Olé Lounge

it was… aight, lol.
We came here as part of a bachelorette party. we got there specifically for the free drinks between 10−11pm. Why did not let us in until way after that? (still got some free drinks though, lol)
The DJ did his thing. we did the wobble, so i was happy!

The space inside is pretty simple and modern looking. The music was okay, it was more of a chill type of music than dancing music for me. The drinks were more watered down and the glasses seemed smaller. There were few tables and chairs and more empty space for people to dance and hang out. The crowd wasn’t as diverse. It’s probably more of a lounge than a night club. I’ve enjoyed places that had better music.

I was here for a beat mix competition and I’m going have to say it was too crowded. You could barely see the producers and the judges unless you were right in the front.
They were also understaffed at the bar.
Other than that, it was a nice spot to chill. I didn’t see any dancing. Just a lot of head bobbin’.

My friend and I had a charity event here and it went very well. They gave us decent drink deals.
The place is kinda dark and music was a good, mix of dance and house. Not that I listen to that but most others do.
Keep in mind that they don’t have food but they can cater it.

2 stars only because the actual space was kind of cool and we had a good little spot in in the back for celebrating my friend and co-​workers b-​day and recent promotion, along with a GREAT dj.
Zero props to the bartenders who are bumbling idiots with no clue as to what they are doing when it comes to keeping bar tabs correctly. When they handed my bf his bill of $ 64 [note that he only bought 4 drinks] and he questioned them about the total, the bartender simply responded «It is what it is». Ummm excuse me??? Finally after my bf had to talk to the manager and then I had to get on the managers case about fixing THEIR mistake did they take care of the issue.
I’d follow that DJ anywhere but here…

I answered an ad on Craigslist from Mitch Gundogdu (the owner), looking for DJ’s. Eventually he double-​booked my audition, and wouldn’t man-​up as to why, when I confronted him he had me kicked out. I texted him the Monday after and got this response «fuck off»… so if you want to be treated like shit by an incompetent asshat, make your way over to Olé, you’ll be sure to leave with a bucket of displeasure.
Full Story Here:

4 lovely ladies
+ 6 sangrias a piece
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
10 as in perfect 10 for the evening!
That is the kind of math that I can get into. Once we were seated, our first order of business was sangria. Our waitress (who was awesome!) let us know that she would keep the sangria flowin until we said otherwise. Perfect! We ordered 2 rounds of tapas. Everything was delicious. Especially the chorizo stuffed, bacon wrapped dates. OH MY GOD! I swear, if I can figure out how to make the sherry cream reduction that accompanied those things — my inner fat girl will soon be released. Some other stand outs were the empanadas and the roasted veggies plates. They were out of 2 of the dishes that we wanted to try (boo), but between the dates (3 orders of them, thankyouverymuch) the sangria, and the perfectly paced service — I could give Olé nothing less than 5 stars!

We didn’t mean to end up here but I’m glad we did. We were headed to Las Tablas but the wait was an hour and I was just too hungry and cranky to even bother. We saw this place on the walk up Lincoln so we turned around and decided to see what was up.
The drinks I tried were very good. I had a blueberry martini and a pomegranate martini. The pom martini was especially good. My boyfriend’s mojito martini was really great, too. I’m by no means a drink expert but I know a decent drink when I taste it. The bartender at Olé pours a good drink.
As for the food, the portions were much larger than I expected. We had basically no idea where to even start and the waitress was super helpful and we ordered pretty much exactly what she told us to. We had the tenderloin, the paelle with seafood and three of the kabobs. It was plenty of food for two people — full but not insanely stuffed. Everything was cooked perfectly and very tasty.
Service is attentive and our waitress was so sweet. I wish I had caught her name so I could call her out specifically. She was really great.
Overall, I think we’ll be back for their weekday specials and because it’s just a nice little spot. Not too crowded, good quality food, excellent service and drinks.

So last night, we decided to give this place a try basically because they were able to accomidate a party of 6 without any wait. Overall the evening was going well. The food was ok, there was nothing wrong with it — but I can’t really say I had a favorite dish. Our server and the bus boy were actually pretty good.
Then I made the mistake of trying to go to the bathroom. Apparently there was a private party downstairs so the entire resturant had to use a bathoom next to the bar with a single toilet. Thats it — everyone. All men, all women. If I was single, I would probably give an extra star to the resturant becuase I could have had the opportunity to wait with all of the girls from the batchelorette party that were standing around in line.
What resturant that appears to seat well over 75 people has a single bathroom with one toilet FOR EVERYONE? Further, they have an entire batchelorette party drinking coupious carafes of sangria? Go figure that there is a long line?
What idiot decided that the resturant didn’t need the downstairs bathrooms for a few hours due to a private party? Maybe they are pretty desperate because the place was over half empty on a Saturday night?
Whatever the reason, there are plenty of other tapas places in Chicago — and there is a reason the others have a line out the door every saturday night.

Just went there last Thursday for their big blowout 2-​year anniversary party! It was fabulous, as usual! Complimentary glass of champagne and hors d’ouevres a plenty! The photographers made us feel very special, like celebrities. Raul, in particular, was such a cutie and was complimenting our pics. Kimya, the DJ, totally rocked the beats.
The food here is excellent. I was hoping to order, but the kitchen was just focusing on the free offerings. That’s OK, I plan to be back for a full meal with friends, since this space is so beautiful. Mitch, the owner, really knows how to make his patrons feel special!

GROSS! Went here on a random Thursday because I had a coupon for a deal… let me just say, myself and my friend were the ONLY people in this restaurant. So we got a pitcher of sangria… not bad but definitely not amazing. We got a couple of tapas, ensalada con queso cabra (basically EXACTLY what the menu says… nothing special), shrimp ceviche (just like any other place), and platon de pan con queso manchego y jamon serrano (again, EXACTLY like the menu says… I could have made it myself and it would have been better).
Just a weird creepy atmosphere… I would stay away from this place… I dont know, maybe an off night but doubt it

I was here for the fantastic event organized by Stacy Y. last night and I will surely be back!
I can’t speak for what this place is like on a weekend, but on weeknights, how can you pass up $ 1 sangria on Tuesday nights (or $ 2 mojitos Weds or $ 3 Cava Thurs) and half price tapas from 5 – 7? And not tiny servings either! Sangria served in a normal sized glass (as opposed to many places who put «special» drinks in tiny glasses) and decent sized tapas from what I saw. Mitch, the owner, let us sample the Cava last night too (with a hibiscus flower in the bottom — very interesting) and it was delish.
Only thing keeping this from being a 5-​star review is that I didn’t try the food (except for the bacon wrapped chorizo which was divine). I’ll be back though :)

I’m surprised at the super low one star reviews this place has got, but perhaps we just picked a good day. Arrived just after opening on a Friday, and had the back section all to ourselves all night. Carafes of sangria are $ 14 and tapas was half price until 7pm; when the bill came at 9pm, we couldn’t believe we hadn’t spent more, so it’s decent value.
But the ‘meh’ factors:
The sangria wasn’t great. It was, in fact, I suspect, just cold cheap red wine with fruit in it. I wanted that cointreau kick and a ton of fruity goodness and it just wasn’t there.
The waiter told me they had a Rioja from Chile… uh, no, I don’t think you do… He corrected himself when I expressed surprise but it left me very doubtful about the quality of their wine list — which was non-​existent, by the way, they just come and tell you about what they have. This gave me a ‘whatever was cheap at Binny’s’ kind of vibe.
There was no buzz, which for a Friday night is surprising. It’s a beautiful space but lacking atmosphere.
You shouldn’t be able to drink 7 mojitos at $ 7 a pop, and still be even borderline sober (not me, but my friend).
The extra star:
Nice wait staff
Very nice tapas especially at that price — good patatas bravas, and lovely tomato and goats cheese dip for bread. I would eat here, most definitely.
The weekday specials here sound unbelievable value — $ 2 mojitos on a Wednesday — so I will probably be back.

I heard of Olé, I’ve passed it many times over the years (while on the way to Delilah’s) and I am SO disappointed that it took me so damn long to finally come here. Olé ROCKS!
A friend couldn’t stop raving about the place, we made plans to come and, of course, I had to look it up on Unilocal.Yikes! I was a little concerned with all the so-​so reviews, but decided not to have any expectations and judge Olé for myself. I was very pleased with my experiences here and I will definitely be back again (and again and again and again)!
Let’s start off with Olé’s specials — they are out of this world:
–Half price tapas EVERY DAY from 5−7pm
–Tuesday — $ 1 sangria
–Wednesday — $ 2 mojitos
–Thursday — $ 3 cava
Astonishing, right? I know. I was amazed and totally excited to find a new spot where I can (to quote the lovely Colleen C.) rock out a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget! Woo hoo!
The décor is sexy, simple yet comfortable. Dim lights, orange walls, black velvet banquettes and couches, wood bars, glowing candles with lovely Spanish music in the background. Perfect for an intimate dinner with friends or a great place to take a hot date! You can feel comfortable coming here in either your Chuck Taylors or your sexy stilettos.
The service has been great, especially Ipek, she really rocks! I’ve been given nothing but great recommendations, attentive (but not in your face) service and enthusiasm/​fun. It’s SO nice when you have a fun server that is excited about the food and wants you to have a good experience. It can really enhance an evening. Although I’ve never been to Olé on a weekend, which I am sure is more bustling/​busy. Weeknights are where it’s at (see specials listed above) for me!
The drinks, ooooh the drinks. $ 1 sangria that is not only tasty, but packs a good punch! Three of those had me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside (at a fraction of the price for 1 glass of wine elsewhere)! They take no short cuts with the $ 2 mojitos — fresh lime, muddled mint & pinch of sugar swimming in my glass.
Ladies & gents — this is not some premade mix or mojito-​flavored drink (like I’ve had at other places) this is the real deal!
The food? Awesome, fresh, delicious and nice presentation!
–Good bread basket? Yes! Served with an addicting garlic aioli
–Empandas are fantastic! The dough is light, slightly crispy (not heavy like Lito’s) and filled with seasoned beef and raisins.
–Croquetas are a staple for me. If they are on the menu I will order them. Olé’s croquetas are made with chicken opposed to ham which gives them a lighter flavor than what I’m used to. Different and delish.
–The arugula salad is also a stand out dish! Arugula, tomatoes and salty pieces of serrano ham. I’m not a salad type of girl, but I can get down with this salad!
I’ve also tried the gazpacho (generous portion), patatas bravas and goat cheese salad (like a caprese) — all are tasty! I’ve skimmed the menu, but I cannot wait to try more dishes!
Finally, the bill. You can enjoy some wonderful food and drink (especially of you take advantage of the amazing specials) for a very, very reasonable price. Check it…
2 people, 5 tapas, 6 cocktails = $ 35 + tip
2 people, 4 tapas, 6 cocktails = $ 27 + tip
Unfreakingbelievable!
Delectable small plates, delightful cocktails, pleasant service and an incredible value! Go give Olé a try!
P. S. I had a chance to meet the owner (or one of the owners??) during a recent visit and I am happy to report that he is very nice and not at all creepy!

I haven’t been here to eat, but I was here last Saturday around midnight. It is a very attractive space and the clientele is unique for the neighborhood. It seems to be an interesting mix of people down from lakeview/​boystown, prepsters venturing north from LP and a huge crowd that went to Culver H.S. about a decade ago.
The female DJ who started out the night played really great lounge style music but WAY WAY too loud. Its either a lounge or a club, so either I gotta be able to talk to my friend or I need to dance. You couldn’t do either here. (That, and I am totally holding a grudge because she OBVIOUSLY made fun of my outfit. Ok, I was dressed for a different occasion, but cut me some slack alright? You don’t need to be giggling like a middle schooler about it)
It took 25 minutes to get our first drinks and we had ordered shots. Not really sure what was up with that, but by the time they came I was ready to leave. We rolled out by 1 am and I don’t think I’ll be back.

I «dined» here with my friend for a birthday party. We were in the back section which didn’t seem too bad at first until more people came. Seating was tight, so imagining that tapas plates had to be placed on the small tables seemed impossible, and it nearly was.
There was one server for the people in the party which had include at least twenty or so. It appeared that each little group of people could order on their own check, so my friend and I ordered three items and two drinks from the menu. Speaking of the menu, I noticed many misspelled items:
potatoe
espresoo
crutons
tomatos
caramilized
Disarono
We watched as the lone server occasionally came out and brought one dish or drink to a different group of people, repeatedly apologizing for the delay. We probably got our drinks (a mojito and sangria) half an hour after ordering — I am not exaggerating. It took maybe another half hour or so for our server to tell us that two of the three dishes we ordered were unavailable. So we decided to just stick to the one dish, the queso de cabra (goat cheese). About ten minutes later, it came out and it was the smallest serving we’ve ever had at a tapas restaurant. There were six round slices of unseasoned bread barely two inches in diameter and the goat cheese serving wasn’t much either.
I received much better service at the fast food restaurant my friend and I went to afterwards.

A bar on the corner of Lincoln and Diversey. 10 pm on a Saturday night. Should be packed, right? At best, there were 15 people, and most of them were there for a birthday party. A few snapshots of my evening:
1. a sleazy-​looking guy leans against me and then kisses me on the cheek. He moves on to other women, exhibiting a bad case of wandering hands. I am told that he is one of the owners.
2. music is loud, bad hip-​hop/​dance mixes. Not sure what sort of ambiance was intended, but patrons were neither tempted to eat OR dance.
3. Liquor selection is minimal. Two types of gin one could find at any old-​man bar.
4. One of us asks for grapefruit juice and vodka. They give her lemonade. And it tastes slightly salty, which is even weirder.
5. Another friend requests a Kahlua and cream. The cream has gone bad.
6. We give up and go to Delilah’s, a bar that is, btw, packed.

I came here for a friend’s late-​night party. We had reserved the front room where the Flamenco band played a few hits. The place has really nice décor; I give them credit for making a ceiling of bamboo shoots with unique lighting work. Candles are all over which is pretty but could be a fire hazard for those drunks. I’d recommend coming here for drinks; the Sangria is pretty yummy, especially the white. On Thursday nights, it has $ 1 Sangria (and I hear that tapas are $ 1 from 5 – 7 pm Mon-​Fri)! The tapas were not all that good, but not horrible. It was definitely fusion, bar Spanish food (for true tapas check out 1492 or Café Iberico downtown). The croquetas were pretty yummy, although short of the alioli sauce. The empanadas were tiny and tasted like they were made out of Pillsbury dough!
Keep in mind: We came here on a nice Spring day and the place was sweaty hot with no opening windows. I could only imagine what it will be like in the summer if they don’t put on AC (all the candles don’t help). Also, the $ 20 package is a bit of a rip-​off because they space out the unlimited drinks and food!

Ok, I really wanted to like this place. I came in with high expectations, even after reading these reviews on Unilocal.I think because it was going to be a nice dinner with me and the gf and we haven’t been out to a nice place in a while (hey give me a break, we are both in school heh).
We get to this place around 8 on a Saturday and were pleasantly surprised that the place was empty. The reason, however, was that more than half the tables were reserved for a large group. The hostess (if that was what she was) told us that it would be about 5 minutes and that we could sit at the bar, fine no problem.
First off, and no fault of Olé, the bar wasn’t too full but there were no chairs next to each other and this couple who had an empty chair on either side of them didn’t offer to slide over one so we could be together. That was rude and just set the mood, again, no fault of Olé’s. I moved one of the chairs over to the edge of the bar (in front of the water station) and again the couple, who clearly saw me doing this and sitting in front of trays of water, did not offer to slide over even though now there was a huge gap next to them where my chair was.
Second the bartendress was really really busy at first and didn’t acknowledge us for at least 7 minutes. That may seem nit picky but I’ve worked in high class busy restaurants and you always greet the guests within the first several minutes if anything with a «Hi I’ll be right with you» especially if you are two feet away.
Third, after we get our drinks we see the table that we assumed was for us being cleared off and then another couple, who had walked in AFTER us be seated there. So now we are really pissed off. Poor service, crappy hostess (you NEVER forget your patrons) and I’m sitting in the water station.
We decided to finish our drinks and leave since we were obviously not welcomed at this place and I’m half tempted to pull out my iPhone and start off Unilocaling this place with a 0 stars (is that even possible?). But then another spot opens further down the bar, the rude couple gets up and leaves (they were part of that large table) and I can only assume the manager comes over and helps move our coats — mind you, the hostess walked by us several times, I wonder if she realized that she forgot about us?
So this is the part where this place earned the extra star from a one to a two. The bartendress, who is now über busy since the large party came and they all wanted drinks, became really attentaive towards us and took our food orders. We had beef empanadas (my favorite dish growing up that sadly no one has been able to do right), the goat cheese (which in itself boosted this place from a 0 to a 1 star) and the Pinche de Pollo I think it was called which was yes very tasty.
So because of the bar tendress and the goat cheese and chicken, this place has earned two stars from me. Everything else about this place really was horrible. Still, my gf and I had a fabulous time (we can have fun just about anywhere).
I’ll probably never come back, unless some people I am with desperately want to go there. The atmosphere was pretty good though, good house and salsa house music playing. People were well dressed and seemed more of an upscalish type of place. I can’t see where the «club» atmosphere comes in because there isn’t really a place for it, more of a lounge with couches. Drinks were reasonable and savory (well, I’m not a sangria fan and didn’t like them but my gf was drinking them). I think I’ll find another Tapas place to go to for my Tapas fix. Thanks to the bartendress for making the night for us. Boo to the «hostess».

Ugh! I received an email informing me of the opening of Olé Lounge this past Friday. I called mid-​day to ask about it — were they taking reservations and/​or expecting a lot of people. The person on the phone assured me that they had plenty of seating (upstairs and downstairs) and that they would be able to accommodate us. My friends and I were daydreaming about sangria and tortilla espanola all day long…
So we get there at 9:15 only to find out that they were closing the kitchen at 9:30! They told us they weren’t expecting this many people on their opening day. Um, then why did you send out a city-​wide email announcing your opening and tell customers who called to inquire about the night that you would be able to accommodate patrons? Needless to say, we were upset.
The décor was very dark and earthy and I was really looking forward to enjoying dinner there. And the food on the plates the waiters were carrying looked trendy and delicious. I would love to comment on the taste, BUT THE KITCHEN CLOSED AT 9:30!
I will likely go back, as I’d like to give Olé Lounge a chance to redeem itself, however one more chance, Olé, and then we are through.