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Name: Bar Ferdinand
Address: 1030 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19123
Telephone: (215) 923-1313
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.70

Bar Ferdinand

1030 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19123

(215) 923-1313
Store is closed

Bar Ferdinand Menu

Charcuterie and Cheese

Spanish Cheese Board

House-Cured Spanish Charcuterie Board

Spanish Cheese and House-Cured Charcuterie

Foie Gras Torchon

Spanish Cheese Board

House-Cured Spanish Charcuterie Board

Spanish Cheese and House-Cured Charcuterie

Foie Gras Torchon
Tapas

Toasted Marcona Almonds

House Marinated Olives

Tortilla Espanola

Pan con Tomate

Patatas Bravas

Shishito Peppers

Mushrooms

Marinated Beets

Date and Bacon Empanada

Oysters on the Half Shell

Hamachi Tartare

Toasted Marcona Almonds

House Marinated Olives

Tortilla Espanola

Pan con Tomate

Patatas Bravas

Shishito Peppers

Mushrooms

Marinated Beets

Date and Bacon Empanada

Oysters on the Half Shell

Hamachi Tartare
Mids

Green Salad

Endive Salad

Baked Goat Cheese

Baked Oysters with Fennel Cream

Roasted House-Made Chorizo with Brandy

Gambas al Ajillo

Roasted Mussels

Pancetta Flatbread with Baked Egg

Green Salad

Endive Salad

Baked Goat Cheese

Baked Oysters with Fennel Cream

Roasted House-Made Chorizo with Brandy

Gambas al Ajillo

Roasted Mussels

Pancetta Flatbread with Baked Egg
Raciones

Tongue in Cheek Sandwich

PLT Sandwich

Oven Roasted Magret Duck Breast

Fire Roasted Half Chicken

New York Strip Steak

Grilled Octopus

Scallops

Tongue in Cheek Sandwich

PLT Sandwich

Oven Roasted Magret Duck Breast

Fire Roasted Half Chicken

New York Strip Steak

Grilled Octopus

Scallops
Paella Valenciana

Bomba Rice

Bomba Rice

Healthy Meal suggestions for Bar Ferdinand

Charcuterie and Cheese

Spanish Cheese Board [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House-Cured Spanish Charcuterie Board [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Cheese and House-Cured Charcuterie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Foie Gras Torchon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Cheese Board [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House-Cured Spanish Charcuterie Board [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Spanish Cheese and House-Cured Charcuterie [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Foie Gras Torchon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Tapas

Toasted Marcona Almonds [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Marinated Olives [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortilla Espanola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pan con Tomate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Patatas Bravas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shishito Peppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mushrooms [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Marinated Beets [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Date and Bacon Empanada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oysters on the Half Shell [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Toasted Marcona Almonds [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Marinated Olives [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tortilla Espanola [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pan con Tomate [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Patatas Bravas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shishito Peppers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mushrooms [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Marinated Beets [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Date and Bacon Empanada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oysters on the Half Shell [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Hamachi Tartare [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Mids

Green Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Endive Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baked Goat Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baked Oysters with Fennel Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted House-Made Chorizo with Brandy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gambas al Ajillo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancetta Flatbread with Baked Egg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Green Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Endive Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baked Goat Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Baked Oysters with Fennel Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted House-Made Chorizo with Brandy [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gambas al Ajillo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Roasted Mussels [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pancetta Flatbread with Baked Egg [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Raciones

Tongue in Cheek Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

PLT Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oven Roasted Magret Duck Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fire Roasted Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

New York Strip Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tongue in Cheek Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

PLT Sandwich [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Oven Roasted Magret Duck Breast [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Fire Roasted Half Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

New York Strip Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Grilled Octopus [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Scallops [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Paella Valenciana

Bomba Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bomba Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

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Write An Anonymous Review

Connie S.

Spanish tapas bar located in Liberties Walk in NoLibs. It gets points for an absolutely stunning interior, with its gorgeous Spanish/Moorish tile patterns and curtains of dried roses hanging from above the bar - but the food, while perfectly respectable, was nothing extraordinary. I kept wanting to give every dish the benefit of the doubt, I really did want to be able to rave about them. And indeed they had some good flavors and interesting concepts. But I was expecting more, both in quality and quantity: - Patatas Bravas: I practically licked the plate to get the last of the spicy tomato sauce that accompanied potatoes, but I've come to expect my patatas bravas served scalding hot and these were disappointingly cooler in temperature - Berenjena con Lentejas (Eggplant & Lentil) Empanadas: I really enjoyed the filling and the Romesco sauce accompanying it, but the crust was thin by empanada standards and a bit on the soggy side - Fried Manchego Pincho: 3 skewers each consisting of a cube of fried Manchego cheese and frozen apple foam, served with a sweet purÃ©e of walnut and membrillo (quince paste). The novelty of the apple foam ice was intriguing, but I didn't find it to complement the cheese that well... seemed more gimmicky. - Seafood Zarzuela: From the daily specials menu, a seafood dish of clams, mussels, hake, squid, shrimp, in a tomato shellfish broth with garlic aioli and fried ramps. It was rather small for what should have been a 'larger' tapas dish - just 1 clam, 1 shrimp, 2 tiny squids... you get the picture. And while the broth was indeed slurp-worthy, the dish came absent of any spoon and the one bit of crostini was not nearly enough to be able to soak up the soup. I guess it's a good thing, though, if my biggest complaint here is that I wish there were more. All in all, a fine place in food and ambiance for a fun dinner out in NoLibs... but it ain't inexpensive, and for what you pay it's doesn't give you terribly great value.
(3)
Ben H.

So great. Went for their version of Restaurant Week, so it was probably cheaper than usual. Some neat beers from Spain available. My only complaint is that when I tell people about Bar Ferdinand, they say "Barf what?"
(5)
Lauren S.

Orgasmic food. I've never had a less-than-awesome meal here. It's a bit of a splurge, but so worth it. The decor deserves its own review. It is GORGEOUS. Mosaics, tile, tufted leather, lace. Mmm. I want my apartment to look like that!
(5)
Chris C.

What's better than sangria, tapas and outdoor seatings? If you haven't been to this part of Northern Liberty, you might pop your cherry of excitement again. This location is awesome. There are so many things to eat here and I didnt try half of them. I like this place more than Amada, though, Amada has the whole roasted suckling pig. Here are the tapas that are worthy... Fried potato, spicy tomato sauce - Patata Bravas Pork belly and Monk fish skewers - PIXÃN CON PANCETA Meat plate, or Serrano jamon - SURTIDO DE CARNES Jamon Croquetta Roasted Almonds - FILETE A LA PARILLA Grilled marinated filet mignon - FILETE A LA PARILLA Traditional Spanish omelete - TORTILLA A LA ESPANOLA Grilled Spanish octopus - PULPO A LA PARILLA Braised short rib cannelloni - CANELORES CON COSTILLAS DEL BUEY Grilled Lamb Chops - CHULETAS DE CORDERO On certain days they offer paella. If you are a paella fan like I am, you should try it. I think it is one of the best in Philly. Their dessert selection is that not great, go to across the street to PYT for an adultshake instead :D The End.
(5)
Jia B.

Best Tapas outside of Spain! The decor is beautiful and lovely! with stacked wine bottles & hanging dry roses around the bar, and pretty hanging lights with black lace hanging down, there are mosaics on all the walls depicting different Spanish themes and pictures, and the tables are cute and intimate. The tapas here are the closest to the ones in Barcelona that I've had in the US. They are traditionally made, fresh, and taste fantastic! The prices are great, so it's nice to come with one to 5 people, and split a whole assortment of tapas so you can try some of everything! My personal favorites: The patatas bravas, the frozen apple foam with a hot delicious (something) on it, the hot crunchy balls with oozey cheese stuff in them, the goat cheese and mushroom thing, hahaha yeah ok not very helpful... but try to find those things in the menu!! :) I've been here several times and love it every time! Food is great, service is friendly and fast, ambiance is unique and pleasant, and overall it's a great dinner experience!
(5)
Lorraine O.

Every time I come back to Philly for a visit, I meet my friends here for dinner. It's in Northern Liberties, where parking is usually effortless and it's easy to get to, whether walking or driving. It's a tapas restaurant, so you need to be ready to splurge to eat here...each dish ranges from $5 - $10, which adds up quickly. But it's worth it. The wine selection always impresses and never disappoints...some of the best Spanish wine I've ever tasted. And the decor...oh how beautifully ambient the lighting is! Be sure to check out the mosaic murals on the back wall of the restaurant. The rich, warm Spanish decor is very impressive and very well done! There's outdoor seating, which is perfect for a warm summer night. Service is always with a smile, and I've never had a negative experience, no matter how busy they are. One of my favorite Philly restaurants that will always hold a special place in my heart.
(5)
Melissa V.

The food is perfectly executed! So flavorful and creative. Loved the manchengo skewers, chicken sandwich, stuffed dates, and green salad with fried artichoke hearts. The only thing we didn't love was the chicken empanada. I will be back for sure!
(5)
Brianne J.

4 words: Get. The. Cheese. Plate.
(5)
Gordon G.

I LOVE(D) this restaurant--AS IT WAS!!! I have eaten here over a dozen times and always loved the experience. First visit in about 2-3 months. They recently revised the menu--reducing the number of items by better than half, it appears---removing many of the traditional Spanish tapas plates and some of the really excellent house specials. Servings also seemed smaller and prices seem higher--and it was already a bit of a splurge to go there. The food is still excellent, but the VALUE is so-so and the menu selection is now less than desirable. Bar Ferdinand folks....if it ain't broke DON'T FIX IT!!!!!
(2)
Karen Y.

bar ferdinand, i want to like you more than i actually do. for the most part it's not you, it's me. my problem is that i come here more hungry than thirsty. while the quality of the food is excellent, the portions are far too small for the money. we've had several dishes here, all done with care, well prepared, creative and delicious, but very tiny. 5 dishes and 1 pitcher of sangria is more than $80 for 3 people. i was still hungry after and i had some cheese and bread at my house before we ate here. the wine on the other hand is awesome. not only is the selection excellent, the sangria pitchers are perfect for a warm night among friends. the red sangria is not as sweet as some sangrias i have had elsewhere and quite refreshing. bar ferdinand is a great place to get together with friends, just don't come here hungry.
(3)
Meems C.

I was starting to get depressed - i had been working 2 weeks straight, worked an insane V-day weekend, and I had the dreaded on-call shift on Sunday night. Nervously, I called in to see if I had to work and wait on more love-sick couples, and BOOM. I had a night off. Jumping up and down, I started looking online for a good restaurant where the fiancee and I could relax over drinks, food, and each other's company. Hence, Bar Ferdinand. I had been wanting to try it out for a while, just haven't had the time for it. I made reservations for 8:30 and got all dressed up. Because I could. Arriving in NoLibs, BF wasn't that busy (Thank God!) for the Sunday before Valentine's day. I immediately saw the bar and was impressed, so we decided to belly up for a drink before hitting up our table. Friendly staff and thorough - there was a bar-back doing some heavy duty polishing, which I appreciated. I was also impressed with their draft beer list; small, but a nice, wide selection of micros. After being seated at a high top table, our journey through Spain began. Here's what we ordered: Oysters Del Dia Manchego Frito Patatas Bravas Pato Ahumado Cangrejo Calamare En Sue Tonto Filete A La Parilla They were out of Pixin Con Panceta (::sad face::) and we also had Helado De Almendra for dessert. Drink wise, we had a champagne toast and the white sangria. Everything was tasty - highlight being the Pato Ahumado (Hudson Valley duck breast sliders with baby arugula, membrillo and almond jam, & cabrales crema). You get two for each order - I would've eaten 20 of them. The duck breast is perfectly cooked and the crunchy texture of the almond jam really makes this dish pop. I know everyone is screaming over the Patatas Bravas, and they were good, but it was more like homefries to me. Cannot wait to go back and try maybe some wine, maybe some brunch, and maybe sit at the bar and marvel at the chill decor and wilted roses above your head. Totally digging this place.
(4)
Jennifer T.

Nothing beats my love for Amada, but Bar Ferdinand comes pretty close.. I'd give it 4.5 stars if possible. Delicious tapas & half off bottled wine Mondays, what more can a girl & her girlfriends ask for?? We may have ordered several half-off botles of wine. The attentive bartender was awesome at recommending ones to suit our taste (bold - but not spicy... hmm, we are a little strange). Definitely recommend the jamon croquettes, queso dip, and vegeteriano sandwich. Mmmm now I'm hungry again!
(4)
Bill M.

Was the service slow? It was slower than most Friday slow and left a lot more to be desired. But at least it was somewhat attentive and got us things like an extra table when we needed it..And Deuce being closed has probably attributed to them gaining a bigger weekend crowd than their used to. Was the food good? Aside from the incredible Monkfish I wasn't really digging the skewers. As a former cheese monger I've seen and made better cheese platters and felt that this one was a little too skimpy on the portion size. But he paella was the best I've had in the city so far, and I'd go back on based on it alone. and they have a great variety plates to go thorugh. Overall? Bar Ferdinand met some of my expectations but didn't meet others. I've heard Amada is supposed to be better albeit pricier too. But the Paella will eventually be calling me back. The happy hour Sangria deal was pretty damn good too. And I've heard great things about their Sunday brunch and Thursday Chef's tasting menu (look at the back of a Citypaper and you will too). So I think that overall I just caught it on an off day.
(3)
Kim H.

I LOVE this place!! I've never been disappointed and there are a plentiful variety of dishes to keep you coming back to try more. The atmosphere is very dim-lit and romantic, perfect place for a date or just to eat great food and drink wine with the girls. It gets a little pricey because of the size of the plates (they are tapas, after all) and how much you have to order just to fill up, but I definitely think it's worth it for the quality of the food. I will definitely be returning, again and again!
(5)
Mike G.

This place is better, in my opinion, for cocktails and a small bite or two. As a meal destination, It's pricey as tapas restaurants often are. Just went for a friends bday and fortunately all the food we experienced was excellent. The server we had was pure crap. He ignored most of the back room where we were. The good thing was they have a 1/2 price for bottles on Mondays. Got loud too, but i like the atmosphere. I think though, it's just going to be my cocktail hour stop and not my dinner stop for now on.
(3)
Beth K.

Reminded me of when I studied abroad in Spain.
(3)
Anh C.

My good friend took me here for my birthday. She checked it out online and decided to give it a try. It was definitely a nice atmosphere when we first stepped in at night. Dimly light and seating was very intimate. The menu looked like it offered many choices... But it was definitely a hit or miss. I would be careful ordering from here and ask for the more popular dishes because some of the ones we ordered were sub par. I say some because bar ferdinand offers small dishes called tapas in which you have to order a couple in order to actually be somewhat satiated. Maybe I'll order more wisely next time, whenever I do decide to pop in again. But I don't think it'll be soon.
(3)
Natalie H.

Tapas and beer and atmosphere oh my! Love this NoLibs spot, a bit pricey and smallish plates for this price, but the food is delish. Don't go home without falling in love with the roasted goat cheese with honey. Went there for a special date with the honey, and we were both impressed!
(4)
Kelly F.

This is my second time visiting BF, the first time being around March 2010 and it was fantastic. Terrific service, nice portions (even for tapas), and the food was just exquisite. This last time around...Wednesday to be exact, I was disappointed on multiple levels. Our party of two waited a long time for our first round of drinks, the scallop plate had ONE scallop to share and it was not a large sea scallop by any means. I can't imagine the circumference was more than 3/4". The server, while very sweet, was overwhelmed. Perhaps this was a one time occurrence; I sincerely hope so. It's just that in these harsh economic times, you hope that an $11 scallop plate will live up to your expectations... #first world problems...
(2)
Dimka B.

After reading the reviews of Bar Ferdinand, I decided to make reservations for 2 for a last Friday night. Just so you know, the place was PACKED Friday night!! Our 9pm table wasn't ready but seeing how full the place was, we figured the wait wouldn't be too long. By the time we made it to the bar & ordered drinks, our table was ready . The location in Northern Liberties is good but finding a place to park is a nightmare. Lot parking is scare & overpiced. When I 1st walked in, I felt I was no longer in Philly. Great atmosphere!! Since neither mysef or my date eats pork, choosing what to eat was a bit annyoing but considering we choose a Spanish tapa restaurant...ok, wrong choice, our bad. But there was other non-pork tapas that worked. The filet migon on skewers was delicious. The pollo y champinos empanades & queso de cabra cocinado were great. The filete ala Pamilla was great. I mean, flavorful, wonrederfully presented...just plan great. I'm putting Bar Ferdinand on my list of places to snack & have drinks list.
(4)
S K.

Classy,romantic tapas bar in NoLibs. Bring your appetite and your wallet. Plan to order at least 2-3 tapas per person. Be prepared for a flavor explosion. Not a place for the picky eater. Their Sangria is amazing...both red and white. Perfect place for a date or a small group of friends.
(4)
Marcie L.

I love tapas, a romantic atmosphere, delicious cocktails and great people watching. This place has it all. I never thought I'd love some of the combinations they put together but I am a fan. Make sure you get the fried donut churro things that you dip in dark chocolate...it sends you away to a dreamy place. I really enjoy the location as well, any excuse to go to the Piazza, and have recommended it to many since. The only thing I don't love is that it's a little pricier than I think it needs to be especially for all the wonderful tapas place in Philly to choose from.
(4)
Maria S.

I stopped at this restaurant by chance with my mom, I wasn't sure what to expect, and it was great. The service was great, the ambiance was beautiful, and the food amazing! It's inventive and full of flavor. Bar Ferdinand has definitely become one of my favorites!
(5)
Ann R.

It's not a bad place for relatively affordable tapas. Quality wise, probably not as good as the Garces places, but the environment is more laid back, the prices are fair, and the food is decent. I loved it in Spain when I was there and the environment here gave me more of that vibe than any of the Garces places do. As for the food, the Surtido de Carnes (selection of meats) was great, I wish they would've had more of a selection of cured meats but what they had was very delectable. The octopus was also very good. I am huge fan of Jamon so we got the jamon croquette and it was kind of a let down. The filet mignon and fish/pork belly skewers were delicious. The Gambas Al Ajillo (prawn) was also delicious and so was the Carne a la Parilla (steak). We also got the Paella which like most places if they make it fresh, takes a while to come out, but it was worth the wait. Not the best I've ever had (Barcelona and San Juan, I had amazing Paella) but definitely very good and I can't think of anywhere else in Philly that has better. Of all the things we got, only one was kind of a disappointment but even that wasn't even bad so I have to say it was a great meal and I would definitely recommend it for anyone who loves Tapas and Spanish cuisine.
(4)
Robert F.

As a New Yorker, I'm a complete food snob. Go ahead and hate, we're the culinary capital of the East Coast. Visiting some peeps in Philly, I had to find a place to accommodate both my wife's vegan philosophy and our small dog...called ahead to Bar Ferdinand, and they gave the green light on both counts. Sweet. We proceeded to get lifted on moderately priced cocktails on a beautiful Sunday evening. The food was damn good, but honestly, we were pretty drunk, so it could possibly have seemed better through out liquor goggles. We will definitely be back.
(5)
tzu c.

I've been here twice and nothing short of great! Its a great place to go to have the tapas experience. The food is well seasoned and there is a good variety of choices. My absolute favorite is the vegetarian sandwich! Its a great place to go to for small bites!
(4)
John K.

Treated to a lovely birthday dinner a few weeks ago. While the food was exceptional, and the wine divine, what made the evening was our fantastic server. After recommending a lovely Rioja, she let us sample a glass of it, along with the wine we were considering (gratis). Turns out she was spot on. Her food recommendations were perfect as well, and she knew just when to check in on us so that we could order more food/port without being pushy. Oh, the duck hearts were worth the trip alone. And, yeah, my girlfriend eats duck hearts.
(4)
Rocky M.

Stopped on a Sunday brunch and had the egg omelet with asparagus and crab, excellent. The $3 bloodiest and mimosa's are a nice plus. Server was attentive and was what we were looking for. A+
(4)
Jen L.

We sat outside, which was very comfortable and a nice atmosphere with so many people out and about. The whole area is very doggie friendly and some people even brought their dogs with them to dinner. -which was nice to see. The drinks... We happened to stumble into Bar Ferdinand during happy hour. 1/2 price sangria pitchers ($10.50) were an awesome deal. They also had a couple wine and beer specials. The waitstaff doesn't have the best reputation, but our glasses were never empty. The food... It was OK. I love manchego cheese and was looking forward to the Manchego Frito, which I thought was a little disappointing. The walnut membrillo puree was wonderful, but the cheese was sparse inside its over fried shell. Next we had the pollo y patata and datiles con tocino empanadas. These both were the highlight of the meal and I plan on returning to Bar Ferdinand just for these tasty morsels. The pollo y patata empanadas were filled with tender seasoned chicken and creamy potatoes, served with the most delicious spicy paprika aioli. The date empanadas were a nice combo of salty from the bacon, sweet from the dates and the cream cheese rounded the whole thing out. While the pechuga de pollo ahumado boccadio was really, really good, the Cerdo Frito didn't work for me. -The pork, mahon cheese, roasted pepers and onions were tasty, but the mustard threw the whole thing off. We also had the queso de cabra cocinado, I'd order it again. -but I am a sucker for any melted gooey cheese. For dessert we had the churros. Now maybe my standards are too high for the fried, sugary delights, but I have yet to find a churro in the city that is better then the ones at Great Adventure!! All in all, it was pretty good. Do I recommend it? sure.. Do I recommend it over Tinto or Amada? No way. For two of us including tip and happy hour drinks our bill was ~$85. I'd rather cough up another $20 and go to Tinto!
(3)
Sheri O.

My brother and I are both vegetarians - we went to Bar Ferdinand on Friday night hoping for good drinks (check), an outdoor table (check...well, table by the open windows), and good Mexican tapas (check). The decor is beatiful, and I see why the inventive, diverse menu has received great reviews. However, if you're health conscious and a vegetarian, don't be surprised if your options here are limited. Great wine list, though!
(3)
Bobby F.

this is the best tapas in the city! you can't compare they quality and reasonable prices to other tapas places because they will usually rip you off! my suggestion, get all tge chefs tapas specials or do the chef tasting menu!
(5)
Lauren H.

This place is amazing. It's tapas-style restaurant, which means that there are no entrees, instead there are small dishes that are meant to be shared. We tried almost everything on the menu and nothing failed to please. It was fairly busy when we went, but the food came out quickly and at a consistently good rate. The dessert, on the other hand, took FOREVER to come out, which is kind of funny in my opinion. I had a mojito, and it was very weak, and not really minty. It's mid-range price-wise, mostly because you have to order a bunch of plates to feed everyone. I went in a party of 4 and it came out to around $25-$30 per person. I definitely recommend this place, it's one of my favorites to go with friends.
(5)
Juicebomb X.

I believe it was Linus van Pelt who once said, "There is no heavier burden than a great potential." Such is my reaction to BF. From the street, you can see most of the restaurant, which lends an inviting and casual feeling. Though it was too cold for outdoor seating the night we went (even with the heaters), I would imagine that on a sunny day it would be quite nice to take it outside, if you can overlook its shortcomings. BF is tapas, in the traditional Spanish sense, much like its more expensive brethren, Amada. That's great if you can capture the warmth of a Spanish restaurant, but I felt that both of these places lacked that warmth. In the case of BF, literally. As I mentioned, we went on a cold night, but found the A/C on inside, and my wife was hesitant to take off her jacket. Next up was the music. Remember Austin Powers, with it's jangly 60's rock freakout scene interludes? "Incense and Peppermint," and what have you? Well, that was what was playing...I mean THAT song, and many like it. All treble and no soul. Even The Gap plays music with more depth. I've heard that the owner used to walk in a regimental time each night and switch the music to hip-hop, but we were not so blessed on the night we ate there. The food is much less expensive than Amada, with a pitcher of sangria about half the price, but also a little weak. Call me spoiled by the plebian tapas deep-friend/rocked so effortlessly by Cha Cha Cha in Haight Ashbury, but is it so wrong to need to steady yourself when standing up after drinking half a pitcher? Anyway, I found the red san sangria lacking kick and lacking booze-soaked fruit to eat at the end. Sucks! We ordered patatas bravas, mussels in spaghetti sauce, grilled octopus and shrimp ajillo. We had to ask for bread, and it was measly when it arrived. The portions were all tapas-like, no surprise there. The octopus was the best dish of the bunch, while the potatoes could have been a little crispier (though they WERE dirt cheap). The mussels were good but I would have paid a bit more to have a fuller portion and would have preferred a broth to a red sauce. The shrimp were satisfactory, outshone by the olive oil they lay in (thus requiring the extra bread). The interior is nice, spacious, boring, with some tiled scenes of bullfights. I would say that there was too much space in the aisles, which created a sense of isolation....like a cafeteria with soft earth tones and candles. Near us sat a mother-father-daughter trio, who gave me the impression that daughter had recently moved into a nearby loft, and her 'burban folks were coming to visit her in the urban wasteland. I imagine that the parents will retreat back to Upper Dublin and throw a tapas party or something. Anyhoo... We were pretty non-plussed with the service. As at Amada, we got patronizing explanations from the server, who asked if we knew what tapas were, etc. (At Amada, our guy told us that chorizo is like salami. We wanted to punch him). He was pretty attentive during the meal, returning many times to top off our sangria glasses, but then completely disappeared after deliving the bill. After about 10 minutes of waiting for him to return (and being completely out of things to eat or drink), I flagged down a busser and asked if we could pay for our meal. He sort of looked at the check holder, with my credit card protruding ever so suggestively, and told us that he would find our server. No, you dingleberry, take it to him! He walked away empty-handed, which really sealed that deal for us. I don't think we'll go back anytime soon. In closing, where are the fun tapas restaurants? Amada is stuffy and BF is sterile. What is so wrong with fusion? Damn, give the people what they want already and add a little wine to your sangria!
(3)
Nicole B.

It was my first time in the area and we came across this place on liberties walk so we thought we tried it. I was extremely disappointed. The service from the waitress was beyond horrible. We tried 5 dishes and only 2 would I try again. Here are the foods we tried: PATATAS BRAVAS-Very good...Would have again. Crab Croquettes---okay....reminded me more of something you buy frozen and heated up...nothing special at all. VEGETARIANO-Sandwhich was simple but defintely the best dish we had all night. Wild Mushrooms, Spinanch, Carmelized Onions, and Manchego cheese. Braised short rib with mashed potatoes, and pomegrante au jus.-Not very good...defintely needed more au jus...potatoes weren't even that good. short rib was more of a brisket really dry. Special of Lamb with Isrealian Cous Cous-Didn't like anything about this dish. Lamb was not cooked right...very rubbery. I didn't like any of the tastes in the Isrealian Cous Cous.
(2)
Ellen G.

We met friends for an exemplary meal. Using the server's recommendations as a guide we ordered and were very pleased with everything. The chicken liver tapa was delicious. The chicken thigh was delicious. The garlic shrimp was delicious. The autumn roasted vegetables were delicious. The mussels were delicious. You get the idea!
(5)
Molly O.

ugh. what a yuppified waste of time. I felt like I was in Old City. The whole place was annoying.
(2)
Marie R.

I had high expectations for Bar Ferdinand and was pretty let down, but I wanted to bring up the high points of the evening first. The Filet Skewers were absolutely delicious, along with the wine. I love the setup inside (dried flowers hanging above your head at the bar) and the comfy banquette. The downside to our evening: Our service in the beginning was okay, until the waitress completely disappeared for the rest of the evening. The duck was the greasiest duck I have ever had in my life (there was a lot of excess grease sitting on the plate) and the shrimp had a strange flavor and I am sure that it was not the seasoning or spices. I know my shrimp ;) 3 Reasons I will be going back.......the wine, the bartender (and the fact that its a 2 minute walk from my house) .
(3)
Jonny S.

I finally ate here. What a great find. Cool decor, great food, served late on a Sunday and the sangria was great too. There is a little walk outside that seemed worth checking out in the daytime.
(5)
Pink P.

Yes you can get edible tapas at Bar Ferdinand for much cheaper than other places in Philadelphia, but that's about it. The menu is diverse, but I found the cuisine to lack what makes tapas great -- savory preparation with fresh ingredients that leaves you wanting more of what's on that little plate. The restaurant has nice decor and atmosphere and the food presentation is decent, but it is simply not enough to mask the mediocrity of its dishes. The pescados were not particularly fresh, the marinated plates rather bland and some dishes just seem like that you could whip out at home. Overall, OK for the price but I'm not dying to return.
(2)
Joe G.

I was at Temple University for their Admitted Student's Day with my parents, and at about one oclock we decided to bail and grab some lunch. My dad tried to take us to Rittenhouse but my mom and I convinced him to instead go to the (recently gentrified) Northern Liberties. We walked around and eventually settled on bar ferdinand. The first thing that strikes you about BF is the smell. It's one of the most aromatic restaurants I've ever been in. A mixture of wine, garlic, tomato, and chorizo permeate the room. We were seated in a rather uncomfortably small booth--my dad and I had a hard time getting our legs in past the table leg. We all had the brunch specials. My dad and I had the Numero Dos, an egg+peppers+potatoes thing which came with applewood smoked bacon--DELICIOUS--a slice of toast with a tomato spread--DELICIOUS--and a fried cheese/apple "foam" thing, which wasn't really for me. The tapas style works well. The portions seem small but I'm still full, two hours later! My mom and I loved it. My dad enjoyed it, but, according to him, "It wasn't really up my alley." It's hip, it's trendy, it's probably better at night (their alcohol menu was rather extensive and local.) Definitely recommend it, but not with picky eaters. You have to be ready to try something new!
(4)
Leslie O.

This place has a great atmosphere, and makes it easy to be vegan... Definitely a place to bring a date too. Inside and outside seating makes it a good place any season. I love sitting outside and people watching. Very impressive. Good wine selection too. Definitely a place I will go to again and again.
(5)
Tofu Robo T.

fun atmosphere... but hit or miss vegan / vegetarian fare. One time they had vegan french-onion soup as the special... but sometimes I end up eating a plate of olives and almonds when I go here with friends. good luck.
(2)
Donna B.

The food was unbelieveable! $30 for prix fixe and we couldn't eat another bite! An amazing restaurant in an amazing city, but for the love of God could it be a little quieter so I could hear myself think!
(4)
Lawrence K.

I've been to Bar Ferdinand a few times and had very good to great meals there every time. The food has always been creative and tasty. Some dishes are on the small side, it is tapas after all, but they have always been meticulously prepared and delicious. Maybe it's all on the expensive side but you get what you pay for. Service can be a little "short" but we like to just sit at the bar, order a bottle of crisp white wine and go to town. They have a nice Spanish wine list that is authentic and appropriate for the food including multiple Cavas, Rueda, Albarinho and even some interesting bottles like a white Prioriat. Also a very good selection of desert wines and sherries. Not sure if they still do the 1/2 price bottles on Mondays but that was a great deal. Someone mentioned that it was somehow "tapas in America" or whatever. Not true. From my experience in Barcelona, for example, there were different types of tapas establishments, some very casual and some leaning toward the modern el Bulli/Adria-esq with foam and the like. They are not all simple establishments with ordinary food. Bar Ferdinand reminds me more of this modern style of tapas which certainly isn't "americanized" by any means. I think they succeed in what they are trying to do here.
(4)
nicole p.

Bar Ferdinand is my go to place for date night. My man and I each choose a few dishes and its aways a smorgasbord of deliciousness. My daughter even has a few key dishes she loves. I am not going to question other peoples problems with this place On one occasion the chef stopped by our table and I expressed my love for the place and said I don't know why any one would possibly not like it! My boyfriend shot me a look as if I was saying something negative but that is just my way. As I sat there contemplating my word choice the chef returned with the manchego frito for us to try on the house.It was amazing!! Again wtf is wrong with you people? The servers are nice and informative. The food arrives quickly and is delicious and it is just an overall amazing experience. If you haven't tried it yet get your butt over there now what are you waiting for?
(5)
M. C.

Went as a party of 4 this past Saturday evening and was very pleased with every aspect of this restaurant. The location is great in NoLibs. The restaurant decor is stunning. The servers were friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. The food stole the show. When first reading the menu I was weary of the description of the various ingredients and combinations as I am not an adventurous diner, but my worries were dashed by the excellent tasty dishes. We tried about 12-15 of the tapas style plates and the red sangria and everything was awesome. We had the chickpea and tuna. The beet salad. Multiple orders of the chicken empanadas. The fillet. The skirt steak. Littleneck clams....mussels, crab filled pastries. I am probably leaving out a bunch but they were all exciting to eat and delicious. The only negative is that a bunch of little plates can add up to one big price. This is a great Philadelphia dining spot and enjoy.
(4)
Viet N.

Great place in a nice part of the city, the empanadas are great, wouldn't recommend the scallops, a wonderful place on a beautiful day to tickle your taste buds!
(4)
Debbie K.

There are things to love and hate about Bar Ferdinand. First, the hates: - Estimated one hour wait for a table for two last Saturday night at 9:30pm - Scavenging the bar area like a vulture for a spot to open up - Loud, schizophrenic music. They were clearly playing someone's Ipod playlist with songs that jumped around in genre in a disturbing fashion. - Upside down dried roses adorning the ceiling around the bar. I've never liked this choice of decor (see my review of NY tapas place La Paella) Now, the loves: - Clean, warm decor. - Friendly looking communal, hightop long table near bar. - Tasty and interesting cocktails like the cava & vodka combo. - Amazing, AMAZING apple bread pudding with toasted almond ice cream. It's more spongecake-y than bread-y, but semantics. It's darn good. I just had a couple of drinks and dessert so I can't comment on the tapas, but if my bread pudding speaks to the quality of the food, it's worth a return trip. I would go at an off-peak time, though, and hope they got their playlists in better shape.
(3)
Rachel S.

Nice change of pace for big groups; the chef's tasting menu is a lot of fun in that you get to sample flavors you may not choose off the standard menu. They're great about customizing the tasting menu based on dieters' restrictions. Love Amada, but Bar Ferdinand is a solid tapas place (and it is much easier on your wallet).
(4)
Jimmy W.

My girlfriend and I went here on a beautiful saturday night and were pleasantly surprised (yet again) by the quality of the food and service that we received from Bar Ferdinand. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table without a reservation, but once we got seated, the waitress was very good at explaining the menus and providing her suggestions. The tapas were not meal sized, but they all tasted fantastic and it went well with the red wine sangria. I would recommend this tapas bar as a great way to snack and hang out with your friends and family. Its not meant to be a place for a whole meal, and as long as you are aware of that you will have a fantastic time sampling the creative tapas that Bar Ferdinand has to offer. Two of my favorites are the Goat Cheese and squid and sage butter tapas. Would definitely come back.
(4)
A. Jordan R.

Very, very, very good food. The wine list is extensive and the servers typically know which wines compliment which food. The desert may be the best in the city. Since it's tapas, the portions are obviously small but delicious. The outside seating when it's warm is the way to go, although the inside is very nice. The sangria is solid although not top notch. It gets very busy and service can be slow so your best bet is to buy a bottle of wine.
(4)
kevin r.

This place stinks. The food is mediocre at best. The service poor. Was just there last night and regretted it before the meal was done. Was there a year ago and thought I'd try again. Mistake. It's just not good.
(1)
Bill C.

Half price sangria pitchers, red or white, for their night-time Happy Hour are fucking sweet. Go on Monday night and have Scott take care of you - chill, good dude.
(4)
Jane F.

Went last night - Sunday - which was a fabulous time to go. No crowds. Pretty good attention. Loved the bartender Kaleb (I think that's his name). He's friendly, knowledgable - made this old lady feel like a young sweet thing. He's passionate about Bar Ferd and will guide you on the menu, and was only too happy to give taste tests of any beers you find interesting - and there are lots of great beers to choose from on tap. Ate at a table though I wish we had eaten at the bar. Bartender is THAT good. Loved the Goat Cheese with roasted garlic and pine nuts. I could sit at the bar during a happy hour and drink the sangria and that. Was disappointed in the pork belly and monk fish. Maybe I just don't like rosemary - and fatty although delicious pork...and monkfish. Eh! Rosemary was also heavy on the filet which was really disappointing. But they were our choices and we were being a slightly adventurous. Fried manchego cheese delicious but smaller portion than you would think. Shortribs always a winner. Even though I give it only 4 stars I think this place is terrific. 3 of us spent about $60 ea. for the evening which incl'd drinks and nice selection of platters.
(4)
Mary b.

With all the great reviews about this place, I had high expectations. It didn't live up to the hype. Love tapas just not here. It was pricey which I suspected it would be since their online menu does not have prices. Buyer beware. With so many other places to try in Northern Liberties and elsewhere, I feel no need to come back here. The less than stellar service didn't help either.
(2)
Lawrence F.

Best tapas place in Philly!! The lamb chops are incredible and for dessert you MUST try the goat cheese-cheese cake! There was also a good beer selection but I recommend going there hungry because the food is exceptional!
(5)
Tony R.

This one is too easy.. Excellent food, great beer selection, great customer service, nice atmosphere, and fairly priced. Five stars!
(5)
heather j.

i ordered 5-6 tapas, two deserts, sangera, and their only tawny port. overall food was not what i expected from the great atmosphere when i walked in. it was okay. waiters not rude, but snobby. men that work there are hawt. food was nicely priced ($75 for two). hip little place, but a lot of yuppies go there too. overall go back and sit at the bar and eat empanadas (the dates). dont order the mussels (gross red wine sauce).
(3)
Jen R.

Good atmosphere, good prices, ok service, mediocre food. The food isn't bad -- it's pretty good for the money -- but it's no Amada, which is shockingly good and pricey.
(3)
Robert B.

Very lively and fun bustling atmosphere on weekend night. Not a quiet romantic spot. Tapas were very good although I wish they had a larger selection and more seafood offerings. Ate at the bar. Service was friendly and helpful with menu selections. Price was not too bad. This is a fun place that I would definitely visit again.
(4)
Joshua L.

went here last night after a flyers game one loss to the blackcocks. needless to say i wasnt in the greatest of moods but the tapas were tastey. the little lamb pie thingy was fantastic. just the right amount of spice and the top was crispy perfect. the service was slow as balls but what ya gonna do?
(3)
G B.

First of all, the beer selection is amazing. And for those who aren't interested in the beer, their wine, sangria, and mixed drinks are really refreshing. There is no canned Bacardi mix here. The food is absolutely amazing... and what can be better than sampling a variety of fresh, innovative tapas over good beer? This is the type of place that you leave and immediately start planning your next trip back. If you don't want to spend that much, go during happy hour. We spent $60 for 4 plates of food, 3 beers, and 2 glasses of sangria.
(5)
Jill D.

I really love this place! I think the atmosphere is nice, especially in the summer because you can sit out on the patio and look at the nice, newer part of Northern Liberties. I love the idea of tasting everything, so it was a great place to go with friends and share lots of tapas! Overall, the staff was courteous and helpful. It's definitely a good time. Try the fried cheese with the apple foam! The white sangria was pretty good too. Also, I should mention, there were lots of delicious vegetarian dishes that the meat-eaters seemed to like too, so it's a great place no matter who you're eating with!
(5)
Erik s.

i have to agree with some of the other yelpers...I usually leave feeling hungry and the food is ok ...but there really aren't too many other options for tapas besides Amada... the outdoor sitting is strip mallish but they do have some good wine specials on certain nights and it is not a bad place to grab a drink and chat
(3)
Sharon W.

The deliciousness! I love tapas in general, but for a vegetarian it's sometimes hard to get enough to eat. Not here. At a couple other tapas places, my boy and I basically had to get one of each vegetarian item on the menu in order to fill up. Here, well, there are still at least 3 or 4 dishes I'd like to try, and we ate a LOT. The almond dessert and the chocolate truffle dessert were highlights. We took the very friendly, knowledgable server's advice on that one, as well as on our wine pick, and one of our entrees, and she was right every time. The only missing star is because of the prices. I know, I know, it's amazing and all, fresh ingredients, fancy decor, bla bla, but in one case we were charged an extra 2 bucks for one tiny fried cheese cube. Really? 2 whole dollars? My only complaint really, but it bothered me enough to give 4 instead of 5 stars. Oh, and we were there at 8:30 on a Friday and got a table right away.
(4)
Randi R.

I had the best dinner of the year so far here and I can't wait to go back. As I think of the food now my mouth is watering this is truly what dining is all about. This Spanish tapas restaurant delivers on presentation, taste and an inviting atmosphere. The only dish I didn't quite care for was the charred watermelon which really wasn't charred with some ham and targon i believe. It was not bad just not thrilling. I can't possibly remember all the ingredients of the dishes we explored but the mussels with the baked noodles, lamb, a special of the night summer cucumber soup with watermelon and other wonderful summer compliments really made the meal. Don't forget to get dessert and try out their extensive wine list. Food comes out as it's ready and be ready to share. We ordered Sangria which was a nice summer treat. Bonus: they offer outdoor seating which was packed on the nice night we were there but eating inside was just as inviting and we were seated right away.
(5)
Isabel C.

It had been a while since i strolled the streets of Northern Liberties...cause back in the day when i lived in philly it was quite dangerous...not to mention there weren't very many (ok, there weren't ANY) hipster places to hang out. nowadays, it reminds me a bit of williamsburg in brooklyn... while visiting philly this past weekend, some friends took me to Bar Ferdinand. i love tapas and wine, so i guess i loved the place before we even got there. it was a saturday late-night, and it wasn't crowded. we only ordered a few tapas, which were all yummy...smoked breaded calamari, patatas bravas and some kinda baked spanish cheese with garlic and toast. tapas=small plates, great for picking and sharing with groups. the music was quite varied...from the latest radiohead (yay!), to justin timberlake, to fleetwood mac...all of which sparked conversations between us, but not all good ones. probably better if they had a playlist on random rather than playing the whole cd of any of them. just a thought. otherwise, great dim lighting and decor!
(4)
Lani M.

Bar Ferdinand is one of my favorite regular spots for amazing tapas and sangria! Very creative and perfectly executed dishes... I love the cheese plate, filet romesco and paella. Service is excellent, staff well educated on wines and menu. Great date place!
(4)
Gandhus M.

I stopped in over the holidays, so an update was in order. I had the pleasure of trying some other items on the menu I hadn't had before such as the chicken liver skewers, the duck & pork sandwiches and the cheese plate. Everything was amazing. The cheeses were okay, not my favorite but still enjoyable and a pleasure to eat. Surprisingly, the chorizo al vino was absent from the menu. It's worth mentioning that the patatas bravas were a huge hit with the others in my party, so much so that we got two orders. I downplayed them in my original review because it seems short-sighted to me to highlight a potato dish when there are so many other amazing things on the menu. Nonetheless, they are good & the aioli they are served with is amazing. Our server was super attentive all night, until we were done. We were left waiting for the check, ready to leave for a good bit. No biggie, all in all the service was fine. BF was a big hit once again for me and others in my group who had never been before.
(4)
Megan M.

I happened to stumble upon this place while walking around Liberties Walk one day and decided to give it a try. The ambiance is beautiful, sort of an intimate and comfortable spot for a close gathering of friends or a date night. The place is rather small but inviting. There is seating both inside and outside during the summer. Being both a vegetarian and less adventurous with my food than most, I was weary when I opened the menu. The waitress was more than helpful with suggesting a few selections that might fit. She suggested the patatas bravas which was like a home fry with a red spicy sauce and a milder white sauce - very delicious! The cheese platter of various types of cheese was also delicious. The best plate of the night was the goat cheese with honey and nuts. While I had never tried anything like this before, I went with the waitress's suggestion and was pleasantly surprised. The taste is unbelievable and surprisingly, I was very full despite the small portions. All around, an excellent place that I plan to visit over & over again!
(5)
Cara P.

Just went to Bar Ferdinand for the very first time with a tapas critic. One word to describe everything from food to decor: Authentic (a few other words include: Awesome, Delicious, Beautiful, you get the point). As soon as you step inside, you are transported to a tapas bar in Spain with beautiful mosaics, dried roses hanging from the bar, and art draping the walls. (go on the first Friday of the month, and you will listen and see flamenco singers and dancers) On to the food: can't go wrong with Jamon Croquettas and Patatas Bravas. Hidden gems on the menu include: Carne a la Parilla and Gambas as Ajillo; so simple yet so delicious. Round it all out with perfectly sized flan, and you just had the perfect evening. This place is great for small bites, an intimate dinner, or an evening with friends. Run, don't walk, to Bar Ferdinand!
(5)
Michael B.

There seem to be two distinct theories on five star reviews. The first holds that any establishment in which the reviewer had a good time should get five stars. Decent food? Five stars. Hot bartender? Five stars. Clean bathrooms? Five stars. There's a word for this theory. That word is 'wrong'. Wrong just as the geocentric view of the universe, a flat earth and the idea that all disease is caused by an imbalance in the four humors is wrong. The second theory holds that five star reviews must be jealously guarded, like Frodo guarded the One Ring (when he wasn't busy trying to make baby hobbits with Samwise). This must be done if a five star review is to have any meaning. So what I'm trying to say here is I take my five star reviews very seriously. (Also, that the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy could have been rewritten thus. "There was a ring. It was bad. Gandalf took the ring, and gave it to one of the giant eagles. He flew it to a volcano and dropped it in. The ring melted. The end.") It is with much deliberation that I give Bar Ferdinand five stars. I've been there about a dozen times, and every time I've gone, the food was delicious, the decor cozy, the staff friendly. Despite being primarily a wine bar they have a top notch selection of seasonal beers (without which you can't seem to survive in Philly nowadays). I like their simple plates the best. The patas braves are my new favorite form of potato, and, while I'm still not sure just what a 'croquette' is, I occasionally have dreams about their jamon croquette. Other favorites are the calamari sandwich, the puff pastry with dates in it, and the breton croquette. For desert, it's hard to go wrong with the churros (which come with melty dark chocolate). Go here. Eat, drink and be merry.
(5)
Sophia S.

I've been to Bar Ferdinand 3 times now and have yet to be disappointed. Its got interesting, creative, and satisfying tapas which leave all corners of my palate pleased. Most recently, I came for an EXCELLENT brunch.You can either order a la carte or one of their brunch combos--each only $15 so its a cost-saver to go for the combo. I myself ordered combo Numero 1 It featured some of their stand-bys like Patatas Bravas (sauteed potatoes with a zesty tomato based sauce) and sauteed chorizo, but also some great breakfasty stuff like eggs with smoked lomo and a hollandaise sauce. My father also ordered their smoked salmon plate which definitely stole the show. I'd definitely recommend this place for those new to tapas or those who know and love it.
(4)
Erin s.

Okay. Lets get this out of the way it was a saturday night, we're a party of four, we didn't have reservations. we walked in and were told it was over an hour wait, plenty of empty tables (but probably reserved-fine-but weird sort of to have SO many empty tables) All this I get, it's my fault for thinking we'd be able to get a table right away. But it was pouring rain, we looked a little disheveled with the help of only one umbrella and the looks from the hostess and the server at the bar were just plain mean. we decided to order all the empanadas and the serrano ham croquets and the kale and goat cheese croquets. It's not like we were cheap, we knew we looked like a mess because of the rain but we were ready to pony up for drinks and food. The empanadas were terrible. Each one tasted like a hot pocket and was overly peppered (and i love pepper! but this was just bleh) It was just mush inside a pastry. I was with two people that live in NY so i was hoping to impress since philly is so often written off as a good food city. What did I wind up doing? Headed down the street for just plain old honest to good food @ Dos Segundos, where the empanadas have texture and the tacos are authentic. I admit I had high hopes for Bar Ferdinand-I mean, they make you think that you should. I would like to try more stuff, but just the rude nature and bad food makes me not want to go back.
(1)
Kristin G.

I went to Bar Ferninand not so long ago after hearing so many rave reviews about it...i have to say they were not exaggerated... This was one of the most delicious meals I've had in a long time. But do realize tapas bars are not for everyone. The portions are small, but its a tapas bar they're supposed to be! -Come here with the realization that you're going to spend a lot of money. -Look up the definition of tapas, here I'll do it for you Tapas: a snack or appetizer, typically served with wine or beer. -Drink the sangria, its really good! -Take your time eating, you're supposed to enjoy and taste carefully what you're eating. -Make a reservation if you're going there on a weekend!! -Ask the servers what they recommend, they know what they're talking about. -Order at least 3 tapas per person and share amongst yourselves. Seriously, this place rules.
(5)
Alex L.

So my party made the mistake of getting to this restaurant a bit late and missing our reservation (It's located into the newly growing yuppie part of Philadelphia and just a bit far from center city). The host was very diligent in getting us a table and not too long afterwards we were seated (and hungry!). I feel like most tapas places can't go wrong, but only the best know how to go RIGHT. The patatas bravas were very well cooked and seasoned. The Chorizo con Pulpo was actually much more octopus that chorizo, but still delicious. The crown gem, though, is the goat cheese and kale croquetta. Put all these things together and you're looking forward to a tasty tasty evening. Then go to Cuba Libre and dance off all the calories... =P
(4)
Anne R.

Good overall - order 2-3 dishes per person. Sandwiches and veggies/cheese were my favorites
(4)
Megan K.

i dig it. 3 of us went and tried many dishes. we liked all of them and the presentation was nice. our server was on top of everything, even tho is was packed. i like the atmosphere. i would def go again.
(4)
Susan L.

Not good, over-hyped. I'm not trying to be malicious, but I know 2 people who have gotten sick from this food on separate occasions. They are trying too hard to be labeled Spanish Tapas, and their variety of tapas are not good. The sangria is ok. I live around the corner and wanted this to be my favorite place--sadly I'm not taking any of my friends here.
(1)
matthew l.

Gorgeous restaurant with the namesake bull in vivid mosaic on the largest wall, done as were the unusually crafted tables, by the owner. A long communal table runs parallel to the beautiful bar down the center of the room and is usually filled on weekends with diners nudging their neighbors to "try this, try this". Tables are large as are the few booths. Competent service and exciting tapas if not quite on the level of an Ansill or Amada
(3)
Bethany W.

Two words: manchego frito. If you haven't been to Bar Ferdinand, run - don't walk - to the joint and order yourself a small plate of the most delicious pairing of hot and cold; salty and sweet; crunchy and smooth you'll ever have the pleasure of tasting. While nothing else on the menu can quite match the heaven on a skewer that is manchego frito, most of the other tapas are pretty delish. I haven't had the sangria that seems to be a thorn in the side of some of the other reviewers, but the last cafe con leche I had came close to some of the cappuccinos I've had in Italy, and the wine list is quite generous.
(4)
Sisi L.

a fun place to go with a bunch of friends - it's can be intimate or not and the music is not too loud. plus you can order more tapas! everything was pretty tasty...don't recommend the cured meat plate though - it was kinda dry and sad looking. loved the date empanadas and duck and lamb dishes were my favorites. get a pomegranate sangria - it's just fun!
(4)
matt m.

I really like this place. They have a terrific wine selection, really good food and an interesting/cool decor. My only drawbacks are that it can be noisy, but I am eating in public so big whoop, and it can be pricey for what you get. Still, I don't mind paying it, because the food is really good; I just don't go there as often as I'd like.
(4)
Jim L.

Food and drinks are affordable and never disappointed at Bar Ferdinand.
(5)
Lisa F.

Only good things to say about this place. Tapas are tasty and plentiful. The wine list has a variety of selections and the staff is well educationed on them. It is one of my favorite places in Philadelphia and will always remain special to me.
(5)
Jill L.

This would be a great date night spot. I visited with a large party (11 people) and while we had a nice meal, I do think this spot is more of a small party type of place. We inquired about a tasting menu (they don't offer one) but we were able to figure out a way to make tapas work for 11 people anyway. There were a number of dishes that I tried and there wasn't a dish that I didn't like. I will say, however, that I also wasn't really blown away by any one dish. A couple of the highlights were the grilled octopus and the garlic shrimp, while the lobster deviled egg (it wasn't a deviled egg- it was a hardboiled egg puree that they served to be eaten with a fork. weird) and the patatas bravas (tasted like home fries you'd get at a diner) were misses. Service was just ok. I sat there with an empty glass of water for a while and they kept bringing our table the wrong food. It was annoying to keep having to be like "Hey, did anyone order this dish? No... ? Ummm.. ok". Also, the waitress didn't really try to help accommodate our group in terms of offering suggestions on how to order to share. Not that it was her fault--- we were the ones who rolled in with a big group-- but it should be taken into consideration if you are planning to come with a large party that Amada's prix fixe tasting menu may be a better option if you are in the mood for tapas in Philly. Speaking of Amada, I would say that I like the food and service at Amada better, but the atmosphere at Bar Ferdinand is a little more laid back and romantic (and the prices are more reasonable). Don't come here expecting amazing food, but it would make a great spot to grab a few drinks and a few tapas with your sweetheart.
(4)
Yoeun P.

Really good, but not amazing tapas. However, excellent bartender with a vast knowledge of classic cocktails. We sat at the bar and had a great time. Seriously, the bartender deserves a shout out. It was kind of empty when we went, so I can't speak for the complaints about the douchey patrons. No complaints about service.
(4)
Doina N.

Last Friday brought me again to Bar Ferdinand after many years - most likely since it opened. Finally the weather was very cooperative so we opted to enjoy the dinner by seating outside. Before going there, I made a reservation through OpenTable and was a little surprised to see that they had availability.Was even more surprised to see the restaurant quite empty. 7 pm on a Friday night? Remember that years ago this restaurant was booming. We sat down and our server approached us to explain their tapas menu. He didn't ask if we had been there before which is okay. We ordered our drinks first, and then jumped to the dishes. I got to try their Palomino as a TGIF treat. It was a little too sweet for my taste but It could be great for one that's into cocktails. We ordered: -Mushrooms with Sherry, Spinach, and Hazelnuts; -Baked Goat Cheese, Honey, Pine Nuts; -Gambas al Ajillo, Shrimp, Garlic and Olive Oil; and -Oven Roasted Magret Duck Breast, Pistachio Vinaigrette. The mashrooms and goat cheese dish came with bread so we devoured on them completely. We even said: "Oh, we had the goat cheese even when we firts came here!" The only dish I didn't like much was the duck. I like duck a lot and tend to order it quite often. I blamed it on the pairing with some vinaigrette that was somewhat sweet. Not a fan of sweet and savory when it comes to meat. Would love to return for brunch here.
(4)
Magen S.

Consistently delicious tapas restaurant in Northern Liberties. Have dined for dinner on a number of occasions and always leave satisfied. Some of my favorites are the paella, warm goat cheese with honey, and the flatbreads which are all pretty good. Everything is has great flavor and the romantic ambience of the establishment makes it a good date night spot. It can be pricey, as the case for most tapas restaurants. Happy hour is a great deal in my opinion. $5 sangria and a bunch of small plates for $5 as well including meat & cheese board, mussels, $1 oysters. Their late night menu seems to be pretty good as well, although I haven't tried. Overall good restaurant in the area.
(4)
L D.

Despite the very small portions and long wait the food was delicious and worth the wait. Top dishes to get: pork belly is amazing, the gnocchi was great and extremely soft and warm, the paella is the only filling dish and the scallop is the best seafood dish topped with lobster. Good (but overly pricey) place for group celebration and dates too if you want to impress your date.
(3)
Daniel L.

Horrible place for brunch. Was there this morning with a group of 6. We had to wait 10 mins before we were asked if we wanted coffee. Waitress was rude and no where to be found. The food came out extremely slow. Half our table got their food and the other half didn't get their food until 15 minutes later. No apologies from the waitress orbmanager. On top of the horrible service, the food portions were tiny. Do your self a favor and don't go here for brunch. So many more places in the area that treat their customers like customers and know how to serve food
(1)
Albi D.

Jesus, can these portions get any smaller?!? By the end of the meal I was wondering if restaurant management had somehow convinced themselves they were some kind of an exclusive five-star, world-renowned restaurant. Because that is the only way you can justify charging so much for these tiny portions. Just because you think you have nice food presentation and a cool indoor decor, doesn't mean that you can charge ten times over cost for pint-size portions of mediocre food. Reading some of these reviews here, it seems like Bar Ferdinand has hoodwinked a lot of these eager youngsters who have never had tapas before and who only recently heard of Northern Liberties. It only takes a quick look at the other great restaurants in the area to realize that this place is not worth the money. We had two appetizers and two entrees and left really hungry and wishing we had gone to one of the cheaper Mexican spots nearby where at least you get your money's worth in food. What a joke! But I guess joke's on us for wanting to try something "new and different". The sangrÃa literally had no fruit inside and was just wine and ice. The boquerones looked like they were taken straight out of sardine cans sliced in half. I ended up paying a $7 premium for five 3" sardines to be doused in the "special house sauce". The beef carpaccio was decent. Probably the only thing that was salvageable from the meal. The grilled octopus was just two legs of octopus covered in a slew of raw onions and citrus grapefruit. At least grill the onions or something! I paid $16 for half an onion, three slices of citrus grapefruit and two octopus legs? Yeah I guess I did. And I paid tax and tip on top. The langostinos tasted good but again two small langostinos for $20? I mean, come on guys... This is a restaurant located in northern liberties, not under the Toure Eiffel. You can't charge these premiums for this quantity of food! But hey, maybe I'm just speaking as a person who knows what the "piazza" was just a couple of years ago. It's much easier to fool the the new wave of college kids, grad students, and hipsters who come to the area thinking it's the new frontier of edgy and cool. Bottom line is this place costs too much for what it delivers. These are Amada prices for even less food. Not going back.
(2)
Chris M.

Wen't here on a date last night, the atmosphere was nice, we really liked the look of the bar area. We had a reservation and had hoped to sit outside, but when we got there we were told no outside seating was available even though I requested it. The food was good, but nothing spectacular, worth a visit if you are in the area but not a special trip.
(3)
Ryan O.

Came here for happy hour which is a fairly good deal. We got the sangria, charcuterie and cheese board, the patatas bravos and some oysters. All really good and decently priced. The service was really good too, tho we sat at the bar. I've come here for dinner before and it is very good. One of the best paellas I've had, definitely a recommendation. This place is slightly pricey tho especially since it's a tapas / small plates menu.
(4)
Mike W.

My fiancÃ© and I dropped in for brunch on a Saturday afternoon recently because i had a gift card ad we were nearby looking at wedding invitations. The place was completely empty which I thought was odd, but maybe they so more dinner business than lunch. We say outside because it was beautiful outside, and we received plenty of attention from our waiter. We ordered a glass of red and white sangria respectively. Both were very good, but the white was killer. He recommended that we order 4 to 5 plates between the two of us so we had enough food. We did just that, ordering the open faced chorizo sandwich, the date and bacon empanadas, the patatas bravas, jamon croquettas and the churros. It should be noted that the brunch menu is much more compact than the dinner menu is in terms of options. Overall the food was very good. There were some high and lows along the way though. The date and bacon empanadas were a distinct winner with the combination of smoke and sweetness and very light crust. The open faced chorizo sandwih was also fantastic. The heat from the chorizo was a great complement to the rich egg yolk, and the bread was perfect as well. The patatas bravas and the croquettas didn't fair so well for us. The aioli served with the potatoes was great, but the potatoes weren't crispy which definitely took away from the dish. The croquettas were fried well, but they were overly cheesy and definitely make us lose the taste of the ham. Again the romesco sauce was awesome. Unfortunately the churros wound up the same way. They were ok, but I think they needed better sugar ratio. The chocolate sauce it was served with was awesome. With all the ups and downs I really want to go back for dinner and try some more of the options. Some things were great and others were just ok. So far it's not the best tapas I have had in philly, but It's definitely worth a visit. I will be back!
(3)
Lilli C.

I hadn't been to this place in years so I decided to stop in for some happy hour cocktails and snacks. The sangria was good, but the snacks were amazing. I loved the flat bread pizzas- super thin and crispy. The mushroom one was delicious as was the pancetta with the baked egg, although it was a bit greasier. The baked oysters and the jamon croquettes were also delicious. This place is perfect for happy hour. The service is great, it's never crowded, and you can always get a seat at the bar.
(5)
Michael N.

Other than the prices, I think Bar Ferdinand is pretty great. Location: Easy parking across the street at the free Piazza lot. It might be tough on the weekend if they are having an event, but either way, you can probably find something on the street. Decor: I love the interior of this place. Dark lighting, interesting art on the walls. I love that they can also open the big glass doors when the weather is nice. It creates a nice connection to the outside walkway area. Service: It's always been pretty solid. Food: On our recent trip (the two of us) we went with the following and it was more than enough food... - Spanish cheese board - delicious - Shrimp Garlic and Olive Oil - outstanding - about 6 shrimp - Patatas Bravas - the potatoes were good but the sauces weren't anything special - House made chorizo - fantastic, I could have eaten a few of these, good portion - NY strip with chimichurri - small but pretty solid Price: The only drawback was the price. We left with about a $120 bill and that included a few drinks. I was pretty bummed out that even the local draft beer was $5 and it wasn't even served in a pint glass. Overall it's worth a visit for a snack or a full meal.
(4)
S H.

I've been here about 5 times probably- and each time I leave feeling like my experience could have been better. Last time my boyfriend and I stopped in we ordered three dishes between the two of us. The only one that really sticks out is the Pancetta Flatbread- not because it was delicious but because it cost $12 and literally featured three extremely small, shriveled pieces of pancetta and an egg. The food cost for that had to have been $1- I'm not kidding. I hope the chef doesn't think he's tricking anyone.... I wasn't satisfied and so I ended up ordering the tomato bread and cheese plate just for the sake of feeling full. The cherry tomatoes weren't cut in half or anything so they just rolled right off the bread when I went to take my first bite!! C'mon bro!! A little bit of "user experience" awareness would go a long way. Anyway- we somehow ended up at the Olive Garden in Bala Cynwood the next evening and I definitely enjoyed it more !!! (sorry but it's true!!). Hip decorations and "fancy" food presentation isn't always enough to carry a good experience.
(2)
Ali M.

Super Tapas! My husband and I went here with a few friends for dinner on Friday. WOW! We were so happy with our decision to try it! Between the four of us, we ordered about 12-14 dishes and every single one was delicious. My top favs were the Langostines (special), the Date & Bacon Empanada (ordered two!), and the Pork Belly. Additionally, they have an outdoor Paella cooking and it looked awesome. If we weren't so full, we would have gotten that too! Our bartender/waitress Jill was honestly one of the best, most well-informed service staff we've had in the Philadelphia area. She knew the menu inside and out. When I asked for a drink recommendation, she told us that she created all the cocktails, so I just let her pour. The drinks were awesome. The wine suggestions were perfect. She really was a great server. I would recommend this to anyone. Groups, couples, etc. With such a wide variety of items to pick from, you can't go wrong.
(5)
Krystal S.

I've visited this restaurant several times for the past 5+ years and finally decided to write-up a review. My most recent visited occurred this past Friday. Luckily for me (and my friend) it was a first Friday, so there were awesome flamenco dancers and wonderful music to go along with the normal buzz of a night out. My experience with the staff was pleasant. Hostess sat us quickly, waitress was the best- she was attentive, had a great attitude, and was easy to interact with. The food was as delicious as I remembered it (I believe my last visit was at least 2+ years ago). We ordered the jamÃ³n croquettas, patatas bravas, goat cheese dip (I forgot the name of it) And to top it off, manchengo fritas (which was the standout of the night for me). The food was hot and arrived quickly (which was good, since I was hungry!) To drink we ordered a bottle of Aldonia red wine (thanks to the suggestion of our awesome waitress). It was fruity, but dry and with an extremely smooth finish. (-really similar to Red Guitar, one of my favorite Spanish reds) Overall it was a pretty great experience and I am looking forward to visiting again to revisit more of my favorite dishes!
(4)
Jennifer M.

Finally made it here to dinner, and overall, I was pleased. Brought two of my lady friends, and I guess we didn't get the memo that it was couples night. (This place exudes romance and all those lovey-dovey feelings. I mean, there are hundreds of roses surrounding their gorgeous bar!) Nevertheless, our party of three enjoyed the evening. Onto the food and wine! The pitcher of white wine sangria started us off, and I'm glad we chose it. Delightful, refreshing, and the pomegranate berries gave it a pop of color. I did hate the fact that the pitcher looked like it came from Toys 'R Us. Pitchers need to be bigger! Adult-size, please. FLATBREADS. Get the flatbreads! Especially the pancetta with the baked egg. They give you a spoon so you can spread all that egg-y goodness. The slight crunch of the pancetta and oozy egg? YES. Then we got the other flatbread with the mushrooms and goat cheese. I didn't taste the truffle, or maybe it was because I ate it too fast! Second round of tapas were 1) marinated veggies with goat cheese-smeared bread and 2) the octopus with potato fingerlings. The veggie selection (baby carrot, roasted red pepper, mushrooms, and eggplant) was just ok, but the bread pieces could be a bit smaller since they took over the plate leaving no room for the veggies. Poor veggies. The octopus was nicely grilled, but for some reason, thought it needed some oomph. The pimenton (that reddish dust similar to paprika) didn't do much for me. It was a very lightly flavored dish. Instead of dessert, we opted for a bottle of albarino and some good conversation! I'd come back for the flatbreads and try more of the tapas!
(4)
Ben H.

Have been to this place multiple times now and never once been disappointed. It's a little more expensive than some other places in the area but worth it (at least in my opinion). I'm a big fan of pork belly and the way that do it here is outstanding. My roommate goes nuts for the baked goats cheese. But really there's nothing bad on the menu. Only once have I had cause for complaint here - I ordered churros for dessert and they came out way underdone (I'm talking liquid in the center). Sent them back. Twice. And subsequently lost interest. On the upside I wasn't asked to pay for them and was offered a drink on the house as compensation. Safe to say they handled it excellently. And I'll be back. Many times.
(5)
Shavon D.

Overall, probably 4.5.. Food was amazing.. I had the garlic shrimp and steak and potatoes- All cooked to perfection. Wait staff was courteous; Although we did wait kinda long for our entrees. As a result, we were comped free desserts without even complaining - again great customer service. Churros could use some imagination, just not sweet enough, but edible.
(4)
Joseph C.

Bar Ferdinand is a great place to grab some drinks and have some snacks. It's got a cool atmosphere and is right in the middle of all that NoLibs has to offer, but the food itself is just OK. There are far better Tapas joints in Philly, and far better restaurants within a stone's throw. Not bad, but not great either. In a city full of exceptional food, Bar Ferdinand is average.
(3)
Nikki C.

Great vibe. Loved the tile artwork on the walls...very cool bullfight scenes. For a Saturday night I was a bit surprised at the small crowd, but we did get there around 8 for dinner so maybe it was busier earlier. In typical tapas fashion...the food came out sporadically, hot (when supposed to be), and quick. Which was just what I needed with a grumbling stomach! As for the food itself, nothing was bad, just not traditional like the waiter claimed. The tortilla was potato heavy with little egg unlike the many I had when in Spain. The goat cheese spread was very oily and tasted more like the rind than the cheese. The best menu item was the jamÃ³n croquettas - so good I ordered two helpings!!! Some of the larger plate portions were much smaller than expected for the price...a chicken leg for about $14...no thanks! And the chorizo was one link for a similar price (although I do recommend ordering it for the unique presentation!) I'm not from the Philly area so I don't know if there are other tapas options in the city, but if you're ever in CT hit up any of the Barcelona restaurants.
(3)
Zak D.

Don't go here if there are large tables. They will forget you. We ordered a bottle of wine and 4 dishes including cheese. After 1.5 hours, empty bottle of wine and 1 dish, we asked for the check. Now we are at Sancho Pistolas and appetizer is here before I finished my review. $8 ceviche here is better tha. $14 single scallop at Bar Ferdinand.
(1)
Dawn W.

This is my go-to for dates with my lady friends! The menu is always changing and the drinks are always creative and tasty. Since its tapas, you can try so many things on the menu without feeling like a glutton!
(5)
Lindsay H.

4 stars for food- we tried 7 different dishes-all completely delicious. Spanish menu with unexpected twists. Service was OK but not spectacular. As expected in this area/type of rest.
(4)
Tony W.

Consistently consistent, This review comes after a minimum of 5 times dining here. The most recent was just 01/17/15 for a brunch. We went with a large group of people (Around 20) and were given a set tasting menu for brunch. As I have dined here several times, I was pretty sure that I would have had most of the items they were going to serve us, I was wrong. Brunch was great! They put together a great menu of truly brunch-based tapas. Also, the staff did a great job of keeping our glasses filled with sangria, bloody mary's and mimosa's. If you come for dinner, you will pretty much find all of the same characteristics. One of my favorite dishes is the manchego frito with apple foam. But you can't go wrong with anything
(4)
Angela V.

I really enjoy this place, especially for brunch or happy hour. The wine selection is good and even though it's tapas, there are plenty of vegetarian/pescatarian friendly options. I prefer to sit at the bar, and there are usually seats available.
(5)
Jessica D.

Went here forSunday Brunch Started off with the Mimosa "Sangrade" which were delicious. Had the Sauteed Spinach and Piquillo Pepper Omelet with Crab which was an extra $3 dollars which is expected. It was delicious and I enjoyed every bite. (make sure to ask for some Sriracha sauce). Mainly giving this place 5 stars for the Date and Bacon Empanada, Honey, Almonds. OMG! This dish was so good. Only two came because it is an appetizer but I had it with my meal. But I wish 4 came with it they were so good! The service was also very good. I guess our waiter lost one of our tickets in the back and so the rest of our food came out way before my friends meal. So the waitress gave us complementary mimosas and the meal that was late was on the house. Will definitely be back to try more.
(5)
Jan L.

I came here with a party of about 10. We sat inside even though it was a beautiful day out (we chose to sit inside because of a baby) anywho, the drinks weren't bad, although my brother didn't like his bloody mary, at all. This is a tapas place so yes everything is small portioned. The food took foreverrrrrr to come out and it wasn't really that busy. Here is a run down for everything we had. Open face grilled chorizo sandwich was bleh, veryyyy salty. My mouth was getting thirsty. N.Y strip steak was pretty good. The date and bacon empanada was amazing Patatas braves was my favorite Jamon croquetas was pretty good as well, better than Amada in olde city.
(3)
Michael B.

Six of us ordered one or more of most of the tapas and all were delicious. The service was helpful and the pacing was excellent. We have to accept that most places these days will serve draft beer in quantities that vary with the alcoholic content, but the purveyors should state the ounces on the menu. Some do and some, including Bar Ferdinand, do not.
(4)
Shauna G.

Dare I say it? I think I prefer Bar Ferdinand to Amada. GASP. They lured me in during a late night half-price bottle of wine night, where I was romanced by a bar filled with dried flowers and a delicious order of manchego frito (Yes. You read that correctly. I was romanced by cheese). I had no other choice but to come back for a full on, proper meal. And when I did, it was a meal to end all meals (not even joking, I woke up 4 pounds heavier the next day). Highly recommend the date and bacon empanada, the marcona almonds and the pancetta/baked egg flatbread. And wine. Lots and lots of Spanish wine.
(4)
Matty G.

Yum, yum, yum, yum, yum, YUM! A perfect Tapas Restaurant to visit while in Philadelphia. A bit far from center city, but worth the trip to Northern Liberties. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Sangria is always a treat as well.
(5)
Richie R.

After reading all the excellent reviews, I was really hoping for more. Certain items were excellently cooked, such as the octopus. Most other things on the menu that we tried were either too salty, or too bland. And all items on the menu are overpriced. I grew up in Spain, so my views may be a little biased, but in our party of 3, no one was taken aback by the food. Perhaps we had a bad experience? Not sure. But unfortunately, will not be returning for more.
(2)
Zerina G.

First time I went to Bar Ferdinand, it was with a group of friends from work. It was in October and still surprisingly warm for Philadelphia. It was great because we ate outside and sipped on a pitcher of white wine sangria. Went again last night but my friends and I sat inside. All outside seating was already taken..,bummer. But it was still very nice. Decor is lovely. Reminded us of some of the restaurants we went to in Barcelona. But our eyes were on the prize (we arrived famished!), so we proceeded to order a bunch of different tapas and raciones. I love tapas restaurants and how things come out as soon as they are ready. Timing between the dishes was spaced appropriately. The croquettes were wonderful and we had to order another round of that dish as it wasn't enough to satiate our appetite for them. The patatas bravas was nothing special. It was basically home fries with two kinda of dip. I was a bit disappointed in that. I tried the Spanish flatbread with mushrooms and goat cheese and it tasted really good but a bit oily. I think the best dish was the chorizo. It arrived at our table in a flaming ceramic pig holder. WHAT?!?! It was remarkable. The chorizo itself was quite tasty, very juicy, but I still can't get over the presentation of the dish. Very nice, Bar Ferdinand.
(4)
Tamara P.

Came here for dinner on a Friday night. I must say if it wasn't for the horrible service this place would of gotten a full 5 stars for the delicious food drinks and ambience. The Flamenco Dancers were amazing as well. Ordered the mushroom and goat cheese flat bread and ended up waiting for it for over an hour...Now, I don't care how "exquisite" and "delicate" the process is to make a flat bread with some mushrooms and Goat cheese it doesn't take an hour and a half, and if it does we should have been warned when ordering it... The waitress did express some sort of concern after the hour passed but where was she before?!!! VERY inattentive and inconsiderate...Come here if you have all day...
(2)
Kati S.

Really amazing tapas. Can't remember ever having a bad meal--or a bad drink--there. Try the Churros con Chocolate, if you're in the mood to share!
(5)
Carla G.

Four of us went here this past Sunday and I must say it was a very pleasurable experience... We ordered so many plates and pitchers of the white and red sangria the cheese platter(amazing) olives crab stuffed peppers...crab croquettes...a date bacon honey and cream cheese thingy yumm... shrimp in a oil( yumter) tomatoes on a bread... some we ordered more the once..Loved it!
(4)
Lindsay H.

Happy hour review: I continue to love Bar Ferdinand more and more with every visit. I'm even more excited to keep coming with the addition of David Ansill. After Sandy kept me locked inside for 4 days, I was desperate to get out. My boyfriend and I decided to indulge in happy hour at Bar Ferdinand having no idea that they changed it. Wow, were the changes great. Buck a shuck oysters?! $4 dollar massive glasses of spanish wine? Done and done. The oysters were fantastic and super fresh. We watched them shuck them right in front of us. It was perfect. Wine and oysters aside, they had many other tapas, beer and sangria available for $4 from 5-7pm! I definitely reccomend Bar Ferdinand at any time but definitely check out the happy hour specifically if you can!
(5)
Rich B.

Overall the food was very nice; but not really worth the price tag. That and the slow as hell service(on a quiet night) will prevent me from returning . We came on a Monday eve after 9 p.m. Impressed by the decor dimly lit, nice booths, great looking bar w/ nice racks (wine). Initially we were seated at a booth with no over head working lamp which made it difficult for us to see the menu. We moved. Nice menu broken down into tostas tapas, flatbreads, raciones, paellas, etc. The house marinated olives were great; as were the 3 tostas (especially the house cured salmon and the mojama) You only get one slice of each; which I though was kind of skimpy for10 $(for 3 0r $4 each).Also hard to split 4 ways. I ordered the organic. chicken which was quite tasty. It was a leg/ thigh which was kind of small; served with crispy potatoes thinly sliced which also were great. Only complaint was there were only about 6 slices of them.The mushroom flabread was delicious, even though I am not a huge fan of goat cheese.The potatas bravas were ok. Too many items had saffron in them, not one of my favorite flavors. We initially wanted to get the paella, which the waitress said takes 40 minutes to prepare. What she didn't tell us was that everything else we ordered would come out in 30 minute intervals. There is no excuse for this food to take so long. I complained when a server asked how everything was that my chicken I ordered over a half- hour ago hadn't arrived. 5 minutes later it came. Service was staggered at best and one person received her rabbit racione before our tostas?
(3)
Michael R.

Great place for tapas and good wine. Loved the service. We didn't feel rushed by waters coming to our table all the time.
(4)
Nico L.

Stopped in for a couple of brunch drinks and a quick bite. A beer and what was essentially baklava for me and a sangria and omelette for the lady. The baklava was sweet with a bacon interior. It is a small appetizer, only enough to tide me over. The omelette however was hearty and full of flavor. The atmosphere was friendly and there is a nice dried flower decoration around the bar area. Interesting enough for me.
(4)
Juliana Q.

Mediocre Spanish food (burned paella, soggy pan con tomate, not-well-executed Manchego Frito) Terrible music. Below average sangria.
(2)
Charles R.

Finally made it here for a quick lunch and would go back for dinner in the future. The service was good, but the restaurant was only about 1/3 full , so service shouldn't be a problem. The tapas on a weekend are mainly tuned to brunch, but what we had was good. The chorizo was really good, not like you buy in the local grocery stores. The chorizo with fried egg sandwich has great taste and was plenty for lunch. The almond/honey/ fig tapa reminded me of baklava. The other sandwich with pork and veggies was also good. NIce bar area.
(4)
Allison F.

6 on a Friday night. Approximately 12 tables open. We were told that they were full. Really?
(1)
Meredith B.

Such a great spot. Yes it is in Northern Liberties. Great food, great cocktails and great atmosphere. There's no reason not to come here. Octopus with salt roasted potatoes and salsa verde - This is a great preparation of octopus. A decent portion of octopus with fingerling potatoes. Many restaurants have gotten into the octopus trend over the years but not all are able to prepare it correctly... Bar Ferdinand does. Pixin Con Pancetta - monkfish, porkbelly and rosemary Really good. I know porkbelly is on the list of items people rave about... not always for me. So the porkbelly in this item wasn't the reason I thought to order it. My friend ordered it - I was pleasantly surprised. The porkbelly was slightly seared on one side to add a bit of crisp texture to it while still preserving the soft nature of the ingredient. Monkfish was a good compliment to the porkbelly. What I really enjoyed was the rosemary flavor that tied the dish of two skewers together. Datiles Rellenos - Fried dates stuffed with marcona almonds, jamon serrand, cabrales yogurt Absolutely amazing. I will admit that I didn't know it was an almond in the middle and mistook it for a pit (therefore not eating it). I've come to find that you can rarely go wrong with ordering bacon/jamon wrapped dates. Get this. Although small (four dates) it is the correct amount (unless you have a larger party size) Tosta De Yema - Truffled eggs, toast, asparagus, tetilla cheese (picture uploaded) I love a good asparagus dish with egg and truffles. This was awesome and completely different than what I had expected. Think extremely fluffy large box toast (quasi biscuit but not really). The egg is not noticeable until you slice into the yolk. Cheese is also minimal. Pimentos Del Piquillos Rellenos - Stuffed piquillo peppers with zucchini, squash, eggplant, red onion, goat cheese puree A nice dish for the vegetarian at the table (depending on the type of vegetarian at the table (note goat cheese). Wasn't a standout in my mind. Mejillones Con Chorizo - PEI mussels, white wine, chorizo, garlic We were looking for another dish that would not be heavy. Excellent mussels in a delicious broth. I suggest ordering extra bread to snag the broth with. Scallop from the tasting menu - we were able to order this one dish off the tasting menu. Not going to comment on it much as it may not be on the menu for when you are there. El Sol del Membrillo - Plymouth Dry gin, Absolut vodka, St. Germain liquer, quince syrup, fresh thyme Awesome. Thyme is a great herb with gin. I fully suggest this be your first cocktail of the night. Palomino - Sauza Hornitos Tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, muddled cucumber, honey A very good cocktail but I happened to like the above drink better. Ansill - you're doing a phenomenal job and the city loves you. Rock that beard proudly - there's no need for a beard guard.
(5)
Michelle Y.

My friends took me here for a late birthday celebration and I loved it! Service was okay. Waitress could've smiled a little bit. The man at the host stand was very nice. Food was great. We ordered: - Brussels Sprouts - Pork Belly Thing - Cheese sampler thing - Scallops thing (Sorry -- i dont know the actual name as it is written on the menu. I hate having to read through the descriptions to understand what's on the menu so I had my friend order.. heh)
(4)
Abby W.

Came here for a paella demonstration class back at the end of July. For $35 per person you get to watch Chef Ansill prepare the house special seafood paella in a giant pan out in the courtyard, plus eat said paella and bring home a goody bag filled with calasparra rice, seafood stock, chorizo, and a recipe. I felt it was a good value for what you got. The experience itself was... interesting. The chef is, as most chefs are, a fairly egotistical man. He was mostly just interested in hearing himself talk while one of his sous chefs did the cooking, and enjoying his wine of course. I think he had a little too much wine by the end of the session. The other interesting part of our own experience was having the dubious pleasure of being seated next to two older suburban yuppie couples who are Ansill groupies and they thought that made them about the coolest thing to happen to Philly since the Piazza. They've been going to "David's" restaurants since his Ansill days, blah blah blah. You could cut the pretension with a knife. The paella itself was tasty but honestly, mine is better. It didn't get awesomely crusty on the bottom like it should, just a bit burnt instead, but the house-made seafood stock they use really does make a huge difference. I'd say that's the only one-up they've got on my paella. He uses way too much garlic, in my opinion. The seafood got a bit overcooked because "David" kept yammering when he should have been serving the paella. At least we got to go back for seconds! I'd come back here for some drinks and tapas, but probably not a traditional entree-based meal.
(3)
Nicole D.

The food here is really yummy, and the presentation is gorgeous. The white sangria is delicious! Beverage service can be a little pokey. Love the decor! Ferdinand the Bull was one of my favorite childhood books.
(4)
Gianna A.

***I love Spanish food in Spain. Now I love Spanish food in Philadelphia.*** This Northern Liberties eatery is spot on. Ambience, service, food, good looking patrons (not necesary, but nice), and did I mention? Spanish Food! It gets crowded, the tables are tight, which just adds to the ambiance. The dancers perform in a small clearing next to the front desk. It's intimate, dark, and sexy, reminds me of the flamenco parlors back in the mother land. I love this place. Pan Con Tomate, Stuffed Dates (stuffed with almonds, wrapped with bacon, topped with manchego, yum!), Crab Croqueta, Jamon Croquetas, Sangria for 3, Live Flamenco music and dance! $60 w/tip
(5)
Eileen O.

At 6:30 on Sat night everywhere we called was booked but scored reservations for 4 at 7 pm! We even got an outside table. I've been here twice before and again had a very enjoyable meal. Red Sangria was excellent and the date bacon empanadas divine - we ordered more. My salad was okay but the cheese platter made up for it. Love sharing lots of different things which we did happily. The mushroom flatbread was also delish. Service was attentive - all around a great night.
(4)
Sheila M.

This restaurant is one of my favorites. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. The food couldn't be any better...every single dish is better than the last! Tina was my server last night and she gave us such an amazing experience. She made suggestions and would describe in great detail what each dish included. She is amazing at what she does. Tina made us feel like we were the only people dining last evening. Another time I was there, I sat at the bar in front of the chef. He explained what he was making and gave us samples of several dishes. I am not going to even mention one of the dishes because honestly, they are all amazing. I have probably tried half the menu and loved everything so far. I cannot wait to go back!
(5)
Brittany P.

I can't really get down with small plates. But if you like trying everything bar Ferdinand is cool! I sat outside so I have no idea how the inside is, but service was good. Glasses never went dry and all tasted delicious !
(4)
Dana M.

Love their happy hour specials! I can usually get a few rounds without spending too much. My favorite has been the blood orange sangria. Actually, any sangria I've had has been really good. They don't skimp on the alcohol but they don't over do it either. I usually get two or three of these with a small dish to share with a friend when I'm here. Anything I've ever ordered as a small bite was never a disappointment. Sometimes there are flamenco dancers on Friday nights, which are a joy to watch.
(4)
Bill F.

Some complicated exclamation about why the weekend tasting menu did not include the roast duck but cost the same as the weekday menu. Oh well.
(2)
Gautam T.

$3 Mimosas for brunch..... I repeat $3 Mimosas for brunch.... I'll let that sink in and assume that's all you really need to know to come and try out Bar Ferdinand.... Ok well if that wasn't enough to convince you that this is one of the best brunch spots in the city I will tell you that the food is awesome. For example I had the Chorizo Eggs benedict which was a perfect blend of spicy mixed with creamy egg yolk and hollandaise. Besides the brunch which is the selling point for me and keeps me coming. The dinner is amazing as well. Tapas here are perfectly priced and sized to make it a very reasonable and delicious meal.
(5)
Gabby M.

I love this place! The ambiance was phenomenal; I highly recommend sitting outside. The food was also wonderful. The best dish I had was the Manchego Frito with Apple Foam. That Apple Foam was something out of Wylie Dufresne kitchen. I also tried the Tortilla EspaÃ±ola, Baked Goat Cheese (a little disappointing), and the Tostas (salmon and crÃ¨me Fraiche was the best). The beer list is a little disappointing but it has a good wine list.
(4)
Brian H.

3.75 stars, it could have been 4 solid stars, except for one easy to adjust, but oft not, item. THE FRIGGIN SALT!!! Please taste what you are seasoning before you just throw in handfuls of salt. Thank you in advance! OK, now for the details...what a lovely find in Northern Libs, been bookmarked for a few months now and kicked to my attention by a recent article. A very nice bottle and draught selection of brew. Also, there was a nice Spanish wine by the glass selection, which with the assistance of the bar servers, one was chosen which added positively to the overall experience. Service was impeccable, I sat at the bar as I like to do, on a busy Saturday night. The first small plate chosen was the marinated charred veggies served with goat cheese on bread. The veggies included a to-die-for eggplant, (if I could make that eggplant, I would never leave home) , but I wish we had just two more slices of that bread, what was served did not do the entire amount of the dish justice. Second, was a flatbread with a most tasty, delicious pancetta, garlic oil and baked egg, which the server broke the yolk and spread the yoke evenly over the flatbread. This was absolutely delightful. We then split the paella, which we were told was large enough for 2, well it was large enough for 3. This has to be among the top paella's I ever had, but keeping it from the top was the SALT. The chorizo, the shell fish of shrimp, mussels and clams, all already added salt to the dish. I would be extremely surprised and withdrawal my comment if I was told NO additional salt was added to the dish. Served in a rustic, traditional paella pan, the rice, the flavors, the tender chicken leg and thigh, the richness, were decadent. The flavors complimented each other well, and I ate until I could eat no more. Therefore, there was no room for dessert. :-( I really liked this place, I will return, and frequently I might add.
(4)
Michele A.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. I love this place so much I want to take everyone I know here. The food is absolutely incredible. There is so much variety on the menu, and the staff are super knowledgable about everything on the menu. We had a bit of an issue in the beginning, we were there for a group dinner celebrating a friends' birthday. We had a reservation for 8 but weren't seated until almost 9. The issue was that their biggest table was sitting around talking way after finishing their meal, so I guess it was out of their control. The food definitely made up for it. I have a shellfish allergy and have been trying to cut back on carbs, but even eliminating shellfish and bread, I had so much to choose from. I can see how people can rake up their bill as everything is small plates, but they're a lot more filling than you'd think. I'd suggest ordering 2-3 things at first, and then seeing how you feel. The wait staff is always coming around to suggest more things to try, so it's easy to order more. The atmosphere is top notch - the bar is decorated with thousands of dried roses and twinkle lights, it's very romantic. The sangria is amazing, and I'm not usually one to pick sangria over just general red wine. It helps that it's only $7 a glass, too. Definitely one of the best restaurants in Philly.
(5)
Vonnie A.

This place has a great atmosphere for a date or a group dinner. Also, their happy hour is decent with $5 wines, buck-a-shuck and usually a few other small dishes. I completed mine with a couple tostas. Get the almonds, they rock!
(4)
Sarah S.

The food here was somewhat decent, but the service here absolutely ruined my experience. I went here for brunch on a Saturday since El Camino Real had a 40 minute wait. We started off with drinks which took forever to get to us and then ordered our food. It took 45 minutes for our food to come out and it all came out sporadically. There were 6 of us and there were a couple dishes that just never came out. The waiter didn't apologize and was missing half of the time. The bread they served us was completely burnt and the restaurant just seemed to be a mess. I got the pan con tomato and a mushroom sandwich that was actually pretty good, but I got my food at least 20 minutes before anyone else did so it ruined brunch. I would not recommend going here and will not be going back.
(2)
Jay W.

Perhaps I wasn't properly dressed, and to be honest I had been drinking already, but I don't think that I did anything to warrent the attitude that I recieved from the server. my small group was at the bar, and had a hard time getting a hold of the bartender/server. The drinks we ordered weren't my favorite. If I go back, I'd try the sangria. The food was good, but certainly not worth the price paid for it. The best thing that we ordered was the flatbread with egg with was rustic and flavorful. The kind of dish that makes you want to try cooking it yourself. I wish I had a wood burning oven.
(2)
Joanne T.

I was craving for pulpo (octopus) and remembered this place had a delicious tapa. We came here for what we thought would be an awesome happy hour. It was a nice day and we sat outside. Little did we know, there was no happy hour. Even though the menu stated there was until 7pm. I felt bad leaving after being seated so we just stayed. I was a bit jealous of the crowd sitting across at el camino enjoying their chips, salsa, and margaritas. We ordered the snail special tapa, steak tapa, and of course the pulpo. There was a wait for paella so we opted out of that one. My cravings were satisfied. The puplo was heavenly. Since i was still craving for chips/salsa we ended up heading over to dos.
(3)
Victoria L.

I don't know why it's taken me so long to come to Bar Ferdinand since I am constantly at the Piazza. I think it feels a little too fancy for my mood when I'm there. Luckily I was catching up with a girl friend that I hadn't seen for a while, so we decided on this spot. Lucky for us, sangria was plentiful and the food was absolutely delicious. We started out with oysters, beet salad, and octopus for our appetizers. The oysters we could have done without since it's not their specialty. (We were just craving because it was nice and summery out.) The octopus had a great char on it, which we loved but others could be not thrilled about. It went so well with the salsa verde plated with it. For entrees, we shared the mushroom flatbread and crispy pork belly. My friend heard rave reviews about the flatbread alone, so we couldn't skip the opportunity. Thank goodness. The dough is done right. I hate places that have super thin, crispy flatbread. You won't find that here. The crispy pork belly was slightly dry (as it often can be) but a little sherry sauce at the bottom more than made up for that. Now I can eat, so I'm willing to pay top dollar for good food. But I was only a little full when I left Bar Ferdinand though our bill would say otherwise. We each ended up spending over $70 for dinner and drinks. As much as I love it here, that will deter me from coming back as often as I'd like.
(4)
Gia M.

I ate here after a huge lunch during a concert in the Piazza. The music piping in from the square was at a perfect volume for background noise, which totally added to the already good ambiance Bar Ferdinand exudes. We weren't very hungry and tapas was the best choice, because we all got dishes just big enough for us. A friend ordered toasted almonds (yum!), which came in a tiny adorable skillet, the other ordered the chicken (which was a sizable chunk for tapas), and I ordered the branzino. We also ordered the churros, which came with chocolate on the side in a little teacup. The branzino was perfectly cooked, with just enough char on the outside to add a good crust. The salad underneath was yummy (tomatoes and cilantro, anyone?), too. The churros were also tasty, with just enough chewiness to be really authentic. And of course I practically licked the extra chocolate out of the teacup. The server was really friendly and helpful as well. I definitely recommend this place as a tapas bar.
(4)
Shashank M.

Definitely stepped up its game from the last time I went. The charcuterie plates were delicious. Service was great. All the tapas that came out were made perfectly and we topped off the evening with the flan and sherry flight. Overall impressed, think Amada has some competition.
(5)
Becky H.

Authentic Spanish tapas restaurant. We ordered one-two tapas dishes at a time and they all came out quickly and hot as they were prepared. It was perfect! For five of us, we enjoyed probably a combination of ten mixed dishes and then followed with dessert. The staff was very nice and gave information for each dish as we ordered them. For example, which were so small that two would be better for our group...and they were spot on each time! One person in our group is currently on chemo and she wasn't quite feeling well. The restaurant only had one soup prepared in advance that she wouldn't be able to enjoy and the chef actually came out (not knowing about the chemo) to ask her what kind of soup she would like. She gave him a couple ingredients that would be good, that brothy was better than creamy, and he made her an amazing custom soup that was delicious! We will definitely go back!!!
(5)
Patty K.

Great for a Monday date night. The place is quiet, romantic, and bottles are half off.
(5)
N Y.

Ambiance is great, but the night we went the service was pretty horrible. I overheard they were short staffed but everything took for.ev.er . I like a slow paced dinner but it was a bit much. Also the drinks were way watered down, food was good though.
(3)
Sir F.

I absolutely love Bar Ferdinand. The wait staff is really cute, knowledgable and kind. I've been here a few times now, and all of my experiences have been memorable. My friends have a running joke, "what does tapas translate to in English? Answer - Expensive". The prices aside, the food is excellent, the wine is delicious, and the atmosphere is perfect.
(5)
Colleen M.

We went to this restaurant for our anniversary. It was easy to find. Parking was hard to find though. We arrived earlier than our reservation but were seated right away. The bottle of water for the table was a nice touch. We ordered sangria (one of each) and I enjoyed it thoroughly (I had the blanco). Having an appetite for Spanish tapas we began our order. We started with the olives and cheese, always a favorite of ours. The cheeses were presented nicely and the accompaniments enhanced the flavors. The manchego frito is a MUST HAVE when visiting Bar Ferdinand. The combination of the warm fried cheese with the chilled apple foam was amazing! The patatas bravas were plentiful and savory. There was a special dish on the menu that evening of steak tartare with foie gras, a purple mustard and garnished with a quail egg. It was amazing! We were planning on ordering dessert but want to try the datiles con tocino empanada. It was so flaky and light we no longer needed dessert. Would definitely try this place again!
(4)
Vinny P.

Claro que si! I finally finally made it to Bar Ferdinand and I am happy I did. I had a wonderful meal here on what would have been an otherwise uneventful stormy evening. We began with the tortilla a la espanola. It was served cold with a dollop of garlic mayo (made in house) on top. It was a great way to start the meal and paired wonderfully with my glass of rioja. Next we ordered the pixin con panceta and a plate of charcuterie that I cannot remember the name of. The pixin con panceta was a revelation to me. Monkfish and porkbelly together at last! The flavors were like silk and each skewer was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The plate of charcuterie besides being a healthy portion had wonderful variety and flavor. Jamon serrano, lomba and two others which I can't remember were neatly stacked on the wooden board. It was served with some croquettes. That's all it required. I can't wait to come back to this place. It was awesome.
(5)
Michelle C.

Bar Ferdinand had long been on my "to try" list. Our party of four plus a dog arrived on a Sunday evening and we were fortunate enough to get a table outside right away. We took some time discussing the menu and came up with a pretty extensive list. Highlights for me were the surtido de carnes (charcuterie board consisting of four delicious cured meats), patatas bravas (fried potatoes in a tasty aioli), datiles rellenos (stuffed dates), queso de cabra cocinado (baked goat cheese with pine nuts) and the almejas (steamed clams). These items would all make my list on a return visit. Items that left me less impressed were the empanadas, which had so much potential but ended up tasting kind of bland. Same with the stuffed peppers, which had little flavor other than the peppers themselves. The hits were far greater than the misses, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the menu changes with Ansill's reign.
(4)
Krista C.

One of the few places in Northern Liberties that has servers who are attentive and actually care! The food has been great both times we visited. We always get the red sangria... It's delicious! Some memorable dishes: Patatas Bravas - Excellent! The potatoes are cooked perfectly and the sauce and peppers add a great kick Almond-crusted Eggplant - I was happy with this dish. The eggplant was firm but not undercooked and the honey/almond combo was very tasty Roasted Mussels - You can't mess muscles up, these were delicious We've also gotten the NY strip, salmon and tuna (when it was on the menu), and also a short-rib dish on special... I feel like the special dishes are made with magic because they are SO GOOD! Bar Ferdinand is a little pricey, so we usually come in once a month.
(4)
Dee J.

After experiencing amazing Spanish Tapas at Amada several times, I thought to give this place a try, considering it is very close to my house. I had heard mixed reviews, but was still itching to give it a try. I found it mediocre at best. The dishes weren't bursting with flavor, and were quite basic. Additionally, the drinks were watered down and our waiter was just OK. If I had to visit this place again, I would go again, but reluctantly, it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either.
(3)
Lise L.

I've been here twice for Brunch so I decided to give them a raving review. Their brunch is amazing! Those spicy potatoes are crack! Service is always prompt and friendly from beginning to end. I'd love to try their dinner menu and happy hour someday so I'll be making room on the calendar. Overall my group loved the omelets, french toast, and those darn spicy potatoes.
(5)
Michelle S.

The atmosphere is great. The server and host were very attentive and friendly. I recommend getting the red sangria, it was delicious! I liked everything I got here, specifically the Mushroom Croquettas. They were amazing. The seasonal vegetable coca was really good and I had leftovers! It is tapas, so keep that in mind when ordering. I did one smaller plate and one larger and was really full by the end of the meal. My only downside is that the churros weren't that great. They tasted more like funnel cake than a churro. But it wasn't terrible either. Overall, I would definitely come back. Great for a low key dinner with friends.
(4)
Cara F.

Watch out for the incredibly rude hostess. She's Asian and tatooed. We were a couple of minutes late and she she says- "You're late- I was just about to cancel you in 5 seconds". This was said with an incredibly bitchy, punitive tone. I went up to her later and told her I didn't appreciate her comments and her response was "I've been working since noon". It was 7 pm btw. I told her that wasn't my problem. Beyond that, the service was meh. We had to ask for clean plates between the courses. The waiter was fidgety and unable to look in our direction while he was reciting the specials. While the meal was fine, the experience with the hostess was so jarring that I will never go back.
(2)
Lauren D.

Went here for dinner with my boyfriend on Saturday night and were very pleased! 4 starts goes purely to service and ambiance. I know we were there on a Saturday night at 8, so I expect the restaurant to be crowded, but the acoustics in the room were terrible (so much so that my boyfriend and I could barely hear each other talk as we shouted). It did not help matters that our server was very soft spoken and we had to ask her to repeat everything at least twice. The service was also a bit slow and ill-timed, though I assume this is because the kitchen was backed up. We had ordered a variety of tapas plates, yet we sat without food for approximately 30 minutes, and then four of our tapas showed up within a two minute window. The sporadic service continued throughout the meal with our waitress disappearing frequently. Not that we minded terribly though, as we were enjoying our night out. The food was terrific! We ordered the bacon and date empanada, the manchego frito, and the croquettes as our starter plates. All were delicious! The manchego frito may be been my favorite; the apple puree on top of the fried cheese was mouth watering. I only wish the plate provided more than 3 skewers! My boyfriend was a huge fan of the croquettes and raved about their stuffing. For the larger plates, we split the frito misto (that day included shrimp, clams, calamari) as well as the octopus. The octopus was definitely the most visually pleasing plate of the dinner, but both were quite tasty. We will definitely be returning, but next time I would suggest sitting outside if you want to be able to have a conversation. All in all, we had a few cocktails with higher end alcohol (Hendrick's and Ketel One) and 6 plates and our total bill came to under $100.
(4)
Adam W.

This is our favorite wine bar. The wine list will satisfy EVERY taste and the mixologists greeting you pour the classics with a knowledge and expertise that you would find a "trendy" speak-easy. While tapas is the faire of the day, EVERY visitor should try the paella. It is a dish that has no equal in the local area. When my wife and I go there, we start off by saying that we are going to try something new, but we cannot resist that paella. Cannot wait to go back!!
(5)
Izabella J.

I like the atmosphere on this place. It's busy during the weekend. Gotta reserve ahead of time. The bar tender made me something special and I really liked it. I'm a whiskey lover so I asked for something simple like whiskey w/ muddled fruits. It was very tasty! The good is server tapas style. You can find meats, fish and options for Vegetarians and Vegans.
(5)
Tara H.

I love this place. The red sangria is just perfection, and the baked goat cheese is delicious. We always have great service as well, an amazing place for dinner and drinks.
(4)
Eileen T.

We don't get here very often, because it is far from our South Philly home, but on the three occasions we've eaten here everything has been delicious. The wines and sangria are excellent, and the croquettes are just as good as the croquettes we had when in Barcelona. Don't miss the cheese boards, charcuterie, or empanadas. The baked goat cheese, the Moroccan rabbit, flatbreads, potatoes with aioli - in fact everything we and our dinner guests have had - are scrumptious. I read a review that bested Bar Ferdinand to Amada. I wouldn't go that far, but I would say it is just as good as Amada.
(5)
Jade V.

My experience with eggs at a restaurant tends to be a greasy, overdone mess--omelette, sunny side up, benedict, whatever--way too oily and bland. Definitely NOT so at Bar Ferdinand. We came here for a Sunday brunch and were not disappointed at all. The scrambled eggs were probably the BEST we've ever had at a a restaurant. Not to mention, the pulpo (octopus), olives and sardines (part of the cold tapas), and the shrimp sandwich we got were just perfect. The octopus is a bit steeper, but you WON'T regret it; the texture, temperature, and flavor was among the best I've ever had. Considering that the house wine was the cheapest drink on the menu, it was extremely delicious, and I'll definitely stock up on it at home. Terrum pinot noir, for those who are taking notes. Oh god, their Bloody Mary and carajillo (espresso with anise liqueur. THIS is what I recommend for caffeine addicts) gave us just the kickstart we needed to run errands on a dreary Sunday afternoon. Yup, nothing beats cocktails and wine on a Sunday afternoon. Slightly slow service, but quite friendly, and the quality of food more than made up for it. I'd come back for happy hour.
(4)
Jack P.

Went here with a large group for Mother's day brunch and really enjoyed the experience. Food and service were excellent.
(4)
Jim L.

Excellence and creativity in food preparation, coupled with outstanding service, elevates and separates a restaurant from the rest of the pack. My wife and I have been to BF more than once and have always enjoyed the food. Service has been good also. But this time our experience was exhilarating. Why? Because of our bartender/server, Jill. She was warm, conversational, funny, knowledgeable and professional. When we had questions, she guided us through the menu without sounding like she was trained to push certain dishes; and her recommendations were terrific. But the best was saved for last. I wanted a port after our meal but Jill suggested (since we were at a Spanish restaurant, after all) that I try one of the sherries from their extensive list. I know nothing about sherries so she educated me a bit and then said she would give me some tastes to decide what I liked. She came back with two sherries and a white port (she heard me!). The sherries were interesting but I liked the port best and so ordered it. When the bill came, Jill hadn't charged me for the tasting...OR the port. Jill was not just a bartender/server that night, she was an ambassador for Bar Ferdinand. We talked about her all the way home. About what a great experience she delivered to us and what a good feeling we walked away with. AND, how we would recommend BF to everyone we know. Servers of Philadelphia take note!...it only takes a little extra effort and creativity to make someone happy and capture a customer for life. Well done Jill!
(5)
Danielle D.

I love coming to this place. It has a really romantic environment, but it has an open floor plan so it's also a great place to come for drinks with friends. Everything is really reasonably priced, including a pitcher of their phenomenal Sangria for $24 that you get, atleast, 5-6 drinks out of. We also had the cider soaked bread dessert which was phenomenal. The decor is beautiful, it's right next to the Plaza which is a fun area of Philadelphia, and there's a free [dirt/rock] lot to park in close by, which is a lot better parking than anything you can find in Rittenhouse or other center city bars.
(4)
michael m.

This place is Spanish in all ways--the tapas are excellent, the decor (created by the owner and a number of his artists friends) is low-key, yet smashing. Also Spanish--the food comes out when it is ready, sometimes in trickles, sometimes in a bunch, but always prepared just in time. You'd be nuts to complain about such a thing in Barcelona or Madrid, so plan to spend a while drinking, eating, talking, maybe eavesdropping or even joining a conversation at the next table. It is that kind of place. Great to bring visitors to Philadelphia. If you want all your food to come out like clockwork followed by a check tossed onto the table, no, Bar F. is not for you. If you think a good meal is 50% conversation, sharing, etc. then go -- you will dig it.
(5)
Ji Eun L.

Came here with 10 girls for a bachelorette party and really liked it. They were very accommodating when I called for the reservation and the food was fantastic. We especially enjoyed the paella, date and bacon empanada, branzino and sangria. We ordered a bunch of dishes to share and I was afraid we had spent too much money, but it came out to be around 50$ per person, which I think is pretty reasonable for the amount of food we ordered. Recommend for large groups.
(4)
Varughese J.

First thing you should know is that everything is tapas style. That being said I really like this place. I've been here wayy more times then I've actually checkin and I can't say that I've ever had a bad experience. Some people have complained about the sangria, but I love it and world recommend it over the sugar filled stuff they try to pass off as sangria else where (some of which might as well be Kool-Aid). Great date spot and good place to just sit and have a few drinks. *I was going to recommend the monkfish but it's no longer on the menu :( Recently had the oysters and thought they were pretty good. Not quite Oyster House quality buttt that's probably a really unfair comparison lol
(4)
Leigh O.

Hmmm. I really wanted to like this place. Went here for a date and I have to say I love the decor and atmosphere. It was generally quiet and a very intimate location. The food to me? Just okay. Nothing more. The drinks? Even less special. I'm a big fan of Sangria and the sangria here was very disappointing. Servers are very quick and professional so that was a plus. Overall, I was with great company so I enjoyed myself but I can't imagine I'll be back.
(3)
Michael P.

We held our office's 2013 Christmas dinner party here and it was terrific. Street parking or in the lot 1/2 block away was easy, and the hostess/coat check was smooth for our large group of people. They'd arranged the entire place perfectly to begin with wine, sangria, and served hot hors d'oeuvres as we gathered and chatted. The main meal was buffet style, with tables for seated groups. We enjoyed a wide variety of their dishes, everything tasted great, everyone had plenty to eat. We'll be back!
(4)
Walter K.

Bar Ferdinand is a fancy place, and their brunch is no exception. Bryana and I visited on a beautiful Sunday . We ate outside, and the server brought over a water dish for Crosby. Throughout the whole meal, we had great service. The wait staff was attentive at bringing out and picking up dishes, which is crucial because you get so many during the meal. The menu for brunch is small, but offers interesting options. It was a prix fixe menu; each of the three choices was $15. They also offered tasty iced and hot coffee. The presentation of all of the dishes is great. They also brought out all of the food as it was prepared. It's a bit weird having a side of bacon with nothing else to eat, but I don't know many people who'd be bothered by that. My meal included the following: thin toast with a sweet tomato paste. It was a great way to start our meal. I followed up with a side potatoes, which were delicious and the most perfectly cooked potatoes I've ever had. My main course was a baked egg; a egg was placed in a bowl with tomato, chorizo, onions and peppers and put in the oven. Green beans were added, and major props for making them a breakfast food. It was an awesome dish. I finished with homemade granola and yogurt, lightly drizzled with fresh honey. I could have eaten a larger dish of this and been satisfied, it was that good. Bryana and I shared a few things, and she got her own egg dish, which she also enjoyed. We both had enough food to eat, and were able to try a lot of different dishes that had a great variety of tastes. Bottom Line: This is a great brunch spot. The outdoor seating, quick service, attractive presentation, and delicious dishes are all reasons to start your weekend at Bar Ferdinand.
(4)
Yuri P.

My husband and I just got back from eating at Bar Ferdinand. While the food was very tasty, the experience was not. One word can describe our experience: HORRIBLE. We had dinner reservations for 7pm on a tuesday night. It was our date night. We were seated promptly, but the hostess sat us down without even a "Enjoy your dinner." I noticed later on in the night that she was asking everyone else if she could take their coats. My husband and I were not dressed shabby. Like I said, it was our date night. So I was confused as to why she was treated us like that. Our server was named Matt. He took our orders very quickly. Our "tapas" were brought out within minutes, then our entrees were brought out shortly after. I felt as though we were being rushed to eat our dinner. I also noticed that he didn't tell us the specials for the evening. I noticed he told specials for the evening to every couple that walked in. We ate our meals, ordered some dessert. After we got our check, my husband asked, "Were there any specials for the evening?" He replied with a, "What do you mean?" He then said, "We have some brussell sprouts" COME ON!!!! Since my whole review was negative, I'll give a couple of positives. The duck breast and the NY strip steak were very good. The fried egg and the arugula paired very nicely with the strip steak. Seasoning was very tasty. Bottom line, I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO BAR FERDINAND.
(1)
Tim H.

Loved everything about this place. Great menu, great beer selection, great decor and ambiance, great service. I'll be back.
(5)
Cynthia W.

Food was great but noise level so high that we could not hear a word our friends were saying. So uncomfortable we cancelled some of our order and left. Enjoy the food if you want to eat alone
(1)
Stephanie S.

This place can be good and can be awful. It's so hit or miss. The food is different depending on the chef which shouldn't be. The same thing goes for service depending who you get. I had my third bad service last night and will not be returning. First time at an empty bar we were ignored for the longest. Second time water came spraying out from the tap all over and last and final was last night where we again were ignored. Not even being asked how the food was after being served. Didn't get asked if we wanted another drink instead got asked if we wanted the check. Not to mention my stomach is killing me from the mussels last night which I had to spit out when I got a fishy one. I really wish this place was great since it has such potential to be but it's just plain old bad !
(1)
Michael F.

I was really torn on how to rate Bar Ferdinand. I came during a Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party (at The Piazza at Schmidt's which is across the street), so you know the place was packed. Yet, service was still prompt and friendly. Likewise, the quality of the food is absolutely top notch. I enjoyed every bite and didn't want to leave anything on the plate. Therein lies the problem, the portions are extremely small. Yes, I know what Tapas are and how they are to be served. Factor in the price, and the portion-price ratio is well out of hand. Did I enjoy my meal? Yes. Do I recommend checking Bar Ferdinand out? Yes. Do I recommend it go to the top of your must dine list? No. Worth the experience but not worth going out of your way for...
(3)
Whoy G.

Haven't been here since ansill took over as chef...he has trimmed down an overly loaded menu to half the size, giving you twice the deliciousness! The charcuterie comes with a nice tasty selection of meats and pickled veggies, the hot goat cheese plate will leave you wanting more...oysters...yum! Crab croquette was just the right amount with what appeared to be fresh not frozen crab...shrimp with garlic...heavenly...and then I used the fried garlic and butter sauce with the above mentioned croquette, what a pleasure...David has taken a good restaurant and made it great...congratulations! After the 2nd trip here the above review remains...add another 1/2star...foie gras with some sort of incredible berry jelly that was the perfect topping...calamari and Spanish octopus both excellent...baked goat cheese perfect...David is really hitting on all cylinders...bravo...please open another Ferdinand on south st or Passyunk ave!!!!
(4)
Louis R.

Finally, Philly has caught on and followed NYC in the endeavor of starting restos like this...c'mon, you know yuppies love tapas. Duh. I've been to Barcelona and eaten the best of the best tapas...so this review may not be fair...but to be honest, the food here was actually good. Octopus was on point. Croquetas were deelish. Iberian ham was like butta'. Olives and cheese plate was status quo. The cava wine was refreshing. Lots and lots of chicks in groups. Lots of dates all around. But where are the latin servers? Are there no hispanic people in Philly?
(3)
Brian C.

Snuggled in the neighborhood of Northern Liberties you'll find this gem of a place. This is a tapas place, so don't come alone, come with some people to share in the small plates with you (I'd say the perfect party size is 3-4 or any multiple thereof). I've been here several times and have very fond memories here. The sangria here is awesome. I almost always get a pitcher of it. Someone almost always ends the night very tipsy and laughing. As far as the food goes: - Pulpo a la plancha - The octopus is great at pairs well with the acid in the grapefruit - Manchego frito - I have gotten this every single time I'm there. I love the cheese, and that cold apple foam it comes with is kind of a surprise. - Pollo y champinones empanada - This may be a little tough to share, but it's tasty. - Any of the croquettes are good, I like the Jamon. Well there you have it, this is a great place to have a good time.
(4)
Erin B.

Although Bar Ferdinand is between two and three stars, I couldn't in good conscience give it three stars. It just isn't there. SO, I went to Bar Ferdinand for the first time last night because the surrounding restaurants all had a wait. The ambiance is very nice and the place was not even half full so it was relatively quiet. Without taking a look at the drink menu, I ordered a glass of chardonnay (staple) which, it turns out, they did not have. Ok, so I told the waiter to surprise me. Well he sure did, with a $12 glass of wine that he didn't bother telling me what it was. Right. My boyfriend ordered two beers: a Walt Wit and Sierra Nevada's Celebration, which have a 4.2% abv and 6.8% abv respectively. Both beers were $6 and put in a small snifter-type glass, which is usually reserved for high alcohol content beers. Basically, you get half the beer for the full price. For dinner, we ordered the following: Almond Crusted Eggplant: $6, and you get three slim slices of eggplant (about the size of a roll of dimes) on a honey drizzled plate. That's $2 per eggplant piece. Seriously? Charred and Marinated Veggies w/ Goat Cheese Bread: $10, Basically roasted veggies from the supermarket hot bar with 4 bruschetta style bread pieces. Completely forgettable. Scallops with Butternut Squash and Chorizo Vinaigrette: $16, three sizable scallops. They were tasty BUT my life is not changed. Seared Duck Breast with Dried Figs and Pistachios: $15, tasty but.... I'm still hungry. New York Strip Steak with Organic Fried Egg and Truffles: $16, can you say it has truffles when it has two MINISCULE pieces of a truffle as garnish? Listen, if you love tapas, go to Chifa. Not only will you get much more food for your money, but it tastes better and will leave a lasting memory. I spent over $100 (with tip) here and was hungry again in two hours. This place costs an arm and a leg for very forgettable food. Even the bathroom wasn't that clean.
(2)
Aneesa F.

This is the third time I've been here and the same female bartender is once again extremely rude. While ordering our food she seemed bothered by us being uncertain of what we wanted. It took us 15 mins to get food on my first visit here. This time she ignored us and didn't even come back to ask us how our food was. I'm so disappointed I'm not sure if she had a bad couple of months, but don't take it out on "certain" customers. I've worked in the industry and being personable is a must when dealing with customers. I would never recommend this place to anyone unless you get the male bartender. He's much friendlier
(1)
Noah G.

I've long shied away from tapas joints due to my insatiable Texas sized appetite however I've always been fascinated with Bar Ferdinand's ads in the City Paper so when boo suggested we go out to eat I figured lets give it a try since I ate an entire pizza for lunch and wasn't too hungry. I really liked the atmosphere, very classy and warm. The service was very attentive and knowledgeable, making us aware of the specials and the recommended amount of plates per person. The food unfortunately just wasn't up to snuff. We each got three dishes and while the pork sandwich and duck hearts showed promise the the other plates were bland and forgettable. El Camino Real was in view and I found myself wishing we would have gone there instead. I believe that you can't make a complete judgment on a place after only one visit but I don't think I'll be rushing back here anytime soon.
(2)
Jennifer M.

First all, I would probably rate this as 4 1/2 stars and this restaurant deserves all of them. Bar Ferdinand has a definite point of view: Spanish tapas, entrees, edited and intelligent wine selection that is a knowledgeable tour of Spain. The chef and sommelier obviously knows what they are doing, and even if this place is a little expensive, it sure beats the cost/time of a flight into Spain. The ambiance is casual/upscale. In that I mean, come as you are. In the evening the lighting is perfect for romance. I've been twice. The first time was the day after Christmas on a miserably cold and rainy night. My date and I felt immediately welcome, and cozy. Our server was right on point with his suggestion of how many plates of tapas to have for two. It was just enough to have an interesting mix of tastes and while not leaving hungry. My date who is in the wine business was impressed by the wine list, which is saying a lot because he is usually not impressed. It was a wonderful experience. The second time I came was last night for a "meet date." We sat at the bar and watched the tapas being made. Everything was fresh, clean, and made to order. I could tell that the cooks take pride in their work. The bartender was nice, warned me that my wine was a little "funky", gave me taste before committing to a full glass. It did indeed start a little funky but smoothed out into red plum/berries that was a beautiful contrast to the beginning. In short, I would go back as often as I can. I have no qualms to bring someone out-of-town who knows nothing about the Philadelphia restaurant scene, a foodie, or even my more provincial in tastes mother. That's how good this place is.
(5)
Steve G.

This place is OK on a quiet weeknight for some wine and snacks at the bar... but I don't consider it to be an ideal sit down dinner place for a date. On Friday and Saturday nights it can be very loud and very packed. My date and I were first seated by the very friendly and attentive staff at a table near the door. It was a cold January night and boy was it freezing. The chill just poured in through the plastic sheeting separating us from the sidewalk. They kindly seated us to another place that was a bit warmer. The music was so loud that we could hardly speak without yelling, and tables were so close that we were practically elbow distance from the next table, so that was not very romantic. Food was only "OK". Tapas was tasty, but I must tell you that the Paella was probably the worst I've ever had. Seafood was "off" and rubbery.
(2)
Krista P.

I have a special place in my heart for Tapas restaurant since I studied in Spain, and was very much looking forward to trying out Bar Ferdinand. We started with a pitcher of Sangria, which was quite good. We ordered the manchego frito, ham croquettes, tortilla a la espanola, and the carne a la parilla. The manchego frito came first.... it isn't something I'd normally go for, but saw a few yelpers reco's and I went for it. It was great, a very unique flavor combination. After that, the meal went from 4-5 stars down to 3. The tortilla was just okay - there was too much of the sauce on top, and the flavor of the tortilla itself was pretty bland. For being fried dough cheese and ham, the croquettes were surprisingly boring. The steak was the most disappointing though - since we had asked for a recommendation from the waiter and he highly recommended it. The steak was overcooked (ordered it medium well) and didn't have a lot of flavor. I'm hoping this was an anomaly, and would go back and give this another try.
(3)
Carla F.

I really liked this place. The ambiance is sexy. My date and I had the octopus, the mushroom flatbread and the cheese plate. All were excellent, the flatbread stole the show. Goat cheese, mushroom and truffle. Delightful. Topped off with a delicious spanish red (I don't remember which one) and the sexy lighting and I was one happy girl.
(4)
Ian F.

Excellent food (kind of expensive), but go early to avoid all of the bros. Superb food, though!
(4)
Hiu Ting C.

Food was high quality and tasty. I loved the manchego frito with apple Foam, scallops, shrimp, loved the cheese plate, and ham croquettes. We had 7 people and we ordered 2 plates and the waitress mentioned that most orders comes with just 3 pieces each plate but they can add one more piece so we wouldn't have to order 3 plates for each dish which worked out great. We ordered 2 plates of 7 items and felt that was perfect amount of food. I definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Sooshi K.

Adore their Sangria. And my fav tapas are Dailes rellenos the fried dates stuffed with marcona almonds, and cabrales yogurt. Tons of great tapas you can enjoy like lump crbmeat, ham, scallops, calamari...list goes on and on...I believe they have 50% off wine either monday or tuesday night ! last but not least, their paella is amazing. loved it and beautiful restaurant.
(4)
John R.

Ok, it is VERY rare that I give above 4 stars, but this spot deserves every star. First off, the service was great. Our server was very helpful and informative. Next, the food...oh the food. Every bite burst with well balanced flavor. I will definitely be returning here ASAP!
(5)
Ken E.

3 stars, almost 4. The goodness of Amada and Tinto w/out the Rittenhouse, NJ, out of state Penn attitude. Great food, funky locale, worthy of a trip outside the Society Hill/Wash Square/Olde City/Rittenhouse block. Sit outside when the weather's nice. thumbs up.
(3)
Barrett L.

The BF and I came here the other night after we bought a deal on Rue La La. Most of the time, restaurants that use daily deals to lure us in have been lackluster, but Bar Ferdinand is the exception to the rule. I was really impressed by the authentic menu, delicious food, and solid service. The two of us split six dishes plus dessert: marinated olives, pixin con panceta (monkfish and pork belly skewers), plato de queso (cheese plate with homemade garnishes), patatas bravas, calamares en su tinto (squid in its own ink with sofrito and chorizo), fried lamb tongue over mashed chick peas. and helado de almendra (almond ice cream with almond brittle, olive oil torta, and mixed berry compote). Everything tasted incredible and there were no bad dishes during our meal. My personal favorite was the lamb tongue. The outside was crispy and salty, but the tongue itself was moist, velvety, and incredibly savory. It paired well with the chick peas and the sauce. The patatas bravas were also great, even if it was just breakfast potatoes in a spicy (but so delicious) sauce. The cheese plate, fish and pork belly skewers, and almond ice cream were also fantastic. Aside from the food, our server was very attentive and helped us out in letting us know exactly how many dishes we should order for the two of us. The menu not only boasts an extensive wine and beer list (featuring plenty of local and Spanish options), but also menu options that I've rarely seen on an American menu at a Spanish restauant (Bacalao, for example). The atmosphere is great but the restaurant can get a bit noisy sometimes, which may make it better for groups as opposed to dates. However, I really enjoyed our meal here and I would definitely come back to try more of the menu, a prix fixe, or maybe even brunch.
(4)
Peter K.

An excellent source of tapas in Philadelphia. They have a very wide variety of cold, warm, veg, and croquette plates. Each dish had incredible flavor and were sized just right. The wines by the glass were all a bit bazaar and very unique. Some were not that great and others good enough. The pulpo de plancha- Excellent. Octopus is very hard to cook and they did a great job. A nice grilled flavor, which did not mask the taste of the octopus. Credo Frito- A great pork sandwich. The manchego on top makes it that much better. Slightly dry. Cangrejo- The best thing to start with. I can't describe it, just try it. Caper aoili was a nice sauce. Gambas- Firey garlic sauce. Yumm Yumm Short Rib special on a flatbread. The best bites of the night. The bread is roughly 15" long so there is enough to go around a few times.
(4)
Adam C.

$9 for a f@#$%&* scallop? NINE DOLLARS FOR A F@#$%&* SCALLOP? Well, screw me I guess for not reading the menu carefully enough, and realizing that "seared scallop" (for nine f@#$%&* dollars!) means just that--one seared scallop for nine f@#$%&* dollars!
(1)
Erin C.

Having lived in Spain, I am constantly on the hunt for an authentic tapas restaurant this side of the Atlantic. Bar Ferdinand is on point with the decor and ambiance, but unfortunately, the food falls short. We tried the Tortilla Espanola, Pan con Tomate y Jamon, Ham Croquetas, NY Strip, Patatas Bravas, and brussel sprout special. The tortilla was cold and tasted processed, and the ham croquetas were extremely bland. Everything else was tasty, but lackluster. We also tried the red sangria, which I can only describe as "so-so." It tasted not unlike the jarred stuff you can buy at liquor stores. In summary, save your money and go to Amada. The food, authenticity, and overall experience is far superior.
(3)
Mich L.

I went to Bar Ferdinand on an extremely rainy day. Business was almost non-existent because It looked like Noah was about to build another ark outside. As a result, we didn't encounter a lot of the complaints other people had. For us, service was speedy and polite and the food came out hot and fresh each time. There were a lot of things I liked about Bar Ferdinand: the decor was beautiful and the atmosphere was romantic with the dim lighting. The dead roses that hung upside down at the bar area didn't look gothic and creepy, which they COULD have. The food surpassed my expectations. As many others have mentioned, the Manchego Frito skewers were DELICIOUS. The fried manchego cheese sits on top of an airy, sweet apple foam with a walnut puree. I *really* wanted to order it again since it was so good but we decided to explore more of the menu. Another great menu item I recommend are the chicken and mushroom empanadas. Creamy mushroom and chicken filling with greens in a golden, flaky, hot crispy skin. Soo good. I could see why people complain about the portion-sizes but order some drinks to go along with the meal! The sangria special on thursday was a great deal: $16 for a whole pitcher. (that's like 6 cups) The patatas bravas is also useful as a stomach filler for $5. Final words? People hatin' on Bar Ferdinand? Eh, probably hipsters since there's a lot of them roaming this area. Maybe it was just a combination of our luck on that particular day but the food was hot and delicious, service extremely nice, and the atmosphere, perfect.
(4)
Nat A.

I really really like this place. The skirt steak with egg is awesome. I would be perfectly happy just eating 4 of those for dinner. The food is really good all around though. The servers are great, really nice drink list and free parking in the dirt lot about a one minute walk away (be ready for an off-roading experience in that dirt lot though). Oh, and if you aren't into their desserts, Capogiro is right around the corner in the Piazza! Outside of the excellent dining experience, I should mention that I was here the other day and I left a very expensive pair of sunglasses on the table. I didn't realize it until the next day when I started to look for them and realized that I didn't remember leaving the restaurant with them. I called, spoke to the manager (Josh I think) and he said he had them. I swung by later in the day to pick them up. They could have just as easily told me that they couldn't find them and kept them for themselves. I was really impressed by their honesty! Overall, could not recommend higher. Definitely go here.
(5)
Erin F.

I love how romantic Bar Ferdinand is! We even stopped in to take a photos by the bar on our wedding day. The photos are awesome especially because of the dried roses that hang from the ceiling by the bar that ended up framing the shot. The manager was very accommodating to allow us to come in and photograph before our wedding cocktail hour. We returned on our anniversary to stop by the bar for a drink and appetizer. Bar Ferdinand has an excellent menu and a good selection of wine, beer and cocktails. I tried their house white wine and it was great - not too sweet, dry or oaky - just a really nice white and I don't normally drink white wines. We tried the goat cheese with lavender and it came with toasted bread for dipping. David Ansill even swung by to tell us that we can eat the rind. He is an interesting character which adds to the unique feeling of the restaurant.
(5)
Diana J.

My boyfriend and I went there for our Valentine's Day dinner, which the restaurant did not do well. Pros: The prix fixe menu had some good choices. We loved the appetizers: house cured salmon and beef carpaccio. Our entrees (tuna steak and lamb rack) were average, and the dessert (dark chocolate cake) was good but way too rich so we couldn't finish it. Cons: Service was subpar, it was very hard to wave down our waiter and remind him to get us what we ordered. The biggest con of the night: halfway through our dinner, flamenco dancers and musicians showed up and proceeded to give the loudest performance I have ever seen. There was a ton of stomping on the ground that made the whole restaurant shake, headache-inducing clapping, and the flamenco singer was not a good singer at all. We were not expecting a super loud, rowdy restaurant where we couldn't even think, so that was a very disappointing surprise as the atmosphere was no longer appropriate for an intimate, romantic Valentine's Day dinner. Apparently they only have the flamenco performances on holidays and Fridays, so I would avoid going on those days. Tip: Next time if you want to check out the place without all the noise, ask for a table in the back room!
(2)
Jessica S.

We love half priced bottles of wine on Mondays. Started with the short rib tostas and the olives, both delicious. Then we shared the mussels. They were okay- they were big, but could have used a better sauce and quite a few still had sand/dirt crunch. We also got the paella valenciana- this was ok, oily rice that was flavorful. However, when you scraped the rice together, the black char on the bottom of the pan came up and made the paella crunchy with chars there were also a few bites of something hard I spit out and couldn't eat. The strip steak was also mediocre- it was good but nothing memorable and definitely doesn't compare to jamonera's steak. After all that we were hungry and got the mushroom flatbread. This was delicious. Overall it's a great place to go if your local but I wouldn't drive out of the way for this.
(3)
Enid C.

Maybe I should have been tipped off by how empty it was for dinner on a Thursday night. Overall impression - very pleased with the service, pretty unenthused by the food. I think my major downfall was that I kept comparing it to other restaurants from my past (the same thing I always tell people NOT to do - both for restaurants and men!). - Date and bacon empanada - Enjoyed the flakiness of the crust, but a little too sweet for me. Couldn't help but think of the bacon-wrapped dates at Alma. - Octopus - On a bed of too much greens. The texture was a bit mushier than I'd expect from octopus, and the flavor exploded with saltiness. Made me miss Amada. - Scallops - Not bad, could have used a bit more flavor though. For whatever reason, I reminisced to Capital Grille of all places. - Skirt steak - Probably the saving grace of the meal (even if my friend had requested it cooked medium instead of rare). Served with a delectably juicy overeasy egg that we fought over (I won). Next time I'd: 1) Go in with a more open mind and give poor Ferdinand a fair chance (he doesn't deserve to be compared to former restaurant relationships) 2) Maybe go for happy hour instead of dinner 3) Drink more! Universal solution!
(3)
Jill C.

I really love this place and I don't know what took me so long to write a review. Liberties Walk opened a few months after we moved into the neighborhood. When BF opened I nagged my husband until he agreed to go. We have loved it ever since! We have gone on many "date nights" there, have celebrated with bigger parties and I have had girl's nights there with my ladies and it is always a pleasure! The menu is diverse and sure to please everyone. They have lots of veggie options too. In the nice weather they have been known to make paella outside in a huge street-style pan. They also have an extensive wine and beer list. They sangria (red and white) is delish and they have a tiny 3oz glass of wine which for some unknown reason I just love. They do get very busy on the weekends but we have gone mid week and the crowds are little to none. The atmosphere is dark and sexy, yet cool and casual. The service has always been great. Beware though that the dishes are brought out when ready - there is no method to the order they come out. So it you are not sharing a dish it is possible that one person's food will come out before another persons - but it all comes out pretty quickly. I have gone MANY a time with a girlfriend - we have gotten a pitcher of sangria, enough tapas for dinner and dessert and have made it out with a bill under $50! I love that! You can eat slowly and, just as Europeans do, make a night out of dinner. Love the stuffed dates, fried cheese with apple foam and almonds and get these dishes pretty much every time I go. However, everything else has been great too.
(5)
Kurt I.

I'd go more three and a half stars. It's a pretty decent place for tapas and drinks - but nothing about it stood put from other no libs bars. Prices are slightly higher, but in the gentrified piazza neighborhood this is to be expected. Sure, yeah I'll go back - but not unless I was meeting friends or was in the neighborhood.
(3)
Henry P.

Bar Ferindand! What a fantastic place! Came here to have dinner with my friends a few weeks back on a trip from Boston. The atmosphere was bustling and exciting, the decorations were exquisite but the food here was out of this world! Highly recommends: - Manchego Frito: who knew that apple foam could be so intoxicating!? - Patatas Bravas: perfectly seasoned and fried potatoes on top of a tomatoe base with an excellent drizzle of a mayo sauce. - Their Crab Croqueta: lightly breaded crab cakes on on top of a savory lime sauce. - The Chicken Liver skewers with a sauteed onion and bacon salad, a delicious choice for an adventurer willing to try something different, a bit gamey but none the less a delicious treat. - Their Roasted Duck Breast sliders, succulent slices of duck breast with a delicious blue cheese sauce. They also serve up some out of this world churros with a delicious dark chocolate dipping sauce. Yum! Service was really friendly and we were greeted with a smile, cracked a few jokes here and there and really make the place inviting for us. First time here and I'm really a big fan of this establishment, really looking forward to come back on my next trip in Philly! Way to go Bar Ferdinand!
(4)
Aaliyah P.

This was our first stop on the "shakedown" though 3 people does not a bar crawl make. I had been in talk with Michael regarding our event since I expected a few more faces. He was super accommodating and very helpful throughout the planning. The hh here is kick ass I was really surprised that it wasnt swarmed with people at 5 on the dot. We did a pitcher of both red and white sangria and a glass of white for me and the boys had beers. I would like to see some half priced eats for hh the sangria was sooo good I probably could have killed the entire pitcher on my own. Service was great . I cant recall her name but glasses were never empty and she was very friendly. I def will Be back in the very near future . The menu looks promising and I know the drinks are great
(4)
Anna L.

I really like this place, and the location. Food was delicious and reasonably priced, and also not too small for what it was. They were making paella that night also which you had to wait for, but it was filled with goodies and so worth it. The drinks were delicious also. Our waitress was very attentive and nice. Ordered a bunch of things which were all delicious, but the low point was the salad. Everything else was so good. Compared to a place like Aamada, this place gets 4 stars (Amada would be a 5) but it really is very good. Desserts were yummy as well - almond ice cream and churros. I went here with my parents on a Saturday night and the neighborhood of Northern Liberties is so cute. We sat outside and it was wonderful. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone!
(4)
Christine T.

This place was alright, the food was tasty, the ambiance is nice, the staff very pleasant. Sangria was good, they also kept our drinks and water filled. The food came out in nice quick succession, but apparently no one really shares dishes when they go there. The waitstaff had a hard time figuring that out and kept trying to give each dish to a single person. Some of the dishes the portions were small. Plan on 1 dish being good for 2 people, and giving 3 enough to taste. order 2-3 dishes per person. They don't provide any bread and oil to start. We ordered 17 dishes, 2 mixed drinks, 2 med priced beers, 3 millers, and the bill was $184.00 or some such. We were all satisfied but it wasn't a meal where you feel stuffed afterward. We had a group of 7 and everyone had some munchies at our next destination. I think I'm spoiled by Dali's in Boston, MA. I could've given 3 stars, but its not a restaurant I feel the need to go back to.
(2)
Kemi A.

OH they have such tasty tapas here. A few of the items (if I were to go back) I will have to let them know to cook well done (i.e kabobs, duck hearts). I was with a group and we ordered several items..some were fails but overall they were tasty and interesting What was disappointing was the sangria.We got the red AND white and they both left much to be desired. Not sure if it was just the bartender that day but we were disappointed with it.
(3)
Ross S.

Very tasty food but below-average sangria (sad given the tapas-inspired menu).
(4)
Riain S.

This place is ok. I usually don't write reviews unless I love or hate something, but after reading all the glowing reviews, I felt I had to temper the love-fest with a dose of reality. This place is an "eh" tapas joint. If you like tapas, and have had it all over the world, you'll realize that this place serves good but not-particularly-authentic food in a nice setting. Although authenticity isn't always the best measure of a restaurant, I want to feel like the chef has mastered the form before he starts messing with it. Bar Ferdinand is a totally decent place to take a date to, and for folks who aren't particularly experienced with tapas they'll have a great time. The food is good and high quality and some of the combinations are interesting. My biggest thing was that I was expecting to go to a tapas restuarant- a dark place with a big menu of sherries and ports, and lots of super-salty little dishes heavy on porcine products, olives and fish. This has more of that jazzed-up NYC-style of bullshittery that tries to sell "fusion" food to yuppies and people with more money than sense. Throwing apple foam on things excites a certain type of person (usually the same people who refer to themselves as "foodies"), but unfortunately that isn't me.
(3)
John S.

Went here last week with 3 friends during happy hour. -service was very good BUT the restaurant really doesn't want you to take advantage of their happy hour menu ! we didnt even get a happy hour menu that has all the $4 smaller tapas on it (the waiter prob just wanted a bigger tip from a bigger bill...sorry buddy) The happy hour menu has 12 options and is everyday from 5-7 so we ordered the whole menu LOL and only paid $48 for 12 small plates (good idea to do). the better tapas off the happy hour menu were: -mussels-almonds-$1 oysters! (my friend found a pearl in his )-torta-cured meats We were pretty full after the 12 smaller tapas but we each ordered one more full size tapas off the -the ham croquetts are great and the best thing i ate all night were the porkbelly and Monkfish skewers. Sangria was really good too especially for $4 a glass during happy hour good spot.
(4)
Rich G.

I go here often enough to finally rate it. I have never had anything on the menu that I did not like. Stopped by here on Sunday after the phils game to eat something and have a couple drinks....come to think of it...the prices here really add up fast. 4 drinks 3 tapas easily $100. You really have to be careful here or your tab can and will get completely out of hand. Also, if the bartender recommends any wine make sure you know what it costs. I was billed $18 a glass for 8 glasses and almost fell off my chair. There isn't even an $18 a glass wine on the menu. Now, there is a $6 house wine, which typically suits me just fine. Filet skewers are amazing, pork belly/tilapia(i think) skewers are amazing. Pulled pork sandwich is great. I do think that the place is underrated all the high priced tapas joints in Philly, I really think it ranks right up at the top.....maybe the decor, etc is not as up to par, but the food really does kick ass. The bartenders seem to be very knowledgeable and are always really friendly.
(4)
Callan W.

I have stopped by here a few times...but it is just that, a "stop by". This is never the intended destination, which looking back seems a bit odd. Their happy hour is solid. Their sangria is so so...stick with the wine list. They usually have decent beer on tap as well.
(3)
Chris M.

I've been hearing for years that I need to check out Bar Ferdinand, and I finally made it last night. We decided to try to get in at the last minute because our plans to dine at a another restaurant didn't work out. We called at 7:45, and they said that they didn't have a reservation until 10pm, but that if we wanted to put our names on a waiting list, we could get a table by 8:45 and they would call us when a table opened. They were exceptionally nice about extending this service, and we appreciated how pleasant and accommodating they were. We arrived around 8:30 and had a drink at the bar area, which was crowded but not shoulder-to-shoulder, while they finished setting up our table. The beer selection was excellent, and I was thrilled to get a saison in draft form--that really made my night. We were seated shortly after getting our drinks, and we ordered 12 plates (for 4 of us) from the tapas-style menu. The food came out promptly and was all very good. The highlight of the night was the skewered fried manchego with frozen apple foam. If was just ridiculous. You have to get this if you go here. The low point was probably the monkfish and pork belly skewer. The chunks were too big to eat together in a bite, and the monkfish was way over-seasoned with strong herbs. The pork belly part was delicious, though. The pastry items are also delicious. They are like filo dough filled with things like goat cheese and dates. Surprisingly for a tapas place, the bill was very low. It came out to about $100 for 12 plates plus a few drinks. We were all full and happy at the end of the night. I would recommend checking this place out.
(4)
Lindsey P.

I will NEVER RETURN to this bar! The food was mediocre at best and we left hungry after spending $80.... That's without alcohol included! And to top it off they double charged me. After making over 6 calls to try and get this rectified I still haven't seen this fixed, the manager JOSH is completely incompetent!! Don't go!!!!
(1)
Abigail L.

I used to love Bar Ferdinand, but they've shrunk their menu to two measly pages and it's just meh now. I don't understand how a tapas restaurant has such a small, subpar selection. The sangria is still quite tasty and the new chef kept a lot of the same items, but then also deleted over half of them. I found this out after I chose the restaurant for a fun get together with four other friends and was embarrassed to see the tiny new menu. I thought we would all go and order a ton of food and try lots of dishes, but instead we got less food for what seemed like more money. Service was still pretty good, and the ambience is nice. I was also irked that I wasn't able to book on Open Table for a party of five but got a reservation immediately when I called (for a Sunday night booking) and the place was practically empty. Very odd.
(3)
Lan G.

This review is straightly for their drinks only. I hope someday I will go back here to find out their food. We sat by the bar area, where they hang up dry roses around. It's a really nice touch. Goes well with the place. I was in the mood of some whiskey but didn't want to have it on its own. I tried Barcelona, which has bourbon, licor 43, bitters and some brandied cherries. It was so good and tasty! I only let myself have two glasses. It took a lot of will power, for sure. :-) And yes, make sure to eat the cherries. They will give you a little kick in a good way! ;-)
(5)
Jessica A.

Three words. Frozen. Apple. Foam. What is it? I have no idea. But it is delicious and when combined with fried manchego cheese, it will blow your mind. This dish is called Manchego Frito. We also had Corazon de Pato, - duck hearts. I was a little scared to eat them because I'm not that into organ meats, but it was also delicious. It was kind of like eating a mushroom in case you are also on the skittish side of eating animal parts. And we also had the toritilla espanola and Queso de Cabra Cocinado (baked goat cheese with roasted garlic, honey, and pine nuts), which were both really tasty. The whole experience was well worth it. The atmosphere and decor are lovely and fun. The cocktails are also very tasty. Excellent service. Another place I will definitely go back to on my next trip to Philly.
(4)
Kristin W.

Named after one of my favorite children's books, I was excited to try out this place. Happily, the name wasn't the best part. The Queso de Cabra Cocinado (baked goat cheese) was fabulous - definitely get it! Also good were the Pato Ahumado (duck breast sliders - loved the almond jam that complemented the meat) and Codorinz Crujiente con Miel (quail salad). The only disappointing part of the meal was the Chorizo del Pulpo (octopus medallions) - it was like octopus hamburgers with discs of tentacles making little patties, which had a disturbing consistency and strange flavor. I will be back - at the top of my list to sample is the Datiles Rellenos (fried stuffed dates), which I've heard are wonderful.
(4)
Sal W.

Had the Tosta de Yema, and the Cana de Cabre = $18. The Tosta de Yema was an overpriced slice of grilled cheese, but the cana de cabre was pretty good. It was goat cheese with honey on top. Since this is a tapas place, they get a license to rip you off and you will leave hungry unless you spend $50. The service was good except for when the waiter threw a tantrum when we asked for separate checks (which we asked for before ordering). Food Quality/Taste = 4 Star Portion Size Given Price = 1 Star Price = 1 Stars Service = 4 Stars Experience with Staff = 3 Stars Decor = 4 Stars
(3)
Nathalie V.

First off, I enjoyed getting personal attention from our hostess when I needed reading glasses and more water. Second, didn't like that my eggplant had fell on the ground and the server just put it back on the plate. (Upscale? Don't think so) Third, had another server give me attitude cause I was ordering drinks outside. After dining in higher end places in the city. I saw the place was unorganized and management was nowhere to be found. Its basically a playground for adults serving mediocre food to old yuppies or hipsters.
(1)
Jadiey C.

I am at a loss for words. The decor of the bar was breathtaking and the staff was amazing. We started with a wonderful cheese plate and added 4-5 tapas. The garlic shrimp, baked goat cheese, shrimp and chili flatbread and manchego frito; are all amazing. The only disappointment was the white sangria, very dry and kind of bitter... I've had better. Overall, a beautiful place to visit on a cold winters night...
(5)
Harrison T.

Rarely have I paid as much for such small portions done so poorly. Even the drinks were a disappointment. I've had dinner at Bar Ferdinand before, though the last time was more than 3 years ago. So, tonight, to celebrate a friend's birthday, the three of us went, as birthday girl had a desire for tapas and we couldn't get reservations at Amada (original first choice and highly recommended). We ordered a pitcher of the White Sangria, which was described as having ".. berries, melon, and citrus..". It was bland, not fruity, and when we pointed out to our waiter the lack of any berries - there were bits of melon, though - he said there were strawberries in the big batch. He then said that he would scoop/catch some for our pitcher.... which he never did. (I should have penalized, but still left a $14 tip on a $72 pre tax bill.) When we left, we gave the still half-full pitcher to the people at the next table. I felt badly afterwards since they seemed like nice people. We ordered six dishes of tapas (left side of menu). I can't remember the exact names, but you'll recognize from ingredients in my description. # 1 - The one with manchego cheese came as three toothpick-skewered cubes of fried cheese, each the size of a thumbnail that looked very lonely on the white dish. Very lonely. Outrageous, priced at $7.00. The taste was not memorable, one way or the other. # 2 The tortilla espanola. This is a standard tapa and a yardstick by which to measure any tapas restaurant. It was one of my picks my anticipation was met with disappointment. Unlike the one at Amada, which is fluffy, warm, golden brown from the eggs, this one tasted like cold potato salad. (I like potato salad...but it's NOT what was ordered.) #3. The almond-crusted eggplant came as three pencil-long lengths of something last seen in a Museum and described as the mummified private parts of an Egyptian Pharaoh. In taste, it was all almonds, the eggplant inside almost invisible and overwhelmed. And very dry. #4 The date and bacon empanadas. Two triangular mini-turnover sized puffed pastries. (Everything else was in threes, so why two for this one?) it was one of the better tasting ones. One of us didn't detect any dates, just the bits of ham.) #5 the jamon croquetas were three deep-fried golf-ball sized pieces. They were reasonably tasty, though not more than one should expect, i.e. they stand out only relative to the rest and not because one would go there to have them. #6. Gambas al ajillo (shrimp sautÃ©ed with garlic). Aother staple of tapas menus. The best of the six dishes. There were six shrimp of reasonable size and they were not overcooked, though they newer under seasoned. The sauce of olive oil, garlic, and peppers should have been richer and more flavorful for the bread (three slices of mini-baguette) to dip into, but it was not. (Pleeeeease go to Amada and have their version!) We left hungry, disappointed, and poorer. A memorable birthday!
(1)
Michael E.

Hello Ladies. Now look at Amada. Now back to Bar Ferdinand. Now look at Amada. Now back to Bar Ferdinand. Sadly Amada isn't Bar Ferdinand. But if Amada stopped serving over-hyped, poorly executed food at outrageous prices and switched to just about exactly the opposite of what they're doing now - it could smell... like Bar Ferdinand. Look down. Back up. Where are you? You are at Bar Ferdinand. And you're spending 1/2 as much for 2-3x the quality as what you'd get downtown at Amada. Check out the white wine Sangria - top notch. Also, the Filet skewers are excellent as well! (my girlfriend says I have to mention the Scallops too.) :-) Cheers. P.S. In case you didn't get it - this place is better than Amada. Way better.
(5)
Anna S.

This place is really sweet. The food is just as delicious and inventive as Amada and a lot cheeper. My friend and I tried 6 different tapas as well as a pitcher of Sangria (happy hour half-price before 7pm). We tried the following... *Skewers* 1.Monchego Fritto. Absolutely delicious Membrillo stuffed with monchego cheese and served with frozen apple foam. The waiter was super knowledgeable. He explained to us that a membrillo was a small type of apple. 2.Filete a la Parilla. Perfectly cooked fillet mignon in a pistachio pesto you couldn't get enough of. 3.Filete a la Parilla. combination of monk fish and pork belly heavily seasoned with rosemary . It was my first time trying monk fish. I have always heard monk fish be referred to as the poor mans lobster. I would say the texture of the fish reminds you of lobster but the taste wasn't even close. Maybe the Chef didn't do it justice. Regardless it was delicious as well. *Fried Croquettes* 1. Salmon Crouquettes. Very tasty, served with an amazing dip which I imagine includes sour cream cucumbers dill capers and a few other things. Specials... Goat Cheese dip with roasted garlic and pine nuts. Possibly the best dish we tried. *Hot Tapas* 1.Calamares Rellenos. Squid stuffed with shrimp, leaks and served in a sage brown butter. YUM! 2. Fish of the Day-Battered and deep fried soft shell crab. Served with some kind a BLT salad stack. This was a very poorly constructed special. The crab was fried a bit to long and the batter was supper salty. The salad apart from the salty bacon was a very poor match to the soft shell crab.... It also came out with a very basic tartar sause. Boooooring. I was not impressed. Aside from the crab dish everything was wonderful. We left full and totally satisfied. Oh and our 7 course meal and Sangria cost us $66. :)
(4)
Charlotte G.

I was totally excited to check out Bar Ferdinand - heard a lot of good things about this place. First, the decor/atmosphere is lovely and very inviting. My husband and I were celebrating and it felt like a good place for that. There was both a laid-back and elegance to it at the same time. The food was kind of hit or miss though..... Our starters were absolutely delicious. We had the Shaved Winter Salad with Manchego and Almonds - it was the stand out of the night. Perfectly dressed, good size and surprising flavors (pumpkin!) The Shrimp in garlic sauce was also very good and came out sizzling hot. Our 'larger' tapas were disappointing -(Bass and Duck) The fish was cooked well but drenched in a strangely gloppy sauce that tasted bitter and almost like charcoal. By far the most unappetizing was the duck - the fat cap was not rendered into that luscious delicious goodness - but instead sat on top like a plastic cap on a pen that you chew on. Lastly, we had the Mushroom Flatbread. With this item, I was torn - the mushrooms mixed with goat cheese on top were fantastic, and the flatbread itself was somehow both chewy and a bit crisp. But, it seemed to be sitting in a pool of butter. This tasted great on the first bite, but got overwhelmingly rich as you went on. Maybe this is the traditional thing with tapas flatbread? I don't know but I think I would have enjoyed it much more without it. I do want to say I thought the service was excellent - Our plates/silverware were changed 3 times, and our water glasses were never more than half empty. Our server was both helpful and non-intrusive. Also, the pacing of the courses was spot on - which is so often a downfall at a tapas restaurant. Overall - I would go back. There were some other items I would like to try - namely the Pork for two that I saw whisked by our table a few times. One thing I'd like to see on the menu - LAMB! Maybe in the Spring.....
(3)
Monica S.

I've grown up eating Spanish food and my expectations have been marked by my dad's cooking: he's from Spain and was also a tapas chef. I knew Bar Ferdinand wouldn't disappoint, but I certainly didn't expect them to measure up to my pops. Thankfully, I've found a home away from home. I wasn't ready to splurge, so I stuck to my favorites: patatas bravas (similar to home fries, but topped with aioli), carne a la parilla, the short rib (I don't remember the fancy name) and churros con chocolate. Everything was perfectly cooked and perfectly balanced. Nothing was too salty or sweet and the flavors popped as they should. In an effort to stay within budget, I asked the waiter to recommend one of the $8 wines. He suggested the tempranillo/merlot blend. One of my favorites so far. The ambiance can't be beat either. They have mosaics with bulls and I have an obsession with the phrase: el toro heroico (the heroic bull), I feel like it conveys the perfect image and paradox. Anyway, that's neither here nor there. All in all, last night's meal came as an unexpected surprise and will lead me back for many moons to come.
(5)
Ritu K.

I love tapas so I was beyond excited to try this place. Shares a patio space with El Camino (read: awesome outdoor seating) but like El Camino the food is sooo soo disappointing. So for the positive: Yummy sangria- check. And even more importantly pitchers are half priced during Happy Hour- even better! Wine and fruit 50% off- its hard to not be pleased. Great outdoor seating- check Friendly helpful waitstaff- check (although i think we scared them off with the work talk, but they carefully approached our table at just the right times for drink refills) As for the tapas- this is where I was beyond disappointed. We tried a variety of meats, cheeses, sandwiches, and of course the paella. Many of the tapas were fairly good, but nothing really stood out. As for the paella, a well prepared paella really speaks highly of a good Spanish restaurant. Unfortunately the paella here was a bit of a mess. The flavor was completely off.. Did we really order paella?? Maybe I enjoyed one too many sangrias-happy hour can be dangerous.. At any rate its definitely worth a try- just go during happy hour!!
(3)
Che W.

Came for happy hour on a Saturday. Enjoyed the ruby red vodka/cran/cava cocktail! Actually three of them. Stabilized that with some papas fritas and scallops with my best friend and we had quite a nice time at Bar Ferdinand. My only snooty thing to say is about the decor. While I loved the low light and warm atmosphere, it just seemed slightly hotel lobbyish. Not sure if I'd come here on a romantic date because of that fact alone.
(4)
Susanna K.

The food was good, but not great and for the price, I expected it to be better. The atmosphere is wonderful, and the service was excellent. The red sangria was also delicious. It's also really nice to sit outside in a great neighborhood.
(3)
David B.

Went to Bar Ferdinand on a late Thursday night so finding a table was fairly easy, though I've walked by this place during prime business hours and it's always packed. That being said, if you want to eat dinner at normal human hours you may want to make a reservation in advance. The food was good, but for the quantity served I couldn't justify the price. I suppose the price point is a negative mark on tapas-style restaurants in general though. Servers were all nice and very pleasant. As other Yelpers have the noted the dishes arrive at random times and in no particular order. Word to the wise: the chairs and tables outside are on the smaller side. I didn't find them comfortable at all.
(3)
Anna P.

So I've been going to this place since it first opened and I have to be honest and say that the food is still good, but not as good as when it first opened. They changed up the menu and took off some of my fav items so that is the main reason why i say that. However, it is a great first date spot due to the ambiance and the Manchego Frito app and Paella entree are always winners. Plus I am willing to go out on a limb and say that they make the best MOJITOS in the entire city!
(4)
Lauren D.

Fun place in Fishtown! Went with a group and had a great time--unique atmosphere. I do think that the portions were unusually small for tapas (we all had to eat a snack after), but they tasted great! At around $50 per person, it was little pricey, but a fun place to go with friends.
(3)
Tina C.

Sunday brunch there - Spanish tortillas that were lacking in patatas with way too much eggs - might as well been an omelette. Salmon was served without toast, and patatas bravos tasting like regular fried potatoes. This restaurant says its tapas but it has no idea how to make it.
(2)
Michelle C.

Even though it was barely 65 degrees, we got a table outside. I noticed that No Libs residents sure love bull dogs, huh? Brunch special: $15 for a combo consisting of 4 pre-selected tapas. I got Combo #3 which consists of: - 2 egg benedicts with a thin slice of chorizo, 1 leaf of spinach, slice of baguette toast and hollandaise - fried potatoes with tomato sauce and mayonnaise (tastes a lot better than it sounds) - house made granola with dried fruits, nuts and yogurt. (I felt guilty for my gluttonous lifestyle) - thin piece of "toast" doused in butter and tomato/garlic olive oil. (I would not call this a "tapa") I also ended up devouring another friend's chorizo with red wine sauce. I couldn't help it; I'm a sucker for chorizo. I topped off my hangover / wastey face brunch with a mimosa. The mimosa seemed like it had some Tang mix in it but it was tasty and consumed with no complaints. Orange juice is a breakfast item, no matter what's in it. This was more than enough food to fill me up and there was no wait for a table. Totally worth a brunch trip to No Libs.
(3)
Andrea T.

Bit of a schlep for me, but will definitely come back for the paella! The chef with the handlebar mustache is a doll!
(4)
Nikki C.

Once again the yelp reviews were an awesome help and guide to conquering untraveled territory for this stomach. On a beautiful Sunday evening after dancing up a storm in the Piazza with the Sundae promoters and djs it only seemed natural to wind down with some sangria and light fare tapas. We ordered many of the menu items and nothing really disappointed, but except for the manchego frito and spinach empanadas, most did not super wow us either. It was all good and the service from the beautiful server was even more reinforcing of a good choice to how to enjoy another Philadelphia evening. The patio is a great place to sit and people watch as there are many beautiful souls in even hotter skins floating about this part of town.
(4)
Steve M.

I have loved my many meals at Bar Ferdinand, and I plan to go back for many more. The menu is so big and varied that it will be impossible to talk about everything I've eaten, so let's just stick to my top 3 huge winners: First... the fried manchego skewers. I could eat a hundred of these perfect, perfect concoctions. A warm, breaded and fried cube of one of my favorite cheeses, topped with a cold apple foam, standing on a stick in a little puddle of walnut-membrillo (mmmm, quince) puree. The contrast in temperatures and textures between the chilled, ephemeral foam and that warm, crispy fried cheese is sex in my mouth. I want one right now. Second on my favorites list: the duck hearts. Tiny little hearts all laid in a row with a texture that's halfway octopus and halfway gummy candy, in a sherry broth that could not be more delicious. Finally, the goat cheese. It's served with (never enough) toast, which you dip into the heavenly blend of sweet goat cheese, honey, roasted garlic, pine nuts and sage. If you like goat cheese, this will ruin your pants. There are tons (empanadas with dates, honey, cream cheese bacon and almonds) of other (duck sliders) terrific dishes on the menu (cheese plate), and always some specials to lengthen the already-enormous menu. Go and try them for yourself, and be hungry. But it's not just the food at Bar Ferdinand, it's the atmosphere, so warm and cozy with the dried flowers hanging from the bar. My only problem with the decor is that some of the tables are made of iron, and while beautiful... they have an odd smell to them that isn't appetizing. But that's a small price to pay for the amazing food.
(5)
Rachel G.

Had a great dinner at Bar Ferdinand, and managed to be full but not stuffed at the end of the night (a good thing). The service was nice and helpful with my gluten free requests. There were lots of yummy-looking dishes on the menu and it was difficult to decide...so we ended up with 3 small and 2 "larger" plates (even these can be shared, so don't look at these as entrees). First of all, who knew a potato could be so delectable? Patatas Bravas OMG-goodness! We also had a tuna mixto salad with endive, olives, mustard vinaigrette that was interesting and good (fun to eat the salad by picking up the endive leaves and loading them up like crackers). Others dishes were the marinated filet skewers, and the mussels (good but I'd like to try the scallops next time). We also shared a duck special cooked to medium rare perfection with this braised cabbage/white bean/bacon deliciousness going on. It was very very good. White sangria to top it off made for the perfect girls' night. The two of us ate for $50 each (drinks, food and tip included)...great spot. I look forward to many happy returns!
(4)
Craig N.

This review pertains to Happy Hour ONLY!! Went to HH a few times, it runs from 5-7, they have half price oysters and half price beers, it is a great value. Gheesh...the Jew in me is really coming out! I've also had a few tapas and mini sandwiches that were really good, i prefer the mini-sandwiches of duck and cerdo frito. We usually get the same server, she is great and keeps the beers flowing. Check this spot out for Happy Hour!
(4)
David M.

Happy Hour not valid on Friday nights. Makes sense, but wish the bartender would have told me before I ordered. The glass of the house red wine was moderately sized and not bad, but not great either. I'll come back for the food and update later.
(3)
A. M.

This was my fourth or fifth trip to Bar Ferdinand and it never disappoints. I went with my sisters to commemorate the one-year anniversary of our Madrid, Spain vacation (really any reason justifies a trip to this restaurant). All the flavors and tapas we loved in Spain we got here that night. I have my favorites (the Baked Cabra Cheese) as do my sisters (Bacon and Date empanadas) and we loved the specials too. Arrived in time for Happy Hour - a great $4 house wine to go with our Paella and croquettes. And the meal would not have been complete without the amazing churros and chocolate. Wonderful meal to savor the memories of Madrid. We also had used a Daily Candy deal for $45 we got $75 worth of food (like getting out Paella for free!) Manager also went out of his way to call me the next day to make sure no one in our group has lost our gloves on the banquette. That is amazing customer service. Will totally be back when the weather get warmer and you can dine outside!
(4)
Adrienne S.

Took my gf there on a Friday night so we could have a few drinks and unwind. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance and there was so much to chose from on the menu. My gf ordered the roasted chicken while i dined on the striped bass. Both were very good but they are small plates so the portion is just enough. The white sangria was amazing and had us tipsy while walking out. The only disappointment were the waitress looking almost zombie like and the dessert was horrible. The chocolate (flourless) cake was nothing but a pile of frosting. After complaining to the waitress she didn't even ask if i wanted it removed from the check. Even though I only took a half of a bite. I doubt I will be back again, the only thing memorable was the sangria...
(2)
Marissa C.

Bar Ferdinand has some really great tapas choices and the restaurant itself is gorgeous. My favorites were the marinated mushrooms, ham croquettte, and the cheese board. One thing I could've done without just because I wasn't crazy about the flavor was the calamare en su tonto (and I usually really enjoy squid ink).
(4)
Kaitlin L.

A well made paella is hard to come by. I am that bratty person that unjustifiably holds my paella standards to what I've had on the streets of Barcelona, so I usually shy away from the dish, expecting it to be sub par. However, I've heard some good things about Bar Ferdinand and decided it might be worth a shot. Oh. My. Goodness. Man it was good. You know those dishes that you keep eating despite being full 8 bites ago? Yeah, that's their paella. But so you don't become a piggy like me, I'll give you some advice: eat as much of the seafood as you can. The rice and honestly some of the seafood reheats nicely on the stove the next day. It was fantastically authentic. I'm under the impression it's not always an option, and when it is, it goes fast. So jump on the opportunity to have it! While waiting for it to be prepared (a good half hour), you can enjoy some sangria or sample some of the other tapas offered. Because again, I'm a piggy, I did both. The red and white sangrias were both tasty, but nothing to write home about. That didn't stop me from finishing both though :) We were having an early dinner, so we managed to sneak in for Happy Hour prices: $16 pitchers. Woot. The Manchego Frito was oddly pleasing. I'm not even sure how or why we settled on the "membrillo stuffed fried manchego, frozen apple foam, and walnut membrillo puree" but I would fully suggest trying it! The Filete a la Parilla (grilled filet mignon, roasted red pepper and Marcona almond pesto) was tasty, but not as impressive as the Manchego Frito. My sister had a salad and a sandwich (she didn't share the paella with my mom and I) and she liked both enough to not allow me a bite. Sigh. Rumor has it on First Friday's Bar Ferdinand has flamenco dancers, which would be great to watch during a happy hour. The decor is spot on. They've done a great job of making a Spanish oasis in the middle of Northern Liberties. I'm so happy to add this to my list of go-to restaurants!
(5)
A A.

Delicious! Really good, non-pretentious tapas in Northern Liberties. Anything with cheese on it (which is most things) is automatically amazing. I'm a vegetarian and still felt there were more than enough options for me. Beautiful inside, but the best is being able to sit outside along Liberties Walk on a summer evening.
(5)
Varun V.

Skip the quail with honey. Skip the pitcher of sangria too for that matter - it was actually below par (without fruit) and just blahhhh. The jamon fried little things are generic as they come. BUT, everything else we had was blood amazing. No seriously, i mean it! Date with bacon, Cordero estofado, patatas bravas, and even the pork sandwhich! 6 dishes for two people were plenty. Total damage including the not-so-great $21 pitcher of sangria was $60...
(4)
Frank R.

The food is good but it can be a lot better. I was satisfied with my meal there and I would probably return. I went here for lunch on 31-May-09. The servers were relaxed yet professional. We had the huevos verde y jamon, salmon croquettes, monte cristo, bacon empanads, and queso de cabra cocinado. Everything was good but I feel it could have been a lot better. I felt the dishes were quite minimal but well executed. The sangria was a bit disappointing though. The decor is beautiful and the location is bustling, energetic and clean. Prices were reasonable. I would probably reccommend this place and return here for dinner some day.
(4)
Nicole F.

I scanned over the reviews for this place and I can't believe it. This was probably the most unsatisfying restaurant experience I ever had. My boyfriend and I ordered four tapas to start, and planned for more. However, we opted to leave instead. For forty dollars we approximately had 8 SMALL bites each - and they weren't impressive. The fried manchego skewers were chewy and congealed. The crab croquettes were ridiculous - two TINY fried lumps of shredded crabmeat (not jumbo lump as described) that looked absolutely pitiful on the plate with just a dribble of sauce beneath them. The only good things were the sangria and this warm goat cheese spread with toast. I would never go back to this restaurant. Absolutely nothing was a good value. I felt violated after going and I don't have a problem with spending a lot of money on food. I couldn't believe we didn't just go to Amada. I still for the life of me can't figure out any reason that this restaurant makes it. Atmosphere was lacking, and service was slow.
(1)
Kevin S.

Been to 3 or 4 Tapa's resteraunts in the city. I have to say this is my favorite. Maybe it is the outside seating, the ambiance or the friendly staff... More likely it is the Tapas and Sangria. Don't forget to try the Manchego with foam...
(4)
Cecilia J.

Location is a bit out of the way from center city but the menu is chock full of both standard Spanish tapas fare and ones with more expensive ingredients.
(4)
Robert T.

David Ansill is at Bar Ferdinand. This is great news for everyone. Mr. Ansill stands in the pantheon of great Philadelphia chefs, past or present. If there was a Philly Chef Hall of Fame, he'd be a first-ballot shoo-in. The menu has changed slightly, but has Ansill's thumb prints all over it. The execution of his kitchen is always spot-on, the pig is prevalent, and vegetables are treated with the utmost respect. We're looking forward to the evolution of this menu to fully reflect Chef Ansill's proclivities.
(5)
Vinh T.

Good place for tapas !!! ****FOOD duck hearts (freaky but yummy - when something is freaky, it is yummy) GAMBAS AL AJILLO CON FIDEOS aka shrimp CANELORES CON COSTILLAS DEL BUEY aka short rib (they are not long but they are yummy) POLLO RELLENO aka chicken breats CHULETAS DE CORDERO aka lamb chops VIERAS SALTEADAS aka octopus ****Drinks great selections of beer (do try the ALHAMBRA) great sangria and clericot ****Decor Very nice warm atmosphere with rich yellow mustard and deep romantic red wall color. The bar is decked out with selections of wine (by bottle) and dry roses are hung around the top which gives a little bitter-sweet vibe to the place. It can get expensive even though the prices of their tapas is a-ok but the portion is quiet small. It won't fill your tummy and empty your wallet if you don't pay attention to what you order.
(4)
Jennifer T.

Bar Ferdinand is a GEM in Northern Liberties....and its an excellent (& less expensive) alternative to Amada. If you love Tapas, you have to give this place a try! I recently went with a few friends and had an AMAZING time! The services was quick and friendly and the food was great. The place is a lot larger than it looks from the outside and their wine selection is impressive. What we ordered: Sangria - Awesome Patatas Bravas - Delicious! Home fries with marinara and aioli Filete a la Parilla - OK, wasn't our fav that night. It was a little bland Datiles con Tocino - Amazingly good! Mini empandas with dates and cheese...great subtle balance of flavors Montadillo de Costilla - short ribs...SO GOOD Cane a la Parills - Excellent! Grilled skirt with a mini fried egg (different but delicious!) Gambas al Ajillo - Another winner! Garlic chilies and shrimp Paella - THE FAVORITE OF THE NIGHT!! We had to re-order more!! I absolutely recommend this place and will definitely be going back soon!
(5)
di z.

Bar Ferdinand. Tasty food. Good flavors. Sangria - very disappointing. Inside everything arranged tastefully. Too expensive. After having roamed in Spain a while, this is what I call tapas in America... tapas that went to some costume party, got wild and skimpy, and put on a show with lack of substance. If that makes any sense at all. I wish you could get the food you get in an ordinary bar on the Costa del Azahar or Costa del Sol, where I have been, then say you had tapas. They just line it on the bar and you eat whatever you pile on your plate, while sipping amazing beer and wine, and at the end you pay by the number of toothpicks that you have on your plate. Aka how many you've nailed. Anyway coming back to Ferdinand... it was a nice experience, I just think I wont come back. The food gets two stars, again, not for lack of taste. The overall just didnt make up for the rest of the 3 stars.
(2)
Jamie S.

Good variety. Tasty tapas. Go with a group so you can try everything! Paella was good but a tad salty. Manchego Frito is like CRACK! Get it, don't doubt me! Fried cheese and apple foam, are you kidding me? Delicious!
(4)
Kristin G.

I visited here this past weekend for brunch with a friend and my 6 month old daughter. The staff couldn't have been nicer to my baby and didn't make me feel like I was bringing the plague into their restaurant which was a great first impression. We sat outside since the weather was perfect! The location was excellent. Lots of shade and plenty of people watching opportunities (aka distractions for the baby!) even though 2nd is a busy street, sitting on the side provided a great barrier from the noise of traffic. Would come here again just to sit outside! On to the food...the menu is not huge, but there is a great selection of salads, tapas and huevos to choose from on their brunch menu. The spinach, mushroom and manchego sandwich was my fav. Although, in full disclosure, manchego is my favorite cheese and I would order dirt as long as it came with manchego! I also had the tortilla which was just ok. The potatoes my friend ordered looked crispy and delicious. Would have ordered some drinks had I been with my husband instead of the kid. We'll have to come here again to enjoy a few cocktails.
(4)
S L.

Bar Ferdinand is on my list of "top most innovative restaurants in Philly." The food is always fresh, the specials are always creative and beautiful. The classics are always consistent, the staff is always friendly and informed. in other words: foodie heaven. The decor is always romantic! The wine is ever flowing! The hotties don't quit! Seriously folks. you can't lose. I have eaten everything on this menu 5 times over and still feel the need to return every month or so to see what they are up to now. It's obvious someone cares in la cucina. The chef's tasting on thursday is the best deal. $35 for 14-15 tapas that run the gamut! They always go all out for thursdays. You'll find obscure ingredients, strange exotic flavors, exciting ideas, hand written menus, organ meats and fresh from the farm local/sustainable produce/meats and cheeses ... plus+ dessert! The breed of fullness and satisfaction you will get from dining at this restaurant is a special one, it stems from the belly + pushes it's way through to the soul.
(5)
Bob K.

First impression type of review - after leaving the Yelp Philly Sideshow event, the Wife and I stopped in to relax, and get something to drink before the 15 mile walk back to our car. Ahem. Wear comfy shoes to navigate through the construction rubble-strewn sidewalks to get to anything in this neighborhood. OK, so we sat at the bar, examined the menu, ordered a shrimp tapas plate and a couple of drinks, and relaxed. Is that enough to prompt a review, you may ask? No, not normally. But after my shrimp were gone, and only oil and garlic shavings remained in the plate, the bartender offered to slice me some fresh bread to soak it up, since I still had some of my superb Philly Brewing Co White beer left. Serve it up, my man! So, coming from a family who are big Ferdinand fans, I noticed the big collage/mural on the wall of Ferdinand the bull, on a hill. I absent-mindedly asked my wife, what about all the ladies' flowers that he loved to smell? She pointed upwards to something I hadn't noticed. Hanging above the bar all around were dried bouquets of roses hanging upside-down. Nice touch. We WILL go back here to enjoy more of the menu.
(4)
Jenna C.

3 Stars? 4 Stars? It doesn't deserve either, so I'll round up. My boyfriend and I wanted to try El Camino Real on a Friday night. Sadly, it had a one hour wait, so we crossed the sidewalk to check out Bar Ferdinand. We figured, "Hey! It's right across the sidewalk! It doesn't appear to have a wait! It's the same owners! Why not!" Though there were a few open tables when we walked in, we had a slight wait. Just enough time for us to sit at the bar and order a beer. One slight annoyance was when our host came to seat us, she asked us to settle our tab first. It was one beer that could easily have been transferred to our bill. If that's policy, that's one thing, but our server then asked us about whether or not we paid for that beer. Small thing, I know. The food menu is decidedly small. Now, I like tapas and I appreciate the amount of work that can go into each dish, so I understand why the menu might be so short. However, there was nothing on the menu that we really wanted to order. So, we made the quick decision to order three dishes then hop down the road for some goat tacos at Dos Segundos. The dishes came out speedily, with an adequate amount of time to eat each dish before the next one came out. But they were not very good at clearing the plates. The atmosphere was very nice, even if it got a little bit loud on a Friday night. It was a place that I wanted to like. Unfortunately, the menu was disappointing and the food wasn't good enough to carry so few options.
(4)
Janine D.

Damn you Bar Ferdinand...you ruined my last night in Philly! "We wasted the good surprise on you!" Stick to the cheese steaks and pretzels when your looking for something good to eat! Not that some of the tapas weren't tasty, but I'd rather spend my money on something filling. I understand the concept of Tapas...really, I do. But how bout you put a tad bit more on a plate for the price you're gonna charge? 8 bucks for 3 or 4 pieces of shrimp and a tiny sliver of bread to pick up the oil on the plate is pretty whack! REALLY? That's what you're gonna bring me? The only thing cool about this place is the matches I jacked from the podium up in the front before I left! Sadly, we went to McDonald's afterwards to actually eat. My dear Philadelphians, if you ever make your way to Cali, make sure you stop by Viva Madrid in Claremont for some real Tapas!
(2)
Mick C.

I have been to Bar Ferdinand a few times and have always enjoyed the meal. Great ambiance and quiet. Went with a party of 4 and ate well. Sometimes I leave these places hungary, but we ordered well. The final bill for 4 of us was over $300.00 but not bad I guess considering we ate well and drank well. I would frequent again.
(4)
Kayte Y.

I love this place. The pork belly and the duck are wonderful. I do miss the quail salad from the old menu, but the new additions are great. Everyone should go at least once and try the manchego fritto and the date and bacon empanadas those two are my favorites and amazing. I'm also a big fan of the meat and cheese plates.
(5)
Mike M.

Tapas. In my younger, more foolish days I thought this word was synonymous with getting ripped off: why are the plates so small? Why do they cost so much? Today, I realize there's a whole world out there to be eaten a few bites at a time and Bar Ferdinand delivers a large variety of these bites at a reasonable price. Quick note: happy hour includes discounted beers and sangria pitchers. Act accordingly. I sampled a few plates in my visit. The scallop in saffron-cauliflower sauce was a more original presentation of scallops, which were decently sized and tender. I also had a crispy quail salad, but there was nothing to exciting about that. Finally, I had one of their potato dishes: a potato cake with an interior of lamb, pine nuts, raisins, and a side of harrisa yogurt. An interesting dish, very flavorful and filling for a tapa(s). I also snagged one of my friend's croquetas and would recommend trying these. Bar Ferdinand seems like a great place to hit up a few times, there are so many tapas choices and all the plates coming out looked delicious. I'd recommend sitting at the bar and asking questions.
(4)
John B.

I was certainly impressed when I first came here. It was a fun night and there were a lot of empty beer bottles at the end of that evening. Because of that first night, we came back quite frequently with visiting friends, etc. But i'm not sure if I will come back... I still think their skirt steak with fried egg was good...but I can make that at home just as good...same thing for olive-oil poached shrimp with garlic and pepper...nothing too special. Those two dishes are consistent. But other dishes were salty one night and lacking salt another night. Then i had Amada, which offers much better tapas (although ore expensive). I think before going back to Bar Ferdinand, I will save some more and go back to Amada.
(3)
Alicia N.

I love this place. The only time I've had a bad plate here was when the chefs were trying out new menu items on me and a friend, and that was all of once. I have the advantage of living only 2 blocks away, so I frequently come to sit at the bar for a weekday meal and have never experienced the chaos of a weekend that everyone writes about. I can say that if you can make it on a weekday when the atmosphere is quiet, casual and friendly, definitely try the eggplant and lentil empanadas which I order every time I'm there. Also another solid crowd-pleaser is the Manchego Frito with a perfect balance of sweet and salty, crispy and melt in your mouth soft. I brought home an order of their Duck Confit as a gift for my boyfriend last Valentines Day. Also, Monday evenings rock with half priced bottles of delicious Spanish wines.
(5)
Martin G.

I've been wary of tapas in Philly after two mediocre experiences at Amada, but Bar Ferdinand did not disappoint. The patatas bravas and skirt steak with fried egg were delicious (if unadventurous) and the chicken empanada was as close to an Argentinean empanada as I've come across in town. As first time diners, we stuck to things we knew we would like, but they were good enough that we'll be going back again and expanding our choices a bit more. My only complaint would have to be that it seemed everyone was being seated at the front of the restaurant, with tables a bit too close to each other, even though the back half of the restaurant was completely empty.
(4)
Wade G.

I feel like Bar Ferdinand is underrated on here. I love this Restuarant. The tapas are always good and the sangria is some of the best I have ever had. Its an awesome atmosphere for drinks with friends or a dinner date. I would highly recomend Bar Ferdinand!
(5)
Lauren T.

We were looking for something new and wandered in to Bar Ferdinand. Of course, I couldn't resist a bar named for one of my favorite childhood stories. The bar is beautifully decorated. Golden amber light and large mosaics make you feel far from Philadelphia. We grabbed a table outside under the awning just as it started to rain, and watched people run from the piazza. I ordered the Pollo a la Plancha and nibbled on some almonds. Both were really delicious. The red sangria is now on my favorites list and I'll definitely be back for more tapas soon.
(4)
Natalee M.

Mmmmm...tapas at its best! Be ready to relax and take your time enjoying these delicous tapas! Patatas bravas, carne a la parilla and pollo y champinones are some of the amazing plates i had for dinner at Bar Ferdinand! I would definitely return to this restaurant.
(4)
Wallspro S.

I came here with my girlfriend and enjoyed everythnig we got. Mini-sandwiches, little potato guys, unneccessarily fancy beer glasses, bathrooms at the end of a maze, outdoor seating at what looks like a strip-mall and decent service. I'll definitely return, but apparently not on a Friday due to other reviews of the service.
(4)
Jason K.

Did a late (~9:00pm) dinner on a Thursday evening, and was pretty happy with the offerings from Bar Ferdinand. Started with a bottle of '04 Rioja Crianza (nice light red wine) as well as an order of Aceitunes (Spanish olives), a plato de queso (cheese plate), and a surtido de carnes (ham, chorizo, and cured pork loin plate). The surtido de carnes was just okay/nothing special. The star of the cheese plate was the cheese paired with the candied Marcona almonds (a soft cow cheese, I think). From there, we moved on to an order of the Pollo a la Plancha (seared chicken in an orange & ginger marinade), the Montadillo de Castillo (braised short rib), and, of course, an order of the Manchego Frito (fried manchego cheese, frozen apple foam, and a walnut puree...what everyone said I HAD to try). For me, the best dish of the three was definitely the Manchego Frito...followed closely by the braised short rib. The chicken was good, but had a little too much of a black licorice aftertaste for me to REALLY enjoy it. All in all, I was pretty darned happy with the experience, and would definitely expect to find myself back there in the near future.
(3)
Ian d.

The food here is great. They have my favorite dessert here "Torrija De Manzana" cider soaked bread with cinnamon ice cream and candied orange zest. I would give 5 stars but I always have a weird experience with the hostess when I don't have a reservation. I'll look at half the tables empty and she acts like they are bending over backwards to get me a table. Other than that the servers are really great and knowledgeable. Def worth it. Great place for a date too.
(4)
Chiara I.

This place is pretty awesome. My friend and I were lookin for some yummy dinner spot. Once again, the yelpers did not let me down. New to the area, I am still in the exploration mode of Philly. I had never been to Northern Liberties before, but I'm glad I came. Seems like a new, upcoming spot.. especially around this restaurant. Coming from San Francisco, this place felt a little bit like home. Complete with the trendy interior design. Considering it's a tapas place, this place has good pricings, a menu with a ton of variety, and good service. It's good for dates, catching up with old friends, or having a large celebration. I am coming back.
(5)
Mark L.

3.5 for last experience 4 years ago. Fun decor, decent but not great spanish tapas. Not so great location in Northern Liberties/Fishtown for most. Expected better value.
(3)
Richard T.

Wonderful to eat here after visiting Spain and learning a little bit about "real" tapas and raciones. the choices here are varied and extremely well prepared with many interesting ingredients(lobster roe!). One caveat- some of the raciones were just tapa sized, the higher price reflecting the ingredient, duck, for example. Great space with interesting tile mosaics, service was impeccable.
(5)
Lolly G.

It's interesting that Bar Ferdinand is right next to the piazza, it seems sort of our of place. It's a little nice for hipster land, but it's refreshing to have it there. I went here on a monday nights to meet friends for their half price wine. I was early and looked at the menu. As a vegan, there was literally nothing I could order, which in that neighborhood surprises me. However, from what I've read here the food is amazing so my rating doesn't reflect that. The place is very pretty and when we sat down, the bartender really wasn't friendly at all. In fact, he was almost snooty. He informed us that the wines that were under $75 dollars were half off. We asked him for suggestions which he gave, but he was just so serious and weird about the whole thing. Maybe that's how they train him? Anyway, I tried to make small talk with him and he basically answered back like I was an idiot. He also kept pressing for us to order food, even though we expressed no interest. We did however have a wine there that was amazing. I like the monday deal, and I will be back for that. However, if they didn't have half off bottles, I wouldn't be back.
(3)
Mei Z.

Food: I only ate here once a long time ago but I decided to write a review because I still remember the food because it is best tapas (food wise) I've ever had. Really fresh ingredients and great seafood! Ambiance: Loved the dried roses and general decorations. It was packed-def a place for the young, hip crowd. Overall: I didn't give it a 5 just because I remember waiting a long time for a table (although probably our fault for not making a reservation) and I was still hungry afterwards.
(4)
Katie Z.

Five New Yorkers rolled down to Philly to visit a friend for the weekend and had a truly terrific gastronomic weekend. The dinner at Bar Ferdinand was especially notable... not only because we ordered nearly everything on the menu, and duplicates of a handful of them. No, our sideshow worthy prowess at putting food away aside, the food was FANTASTIC. Having tasted nearly everything on the menu (seriously), the six of us agreed that the DÃTILES CON TOCINO empanadas (dates, bacon, cream cheese, honey, almonds) were our favorite. Our second favorite was the CARNE A LA PARILLA (grilled skirt steak, lightly fried organic egg, truffle) which was also fantastic. But honestly, there wasn't a dish we DIDN'T like. Really great meal. Well done, Philly. Well done.
(4)
Steph M.

Hmmm... I'm going to break rank with the rest of my Yelp party from last week and give Bar Ferdinand four stars. I admit that most of the food was nothing spectacular, but it was all GOOD. The rosemary monkfish skewers were quite tasty, the fried manchego with frozen fruit whip (or whatever that was) was pretty good, and the meat and cheese platters were fine (though not necessarily outstanding). The paella was definitely the best among the dishes I tried, but I would have no problem ordering any of that stuff again (or some other things on the menu that caught my eye but didn't make the order). Cons: the sangria was weak and the service was pretty slow. Our waiter removed three pitchers from our table that still had a little sangria in them, and that made me want to cry. On the upside, they have plentiful outdoor seating, which is so key this time of year. And when we got our check and split it six ways (which, by the way, they also did with all our tapas), it was really pretty reasonable.
(4)
Brian C.

Encountered Bar Ferdinand shortly after it opened, and have been coming back ever since. Owen Kamihara created a viable foil to Old City's Amada by eschewing glam theatricality for a more subdued and intimate neighborhood tapas bar...which feels closer in temperament to bars in Andalusia or Basque country. The walls are beautifully adorned with Joe Brenman's vibrantly crafted mosaics (in whimsical homage to the restaurant's eponymous bull mascot) and the darkly luminous, cavernous space showcases the owner's trademark attention to material details: wrought iron, dark woods, Moorish motifs. The food is always fine, often exemplary, with numerous authentic tapas and eclectic departures which play up contrasts of texture and temperature in a nod to Spain's El Bulli. Even if you're eating at the bar by yourself (which is my preference, actually), the bartenders are congenial and attentive to your needs. Prices are reasonable to pricey, but on average more affordable than Amada or Tinto; you may still find yourself racking up quite a tab once you start an indulgent nosh... Must-eats: gambas al ajillo, cockles in fennel and saffron broth, braised short rib in pomegranate jus, patatas bravas, cerdo frito sandwich, bacalao, manchego frito with cold apple foam, charred watermelon w/ serrano ham, crispy quail salad. Sangria, sherries, and great all-Spanish wine list - my favorite: their luscious Bierzo.
(5)
Chrissy R.

I've been here before, but after going with a bunch of yelpers on a Friday night, I was kind of reminded why I don't go here that much. The service was slowwww, The cheese plate was kinda crappy. Our server hooked us up to make sure we had enough of everything for group and the palella was actually pretty banging.
(3)
Tate P.

Have only done brunch and for some reason have never had a problem getting a table. Maybe everyone in N. Liberties sleeps in? Ambiance and interior decor are alone worth the visit. Original art and mosaics adorn the walls and set the tone for your meal. The food is as artfully prepared as the interior with fun, flavorful dishes done simply. Downside-- I feel it is pricey and the portions are small. If you know that going in you will be OK. I was completing the survey and have to add...the background music was a mix of rock and very, very tasteful. We went as a group of seven and each person at one time or another noticed the eclectic music selections.
(4)
Dayna T.

For tapas portions I expected much more savory dishes. The best thing that we ordered was the lamb. Overall I was mislead and let down. I guess if you are interested in drinking wine and having a small accompaniment this could be a good place. I unfortunately arrived a little hungry and left $80 later and went to Dos Segundos. Other reviewers are being way too generous. I agree though that the atmosphere is inspired.
(2)
Carrie E.

I was skeptical that anyplace could rival Amada - but after eating here last weekend I have changed my tune. The tapas are delicious (I particularly enjoyed the dates, bacon and cream cheese empanadas and the manchego frito) and the service was impeccable. And I discovered my new favorite drink in the world (Moscatel Espumoso), which I'm now obsessed with. Bar Ferdinand is perfect for a date night or a evening out with your peeps...make sure to check it out ASAP!
(5)
Christina R.

It is my own opinion that servers at tapas bars are paradoxically the most pretentious people in the world while simultaneously the most patient people in the world. They are the most pretentious because if you're going to work at a tapas bar you probably first know what a tapas bar is (sadly, everyone doesn't) and if you're going to put any effort in being employed at one you're going to have to know all the details of the food that makes up the interesting flavors on every small dish...you're also probably much more into wine than the average person... They are the most patient because, as stated previously not everyone knows what a tapas bar is, and if you last very long at a tapas bar you're going to eventually have to get used to calmly explaining the concept of "small plates;" a concept ('WHAT? I'm supposed to order multiple dishes and they're all going to be TINY???') that is lost on some people. The explanation is usually done best before ordering to avoid the shock of hungry unsuspecting restaurant-goers. The servers were fabulous, quick to fill our water glasses (I was, as always so thirsty), informative on beer selection (we opted out of wine because we were saving a bottle at the house to relax with after--PLUS, despite bottles being half off on Monday nights, it was still rather expensive), answered all my questions on the dishes ("Are the empanada crusts really sweet?"), put sauces on the side at our request, snuck me a printed menu at the end of dinner (I had asked if it was online, but our server wanted to make sure I had a paper copy)...the whole experience was great. The food was AMAZING. SOOO delicious. Every single bite. I had olives (one of my favorites) to start. The beer was Alahambra Black Lager was amazing. We shared: -Patatas Bravas -The Vegetariano Bocadillo -Queso de Cabra Cocinado -The Berenjena con Lentejas Empanadas I didn't think there were going to be enough vegetarian options to make a meal, but there were...and I was stuffed afterward. The ambiance of the place was great. Not too dark, but not at all bright, and great long square bar with dried roses hanging all around it. The bar was just starting to get hopping (in a wine bar kind of way) with people meeting friends and buying half bottles as we were leaving (around 9pm) I'm so glad we chose Bar Ferdinand.
(5)
Herb L.

Very good flavors, not too expensive, waitstaff that know their business. Went tonight, on Valentine's Day, and it was crowded, but about what I expect almost any restaurant to be. V-Day menu available if desired, but they didn't push it, just made it available, and we were fine with that.
(5)
Drew S.

Probably the first tapas restaurant I ever went to. Bar Ferdinand has a stellar cold and hot plate menu and a couple items I still remember a few years later. There was a seared skirt steak with a quail egg fried in truffle oil that I still bust out when entertaining it's such a strong dish and an herbed baby octopus dish that was baby octopus perfection- not at all rubbery! Well worth the trip up to northern liberties.
(5)
D J.

Wish they had real jamon from Spain on the menu but the dishes we had were nice
(3)
Nicole R.

Fortunately for Bar Ferdinand I've never been to Amada so I can't issue forth with that inevitable comparison. TK and I set out on a sort of double date with old friends of mine and it is the perfect atmosphere for that. It is nice and dark with all kinds of cool art and decoration to look at. I liked the bull mosaic and usually I detest mosaic (see my Last Drop review). I felt like I had been transported into a Hemingway novel if it had been translated into Spanish by Isabelle Allende and edited by Italo Calvino. That's a compliment, by the way. Although we had to wait almost two hours at the bar, the bar service was pretty good. We started with red sangria, which was tasty but really we're into the dry stuff so we tucked into a bottle of Shiraz. I liked the dried roses hung upside down over the bar. TK thought they were corny but being that I was once a teenaged girl, I can get into this sort of thing (when done tastefully). I have this wanderlust in my heart that leads directly to Barcelona (though I've never been there) and I imagine there is a similar festive romance in the air, as there is in the architechture. The bar itself was nice and big. We had a view from where we were sitting of the food prep area, which was brilliant, because they really do have interesting food. The chef brought us out a special treat: fried manchego squares topped with frozen green apple foam. It's like the kind of food the Spanish eat when they are visiting Neptune. The frozen foam melts very quickly in the mouth and contrasts brilliantly with the fried cheese. I've been hearing about foam and other sci-fi treats from fellow foodie friends and was pleased to get a chance to try it. Because of the long wait, we were pretty tippled by the time we sat down at a table. The server was nice enough but butchered B's order in three separate ways. I think he was kind of phoning it in, although if he did that the order may have been right. In general I would have given it four stars had it not been for the sluggish service. The food was pretty awesome and I would definitely go back and maybe see if we can raise those stars up...
(3)
Shannon M.

Bar Ferdinand might be a bit pricey but I have yet to be disappointed with anything I've tried there. The sangria, beer, tapas and desserts are always excellent. I like to try new dishes every time I'm there. Most recent standouts are the truffle egg bread, fried stuffed dates, and almond brittle dessert.
(4)
Steve V.

Amada and Tinto were much better. The service here was lacking and about the only good thing was the outdoor seating. Although the interior is very nicely decorated. For the money go to Amada or Tinto.
(2)
Joe G.

Nice bar but those "tapas" are just undersized, overpriced appetizers.
(3)
Rob F.

The food is better than that overpriced place in old city (Amada?). Lots of creative flavors, great beers, really nice open space, easy parking. Marie is the best waitress.
(4)
Brian W.

wow. second time back was not as good at all. Both service and food were mediocre. I'm being generous with a 3 because its philly and I had a good first experience.
(3)
Stephen H.

I have eaten here before and had some nice meals. Th 1/2 off bottles of wines on Mondays is a cool thing. A couple Saturdays ago, we went to Bar Ferdinand as a friends choice. The whole meal was fairly unremarkable except for the final plate. I'll back up and state that the machango cheese with apple foam is tasty and clever. we also ordered the duck hearts and they were very good. A couple more dishes followed not worth mentioning and then we got to the final plate. Simple mussels in a tomato broth with some thin pasta. Before taking one bite, I was put off by the smell. It was reminiscent of a bait shop. The flavor was even worse. they tasted like feted bay water. Adding insult to injury, three of the mussels had sand in them. If you are going for tapas or small plates, I don't think it's too much to expect clean and fresh tasting food. As we were leaving, I could smell another plate of mussels going to a nearby table, I felt bad for those folks who would realize they are being served fishing pier refuse, only fit for a table of seagulls.
(2)
Zanna H.

Boo bad & sloooooooooooow service. Even when a member of our group knew our waiter. The food looked overly sophisticated for how it tasted & thus was over-priced. A little bit of highway robbery here even with the high-end ingredients & the rising cost of food factored in.
(2)
A S.

Service: Very nice waiter who was quite attentive and took the time to explain dishes and answer all our questions. Reservation: Oddly they said they had no available reservations later than the time we were there but after being there for an hour the restaurant was only about half full Food: Good food but not great. The infamous "fried manchego cheese" was just ok, it was served warm and may have been better if it was actually hot. Octopus (called "pulpo") was actually quite bad. I'm a big fan of pulpo and have had it at other restaurants with much better quality. It was fishy tasting and really hard and chewy (overcookied)...I couldn't even finish one piece. Baked goat cheese was quite good (we tried it upon recommendation from our waiter). Spinach croquettes were just ok, nothing to write home about. Achovy and olive baguette was tasty but unimpressive for the price (1 piece of bread, 1 olive, a tiny anchovy). Duck confit was better than the other dishes but again nothing spectacular. (Could've had a better duck in chinatown for half the price and twice the volume) Not sure we'll be returning here again. We consider Amada a better choice.
(2)
Adam C.

Every week I pick up the City Paper. On the back of it there are ads for this place depicting people enjoying a night out. Now if the kind of people that go to this place are gross-looking Picasso-esque cartoons drinking bottles of wine and scarfing tapas, I'd rather stay clear of that "Fear and Loathing In Northern Liberties" nightmare. Apparently this review must had been passed along to the owners. I picked up this weeks City Paper and noticed the art style has changed dramatically. It now has more realistic caricatures of people enjoying a night out scarfing tapas and drinking wine. I was only kidding with this review period. Maybe it's only coincidence and it's all in my head. But I found it quite amusing either way. People! Don't take Yelp so seriously... but it's good to know some people are listening to the public mouth.
(3)
Lauren W.

WARNING: BAR FERDINAND'S DELICIOUS TAPAS MAY INDUCE FOOD COMA But... it's worth it. I dream about Bar Ferdinand when I'm not there. I ache for it. It is too too good... I don't want to hear anything from you about Amada if you haven't been to Bar Ferdinand yet. Head on up to No Lib as soon as humanly possible and chow down on some delicious tapas. My favorites are the mushroom croquettes, the date empanadas, and the duck. Order about 3 or 4 plates per person (but make sure to share them all) and if you want more of anything, it's at your table within minutes. Be careful though, these tapas make you feel like you're eating light and it's easy to overeat. Once the food coma hits you, it's hard to escape. We tried joining in the 700 Club dance party after tapas and sangria at Bar Ferdinand-- we lasted about 10 minutes before we were in a cab, ready to pass right out. So go with an empty stomach and get ready to go to sleep happy when you leave. You'll be having Bar Ferdinand dreams all night long...
(5)
Gary E.

When this place opened it was totally totally awesome. A good, cheap tapas bar with excellent quality food. Unfortunately, like all good things, it has been somewhat ruined by its association with Philadelphia. There are clear changes in the food that were caused, no dobut, by the yammering complaints of local yokels. The small sandwiches made from high quality ingredients have grown into larger mini-hoagies with lower quality ingredients. It's not hard to imagine the complaints of patrons "I paid $5 for this tiny thing -WTF!?!"... so the sandwich got bigger and the quality got lower. Also some great items have been dropped from the menu due, according to our server, from customer complaints. Whatever the sad state of decline it is still the best Tapas place in Philly for the price, the Sangria is a great deal a $14 pitcher gets you pretty loaded. And it's giant so there's no wait usually.
(3)
Jennifer R.

I went here last night with a group of colleagues and customers, and we all had a great time! The wait staff was very helpful with recommendations, and the food came out so quickly. The red sangria tasted a little different than most I've had, but in a good way. It seemed to be more refreshing, a quality I associate more with white sangria than red. We ordered quite a variety off the menu, and some of my favorites were the patatas bravas (I loved the tomato sauce and aioli), the manchego frito, and the duck. The goat cheese panna cotta for dessert was amazing!!!
(4)
Steve D.

This is a great place to eat!!!! the food is great, and the servings aren't puny like some other tapas places that i have been. They also offer some pretty amazing vegiterian options that are loaded with flavor. They have some nice Beer / wine selections, and the time between servings was perfect, leaving our table of 4 enough time to talk and enjoy the evening.
(5)
Christina E.

I made reservations here for last night (Friday) after reading the reviews on Yelp and I honestly expected a lot more. We (group of 4) spent over $200 with food and drink and left neither full nor the least bit drunk. So I had a reservation for 9:30 and we showed up on time and were sat promptly. The problem? We were at the 4-top right by the door which was drafty as hell. Not only that, but I sat with my back to the bar and I was constantly getting knocked into by servers and people walking around. Absolutely terrible seating. When the flamenco dancers started (which is the first Friday of every month) they were literally on top of us, and the girl almost smacked my friend in the face with her elbow. The performances were cool, but they were performing directly in front of the hostess stand, which was right in front of the entrance, so all of these people were awkwardly trying to go around them as they were trying to exit. I don't know why these people just couldn't sit down for another five minutes (they only did a few songs anyway) but it was rude. The space that Bar Ferdinand has them dancing in is just not practical by any means and could probably be solved if they took out one or two of the tables near the bar. Ok, now on to the food. I opted to start with the larger portion plate, assuming we'd get, y'know, a larger portion. I nearly threw up when I saw that for $14 I got 2 scallops and pea puree. Not only was it 2 fricken scallops, but they were COLD and not very good. FML who are these people kidding? Large plate? Ugh. My boyfriend and my friend's boyfriend got the cannelloni and they liked it, and my friend got the mussels large plate and liked it as well. Still hungry, my boyfriend and I got the crab cake croquettes and the chicken-mushroom empanadas, hoping that my scallops were a fluke. The croquettes (at like $9) had so much lemon in them that you couldn't taste anything else. The empanadas were good, but they weren't mouthwatering as one would expect for $10. Our friends got the garlic-potato thing, which for $5 is the best value on the menu. They liked it, but honestly it was like potato home fries with this garlicky mayo squirted on it and marinara sauce. Ok, now to drinks..I got the $12 glass of tempranillo (sp?) which was decent, but not as smooth as a $12 glass of vino at Tria will get you. My friend got 2 glasses of white wine, neither of which were filled to where they should have been. Our boyfriends got 5 beers between them, and then we ordered the red sangria pitcher. I read reviews about the sangrias being great, but again I was mislead. All you could taste was the brandy. I couldn't even really drink mine and I waited til the ice diluted it. The reason this is so long is because I'm pissed. I can't STAND going somewhere and spending a crapload of money and coming out completely unsatisfied. I have no problem dropping that kind of money at a place that deserves it. This place absolutely doesn't. As we were leaving (still hungry and noticeably sober) we all agreed that it was nice to go once just to check it out but will never go back. NEXT!!!!!!!
(2)
Maria W.

Been here a couple time. The food is pretty good and the atomsphere is nice. We had a group is 20 and they were able to accommodate us. Service is not the best.. So please make sure to order all the dishes at once
(4)
Laura G.

I went here on a Sunday (3/13/11) for lunch (brunch) with three other people - since it was still cold the windows were all closed and the place felt a little small, I would like to go back in the warmer weather. Still the dÃ©cor was nice and it wasn't crowded at all. The noise level was still high because of the music though. Between four of us we ordered 5 tapas and two sandwiches to split. Started off with the SURTIDO DE CARNES (Sliced Serrano ham, chorizos, cured pork loin) and PLATO DE QUESO (Assorted cheese plate, quince paste, olive tapenade, sangrÃa jelly, candied Marcona almonds). The amount served looked small, but it went a VERY long way, we even had to ask for more bread to go around for our cheeses/meats. My favorite was the olive tapenade. Next we had Jamon croquettes which were delicious, but there were only 3 and there were four of us. Then came the PATATAS BRAVAS (Fried potato, spicy tomato sauce, aioli), a house specialty, and they were really wonderful! Basically bite sized fried potatoes chunks with a cheese sauce, very tasty, very garlicy. A really big serving size too! The two sandwiches were also good, very flavorful, and I even like the veggie one despite my distaste for mushrooms and onions: PECHUGA DE POLLO AHUMADO (Seared chicken breast, San Simon cheese, chorizo bacon, swiss chard, smoked paprika aioli), VEGETARIANO (Wild mushroom, caramelized onion, sautÃ©ed spinach, Manchego cheese). The last little flourish of a tapa was the CHORIZO AL VINO which was right on the money, very flavorful almost caramelized strips of chorizo in delicious sauce. However when you see the portion you might laugh. At this point we were all full so it was enough to taste. All-in-all it was a nice lunch and we had more than enough food for the four of us. The presentation of the food was well done, everything was good, and the bill was very reasonable considering all that we ordered including drinks. I would definitely make a return trip!
(3)
Judy T.

First tapas experience, and I'd definitely do it again! Went for a friend's birthday dinner recently and we all ate and drank very well. We were a large party of 8 girls, and the service was great. Started off with pitchers of sangria, which were half off for happy hour. Sangria was really refreshing and fruity. Food was great too. Some of my faves were the braised short rib, grilled skirt steak with the egg, and the paella. Not a real huge fan of the desserts though, they were just ok. I've never tried Amada, but definitely want to go and see what the fuss is all about. I'd say for the money and quality of food, Bar Ferdinand is a good choice for a nice tapas meal. Also we were able to park right out front for free.
(4)
Leo M.

This review will be short, as many others have already written my feelings. Service: Mediocre. Food: Excellent, yet somewhat pricey. I think many reviewers focus on the size of the plates, rather than on their taste. Moreover, I've left full each time i come here. It's not like Applebees where you get a giant serving of rubbish. But if you take your time and relish the food, you'll find yourself quickly full, and for not much more money than many other restaurants. Overall Verdict: Four stars. I especially like this place when another person is paying.
(4)
Leslie P.

Well, first and foremost, I had a lovely dinner there, so there's that. In general, I love the idea of tapas. I am big into sharing and trying a bunch of things, so tapas always seem like such a good idea. Thing is, I feel like I end up spending more money without feeling sated. Bar Ferdinand is no exception. That said, everything was delicious. We had the calamari (perfection), the baked zucchini, and the tuna ceviche. We ate everything, although I'd pass on the tuna ceviche next time--it was fine, but not amazing. Perhaps too artsy and not authentic enough. Though I suppose that makes sense since that dish is technically from Peru/Ecaudor/etc and not Spain. As much as I talk dirt about Liberties Walk, about how artificial and inorganic it feels, all the businesses and restaurants there are tops. We sat outside and it was so nice! When we went inside to ask for a table in the beginning of the evening, the music was VERY loud. I think if you're looking to make Bar Ferdinand a bit more romantic, sitting outside might be your only option. So, definitely put Bar Ferdinand on your to do list, but don't bump it to the top.
(3)
Thuy N.

My new favorite place! Omg came here for brunch and everything my friend and I ordered was absolutely FANTATIC! Small tapas so it's great for sharing. Gorgeous bar, fabulous service. Can't wait to go back and try their regular menu :) Highly recommend!
(5)
Jay D.

We were looking for somewhere to eat, after a disappointing afternoon at the Sakura Sunday festivities in Fairmount Park. A local friend we were with knew of this area in Northern Liberties and we ended up at this place. They were between services, so it was a limited menu. But we enjoyed what we were able to order. Its your run-of-the-mill tapas restaurant, no surprises, other than their Clericot which was delicious.
(3)
Sarah P.

The food here is absolutely incredible. It is one of those places where you walk in, look at the plates at the next table over and you just have to ask what they ordered because you want some for yourself. Then you look two tables down on the other side and you absolutely have to have what they ordered. And the best thing about this place is that the tapas are actually PRICED like a third of a meal (6-9) so you won't feel guilty ordering three plates. In my case it was three plates plus dessert. I couldn't help myself. I had 1.) Asparagus cream soup 2.)Jamon croquetas 3.) Moroccan lamb (SO DELICIOUS) 4.) Crema Catalana and coffee 5.) Plenty of Spanish beer Chase had a delicious crab salad, a juicy and perfect short rib and A PERFECT BOWL OF MUSSELS!!!!!! We are hard Mussels critics. These, which were served in a rich red chipoltle tomato sauce with chorizo, were the best we've had in Philly. They were, in fact, the best mussels that he has had since is trip many years ago to St. Barths. Our bill was under $100. BRAVO, Bar Ferdinand, NEVER CHANGE! Did I mention the impeccable and attentive service? I expect we will be frequenting this joint.
(5)
Cara N.

$8 for two (2) duck sliders. I've no beef with tapas if you give me a "tapas" portion (I don't really care for beef tapas, but that's another story for another day). But when you skimp on tapas, which is really just an excuse to charge like $5 less for half of a portion, we're gonna have problems. I'm torn between giving this place two and three stars. Ask me why. Ok, ok, here's why. The sliders were yummy (both of them), however, I highly doubt I'll ever return to Bar Ferdinand simply because I feel like I've been insulted. We all know that tapas portions are small, but there should have been one more slider on my plate. So yeah, that's my two (2) cents...all puns intended.
(3)
Pete S.

The place just looks great! Upside dead roses hanging at the bar, mosaic tile murals, and perfect lighting, definitely sets the mood. Our server was very helpful and willing to answer any questions we had about the menu (and how to properly eat soup out of a shot glass lol). We would only go here on a special occasion since we're still in college and med school and can't afford to be regulars (although we would love to be). I like my food good & plenty so I'm not much of a tapas person. However, I'd definitely like to come back and try the rest of their beer selections since the Sixpointe I tried was great!
(3)
Bonnie S.

Highly dissapointed. To Start the Littlenecks clams were sandy and the ones that had not opened up were left in our bowl. The Skirt Steak was properly cooked but the egg was overcooked... The braised calamari was tough and rubbery... Crab crouqettes, were sp mushy and cold in the middle. White sangria was watery.. the fruit was not properly cut, the tops of the strawberries were floating in my glass. We quit after that. Walked out hungry and paid over $100.00
(1)
Anna W.

Bar Ferdinand has always been there for me when other establishments have fallen through. Standard Tap and North Bowl not doing happy hour yet? North Third and El Camino Real have too long of a wait? No one in your dinner party wants to try someplace new? Bar Ferdinand has been there for me. I think that if you haven't done tapas before, Bar Ferdinand is a good place to start out. A little friendlier (in atmosphere and on the wallet) than Amada, this warm, sleek NoLibs spot has something for everyone. The menu contains everything from blueberry ale and fried octopus for the food-curious to Miller Lite and fried potatoes for the less adventurous. Everything is reasonably priced. I've been here a few times, and there are few misses among the hits. Cons: some of the plates are awkwardly and sporadically spaced; some of the items on the menu were a bit "off" (a date- and cream cheese-stuffed pastry was just a little too cloying for me; a cold omelet wedge tasted a bit too much like, well, cold omelet). Pros: the majority of the meals are delightful in the combination of tastes and textures. My favorites, and staples for whenever I go there, include a perfectly assembled cheese plate, as well as these membrillo-manchego-apple foam-walnut sauce skewers. Bar Ferdinand should also be notable for being one of the few places in NoLibs a) that does not require yelling in order to be heard and b) has anything remotely resembling navigable space.
(4)
Jason W.

More tapas please! I have been a huge fan of tapas since traveling in Spain four years ago and while Philly has several great tapas joints (cough cough Garces) I find myself continually back at Bar Ferdinand. Why you ask? From the extensive, diverse food menu to the delicious adult beverages and down to the unreal mosaics that grace this NoLibs gem it is a hit. I am a particular fan of the cangrejo (crabmeat, egg, paprika and caper aioli, datiles con tocino (dates stuffed w/bacon, cream cheese, honey and almonds) and the pixan con panceta (monkfish w/pork bellly...'nuff said). Also, for someone sans sweet tooth, they serve one of the greatest desserts of all time. The torrija de manzana is a cider-soaked slice of heaven. This dish consists of fried cider soaked bread, cinnamon ice cream and candied orange zest which equals awesomeness. Finally, while the food, drink and vibe are amazing it is much more kind to your wallet than many of the other tapas joints in the city. All in all this place is one of the gems in Philly's expansive food scene. I come back to eat their amazing grub time and time again and encourage you all to do the same!
(4)
Aday F.

So, the dishes are hit or miss... Stick to the fig and goat cheese empanadas, almonds with sea salt, fried manchango, simple stuff... Good place for starters and Cava. Service is standard.
(3)
Rachel C.

I loved Bar Ferdinand. The ambience is romantic and comfortable. There are beautiful mosaics of bulls on the walls and bouquets of dried flowers over the bar. The service was prompt and attentive. The food was delicious. I highly recommend the Dates Con Tocino - Dates, bacon, cream cheese, honey, almonds - it was a warm, creamy, smoky, and sweet goodness! We ordered 6 tapas (for two) and it was more than enough food! We were stuffed!!! The pork belly was delicious as well as the croquettes. We had a wonderful time and I would recommend this restaurant to anyone interested in Tapas. It is also situated in a very cute and trendy part of Philly - the Northern Liberties! I loved it.
(5)
Scott H.

This Updated second review is for Brunch and Brunch service only. As previously stated: Dinner is amazing, it has been spot on every time. I decided to try out their brunch on Sunday, it was raining, so I was not surprised at how empty it was. However, the service was horrible. 10 minutes of sitting at the table without even getting our drink order in(or being acknowledged) Then another 10 minutes to get the drinks, which if it was busy would be completely understandable. Our server was just mopping around and was very uninviting. Once we got our food order in (we were a party of 3 so everyone tried each one of their 3 tasting menus at 15 a piece) it came out staggered as most tapas places do, but the order in which the dishes came out was really off. I was finished my entire meal before the other guest had even received their second course. The food was very lackluster and my eggs Benedict came out cold on a stale English muffin. Another one of my guest never got his granola of all things until we finally gave up and just asked for the check. When it finally came out (as we were leaving) the server was mildly apologetic. I feel like the service staff there recognized we were not having a good time and did nothing to try to change it. They just stood at the server station drinking coffee and talking amongst themselves. it was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have had in a very long time. The only employee that was attentive to the guest on the restaurant (not just us) was the busboy
(1)
victoria g.

my girl michelle has been raving about this place for ages, so i finally made my boyfriend take me there, and i'm so glad i did! i'm a sangria junkie so we promptly ordered the red which sounded delicious. after knocking it back a little too quickly (it was amazing) we opted for a pitcher (our waitress was nice enough not to charge us for our first glass. love it!) we heard tons about the manchego apple foam whatever, and i gotta say... it was alright, but i didn't see what all the fuss was about. the foam felt weird in my mouth (i'm big into textures) so i was a little scared of it. please, no jokes. other than that, we ordered pretty much everything on the menu and loved it all. LOVED. this place is a bit out of the way for us, otherwise i'm sure i'd be a regular. cute spot for a date since its cozy and a little dark and not too loud. the atmosphere is defintely very cute. there's also tons of seating outside when it's nice. can't wait to return!
(4)
christina j.

This is some tasty tapas. I ordered the salad with local greens, white asparagus and artichokes along with the grilled lamb chops. The salad was delicious and the lamb was prepared perfectly. I wasn't a fan of the side of cauliflower cous cous but the lamb was just superb. G had the chicken empanadas and enjoyed the salad as well. We each a glass of wine with our tapas and the bill seemed reasonable for me, ask my dining companion and you may get an earful. Our server was friendly and informative. I would definitely go back.
(3)
Jennifer C.

I love this place. It's my favorite spot to go out with one friend as you can just share a bunch of tapas (It may be a bit cramped for large parties to really partake in the tapas sharing experience.) I've had just about everything on the menu and it's all good, but I try to stay away from anything that doesnt have cheese or some kind of animal in it because it can come out tasting a bit bland or just like olive oil. My favorite dishes are the skewers with machengo cheese, apple foam, and walnut butter, the salad with grilled octopus (which was not the least bit rubbery), and the empanadas with dates, cream cheesse, and honey which I usually save for dessert. If you are looking for a full stick to your ribs meal, you may want to go elseware as that's not really what the fare here is meant for. It's meant to taste a variety of flavors. Usually when I plan on going to Bar Ferdinand I will cook a simple dinner at home and then hit this place up for tapas (read - drunk snacks) and sangria, and finish up with a sherry. Service has been impersonal, but attentive. REservations (made online) have always been kept.
(4)
Kat J.

Went here with friends on Saturday night for a mini reunion. We sat at the end of the communal table and I take away a half star as sitting there made us feel "in the way" of all the waitstaff! We were near the computer station where the waiters were entering orders and by the kitchen entry door where we kept getting in the way of the folks bussing tables...I guess if we just sat quietly in our seats it would have been fine but as we were getting up to take photos a few times, we seemed to frustrate the staff. But the food was delicious! We ordered about 11 tapas plates between the 5 of us and I would say 4 of them were extraordinary (loved the octopus special, the fillet mignon skewers, kale & goat cheese croquettes and the duck confit with parsnip flan. There were a couple other "tasty" dishes and only 2 that were OK. I wasn't a big fan of the baked cheese cause it just looked SO greasy but I didn't actually try it so maybe it was fantastic in flavor. The various mushroom sandwich was quite greasy too...but tasted nice. The drinks were good - I really liked the Cava they had and then we ordered pitchers of Sangria which was nice, but tasted a bit plain and almost slightly bitter...I'm used to the fruitier wine-based sangrias. The second half star loss is for the not fabbo enough sangria and couple of the dishes that were just good/nice. I'd definitely go back as we enjoyed the food and had a great time.
(4)
CR G.

I've been going to BF basically since it's opened, and after last night, I have to say that it's the best it's ever been. The additions to the menu are amazing - I recommend the rabbit leg, and the tuna special was the best ceviche I have ever had. Our server Tina was super-knowledgable, and everything was perfectly executed. I'd take this tapas over any others in the city, especially now that David Ansill's running the culinary show there!
(5)
Julia N.

Oh, Jose Garces... where were you when i needed you? Not that I expect the same level of culinary sophistication from any non Garces establishment, but this place has so much hype around it I was certainly hoping. Not only were several of my dishes adequate at best in terms of flavor and texture, but my entire table (6 of us) were served virtually every dish at the same time. This is not helpful for several reasons: food gets cold, you feel pressure to eat quickly and cannot savor anything, and logistically there just isn't enough space on the table for all the plates. The vegetarian sandwich was essentially bland sauteed mushrooms and a little cheese on a roll- not worth it. And skewered monkfish with pork belly might sound appetizing, but I was so underwhelmed (and it was so cold) that I pawned it off on someone else. You want tapas, go to tinto or amada.
(2)
Michael E.

Move over Amada there's a new something big in small plates, and its called Bar Ferdinand. Everything we ordered was delicious. They serve well crafted food with an adventuresome flair that engages all your tastes. I highly recommend the duck (if you like really well prepared duck). Sometimes I like a place for what it's not. And this place is not crowed, loud and overly scenie, unlike some tapas restaurants in the city.
(4)
KT T.

Bar Ferdinand has a great ambiance, it's great for dates and small get togethers of friends. The food selection is amazing. However the dishes are small, so it's best to order 2-4 items and share with your friends. The plates don't come out in your traditional resturant fashion (appetizers, main course desert). Your meals come out as they are prepared. Therefore dinner is an event. Expect to spend signifigant time there enoying the food, atmosphere and conversation. As for what's on the menu, I highly recommend the DÃTILES CON TOCINO, an empanada filled with dates, bacon, cream cheese, honey, and almonds. Mmmm... MANCHEGO FRITO is an orgazmic explosion of flavors in your mouth. The fried Manchego's crispy texture works well with the frozen apple foam. You can't possibly eat just one! I also really enjoyed the PATO AHUMADO- duck breast sliders. My only complaint is that the servers made me feel a little like a moron. I don't speak spanish, so ordering made me sound like I could barely speak english... But other than that it was a great experience.
(4)
Oranga T.

Nice atmosphere, and good location. Certain tapas are quite good, others are average at best. However, if you are even the slightest bit hungry... go somewhere else! You will be starving by the end of the night. Unless you order every single tapas on the menu, including every desert you will be looking for the nearest wawa on the way home to stop the hungry pains. ;-) Yes, I get it it, tapas are small portions in which you order several. But at price per portion ratio, you're getting ripped big time.
(2)
Steve J.

This is my 4th or 5th time going to Bar Ferdinand and it was just as awesome as always. I was there with a bunch of friends from The Restaurant School (TRS) for our friend Ann's visit back to Philly. This is one of her favorite places too. We also got our favorite waitress! I wish I knew her name cause I would give her mad props. I think every time I've had her, its been in a large group, and she handles us so well. On to the food! Everyone was sharing their dishes at the table, but I remember the one's April and I had the best. I got the carrot and ginger soup that was on special and it was wonderful. Very delicate flavor, silky and just delicious. I saw that they had a new sandwich, Pato Ahumado, that was a duck slider. It was the tastiest of all the sandwiches and I've tried them all. We both got the Datiles con Tocino which are dates, bacon, and cream cheese in a puff pastry. These are April's favorites. April also had their Salmon special for the night, which was house cured and presented on a Himalayan salt block. The salmon was stuffed with some sort of micro greens. It was good but some bites were a little too salty for me. She also got the Pork Belly and Monkfish Skewers, Pixin con Panceta. This is another dish I have had before and like. The pork belly they use is like 80% fat and just melts in your mouth while going so well with the monkfish. Our whole table ordered the Paella, which was not as good as I remember from my first visit there. It was good, but I just remember it being so much better. I guess the first time I had it was also the first time I had Paella too. Finally for dessert we finally tried their Churros con Chocolate, which we have been wanting to try every time we go but wind up going with something else. I guess our instincts were right, cause they were just ok. The chocolate dipping sauce was excellent, very rich and thick, but the churros just didn't do it for me. I guess I just prefer the Mexican style more.
(5)
Kari C.

my parents were visiting philadelphia and it was my moms birthday! we wanted to treat her to a good meal, and reading reviews this seemed like a new cool place to go. she loves restaurants that have the trendy atmospheres and of course good food! i kinda wish i had gone to this place after going away to spain so i wouldve known more about the food. but i wouldve probably been surprised at how expensive the tapas were as compared to there. but this was my first intro to spanish food! my parents got delayed on their way to philly, and we ended up being two hours late for our 9 pm reservations. however, even though it was 11 by the time we got there, they were more than welcoming and willing to serve a great meal. being a tapas restaurant, the plates and servings are not that large and meant to be shared. it has been some time since we were there, so i dont remember everything we ordered but we liked it all alot! we ordered the tortilla, patatas bravas, manchego frito, and a couple of other tapas. It was all great! the service we received was greeat and i loved the atmosphere. I''d never been to the northern liberties side of philly before this, and the restaurant seemed to be next to and surrounded by a couple of other similar, restaurants with a young (20s-30s) crowd. the bar seemed to be pretty busy and it seemed like itd be a fun place to go for happy hour with friends or even dinner again! i would like to come back and visit if in the mood for some spanish food!
(4)
Eugene B.

Tapas tapas everywhere...but seriously BF is a decent place in NoLibs but in the big scheme of things it's not the greatest place in Philly when u have Amada, Tinto, Distrito, Zahav. They do have a good wine selection and sangria. Try everything on the menu, you can't go wrong.
(3)
Ripp K.

I am going to keep this simple as I am hurting from the 4 bottles of wine last night at Bar Ferdinand. 1.Tapas are delicious and really creative, top notch food. 2. The fried manchago(sp) is ridiculous. 3.Wine selection is on point, we are not big wine drinkers but the service is pretty honest and helpful with helping us pick. 4. Great spot for a date. This is where my fiancÃ© and I went after we got engaged. 5.Desert. Make sure you get it. 6.Only reason I am not giving it 5 starts is because it is a little on the pricey side and the portions are not all that big. BUT that is not always a bad thing, just when you are spending $120 for dinner for two you physiologically expect to be stuffed. 7.I like Spain a lot.
(4)
Paul C.

Tapas...it's so so good...but you can definitely can get carried away with number of dishes...lol
(4)
Ronnie D.

Stopped in for the first time this past Saturday night after my shift nearby. The place was completely empty except for a couple people at the bar. It was a little after Midnight on a Friday. Walked up to the bar and was basically ignored for a solid 5 minutes until I saw Benny. Now I took into account that I had a backpack on and just finished working a 10 hour day, probably did not look like I had any money to spend. Once I saw Benny and started talking to him the bartender immediately acknowledged me and was on point. Benny is basically their bar manager from my understanding and I've known him for a few years from my days serving for SRO. The atmosphere is calm and inviting and the cocktail, beer , and wine list is refreshing for this neighborhood. I enjoyed a Victory Hop Devil draft while I looked over the menu. The bartender informed me that my beer was comped and asked if I would like anything else and if I had any questions. I introduced myself and shook his hand. I was impressed with the professionalism of the empty bar and restaurant on a Friday after Midnight. I will definitely be coming back and bringing co workers based on my first experience here last Friday.
(4)
Arlen K.

Love the decor! We were there when it was almost empty, but I can imagine it's a bit noisy when it gets full. Regardless, that's speculation. What isn't speculation is the great menu choices. The duck sliders are really tasty, the octopus as properly prepared, the squid ink calamari was great, and the mix of anchovy/olive/pepper was a treat! Wait staff knowledgeable, polite and attentive. Had a nice dinner experience.
(4)
Katelyn K.

Manchego cheese things are to die! Ugh soooo good. A little expensive but very good
(4)
Lisa K.

I have not had anything here that I don't like. I'm not a typical fan of sangria, but this sangria is very good, try the white. Both times I have tried to get a last minute reservation I am told they don't have any tables. We decided to chance it anyway and were seated immediately both times :-) Try: Calamare en su tonto (Squid in Squid Ink). The ice cream was the best I have ever had.
(5)
Caroline H.

I am a huge fan of Spanish food so picked Bar Ferdinand for my birthday dinner. I had heard great things about it so was very excited to finally try it out. There were about 8 of us and we decided to get the $30/pp prix fixe menu (just an FYI the whole table has to order this). I had the red sangria which was just ok so I switched to a beer they had on tap after that, the Stoudt's Heffeweisen...much better!!! We waited a little bit for our drinks and then a little more for the first round of plates to come out. With tapas, the plates are usually just brought out as the kitchen finishes them...there is no real order to the madness and it's usually on the service is usually pretty quick. However with this meal things were a bit different. A few plates were brought out to start with. We then had to wait about 20 min or so for the next dishes to come out. Then it seemed even longer after that...about 30 minutes. Finally we were waiting for our last two courses and I kid you not this took about 1 1/2 hours to get the last course and dessert! Overall we were there from 8:15pm til 11:30pm! I don't know if they were having kitchen troubles or what but it was absolutely absurd how long it took. We even had to track down our waiter a few times to order more drinks because he was nowhere to be found. Some people at my table were almost ready to get up and leave near the end of the meal. The food was not fabulous but there were a few stand out items: the seasonal salad which had chickpeas, radicchio, cauliflower and potatoes in it (had a Mediterranean flare) and the empanadas with dates & bacon (very sweet, yet savory). Overall it isn't a bad deal for $30 a person for the amount of food you get. We ordered so much alochol to account for the time in between courses so that jacked up the bill, the food was so-so and the service was completely out of whack. If I venture back here I probably would order off the regular menu and see if its any better.
(2)
elaine s.

food is totally unauthentic. We tried 8 items on tapas menu and none of them resemble anything i had on my many trips all over Spain. We did not have tortillas espagnola or potatoes brava, may be these are authentic but everything else for people who never set their foot in Spain. Overpriced and noisy as well.
(1)
Ivy L.

I thought this place would be better. They have a huge tapas menu, witch is my favorite, but the food was just ok. We went the first time and left (and went next door to the Mexican place) because the hostess was to busy to greet us and the second time (a week later) we got her attention and only took the cold shoulder because it was a late night and we were starving. The atmosphere was that of a nice up-scale restaurant but then they had paper napkins? We had very good salads to start, and I loved my martini. I got a roasted veggie thing... 3 slices of squash and zucchini with tomato sauce on top, seriously. We split a sandwich... I think it was a shorty from Wawa... toasted. Well I couldn't get the check fast enough. To top it all off every table is crammed in one small section and your server is in the weeds.
(2)
Michele C.

Let me preface this updated review by saying the following: I know it was New Year's Eve, the place was packed, and there was a shortage of waiters. That being said, I was so jazzed by my first experience at Bar Ferdinand that I was a bit disappointed by this most recent visit. The main issue was the slow service (my waiter was very nice), but the food didn't dazzle either. Three and a half hours to be served six small plates plus an amuse bouche is a little much. I was ravenous and had to wait at least 20 minutes for a soup shooter, or a quarter-size piece of stale bread. It seemed like the restaurant purposely staggered the courses and they came out assembly style to each table. This was a pre-fixe menu with choices for each course. There were some good moments: After the bread, we each had delicious soup in a shot-like glass - my mushroom soup was so good, I just wish there had been more of it. The first course, a homemade parpadelle-like pasta with duck ragu was tasty but cold and there was maybe one pasta noodle. The mixed salad was decent but nothing to write home about. The vegetable course was just that - brussel sprouts, somewhat burnt, and butternut squash that was decent for what it was. Another highlight was the main course - steak served with green beans and a cross between potato au gratin and mashed potatoes. It wasn't the best steak I'd ever eaten, but tasty enough for how hungry I was. The last part of the meal - dessert - saved the day. A molten chocolate cake with a gooey, warm chocolate center and homemade ice cream. It was to die for and I probably could have eaten another one. New Year's Eve is a crap shoot wherever you go, but I wouldn't return here on the holiday again. It is simply better to go on a normal, quieter night because the food is usually pretty special and you can choose from a wide variety of dishes. The party dining next to me on New Year's Eve pretty much said the same thing. I really enjoyed the entertainment by flamenco dancers and the complimentary champagne, noisemakers and hats, as well as the countdown to the ball dropping.
(2)
Three R.

i love tapas with a few friends you can order many things to share great place, great service, great bear from Spain prices have jumped up - so expect to have an expensive nite.
(4)
Christine T.

incredibly loud so unless you wanna scream or chat super loud dont go here. the food was good - but no where near amada for tapas. it was just as the stars say...a-ok...but probably wouldnt go there again. we had the calamari, stuffed chicken, anchovy with olives, steak, cheese plate, garlic shrimp, and stuffed peppers. the sangria was yummy though - and make sure you eat the fruit - SUPER strong. most of the other drinks were too sweet but the valencia was good.
(3)
Eric V.

The atmosphere is great for either casual dining or for a fancy date! More importantly, the number of tapas to choose from is great... and they were all delicious! One of the best ones was like an empanada that contained dates, bacon, and cream cheese (3 awesome things in a pastry shell.. you can't go wrong!).
(4)
Kera H.

I had the not so fortunate pleasure of dinning at Bar Ferdinand Friday evening around 7:30pm. I was with a large group of almost 20 people for a birthday celebration. We had one waiter who was also waiting other tables both inside and outside. The first half an hour seemed smooth, with our drink orders arriving promptly. Everyone at the table ordered two plates, me included. Food orders started to arrive after my second round of beer (approximately one hour into service). By 8:45 everyone at the table except for me had received all of their orders. I called the waiter over and asked him about my order. He said, and I quote, "I only have you down for one item and I must have given it away". Now, earlier I had him read back my order of date empanadas and kale croquets. I repeated my original order and changed the kale croquets to the chicken sandwich. At 9:15, everyone at the table was practically done eating and I still had not received my food. I called over the manager to cancel my order. At 9:30 my food arrived with a free plate of croquets from the manager. By this time I am no longer hungry because I've waited over 2 hours for food! I've dined out plenty of times with large groups and have never experienced such poor service. I doubt that I would go back to eat at Bar Ferdinand which is a shame because the food was great. To anyone thinking of going with a large group, you should dine in Center City where restaurant service is consistently good. After my experience, I would only recommend this place for a party of 2-4 and potentially for happy hour when prices are more reasonable.
(2)
Scott F.

I really enjoyed this place on my only visit. Great space and a friendly server who was very helpful with questions we had. I give 3 starts and not 4 because I never found anything really top notch. However, everything was good and presented very nicely.
(3)
Sahra M.

Don't go if you are starving.. But the food is delicious. Stop in if only for some manchengo with apple foam- probably one of the greatest things you will ever eat.
(4)
Varsay L.

Everything was pretty darn good. Went with a big group for a birthday party. Liked starting off with the olives. Ambiance was great. Waitress was super cool...I flirted with her a bit ;) Overall it was a pretty good time. Bill was a little steep but I expect on an intimate date would be more justified. Not so much when your buddies are ordering every plate possible and bottles on top of bottles of wine! Overall, I would definitely go back with a smaller group or for happy hour.
(4)
Ryan E.

Delicious food that is more authentic than other Tapas places I've been to recently such as Amada. Definitely not as gourmet or epicurean as Amada, but good in a different way. I have never had a bad experience and would recommend making a trip to eat here. The wine and drinks are also great!
(4)
Payal P.

i'm having issues on how many stars to give this place. the food was good almost great, our waitress was probably the 2nd worse waitress i have ever encountered in my life. i really hope she was having a horrendous day and what we experienced isn't her normal behavior. i won't describe her for this reason. our group of 4 walked in around 8:30pm on a wednesday night and saw the outside had a few open tables. when we got inside there was no hostess to be found so i flagged down a waitress and mentioned i didn't see the hostess and asked if it was seat yourself and if so if we could have one of the outside tables. she tells me "the hostess normally seats people but i guess you can sit outside, i'll be out there in a minute", i say ok and figured whatever, wasn't a fan of the attitude but let it go. our group sits outside and i immediately tell them i pissed the waitress off already, sorry (in a joking tone). so we sit and a few minutes later the waitress comes over and i apologize again for not using the hostess and that we didn't see the hostess and which was why i asked her, she then points out the hostess stand for me and tells me that's where i need to go for future reference (i am the type of person to not offend anyone so i am immediately put off by her) we order drinks and one of my friends orders a beer thats on the menu but i guess they didn't have it anymore and the waitress gives him attitude and says we don't have that, only the ones on a "this" page so he changes his order and she leaves. my friends were all annoyed with her and i said, maybe we should just leave before we invest too much more time here but one of our friends insists we can't cause we ordered drinks. we wanted to just cancel them but didn't and stayed, big mistake. literally 20 mins later our drinks arrive and we ask if we can order food, the waitress says of course with her now normal attitude so we ordered between the 4 of us 6 dishes and the waitress immediately tells us, "you know, this is all small plates right, thats what tapas are" we inform her we were aware and thought we would be ok and with what we ordered and that no one was starving, she then left. our food was brought over by the bus boys and the waitress never came to check on us. finally we flag her down to order more drinks which did come fairly quick. after we were done she handed us a check, never checked on us or asked if we wanted dessert or anything. my friends all wanted to stiff her but i am unable to do so - we planned to give her a 15% tip but somehow the math got screwed up and later we figured out she got a regular 20% anyway (i blame the strong sangria). regardless i doubt i will be going back. the food was good but the service killed it for us. we ordered potatoes bravas (my standard for tapas), roasted red peppers with bread, mussels, steak and 2 chicken sandwiches...all the food was very good (and the only reason I am giving the standard 3 star review, if the waitress was at all friendly, this would have easily been 5 stars) and it was definitely enough for us, great portion sizes, no one left hungry.
(3)
Sarah S.

Great Saturday Brunch! My mom, two girlfriends and I came across a fairly empty restaurant at 3 pm on the Saturday of the nearby Art for the Cash Poor show at the Crane Building. They were still serving Brunch and it was absolutely delightful. We all enjoyed the pastries - goat cheese and fig was a winner as we're the churros. My mother loved her poached egg over and unusual hash. My husband who is terribly picky loved the Spanish version of French toast I brought home just for him. We can't wait to go back, and I cannot understand why the restaurant was so quiet when we arrived.
(4)
Philly P.

It's a 5 star place for it's service n attentiveness, but a sure 2 star for it's food. If you are going to pay such a premium price, you might as well go to one of the best Spanish place in town AMADA which is one of our (mine n my wife's) all time favorite restaurants. The staf was really amazing n helpful, it was sad that the bar did not have enough choices for wines. My wife read so much about it on yelp that she insisted on skipping Amada for an evening of romance n instead try Bar Fredinand. The service was par excellence, but the food left us craving for AMADA and we actually drove to 2nd n Chestnut to truly experience Spanish tapas at none other than Amada after we finished our dinner at Bar Ferdinand. The only best dish during the whole meal was the Manchego frito where the apple foam is a true delight. So except for this one dish, the rest of the meal was a complete disappointment. To conclude this review, we will definitely NOT return to this place and anyone thinking of giving this a try can surely SKIP this place and have a true tapas experience at AMADA!!!!
(2)
Tanya L.

Come on, people. Where is the love for Bar Ferdinand? This is one of the only Yelp average ratings that I disagree with highly. I am speaking up to defend my beloved tapas place. And I have been to Barcelona, Seville, and Madrid, and am making comparisons to the authentic cuisine. It is not often that a bar has delicious food, but I would eat here once a week if I could. It is because of Bar Ferdinand that I discovered my love of manchengo cheese - as its one of the key ingredients paired with an apple foam and walnut puree. And five bucks to boot. I dream of their fried serrano ham croquetas with a bready outside, patatas bravas (fried), and fried cinnamon churros with a chocolate dip. Are you noticing a lot is fried? Don't worry - you won't need to be rolled home or anything because you sample bit by bit.:) If you go late at night and sit outside on the weekend (like 9 PM), I've always thought that the service is attentive.
(5)
Armon V.

I have been going to Bar Ferdinand for awhile now and I must say that it is and has been nothing but exceptional. The food is inventive and continuously evolving, the ingredients are top notch, and the wine list keeps me entertained. My suggestion is to sit at the bar and order from the chef's specials page. I promise you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Jen O.

Monday nights mean half-priced bottles of wine at Bar Ferdinand. Every bottle of wine on the menu -- half price! All bottles! The service has always been good and the food is pretty great. Instead of comparing it to Amada, which is always the risk in a two-tapas town, just enjoy the food. Get the grilled brussel sprouts in olive oil if they have them. Also love the pureed cauliflower with bacon in fried potatoes, the seared tuna skewers and the cheese plate.
(5)
steven e.

I liked this place's tortilla espanola. Liberties walk is still kinda a weird place, but it's a little better now at night especially with Deuce just fifteen feet across the walk. The space heaters are a nice touch. We'll still be able to sit outside and drink later in the fall. The food is a lot cheaper than Amada. It's a nice change of pace from our usual night out slummin' it at the Fire.
(4)
Meghan W.

My husband and I eat here on a fairly regular basis. It's almost always really good. We even brought some friends from Barcelona here a couple times and while I'm sure not as good as the real thing, they seemed pretty pleased over all. There have been a few misses here and there, but that's to be expected. No establishment is "on" 100% of the time. Not to be missed are the cured meat and the cheese platters. Also a big fan of the date empanadas. A few minor complaints - they changed up the patatas bravas and they're not as good as before. Also, the noise level can get a little, (actually make that, really) annoying and going on the weekend always seems to filled with a bridge and tunnel crowd (or whatever the Philadelphia equivalent of that is). The last time we went, we could only get a reservation at 6:15. I was a little disappointed about having to go out so early on a Saturday night, but I think this was the way to go. The restaurant was about half full, so the noise level was way down. No need to shout over the din to be heard. By the time we left around 8, the noise level was significantly less manageable. We we will definitely be going on the earlier side again on a weekend. Week nights are also a great time to go and their happy hour is a pretty good deal as well.
(4)
K E.

Went for dinner and sangria. Don't make it up to NoLibs much, but this was a great night. The food is interesting and quite good. Gets pretty pricey, but you can do a mix of small and large/cheap and expensive dishes to make it work for you. Definitely recommend manchego frito - so unique. And the stuffed dates are great, too.
(5)
Sam R.

Bar Ferdinand, the bustling small platery, is a mainstay of the Liberties Walk dining and retail center in NoLibs. Upon first inspection it seems like a posh bar with one thing on its mind: to be as hip and innovative and pricey as it can. A more thorough exploration, however, and a longer stay might reveal something else: an accessible and upbeat integration of spanish small plates into Philly nightlife. Drinks are good, though not great for the price: nice beers, wines, and slightly too-sweet pitcher of sangria (red or white) populate the menu. The plates themselves are the greater draw: bocadillos, croquettas, and pinchos (little sandhwiches, croquettes, and skewers) really stand out. Warmer, richer dishes like the cured meats, potato dishes, and empanadas are satisfying in one way, while lighter dishes like the grilled watermelon with jamon serrano can really make your summer night. Outdoor seating can get a little loud because of the bars nearby, but not too bad. Good for a casual date, big groups, not so much for business. Kitchen stays open til midnight, so a quick bite mid-evening can help you keep your energy up.
(3)
Matt H.

went here for my girlfriend's birthday. here's what we ordered, most were recommendations from our server... 1. grilled octopus, grapefruit, arugala salad (excellent) 2. free range chicken, mushroom sherry empanadas (meh) 3. pork belly, monkfish skewers (you get 3 very small skewers, but taste very good) 4. patatas bravas (could have ordered these at waffle house, just okay) 5. skirt steak (small, very good) 6. scallops, citrus top (you get 3 scallops, tastes good though) 7. (dessert) almond ice cream (very good) very small portions for everything, even for tapas. very expensive (spent $120 including drinks, tax, and tip). most items were excellent.
(4)
Samantha D.

my body still trembles, just thinking of bar ferdinand. unbelievably delicious. so we decided to do the chef's special which was 4 courses and dessert. it sounded like a lot but the server assured us that the portions were small enough that it would be fine. it was incomparable. literally, some of the best food i've ever eaten. we paired it with one of their mid-range (price wise) reds. i don't even know that i could pick one thing in particular. i don't typically eat meat, but i felt like i had to in order to get the full experience. the pork was maybe one of the best meat dishes i've tasted - like, in life. it was pricey, for sure. so not an every week sort of deal. but i suppose if you went there not too hungry and got one or two plates and a drink it wouldn't be quite as bad. seriously, still trembling. amazing.
(5)
May M.

I finally made it here, needless to say, I was not disappointed! I've visited Spain twice bc we have great friends from Madrid who loves to show us a good time. I've been searching for a tapas place to recreate our visits there. This place is an excellent choice to experience some tasty tapas! The presentations, flavors, and quality of them brought me back to Madrid for the evening. The decor was trendy yet relaxed. Obviously, selections in Spain are much more extensive and requires a wide palate; more exotic meats and flavors, but I was thoroughly happy with my evening! Until next time, I'll be thinking about the paella that I turned down in order to try more tapas..........P.S. Not trying paella when offered is new to me, what was I thinking?
(4)
Elana S.

We took an American friend who has lived in Europe for 15 years out to dinner at Bar Ferdinand. All of us gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up. The cheese palate as wonderful. The pairings were spot on. After the first cheese we ditched the bread and let the cheese and complements sing on their own. We followed with the fried cheese which was so good we immediately ordered a second one. The mushroom dish with vermicelli was a WOW. When the waiters said pasta I thought - oh pasta and mushrooms - boring. This was anything but. According to my friends the lamb was the best dish of the night (waitress recommended). The winter salad was good. The only dish that was good and not great was the tuna crudo. For desserts - the almond cake and the orange mousse were fabu, the chocolate cake was too dense and out least favorite. Only down side for the night was the temperature of the room. When the heat kicked in we were melting - perhaps an encouragement to buy more beer. We would absolutely go again but dressed in layers.
(5)
Jeff H.

This is one of my favorite places to go in Philly. Great for dinner or brunch on weekends. The tapas style dishes are great for couples or even large groups and the menu is always innovative and DELICIOUS!
(4)
Justin K.

My friend and I went to this hip Northern Liberties Spanish Tapas joint last night and it was pretty enjoyable. We sat at the bar and it was still Happy Hour, so my draft was a scant 2 bucks (and I didn't even find out until after I had ordered it, so bonus!)...and they also mentioned something about half priced pitchers of Sangria, but we declined that this time around... Of course we originally decided to go here based on a recommendation that the Duck Confit was good, so I decided to go with that as one of my Tapas. I also picked the Jamon (Ham, Cheese, & Scallion) Croquettes. The Croquettes were really tasty, they were also really hot (burned my tongue). The ham and cheese inside were pretty much melted, but it wasn't overly Hammy. The Duck Confit came with cocoa nibs and Almond Flan...the Duck itself was cooked perfectly and pulled right off the bone. The flan was ok and tasted kinda like Pumpkin pie filling with an almondy taste. For Tapas:Round 2, I went with the Spanish Omelette and the Pollo Asado. The Spanish Omelette was OK, a bit chewier than I thought it would be, not as light and fluffy as I was expecting. The Pollo Asado though was hands down the best dish I had. The Chicken was spiced somewhat and tasted excellent. It was covered in a little bit of sauce and some FANTASTIC Mushrooms. It also came with this Applesauce stuff that looked like Hot Apples and was fantastic and totally different than any I've ever had before. All in all I'd definitely go back here, especially to try the Desserts (The Pot De Creme sounded out of this world) and have some beers at the funky cool bar.
(4)
Charlene F.

Lovely location and ambiance. I was a bit disappointed in the tapas selection but the taste was excellent! I would suggest a bit more selections added to the menu. Finally our server - well she was clearly overwhelmed - we had a long wait for everything - from her first greeting to our drinks, order taking ... once we made it through to actually placing our order, the food was delivered fresh, hot and timely. We did however, have to continue to wait for anything we wanted to order or ordered through our server.
(3)
Jar K.

I went to try Thursday Night Chef's Tasting. Atmosphere was great. We were seated outside on Liberties Walk. Food was just average. A nice mix of preparations. Soups, salads, and mains. Platings were nice and interesting, but the food had no theme. Maybe you could call it Mediterranean. Highlight of the night may have been the tuna salad in a piquillo pepper and the skate with risotto. (Don't go to the chef's tasting if you want to experience Spanish food.) The most percular thing about the evening was the way the food was served. Each time a new course came out it was on two plates, however three of us were dinning. We were all friends. But each time it was an akward balance of trying to share a veal cheek, or a quinoa dessert. Service was terrible. The water man was doing a great job hopwever our waitress was tough to find and dessert was a 40 minute wait between courses.
(2)
Matt S.

Stopped in here on a Wednesday with no reservation. The place was pretty lively, but not packed enough that we couldn't get a table. Service was leisurely (eg water refills weren't as spot on as they could have been) but friendly and helpful. Our server noticed some trends in our ordering and steered us towards other "can't miss" things that we might like as well. Here's what we had: - Salted almonds: provided good in-between-plates munching - Dates/Bacon/Cream Cheese Empanada: my favorite dish of the night - so many great flavors and textures - Duck Sliders: Had almond jam on them that was really interesting - Patatas Bravas: a good apples-to-apples measure of a tapas joint and Bar F's were really good -- perfectly crispy, nice spicy tomato sauce, balanced with a little creamy zing from the aioli - Monkfish/Pork belly Skewers: Nicely seasoned with Rosemary. A bit too fatty for my wife's taste, but hey, that's pork belly for you. I loved 'em. - Mussel/chorizo pasta: My wife's favorite dish. The mussels were really good, but I didn't love the short, thin, somewhat stiff pasta. The dish was good, but it just wasn't my favorite. - Almond ice cream/olive oil torte/berrry compote: a very tasty dessert, with a surprising anise kick in the torte. The ANSI was a good surprise if you like the flavor (me) and an unpleasant one if you don't (my wife). But since I'm the one writing the review - thumbs up! So here's the scale that I use for my stars: 5: I would drive across town for this. 4: I'd go again if I happened to be in the neighborhood. 3: I might return if I was in the neighborhood and everything else was closed. 2: I'd rather go hungry than eat here again. 1: I need to evangelize against this for the good of humanity. Bar Ferdinand gets a solid four -- I'm in this neighborhood a lot and I really liked the food so I'll definitely be back. On future visits I'm eager to try the big sharable crocks of paella they had (which smelled wonderful) and take advantage of their cheap pours of house wine.
(4)
Sari G.

I am obsessed with this place! I've gone a few times years ago and really enjoyed it then but, the last time I went was my favorite! Perhaps the new menu (although I loved the crab and asparagus flan they did away with), or the fact that I was with my hubby and two year old, the flamenco show which they have on first First Fridays, or the fact that it brought back memories of part of our honeymoon spent in Spain! In LOVE! my hubby has glasses of the white sangria and loved it my pregnant self was drooling over their specialty drinks. We split the Berenjena con lentejas (roasted eggplant, lentils,and romesco sauce) YUM, the monchego fritos ( goat cheese, apple foam, and walnut skewers), Congrejo (lump crab, lemon, and paprika croquettes), two orders of potatoes (AMAZING) and he also had the filet mignon skewers which he said were awesome. They do have a larger portion menu but, I feel the tapas are why you go! The place is cozy and romantic and the decor is wonderful including the fabulous mosaics! They have outdoor seating when its nice, parking isnt bad and the wait staff is friendly. We are going to make it a habit to try to get there on the first Friday of every month for the added bonus of the flamenco dancers and musicians. I believe they go on around 7 pm. This place is not for the bland but, I don't eat meat and my husband is a meat and potaoes guy and there was still plenty for us both tho choose from! I truly love it here and recommend the entire experience.
(5)
Eric H.

I was in the neighborhood, visiting a friend last night, waiting for him to meet me here. I was hungry, so while I waited, I had a glass of wine & some boccadillos here. So, I didn't have much, but I've got to give this place props: Firstly, it's a beautiful room. Very inviting. Right up my alley in terms of what I look for in a bar/restaurant: stylish, upscale, but not stuffy. And everything was spot-on: The wine was great, and I had really good choices to, uhhh...CHOOSE from. And not expensive. And the boccadillos were lovely; really hit the spot. Excellent lighting, clientele was nice & knew how to carry themselves, staff was pleasant & helpful. What more can one ask, really? I shall definitely be coming back, the next time I'm in town, and find myself in the area. Do give Bar Ferdinand a try.
(4)
Cheryl A.

I sometimes wake up craving food from Bar Ferdinand! I know, its crazy. Everytime we go we are greeted with a smile and there is a particular female server that is starting to recognize us! The bar is very cool with 100s of hanging dried roses and a large selection of wine. There are some MUST TRYs when you go: 1. The Manchego cheese cubes with apple meringue is TO DIE FOR. This is what I wake up craving. It is a little bit of heaven in your mouth. Go try it now! 2. The brussel sprouts are excellent. We are not a brussel sprout household....until now! They are roasted or something in oil and pepper and salt and almost crispy on the edges when they are done. This description isn't doing it justice - go try it yourself. 3. The sardines - another one I would never try by myself, but I was out with a chef friend and he said it was excellent so we tried it. They are wrapped in something that makes you forget you are eating a sardine - and no fishy-ness about it. 4. Cheese plate - always a winner paired with great flavored accompaniments. 5. Everything else I can't remember right now! In conclusion get over to 2nd and try this restaurant - I promise you will come back and tell me how good it was!
(5)
Alex F.

The food was pretty great. We had the filet with pistachio pesto (among many other things) but that is what stuck out to me most. Delicious. Service wasn't fantastic but the food was pretty great.
(4)
E. J.

No matter what, this place is going to be compared against Center Citys Amada. While a dinner at Amada is certainly a pricey gem and delivers a memorable dining experience for all Spanish foodies, dinner at Bar Ferdinand can be just as rewarding at a fraction of Amadas prices. As someone who has lived on the Iberian peninsula for two years, I can attest that the BFs menu is, for the most part, authentic. The restaurant exudes a young, unpretentious atmosphere. When I saw that they serve empanada, I was slightly disappointed that it resembled the Argentine pocket-version instead of the the pie-like version from the NW corner of the peninsula in Galicia. None the less, I would return.
(4)
Lisa Y.

Had dinner reservations for 15 people for a friend's birthday. Service was good and quick, tapas were very tasty and flavorful! Sangria (red) was delicious! Highly recommend this place for large groups. Dinner was reasonable for such a large group considering we had drinks and dessert. Will return soon!
(5)
F R.

Bar Ferdinand is great if you are not in a hurry. If you are in the mood for great food, drinks and just want to chill, then check it out. I went with my brother and husband, and we decided on 3 non-vegetarian dishes and 6 vegetarian. 21 year old college dudes eat a lot, so I was a little worried this wouldn't be enough food but it totally was. The garbanzo bean salad, cheese plate and manchego frito were the favorite vegetarian dishes. The sangria jelly that came with the cheese plate was fun, tasty, and perfect with whatever cheese it came with. My husband and brother loved the short rib and calamari. Great beer selection. I would go there once a week if I could. $100 (pre-tip) for 9 dishes and 6 drinks. We really didn't need that much would, and could have just shared 6 or 7.
(4)
Jessica S.

Oh boy, this place sure was worth the cab fare! A group of 8 of us went here a little while ago and all of us left completely satisfied! The sangria was delicious, the atmosphere was trendy but not overly stuffy, and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. The vegetarians in our group had plenty to choose from (not always the case) - i HIGHLY recommend the manchego cheese with apple foam on skewers - so delicious we ordered a second round! I would certainly go back - if only Bar Ferdinand was closer!
(4)
Mike S.

Can't critique Bar Ferdinand much, pretty good first visit. We had a group of 5 and we played out the tapas meal by standard rules. So yeah, there were a couple plates that I didn't particularly enjoy. On the upside, there were many more that I did enjoy and I was astonished to see our bill didn't even top $100 for food and drink. The monk fish was amazing, as was the lamb with citrus yogurt. Breton was alright, pollo y patatas were tasty. No beer on tap due an operational err of some kind. I was not happy about this. $3 High Life (Champagne) in a bottle made for an adequate substitute due to the reasonable price. It took us a minute or two to get seated since we had an odd numbered party, but the hostess kept us informed while we waited. Our waiter was not only friendly and punctual, he was also comfortable discussing many of the foods we were interested in. Strangely enough, one of my friends actually said that our waiter tonight was "less involved in the meal" than they typically are. Seriously?! I was impressed. Bar Ferdinand was a draft beer away from 5 stars! Great experience, would absolutely recommend to any tapas lover.
(4)
Hoa T.

Thanks Liz Y. you pretty much said everything that I need to say. We did go together and all :)
(3)
Zeph D.

Go and grab some pizza instead. I'm serious. You'll be happier for it. That way you may actually feel full. Or you could wait. Have your waiter take your drink order and wait 15 minutes for it. Then order your tapas, like six or eight of them. If you're a child or hamster this maybe enough to hold off your appetite for eleven minutes. Don't forget that you'll get your tapas in ten minute intervals. Take two chipmunk size bites, push your plates to the side then wait for six hundred "Mississippi"s . The waiter does this because he doesn't want to "overwhelm" you. Sure. I should of ran out on the bill. Wouldn't want to "overwhelm" him by paying.
(1)
Bertram B.

Good eats. Some great. Strange staff who make you feel kind of eerie and unwelcome. Like you just sat down in their living room and they walked into it like "whoa! What are you doing here?" Decent wine selection, good desserts, great brunch(quail eggs with chorizo and honey toast!) Date and bacon empanadas were delicious. As were chicken hearts with sherry. Something just doesn't feel right, though. Anyway, if you're in the neighborhood try it. But it's not worth the journey if you live more than 8 blocks away.
(3)
Holly H.

I feel like Bar Ferdinand is the original tapas place in Philadelphia. I feel like they've been around forever. I feel like I can always count on them to have incredible menu items and dense, creamy red wines, and to lull me into a sense of "these portions are small so there's no way I'm going to die from eating 20 of them." I can't actually prove anything above (other then the incredible menu items and dense, creamy red wines... is it 5 yet???), but I love how this place makes me feel, and I love being there with a table full of friends.
(4)
Seema F.

[This is really a 2.5.] I had some idea of what to expect when I went there (having been to El Camino Real next door which I hated), but I still had to try it. Our waiter started us off with our drink orders. We ordered 3 different beers including a Six Point Sweet Action beer which they stated was a Belgian Ale (but it is actually a cream ale. Perhaps they meant a Six Point Sweet RE-Action which is the Belgian?). The waiter brought 2 of the beers and didn't say anything. My boyfriend, who ordered the Six Point, asked him where his beer was. The waiter said "Oh! Yeah, we're out of that." He then recommended a "similar" beer--an ESB. An ESB is nothing like a Belgian, as most people would know, but his reasoning was that they were both kind of bitter. Perhaps waiters at Bar Ferdinand are only taught that wine is the height if sophistication and all beer is "just beer." The beer incident didn't help the mood, but we found something that we hoped was good to eat. Of course the food is a very small serving to be expected since it's tapas) and it's pretty expensive (to be expected since it's Northern Liberties), but you'd at least expect it to taste good. We had 3 orders of the cerdo frito (a sandwich), a chicken empanada, a breton croquette, and the mussels with chorizo and pasta. The empanada was pretty good with a flavorful chicken and potato filling, accompanied by a flaky crust and paprkia aioli. The croquette was also good, but it's hard to go wrong with fried cheese. The cerdo frito and the mussels on the other hand were a disaster. Despite being slightly bigger than the other dishes, they were not worth it at all since they were EXTREMELY salty. The cerdo was like a mini cheesesteak and had a salty cheese on it, but it shouldn't have been inedible. Dying of hunger, I ate a lot of it anyway. When the mussels arrived I had hoped for a refreshed palate, but I was hit with another salt lick. Luckily this dish had minimal sauce , so the mussels themselves were fairly edible, but the pasta and chorizo was deadly. We told the waiter, and I expected him to do nothing, but he sent over a manager. She told us it wasn't supposed to be that salty so she comped us for 3 cerdo fritos and the mussels (which is why they get an extra point). It turns out that they both came from the same station, so I guess they just have one guy that has a serious heavy hand and no one who tastes food before it goes out. Although I appreciate the service, the food is just ok, and they obviously have no quality control. It's certainly not worth the hefty price if your goal is to be full. Perhaps those dishes would have been really good if they had some kind of quality control in the kitchen. But I'll never know, because I won't be back for a $6 empanada that may or may not be a salt lick.
(3)
Nate C.

This bar was fun. Of course (because of recent events) MJ was on the radio and the bartenders/servers started showing off their moves... they were great. A couple of regulars came in and started telling us about their band "bong hits for jesus" and we thought, with a name like that, they would have to be interesting. So the crowd and the staff made this a fun place for a date.
(4)
Karina I.

I live in the neighborhood and have always enjoyed Bar Ferdinand. I was excited to try out their new menu since David Ansill is now the head chef. Overall, I was pretty disappointed. The Pan con tomate was previously a winner but this time the only tomato we could spot was one or two tomato seeds and it really should be renamed pan sin tomate (which means without) since it was essentially garlic bread. We ordered the Ensalada de Casa which was billed as Bibb lettuce and avocado. Yum!!!! Right?! The salad was dressed nicely however it was a spinach and arugula salad with LITERALLY two-three half Bibb lettuce leaves and two small thin slivers of avocado. Disappointing. We also ordered the squid in ink which was previously a wonderful dish but it was now a salt lick. I wanted to like it so much but we pushed it aside without finishing it since neither of us could stand the salt. The shrimp in garlic had a good garlic flavor but the shrimp were overcooked. It's 2 stars instead of 1 since their dessert still shines. The cider bread & rice pudding are still winners. Overall I'm pretty sad that this neighborhood restaurant is no longer reliable. To the restaurant's credit they took the salad and squid off our bill and offered us dessert on the house. Looks like it will be a dessert only stop.
(2)
Will W.

The tables are nice if you are that kind of person, but this is a great place to sit at the bar and drink Sherry and talk and order taps one at a time. nibble drink and chat. The problem with sitting at a table for tapas is the waitron will push you to order everything at once. Makes their job easier and turns the table faster, but this is really Spanish Dim Sum. Take your time!
(4)
Goa K.

i just read a review of this place that says "not a place for a picky eater" and that is spot on! i invited a few friends here the other night and we were mostly vegans and no gluten. We ended up studying the menu for most of the night! I had to get mostly fish tapas. The food was a nice blend of flavors but they were $15 a pop for 2 scallops : / My only other gripe was that I ordered the ensalada mixta expecting to get greens but it was a hunk of tuna with endive around it. My cat ate better than me that night.
(1)
Sarah S.

Bar Ferdinand has to be one of the most beautiful and delicious restaurants in Philadelphia. At least, in my experience. The restaurant is gorgeous. Everything about it is perfect.. the lighting.. the decor.. it's just great. The wait staff is VERY friendly and knowledgeable. Same goes for the bartender. The food.. well.. I could probably write about it all day, but instead I'd rather just say go try it for yourself. There is something for everyone. I seem to find a new favorite every time I go. Along with the awesome food comes an awesome wine list... and.. Half price bottles of wine on Mondays? What a bargain. The next thing on my agenda: Trying the brunch. I've heard it's fabulous.. and only $15 for 4 tapas? Hmmm.
(5)
Christine K.

Bar Ferdinand is hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the city. I've probably been there 30 times and have never had a bad experience. And as they are moving more towards local and sustainable food, I'm only growing in my appreciation for their work. I find the inventiveness and quality of the food to be top-notch, and at surprisingly affordable prices. My boyfriend and I always know we want a few dishes before we even sit down: 1) The manchego with apple foam- so simple and delicious. Who knew apple foam even existed? And the sauce is amazing. 2) The monkfish and pork belly. The fattiness of the pork belly and the meatiness of the monkfish play off of each other perfectly, and they are just deliciously seasoned. I salivate thinking about them 3) Any of the lamb dishes. Always tender and lovely. If there are specials, we always jump on those as well. I recently had a salmon special that was so fresh and well prepared it barely had anything but oil, salt and pepper and it was fantastic. My best experiences there have been during the Thursday night chef's tasting. The first one we did was with a wine pairing, and we got to meet and talk with a rep from the Spanish vineyard and the local distributor during the meal. Each dish was paired well with a different variety of wine. One stand out from that meal was a carrot flan with black currants and a small salad. I though it sounded crazy, but it was amazing. The most recent chef's tasting included a tomato salad that even though I don't like tomatoes much, I thought was delicious. Asparagus plancho- just asparagus and egg yolk- made me jealous that I could never make something so simple taste so good. We had rabbit for the first time there, and they did a stellar job. And halibut that was tender and flavorful. I'm also starting to really love the creativity of desserts. Recently they've had a special popsicle with chocolate and vanilla sea salt that even if I don't have the room, I have to eat in full. And the chef's tasting included a goat cheese panna cotta that I hope ends up on the regular menu- yum! Bar Ferdinand really is the perfect spot for dinner if you love trying new, fun dishes without completely breaking the bank. The casual atmosphere also means you don't have to worry about jackets and ties to have a great night out. I love this place!
(5)
Meghan R.

I've had a lot of great meals in my 20-something years of life and my most recent meal at Bar Ferdinand definitely ranked up there. First, it was Monday, so bottles of wine were half-price. If that doesn't begin an amazing meal I don't know what does. We ordered two bottles and dug into the menu. - favorites the manchego is their most popular dish according to our server and did not disappoint. Our table of four ordered two servings of the calamares rellenos because it was to DIE for. We also loved the smoked salmon croquette, the vegetariano sandwich, and my companions adored the short rib. We also ordered every dessert offered that night : ) Honestly, every single morsel from start to finish that we put in our mouths we raved about. The wine, the service (shout out to Lauren), and the food was incredible. We dined in the true meaning of the word (as in lots of time, lots of great conversation, lots of fun) and I cannot wait to go back!!! Our total bill with two bottles of wine (half off), food, desserts, coffee, and tip was around $200 and we were STUFFED. Sadly I haven't tried Philadelphia's most famous spanish tapas place yet (Amada) but I suggest next time you want a fun night out, a great date night, or are just looking for a light dinner check out Bar Ferdinand. side-note: my girlfriends and I love to go in here for a pitcher of Sangria at happy hour, it's an AWESOME deal at half-off.
(5)
Heather M.

I had heard great things about Bar Ferdinand and our experience lived up to some of our expectations and missed the mark on others. The service was very slow/absent, which was surprising because they weren't even that busy. We liked most of the dishes we ordered, but thought the portions were small for the price. The sangria tinto we had was tasty, as was the octopus, which was by far our favorite dish - perfectly cooked with a subtle, not overpowering sauce. The manchego frito was good, but the breading to cheese to foam ratio wasn't quite right. The duck was well cooked, but the fig accompianment was a bit too sweet for the pairing. The roasted mushrooms with hazelnuts got mixed reviews at our table, but I personally wasn't a huge fan. The crab croquettas were the second favorite dish we ordered and I would come back for these as well. Overall, an enjoyable experience and I'll probably be back.
(3)
P. S.

The menu seems tasty, the food is not. Add to that the tiniest portions, and there's little value to be had here.
(1)
Faye S.

Good, solid 4 stars. Amada is still my first choice for tapas in the city, but this is a really good substitution for an expensive dinner out. A group of 7 of us decided to order 2 items each, and our waiter was looking out for us and recommended we get 2 orders of each item. That way, everyone could have a bite. AWESOME advice, btw. Our table was happily full at the end of the meal, and the food was divvied up well based on who liked and didn't like what. We ordered (that I can remember): - Seared duck hearts. WOW. I was a little apprehensive to try this, but it was marinated very well and tasted like beef but felt like a chicken gizzard. - Vegetariano sandwich. I was surprised at how good this was. - Manchego frito. The cheese was good, especially paired with the frozen apple foam, but separately, the foam was WEIRD. Like...a piece of styrofoam almost. A pretty yummy piece of styrofoam. - Monkfish with pork belly. A little salty...wasn't one of my favorites but it was okay. - Crab croquette. A little salty as well. I'm usually a big crab fan but this just didn't do it for me. - Chicken livers with apple puree. By itself, the livers were a little on the iron-tasting side. With the apple, AMAZING. Perfectly balanced out the iron taste. - Grilled filet mignon with pistachio pesto. I liked the filet (cooked rare) but didn't care much for the pesto. I'm not a pistachio fan, so that's probably why. - Sherry braised lamb with mashed potatoes and breadcrumbs. I normally do not like lamb, but this was good! The aftertaste wasn't so strong. I could only handle a few bites, though. -Mussels with hazelnuts. I don't know what else was in this, but it was amazing and we couldn't stop dipping stuff in the sauce. - Skirt steak with egg and truffle. I could barely taste the truffle in this, but it let the flavors of the egg and rare steak though. YUM! For dessert, we got churros, leche frita, flan, and panna cotta. The churros were definitely my favorite. If I'm in the neighborhood (ahem, getting my nails done at Genesis Nails a block away), I'd come back, but I wouldn't make the trip from Center City.
(4)
BC L.

Love this tapas place! I've been here several times. Never been disappointed!
(4)
Gertrude B.

The first night I went it was magical. My mate and I were blown away by the wonderful plates, great wine list, and delicious liqueurs. Our waiter (forget his name, but he had curly blonde hair) was EXCELLENT. Not too intrusive, very knowledgeable, and just the right amount of laid back. Then, it changed. Every time I went, holding on to this memory and craving more of it, it was worse and worse. When did servers forget that they work for tips? When did bartenders morph into cheesy hipster dudes too cool to look at you let alone talk to you (I waited 4 minutes at an empty bar for a drink while he talked to a cook). It's really sad, but I feel I've lost this one for good. Au Revoir.
(2)
Rob S.

Our first impression was some slow service as it took well over 20 minutes once we were seated to get drinks ordered... However, once the food was ordered it came fast and the waitress seemed to be a bit more attentive. Everything was good but the standouts were the stuffed dates and the filet skewer with pistachio pesto. The tuna cebiche was good but did seem to leave a little to be desired compared to some of the amazing cebiche I have tried in Peru. I'm just nitpicking though. Pricy experience but I guess that's what happens with excellent tapas! Oh, and a good beer and wine list (and sangrias, cocktails, etc.). If we hadn't had a frustrating wait at the start our experience may have been 5 stars.
(4)
John P.

This place is ok in my book. I was here the other night for my sisters Bday party. We managed to run the bill to 400 bucks between the 12 of us, but we all had a damn good time. I was feeling rather adventurous so I tried a plate of duck hearts to quench my curiousity. They had a slight chewiness to them, but a good flavor. I felt like a civilized Bear Grylis. I also got the Monkfish with porkbelly skewer. That was amazing. My friend was telling me how the pork belly reminded him of foie gras a bit. He had gotten some baked cheese which blew my mind. My girlfriend had ordered this zucchini dish which was staggeringly awesome. But the the very best thing I got was this cured pork dish. It was very similar to prosciutto, but it was soft, sweet and buttery and oh so delicious. I need to find a wholesaler of this stuff. Oh yea Decor is pretty swell. I would give this place 5 stars but the last time I was here me and my sister gave them 2 credit cards to split the bill and they took my card and charged me twice instead of charging her. I'm willing to forgive them of course, but it did put me through a hassle. But that is no reason to not come back. The food here is amazing, and I always have a great time. I recommend you check it out.
(4)
C K.

Great food and ambiance. Got the fillet skewers which were good. The skirt steak with egg and truffles were magnificent. Very delicious. We also had the shrimp with garlic sauce which was good- fresh and delicious shrimp and very tasty. The tomato bread with salt and garlic was also very tasty. For dessert, the churros with chocolate were great. Crispy yet moist churros and perfectly melted dark chocolate for dipping.
(5)
Liz Y.

Ambiance: Bar Ferdinand is one of the cutest restaurants I've been to in Philadelphia. The outdoor seating was nice although Philadelphia can get quite humid and hot in the summer. The outdoor area is bustling with locals, kids, and dogs. Be sure to make reservations because indoor seating can get completely filled on the weekends. Very nice lighting with strings of small lights above connecting the two buildings. Drinks: The Sangria was great. Make sure you go between 5-7pm to get 1/2 off sangria and other happy hour deals on Mondays - Fridays. We got there at 7:30 on a Friday night and missed out on the great deal. The pitcher will give you about 5 small glasses. Tapas: Between the two of us we ordered 6 tapas and were very full. Codorinz Crujiente Con Miel - Crispy quail, arugula & spinach, Cabrales cheese, honey vinaigrette -DELICIOUS but could do without the quail! The honey vinaigrette was awesome. it combined well with the cheese. The quail was salty. I'm not sure if it was supposed to be to create a more intense flavor in contrast to the sweetness of the dressing. I am not a fan of having to pick out the small bones of the quail. Filete A La Parilla - Grilled marinated filet mignon, pistachio pesto -The meat was very tender and soft. The sauce was VERY good. Try to get as much sauce on each bite! Cerdo Frito - Slowly fried pork, Mahon cheese, mustard, roasted peppers & onions -One of my favorite tapas of the night. The pork was really tender, almost a cheesesteak meat consistency, with just the right amount of crispiness. This created a great foundation for the mustard with tiny mustard seeds, roasted red peppers, cheese and onions. Fried Calamari -nothing special. It's difficult to judge calamari since it's so common and some restaurants have a perfected recipe for it. Not mind-blowing or anything here. Chorizo Del Pulpo - Seared octopus 'medallions', roasted potato, charred radicchio, chorizo, Guindilla peppers, smoked paprika vinaigrette -My least favorite dish of the night. I am accustomed to chewy, meaty, and tender octopus. The octopus "medallion" was tender (like a well done lima bean) on some parts of the medallion and mushy on others (like the consistency of roasted garlic). The smoked paprika COMPLETELY overpowered the flavor. I disliked it so much after one bite I sent it back and had it taken off my bill. In my opinion, one of the delights of octopus is the texture itself which was lacking in this dish. Montadillo De Costilla - Braised beef short rib, English peas, rice, pea shoot salad -When had this dish, it was served on mashed potatoes which were EXTREMELY salty. However, the meat itself was perfectly cooked. The meat just melts in your mouth. I believe the sauce had some pomegranate in it which was surprisingly delicious coming to a harmonious balance with the savory seasoning on the meat itself. Just don't eat the mashed potatoes. Service: Very friendly and nice, but extremely slow and perhaps understaffed. I witnessed a table getting up and leaving because they still didn't get their drinks after 20 minutes. If you go to Bar Ferdinand during peak hours, make sure you have a lot of time to wait for food, drinks, and your waiter/waitress. Don't forget to bring your patience.
(3)
Ashley A.

Good beer and wine selection...have been there for a few birthdays and the filet skewers and duck confit are always really good...I love mediterranean food, so it's hard for me to criticize.
(4)

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Address : 1030 N 2nd St
Philadelphia, PA, 19123
Phone (215) 923-1313
Website https://www.barferdinand.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :4:30 pm - 12:00pm

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Romantic
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : Yes
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

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Bar Ferdinand

1030 N 2nd St, Philadelphia, PA, 19123

Bar Ferdinand Menu

Charcuterie and Cheese

Tapas

Mids

Raciones

Paella Valenciana

Healthy Meal suggestions for Bar Ferdinand

Charcuterie and Cheese

Tapas

Mids

Raciones

Paella Valenciana

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