Haro
(773) 847-2400
2436 S Oakley Ave
(at 25th Street)
Chicago,
IL
60608
41.8474
-87.6832
Neighborhoods: Pilsen (Lower West Side), West Side
Hours:
Tue-Thu 5pm-11pm
Fri-Sat 5pm-1am
Price:
$$
Parking:
Street
Last updated 1.30.09
What People Are Saying About Haro
The Editor
Fred Schlatter
Citysearch
The Scene
Occupying an unremarkable building on a mostly residential street in Little Italy, Haro convincingly sets a Spanish tone inside. A dramatic wood fixture swoops over the attractively backlit bar, and a young, local crowd fills the heavy wood-block benches and tables filling the rest of the small room. Thumping Spanish techno music encourages lively energy, and strains conversation.
The Food
Basque food is commonly revered in Spain, and Haro doesn't disappoint. Any of the tiny pinxtos--Basque mini tapas--are good starting points, particularly the rich blood sausage-stuffed roast pepper. The menu divides between hot and cold tapas, with notable entries like Serrano ham-wrapped scallops dotted with aioli, and a savory ramekin-bake brimming with sausage, mushrooms, potatoes, and eggs. Fish options abound; garlicky shrimp get finished with wine, while marinated baby eels pack a spicy punch. Entree portions include a juicy rib-eye steak dressed with Cabrales cheese, but few people order beyond the tapas.
User Reviews
LillyNU
April 18, 2008
Only six months ago, I wrote here about how in love I was with Haro. In that time, Haro has downspiraled into a mess of a restaurant. It seems the ownership is blindly grasping at a theme or a catchy crowd-drawing gimmick. He should have stuck with the age-old trick: good food, good service. Now you show up and there is a dj (this place is MUCH too small for a dj...it's a tapas bar! Who even needs a dj???) playing some kind of 70s underground funk music. Maybe if I had been in the mood for a loud bar scene...instead of a night of good conversation, Spanish wine and delicious food...maybe then I could have appreciated the unbearable beat that was too loud to speak over. Did I mention there were more employees than customers? Who was that music for anyway? Certainly not the older couples trying to enjoy their meal above the noise. And what is with the Sox and Cubs gimmicks too? Is this a sports bar? Seriously, pick a theme and go with it. Otherwise, you just come across as erratic, lacking direction and seriously misguided. I miss my old Haro, the one with the actual Spanish entertainment, missing televisions and non-watered down sangria. I strongly urge Haro's ownership to turn this place back into the gem it used to be.
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cavacartel
March 01, 2007
This place is adorable. To brighten up a bad day, I go to Haro and order the sumptuous salmon pinxtos. While soaking in the ambiance of this tiny morsel of a restaurant, I order my Mar de Frades. This Spanish wine, an albarino, is like no other; and this liquid gold works on my tired mind like a spa treatment in a bottle. Flamenco music dances in the air around me. Then the salmon arrives. Slightly savory and indisputably delicate, the fresh pinky fish is piled onto lightly toasted sourdough. The shallots and caper topping tumultuously tease my tongue, and then I take a sip of my albarino. Ooh. My. God. I must say this is nothing but a godly pairing of fine wine and fine food with the cadences of Latino music in my ears. If it weren't for experiences like this, I don't know why anyone would even bother with food at all. The service is terrific, and the owner, who is usually present, is passionate in his pursuit of the extraordinary.
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hectik
February 28, 2007
I have been to Haro's approximately 15 times in the past 6 months. I have not had one bad experience, each time I have gone there I enjoy it more and more. . My routine is to start with a caprichosa. A great drink similar to sangria, but a little more robust. Excellent drink to start your evening with and unwind. Next, I order a starter plate like Solomillo al Cabrales, strips of stake with potatoes and a delicious sauce that out of this world. With this, I ask Jessie the bartender to pour me a glass of red wine, usually Infinitus Merlot. Next I order Salmon ahumado. These pintxos are thinly slices of smoked salmon on top of these small slices of bread, toped with capers, shaved egg and shallots?. These are truly phenomenal. If you like salmon you will enjoy this plate. I?m not usually a desert eater but Gina makes a wonderful creme burley that reminds me one I had in New Orleans once and no were else have I had one just like it. So the atmosphere, the coziness, the food, the wine, and not to mention the prices, you cannot go wrong. All the tapas are $5 bucks. This is my place for while, and I recommend this to all my friends.
read full reviewThe Details on Haro
When to Go:
A changing weekly entertainment schedule features live flamenco and acoustic bands. Call in advance for performance times.
What to Drink:
A Basque version of sangria, Kalimotxo, gets body from a dash of cola and a little more brandy, and is served in traditional, hand-blown glass wine decanters.
Category:
Payment Methods:
Restaurant Special Features:
People Watching, Local Favorite, Group Dining, Notable Wine List, Hidden Find
