Jamonera

Went here this past weekend and my expectations were far surpassed! It is a very small place with an intimate atmosphere, perfect for a date or special occasion. We ordered some wine, cocktails, and the bacon-​wrapped dates to start off. I was hesitant to try the bacon-​wrapped dates because I had never eaten dates before, so I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious they were! For our main course, we ordered the seared scallops with fennel pork sausage and the ricotta stuffed meatballs. Once again, I was floored by how decadent and flavorful everything was. I highly recommend this place and can’t wait to come back!

This is a special, special place. Can’t tell if I got my check-​in but believe me I was there and have my bottle of El Cojonudo to prove it (now my favorite sauce in the whole word, nay — my friend, my secret lover… I have never felt this way about hot sauce. But I digress…)
I thought I knew tapas (been to Barcelona and everything) but Jamonera goes with «Raciones» which I found are a bit different. In short, the dishes are little bit bigger (and inherently you share… not my strong point ;-7). But, not big enough to deter me from strapping on the food bag and going to town. Until Gabriel stepped in and recommended just about 3 choices, no more. For my girlfriend and I. To share.
Huh, well — okay.
How about Grilled Skirt Steak, Fava Croquetas, Papa Frita and we’ll hedge and go one more with the Paella (seafood). Gabriel acquiesced and left to make delicious things happen.
I sipped the Rose Cava (okay…more than 1… we’re walking and Über-​ing the town this particular weekend — all good). Then my new friend El Cojonudo (sherry vinegar hot sauce) came into my life at this moment. Probably along with the Papa Frita. It’s all a blur.
You don’t care what I think of the dishes I’m sure so I’ll just go ahead an sum it up by saying they are unrivaled. Best damn pint-​sized paella (relatively speaking… it’s not small but I’ve also had this dish served to us in a 17″ cast iron skillet… so a human-​sized portion is probably the best way to describe it) this side of the Atlantic if I do say so myself. And Gabriel was RIGHT — listen to the man. He is your expert guide at Jamonera (although I’m sure everybody else on staff is swell too). Keep the selection down (and your phone down… I see you — stop it and have a real conversation here… it’s such a part of the experience)…and thoroughly enjoy your plates. You won’t be rushed. Then as a reward for good behavior get the Jamonera Sundae. This thing is so tasty it could ruin relationships (or at the least start a noisy spoon fight in the jar as you jockey for the next bite).
Such an upscale and cozy design inside. Authentic. No gimmicks. Smiling faces. Seating on the sidewalk too but I have to say no matter the time of year I’d rather be inside.
MAKE A RESERVATION — DON’T KID YOURSELF. LIFE IS GOOD AFTER THAT… and get yourself your own bottle of El Cojonudo. Just sayin.

Went here on a whim from a local’s recommendation and am so happy we did! Cool, intimate spot with impeccable interior design. The food was wonderful. The papas fritas were crispy and decked out with an incredible aioli and sherry vinaigrette that my partner could not get enough of. We also tried the eggplant fries which were perfectly crispy and truly unique. Now for the star of the show — the seafood paella. This paella was better then any I have tried in Barcelona. The clams, mussels, and shrimp were perfectly cooked and the rice was crisp with a perfectly smooth tomato sauce. We cannot wait to go again!

Good food and nice experience. Came here for the $ 40 tapas Sunday evening tasting menu and we were not disappointed. 10 different dishes and all quite good. Standouts were the goat cheese salad, clams, ramps, rice, and the tiny portion of Serano ham. A bit disappointing were the fried potatoes, which were way overdone. Overall the dinner was heavy on starches and light on those delicious Spanish cured meats. I suspect that cost of ingredients goes into this. Though the two seafood dishes were quite nice.
It was definitely enough food to fill a hungry man, which is not always the case with these types of tasting menus. We ordered dessert, which is not included in the $ 40 price, but probably should have skipped that because it was more food than I really wanted. The desserts were quite good by the way.
The atmosphere is warm and enjoyable. The service was OK, not great — I think the fact that most tables were getting the tasting menu with 10 different dishes makes this incredibly busy for the wait staff, and that showed a bit.
Overall it was a delightful meal. However for top rate Spanish tapas, the tasting menu at Jose Garces’ Tinto is way superior. A much deeper range of quality ingredients, but of course that is reflected in the price tag which is $ 15 higher there. Although it is available every day not just on Sundays like the tasting menu here.

After trying 7 different dishes ar this place I am pretty comfortable making the judgment call thwt is is awful. The prices are crazy not only for the size of the tapas but also for the flavor (or lack thereof).

Very nice little place! Stopped for drinks and the staff was fantastic! Nice beer and wine selection and food looked great. Next time in the city my wife and I will try this place.

Jamonera is this little, super cool restaurant that I have pretty strong feelings for. It could be love, I’m not sure, but there’s definitely some lust there. The décor is dark and intimate; with a long bar and a few small tables here and there, this place invites those seeking an intimate date setting or a small group of friends looking to talk for hours over excellent tapas and drink.
You’ll have to forgive my romanticism but having been to Spain a few years ago, this place takes me back. Their tapas, especially the Jamon Iberico and Spanish Breakfast Bite, stand up to what I had abroad (the prices however, do not) and the ambiance transports me. I’ve been to a few other tapas places in Philadelphia and they do not compare. Jamonera is great for ordering a few of the tapas and sharing with your date or small group of friends. The vegetable tapas board is especially suited to this type of shared meal, giving you a taste of a few things. The portion size isn’t terribly large and it can get pricey so I wouldn’t recommend this place if you’re looking to fill your belly, but rather for a lighter, casual meal.
The servers were friendly and quick to answer questions or refill your drink. If you sit at the bar the bartender is eager to give food and/​or drink suggestions. They run specials on some nights and have a tapas happy hour that I would recommend if you’re not quite sold yet. I definitely recommend giving Jamonera a visit.
Also, go to Spain if you can, it’s fantastic.

What a great experience. Reminded me of NYC– the atmosphere and the food were on-​par with a hot/​intimate date night! We came here before seeing the orchestra. We were careful with the drinks because they were pricey– but wow they were delicious! The tapas were sooooo yummy. We literally licked the plates clean. We ate all three tapas plates like chopped chefs… This is what it took to pretend there was anything bad to say about the food. Service was outstanding and it was the perfect Saturday night city experience!

Thank you to our waiter Nick for a great first experience. We surprised my friend for her birthday on Wednesday night and I had made a reservation on OpenTable a few days prior for 8:15. My friends came at 7:30 & they told us we could get bumped up to 8pm. Unfortunately they could fall through with that and even went beyond our original time. However these things happen when the previous parties are having too much fun.
We were seated by 8:30 and our waiter was not pushy about the wine prefix which I appreciated. We did end up ordering an item under every category minus the cheese plate so we got to sample a great portion. We got the Spanish breakfast bite, the figs & dates, Brussels sprouts, meatballs, seafood paella & grilled octopus.
The Spanish bite: yummy and flavorful. Comes with 2 so it’s meant to be shared
Figs&dates: sweet and tasty for those who love fruits
Brussels sprouts: you can definitely taste the smoky flavor but you can enjoy it without the the charred texture (which other restaurants complete blacken it lol)
Meatballs: the cheese in the middle was fantastic but it was too «herby» for me… not a huge fan
Seafood paella– very very tasty and flavorful — any more salt would have been too much so this was just enough
Grilled octopus — chewy and well cooked
These items are best when shared ! It was also a nice touch when he brought out a sherbet with a candle for my friend — thank you for thinking ahead and making the night so seamless.
It’s very loud and the ambience is trendy — a good place for a night out!

Found this place on a walk during a spur of the moment trip to Philly. I’m a big fan of Spanish food in general, and Catalonian food in particular. It’s not possible to tell you how great the food was! The Crispy Calaspara rice was spectacular. The Jamon Iberico was just right, and there was a fig and spicy sausage small plate that will curl your toes.
Tip: make a reservation, this place was packed!

Not impressed. Service was terrible. Came in with a group of friends for my birthday (happy hour) and ok I’ll admit our group was larger than expected and we were probably a lot louder than they would have liked but come on, we’re celebrating here and we’re bringing you business.
Anyway, the bartenders were not friendly they took so long just to get a round of drinks to us and we were sitting right at the bar! The wait time was ridiculous between each round but at least I was in good company!
Also, the bartender just opened like a general tab and let us continuously order and then at the end tried to figure out what everyone ordered to separate the checks. Well everyone paid for exactly what they ordered but then there was somehow 6 unpaid drinks left on the tab… this made no sense to us. Not really sure why the bartender would choose to have a tab like this just to complicate things for everyone involved at the end. When we tried opening our own tabs at the beginning for each person he wasn’t having it.
Overall, fine you can ignore this if you’re saying my experience was an isolated incident, but honestly I was there with about 10 – 12 people and everyone was in agreement that the service was pretty terrible and the bartenders were extremely rude.
Won’t be coming back!

I found this place by accident last year when I was in Philadelphia. I remembered it as great; I was wrong. It is AWESOME.
Don’t know if I should start with the staff– Adam, Nick and Dillon who made me feel welcome and special and who know anything there is to know about the menu.
Or maybe I should start with the sangria — red or white, kept alternating to decide which was better — both.
And the food. Best Tappas anywhere — including Spain! Had the tortilla espanola as an appetizer and a repeat from last year, the Paella Vegetariano.
Located behind Wanamaker Building (Macy’s).
Highly recommended.

Love the croquettes and the drinks (the old fashioned and Bizet) are the best. We come here again and again just to sit at their gorgeous bar. Love love love the food and the service here .
I love how attentive the staff is! Although it is a small place, they have used it very well.

Very small, cool, and great atmosphere. We had brussels sprouts, mushroom flat bread, grilled octopus and stuffed meat balls. Brussels were blah, the flat bread was very good, octopus was ok and the meat balls were awesome. Our service was really good and our waitress was very friendly and informative. We finished our night with a sundae dessert which was great. We really enjoyed our small plate dinner and was reasonably priced. Look forward to com

I can’t even put into words how wonderful my experience was here, but I’ll try!
First, we were a part of 3 without a reservation (we tried getting one but they were booked and I went anyway hoping they had left room for walk-​ins). We waited about 40 minutes before being seated but enjoyed an appetizer and drinks at the bar. The service was EXCELLENT from beginning to end. The host, Adam, was friendly and relaxed and did his best to get us a table in the crowded restaurant. The bar staff was also kind, and made great recommendations. Our sever, Madeline, was fantastic. She was chill and sweet, and we never had to ask for anything as she was always on top of it. The busser was there to clear away and re-​mis the table asap.
Now. for the good part. the FOOD! This was easily the best meal I’ve had in a long time. We had the Chef’s board (meat and cheese with accompaniments. need I say more?) crispy eggplant fries (omg) figs and chorizo (incredible) the best brussel sprouts I’ve ever eaten in my life, a salad with fried goat cheese (yes, fried. goat. cheese.), Gambas (honestly didn’t like them but everything else made me forget), scallops that I can’s stop thinking about, the world’s greatest bread pudding (and I didn’t even think I liked bread pudding) and the most ridiculous, outrageous, perfectly delicious brownie sundae the world has to offer. Did I mention they also serve La Columbe coffee??!
I can’t wait to go back.

I went on a Saturday evening with a group of 6 without a reservation. I would like to applaud Jamonera for the way they handled my intoxicated friends (result of day drinking). The service was excellent and they didn’t seem to get annoyed with how loud my friends were being (most places get super annoyed).
Food: So delicious! The cheese board stood out in my mind. I live 5 min from this place and I can’t believe I hadn’t been before! it is a bit pricy though. They have great veg options!

Really happy I made it into this place. I stopped in with my group on the earlier side on a Friday night since we were seeing a show, so it wasn’t too crowded yet and we were seated for our early bird special reservation ;) right away.
We ordered a great bottle of red wine, lots of Spanish options to choose from, although I did note that they were all on the expensive side.
Then the table just ordered about 8 plates to share ranging from the octopus to a cheese plate and a meat plate and manchego stuffed meatballs (yesss they were awesome). They came out at the right times giving us time in between to digest before the next great plate was brought out. All in all a spot to definitely check out in Philly!

After having an amazing experience at Barbuzzo, the next logical thing to do would be to dine at one of their sister restaurants, so to Jamonera we went!
All the food was really good (as if that’s a surprise). We ordered:
— Papas fritas (happy hour)
— Manchego croquetas (happy hour)
— Gambas
— Seafood paella
— Brussel sprouts
— Huevos sucio
— Churros for dessert
— Pear sorbet, also for dessert
I took a look at their online menu to see if I could refresh my memory on some of these dishes, but I couldn’t find everything which leads me to believe that their menu changes.
Also, we all fell in love with the hot sauce (or officially referred to as the Jamonera Sherry Vinegar Hot Sauce). We might or might not have bought four bottles to bring back to California with us.

My wife and I came here during their $ 35/​pp appetizer and paella special on a Monday night. It comes with 3 apps to share, choice of paella and red or white sangria.
The apps included shaved salad of Brussels sprouts, cheese, green apples and grapes. We were pleasantly surprised as it tastes much better than it sounds. Also came with croquetas which were fried cheese balls on a bed of hummus and topped with mushroom sauce. My wife really enjoyed them. Last of the apps were the papas fritas, which were potato wedges topped with a creamy, aioli sauce. Can’t go wrong with fried potatoes!
For the entrée, we opted for the mixta, which included pork belly, chicken, mussels and sausage with the flavored rice. It was good but the portion was small. The chicken was pan fried and slightly dry for our likening. Also my wife did not enjoy chopping up the bone-​in chicken thigh.
Overall it wasn’t a bad deal per person. It was our first time there and would likely return to try their other items. Another solid place by Marcie Turney & Valerie Safran.

I went to Jamonera excited because a good friend recommended the place. I was not impressed with the menu or ambiance. The menu was small and very limited. The restaurant seemed overcrowded due to the limited space. The tables were too close together and there was no sense of privacy.
Tapas and small plates can be filling and rewarding but that wasn’t the case her. The wait staff encouraged ordering 6 – 8 small plates to share, now I know why. We tried the papas fritas, skirt steak, manchego stuffed meatballs, grilled spare ribs and a paella dish. The papas fritas were the best thing we ordered, they were crisp and flavorful. The steak was tough, the meatballs were a little salty and the ribs were too dry.
While this was a new experience, I knew that I would not go through the doors here again, for this was not appealing to my taste buds.