Everyone in our party really enjoyed the food and the ambiance. The service was also excellent. We will be returning for sure!

This place is not going to be like walking into a restaurant in Spain, but it's amazing nonetheless. First off the food is extremely reasonably priced. Everything is basically under $10. If you want a pitcher of Sangria, it's less than $20 and less than $4 for just a glass. The servers are always friendly, and the kitchen is pretty fast. I suggest the queso de cabra and the empanadilla- they're both phenomenal. Besides that, nothing can steer you wrong. It's a great place. read more

Tapas Barcelona - Empanadilla - Spanish Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

First- sangria, and Spanish margarita =amazing Second- meatball, goat cheese, octopus, Third- Miguel the server is outstanding. Sold us on everything and we loved it. Fourth- lovely location. And Maria the owner checked in on us- she is the nicest person ever. read more

The best tasting food ever in small quantities so you never get overstuffed and so many choices. We love this place. The wait staff are always extremely courteous and quick. We love this place and their take out is fast too. Highly recommend. read more

Always reliably good food and service, and a high-energy environment great for groups.

We really enjoyed our visit to Tapas Barcelona. The Food was so good, the round table was just perfect for our party of 7 and Miguel, our waiter, was awesome. We love the Spanish ambiance here and will come back the next time we are in town! read more

Service was great, food was flavored well. We tried a variety of tapas dishes from cold and hot options. They also had a great variety of beverages, and specials. There is indoor & outdoor seating options, its nice to sit outside on a beautiful night. read more

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Grilled octopus - was a bit sour. Seafood Risotto - not authentic Spanish food but taste was acceptable. I don't recommend this dish. Not sure why they didn't give us butter with bread for delivery. And their service fee is pretty high (over 20%) read more

Great restaurant that made me feel like I was back in Barcelona! I love the tapas there! All the dishes are flavorful and filled with lots of fresh ingredients. I love how it's paced and paella is legit! I like Catalan style dishes and they represent them well! It can get busy in dinner time so a reservation ahead of time is a must! They serve sangria in a ceramic pitcher that made me think of Spain. I love the details of the restaurant and how the music is modern but themed. A great date place to enjoy many small tapas. If you love seafood tapas then you'll enjoy it here. Make sure you try Serrano ham! That's a must. Barcelona is alive in this place and I would go back there again soon! My girlfriend loved this place for a romantic evening. read more

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So yummy the bread the olive oil was great. I really enjoyed the ribeye. The waiters were really sweet. The empanada was ok, the puff was great but I'm not a fan of the goat filling(personal taste). read more

After a long day at the beach, we decided to patronize this restaurant as we had a taste for Spanish inspired tapas. Even though there was an impending rain storm coming in, we opted to sit outside because it looked like it would go around us. It did. However, the service here was inexcusably poor due to our specific waiter. We ordered a bottle of wine based on his recommendation and a few appetizers. That went decently. The second time he came outside, we ordered several other dishes and another bottle. That was THE LAST time we saw him. The food came out without the bottle of wine, the water was not refilled, and we wanted to order a few more dishes. But try as we might we were unable to find him. Almost an hour later, he comes outside and asks if we're ready for the check? At this point, I had to ask him why we hadn't seen him in so long especially when every other table outside was receiving EXCELLENT service by other staff members. His excuse was that he had received 6 tables indoors and couldn't make it out! This was quite the statement as I didn't realize that one part of the restaurant was more important than another? At this point, he pretended to be apologetic, excused himself from responsibility and ran the card. The food/drinks were great when we were able to order them. And I know in this uncertain climate, people are struggling to staff. However, we were almost begging to spend more money with this guy and he was simply not interested in tending to his customers. read more

For very good Tapas and to not want to drive downtown, this is the perfect place for you. I have been here in several occassions and to date have never had a bad experience. I am very happy with how my last visit turned out as they were able to accommodate a bachelorette dinner of 18! My cousin, the bachelorette, was more than happy that everyone (vast majority of whom were trying Tapas for the first time, including bachelorette) enjoyed the food and themselves last Saturday night. Parking was not difficult at all and prices are reasonable. Service was great! They sat us within a few minutes of our reservation and all was good until the end, we didn't feel rushed to leave. It's a great location a few blocks from Purple line and Metra and down the block from the Library and Northwestern University. read more

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A reasonably priced tapas place with cheap sangria, so I thought I would give it a try. First of all, the Sangria (both white and red) were sorely disappointing. They tasted like watered down wine with ice. This is a tapas place...how can you mess up sangria?! The service was quick and attentive. We were able to dine Al fresco on the patio which was nice on a beautiful day. We ordered a cold chicken stuffed with red peppers and spinach dish (meh), tuna cannelloni (good) and shrimp in buttery garlic sauce (yummy especially using the bread to soak up the butter). This place could be so much better if they worked on their sangria! read more

Tapas Barcelona - Spanish Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

Food is awesome. Come with a group, and order many small dishes. Any 2 items on the menu will go great together! Staff also courteous, great service. Easily one of the best restaurants in town. read more

Visited this place two times this summer and both times I had great experience. Service is fast and friendly. Great menu full of small plates, appetizers and snacks Recommendations: - Bacon wrapped dates, - catalan potatoes (if you like spicy) They have plenty of patio and bar seats. Interior Easy street parking. read more

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The service was fantastic. They were so accommodating and kind. Our food (4 plates) came out really quick. The chicken, steak, and seafood were all delicious. The sauces were so good! I would definitely go back (and plan to)! read more

This place blew any expectation I had out of the water. I didn't really know what to expect when I first came, but holy cow was the flavor just there!! I really enjoyed the octopus, croquettes, and the rigatoni. Unbelievable flavor combinations. There was such an amazing balance in every dish, I really can't even begin to explain it. You really do have to go and try it out. With all of the amazing dishes we had, I do have to say, absolutely did NOT get the Paella. I really don't recommend getting it, not even a little bit. We couldn't even finish a bite, and sent it back. We ended up still paying for it, because it's a $20 dish, and after Covid it was the socially responsible thing to do. Support your small businesses, and be extra kind. But PLEASE do yourself a favor and skip that one dish. Everything else I really can't even begin to describe how delicious it was. I mean really masterfully crafted dishes. So go and eat your heart out!!! read more

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Visited twice and left satisfied with the tapas. I don't think I'd go out of the way to return. Everything was fine but nothing was craveable. Service was lacking both times. I understand the idea behind tapas being to snack at a relaxed pace. However, taking ten minutes after the waitress already has our credit card is a little much. What we had in both visits: Cold Olives - good flavor and portion Potato Salad - alright but nothing extremely different than $2/lb potato salad that you get in grocery stores with garlic added. Asparagus - like everything about this dish, just wish there was more of it. 5 stalks of asparagus, one whole slice of tomato & two slices avocado Hot Grilled octopus - very good dish. Tender and great flavor. Even the greens that came with this were delicious. Winner Dates wrapped with bacon - My favorite. Ordered on both visits. I think the sauce complimented the dates well. A true umami bomb. Fried shrimp and calamari - breading didn't stick to calamari. Only had one shrimp. Well seasoned and I liked that it wasn't normal rings. Mussels - plentiful amount. Thought the lemon complimented the mussels well. Used the bread to sop up the sauce. read more

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I still will go here occasionally. But for a tapas restaurant, it's Forsure bottom of the barrel. Food is all pretty mid compared to cafe ba-ba-reeba and others. read more

We loved our food. Tried lots of good things. Service was chaotic. Don't know if that's ordinary. Would definitely go back.

Our server, a guy, was so funny and sweet. Very attentive but let us have our space. The hostess who sat us rubbed us both the wrong way. Maybe she was having a bad day. Anyway the food was delicious. The snails were so delicious. And so was the squid. My bf liked the sangria but I lived my specialty cocktails. read more

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Wow just wow. we have been wanting to try this place out and so happy we did. They answered the phone and took our to go order faster than any other place in town which is a great start. There are so many options to choose from but we couldn't decide so we went with the abondigas family meal. When order I came across a squid dish that looked amazing so we added it on along with half a pitcher of sangria. Wow we got way to much food for two people let along four and will have food for days now. It felt so homey and tasty. Every bite was full of flavor. The family meal came with fresh bread, salad with tons of veggies and a light dressing, meatballs, peas, and pasta. It is supposed to feed four and easily does. We absolutely loved the squid and the sauce it came in. We liked up every last bite. The sangria also did not dissapoint and was one if the best around. Overall this meal was amazing and we can't wait to go back again and try all if their other foods read more

Tapas Barcelona - Cutest sangria packaging. It was soo good we forgot to take a picture - Spanish Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

I was looking for a casual fun tapas place, and this place was certainly a good place for this purpose. Among the tapas I had, croquetas were certainly the best. read more

We used to love this restaurant. The last few visits, within the past year, the food was mediocre, very slow service, and under staffed.

Me and my wife went here following a horrible experience at Tapas Gitana in Northfield. Do not go there. Was so bad However I ended up happy about the experience at the other place as this place was absolutely. Great food great service. I highly recommend!,, read more

One of my favorite places in Evanston. Went there recently for the first time since December 2019, and it was just as good. The fried calamari was actually better -- amazingly soft and chewy inside and crisp on the outside. Crab and avocado salad is also delicious. I've tried nearly everything on the menu over the years, and they are all good. Outdoor seating is ordinary but sufficient. read more

Tapas Barcelona is a solid place to get some reliable Spanish small plates in Evanston. It is a pretty tiny restaurant / bar that has an expansive menu. The decor is pretty boring - I can't honestly recall anything of interest in the dining area. The staff was decent, but they didn't seem to attentive despite being pretty empty on a weeknight. Food came out quickly, but refills on water and drinks had to be requested after a long wait. We tried a variety of tapas on our visit and they were all decent. The standout was the mussels a la plancha. It was 10 or so mussels served on a sizzling skillet with some herbs - delicious! The grilled octopus was also delightful! The large portion of perfectly cooked seafood was dressed with a great sauce. The steak and croquettes were kind of a let down. The steak was pretty flavorless without the sauce and tasted overcooked. The ham croquettes (daily special) were nothing to speak of, but again were saved by the sauce. The jamon y tomatoes wasn't that great either, but I am a sucker for charcuterie. My wife had the sangria and a red wine and said both were pretty good. Prices here were the shocker! We got 5 tapas, 2 drinks and tip for around $60. They are priced right for being right near a major University. If you are in the area check this place out, but I wouldn't make another special trip to Evanston for the food or ambiance here. read more

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This is very authentic tapas. In fact, except that the plates are larger, it is extremely similar to Tapa Tapa in Barcelona. I tried the ceviche, the asparagus, the grilled squid and the grilled mussels. The ceviche was my favorite. It's a fully cooked version, and the shrimp and squid were tender, and the diced peppers and onions nicely marinated. The grilled mussels, served like fajitas, were also good. The wine pours are a bit small for the price, but the dessert coffees at $3.95 make up for it. Try the Matador, which has Spanish vanilla liqueur in it. Service is a bit uneven, but if you're not in a hurry that's okay. The place is very busy; it was packed on the Tuesday night I went, so that could account for it. The outside dining area is very nice on a warm evening. read more

Tapas Barcelona - Entrance through the garden - Spanish Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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I don't know what we just ate....the food doesn't seem like it was made today, the quality was very bad and nothing tasted good. We tried the bow-tie pasta with chicken tapas, the fried shrimp and calamari tapas, the rib-eye with veggies tapas (I'm pretty sure it wasn't rib-eye) and a couple others I forgot what they were and nothing tasted good. It's just bad quality and bad flavor. read more

Went back a second time and it was just as good. I got the grilled squid which was just as good as the grilled octopus, along with artichokes, ceviche, calamari, and goat cheese. The service is so good. Everyone who works there is welcoming, kind, and attentive. I can't wait to come back. read more

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After taking Spanish for 5 years and learning about culture/food/etc, I've always wanted to visit Spain and go on a food adventure. Now, given that I'm a poor college student, this isn't feasible quite yet, so I was really excited to see a Spanish restaurant close to campus. I don't have a frame of reference, so can't tell how authentic the food is, but I enjoyed it for the most part. One complaint was the bread they served at the beginning - hardest, most tasteless bread I've ever been served. Only enjoyed it by dousing it with balsamic vinegar. Another disappointment was the paella. This is something I've been really wanting to try, and after a 30 minute wait and becoming $20 poorer, I was disappointed... the chicken was really dry and overall the paella didn't have much flavor. It was salty and oily, but the flavor wasn't too enjoyable. I'll go back because I enjoy tapas-style dining, but not lovin' it. read more

I would have rated this restaurant 4 stars except for the fact that at 5:30 on a Saturday there was no ceviche and no chocolate. This is a fairly serious problem for a business that claims to be a restaurant. It may be time to hire what other restaurants have called a prep cook and perhaps do a better job at ordering. Other than that, it was good. The mussels were a little tough, but not bad. Probably the best tapa was the jicama salad. The goat cheese was bland. The eggplant was delicious. We had to salt the caprese salad, which probably means it needs some more flavor. The flan that we had instead of the chocolate mousse this place can't manage to keep in stock was good. Next time I might call in advance to see what items the restaurant actually has in stock. read more

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Genuine tapas of Spain and Barcelona. A very good selection of small plates to share. The service was efficient and polite The ambiance fits a tapas restaurant read more

As someone who spent a few years living in Spain and several trips to Barcelona, it was nice to find this little gem in Evanston. The style of the restaurant gives you a Spanish vibe without being over bearing and gimmicky. We stopped by this restaurant on a Saturday evening after leaving the movies without reservations. Apparently that's somewhat unheard of because the hostess seemed astounded that we didn't have a reservation. Tip # 1: Make a reservation if it's a weekend. You will have to wait. We were quoted about 45 min-1 hour and waited about that time to be seated. While we waited we hung out at the bar. Our bartender was super friendly and personable even though he was the only one and pretty slammed. When we moved to our table our server was nice enough but seemed a bit rushed, the additional support staff were very involved which helped make up for our rushed server. Drink: Spanish margarita was delicious! I had two Food: Food was good but lacked a bit of flavor. We ordered a variety of tapas: lamp chops, grilled chicken, garlic shrimp and muscles. The muscles were served on a really cool skillet! Overall, I enjoyed the tapas because I enjoyed the experience but, there were no standout items that I can recall (I also didn't hate anything). If you'd like a nice a glass of wine, nice ambiance, pretty good service and decent food then you'll like this place. If your goal is gourmet tapas then you might want to search elsewhere. I would return for the reasons I mentioned above. Sometimes it's more about the vibes than the food. read more

My boyfriend and I come here for a date night. I have to say... if you prefer a rather romantic atmosphere, this is not the place you are looking for. But it will be a perfect fit for a dinner with your friends! The waiters here are extremely friendly and helpful. He even corrected me the pronunciation on certain dishes lol. I start by a glass of sangria. On the menu, it is said to be "secret recipe." And it's truly phenomenal! I try it with white wine, instead of the regular red option. The white wine really goes while with the subtle citrus flavor. I would have refilled the glass if I didn't have 2 assignments due tonight hahaha. Because there is only two of us, we only order a seafood paella and two other tapas. This is another reason why it would be better if you come with a larger crowd -- you can get to taste more dishes lol! The grilled vegetables well absorb the flavor of vinaigrette. The tomato tastes the best among all. It has a perfect balance between sweet, sour, and savory. I nearly finish the plate by myself. As for the grilled baby octopus, it is for sure the best dish of the night for both of us. The octopus is cooked to perfection -- it is cooked through but not rubbery at all. And each piece has a slightly charred tip, which really adds another layer flavor to the dish. It's just... AMAZING!!! The sauce is nice as well, with vinaigrette as its base. The paella is a bit let down... to be honest. Maybe it's the first two tapas that raises my expectation for this dish. The rice is a little overcooked and on the wetter side. I am also kind of disappointed that I don't find a crust on the bottom, which at least to me is like the real essence. I may come back later with my friends to try some other tapas. But I may avoid the paella dishes. Overall, a fantastic place for social gathering! read more

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1615 Chicago Ave Evanston, IL., (847) 866-9900, tapasbarcelona.com Sun. 5-9pm, Mon.-Thurs. 5-10pm,  Fri. & Sat. 11:30am-2:30pm, 5-11pm Oct. 1, 2021 - Q Tips say: Our good bye visit to Tapas B. till next Spring. We like small plates (tapas). Was busy. Delicious food & all at an affordable price. Indoor/outdoor dining. I had my Old Fashion & the other half had a Margarita. We shared several small plates: Lomo de Cerdo al Pedro Ximenez - Grilled Pork Tenderloin with roasted potatoes and peppers dry sherry sauce. Gambas Al Ajillo - Sautéed shrimp with a garlic sauce. Queso de Cabra Con Tomato - Goat Cheese in a tomato sauce with garlic bread. read more

This is a fun restaurant for a group dinner with friends or family! This place is relatively well priced- $10-15 tapas, sangria by the pitchers and several $20-30 bottles of wine! We got probably a dozen tapas with our group of 6 but our favorites were goat cheese and Tomato with bread tapa and the bacon wrapped dates. The sea food dishes including the salmon and the mussels were just ok. The paella was pretty good as well. The vibe of the restaurant was Great!! Warm, red Spanish inspired interior makes you feel like you are far away from Evanston. The service was friendly, attentive and helpful. They did take reservations and were pretty flexible when I changed times and number in my party. It's definitely something different and has a fun celebratory vibe. I will definitely make a return trip. read more

Tapas Barcelona - Seafood paella - Spanish Near Me - Evanston, Illinois

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The most tender and fresh tasting meat. Great ambience, staff is always friendly and checking in with you, you can also find parking. From their Croquettes, patatas bravas, salmon with asparagus beef tenderloin with caramelized onions and horse radish, garlic shrimp and more..! Everything was perfect! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants. The tapas are good. The sangria is great. And the service is exceptional. It's fun to order small plates and try new things. They always have a few specials. And they have a huge variety of hot and cold tapas as well as soups, salads, and pallea. read more

I went to Tapas Barcelona with a friend a while ago, so this review is what I remember of the restaurant. Here we go: Ambience: We went during lunch time so it was not crowded. There a nice art work on the wall. Service: The wait staff was good but it really should be good if you only had one couple in the restaurant. Food: The food was good. As you expect, tapas are small plates so portion sizes were obviously small. We had 2 potato dishes. The first one we ordered was called potatas alioli. It tasted like potato salad. Presentation of this dish came tobus like a mini cylinder that was standing up. Basically it was pushed through a ring mold. It was okay but not really special. I think it needed some salt (my own preference). The other potato dish we had, was the potatas bravas. It was fried potato cubes with a sauce. It was my favorite of the potato dishes we ordered. We ordered this eggplant roll. It was a thinly sliced eggplant stuffed with a creamy stuffing. It tasted nice but not that filling. Next is a garlic shrimp. The shrimp had a garlic olive oil with some slice red chili peppers. It was a good dish but made better when the waiter brought us some bread to dip into the garlic oil. The last dish we got was a cold chicken dish. When we got to the restaurant, they just opened. So we were told that they did not have any of the cold chicken dishes yet. We ended up ordering the pincho de pollo dish. It laid on top of some sliced red pepper and onion. It also had a mayonnaise-type sauce. To my recollection, it was okay. It was moist when I ate it but seemed like I had more peppers and onion than meat. Overall: I would recommend trying this restaurant. Since I eat a lot, might not be ideal for me since I might break my bank trying to get full. They do have other things that looked pretty good. It is a nice place to try different items with a friend. read more

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