Diners' Choice: Tapas / Small Plates restaurants in Chicago / Illinois

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants with the best overall Tapas / Small Plates cuisine in Chicago / Illinois? You’re in the right place. Each month OpenTable analyzes more than 400,000 new diner reviews. We sort the results by category to help you discover new favorites. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Meson Sabika

4.8

4.8 (11397)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Naperville

About the restaurant

Located just west of downtown Naperville, Mesón Sabika has been serving the community since 1990. Built in 1847, the pristine four-acre estate and beautiful mansion welcome you before you reach the driveway. Whether you dine in one of the mansion’s eight dining rooms decorated in traditional Spanish décor, attend a wedding or corporate event in the pavilion, or sit out back on the patio, the cuisine of Spain and delicious drinks make for an unparalleled dining experience.

For a quiet, romantic dining experience we recommend a week night reservation. The small mansion rooms fill up on the weekends, making for a more lively dining experience.

Our dress code is "proper casual/casual dressy." Gentlemen, we respectfully ask that you cover up your arms (no tank tops). And ladies, we ask that the majority of your midriff is covered (no bandeaux’s). We ask that everyone remove their baseball hats when dining inside the mansion.

Thank you!

Top review

Carol

Dined 3 days ago

A perfect way to celebrate the end of the holidays. My son and I shared a delicious paella, and yummy desserts. The staff is always welcoming and attentive. Meson Sabika was decorated beautifully for the holidays. It continues to be, my go to spot to create wonderful memories.

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4.8

4.8 (9314)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Lincoln Park

About the restaurant

Cancellation policy:
For parties of 5+ you need to cancel by 9am on the day of your reservation, otherwise it is a $25 fee. For smaller parties, please give us one hour in advance, in the event of a last minute cancellation or no show it is a $25 fee.

Located in Lincoln Park, the All-Season Courtyard and Dining Rooms at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! are open with our new AIRPHX Air Filtration System. Your health is our top priority in all that we do. Steps we are taking: disposable and digital menus, continuous sanitation procedures & hand washing.

Top review

OpenTable DinerVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba never disappoints! It’s been a few years since we’ve dined here and it was just as delicious as I remembered! We love tapas style dining - we got the opportunity to try so many things on the menu. The seafood paella was the highlight. We also enjoyed the bacon wrapped dates, brussel spout salad, patatas bravas, hanger steak, and Iberico pork. A pitcher of passion fruit sangria was a great complement.

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4.8

4.8 (397)

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

River North (Chicago)

About the restaurant

Welcome to Lil' Ba-Ba-Reeba! in River North. The little sister of Cafe-Ba-Ba-Reeba! in Lincoln Park, Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! stays true to its Spanish roots serving a wide variety of iconic small plates like Patatas Bravas, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, and our signature Beef Tenderloin Toro Skewer. Of course, no celebration would be complete without our classic Sangria. ¡Salud!

Top review

LeslieVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Another fantastic night! There are no words to express how much we love everything about this place! Salvo is such an incredible human! I’ve never seen a manager like him. He runs food, he cleans tables, & he happily greets people. He jumps in with his staff. He makes the Experience feel like we are with family eating together. We always get the best service with Slam and wow does he know his cocktails and his food! The Chef’s are top notch for sure! We drive over a hour as often as we can to be at our favorite restaurant!

Tapas Valencia

4.8

4.8 (2469)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

South Loop

About the restaurant

Located in Chicago’s South loop, we offer creative Spanish tapas, unique cocktails, and a lively atmosphere with walls adorned in multi-colored mosaic artwork reminiscent of the art of the great Spanish artists Joan Miro and Antoni Gaudí! Whether you’re dining with friends and family, exploring on a first date, or planning your next big event, Tapas Valencia is the perfect backdrop for any occasion. We carry on the tradition of great food and service that was started at our original location, Mesón Sabika in Naperville.

Top review

Diana

Dined 2 days ago

Wonderful, creative menu with lots of options and daily specials. The cold mixed seafood and the bacon wrapped dates were my favorite. The mango margarita was beautiful and delicious!

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Popular dish

Queso de Cabra

Popular dish

COCA DE CHORIZO Y QUESO DE CABRA

Popular dish

ALBONDIGA CON QUESO DE CABRA

Tapas Barcelona

4.7

4.7 (652)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Evanston

About the restaurant

Dine on traditional Spanish cuisine at Tapas Barcelona. Located 1615 Chicago Ave, north suburb of Evanston and just south of Northwestern University, this restaurant offers casual comfort and a friendly setting for dining out. Tapas Barcelona has various dishes on the menu, such as baked snails and pizza topped with spinach and goat cheese. It also serves seafood and vegetarian entrées. Tapas Barcelona has a full bar that offers guests various drinks, including Spanish selections of wine. Its atmosphere is ideal for meeting up with an old friend for lunch or having dinner with the family. This restaurant welcomes reservations and provides take-out services.

Top review

AlfonsoVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Service was fast and they had excellent calamari and octopus tapas!

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Experience

Happy Hour - 5:00 - 6:00 PM Monday thru Saturday!

Boqueria - Chicago

4.6

4.6 (318)

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

West Loop

About the restaurant

An energetic Barcelona-style tapas bar serving Spanish favorites, seasonal specials, and curated cocktails in a contemporary space with a lively patio in the heart of Chicago's Fulton Market.

Perfect for a shared meal of small plates, happy hour with the team, a memorable date night, or weekend brunch!

Let us know if you have any seating requirements when making your booking.

Please note that by making a reservation through OpenTable you are agreeing to receive marketing communications from Boqueria.

Top review

Karolina

Dined 2 days ago

This place truly wows you the moment you step inside. The food, drinks, and atmosphere were nothing short of exceptional. We started with an espresso martini and white sangria, both of which were outstanding. For food, we couldn’t resist trying the brunch paella (definitely order it early—it takes some time) along with the mushrooms and ham croquettes, which were absolutely delicious. While those dishes alone would be enough to make us want to return, there’s so much more to explore here. The only minor disappointment was that, despite noting my husband’s birthday in the reservation, there wasn’t any special acknowledgment of the occasion.

Little Madrid Tapas Cafe

4.5

4.5 (245)

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

Andersonville

About the restaurant

In January 2020, Little Madrid Tapas Café opened in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood, a small, cozy, and colorful space. The restaurant transported guests back to Old Madrid with its warm atmosphere, delicious flavors, and enticing aromas that emanated from the kitchen. With a global pandemic raging around the world, Little Madrid Tapas Café remained a steady presence in the neighborhood and soon emerged as one of the best Spanish restaurants in Chicago.

Top review

Cesare

Dined 3 days ago

Amazing place, food, drinks, service, we felt like we were in Madrid, an amazing place, we are from Milan and def we felt between Spain and Italy. We went recommended from The Madrid government in Spain. Def a Gem overseas

La Tasca

4.6

4.6 (874)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Arlington Heights

About the restaurant

OUTDOOR SEATING IS ON A FIRST COME BASIS. ¡Hola! La Tasca means "local gathering place" in Spanish, and it translates perfectly at our lively Arlington Heights location. We have been serving delicious, authentic, creative, and contemporary Spanish cuisine since 1996. We are located directly South of the Arlington Heights train station in the Central Business District of downtown Arlington Heights. La Tasca tapas restaurant is perfect for dinning alone, couples, families, gatherings, and large groups. Friendly atmosphere offers guests a variety of hot and cold tapas or small dishes. We also offer soups, salads, and larger dishes. Try the lightly breaded calamari, sundried tomato alioli, Bacon wrapped dates, red bell pepper butter, Galician-style charred octopus, charbroiled lamb chops, air-dried Spanish meats & aged cheeses, herbed goat cheese baked in tomato basil, and of course our Paellas & homemade desserts!
Catering ~ Private Rooms ~ Group Rates ~ Outdoor Dinning available!

Top review

TriciaVIP

Dined on Dec 13, 2024

Our server was amazing! Food was great as always. Will miss this suburban treasure.

COA - Drake Oakbrook

4.5

4.5 (228)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Oak Brook

About the restaurant

Nestled in The Drake Hotel Oak Brook, Coa continues the hotel’s standard in unbuttoned luxury. Our Spanish Tapas with Latin Fare restaurant is a testament to authentic culinary experiences and an unwavering commitment in delivering bold flavors and tapas-style dining with warm hospitality.

Our thoughtfully crafted menu is a fusion of Spanish and Latin cultures, rooted in tradition, paying homage to the past while celebrating the present. All are welcome to gather around in our vibrant oasis where new traditions are made while enjoying our one-of-a-kind tapas and our excellent selection of tequila and mezcal flights.

*If you're experiencing difficulties with booking, please contact us at 630.264.1550 for further assistance with reserving a table.

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined 3 days ago

Excellent seafood paella. So far the best I’ve had in Chicago area. The steak was cooked perfectly to medium rare and was very tender.

The Top Rooftop Bar & Lounge

4.3

4.3 (162)

$30 and under

Tapas / Small Plates

Rockford

About the restaurant

Experience panoramic views of historic downtown Rockford, Illinois, and the Rock River from 12 stories aloft. Featuring an inviting and modern atmosphere with an indoor lounge and seasonal two-tiered outdoor deck, The Top Rooftop Bar & Lounge is the only one of its kind in Rockford. Serving hand-crafted signature cocktails, an extensive wine list, craft beers, and an expansive menu of shareable dishes inspired by cuisine around the world – The Top is the perfect spot for dinner or drinks.

Top review

Heidi

Dined 1 day ago

I love the igloos. A very cool atmosphere over looking the city at night. My only issue would be trying to eat the food. You aren’t eating at a table, it’s a small table in the middle. Which I totally get, which creates the cozy feel. The shareable food selection was very tasty. Minor inconvenience. It was great for just having drinks and appetizers, but not a meal. Would go back again.

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