I love coming to this place. It has a really romantic environment, but it has an open floor plan so it's also a great place to come for drinks with friends. Everything is really reasonably priced, including a pitcher of their phenomenal Sangria for $24 that you get, atleast, 5-6 drinks out of. We also had the cider soaked bread dessert which was phenomenal.
The decor is beautiful, it's right next to the Plaza which is a fun area of Philadelphia, and there's a free [dirt/rock] lot to park in close by, which is a lot better parking than anything you can find in Rittenhouse or other center city bars.
Perhaps I wasn't properly dressed, and to be honest I had been drinking already, but I don't think that I did anything to warrent the attitude that I recieved from the server. Â my small group was at the bar, and had a hard time getting a hold of the bartender/server. Â
The drinks we ordered weren't my favorite. Â If I go back, I'd try the sangria.
The food was good, but certainly not worth the price paid for it. Â The best thing that we ordered was the flatbread with egg with was rustic and flavorful. Â The kind of dish that makes you want to try cooking it yourself. Â I wish I had a wood burning oven.
Watch out for the incredibly rude hostess. She's Asian and tatooed. We were a couple of minutes late and she she says- "You're late- I was just about to cancel you in 5 seconds". This was said with an incredibly bitchy, punitive tone. I went up to her later and told her I didn't appreciate her comments and her response was "I've been working since noon". It was 7 pm btw. I told her that wasn't my problem.
Beyond that, the service was meh. We had to ask for clean plates between the courses. The waiter was fidgety and unable to look in our direction while he was reciting the specials.
While the meal was fine, the experience with the hostess was so jarring that I will never go back.
We went to this restaurant for our anniversary. It was easy to find. Parking was hard to find though. We arrived earlier than our reservation but were seated right away. The bottle of water for the table was a nice touch.
We ordered sangria (one of each) and I enjoyed it thoroughly (I had the blanco). Having an appetite for Spanish tapas we began our order. We started with the olives and cheese, always a favorite of ours. The cheeses were presented nicely and the accompaniments enhanced the flavors. The manchego frito is a MUST HAVE when visiting Bar Ferdinand. The combination of the warm fried cheese with the chilled apple foam was amazing! The patatas bravas were plentiful and savory. There was a special dish on the menu that evening of steak tartare with foie gras, a purple mustard and garnished with a quail egg. It was amazing! We were planning on ordering dessert but want to try the datiles con tocino empanada. It was so flaky and light we no longer needed dessert.
Would definitely try this place again!
3.75 stars, it could have been 4 solid stars, except for one easy to adjust, but oft not, item. Â THE FRIGGIN SALT!!! Â Please taste what you are seasoning before you just throw in handfuls of salt. Â Thank you in advance!
OK, now for the details...what a lovely find in Northern Libs, been bookmarked for a few months now and kicked to my attention by a recent article. Â A very nice bottle and draught selection of brew. Â Also, there was a nice Spanish wine by the glass selection, which with the assistance of the bar servers, one was chosen which added positively to the overall experience.
Service was impeccable, I sat at the bar as I like to do, on a busy Saturday night.
The first small plate chosen was the marinated charred veggies served with goat cheese on bread. Â The veggies included a to-die-for eggplant, (if I could make that eggplant, I would never leave home) , but I wish we had just two more slices of that bread, what was served did not do the entire amount of the dish justice.
Second, was a flatbread with a most tasty, delicious pancetta, garlic oil and baked egg, which the server broke the yolk and spread the yoke evenly over the flatbread. Â This was absolutely delightful.
We then split the paella, which we were told was large enough for 2, well it was large enough for 3. Â This has to be among the top paella's I ever had, but keeping it from the top was the SALT. Â The chorizo, the shell fish of shrimp, mussels and clams, all already added salt to the dish. Â I would be extremely surprised and withdrawal my comment if I was told NO additional salt was added to the dish. Â Served in a rustic, traditional paella pan, the rice, the flavors, the tender chicken leg and thigh, the richness, were decadent. Â The flavors complimented each other well, and I ate until I could eat no more. Â Therefore, there was no room for dessert. :-(
I really liked this place, I will return, and frequently I might add.
Went here on a date night, and while the tapas aren't the level you would find in Spain (let's be realistic here), they are pretty good for a nice, unpretentious tapas place in philadelphia.
We had the cheeseboard, patatas bravas, and empanadas, alongside a glass of both white and red sangria. While the white sangria was nice and light with more tropical fruits the red sangria definitely won the competition, and was full bodied without being too sweet like most cheap sangria. Our waitress was knowledgable and attentive, explaining the origin of the cheeses and the pairings for each one, and the service was great without being overbearing- we were seated within seconds of entering.
Three plates and drinks were definitely enough for two of us, but if you like your meals large you will probably want to spring for more- they are small tapas plates after all. The patas bravas are a great deal- the pairing of spicy tomato and creamy aioli sauce is delicious, and the potatoes themselves are creamy and filling.
Bar Ferdinand is a great place to grab some drinks and have some snacks. Â It's got a cool atmosphere and is right in the middle of all that NoLibs has to offer, but the food itself is just OK. Â There are far better Tapas joints in Philly, and far better restaurants within a stone's throw.
Not bad, but not great either. Â In a city full of exceptional food, Bar Ferdinand is average.
I was craving for pulpo (octopus) Â and remembered this place had a delicious tapa. Â We came here for what we thought would be an awesome happy hour. Â It was a nice day and we sat outside. Â Little did we know, there was no happy hour. Â Even though the menu stated there was until 7pm. Â I felt bad leaving after being seated so we just stayed. Â I was a bit jealous of the crowd sitting across at el camino enjoying their chips, salsa, and margaritas. Â
We ordered the snail special tapa, steak tapa, and of course the pulpo. Â There was a wait for paella so we opted out of that one. Â My cravings were satisfied. Â The puplo was heavenly. Â Since i was still craving for chips/salsa we ended up heading over to dos.
Really good, but not amazing tapas. However, excellent bartender with a vast knowledge of classic cocktails. We sat at the bar and had a great time. Seriously, the bartender deserves a shout out.
It was kind of empty when we went, so I can't speak for the complaints about the douchey patrons. No complaints about service.
First all, I would probably rate this as 4 1/2 stars and this restaurant deserves all of them. Bar Ferdinand has a definite point of view: Spanish tapas, entrees, edited and intelligent wine selection that is a knowledgeable tour of Spain. The chef and sommelier obviously knows what they are doing, and even if this place is a little expensive, it sure beats the cost/time of a flight into Spain.
The ambiance is casual/upscale. In that I mean, come as you are. In the evening the lighting is perfect for romance. I've been twice. The first time was the day after Christmas on a miserably cold and rainy night. My date and I felt immediately welcome, and cozy. Our server was right on point with his suggestion of how many plates of tapas to have for two. It was just enough to have an interesting mix of tastes and while not leaving hungry. My date who is in the wine business was impressed by the wine list, which is saying a lot because he is usually not impressed. It was a wonderful experience.
The second time I came was last night for a "meet date." We sat at the bar and watched the tapas being made. Everything was fresh, clean, and made to order. I could tell that the cooks take pride in their work. The bartender was nice, warned me that my wine was a little "funky", gave me taste before committing to a full glass. It did indeed start a little funky but smoothed out into red plum/berries that was a beautiful contrast to the beginning.
In short, I would go back as often as I can. I have no qualms to bring someone out-of-town who knows nothing about the Philadelphia restaurant scene, a foodie, or even my more provincial in tastes mother. That's how good this place is.
I visited Bar Ferdinand on a busy Friday night. Â There was no wait for a table amidst an energetic female Middle Eastern performer, people standing and clapping to the ethnic music, and waiters rushing to serve all of their tables. Â Even more conveniently, there also was a minimal wait to be served. Â
The extensive wine menu exceeds expectations with a list of over forty bottles to drink from. Â The food was exceptional and authentic, with appetizers and entrees sure to be originated from Spain. Â Specifically, the mancheeta cheese and fried apple, drizzled with apple foam appetizer is a great balance of cheese and fruit. Â The pork belly entree is as moist and flavorful as it comes. Â
Although the restaurant is lively on weekend nights, it is just the opposite during the week nights. Â With dim lighting and remarkable Spanish artwork covering all walls, this business is sure to be appropriate for "date nights." Â
However, the prices are somewhat expensive, and the portions of food are small. Â This may not be the place to go to indulge oneself.
I am at a loss for words. The decor of the bar was breathtaking and the staff was amazing. We started with a wonderful cheese plate and added 4-5 tapas. The garlic shrimp, baked goat cheese, shrimp and chili flatbread and manchego frito; are all amazing. The only disappointment was the white sangria, Â very dry and kind of bitter... I've had better. Overall, a beautiful place to visit on a cold winters night...
Review Source:David Ansill is at Bar Ferdinand. Â This is great news for everyone. Â Mr. Ansill stands in the pantheon of great Philadelphia chefs, past or present. Â If there was a Philly Chef Hall of Fame, he'd be a first-ballot shoo-in. Â The menu has changed slightly, but has Ansill's thumb prints all over it. Â The execution of his kitchen is always spot-on, the pig is prevalent, and vegetables are treated with the utmost respect. Â We're looking forward to the evolution of this menu to fully reflect Chef Ansill's proclivities.
Review Source:Took my gf there on a Friday night so we could have a few drinks and unwind. The restaurant has a very nice ambiance and there was so much to chose from on the menu. My gf ordered the roasted chicken while i dined on the striped bass. Both were very good but they are small plates so the portion is just enough. The white sangria was amazing and had us tipsy while walking out. The only disappointment were the waitress looking almost zombie like and the dessert was horrible. The chocolate (flourless) cake was nothing but a pile of frosting. After complaining to the waitress she didn't even ask if i wanted it removed from the check. Even though I only took a half of a bite. I doubt I will be back again, the only thing memorable was the sangria...
Review Source:My boyfriend and I went there for our Valentine's Day dinner, which the restaurant did not do well.
Pros: The prix fixe menu had some good choices. We loved the appetizers: house cured salmon and beef carpaccio. Our entrees (tuna steak and lamb rack) were average, and the dessert (dark chocolate cake) was good but way too rich so we couldn't finish it.
Cons: Service was subpar, it was very hard to wave down our waiter and remind him to get us what we ordered. The biggest con of the night: halfway through our dinner, flamenco dancers and musicians showed up and proceeded to give the loudest performance I have ever seen. There was a ton of stomping on the ground that made the whole restaurant shake, headache-inducing clapping, and the flamenco singer was not a good singer at all. We were not expecting a super loud, rowdy restaurant where we couldn't even think, so that was a very disappointing surprise as the atmosphere was no longer appropriate for an intimate, romantic Valentine's Day dinner. Apparently they only have the flamenco performances on holidays and Fridays, so I would avoid going on those days.
Tip: Next time if you want to check out the place without all the noise, ask for a table in the back room!
Finally, Philly has caught on and followed NYC in the endeavor of starting restos like this...c'mon, you know yuppies love tapas.
Duh.
I've been to Barcelona and eaten the best of the best tapas...so this review may not be fair...but to be honest, the food here was actually good.
Octopus was on point. Â Croquetas were deelish. Â Iberian ham was like butta'. Â Olives and cheese plate was status quo. Â The cava wine was refreshing.
Lots and lots of chicks in groups. Â Lots of dates all around. Â But where are the latin servers? Â Are there no hispanic people in Philly?
Food was high quality and tasty. I loved the manchego frito with apple
Foam, scallops, shrimp, loved the cheese plate, and ham croquettes. We had 7 people and we ordered 2 plates and the waitress mentioned that most orders comes with just 3 pieces each plate but they can add one more piece so we wouldn't have to order 3 plates for each dish which worked out great. Â We ordered 2 plates of 7 items and felt that was perfect amount of food. I definitely recommend this place.
So I've been going to this place since it first opened and I have to be honest and say that the food is still good, but not as good as when it first opened. They changed up the menu and took off some of my fav items so that is the main reason why i say that. However, it is a great first date spot due to the ambiance and the Manchego Frito app and Paella entree are always winners. Plus I am willing to go out on a limb and say that they make the best MOJITOS in the entire city!
Review Source:My friends took me here for a late birthday celebration and I loved it!
Service was okay. Waitress could've smiled a little bit.
The man at the host stand was very nice.
Food was great.
We ordered:
- Brussels Sprouts
- Pork Belly Thing
- Cheese sampler thing
- Scallops thing
(Sorry -- i dont know the actual name as it is written on the menu. I hate having to read through the descriptions to understand what's on the menu so I had my friend order.. heh)
My husband and I just got back from eating at Bar Ferdinand. While the food was very tasty, the experience was not. One word can describe our experience: HORRIBLE.
We had dinner reservations for 7pm on a tuesday night. It was our date night. We were seated promptly, but the hostess sat us down without even a "Enjoy your dinner." I noticed later on in the night that she was asking everyone else if she could take their coats. My husband and I were not dressed shabby. Like I said, it was our date night. So I was confused as to why she was treated us like that.
Our server was named Matt. He took our orders very quickly. Our "tapas" were brought out within minutes, then our entrees were brought out shortly after. I felt as though we were being rushed to eat our dinner. I also noticed that he didn't tell us the specials for the evening. I noticed he told specials for the evening to every couple that walked in.
We ate our meals, ordered some dessert. After we got our check, my husband asked, "Were there any specials for the evening?" He replied with a, "What do you mean?" He then said, "We have some brussell sprouts" COME ON!!!!
Since my whole review was negative, I'll give a couple of positives.
The duck breast and the NY strip steak were very good. The fried egg and the arugula paired very  nicely with the strip steak. Seasoning was very tasty.
Bottom line, I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO BAR FERDINAND.
I used to love Bar Ferdinand, but they've shrunk their menu to two measly pages and it's just meh now. I don't understand how a tapas restaurant has such a small, subpar selection. The sangria is still quite tasty and the new chef kept a lot of the same items, but then also deleted over half of them. I found this out after I chose the restaurant for a fun get together with four other friends and was embarrassed to see the tiny new menu. I thought we would all go and order a ton of food and try lots of dishes, but instead we got less food for what seemed like more money. Service was still pretty good, and the ambience is nice. I was also irked that I wasn't able to book on Open Table for a party of five but got a reservation immediately when I called (for a Sunday night booking) and the place was practically empty. Very odd.
Review Source:I was totally excited to check out Bar Ferdinand - heard a lot of good things about this place.
First, the decor/atmosphere is lovely and very inviting. Â My husband and I were celebrating and it felt like a good place for that. Â There was both a laid-back and elegance to it at the same time.
The food was kind of hit or miss though.....
Our starters were absolutely delicious. Â
We had the Shaved Winter Salad with Manchego and Almonds - it was the stand out of the night. Â Perfectly dressed, good size and surprising flavors (pumpkin!) Â The Shrimp in garlic sauce was also very good and came out sizzling hot.
Our 'larger' tapas were disappointing -(Bass and Duck)
The fish was cooked well but drenched in a strangely gloppy sauce that tasted bitter and almost like charcoal. Â By far the most unappetizing was the duck - the fat cap was not rendered into that luscious delicious goodness - but instead sat on top like a plastic cap on a pen that you chew on.
Lastly, we had the Mushroom Flatbread. Â With this item, I was torn - the mushrooms mixed with goat cheese on top were fantastic, and the flatbread itself was somehow both chewy and a bit crisp. Â But, it seemed to be sitting in a pool of butter. Â This tasted great on the first bite, but got overwhelmingly rich as you went on. Â Maybe this is the traditional thing with tapas flatbread? Â I don't know but I think I would have enjoyed it much more without it. Â
I do want to say I thought the service was excellent - Our plates/silverware were changed 3 times, and our water glasses were never more than half empty. Our server was both helpful and  non-intrusive.  Also, the pacing of the courses was spot on - which is so often a downfall at a tapas restaurant.
Overall - I would go back. Â There were some other items I would like to try - namely the Pork for two that I saw whisked by our table a few times. Â
One thing I'd like to see on the menu - LAMB! Maybe in the Spring.....
Although Bar Ferdinand is between two and three stars, I couldn't in good conscience give it three stars. Â It just isn't there. Â SO, I went to Bar Ferdinand for the first time last night because the surrounding restaurants all had a wait. Â The ambiance is very nice and the place was not even half full so it was relatively quiet. Â Without taking a look at the drink menu, I ordered a glass of chardonnay (staple) which, it turns out, they did not have. Â Ok, so I told the waiter to surprise me. Â Well he sure did, with a $12 glass of wine that he didn't bother telling me what it was. Â Right. Â My boyfriend ordered two beers: Â a Walt Wit and Sierra Nevada's Celebration, which have a 4.2% abv and 6.8% abv respectively. Â Both beers were $6 and put in a small snifter-type glass, which is usually reserved for high alcohol content beers. Â Basically, you get half the beer for the full price. Â
For dinner, we ordered the following:
Almond Crusted Eggplant: Â $6, and you get three slim slices of eggplant (about the size of a roll of dimes) on a honey drizzled plate. Â That's $2 per eggplant piece. Â Seriously? Â
Charred and Marinated Veggies w/ Goat Cheese Bread: Â $10, Basically roasted veggies from the supermarket hot bar with 4 bruschetta style bread pieces. Â Completely forgettable.
Scallops with Butternut Squash and Chorizo Vinaigrette: $16, three sizable scallops. Â They were tasty BUT my life is not changed.
Seared Duck Breast with Dried Figs and Pistachios: $15, tasty but.... I'm still hungry.
New York Strip Steak with Organic Fried Egg and Truffles: $16, can you say it has truffles when it has two MINISCULE pieces of a truffle as garnish?
Listen, if you love tapas, go to Chifa. Â Not only will you get much more food for your money, but it tastes better and will leave a lasting memory. Â I spent over $100 (with tip) here and was hungry again in two hours. Â This place costs an arm and a leg for very forgettable food. Â Even the bathroom wasn't that clean.
I really liked this place. Â The ambiance is sexy. Â My date and I had the octopus, the mushroom flatbread and the cheese plate. Â All were excellent, the flatbread stole the show. Â Goat cheese, mushroom and truffle. Â Delightful. Â Topped off with a delicious spanish red (I don't remember which one) and the sexy lighting and I was one happy girl.
Review Source:Happy hour review:
I continue to love Bar Ferdinand more and more with every visit. I'm even more excited to keep coming with the addition of David Ansill.
After Sandy kept me locked inside for 4 days, I was desperate to get out. My boyfriend and I decided to indulge in happy hour at Bar Ferdinand having no idea that they changed it. Wow, were the changes great. Buck a shuck oysters?! $4 dollar massive glasses of spanish wine? Done and done. The oysters were fantastic and super fresh. We watched them shuck them right in front of us. It was perfect.
Wine and oysters aside, they had many other tapas, beer and sangria available for $4 from 5-7pm! I definitely reccomend Bar Ferdinand at any time but definitely check out the happy hour specifically if you can!
Such a great spot. Â Yes it is in Northern Liberties. Â Great food, great cocktails and great atmosphere. There's no reason not to come here.
Octopus with salt roasted potatoes and salsa verde -
This is a great preparation of octopus. Â A decent portion of octopus with fingerling potatoes. Â Many restaurants have gotten into the octopus trend over the years but not all are able to prepare it correctly... Bar Ferdinand does.
Pixin Con Pancetta - monkfish, porkbelly and rosemary
Really good. Â I know porkbelly is on the list of items people rave about... not always for me. So the porkbelly in this item wasn't the reason I thought to order it. Â My friend ordered it - I was pleasantly surprised. The porkbelly was slightly seared on one side to add a bit of crisp texture to it while still preserving the soft nature of the ingredient. Monkfish was a good compliment to the porkbelly. Â What I really enjoyed was the rosemary flavor that tied the dish of two skewers together.
Datiles Rellenos - Fried dates stuffed with marcona almonds, jamon serrand, cabrales yogurt
Absolutely amazing. I will admit that I didn't know it was an almond in the middle and mistook it for a pit (therefore not eating it). Â I've come to find that you can rarely go wrong with ordering bacon/jamon wrapped dates. Get this. Â Although small (four dates) it is the correct amount (unless you have a larger party size)
Tosta De Yema - Truffled eggs, toast, asparagus, tetilla cheese (picture uploaded)
I love a good asparagus dish with egg and truffles. Â This was awesome and completely different than what I had expected. Â Think extremely fluffy large box toast (quasi biscuit but not really). Â The egg is not noticeable until you slice into the yolk. Â Cheese is also minimal.
Pimentos Del Piquillos Rellenos - Stuffed piquillo peppers with zucchini, squash, eggplant, red onion, goat cheese puree
A nice dish for the vegetarian at the table (depending on the type of vegetarian at the table (note goat cheese). Â Wasn't a standout in my mind.
Mejillones Con Chorizo - PEI mussels, white wine, chorizo, garlic
We were looking for another dish that would not be heavy. Â Excellent mussels in a delicious broth. Â I suggest ordering extra bread to snag the broth with.
Scallop from the tasting menu - we were able to order this one dish off the tasting menu. Not going to comment on it much as it may not be on the menu for when you are there.
El Sol del Membrillo - Plymouth Dry gin, Absolut vodka, St. Germain liquer, quince syrup, fresh thyme
Awesome. Â Thyme is a great herb with gin. I fully suggest this be your first cocktail of the night.
Palomino - Sauza Hornitos Tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, muddled cucumber, honey
A very good cocktail but I happened to like the above drink better. Â
Ansill - you're doing a phenomenal job and the city loves you. Rock that beard proudly - there's no need for a beard guard.
Went here last week with 3 friends during happy hour.
-service was very good BUT the restaurant really doesn't want you to take advantage of their happy hour menu ! we didnt even get a happy hour menu that has all the $4 smaller tapas on it (the waiter prob just wanted a bigger tip from a bigger bill...sorry buddy)  The happy hour  menu has 12 options and is everyday from 5-7 so we ordered the whole menu LOL and only paid $48 for 12 small plates (good idea to do).  the better tapas off the happy hour menu were:
-mussels-almonds-$1 oysters! (my friend found a pearl in his )-torta-cured meats
We were pretty full after the 12 smaller tapas but we each ordered one more full size tapas off the
-the ham croquetts are great and the best thing i ate all night were the porkbelly and Monkfish skewers.
Sangria was really good too especially for $4 a glass during happy hour
good spot.
I really really like this place. Â The skirt steak with egg is awesome. Â I would be perfectly happy just eating 4 of those for dinner. Â The food is really good all around though. Â The servers are great, really nice drink list and free parking in the dirt lot about a one minute walk away (be ready for an off-roading experience in that dirt lot though). Â Oh, and if you aren't into their desserts, Capogiro is right around the corner in the Piazza!
Outside of the excellent dining experience, I should mention that I was here the other day and I left a very expensive pair of sunglasses on the table. Â I didn't realize it until the next day when I started to look for them and realized that I didn't remember leaving the restaurant with them. Â I called, spoke to the manager (Josh I think) and he said he had them. Â I swung by later in the day to pick them up. Â They could have just as easily told me that they couldn't find them and kept them for themselves. Â I was really impressed by their honesty!
Overall, could not recommend higher. Â Definitely go here.
The BF and I came here the other night after we bought a deal on Rue La La. Â Most of the time, restaurants that use daily deals to lure us in have been lackluster, but Bar Ferdinand is the exception to the rule. Â I was really impressed by the authentic menu, delicious food, and solid service.
The two of us split six dishes plus dessert: marinated olives, pixin con panceta (monkfish and pork belly skewers), plato de queso (cheese plate with homemade garnishes), patatas bravas, calamares en su tinto (squid in its own ink with sofrito and chorizo), fried lamb tongue over mashed chick peas. and helado de almendra (almond ice cream with almond brittle, olive oil torta, and mixed berry compote). Â Everything tasted incredible and there were no bad dishes during our meal. Â My personal favorite was the lamb tongue. Â The outside was crispy and salty, but the tongue itself was moist, velvety, and incredibly savory. Â It paired well with the chick peas and the sauce. Â The patatas bravas were also great, even if it was just breakfast potatoes in a spicy (but so delicious) sauce. Â The cheese plate, fish and pork belly skewers, and almond ice cream were also fantastic.
Aside from the food, our server was very attentive and helped us out in letting us know exactly how many dishes we should order for the two of us. Â The menu not only boasts an extensive wine and beer list (featuring plenty of local and Spanish options), but also menu options that I've rarely seen on an American menu at a Spanish restauant (Bacalao, for example). Â The atmosphere is great but the restaurant can get a bit noisy sometimes, which may make it better for groups as opposed to dates. Â However, I really enjoyed our meal here and I would definitely come back to try more of the menu, a prix fixe, or maybe even brunch.
Bar Ferdinand had long been on my "to try" list. Our party of four plus a dog arrived on a Sunday evening and we were fortunate enough to get a table outside right away. We took some time discussing the menu and came up with a pretty extensive list.
Highlights for me were the surtido de carnes (charcuterie board consisting of four delicious cured meats), patatas bravas (fried potatoes in a tasty aioli), datiles rellenos (stuffed dates), queso de cabra cocinado (baked goat cheese with pine nuts) and the almejas (steamed clams). These items would all make my list on a return visit.
Items that left me less impressed were the empanadas, which had so much potential but ended up tasting kind of bland. Same with the stuffed peppers, which had little flavor other than the peppers themselves. The hits were far greater than the misses, and I'm looking forward to seeing how the menu changes with Ansill's reign.
Three words. Frozen. Apple. Foam. What is it? I have no idea. But it is delicious and when combined with fried manchego cheese, it will blow your mind. This dish is called Manchego Frito.
We also had Corazon de Pato, - duck hearts. I was a little scared to eat them because I'm not that into organ meats, but it was also delicious. It was kind of like eating a mushroom in case you are also on the skittish side of eating animal parts. And we also had the toritilla espanola and  Queso de Cabra Cocinado (baked goat cheese with roasted garlic, honey, and pine nuts), which were both really tasty.
The whole experience was well worth it. The atmosphere and decor are lovely and fun. The cocktails are also very tasty. Excellent service. Another place I will definitely go back to on my next trip to Philly.
Adore their Sangria. And my fav tapas are Dailes rellenos the fried dates stuffed with marcona almonds, and cabrales yogurt. Tons of great tapas you can enjoy  like lump crbmeat, ham, scallops, calamari...list goes on and on...I believe they have 50% off wine either monday or tuesday night !
last but not least, their paella is amazing. loved it and beautiful restaurant.
I go here often enough to finally rate it. Â
I have never had anything on the menu that I did not like. Â Stopped by here on Sunday after the phils game to eat something and have a couple drinks....come to think of it...the prices here really add up fast. Â 4 drinks 3 tapas easily $100. Â You really have to be careful here or your tab can and will get completely out of hand. Â Also, if the bartender recommends any wine make sure you know what it costs. Â I was billed $18 a glass for 8 glasses and almost fell off my chair. Â There isn't even an $18 a glass wine on the menu. Â
Now, there is a $6 house wine, which typically suits me just fine. Â
Filet skewers are amazing, pork belly/tilapia(i think) skewers are amazing. Â Pulled pork sandwich is great. Â
I do think that the place is underrated all the high priced tapas joints in Philly, I really think it ranks right up at the top.....maybe the decor, etc is not as up to par, but the food really does kick ass.
The bartenders seem to be very knowledgeable and are always really friendly.
I was really torn on how to rate Bar Ferdinand. Â I came during a Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party (at The Piazza at Schmidt's which is across the street), so you know the place was packed. Â Yet, service was still prompt and friendly. Â Likewise, the quality of the food is absolutely top notch. Â I enjoyed every bite and didn't want to leave anything on the plate. Therein lies the problem, the portions are extremely small. Â Yes, I know what Tapas are and how they are to be served. Â Factor in the price, and the portion-price ratio is well out of hand.
Did I enjoy my meal? Yes. Â Do I recommend checking Bar Ferdinand out? Yes. Â Do I recommend it go to the top of your must dine list? No. Â Worth the experience but not worth going out of your way for...
This review is straightly for their drinks only. I hope someday I will go back here to find out their food.
We sat by the bar area, where they hang up dry roses around. It's a really nice touch. Goes well with the place. I was in the mood of some whiskey but didn't want to have it on its own. I tried Barcelona, which has bourbon, licor 43, bitters and some brandied cherries. It was so good and tasty! I only let myself have two glasses. It took a lot of will power, for sure. :-) And yes, make sure to eat the cherries. They will give you a little kick in a good way! ;-)
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