Chicago has eight Spanish restaurants in our directory, and five of them make a good two-day plan. This one starts with a daytime café, moves to a sherry bar for Saturday night, and ends with Sunday tapas on the North Side. Every opening time below is the listed time in our directory. Hours change, so check before you set off. For the full city overview, read our Chicago guide.
Saturday morning: Bocadillo Market
Bocadillo Market at 1117 W Grand Ave was developed in 2021 by chef James Martin. Its record describes it as a cozy daytime café that turns into an upscale dining room in the evening, run by a staff of seven, with Spanish tradition mixed with contemporary cooking.
On Saturdays it is listed as open from 08:00 to 16:00, then again from 19:00 to 21:00. That makes it the natural first stop. No hours are listed for Tuesday or Wednesday, so if you are planning a weekday visit, check first.
A bocadillo is a Spanish sandwich on a crusty roll. The record calls the place Spanish-inspired, so expect a modern menu rather than a classic tapas bar.
Saturday evening: Mama Delia
Mama Delia at 1721 W Division St, which its record places in Wicker Park, calls itself a restaurant, sherry bar and ultramarino. An ultramarino is a Spanish neighbourhood grocery, and here it means a small gourmet market. The stated aim is to show what is happening in Spain now.
It is the late option. On Saturdays it is listed from 16:00 until 02:00, and on Fridays the same. If sherry is new to you, our sherry guide is a quick primer before you order. No hours are listed for Monday.
Saturday alternative: Mercat a la Planxa downtown
If you are staying downtown, Mercat a la Planxa at 638 S Michigan Ave is the alternative for Saturday dinner. Its record describes a modern take on Spanish tradition modelled on a Barcelona market, with meats, seafood and locally sourced produce. It is listed from 16:00 to 22:00 every day of the week, Saturday included.
Sunday: Little Madrid or Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Two options, depending on where you are and how early you want to start.
Little Madrid Tapas Café at 5661 N Clark St opened in January 2020 in Andersonville. It is small and colourful. Its record says it is named after a beloved hometown and serves the Spanish recipes Bolaños learned from his grandmother. On Sundays it is listed from 11:00 to 21:30. Our Madrid food guide explains the dishes that city is known for.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! at 2024 N Halsted St opens earlier, at 10:00 on Sundays, and is listed until 21:00. Its record lists traditional tapas and seasonal Spanish dishes such as paella, Manchego cheese and jamón ibérico, with Eric Jorgensen as chef. If paella is the plan, our guide to spotting a good paella is worth a look first.
How the weekend fits together
- Saturday 08:00 to 16:00: Bocadillo Market, W Grand Ave.
- Saturday from 16:00: Mama Delia, W Division St (until 02:00), or Mercat a la Planxa, S Michigan Ave (until 22:00).
- Sunday from 10:00 or 11:00: Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, N Halsted St, or Little Madrid Tapas Café, N Clark St.
The other Chicago listings are on our Chicago page.
