Tapas Valencia Reviews

Very flavorful Spanish food with excellent sangria and wonderful customer service. Large selection of tapas and paellas. This restaurant is as close to true Spanish food as I have ever tried outside of Spain. Have tried pretty much every item on the menu and every single one has been fabulous. One of my favorite places to eat in the city. Highly recommended.

Our first visit to Tapas Valencia was outstanding! Margarita, our server, provided a wonderful experience, sharing her knowledge of wine and food. We had the pre-fix menu with wine paring--delicious! I tend to prefer California wines, but was not disappointed with the selections paired with our 4 courses. We will definitely return!

Had never eaten Tapas-style food. Ordered hot dishes. Very good. Lots of variety of vegetarian and seafood dishes. Very good and attentive service.

We arrived early for a Friday evening reservation. The dining room was busy but happily they were able to seat us immediately. There is a nice selection of affordable Spanish wines. Our server helped us selected a less expensive but very good Rioja. My son tried a Spanish cider. We were happy to see that the menu was clearly marked with gluten free and vegetarian options. We spotted paella on the menu and were told it would take 45 minutes to prepare. We placed our paella order when we ordered our wine. Then ordered cold tapas when the wine arrived. The garlic potato salad was wonderful. The 45 minutes was a reasonable wait for paella to order. We had vegetarian paella but added shrimp and chicken. It was a nice size for 3, plus we had shared 3 cold tapas. It was the best paella I've had in a long time. Well worth the wait.

We visited the restaurant years ago, and we're pleased to say the food is just as good and the service is even better. Ambiance is fun, and they keep the food coming. Didn't have time for dessert, but they had great options.

I've been going to Tapas Valencia for several years now and it is my fave Spanish restaurant! The service is always excellent, the management and staff are so welcoming! The drinks are exceptional - their bar is one of the best in the city, and the food is the highest quality and always seasoned to perfection! And you do not want to miss the live music and Flamenco dancing (see schedule)! I absolutely love this place because I always leave feeling better than I arrived!

South Loop with valet parking and free on-street parking after about 6 pm. Lively atmosphere. Authentic Spanish tapas (small plates) great for sharing with a group. Do not expect plated dinners: expect to share many appetizers (tapas). Good service. A bit pricey - each small plate costs almost as much as whole dinners elsewhere, but you’re coming for the tapas. Good sangria. No wait with a reservation. Happy Hour specials from 3-5 or 6.

I just finished a trip in Spain and tried food from street vendors to fixed menu celebrity chef. I recognized that the foot at Tapas Valencia is not only delicious, authentic, and well priced. In addition, the management is very pleasant and accommodating and the staff is very friendly. They all works as if they own the place.

Had a great time here celebrating a birthday. They have prix-fix menu (min 2 ppl) as well as a regular menu. We had 5 ppl, 2 ordered the prix-fix menu ($35 each) and the rest ordered 7 items to share. That's plenty of good for everyone. It was hard to stuff in dessert. Place - nicely decorated with Valencia tiles on the wall - imagine yourself in Parc Guell. Drinks - tried the mango margarita and cava sangria. Have to say I have had better ones else where. Food - excellent. The beef tenderloin were tender, scallops were fresh, crepes were thin and crispy. Very tasty all around. Dessert was good too! Not the usual super sweet type. Bonus - I told the server we were celebrating a birthday and he came out with a ice cream puff with a candle on top! Highly recommended and will return.

This is one of my favorite restaurants to visit when I'm in Chicago. They offer a very long list of terrific menu items. Good prices, too - a couple of my favorites are: 6 ounce beef tenderloin and mashed potatoes for $16.95, Alaskan King Crab and avocado on toast for $10.50. The staff is great and service is very good. Try the Basil martini if you like that sort of thing - it's a favorite of mine.

We had an inkling the evening would be special when we beheld the wonderful mosaics and framed Miro prints on the wall and heard the guitars serenading the diners. The food and service sure lived up to the first impression. Try the cava sangria, definitely order the patatas bravas, and use a spoon to get every last drop of the sauce around the goat cheese. Terrific experience.

I came here with a larger group after a graduation. The service was fine, although our waiter was not particularly concerned about my food allergies, I could register the annoyance on his face when I asked the ingredients in particular items. My allergies are life threatening, you'd think it'd be preferable to go to the kitchen to find out if a dish contains pine nuts then to send a customer to the hospital. He did recover a bit by bringing out a surprise dessert for the graduate in the group. The atmosphere is fun, great for big groups and colorfully decorated. Patio would be great on a warm evening, but could not accommodate a group of our size (9). The real letdown was the food. It just simply was not as good as other tapas restaurants. The portions were also very small, making items difficult to share, which is usually the idea with tapas. The raw salmon dish we ordered was also turning grey and smelled so fishy several members of the group could not eat it. Probably the only dishes I would call good were the skirt steak with mashed potatoes and bacon wrapped dates. Sangria was okay, not the best I have had but fine.

Nice restaurant - friendly staff that greet and serve you - definitely made me feel welcome. I had three tapas which were good - nice selection of some beers as well. Would definitely recommend a visit if your in the area.

I toured the South Loop with a Chicago Greeter last summer. She told me that she loved this restaurant and I've been wanting to try it ever since. Last night I took a friend for her birthday and it was fantastic! I loved everything about it! Friendly service, decor, menu items, peach sangria and the food was outstanding! Everything!! Can't wait to go back!

We have been to Meson Sabika and decided to try Tapas Valencia after a server at the Pirate's House in Savannah GA, (Brad) guaranteed we would enjoy Valencia more than Meson. Well we would have to agree...this place is wonderful. As beautiful as Meson Sabika is, Tapas is beautiful in a modern way. We liked the room between tables..such a spacious set up. The service is outstanding. Everyone is very attentive...from the server to the busy service to the manager. We never had to ask..someone was always there to attend to our every need. The food is excellent. There were four in our party, so we decided to sample several cold tapas and then several hot. The cold plates included the garlic potato salad...oh so good, we had to order a second. The chilled shrimp in horseradish tomato sauce, the shrimp were a good size. The beef tenderloin with the mushroom and date was mouth-watering. For hot tapas we had a lobster dish that was to die for, the stuffed mushrooms were tasty, the puffed pastry with beef tenderloin will be a repeat dish and the scallops were tender. We had dessert, we had the banana in caramel sauce with chopped pistachio nuts served with ice cream, we had the flan, and we had the bitter sweet chocolate tart..All the desserts were good. We did have drinks before dinner, we had mojitos and Absolut on the rocks...Imagine our surprise when we received our check the drinks were only $5..a special. What a deal. For $6 they have valet parking. For sure we will be returning to Tapas Valencia real soon.

The three of us shared 4 tapas that were good and were a reasonable volume of food if you ask for a basket of bread with them. We did not find the sangria to be to our taste but liked the Mojitos. The two desserts we had were wonderful. The chocolate caramel tart in a hazelnut crust and the bananas with caramel and ice cream. We will have to go back during $3 tapas to see what that is like or perhaps just order desserts. 😊

We tried several authentic dishes and were not disappointed. The service is impeccable and the atmosphere is enjoyable. Put this on your to do list for authentic tapas experience...

We enjoyed the Sangria. The lamb meatballs, queso were tasty and had a nice bite. The lemon chicken fettuccine could have been a meal. They have a variety of paeta which we all shared as well as the other dishes. All these wee enough foe 5. Service was good.

Food looked good but wasn't as tasty (we miss salt and pepper on the table) service was terrible and we were the only table his got (the next server check on his table 8 times while ours just 2 and we have to ask for him 3 times more) bussers and food runners were very nice and the place has a great atmosphere, I would come back with the hopes of getting a different server.

Tapas Valencia is our neighborhood “go to” restaurant. We have taken friends, had dinner at the bar, celebrated holidays, and even hosted our daughters baby shower in their private room. The food, service, and atmosphere is always superb! Any visit to Chicago should include a meal at Tapas Valencia.

Great food. Great drinks. Wonderful, friendly staff. We have a weekend home in Chicago and find ourselves going back to Tapas Valencia again, and again. Without question, a South Loop gem!

Chose Tapas Valencia because 3 of us had different wants for dinner that night. And this was a GREAT choice! We shared the Cabrales salad to start, the Campesina Paella, and another half dozen various tapas plates. All were delicious and cooked to perfection. In addition, they had a great drink selection which we also partook of! Our food bill and bar bill were equal! We went on a Wednesday night about 8pm. Service was fantastic though restaurant wasn't all that busy. Our win!

To be honest - read the reviews on Trip Advisor and decided to give it a try! Saturday evening - the manager was very welcoming! Our hostesses was fairly busy but she really explained the dishes nicely to us (we were new to tapas), gave us some great suggestions and then followed it up with some efficient service. The food was absolutely awesome. The dessert was lovely. A live performance of Spanish music and dance was on which richly added to the experience ! Great place! Highly recommended!

We had an enjoyable time at Tapas Valencia on a recent trip to Chicago. The food was good, portion sizes were reasonable, and the atmosphere was very enjoyable. They had a couple of people playing guitar and singing and the live music was really nice. Drinks from the bar were tasty, as well. I'd definitely go back if I was in the area again.

Great selection of small plates for varied tastes and diets. If you can’t find something you like here, you’re a very difficult person to please. Notable are the king crab and avocado on toast, the duck confit and the empanada. Lamb was good but a little tough. The chocolate cake is very good too.

You must hit up the bar menu!! How can you pass up $3.00 small plates!?!? All you need to do is purchase a glass of wine or cocktail. Each dish on the bar menu is actually cooked to order, so everything is delicious and fresh!

Discovered by chance in 4/14 issue of "Chicago Where" magazine and decided to give it a try. Bet decision ever!! I knew we arrived at the right place when treated to an unsolicited cup of Spanish olives within a minute of sitting at our table. My wife and I were pleasantly surprised by the overall selection, quality/taste of the food and its friendly service. Perfect for a Saturday night date, place accepts reservations and has bar, tables & booths. The Saturday we went it had live (guitar) Spanish music and flamenco dancers. The music was not loud allowing a conversation without shouting. The staff took care of us promptly by removing empty plates as soon as they saw us finish each course of tapas. If you are not familiar with tapas, the best eating experience is the pre-fixed "Taste of Spain" menu: 3 courses of at least 2 different tapas each plus 2 desserts, i.e. a total of 10 tapas for $37 per person (2 people minimum) - come hungry though!!!. You can also choose from regular menu. Not many parking structures in the area but restaurant does offer valet parking. Easy access in/out of I-90/94 nearby. Will definitely come again. Check online at http://tapasvalencia.com/

We went here because it was across the street from our son'es new apartment and were very pleasantly surprised by the quality. Good selection of tapas--both "standard" (e.g. beef tenderloin skewers with horseradish sauce, shrimp with 3 sauces) and creative (e.g. artichoke hearts with blue cheese). Interesting wine selection at reasonable prices.

Tapas Valencia was good food and the price was reasonable. Nothing specifically stood out and made me want to return for a specific dish. But the food was good, the service was good, and the price was reaonable.

I continue to be of the opinion that the best Spanish food to be had outside of Spain is located in Chicago. I think this place is up there with the Café Ba Ba Reebas and Café Ibéricos of the city. Service can be a bit slow as the waiter depends on underlings to deliver food to his/her tables, and when we were there, it appears some misunderstanding led to the staff clearly forgetting to cook up one of our tapas dishes. We still got it and it was piping hot so it seems to us that they make food fresh. The bacon wrapped dates were especially a hit with my partner, and $5 house cocktails during their Happy Hour was a nice, serendipitous revelation.

The ambiance is lacking somewhat, but the food is fresh, fast and tasty. Service was very attentive and spot on. All small plates and some do sound a little better on the menu than they actually were on the plate. The bacon dates were good, as were the scallops. The potatoes which sounded awesome, were not. Everything else was fine, but not to rave or be disappointed in - The value was good. All in all and very good experience and I would return on a future visit if in the area.

There were so many things to choose from that it was difficult to narrow it down, but we really enjoyed every dish. Service was great. Antonio had favorites, and great recommendations. He made the experience authentic. Go hungry because you will want EVERYTHING. Great wine list, that for being all Spanish, was super approachable.

Had a business dinner there last night and was embarrassed by my selection of location. The plates were plain white and presentation fell flat, but not as flat as the taste. We ordered the warm goat cheese with tom/roasted pepper and garlic bread and it was if a can of tomato sauce poured right over top with store bought HARD garlic bread. Also, we did not get the veg paella ordered. The manager sent a complimentary desert over as an apology, but still the overall experience was not good. I will not recommend or return.

This South Loop restaurant is a neighborhood gem which offers sidewalk dining along with the regular inside tables. The full bar offers daily drink specials. The menu offers a nice selection. The Paella dishes are prepared to order and take about 45 minutes. One Paella dish serves two people easily. The service was friendly and attentive. Because this was our first visit, the server was helpful with suggestions. The star of the show was the young man who brought water and bused the table. If I had my own business, I would hire him away in a minute. He was genuinely nice and friendly. He added to a pleasant dining experience.

From the Sangria to the desserts, the food here is excellent. The bacon wrapped dates are the best. The service friendly, not rushed. The restaurant is spacious, never feelinig crowded. We went there as part of restaurant week. We did not know at the time that Tapas Valencia was a Meson Sabika restaurant, which in our opinion is one of the best tapas restaurants in the midwest.

It's wonderful to find such nice places to eat in the South Loop. Attending a conference at McCormick Place used to mean going to the Loop foMcCormickr dinner. With its option of sidewalk seating, and such delicious food, I now have a nearby dinner choice to recommend.

The place is on the corner of a building. Modern, colorful decor. Excellent tapas. Very good paella. Solid wine selection.

We tried six different tapas, and a flight of sangria, all of which were delicious! They were brought out one or two at a time, which helped us savor each one. However service was a little slow; a couple of different times, it took 10-15 minutes for the server to bring something simple we'd asked for. Atmosphere is cheery and fun.

We are tapas aficionados, and Valencia did not dissapoint. The wine selection was authentic, and the variety of dishes just kept coming. The larger the group, the more the tastings!

This near south side restaurant used to be in the western suburb of Bloomingdale several years ago - we liked the food then, but the service was just okay. Wondered if by changing locations things had improved. Atmosphere: We ate outside since the weather was perfect. Road noise was high, but otherwise we had a nice experience. It looked like the inside was decorated nicely - I was surprised they weren't busier on a Sat. night. There aren't many other places around this restaurant, other than condos, so it feels a little isolated. We were told that it's busy with nightlife one block over. Drinks: I had a glass of the red wine sangria, which was good. Food: we ordered goat cheese marinara, spicy potatoes, tiger shrimp with honey sauce, beef empanada, and salmon and cheese rollups. The goat cheese marinara was by far the winner of the bunch, always my favorite. The potatoes were okay, nothing special. I liked the beef empanada, but it was more of a croissant pastry dough rather than the type of dough we're used to. The salmon was good, as was the shrimp. Service: While our waiter was pleasant, we had to ask for him a few times for food, water refills, and our check. They weren't busy at all, so I'm not sure why the service was so slow and inattentive. We had plans after dinner, and since service was slow we had to run out of there to our next destination, which was a bit stressful. Overall, we liked the food, but the service was just too slow for us. Would I go back? Sure, but if given the choice I'd probably pick another tapas place in the city, as there are many.

Does it seems that most new restaurants approach things with a small plate and share approach? Basically the essence of Tapas. But this steals from those who actually do it for a living. These are the restaurants charging actual small plate prices around $7-$10 and Tapas Valencia is one of the them. Any value orientated customer, quality versus what is paid is going to find Tapas Valencia hits the bull-eye. The restaurant is modern and an off-spring certainly in terms of food and apparently ownership "Mason Sabica" out in Naperville;. A place I applaud. The Café Valencia dishes up everything from the number one go too garlic potato salad, to duck pate topped with smoked duck on toast points with slithers of apple and then to lashing of really nice cured salmon, and crunchy croquettes of ham and chicken. The desserts are more than note worthy at Tapas Valencia, they really hit it out of the park. The red wine pear, vanilla ice, puff pasty and strawberry was enough for two and priced fairly for one. Nice service, nice space! Take a cab from downtown, the ride will more than pay for itself.

Extremely authentic, delicious dishes and thoughtful service from each staff member. We ate around the menu, and nothing disappointed, from the Skirt Steak, to the Pulpo and Squid. We had a drink at the bar afterward, and the cocktails were spot-on and delicious also. Go visit!

We found Tapas Valencia on Open Table, and we really enjoyed the many authentic dishes and wine options. They even had Licor 43! My husband (Alicante born) and I absolutely enjoyed the flavors experience and will come again. Oscar, our server was a great help as well!

The food was good, but the wait staff was very hurried with not much attention to the customer. Brad was next to impossible to get. Management was downright rude

This is my "go to" place when I have visitor in Chicago. It has a varied menu, excellent wines, and a very pleasant dining room. (There are very nice discounts beverages and Tapas in the afternoons.) We held a wedding rehearsal dinner there and everyone was satisfied with the selection and quantity of food.

My husband and I wanted to try something new, and we were so glad we chose Tapas Valencia! A small bowl of large Spanish olives was served as soon as we were seated. Our server Chris was so helpful with his descriptions of various dishes and wines. My husband ordered a dirty martini with blue cheese olives, and I chose a flight of Spanish red wines. Chris explained each wine in detail, and then provided a map to show us the region in Spain where each originated. The wines were distinctly different and delicious. We shared Salpicon de Moriscos, a chilled seafood medley that was very fresh and tasty. The generous portion of Trucha a la Plancha, grilled rainbow trout, was perfect. Our last shared plate of Berenjena con Setas, baked eggplant with tomato and Tetilla cheese was so flavorful and unique, we kept exclaiming on the flavor with each bite. We will be back, and will recommend this place to our friends.

Valencia is a cool place in the South Loop. They bring a small complimentary dish of olives to your table before you order which is a nice touch and they are delicious! We didn't have a lot of time but ordered three dishes to split which were all very tasty with beautiful presentation. The Ensalda Temporada is a chilled medley of mushroom, green asparagus, heart of palm, artichokes, and sun-dried tomato with a basil white wine vinaigrette topped with Manchego cheese. I believe I will crave this salad and need to go back for it! We followed that up with Champiñones Rellenos which were filled with spinach and cheese. Note that even though this is tapas, this was an extremely small plate with just three mushrooms of medium size. We also had the shrimp with lemon and garlic which were delicious but very small sized shrimp. Another interesting note is that this is a sister restaurant to Mesón Sabika in Naperville which is their original location. It was kind of pricey for two glasses of wine and three small plates but it was good!

I love this place so much. So many great options. Fantastic sangria. Lots of vegetarian options too.

The food here is like many other tapas restaurants but what really makes the difference is the service. It was very prompt and responsive. The manager was always around and the waiters were knowledgeable and courteous

We like tapas restaurants -- good way to sample many different dishes without running up an unreasonable tab. Tapas Valencia offers a wide range of interesting and quite delicious dishes. The small plates are not so small -- compared with many tapas restaurants, Tapas Valencia offers fairly generous servings. We thoroughly enjoyed the 7 or 8 plates we chose. Wait staff was both attentive and knowledgeable regarding the dishes on offer. Prices were reasonable. The evening we went there was a flamenco show, as well: not memorable but still enjoyable.

We've driven by numerous times and finally made it in for a late Sunday lunch so it wasnt crowded. The menu has a great varied selection. The cold beet, octopus salad were excellent. The duck confit melted in your mouth. The grilled shrimp done perfectly. The desserts were great also. It was pretty deserted at the time we were there so it was quiet but I could see with the bar this place could get noisy when busy. Service very attentive. Parking on streets easy Sunday afternoon but that could be an issue other times I think this place tops BaBa Reeba for food anyday, has more variety than Mercat and just edges out Emilios.

First time here and loved it. We had a reservation and were seated right away. Two of us decided to do the tasting menu and it was absolutely delicious. Particularly liked the toast points with crab and avocado and the scallops with couscous . But the almond cake with pear and caramel was the best non-chocolate dessert I've ever had. Fun place!

Ate there for the first time. Food was great staff very friendly. Nice size portions. Would definitely recommend.

We wanted a place to go for lighter fare before a concert at Soldier Field and this place was perfect. In fact, we plan to come back with a bigger group of friends because it's spacious with a lively, fun atmosphere. They have an extensive tapas menu and three of us probably tried at least a dozen of them and were satisfied with each one. We had octopus, pork, veal, beef, goat cheese in tomato sauce with toast points, potatoes, a salad - a real variety. We were pleasantly surprised with their extensive wine and cocktail menu, too. As we were leaving, a couple of dancers were starting to perform. The service was fantastic. Our waitress was training a new waitress and explained that up front. And when it started to rain, the hostess offered to call us a cab since we decided not to walk.

The tapas are delicious, it's are second time visiting, atmosphere is beautiful but, service was a bit off considering we were a party of 11pp with reservation. They need to work on that ... Otherwise is fantastic!!!

One of owners is usually there with a smile. The staff are friendly and the menu of tapas and spanish entrees is extensive and well-prepared. There is a neighborhood feel in this South Loop restaurant. it is an easy drive and there is a reasonably priced valet which may not be necessary.

Dined here on a Wednesday night and took advantage of their wine special - 50% off any bottle on their list under $60 - a very nice deal. Our party of 5 were waited on by Chris - friendly guy who explained everything. They have hot and cold tapas, salads, soups, paellas, and desserts. We did a couple of their soups, a salad, most of their hot tapas, and finished up with three different desserts. All of the food was well prepared and tasted great. The plates come out as soon as the kitchen makes them, so it's in no particular order what you're eating. Prices overall were reasonable, and the half-priced wine offerings were great. We were very pleased with everything and would definitely come back.

The lady and I visited Tapas Valencia a few months ago. Everything wasn't perfect, the veggie paella was bland, but some of the tapas were quite good. I phoned last Saturday afternoon and the girl on the telephone was courteous, said that they were booked for the night, but there are quite a few tables in the bar area, and we could always eat at the bar. We took a chance, and were pleased. They have valet parking for $6, a nice touch, and the tables in the bar were plenty big enough. I'm tall with long arms, and didn't feel cramped, moreover, I was pleased to be seated promptly at 7 pm with no reservation. The cafe is noisy, very, and they had live music, but the food was good. The grilled calamari was tasty, not at all rubbery, and the pork loin medallions served with carmelized onions and a delicious sauce, similar to a demi-glace, were delicious. So were the profiteroles we shared for dessert, and none of the tapas we chose were disappointing. This was a nice experience, Tapas Valencia is a nice cafe, it's easy to get out without a burdensome tab, and the service was attentive and courteous. Everything was very satisfactory.

I have lived in Chicago for many years, and I have to say that Tapas Valencia has the best Spanish tapas in the city -- especially considering how reasonable their prices are.

Perfect meal after busy business day! The food was prepared perfectly and portions were perfect. The Prickly Pear Sangria was a fresh treat! Recommend for anyone that is familiar wit Tapas or not; the servers can guide you through the menu.

My wife and I dine at Tapas Valencia weekly, often for happy hour and sometimes for non happy hour. We have been dining there for over five years and really enjoy the experience. The decor of the restaurant is modern and the atmosphere is inviting. Chef Crispin Plata has been chef de cuisine for about the past six months and he has really improved the menu. Execution and creativity were evident as soon as he took over the kitchen. Happy hour represents great value with $4.00 tapas, daily wine or drink deals along with excellent service. The non happy hour experience is also excellent. The menu is extensive and there are daily specials that add to the selection. We often bring or meet friends at Tapas Valencia because the of the welcoming atmosphere. The combination of excellent and creative food, attentive service, and the decor make this one of our favorite restaurants. I might add that we dine out frequently, and travel often, so we are familiar with many restaurants, perhaps too familiar.

This is a friendly,colorfully decorated spot for tapas on State St. We actually ate here two different times and the first night, the service was impeccable and the food delicious. I ordered Gambo con Expinacas , tiger shrimp atop spinach with white wine and it ws delectable. My friends had Pato Confitado, duck confit with mushrooms nad pipirrana de Buey, skirt steak with bleu cheese and we were all pleased. The seccnd night the food was equally delicious, but the server forgot one of the orders and by the time it came we were ready to leave. Mistakes happen. I would still return.

the tapas were served well and were good. Service top! Only remark: 25$ for 8 small and thin slices of Iberico ham is over the top! Although the other tapas are better priced. Beware: it's flan that is served as "pan perdido", good but not what we were looking for.

Our second visit here we returned after sampling a very good Sangria On a hot afternoon0 We were greeted warmly by Gauoso the manager and engaged in polite conversation. We ordered 7 different dishes along with bread and aioli our charming server Victor Leon had ecplained the menu and offered some recommendations which we went with We were delighted with the choices, all the food was excellent, fresh and well presented, tasty and filling. We have eaten tapas for over 20 years all over the world this is some of the best we have ever eaten We highly recommend Tapas Valencia for its great food and service, and on top of that we had a flamenco show and live music, what a great find in Chicago

Love this place! Every tapa was fabulous as well as the wine and dessert. My favorites were the bacon wrapped dates, garlic spinach and shrimp, blue cheese tenderloin, and cream cheese stuffed smoked salmon. I had a red Catalunya wine that was amazing along with chocolate cake for dessert. I wish I'd had room for the bananas foster martini but will have to return and try it another time. They also had a prix fixe that I will try on a date night in the future. Would love to come back here soon!

I went here with friends it's located on State Street in the South Loop. The food was pretty good, the drinks were great, I had the passion margarita delicious. The desert was great too it was an almond pound cake drizzled with caramel and with pears.

Nice traditional tapas place with a good selection of Spanish wines and a full bar. Salads were inventive. Serrano ham was a nice serving of thin sliced ham with cheeses. Hot tapas were tasty, loved the garlic shrimp! Interior nothing fancy, but clean and acceptable. Try this place if you are in the area.

Great place to go for dinner with a few friends or just a date night. The wine list is extensive, and well priced. You can get a good bottle of wine that does not break the bank. The menu offers a wide variety of tapas, hot and cold. Everything we enjoyed was excellent. The service was also over the top; Hillary did a great job of tending to us.

We selected this restaurant based on reviews and proximity to Soldier Field. We've had the opportunity to have tapas in Spain and the tapas offered at Tapas Valencia was just as good! The menu was extensive with enough options to suit all dietary requirements (including gluten free which we are most sensitive to). The menu listed all the plates that were gluten free. Even dishes that includes some gluten were modified by the chefs to accommodate (for example, replacing spinach for couscous to accompany the scallops dish). All the dishes we tried were fresh and tasty. Our server recommend 2 to 3 dishes per person so we ordered 6 plates for the two of us. This was a perfect amount of food and we even left room for several gluten free dessert options. We had the Platano con Helado which was sautéed bananas with pistachios, caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream- delicious! The service was friendly and prompt. The walk to Soldier Field was an easy 1 mile and took 25 minutes.

Inviting and brightly decorated, Tapas Valencia has an extensive tapas menu to choose from. The menu is almost too long but if you like options, pick this tapas establishment. The unusual Tostadas de Centollo presented us with toast points topped with Alaskan king crab, avocado and balsamic--what turned out to be a winning mix. The Croquetas de Jamon y Pollo had a delicate texture and a complimentary tomato sauce. The roasted dates wrapped in bacon are a MUST-DO. You cannot go wrong with smoky and sweet. The Patatas Bravas were okay. The baked eggplant with tomato, wild mushrooms and Tetilla cheese with a Madiera wine sauce had an interesting flavor but the texture was slimy and unappealing. Could be a personal thing but all three of us had same assessment. Server was sweet and knew his tapas. Complimentary marinated green olives and bread were nice touches. Flamenco was beginning as we were leaving. A great experience in an interesting neighborhood. Have a go.

Our group was well serviced. Had a preset list of 3 cold and 3 hot tapas for every table. All were very good. Garlic mashed potatoes, beef tenderloin skewers, shrimp penn etc.

If you love tapas, you will love Tapas Valencia. I've been cajoled here by my girlfriend on more than one occasion (we mysteriously end up walking past when we go for strolls and of course it's exactly at the point she is hungry :). Sangria is wonderful. White and red are regular favourites. The taps itself never fails to disappear from the plate at a rapid pace, and given we have probably eaten just about everything on the menu by now, you frankly can't go wrong. We've acid tested our opinion by taking friends and consensus is yum. Just yum!

Reserved a table for 8.30pm and our very, very friendly server soon introduced herself. Mojitos were on offer so we enjoyed several of these - delicious! Based on the advice of our server we ordered 2 tapas per person then opted to order 2 more of our favourites. Food was delicious, service was excellent and would not hesitate to return.

Chicago is a great restaurant town! But I didn't expect that this restaurant would be as good as it was. There were four of us and we ended up with 8 dinner tapas and two dessert tapas plus a bottle of wine. (Wednesday special - half price bottles of any wine under $60. A great deal!) The waiter was very helpful and wasn't pushy about selections. His recommendation for the wine was perfect. It was all very good but best thing I had was the scallops. Popular place with couples, families and groups. A bit away from the hotel but we took the bus to the restaurant and an Uber back. Easy.

Wow. Hidden gem. Gets very crowded. Food is delicious. Wine flights. Beer flights. You can secure street parking if you look around.

a large group of us went for dinner and drinks. We ordered a variety of tapas with people of all dietary restrictions - including vegetarian and glutten free - we had quite a few pitchers of sangria. the paella and the other tapas were very good. Its a great place to hang out and have long relaxed dinner and drinks.

Made a reservation for a dinner before a show. Modern, fairly simple decor (which reminded me Barcelona, not Valencia). Very good selection of more traditional and more unique tapas, which we all shared. Decent sangria. Excellent service!! Very enjoyable overall. $40 per person seem reasonable.

We stopped in after a day at the Museum of Science and Industry for dinner on a Saturday night. We got in a little after 5 pm, and had no problem getting a table. This is right on State Street, and it's a nice neighborhood. We were able to find free parking (a rarity in Chicago, which fines you for all sorts of things) a block west. We've tried tapas (small plates) at a bunch of places, and this was some pretty good tapas. They offered a good variety of tapas dishes to order, and we let our daughter who was lucky enough to study abroad in Madrid for a semester make the initial order. We had a table of 5, and ordered eleven different tapas dishes. They were all tasty and came out properly cooked when they were supposed to be. We really liked the decor, and the sidewalks were clean and made for easy walking. If you are into tapas, this is a good place to check out. A notable downside - we ordered a pitcher of sangria, and the pitcher was very small for the price. We got a solid 4 or 5 glasses out of it, but I've seen other places with much bigger pitchers for the same price.

Great atmosphere and service. There are many options for gluten free. The prices are very reasonable. I love the dates and eggplant with goat cheese.

I went there for dinner and I had thr cheese platter, the spanish tortilla and the lamb chops and thrn churros for dessert. Except the cheese platter (they basically have nothing to do except cut the cheese) the reste was very bad, no taste or too salty. The churros were just oil and sugar disgusting !!! Definitively not traditionnal spanish and definitively not good food !!

Nothing like going to an authentic Spanish Tapas restaurant. Don't worry all the wait staff speak English and are wonderful at explaining all the dishes. Our favorites were the Chicken & vegetable casserole (very spicy) beef empada and grilled shrimp in a lemon garlic sauce. Great drinks too! The whole experience was wonderful! :)

Went here for Tapas with a couple of girlfriends. It's in the South Loop so a little out of the way from the action but the restaurant itself is a nice place. We ate outdoors which was nice but was close to the road so that wasn't so great. I've been to all the standard Chicago Tapas places (Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba, Iberico and Emilio's) and this place is way better. The food is solid and the service very good. Would go back.

Wanted something different during our stay from all the hearty large American food, and we found this place on TA a short walk from our hotel. We booked online, but on arrival this was not necessary for a Sunday night. Tapas menu was extensive, average around $10ea (a lot more expensive compared to Spain), however the service and food was excellent. No draft beer only bottles. We had a goats cheese salad, steak kebab, mushrooms with cheese, and the jamon and manchego (which was a very large portion and value for money compared to the steak kebab). Highly recommend this place.

I've been here twice, and both times, there has been great service. Their sangria is good, and their mojitos were excellent (and I am obsessed with my mojitos, so I was picky—not too sweet, enough mint, properly shaken). This time, I reserved a table in advance, and asked about the paella over the phone, mentioning that it was my birthday. I arrived early and was seated immediately, and the moment my boyfriend arrived, they put in the order for my paella. At the end of the night, they brought me complimentary flan with a candle, remembering from my mention over the phone. They are clearly careful about their service. I had the paella valenciana; the chicken was overcooked, but the seafood is the main point anyway, and the clams, mussels, and shrimp were superb, as well as the rice. I really enjoyed it—it was a great dish, and I'd wanted paella for my birthday, and I was very pleased with the meal. We also had a bunch of tapas, mostly for my boyfriend who wasn't having the paella, but I tried some as well. The Queso de Cabra was a star of the night—absolutely stunningly delicious and satisfying, we scraped every last speck of that sauce out with bread. He loved the Tostada con Pato and Salmón Curado—which were both tasty cooked to perfection—and the Chorizo y Morcilla, although he was disappointed with the regular sausage. The cheese plate was just all right, a bit small and could have used more fruit. Overall, great birthday! I would definitely go there again. Not too busy, but excellent food, service, and drinks.

We went Saturday night, our waitress, Margarita was WONDERFUL. We had 4 course tapas with wine pairings all for $53.00 a person. Margarita explained every dish and wine and was very attentive. We would have never ordered the tapas on this menu but decided to do something different and BOY were we happy.... The food and wine were GREAT. We will go there again when in Chicago.

The recommendation was for about 2-3 plates per person to share. We have a teen boy so had to increase that dramatically to keep him fed. We tried a mix of a shrimp (excellent), a skewered tenderloins (also awesome), a beef empanada (wonderful), a skirt steak (very good), a tomato with cheese (wasn’t a fan of the cheese, very soft, almost butter consistency), a stuffed cheese pepper with a bean paste (excellent), an artichoke asparagus dish (meh). But the desserts! The chocolate hazelnut tart is to die for, the coconut bread pudding was incredible and the fruit and mousse was outstanding. Service was attentive even though it was a Sunday night and they really wanted to close.

First time visit and loved it! Large variety of choices and many were exceptional. Faves were meat and cheese platter and skirt steak. Potato and egg omelet was unique and really good. Everything had appropriate flavor and presentation was beautiful. Bonus of live music and dancer was a surprise. Fun atmosphere. Will come back, undoubtedly.

We went for the "happy hour" tapas -- special menu with all items $3.00 during the week from opening till 6:30. Unfortunately, we arrived @ 6:35 and were not permitted to order from the special menu. Oh well. A word to the wise : 6:30 means 6:30. If you will be late, you won't be having the special tapas menu. In any event, we had the dinner tapas at the bar. They were okay. Somewhat flavorful, and sufficient pieces for sharing. The sangria was very good. In all, good place for quick bites.

great local restaurant for us. we go there a few times a year a least. really great on holidays, like mother's day for the brunch. Very nicely prepared dishes. lots to choose from on menu, reasonably priced.

First time visiting this place with some friends. We ordered different tapas and everything was delicious. Great service also and on Sundays Mojitos and Sangrias were $5 so we had great food and great drinks.

We have been to Tapas Valencia 4 times in the last 3 months or so and tried a wide range of dishes. Tapas ranged for very good to excellent, with high marks for seafood (mussels, scallops, calamari) tapas, and no dish was a disappointment. It will be a 4-star in Spain which makes it a clear 5-star in the US. Wine selection is good (and half price on Wednesdays!) and cocktails specials are more than decent. Bar tapas at happy hour are an amazing deal. You have to go to a much more expensive (and crowded) place such as the Purple Pig to get better Spanish food. And service is friendly, knowledgable and dedicated. A true find!

My family and friends love dining at this wonderful Chicago restaurant. Delicious, creative menu and attentive, professional service makes this the best Spanish restaurant in Chicago. Street parking is free and easy nearby, so for anyone who lives further from the south loop, make this a destination spot and you will absolutely love it.

Our group wanted something light before heading to a concert last night and chose Tapas Valencia. Food was excellent! Chose goat cheese with garlic bread, an eggplant dish, lemon shrimp, beet salad, and 2 desserts-almond cake with pears and chocolate tart (not exact menu names-sorry). All were excellent and all 4 of us were satisfied. Service was a little slower after initial order, but waiter apologetic and kind. Prices moderate but not too bad when splitting bill. Would revisit when back if in the area and not in as much of a hurry.

We took friends there who'd never eaten Spanish food, and we've been to Spain several times. The menu was a good spread of hot and cold, vegetables and meat, seafood and fish. Our waiter Margerita had good knowledge of the products and was helpful and friendly. Good selection of Spanish wines, but I had their mango margarita with smoked paprika on the rim - and it was so good. Everything we had was superb, but my highest recommendation is for sea scallops over couscous. Or just the Spanish ham and cheese. Or just order a basket of bread and a gallon of alioli!

My wife, daughter and myself stumbled on this place. We had never been to a Tapas restaurant. IT WAS AMAZING! It is pricy but the fod is excellent. Staff was great. They gave us some awesome recommendations since we have never eaten there or had Tapas style food. Worth the visit. I will go back.

There five of us for dinner. We started off with a pitcher of sangria and tapas at the bar. I can't remember what we ate , but I do remember it was really tasty. We moved to a table with another pitcher of sangria with 4 more tapas: eggplant,octopus, calamari, and beef and the seafood paella. What a wonder meal. Sam was our server and he was great. It wasn't cheap ,but it sure was good. I hope to be back soon to taste more tapas.

I'm always worried about getting a reservation easily in a big city like Chicago on a Friday night at the last minute, however this place didn't disappoint. Comfortable place, nice decor, easy walk from the Hilton Chicago where I was staying. The mixed drinks were good and the selection of tapas was extensive. Wish the paella could be made faster than 45 minutes - because of the time I didn't try that. However all of the steak and fish tapas we tried were excellent. There are a lot of tables in this place and it doesn't get too crowded so it is a good option if you are in a last-minute pinch.

Tapas here are tasty and plentiful. Can't go wrong with bacon wrapped dates. The crab toast points are very fresh and delicious. Service is quick and attentive. I appreciate that the servers are Latin and know the dishes. The live entertainment was a bonus on Saturday night. Live percussion, drums and dancer with castanets. Lovely. Outdoor seating also available. Reasonable valet for $6. Nice cultural gem in south loop even for our 4th visit. Very consistent.

Great place to stop for Tapas and drinks. Happy hour is from 4 to 6:30 which is a nice time-frame. The Sangria is offered in both white and red, I tried the red and it was refreshing. If you don't like Sangria, there are several other options available. The happy hour Tapas menu is generous with a variety of Tapas categorized in three categories. Loved the dates and the crab tostada. We shared four other Tapas which were tasty, the two mentioned are not to be missed.

We live in Lima, Peru and were looking for food we can't find easily at home. Tapas Valencia was a perfect option. Besides the service being on point and frequent visits to the table, the best thing going for Tapas Valencia is that every dish is flavorful. We had an average of 2 tapas per person (one hot, one cold) and shared everything. There was such a wide variety of flavours but our favorites were the lamb kabobs, the bacon-wrapped dates, and the menestra de verduras. On top of everything, the cost was surprisingly affordable. I'd suggest only going with people willing to share so you can pass your plates and really enjoy the variety. We'll be back the next time through Chicago!

I think the recommendations from the staff were well made. I had tried tapas in a past trip in Seattle. They were well prepared at this establishment. The drinks were ok. The Sangria was slightly bitter. This may have been from the fruit added. The espresso was served tepid where I prefer it warmer. The chocolate dessert was miniature similar to the tapas. My biggest complaint was the limited amount of food for what resulted in a larger than expected check. The service was perfunctory but not cordial unlike others that I have visited.

I had a business lunch...3 people and it was a little noisy but a fun place to share dishes. The food is excellent and the service was great.

We were a group of 7 with 1 young child and had a great experience at dinner. We put ourselves in the hands of our waiter's recommendations and he brought an array of cold then hot tapas and a medley of desserts. The food was consistently good - a few items were delicious - especially the cold crab and the almond flavored cake. The service was excellent and they handled the presence of the little girl in our party beautifully. We all had a great time!

Girlfriend outing - someplace where you can taste a lot of different things and "share" plates. We decided on Tapas Valencia - for the variety and the location to our hotel. We certainly were not disappointed! The service was great - our waitress was timely without being on top of us. She made some great recommendations - based on how we liked previous plates. And the staff was very good at clearing dirty dishes without intruding on our conversation. The Manager even stopped at the table to check on how we were enjoying our food. We sampled several plates from the Hot and Cold dishes - nothing was disappointing. And each plate was plenty for 2, or 3 people to sample from. We only wished that were could sample more – but we were too full. The location is near McCormick Place, and the inside was a bit industrial – but the colors and paintings made the space look lively. There’s a good size bar – plenty of room for intimate tables as well as larger parties. This place has made our "go to" list of restaurants in the Chicago! We will definitely be back.

Great food and wait staff very attentive. Chef adjusted prix-fix menu for allergy reasons. Great expierience on all aspects

Being a huge fan of traditional Spanish food, I really wanted to like this place. A few nights before I ordered they were featured on a local television station and the food looked awesome. Unfortunately, food that looks good on television does not always taste good. I ordered the paella mariscos (a seafood paella) and it came with saffron rice, shrimp, mussels, clams, scallops, and squid. I ordered mine sans clams. I placed my order over the telephone for pickup. After getting the dish back to my house, I immediately tried it. Simply put, it was not good. It had zero flavor. Anyone who has tried a traditional paella knows that it screams flavor. However, all you could taste with this dish was salt and tomatoes. The squid was rubbery and lacked any flavor. The shrimp and super-tiny scallops also lacked flavor. I have been to Spanish restaurants in Spain in Madrid, Seville, Malaga, etc. I have also dined in an excellent restaurant in the Village in NYC called Sevilla (on Charles Street). I am not holding Tapas Valencia to what I’ve experienced in those places. However, if you’re a Spanish restaurant and you’re serving a truly authentic dish like paellas, then it has to be seasoned well and taste far better than what I experienced on June 24, 2020.

have noticed this spot hard up against the rail line on State St and it seems to have a devoted following. Then I noticed it was on the Restaurant Week list so, it immedilately became stop #1. we were greeted cheerfully and placed at a nice table in a very large dining room. The decor is lovely, and evokes the Spanish themes. We chose the pre-formatted Restaurant Week menu with the wine pairings, which made the ordering easy, but we enjoyed perusing the very long and interesting full menu and wine and cocktail list. Our server could not have been more pleasant, informed, and eager to insure we were pleased with everything. The overall dining experience was great. Everything on offer (4 courses, 2 tapas each course) was enjoyable. Some were exactly to our tastes, others, not quite so much, but still well executed and enjoyable. We will be back to try more of the small plates, and what appears to be an amazing paella offering.

If you enjoy tapas, this is the place for you...the staff is very congenial and welcoming...located on south state street, it's a bit off the beaten path from Loop and River North restaurants but an easy cab ride...cost for both food and drinks is moderate and it's fun to try a variety of Spanish dishes without overindulging...the wait staff is pleasant and knowledgeable in answering questions about the menu and portions...a fun, enjoyable, affordable evening...will go back!

my bff and I had dinner at this restaurant which was pretty spacious and relaxing atmosphere. The waitress was great in welcoming and explaining what tapas is(various food options served in portions for shariing).restaurant week was in affect so we decided to order from that. the menu was detailed and provided many options, 2 types of appetizer, 2 entrees and 2 desserts. the drinks were strong but good(NOT INCLUDED). We had a good dining experience especially my bff since this was her first time at a Tapas restaurant

My husband and I came here for National Margarita Day (2-22, btw). We ended up having a few mango martinis because it was the Monday night special, they were great. If you sit at the bar you get to pick from the discounted appetizer menu and you get so full. We spent like $80. I love this place. Awesome food, drinks and staff.

We wanted to try out tapas near downtown. Altogether we tried about 12 different tapas. They were very good. Service needs to be improved. We had to ask for bread and olive oil. Avoid house Sangria. Real disappointment and overpriced. Wine selection could use some Napa wines. Still overpriced. Overall a good experience.

In traditional tapas style, huge selection of both hot and cold appetizer size plates. Great service and the occasional spanish music and dancers. Don't miss the garlic potato salad and the crab meat on toast points from the cold side. The lamb chops are astounding on the hot side. Too much deliciousness to detail as we ordered many plates. Desserts are fantastic too. Wines affordable.

Tapas Valencia is one of those restaurants that seems to fly under the radar, but it really shouldn't. I've been to almost every tapas restaurant along with those that tend to be lined up on a Friday/Saturday in Chicago like Cafe Babareeba and Iberico, but this spot is my favorite for a few reasons! 1 - The food is absolutely delicious. I've never had an ill prepared meal here, you can taste he quality of food in every bite. 2 - it's never packed, but perhaps it should be. The slightly off the beaten path south loop location means you can always walk in and get a table. The ambiance is great too! 3 - lastly, it's great value for Chicago! They have great prices every day and on top of that happy hour specials that are hard to beat. Head over on your night out. You will love it here!

Very friendly service. I've had better tapas. Bartender was cheerful but totally clueless about contents of the bar.

The Paellia was terrific and the wine complemented. It is a S Loop restaurant that was a surprise. Good enough for us to return tonight for a birthday get together.

Very nice place, friendly and exellent food. I'll recommend it to all my friends & family, different from the usual Tapas. Will go back again soon!!!

Great Food and Service. Pulpo en Salsa Verde was the best. Ample selection from original Spaniard menu options for tapas. En buenahora!

Our daughter introduced us to Tapas Valencia when she lived in a condo just four blocks away. We had not visited in about two years and are happy to report that, following our visit on Labor Day weekend, we found the food as good as we had remembered. We started dinner with the red and gold beet salad with goat cheese and also the finely sliced salmon (served with 3 mini bread slices topped with a creamy dill spread). My husband selected the lamb chop special for his main course while my pick was the grilled scallops over large-pearl couscous with tomato-butter sauce. We recommend these delicious items as well as the beverages we enjoyed--the refreshing Prickly Pear Sangria and the Local Hero IPA from Revolution Brewing in Chicago's Logan Square area. A friendly reservationist, the friendly wait staff, and the reasonably-priced and helpful valet added to our pleasant dining experience. The topper was the sight of an expert Spanish dancer performing with castanets as we went outside!

This place's location may not be glamorous, but it's worth getting to. Their 4 courses (each included 2-3 tapas) prix-fix menu is what we had (2 are needed to order it): a wide array of succulent tapas sure to please all tastes! The waiter warned us: "you won't leave hungry!", and he was right: even though the tapas are by definition small plates, they kept coming and coming, one better than the previous, so it was a feast of flavors. All of them are highly recommended, from the patatas bravas to the lamb with caramelized onions, to the roasted garlic mashed potatoes, to the crispy, tasty tilapia. All fantastic! The Tempranillo by the glass was a perfect match. Only 2 small caveats: 1) the octopus (spicy and yummy) was fridge-cold, so beware of this; 2) one of the 2 included desserts, the cheesecake, was too heavy and compact: best avoided. But overall a great dinner, appropriately priced, in a vibrant atmosphere and with an attentive, friendly service.

Great price to try out everything on the tapas menu if you have room. The portions were just right, and my Cilantro Mojito was absolutely amazing. My barmaid, Stephanie, definitely knows how to make a killer mojito!! Must try the potato dish and the egg with smoked salmon dish, superb!! The only complaint would be that you must buy an alcoholic drink to dine off the tapas menu, which was not stated on the menus nor on the website.

This was my first experience with tapas. I found a lot of interesting things on the menu, very few that didn't include seafood. If you're not into seafood, don't bother going here. Also, know that when it says spicy, it really isn't. Also, there was a live music/dancing performance. It was WAY too loud and interfered with our conversation.

Wow what can I say about the great food and service that we got from Tapas Valencia? We showed up early for reservation and it was not a problem. Got us right in. The Menu was mostly in Spanish but the waitress gave us all the advice that we needed. We showed the waitress our Chicago marathon medal and she gave all of us a free drink. And after the meal she brought us a huge dessert and we all shared and it was on the house. You will not be disappointed if you go here.

We hadn't had any great paella since visiting Barcelona and planned to order that on our visit to Tapas V, yet once presented the cafe's menu we quickly hanged or minds. The vast amount of tapas entrees was astounding. A long list of selections intrigued us, and then we finally settled on an appetizer and two tapas plates. The portions were generous and delicious. The pechuga de pollo,chicken in a honey pepper potatoes sauce and a side of asperagus was quite tender and mouth watering. The pincho de pollo grilled chicken skewered in a wonderful blend of horseradish, sour cream and onions was super tasty. The patatas bravas and olives in manchego cheese was the perfect appetizer. The variety of desserts too was amazing and the carmelized custard,crema y chocolate and topped by fresh fruit berries was a yummy finale to a truly lovely dinner. The service was a bit tardy and slowish yet the wait was well worth it all.

We really enjoyed the restaurant week special, which made the choices for us! All the course was delicious. Drinks were also tasty.

Took some clients here for dinner... Wanted a relaxing and fun environment. The good was fantastic! Our favorite was the beef medallions with the sweet potatoes. We also liked the spicy potatoes as well as the garlic shrimp. Definitely ask the waitstaff for recommendations. The desserts were great too... Loved the flourless chocolate cake. I think the restaurant should consider dimmer lighting in the restaurant... Would create a better ambience in the evenings (it was a bit too bright). All in all... Great place!

Went here for a team outing and was not sure what to expect. The previous reviews were mixed. Everything we ate was delicious and we had incredible service. Our waiter guided us through the menu and paced the food delivery. The lamb, tenderloin and warm goat cheese dip were all stand outs. Make sure you save room for dessert!!

Ambience: it's like you are eating in a hospital cafeteria with modern tiles. Carribean music playing is odd. Server was nice and perky and attentive Food: inedible. Bacon wrapped dates burnt twice and odd to pair it with a tomato or red pepper sauce. The snails -- maybe there was one in the big blob of microwaved garlic mayo? The steak with blue cheese was overcooked tough steak with blue cheese dressing which is not tasty warm. Onions in this dish were undercooked. Duck confit: a slice of deli hedge meat over a thin spread of something I don't think was duck. 5$ sangria good. Overall bill was 50$ and we could not even finish the food. We will not be back.

What a delicious find . Very unique but delicious tapas. Colorful bright atmosphere. Red sangria very very good . A live music now - wonderful Saturday night spot.

Loved the menu. Many choices. All the tapas we had were great. Paella especially good. A most stop in the South Loop. The bar is also a great choice.

On Tuesday night I went to the restaurant and I was attended by Carlos. However, the service was not good, because it was disrespectful. On two occasions he tried to touch my hands and ask me to hang out. The food was really good, but I want to go back, but with out him

We were 12 of us for a dinner on weekday evening. Place is clean, colorful and staff is very good and helpful. Some of us, being vegetarian, had quite a few choices from the menu. Since I have been to Meson Sabika in Naperville, obviously my bar was raised! Therefore, I was little disappointed since all the veg. Tapas we ordered we're not t that great. May be, it was my high expectations. Overall, we all had a good time. I would definitely give it a second try.

The food was better than average, but the service was excellent. They offered a great variety of tapas, probably too many, but there was something there for all. I've never had tapas before, but I would say that this was good, but not necessarily a must. Again, the service was outstanding!

The food is good and the service was very attentive and friendly. The only problem was that we nade the servations 3 months in advance but still got sat at a table in the bar near the front door. They kept saying it was because of all the holiday parties, but we were there last year at the same time and got a table for two in the dining room and there were just as many holiday parties around us..

3 friends and I went to Tspas Valencia at 6 PM on a Tuesday evening. We sat indoors although sidewalk seating was available. The atmosphere was pleasant and conversation friendly. We ordered red wine sangria, calamari, spicy patatas brava, bacon wrapped dates, artichokes, garlic bread with goat cheese and tomato sauce, stuffed mushrooms, grilled shrimp, etc. Our dessert was a refreshing fruit sorbet with berries. Our server, Sam, was attentive. The food was delicious. The women's bathroom was clean and spacious. We were able to park for free on a nearby street. I will continue to recommend this restaurant to friends.

The food was very good but a bit on the expensive side. Four of us ordered a variety of tapas and the final tab was as much as if we had ordered dinner. The décor is festive and the service was good.

Wonderful ambiance in a hip new part of Chicago thats expanding fast. Great rate for valet too. Food offered a good range of tapas hot and cold and service was quick and with a smile. Plus was the delightful live music they featured. Made the evening extra special. Definitely would return.

Love the $5 margaritas, and the friendly wait staff who didn't even mind when I had to plug my dying iphone in. I also love that this restaurant really doesn't have much around it, makes it clear that it is worth going to as well as much-needed in the neighborhood. The food is good too: my favorite (unsurprisingly-- it's always my favorite at tapas places) was the Queso de Cabra. We also tried the Pimientos del Piquillo which were super tasty. I think we also had a rolled-up eggplant sort of thing, but it's hard to remember now... those $5 margaritas hit hard! I appreciate the number of vegetarian items on the menu, and the prices are fair. This was definitely a winner!

We had a couple negative experiences with Tapas Valencia years ago (charged full price for martini special, inedible lamb dish was not removed from the bill) but we moved to a condo in the same building and have tried them again. We now love the place. Jose the manager is fabulous and makes everyone feel special. We initially over-ordered but now have our favorites and know to order fewer dishes. Some of our favorites are the cheese stuffed peppers with black bean sauce which we order every time; the very generous portion of talapia with artichokes; and the gabriella salad. Their salmon dishes change regularly but are always great. There are drink specials daily such as 1/2 price bottles of wine on Wednesdays. The bar menu is very reasonably priced and is a great way to try new dishes, but you must sit at the bar. Overall excellent food, great staff, lovely setting. Highly recommend!

every dish was delicious! we ordered a bottle of rose sangria and it was very nice how our server presented it. it was so nice to be able to sit outside and enjoy good food and wine

I took a couple of friends here for lunch during the Housewares show. I chose Tapas Valencia because it got several good reviews and is sort of close to the convention center. When we arrived for lunch at 12:30 there was no one at the host stand or bar to greet us and there was one customer sitting way in back. We stood there for a while then went and found someone who was also sitting way in the back rolling silverware and napkins. I made a reservation the night before but the place was empty and dark and seemed closed. When we were eventually seated the server was nice and polite but very slow. It took about 10 minutes to get our drinks. The food was decent but under seasoned and over-priced. For example: the Jamon Iberico was about 4 slices shabbily placed on a plate with toast for $23. The tomato jam it came with was tasty and some of the other dishes were larger portions but the presentation was not what I expect from a Tapas place. Not sure if I caught them on a bad day but I would not recommend trying it.

Tapas Valencia features some great appetizers including yummy piquillo peppers stuffed with cheese and black beans, roasted beet salad with goat cheese, crab meat with avocado served on toast, garlic shrimp, spicy potatoes with manchego cheese, and goat cheese in tomato sauce. The red sangria is very flavorful with just enough fruit. For dessert, the cazuela de chocolate is extraordinary. Though the restaurant was quite full, the acoustics are such that it is easy to speak and have a conversation.

Fun place to go with friends. We ordered a pitcher of the prickly pear sangria for four of us -- delicious but kind of small and pricy. We ordered one tapa each and shared and then paella for the four of us to share. Tapas were delicious; paella was good, not great. Then we ordered two desserts to share among four. Service was very good. Our waitress was helpful with suggestions when we asked. Would go again but probably just stick with tapas.

We went on our son's recommendation. What a delight! The sign said "Valet Parking" and the manager (Jose) came out to park our car! He welcomed us with a big smile. It was in the morning, so some of our group ate their wonderful, creative Spanish omelets. Yummy! I had grilled squid and artichoke hearts. The squid was better than I had in Madrid. The portions were large; the service was fast and friendly. The atmosphere was light and fun. We'll go out of our way to return on our next Chicago trip.

There are quite a few recipes typical of Spain. Tapa is a small portion of food typically served in Spain when you have a beer. Tapas in Spain are free. The transition to become the basis of a restaurant menu is brilliant and Emilio initiated it in Chicago. The legacy continues. I have tried a variety of choices at Tapas Valencia in a couple of visits. The flavor is very much from Spain. I like the specials they have. This is a casual place. with a nice variety of very flavorful dishes that remind me of Spain with every bite.

My friends and I were staying at Chicago South Loop hotel, and we wanted to go out for a walk and eat something. This place was a hit! Can’t remember the names of what we ordered.. everything was great!! Potatoes, artichoke, goat cheese crepe, trout, shrimp,... For dessert we got churros, which were amazing!!!!!!!!! We are already planning to go back there

From the complimentary olives right after being seated to the flan for dessert, the food was wonderful. The ambiance is perfect for a Tapas restaurant. There is colorful interesting art on all the walls - even in the bathrooms! Our server, Paul, had several excellent suggestions for our group of four. The cold and the hot dishes were wonderful. This was a fun and flavorful experience. Also, parking was easy and available in the area. Go - you will enjoy it!

We really enjoyed our meal here. The staff was friendly and welcoming. The atmosphere was quiet and enjoyable. And the food was delicious. The wine and wine and drink menu was impressive.

What a fun place to eat with fantastic food and great service. Almost went back the next night we liked it so much! They offered a wide variety including basics and new fun things. They handled our allergies and gluten free with ease.

What a fun place! On the first night of our visit to Chicago, we enjoyed choosing, with the help of our very informative and friendly waiter, and sharing several tapas from among the dazzling list of options. And the sangria was amazing!

We loved this restaurant! The menu had a nice variety or tapas (hot and cold) and the portions were reasonable enough to share. We dined with three people and each person ordered three tapas to share; it was plenty. If you order the wine flight be warned- it is four glasses of about 3-4oz. each so, be prepared to drink!

The food it’s automatically Spain We wore celebrating my daughter’s birthday the paella was amazing delicious, empanadas wore crispy so good !!

We picked this place for a special meal for our anniversary because it had a lot of vegetarian options. We ordered four dishes, only one of which was edible, consisting of four stuffed mushroom caps. We had a beet salad that had sugared beets and was tasteless, a vegetarian paella that had no spice or salt and tasted as though the rice had been boiled in bad tap water. The last dish was an egg and potato dish that was freezing cold and also completely unmemorable. Needless to say, we were extremely disappointed.

This is a sister restaurant to Meson Sobika (in Naperville). Food here was just as good, very nice vibe and ambiance. We ordered about 12 different things for our table of folks and everything was great. Bacon wrapped dates are great - lobster bruschetta was top notch.

Our first experience at the restaurant will be our last. I booked the reservation weeks ago, the day prior I received a voicemail stating they have decided to do a set menu for Mother’s Day. No details other then it was 3 courses for $39 a person. We proceed with our reservation, we arrived and were promptly taken to a table. We were given the set menu whereas it was $49 a person. No biggie, voicemail stated otherwise but it’s Mother’s Day and I’m one to complain. We ordered our drinks and the 3 courses. Out of 4 people, they only got it right for 1. The pancakes and ribeye was overcooked, the 3 chocolate dessert wasn’t 3 chocolate, the filet entrees were raw when we ordered medium well and medium. My daughters couldn’t get refills on their coke. The waiter was inattentive and dismissed all his mistakes such as bringing our 2 wrong dishes for the first course which caused my mom and daughter to feel awkward to eat in front of us too. Even asking the busboy for assistance in refills on simple cokes was unsuccessful. I discussed this all with the manager and he promptly got my entree right. However, afterwards the waiter became condescending towards us. We opted to take the 3rd course home due to his actions. Fully paid for 4 entrees, and the drinks $230 for this disaster experience. Happy Mother’s it wasn’t for us and for others around us that were having the same experience.

We went in with a party of 12. We were seated at the time of our reservation and were taken care of from the time we sat down until we left. Everyone enjoyed the live performance ! We loved the food and the Sangria! We highly recommend this place!

We were meetings some friends for cocktails and wanted to grab a quick bite! This was the closest place that we could get 7 30 PM reservations an hour before on saturday night the big Halloween weekend. I suppose that should have been a red flag. We were greeted warmly, the decor is colorful and the staff friendly and attentive. This is where the positives end. We ordered a good mix of Tapas around 6 of them and neither one of the dishes were good. The Patatas Bravas were bland but perhaps the only saving grace ( but its hard not to do potatoes well ). The Beef tenderloin empanadas was Ok but nothing I would ever crave and come back for. The toast tips with seafood was like someone opened a can of tuna and lathered it on top of the bread which was soggy. We got garlic shrimps which were over done chewy and tasteless. I have yet to find a good tapas place in Chicago. We tried Meson sabika which is definitely a better than Tapas Valencia but not by much. The search continues. I will not be back.

We went for the tapas — the menu seemed to offer what we were looking for, which was non-traditional tapas. We ordered quite a wide variety of dishes and we enjoyed them but nothing was memorable. The trout was quite good, as were the stuffed mushrooms but the tomate con berenjena was limp and boring, as were the salads. The sangria was too sweet. Service is reasonable. The atmosphere is somewhat industrial but not too loud.

The lady and I visited last night for the 5th or 6th time, on a bitterly cold evening. Some dishes are better than others, but the staff are warm, friendly, not at all intrusive, and they try very hard. The Montaditas tapa (pork tenderloin cutlets on small slices of bread with a delicious sauce and carmelized thin-sliced onions, are delicious, it's a struggle not to order two portions of those, it's the best tapa they have. The black bean soup with chorizo is delicious also. The lady finds the paella a bit salty, but I've never had bad paella, tasted great to me. We ordered gambas, shrimps in a lemon/butter/garlic sauce, and were disappointed, too much butter, tiny shrimp and only 6 of them for $9.50. We never complain, but I had to. Even though we ate 4 of the 6 shrimp, the house took the shrimp off the bill and apologized. We weren't spending a fortune, only one glass of wine, total, but the manager earned my respect right then and there. I tried the onion soup tapa, and it was disappointing, it was just onion broth with croutons, and the menu said it had Manchego cheese, but I couldn't find any. No problemo, I'll go back to black bean soup. In short, it's possible, I suppose, to have a meal that isn't terrific, if you're unlucky, but we will return often, we're treated with utmost courtesy, by the hostess, manager, and valet parkers, which only charge a reasonable $6. Our visit is always enjoyable, and by the way, the profiterole dessert tapa is wonderful, and a steal at $5.95. Tapas at the bar on certain days are discounted, a wonderful bargain. This cafe tries hard to please, it's a good place for a casual meal.

I recently had dinner with a group at Tapas Valencia. Since we were a large group, the dinner was planned. It started with excellent appetizers. The entrée of chicken and beef tenderloin was excellent, as was the assortment of desserts. The only disappointment was a crepe that included goat cheese, herbs, and apples.....not a good combo. Service was very good.

Great spot! Sat at the bar for a cubs game. Sangria was decent.. We had the beef tenderloin empanadas - super yum! I had been craving scallops for weeks and these truly hit the SPOT! I would definitely return to try the paella

Great service during a July meal with 6 people total. Quality did vary a bit: the duck tapas were one of the best things I've eaten this year, the scallops were also excellent. Really good sangria and a divine banana flan. The paella was mediocre, really, and the patatas bravas surprisingly tomato-ey. Definitely a place for a large crowd to find what's good and what isn't.

Went here with family! One of our team member had all vegetarian option and it was great! Meat lovers got their fill too! Ambience is great and we saw plenty of locals coming in with their kids! It is not quiet but not extremely noisy either! You can eat here and hop over couple of blocks to listen to great jazz!

This is a sister restaurant to Meson Sabika in Naperville. The food menu is very similar, but there are no helpful suggestions on the wine menu. Fortunately, we know the wines, so this proved not to be a problem. I thought their Gambas Marinadas (Shrimp) was better than Meson Sabika. The shrimp were larger perfectly prepared. Also, Valencia provides more sauce. The Cabrales Salad included asparagus, a nice surprise. Order a wine from the Priorat region. You can't go wrong.

We had a great meal at Tapas Valencia. The flavors in all our dishes were outstanding. The atmosphere was fun and friendly, service was excellent, and the prices were reasonable relative to the quality and atmosphere. Favorites at our table were the Queso de Cabra (Baked goat cheese with garlic bread), Cordero al Pastor (grilled lamb & Portobello mushrooms), Dátiles con Tocino (roasted dates wrapped in bacon), and Vieiras al Albariño (grilled sea scallops).

Tapas are the best way to enjoy a variety of foods with friends. We found Tapas Valencia to be a charming restaurant with personality! Located in a nice south loop location, they offer valet parking for only $6 on a weeknight. I'm not sure if it's more on a weekend, but where in this city do you park for such a reasonable rate?! All staff were attentive and sincere. We were warmly welcomed by the manager and he invited us back as we left. Our server was helpful in selecting specialty beverages and a variety of tapas. Paella came much quicker than the estimated 40 minutes. We dined on a Monday and hope to return this weekend when they have flamenco dancing and music. A great gem!