Emilio tapas is overpriced RiceAnd Peas for over 30.00 and small portions if u order paella with shrimp they only put 3 or 4 and if u order mushrooms 3 for 10.00 it is gross overpriced dont recommend this place to anybody dont believe the good reviews they posted that dont patronize this place the owner is nasty dont go to this place paella rice and peas ship food overpriced emilios tapas sucks the food is poor taste is bad dont go there the food is nasty do not go there the owner responded yesterday please stop please stop please stop how about a customer satisfaction none none none read more

I went to Emilio's for the first time last week. I was VERY satisfied in all aspects of this restaurant. It was a Thursday night, so not too busy, but busy enough. I was pleased with the quaint dining room and the Spanish decor of the restaurant. It was too chilly to sit outside, but the outdoor patio looked like a nice option, had it been warmer outside. Our server, Esmeralda, was so sweet, welcoming and attentive (without being over bearing). We ordered 2 cold plates and 2 hot plates. I enjoyed everything but my favorites were the filled empanadas and the blue cheese ravioli served with mashed potatoes. At least I thought so until we ordered dessert! We ordered the banana covered in caramel sauce with pistachios on top and ice cream on the side. Oh.My.Goodness! It was like heaven! I will recommending this place to other people and will definitely be going back to try their different seasonal plates! read more

Emilio's is my favorite restaurant. My "last meal" place to go. Yes there are fancier and grander and and and.... But this place just does it for me. I love his food palate. The wine tasting got me to buy a case. The specials usually are what I order. The service is excellent. I would love to see Emilio and Gaetano have a cook off! read more

Pros ---- Good food; good service; our table for 12 was set up very nice - it was a bit out of the mainstream, which was perfect as we didn't want to be blocking others. This place has an outdoor eating section; we do plan to return during the Summer months and request that we be able to sit outside. I'll keep you posted. Cons ---- Food was just okay, in my opinion. Desserts were VERY small for the price. ---- There was air circulated from somewhere in the dining room. We were freezing almost the entire time we were there. After 3x asking them to lower the blower on the "fan", it did start warming up a bit (and it was only 55 outside; not like we needed the air conditioning). read more

I love Emilio's atmosphere. The food is always great. They have been in business for such a long time because their staff pamper patrons. I love this place because mom is from Spain and everyone in my family loves olives and chopitos. No matter what you order, you will never be disappointed. God bless this business! read more

Had dinner on July 25th with a friend. we were fortuate enough to be able to eat on the patio. The staff was very attentive, and the waitress explained the various choices. Started with the bacon-wrapped dates (sweet and decadent) and the Jamon con Manchego, which was excellent. HAD to try the garlic potato salad - excellent! Grilled pork tenderloin and grilled chicken breast on bread finished the meal, leaving both of us full and happy! Emilio stepped out of the kitchen to chat with us on our way out. He's very congenial and we felt like old friends after a minute or two. I WILL be coming back. read more

Such a fan I am of this tucked away little gem! We were just there last night to celebrate my mom's "29th" birthday... The family all met up there and enjoyed an evening of loveliness.... The service was spot on, the sangria hit the "beverage spot" as usual... Lots of food was ordered and shared... and my two year old niece was eating all that was placed in front of her, we have a foodie or a chef in the making! And as usual Emilio was there overseeing everything. Right on. Emilio's, thank you for another fantastic evening. read more

AMAZING! This is my family's go to special occasion restaurant. We love the authenticity and the variety of flavorful dishes. We often get the garlic potato salad, lamb croquets, baked goat cheese, and dates in bacon. They are our staples, but we also like to try something new every time we go in (which is easy on their extensive menu). It's a very fun atmosphere. They always bring us a new dish to sample. Sometimes Emilio himself with make the rounds and come chat at your table. I love the involvement. It makes me feel like he really truly cares about your experience. Emilio's is always a fun time! Definitely come check it out!! read more

I was looking for a nice restaurant in the area for a lunch meeting and was coming up short on options, but found Emilio's with great reviews. The place has great service, great food and can't be beat in the area. Some of my favorites: the bacon wrapped dates, the roasted duck and beef tenderloin. read more

This is the best tapas restaurant I have been to in Chicago, well actually Hillside! It was so much fun. It felt more authentic there than any other tapas restaurant I have been to. We had Friday night reservations and it was packed! The dancers were awesome! It was a very loud and lively experience. If you're looking for quiet, romantic dinner this probably wouldn't be the tapas place to go to. This place has the best Paella too! I can't wait to go back. They have several locations, and I the only other Emilio's I have been to is the one in Lincoln Park. It was good, but that was my first tapas restaurant at the time. I have visited many, and the one in Hillside is superior! read more

Si; I've been a fan for a long time; a fan who has been away for awhile; a fan who was eager to see if they hadn't lost their touch. It was like coming back to an old friend, and when we went, this old friend was jammed. I kept thinking - I want a superior margarita and those darn, awful good garlic spuds. They did not disappoint. Our server seemed a little harried; maybe it was because we were all jammed in like sheep. Maybe it was because he was new. At any rate; I was going for old standards. We had the verduras veggies that are grilled with a lite vinaigrette; their little Mediterranean salad with feta in sherry; the grilled calamari with lemon; and their was no doubt the paella would be "the thing". The Valenciana paella is the only thing that I second guessed myself on, after the fact. I wasn't sure if it was my taste buds, that had been jammed by the cacophony of flavors, or whether Emilio and company had lowered the WOW factor of spices I had always been accustomed to. I was a little sad. So, to relieve my grief - dessert! I wanted a classic: the caramelized nanners and we also enjoy the profiteroles. It is funny how things ebb and flow in the world of dining. But overall, we did enjoy our meal and the experience that you are surrounded in at Emilio's. The prices are as we had remembered; all those little tapas add up. But, we enjoyed it; and we will be back - we'll just give them a little time to recover. read more

Had dinner at Emilio's on a Monday night with a friend. We had some margaritas to start. Eventually, we went with the "famous" potato salad w garlic (AMAZING!), tostadas w avacado, shrimp and monkfish, the lamb croquettes, and the roasted eggplant w shrimp and goat cheese. They also comped us some cherry tomatoes with small fresh mozzerellla balls. I gotta say, this meal was one of the best I've had all year. I told my friend I would give Emilio's a solid four stars, as I have a policy of not giving five stars with only one visit. Upon reflection, I decided to give it five stars, as the meal was incredibly good and EVERYTHING on their extensive menu looked great. BTW, our dinner was about $36 before drinks. read more

Great food, great service, always busy! Easy to get to, so make it worth your trip. You can sit outside during the summer. read more

Been here a year ago and was very impressed with the tapas. My visit last night left taste buds lacking in the garlic potato salad and the caprese salad as well. The service was good, the sangria mix is done well and although the wait staff insisted nothing has changed in the kitchen, I tasted otherwise..... The outside dining area is pleasant and you forget there is a busy street and parking lot right outside the dining area. read more

This place never disappoints. Had an amazing meal tonight. The timing of the food was perfect, everything was great, everyone was friendly and pleasant. Will definitely be going back soon. Keep up the great work, Tapas Kings!! read more

You can't go wrong with Emilio's! Wonderful, classy, cozy establishment. Good vibe inside. The staff is friendly and helpful, and they know what they are talking about. We like to ask their preferences. Sangria is tasty, and the tapas selection is broad. One of my favorites is the Pinche de Pollo al Mojo (chicken with a garlic & cumin sauce). Simple and delicious. You could dip your shoe into the garlic cumin sauce and it would be delicious. Last time we tried a dish that may have been on their features menu - it was similar to chicken piccata and was absolutely divine. The potatoes that came with the dish melted in our mouths. I hope that this is a dish that is there again when we go back. I'd also really like to try their paella. We try a range of dishes and are impressed every time. The first time we visited Emilio's we had a fruit flan for dessert and it was so good I wanted to order a second. Freakin' wonderful. Prices are decent for the amazing quality, in my opinion. We go for dinner and will order five or six dishes to share and are stuffed when we leave. Such a fun way to have dinner, too =) read more

I love all of the food here. The seafood is the best around and I could eat their shrimp and calamari until I explode, the egg soufflé is tasty and delicious. read more

it is worth the drive for the garlic potato salad alone. On our last visit we had sandwiches - One ham, one beef - and they were delicious. We tried not to fill up on the bread but with little success. We shared the olives and loved the complimentary bruchetta. I wish the Chicago location had not moved to such an inconvienient location because we would go there much more often. The patio is lovely. I am really going to make an effort to get to Emillio's more often because the food is wonderful. read more

This place is incredible! Every single time I eat here I am transported. As a celiac disease sufferer, Emilio's Tapas is one of the very few restaurants I trust. Chef Emilio and his kitchen staff are well-versed on the ins and outs of proper preparation. Not to mention the fact that chef Emilio has always used premium ingredients for all his INCREDIBLE recipes! Recommended dishes include the bacon wrapped dates with heavenly red pepper sauce, patata con aioli (how do they do it?!) the charcuterie board (that Serrano ham! The olives! The Manchego cheese!) and oh yes, the beef croquettes. Not to mention whatever specials the chef recommends AND the sangria. OH, also, they have the best tawny port I've had in my life there. I can't recommend Emilio's Tapas enough! read more

I'm from out of town so I didn't know what to expect. The bacon wrapped dates were unbelievable... the escargot was great too.... Definitely coming back next time I'm in town! read more

Outstanding food, great and I do mean great service. I am rarely in this part of town, but will make a journey just to eat here. Yea!

Emilio's Hillside (Illinois) location celebrates their 25th anniversary this week, and, in the restaurant business, that is a most significant and well-deserved of milestones. I don't get to dine there as often as I would like, since I now spend half of each year in Florida, but going back is always a special pleasure. There are many reasons for this, but the foremost is Emilio, himself. On my most recent visit, I was joined by three friends who are all wine aficionados. Our last gathering there was probably more than a year ago, but Emilio greeted us in a way that indicated he remembered us well. If fact, after just a brief conversation, he returned to our table with an open bottle of wine, and poured each of us a generous glass to enjoy. (We had already finished a bottle, ordered from their extremely will priced wine list). His cordiality and recollection of previous conversations is phenomenal! The wine list is not huge, but it is unique, comprehensive, and extremely well priced. By working closely with local distributors, the restaurant is able to develop a variety of promotional programs, that result in significant discounts which are passed on directly to the patrons. Consequently, ordering wine by the bottle yields noticeable savings over wines by the glass. They also have one of the broadest selections of wines appropriate with or for dessert, including a variety of ports, sherries and Spanish brandies by the glass. Their superb flan, paired with a 20 year old Tawny Port or glass of Pedro Ximenez sherry, is memorable. Food quality and presentation are essentially flawless. We shared two tapas while waiting for the main course; an extraordinary Spanish Serrano ham and perfectly cooked squid with oil and lemon. While there were four of us, we ordered paella for three - it takes 30 minutes to prepare. This course is brought to the table in the pan in which it was cooked, and is beautiful to behold, with the saffron aromas filling the air. The server then fills each plate, insuring that everyone gets some of the mussels, clams, shrimp, pork and chicken (seafoods are cooked in their shells). Even with generously filled plates, there was enough to feed another two people! When you go there, I suggest first taking a seat at their small bar, and order a Spanish beer or a glass of their homemade Sangria - served with a complimentary ensalada rusa tapas (Spanish style potato and tuna salad, with small bread rounds). Then, proceed to enjoy the ambiance, food and outstanding service. read more

Once I'd read that Alma Flamenco would be performing, I knew my night was planned. I made reservations so we would be on time for the performance as well as the complimentary wine tasting, with dinner. My friends and I began our evening entranced by our vibrant waitress, Lis, who taught us about the Spanish dishes and wines. Our party had the Red and White House Made Sangria, Malbec, and Le Petit. We shared the following scrumptious plates: Croquetas de Pollo (with tomato basil sauce), Tomate con queso y albahaca, Paella a la Mariscos (seafood paella), and Paella Campesina (chicken and vegetable). It was a gorgeous summer evening for those who enjoyed the outdoor patio as the Flamenco dancer and musicians performed in each dining area. Emilio came out from the kitchen to greet guests. The experience of friendship, delicious tapas, and live Alma Flamenco magically transported us to Spain without ever leaving Hillside. Thank you Emilio's! We'll be back soon to try more dishes. read more

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Another fine meal last night at our favorite suburban tapas restaurant. Been here many times over the 25 years they've been open. We and have usually just gotten a tapas assortment, the aioli potato salad, beef brochette and escargot Emilio being Repeat favorites. Tried the paella Valencia last night. It was quite good featuring chicken, shrimp and some very large mussels. We sat in their outdoor patio and there was live music, something we didn't recall evr seeing before. Two musicians who go by the name Montage played a great assortment of Spanish flamenco and other styles. We'll try to get back soon on a Friday just to hear those guys. read more

Emilio's Tapas - Lido Beach Sunset - Spanish Near Me - Hillside, Illinois

Went here on New Years Eve and had a late 9:45 reservation. We were seated shortly after arriving. The service was a little slow but it was really crowded. The hostess came around later with hats and beads and noise makers for anyone who wanted them for the New Year. There was live music and a DJ switching off but it wasn't too loud, you could still have a conversation. We had the tomato bread with manchengo and prochuitto which was my favorite thing we had. The tomato tasted fresh even though it was December. The potato cake with smoked salmon and horseradish cream was amazing it had just enough horseradish to balance out the Smokey salmon but not over powering. The chicken croquettes were good but more potato and peppers then chicken. The chicken wings where really good but definitely spicy so if you don't like spicy you might not want this one. The beef was cooked a little more then medium rare but still very tender and flavorful. We had the flourless chocolate tort with a raspberry sauce and the pear with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce for dessert. The chocolate was ok but the pear and the caramel sauce was by far the better dessert. read more

Top notch! Best Tapas I have had in Chicago. If you want real Spanish Tapas this is the place to come too. This is it! read more

Emilio's Tapas - Enjoyed our Tapas, dessert and coffee! - Spanish Near Me - Hillside, Illinois

Dude....You're the best. Happy Anniversary! ****xoxoxo**** Let the sangria flow~~ read more

Between a car repair shop and Wendy's is the last place I expected to find tasty, authentic Spanish food. But that's exactly where I found it. Emilio's Tapas exceeded all of my expectations. One thing that stood out to me was the service. In a small restaurant on a Wednesday night, I was very surprised at how quickly our waitress served us, and how I never had to ask for a refill. Of course, the food was nothing but fantastic. While the bread was a little underwhelming, perhaps a little too hard, the actual dishes were excellent. The waitress was quick to recommend the garlic potato salad (their specialty), which turned out to be a big hit. But my favorite was definitely the "queso de cabra al horno," which was garlic bread topped with fresh, creamy tomato sauce and melted goat cheese. I had one of the specials, "Bacalao de sancho panza," a baked cod served with all kinds of vegetables and loaded with a variety of flavors. The cod was pretty dry, but the different sauces and such made it worthwhile. Finally, for desert, I ordered the Plantain with rich caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, topped with pistachios. The flavors complemented each other beautifully, and the caramel was so good I almost literally licked the plate clean. I think Emilio's succeeds at creating a personal, friendly atmosphere. The room was filled with all the things you would expect in a Mexican restaurant, minus the annoying beer advertisements. Murals, paintings, even a mosaic lined the walls of the restaurant. I definitely felt the atmosphere struck the right note. The music playing was also pretty decent. In such a small place, it got noisy, but that's to be expected. Emilio's Tapas does tapas right. It doesn't take a star food critic to find the greatness in this little, family-owned restaurant. This is the first tapas restaurant I have been to, but if every Spanish restaurant is this good, I might consider relocating to Spain. So what if the prices aren't perfect, if the portion sizes are little lopsided? Emilio's overcomes that with excellent cooking and great personality. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

My family and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner here for my last birthday! The food was absolutely delicious and we were pleasantly surprised with the unique "game" dishes. The service was great and the birthday balloons greeting me on the table was really a nice touch. The surroundings are very warm and "homey", very old world and inviting. We will definitely make this our "regular" place for Tapas! read more

Emilio's, that little tapas place in Hillside. I have been going there for years and have never been disappointed. The dishes are always good and the sangria always plentiful. Bacon wrapped dates are a favorite along with any cold tapas. The noise level is manageable so you can enjoy the company of your guest. I always leave here feeling like I ate too much and paid too much. I'll be back, though. read more

First time eating Spain cuisine. They had great service with knowledge of their menu and pairings of wine. Also, everything was cooked to our liking! read more

The restaurant was very good. The food was served fresh as it was made and every plate was delightful. There are many choices to pick from and such a variety that it would be easy for people with dietary restrictions to eat from. The price was great and well worth it. It was Friday night and there was a band playing, it wasn't too loud for the restaurant and the noise wasn't overpowering. The ambience was great, although there was a band, there weren't people dancing or going nuts. It was very chill. The service wasn't too bad. It was a tad slow, but it was busy. She was kind and very helpful to answer any question we had. I went with some friends and I will go back and bring my significant other there. read more

I Love the Escargot, I totally recommend it !!! They have good service and a good variety of tapas. So far everything I've tried is delicious including the sangria. I especially like coming in the summer and taking advantage of their outdoor seating for some al fresco dinning. read more

I just love tapas and sangria! I was a bit skeptical about going to Emilio's in Hillside because I did not have a good experience with their restaurant on Ohio street. Service was good. The menu a good variety. We ordered a pitcher of mango sangria which was strong and yummy. A bit overpriced for the size of the pitcher but that is average for sangria. As insignificant as this sounds their bread and butter was delicious. Seriously I wished I knew what butter they used (haha). What we ordered: Patatas Bravas : A classic Tapas dish....but I was disappointed. Their potatoes are a bit soggy and not crispy. Bacon Dates: Probably the best dish we ordered. The sauce it came with was sweet and tasty! Lomo De Cerdo al Ajollo (Pork Medallion): not an impressive dish...something you can probably make at home Stuffed eggplant with goat cheese: Usually I don't like goat cheese but the taste was very subtle. I really liked this dish. Airline chicken breast with chorizo & peppers: Very good! Champinones rellenos (stuffed mushrooms): I loved the stuffed mushrooms but the sauce they came with was too watery. We definitely like this restaurant better than the Ohio street one and we would probably go back to try out some other dishes... read more

Took my family out to lunch the other weekend; they like tapas a lot, partly because it reminds them of dim sum. Lots of small and different bites. We used to go to the Lincoln Park location a lot before they closed. I had not gone to this one yet. Initially I was put off by the lack of people; we were the second table at 12:30p on a Saturday. Also, it's right across from a large cemetery. But I guess the people who lunch here lunch late since it got pretty full by the time we left, round 2:30p. Decor is nice, cluttered and kind of old feeling. Service is ok; at first they're attentive but by the time you ask for the check I was getting hot under the collar looking for our waitress. The menu is pretty much the same as I remembered from the LP location. For seven people we ordered quite a few dishes yet the bill was pretty reasonable, under $200 with tip included. They gave us several complimentary dishes, which was nice. The ensalda rusa on toast and some of the chicken croquettes. I had ordered the tuna already, but it's good; kind of garlicky and potato-y. The croquettes are okay, kind of unmemorable, so I'm glad we didn't order them for real. We ordered the beef brochette (pincho de solomillo a la pimienta) from the Entrees section, which was pretty good. The horseradish sauce was unusual but it paired well with the tender beef. From the Tapas, there was more tuna salad, octopus (cazuela de pulpo), squid, escargot (caracoles emilio), baked goat cheese, patatas bravas, jamon serrano, shrimp (gambas a la plancha) , and bacon-wrapped dates. It was a lot of food. Some items we got two dishes of since one tapas dish feeds about 2-3 people. What I would order again: beef brochette, octopus, ham, and squid. These were really delicious. Octopus and squid were very tender and not too chewy. What needs improvement: The escargot were nicely flavored but too cheesy. Dates in the bacon were amazingly soft and sweet but too big. Bacon-date ratio needs to be reworked. Shrimp was too puny; in a paella ok, but alone they looked a little sad even though the flavor was good. Overall, a great tapas place. Just wish it wasn't so far away from my parents'. read more

Great place for tapas in the burbs. Seating was plentiful and the tapas are so tasty. The ones that stood out for me include the PATATAS CON ALIOLI (love the garlic taste throughout), TOMATE CON QUESO Y ALBAHACA (loved the fresh mozzarella pieces), CHAMPIÑONES RELLENOS (big mushroom lover here), and GAMBAS A LA PLANCHA (tasty grilled shrimp with lemon sauce). The sangria was okay but I've had better. Look forward to going back again. read more

Excellent food. Well worth money. Fub enjoyable experience as a couple or group. I enjoy going as a group. More to share and enjoy!

Loved this place! Excellent dishes and ambiance. Good wine selection too. Our favorite dish was the octopus in garlic sauce.

I really like Emilio's food, but I think it's too expensive for the area it's in. I lived in Westchester (about 2 miles away) for a long time, and only went to Emilio's twice - shame on me. I was missing out! The garlic mashed potatoes are awesome, I love the goat cheese in the tomato sauce, and while I'm usually not a sangria drinker, theirs is pretty darn good. I'm a "when in rome..."-kinda person, so I always want to have the whole experience when I eat ethnic. AND, while "43" (Cuarenta Y Tres) is getting more popular and at more establishments, I love that they have it here, it's a great after-dinner drink. Mmmmmm..... read more

Great spot to dine with a group of friends. Sangria was refreshing. Highly recommend the bacon wrapped dates! Go check out Emilio's in Hillside. read more