We've been to Meson Sabika, their sister restaurant, several times and we love it there. But we were closer to Tapas Valencia so we decided to give it a try since it was the same menu. And we left extremely happy! The food and service was amazing as always. And we cannot give enough praise to our server Bryan. He truly made our experience amazing from the moment he came to our table. Highly recommend the queso de cabra (ask for extra bread) and the pulpo con salsa verde! read more

Tapas Valencia - Pulpo con Salsa Verde - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

We made a reservation even though one may not be needed since there was still several tables available and it never got quite full. But better be safe than sorry and make a reservation. The inside was also beautiful and colorful. We got seated right away and quickly got our drinks. Our server was very prompt and attentive throughout our entire meal. They start you off with a complimentary cup of olives which I didn't really care for and they pretty much remained untouched. I ordered their sangria and it was tasty and refreshing. Soon after the plates started coming in. They started us off with an order of their Queso de Cabra. You get a nice little bowl of tomato basil sauce with oven baked goat cheese in the middle. Along with six slices of garlic bread. Truly a very delicious and flavorful dish, and they couldn't have picked a better dish to start us off with. I've never really had goat cheese before, but I have had birria, goat meat, and it's really crazy that they had a similar gamey taste. We also got an order of their pincho de pollo and patatas Bravas. The pincho de pollo is a grilled chicken skewer with chorizo and cumin mayonnaise. I'm not a big fan of mayonnaise, but this mayo was actually quite tasty and tasted great with the grilled chicken. The chorizo was also tasty and didn't taste like your typical Mexican chorizo. The patatas bravas were also good although they really weren't spicy. But were covered with Manchego cheese, a sheep cheese that tasted similar to goat cheese but not as gamey. I've also never had bacon wrapped dates before, but have literally seen them on several menus around the city. I finally got to try them and was impressed on how delicious these tasted. You definitely get a sweet a savory bite with these. The datiles con tocino also came with a red pepper sauce that was absolutely delicious. And how could I forget my a favorite. Skirt steak. The Pipirrana de buey came with slices of perfectly grilled and seasoned, and mixed with grilled onions, potatoes and with cabrales blue cheese. I've never had blue cheese with skirt steak and it was actually a very good mix. By the time we were finished with all these tapas, we were getting quite full and started regretting ordering that Paella Valenciana. It took 45 minutes to cook and by the time it made our table, we were stuffed. It was beautifully plated and came with chicken, shrimp, mussels and clams. It was very delicious and I somehow managed to get a couple of good bites. You also get a free dessert with a yelp check in! Gotta love those. Yet again we were so stuffed that we were almost going to pass off this amazing offer. Fortunately, for us we didn't and decided on their Churros con Chocolate. The churros were so soft and tasted amazing with the chocolate sauce it came with and ice cream to balance off the flavors. Everything I ate I enjoyed and wouldn't mind trying them again. I will absolutely be returning, but would probably have to regretfully try other menu items when we do return. read more

See all

Very tasty and nicely prepared dinner in tapas-style, delivered to the hotel. Gambas a la plancha, tortilla espanola, salpicon de mariscos, remolacha salad, queso de cabra, patatas bravas, and a crema catalana del meson were fresh, on point. Despite mentioning in the order that we would need utensils, none were delivered, which created a short action requirement to locate some (through the hotel). read more

See all

This is a great neighborhood tapas restaurant. I've brought guests and family here for different occasions. The mood is generally pretty upbeat and energetic. Great place to go if you're looking to celebrate an event or disconnect after a long work day. The food is quality is consistently delicious! I recommend the Solomillos a la Plancha and Albondigas con Almendras. read more

We came to this place with high expectations and with the first cold tapas that arrived ( the Alaska King crab - 5/5), we thought we were in for a treat. Unfortunately as the rest of the dishes started to come through, we realized that we were unfortunately mistaken. The food here reminds me of airline food and was quite disappointing overall. The service is good though. My rating for the food alone would have been 2/5 but I bumped it to 3 for the service and cold drinks. read more

Interesting Spanish oriented spot. Didn't eat much but what I had was good. It gets crowded so call ahead for reservations. read more

Been here many times and this place never disappoints. Very large menu that has the standard favorites that don't change (please don't ever get rid of the queso de cabra!!), and some seasonal tapas that rotate. We love to get 2-3 plates per person when we go. Also ...sangria flights!!! Enough said. read more

See all

It looks festive, the food is good and our server Bryan has this elegant way about him that gives the experience a touch of class. We went as a group on Monday October 14 and the place was just about half full. A good sign for a Monday. The Sangria mix presentation was excellent and definitely not watered down. The food overall was good. Why not great? Because I'm doing this review a week later and nothing sticks out. I would still come back here though- no complaints. read more

See all

The food's delicious. Just be careful what you order. One time I thought I was ordering a pork dish because I thought chuleta only ever refers to pork. The server brought lamb, and we asked to take it back because I didn't want lamb. She argued with me over a miscommunication. The food and the atmosphere are on point, the service could've been better. read more

Came here over the weekend to have lunch with my boyfriend. He likes to try different restaurant and he came across to this place not too far from my house. The interior design of the place is very colorful. The servers are friendly. We order a paella and four dishes. The food are delicious. Street parking. Would recommend and come back again to try other dishes. read more

See all

Such a perfect place for big groups bc tapas taste better when shared (obvi). Attentive, kind servers. Loved the queso de cabra and their vegetarian paella banged. Also loved their Mediterranean Mule read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside and we had never heard of it until it randomly popped up in a tapas search when we were looking for a dinner spot. Everything was great! The atmosphere was ok- looked kind of retro but not in the best way. Other than that the staff and food were both fantastic and I would absolutely recommend checking it out. They had a large selection of the different tapas style and everything we ate was delicious! read more

We wanted somewhere out of the norm for Tapas..love Iberico, Babareeba, etc. Decided to give Valencia a try and we were very pleased. We went on a holiday, so the menu was select for the day, but if you can have the Lamb Shank, it is more than incredible. Now those are by my lamb standards, I am no lamb expert but it was flavorful and delicious. I am definitely coming back here for the regular menu, so will keep this updated...but I highly recommend Valencias based on... Quality of food Quality of service Ambiance of the restaurant Enjoy! read more

Tapas Valencia - Spacious area here at Tapas Valencia - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cannot complain about this place. Great vibes with the choice of music. Drinks are flavorful and delicious. Food options? The best... you will have to come back to try all the tapa options they have. I have been three times and I still have to try them all. They have many people serving you at all times, so you get to enjoy your food while your drink never goes dry. read more

I had been eyeing this restaurant since the first few days of our convention in Chicago. Who doesn't enjoy an evening of tapas and sangria? I called ahead to make sure there was a table for five. They held it for us as we hopped in a Lyft and rode over. It's a huge, beautiful, festive restaurant. We were enthusiastically greeted by the wait staff and shown to our table. So many food and beverage options. We expedited the process by starting a list of tapas we wanted while we were in the car. We just needed to decide on drinks... so many tasty margaritas and sangrias. I can't remember what or how much I drank. For food, though, I do remember some of my favorites: * Patatas Bravas * Ensalada Temporada * Gambas Al ajillo * Vegetarian paella * Calamares a la Plancha * Tortilla Espanola * Cardero Al Pastor One of my colleagues was unhappy about some of the food and beverages, but our waiter was super sweet and accommodating. He didn't take the comments personally and did everything he could to make the experience right. Fantastic customer service. I like that the tables are relatively far from each other so you can have an audible conversation in such a crowded place. Cheers! Definitely check this place out, especially if you have a large group. Tapas and carafes of booze are a great way to unwind after a long (or not-so-long) week. read more

See all

So this is like the sister restaurant of my fave restaurant Meson Sabika out in Naperville. They have the exact same menu and everything tastes SIMILAR.. not quite the same but still good to fix the craving when I can't get out to the burbs. The atmosphere and interior really needs an update. It feels like we're sitting in a dark buffet/cafeteria-style eatery. It does not match the prices or the vibe of the food being eaten. read more

Tapas Valencia - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Great tapas of all kinds. The vegetable paella is soooooo good. The staff is super friendly. We have had several different servers and have never been disappointed. We met the owner one night and he was putting in work like everyone else. The setting inside is nice and the bar looks cool. You can wait there if you want a drink and watch tv; the ambiance is great for convo and not for trying to watch a game. If the weather is nice, sitting outside is cool but be careful if people zipping by on bicycles on the sidewalk. A true euro feel. I have Spanish friends that don't like it as much, but I really enjoy it. ***** read more

Ambiance was nice and cozy! This was my first visit at this establishment. Bonus is they have complimentary valet. The staff was warm and welcoming. I had a pomegranate martini which was good. Our tapas choices was the pollo limon with pasta,tiger shrimp, empanada, and the skirt steak. Everything was ABSOLUTELY amazing. We closed out the place not realizing the time but staff was kind and didn't make us feel rushed. I would definitely recommend and be back myself! read more

Tapas Valencia - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I didn't take any photos because it wasn't photo worthy ... The food was very mid ... don't get the octopus it's chewy and dry.. patatas is what we all survived off on the table lol Skirt steak wasn't bad hard to mess that up lol the goat cheese Queso con pacanas was very tasty!!! The chicken skewers were also just ok I will say the service was good our waitress suggested a drink to us that had sangria, Brandy, gin, triple sec, and rose we all loved that. I was gonna give it 3 stars but the ambiance and service is what is holding up this review to a 4. The restaurant was nice to look at. I recommend just stopping in and maybe sitting at the bar and doing something light rather than a dinner IMO read more

Absolutely excellent experience. We had reservations during the outdoor-dining-only COVID-19 period, and everything was seamless. We were checked in and seated promptly, and everyone couldn't have been more polite or efficient. Loved that the plating was wrapped up to minimize contact. We ordered a bunch of dishes (go figure, it's tapas) and not one single miss. Of course Mom's Tortilla Española will always rule, but theirs was drool-worthy also. The Patatas Bravas were my personal fave, and the Bacon-wrapped Dates were gobbled up quickly. The Serrano & Pollo Croquetas and Empanadas de Buey were also highlights. Everything was so fresh and flavorful. My Crema Catalana (creme brulee) was excellent, and this place is on-trend with the non-alcoholic drink selection. Nothing worse than a nice place that only has sodas. Alcohol-free sangria pitchers, say what?! We'll be back for paella. read more

Tapas Valencia - Crema Catalana - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

While this place came highly recommended we did not enjoy ourselves. In fact, we received multiple gift cards here and went back on three separate occasions in order to fairly judge the place. The service was very slow and in one instance rude. The food sounded good but was dry on multiple occasions. However, They do have fun outdoor seating and a nice vibe inside. read more

I now consider this restaurant to be my neighborhood office! I love the fact that I can pull up take my keys in for free valet parking. During happy hour at the bar I enjoy $3 tapas plates! The food, drinks and deserts are delicious! The staff were friendly too! And love the days when there is live music and the decor and atmosphere is relaxing. Seriously becoming one of my favorite neighborhood places. read more

The sangria was good The skewer steak was awesome The service was fine We brought my mom here for Mother's Day. When we first made the reservation, we were told that the prix fixe was an OPTION/special, but we could do regular menu items. We were told we could ONLY do the prix fixe menu for $56 each when we called to confirm. There were four of us. Three out of four of our entree plates had at least A hair in them EACH. When I took a second bite out of my "pollo limone", I sped walked to the bathroom to throw up, as the chicken tasted ... weird. I can't put my finger on it. The sauce tasted old and just OFF. Anyway, We got a pitcher of sangria for $33.95 (tiny). That's it. Do the math, we were charged $367. That is what we were verbally told. We were not given the receipt. And then tipped 20%. My two siblings and I took our cards out immediately, to stop my mom from possibly paying (Mother's Day). We were never given the original receipt even when we got the cards back. It seemed like a lot and when we asked about the price hike from what we had calculated on our own, the waiter said "because that's how much it is." ?????? When my brother went back to simply just ask for regular itemized receipt, we got attitude and then were finally given the receipt- Realizing that our grand total was actually supposed to be $307. The receipts had tip lines and we were not told "tip was included"???? So, we paid 40% tip for a deceiving charge and hair in our food. read more

This is a cool spot for lunch, hanging out with friends, or dinner. They have a fairly large bar area, party rooms, and private seating areas so if you are with a large group you have a nice space away from everyone. If you are having a dinner alone or with a friend there's nice seating by the windows to people watch and have a decent view of the restaurant. Honorable mentions: Their team members are very nice, and appropriately attentive. It is clean and you constantly see them wiping things down and keeping up with the waste from a busy restaurant. Their food is pretty good. Like most tapas bars the portions are small and expensive, but that's expected. I wasn't a huge fan of their wine selection but their mixed drinks are well prepared. They have street parking, but of course you have to pay so show up early and be prepared to drive around a bit. Cons - 1) They need dimmer bulbs after a certain hour to offer a more relaxing vibe. 2) It would be nice if they had some specials. 3) The waitress didn't or couldn't make any recommendations. Have you tried this, no! Lol 4) I get it you don't want people lingering too long but the chairs aren't comfortable so if it's a dinner with lots of talking you may want to eat and leave. Those are the way and leave chairs. I will definitely return! read more

We went here as a big group and probably tried everything on the menu. Service was impeccable. We asked our server for recommendations and they were all on point. The wine selection was great and we had a delectable and fun experience at Valencia read more

Rating: 4.5 stars I came here for my one-year anniversary and had a really great dining experience! The ambiance was very classy, a little bit upscale, but not stuffy, and the Spanish music was a really nice touch. We ordered the vegetable paella, which I could have kept eating forever. The vegetables were nice and tender and it was so flavorful - would highly recommend it. The patatas bravas are dangerously good. If you're not careful, you could end up inhaling the entire tapas in minutes. I was worried that they might be too spicy for me (I have a pretty low spice tolerance), but there's only a mild kick and the manchego balances it out. We ended our meal with an order of churros con chocolate which did not disappoint. They were pretty much what you would expect of a combination of fried dough and cinnamon sugar - you really cannot go wrong. Overall, a lovely meal which perfectly complemented a lovely evening. read more

Tapas Valencia - Churros con Chocolate - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

This is a nice place to gather with family and friends. The place has a nice open view of state street. There is plenty of tables. The food is amazing. Especially the paella. I've had this dish elsewhere but not as tasty or flavorful as Tapas Valencia. I used my Yelp check in for the free dessert. We tried the vanilla flan. It melted in your mouth and the vanilla really came through. Parking is easy during the week. Not sure if the weekend. There is free street parking. But be sure to check the signs. Especially if there is an event at soldiers field. We will plan to come back. read more

See all

This is a great place for a group outing. The food is colorful, fun and tasty. Great plates for sharing and the restaurant itself has a really unique and artistic vibe read more

Tapas Valencia - Spanish Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

As a Yelp Elite, I'm not one to give 1 star angry posts. However, my experience warrants only 1 star. I suggested this place to my groups of friends for my birthday. I always look up new places and based on Yelp reviews, this place was a plus. I am so embarrassed after today and I even apologized to my friends for such bad experience! Based on Yelp reviews and my Yelp friends reviews, this place looked promising. I dined during Sunday brunch hour, at 12:30 to be exact. We made reservations but wasn't necessary since the restaurant was quite empty. I knew I wanted bacon wrapped dates and spicy potatoes. My friends wanted it too so we ordered 2 spicy potatoes, 1 bacon wrapped dates, and 1 kids pasta fairly quickly before we decide on what else to eat. 5 minutes later, server asks if we want to order more food. We ordered 2 goat cheese, stuffed mushroom, steak, and a sandwich. 5 minutes later, server comes back and says "I want to make sure I have your order correct" and takes out a new order paper writing down our order, once again. We had to repeat our order, including the first bacon wrapped dates, etc. We didn't realize until later that he probably lost our order sheet and had to place it all over again. Pasta comes out fine. 2 spicy potatoes comes out fine. Then comes out 2 bacon wrapped dates- but we sent it back since we ordered one. Soon we get the 2 goat cheese. And then we get 2 orders of garlic potatoes that we never ordered. Since it's his fault once again, we were left with one on the table. Then he said your "Benedict" and steak are coming out. We never ordered benedict(?) The food tastes fine, tho at this point, I'm just annoyed. My best dish was the goat cheese. The bread that comes with goat cheese was very good. This is what floored me-- I knew I could get a free dessert with Yelp check in because I studied ahead of time. Server said click on use it now and mark as used (he saw me as I was clicking through my phone). We wait and wait and wait- my friends ask for the bill. The bill comes. Still no sign of dessert. I tell him you can forget about the dessert since it's not out yet. And he didn't even recognize that I had ordered dessert and just brushed me off. One of worst server I've ever had in my dining experience. It's not about free food. It's the fact that he doesn't know how to "service" the people that are dining The bill wasn't correct. Sure enough the bills included extra bacon wrapped dates and 2 garlic potatoes that we never ordered. We had to correct him and the second bill was ok. What a frustrating experience. How did others give 4-5 stars??? read more

Read and heard so many mixed reviews of this place but decided to give it a try since it was near where my group of friends had congregated before. Dropped in on a week day when they were having happy hour and we had sangrias which were only $3 each! We also got 2 orders of spicy potatoes ($3 each), which were absolutely delicious - would return for these!! They weren't too spicy which made them more enjoyable for me. However, I felt uncomfortable there. When we first walked in we were the only ones there. The tone that the waiter talked to us in made me feel like I wasn't welcome. The waiter kept asking us if we were ready for order and I would say I need a couple more minutes, he'd come back after a minute and this continued and continued a couple times. Pros and cons just like any place you'd go to. There are so many other great places in the area. If I'm around the area during happy hour and want to stop by for a drink I would, but there's nothing that would make me say "Oh I gotta go back there!" read more

I haven't been here since my pre mommy life and way before the pandemic . I don't think they had ablation the last time I was here . Love the Sangria . It makes you feel like you're in Spain . We went with the red Sangria. It was very strong , I left very tipsy . I loved the tapas my favorite was the shrimp . I came to celebrate my first treat of parenthood . Our server was so friendly . The lava cake was top tier . 10/10 recommend . read more

See all

Well it was my belated sister's birthday and it's been awhile. It was the sister restaurant to Meson sabika in Naperville, Illinois in which I discovered back in early 2000. Same consistency as Meson sabika but you are in downtown Chicago spending more on parking despite free Valet parking you still pay for tip. Overall it was good just like Meson sabika. I can't give it a 3 star because in fairness I would have to order regularly than to take or eat at the Spanish brunch buffet that they have at Meson sabika which I heard they discontinued due to covid since 2020. Otherwise individually I had ordered both the cold tapas and the hot tapas in which I let my sister do the choosing since it was her birthday. Traditionally in Spanish dining the popular dishes to order is the pickled or cured salmon usually not serve this top us but they had it served as a cold topless which I liked I also ordered a salad which was fresh although I don't remember seeing that when I was in Spain which is why I discovered this restaurant back in my youthful twenties in early 2000. They're paella tasted just as good as it was in Meson sabika although again it would not be fair because I had it as the brunch buffet and according to my sister ordering individually you had all of the ingredients versus in the buffet they take certain ingredients like the seafood squid or seafood octopus and all your left was just a chorizo and some undesirable muscles if not clams or scallops. One thing I don't like with the paella from what I understood is that they're not using authentic Bomba rice from Spain but nevertheless it's good. Personally I know three other Spanish restaurants outside of Chicago better than this as well as meson sabika but it's good. Thus 4 out of 5 stars. Do come here if you want to have the city atmosphere but I as a personal favorite would rather go to the Naperville restaurant which is the sister restaurant to tapas valenciana. Staff was amiable and since I'm a yelpy leader I even got a free dessert which was the Promolas. As well as my sister getting it but she didn't care for it and she like the cheesecake here which actually was pretty unique and tasty then compared to our typical traditional Eli's cheesecake that everybody in Chicago rants about. Otherwise do come here read more

See all

I hosted a work dinner for 92 conference attendees and the team was fantastic! They were very timely and communicative during our planning, and helped us figure out the best choices and format for our event, including working around dietary restrictions. On the day of the service tram was well organized, super helpful, accommodating of last minute individual needs, and kept the event flowing on time. All of the food was delicious and the ambiance was lively and encouraged good networking. Highly recommend for large parties! read more

If you are looking for good tapas and nice art decorations, this will be your place. The owner of the restaurant has done some serious art work to the interior wall. The mosaic tile work is great to enjoy once you walk into the restaurant. The decorations is very nice and contemporary. We have order an Valenciana Paellas and the Faldilla a la Parrilla. The Paella has the chicken, mussels, shrimp and clam. The paella is well cook and it was good for two to enjoy. The Faldilla a la Parrilla is a chargrilled skirt steak in peppers sauce top with mask potatoes and green onion. This dish is well presented. The steak was cook to order and tender. We close with Tarta de Chocolate y Caramelo - chocolate and caramel custard at hazelnut tart with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. The whole experience is great. Service is great. I have to try some other tapas in the list next time. read more

See all

very good tapas and paella Especially moist paella is in your liking vs crispy bottom paella Tapas wise highly recommend calamari a la plancha read more

WELL.. this place is large.. I usually choose mom and pops, more cozier and intimate places.. HOWEVER, this is worth stepping into. This will not be an expensive evening. You're going to want to try at least 8 to 10 tapas. We - a group of 4.. pretty much tried everything on the menu . The scallops were my fave. We enjoyed each dish.. BUT THE STAR OF THE SHOW WAS IUR SERVER. OSCAR! Wow I can't wait for this young man I have a son Resturaunt... Definitely in his future! Excellent service, knowledgeable on sides.. drinks and food... with a smile and a joke! FANTASTIC. OH.. The spicy jalapeño margarita with the Tajim coated rim. DELISH! read more

We came for brunch and this place was fantastic! Very attentive. Very knowledgeable about the menu. Courteous service. The atmosphere feels upscale. And the food. Oh my goodness, everything we got was amazing!! The sangria flight was very good. My favorite tapas was the Pimientos del Piquillo - SO GOOD. And you absolutely have to get the churros!!! Go here!! read more

I've been here about six or seven times and I don't think I've ever eaten a bad meal there. If you go to check the place out, check in on yelp once you get there as they've had a free dessert with each check in deal for a while (I'm not sure how long they'll keep that around). The service is always good, the place is rarely super crowded which is nice, and some nights they even have live music, which is great. The croquettes and the bacon wrapped dates are my favorites there and each time we go we try to branch out and get a few new things. The last time we went we chose something that had wine soaked peaches on the side and it was the best thing I've ever had there. The portions are about what you'd expect, and for a party of two we usually get five or sometimes six things to share. The food also comes out really quickly, so it's a great option if you're hungry and they aren't too busy. Definitely one of the best places in the neighborhood. read more

Tapas Valencia is a hidden gem in South Loop! I came here with a large group on a Saturday night, and we were warmly welcomed by the staff. The space is quite large so you probably don't have to worry about a long wait even on the weekends. It's also nice that they take reservations. We ordered many things on the menu and pretty much everything tasted delicious. The highlights for me were the Datiles con Tocino, Patatas Bravas, Queso de Cabra con Pecanas, and Beef Empanadas. The desserts were also amazing so make sure you don't leave without trying the chocolate tart. Would love to come back from the paella next time! read more

See all

Delicious food! The service was amazing! Our waiter made our experience phenomenal. I will definitely be back.