Jaleo – Chicago
Chicago had the only location of José Andrés' Spanish tapas restaurant with a hidden speakeasy
It’s (thankfully) impossible to find a bad location of @chefjoseandres’ Jaleo Spanish tapas restaurants, but some are better than others. Decorated much like Washington, DC’s flagship Jaleo, the 2021-vintage Chicago space was in the same neighborhood as Rick Bayless’s famous Mexican spots (Frontera Grill, Topolobampo, Xoco), directly above José’s speakeasy Pigtail, and within walking distance of Bazaar Meat/Bar Mar.
Chicago’s Jaleo menu closely resembled earlier iterations of the DC menu – a good thing – and the execution of individual dishes was pretty close to classic, with some exceptions. A wider variety of (excellent) snack-sized savory-sweet cones and several different sangrias were highlights, while varieties of paired cheeses and sliced hams reminded us of happy Jaleo meals in the past.
On the other hand, there were multiple unavailable items on our visit, including this location’s Meloso-style rice dishes – unique, chainwide, to this Jaleo location. After an imbalanced jamón and melon dish, and a comically $16 sliced chorizo served in a nearly inedible potato puree, we felt that this Jaleo was certainly in need of some kitchen recalibration.
This Jaleo location included a basement speakeasy, Pigtail: Pig & Cocktail, which was hugely worth visiting for fans of avant garde cocktails, and included small plates that either overlap with or riff on Jaleo items. Jaleo Chicago and Pigtail both closed at the end of January 2025.
Stats
Price: $$$
Service: Table
Open Since: 2021
Closed: January 2025
Addresses
500 N. Clark St. #465
Chicago, IL 60654
312.820.7771
Instagram: @jaleochicago