Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, Chicago

Name: Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, Chicago
Address: 638 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States, 60605
Telephone: (312) 765-0524
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.4

4.4 (4936)

$50 and over

Tapas / Small Plates

638 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 16 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Charming
Good for special occasions
Good for groups

Mercat offers an authentic dining experience that combines fresh meats and produces with the energetic spirit of a Barcelona market.

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Tapas / Small Plates, Spanish, Dining Bar
Hours of operation
Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 7:30 am–1:30 pm
Phone number
(312) 765-0524
Website
https://www.mercatchicago.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Anthony Bernal
Catering
Whether it's our our gorgeous La Veranda Room, our spacious Barcelona Room or our intimate Lower Lounge, Mercat A La Planxa has the perfect space to host your private event!<br /><br />Please contact our Sales & Marketing Manager at (312) 765-0524 or sierra.little@sagehospitalitygroup.com or (312) 765-0524 for more information
Private party facilities
La Veranda, our private dining space overlooking the main dining room of Mercat, can seat 30 guests. We also offer Private Dining in the Barcelona Room, which seats 66 guests. Our spaces allow for receptions of up to 130 guests.
Private party contact
Sierra Little: (816) 805-6895

Location
638 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60605
Neighborhood
South Loop
Cross street
Balbo - Entrance to the hotel is through The Blackstone Hotel lobby
Parking details
Valet available in the front of the Blackstone Hotel located on Balbo
Public transit
Nearest Red-line Stop is Harrison, head east on Balbo, restaurant is on the corner of Balbo & Michigan.Bus lines are the #3, #127, #129 all three stop at the entrance of Mercat a la Planxa.
Additional
Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Vegan, View, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

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Experiences

Sip & Savor: Wine Dinner at Mercat a la Planxa
$95.00 per person
Jun 26, 2025 only
You're invited to an exclusive Wine Dinner Experience at Mercat a la Planxa, hosted in collaboration with ACME Wines. Join us for an evening of Spanish wine exploration paired with a specially crafted menu by Chef Anthony Bernal.

Private dining

Offers

Picar (Happy Hour)
Multiple dates available
Sun - Sat - 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Join us for our Happy Hour from 4:00-5:30pm every day. Check out our Picar menu for great food and beverage options!

Popular dishes

PATATAS BRAVAS$12.00
salsa brava, chili oil, garlic aioli
CROQUETAS DE SERRANO$12.00
serrano ham, romesco
DATILES$12.00
dates, smoked bacon, marcona almond, bleu cheese fondue
CALAMARI$18.00
fried, preserved lemon aioli
PULPO$22.00
octopus, peruvian potato, escabeche
ALBONDIGAS$18.00
pork, beef, salsa madrilena
GAMBAS AL AJILLO$20.00
gulf shrimp, garlic, chili
MEJILLONES$22.00
bangs island mussels, cider, nora chili butter
ENSALADA RUSSA$16.00
tuna conserva, yukon gold potato, garlic aioli
GARBANZO A LA MADRILENA$9.00
stewed chickpeas, rutabaga, rose harissa
PAN CON TOMATE$12.00
pan de crystal, fresh tomato, garlic, evoo
PIQUILLO RELLENOS$14.00
red pepper, goat cheese, saffron foam
GIGANDAS EN VINAIGRE$12.00
white beans, sea fennel, lemon supremes
ZANAHORIAS CON SIDRA$14.00
heirloom carrots, cider, carrot top chimichurri
CHEF'S TAPAS TASTING$65.00
(MINIMUM TWO GUESTS). let our chef select an array of tapas for your table. NO SUBSTITUTIONS, PLEASE.

RACIONES

*CONSUMING RAW OR UNDERCOOKED MEATS, POULTRY, SEAFOOD, SHELLFISH OR EGGS MAY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF FOODBORNE ILLNESS. GRATUITY NOT INCLUDED.

LA ARRACHERA*$38.00
hanger steak, parsnip puree
CORDERO*$36.00
aussie lamb, mint salsa verde
GALLINA EN PEPITORIA$29.00
roasted freebird chicken
VIEIRAS AZAFRAN$36.00
maine scallops, bomba rice risotto, saffron
LIBRITOS DE LOMO RELLENOS*$32.00
bone-in pork chop stuffed with serrano ham, manchego, and piquillo pepper, mojo negra sauce
VERLASSO SALMON$32.00
herb salad, fermented onion labneh, peas
FABADA ASTURIANA$26.00
asturian pork and bean stew

PAELLA

PLEASE ALLOW 30 MINUTES OR MORE FOR PAELLA

DE MARISCOS
maine scallop, gulf shrimp, calamari, mussels
- sm$34.00
- lg$64.00
DE CARNE
chicken, pork, butifara
- sm$34.00
- lg$64.00
VERDURAS
bell peppers, shallot, peas, french green beans
- sm$34.00
- lg$64.00
PAELLA NEGRA
calamari, gulf shrimp, squid ink
- sm$34.00
- lg$64.00

What 4,936 people are saying

Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, Chicago reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.4

4.4 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.4Ambience
4.0Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Chicago / Illinois
Tapas / Small Plates

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Mercat a la Planxa, nestled in The Blackstone Hotel, offers a vibrant dining experience with "consistently excellent food & service" and a "large menu" of delicious Spanish-inspired tapas. Enjoy stunning views over Grant Park in a "beautiful space," and savor standout dishes like the bacon-wrapped dates and creative paellas.

4,936 Reviews

LD
LisaD
Hawaii1 review
5.0
Dined on September 26, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great food offerings and cocktails with a very nice view of the lake and grant park. Our server was fantastic.
Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, ChicagoResponded on September 27, 2023
Lisa, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We look forward to seeing you again.
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CT
ChiTownSam
Chicago / Illinois13 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 24, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We did the chefs experience and added a couple more dishes. Everything was excellent.
Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, ChicagoResponded on September 25, 2023
So happy we made your special night great! We hope to see you again soon!
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J
Jeffc
Greater Boston11 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 23, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great tapas and paella. Was in town for half marathon and this was my pre race dinner. Excellent service. And we had drinks at the bar a few other times. Nice vibe and courteous staff. Thank you!
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MB
MelB
Chicago / Illinois17 reviews
3.0
Dined on September 23, 2023
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Maybe an unusual evening, but super LOUD and because of that the waiter got our order wrong, but food was good. Prices are up.
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e
eric
Houston4 reviews
2.0
Dined on September 23, 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
We should have known with the drinks, We ordered a Dirty Martini extra Dirty and an Old fashioned. The dirty Martini was crystal clear, almost no olive juice and the old Fashioned tasted like watered down bourbon. We ordered the "Chefs Selection" for "Tapas" which is $75 per person. I am a big fan of Spanish Tapas and when done right it is an enjoyable experience. Typically it is 5 to 8 dishes spaced apart to allow the pallet to settle between courses. This was an attempt at Tapas. First they would bring out two or three dishes at once. Second the Tapas were mediocre at best. The first was an attempt at bruschetta that was simply toasted bread with tomato's on it. Then a "tomato salad" with Prosciutto that I could buy in any Grocery, in fact they probably did. The Octopus was rubber. One "Tapas" was actually steamed Broccoli, Then at the end they brought two meat dishes one was pork and one was two Lamb Chops. Lamb Chops? Tapas? Doubt it. For a $200 dinner this was NOT a recommended dinner. Should have tried the Paella.
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S
Sunshine
Washington, D.C. Area3 reviews
2.0
Dined on September 19, 2023
1. Overall 2
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 3
the food was disappointing, especially the paella. it was burnt and overly seasoned. the croquetas and espinacas were reasonably good. the sangria was ok, although I have had better. I am probably spoilt because I have visited Jose Andres' restaurants many times, and this food did not measure up to that standard. Disappointing overall, and took a real bite out of my wallet.
Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, ChicagoResponded on September 22, 2023
Thank you, Sunshine, for taking the time to share information about your recent visit with us. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not live up to our expectations. We want to sincerely apologize for your negative experience. We love the opportunity to make this right and invite you back, as we are currently making a lot of menu changes.
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BT
BryanT
Chicago / Illinois1 review
5.0
Dined on September 17, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful dinner as always. Dante our waiter was very knowledgeable and shred a lot of information with us. We had the special tasting menu they had supporting meals on wheels and it was amazing.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington, D.C. Area2 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 13, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful food and concept. Enjoyed the chef’s curated tasting menu, comprised of a variety of authentic fares. I think they could capitalize on offering wine pairing option as there is ample opportunity to showcase variety of appropriate pairings. Only critique was in the communication of the dishes; we would have appreciated an informer for each course that was brought out.
Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, ChicagoResponded on September 14, 2023
Thank you so much for review, we love hearing constructive feedback! We are excited about some new dishes coming out! I will bring the wine pairing suggestions no our beverage director as well as the need for better communication to my staff. Thank you and hope to see you again soon!
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JS
JillS VIP
Utah7 reviews
4.0
Dined on September 12, 2023
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
I have thought of going here many times and am sorry that I waited so long. The food was very good, service was excellent, the range of cocktails was great. Much better than the average hotel restaurant. We dined here before a concert at Northerly Island and it was convenient for parking and walking to the venue.
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OT
OpenTable Diner VIP
Minneapolis - St. Paul9 reviews
5.0
Dined on September 8, 2023
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We never miss a chance to visit this amazing restaurant when we are in Chicago. Always delicious, we have introduced friends to its unique flavors and they similarly can’t wait to come back!! Thank you for your delicious food and great staff!! We will e back!!
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FAQs

Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, Chicago is rated 4.4 stars by 4936 OpenTable diners.

Mercat a la Planxa - Located in The Blackstone Hotel, Chicago does offer gift cards which you can purchase here.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.