As a Food Critic, I constantly get asked my favorite place to eat….and without any hesitation and great confidence I can say its Cafe Ba Ba Reeba in Chicago IL. It is my happy place. If I’m having a bad day at work, I go to Ba Ba Reeba. If my dating world is shadowed by a dark cloud for the day or week (or in some cases a month), I go to Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. If I stub my toe while getting ready for the day, I call and make reservation at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba. The food, the atmosphere and the whole experience transform my day into something wonderful.

Pitcher of Sangria. Chicken Curry Salad. Bacon wrapped dates. Spicy Potatoes. Short rib-stuffed piquillo peppers. Roasted Chicken Empanda. And the bread, ohhhh the bread. These are ALL my favorite words, and make up on of the best feasts to be sitting in front of. No menu needed when I walk in. Usually the toughest decision is whether to go with the Mango Sangria Pitcher or the Blood Orange Sangria Pitcher.

The chicken curry salad is one of the best I’ve ever had. There is that curry kick, but it still has grapes and celery and tender cubes of diced up chicken that melt in your mouth. The bacon wrapped dates haunt my dreams in the best way possible. The bacon is crispy and extremely flavorful, and the plate is doused apple vinaigrette. The spicy potatoes are a must. They come out very hot and are served with tomato aioli that has a kick (Spoiler Alert!) that hits the back of your throught about two seconds after your first chew. Short rib-stuffed peppers are just as delicious as they sound. The delicate pepper is stuffed to the brim, then placed ever so slightly on a small crostini. Very juicy and full of flavor! The roasted chicken empanada and I go way back. This was the first dish I ordered when I discovered Ba Ba Reeba. The crust is flaky, but not too dense and the sauce they provided is like a tangy aioli that you just want to take home for later and spread it every morsel you eat for the rest of your life. The dish is small, and hard to share with the table because, well, lets be honest…one bite and you won’t be able to put it down. And finally the bread. I’m not sure if its the excitement of starting the meal out with a basket full of (complimentary) bread or the variety of options or the bread itself, but its fresh, and warm, and delicious!

As you may be able to tell by this point I love Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, and would highly, highly recommend dining at your earliest convenience.

Go on and seize the meal.

Cafe Ba Ba Reeba – 2024 N. Halsted, Chicago IL