Little Madrid Tapas Cafe

A+ on ALL accounts! Food was FANTASTIC- I don’t even consider myself the biggest fan of spanish food but Little Madrid was incredible- of the 6 different dishes we had, 5 were phenomenal and the other was still quite good. The service was absolutely fantastic too! Definitely recommend this place, especially for date night.

We had dinner here and my favorite dish was the grilled octopus. Shrimp was very good too. Sangria was delicious. The best part of this place is the ambience. Our waitress was fantastic and she cut meat in front of us and served it complimentary. This is small and intimate. Francisco is very warm and welcoming. I loved how they spoke Spanish. Will return.

Amazing Evening. Manager Susi was so welcoming and very caring for offering the best service and server Fernando was phenomenal. Beautiful atmosphere, amazing delicious and so fresh food. Totally espectacular. 100% recommended.

Amazing experience. Went there to celebrate a special ocasion and it was perfect. Driving from Toronto to Chicago and it was worth it 100%. Food taste AMAZING Service IMPECABLE Ambient PERFECT Portions are generous Our recommendations: Croquetas de Jamón Iberico (they come 3 by plate) Pulpo a la plancha Queso de cabra (my favourite of all) Patatas bravas (these are huge) Non alcoholic sangria (but you can always by the wint in the store in front). Paella with squid ink Music was amazing but we could still talk about everything. Plates came put fast. 10/10 definiteñy will come back.

Incredible from start to finish. The meatballs and paella were our favorite, but we did not have a bad dish. Really good service as well!

Perfect spot for last minute dinner, although reservations aren't need larger parties i would highly recommend making reservation. Food is perfectly portioned, and all was delicious.

What a delightful experience! The ambiance of the restaurant and warmth of the staff whisks you to Madrid. The setting is small and intimate, yet smartly arranged for a surprisingly large number of tables. There is also a long high top near the entrance where I could imagine different parties bumping elbows and making new friends, all the while eating and sharing their BYOB Spanish wines. We were seated directly in front of the register where we experienced the buzz of the kitchen and pudding being carmelized tableside, filling the room with an aromatic haze. We started with Croquetas de Pollo, which were large and creamy. The Albondigas, a house favorite, arrived next. Our table immediately grew silent as the flavors of this dish commanded our attention. The meatballs were accompanied by spanish fries, which provided the perfect amount of saltiness to complement the meat. This was easily our favorite of the evening. The Corte Little Madrid was next, with a varienty of Spanish meats and cheeses beautifully presented on a large board that appeared to be cut from a tree stump. No space was spared atop the board. The Euro Bacon was crispy on the outside and full of flavor and juicy on the inside. They were not at all chewy as a lot of places make them. The Patatas Bravioli were also crispy on the outside, which held the potato cubes firm while covered in the aioli and spicy paprika sauces. We finally ended our evening of tapas with the churros. They were tasty, firm, and came with a rich chocolate sauce. While the dishes were a little more expensive than what I have experienced in Spain, I believe the quality of the food here is absolutely worth it. You get what you pay for; and at Little Madrid Tapas Cafe, you get an authentic slice of Spain in our little corner of Chicago.

The food was incredible! We went after the lunchrush had died down, a little after 2pm and didn’t have to wait long for our food. The place was clean and tidy too.

This place is amazing! Tucked in our neighborhood, Andersonville, how we have not been here before, I have no idea. Very authentic Spanish tapas. Intimate atmosphere. Kind and inviting staff. We will be back.

I went for my birthday and it was lovely. The red walls, dimmed lights and top shelf customer service made the ambience really top notch. The food was 10 stars! We ordered bacon wrapped dates, croquetas, and patatas bravas. For dessert we ordered almond cake and manchego cheesecake with candles on top. I also recommend Cava MM and cortados. Delicioso! 🇪🇸They made us both feel very special! I will be going back! CONS: - very hot 🥵 and smoky from a flan 🍮. Need to open the doors to air it out. - Only served the Cava (in a bag) to men. Include the ladies too!

Great food and service! The staff was very friendly and helpful. The large portions kept us from ordering a variety of dishes, so we need to return to sample more of the excellent tapas!

I live just a black a way… why i never Stopped by and dine here? Well finally! Absolutely the best. Food is great, service is the best. Ambience and music is like I am in Spain. Made me even more to visit Spain. Kudos to Juaquin, he did a great Job. Viva la Espania 🇪🇸

I enjoyed this restaurant for Easter with my mom. Authentic Spanish tapas. No complaints and friendly service.

Neighborhood gem for Spanish tapas. Intimate or small groups for sure. Special occasions to take loved ones. The gambas, croquettas, pulpo and paella you should try.

Omg! What an amazing experience, the food was superb, but the service was even better! Our server Manuel was one step ahead of the game, his knowledge was on point. The dishes he recommended were so delicious. So sorry we didn’t take any pictures of the food, we didn’t have time, the plates were empty really quick. Amazing wine and even got some complementary cava because was our anniversary. Can wait to come back to try more food.

The potatoes, mussels, meatballs, and croquettes were the clear highlights among the tapas for me. I’d skip the cheese platter. The ambiance felt like I was exactly in Madrid, and one time a guy came around and poured wine down everyone’s throats.. yeah kinda cool. The dishes that were good were really really good, but not every dish is on that level.

We loved everything about this place!!! Especially the paella. We tried the sangria and the Madrid on the Rocks drink, both were refreshing, and they truly made me feel like I was in Madrid.

went for happy hour brunch on a saturday and it was a wonderful experience. ended up paying ~40 per person for quite a lot of food with drinks. the food was delicious and our server was very helpful with recommendations. brunch paella is a must. also really enjoyed the euro bacon, patatas alioli, and spanish tortilla as well, but everything we had was delicious. very excited to revisit for the brunch paella again!

Wish I could give service 10 stars. This is my favorite place in chicago for tapas. The waitstaff are always so welcoming and helpful, and celebrate special occasions with us well. Food is incredible and the experience exceeds expectations every time

It was our first experience we didn’t have much idea about Spanish food but our server had been so helpful.He recommend us delicious food.Everything was amazing 👌

On Saturday evening, we dined at Little Madrid Tapas Cafe with some friends visiting from out of town. Our friends had recently returned from Seville, Spain and were amazed at the authenticity of both the food and the drinks. Everything about the evening was perfect - the service, the attention to detail, the dishes (the croquettes and the stuffed dates were off the charts amazing!) Also, the Sangria was on par with what our friends enjoyed in Spain. But the highlight was the service throughout the evening. We felt constantly cared for but never rushed. If we had questions about drinks or the food samples were enthusiastically offered. Finally, the atmosphere was the icing on the cake for the evening. Straddling the line between intimate (perhaps romantic if you’re on a date) and energetic, the vibe at Little Madrid Tapas Cafe was wonderful. We had late reservations so towards the very end of the evening, the staff put on some festive music and wound their way through the room Conga Line style, serving free Bota style Sangria to all those who wanted to partake. Thanks again to the entire Team at Little Madrid Tapas Cafe for a a truly magical evening. Needless to say, we will be back!

I am the son of parents from Spain and we go to Little Madrid all the time because my parents say it is the best Spanish restaurant they have ever been to. We go very often because they love it and I love it too. The food is amazing and tastes like the food my grandparents make in Spain. I really like the croquettes and the tortilla because they are very yummy. The restaurant is nice and the people are very kind. We always leave happy and want to come back again. It is my favorite restaurant and my parents’ favorite too.

Highly recommended. We had a delicious meal here for restaurant week. I’m not usually a big fan of meatballs but the albondigas have converted me! The atmosphere is warm and the vibe is fun. Fantastic sangria. Get the churros for dessert - you won’t regret.

The food was absolutely phenomenal!!! I can’t wait to bring my daughter here for her birthday soon ❤️ The service was excellent as well from the very second we walked in! Thank you so much to our wonderful sweet servers Rodri and Ofelia for everything 😉

A true standout in Chicago’s dining scene. Authentic Spanish tapas that are perfect for sharing, excellent wine and sangria, and an ambiance that instantly feels like a little trip to Spain without leaving the city. Every dish is full of flavor and beautifully done and the service makes you feel right at home. The owner and manager are fantastic and made the whole experience even more special. A must-visit for anyone who loves great food and good vibes!

We really enjoyed the food! The intimate seeing was very nice for a couple and the service was really great. The croquettes were AMAZING and the eggplant stood out as a flavor profile I didn't expect buy loved. The salad was also a favorite. We got 6 dishes for 2 people and left with a few leftovers. The portions are very fair for the price.

This restaurant is such a hidden gem in Chicago. The food is phenomenal and very authentic. The ambiance is cozy and romantic. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive. It felt like walking into a cafe in Madrid and being met by old friends. Will definitely be going back.

Me and my som went yesterday and we had some of our best experiences in food. This concept of tapas is amazing, if you have the opportunity to go, you have to try albóndigas and paella definitely

Insanely authentic. Best tapas I've had outside of Spain in the last 25 years-and I lived there for months! Even better than highly rated restaurants in Barcelona. I hope Michelin is paying attention to this place. The staff was incredible and went out of their way to accommodate our ruckus party of six. What an experience-what a birthday!!! I can't wait to go back!

We came here after the remodel and were the 2nd table to eat in the new space. They did a great job with the design. The space is beautiful and inviting! The food was great, everything we had was delicious. Our server was so kind too. Can’t wait to go back!

We had a great date night experience at Little Madrid. I have celiac disease and follow a strict gluten free diet. The staff was knowledgeable about safely preparing GF food. The menu denotes which items are GF. Our fantastic waiter also mentioned that they could modify many other items to be gluten free. I should note, I purposely made a reservation for a time when they wouldn't be super busy. I recommend this if you have strict dietary requirements - less likely for kitchen mistakes. On to the food! Since the kitchen had time, they were able to modify the fried calamari to make it gluten free! It's very hard to find GF fried calamari, so I was elated! The calamari was perfectly cooked. The grilled octopus was fantastic. I also recommend the Gambas Al ajillo and mussels!

We drove 1 hr 15 min just to try Little Madrid. We visited on a Friday night just before New Years Eve. Full disclosure, 30% of my reviews are Spanish restaurants in Spain. Please see my other reviews. I’ve eaten at many Spanish restaurants in the USA and Spain. I did a little research before eating here, we knew this was a small family owned restaurant with limited seating, which is why we chose to visit. Usually small family owned businesses have the best food, and this place didn’t disappoint. It was night when we arrived so it was very very dark inside with the lights overly dimmed. The menus were backlit just so you could read them. It was very difficult to read the text even being backlit. It was so dark, we had to use our phones to see what we were eating. The service was good, but the food took a long time to arrive, we waited awhile for even the tapas. We ordered a Pinxto, that arrived with the paella 45 min later. A pinxto is a smaller version of a tapa and we couldn’t understand why it would take so long. As for the food, it was definitely authentic Spanish food, felt like we were in a restaurant in Madrid. The Paella was very good but there wasn’t enough of it. The gambas al ajillo were overly salted but still tasted good, you only got 4 shrimp. The sangria was the real deal, the patatas bravas were also very good. The overall taste of everything was good, very authentic but the qty was little for what you pay. We left hungry after 4 tapas and a small paella de mariscó for two people. We enjoyed the restaurant but overall it was very expensive for the amount of food served. We remember the good old days of Cafe Ibérico where everything was inexpensive and you received a lot. Those days are long gone and so is Cafe Ibérico. One other point to mention is making reservations here. No one answers phones, you have to schedule a reservation online and wait for a return email to find out if it’s confirmed. You can’t really reach anyone to ask if they’re open, busy, etc. this place isn’t that busy that they can’t answer phones. Thought that was kinda weird.

Small place, but the food is great, have few tapas, gambas, pulpo, patatas and croquettes and let me say, it was really good, to was tasty, full of flavor and just right, the people here are friendly. The sangria was spot on, just like it should be, fruity, sweet and yummy.

Food is absolutely amazing and their bathrooms were extremely clean. The ambience in the restaurant was spectacular and I would give them six stars if the service wasn’t so bad. They have two people running the entire restaurant. The gentleman hung out at the back table, I’m assuming with his friends as the woman randomly checked on tables and wiped the bar. We needed things several times it was no one to help us. Again, I would come back for the food, but not the service.

TL;DR: The food and service don’t match the hype or the price. After reading so many glowing reviews, my boyfriend and I were excited to try this spot. Our first mistake was showing up at 8:30pm on a Monday. Even though the posted closing time was 10pm, we were told the kitchen closed at 9pm and were rushed to order. Also worth noting: paella isn’t available that late. I could’ve looked past these things if the food had been good—but it wasn’t. Food (pictured): • Patatas Aioli – Soft, not crispy, tasted reheated. Drenched in heavy mayo that congealed quickly. • Gambas al Ajillo – Six tiny, flavorless shrimp drowning in oil, with four pieces of light garlic, untoasted bread. This was our waiter’s “favorite dish,” and a total letdown. Food (not pictured): • Croquetas de Pollo – Overly greasy, with the same aioli as the potatoes. Needed acidity to balance it out. • Albondigas (meatballs) – sauce was good but overall forgettable. • Berenjenas a la Malagueña (eggplant) – The one highlight of the night. Definitely order this if you come here. Overall, between the rushed service and subpar food, it just didn’t live up to the price or the praise. Won’t be back

A new Tapas place on Clark that still trying to get into their groove. Francisco (the owner and chef) has wonderful passion and customer service which was fantastic to see in a new small business. This made up for the tapas which didn't live up to my expectations. Euro bacon was my favorite dish. Yet, the patatas bravas were not crispy enough and was a little heavy on the paprika. They were understaffed due to issues outside of their control. Overall I walked away with a great experience; however, more focus needs to be on making amazing small plates. Definitely willing to try Little Madrid in the future after some of the kinks are worked out.

The food that we got was tasty and authentic. Nice wine and drink list. However, the service was terrible. They forgot one item completely, and they clearly made our paella after we had to ask for it again. Our table neighbors never received theirs. There was confusion between the waitstaff on table service, which added to the delays. Our meal Of appetizers and paella took nearly 3 hours. The music was great but WAY too loud; we had to ask for it to be turned down twice, to allow for any conversation. They clearly need additional, highly trained staff. I hope they work out the kinks.

As a Spaniard, I never been more ashamed of the use of my own culture that what I felt coming to try this “restaurant”. And I have a handful of reasons to prove it: 1. The decoration. That text on the wall that says “Little Madrid” in BIG Times New Roman it’s just comedy. This is not a tapas bar (the first lie) this is a darkly lights tryhard “fancy” looking restaurant with not even a real piece of decoration from my country, not even any vibe of Spain with these awful money heist masks hanging on the wall and the repetitive “minimalistic” cheap decorations around that doesn’t remind to anything I’ve seen in my own country. The guitar sitting on a chair with a dime light in the back add more sense of absurdism to the yet no sense of decoration of the scene. The bathrooms are clean and nice, at least. 2. The food. Cheap ingredients sell like they are cuisine from my country made by people that doesn’t know anything about my country. This is a mantra that every Spanish restaurant in USA repeats: the frozen croquetas, the frozen shrimp al “pil pil” that is not even spicy, crusted patatas bravas that doesn’t melt in your mouth as they should… Im glad I don’t even try the paella. This is just a moniker of what Spanish food really is, and repeats all the cliches without any sense of what the food of my country is: putting entire rosemary in every plate doesn’t make it “spanish”. 3. The staff: As most of the many fake Mediterranean restaurants that are on this country this place is ruled by… nobody. I went out feeling real pity for an inexpert staff without a leadership or direction, they don’t have the fault of not having any authority or commanding voice in this place. They just can do what they do; being nice and trying to get by another day in this boat that obviously is in the process of sinking. 4. The prices. Well at this point any of this food is obviously worth the price. We had lucky to enter in a happy hour of “pintxos” (basque for tapas that they use without knowing of the real word) that put the tapas to 5$ dollar each, the only good about the experience it was a bit cheap… with a reason. 5. Why you sell this is a bar? It’s obviously a gentrified restaurant version of a bar with dark lights, not use of the bar at all. Never feel like in a real restaurant either: just a bunch of obviously amateur people trying to sell the food of my country when they have no idea of what it really is. A message to the owner: Please, go on another trip to Spain, but get out of the touristic fake places of downtown Madrid and find a real Spanish bar in the city and learn from it how to reform this restaurant ambience and decoration completely from the ground. Get a real Spanish chef if you want to do some honor to the culture you re trying to sell and stop trying to be as cheap as possible. Or another cheaper way to solve it: close this place and make us a bigger favor.

The service is excelente.. But the food? unfortunately no. maybe being so dark place make the experience even harder to appreciate what are you eating. Some of our plates was cold and no a very originally flavor from España. And over price!

Really bad experience it took 2 hours to get serve almost all the food that we ordered for 2 people. Food taste good honestly it not bad the flavors. I’m from Spain so I can said is original. Honestly the waiter that we had was horrible after get serve the paella and some plates they forgot about us and no apology received for the delay. Thanks to Susi that help out us to get some plates out of the kitchen! But when the bill came they charge a plate that I didn’t received and since I was so frustrated I paid to don’t argue more with this waiter !!! We will see if I will show up again !