Food was terrible and cold.. i think they were just throwing in microwave! Service also terrible. The waitress was also the bar tender.

This place was good a long time ago but now it's horrible. Food was awful. Everything seemed microwaved or out of a jar and straight to on the plate. Sangria was subpar and the margaritas were just sad. Would not recommend. The owners brother was cooking the night my friend and I went and I don't believe he knew what he was doing , the service/waitress was nice, not her fault the food wasn't good read more

Cozy interior. My bf and I have been here twice. Once on our third date and just recently this past Saturday. Service is always prompt and friendly. Sangrias are always great and refreshing. Convenient great location read more

Had an amazing experience. The owner made us feel special and gave us so many laughs. You could tell that they are really about serving delicious food and making the customer happy! Came a little late for the sangria happy hour, but they gave us the deal anyway, which I thought was very sweet! It was delicious. They have both red and white. The food was also very good. I don't know if I would come back solely for the food, which is why I docked a star! I would say my favorites were the shrimp and meatballs entrees. Afterwards, we asked the owner if he knows of any dance bars, and he gave us awesome recommendations about an 80s bar nearby. read more

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Very pleasantly surprised by our experience at Azucar! Our group of 5 were waiting for a table at Longman & Eagle - since we were told it'd be 2 to 2.5 hours and we were already hungry, we walked around the corner to Azucar for dinner #1 and some drinks. Our server, Jose, was great!! Super friendly and fun - knowledgeable about the menu but not too pushy. We enjoyed all our drinks - the red sangria with a splash of champagne and the mango azucarita were particular standouts. The mushroom and leek tart and pork belly were my favorite dishes! The tart was just sooo flavorful and great creamy texture with that crispy and flaky puff pastry. The pork belly was amazing - crispy on the outside, super tender and flavorful on the inside. YUM. The other dishes we had were all good as well. We tried to order the scallops, but just missed the last order, so they awesomely gave us a round of champagne on the house! Awesome! All in all, a very pleasant way to kill 2 hours - good shareable food, drinks and excellent service. Thank you Azucar! read more

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Such a fun place. Owner and staff are top notch. Food and drinks are legit. Had such a good time. Would definitely recommend!

The gambas. Jesus, the gambas. Everything else is really good, but those goddamn shrimp. Also, the service is always stunningly friendly, the atmosphere is lovely. What's not to like? read more

A M A Z I N G. I only wish I'd come here sooner so I could have already been back a few times by now. It's a teeny tiny intimate little space in Logan Square that you could walk right past if you weren't looking for it. Inside, it's dimly lit, the tables are close enough together to make friends with your dining neighbors, and even if you don't, you'll certainly befriend the owner before you leave. He was charismatic, hilarious, and maybe most importantly - genuinely cared about how we felt about the food and our evening. It was perfect. We started with two orders of bacon wrapped dates and a round of margaritas. We ordered two more plates of the dates, they were so good! We also got paella, the cocas, the potatas bravas, the goat cheese... I don't know, I feel like we ordered the whole menu twice. The best item far and away was the manchego cheese coca, a sort of thin crust flatbread topped with sliced pear, serrano ham, walnuts, drizzled with a balsamic reduction. PARADISE. We took our time, enjoyed the conversation, over indulged in goat cheese and cocktails, and truly enjoyed one of those amazing nights you can only have at a hole-in-the-wall gem of a restaurant in Chicago. Despite what the reviews say here, we had exceptional and polite service, so I don't know if maybe that's hit or miss. But either way, the food is so magical it's damn near worth bad service to enjoy - so come anyway, and try everything! read more

Azucar Tapas Restaurant and Cocktail Bar - Delicious paella - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is such an underrated little tapas place. I've been going here for years with a few friends and the food and service has always been wonderful. The restaurant itself is cozy and dimly lit. I've always come here with a small group (3-8 people) and we've never had to wait more than a few minutes for a table. The owner has always been extremely friendly and accommodating. In fact, my friends threw me a surprise birthday dinner at Azucar a few years ago and the owner let them hang up a few balloons and decorations. We were also treated to one free round birthday cake shots, which was super nice. As for food, we started coming here because one of my friends is gluten free and Azucar has a separate GF menu with a nice selection. She has never gotten sick due to gluten contamination here, which she really appreciates. We kept coming back because all of the food is consistently delicious. We always get several orders of the gambas for the table and the shrimp is always cooked well. We also love the patatas bravas, patatas con chorizo, croquetas de pollo, queso de cabra, datiles con chorizo, pear and serrano ham coca, and cheese plates. We also love the margaritas and how many flavors there are to choose from. When my friends and I come here, it's typically to catch up or to celebrate a special occasion. One of the things that I really appreciate about the service is that the waiters/waitresses never try to rudely rush us to turn our table over. They check up frequently enough that our drinks and plates are never empty but no so often that our conversation is constantly interrupted or that we feel like they are trying to kick us out. Also, minor thing, the music is loud enough to provide a little background noise without being so loud that you can't hear the people you are dining with. Is Azucar going to win a Michelin star or blow your mind with its atmosphere? No. But if you are looking for a lovely little spot for a date night or to catch up with friends over some delicious tapas, Azucar is the place. read more

Meh Here's your 1st clue- 7:00 on Saturday night 3 tables. Women next to us left 2 tables. Couple next to us left now 1 table. We left 0 tables and nobody waiting Service is friendly but incredibly slow and while practically empty when we ordered 2 tapas at a time the order came out exceptionally slow and never together Dates wrapped in bacon is a very sweet and salty dish. I'm not sure how it's even possible but the bacon surrounding the date was tasteless. I can't even guess how that happened as does not even seem remotely possible. Patatas Bravas a Spanish must have was a similar mystery. They were hot but barely crunchy and dough like. Strange The Olives and cheese plate were perfectly fine. They bill themselves as a Tapas and Cocktail lounge but no drink menu or specialty beverages. This place is basically on the square. They should be killing it in this neighborhood. Very very strong need of a makeover. read more

I am shocked at the amount of good reviews! My husband, and I went in for a quick bite and drink. As I sat down at the bar, the bartender gave me this look like so you know what you want. I asked for a menu, and she gave me an even meaner look. I asked my husband if I imagined it, and he said no she was definitely rude. She then waited several minutes to take our order. I began with my drink, and started to order appetizers before I could finish she was asking my husband what he wanted. As she made my martini she asked me how I wanted it, why type of liquor and so on. I told her whatever is listed on the menu is fine. She proceeded to say people who order martinis are so particular so she had to ask. Mind you it was horrible! Afterward She walked away, and waited even longer before returning and only speaking to my husband and asking him what appetizers he wanted. Also horrible! All in all the rudest, and worst attitude I've ever experienced. The sad part is I don't know why she even acted that way. read more

We went here for my daughters birthday. The food was pretty good however the customer service was pretty disappointing- first of all the waitress would not allow us to sit at the bigger table to accommodate our big party. It took a while for her to serve our drinks and barely checked up on us after we ordered our first round of tapas. We were thirsty and hungry as she did not check up on us after our order. She was more focused on the yuppies at the bar than our big group. We wanted to order more we kept waiting more than anything.. we had to almost go to the kitchen to get their attention. Never coming back again due to poor customer service ! read more

hmmm... Ok, I'll admit it...I am NOT a fan of tapas. I feel it gives people license to serve super small portions that would normally be considered "sides" and charge entree prices. However, when one of my best lady friends suggested this, I was not going to turn it down. I am always ready and waiting for a tapas place to prove me wrong. Sigh, not so much. First, the good... Space: small, intimate and cozy right on the square (Logan) and directly across from the Logan blue line stop. Parking is pretty easy to snag on Kedzie. (some metered, some not). I suggest a reservation on the weekends, as my gal pals and I ended up at the bar...which, is not a bad option...but I think better served to do tapas at a table. Drinks. Fantastic. I had the royal (sparkling) red sangria, and then another glass of red sangria. Pretty heavy on the ice, but still very tasty and hit the spot. The peach "Azucarita" was quite lovely (and strong) and my friends capairina was downright dangerous. Prices are a bit high for the 'hood, but they were worth it. Now, the food....sigh. Bread: not so good. Limp and kind of boring. Invest in freshness, my friends! Tapas places REQUIRE good bread, otherwise famine all through the restaurant. Coca of the day: kind of burnt, kind of small (the did apologize and knock off a few bucks), and sort of lackluster. I can't even remember what was on it because it wasn't very memorable. I DO remember being STARVING though, and this looking painfully smallish. Scallops: YUM. very good, but served a bit too "room temperature." I have a thing with seafood...it's gotta be piping hot, or sushi, which should be cold. No inbetweens. And on that note...our food took at least an hour. So, yeah. Continuing... Pork tenderloin with dried blueberries: a nice kick. Mushroom and leek tart: standard. Service was quite friendly, though we had about 12 different people wait on us over our 3 HOUR experience. I think that was part of the disconnect...and probably somewhat caused our bar location. The owner (presumably) came over as we were getting our check to offer a round of drinks, but it was a little too late...already getting up to leave. Perhaps another time? I do not know. My suggestion: come for a cocktail and an appetizer...head elsewhere to fill up! Though, I generally feel that way about all tapas places, I suppose. Anyone recommend a good one that can't be missed? (besides Iberico) At $50 for dinner/drinks, I felt a little jipped...not gonna lie. read more

Azucar Tapas Restaurant and Cocktail Bar - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I LOVE this place. Original plan was to go to L&E next door, but it was PACKED with a 2.5 hour wait for a table (No.), so my sexy crew and I popped in here. Fantastic! We sat at the bar to eat. Cozy and intimate. And provided better dishing opportunities with the friendly bartender, Michael, and owner, Rob. The bartender mixed up pink drinks for me while my best friend and I ordered some absolutely yummy tapas. My favorite thing was the Seared Scallops. Three plump, giant scallops swimming in a delicious broth with mushrooms. We sopped up every bit of that juice with bread - yum, those were a big hit. Our pork tenderloin tapas had a great flavor, but was a bit dry. A vinegarette dressing (Yum.) over greens and some sort of grain (quinona?) which had an appealing nutty flavor. Nice size portion too. Goat cheese tapas was fairly forgettable. The bread was slightly stale, tasting, which was surprising because the other bread was absolutely delicious - flaky crust and chewy bread. Yum, just yum. I'd come back here again. Rob busted out some shots for us to go along with his bawdy jokes, which was a real hoot. And my friend got pleasantly tipsy, since I have that "No Shots" rule so they were slid over to him after I had a sip. Great place. Great. read more

My friend had been here once years ago and had kind of a "meh" experience, but was willing to try it again. I'd never been and hadn't had tapas for a long time, so I was all for giving it a try. There was no wait to get seated on this Friday night and were maybe about 8 groups of people seated and eating dinner. Actually, there were quite a few more people just having drinks at the bar. The space is cute, with small tables in the front and a bar in the back. We could imagine coming just for a few cocktails, if we weren't in the mood for food or needed a drink before going somewhere else. Here's what we ordered: Olivos Machacadas En Casa: House-marinated blend of olives Ensalada: Mixed Greens, Blue Cheese, Roasted Beets, Walnuts and Walnut Vinaigrette Patatas Bravas: Crispy potatoes, brava sauce, paprika aioli Vieiras Salteadas: Sea scallops dusted with smoked paprika caramelized onion, mushrooms, serrano ham, porcini mushroom sauce Datiles Con Almendras: Almond stuffed dates, honey-mascarpone cheese, mint pesto, balsamic syrup We also each had a glass of sangria. My friend had red and I had white. Overall we enjoyed dinner. There were some things we really liked and some things that were just ok. The salad was good, but we realized we could get a salad like that anywhere. Nothing outstanding. The patats bravas were not what we expected. They were more like french fries with some sauce on the side. Probably our least favorite dish of the night. On the otherhand, we were still talking about the olives days later and the scallops were to die for.. so savory and delicious. The waitress came to take the plate away and we wouldn't let her. Instead we requested more bread and then used it to sop up the sauce from the scallops. It was THAT good. The dates were also delicious. We hadn't intended for them to be dessert, but they were served last and were just sweet enough to finish off the meal right. So, our mission is this, if we choose to accept it: Keep going back so we can find all of the standout points are on the menu and order those. I think we're up to the task and will be back! read more

I know this place has some mixed reviews and frankly I'm not surprised. There were parts of our visit that weren't A+ but I really think overall it was very good. The experience: we stopped in after a failed attempt at a different restaurant (see my other reviews). The place wasn't too busy probably like 5 tables but the bartender was the only one there. He was very nice, and friendly throughout our visit. He was a little busy at the end when we were trying to pay but that wasn't his fault since he was working by himself. The Food: We had the goat cheese, the potatoes, chicken croquets, flat bread, and it was all FANTASTIC. I'm a HUGE babareeba fan and I was NOT disappointed by the food at Azucar. It is different than babareeba (not as big of a menu) but I was still full but not in an I feel sick, kind of way. The Drinks: We had the sangria which was waaaaay too sugary. I recommend the wine, I was much happier with that. Parking over here stinks so if you can come from the blue line (which is across the street) that is your best bet. Happy Eating :) read more

Had the pork belly and cheese plate....so good, worth a try! Same great service.

I love this place. I really do. My friend lives above the restaurant so she started coming here often. And now I come fairly often. This is a great place to order a drink, grab some food, and just talk to whoever is around. A ton of regulars are always here and they all either live in the neighborhood now or used to live here. So the stories people tell are incredible - about growing up in the city and how neighborhoods have changed and concerts they once went to and people they once knew. Some of my favorite memories involve me just coming home late from dinner with friends and walking past the restaurant. I'll be drawn into a conversation and a couple hours (and a few sangrias) later it's almost midnight and I have work in the morning and I've never felt more alive. Azucar is the kind of place that I only thought existed in movies about Paris. The kind of place where you're a stranger only until you say your name. The food is always delicious. I am obsessed with the shrimp because of the sauce it comes with. Order some bread with it to dip in the sauce. The potatoes bravas are also amazing. Everything is delicious and you can't go wrong. Kevin the bartender makes amazing cocktails but I usually order the sangria. Red is perfection for warm summer nights on the patio. White is great for midweek catchups with friends. Red and white blended is wonderful with dinner. read more

We loved our experience here! Robert, the owner, was interactive & hilarious! We ended up staying wayyy longer than we planned and moved to the bar because we were enjoying our time so much. The food was great & the sauces had amazing flavor. We enjoyed the brandy mojito and have been making our mojitos this way ever since. We also were treated with a free round of cocktails and dessert! Environment was relaxing with low lighting, but also energetic with lots of laughter. We will definitely be returning! read more

Had a lot of laughs and good food at this joint! The sparkling sangria is Devine and one of the best I've had in the city! The staff is one of the friendliest in Logan square and defiantly will be back for that sangria and laughs with friends! LGBT friendly! read more

Azucar Tapas Restaurant and Cocktail Bar - a glass of wine and a plate of food - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've never had a bad experience here! For three years straight this was my go-to place to bring my mom for Mother's day and she loves it! More recently we celebrated a friend's birthday here with a larger party and were so well taken care of. The owner was friendly and checked on us regularly, he even gave us sangria on the house! I really enjoy their mojito/margarita menu, the peach is my favorite. All of the food is amazing - try anything with goat cheese in it because you won't be disappointed. I love the potatoes and we also had a lamb dish that was delightful. Everything on their menu is wonderful if you ask me. Parking can be tricky but there is a lot behind the blue line and plenty of access to public transportation. Give them a shot if you haven't already! read more

My boss lives near here. I came and handed some Files to her. There is a lot of people eat here, both inside and outside. Seems a very popular restaurant in Logan square. I don't know the menu, so my boss translated to me. And I ordered the noodles. It tastes so good and special flavor! My boss ordered the foods looks like a special yummy taco. Nice to try different cuisine! Thanks to my boss who always treat me in different kinds of restaurants. read more

Azucar Tapas Restaurant and Cocktail Bar - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Awesome Friday Night Very polarizing experiences it seems! Me and my friends met up here for dinner and it was awesome. Robert the owner was personable and friendly, the wait staff couldn't be more attentive, and the food was amazing.... specifically the goat cheese and pulled pork. This is definitely a new regular spot for us...good food, right across from the Logan Square blue line, and good / attentive service...what more can you ask for on a Friday night? I don't discount others' experiences and believe they probably were accurate, it's just funny that me and my friends had such a complete opposite experience. read more

Food was really good. Honestly four stars but the service was slow and that's why we've downgraded it. If you go, get: bacon wrapped dates, goat cheese and potato's bravas. I don't know the bartenders name but he was cool. read more

Why does Logan Square think this is good tapas? It is not. Service was on the struggle bus. The woman behind the bar was slow and got our drink order wrong. The other wait staff had to pick up the slack. When the other server got our order and gave it to the kitchen before she even noticed her first question was how they were going to split the tip. The croquetas were dry. The paella came out in the middle of our courses, was mildy warm, tasted like spanish rice in a box, had two shrimp and two tiny mussels. Then suddenly three plates came out at once. The sangria was OK but nothing like the raving reviews. $90 later we left disappointed. read more

Not traditional but still good. Service was good. The dates were delicious. The server er was very friendly and helpful. read more

When we arrived at almost 6:30 on a Saturday, there were maybe a dozen other diners. It was dark, and oddly lit in a red glow with red roses and vases for decoration. The music appeared to be authentic and slightly loud. We were greeted warmly by the hostess, who ended up helping us for most of the evening. We took a spot at the short bar and ordered a bottle of wine. The place is small, shotgun style with a bar running the length of one side and tables down the other. As we were deciding on our food choices, the place began to fill up, and the awkwardness that we originally felt faded away into a festive dining atmosphere. The food was delicious! The empanadas were okay, a little shy on filling; the fried goat cheese was great, the tomato basil sauce complemented the soft cheese very well and the dish has a slight sweetness to it that was pleasant; and our main dish, the pork belly was the best of all, with the meat shredding easily and served with a dark and delicious sauce. Over all a very good experience, something to be tried again. Price w/ tip for a bottle of wine and three dishes was about $100. read more

Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! My mom and I ate a late lunch and wanted some fun appetizers for our dinner and came in here because it was close to home. We tried the bacon wrapped dates, potatoes bravas, and the shrimp dish. Very delicious and just the right amount of food for what we wanted. We also had the sangria and a glass of wine. Great ambiance with candles and music. and Our server, Kevin, was absolutely wonderful. Knowledgeable about the dishes and so friendly. Thanks, Kevin! Will be coming back to try the scallop dish I was eyeing on the menu!! read more

Great for a romantic date. Try the goat cheese and the bacon-wrapped dates. Simply delicious. The servers are attentive and friendly. Super cute place, easy street parking and across the street from the blue line. Hit it for a dinner after a movie at the Logan Theatre. read more

This cozy bar and tapas restaurant is beautiful and intimate inside. The outside patio has tables equipped with a cushioned bench and umbrellas at the ready in case it rains. The owners are so welcoming and friendly. Robert, one of the owners, even brought out blankets for us on the outdoor patio when it got a little chilly. Robert is warm and funny and will welcome you into his restaurant as if it's his own home. The red sangria was delicious and ever-flowing and the tapas were delicious. The gambas had excellent flavor, the patatas bravas were divine, and the goat cheese and artichokes were great too. Great spot for drinks and tapas on a weekend night with friends. By the way Google says temporarily closed but they have reopened for the weekends. read more

Have you ever walked by a place so many times that it eventually becomes invisible? 1240. That's approximately how many times I've walked by Azucar without ever venturing inside. I'm not exaggerating either; in fact, I'm likely underestimating that number. I've lived in Logan Square for nearly 3 years and I am at the Blue Line station across the street twice a day, five days a week. You do the math. I'd never had anything against this place, it's just that there always seemed to be somewhere better to go. I'm actually surprised it's been around so long. Last night I finally broke my cherry and stopped in. The décor is intimate and sexy. It's a nice spot for a date. We started with a round of mojitos, raspberry for me, and classic for my boo. I love mojitos any way I can get them, but these were squarely average, with no discernible raspberry flavor at all. Come to think of it, there was no mint or lime flavor either. I know there's a lime shortage, but all I tasted was rum and sugar. Food was better. We had seared scallops that were plump and swimming in a delicious porcini mushroom broth. I'd have those again in a second. We also had grilled artichoke hearts with lemon and garlic. Good, but they certainly weren't grilled. Jumbo shrimp in a spicy garlic butter sauce were excellent, and our waiter brought us bread to sop up the extra sauce. And for good measure, we enjoyed a manchego cheese, pear, and Serrano ham flatbread. Gotta have Spanish cheese and ham in a tapas place, si? And because I can never resist dessert, we finished with the made-to-order cinnamon-sugar donuts with a warm chocolate ganache dipping sauce. Those were really good. Service was so friendly. There was only one waiter for the whole place (not that it's that big), who also served as the bartender and de facto host. He did a great job handling all the guests and he never appeared flustered, despite it being somewhat busy. I can't think of any reason not to return; that said, since I am not really a fan of tapas-style dining, I can't think of any reason to return either. The proximity of this place is a mitigating factor to giving it another try, but I'll stick with sangria until the lime shortage is over, read more

Perhaps I have trouble prioritizing, but when I arrived to Chicago, my agenda looked like this: 1) Find decent tapas bar 2) Learn to drive/ parallel park 3) Buy furniture I dined at Azucar as part of a Grubwithus dinner. [1] Our reservation was for a Wednesday night, which apparently is half price bottles of wine night. A young tempranillo blend was selected, which turned out to be a good choice for the veggie-friendly tapas we enjoyed. For starters, we shared patatas bravas and alacahofas salteadas (artichokes which were prepared with garlic and olive oil). I was surprised with how nicely spiced the brava sauce was for the potatoes. The artichokes were fine, but nothing that you couldn't purchase from a specialty Spanish retailer. For entrees, we shared tarta de setas (a mushroom and leek tart), piquillos al fuego (piquillo peppers stuffed with cheese), and a grilled portabella mushroom with chickpeas. I enjoyed the flavors of both mushroom dishes, particularly because the mushrooms were marinated nicely with various herbs. In general, stuffed piquillo peppers are so tasty (my favorite ingredient? bacalao!) but this particular cheese blend at azucar was not the best for the task at hand. For dessert, our menu included a warm chocolate fondant cake with vanilla ice cream. It was good, although I wish we would have had the rosquillas (essentially a Spanish doughnut), which were one of my favorite treats from Saturday night ferias in Spain. The regular menu is very simplistic; it does not specialize in any one particular region of Spain, yet essential dishes for a tapas restaurant are missing. No tortilla española, no croquetas, none of the delightful asparagus from Navarra. I understand restaurants have financial constraints, but it is also important for the public to understand that there is more to Spanish cuisine than paella and manchego cheese. Did I manage to cross anything off my agenda that evening? The tapas at Azucar were fine, but it did not capture aspects of Spanish cuisine that I have grown to love. So I guess I will keep searching...I'm going to need caldo gallego [2] to keep warm this winter... And please note: I have lived in Chicago for a few months now and still have not gotten around to Items 2 and 3 on the list. [1] - Grubwithus is a great Chicago start-up that brings fun people who like good food together. I actually have a close friend thanks to this dinner! [2] http://danafortini.com/caldo-gallego-spanish-cuisine-101 read more

Perhaps it was because I had an exhausting 14 hour day, perhaps it was because I was out with some friends that I rarely ever get to go out with, (or haven't seen in almost a year). Perhaps I was ready to about eat my left leg because I was starving, but I had a pretty darn good time here. Pleasantly pleased with a good day, I got rock star parking right out in front. Walking in I hear a ruckus coming from a group off to my immediate left. Good thing it isn't hard to find these people. The space is small so no worries about finding your group if they tend to be on the quieter side. A group of 11 of us descended on this small, dark, (but not too dark!), cozy little tapas locale. I had missed some courses, but the one good thing about tapas, you can pick up in the middle and be just fine. I was handed a glass of red, offered a seat and the fun began. Our server did a great job handling the craziness that poured from our table. Bill, was on top of our drinks, tossing out steaming hot dishes, making sure our happiness was his happiness. Gotta love it. I got to try a variety of dishes, from the coca, (think garlicky, crispy flat bread, ours had mushrooms, chorizo, (always makes any meal better), and cheese), to empanadas, (small, in groups of four, but filled to the brim with chicken or beef, (ours was beef and 'taters), with a not so spicy brava sauce. Scallops, (a true hit of the evening, earthy and deep matched well with the butteriness of the scallops), the skirt steak, (although I don't eat beef, I had to sneak a bite or three, slightly charred, grilled outside, juicy medium rare inside, the white beans and the garlic spinach was tasty), the pork tenderloin, (had a sweet and spicy spice rub on the outside but it needed a little more flavor and was just a little dry). I was disappointed to learn afterward that I had missed the chorizo, (dang! It does make everything better!), among a few other dishes. Between the hoopla of celebrating my friends birthday, the glasses of wine, the copious amount of food, who would have thought I would have forgotten about dessert.... oh wait, no. I haven't. The birthday girl got her birthday song, her molten chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream was good, the stuffed dates were mouth watering and their cinnamon sugar doughnuts with a warm chocolate ganache, was steaming hot, but just fell apart in my mouth. All in all, we had fun, we had a great time and we we're treated well. It was with a heavy heart I bid adieu to Azucar last night, but with eager bright eyes to come back again in the future. read more

first off, I really am hoping that the chef of this place reads this and takes it seriously. I LOVE tapas and have had it many many times, the fact that this restaurant is down the street from my house got me as excited as a school girl and i was totally ready to have a wonderful time. The atmosphere is cozy and quaint. The color scheme is perfect for a Tapas place, although i wished that they had covered up the windows, the darker the better i say. sangria was great, and the Strawberry Shortcake was the only other thing that came into my mouth that gave me any pleasure (expect for my boyfriend that is....*wink*). ANYWAY..... all joking aside! NOTE TO THE CHEF::::: THE FOOD WAS TERRIBLE!!!!!! TERRIBLE!!!! TERRIBLE!!! First course: Almond Stuffed Figs with Mascarpone and a MINT???? Pesto. I was super excited about this plate... The fig (awsome) Mascarpone (awesome).... MINT PESTO??? the worst combination i could possibly have experienced. A complete contradiction erupted in my mouth.. YUK YUK YUK!!!!! My Fiance and I didn't even finish the plate (and we were starving) Second Course:: ( A special for the night) SEA BASS!!!! completely lacking in flavor!, The Israeli couscous was yummy and sweet but did nothing to add to the flavor of the Sea Bass. Or the sea bass did nothing to add to the flavor of the Couscous. (I WANTED TO LIKE EVERYTHING.. AND WITH EVERY PLATE WAS HOPING AND PRAYING THAT I WOULD BE FULFILLED) Third Course: Rabbit Stuffed Ravioli This was the item that i had read reviews on, and thought I couldn't go wrong. The Rabbit didn't even taste like rabbit. It tasted like the white meat of a Thanksgiving Turkey.. but over cooked after it had been frozen for six months! It was not the dark gamey, fatty succulent meat that i was hoping for. Its lack of flavor was only covered up by Salty Bacon and dry sharp slices of Parmesan cheese. I liked the green peas though... we ended with Strawberry Short cakes, which tasted great but seemed like it was made from shortbread cookies that were boxed and bought at Wall greens. ***** okay I'm done.. i cant think about this place any more..... DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME... OR MONEY... PLEASE.... GO TO LULA!!!! GIVE YOUR MONEY AND TIME TO PEOPLE WHO APPRECIATE FOOD AND ARN'T JUST MAKING CRAP TO BE "INTERESTING", "AV-ANTE GARDE" OR "GOURMET" CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!!!! read more

Everything was in place: Tapas in Logan Square (ie. one of my favorite cuisines in my local neighborhood)?!? Five, count 'em, FIVE 5-star reviews already on Yelp?!? Me itching to indulge on a Friday night after a long work week?!? How could this not be an awesome meal?!? Well, unfortunately, Azucar did not live up to the hype or my expectations. I REALLY wanted to tack on another 5-star review to their list, but I just couldn't do it. Here's why: FOOD & DRINK My gf ordered a sangria and I ended up ordering two different Spanish beers (the Estrella Galacia and the Damm Barcelona ... damn love that name!). The sangria was tasty, if not a bit Sprite-y, while my beers were excellent. One suggestion for the owners: allow folks to order pitchers of sangria. Trust me, it's a win in the longrun. As for the food, we ended up ordering five dishes. The menu is a bit on the small side (at least relative to what you see at Cafe Iberico and Ba-Ba-Reeba) but we still have plenty of options to choose from (I can't remember the exact names/descriptions, so my apologies in advance): * Patatas Bravas (potatoes with an aioli): very tasty with a nice zing * Portabella Mushroom: also very tasty with good texture, the crunch of the onions (at least I think they were onions) on top contrasted well with the portabella * Rack of Lamb Chops: despite being nice and pink, the meat was not as tender as I would've hoped * Sea Bass: disappointing -- a bit on the bland side and very unimpressive * Goat Cheese: heavy on the cheese, light on the marinara -- just the way I like it, though my gf thinks they should've toasted the french bread that it came with Overall, the food was decent but unspectacular. To be fair, there were some other items on the menu that we wanted to try, so perhaps we just got unlucky. But in terms of what we actually ate, everything was very ordinary. COST At the risk of sounding cheap, I have to say that the food is a bit overpriced for what you're getting, especially the items on the right side of the menu (the meat side?). The sea bass was $12 and the lamp chops clocked in at $14 -- at those prices, I would've expected a lot more, both in terms of portion size and quality. My beers were $5 each, which was fine, but my gf's $7 glass of sangria was a bit much, especially since we did not have the aforementioned option of ordering pitchers. If I were eating in River North or West Loop or even Bucktown, I probably wouldn't have noticed/cared about the prices as much. But we're talking Logan Square. Perhaps i've been spoiled by the likes of Cozy's Diner and Fonda del Mar but I'm just not used to associating "dining out in Logan Square" with "shelling out beaucoup de dollars". SERVICE Service was very bipolar, if you will. On one hand, I think the co-owners of the restaurant (Robert and the other gentleman whose name slips my mind at this time) were absolutely awesome hosts and made my gf and I feel very comfortable and welcome at their restaurant. Robert even hooked us up with free shots of his "Robert's Special" -- I can't remember what was in it was but it was tasty and went down easy. My gf liked it too, except it made her totally drunk, which was both a good (she actually found my stories funny for once!) and bad (her tolerance is not the best in the world so she ended up feelinga bit queasy). In any case, both of us took time out to chat with us throughout our dinner and then thanked us for coming on our way out. Major brownie points in my book. However, on the other hand, the actual service itself was very spotty. We ate at the bar and when we sat down, no one cleaned up the spilled drinks on the countertop in front of us so we ended up doing it ourselves. When it came time to order, it was very difficult getting the bartender's attention. Likewise, when we needed silverware, the bartender was not around but one of the owners was nice enough to get them for us. Lastly, it took a long time to get our check, which we only got after asking for it twice. Perhaps if we ate at a table instead of at the bar, things would've been different -- who knows? I chalk it all up to a new restaurant still working out its kinks but I hope they really do get them worked out, as spotty service is a surefire way of making a meal disappointing. SUMMARY If Yelp had a way for me to give Azucar 3 1/2 stars, I would. The food was decent but not as good as what you'd get at Iberico and Ba-Ba-Reeba. If it were better, I would be more ok with how overpriced some of the items on the menu are. The service is still a bit iffy but I'm hoping that will improve over time. The owners are fantastic and I hope they continue going out of their way to make their patrons feel welcome even after the buzz and hype die down, as that is something that not enough restaurants do. Between the owners and my general love of tapas, I'd be willing to give Azucar another try. read more

We really wondered if most of their business comes from Longman & Eagle's overflow. We just didn't have the patience to wait almost 2 hours for a table (damn you and your popularity!), so we looked at the nearby options and chose Azucar. We are all fans of tapas and have eaten enough to know what is good...and well, what is sub-par. What we had here folks....were some truly sub-par tapas. The ONLY reason they get 2 stars is because the host/manager was extremely nice and we liked our reasonably priced drinks. The food....is a 1!!! We started off with Peach Margaritas and a Barcelona Breeze...all were very good - fruity and sweet. JUST FYI: The manager, came over quickly and suggested the 3 most expensive things on the menu and probably the only items that were actually good. Scallops, Hanger Steak and Pork Belly. Here is what we ended up ordering: Chicken Empanadas - 3 non crispy, very plain empenadas in a red sauce - called a Fiery Brava Sauce. There was nothing Fiery about this dish! Datiles Con Almendras - Almond Stuffed Dates With Mint Pesto Topped With Honey-Mascarpone Cheese, Drizzled With Balsamic Reduction was what the description said....But people, what we got was a plate of 5 sad looking very small, dried, dates with an almond inside and a pinch of cheese on top...and the sauce on the bottom of the plate was not a great combination of flavors. Chicken Croquettes - Yikes....3 super bland and very dry fried things....Boring and tasteless. We are on a sad roller coaster of "why did we choose this place and where is the business coming from"... Paella - Saffron Rice With Jumbo Shrimp, Clams, and Spanish Chorizo was what the description said. What we received for $10 was a small plate of undercooked, under seasoned rice, 2 small clams, 2 pieces of shrimp and some hot dog pieces....the whole thing was a big disappointment. Solomillo De Buey - Grilled Hangar Steak With Roasted Garlic and Herb Butter On A Bed Of Spinach Catalan, Accompanied With Creamed Potatoes With Truffle Oil, Sabatino Sea Salt. FINALLY...a winner!!! I guess they saved the best for last. Everything was cooked nicely and tasted good. Nice texture and balance of flavors. Sadly....it was already too late for us and the waitress...only at the end when we had finished our meals, had asked us how everything tasted. I thought it was a little too late to be asking that question really. I said "Well, I guess that it was (huge break and silence) ok"...and I'm sure she could tell by the look on my face, that no...it was not. She asked us if we wanted dessert anyway...and we didn't want to waste any more of our money, taste buds, or calories here. We just asked for our check. It was a really sad food experience. I don't remember the last time we had eaten such blah...or as I mentioned above, totally sub-par food. We actually RAN, yes people RAN to Crisp after eating here!!! It was 8:30pm, and we were still hungry!! We wanted to go somewhere we knew the food was guaranteed to be good. Crisp closes at 9pm, so we called and placed our order, and luckily made it there in time - 8:50! We were super happy, and we definitely turned our frowns upside down after a few wings. Thanks Crisp for saving us!! If you are looking for good tapas...this place is not for you!!! If you want never disappointing tapas, go to Cafe Iberico or Cafe Ba-ba-reeba. read more

OK, so I'm not really understanding all the hate this place is getting but I've noticed a theme that most of the bad reviews start with "We wanted to go to Longman & Eagle but it was too packed..." so I figured I ought to put my two cents and do this place some justice. This is one of my top five places to eat in the city and definitely my favorite tapas joint. I used to frequent Cafe Iberico but I began to find the food way too oily and the noise level from all the customers made it difficult to enjoy my meal at times. So, my lady and I decided to check this place out on my birthday and now we come back for both of our birthdays each year and other celebrations. Keep in mind this is not a place for a cheap meal but, for me, it's worth every penny. I honestly don't have a bad thing to say about this place. Here's a couple of my choice faves from the menu. *Solomillo De Buey- the hanger steak *Gambas A Pil-Pil- jumbo shrimp *Queso De Cabra- goat cheese with toasted bread and tomato sauce *Patatas Bravas- the crispy potatoes my usuals- *Tarta De Setas- Wild Mushroom and Leek Tart, Smoked Tomato Coulis Topped With An Organic Poached Egg *Vieiras Salteadas- the best scallops I've ever had in my life! Seriously, if these scallops were a person I would've already proposed several times and would probably have a restraining order against me by now. *They used to have these really great croquetas but they're not on the menu anymore for some silly reason. Also, the Peach is worth trying at least three times. I just want to make one final observation that I noticed the last time I was there. They've had most of the same staff for the 2+ years I've been going. This says something to me- that they take care of their staff and they like working there. I think there is a lot to be said about that especially for a restaurant. read more

I think there was an episode of Seinfeld modeled after this place. Or there should have been. We sat at the bar next to some girl who was reading a book, chit chatting, and eating all at the same time. I think her name was Elaine (see, the makings of the Seinfeld plot begin...). My SO and I somewhat quietly debated over what we would order. Elaine interjected, saying she really was enjoying her goat cheese and we should try hers. We politely declined eating the stranger-next-to-us' food. She kept insisting... We went back to our decision making, then quietly debated what this girls' deal was. Was she new to the city, was she just lonely, was she a regular? ...It turns out she was new and probably looking for a friend. She later insisted we try some of her pork too. Honey, I'm not that easy. We ordered our own and it never came. Guess we should've tried hers. Some of what we did consume: - Patatas bravas. Every tapas place on earth has this. I'm usually not too excited by it, but I always seem to order it. It's a good benchmark to compare other places to. Theirs is good. They don't mix the spicy red sauce in with the potatoes like some places do, it was served as a dip, which made for crispier potatoes. -Sea Bass - *wonderful* ... Just wonderful. The fish itself was good, but the sauce it was served atop was even better. It tasted like some sort of creamy lobster bisque, I couldn't resist dipping my bread in it. -Skirt steak. Very nicely charred outside. Tasted good. - Asparagus - prosciutto wrapped asparagus with some sort of mustard. Good, not too exciting... could probably do without. -Cinnamon custard dessert (a la creme brulee).. Yummmmy. -Red wine soaked pear with cheese and pistachios. OK. ...Sangria... Yes they don't have Sangria by the pitcher. But their Sangria is much more like a mixed drink than the sugary Sangria found elsewhere. When ordering, you can choose to top it off with Champagne for $1 extra, or otherwise they put a splash of 7up/Sprite on top (the rest is all liquor I believe). Go with the Champagne, it's a wise choice even though it's cheap Champagne. The service was very friendly. The place is owned by two queens (Robert, and his partner... don't know his name) both of whom were very nice and conversational. It was very neighborhoody feeling. The bartender was very friendly and available for conversation too. We didn't have any shortage of drinks... Many drinks later, Robert poured us the apparently mandatory free shot (Pama pomegranite liquor and grey goose vodka... yum). My only complaint about the service would be that the food took a somewhat long time to come out for a tapas place. Typically with tapas, you can order a few things, decide if you want more and order more if so. If the food always takes that long to come out, you'd probably never leave unless you did order everything all at once. Sitting at the bar was a pleasant experience. We got a nice corner spot, which was every bit as roomy as any table would have been. See you soon Elaine! (P.S., as far as the parking issue mentioned... the block north has free parking on the opposite side of the street and it was very easy to find any number of spots-no meters). read more

Bad all around. The only reason my boyfriend and I came here is because Longman and Eagle next door was ridiculously packed. I love tapas but would not classify what we had as tapas. They were that bad. :( The sauce they used for the mediocre Empanadas tasted like it was Ragu. And the shrimp in the Gambas A Pil-Pil was over-cooked and over-spiced. The only good thing were the mashed potatoes on the Solomillo De Buey plate. This plate also came w/ spinach catalan (which was over-salted) and hanger steak (which was just ok). As far as bread, you have to ask for it. Unfortunately, it seemed like some cheap store-bought tasteless french loaf bread. Overall it was such a lackluster experience and for what you get it was over-priced. Additionally, I could do w/o the poor music selections blaring from the boom box behind me. The only thing I would come back here for would be the drinks. Those were actually tasty and stiff. read more

This is the first time I have edited a review due to COMPLETELY changing my mind about a restaurant. The first time I went to this restaurant, I thought they had a good thing going on ... WRONG! The food is overpriced, the atmosphere is sort of like a detention hall, even though there about 15 people working in this tiny space, I still felt like the service was underwhelming. And, in all honesty, the food is not that good. I also believe that something I ate was laden with MSG, so I felt completely awful the next morning. This restaurant is taking advantage of the fact that there are not too many places to choose from by charging five prices for the most mediocre dishes. So There. read more