Mercat a la Planxa Reviews

Outstanding dinner, will definitely go back and recommend to others. We had the chef's tasting menu where we got a variety of tapas plates. Every dish was Excellent! Shrimp, scallop, seranno, beef, veg all prepared and tasted fresh and homemade.

Mercat is a great restaurant serving authentic Spanish tapas. We really enjoyed the experience of fine dining, tapas style We began our dinner with a very unique Sangria made with ginger. This was recommended by our server. One of our entrees was lamb stuffed ravioli. Excellent!! The atmosphere was upscale, but very relaxed. It would be a great restaurant to go to with a group of people. There are so many great tapas choices on the menu ready to be shared.

Mercat a la Planxa is located in the Blackstone Hotel. I had a nice dinner with friends. The tapas, drinks and service were good. The restaurant was busy with a lively atmosphere.

Located in a high-potential spot with great potential, this has to be one the ugliest restaurants in Chicago. Nothing respires Spain and the choice of colors for chairs & walls is betound understanding. The food is ok but not memorable. They dont take any risk with their menu and dont offer fresh orange juice for brunch.

My daughter spent time in Barcelona and was eager to compare her foodie experiences! Mercat provided a flashback! The bruschetta was pretty true to form as were the scallops, peppers, and octopus. Best of all was the Boquerones- anchovies with olive ! My advice to first time diners is to order in stages ! Surprisingly we filled up fast on small bites. Save room for dessert though!

We came across this restaurant on our latest trip to Chicago. We ordered the Chef's Choice. It was course after course of delicious food. We had everything from steak to lobster to bacon covered dates. The service was very professional and friendly. We would definitely go back next time we're in town.

Overall I would suggest this place is not bad or great just average The brunch menu is interesting and different meaning a lot of focus on non traditional breakfast entree The blue cheese burger was average at best however the smashed breakfast potatoes was outstanding The pancakes were very tasty along with the applewood smoked bacon Service was decent but not outstanding. You definitely have to wait and ask for drink refills and for your check at the end of your meal.

One excellent dish after another. Start with glass of Pala Cannonau and the marinated olives. Then the Verde salad. Order the Diver Sea Scallops (Verneras) and must finish with the Gambas Ajillo (garlic shrimp). Great ambiance too.

Place was solidly full, can understand why,atmosphere food and wine selections solid. Octopus was tender and tasty, stuffed olives were very creative. We ate standing on deck because restaurant was packed,like doing it in Spain, so no problem.

Needed an early restaurant for our girls getaway before theater, and since we love small plate options chose this restaurant just south of the theater district. We were quite wary, entering what appeared to be a small near-empty bar, but were comfortably seated in lounge chairs with a small table and started with some great Spanish wines suggested by Carlos, the bartender, as we perused an interesting menu. (Had to text my husband a photo of the suckling pig option, as this is his all time favorite.) We ordered a range of interesting dishes over the course of the evening (escarole salad, a marvelous vegetable couscous, bacon wrapped dates, perfectly prepared scallops, delicious fritters, and three marvelous desserts. It was only when we were marveling about where the kitchen could be that we realized the restaurant was actually upstairs, and we were in a downstairs bar. Either way, the service could not have been more attentive, and the food and wine more tasty and well matched. Definitely will return! My only caution is to watch the heavy silverware. We dropped several pieces which seemed to leap off the plates, and I am sure Carlos thought we ought to be cut off! Thank you for a delightful evening!

too expensive for an average quality restaurant. Had breakfast there. French toast and coffee. Paid $14 for nothing special french toast and $6 for a coffee! I could have a buffet breakfast anywhere else for that price!

This is my go to place when I am in the City and or having friends from out of town. Great location not far from Millennium Park. The seating is not crowded, feels upscale and comfortable. NIce place to relax with a date. atmosphere

The restaurant and bar are beautiful. We had drinks and tapas after checking in late afternoon and all was fine. Our last afternoon we relaxed during happy hour, and the happy hour prices were great, but the quantity of food was not. A $9 potato tapas with 7 pieces became a $6 potato tapas with two tiny little pieces at happy hour - total rip-off. When I mentioned it, someone just mumbled something. Very disappointed

Selected a number of small plates and our group of 4 people enjoyed everything. The plates arrive as they are ready so you don't feel like your table is getting crowded. Also ordered pitchers of Sangria which was was a perfect accompaniment to our tapas. Loved that it was connected to our hotel so we didn't have to put on coats to enjoy a midday meal. The service was very good as we never had to ask for a thing and our Sangria glasses were kept full, and the plates disappeared as we finished our selections.

I’m spoiled for life by this visit to a tapas restaurant in the historic Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. The service is impeccable; they have a very decent wine list, and you can eat early (6.15 pm) without raising any eyebrows. Highlands of a huge dinner were the cannelloni with short rib filling, the beef and chicken paella, and the hanger steak. Everything else was very nice too.

My friend and I had dinner at the Mercat. The service was excellent. The food was tasty and presented nicely. There is a full bar and a varied menu. More of a tapas type place. Nice. I also ordered room service the night before. A hamburger. It was perfect.

We were staying at the hotel and decided to try Breakfast . The menu is very limited and they have zero flexibility. I asked for a ham and cheese omelette and they refused to make one. It was hit and miss as my son had blueberry pancakes and they were very good. I saw they had a Spanish dinner menu. One day the kids were too tired to go out and we tried it. It was hit and miss too. The paella that had a 20 minute wait time was horrible . It was soggy and it barely had rice on the other hand the steak was quite good. Terrible price / value

I came to Mercat for dinner because it was in my hotel. It was right before closing time, and I might have been one of only two customers in the restaurant. They could not have treated me more graciously. They brought me a wonderful array of tapas and appetizers, and recommended the best red I have had in a long time. I felt completely transported to one of the lovelier parts of non-touristed Spain. A perfect evening.

This restaurant hiding in the Blackstone Hotel is a gem and definitely above your tapas experience you have at a typical restaurant or bar in Barcelona. Size-wise, some of the dishes are entire entrees, while others qualify as tapas. We did not have the so much valued experience of sitting at a bar watching on delicacy after the other piled up in front of us (this is what makes eating tapas so much fun - seeing the food and picking what looks interesting), but our waiter was friendly and well informed about the various dishes. We were told that their bread is flown in from Barcelona, and it went really well with the oil-garlic sauce that accompanied our gambas al ajillo. The spinach croquettes were very good, the grilled pork with bacon onion jam was delicious and plenty, but the best, unexpectedly, was desert, poached pear with ricotta sorbet. Wine selection on the glass was limited, and we went with a Rioja and a Ribera del Duero red, both good but not outstanding.

I have stayed at the Blackstone hotel a few times, but this was the first time I got to the hotel before 10 pm which is when the restaurant and the room service ends, so I decided I would try the restaurant. The food is Spanish tapas and was really very good, but the dishes were a bit small. The flatbread was particularly delicious and the garlic shrimp was amazing, but I needed one more dish, so I order ham croquets. They were extremely small but good. All in all, after three dishes I was finally full. I was sitting at the bar and had two drinks, the first was a house special that was not very good, so I ordered a gin and tonic, which is one of their specialties for the second drink. They have an extensive amount of Gin and different tonics you can choose. When I first tasted it, it was awful, I realized that he never mixed the drink so the tonic was sitting on the bottom, a stir and it was OK, but still not great. Then the surprise, the bill was $75 before tip for one person. So with tip it was about $90 for me to add good food and have mediocre drinks.

Waitstaff were not very attentive, especially given the atmosphere and the prices. I had tapas and a glass of wine. It was pleasant but not impressive, with the exception of the croquetas, which were amazing.

My wife and I dined at this restaurant for the first time during a recent Chicago stay. We both tried the traditionsl tasting menu, which features a variety of Spanish dishes, and were very satisfied with everything we had, which included patatas braves, gambas al ajillo, croquetas, bacon-wrapped dates, and vaca vieja (New York strip). The decor was sophisticated and inviting, and the staff was consistently friendly and helpful. Moreover, the price for our dinner was very reasonable for a tasting menu.

Enjoyed our dinner here! Great dining area- high ceilings, spacious seating area, floor to ceiling windows overlooking South Michigan Avenue and Grant Park. We dined on the pulpo con patatas (octopus), paired with the albondigas (beef and lamb meatballs), and the arroz a la conzuela (rice dish with chicken, chorizo, rabbit). Finally a simple desert of olive oil cake. Everything was delicious. There is also a full selection of wine, beer and cocktails.

A last minute trip to Chicago landed us at the Blackstone Hotel. We were wet from walking in the fog, so decided to eat onsite. OUTSTANDING! The service from Samuel was attentive, fun, and informative. As a small plate themed restaurant, Samuel guided us through small plates that would compliment each other. His recommendation of sangria was delicious! The small plates of grilled shrimp, patatas, bacon wrapped dates, spinach and fig salad, all served in specific coursing to entice the palate, was a fulfilling experience. We topped off dinner with an olive cake dessert. A delightfully lite dessert that satisfied the sweet tooth perfectly. We completely enjoyed our meal, and will definitely dine here again the next time we travel to Chicago.

I haven't been to Spain in many years but this was the next best thing. The chorizo and bacon are flown in and it was evident. So delicious. Everything was tasty and the service was attentive and gracious. I wish we could go here every weekend.

We went here on a whim, but were glad we did. As usual, with tapas, the final bill was quite high, but definitely worth it. The suckling pig was excellent, but the creme Catalan was not as good as it is other places. The atmosphere is so-so, but what can one expect in a hotel. The service was very good. All in all, we'll definitely go back, but not soon!

Great Tapas, excellent piella, and the drinks were on point. The service was great. Tried it for the first time for a date night with the wife, I'd definitely go back.

Very flavorful dishes, especially loved the pork tapas, excellent service, lively atmosphere without being too noisy. Overall, a wonderful experience !

After a long day at McCormick convention center, I was whipped. Didn’t feel like walking or wandering the area for a place to dine. Initially went into Mercat for a drink. But after watching plates of Spanish cuisine pass by headed to their tables, we decided to stay and dine at our hotel. Staff was very professional and attentive. Food was delicious and presentable. My only regret is I didn’t get the paella 🥘!

a good variety of tapas small plates. Excellent service in bright airy dining room.Had hanger steak and scallops. Some items can be spicy.

It’s nice to have a great restaurant in the same hotel that your staying in. This place is located in The Blackstone Hotel. If you like Tapas you will love this place. The small plates were big on favor and the service was paced just right. I haven’t had Paella in years so that was a treat! The Paella is served in family style plate so save room.

I already covered this in a review of the hotel. The tapas was OK, but not outstanding. The wine which was average was wickedly overpriced ($20-40 a glass for regular wines. Cheapest was 17). $90 for modest meal for one was just not worth it. For the quality of the food, I would have expected 50-60% of this cost

I love tapas restaurants. Lots of choices and food for most any palate. Service was beyond good. Easy to get to, relax and enjoy good food with good friends.

Popped in for a cocktail with a friend after a night at the CSO on a Saturday. We got there about 9:15pm and there were two seats in the nook at the end of the bar, which we grabbed. The bartender took his time approaching us - I say "approaching" because he certainly didn't welcome us - and asking us what we wanted. I immediately told him what I wanted, but because my friend didn't know exactly what she wanted at that exact second, he huffed away and started making my drink. As he was making it, he took other orders and prepared them, too - completing them before mine. I wound up waiting a good 5-7 minutes before the drink arrived - a multi-ingredient prickly pear gin & tonic that wasn't even mixed. He then took my friend's order and proceeded to do the same thing, making her wait a good 5-7 minutes for her drink while taking other orders and making them first. When he brought her drink, he slammed it on the bar - hard enough that we jumped back in shock. We had to ask for bar napkins and water multiple times to get them, and when it was supposedly last call, he just came up to us and said, "Last call!" - not, "It's last call, would you like anything else?" or something far more hospitable. He never checked in on us for the hour we were there, nor did he ask if we liked our drinks...but he did continue to make drinks for another 45 minutes so we were a bit confused about about the last call...When we asked for our tab, he was quick to bring that to us. After working in the restaurant and bar industry for years, I get that Saturday nights can be busy at the bar; this guy had 11 people sitting at his bar, which I wouldn't say is slammed. We left very confused about the whole experience and the bartender's completely unprofessional and rude treatment of us. This was my first time at Mercat and it will be my last.

Enjoyable late night dinner. I’ve dined here a number of times over the years for the food and service and had stopped returning due to lower quality meals. This time we were pleasantly surprised. The cocktails and wine were very good. Mussels are big with a flavorful, light sauce. Empanadas are delicious. Tuna tartare unique and tasty, and the octopus was also very good. Churros with ice cream was a nice ending. Service was excellent. We were glad to go back and will revisit again.

This is authentic food from Spain. Everything was presented perfectly and the dining experience was exquisite. Everything from the octopus to the chorizo melted in our mouths. Romantic. If you want your girl to be impressed, or are looking for that perfect off the normal dining experience, this is it. We will be back.

My wife and I went to Mercat a La Planxa on a Friday evening for dinner and enjoyed the Chef's tasting menu with wine pairings. It was excellent, especially the paella! I'll definitely be going back for the paella. The service was attentive but not overbearing, the views overlooking grant part are nice, and every course they brought us was excellent. The tasting menu with wine pairing and a couple of starter cocktails ended up being about $250 after tip. That price seemed fair to me given the excellence all around, but it's not exactly a bargain. 4 stars.

Every visit to Chicago includes a stop at Mercat a la planxa! I reviewed this spot before with a focus on lunch and dinner so let’s just talk about making it into Mercat for dessert and cocktails. It’s a cool place so why wouldn’t you want to sit in the lounge to wind down? And talk about pairing! My husband ordered a chocolate martini and the TORTA DE XOCOLA. The caramel ice cream was delicious but even the three small bites of chocolate were too much for a huge chocolate fan! I had the OLIVE OIL CAKE made with Valencia orange marmalade, txakoli sorbet, rosemary caramel and the PALACIO to drink. With Cava, orange bitters, and thyme my cocktail was fragrant and earthy - a perfect match for the cake which was perfection!

This is a Mexican themed restaurant in the Blackstone hotel. The brunch menu has something for everyone. I like the egg dishes, the French toast as well as their unique burger. Service is prompt and friendly.

I see my last review of Mercat was back in 2016 when I enjoyed their brunch menu. I haven't been back to brunch but have had 4 or 5 dinners there since, the most recent in late August. Friends we hadn't seen in some time wanted to get to get together for dinner and it was to be our choice. As it is our favorite restaurant in Chicago and a very short walk away we chose Mercat. They hadn't eaten there before but were up for it. We have never left our table in Mercat still hungry. They serve Barcelona-style tapas that surpass any similar dishes we had in Barcelona.Service is always casual, upbeat and efficient. The person who delivers the dishes describes what they are setting before you. They could just as easily say "this is yummy" and leave it at that. What they set before you is as many small plates as you wish to order. When there is just the two of us we usually order 8 dishes, one of them dessert. With 4 of us we upped some of the quantities as each plate is small. You should know that going in-small plates ( some, like bacon-wrapped dates, will require two bites before the plate is empty) and you'll need to order a bunch of them for a filling loosen-the-belt meal. The waiter will want to take your complete order all at once and don't be surprised if two or more dishes land on your table at once-get eating. Dessert you can order at the end of the savory morsels put before you. Although the menu is expansive there are some favorites we must always have- white anchovies , bacon-wrapped dates, patatas bravas come to mind.You'll see what we ate in the photos that follow. We each always order our own plate of anchovies as they are way too tasty to share. Patatas Bravas are shareable among two people-like tiny tater tots with a delicious aioli. I wash everything down with a glass of draught Estrella lager. Cocktails and wine may be your choice. There's an extensive (and some say expensive) list of each to savor. You only live once... Our friends were very happy with our choice and their introduction to Mercat a la Planxa. Every dish was remarked upon and every small plate cleaned. All hits-no misses. It won't be long before our next visit. If you are staying in the Blackstone Hotel you should try it. It's not every hotel that has a restaurant this good an elevator ride away.

In the Blackstone hotel but definitely a destination restaurant. Excellent tapas, cocktails (try the El Fin) and wine. The meatballs are awesome as are the canelones. Not cheap, but classy and authentic.

Tapas galore! My son and I ate dinner here on a Monday evening. We had a reservation even though the restaurant was just across the street from where we were staying. It's located in the Blackstone Hotel and has an eclectic bohemian vibe. There was no wait for our table and the restaurant was full, but not overly crowded. Once we were seated, we were greeted by our server, Sam. He was friendly and asked if we've ever dined here before. When we replied no, he explained the menu (small plates with most diners getting between 3-5 each) and pointed out the best selling items along with his personal favorites. He answered our questions and accommodated our last minute add on items. The menu is divided into 6 sections. A tasting menu, salads and charcuterie boards, vegetarian tapas, seafood tapas, meat tapas, and paellas and fideuas. We decided to choose items from the four main sections and not to do the tasting menu or a paella. For our first course, we had the Serrano Ham and Fig Salad and the Charcuteria Mixto. Both were savory and sweet mixtures of different textures and flavors. For our second course, we had the Cous Cous Con Siete Verduras and Croquetas De Idiazabal from the vegetarian tapas section. The couscous was flavorful and satisfying, but the croquetas were amazing! They were lightly fried so they were crispy on the outside and soft and creamy in the center. For our third course, we had the Scallops A La Llauna Style, Calamarcitos A La Andaluza, and Bunuelos De Bacalao from the seafood tapas section. The scallops were seared perfectly and could be cut with a fork, the calamari was tender and lightly fried, and the cod beignets were crispy on the outside with the right amount of cod and filling inside. For our fourth course, we had the Datiles Con Almendras, Butifarra De Ceps Amb Mongetes, and Colorado Lamb Chops from the meat tapas section. The bacon wrapped dates were delicious with just the right amount of sweet and salty. The bacon was crispy and they were drizzled with a blue cheese fondue that was heavenly. My son had the lamb chops and he said they were some of the best he'd ever had, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The porcini stuffed sausage with white bean foam tapas was tasty. I could have made a meal out of the white bean foam it was so delicious. All of the tapas were larger than what I would call a small plate. They were more than a tasting, but not a full meal, yet large enough to share. Now you'd think we would be completely stuffed after all that food, and we were, but we had dessert anyway! We had the Olive Oil Cake with Caramel, Honey Brittle, and a scoop of Lemon Sorbet on top. Now you wouldn't think all that would go well together, but it was so incredible, we ate the whole thing! Our meal at Mercat was authentic Spanish cuisine and simply divine. We would highly recommend it, and we will definitely be back.

from the food to the staff to the experience all was outstanding!!! would highly recommend!!! The Paella was amazing and the signature drinks were spot on! you have to experience this place to truly feel how this place makes dinner awesome!

This stylish tapas restaurant is right on South Michigan Avenue, on the street side of the Blackstone Hotel. The decor is elegant and trendy, and the place seemed to be popular with locals as well as travelers. The small plates were delicious, and that allows you to sample and share several dishes instead of committing to a single big entree, although they have those too. The wine list was wonderful and included many many dessert wines, which some restaurants don't bother to offer. The house white wine was delicious, also the sparkling and the sherry. $100 for dinner for two.

After a busy day touring downtown Chicago, my family wanted to try a restaurant serving food other than the standard American cuisine. Just to set the stage, we were staying at Chicago Hilton on Michigan Avenue. It was 25 degrees outdoors (in mid-April), windy as hell and raining. No one wanted to endure the cold, so we settled on a Tapas restaurant just steps away from the Hilton - Mercat a La Planxa. We stumbled into the restaurant a bit wet and frigid cold. The hostess was very kind, and accommodating. What we didn’t know at the time was Mercat a La Planxa only accept diners via reservation. Thanks to the very kind hostess, she found us a table anyways. My family enjoyed delicious tapas - skewered sausage/mushrooms, grilled shrimp and toast, octopus and sliced meat/tomatoes on thin pizza bread. We also enjoyed dessert and hot tea. Yummy, yummy, yummy! The restaurant is really pricey, but it’s worth every penny. Our overall experience was simply wonderful! Mercat a la Planxa has excellent service, excellent food, and an excellent atmosphere. We will definitely return. Thank you, Mercat a la Planxa! 🌻🌻🌻

Nice ambience. Great service. Excellent food. A memorable dinner in the heart of Chicago. Highly recommend for those who love Barcelona style food.

3 friends met for Sunday brunch. There were only a few occupied tables; we were given a very nice 4-top by the windows. Good coffee in tall white mugs. We all had the traditional eggs Benedict with "brunch potatoes". The eggs were nicely runny, the Hollandaise sauce was okay (not great), the English muffin underneath could have been more toasted. The potatoes were excessively salty so I left them on the plate. Service was friendly and the food arrived soon after we placed our order. As they were not busy, we were allowed to linger over our coffee long after we finished eating.

Great food, good service try the gin and tonic. They have a lower bar area that is cozy and serves a limited menu.

Fantastic Food! I was blown away by how great everything was. Dinner here may be second to none in the city.

Had friends come into town and we decided to go to Mercat's for some tapas. They were small servings, some very small, pricy but good. For 3 of us, we only had only 4 tapas, 2 glasses of wine and one sprite, it was almost $150.00 - Pricy for what you get! They recommend 3 tapas per person - would hate to see that bill and then leave hungry.

A great and delightful restaurant with excellent food, drink, service and decor, worthy of a 5*+ rating

Spacious, high-ceilinged Spanish restaurant inside the historic Blackstone Hotel. 5 small plates for 2 people is plenty. Chickpeas, white beans & patatas bravas all good, heirloom carrots underdone. Tamarind mocktail excellent, blue coconut one too sweet. Nice Staff.

Recently had dinner at Mercat and it was excellent. Catalonian cuisine is served and small plates are for sharing. It's a large and attractive dining room with proper lighting. The service was excellent, and the food was delicious. There is an extensive wine list which features Spanish wines, naturally. Bottles are pricey but we had to try something new, so good opportunity. We sampled four or five small plates and ended with paella to share. The paella was more substantial than we expected and we couldn't finish it. Too bad, it was wonderful! Dinner for three with wine and gratuity came to about $250, so it's not a place we could afford often. But it's worth the splurge when in Chicago.

Very delicious food, good beverage selection. I believe, I have had the best paella here. Highly recommended.

Visited this restaurant close to when it opened so it was nice and empty. Had some delicious tapas. Friendly staff. Quick service.

Had a fantastic meal here. Guy behind the counter recommended the ravioli and it was awesome. Will definitely go back next time in Chicago!

Tapas restaurant we came upon while walking back to hotel. Small plates done with style and absolutely delish. Just right for late eve meal.

The food is very good, and there is a good variety. The waiters push the more expensive items - though maybe they are more expensive because they are the top quality/taste? Portions are reasonable, but it will be an expensive dinner before you are finished if you eat a good variety. Wine is pricey, but that goes along with the atmosphere, and location.

This was our second stay on business at the hotel. We dined at Mercat and were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the offerings. Next time we'll bring clients here. Great for entertaining.

Mercat is on the second floor of the Renaissance Blackstone hotel, overlooking Michigan avenue. Large windows let in a lot of light and the view of the park as well as the lake behind it. The furnishing is classic, tables relatively small. There is a full bar and the dining area is rather large. Most of the menu's offerings are small plates, equivalent to tapas in style and quantity. The dishes are well-prepared and nicely presented. There is a respectable list of good wines by the glass and a larger list by the bottle. Service is prompt and efficient, if not necessarily attentive.

Dined before a theater performance. Restaurant was empty at 530p and service was quick. As the restaurant got more crowded, service slowed down, including a forgotten order we later canceled an no offer to refresh drink. Besides that, great dinner; food is very good. All dishes from dates, shrimp, potatoes, ham croquettes, bruschetta. All tasty and delicious. The olive oil cake was excellent. Sangria also good. Very good food here. Ambiance is nice. Open kitchen is nice backdrop. Great consistent food. Service can vary. Most dishes are delivered quickly. During busy times hit and miss.

It was an unexpected treat to find such a great place to pop in for a drink or have a delicious and romantic dinner right in our hotel. Their signature gin & tonic is a must. The service was impeccable. Our server for our dinner was delightful and the food was unforgettable. On our last night we got the paella and it was the best I have ever had. I appreciated that the wine list was extensive and international - it was an opportunity to get the perfect pairing for our dinner and make our last night in Chicago an evening to remember. Hope to return again soon!

Mercat a La Planxa is a Catalonian-inspired restaurant hidden off the lobby in the Blackstone Hotel. It is a very dramatic room. They offer a quite adequate Spanish wine list. We enjoyed the Pulpo a La Planxa tapas, and the Paella de Mariscos was absolutely delicious. Antonio insured all our needs were professionally met. We highly recommend this restaurant.

5* service, exquisite dishes, fresh and very tasty, delicacy and variety at the Menu. Comes in my top 5 best restaurant places.

The potatoes that come with the breakfast plates were the best part of going back every morning. While the plates are a bit expensive for the portion size, they go big on flavor. Service was fine and there was plenty of seating.

Hey when you want to eat, and eat well you can't go wrong at a place like this. Ask the locals where to eat, and they will mention here. Went for dinner, service was good, and the server knew the menu, what drinks best compliment the meal and knowledge of the area. Gave lots of recommendations.

We didn’t have dinner and only had drinks at the bar. While the bartender was efficient, the selection was quite limited, and some of the happy hour drinks were disappointing. I expected a Marriott hotel to offer a more upscale experience.

My wife an I met friends there last night before going to a concern. I don't write too many reviews, but wanted to do so, because we all thought the 10 or so tapas dishes we ordered were very good. Our order included many usual suspects, including bacon wrapped dates, empanadas, gambas, calamari, patata bravas, tuna tartare, brussel sprouts and broccolin. Everything looked and tasted great. Our server was very helpful and the staff did a good job clearing and refreshing plates and refilling water. Plus the view out the window over Michigan Avenue on a busy early summer night was always interesting.

Dinner was a series of wonderful tapas dishes, all well prepared and extremely good. The service was outstanding, with time between the plates to digest and enjoy the food. It is a little pricey, but the quality and ambience made up for this.

We stopped in for a night cap and sat at the bar. They were busy but not slammed. It took the bartender about 10 minutes to get to us. Drinks weee fine service was poor at best

This is the second time I've visited this restaurant, and the second visit was even better than the first. Every tapas plate was delicious. Two favorites include the boquerones (mild Spanish anchovies in olive oil and sliced olives) and the winner of the night: pulpos con patatas (octopus with fried potatoes, with a hint of bacon). Most highly recommended!

We ate dinner in Mercat in November and returned for brunch on Christmas Day. We have eaten here so many times over maybe 10 years and consider it a firm go-to. So we go to it. We always order white anchovies -so yummy we refuse to share and papatas bravas, a tapas staple. I dream of their blood sausage. On our dinner night we ordered our faves only to hear "we don't carry that anymore-the chef wasn't pleased with the product we were getting" ("so shop around", thought I) That was the white anchovies our favorite above all. Patatas bravas-sold out. Blood sausage-off the menu. Harumph! so we had to scramble to save the night but fortunately they have lots of delights and although bummed we still filled our bellies and rolled with the punches. Stiff upper lips prevailed-I am British after all. It didn't stop us, when debating where we might eat on Christmas Day, as we were adamant about not cooking at home, in the name Mercat being tossed around. Checking their website showed a brunch menu and a Christmas Menu which we thought was an alternative. Let's do Mercat Brunch! Something we had done only once before. Book it Dano! We did. Alas when seated in the sparsely populated room that day at 1 pm the library of menus set before us didn't utter the word brunch. No-just the Christmas Menu today sir. Deep sighs. The best laid plans etc...Our lips stiffened and we went to plan B which was to cobble together a meal with little planning. We originally went to Mercat all those years ago as it was owned by Jose Garces, an Iron Chef no less. He wasn't cooking of course but the chefs there are aces. On Christmas Day the current Exec. Chef wasn't there either but the deputy had things under control and the food was just as amazing as our first time and all the times in between. The recipes, dishes and execution are rock solid, as is the service. To drink, Madame had the Cava Mimosa($11) and was delighted with its refreshment. I, a basic sort of fellow, chose an Estrella draught lager($9 pint). Orders are called in once we have decided and soon there's smoke and sizzling and unctuous smells wafting from the stoves nearby-open kitchen. All the cooks are calm and know what they are doing. There's no yelling, no crashing crockery and no knife fights as Guisseppe and Guido work out an old family vendetta like you get in some Italian restaurants. There's an air of "I got this" from the brigade. Our early disappointment re the non-brunch was soon forgotten when our small plates began to arrive and our forks put to use. Out taste buds tell our psyches to chill and relax as they have "got this" as hot flavorful bites follow each other through each dish. We always start with some tomato bread-sourdough with a chewy crunchy toasted rim and we add some Iberico ham shaved thin for an extra $5 (total $9). Moist in the middle with flavorful acidic tomato then that crunchy crust and some tasty ham. Sip of beer. Aaaaah.. Bacon-wrapped dates with Marcona Almonds ($10)= flavor bombs. Must haves. Tortilla Española -Spanish potato omelette ($9) Filling. Potatoes, thin sliced. Ham and chicken croquettes . Lightly deep-fried but not greasy. ($10) Patatas bravas-not the old tater-tot presentation, so delicate and refined but rather a big bowl of deep fried spud wedges with a lot of aioli poured over the top (Barcelona style) Tasty but a regression in plating and uniqueness. ($9) Editor's note- at no time when in Barcelona did we eat tapas better than Mercat-you can take that to the bank and get me a roll of quarters while you're there. Hanger steak- great google moogly, I'll be ordering that again. Tender, tasty sear and those grilled spring onions? Oh yeah! ($18) Them belly's full....but we hungry for dessert. Madame had a Pijama which was a creme Catalan ($12) and slid down a treat. For me the Torta de Xocolat ($12) This was very chocolatey and that's a good thing. Subtotal (incl 2 drink each) $132. Service by our waiter Mellisa-on point. Not obsequious -not trying to be our best friend- but anticipating our needs and offering genuine hospitality. A Mercat trademark. Another memorable meal and that's why we keep coming back. Occasional bumps in the road as expectations are so high re finding our faves always at the ready. Depth on the kitchen bench-the cooks produce great food, over and over, year after year. We are fans.

We went to this restaurant on our first night in Chicago as it was in our hotel and we didn’t want to travel far. It is a tapas restaurant and we decided to have the tasting menu which was a good choice. We enjoyed every item on the menu and there was more than enough food. The price was a bit high but the food, service and ambience were all wonderful.

We had breakfast / brunch at the restaurant twice. The restaurant is open for brunch from 7am-3pm on Sat and Sun. The Mercat Benedict was excellent, so were the potatoes, the burger was ok and the French toast was terrible.

Brunch on Saturday. Not impressed by the lack of flavor. My husband had an omelette and I had a salad. Too pricey for what you get. Bloody Mary was good though and the service was great.

While I’ve always enjoyed the very tasty food and small plates, the service continues to be extremely disappointing and this most recent visit was no exception. I highly recommend the garlic shrimp in the house potatoes if you choose to visit. Understand If you’re looking for top-notch service this is not the place to go. The restaurant has amazing ambience and well appointed.

Wow! No matter what you order, you will be ever so pleased. The patatas bravas are a must--they arrive looking like tiny chefs' hats all in a row, delicious! Warning: they are not available at lunch. The stuffed dates, boquerones, gambas al ajillo, any shrimp, ham dish will delight. The staff is most friendly and attentive. We mentioned it was our anniversary and we were each given a glass of Cava (Spanish champagne). The whole experience is worth a visit.

Won't be back here. What a terrible experience. Wait staff just doesn't care. Food is mediocre quality and the price is high for what you get. Barcelona meets Chicago? I don't think so. I've spent a couple months in Barca and Mercat is not Barca.

Mercat serves terrific tapas. We dined here on Christmas night and loved the food. However, the tapas were not brought out at the same time; the service was very uneven. In our party of six, two people ate while the other four watched. We have visited Spain and the tapas are brought out at the same time for the party to share and enjoy. The portions are also small-hence small plates—and expensive. Two cannelloni were $35. The consommé soup was $14 and not filling. The food was delicious, but food timing should be improved. The portions are very small, so beware if you are really hungry. And...it is expensive.

The decor is impressive - it is truly a nice room The service is good - as is the tapas food. (though the chocolate cake is very small) Prices ok.

This is a wonderful change of pace in Chicago. Very nice service and a good selection of Catalonian food.

We were staying at the Blackstone Hotel on Michigan Avenue, and so we tried this restaurant the first morning for breakfast. It was very tasty. Even our vegan son could find something to eat off the menu besides just fruit (a potato, onion, and mushroom mixture).

My husband and I for our anniversary did a weekend in Chicago. One of the places we went for dinner was Mercat a la Planxa. It was very good. We liked the interior of the restaurant, there is art all around. It was very pretty and trendy/modern. It was a little loud, but not horrible. The menu has a whole bunch of different tapa options. There are cheeses, eggplants, asparagus, mushrooms, potatoes, shrimp, cuttlefish (fried sepia), chorizo, pork belly, chicken, ham, bacon wrapped dates, and many more. You order as many or as few of the small plate tapas as you like and share. There were many vegetarian options, which I thought was cool. There are soups, salads, paellas, and a whole roast pig for 4-5 people in addition to the tapas, but we just had tapas. We ordered some drinks, which were good. And then we ordered a variety of hot tapas. I highly recommend the fried sepia. Our server was attentive and gave good service. We loved the selection available and liked everything we ordered. We had a great meal.

Very hip atmosphere. Professional waiters. Good service. Good Tapas. A fun place to eat. Well located

We ate here our last night because we were staying at the hotel and we were too tired to go out. We didn't know the restaurant was tapas which isn't our favorite thing but whatever, we were already there. Then I couldn't get my fave wine because they only carry Spanish wines. I did have a tempranillo and got sticker shock when we checked out because I failed to ask the price (per glass!). The food was fine, nothing special.

Traveling solo for work can be tiresome and sometimes the desire to order room service is strong - but Mercat coaxed me out of my room with a promise of interesting cocktails and boquerones! I arrived to the space via elevator in the newly remodeled Blackstone Hotel on Michigan Ave - WOW! Beautiful and the restaurant carries the theme of octagonal architecture touches so wonderfully! I sat at the bar and initially Nicole was busy and didn't engage much other than getting our drinks - she was very busy as the restaurant was full at 7:30 pm - two other road warriors and I dug into our food and cocktails and shared stories of our travels. The wine list is clean and simple and the cocktails range from sangrias to a Bascule which I had a loved hendrick's gin, honey, lemon, celery bitters, spanish cidre - perhaps experimenting with charring the lemon could change the flavor profile...but Nicole nine years as a mixologist and bartender knows her stuff - we ventured into the Japaneses whiskies later in the evening, which I am fast becoming a huge fan of! My meal was clean and simple, boquerones of course and then followed by the Pulpo con Patatas and the Verde salad. I wish I was staying longer as the brunch looked fun!

Mercat a la Planxa is a Spanish style restaurant situated in the South Loop / Downtown area of Chicago. The restaurant is actually located within the Blackstone hotel, which is opposite Grant Park, on the junction of South Michigan Avenue and East Balbo Avenue. It is a short walk from Harrison metro station. We managed to get a table for two at six o’clock on a Tuesday evening without prior booking. A cursory glance at the menu indicated that it was going to be an expensive evening, and so it proved. We opted for a tasting menu at $60 per head. This comprised of seven tapas dishes. Pan con tomate (similar to a bruschetta), ensalade verde, patatas bravas, gambas al ajilla, datiles con almendras (dates with almonds wrapped in bacon), croquetes de setas (mushroom croquettes) and costillas (port rib). I particularly enjoyed the ensalade verde, the dates and the pork rib. Conversely, the patatas bravas were appalling. Basically cold, thick cut chips with mayonnaise squeezed from a bottle. Straight from a rookie domestic science class. For dessert, the chef’s choice was unimaginative churros with chocolate sauce, which were fine if somewhat dull. To drink, I had a pleasant Mercat Gin and Tonic, and an enjoyable bottle of white Rioja - Muga Blanco - at a cost of $68. Service by our waiter Samuel was exemplary. He was most knowledgeable but he didn’t know what carrajillo was so I had to go without my favourite Spanish post meal tipple. The bill for two came to an astronomical $228 without service. Although the meal was decent apart from the patatas bravas, far too much even in a land as expensive for dining as the USA

This catalan restaurant is split into a rrstaurant upstairs and a dimly lit lounge downstairs, both serving the same food. The menu was typical Spanish food. Food, service, wine, setting all excellent. Only taking off a star because of unpleasant experience with a call in order for take out. That call in order was the only unpleasant experience with the restsurant anbd stay at the Blackstone hotel.

We were staying at the Hilton across the street. We easily booked a dinner reservation online. The atmosphere was elegant yet comfortable. The restaurant is on the second floor off the lobby of the hotel. There is an elevator if you are unable to do the stairs. Our group of 6 friends enjoyed an amazing meal! Our server was knowledgeable and asked right away about food allergies. We enjoyed every plate that we ordered. I absolutely loved the broccolini! My friend loved the lamb chops. We liked it so much we came back the next night with different friends. This time we had 12 in our group. We tried the cheesecake upon the suggestion of our server. Wow! Creamy. Balanced flavors. Delicious! We will visit again the next time we are in Chicago.

I had high hopes for this restaurant because we had eaten here for dinner and had a good meal. Brunch was very average. The berry pancakes were dry and the bacon was very fatty.

Parked a bit away from soldier field for the bears patriots game. This restaurant is right on Michigan Avenue near grant park. The breakfast was really good. Had Torrijas and it was delicious. Put in mood for an awesome game !

The restaurant itself is wonderful. Great food and good service. We went twice when we recently visited Chicago. Our second visit was only to the bar on 1/27/26. The bartender was rude and surly, looking like he wanted to be anywhere else instead of at work. He barely uttered 2 words to us and even turned his back to the bar for awhile. The receipt said his name was Luis but we can't confirm that was really his name. He is the only reason that this review is 3 stars instead of 5.

Room is beautiful, hospitality over the top and the paella is to die for. Really enjoyed the Spanish wine list and the creative take on the Spanish classics on the menu Will I Go Back? Yes!! We loved it and will take friends next time

We both ordered the chef's menu which was six courses. Added the wine pairings for an extra $20 and that was very good value for an aperitif and three wine selections. They served a wide variety of tapas and the mains were hanger steak (extremely tender) AND paella. All dishes were very well prepared and this was much more than we could finish. Unfortunately since we were staying at a hotel we couldn't ask for a doggie bag!

Had a great dinner - shares small plates. Really excellent food, very attentive service by Chris, our waiter. Nice wine list and fun drinks. Would go back.

The location is superb and the Blackstone Hotel is a grand old lady. We had two meals here- lunch and dinner. For dinner, we sat at the Mercat lounge downstairs so we could watch the Cubs game. We started with the Serrano Ham and fig salad- excellent!. The patatas bravas melted in our mouths. The rack of lamb and rib eye were cooked to perfection and extremely flavorful. Our server was like our personal tour guide and made the night even more special. For lunch, we dined in the main restaurant and had the wild mushroom soup, the verde salad and the Las Ramblas (grilled chicken on a baguette). All very good and the atmosphere of the old hotel is historic with a modern flare.

Went there with 8 colleagues for dinner. I liked the location; very high ceilings and a large restaurant space which actually makes having a conversation possible without being overwhelmed by surrounding noise levels. What I didn't like is that we were way oversold by our waiter, who basically did what he was trained to do I guess. As it was our first time there, we kind of let him make suggestions and this resulted in having way too much food... which ended up being thrown away. This is not the kind of experience I am looking for in a restaurant, not in this day and age anymore. Overall, I found the dishes to be rather bland and I can't say any of the tapas we ordered left a long lasting impression. It also turned out to be rather expensive (I think we paid around $750 for 8 people, excluding tip), which kind of defeats the purpose of having tapas I think. Some people may like the food here but I don't think I'll be returning.

We like tapas, so when we stayed in Historic Blackstone Hôtel, we did’ t hesitate about dinner , we ate in Mercat. Grill octopus was well cook, eggplant with zukinni also was tasty. Meatballs dish was loking good , but too salty for my taste, but a manager apologized and change it for the cod, it was very good. We like red wine by our waitress recomened. Service was quickly and friendly, so we had nice dinner after all. But next day we stop for a cap of espresso coffee and waiter tell they out of regular coffee, we we’re really disappointed.

We've absolutely loved this place! It is in the center of Chicago. Do not have summer terrace. Quite busy and full and noisy but still great! The meals are really very very delicious. The service is very attentive and good! Espresso is really cool which for me is like an indicator of the level of the place! We will come back for sure!

Popped in for a drink before heading up to our hotel room. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and tasty drinks! I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 because of the wildly overpriced wine list. $17-$42 for a 9oz glass is a rip off for sure!

Never disappoints. We had the vegetarian paella and wonderful dessert. This place is amazing. Sat in favorite seats by window over Grant Park. Jerry was fantastic and so was Andrew. Great attentive service.

This is the type of place you could eat often; the variety and quality are beyond good! We shared a few dishes; Croquetas de Jamon (small delicious ham croquets), Bitufarra Coco Catalan sausage and grilled mushrooms), Gambas al Ajillo (garlic shrimp and chilie), Albondigas (lamb and beef meatballs w/smoked yogurt). We did not have a must have meal: any of the Palellas offerings. Get the gist; wonderful Spanish food! The chef is from Barcelona, so there is a bend towards Catalan cuisine. Great staff and inventive bartenders!

Went for dinner with my wife. Fantastic atmosphere for a classy dinner. The service staff was outstanding and very knowledgeable. The signature drinks were outstanding. We did one of the chef's tastings and were blown away by quality and the amount of the food. We can't wait for our next visit.

Dined here on our last night of a family vacation while staying at a neighboring hotel. I had dined here before on business, though many years ago. Made a reservation on a Friday evening, though didn’t really need it. Moderately crowded, but not full. Excellent service throughout the meal. As expected with Tapas, the portions are small. But, all the plates we received were very tasty. Brought our small children (7 and 10) who enjoyed trying new things. Good atmosphere and location, too.

Came here to eat because I was staying in the hotel and didn't want to go anywhere else. The service is good (but not great) and the food is good (but again- not great) and it's a bit overpriced because I think they have a bit of a captive audience. Bar is good and cocktails are pretty good so if you don't want to eat, I'd suggest just having a drink and snack at the bar.

Visited during a conference. Thought I’d try something a little different and gave this place a try. Was not sure what to order so the wife and I chose the Chef’s Special with the wine pairing. Wow! We were blown away. Highly highly recommend Mercat. Hats off to the chef.

The food is expensive and flavorless. The gambas was oily and flavorless, pulpo was ok. The best part was the cheeseboard. They also took the menus off the table before we were done. The server was very nice

We popped in at supper time (5 adults, two kids aged 10 and 13) and got a big table right away. The waitress was great. When we ordered a Tapis plate or two that had an even number of thingys on it, she'd get the kitchen to add an extra so that we'd get 7 bites. Free. The manager saw that the food was a little weird for the 10 year old (what isn't?), so as we were leaving he handed the kid a dozen or so of those little after dinner chocolate mints. A nice gesture. Fairly expensive.

Very nice experience. The bar/ restaurant is very open, with high celling over looking the park. I had some nice well-made gin tonic at the bar and after I seated for a light dinner with a super good serrano and figue salad. Good and friendly service.

Dined at Mercat a la Planxa for an anniversary dinner. My first time and my girlfriend’s first time in a long time. Everything was delicious. Did the chef’s tasting menu with wine pairings which allowed us to sample many different dishes and a nice pairing of sparkling, white and red wines. Food was spot on and the service excellent. Had a nice seat by the window overlooking Michigan Avenue and Grant Park.

The entrance to the Blackstone Hotel/Mercat a la Planxa looks like it is no longer on Michigan Avenue. We had to enter on the corner, which is Balbo. We really enjoyed our evening here. There were 4 of us, & 2 had been here before. They thought the food & decor used to be better but still were happy. My husband & I thought the food was great & our waiter was VERY knowledgeable about the menu. The Decor is nothing special, but the large window allowed lots of natural light, which was nice. Will probably go again. Plenty to choose from for a vegetarian.

Had a light dinner of tapas and drinks. Check out the $10 happy hour special, a drink (I had sangria) and a tapas (ham & chicken croquettes). Great value, nice atmosphere.

Dined before a theater performance. This is our regular dining spot prior to shows at the auditorium theater. Walking distance to venue. Good food, drinks an service keep us coming back. Service was very good this evening. Attentive and got us out in time. Although the menu doesn’t change, there’s enough to choose from. I would recommend a new dish or two to add variety. Shrimp in garlic sauce a very good classic. Spanish tortilla, kale salad and salmon very good. Chicken ok. Dessert is a short list and wasn’t enticing for us. Enjoyable evening overall.

We came here after an event at the nearby Auditorium Theater, a bit after 9 pm. We didn't have a reservation, but there was plenty of space compared to how busy this restaurant is earlier. This restaurant specializes in tapas and plates to share. Service was good, the food was interesting and well-prepared and presented. They have the best sangria I've ever had.

This bustling restaurant with a high ceiling is located off the the lobby of the Blackstone Hotel. I think if you were a group at a larger table you might be straining to hear conversations, but there was no suck problem at a table for two, in fact we chatted briefly with an adjacent table. I picked this tapas restaurant place because we had an engagement to attend down the street and I was craving paella. Our server was attentive, efficient and appeared to be knowledgable about extensive tapas offerings. The zesty seafood paella with lobster, clams and shrimp was served in a hot cast iron pan on the table and a server scraped the food so you were able to eat every delicious morsel. This was $68 and easily fed two people. In fact, if you're a light eater or if you want to save money you could just order this. We also ordered a pair of tapas offerings. The first were a pair of sea scallops drizzled with a tasty green sauce I couldn't identify. They are small, but tasty at $13. We were a bit overwhelmed by the choices on the menu so our waiter asked us to trust him and he brought up a pair of "lamb lollipops" (cordero). The pair were flavorful and juicy, however they were $30. Seriously, this is not a typo, they were thirty dollars for a probably about a total of four ounces of meat. We each had a small carafe (nine ounces) of wine at $21 each. The above items with tax came to $169.48 before tip. The food was excellent, service good, but brace yourself for sticker shock. Great food, just not the best value.

We had an wonderful dinner with our son and daughter-in-law who just moved to Chicago. We were staying at the Blackstone and called on a busy Saturday evening to beg for a table. Ty worked miracles and found a great spot for us. Naomi, our waitress, could not have been more helpful and attentive. We never felt pressured regarding the timing of our orders (we tend to order as we go along). They even brought over a flat bread with figs (?) and goat cheese for us to ‘try’ - delicious. The choices were plentiful and the flavors were amazing! The wine list was excellent as were the cocktails. Thanks for a lovely evening!

I booked a reservation at this restaurant for 8. We did the Chef's tasting menu and got like 10 dishes served. We had lots of food allergies, gluten free, dairy free and seafood free and these were all easily and carefully addressed. The food was FANTASTIC. Every dish was fascinating, tasty and engaged discussion. The drinks were top notch. I had an amazing glass of wine and a few of us shared a pitcher of sangria. I would absolutely recommend this place for business meals, social outings or special occasions. It was not cheap, but it was way more affordable than the tasting menus at other places. The staff were classy, attentive and all around great. Would definitely go again!

Mercat a la Planxa, located in the South Loop overlooking Grant Park, has an excellent assortment of Catalan/Spanish tapas. Excellent choices included the garlic shrimp with toast points (the garlic infused olive oil was so tasty that we asked for more toast). The pulpo (octupus) with potatoes melted in your mouth. There was also a wonderful flatbread that featured mushrooms, cheese, and butifarra (a Catalan sausage). One of the other tapas was overly salted, and when we pointed this out to the server, the management was very nice and did not charge us as a result. Excellent dessert including dark chocolate served with coffee ice cream. Terrific attentive service. Nice assortment of sangrias as well as Spanish ciders. For a wonderful meal, Mercat a la Planxa is highly recommended.

The food here was so good! We couldn't decide what to order, so we went with the chef's experience - multiple courses with multiple plates. The pork tenderloin was delicious, the potatoes tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. I wanted to curl up with the leftovers! Will definitely revisit on our next trip to Chicago

Out of 4 tapas, two were only so-so. The shrimp was way too salty, and the hanger stake was really tough. Service was good, and their gin and tonic special was really good. Pretty dining room. We won't be returning any time soon; there are better tapas places that aren't this expensive.

Went with a small group, and it was great. Location was easy to find, as well as get in and out of. The tapas menu very plentiful and the paealla was excellent. We ordered about 10 items between 6 of us and it was more than enough. The wine selections were also interesting and good.

Not really knowing what to expect, we asked our waitress for a recommendation and had a variety of tapas. The atmosphere was fun and relaxed at the same time and we truly enjoyed our meal and were able to take our time. We did notice that late night dining seemed to be a preference for many patrons. Would highly recommend.

I came with a large crowd, which is not the best way to discover a restaurant. Mercat's tapas menu is large, but for big crowds the waiter recommended a pre-selected subset. I enjoyed the bacon-wrapped dates. The paella was rather dry, with rubbery shrimp. The food was abundant but, to my palate, undistinguished.

This Spanish Restaurant tries but not like Tapas in Spain or a cozy Andalusian restaurant. The room is cavernous and the food is overpriced. They even charged $6 for a basket of bread. Paella was marginal. Save your money for a trip to Spain.

Very good but expensive and over priced. However, great place to sit and chat, flirt and enjoy a nice cocktail and some food.

Excellent menu - great range of interesting tapas and main courses. This place takes the Spanish tapas experience to a whole new level. The mixed paella, was perfectly cooked laden with generous chunks of meat and fish, accompanied by the most delicious, flavoursome paella rice I have ever tasted - this includes those tasted in Spain! The food was enjoyed with excellent tempranillo. The restaurant is very expensive but the food was excellent and delicious.

Stopped in this restaurant in my hotel and was pleasantly surprised. For a hotel restaurant it was upscale and trendy, with a comfortable atmosphere and fairly lively crowd for a rainy Tuesday. As I was on my own I opted to sit in the lounge area. They had a decent, if pricy wine list with mainly Spanish wines (makes sense). Not being a fan of Spanish wines, I opted for a cocktail and was not disappointed. The bascule was a delightful concoction of gin, lemon, honey, celery bitters and cidre. Yummy! There were lots of good options on the menu (tapas, salad, paella for a crowd, and entree's), but when my server (Natalia, excellent) heard my inquiry on how the pulpo was prepared, she suggested the pulpito special. This was small (not baby, but young) octopus sauteed and grilled served with a potato foam, potato coins, asparagus and pearl onions. Overall a very nice dish with perfectly tender and crisp octopus that balanced nicely with the sides. My only complaint is that the octopus could have benefitted from a bit more seasoning. I added salt that helped, but some garlic or oregano in the sauteed would have been good. All and all a nice experience and more food than I could eat. Would go back.

Generally stay at the Blackstone when I'm in Chicago...long day of meetings and I didn't want to go out in the cold, so I just went downstairs to mercat...have been here several times - always good...grilled octopus appetizer was very good and cannelloni filled with chicken, short rib and foie gras, with truffle mushroom bechamel sauce was great...glass of Albariño with the octopus and glass of Tempranillo with the cannelloni were both very good...the tasting menu (10 or 11 small dishes for $65) is also a good way to go if you are hungry...more fun when you're with a group...food and atmosphere are very nice, but pricy.

I was staying at the Hilton next door, which doesn't have a great hotel bar, so ran across the street to grab a proper cocktail. So glad I did, the hotel and restaurant space are beautiful. Bartender made me a solid Perfect Manhattan. I would have dined here but the menu wasn't super conducive to a solo diner, I expect tapas restaurants to feature more small plates which they don't really have.

Delicious food - unique items - Service was wonderful - friendly, attentive and knowledgable. Had weekend brunch - great variety of items.

A large lovely dining room in the Blackstone hotel. If the restaurant was full, it might be a little noisy, but on a Sunday evening, the noise was just fine. Paella as good as any you can get in Spain, including the crusty bits on the bottom. Friendly, knowledgeable wait staff.

This was our first time eating at Mercat and we had a mixed experience. Our waiter, Jerry, was excellent and attentive. We loved the wine he helped us select. The gambas (shrimp) were incredible and the presentation of the scallops was very impressive and perfectly cooked. We also had the patatas bravas, which are just a classic dish. What was disappointing of our visit was the paella negre (rice dish with stained with black squid ink). As all of us had been to Barcelona and two of use lived there, we know our paella. Unfortunately the meat in the paella was so overcooked to be hard and dry that we didn't eat it. The rice of the dish was also dry in places. However, the calamari of the paella was excellent. Considering how well Mercat prepared seafood dishes, and how disappointing the meat was, it makes me wonder if they just don't know how to cook meat? Overall, experience at Mercat was satisfying and we would return again. However, our election will strongly favor seafood based dishes.

Nice place for getting a wonderful dinner. The atmosphere is great, the dish was delicious too. Go for it, a nice experience in Chicago.

Amazing food! I've had several meals here and have never been disappointed. Very good wine list and great service. My favs include the Serrano Ham & Fig Salad,& Paella De Carnes. If you find yourself in Chicago on the weekend, they offer a great brunch.

Once we were staying at the Blackstone we decided on this for supper. It is decidedly Spanish tapas although it has full entrees as well. The staff very friendly and we felt the food quite good. We had a window seat which lookedout on the corner of Michigan and BAlbo, the old time crossroads of Chicago and across from Grant Park, so great people watching. We had breakfast there as well and I had one of the best Mamosas ever with my eggs Benedict. My wife had French toast made in an unusual way with bread pudding in the batter. Very tasty. We were well pleased with our experience.

This restaurant is usually packed so try to make a reservations. If you like tapas, this is the place to go. Food was really excellent and so was the service. Highly recommend.

We enjoyed the vibe and energetic atmosphere at Mercat a la Planxa. All dishes are excellent tasting. Some dishes are a better value than others.

We are staying at the Marriott Blackstone and Mercat is located in the hotel. We were served our drinks promptly and order a burger to split along with a cheese plate. Everything was delicious and our server was awesome he was also the bartender. A little expensive but good.

We decided to dine at this hotel restaurant because we did not want to venture out into the horrible weather visiting Chicago on this particular evening. The Tapas were outstanding, only out done by the paella. We had the anchovies, the octopus, the patatas bravas,and a few other tapas before we had the paella de carnes. (I wanted the seafood paella but was outvoted) Everything was very well prepared and presented and it all tasted great. I will assuredly be back.

This was the second of 3 dinner restaurants we visited on a recent fun trip to Chicago that we did with another couple. Thisvresaurnat as fabulous. We arrived at 7 pm on a Friday, the main, and lovely dining room, was hardly populated. But it filled up sharing t 8 or so.our server was fabulous, knew the menu and the wines! We followed her recommendation and ordered their elevated tasting menu with wine paring. It was awesome, the wines were perfect ! You had better be hungry because it was a lot if food! The final dish wasn't on the menu, the new Spanish Chefs personnel Paella!. Absolutely awesome. We could barely walk back to our Hotel, but I'd do it again! A must place to go.

The atmosphere is classy yet very comfortable open yet room for an intamate meal We had the tasting menu with the wine pairing The food was spectacular many interesting choice The steak was tender and cooked perfectly and the many vegetable dishes had wonderful flavours It reminded us of a visit we had to Spain .

The varied tapas menu makes it perfect for those times when some of your party may want a full meal, while others may want something lighter.

My spouse and I had dinner here with a friend on Sunday evening. We were early, around 6:30, and there were several empty tables. By 7:30, the place was packed. We enjoyed several of the tapas and small plate offerings. The bacon-wrapped dates and the calamari were among the best, although the cod and assorted cured meat tray were also outstanding. Will go again.

I've been to Mercat a few times in the past and their food is really very good along with the service and decor. However, I was surprised by a cheapo move that has convinced me to avoid it on my next upcoming trip to Chicago in a few weeks. I was having an excellent plate of garlic shrimp and asked a manager who was passing by for some bread to enjoy the sauce. I received a SMALL plate of bread and was shocked to see a $6 charge on my bill?! $6 for four slices of baguette? It will cost you at least a few full meals, hope you felt it was worth it

We had drinks with some friends here. Good service and location. Very good drinks for everyone. Will get some food here next time.

It was Sunday morning and I had a long day ahead of me. The previous day I had eaten nothing but snacks. I needed protein and fast! I was staying in the Blackstone Hotel and, following the path of least resistance, went to Mercat for breakfast. I had heard the hype about this being a hot Catalan restaurant and was skeptical, or a least not in the mood for fancy food. I ordered the plainest thing I could find on the menu, the Eggs Benedict. With the first bite I was transported and converted. This was the best version of the classic brunch dish that I have ever eaten. My partner expressed equal satisfaction with another egg dish. Next time maybe it will be dinner for us here.

Excellent tapas restaurant with good location. Dinner with friends in early Dec was an exceptional experience. Service was prompt and wait staff was very helpful with recommendations. All selections were delicious and vegetarian options available and tasty. Prices were moderate but in range for quantity and quality.

Great food with an interesting flair. I had the mercat benedict and it was really great. The coffee is intellegentisa and delicious

We’ve only been here for breakfast and it was better the previous time we ate here. The menu changed a bit for breakfast but the food is still above average. Stay away from the orange juice. It was terrible. It’s not fresh squeezed. The waitress said they use Minute Maid and 3 other varieties of orange juice. The eggs Benedict is what I would recommend. The Hollandaise sauce is the best. I will be returning to try their dinner tapas menu.

Delicious drink! But I didn't even get to try the food because it was too busy at the bar to place an order. The bartender was SERIOUSLY overwhelmed just trying to keep up with drink orders. He was pleasant though and the drink was tasty - their signature Mercat Gin & Tonic. Downtown Chicago pricing though, $14 for one drink. Maybe try it for lunch when it's less crowded.

The ambiance is very cool, with very good service. They have a good selection of Spanish wines and many drink options. Good tasting food.

We recently visited and tried five of the tapas: the tomato bread, the shrimp, the octopus, the croquettes, and the flatbread. Some of the tapas were incredible—the croquettes and shrimp were great. The shrimp was not only delicious, but came in a generous portion for a small plate. The croquettes melted in your mouth, and the aioli and garnishes added a bit of flair to a classic tapas dish. The other dishes were good, but fairly standard. I had the house gin and tonic, which was a really great drink. The garnish of rosemary was a great touch.

The food was unbelievable! I was very excited to try Spanish food for the first time and I was not disappointed! Cant wait to go back!

We stopped in last week for lunch after wondering Grant Park and the nearby museum grounds. The place itself was lovely although when entering from the street it may look closed as the downstairs is not in use until the evening. Head up the stairs where you will be greated by a lovely dinning room. The restaurant itself does have a small view of Grant Park but I believe that Google oversells it as it sounds like you get this great view of the park which I don't believe to be 100% true. The staff was very attentive and gave a few recommendations. Keep in mind this is small plates to share so depending on your party size you may not need too many plates. We tried the bacon wrapped dates which were delicious!! The Revuelto with soft eggs and poached lobster was great, and I was surprised to see how much actual lobster was in it. The Serrano Ham & Fig Salad was another good choice we shared. Everything that we had including the Albondigas and Mallorca Sunset drink were fabulous! Keep in mind these can quickly add up though, we stopped for lunch and left with an $80 tab on just 2 people. Regardless, it was great and I will definitely keep this place in mind for my next visit into Chicago.

I visited Mercat a la Planxa with my wife on our anniversary, Sunday, December 30, 2018. I *so* wanted to give this place glowing reviews as the food was awesome, bordering on the deliciousness I experienced in Barcelona a few years back. The ambience was good-high ceilings, attractive decor to keep things interesting in the background; responsive and knowledgeable service, even free champagne (or sparkling wine) for our anniversary; but we ordered decaf coffees with our dessert, and here we are 6 hours later at midnight, wide awake. We minimize caffeine intake so that it works when we need it—Normally, we’d be asleep by 10pm; 11 pm on a restless night. Clearly, *something* was caffeinated. Everything else was good — we paid more than $85 per person for dinner, and for that, I would expect a level of trust that the decaf coffee that was ordered would be respected. If we can’t trust this simple request to be honored, what else are you cutting corners on?

Nice dining room, service was very professional, but the so-called "rack of lamb" was not a rack, just two lamb shops without any vegetables or side dish, somewhat disappointing. I am used to have a bread basket in that kind of fancy restaurant, but I had to ask for it, and it is annoying. No salt and pepper on the table. I didn't ask for it. But the meat was very good and tender, the tempranillo wine, even not the most expensive of the list, was excellent.

Cocktails, food, service were simply amazing. I highly recommend the paella. I also had the Spanish breakfast in the morning and I couldn't asked for anything better!

Big disappointment . Started with NO valet parking despite the website stating it was available for 16$ at the front door f the hotel. The gentleman there apologized and said I could self park in the garage across the street. The place is under staffed and the food is average at best, the paella especially over priced and just not very good. We had high hopes. Will not return. People have raved about this spot so maybe it was an off night but still it was our dinner date and it didn’t do it for us.

Service was the best we've had in a decade. The server was knowledgeable, helped guide us through the menu. The food was delicious! Well presented and well prepared (garlic chicken, sirano ham and fig salad, patatas bravas, sangria was well balanced, not too sweet)

The stuffed olives are a must have. I was served the wrong drink, and wasn’t charged for it but I was charged for the replacement. Food was pretty great, service was too.

Great place for tapas. Great staff and great venue. Definitely worth a visit if you are intro classical spanish tapas. Nice wine selection too.

I love the hip, cozy vibe of this place and the food was outstanding. Every single tapas I tried was delicious. The server Doc was wise in wine pairings. Truly superb experience in every way.

For us, not worth the cost. There were 4 of us. We had 6 drinks, tapas, but no dessert. The meal was $245 without tax or tip. We went to another restaurant for appetizers and desserts because we were still hungry. The drinks were very good quality and quite tasty. We surprised that they did not have a charcuterie board option. The patatas bravas were the most bland I have ever had. The paella was very saucy and lacked any crispiness to the rice. Much of it was decent, but I can have decent Tapas a mile from my house for 1/2 the cost.

the food was really excellent!! really, really!! the wine and the service too! I recommend this place to anyone that wants to enjoy great food in a good ambiance with a great service! Next time I am in Chicago, I will go back.

Cute little restaurant in The Blackstone Hotel. I came in for brunch. The staff was friendly and I could appreciate their dink menus that pair well with the food. Prices are reasonable.