Upstares at Varalli

Went with wife for valentine's dinner. Based on reviews, I felt compelled to have stuffed mushrooms, cioppini, and bread pudding. I asked our server about each. He treated us in a manner I had pretty much given up on finding long ago, but at one point used to expect when spending $20/entree. He was friendly, attentive, and knowledgable, rather than expecting a generous tip from restaurant's quality, he earned it. I found the mushrooms to be divine. The cioppini had excellent shrimp/scallops; the mussels were slightly small (possibly an off time of year for them). The pasta was al dente, with a sauce that could have benefited from spice. I just wasn't wowed by it, unfortunately. The bread pudding was amazing. Of course, the view was nice, however, this only goes so far. Thankfully, Upstares provides quality food, romantic atmosphere, and great service to give an overall excellent experience. Pros: Excellent service, Reasonable prices, Amazing desserts Cons: Slightly bland sauce more

It was easy to make reservations on this website, and the restaurant contacted me shortly after. The atmosphere is very intimate, with a two wall completely window view. The food was fresh, served promptly, maybe even a little to quickly, but all in all it was excellent. Pros: Service, Food, Atmosphere more

I took my boyfriend here last nite for a dinner date based on Varalli's high ratings on citysearch and we both absolutely loved it! We got a nice window seat, a frienly waitress, and the food was magnificent. I had seared tuna steak which was lovely and he had the cioppino and we both ate to the limit. The baby clam and mussle appetizer was very tasty as well and the tiramisu was SPECTACULAR. And trust me, I had my fair share of tiramisu all over the place. I highly recommend Upstares at Varalli for a romantic date if you want to impress that special someone. It worked for me! Pros: seafood, fresh ingredients, tiramisu more

I was in Philadelphia on business when a colleague recommended Upstares. I was immediately impressed by the friendly staff and view. The glass mosaic was unlike anything I've ever seen. Seemed a very family-friendly place. The linguine with clam sauce was perfect. After dinner went downstairs and heard some great jazz. A wonderful evening. Pros: italian food, ambience, staff more

Great Pasta (fettuccine with wild mushrooms), lovely service, live piano music, truly romantic. The four of us had a wonderful time, awed by the mosaic glass. Positively on my list to return with my summer visitors. Pros: pasta, service, atmosphere more

The view drew us upstaires and the food kept us there. We chose the crab chowder to wet our appetite and moved on to crab cakes to finish our feast, both where mouthwatering and delicious. Fun atmosphere. Pros: food, view, the people more

Upstares at Varalli is a really nice place - make sure to get a window seat, the view of Avenue of the Arts is excellent. Our food was very good - not exceptional, but very good and the prices were reasonable. The appetizer with clams and mussels was excellent and the bread pudding for dessert was a standout as well. We went for our wedding anniversary and they did everything they could to accomodate us. I'd definitely return. Pros: well priced, excellent view, good ambience Cons: parking more

I have been going to ""Upstares at Varalli"" for years! The best thing is, you will always be guaranteed a wonderful meal, excellent service, and a gorgeous view of Avenue of the Arts, every time you visit. I recommend this restaurant to every friend, family member and acquaintance who ask for a fabulous restaurant in Philadelphia. I HIGHLY recommend the stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer. A fabulously delectable taste! Enjoy! more

Definately had a A+ night . I made Friday night reservations for my girlfriend's birthday. We had a blast. We ordered practically the whole menu and for over two hours we ate, drank, and laughed as the classy staff & piano music blended in perfectly. Try the Cioppino....nice! Try also to get a window seat too- Romantic place. Some places are over-rated or just suck. This is not one of them. Pros: space to breathe, atmosphere, really nice value Cons: , no complaints more

Went here with 3 friends for dinner. I like the fact that the dining area is relatively small and overlooks the street below. However since we did not get a window seat, we missed out on that. The mural on the wall seemed tacky and one that belongs in Olive Garden. The service was slower than it should of been. The pasta dishes were actually good minus the one salad entree. It has a great location for pre/post theatre dining and if you can get a window seat then even better. Overall though this place was good but with so many other better choices in Philly I would recommend those first. Pros: Pasta, Theatre Location Cons: Service was slow, Salads were off more

After traveling extensively for business, I've become somewhat spoiled in terms of quality of restaurants. After our show let out, there were very few places still open, and so we decided to head upstairs to the establishment. Our waiter turned out to be of the caliber for which one's expectations are suddenly elevated - we appreciated that much more than being a simple conduit between us and the kitchen, he was well-versed in the art of waiting a table. He was knowledgeable about the menu, suggested some very successful wine pairings, and demonstrated the refined etiquette and attention one would expect from the best restaurants. From appetizer to entree, we were delighted with the culinary expertise of the chef, right through to the dessert. The bread pudding is exquisite, as is the tiramisu. I recommend it highly, and we look forward to our next experience at this establishment. Pros: Reasonably priced, Staff, View of the city more

My husband and I went on a friday night. We were seated promptly. I waiter was excellent. I had the lobster ravolli and my husband had the alfredo something with lots of vegetables. We had a window seat. There was a mixed crowd the relaxed and the up-tight. I had a wonderful time. Pros: atmostphere, good food Cons: parking more

MY EXPERIENCE UPSTARES 1.) they lost my reservation. ok I'll let it slide. they made it up by giving me a nice window seat overlooking Broad and Locust. That was nice of them. 2.) They forgot about me being in the corner, so my waitress let me wait there for 20 minutes. and then i waited even more for my main course 3.) The menu is very mundane. 4.) The food is not good. (probably b/c its so cheap) remember to take the phone number of noodle heaven, maybe they can deliver acroos the street. Pros: inexpensive Cons: The food is not good, service is terrible more