Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, Chicago’s iconic original tapas restaurant, is celebrating 40 years of bringing authentic Spanish cuisine and culture to Lincoln Park.
To commemorate this milestone, the beloved neighborhood institution is hosting a grand birthday celebration on January 15th, featuring fan-favorite menu specials throughout 2026, along with a collection of 40th-anniversary Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! branded merchandise and much more.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! 40th fiesta
Since opening in December 1985 at 2024 North Halsted Street in Lincoln Park, the restaurant, co-founded by Chef and Partner Gabino Sotelino and now overseen by his son, Partner Mark Sotelino, has introduced Chicago to traditional Spanish cuisine, including tapas, pintxos, paella, and sangria.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! Partner Mark Sotelino said:
On behalf of Lettuce Entertain You and the Sotelino family, we’re honored to have shared our Spanish heritage with the community for 40 years.’…