Tendenza

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

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

Great atmosphere, stellar menu, the staff is great! Valet parking at the front door! A real asset to northern liberties!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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