Café Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Chicago, IL 60614
Phone: (773) 935-5000
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Armitage Avenue
- Directions:
- El: Brown Line to Armitage
- Best of Citysearch:
- Small Plates 2005, Small Plates 2004
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu 4pm-10pm, Fri 4pm-12am, Sat 11am-12am, Sun 11am-10pm
Editorial Review for Café Ba-Ba-Reeba! – by J.P. Anderson
The Scene
Loud, colorful and usually packed to the rafters, Ba-Ba-Reeba's several rooms and outdoor patio brim with flowers and vivid artwork. Sausages hang above an open kitchen, two bars buzz with young singles and a large outdoor patio provides prime seating in the warmer months.
The Food
With a wide selection (more than 40) of mostly excellent cold and hot appetizer-sized dishes, it's perfect for groups--and reasonably priced, too. Beef skewers are a must: tender chunks of meat served with a flavorful horseradish cream. Chicken empanadas are zesty and piquant, seafood gazpacho is chilly and chunky with fresh shrimp and squid, and scallops with couscous and mango vinaigrette are sensationally subtle. Only bland chorizo disappoints. For something different, paella is worth the 35-minute wait--it's brimming with succulent lobster, scallops and shrimp.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Know Before You GoDon't want to wait an hour for a table? The full menu is available at both the front and back bars, which open at 4pm Monday to Friday.
What to DrinkSip wine flights of Spanish whites or reds, sweet or dry sherries, or sangria for just a few bucks.
Save MoneyThe bar features a $3 tapas special weekdays from 4pm to 6pm and weekends from 10pm to 12am.
User Reviews for Café Ba-Ba-Reeba!
05/04/2008 Posted by Celstrial
I've been dying to find a great spanish tapas bar in town. And although Babareeba is not your "authentic" spanish tapas, it takes what is great about spanish flavors and gives it a nice twist. Tried the "toro brochetas" which are basically a skewer to great tender meat with a plate of potatoes, caramelized onions and a stewed tomato - had the pork and it was very flavorful. Had the scallops, pine nuts, couscous and that was very delicious - strong garlic flavor, well seasoned. The mushroom empanada was small, but worth every bite, esp the porcini alioli on the side. Lastly the mini desserts were perfect sized, nothing profound, but was a nice sweet end to a great tasty meal. I'd rather have a tasty twist to classic tapas than have not so great authentic tapas. Make reservations!
Pros: Great food, fun loud ambiance, $3 tapas during happy hour
Cons: Loud if you don't want that ambience, long wait w/o reservations
04/27/2008 Posted by bbheli
I went for the Paella. Traditional paella has a crispy, caramelized, toasted bottom (called socarrat in Valencian) that is considered a delicacy. To achieve a socarrat, one either needs to time the evaporation of the water properly with the completion of the rice being cooked or turn up the heat to high and listen to the bottom of the rice toast. Once the aroma of toasted rice comes from the pan, but before the rice burns, the heat is removed once again. The paella is ready to be served after having cooled for several minutes. The paella they served me was not crispy, and it was loaded with grease rather than broth and had way to much salt and not much meat or seafood at all. It was more like and overpriced rice pilaf. I was very dissapointed. I know they are well known for the tapas and the $3 tapas bar but if you are looking for an authentic paella, this is not the place to spend $60.00 for it. It taste like grease and salt.
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