Boqueria Fulton Market
Chicago
At a glance
Situated in Chicago's vibrant West Loop district, Boqueria is a Spanish tapas restaurant that captures the lively spirit of Barcelona. Known for its dynamic atmosphere, the establishment provides a welcoming setting for both casual diners and those seeking a culinary experience steeped in Spanish tradition. The interior sports a polished design, which complements the buzzing energy from the crowded bar to the intimate dining spaces.
The menu at Boqueria offers a diverse array of tapas that cater to fans of traditional Spanish cuisine. Guests can indulge in classics like jamón, juicy gambas al ajillo, and the celebrated patatas bravas. Each dish is crafted with care, bringing an authentic taste of Spain to the table. Boqueria also boasts an impressive collection of Spanish wines, craft cocktails, and sangrías, enhancing each meal with vibrant flavors and lively spirits.
Boqueria is particularly popular during Happy Hour and weekends, drawing in both the after-work crowd and weekend diners who appreciate a spirited brunch outing. The restaurant's setting in the eclectic dining district of Fulton Market makes it an apt choice for both locals and visitors.
Whether planning a quick lunch with friends or a leisurely dinner with family, diners will find a wide variety of options on the menu that accommodate different tastes and dietary needs. With offerings from savory charcuterie to sweet and indulgent desserts like churros, Boqueria promises a robust Spanish dining experience in the heart of Chicago.
Reviews
Hands down the best happy hour in all of Chicago. This place is a local gem that has multiple resources of food and different types of tapas. This is great for a happy hour come here for the happy hour so amazing and I would love to thank the staff, they’re such a great staff and very friendly. They’re amazing and they know everything about all the top of us and local bars. I can’t wait to be back here. We were here with a group of four with all of our friends and this place was just so amazing Such a local gem.
5 stars for our wonderful server, Alondra! She was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made our experience even more enjoyable. We had a lovely brunch—the food was delicious and arrived quickly. Great service and a great meal all around. We will definitely be back! 😊
Depending on how your party decides to engage in ordering this restaurant can be a wild experience. My party just ordered a bunch of different tapas all at once and it felt like they just kept coming and coming, it was wild. We had no complaints about how everything tasted and there was a good variety of options. This is a restaurant where you can easily share meals with one another as well. While I don't have a picture, I really enjoyed the salmon and my party really liked the shrimp and croquetas as well. We got 2 orders of the coquetas, they were a real crowd pleaser. The food came fairly fast and we were seated in a good spot in the restaurant that got a lot of natural light. Overall had a good experience here as it was definitely different types of dining experience in a good way!
We absolutely recommend Boqueria. We had a great experience from start to finish. Our server was very friendly and gave us an excellent recommendation to try the experience menu, and we loved it. The paella was delicious, the shrimp were amazing, and everything tasted incredibly fresh. We also tried the churros and the ham croquettes, and both were fantastic—super crispy and full of flavor. Truly an excellent dining experience.
THANK YOU immensely to the staff at Boqueria. Specifically Manny and Fernando for making a rare night out an extremely special evening for my partner and I. Food was so delectable that most items didnt even get time for a photo. Originally we came to try out the restaurant week menu but upon learning of their original house chef driven full “boqueria experience” we went that route and were extremely impressed. Loved every dish we were given and had to try more! We tried each croqueta (wonderful texture and yummy sauces to go with), the ensalada vasca (bright pairing with the sides), the boquerones con naranja, patatas bravas (delectable and everything you could ask of a potato and wish i could eat 100), pintxos morunos (my partner and I decided it was the best lamb we’ve had in awhile. melts in mouth and zero gamey texture or taste), pulpo a la plancha (extremely balanced with beautiful presentation and fun textures with the potato- just needs some work with preparation to perfect the octopus), and the paella de mariscos which has with the rice: monkfish, squid, shrimp clams and mussels. The paella was an extreme highlight. Paired our meal with a ‘23 albariño ferreiro from an extremely awesome wine list and it was delicious with everything but especially the paella. Somehow the salsa was distinctly sweet smokey and spicy, rice was perfect texture and what you expect paella to give and each seafood item was cooked perfectly. Absolutely delicious. Finally we finished off with the crema catalana which was smooth and sweet. Sadly the zest when fired did taste really bitter for me personally but the technique is there. Funnest part of the meal was learning about the pigs they age and the background of the animal and region. We were able to try the old fashioned that they fat wash the spirit using the pigs they use in service. Absolutely mind blowing and delicious. We couldnt have asked for a better evening and hospitality.
