Bulerias Tapas Humboldt Park WOW District — Restaurant in West Chicago Township

In the heart of Humboldt Park’s WOW District lies a cozy little spot overflowing with Spanish delights: Bulerias Tapas Bar.

My wife and I rarely get to enjoy a night out with no kids, so we wanted to make our evening count. As soon as we stepped through the door at Bulerias, we knew we had made the right decision.

We had never eaten tapas before, and I have to say I was a little intimidated to try this new cuisine. However, my worries were immediately swept away by the warm friendly smile and genuinely kind greeting of the owner, Mariena. From that moment on, we felt right at home.

As we walked to our table I felt as if I had been whisked away to another time and place. The exposed brick and antique wooden surroundings were reminiscent of the old country, while the elegant light fixtures gave the dining area a dimly lit touch of timeless class.

After we were seated, the real fun began.

Thanks to an excellent recommendation from our server, we ordered a delicious bottle of imported Spanish red that paired PERFECTLY with our first dish:

Datiles - bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with homemade balsamic reduction and red pepper butter sauce.

Its presentation was as immaculate as its taste. Each bite was filled with a heavenly mix of flavors and textures. Crisp savory bacon, the soft sweetness of dates, and the creamy tartness of goat cheese sent my senses into Ecstasy.

As the night went on, each sip of wine filled my body with a warm feeling of joy. Time melted away as the sound of trendy background music drowned out the hustle and bustle of the city around us.

After our Datiles, we took a figurative trip to the Spanish seaside with a steaming bowl of Sopa de Mariscos (Seafood Soup). This soup is made, one serving at a time, with mussels, calamari, shrimp, and salmon that all taste as if they had just been plucked from the cold blue depths of the sea.

Next, we sampled the owner’s favorite dish: Jamon Serrano con Queso. The combination of a crunchy crostini rubbed with cool tomato, topped with the silky-smooth flavor of thinly sliced ham, and the zesty taste of Manchego cheese was absolutely delicious.

After the first three dishes (and a bottle of wine), we wanted to order one more dish, but we weren’t sure what to get. Luckily, Mariena had just the thing! She told us to try the Paella Bulerias: Authentic Spanish saffron rice, seafood, chicken and vegetables, cooked and served in a traditional Paella pan. It takes 30-45 minutes to make since it is made from scratch with every order. Good things come to those who wait. It was worth every mouth-watering bite!

To conclude our meal, we got a couple of glasses of Bulerias’ famous sangria. My wife had the Sangria Roja, while I enjoyed the Peach. Both were not only exquisite but quite possibly the most refreshing beverages that have ever touched my lips.

Looking back, our entire evening was spent in a “flow state” of pure pleasure. My wife and I ate, drank, talked, and laughed the night away. Although we were there for over three hours, the whole experience flashed by in the blink of an eye. (I wish I could say the same for our kids’ babysitter!)

Bulerias is, without a doubt, our new favorite restaurant in Chicago, and I can’t recommend it enough! Its intimately rustic layout combined with its upbeat vibe, friendly service, and delicious delicacies makes it the perfect place to enjoy a night out with friends and loved ones.

Huge thank you to the gentleman who served us and the owner, Mariana, for taking care of us and giving us the best anniversary dinner we’ve ever had! ¡Gracias por todo!

We...

We had a good time at this cozy little tapas place but overall not necessarily on the top of our list of places to return to. The service could be a little better but isn't awful - we were waiting on things like more bread a few times and eventually gave up on it but it was a busy night so it's understandable. The food is good but not remarkably good. Most memorable items are the goat cheese and the paella because they're my favorite tapa and entree to order at Spanish restaurants and in this case I was disappointed. I expected the goat cheese to be a creamy toasty bowl of cheese with marinara sauce on top for an interesting twist but it was the other way around - essentially a bowl of marinara sauce with a thin layer of goat cheese on top, so not the best goat cheese tapa I've had, to say the least. In the case of the paella, we ordered the seafood paella. Our first disappointment was that, while it did have seafood as advertised, it had but a sprinkle of it. The paella is listed on the menu as containing shrimp, mussles, calamari and salmon. We got 2 of each of the first 3, to be exact, and didn't see any traces of salmon - not sure if it just fell appart into the rice. Overall, the taste was nothing to be blown away by but our biggest disssapointment was that there was absolutely no socarrat under the paella, which is the toasted layer of rice that forms at the bottom of the pan. I think any avid paella fan would agree that this is one of the best parts of paella, it's like the cherry on top, if you will. Thus, we were pretty dissapointed when we started scooping up the paella and noticed it was all just sliding around in a geased up pan without any toasty finishing touch to look forward to. Overall the place was a good experience but not one that would be in my top favorites...

I had been walking by here for a few months thinking, "It looks like a fun little neighborhood place, my wife and I would love to try it." Unfortunately, 3 strikes and your out.

We finally went for their happy hour on a Friday that's advertised for 4-6pm, Monday-Friday. We were told it wasn't happening at 5:15pm, strike 1. I still ordered a glass of wine and a 10$ glass was an absolutely pathetic pour, strike 2. The Patatas Ali Oli tasted like potato salad from the grocery store with some garlic and the Pollo a la Brava was so salty it's amazing the chicken wasn't shriveled, strike 3. The only reason this isn't a one star is because the empanadas were crisp and delicious.

From now on when I walk by I will think, "I am surprised it's...