Emilio's Tapas - Hillside

I have known of Emilio but never stopped in. Today I did and very happy I did. Located in Westchester off of Roosevelt rd It's nicely decorated. outside...

Emilio’s never disappoints!! This place has been one of my family’s favorite restaurants for years. The small plates are expertly crafted, flavorful, and so creative! It is like eating art! The servers are helpful and attentive and we always have an amazing dining experience here. Can’t recommend this place enough!

So I was in Chicago and was craving something different. Different flavours, different atmosphere and I stumbled across Emilio's. I'm glad I did. This place F'in rocks!!! I went in with the expectation of getting some Paella for dinner but when I arrived the atmosphere and quality/friendliness of the waitstaff made me want more. I tried some tapa's PLATO DE JAMÓN SERRANO was excellent so that led me to the PULPO A LA PLANCHA which was excellent as well. Full of flavour and the contrasting textures with light dressing on top was a perfect follow up to the white sangria that I tried. They really knocked it out of the park with the first couple plates. At this point I was mid way through the test drive and it was time to see what this place can really do so I punched it and went for the PAELLA A LA VALENCIANA with a red sangria. I felt that both were more traditional so I thought it would be a good gauge vs my previous experiences with other Spanish restaurants. It did not disappoint! The paella was so flavourful and the shrimp, chicken, clams over the yellow rice were wonderful. The red sangria was a nice addition as it was fruity but not overpowering. It was all perfect for the hot few days that I was in Chicago. Let's take a pause here to show some love to the bar. They offer a fully stocked and really nice looking bar area. I was ok to sit there and take in all the pictures and surroundings but it started to cool down in the evening and sitting outside just sounded awesome. Shoutout to the lightning fast bartender too! They have this super interesting wine list too full of regional selections and traditional varietals. Having worked in the wine industry for 16 years I really wanted to take the wine list for a spin but at the same time I knew I was racking up the miles on my bill as-is so I let that one go. Next time... Lets recap... Awesome starters with a light sangria, Check! Main event with a red sangria, knocked it out of the park! Any normal person would be like, "Ok, let's call it a day" but I didn't travel 2000 miles just for OK. For the last leg of my spanish dining trip I ordered a marinated cherry over homemade vanilla ice cream topped with mascarpone and nuts thing. Sorry I forgot the name. That took it over the top. Again, I debated about ordering a spanish sherry or something but held out. I should've though lol. The dessert was so delicious. It was sweet but not overbearing which is perfect for me. The textures of the ice cream and the whipped topping was a really nice touch. In closing, you can tell that the owner/chef and staff really care about this restaurant. It was an absolute blast of an experience and something that I really enjoyed against the stereotypical Chicago dining experience. The next time I come back to the 'CHI I will absolutely stop by and you should too!

So I was in Chicago and was craving something different. Different flavours, different atmosphere and I stumbled across Emilio's. I'm glad I did. This...

Wow. Just wow. You will not find a better tapas restaurant anywhere in the Chicago area. Everything on the menu is delicious. Drinks are good and service was great. The octopus and calamari was amazing. Been here 2 times and already looking forward to my 3rd trip here.

Stopped here on an impromptu date night. The place was busy but we were able to be sat quickly. The food was amazing. We shared multiple plates and our server provided great suggestions. They were out of some things on the special list which leads me to believe that they were sought after. The replacement dishes suggested were amazing. The staff is great and they have a great system to make sure that your table is being tended too. I definitely recommend this place.

The rarest of authentic cuisine is right here. Top quality Spanish ingredients, excellently prepared food, and decor plucked right out of Spain. Book a reservation ahead of time because this gem fills up fast. To make your experience unique, go during one of their live music nights...you can thank me later.

My wife and I made reservations looking forward to a great dining experience. The service was very good. We ordered 6 different tapas over the time we were...

Absolutely phenomenal experience. An absolute class act. We had a surprise birthday dinner for my wife with about 30 friends and family. The restaurant managed all accommodations professionally. They printed personalized menus celebrating my wife. The wait staff was excellent, and the food was gorgeously delicious. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed.

I usually don't go to a tapas restaurant often, but when I do, I'm never disappointed. Emilio's is no exception. The variety of tapas on the menu were all good and expertly crafted. I especially enjoyed the blood sausage and the grilled calamari. But all the food was flavorful and filling, and I had a blast trying out all the different tapas my party ordered. The tapas were served quickly, even though the restaurant was packed when I went, and I credit this to the excellent, friendly service. Anna, our server, went above and beyond to make sure we were all taken care of. All of this came in a colorful, warm atmosphere that was unique to the restaurant. I'd definitely recommend this place to others when it comes to tapas. Well done.