  • Peter D.

    Amada is apparently very popular. At 8:30 on a Tuesday evening, there was a 40 minute wait for seats in the bar area. Luckily, there's a bar in the bar area; bars are good for drinking, and drinking is good for waiting. It is also quite charming; I took my girlfriend to here for the most romantic of dates. When we arrived, I leaned in, and whispered in her ear, "Bitch, you wait here, I've gotta take a squirt." She also needed to use the facilities, and followed me towards the back. As we worked our way past the packed bar, we found ourselves in a long hallway lit only by intermittent candles. A Labyrinth of Passion, if you will, which also happens to be one of the [laughably named] signature cocktails.* "This is a very romantic hallway," she smiled seductively, "It makes me want to..." "What? Eat? Are you hungry? Why are you looking at me like that? Are you gassy again?" I never did find out why she was looking at me like that, but our meal ended up strangely silent, and was punctuated by angry glares from her. Luckily, the food kept us occupied. We both enjoyed the crab-stuffed peppers that came highly recommended, as well as the shortrib flatbread and the cheese plate. I was less enamored with the unimpressive mushroom rice recommended by a friend we made in the bar. He was a vegetarian though; I should've known he couldn't be trusted. All in all, a slightly pricey spot with good tapas and better atmosphere. __________ *Talk to Her? Broken Hugs? All I know is that I couldn't order a Law of Desire and respect myself in the morning, so I got myself a Matador. Because nothing says "macho" like drinking in a strong, Spanish man. (On the real, I enjoyed the bourbon, elderflower and ginger concoction.)

    (4)

  • Justin M.

    I have a tremendous respect for Chef Garces, and have thoroughly enjoyed all my other experiences at his establishments. This visit, however, disappointed dramatically. My partner and I made a reservation for the last Friday of Restaurant Week two months in advance for our anniversary--as per above, we have had decadently delicious and memorable experiences at other GRG restaurants--and we anticipated finally trying Amada as a treat to ourselves. Service: spot-on, friendly, knowledgable. Pacing was also impeccable. Food: we basically paid $35 each for delicious flatbreads, which were like succulent symphonies of viands. I've had better chorizo--most notably at Bocadillos in San Francisco--; the pepper/olive/whatever spread potentially originated from a jar; the scallops and the sea bass were bland with poorly-paired accoutrements. The truffled lavender honey, served with the aged Manchego, combined sweet with a metallic tartness that did not particularly compliment the cheese. On the positive side, the desserts were delicate yet rich, providing a nice cap to an otherwise shoddy display of culinary craftsmanship. The other bright spot of the meal was the sangria--sublimely spicy and refreshing. If you desire sangria, cured meats and Spanish cheeses, grab a seat in the bar area and enjoy. For a more memorable Spanish tapas experience, I would recommend Tinto over Amada.

    (2)

  • Evan L.

    In continuing with my Iron Chef Philadelphia tour, we stopped at the much-heralded Amada by Jose Garces. We'd patronized his Tinto locale in Palm Springs and came away nonplussed by the accolades; it was tapas, and just that. Small plates influenced by Spain, but nothing amazing. Expecting more of the same in Philadelphia, our open mind was immediately jolted with flavor bursts unrivaled since my initial forays into fine cuisine. But first, the decor - lined with candles on the walls, the handrails, the tables, Amada feels like an underground supper club, romantic & laden with excitement. The service is fast and friendly, and the tapas arrive on wonderful small plates upon which the eyes can feast prior to the stomach. The crab/piquillo peppers are simply divine - the heart-shaped presentation begets the true touch of the corazon while eating. The dish simply stops your heart. The empanadas were a complete disassociation from any previous empanadas I've tasted; slightly pickled with a light fry. The serrano/fig salad was a perfect mid-meal palate cleanser. And that lobster paella. . .my goodness. My mind still swoons over the succulent prawns hidden under the giant lobster that graced our table. Beautifully savory albondigas served after wagyu beef brochettes made me believe that Philadelphia is indeed a culinary landmark in the United States. I can go on, as the nineteen dishes we ordered in our party of nine were each unique, flavorful and captivating in their own right. The sangria tinto was a tad bit too fruity for my taste, but my brothers & sisters in culinary arms enjoyed the beverage just fine. That's satisfactory, though, as the server was quick to refill my vodka/soda enough times to enable me to overlook the sweetness of the fruity cocktail. In all - a wonderful experience at a spectacular venue. Truly one of the best meals I have eaten. Hooray Chef Jose Garces, you literally win the battle of Philadelphia.

    (5)

  • Kionna W.

    I LOVE THIS PLACE! Everything I've eaten here has been an awakening of my taste buds and multiple mouth orgasms. Starting with my favorite dish which has to be the wild mushroom rice, it is amazing for funky cheese lovers a dish to remember. The Parmesan, Peas and bits of tender mushroom can make me become a vergeterian. My 2nd favorite dish has to be the pernil asado the pork is so flavorful and the top is a perfect crisp like bacon, the mandarin oranges give it life and a extra kick lastly the pea sauce it sits under seals the deal. Lastly the lamb chops were cooked to perfection very easy to eat "too much" simple and delicious. I will definitely return to this place whenever I feel I need to reward a long work week with a fantastic meal. Next to Devon this is my top place in Philadelphia. Amazing food, amazing service, amazing drinks you can't go wrong with Amada

    (5)

  • E.J. C.

    One of the best restaurants in the city. Have been about half a dozen times. Also has one of the best restaurant week meus. I don't think I have had something here that I did not like. The charcuterie is a great start to the meal; the mixto of the meats is an amazing. Definitely would recommend getting the octopus, the calamari a la plancha, and if you like spicy, get the grilled chorizo. Also, the churros are a great finish. Always a great place for a celebration, or just if you have a little extra cash hanging around and are craving an excellent meal. Get reservations as early as you can because they do fill up quickly.

    (5)

  • Karen F.

    OK, here's the secret to having a 5 star experience at Amada - go on a slower night (like a Monday during the summer) so that you can be seated comfortably and the noise level won't be too deafening (this is a LOUD, busy place). Go with a crowd - we had 7 ladies and ordered 2 plates each. Sounds like not enough? WRONG!!! Many of the choices are heavy. (Even at tapas size.) Standouts amoung the 14 different items we tried? Gambas (your basic garlic shrimp - done just right), Flatbread with Artichokes (divine), Yellow tomato gazpacho (perfect on a summer night) was garnished with crab salad and avocado ice cream (Yes - a savory icecream pluche). The crab-stuffed peppers were so incredibly creamy, crabby and tasty we ordered one more plateful. (So I guess we had 15 dishes among 7 ladies). The plate of veggies (can't remember the name) was simple and perfect - tomato, pepper, onion and a delectable eggplant dip. It was accompanied by crispy-thin bread smeared lightly with a chive goat cheese. HEAVENLY. Lamb meatballs were too rare (nearly raw) for most of the groups liking, but the sherry cream sauce and fresh green peas were tasty. The salad with figs and blue cheese came literally wrapped in Jamon. Weird and not my bag - but it, too, disappeared. Meanwhile, they ARE heavy handed with the salt and the (salty) cheeses - so if you KNOW this (you, smart -yelper-who-pre-reads before you go, you!) Ask for items light on the (salt) (Cheese) (Sauce) etc. I can't wait to come back here - at an off time - with more than 2 other people. 2 dishes apiece for 7 people came to $280 (including tax 'n tip) including ONE sangria each. (Well, not I, I had 2 virgin mojitos with a splash of pineapple juice). Jose, baby, you live up to your hype. And I have now been to all 5 Philly Garces joints. Huzzah! Oh - and if you don't eat pork or shellfish - you'll have a TOUGH time here. And if you are vegan - fuggedaboutit! (Dairy is hidden in things)

    (5)

  • Robert W.

    I decided to make the trip up to try out this highly rated restaurant. It was a good dining experience but I wasn't floored by the place. But, I felt it served up solid food in a pretty casual atmosphere with a nice vibe. The sangria was delicious and the tapas were good.

    (3)

  • Tuff G.

    I really like the wine, I used to work at a tapas place and I find the tapas here kinda on the american side. However I had the chefs wine pairing the first time I came in and I found that delicious even if its on the pricier side to do that. Maybe because it wasn't a general menu offering.

    (3)

  • Heather B.

    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.

    (4)

  • Jenny L.

    Oh what can I say.. I've been to Amada for a few times, including the one in Atlantic City. The good surprises me EVERYTIME I went. Everytime I went, I chose to do the chef's tasting menu and the wine pairing just because they have so many choices and there are so many food I want to try that I can't order them all unless I do the chef's tasting. After all the eating, I finally come up with a list of things that I really really like: Setas. The best mushroom I've ever had in my life. I've only had it at one other very authentic Spanish restaurant in NYC. I'm a big mushroom fan and I'm glad that I found a place for this amazing mushroom. Cheese plates. My husband always says amazing things about their cheese plates. Unfortunately, I'm not a big cheese fan. But I do think the lavender honey is good with certain kind of cheese. Spanish Octopus, my all time favorite. It comes with small potatoes. Cute and tasty. Serrano Ham & Fig Salad, Cabrales, Spiced Almonds. It's amazing that they wrap everything in that ham and come out so delicious. We don't usually like ham but this one is my husband's all time favorite. Taking about ham, although my husband and I don't usually like ham, but we have to say that the Serrano Ham is the BEST ham in the world. We can't believe how soft and tasty it has. We love it. Lamb legs. My mother-in-law loved it. She can cook good lamb herself so if she thinks it's good, it's definitely really good. Besides the regular menu, Amada has "suckling pig" festival a few times a year. Don't miss it! The pig is delicious and even the appetizer salad is good. And it's definitely fun to watch a whole roasted pig walking by you and a big pig head on the table!

    (5)

  • Phiny S.

    This is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Never had a bad experience with the food, and if you think about some of the other tapas places out there, the prices are not bad at all. I am a big fan!

    (5)

  • Tian W.

    We came here on a Friday night and had a really terrific dining experience. We were seated in the back of the restaurant, which felt more intimate than the front dining area. My side of the table had a comfy couch, complete with a pillow! The server was really friendly and knowledgeable, too. We ordered six items: ham croquettes, shrimp & chorizo flatbread, patatas bravas, spanish octopus, lamb meatballs, and crab stuffed peppers. Surprisingly, the shrimp & chorizo flatbread was our favorite. Seriously, SO GOOD. The sauce is delicious and the flatbread melts right in your mouth. The patatas bravas were also great. Crispy on the outside, nice and soft on the inside. The crab stuffed peppers are a must-try as well. I was less excited for the lamb meatballs (I didn't realize they had mint in them, which I don't like) and the octopus (they were sliced into round discs, and some of them were actually potatoes--sneaky sneaky). These little plates do fill you up. Between the two of us, I thought that we would still be hungry after the six plates, but we didn't even have room for desert. I guess it helped that they also give you complimentary pita chips/bread and a super delicious tuna/capers dip. All in all, such an excellent meal! Can't wait to come back soon!

    (5)

  • Lars B.

    I've been to other Garces restaurants and I think this was probably my least favorite. I met someone for a 10:30pm reservation. The place was packed. I'm not really a fan of how the seats are set up so close to each other. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to hear three conversations at once, but I was having sensory overload upon sitting down. The water that was poured for me had something that resembled a tooth or a kernel of corn in it. The person I was with, disgusted by the site of this water, put it on the table next to us that was temporarily vacant. It was bussed away without any notice of the staff. We didn't make a big deal about it; this was a special dinner and we had bigger fish to fry. The meats and cheese that came out were very good. Exactly how they should. Don't know if the dipping sauces with the cheese were necessary. Just seemed like bells and whistles. The courses that came were pretty tasty. The pork ribs with fennel and orange - not quite it's season yet, were good. The wagyu beef was phenomenal - that red wine sauce was the single best thing I tasted that evening. The octopus was terrible - I wanted to love this dish, but it the texture of the octopus was dry and mushy. I was missing that subtle meaty chew I usually like out of the octopus. The flavor was also off - like the spices had been overtoasted. The server comped us since we only ate one or two of those mini hockey pucks. The bacon wrapped dates weren't very good either. Dry, unloved. This trendy food item has finally jumped the shark. The scallops and the lamb chops were expertly prepared. I liked how they are very simply seasoned to let the ingredients speak for themselves. Didn't stay for dessert. The server we had was very nice and personable despite whatever hospitality blunders had occurred. I would go to any of his other restaurants over this one.

    (2)

  • Achilles I.

    On a repeat visit, was very glad to see that excellent food quality and pleasant atmosphere have been maintained. Would suggest for the starters part of a meal that they be brought out all together. The meat and cheese samplers would have been great to do a tasting together. Would highly recommend for lunch.

    (4)

  • Angela P.

    I dream about this place....literally have many a dream about the next time I can eat here. You see, I am from Seattle and happened upon Amada on an East coast adventure. Now, I am constantly checking kayak.com for flight deals to Philly and figuring how to convince my husband that it's ok that I am flying all this way for a night at Amada...really, it is. We sat in the bar and stuffed ourselves with some ridiculously amazing cheese and meat platters, drank the best Sangria I've ever had and finished the night off with the flourless chocolate cake that made me drool. The bartender was the best bartender I have ever had the pleasure of being tended by. The place was packed but our glasses were never empty. I will come back here again, damn it.

    (5)

  • Vinny P.

    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.

    (5)

  • Lan G.

    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.

    (2)

  • Michael U.

    Full review in the blog: After the last of our tapas arrived there was a wait as previously noted. While some members of our party felt this entirely inappropriate (to the point where someone demanded to speak to the manager) I will note that it was explained and we were not abandoned - the server checked in regularly to be sure drinks were filled and plates were cleared. After the delay we saw the pig emerge from the oven and moments later it was wheeled tableside where it would be deftly carved by one of the chefs who stated he'd performed the deed over 500 times. Starting with the standard cuts we were asked if we wanted more exotic pieces such as ears, snout, cheeks, and tail and stating we did indeed want these things the carving commenced. As the sides were arriving simultaneous with the pig carving I will admit I looked away multiple times and never saw where the exotic cuts were placed - this would again be a sore subject at our table as some members seemed to feel others were hoarding the unique items, but honestly I'm pretty sure everything was just mixed in - I know I had one cheek and some ribs, but I never did see snout, trotter, or tail. With the COCHINILLO ASADO dispersed amongst four large plates we each forked ample portions onto our plates and dug in. Intensely porky and wonderfully salted I can definitely say the pig was worth the visit, the wait, and the expense...much more so than any of the tapas. Impossibly crisp skin pre-brined and roasted to perfection the key was to match skin with muscle in order to balance salinity and get a balanced bite. Focusing larger on the leaner cuts, particularly the loin, as well as the ribs I will note I ate a lot of the pork and despite my propensity for multi-course meals I found the pig intriguing in the way each bite provided a novel experience, my only wish would be that the cuts would have been separated better on the board so that I knew what I was eating in order to take mental notes. In discussing the sides I will note that the Herb Roasted Fingerlings were rather standard potatoes - well cooked, somewhat salty and well spiced - I ate a few but really felt no need to fill up on starch. Similarly the GARBANZOS CON ESPINACAS - Chickpeas & Spinach were rather uninspiring aside from the slightly overcooked layer on top - crispy like a corn-nut and nicely balanced with tomato, spinach, and a hefty shake of paprika. More impressive amongst the side dishes were the Rosemary White Beans - creamy and well cooked with ample notes of parsley, rosemary, and butter and the incredible CALÇOTS CON SALBITXADA - Grilled Green Onions which were seared to a char and served with chili pepper spiked garlic butter. Receiving only one plate of the onions I actually requested a second which I consumed almost entirely on my own as the rest of the table was getting full. Watching others slow their eating I continued to pick at the pork, onions, and crispy chick peas for a while chatting with those seated closest to me. It was around this time that I suddenly realized other members of the table were getting testy. Perhaps it was the long drive, perhaps the long wait, or perhaps something else but regardless there was at first a scowl, then audible complaints about the service. Finished with the pork our server arrived to clear plates and to pack up the leftovers - a good 4lbs of pork and at least 4 cups of garbanzo beans. Returning to the table with the leftover protein packed in only two boxes this was another source of controversy and complaint even though I volunteered to talk to the server about getting things repacked - it was at this point that someone decided to invoke the manager. With the manager present and grievances apparently aired we were asked if we wanted dessert or coffee and the most vocal member of the table opted to speak for us all and say no until I piped up and suggested we could at least take a look at the menu. With menus delivered and leftovers taken to the kitchen for re-boxing (4 people wanted to take some home, including, oddly, the people who seemed least pleased with the meal) a few ordered coffee (GTC Reserva, currently on brew in my home) and cappuccino while myself and another diner opted to split a dessert, the delectable PASTEL CON ESCABECHE - Warm Brown Butter Cake, Peach Escabeche, and Almond Ice Cream. Served as a dense cylinder with ample notes of cinnamon and butter the cake paired quite nicely with the sautéed peaches and fragrant ice cream. Arriving with the check would be a second dessert, two small almond cookies that tasted somewhat akin to a fortune cookie - light, whimsical, and a nice touch. Splitting the bill evenly (with 20% tip already included) the total came out to approximately $70 per diner, a deal given the amount of food and duration of the meal, even if not the highest quality of comfortable seating.

    (3)

  • Meredith S.

    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 :)

    (3)

  • Denny S.

    I just love Amada!! I used to love and always try to go to chifa at least once a month, until they closes down. I guess Amada is the next best thing. From my experiences in the past, i highly recommend not to do chef tasting. Instead, order a la carte-for a party of two, top of the line tasting you will get more than enough awesome food.

    (4)

  • Sophia Q.

    A high-end place that I normally wouldn't step in. We went for restaurant week earlier in the year and was completely floored by how good the food was. Had a variety of things, all of which were incredible. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Monica L.

    PROS: Flavorful small plates, cute ambiance CONS: Pricey for what you get We came here for restaurant week, and I was pleased but not amazed by the food. The aged manchego cheese with aromatic, floral truffle lavender honey was as good as I remembered. The escalivada (goat cheese toasts with a series of spreads made from roasted peppers, eggplant, onions, and tomatoes) was also pretty good, as was the tortilla espanola, which appeared to be a small, dense potato pancake (?) with concentrated saffron sauce on top. However, the calamari left a little to be desired, as the sliced squid rings bordered on the chewier side. The esparragos con trufas was entirely too heavy, with the grilled asparagus slightly undercooked and crunchy, swimming in a thick pool of poached egg-creme... Not quite what I expected. Finally, for dessert, the crema catalina was thick and creamy, with small tibits of soaked fruit resting near the surface, which provided enough contrast and complexity to make the entire concoction rather addicting. Overall, a nice experience.

    (4)

  • Chris R.

    Had a lovely meal at Amada recently. My girlfriend and I each did the cheaper chef's selection, which was a great choice since it allowed us to try things we normally wouldn't have ordered. Everything that came out was between really good and fantastic, with the highlights being a mushroom flatbread called alcachofas y setas (and I don't even really like mushrooms), the madre e hijo, which was a chicken breast with a fried egg on top, and the ensalada de jamon. Fantastic meal, totally worth the price. This will definitely be a go-to spot for special occasions in the future.

    (5)

  • Bethany P.

    I have been dying to visit Amada for a while now, and my husband finally surprised me with a reservation for my birthday. Since it was our first time there, we both selected the chef's tasting menu and it was an excellent choice. The courses kept coming out so it's hard to remember every dish, but here are the ones that stood out: Cheese and Charcuterie plates: Amazing, especially the fig compote that accompanied the cheese. Absolutely out of this world. Verde Salad: Delicious yet so simple. One of the bigger plates that was served. I kept picking on it throughout the course of the meal. Short rib flatbread: So amazing. I wish it wasn't so small. I also wish I didn't have to share it with my husband. Piquillos Rellenos: Didn't catch the name of this dish when the server first brought it out. I wasn't sure what the peppers were stuffed with and was pleasantly surprised when I tasted the cheese and crab. The sliced almonds (?) added a nice crunch. Gambas Al Ajillo (garlic shrimp): Very good, but nothing special. My husband seemed to enjoy them a lot more than I did. Steak?? Also did not catch the name of this dish, but it was probably the best piece of steak I've ever had and I am not a big fan of red meat. Cheesecake and lemon sorbet w/ huckleberry sauce: Very very good! The two dishes that were very disappointing were the chickpeas and spinach and the Bacalao (black cod). The chickpeas were overcooked and very tough which was a shame because I enjoyed the favor of the sauce/spices they were cooked in, but couldn't stand the texture of the chickpeas. The cod was very fishy tasting which leads me to believe that it was not fresh. It was also very slimy. I don't eat cod often so that very well may be the correct taste/texture, but it just wasn't appealing to me. I don't eat a lot of red meat so I normally pick the fish over a steak, so that was a let down for me. While our service was very timely and friendly, I prefer a more personal dining experience, especially at such a highly reputable place. Our waiter (didn't get a name) served us our drinks and gave us an overview of the menu, but we didn't see him again until the bill came. Our courses were brought out by the table runners, which is fine, but they were so rushed they really didn't explain the dishes that were coming out. Hence the reason why I cannot remember the names of everything. I would definitely come back again for brunch with girlfriends or lunch, but it was really crazy for only a Wednesday night ...I can't imagine what it's like on the weekends. If we come back for dinner, I will probably order off the main menu now that I am more familiar with the dishes. I will also take the advice that someone else posted in one their reviews and ask for more bread with the cheese and charcuterie, as well as the shrimp. The garlic sauce was perfect for dipping bread into. I almost smacked the table runner's hand when he tried to take it away from me ;)

    (4)

  • Sumito A.

    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

    (4)

  • Jenna M.

    When Amada first opened, my husband made a reservation for Valentine's Day. We show up and... oops, they didn't have a record of our reservation. The hostess treated us like we were criminals trying to sneak in. She told us we could put our names down and wait at the bar, all the while acting like she was doing us a big favor. Meanwhile we saw several couples go up and ask about their reserved tables, with increasing levels of exasperation. ("My reservation was a half hour/ an hour ago" was a common complaint.) Obviously we didn't hang around that sorry scene too long. Since all the other local restaurants were booked solid (duh, it's Valentine's Day) we ended up at a local pub instead. It was still a great evening, but no thanks to Amada.

    (1)

  • Philly P.

    LOVE AMADA!!! One of my absolute favorites in Philly! Love Jose Garces too!

    (5)

  • Anastasia B.

    I was looking to have a great experience and when I saw this restaurant's rating I was absolutely sure we were gonna have an amazing time. And now I'm just sitting here trying to understand what in the world do people like about this overpriced snack bar? This was such a waste of money and I really regret it. Food is "amazing" and "they showed it on Best Things I Ate"? NOWAY! Are these people serious? Me and my husband spent over 200 bucks on a bunch of tiny appetizers which half of them I didn't even like. As for Crab-Stuffed Peppers that everyone recommends- not $12 good for 2 small pieces. The place looks like night time Ihop with the tables being 5 inches away from each other and you can hear the whole conversation of the ppl next to you. Service is actually slow and waitress didn't bother checking back on us really. I'm giving an extra star for Sangria. That was the only thing I really liked( and it's white kind, not the red). This place is no high end but has high end prices. The ratings misled me completely. Tapas were crapas!

    (1)

  • Meghan H.

    Absolutely delicious food, great ambiance in the restaurant, great bar. The only downside I can think of is that it's in Olde City, which I try to avoid, but other than that, pretty much fantastic in every way. I recommend doing one of the tasting menu options and letting your server and the chef make the decisions for you. That way you get to try all the best things, and things you wouldn't normally choose for yourself. Every course that came to the table was amazing - I particularly loved the selection of cheeses, the chorizo, and the lamb. The only thing I would do differently is order fewer dishes so that I could more fully enjoy dessert. 5-6 dishes for two people would be plenty.

    (5)

  • john t.

    I went to Amada last Sat with my dear friend E, a resident of the City of Brotherly Love. And wow what a great experience from start to finish. We attempted to tackle the $55 tasting menu. They were able to accommodate my unusual dietary considerations with style. Those little plates just kept coming. Amada compares so well with Manhattan rest's and that folks is my permanent benchmark. Go Phily!

    (5)

  • J M.

    Went in for a late lunch and sat at the bar just before they closed the kitchen, enjoyed a good size portion of lamb meatballs, spicy potatoes - which were a little too salty - and cava - $40. Not a large menu or wine list, and a little pricey but the quality of the food and great service is worth it.

    (4)

  • Melissa C.

    745 reviews and my five stars are going to add anything new? I seriously doubt it. I debated not reviewing Amada, but heck--it was such a great experience that I really can't help myself. I was sitting at the bar at my hotel at about 7 p.m. with a list of 3-4 Yelp-approved places (apparently I'm now the designated restaurant-finder when out of town with co-workers). The bartender peered over my list and pointed to Amada. "That place--but you'll never get in tonight." Challenge. Accepted. Yelpers--if you've never used the Open Table service for a hard-to-get-reservations restaurant you should really give it a shot. It was *no* problem to get reservations for 7:30 (our hotel was close) on my smartphone in the amount of time that it took the bartender to talk about how hard it was to get a table on short notice. I held up my "reservations confirmed" email and gloated a little. Suck it...bartender? Anyway. On to the meal. First we had some cocktails--me with a "Dark Habits" gin-based drink that was delicious and my co-worker with something less delicious but still serviceable (his had tequila which I don't really have a taste for). The Dark Habits is expensive, but only if you're not used to drinking out of hotel bars. $12.50 for a drink is not cheap, but heck, the in-hotel restaurant was charging $22 for a regular rail martini, so... when you're traveling your perspective on these things shifts a bit. We both ordered the chef's tasting menu. This is something you should definitely do; what better way to sample what's really great? Also: You should be VERY hungry. You WILL be filled up. Also: If you really like something you can request it in your chef's tasting menu and likewise if you have an aversion to something. I was feeling scallop-y and lo, I got delicious scallops. Everything was fantastic. Well, except the sea bass which was merely great instead of phenomenal. Let me see if I can remember everything we had: Jamon Iberico: Wonderful Anchovies: Amazing Serrano-ham-wrapped salad: Beautiful Spanish Octopus: Really a stand-out dish Lamb chops: Tasty and tender Sea Bass: A little north of awesome, but still really great Scallops: Phenomenal Artichoke/Truffle flatbread: Super-tasty Chocolate mousse/cake desserts: Great, and that's saying something since I'm not the biggest chocolate dessert fan. Almond cookie (served over the check): By that time I was too full to appreciate it. It seems like I'm forgetting one or two things. But you get the idea; the chef's tasting menu for two people is kind of exhaustive. Our server was also friendly and eager and we met some funky and fun fellow-travelers the next table over. She ordered the Jamon Iberico for dessert. I'm not gonna judge; it was that good. Amada pretty much knocked it out of the park for us. The downside is, of course, that now I'm designated restaurant-picker on every out-of-town trip and I can't always get this lucky.

    (5)

  • Linda T.

    Came here day after Valentine's day. Only available reservation was 9 pm. Pros: - creative menu. Loved the octopus (comes with amazing tasting smoked potatoes), the artichoke, truffles, wild mushrooms particularly. The ensalada verde was refreshing and surprisingly large of a portion. - ambiance is understated-cool - location is old town - walking distance from several hotels Cons: - Some of the items were a little too salty for my taste. - Price - Some of the tables were very close to each other so if you want a private conversation, think again!

    (4)

  • charles p.

    This place is incredible. I had no idea food could taste like that. Just incredible.

    (5)

  • Johanna B.

    Spanish tapas with a nice variety and excellent service. DH and I decided that restaurant week was a good reason to try it and we're glad we did. Charming semi-rustic atmosphere, with attentive serving staff. DH enjoyed the Tomato, Crab, Avocado GAZPACHO which was smooth and creamy, and we both enjoyed the surprising flavors of the GARROTXA cheeseserved with apples, toasted bread and Garlic Dulce de Leche (a must try). The COSTILLAS DE TERNERA (shortribs) flatbread was flavorful and filling and the ESPÁRRAGOS CON TRUFAS (Grilled Asparagus) was crisp with a creamy and delightful sauce, though the poached egg might not have been a necessary addition. The scallops were done perfectly, juicy and delicate with a light pesto sauce (DH could have eaten a dozen, they gave us 6 and we shared). We were surprised by the flavorfulness of the grilled melon wrapped in prosciutto. GAMBAS AL AJILLO - Garlic Shrimp was juicy with a slight kick of spice adn served with grilled bread perfect for sopping up the lightly spiced garlic sauce. We also ordered the MADRE E HIJO (Chicken Breast, Fried Egg, Mojama, Truffles) which was good, but not exceptional. For dessert we had the chocolate cake and the Spanish custard; the chocolate cake was moist and flavorful and the Spanish custard was surprising and delicious with a combination of flavors and textures. All in all we're glad we went and would recommend the restaurant. There were a few seats outside for dining and the area is nice so could be a lovely evening.

    (4)

  • Thomas D.

    What a wonderful restaurant! The food was outstanding; highly authentic spanish cuisine; excellent wines; good service. The restaurant is very lively, but we were able to talk at the table just fine. (We were sitting at a high table in the bar area.) Wish I lived in Philly so I could dine here regularly.

    (5)

  • Enid C.

    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

    (4)

  • Lilli C.

    As usual, the food at Amada was great, but I was a bit shocked at how spotty the service was. Dinner was at 9pm...we were seated at 9:15pm. We ordered 6 tapas in total for 2 people, which was more than enough. The mixed cured meats, lamb meatballs, and the beef shortrip flatbread came out pretty quickly. The lamb meatballs were in this delicious sherry sauce that I wanted to lap up with a spoon. The flatbread was also outstanding and was not skimpy on toppings (unlike Garce's pizzas from Garces Trading), and the charcuterie was fantastic, except the waitress dropped the mustard condiments on the way over, almost landing on my dinner companion's phone. Next there was a 30 minute lag until our next round of tapas. Our sever didn't address this at all, and at first I thought maybe they had forgotten them. We got the spanish octopus, which was a bit TOO salty and the wagyu sirloin which was also pretty good...but it was served with eel..umm..? The menu made no mention that it was to be served with eel so I was a bit confused by that and they completely forgot our 6th tapa- the tortilla espanola, which we had them take off the menu since we were way too stuffed anyway.

    (4)

  • Imran N.

    I was so not impressed by Amada. Tapas style, but nothing inventive. I've tried variations of the same food throughout my life. And nothing really blew me away. For example, the garlic shrimp is nothing but garlic and shrimp in butter. And everything we had was along the same variation - boring and unimaginative. I really wanted to order the tasting menu but my friend put his foot down. I'm really glad he did because out of all the 'good' restaurants in phili, this was my least favourite. That being said, it's not all bad. If you like Tapas, this is probably the better of the lot. If you like cured meats and charcuterie, etc. This is a good place. But for me personally, after going to various iron chef restaurants, I don't get what the big deal is? the food is ok. The flavours are intense and i was tasting it the next day. I have to give it to them though, Garces bar is genius. Every drink i had was really good. My favourite was whiskey and strawberries muddled with bitters.

    (2)

  • Marty B.

    Anthony Bourdain in his "Parts Unknown" series revels in the wonderful and "free" tapas of Spain. At Amada the tapas are definitely not free, but they are very good. Unlike the Basgue tapas of Catalonia (Barcelona) which typically are small ovals of bread topped with tasty treats, Amada's Andalucian tapas are small plate offerings. There is a prix fixe option; our party of three chose to order a la carte. The waiter recommended 3 tapas per person, but two per person would satisfy many appetites (certainly for a party of 4 or more). The service was friendly and attentive. An interesting décor is enhanced by an open kitchen. Some diners might find the lighting a bit too dim, more consistent with a fancy bar or bistro than an upscale restaurant. Bare, varnished tables (no tablecloths) also detract from the dining experience. Our choice of red wine, very excellent, was served in a tall-stemmed, large wine glass which only accentuated the miserly pour. The desert of three flavors of homemade sorbets was sublime. Philadelphia has many fine restaurants and Amada is one of them. Diners, no doubt, are drawn to Amada by the Jose Garces name, but I was left asking was our dining experience in line with the final tab. On this night I didn't think so.

    (3)

  • Ar R.

    My wife and I had a dinner there on 12/22. The food was delicious but both my wife and I got food poisoning... we shared all dishes (had several vegetarian dishes) and left happy and full but then at night/next morning started feeling sick. Next day was pretty bad. I know it's from there since we only ate out there that weekend.

    (1)

  • Aaron T.

    Food: really good Serrano Ham wrapped Salad, lamb meatballs, and shrimp dishes. The drink menu for me was nothing special, some interesting Tempranillo wines which I had both. The atmosphere was very crowded but typical of a true Tapas bar, just not really my thing to be sitting 1 foot away from another random. Overall very good tapas and cool atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Mel H.

    We have been coming here for years and it is always awesome! We had our usual favorites like the white sangria, ham croquettes, spicy potatoes, garlic shrimp, short rib flat bread, dates and lamb chops. We tried a new dessert which were the donuts with date jam and olive oil with date ice cream. Didn't sound to appetizing but it was really good. The donuts were amazing!

    (5)

  • Mariel M.

    I went here last week with some friends for dinner, and had a really good time. The food was basically Spanish tapas with a twist, and my friend, who studied abroad in Oviedo last year, said these were some of the best tapas she ever had. Everything we tried was delicious, and presentation was always beautiful. However, I would recommend sticking to the tapas instead of the cheeses & charcuterie, as I felt they were more creative. Also, we ordered some tapas, paella, and desert, and ended up paying about $23, which was SO inexpensive for the quality and even amount of food we received. Will definitely order cocktails next time. And definitely don't skip dessert; it was definitely my favorite part of the meal. The only reason I am giving this four stars is because service was not that great, waitresses were snobby and just not at all friendly.

    (4)

  • Angela H.

    Did I step into the food version of speed dating? Watch out because tapa dishes are coming out full speed ahead and they are TASTY but don't get too attached because another one is on the way. A trip to Amada during restaurant week was a real gem. My guest and I shared dishes we really enjoyed, ones we wouldn't normally try and a dessert we would usually skip out on. The one problem is most of the tables don't have enough room to lay them out. Also, tables are pretty close together so scratch 'romantic' setting off of the list....sometimes that's the price you pay for yummy meals.

    (4)

  • Daniel M.

    Hands down best tapas in the region. All of Garces' restaurants are worth trying but this one still leads the pack.

    (5)

  • Donovan Z.

    Awesome tapas spot... had to wait a little for seating but that was no problem bc my gf and I were having sangria's at the bar. Haven't had good Spanish tapas since last summer when I visited Barca so I was dying to go here. We got an awesome table in the back, there was a whole different section of the restaurant much quieter and cozier. Perfect for a date. The other area which was louder and better for a group. Def go to the front area if you're looking to get royally smashed on drinks and talk. Food was awesome I recommend the pork belly tapa... melted in your mouth. Bill came out to like mid 100's I think for 2 ppl. Not bad at all after all the sangrias and wine we had.

    (5)

  • Jemma C.

    Yum scrum Amada. I love this place. Mainly for its atmosphere, decor and drinks. Staff are friendly and knowledgable too. Overall I think the food is good however serving Patatas Bravas as they do is strange at best. I wish they were more authentic. That said it's my only gripe. I regularly eat here and have no doubt I'll continue to do so.

    (4)

  • Maryam J.

    3 of us ordered the chef's tasting menu - it seemed like enough for 5. Everything was delicious, great variety of veggie options, meat, and seafood, and they overheard it was my birthday and came out with a birthday dessert complete with a candle. The seasonal sangria was excellent as well. Ambiance was lovely and the wait staff highly attentive and friendly. I highly recommend this restaurant and will come back again.

    (5)

  • Siobhan K.

    This is a definite contender for my best dining experience to date. To drink we had two pitchers of the spiced red wine sangria (quite reasonably priced at $32/pitcher), and it was hands down the tastiest sangria I've ever had. Spicy, fruity and refreshing. Among the four of us we ordered eight dishes, and we were perfectly full at the end. We had: Mixto (sample platter of three cheeses): delicious. The spreads were unconventional and unique, and they went perfectly with the cheese, apple slices and baguette. Patatas bravas: Very tasty, although nothing terribly special. You can't go wrong with combination of potato discs topped with a spicy, creamy sauce. Chiprones Frita (fried baby squid): This isn't one that I'd personally recommend, but keep in mind that I'm not a calamari fanatic. It wasn't bad, and the saffron sauce was lovely, but in a restaurant like this one there are far better options. Datiles con Almendras (bacon wrapped dates): Fantastic. The dates were skewered in between pearl onions, and topped with almonds and sauce. The sweet and salty were well-balanced, and I could have eaten so much more! Alcacofas a la Parmesana (parmesan artichokes): Delicious but pretty basic. Like the potatoes, you really can't go wrong with this choice, but if you're debating between this and something more exciting, go the other way. Grilled Chrozio: YUM! This was basic, but in the best way possible. I definitely recommend it. Costillas de Ternera (Short rib flatbread): This was amazing; one of my favorites of the night. Rich, beefy, cheesy and decadent. We also ordered the special of the night, which was baked oysters. Oysters aren't my favorite, but this was an amazing preparation, which even I could appreciate. In short, this meal was fantastic, and I left feeling that I'd treated myself in the best way possible. The bill came to about $50 per person, which I think is a fair price for the great experience. The menu is so expansive that I could return and order a entirely different meal of equally delicious sounding foods, although I don't think I could resist a few of my favorites (the chorizo, the flatbread, and the dates would be hard to resist). I hope that I get a chance to one day return!

    (5)

  • Christine C.

    Went for lunch here on a weekend trip to Philly. Great decor. Pretty good service. Delicious food. Had a cheese plate w a dulce de Leche sauce which was amazing. Got a corn soup and a salad w ham and figs, very nice. And delicious desserts.

    (4)

  • Matt H.

    Though I have never had anything bad, some things are certainly better than others. The Ensalada Jamon is freakishly good, their shrimp are incredible and the potatoes must be fried in a powdered narcotic of some kind. The atmosphere is fun and kind of romantic. The service tends to be very good and the servers will guide you a bit if you are overwhelmed (by either choice or sangria). Prices certainly aren't a bargain. You could do it cheaply if you tried but that would require more self-control than I possess.

    (4)

  • Julia S.

    Reminds me of Seville (sigh). Was here with boss and boss's boss. Hence, refrained from taking breathtaking fotos of food. Fava bean, asparagus salad was to die for. Did someone say lavender infused honey and manchego cheese on a perfect slice of apple and good ol baguette.

    (5)

  • Niki K.

    ZOMG!! My date and I went here after finding out that Serrano's is closed on Mondays. We were a walk in, even though they tend to rely on reservations. The hostess was very well dressed and well spoken. She gave us our options of a Chefs table, the bar or outside. It was a beautiful day, so we opted to sit outside. After spending a while not being able to decide on what we wanted, we chose not to decide and went with the Chef's Selection (the $65 option). Yes, pricy. ZOMG! Worth it! I don't remember the order of the food, and I'm certain I'll leave a course or two out, but the food felt like it was never ending - but in a good way. Just a sampling of each item, perfect for 2-3, but too much for 1. The asked if there were any allergies, and even customized the food for my 'odd' allergy of Ginger. (Odd is my word, not theirs) Anyway, on with the food: Bacon Wrapped Medjool Dates, Almonds, Cabrales: The perfect blend of salty and sweet - moved it right into a savory dish that kept our mouths watering. We ate this one slowly because it was SO GOOD. White Anchovies, Pine Nuts, Olives: I had never had anchovies before. But, they were properly deboned and were not as salty as I had expected. A little fishy, but it was a little fish so that was okay to me. Fantastic dish. Spanish Octopus: The small little octopus chunks were very well seasoned and really flavorful. I was okay with them until I realized that the 'odd texture' were the octopus' suckers. Then the texture kind of freaked me out. But that's a me thing. Lamb Lollipops - ZOMG! Cut like butter. Perfectly cooked. Seasoned. Just ZOMG! I'm drooling thinking of them. Melts in your mouth good. For cheeses we had the Spiced cherry jam, which went splendedly with the truffled lavender honey. Every bit as good as it sounds. And the spiced jam was not very spicy. Just very yummy. Artichoke, Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffles, Manchego Flat bread: The bread was crispy and they did not skimp on the artichoke or mushrooms which were baked right into the cheeze. A little big of a serving for the table, and a little salty for my tastes, but my counter part gobbled it right up. Wild Mushrooms: A plate of wild mushrooms that were gone before you could say, 'pass some more'. Serrano Ham: A plate of Serrano ham that was aged to perfection and so finely cut that it melted in our mouths. Parmesan Articokes: One for each of us, swimming in luscious cheese. I wouldnt have minded about 10 more of these! LOL There was a tuna dipping creamy 'salsa' for the table flat bread. Again, delicious. We almost asked for more. But there was so much food, there wouldn't have been enough room in our tummies! For dessert ... there was a custard with the spiced cherry jam and some frozen carmel thing. Not very sweety, just the right amount to clense the palette and feed that 'dessert' craving. The service was quick. Our waters were always filled. Each course came with an explantion. Delightful!

    (5)

  • Demo L.

    Seven of us went to Amada for a birthday dinner/'welcome to Philadelphia' dinner and had a terrific time. There were varying palates withint he 7 attending and a few food allergies that were tended to - everyone loved their meals. The potato bravas and mushrooms were excellent - get a few! The short rib flatbeat was amazing! I could go on and on... with 7 of us we ordered so many plates. Excellent food, service, ambiance - a must if you're thinking of heading there, just do it.

    (5)

  • Anita L.

    Best restaurant in Philadelphia. When I have friends from out of town, this is the place to go. The tasting menu is terrific. The white sangria - best ever. Fresh flavors. Great food. Don't miss it.

    (5)

  • Hong L.

    First, make reservations here for dinner. Otherwise, except to have a late night dinner here. The decor is modern- white Spanish flare. The service was great and they are very helpful with suggesting plates. Food: For a party of 5, I felt like we tried almost every plate. Some plates are smaller than others; others are surprisingly big. Overall there was a lot of flavor with the food, however,the food was heavily salted. What stood out?? - PIMIENTOS DE PADRÓN - Fried Peppers - These are not hot but slightly sweet. Its a lot and definitely shareable. - PULPO A LA GALLEGA - spanish octopus - great marinade for the octopus and cooked just right (a bit crunchy but chewy on the inside) - QUESO DE CABRA - Baked Goat cheese - this going to be salty but its like a comforty heavy cheese pizza but without the dough... - MADRE E HIJO - The chicken was so tender and juicy but there was very little. It's shareable for two, but three is a crowd. The sangria was not too alcoholic - a sadness to my heart.

    (3)

  • Stacey T.

    We visited friends this weekend, and had dinner at Amada on Friday. We ordered probably half the menu between the four of us and everything was delicious, from the spanish octopus (probably my favorite), pork shoulder flatbread, meats and cheeses plates, and other various dishes we tried. We had a red sangria, which was served with cinnamon sticks (never had this combination, and it was a wonderful compliment to our food. Great tapas restaurant - try a little bit of everything, I promise it will be delicious!

    (5)

  • Lee M.

    Had a 9:45 reservation here on a Friday evening. The restaurant was very crowded and we didn't get seated until 10:15 - I've sorta gotten over this pet peeve and fully expect this to happen at restaurants, so it didn't bother me too much. When we were finally seated in the back room, the noise level wasn't an issue, despite the fact that there was a private party all the way in the back. We asked our server for assistance for the amount of plates to order and he said 3-4 per person. Since my wife and I don't get a chance to go to Philly that often, we both wanted to try as much as possible, so we ordered 9 dishes - way too much food. I think for 2 people, 6 is probably the perfect number. The highlights were: - Ensalada de jamon (one of the larger plates - came out looking like a small animal) - the salad was encased by sheets of ham - inside was mixed greens, spiced almonds and figs, tossed in a sweet/sour type of dressing. Next time I would say order light on the dressing. - Flatbread with the shortribs - tasted like a really good pizza with braised meat topping. -Scallops a la plancha - simply grilled and very sweet. I'd avoid the shrimp ajillo dish - way too generous with the salt. Service - very knowledgeable and overall excellent. However, I wish he would have told us that 9 plates is too many. Next time, I'll sit with a menu at the table. Value - Exceptional. The meal was roughly $120 - great food and didn't go home hungry.

    (5)

  • April C.

    Positives: delicious, beautiful, helpful & competent staff, awesome menu, great wine selection, we sat at the chef's table and saw how detail oriented the chefs are (not to mention how clean the kitchen is) really awesome experience. Negatives: Make sure you make a reservation or else you might not get a table!

    (5)

  • Jon R.

    Showed up at 5pm with no reservation, but chanced it and was lucky enough to get one of the high tables at the bar. Ordered a pitcher of sangria blanco, which wasn't life changing, but very solid. Sweet but not overly so with a bit of rosemary to cut it a bit. Started off with a complimentary tuna black bean dip with flatbread. Was a nice start; think slightly next level tuna salad. Ordered 7 tapas for the two of us, which was surprisingly difficult for us to narrow down. Our first order was the Garrotxa cheese, a fairly mild goat cheese, served with dulce de leche that had a hit of garlic too it. Not sure how much the garlic really added to things, but the dulce paired well with the cheese. Following this out came the croquettes de jamon. I saw another reviewer suggest these are a bit too low brow for this place (and he didn't even try them). F that. If you're snubbing your nose at fried food, you're missing out on life. These are super tasty and potent. Excellent breading and great creaminess to the croquette that was taken to the next level by the mildly spicy romesco sauce. Following this came the spinach, manchego and artichoke empanada, which had a good with subtly spinach dominate flavor. Seems like this should've really been before the croquettes, but what do I know. Espanola tortilla followed, which is probably not what Americans typically think when they hear tortilla. Super dense egg and potato cake of sorts served with an intriguing saffron aioli. The only problem was that this was way too heavy; pretty much a carb brick. Good but a bit much. Then came the finale delivered in rapid succession, a trio of grilled housemade chorizo, truffled asparagus w/ a poached egg, and the coup de grâce: short rib flatbread. The asparagus was slightly disappointing to me. It sounds great, but I really didn't get much truffle flavor and the egg was not particularly pronounced. In the end, it felt like the other flavors didn't infuse enough with the asparagus to make it particularly memorable or interesting. Chorizo was rich and deep and made me appreciate and understand the sausage on a level you cannot at your local gas station/grease truck/hole in the wall Mexican place. The short rib flatbread was awesome. As always, the horseradish played nice with the tender beef, but with just the right amount to keep it in balance with the Parmesan. We ended the night with orange topped, caramel filled buñuelos, because you can never really lose with fried dough. It was served with a well made orange sherbert. It was very tasty, albeit a bit one note as the citrus, sweet dough, and caramel were all pretty close on the flavor spectrum. I would've liked some sort of counterbalance, but no regrets, I would get it again. 4.5 but I'm rounding up. Definitely one of the better meals I've had in Philadelphia and look forward to coming back at some point. 3-4 tapas should do the job for most. I left satiated. In the end, the only awful thing here was my attempt to pronounce the dishes in Spanish.

    (5)

  • Jesica S.

    Great place! We went here for restaurant week and the food, service, and atmosphere were terrific. Very fresh ingredients make great tapas! Their drink menu was also very good. We tried two different sangrias and the matador--- all were excellent. The best part was the effort they made regarding food allergies. They made all of my food on a separate pan to avoid cross contamination and all of the servers who ran food to our table knew that I had an allergy.

    (4)

  • Melanie W.

    Headed down on a Thursday night for restaurant week for the first time. Got there a little early before our reservation and sat at the bar and had a drink first. Our table was in the back room which I really enjoyed, I didn't even realize there were more tables back there but I liked the darker decor back there. I started with the chorizo pamplona and the aged manchego. I loved the cheese plate (manchego, lavender honey, green apple slices) so simple but so good. The chorizo was good but I made the mistake of ordering it because it came with the olives and pickles that I really wanted. It also came with mustard which I am not a fan of at all. I ended up using some of the lavender honey on it with the bread and it was amazing. Next I had the asparagus with the poached egg and the pork belly. I could have eaten the asparagus all night long. The mix of yolk and asparagus was so good and serving it with a spoon made it easier to eat (and scrape the plate). The pork belly was probably my least favorite of the night. I wanted it to fall apart at the touch of a fork and I struggled to cut it up without sending it across the room. The flavor was very good though. For dessert I had the dark chocolate tart. I loved the addition of the mandarin orange on top and the maybe hazelnuts that were also included. Drink wise I tried the white wine sangria. The mango pieces in it were really good. I also had the Dark Habits while at the bar (bluecoat gin, lime, strawberries) and that was very good, almost too good where I could see drinking too many. The only negative I have is when they were bringing out the food they would say what it was and we would tell them who ordered it and they would ignore us and put it in front of a different person. By the end of the meal we found it comical and it wasn't that big of a deal but it was a little strange.

    (4)

  • Kelli B.

    My friend raves about this place. I came here with coworkers during restaurant week. The white bean soup was very tasty. The rest of the menu was filling but not as good as my expectations. I will be coming back to try it out again. The ambiance was beautiful and romantic.

    (3)

  • Grace H.

    I came to Amada with a friend for lunch one day during restaurant week. I'd heard so much about it that I had high expectations, and it certainly did not disappoint! We started with the aged manchego cheese platter. I'm usually not a big fan of stinky cheese, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but the combination of cheese, lavender honey and green apple was amazing. I could barely stop myself from eating the whole board! We also got the ensalada verde to start, which was sizable (much larger than I was expecting, at least) and dressed to perfection. The meal would have been complete at those two, in my opinion. But of course we ordered some chorizo, hanger steak brochettes, gambas, and patatas bravas, which are some of the most classic tapa dishes. Good but nothing to write home about. It was a lot of meat for 2 girls. To finish off the meal we ordered one of each dessert: the crema catalana and the pastel de chocolate. At this point we were so stuffed we could hardly stomach it, but they were delicious nonetheless. I would love a chance to come back for dinner when it's not restaurant week so I can try a few new things on the menu that are calling my name!

    (4)

  • Peter N.

    My God, is this place popular! Always packed, so reservations are hiiiiighly recommended. Top notch service and top shelf booze, their drink concoctions and wine pair very well with their dishes! I especially love their paella, which is squid inked rice with perfectly cooked scallops among other seafood. Delish. It's a little louder than you'd expect from a place like this. At this price point (cha-ching!), one would think it'd be a little more romantic, or intimate. Definitely a good place to impress a date, don't get me wrong. But, in my opinion, the food doesn't justify the price and portions. Some of the food was a little salty, and I found the chorizo a little tough. I feel they really excel in their beverage selection, but that's not enough to carry it. I looooved this place the first time I ate here, but that could've been because of all the razzle dazzle. The more I come, the less in awe I walk out at. So I want to give this place 3.5 stars, with a yes I would return. And yes I do recommend you try, especially if you're a pretty lady and your date is footing the bill. But try it more than once before you review and see if you're still mesmerized the second time around!

    (3)

  • Alina S.

    The hostess made us wait over 20 minutes for a table when there was a perfect table open. I kept checking in and she kept saying almost almost. At the end, I insisted that we have been waiting over 20 min and that table has been empty the whole time. She finally said we can sit there. That aside - the food, drinks and service were all excellent. I don't usually love rest week, but their menu was excellent. Yes - portions are small. But everything is flavor packed and delicious. One of the best restaurants in the city.

    (4)

  • shelly s.

    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.

    (3)

  • Kellie C. M.

    There are four pages of reviews for Philly's latest, trend-of-the moment tapas place Amada and I'm here to throw my measly two cents in. This place is JUMPIN'! First of all, its located in that nose-in-the-air, see-and-be seen Olde City neighborhood, and on the warm summer night I went, we couldn't wait to get back out there and enjoy the crowd. This restaurant is very conducive to that as we never waited for anything - not a drink, not a people-watching opportunity and CERTAINLY not a plate of food! Please (I'm begging you to) order the chef's tasting menu. Its a little intimidating and you won't understand all that's going on, but go out on that limb and I promise you won't regret it! The choices are impeccable and they'll even suggest a wine that perfectly complements everything! Olives and spiced beef and sangria...OH MY! Amada also keeps its Latin culture intact while catering to the latest trend, which annoying, overrated theme parks like Cuba Libre (are you kidding?) and Spice Cafe (whatever!) haven't mastered and never will. Oh, and did I mention that we ate that night using my friend's belated birthday gift certificate?

    (4)

  • Derek W.

    Chef Jose Garces is a legend in Philadelphia, and the city's fortunate position as hub of the Garces empire is one of many gastronomical magnets drawing casual fans and foodies alike to the City of Brotherly Love. My eschewing Garces for the first four months of residence in Philly seemed sacrilegious, and after a blissful night at Amada and an informal "new favorite Philly restaurant" coronation ceremony, was rendered affirmatively senseless. The scene is cool without being overzealously hip. I spent my first few minutes admiring the wall of mason jar candles that cast a soft light on one wall, and wondering at the spacious, open kitchen that is said to turn out many a masterpiece day in and day out. I can happily confirm that it does, and that the bar produces a very smooth and fruity Sangria to boot. On the whole, our meal covered vast ground in terms of tastes, textures, and ingredients, and no dish was remotely similar to the next. First to appear was a tall mountain of glorious salad, the Ensalada Verde, a symphony of bright green ingredients including a pleasantly bitter arugula, perfectly ripe avocado, matchstick cuts of asparagus and green beans, a few plump favas. The coexistence of healthiness and deliciousness was sublime. Alongside the salad, we enjoyed the mellow sweetness of the Scallops a la Plancha. The ajo blanco was a masterpiece, a silky puree of parsnips and almonds, a scattering of tart quince escabeche, and a sweet finger of lobster balanced on a thin brioche toast. A feat of culinary chemistry. We continued the escabeche motif with a beautifully marinated bowl of mussels tossed with a smoked olive escabeche and accompanied by crunchy toasts topped with saffron aioli. The dish had kick, both from an elusive blend of spices and from the acidity of the olive escabeche, which slightly obscured the taste the mussels, though the entire dish worked fantastically. Our last savory was a pair of tender, fall-off-the-bone ribs in a sweet and earthy paprika glaze (confession: I scraped the plate), complemented with a small shaved fennel salad and a smear of spiced yogurt. The combo was breathtaking. It could be that we saved the best for last. The Bunuelos were last-meal-on-Earth good: warm, moist on the inside, slightly crisp on the outside, just sweet enough, and paired with date jam and a heavenly date and olive oil ice cream (gelato in consistency, if not in name). We left Amada gleeful and overly satisfied, sure to make another trip to this and other Garces outposts in the future.

    (5)

  • Julie W.

    Came here for brunch and everything was delicious. Friend and I split four plates - a cheese (lavender & honey), one of the cured meats, skirt steak, and hot tomato & goat cheese. Everything was delightful. Highly recommend the sangria (red) to accompany the meal. The meal ended up being ~$30 per person, tip included. Very reasonable for the quality and taste.

    (5)

  • Jean S.

    Food-wise, this restaurant was nothing short of amazing. The food was beautifully presented, paced well in serving and everything we had tasted incredible. I can't give it a full five stars, because you are practically on top of your neighbors, and it's so loud, you have to practically shout, which also means there is zero privacy. We almost went with the tasting menu, but we got a bunch of small plates to share instead. We were glad in the end, because it was just enough food for us and much cheaper than the tasting menu would have been.

    (4)

  • Angela W.

    My first visit to Amada was about three years ago, and I absolutely fell in love. I've been wanting to go back ever since but the right opportunity never presented itself until last weekend, when my mom and I were in Philly to spend mother's day weekend together. She had never been to Philly so I knew that I needed to take her to two places - 1) the Liberty Bell, and 2) Amada. We initially had a 7:30 reservation but after seeing the Liberty Bell it was only 5:30PM so we decided to try our luck and see if they could seat us upon opening. We were given two spots by the chef's counter, which we took immediately. The menu here is VERY extensive, so I recommend you come in at least a group of 4 so you can try more dishes. Unfortunately we were only two, but we powered on forward and ordered the following: - olives: (more of a starter - juicy and not at all too sour, get if you are an olives fan) - ensalada de jamon: the best salad ever...who knew salad could taste SO good. figs + proscuitto + spiniach + an almond crunch. - garlic shrimp: the only dish i was lukewarm about, but still good! comes with bread for dipping - bacon wrapped dates: need i say more?? - roasted eggplant with goat cheese: interesting combo but I loved it! - artichoke flatbread: this came kind of late, and is something we should have skipped in hindsight since they give you crackers and dip to start (ie. their version of bread and butter service) We were stuffed by the end of it, but super content with the meal. Compared to NYC, Amada prices are a steal too. So excited for this restaurant to finally come to NYC this year!

    (5)

  • Aditi M.

    This is one of the best STARR restaurants in Philadelphia. Perfect for a romantic date night. Take a reservation in advance and they will set you up on a perfect corner table in a separate inside dining hall, away from the rush that you see as you walk in to the restaurant. With just the right amount of light and a little lantern on the table you start feeling happy already =) Every dish on the menu was delicious. One of the best date nights in my opinions. The drinks are good and I loved the pillows on the booth that adds to your relaxation quotient. We ordered a ton of stuff and dessert too. Ended up spending a good hour and half to 2 hours. If you can, try going later in the night. Best lamb chops ever!!

    (5)

  • David T.

    If you like tasty food, this is your place. Cool atmosphere and delicious food. They have a cool kitchen too, very exposed with numerous chefs preparing different items all next to each other. You basically order small-ish dishes to share (or don't...be that way) , ask for recommendations, and discuss how each one makes you want to hug a stranger.

    (5)

  • Betty M.

    I didn't come in here expecting the greatest tapas, nor did I expect it to be really bad either. I mean, it is a celebrity chef. The problem I had with this experience was that, we had eaten prior and with a reservation of 4:15pm and an inability to cancel without a fee, we stuck through it. It was a very good experience. We were a party of 6, and tasted a good 12 different tapas. We enjoyed the grilled peppers, stuffed peppers, the braised pork and a number of other things. Hopefully I get the chance to come back to provide a better account for it, but for what I do remember, the rating is correct.

    (4)

  • Jen B.

    Amada is Chef Jose Garces' first restaurant, one of two Amada's (the other in Atlantic City) and one of 15 restaurants in the Garces Group (Chicago Folks, Mercat is part of this group). The significance of my visit is great-This is the first meal I've ever had on the East Coast. I'm happy to say it was at Amada. I came to Amada for lunch. Located in Old City, one can walk the cobblestone paths to Amada and have lunch at Amada. Amada takes reservations on Open Table. When you walk in, you are greeted by the hostess and seated. On my visit, I was seated between a group of older women celebrating a birthday and a group of young professionals on a business lunch. All in all, Amada caters to every taste and walk of life. Amada takes pride in the food they serve-presentation and taste are both priorities. With each course, my server explained what the ingredients and technique were for the dish. From the croutons on the soup to the papas fritas, I could tell the food was made with great care and attention to detail. For lunch, I had the ajo blanco soup (parsnip and almond base, brioche crouton) and hanger steak pepito. The hanger steak pepito would have made my best friend from Omaha smile. That steak was done well. The caramelized onions and the freshness of the tomato complemented the steak. The bread was soft, yet did not absorb the juices from the meat. The spicy potatoes (a la papas fritas at Aventura, Ann Arbor) were a hit with me. I devoured these first-perfectly fried, golden potatoes, drizzled in a cheese sauce that would make any Cheez Whiz-phobic person rethink their phobia of processed cheese. Overall, 5 stars for service and 5 stars for the food.

    (5)

  • Hildegunn N.

    After a First Friday gallery walk, we were happy to find room for the three of us at the bar at around 8 p.m. In addition to the option of eating at the bar, the restaurant also has lines of small tables in addition to bigger group tables. The kitchen is in the restaurant, allowing guests to watch the large number of Chefs working. The premises are nice and elegant in a slightly rustic way, and the lights are dimmed to add to the atmosphere. The dining is tapas style and there is a variety of tempting dishes to choose amongst. We had olives, Serrano ham, octopus, lamb chops, rice with mushroom and one of the fish dishes. All of them very tasteful, and I would especially recommend the rice and the lamb chops. We also enjoyed red wine recommended by the helpful bartender. A great restaurant for a Friday night.

    (4)

  • Jenny S.

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

    (4)

  • John R.

    Amada 217-219 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (215) 625-2450 | philadelphia.amadarestau… Hours: DINNER Sun--Thur 5:00pm--10:00pm Fri & Sat 5:00pm--11:00pm BRUNCH Sat & Sun 10:30am--2:30pm LUNCH Mon--Fri 11:30am--2:30pm. With extensive hours and lots of offerings, it is easy to see why this Garces restaurant has become a Philadelphia favorite. Opened in 2005, this is Chef Garces' flagship restaurant offering diners a taste of Andalusian tapas. The restaurant offers a private dining area, a bar area reminescent of a Spanish bodega and a dining area with intimate seating and dimly lit tables. On that note, perhaps a little too dim, though I am biased as I wanted better lighting for my food photography. We decided to get the: ESPECIAL--65 Enjoy a special selection of inspired Andalusian tapas from our dinner menu alongside original off-menu, interpretations crafted by our Chef. With the tasting menu ordered, the food began to arrive. Complimentary garlic bread served with tuna, capers and black olives. Pretty much instantaneously, a tray of meat arrived so I am not sure of the exact description of the items here, but Amada offers the following charcuterie options: CHORIZO PAMPLONA 7 JAMÓN SERRANO 9 LOMO EMBUCHADO 9.5 CHORIZO BLANCO 7.5 SALCHICHÓN 7.5 JAMÓN IBÉRICO 27. 10 minutes into the meal and our table looked packed full of food. Dishes came out entirely too fast and from a food blogger's perspective, it was a nightmare. Dishes were dropped at the table sometimes without hardly a single explanation and it was hard to understand the ones that were explained sometimes due to how quickly the servers talked. Here's the dishes I remember: COSTILLAS DE TERNERA Beef Short Ribs, Horseradish, Parmesan, Bacon 14. This was tasty and the horseradish gave it just the kick it needed. PULPO A LA GALLEGA Spanish Octopus 12. Potato rounds and paprika. Served with a lemon wedge. I didn't think I was going to like the octopus but it was surprising good and not really chewy like I was expecting. Lemon wedge served up just enough sour to balance out the spice of the paprika. TRUCHA A LA NAVARRA Tasmanian Sea Trout, Artichoke Purée, Toasted Pine Nuts, Chorizo 19. Probably the best dish of the night. Trout was tender and the pine nuts added sweetness. Little pieces of sausage (chorizo) added just the right amount of spice. BERENJENAS Roasted Eggplant, Whipped Goat Cheese, Raisin Escabeche 9. Very good as well. I especially liked the whipped goat cheese- both creamy and delicious. The raisins added sweetness as well to this vegetarian offering. Lamb Chops: A LA PLANCHA (from the grill). Tender and juicy and perfectly adequate though I would argue just a tad salty. Dessert: Olive oil cake, figs, lemon custard, chipped cheese, honey/cinnamon ice cream. Complimentary cookie after dinner. Of note: Interior of the restaurant (large dining area). The bar area complete with hanging Spanish Serrano ham. The hanging hams. A candlelit hallway to the restrooms

    (5)

  • Alex G.

    Hip, open, rustic interior, nice selection of Spanish wines (although quite expensive even for a glass), and great food. We stopped in for lunch and had the Catalan Express (soup or salad plus sandwich for $15). We both had the watermelon gazpacho sprinkled with crab meat (amazing!) and the ensalata verde with grilled shrimp (equally amazing!). The price is quite reasonable for this lunch combo but seems like dinner would cost a shekel and a half.

    (5)

  • Natalee F.

    I first went to Amada back when it was first opened. I haven't been there for years, until recently, and I'm wondering why I missed out on so many years of delicious food. They used to have live Flamenco dancers there on weekends, but I don't think they do that anymore. Bummer, it was pretty cool. Make reservations if you can. This place is crowded. Even on a Monday, even at 930PM, even at the seats at the bar. It's kind of crazy. If you are a vegetarian who has been to Spain, you might expect not to be able to eat anything here, like in Spain, but you will be pleasantly surprised by all of the options. The portions are very small and the prices are not. Like the episode of Portlandia says, they are "small plates with the prices of big plates!" but what do you expect, it's a Garces restaurant, and the food is seriously delicious. It's dark and ambient on the inside and perfect for a drink with friends or a date.

    (5)

  • Irma I.

    Every time we are in Philly we stop in at Amada. It is just routine for us. We may not necessarily eat here, but I NEED to stop and get a sangria, sit at the bar, talk to the bartender. We often buy one or two of their olive oils (I know weird but they have really good olive oil), but it is our thing. We love it here. We often come right before dinner is served so we have the bar all to ourselves. Its just a cool place and well- I love their sangria (red please) with the perfectly chopped fruit. Next time we will be eating (if you want to go you must make reservations and way ahead of time). I'll post something about the food then but for now I love the place and the all too cool vibe that Chef Garces was able to accomplish at his flagship restaurant. Go ahead & stop in for a sangria & a spanish beer (Estrella draft) and soak it in.

    (5)

  • Laura B.

    Oh how I love Amada. This restaurant will always be a favorite for me. Each small plate is carefully crafted, the ingredients are fresh and the ambiance is great for a date night, dinner with friends or brunch with family! I have always had a great experience and think everyone should go at least once in their lives!

    (5)

  • D R.

    Great food - nice wine/cocktail selection and great service. The scallops tapas plate was so delicious and the express lunch is a great deal - loved the white bean and ham soup as well as the grilled chicken romaine salad. Portions were a nice size too!

    (5)

  • Michael K.

    The food is very special and traditional. Also the service is super friendly! The food I very recommend is the lobster, which is very fresh and delicious!

    (5)

  • Pat A.

    Every plate is good. Had the olives they were so fresh. Mixed meats were fantastic, octopus was very good. The blacked cod unfortunately was very bland. We had the pork and it was amazing. Atsomphere was a little loud, louder than average. Edwin is a great server, left him 20 percent . Very friendly and explain each plate.

    (4)

  • Alex L.

    Spanish-fusion tapas bistro in Old City. Came here with friends on a weekday night. We were seated at a picnic table by the front window. Strangely, our table was situated atop what appeared to be a truckload of loose rocks. I wonder how they keep them clean? We started off our meal with meat and cheese mixto platters. The first cheese I sampled was an aged manchego served with truffled lavender honey. Awesome! The intense creaminess of the cheese contrasted perfectly with the sweet, mild honey. I found myself dipping bread into it over and over. The next cheese was a La Peral, mild and tangy, paired with a sweet currant-pistachio relish. Mmmmm! Last, I tried a Cana de Cabra, creamy goat cheese served alongside a chunky cherry & fig marmalade. The marmalade was a bit too sweet for my taste, but the sharp cheese balanced it nicely. Our meat mixto included five different house-made cured meats, mostly made from pork. Each was thinly sliced and served with mustard, baby pickles, and bread. Overall very good and each meat had a unique texture and spice blend. Although all of them were rather dry, they were true to authentic Spanish cuisine. Our waiter also brought around crisped garlic flatbread with a creamy tuna dip so we had something savory to munch on between each dish. Before our first plates were even finished, Tortilla Espanola arrived at our table -- a traditional Spanish omelette full of potatoes. It was thick and dense, and although very good, felt somewhat like filler food compared to what came next... Along came patatas bravas, which is basically a Spanish tater tot. Bite-sized pieces of crispy-fried potatoes topped with a spicy sauce and various seasonings. So yummy - the thin, crisp skin gave way in every bite to soft potatoey deliciousness. Next, we ordered alcachofas a la parmesana, artichoke hearts baked and drizzled with a Parmesan sauce. Wow! Soft, tender, creamy, and savory. This was the highlight of our meal and without a doubt the best artichoke I have ever tasted. Finally, we sampled their chicken and wagyu beef brochettes. Each short skewer is piled with hefty cubes of meat, then grilled to tender perfection in a blend of spices. Smoky, salty, and savory, the beef skewers have the edge over the chicken, although I would order either of them again in a heartbeat. Service was on point throughout the meal. The staff kept our glasses full and the kitchen upsized some of the small plates so that everyone in our party could have a taste. Whether you're looking for authentic Spanish cuisine or a place to impress your foodie Tinder date, Amada deserves every praise. I'm looking forward to my next visit!

    (5)

  • Ericka E.

    Food was amazing!! Our server Rusty had been there for 10 years and gave honest opinions about likes/dislikes which we SO appreciated. The berenjenas (roasted eggplant, fava beans, whipped goat cheese, raisins) was to did for. Loved the shrimp. Made me think of a scampi with heat. Sopped up the broth with the bread. Lol. The peril asado was was a smidge salty for my tastes and I wanted more beans. Patatas bravas always a fav. Had 2 of their white sangrias w/rosemary delish!! Wish I took pics.....2 ppl ~7-8dishes and couple drinks = ~$100 Please go!!!

    (5)

  • Carmen C.

    WOW just had a scrumptious meal at Amada with 7 co-workers. This is one of Iron Chef, Jose Garces first restaurants in Philly. We tried "la mesa de Jose" and it didn't disappoint. They were accommodating to two that didn't eat meat and they brought out many small plates. While everything was yummy, I especially enjoyed the scallops, tuna, gambas and eggplant with goat cheese, as well as the white sangria. My friends tried the lamb chops, chorizo and beef and loved each plate. They had a decent drink menu as well/ I would definitely come back. The ambiance was great and the restaurant was hopping for a Monday night with many larger parties as well as couples. This place gets 4 stars for food, presentation and customer service!!!

    (4)

  • Vlad K.

    A while ago, we decided to go to Amada practically on a whim. Being responsible adults, we called ahead and asked for a reservation. Apparently it takes at least 3 weeks to get reservations to Amada at a normal hour (between 6:30pm and 9pm)... So we waited 3 weeks and gradually I managed to built my expectation to a point where they were not even through the roof, but in some distant universe... Watching Chef Garces on the Next Iron Chef, did not help with the anticipation and growing expectations at all... Finally the day has come and we went to Amada. I was deadly afraid, as I know myself - if I have high expectations it's almost impossible to meet them, 'specially if I was building'em up for 3 weeks. Once we entered, the place was nice - well decorated and totally inviting. As we were a little early, we set at the bar and had a drink. The drinks were good and the scent of cured meats was almost intoxicating. Few minutes later we got seated and ordered $55 Chef Selection of tapas. It was a feast. I don't know how anyone can actually finish the entire thing. Almost everything we got was amazing and somehow managed to exceed my expectations. Tuna salad with was really good, though if you don't like mayo, it might not be for you.. Cheese platter was out of this world, especially (I believe) Cabrales with a dip that sort of reminded of Nutella, but obviously was not. The sardines were okay, rather the fish was really good, but I was not a big fan of the sauce or whatever they were served in. Salad with asparagus, favas, avocado was amazing. Personally, I think there should be just a bit more cheese, as once you put the cheese with the greens, it made it taste THAT much better... but it was still great.. Spanish Flatbread with shortribs, horseradish and bacon left me speechless... Lamb chops were really, really good... Wild mushrooms were even better... I can go on and on with each specific dish, but I guess it would be easier to say that with each bite there was an explosion of taste and apparently I have taste buds that I was never aware of, probably in places that should not even have taste buds and each one of these newly found taste buds was totally enjoying the bacchanalia of superior taste...

    (5)

  • Edward P.

    My wife and I are very disappointed in our experience at Amada. We spent over $200 dollars for a chef tasting menu and drinks and were extremely dissatisified!!! The food was mediocre compared to other Steven Starr resturants. The only satisfying item on the menu was the flatbread. It was not worth the time, money, or wait. We will never go back or recommend this place to others. The service was decent and that is the only reason why I gave it a rating of a 2. Don't waste your hard earned money here!!!

    (2)

  • Brad P.

    Act II, Scene 3. (Setting: Brad's apartment. BUDDAKAN is sitting in the dark at a desk stage right. The clock reads 1:35AM. BRAD enters.) BUDDAKAN - Where were you tonight?(Turns on light) BRAD - Hey. I thought you were in AC this weekend. What are- BUDDAKAN - Where the hell were you?! If I have to ask again then I'm leaving. BRAD - Jake and I went to the pool hall. BUDDAKAN - I spoke to Jake's wife an hour ago. He's in Seattle you goddamned liar! BRAD - Oh dammit. (Aside)I didn't want to say anything. I didn't want to say I was at Amada. I didn't want to say that the piquillos rellenos(crab-stuffed peppers) were prepared to perfection and tasted exactly like you'd imagine something to taste if it was made with an ancient technique, guarded by the lives of its keepers through the generations. BUDDAKAN - Hey, ok. I came on a little strong. BRAD - (Aside)I didn't want to say that the garlic shrimp was probably the best shrimp I've ever tasted. BUDDAKAN - Look, I'm sorry that I yelled but I want an answer. BRAD - (Aside) Amada had spanish flatbread with artichoke, wild mushroom, black truffles, and manchego. It tastes better than it sounds like it should. Their rabbit sausage was unique and I'm now in love with Sheep Cheese Cavatelli, which I'd never had before. It was...I can't hide it anymore. BUDDAKAN - Brad? BRAD - Fine. I was at Amada. BUDDAKAN - Oh God! What did you have?! BRAD -Atun w/ potato salad/black olive puree and calamari. BUDDAKAN - How was it? BRAD - The potato salad and calamari didn't blow me away. BUDDAKAN - Was the tuna good? BRAD - Extremely.(BUDDAKAN begins to cry). Hey its ok. You can't be the only one for my extravagant dinners and special events. BUDDAKAN- But Amada is Tapas! You always make crude jokes about Tapas places because you're a big guy and need food and- BRAD - Yes...I know, but this time it was worth the absurd price. I was actually happy with the wide variety of flavors I was able to try. BUDDAKAN - (wiping tears from her eyes)You'll come back to me won't you? I'll do better next time. Those Jose Garces places keep trying to steal you away, but you're still mine right? BRAD - Of course(They embrace). Exeunt. (The clock now reads 3:04. BRAD enters in bathrobe and pours himself a glass of water from the sink.) BRAD- I lied. She knew I was lying, but didn't care. I love both Amada and Buddakan and both of them understand that I need diversity. Variety is the spice of life that helps me forget, even for just a little while, that I will one day become dust. (End Scene.)

    (5)

  • Dillon R.

    Amada is by far my favorite restaurant in Philly. I was concerned before going that since it is tapas that the servings might be too small and leave me hungry, but I was definitely pleasantly surprised when we got there. The portions were larger than expected, of course some items larger than others. The flatbreads & chorizo are sure to fulfill your appetite. The sangria (red) was a nice, smooth blend. The ham croquettes were absolutely amazing. Nice, modern, serene dining area despite quite a lot of people. Service was by far the best I've ever seen. We were seated right on time. Food was served hot as soon as it was done. Plates removed within seconds of being finished. One woman dropped her fork and one waiter was there within 3 seconds picking it up, another waiter giving her a new fork, and the maitre'd was there apologizing. A little pricey, but not terrible. Everything was more than worth it. Can't wait to go back

    (5)

  • Katrina S.

    I went for restaurant week and unfortunately had been warned by a few people that Amada didn't live up to the hype. Despite the nay-sayers, I was excited for my first Amada experience, even if I took the cheap way out and went during restaurant week. We had a pretty late reservation (9:00 I think) and it took about 30 minutes to be seated. When we were finally seated we were taken back to a much quieter secluded corner of the restaurant and we both really appreciated it. The waitress was attentive and happy to explain everything on the menu and my sangria was really good. The menu was great, there were a ton of options, even for a fairly picky couple like us (it gets especially picky at tapas places were we have to share food). For the first course we ordered two cheeses, the roasted vegetables, and the spanish tortilla. The cheeses were definitely the highlight. The veggies were fine but nothing special and the tortilla was potato, egg and onion I think? Not very interesting, but it tasted good. For the main dishes we ordered the chicken breast with truffle and fried egg, the grilled scallops, beef brochettes, and the asparagus. The chick and the beef were the best. The other two were good as well, just not something that melts in your mouth. Finally there was dessert (the biggest let down of the meal). Luckily we had been warned in advance that the rice pudding was not good and we both went for the chocolate custard. It was a bit gritty and not something I would order again, but the rest of the food was so good that I didn't mind. I'll be returning to Amada in the future to try the real menu :)

    (4)

  • Timothy M.

    Unbelievably good. I'd been wanting to go here for many years -- my expectations were as high as they could be -- and when I finally made it there last week Amada didn't disappoint. The food is delicious, my wife and I had wonderful service...I can't recommend this place enough. Only drawback is that the small plates add up quick and it gets pricy, but we knew that going in.

    (5)

  • Wendy O.

    Awesome service, Awesome food, Great Environment!!!! Totally worth the wait!!!

    (5)

  • Susan W.

    Wonderful food, have always enjoyed everything we had to eat, wait staff on point !

    (5)

  • Joanne L.

    Wagyu beef was off the hook... Sangria tasty.. Great ambience and service.

    (4)

  • Brian K.

    Food is out-of-this-world good! One of the top restaurants in Philly.

    (5)

  • Sheri D.

    Yup! It's THAT good! If I could give it more than 5 stars, I definitely would!!! I HEART Amada!!!

    (5)

  • Mandi B.

    This was my first time at a genuine tapas restaurant before, and I had no idea what I was doing. That being said, our waitress (Laurel) was so friendly and so helpful in navigating us through the menu and suggesting some of her favorites. My personal favorite was the lamb meatballs, but really all of the food was phenomenal. The wine selection was excellent, and the one suggested for us paired excellently with the plates we chose. The atmosphere of the restaurant was great, the food was great, and I cannot wait to go back and try some of the other dishes!

    (5)

  • Laura L.

    As a relatively new addition to the Philadelphia food scene (this tells you just how old I am), I was very impressed when I visited a couple of years ago. We know very well that Philadelphia is a city obsessed with discovering the delicious, and Amada certainly delivers. Everything here was 5-stars: the cheese tasting, the seared octopus, the roasted pork... I love tapas-style dining because it allows me and my friends to try a variety of flavors in one meal. The service was wonderful, warm, and friendly. Thanks, Jose Garces! I would come back in a heartbeat. Next up: Chifa. I do have qualms about it though--- I'm a little wary of places that take a Western cuisine, add "Asian" elements, and declare that it the best thing since sliced bread (wasabi mashed potatoes @ Buddakan anyone?). I'm willing to be proven wrong though!

    (5)

  • Michael F.

    Writing a review for Amada seems really just like piling on, but I really want to review one of my favorite restaurants in the city. Amada is a great experience and the food lives up to the ambiance in what amounts to a great place for dinner. The space is somewhat packed, but I never felt like I was butting into other people's conversations. The back tables force you to walk by the open kitchen, which is usually pretty neat for the first time diner. The service has always been attentive, although once I had to ask the bus boy to give us a refill on the crisp chip and tuna/caper appetizer. Now the food! The best part of the experience for me, unlike some of the other hot spots in Philly. This place is tapas, so 3-4 dishes per person is needed for a hungry crowd, but I love variety and always want to eat family style anyway. The starters of meats and cheeses are phenomenal, and some of the dips, especially the flavored honeys are just eye opening experiences. As for the main course tapas, the grilled baby octopus is delicious and my favorite is definitely the shirred eggs with shrimp and truffle oil, although I've never had shirred eggs anywhere else, these are amazing. Pretty much all of the grilled meats are amazingly tasty, and I tried the paella once, and it was very tasty. I think the one caveat is that you probably should order 1 or 2 more dishes than you think you need as the desserts I haven't been overwhelmed by and you don't want to leave hungry. Overall this is probably my favorite restaurant in the city and definitely where I've taken out of town guests. It can be a long wait for a table, but on a nice night you can walk around the block and see a few sights before you dine, which is not a bad thing for me.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth D.

    I celebrated my 24th birthday at Amada. The Lemon Thyme cocktail is incredibly refreshing - and strong. We did the tasting menu, which was a great way to experience Amada's full menu. My favorite dish was actually the Ensalada de Jamon - flavourful and delicious. Amada is a wonderful place to be adventurous with food - for example, I tried sweetbreads for the first time. Seasoning was great, but not the texture. Great spot for a special occasion.

    (4)

  • Geoffrey R.

    Amada may be one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. Writing this review makes me miss the excellent food/restaurant scene in Philly; Amada is a standout among several great options in the city. One of the things that's so special about Amada is the restaurant's menu which encourages diners to try new tastes while enjoying their favorite stand byes. I suppose that is largely the nature of tapas, but many tapas restaurants have a bunch of options with only a few good ones. It seems like no matter what you order here, it will be out of the park. Order a few dishes and have the server bring them as they come out. The other thing worth commenting on is the ambiance of Amada. Although the restaurant has been around for a few years it's still one of the more chic interiors in town, whether you're in the front room or back room the mood will be lively and each area has it's own feel to it. The location right in the heart of old city also makes for a great evening, whether it's a walk through the independence hall area or a drink afterwards at one of the many late night spots right around the corner.

    (5)

  • Sofia C.

    We LOVED the ensalada de jamon! Also loved the Boquerones (White Anchovies, Pine Nuts, Olives).

    (5)

  • Syndie K.

    The food is amazing. I have been several times and every time the is food and drinks are top notch. It is a bit pricy but going during restuarant week you get a great deal. It is a great place for a romantic dinner. It is tapas style portions that are meant to be shared and it does allow you to try many different dishes.

    (4)

  • Briana B.

    Hands down, best dinner in Old City. This place has got something to offer that others dont. Amada is beautifully decorated, quiet and comfortable, and the food did not disappoint. I started with the sangria, which was awesome and had a cinnamon finish, at my surprise. I later had a glass of tempranillo, which the server had a great old vine suggestion for a fuller finish than the one i was about to select. we started with the gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) and piquillos rellenos (crab stuffed peppers) as a first of three courses. the shrimp were bubbling hot on a cast iron pan, and extremely garlicy as promised, which i loved! the crab stuffing in the peppers was creamy, savory and to die for. we had the lechon (short rib) flatbread next, that was finished with a perfect horseradish cream and touch of truffle. last, we had the merluza (sea bass) which was buttery and perfectly seasoned, paired with a veggie side, the esparragos con trufas (truffled asparagus with a poached egg)-perfection. We werent sure we'd have room but we decided to finish with the filet. It was the BEST PLATE of the meal. it was perfectly grilled and served on a plate with a potent, crumbly cheese, a crunchy seared foie gras, sauteed swiss chard and a red wine reduction. oh my god, did those ingredients compliment each other. top notch choices, master mind of a menu, good and knowledgeable service. the bill was $120 for such a pleasing experience. ill definitely be back

    (5)

  • Jessica W.

    This was the best meal I've ever had. I took my boyfriend here for a christmas/anniversary dinner and we couldn't have been happier. Though I can't recall the proper names, we had the Green salad, lamb meatballs, short rib flatbread, baked goat cheese, wild mushroom rice, and quail stuffed with chorizo. Everything was so flavorful and satisfying. The server informed us that 5-6 plates would be good for two people, but we left stuffed... I think you could get away with 4-5 plates for two people, especially if you're drinking with your dinner. The beer and wine lists were great. And it has such a relaxing and romantic setting.I think our total bill was around $100, but it was the best hundred dollars I've ever spent! I can't wait to take everyone I know here.

    (5)

  • David A.

    Ate in the room by the bar. Very loud but nice atmosphere. Went with my family and we tried lots of things. It was awesome. Our favorites were the parmesan artichokes and the grilled mushrooms.

    (5)

  • Paul L.

    Ok, I'll admit. I'm a Jose Garces fan. I've been to all his restaurants except Tinto and since he's opening 2-3 more restaurant in the upcoming year, I'll sure be shelving off couple hundreds more of my unemployment funds just to try them. It's nearly impossible to get a table at Amada on the weekends, even if you call ahead a week early, so it's important to plan ahead. I've been to Amada a few times and I've developed a strategy of ordering a salad every time just to fill myself up before ordering other tapas. They are usually of decent size and on top of it, they taste amazing. The Ensalada Verde is not your regular salad but made from the best green things around: asparagus, fava beans, avocado and green beans, with the clean and light salad dressing, it's a nod to their vegetarian diners. My latest favorite is the Ensalada de Jamon, which is spinach and serrano ham rolled in a big fat cigar with figs, cabrales blue cheese and spiced candied almonds inside. You cut a piece of this phallic object, put it on your plate and dive into this delicious goodness. For two people four dishes are quite enough. Another filling dish is the Tortilla Espanola which is a potato and egg dish resembling scalloped potatoes but in a molded round form. The potatoes are soft inside with a crunchier outer crust. Taste pretty good with the aioli. I prefer this better than the Ham Croquettes. Seven tiny lamb meatballs makes up the Albondigas. It tastes pretty good but the portion is a bit too small and the taste of lamb is really short lived. Though I simply adore the taste of melted manchego and shaved truffle on top. The nice bartender gave us some bread to finish the sauce off. My friend and I also ordered flatbreads. The Gambas con Garbanzos has a slice or chorizo on top with a dab of chickpea puree and a tiny chunk of shrimp. Four pieces combines rivals any top-rated slice of pepperoni pizza taste-wise. Though you can probably get a good slice of pepperoni pizza for one third the price and with more pepperoni on top and more filling. Even though we have to resort to seat at the bar this time, the dining experience was wonderful and Id surely find excuses to return, preferably with a few friends so I can try the Cochinillo Asada. Other than the Philly Cheesesteak. That would probably be the single most famous dish in Philadelphia at this moment, made more so by the Philadelphia Magazine cover where Jose Garces was holding a suckling pig grinning perversely. Congratulations to San Jose's continual success. Hope his reign in the city with simple elegant flavorful food won't stop.

    (4)

  • Kevin M.

    Simply put, this is the best restaurant in Philadelphia. For so long Philadelphia had been plagued by Stephen Starr and BYOBs, who would have thought that Chef Garces could have emerged from one of Starr's food chop shops (Alma De Cuba) to become this city's culinary savior. The atmosphere is makes you believe that you are entering a little slice of rustic Spain...stone floors, a dark wood bar, cured meat hanging in an open kitchen, and candle lighting over scrubbed wood tables. The closeness of the tables doesn't just encourage, but demands that you discuss your meal with neighbors, and often hidden gems that I would not normally consider have been recommended and savored. The cuisine is traditional, small plate Spanish fare: lamb chops, artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, fresh seafood, and perfectly cooked meats. Not to miss dishes include the Spanish octopus (one of Garces' specialities), lamb meatballs with manchego, duck confit flatbread, and the grilled lamb chops. Dessert should always include the saffron rice pudding, another of Chef Garces' specialties. For first-timers, the menu can be a bit overwhelming, so I definitely recommend the chef's tasting. Ranging for $45-$65/guest, it worth every penny, as you get to experience the full gamut of the chefs' range of skills and flavors. A wine pairing is a great accompaniment with each course is also a good idea. The staff is welcoming and helpful, with the waitstaff and bartenders especially knowledgeable with suggestions for both food and drink. Amada really is one of the jewels of Philadelphia restaurant scene, so reservations are a must, especially given Chef Garces' recent Iron Chef appointment

    (5)

  • Faye S.

    "Hey, do you guys wanna try the suckling pig at Amada?" my friend asked me one day. My reply was an enthusiastic "HELL YES!" I didn't even have to confirm with hubby because I knew his answer already. We made reservations about a month in advance, and 11 of us ended up going. We were led to the very back of the restaurant, to a private room we never knew existed (in fact, we didn't even know that part of the restaurant was there!) Four of us had the pig, while the others took a bite or two to taste. Lemme tell ya, being Filipino and all, I've had my fair share of roast pig...but I would have to say that this was the BEST I have ever had. So soft, tender, juicy, and flavorful without being overly salty. The skin was thin and crispy. Half the pig was brought out to us and carved tableside; everyone was wide-eyed with desire and practically drooling. The steam coming up just added to the allure. Given that we weren't sure how much we were going to get to eat with 11 people, we ordered tapas (the others tried the chef's tasting menu): seared foie gras, aged manchego with truffled lavender honey, crab-stuffed peppers, grilled chorizo, madre e hijo (chicken breast with egg...so wrong but so good), and the paella valenciana. We ended up taking a lot of the paella and the pork home, which was fine was us. A quick note about the foie gras. My favorite preparation has always been at Alexander's Steakhouse in Cupertino, CA (also my favorite steakhouse in the world). Amada's is on par with that. Overall, another great meal at Amada. This is the third time I've eaten here, and they never disappoint. Bonus: I love how they serve a lot of food on white plates. It makes the food really stand out-- great for photos. ;)

    (5)

  • Joe F.

    Amazing! We ordered the Chef's Special that features his signature dishes for four people. The Lamb Meatballs and the Octopus Bacon (for realz) were among the best dishes I've ever tasted. Don't miss it.

    (5)

  • Andi S.

    I have had the pleasure of dining at Amada twice, and both times, it was absolutely delectable. The presentation and high quality ingredients is well-worth the money spent. I was raised by Argentine parents and since Argentine cuisine has a lot of recipes from Spain, I can tell you that I grew up eating many of the dishes that are served at Amada. I am very impressed.

    (5)

  • Samantha P.

    Went here this weekend. Spent a lot of time reading reviews and here is what we ended up ordering that I thought were the best dishes. We split each tapa 4 ways, so I really only ended up getting a small bite of each of these. The Spanish Octopus - so flavorful. Wish I didn't have to share this dish. Garlic Shrimp - I make this all the time at home, and it's pretty hard to screw this up. Pernil Asado - my all time favorite. Crispy skin, moist pork. So. Good. Clams and chorizo - Good sauce, order extra bread for dunking. We also had the ham croquettes, escalavida, artichoke and wild mushroom flatbread, cured meat mixto. These were all good, but not my FAVORITE. The ham croquettes were tiny, the flatbread was just okay, the meat was good but nothing out of the ordinary.

    (5)

  • S A.

    This review is for my experience at Amada last night. This was supposed to be a Valentine's dinner for the wifey and I was let down by the quality of the food. We did the $65 tastings menu and got 14 dishes. The only ones that were good was the roasted pine nuts dessert, cheese sampling, grilled octopus and oysters. The main issues were that most of the dishes felt extremely rich (especially the sea bass in some kind , everything related to mushrooms was completely doused in truffle oil overwhelming any natural umami mushroom flavor and lastly the lamb chops were undercooked. Also it was disappointing to not see any lobster and prawns. In fairness though I think my expectations were quite high since we had an incredible experience at Tinto's and expected more from Amada. The wine pairing tasting menu was superb and lastly our server Harrison was great and very knowledgeable.

    (2)

  • Evan G.

    Iron Chef Garces works his magic, for sure. The tapas are fantastic -- they're filling but also rather light, which is much appreciated since you'll want to try several dishes. I went for brunch on a late Sunday afternoon. Though I made reservations, these didn't appear to be necessary. Though all of the dishes were tasty, one really stood out -- the baked goat cheese. I highly recommend the baked goat cheese. The restaurant's decor was nearly exquisite. The lighting was well mixed, including grand old front windows that allowed brilliant streaks of sunshine to creep in and mingle with the more mysterious and shadowy nooks of the main dining room. The table linens and silverware were beautiful and clean. Aside from the brilliant food and decor, however, the service was just okay -- not horrible, but certainly not special in any way. Grade: low A-, only because of the mediocre service.

    (4)

  • Bryce R.

    I'm all about eating some tapas. I studied abroad in the South of Spain for 4 months and anytime I see "tapas" my heart just lights up. Granted, tapas in the US break the bank as opposed to the original free food it still is today in Spain. Anyway, I was a little bummed that the website made no reference of a specified brunch or lunch timetable so we went expecting lunch but were forced to have brunch. I had patatas bravas and the piquillos rellenos (crab-stuffed peppers) and both were amazing. The water attendant needs a raise because my glass never reached 1/2 full before it was refilled. The interior and exterior are both tasteful and rustic. Great service. All around I was a happy camper.

    (4)

  • E S.

    Went for lunch and disappointed at reduced limited menu. Calamari was ok, not that good. Salad with prociusto(sp) Was the best. Patatas bravas ok, carbo overload, nothing special. Overall disappointed with everything. Got 6 tapas including salad, the Bill was over $80.00 for 3 people. Walked out of there hungry.

    (3)

  • Kathy L.

    I have been here 3 times thus far - drinks, restaurant week, and birthday dinner. The place is great, lovely atmosphere. All the food items I remembered tasted great --- I definitely recommend coming here for restaurant week. Have a small group of people so you can try multiple tapas. I have had my share of tapas in Spain and yea, I will give them 4 stars. Next time, I'm going to sit and watch them prepare the food!

    (4)

  • Christina P.

    It pains me to give Amada 3 stars after all the amazing things I've heard about it. Maybe my expectations were set a little too high but my visit for restaurant week last Thursday left me disappointed. We arrived for our 7:30 reservation and were sat within about 10 minutes. The restaurant is bigger than it looks at first glance but there are so many tables crammed in there that it is really difficult to walk through when it's busy. We immediately ordered a pitcher of the Tinto sangria (red) when we sat down at it ended up being really fruity, bold and delicious. It was a little steep at around $34 but poured about 6 glasses after some of the ice in it melted. When placing our order our waiter did answer our questions but he kind of seemed annoyed by them. We all ordered different things and shared, so I will report on the things that I tried: Cana de Cabra with fig/cherry marmalade: A soft goat's milk cheese served with apples, bread, and the amazing marmalade. Such a good combo of things, maybe my favorite of the night Seranno Ham: delicious, salty ham served with more bread, a couple large caperberries (different than capers), a few tiny pickles, and SPICY mustard. Once again a great combo. Melon con Jamon: we were not a fan of this. I usually like the salty/sweet thing but the melon had carmelized sugar on top which made the sweet too overpowering Gambas con Garbanzos Coca: This was delicious, but it's essentially a pepperoni pizza with some shrimp on top. The chickpeas are the only thing that's pureed, under the cheese, and it provided interesting flavor and texture. Lubina Al Pescador: This was a small piece of roasted sea bass with mashed potatoes and some other veggies. The potatoes were so incredibly salty we agreed they must have been prepared wrong. The rest of it tasted like a microwave dinner. Esparragos con Trufas: This dish has all the components to be one of my favorite things, but it missed the mark. It was essentially grilled asparagus drowned in a hollandaise like sauce with a poached egg, served with a parmesan crisp. The sauce was delcious, but they should have served it with some bread to soak it up since most of it (and the egg) was left in the bowl. Pastel de Chocolate: This was a solid chocolate dessert. The cake was very light an airy which was a nice contrast to the rich ice cream on top. Nothing amazing, but good. After the food, sangria, tax and tip we ended up spending $60 each, and I just felt cheated. I don't think I've spent that much on one dinner in a long time and I didn't feel it was worth the price. I might come back and try Amada when they have their regular menu to give it a fair chance, but it will not be my first choice.

    (3)

  • Jami K.

    Came here for dinner when my friends and I took a trip to Philly after seeing all the great reviews. Was very pleased with the service and loved ambiance of the place. My friends and i shared a lot of the tapas. The best were beef and potatoes, dates and potatas bravas. Was a little underwhelmed with the garlic shrimp and the poached egg and asparagus dish. We also ordered the paella to share, but when it came out and all of us took a bite, it was REALLY salty where you bit into salt rocks. When we informed the server, they immediately took it back and apologized and the manager of the restaurant even came out to apologize and comp'd a free round of sangria. That is what i call great service!

    (4)

  • Jim O.

    Amazing. Everything we had was wonderful.

    (5)

  • Hannah C.

    My husband and I went to Amada during Restaurant Week and had a great time. It's the first time we've been to one of Jose Garces' restaurants, so I can't compare, but we'd definitely go back. We went for a Friday lunch on the last day of Restaurant Week. The servers were prompt and polite, although not overly friendly (probably ready for RW to be over). For the first course we ordered (along with the Tinto Sangria, which was excellent): Croquetas de Jamón (ham croquettes) -- first thing out; good and tasty, though nothing out-of-this-world. Aged Manchego Cheese -- paired with crisp green apple slices and truffled lavender honey. I'm still swooning a little bit from the honey. it is definitely heavy on the lavender, so be sure you like lavender before ordering. If you do, you won't be disappointed. Second course: Beef Brochettes -- the star of the meal! If we'd known how good they would be, we probably would've ordered two plates. They were cooked medium rare, and when we weren't silently drooling about and simply enjoying how incredible they were, we were telling each other how incredible they were. These alone are a reason to come back. Chorizo a la Plancha -- this was tasty, although very, very salty. I only had one slice (the plate came with three skewers with three slices apiece), and my husband had the rest. He commented that it was quite good, but that he was probably having his sodium intake for the week. Chicken a la Plancha & Romaine Heart Salad -- topped with shaved parmesan, migas, artichoke and creamy garlic dressing. The chicken was perfect and the salad refreshing. A nice pairing to our otherwise meat-heavy meal. Shrimp a la Plancha -- this was the only disappointment. I love seafood, and especially shrimp. The first of the three shrimp that I had was fantastic. My husband, who is usually so-so for seafood, was impressed enough with my reaction that he tried a bite of another one. Then, he promptly washed out the taste with some sangria. The second and third shrimp were anything but good. Very, very fishy.. A bit of a bummer because the seasonings were great (although a bit salty again). For dessert, we got one of each: Pastel de Chocolate -- flourless chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, chocolate-hazelnut caramel. I'm still sighing with happiness. This was intense and rich, but not excessively heavy. I would definitely get it again! Crema Catalana -- vanilla custard, caramel veil, ginger, and pine nuts. Delicious. My husband was more than happy to let me have a few bites, then leave the rest to him. Perfect pairing of all the flavors. I think we'll definitely head back at some point -- probably not during Restaurant Week -- and see if the service is a little more up to par/friendly. We will definitely order the beef brochettes (if available), try some new dishes, order a few of our favorites, and stay away from the shrimp. All in all, a good first Jose Garces experience... definitely enough to convince us to come back!

    (4)

  • Andy C.

    This place is very loud and the parking here is hard to come by. We parked in a lot for $15 for 2 hours. The seats and tables are very close to each other which adds to the loudness. We ordered 6 dishes total which was just about right for 2 people. We definitely left full. The food however was very salt heavy. They gotta chillax on the salt. What I did enjoy was the red sangria. Lots of fruit and a cinnamon stick. This might have been the best sangria I've ever had. That was the best part of my experience at Amada!

    (2)

  • Erica E.

    I'm usually not a huge fan of tapas. For me I'd rather have one delicious entree that I love than tastes of all kinds of things that some I love, others are just meh, and some I'm not too fond of. This is NOT the case for Amada. Everything I had a taste of was sooo yummy. Every dish has it's own unique flavor and I thoroughly enjoyed every single one. Here are a few things I remember: Ham croquettes - great, it's a must Chorizo - very tasty Seasonal mushrooms - sooo good, definitely need to get as well and I didn't think I even liked mushrooms that much Lamb chops - really good but nothing particularly special about them, probably try something else next time Ensalade Verde - light, refreshing, really good salad Escalivada (roasted peppers, eggplant, onions and tomatoes) - this was the only dish I didn't absolutely love, still tasty but would opt for something else next time

    (5)

  • Lindsay H.

    Wow, everything we ordered here was amazing. The sangria blanca was sooooo good. Not to mention exceptional service. I will definitely come back here when I come to Philly again.

    (5)

  • Ronny D.

    "Was it everything you imagined and more babe?" My girlfriend asked me after coming out of our dinner at Amada. She knew I was looking forward to this dinner. My gf and I were in Philly for 4 days and I did plenty research on the best restaurant to take her to for a memorable dinner. After doing a week's research online, I decided that Amada was definitely the best choice. I'm a huge fan of tapas and Iron Chef America, this was going to be a great dinner. Our appointment was at 9pm, we arrived at around 8:30 to get a drink at their full open bar. We both got the white wine sangria, delicious and refreshing, especially on a humid night. We were lead to our table around 9 and greeted nicely by our waitress, who patiently answered our questions about the items on the menu. We decided on these dishes (sorry if its not the exact name of the item): - Tuna spread over flat bread (compliments of the chef) - Chorizo - Honey Lavender Cheese - Garlic Shrimp - Crab Stuffed Peppers - Shortrib with horseradish on flatbread - Sirloin with Goat Cheese - Seabass All 8 of the dishes were absolutely fantastic. Can't even think of a favorite. If I was forced to choose with a gun to my head, I would say the seabass, but seriously, I loved all of them. I would definitely recommend this place for any special evening. And the waitress is right, it is good to choose 3-4 dishes per person. 7 dishes orders, 2 glasses of sangria, $100. Worth it. It was everything I imagined and more.

    (5)

  • Katrina F.

    Great dining experience! This tapas restaurant is somewhere you have got to try. The sangrias are amazing to start. Refreshing flavorful, fruity,a littlie spicy and packs a bit of a punch. We tried about five to six tapas and they all were great. The fave would have to be the crab stuffed peppers though. You have to try it. Our waitress was more than happy to explain the menu and the food. I say Amada is one of the best little gems in Philly.

    (5)

  • Mari H.

    Round 2: Amada vs. Mari. Ding ding ding!!! Amada doesn't stand a chance. Mari's last visit involved mediocre food and Amada went down with an easy one, two punch. Tonight, she's brought her cynicism and disdain to keep her thinking straight. Amada has to make a significant effort if he thinks he's going to win. Amada quickly throws a round of Farmhouse beers at Mari. Good move, Amada. Get her in a euphoric state so she can't leave unsatisfied. Her gaurd's clearly down but Mari's no lightweight. His strategy continues with a Cana de Cabra cheese plate. The cheese has got her melting like butter on a skillet. That's right, the heat is on. It looks like it's going to be a tough match for Mari. He punches out a garbanzo beans and spinach dish... but, wait.. Mari's ducked and the beans are a miss! Undercooked garbanzo's and sparse spinach has got her critical eye back in the game!! Amada's scheming something big. He's doing some fancy footwork- and bangs out a Madre E Hijo chicken dish!! Very unexpected. And it doesn't look like he's done yet. A shrimp and chorizo flatbread! Mari's not looking so good... Her eyes are starting to roll back and drool is slipping down her chin. Was it the climactic egg yolk breaking over the chicken generously sprinkled with truffles? Perhaps the fusion of the perfectly cooked shrimp and spices on her crispy flatbread! Either way, the pressure's wearing her down. She's barely hangin in there. She's losing focus.. And.. Amada's hurled a rice pudding with blackberry compote dessert onto the table!!! Where'd that come from?! Thick and creamy, not too heavy, very unique. He's got her swaying in her seat! One... Two... Three! That's it! She's down! She won't get up!!! She can't get off her stool. Good fight, Amada!!! He knew he had to bring his A-game to gain some respect and he did. Tonight, Amada's won Mari over.

    (4)

  • Keith G.

    Absolutely amazing meals, sangria and drinks, albeit beyond pricey, but you know that going in and don't mind paying for when you are done. I wasn't in love with the octopus or sweet potato soup, but everything else we tried was decadent. The Dark Habits cocktail is one of the best cocktails I've ever tasted but will cost you 12.50. I also recommend the lamb meatballs.

    (5)

  • Theresa A.

    I wrote my first review a year ago and was looking forward to being able to write another one. I have since been to Amada for a VERY romantic dinner where we enjoyed the Chef's tasting menu. I take back everything I said before. The portions were hearty, the service was top notch, and the food was INCREDIBLE! We actually left with leftovers! Although it was a pricey evening, it was WELL worth the price tag and I can't wait to dine here again. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Sam K.

    flatbreads are the best I've had,IMO this is probably the best tapas place in Center City.'prefer the bar(s)to tables,more fun,especially if you're pressed for time.Efficient,knowlegeable staff.

    (4)

  • Allen L.

    This is one of the top places in Phily. Cozy dark wood deco and food is great!

    (5)

  • Sarah R.

    Great date place. the service was fantastic and the staff was very likeable. Also liked the ambience. The menu and food had really interesting tastes that made you want more. Portion sizes were very generous.

    (5)

  • Thor T.

    Because I had a hankering for the lemon ricotta pancakes served at Amada's brunch, I invited some friends today for brunch there. We had a nice table near the big window looking out on Chestnut Street and ordered away from the desayuno menu: the said pancakes, asparagus with poached egg, smoked bacon and truffles, chorizo con papas, and the Amada omelet (wrapped in serrano ham with potato hash). Of course, we also ordered the tortilla española and the mixed charcuterie plate, and some other dishes to round out the meal (ensalada verde, olives), knowing that the size of the Amada plates would be on the small side. The food was all quite good, even very good, if very routinized, more four stars than three. The puny amounts of food however, made everything overpriced, sometimes grotesquely so. A little pile of fries,with very little chorizo and an egg yolk on top was $11, the pancakes were so thin - and dollar size - that all of them stacked on top of each other barely accrued the heft of one of the great ricotta-lemon pancakes I had at Plow in SF. Price: $13. Maximum price for minimum size always struck me as the motto of many Garces places but that maxim really struck home when I left Amada with a $30 pp bill and a group of still hungry friends.

    (3)

  • Steven W.

    Each dish was better than the last...I wish dinner could have gone on all night! I was skeptical of Amada's high ratings due to Garces' recent fame, but the man is the latest Iron Chef for good reason...He knows flavor combinations! Some of the highlights: Lamb Meatballs with Parmesan and black truffles! Potatas Bravas (Smoky and crispy one inch cylinder shaped potatoes with perfect soft potato centers) Flat-bread with artichokes, black truffles and Manchego Baked goat cheese with tomato-basil and almonds (served with toasts to spread on...tasted like deconstructed lasagna) Pear Sorbet--Intense pear flavor and not cloyingly sweet Fried Ice Cream w/Hazelnut sauce I could go on, but you would do just as well throwing a dart at the menu and enjoying whatever is brought to your table! p.s. Even the Sangria was perfect (white wine and brandy loaded with fruit. The peaches made it). Keep up the great work Mr. Garces...I will be back!

    (5)

  • Kemi A.

    Ya know, I came here by myself for restaurant week. I left feeling like a beach whale. I'm always surprised how stuffed one can get with eating tapas style. I really liked the decor of this place. I can't really remember the things I ordered but I'll try to list them -Olives (yeah love these) -shrimp in garlic sauce -uhmmm scrhimps...lol I got some of the flat bread items. I didn't like the one with the pull pork...the sauce had a bitter aftertaste that I didn't appreciate. Then I got something else that i forgot. ..oh yea some fish something. didn't really like it...I was really scared it wasn't cooked all the way. I hate raw meat/fish. My dessert was tasty. Not the best but it was good. man I was stufffffedddd. Glad to have finally tried this place.

    (4)

  • Andy V.

    I didn't know if I should give Amada a 4 star or 5 star rating. and then I remember the Sangria and the Cheese Platter and it was easy. Amazing food, great atmosphere. Had a birthday dinner here and it was fantastic. 5 Stars!

    (5)

  • Christine L.

    The restaurant has a very nice decor, split into two sides. One for main dining, and one where the bar and actual "deli" is, where a group of four of us sat at a high top table. It was busy for a Sunday night, which should be expected for a Jose Garces restaurant in Olde City, Philadelphia. We all heard good things about the restaurant and decided to come here last minute. I ordered a "Dark Habit" to start off with, which consisted of lime, strawberries, and gin. Simple, but good. We ordered other tapas including oysters and crab-stuffed peppers. The food was good, but seemed to get less and less appealing as they came out. Our least favorite was the pernil asado. I thought that it would be as close to the roasted suckling pig as you could get without getting the $225 for half a pig, but it was a bad choice. Overall, the portions were small and food was overpriced, but hey, it's Jose Garces! I've had way better tapas in Spain for a lot cheaper(cliche).

    (3)

  • Jenn S.

    Went there for Sunday dinner a week ago and loved it! Their sangria was very tasty, and not too strong which was perfect for summer weather. Their bacon wrapped fig is quite tasty, so is the green salad. the lamb meatballs were also VERY FLAVORFUL! every little bite was worth it. Overall, a great fan of this place. just the appropriate noise level for a casual dinner/ nice catch up session with friends.

    (4)

  • Micki M.

    What the sh*t??? Like seriously, what the sh*t??? Chef Garces, did you just trump my most favorite Iron Chef of all time, the master Chef Morimoto, for the best meal I've ever had? I may have to call this one a tie. Here's what went down: 1. Chorizo and some cheese I can't remember the name of - it was sort of like a blue cheese. Didn't eat these together, but they were both great on their own. 2. Some complimentary (yup, free!) tuna caper dip thingy with garlic chips. I don't do fish, but holy crap I almost licked the plate. 3. Patatas Bravas. Little bites of potato with a spicy (chipotle?) sauce. My first one was a little on the hard side, but the rest melted in my mouth. VERY good. 4. Lamb meatballs with manchego cheese. I think these were the highlight of my evening. Again, plate must be torn out of my hands to prevent me from making a fool of myself. (Sidenote - waitress offered to bring us extra bread for mopping up the rest of the sauce. My kind of girl!) 5. Parmesan artichokes. Pieces of artichoke with parmesan cheese crust. Never had anything like this, but ooh boy they were tasty. 6. Seabass. Again, I don't do fish so I only had a bite and don't remember too much detail about this one. But it was a very tasty bite to be sure - maybe the best bite of fish in my limited experience. 7. Wagyu brochettes. Little skewers with perfectly cooked wagyu beef and mushrooms in a bordelaise sauce. Highly recommended. 8. Garbanzo beans and spinach in a tomato-y type sauce. Sooo good but sooo full at this point. WHEW. Take a minute to catch your breath. So allllllll of the above for two people including drinks (I'm talking a glass of sangria each, a bottle of wine, AND two after dinner drinks) - grand total of around 140 bones (not including tip). I would have paid at least DOUBLE that in NY. Or at a certain Japanese Iron Chef's restaurant up the street (sorry M - you know I still love you). If you're a coffee lover looking for a nice after dinner drink, try the Kika. Apparently this was just added to the menu - tastes like chilled espresso with booze added, and just a hint of sweetness. In short, GO HERE NOW!!!! Each dish is as good as the next. It is worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Lisa M.

    I'm a little bit late in posting this since I went during Restaurant Week Jan '10. I was really excited to eat here since its one of Jose Garcia's restaurants. My friend made our reservations for a Tuesday at 5:30. Our table was a little awkward, one side booth seat and the other was a chair to the right of the booth seat because the table was right at the bottom of the ramp and the kitchen aisle. Everytime our server came to our table, it was inconveniencing different people trying to walk past. Our server asked us to place our orders for all three courses at the beginning and let us know that she would serve us as the dishes came out. There were two of us and we each were to choose two items for the 1st and 2nd courses, so four dishes per course on the table. She wasn't kidding. We had all four dishes at once and as soon as they saw we were done with one dish, they started bringing out the dishes from the second course. Our server also kept standing on the ramp and eying our table, which was uncomfortable. The food was good but when things are thrown on your table like your on Man vs Food and your trying to win a contest its not much fun. I really loved the one cheese dish we ordered that had a lavender honey to spread on the cheese and bread. It was one of the most Delicious things I have ever eaten. My friend was in love with the braised short ribs and garlic shrimp. I love that there is restaurant week so I can try places like this, and maybe this is the type of service they have during it because of the amount of people trying to be seated, but I was shocked that we were finished and outside with our coats on by 6:30. From being seated to the bill paid and out the door in a hour? Crazy.

    (3)

  • Lolo P.

    Great service, awesome food. My favorite tapa was the croquetas, probably one of the best I've had in my life, and I've been to Spain a couple of times. I would also recomend the cheese selection for desert with a glass of wine.

    (5)

  • Jonas B.

    I have to start this off by stating a bias about Amada. I had one of the most entertaining evenings with work colleagues I've ever had here, and that certainly left me with a positive feeling about the place. We sat at the bar for several hours put ourselves in the hands of our capable servers and enjoyed course after course of exceptional food. Charcuterie was amazing, lobster remarkable, skate wing exceptional. Great wine list too - got to try a bunch of interesting spanish wines. We need more Amada-like restaurants around this country!

    (5)

  • Rob W.

    I've been to Amada 100 times for lunch given that I used to work less than a block away, It's always awesome! They have a Cattalahn Express lunch for $12.50 (not sure if thats still the price) that includes soup or salad, fries, and one of their amazing sandwiches. My mouth is watering right now as I think about the steak sandwich... I was also in last week for dinner and even though it was Restaurant Week it still blew me away! The scallops come served on a sugar cane, delicious. We also had the house made Sangria and a few other small plates. Everything was out of this world and I can surely see why Jose Garces has become an Iron Chef.

    (5)

  • Doreen L.

    I was hesitant to write a review of this place since, you know, there are 253 other reviews, but I figured I might as well. Went to Amada during a weekend trip to Philly, because I heard this place was amazing, and the chef is an Iron Chef, and all that hoopla. So I made reservations and crossed my fingers that it'd be worth the price tag. Well, first off, don't expect to find parking anywhere nearby. Suck it up and pay the $18 for valet parking outside the restaurant. UGH, I hate your parking situation Philly. Secondly, don't expect to be seated at your reservation time. We arrived 15-20 minutes early, and still didn't get seated until a half hour AFTER the reservation time. However, asking them politely if we'd be seated any time soon did pay off in the end, as they gave us the pitcher of sangria on the house. That zipped them right back to 5 stars. .. and then there's the food. It's fantastic. I had the following: caldo gallego, serrano ham, patatas bravas, tortilla espanola & alemejas con chorizo. Yes, I was about to burst halfway through, but I even had dessert. That was yummy too, but not necessary. Their presentation, service, food, and drink were all fabulous. It was worth the hype and I would certainly come back here if I found myself in Philly again. Although, I don't know why I'd want to return to Philly, unless I want to get frustrated with the parking situation again.

    (5)

  • Namrata A.

    The food and service here is impeccable. I am so sad I didn't try their dessert but I was stuffed! The service was on point and totally friendly. My S.O. and I got the pitcher of white wine sangria (with delicious fruits) that gave us 6 glasses of sangria for $29 - what a steal in comparison to NYC prices. We ordered: - cheese plate (firm and creamy goat cheese, and manchego - yum) - patatas bravas (loved it) - chicpeas and spinach (indian twist - had it before, was good, but nothing to rave about) - wild mushroom flatbread (ah, deliciously good with manchego cheese on top) They also gave a roasted pepper tasting dip with crackers and a free sweet dish as we left - sort of like an almond cookie. This place was amazing, and I wish it was in NYC!

    (5)

  • Sandy H.

    What can I say that hasn't been said about this restaurant? The food here is solid and the place is run well. Here is a run down of the food we ordered (we weren't too hungry) : Salad de jamon: you must get this dish. It is a decent sized spinach salad with figs and has a generous amt of Serrano Ham wrapped around it. This was my favorite tapas of the night. Spanish octopus: a little too salty for my taste, but still good. Just and FYI, it's the huge octopus tentacles cut into discs. Pernil asado: very large tapas dish, very fatty, but good, not amazing. Just a solid dish if you're hungry and looking for something more filling. Grilled veggies: very good, but a little expensive and it was one of the smaller tapas. Lemon torte: yummy and refreshingly tart. It's a great way to end the night. It is reasonable to get away with ordering 2 dishes each depending on what you get and be perfectly satisfied.

    (5)

  • Elliott M.

    THIS PLACE WAS AMAZING. We went about three weeks ago and I still remember exactly what we had. Apart from their very impressive wine selection, their food was incredible. Go out of your way to get the Peppers Stuffed with Crab as well as the Braised Beef Flatbread. Absolutely a must-go in Philly!

    (5)

  • Jennifer N.

    I only go 4 stars on tapas..the small plates should shrink the price in my opinion. But this locale does not. As expected This was a good choice for the special occasion we were there to celebrate. But not a place I would go to for a simple meal. The good parts were the ham croquettes, spicy potatoes ( we ordered 2) , the short rib flatbread and the wagyu. Everything else was very good but those were my personal favs. We oredered a fair sampling of the menu and all the dishes were well prepared and plated and the service was accomodating. Our waitress was knowledgeable and PATIENT ( thats important) with our rather lacking skill in ordering the food. Make reservations and enjoy the food and ambience!!

    (4)

  • Jazmin P.

    Great food! Great service! The seafood is excellent! Pricey but it is worth it!

    (5)

  • Brandon V.

    Everything I had hoped/expected.

    (5)

  • Jenn V.

    We went here for restaurant week a while back...and I still dream of the short rib flatbreads...ohmygod....soooo gooood. As everyone has mentioned, the food is amazing. But what really stood out to me was the service. We had an 8:30pm reservation on a Friday night in the winter (like I said- its been a while since we dined there)- and didn't get sat until nearly 10pm. Normally- I'd be throwing a fit about this considering we were a party of two with a reservation- but the attentiveness of the hostesses as well as the fact they were offering us other options to a table (Table in the bar area- way too cramped with the amount of people waiting for a table- and the option of sitting at the chef's table) We figured we had waited for that long- might as well hold out a little longer for a table in the dining room. The hostesses kept us updated the entire time, letting us know their ideas of how much longer it would be. When we finally got seated we immediately ordered a pitcher of sangria. To our delight, the waiter came back over with two glasses already filled AND the full pitcher of sangria and let us know that it was on the house due to the wait. I honestly wasnt going to complain or ask for anything from the staff to "compensate" for the wait- but the fact they took it into their own hands and did this was above and beyond. The waiter was just as attentive through the entire meal. Some of the highlights of the meal were the shortrib flatbread (do NOT miss trying this!), the spanish octopus, and the Aged Manchego...everything we had was delicious- but those in particular stood out. Cant wait to go back and will probably try and avoid restaurant week next time!

    (4)

  • Allie I.

    Great Spanish Tapas! Everything we ate was amazing. I especially enjoyed the crab stuffed peppers, the garlic shrimp, tortilla. The seasonal sangria was very good as well. Our waiter was helpful and made great recommendations. He suggested about 2-3 tapas per person. And these were very decent sized tapas, so you're getting your money's worth for quality, taste, and presentation. I would highly recommend this place! And make reservations if you can! Limited outdoor seating as well.

    (5)

  • Erin F.

    We went for restaurant week and thought that the portions were a great size = lots of food! And it was delicious! I highly recommend every dish we got - so here they are: first course: manchego with honey infused with vanilla and lavender - awesome! very unique taste another cheese with garlic dulce de leche - i love DDL and liked the honey better ham croquettes - about 7 one inch croquettes filled with gooey goodness - yum! garlic shrimp - this was large. shrimp cooked perfectly. light parsley sauce second course: grilled scallops (a la plancha) - awesome! four large grilled scallops grilled mushrooms - so tasty! great accompaniment to the scallops crab stuffed peppers - added as a special, which I was really happy about because it was mentioned in reviews, two large peppers stuffed with crab in a cheesy sauce chicken with fried egg - the chicken was SO tender, awesome! served over fingerling potatoes - so this was a substantial dish as well Bonus: red wine sangria! (it was really cold though, which might not be the best choice for a cold night, but it was good!) We went to Amada previously for a beer pairing dinner and left disappointed. But not this time! We loved the atmosphere, the food was great, our server Dave was attentive and gave us great recommendations on the dishes.

    (4)

  • Walter C.

    Went last night for a quick dinner. Well maybe not quick. As usual the food was amazing. Sweet potato soup, salted cod, roast pork flat bread, sea bass, chicken with egg and truffle, bacon wrapped figs, and others as well. Not one bad dish. The only slight oops was device between courses got I little slow but the Sangria took care of that. Can't say enough about this place. One of the best!

    (4)

  • Herendira M.

    WOW!!! I live in NY and this place tops one of the best places you must eat at when visiting Philly . Every single tapas we ordered was amazing. We enjoyed the white sangria we ordered 2 of the pitcher so delicious . Great service ... Thank you Lauren .

    (5)

  • Denise L.

    "Oh gee! ANOTHER five star review for Amada!?", you groan as you start reading this. "Is it really THAT good? I mean, it's just tapas!", you wonder aloud. "Yes and yes!", I reply. We showed up at 8 PM on a Saturday without a reservation and were told there would be a 30-45 minute wait; we were seated within 15 minutes at the counter in the Tapas lounge. (Swanky!) It was perfect because there was just 3 of us, and since we were at the end of the counter, I could sit and face the other two people in my party without having to worry about getting my hair in someone's ceviche. We started with the Tinto sangria - amazing! The cinnamon really gives it a nice flavor. And we got 3 full glasses each, which was certainly better than a 'by the glass' option. (My friend's husband ordered a glass of red wine, which despite a fresh bottle just being uncorked, had bits of cork floating in his glass. But the bartender was quick to refresh it.) Then we all ordered 3-4 plates each and it became "Night of 1000 Bites!" First up: The tuna starter with crackers. (This ain't yo' mama's tuna snack!) Second: Patatas Braves (spicy potatoes) & Croquetas de Jamon (Ham croquettes) - The potatoes were amazing; the sauce on top was flavorful and a perfect compliment. The croquettes were so-so; their sauce was a little lacking and not so complimentary. Third: Cana de Cabra: The cheese was so sweet and delicious. The Fig and Cherry marmalade was sweet but not overpowering. I still can't believe we left almost half of the cheese wheel left because it was so good, but they did give us a lot. We split the first half generously between the 3 of us & there was still some to spare. Fourth: PULPO!!! My friend found it a bit salty for her taste but I thought it was fantastic, with little sliced potatoes mixed in. Fifth: Bacon wrapped dates: Yeah, they're covered in bacon - I don't think I need to tell you more. Anything + Bacon = The best ever. Next: Spanish Tortilla - the buttery spread kind of overwhelms the flavor, so try it without first. Then decide if you want to bog all that down (you won't, trust me) Followed by: Duck Confit Flatbread - I would make this every day at home if I could. It was seriously one of the most amazing things I've ever tasted. So many delicious flavors! Who knew flatbread could be so upscale? Even more: Braised Pork Shoulder - it was like a little mini sandwich! Very delicious and flavorful! (I'm sure it made up for my friend's husband's side trip to Pat's for a cheesesteak earlier that afternoon) I saved everything that I personally ordered for last since my tastebuds had a higher stake in these items: -Baked goat cheese: GET THIS! Eat it all! Don't share with your friends! Seriously! My friend's husband said he had "OD'ed" on goat cheese in his youth so he couldn't have any of it, which was fine by me! The tomato basil sauce was so creamy and delicious and the cheese is sweet and warm and gooey - the combination of both of those things is pure perfection. -Calamari: Squid is a love/hate thing; either you love it or you hate it. It's also a can get it perfect or really mess it up thing. This kind of wavered in between. It was served lightly tossed in garlic oil. I didn't squeeze the lemon on it at first, but after I did, it made a difference. Could also probably have used a little salt and was just a TINY bit overcooked, but not bad. -Asparagus: MULTIPLE MOUTHGASMS! Asparagus! Truffle! Poached Egg! Cheesy crisp thing! They saved the best for last! I even went back and dipped the remaining Calamari in the truffle/egg yolk mixture - now THAT definitely improved it! Overall: The food was phenomenal. The ambiance was great. (The tapas lounge seemed a lot less stuffy than the front of house; darker, wooden walls, more intimate) You definitely get a lot of food for your money as opposed to some OTHER tapas places in this town (side eye to a certain NoLibs staple) And it's a Garces restaurant, so really, that speaks for itself since you know what you're getting before you even walk through the front door. (unlike some places in this town monopolized by a certain restaurateur who leaves you feeling empty in your stomach, your wallet, and your sense of self respect when you're treated like throwaways by the too-cool hipster waitstaff instead of actual customers.) I can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu and hopefully even the chef's tasting sometime because I'd love to see what else the Iron Chef has up his sleeve!

    (5)

  • Miranda B.

    Seldom do I have absolutely no complaints about anything, but tonight was the exception. Our waiter (I think his name is Dave) was both genuinely kind and consistently on the ball. Our food came almost immediately and was spectacular. I highly recommend the crab stuffed peppers and goat cheese dish. Even though we sat outside (no reservation), we experienced constant good and timely service. Eat here!!

    (5)

  • Shane L.

    Roasted suckling pig!!! I'm not sure, but I think this is Garce's flagship restaurant. We came here for a birthday party so we had a prefixed menu. The food was good and service was great. Expect to spend a pretty penny. Definitely a date place if you're wondering because it has great vibe. Overall a good place...but cant wait to try the regular menu next time.

    (4)

  • Evelyn K.

    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.

    (3)

  • Kathy P.

    We just happened upon Amada on October 3, and being fans of Jose Garces, we went in. After having really bad margarita's at another restaurant, our awesome bartender Julie made us outstanding ones! Definitely going back for more. We had the Serrano app and the machego cheese and truffled lavender honey, which we purchased to bring home. The chorizo was outstanding as well. Overall outstanding and a place to return to...

    (5)

  • Amanda R.

    I don't get it. I don't mind the noise level, or the lighting, and quite frankly I think the space is among the most beautiful in the city. The sangrias are consistently tasty, and I like the bar. But the lines/wait are always long, and the staff is always kind of snooty in that false warmth sort of way. I've eaten there twice now, and frankly, I've been super underwhelmed by the food both times, especially at that price point. On my first visit in the summer of '06, a friend and I ordered the chef's tasting menu, which was a deluge of salty after salty - I honestly started laughing when they brought out a dish of olives because I just couldn't take any more; it was almost a relief when they served the incredibly bland tortilla because at least it was a different flavor. This visit was enough to deter me from tapas as a concept for a while (sad, I know). My second visit, this summer a friend and I sat at the bar and ordered a few small plates. I tried to wipe the slate clean - I hadn't been there in a few years - but I still found the food to be a curious balance between overly salty and bland. Yes, even the famous shortrib flatbread... am I the only one who finds it too salty?? Sadly the only mind-blowing experience I've ever had at a Garces restaurant was at Village Whiskey. Now THAT's a nice little hang-out!

    (3)

  • Erin F.

    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.

    (4)

  • Mayra H.

    I was greeted by an amazing bronze pig statue. Already, I knew I was home. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it is definitely one of the best gastronomic experiences. The food was DELISH. Standout dishes: Patatas bravas Pulpo a la gallega (pimenton, lemon, salt, olive oil) Piquillos rellenos (crab stuffed) The service was great. Timely, knowledgeable, friendly. The ambiance was very chill and meant to be relaxed.

    (4)

  • Jen L.

    After having dinner here on our trip to Philly, I left saying eh. It was ok. The sangria was over spiced and over sweet. We shared 5 dishes for dinner. The best dish was was the asparagus and avocado salad. It was fresh and only slightly over dressed. The Parmesan artichokes were also good, but I was a little disappointed that there were only 3 small pieces (totaling 1.5 artichoke hearts). The grilled chorizo was tough. The potato bravas (which should be a no brainer) looked pretty but had way too much paprika.

    (3)

  • Gandhus M.

    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.

    (5)

  • Frank R.

    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.

    (4)

  • Caroline V.

    Yes i understand...it's tapas...but umm...there were 2 of us (both girls) and we had a few dishes, 2 drinks each and it was almost $200... The food was good but i left hungry and a much lighter wallet considering... I'd recommend based on taste but not on price. For the same amount I can get myself a big juicy top quality steak elsewhere, sides and drinks and still come out with change and leftovers... The ambiance is cute and during the summer you can sit outside...but ya...don't go hungry...

    (3)

  • Becky S.

    I loved it! First of all, while waiting for our table Jose Graces came out to the bar. How cool! In general, the atmosphere is great - very relaxed and upscale. We started with a few drinks at the bar. I had sangria which was good and then switched to wine - delicious. I always think with tapas that I may not get full, but that definitely wasnt an issue. We started with the ensalada verde. This was one of my top 3 of the night and it was nice eating a little while making other decisions. We had ham croquets (very good as well) and then we had a tuna fish mix with crackers compliments of the house. Our next course was meatballs - my #2 favorite of the night. The truffle sauce they were in was to die for. I could have eaten it on its own. Next came grilled shrimp. They had a nice flavor and were good but overall more average. The cod came next - it was a special that night. That was really good although I feel like it could have used a tad more flavor. Last was the flank steak. This was in my top 3 as well. It was so nicely cut and spreading a little goat cheese on it made it perfect! Based on this you may just think I'm a heavy meat eater but I actually almost always prefer fish to chicken even and rarely pick steak. Luckily I was persuaded to order the meat dishes because they were the best of the night! We finished with a chocolate/brownie cake which was delicious and a nice end to the evening. I would definitely return and want to try tinto now!

    (5)

  • Rachel C.

    It's been on our list for a couple of years now, but somehow we still never made it until recently. My husband made a reservation several weeks in advance for our anniversary, which also turned out to be during restaurant week. Bonus! Our best friends (who are avid Amada fans) recommended the madre e hijo and the ham croquettes, which are both to die for. Probably my two favorites also. That being said, there was nothing I tried that I didn't like. The truffled lavender honey and the garlic dulce de leche with their cheese pairings were so different and flavorful. I would definitely go back to try more of the same as well as some new dishes we didn't have room for. We definitely won't be waiting another 3 years to return!

    (5)

  • Wendy W.

    sangria was delicious. tapas were hit or miss. you can taste that fresh, quality ingredients were used but the combination could be tweaked. service was amazing (host, server, busboys)! my favorites were spicy potatoes and roasted pork. the spicy potatoes were mini baked potato cylinder filled with this creamy sauce that was amazing. the pork had a nice crispy skin and the meat was succulent with a nice gelatinous coating. the serrano ham reminded me of being in barcelona. the fried ice cream was a perfect delicious ending that didn't overpower the meal. overall, it is a terrific get together with friends. it is a bit too loud to be a romantic date place.

    (4)

  • Alex V.

    We ate at Amada last weekend, and I was shocked that the place lived up the lofty expectations set by numerous 5 star reviews. We tried so many different tapas and its hard to go in to excruciating detail on any particular item, because everything was excellent. Anything from the Grill and any seafood items were particularly impressive. If possible, I highly recommend saving room for desert. The service was good, but we waited 20 minutes past our scheduled reservation time for a seat. While slightly annoyed, we soon forgot about our aggravation when the food started coming.

    (5)

  • Sandy K.

    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!

    (5)

  • Joanne T.

    my fave jose garces resto. my bf took me here for my birthday and boy he did good. went here once before and remembered that the paella was overpriced and bland. i love, love, love the tapas. i had to limit myself cause i could probably order the entire menu of them...lol. my tops are: pilpo a la gallega, piquillos rellenos, revuelto, calamari, chipirones...i can keep going....the cheeses gives a nice change of taste to the palate. we combined our dinner with their white sangria, very refreshing. if only i ate meat then i could've tried the roasted suckling pig :( saw lots of people dining on this and it looked very yummo! only downside to tapas is that it is very small serving. i love the decor of this place, it speaks spanish tapas all the way. i'd def recommend this place, it's just one of those places that you gotta try at least once.

    (5)

  • Mark L.

    I finally had the whole roasted pig there after having to cancel multiple times over the course of a few years. It did not disappoint and it was simply one of the more memorable dining experiences I've had.. ever! The presentation.. the special window-front seating.. people.. sangria.. the sides.. I wouldn't change one thing about the whole night! Oh, and one of the best left-over experiences in my life too! on the next day...

    (5)

  • Mandy H.

    I went to Amada last night with my boyfriend to celebrate my birthday. We really loved it! Since this was our first time doing tapas our waitress, Sarah, was extremely helpful in assisting us with the menu. She also helped us pick out a nice wine to go with our meal, since we don't typically drink Spanish/Portuguese wines. We had the Castelao/Trincadeira, which was a light bodied red similar to a Pinot Noir. It went really nicely with our meal because it wasn't too overpowering. For our tapas our server suggested trying 3 tapas each. We chose the Gambas Al Ajillio, which was sizzling garlic shrimp accompanied with garlic toasts, the Pulpo A La Gellega, which was grilled octopus seasoned with paprika and olive oil (it tasted like meat) with small potato rounds, and the grilled chorizo, which came on little skewers. It was smoked and seasoned really nicely (it kind of reminded me of pork roll :). Then we also had Escalivada, which was a long plate dotted with chilled tomatoes, grilled onions, and an egglant pate-type thing in the middle. This also came with toasts topped with goat cheese to eat with the vegetables. Favorite tapas, though, was the Costillas De Ternera, which was beef short ribs on a flatbread with bacon and horseradish. To me it tasted like barbeque chicken pizza and it was sooo good! We tried the special of the day, which was sea bass on a bed of eggplant, but I didn't like it. It had a strong smokey taste that was overpowering to the fish. The chef also gave us 2 complementary tapas. The first one was tuna seasoned with garlic and capers in a white sauce (reminded me of a fancy tuna salad) with crunchy bread, which was very delicious, and the second one was a warm tomato and goat cheese dip which came along with garlic toasts (reminded me of stuffed shells or manicotti), called Queso De Cabra. It was also very tasty. By the time our last two tapas arrived at the table we were both so stuffed that I was forcing myself to eat the rest. I haven't been that stuffed in a long time. We didn't order dessert, but we did each have a cappuccino which came with an almond crisp. My favorites we definitely the short ribs flatbread, the garlic shrimp, and the chorizo. This is a great restaurant with delicious food and wonderful service. Maybe next time I won't order so much though!

    (5)

  • Stephanie M.

    I went to this lovely establishment twice. The food is pure heaven. Of course having a few beverages probably made the food taste extra delicious... But everything I ate was superb... any of the flatbreads, the octopus, the lamb meatballs, ham croquettes. Try it all. I've been meaning to go back....Can't wait to try more!

    (5)

  • Philly P.

    There is not much to review about Amada when the food, service and ambiance of this place speaks for itself. It is amongst one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. If there was something more than a 5 star this place is the one which deserves it the most. Their food portions are perfect, the salads are to die. Most of the dishes are well thought n well presented. A must for every local and visitor to go n enjoy this amazing place.

    (5)

  • Hiu Ting C.

    I've been here twice now. The first time was restaurant week and second time was just dinner w/ an out of town friend. I have to say the food quality here is pretty good. I love the manchego with lavender honey and apple...that's a MUST! Of course you have to get the jambon.... Lots of variety and distinctive flavors. The atmosphere is loud and lively. I think it's a great place to go w/ a group! The only reason why I didn't give it a 5 star is that they sometimes over season their food...i had one of their pizzas and they put too much salt on it...

    (4)

  • Danny L.

    the tapas are scrumptious and creative (lamb meatballs, cerano and fig salad, and sirloin are tops), unique cocktails served with a kick (get the strawberry gin), and the ambience is hip but also romantic. Great for a date night or a group of friends. I'll go here again and again whenever I'm in town.

    (5)

  • Seanmhair F.

    Amada 1/28/13 So yeah, we made it to the "bigs". After frequenting our local BYOB's we decided it time to go big time. Restaurant Week in Philly is something I recommend everyone take advantage of. It's an opportunity to try different things, without too much damage to the pocket-book. We decided to try Amada, after, of course, hearing mostly wonderful things. And it did not disappoint. It runs at a different level than what I am used to. It's corporate big time business, but it still maintains a charm and great food. Two first choice selections included Cana de Cabra with Fig and Cherry Marmalade, and Ham Croquettes. The cheese was a nice smooth soft cheese and the marmalade would have been great with anything. The lightly fried footballs of ham were delicious. I don't know why I haven't seen them before. Simple and good. Other starters ordered and shared were Machengo with Lavander Honey , Chorizo with Caperberries and Cornichons, (which are little sour pickles, I learned.) Garlic Shrimp was literally still crackling with heat on delivery to the table, and the Serrano Ham was wrapped around a perfectly ripe piece of cantaloupe. All very good. Entrees enjoyed were Shortribs on Flatbread with horseradish, bacon, and Parmesan, and seasonal wild mushrooms. Sea Bass, Shrimp on Flatbreads, Grilled Scallops and Calamari all came to the table in timely fashion, and beautifully plated. The desserts were either a pumpkin custard thing, that was okay, but not my thing, and a great rice pudding that had figs, pine nuts, and surprise cherries in it. Very good. Two of the three types of Sangria were tested and deemed to be almost too tasty. You could certainly enjoy a few pitchers before you know it.. The $35 price fixe menu gave you two first and second course selections, and dessert. We had two pitchers of the wine, $32 for the white, and $36 for the rose/port mix. So total bill was $140 for food, $68 for wine, and two coffees at (I think) $6.00 each, which brought it to $220 for four diners. A bargain for $55 a head. I enjoyed the tapas style, and being able to share the plates. There were four of us, which gave everyone plenty of choices. Actually, there was so much food there, that I would be writing a tome to go into detailed description of everything that was served. It was all excellent, and in a style that lets you leave without being overly full with heavy food. Jose Garces doesn't need my approval, but he has it anyway. I certainly recommend the place, and even more vigorously recommend participating in Restaurant Week the next time it happens. I know I will.

    (5)

  • Ted K.

    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

    (5)

  • Nalin O.

    Amada is the place to be! Love the simplicity of the concept. Everything came along nicely. Even when we visited it during the restaurant week. Quality of the food & service is very consistence. Always a good experience on every visit. Thank u!!... :)

    (5)

  • Christina B.

    This literally is my favorite restaurant. From sitting at the bar to the full dining, I have ALWAYS had an amazing time. The red sangria is the best I've ever had. The interior design influenced how I decorated my house. It just feels warm, sophisticated, and somewhere you'd want to get food/wine drunk on a hot date.

    (5)

  • Stephanie H.

    Amada was in one word: Amazing. Jason C. and I went there for restaurant week (winter, 2011) after hearing great reviews and it did not disappoint. I was a bit nervous i wouldn't be full after dinner with the restaurant serving tapas but I was surprised. The food was very rich and flavorful. Some of the flavors such as the lavender honey truffle sauce with the manchega cheese was a truly unique flavor. My favorite dish we had was the shortrib flatbread with Parmesan and bacon. At one point I realized that Jason C. and I were both eating with our eyes closed to fully enjoy the flavors. It was THAT good! I am a picky eater but decided to try things that I don't normally enjoy much during the dinner considering they were small portions. Much to my surprise I enjoyed the fish and chips as well as the flatbread with bacon. I have never enjoyed fish, but this just MELTED in your mouth. Good wine list as well. My friend and I picked random wines just to try a few out, and they were all delish! Service was great. THe servers were attentive but also allowed you to sit back and enjoy the meal. This is definitely an experience meal and I can not WAIT to go back! Worth every penny!

    (5)

  • Mike S.

    This has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants to bring out of towners for some appetizers and a taste of their delicious sangria. Like many others have noted, Amada is extremely popular and the key to getting a table for dinner is to either make a reservation on OpenTable or show up early on a slow night. However, there are always a few spots at the bar early, and while they don't serve a full menu there, they will serve apps and sangria - which is a must try!

    (5)

  • Solomon L.

    Nope, sorry. Not worth the hype. Ambiance and the staff were great! but those are the highlights of the place. My girlfriend and I had few of the traditional tapas and split it. I was really looking forward to an expertly crafted tortilla espanola. The kind that has the creamy egg inside, with the delicate flavors of potatoes and onions and a touch of salt. Didn't really happen here. Patatas bravas looked a lot more interesting than they tasted. It seemed like they were trying a new and modern spin on traditional dishes, but for me it just didn't work. I thought the meats were well done, but not quite worth the prices. I've had better tapas in a mall in Ireland..... and for much cheaper. Will not return.

    (2)

  • Rich D.

    It's really good, but not spectacular. There are some great tapas here and it's well worth the stop. I've lived off of Spanish food most of my life and could say there are a lot of dishes here that are tasty. What bugged me was that the two easiest and most quintessential dishes were off. The tortilla was just dry and dense...and also the patatas bravas dish's allioli just tastes like Hellmans mixed with a tiny, tiny dab of garlic. Being a flagship restaurant, make real allioli and put some actual garlic in it. Anyway; not trying to sound bitter...I actually have been here several times, and it's worth it. It's just those two things really bother me.

    (4)

  • Lucy R.

    I highly recommend this place. Everything I ordered was spot on, and the ambience was elegant and relaxing at the same time. I ordered the green salad (which had a delicious, bright, citrusy dressing, avocado, green beans, and edamame in it, and was chopped just the right amount), warm bean salad, and chicken/egg/ truffle tapas. Everything was flat-out perfect, in my opinion, and I'm a discerning eater. To be honest, the fact that I was moved to write a review at all says a lot. Although I don't live in Philly, I hope to have a chance to come back to this restaurant and explore more of the menu. I'm sure it will not disappoint. A note: the service was a bit hands-off, but some of us like that :)

    (4)

  • Hanna L.

    I love tapas. I love that my taste bud can go through so many experiences in one sitting. Amada is a great place to go for tapas because they are so accommodating. My bf and I got a free dish on the house. We also got out plate of olives for free because it came out late. Lots of complimentary dishes. Go and have an adventure with your palate.

    (4)

  • Soly Z.

    We had what was by far our favorite meal in Philly at Amada. Everything we sampled was truly superb, and I honestly can't say which menu item was our favorite. We followed the advice of our server and ordered three items per person, including the grilled prawns, lamb meatballs, spinach and artichoke empanadas, short rib flat bread, spicy potatoes, and the grilled Japanese eggplant topped with goat cheese. We topped off our meal with the Spanish donuts, date purée, and olive oil ice cream, and Everything was truly exquisite. I'm glad we were able to make our reservation online, because the place is really packed all night. My only gripe is the $18 fee for valet, which seems exorbitant.

    (5)

  • Yun W.

    Had super high expectations for this place given its 4.5 star yelp rating and made reservations more than a week in advance. The only time I could get was a late 9pm for our party of 5 on a Thursday night. Ambiance & service - We were seated at a somewhat unusual booth table in the middle of the room. The seating was extremely spacious, and the restaurant definitely felt very busy and happening on a Thursday night. Our waiter was friendly, but unfortunately we felt that he was trying to up sell us. When we asked for a wine recommendation he promptly recommended the most expensive bottle on the menu without explaining why it was good. Food - Definitely unique and excellent, and I can understand why people rave about this place. However, the restaurant seems to be profiting quite well off of all the hype it's been getting - portions served are very small so that people will order more, bread is not provided freely, and the menu is very much strategically designed to maximize revenue per customer. There are some hits and some misses. Out of the 10 dishes we ordered for our party of 5: Highly recommended (4-5 stars): 1) Lamb meatballs - ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 2) Spanish Octopus - I loved how the octopus tasted. Unfortunately, this dish is deceptive. Only the small round pieces are actually octopus, and the larger round pieces are actually potatoes stuck in there to make the dish seem bigger than it is ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 3) Flatbread - Braised Pork Shoulder, Broccolini, Pickled Guindillas, Fig Mustard - loved this ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) Ok (~3 stars): 1) Garlic shrimp -not bad but wasn't that unique and tasted like something I could make at home. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 2) Cured meat mixed plate - tasty, but definitely very overpriced at $18 for a few slices of meat - ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 3) Roasted Eggplant, Whipped Goat Cheese, Raisin Escabeche - an interesting combination. The goat cheese made this dish taste good ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 4) Clams Chrizo ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 5) Grilled Asparagus, Truffles, Poached Egg, Mahón Crisp Skip (1-2 stars): 1) Chicken & Chorizo Paella, Artichoke & Tomato Salad, Saffron AÏoli - this dish was a big disappointment. At $38, we basically paid for a plate of grilled chicken breast and rice. It had some interesting flavors, but there was just too much going on and the bread on top with the mayonnaise was kind of odd. This dish is strategically listed on the menu next to a $75 seafood paella so you don't feel like it's as expensive when you order it, but it's quite unfortunate that they do this. Also, they really don't give you much food for such an expensive dish - this would be the equivalent of a 1-person main dish at an Italian chain. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) 2) Warm fava and lime bean salad - this dish was not satisfying (probably because of lack of meat), and seemed overall bland. ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) Desserts (3 stars): Because of Amada's strategically small dinner portions, of course we had room for dessert and gave Amada another opportunity to sell us cake at a high markup. These were tasty diet-portion desserts - great for weight watchers. Chocolate cake - ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) Olive oil cake - ( yelp.com/biz_photos/amad… ) Overall, I'm glad I experienced Amada. However, it definitely feels like there's too much hype here - the restaurant knows it and uses it to its advantage.

    (3)

  • Noops K.

    I went to Amada right after I finished a 2 week trip of Spain. I was feeling a bit nostalgic and figured this place could fulfill my jamon and vino craving... The ambiance was amazing. DEFINITELY a very Spain feel for being in the heart of Old City Philadelphia. We got seated right by the windows at a large, picnic like table that was in a, for lack of a better word, sand pit. It was very cool and very different! An innovative touch to the place for sure! The Sangria here was incredible..you can barely taste the alcohol, which, for me, is always a sign of a great drink. I went with a 7 other friends, so we all ordered different sangrias (and I tried them all), but my favorite one was the blanca. As far as the food itself goes, I wasn't incredibly impressed. It is tapas, so you will end up spending quite a bit. The food isn't filling (tapas, one at a time, are not meant to be) so I'm not sure I'd pick this place if I was ravenous for a good dinner. Then again if you want a meal in the traditional sense, tapas aren't for you anyway. I feel like the best way to enjoy the food here is to plan and stay for a while, enjoying good drinks and conversation and letting the food be a sort of after thought.

    (3)

  • Darron G.

    I was raised in Spain, so I judge this place a little harder than most probably. The restaurant decor is cool and comfortable. We started with the boquerones en vinagre, and they were spot on. The tortilla espanola was a complete disaster. It's hard to compete with my mothers tortilla, so that's not fair. The pernil was succulent with crispy skin and the olive oil cake for desert was delicious. I definitely would recommend this place for a fun tapas dinner, unless you are from Spain. You too will be too judgmental. As a cool end to our Dinner, Jose Garces was actually there and walked by. Embarrassed to say, I was star struck.

    (4)

  • Richard J.

    It has been a while since i went here so specifics are unfortunately not available. One of the best meals i have ever eaten in my life. All small plate tapas style dishes, each one more delicious than the last. Ambiance, service and food quality all beyond reproach. If only money were more plentiful i would go here weekly. This place is a must go spot.

    (5)

  • Maly A.

    We were in town for a friend's bachelorette weekend, came here for drinks & appetizers on Friday night before a late dinner elsewhere. Great service, very polite & professional. We told our server that we won't be getting dinner, just drinks & some appetizer so were OK with not being seated at a table (even though we had reservations) & would be OK around the bar area but he said there was no problem at all (some places tend to be stingy about seating you at a table if you don't plans on getting dinner). Cocktails were reallyyyy good. We got a mix meats plate & a mix cheese plate, as well as an order of patatas bravas. I absolutely loved the ambiance, dark, intimate, very nice. Bar area to the left, big space on the right with lots of tables and more tables further back where we were seated which was a more intimate area. Really liked the place & would like to come back again and try dinner.

    (4)

  • Jacqui S.

    Hands down, my favorite tapas in the city.

    (5)

  • Samantha M.

    I've dined out many times in various Philly restaurants (particularly during restaurant week) and this was one of the best experiences I've had. The service was friendly, fast and attentive. They made sure your water glasses were full and changed your plates in between courses. The restaurant itself was designed very nicely and made you feel like you still had some privacy even though the tables were close together. The food was fantastic. I loved everything I tried. My favorites were the short rib flatbread, garlic shrimp and the pork ribs. The flavors were just spot on and matched perfectly with the other components of the dishes. The custard for dessert was also delicious. Now I've only been here during restaurant week so the cost is lower than normal, but I would go back and pay full price (for special occasions). It was that good.

    (5)

  • Laura S.

    Delicious authentic Spanish tapas with a twist. Our faves were the watermelon, crab gazpacho, the crab stuffed peppers, and the lobster a la plancha! But the croquettes, warm bean salad, asparagus, and cured meats were delicious a well. Perfect Sunday brunch for people who loves good food and sharing it with friends and family:)

    (5)

  • Kristin C.

    We went for a surprise birthday dinner and had Karey as our waitress. I am not one to complain unless something is really bad... Prior to the surprise the number of people attending changed. From what I understand Amada management was pretty reasonable and accommodating with that. Karey was just unreasonably rude to all of us and treated us like an inconvenience. We had a set menu and ordered pitchers on sangria (and two separate mixed drinks), so we did not have difficult orders or requests. At one point a glass was broken and she did bring a new one, nor did she take the old broken one away for at least 30 min...our friend just had to drink out of a broken glass. We also did not get checked on, asked about additional drinks (we wanted to order more sangria), or even more water... Also, one of the servers came out with a dish for a friend who was pregnant (and had not really made this information public, she just quietly asked about a dish), and asked "who is the pregnant person at the table". Pretty unprofessional. At the end of our meal she lost 2-3 of the signed receipts (one was mine) and she made us come back in to sign... I was really looking forward to trying Amada because it is/was my friends (birthday girl's) favorite place, and we were considering using them as the catering company for our wedding next summer...thank god we didn't commit to that venue yet! If the service is this bad with 13 people and a fixed course menu, I can't imagine how terrible it would be with 150+ people! The food was good, but the service from this waitress was just so bad that it made me not want to return.

    (1)

  • Ash G.

    This place is a gem - found it on a day packed with tourists and was suddenly whisked away to Spain as soon as we walked in the door. Terrific food and service - and the white sangria with mango and passion fruit was delish. I will definitely come back again next time I am in Philly!

    (4)

  • Anita P.

    I loved this place. Sit at the kitchen bar and watch them make beautiful salads and cheese courses.

    (5)

  • Pauline L.

    We came here for our anniversary dinner and decided to splurge and get the $65/person chef's tasting menu. Our waiter explained that this was a great option and we'd be tasting a few things from each section of the menu. He also said the plates are small...um, for two people, some of the plates definitely were not small! That's not a bad thing, but we were full to the brim and when we got our last plate, we were glad there was no more food coming, lol. There were 11 plates total for two people...that's A LOT of food, but we definitely got our moneys worth and were happy we were full at the end of our meal. I guess there was technically 12 since it included their "bread" with a tuna spread - pretty tasty! Our tasting consisted of: 1.) boquerones - white anchovies, pine nuts, olives. This one needed bread or something cuz it was way too salty! Probably would not order this again. 2.) cheese and spread platter - garrotxa with garlic dulce de leche, aged manchego with truffled lavender honey and ermesenda with chocolate hazelnut purée. This was good but filling. 3.) ensalada de jamón - serrano ham, fig salad, cabrales, spiced almonds. This was lighter than I thought it would be and pretty good! 4.) croquetas de jamón - ham croquettes, romesco. We read a lot of good things about these, but they were a bit underwhelming and just ok. 5.) pulpo a la gallega - Spanish octopus. This was one of my favorite dishes! 6.) alcachofas y setas - flatbread with artichokes, wild mushrooms, black truffles, manchego. This one was pretty tasty too! 7.) shrimp - pretty good 8.) scallops - cooked perfectly 9.) espárragos con trufas - grilled asparagus, truffles, poached egg, mahón crisp. Didn't see this dish coming as it came at a weird time. We thought this should've arrived earlier in the meal, but it was pretty good. 10.) filet mignon - cabrales, foie gras, swiss chard, tempranillo jus. This was one of my bf's favorites! Yay for foie gras not being illegal in Philly! 11.) olive oll cake with almond ice cream? and figs and a lemon reduction - this was a really good dessert and we finished it even though we were totally stuffed! Overall, it was a good experience! The only reason I'm giving this place four stars instead of five is because I didn't love all the dishes and there were a few that I probably wouldn't order again (the anchovies, the cheese platter, croquettes, asparagus, and would maybe only order the shrimp or the scallops cuz they were cooked the same way). It was a great anniversary dinner though despite the 16º weather I could've done without! haha. Until next time Philly...

    (4)

  • Lauren E.

    Celebrated a 30th birthday with a small group at Amada and was delighted with the ambiance, the service, and of course, the food. The servers were extremely attentive and the many varieties of tapas were brought out very timely. One of our guests had certain allergies and the servers took care to suggest the best menu options. They also consistently explained the ingredients of each dish to the table upon delivery. Some of our favorite menu items included the Mixto cheese options, the Piquillos Rellenos (crab stuffed peppers), and the Filet Mignon. The Dark Habits craft cocktail was phenomenal. A small cake and candle were brought over after the tapas were polished off, which was a nice treat to end the night.

    (5)

  • Scott S.

    I've been to the AC location a few times and have loved it, so I was pretty excited to come to the original spot, and wow, was just blown away. The food is incredible, and they have a regular and gluten free menu which makes things easy if memebers of your party have dietary restrictions. The problem I have, is that I want to try so many other things on the menu that I haven't in the past, but it's just too difficult for me to not order the things which I have eaten in the past and crave again! The decor was fun, slightly loud as can be expected, but not too rambuntious. Service was attentive and friendly. Drinks strong, and prices expensive, but reasonable for a great experience. Amada ranks up there with my favorite restaurants, and I would certainly come back and recommend it to anyone.

    (5)

  • Mathew M.

    Good food and service. Not really wowed by anything.

    (3)

  • Ibrahim S.

    One of My favorite spots in Philadelphia, best batatas bravas!!

    (5)

  • Sumera K.

    Legit lunch menu with great atmosphere. You walk in and it feels like a breath of fresh air. AHHhhhh...went for lunch and sat at the bar. Got a delish " amada cheese steak". Caramelized onions and truffled mushrooms hit da spot. Service is usually great. Friendly waiters with an aura of snobiness, but it's fitting. Go go go!

    (4)

  • Mark C.

    Food is rich and flavorful, the dates are bomb, didn't care for the chickpea and spinach, chicken with fried egg is super good...moist and pretty much perfect.

    (4)

  • Brett F.

    This is my kind of place. Rub elbows with an Iron Chef. Drink Sangria. Eat cheese. Pound down some chorizo. Then go back to the cheese. Now a little wine. Perhaps a few wagyu beef brochettes. Some baked goat cheese. An empanada or two. Wine, again. Lobster paella. Definitely the lobster one. Wine. Or did I say that already? Jamón Seranno. Jamón Ibérico. Don't ever discriminate between hams. More ham is MORE ham! And then possibly a splash more wine. Deeelicious. I'm hungry now. Amada gets a little much hype for a tapas spot. But, it's "José." Yeah, but it's just tapas. Though good. Totes McGotes good.

    (4)

  • Cameron P.

    I used to love this place but something has gone wrong. The service used to be superb. This is no longer the case. The food used to be great with few exceptions now it is 50/50. I don't know if it is because tourists flock to it for the Garces name so they are not as concerned with regular customers but, either way, it is a shame. I hope they can pull it back together because at one point in time it was one of my favorites.

    (3)

  • David H.

    Not bad, not great. The atmosphere was pretty nice and romantic (I was on a date) but the food was honestly just ok. We had the recommendations from the waitress (meatballs, and watermelon sangria) but it wasn't really all that. I would say the tapas restaurants are a little better and not as pricey in other cities. Seems like a cool place to go with a group, otherwise, I'll probably go to another place next time I'm in Philly.

    (3)

  • Anastasia B.

    My boyfriend and I came here for a special, fancy dinner date, and it did not disappoint! We decided to go all out and order the $55 tasting menu as it eliminates the difficulty of having to choose between all the great selections. In order it came with: Tuna spread amuse bouche - quite tasty and a good size too Cheese plate mixto - the manchego was definitely my favorite! The the hazelnut chocolate paired with the ermesenda was a bit too overpowering, but the cheese was good on its own. And the garroxta with the garlic dulce de leche was delicious. Such a strange mix of flavors but it worked! Serrano Ham Salad - huge portion! The ham was delicious. Probably would have skipped this on my own as I'm not a big salad person Escalivada - Mix of eggplant, red pepper, onion and tomato spreads. A must for any veggie fan! One of my favorites from the night The artichoke mushroom flatbread - Despite the fact I love all the ingredients on their own, I was not a big fan of this for some reason. My boyfriend loved it though! So maybe the taste was clashing with my drink Ham croquettes - Very bright flavors! I loved the sauce that came with them. Clams and chorizo - Not super memorable but decent. I was definitely starting to get full by this point! Warm fava bean salad - Delicious! Wish I could have eaten more of this. Calamari - Perfectly cooked. And the flavor of the squid really came through. Simple but perfect Madre e Hijo, chicken breast with fried egg - I was a bit disappointed when this came out, as chicken isn't something I normally gravitate toward during an expensive meal, but this was hands down the most tender chicken breast I have ever had. No idea how they cooked it, but it was melt in your mouth! Shrimp - two shrimp with the heads left on. Ohmygod good. I was in a food coma by this point but managed to get in a taste. Absolutely amazing! Yummmm Dessert was olive oil cake - we took this home because we were both too stuffed to eat another bite! I definitely enjoyed it as a treat the next day, but it didn't wow me. You also get a complimentary almond cookie with the check! (I drank the white sangria throughout the meal...delicious! And good if you like your drinks more on the light and fruity side) I'm so glad we went for the tasting menu. It was a great experience, and made the evening feel quite special. I really felt like I got to sample a great variety of items. Although, fair warning, you do get a ton of food!! We could barely stand afterwards (and my boyfriend can eat with the best of them). I definitely felt like we got our money's worth *I also recommend asking for a table in the back. It was much more quite and intimate than the busy front area.

    (5)

  • Jen H.

    Wonderful ambiance, friendly informed staff, thoughtful well-executed food - from healthy to decadent - good wine, and vibrant but not hyped or trendy (to be avoided in my book). A very enjoyable experience. We ordered a few items and I especially enjoyed the mussels in escabeche and the Lima and fava beans with red peppers.

    (5)

  • Richie R.

    Fantastic! Best tapas I have been to in the States, hands down. Chef Garces takes classic Spanish tapas and takes them to a higher level by refining the dishes yet not losing the authenticity and simplicity of the flavors. What a gem! Will most certainly be back! Decor is a little lack luster, in my opinion, but still very pleasant.

    (5)

  • Jack J.

    Came here for brunch as it opened, but had a reservation for two for like... a month. Definitely lived up to the hype. The restaurant itself is had nice ambience and decors. For tapas we had the tortilla espanola and the crab stuffed peppers. The tortilla espanola is really just eggs and potato jammed into this round cheese-shaped fixture. It was also probably the best egg and potato concoction I've had in my life, definitely a must try. Beware, though, this is actually very filling. The crab stuffed peppers were great and flavorful. It came in a small bowl, and although it was muy delicioso, it was like $12 for two bites. On top of the tapas, we ordered the chorizo dish and the amada omelette. I've never had chorizo, but it was really well seasoned and honestly tasted like fancy sausage to me. It was great. The amada omelette generous in portion and their tomato-y sauce brought the whole omelette together so well. we definitely over-ordered, but will surely be back soon.

    (5)

  • jed p.

    Went here for a birthday dinner and had a terrific meal. Food was awesome, mostly small tapas style dishes. We started with a plate of olives, enjoyed tomato cheese flatbread, garlic shrimp, crab stuffed peppers - all delicious. Main course included lamb chops that I can still taste and a large pork dish that ensured we didn't go hungry. Not so special was the fish dish - a small plate for the same price as the pork. Great Spanish wine selection. Desert was these sugary doughnut things that seriously rocked. Waitstaff was attentive, but my only complaint was that our waiter was not very helpful in suggesting dishes. he repeated 3 dishes per person at least 3 times as he presented the menu and specials, which took much of the magic out of the experience. When I asked how large each dish was, he again repeated 3 dishes per person. I had to ask him sizing for specific dishes to get an answer.

    (4)

  • Rosa S.

    Wow. That's all I can say. We got the spiced potatoes, the calamari, the eggs with mushroom and truffle butter toast, the jamon croquettes, the crab stuffed peppers and the lamb meatballs. Each course was better than the last. The drinks were superb, the service excellent, and the ambiance hip without being stuck up. And the price was well-worth it. Honestly, we might drive down from NYC to come here again!

    (5)

  • Paul C.

    I had a very positive dining experience at Amada with a group of three other people a few months ago. Food: the food here is great, of course, but it's not something that I crave or fondly remember, like that of a five-star restaurant. That, along with the steep prices (especially for four college students), means that I would only come here for special occasions. If I'm looking for tapas, however, Amada will definitely be at the top of my list. We ordered garlic shrimp, bacon wrapped dates, clams chorizo, a flatbread, and a few other dishes. In total, we each spent about $35 and weren't exactly 100% full, which perhaps isn't the objective of tapas. Atmosphere: Lively, dim, warm. All conducive to a fancy dining experience. Service: Our waiter was friendly, attentive, helpful, and not too pushy. We were all new to the tapas arrangement to some degree and he was very understanding.

    (4)

  • Olivia C.

    What is going on here, Jose Garces!? I made a pit stop in Amada during my Philly trip. Given I wasn't dressed my best- but I DID have a button down, black jeans, and flats. I was given "the eye and glance over" by the Maître d, hostess, and her cohort as if I wasn't dressed well enough to be in there. My handbag was designer, damnit. I offered to sit at the bar instead of waiting for a table ..... and I was seated next to a recycle bin, garbage can, and the part of the bar that opens for the bartender to go behind the bar. ... It wouldn't have been a problem had there not been a lack of glasses for alcoholic beverages and the servers walking up to the bartenders, saying how they've been waiting 20 minutes for drinks, and multiple servers saying, "you have to talk to someone. We have to talk to someone about this." Like, what? The bad execution of service? I was asked three times over if I wanted food: 1. The first time was a given since I wanted the food menu. 2. The second time was because they thought I didn't order and never placed my order into the system. 3. Did you forget that I already ordered!? I had the bacalao. I understand that it's a tapas place but the piece of fish was the size of my palm, and was cold like it was sitting in the window too long. I ordered dark habits (lime, strawberry, gin) as my drink, and I had to say it was a great combination. The bartenders were also very apologetic for the horrible service. Overall, you gotta clean this place up, Jose Garces. It's your original restaurant, man. The service sucks. The food's mediocre. Your Maître d and hostess are unwelcoming. Your nice bartenders and good drinks can only get you that far.

    (2)

  • J K.

    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!

    (4)

  • Vishal M.

    Expensive but worth it. They were nice about moving around my reservation even on a busy Saturday night. Quality of chorizo can vary. Sangria goes perfectly with the delicious food.

    (4)

  • Robin B.

    Not only is this old part of town gorgeous, but the imagination and editing skills of chef Jose' Garces and his team are impeccable. I have never enjoyed tapas, because I've always just ordered what I liked. Here we let the chef choose the menu and accompanying wines, which was the way to go. I cannot say enough about the cheese plate, seafood, and more that we had on our special evening out. For a true fine-dining experience, I escaped for under $110 including a wine flight and a sangria, along with the chef's choice dinner. Incredible, and I was too full to enjoy every course! Valet starts at five p.m. Follow up your dinner with Plough & the Stars for some authentic Irish Pub fries and after-dinner brews.

    (5)

  • Sandood A.

    I loved Amada! I started off with the ENSALADA VERDE which was large and very fresh. My friend got the CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN and she said they were very yummy. For our second course I got the calamari (best I've had anywhere!) and grilled sirloin. The Spanish custard at the end was a perfect end to our meal. My only reservation was the portion size, but again it is TAPAS and we were constrained by the restaurant week menu. I'll return for dinner to have more selections. Overall, a great first experience.

    (5)

  • Sharon K.

    I was super excited to try Amada after I saw the restaurant featured on The Best Thing I Ever Ate. Based on the yelp reviews, I ordered: the grilled asparagus with poached egg, truffle and Mahon crisp; short rib flatbread, crab stuffed peppers, bacalao fritters. We also tried the lamb merguez flatbread, filet mignon with foie, trout, lechon, Spanish octopus, chickpeas and spinach, bacon wrapped dates and more. Yes we ordered a lot. I will say that my yelp people led me the wrong way. I thought the lamb flatbread was far better than the short rib flatbread. Crab stuffed peppers had a lot of crab but were not particularly flavorful. Asparagus was cooked perfectly but not much truffle flavor. I liked the octopus quite a bit and also The bacalao. Loved the filet with foie gras. Bacon wrapped dates are always good. The fish was just okay. The lechon was awesome and I would definitely want to come back to try the whole suckling pig to see if it is the best thing I ever ate. The ambience was bustling noise level moderate. Dress casual/smart. Lots of candles. Would definitely come back but I would like to check out some other places in Philly first.

    (4)

  • Mark B.

    Incredible! You have to try this place!

    (5)

  • Steve T.

    We came here since a friend recommended it. Luckily we booked ahead And they were very accommodating. Overall it was a great atmosphere and great for drinks. The suckling pig was very tasty but it's more of a dish for 6-8 people and comes with sides. Sangria was tasty as well.

    (4)

  • Lisa H.

    While visiting Philadelphia, a group of 4 of us had an early dinner at Amada, choosing the chef's tasting menu ($65/person) and pitchers of the white sangria. Amazing experience! The plates just kept coming and coming and coming...I believe there were a total of 10 dishes, plus dessert, so don't even THINK about ordering anything else if you opt for the tasting menu. Goat cheese starter, followed by a roasted beet salad, charcuterie selection, octopus (I'm usually not a fan, but the smoked paprika was fantastic), wagu beef, short ribs that fell off of the bone, a roasted eggplant dish, scallops (the only thing I didn't like, but I'm not a fan of scallops to begin with), a beef flatbread and I know I'm forgetting another item. We finished with the olive oil cake, served with ice cream, lemon curd and whipped cream and seriously were wondering how we were ever going to roll ourselves out of the place at the end of the meal. Our waiter was Michael, and he explained every dish to us and accommodated my aversion to lamb, making sure that none of the chef selections that made it to the table contained any. He was personable, attentive and served us at our own pace, so we didn't feel rushed at all. When I return to Philadelphia, this is definitely on my list for a second visit.

    (5)

  • T Tee M.

    Amada = Amazing! I took my husband for his 30th birthday. We sat in the back dining room which liked compared to the louder but still cool atmosphere of the bar and chef's table. We both did the chef's selection tasting menu of tapas. WE LOVE ANDALUSIAN FOOD and this menu completely bought us back to our honeymoon on the Costa del Sol. Thank you to Garces for this great experience, we will back!

    (5)

  • Cynthia X.

    My favorite Tapas place in Philadelphia! Granted I've only come during restaurant week... but from eating my way through many restaurant week participants, I have to say that Amada is probably one of the best deal for value selections. Their restaurant week menu offerings come from their regular menu, and the selections during each restaurant week is different. I still remember the potatoes bravas from my first visit there. It was delicious! but it wasn't offered the second time. The garlic shrimp is always a favorite, and they have a huge selection of cheese platters. There's something for everyone! We also tried their winter special spiced sangria. It's definitely on the sweeter side, but very festive.

    (5)

  • Richie T.

    My wife's favorite restaurant...and now mine, and rightfully so! Great service! Great atmosphere! And more importantly, AMAZING FOOD! They get packed on the weekends so be sure to make a reservation and also be sure to check out the bar if you arrive early and wait for your table. You will not be disappointed!

    (5)

  • Erin C.

    We lucked out getting a last minute reservation on a Sat. night. Tables were a little backed up, and Service Manager, Melody was amazing. Super friendly, apologetic, and communicative. The food was great as usual, but she made it that much more of an enjoyable experience. Keep up the good work, Melody! (I hope I got her name right!)

    (5)

  • Vlad O.

    After hearing great reviews about Amada in Atlantic City, and after seeing the prices, I decided that restaurant week would be a great opportunity to try Amada in Old City. The location and interior of the restaurant are very good and pleasant. I loved how rustic everything looked and how you can see the kitchen, which only had one chef working while I was there. The service was very fast, kind, and attentive. Almost everything I had was delicious! My friend and I decided to have the full tapas experience so we each ordered different items and shared it all in order to try the many items. We started with the aged manchego cheese with truffle lavender honey and the tortilla espanola. Both were very good, but I must say that the honey and cheese was exceptional! The dish came with bread, apples, honey, and cheese. We didn't know how to eat it so we piled it all on a piece of bread in layers, and the pairing of flavors was amazing! I personally do not like honey, but this honey wasn't very sweet and it had a very strong but pleasant truffle flavor. We then received our entrées. For restaurant week lunch, we were each allows one appetizer and two entrées. We ordered the shrimp and calamari "a la plancha" (grilled), the spicy potatoes, and the chicken salad. The shrimp had amazing flavor, but the calamari was too rubbery and left me wanting more flavor. The spicy potatoes were not too bad, but I was expecting something spicier; however, I would order them again. As for the salad, it was HUGE! The piece of chicken in it was the size of a whole chicken breast and it was so tender that it basically fell apart in my mouth. The salad was delicious and definitely made up for the other small portions. Thanks to it, we were not left hungry at all! Finally, the dessert was a crème catalana. It tasted just like the crème catalana did when I was in Spain. It was PERFECT! TIPS: Six tapas for two was plenty of food I wouldn't get the dishes a LA plancha Try the chicken and romaine lettuce salads THE CRÈME CATALANA!

    (4)

  • Addy P.

    Quaint restaurant located right in Old City amongst other curb side establishments. I had never been there prior to this visit. Reserved a table for two the day before and there was no problem getting in. We were promptly seated when the middle of dinner rush was under way. It took about 10 minutes for our waiter to come over and fill out water glasses and go over the menu. I understood (a little) since the place was packed but a bit displeased with having to wait a bit more than I intended. Since it was my other party's and my first time, we weren't quite sure what we wanted so we decided to go with the $65/ea. chef's selection consisting of 10 dishes served in a four course tapas style. Everything was signature and traditional Andalusian cuisine ranging from a range of sliced meats to cooked octopus. Everything was extremely delicious and savory. The servers were knowledgable about the menu but we're a bit quick in sharing what the items were so some of the plates were a game of guessing what we were eating. Those not fans of spicy food would enjoy their selection, but we asked to have spicer plates because my boyfriend and I are big on spicy plates. Along with their dishes, they have an extensive wine list, along with a handful of traditional cocktails and beers. All in all it was a good first visit. The price was a bit steep and the staff could've been interactive with the menu items, so if you rather have a fancy experience with a more comprehensive menu, I'd suggest elsewhere. But if you're looking for something new and adventurous, give this place a shot!

    (3)

  • Laura M.

    Great Spanish food. Came here for Philly restaurant week and had a great meal. Traditional Spanish food on small (but filling) plates. Watermelon and basil sangria: to die for. So refreshing. You wouldn't even know it was red wine. Spanish torta w. Saffron aioli: excellent. My favorite dish here. Well made, perfectly seasoned. Patatas bravas: over seasoned. I really wanted to like these because they are usually my favorite but they were too salty and too much smoked paprika was on them. And I love me some smoked paprika. Gambas de la playa: delicious. So well cooked and well seasoned. My one complaint is that they did not de-vein the shrimp, and one had a large black vein that ruined the taste. Crema dessert: so good! Crema, and pralines, and cranberries, oh my! Like a licoricey creme brûlée. A must get here. Service: impeccable. Didn't talk to much and we're perfectly attentive. Overall: really amazing food, but too inconsistent to be 5 stars.

    (4)

  • Louis R.

    I done fucked up. I came here for brunch instead of dinner. - The bloody mary was ok - The papas fritas were ok - Solo uno huevo para mi comida? Pero, tengo hambre, senor! - Chorizo esta peqeuno pero papas esta crunchy - El biscuits esta pequeno, tambien me gusto? meso meno.

    (3)

  • Kat S.

    Stopped by here for lunch since it's Old City Restaurant Week. A friend and I ordered lots of different dishes to get a taste of everything. We started with the Manchengo Cheese and the Ham Croquettes. Both were pretty good. For our second course we ordered Chorizo, Spicy Potatoes, Hanger Steak and Calamari. The Chorizo was probably the best dish. For dessert we had the Chocolate Cake and Custard. The Custard was the best choice for that course. We also had both the Tinto and Blanco Sangria, which was tasty. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed. It was a decent meal for a great deal.

    (3)

  • Bin L.

    A nice Spanish restaurant. You gotta try the beef rib flatbread which is great with a strong mix flavor of cheese and beef. The bite of delight just leaves you a lingering fantasy of cows walking on prairies.

    (4)

  • Mackenzie K.

    fantastic.. walked in on a saturday night with no reservations. a short 40 minute wait at the bar with a wonderful selection of wine, beer, and cocktails almost didn't make me want to leave to get our table. tried the chef's tasting menu w/ wine pairing and every dish was absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection. there were three levels of the tasting menu to choose from, we took the waitresses recommended of middle ground (not TOO exotic) and were extremely pleased with the selections. highly recommend the chef's tasting menu if you go.

    (5)

  • JB K.

    The food and ambiance here are amazing. I was out with clients and we had a slew of tapas dishes. The lamb and shaved manchego meatballs and garlic shrimp are stand-outs, as was the lobster paella: Oh.My.God. The menu doesn't indicate this, but the lobster paella contains squid ink, which becomes clear when the dish comes out and everything is stained black--delicious. If you are ever in Philly, this place is a MUST. The atmosphere is very hip and bare bones--we sat in the window at a picnic table set atop a square floor composed of loose pebbles. Linen curtains hang from the ceiling, and everything is low-lit. A truly great experience. Very expensive but well worth it.

    (5)

  • Noeleen U.

    A friend of mine and I decided to take advantage of Center City Restaurant Week with a trip to Amada. I had heard only good things of the restaurant; one cousin of mine told me to not walk, but run there; another cousin told me that she loved it, and the scallops she had during CCRW literally melted in her mouth. Our evening was absolutely fantastic. From the decor to the bathrooms, the ambiance was beautiful. I loved the fact that we were directed to "follow the candle-lit hallway" in order to get to the bathroom--it was so romantic! Amada makes me really want to be with a significant other, it was that romantic! The food was amazing. I was a little disappointed that the menu was not the same in house as it was listed on the CC District website...I was really looking forward to those scallops! I am one to turn a negative aspect into a positive, though; the choice would have been between scallops and calamari, so when the choice was actually between shrimp and calamari, I was excited to pick the calamari. The first course was great. I will echo what many others have said: the lavender truffled honey was divine. We also really enjoyed the garlic dulce de leche. Then there was some bread and meat dish with caperberries, dijon mustard, and tiny pickle thingies (yea, I'm really bad with food vocabulary, especially when it is foreign). My favorite first course plate was the Melon y Jamon, though; I absolutely love melon and proscuitto in the Italian tradition, so this was wonderful to me. And the best part? They gave us more bread to enjoy with the rest of our honey and caramel without reservation. The 2nd course was possibly even better than the first. Calamari that was not rubbery at all (my friend described it as "It just pops!"); Setas (wild mushrooms) that were grilled to perfection; meat-on-a-stick (again with the memory of vocabulary and such!); and poached egg and asparagus. I couldn't pick a favorite of the four plates...they were all so good! The 3rd course was dessert, and it was just as amazing. Flourless chocolate layer cake with Nutella and bittersweet chocolate ice cream? Vanilla cream custard with exotic fruits? A complimentary almond tuille the size of my forearm? YES PLEASE! And the waitstaff! So wonderful! So helpful! I honestly felt like I had died and gone to heaven for 2 hours. It really was that wonderful. So I guess I will repeat what my cousin said to me in regard to whether or not you should go to Amada.... Don't walk...RUN!

    (5)

  • Lauren K.

    I went here with a very large group for a work retreat. I was prepared for sub-par service and food that had been under the heat lamp too long, which is usually standard for groups of such a size (think wedding food...ick). Amada totally blew me away. Drinks were served immediately (sangria temporada with cranberries for me!) and the food was served family style. The waiters went to each table to ask people about food allergies or special diets. They not only accomodated me (mostly vegetarian with a shellfish allergy), but every time they brought out something with meat in it, they brought me out my own special dish. Amazing! I didn't ask for the special treatment, but it was highly appreciated. Dessert was some sort of Nutella-laced chocolate layer cake that should appear on the Food Network show "Best Thing I Ever Ate". Seriously that good. I've been a server in high volume restaurants that get big parties and I doubt I've ever provided service this good.

    (5)

  • Peter L.

    After seeing Jose Garces on Iron Chef America recently, I was psyched to visit Philly for a business trip this week. Amada was not around when I lived in Philly, so it was new to me, and I was very impressed with the first visit. The menu looks intimidating at first with many categories - chaucuterie and cheese, traditional tapas, salads, grilled items, and cosas or flatbread. A good strategy is to try something from each category. We started with chaucuterie and ordered a large plate of lomo, which was a generous portion for $9. The ensalada de jamon was another winner - a fig and cabrales cheese salad wrapped in serrano ham, which was very flavorful and also generous in portion. For some reason, some of the traditional tapas fell short, like the gambas al ajillo, which was not very flavorful. But the octopus with potato was incredibly flavorful and tender. Also not to be missed are the cocas (flatbread) and the version we liked best included duck confit, cabrales, Serrano ham and a date glaze. Like the salad, just an incredible combination of flavors. We somehow managed to save room for dessert, and the special was an item that the chef prepared on Iron Chef America, which included small cubes of various melon glazed with sugar (like crème burlee) accompanied by crème fraiche ice cream, which was a lighter and perfect ending to a glorious meal. Overall, Amada is refreshing new take on an old formula with many surprises. Highly recommended!

    (5)

  • a c.

    We had a great time here. Some tapas were better than others but overall they were great!

    (5)

  • Brynn D.

    went to amada last night - it's a consistently tasty place to dine once in a while when you have more than a few bucks in your bank account. with some liberal drinking, it's pretty easy to drop $100+ on a solo date. :) had some watermelon gazpacho (amazing), grilled lobster (probably not my favorite lobster preparation), patatas bravas (a little smoky for my taste, but perfectly cooked bite-sized potatoes), a stinky cheese whose name i don't remember (served with fig paste, apples and bread - skip the bread and fig and go straight for the cheese+apple combo here - you get the biggest cheese flavor that way). actually ended up sharing some dishes with my chef's table neighbor - took some of his octopus salad (flavorful, but missing something to round it out) and manchego mousse (best thing on the menu quite possibly!!). one minor complaint; the drinks here aren't nearly as strong as the newly-opened distrito. taking into account all jose garces currently has to offer, i think i like tinto best, distrito second with amada nipping at its heels.

    (4)

  • Mags M.

    I don't think I need to add to all the rave reviews but I will anyway. Everything is so tasty - the chorizo, the flatbreads, the charcuterie. We were there as they were closing and didn't feel rushed at all. I think Tinto is a sister restaurant which was only OK - between the two, Amada blows Tinto out of the water.

    (4)

  • Katie U.

    loved this place. came here for lunch during my first trip to philly. i loved the honey lavender cheese plate! the gazpacho amarillo and the caldo gallego soups were both amazing, as was the serrano ham & fig salad. very trendy decor, seems like it would be a great bar scene.

    (5)

  • Ryan C.

    If you can't like at least 1 of the 3 restaurants (Distrito, Tinto, Amada) that Jose Garces started...then you've probably haven't even tried them. All the places are Tapas and all are very different. I LOVE Tapas. Many people feel that Amada is the best of the 3, but I must say, the menu at this place is not as much my style as Tinto or Distrito. Here you'll find more of a Mediterranean style Menu. More fish, citrus, sweet, and sharp flavors then the more mellow northern style, creamy flavors that you'll find at Tinto. Distrito is just plain Modern Mex, and it's my fav. Some people describe Amada as "cozy," but I'd say it feels cramped. It's loud, and brighter than Tinto. Go here to be seen, go to Tinto for a 'cozy' date place, go to Distrito for a fun time with a lot of people. Distrito is the complete opposite of cramped. It's huge. The food here was excellent. We got the $60 tasting. The Sangria was a bit watery, and the desserts were ok. Get the lamb, the Sarrano Ham salad, but don't waste your time on the cheese plates and I hear the same about the olives. The steak was a bit too "pine tree" tasting for me. All in all, I'd come here if someone wanted to go, but I'm satisfied with the much-easier-to-get-a-table-at Distrito.

    (4)

  • D M.

    The food was fantastic from the cheese plate on down to the dessert. The only thing that dinged them a star was how loud it was and the fact that you are seated at a table the size of a postage stamp.

    (4)

  • Olivia F.

    Oh-my-god. The food here is incredible, every dish we ordered was uniquely delicious. For once, a place that is worth the crazy high prices! My boyfriend and I save up our money to try inventive (and usually expensive) places, and we will be saving to come back here very soon! Highly recommended for people who like to have many plates to eat off of instead of one boring meal kept to yourself. Get one of the sangrias, and come with a date or a small group. (if you come in a bigger group, they sit you on this stage, it's kind of awkward.)

    (5)

  • Alicia F.

    amada is easily my favorite restaurant in the city. the tapas are authentic (and mostly overwhelmingly delicious), and the service is always on point (they fold your napkin if you get up to go to the bathroom). do not miss: the sangria (any and all of them, though i'm partial to the white), the cheeses (again, any and all, but the la peral is excellent if you're into blue cheese), the parmesan artichokes, the patatas bravas (numnumnum), or that ridiculous magical banana dessert thing (no, that probably isn't what it's called). i could go on..but i've reached my parenthetical quota.

    (5)

  • Kristy L.

    Hands down, one of the best restaurants in Philadelphia. I recommend you splurge and go for the chef's tasting menu. This place is especially great for special occasions and New Year's Eve. The chef's tasting menu on NYE is more expensive and more decadent - and totally worth it. Get your reservation at least a couple months in advance though.

    (5)

  • Matthew M.

    The food doesn't suck, but the service level does. Its the only restaurant/bar that I've ever (EVER) walked out of twice. Cool layout and design, but I wouldn't go back for a 3rd try.

    (2)

  • Megan K.

    Friggin awesome! Nuff said

    (5)

  • Ethan H.

    Based on the reviews here I thought this place was going to be great- I don't think so. I figured everything would be spot on- not so much. The atmosphere is nice for sure. The service we recieved was appalling- however, I am not dinging them for that- this review is solely about the food. We got a whole bunch of tapas quickly then literally waited 20 mins for the rest. I have eaten at many a tapas places- I am comparing this to Toro in Boston- it's my benchmark (everything is spot on there). Specifics. The pork dish with fava beans here is truly amazing- 5 stars. The garlic shrimp- not great at all- they need a better supplier of shrimp. The patatas are very good- but toro's are much better. The scallops were way OVERCOOKED! The tuna- the quality of fish was good but I think the whole dish could have more flavor to it. The short rib flatbread was very good- intersting mix of flavors and texture. We had another one that had roasted onions- not good at all. All four of us (who eat in lots of restaurants as we travel for work) thought this place was good- not great. I would give it one more try to try some other dishes but so far its getting a 3 star from me. If you are ever in Boston and like taps- go to Toro- it's amazing.

    (3)

  • Susie S.

    OK chef Jose Garces. I am a fan now.

    (4)

  • Roland B.

    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!

    (5)

  • Jennell E.

    Absolutely loved it! Amazing experience... the only tapas miss was the calamari.

    (5)

  • ezekial f.

    a haiku, our meal was awesome there should be six stars on yelp i accept gift cards i hadnt been to amada in awhile, i do have a slight distaste for old city, but i'm building an immunity up (mithridization, look it up) god damn this place is so good! i went hot on the heels of a bartenders competition a few days ago, sponsored by blue coat gin, and featuring many of our favorite local bartenders. three of the folks from amada were there and they all deserved to be, but i digress. i can never decide everything at once, keep a menu handy for your whole meal. awesome octopus and never pass on the pequillo rellanos, sweet, smoky peppers stuffed with manchego and crab meat, wow! a good beer list and really good sangria. the staff here is great too, always knowledgable, dont be afraid to sit at the bar if its just two of you, the good service is everywhere. hope to see you soon guys.

    (5)

  • Joanne W.

    If I ever get back to Philly, this is where I want to go....a very memorable dining experience. Was in town for a meeting and did a little research and learned this restaraunt won an award for "best new restaraunt". And after having eaten here, I discovered why. Delicious. You really cannot go wrong with anything on the menu here. We got sangria for the table (very tasty) and did a tapas tasting for the table. We had a group of about 8 or 9. The food just kept coming it felt like and it was all fantastic. One person in our party was not eating meat and there was still a good variety of things for him to dine on. Cured meats (sliced on site) and cheeses - excellent. Great atmosphere and very accomodating to our party. A must try when in Philly. I cannot wait to try Chef Garces' new restaraunt Mercat...located in the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. Yea!

    (5)

  • Jane F.

    Great food. Great atmosphere. Yummy sangria. Super romantic. Reservation a must!

    (5)

  • Curtis F.

    Sunday night was the 45th birthday of a friend, so we celebrated here. Commuting in from the burbs was definitely worth it. The atmosphere is romantic and authentic, the food delicious, and the service was terrific. Tapas is one of my favorite ways to eat - sampling from the vast array of plates that were delivered with speed and gusto - aromatic, flavorful, and unique. The mixto of meats and cheeses were divine, as was the shrimp flatbread. We also shared the lamb chops which were perfectly done and palate lollipops. We will certainly be back. Also do not miss the white sangria - yummy!

    (5)

  • T D.

    Wonderful, authentic food. If you are staying stateside, this is the best tapas place I've visited in the America. Chef Jose Garces has worked wonders procuring and preparing an authentic fare. The jamon is some of the best I have had outside of Spain. 5 stars. The setting is fairly authentic and intimate. The service is splendid. 4.5 stars.

    (5)

  • Danny T.

    awesome food, can get a bit noisy

    (4)

  • Daniel M.

    It can be amazing if you hit on the right night. Consistency is a problem. At this point they are big enough they could get a Q/A department. Service is efficient though by no means friendly, especially when you arrive, even with a reservation and your whole party. You will be visiting the bar no matter what. Business first, customer second.

    (4)

  • Elaine C.

    I was in Philadelphia for a night, and heard so much about this place, decided to try it out. However, I have to say I was a little disappointed -- the flavor combinations were a bit off. The lavender truffle honey that came with our cheese is no comparison to the ground pepper truffle honey I've had at Otto in NYC. Some of the dishes are gigantic in proportion (like the serrano ham with figs salad, which is good but very basic) and others are tiny. The only real treat was the crab-stuffed peppers...all the other dishes we ordered were unimpressive and likely replicatable them at home. Overall, a decent meal, but nothing amazing here.

    (3)

  • Vincent G.

    Been to Amada many times and the food is sensational. Nothing matches it in the city. By far best restaurant I have been to.

    (5)

  • al h.

    Went with a date for restaurant week. Had a reservation for 5:30p but arrived at 5:10p. I was seated immediately. The decor didn't really stand out to me at all, though the appearance was neatly laid out. Servers were very attentive and friendly. Food was terrific. I really enjoyed all of the appetizers (4 tapas) and entrees (again, 4 tapas). I did feel a little rushed as they continued to pile food onto our table even before we were finished some of the plates. I guess a place like that needs to get people in and out during restaurant week. I probably would not go back unless there is another deal going on, simply because I left still a little hungry and that menu is of course, not cheap. Food was definitely terrific though.

    (4)

  • Karen P.

    Tapas, Tapas, Tapas! Restaurant week in Philly is so much more interesting when Great Tapas come to town and Amada is there with open arms. Let the Sangria flow and the food keep on coming. This place is a definite "To DO" when you're in Philadelphia - you won't leave hungry.

    (4)

  • R U.

    Everything was good and the atmosphere was pretty fun. This is a great restaurant to go to for special dates. The short rib flatbread and the meat entrees in particular were very memorable. One complaint (and the reason for the loss of one star) is that almost all of the dishes were on the salty side. The salad that we ordered (contained gorgonzola, figs, nuts and wrapped with ham) was inedible due to its saltiness (raw salt was liberally sprinkled on top of the ham, which made it even worse). Still, despite this, the experience was very enjoyable and the entrees and flatbreads more than compensated for the salad. Would recommend this place to friends who are looking for a more fancy meal!

    (4)

  • john s.

    Memorable meal. Tapas as it should be! excellent service -- inventive food, beautifully presented. Sit at the counter, watch and learn! The prices rack up but its well worth it!

    (4)

  • christine y.

    I went here for restaurant week with a friend and we got to sit at chef's table...super score! we got to pick from their prixe fixe menu, but the options were vast, all of the food that came to our table was delicious, the waitstaff was patient and friendly, service was pretty quick, and we got to watch the chefs in action, which was awesome! i would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes good food!

    (5)

  • Mike E.

    A very nice Tapas bar. Everything is delicious, just need to pick and choose, just be careful, it gets expensive at the end. The spicy potatoes and the lamb are great! Make reservations in advance (sometime you will need a few days ahead).

    (5)

  • Lodde D.

    We ate at Amada earlier today for an earlier dinner. I'm paying for it now (I dropped not one, but two frightening piles) - But when we ate the meal, it was excellent. The service was attentive and the food was great. The highlights were the crab stuffed peppers, rare lamb meatballs, and seafood pasta. I knew right away I'd like this place when they brought complimentary bread crisps with a pseudo-tuna hummus. Whatever the hell it was, I was twitching six ways till Sunday. My first positive review on Yelp.

    (4)

  • Robert N.

    We arrived at Amada with great anticipation. We were told by everyone we meet here that it is the best restaurant in Philly. We have had such good food in Philly that we were excited to experience the latest rave in town. We were underwhelmed! The service was great, friendly, professional, but the food did not stand up to its reputation. Maybe its because we have these styles of restaurants in LA and the locals have found a new way of serving Prosciutto but the much talked about salad -Ensalada de Jamon - Serrano Ham and fig salad was disappointing, the fig was not fresh fig but dried and the selection of the Serrano Ham could have been better. The clams and sausage was a great Spanish traditional with little flavor. We could have been eating tofu! We didnt get this restaurant. The artichokes were good, Barrimundo was ok. I really think that the locals are enjoying the Spanish Tapa craze that has swept the country a while ago. But I have had much better Tapas in LA and New York. I would rather eat at other restaurants in this city of fine restaurants. So my advise, if you are coming in from out of town, skip this one and try other great seafood establishments in the City.

    (2)

  • B Y.

    Amada is hands down one of the best restaurants in Philly. There are so many reviews that I will keep this short but they have fantastic tapas, drink specials, and wonderful atmosphere that make this place a special treat. It is definitely pricey but well worth the money for a special occasion!

    (5)

  • Romana R.

    Not worth the money. Go up chestnut street to buddakan for good food. We had a reservation and still had to wait 20 minutes. I thought it would be worth the wait but the food was not as good as others had rated it. The only thing I enjoyed was the short rib flatbread. The cheese platter was disgraceful. The entrees were not memorable. The drinks were good though.

    (2)

  • Nancy L.

    Had an amazing dinner. Indecisive (and lazy) so went for the $65 chef's selection. Beautiful restaurant. Favorite dishes include the crispy sweet breads and the oysters. I will definitely go back the next time I'm in Philly.

    (5)

  • Stacey T.

    Amada does not disappoint. There are loads of rave reviews for a reason - it simply is that good. My favorite tapas was the red pepper stuffed with cheese and shrimp. The Sangria was amazing. I was glad I was on expense account.

    (5)

  • Takaki K.

    Very yummy tapas. The $45 chef's special gave us a great variety of dishes from salad to scallops scewers to lamb chops (desserts are separate). It was a lot of food and we were pretty full by the end. White sangria was good too. We were saying that the restaurant looked like it came straight out of Crate&Barrels, but the food was good enough that it didn't bother us.

    (4)

  • Kelly S.

    I think that everything that could be said about Amada has already been said by the other Yelpers, but I want to put in my two cents anyway. I went to Amada last night for Restaurant Week, and the food was fantabulous. I wish I wasn't a poor grad student because I want to live at Amada. I started off the night with a white wine sangria that had fresh mint and a slice of peach in it. It was delicious. For Restaurant Week, each person is allowed to order 2 first courses, 2 second courses, and 1 dessert for $30 a person (I LOVE RESTAURANT WEEK!). Basically, my boyfriend and I ordered different dishes and just shared them all equally. For the first course, I ordered aged manchego cheese with truffled lavender honey, apple slices, and teeny bread slices and then gazpacho with crabmeat and avocado mousse. My boyfriend got the Spanish octopus and the olives. It was all amazing, but I think the best dish of the four was the cheese dish. The cheese was perfect, but the truffled lavender honey put the dish over the top and into the stratosphere. I don't think I've ever enjoyed eating a cheese dish more (and I like cheese!). The olives were great. There were A LOT, and they were of all varieties, soaked in olive oil and herbs. The octopus was tender and tasted slightly smoky, while the gazpacho was fresh and light. For the second course, I ordered scallops grilled a la plancha and a shrimp flatbread, while my boyfriend got a dish with truffled grilled chicken over broiled potato with a fried egg on top (I think it was a quail egg b/c it was small, but I'm not certain of that) and grilled chorizo (sausage). All four dishes were just so delicious, it's hard to describe. The scallops were grilled to perfection - perfectly tender, not too chewy, flavored just enough with herbs, but with the scallop flavor coming through. The chorizo was yummy, and the shrimp flatbread was out of this world. It was like a shrimp pizza, with pepperoni, tomatoes, cheese, and shrimp, only it was better than any pizza I've ever eaten before. The crowning achievement, though, by far was the chicken dish. The combination of fried egg, chicken, potato, and black truffles was heaven. I'm getting hungry again just thinking about it. Speaking of which, you'd think that small plates of food wouldn't get you full, especially since the plating (which looks like something from the Iron Chef - the plating is beautiful) encourages slower eating. However, despite how slowly we ate, my boyfriend and I were stuffed before we even had dessert. Of course, we ate dessert anyway, and it was worth the tight pants on the way home! We got an order of mixed berrries (rasberries, strawberries, blackberries) with a vanilla sorbet/gelato on top. So good, so light, so tasty. We also got an order of Spanish rice pudding, which was an interesting layer of flavors. There was a slightly yellow, tart layer on top, followed by the rice pudding, with a berry layer on the bottom. It was the perfect way to end a perfect meal. In addition, the servers were so gracious and amazing. The place was packed and is pretty tight with the seating (I was at the most awkward table, too - near the kitchen, and my seat sort of blocked their dirty dish tower), and the servers have everything down to a science. No one dropped anything, bumped into anyone, or had any other sort of mishap, and the tables were cleaned and reset I think within 60 seconds of the tables being vacated, so that the next customers got their seats within a few minutes of their reservation time (our reservation was for 9:45, and we were seated by 9:50). It was amazing - I would have dropped something on someone, but the servers at Amada are all pros. In addition, a very nice woman came over to us twice to see how we were doing, and I suspect that she was the owner because she was dressed up and was not wearing the servers' black outfit. Finally, the decor is just cool. It's warmly lit, inviting, and pleasing to the eye. I heartily recommend this place. Just get reservations before you go because Amada is one of the most happening restaurants in town. In all, Amada is perfecto!

    (5)

  • Amy A.

    Had never had a tapas style meal before so this was a new experience. We were a party of 3 (with our 13 yo dd) so we didn't have a lot to share in some of the entrées. Our favorites were Sea Scallops, Chorizzo and clams, and both desserts (though I don't recall the names of the ones we had). We were disappointed with the potatoes, though. The atmosphere and servers were excellent.

    (5)

  • Yen T.

    I was so excited when Philly finally had a tapas place. Living in SF, there are a lot of choices when it comes to spanish food. I so wanted to love this place but the service was really slow and the portions for the price can empty out your bank account. I must admit the sangria was good.

    (3)

  • Marisa J.

    Great food and service. My friend was in town visiting with her new little dog and we somehow ended up having dinner outside at Amada. The food was fantastic. Our waitress even brought ice water for the puppy.

    (5)

  • anglophile B.

    Was here earlier this week. Waitress selected something I would NEVER think to order and it was delicious. My biggest regret was not knowing about their cocktails at this place until after I left.

    (5)

  • Matt L.

    I was unimpressed. Our waitress was not attentive and made is feel like we were an inconvenience. The food was forgettable. I will return to give it a second chance since everyone else seems to have had a great experience.

    (2)

  • Jay C.

    For a city known for its culinary heights Amada really stands out from the crowd. Even though I had been to Morimoto's for dinner the night before, then Le Beq Fin for lunch, Amada's was able to blow my pampered stomach away. Those two really couldn't compare. Not the same league, really. While the decor is subdued the ambiance is electric. The waitstaff was super friendly and helpful with tapas suggestions, and I've never sat in more comfortable bar stools in my LIFE. The cheese plate accompanied by homemade jams was a favorite. We ordered the stinkiest cheeses available and their accompaniments were superb. Their special sangria's were also outstanding. I'd be back here in a heartbeat.

    (5)

  • yahaira f.

    I had my rehearsal dinner here last month and the food and sangrias were amazing. I couldn't be happier. With every course the food just got better. The lamb chops were a fave as well as the fava salad and shrimp.

    (5)

  • jen m.

    my last proper meal in philly was at amada and this was after a slew of starr restaurants under my belt. i found that the ambiance and decor for this place was slightly lacking at first glance only because it seemed so NOT over the top the way morimoto and pod were. but then i realized the beauty in it's subtlety and i was quite pleased. then it came down to the menu.... i have quite a love/hate relationship with tapas restaurants. love because ALL the food is generally so tasty looking that i want to try it ALL. hate because my stomach says "why? why are you trying to feed me til i burst?" we were 5 at the table and the lovely waitress came by and said she recommended we get btwn 3 and 4 plates per person. we went with the ladies orders and rounded up about 17 or 18 dishes we had our eyes on. by the end of the meal my love for the place had turned to hate. my stomach was about to burst. but all because of the amazingly good food i had just ingested. the two women who took care of us were super friendly. the one woman managed to remember ALL of our dishes as i rattled them off one by one. she didn't make a single mistake. that alone deserves an over-the-top tip. all the food was delicious and my white wine based sangria was very very good. even if my stomach was hating me, i still loved the place and would easily return.

    (5)

  • Elaine R.

    Excellent food and service, although it was very busy due to valentines Day weekend... As vegetarians there was plenty of dishes to choose from : our favorites : garrotxa which was cheese with a savory garlic dulce de leche dip; tortilla espanola,arroz temporado... Try the cocktails! I had the Tie me up tie me down - delicious Book in advance you wont be disappointed

    (5)

  • Greg L.

    My wife and I celebrated our anniversary here and after really enjoying Distrito's, we were very excited to try Amada. I had the opportunity to try his AC location a few weeks earlier and left not overly impressed, so I was a bit worried about coming back. I'm happy to say that I enjoyed the Philly location much more than his AC location. I even ordered some of the same items, and it looked different and tasted better at the Philly location. We got to the place a bit early for our reservation, so we went to the bar and had a few drinks. Someone had told us they had the best Sangria's and so my wife went through the three that they had, and agreed that they were the best Sangria's she's ever had. Once it was time for our reservation, the hostess came over to the bar and found us and let us know that our table was ready. We started off with the Mixito cheeses and unlike the AC location, they let us pick the three that we wanted. We went with the Aged Manchego, Fresh Queso de Cabra, and the Ermesenda. All of it was delicious, but the Ermesenda with the chocolate hazelnut puree was my favorite. Next up was the Chipirones Fritas (fried baby squid) and the Gambas Al Ajillo (garlic shrimp). We both preferred the garlic shrimp and although the squid wasn't bad, we probably wouldn't order that one again. Flatbread was next, and we went with the Costillas de Ternera. This was presented and tasted much better than the one I had at his AC location. Our last tapa was the Madre E Hijo, which is a chicken breast topped with a fried egg. I wish there was more fried egg on it, but it was yummy. We couldn't leave without dessert, I went with the Moca, which is a chocolate torte with vanilla mousse, coffee, and butterscotch. My wife ordered the Tarta de Manzana, an apple tart with sheep's cheese and roasted apple sherbet. Since our waitress learned it was our anniversary, they both came out with a candle, which was a really nice touch. Both desserts were good, but the Moca was clearly our favorite! Overall, service was excellent and it took us a little over two hours to get through our seven tapas. It was a very enjoyable meal and we would certainly come back to celebrate a special occasion.

    (4)

  • Buo Z.

    DO NOT ORDER the lobster paella. This was such a rip-off. One tiny lobster and regular seafood for $75 - this is a joke, right? The black squid ink rice was so bland and mushy. Where is the soccarat?? I can get this in Barcelona for a quarter of the price and it would taste 1000000x better with better quality seafood too. Everything else was good though. Food: Yellow tomato gazpacho - a bit on the sour side Gambas al ajillo (no head on shrimp) - sauteed in garlic and oil. delicious. Albondigas (lamb meatballs) - meaty but good Pulpo (octopus) - good Beef short ribs flatbread - pretty good Lobster paella - this is not paella. Awful. See above.

    (4)

  • Christy S.

    If I was rating Amada only on the food, I'd give it five stars. So many dishes are delicious! The bacon wrapped dates and the crabbed stuffed peppers are at the top of my list of favorites. I even love the complimentary tuna appetizer and the cookie that comes with the check. Unfortunately, the last few times I've been to Amada, the service has been very poorly timed. Several dishes come out almost immediately and then there is a long wait. Better timing on the dishes would bring this up to a 5 star!

    (4)

  • Tara G.

    Hubby and I finally got to try Amada for Restaurant Week. We were definitely wowed by the food. I started off with the Volmer cocktail- lavender-infused gin with celery water. It was an excellent apertif and I was thrilled with it. My favorites of the evening were the aged manchego, anything chorizo and the ham croquettes. The rice pudding was also really good. Unfortunately, the server completely forgot about one of our dishes (the scallops) and even failed to notice it was missing from the table after coming to check on the food. He rushed off so quickly that we couldn't even inform him of the mistake. We were able to flag him down, and then eventually received our scallops. There was some kind of strange finishing salt that had such a gritty texture that my husband thought it may have been sand. I like to assume a restaurant of this caliber would not have sand in their scallops, so it must have been a finishing salt. It was not tasty and had a horrible texture. I would politely suggest considering something else. Other than the issue with the forgotten food, everything was wonderful. I will consider returning in a non-Restaurant Week setting in hopes of receiving more attentive service.

    (4)

  • Gretchen E.

    Perfect for special occasion (read: $$$$). Candle-lit, chic black chairs and thick oak tables, well-dressed waiters and diners make for an intimate ambiance and upscale experience. The focus here is tapas and wines (obvi), but feasts include a whole pig roast, lobster paella, and special occasion pre fixes. I recommend splitting a pitcher of the white sangria, and adorning it with pulpo, mussels, and an ensalada verde (as large as an upside-down cereal bowl). It's Garces, so good cheeses and meats as well. If you are into that .

    (4)

  • Carol C.

    I must say, at first I was a little irritated at the long wait and impossibility of getting a reservation at a normal time, but all of the bitterness transformed into bliss after taking one single bite. My friend and I shared 2 glasses of wine, the tinto sangria, and 5 tapas plates. Clams: Savory, perfectly cooked, and comes with chorizo to add some more flavor Parmesan Asparagus: This is the first vegetable that has ever made my eyes tear up from being so delicious. Comes with a poached egg inside of a truffle sauce, ready to be dipped by parmesan crisps. I LITERALLY had to take a break to keep myself from crying. Wagyu Beef: MELT IN YOUR MOUTH GOODNESS. SOFTEST meat i've ever had in my LIFE. Comes with potatoes and sauce that perfectly complements the flavors. Shrimp Flatbread: I don't know what kind of cheese they use for their flatbreads, but I'm pretty sure you can order any kind of flatbread here and it will be AMAZING. We ordered the shrimp, which was perfectly marinated to top the cheese. Last, but not least, we ordered the bacon with dates as our finale. Now, this is something that I would NEVER have ordered (who orders dates at a Spanish tapas place?), but our server recommended it as a finisher, and we are SO GLAD we got it. Perfect mix of sweet and savory, with an additional almond crunch to sweetly finish up our meal. In the end, after all the months of waiting and annoyance to try this place, my only regret is not forcing my way into this place earlier. Don't let the long wait scare you away - you will only be doing yourself harm.

    (5)

  • Anne K.

    Can't believe it took me so long to FINALLY get my butt over here for a meal. If you're into cheese, I would recommend starting your meal off with a Mixto, which is basically their cheese platter. It's a decent size and they're very accommodating if you need more bread (sliced baguette, to be exact) on which to spread said cheese. We had the Aged Manchego (the truffled lavender honey is heavenly!), La Serena, and La Peral, which was actually our favorite of the trio. If you enjoy blue cheese, you're going to love La Peral. The cocas (a.k.a. Spanish flatbreads) all sounded great, but we ended up sharing the Lechon con Queso Azul, which was absolutely AMAZING. We also had the Queso de Cabra, which was essentially baked goat cheese, tomato basil and almonds. This dish was actually our least favorite, but it was still pretty tasty... the only reason I didn't like it as much as the others was because it reminded me of a deconstructed pizza. Make sure to make a reservation way in advance to be seated at a table. We were walk-ins and managed to grab the last two seats at the bar (not the chef's counter) and while it wasn't too uncomfortable, I wouldn't recommend it for people with back problems. Looking forward to returning for their tasting menu at some point in the near future.

    (5)

  • Nicole O.

    Great if you love traditional Spanish tapas. Service was a rad slow though, so we were hungry for most of the meal (the reason I'm not a tapas fan). Worth a try though. The atmosphere is really romantic

    (4)

  • Agustin K.

    Came with high expectation. Came in for lunch and I took a client with me. We ordered the chef tastings (have to order for the entire table and minimum for two). For the price ($35) it was a good deal. Make sure you come hungry. I also feel that the order of food was not planned appropriately, they served most of the carb upfront so we got full too fast. First was the prosciutto salad - good and refreshing The cheese, apple and honey was interesting but not too special Patata bravas - good but I wished they serve it at the end Scallop - best dish After this I was already so full... Was only able to taste a little bit of the beef and chicken afterwards... I'll ensure to come starving so I can enjoy then a bit more next time.

    (4)

  • Joe K.

    Sweet Jesus - this place still rocks. Haven't been there years and what I remember is being giddy over the food. It did not disappoint even years later. Truffled lavender honey still haunts me. Croquettes are nicely crusted and deep with pork flavor. Spinach salad is perfectly dressed with an excellent mix of textures including dried fig and spicy almonds. Shirred eggs and shrimp are too die for. Chorizos and white bean stew is brothy but still hearty and complex An expertly made cold, silky Manhattan started things off right.

    (5)

  • Greg T.

    This place is pricy. Potato bravos are served in tiny portions during dinner time. We had to wait for the cheese plate for 20 min though we asked to get it ASAP, so we could go pay parking on time. Sangria is good, but tapas are nothing special. The tables are narrow and close to each other. They also didn't have chocolate desert available which added to my disappointment. I guess I had to lower my expectations before I entered the restaurant or it was just nit the best evening to dine.

    (3)

  • Carol S.

    I was really excited for Amada but it was a letdown. I came for restaurant week. I came especially excited to try the ham croquettes, which they were out of? The waitress tried to make it the substitute for the ham croquette very similar to the original thing so we decided to go for it and we pretty much got bread with thin slices of ham. I felt like I was having fancy Lunchables. Two out of three of my shrimp were also overcooked, tough and chewy. I did enjoy the one that was cooked correctly though. It was a letdown because they didn't even have what I came in wanting nor prepared what I did want well. The service was nice which is why I give more than one star. And the spicy potatoes were good too-- it reminded me of the cajun fries from Five Guys. Except I was in Amada.

    (2)

  • Lindsay V.

    I've been negligent. M and I visited this fine establishment on Valentine's Day and I haven't reviewed it. UNTIL NOW! Since it's been so long and since my memory is.. lacking... I don't specifically remember everything that we got (we got the chef's tasting). I do, however, remember the white sangria that I got and it was amazing. I turned down the wine tasting just so I could continue to drink the sangria. I've never had rosemary in a drink and I have to say, I didn't hate it. Our waitress was wonderful. When ordering the tasting, she made sure she knew what our likes and dislikes were, and never made us feel bad for the things we didn't like. She refilled our drinks promptly and was friendly throughout our (long) stay. The only reason I didn't give Amada five stars is because we weren't totally wowed by the food. While there were a few dishes that we were impressed by, overall we decided that while we liked Amada, we weren't totally blown away by it. Would we come again? Definitely. Next time, though, I don't think we would get the chef's tasting. There were a few specific dishes on the menu that caught my eye, and I would really like to go back and try them.

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    Everyone knows that Amada is outstanding. The small plates are diverse and flavorful and it's so fun to be able to chose a variety of them to round out a meal. We went for my birthday and it was a very special experience. I particularly enjoyed the cheese plate and thought it was really fun to be able to pick three cheese to try out of a number of selections. The cheeses were amazing and the complementary spreads were carefully paired. I also particularly enjoyed the grilled green onions- I love green onions and they came with a delicious tahini sauce. The garlic shrimp were also amazing. The service was stellar and I would highly recommend Amada for a special event.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Amazing!!!! Great food, a little pricey, but you get great food for what you pay for. I will definitely go back! The croquettas were amazing.

    (5)

  • Jess G.

    Amada is an awesome brunch option in Philly! I was skeptical when I looked at the menu because I'm a pretty picky eater, but I'm glad I took a friend's recommendation and went. I really liked everything I tried! We didn't get drinks, but I now wish I had tried the whiskey coffee - the price put me off a bit, but the regular coffee was $4.50 anyway, so I think I'd just go all out next time. Overall, our meal wasn't that expensive because the portion sizes were pretty big and we split some starters before each getting our own "entree." The regular coffee was great - nice and strong. I just wish they'd come by more often for refills! To start off, we split the queso de cabra and the lemon ricotta pancakes. Both were fantastic. The baked goat cheese was rich and creamy, with a great tomato sauce. We asked for more bread, which they happily provided, so that we could sop up all the cheese and sauce. We didn't let any go to waste! When my friend recommended the lemon ricotta pancakes, I thought she was crazy - neither lemon nor ricotta sounded appetizing in pancakes. However, it definitely worked! The pancakes were awesome, as was the maple syrup served with them. I almost wished I had ordered the pancakes just for myself, although the portion size was still plenty for everyone to share (4 pancakes for each order). Although everything is done tapas-style, we opted to each get one dish as our "entree." For my entree, I got Amada's omelet. The omelet is made with manchego cheese and serrano ham, and let me tell you, they DO NOT skimp on the ham. The omelet was huge, so $12 was a great price. The ham surrounded the outside of the omelet, which I'd never seen before. Overall, it was very tasty and the potato/veggie hash on the side was a great addition. I didn't even finish the whole omelet! My boyfriend got the lamb meatballs and the patatas bravas. Usually, patatas bravas don't excite me much, but these were unique - more like fries with a tasty aioli. My boyfriend really liked the meatballs as well, and he couldn't even finish both dishes, which means he was really full. Our other friends with us both really liked their dishes as well! We didn't get any dessert because we were too full, but the options were VERY tempting. I would definitely go back to Amada next time I go to Philly and I recommend it to anyone. It's very nicely decorated inside and the service was good - we were casual for brunch but I assume it's a little dressier for dinner.

    (4)

  • David L.

    Food: 3 Decor: 4 Service: 4 Came here for dinner after touching down in PHL. 1. Garlic shrimp, 12 ~Pretty good. Shrimp was cooked perfectly and was piping hot. 2. Scallops, 12 ~Okay. Scallops were cooked pretty well, and the lemon definitely helped. 3. Chorizo, 9 ~Mediocre. Too salty. 4. Esprragos Con Trufas, 11 Grilled asparagus, truffles, poached egg, mahón crisp ~Pretty good. Service was good. The valet service is absolutely awful though. There was no one there to pick up my car when I dropped it off, and then I had to wait over 10 min to pick it up.

    (3)

  • Jean T.

    The brunch was so good! I wish we had time to go back for a dinner, but the next time we're in Philly I would love to try it. We ordered the salmon on toast and asparagus con truffas for brunch. The combination of the salmon with the egg and toast was perfect. The asparagus was also delicious. It had some smoky bacon in it, which was SO GOOD!

    (5)

  • Alan W.

    Perhaps I was expecting too much. My wife and I came here for our first wedding anniversary. I called a week ahead to let them know I wanted tonight to be special, and was told that they would provide us with as romantic of a setting as possible, and it was noted that we were celebrating a special day. As soon as we walked in, we were promptly seated and the waiter was at our tableside. Great, right? It was...until this same speed continued throughout our entire meal. Perhaps he was trying to be attentive, but we were asked about our drink selections before we got to even glance at the drink menu. We were also asked about our meal selections 4 times, while we were clearly still reading. The food came out extremely quickly (which was great) until the second course blended into the final course, and the dessert came before we finished the second course. If I were in a hurry and was at a short order restaurant, the speed would be great. However, we were at Amada for a romantic, quality, dinner, and I felt like I was at a diner being rushed by a waiter who wanted a table to clear up (come on...dessert came before we finished eating!). Oh, and no mention at all about our anniversary. I'm giving Amada 2 stars because of the quality of the food...it was indeed as good as advertised, but very very overpriced. If you want a quality tapas experience with good quantity/prices, don't go here.

    (2)

  • Gautam T.

    Amada is one of those restaurants that really doesn't need the praise because the food, service and atmosphere speak for itself. Now don't go here here unless you're willing to splurge because it will run you a hefty bill and there is really no point in going here if you just want to grab a casual dinner. First off, if you're going for the first time, just do it right and get the tasters menu. The tasters menu has two choice the 55 and 65 dollar choices. The only difference being the 65 dollar choice is more food and I think the chef chooses more expensive tapas. My favorite dishes was the steak on a skewer and the lamb chops. The steak was American Kobe which was sinful, the steak just melts in your mouth its so tender. The lamb was my favorite though full of fat and flavor just like I like. Oh yeah and did I mention they make some pretty mean sangrias. Next time I go I am going to try the suckling pig which has gotten rave reviews.

    (5)

  • Tahirah T.

    when here for my birthday i loved it. good food and atmosphere . it's a family style menu where you order for the Alberta and everyone dig in but i do think it more date night cause the sizes are not huge. enough to wet you lips but not fill your belly. hint perfect for a date. for my b day i wanted to pig out not eat pretty. i will come back but not when i am hungry or want to party. on a date with hubby yes.

    (4)

  • Natalie H.

    Amada is the best spot in Philly for tapas, Spanish style finger food. Each dish is a delectable bite with a diverse mix of flavors. Great atmosphere, a good spot for a date or a dinner with friends and family. Overall delicious food, fyi - with top prices to match - try the baked queso de cabra !

    (5)

  • Olga M.

    Big disappointment...underwhelming food with borderline poor service. Even sangrias are meh. Overall 4.5 rating confuses me.

    (3)

  • Emily H.

    In a word, phenomenal. My husband and I dined here recently for our anniversary and, given the occasion, decided to go for the tasting menu and wine pairing. We didn't regret it for a second, as each dish was better than the last. We arrived early for our reservation so we headed to the bar for a glass of sangria. The watermelon rose' sangria was light and delicious, albeit a little sweet. The red was much more full bodied and also yummy. The tasting menu allowed us to sample several dishes. Highlights included the cheese sampler (especially the manchego with lavendar honey), ensalada de jamon, and beef filet topped with with foie gras. There were 9 or 10 dishes in total, I believe, and all were fantastic. The wines paired perfectly with each course and were very enjoyable. The service was great. The hostess, our bartender, and the server were all very cordial and professional. The valet parking worked well too and pricing was comparable to the lots/garages in the area even with tip. The one downside was the noise level - it was difficult to hear my dining partner over the dull roar of the other patrons. Things seemed to quiet down later in our meal, probably around 9:30 or so.

    (5)

  • Allen Y.

    tl;dr: Great tapas option in Philadelphia! Wide variety of food, and great for brunch I'm generally not a huge fan of tapas, but I was really impressed with some of the dishes here. They also have a few special brunch items for that time of day (in exchange for a more limited selection of their typical tapas). Dishes I particularly enjoyed: -Croquetas -Crab-stuffed peppers -Lamb meatballs -Galletas y salsa -Lemon ricotta pancakes The grilled items and the cheese/meat boards were really high-quality, but I would probably skip on them next time in favor of the more unique tapas options.

    (4)

  • Emily C.

    After my not so stellar review of Tinto, I feel like I need to show Garces some love. Amada ranks among my favorite restaurants in the city. I have been many, many times and had the chance to taste most of the menu items and been impressed by almost everything. There is a reason why after 8+ years in business it is still difficult to get a table, even on a random Tuesday. The service at Amada is always wonderful and on point. Tinto and Rosa Blanca could use a few pointers. The food is delicious. One of my Amada highlights was the night that ~15 of us had the Cochinillo Asado. So delicious. I also find the tasting menus to be well worth the price. It is always a great selection and huge quantity of food. That aside - some of my menu favorites include the short rib flatbread, the tortilla espanol, the garlic shrimp, the bacon-wrapped dates, the roasted eggplant, the madre e hijo, the scallops and the cured meats and cheeses (so basically everything on the menu). I have only had one dish that I didn't really get - the revuelto. I wouldn't order that again. Besides that, everything is top notch. Also - the sangria is great. Amada is one of our go to restaurants when we have visitors in town (and when we don't). It always impresses.

    (5)

  • Tim C.

    Let me start by saying that I think Amada is very good, solid 4 stars, I would do 4 1/2 if I could. All of the food I have had there is at least good to very good. For me though, I would say a little bit lower rate of hitting home runs than a place like Supper. Still there are definitely some great dishes, the spicy potatoes are awesome, warm fava bean salad is also quite good. Service has always been solid as well. Went to the one in AC twice too and it's just as good as Philly. Do recommend Amada.

    (4)

  • Rachel A.

    The Cochinillo Asado meal brought me back to Segovia in Spain where they are famous for the roast suckling pig. Mmm mmm I could taste it right now, the crackly skin and the tender juicy meat. This pig needs no sauce or additional seasoning. We specifically went to Amada for the roast suckling pig and it was well worth it. At first I had reservations. About $200+ for a half pig... We could get a whole le chon for that price and feed a party of 30 from a Filipino restaurant. But once you try the roast suckling pig, you will find that there is absolutely no contest. I choose the Cochinillo Asado hands down. It arrived crispy and golden on a carving table complete with a personal chef who carved it away. I thought it looked tiny, it is baby after all, but after having a serving or two, I realized there was more to this pig than I had thought. Our table was left with a heaping mound of suckling pig and after six people had eaten one, two, three servings of it, a dent was barely made. Oh man your money stretches at Amada. We were all able to take home the leftovers. That's 16 lbs of pig for six people. It is no joke. I ate that pig for dinner the next day and it was just as delicious, juicy, tender, and tasty as it was the day before. The sides are nothing to go raving about but made for a nice plate. I did enjoy the fingerling potatoes and Rosemary White Beans a lot. A tad salty and drenched with olive oil but definitely hit the spot. We ordered the Paella Valenciana and I was gravely disappointed. The paella is a fake with strips of dry and flavorless chicken sitting on top along with toasted bread and saffron aioli. Huh? It didn't even have a crispy bottom. I am glad my request for lobster was denied. The paella is a waste of money. Stick to tapas if you feel that your suckling pig meal will be lacking. If not for the paella, I would have given Amada 5 stars. The sangria was great. Have a drink at the bar while you're waiting and bring the pitcher to your table when ready. The atmosphere is young and hip, very lively. Definitely a fun spot for family and friends. We actually closed down Amada and got kicked out of the restaurant for lingering too long. Ah, who said weekends in Philly are not fun?

    (4)

  • Lindsay L.

    Obsessed. Best value for restaurant week. Would also be a decent value for a group to go out to on a normal night, but this was especially great at the $35 per person rate. My boyfriend who always wants a big plate in front of him even went wild for these tapas. Chorizo, garlic shrimp, asiago cheese with lavender jam (amazing) and the eggplant/red pepper dip for the first round. We mixed everything aorund and came out with some great tastes. Loved it all. next round: flatbread, calamari, steak tips and the pollo y hijo (chicken and the egg). the flatbread was my favorite, surprisingly rich and filling with lamb i believe. The calamari had a few too many tentacles for my taste but was still delicious. I would bypass the beef tips next time. They were really accommodating of the fact that my date has an allergy to apples and pears as well. Solid service.

    (5)

  • Justine D.

    Hands down has to be my favorite restaurants in Philly. If you like sangria then definitely try the spiced red sangria with apples & cinnamon- a pitcher is the way to go. Some things to try off the menu.. Mixto meat place, mixto cheese plate, clams & chorizo, spicy potatoes, fig & Serrano ham salad, backed goat cheese, their seasonal soups are usually great, and many more things to list. Desserts you can never go wrong with. I suggest to always make a reservation in advance. I've been to the Amada in Philly & also the one in AC at least 30 times.

    (5)

  • Nina P.

    THE CULT OF THE IRON CHEF = JOSE GARCES KOOL-AID IS DELICIOUS! Hello darlings! My whirlwind existence brought me out to Eastern PA this weekend and my final stop was the City of Brotherly Love! And I continue this silly dance with "the cult of the celebrity chef"...hype versus reality. And so far the celebrity chef is not winning! Morimoto holds the coveted "still got it" celebrity chef title in my book BUT tonight at Amada, Jose Garces came in at a close second! As you may know, even though Garces has been in business since 2005 the Chicago born Ecuadorian stud has achieved celebrity status thanks to his second season win of Next Iron Chef and his excellent cook books: Latin Evolution and The Latin Road Home. And lest we not forget that James Beard Award! Garces represents the celebrity chef at the upside of "celebrity". Still current, relevant, hip and cool! Making unique food on a large scale! So on to Amada in Philly! I had so much food and have so much to say - I could go on & on! Instead I'll try to sum it up in an orderly fashion! Design/Decor: tiny place - tight tables is my only complaint, if that! Waitstaff: Harrison helped me out with sorting through a completely delectable menu of tapas! He was handsome and knowledgeable and agreed to carry me to my cab if I should succumb to the sangria! Selected the Chef's Tasting Menu = 90% of the menu! Sangria: Tinto was wonderful and spicy! After one I was all warm and pink faced. A pitcher would have killed me! Boquerones: White Anchovies, olives and pine nuts are to die for! I am a Briny/salty/acid kinda girl so this was wonderful & balanced to me! Jamón Ibérico de Bellota: acorn fed ham tasted so earthy and nutty! A little goes along way! Very rich & delicious! Amada Empanada: spinach artichoke empanadas with a bed of marinated artichokes & peppers. Again the Mediterranean in me loved the savory salty mix (I was born to grow olives I suppose!) Ensalada de Jamón: Serrano ham wrapped fig, cabrales & spiced almonds salad - signature dish here at Amada! Great composition! Very balanced flavors! Costillas de Ternera Cocas: This beef short-rib flat bread with Parmesan was a little salty - maybe less cheese? Or the short-rib had reduced too much? Pulpo a la Gallega: Octopus grilled with Paprika needed flavored better. S&P? Acid? Texture was fine but taste was off. Needed something else! Alcachofas a la Parmesana : Parmesan Artichokes simple and delicious...bordering on a plate licker! Setas: Grilled mushrooms were carmelized to perfection - could have had that in triplet! Lubina Andaluz: Pan roasted barramundi & Ajo Blanco. Again this dish played with earthy & salty/acid flavors and it worked. Lamb Chops: perfect sear on the chops, perfect medium center! Simple and delicious! BY THIS TIME...I feel as if I could burst so the desserts were a bit of a blur...but the rice pudding with cherry fig (port?) compote was spicy & flavorful in a palate awakening way! All and all 9.9/10 at Amada! So glad to have tried it out! I will definitely be looking to visit Garces' other restaurants when traveling! ...and no Harrison did not have to sling me over his shoulder & throw me in a cab! STAY CLASSY FOODIES!

    (5)

  • Kate W.

    I'm reviewing based on two very different experiences I had: 1st: Went on a Friday night with my roommate & her sister visiting from out of town. Had a reservation. Food was PHENOMENAL. Can't go wrong with any of the cheeses, although the manchego with truffle lavender honey is obviously on the A-Team (we got the sampler of 3 cheeses for $16). The Dátiles Con Almendras ($9.50, medjool bacon wrapped dates) were like little bits of candy bursting with blue cheese, and also a crowd favorite. The Pulpo a La Gallega ($12) was tasty, although the potato accompaniment made it slightly less exciting/adventurous as the other dishes (especially for an octopus enthusiast). The other table pleaser was definitely the Ensalada de Jamon ($12, Serrano Ham & Fig Salad, Cabrales, Spice). The flavor balance was on point with every bite; I really don't think veggies swaddled in cured meat and called a salad could disappoint anyone with tastebuds. Staff= friendly, knowledgable, and very helpful with recommendations. Service could have been faster as far as receiving the check, processing payment, and over all check ins between courses. __________________________________________________­___________________________ 2nd: Went on a Saturday night for a date with no reservations but the knowledge we could wait for a high top or outside table, first-come first-serve. When we arrived we were told 30-45 minutes Cool, we'll get started at the bar. Seats were full so we awkwardly hung by service station (a no-no, I know...but no where else to go). I had a "Volver" ($12.50), which consisted of lavender infused gin & celery water. Hesitant on celery water at first, but pleased with my decision as this ended up being the highlight of my night. Unfortunately, I offered to switch halfway for my date's "Dark Habits" ($12.50, lime, strawberries, gin...punch for grown ups...too sweet for my taste). When seats opened up at the bar we ordered a second round as well as a cheese board. Strong start. After over an hour of waiting (and watching tables turn SO SLOWLY i.e.: patrons left, tables sat un-bussed, tables finally reset, but still sat empty for FAR too long considering the # of people waiting), we contemplated reclocating to a new restaurant. Around 75 minutes in we were seated at the kitchen bar, and to be honest, I wish we would've continued at the main bar. At least our drinks would've stayed on pace. Service was slow and our waitress was either having a stressful night, menstruating, or just a b!tch. As mentioned, drinks were slow. Anyways, round two of the dates, they are a DREAM. The scallops ($12), kind of blasé. Filet mignon ($19), while a nice piece of meat and cooked to a perfect MR, was just OK. The meat was good but I didn't love it with the foie gras pairing, and the cabrales and swiss chard wasn't enough to compensate. For dessert we ordered the donughuts ($8), which actually overshadowed the aforementioned filet and scallops (I don't think this should be the case when paying upwards of $150 for a meal). We swapped the ice cream for the pistachio flavor, which was stellar but portioned for an infant. Based on pace of service alone, I don't think I'll be returning unless I'm trying to have another all-night dinner. Portion size for tapas was appreciated, however.

    (3)

  • Larry F.

    3rd time's the charm! Wait, actually, every time has been a charm! I am absolutely in love with Jose Garces restaurant, but Amada is definitely my favorite! (A little bit sad that I didn't get to try Chifa before it closed)... FOOD: 5/5 -Definitely start with a mixto of either cheese or cured meat. I'm a huge fan of cheeses so that's what I went, but wow, the cured meat platter next to us look so tempting! I went with the manchego (loved the lavender honey), ermesenda, and garrotxa; the garrotxa itself is a bit bland, but with the garlic dulce de leche, it was magical! all in all, there is no cheese you can go wrong with if you're a cheese lover! -Gazpacho - one of my favorite here; love the fresh factor, and yellow tomato is always so interesting. It's just so rightly chilled and slightly sour. Great appetizer! -Tortilla Espanola - my girlfriend loved it, but it was a bit of "potato overload" for me! -Albondigas - a classic tapas dish for me here, definitely a must! -Gambas al Ajillo - pan seared shrimp if I'm correct. It's definitely good but not to die for. Sprayed with lemon juice on top so it's definitely refreshing -Alcachofas y setas - read that the wild mushrooms were delicious so we gave this a try. If we weren't so darn full by now it would've been amazingly scrumptious. Regardless, definitely a dish worth trying! -Crema catalan - I don't want to sound crude but isn't it just creme brulee? Good, but didn't like the dates on there. Also, you get a FREE almond cookie! It's good enough of a dessert itself! AMBIANCE & SERVICE: 5/5 Love the design of the restaurant; this didn't change since my last dinner. Service has been amazing the past two times. I was unfortunate to arrive a bit more than 20 minutes late, and with a call to the restaurant ahead of the time, they were willing to hold my table. Thank you! The waiters and waitresses were so nice, and my water glass was never empty (my huge pet peeve!). RECOMMENDATION Definitely don't get too much. People say tapas are small, but they can fill you up quickly! We got 7 total, including dessert and counting the mixto cheese platter as one instead of three. THAT IS DEFINITELY TOO MUCH! I could barely enjoy the flatbread and dessert because I was so darn full! Also, ditch the dessert and eat the FREE cookie. It's good! When the tab came, I was pleasantly surprised that tip and tax included, it was right under $100, which makes me think this was much more worth it than a date at a steakhouse, and much more appealing. I'd much rather not watch my date chomp over some steak ferociously....ALSO, if you're running a bit late or hitting traffic, give a quick call ahead and they can usually hold your table for up to 20-30 minutes! Just be nice and ask!

    (5)

  • Therese M.

    Trying new restaurants during Restaurant Week can be hit or miss. However, Amada's RW menu consisted of items they normally offer and between the two of us we were able to try a good amount. Worth getting again, Sea Bass - Very good and prepared well. Beef Shortrib Flatbread - Tasty and filling. Chicken w/Fried Egg - Something different, but the combo worked well. Probably skipping next time, Spanish tortilla - Very bland. Grilled Calamari - Too salty and drenched in oil. We also tried the fig & cherry marmalade, garlic shrimp, and the white bean & ham stew - good but very simple.

    (4)

  • Natalie B.

    So many people I know rave about this place. After years of trying to get a reservation during restaurant week and convincing someone to go with me, I finally made it to Amada for dinner. After the wait and anticipation, I struggle between 3.5 and 4 stars. Our server was very nice, but it was pretty noisy inside and the tables were really close to each other. I am not a big person, but I definitely felt cramped and could have easily knocked over the table next to us just trying to get in or out of my seat. Only a few of the things we tried were awesome. The Esparragos con Trufas were so good that I wanted to lick the bowl clean. The enasalada verde was yummy as well - and I hate salad. For dessert, we had the crema catalana, which was a perfect mix of textures and flavors. The rest of it was good, but nothing I'd want to eat again. Amada was an alright experience with a few high notes, but didn't quite live up to the hype. I'm not sure if I can justify coming back.

    (3)

  • Jordan P.

    We came to Amada for CC Restaurant Week lunch, lured by Old City charm and tons of positive reviews. Hate to be a follower, but I'll have to add my glowing review to the masses. My partner and I decided to go for a smattering of goodies, getting almost one of everything. Started out with the manchego cheese and a truffled lavender honey, with the heavy hints of lavender being the star of the dish. We were nearly lapping the little bowl clean, and it paired well with the sharp slices of apple and cheese. Also for our appetizer, the ham croquettes. 5 fried, salty balls of tasty... hard to go wrong. For our main dishes, we split the chorizo, grilled shrimp, Escalivada (Roasted Peppers and Eggplant, Cipollini Onions & Confit Tomatoes) and goat cheese toasts, and patatas bravas (spicy potatoes). The only lowlight of the meal was probably the shrimp, which were a little too buttery for me. However, the little skewers of chorizo were succulent and the patatas bravas... hard to go wrong with spiced potatoes and some sort of creamy sauce with a kick (chipotle? I'm sure someone knows.) My partner in dine couldn't get enough of the escalivada, and yet, somehow, we both saved plenty of room for dessert. Chocolate and vanilla versions, my heart went with the pastel de chocolate (Flourless Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Ice Cream & Chocolate-Hazelnut Cara). Plates licked? Maybe a little. Service was attentive, though occasionally my glass tended to stay dry a little longer than I like, especially with such salty dishes. I'll put the blame less on our servers, who were patient and friendly, and more on the fact that it was a Friday during Restaurant Week, and thus (rightfully) mobbed. The bathroom was clean, the soap fragrant, and the paper towels TOP NOTCH for drying even the dampest of hands. And, if you do the math, our meals would've cost about $66 total on a usual week.... for $40 before tip, I'll take that deal any day!

    (5)

  • Bill H.

    I think I am getting a bit jaded about this place. Same table for the last three times. That is not the prob. I swear the servings are getting smaller. The first course of Serrano ham was just enough to two servings each. When we first came you could get three servings each. The menu is just getting stale to me. Too many times for the same old things. Never ever see Jose. This place made him.

    (3)

  • Jennifer S.

    I heard so many great things about Amada, so I was very disappointed when I actually got to experience their food. I'm not quite sure if it was because we went during Restaurant Week, but the food was just sub-par. The Croquetas de Jamon (ham croquettes) were very boring and forgettable. Something about the texture wasn't quite right. The Chorizo A La Plancha wasn't very good either. I usually really like chorizo, so when I got these glorified hot dogs, it was pretty disappointing. The Calamari A La Plancha was too chewy and soggy. The Patatas Bravas (spicy potatoes) weren't really spicy, but rather very salty. We took a few bites and ended up leaving the rest on the plate. The only redeeming part of the meal was the Pastel de Chocolate (flourless chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream and chocolate-hazelnut cara). In addition to the disappointing meal, we were further let down when the server erroneously charged us $20 extra. It was a good thing one of us was paying attention to the bill.

    (2)

  • Alex I.

    Came here for lunch during restaurant week. Ham croquettes are delicious! Ensalada verde was nothing special. Garlic shrimp presentation was unique and cooked to perfection. Garlic squid was also good. Chorizo skewers are too salty. Chicken and salad combo was just ok. Rice pudding was delicious and interesting. I will definitely go back and try their foie gras!

    (4)

  • Stace C.

    Amada did not fail to deliver, great ambiance, food and service. Based my Philly trip on being able to secure reservations for dinner here. We had a late 9pm seating and was told that we could not move up our reservations as they were fully committed. Even though we had reservations we had to wait about 15 mins more at the bar. No complainants though because I thoroughly enjoyed my white sangria. We also tried the Tinto (red sangria) as well which has kick to it. We had a good sample of the menu. Asparagus with truffle cream sauce -delicious especially with the egg yoke you mix in yourself Seabass-was unfortunately disappointing despite all the yelp reviews, the fish wasn't as fresh as I'd expect it to be but the fire torched & seared crispy skin hides that well, the taste of the sauce is bland Lamb Chops- (I'm not a fan of Lamb) but Amada's lamb chops may have converted me, the lamb was very juicy and cooked perfectly Lobster- The lobster was delicious wished it was bigger Aged Menchego cheese with lavender honey- paired with apples delicious Unfortunately nothing on the dessert menu caught my eye. (Posted pictures)

    (4)

  • Chris F.

    EXCELLENT BRUNCH We visited for Sunday brunch, 4 people at noon. A restaurant of this stature has a long database of positive reviews, but I wanted to bring attention to this fantastic brunch option. The white sangria was followed by our server's insightful recommendation of a viura/malvasia blend, with a balance of fruit and acidity that made it perfect for brunch sauces as well as mild spices. The service was professional, prompt, and pleasant throughout, from the server to the expediter to the bar staff. A couple of food highlights included the accompaniments to the cheese plate, the lamb meatballs, and the grilled chorizo. The restaurant had the buzz of a good sized crowd but wasn't as busy as dinner service can be. In a city awash in brunch options, don't overlook Chef Garces' unique Latin twist from his flagship restaurant.

    (5)

  • J V.

    I visited Philadelphia in August of 2012 and contacted a local yelper for suggestions. Being from California not knowing what humidity is about thought I would wonder about the streets and try one of the eateries on my list. As the day was coming to an end and spending hours walking in the hot sun with temperatures exceeding what felt like 115 degrees I staggered into Amada after noticing what street I was on. I said to myself "Self, this street name looks familiar from my list of Must Try while in Phili" I was early; they were setting up for the nights agenda. They welcomed me in seeing that I was parched, stumbling, dehydrated, and semi lethargic. The staff was gracious and obliging. Explaining that they made my top ten list they were excited to introduce the menu of drinks and food. The chef came out from the kitchen to welcome me, chatted a bit and he suggested the Chefs' selection, I believe thats what he called it. Several tapas style courses paired with wine. Double-D-licious. I would compare this meal to an experience like no other. Like sitting with your feet in the sand watching the sun slowly set as it has over the past few millennia, taking its place below the heavens and its bright rays loosing themselves as they fall below the crest of the ocean with the gentle breeze that brings a taste of salt on your lips and the soft sounds of the pacific tenderly and rhythmically bringing you to a place of peaceful solitude. I wish I could remember what I ate; all I remember is cured meats, delicate cheese, various berries, olives, and nuts coming out in droves of courses. I had a coworker visit Philadelphia recently and he asked for some places to visit and eat. This reminded me of my visit and I decided to write a 2 year reminisce that was well over due.

    (5)

  • Chelsea B.

    My boyfriend and I went to Amada last night for our anniversary. I left feeling satisfied but sure that this was a four and not a five star experience. We had, in order: - Aged manchego with truffled lavendar honey (cheese was very good) - Pulpo a la Gallega: spanish octopus (delicious, a standout) - Patatas bravas: spicy potatoes (small but tasty and the price was right) - Esparragos con trufta: grilled asparagus, poached egg, mahon crisp, truffles (the sauce was delicious but let's add in a bit more asparagus!) - Madre e hijo: chicken breast, fried egg, mojama, truffles (the chicken was incredibly moist) - Rabillo de Cadera: wagyu sirloin, prune-bacon stew, smoked eel, sheep's cheese espuma (sirloin was very well cooked, cheese was interesting, and the prune bacon stew with eel was an unexpected but not unpleasant taste) Overall, the food was tasty and well-presented and the atmosphere was very nice. Our water glasses weren't left unfilled, and everyone was friendly and attentive. That being said, my two complaints were: 1) Being a two top in general is unfortunate because it means you're really having dinner with not just your date but the couples to your left and right, but I will say that the placement here was especially tight. The couple next to us actually moved their table to one side to make it through when they were leaving. 2) I think the presentation could have been a bit more consistent. Some things came right after the other, and other times we were left waiting. These are small things, but as I said you're looking out for them when you come in with high expectations. I think this would be a great place to grab drinks and small plates at the bar.

    (4)

  • Nadia P.

    Yelp highlights are spot on - get manchego (truffled lavender honey.. oh my), patatas bravas, serrano ham, and maybe some chorizo/chicken. It's all perfect - I almost bought a lifetime supply of manchego cheese from them.

    (5)

  • Amy A.

    If a 3.5 star was optional, I would've given it that. After reading great reviews and taking a suggestion from a friend, we booked our restaurant week reservations at Amada. We made a 9p reservation and were promptly seated at a very nice table in the back, not the main dining area. I was afraid we would be sat at one of the two tops where you were sitting on top of one another. But we had a great seat with a comfy bench that we both sat on. Are server greeted us and took our drink orders. He did let us know the ham croquettes were not available. Boo, I was looking forward to trying them. Our drinks arrived and we placed our order. Starters Manchego w/Lavender Honey Ham and Melon Garlic Shrimp Roasted Peppers, Eggplant, Cipollini Onions,Confit Tomatoes, Goat Cheese Toasts 2nd Course Short Rib Flatbread Calamari Chicken w/Truffles and a fried egg Shrimp flatbread Dessert Flourless Choc Cake Flan First course my favorite was the garlic shrimp. The buttered toasts were great. I didn't think I would like the roasted pepper dish, since peppers aren't my thing, but I was surprised how sweet the peppers were. I ate the rest even after the goat cheese toasts were gone. The ham and melon, while nice the melon had some carmalization, there was not enough ham and all I tasted was melon. The manchego was good. 2nd course arrived and I literally could've eaten the whole short rib flatbread. It was tender and had a sweet smokiness to eat. The disappointment was the chicken. Though tender is didn't pack a lot of flavor, like a dash of salt and pepper would've gone a long way. Dessert was average. Service was great. Food was good, but of 10 plates of food I was only truly blown away by one dish. I was expecting hit after hit, but it just didn't deliver for me. I will definitely go again on a non-restaurant week.

    (3)

  • Rob N.

    This has no effect on my star review of this place. I have a pet peeve when it comes to my napkin. I keep it on my lap after the first portion of my foot from the chef's preference the server took the napkin I was using and re folded and placed it back on the table AFTER cleaning up a table by me. Please just don't touch my napkin. Now to the food! I don't know specifically what I had but I shared a plate that was wrapped in what I believe was pastrami, following by a sauce covered by peppers. Both where fantastic and had my pallet all over the place. However it cane with this portion of two cheeses and sliced apples. They came with with sauces that didn't mesh well. There was to much contrast of sweet with the cheese. Next we got a mushroom and artichoke on flat bread and I ate it with one bite. It was awesome, I wish it was bigger. We got these little pieces of that looked like mozzarella sticks but it was ham. When they were hot I kinda enjoyed them but they cooled down too fast by the second bite. We got garlic shrimp where I was forewarned it was very spicy. To me it wasn't. And I don't think they were too good. Putting the garlic on the side made the shrimp better. At this point I'm not enjoying myself too much on the second round. Other than the quick mushroom and artichoke I'm disappointed on round two. Grilled asparagus with a poached egg. I don't think you can mess this up. Grilled scallops. As I'm eating this I feel like the combination of the food is upsetting my stomach. I can't even get to the NY strip steak and I love steak. I'm sure the place has great food but I'm have a bad experience. For the price I have to give one star but because of the service I will give two. The service was great.

    (2)

  • Snehal Y.

    Definitely worth the $35 we aid for restaurant week. The truffled honey lavender is to die for, I literally scrapped every little bit of it. The ham croquettes were so delicate and were paired perfected with a chili sauce that had a dash of siracha. We enjoyed the ensalada verde as it was so light and the tiny bits of avocado was a great addition. The madre e hijo was scrumptious, though the portion was small it was filling due to the amount of protein present. The flatbreads were crisp and delicate, at this point we were so stuffed that we struggled finishing our meal! However to end a perfect meal we the chocolate cake and spanish custard. The spanish custard was very rich with almonds and dried dates on the top. Recommend everyone to go here at some point of it cause it is totally worth your time and money.

    (5)

  • Alex C.

    Great tapas. The food reminded me of Barcelona. Service is just OK.

    (4)

  • Maurice S.

    I am torn here between 2 and 3 stars. I'm going with 2 just because of the price. For the price, I was expecting more. There are no bad dishes but to many average dishes. The one standout was the Pernil Asada (roasted pig). After having this, I would like to return and try the roasted suckling pig.

    (2)

  • Rick K.

    I've tried five of Garces' restaurants and Amada stands out easily as my favorite. I've been to Tinto twice and kept hearing good things about Amada for years. I finally made it here by planning my friend's birthday dinner to be held here (party of 10 is no problem). With tapas, you can make your meal as cheap and as expensive as you want. If you stick with the traditional tapas, you'll get more variety and smaller dishes while the meats/fish/grill items are more expensive with larger portions. I think the value for the quality of the dishes is fantastic at Amada, contrary to other reviews about pricey for what you get. For our group, we went all out, and made sure we ordered the majority of what we wanted. There's a lot on the menu, which makes it even better to go as a group to try a variety of things. I find that at least four people makes the food experience better. In terms of my favorites, I'll just list them out for you: Grilled Asparagus w/ Truffles & Poached Egg - Served with an amazing sauce, we were fighting for the scraps Seasonal Wild Mushrooms - Again fighting the last pieces. Anyone who likes mushrooms will enjoy this dish. Aged Manchego Spanish Octopus Lamb Meatballs Calamari Linquine & Vermicelli - Different in that it used vermicelli, which is a lighter noodle/pasta. I really enjoyed it when paired with the Sweet Onion Cream sauce. There's so much to order here though so just go with a group and order away! You probably can't go wrong with most dishes. I can't wait until the next time that I come back to Amada.

    (5)

  • Chris R.

    Went here for the first time on a Saturday night. We had 9:30 reservations; we were seated around 9:50 after getting a drink at the bar. The restaurant is dimly lit with track lighting, exposed low-watt bulbs and candle lanterns. A very romantic atmosphere, but somewhat tempered by the seating - you're very close to your neighbors and it got a bit noisy. The food was excellent - we each ordered 2 plates, and they came out one at a time. Portions were a little on the small side, which I expected. In our case 2 plates each was plenty. The beer and wine list was also great, with a variety of domestic and Spanish selections. Server was great as well. In all we had a great time and would definitely come back again.

    (5)

  • Natalie M.

    I made a reservation for Labor Day weekend after reading the tremendous reviews. I probably set myself up for disappointment on two counts - a) going on such a popular weekend and b) getting revved up by the awesome reviews. To be fair, our meal was enjoyable and the ambiance is dark but comfortable, the overall experience just wasn't up to the standard invoked by the reviews on Yelp. My fiance and I ordered a total of 6 dishes, which was WAY more than enough. We shared the following: Patatas Bravas - 5/5 Spanish Octopus - 2/5 (don't recommend at all) Crab Stuffed Peppers - 4/5 Ensalada de Jamon - 3/5 (save the $12 and by some serrano & greens at Trader Joe's) Grilled Scallops - 4/5 (delicious but not crazy about them having 2 scallops to create 4) Beef Shorts Ribs Flatbread - 4/5 We had an okay time but I don't think we'll be returning for a second look. Solid 3.

    (3)

  • Linda C.

    Great attentive service from both server and bussers. Chef special with 10 courses for only $65 and wine pairing $40 for 4 full glasses. What a steal! Excellent food and would highly recommend along with Jose Garces' other restaurants in Philly. Couldn't remember all our dishes, but the couple of memorable ones below. The wine pairing was like drinking a whole bottle of wine! - Ensalada de Jamon: the ham is wrapped around the salad, nice balance of sweet from the figs and saltiness from the ham with some greens in between. excellent! - Lambchops: cooked perfectly with wonderful flavor - Mixto Cured Meats: Variety of yummy cured meats - can't go wrong here - Almejas con Chorizo: clams with pork, wasn't too amazed but not bad - Grilled Octopus: good if you like octopus like me! - Tinto Sangria: good sangria that has a good kick and comes with a cinnamon stick

    (5)

  • Bom T.

    Food was excellent! I ordered all the squids and octopus and the best one is the octopus. The chicken is the best dish I had. Very moist and balanced dish. White sangria was excellent a pitcher for two! Downside the place is very expensive!

    (4)

  • Asha M.

    For the most part everything good. But be sure to be extremely hydrated. Paella was super salty. Waiter was absent after he took our order.

    (3)

  • Saunna S.

    The food here was good, just as good as any other Tapas place. Nothing which spelled Chef extraordinaire. I have nothing to say about the food or the alcohol and enjoyed both on my birthday. What cheesed me off was that they weren't too good about us having brought our child along. She is 2 and the calm sorts. She didn't scream, didn't throw a tantrum and ate her fries in all earnestness. If truth be told, it was thanks to the video she was watching. Everything was fine. No-one complained until the uptight man who seemed to be the manager came along. He look at her as he walked by and the next thing we know we were being told by our server to cut down the volume of the video and so on. It ruined my day when while leaving the place I felt as though I was being snubbed off when I was spoken to. I think when you go to a Iron Chef's restaurant, experience is key! Mine wasn't.

    (3)

  • Joli B.

    My cousin had her rehearsal dinner here... Everything was amazing. We had a giant barrel of sangria and so many delicious tapas. Seafood paella was my favorite. So much fun!

    (5)

  • Ben B.

    During my week in the Philly food scene, I wasn't all that impressed. Amada's pretty good, but quite expensive. I ordered four tapas. 1. Patatas bravas (spicy potatoes). Probably my favorite of the bunch. They tasted vaguely like Arby's curly fries. Delicious, hot and crispy on the outside. 2. Flatbread with horseradish, beef and bacon (costillas de ternera). Disappointing. It was sort of like a pizza with horseradish sauce. Might have tasted better if the cheese on top were melted. 3. Sausage and quail (cordoniz de la temporada). Insanely spicy. On alternating bites, I liked it, then disliked it. It's a giant sausage with quail stuffed inside. I might order it again, but I wasn't completely sold. 4. Bacon-wrapped dates (datiles con almendras). The biggest disappointment. Having had the bacon-wrapped dates at Cafe Ba-ba-reeba in Chicago and absolutely loving them, I was looking forward to this treat. But each seemed very unevenly cooked. Some dates were mushy, some were hard, some were mushy with pockets of hardness. The greatness of a bacon-wrapped date is when the bacon sort of carmelizes around the date. Amada dropped the ball hard on this one. I ordered a glass of the red sangria. Not good. Service was pretty sharp, though. My server was on top of water refills and as is typical in a tapas restaurant, a variety of people bring the dishes as soon as they're ready. The meal ends with an almond cookie that tastes a little like a fortune cookie. Nice touch. All things considered, this was one of the better eating experiences I had in Philadelphia. But when I judge it against other tapas restaurants, it falls a bit short.

    (3)

  • Chris M.

    The food was very good, but this is probably only my 3rd favorite place of the Garces empire (I thought Chifa and Garces Trading were both better), and the most expensive, making other Garces places feel like better value propositions. My wife and I visited on Halloween for our annual Halloween date night. Our waiter was nice, but I heard him recite the same menu introduction verbatim at the 4 tables around us. It made his demeanor feel forced and robotic. Again, he was nice, but far from the best waiter I've ever seen. The rest of the servers, those who brought the food out, were very pleasant and quick to deliver food and clear away used plates. We got the house tasting menu (the $65 one, not the Latin Road Home). I like to this of these menus as narratives (trite, I know), and I thought the story arc here was excellent. We started with a cheese board and a plate of cured jamon, which gave way into empanadas and possibly the best salad I've ever had in my life. From there we went to lamb meatballs (seriously amazing), artichoke hearts (pretty good), short-rib pizza (good, but a little rich for me), mushrooms (good), chicken disk (again, possibly the best chicken I've ever had), and lamb chops (good). So I would say the meal consisted of a couple 5-star dishes and several good dishes. Overall, this was a very good experience, and I am looking forward to coming back to try to lobster paella.

    (4)

  • Parker S.

    After hearing the hype for a few years, my wife and I finally made it to Amada. I was surprised when I first entered the place how casual it seemed. However, we ended up being seated in the back seated area which has a much more intimate upscale feel, although it is pretty dark back there. I would have been disappointed with the ambiance had we been seated in the front. I'm still totally sold on the upscale tapas trend that has spread across the states. i spent a year studying abroad in spain and their idea of tapas is a much more casual experience. with that said, i was excited to try some classed up versions of some of my favorite tapas. We ordered 7 dishes between the two of us. While I was content at the end of the meal, I was not stuffed and could have probably ordered a few more plates. It make sense to keep a menu handy and just order as you go along, nothing takes long to prepare. Service: The service was excellent and the food is brought out as it is ready. Order: I was disappointed that they had run out of Tortilla Espanola. Such a tapas staple, I couldn't believe they had run out at 7pm on a Saturday night. The Ham Croquettes were very good, but a little salty Fried Squid - good, but a little bland. aoili dipping sauce had virtually no flavor. Patatas Bravas - my wife said, they are really awesome tater tots. i would agree.(this is a compliment) amada empanada - very good, definitely a small portion, but really enjoyed it. i would get it again in a second. Grilled Shrimp - highlight of the night. super fresh, super delicious Grilled Scallops - very good, but up against the shrimp they fell short. Lamb Meatballs - surprisingly large order, but they seemed to be a bit over-seasoned. Overall Very good experience overall but probably not a place I'd rush back to. It's better suited for groups since you could get to try a little bit of everything. the downside of a large group would be that the sizes are quite small so you would either only get one bite of everything or you have have to order more than 1 of each dish. Our bill was about $100 before tip, with the above order and a caraf of sangria. I thought the value was decent since you received a nice ambiance but as I didn't love everything, I would probably try another place next time I'm going to spend $50+ per person.

    (3)

  • Patty S.

    I always like a tapas place. We shared several plates for the table and enjoyed all of them. My favorites were the empanada, shrimp flatbread and the bacon wrapped figs, but honestly, you can't go wrong with any dish. The beignets for dessert were the favorite of the table. The only knock I have is that one of the servers brought us food and was really rude when we asked for knives which was surprising. Fun place to hang out and enjoy good food.

    (3)

  • Isabelle K.

    WAIT WAIT WAIT. HOLD THE PHONE. AMADA DOES HAPPY HOUR?!?! (Not that they need to....because it's Amada....and it's amazing....and consistently packed.....you're kidding, right?!) No. Garces kids you not! Amada offers Happy Hour. And if their food didn't make you happy enough, half price/half sized tapas followed up with some lovely cocktails are a reason to burst with bliss. Now when I'm not feeling a whole boat load of brilliant food, I can just order some snacks and sample some of Garces' best stuff! If you haven't already, make this your new place to siesta after a long day of work!

    (5)

  • Jessica S.

    Before I moved to this city and lived in the 'burbs, this place was my favorite Philly restaurant. Being a foodie familiar with other cities, and this being my first real "celebrity chef" or fine dining experience with the city of Philadelphia, I was excited to try it out but cautious to judge this new (to me) city right away. There is (probably) nothing left to be said about this place. But I still want to say it. It was my favorite go to fancy locale before I ever lived here and knew better, and it still is. I have been to many other five star, celebrity chef, trendy, haute, eclectic places in this city, many of which impress me every time. This is just a place that I can rely on every time to be fantastic on every single aspect of service that you can expect. As compared to the other Garces establishments, this places tops my list by far. Yes, they all follow a similar pattern, but I feel that the food is more consistently good at this place. Better quality, better options, more unique than the other (how many are there now?) Garces' tapas restaurants. Go here with some people who love good food and drink as much as you do and order the tasting menu. Tell them if you have any special requests or if there is something specifically on the menu that you would like included. You will not leave hungry, you will be very pleased with the huge selection that is brought out for you. You will spend a lot of money, and it will be worth every penny. I'd say it's generally about 3 dishes x 3 rounds of food. Around the last round, you will find yourself saying, "is there seriously MORE food coming out?!"

    (5)

  • Angie K.

    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.

    (5)

  • Tracy L.

    Everything was well executed and presented. Favs were the aged manchego, chorizo, and wagyu beef plates, but it was all good. Seafood, veggie, pork, poultry, and beef plates--we tried a bit if everything! Dessert was also tasty--olive oil/date ice cream, sorbets, pastel de chocolate. Had the watermelon/basil sangria---was light and refreshing. Rioja/Tempranillo wine we had was also fantastic. Great service and ambience as well. We sat for several hours and enjoyed every minute.

    (5)

  • Tami S.

    Incredible. One of the best meals I've ever had! We sat at the chef's table, which is basically a bar right in front of the kitchen where we could see everything being prepared. It's also no reservation and perfect for a party of 2. We shared the following dishes: Ensalada de Jamon - Wow. Best salad ever. Flavors are going crazy and huge portion. Esparragos con Trufos - Asparagus with a poached egg. Perfection. Pernil Asado - Roasted pork with the best texture, very tender inside and crunchy outside like it had been charred. Alachofoas y Setas - Artichoke flatbread. Truffles. Yum. Merluza - Hake fish. Cooked perfectly. Alobondigas - Lamb meatballs. Flavors were delicious. The two of us were WAY TOO FULL after choosing 6 dishes but I don't regret a single dish! So good. Will be coming back here every time I visit Philly (maybe that will happen again?). Or maybe I'll go to Philly just to eat here :)

    (5)

  • Alison K.

    The circumstances under which I went here were a little unique--I was meeting my Californian pen pal of 15 years for the first time! (For serious! We started writing when I was in 4th grade and haven't stopped since, and last year was the first time I ever met her.) Her fiance had suggested Amada, since he had been before, and what a great choice. We ended up going around 4 PM so we didn't eat a whole lot, but we got a few different plates. It was SO good. After waiting at the bar for a bit for a table, we got seated. The restaurant has a cool vibe, and the staff was friendly. But now for the best part: BACON WRAPPED DATES. I barely knew what dates were when we ordered this, and I'm still not really sure. It doesn't matter, though. They're amazing. AH-MAZ-ING. So now that I've finally written this review, I'm excited to go back and get a full meal there. I have a feeling my next update will be 5 stars for Amada.

    (4)

  • Joe D.

    This is hands down the best Tapas bar Ive been to. Everything we had was amazing. From the peach/ginger sangria I had to start, to the Short rib flatbread I just had to have for dessert (yes, the other flatbread we had was so good I just had to try another variation at the end of my meal). The artichoke flatbread was delicious. The bacon wrapped dates melted in your mouth like butter. The clams chorizo were a bit on the small side but the flavor was delcious. Aritchoke Parmesean was great. Overall our service was top notch and more then worthy of 5 stars. I cant say enough good things about this joint. It seemed like everything that came to our table just got better and better. I would totally recommend this place and will be making a trip back on my next venture to philly.

    (5)

  • John L.

    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.

    (5)

  • Gus R.

    Heavenly Dinner for a beautiful date. I had a great experience at Amada. Know what you are getting yourself into- one of the classiest (and most expensive) tapas place Philadelphia has to offer. Make sure you dress it up, I was one of three people wearing shorts at the end of a hot summer day. The atmosphere was beautiful, with its dim lightining and subtle luxurious artwork. The waitors seemed psychic- I came early for my rez and had to wait at the bar for 20 minutes. As the waittress found me at the bar 20 minutes later, I said I would be ready in a second as the check for the bar seemingly magically appeared as I turned around. Upon closer inspection, these employees are really good at communicating with their eyes in order to not put any stress on its customers. I really appreciated it. As for the food, me and my girlfriend got the $65 tasting menu which was absolutely delectable. Food kept on just coming and coming, we were full for hours afterwards this dinner. I really enjoy the smoked lamb chop that had overtones of that yummy gamey taste, their intriguing ham and fig salad, and the octopus highly. However, I finished every bite that was given to me of every plate cause I just couldn't say no to all of these god-given bites of heavenfood. Highly recommend! Make sure to bring a fat wallet and a really cute date to make the night worth it!

    (5)

  • Brian G.

    It was wet and humid so entering Amada was a welcome relief. We treated ourselves to seats at the bar and sipped some delicious cocktails as we watched the bar staff pour sangria straight from barrel casks that were shelved behind the bar - nice touch. When we were finally seated for dinner we ordered several dishes. The short rib flatbread was probably my personal favorite. While the lamb meatballs weren't special, they were also quite tasty. Overall, I was pleased with the meal, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that I was really impressed. The flavors were there and the execution was right on, but the food seemed to lack a little inspiration. Still, you won't be disappointed by Amada.

    (4)

  • Stephen D.

    Came here the first couple months it was open and I was blown away. Came back again a few weeks ago, still the same great service, quality ingredients, and fantastic ambiance. There's nothing that I can say that hasn't been said. But I totally recommend ordering as you go, a few plates at a time, not all at once. Most plates don't take too long to come out anyway, it gives you the opportunity to feel out what would work next. Mix it up, don't be afraid to try something you've never had before, like the fried baby squid, they do it well and you should trust your chef. If you are bold, avoid the Chef's selection, it's good but it's more fun to pick yourself (or have people at your table pick) if you have some problems, ask your server, they always have great recommendations. Standouts: Serrano Ham Lomo Embuchado Pulpa A La Gallega Patatas Bravas Lamb Meatballs For 4 people we ordered, 12 plates, 2 desserts, 4 glasses of wine, 4 cocktails, 1 port, 2 sambuca, 2 espressos, it came out to about $225 without tip. Not bad considering we went to Continental (right before), had 2 apps, 6 drinks and it was $110. Book early, it's hard to get a reservation at a reasonable time, don't think you are getting a 7:30 Saturday seat for 4, 1 week in advance. Love this place

    (5)

  • Sharan S.

    Great food and service! We were in Philly from NYC, went on a Friday night and were lucky and got a table at 815. The service from entry to exit was very friendly and helpful. We opted for the $65 chef's tasting menu (it comes in three choices $45, $55 or $65) and we were so stuffed! A few of the highlights were the jamon serrano, tuna dip with pita crackers, short rib flat bread and the seabass. There were about 10 tapas on our menu. The specialty drinks are also very inventive and tasty. Definitely recommend if you are visiting Philly!

    (5)

  • Erin W.

    Came here once for lunch with my brother during the winter (and some to-die-for pumpkin soup!), and then again a few week's ago for his birthday. My sister-in-law had rented out the back room for the soiree, and the service could not have been any more attentive and sweet throughout the evening. I know it's lame that after a 3 course meal of delicious and wonderful food, including lamb, garlic shrimp, and scallops, that I'd want to rave about the salad, but OH MY GOD, the salad. Finely chopped lettuce, asparagus, fava beans, avocado, and the world's best vinaigrette dressing. I'm drooling just thinking about it. I just about licked the plate clean, which would've been awkward considering it was family style service at the party. Also, I had a g&t that just about knocked me on my ass (in a good way!). Granted, I was expecting something along the lines of the ones served at Roosevelt's during happy hour, so I wasn't prepared for this one to, you know, have any actual gin in it. Hoooo boy did it ever. Boyfriend and my mother had the mojitos, which they both loved, and let's just say boyfriend learned where my alcohol tolerance comes from after my mother was schwaaasted after 2 drinks. Oh, and whatever the chocolate sponge cake was at the end, can I get the recipe? Because that decadent little plate of dessert turned my "I don't like dessert or chocolate" (wtf, right?!) boyfriend into a convert. Praise ye, Garces.

    (4)

  • Rocio P.

    Get the chefs tasting menu! $40 and more than enough delicious food.

    (5)

  • Jes S.

    So MIND BLISTERINGLY good. This is my new favorite place EVER. We were taken out to eat and didn't have to pay so we got to try SO MANY dishes. We tried 15-20 things... And there was nothing we didn't love. So I'll write about the dishes I loved most. And I don't remember the names sadly, so I'll describe them Things I loved the mostest: - Grilled Octopus! I love that they kept the texture of octopus (and I love octopi in general, clever animals, and OH SO tasty.) and enhanced it with amazing flavor - Shortrib Flatbread ... yum, yum, yum, yum; So sweet, so tender - Clams & Chorizo - SO TASTY. There are strips of chorizo! - Every dessert that we ended up with. The sorbets! THE FRIED CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM, Fried Apple Tarts, so fluffy so good!! - Awesome service! Cozy interior! Someone once said that this is easily one of the best places to go for dinner in Philadelphia, and I might have to agree.

    (5)

  • Kurt S.

    Just another review from someone who likes amada and who thinks Jose Garcia is sizzlin! Mmmmmm

    (4)

  • May L.

    Delicious food and great service! Would return again. We got the Spanish octopus, which was good and couple of flatbreads, which were really good and had interesting flavours. I enjoyed the beef short rib flatbread, but didn't quite like the marmalade on the duck breast flatbread, but it was still good (maybe I just needed to have the acquired taste for sweetness with the duck). The baked goat cheese was delicious and probably the best goat cheese I had thus far, since I was not a fan of goat cheese, especially the ones with a strong taste. This one was perfect. The lamb chops were really tasty!

    (5)

  • Adrienne C.

    I have yet to eat at a Garces restaurant that was "not" good - expensive, yes, but at least I am leaving feeling like that it was well worth it. The goods: cured meats and cheeses (loved the aged manchego with truffled lavender honey), ham croquettes, shortrib flatbread, chicken breast w/truffles and fried egg (you really can't go wrong if you put an egg on top of something). The sangra is also great! The oks: roasted peppers/eggplant, chorizo, grilled scallops, desserts One huge ding - we had a party of 8 but had made a reservation nearly a month in advance to plan ahead for Restaurant Week. We ended up waiting nearly 40 minutes for our table, which was pretty ridiculous for a Tuesday night. They were nice enough to provide complimentary cured meats/cheese but I highly highly recommend making resos for this place. Also - it's probably better to come here with a group so that you can try more dishes. I think being able to try multiple dishes def makes the experience better - plus, the portions are decent sizes.

    (4)

  • Ben S.

    I'm glad Amada was today's ROTD, because I'd been meaning to review it. This place is so great - definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I love that all of the cocktails are named after Almodovar films. AND, some of my favorite drinks match up with my favorites of his movies (namely, Dark Habits and Talk to Her). I ate here most recently this past weekend. I was with a group of five, so we ordered a several tapas plates (meat and cheese plates, tortilla and others) and realized quickly thereafter that it was nowhere near enough food, then ordered a second round. I agree with past reviewers that they don't give you enough cornichons and capers with the meat plate, because they are SO delicious when dipped in their mustard. I'd order a just a plate of those if they were on offer...then die from an overload of sodium. Everyone was sated and happy after the meal, joking around and definitely looser from the delicious cocktails. Then we went to see "Tiny Furniture" at the Bourse, and walked out after an hour. That movie is SOOO BORING. All in all, it was a wonderful experience.

    (5)

  • Jonathan W.

    Came here for the great value at lunch. Impressed by the interesting combination of flavors and take on traditional Spanish tapas. I don't think this replicates the food in Spain but certainly offers a tasty interpretation. Had the white bean soup and serrano ham/fig salad. Both tasty except the salad was too salty and needed to be paired with sangria or another side dish. $12.50 Catalan Lunch express can't be beat. The revuelto tapas (Shrimp & Wild Mushroom Shirred Eggs) served with truffle spread toast was delicious. Almost like a slurree omlette and the perfect complement for lunch/brunch. I'll be back to try the dinner some time.

    (4)

  • Justin F.

    Had a chance to eat at Amada last night, it was a great dining experience and the food was delicious. I am a big guy and enjoy to eat and being that Amada is a tapas restaurant I was expecting to leave still hungry. This was not the case at all. I was pleasantly surprised by how full I was when I left. As for the dishes, some were absolutely amazing such as the cheese, honey and apple platter as were the garlic shrimp and goat cheese toast with vegetables. There were also a few dishes I was expecting more from specially the beef brochettes and the octopus. Overall the meal was great, the restaurant has a good atmosphere and I would recommend it as a great place to take a date.

    (4)

  • Claire O.

    Quite possibly my favorite restaurant in Philly. I came here for Restaurant Week and was totally NOT gypped. Each of us was allowed two plates for two courses, and then one dessert each. Two people = ten plates = two totally satisfied fatsos. We ordered the chorizo pamplona (served with cornichons, caperberries and french dijon [my fave, but they were stingy]), gambas al ajillo, ham croquetas, and roasted vegetables with goat cheese toasts to start. EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. I had NO complaints about anything. I loved the roasted vegetables with the goat cheese. The shrimp was cooked perfectly and I loved that they included some chili peppers for those, like ourselves, that prefer things a little spicier. Our second courses were the asparagus with poached egg and truffle, chicken breast with fried egg and truffle, beef shortrib flatbread with horseradish, parm and bacon, and the scallops grilled a la plancha. The flatbread could've used a little more horseradish (again, we like spicy stuff), but everything else was cooked to perfection. I'm a big fan of truffle so I'm fairly easy to please. Definitely loved the asparagus dish most. The desserts were crema catalana and saffron arroz con leche, with complimentary almond tuile. Amazing. AGAIN, EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. I highly recommend this restaurant. I know some people are wary of "small plates" but we were sooooo full afterwards, and this is coming from an extreme glutton.

    (5)

  • Marcello D.

    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.

    (5)

  • Paul T.

    Terrible experience. We had a reservation at 8:30 but didnt get seated until 9:15. Once we were seated, we weren't greeted (at all!). We waited for 20 minutes at our table and watched the ables around us get served while even our water glasses remained empty. We walked out and wont be back.

    (1)

  • Matt K.

    Not sure how it could be better. The short rib flatbread was absolutely amazing and actually made me angry that I moved away from Philly. My girlfriend and I decided the day of to come here (a Saturday), and although we were unable to get a reservation for any time before 10:00, we went anyway. When I called, they said it really could be a wait of anywhere between 30 mins to an hour and a half. We rolled the dice prepared to go somewhere else if we had to, but it was only a 25 minute wait. Sat at the bar and drink a great IPA and she had a glass of wine Knowing what I know now, I would have waited at least an hour. It's worth it.

    (5)

  • Lindsay B.

    This was our one food splurge during our trip to Philly, and it was money well spent! I love Garces on Iron Chef, but at Amada, I felt like I really got a sense of what makes his food so remarkable. Most of the tapas were pretty traditional dishes, but they were expertly crafted, beautifully presented, served at the right temperature, made with quality ingredients, and in general, just really thoughtfully prepared. The highlights for me were: - Esparragos con Trufas - served with a poached egg and Mahon cheese crisp: light + rich + healthy + indulgent. Perfectly cooked egg, not too much truffle, an exciting combination of textures, and so satisfying! - the cheese - we tried the aragones, aged manchego, and cana de cabra. The pairings were all sweet and syrupy things - honeys, marmalades, macerated fruit, etc. and were perfect for dessert with a glass of jerez. The sangria was also tasty and stands up to any I tasted in Spain - loved the cinnamon stick and the spicy warmth it brought to the drink. The atmosphere was nice, sophisticated yet warm energy, and great Spanish music! Overall, one of my favorite tapa experiences.

    (5)

  • Lord Edwin C.

    Chef Jose Garces is a culinary genius. We ordered the suckling pig and it was brought table side, carved and served family style with tasty sides that truly compliment the pork. The staff was extremely knowledgeable about the menu and preparation of the food; they were also very friendly and were great about checking in on us (but not excessively). We were there as a large party and we felt like we were the only people in the restaurant! The menu is pricey and we paid quite a bit for our dinner (about $55 per person), but it was well worth it. I highly recommend this place for a special night out. It's perfect for both large parties, small gatherings and intimate dates. The ambiance is excellent with elements of a classic Spanish ranch with moderate modern embellishments all brought together under warm lighting.

    (5)

  • Janet D.

    Dinner here was perfect on so many levels... ...in the heart of Olde City; ...great ambiance; ...excellent service; ...yummy Sangria; ...and, outstanding and unusual tapas to keep your taste buds from getting bored. I was a happy, happy "girl" when I saw my absolute favorite on the menu. There's something magical about bacon wrapped around a cheese-filled date. My only complaint is that it's pricey...but, you definitely get what you pay for. This place is not a secret, so definitely make reservations. Valet parking.

    (5)

  • Jose A.

    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...

    (5)

  • Heather L.

    I regret I had but one stomach to give this meal. My girlfriend and I ordered six plates for the two of us, which turned out to be perfect. We had the ensalada verde, manchego cheese with truffled lavender honey, patatas bravas, white anchovies with green olives and pine nuts, chickpeas with sauteed spinach, and ham croquettes. I had a Matador cocktail (ginger, bourbon, and elderflower - amazing!) and my gf had the Tinto sangria (delicious!). We finished up with a "vanilla custard, caramel veil, ginger & pine nut" dessert. It definitely gets busy, so make reservations or come early - we were able to get seated at a table in the bar area when we walked in a little before 6 on a Tuesday, but it soon was hopping after that.

    (5)

  • Joe M.

    Amada is a delectable experience and has never lets me down. You will not regret coming here. Some of my favorite dishes include: Madre y hijo, truffle and asparagus, the manchego w/ lavender honey, the cana de cabra (spanish goat cheese), the soups. The flat breads are also amazing. I always get a red win sangria with my meal. It is fantastic.

    (5)

  • Matt B.

    The food and service at Amada are outstanding. Both times I came here, I made the reservation for 5pm, which is when they open. I arrived early and they politely requested that I wait at the bar. The bartender was fun to watch and he made really good drinks. When someone came to walk my wife and I to our table, she carried my wife's drink for her which I thought was a nice touch. I really felt pampered the entire time I was there - constant changing of our silverware and refilling our wine glasses with no delay. The food portions were small, but everything looked and tasted delicious. Overall, Amada is my favorite upscale restaurant in Philly.

    (5)

  • Melissa W.

    But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Amada is the sun. Amada, mi amor. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. 1) Your ambiance is a thing of beauty to behold. 2) Your service, exceptional. 3) Your cheeses are an absolute delight: caña de cabra with fig & cherry marmalade and manchego with truffled lavender honey - to die for. 4) Your gambas al ajillo are simply amazing. 5) Your serrano ham and chorizo pamplona are delicious. 6) Your scallops a la plancha, beef brochettes, madre y hijo, and costillas de ternera coca are superb. 7) Your desserts are light and refreshing, a perfect ending to a beautiful meal. Your victuals are exquisite: flavors so delicate, each mouthful is a grand symphony of tastes, a window into the soul of Spanish cuisine. Amada, my heart is forever yours.

    (5)

  • Laura B.

    It's a lovely atmosphere, but honestly, I wasn't blown away by the food. The patatas bravas were a bit too fancy schmancy for me. I think it was like five cylindrical cones of fried potato sitting upright with a dabble of aioli. Not very delicious. And then we also ordered the pernil asado -- roasted pork. It was flavorless, and very, very fatty. Everything else was fair, but not worth the hype and price.

    (3)

  • Grace G.

    William S. and I went on Monday during restaurant week and I'm between a 4 and a 5 here...but I guess it says something that I'm rounding up. We got to Olde City a half-hour early and thought we'd grab a quick drink at the bar before getting seated, but the crowd on Monday after work is...the after work crowd. Lots of men sitting alone at the bar in suits, and we kinda stuck out in our "young people" clothes, so we went a block away to Eulogy. PROS: -the service was great. I'm sure it had a lot to do w/ Harrison, our server, who was fab, not bc he was particularly chatty or trying too hard but was very informative, friendly and let us enjoy our meal. Glasses of water always over half-full, napkins folded after returning from the restroom, we didn't wait too long for our dishes...ya know. -the veggie dishes! Grilled asparagus with poached egg and mahon cream sauce. WHO KNEW ASPARAGUS could blow your mind?! I was sad we had to share it. Also really enjoyed the grilled veggie appetizers that comes out w/ little toasted bread + some cheesy spread (great description, i know..) NOT-MY-FAVE: (just has to do w/ what we ordered...) -white wine sangria w/ the pear. My first time having white wine sangria and i'm sure its just a preference thing, but definitely go for the red wine one over this. -short-rib flatbread. It was just OK. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and its in the running to be my fave JG joint...can't wait to go back! (*hint-hint hubby*)

    (5)

  • Annie C.

    I won't belabor the point. Amada is great, eat here. I recently had the anniversary tasting menu which featured delicious cheeses, cute chorizo inspired octopus slices, truffle asparagus, short rib flat bread...etc. There were so many great dishes, I have a hard time remembering them all, like my amnesia after a big cram exam. My main reason for writing this review is to put the roast pork on notice. This is not going to fly the next time I come around. The pork was heavy, dry, flavorless, and unnecessarily fatty. The execution was rough and the presentation lackluster -- the plate came out with the meat haphazardly cut into odd chunks with no moisture or seasoning in sight. There are so many great dishes on the menu, maybe the roast pork slipped through the cracks. In any case, you're now on notice too.

    (4)

  • Shana Y.

    Amazing and delicious food! There was a flub with one of our orders but they made up for it. We were having a wonderful dinner and ordered an octopus salad to start with. To our surprise, in addition to the octopus was a single strand of hair. After sending the dish back, the chef sent our table a lovely dish of anchovies. Everything was delicious!!!!

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    Basically this is my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. They have the best sangria and other fancy drinks, which I love. They have a variety of tapas on the menu, you can go cheap (kind of) or expensive! It's perfect for a date or with a group of friends. It has a great atmosphere- relaxed yet also kind of fancy. I love everything we ordered, but especially the baked goat cheese! I will deffinately go back many times! I think it would even be a great place to meet for drinks and have a cheese plate or a dessert with friends!

    (5)

  • Gord M.

    In a word: Outstanding This was the first stop in our whirlwind 48 hours in Philadelphia and, after much deliberation, our (almost-)no-holds-barred dinner. It was pretty packed on a nondescript Friday night so, as I'm sure many others have suggested, make reservations. We arrived at 8:45 for our 9:15 seating, but didn't actually make it to the table until 9:30. Fortunately, the side bar was filled with beautiful people to watch and when they cleared, the few remaining d-bags provided plenty of eye-rolling entertainment. Having never visited, but also having scoured the reviews, we decided our best bet was to try as many things as possible, so we ordered the mid-range chef's selection with wine pairing. We were served between 12 and 14 items, all of which were tasty at the least, the bulk of which were extremely good and a few were simply divine. For us, the standout was definitely the manchego plate served with truffled, lavender honey. The manchego was fantastic on its own, but the star was the honey. I'll admit that I winced a little at the idea, but the first taste of the honey was unworldly. Roll the dice and try it. Second to the manchego plate was the Patatas Bravas (spicy potatoes) - crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside and paired with a spicy, smokey red pepper and paprika Other noteworthy inclusions: Gambas al Ajillo (garlic shrimp), Melon con Jamon (melon with Serrano ham) and grilled scallops. The wine pairing, even for a novice like me, was perfect as well. Salt, sweet and bold were all perfectly complimented. Regrets? Yup: I don't live in Philly.

    (5)

  • Ryan A.

    Food: If I ever go back here it will be for the Chicken Paella. It was the best thing on the menu but it was huge. We ordered a bunch of smaller tapas style items before hand and could barely finish this. Not complaining it was great the next day - just saying. A lot of people I know have talked up this restaurant so much that my expectations were that I would be blown away. I wasn't blown away but it was good. I think the menu could use a revamp personally. Service: Our waiter was really nice. The service was great. Ambiance: The decor is beautiful. I especially loved the lighting. We were seated at a table for two along the wall farthest from the bar. I have to admit, I was surprised by how small the dinning room was - it was a little cramped where we were while on the other side (with what I'll call the bench picnic table) has ample amount of extra space all around it. The food and waiters all come through a little narrow passage way surrounded by people seating and eating. It probably could be laid out better to accommodate more people.

    (3)

  • Amoolia S.

    Delicious! Get the cheese, the goat cheese with balsamic and manchego are stand outs. Love the patatas bravas, and mushroom rice. Many more fantastic dishes. Yum!

    (5)

  • Ken R.

    I read the reviews and was really looking forward to dining here, but of the many Spanish places I've eaten at recently (some in Spain) this certainly ranks at the bottom. Patatas bravas, a simple classic dish, was tragically "reimagined" as a cylindrical tater tot with a dollop of cheese. Pimientos de Padron, another classic, was inexplicably drowned in sauce. The Spanish flatbread was an underwhelming slice of grilled cheese for $14. Crab stuffed peppers were so drowned in sauce that I could not discern the crab. Overall, one has to wonder if the chef apprenticed at TGI Fridays. I will say that the ambience is wonderfully chic, but given the glowing reviews and how difficult it was to get a reservation Amada was a big letdown.

    (2)

  • David T.

    This place was good enough for me to let my meter run out and suffer another parking ticket. Amada is incredible. After celebrating Valentine's Day at Tinto, I was a little skeptical of more tapas (I'm a big eater), especially for Restaurant Week, but Amada did not disappoint at all. Being able to choose two plates each for two courses plus one dessert yielded more than enough deliciousness to sate my appetite. My favorite out of what we ordered were the ham croquetas, which were crunchy and packed with flavor, and served over some sort of sundried tomato puree, I think. The gambas was also awesome, the shrimp was perfectly cooked. I wasn't a big fan of the chorizo but that might just be a personal thing. There was so much more food than I was expecting, I was totally overwhelmed by both the amount and how good it was. We also ordered a pitcher of white sangria - light, fruity and tasty. I'm also not much of a dessert person but the arroz con leche was great, too. They have a special tasting menu for October to celebrate their 5th anniversary so I highly recommend you make a reservation ASAP!

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    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.

    (1)

  • Felice C.

    Amada never fails to impress. We had a pre-wedding dinner in a private room last week. From the first telephone call to reserve the space until the last bite of dessert at the end of our dinner, everything went smoothly. Sasha was our server and she was friendly and accommodating! Needless to say, the food at Amada cannot be surpassed. Hats off to Jose Garces for this wonderful restaurant. PS- we loved it so much that we went to his restaurant in Chicago, Mercat a la Planxa, two nights later while there on business.

    (5)

  • Elizabeth D.

    This is our fave restaurant in Philly... The food was exquisite and the staff very friendly and knowlegabe. Everything was excellent!

    (5)

  • Patrick H.

    In last night for some food and drinks with friends. We had a great time. Just read LaBan's artical on sunday and we are making the rounds. We enjoyed the first stop Amada Very much.

    (4)

  • J O.

    I read the reviews and have had friends and family who have eaten at Amada. They all enjoyed it so I was really looking forward to good food. I was extremely disappointed. The food was way too salty, the seafood undercooked and I couldn't even figure out what the chocolate dessert was. And to top it off I've been feeling sick since I've been home. Not sure if the restaurant wasn't on top of its game bc of restaurant week but I won't be going back to find out.

    (2)

  • Mike P.

    Wow. What a great find for us. Everything well prepared and delicious. Service very good and the sangria's were tasty. Don't forget the garlic shrimp or artichokes with Parmesan cheese. Just love it.

    (5)

  • Catherine H.

    Short version: Uh huh. Yeah. Do it. Long version: In a state of immense post-workout hunger, my friend and I were debating between Amada and Village Whiskey, not sure whether to make a stop in Center City before hitting up Franklin Fountain or going straight to Olde City to get all our eats in one go. After suffering traffic on Chestnut St (apparently we're not smart enough to take Market instead), we finally made it to the famed Amada. Another Garces establishment. Naturally, we decided to share everything. We didn't do the lunch set, which sounded pretty good (and a good deal), because the La Plancha (grill) and Tapas items were calling to us. Chorizo was first to come up. 3 slices each on 3 skewers, sprinkled with fresh herbs. I hate ordering chorizo and being disappointed (it happens too often), but this was mind-blowingly mmm-mmm -- though that may have had something to do with not having eaten for several hours and having just run 2 miles in mid-morning August heat. I actually closed my eyes to savor these goodies. The crab-stuffed peppers were exactly what they sounded like, with soft velvety-red coatings of pepper skin cradling moist morsels of crab meat. Lima and fava bean salad: simple and yummy. Coated with a light, appropriate sauce with thin slivers of red onion. Amada Burger: we ordered this in a salute to our forfeited Village Whiskey restaurant choice (I hear the burgers there are phenom). It was a solid burger that somehow managed to taste like Spain. Must be the manchego. The truffle fries were hiding aoli beneath them, so don't forget to dig your first fry into the ramekin to get the full effect. So, so full. Two people, 3 tapas, and 1 burger was surprisingly filling. Note on salad: People nearby said their salad was amazing. I'll be back. Nos vemos, Amada!

    (4)

  • Nate A.

    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?)

    (4)

  • Jamie P.

    My husband and I love this place! We visit periodically when we are in the Philly area and have yet to order something we haven't loved. Our favorites include garlic shrimp, Cheese mixto, Spanish octopus and Mushroom flatbread to name a few. We keep trying other restaurants in Philly, but keep coming back here for the amazing food and sangria. This place is best for a small party as it can be loud and is inevitably packed. Make reservations!

    (5)

  • Teresa L.

    I went with 10 people and we ordered about 30 dishes...which was way too much food! Don't do it, unless you brought a second stomach. We went on a Tuesday night and it became very packed by 8 PM! The restaurant is divided into a bar and a dining-oriented area with a lot of natural lighting coming in from the big windows and lots of candlelight. Romantic? Yes. We had pitchers of sangria, both white and red, with glasses that had diced citrus on the bottom. Thirst quencher? Yes. We ordered all 4 types of flat breads, ranging from a shrimp paste spread to short ribs that each was cut into 4 pieces. Speaking of pieces, that's how most of the dishes are served here (we're talking tapas AKA Spanish dim sum minus the carts). We ordered this avocado ice cream chilled soup concoction that was about the size of a grape...so that was difficult to split into 10 pieces. But then we ordered some lamb chops stuffed with goat cheese and what have that came out in four nicely sized chunks that split well amongst 8 of us. I don't believe in ordering cheese at restaurants (because I can buy them at the grocery store for much cheaper...) but they came with amazing toppings and dips, such as sangria raisins. All the dishes are unique (minus the plate of olives, which were just...olives of various sizes), and very, very rich, so a spoonful goes a long way...

    (4)

  • NaDea J.

    I love Amada for the simple fact that the tapas(small plates) allow people like me to overeat without making it apparent that overeating is actually in occurance. For dinner, the server suggested that my boyfriend and I order a total of 6 tapas for us to share. Being stubborn and on the brink of starvation, we ordered seven (not including dessert). I can honestly say that everything was tasty, some dishes even being "lick the plate" worthy. Here's the breakdown of what we ordered: pulpo a la gallega-little pieces of octopus with sliced potato on the side. Had a delicious smokey flavor to it, similar to bacon. gambas al a jillo-garlic shrimp (seasoned with the right amount of garlic)that comes with bread slices. albondigas-lamb meat balls in a minblowing brown sauce of some kind. I don't know whats in it, but I don't care. oysters-three fresh oysters presented in white spoons with a strawberry merinade. costillas de ternera-strips of beef on flatbread topped with horseradish, parmesan, and bacon. This is the perfect combination of salty and sweet in one bite. I will definately be trying the other shortbreads in the future. pernil asado-pork with white beans. Was weary to order this, because some restaurants really dry out their pork, but this was just right. cordero relleno-lamb chops stuffed with goat cheese. Wow...so tender! I can't stop thinking about this dish. esparragos con trufas-asparagus, truffles and poached egg. If you choose any of the vegetarian options, pick this one. for dessert we ordered a flourless chocolate cake. So light, and not to rich. A chocolate lovers dream, basically. Amada gets four stars from me for because although the food was everyhing I expected and more, the service definately fell short. I felt as if my meal was being rushed because they served each tapas pretty much back to back. Also, my waitor was pretty stoic...not in a cool mysterious way, but in a creepy offputting way. Will definately be back regardless.Love you Jose Garces!

    (4)

  • Jeff E.

    So the plan was for my girlfriend and I to head to Triumph for dinner and drinks. But we never made it...... We took a cab to 2nd and Chestnut, hopped out and started walking. After crossing Strawberry we realized we were going in the wrong direction. We stopped for a moment to decide which way to head and there it was....those giant glass panel doors the impact font, bold typeface lettering bathed in flood lights.... Amada. This was either a master plan concocted by my girlfriend or sheer coincidence. After reminding me she has never been we decided to review the menu and rethink our plans. 10 seconds of review was all she needed. We entered and put our name in. Luckily there as only a 45 minute wait(we were there Wednesday night). After about 30 minutes we were seated and not more then 5 minutes later our first order was in. Now I could go on and on about this and that and get this dish and this one, but bottom line, there is nothing bad here. I even got my girlfriend who hates seafood, to eat AND enjoy two seafood dishes...I of course didn't tell her she was eating seafood until she finished but sometimes the blind need a hand. Whats not to love about this place? The service is excellent, the food is excellent, the atmosphere is cozy and romantic. The only negative is it's expensive. it doesn't look expensive when you first view the menu, but once you start piling those plates on it adds up really quickly. If you are looking for a special place to take someone for dinner I would highly recommend Amada! Dress to impress!

    (5)

  • Sharlenne S.

    I'm a HUGE fan of Amada and Chef Garces. I've been to Amada twice, once on a regular friday night, the other during restaurant week. Neither disappointed, but if I'd have to pick one, I'll rather go on a regular night. Know beforehand that if you are planning your evening here, you have to be willing to spend some money. Overall the food tastes incredible and is presented beautifully. I have not been disappointed with any of the tapas I've ordered, but I have to say that my favorites in order are: 1) Cana de Cabra - cheese, comes with crisp green apple slices, fig and cherry marmelade. Complete orgasm in my mouth! 2) Cordero Relleno - lamb chops stuffed with goat cheese and some really amazing tasting herbs, with a little pink sauce that complimented it wonderfully. Amazing!!! 3) Madre e Hijo - a chicken breast with fried egg. Yeah, I know what you are thinking.... How simple of me to order a chicken breast!!! But let me tell you, the most amazingly tender chicken breast I have ever had in my entire life. I think it's my third favorite just because of how soft it was. I couldn't believe it. It was like eating flan that tasted like chicken. The wines are good here, really good. But the Sangrias are to die for! I've had the red and white sangria. I prefer the red. Tastes a little bit like fall, with apples and other fruits and a big cinnamon stick. They also have blush sangria! The desserts are sooooooo delicious. Don't leave without trying at least one. I always go for the fruity kinds and they have never disappointed. Make sure you leave some space for the complimentary flat cookie they bring at the end of your meal. It's great to eat it with a cafe con leche!

    (5)

  • Jon H.

    Amada is one of those experiences in Philadelphia that you will never forget. Went right as the place opened up. First off, this place is super nice ambience inside, different levels of seating, different areas, mood lighting, candles, drapes, couches, and a nice bar area overlooking the cooking stations. Our waitress, even though sort of inattentive, quickly brought us some malbec and tempranillo wine and we ordered quickly off the expansive and chock full menu. First off to notice is the complimentary tuna dip with chip - which at first i was super confused because they said nothing as they put it down - and turned out to be pretty good. Tasted a bit like canned tuna, but it was mixed well with some sauce and was light enough to enjoy. Next up came crab stuffed peppers (tiny serving portion), and the tortilla espanola. Even though I found the crab/pepper to be super duper small, it was bursting with flavor. Actually, thinking back, its nothing really surprising, but still very good. Tastes exactly like it sounds. The tortilla espanola, while really great portion size (almost too big), lacked in flavor. It was served the right temperature for espanola (lukewarm), it ended up tasting like a spanish hash brown....still the saffron aioli paired with it turned up making it a decent dish. Next up, we went with the manchego cheese platter, which was paired with honey, toast, and sliced apples. Although nothing super unique (pairing of cheese with honey and fruit is nothing new) it was enjoyable , decent quantity, and good price ($7). Our final round consisted of three excellent dishes that probably made the night and the experience. The braised lechon flat bread (pizza), the asparagus and poached egg, and the setas (grilled mushrooms). First off the best: the setas - basically a bunch of wild variety mushrooms grilled to the point where if you closed your eyes each piece tasted like a artfully perfectly crafted piece of steak (a little salty though). The braised lechon pizza is perfectly seasoned and braised, served on a nicely toasted pizza-like flat bread and a little light creamy sauce on top and some greens. Kind of like a pulled pork pizza...really perfect dish. The grilled asparagus and poached egg was a stab at some creative deconstruction...which although wasn't amazing or a game changer, was decent and tasty. Breaking the poached egg created a creamer sauce that went well with the asparagus....but I found myself drinking it like a soup...only we had no spoons. Great idea, but flawed execution IMHO. After the night, a decent under $90 bill with wines for two people that we left with full stomachs and pretty unique experience. The tough part is that I find I've had better, more authentic, and more fun experiences with tapas bars, but here I think we are looking at more of a hybrid restaurant where Garces tries to push the envelope a bit in places. Overall, I give it four stars because it really is an amazing restaurant, but when judged against the ruler of tapas bars...it falls jusssttt short.

    (4)

  • Andrea T.

    A trip to amada is not complete without an order of the olives, the shortrib pizza and I wish every jose garces restaurant ended its meals with that wondrous cookie!

    (5)

  • PJ H.

    Recently tried Amada during restaurant week. The selection for RW was awesome, with choice of 4 items per person, its pretty much what i would have gotten there anyway. There were a couple items that stood out and a few that did not. First off, let me jstu say that a place really stands out to me when the bartender knows how to make a good cocktail. I had this bourbon, ginger, something else concoction that was awesome. The wild mushrooms were delicious. Rich and earthy, i sprinkled them ontop of the beef short rib flatbread and it was amazing. the Garlic Shrimp were fantastic, as well as the Scallop a la plancha. The shrimp came out in this hot cauldron of garlic, oil, and hot peppers, keeping them hot while i munched on the rest of the food. Can't tell if i liked Distrito or Amada more, but both are definitely worth the try. The service was a little better at Distrito, but this was during restaurant week, so ill give it another shot at another time. i still need to try that suckling pig, baby pigs = happiness

    (4)

  • Nadeem M.

    I'm not a Tapas fan because I'm never full, but Amada left me satisfied and glad I took the chance. Of course I saw the good Yelp reviews but as I stood at the door looking at the menu, I still wasn't sure. I asked the first couple we saw walking out how it was and they told us without any hesitation that we need to eat here. I listened, and it didn't disappoint. You have to order about 3 plates per person to be full and it will run you in the range of 40 dollars but I wouldn't eat at a place like this often so I went with it.

    (4)

  • Nancy L.

    Amada is one of my all time favorite restaurants. I lived in Philly for a few years and this was a lovely place to dine, drink and catch up with friends. So even though I'm a native Angelino, I was rooting for Chef Garces when he was a contender for Iron Chef. Reservations were difficult to come by before and now that he's won the title, I can't imagine how long the wait lists are like. But it's SO worth it. The man is a genius. The food is always superlative, regardless of what you get. The dishes look beautiful and taste equally divine. I like a sampling of traditional and modern tapas. The flat breads, seafood, meat, cheese plates, charchuteria, and grilled dishes are all amazing. So step outside the box and try something you've never experienced. This is the place to explore your adventurous palate because Chef Garces won't let you down. During one particular dinner I remember striking up a conversation with a neighboring dinner party, and one of the girls was nervous about eating foie gras. Long story short, a dish with said ingredient was ordered unbeknownst to her. She tried it, loved it and then was shocked to learn the ingredient! If you need a little encouragement, order a pitcher or two of sangria to embolden your nerves. The red sangria is fantastic! Can't wait to eat here again when I'm back in Philly.

    (5)

  • David K.

    Amada is awesome. I've been to tons of tapas places and they typically have a few amazing staples and some filler dishes, not the case at Amada. I went with a group of 9 so we got to taste a bit of most of the menu and I was extremely impressed with almost every dish that came out. We started with both Mixtos and these are a treat. The truffle honey that comes with the cheese mixto is to die for. So much so that we insisted on keeping it to put on other things after the cheese was gone. Some other highlights were the Esparragos Con Trufas, Albondigas, Patatas Bravas and Bocadillo be Lechon. The Paella Valenciana was good as well but if you're one for variety like I am, I'd probably skip it next time and add some more tapas. It'd be hard to order something that's not top notch.

    (5)

  • Kitty B.

    For hubby's and I one year anniversary we decided to get out if town and head to Philly for some cheesesteaks and new scenery. Since out one year is something a little special, we forgoed the cheesesteaks for a nice dinner out at Amada. We went off yelper's review for this place and thank you! Nestled in the olde city, Amada was quiet and romantic enough without pretension. We happened to visit during restaurant week so we had the choice of two first courses, two second courses and a dessert each. Everything was so flavorful and well portioned and served in perfect timing. And for $35 each we were stuffed. The highlights were the fish and chips ( pan seared not fried), short rib flatbread, goat cheese toastinis, and the shrimp scampi dish. Wine selection was excellent and service was friendly and attentive. It was great meal and a great night.

    (4)

  • Rky L.

    I have been here more times than I can count, and I have never been disappointed. It is a marvel to me how Garces manages to keep the staff so well-trained and the execution perfect on every dish, even after a few years of business...and even in absentia. The patatas bravas arrive just as crisp and hot now as they did three years ago. Must-order plates: patatas bravas, garbanzos con espinacas, the shrimp & chorizo flatbread (or, frankly, *any* of the flatbreads), and the madre y hijo. Our only source of sadness comes from those dishes we loved which have been rotated off the menu. (Please, Chef Garces, bring back the Manchego Mousse Cake. It was the greatest dessert on the Eastern Seaboard.) Things that you MUST try if they re-appear on the menu: the chestnut pasta (with mollejas), and of course the above-mentioned manchego cheesecake. Still our favorite Garces restaurant.

    (5)

  • Judith W.

    I went for lunch on my birthday which was on a monday, and it was surprisingly very crowded. The manchego with lavendar honey was good. The Amada burger was yummy!! Remember to use the extra plates given at the start of service, the plate the burger is served on is for presentation only, not utility.

    (4)

  • Erin K.

    My bf took me here on a Wednesday night and despite having a 8PM reservation, we got there at 7:30 hoping to get seated, but it was quite packed. Once seated, however, it was a great experience. The restaurant is spacious and comfy. The waitstaff was pleasant, and no pressure to buy bottled water. The wine started off okay but as other reviewers noted, not that great by the glass. by the end of dinner I was done with my wine despite having 1/2 of it left. Oops. The sangria, however, is good and reasonable at $7/$8 The FOOD: 1. flatbread with beef-- very yummy. get it! 2. spanish octopus--VERY VERY good. I've had a lot of grilled octopus before but this was something special. 3. lambchops--good but overpriced. I would try something else next time. 4. beets--interesting but nothing special 5. shrimp--loved the sauce, but I'm not sure how i feel about shrimp that looks like it came from costco 6. dessert--peach something--interesting and yummy but it didn't knock my socks off. all in all a great meal. And though it's "pricey", as long as you control the number of things you get, I don't think it's that bad of a deal. It's still cheaper than appetizer/entree at most BYOB if you stick to 2/2.5 dishes per person.

    (4)

  • Jim D.

    Il y a quelque chose absolument délicieuse et on peut la découvrir chez Amada. This place is capable of making your taste-buds swoon and your mouth speak in romantic foreign tongues. It's that good. Franchement. We arrived early in order to avoid any crowds and it paid off. We were seated in the very comfortable and intimate lounge area in the back. It definitely offers a better mood setting in comparison to the other parts of the close quartered dining area. The only peculiar aspect was the seat cushions sank really, really deep. I'm not a short guy by any means and I literally looked like a five year old at the table. So make sure you prop yourself up on two or three pillows, especially all you little hobbits out there. Service was eggscellent. Our waitress, Shelly, kept a watchful eye on our table but was far from intrusive. She was friendly, warm and offered knowledgeable recommendations. The food was, how shall I say, merveilleux. All plates were elegantly presented and were little beauties to be admired, relished and then savored. In that exact order, s'il vous plaît. We studied the extensive menu, debated and ordered as such: 1) Amada's Empanada - piping hot and executed perfectly 2) Sardinas Curadas - rich tasting, but a tad weak in flavor 3) Chipirones a la Romana - succulent and spicy 4) Patatas Bravas - someone please smack me, no wait, I don't want to wake up 5) Gambas Con Garbanzos - wow. period. 6) Revuelto - if ever there was a perfect wet dream involving food, this would be in it We finished the meal with a surprise dessert - arroz con leche. I could have passed out from this devilishly delicious finale. It was sublime!! This was a thoroughly phenomenal dining experience. Just about every bite was a flavor explosion and I washed it all down with my lusciously refreshing blanco sangria. Amada mio When we're together I'm in a dream world Of sweet delight Amada - you're dreamy.

    (5)

  • Curtis G.

    I have never had a bad meal here and always great service. This is one of the true Gems of Center City. I don't think you can go wrong with any of Jose Garces' restaurants. Truly one of my favorite places to dine. The only reason I don't give it five stars is because it's not the most intimate atmosphere but it will do.

    (4)

  • howie f.

    Really, really disappointing. We ordered the Chef's tasting menu and were let down by dish after dish of varying levels of mediocrity. Let's see if I can remember: 0. Flatbread with tuna dip (on the house): tasted like the tuna fish sandwich my mom used to make. Not a bad thing, but I never paid this much money for something that tastes like Chicken of the Sea. 1. Oyster shooters: just plain weird. But admittedly, I'm not a fan of oysters. 2. Cheeses, spreads and bread: Okay. There was a nice honey-truffle oil that was actually pretty good. The other two were duds. 3. Salad of a bunch of stuff, all green: This was ok, but nothing special. (at this point, my wife and I were still pretending to like what we were eating. We were, after all, celebrating our one-month anniversary.) 4. Calamari: Very lightly breaded calamari with mayo-based dipping sauce. I like the fact that it was lightly breaded, but man, this was one of the most bland calamari dishes I've ever had. 5. Spanish flatbread with cheese and tomato: Pretty good, but between this and Domino's thin-crust, it's a toss-up. 6. Lamb meat balls: These were pretty good. The meatballs were cooked medium rare in a brown beef-stroganoff-like sauce. I wouldn't choose this if I were ordering, but it was still a nice dish. (At this point, my wife and I stopped pretending to like the food and just started laughing. We thought it was tragically comic that over halfway through a $55/person tasting menu, we hadn't yet been served a serious meat dish). 7. Seared Tuna, Potato Salad, Black Olive Puree: Again, nothing special. 8. Chorizo: Jimmy Dean! 9. Sauteed Mushrooms in Truffle Oil: These were excellent. For me, the highlight of the menu. Several different types of mushrooms in truffle oil. 10. Rack of lamb. Again, just ok. We had two chops, one of which was seared nicely. The other one reminded me of the many times I've tried broiling a steak, yet just wasn't able to achieve the crusty layer. I don't like eating my own culinary mishaps, so you can guess how I felt about eating someone else's. To me, a good tasting menu should introduce you to a few dishes that you'd order on your own. With this in mind, Amada was an utter failure. Oh well. I guess you know you've found the right person when the two of you can laugh about how abominably disappointing your one-month anniversary dinner was. At least I can thank Amada for showing me that.

    (2)

  • Eileen H.

    Amada was the first restaurant I tried when I moved to Philadelphia. What a great way to be introduced to my Philadelphia dining experience! I can still remember the unbelievable taste of my first sip of their sangria. It was a sangria made with rose wine. I tend to stay away from rose unless it is produced in or near the Provence region out of fear that I am getting a white zinfandel. My friend and I ordered their chef's tasting menu and while we were just astounded by the amount of food that came our way. It was truly one of the best meals I've ever had. Since my first experience, I've returned a number of times. They have a pretty good lunch special. Warning though - you may need a nap after lunch if you combine their food with some sangria. I usually try to take visitors to Amada and it never fails to impress.

    (5)

  • j m.

    Tapas is up there on my list, alongside breakfast foods & dessert. The idea of ordering several plates & tasting different flavors in one meal excites me. I had a work conference in Philly & did my research beforehand - after reading impressive reviews, I knew that I wanted to try Jose Garces' Amada. I will admittedly say that it's not my most favorite tapas place in the states, but as of right now, it's a solid choice in the city of brotherly love & currently top 10 on my tapas list. I had a 9PM reservation & arrived at 9:10PM and was promptly seated. The ambience was trendy & i enjoyed the light fixtures. There's also an open kitchen (which i love). The sangria was good - I enjoyed the red over the white. The food: Garces' take on tapas was inventive & flavorful. I appreciate chefs that can take traditional tapas & put their own unique spin to it. Here's the breakdown of food I ordered: Madre e Hijo: the chicken was moist & cooked perfectly; the egg combo with the truffles made for a perfect sauce Gambas con Garbanzos: i'm a huge fan of spanish flatbreads & garces definitely surprised me with his rendition. i was expecting more of the traditional flat bread, but his was tasty & the sauce was unexpected...very similar to a flat bread pizza. Patatas Bravas: i try & order this dish at every tapas restaurant i visit - i like to see how creative chefs can get w/such a traditional dish. unfortunately this was my least favorite dish. there were ~6-8 potatoes w/whipped sauce on top & the potatoes were luke warm by the time it got to my table. Chicken Brochettes: my favorite dish. i had to ask for more bread so i could finish it off completely!

    (3)

  • Adrienne S.

    My favorite restaurant in Philadelphia. I love everything about it. Everytime someone visits from out of town I bring them here. It is definitely an upscale eatery. The service is excellent and the food is a-maze-ing! They serve small plates which is the best way to experience all Amada has to offer. All types of eaters can visit Amada because of the variety. I have been with vegetarians, pescatarians, and dedicated meat eaters and everyone is always impressed and leaves full and happy. The price point is great for the quality of food that they serve, BUT once you start adding in the drinks it can be more than you anticipated. They now have a Sunday brunch which is just as delcious as dinner, but without the hefty price tag.

    (5)

  • Grace L.

    This place introduced me to sangria. And then it introduced me to patatas bravas. A love was born. I am so eternally grateful. The first time I came here was for drinks with my roommates. We were wandering around Old City and dropped in and got a pitcher of the white sangria - it was SO DELICIOUS and has set the bar for all sangrias that came after it! This was also the first time I had tapas. My sister and best friend came in and I decided we should all try tapas together. The server was very knowledgeable and gave us a list of popular plates and some of her own recommendations. We had such a great time since it was so novel and the plates were incredibly tasty and filling! Like I said above, the patatas bravas are fantastic. Other favorites included the ham croquettes and aragones cheese (MMMMM!!!) So, great for a beginner and hopefully I'll get to go back someday soon!

    (5)

  • Albi D.

    I'd give this restaurant 3.5 stars, but since it was my first time there, I'll give Amada the benefit of the doubt. Decor was light, nothing fancy. Food seemed to be a hit or miss. Service was good. I went there for my gf's birthday and spent around $80. First we ordered some red wine *Sangria*. At $8 per glass I felt like it was well worth it because you get A LOT out of it. And the sangria is delicious. The wine is gentle yet strong. Next came the *Aged Manchego* and *Cana de Cabra*, which are recommended by quite a few yelpers here. They turned out to be the absolute worst part of our meal. The manchego was bland. You get three thin pieces of triangle-shaped cheese along with a side of truffle lavender honey, which is just meh... Wouldn't order again even if you paid me the $7 I spent for it. I think there's a lot of much better choices. The Cana de Cabra? Well let me just say that if you never tried goat cheese before, or even if you're someone that thinks feta cheese is too strong, just STAY AWAY from it!! Don't be a hero. Now I have studied abroad in Spain for a semester so I'm very familiar with tapas and I'm also originally from the Medierranean so I happen to like strong cheeses. But both I and my girlfriend, who is from Ecuador, absolutely hated this dish. She actually said it smelled and tasted like dust. I have to say, though, that the fig and cherry marmalade side it came with was excellent. I could have that every day for breakfast if I could. Next the server gave us a complimentary dish, tuna with what seemed to be long salted crackers. The crackers were good and so was the tuna. Now whether this is something that I would spend $7-$9 for if I were to order it in the future is entirely a different matter. But the answer would be no. From this point on the dinner got a lot better, thankfully. She wanted the *Pulpo a la Gallega*, which is basically little cylindrical rolls of octopus, while I ordered the *Gazpacho* with crab and avocado. I was feeling a little nostalgic of the Gazpacho my host mom used to make me in Madrid, and this one brought me right back to those good old days. Thank you for that Amada! Both the gazpacho and the pulpo were finger licking good. These along with the Sangria were the best part of our meal. Lastly, we had some desert. We had something called the *Moca*. It was chocolate ice cream, vanilla mousse, coffee, butterscotch. The vanilla mouse was good, the rest of it was just meh. It was quite small and they were nice enough to put a birthday candle on it. If I go there next I would probably try the *Pastel de chocolate* instead. The server told me these two are the best deserts. But something tells me that if I go next, I would probably save the money from the desert and just try other tapas instead. The desert menu isn't too impressive. In conclusion the dishes were a bit of a hit or miss. I would say that if you stick to what you know, you're going to be fine. They make small quantities of everything (tapa sizes obviously) and you end up paying an average of $9 for every small dish, but at least they're not afraid to be bold with their flavors. Judging from the presentation of dishes, they seem to put a considerable amount of care on each dish. I would come here in the future again but only if I needed a quick fix, maybe some gazpacho, some jamon, or some boquerones. But to do a full dinner would get too expensive. I think people like Amada because the food here is unique and if you choose right, you will get a great experience. Plus there's not too many places I know in Philly that offer great tapas for reasonable prices. Tinto and Bar Ferdinand seem to be even more expensive. At Amada you won't leave hungry, but your pockets will certainly be lighter.

    (4)

  • Dom R.

    Celebrated my 25th birthday at Amada with a group of 6. We pre-ordered the Cochinillo Asado aka The Roasted Suckling Pig Feast. I went in with very high expectations for this place. I don't know, say Iron Chef Expectations. The Pig lived up to my expectations, however everything else was forgettable. The service - forgettable. The prices - forgettable. The sangria - forgettable. The dessert - yup, forgettable. Again, maybe my expectations were set to high. What was UNforgettable was the Whole Roasted Suckling Pig carved table side with tasty sides such as Charred Green Onions, Herb-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Garbanzos with Espinacas & Rosemary White Beans. All delicious and complimentary to the Pig. The Pig was excellent, perfectly roasted with crispy skin and all. The carver asks if you want to be served some of the more interesting pig parts. Do it! They artfully present you with the Pig's head deconstructed and then plated in a way to, well, resemble the Pig's head again. Brains and all. This is certainly not for everyone, but if you are an adventurous eater like myself, I highly recommend it. To recap: Pig Feast= GOOD. Everything Else that factors into a restaurant experience = ............. I keep reminding myself to get back to Amada and order off of the Regular Menu, but honestly...I keep forgetting it's there. Oh well, 3 Stars for now.

    (3)

  • Bert N.

    One of the top 5 places that I have eaten at and I am not even a big fan of tapas. In looking for what to order, I would definitely recommend the Chef's Choice. There are $45, $55, $65 per person options which determine the quality and quantity of the Chef's Choice. There also is $20 wine pairing which consists of 3 three oz glasses or a $35 option for five oz glasses. We ordered the $65 per person. Dishes (I don't remember their proper names): Tuna Dip with Pita Chips Cheese & Fruits Oyster Shots Serrano Ham Salad Grilled Octopus Cocoa Bread with Mushrooms Garlic Shrimp Scallops Asparagus with Poached Egg Mushrooms Lamb chops Steak Every dish was solid. My favorites would probably be the steak dish and mushroom dish. They also have the best sangria I have ever had and their Fried Leche dessert is delicious. If you are ever in Philly, MAKE SURE YOU COME HERE. While pricey ($120 pp including drinks), it was worth every penny.

    (5)

  • Susan H.

    As first-timers, we got the tasting menu. Great way to go! Food was really delicious. Highlights included the short rib flat bread (was to die for) and scallops cooked perfectly on popsicle-like sticks. Highly recommend.

    (4)

  • Jenny C.

    I don't know what else can be said about this place... it is the BOMB. I went with my two best girlfriends during restaurant week and we had an amazing meal. I can not remember everything that we had, but it's not important because everything that we had was SO delicious. Ok, now I'm starting to remember... the blanco sangria, the lavender truffled honey, the jamon croquettes, the short-rib flatbread, it was all so damn good. Just GO, and then you'll know.

    (5)

  • Asuka N.

    My girlfriend and I have wanted to go to Amada for quite some time, but we only finally made it at the tail end of a day trip to Philly. The quality of the food was fantastic - there wasn't a dish that I didn't like - but for the rave reviews and the reputation that Amada has as being the place that does tapas the best, I was a little disappointed in a couple of the dishes. Our goal was to order roughly one dish in every category or so. The standouts, from among the ones that we ate, were the clams & chorizo (the sauce adds a very vibrant flavor to the seafood) and the pan-roasted barramundi, which was very buttery and fell apart when we ate it. The foie gras pate we had was good, but the apricots in the dish somewhat overpowered the other flavors. The salchichon was well-prepared, and I liked the aragones cheese dish as well. The one dish I was somewhat disappointed in was the lamb chops stuffed with goat cheese...there were plenty of times where I took a bite and there was much more (or all) cheese relative to the meat...so it tasted more like a mozzarella stick than anything else. We also had the braised pork shoulder flatbread, which was good but a bit on the salty side. We split a dessert, the caramalized dark chocolate custard, that was very well-done. The sorbet worked very well as a compliment to the custard. All in all, there were a couple of standout dishes, but I felt like most of the dishes were fairly standard and didn't 'grab my attention', so to speak. It was a delicious dinner overall, and I'd definitely go again and try some of the other dishes. The service was good, and I liked the vibe and the atmosphere in the restaurant itself.

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    Best Pulpo I have ever had, period. One of my favorite restaurants in the world. Words do not do this place any justice, just go eat here.

    (5)

  • Renee B.

    Loved amada. From the complimentary drinks they gave us, the fabulous sangria, and the wonderful tapas of all kinds... All I have to say is ...JUST GO!!! Fabulous service. Fabulous food. And a really gracious, wonderful staff.

    (5)

  • Steve D.

    The staff couldn't be more friendly and helpful. This place really knows how to treat its customers! My date and I arrived with 4 travel bags, and they happily stowed all of them. The food was artfully presented, extremely flavorful, and all served quickly and accurately. The ambiance was romantic, elegant, and stylish. I am totally floored by my Amada experience, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Great for dates as well as delicious outings with small groups. Make sure you try their sangria!

    (5)

  • Zach Y.

    Yet another fantastic Garcas restuarant. Got the chef selection and the food didn't seem to end! The prosuitto wrapped salad was particularly delicious

    (4)

  • Michelle D.

    Too many overly salty dishes (mushrooms and octopus). Drinks were fab, but the food was just too salty to give 4-5 stars

    (3)

  • L R.

    I am in town for a conference and after a spectacular evening at Tinto the previous night,my party of four was really looking forward to another great evening at Amada, owned by the same person. What an overwhelmingly disappointing dining experience we had here. From the moment we entered the NOT VERY CROWDED restaurant, we encountered arrogant, rude, and dismissive staff. It was so universally offensive that it became laughable. It began at the bar where the bartender poured our glasses with the bottle of red wine we selected. When we asked for refills she insisted we had not ordered the bottle (WE HAD) and opened a new bottle and charged us for both the three glasses AND the bottle. The first bottle we had been served from had been opened for us, but she was indignant and rude about her mistake. The four of us gathered at the bar with one chairs slightly pulled from the edge of the bar (not at all blocking any walkway since we were near the entrance to the dining room) and the hostess came to us and rudely expressed our fire hazard seating. She did not give us any update on our table or offer to explain why more than five tables were sitting empty while we waited for 50 minutes to be seated. There were more than a dozen empty tables in the place when we finally sat down. The food was good, really good, but for me, going out to dinner is like going to a show. The dinner is not a preamble to a later activity - dinner is the activity, especially at a Tapas place. It shouldn't be a evening just to satiate hunger, but rather it should be a lovely evening from start to finish, worthy of a $400 check at the end of the meal. Spend your dollars at more polished, appreciative, professionally staffed restaurants like Tinto or Amis, where our $350-$400 dining experience left us with a full stomach and a memorable evening of pleasure. Where was the Amada manager in all this? I have no idea, but he or she should be ashamed. The Amada manager should spend an evening at Amis and then come back and train the staff. Incredibly disappointing!!!

    (1)

  • Joseph K.

    If you are into Spanish Tapas then this is place for you. I need little bit of more of acquired taste for this place, but over all it was great experience.

    (4)

  • Michael H.

    fantastic! the chef does an amazing job there!

    (5)

  • Jason L.

    We initially gulped at our 10:15pm Saturday dinner reservation, but, this is Amada after all so we sucked it up. After enjoying a couple drinks at the bar we were finally taken to our table just off the kitchen. Unfortunately it was a really weird table set-up with me being a full foot above my date (I was seated in a chair and she was on some sort of padded bench). She ultimately had to sit on pillows just to reach the table. Other than the seating the ambiance was nice and exciting. In terms of food, certain elements were incredibly complex and others brought out the simple deliciousness of the food. Service was very good--unfortunately we did have a large coarse black hair in our goat cheese which was quickly fixed and we were given a complimentary calamari dish and desert for the error. Overall, I definitely enjoyed it but I'm not sure the 'value' element was enough to make this 5 stars for me.

    (4)

  • Sarah L.

    Ok. The ONLY reason I am giving it three stars is because of the host/hostess that were working on Tuesday night for restaurant week. If I were basing this review solely on food quality, it'd be five. When we arrived at 9:25 for a 9:30 reservation we were told our table was getting up and would be set momentarily. Fine, I can deal with getting a drink at the bar. 15 minutes later, we still had not heard anything, so like any normal person, I checked in to see what was up. After a glaringly fake smile, I was told it would be a bit longer, only to turn my back and hear the hostess make a snide remark. I'm sorry, but just because I look young does not mean I don't deserve a bit of respect. Long story short, we were not sat until 10:10pm. As I said at the beginning, the food was PHENOMINAL. Hopefully next time I am not seated 40 minutes late to enjoy it.

    (3)

  • Alyssa S.

    Amada is Ah-mazing! I saw Amada on "the best thing i ever ate" on the food network so i knew it had to be amazing! I went on Sunday with 4 others and we had the roasted suckling pig .. amazing! (you have to call at least 3 days in advance for it) Amada is a tapas restaraunt so to start we had the Mixto Meats which were delicious, the Mixto Cheeses which were served amazingly with chocolate hazelnut, lavander truffled honey and something else that was amazing but i dont know what it was. we also had the short rib flatbread and garlic shrimp. needless to say everything was gone within 10 minutes they were all soo good. oh and desert was also AMAZING! I will definitely be going back to Amada

    (4)

  • Jing G.

    Close to a four stars. I guess I'm in the minority, but I found this place simply "good". We've been here a handful of times and the service is alright. The food is very thoughtful and well presented. We've had almost everything from the salad with beans (very good), to the baby squid, the spicy potatos, to the flatbreads, the sardines, the vegetarian eggplant dish, the grilled scallops, the ham croquettes, to the squid pasta dish. All were good, but more than a couple dishes were doused in oil and very heavily salted. Even the salad (which I requested they hold the dressing) was oiled down, with the dressing on the side.. odd. I'll be back again, but perhaps not first on my list.

    (4)

  • Maureen M.

    SO GOOD !! Jose Garces does not disappoint ! The food was amazing, loved the salade verde, had the ham croquettes, and crab stuffed peppers, both equally DELICIOUS. For entrees had one of the flatbreads which was so good it was ridiculous. Only thing we tried that was still good but not impressive were the spicy potato's. Red Sangria = YUM! :-) The ambience is great, friendly staff. I can't wait to go back here !

    (5)

  • Derek F.

    My wife and I enjoyed our meal at Amada. When we called to book a reservation, we found out that the only thing available was a high-top in the bar. While not the most comfortable seats, it was decent. The bar area was very noisy due to a large party awaiting their table to be ready, but once it cleared out it was a nice experience. Our waitress was OK and her recommendations were spot on, but I would have liked to see her a little more and she could have been a little more friendly! The drinks were good and the food was excellent! I highly recommend Amada if you are looking for a great place for a date, or even hanging out with friends for a drink.

    (4)

  • Jamie C.

    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.

    (4)

  • Xiomara P.

    OH MY GOD! Amazing! I miss going down to philly just because I miss this place! Everything is delicious! Pricey, but delicious! Worth every single dime!

    (5)

  • Rich W.

    Not sure what I will add that others have not, but I went here on a business dinner and loved it. I have lived in Spain twice, and the food at Amada was outstanding and authentic, the menu varied and the vibe great. Our particular waiter, while attentive and knowledgable, wasn't the warmest individual (in fact quite snooty), which was a little surprising since we were ordering pretty top-shelf, in terms of both food and wine. That said, it did not detract from the food, which was simply fantastic - not a bad morsel came our way -- or our time. As far as atmosphere - here's a tip. We were seated in the back room, which was more private and serene than the main front rooms. While fine for us, with business to discuss, it definitely was less warm and social than the front. If you are looking to be more secluded and separated, the back was great (indeed preferable). But if you are looking for a warmer, more uptempo feel, the front is the way to go.

    (5)

  • Cindy W.

    Came here for restaurant week for the first time. Absolutely divine. I was very satisfied with all the food, service, and the overall environment. My friends and I essentially ordered everything on the restaurant week menu, but my favorites have to be croquetas de jamon, caldo gallego, hanger steak brochettes, gambas al ajillo, and aged manchego cheese. For dessert, I was able to try both the crema catalana and tarta de chocolate. The crema catalana was a great way to finish the meal and cleanse my palate; however, if you love chocolate, you should get the tarta de chocolate. Overall, I would recommend this place for a small group dinner!

    (5)

  • A B.

    Definitely a place for tasty bites and a very ambient atmosphere for a date. See you again soon, Amada!

    (4)

  • Sandeep U.

    Amada is one of the great Philly culinary landmarks, getting a rejuvenated longevity thanks to Chef Garces' exploits on television. The over 400 reviews right here on yelp speaks volumes of its lasting popularity and iconic status. The Sangria has been raved about. Try it. You'll be glad you did. Don't be overwhelmed. There will be regulars, they've tried all, they know what they want. There are also first timers, every time. Don't be afraid to ask. All tapas are not the same. All tapas are not the same portions. All diners are not spanish. Though it might be obvious, make a reservation. Early, late night, weekday or weekend. This place will be packed. And there will be a wait. Save room for desserts. Anything with 'leche' in it is scrumptious. I go by the rule of 3 (3 tapas per head) I've found their Prix Fixe menus to be consistently one of the best in town, so if you're dying to go yet still on the fence, restaurant week will be a great start.

    (5)

  • Zoe P.

    My boyfriend took me here recently for my birthday dinner, and it was truly a wonderful experience. After going there, I can definitely understand how popular it is regardless of what time of the day. The interior is wonderful - dark wood floors and furniture highlighted with creamy linens. It can feel a bit crowded when its full, but not uncomfortably so. The kitchen is also partially open to the dining area, with a bar right there (ideal eating location in my opinion), and the bar itself is on the side, partitioned off from diners. The food is delicious; it was very hard to choose only a few, especially since they offer so many traditional spanish tapas. The full entrees seem unnecessary compared to the tapas since we weren't even interested in them. We had: Escalivada: Roasted Peppers & Eggplant, Cippolini Onions & Confit Tomatoes (really good, but would skip next time) Morels Salteados: Morel Mushrooms, Thyme & White Asparagus (exquisite - its small, but very memorable) Grilled Baby Squid (simple but cooked to perfection, they were amazingly tender) Arroz de Langosta: Lobster Bomba Rice with Clams, Lemon Zest & Golden Pea Shoots (MmmMmm gooooood) Pimientos de Padron: Fried Peppers, Sea Salt & Salbitxada (delicately spicy - a must) Piquillos Rellenos: Crab-Stuffed Peppers (If you get one dish, this is the one. Amazingly good) Olas de Chocolate: Godiva Liqueur Cake, Chocolate Mousse, Milk Chocolate Ice Cream (definitely for the chocolate lover, and surprisingly large compared to the tapas) Banana Torrijas: Crispy Spanish Bread, Carmelized Bananas, Maple Syrup Ice Cream, Banana Anglaise (TO. DIE. FOR. If you like bananas, that is) We also each had a glass of sangria; I had the tinto, which was incredible and lived up to the ones I've had in Spain, while my boyfriend had their seasonal bianco with mint and mango, which he loved but was too sweet for my taste (weird, because I'm the one with the sweet tooth). The portions are smaller than some might expect, especially with some dishes, but for the two of us those 6 plates, two desserts, and sangria was perfect - however, it does leave a substantial bill at the end of the evening. However, we both agreed (especially me since I didn't pay ;D ) that it was completely worth it. And the service was spectacular, we had a very attentive, informed waiter. This is truly one of Philly's top restaurants.

    (5)

  • Gail B.

    loved it

    (5)

  • Mary S.

    If only I was RICHER! I think I would eat here all the time. Amada seriously is one of those places that is worth every damn bit of hype you've ever heard about it. Also tasty, timely, and filling. Even though the small plates are exactly that! The sangria is tangy yet sweet. The waitstaff are kind, but leave you to your own thing, and the food moves fast. I've only ever been here for restaurant week. *Note the part about me wishing and praying to be rich* but for the amount of people that come in and out of this place during those 2 weeks alone, they are all doing a seriously commendable job of sticking to their reservations and delivering a delightful time for everyone who walks through the door.

    (4)

  • Dave H.

    I returned again in January for the chef's tasting menu. Unsure if I had the same server, but his name was Pat too... food wasn't as TASTY as before (there were different plates) but they were still outstanding and oozing with quality. Their ninja-like service (unobtrusive and QUICK) rocked too. I sat in the rear area, which has less of a noise problem than the front

    (5)

  • Adrienne M.

    My favorite thing about this place is the decor. Can't really beat slabs of pork hanging from a ceiling. Everyone is always talking about Amada - so I had to go. I've been to Chifa and Village Whiskey - and I still think both are better than Amada. Still, this place is pretty amazing anyway. What I recommend (from someone who loves just about everything)... HAM CROQUETTES. Like glorified mozzarella sticks. Salty melty cheese and the serrano ham was heavenlyyyyyy. Also had the spanish tortilla with safron aoli - to me it kind of tasted like a less good matzah ball (by that I mean it was really dense but lacked the nice fluff of the ball.) It was just so so. All of the flat breads were pretty good and the crema catalana was divine. All in all, I liked this place - I just wasn't floored by it. I still don't know if everything tasted so good because I didn't eat all day before I got there and was starving... or if it was legitimately delicious. Either way the place is better than most and I'd suggest.

    (4)

  • Maria C.

    Lots has been written about how beautiful this place is and how good the food is and how great Jose Garces is. I completely agree with everyone on this -- the place is beautiful and I love the ambiance. The white sangria is tasty and service is great. I had been hearing rave reviews from a number of people on Amada and I decided to try it a couple of weeks ago when my sister was in town. Everything was overall tasty but everything had something about it that was slightly off. We started with their tuna, which was tasty but the balsamic vinegar on top of what seems to be an upscale tuna salad throws the flavor of the entire thing off. The balsamic vinegar overpowers the tuna, unfortunately. The garlic crisps that they serve with it also throw the dish into a new direction: salty garlic. The flavors end up clashing. I have no critique to make about the manchego. Delicious cheese complemented beautifully by the lavender honey. I was a fan of that. Next up we had the scallops, which were tasty! The sear was good but they just needed some salt. This is what was off about this part of the meal. Then my sister ordered the croquetas de jamon, which were a bit overcooked. They were heavy and hard to eat. She was not a fan. Last was the egg with the mushroom dish. I don't remember the name but this was good. A little bit too runny for my taste but an overall successful dish. I liked Amada and I think it's great. I just don't think I'd say it's the best restaurant in Philly?? Sorry.

    (4)

  • Minh C.

    It's not the cheapest place to eat, but the food is excellent. The chef is Juan Garces, who also operates Tinto and Distrito (check out my review!). The restaurant serves traditional Spanish tapas - or small plates. You can order your own selections of tapas a la carte, but I highly recommend that you try La Mesa de Jose - or the chef's tasting menu. The chef organized a fantastic 12 course menu. We began with an intriguing combination of cheeses, dipping sauces and fruit. Skeptical at first, the flavors worked together beautifully. The contrast of sweet and savory were an excellent way to start off the meal. The entire meal had a fresh, earthy theme to it. I think this was best exemplified in the Alcachofas Y Setas, a wild mushroom, artichoke, black truffle and manchego flatbread. Simply put, the food was rustic and delicious.

    (4)

  • John B.

    I remember being impressed by Amada a long time ago...a while before Jose was a well-known TV celebrity. Trying to remember the fond memories, I came back here for lunch on a fine Saturday afternoon. All the dishes on the lunch menu seemed unimpressive, and I was thinking, "is this it? I could swear that there were more interesting items on the menu". Most dishes didn't seem like dishes that require a lot of expertise...you know, the good old, "I could *totally* make this at home". We had baby octopus, lamb chops, spicy potatoes, lamb sausage, ham croquette, chorizo, stuffed peppers with crab meat, manchego cheese and honey. The only decent dishes was the stuffed peppers with crab meat and lamb sausage. Other dishes were just way too boring.

    (3)

  • Matthew I.

    A staple of Philly dining. One of the best restaurants in the city. My wife and I go every year on her birthday and possibly one other time during the year. The Lamb chops might be my favorite item on the menu. We always get the artichoke flat-bread as well.

    (5)

  • Tim V.

    Amada brings new meaning to the phrase "pig out." It was our second time feasting there. And it was amazing. In no way was this a sophomore slump of a visit. And like any great movie sequel, this one out-did the first in so many ways. Same quirky characters (the four of us), just a new culinary concoction. It is as it was in the beginning- dimly lit and very welcoming. Hard wood floors with very different dining tables in each section of the main room. One section stands only on small rocks, while another is raised on a wooden porch. Excellent wait staff and service was there for our return. Only this meal was to be different. We were there celebrating our friend's 28th birthday with a slightly different order from the usual tapas. On the menu last night: COCHINILLO ASADO (a.k.a Suckling Pig). A meal for those of you who thoroughly enjoy moist, succulent, rich and slightly smoked pork. It was pre-ordered for our friend's birthday celebration. To start we enjoyed their incredibly fresh and cooling Blanco Sangria. When the time is right, a chef wheels out a carving station with the entire pig on the marble cutting surface. There, he slowly and carefully slices the meat and skin. Let's just say the knife wasn't working so hard- the meat was sliding of the bones. This was happening directly next to us in a slow methodical way. I can't describe to you how much of a tease this was for all of us at the table... mouth-watering was an understatement. Once on the table, we were in heaven. The meat was prepared and cooked to perfection. And if you can imagine, it had crispy skin that was better than the best bacon you have ever had. I dare you to challenge me on that! In addition to the pig, they plated the fantastic four of sides in clay servicing dishes: Grilled Green Onions, Herb-Roasted Fingerlings, Garbanzos con Espinacas & Rosemary White Beans. At the end of the night, we walked away with smiles the size of Spain. Your arteries might be screaming for help, but it's worth every bit of the indulgence. Not just for the flavor, but for the shared experience with good friends in a warmly lit and polished rustic atmosphere. Cheers to Chef Garces- you continue to impress!

    (5)

  • Laura D.

    Amada lives up to the hype! After reading all the reviews on yelp and hearing so many great things about amada from people, my expectations were very, very high... and they certainly did not disappoint. All the tapas we had were amazing. I'll spare the details since they're thoroughly covered in other reviews, but I experienced the same great service as others and enjoyed the ambiance. We ordered 8 tapas plus the mixto cheese plate (3 cheeses) for 4 people, and it was plenty of food. Our server suggested 3-4 tapas per person but this would have been way too much for 4 girls. My favorite dish was the Ensalada de Jamon, with Serreno ham, figs, and spiced almonds... the ham practically melted in your mouth (something I didn't know ham could do) and the chewy figs were an unexpected delight. I also enjoyed the aged manchego cheese with lavendar honey and the Chipirones, or baby squid, plate. Everything we had was great, and the complimentary almond cookie with the check was a perfect ending. Would be a great place for a special occasion dinner, and expect to have a leisurely meal. Our reservation was at 8:30 and we were there until after 11:00. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back and trying more from the menu!

    (5)

  • Kelly G.

    Amada is an example of a truly outstanding, inventive and unique restaurant. We have been three times and were blown away every single time. The food is rich but not over the top slicked with oil like Tinto. The service is outstanding. The cocktails are excellent. I have not found a single flaw in any of my visits to Amada. One of my top favorite restaurants in Philadelphia. True stand outs on the menu: Grilled Octopus. OMG. Seriously addicting. Smoky, chewy but delicate texture, umami. Opium from the ocean. Artichoke and Wild Mushroom Flatbread. Rich but not overwhelmingly so. Full of fresh flavor and cheesy goodness. Porcini Bomba Rice. the Scallops Don't question it - just go. Seriously amazing restaurant.

    (5)

  • Siv L.

    This is probably the best place for tapas in Philadelphia. The ambience is great and the food is good. Would recommend it as a tapas option in Phila but I wasn't completely blown away by the food. However I'd definitely come back for a good meal with good friends (and since I like Jose Garces other restaurants so much I'd come to Amada again).

    (4)

  • Deann M.

    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!

    (5)

  • Sarah Q.

    I went here with a LARGE group for a birthday party - and the staff was totally cool with our boisterous crowd. We ordered pretty much everything on the menu, and it was all delicious. Pulpo and patatas bravas were the standouts. But so pricey! I would love to go back, but not too hungry and probably after pay day.

    (4)

  • Matt C.

    Is "disappointment" a factor in the rating? If so, I need to give Amadas 1 less star. Like I've mentioned in other reviews, it is my goal to hit at least one restaurant by each of the Iron Chefs. To be honest, I've been disappointed by all of them so far (Flay and Morimoto) but Amadas has been the biggest let down yet. First, the good: the ambiance of the place is really nice; dimly lit, rustic chairs and barrels, hanging meats, etc. The hostess and waitstaff were excellent. My GF was having a hard time deciding on wines since all the wines are Spanish wines you've never heard of, and our waitress brought over like 4 samples for her to try. We both settled on the sangria, (hers white, mine rose' with fresh cranberries....very nice). At $7 a glass, it wasn't too bad. The food was good. But thats where the problem comes in; Olive Garden has "good" food. This is an Iron Chef we're talking about. I just didn't feel wowed by ANYTHING that came out. We ordered the crab stuffed peppers, lamb meatballs, pernil asado (roast pork) and braised short rib flat bread. We were also given a complimentary tortilla and tuna fish appetizer that was tasty, but only got devoured because I was like Somalian hungry. Hands down the best thing was the short rib flat bread which tasted like a cheesesteak pizza. For the pernil, the pork was PERFECTLY crispy on the outside and moist on the inside, but it was LITERALLY about 60% fat. The loin was cut into like 6 pieces and 2 were nothing BUT fat, and the 2 of the others were more fat than meat. Although tasty, I totally felt gyped out of my money. The lamb balls were again, tasty, but there was just something off about them. The stuffed peppers were underwhelming to say the least, plus they came covered in almonds (which the menu didn't state) which my girlfriend is allergic to so.... The bill came out to about $80 before tip. I want to go back, but ONLY to try the suckling pig that you have to order in advance. Other than that, I don't see myself coming back here. I'll probably try one of Jose Garces' other spots but Amada is supposed to be his flagship so I don't really have high hopes. As usual, my vote of "good, not great" applies. I'd say its SLIGHTLY too pricey for "good" food, but if you like tapas and know nothing of its Iron Chef pedigree (thus lowering your expectations), I don't see a problem with Amada.

    (3)

  • Cathy C.

    The food is great but the service is ok. I will definitely go back again.

    (4)

  • Amy W.

    Favorite. Restaurant. In. Philly. that is all. oh, and get the pulpo. portions may appear small, but boy are they PACKED WITH FLAVOR!!! Thus, two people were pretty filled up by 4-5 plates. Sangria is also a must-get (per usual for me?)

    (5)

  • Superfly T.

    Great bar, good drinks...Estrella on tap! And a nice tapas menu. What more do you need?

    (4)

  • Rachel A.

    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.

    (5)

  • Jorge M.

    Only thing I dislike about Amada is that I'm a student living off loan money... This is probably my second favorite restaurant in Philly just slightly behind Garces' other amazing restaurant Tinto. I've been lucky to eat at this place three times and loved it every time. My second time was for restaurant week and though I still liked it alot, I thought the food was a little less spectacular than usual. In my opinion if you are doing Amada, do it the right way and avoid restaurant week. Service is always great, servers always friendly and prompt. The ambiance is also very nice, specially the back room which is allot more cozy and romantic than the front of the restaurant. Last time I went to Amada I had the best meal there of all three times; it was also the time I tried the greatest variety of tapas. The stuffed piquillos (crab stuffed red peppers) are my favorite dish in the menu, they taste beyond this world. The Quail and Madre E hijo where also amazing, both very tender and tasty. I also tried the 3 cheese platter and ordered the cana de cabra, Aragonese and the Garrotxa. The Garrotxa comes with garlic dulce de leche and together is one of the simplest yet tastiest foods I've had. If you want cocas you can never go wrong with the Short rib and horseradish ones, its the only dish I have had all 3 times that I have been to Amada. Only thing I was slightly disappointed by was the octopus mostly because I was comparing it with the Octopuss I tried at Tinto which was on a league of it's own. The octopus was a little too salty and not as tender as the one at Tinto. All in all, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who might read this review. I will for sure be back as soon as I break my piggy bank 5 months from now.

    (5)

  • Brian C.

    Definitely a top restaurant, it's not necessarily your standard tapas joint but everything we ate was excellent and they also had a very nice list of wines by the glass, beer, etc. The huge menu can be a bit difficult to navigate - or to identify what will be *really* good - but servers and bartenders were very helpful and overall it appears you're not likely to go wrong with anything on the menu. The main drawback for those coming from any distance is the lack of parking nearby - and questionable signage - which the city of Philadelphia appears to use for their own money-making purposes rather than encouraging business. It's a cute neighborhood with a lot of good restaurants and Amada is excellent, but after years of coming here and fighting for parking or walking long distances in bad weather I have to say that I'm not sure how soon I will return due mainly to the logistics.

    (5)

  • Miriam W.

    Amada's a great spot for sangria. And for their excellent Tinto studded with orange and apple bits and just the right amount of cinnamon I'd definitely return. The tapas, on the other hand, leave much to be desired. Most were overly salty and on the whole unmemorable.

    (3)

  • Nicole L.

    I can't wait to go back! I tell everyone I can about this place. I love the warm goat cheese, olives, lamb, quail; I love just about everything, I've never been disappointed. Since it's tapas and you're getting a small serving, so you're not leaving there overly stuffed as if you need to undo your pants. Though it does get crowded and it's a bit boisterous, the food and service are amazing. I sat at the bar area twice and I was pretty interesting watching the food being prepared (mainly the desert). I've also sat at a table and the seat was comfortable though a little low for my short stature.

    (5)

  • Shirley L.

    Great Tapas! It took us a while to decide on going with tasting menu because all the items sounded so delicious and we couldn't decide. After seeing a few yelpers' recommendation for tasting menus, we thought it was a good idea. We had the $65 tasting menus, and it was wonderful. We were totally stuffed afterwards. We had: Serrano Ham - very tasty, one of the best ones we had in the States. Ensalada de Jamon - it was good, but super big portion. We weren't as into it since we just had Serrano Ham. We didn't finish it (couldn't actually) Boquerones (White Anchovies) - very delicious Patatas Bravas (spicy octopus) - nicely done, super tender and the potato is good as well Tomate Cocas (heirloom tomato on Spanish flatbreads) - one of the best dishes we had. The flavor of the tomato was superb Arroz Temporado (wild mushroom rice - it was a replacement dish for our wild mushroom (Setas). Setas was way too salty (not sure if it's accidental, or it's always salty), but they exchange with the rice. I'm not much of fan for risotto, and was hoping to get the Setas back..... little disappointed here Lubina Andaluz (Barramundi) - the fish is nicely done, good flavor Lamp Chop - by now we were so full, we only had a taste of the chop. It was good nonetheless. Desserts (3) - Pomelo, Arroz Con Leche, and some sort of almond cookies - we were really hoping to get Pastel de Chocolate, but the ones came was not bad. Since we sat at the prep bar area, we saw the preparation for the dessert. It seems all the dessert components are premade. A bit disappointed, but can't complain about the nice flavors.

    (4)

  • Walter C.

    While in Philadelphia, we tried Amada. This seems like a pretty good tapa place and wanted to try out the Iron Chef's dishes. Everything was just ok. Service was pretty good even though it took a bit to just to get a glass of ice. I feel everything was over-salted. All the dishes were ok and nothing too innovative or special. I also feel that lobster were not cook too well. Overall for the price it was ok. Too bad, we didn't get to try the shuckling pig. Next time, they said it takes two days to order.

    (3)

  • Ricky R.

    I'm not sure what can be said about the first of Jose Garces restaurants that hasn't been said already. So, consider this as an affirmation that the kitchen is still humming at this wonderful tapas restaurant. We like to pop in for a quick glass of wine and a little snack, usually on Friday afternoons. The two rose wines by the glass are incredible - we start with those and if we are feeling really decadent, we have an Albarino. We snack on olives and a few other plates. Recently, we've been getting the mixto of meats - chorizo both white and from Pamplona. But most impressive is the jamon Iberico. One day we really just wanted that and our server obliged. The jamon Iberico literally melted in our mouths. We've had a couple of full meals here and they are always amazing. But sitting at the bar and chilling over good wine and tapas - it doesn't get much better than this!

    (5)

  • Olney Rob W.

    I have eaten at Amada in Center City twice and the Amada in the Revel Casino once. You would think the place is great, but it is not. The Sangria is the highlight. We were excited the first time we visited Amada because of all the hype. The tapas were average, but not one was worth "writing home about." Thinking that it may have been an off night, we went a few months later. The same result. Great Sangria, average tapas. When we visited the Revel Casino a few months later, the restaurant selections were limited, so we figured another chef may make all the difference. We ordered plenty of food and a $50+ Paella dish. The Paella dish was overcooked and burnt. Unfortunately, for the prices Garces charges, you need to have something better than Sangria. Many tapas places that are better than Amada. I guess his reputation keeps them coming back for more....

    (2)

  • Tom W.

    This place is just ok for me. I love the decor but the food is disappointing, considering the Garces name is attached to it. Perhaps I had overzealous expectations. The tapas is bland. The Tortilla Espanola is a large portion and does not fall in line with traditional tapas, imo. The grilled chorizo is just that, grilled chorizo. Nothing special, at all. We ordered 4 other plates and quite frankly, I don't remember much about them. There was a manchego plate, very similar to the manchego I can get at my small town grocery store. There was a shrimp risotto with mushroom bread that was pretty good. There was a smoked chorizo and bread plate. That is overwhelmingly boring. I remember nothing about the last plate, yikes!!! With all of the fine places in Philly, don't fall for the gimmick. Go somewhere else.

    (2)

  • Jacky C.

    Fabulous. Everything we had was delicious. Wish I didn't live so far so I could be back sooner. Luckily our hotel was a block away so we walked to the restaurant. Never made reservations but they sat us in about 45 mins. We sat at the bar and had a few drinks. My favorite tapas were the goat cheese & basil tapa & the ham croquettes. Portions are small ( obviously they are tapas). I suggest about 3 per person. Service was fast and our seat was perfect! Right by the window. Next time I'm in Philly, I will definitely be back! Yum yum yum

    (5)

  • Thijs B.

    Great and tasty food. Well proportioned. Plates were nicely decorated. Service was good. Nice ambiance. Altogether a great experience.

    (5)

  • Jim W.

    We were underwhelmed. The service was very good, as was the ambience. The food left a lot to be desired. The tortilla espanola was left on the plate, it was that bad. The merluza was just ok. Too much salt on the pimientos. Amada really did not live up to it's yelp reviews. It was our first time in Philadelphia. Maybe I am being overly harsh, or maybe the kitchen staffed was stressed because of restaurant week. Either way, we will skip Amada next time.

    (2)

  • Debbie W.

    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

    (5)

  • Pete R.

    We arrived late after the Adelle concert they had given our reservation away stating it was policy not to hold reservations longer than 20 minutes after. This is after Included this detail on my online reservation and when I spoke with the girl you verified it (she did not mention this policy). All of that aside they have the whole menu at the bar so we were not out on our ass. We sat at the bar and ordered the Spanish originals, Croquettes, Potato Brava, etc... The authentic tapas was not as good as Spain but was still very good. The more creative tapas was excellent. Overall it was a very good tapas restaurants and I would love to have in Brooklyn!

    (3)

  • Jessica C.

    I'm not typically a tapas person. Like Ro D., I don't feel like it's a good value for the money. But we stopped here for a Saturday lunch one day in Philly and I walked out happy and impressed. While the portions were small and the prices were relatively high, the food at Amada was AMAZING. It was one of the few occasions were I thought to myself, "This food is so delicious it deserves to cost more." Everything I put in my mouth was so good it made me stop and take notice. Two notable dishes were the pumpkin soup and the scallops. My boyfriend and I split the pumpkin soup and I really wish I would have had a whole bowl (or 2)(or 3) to myself! The almonds and the sherry maple flan in the center was a perfect touch. The scallop dish came with 4 scallops, and we were splitting the dishes amongst 4 people so I only got to try one scallop, but it was delectable. The Patatas Bravas, or Spicy Potatoes, were not quite what I was expecting, but thankfully so. They were essentially fancy french fries, but the seasoning and accompanying dip were really good and this was the one dish that was sizeable enough that it allowed us to walk away without still being hungry.

    (4)

  • Victor G.

    What a great lunch we had yesterday at Amada! We started with a trio of cheeses (garotxa, aged manchego and el Peral) all accompanied by really delicious "sauces" such as garlic dulce de leche. Then we had great gazpacho blanco or ajo blanco which was perfect for that hot day. Then we tried langostinos, scallops, chipirones all in olive oil and parsley . We tried the skirt steak and setas. I recommend all of the above. The only thing not worth having is the croquetas de jamon.

    (5)

  • Brad P.

    Can Jose Garces go open a bad restaurant? So far...i'm yet to find one. First of all..the place is pricey...any tapas place gets pricey, and isn't always guaranteed to fill you up...so warning ahead of time! The place is set up just like an old spanish wine bar. We walked in at 8 on a rainy wednesday, and it was packed, so make reservations...we got lucky they had a spot near the kitchen, which I thought was going to stink, but it was awesome. They prepare all the food right in front of you, and you really get to see the staff enjoying themselves. Everyone seems to love their job at any of JG's places...it's really amazing to watch. Our server was great, we got the tasting menu, about 60 a piece along with the wine pairing, and the money was well spent. All the dishes were explained to us, even the minor details, along with the wine. It felt like I was at a food class rather than a restaurant. The only complaint...food kept piling up on us. The one server didn't speak english as well as we hoped, and we finally had to ask someone else for them to slow down in bringing everything out, it was getting overwhelming. The people are nice, the food is expensive, but even for tapas...I was full afterwards. If you have an special event to celebrate, or just a lot of cash you hate stuffing in your wallet...you have to try out Amada.

    (5)

  • Cassie T.

    Every once in a blue moon, I'll blow $100 bucks on a meal and for those times I make damn sure it's worth it- and Amada is worth it. My bf and I went last night and sat at a bar table, which to my surprise had great ambiance, and I think I would prefer it to the main dining area. Timing of the food and the service was impeccable. Melon + Serrano Ham started off the night right, delicious caramelization on the Melon was perfect. I'll cut to the chase and say that the wild mushrooms were the most amazing tasting mushrooms I've had in my 23 years of life. Favorite dish I had all night. In fact, I'm at work right now thinking of how succulent and incredible they were still. The pulled pork flat bread with apple and fennel was also delectable. It looked exactly like something Garces made for the finale of Next Iron Chef. Chorizo and Clams had such a good sauce we sopped up every last drop with bread. Hen breast with fingerling potatoes and the egg on top and some incredible sauce kept up the pace of our meal. Manchego cheese with lavender honey, mmMM Topped it all off with some dark chocolate creme brulee type custard with a pile of berries and a really F'n good berry sorbet. in SUMMARY: get the wild mushrooms get the meats get the red sangria forget about how much everything costs cause you're going to spend $100 anyway and enjoy!

    (5)

  • Catherine K.

    VIsited Amada on New Years Eve for dinner. We sat at the bar and ordered a la carte off the pre-fixe menu. Every single dish we ordered was so delicious and flavorful. The tapas here is a little pricer than most traditional spanish tapas restaurants, but honestly, I thought it was completely worth it. We loved each and every dish. The sangria was probably one of the best I've ever had. It was a large pitcher too so we each got probably two large glasses of sangria. It was the pitcher that kept giving. :) The 4 dishes that we got, which I completely recommend are: - Lobster croquettes - Artichoke, Truffel flat bread - Oxtail Sliders - Lamb meatballs (my favorite) SO GOOD! My mouth is salivating as I type this review!

    (5)

  • Ross M.

    I love tapas, and Amada tops my tapas list (I'm sure there's an alliterative ending I could've forced there, but on with the review!). Amada is definitely one of my favorite places to hit up in Philly. I have only been twice, and both coincidentally during restaurant week... but the food will keep me coming back much more often. The place is great for couples and groups alike. They have a restaurant side and bar side to suit your parties needs and a great wait staff. The best meal item? The garlic shrimp without a doubt! They also have a great lineup of gluten-free items if you need them.

    (5)

  • J G.

    A fun and unique experience for anyone with an adventurous palate. I've come here for lunch on numerous occasions. The service is always prompt, professional, and pleasant. The food is riquísima! El sabor es divino. I've enjoyed every tapa I've had here. These are my favorites: Escalivada, Tortilla Española, Manchego Cheese, Caldo Gallego soup, croquetas de jamón, and Piquillos Rellenos. All are excellent dishes, with great flavor and nice presentation. Tapas can add up, but it's definitely a culinary experience worth the extra dinero. Amanda is truly a classy restaurant with professional and friendly staff. They have a nice selection for restaurant week at great prices too.

    (5)

  • Samantha C.

    Amada was the best meal I have ever had in my entire life. Firstly, I would like to say that I went on St. Patty's day this past year, so the restaurant itself was on the slower side. While all of collegiate Philadelphia raged outside in their green t-shirts, Amada felt a world away from Old City. That being said, the waitress was an angel. She really took care of my tastes and preferences. Instead of insisting we order the most expensive wine on the menu, she directed me towards the cheapest glass because of my affections toward Pinot Noir-like wines. My guest and I ate off of the chef's tasting menu, again she geared us towards the smaller price bracket, since I was to be eating no meat. Every dish was prepared to perfection. Not one thing lacked. I cannot rave enough about Amada. (And when I met Garces, I told him the same thing...)

    (5)

  • Anne M.

    We ate at Amada last night for our first stop during Restaurant Week. Both of us have been wanting to eat here (or at any Garces restaurant) for some time, so this seemed to be the perfect opportunity. We had a 7:30 reservation and arrived right on time. We were told that they were running a little bit behind and to wait in the bar. At 8:10 we were seated. Apparently you can only order the RW menu during RW- the regular menu isn't an option. For RW, you pick two first dishes, two second dishes, and a dessert. We got the manchego with truffled lavendar honey (amazing- cheese was tasty and the honey was out of this world), goat cheese with fig jam (good- would have liked a stronger goat cheese taste), serrano-wrapped melon (great- had a carmelized top which made the dish), and chorizo (ok, served with caper berries, a yummy spicy mustand, and cornichons. #2- grilled diver scallops (a special) which were good, grilled octopus (ok, was really excited this was a special because we were dying to try it and it wasn't on the RW menu, but it was overseasoned and greasy), a grilled flatbread with shrimp and chorizo (salty and greasy) and a warm lima bean salad that was delicious. #3- Dessert. There were two options on the menu so naturally we each got a different one. The first was a custardy custard (honestly, have no other way to describe it!) served with fresh fruit. It was ok. The second was a chocolate cake with nutella- this was very good. Drinks: Two glasses of cava ($10 each) and two glasses of tempranillo ($12 each) and one coffee. Total with tip was $150. I am giving this place three stars because it was good but nothing wowed me. Nothing said omg-we-have-to-come-back or blew me away. I'd go again, but there is some tough competition out there in Philly in the $150 price range.....

    (2)

  • Dan C.

    Yum! I enjoyed my dinner during this last RW. I was seated at the chef's counter with my friend, and that in itself was an enjoyable experience. Watching the line cooks was great fun, and it was a quieter area than the rest of the restaurant, which was perfect for having a nice conversation. We ordered all over the menu, but standouts were definitely the croquetas and the truffle-lavender infused honey. The croquetas were super cheesy without being messy, and just lightly fried. The honey, however, was truly spectacular. I have no idea how they got the lavender just right, but my breath was taken away and I was temporarily transported back to Western Europe. The Matador was pretty good, and my friend's sidecar tasted like a classy juice.

    (5)

  • JulieJuli A.

    Julia This was a surprise visit as my reservation for another restaurant got screwed up on a week night. Amada was happy to accommodate and the place was packed... I never heard of the place but I see now what all the rage is about. it's def a nice spot for groups or on a date. Very cozy and the service was top notch. It's a tapas place so i always worry if i am getting enough or too much and the waiter was incredibly helpful in describing the restaurant's offerings. But alas, I went with the easy way out. I got the chef's selection. There's 3 types. The $45/$55/$65... hmmmm which to choose.... Just ask the waiter and no they will not try to sell you the most expensive. The price does not necessarily dictate the quantity of food that you will receive. The higher price will provide for more exotic dishes and ones that may not be on the menu all together. So we went with the $55 menu and was not disappointed. I left incredibly full and actually wish there was less food.... (I'm not a little guy either and could put it down quite well) but there was soo much food. I will just recap a few things that we received.... chorizo was great and a plate of cheese to start... then flat breads with different toppings.. all good... We had some paella, some squid some empanadas... gosh there was just sooooo much food that just kept coming. I can't even remember everything we had but i would def recommend the chef selection. The couple next to us just chose a few items on the menu and i could see there envy as dish after dish came out for us. Don't be short changed and go for the chef selection unless you absolutely know what you want on the menu..... amadarestaurant.com/pdf/…

    (4)

  • Josephine L.

    My dining experience at this restaurant had come by chance. My best friend had initially made reservations to meet me here with a couple of my friends from NY but canceled last minute. We decided to go on without her and as a result, we were lucky enough to experience Amada. The decor and vibe is chic but cozy and unpretentious. I really appreciated that the hostess and our waiter were both polite, friendly, and warm especially since the restaurant seemed a bit fancier than we had expected and we were all dressed like bums. We were recommended to have 2-3 tapas each but a few of us weren't very hungry. I wasn't either but I just couldn't resist the menu which was full of amazing sounding offerings. I ended up ordering about 4 tapas bc I'm a pig. Oink. I'm glad I did because everyone ended up picking at my food so it turned out to be a good amount. Overall, every dish was unique, well thought out, and most of all YUMMY. Here's a breakdown of everything I tried: MIND BLOWING- Jamon wrapped melon, empanada jamon salad lamb chops the milk dessert (forget the name)- Most fantastic dessert ever. Order it. Just do it. GOOD BUT NOT WHOA meatballs clams and chorizo any of the sorbets Final thoughts: I'd really like to go back. YUM

    (4)

  • Stone Z.

    OMG. I can't believe we got a reservation here. My friend got the reservation through Open Table. This was especially clutch because it is restaurant week! $35 dollars for a set menu of awesomeness. Sangria was on fleek. We shared all the dishes because they were delicious. I'm not gonna talk about all the dishes that we got but I will say that the highlight of the meal was the crispy roasted pork. That dish was bomb. Also this is a great deal if you have a couple of friends to try all the different dishes. Great food, great experience. The calamari was a little too salty for my taste but otherwise great expeerience.

    (5)

  • Brandon M.

    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.

    (4)

  • angela k.

    My husband and I were here for our wedding anniversary. We made a reservation for 6pm on a Saturday night and soon after we sat, the place filled up very quickly (make sure you make a reservation!!). The restaurant had that rustic feel to it. The tables were pretty close and a bit small than what I would've liked (especially with all the dishes & drinks) but nonetheless, a beautiful place. With all the reviews I've read on Yelp, I was super excited to try this Jose Garces restaurant and I was glad that this place lived up to its hype. We each ordered Sangria (Temperada for me and Blanco for my hubby - we both liked Blanco much much better). Now for the food - we ordered pulpo a la gallega, gambas al ajillo, alcachofas y setas, chipirones, scallops, chorizo and pernil asado. Pulpo a la gallega (Spanish octopus) - YUM! perfectly seasoned Gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) - it as a tad overcooked and over salted Alcachofas y setas (artichoke, wild mushroom flat bread) - this probably was my favorite dish - a perfect combo of artichoke, wild mushrooms, black truffles and manchego cheese. Chipirones (baby squid) - it was a bit too salty Scallops - it was grilled to perfection Chorizo - a big portion, nicely grilled Pernil asado (roasted pork) - this was our least favorite. It was overcooked. That was sad cuz I LOVE pork! Food - 3.5 stars Service - 4 stars Definitely a place to try if you are in Philly!

    (4)

  • Jessica H.

    Absolutely love this place! My boyfriend and I came here with a friend of his when we were visiting Philadelphia, and decided to get the tasting menu with special requests for certain dishes. We ordered a pitcher of sangria that was very delicious as well. Halfway through the meal, our plates were cleared, and as we were already quite full, were quite ready for some dessert. However, when clean new plates were set in front of us, more tapas dishes kept coming and we were all very happily surprised. To be honest, there were so many dishes, and each one just as amazing as the next, it is extremely difficult to pick out my top one. I think the best way to taste all these dishes is to go for yourself!

    (5)

  • Jess T.

    I think this place is my favorite Garces restaurant. I really do love the food here. The setting is also great. I've been here with family, friends for happy hour, dates and birthdays. It has a very sexy vibe and almost everything I've tried is great. A friend and I stopped in yesterday (Saturday evening) to see if we could snag a table by the bar and order some tapas and drinks. Unfortunately, even though we showed up a little early all the high tops by the bar and seats were taken. However, we were lucky enough to get one last table outside and since it was a beautiful evening anyway. The wait for a hightop table was going to be 30 minutes. My friend started with the Datiles Con Almendras (bacon wrapped dates). It looked so good I had to try some even though I'm not a fan of dates. It was really good and the flavors were a good mix of sweet and savory. Comes with a drizzle of blue cheese. I ordered my favorite garlic shrimp. It's perfect every time. Garlicky, fresh and the bread that comes which is perfect to soak up all the leftover sauce. Next, came the fideos con mariscos. Almost like short angel hair pasta in a sweet onion cream sauce top with one seared scallop and clams. Delicious. And finally, my friend wanted to try the Revuelto which looks like scrambled eggs topped with shrimp but you have to love the wild mushroom truffle oil spread that comes with the side of bread. Solid dish. I've had this both for dinner and brunch and it works both times! Other dishes not to miss: Croquetas De Jamon (ham croquettes) and definitely try the Wagyu beef if you like red meat! The other reviews are also right about the sangrias. The white sangria is the best I've ever had! We didn't get dessert last night but I loved the complimentary fortune cookie like dessert they gave us along with the check. Service was a little spotty last night but I think it's because we were sitting outside. Definitely make reservations if you're trying to get a table on the weekend. Happy hour is also great way to try different dishes because you get smaller portions of tapas for $4-5 and the usual $10 glass of sangria is half off!

    (5)

  • Saul G.

    Checked in a for a lite lunch on the Saturday before Labor Day. The place was not hopping, but it was easy to get a table. Service was excellent. We started with a sangria for the missus, and a vermouth (the one with the Basque name) for me. Both were quite good. The killer app was the crabmeat stuffed piquillo peppers. The best of Spain with a Philly touch. Albondigas of lamb did not disappoint - medium cooked with some nice microgreens. Bravas were not exactly authentic, cut into thick cut fries and with no cream, but they still were delicious. The smoky paprika sauce was outstanding, and the portion was large, hot and crisp. Way better than Bobby Flay's bravas at Gato which I had in July. The mixto was a little disappointing as to size, but the quality was good. I didn't know you could slice sobressada so thin. The lomo and jamon serrano were certainly tasty, as was the salami style sausage, but these were not iberico so I thought the price/portion ratio was off. The parsimony extended to the bread, but a refill arrived quickly. Next time I would skip the mixto.

    (4)

  • Sari A.

    It was late afternoon Girls night out A cold, sweet treat was needed Sangria? Sangri-YEAH Four girls and a pitcher Four dishes and a dessert. We went on a restaurant Week, and it was a good excuse to give Amada a second chance. For $35 we got five choices including one dessert. It was simple, with an understated sophistication. -First Course: (choice of two) 1) TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA: Spanish Tortilla, Saffron Aïoli. DELICIOUS. 2) GAMBAS AL AJILLO: Garlic Shrimp. Yum Yum... -Second Course: (choice of two) 1) BACALAO: Black Cod, Tomato & Pepper Stew, Potato Confit, Fennel & Olive Escabeche. It was too fishy. 2) MADRE E HIJO: Chicken Breast with Truffles, Fried Egg. Really good. you won't be disappointed. - Third Course: (choice of one) AkA dessert. CREMA CATALANA: Traditional Spanish Custard. TASTELESS. Worst desser I ever had. Overall, the ambiance was lovely, the service was great and the food was good- other than the fishy fish and tasteless custard. Four solid Yelps.

    (4)

  • Alex A.

    I can't say I'm a particular fan of Jose Garcia's establishments. I certainly don't doubt his creativity and skill, but the general perception is that he tries too hard, and the food suffers because of it. However, Amadas is a stellar stand out. The interior is just exquisite...especially the bay windows up front. I want them in my house! If I ever owned a restaurant, then it would surely be like this inside. Well, except for those rocks underneath the front 2 tables. That's just awkward and a clear example of style over utility. Several from our party almost face planted. They should honestly be the cemented rocks that you can buy now. While we ordered roughly 15 unique items, it was blatantly obvious that only 2 stood out as quality, well executed dishes: the short rib flatbread and pork belly. The rest, while certainly good, are rather average in both taste and presentation. I certainly wouldn't choose to eat here of my own accord, but I would happily dine if others suggested.

    (4)

  • David M.

    Best tapas I've had in years. House marinated olives provide a true test for a tapas house, and Amada's can't be beat. They make the perfect combination with any of their dusty, leathery tempranillos. Another good test dish is the calamari. Does it have the consistency and clarity of flavor of a fresh squid? Has it been over-cooked or is it rubbery? How does its natural taste stand up to the flavoring of the chef's treatment, whatever that is? In Amada's case, Garces handles the dish classically. A true gem. These simple treats, along with the great service we received could not have been better. A place truly deserving of Yelp's highest rating. Salud!

    (5)

  • Debra H.

    After a 3 day food tour of M.symons Lola in Cleveland and Wolfgang puck's source in DC, landed in Phillie. Omega. 1/3 THE cost, attentive staff, e cellent food. Youthful atmosphere polite courteous service.Food surprises but not in a stuffy way. Want to return for tasting menu and lobster paella. Only miss was creme fresh ice cream, way too much Basil.Baked goat cheese, lamb meatballs and spiced potatoes were excellent. Go enjoy.

    (4)

  • Chris M.

    This place is one of my favorites in the city. everything here is a must try, if u like a tapas restaurant this is the place to go, the food is delicious and a great atmosphere to go out with friends. perfect place to go with a large group and try their tasting menu, if u do pre-order the pig, it is awesome.

    (5)

  • Michelle P.

    Is it too soon to come back? I hadn't even finished my meal when I was already thinking about scheduling my next visit to Amada. I recently went to dinner at Amada for restaurant week. My last visit had probably been a good 4 or so years prior. I won't let that gap happen again. According to a recent article, Amada was mentioned as one of the better places in Philly to go for restaurant week. I'd agree with that. In terms price, my meal would have cost $54 had it not been restaurant week. In terms of value, it really was priceless. We were able to select two items for the first and second courses, then one dessert. Some of my party also split a pitcher of the Temporada sangria for an additional fee. Here's a little rundown of my meal: First Course- Ensalada Verde: What's not to love about avocado, asparagus, favas and greens? Add a nice light dressing and a little shaved cheese and you have a great salad. Not to mention, the salad portion was pretty decent for a tapa. Escalivada: This tapa was served on two little pieces of toast and satiated my love of roasted pepers, eggplant, goat cheese, tomatoes and onions. This was small, yet tasty. I would have liked to see all of the veggies mixed together before being placed on the crostini; they were pretty segregated. Second Course- Gambas Con Garbanzos: This was hands down the best part of my meal. To think I ordered it as a last minute decision! (I was going to go with the Queso De Cabra. I really remind myself of a vegetarian sometimes). Garbanzo bean puree should find a way to be mixed into every flatbread/pizza sauce. It took the flavor to the next level. The chorizo was thinly sliced like pepperoni and added a great salty flavor. There was a piece of shrimp on each piece of flatbread. I wouldn't order it just because you want a shrimp dish. I'd order it again because I want this delicious flatbread that happens to have shrimp on it. This was a nice sized portion compared to traditional tapas. Panceta: The cauliflower puree and salsa verde piqued my interested the most initially about this pork belly dish. The puree wasn't too noticeable and the salsa verde and rioja jam were used pretty sparingly. Without being said, I thought the porky belly itself was tasty, albeit more the size I think of when I think about a traditional tapa. I probably wouldn't order it again, but I did enjoy it. Third Course- Tarta de Chocolate: Thank goodness this was a small portion. I probably couldn't have eaten much more. The small piece of dark chocolate tart totally hit the spot. It was almost fudge-like. The small piece of orange and pistachio pieces sat adjacently on the other side of my plate and added a nice touch. The tart could have worked well enough on its own. Beverage- Temporada Sangria: This was a white wine sangria which consisted of mango and pomegranate. The pieces of fruit in the cocktail were delightful. This was a sweet drink that could go down way to easily if you aren't careful. It was both light and refreshing. Between the courses I loved and the courses I really enjoyed, I had a really great meal. I was ready to return to Amada before I finished dinner, but I'm really inspired to return after reminiscing about my experience in this review.

    (5)

  • Nando F.

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

    (5)

  • Erin L.

    We were expecting a lot better from all the great reviews. Being foodies we have tried many tapas restaurants around the country and world, and this one is very subpar. Boring or greasy or too dry describes them all. We split 8 different tapas (a lot) between 2 of us just to make sure we were trying our fair share...and not one was 'amazing'. Staff was really nice and they do have a pretty cheap HH if you make that. But order off the main menu.

    (3)

  • Bill T.

    Well where do I begin...Sangria, Tapas, assorted seafood, lamb....let me just say that I drove from MD to Philly for this place and boy was that the best weekend decision I made in a long time. This is by far the best Tapas spot I have ever been to and very unique. Now for the facilities of the spot....located nicely outside of Penn's Landing, valet parking, excellent ambiance with perfect lighting and most and foremost, the SERVICE IS ABOVE EXCELLENT....Enjoy and Philly, job well done for an alternative from hogies, steaks and roast pork sandwiches....yummo!!!!

    (5)

  • Kristine M.

    Special occasion? Birthday? Celebrating a promotion? Or do you just want delicious Tapas? Come to Iron Chef Garces' tapas restaurant, Amada! (It means "dear" or "beloved," by the way), which is perfect because this is the restaurant my boyfriend took me to/surprised me with for our 4th year (dating) anniversary! We spent a few days in Philly for this anniv trip, and it was our favorite meal! When we arrived, of course, there was the usual Philly parking dilemma, which we learned about as soon as we arrived in the city a few days earlier. I was dropped off in front while he looked for parking, and I told the hostess we had reservations and I was just waiting for my boyfriend. We were seated near the back corner and right away, I noticed the beautiful little lamps. (We ended up purchasing one as a memento of this occasion & trip. Awesome!) The whole place is very dim and lit up by these little lamps. There was a long row of them in the hallway on the way to the restrooms, and a wall full of them in the dining area. The food was as AMAZING as I expected it to be. We were given some type of Tuna with a lemon and sesame flavor, and some fresh tortilla points as a complimentary Amuse Bouche. Great way to start the meal. I started with the "Revuelto" - shirred eggs, shrimp, wild mushrooms. Delicious!!! My BF started with the Beef Short ribs...I could eat this every day for the rest of my life! I also had the small plate of grilled scallops. Delicious but I thought my portion was a little too tiny. My BF had the Panceta (Crispy Pork belly) as his final plate. We shared dessert - "Tarta de Chocolate" - Dark chocolate tart with ice cream, pistachio, & blood orange. How do people come up with such amazing combinations & make these perfect flavors!?! Genius, I tell ya. When we were leaving, the manager briefly spoke with us and she was very friendly. She even replaced our lamp for us - I think our server mistakenly gave us a used one! Not that I would dock a star for this, but I'm glad the manager gave us a brand new one in a box and even gave us a complimentary little bottle of Garces Truffled Lavender Honey to take home. Such a perfect experience. I would definitely recommend Amada to any and everyone, local or tourist. Make sure you have reservations. Oh! I almost forgot; their white Sangria was also to die for. Everything was just perfection. Estoy enamorada con Amada! (I'm in love with Amada!)

    (5)

  • Hatsumi T.

    I went there when I traveled to Philadelphia. This price is pricey for me, but I wanted to go somewhere special, and I found this high rated place. Their food was very very good. Especially, I liked their salami. I loved ambiance, too. Unforgettable place. I will definitely go back there next time I visit Philadelphia.

    (5)

  • Debbie F.

    Other than losing the bottom of my heel in the grate outside the restaurant, it was a wonderful first experience dining here. Many from NY recommended this restaurant to me and glad we came here this past weekend. The chef personalized my tapas because of the spices involved which I very much appreciated. Great selection of wines by the glass, nice ambience, excellent service and a fun night all around. Will try their NY branch at Brookfield Place opening in the Spring.

    (5)

  • Elisa B.

    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.

    (3)

  • Natalie M.

    Really enjoyed dining here! The restaurant is beautiful and the acoustics are good, so despite the number of people and somewhat cramped seating, I could still hear my partner. I reviewed the menu and reviews prior to going and knew that I wanted to try the grilled octopus, the crab stuffed peppers, and the fava bean salad. We also ordered the chicken kabob. Everything was absolutely delicious! I also enjoyed a matador cocktail and a pricey glass of Tempranillo, it was worth ever dollar. Service was also great. I definitely recommend giving this place a try!

    (4)

  • Chanthorn H.

    This place changed since the last time I was here. Came here last night for my bday dinner and the flavors just weren't what they used to be. 3 years ago, they were definitely 5 stars, but now, they are just ok. We got to sample almost everything on the menu, and only a few items stood out for me (shrimp flatbread, garlic shrimp, mushroom rice, and the cured meats). Also, the portions seems smaller than other tapas place. We came with a total of 5 people, and at the end, I still wasn't quite full. Service, however, was great. She didn't seem frustrated when someone at my table changed her drink order a few times because she didn't like it. Also, the helper refilled my water often (I think I had about 4 glasses of water), cleared off dirty dishes in a timely matter, and brought out food very fast. Overall: I don't know if I will be back anytime soon. It's extremely expensive.

    (3)

  • Ariadni L.

    Amada's is an awesome place! Every dish has much flavor and the decor of the food has spunk to it lol

    (5)

  • John K.

    Having been to the majority of Iron Chef Jose Garces' restaurants, Tinto remains our absolute favorite. However, Amada is another favorite, and is Chef Garces' first iconic restaurant. Emblematic of a Spanish bodega, the dishes are mainly tapas style - to be shared and certainly enjoyed. The interior is intimate, with dark tones and wood tables throughout. The dining area is separated off to a bar area, two main dining areas, and a backroom for larger parties and private dining. My sister was in town so the GF and I took her out to Old City to enjoy a gauntlet of Chef Garces' best dishes at Amada. Amuse Albacore tuna salad, capers, aged sherry vinegar, garlic flat bread The kitchen sent out a nice amuse of rich tuna salad, topped with briny capers and an acidic aged sherry vinegar. Crisp garlic flat breads were a nice vessel that also provided texture to each bite. Ensalada de Jamon [$12] Serrano and fig salad, Cabrales, spiced almonds I'm not prone to ordering salads, but if this is how all salads came out, it would be a must. The greens were tossed in a light vinegar dressing, with the figs providing some sweetness, some spice and texture coming from the almonds, and the Cabrales blue cheese bringing out some funk. Oh, and we can't forget that this was all surrounded by a cone of serrano ham - salty, delicate, and greasy in the best way possible. Do order this dish. Patatas Bravas [$5] Spicy potatoes I defer to Marcie Turney for the city's best patatas bravas. Still, these were very good. Crisp on the outside and creamy within, these potatoes were topped by a lightly spicy sauce, with some chili espelette sprinkled on as well. Queso de Cabra [$8] Baked goat cheese, tomato, basil, almonds I couldn't get a sense of where the almonds were in this dish. But no matter. While it wasn't the most exciting dish, that didn't detract from how delicious it was. Served with toast points, how can you go wrong with tomato, basil, and tangy goat cheese baked right in? Croquetas de Jamon [$6] Ham croquettes, romesco These croquettes were deftly fried, with salty bits of ham within. The romesco underneath had a nice nuttiness that was balanced with some acidity. Pulpo a la Gallega [$12] Spanish octopus If there's a must order dish, I would highly recommend the pulpo. These cephalopods had great char that lent a savory smokiness to each bite, balanced nicely by the chili and a spritz of lemon. The texture within was soft and luscious. Simply delicious. Esparragos con Trufas [$11] Grilled asparagus, truffles, poached egg, Mahon crisp The truffle essence was very slight, but the classic pairing of al dente asparagus and a creamy poached egg was delicious. The Mahon cheese crisp lent a bit of salty texture to each bite. Datiles con Almendras [$9.50] Bacon-wrapped Medjool dates, almonds, Cabrales A skewer of sweet dates and funky Cabrales blue cheese were wrapped with crisp bacon to create a satisfying bite. I appreciated the marinated grapes that were in between to provide some freshness. Berenjenas [$8] Roasted eggplant, whipped goat cheese, raisin escabeche Meaty japanese eggplant were roasted with some balsamic, which lent some acidity that was balanced by the raisin escabeche. The tangy whipped goat cheese also added a nice element to the dish. Costillas de Ternera [$14] Beef short ribs, horseradish, Parmesan, bacon A close second to the black truffle flat bread at JG Domestic, Amada features rich and tender short rib, salty bacon, and Parmesan on top of crisp, yet pliant flatbread. The horseradish wasn't overpowering, but provided a nice foil to the richness of each bite. Wagyu Beef Brochettes [$15] Fingerling potatoes, bordelaise While the fingerling potatoes and bordelaise sauce were savory and rich, unfortunately, the beef was overcooked, rendering it chewy and unsatisfying. On the other hand ... Filet Mignon [$19] Cabrales, foie gras, swiss chard, tempranillo jus The filet mignon was cooked perfectly medium rare and extremely tender. The foie gras topping the beef had a perfect sear, to the point that it tasted like liver candy. The red wine jus was a nice complement, with some more of the Cabrales blue cheese providing a foil to the richness of each bite. Highly recommend this dish. Bunuelos [$9] Doughnuts, date jam, date & olive oil ice cream To end our meal, we decided to get the bunuelos, which featured crusty and not overly greasy doughnuts. It was accompanied by a sweet date jam that was surprisingly subtly sweet along with a date and olive oil ice cream that had interesting texture. As expected service was exemplary. While we did order a gauntlet of dishes, I was a bit surprised at some of the inconsistencies in cooking. Regardless, Amada did feature some standouts including the pulpo and the filet. The tapas style menu also allows diners to try a variety of dishes to share and enjoy.

    (4)

  • Kathleen D.

    Often when I start these reviews, I have to stop myself from writing lead-in sentences that say: "Oh, my goodness. This place is the definition of five stars." or "I'm in love." This was one of those times. I refrained. I made my inaugural Amada visit during this past Restaurant Week and thought it was a great deal. So, so much food! Let's see. What did I try... White sangria: Ahead of my visit, Amada-veteran and my good friend Lindsay V. recommended I get this. Yep. On-point. This was one darn good drink. Whew. Serrano ham: While this was a bit chewy, I think it was supposed to be a bit chewy. It was also very good and came on a huge plate. Wasn't it supposed to be a tapa? I guess a huge plate can be a tapa? I know nothing about tapas. Apparently "a tapa" isn't even grammatically correct, according to Yelp's spellcheck. So noted. Manchego cheese with truffled lavender honey: I don't know what was better about this cheese. The actual amazing cheese (one of the greatest cheeses I've tried to-date), or watching Ashley S. lap up the lavender honey. Hers... and also my leftovers. Goat cheese: Because one cheese was not enough. This was tasty. Short rib flatbread: This mostly came home with me. It warmed up nicely the next day! Chocolate torte dessert: Extremely rich and well-executed. Still not sure how I felt about the side ice cream, though. Amada itself is beautiful and is tucked in a great part of town. I'm trying to think of a good closing line, but I'm going to instead just say: Go.

    (5)

  • Hannah K.

    We walked in and it was a fun atmosphere, but very loud! Be prepared to yell to order your food. Our waiter took our drink order and disappeared for about 15 minutes. By the time he finally came back he acted like nothing happened. We ordered right away. The food came out pretty quickly. First came the green salad, eggplant with whipped goat cheese, and Spanish octopus. All very good. The rest of the food was pretty good. Wouldn't recommend the black cod. The linguine was delicious and so was the truffle flatbread. We were still hungry after our 7 dishes for 4 people so we ordered another flatbread and the pork. The flatbread was again amazing but the pork was so so. The waiter again took too long to bring the check and didn't offer much guidance while ordering. Would consider going back, but the service really left a bad taste in my mouth.

    (3)

  • Alex F.

    Theres really not much to say about Amada that hasn't already been said, but I'll try. My girlfriend and I went here and got the 2 person tasting menu. Not only was EVERY dish incredibly mouthwateringly delicious, they were also larger tapas than I was expecting. The waiter was great and allowed us to pick a few in specific that we had our eyes on, so if you do get this, keep that in mind. The most memorable ones: Lamb meatballs, crispy pig, and a 3 bean salad (dont knwo why i remember that one), but they were all fantastic. If i could eat Amada every night I would.

    (5)

  • Kimberly P.

    The beef was DELICIOUS. I was not a huge fan of the octopus. The calamari and mushrooms were both alright. I left unimpressed because the bar refused to let us order a pitcher of sangria because two members of our five person party were drunk... despite the fact that they other three were completely sober.

    (4)

  • Ari P.

    My favorite restaurant in Philly. Best Spanish tapas in the world in a great setting and at reasonable prices.

    (5)

  • Katie H.

    I started this review back in May 2014 but never got around to finishing it...so here we go! Where to begin...Amada was amazeballs!!! The decor here is just lovely! I love the large doors with equally large window panes. It makes the whole place very bright while maintaining their very intimate vibe. The lighting is pretty dim in the bar area but we sat right by the door/window so it was still bright enough! The long wooden tables are perfect for tapas style eating since you get so many plates arriving around the same time. Now, on to what really counts, THE FOOD! Since there were 3 of us, we decided on a total of 6 tapas: CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN - Ham croquettes GAMBAS AL AJILLO - Garlic shrimp PIQUILLOS RELLENOS - Crab stuffed peppers FIDEOS CON MARISCOS - Calamari linguine & vermicelli with clams and scallops ESPÁRRAGOS CON TRUFAS - Grilled asparagus with truffles and poached egg PATATAS BRAVAS - Spicy potatoes Though this was many months ago, I still remember an incredibly flavorful meal! I do remember that the grilled asparagus was one of my favorites because who can say no to a perfectly poached egg? Not me! We also ordered the Pastel de Chocolate, which was decadent and rich, but not so much that you felt disgusting and regretted your decision to indulge. Chocolate + pistachio, how can you resist that? The main reason this rating is a 4 instead of a 5 is that our waitress didn't come around as much as we would have hoped, especially when we were trying to pay our bill. Nonetheless, Amada lives up to the hype of being owned by an Iron Chef (Village Whiskey is also a great spot) so I can't wait to try more Jose Garces establishments!

    (4)

  • Patrick _.

    Bruh.... This place is a roller coaster for me. I came here one late night right as they were closing and my mouth was blown away. I was a tapas virgin until Amada. Now that I have come back a second time I am sad to say I am a little disappointed. I find consistency to be key when rating a restaurant. Instead of doing a hole review I am going to do individual dishes. The ambience and staff is killer and that has never changed. Free Tuna Dip and Triangle Crips: The only thing that makes this dish better is the fact that it is free. The flavor of the dip is so good although not visually appealing. Crab Stuffed Peppers: The pepper's flavor didn't really come through and nor did the crab. The filling consisted more herby mayo than anything. The sliced almonds give a great texture contrast. Spanish Octopus: This is what really got me the first time. The octopus has a red spice powder that coats your mouth and the lemon calms all the flavors. The second time I had it there was very little octopus at all and it was a little overcooked. Garlic Shrimp: The shrimp was overcooked and under seasoned. It didn't have enough garlic or salt. The bread dipped in the olive oil sauce is wonderful. Grilled Shrimp/ Chicken: Both of the grilled items were in the same parsley olive oil. They were also both overcooked and lacked some key flavors. Grilled Lamb: Perfect in every way. Definitely a must order. Pork Belly: They slowly cooked the pork belly which is not a good thing to do in small pieces. The fat rendered out and the meat became tough. When you cook pork belly fast you end up with a crispy fat and moist tender meat. That was not the case here. It came with a sautéed onion purée that was tasty af. Amada is definitely worth a try and is sure to impress any first time tapa goers.

    (3)

  • Ken M.

    We have been wanting to try Amada for quite a while. We decided to go into the city for some light lunch/drinks on Sunday and thought we could just mosey on in to Amada without a reservation (it was a rookie mistake). We had to settle for eating at the bar. We were disappointed to find out that the menu was limited to the 'Restaurant Week' menu (we forgot it was Restaurant week). I wanted so bad to order off of the regular menu..... Oh well. Our bartender was nice/proficient but kind of seemed like she was suffering from a hangover. * White Sangria 'Blanco': drink was excellent. * Croquetas de jamon: small, fritter like, Ham Croquettes lightly breaded & fried. It was tasty but I expected to see/taste a little more minced ham...... unless I have the concept wrong. It was good though. * Ensalda Verde: this salad was excellent, refreshing and tasty. It kind of cleansed my palate similar to a sorbet affect. * Patatas Bravos: I expected the spicy potatoes to be more in the form of irregular dice/chunks but they came out as french fries style. However, they were excellent, the spicy tomato-like sauce was delish' and addictive ! We would get this again. * Skirt steak: was excellent. We liked AMADA, we just don't like most 'Restaurant Week' menus/offerings (this goes for other restaurants as well). We plan on returning to AMADA again so we can experience the 'real' menu in its entirety.

    (3)

  • Sumit S.

    Insanely salty food, great service. We ordered 7 things, and 5 of them were unbearably salty. The server changed the spicy potatoes and it came back all the same salty. The sauce of the lamb meatballs was killer salty. The grilled asparagus was insane salty. After 6 plates, we could not even bear to eat the 7th one. I have grown up on very salty food (Indian) and been to a few tapas places - so not sure if it was just my tolerance of salt. Anyways, the server was great - she took off a few items off the bill and bought us desserts.

    (2)

  • Gary C.

    The garlic shrimp was wonderful. Spicy potatoes were super. Lamb meatballs were interesting. Salad came out last but would have liked it better first. Service was great. Save room for the chocolate tort dessert. We had 4 small plates+desert and that was plenty although the waiter advised 3-4/person. Place was full. We didn't have a reservation but we got there around 6 and got in. If I lived here, I'd go again.

    (5)

  • Sara Z.

    The service was really spectacular. The food delivery between tapas dishes was perfectly timed. Selection was great. Flavors were unbelievable. Our favorite dishes were the crab stuffed peppers, short rib flat bread and the lemon cheesecake. Sangria was nice and refreshing, but a bit on the sweet side. This is coming from someone who really hearts sugar too. Scallop dish was undercooked and too fishy. Server did offer to replace, but my husband was full by that point.

    (4)

  • Jenny H.

    We waited over 3 months to get a reservation at a goodt time on a Saturday night to this restaurant. The service was great, and I would say while a few dishes were exemplary, the food in general seemed similar to other tapas places I've eaten at. Here is a list of dishes I would order again: --Madre e Hijo (mother and son)- MUST GET!!! My favorite thing here, a chicken and egg dish, absolutely phenomenal!!! The chicken was SUPER tender (and I never order chicken at restaurants) and paired with the creamy egg, genius and delicious!! --Cheese Mixto (garlic dulce de leche, hazelnut chocolate, and truffle honey)- the cheeses were great, but the sauces made this dish amazing!! I loved the garlic dulce de leche (dipped other tapas into this) and my brother and husband loved the hazelnut chocolate with cheese. --Scallops (2 orders)- grilled, super tender, cooked and flavored just right --Paella Valenciana- the paella here was really good. A good mix of chicken and sausage, and the rice was just tender, not too salty and saucey, but the rice soaked up the flavors of the meat really well. It was nice to have this dish to round out the meal, because we were still hungry after eating the various tapas. --Crab stuffed peppers (piquillos rellenos (2 orders)- my mom loved this dish, it came sprinkled with almonds with a red spicy sauce drizzled on top --Patatas Bravas- I was expecting chunks of roasted potato, but it was like hot potato mash in little cylinders, swirled with sauce on top. I surprisingly really liked this dish. --Red Sangria- nice wine, nice mix of fruit Here is a list of dishes I thought were just OK: --Esparragoes con Trufas- very, very thin, long asparagus grilled and covered with a light white hollandaise sauce, served with a poached egg and parmesan crisps. This was a hard dish to eat, the asparagus wasn't as crispy, it was hard to cut and dip into the sauce, and the egg just burst and run everywhere. I did like the parmesan crisp on top though. --Gambas al Ajillo- for some reason, it tasted like frozen shrimp thawed out in a sizzling butter sauce. Not that great! --Albondigas- very, very bland. It tasted like unsalted, bland meat mushed together in this bland white sauce. I've definitely had better albondigas elsewhere!!! --Calamari Plancha- I thought this was tender and nicely flavored and grilled, but no one else in my party liked it, and I had to eat almost the entire dish. They thought it was too mushy. --Barramundi a la Plancha- This tasted a little too fishy for my taste, wasn't seasoned well, could have used a little bit more salt and some flavoring.

    (4)

  • Cory M.

    I don't generally enjoy tapas but I was pleasantly surprised. Everything from the decor to the food was carefully and creatively thought out. The waiter mistakenly brought us the check instead of our last plate but was quick to rectify it and politely took off the charge which although unnecessary was much appreciated.

    (5)

  • Jessica W.

    Been here twice. Once for lunch and one for dinner. The dinner was much more memorable and we chose the tasting menu which was great! Everything was delicious, but not extremely memorable. The restaurant is fairly large and takes large party reservations! They have a private room in the back that can fit up to 20 too!

    (4)

  • Kelsey G.

    Great food, beautiful interiors. Drinks are good and the service was too. I'd definitely go back!

    (5)

  • Stephanie M.

    My husband and I decided to try out Amada for our second wedding anniversary. Despite our anniversary falling on a Tuesday in June, the restaurant was packed and I was glad we made reservations. The decor and ambiance were both very appealing, though the noise level and close proximity of tables could do with some work. If you are looking for an intimate date night, this is not the place for you. But my husband and I were fine with minimal chatter throughout dinner. Having poured through online reviews prior to our visit, we made our own tasting menu of the best sounding dishes. We were not disappointed. The red sangria that I ordered was perfectly spiced, sweet and boozy, though my husband was not too impressed with his Spanish lager. Our server was friendly, but we felt as though he forgot us a few times - we had our first dish on the table before we had anything to drink. Speaking of the food, we really enjoyed almost everything we tried. My favorites were the spicy potatoes, the crab stuffed peppers, the short rib flatbread, and the asparagus. The presentation and freshness of the food is evident, even though the chef went a little overboard with the salt on occasion. Thankfully, the man pouring the water came around very frequently. The food was fabulous, but the restaurant itself could use some tightening up in the service department, better pacing of the dishes, and about five less tables in the main dining area. I would definitely return, and try some of the other delicious sounding menu options!

    (4)

  • Tamar N.

    Unbelievable food, unforgettable service. My one and only complaint has to do with some of the details in the restaurant itself, but I have already sent an email to the restaurant directly about that. We arrived early and were seated within minutes. The server was attentive without hovering. I noticed everyone else at the restaurant receiving similarly outstanding service. As for food, I highly recommend the shrimp and sea bass. Above all else, though, you must get the asparagus here. Perfectly cooked and complimented with incredible ingredients. Any time they have the crema with pumpkin, you have to get that, too. I have had Tapas at a variety of places, including Jaleo in DC, but Amada blows the competition out of the water. Another Jose Garces has another winner on his hands. No surprise it's a winner-the food is exceptional.

    (4)

  • Kathleen D.

    Amada is one of my favorite resaurants in Philadelphia. We keep returning and have neever been let down. We gormandize up in that piece, kid. Service has been pleasantly attentive...most paramount, the food is wonderful. Little bites of happiness. The ole gal has enjoyed plenty of tapas in her time, but just for example, even the patatas bravas- you'd think maybe, "Well how extra special could patatas bravas be?" The answer I'm saying is: Very. Very extra special. Me gustan charcuteria y quesos muy muchos..LOVE the octopus sooo, and you, the piquillos rellenos, too... EVERYTHING, seriously. More and more I'm knowin to the bone that small plates are my favorite way to eat. A little of this a little of that...and keep em comin...and every single little this and little that is delicious...Delicious like I have to try hard to not make a spectacle of myself by pounding my fist on the table and/or cursing with joy. Some people curse with joy.

    (5)

  • C K.

    I'm really a Steven Starr fan, not a Garces fan because I generally feel like the food is really overpriced at the Garces places, but not with Amada! We went for restaurant week (another huge gamble, since I usually try not to try out new restaurants at Restaurant week since usually the service and food is not on par with how it usually is) for our anniversary and the food, prices, menu, and service were fantastic! We each had a glass of red sangria, which was delicious - I think it had some cinnamon in in which really gave it a very well rounded taste. We had the white bean soup, which was just OK, but then we also had the cured meat platter (delicious and generous portions), garlic shrimp (very fresh shrimp which were perfectly done and not overcooked), the goat cheese (delicious and served with green apples which set off the taste perfectly),. Second course was steak kabobs (the best I've ever had), grilled truffled mushrooms (also, the best I've ever had - we asked for extra bread to soak up the extra sauce), chicken with olive mashed potatoes (the chicken was very tender with a crispy, delicious crust) and a pan fried white fish that was the best fish I've ever had. We'll definitely be back to try out their happy hour 5-7 at the bar and more of their food!

    (5)

  • Joseph D.

    My wife and I had dinner at Amada last week and it was excellent! We went to Philadelphia for the flower show as we did last year when we first went to Amada. It was excellent last year and they only stepped it up this year. The bartender Travis, who is a look alike for Patrick Swayze, is great and was also there last year. Our waitress, who I'm sorry I don't remember her name, was also fantastic. My wife has tree nut allergies and waitress insure the main Tapis courses were free of nuts. Thank you to all the staff of Amada and the Manager whom stopped by our table Joe and Kerrie DeGregorio

    (5)

  • Rachel S.

    I really not only wanted to give this 5 stars but I wanted this to be my favorite Philly restaurant. It's not that I was necessarily disappointed, I just wasn't blown away for the price tag of my bill and how hard it was to get a reservation. My two friends and I ordered the chef's tasting menu. One of my friends has many food restrictions and we asked if it was a good idea for her to partake or to order her own food. We were assured that she would be given extra of other things and that they would make sure most of our plates were within her restrictions. This was absolutely not the case as what came out did not cater to her at all and I left feeling awfully guilty that I was full and she got to eat some cheese. I was there last week and I can't remember one plate that made me swoon. I wanted it to, I promise! The drinks were wonderful and the atmosphere was awesome. I would potentially try again or just enjoy happy hour and call it a draw.

    (3)

  • Carla F.

    Love the food. Love the Spanish wines. Beautiful space.

    (5)

  • Isabelle J.

    Aaaaaahhhmada. This creation of the invincible man of culinary skills is one of the best tapas I've had. It was one of my favorite dining experiences in Philly. We ate for hours. Some of my favorites are (I'm biased toward mainly seafood/vegetarian): crab stuffed peppers, parmesan artichokes, grilled asparagus with truffles, spanish octopus, alcachofas y setas, lamb meatballs (I don't eat lamb but I think my table got 3 orders of these). For drinks, our table went for the the Tour of Spain, and all loved it. Amada is pretty pricey, but hey, an Iron Chef owns it.

    (5)

  • Es L.

    Liked it, but friend didn't so that's why it's getting a lower scoring (who you eat with does tend to affect your own judgment). Her point is that nothing really stood out. But she's had real Spanish tapas too (like in Spain) so that could be it too? Or maybe she's just too picky. ;) But I've had other friends RAVE about this place so maybe going into this with not too high of expectations is the key. Since it's a tapas place, there are so many options. I didn't have time to read all the yelp reviews which is probably my mistake. Tried asking the waitress what's the best of the best on the menu but she wouldn't commit. I realized after that experience I love opinionated servers. Yeah, sometimes we might not have the same taste, but I like to hear what they passionately love on the menu. Blanco Sangria is a must. DÁTILES CON ALMENDRAS (Bacon-Wrapped Medjool Dates, Almonds, Cabrales) is also another must. I also liked the garlic shrimp. The beef short ribs flatbread was ok... and the spicy potatoes were just ok too. I feel like I need to go back to try all the other plates to get a fuller experience.

    (4)

  • George A.

    Decided to make our anniversary dinner our first Garces experience as well. I picked Amada because of the recommended location and romantic ambiance. The place is pretty packed on a Saturday night so reservations would be a suggestion. We got there a bit earlier than our reservation and decided to grab a drink at the bar an greeted by a very attentive staff. Your everyday drinks are well made and strong. Their specialty drinks are a must try. Even though they are a bit pricey, the taste and potency are worth the $12+ you pay. I do think they need to make the bar area a bit more bright as I literally saw a guy holding a mini flashlight just to look over the menu. Front dining area is where you want to be seated for people watching and if you are with a more lively crowd, but we were seated in the back where it is a bit more intimate. The menu is a one-pager but it can be a little daunting trying to figure out what to order and how much. They recommend about 3 plates per person which seemed about right. Even though they are small plates, you will start feeling full towards the end of your meal as most plates consist of bread, protein or cheese. The standouts items were the bacon wrapped dates and the pork flatbread. The disappointments were the filet which tasted more like a cheap cut of meat (esp. for $19) and the goat cheese dip which reminded me of Stouffer's lasagna. Service was attentive and happy with the experience, but not to the point that I would venture back into the city to try it out again.

    (3)

  • Di P.

    Best things I had here: grilled asparagus with truffles & poached egg and mahon crisp. So freaking tasty. I wanted to drink it all up. The funnest thing about this place is that it has like 1000 candles to set up the ambiance. I like to think about the people who work here lighting all 10000 of these candles. And are they pissed off? Or are they like so super excited to set up this romantic scene for us? Maybe a little of both. Come here. Best tapas in town.

    (4)

  • Anthony N.

    Very good place if you are into Tapas and Spanish food. The ambiance is very nice, minimalist, modern. The service here was great. Here are the food I ordered: Sopa De Calabaza: an okay soup. I didn't really like the texture. Also I felt that the zucchini was cut a little too long making it a bit messy to eat. The pumpkin seed was also a little under cooked. The burrata cheese; however, accompanied the pumpkin soup well. Costillas De Ternera: This rate as slight below par. The flatbread was a little too soft, maybe they should have not added so much grease to this dish that cause the bread to get too moist. The shortribs were a tad too sweet, maybe they should consider adding a little bit of acid. I recommend not ordering any of the flatbreads unless you are into eating moist greasy bread with a sweet protein. Albondigas: This I would have to say is very good. The lamb was cooked perfectly with a soft texture and the inside of the meatball was not over cooked. The sauce was nice and was not too rich. Fideos Con Mariscos: Also very good. This is a rich dish of cleverly thinly sliced calamaris to imitate linguini accompanied by scallops, which were perfectly cooked where the outside was crispy and the inside was slightly raw and also clams. This dish was also plated pretty well. Paella Valenciana: Good dish. Rice was perfectly cooked. One down side is that the chicken breast was a little bland and maybe was on the dry side. Also the bread that came with this dish was accompanied but a mayo-ish sauce that did not fit well with the dish. But overall good. The proportion was also huge. Overall, great service, good food but DO NOT ORDER THE FLATBREADS! Due to the flat breads and also not even coming close to Perse, Le Bernardin, or French Laundry that's why I give this place a 4 and not 5 stars.

    (4)

  • Joyce L.

    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.

    (4)

  • J A.

    Phenomenal meal!! My husband and I did the tasting menu at lunch and each course was out of this world. Perfect balance of flavors and textures, you have got to try this Jose Garces flagship restaurant. Great service (knowledgeable and fast but also subtle) and amazing chefs - don't miss Amada!!

    (5)

  • K. K.

    This is an exceptionally lovely establishment with dishes to surprise and delight more sophisticated palates. Jose Garces always takes care in creating cohesive menus, both in food and drink. The waitstaff are very knowledgable and genuinely knows how to pair the alcohol offered on the menu with the dishes served. I have heard complaints from tourists while dining at times, that this placed is "pretentious and over priced." My comment on this: if you're coming into Amada with a fanny pack and complaining that the 'pizza place was closed,' you're probably not the greatest culinary connoisseur.

    (5)

  • pracheta t.

    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.

    (4)

  • Andrew P.

    In my opinion one of the top 5 restaurants in Philly. Go for the tasting menu and prepare to have your mind blown and your stomach filled. Drink the Rejadorada Tinto Toro Tempranillo, excellent red wine.

    (5)

  • Stephanie P.

    #194 We walked out of Amada today having had another 4-star experience, except this time we got to try some of their cheeses! We ordered the Mix of Cheeses, as well as the Blanco, Temporada, and a regular coffee. The Blanco was just as solid as it was last time - sweet and tangy. The Temporada was an interesting one, not quite my thing, but incredibly similar to the Blanco nonetheless. The cheeses though were the highlight of the afternoon - all very interesting and full of flavor. My favorite was the Cabrales, which was paired with Currant Pistachio Salbitxada. The cheese was strong in flavor, similar to bleu cheese, and aromatic, while the sauce was colorful with its flavors - sweet, thick, and crunchy. The other two cheeses were too hard and didn't pair too well with their sauces, which in my opinion were too light in flavor to be paired with such strong cheeses. Regardless, the cheese board was impressive and I loved that they came with bread and thin apple slices.

    (4)

  • Jenn D.

    This is a pretty limited review, since we were only there for lunch and only had salads (not tapas, and not even wine). That being said, I felt compelled to write a yelp review for this place because the salads were SO INCREDIBLY GOOD. My friend really enjoyed her salad with shrimp, and my salad involving grilled chicken was definitely one of the top 10 salads I've eaten in my life. I was only in Philadelphia for the day, but if I lived there I'd be hightailing it back to Amada to try the rest of the menu.

    (4)

  • Sylvie C.

    With my bf: 3 1/2 stars, With a group: probably 5 stars We went a few days ago, and the food was definitely killer. But, since it was just the two of us, I don't think we were able to get the full amada experience...a full suckling pig would've put us in a hurt locker for days, although I'm sure those first few bites would've been worth it. Regardless, the food we did get was pretty awesome, but I would still recommend going with a big group so you get to try a little bit of everything. I lived in Spain, so I definitely appreciated the authenticity of everything he put out, especially with the traditional tapas. Spanish food takes some getting used to (I eat EVERYTHING, and had some trouble my first month in Spain), but once you love it, you're hooked. That said, he does a great job bringing Spanish food some popularity. I love the Garces amuse. You start off the meal with long dainty chips with a smooth salty tuna-black olive dip. My boyfriend DESPISES olives, and he loved this. Now I know how to sneak 'em in :) Started off with the FRIED PEPPERS - 'pimientos', definitely was not expecting fried shishito peppers...this dish was pretty average. WHITE ASPARAGUS SOUP: I was a big fan, and it grows on you with each bite. It's cold, with a warm crabcake in the middle. It's a little acidic, but when you have it with the crabcake, the whole bite is really something. EMPANADA!!!: with spinach, manchego, artichoke - DAMN this was tasty. The problem - there was only a bite for each of us. I could've eaten like ten more. I love bursts of hit-you-in-the-face flavor like that. Incredible. the QUAIL! oh my god oh my god the QUAIL. This was the moment that I was like ok, this place deserves all the hype. Spicy chorizo stuffed quail (it's served as a long sausage in slices) in a GENIUS harissa-mustard sauce. GET THIS (really reasonable portion for just two people! not too big not too small) PAN ROASTED BARRAMUNDI: this plate just screamed creativity - you could tell that SO MUCH thought went into it. I couldn't even get a handle on what exactly I was eating - I just knew that I really haven't had that flavor combination before. Highly recommended for the adventurous palate. LEMON TORT: OBSESSED. Was so full, but had to make room for this little guy. The lemon tort itself was mild in comparison to others I've had, but I think the addition of thin slices of lemon confit on top, with the blueberry jam on the bottom took it over the top for me. I loved that tart slice of lemon in my mouth with the consistency of the crumbly tart. Delicious, and although really modern and interesting, totally homey and comforting. Definitely worth the trip!!, but need to go back with a group of six or more! I think the ultimate experience is when you get to try the whole menu, otherwise the decision making process is daunting...(i could literally see my boyfriend get anxious...)

    (4)

  • Daniel W.

    Truly stellar restaurant! Order the aged manchego and the chicken brochettes! The roasted peppers are amazing and vegetarian. It is definitely pricy but go for restaurant week and split dishes to get a taste of all the different and amazing things served there. I heard from a friend that the servings were too small to get a meal out of the restaurant week options. It turned out this was because she ordered particular dishes (such as the cheeses) which are quite small. Order a variety of things, including the spinach chickpea dish or something else with more substance.

    (5)

  • Chris W.

    Everything was increidble. We had 6 people and nobody had a complaint. I really want go for a sunday night pig roast sometime.

    (5)

  • Courtney J.

    This place is way over-hyped. I have a friend who was coming in from out of town, and this is the one thing she wanted to do in Philly. I had never been there either, but had been wanting to try it. So, I immediately made reservations for a Friday night. We get there and the interior of the restaurant looked upscale and modern. It was not anything special though. I really did not care about that though because we were there for the food. My friend is a big fan of Jose Garces so she was really excited. I was expecting good food too with the Jose Garces name. We ordered a little of everything and I got one of the sangrias which was okay, but nothing special. A bit overpriced if anything. I've made better at home before. Again, we were there for the food, so I let that go. Then the first order came out which was the spicy potatoes. Let me tell you, they were not even remotely spicy. The texture on the outside was nice. They were kind of like mashes potatoes that had been fried and had a crispy shell. The sauce just tasted like mayo without any heat. This was sadly, the best dish of the evening, and I wasn't impressed. It all went downhill from there. Next there was a chicken dish that had a phenomenal description with truffles, but when it came, it lacked flavor and actually needed some salt! I usually complain about restaurants using too much salt, so if I say it needs salt, that's bad. The presentation was beautiful, but the food was lacking in flavor. I can make better chicken by putting salt and pepper on it before I pan sear it. This chicken was flavorless, $12, and tiny! The next dish was a white asparagus gazpacho with a microscopic and not so tasty cold crab cake in it. Again, it looked beautiful, but non of us liked the taste of the gazpacho, and that crab cake was just sad. It was $7.50! The worst thing of the night was this asparagus and egg dish with a white sauce and fried cheese. Have you ever been to Pathmark and picked up a Tony's pizza? Well, if you want to experience this taste, then do so and make sure some of the cheese runs off and burns a little bite onto the pan. Now scrap it off and you've got some expensive fried cheese. No joke, that's what it tasted like. The good news is, we found all this a bit comical at the moment because we were so disappointed. We had a good laugh. When the waitress came to check if we wanted to order more, we were quick to get the bill and take our money elsewhere, which we did and had a lovely rest of the evening. Now, I don't mind paying for good food, but the food just didn't have flavor. It was all about show and not about taste. The food here wasn't properly seasoned, the portions were tiny, and the prices were high. Nothing was bad, but nothing was good either. If it had been a cheap meal with no expectations I would not have been so irritated. If you want a quality upscale dining experience in, I recommend you go to Morimoto and not here because the food has flavor and you will get what you pay for. Or Harry's Savoy Grill in Wilmington. Sorry Jose, I won't be back. I was not impressed, nor was my friend. Oh, and if your looking for tapas, Valanni is a much better bet in both taste, atmosphere, and price.

    (2)

  • Kevin R.

    Great ambiance and a wide selection available on the menu. Laurel our waitperson was absolutely phenomenal. The garlic shrimp were mediocre, too squishy. The green salad with asparagus was great, pherhaps a bit heavy on the dressing. The chicken Brest with truffles, egg and fingerly potatoes was out of this world delicious! It's definitely a place to try and I would go again.

    (4)

  • Matilda S.

    We were really excited to try it and we got a reservation on restaurant week. Even if I understand the issues with restaurant week, you should not treat customers who happen to come on that week like garbage and feed them garbage: Mahi Mahi tasted like tilapia, and not any better than british fish and chips: most creative item in the menu was asparagus and egg (?!@#$% really?!) with REAL truffle slices on top (I'll give you that); croquettes for appetizer and pudding for dessert. With the wine at full price of course, we paid $63 for a mediocre rioja, 35 bucks each so with tips we ended up spending more than $150 for a dinner which would have been disappointing if I had paid half as much. Dude, stop serving spanish and mexican street food (that's what it was), which are "poor", hearty and delicious by nature as they were filled with gold. It is unfair and unethical, surely not educating people on what GOOD european food is all about: rare delicious simple ingredient, that you would never think of making yourself at home. Noting like f***ing deep fried tilapia. p.s. I've been to 2 more of this dude restaurants full price, and it was the same bull****: overpriced latino street food. Stop the hype!!!

    (1)

  • Boon K.

    Ok I really like Mercat is just a touch better. The cheese plater combined with Dulce, lavender honey, chocolate do I need to go on. The scallops were cooked to perfection and potatoes balsas. We topped it of with the flourless chocolate cake which was light as air.

    (5)

  • Andrea L.

    Food was really good and so was the sangria. We had a table in the back, very intimate and relaxing. I loved the hijo de madre and bacon wrapped dates. Food came out fast but not too fast and we didn't feel rushed. Server was on point. I spent less money than i expected - boyfriend and i had split 8 tapas and dessert, each had 2 drinks for $125 - not bad at all IMO.

    (4)

  • Jay R.

    It is great that the 'lesser known' of the 'Iron Chefs' such as Chef Simon, Chef Cora and now Chef Garces have topped the 'bigger' ones! Had the mixto cheese/meat and 6 of the small plates for four of us. Wow, excellent! Sangria was off the charts!

    (5)

  • Todd G.

    My wife and I celebrated my birthday at Amada. Outstanding service, great atmosphere, and a fantastic tapas menu!

    (5)

  • Michael E.

    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.

    (3)

  • Danielle S.

    WOW! I have been a fan of Chef Jose Garces on Iron Chef for years. I was overjoyed when my boyfriend and I moved to Philadelphia simply because of the amazing restaurants that became available to us. Amada was delightful. The ambiance, the flavors, the entire experience. The scallops were amazing! Everything was great! I can't wait to visit again.

    (5)

  • Vikki S.

    Amada used to be my favorite restaurant in Philly. It was where I begged my husband to let us go of we had a night out in the city. But the last two times I have been, both for lunch, it has been mediocre and too salty. I once had their bean and ham stew and it was inedible, like slurping a bowl of ocean water. I had hoped it was a fluke, an anomaly. But when I returned for Restaurant Week, their ham croquettes and beef kabobs were also too heavy on the salt. I have no idea what has happened to this place. Where once it was original and sublime it is now barely palatable. Maybe I'm ordering the wrong things, but that's absurd. Everything should be fantastic, as it once was.

    (2)

  • Yu Ting Y.

    One of my absolute favorite restaurants in Philadelphia! I had been looking forward to trying Amada for the longest time, after hearing countless recommendations. Needless to say, Amada not only met my expectations, it exceeded them. We had so many tapas that I can barely remember which ones we ordered, but those that stood out included the scallops, truffled mushrooms and the poached egg. We received a complimentary macadamia-coated cod, which was excellent. The excellent food is enough to warrant subsequent visits, but what really stood out and impressed me was the service. My friend ordered a beer which he didn't particularly take to, so he only drank a quarter of it. When the check came, the server asked "Is the beer not to your liking?" and my friend replied "It isn't really for me". So the server returned with another check with the beer removed from the bill. Such attention to detail and customer satisfaction impressed me tremendously. One of the best places in Philly that I've been to - highly highly recommended!

    (5)

  • Christine G.

    Our culinary adventure at Amada was the roast suckling pig extravaganza. One of our good friends in Philly managed to get 9 other friends to show up to indulge in this meat-fest. We got a whole pig plus all the fixin's and ordered some other appetizers besides. In a word, too much food. Like, Ancient-Roman-Feast-Level too much food. Fortunately, several diners lived in Philly and got to take home huge doggy-bags. Yes, everything was delicious, and our server was very attentive and organized. However, my biggest nit-pick was the level of salt in just about everything. It gets to be overwhelming after a while. I understand that the suckling pig was brined, but it would have been nice to balance out all that saltiness with side dishes that weren't salty. The bottom line is that a suckling pig feast should be experienced before you die, but do it before you develop high blood pressure.

    (4)

  • Billy B.

    Went here on a whim while visiting Philly for my USMLE CS. I didn't know it was Garces' place! Doh, would've taken pics and better notes. Atmosphere: Comfortable but romantic. Nice overall. Service: A bit "chin up" at first b/c I was wearing gym shorts, a T-shirt, and flip-flops (oops). But once seated, our server was nice (pretty blonde). Food: Beautifully done. Menu is a bit overwhelming, but once you get a handle on things, it's actually a really nice menu. Yes, a tad salty, especially if you were raised in a bland household (i.e. typical white American, although I think it's changing now. Remember when sushi was thought as gross to most of the American public?? Now it's on every frickin' corner. Perhaps we really are in a food Renaissance??) Anyways, the cheeses were fun to try (hit or miss depending on the individual tasting it. That's the fun of cheese/wine tasting!), and the Pernil Asado (basically a slab of fatty sliced pork that is crispy on the outside and then melts in your mouth) was good. Try it! Value: Not that bad. I expected the bill to be a lot more. $60-70 = 2 full people with some to take home.

    (5)

  • Clare D.

    Chef José Garces brines each suckling pig for 24 hours in a salt water and sugar solution, to ensure the meat is tender and flavorful. He then confits the pig in pork fat for up to three hours. After roasting it at 250 degrees for another hour, to crisp the skin and lock in its natural juices, it is finished with sea salt and arbequina olive oil. The skin is crispy bacon-like and very tasty. The cheeks were tender, moist, and almost reminded me of a custard. We didn't get to try the neck or the brains like last time because they took the head away too quickly. The meat itself was oh-so-tender, so soft, juicy, and moist and even tasted great the next day after being nuked in the microwave. The meal also included four sides: Charred Green Onions, Herb-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Chickpeas with Spinach, and Rosemary White Beans with Ham. Our favorite was the white beans and ham. The amount of food we received was enough for four more people. We will definitely be piggin' out again sometime in the future. At $38 per person (plus tax and tip) this is a complete bargain for the quality and amount of food you get.

    (5)

  • Joey G.

    I've only been here once. My girlfriend is a fan of tapas, so I gave it a try. The portion sizes were actually pretty well sized for being tapas. We split three courses. The cocktails I could of went without and the service was good but nothing I'd brag about. Nice sort of intimate spot though. Perfect to bring someone on a first date. It wasn't that quite and saw a few tables that brought there children along. The tapas was good but I've had better. The charcuterie board was the best part. If your looking for a place to blow your socks off (don't go here) but if your looking for a place to grab something small before a night on the town, its prefect.

    (4)

  • Yichen Q.

    I have been to philly almost three years. This restaurant is the only one I prefer to giving 5 stars. It's amazing, fantastic dinner I have never had before. Spanish ham is my favor.

    (5)

  • Shalin D.

    I've typically been impressed by Jose Garces' restaurants but my experience at Amada was downright abysmal, mostly due to their horrible service. The food, admittedly, is quite good. I went with a party of three for brunch and ordered the chorizo con pappas, the patatas bravas, and the foie french toast. The quality of the ingredients, the depth of flavor in each of the dishes, and the portion sizes were all perfect. The patatas bravas had a spicy aoili that complemented the flavorful but not greasy fries. The french toast had a generous slab of foie gras braised in a sweet/sour sauce that tasted sublime. And the chorizo was, as expected at a Garces restaurant, ridiculously delicious. But, however great the food was, it was overshadowed by the sloppy and negligent service. Our reservation was for 1:30 and we were seated immediately in the midst of the half-full restaurant. We purposely came at a later hour to avoid the heavy brunch crowd here. The server came by immediately and took our order. However, we waited until 2:15 (fully 45 minutes) before our drinks (sangria) were brought out. In that span of time, the server didn't stop by once even though the dining room was pretty much emptied out by 2:00. When we complained to the hostess, we were given two excuses. The server told us that all the sangria in the kitchen was poured out and they had to make a fresh batch. The manager told us it was a computer error. If we were going to be lied to, it would be helpful if the staff told us a consistent story. We waited another 30 minutes before the food was brought out (again, only after asking). Unfortunately, this time, it wasn't the long wait we minded it was the fact that the kitchen got the order wrong. We had to send the food back and wait another 20 minutes before the right food was brought to the table. What boggled us at this point was the fact that the restaurant only had 5 tables with diners and they all seemed to be served promptly and accurately. Our table seemed to be a magnet for errors. Towards the end of the meal, the manager stopped by and comped us for our drinks. The server also apologized. But, by that point, it was too little too late. I suppose the worst part was that it was a brunch to celebrate a wedding, a fact we made clear when we booked the reservation and when we walked into the door. Not a great memory to walk away with.

    (1)

  • Scott P.

    Oh yes, yes, yes- a million times... YES! Came here with a few friends for tapas. I ordered a couple of items, then my friends decided to let our server pick out whatever she thought would be good. Normally I'd imagine that this would annoy the ever-loving shit out a server, but she was a good sport and came up with some GREAT recommendations. So... a course or two came out, and we devoured them. A few more came out... and we DEVOURED them. And then... we waited. ... and then they just brought us a free course, since our other plates were taking to long. And then, they brought us ANOTHER free plate, since we'd had to wait so long. And the sangria... oh baby, that was the stuff!!!

    (4)

  • Hana B.

    It was a chilly night in Philadelphia, and my fiance and I were looking for a new food experience. Amada came highly recommended, and we thought we'll give it a shot even though we fully expected it to be snooty and overpriced.. but boy were we WRONG! Walked in the door to a warm, inviting, lively atmosphere. The host told us it'd be about 30 minutes for a table but we were welcome to wait at the bar area, and took our coats. Two of the bar seats quickly became available and we sat down and ordered the famous Amada sangria. I ordered the Blanco, which was a crisp white wine with granny smith apples, green pears and oranges, my partner in crime opted for the Temporada, a white as well, with stewed or canned peaches, ginger brandy and mint. We both took one sip of the drink, put the glass down and gave each other that recognizable but rare look of astonishment of how absolutely amazing what we were tasting was! About halfway into the drink, the hostess came to get us to say there was a table available at the back bar which only had 6 seats, but higher bar stools for easier eating, so we decided to move to the back bar which had a quieter, sexier more intimate vibe.. We had already ordered the "Mixto" Charcuterie, but it was swiftly re directed to the back by the hostess. The charcuterie met all my expectations and then some. The olive oil it came with to dip bread in was top notch! We ordered the following over the course of the night: Smoked Trout with garbanzo been puree and Lemon cream fraiche - there was nothing boring about this dish. The textures melded together in an unexpected but wonderful way. The lemon cream fraiche was fragrant, the bean puree was smooth and the smoked trout flaky. Albondigas (Lamb Meatballs & Shaved Manchego with black truffles). This was one of the best things I have ever consumed in my life. If you love rich creamy fragrant delectable sauces and lamb, GET THIS, you wont regret it. We ordered the Garlic Shrimp next as the lady seated a couple seats away was exclaiming quite orgasmically, and not just once... about how amazing these shrimp were. One bite and I knew why she might have had such a reaction, they were succulent, perfectly cooked, don't think i have had better shrimp. I tried a bit of my fiance's chocolate dessert, but I was just so enamoured by the sangria, that i decided to get another glass not knowing when I'd be able to return to this gem of a restaurant next. If I could, I'd give this restaurant 6 out of 5 stars. Absolutely everything was perfect, and I'm looking forward to my next trip to Philadelphia months in advance because of it (Who'da thought?)

    (5)

  • Bubbles Q.

    This was my first time at Amada. The food was good but what ruined the experience for me was the staff. When we checked in with the hostess, there were two women standing there that looked at us like we were from Mars. We were early for a reservation so we waited in the bar. The bartenders seemed like the last thing they wanted to do was wait on customers. Our waiter was just okay. This is just not a place where you get a good vibe. No one that we encountered really seemed to appreciate their customers. Philadelphia has way too many restaurants to choose from, I would say move on to another place where patrons are treated like they are valued.

    (2)

  • Myra M.

    Me encanta Amada! And thank U fellow Yelpers because w/o all the highly rated reviews I would have never experienced dining at this phenomenal restaurant. I liked everything about this place from the moment I walked in. I sat at the vibrant bar and was enamored by the Spanish-Euro ambiance w/ dark wooden décor. I was pleased w/ each glass of wine that the bartender (Chris) suggested. I know it would be better to dine here w/ a big group, because then one has the opportunity to taste several dishes, which is what makes Tapas so enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised that I liked the complimentary tuna appetizer w/ flat bread, because it has capers, which I am not fond of. I had the crab stuffed peppers and salad w/fig, both were amazingly delicious. If I ever revisit Phila, I will definitely make every effort to come back here! The couple next to me were visiting from NYC and raved about Amada being the best Spanish Tapas place; nothing like it in NY. I was surprised to hear that. "it tastes very authentic... Like you are in Spain".

    (5)

  • Shaunna A.

    Amada is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, restaurant in Philadelphia. The sangria was wonderful, the atmosphere was great, and our food was amazing! I recommend this restaurant to all my friends and anyone looking for a new restaurant in Philly to try.

    (5)

  • Lola G.

    I feel judged at the hostess stand, regardless, tapas n ginger sangria are great. Cute space, good for dates or small groups.

    (4)

  • Tonya O.

    One of the best meals of my life. We ordered 10 dishes plus dessert for 3 of us and we all left completely satiated. Some of our favorites were the bacon wrapped dates , the filet mignon, and the salad with Serrano ham and blue cheese. Sorry I don't remember the Spanish names! The waitress was very friendly and attentive and the ambience was upscale but casual and relaxed. For the whole check plus tip, we paid $65 a person. I was pleasantly surprised when the check came that it wasn't as high as I had imagined. I can't wait to go back next time I am in the city.

    (5)

  • John H.

    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

    (5)

  • Danielle D.

    I went to Amada the other night for Restaurant week and had a great experience!! Everything our party of 5 got was delicious. I would highly recommend the ham croquettes, the beef shortrib flatbread and the monchego cheese and honey. Our waiter was very attentive and helpful with her recommendations as well. The only downfall of my experience was that we were seated at a picnic table on rocks and by the door. I know it wasn't the restaurant's fault that it was a freezing cold night but I was unaware of the rocks and had high heels on. I will certainly dress differently next time I visit. Overall, it was a great experience and I will certainly visit again!

    (5)

  • Angela J.

    I ain't afraid of a little snow!!! So, taking advantage of the snowstorm the day after Xmas, I called Amada to see if there had been any weather cancellations. Lo and behold a 5:45 had opened up! Boots, mittens, scarf, hat, jacket......a short, snowy walk to the PATCO (yes, I had to slog in from Jersey) and a few snowy blocks to walk, and there we were at Amada, where our sodden coats were whisked away, and we were seated at a table for two with really only one or two other tables seated in the entire restaurant...the weather really WAS pretty shitty... but, who cares about the weather, we just care about the food, right?!! So, in giddy anticipation of the explosions of flavor I have read so much about, we ordered a $68 bottle of wine (the waitress kindly let us try two different wines before we decided) and WELL WORTH IT!!!! Every drop of that bottle was enjoyed with our amazing food. Octopus, lamb meatballs, truffle flatbread, and stuffed peppers ohhhhhhhhhhhh happiness in my mouth! The food was simply divine, so many amazing flavors, excellent service, and a beautiful bottle of wine made this one of the best meals I have had in the past year. Our server was fantastic, offered excellent suggestions, and made us feel like we were the only two people in the whole restaurant....wait....we almost were! However, I was less than impressed, dare I say "underwhelmed" with the dessert. Warm brown butter cake with homemade ice cream.....the cake was blah, it was served cold (i was hoping for oooey goooey hot cake with carmel sauce or something like that) .... So I'll just forget about the dessert and go back to ranting and raving about the lamb meatballs... they were SO GOOD!!!!

    (5)

  • Kimberly L.

    OH. MY. GOODNESS. I had one of the best meals of my life here this past Saturday night. So first off, my boyfriend and I walked in around 9pm with no reservations. The hostess told us it would be a 30 minute wait and so we waited at the bar. We sat down next to this couple who was just having a few tapas at the bar and they looked absolutely deliciousss. We started off with some drinks (temporada sangria for me, dark habits cocktail for him; both were great) and salivated over the dishes we saw as the waitresses walked by. We were finally called to our table. We decided to go with the $65 chef's tasting menu which the waitress explained was essentially catered to our tastes as well. We requested the crab stuffed peppers be included because of the great reviews but we were game for anything since we don't have any allergies and essentially eat anything. From the first dish to the last, we were just blown away. They made sure to include at least one thing from each category so we got a taste of everything. Some highlights were the ensalada de jamon (delicious combo of ham and cheese offset by the sweetness of the figs and the crunch of the almonds), the grilled scallops (browned and seasoned perfectly), and the artichoke/mushroom/truffle/cheese flatbread (DE-FREAKIN-LICIOUS). By the end of it all, we were getting so full but didn't want to stop eating! Heavy on the wallet but we will DEFINITELY be back for more.

    (5)

  • Shannon M.

    Favorite restaurant in Philadelphia, hands down. I've been here about 6 times over the past year, and have never had anything but excellent food and service. Like all Garces restaurants, any flatbread with shortrib is delish. . and the seafood is excellent here. Calamari is an interesting twist, and the lobster is awesome. The atmosphere is great for a date - not so great for a large group. We had our department holiday dinner here, and they had to split us into two long tables . . not conducive for mingling, but still excellent food.

    (5)

  • Salima C.

    I loved the food, absolutely amazing. Waiter at the time wasn't all that nice but I would try again.

    (3)

  • Michael D.

    Wow! It was so good that I was sad to be full! Best dining experience in a long time.

    (5)

  • Adam Y.

    The best of the best!!!! After being on an 18 day road trip and eating everywhere from ATL, DC, NY, PHI, and a few places in MD and VA, this place is the ultimate. I happened to be in town for restaurant week - the week when many of a cities restaurants offer a set menu at a discount to attract new customers - and boy was I feeling lucky. We had four of us at the table including the Belgian, see my earlier post on Farmacia and Eulogy and two colleagues. We each were able to choose four plates and naturally being tapas style we ordered 16 and shared them all. I'm not going to describe the 16 plates we had but I did post the pics of the table, but only when I stopped long enough to actually take a picture. The table shared two bottles of Malbec, can't remember the brand, but it added another great element to the meal.

    (5)

  • Andrew H.

    Let's be real. This is a good restaurant, but it is really expensive. Let's talk about the wine list. I wasn't sure if those numbers were the prices or the number of milileters in the bottles, because they were almost all in the hundreds. We had a good meal there last night, but it cost $110, on restaurant week which is supposed to be cheaper than usual somehow. It would have been less than 40 euro at Cerveceria Catalana ( yelp.com/biz/cervecería-… ) with much more alcohol and a much larger selection.

    (3)

  • Kalieh S.

    Delicious! I stopped in here on a Monday afternoon for a solo lunch and the place was lively, but not packed. I had tried to get a reservation for a small party on Sunday night, but the soonest they could get us in was 9pm. We couldn't wait that long to eat something, but I really wanted to visit this place before I left the city. I'm so glad I did! The ambiance is trendy, but relaxed, and the building has a nice open feel. Each small plate runs about the price of an entree at a chain restaurant, so it really is very much worth the money for such skillfully prepared dishes. I started with the crab stuffed peppers, which were excellent. I don't normally care much for red peppers, but the flavors in this dish were so balanced that no one flavor was overpowering. No scream of "PEPPER" here! I then had the cheesesteak, which I know is not very adventurous, but it sounded so good I couldn't resist! It was exactly what I was looking for. Great crusty yet chewy bread, perfectly caramelized onions, cream sauce, sautéed mushrooms, and melt in your mouth steak. It also came with some delicious thick cut fries, but I was way too into the sandwich to pay them much attention. Bottom line: ambiance, service, and food were all exceptional!

    (5)

  • Oona K.

    I had dinner with three friends and it was amazing. Possibly the best meal I have ever had. We ordered 28 items to share and every single one was delicious!

    (5)

  • Joe P.

    Everytime I go here I have a great time. Classy and higher end. Big enough to hold a good amount of people. Clean. Food is different and amazing. We even got a suckling pig once for a bigger party and it was top quality. Service is excellent. Highly recommended.

    (4)

  • Vivian T.

    I have heard tons of great things about this place and it is all true. I really think this is one of the BEST restaurants in philadelphia, as evidenced by the fact, it's almost impossible to get a table/reservation here but it was still fun eating at the bar. We ordered a whole bunch of tapas such as their BERENJENAS, PATATAS BRAVAS, and their REVUELTO. The best were the DÁTILES CON ALMENDRAS - super yummy bacon wrapped dates and I was completely blown away by the PERNIL ASADO as recommended by the bartender. The pork was juicy, succulent and it was paired with its AMAZING CRUNCHY skin, honestly one of the BEST prepared pork I have EVER had. It was truly wonderful. I enjoyed their Berenjenas as well since their juicy plump grapes provided a nice contrast to the whipped goat cheese. I also loved their Sangria Blanco- super sweet and refreshing with yummy fruits, most probably a really girly drink but I still loved it. This place was honestly one of the BEST places in Philadelphia. Hands down 5 stars.

    (5)

  • Whoy G.

    Where to begin! Very rarely have I gone to a restaurant for the first time and absolutely love everything I get...my wife and I stopped in for a bite and wow...the wife had been here before and said it was good...but that's an understatement...started off with egg salad, smoked salmon creme freche...personally smoked salmon is a favorite and this didn't disappoint...thinly sliced with the bread, creme freche and egg salad was delicious...than came the ensalade verde...lightly vinergrette and tasty...but the piece de resistance were the lamb meat balls in a beautiful white sauce absolutely the best meatballs I have ever had anywhere...could have Eaten them all night...we ended with the manchego cheese and truffled honey which is as good as it sounds...I certainly see why amada is so highly rated

    (4)

  • Yuezhu X.

    Chocolate cake is soooooo yum!!! Best cake ever!!! Had flatbread before, also worth trying!!

    (5)

  • Jill A.

    Amada is amazing, but Tinto is just slightly better. ;-) I love this place. Tapas galore. The menu here is fun, and welcomes shared plates. The drinks are unique. The menu has variety. Only downfall - the prices aren't always worth the platter content.

    (4)

  • Lily P.

    sangria was very good just the way i like it with the fruits and cinnamon stick. I really liked their cheese plate. We got 1 aged cheese and the 2 goat ones. It came with cherry raspberry marmalade, some kind of caramel, and a lavendar honey. VERYY YUMMYYY. The other dishes such as the meatballs were done well but nothing special, we got the crabstuffed peppers that I wasn't too impressed with and it was super small portion. We also got the soup CALDO GALLEGO Galician White Bean & Ham Stew that was VERY GOOD. Hearty, perfect balance of ingredients, and just great in general :)

    (4)

  • Cat M.

    Great food, environment, and personality. I had the artichokes, the pork with fennel and citrus, and the creme brulee. The artichokes were superb. The pork was stunning! The creme brulee was delightful. My waiter was pleasant and always available. Up until this restaurant I thought tapas could not get better than a specific restaurant that I adore in my home town (and is well-renowned in its own right). Amada made that restaurant look like taco bell. Absolutely worth the money. Way better than (and not as expensive as) Buddakan, which is right down the street.

    (5)

  • Ashley D.

    I don't know if I can put into words how amazing this place is. I've had about a week to think about it, and yet I don't know if there is any language that could accurately describe how I feel about Amada. To start off, I have never heard anything about this place since I live on the complete opposite side of the US. My sister however lives on the east coast, so since I was visiting she brought me here for a slightly late birthday dinner. It has a great atmosphere with dimmed lighting, elegant tables and chairs (I even think I saw some comfy looking couches), and awesome servers. You can get sangria in a pitcher which is great when you have a table of 4 people, and who doesn't want a pitcher of (good) sangria? We got the $65 per person chef's selection which was completely incredible, but a bit too much food. We had a hard time keeping up with all the food and at the end we had to ask "Is it over yet?? Please say it's over!" They were also incredibly understanding and accommodating for personal preferences; we had someone at the table who absolutely loathes seafood and I'm also not a huge seafood lover, so they brought us each course with two dishes- one seafood dish and one non-seafood dish. This was absolutely perfect and also allowed us to try a larger amount of dishes. There were so many dishes though I don't think I could accurately describe each one to you, but my favorites were this absolutely amazing pork, some sort of crazy delicious sausage, and prosciutto covered spinach salad with figs. They even brought this ice cream with a sort of thin mint dessert and a candle for my birthday which was super sweet of them. I had never had tapas before now, and after this experience I'm definitely going to have to try out more tapas places. However, I don't know if any of them will be able to live up to Amada- it's a hard role to fill! I'm definitely going to have to come back here next time I visit the east coast; in the mean time I'll have to make do with simply dreaming about returning.

    (5)

  • Scotty C.

    This place has great food, keep in mind that it is tapas so the portions are going to be smaller in quantity. The menu is a little pricey and you can easily spend over $120 dollars w/o even knowing it but the atmosphere, service and food quality is great!

    (5)

  • Devenne R.

    Very good! Great atmosphere, a little noisy. 5 dishes was enough between 2 people. We ordered the filet mignon and Wagyu beef, the Wagyu was better and full of flavor. The calamari came with 2 big scallops that were excellent.

    (5)

  • Hokie F.

    Except for the bar height which makes me feel like a little kid trying to reach the adult table, this place is sensational. While you can graze an extensive variety of tapas, I could barely finish my flatbread and sizable bowl of warm fava and Lima beans. The Spanish and Portuguese wines tend to be less expensive so your options are quite good. Happy hour is Wed-Fri 5-7p

    (5)

  • Steven D.

    I'm dropping my rating on this place. I came back again recently and my food experience wasn't quite worthy of four stars. As it turns out, I'm not alone. I sampled the octopus, ham croquettes and mushroom tapas (again). But what struck me this time was every dish was extremely salty!! What's up with that? Did I not notice last time? Did the way the food gets prepared change since I last came here? Use less salt and everything will get better again...totally disappointed. Bummer.

    (3)

  • Asish P.

    My wife and I decided to eat here for our anniversary. We were a little early, so went to the bar to have a drink and quick bite. Bar was busy, but we finally found one seat. We ordered a red and a white sangria. The red was great... nice flavor, and a nice touch of spice, like a mulled red wine (served chilled). The white was fruity and sweet, again great taste. We also ordered the Manchego cheese which is served with some bread and honey. Again, something you can't go wrong with. not too long after, our table was ready. For dinner, we each ordered one additional tapas plate (shrimp with garlic for me, and lamb meatballs for her)... and also decided to order the chicken and chorizo paella. Shrimp was amazing. cooked perfectly, and not too overpowering. i tasted the sauce that came with the lamb, which was great... a manchego cheese sauce. My wife liked the lamb meatballs, but didn't think they were great (too meaty). After a half hour, the paella came... the chicken was cooked perfectly, and it also had some toasted bread on top. Presentation was unlike any other paella i have had in the past. The rice with chorizo and some chicken was at the bottom, then a grilled chicken breast was cut into slices and placed on top, along with toasted bread with cheese on top. My wife really enjoyed the chorizo that was incorporated into the rice... we kept eating it... and couldn't put our finger on some unusual taste that was overpowering.. Anyway, so full, we take 2/3 of the paella back with us... during a midnight snack, we finally realize the issue... someone was very heavy handed with the saffron, which gave it such a strong taste that it wasn't pleasant. Anyway, we left the rice and ate all of the chicken and bread! Hoping that is a one off incident, and it isn't their standard flavor profile for a paella. Service was impecable, and the ambiance was great. Would most definitely go back here again!

    (4)

  • Adam S.

    What can I say about Amada. One of the best Spanish tapas restaurants I have ever been to. I went with my sister, wife and aunt last night. We ordered about 12 plates. Every single plate was wonderful. To be honest, everything on the menu is great, so my recommendation is to try everything at least once. The flavors bursting from every dish cannot be matched. The service was also great. We had a reservation for 8:30 pm. We were seated within minutes. Our server was very nice and well versed on the menu. Amada is pricy depending on what you order so be prepared to spend some money but the dinner is worth it in my book. The spiced Sangria is a must try!

    (5)

  • Yoli C.

    I'm in Philly 2x a year and I eat here 2x a year! Love the cheese and lamb chops. I always overdo it! This place is pricy but so yummy! I only wish that the sweets selection was better.

    (5)

  • Jonny R.

    This is a stellar restaurant. Everything from the wine list, to the tap list, to the items on the menu are impeccable. It's unbelievable how delicious this place is and how definitively it places Garces at the top of the Latin-food pyramid in town. Elegant place to dine with some of the smartest servers in town. Expensive, and kind of a once-a-year place to eat, but totally worth it if you are going to splurge.

    (5)

  • Niyant S.

    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!

    (5)

  • Elise L.

    Every plate I ordered I couldnt get enough of from the cheese to start out to oysters with strawberries soo good. But I have to warn u goin in as two u easily get seated way too close to another couple and the server I had was mediocre. But bein able to hear the entire conversation of the couple next too u on a tuesday when its practicly empty. Seriously open another section or dont be so lazy to give up a table for four n do the extra clearing. That made me angry. But the food was good so the experience was all n all about three stars.

    (3)

  • Derrick P.

    I was really disappointed with this place. Tried all of the recommendations from yelp and couldn't seem to find anything that was particularly special, except for the crab-stuffed peppers. Food. 2 out of 5 stars given the price and expectations for a famous restaurant like this. I would maybe come here and order the crab-stuffed peppers, the cheese platter, and that's about it. Didn't even think dessert was that amazing. Atmosphere. Pretty good, I definitely liked the crowd type. But the tables were too long, which makes it hard to enjoy a date with someone else. I ended up having to sit next to my date at the same side of the table. Service. Nothing that really stood out for me. Price. Not worth it. $15 for valet, which is pretty much a given due to the limited parking in that area. The drinks were average price, the tapa dishes are a bit overpriced given that the food just wasn't that incredible. I'm a big fan of Chef Garces and have raved about Tinto (check out the review). I just don't think Amada can be considered nearly on the same level. Maybe it's seen better days, but not any more.

    (2)

  • Julie M.

    I've already expressed my undying love for Jose Garces so I needn't repeat myself. However, Amada remains my favorite of his and one of my all time favorites. The shrimp and chorizo flat bread is amazing. Among my other favorites: the spicy potatoes, the garlic shrimp, and the spanish octopus. In addition, the seasonal vegetables are always excellent. The sangria is also awesome! The only dish I ever had here that I truly did not enjoy was the paella which was too smoky. Other than that, everything is delicious. Amada definitely conjures up a multitude of happy memories for me which is why I tend to go back all the time. It is one of my happy places.

    (5)

  • Seve K.

    For the first time in ten years me and my wife were alone without kids and chose to go to a trendy tapas eatery. We've ordered tinto sangria/pitcher which was delish! In addition we've ordered several tapas from bacon wrapped dates, octopus, duck confit flatbread, and truffle chicken with a fried egg on top. Food was delicious. Especially the octopus which was soft and seasoned well with right spices and generous amounts of olive oil. Bacon wrapped dates with pearl onions on a skewer was also well balanced between salty and sweet with nutty melted Spanish blue cheese. Portions were small but not over powering with any particular flavor and most of the dishes were not complex or creative. Just a tapas cafe in Philadelphia instead of Madrid in Spain but charging quite a bit more than Madrid tapas bar. Overall good experience. I would have given 4 stars if it was priced fairly. You do pay for the name but that name should not do injustice to modest finger food - basically bar grub from Spain. After all this place is not in upper east side Manhattan...it is in Old City Philly...

    (3)

  • Adam F.

    Finally made it to Amada. Went with the chef tasting menu ($65 per person for the nicer one). 3 courses (with 3 plates each) and 1 dessert course. Highlights: Octopus Salad wrapped in Serrano ham Anchovies in olive oil Lamb Was surprisingly a lot of food, so come hungry if you are going to do the tasting menu. Only minor complaint --- food seems to come out really fast (maybe slow the pacing a bit between courses?)

    (5)

  • Casey S.

    Amada is just one of those places you have to go at least once (or a hundred times as I hope to). I am a huge Food Network fan so it was much anticipated to come to Garces' restaurant. I finally scored a reservation and as soon as I walked in, you could say, it felt very homey. The staff was very friendly, but not in a "HEY HOW ARE YOU LET ME OVERWHELM YOU" type of way. Our waiter was helpful and knowledgeable about all of the items on the menu. Here were the items that I ordered and how I thought they were. TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA (Traditional Quiche): So-So PIQUILLOS RELLENOS (Crab-Stuffed Peppers): To. Die. For. PATATAS BRAVAS (Spicy Potatoes): Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside. GAZPACHO: Interesting flavor COSTILLAS DE TERNERA (Short Rib Flatbread): My favorite tapa of the evening. LAMB CHOPS: What's not to love? BLANCO (Sangria): If you don't like your drinks very sweet, then this is a great option.

    (5)

  • Diana K.

    With over 700 reviews, I doubt mine will make a difference, but I can't hold in my love for Amada much longer. Last Friday, I came here for the fifth time, and I was blown away yet again by the flavor of the food. With my boyfriend, I normally get my favorite dish, the spinach and fig salad wrapped in serrano ham. But this past week, I was with my pescaterian friend, so we got the $55 tasting and requested that there be no meat/poultry. Everything was spot-on - especially the diver scallops, fava beans, and mushrooms. The food just kept coming! We definitely got our money's worth and waddled out of there fat and satisfied.

    (5)

  • Riana Z.

    Best tapas I have ever had! Everything was delicious. Our favorites included the spinach and chick peas, the cod fritters, and the desserts (chocolate cake and doughnuts). The sangria was great as well and the food came out in perfect timing, not too rushed and not too slow.

    (5)

  • Brooke S.

    Best tapas in the city. Chef's tasting menu is a must.

    (5)

  • John F.

    Went for lunch. Nice feel, open kitchen in back gives the restaurant a great aroma of diverse food items. I always am more trusting of an open kitchen too. Chose the soup and sandwich or salad. The soup I chose was a summer selection, watermelon gazpacho. I could have had about three bowls of that. Incredible! I chose the chicken sandwich and my colleague chose the pork sandwich and we just traded halves and had a more diverse lunch experience. I think we both like the chicken sandwich better. The food comes out quickly and it is piping hot. Both were very tender meats. The bacon on the chicken sandwich boosted it above the pork. The pork had broccoli on it which was a nice touch, gave it an interesting consistency to bite into and a green flavor that wasn't lettuce. We had coffee and share a chocolate cake which had several other dressings which complimented the cake extremely well. There was a creme filling in the cake and a bit of ice cream that was pistachio and a bit of granola and a caramel sauce to add texture and flavor. Not a big chocolate fan but this wasn't too chocolatey and the accompanying variety of additional tastes made it even less so and more interesting.

    (4)

  • Ryan J.

    Absolutely a fantastic place. My girlfriend and I came here for Restaurant Week, and although reservations were difficult to score, our meal made it well worth eating at 9PM. The Restaurant Week menu is a lot smaller than the norm. Personally, I preferred this a bit because it made decisions a bit easier to make. With small plates, this typically seems like the issue, since, especially in Amada's case, you want to order 80% of the menu, but only have room for about 30%. The decor is very nice here, though I believe it prides itself in being understated. The small plate size is quite generous, especially when sharing about 10 plates. Dishes I highly recommend (I don't recall the exact names): any or all charcuterie plates, the gazpacho, the flatbreads, the creamy egg asparagus, the goat cheese, the chicken served with an egg and truffles, and the garlic shrimp. If that seems like a lot of "what to get", it's because we really weren't disappointed with anything we had and those are all of the ones that stand out in my mind several days later. And the custard for dessert, while somewhat simple, is so delicate and was certainly a highlight. The suckling pig looks fantastic, though I'm not sure my girlfriend will be up to ever split it with me, sadly. Certainly go here if you are in the mood for an open-minded experience and are open to a broad range of tastes in an evening. There's really nothing too crazy on the menu, but it's not a meat and potatoes kind of place either. For me, after one experience, Amada is a place that I want to keep visiting. It's a restaurant that is something special, precisely because it is so unremarkable. It's neither unbelievable or ghastly, it's neither expensive nor cheap, it's neither fancy nor plain, and while it holds a Spanish flair, it is not distinctly Spanish and embraces a tremendous variety of tastes.

    (5)

  • Tiffany R.

    I went here with my boyfriend for a weekend visit to Philly. We made reservation, thank God we did BC those who didn't seemed stuck at the bar all night. Anyways, we had the red sangria, it was delicious with a cinnamon twist. We had the cheese mix, olives, shrimp, and a whole bunch of other plates...everything was amazing, and the service was awesome too!

    (5)

  • Christine E.

    Went there on a Sunday night. The atmosphere was cozy and great for a date. Food and cocktails were amazing- and holy crap, that charcuterie! This is definitely a winner.

    (5)

  • Jpgirth K.

    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

    (5)

  • Brenden K.

    I tend not to believe the hype about hip restaurants, but Amada went above and beyond. The staff there is phenomenal. They actually have tried the food and know what to order and what not to order. Ask them for advice on the right kind of combinations of flavors and TRUST them! The bartenders made great cocktails, but youll pay for them. Oh and dont knock cheese for desert. When the waiter told us to have cheese for desert I laughed and thought he was goofy. After our meal he asked about a cheese plate and honestly I couldn't have thought of a better end to the meal. Totally worth it, but grab some mints if you don't want to smell like good cheese.

    (5)

  • Jia J.

    Skate wing on the menu, plus excellent reviews, brought me to choose this "Authentic Spanish Tapas" restaurant of chef Jose Garces as the first dinner venue to kick off a bachelorette party. It was hard coordinating 10 people, so we were a bit late. Our only punishment was to wait a little bit until more of us had arrived and a table had cleared out. We were seated at a satisfyingly located, long rectangular table. It was loud with the din of diners, but I guess that just comes with the territory. With names like Broken Hugs, Dark Habits, and Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down, the cocktails - ringing in at $12.50 per - won out over a selection of fine Spanish wines, red, white, and rose sangrias, Spanish beers, and craft beers from all over the United States. I opted for a Matador, getting straight to the point with ginger, bourbon, and elderflower. If I could do it over again, I'd have gone with Estrella, a simple tempranillo, or no alcohol at all. The drinks were well made, complex, and in some instances sweet....and that was the problem, because we were heading into a repertoire of some rich and salty stuff. Unfortunately, not all of us were rich OR adventurous, which made it hard to really max out the options on the menu. Relieved but also disappointed that no one wanted to go into tapas (because everyone wanted or did not want different things), I selfishly spurned the usual croquetas de bacalao, meatballs, olives, and even anchovies for Chipirones Fritas - fried baby squid in their own ink and saffron. Feebly, I tried to ask whether the squids were actually babies or just petite. I didn't really get anywhere with this line of questioning and ordered the babies anyway. I followed this up with my predetermined order of Skate Wing as an entree. I'm not even sure what the other girls got - but was quite impressed by a pumpkin soup that was poured out of a miniature pitcher into a bowl right before our very eyes. The menu has since changed a bit since our visit (i.e. no more skate wing or pumpkin soup). However, the selections remain very terroir and ingredient based, and low in carbs. For the average American, this means that one has to spend $30 to $50 before drinks to get close to satiated, but alas, that is the nature of Spanish cuisine, at least as it is marketed in the States. In other words, the ingredients do all the work, and often the ingredients are one skate wing filet (surprisingly soft) in butter on a plate. It takes a certain kind of person and a certain amount of knowledge to appreciate that, but there is no doubt that the food at Amada is well prepared, authentic, and, well, different. Given that there is no paella here, and that each component of food is an average of $15 dollars, I would approach my next visit by surrendering to the whims of the chef with the $55-$65 "La Mesa de Jose" chef's selection of tapas. Or, I'd befriend someone filthy rich and order everything to get the big picture on the food. My only regret was going with others who are not as gung ho about Spanish seafood as I am, and for being too cheap to spend six extra bucks on fried salted pepper. Those, my friends, are essential to any tapas experience. Was Amada memorable? Yes. Would I go again? Under certain circumstances, and at a less busy time of day. Would I recommend it to someone else? Perhaps, but only if I knew that they knew what they were getting into. All in all, an undeniably respectable establishment where you will pay a pretty price but eat things like skate wing!

    (4)

  • Olivia J.

    Went here with M for brunch Sunday afternoon. I think their brunch menu is quite different from their lunch and dinner menus, so I would want to come back to try their lunch and/or dinner menu sometime. Between the two of us, we got five tapas and we both left satisfyingly full :) Chorizo Con Poppas - best ever. Yummy fries with flavorful sausages with tomato salsa thingies. We devoured this one. Tortilla Española - pretty bland, potatoes and some other things in a tortilla? I liked the sauce that came with it. Salmon Ahumado - everything on this little tapa -- smoked salmon, some sort of eggs, and fried bread thing on the bottom -- went really well together! Nomzz Barramundi -- Australian sea bass. M loved this one. Very chewy. Lobster -- SO GOOD yet so little sigh. M and I are both lobster lovers, and we finished this one in like 2 minutes. Its tail meat is divine. We also shared a glass of Sangria Blanco. Super fruity!

    (4)

  • Julie V.

    This place (and the AC location as well, which unfortunately closed when Revel went under) is so near and dear to our heart. When we are in the mood to splurge on a meal, this is 9/10 times our best choice. Very few restaurants manage to surprise me -- to make me feel like I truly haven't ever tasted anything like this before -- and Amada is one of those places. Our favorite dish is the bacon-wrapped dates, but the flatbreads, the foie gras, and the numerous other delectables are enough to keep us coming back.

    (5)

  • Trang N.

    A friend and I stopped in at Amada for a quick after work dinner. After returning from Spain, I was eager to try the 'authentic tapas', but after my Chifa experience,* see Chifa review* I really didn't want to try another Garces Restaurant. Upon entering into the restaurant, I was warmly greeted by three hostesses. I was surprised to see how large and spacious it was. Beautifully decorated in a contemporary style, dark and light wood contrasting against each other. The bar area was accented with a milky cool granite countertop which complimented the street side white restaurant front. Candlelight danced on the tabletops from the lanterns through the restaurant. If the chef could produced delicacies half as good, as the interior decorator delivered on ambiance, this dining experience would surely win me back on the Iron Chef Garces' bandwagon. Our server Jen was quick, attentive and very pleasant, she strode over as I sat down, asking if I wanted a cocktail to start. She had to patiently come back several times as, my friend and chatted away. We were brought some bread and some tuna salad dip, and then a complimentary(*see Chifa review) Amada's Empanada- which was a fluffy warm pocket of spinach, manchego and artichoke, it was very well done and I knew we were in for a treat. Our Order- Aged Manchego- apple with truffled lavender honey- Garces does this well, I believe he has the same course at Tinto. Oysters- strawberry escabeche & Cava Granita- a wonderful marriage of flavor, I highly recommend this Albondigas- Lamb Meatballs & shaved Manchego- the lamb was a nice medium rare but did not have the usually gamey taste, delicious Chipirones- baby squid- grilled to perfection The table next to us had a paella, which made my taste buds curious, but the platter was the size of the table top! (no lie) maybe next time with a large group of people, we can tackle that dish. The restaurant was packed for a Tuesday night, which made me almost forget that I had work the next day. I am very intrigued to try the suckling pig next time, as it is featured on 'The Best Thing I've Ever Eaten' on food network channel, so it has be to amazing!

    (4)

  • Michael L.

    I finally ate at Amada this past weekend after friends had raved about it forever, one of them even proclaiming that it was the best restaurant in Philadelphia. While I did enjoy it, I certainly wouldn't agree with that statement. I did like the atmosphere, it's a really nice looking place, and each room has its own identity. We were seated in the back room with the wood partitions. Our server was great, she was very knowledgeable, helpful with the few questions we had, and accommodating. We had the grilled shrimp, the esparragos con trufas and a flatbread to start off with, and decided to share the lobster paella, featured as a house specialty. The shrimp were okay, just shrimp, really. The flatbread with artichoke, mushrooms, truffles and manchego was very tasty, one of the best flatbreads I can remember eating. The asparagus was also very nice, a simple presentation with diced truffle and a delicately poached egg. The flavors of the truffle and the egg yolk were a great compliment to the asparagus. The lobster paella, I had to say, was somewhat of a disappointment. I felt the lobster was a little overcooked and tough, and the same could be said of the mussels and clams in the dish. The scallops were tasty. It's definitely an interesting presentation, sort of deconstructed, with a salad in the center, and the shellfish served over a drift of black rice instead of the normal saffron rice. Also served with toasts that had a nice aioli. It was okay overall, not great. I walked away from Amada feeling that I had a good meal, but not one that you could really justify spending $160 on. I think that what most of the five star reviewers are tasting is the hype. It's a good restaurant, but I wouldn't consider it the best in Philly by longshot. Some nice tapas, and it's very good as tapas bar. I'd go again for some tapas, maybe give the chef's tasting a shot (although at $55 a head or 3 tapas and a dessert course, maybe not), but my expectations will be adjusted downwards a little bit next time. Damn you, celebrity chef culture! 3 and 1/2 stars.

    (3)

  • Kelly R.

    The most amazing tasting menu I have ever had. Service was great; server was very knowledgable and seemed genuinely passionate about the food and wine. I can't believe I have been in the area for years and haven't gotten there yet! I will be returning as much as my budget allows!

    (5)

  • Calvin R.

    Stopped in for quick snack en route home from work. Heard much fuss and have followed JG thru social media for awhile, this was the first time I've made it in. Ordered Revuelto, velvety eggs with woodsy wild mushrooms and delicately curled shrimp, served with baguette toasts spread with heavenly mushroomy compound butter. Shrimp was perfectly cooked, good size for price, nice mid-afternoon snack. Pleased.

    (4)

  • B S.

    Yum small plates to entice your senses but pricey. The grilled shrimp was too salty to eat-- was sent back. less dimming of the light would allow you to view food. (On purpose???) Didn't like the short ribs. Dessert is yum.

    (4)

  • Eileen D.

    In town with relatives from Los Angeles and was intent on choosing a place that was both fabulous and within steps from the historic district. Had tried for days to book thru Open Table and finally figured out that the system was simply a mechanism for scheduling very early and very late seatings. Made a rezzie for 5:15, very early, but got stuck in a deluge and arrived at 5:40 and was banished to an uncomfortable hi-top in the bar by the self-important hostess. Our table must go instead, she explained, to folks who were expected at 7:15. I do abhor being scolded by someone who might be my babysitter. I slunk, chastised, to my rock hard perch. On to the food. Exceptional ham and fig salad, a lovely meeting of aged meat and lush fruit. Don't waste your taste buds on the octopus, tough and smoky, sliced in coins like kielbasa. That said, our dining companion, who eschews octopus, enjoyed it because he thought it was sausage. My daughter and I heartily recommend the ribs, tender and flavorful and sliding off the bones. Indifferent codfish dollops. Velvety red peppers stuffed with crab are delicate and hearty. We shared a skimpy and forgettable finger of flan, a rectangle custard-like dessert with pistachios and berries. Friendly servers, efficient and helpful. Gifted guides in suggesting wines and cocktails. Hostess with the least-ess.

    (3)

  • David B.

    Good tapas are deceptive in that they are difficult to execute beautifully. Cooking must be perfect and the quality of ingredients impeccable. I've only had tapas in the US: I have not been to Spain. Still, I've had good and bad. Amada were very good! I started with their salad: beautiful to behold but ultimately disappointing. The ingredients that were supposed to accompany it, cheese for one, were scant. The best: their pork special...OMG! Succulent ribs perfectly prepared. To balance the meat, I had their fresh sardines. They were fresh, bright clean flavor, and nicely presented. I was by myself and the three dishes were plenty...no desert. Service was friendly and efficient and I liked the interior...dark a vaguely exotic. Since I was there on a weekday, very early in dinner service, I just walked in and was seated. I look forward to returning with my hubbie to share is heir glorious food!

    (4)

  • Mike B.

    Unbelievable!! I've been to Amada a few times before. I often get the squid ink paella- which is ridiculously wonderful. However this week we had the chef's choice. 5 of us were there, 1 with some dietary restrictions. The server handled each course wonderfully. Including the person with the special dietary concerns. Each plate that came out- and there were many, was more amazing than the last. We were VERY impressed. Beef, octopus, lamb chop, garlic shrimp, salad.. All delicious. I HIGHLY recommend!!!

    (5)

  • Mary N.

    This is my favorite Philly restaurant. I have been here over 5 times and it doesn't get any better. Great food and wine. Service is great!! Love JG restaurants. Try everything, it is all great!!

    (5)

  • Rob B.

    Save the $85 so you don't have to be malnourished. Plus the waitress compared to the raw egg that came on a spoon. You will leave hungry.

    (2)

  • Benjamin H.

    Most people initially join Yelp to share a terrible experience they have had dining at a restaurant. I've never been one to write reviews but the all-around experience I had at Jose Garces' Amada made me want to share and convince others to visit and dine at this fine establishment. The kitchen staff he has in the kitchen cooked up a perfect balance of texture, tastes, and color to bring out the Spanish tapas style dishes on his menu. The speed to table was quick as well. We sat at the bar and ordered the following: * Boquerones: salty white anchovies that were perfectly marinated in vinegar that provided a clean after taste to the palate, the fish was not overly salted nor oily as boquerones I have had in the past * Chipirones Fritas: the fried baby squid that was paired with the squid ink and saffron was perfectly cooked; most restaurants OVERCOOK squid to the point of rubberization - these were fluffy and delectably light * Pulpo a la Gallega: again, the Spanish octopus ordered was again perfectly prepared (aka not OVERCOOKED) with the right amount of citrus, seasoning and Spanish paprika * Pernil Asado: the dish was ok in my book as it was just missing something extra to put this dish over the top; the crispy skin on the pork was the real winner of the dish (the right amount of fattiness and crunch) I can't say enough how impressed I was with this restaurant and the level of preparation of the dishes at this place. It is a bit pricy but well worth visiting if you are ever in The City of Brotherly Love.

    (5)

  • Rebecca B.

    We went here for dinner because of the glowing gluten-free reviews. They have a very large menu of gluten free items so that was a pleasant change on things. I think we each ordered 3 or 4 different things on the menu - cheeses, vegetables, shrimp, lamb, beef, chicken and tried a dessert. The white sangria was amazing, I really enjoyed it and our friends had a light beer on the menu. Our waitress was attentive and very knowledgable about the menu. One of the items came out with almonds, even though my husband is allergic and they special made one for him. Overall, it was a good experience and we were with friends we only get to see once in a while so it was great. For 4 people - drinks, food and tip was $340 which I felt was very overpriced for the amount of food we got. 2 hours later we were all ready for another meal. I would give it 5 stars but I don't think the cost correlates with the food. I would highly recommend this place for gluten free items though!

    (4)

  • Ruchi M.

    I'm sad to give Amada three stars because it's been described as an amazing, perfect restaurant to me by several friends. But everything was oversalted when we visited. The highlight was the cheese plate - incredible - we got the fresh queso de cabra , the manchego with the delicious lavender truffle honey, and the cana de cabra which was good and kind of funky. The gambas al ajillo, or more specifically, the chili garlic oil used as a dipping sauce for the bread, was also really delicious. The pernil asado had great crispy skin but the pork was dried out, and the octopus was meh. The ensalate verde and the bacon wrapped dates were good (but not great), but the lamb albondigas were perfectly cooked (the sauce would have been great had it not been...too salty). The wagyu had too much going on and was incredibly salty to boot. Oh as an FYI - bc I definitely didn't realize this - the quail with chorizo was a sausage and I couldn't taste the chorizo though at that point my tastebuds might have been blown out with salt.

    (3)

  • Sarah B.

    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.

    (4)

  • Rachelle R.

    My experience at Amada was a mixture of good and bad. We arrived a little early for our reservation so we grabbed a drink at the bar, but I was thrown off by the hostess - she seemed really pissed off and annoyed, not AT ALL warm/friendly. The bartender was cool - we told him we were from NYC and visiting Philly for the weekend and he gave us some cool spots in Chinatown to check out, BUT when the hostess came by to seat us, she seemed impatient as we tried to get the names of the places from the bartender again, and he told us, "I'll write it down for you, don't worry." so we went on to our table and meal, fully expecting to get a list of places we had talked about. WRONG! the bartender must have forgot or something, and as we left, the other bartender told us he had left for the night - FAIL. I was also a little surprised that a restaurant of this stature and size didn't have a coat room - come prepared to lug your coat around with you - not cool. I will say, the tinto sangria was heavenly - the cinnamon really goes well with the sweetness of the sangria. Aside from the rude/sub par service, we enjoyed the ambiance and most of the tasting menu ($65 per person). The charcuterie and manchego with truffle lavender honey was to die for (and the honey is on sale for $10 a jar on your way out)!! but the artichoke empanadas were just gross. It tasted like pizza toppings thrown in some cardboard. awful. One of the dishes was lamb chops - they were cooked well, but didn't seem to have much going on aside from the actual lamb chop. no side, no sauce, no spices, nothing. that was a little weird - we wondered if it was delivered to our table without prepping it? Anyway, the other dish that threw me off was some kind of white fish and 3 measly little clams. again, it was just cooked and put on a plate - nothing special, no sauce or spices, just what tasted like cod and a few steamed clams. meh. The other stuff was pretty good though, overall I wouldn't complain about the food, but the service left a bit to be desired for the hefty price tag. That's the thing with trendy/popular places - is it really worth all the pretentiousness and rudeness for a decent dinner? While it's not terrible, I probably wouldn't recommend this place - we like Amis on 13th St much MUCH better.

    (3)

  • Tyler L.

    I went here last Friday...kind of a pre-Valentine's dinner with the ol' gf. I have been looking forward to this place for some time, as I love Village Whiskey and know that Garces has a great reputation. Overall the meal was splendid, but, maybe due to my high expectations, it wasn't five star worthy. They were extremely busy, which I would expect for Amada on a Friday night, but the Hostess stand still seemed a bit unsure how to deal with it. They told me it was going to be a second so I went to the bar with my sig oth. Half an hour later they finally came to get us...which really didn't bother me, the bar is really nicely done (except they decorate with dishes...not sure I understand the decor?) and I was able to down a few drinks (and make the dinner less painful...I kid). Anyways, just thought they should be better at setting expectations, under promise - over deliver, etc. Either way, it had no bearing on my opinion of the place. We were sat in the back and I thought everything that came in front of us was delicious...the cheese dish was my favorite. My gf got the octopus, which I am not a fan of, but it was so salted that I could even eat...not sure someone who loves octopus would agree. The paella was well done and I was a full little panda by the end of the meal. Overally I was satisfied, liked the atmosphere, and liked the experience. However nothing was really that memorable. I would definitely go back, but I'd rather go to Village Whiskey and get a burger and bourbon if I had the choice.

    (4)

  • M J.

    Amazing tapas! I have been to there a couple times & the food is a bit pricey but always amazing

    (4)

  • Rob C.

    I was psyched to eat here and got some great recommendations from co-workers. On the whole, it was pretty good and the price was actually very reasonable IMO. I wasn't blown away by the taste or the presentation. Here's a quick run-down: the garlic shrimp bland (this is staple tapas, how can you not get it right?). The Wygu beef was insanely salty, like a brazilian steak house. The Serrano ham good, but I'm wishing I tried the Iberco. I was intrigued by the flat breads - but they were just little pizzas (seriously could've come out of the freezer). The highlights were the wild mushrooms, chick pea and spinach and the Serrano spinach salad.

    (3)

  • Thuy H.

    A really good place to go with a group of people. Came here for restaurant week and all the tapas were delicious. Plates were little small, but with the amount of people we came with, it gave us plenty of choices, so it seemed bigger than it really was. I honestly don't remember what we ordered because there were so many dishes on our table, but I do know all the options were flavored wonderfully. Each dish had it's own flavor and not like some restaurants that season everthing the same. I definately want to come back again

    (4)

  • Joshua G.

    Amazing food!!!! Even during restaurant week, with everything being mass produced, it was ALL incredible. Will DEF come again!!

    (5)

  • Lindsay M.

    Amazing brunch hot spot. I would recommend one thing but that is pointless- it was all phenomenal. Go with people who share, only way to experience all the wonderfulness!

    (5)

  • Grace S.

    I would actually give this place 4.5 stars. I've been here twice, once for regular dinner and another time for the suckling pig. I had to put my credit card down for the whole pig and there is a cancellation penalty. You also need to reserve it 72 hours ahead, I believe. It was amazing. I came with 5 other people and it left us all stuffed. The pig comes with several sides--fingerling potatoes, grilled green onions, rice and beans, etc. The chef came out like they do in peking duck restaurants and he cut up the pig just the way we wanted it. We also got to try the brain, cheeks, and other parts that may make some people squeamish. The drinks here are just ok (e.g., I've had the sangria which is neither delicious nor strong.) The service is fine but they're usually so packed and busy that it's hard to get your server's attention since the place is so big. The bar is more like a waiting area for small parties and it's not a comfortable place to eat or drink. The flatbread pizzas are good and my favorite appetizer is the aged manchego cheese with apple slices and truffled lavender honey. The honey goes amazingly with the cheese and apple to taste like something I've never found anywhere else! I'd love to go back and try the paella. As for the decor, it's an interesting place. There is one seating area that has white curtains while there are regular tables and chairs to the side. There is another dining area near the bar which is more like a high table with benches. The food is great so make sure to make an opentable reservation a few weeks in advance!

    (4)

  • Sushil N.

    I've been slacking on writing about Amada after visiting here four times in the last 3 months - the last being the best of all experience! (high five to Sasha at the bar!) My visits here have been with my wife (3x) and my family bday dinner with my niece (2 yr old) in tow. All had consisted of great food and service. My wife is piscatarian on certain days and veggie most of the others and I'm allergic to eggs - combined we're a challenge to any waitress/chef. Start with their 3 cheese app and it won't disappoint. Who knew lavender honey and fig jam would make my palate dance. Our favorites are the goat cheeses and manchega cheeses. The bacon wrapped dates continue the mantra of "anything wrapped in bacon tastes better" - these go a step further being skewered to a delicious crisp exterior and soft center. The flat bread pizza ... AMAZING! I really could eat it for BLD. The mushroom rice is also very good and a nice sized portion. My wife orders the pappas and loves them (too much of the aioli on top though so she just wipes it off a bit). Our last visit was impromptu after a botched visit to Buddhakan. We ended up at the bar after being wait listed for the high top tables - lucky us! Our bartenders (Sasha was one working on 4/2/2013 forgot the other) were attentive, informative, and hilarious! Great place - on our list of continue to revisit. Enjoy!

    (5)

  • Laleh J.

    Yum

    (4)

  • Cecilia Z.

    Glad that Jose Garces' flagship restaurant offers dining all day, especially an untypical weekend brunch menu in relaxed setting that doesn't involve 2+ hour waits. The bf and I came here on our last day in Philly, right after checking out of our hotel a few blocks away (Hotel Monaco). While the service was a little slow during our brunch, I gave them the benefit of the doubt as Amada seems to intentionally set a leisurely pace and not rush diners. The food we had were all pretty good, served in "small plates" style (although not really small in actual portion size) meant to be shared - and we did just that. We started with the tortilla espanola with saffron aioli off the traditional tapas section of the menu, which is supposedly one of Garces' signature dishes; I still remember watching him make it on the Food Network years ago. Anyway, I enjoyed the suppleness of the thick, eggy frittata-like tortilla filled with nicely cooked chunks of potato throughout. The saffron aioli was quite delicate in flavor but added slight luxurious to the dish. We also had the ensalada verde, essentially a chopped salad of greens, asparagus, fava beans, avocado and green beans in a tangy mustard-based dressing. I really liked the brightness of the dish, complemented by a little of nuttiness from manchego shaved on top. From the desayuno section of the brunch menu, we then had the revuelto (soft scrambled eggs, shrimp, wild mushrooms) and galletas y salsa (serrano biscuits, house made chorizo, white gravy). The revuelto was especially interesting as the creaminess and delicate flavors of the soft-scrambled eggs and shrimped combined with the robust truffle spread on the toast. It was definitely unlike any egg dish I've had before. The biscuits and gravy dish was the worst dish of the day, mainly due to the chorizo patties being severely salty. The small biscuits themselves and milky gravy was interesting though. The Garces Trading Company coffee served here was surprisingly good as well, my only qualm being that they only provided the option of whole milk. All in all, I think Amada satisfies at doing solid Spanish cooking. It seems like Jose Garces can do no wrong in this city.

    (4)

  • Jocy C.

    After 575 reviews of Amada on Yelp... I'll keep my review short and sweet. WHOLE ROASTED SUCKLING PIG Need to make reservations at least 3 days in advance. $40 per person. Comes with: 1) Grilled Green Onions 2) Herb Roasted Fingerlings 3) Garbanzo con Espinicas 4) Rosemary White Beans Suckling Pig is carved TABLESIDE. Our table ordered Paella as well... but with the amount of food served - there is really no need to order any extras. Pitcher of Sangria is a plus to complete the meal.

    (5)

  • Rob K.

    My girlfriend and I made last minute reservations to Amada and I am extremely glad we picked this place for restaurant week. Our waitress, Sacha, was excellent and provided great help with the many choices offered on the menu. Our food was to die for. My favorite was the garlic shrimp, pumpkin soup and the chicken. Every single plate had a multitude of flavors that were extremely welcoming and the presentation made everything just as good. This place is on my top five list in the city for sure, can't wait to come back.

    (5)

  • kathryn i.

    Delicious food and cool atmosphere. I recommend starting with a pitcher of sangria.

    (5)

  • Kris A.

    This is the easiest review to write. What an amazing place. Great restaurant atmosphere, and amazing food. I would highly recommend the ham cor-quests and sangria. Get a pitcher, it will last longer.

    (5)

  • J S.

    Went to Amada last night for restaurant week...ppl I knew said everything!! Was good when I asked what to get and so I was setup to be slightly let down...on recommendation by my buddy I for the Matador drink (ginger, bourbon, elderflower) which was very tasty Service was a bit slow to start as long delay after we got our drinks before we actually had our order taken but once order was placed food came out relatively quick the 1st course of aged manchego cheese and garlic shrimp was a really good start..so simple and nice the 2nd course of calamari grilled al a plancha was the biggest let down as it was too salty n a bit too chewy and the esparragos con trufas grilled asparagus poached egg, maihan crisp, truffle was also a bit salty and underwhelming 3rd course pastel de chocolate was rich and awesome and appeared better than the custard but told that was just okay even though my buddy are the whole thing lol I enjoyed the majority of my meal and regretted not ordering the coca de costillas de ternera flatbread...trying that made me forget about my bad choice selection for 2nd course Would like to go back to possibly try the lobster paella...apparently it's worth dying for

    (4)

  • Angelo G.

    Very good. I went for restaurant week and had the 3 course meal. Everything was great, I just wish I had ordered what some of the other people in my party did!

    (4)

  • D J.

    Service was terrific, and the food was excellent. It's easy to over feed yourself, so start slow. You can order more as you go. My one gripe is that the portions are slightly too big for one person. That makes them good for sharing, but only if other people want what you are eating. Salads and flatbreads are way too big for one person to have as part of a multi tapas meal. Granted, having too much food is not a horrible problem...

    (4)

  • Juliana K.

    Amada is always really good. I just wish restaurant week was not the EXACT SAME menu (with VERY little differences). Service is always fantastic and food is always scrumptious!

    (4)

  • Jeff M.

    How does JG do it? All of his places have great food and stellar service. Amada is no exception and is one of our favorite places to go. Highly recommended and go hungry, cause your going to want to order everything...and some things twice!

    (5)

  • Mike W.

    By far the most pretentious restaurant I have ever been to in my entire life. Went in cold on a Saturday night knowing absolutely nothing about Amada's history or menu. What followed was a ridiculous joke that could never qualify as a "meal". What we were served could only be described as "food" simply because it was matter that passed through my digestive system and did not kill me. The veil meatballs were about the size of my thumbnail and had absolutely zero flavor. The crab stuffed peppers were about the size of an infant's toe and again, tasted like nothing. The chicken skewers were over salted to the point where it physically hurt to eat them. At one point we were brought a dish that was just straight tuna fish out of a can. No lie. Not even good tuna, chunk light. For how expensive this place is I would expect some level of competence in the food, but sadly it's just a trap to swindle people out of their money. Don't eat here. It's a total scam.

    (1)

  • Heather S.

    One word - SANGRIA. The Tinto sangria is my absolute favorite here. My friend Lauren and I have made this our spot to celebrate everything from the start of summer, quitting a job, or just a girl's night to catch up. We've only ever sat at the bar due to how busy the restaurant can get Thursday/Friday nights. Even if we've had to stand for a bit and wait for two seats to open up, the bartenders have always been quick to set us up with a drink and a menu if we ask for one. The Spanish tapas items can seem small, but remember -- it's tapas. Try not to get 5 or 6 drinks deep before thinking of how much this happy hour might cost you if unemployed. But in all honesty, it's a place like this that makes dining memorable, drinking casual and life return to a slower pace. Jose Garces, you've set the bar high. Like Olympia high.

    (4)

  • Claudia R.

    This is probably my favorite restaurant... Wine selection, food and service all outstanding! Our dinners are normally 3 hours since we order a lot and take our time eating and chatting and we never feel rushed here. I seriously love this place!

    (5)

  • Sophie R.

    This was our third trip to Amada. The first time, the food was amazing and a great, buzzy ambience, but the service was a bit snooty and lacklustre. The second time, it all felt a bit underwhelming. But third time lucky! The food was sensational - particularly the roast pork (crispiest pork fat ever!) and the desserts were knockout. Delicious selection of sherries and dessert wines - we tried the Manzanilla "Gitana" sherry, which I can highly recommend. And this time the service was great. Attentive, but relaxed and friendly. Much much better, Amada. We will DEFINITELY be back! A note on pricing - it's expensive, but on balance it's worth it. I think of this place more as a special treat, rather than a regular place to dine.

    (5)

  • Erin B.

    I came here with my dad back in the fall for restaurant week. The food was good, but I actually much preferred the food at Tinto (which I thought was odd, since I expected they would have been nearly identical). Much of it was too rich for my tastes, although I really liked the "Setas" (wild seasonal mushrooms) despite the supreme richness. I felt like all the food came out way too fast. We'd been sitting down for maybe 5 minutes before our food came out, and they'd basically bring us another dish as soon as we finished the ones on the table (or even before that).

    (3)

  • Chris P.

    great lunch. Wonderful Meat and Cheeses mixto's and you can't get better than the crab stuffed peppers.

    (4)

  • Paul B.

    Food is not very creative or anything special. The service is very informal. Our server literally wanted to take our order from about 4 feet away from us. It's not bad. It's not good. It's "A-OK". On a very good note: cocktails are very creative and good! Service ruined it.

    (3)

  • Stephanie S.

    I am so in love with this place! First off, my review is based upon resturant week, which is the best resturant week experience I've ever had, so I will definatley return during regular business hours. Typically, I feel that resturant week gives you smaller portions, small selection, and rushed service. Not the case at Amada. Our waitress was so sweet, and she never made us feel rushed the entire dinner. She made several recommendations, all of which were phenomonal. The Sangria was great! We got a pitcher of the red cinnamon apple one, I think its called Tinto? We got 5 glasses out of that pitcher! Great for the price! For dinner we got: - A cheese plate of Aged Manchego w/ Truffled Lavender Honey, and Cana de Cabra w/ Fig & Cherry Marmalade. Some of the best cheese pairings I've ever eaten. Just delicious! I love that fig dip. - Escalivada, which was diced veggies (peppers, onions, eggplant), you spread over goat cheese toast. This was really good too! - Ham Croquettes, this looked like mini -fried cheese sticks, but tasted like ham & bacon, not my favorite, but my boyfriend really liked them. - Beef Shortrib Flatbread with Horseradish, Parmesan & Bacon - I LOVED this. Was so delicious, and even better topped with a side of the pesto mushrooms - Roasted Sea Bass was my favorite, it came with a scoop of the best mashed potatoes I've ever eaten, and also a really tasty lemon sauce - Grilled Asparagus was SO GOOD! came with a small Poached Egg, MahÓn Crisp & Truffles, and the creamy yellow sauce was sooo good For dessert, my favorite was the rice pudding, although i really don't like rice pudding, this had a really delicious chunk of cold chocolate on top, with chocolatey whole figs at the bottom of the dish. I can't wait to go back here, and try the several other dishes that looked amazing. Also, we sat in the bar area, which was nice. I want to try sitting in the kitchen around the huge kitchen bar where you can watch your food being cooked. That looks cool!

    (5)

  • Denise K.

    Just got back from Amada for restaurant week. I was so impressed! Everything was so flavorful. It was worth every penny. I can't wait to go back.

    (5)

  • Catherine T.

    The food is good. The space is intimate and warm. (Tip: Avoid the wooden tables and benches in the front of the dining area. The benches have splinters. The floor in that space is a bed of rocks that make getting in and out challenging. One man tripped and almost fell flat on his face next to our table.) My favorites were the ensalada verde, albondigas and datiles con almendras.

    (4)

  • Michelle M.

    Went for restaurant week this year. Forgot to write a review - a thousand pardons as I swore I did! Dark, Cozy and Intimate with high top wood tables. A bit dark for my taste. Our waiter was more interested in not looking at us as we ordered then paying the least bit attention to our table. Turned me off immediately. Food was OK. Would have been disappointed if for it not being restaurant week pricing. Nothing particularly memorible. And if you are thinking that it might not have been memorable because I didn't immediately write the review and it's been a few months, please know you are incorrect. I had dinner at Buddakan over a year and a half ago and can STILL remember every course and how incredible it was (along with what I was wearing.) Just sayin' Will not return.

    (2)

  • Lauren T.

    This was the first place my boyfriend and I went to on our quick Philadelphia trip. I love it just for that :) The ambiance was one of my favorite things about it here. It's dim lit, everything is wooden, candles all over, cozy, and warm. We were sat right away, it was about 8:30pm and it was busy but not too crazy. We were both in need of a glass of wine after a bus ride from NY, and we had finally settled in and wanted to kick off the night. I don't remember the wines we had (they were all Spanish wines) not your typical pinot noir, malbec, etc. The waitress led us in the right direction, and we both loved our wines. We decided to go with 2 cheeses, and a meat. I didn't realize you can't mix meat and cheese in the pick 3. Usually you can, so when I saw the bill I wasn't expecting to see each were charged separately. But honestly, I didn't really care. We had manchego, the special cheese of the day, and serrano ham. Sooo good. I loved the sliced apples. Other components were a blood orange jam, a really tasty wasabi mustard, and bread of course. We also got the seared scallops which were really small, but very tasty. Every table got a tuna dip type of thing with bread sticks, complimentary from the chef. It is always a plus when you get free stuff at a place. We also had the green salad, it was so good! I loved how it was presented, and it was a nice size too. Our waitress went through the entire menu with us, and was very helpful when we asked questions. We also got an almond cookie when the check was dropped :)

    (5)

  • Dominique Y.

    I love this place and since I moved to the west coast, have missed it dearly. We are returning for a weekend trip and already made a reservation and I cannot wait to wine and dine here!

    (5)

  • Jennifer T.

    I've been here many times and Amada has never let me down. I absolutely ADORE this place!!! I haven't tried anything that I didn't like but my absolute favorite has to be the short rib flatbread--perfectly tender, fully flavored and super cheesy. The garlic shrimp and truffle asparagus are also great choices...actually everything on the menu is a great choice. The sangrias are amazing and the staff is super quick and friendly. I've tried many of Garces' restaurants and they are all fabulous, but Amada will always have a special place in my heart.

    (5)

  • Nate E.

    What's with Philly- can no one make a good, traditional flan?? Jose Garces is 0 for 2 in my experience (Amada, Rosa Blanca). Great baby squid and likely the best Spanish food in Philly, but Bar Ferdinand is better for the price point.

    (3)

  • Jennifer G.

    "Say whaaa?!" That was me when I found out Amada added a happy hour with drink and food specials. Before meeting up with people for dinner, my roommate and I headed over to Amada to take advantage of their happy hour. Their red and white sangrias were only $5 a glass so we went with the white. It was sweet and fruity but had the pleasant addition of a rosemary sprig in there to keep it from being too sweet. (After several sips, the rosemary became too strong and I had to remove it but that's just my personal preference) We ordered a few snacks while we sat to keep our hunger at bay until dinner later. We ordered the olives, the spicy potatoes, the ham croquettes, and the tortilla espanola. Each dish was presented beautifully and tasted as great as it looked. My favorite was the ham croquettes. I'll definitely be back for happy hour and I'd love to come back for dinner someday.

    (5)

  • Na T.

    The food wasn't bad. Most of the dishes were good: manchego, hanger steak, pimientos. The shrimp was strictly average; it was well prepared, but lacked flavor. The tortilla was tasteless and the texture was odd. The service was, for the most part, commendable. Unfortunately, my friend and I had difficulty getting served at the bar. The two bartenders were leaning against the built-in shelving units having a nice chat for several minutes. Once we were seated, however, our server was very attentive, and the many other attendants were also pleasant. My only major gripe about Amada is that it is, contrary to popular belief, NOT a tapas restaurant. I asked the waiter if we could order at our leisure, but he informed us we were to order everything all at once. This was a real letdown in terms of atmosphere and experience. I was still hungry after finishing the 3-course restaurant week menu, but not hungry enough to justify purchasing an additional 3-course menu. I also wanted to order items from the regular menu, but was informed that I had to make my selections from the restaurant week menu. I probably wouldn't return to Amada. If you want a more authentic tapas experience, visit the Continental. The service there isn't as good as Amada, but at least they serve tapas not in theory alone, but in practice as well.

    (2)

  • Graham K.

    Simply outstanding - not sure what to add to what others have said. Scallops were my favorite, which is odd because i don't really like scallops, but these were something special. Gazpacho soup was off the hook good. crab stuffed peppers were incredible too. I ordered a pork sandwich - kind of wish i'd stayed with the tapas. I was stuffed anyway and took half the sandwich back to the hotel, it was a great late night snack. A very special place.

    (5)

  • Zachary O.

    I took my girlfriend here the other day because she loves Tinto, so I figured we'd try this place out. It was probably the best dining experience I've ever had. Our server was incredibly nice and helpful. We had: manchego w/ truffled lavender honey - amazing honey, the cheese was great too. bleu cheese - pretty decent bleu on its own ham and white bean soup -- i absolutely loved this. It was so simple, but it was just what i was in the mood for. gazpacho - incredible. I've never tasted anything like it in my life. the little things in the soup, i dunno what they are, we were expecting croutons but they have a surprise factor that i won't ruin. fried baby squid -- pretty decent. never had squid ink before and the dip it came with was delicious. beef shortribs flatbread -- lived up to its name in deliciousness. definitely try this. and you know what's crazy? I got a beer, and in the end our bill was only 64 bucks. in my book, this beats the crap out of tinto, where we each got 3 tapas and ended up paying 120ish.

    (5)

  • Alex G.

    Excellent service, environment, wine and food! However, it was probably one of the top 5 most expensive meals I have had, and I do not think the food was in the top 5.

    (5)

  • Erica M.

    We had a wonderful Restaurant Week experience at Amada last night. We were lucky enough to snag a reservation for 4 when someone cancelled the day before. The menu was expansive (I don't think it was limited at all for RW). For the first course, the highlight was the garlic shrimp. For the second course, our favorites were the calamari and beef shortrib flatbread. The chicken breast with truffles was very good flavor, but the chicken was slightly dry. Our least favorite of the evening was the grilled beef brochettes - great flavor, but the meat was REALLY tough. The food was all solid good, but I didn't notice any magnificent flavors that I've never tasted before, which is what I need to taste to give 5 stars. The service was excellent and the decor was really fun. It's definitely a loud restaurant, so don't go expecting intimate conversation.

    (4)

  • Payal P.

    came back for restaurant week and this experience was so much better than my last! we split all our options so it came to 4 apps, 4 mains and 2 desserts - just way too much food! first drinks - i had a matador and then a tinto sangria - that matador was delicious! i sucked it down so quick, if they weren't $12.50 a pop, i would have continued on those. as for notable food - my faves were the manchego cheese with lavender honey and the garlic shrimp for apps. for mains the calamari ala plancha was hands down the best, i could have eaten the entire plate! normally i am not a dessert person but the "chocolate one" was sooo good it just completed the meal perfectly. the busboy was awesome but we saw our server maybe 3 times the whole meal, he was prob very busy. this renewed my faith in amada and i would go back again.

    (4)

  • Jadiey C.

    What can I say, the food was amazing. I went with the chef's selection of food and wasn't disappointed. I will be back..

    (5)

  • Peter V.

    My wife and I went here for lunch during restaurant week; we would highly recommend it. The truffle honey with aged manchego cheese was our favorite dish from the first course. That constellation of flavors is unique and delicious. The highlight from the second course was the steak. The calamari was good, but not as great as the steak. It was a little tougher than calamari usually is or should be. But the biggest reason I am giving this "five stars" is because of how the handled an issue with my wife's order. They were very apologetic and brought us an additional first and second course item free of charge in order to make up for what happened. Everybody makes mistakes from time to time, but a great save after making a mistake is what separates the great restaurants from the merely good restaurants.

    (5)

  • Robert M.

    Went in for brunch today and had the most disappointing "foodie" experience of my life. Ordered the albondigas and the soft scrambled eggs with shrimp at the waiter's suggestion. The albondigas were plated nicely and were edible, but nothing special, while the soft scrambled eggs were so overly salted that I couldn't eat them. I tried, thinking that it must have been just that bite, but the whole dish was ruined. The toasted points with black truffle were good, so they earned a star for that. Disappointed to have wasted one of my few Philly meal opportunities here.

    (2)

  • Cathy C.

    Tasty tapas! I loved the lamb albondigas and the fava & lima bean salad.

    (4)

  • Laur T.

    For a Philly experience, this has to be one of the most awesome that I had over my long weekend here. I was here for lunch (as I had plans @ Vetri for dinner) and ordered away. To start off, I had a glass of white sangria which was absolutely refreshing and most enjoyable. I wish I could have more but heat and alcohol did not mix well for me. Thereafter, I went with the peppers stuffed crab, which was delish, albeit a tad tiny in serving and the grilled octopus which were delish! Still hungry after, I went with the white bean soup and some croquettes. Sadly the croquettes did not make it for me. Sigh, there is a reason why the wait staff didnt' recommend that dish even though I hinted that I was feeling some croquettes. Argh I should have gone with the waiter's suggestions instead of going with my food craving. Silly food craving. $50 lunch... a bit pricey for lunch / tapas but it was a good meal. Definitely one place I'd recommend if you're headed this way!

    (5)

  • Frank S.

    Fantastico! Sopa de Calabaza (Pumpkin soup) is amazing!

    (5)

  • Susan L.

    A unique experience - never been to a tapas restaurant before! Atmosphere was pretty nice, simply decorated though I was surprised how small the restaurant is. Our waitress was ok - she seemed to rush us and she kept pushing me to get the watermelon sangria instead of the other white wine one so I got the watermelon one and it was...OK. Oh and it must be coincidence that it was more expensive. When they say that the tapas are small, they mean it. Our waitress convinced us to order more tapas than what we originally picked (I see consistency here...) but we did end up full. We liked how the tapas came out one at a time so it gave us time to digest. I highly recommend the beef short ribs, the shrimp/mushroom wild eggs and the garlic shrimp. I was excited about the potatoes from the reviews but they were ok. My mom didn't like most of the food because a lot of it was salty. For dessert, the sorbet and chocolate was pretty good. My mom liked that...there was no salt in it! HA! No idea what the check was since it was a birthday dinner gift for me. However I have a feeling that it was quite high because we had to order so many plates. It was good for the experience and the food was great and the servers who came out with the dishes were better than our waitress. Just a tad bit less salt and less pushiness and we're good to go.

    (4)

  • Eytan S.

    My girlfriend and I went to Amada on a Saturday night in October. Overall, it was an absolutely amazing experience. The only downside to the restaurant is that if you do not have reservations it can be a real zoo. The place is packed and the seats at the bar and in the non-reservation area are not managed. From the time, however, we got a seat until the end of our meal we loved every moment of it. The guy at the bar was super helpful and the food was just spectacular. I will not call out specific items, however, we literally did not eat anything that we did not like. We live in New York City and this beats almost every restaurant we have been to in NYC. If you have a chance to go to Amada I *definitely* recommend doing so.

    (5)

  • Laurice S.

    James Beard award Chef Garces knocks it out of the park at Amada. It felt true to Spanish flavors. We've been to 3 of his restaurants in Philly and this was our fave. The space itself is huge. (Being from the NYC metro area, most restaurants are very modest in size.. even the most notable ones). The bar is on the left side of the restaurant feels like it's own separate space yet still part of the restaurant, so if you just wanna grab drinks with a friend this is a good spot. The restaurant has a open kitchen concept toward the back in the center of the restaurant, you think this is the back of the space but then you turn the corner and theres more dining space. We were seated in the back corner space, which in my opinion felt like a more intimate. The pulpo (grilled octopus) tasted like it should - simple, cooked perfectly with a touch garlic. We also had the gambas (shrimp) again cooked perfectly! I hate when shrimp is overcooked and has that rubbery or mealy texture. Sardines were tasty, and Fideos had seafood - the scallops in the dish were particularly good. My only complaint was that service felt slow and our waitress had minimal interaction with us.

    (4)

  • Yana L.

    Sunday brunch at Amada was one of the best meals I have ever had. We got to Amada at around 10:45, and the restaurant was nearly completely empty. Even when we left at around noon, there were still tons of empty tables - surprising given how famous this restaurant is in Philly. We had a very attentive waitress (my sister thought she was too chatty, but I didn't mind) who checked in with us frequently but not excessively. We ordered four of the tapas, a pitcher of sangria, and two desserts. After all of that we were completely overstuffed, but it was worth it. The Sangria was delicious - by the end of the pitcher my sister and I were pleasantly tipsy, but not overwhelmingly drunk. We ordered the Ham Croquettes (tiny, but one of the greatest things I have ever eaten), the lamb meatballs (no wonder this restaurant is known for them - again, an amazing culinary experience), baked goat cheese (so incredibly good. Our waitress kindly brought us extra bread so we could sop up all the delicious sauce from this and the meatballs), and the Spanish tortilla (I thought it was good but nothing special, my sister adored it). Then, our waitress asked us if we wanted dessert. My sister and I were absolutely stuffed by that point, but we figured that we were unlikely to come back to Amada any time soon (there are just so many great restaurants to try in Philly), and we were feeling fancy on this Sunday brunch. The first dessert was a flourless chocolate cake with some type of marinated oranges - I don't know what they do to these, but they tasted amazing - and some delicious ice cream. The second was creme brûlée covered in lots of fruit - these cherries that were amazing, again, no idea what was done to them. OH MY GOD. During that dessert, I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. The cool thing was, that we had asked to be seated by the open kitchen, so we actually got to watch them make all of our food - it was a very cool experience! My sister complained that the chairs were too high, but I thought it was fun. I imagine that when the place is crowded it isn't as pleasant, because there are six chairs squeezed into very little counter space. Overall, my sister and I both absolutely loved this restaurant. The prices are totally reasonable given the quality of food and drink, and this definitely goes down as one of our best dining experiences.

    (5)

  • Hagana K.

    There was nothing disastrous about Amada really, but I can't really recommend it to anyone. In general I ignore service or lack thereof, but I noticed our server's attitude changed when we didn't order alcoholic drinks. So the food... again, nothing was bad, but was anything really good? The honey that came with the manchego was delicious, but the rest of it was underwhelming. The serrano ham basically turned into a fancy ham sandwich with mustard. The flash fried peppers were actually pretty good. The garlic shrimp was exactly what you would get if you tried to make it at home yourself. Our server recommended getting both flatbreads - I would advise against getting either. The "shrimp chorizo" flatbread is basically a pepperoni pizza, and the short rib flatbread was okay for a few bites but I didn't feel inclined to have more than one piece. I liked the grilled calamari and the asparagus but those two are the only plates I would recommend. One problem/trick with tapas is that everything is perceived as tasting better when presented in smaller portions on smaller plates - here, even that illusion didn't hold up.

    (1)

  • Frank K.

    I think this place is as good as any of the high-end restaurants in our home town, Charleston, which are more expensive. Dining partner and I shared a salad, spicy potatoes, and garbanzo/spinach tapas. Each had our own flatbread with wild mushrooms, black truffle, manchego and artichokes Everything was prepared exceedingly carefully with great attention to appearance as well as taste. The spinach/garbanzo tapas has garbanzos prepared three ways including pureed in the tomato sauce. Good desert also, including a cherry/almond vanilla custard and some "gran reserve coffee." The only off note: coffee was on the lukewarm side. But not a big deal when considering the rest of the experience. Good service--knowledgeable and friendly, quick with a suggestion when asked.

    (5)

  • Edward N.

    Expectations were set high for my fiancé for this restaurant. She was inclined to give it 4 stars due to the inconsistency of the dishes (some really good, others not so much). I really enjoyed the experience overall, which is why I gave a 5. We were 10 mins early, so we hung out. At 9pm on the dot (our reservations), they seated us. First and foremost, get the Sangria! Very good - the blanco is very sweet, so if you want a more full bodied one get the tinto. The waiter was very helpful in aiding you to order the right amount of food. HIGHLIGHTS: All of the dishes with cheese were amazing Alcachofas Y Setas - amazing, the BEST dish of the evening (get this artichoke, mushroom and manchego flatbread). The manchego cheese on this made it amazing Fideos con Mariscosas - again, the cheese in this linguine was amazing, the scallop was seated to perfection Berejenas - the goat cheese on this eggplant dish was the highlight SO-SO: Garlic Shrimp - we got it because of the rave reviews of everyone. The sauce and garlic flavor were amazing, but our shrimp was a bit overcooked (chewy), which made the dish less appetizing Spicy Potatoes - again, ordered this given the rave reviews by people on Yelp; however, nothing overly special, kind of like fancier tater tots AVOID: Crab stuffed pepper - one of the more expensive tapas and tasted super crabby (too strong of a seafood taste) REGRET NOT ORDERING: Aged Manchego - given how great the flatbread was with manchego, I really regret not ordering this cheese dish

    (5)

  • Megan M.

    I adore amada. Happy hour is great ($5 sangria) although they didn't have happy hour during my most recent visit- Restaurant Week. Though that was a bit of a let down, I am still dreaming about my meal.I started with the Ensalada Verde, which was wonderful and chock full of avocado, fava beans, and asparagus. I also ordered the Gambas Al Ajillo- a must try. 5 perfectly cooked shrimp served sizzling in a garlic oil sauce. I detected a bit of heat (chili flakes maybe?) in the oil, but it wasn't a problem for me because I love spice. I had Scallops as well, and they were grilled perfectly. The only dish that I wasn't thrilled with was the Esparragos Con Trufas (asparagus with a poached egg/truffle sauce), and that was my fault. I should have paid closer attention to the description, being that I don't like poached eggs. The desert was a small rich chocolate tart with a bit of cinnamon ice cream- the perfect size to end a decadent meal. I will be back soon, and in the meantime, I will dream of the garlic shrimp.

    (4)

  • ROSA G.

    Not sure what the big deal about this place is! I decided to try it since it has tons of good reviews... Clearly those people have never been to Spain! We wanted to get bold and I am glad we didn't and order the paella but we ordered a few tapas and I'm glad we did or I would've been even more disappointed. I mean if they "easy" was ok the paella would have been a terror! First, we had a reservation and we still had to wait since they weren't honoring reservations. I had a white sangria- I wasn't impressed. It isn't bad but I have had better We ordered Cheese platter with lavender honey and garlic dulce de leche- dulce de leche is very good! The rest is just ok Patatas Bravas- ridiculously small and good flavor Octopus- EXTREMELY salty! I mean it burns! Grilled Calamari ok flavor and again SUPER SALTY! Seriously slow it down with the salt Pork- was my favorite one. Awesome flavor and texture Overall it's an ok restaurant with an awesome crowd and in a great location!

    (3)

  • Brian D.

    All I can say was "wow." Every dish my family and I had was delicious. The combination presentation and taste blew me away. It is my favorite restaurant in Philadelphia at the moment. The only thing bad I could say about the place was the servers infrequently visited our table, but we had some uneaten dishes at our table and maybe the servers did not want to disturb us.

    (5)

  • Dhruv J.

    Situated in the heart of old city, this modern Spanish tapas bar unfortunately lacked the punch I was hoping it would deliver. While the garlic shrimp, hanger steak and ribs were above average, overall the food lacked personality and I felt unsatisfied by many of the dishes. That being said there was a smorgasbord of choices and the Spanish custard for desert was fantastic. Not the best tapas I've ever had, I'll leave it at that.

    (3)

  • Noa C.

    YUM!!!!! We came here for my birthday with a group of friends. I LOVE Spanish tapas and this place was fantastic!!! We were a group of 5 and got (1) cured meats mixto, (2) cheese mixto, (3) tortilla espanola - very good and traditional, (4) garlic shrimp - just ok, like typical shrimp scampi, but others in the group liked them, (5) Spanish Octopus - I would have gotten 4 orders if I could have, it was AMAZING!!!! (6) lamb meatballs - very good, (7) Revuelto - surprisingly delicious, would highly recommend, (8) lamb chops a la plancha - DELICIOUS!!! that was plenty of food! the drinks were fun and the atmosphere was lively. I will definitely be back!

    (5)

  • Tina K.

    With all the hype over Amada, I had high expectations when I walked in. The restaurant was not even half full, but the service was quite slow. The biggest blow, however, was the food itself. When I go to Spanish restaurants, I love to order paella. The tapas were decent, but I really didn't go there for the tapas. I wanted a delicious, mouth-watering paella, and I didn't get it at Amada. The chicken in the paella was dry, I couldn't taste the saffron, and it was more of a gooey mess than a beautifully presented paella that I imagined I would get from such a reputable restaurant. Would I go to Amada again? No. I think that word sums up my experience pretty well. I do have a friend who went to Amada for Restaurant Week and raves about her experience, but we seemed to have different waiters.

    (3)

  • Elise M.

    Going to Amada for Restaurant Week was one of the best decisions ever. When we arrived, the waitress asked if we had been there before. When we said "no," she seemed shocked. I now understand why. How could I have never gone there before?? I had been missing out. My favorite item was the manchego cheese dish. It came with honey and and bread. But the honey wasn't normal honey, it had spices in it! The Escalivada was also wonderful. It was bread with eggplant and red pepper spreads. The only disappointment was that the chicken in the chicken and romaine salad was a bit dry. Other than that, everything was DELICIOUS! I can't wait to go back to Amada. If you haven't been there yet, go!!

    (5)

  • Stephen S.

    Quite simply the best dining experience Ive ever had. The food is heaven on earth, I waned to order the whole menu. A La carte options are availble but I would fully trust the chefs here to order the tasting menu. lamb chops perfectly cooked, mussels to die for ...vegatarian dishes a meat lover would drool over. Alex the general manager made us feel like a king and queen and Edwin our server treated us the same. The expereince defines what I want a restaurant to offer. My only complaint is that I couldnt eat anymore. And good news for New Yorker's Amada is probably coming to manhattan. Must Go! if youre ever in Philly or Atlantic City. Excellene on a plate and atmosphere. Well worth the money.

    (5)

  • Jenny L.

    Came here for dinner. I want to start off by saying, it was good, but did not meet my expectations from reading the yelp reviews. With a party of 3 people, we each ordered 2-3 tapas. Our favorite cheese from our cheese selection was the garlic one. Another tapa that stood out was the linguini. That one was probably the best one. Make sure you order many tapas as they are small portions. Expect to spend about $40 per person

    (3)

  • Scott L.

    I was between a 3 and a 4 for Amada. The food was very good, although possibly a bit over priced. For 2 people and a total of 7 tapas we paid around $100 with tip (without alcohol). The service was possibly the best part of the restaurant. Very attentive, the food came out quickly, and everything was explained very well. They brought some free dishes to the table, a type of cookie for dessert and an appetizer dip which were both nice and it was cool to see they did this. The octopus tapas was very good. I'd like to come back and try the chef's tasting as I feel that may be a better deal considering the size of the plates. Definitely a cool spot in Old City.

    (4)

  • Jennifer I.

    Barely made a reservation last-min for a party of 2 at 6:15pm on a Sat. We were running late and they were totes cool with holding our table until we got there (6:30ish). Cool exterior, snuggled right into Old City, an old-time vibe etched onto the restaurant front, almost can't tell it's a restaruant. You walk in and appreciate the interplay between the space and the various low lights and windows, giving it a somewaht dark yet romantic vibe. We thought they maybe lied? re: being totally overbooked cause there were def some empty tables around, altho maybe they were saving it for later reservations. For drinks, I got the white sangria, which was diff in that the fruits/apple were chopped into itty bitty pieces. Appreciated that, cause I could actually eat the fruit while swallowing the sangria instead of trying to fish it out w/ a fork. Low EtOh content, though. For tapas, we got: the grilled asparagus/poached egg/hollandaise? sauce, the berenjenas (eggplant w/ raisin and goat cheese...mmm), grilled scallops, the pulpo (octopus), and the crab-stuffed peppers. The asparagus was giant and perfectly grilled; flavors were spot on. I really enjoyed the berenjenas cause it was unlike any form of cooked eggplant that I was used to..it still had a somewhat chewy texture to it, which my bf actually disliked, however, I think it was a unique way to contrast the texture with the softness of the other ingredients (raisins and goat cheese..know it sounds weird, but this tapa was delish!). The grilled scallops came on 2 skewers, 2 scallops/skewer. Drizzled w/ this green pesto-ish sauce. Bf said he preferred his scallops to be more seared. I somewhat agree, coulda been cooked a tad more, but I prefer my scallops slightly underdone than overdone and rubbery (ew). The pulpo I ordered cause every other Yelp pic out there had a pic of the pulpo pieces on a wooden dish. The octopus pieces were perfectly cooked and bursting with flavor. Came with a few pieces of potatos too that were melt-in-ur-mouth. Lastly, we ordered the crab-stuffed peppers at the very end, since we were kinda still hungry but also kinda getting full. Didn't have much expectations initially but when I saw them coming out on a sizzling plate, my stomach did a leap. Two steamy red peppers filled with a delicious crab concoction...mmm...hot and melty and jammed-pack with flavor. For dessert, we got the dark chocolate tart, since it came w/ bits of blood orange, pistachio, and sherry ice cream. Delicious dessert package. Service was attentive. although they kept trying to take away empty plates when I was still using them for sauce purposes.

    (5)

  • Stella D.

    ROAST SUCKLING PIG CARVED TABLESIDE. get at least 3 of your closest friends and indulge. this pig is crispy and melts in your mouth. i think you can gather up to 12 people to share an entire pig. CALL 3 DAYS IN ADVANCE to eat this pig. it comes with sides, but we ordered paella too - after all you need to eat paella in a spanish restaurant. the service is impeccable, the food is divine and the sangria was great! I do have one tiny bit of complaint. The lighting is a bit too dim for me to appreciate how beautiful the food looks. The next time i come, i will bring a flashlight!

    (5)

  • Arthur C.

    I had a very up and down experience with Amada, but somehow it all evened out at a 4/5 rating. Here's the scoop. At long last I made the pilgrimage to the Jose Garces tapas spot known as Amada. I came as part of Philadelphia Restaurant Week, as I usually do to spare my wallet, with a motley crew of five friends for lunch. We were quickly seated at one of their two indoor window-side tables, which I should note sat on a bed of stones. I'm not kidding, it was like a little zen garden, but without the bonsai and water. This proved somewhat uncomfortable in my dress shoes, but I soon forgot it. On top of that, it was a very sunny day, so the bright September sunshine was a bit overbearing over the course of the meal. Now to the food. I wisely followed Yelp reviews to help guide my choices. The glowing reviews for the manchego cheese had me convinced, and I was not let down. The lavender honey went good with everything - the bread, the cheese, the apple slices - and I was in complete bliss. Unfortunately, the two entree tapas did not match the appetizer in quality. The first, the chorizo, came out slightly overcooked (read: blackened), and was pretty tough to chew. The second, the calamari, was much better. Though the first few bites were rather bland, the dish got better with more mouthfuls, which rarely happens with me. The tapas I sampled from my friends got mostly positive reviews as well, the hanger steak in particular, but the patatas were fairly average. Dessert was a sort of saving grace for the meal, ending it on a high note just as it started. The Spanish custard set off every taste bud in my mouth, and made me forget my mild disappointment with the chorizo. Overall, I felt that the food was a bit underseasoned. It may just be that I am not familiar enough with Spanish food and am accustomed to more spice in my food. There was also some variability of portions that left my friends and I competing to see who would get the most food overall. Nonetheless, Amada was a positive experience for my party, and I will be more than willing to give it another go.

    (4)

  • Renee B.

    Rest. week menu while I dined. Nice atmosphere and great service

    (4)

  • Tom T.

    It seems like your paying to be at "Amada" more than anything else at this eatery. 12$ cocktails are hard to justify, however the food was tasty...i guess tasty is worth 60$ a person?

    (3)

  • lauren B.

    My most favorite place in all of Philadelphia. If you want lamb... perfectly cooked, tender juicy lamb, then go to Amada. The food is just perfect. They are getting 4 stars cause our server was kind of a jerk to our large party.

    (4)

  • Colleen M.

    This probably one of my favorite restaurants in Philadelphia! The food was amazing and the atmosphere was great! We've been there several times for lunch but not for dinner...yet! Looking forward to it!

    (5)

  • Patrick M.

    One of my favorite restaurants in philly and one I frequently bring out of town guests to visit, this is the crown jewel in Jose Garces' emergent dining empire. I've spent over five months traveling through Spain, and never have encountered a restaurant there that could match the experience at Amada. I've never had a dull dish or cocktail here before, and the small plate format lends itself for larger groups and sharing. Whatever you do, don't forget to end your meal with the cheese plate. You won't be disappointed.

    (5)

  • Amanda M.

    After back-to-back trips to Garces restaurants, I will conceed that I am not a convert. Steven Starr still holds my heart (and stomach). So last week, I was a tab underwhelmed at Distrito during University City Dining Days, and this week I had the same feeling at Amada during Old City Restaurant week. I started with two cheese plates, the manchengo and cana de cabra. This was actually probably the highlight of the meal - I loved both, but the cana de cabra especially, which was similar to brie and was good enough to be eaten alone (although, of course, the fig and cherry jam was delicious). I followed with the shrimp, which were very good, and the arroz temporado - which arrived 15 minutes later. I get it is tapas, but it was strange timing considering both plates were supposedly part of my "second course". The shrimp were very flavorful, but the temporado - essentially a mushroom risotto - was sadly not. It was dry, lacking the creamy goodness of risotto. For dessert I opted for the (tiny) chocolate cake, which was largely unremarkable. Service the whole night was spotty. The place filled up around 6:45, but there was tons of staff around. Unfortunately, this only seemed to add confusion, not efficiency, and many plates were brought to the wrong tables (not just ours - it happened to EVERY table around us). Our waitress seemed a bit rude and unfriendly. I understand the pressures of restaurant week, but c'mon - this should be a time to drum up regular season business! The nicest staff was a busboy, who walked me all the way around the restaurant when I asked him where the restroom was. The whole night didn't quite impress enough to convince me to return for dinner - however, I did discover their EXCELLENT happy hour at the bar. I was told I couldn't be seated without my full party (seemed silly at 6pm - most tables were empty), but there were quite a few seats open at the bar, so I got a $5 white sangria that was totally delicious. The happy hour small plates sounded tempting, including smaller portions of the garlic shrimp and scallops, so I may be back!

    (3)

  • Jason F.

    My girlfriend and I are big fans of this place, it is always a good meal with good drinks. I'm naturally a fan of tapas, since you can check out a variety of plates without breaking the bank. Amada gives a nice take on spanish food and mixes in a nice selection of wines, etc. to compliment. The atmosphere is kind of what you want it to be - you can have a group attend at a big table, or there are quieter tables in the back for a more laid back date night.

    (4)

  • Amara M.

    We love it here! It's such a great dinner place - great date nights! The food is out of this world delicious. Every single dish I've ever had here has been impeccable. The staff was very pleasant. Makes your night that much better. Jose Garces really knows what he's doing with this one.

    (5)

  • Anishee U.

    If you want to show any guest of yours that Philly is a foodie town, this is where you should take them. I can't think of a single dish that was sub-par. Amazing flavors, perfect little portions for group sharing, and various options for meat lovers and vegetarians. I can recommend a lot but I say just have people throw out a couple dishes that they are drawn to and share it all! One of my favorite aspects of the place was the true Spanish-Mediterranean ingredients and flavors, including fava beans, lots of nuts, goat cheese, and eggplant! Yummm.

    (5)

  • Linda M.

    Garces is a restaurant god. And Amada's is his temple. Come and worship him at your leisure. Just returned to Amada's for the upteenth time to enjoy their restaurant week menu. Fine food for an incredible price. Amada's serves classic southern Spain tapas with a Garces flair. My favorites include; madre e hijo, manchego w/ lavender truffle honey, ensalada verde, esparragos con trufas and I can go on and on. Service is exceptional and a team effort. A waiter take your order but any number of servers bring your ordered dishes to the table. The flatware and silverware disappears and appears never interrupting the meal. Best of all, each tapa is lovingly announced when brought to the table so we are clear which dish we are consuming. Seasonal sangria is a treat...I had the tinto and the temporada tonight. Tinto had a nice winter spice where the temporada hinted at the apple cider. Restaurant week is a great way to try Garces food on a budget.

    (5)

  • Gary W.

    Consistently exceptional food and service. For the meal quality, pretty fair prices. 5-6 tapas is enough per 2 people.

    (5)

  • H. I.

    Had a lovely evening at Amada for my 26th birthday. We got seats at the Chef's counter and opted for the Chef's tasting (Tradicional - $55/person). They held to our dietary restrictions and still delivered delicious plate after plate. I was really surprised at how many small plates come out in the chef's tasting, around 3-4 small plates per cours (4 courses). My favorites included the mixed cheese plate, the alcachofas y setas flatbread, wagyu beef brochettes, and madre e hijo. My not so favorites were the pimientos de padron, and habas a la catalana. For dessert, they delivered a creme brulee with candle for my birthday and an almond cookie. The whole tasting took about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Overall great experience. Love the atmosphere in here, service was great, and food was delicious. Amada is a favorite.

    (5)

  • Sarah J.

    Happened upon here on restaurant week and was only given the choice of the restaurant week menu. I'm not sure if this was usual but the portion sizes were ridiculously small. We each had a 3 course meal and left hungry after spending almost $100. The amount of gazpacho was about how much olive oil restaurants usually give you to dip your bread. The crispy pork belly entree was one tiny slice of pork. And the desserts were laughable....like 2 bites of a chocolate cake. We thought this was a joke! The taste of some of the items were really good but I don't think we will be coming back to this restaurant again.

    (2)

  • Giuliano P.

    What can be said about a place that has over 1300 reviews other then the food is awesome. Been here so many times and it's probably the most consistent place that I've ever been to. Only thing they struggle with is dessert but who cares when ever thing else is just so good

    (5)

  • Loo G.

    I made reservations far in advance and I was so excited to finally try the food here. Unfortunately, several dishes were over salted and greasy. Our favorite tapas were the two complimentary ones but otherwise I was not impressed.

    (2)

  • Kim G.

    Parking is everything to us, so when we went in the middle of the holidays and saw muni parking was on Philadelphia as a courtesy we were really excited to go to dinner and walk around the area. Thanks Philly! Although after turning off the block the cops were waiting to get some money back!! So glad we both dont drink much lol The restaurant from the outside is beautiful and inside is just as spectacular with an open kitchen in the back. The dark wood dim lighting and soft music makes the ambience of this restaurant. We were immediately seated so next time we will check out the bar. We perused the menu and settled on a bunch of dishes Amuse Bouche was a Spanish tuna spread with chips unfortunately this was not a favorite, extremely fishy weird consistency just wasnt well executed. Glad I didn't order it. First dishes that came out were ham croquettes with a romesco. Very well seasoned fried perfectly. I loved this dish salty but also sweet from the romesco sauce. We also ordered a special that night it was empanadas that were filled with short ribs and bone marrow. They were very rich decadent. It were served over olive salad. Second round of dishes we ordered octopus with potatoes. This was for the bf it look like it was grilled and he said it was very good tender and well seasoned. I believe him! The scallop lollipops were extremely large and had a pesto on top they were good but a tad mushy. We had gotten the waygu with potatoes this was a stand out the meat was tender and the sauce it came with was reduced beautifully. I wish this came as a full dish. Lastly was the asparagus with the poached egg and truffle although I really wanted to taste this in it whole it was kind of a mess lol it don't see how this dish works the eggs just kind of disappears. Dessert we ordered donuts they came hot with fig compote and honey ice cream really good it was lightly sweetened. This place is great. I would def order different dishes. They also do whole pig roasts here, if you call in advance and you have a huge party for it. I saw one, I wish I was there to eat pig. :(

    (5)

  • Lidia B.

    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.

    (4)

  • Lorrie M.

    This is one of the first times I got to do this ... so it was pretty awesome. We had 8 people for this amazing cochinillo asado dinner. This is basically a suckling pig that has been brined for a day and a half and slow roasted to perfection with all the trimmings. We tried to be conservative, ordered two bottles of wine and no appetizers since we knew this meal would be huge. It did not disappoint! The pig came, the presentation was amazing, all the other diners were wondering what we had, and the pig was sliced up on the board in front of us and placed in a specific order for us to enjoy. Be aware, this is not for the faint of heart, they do present the ENTIRE head to you, and it is cooked, and it is a pig, and it does sometimes stare. But hey ... for the love of food ... They then cut up the head and serve you bits of it, including the snout, the tongue, the ears, the brain ... etc. headcheese style. It wasn't very expensive since we had so many people, but I definitely recommend booking in advance and coming with a large party since there is an extensive amount of food. Amazing!

    (5)

  • Anupma S.

    This is a great one-time go, just to say you've been, just to see what all the fuss is about. If you're down to drop mad dollas on tapas and the name, then this is the place for you! Came here a few weeks ago with a large group for a bday dinner and tried the tasting menu (minus the beef dishes, most of us are Hindu!). Mostly everything was very tasty and interesting, however I stayed away from the grilled octopus plate. I really liked the eggplant, probs my favorite one! The drinks are a little pricey and that's what bothered me because they weren't anything special. You pay for the unique tapas, the environment, and the name; don't charge more for drinks I can get down the street! Service was great and attentive, atmosphere was really cool!

    (3)

  • Madelyn B.

    Dawn was our server and she is so lovely! Had the cod caviar, garlic shrimp, asparagus, baked goat cheese, pork belly and sea trout. Recommend all! Ask for Dawn!

    (5)

  • Tiffany T.

    After visiting Amada 3 Restaurant Weeks in a row.. it's time to update them ..! Still 100% awesome. See my photos if you want to die drooling. Service was great. He was attentive, not overbearing and gave us great suggestions on how to order. With a party of 4, you can almost eat and share the entire menu. So rather than picking what we wanted.. we basically ordered the whole menu without 3 or 4 items. I liked this efficient way of ordering! My favorites included the perfectly cooked garlic shrimp, the asparagus in white cream sauce and poached egg , that shrimp & chorizo flatbread, THE BLACK COD is to die for .. so flakey, perfectly cooked fish, the scallops and hanger steak. Oh and don't forget the wild mushroom rice if you're a mushroom fiend like I am! Definitely, one of my favorite restaurants in Philly. It is rare I give 5 stars.. but Amada has earned it 100000% around

    (5)

  • Samantha E.

    My fiance and I returned to place where we had our first date to celebrate our engagement. It was perfect. He made reservations in advance of even proposing and Amada's staff went above and beyond to ensure that the evening was special. They brought in a sweet white wine, which is my preferred drink, as they do not normally carry sweeter wines and allowed us to reserve a spot in the lounge where we weren't as close to others in the main dining area. We enjoyed the cheese and charcuterie mixto tastings, Pulpa a la Gallega (Spanish octopus), Costillas de Ternera (short rib flatbread), Albondigas (lamb meatballs), and Amadas Empanada. Everything was wonderful as always, but we were especially impressed with the octopus. For dessert, we opted for the Tarta de Chocolate in which the dark chocolate paired beautifully with the blood orange. I am sure we will be returning for future celebrations.

    (5)

  • Christine V.

    This place is wonderful!!! Jose Garces does not disappoint! I came here with a friend during restaurant week, so this is a really long overdue review. Initially, my friend made the mistsake of making reservations at their Atlantic City location but the Philly Amada was very accomodating and got us seated within 20 minutes right in front of the kitche. So not only were we eating, but it was fun to witness the people behind the kitchen plating everything also. Between the two of us, we ordered different things from the restaurant week menu so that we could try a bit of everything. We ordered the manchego plate that everyone talks about. At first, we were a little hesitant because I'm not too big of a cheese person but I gave it a shot. I'm so glad I did because the truffled lavendar honey with the aged manchego coupled with the thinly sliced baguette and apple slices were so delightful! We also ordered the croquetas de jamon with romanesco sauce. That too was a really great dish and full of flavor. For the bigger tapas, we ordered the short rib flatbread and the garlic shrimp. Both were great! The garlic shrimp was bathed in a garlic sauce that was not too heavy so it was a good amount of flavor. We also ordered the black cod, and ribs of some sort. I forget exactly but the black cod was delicious. Other dishes are slipping my mind sadly, but rest assured that you probably would not be disappointed with the tapas from this gem! Amada is a must during Restaurant Week if you ever get the chance to go. I'll definitely be coming back here to try other items that weren't offered during Restaurant week. Can't wait!

    (5)

  • Lindsay W.

    The food here exudes luxurious attention to detail with every bite. The wait staff is expertly trained and there to serve you. If you can, get a seat by the kitchen where you can see them preparing the next delightful course of your meal. It's like waiting for a Christmas gift to arrive! Honestly, I have never tasted food this amazing before. I highly recommend the patatas bravas, they are savory and spicy but also creamy and melt in your mouth. A bite of heaven! We also got the pulpo (octopus) and many other dishes, of which I cannot remember the names. But everything was done to the highest level of excellence. Even the cheese board, which we ordered to start the meal, is something I dream about to this day. If I could buy a vat of their lavender truffle honey, I would. This is an excellent choice for a restaurant to bring a date. They will love you forever.

    (5)

  • Kelly O.

    I was so looking forward to my first trip to Amada, but was also nervous that the food might be "too fancy" for me. After one of the best meals of my life, I can honestly say, no matter your taste preference or fanciness, you'll LOVE Amada. Prices are high, but it is worth it. Try a few things and share with friends to get a true experience of all that Amada has to offer!

    (5)

  • Victoria L.

    After a less than stellar meal here a few years ago, I came back to Amada last night for a birthday dinner. Since we were a fairly large party, we sat in the private party room, which I really enjoyed since it was tucked away in the back from the noise of the restaurant. The ambiance is great with its dark walls and flooring with a large, crisp marbled table. I started with a rose cava, which was balanced and delicious. Then, some of us split a pitcher of the Temporada sangria, which was also great with its fresh raspberries at the bottom. We split the table in half and ordered for each half accordingly. Our half ordered: jamon serrano, aged manchengo with truffled lavender honey, garlic shrimp, lamb meatballs, bacon-wrapped dates, 2 patatas bravas, 2 scallops a la plancha, and the berkshire pork ribs. It was the perfect amount of food for 5-6 people (some cheated and picked from both sides of the table), though next time I would probably skip the ribs because the barbecue sauce was far too sweet. Some highlights of the meal: scallops were tender and sweet, the garlic shrimp sauce was perfect for dipping bread, and the lamb meatballs exceeded expectations with its creamy sauce. We probably could have done without the second dish of patatas bravas, but they're such a tapas classic we couldn't resist. The presentation for dishes such as the patatas was also noteworthy. We also had dessert since it was a special occasion. Our side of the table shared the olive oil cake and chocolate cake with pistachio ice cream. The ice cream was so fresh and flavorful, but I wasn't a fun of the chocolate cake. The olive oil cake was dense and delicious. Needless to say, Amada has gained some points in my book, and I will be back to try out some of their other tapas dishes.

    (4)

  • Ali W.

    We got the tasting menu. Lots of food with leftovers! Friendly and attentive service. Highlights: - The cheese plate was wonderfully paired with jams, honeys, and a chocolate sauce similar to nutella. Almost identical to Garces Trading Company cheese plates which are my favorite! - Ensalada de jamon: Amazing. My favorite dish. The flavors and textures of the ham, fig, and almonds were a wonderful combination - Pulpo a la gallega: very healthy portion of octopus

    (4)

  • Joe K.

    Excellent service, friendly and informative. Plenty of options on the menu. Great atmosphere. Ham and white bean soup was perfect size, excellent flavor. Chicken Brest with egg and potatoes presentation was well done and rich taste. Side of rice/peas was perfect to round it out.

    (5)

  • Dawn S.

    Delicious tapas, though not the best I've had. The jamon serrano was OK, not stellar. The queso de cabra and the charred peppers were amazing (that sauce doe), and totally made up for it. The barramundi was ok -- the fish was perfectly cooked, but I just wasn't a big fan of the sauce. The best food on the menu, hands down, was the flatbread (we got the artichoke and mushroom flatbread). Finally, if you like sangria, please please please pleeeeease get the Rosada sangria -- it's made with a rosé wine and is flavored with watermelon and basil -- a 10 points, gold star, A++ kind of summer beverage. I don't even really like rosés and I ended up having ..errr FOUR glasses of it. Great wait service. The waitress forgot to put in our order for the bacon wrapped dates, but was otherwise very attentive. The setting is casual but still makes you feel like a classy Spaniard.

    (4)

  • Debra B.

    This place is fantastic. Jose Garces has outdone himself. I came here with my husband while we were visiting in Philadelphia on a Saturday night. We had reservations and were seated right on time. The wine list was very interesting and the bar tender made excellent recommendations of the Pares Balta Calcari for me and the Bodega Rejadorada for my husband. We were not familiar with Spanish wines, but both were awesome. We had the Charcuterie plate for starters and then opted for the Chef's Special Tasting Menu for our meal. While I can't tell you everything that was presented to us, I can tell you each and every plate was awesome. There was grilled squid, tender and juicy, cheeses that were melt-in-your mouth delicious, the bacon wrapped dates that tasted like heaven in a small bite and cooked just right scallops to name just a few. I would definitely recommend Amada and would go again if we make it back to Philly.

    (5)

  • Sandahl P.

    The food at Amada is delicious and each dish outdoes the next. The flavors really pop and the food melts in your mouth. We sat at the bar and ordered a bunch of small plates to share. The mixed cheese plate is great and the flavors really compliment each other. My favorites were the aged manchego with truffled lavender honey and garlic dulce de leche. The spanish olives dish was really large, enough to take some home. The sauce in the Mejillones en escabeche was so good I used it to dip other things in. The service is top notch, always checking in you. The drink menu has lots of fun options also. I would recommend coming here for a date and sitting at the bar for half priced apps and drink specials.

    (5)

  • Anna Y.

    Finally got a chance to try Amada and honestly I don't get it. we ordered the Spanish octopus, it was tasteless. I don't know what went wrong , maybe it was just our plate. It was just not good. Garlic shrimp - it was alright , nothing special. short rib flat bread - this was recommended by our waiter, this was tasty . Wagyu Beef Brochettes- probably the best dish of the night probably would not return again

    (3)

  • Suman B.

    Dont miss the sangria....good decent portions of tapas. The staff were kind enough to get us a table evwm though we had arrived 1.5 hrs from our reservation time.

    (4)

  • Percy O.

    Here's another BEST OF THE BEST IN THE AREA!! Spain flavor 100% !! Thanks for the meal. I still have the good taste on my mind!!!

    (5)

  • Michael S.

    I have been here twice. Each time the food was outstanding and the Sangria was delicious (had a pitcher with others both times). The ambiance is great as well and it is a very fun atmosphere. Only issue I had was that my girlfriend and I were somewhat ignored or overlooked at the bar last time we were there. It happens occasionally, but was annoying nonetheless as it made it a little difficult to get the bartenders attention when they were otherwise not busy. Overall this place is excellent and I would recommend it to anyone dining in the Old City area.

    (4)

  • Angie H.

    I'm really disappointed. I've had lunch here before, and it was delicious and satisfying. We were the first to arrive, and we weren't greeted very nicely. The standard, "How are you? Do you have a reservation?" It was literally empty until we were finishing up our meal, so that was interesting. We were told of a tasting menu with wine pairing, but it was 10:45 and we hadn't had any coffee yet! We promptly ordered some, and when it came out, it was a let down. It wasn't very good in any way and our server didn't ask if we wanted more. We ordered the spicy potatoes to share and I got the Esprragos Con Trufas, which looked beautiful, but wasn't a powerfully flavored experience. It DID have the most beautifully, elegantly executed poached egg, though. My honey for the Galletas Y Salsa, which was just okay. I had a bite, and those flavors were far more interesting than my plate. It may be because I didn't consume the crisp with my dish? It just wasn't anything special. The ambience was nice, I guess, but the service wasn't great, either. It was okay, but I had a far better experience my first time, which was during a busy lunch hour.

    (3)

  • Jeff E.

    Another great Garces restaurant. This was our first time here (been to most of the others but it's so hard to get a good reservation time here...word of advice, if you want to eat here book the reservation a few weeks in advance) and it disappoint. We ordered 6 dishes which was the perfect amount of food for 2 of us. We got the shrimp & chorizo flatbread which was suprisingly awesome, grilled octopus (perfect), mussels (eh..not a huge fan b/c they were cold), garlic shrimp (very good), the crispy pork belly (WOW) and the waygu beef (cooked perfectly). The service was very good as well. As with all Garces spots, it's a bit pricey but that is to be expected for a nicer place. Overall, it was well worth it and we'd definitely come back assuming we can get a good reservation time.

    (4)

  • Barbara D.

    Came here for Mother's Day with the family. Let's just start by saying the service is just lovely. Our server was sweet and quite keen on her wine recommendations. Meal started with a selection of 3 cheeses. The cheese selections were quite delectable, but the accoutrements were what really made the platter. The lavender truffle honey was INSANE. You could really taste all the flavor without one overpowering the other. The balsamic strawberries were interesting and the homemade hazelnut spread was delectable. I'd go back just for meats and cheeses! We ordered the grilled chorizo, pulpo (octopus), garlic shrimp, lamb meatballs, shishito peppers, and tortilla. Everything was great to split between the 3 of us. I'd definitely come back but would maybe try the front area, as the back seemed quite dark.

    (4)

  • Courtney G.

    Sasha Sasha Sasha f'in Sasha!!!! She's amazing. Went with some friends, sat at the bar and never bothered to really look at the menu.. It's pretty extensive from what I hear. Instead we asked her to pick for us and she hooked it up with all the best plates. Can't give her all the credit, some has gotta go to the kitchen staff for sure. One of the best meals I've had paired with some amazing, never empty cocktails. Great night, left stuffed, worth every penny!!

    (5)

  • Sam H.

    My wife and I had lunch and chose the chef's selection. There were 8 servings and the pairing of foods were very complementary to each other. The scallops tapas were some of the most succulent scallops we've ever had. The beef was paired with mushrooms and were a perfect combination. The salad with goat cheese, figs and serrano was the perfect combination of tang, sweet and salt. Splurge and get the chef's selection. You'll love it.

    (5)

  • Sarah L.

    I won't say anything that hasn't already been said. Every time I dine at Amada I have consistently excellent service, flavor explosions in my mouth from the little bites of heaven that they prepare and I leave consistently happy from my dining experience. The lavender honey and setas (mushrooms) are most memorable, but honestly, everything on the menu I've ever tried is the perfect balance of flavor, heat, creativity, portion and presentation. Next on my list is to get a group together to tackle the whole suckling pig. I can only imagine how over the moon I'll be then...

    (5)

  • Patrick S.

    Ok, my opinion, it really does deserve the 5 star reviews. Great service. Excellent food, well done concepts. Three of us did the "Gourmet" tasting menu. Highly recommended because I would not have had any idea where to start and stop with the menu. Not a thing served was less than awesome, just delicious. $450 for three of us but we did have 2 drinks each. If you have the budget for a place like this, go, have the tasting menu and if possible, I highly recommend sitting at the open kitchen bar if you like that sort of thing, really enjoyable to watch the whole thing come together.

    (5)

  • Chrissy R.

    Boyfriend took me here for my (pre-)birthday this year, and we basically destroyed the Latin tapas menu. Boyfriend had an olive plate, ham croquettes, beef brochettes & sirloin steak. I had a huge ensalada verdes, chicken brochettes & garlic shrimp tapas. We shared a three cheese platter, a tapas dish of scallops, each had a tapas dish of amazing spicy fried potatoes with the most ridiculous aioli on top. And Boyfriend had a wine bottle-sized beer and I had a pitcher + a glass of sangria blanco. The food was wonderful. Boyfriend got a bit over-salted by his ham croquettes, but other than that, loved everything. I had no problems with my food whatsoever. The only mistake we made was one of the cheeses on our cheese plate, and that was quickly whisked away and replaced by a brand new, full serving of cheese that we liked much better (even though we're not much on sending things back, and told the waitress that it was our fault and therefore, fine). It was a Sunday night. We were seated right near the bar and kitchen (you can even sit IN the kitchen and watch them make your food, if you like!), but the noise level wasn't too bad at all. The lights were low, but not so low that you're searching for your food -- it was the perfect atmosphere to get lost in and forget the outside world. The service was seriously amazing. The food came plate after plate after plate, never too quickly for our tiny table, but never so slow that we were sitting around waiting. Plates were cleared regularly, and our tapas dishes were switched for new, clean ones and the table wiped down just before our main meat dishes came. Our main waitress was Courtney, who was wonderful. She was lovely to talk to and chatted with us about the food, Philadelphia and about Garces, whom my boyfriend and I have been fans of since he was vying for the Iron Chef position. She really knew her stuff, and it was a pleasure to have her serve us. It was wonderful that we seemed to get attention from everyone on the wait staff, though. I was even amazed and amused when my boyfriend got up to take a quick smoke outside and someone ran by and folded his napkin. According to Courtney, it's a minor obsession for all of them there to keep the restaurant looking as tidy as possible. A+ for them. Our bill was almost $200, but that's because we really went all out and had basically eaten nothing else the rest of the day. Honestly, we could easily go back there on a regular night and eat a much smaller amount of food, still be full and pay a very reasonable price for dinner. And the service is honestly WORTH IT. I couldn't be more pleased. I even got to try things I'd never normally try and fell in love with a few new dishes. Go to Amada. GO!!

    (5)

  • Jackie D.

    Im going to admit that it has been months since my trip to Philly but I can still remember every moment of our dinner at Amada. Everything from the atmosphere, to the staff and most important the food was exquisite. We had many many different items and remember loving them all. The sangria was nothing special but they had a great wine list. I would definately come here again when I am back in Philly. P.S. the prices are not too high and its a great spot for a date night ;)

    (5)

  • Anuj S.

    I haven't been to too many tapas bars, but I went here with a large group. We had the chef's tasting menu. The amount of food and selection were great. Most things were great, and some were just OK. Overall, it was a lot of fun. We all ate a TON. There were plenty of vegetarian options, as we had mentioned it to them ahead of time. The service was great. Overall, the group had a GREAT time.

    (4)

  • William S.

    Came for restaurant week. Yes as much as it may bastardize the world of fine dining, I still do love my 2 weeks of city-wide prix fixes. Came here with the lovely Grace G. and I must agree with her review... the asparagus was Off. The. Hook. And not annoying bleached-haired-douche-bag-minute-to-win-it Guy Fieri off the hook, but delicious Iron Chef status off the hook. Perfectly poached egg on top of tender asparagus and a cream sauce that is basically liquid crack. SO GOOD. Also the mini cheese board w/ cana de cabra cheese (kinda like a sharper brie), apples, and fig/cherry marmalade was yummy. We also had a posole-like stew that was delicious. I would give them 5 stars if I only ate those dishes, but I gotta say I was not a fan of the Spanish flatbreads. Not very exciting, it was kinda like a salty short-rib pizza without tomato sauce. Seemed kind of like an uninspired dish in comparison to all the other delicious stuff we had there. As for everything else.. service was awesome, ambiance was understated and not too loud, and overall just a great dinig experience. The end.

    (4)

  • Chasitiy P.

    So is this where all the professional Philly boys and gals hang? Supreme says "Yes!" Entering into the after-work crowd sanctuary could be a bit intimidating for a Freelancer-such as myself. You think, "What the heck are we going to discuss-as I could never be in your predicament." Howbeit, Philly individuals are quite buddy-buddy. The food here is amazing and is overwhelmingly savory. Must have: Octopus; Skate; Atlantic Sea Bass; Green Salad. I will definitely come back to this SUPREME spot! Now you officially have "The Supreme Touch"

    (5)

  • Cortney P.

    Great atmosphere. Service was excellent. And the food! Perfect portions. I recommend the crab stuffed bell peppers. And the grilled chicken with fried egg was delicious ! Definitely will be returning

    (5)

  • Leigh Anna T.

    Believe the hype. Amada is that awesome. The only reason that I am giving it 4 stars and not 5 is because, as other Yelpers have mentioned, the service can be a little forgetful/dismissive at times. Fortunately for them, the food makes up for it in spades. The dishes I would recommend are: crab-stuffed peppers, ensalada verde, esparaggos con trufas, and the quail with chorizo. Yum!

    (4)

  • Jane V.

    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

    (5)

  • Torrance P.

    My wife and I were here for our anniversary. I haven't eaten at many Tapas places so we went with La Mesa de Jose (chef's selection) and went with the fancier version. We were in a room in the back which was wonderful for an intimate dinner. I noticed on the way out that the front room is much brighter and a bit more boisterous. The food started and kept coming and all of it was delicious (except one thing I didn't care for but I don't remember what it was called.) One major selling point for me is I was able to everything without a leaf of cilantro in sight!

    (5)

  • Abhijit G.

    So normally I would give this place 4 stars. But when you are as famous as Amada is....you carry the burden of proving that you are "extraordinary". I thought Amada came up well short. First off, the host gave off a vibe I didn't appreciate. The decor is too bright and yuppy in the front dining room and too "non-happening" in the back one. Our server was average -- nothing stellar. The food was good but not memorable, Here's my take on it: Charcuterie and cheese were good Ham croquettes -- v good Beef Short rib flatbread - prolly the best thing I had here crab stuffed peppers -- very very disappointing Albondigas (meat balls) - the meat balls were good but over-powered by the salty sauce chocolate cake -- average Will I come back? No, sorry.

    (3)

  • Puri G.

    Great lunch experience! We had a variety of tapas. Loved the manchego cheese with truffled lavender honey, the gazpacho, and the shrimp. Great service!!!

    (5)

  • Eddie K.

    Came here for brunch over the Memorial Day weekend. Ate here for dinner the previous year and was really impressed with it, so maybe my expectations were high. Granted, the brunch menu isn't as large as the dinner menu, but the brunch menu looked pretty good. We ordered the Chorizo con Pappas, Revuelto, Amada's Omelet, Croquetas de Jamon, skirt steak and scallops. The best dish was the scallops and the omelet. The rest of the entrees looked really good, but I don't know who the chef was but they are really heavy handed with the salt. I think I ate enough sodium for the rest of the week. I wish they could taste it before they send the dish out.

    (3)

  • Jean R.

    This was hands down the best meal we had in Philly, standing head and shoulders above restaurants like Morimoto, Alma de Cuba and Kanella. I especially loved the serrano ham and fig salad, which was the perfect blend of salty and sweet. I think it was easily the best salad I've ever had. The octopus, asparagus with truffle and Madre e hijo (chicken and egg dish) were stellar. The steak with foie was tender and flavourful, but a tad salty for my tastes. On the other hand, it's the dish my bf remembers most fondly from this foodie trip, so it may be that I just like less salt than the average bear. White sangria was sweet and refreshing. Service was also good, although the pacing of the food was on the quick side, with everything practically coming out at the same time, and the first wave covering our table within ten minutes of our ordering.

    (5)

  • Julianna K.

    I recently popped my Amada cherry during restaurant week and had a great experience. I never knew little portions of food could actually fill this belly but they did. And the sangria everybody told me to try was absolutely fabulous. I had three glasses before we were even sat! Everything was perfect... except the crowd. Man was that place jammed, and it was a Wednesday. So much for avoiding busy nights. Even the tables were so damn close, when I got up to use the restroom I had to make a decision, put my butt on our table or the couple's next to us, to slide out. Lucky for them I put it on mine. Overall, an enjoyable experience and delicious food so I'll dine there again.

    (4)

  • Lauren C.

    What more can be said about Amada? I've only ever been here for Restaurant Week, but both times it has been fantastic. What to eat: Everything. Okay, that's not helpful. But it's important to know that Amada is NOT a style over substance, "see and be seen" restaurant like several of the places off Rittenhouse. It's a place to eat, and eat well. Some of my absolute favorites are the manchego with lavendar honey, the gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), and a chocolate pudding-ish dessert whose name escapes me at the moment. The esparragos con trufas (asparagus with poached egg, truffle, and a cheesy cracker) is to-die-for delicious. The setas (wild mushrooms) and ensalada verde were both a little bit of a let-down. They were fresh, but tasted a little too much like regular ol' mushrooms and salad (respectively), without quite enough culinary je ne sais quoi. As far as drinks go, the rosemary and lemon cocktail ($12) was absolutely delicious and presented beautifully. The sangria was fresh and flavorful, but not particularly potent (unsurprising at the $7 price point). One thing that irks me about Amada is the seating. I actually want to dock a star for the seating, but the food is just too good. But consider yourself warned. The tables are rectangular, and you're sat across the long end of the rectangle from your dining companion. I understand that they can fit more tables in this way, but it makes it very hard to have an intimate meal when you have to yell across the table (Amada is *loud*). The service has been hit-or-miss. The first time we visited, we felt very rushed. The dishes arrived at the table far too quickly, we ran out of room on the table, and several of our dishes started to get cold before we even had a chance to try them. This was a real put-off. Fortunately, we had a much better experience the second time around. Our server kept a closer eye on our table and waited until we had done some damage on the first few plates before bringing us the next few. I imagine the service is even better when it's not restaurant week. I plan to find out soon!

    (5)

  • stephanie x.

    Overall pretty good, but pricey. The restaurant is not that big but they cram alot of tables in a tight space so it does feel a little like everyone is sitting on top of each other. The decor and atmosphere is inviting and relaxing. The service was good and the server we had was very knowledgeable of everything on the menu. The food: everything was very good. However nothing really stood out or was very memorable to make me want to hurry back to have more of the same or try new items on the menu. Nothing on the menu blew my mind, but at the same time I don't think you can go wrong either with anything on the menu. All good, just not amazing. Good place to meet up with friends and eat some foods you don't come across everyday.

    (4)

  • Jenifer N.

    This was my first time being in Philadelphia. My gfs and I decided to try Amada, because of the location (closer to the bars/lounges) and we were skeptical because of the price, but we went anyways. Our reservation was at 10:45pm (kind of late) but it was perfect since our flight into PA was at 7pm. When we arrived there, the food smelled so delicious! And the place was so cozy and the staff were super friendly. We finally got seated and with the help from our waiter, we ordered practically EVERYTHING on the menu. Everything was nicely portion (for four girls) and everything came out at the right time. Once we were done with one entree, the next one came and so forth. The food was amazing! Here is what we ordered: Almejas con chorizo (clams & chorizo), Gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), Pulpo a la gallega (spanish octopus), Madre e Hijo (chicken breast w/ fried egg, mojama & truffles), Entrecote a la Catalana (prime sirloin with catalan spinach, membrillo & goat cheese), Alcachofas y setas (artichoke & wild mushroom flat bread) and a couple of more items! The waiter was so nice that he gave us some complimentary items as well! The food was DELICIOUS!! One of the best restaurants we've been to in Philadelphia! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE!!!

    (5)

  • Brandon L.

    I'm a huge fan, just got back from my dinner, Nicole, our server, was very cool and very helpful. Everything was good, we had over 15 plates and a few of our favorites: White anchovies Lamb- forgot the name but it was seared Sirloin spicy potatoes bacon rapped dates Everything was excellent, and the price was very reasonable. I'm fully expecting to return as soon as I'm in Philly

    (5)

  • Stephen S.

    Just went to Amada for my second Restaurant Week experience there. Everything is still awesome, you can't go wrong. Especially any of the tapas of course. The grilled chicken Caesar salad was surprisingly the best larger plate option. La crema catalana was delicious but I should have stuck with the chocolate cake this time around. Oh well, I'll be back!

    (5)

  • Jacqueline J.

    Had the luncheon combo. The soup was really good, but the pernil sandwich and fries was not much different from a typical pulled pork sandwich, which I found disappointing.

    (3)

  • A W.

    Absolutely amazing! Great service and even BETER food. Such a surprise for a casual meal. Would def go back again and again.

    (5)

  • N L.

    A friend told me she had gone to Amada and hadn't liked it. She was sorely disappointed. Horrified, I ran down there on my next day off to see if my beloved could possibly be slipping. I had the Catalan Express lunch deal that day with a glass of cava. See what I do for my friends? The conclusion: My friend must have a palate roughly akin to shoe leather. I had a sirloin sandwich that day and it was so perfectly seasoned and the meat just charred perfectly and the aioli so natural and the tangle of bitter greens dressed just so that I was for a moment back in Barcelona. The service is professional, the ambiance just right, even in the middle of the day, recalling a Spanish taverna and a high -end restaurant. I knew then I'd rather lose a friend than this restaurant. San Jose is the captain of Spanish cuisine in Philadelphia and this is his flagship. P.S. It's still ridiculously crowded during peak times but nice and quiet for lunch. Guys with big appetites may have issues with the portions, but one way to beat it is to order more plates. It *is* expensive, but you get what you pay for. For BYOB with food of this caliber, go to the Garces Trading Company. When you're at Amada, don't skimp on the wine. The list marries with the food as another element of the meal.

    (5)

  • Ziggy P.

    Food: very good. We shared 9 different tapa dishes and 2 desserts among the 4 of us. Drinks: best sangria ever! Service: unfortunately our server was not friendly and came across as rather snooty. Our bill came out to a little less than $200.

    (4)

  • Li Y.

    This review is pretty late but I thought I would write it since Amada is one of my favorite restaurants of all time in the entire world and I have traveled quite a bit. I love everything about this restaurant and it is the single thing I miss the most about Philadelphia (I no longer live there). The food is absolutely amazing. Amada is the restaurant that introduced me to Spanish cuisine. Before Amada, I seriously didn't know that Spain had such amazing food. My boyfriend had lived in Spain, so he told me how authentic the dishes were. Because of Amada, I actually had to go to Spain just to try the food and it was the catalyst to 6 weeks of travels and lots of eating in Spain. That should really tell you how amazing the food is. I even started learning Spanish, okay that was a bit overboard, but yes I can def say all my favorite dishes in Spanish. The atmosphere is also amazing because tapas isn't a luxury dining experience in Spain, it's pretty much like our bar food. What I actually really love about Amada is that you get amazing authentic food in the midst of Spanish atmosphere taken up a notch to match the rest of Philly trendy dining. And frankly the price is amazing. Especially after living in NY. Spending $130-$150 for two in Amada, that includes a pitcher of sangria (which is also amazing) is just unmatched and it's so worth it. I absolutely love this restaurant so I will now just write down some of my favorite dishes there that I think anyone must try. Jamon serrano - very famously Spanish Manchego cheese with apples - so amazing and I also love the presentation Gambas al ajillo - pretty good, not the same as Spain but pretty good Pretty much the whole menu is delicious! Of the many times I've been there, I think the only dish I was ever disappointed with there was the paella valenciana, would recommend against it. If you get overwhelmed by the menu, just get the tasting menu. It is soooooo worth it for $45 - $65. Man I wish I could go and eat up all the tapas... **salivating**

    (5)

  • Jon D.

    I had high expectations for Amada after hearing several people recommend it. I wish I could give a 4.5. It was definitely better than 4, but didn't quite make it to 5. In short, the service was great even though the place was packed. The decor was pretty neat while at the same time being clean and modern. No complaints on the food, it was all pretty good: Food: -Spicy Potatoes (patatas bravas)- interesting take, loved the thick, spicy sauce they were topped with (almost like a remoulade) ...definitely made the dish -Crab stuffed peppers (piquillos rellenos)- these were interesting, i wasn't crazy about them, but my Dad thought they were very good. -Ham croquettes (croquetas de jamon)- juicy and moist on the inside while being packed with lots of flavor - best croquettes i've ever had -Oysters with Strawberry escabeche and cava granite- great, but no big effort here -Beef shortrib flatbread (costillas de ternera)- this was also really good, the flatbread was crispy, didn't have any issues with being soggy, and the other flavors were there -Chicken brochettes- very good, but seemed to be missing something. i could have used some more flavor or a more interesting sauce or accompaniment -Sirloin with Prune Bacon Glaze/Sauce (Rabillo de cadera)- great! the sirloin was cooked nicely and the glaze appealed to all the senses...it was a great match. Dessert: -Lemon Torta- The Billbery-swirl ice cream with accompanying jam was refreshing, lemon-thyme honey with lemon confit was also delicious. Garces always seems to have one or two outstanding desserts on all of his menus. This was one of them. -Las frutas- Apples, Almond Milk Jam and Crème Fraiche Sherbert- also great, creative, tangy and sweet but not too rich or overpowering. A nice finish. The food and experience overall were great...I'm glad I finally made it to Amada. You should try it at least once, but I think it's a place you won't be dying to go back to. Unless you go for the suckling pig.

    (4)

  • Steve P.

    Never disappoints. Jose Garces' first and best.'

    (5)

  • Katie C.

    Good food, but sub-par dining experience. We went to Amada a year ago during Restaurant Week and were tantalized enough to come back for the full tasting menu. While the food was still good, what outweighed it was getting seated at 9:45 for an 8:30 reservation. How it all went down: it always takes longer than I remember to park in Old City on a Friday night, so I called at 8:31 to let them know that we were running late. The hostess said, that's fine but we can only hold your table for 20 minutes. Fair enough. We got there at 8:40, and our table was not ready. We had requested a table in the quieter, more intimate lounge area since we were celebrating our wedding anniversary. We waited at the bar and got a few drinks. 9 pm: A beer and a cocktail later, the hostess came by to say that a table had opened up in the main dining area, which we could take. Or we could wait another 20 minutes for the lounge. We were starting to get hungry, but decided to wait. 9:20 pm: Hostess came by again to say that the table still wasn't ready, so we caved and ordered an appetizer and another beer. 9:45 pm: After almost giving up hope, we finally got seated. The hostess was very apologetic throughout this seating fiasco but did not offer to comp our drinks or food on the bar tab when she transferred it, which was rather surprising. Was too sleepy to question. We both ordered the $65 tasting menu and 1 wine flight and it was all good, though I agree with another reviewer that they did not skimp on the salt. I barely managed to stay awake through dessert and we walked out $280 lighter. Worth doing once, but unlikely I'll be back.

    (3)

  • Richard K.

    Had high expectations for this Jose Garces establishment but (or perhaps because of it) was disappointed by the quality of the food and the price of the meal. Overall, a good dining experience, but not good as I had hoped....

    (3)

  • Tanti L.

    good drinks good food what more can a girl ask for? i have to say i'd try other places before coming back here again. its good but too pricey for tapas.

    (4)

  • Katie H.

    Everything you order is amazing. We ordered 6 dishes and it was perfect for 2 people. I highly recommend the Bacon wrapped Dates and the Squid in squid ink. Such interesting flavors combining to perfection. The ambiance has a great historical vibe. Cannot wait to try other Jose Garces restaurants.

    (4)

  • Vivian H.

    I saw Garces there! It was nice to know he's still working in the kitchen at his restaurants. I went for lunch before a crazy pub crawl and my PERNIL SANDWICH (Slow-Cooked Pork, Warm Cabbage & Cadi Urgelia Cheese) with fries was sooo filling I couldn't start drinking until dinnertime. I wasn't that impressed by the sandwich though -- it was too sweet, so whatever sauce the pork was in just overpowered everything. My friends loved their tapas though!

    (3)

  • Jas C.

    My sister can't stop talking about this new Iron Chef, so we stopped by for a lunch last time I went to Philly. Well, I don't think the food is really over the top amazing, but it definitely has it's standard The service was really top notch though, for some kitchen mixed up, we waited longer for our food, and the waitress was really really sorry even thought we didn't really care since not in a rush, but we end up getting free dish and free drinks on her. Nice :) A friend from Philly told me this is his "third date" restaurant, and worked every time when he tries to impress a girl!

    (4)

  • Rachel P.

    DAMN. HOLY S. Gracing my top ten all time dining list, just like that. The chef's tasting menu was perfect. I was very, very full, and it wasn't that pricey CONSIDERING that food this good usually costs a hell of a lot more. This meal inspired me in a way that I haven't experienced in a while. Everything was so fresh, and so pure. Sometimes you can just see and feel how much the people cooking and creating the food really love it. I felt this while eating here. Something about the preparations and the style really hit home with me. I would love to work at Amada. This restaurant is really, really awesome and unique. I loved the vibe and the delicious, high quality food. This Chef is a badass. Once again, WOW.

    (5)

  • Kathy D.

    Went for their 14.95 lunch special and wow, was I impressed. Ate here only once before, when it first opened in 2005. I moved and a friend gave me a bed. Said friend would not take payment, so I took her out to dinner to the hottest new restaurant at the time. (end side note) Ordered the pumpkin soup, and steak sandwich with fries. (Lunch also came with a non-alcoholic drink.) Meal was AMAZING all around, especially the fries and the sandwich bread. Will definitely be back. Heard they do salsa dancing here occasionally. Even though the restaurant is not big, I would recommend coming here with a group of people, as the atmosphere is intimate.

    (5)

  • Joy G.

    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.

    (5)

  • Jennifer C.

    Amada is an extremely romantic spot for dates or double dates. Ceviches were the best I've ever had. Cold dishes were better than the warm/hot ones in general. I have yet to have tapas as delicious as those from Amada. I've been here both for a 1-1 and a large group formal. San grias were a wonderful flourish to our fabulous meals.

    (4)

  • Caroline L.

    Amazing birthday dinner. The meal became a bit too salty at one point. Really loved the ambiance. Definitely will be returning. Stellar bartenders.

    (4)

  • Rachel S.

    Its never a waste of time to try a JG establishment. Great atmosphere, wonderful food!

    (4)

  • Jen C.

    I want to visit Spain after dining at Amada for a couple of times. Tapas are great. Garlic shrimp and spicy potatoes are my favorite. Lamb chop and Prime Sirloin are good but not so unique. I don't like-Chickpeas & Spinach.....there are so many chickpeas that really filled me up and I don't like the flavor.

    (4)

  • Austine C.

    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.

    (4)

  • G C.

    This place is totally a hit or miss. It has to be! I went with 4 friends this past weekend to try the famous Tasting Menu! All of us were actually fairly disappointed. The meal was super salty. Half of the dishes were way over seasoned. It was like the chef didn't even bother to try it before he sent it out to us. This was really sad. We paid $45 a piece. On the positive side, the manager was really nice. He offered us free dessert, which was actually really good. I think they must have different chefs in the back. Perhaps the head chef wasn't there that night. Not sure what happened, but out of all the places I've tried in Philly, which Yelp has recommended: this is the first disappointment!

    (2)

  • Caitlin C.

    If you can afford it, eat here every night. The cheese/honey starter is incredible. Who would ever think of coupling cheese with Nutella!? And the thinly-sliced prosciutto is melt-in-your-mouth. The weight is a bit long as this still is a popular joint. Ask to sit at the chef's bar, tough - they sometimes have seats there. Enjoy the Tinto Sangria with dinner (which is basically 7 small plates that equal one months rent).

    (5)

  • Jeremy J.

    I was worried about being dissapointed with Amada as my expectations were already sky high. I have loved the other Jose Garces places that I've been to so far. Amada was as good as I've heard. The only flaw that I found with the restaurant was how loud it was, however I do believe that is how the restaurant is designed to be. It is in old city after all. The food is excellent. I came here for restaurant week and received plenty of food. I always give restaurants benefit of the doubt during restaurant week because I feel like the quality of the food is usually a bit diminished. However I noted no such problem. I'm not likely to come here much because of the prices, but this is probably my favorite meal in the city so far. I also love the Jose Garces Sangria.

    (5)

  • Lydia W.

    Had a really truly fabulous meal at Amada this past Saturday evening. Sadly (or maybe not so sadly), this Tapas may have been better than anything I've actually had in Spain (to date at least). Here's what we tried. All of it was equally delicious. I would just say that these 5 dishes plus dessert put us over-the-top full! I mean full for the entire next day. 3-4 dishes may be plenty for you, I know it will be for us next time. The Ensalada de Jamon could be had alone as an entree practically. ENSALADA DE JAMÓN - Serrano Ham & Fig Salad, Cabrales & Spiced Almonds PATATAS BRAVAS - Spicy Potatoes ALCACHOFAS Y SETAS - Artichoke & Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffles & Manchego HABAS A LA CATALANA Warm Fava & Lima Bean Salad CHORIZO PICADURAS DE ALMENDRAS- Roasted Plums, Almond Cake, Sherry Ice Cream, Lemon-Thyme Emulsion

    (5)

  • J K.

    I was in town on business and decided to have a seat at the bar since I was dining alone. I ordered the chef's tasting menu. The food was good, although I could have done without the smoked meat...I'm here to try things I can't have at home! The garlic shrimp was excellent. My primary complaint is that the courses came it way to quickly...I had three different courses in front of me at one point, and I'm not a slow eater, nor was it conversation slowing me down. All in all, I'd definitely come back next time I'm in town.

    (4)

  • Amy P.

    Food was delicious. Everything came out hot. Great service.

    (5)

  • K P.

    This restaurant is mine and my husband's celebratory place. Anytime we celebrate anything we head to Amada. The food is incredible and we always leave so stuffed. We have a hard time limiting our options and always end up over-ordering because we want to try everything. We will continue to be back as we celebrate more occasions together. DEFINITELY recommend making reservations, tables get booked very fast.

    (5)

  • Lauren N.

    Delicious! My husband and I stopped in for a pre dinner snack the other night at Amada. I would give it 5 stars, but since we just tasted some cheeses and drinks, it would be an unfair rating. The service was fantastic and the chesse and drink were top notch. Menu looked like it would be heaven, but we had to save room for our later reservations with friends! The Sangria (3 varieties) is a must order!!!!! We will return to get the full experience Amada has to offer.

    (4)

  • Bruce L.

    My friend Yasmine told me that her friends couldn't believe we dined at THE AMADA, 'cause it's so popular to a point that it's impossible to get a table, so we booked the table 5 days prior. The experience is divine, from the drinks, food to the service, AMADA was simply one of the best experience of my trip in Philadelphia. And just a FYI; DO NOT WEAR ANYTHING TIGHT if you are going to dine there, 'cause your happy big belly won't like it. We ordered 1 pitcher of Sangria, 5 dishes ( Spanish Octopus, Fried Baby Anchovies, Crab-stuffed Peppers, Stuffed Lamb Chop, and Spanish Flat Bread with Artichoke, Wild Mushrooms, Black Truffles and Manchego) and we had Banana Torrijas and Mix Spanish Cheeses. I have to say this Banana Torrija is a TO-DIE-FOR dessert, it's like hugs from Jesus, or in my case hugs from Buddha, it was just heavenly divined. No wonders Jose Garces beats Bobby Flay in Iron Chef America.

    (5)

  • Keith F.

    Amada is a great example of what Philadelphia has come to expect from Jose Garces. The chef's tasting menu at $45/$55/$65 (depending on food level choices) gives you a great chance to experience Chef. Garces' vision in the kitchen. For a little more, you can pair 3 full glasses of wine with dinner. You receive ~12 phenomenal plates of food that you will keep you begging for more. If you have a large group and know ahead of time, order the suckling pig. You need to order ~2 weeks ahead of time, but it is worth it. From the crispy skin to the succulent meat and the delicious sides, it is a feast for any special occasion.

    (5)

  • Kate S.

    I personally think Amada charges way too much for tapas, however they have a pretty great lunch deal! Plus I do love the atmosphere and their sangria. If you have some extra cash to spend on tapas, this is a great place but then again remember: tapas aren't supposed to be super expensive :/

    (3)

  • Christopher M.

    This is one of my favorite restaurants, and by far the best tapas (small plates) restaurants I've ever been to. Make sure you set reservations a few days or more in advance or you will have to choose from 5pm or 11pm - and forget getting anything from 630pm to 930pm. Sitting at the tables next to the prep station and kitchen is not a bad thing at this place. It's actually entertainment and fun to watch everything. It's quite a production. Two fair and reasonably hungry people can eat well (7-8 items) and get by with spending $90-100 (after tip). Get 7-8 items, two glasses of sangria and one dessert, and the total is more like $110-120. The sangria is great. The desserts are excellent. All the food here is great! You won't leave stuffed, but you will be very satisfied. I absolutely love Amada and very highly recommend it.

    (5)

  • Sean H.

    We recently held our rehearsal dinner for our wedding at Amada. I had been to the restaurant on two previous occassions, but this was our best experience yet. Erin from the special events group helped us reserve the private room in the back and select an oustanding menu. Personally, I loved everything, but my favorites were the crab stuffed peppers, the totilla espanola, and the Sangria... The service was also oustanding for our group. I would highly recommend the private room for a special event and we felt the cost was worth all of the food and attention we received.

    (5)

  • Gina F.

    Went here for my birthday. The place is so cozy and inviting and the food was divine. A true tapas restaurant, each dish timed perfectly and the portions were spot on. The sangria was delicious. Very romantic as well. Our waitress was accomodating and friendly.

    (5)

  • Abi D.

    If Amada was a single 20 something male living in Philadelphia I would marry it. And pay it a dowry.

    (5)

  • Lily W.

    I came here for Restaurant week - I have always been attracted to tapas style eating and love Spanish food (who doesn't?). We made a late rez (9:30) and were late (oops) but we were seated as soon as we entered, no hassle. We order a pitcher of the white sangria, the aged manchego, the serrano, the chorizo, and the spanish tortilla. All were really really good. Other people love the lavender honey but I was not a fan - the lavender was too overpowering for me. Doesn't matter, I still enjoyed my manchego and bread! I am dreaming about the serrano ham right now. For dinner my bf (shellfish and nut allergy) got the shortribs flatbread and chicken thing, I got the shrimp and chorizo flatbread with the asparagus and poached egg. They were all delicious, but I think my favorite was the asparagus. Mmm. Then onto dessert - I got the flourless chocolate cake with hazelnuts and the poor nut allergic bf got stuck with some sort of vanilla caramel thing. The flourless chocolate was amazing!! Soo tasty. The vanilla thing without nuts was good too. My ONLY complaint is that the tables are a little too close together - for example, while I was trying to enjoy my chocolate dessert the only thing I could smell was the garlic shrimp from the table next to me. It was a little distracting.

    (4)

  • ALynn D.

    We went here for the Hubby's Birthday with family and this place was amazing. It's cute and cozy. You can relax. The waiter was great and had a ton of things to say about drinks and menu items. He was great with food restrictions and allergies even though we did the chef's tasting menu (which is a must have). He made sure certain items were not on the plates. It was very nice and it put you at ease to know the waiter was aware of allergies and restrictions and took them seriously. This was a big plus. The service was great and they kept our drinks filled. No long waits and the place was pretty busy. The Sangria was great, couldn't get enough. The meal was an experience. I can't wait until we go back. It's one of those meals you remember. I really cannot rave about this place enough. Would be a great place to take a date.

    (5)

  • David R.

    Fantastic experience. Menu is great, several different sangria mixes made in house. Door staff can be a little rude if you don't have a reservation, but hey, the place is great.

    (5)

  • Marie P.

    Yesterday was our FOURTH year spending news years at Amada. Yea I was their when you had 3 options and complimentary campaign was given out at midnight this has since changed in the last two years.... Ok so back to review. It is fair to say we enjoy Amada. Being as we go down to Philly from new york every new years to spend at Amada. usually we are a party of four but my sister and her wife decided to have a baby so my husband an I kept our traditional alive. I booked our reservation in early November so early that the person taking the reservation had to call me back because she was unsure of procedure. Two weeks before we get a call asking for my credit card information just in case we don't show. Ok no problem. New Years, we get their early our reservation is at 10:45 we walked in at 10:20. The hostess tells couple in front of us they are behind on reservations but she says nothing to us so I assume people in front of us were off walk-ins. We go to the bar and wait. and wait. and wait. Couples are keep coming in after us and are waiting. While waiting we watch coat check girl ask people whom came in after us ask if they want the next available table in the bar area. We wouldn't take it either but confused as why others who are after us are being offered before us. Actually we were never offered till after 45 mins of waiting I asked the Hostess how much longer. She gets short with me and tells me people have checks paid they are waiting for them to leave. Ok... So we wait now couples that came after us get seated. I got pissed went to hostess asked for how much longer my wait is because now it is 11:30 an I would much rather go back to hotel and get room service than to stand here. Im sure i made a nasty comment about this is my fourth year and the worst wait I've ever had here and within minutes the manager sat us and offered us drinks on the house. Not necessary but a very nice gesture. Waitress was awesome food was great but the atmosphere at Amada changed. No count down but instead after midnight a mad rush from cooks to bang food out so they could go home. Amada style is a tasting menu normally its one or two dishes at a time the beginning was smooth but by 12:30 kitchen staff wanted out. We got hit with 5 plates at once we didn't even have room on our table. Which led to two plates going cold. We gave up and took desert home. Sad way to end our tradition on New Years :( Side note by the time we sat tables were literally empty. Never before have I experienced that. So I'm assuming thats bad scheduling or your staff did this so they got out early. Either way not cool. Would have walked out but you had my credit card information.

    (3)

  • BC L.

    I've been here twice: Once for lunch and once for dinner. The tapas are very good and well-executed, but there are other places in the city that I like better. Definitely worth trying though!

    (3)

  • Carissa G.

    This place was excellent. I would recommend doing chef's choice. Every dish was wonderful and they just kept coming. Highly recommended.

    (5)

  • Laura S.

    My gustatory love affair with Jose Garces is well-known among my friends. Surprisingly, Amada was one of the last JG restaurants I tried. As his flagship restaurant, it is perhaps his best-known - and deservedly so. Every time I have eaten here, everything - from the food to the service - has been phenomenal. If you have the opportunity to eat here during Restaurant Week, you should absolutely do so, because it is one of the best deals in the city. As for the food, there is nothing on the menu that I would not recommend. Some particular highlights: * The Tortilla Espanola with Saffron Aioli is delicious, although the last time I went the portion size seemed to have decreased (this may have been for Restaurant Week, and the portion was still plenty and I still left stuffed! * The shortrib flatbread (Costillas de Ternera) is INCREDIBLE. Seriously, if you were going to order one thing from the menu, it should be this. The meat is rich and delicious and all of the flavors blend together perfectly. * Escalivada: This is listed under 'vegetables' but it is a perfect starter course. It is wonderfully rich and flavorful. When I went with my brother for RW, we wished we had both ordered it so we didn't have to share. * Esparragos con Trufas: Warm asparagus with poached egg and truffles. What is not to love !? * Entrecote a la Catalana: I was not sure how goat cheese would go with steak. The answer? INCREDIBLE. I also love the Catalan spinach, which has a lovely sweet/sour flavor and contrasts nicely with the goat cheese. This is my favorite "entree" plate. I have seen a lot of people recommend the patatas bravas, the pulpo (octopus), and the pernil asado. While I enjoyed all of these, if you are stuck deciding between these and other options, they are the ones that I would skip. It is not that they are not delicious, I just have not found them to be the highlights of the menu. They recommend that you order 3-4 plates per guest - I've generally stuck to this, and always left very comfortably full (OK, sometimes a little uncomfortably full, but it was worth it). If you are a light eater, it is probably best to order fewer plates and add them if you find that you have room. Make sure you save room for dessert! I'm sure I'll be back to update this review, because I cannot wait to find 3 friends to try the whole suckling pig. Now THAT sounds like a culinary adventure!

    (5)

  • Wade G.

    Really great atmosphere and good food. I have to say not the best tapas restuarant I have ever been to and I prefer Bar Ferdinand but location wise to the city it will do. I feel like some of these reviews really hype it up. It is a very good restaurant but not one of my top choices. I probly wont make a second trip to Amada...

    (4)

  • Jeffrey C.

    Great food, very attentive service, amazing atmosphere. Every time I visit, we have a great meal and leave very satisfied. The Chef's Tasting Menu is very highly recommended and well worth the price.

    (5)

  • Lisa L.

    Is it pathetic that we planned a trip from Chicago just to go to this restaurant....is it even more pathetic that we are planning to do it again? Simply wonderful (loud, but wonderful)...this spot has everything that makes a great dining experience: good service, great sangeria, and crunchy/salty/cheesy tapas - it is one of my favorite restaurants!

    (5)

  • L G.

    To celebrate our third anniversary, my husband and I went to dinner at Amada. We'd really been looking forward to this, but still didn't know what to expect at this tapas restaurant. We knew our reservations were for side-by-side seats at a bar, but it wasn't actually the "bar," it was a bar that faced into the kitchen, which was so cool because we got to watch some of the cooks putting together the dishes. Our waiter said it would be best to order 3-4 (shared) plates per person, so we ended up picking seven between us. My husband also had their "seasonal" sangria, which was white wine-based and included watermelon and basil. What did we eat? Well first they brought out a complementary tuna thing, it was a little bowl of tuna fish with black olive oil and capers, served with these wedge-shaped spiced crackers. I don't even eat tuna or seafood, but I had a little and it was good. Then they brought the first four of the dishes we'd ordered (they just bring things as they're ready from the kitchen). We got a plate of artisinal olives, which were really good (especially the little black ones), but they had pits that you had to spit out, so that was kind of awkward - they did provide a small bowl for the pits, though. There was Serrano ham, which was just thinly sliced on a plate with some olive oil, and served with some little slices of bread, mustard, caper berries, and very tiny pickles. Very very good. One of our favorites was the aged Manchego cheese plate, which was served with bread, apple slices, and truffled lavender honey. Delicious combination. Finally, they brought us the "patatas bravas," listed on the menu as "spicy potatoes." They weren't really spicy, but they were amazing. It was like a potato cut into little cylinder shapes, seasoned, and roasted, so the outside was slightly crispy but the inside was soft. Then there was a dollop of smoked paprika aioli on each one. I guess they held off for a while on bringing us the rest of the food, because we were really out of space! So then round two came along, and I think they saved the best for last. My husband had picked a grilled scallop dish with some sort of green, citrusy sauce. Again, I don't eat seafood, and the texture of scallops is especially gross to me, but I had a small bite and it wasn't bad. Then they brought one of my picks, "esparragoes con trufas." It was grilled asparagus with this awesome white sauce - not sure what the sauce was made of, but it included truffle oil and egg, and there was a poached egg floating in there with it which I think you were supposed to break to release the yolk, but I didn't do that. The asparagus was so good. And finally, we got crab-stuffed peppers, which I had been looking forward to trying (yes, despite my aversion to seafood), but I don't know, they were like, too peppery? We also ended up ordering three (!) desserts. We had blood orange sorbet, then my husband picked "arroz con leche" (saffon rice pudding with a blackberry jelly, lemon jam, and some little cinnamon crackers), and I picked "frambuesas con crema" (mixed berries with something called "cava gelee" - it was like a clear gel with an alcohol flavor? - and creme fraiche ice cream). Amazingly, we were not stuffed, nor were we still hungry. And when the bill came it was only a little over $100! I was very happy with the meal! We will definitely definitely have to go back - but this time, make reservations more than a week in advance.

    (5)

  • Darren W.

    Oh Amada. I've pined for thy suckling pig for many moons. I'd dreamed of the porky goodness tantalizing my taste buds. I'd built it up SO MUCH, I guess the only outcome was either oral orgasms or disappointment. Here's the lowdown: The suckling pig is excellent. Is it $100/person excellent? No. It's still just pork. Is it crunchy, sweet, gamey and rich? Yup. It's still pork. The real issue here is that the few tapas we ordered and the sides that came with the pork were the real stunners. The grilled octopus was absolutely unbelievable, as were the bacon wrapped dates. The grilled onion sides, the white beans and chickpeas: Perfection. We enjoyed a Tempranillo which was also excellent. The bill? YIKES! I realize that the pig was $225, 2 bottles of wine made it $325, and 5 tapas were another $100, plus a must-include-20% gratuity-even-on-the-wine (which I normally don't tip on) made it a clean $500. So there were many parts that were 5 stars. But overall dollar per unit enjoyment was low. I continue to find that the food is the most important piece, and you can find that without having to spend a months salary.

    (3)

  • Diana Z.

    Food was incredible. Went for the restaurant week menu with 2 pals and we each got something different to take down the menu. Top-of-mind delights: scallops, shrimp flatbread, truffled asparagus with poached egg, wild mushrooms. Also the chorizo and garlic shrimp appetizers were delicious (even better than the serrano ham - which was unfortunately doused with oil). Be warned that you'll walk away smelling heavily of food. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing :)

    (5)

  • G... D.

    I have done my share of tapas here in the states and in Spain. Amada is by far the most accurate. The dishes here were spectacular. We had about 8 dishes between my wife and I. I did not want to stop. We are going back with some friends to try even more dishes. We started with ensalada de jamon which was done so nicely with the salad wrapped in the jamon, potato braves, pulpo, piquillos rellenos and many more. Plus great wines and on the second night we went I chose a Priorat Ardevol 05' that was well structured would higly recommend. The only thing that I must admit was not very accurate was the paella. We ordered the valenciana and was not impressed at all and for 38 dollars everyone at the table thought it was way over priced and just mediocre. But I won't let that bring down the review because everything else was so good I just wouldn't order any paella next time we come. If anyone finds themsleves in Berkeley CA go to Cesar for paella its spot on made with lobster broth, shellfish and chicken very good.

    (4)

  • Prapti B.

    Amazing food!! Def a great place for a celebration or nice treat. Wine selection is also superb. Food experience was delish however the tables are very close together for a big place, where our intimate dinner was not so intimate with the lady sitting next us talking loudly.

    (5)

  • Karen B.

    either i went here on an off night or all of philadelphia has been overrating this place in a big way. the entire experience screamed "so-so," especially considering the pricing. guy at the front seemed stiff and insincere and borderline annoyed that we arrived early (a whole five minutes) for our reservation. the sangria was good, but i can't think of anything that stood our from our chef's selection. the biggest problem was the noise level -- i couldn't hear a word of what our server said, and liam and i had to shout at each other across the table. this place is definitely better suited to larger groups -- our attempt at a romantic birthday dinner was an epic fail. (someone qualified this to me by explaining that amada is a traditional tapas joint, and that's what tapas joints are like. i've lived in spain before, thanks. they're not all like this.) i might be judging harshly since the letdown is always extra severe if you go into a place with very high hopes following countless rave reviews from other people ... i will say that my review would probably convey an entirely different tone if we had started our meal with the rice pudding instead of ending it that way. for dessert, we chose well.

    (2)

  • Jen R.

    Amada is a great place for non-picky eaters. I had trouble selecting from the menu because I didn't know what many things were. Good thing that they have the option to let the chef decide for you! For $45 a head you get about 10 plates of various foods. It also comes with a bit of history. Our waiter, Johnny, explained to us what time of day the people of Spain would normally have the meal we were having. Although I don't know the exact names of all the dishes, here is what I could remember: You start off with a seasoned cracker and a tuna dip (delicious!) These are in no particular order: Spanish Olives in wine (delicious!) Carpaccio (its kinda like pepperoni) Lima Bean Salad Scallops on a stick (very good) Lamb meat balls Mini Cucumbers with mustard for dipping Garlic Shrimp flat bread Empanadillas - Artichoke and Spinach (delicious!) Bread with fig and bleu cheese on the side Madre e Hijo - Chicken breast with a fried egg on top (Delicious!) And you cant forget the free almond cookie in the end (we couldn't fit dessert) The restaurant was rather loud. There was music playing in the background but you could barely hear it. The service was very fast. I felt like they were watching constantly for a clear plate so they could take it away. I was impressed because they give you new clean plates for the main course. The tables are very close together (its a small place). We spent almost 2 hours at the restaurant but it didn't feel like it since we were never waiting for more than 5 minutes. There was convenient valet parking out front. I'll definitely be back to try the Lamb Chops.

    (5)

  • Mike W.

    Went here for just drinks. Great martini's (I was already drunk but at the time they were great). My friend got the "Revolver" which I had just a sip of and tasted great. After a few drinks we got the "Braised Short Ribs Pizza" and it was absolutely delicious. We then sat there and closed the bar out. Great night!

    (5)

  • Katherine S.

    This restaurant confirmed a sneaking suspicion that I've always had about tapas restaurants: it's a great scam to charge people a lot of money for small plates of food. Having traveled extensively in Spain, I have a reasonable idea of how delicious Spanish tapas can be. The food at Amada is good, not great. The first sign something was amiss was how enormous the restaurant is, basically the size of a cracker barrel restaurant. I ate nothing truly outstanding. This could have been due to the fact that I was there with a large group of people and we decided to go with the chef's tasting menu for $55 each. one of the people in our group was allergic to red meat, mustard and shellfish. i asked the waitress if this was something the chef could work around and we were assured that it would not be a problem. I believed the waitress because of all the delicious pork things on the menu: three different kinds of chorizo, the amazing spanish ham that i could not wait to try, ETC. Anyone who has been to Spain knows that this is a county that does pork very well. Imagine my surprise when out of the 10 small pates we were served, NONE of them featured pork and our friend was allergic to four of them. I asked the waitress why we were not getting things that everybody could eat and I was told in a less than friendly tone that "there will be enough food to satisfy everyone." The chef's tasting menu was a total rip off and was really quite boring. The most authentically Spanish things we were served was a potato and egg tortilla, a meager plate of Spanish cheeses, and some vaguely spiced chicken and potato dish with a "hen egg" (no kidding, that is what the waitress called it) on top. along with that, we were served the "heirloom tomato flatbread" which was basically an inert cracker with a slice of heirloom tomato on it. there were scallops that had been pounded a bit and then sliced in half to give the appearance of larger scallops, uninspired shrimp in a salty butter sauce, and tough, chewy octopus. my friend, the birthday girl, requested chorizo early on and it never materialized. we also ordered the wine pairing for an additional $20/person. we began the meal with two $35 (!!!) pitchers of sangria. when the bill came i almost had a heart attack: for a group of 8, it came to a whopping $893 or $125/person. i have eaten in some fabulous restaurants where i'm more than happy to pay $125. sadly, this place was NOT worth it at all. if you're looking for a trendy, loud restaurant that does not want to challenge you or wow your palate, look no further.

    (1)

  • Tres T.

    Came here for restaurant week recently and had a lovely time. We were early for our reservation so they had us wait by the bar. We sat there and the bartender was very nice and friendly. The hostess came by to escort us to our table and we were taken to this private, quieter section in the back/side of the restaurant (behind the kitchen, I think). Our waitress was helpful and attentive. We started with the chorizo pamplona (10+ slices of chorizo w/ maybe 8+ slices of bread), aged manchego (which was just 2 little pieces of cheese w/ honey--nothing special in my opinion), tortilla espanola (tiny!). For our entrees we chose: scallops (4 total), chicken breast (to die for--chicken was perfectly cooked and tender), beef flatbread (salty), and a dish with different kinds of mushrooms (they give you a lot of mushrooms!). Dessert (completely forget what they were) was simple but delicious as well. All in all a great meal although the portions are noticeably small and some of the food tasted very salty after just a few bites (the beef flatbread especially!).

    (4)

  • matthew l.

    Went to Amada Saturday for about the fifth time. Garces is an extraordinary chef and to keep a place that big humming the way it does while keeping the food quality so high is the mark of an excellent manager also. Had a lovely time as always, sharing the food among the four of us is always a lot of fun. Our waiter was charming, enthusiastic and knowledgeable, pushing the food but in a gentle way. After about 15 dishes, we remembered that we hadn't received our cheese plate, we decided that we were quite full and asked the waiter to cancel it. Here's where Dr. Jekyll became Mr. Hyde, or is it the other way round? He said cancel it? What am I going to do with it? OK he said, I'll just have the chef throw it in the garbage. I couldn't believe my ears. First I answered, if you have a chef who will throw away a cheese plate, he needs to be fired. And secondly, with over 200 guests ordering, if you can't sell that dish within the next 20 minutes it needs to be taken off the menu.. I further explained that if it had been a hot dish we would have accepted it. I'll certainly go back again, chalking off an amusing encounter as simply a hardcore professional Old City waiter protecting his tip. I'll even return despite the hostess coming over to ask how we were, putting her hand over 6 empty sugar packets and moving them closer to the edge of the table? and never removing them. These things are all part of the fun of dining in the big city. I love it.

    (4)

  • vivian y.

    was in philly last week for work. saw great reviews for amada and decided to give it a try. it was good/average but i dont think i would go back...definitely not worth the average 4.5 stars. cmon people! everything we ordered was quite "salty" and i eat pretty salty foods...so even i was shocked at how heavy handed the salt was. we ordered the baby squid, some special forbidden italian/spanish ham (that is cut so uniquely, that it used to be illegal? and off the menu), aged manchego, revuelto, costillas de ternera, almejas con chorizo and the setas. i consider myself a foodie and eat out quite a bit b/c of work and the fact that its a hobby/addiction now. but i wasn't super thrilled about amada. my friends whom i went with said they enjoyed the chef's tinto better (but i haven't been). service was ok. slow...at times we had no idea where our waiter was. the good thing was, i called at 3 pm for a same day reservation and we were seated right at 9 pm. ambiance is nice. lighting is dim but not too dim to the point where you cannot see your dinner-mates.

    (3)

  • Michelle C.

    My friend and I found ourselves here on Sunday night in hopes that we could get seated. As luck would have it, there were two seats available at the chef's counter. Since neither of us was starving, we ordered 4 plates to share~ a serrano ham and fig salad, two different flatbreads and parmesan artichokes. Everything was really nicely presented and full of flavor. Our server was very attentive and pleasant. The seasonal peach sangria was delicious and probably one of the best I've had. Our only gripe was that it was SO HOT in the restaurant. And not just where we were seated, but everywhere. We suspected the managers were probably trying to conjure the actual temperature of Spain to provide the full experience. As we watched the desserts being prepared in front of us, the ice cream scooped on top started melting instantly. I felt kind of sad for the people who had ordered them. Overall, I'd love to try Amada again, but probably not until summer is over. I loathe melty ice cream!

    (4)

  • Mark S.

    Skip the Lobster Paella, stick with the awesome Tapas. This place has a great atmosphere. Totally fun vibe. The decor was straight out of Spain and the lanterns on the tables and bar were a great touch. It is very loud inside, but not so much that it is distraction, but instead contributing to a fun night out feel. The host was very accommodating when my reservation for the chef's table was blocked by laggards chitchatting. I appreciate not wanting to deliver the check before the party is ready, but be firm when they are chatting after paying the bill and ask them to move to the bar to accommodate reservations. The sat me at a very nice table instead. The waitress was divine - made spot on recommendations and was surpurbly attentive. The Tapas was great. I totally recommend the garlic shrimp. Simply scrumptious and brought sizzling to the table in a little crock. Annoyingly there were more shrimp than toast to put them on, so I had to ask for more. The artichoke and wild mushroom flatbread was a perfect counterpoint. I toured Spain when I was younger and fell in love with the regional varieties of paella thus I expect a degree of difference whenever I order it. However, what was delivered was a huge sloppy mess of deconstructed seafood paella with oiled cilantro salad dumped into the side of the pan. It didn't appear to have been thoroughly mixed either as I hit pockets of salt that made it almost inedible and the squid ink didn't add anything to the dish. I can only assume Chef intended the spice to come from the paprika aioli on the toast as there wasn't anything else discernible in the paella. I'm used to the prawns and seafood being cooked in the paella pan itself. It seemed the major seafood was cooked outside of e pan and added afterwards which defeats the whole purpose of paella being cooked together. If this is a signature dish, then I submit that Chef has been in absentia too long. The waitress recommended the Flao for desert, bless her heart! It was awesome. Like a lighter cousin to a cheesecake it was simply heavenly. The coffee was tragedy in a cup. You would think world renown chefs would learn you can't finish out a high class meal with horrible coffee. The Specialty Coffee Association of America exists for a reason. All in all, a great experience. I'd totally go back for Tapas.

    (4)

  • Danica A.

    Very very good. Highly recommend next time you're in Philadelphia. We had a wonderful time. Hip, cool, not too loud wth 20-something boors.

    (4)

  • Peter D.

    Absolutely amazing Spanish tapas. Came here on an impulse while actually on the way to another restaurant; pretty glad we stopped in after having five tapas that served as sort of pre-dinner appetizers. We arrived around opening time on the Tuesday after Hurricane Sandy hit Philadelphia, thus there was no wait time whatsoever. I'd imagine it to be a lot busier on most other nights. Service was exceptional; my friend was running out of charge on his phone and our waitress gladly found an outlet in the back for recharging. The restaurant was dimly lit and conveyed a classic yet cool vibe. And of course the food was spectacular. After starting off with a complimentary plate (I believe it was tuna served with thin tortillas), we received our tapas in order (the plates came quickly, but remember there were very few patrons in the restaurant at the time). The queso de cabra (goat cheese in a tomato basil sauce) was wonderful--the cheese was of perfect consistency, although more bread could have been provided initially. We also got the Spanish tortillas and chiperones fritas (fried baby squid), both of which were great. However, the knockout punch had to be the datiles con almendras--an almond set within dates wrapped in bacon, placed on a skewer with onions. The texture was perfect, the sweet/salty flavor simply amazing, and I just could not stop thinking about the dish long after I finished. Wow. Pros: Freakin' delicious tapas Cons: Too far from where I live; return date as yet unknown

    (5)

  • Rathore V.

    A good decor. Doesn't feel like a traditional tapas place though-more American than a tapas decor. Was a while back when we went but the food and sangria were 8/10. Do try it.

    (4)

  • Victoria B.

    Wow, so dissapointed. Booked for my birthday through open table and my boyfriend noted on the reservation that it was my birthday. The waitress started out nice but once she realized we werent drinking not ordering tons of food that all changed. Each dish was ok with the shrimp being the best but it was the waitress that ruined my birthday. Once she realized this wasnt going to be a huge tab she became rude and dissapeared. The manager paid us more attention! As far as my birthday she took the tuille cookie that every table gets with their check stuck a pathetic little candle on it and plunked it down in front of me said happy birthday is a shitty voice and walked off immediatley. We came all the way to Philadelphia from los angeles for my birthday and were looking forward to a special meal at a Garces restraunt ( we love Garces Trading Co) and we ended up having a lousy night. We will never go back

    (2)

  • Barry R.

    Bar none one of the best restaurants in the city. The food is amazing - great tastes and great presentations, the service is exceptional and the ambiance is great! The only bad thing is that even if you order 3 tapas per person, you feel that you are still leaving stones un-turned with all of the delicious options on the menu. Then when you go back, you want to eat the same great things from last time. But alas, it's a quality problem. Don't read any further, just check this place out for yourself.

    (5)

  • Bryan L.

    Being a fan of cooking celebrities, I definitely wanted to check out Jose Garces' restaurant, Amada, on my visit to Philly. As soon as I entered, I was in front of three "bouncer looking guys" and two girls. Why are there 5 people at the front desk? One of them escorted me to my seat. I informed the waitress that I would be doing the tasting menu and would like Iced tea. I also asked if I could get a menu of what I had. More about that later. The waitress was not very talkative, just all about business. The other crew was very helpful and explained every dish. My favorite dish was the sardines. They were cool and the olive oil just gave that dish the appropriate amount of richness. Most of the other dishes though were far below par all due to one thing: salt. Don't get me wrong; I love salt. I cook with salt. I enjoy salt. But these dishes had WAY too much! Almost every one of them. I was shocked. Tasting Menu 1 - Tuna (Nothing better than tuna in a can) 2 - White Anchovies (My favorite dish) 3 - Fried Peppers (Though delicious, about half of them were too salted.) 4 - Charcuteria 5 - Spanish Octopus (Good texture, but very salty and oily) 6 - Tomato Spanish flatbread (Cheese was very salty. Something more mild would've done the trick.) 7 - Chicken and Potatoes (The potatoes were perfect, but the chicken was like biting in to salt.) 8 - Parmesan Artichokes (Second favorite dish of the night) 9 - Scallops (nothing special) 10 - Lamb Chop (Nice and tender) 11 - Chocolate Flourless Cake (Great textures) Later in the evening I was presented a menu. But this menu just had the normal dishes. I asked if they could let me know which ones I had. They took the menu and highlighted the dishes. Upon further inspection, two of the ones highlighted, were ones I didn't have. Though this may be a miniscule detail for most, for me it was an easy request. I dropped the whole thing, paid the bill and left. Due to the food being hugely over-salted, and to the service being less than outstanding is the reason for the 2 star review.

    (2)

  • Shirley Y.

    Love this place and the variety you get from tapas! Been here twice this year... once for restaurant week and another time for regular dinner. Definitely worth it if you can get a reservation for restaurant week since it can be pricey. Sangrias are good... I prefer the white over the red. Aged Manchego Cheese with truffled lavendar honey is served with granny smith apple slices and bread, and the combination is amazing! Other favorites were the wonderfully flavorful and perfectly cooked scallops a la plancha, seasonal wild mushrooms, and the Madre E Hijo (chicken, fried soft egg, fingerling potatoes, truffles). Omg I'm getting so hungry now just thinking about these dishes. The garlic shrimp, melon con jamon, and the shortribs flatbread were good too. Still a lot of other dishes to try... so I must go back soon! Tinto is another of Jose Garces restaurants, serving tapas as well. If you like Amada, you'll probably like Tinto

    (5)

  • Pam A.

    Rock Star food and service. This trip was just a sit at the bar, but it never disappoints.

    (5)

  • Marissa C.

    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!

    (4)

  • Hector M.

    If reincarnation exists, I want to come back as an Iberico pig.... I've been on an Iron Chef theme the last few times I've visited Philadelphia: Morimoto, Tinto, and Vetri (he defeated Symon). I took a few clients here and they sat us in the rock garden picnic table area. The moment I looked at the menu, I ordered a bunch of things before anyone even got a chance to pick up the menu: - Jamon Iberico: I could eat this everyday (if I see it on a menu, I have to order and reorder it) - Croquettas: just OK (I've definitely had better) - Patatas Bravas: OK (it reminded me of Combos) - Gambas Al Ajillo: pretty good (I definitely took more than my share when people were distracted in conversation) - Pato con Cerezas (duck on flatbread): good - Alcachofas Y Setas (artichoke on flatbread): very good - Costillas de Ternera (shortrib flatbread): just OK - Chicken Brochettes: just OK - Lamb Chops: very good - Cochinillo Asado (suckling pig): I found it way too fatty - it felt like I was chewing on grizzle You can't eat tapas and not have sangria - we went with the Temporada sangria (rose wine with port & cranberries). I was definitely fishing out cranberries with my fingers (using the straws as chopsticks was completely ineffective). The hallway leading to the bathroom was definitely very cool - it is illuminated by 20 or so tea candles creating a landing strip.

    (3)

  • Pooja A.

    Wow - this place is amazing. Probably the best tapas outside of Spain that I have had. The fideos were incredible. Even the bravas, a tapas staple, were executed very well. They also have a lot of vegetarian options, which is rare for tapas. It can get a little pricey to try a lot of different things, but if any place is worth a splurge, this place is. Can't wait to go back! One caveat - there can be some obnoxious groups of businessmen dining there that get very loud. That was my only real complaint.

    (5)

  • T H.

    This is a very good restaurant. Most of the items on the menu are good. Their tasting menu is a good option. Some misses, though. The lobster paella has great potential (this is a paella negra - I don't know where else around here that serves this) but it was too salty. This place is a notch better than Tinto.

    (4)

  • John I.

    A very expensive, pretentious restaurant that serves mediocre small plates. Although the Chef recommends three plates per person, I think you can actually get away with two. The food was not fresh and seemed to have the precooked feel to it. The scallops were fishy and had no unique flavor. The ESCALIVADA (Roasted Peppers & Eggplant, Cipollini Onions & Confit Tomatoes) felt like a week old marinade and isn't worth ones stomach. Finally, the MADRE E HIJO (Chicken Breast, Fried Egg, Mojama & Truffles) sounded good, but again was dry and even the egg tasted off. There is really something wrong here. Also, I highly recommend that you avoid sitting at the bar facing the chefs. Your back is to the restaurant and all you feel are the servers walking back and forth. That motion actually creates an eery feeling of being on a boat and hence some motion sickness is possible. Not a great experience. A high price point. A loud restaurant with poor seating. Food was off that night. Can't recommend. I am sorry. Good luck in Philadelphia.

    (1)

  • Armin F.

    Great location and interesting tapas creations. Solid Tapas restaurant but no "game-changer". Zahav remains my favorite place in Philadelphia.

    (4)

  • Scott L.

    Truly enjoyed everything I had, from the cocktails to the pizzetta...except for the chickpea dish, in which the chickpeas weren't cooked all the way through. thetrufflehoney.blogspot…

    (4)

  • Terry B.

    Where can I get a sixth star? So amazing, creative and delicious! Do the tasting with the pairing and you'll keep coming back - we do!

    (5)

  • Dee B.

    First time there and I LOVED IT! We sat at the bar and had dinner. Zane & another bartender who is British and a mohawk - absolute GEMS! This is a definite stop anytime in Philly! The Tapas was awesome from the Lamb to the Wild Mushrooms and the tomato bread tapas (only in Spring and Summer - tease). THe drinks are incomparable. THey made a vodka gimlet (Zane) that was PERFECT (dare I say!!)! The sangria (red) was awesome! Definitely make this a stop or 2! Great job Amada's!

    (5)

  • Heather Jo M.

    Loved it so much!!! Everything melted in my mouth. I wasn't really interested in the manchego cheese lavender honey item but my friend insisted. Hats off to her cuz now it's my "go to" item to take to someone's house. They sell the honey!! I don't like lavender but that stuff is great!

    (5)

  • Noise J.

    Its not bad... THe food was very salty and I didnt like that everyone in there was acting like they were in some super hip New York spot. RELAX PEOPLE! Philly needs to slow its role and be more of a small town. We have totally hit pretentious, I think. Thanks Yups. The food here is like I said...OK.

    (2)

  • J G.

    Went for lunch yesterday. Space open and inviting - especially since we were escaping the midst of a heavy rain shower! We all tried the Catalan express and a few extra tapas. The lunch specials are good deal but stick to the salads over the sandwiches. Both soups were very flavorful. The sandwiches were too but served on an overly oily bread which seemed to take over the different fillings. The ensalada verde with the fava beans were the group's favorite. Wine list extensive and delicious unlimited coffee can't be beat.

    (4)

  • Hoang T.

    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.

    (4)

  • Louis D.

    Just went for the third time, but this time around it was for the big Pig Out feast. It. Was. Amazing. Every side dish was excellent (standouts for me were the grilled chorizo, bacon baked beans, and roasted potatoes), and the pig...oh man the pig. I think the four of us ate about 50 pounds of pork, then we got experimental and asked for other, less typical parts of the animal. We were promptly brought the head parts - tongue, cheek, ear, snout, and yes, brain. I'm not saying this because they tasted good (most of them didn't) but because it was a very unique experience that I won't forget for a longgggg time. And because the food was incredible (except the brain and ears, I'll pass next time). My previous two trips involved the house tasting menu. I won't go into detail here, but I've eaten at all of the Garces restaurants and I'm willing to proclaim Amada the winner.

    (5)

  • Christine L.

    This restaurant has been on my to-eat list since forever, glad I jumped at the chance to go for a friend's birthday. Ambiance is great, elegant but understated feeling. Service was lovely and accommodating. Seems like they are used to many newcomers to the restaurant and so were very helpful and glad to recommend dishes, etc. I appreciated that the restaurant and waitstaff are welcoming, not stuffy as one would assume fancy restaurants are.. I enjoyed all the dishes we tried, so I can't particularly recommend one. I will say that though the menu is meat-heavy, vegetarians too will be pleased to dine at Amada, so don't shy away!

    (5)

  • Steve M.

    Oh hell yes. I plan to come back here lots of times, but here's some highlights from my most recent trip: - The complimentary tuna dip starter with garlic crackers was out of this world! An excellent start! - Lechón Con Queso Azul - slow cooked pork shoulder flatbread with cheese, pine nuts and an apple cider reduction. So bright and delicious. - Calamari linguini with clams, scallops and sweet onion cream. Unreal. - Salad with figs and almonds, wrapped entirely in slices of serrano ham. I wasn't in love with the salad itself, but that ham more than made up for it! Plus... it's enormous. Like a loaf of bread... only it's covered in delicious ham. - The sangria was delicious and a *great* value for the amount you get: a big fat pitcher with no ice to water it down! Amada didn't need another five-star review... but it deserves it!

    (5)

  • Bridget M.

    An all around wonderful dining experience. Lively atmosphere, outstanding service and some of the best food in Philadelphia. The menu is large, and we didn't know how to narrow it down to a reasonable amount of food, so we opted for the tasting menu. $55 per person isn't bad for 15+ plates of food. Must try: Lamb meatballs and flourless chocolate cake.

    (5)

  • Daryl G.

    Great food. Unfortunately, they don't serve the paella for lunch. Best meal I had during my stay

    (4)

  • Tatyana M.

    OMG what a dissapointment! People, you better to believe all the bad reviews have written here if you don't want to spend tons of your money for nothing. I didn't pay attention on these reviews thinking what can go wrong in almost 5** famous Chef's restaurant with so many reviews and paid a heavy price. PROS: Sangria and RABILLO DE CADERA the only dish out of all the food we tasted. CONS: All the rest of the dishes (7 of them) were greasy and ether absolutely tasteless or HEAVILY over salted. The service was "kind of" nice but spotty and forgetful. The ambiance was dark and VERY noisy. And the whole experience was WAAAY overpriced for what you get. We couldn't believe what a fake of the real tapas it was. Definitely this place is out of our list of restaurants. If we crave Spanish Tapas we will find quite a good one in Ole Tapas in Newark, DE.

    (1)

  • Ricardo S.

    Great tapas. You wont get disappointed. Really nice ambiance and good selection of Spanish wine.

    (4)

  • Walt L.

    I couldn't justify buying snacks on the plane so I closed my eyes, went to sleep and dreamt of tapas tickling my food senses. Six hours and 2,500 miles later, I'm finally in Philly. Even the additional delay due to 40 mph winds and the feeling of nauseousness couldn't stop my hunger and my will to visit the home of Iron Chef Garces. I knew I was in heaven when a statue of a pig greeted me as I walked through the front door. I sat at the kitchen area and enjoyed the pulpo a la gallega, piquillos rellenos and the oh so tasty, pernil asado. I enjoyed them very much and highly recommend them. Fat and content, I'm staring at the dessert menu trying to convince myself there's space in the belly when all of a sudden, THE MAN walks by. What a bonus!! Not only did I dine on tasty tapas, I met, shook hands and briefly chatted with ICJG (Iron Chef Jose Garces). He's a very personable and jolly man and it was nice of him to have autographed and personalized a message in his cook book I purchased.

    (5)

  • Sean H.

    Amada is, quite simply, my favorite restaurant ever. Having lived in Spain, I can honestly say that Garces serves up better tapas than you typically get there. I made the mistake of falling in love with Amada first before trying the real Spanish deal, which resulted in constant disappointment when a bowl of shriveled gambas al ajillo appeared on my table. Garces has taken what, in Spain, is basically a free snack that comes with every €4 beer and made it into an epicurean delight. Now that I've fully qualified my opinion, on to the food. It's all wonderful. A lot of my friends are vegetarian, and they always had plenty to eat at Amada. But they also have every kind of meat and seafood that you could want, too. My only issue, if there is one, is that the menu has remained relatively static over the years. That's totally fine, since it's an outstanding menu that I basically know by heart, but I would like to be surprised from time to time. My advice: get a jug of both the red and white sangria, order the paella, and whatever you do, order at least one Madre e Hijo. That is the perfect dish. Period. I'm actually gonna not type any more, because I could be here all night. Just go to Amada.

    (5)

  • Maria G.

    Petite plates. Perfect Dates.

    (4)

  • Catherine L.

    Since Jose (in my dreams, I'd like to think we would be on a first name basis) opened up his first baby Amada, the place has been jam-packed, filled to the brim popular- with good reason, it was one of the first restaurants in the city to tackle and execute good Spanish tapas cuisine (Bar Ferdinand soon followed suit) and it was the first place of many that would start rivaling Stephen's empire. This place is on the pricier side, so be ready to spend a pretty penny if you want a no-holds-barred dinner (if you've got the pennies, try the tasting menu!). Avoid buying wine by the glass (the better pours are priced $13 and up and there isn't too much variety) and buy a bottle. It has been serving consistently good food since its opening with very few dissappointments. This is tapas, so portions are small and are meant to be shared. Food is more about substance and taste than presentation. Their rotating amuse bouches are always delicious and refreshing than your average bread service. (i.e. last visit served up a delectable tuna salad) The food is only a couple notches better than Bar Ferdinand, so if you want the tapas experience for half the price, go there instead.

    (4)

  • Lowell J.

    Very fancy, excellent service, very expensive if you get the tasting menu with wine. I was there for a special occasion and it fit the bill. Nothing really blew me away food-wise but the service was great and my two guest really enjoyed themselves

    (3)

  • Kevin W.

    I went here today to have the Amada burger and all I have to say is Wow!!!After being let down at Village Whiskey(see review) I still had high hopes for Iron chef Garces to "blow me away" and this burger certainly did it is one of the few burgers you will have in the city that is actually seasoned,most places just have high quality beef but I like my burgers to have extra flavor...service was outstanding and at 1pm the restaurant wasn't very crowded Bun---very good with a slight onion flavor Meat--Incredible!!!!....very nicely seasoned Toppings-- very good includes a fried part of a pig lol

    (4)

  • David Y.

    In all fairness, I am probably an anti-foodie. I don't really appreciate taste unless it's sushi. But I didn't walk out of this place thinking this place was excellent. I actually left feeling hungry (I ordered about 4 things). My date didn't care much about the food either and she was a foodie. So I'm basing my rating off of both of our taste buds. Also, we didn't appreciate how our waiter was very mechanical in trying to get us to order more (even though our bill already was $150). He just kept salesmanning me into buying more dishes even though I wasn't interested but I thought if I listened to just one of his recommendations, it would appease his desire to feed me. Nope. Also, I don't drink and the waiter just kept pushing "drinks" onto me (for example, he would come back every 10 minutes and ask "you sure you don't want anything other than diet coke?").

    (3)

  • Josephine L.

    Penultimate stop on Philly food tour, day #1: A *nice* (as in get dressed up, put on shoes more stylish than sneakers) dinner at Jose Garces's celebrated Amada. The boyfriend and I went all out and did the most expensive tasting menu offered. The food was good, but everything was about 1-2 degrees too salty for me. Everything. The best item was this scrambled egg with jumbo shrimp dish served with toasted slices of brioche laden with real ground truffles. It was absolutely heavenly and the least salty dish served. In total, we were served 9 generous plates of tapas, so no complaints about food size. In addition to the egg/truffle thing, other standouts were the potato+octopus dish, prosciutto-wrapped salad (though this was EXTREMELY salty) and the short rib pizza. The lamb shanks were good too, but I wasn't a big fan of the fish in creamy, almost ginger-like sauce. Oh, and the oyster shooters in the beginning were lovely. I tried the Tinto sangria as well and it was definitely on the strong side of sangrias I've had. I'd have preferred it a little sweeter, but it wasn't bad overall. The docked star is for the saltiness and the extremely long wait between our first two tapas (the oysters and the egg/truffle thing) and the next set of tapas. Probably close to half an hour wait. Our waiter was really nice, though, and apologized profusely for the wait, but it was only after I made a point to mention it at the third round of tapas that things changed and service was much quicker. Maybe it was the 4th of July crowd. I don't know. The restaurant is lovely in a bare-bones, almost rustic kind of way. I'm glad I gave it a try but I was far from blown away.

    (4)

  • FZ R.

    Good food, however service was not on par. Waitress was not very attentive, even though we mentioned several times we don't eat meat, one of our dishes had Ham in it. She was apologetic and took the dish off the bill, but at an establishment like this expect a higher level of attentiveness to customers needs.

    (2)

  • Janna G.

    PROS: Great ambiance, really friendly bartenders, delicious food. CONS: Service was at times very fast and other times extremely slow. We ordered 4 small plates; 3 came out within 10 minutes and the 4th took an additional 25 minutes. Not such good planning. We then ordered dessert (the olive oil cake which needed to be assembled) and it took over 15 minutes. The ribs flatbread was delicious as was the manchego cheese with lavender honey. I would skip the scallops. They were good but about $10 for 4 medium-sized scallops; not worth it. Definitely make reservations if we don't want to sit at the bar.

    (4)

  • Regina F.

    Boys, makeovers, and candy? Sure, as a teenager, I loved them all, but not as much as I loved (rather obsessed over) horses. There was something so captivating, so majestic, so regal about those four-legged beasts galloping over the emerald, wildflower studded prairies. Everything else seemed secondary to learning about, riding, and watching the creatures. My favorite encycolopedia showcased some 100+ breeds of horses with full color photos. Nearly 15 years after purchasing it most pages are worn, but there is one that is tattered more than the others. This page features the most galliant horse of them all: the Andalusian. His strong, sloping neck is reminicent of snow covered hills. His shiny mane glistens like water unter the midday sun. His large, round black eyes offer a glimpse into his compassionate soul. And his back... -ZIP- where was I going with this? Oh that's right...Amada - the restaurant with the Andaulsian tapas. The giddy, surreal, yearning I had as a teenager longing for an Andalusian horse of her own was finally satiated by dining at Amada. The bacon wrapped dates induced fits of ecstasy, and are worthy for royal tongues. They're figgy, with a hint of bacon richness. The ground almonds offer a musky-sweet undertone while providing a subtle crunch. The crab-stuffed peppers were as exciting as rallied up crowds make bull-fighting appear to be (...eh). The colorful cannons of mild red bell peppers offer the perfect conduit for blasting moist crab meat into your mouth. The Lemon Torta with its bilberry jam and bilberry swirl confit was cleansing, slightly sour and surprisingly succulent. The slightly lemony essence of the confit and ice cream base accentuated the berry tartness of the billberries.

    (5)

  • ivonne c.

    Oh look, another person raving about Amada. What else is new? Look, it goes without saying that anything with the Garces name attached to it shows a lot of promise and I go in there with high expectations. Getting in on a weekend without a reservation? Next to impossible! But my wedding anniversary was right around the corner, I made plans dammit. I want to see if the hype is worth it. Being that it was our first time and it was a special occasion, we rolled with the upper tiered chefs tasting menu. A) the amount of food they bring out is obscene. Almost too much, next time we go with the lower tiered version or order on our own. B) it is absolutely the best way to go if you are looking to get your money's worth. They brought out so many dishes that I cannot remember them all. 3 courses, 3-4 dishes each + dessert. There were definite notables: the ensalada de jamon, the spanish octopus, jamon segoviano. All really good dishes, only one dish was a little on the let down side... mushrooms that tasted like they had 1/2 a stick of butter in them. Too heavy. One so so dish out of all of them? Not too shabby. Funny enough, that salad was the winner of them all. We are still raving about it. Overall the service was on point and the meal was fantastic. Definitely plan on going back.

    (5)

  • Vanessa G.

    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.

    (5)

  • MaryAnn Z.

    I mean. What can I possibly write about this place that hasn't already been written? Just pretend that I recapped everything everyone in the previous 241 reviews has already gushed about. Now, a few personal highlights from the evening: 1. Lavender tequila martini?!! Are you freaking serious? Oh, delicious beverage, you are the kid who ruined the curve for the entire class. How do you overachieve with such vigor? 2. Garlic dulce de leche. My feeble little brain can't even understand why this is so delicious, but DO NOT HESITATE. It's amazing. 3. The ensalada verde dish wound up being the favorite dish of half of our table. Generally, I wouldn't go for a salad at a tapas restaurant, but with three other people eating, we had so many dishes, I decided to to try it. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200. Eat the shit out of this salad. I don't even know how they cram magic into vegetables. Maybe it's a special type of hydroponics? Who cares. It's amazingamazingamazing.

    (5)

  • Stephen K.

    Everyone gives this place a five, because it is amazing and it is. The food is great, but there is some hype to it. With that hype there is a cost, and it's passed onto you. Yes it is in olde city. I am sure the overhead is a lot and that is why the dishes are high, but I expect more then two small scallops cut in half to look like 4, when the dish cost $12 and it was nothing but scallops with a drizzle of sauce. Most of the cost is the name and expenses of the location and staff. So charge a little more and give me 4 scallops. I went on a Friday night. I did not have a reservation but was lucky to get a high top table next to the bar after a 30 minute wait. My date and I had a few drinks each and some apps. We sat there for two hours so I gave a generous tip to our server for occupying her table for a while. The total came to around $160. The sangria is really good, but be careful. After 3 each for two people you are already over $60 after tax and tip. We had a cheese platter which was good. Our 3 choices were: ERMESENDA with Chocolate Hazelnut Purée, AGED MANCHEGO with Truffled Lavender Honey, FRESH QUESO DE CABRA with Balsamic Strawberries. The platter came with sliced bread and sliced apples. This was very good and a value as well. Also had the scallops as I mentioned above. the last selection was the COSTILLAS DE TERNERA. One word... AMAZING!!!! I would say the flatbreads seem like their best value. This one had Beef Shortribs, horseradish, Parmesan, Bacon. It was cut into four pieces and was my favorite. I would love to get a group back and try the Roasted Suckling pig dinner. A great time to go (though tough) is Philly's Rest Week's. Def will go back, as I am eager to try more places.

    (4)

  • Ken E.

    Tappas. Old City. Loud, annoying yups. it all works. Amada was early to the tapas scene and does it right every time. A worthy stop on the foodie circuit. Recommended. Dress well, and look your best.

    (4)

  • Jess L.

    To start off, this is the BEST tapas place I've been to. And headed by The Next Iron Chef winner, Jose Garces, it's easy to see why. The ambiance is perfect for dates or intimate groups, and the food is even better. With reasonable portions and dishes bursting with flavor, it was hard to choose a favorite, let alone least favorite. The food came out in a timely manner, while the service was on par. If I had to recommend one item, it would be the White Sangria. I'm usually picky with fruit-flavored things but this one really knocked it out of the park. The perfect balance of sweetness really complimented the food well. Now if only he can bring Amada to NYC.

    (5)

  • Noheli T.

    Wow! Amada blew me away last night! The food was absolutely amazing! My mother and I went last night for restaurant week and I honestly cannot remember all of the things that we ordered because there was so much but I do know that it was all delicious. We also ordered a pitcher or Blanco Sangria and it was great! The overall service was also excellent. I honestly have no complaints! It is definitely one of my new favorite spots in the city!

    (5)

  • S L.

    Tapas. They had an excellent customer services, but I was bit disapoointed with their food. Other then that, I had a great time with my friends. I think this place is perfect for date/wine after dinner. Ex. Have a nice dinner at other place and have some wine with Amada's various cheese. That will be perfect.

    (3)

  • Sopheara S.

    I went to Amada for my friend birthday last Saturday. The place was quite impressive with the food and service . It was pretty crowed because we had about 16 peoples they managed to put us in private party room. The fact that we had many people, I was thinking we probably have to wait for awhile for our food ,but in fact it was not bad. Sangria was excellent ! I would definitely recommend : 1. Costillas de Ternera " beef shortibe" , 2. Entrecote A la Catalana " Prime Sirloin with catelain Spinach". 3. Garlic Shimp comes with bread. 4. Lamb Chops. 5. Lamb meatballs. 6. Lobster. The food come with small portion , so you can have the opportunity to order many things to try out . Absolutely love it !

    (4)

  • David L.

    All over the chart! Inconsistent! I found their selection of Charcuterie and Cheeses to be underwhelming & uninspiring -- and the guy cutting & preparing them looked anything but enthused -- so we started with soups. My Pumpkin Soup with Buffalo Mozzarella & Toasted Pumpkin Seeds & Diced Zucchini was absolutely terrific (9/10)... My friend's Galician White Bean & Ham stew didn't seem to make much of an impression other than "What a neat way to present it, but it's way too salty" (I agree, 5/10). Grilled Octopus & Potatoes was too expensive for the ratio of protein to carbohydrates, and it was sort of a one-note dish, namely salt (5/10)... Crab-Stuffed Roasted Red-Peppers were pretty good, a generous amount of tender crab meat, everything was well seasoned but overall could've used a touch of acidity (7/10)... Lamb Meatballs with Shaved Manchego and Peas turned out to be absolutely awesome, wonderfully tender and perfectly seasoned and beautifully cooked, a real winner (10/10). Grilled Asparagus with Poached Egg & Mahon (cheese) Crisp & Truffles was just bad, I'm sorry -- the egg wasn't cooked properly, I had to choke it down, the truffles were soggy and flavorless, and the asparagus were limp and lifeless (3/10)... Grilled Lobster was decent, not the most generous portion ever but also not the smallest, it was seasoned well-enough, and I really enjoyed sucking the juice out of the shell (7/10). Braised Rabbit Pasta with Truffled Chestnut Puree & Brandied Cherries -- another winner (10/10), the pasta was incredibly tender, the rabbit was wonderfully seasoned, the cherries were nice and succulent with just the right amount of tartness -- I just wish that they would've perhaps raised the price by a dollar or two and put a couple more on the plate... Breaded Lamb Chops stuffed with Herbed Goat Cheese and topped with Romesco Sauce -- awesome, just what the doctor ordered (9/10). For dessert, since it's vacation after all, we over-indulged. The Warm Brown Butter Cake was slightly stale and unevenly reheated but it was very tasty and nicely presented with some delicious almond ice cream (6/10)... The Saffron Rice Pudding with Blackberry Compote and Lemon Jam and White Cheese and Cinnamon "Bric" was in my friend's opinion "Too much of a good thing" but since I'm writing the review here I didn't think it was very good at all and just too much of too much -- the rice was undercooked, the chunks of lemon rind weren't cut finely enough so the result was incredibly overpowering, the blackberry compote was a little bland, and the white cheese was indistinguishable, but I thought the cinnamon bric was tasty and neatly seasoned (4/10)... Creme Fraiche Ice Cream was a knockout (10/10), Mixed Berry Sorbet was terrific (8/10), Pear Sorbet was awesome (9/10). 2 different white wines, 2 different red wines, and 1 Sherry -- prices were all decent, pours were never exciting or generous, but the problem comes with the service. Oh, the service. How absolutely annoying our server was. He gave his opinion on absolutely everything. Trying to talk us out of things we wanted and trying to talk us into things we didn't want. He took the wine menu away every time and took forever to bring it back. He touched plates before they were finished. He never offered us bread, we had to ask a bus-boy for it. And worst of all, it was my friend's birthday -- even after two reminders (one to the front of the house, and one directly to him in person) absolutely nothing was done in recognition of this special event... It's because of our particularly horrible waitstaff that I am tempted to give Amada 2 stars overall, but that'd be unfair, I want to give it another shot sometime in the future (with a different waiter, of course) -- what was good was really good, and what wasn't very good was easily fixable -- perhaps we came on an off night at an off time, but that really shouldn't be an excuse... I'll be back, maybe next time I won't ask to sit in the bar area (which I initially found highly desirable due to it's very casual and relaxed atmosphere) and I'll let them sit me in the proper dining area (which they initially offered) where higher standards are probably expected and hopefully delivered.

    (3)

  • Jennifer S.

    Love! We've been twice. The food is amazing, service top notch, the atmosphere is fun. I can't recommend it enough. The only downside is there are so many amazing menu items it is tough to decide what to order! :)

    (5)

  • Walter K.

    As soon as I found out the dates for Restaurant week, I was on the phone making reservations at Amada within minutes. I met up with Quinn for drinks at Eulogy, and we then headed over for our 8pm reservations. We only waited a few minutes before we were seated. Amada is a huge, sprawling restaurant. The decor in the front in like a classy general store with a nice long open bar, while the back turns into a normal dining room after the open air kitchen. Quinn had done a good bit of research (and I hadn't) and picked out everything that we ordered. Amada, like Chifa, is tapas inspired. Small dishes, meant for sharing, populate the table during the whole meal. For our first course, we started with an aged Manchego cheese. It was served with honey and apple slices, and the combination of these three were heavenly. We also ordered Serrano Ham, a thinly sliced antipasta style dish. This was good, but lacked the flavor to carry itself. The texture was more impressive than the taste. We followed up with goat cheese and roasted veggies on bread; nothing memorable here. We also had an order of garlic shrimp, and this tasted great. The second course started with seasoned wild mushroom. I can't stress enough: These were amazing. That dish was one of the best things I've tasted in months. Excellent mushrooms in an even better marinade. We rounded out the second course with grilled chorizo, which was very good. We also had lima bean salad. It was okay. It had a weird texture and there were many menu ideas I would have rather tried. Lastly, we had grilled calamari, and that was great, too. We had each of one of the desserts. I'm not a huge dessert person, and neither of these were that good. The best part was a complimentary almond wafer, which was basically a larger delicious fortune cookie. For drinks, I usually don't expect much from nice restaurants. Amada, however, has a good, small selection. They have one representative from several styles: pilsner, IPA, lager, red ale, and stout. And they're all solid selections and normally priced. I had two Founders' Centennial IPA. Quinn stuck with the sangria and enjoyed that a lot. Amada has an extensive wine list, but I ignored it. Bottom Line: It's easy to see why this spot is wildly popular. I've heard that it's even better off restaurant week. The atmosphere is cool and the service was great (Thanks Shelly!). Overall, the menu contains some hit or miss items, which is unfortunate. I was pleased with my meal, but this isn't at the top of my list for places to eat in the city. With the exception of the lima beans, everything was very good at the least, and spectacular at best.

    (4)

  • Kristin W.

    My only complaint about Amada is that almost all the tapas come in odd numbers, which means that if you're on a date, it might lead to some fighting. The waiter suggested we get 6 tapas for 2 people; we stubbornly ordered 7 and couldn't finish all the food... -Melon con Jamon - amazing melon (especially in the middle of autumn!) with chunks of sugar on top contrasting with the prosciutto - delicious -Patatas Bravas - tasty potatoes with an amazing sauce on top -Escalivada - a series of roasted vegetables, with the red peppers being my favorite -Esparragos con Trufas - non-mushy asparagus with a subtle truffle flavor -Madre e Hijo - also with truffles, but had a stronger flavor than the asparagus' truffles...sadly the chicken was a little bit dry -Grilled Chorizo - good flavor, but eat it fast because not as tasty once it gets cold -Grilled Scallops - fresh and perfectly grilled

    (5)

  • Andrew K.

    Amada is good. Not great. Good. I've never been let down by a meal there, but nothing has ever surprised me or shown me something new. That said, the food is solid, the decor is tasteful, and the location is great for seeing the city afterward. If you're looking for tapas in Philly, check out Amada's sister restaurant, Tinto.

    (3)

  • Sarah T.

    We went to Amada recently to celebrate our anniversary. It was a great experience. The atmosphere was lovely and despite the closely packed tables, the low lighting made the dinner feel more intimate. The server was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, but we did have a small problem with the service. My husband and I both ordered the chef's tasting menu and the tapas was frequently brought out by other servers, which would have been fine but for the fact that they dropped off the food, whispered what it was, and then ran off, leaving us with questions about what we had just been served. We would then have to wait for our server to stop back to find out what we were about to eat. That said the food was a really great- (a minor quibble is that 2 courses were slightly oversalted)- particularly the vegetarian tasting menu (my husband frequently preferred the veggie tapas to the other items). I would highly recommend for a special evening out.

    (4)

  • Ruby Q.

    Amada will always be a restaurant that I come back to. I've had some amazing expriences here, and it was here that i fell in love with truffles a few years back. There are just too many items that i love here to list them all. But my favorites are the wild mushrooms and lamb meatballs. I don't eat pork, but if i did i would get the whole roasted pig since everyone raves about it. The only reason why i rated it 4 stars is because the last time i went, it just lacked a little something. I'm hoping they were just having an off night. I'll be back to see whether this establishment still has the magic i love.

    (4)

  • Katy H.

    Amazing meal. Manchego with truffle lavender honey. Heaven. Wonderful red sangria. Everything was lovely.

    (5)

  • Sanhita C.

    I love love love tapas, and I had high expectations for this place as I believe it's one of the highest-rated spots in Philly. Unfortunately, the only items I truly enjoyed were the drinks and the complimentary almond cookie at the end of the meal. The vegetarian items were pretty good, but everything else was super salty (crab-stuffed peppers, lamb meatballs) or boring (shrimp flatbread). Blah.

    (2)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Valet, Street
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Dressy
    Ambience : Trendy
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Amada

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