Bulerias Tapas Bar

First time coming to Chicago and all my friends told me I had to check this place out! Located in…read moreLincoln Park, it is away from the hub-bub of downtown Chicago. The menu features a variety of Spanish tapas, pintxos, small plates, and Paella. You are meant to order plates to share with table. Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba really prides themselves in serving authentic Spanish food and providing guests with a unique experience. The restaurant itself is very cute and has a fun vibe about it. There are plenty of seating options and a gorgeous bar as well. Service was wonderful! Our server did an excellent job checking in on us, refilling waters, and just making sure we were satisfied with everything. We did get a reservation via OpenTable, this is always necessary, but I would recommend doing this, especially on the weekends. We ordered a couple plates to start and the ended up ordering more throughout our meal. I really love that you can do this, it paces the food and allows you to enjoy the experience more. We put in orders for 2 of the goat cheese baked in tomato sauce, a patatas bravas, Spanish olives, and Spanish meatballs (Al Jerez). The food came out in a timely manner and was served made to order. We dove right in! The goat cheese was luscious and perfect on that cold afternoon. It's baked in their old world Spanish oven and served with house garlic bread. This dish was super creamy, with a nice tang from the tomatoes, and just phenomenal. The patatas bravas were just divine! The spicy potato's were cooked to perfection, crispy on the outside and yet soft on the inside. They paired perfectly with sun-dried tomato aioli they were served with as well. The Spanish Meatball were decent as well. They had great texture and I really enjoyed the sherry tomato sauce they were served in. For our next round, we had to order more patatas bravas because they were just that good! We also got some calamari and extra bread for the remaining baked goat cheese. The fried calamari comes with tomato crudo and a jalapeño aioli. It was nice and crispy, nothing too special but still hit the spot nonetheless. Overall, I was so happy my friends and I came here! The food was amazing all around, no complaints at all. The service was great as well. They are very accommodating and do a great job taking care of guests. Loved the interior of the restaurant, it was super cozy! I will definitely have to return next time I'm in the area to try more tapas. Highly recommend!

V wanted to come here, so of course, here we are. We've dined here before, once together, and each…read morewith our respective work-groups in the distant past. Parking is sort of a pain, you have to find street parking, might have to pay, or you can use their $20 vallet parking. V made me drive, and I misjudged how far we'd have to walk. Not a good start. We arrived at 8:20pm on a Sunday, while they close at 9pm, they serve until 9pm, and the place doesn't clear out until 10pm, so we were good. We were greeted and seated quickly in a fairly crowded dining room. My aging eyes found the menu difficult to read with small print on yellowish paper, so I used the light on my phone. It's not pretty, but neither is ordering food when you can't see what it is LOL. Our waiter greeted us promptly, and took our drink order, and offered up a specials menu. As I'm driving, I just got iced tea, V ordered a pitcher of passion fruit Sangria. He said the Sangria wasn't great, I tried some, and I thought is was drinkable. It definitely has a kick as V got a bit giddy as the night progressed. V ordered the Seafood Paella (takes 45 minutes), so as a starter, we ordered the Fried Calamari, which was sadly overcooked. It was half crumbs, though the sauce was tasty. With time to kill, we followed that with Lamb Brouccetta (no seasoning, just lamb), on a bed of French Fries (star of the night), grilled potatoes (yummy dipping sauce), and grilled peppers, which were quite tasty and unique. The Seafood Paella arrived, and it was massive. Food for two and then some. We didn't need all the appetizers except for killing time, so we ended up with a lot of Paella to go. I don't like Paella; it always tastes fishy, although this Paella was at least edible, unlike what I had in Barcelona. The waiter was attentive and had a spark of personality. Vigilio thought the bar area where we were seated was loud, but I didn't have any issues talking.

Tapas for dinner.

Butternut squash soup, Spanish Meatballs "Al Jerez", Deviled Egg with Crispy Serrano Ham

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It looks like a mini corn dog

The Purple Pig

4.3(9k reviews)

3.6 mi•Near North Side

"We stopped at The Purple Pig for lunch and we were pleasantly surprised at how great everything…read morewas. From the impeccable service to the great food, ambience and extensive wine list, we couldn't have been more pleased with our dining experience.

Just an amazing experience all around!! The tuna tartare was exceptional as well as the sorbet with…read moreBailey's. A little tight on seating but no complaints!!

2.6 mi•Fulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side

Inside

Chicago style hot dog

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Squid Ink Chitarra

Aba

4.4(2k reviews)

Aba Restaurant review -- Fulton Market, Chicago…read more This was my husband and I first time visiting Aba Restaurant, and we left impressed on every count. From the moment we arrived, the service stood out. We had an 8 PM reservation, but since we were in the area early, Chris B. kindly accommodated us for an earlier seating. We settled on the rooftop deck, which set the mood with a vibrant, buzzy vibe. The service was outstanding throughout. Our waiter greeted us promptly, with a trainee at the table. (My apologies for forgetting their names). Both were exceptionally pleasant. The trainee did a superb job walking us through the menu, explaining the concept of ordering. We decided on a variety of dishes, and Aba delivered: - Wild Mushroom Hummus: A smooth earthy dish with roasted mushrooms folded into a creamy hummus, finished with truffle oil and herbs. Yummy! - Tuna & Watermelon: A refreshing pairing of tender tuna balanced with juicy watermelon, cucumber, pomergrant seeds and mint. Loved it! - Green Chili Shrimp: Served in a metal dish used for escargo. The shrimp were covered by breadcrumbs and lots of butter with a slight kick to it. Great for dipping your bread in. It did not disappoint! - Pan Seared Halibut: A perfectly seared, delicate fillet, moist and flaky that highlighted the fish's clean, buttery profile. And from the cocktail menu, the Aloe? It's Me. It has a kick to it. Loved it too. Everything was excellent--the food was inventive and delicious, the service was great and the rooftop ambiance added a memorable layer to the evening. Highly recommended for a refined yet relaxed Chicago dining experience.

Aba is in Fulton market and has outdoor and indoor seating! The restaurant is open and bright. I…read moreloved the olive trees that made the room feel like I was outside! The plates are shareable so this is great because you can share a few dishes! I tried the smoked garlic hummus (comes with pita bread), short rib Shakshouka, crispy potatoes, and the beef and lamb kofta! This was for two people and we had left overs. The hummus was fantastic! I highly recommend getting the crispy potatoes as well! I have never tried shakshouka with meat in it before and didn't love the texture. However, the flavor was sweet and savory! The only thing that was not ideal was that an optional surcharge was on the receipt, when we tried to get our server to help remove it per instructions on the receipt no one was to be found. That was disappointing and potentially strategic? I would have rather just tipped. I'm not sure how others feel about the surcharge?

2.7 mi•Fulton Market, West Loop, Near West Side

Interior

Frozen Greek yogurt

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Green Falafel

Boqueria Fulton Market

4.1(512 reviews)

Outdoor seating

Private events

Absolutely amazing customer service! We got sat 15 minutes after our reservation on a busy Friday…read morenight and were treated to drinks on the house (so not necessary but really means a lot!) The manager Vanessa made it a point to stop by many times during our visit and was so incredibly kind and welcoming! The food was also incredible to say the least and the ambience was perfection. Will definitely be back!

Fun atmosphere and really good tapas. Of course I had the dates wrapped in bacon- and they were…read morereally good. Meatballs, coquettes, skirt steak, papas .... And several more. All really good. (We did not care for how the pulpo was prepared and they removed it off the bill with no problem). Really a lovely evening with great food, wine and friends! Waitstaff lovely!

Open Kitchen

Shishito Margarita

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Escalivada

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba!

4.4(335 reviews)

3.3 mi•Near North Side

Lil Ba Ba Reeba was such a good time! I've heard about this spot forever, so I was really happy to…read morefinally try it, and it definitely lived up to the hype. We sat outside, which was really nice, so we didn't really get to experience the atmosphere inside. Service was super helpful and attentive. We got the garlic shrimp, roasted dates wrapped in bacon, patatas bravas, and the lamb brocheta. The roasted dates wrapped in bacon were sooo good. Sweet, salty, and warm. Just one of those bites that makes you immediately want another. Those were delicious. The lamb brocheta was probably my favorite. Super juicy, super flavorful, and just really satisfying. That's definitely the dish I'd go back for. The patatas bravas were good too, though I do think they could've used a little more salt. The garlic shrimp weren't my favorite, but they came with this amazing oil that was really good for dipping bread in. I love tapas so I'm really glad I came here, and I'd definitely come back to try more of the menu!

Walked in on a Sunday night to plenty of seating options at the bar and tables but the restaurant…read morewas not dead by any means. Ryan was prompt in delivering water and a menu at the bar, as well as explaining the tapas concept. I chatted with him a fair amount as I ate, which was nice for being out alone. The bar stools are also quite comfortable. 2-3 items is the recommendation to fill you up but I went with the large steak skewer for just myself. It came with 4 medallions and 4 shishito peppers along with mashed potatoes and a horseradish sauce that I loved. I'm a hungry guy and was satisfied but not stuffed so I went for the chocolate truffle bite. It seems small but is actually a great size for one person having dessert and feels good to get it for $5. Red sangria was also a great compliment to the steak. I would definitely try the white or special of the day on my next visit. There is a 3.5% charge to "offset rising costs" which can be removed by asking. I did so and wasn't met with any objection or derision. A flyer about the Lettuce Eats app was also included so I downloaded the app and was able to register and earn points immediately. You can get $10 for every $150 spent to effectively save 6.67%. Overall, a great experience solo and I think it would also be fun with a group to capitalize on the tapas style and share a bunch of small plates.

Tortilla Española (Made-to-Order)

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Mango sangria

Pequeno Mercat

3.8(1.6k reviews)

4.2 mi•South Loop

I was in Chicago for a conference. My husband came to keep…read moreme company during the trip, not the conference. I was in the mood for Spanish because I hadn't eaten a paella for a while. I found this place that really close to the hotel we were staying at. I initially made a reservation but we had discussed possibly not going so I cancelled the reservation. We ended up going anyways, haha. No reservation. The restaurant is inside the Blackstone Hotel, which was a very fancy looking, high end hotel. The restaurant was not full so we were seated quickly. We got the chicken pinxto (pronounced pin-cho), which is like a skewer and we got the tuna tartare. Both were excellent - especially the sauce on the chicken. For entree, my husband got the Iberico Pork and I got the mixed paella. He really liked his pork - it was tender, flavorful, and a second, I thought it was a beef. The paella was really excellent. I love seafood and I love the rice on the bottom. Despite it being a small, they're quite large so I recommend sharing with someone. Unfortunately, since my husband doesn't like seafood, he wouldn't try any of it. While we don't live in Chicago, I would definitely recommend to the out-of-towners in search of good Spanish cuisine.

This is a quaint tapas restaurant that I was looking forward to visiting. The service was okay. The…read moreshort rib empanadas and spinach salad were great. The bacon wrapped figs and chicken pinxtos were not very good, and the patatas bravas really could have used some salt. Get the sangria roja! Overall, a decent dinner, but would likely not return.

3.2 mi•River North, Near North Side

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Arbella

4.4(695 reviews)

We love Arbella!! Atmosphere inside was great, really large space! We sat at the bar, the…read morebartenders were super friendly and attentive easy to talk to and order from. LOVE the $6 cocktail of the day happy hour (M-F 4-6pm) . Our cocktail of the day was a watermelon lemon drop which was delicious!! Will be coming back next time in Chicago! My local friends new favorite staple bar.

Months after visiting, Arbella still ranks among the best cocktail bars in the city for me!…read more One thing that really makes Arbella unique is their globally inspired old fashioned menu- whether you're an old-fashioned fan or not, these are a must! They've upped their happy hour game by including a rotating global cocktail with previous menu drinks and a daily kitchen special. This time, I ordered the oldest old fashioned and the Oaxaca old fashioned to drink. I thought the first was the best old fashioned I had ever had, but the second was even better! I loved the subtle yet not overpowering smokiness of the mezcal in the Oaxaca. Neither were too sweet and you could really taste the high quality bourbon. We ordered the Korean fried chicken and coconut shrimp to eat from the happy hour menu. The shrimp was super crispy with a delicious ginger-orange compote and rice vinegar pickled onions. Highly recommend! I did think the chicken was a bit tough, but the flavor was good. Another great experience of many to come! If you haven't stopped by Arbella yet, add this to your bucket list asap!

DJ Adam Pecho bringing down the house

Crab rangoon

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Vietnam Old Fashioned

Tapas Valencia

4.0(778 reviews)

4.7 mi•Near Southside

Went here with friends and we ordered different plates. The food is so so good. I just kind of wish…read moreit was more servings for some of the food. All the staff was knowledgeable and friendly the sangria I underestimated we ordered the picture and you could easily have six drinks out of the one picture and the picture looks super small. The sangria could use a little more sweet, but it was still good. The vibe is very chill. It was kind of quiet given the amount of people that was in there and the space is huge.

Stopped here for happy hour before going to the Mexico soccer game. It wasn't too busy. I liked the…read moredecor. We sat at the bar. The sangria was delicious! Not too sweet or watered down. It's hard to find a solid sangria in the city. But the food left me wanting more. I could've done with more seasoning. I did like the steak slider.

Indoors!

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Ema

4.3(1.9k reviews)

3.3 mi•Near North Side

Great service and lovely atmosphere Many gluten free…read morechoices available Kids friendly

Had a reservation for two and were sat immediately. Server was great, attentive but not bothersome…read more We ordered the spicy whipped feta, crispy potato's and chicken ketfa. All were pretty good but the chicken and rice were a bit oily. I got the do not disturb cocktail which was really yummy and my friend got the Paloma which was just okay. Overall good experience would come back

Ema tables and bar

Double chocolate.

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Inside

Bar Mar

4.3(630 reviews)

3.3 mi•The Loop

Bar Mar is a solid spot in Downtown Chicago. The interior decor and atmosphere was great for a nice…read moredinner. Most of the food was tremendous. My favorites were the crab cake, Cobb salad, and short rib. The crab cake was very soft and had a nice texture to it. It was one of the best crab cakes I've eaten. The Cobb salad was also very light and shareable. The short rib main course was very tender, and it came with crispy potatoes as well. Some of the other items such as the Philly cheesesteak and Asian tacos were just ok. They were also both very small in quantity relative to their price. The desserts were magnificent as well, especially the deconstructed key lime pie and sticky toffee pudding. Both of them were phenomenal. The service throughout my meal was excellent. My waitress gave us some nice recommendations, and the staff came by often. I would definitely recommend to visit Bar Mar, and I look forward to coming back myself when I am in Chicago.

Our second time eating at a Jose Andres restaurant in Chicago and again it was disappointing. Last…read moretime we ate at Jaleo and found it underwhelming but put it down to the fact that we had just returned from an amazing culinary trip to San Sebastian. We really admire Jose's philanthropic work and want to love his restaurants but truth be told, if you forget about the glitzy decor, the food is just average. We tried several appetizers; the Hamachi Cone, Caviar Cone, Asian Taco, Neptune's Pillows, Shrimp Cocktail and Iberico Jamon. We also shared a bottle of Cava. Everything was fine but to be frank the Shrimp Cocktail was the best thing we ate, simple and perfectly fresh. The service was pushy, when a server wants to take you order less than 3 minutes after sitting down, it feels like you're on a conveyor belt. We felt the prices were way out of line, with tip I spent almost $500 for a bottle of cava and appetizers for two people, for that, the food should have been more memorable. We spent the same amount for two off us to have the 12 course tasting menu at Atsumeru a couple of weeks ago and Bar Mar's food isn't in the same league. We will continue to financially support Jose's World Kitchen but not his restaurants.