Tapas Valencia Restaurant — Restaurant in Chicago

Tapas Valencia used to be my favorite Tapas restaurant in the city, but my husband and I were there on August 18 and had horrible service. First of all, it was our 7th Anniversary and we decided to just randomly have dinner because we were free from the kids so we stopped in without a reservation or mentioning it was our anniversary. It wasn’t a big deal and we just wanted a casual dinner. We were greeted and promptly sat. We sat next to a large group of 10 or so people. After about 2 mins, the hostess came to our table and told us that our server was a little busy and that she would be taking our order. Immediately I thought OK no big deal but I hope this isn’t a bad sign. We tell the hostess our drink order and she comes back with them promptly and we ask for a couple minutes to look at the menu. I’ve been here many times before and am familiar with the offerings so it doesn’t take too long for us to decide. So then we wait for her to come back. After about 20 mins of waiting she hasn’t been back but it’s our server. We tell him our order. After about another 20 mins of waiting, our food finally comes out but comes out all at once and was brought to us by the food runner. This normally wouldn’t have been a problem for me but the pacing I’m used to is that the salads and cold plates are brought out first and then the hot items. So here we are stuffing the cold items in our mouths because I don’t want the hot items to get cold. Meanwhile our server is too busy to even acknowledge us because the table of 10 is being wined and dined by him and the manager. I sat there hoping to get his attention because I needed a refill on my drink but he took his time with the large table, refilling their drinks, refreshing their plates etc. Even after they were nearly complete with their meal and the restaurant wasn’t filled with patrons anymore, he was still MIA for most of our time there. When he did check in 1 time, I asked for a refill of my drink and see him coming back with another table’s drink and I get my refill 5 mins later when he finally glances over to our table and realize he didn’t bring my refill. We ordered dessert and I ask for a coffee with cream and sugar. Our dessert arrives, brought by the food runner again, and no coffee in sight. I sat there looking around for our server before finally just eating the dessert. Our server finally shows up and I ask for the bill and ask not to be charged for the coffee because I never got it. He just says “oh sorry” and walks away. He brings the check and we set our credit card in the holder on the table and wait yet again for him to bring the credit card machine. Then he has the audacity to stand over me while I decide how much tip to give him. And the manager never stopped by and ask how we’re doing but is shaking hands and refreshing the table of 10’s drinks that’s right next to us. $165 wasted on this place. I’ll be patronizing Cafe Baba Reeba instead of this place...

There are things to like about Tapas Valencia but also some room for improvement. The food was largely delicious. Although billed as tapas that are sized for sharing, some menu items were a little small to share. The restaurant is nicely decorated with a comfortable environment. The tables aren't crammed in and it's easy to talk over the pleasant, low level music.

The major issue was the service. The waiter was strange from the start. We asked "what do you recommend?" and instead of making recommendations he said "there are things I like here but you might not like what I like so you should just order what you want." I found that to be sort of strange, as it's fairly typical to ask a waiter for recommendations. We ended up ordering a dozen or so items to share for our group, making our own selections.

One guest at our table had a food allergy that shouldn't have been unusually difficult to accommodate. It should have been easy to assemble a salad, leaving out the ingredient, or a selection of sides from the existing menu. The waiter refused to consider those options, instead offering a single item on the menu as an option. It took a lot of convincing to get the waiter to even go talk to the kitchen, and he returned with the same answer-- they would not "leave out" anything from an existing item. There was one item and that was it.

In addition the waiter seemingly did not want to wait on 1/3 of our group (I was one of them). He handed menus to 2/3 of us and did not hand one to the rest (including me). We had to ask. I ordered a drink. He didn't write it down and didn't bring it until I asked a second time. When it came time to order dessert, he took orders from the 2/3 of the table he was willing to acknowledge and then walked away without so much as making eye contact with the remaining 1/3 of us. I was going to order dessert, but decided not to since by this point I had had enough of the rude service. The 1/3 of the table he refused to acknowledge included the person with the food allergy, so maybe that irritated him and he decided that entire end of the table didn't deserve service. I'm not sure. It was bizarre and created a bit of an uncomfortable atmosphere. Because I was with a group, I didn't want to make a fuss-- but it was poor service and not what I expected given the rave reviews this restaurant has received. Maybe we just caught this waiter on a bad night, but it did impact my enjoyment...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Tapas Valencia during Restaurant Week 2025, and I must say, it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. We opted for the prix fixe menu, which offered an impressive array of choices, catering to various tastes and preferences.

For appetizers, we tried the Buñuelos con Cangrejo and Champiñones Rellenos. Both dishes were surprisingly delightful! The buñuelos were perfectly crispy on the outside, with a rich crab filling that burst with flavor, while the stuffed mushrooms were packed with a savory mixture that left us wanting more.

The highlight of the meal was undoubtedly the Branzino a la Plancha. Cooked to perfection, the fish was flaky and infused with subtle hints of seasoning that highlighted its natural flavors. It was an absolute treat!

We couldn't resist diving into dessert, and it certainly did not disappoint. Each bite was a sweet finale to an already fantastic meal.

As a bonus, we decided to try the sangria flight, which allowed us to taste several of their unique offerings. This was a brilliant idea, as it helped us discover our favorites for next time.

Overall, the service throughout the evening was excellent—attentive and knowledgeable without being intrusive. Tapas Valencia is definitely a gem in Chicago, and I can't wait to return for another round of their delectable tapas and...