Amá — Restaurant in Philadelphia

Amá Fishtown delivered one of the most memorable dining experiences we have had in recent memory. From the moment we sat down to the very last bite, everything was exceptional.

Let’s start with the drinks. The cocktails were truly standouts. The canelo was a dream, rich, smooth, and caramelly. It was so good we ordered one as our dessert just to savor it slowly. The mezcalita was smoky, balanced, and refreshing— I absolutely loved it!

Food-wise, we ordered a mix of recommendations and dishes that caught our eye. The aguachile del día was our first bite of the evening and set the bar sky high. It was vibrant, bright, and so aesthetically stunning it felt like art on a plate! The flavors were perfectly balanced, and it was a heavenly start to our meal, easily one of our top bites of the night.

We then had the wood fire Cesar, which is hands down one of the best salads we’ve ever had. The crispy masa added an unexpected and delightful crunch, and the dressing was so good it made us want to lick the plate. The fresh acidity from the lemon tied everything together in a way that was just masterful. A definitely must-order dish!

Our amazing server, Melissa, suggested the seasonal tlayuda, and it was such a win. With squash blossom, buffalo burrata, epazote pesto, and tomatillo, it was fresh, flavorful, and bright. The kind of dish that makes you pause mid bite and just smile. Every component sang in harmony.

For our main, we shared the tikin xic, and it was both impressive and satisfying. The fish was perfectly cooked, light, juicy, and deboned for easy sharing. We especially loved building our own tacos with the accompanying tortillas, which were tender and fresh.

We ended the meal with the churros, which we absolutely scarfed down. Crispy, warm, and comforting, exactly what you want in a dessert.

A huge shoutout to our server Melissa, who was truly the star of the evening. Her warmth, humor, and in depth knowledge of the menu made all the difference. She guided us to the “must haves” and did so in a way that felt like chatting with a friend who just happens to know great food. Her passion and attentiveness elevated our entire experience. You’ll definitely want to sit in her section if you visit!

Only one downside to mention, the noise level. We arrived early and loved the peaceful, romantic vibe. But as the night progressed and the space filled with larger groups, the volume spiked. Around 7 PM, we found ourselves practically shouting to hear each other. Some acoustic adjustments would go a long way in making Amá truly perfect.

All in all, Amá Fishtown is a must visit. Incredible food, inspired cocktails, and a stellar team, especially Melissa, made our night unforgettable. We will...

This is an experience that truly proves how tainted reviews on google and social media are. After actually dining here after seeing the reviews here and copious reels and tiktoks of amazing experiences here, I am left wondering if any of you ACTUALLY dined here. Was it free? Was it paid? What was it?

My two stars are based on the creativity of the dishes, presentation and the decor of this restaurant. At no point do the taste of the dishes, portion size, the atmosphere or the service provided warrant any positive feedback.

Although we could hardly hear our waitress above the absurd volume due to the lack of partition in the space and high ceilings, we absolutely heard her when she scoffed at our simple questions. To one of which she replied "Well this is standard for FINE DINING... if you knew that" with an eye roll, as if we've never been to a restaurant in our lives. This is an upscale mid level restaurant under the EL in Philadelphia, not a Michelin star establishment in Luxembourg with embroidered napkins. Please talk to your patrons with some respect, don't make them feel small, regardless of how your night is going.

She was quite thorough through the menu, explaining that all dishes were meant to be shared and which dishes were main courses and which were appetizers. We were left confused when we chose one of the main dishes and her reply was that it was too small to be shared... We told her that we would proceed with this dish anyways and order more after if needed. She reminded us that we 'have to put in the full order now' and gave us another eye roll. Sweet.

These dishes were beautiful and inventive, however did not particularly taste inventive or flavorful. They tasted like liquid smoke. All of them.

The raw scallop appetizer, although beautiful, was essentially for ants. When this pretty little dish arrived, we found 7-8 dime sized, tasteless scallops, on top of minuscule slivers of mini-cucumbers on a mass mound of shaved ice. Thanks for...?

I'll save you the breakdown of the rest of the dishes. They just weren't it. Especially for their price point.

This restaurant is beautiful with tasteful design choices and a lot of potential. I'm sure that patrons who come here for content and social media boast really enjoy it. I hope to see more constructive feedback from patrons so that this place can actually reach its true potential and the worth of the work...

We had the most incredible dining experience in a very long time at Amá this past Saturday. Upon entering we first noticed the elegant yet comfortable ambience and once seated with the fantastic Ja our night took off! Ja is an absolute gem.. so warm, friendly and knowledgeable!

Ja walked us through menu options with ease while explaining unfamiliar ingredients, offering recommendations and brilliantly helping us decide the proper balance of small/large plates for our party of 3. He navigated the cocktail list with me and thankfully changed my mind.. Ja definitely knew better than I did what I would most enjoy. We selected CHIPS AND SALSA, AGUACHILE DEL DIA (BLUEFIN OTORO), MILPA SALAD, WOOD FIRED CAESAR, CAMARONES ZARANDEADO, SWORDFISH TACO, CARNE ASADA and the TRES LECHES for dessert. Every dish brought explosions of flavor while perfectly balanced and wildly impressive, just perfect. We appreciated that as each dish was presented, a team member explained the inspiration, best way to pair/enjoy, etc. These tips were very helpful to properly enjoy and appreciate our delectable spread! Our dessert was simple yet indulgent and the vanilla cream atop was both delicious, rich and beautifully presented. Honestly, how can one little dessert bring so much enjoyment that I lifted the bowl to my face and enjoyed the last little bit of sauce. Yes, that happened.. I definitely drank from a bowl in public.

Our night was completed with a peek in the immaculate kitchen hosting both an exciting smoking grill and an endearing family tribute. At the height of a Saturday night rush with a packed house, Chef Frankie and his team took time to greet and sincerely connect with us which elevated our already spectacular visit. An opportunity like this is rare so we were both humbled and wildly appreciative for the insight and generosity of the entire Amá team.

Thank you, thank you and thank you again to Ja, Stephen, Frankie and the entire team for such a memorable night that we will speak about for...