Amá
Mexican restaurant · Olde Kensington
101 W Oxford St, Philadelphia, PA 19122
Highlights
Modern Mexican dishes with flavorful salsas and creative cocktails
Modern Mexican dishes with flavorful salsas and creative cocktails
"This Mexican restaurant has group seating for nearly every occasion. There’s the bar area with high-top tables if you’re just in for cocktails, and an airy main dining room with retractable walls, perfect for pretending you’re dining on the Cabo coastline with a few friends. Stick to the small plates, such as the citrusy rock shrimp tostadas topped with tangy chamoy, the seasonal tlayuda, or the charred caesar salad. If you want to go bigger, the smoky, 72-hour brined chicken gets the fall-off-the-bone job done. Toss in an excellent churro and cappuccino tamal, and your group will have a truly transportive experience (even when the El train rumbles nearby)." - candis mclean
"The former head chef from Fishtown's LMNO moved into his own stunning space down the street, and he brought his love for mole with him. The sleek and buzzy Mexican restaurant has seating for nearly every occasion—there’s bar seating for a sotol cocktail, an airy main dining room packed with groups of friends, and there’s even an area with retractable walls, perfect for pretending you’re near the Cabo coastline when the night breeze hits you. The menu, for now, can be hit-or-meh, but the smoky, 72-hour brined chicken and citrusy rock shrimp tostadas topped with tangy chamoy sauce are early standouts. Toss in the best churros in the city, and you have a truly transportive experience (even when the el train rumbles through your Mexican fantasy)." - candis mclean, alison kessler, candis mclean, candis mclean, alison kessler, candis mclean, candis mclean, candis mclean, alison kessler, candis mclean, alison kessler, candis mclean, alison kessler
"Most of Philly’s (excellent) Mexican restaurants fall into the casual category. What we lack are sexy and sophisticated options for a closer-to-upscale night on the town, with that same quality food. And while Amá’s entrees leave something to be desired, its cocktails, small plates, and stylish scene more than hit the mark. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute Amá’s chef comes from the nonstop neon-lit celebration that is LMNO, just a few blocks away. This is more like a version for the people who know what a deductible is and keep a strict bedtime. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but has the expertly plated dishes and exceptional service that make you feel like you’re somewhere special. Couples at the speckled marble bar unlock hands to sip a sotol-soaked lime water ice cocktail and take bites of the smoky caesar salad. There’s not a bad seat in the cactus-lined house, but the luckiest diners sit by the retractable walls where they share tangy shrimp ceviche tostada, crunchy milpa and heirloom beans, and fantasize about being on the Cabo coastline—at least until the El comes roaring by. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Pause Unmute The chef’s prowess is evident in almost every dish on the seasonal menu. Shards of crispy corn tortillas are served with six types of salsa, each one representing a different region of Mexico. The squash blossom tlayuda looks more like a submission for the flower show than a Oaxacan tortilla. And the adobo chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender thanks to its 72-hour brine. But several of the mains disappoint, like lamb neck birria that’s slow-cooked but has no complexity or depth of flavor, and an obscenely large, obscenely priced octopus that sometimes borders on rubbery. video credit: Nicole Guglielmo Come here for a chic date night, when drinks and small plates are the name of the game, or bring friends, order the first half of the menu, and polish off the churros and a Canelo cocktail while missing that respectable bedtime. Just for one night. RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Tejuino Cocktail We are always on the hunt for a refreshing frozen cocktail, and this one is up there with the best of ‘em. It’s a frigid mix of sotol, fermented corn, and lime water ice. As it melts, the balance between the sweet, bright, and earthy flavors is still maintained. Order it. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Shrimp Ceviche Tostada The dish is made with fresh, perfectly firm white rock shrimp plus a layer of pico de gallo, burnt chillies, and plum-like chamoy. The subtle hit of the chopped veggies combines with a squeeze of lime to make an incredibly juicy bite. Sauce and citrus will drip down your chin, and the handmade corn tortilla falls apart after one bite. But it doesn’t matter. It’s delicious. PlayMute video credit: Nicole Guglielmo Charred Green Cabbage They put this fiery cabbage on a bed of pureed greens and topped it with almonds and herbs. And none of those elements make it taste like anything beyond burnt cabbage. Go for the milpa or caesar instead. PlayMute video credit: Nicole Guglielmo Camarones Zarandeado The beautifully grilled shrimp are served with three dips, but the only one you need is the glistening spicy salsa macha butter. The mayo-based one tastes overwhelmingly of, well, mayo, and the aguachile verde totally overpowers the flavor of the shrimp. Still worth ordering. photo credit: Nicole Guglielmo Seasonal Tlayuda We’ve had this masa masterpiece with wild mushrooms and black truffles, and with squash blossoms, creamy buffalo burrata, and herby epazote pesto. And both were thin-crusted wins. Especially the squash blossom, which came with a salsa verde that we might give up all other condiments for. PlayMute video credit: CANDIS R. MCLEAN Polla A La Leña This chicken has a 72-hour brine, so it's juicy and tender, with the right amount of crispness. It needs to be on your table. PlayMute video credit: Nicole Guglielmo Lamb Neck Birria What can we say? The most expensive birria in Philly tastes about as good as every solid birria place in town. Fall off the bone meat? Check. Savory consommé? Sure. But together, they lack a richness that you’d expect from a dish that gets the slow-cooked, TLC treatment. Outside of its size, there’s nothing really that sets it apart from the brothy birria masses in town. PlayMute video credit: CANDIS R. MCLEAN Wood-Fired Pulpo This is a five-pound slab of octopus. It comes with a grainy mound of forbidden rice with bits of more octopus. We’ve tried it when it’s been overcooked and rubbery, but even when it’s succulent, you won’t remember you ate it tomorrow. Your bank account, however, will. Camera roll or aquatic curiosity be damned. Skip it. PlayMute video credit: CANDIS R. MCLEAN Churros Light and crispy, plus cinnamon-sugar goodness. Enjoy. PlayMute video credit: Nicole Guglielmo" - Candis R. McLean
"Head to Fistown for modern Mexican dishes from LMNO’s former chef. The spacious spot serves dishes like wood-fired octopus with a salsa matcha verde, lamb neck birria, and a shrimp ceviche tostada, along with an elevated cocktail menu. We checked out Amá and added it to the Hit List." - candis mclean, alison kessler
"Four restaurant vets with roots in Mexico have come together to open Amá, an ambitious Mexican restaurant on Front Street in Fishtown. The Mexico City-born chef Frankie Ramirez has worked all over the city, but is coming into his own with Amá’s menu, which features dishes like lamb neck birria, shrimp ceviche tostadas. A full bar centers around a strong mezcal and tequila program." - Maddy Sweitzer-Lamme
