Amada was everything i was hoping it would be. Both the food and service were exceptional! The restaurant is warm and inviting. Each and every bite was perfect. Gia had some great recommendations and was just a sweetheart. We are looking forward to returning! read more

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This restaurant balances popularity and accessibility perfectly now. The price point aligns with the experience. Restaurant team members make this place truly outstanding. The taste of each dish was memorable. I intend to eat here another time. read more

Stopped into Amada while in Philadelphia. Glad I did. Very nice atmosphere. Sat at the bar (as typical for me). It happened to be restaurant week in Philly so I went with their special menu. I started with some shrimp in garlic and oil, a chorizo platter which was very nice as it wasn't overly spicy and served with some baguette slices. The second round was a small sliced steak with a salsa verde as well as a lentil and ground lamb stew. Paired with a nice Rioja (or two) and it was an excellent experience. Oh, and a chocolate cream puff to finish. Yum. The bartender serving me was very attentive and helpful in recommending a follow up location for me. To which I went and was spot on. I will certainly go back. Cheers. read more

Amada was a fun time with a group. It was alright for brunch but I think the dinner portions are better options. The croquetas were phenomenal, as were the bacon wrapped dates. But the price tags on these little plates were just a little bit high for what you get at the end of the day. I got the breakfast hash which was decent. I'm not sure I agree with their choice to mandoline the potatoes, it would be better off chopped and roasted but hey that's my preference. Service was okay but drinks took a while to came out but when the drinks did come out they were worth the wait. It'd be fun on date night for sure but overall I was a bit underwhelmed for the price tag. read more

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Terrible service took 30 minutes to take my order. Waiter was lazy and impatient and was not enthusiastic.

My rating is reflected upon how well the staff handled the situation. My husband and I are huge foodies and I've attended culinary school. We had high expectations for a restaurant by an Iron Chef. We ordered the tasting menu, which has certain expectations. It was very different from what we expected. We are not their average clientele. The food is good and elevated for the normal person. We are not normal people. The service was amazing! They were very attentive and the atmosphere is very warm and inviting. The drinks were fabulous. I had the sangria which was spiced and not sweet and a chili tequila drink. For food we had the tasting menu each. Progressive tasting menus should be light to heavy and follow a certain pattern. The items on the menu didn't reflect what a normal tasting menu should be. The items were very heavy and had execution issues such as, very oily green beans, soggy scallops, and steak that had no acidic salsa verde. Many of the sauces were broken and oily. The traditional tapas were elevated than the normal tapas, but consideration should be into the types of dishes and ingredients. Also brightening things up with citrus and vinegar. For the average person, it's amazing. I should have dug deeper into reviews from food critics. If you are looking for traditional tapas and nice cocktails, this would be your spot. If you are a foodie like us, I would reconsider. read more

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Came in for brunch after a beautiful walk in Old City. We were seated right away and we went with their brunch tasting menu called "Por la familia" it's a family style brunch. Such a. good deal and most of the food was delicious! We started with a cheese plate (this was not part of the brunch tasting, I ordered it separately). Cheese plate and pairings were perfect. The lavender honey made the plate. The bread basket is also delicious and not simple rolls, they all have flavor. My favorite was a cornbread style bread that had a slight sweetness to it. Tortilla Española was a surprise delight of flavors. The bacon is cooked in a sauce that enhances the flavor. The croquettes were delicious and the sauce makes them soo much better than other places! They are in my top 5 but not number 1 and that's solely due to my preference in the ratio of cheese to meat. I felt these had a bit too much cheese to ham ratio. My only minor complaint was the sangria pancakes. These didn't have enough taste to remind me of a sweet sangria. It was lacking and I couldn't tell sangria was meant to be the main flavor of these. The space is warm and comforting and a great place overall. I'd like to come again and try more on their menu. read more

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Really disappointing. Ordered the $60 chef menu and they just brought us all the most basic things. We would have been better ordering a la cart. Food just ok. Service not good. Took 2.5 hrs total. Never offered us another drink. Never wiped the table. Served desert with dinner food on table. Dessert inedible rice pudding that tasted like soap. read more

The flavors in each dish were incredible. Their menu features flavorful, fresh items with many choices. The workers give outstanding service! The design, layout, and decor are incredible. Hope this restaurant meets expectations. read more

Great spot for tapas...intimate setting, but make a reservation as it gets booked! We sat at the bar and got excellent service. Garlic shrimp was so good! read more

Amada - Ham & cheese croquettes and bacon wrapped dates - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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We went around lunch time on a Sunday and easily got a table. The staff was very friendly and informative. We did tapas including the Spanish cheeses, bacon wrapped dates, croquettes, bread basket, and the flash fried peppers. Everything was delicious and it was just the right amount for the four of us. Nice interior. read more

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I was super excited to try this place because who doesn't love tapas but overall it was just ok. Food: We got 4 tapas: Pulpo (octopus): 4/5, a bit salty but nice and tender with a potato crema Lamb turnover: 3/5, we actually ordered the meatballs but they gave us this instead. Pastry was flaky and I'm not too much a fan of lamb Calamar: 2/5, way too salty and overdone Lentils with sweet potato: 1/5, reminded me of a sweet potato casserole but mushier We also got their special paella w lobster: 3/5 The rice itself was actually really plain. With seafood, it was better but the prawns were unbelievably salty. The bread w spicy mayo was just gross and we ended up throwing it away. Service: 2/5, our waiter was really nice but they forgot 2 of our tapas (came out after the paella) and mixed up the lamb meatballs we ordered w the turnover. They comped the lentils which was nice. Overall: 2/5, for almost 100/person, I was a disappointed. About an hour after dinner, I was chugging water because everything was so salty. Not sure if amada was just having an off day but I won't be returning read more

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Hard to ever write a terrible review for any Spanish tapas restaurants. Even harder to write a bad one for Amanda. The atmosphere is what you'd expect. Lively, loud, and dim. The food is deliciously seasoned. Some like the paella and potatoes might be a bit heavy handy in salt. Half a chicken is such a simple dish but probably my favorite. Seasoned and cooked so perfectly. Salads are great. Green salad specifically. Wagyu steak. I don't know why restaurants keep labeling their steak as wagyu. It's not. It's just skirt steak. Don't expect true wagyu. Paprika potatoes were not good. Incredibly salty. Paella had good flavor but very salty. Wish it had clams. Still, a great spot to go. read more

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We went in Sunday and enjoyed several $6 tapas. The sangria was good, and I preferred the white over the red.

What a Spanish gem in Old City! Everyone was super attentive and kind. Also, great spot for brunch! The Bloody Mary was nice and spicy. We had the Tortilla Española (potato with eggs) which had three little sausages off to the side and a fantastic dipping sauce. For our mains, the French toast was a smaller portion but such a unique/fun preparation. The saffron rice bowl with lamb meatballs (you can swap out your protein) was a very generous portion with multiple sauces you mixed together. All the flavors...amazing! Can't wait to come back. read more

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What a marathon of a meal. Located in Old City, this upscale restaurant knows how to take care of their customers. The interior is dimly lit and intimate and can get loud. Our party of 10 came here on a Thursday night and tried the tasting menu. My friend Theresa D. has all the photos :D The tasting menu has a bit of everything. Lots of dishes - I lost track after about the 12th dish. One thing to note is that the paella takes 45-60min to come out, so if you're going to order it or the tasting menu (which comes with paella), get that order in quick. Also, don't forget that the paella is coming - it's easy to get lost in the delcious tapas, then get surprised by the cast irons that come out! So many great dishes, and I'll highlight a few that really stood out to me. First, the bacon-wrapped dates. These have the perfect balance of sweet and salty, and the textures complement perfectly all on the skewer. Second, the flatbread. The combination of the cheese and mushrooms on crispy flatbread was probably my favorite dish of the night. Third, the honey with the apple, cheese, and bread. The honey itself was amazing. Such a unique and deep flavor - I could have probably eaten all of it. That, coupled with the tartness of the apple and the crusty bread - yum! Fourth, the paella. I love the crispy bits of rice on the cast iron. The mussels were so good - perfectly cooked and not shriveled up like I've seen at other places. All of the other components of the paella were delicious, and the touch of lemon added a brightness to the dish. The last one I'll mention is the dessert. As a disclaimer, I was very full at this point. But the waitress assured me that the dessert was small, and she was right, thank goodness. The coffee caramel rice pudding was really good. Honestly, I could have probably slurped that up in one go if I wasn't so stuffed already. Some people at our table had the tasting menu with the wine pairings. I think I counted 5 or 6 wines that came out? I'm not entirely sure. There was so much action at our table with the many, many dishes and drinks that it was hard to keep track of. I think the tasting menu was a great choice for us, since it was our first time here. But next time, I probably wouldn't do it. There was simply too many dishes. By the time the paella came out, many of us were already stuffed. Taking out the subsequent dishes and bringing out the dessert would have left me satisfied, not overly stuffed. That being said, it was very good! Friendly service who accommodated dietary restrictions throughout the night adds another level of detail that I really appreciated. read more

Romantic Spanish tapas style restaurant. Came here for my surprise birthday dinner and everything on the menu was so exciting. They also have a set course menu (chef's selection of tapas) but because I forgot my lactase pill we didn't get it. Most of the dishes in the chef selection have some form of dairy but the waitress was friendly and asked the chef for none-dairy substitutes and was able to accommodate if needed (Amazing customer service!). It's a three course meal with each course consisting of 3 tapas, so 9 dishes total. We decided against it since we wanted for pick our own first time here but definitely want to come back another day for the chefs' selection!! We got the ham arugula salad, octopus, short rib flat bread pizza, and garlic shrimp. Everything was delicious - I'm bias but octopus was my favorite dish! Four tapas was enough for two people. Highly suggesting getting a fresh dish like the salad to even out the rich flavors of the other tapas dishes. For birthdays they brought out complimentary mini chocolate cream puffs at the end and they were delicious! We need to look into their desserts menu next time we're here! This place is perfect for a date night or a fun night with friends. Book your next reservation here and have some fun! read more

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Came in for a cute little date night and it was fantastic. Ambience was perfect. Service incredible. Food was true to Spain. Will be back for more!! read more

You know a place is authentic and delicious when someone says during the meal, "yeah in America we would never have that". The ambiance of this place truly transports you and the service is impeccable. The sangria did not disappoint and my dessert was YUM (chocolate mousse, with a dark chocolate wafer on top, topped with powdered olive oil). A true culinary experience! read more

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I had the most incredible experience at Amada a few weeks ago - it was crowded and a busy Friday night during the holidays, and one of the servers caught another customer who was attempting to pickpocket me! Missy, the floor manager, and the rest of her team were incredibly on top of it and by FAR overcompensated for the experience by comping our meal and drinks. Not only did the entire staff step up to protect me (& my wallet) as a customer, but they really went above and beyond to make sure that I felt safe and comfortable to stay and enjoy my meal. I hope Missy sees this and shares this with her team and waitress and the bartender who jumped to attention when the incident happened! Seriously, you guys are the best....can't wait to come back for more tapas and cocktails. read more

Amada - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

- excellent service; they are constantly checking in on you with high EQ and fully aware of the situation - great cocktail with a ton of liquor inside, 4 large ice cubes, and more - soda $3.50 - pricey, but good - the burger was fully cooked through for being a smashed one, but when asking for light cheese, it literally comes with no cheese - fries for the burger comes with an interesting sauce on it; wasn't my cup of tea since it was a bit sweet - the kitchen ran out of ketchup (!! none for the fries) - tortilla took 15 minutes to cook; they warned us that something was wrong, so they gave us free chorizos! - poached egg was not poached; it was fully cooked Overall, good spot with excellent service. There was a big miss on the timing of the tortilla (15 minutes), no ketchup at all for the fries, and the poached egg being a hard boiled egg, but the service made up for it. They were fully aware of the kitchen mishaps. Hope to return with improvements! read more

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The food was different and to be fair I was in a large party and it was a fixed menu. My favorite part was the salad. I don't know how they make their dressing but it was perfect. The flavor had just enough citrus and sweetness Loved the private dinning room we had. Decor of the place was rugged nothing that wowed me. I always love an open kitchen concept if you are really hungry I don't think this is the spot for you hence the name Tapas lol! Everyone seemed to love their drinks as I enjoyed my green tea No parking just street I guess. read more

Amanda hosted a wedding party for 24 of our family members on March 15, 2025. Private room was very good. Food was tasty, varied and well presented. The service was impeccable and friendly. Wide choice of shared platters, with accommodations made for various food preferences and allergies. A perfect venue for us, highly recommended. Douglas M. read more

This was our second visit . The warmth of the staff, the joyful servers and awesomesauce food has made us a fan. Our servers Veer & "the girl who looks like Billie eilish" were so cute and attentive. The lady at the front desk made us feel wanted and welcome Their tapas is out of this world. Esp octopus, tuna fish dish, potato and lamb kebabs. Mouthwatering!!! Paella is delightfully delicious. The server suggested us the special with lobster tail and thank you Billie Eilish girl, your suggestions steered us good. We were too full for dessert, so next time, we'll start with dessert and work our way upwards Or bring an extra stomach read more

Amada has been a favorite stop since moving back to Philly in 2016. The tapas style scallops dish was easily a top 5 item at any restaurant in the world. Unfortunately, recent updates to the menu (and dining rooms) have yielded disappointing results. The scallops are gone altogether, the usually tasty potatoes bravas dish arrives as a bowl of potatoes swimming in a sauce devoid of any discernible flavor and the chocolate ganache dessert appeared as a bowl of milk chocolate pudding with chocolate bits on top- tasty, but not at all what was expected in taste or sophistication for a landmark like Amada. Service was still great, orders came out quickly, and ambience was chill as usual, but the essence of the place has changed and you could feel it in the lackluster dishes. Even the cheese plate , that arrived with a heavenly truffle honey, looked like it was arranged for a cafeteria line. Despite this turn of events, I am not giving up on them and hope when I return they have found the soulfulness that made their previous menu sing. read more

The food is incredible, as expected. But it really is the service that makes this place stand out. Our server was Bryon. He was fantastic. So great that we decided to move to the bar for an extra drink. The bartender Matt was awesome and created a friendly bar environment. read more

solid restaurant for restaurant week! 4 entrees and dessert for $45 per person! service and ambiance were amazing. friendly waitress who made sure we were always taken care of. my favorites were the garlic shrimp, potatoes and mushroom flatbread! for drinks highly recommend the strawberry summertime gin cocktail! everything comes out fast and staggered - we were there for almost hours! will definitely be back! read more

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Everything we ordered was decent, the Spanish tortilla however was a letdown, did not taste much like the tortillas we've had in Spain. The drinks were quite good, and the ambience is nice, also the prices are pretty reasonable. read more

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Patatas Bravas $8 spiced potatoes - soooooooo salty on the outside but otherwise good Pulpo $15 Galician style octopus, confit potato - enjoyed this but it was a bit salty Coca de Costillas de Ternera $15 short rib flatbread, horseradish, bacon jam, parmesan - I really liked this. All the different kinds of flavors blended well together Chorizo Bilbao $10 garlic sausage - flavor was good but the sausage itself was bit hard to bite Entrecote $22 Wagyu skirt steak - perfectly cooked with still some red. Flavor and texture was good. Only complaint was really the salt level. Otherwise, flavors were good and we'd come back if it wasn't so salty. Staff was really friendly and attentive. Appreciate that. read more

Great vibe inside, especially for a fancier dinner. Bacon wrapped dates and mushrooms were the best! Would go again.

One of the best way to assess the quality of a restaurant is to look at the diners. Are they glumly looking down, frowning, or staring at their phones? Or are they smiling and engaged in animated conversation? Located in a promising block on Chestnut in the Old City, Amada promises much and delivers more. The room is tastefully and comfortably decorated with upholstered banquettes and indirect lighting. Entering the room, there is a palpable excitement of the many animated diners enjoying their evening. Service is efficient and helpful in general. The standout is the food that is if consistent high quality. We loved the entrecôte that was perfectly cooked and sauced, rivaling the dry-aged steaks in Josiah Citron's Charcoal in Venice, CA. Squid was sauced with a squid ink-based pâté that invited spreading it on bread - I had to repeatedly shoo off the servers from clearing the leftover sauce. Every dish for that matter had unique flavors with complementary sauces that merged into a harmonious whole. When multiplied by ten or so, it was a overwhelmingly pleasant sensory experience for the most jaded palate. The wine list is exclusively Spanish, ranging from light whites to intense, rare, and costly tintos. Bear in mind that although the prices appear reasonable, the dishes are small, obligating ordering multiple dishes. Also be wary of servers upselling the paella and the set dinner, since it would be difficult to beat à la carte ordering. Also, the bread was dry. When in Philly, skip the cheesesteaks and head for Amada. You won't regret it. read more

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Food is amazing here! I love all the tapas they have to offer. Decore is beautifully done and staff were so informative about all the dishes that were on the menu. Perfect place for a date night as well! read more

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We visited Amada for Happy Hour and were really glad we did! The food was amazing, as was the service. We ordered the croquetas, empanadas, cojonudo, pan de pato, asparagus, piquillos, and (multiple glasses of) white sangria (it was so good!) We loved everything, but the pan de pato, empanadas, piquillos, and the asparagus blew us away. We can't wait to return! read more

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Food: Nothing special. Got the patatas bravas, which were pretty soft rather than crispy and not very flavorful. The Brussels sprouts were drenched in sauce and oil, which took away from the veggie itself. The steak was no memorable in any way. We had high expectations for Amada and were disappointed with the experience. Drinks: Our sangria and whiskey sours were the best part of the meal. Very well-balanced and high quality. Service: good service Ambiance: The place is really lively, full of large groups Would I go back? Probably only for happy hour drinks read more

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Amada is an old city staple for tasty tapas and well executed dishes. Having visited approximately 15-20 times, this review is cumulative. Celebrity chef spots sometimes do not live up to the hype but I feel that the quality and preparation of food is usually on point (except for restaurant week, that's the only iffy food experience I have had). Service can be hit or miss but for the most part you can be assured a pretty good cocktail and frequent checkins from staff. The space itself is inviting, make a rezzie to ensure you have a table! read more

Absolutely incredible first experience! Amada has been on my bookmarked list for awhile and was so worth the wait. Our group of three started with the Charcuterie, which was fantastic. The lavender honey was so good. We then moved to a few shared Tapas of Datiles (the dates were ridiculously good), patatas bravas (yum!), and coca de alcachofas (flatbread). We added in some vieiras (scallops), pollo, and setas. The combination of flavors and dishes all perfectly prepared and beautifully presented made for such a great experience. Bring your friends and try a bit of everything. The service was as good as the food. I can't wait to return. read more

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Ambiance and food were sooo good! My favorite was the ham and fig salad, brussel sprouts, and lamb meatballs! Chefs kiss

Wonderful atmosphere, convivial roar of happy people. My waitress was top notch, an absolute delight! The food was delicious but they lost a star because someone in the kitchen is seriously heavy handed with the salt. It was almost painful after dinner, no saliva at all. Two days later and I think it's finally purging. It will probably keep me from returning, which is too bad. read more

Never disappointed when we come here! We were surprised to find a prix fixe menu the day before Valentine's Day and enjoyed every bite. So much so that I barely took pictures of our plates. Our server was tentative and easily answered questions. She was also friendly and we joked around a bit. This was our first time sitting in the back past the kitchen and we actually enjoyed hearing the chef and kitchen staff communicating. It wasn't very loud so it wouldn't necessarily interrupt your experience. read more

Amada - Tapas Bars Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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My family came here after a dress fitting Sunday afternoon and we were seated right away. The service was friendly and attentive. Food was flavorful and delicious. I got the Old City Burger and I highly recommend. The Amada fries were to die for. read more

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