España Tapas House, Milwaukee

At España Tapas House, owner Joey Elbiadi wants his customers to sit down and stay awhile, inspired by the Spanish tradition of sharing a long, intimate meal among friends. In doing so, he hires entertainment—such as flamenco dancers on Thursday evenings and Spanish guitarists on Tuesday nights—and focuses his menu on small, shareable plates with modern twists on traditional tapas. Bowls of olives stuffed with white anchovy were described as "salty little umami bombs that are perfect with a beer" by a food critic at the Journal Sentinel, while other dishes pair with signature martinis and specialty sangrias. The newly remodeled dining room’s bright red linens and orange walls are reminiscent of the warm Spanish sun reflecting off the shell of a blushing lobster.