I went to JNA for the first time because my friend had a groupon (the 4 course menu for 2 for $30). It is normally $25 a person, which in and of itself is a great deal! I went when they had their winter menu and everything was delicious and fresh tasting. I had butternut squash soup to start, an herb crepe filled with mushroom and chicken confit (this had an odd smell which probably accompanies confit but I was not used to it- however it did taste good), salmon in brown butter sauce with potatoes and string beans, and their dark chocolate bread pudding. It was all very good and I am definitely interested in going back for another seasonal menu. Everyone who worked there was extremely nice and the french inspired menu was accompanied nicely by french music. Overall it was a great experience. read more

See all

JNA rotates their menu every season to highlight a different cuisine. We came earlier this week and sampled their fall/Italian prix fixe menu. $30/pp compared to the $25/pp I see in many previous posts. But with a Groupon deal or Restaurant.com voucher, it's still an incredible value! Starting with appetizers, we ordered trio crostini (mushroom, tomato basil, and artichoke/white bean) and arancini (or mozzarella rice balls). The crostinis were fresh and light - a great starter. But note that they give you a big side of warm bread, so you may want to limit your carb/bread selection. The arancini were delicately fried and surprisingly not too heavy. Next came the pasta dishes, easily my favorite! I ordered the pasta of the day, perfectly cooked gnocchi, covered with creamy and savory rosa sauce. My bf got the linguine beef ragu, which he also enjoyed immensely. The main courses were probably our least favorite. My cacciatore di agnello (or braised lamb stew) had really thin sauce, to the point of being watery. Although everything else was generously portioned, my lamb dish fell short. I only had about 3 small pieces of lamb. My bf's stuffed chicken was also slightly overcooked and dry. The saving grace of these entrees was the side: cheesy, creamy, and perfectly textured polenta. At this point, we were beyond stuffed. But there was still dessert! My chocolate lava cake was a solid choice, but slightly too runny in my opinion. My boyfriend chose the blueberry semifredda, which came a little more than semi frozen. In fact, we almost needed a knife to break it apart. Although there were some definite misses, overall I would still give food a 4 (on account of the appetizers and pasta dishes). Service was great - our waitress was attentive and personable. But they sooooo need to work on updating their decor! The dining room looks kind of run down. At minimum, they should consider redoing their ceilings and floors, so that the restaurant ambience matches the elegance of the food that they're trying to promote. Apparently, they also do French and Mediterranean in the winter and spring, respectively. So we'll make sure to come back! read more

See all

YAAY for my 100th review! Whilst this is a review for the culinary school, my review is for the food and not the teaching. It was a pleasant surprise to find that you can actually try the students' cooking of fine dining, and at such a cheap price too. The 4- course meal is $25 per person (tax and tip included). How awesome is that price?! Making it more awesome is that students get a 20% discount, making my 4-course meal only $20! I came here with the boyfriend on a Thursday and ended up being the only people in the "restaurant". The decor in the dining room is actually cute and had good dinner lighting. While it was very empty on a Thursday, the instructor told us it does get pretty busy on Fridays. You can also BYO if you choose. Now in terms of the menu, we were told they change it every semester and the theme this time was Belgium cuisine. The instructors are the one that comes up with the menu and the students do the cooking. There are four courses and you get to choose one out of about four different choices for each course. We wanted to try a bit of everything so got all different items to get a taste of more of their menu. Of my favorites were the Creamy Mussel Bisque with Squash and Saffron, Mussels Bleu, Duck Breast with Red Wine Sauce & Honey-Thyme Gastrique, and the Our De-constructed Chocolate, Salt-Caramel (the best dessert!). Overall, everything was very delicious and I left completely stuffed. This was probably one of the more fun dining experiences I've had since it was very easy to talk to the instructor and learn more about each of the entrees. The server was also very friendly too, and is a student at a serving school? Don't be afraid to ask what they recommend. Also, since it's a school, they really do appreciate getting feedback so critique away! I will definitely be returning next semester to try what new concoction they come up with :) read more

See all

Came back for a second round since my first time was such a great time. This time I came with a total of 4 people. They changed the menu to Mediterranean which I was excited to try some new dishes! Unfortunately both food and service were lacking this time, much different than my first visit. The service -- although she was very nice -- she was incredibly awkward..truly not trying to be mean -- but as a server she was not very professional, was unsure of herself and stumbled a bit on her words and descriptions -- just needs a bit more confidence, makes the experience much better! Keep at it -- I mean for this to be encouraging, not to be demeaning Food was a bit sub par this time. Last time I was truly blown away. But this time, it was more apparent that these were dishes cooked my students. The hummus was bland -- the yogurt dill sauce was great though. I enjoyed the "gnocchi" made with polenta -- enjoyed the texture but it was a bit bland as well could use some seasoning. I was excited for the cod dish -- which was well cooked nice and flakey -- but again really lacking on the seasoning -- I had to put a decent amount of salt on the fish which I almost never do. It lacked flavor completely. I will say I tried my boyfriend's chicken which was delicious, well cooked and seasoned. My dessert was okay -- the fried dough. It was just overly sweet and not much else to it for flavor profile I'd be back to try other dishes though the next time their menu changes! read more

Had a pleasant dinner here last year with a few friends. We brought some wine -- it's BYOB. Food was simple, with some dishes better than others. I enjoyed the Bean Crostini -- bean spread was flavourful. Pasta and main were uneventful. For dessert, I had a molten chocolate cake which was perfectly baked. Crisp on outside and warm lava on the inside. Service was a little clunky at times, but that's understandable given that they're students. Dining room had nice lighting and decor. A little water feature near our table charmed me with sounds of softly gurgling water as I ate dinner -- very pleasant! read more

We had a great experience at JNA Culinary Institute. They were offering their spring menu with a Mediterranean theme. We started off with grilled pita and fresh hummus (very flavorful) and tzatziki sauce. My second course was polenta gnocchi topped with fresh tomatoes and cheese. Third course was a lamb and pepper dish (which I didn't care for but had good flavor). I had the Greek pastry for dessert which was phenomenal (very similar to a churro). They were short on student servers so one of the professors was our server. She was incredible! Also, they brought out fresh roll of bread with each course! Great value for 4 course dinner for $25 (Amazon local). read more

J & A Caterers - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I really like the food here. They have different cuisine each season. It is a good deal getting 4 courses is it for $25? Service is good. Overall I enjoy coming here. The only draw back is making the reservation, which I have to do months in advance. Sighs... read more

See all

Holy moly. Part of me doesn't want to write a review because I am selfish and want to claim this eight-table restaurant to myself. Boyfriend got one of those online deals (Groupon, I think). The expiration date was fast approaching, so I called to make a reservation and was told nothing was available for a month! Oh no, Groupon wasted. I told the person on the phone that I'd be willing to be put on a waitlist, if there was one. The gentleman asked if I was trying to redeem a Groupon; I told him yes, and he said they were willing to honor the Groupon so long as the reservation was made before the expiration date. Score! I'll be honest: I wasn't really excited about dinner at JNA. Sure, everyone's reviews SOUNDED great, but JNA changes its menu every few months, so reading about delicious gnocchi and mussels wasn't going to help, since Boyfriend and I were going to be there for the Spring Spanish tapas menu. Um. WOW. Just .. wow. Everything was amazing, from the reasonably-priced wine (a $19 Gewürztraminer) to the churros. We picked two "little plates" each, for a total of four: chorizo and bread, ham and manchego croquette, grilled flatbread, and spicy potatoes. I cannot cannot cannot pick a favorite - they were ALL delicious, perfectly cooked and perfectly seasoned. Next came the "large plates," of which we were allowed one each: pork brochettes for Boyfriend, and cod fritters for me. The pork was moist and the fritters were flaky. Our server then gave us a complimentary portion of rice and beans, which was also very tasty. We were both allowed to order a dessert; as I mentioned, we had the churros. (The spicy hot chocolate dipping sauce was so rich and creamy. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.) We also had the sangria gelée e ices, which was essentially three small scoops of different fruit sorbets and red wine gelly. Everything about this place screams "DATE! PERFECT DATE!" The lighting, the music, the small and intimate setting. The portions are enough to satisfy your hunger without making you feel stuffed. I'm already looking forward to my next meal at JNA (wouldn't mind repeating the Spanish menu but am excited about the next one!), and even without a Groupon or LivingSocial coupon, you really can't beat the $25 prix fixe. Also, it's BYO! Love love love. Quick caveat: if you want to tip your server, you have to do so with cash, as students aren't able to accept credit card tips! read more

I loved JNA! This was the third time i went there with a groupon which allows you to get a 4 course meal for two people for $25. Regular price is $25 a person, but for that you get a 4 course meal and its BYOB! Its all run by students so i was skeptical at first but after being there three times i was plesantly suprised at the really good quality of the food. Usually the first course is soup or a light apptizer, second course is a salad or another light app (depending on the night) and the third course is the entree and they have a wide variety to pick from (chicken, steak, fish ext and they even have vegiterian options). The fourth course is dessert. The staff was really pleseant and they have background themed music depending on the night. Good for a nice romantic date! One thing i would reccomend they change is to have larger water glasses because they were very small and i had to refull like 5times other than that i would definitely reccommend this place! read more

What an interesting little experience JNA is! It took me weeks to get a Friday evening reservation here due to their Groupon deal. We decided to keep a very open mind going into it, because it is a culinary school and $25 for two, four-course meals was incredibly inexpensive. The decor is a little on the kitschy side, but it was quiet and a good amount of space between the tables, which was great for privacy. I enjoyed the mix of simple vs. complex items on the menu. The stars of the night were the escargot, butternut squash soup, the sear on both main proteins, and the desserts were both above average. We both felt the chicken confit crepe-like appetizer was lacking in taste and was heavy. Both main courses were cooked perfectly, but were completely under sauced. It appears that you can BYOB here, even though they serve wine and beer. We'll have to check on that before our next dinner. If you're looking for an interesting, lower price night out, give JNA a try. read more

*sigh*....heres the thing about JNA Academy; I HATE to shit on a place that is literally run by students, learning the biz and practicing their craft, but I really think JNAs reach far exceeds its grasp. Lets get into it: the misses and I arrived last night for our reservation, (the place is a BIT in a shady neighborhood,) got a sweet ass parking spot RIGHT out front, went in and were sat immediately. The misses remarked that it seemed like it was a set, like for a tv show or something, as the tables just seemed really out of place on this little banquet hall type dance floor. Therein lies the underlying problem "theme" with JNA; something just felt off the whole night. Anyway, we were met by our very nice, (but again, something "off" about him) waiter and were given our menus and the schpiel about the school. Now, I was FULLY aware about this being a school going in, but this is where my "reach/grasp" comment comes into play; "crepes with chicken confit and mushroom filling," "mussels vin blanc..." it all reads like a modestly swanky restaurant. I mean, that ain't Applebees fare, so I expected much better execution than what was delivered. As far as service goes, like I said, our waiter just seemed a little out of it all night. There was a dizzying replacement/pickup of my silverware; he would take a fork away and bring me a steak knife, then take the unused steak knife and bring back a second spoon, he'd bring me a soup spoon for my crepes....just weird stuff like that, and he forgot to open our bottle of wine after I asked twice...it seems snippy sitting here writing about it, but they tell you themselves to critique because it affects their grades. So, the service was a little weird, but the waiter was still very nice, and he did maintain our water glasses like he would be flogged if they ever ran dry. As I mentioned, the ambiance was weird too. Again, just like 4-5 tables on a little dance floor. I mean, I don't expect crystal chandeliers or mahogany booths, but it did seem like we were on the set of Punk'd or something. BUT, all of that would be fine, if the food was the star. I was really kind of expecting to be pleasantly surprised at finding a little hidden gem instead of disappointed at chefs that still need a good deal of practice. First course were the chicken crepes for me and seafood chowder for the misses. Crepes were actually quite tasty, but COLD. Chowder was VERY thin and was a little light on the seafood. So, we're off to an ok start. Second course were mussels in a white wine broth for me and vegetable risotto for her. Both very "meh," again, nothing terrible, but definitely not better than anything I could make at home, and her rice was undercooked.. Third course went a little off the rails. I got the flank steak (medium) and she got the bourbon chicken. Both came with garlic mashed potatoes. Her chicken looked like something that would come off of a backyard BBQ. It was blackened, with very little sauce, when the menu says "slathered with Bourbon and pineapple sauce." It was also described as a breast, but came out as a breast with the wing attached. (A bonus if you ask ME, but the wife has an issue with bones in her food, so she was QUITE displeased.) My steak was almost inedible. WAY over medium and just SUPER tough. SUPER tough. And it was supposed to come with Maitre d'hôtel butter, but had some fruity, raspberry like topping on it. Definitely the low point of the meal. Dessert was an apple cake that looked OLD and didn't get any raves. It could've at least come with a scoop of ice cream or something. (also, it was cold too....I'm not sure if apple cake should BE cold, but I wasn't a fan.) I had the berries with lemon marscopone, which was ok. I've said a lot, so I'll make the summary brief...JNA is FINANCIALLY a good deal, at a price frix of $25, but I would recommend either taking that money elsewhere, or even just buying the food and cooking a nice meal for yourself at home. Nothing I had at JNA was something anyone with modest cooking skill couldn't whip up better at home. It sucks because I understand they are students, and need to practice and learn, but I just wasn't even slightly impressed enough to be a part of it again. I think its an awesome idea, and I really want the students to excel, but I can't recommend JNA as a place to go to enjoy a meal out. read more

I think eating at culinary schools is just about as efficient as things can get. On one hand, you're enjoying a fantastic (usually) meal and getting great service. On the other hand, you can give an honest critique of their food and their service and receive genuine appreciation for doing so. The cherries on top are when the workers are extra nice, the decor is pleasant, and the price is cheap! I came here with Annie M. (see her review and the pictures we took) and will gladly go back to try the next menu they have. It's very conveniently located only a block away from a subway station! read more

PROS: Decent food at decent prices CONS: Nothing out of the ordinary The food here is comparable to a lot of restaurants in the city, but comes at a cheaper price. Nothing we ordered particularly stood out, though. The menu has a pretty standard French selection (ie. onion soup, escargots, creme brulee). The ambiance is not great (you can see the office rooms in the restaurant school), but you can tell they really tried to make the dining area pleasant. The level of professionalism is pretty low (lots of nervousness and ordering mishaps). Overall, not too bad, considering it is a restaurant school training ground. read more

Due to traffic we arrived a half hour late but we were still able to get a table. The dining area is sort of make shift restaurant, keeping mind this is a school. After placing our orders, the bread with olive oil arrived nice and warm. We chose the pita with hummus and yogurt dip. The hummus was a lil bland but the yogurt dip was great. Next was the appetizers: polenta dumplings and shrimp. The polenta dumplings weren't in a dumpling shape but it tasted great with the diced tomatoes on top. And the sauce that came w the shrimp was very was very flavorful. There was a noticeable lag waiting for the entrees. I got the cod and found the fish to be quite good. The lamb was a lil too gamey for me. It was the groupon that drew me to this place ($25 for two) and I would def come back. read more

J & A Caterers - Hummus and yogurt dip and fennel salad - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

I first heard about JNA through a groupon I bought ($15 for the $25 meal). Its prix fixe. The theme currently is Spanish food. My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary, so it was big fancy dinner at reasonable prices. The tapas they brought out were tasty, although the only one I remember is a goat cheese empanada. They also offer unlimited free focasia bread with homemade olive tapenade, which was very good ( and I don't even like olives). He got Little Plate: Grilled Chicken Chorizo a la Catalan Big Plate: Carne a la Plancha Dessert: Churros with Warm Chocolate Cream I got Little Plate: Serrano Ham & Manchego Croquette Big Plate: Paella Valencia Dessert: Arroz con Leche with Raisins and Figs (rice pudding) My croquette was my favorite part of the meal...I could have eaten 10 more of them. My bf seemed to like his whole meal. Our server, Alisse from the restaurant management program was nice and knowledgeable, we had great service all around and we really enjoyed ourselves. I think we will be going back again when the menu changes. read more

So I feel pretty bad about having to write this review because I wanted to love it and I want the place to succeed. That being said, at the end of the day there are students cooking for you. On a positive note, I had a groupon so the whole meal with tip cost me 30 for two. The main problem I had was the entree course. My boyfriend ordered the lamb and I ordered the chicken. We actually had a giggle fit in the middle of our entrees when my boyfriend commented, while chewing violently, that he was served lamb flavored chewing gum. But, alas, the biggest mistake was serving me severely undercooked chicken. I was pretty much ready for the check after this but ended the meal with some fig newton tasting dessert. My feeling is that I went on an off night but this is the risk when letting students cook for you. I probably wouldn't go back even though there are so many great reviews. read more

This was a great place to get dinner with a few friends. The fixed price menu makes the food very affordable, and there certainly was a lot of it! Since you can either BYO or order a bottle of wine there, your have a lot of flexibility. The food was good, although not spectacular. Soups were very nicely done. The head chef was very nice and attentive. However, since this is a teaching school, you should be prepared for your food to take a longer time to prepare since if it is not up to snuff the instructor will tell the student chefs to prepare it again. I would not recommend going if you have a tight schedule. Additionally, decor was certainly lacking and the chairs were not all that comfortable. All in all, 5 courses for $25 was a great deal. A fun and different experience! read more

A hidden gem, and what a steal! $25 for a four course meal? Including starters, mussels & pomme frites, entrees, and dessert (plus coffee or tea)? Count me in. I thought we'd need a reservation for this tiny restaurant, but when we came in at about 6:30pm on a Friday night, there was only one other lone diner. Anyway, we came hungry and left stuffed and satisfied. Also got a bottle of yummy, light red John Drouhin wine to go with the course, though I hear you're free to BYO. (The wine/beer menu's not terribly expansive, so you might as well). When we came, they had a Belgian themed menu. All of the food was well-prepared, came out quickly, and tasty. Starters: - beggar's purse (nice pancake-y crepe; I'm used to crispy "purses", but the buckwheat really fit the chicken & mushrooms) - endive salad (loved the tangy cranberry dressing). Decent mussels with consistent texture; wish the flavor of the provencal style broth had seeped into the mussels a bit more, though. Entrees: - seafood waterzooi (included shrimp, mussels, some clams, and a bit of white fish. Sauce wasn't too creamy, which I thought was good) - abbey-style beef filet (perfectly cooked medium rare) with spinach mashed potatoes (amazing, want to recreate this at home) Dessert was the belgian chocolate s'mores, which included three gooey marshmallows on top of a thick marshmallow-and-chocolate pudding spread in a little mason jar with some chocolate graham crackers on the side. Decadent, rich, sticky, and a clever take on the classic. The service was extremely friendly. Our waiter said that the next seasonal menu is coming out in about three weeks and will be Italian-themed. I know where I'll be in about three weeks. read more

I dined here last night with 3 friends. We initially had a fifth but he had ex/girlfriend issues to work out and bailed at the last minute. JNA didn't seem to mind the change. I arrived first and was kindly escorted into a little waiting area. It was an interesting setup with magazines and situated between cubicles so it felt like I was in a doctor's office but could see and hear the other diners. There were only two other tables that night - a group of two and a group of four. No one else arrived after our 7:30pm reservation. We were seated once we were all there, given menus, wine poured (we brought our own), water served, told the specials. The service was solid. My water (which I down like you wouldn't believe) was refilled often. The summer menu items were classic American fare. I ordered the vegetarian options - strawberry & spinach salad, confetti vegetable risotto, tian of spring roasted vegetables and toasted quinoa, and fresh berries with lemon mascarpone. The bread with seat salt was very good. The salad was fine - a little too much dressing for my liking but it's strawberries and spinach so what's not to like? The vegetable risotto was good. My main course, the roasted veggies and quinoa was subpar - the quinoa lacked flavor and the veggies were just a limp mass with no real definition. The berries and mascarpone was easily my favorite dish - it was absolutely delicious and light. My fellow diners felt likewise blah about their meals (french onion soup, corn cakes, scallops, flank steak, s'mores, apple cake). One thing that bothered me about the evening was that once the other diners left, they turned off the music and it felt quite unwelcoming. It was a huge turnoff. Another issue was the fact that they told us that they were cash only once we got the bill - something that made things very uncomfortable for the other couple who had to ask for money. I wouldn't be really annoyed about this if it weren't for the fact that they list that they take credit cards on both Yelp and OpenTable. I haven't seen it listed anywhere that they were cash only. I really like the idea behind the place and that they have seasonal menus so I might go back with a groupon (though it's already a good deal at $25) and if the menu seems more interesting for my vegetarian palate but I'll be getting an earlier reservation and double checking this cash/cc thing. read more

My husband and I ate here last week with our friend Stephanie M (see her review, it's good!) and she has already described our meal so well. Basically we used a groupon that allowed us to each eat for half off, or $12.50 each - I think paying $25 each for the meal would have been a great deal. The ambiance is a bit average to sparse, but they have made an effort to make the space feel cozier with room dividers and plants. Our group of four was the perfect way to experience a meal at JNA. We brought a few bottles of wine (BYO or wine list here) and had absolutely delicious food and conversation all night. We felt so good after dinner, we walked all the way back to Rittenhouse! read more

My mom is a former culinary school graduate and I thought she'd really like this opportunity so I had a mom-date Friday night. Although I'm rating this a generous three stars, I did enjoy my experience here. It was fun eating in a restaurant where the staff are students at a cooking school. Because of that, I'm not going to write a critical review where I would nitpick all the issues I had with the food because it is a learning experience. I left some commentary on the comment card instead. I will say though there were major problems with nearly every aspect of the food. I don't know what type of oversight is happening in the kitchen before the food comes out, but that needs to be improved. The service was very friendly and I got the feeling that our waitress Victoria was proud of her accomplishments, her school, welcoming to feedback, and overall very happy to serve us which was a nice feeling. I did come on the first night of the new menu which probably was a contributing factor to the three star review. I came with a Groupon and enjoyed the outing. Had I paid full price, I would have left feeling very disappointed. Don't forget to BYOB. There is a wine and spirits store 3 blocks away. read more

Truly an excellent experience, from greeting to service to food. Love the multiple courses with many options for a variety of dietary restrictions from vegetarian to no red meat to pescatarian available in each course. The warm, fresh bread is a great start and refilled even before requested. We've been a few times now and enjoyed everything. The menu changes by season (ex Mediterranean, Italian), which keeps it interesting. It's only open Thursday/ Friday evenings when classes are in session so can book up quite far in advance but well worth the trip. Also, apparently all tips go toward scholarships, which is lovely! read more

For the record, this is not by any means a 4 star restaurant, but I gave 4 stars for the value. I came here w/ a 25$ Groupon and got a 4 course meal for two people. Yes, that's $12.50 a person. It's also BYOB, or they offer pretty cheap bottles of wine. We ate like kings for $12.50 a person. The place was full and we were barely able to get a reservation, so the word must be out! Give this place a try, I'd def do a repeat. read more

We had a great experience here. The menu changes four times a year, and this summer it's been a tapas menu. You choose two appetizers, one entree and one dessert for $25, and you also get a beverage. There is a wine list also. We had spicy potatoes, roasted red peppers with goat cheese, croquettes and flatbread; pork tenderloin and chicken; rice pudding and chocolate mousse. Everything was delicious, even the pre-dinner bread. The service was friendly, attentive and well-timed. The decor was okay. Located on Broad St. just south of Washington with lots of parking and a Pep Bowl right around the corner. Great night out! We will definitely be back! read more

Excellent food! It was a Belgium themed menu. Favorites were an egg, bacon, potatoes salad, mussels, frites, and steak dish. Hats off to the pastry chef. The decor was dated, but kitchy and the staff was friendly and attentive. So cheap for such great dishes. read more

J & A Caterers - a painting on the wall - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

See all

Wow! This is our second time going here, and the food is yet again super consistently well-done. Each course was delicious! The service was good, too. It's byob, which is always nice (though they do sell wine by the glass and the bottle, too). As everyone says, the price is a fantastic deal for the quality and quantity of food. This is, honestly, much better quality food than you would find at many non-student-run restaurants. My only complaint would be that the decor is not the best, but the food and service more than make up for it. We will be back! read more

My friend got a groupon for JNA and she invited me to come with her. Apparently, making a reservation at JNA is pretty epic but based on what she told me but I am glad I got a chance to go there. I had a very pleasant experience and the food was pretty yummy! My meal started off with the soup special which was pretty similar to a chicken noodle soup but it was really yummy. Next, I had the Gnocchi with tomatoes, basil and parmesan. I wished there was a little more basil in there but it was still a good plate. Next came the Cacciatore di Agnello which is lamb over some polenta. I loved the plate but I just don't think the polenta was made right. I had a lot of Italian polenta homemade and the texture, the taste and the color was not on point. The lamb, however, was very good. For the dessert I got the Vesuvius di Cioccolata which was on point and very yummy! The meal without groupon comes up to 25$ which I find pretty reasonable given the amount of food we get. read more

J & A Caterers - Yummy dessert - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Our server, Patty was flawless, as were her helpers, some of them instructors. All the food was delicious, only concern was that the food could have been hotter when served, and the pork chops were somewhat overcooked. Street parking in the area is tight. We will be back. read more

JNA Institute of Culinary Arts provides a dining experience in the classroom setting. The instructor began by explaining how the dinner works and the server made it clear that we are to complete a comment card at the end of our meal which is used in the grading of the students. Please remember that these are people who are training to be in the dining industry and as such some dishes are a work in progress. The menu changes with the season and we had the "American Bistro" menu. The prix fixe menu comes with four courses so be sure you are hungry upon arrival. I had the cream of carrot soup, confetti vegetable risotto, flank steak and we shared each of the four desserts. I liked all of the dishes except the risotto (the vegetables were a bit hard as if frozen). The desserts were the best part (dutch apple cake, strawberry gelato, berries with lemon marscapone, and smores mason jar). I would definitely like to return for future menus. read more

This is a very interesting place. The decor is totally crazy. If you had a grandmother who lived in south philly when you were younger, this is what her house would look like. My girlfriend and I couldn't get over the tackiness. Definitely a sight for sore eyes, but a sight nonetheless. With that being said, the food is awesome. The staff is so friendly and willing to answer any questions you have. The meal began with a small plate of tapas that had shucked oysters. The other things were tasty but I remember those oysters. My first course was their gazpacho which tasted a bit more like salsa but still very pleasant. Next I had their Carne a la Plancha with "Moorish" spice and roasted potatoes. Anywhere else a steak of this quality would cost at least $45. Their 3 course tasting menu is $25. Dessert was a perfectly prepared flan with a honey, caramel type drizzle. So, while not a perfect meal by Iron Chef standards, the food was fantastic and cmon, the students have to learn somewhere. They do a great job. I will definitely be returning for their next seasonal menu. read more

While I like the concept, the food did not match the quality of reviews. The French menu looked god on paper, but unfortunately every dish was off. The French onion soup came with appropriate presentation but was surprisingly spicy. Escargot was rubbery and warm. The main dishes - fish was too salty, while beef stew too bland. Even the creme brûlée came with uneven taste and a bit lumpy Giving a 3 star for the effort, service and price. read more

This place is very good! The server was very attentive. And fir the orice that you pay. The food was exceptional! Byob! Definitely will come back to try again! read more

J & A Caterers - Great food! Highly recommending the scallops! - American Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

My husband and I went last night. It was French. Simply delicious. Sharon was our waitress, Very friendly.. Started with soup. We had French onion and potato leek, very good. Then escargot, delicious. Then the pork and fish, they were perfectly cooked. The desert, omg. We were so full and just had to eat it. Had the bread pudding. The best we have ever had. We brought our own wine and simply enjoyed the night. We highly recommend this place. We will be back. I told about 20 people today and half went right on the web site to review the menu. I know they will be down. Bon appetit !! read more

The servers were nice--they get a 4/5. Ambience, so-so--2.5/5. Food was awful. Bread--tasteless; mussels and pomme frites were okay; steak entree appalling, needed to be sent back twice to be cooked; I passed on dessert because I could not stand the incompetence anymore, but my dining partner tasted it and found it awful. We doggie-bagged it and left it in the trashcan outside. read more

After seeing a Groupon and the ensuing curiosity, we visited on a Thursday evening. Parking was a breeze and only a few tables were seated when we arrived at 545. Once seated we were informed it was a school, people learning front of house, back of house and everyone was a student. The prix fixe offered a variety of food, 4 options for each course of soup, ap, main and dessert. Food: Leek onion soup was delightful and creamy, french onion was alright, really heavy on the onions with little broth so a man (not our server but brought out soup and noticed it was light on the broth) brought out [too much] broth and filled it to the brim which really didn't help the soup - i might have preferred a little more broth but the extra service was pleasant. Aps of beets with goat cheese were delicious and seafood crepe was very warm, meaty and creamy with a well executed but cold crepe. Mains: brown buttered fish was lacking in a sauce and although not dry, needed something more, so he squirted lemon on it to "help" and said it did. Upon servers advice, i opted for the chicken and was pleasantly surprised as it was flavorful and juicy with one breast and leg smothered in a red wine mushroom sauce and served skin on. Desserts might have been my favorite course: pot de creme (chocolate custard) was fantastic - just bitter enough and creamy. Comes out small but packs a big flavor punch. And the choc bread pudding was delightful, a little crusty, and still creamy, warm and well balanced. Would visit again for the 2 for one groupon I found. Otherwise, can't promise anything. read more

Kinda a dump. We went in, and it looked like the decor was from the 80s. We had a groupon, though, so we decided to reserve judgement. The person who showed us to the table (one of the teachers, I overheard) was nice and so was the waiter, but the food was just OK (especially for the price if we hadn't had a groupon) and the service was very slow. I will most likely not be back (although if groupon runs their special again for $30 for 2 people, I just may take a lazy day off of cooking and go again). read more

we had a girls' dinner at jna institute of culinary arts philadelphia, $20 for students plus tip. it comes with 4 courses: tapas, appetizer, dinner, dessert. i had a grilled chicken chorizo my appetizer and a chicken marsala as my main main course. both were tasty -- especially since it was the students' second day in the kitchen. i had churros for dessert. they messed up my orders; originally i asked for the chorizo and tuna steak, but they brought out a tuna appetizer and chicken marsala. i sent the tuna appetizer back but when they brought out the marsala entree, i ended up eating it since i thought it was too much of a waste for them to have to cook another entree. as a result... my meal was free! i didn't have high expectations for the service since the servers were still learning how to serve -- it was my server's first day on the job and he tried really hard -- so this was actually a bonus for me. sadly, one of my friends got sick from her food. i suppose it was the appetizer of tuna, which came with egg and a mayonnaise sauce. i guess they haven't completely covered the "food safety" part of the course yet. i would do it again -- they change the menu every season -- but i plan to stay far away from fish! read more

So I get a living social coupon for the JNA which essentially breaks down to having a four course meal for $12.50 a person. I arrive on Friday expecting to be underwhelmed, and boy was I proven wrong. Best $12.50 I have ever spent. We started with the wild mushroom and artichoke/white bean crostini and the Caesar salad. The Caesar salad is made table side and it is traditional, anchovies and all. The crostini was beyond excellent, it's actually a mushroom crostini and a white bean/artichoke crostini and I could not figure out which one I liked best. I think serving them together is the right choice. We then split the beef gnocchi and the linguine with claims. Both were prepared perfectly. The gnocchi was smooth, the tomatoes were perfection. I liked the linguine, but the gnocchi was my favorite of the two. For our entrée we got the chicken breast with prosciutto and the "hunter's" dish. I expected to like the lamb dish the best, but the chicken was the star of the night. It was moist and perfectly seasoned. The term "fall of the bone" comes to mind. When meat is cooked slow how it just falls apart when your fork hits it, which was this chicken. My mouth is watering writing this; it's like chicken porn the memory. Anyway... we got the Vesuvius di cioccolata for desert, I would have honestly paid $12.50 just for this. I would have paid the full $25.00 per person for this desert. It's a liquid chocolate cake, and it is melt in your mouth delicious. The server/student who attended to us was informative and just very sweet. We would definitely go back. Oh and it's BYOB!!!!! read more

Everything was absolutely amazing. The student who served us was fantastic, and the food was delicious. The courses were properly timed and well matched. Dessert was perfect (I had a dark chocolate bread pudding with white chocolate drizzled over it). I had a Groupon which made it a great deal ($25 for $50), but I would gladly pay full price to go again. read more

What you get for the price is quite remarkable. I will be coming back for next seasonal menu with friends. You get an excellent four course meal knowing you are supporting student chefs in Philly. When I went to JNA, I experienced the Mediterranean menu (Spring 2013). The stuffed grape leaves, polenta gnocchi, Moroccan carrot salad, vegetable Tangine, and ice cream desserts were excellent. read more