Place was nice. Service was good. It's just the food was okay. I think our favorite Tapas place is still the one up in Northfield (you can Google it), so that is my benchmark. I think the tapas here just lacked some imagination maybe? Here's my hot take. 1. Bacon wrapped dates in sauce - excellent and hard to mess up but you'd be surprised at some places 2. Cheese pizza - was for kids, soft and had ok taste, but really thick bread/crust and not my thing. Almost like cafeteria pizza. 3. Lamb chops - excellent. Was it lentils or cous cous? Idk but it was good! 4. Salmon and asparagus - it is what it said it was, but also expensive. 5. Patatas bravas - ok. Small potatoes and doused in spicy sauce. I would have preferred larger potatoes with texture and light sauce coating. I've had it other places this way; I think it's my preference. 6. Pan de tomate + jamon - laughably small pieces of crusty bread with tomato. Real thin cheese slices. Ham was ok. I was more excited than I think I should have been. 7. Lamb and chorizo empanada - again ok. My wife and so enjoyed the chocolate mousse. The arroz con leche was my dessert. Real shallow bowl and shallow serving. I get it is meant to be soupy, but it was presented the wrong way imo. Felt like when you're near finishing a bowl of cereal. Wife and I both had the same thought when we left which was we probably won't come back. For $155 it was not what we could get at our other favorite place for almost the same price. Sorry Evanston. It had ambiance tho! If you're into that.
Anlil G.
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!
EllenG
I have eaten at this restaurant MANY times over the past 20+ years and always enjoyed it, which made my experience last night even more disappointing. While the food, as always, was delicious (except for the tilapia special which was dry and not very tasty), the service was really poor and frustrating. Our orders came out fast (almost too fast to finish our previous dishes), but not once did the server clear the dirty dishes on a table already crowded with numerous plates. In addition, other than the meatballs, none of the plates came with serving pieces. The idea of tapas is to share—not using our own used forks! We had to REPEATEDLY flag down a staff member to get our plates cleared and to get serving pieces. At one point we had waited so long, I had to get out of my seat to find out waitress to get serving pieces as our dishes were getting cold. We didn't find any of the staff particularly friendly or gracious. Will I go back? Absolutely, and I will just hope last night's service was an exception.
MarionH
Had an outstanding birthday dinner with another couple on a quiet Monday night. Clara was an attentive and professional server. Kudos to the conscientious bus man who kept us with fresh plates and more bread. There was a celebrity in the restaurant that night (not at our table), and I thought it was terrific that everyone left him and his bandmates alone to enjoy their dinner. They hung around longer as a result, I believe. The timing of the food delivery was just right. Cold things nice and fresh, hot things served promptly. We probably tried 8 different dishes and all were delicious. Note to self: come here more regularly! It had been a while between visits...
rob fischer
Delicious food and friendly service. Drink refills were pretty slow and the servers seemed to be short staffed, but everyone was nice and the food was wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce
Kasia Turczyn
Tapas Barcelona is a fun small place to eat, hang out and enjoy! Went there on a Friday evening, I do suggest making a reservation ahead of time as it is quite busy (you will have to wait for a table with no reservation). The food was delicious! Ordered many different dishes and I suggest you try the Bacon Wrapped Dates. Our server Miguel was a big help, very nice and happy, he described the dishes and suggested on how to eat them for the best flavor and experience! The meals are small so that you can try many different types of foods they offer! (The prices per dish range from $8 to $20) For Dessert we had the Pear & Vanilla Icecream covered in checolate, delicious. Highly recommend this place!
The ambiance and the service was outstanding. Food came out staggered and quickly, waiter was quirky and attentive. However the food was incredibly subpar in flavor. Fun ideas, but one note amateur tastes. I felt like 80% of the dishes we had I could have made myself at home and that's not a good thing...but all that matters is my brother had a wonderful time for his birthday. Highlights: the goat cheese stuffed eggplant rolls: superb! Tasted how I expected the entire menu to be. Fried calamari was delicious and the spicy marinara was great. Bacon wrapped dates were good, brother never had them and was blown away lol Terrible: the ceviche. It was NOT. Ceviche. It was frutii de mare with raw bell peppers. No thank you, we barely touched it.
Matilde Ojeda
The worst customer service a man full of tattoos said “ sit by the door or leave” seems to be the general manager very rude . The restaurant was
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
MarkD
Dining here for the first time, Mike knew the menu well and without making us feel uncomfortable, picked up on the fact we were first timers. Food was interesting, tasty and plated well. Enjoyed our time here and would recommend coming here, especially if you need a break from the mundane.
It was great! Got busy quickly but I had a reservation which was good and recommended. Everything was delicious, honestly looking at pictures the food looked a little bland but after trying them, every dish was perfect and the portions were perfect for 2 people. Drinks were also a nice balance between tasty and strong. They had a butter sauce shrimp and rice that was a special item, it was one of the best things I've had in a while. The atmosphere and service was solid, but we got a weird table that was against a wall with us sitting in a weird set up. One person is staring at a wall while the other is looking out the window. It was interesting but could be a vibe killer for some. It wasn't a big deal, I thought it was funny, there were chances to switch tables or move to the bar but it wasn't that serious for us. There's only one table like that, so it's just a random off chance. The place was decorated very nicely, from the bar to the bathroom. Would definitely go back and a great spot to take guests/dates.
Celestine Pates Brandon
Tapas Barcelona is a nice gem downtown Evanston. We visited the restaurant on Saturday night. Parking is a challenge. The place was packed. We had a reservation thankfully. Noise level was too loud for my taste. Service was wonderful and fast. Food was good; however most protein tastings were saturated in "red wine" sauce. Why cover up beautiful baby lamb chops?? There was no "stand out" dishes for me. Additionally dishes we want to try were not available. I shook my head as it was 6:30p.m. many hours to closing. Overall I would revisit; however not in a rush..
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 5
Amber Woodson
Tapas Barcelona definitely makes you feel like you’re on vacation. Our server was friendly and the sangria and paella were both good! I will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Paella Catalana
Had a great evening. The 8:45 resv is pretty close to closing kitchen time. Much quieter visit from previous 7pm resv. Food was fast and fresh. Amazing taste and timing. Did not have a drink on menu. Although. They made my Tom Collins on point.
Dexter Rogers
Excellent food and fast service. A variety of hot and cold tapas to choose from. Personally enjoyed the grilled shrimp, seasonal veggies. Bacon wrapped dates are down right the most savory item from the menu - I highly recommend. Make reservations a day in advance; tables go fast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon Wrapped Dates, Gambas Al Ajillo
Place was nice. Service was good. It's just the food was okay. I think our favorite Tapas place is still the one up in Northfield (you can Google it), so that is my benchmark. I think the tapas here just lacked some imagination maybe? Here's my hot take. 1. Bacon wrapped dates in sauce - excellent and hard to mess up but you'd be surprised at some places 2. Cheese pizza - was for kids, soft and had ok taste, but really thick bread/crust and not my thing. Almost like cafeteria pizza. 3. Lamb chops - excellent. Was it lentils or cous cous? Idk but it was good! 4. Salmon and asparagus - it is what it said it was, but also expensive. 5. Patatas bravas - ok. Small potatoes and doused in spicy sauce. I would have preferred larger potatoes with texture and light sauce coating. I've had it other places this way; I think it's my preference. 6. Pan de tomate + jamon - laughably small pieces of crusty bread with tomato. Real thin cheese slices. Ham was ok. I was more excited than I think I should have been. 7. Lamb and chorizo empanada - again ok. My wife and so enjoyed the chocolate mousse. The arroz con leche was my dessert. Real shallow bowl and shallow serving. I get it is meant to be soupy, but it was presented the wrong way imo. Felt like when you're near finishing a bowl of cereal. Wife and I both had the same thought when we left which was we probably won't come back. For $155 it was not what we could get at our other favorite place for almost the same price. Sorry Evanston. It had ambiance tho! If you're into that.
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!
I have eaten at this restaurant MANY times over the past 20+ years and always enjoyed it, which made my experience last night even more disappointing. While the food, as always, was delicious (except for the tilapia special which was dry and not very tasty), the service was really poor and frustrating. Our orders came out fast (almost too fast to finish our previous dishes), but not once did the server clear the dirty dishes on a table already crowded with numerous plates. In addition, other than the meatballs, none of the plates came with serving pieces. The idea of tapas is to share—not using our own used forks! We had to REPEATEDLY flag down a staff member to get our plates cleared and to get serving pieces. At one point we had waited so long, I had to get out of my seat to find out waitress to get serving pieces as our dishes were getting cold. We didn't find any of the staff particularly friendly or gracious. Will I go back? Absolutely, and I will just hope last night's service was an exception.
Had an outstanding birthday dinner with another couple on a quiet Monday night. Clara was an attentive and professional server. Kudos to the conscientious bus man who kept us with fresh plates and more bread. There was a celebrity in the restaurant that night (not at our table), and I thought it was terrific that everyone left him and his bandmates alone to enjoy their dinner. They hung around longer as a result, I believe. The timing of the food delivery was just right. Cold things nice and fresh, hot things served promptly. We probably tried 8 different dishes and all were delicious. Note to self: come here more regularly! It had been a while between visits...
Delicious food and friendly service. Drink refills were pretty slow and the servers seemed to be short staffed, but everyone was nice and the food was wonderful.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Goat Cheese in Tomato Sauce
Tapas Barcelona is a fun small place to eat, hang out and enjoy! Went there on a Friday evening, I do suggest making a reservation ahead of time as it is quite busy (you will have to wait for a table with no reservation). The food was delicious! Ordered many different dishes and I suggest you try the Bacon Wrapped Dates. Our server Miguel was a big help, very nice and happy, he described the dishes and suggested on how to eat them for the best flavor and experience! The meals are small so that you can try many different types of foods they offer! (The prices per dish range from $8 to $20) For Dessert we had the Pear & Vanilla Icecream covered in checolate, delicious. Highly recommend this place!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon Wrapped Dates, Grilled Octopus, Lamb Chops, Gambas Al Ajillo, Stuffed Dates
Drinks are
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon Wrapped Dates
The ambiance and the service was outstanding. Food came out staggered and quickly, waiter was quirky and attentive. However the food was incredibly subpar in flavor. Fun ideas, but one note amateur tastes. I felt like 80% of the dishes we had I could have made myself at home and that's not a good thing...but all that matters is my brother had a wonderful time for his birthday. Highlights: the goat cheese stuffed eggplant rolls: superb! Tasted how I expected the entire menu to be. Fried calamari was delicious and the spicy marinara was great. Bacon wrapped dates were good, brother never had them and was blown away lol Terrible: the ceviche. It was NOT. Ceviche. It was frutii de mare with raw bell peppers. No thank you, we barely touched it.
The worst customer service a man full of tattoos said “ sit by the door or leave” seems to be the general manager very rude . The restaurant was
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 3
Service: 1
Dining here for the first time, Mike knew the menu well and without making us feel uncomfortable, picked up on the fact we were first timers. Food was interesting, tasty and plated well. Enjoyed our time here and would recommend coming here, especially if you need a break from the mundane.
Restaurantji Recommends
It was great! Got busy quickly but I had a reservation which was good and recommended. Everything was delicious, honestly looking at pictures the food looked a little bland but after trying them, every dish was perfect and the portions were perfect for 2 people. Drinks were also a nice balance between tasty and strong. They had a butter sauce shrimp and rice that was a special item, it was one of the best things I've had in a while. The atmosphere and service was solid, but we got a weird table that was against a wall with us sitting in a weird set up. One person is staring at a wall while the other is looking out the window. It was interesting but could be a vibe killer for some. It wasn't a big deal, I thought it was funny, there were chances to switch tables or move to the bar but it wasn't that serious for us. There's only one table like that, so it's just a random off chance. The place was decorated very nicely, from the bar to the bathroom. Would definitely go back and a great spot to take guests/dates.
Tapas Barcelona is a nice gem downtown Evanston. We visited the restaurant on Saturday night. Parking is a challenge. The place was packed. We had a reservation thankfully. Noise level was too loud for my taste. Service was wonderful and fast. Food was good; however most protein tastings were saturated in "red wine" sauce. Why cover up beautiful baby lamb chops?? There was no "stand out" dishes for me. Additionally dishes we want to try were not available. I shook my head as it was 6:30p.m. many hours to closing. Overall I would revisit; however not in a rush..
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 5
Tapas Barcelona definitely makes you feel like you’re on vacation. Our server was friendly and the sangria and paella were both good! I will definitely be back.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Paella Catalana
Had a great evening. The 8:45 resv is pretty close to closing kitchen time. Much quieter visit from previous 7pm resv. Food was fast and fresh. Amazing taste and timing. Did not have a drink on menu. Although. They made my Tom Collins on point.
Excellent food and fast service. A variety of hot and cold tapas to choose from. Personally enjoyed the grilled shrimp, seasonal veggies. Bacon wrapped dates are down right the most savory item from the menu - I highly recommend. Make reservations a day in advance; tables go fast.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Bacon Wrapped Dates, Gambas Al Ajillo