Volvér

I had the tasting menu before a show and it was definitely worth it! The grilled octopus was well balanced and cooked, and even more fresh with the lemon. The presentation was excellent and conveyed the expectation of delicious food to follow. My favorite may have been my dessert which was an elevated Swiss roll - the salted caramel sauce was incredible and the cake itself was nice and light. The cocktails were also well balanced and offered a nice variety of seasonal flavors! Overall an excellent start to an evening of theater.

Pretty nice place. The staff was great. Some were awesome and some were so-so. For example dumpling soup was 5/10 so as the chocolate dessert (the one I got in the hospital was same or maybe even a little better. But rinds and chicken were spot on!

This was my first Perusian themed restaurant. The service staff were very politein explaining the specials, The atmosphere was very quiet but the temperature was a little drafty. We enjoyed our meals, but I am not sure about the portion size. We preordered, because we were going to a show on the Kimmel Campus and I am wondering if the portions that came with the minimized menu are the same for orders from the standard one. In the end, I would recommend the establishment and would visit again to try the other menu options. It is a great place for a pre-show dinner.

Their hours might not be for everyone, but what they lack in the amount of time they're open they make up everywhere else. The food is amazing, and the concept of having new residency chefs every month keeps the menu fresh and exciting. I don't think we've ever had something we didn't like. It's small so it's intimate, and every server we've had has been great. The better half and I have been here twice this year and always check out the new menu every month. (Iron) Chef Jose Garces never ceases to amaze. Plus, it's easy to get to and there's several lower price garages nearby as well. I'm already ready to go back.

I have been meaning to try volver since it opened but rarely go out for fine dining. Was walking by when it opened at 4:00 on a Saturday afternoon and was able to snag seats at the bar. The cocktails were good. The octopus was slightly overcooked but great flavor. The hihhlight was the tinned fish toast with gooseberries. Jose sure does have a way with tinned fish! Delightful.

The appetizers were really good! Our dinner left much to be desired. My husband got the crispy chicken with mash potatoes and it was drowned in gravy. The bowl it was served in was also not ideal for eating. I got the trout dish and it left a lot to be desired. The atmosphere is intimate and very nicely decorated. I would probably come back but only for appetizers and drinks.

The experience was well worth the money. If I could give this restaurant a 4.5 I would. We had the 9 course tasting menu, most of which was delicious and complex in flavor. I really enjoyed the experience and could taste the thought and care that was put into each individual dish. The service was also great with the waiter being diligent and personable the entire time, although he always seemed to be out of breath or generally disheveled. The only dark spots on a practically brilliant dining experience were the the following: The empanada that was given in the snack portion of the meal was somewhat greasy and wasn't pleasant to eat. The rest of the snacks were great. The king crab risotto was definitely the least enjoyable out of all the dishes, but since it is an optional addition, you can simply opt to skip it. Finally the origin dessert which is a chocolate mousse with mango pearls and a banana sorbet was probably the only true disappointment. The sorbet was listed as coconut in the menu but banana was given. Overall the flavors were underwhelming and the banana sorbet was like eating baby food. The final dessert, the caramel egg, made up for the origin desert and then some. Delicious to the last bite. Overall it was a satisfying and enjoyable experience that I would recommend to everyone who would like to experience a fine dining tasting menu. I would still give it a 4.5 just because it wasn't a complete home run. According to our waiter, the menu changes seasonally, so we might be returning to sample a different menu. Give it a try. You won't regret it. Edit on November 2021: we went again on a day with no tasting menu and unfortunately the experience wasn't so positive. Some of the dishes were a miss while others were OK. The second experience was honestly no more than a 3. So to average it out, I'm lowering the overall rating to a 4.

The portions are sizable and the tasting menu has a traditional range of offerings . Seasoning could be apportioned a bit better - however the coup de grace was underfried churros that were rather unedible. Spoke briefly with the chef de cuisine; it's probably an anomaly, but I personally think it was the temperature that they were fried at because they absorb the oil but they weren't completely through.

Volver is a José Garcia restaurant located in the Sidney Kimmel Center. It's a really cool restaurant/bar for before and after performances. In fact, they have food specials for shows that go on. The bar is a cool half circle space with a robust menu. We ended up with a Cab sav and Pinot Grigio which were pretty tasty. The service was quick and the bartender didn't kick us out even though we stayed past closing.

Walking into Volver, we were immediately taken back by the general vibe and overall decor. Floor to ceiling windows on the ground level provide a ton of natural light and opportunity to be entertained via people watching. They have a lot of intimate seating, and a spacious bar, so whether you are on a date or just looking to get a drink with a friend, it is a great spot to consider. Two staple pieces for us were the huge decorative wall design and the transy bar music. Service was great - from the moment we walked out, we were happily greeted by their hostess and our waiter was attentive and funny throughout our entire meal. We were celebrating my birthday, which they provided complimentary bubbly to toast with. While the menu was innovative and plating was creative, the food itself was unfortunately the least memorable part of the experience. Now, I am not saying it was bad, but there wasn't anything that left us feeling we needed to come back for it. While the execution fell short, I would still recommend a visit if you are in the area. Their small plates stood out the most, and I could see this as a wonderful spot to get some drinks and light apps before a show!

Volver is a restaurant by Chef Jose Garces, and our party came here for an early dinner, as we were in the area. We started off with some small plates: +Chicken & Dumplings - Parm and corn dumplings, poached chicken, seasonal root veggies, Parm espuma, and cilantro (which we opted out of); this was a little sus, as the filling seemed very undercooked +Grilled Octopus - served with crispy potatoes, romesco, black olive aioli, and red chiles; these were overcooked and rubbery, and we weren't fans of the romesco sauce, and it did not complement the octopus +the Burrata - with marinated roasted red peppers and basil chimichurri +'Tinned Fish on Toast' - tinned fish, cape gooseberries, tapenade, sundried tomatoes, and herb salad; wasn't a fan of this, even though I was excited to try this rotating toast out +Brie & Leek Empanada - with triple cream French brie, melted leeks, black oli aioli, and chimichurri; the leeks were super mushy, but we liked the brie For our mains, we ordered: +the Scallop Risotto - with diver scallops, sweet peas, mushrooms, pine nuts, and a sherry-shallot jus; could have had more scallops +Grilled Hanger Steak - with hasselback 'nuri' potatoes, black truffle hollandaise, and shishito pepper escabeche; the steak was cooked well, but the shishito pepper escabeche wasn't necessary +the Braised Short Rib - served with white polenta, glazed veggies, black demi, and a beef fat & horseradish gremolata; extremely dried out and had no seasoning The decor of the restaurant is bright, with floor to ceiling windows and an open kitchen. Service was friendly. Parking can be found by pre-paying for the theater lot nearby. +friendly service +pre-paid parking available at the theater lot

Came in during closing time. Its a clean bar with prompt bartender. The drinks were ok. Other than the location, nothing special.

I did the pre-dinner fixed price menu as part of a combo with Philadelphia orchestra tickets. I was pretty disappointed with this tasting menu and definitely think that for the price, there are many better options near the orchestra. I would not recommend picking here unless the convenience factor is just too good to pass up, or if you were factoring in limited mobility. A plus is the space, which is absolutely beautiful. As you eat, you get to watch the orchestra goers fill into the atrium, and the natural light and all glass exterior is unbeatable. The chairs are quite comfy. In terms of the food, the fixed price menu is so limiting! It's quite expensive, $56 for two courses plus dessert (compare to harp and crown, ten courses for $50, Zahav, six huge ones for $74 etc.). And there are only three choices to pick from. This was kind of disappointing. The food itself was unimaginative. The salad was tasty (when isn't fried goat cheese going to be a plus?) but standard fare. The pork noodles were typical of any Chinatown dim sum place but smaller quantity. Although I was impressed by the presentation of the Branzino I thought in general the food was definitely a step down from other Garcés places I've visited. Maybe they are catering to a more traditional crowd at the orchestra. The service was slow and at times we felt kind of forgotten. It wasn't particularly busy and we weren't in a hurry, but it wasn't a plus. One huge upside is that the cocktails are a significant step up from standard fare. I loved everything they made at the bar for me. Plenty of fresh fruit and fun ingredients. I would say skip Volver for dinner, especially their tasting menu, which borders on a scam (add up the cost of the entree, the appetizer, and dessert a la carte and you're usually under $56!). I would maybe come back to sit at the bar before a show and have a drink just for convenience. If this is the play, you can reserve bar seats online during the weekend, which is probably a good move pre-show.

Volver has always been a bucket list restaurant to try for me and I finally got to experience it Sunday night. Berenjena (Marintated Eggplant Toast) - As far as presentation goes this appetizer is served on a dish that looks like the hands of God himself could be welcoming you to this culinary experience to start your meal and the flavor of the two inch size pieces of toast garnished with jalapenos stood up to the taste test. Highly recommend if you like some heat and am anywhere close as a fan of eggplant as myself. (FYI- this was an Argentina residency chef appetizer that has control of half the menu for exactly one month which is a very interesting way to have repeat customers come back to see what new items will entertain the menu each month.) Jezabel's Empanada's - This was the winner of the night for best appetizer in my book and my dining partner's book. Two Empanada's split in half, one beef and the other a leek empanada. The execution in preparing the flavor in the beef empanada is beyond expert, entering folklore territory in quality of taste. This spectucular item is currently on the happy hour menu and also Jezabel Careaga's residency chef menu item donning her name. Shrimp Toast - There are sweet shrimp and there are shrimp are more of the cocktail variety that are good but certainly do not fall in the catergory of sweet, these bite size wonders fall into the sweet shrimp catergory and if I lived closer I would probably get about 3-4 orders of this menu item a week. Soft, sweet, not lacking flavor in any regard, get an order from this staple menu item if you dine here. Picada - This is a cheese and meat plate with toast. Out of all the items ordered on this night this is the one I could have done without. The goat cheese was tasty and chorizo had immense spice and flavor but I would not order again. Milk and Cereal - Whenever someone mentioned Volver the first thing they would talk about is this small plate, how unique and wonderful it is. This is one of the reasons why I came here to try this item and unforunately it did not live up to my expectations. The white asparagus milk broth was interesting and glad I was able to try but I would lower your expectations for this dish and if you are not a total foodie I would pass. If you made it this far in your reading, On to the Entree! Trout Meuniere - Best quality piece of Trout which came out piping hot with fresh horseradish flakes on top of the baked layer of skin. So glad I chose this entree which will not make you feel weighed down after eating and even comes with brussel sprouts and lentils. Almost forgot, I went with one unique drink the Thai Gin Basil drink which is garnished with a blood orange. Perfect! Oddly enough their wine menu by the glass was seriously lacking but at a restaurant this caliber you can drink less and enjoy more in the food and experience. Really hope this restaurant stays here for a long, long time. As always people SYOY!!

This visit was much better than the last! We were seated along the windows so we were able to people-watch and more importantly, dog-watch! We had more than enough time before our show at the Academy of Arts and enjoyed a easy dinner before showtime from the pre-fix menu. The only negative thing I will say is that they need to keep their wine menu up-to-date. We ordered a 2018 Cab Sav and as the waiter was opening it, we realized it was a 2021. The wine tasted fine but when you're paying $75-$85 a bottle, it's nice to get what you believe you're ordering. Very good dinner with delicious food!

For the most part I've enjoyed what I've ordered here. The location is great if you're seeing a show at the Kimmel Center or the Academy of Music. The portions are small, so we usually get appetizers or order the pre-theater menu, which comes with an appetizer and dessert.

My mom and I attended a pre-theatre dinner with a pre-fix menu and everything was delicious! The drinks were also impressive. The ambiance is lovely and our server was friendly and attentive. He also paced our meals so that we were not too early or late for our event. The only thing that bummed us out was the menu online did not match the one we were given, so we were not able to order a lamb entree that sounded delicious.

Wow! That's all I can say about my visit to Volver last year during Chef Kiki Arantia's residency. The decor inside Volver is beautiful and the staff are very attentive. I can't remember all of the dish names but just know that they were so flavorful! Chef Kiki did an amazing job and I hope the city can get more Poi dog inspired eats! Volver is a great place to grab dinner before a show at the Kimmel Center. They've also got some great drinks but I wouldn't stop by for happy hour during the week with my girls. Volver seems a bit fancy for after work drinks but to each their own!

I had a table for two right next to a big window. The table kept tilting/rocking. The ambiance is great for a date! I ordered the cherry T cocktail to start because a $1 benefits the Garcés foundation. Then we ordered the Chicken dumplings !!! DELICIOUS!!! I ordered another after I finished dessert! The steak was tender and the sauce the steak was covered with was very flavorful. My friend enjoyed the chicken curry.

The food was excellent, get the rolls and all the sides. Everyone loved their main. The service was very attentive and the way me was excellent

First time here and pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed everything! Came here for a special occasion and very nice of the waitress to acknowledge it. The restaurant is located within the Kimmel Center which is a great option for pre-show dinners. They have a prefix menu for shows but I don't think it's necessary since the price ends up the same give or take with the a la carte option. Volver Menu Snapper tartare's sauce was creamy and the snapper was almost gelatinous in texture. Milk and cereal was a mixture of savory and sweet. Might seem odd to have marshmallows but the hint of sweetness really made this small plate. Lamb chops was made perfectly! Probably the best lamb chops I've ever had. Alexander Yoon's Menu Grilled Branzino- the topping of the branzino was so flavorful. Sticky toffee pudding- this dessert was really good! Not as sweet as you'd think it would be so I thought it was perfectly paired with ice cream. Didn't realize it was the chef's dessert so I guess it won't be available next time. Think the chef is going to open his own restaurant in Philly so I look forward to trying it! Staff at Volver was really friendly and knowledgeable. Like I said, we enjoyed everything we ordered and will come back!

Very disappointing! Sky high prices, skimpy portions, and the food wasn't even that good. I ordered the crispy chicken and for $27 it was basically a chicken thigh with a spoonful of mashed potatoes. It was submerged in sauce so there was no crisp and was very salty, little flavor. Costco rotisserie chicken honestly tastes better than this and for a fraction of the price. The bread was also completely dry and tasteless. Only reason it's not 1 star is the service was friendly and the ambiance nice. It's a convenient place for a bite before or after a Kimmel Center concert but Kimmel Center patrons deserve much better than this.

I've only been to Volvér for cocktails, appetizers, and such, never a full dinner. It's great as a place to meet before a show at the Kimmel Center or Academy of Music, though. Great location to both (and the other "Avenue of the Arts" venues). There aren't good alternatives for that purpose... almost every place else is further away, and you have to go further than you'd want to walk to find someplace that's good. It's a bit pricey if you're comparing it to places in other neighborhoods, but it's reasonable if you're having your occasional day/night out where you already paid for show tickets, parking, etc., and don't want to ruin the occasion by shaving a few bucks off your order. The vibe is nice: it has a comfortable, contemporary feel, with some energy at busy times but not too much noise to talk. The drinks are perfect, and the food is very good. The service is also professional and, in my experience, will take your timeline for getting to a show into account (getting you out the door if you're on a deadline, or letting you relax if you have some time to kill)... though I might not try to push that to extremes. If you're looking for a convenient place before (or, I guess, after) a show, Volvér is nearby and executed very well.

I was surprised to read middling to good reviews on a center city spot with Jose Garces name behind it. But after my experience I must also give this a middling review. I admit though- I did give a bit of a handicap based on the fact that it DOES promote itself as an Iron Chef establishment and based my expectations likewise. If this place simply marketed itself as a trendy deconstructionist loving lunch stop- then it's easily a 4 star. Seemingly shoved into the corner of the Kimmel Center, Volvers L shape doesn't leave much room for any real dining space. We were in the outer edge in the kitchen area- seriously IN the kitchen area. I know it's nice to see your food directly in preparation but it just added to the sense of tightness. The chairs are comfy but aren't meant to be seated forward to eat and with the background music, it was hard to hear the person you're trying to dine with. And for a menu with only 20 items, it didn't nail them all as I would expect. This place loves deconstruction and tableside as we learned with their "Milk and Cereal" soup with crackers and marshmallow cereal and milk poured on. I enjoyed the whimsy but a few bites more of bacon and marshmallow would have made every bite sing heavenly. As well with their take on French onion soup with a broth and sourdough ring and poached egg. The egg was definitely overdone, not beyond hope but still too far and the broth was barely warm. The tournedos were cooked perfectly for steak but proved that this was wanting to be a delicate upscale dining experience with its plethora of blended sauces to compliment. The St. Honore was unrecognizable in display but the flavors and textures worked well and candied peanuts stole the show. The majorlaine was a true sponge and played well with the natural sweetness of the beets. But the bleu cheese whipped cream was oddly the one NOT delicate bite of the whole night and completely overpowered the dish. I also appreciate the cocktails done very well. Service was friendly and solid if occasionally oddly paced- at least 10 minutes between appetizer and entree, and dessert arrived but had to wait a minute for the coffee. It's a fine spot to not worry about getting to a Kimmel performance but for what they set expectations to- it really doesn't hit it consistently.

The restaurant is very intimate and it was exactly what we wanted for the night. The service was amazing, our server was very sweet and cordial, she explained the menu and gave her recommendations. Which was perfect!

Yes, yes, and yesssssssss !!! This is the gem I've been waiting to find in Philly!! Love the vibe. Drinks are A+++, and the food is simply delicious!! Great experience from start to finish. I'll be back, Volver!! Promise!!

This was an interesting place. Me and my boyfriend only went here because of the chef in residency this month was my friend, but it's very cool that they're doing that. So we had dishes that I knew I'd like (as I've bad my friends food many times). Hamachi collars, summer rolls, papaya salad, carpaccio, and two desserts, and a gin basil drink. Would recommend the crepe salad on his menu, one of my faves. The atmosphere in the actual restaurant is nice, dimly lit, and it's fun to sit at the tables next to the glass wall and people watch. Finding the restaurant is odd because it's in the Kimmel center. And the bathrooms are downstairs away from the restaurant.

Amada is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. This...this was just some subpar concept restaurant. I recommend skipping and finding something more deserving of a visit.

It's just pretty average. Went for restaurant week. Not much you're getting for $45 and a long wait. It's fine. It's food. If you're not a good home cook it is better than what you make. If you're good it's the same. There's better places near by. No volver

Wow. Start to finish extraordinary! The building and architecture are stunning! We were greeted like royalty and led along start to finish. They are currently in chef residency and it definitely did not disappoint. One of the best papaya salad I've ever had! Fish entrées were fresh with very pronounced flavors and exquisite plating. This was a true dining experience.

Not sure why rated so low. Came for lunch for restaurant week. Waitress incredibly friendly and knowledgeable of the food and consistently checked up on us. Menu had Portuguese food but also rotating local chef, who recently offered southern/comfort food. Had buttery lemon prawns to start, then the branzino (nice crisp and texture tho the side veggies are a bit on the rawer side), and finally the amazing flan that's just the right consistency: fluffy and not too much goo. Drinks were great (strong and knock you out). Portion size for the food is smaller but the alcohol fills and warms you up. Hoping to come back again.

This restaurant is located in the Kimmel Center and it is perfect to have a meal after attending a concert or show. They have a pre-theater menu or a regular menu. My daughter and I chose the pre-theater menu which gave you a few items to choose a first course, an entree and then a dessert. I had the arugula salad to start ( delicious balsalmic dressing with shaved parmesan and walnut/date slivers), the entree was pork over spaetzel with a light brown sauce and red cabbage, and for dessert a chocolate cake which was like a cake roll with chocolate cake around a cream center coated it dark cholate and seved on a bed of carmel with chocoltae ice cream on top. all our choices were DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!

I tried Volver for the first time for dinner during Restaurant Week. I was excited because their menu looked really good. The restaurant is essentially inside the Kimmel Center, and I heard they also usually have prixe fix meals before Kimmel Center shows. The inside is very pretty, fancy, and dark. It definitely has a classy atmosphere. Overall, I enjoyed the food, but a big part of their food is also their presentation. The dishes were plated beautifully! The portions are not huge, but perfect for a three course meal. You won't be overstuffed afterwards, but you also shouldn't be hungry. I ordered the Milk and Cereal, the Hanger Steak, and the Panna Cotta. The milk and cereal was really cool, like a soup, and came out in a cute little cereal box glass that the waitress pours into the bowl for you. The hanger steak was absolutely delicious, cooked well and probably my favorite dish of the night. The panna cotta was interesting, very fruity and had a strong black sesame flavor. It was cool to try and plated beautifully, but I probably wouldn't order it again.

Came here for dinner last night with my boyfriend, and we were a bit disappointed. Everything we ordered had a good flavor but entirely too salty! The soup in the milk and cereal dish was heavily salted, the more we had the saltier it got. The beef tartare was saltier than we liked. And the skin on the cannelloni chicken was so salty it was hard to eat. The meat of the chicken was fine. My boyfriend's hanger steak was heavily salted as well. The service there was good, but food wasn't to our liking.

Came here for Valentine's day, and was little disappointed that they don't have a special valentine's menu. But happy that they give all female customers a rose at the end. :) So we had the chef's tasting menu. Overall, the food tastes amazing! Except the snacks are a bit too salty for me, especially the iberico, and chips. Highly recommend the milk and cereal (I like the chewiness the glazed chicken cubes added to it). Love the Cannelloni chicken overall, except that the chicken could be more tender and juicer. Dessert: highly recommend the sorbet, very silky and smooth in the mouth. Caramelized egg is alright, too sweet to my liking, but the presentation is adorable. Drinks: ordered the Lennon Ambition, loved it. Most dishes are small plate, and I was surprised how full I got after 8 courses. Overall, the view outside window is a bit lame (which is the street and wall of a brick building ), wish the view would be better, but being in a city, this is understandable. Classy romantic ambience inside. Pricing is on the higher end, if you are just curious and don't wanna break your wallet, I would recommend coming for restaurant week or other special events where you get a huge discount.

This review is post-pandemic, FYI. Volver was a very high-end, innovative restaurant that featured a great tasting menu. They closed during the pandemic, and now advertise they're back open. Volver, per se, is NOT open, but rather they've opened the bar (Bar Volver) which has table seating in another part of the restaurant. This was not made evident on their website; they simply say Volver is open, and you are able to reserve on OpenTable. The menu is more limited than it used to be, but post-pandemic, this is not unusual for many restaurants that have reopened. The bar is very nice, but I reserved at the main restaurant, and was expecting a similar food quality, though with a more limited menu, as well as seating in the restaurant area. I went for a nice romantic dinner with my GF, and had a very different experience. The bar area is very nice, but it's not as intimate or classy as the main restaurant, and the seating and tables aren't as comfortable. The menu was limited, but I was expecting very high-quality and well-prepared dishes. This proved not to be the case, save one. The small bites and snacks were unremarkable, a beef skewer, what essentially was a "salmon rangoon" similar to a crab rangoon, a cheese and bacon flatbread, and their version of shrimp toast. Each were pretty common higher-end bar food, nothing remarkable. Not exceptional in flavor, but just OK. The one item that was a standout was the milk and cereal, which is essentially a light cream soup with savory marshmallows, bacon, and chicken. This was the standout appetizer, and very reminiscent of the old Volver quality. The entrees we chose were lamb chops with cardamom and curry, and the crispy chicken with potato puree, bacon, and savory marshmallows. The crispy chicken was quite literally the same as you'd expect from any deep-fried chicken you'd get ay at decent restaurant. Unremarkable, slightly dry, and pretty bland. The potato puree seemed like it was mashed potatoes with some butter added, but no cream, which made them fairly bland. The broth and bacon were a nice addition. The lamb chops were quite a saga. The server forgot to ask how we'd like them cooked, and they came medium-well. The server said they usually do them medium-rare, so they re-fired them. The new version had one that was perfectly cooked, and another that was totally raw inside. They re-fired the raw one, and it came back a solid medium. The service was good, and both the server and the GM, Jenny, did what they could to fix the issues with the meat temperature. They were both very nice, and tried to make our visit as nice as possible. Overall, this was a huge disappointment, as the food did not come even close to the complexity, quality, taste, and presentation as I've known Volver to be. Even with a less impressive menu, I was expecting what they provided to be top-notch, and it was a serious disappointment. I felt very misled that they advertise this as Volver, but rather it's the bar, with middling bar food. I will definitely come back, and try again if they're able to recover and bring back their former tasting menu, but as it stands, it's not a place I'd visit again if the bar will be their only option.

Vibes: chic and contemporary lounge-style dining with an open kitchen and beautiful bar Tasting notes: -Cordelia: very fragrant from the sizable grapefruit peel garnish, sweet and fruity at first with a bitter, herbal finish -Hamachi tartare: a bit tangy, a little sweet; fish is very fresh, but the forte of this dish lies in the great variety of textures with each forkful; the accompanying chip adds a nice crunch and savoriness to the dish overall -Pastrami trout: very crispy skin on the trout; oiliness from the fish is contrasted with the tart apple and light cabbage salad -Cocoa choux: pastry dough is more chewy than airy, not as delicate as it appears; mousse was thick and custardy Other notes: -Dishes are designed to be aesthetic and innovative, more so for tasting than satisfying -Would consider coming back for drinks and appetizers before going to the Kimmel Center -Coat check service offered right upon arrival at hostess stand

After walking past Volvér a million times, I finally had a chance to make it in for restaurant week. Admittedly, my expectations weren't that high given some of my prior restaurant week experiences at pricier restaurants (see: microscopic portions). However, Volvér was quite generous. I'll start with my cocktail. I ordered The Cooper and it was phenomenal. Sweet (but not overwhelming so) and rich enough for me to sip throughout my dinner. Well worth the $13. As for the food, I ordered the hamachi tartare to start, a duck dish that I don't quite remember the name of (all of the photos I took...and not one of them was a photo of the menu), and the panna cotta. The hamachi tartare was a surprisingly generous portion for a small plate. The combination of ingredients were a bit strange to me, but somehow they all came together in a pretty tasty dish (the mango pearls were an especially nice touch). I wish I recalled more specific details of the duck dish, but I do remember the skin being crispy and the meat being tender. The reason the experience was a 4 for me and not a 5 was the dessert. The black sesame panna cotta wasn't bad, but I didn't enjoy the taste of it enough to finish it. I thought my friend's ultra-rich cocoa choux was much better (which says a lot, as dense chocolate desserts are not my preference). The service was fast, reliable, and friendly and the overall atmosphere was very classy. The general manager stopped by our table and mentioned that they'll be rotating their menus by country within the next few months (I think he said the first countries will be Italy and Vietnam). Without restaurant week this place is quite expensive, but the concept sounds interesting enough that I might give Volvér a second look. As far as my restaurant week experience went, it was a good value for the price.

Perhaps unsurprising given the restaurant is attached to the Kimmel Center, but I wasn't wowed by the price to portion size ratio. Overview of the dishes: - Cereal and milk was an interesting mushroom chowder; wish there was more of it. - The ramen was almost too salty to eat - The lamb was deep fried and crispy, so can't complain - Sesame panna cotta was packed with flavor Overall, great ambiance and the food wasn't bad. However, I'm not sure I'll be going back anytime soon.

I'm surprised that this restaurant only has so-so reviews. I was vaguely aware of this restaurant before my visit but assumed it was Spanish because of the name. The menu is much more French leaning than Spanish, which was a pleasant surprise given the number of Spanish restaurants in Center City. I went here before an event at the Kimmel Center due to its convenient location along with its pre-theater prix fixe menu option. Ended up passing on the prix fixe and opted for crab beignets as a starter and rainbow trout with lentils as the main meal. Both exceeded expectations. Everything on the drink menu looked good. I can't remember what drink I got but it was appropriately strong and not watered down. Service wise, our waitress was attentive. The restaurant was setting up for an event while we there and the manager checked up on us to make sure it wasn't disruptive and gave us a complimentary drink coupon for the inconvenience (no inconvenience caused!) With its convenient location as a pre-theater dinner option, I'll definitely be returning. Great food and great service!

We enjoyed the gourmet food: developed eggs topped with tuna, duck fried rice with pepperoni and a delicious seasonal salad with fried goat cheese! I also loved the stone fruit cocktail, delicious!

Pretty much the worst way to spend $150 for dinner is to dine here. We went for a birthday dinner around 8:45 PM on a Tuesday night. The servers are really friendly and service is prompt which is why the two stars because food here gets a zero from me. We ordered two appetizers and two entreès: and I was underwhelmed by each and every one of them. The salmon was actually the worst, I have never tasted such a bland salmon in my life! I am a bad cook but I am confident that I can make a better salmon than that. It was literally cooked and served without any seasoning. The gnocchi had too many unrelated ingredients thrown together and was on a rather sweet side which I did not appreciate. It was again - bland. Let's just keep the sweetness for desert, shall we? The dessert menu looked pretty bad as well so we ended up ordering nothing and both of us have a sweet tooth. Also, I don't understand but why take dinner reservations 15 mins before the kitchen closes? They gave us reservations for 8:45 pm and when we didn't reach exactly at 8:45, they called us to let us know that the kitchen closes at 9:00 pm. They were also out of lamb chops which was the only dish I was remotely excited about. Overall, I was so disappointed to have chosen this place for a birthday dinner. It was completely ruined by the tasteless and bland food. Never going back ever again!

Overall the food was just not that memorable. Items are priced high and the portions really, really small. Very disappointed. The cuisine was not innovative. The short ribs skewers were not only small, but also fatty. Go elsewhere.

Jeffrey our server was amazing. He made our dinner so perfect. His drink recommendations were perfect. (The Cherry-T). We arrived 30 mins early for our reservation and they accommodated us on the spot. Portions are not large but absolutely divine! We will be back! Thank you for the excellent service!

This place isn't just "bad for the money" it's bad in general. A tourist trap meant to make people feel as if they're getting a high-dollar experience before going to a show at one of the nearby theaters. The place was deserted when I came in, admittedly a 4pm on a Sunday, it might not be peak time but a real good place would still be getting bustling by this time. The ambiance and decor is quite nice- but the only real part of the grift that might fool you. So I ordered the pretzels- "Duck Fat Pretzels" as they appear on the menu. They came out real fast- too fast, suspiciously fast. Maybe it shouldn't have been surprising when they tasted like day old soft pretzels, because I suspect that's what they were. Them being old might be the best explanation, because if these truly were made fresh for me then the chefs need to go down to the local food truck for some pointers on how to make pretzels. If they were too old then there might be a chance you could get some fresher ones. They were probably expecting me to drown it in the dijon mustard they provided, but there really wasn't enough of it to do that and the waitress didn't really answer when I asked them if it was home-made mustard. So then was the entree, a "Filet Mignon Philly Style" which I can admit is an interesting concept for a deconstructed cheese steak. A concept which seems dead on arrival as soon as you see the size of the filet. A tiny filet that looked like it was cut in half, a small crispy piece of bread underneath it and some sauces. Now some dupes thing that tiny portions is just what fancy restaurants do but that is only the case with places that have 5-course tasting menus and the like, not places that seem oriented around 3 courses, and this simply was not enough food for an entree. Needless to say, having 5 bites for an entree in this case is just part of the scam. In any case the first steak went back because it was overdone- in this case I feel sorry for the chefs trying to nail a medium rare on a piece of meat so tiny. It was hard to even gauge doneness as I wasn't even gauging shades of red but weird shades of gray. Anyway the cut wasn't too horrible and I'm pretty sure it wasn't nuked in a microwave, it went well with the sauces but generally was enough to elevate it to anything worth the money asked for it. A regular cheese steak wit wiz would have been more satisfying and more filling. Dessert was initially just 2 choux puffs which, going with the theme of the dinner, tasted premade and old. There was no crispiness or warmth and I felt like I needed the steak knife back to cut through the chewy outside. The taste of the filling and topping was pretty good but that is the hardest thing to mess up. Because of all the problems they gave me another dessert (caramel ice cream, a bit hard to mess up) which I took because I was still quite hungry and didn't have time to go elsewhere. And go elsewhere is exactly what you should do.

More than amazing experience. Taste like Michelin Stars to me! We got the 12 courses all of which were delicious. We started off with the Ham stand. -Siberian sturgeon caviar (with brioche migas with whipped creme fraiche and chives) -Macaron (with foie and blood orange) -Deviled egg with butternut squash mousse -Bacalao Takoyaki (with eel glaze, togarashi, yuzu kewpie mayo, and bonito flakes) All of which were super amazing! I don't even like deviled eggs but this was amazing. The Tsukiji Market Fish (I don't remember the fish) but it didn't matter because it was amazing. It could have been mackerel for all I know. This was served with a delicious horseradish cream and pickled mustard seeds, fennel, and green apple snow. It was a teaspoon sized (at most) scoop on green apple snow cone - so refreshing and delicious!!!!! Milk and cereal was also a tasty treat. They put quail egg, bacon, chicken oyster, and truffle thyme marshmallows in a small bowl and bring out a small porcelain pint that consumed the white asparagus milk. I have no idea what that is except for what it literally sounds like.. who cares! So good! The almost vegetarian course (minus the fuck skin crumble) was very refreshing and was served as a masterpiece with little leaves and other micro greens meticulously arranged. I hate carrots but liked them here. We also had: -Sea scallops with clam croquette in ham broth. -Fried squab with biscuit -Baby artichokes with whipped olive oil, lemon, and parmasean -Fish - nice and flaky! -Wagyu beef -Elderflower panna cotta -Persimmons curd -Venezuelan chocolate with liquid gold Volver is a must try. You will not regret it.

We had a three course pre-theater meal. I had a the arugula salad which was ok , but did not understand why it can with a nut loaf ?? It added nothing to the salad. Next was the short rib, it was dry and came with basic mash and unseasoned vegetables. The dish also had an odor that was strong. I barely ate anything on the plate. My wife had the Cioppino. It was by far the worst dish we had out in years. It had tiny dry shrimp and skin on fish that was uncrispy. The desserts were embarrassingly small and below average. Garces should be embarrassed with this menu and quality. This restaurant should be embarrassed with what they are serving to people.

We did the prefix menu after a show, we really enjoyed our food and the service. We had arrived earlier than what we expected, and they were nice enough to accommodate us. I had the salad, short rib, and the fried banana egg roll. I loved the salad dressing on the salad, and the short rib was super tender. Overall I enjoyed the experience!

I was surprised for my birthday with a dinner at Volver. I will admit that my expectations were not high as it was Restaurant Week - a period that we generally avoid like the plague. However, I was pleasantly surprised and frankly blown away by the food that was served. We both had the Rose Gold cocktail which was delicious and $2 of each drink went to the Garces Foundation. The $35 Restaurant Week menu was severely limited, in effect a pared version of the $35 pre-theater menu; but we each found dishes that looked interesting/appealing. For the first course we had the Hamachi Tartare and the Milk & Cereal. The tartare was phenomenal, sublime, fresh and delicious, the togarashi flatbread was genius. The milk & cereal a fun play on a composed asparagus soup with rice flakes, chicken thigh and thyme marshmallows - delicious. The second courses were the Veal Hangar Steak and the Pastrami Trout and again, both were surprising in good ways and delicious in all ways. I had a great by the glass Riesling with my entrée and my partner had a fantastic by the glass Merlot ($28) that was worth every drop. We finished with the third and last course with Panna Cotta of black sesame, yuzu meringue, mandarin sorbet, Thai basil and cherry with a black and white sesame crisp that brought it all to a fantastic close. Josh was our server and he was great as was Phoebe who checked in on us all night long and brought us a yummy sparkling wine sent by my sister-in-law to accompany our dessert. Based on our experience, I can absolutely say that it was THE BEST Restaurant Week experience we have ever had and we are definitely planning to check out the regular menu & tasting menu plus wine pairing as soon as Restaurant Week is over.

Beautiful before a show at Kimmel Dont bother with the seasonal gnocchi (if it's the pumpkin? One). Do get the shrimp toast. Do get the beef on their pre fixed-up charge is worth it. Desserts delight. Service was satisfactory that night. Would return and get cocktails next time

My BFF and I dined at this restaurant since it was convenient to where we were seeing John Cusack. It also was an add on to our show package. For $35.00 each, you got a 3 course dinner. (Or so we thought!) The apps were so foreign. There was a Duck liver dish which is a cruel dish to order due to how they force feed the ducks and torture them, so that was out! No way I'm supporting that gruesome practice. We opted for what was called "milk and cereal". Lol!! It was not actual cereal, but rather pieces of things! You couldn't tell what they were. On the menu it said bacon and chicken and a few greens. The waiter added the milk which was not just any kind of milk. Anyway, it tasted salty and bacony. A tiny little portion. I didn't care for it. My BFF was smart, she got the salad and it was normal, meaning, fine to eat and good. Next came the "dinner" you must see the pic. We got the ricotta gnudi. We didn't know what that was either. What it looked and tasted like tiny, buttery, cheese balls in some soupy yellow gravy. They were good, but we both agreed that we could have used like 20 more on our plate. When the restaurant mgr. asked how everything was, I said, "ok". He then said, "no, you can tell me." Then we said, well maybe some bread would be good. He brought us this bread that was so delicious! But we looked at our portion including the bread and thought we could have been in the movie Oliver: "please sir, a little more for the poor boy?" Finally dessert. It was cute. Tasted like a crispy brownie on the outside with some chocolate mousse in the center. It so needed coffee. But being the coffee snob I am, I asked what kind they served. The waitress told us it was called PJs from New Orleans. We ordered. After about 15 minutes, we thought she went to New Orleans to get it!! Finally it came and there was no charge since she had forgotten, or went to New Orleans.That was nice. The coffee was good. We looked around to see what others were getting- same small portions. Wasn't until today that I see the restaurant calls this a tapas restaurant. We were told "dinner" in the add on package. Quite expensive for tapas though! The restaurant is located right in the kimmel lobby. It was chic-ish in there. The crowd was all over 60 years old. We were the babies in there. We also noticed the hostess bringing pillows to a few women. We weren't sure if they sat on them or they put them behind their backs, but it was strange. We had no I doubt that the young 20 something hostess went home with tons of weird stories ! Our waiter was not the most verbal. He mumbled and forgot what he was saying a lot. He was nice though. I would never return to Volve'r in the kimmel. Food was too rich for my liking and you got the tiniest amount! We knew we'd need a good cheesesteak after the show! When I asked if the cuisine was Spanish, the waiter didn't really know what it was. He said some Spanish with Asian flare. If you really want to sit and enjoy some good food eat somewhere else. If you are already full and have tons of money to burn, go here. Nothing so great at Volve'r and you'll probably want a cheesesteak later!

I went for dinner with my friend and it was such a perfect meal. We did the $35 three-course fixed menu and loved absolutely everything we got. I got milk & cereal for the appetizer, porcini gnudi for the entree, and cocoa choux for the dessert. Everything was wonderful. The food was so creative and flavorful. My only small complaint was that the service was a little slow, but for food this good it's 100% worth the wait. I'll definitely be going back here!

Wow the food here is so good, presentation is incredible and you can literally taste the care put into each dish. For appetizer, I suggest the shrimp toast, milk and cereal, or beef tartar. For main course, I suggest either the chicken, steak, trout, or gnudi. And for desert, the cocoa choux. I have included pics :)

Came to Volver for dinner on a Saturday night around 7:30 and it was surprisingly empty. I'm assuming most people had early dinners and went to their show at the Kimmel center. Either way, no complaints because I loved our dining experience here. To start, we ordered the Hamachi Tartare and Chickpea Gordita. The Hamachi Tartare was really good but the Chickpea Gordita was absolutely amazing! We ordered a second one because we loved it so much. So flavorful and so many lovely textures. Loved it! We then moved on to main course - Cannelloni Chicken and Berto's Halibut. Both of these dishes were executed perfectly with the meats cooked very well. While both dishes tasted good, they didn't impress us like the appetizers did. I will be back to Volver! I'll stick with my tried and tasted appetizer choices and may venture to try new dishes for the mains.

I was sitting in the Kimmel Center before my reservation to eat here, reading Yelp reviews and I almost left because of the overwhelming negative reviews. Like I was concerned y'all. But we decided to stick it out and I'm so glad I did! I had an excellent experience dining here! People complained a lot about portions and price, clearly these people didn't try the pre-theater menu- cause it is like restaurant week year round. 3 courses $35...like what is there to complain about? First off, my server whose name escapes me, was AMAZING. She had excellent recommendations and was incredibly accommodating- like the epitome of an amazing server. For the first course, I had the milk and cereal appetizer. Now the name is misleading, but it's like the most elegant cream of asparagus soup with lots of crunchy components. The presentation is really playful, you're given a bowl with the textural elements- rice flakes, bacon, quail egg, asparagus, chicken and little savory thyme marsh mellows. Then you're a given a glass in the shape of a milk carton full of "asparagus milk." You combine the two at the table which is both fun and practical because the texture items stay crunchy. This isn't something you see every day and I don't normally get excited about soup, but this is a must try if you're here! For my entree, I had the jidori chicken. Jidori, is just a type of chicken, not a preparation. But it was so juicy and well cooked. We honestly don't give chicken enough credit because it is so delicious when cooked right. It comes with creamy smoked Swiss chard and a luscious sherry and fois gras sauce. Delicious entree! The portion was just fine, I mean if you're expecting family style, 20lbs of food, you're not going to get it, but I felt perfectly satisfied with the size of my meal. For dessert, they sent the cocoa choux, a yummy chocolate cream puff with a crunchy sable top baked on, filled with a decadent, rich chocolate mousse. This was very chocolatey and the perfect way to end the meal. Overall, I was very happy with my experience! In summary: Def recommend the pre-theater menu, don't trust all the negative reviews, this place is great!

The cuisine's quality is exceptional in every way, including its taste, appearance, dexterity with which it was prepared, and the freshness of the ingredients used. A warm and inviting space with comfortable seating where people can gather to eat, recharge their batteries, make new professional and personal connections, and maintain existing ties. Because the meal that the chef had prepared for us was so extraordinary, it is difficult to adequately express how excited we were when we tried a bite of one of the dishes that he had prepared for us. As a result, it's difficult to put into words how excited we were. It is highly recommended that if you want to have a dining experience unlike any other, you make a reservation at this restaurant rather than going somewhere else, because it provides you with the opportunity to do so. The staff was extremely grateful the entire time, and they made everyone feel very welcome. When the overall high quality of the product is considered, the prices appear to be fair and reasonable. My birthday is in November, and I'm planning a party here to celebrate. I'm going to invite a few of my close friends so I can brag about how fantastic the restaurant is. It will arrive before I realize it.

So last night was epic! 8PM Performance Tasting with my wife which was a 3 1/2 hour masterpiece of influences of Chef Garces throughout his life each wonderfully described by our Captain, Mike. We arrived about 20 minutes early and were offered to start the meal right away or have a drink in the sea of blue Van Gogh Starry Night influenced bar. We chose the bar and had a margarita and a vodka drink which had sugar snap peas infused with it. It was striking how you tasted the peas within the drink but you eventually got used to it and the vodka wasn't too shabby, either. Captain Mike then came and escorted us to the dining area with its open kitchen where you can see every chef working hard to plate everything with exacting standards. You see the tweezers, you watch the lettuce cut from the "ground," you watch the searing of the meat, everything! The restaurant this Friday night only had maybe a half dozen parties so it was interesting to see every staff member working so hard, but with an ease about themselves. The kitchen staff did not seem frazzled...even with Chef Garces behind the lines! Service cannot be beat at Volver. The service even started days before the meal when I was called to inquire about any food allergies or issues that may come up. My wife, unfortunately, is not a fan of some textures (such as sushi) and does not like all seafood per se so I asked that all seafood be changed out. This turned out to be absolutely no issue for Chef Garces and his staff. Some changes were vegetarian dishes, but even Captain Mike and his cohort said that the Pork that subbed the Seasonal Fish course #10 was the better of the two. I tried the pork and had to reluctantly agree. So for the meal itself, just like the life experiences explained to us, that some are better than others. I did include pictures of every course if you want to see what's coming. The plates, although small, will fill you up and the pacing of the meal is spot on. You can actually talk with your date! My #1 favorite was the Milk and Cereal (rice flakes, quail egg, bacon, oyster truffle, thyme marshmallows) with warm white milk created with asparagus poured over. Absolutely delicious with every spoonful delivering a different taste and texture. Another favorite would be the KFS (fried squab, biscuit, celery root slaw, gravy, corn, hot sauce). It was explained that Volver is the only restaurant in the country that has the same pressure cookers that the chain KFC uses. Chef Garces wants, Chef Garces gets! Extremely tasty and the slaw almost was better then the squab. You would never think that peas alone would be a top of mine, but the Petit Pois (pea butter) was right up there. It was more of a palate cleanser and tasted as if it came fresh from your garden and then sautéed with some butter. Nice and light crunchy peas. Those were my top 3 but everything was so well constructed (and deconstructed - the carrot cake dessert!) All of the substitutes for my wife were just as tasty and well thought out. She got Fiddleheads, Parsnips, and Pork just to name a few substitutes. Chef Garces towards the end of the meal made a special effort to visit all of the guests. He is extremely proud of this restaurant. He said that the kitchen is exactly what he wanted as his own personal kitchen. He picked everything and although he loves all of his restaurants, Volver is his home. My wife and I were very happy to go through Chef Garces' life journey in food. $450 (prepaid via tickets) + $80 in drinks (paid at restaurant) for 2. I would absolutely come back for this superior service and meal. However, probably for the Pre-Theatre Menu which is less expensive, and I was advised from Captain Mike contains my top likes from the Performance Tasting Menu. That would be my go-to from now on. Chef Garces, Captain Mike, and all the staff, thank you for a wonderful evening out with my wife. Being in the service industry can be extremely difficult but you all made it look effortless. I think I'll take 14 courses of Milk and Cereal, Captain Mike!