Bocadillo Market — Restaurant in Chicago

I went to Bocadillo Market for dinner on Friday, Dec 2nd. I really wanted to enjoy the meal and had high expectations after reading others' reviews, but was quite disappointed. My overall takeaway is that the quality of the dining experience does not merit the high price and fees.

First, though there were other open two-tops at the front of the restaurant, my partner and I were seated at a table that seemed randomly placed between the coffee bar and the food window. This meant we were surrounded by the stream of order calls and the rushed back-and-forth of the staff. I wouldn't mention this if the rest of the dinner had been great, but it was not.

We ordered two cocktails, one lavender and gin-based and the other one mezcal-based. The mezcal cocktail was very good after a stir. I thought the lavender cocktail with salt foam on top was extremely bad. Taking a sip felt like gulping a mouthful of lavender bubble bath (the salt foam texture may have contributed to this feeling). Thankfully, my partner felt less strongly than me about the lavender cocktail, so he was able to finish it. After cocktails, we ordered a glass of red wine, which was very good, though a bit pricey at $16/glass.

For food, we ordered the croquetas, the bean stew, and the scallops and octopus. In general, both the croquetas and bean stew were good. My partner preferred the croquetas and I preferred the bean stew. However, the scallops and octopus, which were relatively expensive, were a big disappointment. The scallops were very good, but the octopus was extremely tough, hard to cut, and hard to chew. We could not finish the octopus.

Finally, a note on fees. We paid a $10/pp ($20 total) deposit to reserve the table on Tock. There was an additional 5% surcharge on the bill to cover employee health expenses, which I hope it goes to. At the end of the dinner, I asked our waiter if the $20 deposit would be applied to the bill, as it said on Tock. She said that the $20 deposit would instead be refunded to my credit card via Tock. Perhaps I don't use Tock enough, but this is the first time I've seen a deposit be refunded rather than applied to the bill, where it would lower the percentage-based tax, tip, and 5% surcharge. Similar to the table placement, I wouldn't normally be bothered by this if the rest of the dinner had met or exceeded my expectations. Unfortunately overall, the dinner was extremely poor value and I would have rather spent so much money ($157...

Tucked away on Grant Avenue, Bocadillo Market is an intimate Spanish-inspired restaurant with just 24 seats, offering guests a cozy and personable dining experience. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, and the service carries the kind of friendliness you’d expect from a neighborhood spot.

The menu is deliberately limited, reflecting a focused approach, though it leaves diners with only a handful of choices. I sampled the patatas bravas and the Serrano ham sandwich. The potatoes arrived attractively presented, though texturally uneven — some were crisp and well-executed, while others were undercooked and still firm at the center. Flavor-wise, they were pleasant but fell short of the bold punch typically expected from this Spanish classic.

The Serrano ham sandwich offered a more traditional Spanish flavor profile, layered with cured ham, cheese, and accented by briny olives. While it was satisfying, the flavors didn’t quite elevate the dish beyond straightforward simplicity. It was enjoyable, but lacked the nuance or flair that could make it memorable.

Overall, Bocadillo Market delivers a friendly atmosphere and a serviceable meal, but on this visit, the food didn’t quite reach the level of distinction one might expect from a restaurant with such an intimate setting. With some refinement, it has the potential to better match the charm...

Let me give you my 2 cents - or five stars. For all of you who don’t want an in depth review, this is all you need to know: it is delicious and already a liegend. For the rest of you: Chicago - an American city known for Michael Jordan, the architecture, wine and the bagels - and now: for bocadillo market. It is located in a beautiful and cute area which is good on the one hand but tough to compete against. They did it. You enter and notice all the art work. And beautiful tables. The menu is on the wall behind a glass cabinet showcasing an illustrious selection of pastries. The menu focuses on maybe a maximum of ten items, with a good number of vegetarian options as well. I tried the eggplant sandwich and the Spanish tortilla sandwich. Both of them - wow! Flavorful, multidimensional, filling but not to a point you fall into a food coma. It is something different that you don’t normally get anywhere in Chicago. A fine blend of flavors - sour, salt, olive oily. The coffee was absolutely fantastic as well. Can really recommend the almond pie. The two things I have to criticize are: the plates on which the sandwiches are served are beautiful but just too small! And when the door is being opened the cold wind is too noticeable. Other than that it was worthy for my local guide palate. It was a little expensive though - but worth it...