Attended a wedding reception here with my son for a family friend. Everything was pretty much top notch! The before supper appetizer buffet was on point with a variety of yummy selections. The dinner served delicious. Desserts great. Staff was solicitous and took great care of us. A wonderful evening celebrating the happy couple, and this spot did it right! read more

5 Starts all the way!!!!! Great waitstaff. Caring and careful Valet Parkers in a lot beside the building. Once inside for the wedding, we were attending we were immediately astounded by the beauty of the place. The First Floor with its beautiful chandelier and cafe seating is used for cocktail hour and then later as a dessert station. Both sessions were crammed with top shelf hors d'oeuvres, nice drinks and imaginative desserts. Service was top notch! Professional and courteous. Our dinner meal was incredible. Again, 5 star all the way. The wedding area was pretty and laid out well with comfortable seating. The dance floor was fun. A great venue for a wedding o a fancy, upscale party. read more

Came here for a civil engineering event. I really like the venue in terms of looks. It's nice, clean and service was good. Food was just okay. Not bad but could be better. Like most venues, catering food is usually just okay. Overall a good experience. read more

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The engagement party I attended last night at Tendenza was fly-er than 90% of weddings. Complimentary valet, open bar that included anything your poor little liver can filter, and food you actually want to eat, all in a killer sparkly Sex and the City-style setting. We started off in the downstairs bar after checking our coats (complimentary). Tightly-strung wires suspended tiered glass tables decked with pink champagne and petite martini glasses, ready to be picked up anytime. Servers circulated with tasty bites: fontina cheese and prosciutto in phyllo dough, cute little lamb chops on the bone. Bartenders worked fast; you never had to wait for a drink. After an hour of cocktail-houring, servers alerted the party we were adjourning upstairs to the main room. This is where the WOW factor really kicked in. A huge room with exposed beams and brick walls is decked in white leather banquettes, mosiac-tiled columns, another huge backlit bar and a spacious dance floor with a raised stage for the DJ. Three screens added a music-video quality. Two different buffets offered a huge array of legitimately delicious (not just wedding-standard) food, including freshly-made sushi, tiny hamburgers, addictive mini roast pork sandwiches complete with broccoli rabe, three different pastas bubbling over burners, etc. It was awesome. All told, this place is baller status. You can absolutely tell it's the same ownership at Cescaphe Ballroom, right down the street. From a guest's perspective, five stars. read more

Tendenza - http://cescapheballroom.com/tendenza.cfm - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I am the Father of the Bride who just had a wedding reception at Tendenza on 9/7/13. If I could give this place 10 stars I would. Everything I mean Everything from beginning to end was perfect. Our event coordinator Betsy and Our Matre'd Ed were outstanding. The attention to detail was outstanding and the food, tons of it was delicious and beautifully presented. Every detail from the lighting to the table setting was carefully thought out and executed to perfection. The events from the first dance through the speeches to the cutting of the cake were skillfully coordinated by Ed. My Sea Bass dinner was the best I ever had. The bartenders made excellent drinks from a well stocked premium bar. At the end of the evening the attention to detail and service continued with carefully packing the gifts and flowers. I also have to add that the cake was not only beautiful (made to duplicate the floral design on my daughter's dress) but it was the best wedding cake I have ever tasted. A number of our guests commented on it. Thanks so much for a great evening that we will never forget. read more

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Easily was the nicest wedding venue I've ever been at. Staff was extremely professional and helpful. The room for bridal party was cramped and didn't have enough seats for the girls to all sit. Some small details in the private rest rooms were missed. Something as simple as a hook on the wall would've made life easier. Wearing three piece tux with suspenders and using the restroom was difficult with no place to hang anything. Food during cocktail hour was simply amazing, fantastic, awesome pick one or all three to describe it. Only reason for not 5 stars was the main course. Everyone at my table with the exception of one person ordered the filet mignon. When taking our order server asked how we wanted it cooked. When served all were medium rare to rare. I realize that a cut such as this should be more on the rare side. That being said it's about giving the person what they want. The actual size was huge not the tiny ones you would normally expect at a wedding. They filet was smothered with black pepper way too much, and I like pepper. Everyone had to scrape it off in order to eat their steak. I hope nothing I wrote will dissuade you from giving this venue a chance. YELP is about pointing out the positive and negative attributes of an experience. read more

Tendenza - Main room for ceremony then room is switched to dinner seating during cocktail hour - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I visited Tendenza for a graduation celebration. Beautiful space, with crystal chandeliers and a vibrant array of blue and purple lights. Great service. Tasty food, the appetizers were vast and delicious, and dinner was well-preapred; I had the Chilean Sea Bass. Drinks were open bar and got the job done. No complaints here. read more

Everything was top notch here. Attended a wedding reception on a cold March night and the appetizer display was endless, so good, could've made a meal from that and then the amazing desserts alone. I have nothing but good things to say, even the bathroom smelled nice. How often can you say that? Coat check lady was so sweet. Every staff person I encountered was too. I'm glad I experienced this spot and will recommend any friends lookin for a venue to check this place out. read more

Tendenza - Mini funnel cake with Nutella, chocolate ice cream, chocolate sprinkles, an oreo, and oreo fluff. Heaven on a plate! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

We attended a wedding here last night in the Nor'easter! When GPS failed us, we walked 5 blocks through the storm. Once inside, the valet guy ( I wish I asked his name (Big Guy)) offered to go back out in the the crazy weather to retrieve and valet our car. What a God send! He alone deserves five stars! Although late for apps, they were on point and dinner did not disappoint. Our bartender, Michael, was efficient and friendly. All in all a great night was had. Beautiful wedding, exceptional venue and a top notch experience! read more

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Mixed emotions about this venue. Who ever manages it clearly wants it to feel upscale, but when you walk into the space you're immediately greeted by things that detract from that: crooked, off-kilter chandeliers; cheap, plastic decor; RUDE AF bartenders. The apps served during happy hour were varied and mostly excellent: cheeses, sushi, dumplings and other Asian influenced cuisine, bruschetta, shrimp, crab. That could have been dinner in and of itself, and I wish it was because the dinner was shit! At least mine was, which was the filet. You could cut it with a spoon, but does that matter if it tastes like it was seasoned with dish soap? And seriously, those bartenders were totally miserable all night, ranging from mildly indifferent to the four-person deep crowd in front of them, to straight up nasty, ferociously dumping out an incorrectly made drink with some colorful remarks. read more

Came here for a holiday party and we had a killer time. Beautiful place easy to get into, decent valet staff, great bar staff just great staff all around. Nice sound system and layout. Would consider booking this place for a party or event in the future. read more

Tendenza - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

I was a November 2012 Tendenza Bride ... Black Friday - to be exact! The other day I was on the elevator in my building and a lady sharing the elevator ride w/ me looked up and said "I came across your wedding pictures on a blog ... you were married at Tendenza, right?" Slightly caught off guard - I responded "yes" as I looked up from the pile of mail in my hands! She sorta squeaked - "I'm getting married at the Atrium!" The only thing I could think to tell her was "well then you have absolutely NOTHING to worry about!" B/c when you are dealing w/ the professional staff at Cescaphe, you truly have nothing to worry about! Right after we got engaged, Chris and I discussed what kind of wedding we wanted to have. We had been to soooo many weddings and both agreed that we wanted a party, a really fun party! When I envisioned my wedding day - I didn't see a fancy ballroom, I wanted more of an exposed brick, urban vibe. Tendenza was the very first venue that we checked out - and as soon as those glass doors opened exposing a floor to ceiling two-sided bar my Chris was S-O-L-D! Of course, Tendenza comes with quite the price tag ... but you are paying for their expertise! As a bride, you find yourself worrying about even the tiniest of details that would have never crossed your mind before! I can honestly say that the staff at Tendenza covered so many of those fine details, making my life that much easier! Not to mention that our guests absolutely loved the venue and of course the food, the mind-blowing, abundance of delicious food from cocktail hour to dinner to the dessert bar and flambe station! If I could do it all over again, it would definitely be TENDENZA (and of course Chris)!!! read more

Totally killer space for a wedding reception! My cousin got married yesterday, and her reception here was all a bride could ask for. For about 160 attendees, the inside as soon as you walk in is an ideal space for a cocktail hour before dinner (if not a bit crowded for our group). But the lighting and accoutrements are really inviting. Also the food during the cocktail hour was rather amazeballs. The mini-cheeseburger station (sounds lame, truts me it ain't) was excellent, as was the pesto gnocchi, and people were raving about the small slices of lobster served in a shot glass with a bit of some sauce as well. As for the meal itself, everyone loved our choices of filet mingon, chicken parm, and some sort of fish. As a guy, I instantly ran to the steak obviously. It was good, and prepared to temp! I hate when my choices at things like this are medium or medium. There was also a chocolate fountain, but this one came with funnel cake as an option. Delightful addition to the usual, Tendenza! Also loved the tiramisu too. Bartenders were a bit slow during cocktail hour (only 3 of them for a bunch of Irish-Catholic Philadelphians... what were they thinking??), but once the dining started the entire staff was fast and friendly. You can tell they do mass banquet service only, which sometimes is so much trickier than usual restaurant seating. Everything we got was on time, and we asked for nothing the entire evening. Plus the newly happily married couple, as well as the parents of the bride and groom, had their own designated special VIP server, and got lots of other surprises and goodies throughout the evening. Including a dessert tray with the Philadelphia LOVE spelled out in red letters on the plate. Nice touch! HIGHLY recommended for a wedding reception in Philly... but the Floridian in me is still probably get married on a beach somewhere. Sorry, Tendenza, but it's still WAY too cold up here for a wedding in shorts and chancletas. read more

We had my wedding at Tendenza in Feb.2013. The Cescaphe Group had such amazing reviews and we had been to several weddings at their other locations. We knew before we walked into the door that we'd be using them. Tendenza was the first place we looked at. It took us literally 5 minutes before I said "This is the place". My parents couldn't believe how quick it took us to choose a spot. They were so professional and they gave me such piece of mind, I just felt confident right away. The wedding had our guests talking nonstop for weeks. They have incredible food and TONS of it, any drink possible at the bar, and the most stunning ambience of the room. My fiancé and I wanted a "chic city feel" to our wedding night. They provided it all. Our wedding coordinator and Matre'd were top notch. Our matre'd followed us around the entire evening making sure we had everything we needed from drinks in our hands to our own plates of apps before the actual party started. I give this place 10 STARS! I would recommend to anyone! read more

We attended a wedding last evening at this venue and we had a lovely time. The atmosphere was beautiful, service was good but not great. We were the final table 14 of 14 and our food was cold. I understand this is a much sought after target for events and I would think the restaurant would have learned how to serve every dish to diners hot. It was cooked correctly but unappealing when cold. read more

If I could get married again, I'd do it at Tendenza. Lucky for me, some friends chose this bangin' place to host their reception. The cocktail hour alone was exceptional. They had numerous stations of food, a hot bar and people walking around with appetizers. Inside the ballroom, everything was elegant and classy. Each table had their own server and they even cooked our steaks to our preferred temperature. I have never been to a wedding that feels like a trip to a fancy steakhouse, but this came close. The bride and groom were able to dance, drink and be merry because the staff at Tendenza made it possible. If you want to enjoy your wedding, have it here. read more

We just had our wedding at Tendenza and all the guests were floored! The food was so luxurious and plentiful. Never have I seen anything like it. This place is young, chic, modern, cool, trendy, and just all out beautiful! The staff is great to work with too. They were very very organized and made our day, the best day of our lives. We will never forget it. All my friends told me it was the best wedding they went to. Whether it was actually the best or not, Tendenza, without doubt, had to be within anyone's top 3. This places oozes class! read more

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Went to a wedding here last summer & it blew me away. Its beautiful in here. The finger foods during cocktail hr forget it ull be so full you won't be able to eat ur main course. This place is where a dream wedding can come to life. read more

I had the distinct pleasure of attending (and photographing) a wedding at Tendenza last summer. Before attending I hadn't really researched the venue much, so I was basically going sight unseen. As a vendor my opinion of a given venue is usually much different than the honored guest. Guest are usually treated much different. However, at Tendenza to my surprise, I was treated much like a guest which is a very good thing. The ambience is very much Industrial Chic and is representative of the modern age. Far too many times in old cites (like Philadelphia, NYC, etc), venues aren't well kept. The management does a great job of keeping up with what appeals to 20-30 somethings. What about the food? I'm glad you asked. Out of attending 31 weddings last year. Tendenza's food was the BEST by far! Each course was prepared very well. If you'd like to see the photos of Tendenza check them out here: http://www.joshuadwain.com/tag/tendenza-wedding-photos/ read more

I attended a wedding here earlier this year and this place was unbelievabely amazing. The decor but most importantly the food. From a guest point of view everything was perfect. The cocktail hour alone would be worth the 5 stars. They had almost anything you could think of, although I am a little jealous I missed the minicheeseburger bar a previous reveiwer mentioned. My boyfriend who may just love food more than me was greedily shoving his face in the corner with a smile on his face because there were so many options. I had the steak as my dinner option and it was cooked perfectly. I wish i didn't give up half to my lovely date. I guess I guilted another woman at the table to give up her dinner to her boyfriend as well because she did the same shortly after. Sorry tablemate! Too bad I was dancing and drinking most of the night because I missed the dessert bar. Thanks Mom, for saving me a funnel cake atleast. The bathrooms also have a selection of almost anything you could need if an "emergency" arises - with no attendant who you feel obligated to tip because she gave you a safety pin. read more

Went to tendenza for a wedding last night. Food and venue was great, but I do have a complaint about some of the bartenders. I believe one of the bartenders name is mike and he was being completely rude. I asked him for henny on the rocks and he literally said no and then walked away. A little bit afterwards , he came back and told us his reason, which was "there isn't much left and theres 150 other people that are drinking too". Working in the industry myself, I know what it's like to run low on your prep, but if a customer orders it, then you serve it, no questions asked. I would give a higher rate but bad service is an absolute no to me. He really took away the fun a lot of other guests we're having too. It's really crappy when you go to a wedding to have fun but the bartenders all walk around with this "I hate my job" look on their faces read more

Awesome, love it, would get married here in a heartbeat. But don't tell my boyfriend that because it would probably send him into cardiac arrest. We attended a Friday evening wedding here back in February and it was STUNNING! The front foyer area was perfect for arriving/mingling and for the cocktail hour between the ceremony and reception. I was in awe of how beautiful the event space was for both the ceremony and reception. The lighting, colors, chandeliers, chairs and tables were all gorgeous, and the brick walls gave it an "Old Philly" style as well. I also cannot say enough good things about the food. Let's just say I didn't even get a chance to try everything because I was so busy filling up on the items I liked that I couldn't make the rounds fast enough. My shoes, however, threatened to ruin this wonderful evening when one of the straps broke. The staff at Tendenza was incredibly helpful and found some masking tape for me ASAP, which fixed the problem well enough for me to enjoy the evening (although I took them off to dance shortly after anyway). We had no problems with the valet parking as the staff outside was quite helpful as well. Granted this wasn't my wedding, so I'm not sure what they're like from a logistical/planning perspective. But for this guest, it was a smooth-flowing, delicious, gorgeous affair, and I will be hard pressed to attend another wedding like it! read more

My son and daughter in law just had their beautiful wedding at Tendenza. I can 't say enough, the food was excellent the venue is beautiful! The staff was exceptional, especially Robert. Robert was professional, curtious, made the day special and relaxing for the family. This is by far the best wedding event I have ever attended! Linda Ackley read more

I attended the wedding of my step-son at your location on Friday, March 14th, 2014. From the moment that we arrived until the moment we left, we were treated like we were the only people there. I have a food allergy & Jim & their entire staff catered to my needs. Not only did they prepare food that was vital to my special allergy, but they checked on my well being throughout the event. The venue is beautiful, the staff is very professional, & the food was spectacular. Our entire family & guests raved about the wedding. I would recommend Tendenza to everyone & anyone planning a wedding or event. Thank You to the entire staff for all the hard work they put in. read more

Where do I even start? I had my wedding on 11/6/11 at Tendenza and it was BEYOND wonderful. I looked at a dozen venues in both Philadelphia and Florida, and all of the Cescaphe venues are unlike anything else. For starters, the room is so stunning that you literally don't need flowers (we had very minimal) and everyone was raving about how beautiful and unique the room was. The service was impeccable. Guests were greeted with champagne with raspberries. The food is ridiculous and abounding. Our friends kept raving how this was the best cocktail hour they had ever been to. From the raw bar, to the sushi display, to pasta stations, lamb chops...everything was amazing and constantly replenished. The bar is stocked with all top shelf liquors, and there were enough bartenders so that no one was waiting long for a drink. They were constantly butlering out signature cocktails. The main courses (filet, chilean sea bass, and chicken) were equally amazing. Dessert is an experience in itself. They will create any wedding cake of your choice, and totally nailed the most elaborate cake for us. There was a crepe station with bananas foster. As if that wasn't enough, there was funnel cake, lava brownies, cramel apples, fried oreos, cheesecake lollipops, cannolis... so much more. Oh yeah, and the hit was milkshakes and french fries, suggested by Dana. Joe and his company will literally cater to your every need. No request is too big or too small. Dana and Tori were instrumental to making my day go seamlessly. They were both wonderful and so much fun to work with. On the day of, our maitre de Ed was beyond amazing. He was constantly going up to me, my fiance, and our families and bringing us food (including lobster tails), cocktails, anything we could ever want. They served us one of every entree and made sure we were happy always. Everything was beyond our expectations. The price is beyond reasonable and fair for what you get, and cheaper than every other place we visited. I don't know why you would not get married at Tendenza or one of the Cescaphe venues if you live in the northeast. I cannot say enough nice things about Tendenza and Cescaphe, and everyone that works there. read more

This venue is great. The space is trendy and large and the food and drinks were good. However, I was so poorly treated by two of the bouncers. Despite how awesome the venue was, I cannot give this place more than 2 stars given how offensive a bouncer was. Not sure whose problem that is - the venue or the entertainment group who owns it but HEY... get your shit together. read more

We enjoyed a great wedding reception at Tendenza. The front lobby featured a spacious area with well-distributed tiered tables of a wide variety of appetizers - the Seared Tuna was particularly good. For the sit-down dinner, we moved into the back room which is an elegant loft style with a stage and dance floor located in the back. The support pillars can make it a little difficult to see from the side tables, so it's nice that there are large TVs that project video within the room, but the resolution of the video could be improved. We liked the entree options, including the Chilean Sea Bass and the Stuffed Filet. The smorgasbord of desserts was awesome although definitely very sweet. We also appreciated the very nice and attentive staff. Overall a great choice for a party! read more

HOW MOLY! This is an excellent venue for any type of reception. We had our wedding here on 6/26 and all my dreams came true. Cescaphe was amazing. They were attentive, unique and phenomenal. I can't really form into words how amazing our wedding ended up. Some people don't choose this event group because it is an investment. Just trust me, DO IT. Thank you ,Cescaphe for giving us the best day ever read more

Went to this beautiful venue for a work gala for my husband. Food and venue were amazing. Waitstaff couldn't have been better. Valets were awesome, too. I have worked in the food industry for over 20 years as waitstaff, bartender, dining room manager and a mystery diner for a top Philly company. Why only 3 stars?? The bartenders! John and Mike, couldn't have been worse. My drinks came ungarnished ( vodka soda gets a lime. Always) my second drink was barely 2/3 full and John couldn't have cared less, no beverage napkins unless I asked. Totally ignored customers as they talked in a corner and had an attitude like we were bothering them. From the reviews, looks like these bartenders are the only negative to this great place. Perhaps additional training on customer service could rectify the problem for them ?? We tipped them well, out of habit, but they put quite a damper on an otherwise great night. read more

Attended a wedding here this weekend and it was such a wonderful experience. The food was delicious, the staff was friendly and accommodating and the venue was lovely. I loved the exposed brick and the lay out of the room. It was a great experience right up to the end of the night when they had a cheesesteak table that was the cherry or cheese on top of a great night :) read more

I was at a wedding and reception there on Saturday night. It was topnotch. The food was 5-star and the staff was attentive and quick. The attention to detail and that space itself is stunning and it made for a wonderful and unforgettable evening. read more

This is a great place with a "SERIOUS" decor! They serve a tremendous amount of food to their guests and the place is an "A" room for weddings and cocktail parties. FYI: The valet staff ransacked my truck though, and took it on a joyride. It took them about 1/2 hour to find it when I was ready to leave and they drove my gas out and went through everything inside. read more

I simply cannot say enough good things about Tendenza and the entire staff at Cescaphe events. My husband (!) and I got married at Tendenza on September 2 and to say that we were blown away by the service, food, ambience, attention to detail and professionalism of the people with whom we worked is not to tell the whole story. From the day we met with Cescaphe over a year and a half ago to the minute we left our reception in the Cescaphe trolley as newlyweds, Betsy, Dana and Tori answered every question we had and made every assurance to us that our day would be perfect. We were married right at the venue in the round and it was one of the most intimate settings I can imagine for a wedding. I had an idea in my head of what I wanted our ceremony to be and, if possible, Tendenza was ever more wonderful than I had hoped. When Ed, our phenomenal maitre de for the evening, pulled my new husband and me aside to give us a private tour of the dining room before our guests piled in, I felt as though we had stepped into the images I had in my head for 2 years. I have had guests telling me for weeks that when they or their kids get married, they already know where they will have the reception! I could go on, but I won't. All I can say is that if you are looking for a hip, unusual venue in Philly with fantastic food and drinks and service that puts every other to venue to shame, book now if you can (they fill up years in advance, so DO NOT HESITATE!) The only regret I have is that I spent a single second during the planning process worrying that something would go wrong at the wedding. Cescaphe simply won't allow it and I should have spent my time focusing on happier things. Oh, and one more thing--we looked at several other Center City venues and for the price, you will NOT find a better deal than Cescaphe and the package they provide (food, drinks, cake, event planner, maitre de and more all included) puts the others to shame. read more

I have attended a handful of cocktail events at Tendenza. I love the entrance with modern, glitzy decor. When you enter, you know that you are going to party. I'm a wine drinker and appreciate that they offer a good variety including Persecco and Sauvignon Blanc. I heard someone complaining about being denied a round of shots, but I'm glad that they avoid that type of rowdy behavior. The passed hors d'oeuvre are fabulous from tuna ceviche to lamb chops to tostadas. The food empties quickly from the trays, but there are plenty of servers and refills. We learned to hang near the servers path so that we could get to the fresh trays. The stations are great. I love the Italian station which is pretty creative and you can make to your own taste. I usually stay away from Italian as it is typical filler food, but not by Chescaphe. I had it at least twice and it was set up with lots of high end food. The chefs are so friendly and patient even with demanding crowds. The sushi is fresh, the seafood tables are outstanding. I think the only better shrimp I've ever had was straight off a shrimp boat at the dock. I like the way the suspended tables are turned into seafood towers. Chescaphe provides a large number of servers, so everything seems to be abundant. Tendenza is a great place for a party and I hope one day to get to go for a wedding. read more

Absolutely fantastic wedding at Tendenza. The service, decor, and atmosphere would be hard to beat. Received lots of compliments from friends and family that it was truly an awesome reception hall. As parents, we couldn't have been treated any nicer. The whole experience was a pleasure! Would highly recommend Tendenza. read more

This past Wednesday, we attended a corporate event at Tendenza. Let me start by saying everything was amazing. We were taken by trolley to the venue and from the conversational driver, to the young lady valet that braved the traffic ensuring our safety with a smile on her face, to the matre di who catered to our needs, to the bartenders making quick and accurate drinks, our night was wonderful. The food was exceptional and the service was above par. All I can hope for is another event at this wonderful establishment. read more

Can't say enough about the great staff at Tendenza. I'm a wedding officiant and performed a big, elegant ceremony there just the other night. Some last-minute changes in room set-up, requested by the bride and groom, would have thrown a lesser group into confusion. But not Ed and Betsy and their staff. They flew into action -- moved chairs, changed the aisle, shifted things around -- and did it all quickly, cheerfully and graciously. Throughout the set-up and rehearsal, and some minor dramas, they kept it together and made us all feel that nothing was more important than making this night perfect for the couple and their guests. I've done weddings in many venues and can honestly say that the Tendenza staff are right up there are the very top. read more