El Tapeo Modern Spanish Kitchen — Restaurant in Oak Brook

I was really, really, (I mean that really twice) wanted to like this place. I made reservations twice andcoyld not make it. Something was keeping me from going there, that's why I believed that when I finally arrived, that it would be so delicious and out of this world, that words could simply not describe it. What a DISASTER, DISAPPOINTMENT, I almost cried. We been to several tapas locations and this although in a great area is by far the worst food we've ever tasted. First of all let me tell you that our server was great and the service was pretty good. Now for number two, second, the food itself was terrible. We started with the pork pancetta, pork belly, it tasted like glazed ham, not impressed. Next we had the patatas bravas. No floor at all, I mean not one smidge of flavor on the sauce or even the aioli. I had to drizzle a ton of salt to make it edible. Next came the short rib flatbread, again not impressed. The short rib could of been so much more. Not impressed. We opted for our next tapas and ordered of all things the chicken empanadas. The best of all the dishes. If all their tapas were as flavorful as the enpanas, winner winner. The drinks were pretty decent but overpriced for what I got. The sangria, they can keep. I've tasted better from a Walgreens bottle. The Nutella dessert looked like the restaurant had left over pieces of dark cookies and cake layers and just threw it in a plate. Will I ever go back, Not even for free. If you want to compare asome good tapas, start with La Parra, then Rustico, and finally Jaleo, the best for last. I guarantee you'll never go back to el tapeo. I know we never will. Wish we could get...

Absolutely amazing dining experience. We went for my wife's birthday and were greeted with 2 glasses of champagne on the house. Perfect way to get the night started.

The paraisa (habiscus infused vodka drink) was amazing and had a hint of elder berry liqueur in it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

We tried the patatas bravas which were perfectly crisp and delightful. The PULPO or octopus was cooked to perfection with a slight charred black pepper taste and fresh melt in your mouth inside. Served with a side of cilantro paste which was elegant and spicy!

The mushroom fritters or Croquetas de Setas were my favorite on the menu as they were light, crispy, smooth on the inside, very fine chopped and soothing mushrooms, and served my personal favorite cilantro yogurt which definitely hit the spot.

The pimientos or shishito peppers were amazing. Very light and an easy way to ease into the meal. I recommend this plate as a nice way to start your night.

Gambas or shrimp were buttery and extremely fresh. I am a big fan of garlic and the addition of garlic chips mixed with a slight cilantro finish was an amazing touch.

Our wait staff was courteous, friendly, helpful, and very accommodating. Server even brought us desert on the house which was a cinnamon brandy glazed ice-cream with ginger infused pineapples and 2 churro donuts. AN ABSOLUTE WORLD OF FLAVORS THAT LEFT US MOUTH WATERING AND I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE!

DEFINITELY PLAN ON GOING BACK. RESTAURANT AMBIANCE IS AWESOME AND GIVES A CITY FEEL IN A BURBS. LOCATED ON THE 9TH FLOOR OF THE LE MERIDEAN HOTEL.

Valet parking available for $5 however, plenty of self park around the side.......

I remember this restaurant being better a few years ago. My family dined here over the weekend and I was disappointed with the food and drinks.

The wine list was very limited with grocery store type brands. Maybe there was a list of wines by the bottle that I didn’t see, but it wasn’t offered if so. My husband didn’t receive the cocktail he ordered until multiple dishes had already made it to the table (we ordered everything at the same time).

The biggest issue I had though was that the tapas we tried were not what was expected. The “bravas sauce” served with the datiles (which actually don’t even need a sauce IMO) tasted more like enchilada sauce/ chipotle instead of smoked paprika. The gambas al ajillo were not the sizzling, garlicky delicious shrimp I’ve had at other tapas restaurants - they were bland. We ordered a short rib flat bread that was okay, but definitely tasted more like a Mexican flavor profile than Spanish. And the pan de tomate was probably the biggest letdown. Just a sad flat bread with some bland tomato sauce and a bunch of cheese grated over the top. I love this dish at other places where the bread is fresh and crispy and the flavors of fresh tomato and olive oil really shine. Shishito peppers were probably the best dish, but even they needed a little more char. I don’t think they need the aioli on the side - it didn’t stick to the oily peppers very well.

The folks in the kitchen should try some more Spanish cuisine and adjust accordingly.

Service was more or less okay. The hostess was very sweet. Wait times for our drinks and our check at the were too long. Dining...