They recently expanded, but maintained the intimate ambiance. Just a great relaxed atmosphere. The night we went there was music and flamenco dancing. read more

Everything we had was delicious - Spanish tortilla, goat cheese, dates, patatas bravioli, grilled octopus, anchovies and seafood paella. We also tried crema Catalana, churros, the almond cake and what the waitress described as a liquid cheesecake, which don't think was on the menu but was our favorite - dolce de leche flavor and super creamy. Really yummy! Sangria was great. Service was mostly ok - not overly attentive but not bad and everyone was nice. Prices on the higher end but not outrageous. Not sure what people are complaining about - yes the place is not bright but that's the vibe and the lit up menu pads are nice. We all very much enjoyed Little Madrid and will be back. read more

Love this new spanish place to enjoy the most authentic tapas. The jamón pata negra will make you travel to Spain. Highly recommend this place read more

Wonderful in every way. The bacon wrapped stuffed dates were my fave! The meatball is also really good and I say that as someone who is really not that much of a meatball fan. Also tried a few potato dishes, the blood sausage, the bread with goat cheese/tomato sauce, and the chicken croquettes. I loved every single one. Great service, and such a fun communal atmosphere. I can't wait to return! read more

Very disappointed with the quality of the food although service was good. Gambas al ajillo was bitter and almost inedible, paella mariscos was too wet and salty. The best thing I had was the cortado. For the price we paid, we could have gotten far better food in many other Chicago restaurants. Doubt we will come back. read more

Little Madrid is a truly wonderful place to eat. we recently went to celebrate our first wedding anniversary and made a little note in the reservation. When we arrived, the staff was already aware of our anniversary and delivered sincere congratulations. Rafael, our server was incredibly helpful and attentive. Manuel was delightful as well. The food is authentic and has the qualities of loved family recipes. The grilled octopus was PHENOMENAL. Honestly the best I've ever had. The cook temperature was perfect. The ambiance is cozy and intimate. The low, soft light is romantic. read more

Ok, let me say I was skeptical. After reading the chef's backstory about his journey to Andersonville It seemed a little too amazing. After checking the menu online I knew immediately that these dishes are absolutely the real deal. I have traveled Spain and eaten in peoples homes there, massive cured ham on the counter and everything. Madrid was also my favorite food experience in Spain as well. So... Little Madrid is a glimpse into real Spanish cuisine as I experienced it in Spain. You will not find this menu in any other tapas restaurant in Chicago. If you want club music in a Span-Ish restaurant go somewhere else. If you want an authentic dinner you might receive in someone's home in Madrid then go here. BYOB!!! read more

Tasty, no-frills cafe offering a taste of Spain in Andersonville. My wife and I had the pan con tomate (sooo good!), A jamon sandwich, and the breakfast special which was eggs and jamon over fried potatoes. We're looking forward to returning for lunch to try some more of their offerings! Cash only. read more

See all

Really interesting and good food. Shared a number of items among four of us and all were winners. They also started serving wine and it was recently priced and really good. Recommend the Rioja.. service was very friendly and attentive. Will become a regular. read more

My boyfriend and I went and tried this restaurant before going to an event. This place was outstanding. It was a Monday night, so it was not crowded, we were sat at a cozy table, the decor was warm and romantic. Our server, Rafael, offered to light a candle for us. We loved the menus that lit up. We started with some bacon wrapped dates while waiting for our Palella and then we just could not help ourselves to more amazing bites, it was so delicious. Rafael was one of the kindest and most engaging servers we have had. Definitely one of our top 5 favorite places. We will definitely be back and suggest this place to friends. read more

My husband and I just experienced Little Madrid's 2nd birthday party! We went for a pre-Valentines dinner out and stumbled into the best party! We were completely transported out of Chicago- a truly magical experience! We are so excited they are just up the block from us!! read more

The tortilla reminded me of my years living in Madrid , it was awesome, strongly recommend it , it's family owned!

Great food, excellent service, reasonably priced for the superb quality. The ambiance is pleasant. What's not to like? We love it.

Best tapas in Chicago! Everything was 5 star. Friendly staff, great suggestions. The bacon wrapped dates (Euro bacon), croquetas de pollo, olives and manchego are just a few of the many delicious possibilities. read more

It's a great place for dinner. Very tasty tapas, friendly hostess and service. They will make you feel at home. It's easygoing, not pretentious with a relaxed ambience, and food that's worth your buck. All in all, it's a welcoming place. Love going there in groups to have a good meal and I've also seen many couples on dates. The dimmed lighting setting, is ideal for an imaginary trip to an evening tapas place in Madrid. Recommend 100%. The Sangria is delicious :) read more

Another amazing experience at Little Madrid Tapas, this time in their new space. Spacious yet cozy, it still feels like a quiet, out of the way restaurant you'll find in Madrid, Spain. Our waiter, Rafael, couldn't have been more attentive and friendly. A great evening!! read more

If you haven't been in a while -go!! New chef, new atmosphere! Just as good if not better than food we had in Barcelona and Spain. Service excellent. read more

Amazing food, and our server, Rafa, was great! Felt like Spain! Had Euro Bacon, croquetas de pollo, Spanish tortilla-and Crema Catalana with table side plancha was so fun! read more

Made a reservation for Monday, 2/21/22. Got to the restaurant to find it closed, with a sign in the window that said it would be closed for the next few days. It would have been nice if they had let me know. read more

The food at this small, charming restaurant is authentic Spanish and so delicious. The owner Francisco is a hard working young man. He is a very talented chef and also very charming. My brother and I love the food here so much that we order from this restaurant every weekend. Since we can not travel to Spain with COVID, we feel like if we are in Spain when we enjoy the food from Little Madrid. The delicious paellas, the potato omelet, the calamari sandwich, the meatballs and olives, the churros with chocolate, plus so many other things that are amazing. Take my word for it, you will love this restaurant and the owner who is a down to earth fun guy. read more

We had such a great time here! The space is small and festive, service was amazing and food was great. Highly recommend.

I'm from Spain and I went with my husband on a Saturday night. We were genuinely excited about this place. We ordered gambas al ajillo and they were old, soggy and smelled like ammonia. They shouldn't have been served yet the owner, who was there, didn't care. The croquetas were also fried that morning and were not fresh. Would not recommend. read more

If you've spent much time in Madrid, you will get to know tapas and pintxos. Chicago has a good selection of Spanish restaurants with good food, but for me - who lived 3+ years in Madrid - this place comes the closest to offering the tapas you would get if you were in your neighborhood bar in/near Chamartin, Arguelles, Plaza Mayor, Sol or any other popular spot. The prices are reasonable, the service is cheerful, the food is very good. They serve wine, beer, sangria, liqueurs, but there is also a liquor store across the street where you can purchase something else if you choose. This place is worth the trip to Andersonville. Oh, and BTW, when you order crema Catalana (creme brûlée), they caramelize it at the table. read more

went there last friday for the first time with my husband. the food was delicious and the atmosphere was so romantic with all these candles and flowers. our waiters did a great job considering that it was pretty busy that day. we ordered vegetarian paella with cheese on top (this is a definite musthave), croqettes with chicken, watermelon salad (the watermelon was very sweet, loved it) and meetballs. would go there back definitely! read more

Pretty good. Few pieces were not my think, buy some were delicious. It took awhile to walk here from my new place. So i figured I give it a try, to see if I ever want to walk back. Maybe. It just wasn't super special. read more

Ordered take out and I was late in picking up, so I was worried the food would be cold by the time I got home, but this did not affect how incredibly good the food was. I had a large order, including the Gambas, Albondigas, Asturias, Corte little Madrid, Croquetas, Tumaca, Tortilla, and Huevos Rotos. Everything was amazingly good, and hands down one of the most authentic and best Spanish Tapas in Chicago. This will be one of my new stand out favorites for Tapas. read more

If you want authentic Spanish cuisine, you must make plans to go here, it's superb! Francisco, the owner and pretty much everything else, was incredibly kind and took the time to talk with us about his experiences around the restaurant business and made the environment very intimate. The food was delicious, atmosphere so comfortable and made us feel like we were actually dining in Madrid....which I have been! read more

Great food and terrific service. Ricardo was outstanding -- definitely went the extra mile!

Fransisco the owner is fantastic and so fun, food was excellent! Great atmosphere! Will be back soon!! read more

Little Madrid Tapas Cafe - Vegetarian paella - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Very disappointed from start to finish. Table, glasses and oil and vinegar cruets were filthy. Ordered croquettes first and they were bland, meatballs next which were ok, then came the marisco paella and it had no flavor whatsoever. That would have all been bad enough but when we informed our server that the paella wasn't good she called the owner who a few minutes later stormed through the door, headed to the kitchen to talk to the server to see who was complaining about the food. She sent him to our table and here it begins. When he asked what was the problem with the food, I said everything seemed bland and neither of us enjoyed any of it, his reply was: I'm assuming this is your first time at a tapas restaurant I replied, no it's not we go to several tapas restaurants on a regular basis He replied yea probably cafe ba ba Reba or somewhere like that and rolled his eyes Next he asked what was wrong with the paella So I said when I took a bite of the shrimp, it had not been cleaned out (so the sh*t sack was still in the shrimp) his reply was: well it won't kill you, you're not in Ireland now !! This is a business, sometimes you get it wrong, if you can't take some criticism without telling me I won't die because I'm not in Ireland anymore maybe get someone else to take care of customer service Never ever be back No I don't recommend this place read more

Trust me I know Spanish food. The tortilla was phenomenal. The meatballs were delish, but didn't travel well. I suspect need to be a little firmer, the taste was perfect. The Picasso sandwich was delicious but as a warning it's open face. I can't wait to come back. read more

Been meaning to get into Little Madrid and now that I have, it'll be a part of the regular rotation for sure. The menu covers all the most popular tapa and they execute them very well (though the bravas sauce seemed more "mild gravy" vs the menu's promise of "spicy paprika"). That's a quibble though. The place is small with a tiny kitchen (just like the best tapas spots in Spain). The service was well above average, and the chef even made us a dish we asked about that'd dropped off the menu (take note restauranteurs - this earns goodwill, good word-of-mouth and return business loyalty in ways no amount of advertising can!). At the risk of making my own next table harder to get, you need to get in here. read more

I truly felt like I was in Spain with this dining experience! Bolaños was the best cook and server. You can tell he has a true passion for his food and restaurant! BYOB place-and a liquor store across the street. Worth trying! read more

Got some takeout from Little Madrid--Spanish Omelette, Malagueña salad, patas bravas, and the classic namesake sandwich--the Little Madrid. The flavors were complex and authentic. We chatted with the owner and chef, who's an engaging personality; he gave us a lot of background information for each dish. I can't wait to go back! read more

Some reasons I will not dine here again: 1. Food here is mediocre at best. The lower end of mediocrity. 2. The place could use a good cleaning. Went to eat while it was still light outside, so while the lighting was low inside there was still enough light coming in from the windows that I could see the walls and floors were dirty. 3. Our grilled octopus was pretty extensively burned. 4. The other dishes we ordered lacked flavor. 5. The backlit menu on the smartpad was nice, but it needs to have bigger type. 6. They did not accept cash for payment. 7. The waiter did not know the menu. 8. Paella was not available - on Saturday at dinner? Are you joking? 9. They tried to automatically add a 20% tip to the credit card charge without saying anything. I had the waiter remove it (and paid him the tip in cash, of course, which he agreed was better). 10. There was only 1 waiter working the entire time we were there. read more

Delicious spot on a nice street in Andersonville. Bacon wrapped dates were delicious and the owner is very friendly. He offered great recommendations (patatas bravas have a kick but are really good). It is a small place so outdoor seating is limited. read more

After a few neighbors recommended this place for it being a wonderful little taste of Spain, I finally stopped in to check it out for myself. I'm so glad that I did! Francisco was immediately warm and welcoming. In just a few minutes, we chatted about everything from his former career back in Spain, the self-made artwork that adorns the walls of the currently sparse space, the olive oil he uses from his family's orchard in Spain, and his plans for a grand opening. I wanted to sit there and continue talking to Francisco (he has such a great personality and I enjoyed the mellow deep house music he was streaming live from Ibiza), but I was running late for an appointment nearby. Since they don't have carry-out containers, Francisco graciously wrapped my order using one of his cafe plates that I promised to return. Note: currently cash-only When I got the chance to get into that food, I was not disappointed! It was as tasty as I hoped! The open-faced sandwich (can't remember the name) with deliciously crusty bread, warm tomato spread over the bread, savory jamon pata negra (*I learned pata negra is jamon of the highest quality, aged 24 months and straight from Spain), topped with Iberian cheese and drizzled with olive oil - along with an order of luscious Spanish Omelet made with potato made me feel like I had been transported to Spain! I hope Little Madrid does well and is here to stay for a long time! **For Francisco, while heading out for the day yesterday I tried to return the plate but I was too early, as I later learned you open at 11 am on weekends. I will get it back to you very soon. Thanks again :-) read more

So, having spent some time in Spain I REALLY wanted to love this place and was very much looking forward to trying the food. Last night was my first opportunity to eat at Little Madrid and, unfortunately, I was very disappointed. First, the ambiance: It was so dark inside that I had to channel my 80-year-old father and use my phone flashlight to see the menu. And, speaking of the menu, once we ordered, my friend and I said to the server that we'd like to keep one menu handy to order more as we go- as one does with tapas. He said that he "had" to take the menus back. Odd, but just as well since my menu had food stains on it anyway. And while I enjoy Spanish guitar music, it was a bit too loud to hold a normal conversation. Second, the food: We ordered the croquetas de jamón Iberico. They were tasty but only slightly warm. The patatas bravas were good, but not really as flavorful or spicy as they could have been. Disappointingly, the Spanish tortilla was mostly potatoes and hardly any egg to form the omelette. Lastly, the paella de mariscos was pretty bad. The scallops were either hard or rubbery, there was quite a bit of sand in the muscles and the rice was flavorless and didn't have that slight crunchyness on the edge that it should have with paella. Overall the paella tasted very fishy too. Add to all of that the fact that the prices are a bit high for a tapas place. I'm sad that this place didn't live up to my hopes, but I wish them well. read more

Had delivery from this place for a late Saturday lunch. Felt like we were in Spain! Wonderful albondigas, patatas bravas, crema Catalonia, and other amazing dishes! Looking forward to spending some time at this place when the pandemic is over. read more

I'm basing this review only on the food. Not the service. As they just recently opened. I think they're still trying to work out the kinks. Let's get to the food. The sandwiches and tapas are absolutely fantastic. A little high priced for the neighborhood. But the food is fantastic. I think they need to hire a barista that knows what they're doing though as my American was poorly crafted. I'm home painting in the coming weeks. They will get all their kinks worked out. And I will be able to return. read more