Open List Home > Chicago, IL > restaurants & food > Iberico Cafe and Bar
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For two star Spanish, try Cafe Iberico in Chicago. Check out this popular and affordable place in the Streeterville area. Know before you go: this place features a singles scene. When you step inside the restaurant, you'll notice a casual atmosphere. This place features private rooms. This place is open late. People who have eaten here found the food bland.
Seems like every restaurant in town is doing "small plates" these days; credit should go to this tapas hangout, whose zesty menu and atmosphere make conventional dining seem absolutely ho-hum. Sangria flows...
citysearch.com - expert review - 04/30/2004
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My first time trying Tapas I went to Cafe Iberico. The food was great! I loved the atmosphere which was up beat, it was a bit loud but the food made up for it. I always get the garlic shrimp,…
yelp.com - user review - 07/03/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The food is cheap and delicious and the sangria is also delectable. The atmosphere is good, though a little cramped and loud. Overall, however, it is a very good place to grab a bite, or even go on…
yelp.com - user review - 06/28/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Oh, Yelp, for the first time you let me down! I will start off my review by saying that I have high standards for Tapas joints due to my recent visit to Twist. Oh, Cafe Iberico, you let me down. THE…
yelp.com - user review - 06/27/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I miss this place sooooooo much. I moved from my hometown of Chicago and it has not been the same. No tapas places can compare to Cafe Iberico. I've been here dozens of times and love it each time.…
yelp.com - user review - 06/27/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Me likes Cafe Iberico. Me likes the Patatas Bravas, or Brave Potatoes. Not too spicy but have a little spicy kick in the tomato sauce. Me also likes the Croquetas de Pollo, or Chicken Croquettes.…
yelp.com - user review - 06/24/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I was really excited to try this place as I haven't had tapas in awhile and so many of my friends rave about Cafe Iberico. However, none of the food stood out to me and some even disappointed, such…
yelp.com - user review - 06/24/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Pretty good food, sangria, and prices. With the renovations that they've made, it seems that time to be seated and served has improved. I have, however, waited for over 2 hours to eat here, which is…
yelp.com - user review - 06/23/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I like. I'll be back. I've only been for tapas a couple of times, and this time we came for lunch. I really liked the place. It was casual and open. All kinds of people were eating here, including…
yelp.com - user review - 06/23/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Cafe Iberico brings me much happiness. Their Iberico hamon is delicious! But... so is everything else! The service is good and the food is tremendous.
yelp.com - user review - 06/22/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
This was the first tapas restaurant I went to in the city and it left me not wanting tapas ever again. Our first mistake was going to a tapas place with no idea what we were doing. We should have…
yelp.com - user review - 06/19/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Came here for an enjoyable lunch. Food was really good --- I can't even tell you what we ordered, but it hit the spot. Service was kinda crap, but I was told to expect that much. I'd try this place…
yelp.com - user review - 06/19/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
So my brother the chef comes into town for the week and wants to treat us to food. He wants us to pick a nice restaurant that we've always wanted to try. On him. Well I'm not going to go all out…
yelp.com - user review - 06/17/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This is the very first restaurant I ate at when visiting Chicago many yrs ago but have been back since a few times since moving here last yr. If you love Tapas this is the place. Great menu and…
yelp.com - user review - 06/16/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I love Cafe Iberico because it is CHEAP!! If you get any of the dishes that come with fries or rice, it's probably enough for one person. I order the Pincho De Pollo. It's good and only costs $5.…
yelp.com - user review - 06/16/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I really like this place and have always had a good time here. It's a great restaurant to take out-of-towners. The menu covers a lot of ground, so everyone can find something they like. Being a tapas…
yelp.com - user review - 06/10/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
flippin sweet food. get the goat cheese. cheap, too.
yelp.com - user review - 06/09/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I've only been to 4, but Iberico is my least favorite tapas in chicago. -First time I went, all my food was mushy.
yelp.com - user review - 06/07/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Iberico is my second choice for tapas in Chicago. The food is good, but the wait for a table is usually long. I like the food and the environment at Ba-ba-ree-ba better, so for me this place will…
yelp.com - user review - 06/06/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I use to like this place (sangria is pretty good, tapas are just ok) but I was there with a large group and we were all still figuring out the bill and tip when our waitress snatched up the bill…
yelp.com - user review - 06/05/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I have had an interesting relationship with Cafe Ibercio for almost 5 years now. Coming from a small town I was very hesitant to try things out of my realm of potato's and...well, that was about it.…
yelp.com - user review - 06/02/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is the best place to celebrate any special occassion. I've been coming here for years and its always a great experience. I love the food and the price is right. Order your paella right when…
yelp.com - user review - 06/02/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
My date was Spanish - so he took me to this place. LOVE the sangria! This is my first time eating Spanish food and he ordered 3 different appetizers. A potato & tuna salad, squid & fries and…
yelp.com - user review - 05/28/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
One of my favorite restaurants, and pretty authentic for tapas fare. There seems to exist an argument among tapas lovers as to whether Iberico or Ba-ba-ree-ba is better, but I choose Iberico. Other…
yelp.com - user review - 05/26/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I visited this restaurant based off of reviews I read on Yelp. You guys were right. This place is fantastic and cheap and flavor filled and fun. My boyfriend and I will definitely be back!
yelp.com - user review - 05/23/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is my favorite restaurant! The prices are excellent and the ambience is great, once you enter the restaurant you cannot help having a great time. There is a wait if you go on a weekend but that…
yelp.com - user review - 05/22/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
If I have to compare Ibericos to Cafe Babareeba, I would go for Babareeba, since they do have the best sangria and spicy potatoes. Ibericos has one of my favorite dishes such as the pincho de pollo.…
yelp.com - user review - 05/22/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
This place really wasn't worth the trip. Cafe Ba-ba-reeba is better, and Emilio's off Roosevelt in the burbs is the best! The spicy potatoes were a huge disappointment, and the restaurant just lacked…
yelp.com - user review - 05/20/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I had heard a lot about Cafe Iberico so I had pretty high standards coming into dinner here. My expectations weren't really met, but then again, I did just come back from Spain so maybe this is an…
yelp.com - user review - 05/18/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
this place is good, they have a wide variety of tapas available, and really reasonable prices. and their sangria remains the best in town, try their white sangria! people are always going for…
yelp.com - user review - 05/14/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
My absolute Favorite place in the city. It is fun, inexpensive, full of energy, food is good.
yelp.com - user review - 05/12/2008
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1.0 of 5 stars.
Sit at the bar in the North room, towards the east end. You'll see the wonderfully choreographed Sangria pitcher filling. Step 1: Reach for a dirty, used pitcher sitting in a big aluminum sink -…
yelp.com - user review - 05/10/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Granted I came here after a five hour open bar at a Kentucky Derby Party. We waited to be seated for forty five minutes. This was good because it gave me time to shake the spins. It was my first…
yelp.com - user review - 05/07/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Went here on a Saturday night with about 10 people, took FOREVER to get seated....more time for everyone to spend money on drinks at the bar. Why don't they just take reservations? Vegetarian tapas…
yelp.com - user review - 05/05/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I've been here several times! It's really the atmosphere and sangria, not the food, that keeps this place ridiculously busy every weekend night. It's open late (I think until 1 am) on weekends. You…
yelp.com - user review - 05/04/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I would say this is a fun place to go for good eats and drinks. The food is not bad, with few nice dishes to choose from. I am not wowed by them, but they are tasty and paired with a pitcher of…
yelp.com - user review - 04/29/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Not as good as it used to be. Tapas is good, not stellar, but the service could use some help. We had reservations on a Sunday evening at 5, for 7 people. It was fairly busy but not slammed. We were…
yelp.com - user review - 04/28/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
When you walk into Cafe Iberico it oozes energy. Tapas are usually not for the introverts and all the little social meals combine to make one big, fun cacophony (like that word? I used it on my…
yelp.com - user review - 04/25/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
i am kinda conflicted. it's above average food. large selection of tapas. Not quite the same thing you get in Spain...but not so bad for being in Chicago. very festive...heavy crowd, good…
yelp.com - user review - 04/23/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I've been to Cafe BaBaReeba a bunch of times for tapas. I've heard good things so my cousin and I decided to give Cafe Iberico a try. I guess it was the little things that bothered me about this…
yelp.com - user review - 04/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I really like this place. I've been here twice, once with a group of friends, and once for a date. The atmosphere is loud, boisterous, fun, and casual. The tapas are pretty tasty--not as good as I had…
yelp.com - user review - 04/19/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Ok, this is not Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. I went over the weekend and was able to get in fast but the food wasn't that great. Firstly they charge per refil of soda. They don't give you more plates. The shrimp…
yelp.com - user review - 04/14/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
I don't know what the big deal is about this place. It's beyond crowded...elbow to elbow standing up waiting for a table, trying not to spill your drink is not my idea of fun. The food was just so-so.…
yelp.com - user review - 04/11/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The food tasted decent and the price wasn't too bad. We got in on a busy Friday night in about 20 minutes. The reason Iberico only received three stars from me was the lack of accessible bathrooms.
yelp.com - user review - 04/11/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I thought this place was going to bankrupt me, given the neighborhood. But we had a party of 8, ordered at least 15 things from the menu, plus several pitchers of sangria (delicious), and our bill…
yelp.com - user review - 04/10/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
How can you not like this place, everything about it is perfect. Iberico has some of the best tapas in town for a reasonable price. Sangria's are wonderful, tapas are amazing, you will feel like you…
yelp.com - user review - 04/08/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Love this place. From the outside it looks like nothing! It's the best tapas restaurant in Chicago. Everything is excellent, especially the Sangria. The environment is upbeat on weekends and more laid…
yelp.com - user review - 04/06/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A hidden gem for me. I've never had the experience of going to a Spanish style restaurant. I was definitely satisfied with my experience here. Food was all prepared well and tasted very different than…
yelp.com - user review - 04/03/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Sangria, croquetas, pata bravas oh my!! This is my all time favorite tapas place. Where else can you go with a group of 15 eat drink and be merry and only pay $30!! The only downfall is on weekends…
yelp.com - user review - 04/03/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Best tapas in the city, and extremely affordable for the area. I could eat 750 of their croquettas in one sitting. The only mistake I ever made there was eating blood sausage. This wasn't their fault.…
yelp.com - user review - 04/03/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Once when talking about tapas to a friend, he said, "well, we prefer Cafe Iberico to Cafe Babareeba, as they are truly more authentic." And yes, I know that Iberico is a great place, but somehow it…
yelp.com - user review - 03/28/2008
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Memories, light the corner of my mind. The way I remember Cafe Iberico, I...
urbanspoon.com - user review - 03/27/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
1 word: Sangria. Can't wait to get my hands on some more of that delicious sangria. Oh yeah, and there's the food, also tasty. Took my parents here for their first tapas experience, and they loved…
yelp.com - user review - 03/27/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The first time I went here was with my sister who lived in Spain for a year. So, any tapas restaurants she likes has to be good. When I walked in I really felt like I was back in Andalusia- very…
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I have been here many, many times including the worst date of my life that some of you may have read about. That night the server was actually my saving grace. That being said, I've been back, once…
yelp.com - user review - 03/25/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Tapas is the name for a wide variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine. These appetizers can be either served cold, hot or you can even order various versions of paella for a fuller meal. Some…
yelp.com - user review - 03/24/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This place is a standard Chicago restaurant. Iberico is probably the restaurant I have been to the most in Chi-town. (Or, it is probably a close second to Piece.) Every time I go there, it is crowded.…
yelp.com - user review - 03/24/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Such a fun place, I would go back again and again if I lived in Chicago. It's a great place to go whether you are with one other person or with a whole group. We went on a Tuesday night and got right…
yelp.com - user review - 03/22/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
The food is decent. Not fabulous, but okay. The queso de cabra is tasty, but that's hard to mess up. I also always like the croquetas de pollo. However, I'm giving it four starts for three…
yelp.com - user review - 03/18/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Not that this place needs another review... 285, yeep. I came here for dinner a few weeks ago and had a very enjoyable experience. We found parking easy in the neighborhood, but this was a Monday…
yelp.com - user review - 03/12/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I have a couple of friends who frequent this place as if they were part owners. I think that they are pretty consistent in regards to food, service tends to be mediocre sometimes. The sangria and…
yelp.com - user review - 03/09/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Decent tapas, respectable prices, and big pitchers of sangria. Great place to bring a group of friends and have a little taste of everything on the menu. I've been here a handful of times now and…
yelp.com - user review - 03/09/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Absolutely delicious every time. Really fresh tasting and great sangria. We love the octopus, the scallops, the goat cheese, the list is endless. The sangria is good as well. The only problem is…
yelp.com - user review - 03/08/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Pretty decent. I wouldn't say that anything we ate blew me away, but it was still yummy nonetheless. I know it's supposed to be fabulous, but I'd like to try other tapas places to compare.
yelp.com - user review - 02/28/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
This place is so great for tapas. The food is delicious and always perfectly cooked. For hot tapas, the scallops are phenomenal and the chorizo is great. For cold ones, I love the olives here. But…
yelp.com - user review - 02/27/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I do love this place for tapas, but I may have to have a trial separation and find a new place. Ever since they expanded, the quality of the food has gone down. I mean they still have a good tuna and…
yelp.com - user review - 02/25/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
we are so glad they banned smoking in restaurants. We have going here for over 10 years now and our only complaint was the smoke. This place becomes a true United Nations, i think every nationality is…
yelp.com - user review - 02/20/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
There food here is awesome, everything I have ever eaten here I love. The sangria is good, and there are different types. You can not make reservations so be prepared for a wait on the weekend. It…
yelp.com - user review - 02/16/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Been going to this tapas place for a long while so I just keep coming back. Their sangria is ok. I actually prefer the white sangria over the red here. I always order clams (however, I think it was…
yelp.com - user review - 02/13/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I've always felt Cafe Iberico has been pretty consistent. I definitely prefer Cafe Iberico over Cafe Babareeba. I went here on Tuesday - no wait, very attentive service, great food. A few dishes I…
yelp.com - user review - 02/13/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
For the love of God, please provide serving spoons! I have been to Cafe Ibericho several times, most recently just this past Saturday. I've never been a huge fan of this restaurant, but it's a great…
yelp.com - user review - 02/13/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
I guess I'll go four stars, even though I'm not sure it deserves it or if I was just hungry. I'd been here years ago, but was scared of waiting in a tremendously long line, so didn't go back until…
yelp.com - user review - 02/07/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Good food, great sangria, and despite the waitress snubbing me, quick service. Try it.
yelp.com - user review - 02/03/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
Food here defines AVERAGE. Went here with no expectations, so Cafe Iberico had all the chance to impress me but they chose not to.
yelp.com - user review - 02/03/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
The food is kind of hit or miss. I had a few dishes that were good but also a few that weren't. The sangria is pretty good. I actually like Cafe Babareeba better. This place gets way too crowded…
yelp.com - user review - 01/30/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I suffer from this problem of my eyes being hungrier than my stomach. Hence why I am typically full when leaving this place. I always think Tapas = little and order twice as much food. I come here…
yelp.com - user review - 01/30/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
I came here for the first time last week for a going-away party and was surprised at how quickly we were seated even though it was Friday night (no reservations then), peak dinner time, and our party…
yelp.com - user review - 01/30/2008
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3.0 of 5 stars.
i liked the scal...... OONZ OONZ OONZ
yelp.com - user review - 01/29/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Excellent foods. Service is decent. However, the number of items is not as vast as some other tapas joints. Waits can be long, but that's because this is one of the few good tapas bar in River…
yelp.com - user review - 01/28/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
I visited Cafe Iberico for a work function. It was fantastic! The food was excellent, it was a lot of fun and the sangria went down like pretty, sweet, tasty water. We did have to wait for a long…
yelp.com - user review - 01/27/2008
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I went here with a date and we had to wait for almost an hour to be seated. We try to seat where they sat us but it was too crowded that I kept on bumping my elbow with the person behind me. I would go again...
citysearch.com - user review - 01/23/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
My first experience at Cafe Iberico was a work function and even though I disliked most of the people I was with, I loved the food and I was hooked. I don't come here very often, mostly because I…
yelp.com - user review - 01/23/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
You know how people talk about having that kind of friend that they can go without seeing for months or years, and when they meet up again it's like no time has passed? Maybe there's a different…
yelp.com - user review - 01/22/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
Hmm. First for the positive, sort of... The food arrived fast and was pretty good. However, a couple of our friends got clams that they said were "really off." Not sure what was wrong, but it was bad…
yelp.com - user review - 01/20/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Aside from a Perkins that was embarrassingly a high school hangout, I've probably been to Cafe Iberico more than any other restaurant. And especially in the beginning, it was sort of a magical place:…
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
A friend's sister was in town, so the occasion was to meet her sister. We were a group of 9. We ordered something like 9, 10, or 11 plates. 2 pitchers of sangria, and 3 desserts. The tapas were…
yelp.com - user review - 01/16/2008
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4.0 of 5 stars.
Great inexpensive restaurant with a variety of options and this place gets packed (so get there early). We ordered the half carafe of red sangria, San Miguel beer, assorted meats/cheese plate with…
yelp.com - user review - 01/13/2008
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Come and try the queso de cabra (goat cheese) and the tortilla espanola (egg...
urbanspoon.com - user review - 01/11/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Loved it! Really good tapas and the seafood in all of the ones I tried tasted fresh and pretty good. The seafood paella was HUGE! I thought it was gonna be smaller.
yelp.com - user review - 01/10/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
This is arguably one of the best tapas places in Chicago, and in the many times I've been there I've never had a bad meal. It's often packed with people, owing to its reputation for great food, but…
yelp.com - user review - 01/09/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
The best Spanish food I've ever had! I love the 'croquetas de pollo' (creamy ham puffs--trust me, try it) and the garlic potato salad. The olives are to die for and I am always pleased with the…
yelp.com - user review - 01/06/2008
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2.0 of 5 stars.
The thing that beats me is how such a sub-standard tapas bar in such a great neighborhood can get such rave reviews . Stepping in after work on a Fri night, we thought we lucked out when we jostled…
yelp.com - user review - 01/05/2008
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5.0 of 5 stars.
Cafe Iberico is probably my favorite restaurant in Chicago. I'd say it's the closest to Spain that you get. The food is great (and cheap too!) and I absolutely LOVE the Sangria. It's typical for a 3…
yelp.com - user review - 12/29/2007
