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

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Gia was amazing. Great food. Service was great, very attentive. Ambiance was excellent. Would give 10/10.

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

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

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

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This spot is much smaller than the AC location. It makes for a more lively dining experience and at times it was hard to hear the waiter. The food was very good. I highly recommend getting the spicy potatoes if they are still on the menu. All of the dishes were cooked perfectly and the pace of the meal was well suited for enjoying the dining experience rather than being rushed out. read more

Love this place. Amazing service! The food was great! I'll definitely be back! Above my expectations

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amada - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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

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

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

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This place looks nice outside, and the server work inside is a joke. The server just makes us order and bring us the check with an attitude. She took it upon herself to add 20% tip on our check with almost no service and no asking. Joke Joke Joke place. First time in my life. Terrible experience. read more

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

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

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

Came here during last visit to Philly in 09, and was delighted to see its still here in 2022. Still great food. Was worried the kids wouldn't appreciate tapas but they loved it. read more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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One of my favorite places to get tapas in Philly! Love the happy hours deals and great drink selection

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

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

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

Amada - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

This restaurant is very beautiful and the bartender was really nice. The ham croquettas were not my favorite, too salty for my taste but the wine was delicious. read more

Excellent food, good service. Had a lovely time having dinner with family. Will recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for good food and wonderful ambiance read more

Considering the great prices, I expected an ok place but was interested because the chef received a James Beard award. The atmosphere at the bar was chill. We went in during happy hour and took advantage of the Happy Hour menu. Everything was very good and worth trying and comi back for. read more

Amada - Patatas Bravas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Great but fairly insignificant portions. Atmosphere though...fantastic. Service could have been better considering how quiet the restaurant was when we visited. I waited at least 20 min for a refill on water read more

Chef's testing has declined since I've last been there due to portion size but still so delicious and excellent service. I'd recommend just picking off menu. read more

Amada is an amazing restaurant to visit if you live in the area or just visiting Philly!! The outdoor dining set up is socially distanced and safe. The manager, Joseph, came up to us several times to make sure everything was okay. My friend & I are food bloggers and he welcomed us with open arms and positivity! He recommended great options from their lunch menu and told us to come back at any time. He is very personable and extremely down to earth! The service was top notch and I'd definitely recommend the Red Sangria and the Cheese Board!! ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN PHILLY! read more

Amada - Sangría Tinto - Spiced red wine, orange, apple cinnamon - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Service was lacking the waitress give me room temperature water on a hot day and she forgot my lemon she walked pass me like 3 times before taking my order and it was not crowded at all, but the food was just amazing,very moorish one of the best lunches I've had for only 20$ would recommend. This was during restaurant week 2021 read more

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It's always fun to sit right in front of the chefs and this was no different. I sat on the counter facing them and enjoyed watching them work and everything was super professional from what I saw. The service was excellent, I got some solid recommendations from my waitress and that helped me choose what I wanted to try. Pernil Asado - The waitress warned me that this dish was probably going to be too much but a must try. Well I gave it a try and was no where near finishing it. The pork skin was super fatty and crunchy, the underlying pork meat was seasoned well and paired with a healthier contrast of chickpeas underneath. Definitely a dish to be shared among many! My leftovers were definitely not as great the next day which is to be expected. Garlic Shrimp - The shrimp was perfectly cooked with lots of butter but maybe a bit unseasoned. These were not big shrimp but I like shrimp regardless and would definitely order again. Octopus - The octopus was ok but maybe this was a dish that I might have expected more from in terms of quality and quantity. I think I expected the octopus to be more tender and as far as quantity, I expected more octopus in the dish. I'll probably skip this next time. Overall, a good experience, I'll be back to try other dishes. read more

wonderful ambiance, kudos to the decor. food great, love the crab cakes and shrimp. mussels were tiny. the Service sucked. would love tomreturn. only 3 other tables with guests and NO service. lack of service, does not allow me to return sorry. read more

The food was sooo good. We had the aged Manchego, croquetas de Jamon, coca de alcachofas y setas, albondigas, and entrecote. Every single bite was delicious and the ambiance was perfect, loved this place! Our server was nice and helped us choose the items we loved. We were forgotten a bit and missed out on time for a second cocktail, but other than that, the experience was lovely and we'd go there again. read more

I was happy to finally make it to Amanda..it is definitely worth all the hype. I am angry at myself for not visiting sooner!! The visit was special because we were celebrating a friend's 29th Birthday (Again..Lol) & we wanted to induldge our taste buds with good food & drinks. Well, Amada didn't disappoint at all...the drinks are very tasty & well made..I had (2) Tie Me Up & Tie Me Down (you see the mood I was in)...Fresh Ingredients w/good balance of alcohol. I love Tapas because it gives you the opportunity to enjoy many dishes when you have a group. We had: Aged Manchego Cheese w/Truffle Lavender Honey; Ensalada Verde; Chorizo Pamplona; Madre E Hijo; Serrano Ham; short rib flat bread & Garlic Shrimp...I know I forgot some items...but let me say...all items were flavorful, not all were my cup of tea...but They were cooked to PERFECTION!! We had a group of 4 & we were Full & felt satisfied by dessert time. I would say be prepared to spend some money, but recognize that you are eating some of the Best Food Philadelphia has to offer. So who is ready to join me for the 'Suckling Pig' that we have to order 72 hours in advance...Let's Do It!! Wait Staff: Attentive & Friendly Decor; Great for Date Night or Hanging Out w/Friends Worth All 5 Stars read more

Amada - Flat Bread...Chicken Breast w/Fried Egg & Roast Pork w/Beans - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We found the food to be overall decent, but not great. The skirt steak was delicious and very well cooked, but we found other dishes to be lacking in flavor. Service was good and drinks were alright. read more