Guide to Tapas Restaurants in Chicago

Tapas bars are springing up all over Chicago, some serving traditional Spanish fare and others opting for more modern cuisine. Since returning from Spain I have been hesitant to give the Tapas restaurants and bars of Chicago a chance, fearing the worst. Finally, I have decided to see if I could find a dining experience that equaled or even came close to the tapas culture of Spain.

For comparison purposes I tried to stick to traditional tapas that each restaurant was guaranteed to serve, the differences were subtle but noticeable. I also ordered entrees that are very traditional to Spain and Spanish cuisine, but in this case tried not to limit my selection as much.

Read on for reviews of three of Chicago's most popular tapas restaurants.

1492 Tapas Bar, 42 E. Superior, Chicago

The setting and atmosphere at 1492 had me reminiscing about the lunches I used to enjoy back in one of my Madrid favorites, Casa Lucio, all that was missing were a few Spaniards arguing over the state of olives at the bar. For the most part the menu was traditional Spanish fare but the chef managed to add a couple of new twists to old favorites.

Tapas sampled included vegetable croquettes, palitos de queso, patatas bravas, alcachofas al ajillo and tortilla de patata. The palitos de queso, or bread battered feta cheese, was the standout among the dishes and came with an incredible mango sauce. The patatas bravas, potatoes topped with a spicy tomato based sauce, and the alcachofas al ajillo, artichoke in garlic, were both tapas bar worthy. I did not like the croquettes, perhaps I erred in choosing the vegetable variety, and the tortilla de patata would be better served hot.

For the main entree I chose a plate of chicken breast stuffed with goat cheese, peppers and spinach called pollo relleno. Several Spanish favorites were all pulled to make this into an incredible dish. The wine list was a surprise, entirely Spanish!

Go there for the wine, the authenticity, atmosphere, and excellent dining experience.

Sangria Restaurant and Tapas Bar,901 West Weed Street, Chicago