I was in Chicago for a conference. My husband came to keep me company during the trip, not the conference. I was in the mood for Spanish because I hadn't eaten a paella for a while. I found this place that really close to the hotel we were staying at. I initially made a reservation but we had discussed possibly not going so I cancelled the reservation. We ended up going anyways, haha. No reservation. The restaurant is inside the Blackstone Hotel, which was a very fancy looking, high end hotel. The restaurant was not full so we were seated quickly. We got the chicken pinxto (pronounced pin-cho), which is like a skewer and we got the tuna tartare. Both were excellent - especially the sauce on the chicken. For entree, my husband got the Iberico Pork and I got the mixed paella. He really liked his pork - it was tender, flavorful, and a second, I thought it was a beef. The paella was really excellent. I love seafood and I love the rice on the bottom. Despite it being a small, they're quite large so I recommend sharing with someone. Unfortunately, since my husband doesn't like seafood, he wouldn't try any of it. While we don't live in Chicago, I would definitely recommend to the out-of-towners in search of good Spanish cuisine. read more

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Quick service and the bar is pretty. If you see a show at the auditorium theater, a glass of cava is on the house. The bartender was very nice and made sure the service was speedy so I could make it to my show on time. read more

Mercat a la Planxa - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I came across this tapas restaurant on Yelp when looking for a place to meet family for dinner while visiting Chicago. Luckily it was in the same building as my hotel so that saved me another Lyft ride. It was easy to make a reservation, and our table was ready upon arrival for four of us. We began with cocktails. This place is not inexpensive, but you pay for a shared experience and some really tasty cuisine. We started with olives - pretty basic and only $5. The papas bravas were very good, as were the brussels sprouts. The ham & fig salad was heavy on the ham, light on the fig for $21. Tasty empanadas and enough for four of us to get a big bite. The charcuterie board was full of yummy items to share, and the cocktails were tasty. We rounded out the dinner with the Ocean Trout. Delicious! Excellent service by Carlos Z. At close to $400, we finally got our fill of tapas and drinks. So glad I discovered this place to enjoy. read more

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We were staying inside The Blackstone Hotel and thought we'd try the restaurant. We did not have a reservation; however, they had space for us and sat us at a table. Staff was very helpful and kind when guiding us through the menu. We ordered 5 tapas total (2 people) and were full by the end of the meal. The best dishes in my opinion were the fresh ham: they sliced it right there near our table, the croquettes with a delicious sauce, and last but not least the Gambas Al Ajillo (Shrimp Scampi). These were delicious, great texture, and we prob would have ordered more of them. These only negative thing was the croquettes weren't hot (temp wise) but great flavor. The meatballs I was not a fan of because they had like a bbq smoky flavor but had I think Cotija cheese and chives on top, the combination did not taste well. The Patatas Bravas (spicy potatoes) the cream on them was too heavy and lacked flavor to balance the spicy sauce. Overall a great meal to have in our hotel and the service was wonderful. read more

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Popped in for a quick bite and drink before heading to solider field for a show. The tuna tartare was a hefty serving for two! It was fresh and tasty, kinda had a mild kick in it. The croquettes were tasty and crispy. The short rib empanadas were soooo good! Filled with a lot of meat and cheese and the chimichurri was fresh and a bit tangy, which I love. The red sangria was really good, not overly sweet or dry, it was perfect to wash everything down! The only downside was this tomato flatbread special, I didn't take a pic as we returned it after two bites. Something was off on it, idk if the tomato's weren't ripe or maybe too ripe but it wasnt good enough to keep eating. We told our server and asked for potatas bravas instead (those were good) and our server seemed kind of offended. He was friendly at first but after we asked to swap out the flatbread for potatoes his attitude changed. It's not like we chewed him out for it or were nasty about it we just didn't care for it and wanted to try something else instead. It was a bit weird at the end lol read more

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The plates are shareable. The service is likable. The food is TASTY. I think the focus is on the portions and quality of the food. 3 adult men shared each order. We had about 7 plates including the paella and other seafood oriented dishes. Being inside the Blackstone hotel, we get safe to walk over and enjoy dinner. The wine list is in Spanish, so be prepared to know your drinks. Enjoy! read more

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Stayed at the Blackstone and found myself hungry without reservations anywhere. Decided to eat at the restaurant in the hotel lobby, and I'm glad I did. The food and service were great! The tapas hit the spot, and the wine washed it all down smoothly. I'll say the bar tender is not a people person, and he made the experience kinda weird. Once we were seated, the service was much better. Love the hotel, so I'm sure we'll eat and drink here again. Just won't sit at the bar, didn't like the bartender. read more

Mercat a la Planxa - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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An amazing 3 course meal with plenty of delicious vegetarian options / service was amazing and so was the atmosphere read more

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This is part of Mercat a la Planxa and it's on the first floor. Pequeño means "small" in Spanish. This has a few table tops and several seating. I had a Chai Tea. The staff and service is pequeñoriffic. read more

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I believe the right framing for this place is "OK restaurant within a hotel" rather than "Restaurant destination." We came for brunch on a Saturday morning and there were a lot of open seats. The other diners appeared to be hotel guests, largely in town for work. I appreciate they do have high chairs so we could come with our toddler. Torrijas - 3/5. Decent briche base and nice amount of chocolate. Sweet enough that it didn't need maple syrup. But no real twist, as the cinnamon sugar, bruleed banana and chantilly cream all got lost. That meant the dish got boring quickly. Spanish Tortilla - 2.5/5. The saffron ailoi has a heavy mustard vibe, I didn't notice the saffron at all. Caramelized onion and potato omelet is good base but there was no finesse. read more

Fifteen years ago this place was a real treat. Since moving back to Chicago this year, I've returned twice. I won't be back. Earlier this year I sat at the bar where an aloof bartender made bad cocktails-- I even sent a "featured" one back -- and served forgettable, pricey tapas. More recently I went for Sunday brunch. Astonishingly, the kitchen closed 15 minutes after our reservation. Not surprisingly, we were completely rushed. I complained and got two answers: 1) "That's how the computer system works" and; 2) "I've been telling management that forever." The food was hastily prepared and the bloody Mary's were offensively weak. The short rib empanadas, benedict, and breakfast potatoes were highlights. The first thing we ordered was the fig montadito, but they were out of it because, as our server explained, "well figs aren't in season" (then why is it featured on the menu??). Lastly, the place was empty, an ambience killer in otherwise beautiful space. There's still sparks of greatness in the food, but the bar program, table service and overall management are clear signs of a restaurant that has stopped trying. read more

Loved this cute little tapas spot in south loop! I enjoyed the ambience even though it's inside a hotel, and the drinks were very strong and good. I especially loved the vegetarian paella. The server was super helpful in choosing drinks and tapas, and I look forward to stopping by here again! read more

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Mercat always has delicious food! Great place for tapas. They recommend 3-4 plates per person; however, we definitely over ordered!! My favorites I recommend is the charcuterie board, the bread, the shrimp, patatas bravas and the ribeye (although you can't go wrong with the other choices either). The ambiance is a cool vibe and the drinks are delicious. Overall, good wine choices at a fair price. I am not a fan of the white sangria (but I think it is because of the mango liquor they use). Service is great and the waiters are knowledgeable regarding the menu. Overall I would recommend this restaurant for some great tapas! read more

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This place was delicious. It was located in our hotel and the food was delectable. I loved my Serrano Benedict. It was savory and creamy with its hollandaise sauce that glazed over the benedict. The Gambas Ajillo (garlic shrimp) did not disappoint either. We also got their Escalivada Omelet were not too shabby. read more

It's a tourist trap basically. Over priced and poor quality. We sat at the bar. The bartender was rude. I ordered a salad and my partner ordered an appetizer. The ambiance was good, however. read more

My friend and I came here for a Saturday brunch. We had a reservation for 11am and were seated upon arrival. The restaurant is located within a hotel, but the signage to get to the restaurant were clear. Food: We both had a mimosa to start, and they were tasty! I ordered the eggs & potatoes for breakfast along with the croquettes. I asked if I could upgrade my potatoes to the patatas bravas, but that was unavailable. The eggs and potatoes were still good. The croquettes were small, but really good. I would order them again. My friend ordered the eggs benedict and a side of bacon. She enjoyed her food. Service: Service was friendly and quick. We were given the mimosas on the house because we were celebrating a birthday. That was nice of them! When our food came out, the kitchen put my friend's bacon on my plate for some reason. Since I am vegetarian, I had to send it back. They were happy to remake my breakfast. They remade my friend's bacon as well, but they asked if she still wanted the bacon from the plate, so double bacon! TL;DR - Good food with some miscommunication for food, but overall good service read more

Mercat a la Planxa - croquettes - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Really liked the vibe of this restaurant. Low lighting and cozy, friendly, fast service, and flavorful dishes. My favorites were the shrimp, potatoes, and chickpeas. It was tempting not to get one of each of the tapas but we wanted to try the paella which was also good and very filling! Sangria was a little on the sweet side for me, but we didn't have any trouble finishing that off. Would definitely come back. read more

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Lowered to 1 star. David M. from Mercat messaged me via Yelp basically accusing me of lying about the charges for lettuce, tomatoes, etc. saying that they don't charge for those despite the actual receipt here showing itemized charges for it. Absolutely bonkers. read more

The restaurant is gorgeous and impressive-looking. Unfortunately, the food doesn't quite live up to the expectations created by the decor. The kids loved their chocolate banana French toast, but my husband and I decided to share a few of the tapas, which were for the most part very underwhelming. The bacon-wrapped dates with blue cheese sauce were delicious. Everything else was lacking in flavor. If they had even just salted the food a bit more, it would've been so much better. Somehow even the garlic butter that came with the shrimp was nearly flavorless. I was dunking my bread in it at first, but then I realized it was probably adding a good amount of calories and adding almost no flavor to the bread, so I just ate the rest of the bread plain. The drinks I had were very good (bellini & red sangria). A lot of times, sangria is so weak and bombarded with fruit that you might as well just be drinking fruit juice, but you could still taste the wine in this one. It was really well done. Our server was fantastic. No complaints there, but there was another server who grumbled, "This sucks," as he was walking past our table to set silverware on a nearby table. It definitely took away from the otherwise classy feel of the place. If you can't even contain your hatred for your job while in the middle of the dining room, then it's probably time to find a new job. read more

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What a beautiful space and hotel! Beyond this, we were slightly disappointed by everything we ordered. We had the squid, which was bland. We had the patatas bravas, and they weren't that great. The carrots had a ton of flavor, but seemed to not to be cooked enough and were slightly raw. I'm not sure what was going on because these are pretty standard Spanish dishes. The churros were the best thing we had on the menu -and are worth the try. Our waitress was friendly. read more

Excellent tapas at this hotel restaurant along Michigan Avenue in the Blackstone Hotel. Don't let the fact that this is a hotel restaurant deter you- the food is top notch. Opted for the Chef's Tasting Menu. Pro tip - they serve much more food in each course than what's needed, so if you are a party of four, order for 3. By the time we got to the final courses, we were too stuffed to enjoy them. Standouts are the pan con tomate: slices of crusty crispy toasted bread brushed with olive oil and topped with tomato. Bruscetta-like, but a whole new level. Practice moderation, though, because you don't want to fill up on bread with all of the goodies still to come. Pulpo a la Planxa is grilled octopus. It's wonderfully flavorful and tender, not chewy. The spices from the olive escabeche and capers, combined with the soft starchiness of the potato puree made for a great taste. We substituted mussels with garlic shrimp. Gorgeous, plump fresh shrimp sauteed in garlic butter are served tails-on. Crisp crunch to every bite. Delicious. Secreto (grilled pork) is also excellent. Pork loin is grilled to medium rare perfection, and served in a shallow pool of romesco sauce. The chili peppers and roasted red peppers in the sauce add a wonderful earthy flavor to the tender juicy pork. A slice of house-made cheesecake missed the mark for me only because it was not creamy NY-style, but instead Italian-style, made with ricotta. It was good, but I'm not a fan of this type of cheesecake. It was tasty, just not my favorite. All things considered, this place is a MUST TRY if you're a tapas fan. Every course was delicious, service was friendly and efficient. Recommended! read more

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Food was very good and authentic. We had one of everything on the tapas menu and it was more than enough for 4 people.

We had not been to Mercat a la Planxa in a while, and the close proximity to the Studebaker Theatre on Michigan Avenue made this an obvious choice. The restaurant is housed within The Blackstone Autograph Collection hotel in the South Loop. Mercat is known for its selection of small plates, tapas, and Catalan traditions. Ascend the staircase in the Blackstone's Gatsby-esque lobby. The restaurant has soaring arched windows that face out to Michigan Avenue, sculptural fixtures and lights and murals. We settled on the Traditional Tasting Menu for two, an eight-course meal including dessert. I also ordered a Rosé Mercat. In quick succession, we tasted: PAN CON TOMATE; ENSALADA VERDE; PATATAS BRAVAS; CROQUETTES DE SETAS; GAMBAS AL AJILLO; DATILES CON ALMENDRAS; POLLO; CHEF'S SELECTION DESSERT The Pan con Tomate was crispy and toasty with thinly sliced tomato. The Patatas Bravas were lightly fried with spicy dollops of garlic aioli and chili oil. The Datiles con Almendras, bacon-wrapped dates, were the perfect ratio of sweet-salty-crunchy. The Pollo, marinated chicken thigh, was perfectly charred and tender. We enjoyed all of the dishes, although the dessert, churros, warm and lightly sprinkled with sugar, were a bit tough. The dishes came out a bit quick at first, but then settled on a more leisurely pace; in all we spent about an hour dining at Mercat. We had a lovely dinner, the tasting menu was ample servings of well-curated small plates. read more

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This restaurant is located inside the beautiful Blackstone hotel. If you're lucky, you may get seated near one of the windows overlooking Michigan Ave. Seating and service is fairly quick. Once we checked in, we we were brought to our table. We waited only a few minutes before our server appeared. The staff was quite helpful and ready to answer any of our questions. Since this is a tapas restaurant, they recommend approximately 3 dishes per person. We ordered: Pan con tomate. Always my favorite at these tapas restaurants. Bacon-wrapped dates. It was ok. Gambas. This is an option for rotation if you visit often. Chef's board. The selection was just right for the two of us. We especially like the chorizo and goat cheese. Salad with green beans. I really enjoyed this salad! Pulpo or grilled octopus. This was well-grilled, not too chewy. Toast with goat cheese and caramelized onions. Those onions! Churros. We probably didn't need to order the octopus or toast. We were already mostly full by the time we finished the cheese and embutidos. Or, if I had to redo the order, I would not order the dates. Although, I really liked the toast, we could have foregone that order, too. However, if there were more of us, I'm sure those two items would be on the list! Enjoy the setting, the scene, the view and, of course, the food! read more

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The restaurant and hotel where it's located are gorgeous. The service was very good, friendly and attentive. The food, unfortunately, was mostly disappointing. We had gambas al ajillo (shrimp). They were so salty, they were almost inedible. The octopus was overcooked, so it was very chewy. The bacon-wrapped dátiles (dates) were OK, but the thick-cut bacon overwhelmed the dates. The ratio was off. The highlight of the meal were the stuffed piquillos with goat cheese and were accompanied by saffron foam, a creative and delicious combination. For dessert, we had mango sorbet, also very good and refreshing. Admittedly, we didn't try very many tapas, but the ones we did have were a mix of interesting and tasty, and mediocre. read more

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You have to enter from the Balbo side entrance as the Michigan entrance is currently closed. Excellent food, but definitely a little on the expensive side for what you get. Also, you might want to watch your bill. The marinated olives clearly say $6 on the menu, but came up $8 on the bill. The service was pretty good, but your main server only takes your order. Water is brought by someone else as are your dishes. I have noticed this at some high end restaurants before, but I never got to order a second drink because of the infrequency of the checking up on us. That being said, the food really is top notch. The pulpo a la planxa was definitely our favorite dish. The chef grilled it to perfection so as not to be rubbery -- it was perfectly tender. The patatas bravas were good and came out piping hot. The padron peppers had some nice garlic chips and were dusted in a paprika that gave them a nice flavor. Not the best padron peppers I've ever had (those belong to La Bodega in Maastricht, Netherlands) , but definitely still my second favorite dish. The marinated olives were good and don't skip on eating the citrus that comes with it -- the rind has been marinated to the point it eats quite easily and is delicious. The croquetas de bancalla were good but the salted cod is definitely not balanced across the croquetas. Some had huge chunks of salted cod, whereas others you couldn't even tell it was there. read more

Mercat a la Planxa - Pulpo a la planxa (on top), patatas bravas (on bottom) - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Another top tier tapas restaurant in Chicago! You walk into a dimly lit restaurant which is moody and romantic but also laid back. I loved the vibe and the lighting as well as the table setups. We sat right near the window and looked over Michigan Ave while enjoying the 3 year jamon serrano, chorizo cantimpalo, palacios iberico chorizo as well as the De Carne Paella. I love how they cook the paella and crisp up the bottom, this is my favorite part. The service was also great and our waiter made sure to check in but also allowed us to enjoy our meal uninterrupted. would highly recommend as a tapas restaurant downtown. read more

Great place for breakfast/brunch. Truly enjoyed their food. Coffee is good too! Service is good - they could be a little friendlier, but not bad at all. Would love to try their dinner next time we are in town. read more

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Their food is fantastically wonderful it is awesome tasting. It's homemade handmade for Mexican cooks. It's awesome.

Had the dinner for 2 where the courses are designed to have you sample a dish from each section of their menu. This was a PERFECT choice, as it was a STRUGGLE to understand the menu. Of the courses, we only enjoyed 4 of them. Lastly, dessert came (My fav course Obvio)..and it was a plate of CHURROS, huge let down. Anyways, I definitely recommend y'all come for the chill ambiance, vibe and cute decor, not so much for the food. read more

I'm not usually a fan of eating at the hotel restaurant. However due to timing and Marriott breakfast vouchers. It happened- well.... I'm sad this is my last morning here. They have Paella!! But not for breakfast. The meal was delicious!! Great presentation, service, and the decor is beautiful!! read more

Mercat a la Planxa - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is a pretty restaurant inside the Blackstone hotel. Nice vibe and spacious dining room with enough room in between the tables. Menu is tapas and paella. We had the sangria for cocktails and really enjoyed it, particularly the rosé one. The tapas were generally larger than we anticipated. All said, the food was good, not great. We had the pan con tomate, which was very good, and the fava bean salad, which was a bit spicy for my taste. The manchego cheese came with a few grapes but no bread or toast to accompany it. Mussels were quite good, but the papas bravas seemed a bit too creamy and very hot (temperature hot!). Gambas (shrimp) came in a generous portion but with lots and lots of garlic. Other items - croquetas and empanadas - were fine. The churros for dessert were a bit undercooked. Service was fine but oddly timed. The tapas came very fast at the beginning of the meal and all at once. Then it took a us a while to be able to order and get the dessert. This is a convenient option if you're staying at the hotel, but not a particularly memorable meal. read more

Absolutely outstanding! The food was truly unique and delicious, the service was great. The restaurant is open and lofty, very beautiful, and comfortable. A great ambience. I would wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant! read more

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Giving 5 stars based on the food and not truly on service - both visits while staying were 'fine.' The bar tender seemed less than thrilled to wait on me as I only ordered an app and dessert my first visit and my second visit just dessert. Perhaps it's because i didn't order drinks? Nonetheless not worth it to dwell on it - the food was delicious. I ordered the patatas bravas which was a huge portion for an appetizer! Big chunks of potatoes with the right spiciness sauce wise. For dessert both visits I got the cheesecake which was very very good if you're in to a ricotta style cheesecake - which I am, so good for me! read more

Mercat a la Planxa - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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If you are looking for quality tapas, Mercat has to be on your list. Every plate that we tried was outstanding. I can't believe that I'm raving about a salad but their ensalate verde is outstanding. The anchovy dressing cut through the crispy lettuce and sweet peas. We had the octopus and shrimp from the seafood section - again fabulous. The shrimp was juicy and flavorful and the grilled octopus had just the right amount of bite in it. The ribeye steak and lamp chops were perfectly cooked and seasoned perfectly. The large seafood paella was enough to feed 6 comfortably and was generous with ingredients. The only thing that they could do is replace the plates more often. Ours weren't replaced at all which was a pain as prawn shells and mussel shells were piling up. Nevertheless, in terms of food, give this place a try. You won't regret it. read more

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**Disclaimer: this review is for drinks only. Mercat a la Planxa is a tapas restaurant located inside The Blackstone. I stayed here during my recent trip to Chicago, and while I did not have a meal here, I did patron the bar a few times for drinks before heading out for the evening. The restaurant itself is the sole food source in the hotel, and is open daily at 4 for drinks and 5 for dinner. From what I can gather, Mercat serves Spanish food in tapas style. The restaurant is very spacious with a mixture of medium wood tones and a dark blue color scheme. The high ceilings and large windows give the space a very open feel. The bar is situated on one of the side walls and has adequate seats for a few parties to sip - maybe 15 to 20 seats at most. Their signature cocktail is the Mercat G&T which is a gin-based drink with hibiscus syrup and rosemary garnish. The drink was quite good - it was large and super refreshing. Some of their other standout cocktails for me were the El Choque, Cadiz, and the La Apologia - all of them were refreshing and just strong enough. Service was good - the bartenders were friendly and efficient. There was a large wedding party at the bar during one of the evenings I was sipping but the staff made sure we were all taken care of. Overall, I Mercat was a great spot for me to grab a drink and relax before heading out for the evening. Reviews of the food seem to be good, so I would consider dining here if I find myself in Chicago again. read more

Mercat a la Planxa - El Choque and Mercat G&T - most refreshing - Tapas Bars Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

3 of us stopped for a light dinner and in the past we have really enjoyed the food, but this time things weren't so exciting. The olives were so small it was hard to eat them, the shrimp was nice and spicy, the Croquettes of ham were ok, the bacon wrapped dates were good, but the grilled octopus was chewy and uneatable. Our server, Chris, was attentive and the room is very comfortable. Just a so so meal. read more

This was a great find situated in the The Blackstone Hotel. The decor is modern yet has a bit of a Catalan flair. The service was impeccable from start to finish. I went with coworkers and we ordered a variety of tapas to share. The bacon wrapped dates were good and the Croquetes de Jamon authentic and tasty. The Pan Con Tomate was served topped with red wine vinegar and Ibérico ham. While good, I prefer it without the vinegar like I ate it when I was in Spain. The Spanish Omelette (Tortilla Española) was good, but definitely needed the saffron crème as it was a bit plain without it. The Gambas Al Ajillo were simply fantastic. Dip the toasted bread in the garlic sauce and savor every bite! We ordered a small Paella de Mariscos and the seafood was amazing. The rice got a bit dry, but I'm convinced that's due to the size. The larger portion would have cooked better. It still has an excellent flavor. The only dish that was a miss was the Pulpo Con Patatas (octopus with sweet potato). While I normally enjoy this dish, the flavors were here a bit bland and the octopus a bit too tough. For my cocktail I ordered the Mercat G&T. A unique gin and tonic with persimmon and hibiscus flavors. Overall this was a great dining experience. If you love authentic Spanish tapas you need to give Mercat a try! read more

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Came down for a glass of wine an few times while here and the bartender was less than friendly. I saw other people speak to him and he didn't acknowledge them, same as my experience. Service makes or breaks a place, and I would not be compelled to return. read more

This is a solid spot for great Spanish food! We got the PAELLA CATALANA, which I highly recommend getting a paella. Worth it and easily the best thing on the menu. Also got a number of cold and hot tapas which were mostly really good. Ambiance and service was top notch and location is great on Michigan Ave near Grant Park. Highly recommend. read more