Oloroso Reviews

Finally made it out to Oloroso and was blown away by the food and ambiance. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and the staff are friendly and eager to provide menu suggestions. The food and portions are spot on as well. We will definitely be back again soon! The fo

We enjoyed a wonderful dinner at an outside table. The menu is perfect for sharing delicious morsels of interesting flavors. Cocktails were great. Wine selection was nice. I would definitely go back if in the area.

This tapas restaurant has lots to offer so choose wisely. The steak dish and pork meatballs were the best-- tasty and well prepared; mushrooms and eggplant were disappointing. The cod was delicious but the 3 tiny balls were pricey for the dish. The small serving of paella featured very small clams and a few shrimp and chicken pieces and slivers of chorizo buried in lots of rice. Drinks were fine as was service. There is room for improvement.

Oloroso is the newest restaurant located in the midtown village/Jefferson Hospital area of downtown Philadelphia. Oloroso shares the culinary landscape with several below average Irish bars serving below average pub-grub. Finally a restaurant has opened that is the answer to my culinary dreams. Oloroso offers an ever changing menu of tapas, Paella and other seasonal dishes. My companion and I really enjoyed everything including the great wine selection and well made cocktails. The atmosphere is warm and cozy with a beautiful bar and seating areas. I would definitely recommend this wonderful restaurant!

We had a very delicious pre-theater meal at Olorosa. We shared the 8 dishes and each one was excellent. Despite the influx of theater goers service was efficient. They also cooked my food separately because of my shellfish allergy! An example of the tasty choices my husband and I shared are pictured here- Endive salad, blistered peppers, grilled octopus with chorizo and chick peas, grilled pork belly, calamari friti, patatas bravas, churros with chocolate dipping sauce and an amazing toffee like pudding.

We came here on a Wednesday evening for dinner. First of all we must praise our server, Meghan A. She was very helpful and knowledgeable throughout dinner. For opening drinks we had the “One for the Money” cocktail. It was very refreshing although the pour could have been a little better. For small plates we ordered 1) octopus loo Rosa which was very good. For $17.00 it was pricey for the amount of food that you get, but tender and flavorful all the same. 2) escargot were excellent 3) Bacala croquettes were ok. My husband liked them more than I did. They come three to an order and are golf ball sized. 4) pork belly and clams - these were very spicy but good. We had a sparkling rose with dinner that was excellent. After all that food we were stuffed and could not do dessert unfortunately. We have already picked out our dishes for the next visit.

There was a lot to love about Oloroso. The tapas choices were plentiful and many tasted just as we remembered from our many trips to Barcelona. Especially good was the braised pork in milk and the croquettes. The one dish that fell short was the charred eggplant. There was an unusual spice on it that none of us could identify and it just didn't appeal to us. Creme caramel for dessert was yummy, too. There is a good wine selection but the drinks were pricey.

Spanish food, especially tapas, is a family favourite of ours, including our pre-teens daughters. Sadly, in Bucks County where we live, there isn’t even a hint of authentic Spanish food. So, between Christmas and New Year we head down into Philly for a visit and were so thrilled to make a booking at Oloroso for dinner. This is very authentic Spanish tapas and so full of options, all of which are immensely flavoursome. We had a mix of meat, seafood and vegetable tapas and quite simply, they were all superb. But the octopus stood out for me. It’s centrally located in all the action of Philly and we can’t wait for our next trip into town because we know where dinner will be - Oloroso!

A short walk from Marriott Downtown, my party of four walked right past Oloroso because the signage was hard to see when they had the doors and windows open for outdoor dining. As others have stated, the location is very convenient to the theater now showing Hamilton. We still arrived early and were seated early. Requested outdoor dining which they accommodated. The four of us ordered many different dishes mostly using a $35 pre-theater menu. My shrimp tapas was delicious. My friend had a chorizo dish that was the best chorizo I've ever had. A pitcher of sangria went very nicely with the meal!

Started at the bar with an excellent cocktail. Like Townsend, cocktails are a true art here. Moved to a table on the upper level where we watched the crowd grow as we enjoyed a glass of the cask sherry with tapas and entrees, all good with the most notable being the grilled octopus with chorizo and harissa. Excellent wines.

We're always looking for tapas, so we decided to try Oloroso. Our visit preceded a show at the Forrest Theater, conveniently located right across the street. Rather than the 3-course pre-theater menu, we ordered ala carte. We ordered six dishes for three of us. This gave us a wider variety of choices. Only the pulpo was not really enough for three.The gambas al ajillo was happily garlicy. The chorizo with large (fava) beans and shrimp was very tasty. Roasted beets had a nice flavor. A dish of sour dough bread was a nice addition. For one of us who has been trying to get patats bravas as in Spain, the dish was a letdown. The potato chunks were under fried and the aioli lacked a kick. Also the dish was not hot enough. Because it came out right away, I suspect as one of the pre-theater selections, it had been sitting around awhile. Churros and coffee were a nice finale.

Another example of delicious cultural food being bastardized. The drinks were very overpriced. We ordered the Bacalao Croquetas, which was three balls. Taste-wise, they were yummy fish sticks with a smidge of aioli. Texture-wise, they are lumpy and made me feel as if I was eating ground raw fish. Super overpriced dish. The menu is quite limited.

I stumbled over this place by accident at lunch time and what a pleasent surprise! For 20$ you get to choose one entre, two main and one dessert. All is tapas style and very tasty. The place got quickly filled up so a reservation is recommended!

First off, the food was amazing and the service fantastic which makes the rest such a shame. 1. If you make an 8:30 reservation DO NOT choose the 5 course option or chefs choice. You will not have time to fully enjoy the experience. We weren't even at desert when the place was empty and everyone was cleaning up around us and the bartender left. The music got louder and we were told that if we were uncomfortable we could wrap up the final courses to go. If at the end you still plan going. Keep your choices Ala carte and not so many. 2. We get the bill. Now like most trusting people who aren't expecting to get ripped off we would have just paid but because our server forgot to add our bottle of wine (no problem, these things happen) I decided to look at the check to make sure the rest was right. First thing I see is the beverage tax. In Philly the beverage tax is applied to sweet drinks and energy drinks NOT alcoholic drinks. We did not have what the tax is intended for. We were also charged an $8 credit card fee. With this one-how did they know I'd use a charge card? What if I paid with cash. That aside I did use a DEBIT card. A debit card is the same as cash and cannot be charged a fee. We even googled these things when speaking to the manager to say hey, we're not making this up! When you say to a manager "you're taxing us twice for the bottle of wine?" and he says "YES", there's a problem. He even removed the beverage tax. (The manager was great and unless the owner would prefer he lied and look stupid, he did his job) at this point I wasn't going to argue the credit card charge, though he was aware that it was wrong, these people don't make the big money and wanted to go home. This is a Townsend Wentz restaurant. We have eaten at Townsend as well as Amano. We couldn't recall if these charges were applied there in the underhanded way they were applied here but again, we're people who trust and don't expect to get ripped off. I'm thinking the owners are putting their bets on that. Honestly, of the many, many restaurants we have dined at in Philly, this was a first. My son-in-law is a chef and restaurant owner. He'd never risk his reputation by putting a beverage tax on alcohol served or charge the customer $8 for the use of a debit card (let alone put it on the bill before knowing how the customer is paying). Yes, the food and service was fantastic, so if you're ok with $25 in taxes-the majority of which should NOT be charged-and the knowledge you're being taken advantage of...Townsend Wentz will give you that.

Service is slow and aloof. Saw my somewhat knowledgeable server only at the beginning and the end of our meal. No interest in if we were enjoying or needing anything during service. Pace of food was good and considerate, despite being brought out by many others. Food is good and very traditional, some need more work than others. Eggplant was an interesting idea, but poorly executed as all you could taste was the 1/2" of black char on the food...overpowering. Paella for two was bland with a whisper of saffron and few pieces of seafood. Not visually appealing, very brown looking. Not worth the $$.The groups other restaurants in town are much better.

We were treated to dinner at Oloroso for our anniversary and it was a great night. The cocktails were fantastic: Barrameda Highball, Nautical Knot and New Situation were all delicious. For tapas and dinner, we had: 5 of the Charcuteria (all great), the Squid Ink Rice (I loved), Boquerones (they loved) and the Setas con Ajo Negro (Ed loved). For entrées: Roasted Half Pig’s Head (they loved) and the wood grilled Branzino (I loved). The pig came with the Blistered Peppers and the Patatas Bravas. Everything was perfectly cooked, beautifully plated and presented and scrummy! For dessert, we had the Vanilla Supreme, Berries with sherry and cream and the olive oil cake – all delicious and we were given the churros and a celebratory Moscatel as well. Mehgan was our delightful and awesome server. Our party of three all individually gave Oloroso a solid 4.5 rating but since we can only rate it a 4 or a 5 we all agreed on 4 with the following notes to ponder: 1. The 5 Course Gusto menu was not available for one – since the other two were getting the Roasted Half Pig’s head which was for two, and the paella was also more for two so it left me with only 3 entrée choices of scallop, branzino or chicken. 2. We had to ask twice for one of our second cocktails. 3. We did not get coffee that we ordered with dessert – we had the moscatel so we just let it go. 4. Our host was not thrilled with our table choice as it was right next to the bar and hindered audible conversation early in the meal but as the evening went on and the bar cleared, it was fine. He felt that when he made his reservation 3 months early, he was clear in his expectation of table location. All in all, a great night with great food and service which we expected from a Townsend Wentz restaurant being avid fans of his flagship Townsend on Passyunk. However, impeccable food needs impeccable service in a higher-end restaurant with no missed notes. That said, we will be back and I will certainly update this review at that time to a 5 because I know that is where they should and could be…!

My wife and I just finished a fall foliage trip through New England and part of our plan was to visit Noah, our son in Philly. We met and dined with his student friends at Oloroso. Oloroso has several meanings but the intent of this Spanish style restaurant was to emphasize flavorful and scented. The meal proved to be quite savory, to say the least. Starting with cocktails and some appetizers was a quick hit for me. Our young graduate students were quite the one, interesting and very good hosts to their newly adopted city. The tapas continued included wine finishing with Paella Grande for all six of us. Very nice, typically boisterous atmosphere.

One of the best restaurants ever! If you enjoy flavor and creativity and great service, this place hits all the marks! The chefs choice tasting menu was fantastic!

We had an early dinner here before our show (restaurant is right across the street from the Forest Theater). Food comes out as it is ready (which is the way of Tapas restaurants). We decided to only order 5 items and than do a cheese course at the end instead of dessert. Had plenty to eat. The mushrooms were delicious and we can dipping into the sauce. Grilled octopus was one of the best we had. Started off with a draft cider which was reasonable and quite good, before finishing with a glass of wine to go with the cheese course. The only thing I wouldn't order again was the pork belly (it was good, but I've had better) as it was a bit more fat that wasn't render to my taste. If you're going to a show, let them know so they can hurry your food. Because we were early, got to sit, relax and enjoy our meal without rushing.

My husband and I were here last weekend, our reservation made long before the local paper restaurant review came out. I'm thinking it will be harder to get a reservation here now. (He gave it a very high score) We went in with some hesitation over the authenticity of the food as my husband is Spanish and I have traveled to Spain many many times over the past ten years. This is not authentic BUT it is an excellent version of Spanish style food. My husband ordered the cod croquttes, octopus and the chicken. I chose the boquerones, eggplant tagine, pork belly, and the squid ink rice. The boquerones were extremely fresh and firm with a delicate vinegar. The eggplant was a gourmet rendition of the eggplant and honey tapas I had in Southern Spain two months ago. The pork belly was full of flavor but the most flavorful dish was the squid ink rice. While the small plates are traditionally made for sharing, neither of us did much sharing that night- as we wanted these all to ourselves. My husband loved his choices especially the octopus and the chicken. We did share the churros at the end of dinner. The selection of wines was impressive. The only reason why I did not give 5 stars is the price point especially of the wines by the glass. This is not an inexpensive meal especially with drinks. But overall we were happily surprised with our experience here. Did I mention the waiter was extremely friendly and helpful. The quality of ingredients and creativity of dishes along with wonderful combinations of flavors make this a place that we will definitely return to.

Had multiple meals here because the service and the food was so amazing. Kenny the bartender was amazing as was Bo our server. We tried most of the small plates and highly recommend the Patatas Bravas, Ham & Cheese Croquettas, and Albondigas. For main courses, we had the Pork Cheek and Pork Belly. Very tasty. Their wine list is perfect for their menu. We had an amazing 2013 Daniel Ramos Zerberos Los Chorrancos El Tiemblo Garnacha to pair with the meals. We highly recommend this place.

Wonderful location for a pre-show meal. We got the theatre prix fixe meal. Unfortunately, we didn't specifically mention that we were on our way to see Hamilton and service was slow. When we noticed the time, we mentioned it, and they rushed out our desserts. I wish the pacing would have been smoother. The food was delicious and it was fun to try each others' selections around the table.

We went with another family couple on a recent trip North to visit family and they wanted to try Oloroso so we made reservations. The decor was very nice with a full bar and well-placed tables. After being seated our server came over explained a few things took our drink orders and someone else brought us water and we asked him for lemons which he said he'd bring and never did. We asked someone else and didn't get them, but final we asked our server when he came to take our food orders and the man that didn't bring them originally brought them now. If a restaurant screws up from the start they have that to overcome before anything else happens. The Sangria was OK, nothing special and we all shared the tapas. Shrimp on Shrimp which was good, Patates Bravas which was OK, Octopus which we all liked, Bomba Barcelona which was good, the Pork Belly was very good and the Hanger Steak which was very good, but small and expensive. There are many parking garages in the area so parking is not a problem and you should make reservations to be sure you get a table.

Great atmosphere, it was very busy with lots of people grabbing a pre theatre meal. We weren’t in a hurry and never felt rushed. We could see the kitchen staff working hard and efficiently. All the food was prepared with skill and attention to detail. The results were brilliant, the food was presented with care and tasted fabulous.

Let me explain my 2-star ratings by listing the pros and cons of my experience. I dined here with my girlfriend for our anniversary and it was a mixed experience for sure. Pros: the food and service (by Katie) were 5-star as both were excellent, some of the best tapas I've ever had. The entire 5-course meal was excellent. Cons: 1) If you're going to order the 5-course or chef's tasting menu DO NOT make a later reservation. We came in at 8:30, ordered the 5-course option and by our 2nd course we were the only table left and the staff was cleaning up around us making us feel very uncomfortable, like we were holding them up from closing. 2) Review your bill VERY carefully because there will be odd charges on it. First off, we were charged $70 for a bottle of wine listed for $65 on the menu. Secondly, we were charged a $13 "beverage tax" on the alcohol. When I said to the manager, "so between the sales tax and the beverage tax, you're taxing us twice on the alcohol, right?" He replied "yes". The Phila. beverage tax is intended to sweetened drinks like soda, energy drinks, etc. and is NOT intended for alcohol. We dine in Phila all the time and we've NEVER been charged such a silly charge. We were also charged $8 for using a credit card (which was already on the bill before we even paid). What if we paid with cash? When I told the manager that it's illegal to charge a fee for using a debit card and showed him proof on my phone, he merely looked at me. So we basically paid an extra $25 for nonsense after dropping $250 there. Will we go back? No we won't. As I said the meal and service were fantastic but feeling rushed when you've ordered a multi-course meal and then being nickel-and-dimed with illegal charges basically ruined an excellent meal and our anniversary dinner. This is especially disappointing given that this is a Townsend Wentz restaurant.

recently opened..noisy..but well done..tapas are good, of course ordered too much..the name of the restaurant translates to sherry of which they have a number of different ones. Brussel sprouts are great, other things that lots would not eat (tripe?) The tuna was good, the tapenade equally good...service was excellent, variety of tapas was good...so, not a entree type restaurant but if you like tapas this is a good place to enjoy them.

Walking by mid-afternoon, we were attracted by the roasted pig's head listed on the menu, something you don't see too often. As we were reading the menu posted on the window, Todd Wentz came out and offered to show us the kitchen. We were impressed by the wood-fired oven and the food prep for that evening's service and decided to come back for dinner. They were taking beautiful loaves of bread out of the oven and a nicely browned pork loin for the staff meal. I would agree with other reviews that that food and wine are quite expensive here and that it is not an authentic Spanish tapas experience like you would have in Spain. But if you go in knowing this you will have a nice experience dining on Spanish-influenced dishes and drinking wonderful Spanish wine. And you do have an opportunity to enjoy items that are not really "small plates", such as the steak and the pig's head. This restaurant is really much more upscale than the tapas places we experienced in Seville and San Sebastian where the idea is to eat little snacks with a glass of house wine standing at the bar. Service was excellent. We enjoyed sitting in the front window.

Upbeat Center City restaurant featuring Spanish cuisine. Food was priced reasonably but the wine was a bit pricey, could have been a couple cheaper selections especially by the glass. We had a couple starters including grilled octopus, strip steak and chorizo. All were very good especially the grilled octopus. We then decided to share the paella a dish of various seafood over rice which was way too salty. Even some of the starters were heavily salted. Shame that such a simple ingredient prevented an excellent review.

My husband and I came before the show Hamilton. We enjoyed a great dinner of tapas and wine. There is a pre theatre menu, but we ordered off the full menu. Everything was delicious! Nice service. I would highly recommend.

Can't decide what was our favoroite - octopus, charred eggplant, shrimp on shrimp, patatas bravas, beets, clams, black rice.... so many selections and the delicious bread. Super service mid week. Paella good but seemed a bit short on seafood for the price but we were stuffed so didn't mind so much. Do have sherry with creme caramel for dessert.

We visited Oloroso in February and really enjoyed our dinner. We sat at a high table in the back near the open kitchen and found the food to be very, very good. The best part for us was our knowledgeable server who introduced us to a variety of sherries, appropriate for all parts of the meal. Up until then, not having been to Spain, I had always regarded sherry as an after-dinner drink only. Now I can appreciate sherry in a whole new way.

What a fun experience. When confirming our reservations about a week before our dinner, we requested that a “Half Pig Head” be put aside for us. Steven, our server, was very informative as well as enjoyable to talk to. He told us about the Tasting Menu that could be added to the pig head order. This gave us an exceptionally large choice of items to sample. The only one that fell a little short of expectations were the Bacalao (salted cod) Croquetas, which we found to be on the dry side. To list all the other delicious items we tried would take up too much space! Some exceptional ones were: Squid Ink Rice/Calamari Frito, Marinated Tuna and the Little Neck Clams in Sherry. The Charcuterie board was delicious as well. The pig head was outstanding, with so much meat that we had leftovers the next day. The crispy skin was absolutely fantastic and the meat moist and tender. A server carved the entrée, pointing out pieces not to miss. Don’t let the pictures or the idea of what you are eating “freak you out” – it was delicious. So with dessert, 3 drinks, before tax & tip, the bill came to around $175. Expensive but worth the experience.

Hadn't had tapas since my trip to Spain. Food was delicious and service was outstanding. Had our two teen sons with us and they were overwhelmed with menu. So my husband and I ordered what we thought they would enjoy. They loved every dish we ordered even my son who can be a picky eater. Sophisticated restaurant but not "stuffy" at all. I will definitely be back

A cozy & comfortable Spanish influenced menu makes for a great casual dining spot. I’ve been here a few times since my first visit and have never been disappointed by the food or service. Our most recent meal concentrated heavily on vegetable starters: blistered peppers, a cauliflower dish, patatas bravas, an endive salad (fantastic!), and a mushroom flatbread. For entrees we shared a vegetable paella and the organic chicken. For dessert a creamy piece of perfection; the Basque cheesecake and an order of churros with chocolate dipping sauce. I highly recommend their Sangrias and the vermouth choices are excellent. All four of us, including one very picky eater thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Loved being seated in the booth right past the bar & would request that seat when I next return. Oloroso is a great choice for pre-performance dining. Very reasonably priced considering the quality of ingredients and the kitchen’s talents and they paced the meal to suit our schedule perfectly. You’ll be spending between $50-70 per person including tax & tip depending on alcohol consumption.

From the street it doesn’t look like very much, you might even walk past it without noticing. Make the effort to check it out. It’s worth the effort. Small plates, tapas style. Very Spanish. Be sure to try the shrimp and order the olives. If you like authentic Spanish this is the best you’ll find in the city.

We had a great experience! The atmosphere was perfect for a date night at the tail end of our travels. The service was exemplary. The food was amazing. We had wine and cocktails, charcuterie and tapas, dessert and sherry. Everything was delicious and attractively presented. Worth every penny!

Was excited to see this tapas place near our hotel, especially as my colleagues had never tried tapas before. The standards (patatas bravas, pan con tomate, croquettes) were all great. The pork belly was so good we ordered it twice. Would come back again for sure.

Based on research and reviews we made reservations at Oloroso in downtown Philadelphia. A narrow restaurant that opens up as you further back. We opted for a high top in front of the bar. Good selection of wine and beer; the former both by the glass and bottle. We shared the Bacalao Croquettes which were okay; perfectly browned but more bacalao flavor would have made them better. The Potato Tortilla was bland. The Calamari was good, the fresh anchovies were great in a nice tart vinegar sauce. The sautéed mushrooms were fresh made and tasty. The grilled Octopus was tender and simply seasoned. The Gambas were probably among top 3, due to garlic flavor, came out piping hot. There was a nice selection of cheeses although we passed. We shared the Paella which satiated our appetite; there was a reasonable amount of seafood. The NY Cheesecake closed out the evening. Dan provided solid service and recommendations.

First time for tapas , ordered varied dishes . some were excellent others so so . This is a place where you will need to try various tapas to decide which is your favorite

For our date night my husband and I decided to try Oloroso. We were excited for the tapa style dining and what sounded in the menu like creative dishes. We were horribly disappointed. Even though it was Restaurant Week we instead opted for the $65 tasting menu. Save your money. The food was one of the worst meals I have had in years. The first course was a decent meat and cheese plate. Followed by: beets in vinegar, anchovies in vinegar, cauliflower with vinegar, rib eye in mushrooms sautéed in you guessed it VINEGAR. I typically enjoy vinegar and even enjoy fermented foods. But all you tasted was vinegar. Our server asked us after the beets with vinegar and anchovies with vinegar how our food was. I told him that both dishes had a lot of vinegar. He chuckled. No changes, no I will talk to the chef... nope. Just more dishes cooked in vinegar. I could not tell you about the true quality of the ingredients because the vinegar over powered everything. We were incredibly disappointed. We literally did not touch the chicken dish, the Brussels sprouts etc because by then all we could taste was vinegar. Despite seeing so much untouched or barely touched food no one attempted to find out if there was a problem with the food or a modification that could be made. In the end, you could tell that the creator of the food was attempting to replicate what he or she thought Spanish food tasted like and completely missed the mark.

Since we were accompanying friends visiting the historic district of Philly, we decided to try nearby Oloroso for dinner. Reviews have been mixed so we approached with a few doubts. Warm greetings were reassuring---attentive staff and the sensory tease of good olive oil and garlic in the air. Some reviewers have pointed out that Oloroso has morphed from the planned tapas bar concept into a full service restaurant. I say that's a good thing. I don't think Philly really has the food traditions that can support a full tapas bar concept. (While dinner in Madrid may start as late as 10 p.m.---thus necessitating the tapas bar crawl---U.S. dinners usually start as early as 6 p.m.) At any rate, the tapas section of the menu is copious and sophisticated. Our table of six ordered nine---two of the scrumptious wood oven pork belly---crispy skinned and laved in a subtle sweet-sour pineapple sauce. Grilled scallops with a honeydew gazpacho, ceviche-like marinated raw tuna and squid ink rice topped with crisp fried calamari were also gobbled up with relish. Less to my taste were the charred eggplant and the cauliflower frita---well executed but tending to unnecessary sweetness. Other diners have found the shrimp on shrimp concoction delectable---but this over-complicated shrimp toast on squid ink brioche did not cohere for me---it was just trying too hard. The highlight of the meal was the surprisingly light paella. Not your usual tomato-burdened rice melange. The herb and saffron-scented Calasparra rice was cooked just well enough to have a few bottom-of-the-pot grains take on that prized crusty texture. Mussels, clams and crispy calamari in such generous portions as to completely cover the rice added drama to the presentation; a separate sauciere of broth was served for those who wanted more moisture on the rice. Alas, we did not have space for dessert---that will have to wait for a return visit. A few quibbles---the sound system was set too high for easy conversation; the calamari was too salty; and the pour of the wine by the glass could have been more generous.

A great new Spanish-influenced restaurant with sophisticated cocktails and tasty food by one of the city's great chef-owners Todd Wentz. Our party of 3 shared five small plates of patatas bravas, blistered peppers, a tortilla, roasted vegetables and a yummy bean, chorizo & pork belly dish. The portions are generous so this was a perfect amount for our group. Bread glazed with olive oil also is served with starters so really you want to order about 1-1.5 tapas per person For entrees, we got the vegetable paella and a perfectly cooked porterhouse with just the right amount of char which we devoured with glee. Desserts were good - but I thought the churros were a little too greasy. My only other minor complaint was that the music was a tad too loud for my taste. Professional, competent, and humorous service was spot on throughout the evening. This restaurant is an excellent choice for pre or post theatre dining (the Forrest is just across the street), a dinner for 2 or even a business meeting - the Convention Center is only a few blocks away.

We are at Oloroso last week & were not disappointed. We shared several small plates. The eggplant & pork belly were delicious and the 20 oz ribeye was better than any local steakhouse. Daughter had the chicken entree which was also very yummy. The bread is excellent & baked in house in the wood fired oven. Servers were friendly & knowledgable which came in handy as I have a food allergy for which they were very accommodating.

Was there the week it opened and everything was running smoothly. The tapas are delicious particularly the calamari rice and the octopus. Had the seafood paella. Next time will order the pig's head which looked fantastic at the next table.

visited last night before theater and was pleasantly surprised. very classy, wait service plentiful and on the ball, and menu for tapas very exciting! problem was that the sign for the restaurant needs to be bigger. we missed it and walked right past it! A little pricey but well worth it! Food was quality and prepared to a tee! Drink menu very innovative and Spanish wine list nice! a must try when in the area! place was packed so i suggest a reservation

This place was excellent, the charcuterie was lovely as was the shrimp and the chicken cannelloni but no joke the patatas bravas were the best potatoes we’ve had at a tapas spot - so crispy, spicy, savory, served with a crema that rounded everything out. We ordered a second round while we were eating them because we couldn’t get enough! Service was great as was the ambiance.

Fairly hard to find tucked in next door to the Irish pub. Sat in the back with a friend and asked about any happy hour specials (there are none). Asked for a dry white, as I’m not too familiar with Spanish whites. One was described as “similar to a sauv blanc: nice and grapefruity,” which certainly doesn’t describe all sauv blancs. Waitress did a better job describing the specials, one of which we ordered. Like many new places in Philly I thought the small plates were tasty but pricey. The wine, at $16 a glass, was decent but dear. Still, I enjoyed the dishes, just wish they could be done for a little less dough. Atmosphere was standard dim lighting, austere decor. The eggplant was a standout. The suggestion that we should order more (what we ordered was more than enough) was odd.

We really wanted to like this restaurant since we love Tapas in Spain. The wine by the bottle is much too expensive. Wine by the glass is expensive and a skimpy pour. The waitress was very friendly but "oversold" us on the size of the tapas portions. We could have easily been satisfied with two choices instead of four. One dish, the Mackerel, was delicious. Two were mediocre and the Bacalau croquettes tasted nothing like Cod.The biggest problem was the paella. The rice should be crusty on the bottom but not burnt. The seafood was plentiful, but the clams were fully of sand and too gritty for me to eat. We should have sent it back since it was definitely not worth the price. Sadly, this restaurant did not live up to expectations.

We walked in on Sunday evening of Memorial day weekend and were well recieved,a party of six, and they were busy. The drink choices were nice choosing glasses of wines and beers. The waitress was very pleasant but at one point while she was not available my wife asked a gentleman a question about the menu. It turned out he was the Chef/ owner who had the night off. He stopped by and ended up staying to help out because of the crowd. This turned our to our benefit because were now being treated like the judges on Top Chef. Our appetizers were great, escargot, crab fideo , garlic shrimp. We tried the wooly boar I truthfully forget what it was called although quite delicious. The main courses included New York strip steak, roasted sea scallops and paella, all wonderfully presented and again delicious. We enjoyed desserts and and our chef/owner prepared Irish coffees with an oh so infused homemade whipped cream. An exceptional evening to end our short stay in Philadelphia.

....you'll be disappointed. Tortilla was awful, portions are extremely small- even for tapas. Drinks are outrageously priced and service was not good.

Before our theatre reservations, we ate at Oloroso and were thrilled with our choices. We ordered from the "theatre" menu. Our favorites were the octopus (so tender) and the endive salad. It was a perfect amount of food that filled us, but did not make us stuffed before the performance. We had great seats, sitting at a table by the window to enjoy the street view. Service was excellent. Our waitress was patient and answered all of our menu questions.

The restaurant looks small from the street view, but once you step inside its pretty big. I went with my husband for dinner. We sat at the very deep end of the restaurant, by the brick oven which was very convenient and cozy since was freezing outside. Service and staff were great, very attentive and nice. They got a great wine list, and a variety of elaborated drinks. About the food, everything we ordered was really well seasoned and done, except dessert, but i'll get to that later. We ordered a couple of tapas to start of the night. The eggplant with honey and ginger was delicious, so was the ink squid rice and the salt cod croquetas. But my favorite was the garlic shrimp, really really good. For main course I ordered the sea scallops and husband the branzino. At this point I was super full, which is a good thing, considering that usually tapas run on the small size, not these. Dessert was average, we ordered the churros. They were very blend, the sauce was missing the umami, if you know what I'm saying. No signs of cinnamon on the churros whatsoever. Not a deal breaker, but when it comes to churros, they gotta be well seasoned. Overall a very pleasant dine out night! I will definitely come back!

Fabulous!!! This has to be the best tapas in town!!! Oloroso means “scented” in Spanish... and as you walk in to the Resturant... you’re greeted with wonderful aromas and a friendly staff!! Stylishly arranged. The Resturant is welcoming and has a wonderful bar to people watch and take in a specialty cocktail “ try the nautical knot” if you like ginger flavor....... There is outdoor seating to catch the city crowd and a few window seats. Seating in the feels a little more formal and has an area you can watch them make their gastromagic! Lots of tasty choices .. everything was too good to choose any favorites...!!! Tho the chorizo was mouth watering Spanish style!! Portions were on the bigger side ( unlike Amada)...so plenty to share.!!!! Hats off to the owner Todd!!

A group of four rather demanding seniors who know food and restaurants. We went on the basis of Craig LaBan's review a few weeks ago. We were seated promptly though my sense was there is there is a policy that all members of the group be present first (one of our members was parking but a woman standing near us was thought to be in our group so three of us were seated. We were not asked for a drink order until the fourth member arrived). Actually that turned out to be a good thing since we then only had one round of drinks all of which were grossly over priced (more of that later). So far as the food is concerned, one member thought his roasted chicken was terrific. The shared seafood paella was okay with plenty of mussels and clams, a few shrimp, and minimal chorizo. The beef short rib croquettes, according to the eater of them, were bland and unidentifiable. Now, as to the alcohol: The Spanish wine selections by the glass were numerous but the pours were extremely pricey ($14-16. for the most part) and very small, indeed. One of the group ordered a Jack Daniels on the rocks and was delivered a thimble sized tasting of some scotch which was returned, the waiter explaining that there was no Jack on the bar but they could serve Johnny Walker instead. Despite it being winter, a gin and tonic was ordered in lieu of the sourmash (presumably the waiter thought John and Jack were close cousins). The G&T was quite light on the gin and priced at either $15. or $16.00. In sum, fair food, small, overpriced drinks.

We ordered a bunch of plates, but most were just average. The beets were surprisingly good, we typically don’t order beets, but gave them a try. Service was extremely slow. We were seated immediately, but waited 30 mins until the waiter took our food order. We were starving. We did manage to get a drink order in prior to the food order and that was slow to arrive as well.

Went with my family for my sisters birthday. Good ambiance but for Spanish tapas mediocre. Am admittedly spoiled with actual Spanish tapas in Spain. Very overpriced; $14 for a glass of wine? I couldn’t even order a glass because I could not justify the price. And really ; who wants to hear disco while dining on tapas ( besides the bartender who seemed to know all the words??) Not I. My sister wanted to try as we are foodies.. but will go to DiBrunos and put our own tapas together for a fraction of the price. Hell even Lidl has Serrano ham. One time if you must.. pero no mas.

Sat in the back, which seemed less hectic than the front. Had several good tapas. The pork belly was a standout. But let's talk about the drink prices. $15 for 4 ounces of wine? Ridiculous. $26 for a double Dewars? Insulting.

My review is intended for the foodies and millennials looking for fun and upscale place… This is not the place for either… It is always suspicious when non-ethnic folks open ethnic food places. Understandably, the ethnic food could be mighty fascinating for “outsiders”. But consuming it in awe isn’t a prerequisite to making and serving it properly. So, it is understandable that the owner of this restaurant is stressed. However, the stress of owning ethic food joint doesn’t justify being a chip on the shoulder combative and, in particular, it doesn’t justify interfering with the “first come – first serve” arrangement for the sitting at the bar. My friend and I were denied bar sitting by the owner, who brought from the back of the restaurant a group of folks “who’s turn was to sit at the bar”. Why didn’t they stand at the bar and wait, as the rest of us? – The question was angrily answered, “cuz I said so, and I’ll call you when it will be your turn”. Reservations for the bar sitting?! This is the only novelty of this restaurant. As my friend and I were waiting, we ordered cocktails. Both were substandard. The food that folks were eating around us didn’t look and didn’t smell good either. So we decided to leave when the owner lady appeared with the news: “two seats at the bar are open for you”. And I couldn’t resist asking – “really?”. She looked at me, configured her body for a fight and replied – “you must leave my restaurant immediately!” This resolved our debates whether we should try the food after the bad cocktails. Putting our coats on and heading to the door under the accompaniment of hysteric and loud shouting “and have a nice day… nice day…” was funny to me. Not to my friend, who was shocked, rattled, and upset partially with me – “I’ve never being thrown out of a restaurant”. A word of advice to the owner lady, if I may… Less micromanaging and letting things go naturally may lead to a higher probability of being successful.

Needed to squeeze in a bite before going to the Walnut Street Theatre. We selected tapas at Oloroso. We were not disappointed. We were seated back across from the cook line. Warning for those who are heat sensitive, this area is quite warm as they have two open fires. Watching the activity was entertainment alone. But being there we could see how quickly food was prepared and then went out to the tables (as well as see what we should order when there next time). The food is a bit pricey but then so is much of Philly these days.

Food was excellent. For 3 people, we ordered 2 first courses (octopus and cauliflower), 2 second courses (short-rib special and ricotta ) and 3 mains (branzino, cod and lamb shank). That was plenty of food. There recommended 3-3-3 which would have been a lot since the mains were large. Desserts were just okay (churros and creme Catalan). Has a very authentic tapas feel, but, unlike in Spain, the plates can get pricey when you add it all up. Drinks and wine were very good if a bit pricey. Our server, Caitlynn) did an very good job of describing the differences between the the tempranillos. We had a couple of sherries with dessert and she did a great job helping us choose those. A great dining experience if you are not price sensitive.

Food was adequate. The boquerones and black risotto were wonderful however the fabada was made with garbanzos and had no caldo or broth. The cod croquettes were awful felt like I was eating just unseasoned ground fish. Service was good. Wine list too expensive for menu selection. We finally ordered a house white which the sold for $40 a bottle even though not listed on the menu I think they have room for improvement and will try them again in a couple of months.

Flavors are nice. Rations sizes are tiny. Octopus overcook and cold Nice atmosphere in a snail place You shall book your visit

Located in the middle of the gayborhood with great in door and outdoor seating. The ambiance and service are amazing and friendly. Great selection of Sherry and delicious tapas. Their daily specials are also great and there is plenty of variety. We had about 7 dishes for two people and it was great and filling. Definitely a destination and a must have! The Albondigas are great and to die for! Their Pita bread with Zaatar is so delicious and earthy. The best dish is the garlic shrimp and Albondigas for sure!

My family and I had dinner here on Mother’s Day, and we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Oloroso. Everything we ordered was outstanding. We shared several of the 1st and 2nd courses, and some of our bigger eaters ordered a 3rd course as well. The small plates were all delicious and very filling. The cocktail menu includes many interesting creations, and we all enjoyed our drinks and wine. The ambiance is very nice especially where we were seated in the back in front of the wood fired grill. We will definitely return!

Had a reservation for three that we made one month in advance. We arrived at the restaurant 15 minutes early and were seated at a hightop bar table. We were told that even though there were multiple tables that were not occupied, they all had reservations. Apparently parties of three are only seated at high tables at the bar. Manager was not helpful. Had to get online and make another reservation elsewhere, will not return.

As a self described foodie, I am always looking for the next up and coming restaurants. I found this spot on a recommendation from Philly Mag. I love tapas, so it seemed like a logical fit. Overall, I very much enjoyed Oloroso, and recommend it. The service was outstanding, and everyone was extremely pleasant and kind. Highly recommend the churros!

Our server looked after us well. They have a great selection of unique cocktails that are well worth trying. We thoroughly enjoyed the tapas. The beets were good a bit heavy on vinegar, the bravas were an interesting nachos style, bacalao croquettes were good, pork cheek was outstanding, and so was the oiled bread.

This was really well done. Fresh traditional Spanish food and great service. Lots of options and everything was delicious.

The food and drinks were sooo good. Although it has small plates, it was very satisfying and filling. Service was also VERY GOOD! They all were very accommodating and friendly.

Oloroso is a lovely casual Spanish restaurant on Walnut Street near City Center. The menu centers on tapas and paella. We loved the cuisine: patatas bravas, croquettes, and yummy flatbreads, Gambas( shrimp), shishito peppers, and churros. Casual and relaxed vibe. Professional service. We highly recommend.

It's been difficult to find tapas at an affordable price here in Philly. Not any longer. We tried Oloroso for the first time recently and came away very impressed with both the food and the service. The tapas menu is extensive and tasty. Larger mains are also offered, including a vegetarian paella. We shared the seafood version which was great. The place gets crowded and noisier as the evening goes on so go early. A nice wine and cocktail list as well. It's walking distance to all Center City attractions.

Great food, lovely wines! We all enjoyed the tasty menu and the great service! The roast eggplant is the BEST!!!

We selected this newly opened restaurant for after the Walnut Theatre and our fondness for paella. It is two blocks from the theatre, and the waitress was most accommodating. This is where the plaudits cease. The restaurant is very noisy, and the wooden tables are far from inviting. A glass of white wine at $14 and a vodka martini at $15 ($12 for the vodka and I don't know to what the $3 was attributed.) represent gouging. The paella was no more than OK at $42 with the rice being overcooked and congealed. Not worth a second visit, sorry to say, even though Craig LaBan gave it three bells in today's Inquirer