Finally got around to checking out Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba's new little sister restaurant in River North and it lives up to every expectation! The dining room is smaller than it's namesake, though makes for an intimate setting in soft light with eclectic decor over every wall. Onto the good stuff... everything we tried was fantastic. We started with a pitcher of cava sangria, the garlic shrimp & fried shishito peppers (i'll never pass up shishito peppers!). just the right amount of crunch and a hint of heat. the spanish meatballs were awesome, super flavorful, moist, and fall apart in your mouth. Both the dates were good, but the chorizo wrapped dates were GREAT. We wrapped up by sampling both dessert options -- the chocolate torte and the butterscotch custard. Both were amazing, not too sweet, with perfect texture, but the butterscotch custard might have been the star of the show for me! One last thing -- when you go, (not if, WHEN) make sure you ask for Andreas. He was an absolute delight, attentive but not over crowding, and made our experience all the more enjoyable. Can't wait to be back! read more

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Cute spot to meet up with friends or for a date! We had reservations to sit outside, thankfully it didn't feel terribly hot! We ordered a picture of the classic red sangria, stuffed mushrooms, goat cheese baked in tomato sauce, patatas bravas, garlic shrimp, & chicken & chorizo skewer. For me personally, the goat cheese was the star I recommend eating the bread right away as it gets hard after a while. The sangria was fine, not super strong. Would definitely come back. read more

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What a delightful surprise! All the tapas were delicious and the perfect amount to share with friends. Highly recommend getting a pitcher of sangria - we had a pleasant surprise to find out they have a deal on Mondays for $20 pitchers! (Which is basically half off certain flavors). Highly recommend if you're down for sharing and trying lots of different dishes. read more

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It's a right of passage in Chicago to go on a first date at Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba. The staff is always friendly and helpful. I saw their Hibiscus Sour cocktail in an Instagram post, and it was perfection. I'm a sucker for anything hibiscus, but it had full flavor. The Deviled Eggs were enjoyable, but I wouldn't repeat them on a future visit considering how many great dishes are on the menu. (I could order the Hibiscus Sour weekly and not get sick of it...) read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Deviled Egg with Hibiscus Sour cocktail - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We will be back for sure. The interior is cute, our server Devon was great and we liked most of the food and the wine. The great: Bacon wrapped dates, pepper potato chips, butterscotch custard The good: Goat cheese in tomato sauce, olives, tenderloin w/blue cheese (mine was overcooked beyond Mid rare). The just ok: Gin-tonic salmon crudo, seared salmon read more

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My friend and I have been wanting to check this place out, and we luckily were able to do a walk-in and get a table right away around 5:45 pm. We ordered garlic shrimp, Spanish octopus, ham croquetas, and beef tenderloin toro skewers to share. Out of the four, I would say that the best dish was Spanish octopus! I'm not one to gravitate towards octopus in general, but it was super flavorful and the texture was great. Next, I would say the beef tenderloin toro skewers were the second best. It came with a serving of Catalan-style "crystal" bread, but I don't think either of us really cared for it. The skewers itself had very tender, flavorful beef that blended well with the shishito peppers that came with it. A close second would have been the ham croquetas, which were a great way to start our meal, but I did not feel like it was very memorable. The only one that I was whatever about was the garlic shrimp. To me, it wasn't really garlic-y and just tasted like it was regular shrimp with some butter-like sauce. I think I would have just preferred it to have more of a garlic taste. Overall, it was a decent place, and if I were to stop by again, I would love to check out their selection of drinks! read more

This is definitely a place that it's worth the visit! Right of the bat the staff was very welcoming and helpful navigating us through the menu. We were advised to get two dishes each since the portions were tapas (tiny). We started with White peach Sangria. By far the best Sangria I have had in a restaurant. It was so delicious, not overly too sweet but flavorful. We had a group of 4 so we pretty much ordered half of the menu. We started off with the beef empanada (forgot to picture it) but it had just enough bites for 3 people. Everyone liked it and it was a great start. As a non meat eater I focused on the vegetarian/ pescatarian meals. The garlic shrimp was pretty good but the Hen of the woods was the winner! Honestly, the best dish on the menu. Even the meat eaters loved it but I got most of it to myself. The octopus dish was great and we all enjoyed it. Everyone loved the beef skewer and the baked goat cheese. The croquetas were very much enjoyed by my three other friends. The patatas bravas were fantastic. Lastly, we tried all the desserts. Everyone loved loved loved the butterscotch custard and I thought that the cheesecake was pretty good as well. Bill was $250 post tip which I guess was not bad for 4 people; keep in mind that we were stuffed. We are definitely going back again! Make sure to check it out and enjoy!! read more

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Consistent delicious food and great service. We've been here countless times and have never left disappointed. The service is fast and friendly. The food comes out pretty quick and it's also so good. I've had tapas in Spain and these are definitely on par. Plus the sangrias are so good. Love love love this place. read more

12/10 espresso martinis! Can't lie the cava sangria gave me a gnarly hangover lol, absolutely loved the coquettas and beef empanadas -- service was fantastic! Our server even gave us complimentary apps including goat cheese and papas! read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Everytime I come here it hits! 11/10 would recommend Food is amazing service is great, love the brunch menu and happy hour!! read more

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Very moody ambiance and if you are in the front, a bit too dark to see the menu- I suppose that is what phones with flashlights are for. Music was rocking without a DJ but it was crowded and filled with chatter and laughter. But the food, simply delicious and so many fun items to choose from. We ordered patatas bravas- a must for any tapas restaurant (tasty not as crisp as I've had in others- personal preference), roasted hen of the woods mushroom which I gobbled up and swept the extra cheese up with a patatas bravas potato- earthy good sized portion. Deviled eggs are always a great bite and these didn't disappoint with the richness of yolk and a tang of acid. Followed by Iberico ham croquettas which was a deep fried bite of joy- cheesy and salty from the ham. We finished with meatballs and a steak skewer attached to a metal arch. Grilled to perfection. Stop in for a very tasty meal. read more

Everything here was a1. Couldn't pin a favorite dish. Tapas being my favorite, we got all the classics and they were perfect- especially the meatballs and deviled eggs. Empanadas were delicious as well. Will definitely return, and this place is definitely top 20 in Chicago! read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Spanish Meatballs - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Cozy spot offering innovative tapas and drinks, with efficient and friendly service. Overall the food was definitely worth trying for the uniqueness but some dishes did not live up to the hype. The sangria was perfect for those who prefer their drinks on the fruitier side - I tried the peach and mango, and both were super refreshing and almost like juice. The crystal bread was the highlight of the night and I've never had bread that is cold, with the refreshing tomato sauce, yet still perfectly crunchy and toasty. The octopus also had a nice crunchy crust with juicy interior. The other dishes, however, had many areas of improvements. The ham croquettes were on the saltier side and became a bit too heavy after a few bites. The presentation of the beef toro skewer was on point, but the actual meat itself was rather bland and dry, not on par with the price. read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Ibérico Ham Croquetas - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I love Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, so I felt like coming here would be an easy win. It absolutely was! I love that its smaller, so you can see the kitchen and also have a conversation with friends. Our server was awesome. He loves Malort, which instantly bonded him to 3/4 of our table. We came for (Easter) brunch and had some amazing food. The one can't miss item from the brunch menu is the French toast with the date syrup and crispy edges. That's not the official name, so look for "torrijas, brown butter roasted date caramel & whipped cream, Spanish-style french toast." YUM! This is a rough list of what we ordered, all of which I would recommend to you: * (brunch menu) kale & white cheddar tortilla * goat cheese baked in tomato sauce * chorizo-wrapped date pintxos x 2 * ibérico ham croquetas x 2 * chicken & chorizo skewer x 2 * classic red sangria * white peach sangria * don't forget to get a slice of truffle cake! Already looking forward to another visit to get more chorizo dates! P.S. it's a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant, so be sure to have the app downloaded beforehand to earn points. It's a great program! read more

First time here Small tapas bar Great vibes! Sophia was the best bartender everrr! So sweet and knowledgeable You have to try the eggs and the pepper on crisp bread Sangria was delish Loved everything about this place!!!!! 10/10 read more

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Cute and cozy with great food too! I got there like 2 minutes before happy hour ended but our server was amazing and got my drink order in so that I could have a $5 sangria :) The sangrias (I tried white peach and classic red) were delicious - they tasted like juice but definitely contained alcohol The patatas bravas - crispy on the outside and soft inside, spices/seasoning on point and the aioli was delectable. The portion was also larger than I expected and perfect for sharing! Garlic shrimp was perfectly cooked and had great texture and flavor! Chorizo wrapped dates filled with manchego cheese were as heavenly as they sound Iberico ham croquettes - probably my least favorite dish but still quite good! Texture and flavor were objectively great but I'm just not a huge ham fan read more

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This is one of the best happy hour deals. $5 sangria, delicious pinxtos; tasty food, great prices. Favorites were the deviled eggs, bacon wrapped dates (seriously could've eaten 12 of these), and the croquetas. Skip the hen of the woods mushroom - lacked salt and acid and was overall lackluster. This place is hard to beat with those happy hour prices. read more

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This place serves decent tapas, drinks are also good. I wouldn't return, but I think it is an acceptable one-time experience. Outside seating is a plus! read more

Very cute date night spot! We came here for happy hour drinks and sat at the bar. I had a white wine and the fiancé had a beautiful gin and tonic. We also tried the chorizo-wrapped dates that were on happy hour special. The bartender was super friendly and took good care of us. The dates were a fantastic bar snack! read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Chorizo-Wrapped Date Pintxos- delicious!! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Place was amazing. Service was great, atmosphere was relaxed and interior design of the restaurant and bar are very well done. Stopped in for snacks and dessert. All the food was excellent would highly recommended all the items pictures in this review. read more

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If you don't know much about Tapas, you might enjoy this place. A lot of hipster attitude, which some people find appealing. Yellowfin tuna is literally a can of tuna with salt and bread. I was so disappointed that I am at a loss for words. The rest of the food was over spiced. Nothing was great. 4.5 stars for this place makes me really scared for dining in Chicago. read more

We went here last night to celebrate our first wedding anniversary over some tapas and Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba did not disappoint! The service was exceptional, shout out to our server Nicolas who was friendly and attentive. He treated us to a complimentary champagne toast for our anniversary. The ambiance was 10/10, very cozy and inviting. The food was phenomenal! We ordered 6 different plates which were all great, but would highly recommend the pressed bikini sandwiches, the goat cheese and tomato sauce and the ham croquetas. I'm pregnant so their craft mocktails were very tasty and appreciated! Definitely recommending this spot to friends. read more

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I tried tapas for the first time here for a date night and had a great time! Shout out to our server Katie, she gave us happy hour prices on our sangria even though we got in technically 2 minutes after happy hour ended! The total bill including tax/tip for two was $100. Here's what I ordered: (1) chorizo-wrapped dates: highly recommend this, the chorizo is Spanish style, so it's cured and similar to pepperoni. The date is filled with cheese, and complements the natural creaminess of the date really nicely. (2) sangria- red and rotational. My red sangria was really nice. The rotational sangria was a white sangria with mango, which was much sweeter. Even if you're not into wine, you'll probably like the sangria as it's mostly fruity. (3) catalan crystal bread. I really loved this bread, it has salt crystals on the crust which provide texture, and a really nice refreshing tomato spread on it. (4) iberico ham croquettes. I actually wanted to order the mushroom croquettes but those were only for restaurant week. The ham croquettes was warm and crispy and not overly "hammy". (5) scallops. For about twice the price of other dishes, I would say to get this only if you're really really into scallops. The scallops come with a nice green salsa and are seared nicely. I do like scallops, but for the price I would probably pass on this next time. (6) patatas bravas. These are potatoes with sauce. It's pretty good, but takes a while to come out since they're cooked fresh. These came out at the end of our meal. The sauce is similar to a chipotle mayo. (7) butterscotch custard. For $3.50 this is an amazing deal. I really love creme brulee, and as a custard this is the closest thing we could get. The butterscotch flavor is very prominent, it's like eating a Werther's original in custard form. Great way to end the meal. Lil ba-ba-reeba did a great job introducing tapas to me, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone that wants to try tapas. If going for dinner it's highly recommended to get a reservation online. They have stellar happy hour deals (cheap sangria and $1 tapas limited to 1 order) and very intimate mood lighting inside. Great spot for a date night, and you can walk to the riverwalk and explore downtown afterwards. read more

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My favorite happy hour spot in River North! For Happy Hour, my friend and I each got 2 glasses of sangria for $5 each and one of each of the $1 pintxos. The sangria of the day when we went was mango, which was incredible. The mango sangria tastes more like fruit juice and it's really difficult to taste the alcohol, so be careful! The white peach was similar to the mango, but the red sangria has a stronger wine taste. All are amazing though! 5/5 For food, we ordered the handmade beef empanada to share, which was probably my favorite part of the meal. The crust was super flaky and the beef on the inside was extremely soft. It reminded me of a more shredded version of the beef you'd find in an Italian beef sandwich. 5/5 We also got the crystal bread, which I thought was alright. It's a solid choice, but honestly think it tastes kinda basic and is something that I can easily make at home. The crystal bread is pretty much just tomato puree on toasted bread with thin cheese on top. 3/5 Next, we got the Iberico ham croqueta which is also an amazing choice. The croquetas are super soft on the inside and served with a sort of mayonnaise-like sauce. 5/5 Not pictured, but we also got the goat cheese baked in tomato sauce. The goat cheese is warm and spreadable and is served with buttery garlic bread. The portion size on this one is pretty big and is super filling! 4.5/5 Lastly, I ordered the truffle bite. It was super rich with whipped cream to balance out the chocolate. While this dish is tiny, it is so rich, that you can easily share it with another person. 4.5/5 I'd definitely recommend coming here during happy hour! On Mondays, you can get a pitcher of sangria for $15! read more

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Dare I say it? I think I like this location better than the original. Yes, the menu is smaller but they took all the best dishes and I wasn't left wanting anything more. But really the greatest difference is that it's too small to accommodate the endless tables of group bachelorette and birthday parties, so the vibe is much, much cooler. We ordered some cocktails to start, and shared the shaved brussel sprout salad, baked goat cheese, octopus, shishito peppers, and bacon wrapped dates. Everything was excellent, and exactly how I remember the same dishes from cafe ba-ba-reeba. I love that this location is much closer and convenient, and I can't wait to swing by again soon for their happy hour! read more

Yes I am on the 5 star bandwagon here. Perfect tapas to share along with some sangria! Such a great variety and each tapa was delicious. Super friendly staff and a fantastic vibe read more

Love love this place!!! So happy we stumbled upon this place when looking for a good happy hour spot. We were seated right away and service was great. Very cute ambiance too - perfect for a date night! Love that they have $1 happy hour and Sangria Mondays! Honestly, everything was so good here, there wasn't an item where we could give it any critique. 5/5 - Mushroom Croquette 4/5 - Deviled egg 5/5 - Chorizo wrapped date 5/5 - Goat cheese baked in tomato sauce 5/5 - Roasted Hen of the woods mushroom 5/5 - Spanish Octopus read more

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A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I were at Chicago for vacation and met up with his coworker at Three Dots and a Dash (nearby) before heading to Lil' Ba-Ba-Reeba for dinner! We had to make a reservation, which was highly recommended, to get seated at the heated outside patio area that was covered with Christmas decorations, heated gas lamps, and awesome company. We enjoyed having sangrias all around and trying out the different tapas Lil' Ba-Ba-Reeba offered. For food, we had the goat cheese baked in tomato sauce with garlic bread, the spanish meatballs, the iberico ham croquetas, the fried shishito peppers, and the patatas bravas. Out of all of them, my favorite was the patatas bravas because of its crispiness (the way they cooked this was spot on and perfect!) that paired well with the tomato aioli. My close second was fried shishito peppers! Service was excellent by the way! Overall, go to Ba-Ba-Reeba for delicious tapas in Downtown Chicago. You will not regret it! read more

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I have dined here several times and I truly enjoy their menu and the service; one thing that can be improved is the consistency of the dishes. read more

Excellent food and drink with a glowing atmosphere. Particularly loved the Butterscotch custard - surprisingly delicious

Tapas - and lots of them! Had an amazing time at this lovely River North spot. When were seated, the host said "you have 90 minutes, enjoy." which felt a little daunting of a task, but it ended up being a great experience. So many delicious tapas! The shishito peppers, patatas bravas, and hens of the woods mushroom (that sauce???) were the main stand-outs, but honestly every single item was amazing. I had a glass of the cava sangria, but kind of wish I tried the daily sangria which was mango. Perfect for a beautiful Chicago day! I recommend this spot to share with a group of friends with likeminded tastebuds or a fun date night. Yum! read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Busy location and I was glad I made a RSVP for a certain time on a weekday for some tapas. I got there in time but had to wait outside until everyone showed up in my party of 6. I did notice that other people were seated but not everyone in their party was there. We were seated shortly and no menu was given as the new way is using your phone to download a QR code driven system. There were not a lot of selection but we ended up order almost one of each. The costly part of this meal was the drinks which a pitcher of sangria was $38. What was missing from the meal was a selection of desserts but we manage to somewhere near. The service was great as we enjoyed our meal. read more

Mango sangria pitcher or you can say 3 glasses of overly priced drinks. Don't ask for a pitcher because you will get less than the amount which they promised. Ask them the same thing and they were like because this has less ice. Seriously that's how you lie to the customer when they ask for pitcher? They are also reheating the old food in the oven and giving it out to the customer in a min. I really doubt the rating is from actual customers with the food quality not up to the mark Will not recommend visiting this for a evening read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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A cute and intimate place with great food! Came with a large group but was seated quickly through a reservation. My favorite dishes were the Patata Bravas, Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, Deviled Eggs, and Iberico Ham Croquetas. SO YUMMY! Our server was super accommodating and made sure we were all taken care of. Regret not taking pictures but definitely need to go back when visiting Chicago again! read more

Came here on a Monday to take advantage of their $15 sangria pitchers deal. I've been to their primary location twice and Lil' Ba-Ba-Reeba is a nice complement. Definitely smaller than their home store and has more of a "bar" type vibe to it. Nonetheless, it is enjoyable. I only came for drinks and a small bite. We ordered the white peach sangria pitcher which was very refreshing; would get this again. To eat, we shared the goat cheese baked in tomato sauce which I HIGHLY recommend, and the stuffed mushrooms. I still dream about that goat cheese. Service was also quick. Overall, this was a great experience for a quick bite. Will be back! read more

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Cute place for tapas! We came for the vibes and happy hour (3:30-5:30pm). Our server was super nice and helpful, giving us the details of the menu. The bacon wrapped dates are phenomenal- really rich but what do you expect? Don't get the spicy potatoes... they're just ok. The drinks were delicious! This is a really fun place to hang out and catch up. read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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So happy place opened in River North! Food and sangria are just as good as the original place. If you like sangria, they have some delicious options including, red, white, cava and the sangria of the day (passion fruit when we went). The tapas are so good! My favorite is the empanada-the meat inside is incredibly tender and flavorful, wrapped in a crispy flaky dough. Other noteable ones are the bacon wrapped dates, shrimp, and brussel sprout salad. read more

Lil Ba-Ba-Reeba! - Seafood Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Came here with 2 other people and had a really great time. Indoor dining is open currently and I felt comfortable with the space between each table. We ordered a total of 6 dishes which was plenty for us - all of us were extremely full after. Also got the $15 sangria special (white peach) since it was a Monday - really good deal and the sangria itself is solid. From what I remember, the food is up to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba's quality and every dish was delicious. Baked tomato + goat cheese: SO delicious - the combination of tomato sauce and cheese was perfect. The bread that accompanies this dish is toasted so well - very soft and just the right amount of crunch. Bacon wrapped dates - standard and lovely dish, but the bacon for me was just a tad too salty. Shaved brussels sprouts - a perfect addition and side item to balance out the heaviness of the other dishes. The acidity in this dish was great. Iberico ham croquettes - usually, I am not a fan of croquettes because they're usually dry and heavy, but I loved this one. Crunchy crust but the inside was so light and fluffy. Salmon crudo - baked just the right amount - the salmon was very tender. Stuffed mushrooms - so good - the mushrooms are juicy with a nice crusty topping that balances out the softness of everything. I do wish they offered a few extra or even one or two larger dishes such as paella. I would come back more often if the menu was a tad bigger so I could try out some other delicious plates. read more

Overall 5/5 you definitely have to end up here this fall! Setting: a cute little restaurant. We did outside brunch and it was absolutely adorable. From a crazy pigeon that kept getting stepped on to delicious food this spot is a 10/10 casual brunch from me Food: everything was amazing. You have to get the brunch patatas period. Empanada is a must as well! Ambiance: we dined outdoors and it was very cute with flower vines and heaters on request. Pro tip: this place outdoes itself with food. I was willing to pay more than I did for the food I got! read more

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Amazing food and service! One of my favorite tapas place in Chicago :) Definitely get the Bikini Sandwiches! read more

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