What a wonderful time we had here! I came here with a co-worker for dinner after a really long and crappy work day. We were kind of in a bad mood as a result, and this meal/experience really lifted our spirits and brought me to a food bliss. We sat outside in a super cute downtown sidewalk area. It only seemed appropriate to order a sangria, and we each ordered a different one, both of which were very tasty. They have a lot of great options on the menu to include paella. I love paella but don't like a lot of the seafood that makes you work to eat it (think mussels) so don't typically order it. However, they had a vegetable paella that solved all my problems. The menu advises that you must have a minimum of 2 people to order it, so my co-worker agreed to the paella adventure. We then each decided to get a smaller meat plate to complement our paella. I ordered the empanada de carne (with beef/pork) and it was incredible. Very flaky puff pastry and a wonderfully cooked and seasoned filling. It was cut into three pieces and if you were sharing multiple small plates it would be great for sharing. I shared none and ate it all because it was delicious. My co-worker ordered the cordero (charbroiled lamb chops with Shishito peppers) and said it was likewise delicious. It came over a large bed of peppers - also cooked to perfection - and I did sample a pepper. Very good. While we waited for the paella, we ordered another drink. Our server (possibly Sia?) was amazing and attentive and super fun to chat with. Another staff member (seemed like maybe an owner or manager?) had been strolling around chatting with customers as well and he was also super fun. I'd inquired about port and he was super helpful in guiding me to the best option. It was fantastic. When the paella came, it was beautiful and enormous. Our server put it on individual plates for us (pretty heaping serving on these plates) and then there was still an even larger portion left on the main serving plate. It was really nicely cooked, but I will say it had a bit of a blandness to it. I do imagine the lack of seafood does take away some of the flavor, but we both still ate our entire plates and were quite happy the entire time. The asparagus wasn't the best quality but I just left the ends off to the side. This entree was so large that I took it home and it made me three servings of lunch for the next week (and I don't eat small lunches). We were so full and content in our food comas, but couldn't resist sharing the dessert special -- oreo cheesecake with a cookie crust, homemade ice cream, and caramel sauce. This is basically all of my favorite things rolled into one dessert. It was obviously delectable and we ate it all. The food was incredible and the service was top notch to make the dining experience even more special. I am so glad we ended up here for the night. For all the food we ate, our bill was so incredibly reasonable. Definitely go here! read more

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Went alone to grab a bite after work. Sat at the bar and the service was great. I like to try fun drinks the. Bartender had some very good recommendations. I am glad I tried it. I had a sangria and dates in bacon. And shrimp. Thai was perfect for me an easy meal to cook. Oh wait I did not cook it was not loud tbe day I was there but ca. imagine that on the weekend it might be loud. Definitely go for a taste and stay for a drink. Had a nice time. I love tapas it's definitely a fun food and I think it's something enjoyable because you get to sample little bit of everything which is my favorite way to eat read more

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I really enjoyed La Tasca. I had never been to a Spanish restaurant prior to dining here. I love the idea of tapas, and I was excited to try Spanish cuisine. I was not disappointed. They have a nice variety of tapas to choose from, and all were delicious. We tried many on the menu. They also have full dinners/traditional plates. Trying the different tapas was more fun. Service was awesome. Our waiter was attentive and helpful. I also really enjoyed the ambiance and Spanish decor and overall feel. The drink menu is great as well. I had the raspberry sangria and it was really good. I attached photos of a few of the tapas we tried. read more

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I'm really surprised at all of the low reviews for this place. I went to Tasca for dinner on a busy Friday night and had a great time. If you have never had tapas before, they're small plates. You don't get huge portions. That is exactly what tapas are supposed to be. Prices were reasonable, and actually larger portions than what I was used to after going to tapas restaurants in Chicago. Drinks were flavorful- they have a ton of sangria and cocktail options. Food was also very tasty as well. I will definitely be back! read more

La Tasca Restaurant - Tapas Bars Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

I have been here many times over the years. It's one of the best tapas restaurants in the Chicago suburbs, but they lost a star tonight because they've added a "non-cash" fee to the dinner bill. We had a table of six, got many dishes and they tacked on $6.50. I understand restaurant business is tough, but we are post pandemic and they've been a successful business for many years. Incurring the credit card fees as part of your business operations is standard. Every business has increased their prices and tacking this on is truly not appropriate. Especially without warning the customer. We spoke up and they removed it, but how many just pay it? Such a shame to end a delightful dinner on a sour note. read more

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Decided to come to this restaurant before closing. I don't like leaving negative reviews and try to avoid is as much as I can... BUT... the dining experience at La Tasca this time was not what I used to. Quality of food went down, service was very slow and the waitress forgot to place our order. Took forever for food to come out to the table. Music was so loud that I couldn't even hear what my family was taking about. I hear that They are changing to the Greek restaurant soon. I was hoping that the food and service was good as the past when we visited but disappointed visit for the last time read more

Have been going to La Tasca for special occasions over the years and always enjoyed the food. Love the idea of tapas so you can split a few bites of a bunch of different items with the rest of the table. It was unique and there is no other tapas place that I am aware of within a 20-minute drive of the area. Food is really good, pricing is not horrible for a fancier place, and service is great. Their outdoor seating, especially thanks to Arlington Height's Alfresco, is a lot of fun as well. They offer to-go too which is nice. My top 5 always-got-to-get-when-I-go dishes: Queso de Cabra Al Horno, Manchego con Miel, Tortilla Española, Canolon de Atun, and Croquetas de Pollo. They make a good flan too, if you are not too stuffed. The only thing that was annoying was the credit card processing fee they stuck on after COVID (a lot of places seem to have done this). The thing is I am not going to be carrying $200 cash on me for a party of 6 to eat there. Also, what was more annoying was we had their gift card that covered the full bill - and they fee'd that. Why?? You think they could at least wave the fee on that since it is more like pre-paying. Sadly, I just read an article that they will be CLOSING at end of February 2025 and reopening as a Greek place called Paréa Mediterranean Kitchen. Just Google "La Tasca Arlington Heights" and hit the "News" tab for a few articles. So, guess I am off one last time to celebrate my birthday there before they shut down for good. read more

Being from Spain I was excited to order la Tasca for delivery so I could give it a try before ordering their catering for an event. This is by far the worst "spanish food" restaurant I have tried in the Chicago Area. We ordered: -Tortilla de patatas -Padron Flatbread -Meat Paella -Patatas Bravas -Croquettes -Jamon y queso plate (see picture, 3 pieces of cheap cheese and ham for $13, what an insult) We had to toss most of the food after a couple of bites. It hurts speaking bad about a restaurant from my home country, but I wouldn't want anyone to think for a second this is the food we serve in Spain. read more

La Tasca Restaurant - a meal in a plastic container - Tapas Bars Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Delicious food, expansive menu, the drinks were great. Love the outside area and the inside looked cute as well. Service was excellent. The staff made sure we had everything we needed. The portion for the paella was large. It tasted great and was a good price! We will definitely be back soon. read more

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Restaurant is a true gem in downtown Arlington Heights. We ordered 5 small plates to share. We both ordered sangria drinks which are delicious I found the the beef tenderloin ..mushroom brochhette ..shoe string potatoes with sour cream yummmmmmy. My friend enjoyed grilled vegetables & plate of puff pastry stuffed with spinach ..goat cheese ..raisins. She is a vegetarian enjoyed the tapas offered. Server was excellent .... Been here many times & will be back.... Highly recommend !! read more

Came here for the first time for my gf's bday, and everything was delicious, including the sangrias :) We ordered several seafood tapas along with a seafood paella, honeyed cheese, filet, bacon wrapped dates, stuffed mushrooms. Everything was devoured, and the leftover paella was good the next day. Outdoor seating was a lovely atmosphere, and my gf's son loves trains so the location near the Arlington Heights metra was a bonus. Only thing I missed was white anchovy tapas that I've had in Spain and Boston. Would love to return with my friends and family :) read more

Run!!! Run away that is and don't look back! Sunday early afternoon, we arrived to an empty restaurant. Usually it's a red flag. But they just opened for the day. So perhaps the crowd is yet to come in? My husband was hungry and we drove a bit, so we decided to give it a try. The first give away, is an extremely dirty floor. Now, I realize there is snow outside so the walkways were salted. But the dirt was everywhere. The dust and lots of dirt in corners. They just opened for the day. This tells me that management does not pay attention to the condition of the place , what's going on in the kitchen then? I was not surprised to see stains on the knife which came wrapped in a surprisingly crisp napkin. The bread and butter was served immediately, it smelled like a freezer and was cold and seemed old. Yikes! Coffee please. ....It was served Luke- warm. Probably left overs... The food felt like warmed up left overs. Nothing stood out. We will NEVER make a mistake of coming here again. And how about you? read more

2nd visit here. There service is great and accommodating, ambiance is nice but food is meh. If they are going to take peoples money then they should at least invest in a food specialist who can help them spoof up their recipies. It's too overpriced for the flavors you get. Nothing they cook really packs a punch and tasted like something a first time spanish cook made. I hate leaving 1 star and typically rank high for a bad dish here and there but yeah, this one was hard. Patatas bravas is just deep fried potato cubes with flavored mayo drizzled over it. Patata aoili has a nice garlic tatse but something seemed lacking and mayo they use tatsed a bit economical. Rice and salmon with green veggies also a pass. Rice may have been a special grain to Spain but it reminded me of uncle Ben's Rice you find at most fastfood Greek restaurants. Calamari tatsed of old oil and the flavors just weren't there. Past visit was paella which also was a pass along with some of their meat dishes. Perhaps I'm spoiled with other Spanish restaurants but was surprised to find most items lacked flavor. Not sure if this is authentic Spanish food but it's nothing like the 5 other Chicago establishments I've tried multiple times. read more

We were invited to a surprise birthday party for 43 people so it was our first time coming here. We had great service by our waiters and waitress even though there was one waiter that would roll his eyes whenever we asked for another serving of what was supposed to be an all you can eat at $75 per person for our party. This included a $27 fee per person for soft drinks or liquor. This was a little steep considering there were plenty of kids in our party and some were babies that didn't drink anything. The food was good. We had a variety of 8 tapas that we could choose from but they saved the best for last and frowned when asked to bring the shrimp or beef tapas. I honestly don't believe that any one person enjoyed more than 2-3 drinks including soft drinks. Overall we had a great time and I would probably come again if in this area. I recommend trying it out at least once. The potato tapas were very good, the beef and shrimp were great, the empanadas were good. The ambiance is casual but most of our party dressed up. The desserts were wonderful too. The ice cream is made in house. The flan was perfect. read more

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We did not like anything about this place except the location and maybe the service. The food was NOT like anything you would have in Spain - it' was absolutely awful and so expensive for being so bad! There was also a bug in the sangria. They left the fruit they put into the sangria out in a big tub uncovered the whole time we were there. read more

I have been going to this place for years (before Covid). Tried it again the other night. The outside seating is great, the ambience is nice. The price/quality ratio has deteriorated significantly. They used to have two kinds of grilled octopus which was consistently well made. It also used to cost maybe around $12-14 a plate...now it is $21 and very rubbery. Patatas Bravas were great. The service was good. I get the inflation thing but this is not River North. Return the old menu items and price them right. read more

Visited during covid on a Sunday afternoon for the first time. I made reservations also just in case but not needed. We sat inside and they are definitely observing social distancing in such a great and safe manner. I felt really good about being inside even on a nice day outside. They have lots of outdoor seating due to the Arlington alfresco initiative. Parking is always difficult in downtown Arlington Heights and even more so now with them closing streets for Arlington alfresco. Luckily we found a spot near the restaurant for free. We ordered quite a bit of dishes as it was our first time and we wanted to try everything that I would normally eat at any other tapas restaurant. Everything came out with great timing freshly cooked fair portions no hunting of the meat or the seafood. However I will say that the dishes were average but not necessarily outstanding. Flavors are good but not memorable. Service was decent but not friendly and amazing. Considering that they were not busy I would have expected a little bit better service. This place is an establishment for AH and I can see why. I am sure it is very consistent and reliable and the food is acceptable considering it is in the suburbs. But if I ever have enough patience I will go where I normally go in the city. read more

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A little pricey but not bad. My advice is if you're ordering paella, that should be your first order because it took about an hour to get it. By that time, we were pretty full from the tapas. Overall everything was good. Unfortunately we forgot to take pictures of some of the food before it was devoured. read more

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Hadn't been here in years and was looking forward to some tapas. We were not happy at the high prices for small plates.Kept us from sampling various dishes. Started with the Queso deCabra. It was tasty but could have used some spice. The fried Calamari was standard and not any different from anywhere else. Did not like the Champinones. Mushrooms had an off taste to them. Should have sent it back. Left disappointed and not satisfied. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in Illinois. Nothing beats the bacon wrapped dates. Ask for the viktoria and see what the chef surprises you with if you are feeling particularly adventurous. Trust the staff when they give you recommendations! You can never go wrong with Spanish tapas and that's a fact! Love a long time fan who will be there soon to celebrate my birthday, Viktoria Cowen read more

Food is not as good as I remember. Menu advertises pork, tenderloin with caramelized onions, and black beans. What I received was pork, tenderloin with onion in black beans. Was ok. read more

I was there last weekend for a friend's birthday. We ordered so many different tapas while we waited for our paella (that takes an hour), that I can't remember what we had exactly but it was all tasty. They even staggered the dishes and brought them out in stages to the table wasn't overly crowded with plates. read more

Had a really great experience at La Tasca! The small plates were excellent. My favorite items on the menu were the empanadas and Patatas Bravas. Don't skip out on the Sangria! They have a lot of speciality sangrias on the menu, and the ones we tried were refreshingly different. Good service, good ambiance. Can't wait to visit again this summer and enjoy a meal outside! read more

This place was a fav before the pandemic. We returned for the first time last week and OMG how inflation (or greed) affected our experience. The food is still GOOD...the portions are half the size, not even shareable. There now charge for olives and although our wait staff was excellent, the overall experience was marred by the super small portions all of the ice in our sangria pitcher! You guys can do better! read more

Very nice restaurant,I feel like in Spain the sangria was delicious and the food was amazing

The food was very yummy. Everything we had was very tasty. The service was awesome. She gave us recommendations that we loved. Will be going back there. read more

My family and I have been coming here for years and have never been disappointed. Every server we have had has been helpful and friendly. There is a wide range of tapas with plenty of vegetarian options that are clearly labeled on the menu. Speaking about the food, you can't go wrong. I recommend the manchego con miel and paella, but be sure to give adequate time for paella to cook (about 45 mins). The restaurant itself is large and can accommodate large parties. It is also a very short walk from the NW Metra train line so easy to access if you don't want to drive or live in the city. They also offer to-go sangria pitchers which are fun. read more

La Tasca Restaurant - Champiñones Barcelona - Tapas Bars Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

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You can't go wrong at La Tasca! The food and service have been great each time I've visited. I love that no two experiences are the same, since you can order whatever small plates as you want. On my most recent visit, I had eggplant, stuffed mushrooms and a flatbread. Each dish was excellent. read more

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Walked in on time for our reservation, but the couple we were meeting were delayed by the train. We were seated in a beautiful dining room looking out over the street. We waited with some wine; I had the "house" La Tasca red, a lovely Spanish blend from La Mancha. No problems at all from the staff on our late party. When our guests were seated we reviewed the tapas and tried the Croquetas and Patatas Bravas, as good as the ones we had in Spain this year. She and I had the Paella Alicantina, wonderful seafood, ordered per person. We also split the Ensalada Naranja, an excellent citrusy salad. A huge portion of paella came out for the two of us, we should have ordered a single one, and ended up taking it home. Out guests split more small plates, Pimientos (blistered peppers) and a Empanada de Queso. We finished with Flan and coffees. All fresh and good. Wonderful evening. Relaxing and tasty. Staff pleasant and helpful, and chatted about Spain. I have nothing bad to say, except parking can be a challenge during peak times. This is a busy neighborhood. Leave some extra time. read more

I had a horrible experience here in all honestly and will never go back. The bread was freezer burnt and the food subpar. The bill ended up being about $200 for one of the worst meals Ive had in the area. Because of this I only tipped the server $25. The next day my credit card company contacts me about the restaurant suggesting that I tipped them $80. This place is a literal scam, could never suggest to go here. read more

Olives were good, as was the baked goat cheese, but everything else was just meh. The shishito peppers were not cooked enough and there was no dipping sauce. The ham and chicken croquettes were bland. The eggplant with honey was watery, they obviously didn't salt the eggplant in advance to draw out the excess water. Avoid this place. read more

Went to dinner w/my sister and the hubs! Stephanie was our server! She was great! Very attentive and made sure we had everything we needed! We did not have wait if we needed to order! The Mgr. or owner also stopped by our table. Unfortunately I did not catch his name! Overall it was a great experience! read more

My first and last time here. The food was way over priced for the quality and taste. The portions were WAY too small for tapas. The empanada was one that was cut into three pieces that cost over $10. The chorizos were not real chorizos. Not an authentic tapas place. The food tasted like it was bought and reheated. Our waitress was great hence the one star. However, the food was not worth it. Will not be going back again. read more

Food is not good, complained and was told "I'll let them know" who is them and how does that help me ? Nonetheless service was horrible. I asked for a manager and the food runner (who wears her hair down in peoples food) comes out to give us half off the food we didn't eat. It took us 30 minutes from our plates being taken to getting a check while other tables with the same server were able to check out and leave... Not one bit of remorse or apology or anything.. Ambiance is awkward too, this place is overpriced and sucks. Go literally anywhere else! read more

The sangrias and cheese dishes are all fantastic! It's a little too expensive to eat here often, but I still have it in rotation for some special occasions! As a vegetarian, I'm happy to have lots of options. read more

La Tasca Restaurant - Manchego con Miel, Patatas Bravas, and Champinones al Ajillo! - Tapas Bars Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Food was good! Waitstaff was super kind and friendly as well as on top of so many orders. Main complaint would be the manager who not only sat at the bar for most of the evening, but also has a policy with vertical IDs (I turned 21 two weeks ago it was within date and perfectly legal) where he has to sneakily eye me down and give the server an okay to serve me alcohol? It's the same look we used to give people in retail who we thought were stealing. Server apologized, but the manager was just twirling his thumbs most of the night. read more

Ambience was nice. My husband and I went when AH closed off streets and restaurants set up larger outdoor patios. No complaint about the service. Staff was friendly and responsive even during the busy time we went in. Food was just ok. Bacon-wrapped dates were delicious. We were disappointed with the empanadas. Scallops were cooked perfectly but swimming in too much cheese. Mushrooms were good. We weren't interested in dessert and decided to walk around the corner to get ice cream at Wilkins instead. Overall not a bad spot for a date night but likely wouldn't go back. read more

I made a reservation on Open Table in October for 5 people. They seated us at a round table placed awkwardly in the corner of a the restaurant. It was quite loud on this Friday night, filled with families and friends. Our waitress was very nice. She suggested her favorite dishes and the ones people enjoy the most. The tapas were good and fairly priced. We ordered 10 tapas. I can't seem to remember them all, but my favorite ones were the chorizo and chicken with rice, the charred octopus, and the baguette with herb baked goat cheese. Great tapas place! read more

La Tasca Restaurant - Tapas Bars Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Great food and atmosphere! First time here but will be coming back. Loved the outdoor seating area for a get together with friends to enjoy the summer read more

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Went here for date night with my husband. We have always wanted to try this place seeing we love tapas but just never got around to it. We started with what every parents starts with when they go out without children- drinks. We decided on a pitcher of the red sangria and it was delicious- not too sweet like your typical sangria. We shared the bacon wrapped dates, the goat cheese with bread, stuffed mushrooms and mussels. It was definitely enough food for a light dinner. Everything was delicious- the bacon wrapped dates were really small but that was our only complaint. I think my favorite was the stuffed mushrooms but I also really enjoyed dipping bread into the sauce the mussels were in. Overall service was great my only complaint was everything came out really quick and all together. We normally like to do tapas one at a time to pace ourselves and make sure they are all warm by the time we eat them. We could have been in and out in 30-45 minutes if it wasn't for the pitcher of sangria. But no one rushed us at all. read more

La Tasca Restaurant - Tapas Bars Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois