Chicago Restaurant Recommendations

Out of 5 stars, here are two ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ spots! 💨💨💨 1️⃣ Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! 🇪🇸 An amazing Spanish tapas bar! The vibe is casual and lively—my friend says it feels just like the tapas bars in Spain. The staff is super warm and you can really feel their passion for food in every conversation 😋 Highlights: 🍤 Garlic Shrimp – I used to scoff at hyped-up shrimp tapas, but this one blew me away! The shrimp are cooked perfectly—crisp outside, tender and almost custardy inside. The texture reminded me of Chinese crystal shrimp, but even better. After we finished, our server excitedly asked if we wanted bread to dip in the garlic oil… and WOW—freshly toasted bread dipped in that fragrant oil was the highlight of the meal! 🤩 🐚 Hokkaido Scallops – Soft, sweet scallops seared on both sides, topped with something like XO sauce, resting on smooth, subtly sweet mashed potatoes. So good we had to cut it slowly and savor every bite ☺️ 🍰 Basque Cheesecake – Not the trendy runny kind—this one is dense, rich, and authentically delicious. We were too full from eating earlier, but next time I’m trying their lamb and beef dishes for sure! 2️⃣ Momotaro 🇯🇵 The best salmon sushi I’ve had this year—so tender and rich in fat. The Hokkaido Hotate is a masterpiece: layered scallop, uni, and salmon roe—three umami bombs that complement each other perfectly in flavor and texture. Other standouts: Otoro tuna belly, Ika squid 🦑, Unagi eel, and Mishima Skirt Steak skewers—all excellent. 🍨 Dessert: MISO BANOFFEE – The light, airy cream made with coffee and coconut milk reminded me of a beloved dessert from a now-closed spot. Top it with roasted banana ice cream (so smooth!) and crispy rice. The brownie base is a bit sweet, but just take less and everything balances beautifully. We arrived late after eating elsewhere, so some limited dishes were sold out. The menu here is creative and extensive—lots of interesting items I’ll have to try next time! #ChicagoEats #RestaurantRecommendations #SpanishTapas #JapaneseCuisine #LilBaBaReeba