Sevillas Tapas, Berwyn

Someone tipped us off that a new tapas place was opening on Cermak near East Ave in Berwyn. We stopped by for a hopeful Sunday lunch, but the interior is still under construction.

A visit to their posted website reveals it to be "under construction" as well.

Just thought I'd give a little heads up to the board. We're going to be gone until after Jan. 9th, indulging in a few tapas of our own, but if anyone is passing by, let us know how it goes.

We heard from a friend that the opening hadn't gone well - very long waits for food and small portions. So, we stopped by on a Friday night on the way home. Big bar, lots of tables.

My impression was that the number of servers and bus people was almost equal to the number of patrons. They've obviously spent money on the decor (the bathroom was an ocean of red granite and stainless steel).

We had 2 beers (Estrella Galicia, which I cannot recommend, but it's the only Spanish beer we've come across in Chicago) and 2 tapas. Victor got the octopus and I got the calamares. We waited about 10 to 15 minutes for the dishes to appear. The pulpo was about 2 oz. of tiny, rubbery tentacles, with some kind of barbecue-y rub or sauce, and 2 tablespoons of tiny diced potato. The calamares was a much more generous portion, with some kind of marinara sauce. The breading had a slightly off flavor, like something had burned in the oil they were using, but it was crispy and the squid weren't overcooked. It wasn't exactly piping hot, but much better than the octopus.

Our bill came to $25. All the tapas on the menu seemed to be in the $8-10 range, with entres going much higher. They have a Sunday brunch.

So we won't be going back, but if anyone else gives it a shot, let us know if it improves.

I met this guy:

http://myspace.com/agustinalvarez

who saw a concert at Sevillas in November and said the hosts and food were excellent. He grew up in Argentina and has traveled extensively in Spain. It's enough to make me want to give this place a shot; I'll post when I do.

[quote="Santander"]I met this guy:

http://myspace.com/agustinalvarez

who saw a concert at Sevillas in November and said the hosts and food were excellent. He grew up in Argentina and has traveled extensively in Spain. It's enough to make me want to give this place a shot; I'll post when I do.[/quote]

Apparently, it's no longer Sevilla's...

http://www.laespanolatapasbar.com/

Not sure if it's under the same management or not. I tried it about six months ago and the food was fine, but the service was HORRENDOUS and I'm not the only person I know who had gone (to Sevilla's) and complained about that.

If it's under new management, I'll probably be persuaded to give them another chance.