ValanniBrunch FindThere are not too many places (especially with outdoor seating) that you can make reservations for in advance, and online via opentable no less. And Valanni's food is not something you're settling for either. Every dish they brought out was amazing, and we were satisfying lots of different types of diets/preferences at one table. The outdoor seating is worth it on a nice day, but the view isn't the best with parking lot and second hand furniture shop across the street. It was surprising how accommodating they were on Mother's Day - such a busy brunch day! One thing - if we hadn't asked, we wouldn't have known an a la carte menu was available vs. prefix.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFoodie note:Lobster, Crab Mac & Cheese is to die for. All dishes were superb!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went early on SaturdayWe went early on Saturday and it was not crowded yet, but service was great. We only ordered 3 small plates, plus dessert. Everyone of them was rich and delicious and filling. We ate outside and noise level was expected. Moquito was a bit light on the alcohol part. Otherwise, tremendous and I would go back.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMPleasantly surprisedHad a great meal. Hard to pick which small plate we liked best. All were really good but we may have liked the duck flatbread best... Sophisticated interior. I would return.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Dining Experience!I waited until the last minute to try to make a dinner reservation near the Academy of Music where we had the ballet. It was a bad Saturday as most restaurants were filled up because of graduations and it was the day before Mother's Day.
Valanni's was able to accommodate us, and the wait staff couldn't have been nicer. We ordered the entire Vegetarian tapas for $70, a great deal, and the food was exceptional! The entire evening was an event.
Our wait person even gave us 20% off because we had ballet tickets - I didn't even have to say anything.
I believe I had only been here once before, but I'm going to make this a regular stop!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMA restaurant you'll want to revisitPhildelphia has many good restaurants, but for consistent quality with variety, Valanni is a great selection. You won't be disappointed - it's ideal for any special occasion or just for a great night out.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and serviceGreat food, good service, nice ambiance inside and out. Food was a bit pricier than I would have anticipated but the quality of my octopus salad was excellent! Would like to come by for happy hour specials one day.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMA must do every time I'm in townEvery time I'm in town this is a must for dinner. Great food, great service, great times!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMBest brunch in the cityValanni has the best brunch in Philly. The Petit Filet and eggs is excellent. The eggs are seasone with herbs and the steak was cooked perfectly (I ordered it medium). I also recommend the Lobster Benedict which sits atop a cheddar waffle or the Crab Bennedict with Horseradish sauce. The horseradish isn't over powering. The cheesy grits are delicious too. I've gone here with a group of friends in the past and everyone was impressed wit the food. The drink menu is good too. They have glasses or pitchers.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMA Friday NightWe were at the restaurant for an early dinner--6 ish. Food and service were good. Because of the vibrant bar scene on a Friday, it was noisy though. So a later dinner would be a good idea on a Friday. We like the small plates that are available--grilled romaine is a favorite.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMWe sat inside, but the wholeWe sat inside, but the whole wall opens to outdoors, and it was a lovely evening. They had a good selection on the happy hour menu, and because of the small plates, we could order a variety. That worked well for us, because we had opera tickets for 7:30 that evening, and didn't have to worry about time. The food was delicious and the service was great, unobtrusive, but always there when we needed him. We will definitely go back, sometime when we can stay longer and sample more on the menu.4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved the tapas and hadWe loved the tapas and had several small plates. All were tasty. Brussel sprouts, lobster mac and cheese, fried oysters, mussels, scallops, and more. It's fun to share a lot of different tastes with the table. A real feast! I have been there several times and the food is consistently delicious. I will definitely return and recommend it to friends. There is a whole section of veg tapas which is appealing to anyone especially vegetarians.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe always enjoy our mealsWe always enjoy our meals and service at Valanni. The value for the price is excellent. And they have the best dessert I have ever tasted -- Oreo Beignet.
We love it there and its a great place to go before the theater.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMThis is one of our favoriteThis is one of our favorite restaurants when dining in the theater district. The food is awesome. The shaved brussel sprouts would turn a non-believer into a brussel sprout fan! The lobster and crab mac and cheese is to die for! With my daughter being a vegan, some restaurants are a challenge. But here she has lots of delicious options. We have taken many friends over the years, and they have made return visits.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMfun fresh food. Great menu,fun fresh food. Great menu, hard to decide what to order, so many good choices. My Brazilian Pop cocktail was excellent as was my omelet with asparagus, spinach, portobello and boursin. Our waiter was just the right combination of friendly and professional. Would definitely go back.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMTheir tapas is greatAlways great tapas and we were not disappointed. Service was slow and for awhile we felt forgotten. But the food is always worth the visit4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMEvery time I come to ValanniEvery time I come to Valanni it is always an enjoyable experience... great crowd, great atmosphere.... just fun, fun, fun....4/7/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a bachelorette dinnerWe had a bachelorette dinner at Valanni, and loved our experience. There were five of us eating, and we ordered 10 dishes to share. Of those 10, we absolutely loved 9! (The crab cakes were dry and cold - not so great.) The wine was good, the staff was friendly, and even though it was crowded, we never felt rushed or cramped. Would definitely return!4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMThe kobi burgers are so goodThe kobi burgers are so good that I have a very difficult time getting myself to try something different. Our friends said the calamari was excellent!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMStaff was very pleasant.Staff was very pleasant. No hassle about seating before everyone arrived. Waitress was helpful for first-timers. Delivery of food was leisurely, but there was also no push to get us out either. You've got to try the crispy Brussels sprouts, even if you don't like brussels sprouts!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great and theThe food was great and the service was excellent! Never disappointed at Valanni!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was the second time IThis was the second time I ate dinner at this restaurant. I love it! I can't believe it took me so long to go here. I love all the tapas and tastes. Our server was incredibly helpful and attentive. The brussel sprouts were so delicious we ordered a second plate. I will definitely return and recommend it to friends who like a variety of interesting food, especially tasty vegetarian tapas. (The restaurant also has regular size entrees on the menu.)3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMMy meal was fantastic andMy meal was fantastic and the service was great. The decor was very cosmopolitan, but managed to be cozy as well. I would definitely recommend Valanni and hope to return soon.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat place to catch up withGreat place to catch up with good friends and was a good mix of food options as well
The waiter was great in helping us choose great dishes.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazingThis spot was awesome! The service was incredible and the food was out of this world!! Will absolutely be back and will be recommending to others!!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMstaff was very accommodatingstaff was very accommodating with my constant addition of guests. The food was service was terrific. This was my first time at this restaurant and I will definitely go again3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAte here with 5 friends forAte here with 5 friends for a bachelorette party, I picked it only off of reviews and we were all impressed! Great food and the perfect ambiance. I really liked that it was not your typical tapas options, very innovative and fun things to try. Especially loved the fried goat cheese and the brussels sprouts.3/23/2013 12:00:00 AM5 StarThe food was great. The service was great. Will visit again. 5 Star3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMAll was good from beginningAll was good from beginning to end. The only very slightly negative was when it became very busy, our waitress became a little slower in service but she wa still smiling!3/21/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a very pleasant eveningHad a very pleasant evening at Valanni's. Food, service, atmosphere, price were all great!3/19/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was great and outThe food was great and out waitress was the best. She likes purple3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat, prompt service. EveryGreat, prompt service. Every appetizer and entree was well presented and tasted delicious. Was our first visit, will definitely go again.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent experienceOur experience at Valanni was excellent, mostly notably the service we received. Our server, I believe his name was Alexander, was attentative, personable and went above and beyond to ensure we were taken care of. While looking over the wine list, he brought each of us a tasting of the Syrah/Malbec blend, which was new to the restaurant. It was fantastic and very thoughtful to let us taste it without even having to ask for it. It was definitely a successful upsell, and since my friend and I were both servers for many years, we understand the business very well. I don't believe I have ever received better service, and for that we will absolutely be returning. Thank you for a wonderful experience.3/13/2013 12:00:00 AMWe came early. The placeWe came early. The place was quiet but the food was very good.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved the tapas and wine.We loved the tapas and wine. One person is a vegetarian and we found many tasty veg items on the menu. There were many good choices of wine by the glass. I had a Malbec/Syrah blend, recommended by the waiter, and it was perfect. The atmosphere is lively and friendly with a modern decor. The server was friendly, prompt, and very attentive. Even though it was very crowded at the bar, we were able to talk comfortably at our table. The only problem is that in the back room some chairs are backless. We asked for regular chairs with backs and they accommodated us by moving us to a much nicer table in the front room.2/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a great dinner. GrilledWe had a great dinner. Grilled octopus was delicious and so were the brussel sprouts. We also had the flat bread which was delicious as well as the mahi mahi. We also had the oreo beignets which were great!!!!! WE had a delicious evening. So many other dishes that looked wonderful We'll definitely be back....1/16/2013 12:00:00 AM