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Valanni
Categories: Restaurants Tapas Bars Restaurants Latin American Restaurants Mediterranean Tapas Bars, Latin American, Mediterranean [Edit]
1229 Spruce StPhiladelphia, PA 19107
Neighbourhood: Washington Square West
(215) 790-9494
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 2 am
Sun 11 pm - 3 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
189 reviews for Valanni
Review Highlights
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"Must try the Lobster Mac n cheese." In 13 reviews -
"The staff is friendly and happy hour is great." In 38 reviews -
"Spicy Pulled Chicken Empanadas: great." In 7 reviews
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189 reviews in English
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Review from Jay M.
State College, PA
3/31/2012
Loved it. Five of us walked in without a reservation at about 7:30 on a Saturday night. Not the greatest idea. We managed to secure the last five seats at the bar and decided to eat there rather than waiting the hour and a half it would've taken to get a table.
The bartender was attentive and helpful even though it took us forever to decide what we were eating. Our food came out much faster than I expected it to for how busy the place was. A friend and I split three of the tapas plates, another friend got something that he loved (bad reviewer - I totally forget what he got!), and the other couple got the HUGE Medi-Latin plate. They couldn't even finish it. I loved the tuna tartare! Amazing! Everything else was delicious too, but I'd go back just for the tuna tartare.
I had a boring bourbon and water to drink, but I tried the Gin-esais Quoi and the Rock Hard Mojito. Both amazing!
All in all, it's a great place for food or cocktails... but make a reservation if it's prime dining time! -
Review from Maureen F.
Philadelphia, PA
5/22/2012
Was there for dinner with 5 other in February Saturday Night
Food was great.
Drinks were ok- sangria for table didn't really seperate itself from anyone else's sangria.
Server wasn't really as attentive as he could have been. Seemed to be one of those "oh, there are 6 people here...i'm getting 18% automatic no matter what kind of service I give them". Long period of not coming by the table...maybe he had too many tables...not sure.
The bar was lively...I'm not gonna rush back, but I'd go back for drinks at bar -
Review from Kathryn K.
Portland, OR
3/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The food was delicious; the cheeses were especially delicious as was the tuna tartare. Yum! The margaritas were interesting but were overly sweet to my taste (I prefer a tarter experience).
Being a resident of the foodie town Portland, Oregon I wasn't super impressed with the food, other than what I mentioned above, but it was one of the better meals we had in Philadelphia.
The downside was that our waiter seemed distracted and seemed to forget to check-in. We actually had to flag him down to order another drink which doesn't happen very often.
We did love being able to make a reservation through YELP! -
Review from Alex S.
Conshohocken, PA
5/20/2012
Great food, good atmosphere. It was around 10-11 pm so they turned the music a bit lout as if it was a club which it's not. Otherwise pretty solid experience.
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Review from Lan G.
5/7/2012
Delicious food! I loved the seafood paella I got there. When they say it's for 2 people, it's enough food for three! The seasoning is great. They also have good cocktails here.
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Review from Dawn S.
New York, NY
5/9/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Every dish was really flavorful and made with fresh ingredients. We went vegetarian based upon my friend's preferences, and ended up having a really tasty vegetarian paella! I was quite impressed. The interior is pretty fancy with a sleek dim modern feel, which doesn't quite match up with the tapas menu, but it was nice and the servers were really friendly.
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Review from Mary S.
2/20/2012
So by writing this review I'm going to divulge some pretty personal info. That information is that I have never actually eaten 'at' Valanni, but thanks to a certain http://diningin.com service I have eaten 'from' Valanni so many times that I feel as though they are merely an extension of my kitchen. The invisible part where delicious food just appears in my dining room. Over and over again (yep. this is a pretty bad addiction I'm admitting to you all in this super public forum. I hope you appreciate it).
So having admitted it. What do I order from here? well everything's good. It's pricey because I dont think they intended for it to be a take out place, it's more of a go and sip a cocktail and eat some Tapas kinda place, but some times I don't want to leave my house and still want tapas. So Valanni fills my tapas need and enables my social awkwardness by not making me leave the house. This is a win win.
My favorites:
Ham Croquettes- I was recently in Spain and ham croquettes are simply something I wish could be part of every day I have here on this planet. they're just rocking.
Potatoes Bravas- not exactly like they are traditionally served in Spain, but delicious
Chicken Empanadas- spicy chicken and manchego empanada, perfection.
Baked Brie- grand marnier-soaked cranberries, sliced pears, hazelnuts yep it does taste just like heaven funny you would read the description and think that also.
Oh fun fact. This place has a happy hour that feature half off tapas. I haven't been, but I really should go. So some day when I'm not horribly unfriendly this is totally some place I will go for happy hour. -
Review from Elizabeth P.
Philadelphia, PA
Valanni's happy hour is awesome. Ordered 5 different tapas -- baked brie, figs in a blanket, seafood flatbread, crispy chickpeas and chorizo, and spicy chicken empanadas, and they were all pretty good! Probably my favorite would be the chicken empanadas and the figs; surprisingly wasn't a fan of the baked brie because it had a bitter aftertaste which was a bit strange.
Additional plus is that they have the skinny minny drinks menu haha! Drinks listed under this section is under 150 calories. Ordered the Orangina and was not disappointed. Check out the photos!
In the gayborhood-- aka well-dressed, clean-cut, metro type of people... at least based on my observation. :) -
Review from Ettya F.
1/29/2012
Alright. Check it.
Valanni's about as eclectic as the glitter section in a party store. It's a wild fun place bustling with the most unexpected amalgamation of people - kind of like high school, but this time the preps, jocks, nerds, geeks, and metal heads all mingle together. Valanni's a giant cesspool of love, and it's really kind of heart warming.
Oh, also, the bar area is grand. Mirrors abound allowing the ladies to publicly reapply lipstick and make kiss-y faces while guys can slick back their hair and bro wink at themselves.
The back lounge area is classy with a Meet George Jetson futuristic space age twist. The chaises are white and vinyl appearing; the tables are translucent, allow the whole room to fluoresce.
It's fun. It's quirky. I feel like I like this place a lot more than I should, but it's got that je ne sais quoi fun quotient that makes you wanna go back for more. -
Review from Ryan D.
Philadelphia, PA
4/23/2012
I met friend here for happy hour last week and was quite impressed. We started at the bar while we waited for everyone to arrive, but the quickly and easily moved us to an outside table once we were all there. If you like cocktails in a little more upscale environment this one is great. They have any extensive cocktail menu and during happy hour all that are normally $10 or less are available for $5. They also have a good happy hour snack menu. We tried a few of them and were pretty happy. If you like beer or wine this happy hour isn't the best for you, but they do have $3 Yuengling lagers on special.
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Review from Suzanne S.
Philadelphia, PA
2/6/2012
I made reservations to come here for restaurant week since the Valanni/Mercato owners are generous enough to offer patrons their WHOLE menu. I had been to Valanni before for a quick drink, but never had the food. I don't know why it took me this long to get back but here we go...
Since my reservations were at 7, I decided I would meet my friend for Happy Hour at the bar, since they have $5 "you call it specials" and half price apps.
The bartenders were great and EXTREMELY attentive.
The appetizers we had were:
Mussel's in red sauce: good
veggie empandas: delish
chicken empanadas: Yum
brussel sprouts: WOW
I highly recommend the brussel sprouts because they were soo fresh and prepared soo differently than I had ever had them.
When were seated, we were greeted by our server John, who was the sweetest thing. Throughout the night, he was on the floor looking over his section to make sure everyone was taken care of. For dinner, I got to try the following:
Scallops over mashed potatoes: Very good but a little on the salty side
The seafood flatbread: AMAZING. I wish it had been bigger LOL
Calamari: Okay.
Seafood Paella: Meh-The seafood was great but Paella is supposed to be dry rice. Their version looked more like a soup. Nevertheless, it was decent.
For dessert:
Rum bananas: I was supposed to taste my husbands, but by the time I went to taste it, it was G-O-N-E. My husband is not a fan of dessert so it MUST have been great.
Pot De Crème:Awesome; and
Apple bread pudding: Okay. I thought it would have more of a tart to it.
All in all, it was a great night, and I will definitely go back. Especially for the happy hour. -
Review from Christina S.
Doylestown, PA
3/21/2012 1 Check-in Here
After wandering around the area and always wanting to try Valanni, my travel partner and I decided this would be a good time. Upon entering, we were the only people seated at a table. There were a few people at the bar, and servers and bartenders millng about.
That being said, it took about 15 minutes to even be acknowledged. We were told that dinner wasn't being served yet.. it was close to 5pm. We had to ask if they had a tapas menu that people were ordering from now. With confirmation of that, we had to ask to be seated in the dining room... I just don't get it. I'd rather be busy at work than standing around biting my nails (one person there has a BIG problem with that) or texting non-stop. (Let me also add that my friend and I were looking to get dinner, weren't dressed inappropriately, and didn't walk in with any sort of chip on our shoulders or obnoxious attitude.)
We both ordered the dirty & stuffed (stuffed olives) martini which was delicious. Due to the fact that the service was sub par and we were starving, we decided to order small and go somewhere different. We ordered the calamari and the tuna tartare. Both were delicious as well.
It's too bad the people there to make their guests feel worthy of good service had other things on their agendas that day. -
Review from Sally T.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I remember coming here years ago for happy hour and didn't think much of it. Years later I find myself back here with friends for a drink on a Saturday night. The place looks different, there's a back section with a DJ who's not spinning douche tunes and the sound level was pleasantly reasonable. There's a bar in the middle and a back room for parties where we ended up in by the end of the night. The folks who come here are a good mix (at least it was the night that I went). It didnt have the old city douche vibe at all.
The beers on tap were decent, they serve dogfish head 60min IPA. 'nuff said. -
Review from Slick N.
Lansdale, PA
4/12/2012
I used to love love Valanni. Went there on Friday and it was just ok. The hostess sat us and we waited and waited while the waitstaff kept walking by. Finally we had to ask someone who was our waiter. This friendly waitress did come right away and apologized.
I will say the fried goat cheese appetizer is amazing. It is small but well worth it. Drizzled in honey /served with red onion relish. We were told it is new to the menu.
The beef kababs had a meager amount of meat, but tasted good. Dont do the duck! The sauce on the duck entree is retched.
The ambiance is good, nice martini selections. Order the tapas apps. The entrees seem hardly worth the price. -
Review from Vinny P.
12/8/2011 4 Check-ins Here
On a dark, dreary, rainy, cold miserable evening we stumbled into Valanni famished, beaten down by the elements and looking for sustenance. I'm really happy we did.
After leaving Varga not a few minutes before because they weren't serving food (Calendar Party), our hopeless faces said to the nice hostess at Varga, "where should we eat." She suggested, you could go to Valanni. My eyes lit up. "I've never been there!" I exclaimed. Off trudging through the rivers on Spruce Street we went.
We were seated near the window in one of the their oval shaped booths. I enjoyed this seating arrangement because it allows you to sit very close to the person you're with. Whether that's a good or bad thing all depends on your particular situation.
With the awful weather, I was in a gin mood. My dining partner selected the Ecstasy which I tasted and I wasn't a fan of. We ordered the lobster mac and cheese, grilled merguez and the spanikopita. All of these entrees completely and utterly hit the spot. The lobster mac had ginormous pieces of lobster in it (large claw pieces) and the bechamel was held together by both small crab meat and jumbo lump. Simply stunning.
For dessert, we selected the bread pudding which came a la mode. While the ice cream was a bit melted, the bread pudding was delicious and I was happy with the selection. It was also a small enough portion so I didn't feel overly stuffed after said meal.
Our waiter was very nice, and attentive to all of our dining needs. The design and decor of the restaurant is very lively and I can certainly see myself returning here for drinks and bites.Listed in: Nomtastic
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Review from Linda N.
1/20/2012
What we ordered:
-Tuna tartar with wonton-like chips (YUM)
-Empanadas (drool)
-Some fish special entree (meh)
-Vegetable Paella (HUGE PORTION - like, it's made for two people and is super super super DELISH)
-Some light apple dessert with thin pastry and scoop of ice cream (mmm)
-Glass of rose for me and red wine for boyfriend
Valanni is a quaint tapas place and truthfully, it has a marvelous atmosphere with great service, drinks, food, and desserts. I wish there is more tuna or more empanadas per order though. I say order a few of them to share, but beware of your bank account as it is pricey!
If you have never been, I HIGHLY recommend any of the paellas and a glass of rose or white wine to complement. Buen provecho! -
Review from Jayna B.
Philadelphia, PA
1/7/2012
Synopsis: Drinks good but not so much else.
I have been to Valanni several times for drinks and always had an all right time. Never loved it, except it's a great place to go late night since their kitchen stays open late.
For a birthday dinner, my friend chose to go to Valanni and I had never eaten there so I obliged. She has had many good experiences prior to this one, so let that be known.
We made reservations and yet were seated at a crushed table between three other tables. Even the waiter apologized for it. There were other tables but they were evidently not for us. So we squish in and ask for water while we look the drink menu over. The menu had tons of errors and ink cross outs correcting items. For an upscale lounge, this seemed odd.
Our water arrives and both of us are drinking... until my friend notices lipstick marks on both of our glasses that do not belong to we two nonlipstick wearing women. Granted, it was caked on there like the person wanted to mate with the glass but glasses should be checked. The waiter very kindly brought us new glasses and started asking about our drinks. Before I could tell him what I was deciding between i was assaulted with a barrage of DELICIOUS DRINKS Valanni has to offer! I had to wait until he was finished because when I tried to interrupt to explain that I only drink a few things, he didn't stop.
Drinks arrived and were delish. Thank goodness.
We ordered the spicy potato app and it was DELISH. I ordered the vegetarian paella because I am a vegetarian and it looked good. My friend ordered the crab/lobster mac and cheese. Both of our dishes came out and looked spectacular. Unfortunately, because they were both very rich, heavy meals, that were only just so-so in taste, we only ate about 1/3 of them. When the waiter came to ask about dessert we told him he wanted things wrapped up. To us, this amount of food seemed an egregious amount to just throw out. But the waiter piled all of our plates on top of one another. Both of us were confused but by the time we figured we should say something, he was gone. Thinking he may not have heard us, when he came back a second later wither the dessert menu, I asked him if he had heard us about getting the insane of amount of food wrapped up and he panicked and ran back to the kitchen.
Upon return, he told us that he was so sorry but he had not heard and that he would be making us brand new dishes. The manager came over and apologized and reiterated. I was more concerned about the waste but the manager didn't seem concerned that the kitchen had just thrown out at least 4 meals worth of food. I was, however, happy that I hadn't wasted 18 dollars on a 1/3 of a meal. We wait a while and he brings out our food. I look inside the bag to make sure that the container is secure and discover AN OCTOPUS in my food. Then I notice the squid. I can't even look at the octopus because it is moving when the container moves and is freaking me out.
The waiter came back and I showed him the error and he apologized and I told him I did not want new food, I just wanted the check and to get out of there. He brought the check and I was surprised that nothing had been comped on the bill since we had already complained about two issues. I did not want to pay for a meal I did not consume (but again, would have HAPPILY consumed later). I had to ask for the manager to come back, which he did, and he promptly comped the paella. My friend got to take home two meals and I got to pay the bill since it was her birthday dinner. Happy freaking birthday. -
Review from Aleks K.
Lawrence Township, NJ
1/4/2012
I had brunch here recently on a really cold day, we couldn't wait to get inside after being told at Parc that there'd be a half hour wait.
I had a delicious raspberry martini - nice and strong, I highly recommend it and I had a BLT. It looked like they were on a truffle kick when I dined there - lots of truffle aioli and dressings on the menu. The sandwich was good but messy and I definitely felt heavy afterwards. Portion size was good and I would return again. The decor here is pretty and swanky but will probably be unreasonable in the end, white banquettes and all. -
Review from Shannon M.
Drexel Hill, PA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'll be going back for the seafood flatbread and scallops both were phenomenal!!! i had the mussels as well to start which were nice big PEI mussels which i loved my only complaint was that i really wanted a white sauce and the white sauce was kinda still red or maybe i just have a garlic white wine sauce stuck in my head that i prefer with my mussels. nice selection of beers, got to try a new farmhouse that i had never heard of and then went back to chimay which is always delicious. next time i need dessert since that is one of my favorite things to eat!! Ed was an awesome bartender !!!
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Review from Olivia J.
12/12/2011
Came here for the second time with a group of friends. The first time, I had such a good time with delicious tapas. This time, I was there for brunch and the experience wasn't as great. It was all right.
For a peak time for Saturday brunch (around noon), the place was pretty empty (and I can see why...) I got the Truffles Provolone Omelet. The roasted potatoes were to die for - SO YUMMY! I finished all of it. The omelet on the other hand, was a bit disappointing: a bit salty (too much pepper?) and while roasted mushrooms and asparagus sounded super appetizing on the menu, in reality it wasn't. The two ingredients didn't taste right with the eggs? Either the three don't mesh well together, or they weren't cooked right.
I would come back for their tapas, but not their brunch. -
Review from m j.
Brooklyn, NY
12/22/2011
I would give it three and a half stars but i like the atmosphere and the friendly staff.
Dishes I liked: Tuna tartare, figs in the blanket (recommend), crispy brussels sprouts, roasted beet & baby arugula salad, and grilled filet
Dishes that was ok/ disliked: seafood paella (had better), red mussels (it's ok had better), crab cake (dry, not a lot of crab meat), quesadilla (did not like..it was different from regular mexican quesadilla this had a different wrap and it was soggy.)
Overall I would go here again for drinks and the other dishes. -
Review from Winnie F.
Philadelphia, PA
12/10/2011 2 photos
Came here with a group of girlfriends for brunch. Prices were in the $10 - $15 range, great value considering the good portions. Overall, the consensus was very positive; however, some thought their dishes were a little too salty, especially the omelets. .
Chocolate Chip & Banana Pancakes - great caramelization with the bananas and vanilla-maple syrup. Very chewy!
Mixed Berry & Yogurt Parfait - very tart yogurt, but nice when mixed with the honey.
Brie & Pear Omelet - friends said the flavors combined almost tasted like seafood.
Huevos Racheros - great color and flavors.
Spicy-Pulled Chicken Wrap - a bit too salty but overall delicious.
Restaurant was nice and clean, not too noisy inside. I had made a reservation on OpenTable so we got a nice combined table near the back all to ourselves. Nice place, would come here again! -
Review from Nina S.
Philadelphia, PA
12/8/2011
I was just here tonight for the first time and I really liked it! I'll def. be back for a full dinner. Tonight I was there for a happy hour holiday party! I had drinks and apps. The chicken empanadas were so good! They were fried and full of cheese and chicken with a creamy dipping sauce. Yummy!
The white sangria was sooo good! Order that when you go. I noticed there is a special on foursquare for checking in three times you get a free glass of sangria! Cheers! -
Review from Sean G.
Philadelphia, PA
9/17/2011
It's Restaurant Week and we decided to go to Mercato for dinner. Mercato was packed with a substantial wait time... Then we saw Valanni across the street... And, boy are we glad we did...
Food: 4.5 stars
The restaurant week menu here is unique. It's not just a select few dishes but the whole menu is available to you.
We started with the:
- Tuna Ceviche-- Large chunks of delicious and fresh tuna; Recommended
- White Mussels-- Delicious with the chorizo but NOT the best mussels I've had; Still a good compliment to the Ceviche
For dinner we had the:
- CRUSTED PORCHINI DAY BOAT SCALLOPS-- The scallops were smaller but cooked perfectly and the truffles emanated from the dish; Good Garlic Mash too
- GRILLED 8oz FILET-- Good appropriately medium rare with delcious mushrooms; Definitely recommended
Dessert:
- GRANNY SMITH APPLE, WHITE CHOCOLATE & WALNUT BREAD PUDDING- A great dessert; Better of the two
- OREO BEIGNET-- Meh...
Service: 4.0 stars
Service was excellent and prompt, even with how busy the restaurant was We were seated promptly too, which was a huge plus.
Ambiance: 3.0 stars
Valanni looks like it was decorated by Scarface's Techno loving Uncle. Definitely cheezy chic (I use the word chic very loosely here).
Location: 3.5 stars
The Gayborhood is the place to eat well and party hard.
Price: 4.5 stars
Around $50 per person with Restaurant week was well worth it for the quality of the meal at Valanni.
Overall: 4.0 stars
Valanni is great for large(r) groups or even a date with someone who you're already dating. Its a little too cheezy and 'try hard' for a first date. The food is excellent and the service is good too. Definitely a great dining experience on Restaurant Week.Listed in: The Ultimate List
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Review from Tiffany F.
Manhattan, NY
9/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Amazing!! Get your small plate on.
Our waitress was so cute and nice, I loved her. She suggested that we order 2-3 tapas per person and share, so we did! The vegetarian antipasti was by far my favorite -- served with warm pita and heaps of delicious vegetarian side dishes. The valanni roll left much to be desired, unless you love salmon and cream cheese. Valanni makes a caprese salad with a twist -- they put it in the oven and warm/melt the cheese just slightly, served over baguette. The mussels have chorizo in them, so I didn't get to try them -- but they looked amazing. I also didn't have the lamb chops, but they come three to a plate.
The strange thing? Even though everyone ate so much food, none of us felt disgustingly full -- it was literally the perfect amount of food to share between three people. The prices are reasonable, the staff is helpful, and the space is modern/contemporary chic. -
Review from Christine g.
Philadelphia, PA
12/13/2011
Had a better than expected time here. The food was almost like comfort tapas. Everything we got was great, from lobster mac and cheese to roasted Brussel sprouts.
The service was okay and we went on an off night, so it was pretty quiet, and didn't fit the mood that the place was pushing... but I can't wait to go back and try some different dishes. The portions were good size too. -
Review from Aaliyah P.
Wilmington, DE
1/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This would have been a 4 star review but our server sort of chastised us even though our check was almost 300 ! Really?
Loved the atmosphere, Loved the girls at the hostess stand and most importantly LOVED the food and drinks.
As a group we split quesadillas, hot and spicy potatoes , lamb gyros, lobster mac, ham croquettes, shrimp with polenta, chicken empanada, shrimp scampi, steak with peppers and hummus , and calamari.
Im probably missing a few food items but everything was delish with the exception of the lobster mac for me its just took fishy. The quesadillas had a great flavor and the mixture of black beans and cheese was addicting. The hot and spicy potatoes were quite spicy but not overly so I'm not sure if i liked the aioli but it did compliment the potatoes. The shrimp that came with the polenta ware all cooked very well , and the polenta was crispy on the outside and super creamy on the inside.
Very impressed by the food here had only been before for drinks.
Would return to try some other things and have drinks if in the area. -
Review from Shirley Y.
Marlton, NJ
9/5/2011
Happy Hour is a great opportunity to try several of Valanni's tapas at half the price. Chicken empanadas, crispy chickpeas & chorizo, baked brie, and calamari were all pretty good. We also ordered they gyro skewers and lobster & octopus salad on the regular menu... the latter being our favorite. I love grilled octopus, especially when cooked perfectly. This was plenty of food for two and we were quite stuffed.
There's so much to try on the menu, which is what I love about tapas. Can't wait to come back again! -
Review from Teri R.
8/11/2011
Stopped in for a late dinner, after spending over an hour happily wandering around cc, wash square west and rittenhouse ... checking out menus along the way. This place caught our eye, and my dining companion had been here before and enjoyed it, so ...
We were seated immediately and the service was pretty much spot-on all evening. We ordered drinks and a flat bread (omg -- fig and bleu cheese! DO NOT MISS!) and several small plates. The olives were yummy and the guacamole was nice, fresh and well prepped, though the chips were a little salty. The fiery potatoes were (almost dangerously) addictive. My other favorite was the chicken empanadas -- served with a yummy chipotle-horseradish aioli. The Oreo beignet is crazy good. There are at least a dozen more menu items I would love to try, so I imagine there will be a return visit and review update. -
Review from Kelsey H.
Philadelphia, PA
11/13/2011
With this just being a few blocks away from my new apartment, I must say that coming across this wonderful Tapas restaurant was incredibly exciting. We first came here with some of my sorority sisters just for dinner, the sangria was incredible, and we couldn't help but fall in love.
I was also able to even bring my parents for a great glass of red wine when they came into town, so that atmosphere is great for all occasions and types of people. The food was incredible and it was actually quite affordable, even for college students. I always recommend Valanni's to anyone looking for a good restaurant in the city. -
Review from Axl R.
Philadelphia, PA
2/25/2012
atmosphere: trendy without the attitude
My meal:
octopus salad - fantastic
mussels - great and not too overwhelming in garlic
tuna tartar: tuna was good, crackers were too salty
sweet potato parsnip puree - good - the parsnips added that extra oomph
polenta: way, way too salty - almost inedible
dessert: AWESOME!! Oreo cookie beignet with Oreo cookie inside!!
waiter: SCOTT - super cool, no pressure - good suggestions and really tapered out the meal - made the experience relaxing/enjoyable
drinks: as requested and spiced wine a must
all in all a really good experience that I would definitely recommend to others -
Review from Sharon K.
Brooklyn, NY
1/5/2012
There were so many items on the menu that I wanted to try. But they recommended maybe 2-3 small plates per person. Of course I went with 3. The service was very friendly, and they even changed our chairs out for us to ones with backs (2 of us were given ottoman's to sit on). My caipirinha was just average, but I really enjoyed the crispy brussel sprouts and the crispy shitake polenta. Next time I want to try the figs in a blanket, butter poached lobster and octopus salad, and if I have room maybe the yellowfin tuna main. I have a problem. I wouldnt call Valanni a destination spot, but if you are in the area it is worth a stop.
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Review from Erica C.
1/8/2012
Overall, this place was a good spot. I went for drinks after dinner and enjoyed the ambiance. We didn't get a table, but hung around the bar. The music was good and we were a bit disappointed by the lack of dance floor (everyone just awkwardly danced between the tables). Either way, I'd come back if I were in the area!
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Review from Elise T.
8/27/2011 5 Check-ins Here
Living only a few blocks away, I don't know why it took me so long to meet you! I loved your look: contemporary, multiple bars, indoor/outdoor seating, and I love that you aren't too full of yourself to have a handful of flat screens with the Phillies on. Love you!
I didn't get to try the food, but the drinks were delish, the bartenders were awesome, and word on the street is that you have a pretty nice happy hour. I'll be back! -
Review from Megan D.
Philadelphia, PA
7/8/2011
When we walked in and saw the bar that looked like it belonged in a strip club, I was a bit hesitant...but I was def. wrong, this place had me raving to friends for days!
*Full disclosure, we came here for a late dinner after a day of drinking so I will have to revisit to verify my love.*
They had a prefix menu option that included 2 tapas and 1 drink for $25 a person, so we went with that. First we ordered some calamari to munch on, it was seasoned perfectly and had just enough crunch. For our main tapas we ordered the famous empanadas, beef skewers, brussel sprouts, and caprese flatbread. My boyfriend was unimpressed with the beef skewers, although mine seemed to have more meat and was delicious. The remaining dishes blew my mind. The empanadas were crispy with just a touch of heat that wasn't distracting, the brussel sprouts were sweet and salty at the same time and completely unique. My personal favorite was the caprese flatbread (I rarely pass up caprese) which had a delicious and light basil pesto with a drizzle of sweet aged balsamic. The portions were generous for tapas, but the food was so yummy, it left me wanting more!
I will definitely be back, hopefully to try out some paella! -
Review from Ro S.
Chicago, IL
5/14/2011
Great food. Absolutely horrible service.
Had a belated Mother's Day dinner here with my family. If this review was for the food alone, I'd give them a solid 4 stars, possibly 5. The Figs in a Blanket, Chicken Empanadas, and Tuna Tartare were all top notch and I'd recommend them. The seafood paella was fantastic, I'd even say it was better than the paella I had at Amada a couple months ago.
That said, the service here is atrocious.
A couple lowlights:
- We arrived 20 minutes before our reservation. We weren't seated until 20 min after our scheduled reservation time. And even then, it took me going from the bar to ask them about our table for them to seat us.
- We asked our waitress to space out the small plates so they don't come all at once, but at the same time we'd be finished before the paella came out. That didn't work. 4 plates come out right away...the last comes out with the paella.
- The brought all our food out...but didn't have any plates on the table. And they didn't even get plates right away!! We sat there and watched our hot food while waiting for plates.
- Finished my water before any food came out, didn't get a refill until after our plates were cleared.
Overall the service was slow, and conveyed an attitude like they didn't really give a crap. Maybe because we were a party of 5 and a 20% tip is automatically calculated in on the check (bogus policy!). I really liked the food but can't overlook the shitty service to recommend this restaurant to friends and yelpers. -
Review from Joy C.
Philadelphia, PA
1/2/2012
Went to their nye party and booked the VIP. First of all they mentioned a chefs selection of hors d oeuvres and tapas. What we got for $125 pp not including a 10% liquor tax and a 20% gratuity which totaled an extra 30% to our bill, was pitas and hummus, burnt crostini with this crappy ass apple and cheese dip, fries!!, and overcooked empanadas. disgusting. And disgusted. So i should have just booked the open bar. I could vomit thinking about how gross that was. For the money we paid I expected more. They probably though they would get away with crappy pod by getting people drunk. And the waitress wouldn't serve us water we asked for it. The is why we all got sick.
-
Review from Eileen M.
Boston, MA
1/29/2012
If it weren't for the service we got here, I'd give this 5 stars. The food was delicious and the cocktails were great. Our table of 4 split 8 small plates and paella. All the tapas were great. We loved brussels sprouts - delish! The spicy potatoes (they weren't called patatas braves, but that's what they were) were perfectly spiced. The calamari was crisp and tasty, and the lobster mac and cheese was rich, creamy, and had huge pieces of lobster. The ambiance was fun for a girls night out. The only problem with the seating is that some of the chairs are low, padded stools, which would be uncomfortable for some. We didn't mind them, though.
The issue was with the server. He seemed very "salesy" and rushed us quite a bit, which took away from our relaxing evening. First, he came over multiple times in quick succession, though we weren't ready to order. We had decided on ordering a handful of small plates to start and then continue ordering. This is usually acceptable at tapas restaurants, since the food comes out so quickly. However, he wouldn't let us do this and said the food all had to be ordered at one time. Okay, fine, we need more time to figure out what we want. So, we decide on 2 tapas per person...he comes back and we order, and then he has a problem with the order we made and essentially insisted we order even more food. Granted, the advice, had it been given in a nicer way, was probably valid. However, again, we felt a) stupid for our "bad" ordering and b) completely rushed to randomly select more menu items, just so he'd leave us alone. We ended up ordering paella, which was really delicious, but far too much food, and much of it went to waste.
I can understand how restaurants want to feed many people in the night, but there has to be a better balance between rushing people out and letting them relax, ordering multiple rounds of tapas. Other tapas restaurants seem to be able to handle this concept. Not Valanni, that's for sure.
As I said, though, the food and drinks were worth going for, and the waitstaff as a whole might be more respectful of his/her patrons! -
Review from Kurt H.
Philadelphia, PA
6/18/2011
We've been going here for as long as they've been open. Through all the transitions and renovations, they've remained fairly consistent their food, drinks and overall vibe. Occasionally it's a bit too noisy, but that's usually confined to happy hour.
The menu always has something tasty like the Lobster and Crab Mac & Cheese and Spicy Empanadas. Sadly, they've cut the size of the Oreo Binet (sp?). If I'm die from food I wanna die happy; and they'll do it!
One thing that has changed a bit is that it doesn't seem as "gay" as it used to be; which is a little disappointing. The more mainstream music they've pulled for the weekend crowd is fun, but could use a bit of twist. And the biggest loss is that of their Quizzo night. It made for a great Tuesday night. -
Review from Christina P.
Philadelphia, PA
4/8/2011
Went here for Yelp Cocktails week, because I like me some cheap sangria. I met four friends for happy hour and we decided to sit outside because it was less cramped, and they only do happy hour there and at the bar. It was chilly, but they had heat lamps which was wonderful. The decor inside is almost club-y. I've never been here before but it might be a fun place to go out.
We ordered four small plates off the 1/2 price happy hour menu - marinated olives, baked brie, trio of spreads, and fiery potatoes. They were all delicious - and so cheap! The best one was the brie - a small bowl of melty cheese with dried cherries and nuts served with toasted bread. My friend literally licked the bowl. The food cost around $12 total. I tried the red and white sangria and they were both amazing. They also give you this sharp little wooden stick so you don't look like an idiot trying to eat the boozy fruit with a straw. Their specialty cocktail menu was also $5 during happy hour, an the white cosmo and some gin drink we got were pretty good.
The only thing I really have to complain about here is the service. We were outside, which is out of the way, but our waitress often forgot about us for long periods of time. This is especially annoying when you're trying to down as many cocktails as possible before the clock turns 7. Our waitress also did not give us the half price ($4) for YCW, and when we asked her about it she said it was at the bar only (which I later found out is not the case). I had to ask the manager to change it, and even then he only reduced it to $5. I got a little bit of a dirty look with that request as well. In my opinion, if you're going to participate in a promotion, don't make the customers fight to get it.Listed in: The Best Hour(s) of the…
