In the middle of the COVID pandemic it was refreshing to find well cooked food with a well heated outdoor seating terrace. Mama delia specializes in Iberian peninsula (mostly spanish but some delicious seafood from Portugal). They have a specialized menu for Iberian ham (the absolute bomb), but a variety of other seafood, rice and tapa style dishes. My partner and I were eyeing the paella dishes and it was perfect as their servings were for 2 ore more people. They make their paella fresh (as to be expected) so it took ~30 minutes from when we were seated to get our food, which is also to be expected. The rabbit and chicken paella was so savory and delicious when it came out, each speckle of rice was full of flavors, the rabbit meat fell off the bone and the chicken wings were delicious. For next time I will likely order the seafood paella but for a sampler of what the restaurant can do, my partner and I were very impressed. The serving was on the lighter side for two people so I would recommend ordering a second appetizer or shareable plate to satisfy a hungry stomach. I will definitely plan to revisit this restaurant to try out its other offerings! read more

Mama Delia - 2 person duck and chicken paella - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great ambiance and honestly the food was good (not amazing, but good). But the fact 4 of us each paid $110 for basically light appetizers is insane to me. The food is so ridiculously overpriced that I was mad once I paid, because I was thinking about all the other amazing restaurants in the city I could've spent that much money at, and left very full. read more

Getting food poisoning from the octopus was the highlight of my experience here. The vastly overpriced bill was probably my second favorite.

High prices and food is not worth the expense. The toasted bread with heirloom tomatoes and Manchego was good but not for$29 read more

We were expecting their signature Paella to live up to its billing.... Unfortunately it did not!! It was undercooked, soggy. & who puts string beans it (?) The ahi Tuna dish was short on tuna, the cod was so salty could not eat & and the noodle dish had little to no pork in it ( the main( the main ingredient!!!) and bland. The sherry bar lacked our first 2 choices and we had to make alternate choices for the wine. All in all, does not live up to its Michelin Bib gourmand award. read more

Only has been open for a week and I thought everything was great. Very comfortable being there with the new COVID guidelines. Outdoor patio has great decor and is fun on the side of Division with Spanish music playing. Cassie and Allie were awesome servers. They helped answer all of our questions about the food and made great suggestions. Did a great job checking in on us. Very relaxed vibe at the restaurant. Our favorite dishes were the ALMUSSAFES "BOCATA" and TIRADITO DE ATÚN, which unfortunately, we did not get pictures of (couldn't wait to eat them). All of the other items we got were delicious as well- we cleared our plates! Definitely decent portion size for tapas. Two of us were good with five items for dinner. Would definitely recommend trying! read more

See all

Just rebranded and offer a new food selection. Ray, our waiter gave us great recommendations on all of the food selections. Sat outside, great ambiance. read more

One of our favorite spots EVER! High end tapas that are perfect. This is the perfect place for a date night or for a big group dinner. The interior is stunning and the food couldn't be better. SHOCKED this place has a 3.5 rating. It is a 5 STAR hands down. You feel you're being transported to Morocco. Must try. read more

First time we've come here, and there will definitely be many more!! The ambiance is amazing and super cute. From the lights to the benches to the plant "fence", they've got a perfect setup. THE FOOD! My god the food. Every dish we got was incredible, unique, and inventive. Do yourself a favor and start with a Huevos Rotos Shooter per person. You will not be disappointed! Coming back to get this again and then try every other dish they have. Finally the service was perfect. Our server Kassie was amazing!! So knowledgeable, friendly, patient, attentive. Couldn't have asked for more! Also one of the guys who was bringing out some of the plates (didn't get his name) gave the best descriptions and had us all dying to dig in with each course. Basically couldn't have had a nicer dining experience. 10/10 will be coming back. read more

We ate at Mama Delia last night, and I definitely have a few comments as to why we were extremely let down by the experience. 1) we have been to Mama Delia in the past, and we really enjoyed the food. One of the standout plates was a plate of Jamon (a very famous and expensive type of cured pork meat) with Manchego cheese and tomato bread to eat with. When we arrived last night, we were told the restaurant has since been "revamped" and the menu has been changed (which you can tell was in an effort to make the place more Michelin-esque). Our waitress told us a similar plate would be their flatbread option, which was more or less a pizza made with fluffy bread, tomatoes, jamon, and manchego cheese. I've attached a photo here - the plate was $29 and it was covered in cheese - you couldn't taste any of the saltiness or other qualities that the Jamon has. A plate with such a high quality meat should showcase the meat, and not cover it in cheese to the point that it is indiscernible. If the Jamon was replaced with pepperoni, no one would be able to tell. 2) We ordered also the tuna tartar which tasted quite nice. It was served with leaves instead of bread, which could be somebody's tea but they were far too perfumed for us. We requested some bread on the side to eat the tartar with and we were told by our server (I quote) "I don't know what the bread situation is but I will check with the chef" (strange since there were items on the menu which were in fact served with bread). This is where our night really took a turn for the worst - we waited around 15 minutes for any type of response from our server, with the plate in the meantime sitting in front of us. I was looking around all over the place for our server, and asking my partner to flag her down if he saw her (for a place that averages $30 plates, that is unacceptable). We were not even checked in with to simply say "I spoke to the chef, and we are getting that bread out for you." So, we waited for the bread to come out for ages (again, ridiculous that a restaurant requires 15 minutes to produce some bread on the table). 3) the paella was OK, but contained bone-in chicken wings (why?) which were unseasoned and bland - very basic. Absolutely not worth $40, and was a small amount of food for the price. We left quite upset and let down, as for 3 mediocre plates that were shared between us and a bottle of wine totaled us $200. (This would be a fair price with quality food and quality service, which was not provided to us). In total, I would not recommend this place to anybody, in Chicago we are spoiled for choice with amazing restaurants with better quality food and half the price. (If you are looking for Spanish food, I would suggest lil Ba-Ba-Reeba or Jaleo in river north) From what I seem to understand, this place made changes in order to become "higher end", without the quality of food or quality of service to match, and the reviews both on Yelp and Tripadvisor reflect this - really wished we had read and listened to those reviews before hand! read more

Mama Delia - Jamon flatbread $29 - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Super disappointing after being excited to try a fun place post the quarantine restaurant shut down. The scallops and octopus were bland and tasteless. When we told our waitress she shrugged and asked if we wanted to order more. Unfortunately, we did, only to continue to be disappointed with another bland dish resembling rice-a-roni. The ultimate insult came when the bill arrived and we saw a charge for BREAD!!! At a tapas restaurant none-the-less! Hardly worth the close to $300 we shelled out for this insignificant meal. #never again read more

Amazing authentic Spanish dishes. Both the interior and the outside patio have a beautiful atmosphere. Our waiter was great. The gin cocktails are really good - not juniper London style dry gin, and not icky tonic with Quinine. I got the Citrus - and it's a full big wine glass full not just a few sips with some ice cubes. I really loved it. read more

The reviews of this place are ridiculous. So many of the issues are with portion size. Yes expect smaller portions with Michelin quality food. It's not McDonald's. This is the epitome of why I hate Yelp. People have no concept of what it entails to create good food and ambiance. If you're hungry afterwards there's a Wendy's down the street read more

Fantastic neighborhood restaurant with great vibes and patio. Ordered Valenciana-style paella with pork belly dates and jamón ibérico and it took me back to my study abroad days in Madrid. Just make sure to get reservations ahead of time; it's often crowded! read more

Mama Delia - Patio area, exterior - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Ambiance was great, and service was great! However, a bit disappointed by the food. Went with a group of 5+ and we all agreed. It was almost if they had the right idea but missed the mark with the flavors. I think if they really worked on their menu it could be amazing. Won't be going again, but definitely am hopeful for improvement! read more

The decor is so cute! Very up beat and vibrant. We got the Ensalada Verde which looks like a super simple salad but it very flavorful. We also got the FIDEUÀ DE VERDURAS which is delicious and more than enough food for 2 people to share. read more

Really enjoyed this new neighborhood spot. Food was great, service was very friendly and accommodating, and the outdoor space was comforting. We got the lamb belly dates, mackerel and roaster peppers, black rice paella, and confit pig belly and all were excellent. Especially enjoyed the roasted peppers and the paella was top notch. The pig belly confit had a mustard/apple purée that paired really well. Also had the tabla mixta to start which was solid. The inside looked like a warm, inviting place for a drink that I'd love to come back for once COVID is under control. Overall, they seemed to be getting their feet under themselves in their first month and was probably over priced, but nonetheless a great experience. Would recommend. read more

Mama Delia - Confit Suckling Pig Belly (COCHINILLO) - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This is a fun, stylish, but comfortable place to hang out. It's not trying too hard to be trendy but at the same time, you are in the heart of the Wicker Park/Division Street dining scene. We choose this place for our first restaurant post lockdown. I like that they're open at 2 PM (to 3 AM) and offer inside and outside seating. I thought if we got there early that we'd be able to be outside but it was already kind of full at 5. That was ok because the inside is stunning. We sat in front of the open kitchen which seemed like it was going to be hot but after a few mins, we were very comfortable. I love the little tables with round chairs. It felt retro. My only gripe is that you can't put your purse anywhere but the floor or on the table. In the winter I'm sure coats will be an issue. We had hints of being in San Sebastian but this place is definitely Chicago's version of Spanish tapas. If you order a pitcher of sangria it will be served in a bottle. The music was a mix of Spanish language songs, the 80s, 90s some interesting surprises. We loved the vibe. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable. He helped us navigate some small plates. I wanted some paella but saved it for next time. The portions are on the small side but that's expected. I thought the prices were reasonable for the high quality and presentation. Everything here is very well thought out. We started with some gin and tonics. Delicious and refreshing! I also tried something called Never Trust a Spaniard. It's beautiful and delicious. To eat we had some tuna and the shaved tomato. Both are excellent! We also had the salted fish with red peppers. It was served on a puff pastry. It was good but you could just BARELY taste the fish. I don't think I'd order it again. There was a Brussels sprout with romesco special that was AMAZING. I'd get that again. This is not your kind of tapas where you get a big bowl of bubbling goat cheese in tomato sauce. It's smaller bites with high-quality ingredients and presented in an attractive way. It's a place that's good for many occasions. iSalud! read more

Went here with hubby for our 20th wedding anniversary. It's been a while since I've had good jamon. We were supposed to go to Barcelona 2 summers in a row, and that didn't happen :(. Mama Delia to the rescue! We had a great time! The drinks were amazing, the food very tasty. We had the octopus, the jamon iberico, gazpacho, the pork belly dish, and the arroz negro. The black rice was my favorite, but all the dishes stood out well on their own. As far as the negative reviews, I probably agree with them. The menu is confusing, a lot is in Spanish, and I didn't feel like asking a lot of questions, so i just ordered what was recommended on Yelp. It would be much better to have a paper menu rather then to click through all the tabs online. The prices... Well, compared to the portion sizes, the prices were high. However, for an anniversary meal, it's a beautiful spot with amazing food. We were happy we chose Mama Delia. read more

Mama Delia - Amazing drinks - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Everything was amazing! I had the Pan Con Tomate, Pulpo Canario, Vieiras Con Jamón Ibérico, and the Arroz Negro. All the seafood was cooked to perfection and the flavors were so good! Definitely a new favorite of mine - not to mention the interior decor is done to perfection! 11/10 read more

Mama Delia - Vieiras Con Jamón Ibérico - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

The service was great. The food was great, a ton of great flavors inspired by over seas cuisine. Good for a date night

Four out of 5 dishes we ordered were way too salty. That overpowers the flavor of everything else. Having said that, the cocktails were great and the socarrat of the paella was on point. If I go back, I'd probably ask them to tone down on the salt for my meal the next time around. read more

We were very excited to try Mama Delia's after walking past it's fun, bright, exterior. Without a doubt, the aesthetic is fun, lively, and enjoyable. I appreciated that they have plants on the sidewalk to separate passerby from the diners to give the illusion of more privacy. But, beyond the aesthetic, it was a very mixed experience. We had to wait for 15 minutes after our reservation to be seated. During COVID, this is understandable. We had perused the menu, and we were able to order right away. Drinks came quickly, but I wouldn't order it again (Mostly Good For You). The mixed cheese plate was fantastic. Next, was the Gazpacho Con Congrejo. It's a cold crab soup. I did not realize this. The ingredients were listed below in English, and I thought it would be a predominantly crab dish. Now, this is my fault. But, even speaking conversational Spanish, I would need to google a lot of words on the menu - which takes away from the experience. It was also too sour for my personal taste, but this could also be the style of dish. Next, was the paella. It was good. Cafe Baba Reba's is similar if not better. Once food was done, dishes were quickly taken away. Now, that it's time to close out it took about 15-20 minutes for that to happen. So, all in all, of the 90 minutes we spent there 30 were spent waiting for non food/drink related items. So, overall, cool aesthetic. Okay food. Wait times are definitely being ironed out. Great cheese plate. We will probably go back and order a different set of items in a few months to give it another go. Lots of potential - really want it to be a neighborhood favorite. read more

I have recently had the great pleasure of working with The Bonhomme hospitality group for a clients milestone birthday. The communication was always great and genuine care was given to thoughtful menu and logistics planning. On the day of the event not one thing was missed by staff and they were gracious and lovely to all of our guests and with me and my team as well! The food was a hit and the atmosphere is just so special and unique. Shout out to Cassandra who always said "yes" and helped make this event as magical as it was. I do hope to plan an event with this team again! read more

Meh. Heard wonderful things about this spot and was underwhelmed. Highlight: scallops. Ridiculously good. Everything else was just average, and arguably over cooked: shrimp and octopus. Additionally, we never received the dates we ordered and they were still listed on the bill. Our server seemed very disconnected from the staff delivering our food so she didn't quite know what we were eating or had received. Other subtle things that jumped out to me were waiting an arguably longer than normal amount of time before being greeted by a server, being informed of the speak easy inside, but made to feel like we weren't eligible to go up there? Just meh. Would maybe come back for sangria and the scallops before dining somewhere else. read more

Excellent food, service and a great time. Went for a friends birthday and they brought out a fun cocktail surprise for the whole table, and a dessert. read more

although the ambience and restaurant itself is beautiful, there's just something missing from the experience. the portions are small so every bite should be amazing.. but i wasn't blown away by any of the dishes. the best thing we had were the croquetas, which says something. i'm a big scallop snob and whatever topping is on them was too salty in my opinion. i still enjoyed what we ordered but if they're going to be small bites (and at that price) the flavors need to be outstanding. i wish there were some surprise flavors or different combinations that wouldn't normally be together to really make each dish stand out. also there was a bit of a wait time on some of the food, we waited about 45 minutes for the flatbread. other than that, the chef was very nice and came by our table to explain each dish which we loved! the staff was friendly, drinks were good, and overall vibes were great. truly a 4 star place. read more

Delicious food and 1/2 price wine during happy hour! They do all automatically add 20% tip and do not mention that when they drop off the bill, so be sure to check and not double tip! They may recommend ordering 2 meals per person, way too much unless you are starving. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and just made sure there would b at least one serving per person- this worked out well and it was great! read more

Excellent tapas and the staff was knowledgeable about the Spanish region of selections. Fantastic interiors help submerge yourself in the overall experience! read more

Food was sub-par and not tapas typical. Their music was better than their food. If you want good tapas, go to Cafe Baba-Reeba.

The mackerel was a disgrace. It was mashed potato's with bits of fish puréed in. The blood sausage I spat out. I couldn't hear the people at my table. For the price the food isn't nearly up to par, don't waste you're money here, there are plenty of good restaurants in Chicago and this isn't one of them. read more

Mama Delia - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Don't go to this place! It is horrible! Very expensive, minuscule portions, very bad food. Today we arrived on time for a reservation of 8, the table was not ready, they wanted to give us a table outside when we specifically asked for a table Indoors. We were seated 35 minutes later. The tapas are ridiculously tiny, bland and definitely not worth the prices. We asked for Croquetas, Tuna tartare, beef tartare, Coca De Jamon Con Tomate, Huevos Rotos, Paella Valenciana. The paella for 8 was minuscule and it was the worst paella I have ever had in my life. If you want good spanish tapas go to Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba. We left feeling hungry and robbed. The food is not worth the price at all, on top of that they charge aditional fees if you pay with a credit card (who doesn't?) Very expensive, minuscule portions, very bad food. read more

Fun decor and great presentation makes this place worth the visit! On the high end for tapas, however, worth at least a visit. We enjoyed the shooters, scallops, lamb belly dates and squid ink paella. (Looks just like every picture everyone else has already posted.) If trying the paella, I recommend only trying a couple tapas as the paella was not great next day. We also enjoyed a bottle of the red sangria and an old fashion. We were celebrating a new business venture, and the staff provided a glass of Cava on the house. Every staff member we encountered was pleasant and knowledgeable. There is a 3.5% service charge for paying with a credit card; with a high price point it seems like this should be a company expense? read more

Given the prices I would consider this a high end Tapas restaurant; as such I would expect the kitchen and service to be impeccable. Unfortunately it was subpar for my group. It took us a little longer to be greeted by our server and when we did meet our server I felt compelled to order our food and drink simultaneously. Some of the food we received was over cooked and often times we spent time trying to figure out what was in our dish. Often the food was brought out by a runner and not our server which created some disconnect as she was unaware we didn't receive one of our dishes. The dishes and plating of the dishes were creative but some of the food was over cooked. Again things happen but at this price point expectations are high. They apparently have a speakeasy and the host said to talk to our server about going in. Why do i need to ask the server? does she need to vet our group first? I thought the host is responsible for seating and reservations? I found this all odd but it is what is is. If I spend $100 a person I would anticipate food and service to be over the top. This is the first time I said i'm not impressed at all and wouldn't bother going back read more

Mama Delia - scallops - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Me and my friend went here for dinner super bad service we wait 40 min for appetizer that never arrive ! Server don't even ask if we need more drink while we wait for the appetizer! Super bad service we don't even try the food :/ read more

I think this place was really hyped up, but not that good. Everything was just okay! Would go back to sit at bar for appetizers and drinks but definitely not the full spread, as you can get all these dishes made much better elsewhere . Scallops were oddly expensive too read more

Positives: The food tastes very good and the drinks were great as well. Service was also great. The outdoor patio space is very nice and inviting. Negatives: There is one negative but it's big enough (or small enough?) to keep us from coming back, and that's the portion sizes for the price of the dish. We got the JAMÓN VS JAMÓN ($25) and we got what looked like wartime rations. The PULPO CANARIO ($19) came with a single, small piece of octopus. In fact, the DÁTILES DE LA MANCHA ($14) seemed like the only fairly priced item we got. We were considering the scallops ($20) and when we found out it comes with 2 (!!!) scallops it was a hard "no" from us. We really enjoyed the food but at these prices, either increase portion size or decrease the cost. read more

The service was superb, the apps & drinks were really good! We loved the octopus, def recommend that. We will be returning soon for sure. Great ambiance btw read more

Great ambiance and cocktails! Liked the chorizo sandwich, not so much the lamb belly dates. Was $90 for two people, including tip.

Came for my mothers birthday with my family. We had high expectations because of the reviews on social media and the Michelin star. Left so disappointed. The table and aesthetic was gorgeous, except the fact water dripped from the pipes above us the entire time. The waitress was beyond rude. And they ran out of croquetas by 7pm on a weeknight... the food came out barely warm, and was not impressive at all. Cocktails were nothing special. The only thing we enjoyed and recommend was the steak and fries. read more