alma de cuba

fantastic. great mojitos, get the el jefe!foodwas delicious and the service was great. couldn't have asked for a better first-time cuban experience

this is for a series of posts for stephen starr restaurants including: alma de cuba , barclay prime, butcher and singer , continental midtown & martini bar , the dandelion , el vez , jones , parc , pizzeria stella , route 6 [1] , route 6 [2] , & square burger . stephen starr is clearly a dominant force in the philly restaurant scene. and so it's not surprising that he brought in chef douglas rodriguez to be one of the pillars of the empire, as ec at alma de cuba . raised in miami to cuban-born parents, chef rodriguez won a slew of awards in the 80's and 90's, with newsweek selecting him as one of 100 americans that would influence the millennium. designated as a super chef who made latinfoodhaute, he also won a james beard award for rising star. but perhaps more prominent to contemporary foodies, he is the chef-mentor who brought eventual iron chef jose garces to philly. i first dined at alma de cuba a year ago, after the weight of a michigan christmas's week of meals. the gf and i decided to do a sampling of some of the smaller tastes from chef rodriguez. it wasn't too packed when we stopped by before an 8pm showing of elf at the walnut street theater. we were on the 3rd floor, which was more of a private space. bread service chimichurri fresh pandebono was on offer, delightfully crisp and sweet on the outside with some yeasty cheesiness within. the cl

fantastic meal

we tried this restaurant based on other reviews and it was fantastic! thefoodand service were excellent. there was also a great selection of cocktails. the ambiance and service were spot on, but thefoodwas amazing, freshly prepared and large portions. i would definitely go back when in the area.

i've been here a few times, and the first couple times thefoodwas amazing! but the last few times i have gone, not so much. once i had to send thefoodback (which i never do) and the other i was just sorely disappointed. the ambiance is great, the smells and the staff are impeccable but thefoodseems to be falling short of the mark lately. not impressed anymore..

wonderful, spectacular, delicious, everything i could have wanted and more!!. beautiful old building delightfully restored to a modern chic oasis. the atmosphere was dark, exciting, classy, but not stuffy or pretentious. waitstaff were amazing, gave great recommendations onfoodand beverage choices. we got the pork ropa vieja tacos as an appetizer and they were amazing. i ordered the vaca frita as my entree and everyone loved it! it's not cheap, especially if you're ordering drinks and appetizers, but everything is well worth the price!! i highly recommend---in fact, i'm going to take my future husband there the day after we get married next month!!

cool spot. loved the ambiance!foodwas great, nothing special, but not disappointed. have to get the cuban cigar dessert. dylan was a good waiter. i'd come back.

excellent but pricey. we recently went for the first time.foodand service was excellent but the prices on urbanspoon were a little low. $50 a person would be about the minimum that you will get away with.
good for a special occasion.

excellentfoodand atmosphere. an excellent experience all round - interesting and unusual twists on some traditional latin plates.

fabulous. the bestfoodwe had in philly. the atmosphere is intriguing and inviting. the service was superb. but you come for the food, and alma delivers. every dish we had was unique and memorable. try the date appetizer and the old fashioned with cigar bitters

love the food. the service was slow, which is nice to group of friends chatting all night while having dinner but not for ppl on business trips who just want to enjoy and experience the food. not a native cuban so i can't say if thefoodis authentic enough but everything was delicious!!!

great food. eaten here 3 times and thefoodwas great service was good and the drinks were good too.

amazing!. wow! love...love ...this place! we hosted an engagement party for 40 to 50 people at this restaurant. service was right on!foodwas unique and wonderful! we had the private room on the third floor...luckily no one needed an elevator...not sure they even had one. we had all kinds of appetizers and main dishes. everything was served family style. every dish was served beautifully and hot. not sure which was my favorite because everything was delicious and different. the entire dining experience was above expectations! i found it to be very reasonably priced for a city dining experience. service and quality of thefoodwas worth every cent.

stephen starr has to be one of my favorite restaurateurs. as the owner of buddakan on 16th street he has been able to combine outstanding decor and ambiance with impeccablefood(something that a lot of restaurants can't seem to do). so since i was in phi

best cuban/latinfoodin philly. like ceviche? have it at alma where at any given time there are 8 to choose from. the soups are perfect and are served in generous portions. all thefoodis superb. what is really great about is that those with an adventurous palate can really enjoy some great ingredients while their more traditional dining companions have plenty to choose from as well. everyone raves about the chocolate cigar dessert...and rightfully so -- but the tapioca with a guava bar "hermit" is to die for

we recommend alma de cuba, a modern cuban place west of city hall. greatfoodruns from olde city against the river through center city along chestnut, walnut and sansom. but we can't take ourselves away from alma de cuba. beautiful, dim atmosphere. delic