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Grand (Red)
State/Lake (Orange, Brown, Purple Express, Green, Pink)
Clark/Lake (Pink, Brown, Green, Blue, Purple Express, Orange)
Mon-Thu. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Sun. 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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Great seafood, but a little overpriced.
I'm a big fan of just hanging out at the bar, chatting with Carlos (my vote for best bartender in the city) and having some oysters and a martini during happy hour (1/2 price oysters from 4pm - 6pm).
So for the oyster bar experience it's a 5 star place, but for dinner it goes down a little bit. Certainly not bad, and definitely worth checking out, but just not the level of quality I would expect for the price.
Shaw's is the perfect place to have seafood in Chicago. I love the old-school charm of the main dining room.
I started with a French 75, a lovely champagne cocktail. Don't skip the bread basket; you don't want to miss these dinner rolls. The mixed green salad was light and fresh.
For my entree I chose Shaw's Seafood Platter, great for when you can't decide what to have. The crab cakes, scallops, and shrimp were all delicious. We also shared the steamed green beans, which were crisp and al dente.
Even if you're full, order the raspberry pie. Trust me; it's amazing.
This place is one of the best meals I have had in a long time. I had a dinner with 4 other people and it was a wonderful experience! Nice inside with a sit down side and a bar side with some live music. We ate dinner and had drinks and appetizers. All the appetizers were good. The dinner was some of the best steak I have had ever. It was a little 9oz steak, but melted in your mouth.
We went over to the bar side and had some more drinks and oysters. Live music was really good. The drink menu was awesome, since I had about 10 different drinks while there. Great dinner place, and would highly suggest going here while in Chicago.
Lots of money for small amounts of decent quality seafood. If you have a corporate credit card and don't mind wasting your company's money, feel free to order $60 worth of crab legs and a $20 martini.
I go to this place about once a year for one reason or another and the service is generally below average and the wine list was clearly authored by special interest lobbyists.
A corporate owned restaurant with corporate food and a corporate wine and spirits list.
The oyster selection is also decent.
I have eaten at Shaw's bar numerous times, and although the service is somewhat inconsistent, the food is always great. The atmosphere is always cheering, although it can be noisy. Try and get one of the boots, if you can, especially if there is a Jazz band playing, if you want to have a conversation while eating.
The hot mixed starter is to die for.
Here's the thing. Most of the good seafood places in Chicago get their seafood from the same place and I would much rather go to Joe's Seafood and Stone Crab any day.
Come on shaws! What the, hey?!
I was so pumped about visiting you when I heard about your oyster royster business. My friend and I ditched the whole tent thing since it was rainy, there was a $10 cover and you charged he same prices.
When we arrived, you were hoppin.' We headed for your oyster bar, since we had really only come to have a couple beers and suck down a couple slimey suckers. However, the bar was packed. The waitress asked if we were having full dinner service and silly me, thinking she was going to tell us we should go to the other side if we were, told her we were indeed only oystering. She then proceeded to tell me that the oyster BAR tables were reserved for full dinner...Well then what the hell is the other side for?!? dessert?! I kept my cool and my friend and I finally, after running between the oyster and main bars and hoovering over people for 20 minutes, got a table in the main bar. The oysters were great, the beer was over priced and the I loved the popcorn shrimp. Unfortunately, none of that is a recipe for a repeat customer, especially when 4 appetizers and 4 beers cost over $90!
I can only speak of the Oyster bar, however, I can speak very highly.
I came here on Saturday night on a whim &was a bit worried I wasn't dressed up enough. Enter the black & white tiled, 50's-esque oyster bar. It's laid back & a fun place to eat. We ordered the hot appetizer sampler, which had popcorn shrimp, calamari, and something else I don't remember. The popcorn shrimp had a sort of spicy, cajun seasoning on it. The calamari was perfectly breaded & cooked. Not too fried tasting, but also didn't have the texture of a rubber band. The third, well, obviously it was not that exciting since I wasn't drinking at all & can't remember it at all.
I ordered the blue crab finger appetizer for dinner & it was just enough! The buttery, smoothness of crab always does a lady good. Ryan ordered 1/2 dozen of oysters. Mmm, the horseradish & cocktail sauce that accompanied the slippery, yet succulent oysters was divine.
We also ordered the dessert sampler, which consisted of a mini creme brulee, mini key lime pie slice, mini pecan pie slice, and a mini raspberry pie slice. All of these were absolutely sinful & came with an equally as sinful chocolate dipping sauce. This little lady was in dessert heaven :)
If I'm ever craving seafood without an attitude, Shaw's Crab House Oyster Bar is where you'll find me. I promise.
Being from the Chicago area, normally I don't frequent city dining establishments unless we have guests in town. My taste in food tends to be simple and left to my own devices, I am more comfortable in diners than high-end restaurants.
On this occasion, I was assigned along with an entourage of five other people to inspect a chocolate plant that supplies my company with chocolate (what else?). Of course, most of the crew wanted to eat at a Chicago restaurant with a reputation to brag about to their co-workers. Several places were nominated, Shaws on Hubbard won the election and was the place we were going to on that night.
First thing you need to know about Shaw's, unless you are really familiar with the city, Shaw's can be very difficult to find. It is just down the block from the Billy Goat Tavern and a level below the main drag. While it is not literally "underground" like the Billy Goat, it is definitely in a hidden valley of sorts. Easiest way to get there is to take a cab, let the driver worry about how to get there.
Once inside, you could tell this was an old-school seafood place. Dark wood, subdued lighting, linen on tables and waiters wearing white shirts and ties. We went on a Monday night so it was not terribly busy, our waiter was very attentive and friendly and offered good suggestions from the menu. I ordered the grilled alaskan halibut. The rest in the group ordered grilled swordfish, fried lake perch, and some other dishes I can't recall. We also ordered an appetizer platter of crab legs and a side dish of spinach and macaroni and cheese (everything here is ala cart). I also ordered some Goose Island Honkers Ale which went very well with the crab legs and a lettuce wedge salad with blue cheese dressing.
They first brought out a bread basket and the crab legs. The bread basket included a very good pumpernickle and crisp flatbread. The king crab legs were sawed into three inch segments and came with drawn butter and some horseradish sauce. The crab legs were fresh and washed down well with the ale. The lettuce wedge was made up with a fresh crisp wedge of lettuce, dressing, crumbled bleu cheese and bacon bits. Again very good and fresh.
The grilled alaskan halibut was mildly seasoned with cilantro butter and salt. The fish was fresh and firm, the cilantro note complimented the fish rather than overpowered it, The butter gave the dish a rich note which was absolutely delicious. I did not partake in any of the sides or dessert, the bread, salad and fish was plenty for me.
Shaw's Crab House was definitely old school, emphasizing quality ingredients and good food. This is one Chicago institution worth going into the city for.
Very cool...extremely crowded place...food is fabulous....has an olde-Miami style...waiters in white shirts and small black bowties...most waiters seem like they're "lifers" at Shaw's...reservations a must.
I live close by to Shaw's and was recently given a gift certificate from them for $20.00, which was really nice. I had heard about them but never eaten there before I looked up their menu and was surprised that they carried sushi. I love sushi! I had their California rolls and sushimi both were excellent and extremely fresh I am happy they sent me that gift certificate because I probably wouldn't have even known that they were so close by and now when I am in the mood for fresh seafood or even sushi I know where to go!
I don't usually think of Shaw's Crab House as a good place for seafood, but I was proven wrong. I went there for lunch and ordered the clam chowder soup (homemade w/ fresh clams) and seafood platter (Maryland crab cake, sea scallops and garlic shrimp). Everything was perfectly cooked.
We stayed around for the Oyster party from 4-6pm, everyday. Basically all oyster's are half-off within these two hours. It was fresh and delicious. Definitely worth it and will come back.
Thay have the best crabs! They were fresh and my wife just loved them. I'm more of a fish and chips guy. This, too, was off the hook. It was a bit trying to find a place to seat. We went on a Friday night. Our bad.
Overall Service: Meh. We had a reservation and were seated 25 minutes afterward. So, strike one, although not a huge deal. Once we were seated, we found the tables to be fairly cramped (the waiter serving the table next to us was bumping my husband with his but when we would lean over), and it took quite a bit of time to get water and a server to take our drink order.
Watier: Once our server did come, he was very attentive. The other folks who would come to the table with soup, etc. were sloppy. One of them sloshed soup - not a ton but for what we paid for the meal, a "sorry" or "oops" would have been nice.
I won't be going back. Over-rated, over-priced. Better seafood & service @ Joes.
Shaw's Crab House lured me in with magic words - straight from my personal mermaid song - the one that never fails to make the boat of my good resolutions sink in bottomless seas:
Oyyyyyssssterrssss.....
Haaaallllfff price........
Damn does it hurt!
Damn does it feel good! And taste even better...
So - our relentless French duet in search of decent oysters reasonably priced in the City of Big Shoulders and Steaks decided to hit Shaw's yesterday.
Mission: get there between 4 and 6pm.
I am glad to let you know that it was mission accomplished.
And well so!
12 different types of oysters for about $12 a dozen, mignonette provided (my favorite - vinegar and shallots...mmmm....) and two excellent glasses of Gewurtztramminer.
Old fashioned service with lots of honey, and old fashioned oyster bar. Nothing exciting on the menu to complete the feast but we left smacking our lips and satisfied.
I love going to Shaw's Crab House, it has absolutely amazing seafood. The first time I ate at Shaw's I was forced to try the lobster which I have never had before and did not really want to try...if your going to try lobster somewhere for the first time it should be at Shaw's! It was so good. They serve it with this butter sauce on the side (I know real healthy haha) but when you dip it in there it taste unbelievably good. I am now officially hooked on lobster...expensive tastes what can I say =)
Along with the lobster we shared a few sushi rolls as appetizers and being a huge fan of sushi I truly felt this place was great. The fish was so fresh and the rolls were very unique. I love the maki rolls, specifically the King Crab California, the Chicago Crazy Roll, and the Rainbow Roll.
The service was impeccable, we had such a great time with our waiter. A huge part of enjoying the restaurant (aside from the food) is if your Waiter is good and we loved every minute of our time at Shaw's. I can not wait to go back!
I have only ever been to Shaw's Oyster Bar and I must say I love it. I'm sure there is more to the restaurant, but every time I go into Shaw's I see the bar area and the Oyster Bar. I have no idea where (or if) they have an actual restaurant.
The Oyster Bar is decorated as a little 50's diner/lunch counter. They have some awesome beers on tap and the oysters...oh the oysters...swoooon! I'm a sucker for some fresh yum-o-licious oysters and an ice cold beer so Shaw's has been a favorite happy hour spot of mine. I have been in for lunch a couple of times and I love the caesar with calamari on top. It's not on the menu, you have to ask for it.
I was there a few weeks ago and noticed that they have live jazz in the Oyster Bar some evenings, which sounds super fun! I'm going to have to check that out too. Who's in?!?
Nothing is better than fresh seafood! That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Besides Hugo's Frog Bar and Bob Chinn's, I've never had good seafood in Chicago. McCormick and Schmidt is a fraud, so I was often left with less than desire choices for good seafood.. until I found Shaw's. The King crab legs were delicious as were the scallops and shrimp. The scallops were the surprise hit of the night, actually. It was like butter. Phenomenal! Oh, and their famous crab cake? YUM. I normally never order crab cake b/c restaurants will cheat you by using frozen crab, or they'll use the real stuff but will be stingy and fill it with bunch of crap fillers. No thanks! But wow, Shaw's did it right. At first I thought 12.99 for ONE tiny crab cake was kind of crazy, but after tasting it, I wouldn't hesitate to order more in the future.
I was definitely impressed with their seafood, but it was a little on the pricier side, and I'm not sure I would pick this place over more affordable places like Bob Chinns and Reel Club. Also, their steak was NOT good. Everyone loves a little surf and turf so you've got to know how to cook a steak even if you are known for your seafood. They definitely lost points for this.
The service was great. We came for my boyfriend's birthday and everyone treated us very nicely and wished him happy birthday. The atmosphere is okay, it was a little too old school cigar lounge for me, but I had nothing bad to say about their seafood and that was what we were looking for, so it was overall quite good.
Would I return to Shaw's? Probably not. If I wanted to splurge, I would pick Hugo's Frog Bar over this place. If i just wanted some decent seafood without the frou frou, I would hit Bob Chinn's even though it's far away.
Went again for dinner last night and this place continues to impress with it's consistently good food and outstanding service.
We sat in the more formal dining room in what they call a half booth which was perfect for our group. Our server, Reuben, was very patient with my out of town relatives who had tons of questions (it's really not that hard people!) and who were in sticker shock at the prices (welcome to Chicago!) even though they weren't buying!
The combination cold appetizer plate was great as was the oyster sampler. And those desserts . . .homemade Michigan cherry cobbler that was as good as my mom's and tart key lime pie. Delicious!
The funny thing that stuck me on this visit was what they provided to clean your fingers after eating any of the shell fish. Usually you get a lemon and a towel. Last night? Hot "iced" tea with a lemon and a towel (that's how it was described to me). Too funny! But it did the trick!
Shaw's. You lure me with your fresh shucked oysters, your delicious clam chowder or lobster bisque ,… Read more »
3.5 STARS----Good, but definitely not Hugos quality. Wifey & I went here for our 4 year anniversary---Yeah, yeah, the Vegas oddsmakers lost on this bet. Should've taken the over, right?
Nevertheless, Shaw's has a "fishy" vibe. Not nearly as upscale as I thought it would be, so we were...well, slightly overdressed. For starters, we ordered the Alaskan King Crab bites---not bad, but too much cartilage. Wifey had the Swordfish---kinda' overcooked & dry. I had the Halibut, which actually was tasty, but not worth the price ($30)?
Service---well, our low-rent, portly server was...slow, lazy, and...FAKE! She was tipped accordingly:)
*On a positive note (eternal optimist here), the martinis were superb!
I may return, just to try the oyster / sushi bar...maybe?
I went here for sushi. While the sushi I ordered was just so-so, I was very impressed with the service and enjoyed the ambiance.
What we ordered: The shellfish sushi platter, which comes with about six different rolls. The rolls weren't anything special, but the four accompanying dipping sauces are an added bonus. Also, the California roll was made with real crab (not imitation as it is often made in the Midwest), but whoever prepared the crab, did not do a good job because I came across a couple pieces of the actual shell.
Despite my so-so feelings for the sushi, I would still go back again because I feel that it would be a lot better if I opted to not go with the pre-picked platter and just order ala carte.
Other notes: The asiago cheese bread is delicious. The prices are a little on the high side. While toro is the best, $10 for one piece is a little pricey, especially considering that you can walk down the street to Oysy and get 2 pieces for $8.
I ordered a 1lb lobster stuffed with Blue Crab meat and topped with a light layer of cheese. The crab was very good, not too much cheese and it was a large portion. The lobster was tough and chewy; it lacked any real flavor. The 'seafood' rice it was served with was boring. I didn't eat it frankly, I didn't see the point it was flavorless and dry. The price was average $30 for my lobster plate which seemed reasonable.
I'm not a big fan of over seasoned or 'decorated' dishes; I like clean simple flavors with good ingredients. Which is what I was expecting. With the reputation of Shaw's I was expecting the seafood to 'stand on its own' I was disappointed.
Our group ordered the Au-Gratin Potatoes; which was the best thing I tried all night. They were creamy and decadent. We enjoyed the homemade peppermint ice cream that we shared for dessert. The service was great, very nice and prompt. I would think twice before spending that money to go back. It would be a nice lunch but was a let-down for dinner.
What a fun place to enjoy great seafood! The restaurant itself is extremely spacious and seats a lot of people, but despite that, it's packed. It's no wonder - this place has some of the best and freshest seafood in Chicago!
When I first arrived, I was a bit annoyed at what seemed to me a lack of organization. Many parties were waiting to be seated. We had made a reservation (as was suggested by my hubby's colleagues from the Chicago office of his firm that dine here regularly). When I make a reservation, I expect to be seated at the time that the reservation was for! The Maitre D however, told us we had to wait and they would call us shortly. Admittedly, the wait was not very long, so I couldn't be too angry with them - especially after being served such a wonderful seafood dinner shortly thereafter ;-)
Shaw's has a great atmosphere. It's as if you've stepped back in time to a 1940's / 1950's era jazz joint. The Oyster bar area has that retro diner feel to it. The main dining room is a bit more formal. They've maintained a lot of the old wood decor, which gives that rich, homey, vintage feel to the place.
The service was excellent. Our server was extremely friendly and professional. All of our courses were served in a timely manner. The food here is as top notch as the service. The freshest seafood in town! Ample portions - I could not finish my entire meal (I wish I could have taken the rest to go, but we were only visiting the windy city and were staying at a hotel). They have a wonderful wine list as well - no shortage of great, affordably priced wines here!
I am a NYC girl, but if I ever move to Chicago, I know the first place I'm going back to have dinner at ;-)
Yum! Shaw's has such great food. I have been there twice and was not disappointed either time. The food tastes so fresh. I am a huge fan of their stone crab and their drink menu is delightful as well.
I think their service was just okay. Both times we had the same exact waiter and felt like he was a bit stuck up. The food definitely made up for it though!
Real solid. Shaw's gets the benefit of the doubt just for being one of the very few true seafood restaurants in this beef-and-potatoes town. We had the blue crab artichoke dip for an appetizer and I accomplished my usual goal of eating two animals in every meal by ordering the blue crab-stuffed Maine lobster for my entree. Everything down to the bread was top-notch, and we got hooked up with a free dessert sampler platter because it was my mom's birthday. They didn't even card her, so I'm thinking I should just always say it's someone's birthday. Although at such a nice establishment, they probably trust the clientele to not be scheming. But that's where they go wrong.
I love this place!
I had my first oyster at the Shaw's Bar (never actually ate at the restaurant) and I have been a regular ever since. I probably go once a month (it gets pretty expensive once you order a bottle of wine and few dozen oysters), but it is well worth it.. I always order the smaller oysters, I discovered they usually are tastier.
Be aware that sometimes it gets very crowded, there is a waiting line, and also I don't think they take reservations (at the bar). Some nights they have live music, which gets loud and barely able to communicate. So if you're not into that kind of stuff, make sure to call and go when there is no music.
I can't wait to go back next month!
happy hour: 4-6 half price oysters. do i have to say anything else? i really can't think of a lot of things better than a dozen fresh shucked oysters for about a dollar each. i'm a fan of the west coast oysters, but i'm sure if you're an east coast fan, you probably wouldn't be let down. their wine list offers a lot by the glass and bottles of all price ranges (and regions for that matter too). their hot entrees are well executed and totally hit the spot. i recommend the scallops and the garlic shrimp. both the key lime and the chocolate cake are good- and even better when you eat them together in the same bite.
Half price of Oyster at 4pm to 6pm!
Profesional service and really kind.
Seafood is so fresh and tasty.....
I think they have the best selection of oysters in the city.
Definitely I'll try Sushi next time!
Nice ambiance that is a throwback to the old school steak and seafood chophouse. The service was super attentive and the food was fresh and well proportioned. The cold oyster platter was delicious, as were the oysters Rockefeller, lobster bisque, and mini dessert tray that came with a mini key lime pie, mini chocolate cake, mini berry pie, and a mini creme brulee! I love all mini food items as long as there are plenty of them!
Wine list is decent and the beer list is a bit lacking, but all in all a great place for a romantic seafood dinner with your favorite partner in crime.
Here is what we ate at 830PM on Thursday night. Please don't judge.
Oyster sampler - 6 oysters
Crab meal for two:
lobster bisque soup
clam chowder soup
alaskan king crab
dungeoness crab
crab cakes
creamed spinach
au gratin potatoes
cole slaw
clarified butter
key lime pie
chocolate cake
Yeah, we had to be rolled out on a cart afterwards.
Our server was really accommodating, and let me substitute the soup and dessert so that we weren't both eating the same thing. I love variety.
I also loved the cheese bread - it was yummy and soft.
Overall, a very solid restaurant. You know what you're going to get. We also had wine and coffee (intelligentia), and the bill with tip was right at $240.
Every time I go here I'm pleased with the service and the food.
Most recently I had the fish and chips and it was fresh and well cooked. The fries were very good on their own as well. I also sampled a few of the oysters, which were also quite delicious.
Shaw's kills it. Plain and simple.
From the 1930s art deco-ish ambiance of the main dining room to the 1950s feeling the oyster bar gives you, this place oozes seafood restaurant class.
The Maitre'ds are incredibly professional. The wine list is pretty fairly distributed between reasonably priced and expensive. Their cocktail menu is rad -- bloody mary served w/ jumbo shrimp! Huge martini list if that's your jam.
For food, we split a crab & artichoke dip that was amazing. It was also very rich and filling -- I'd suggest it for more than 2 people. Then, we ordered the cold appetizer sampler for 2. It came with 4 Kumamoto oysters (the small, but really flavorful ones -- super delicious), crab leg bits, and about 8 jumbo shrimp. For our final bit, we ordered the 1 1/4 pound serving of Alaskan King Crab legs, steamed and served with lemon and drawn butter. It was SOOOOO GOOOOOODDDDDD. (And expensive.) (But totally worth it.)
Next time you've got a little $ burning a hole in your pocket, check out Shaw's. For fresh seafood and cocktails that will have you feeling the vibe pronto, there's no better bet.
Shaw's is one of my boyfriends favorite restaurants. Such a fave that when he introduced me to his parents...we met and ate here. Also, we spent his 36th birthday there last night. Shaw's was very accomodating to our large party of 17.
The first time I ate here I was crazy in love with the place. The decor, the service, the food! We took advantage of the 'three course crab dinner'. This is definitely the best bang for your buck here. $40 per person(minimum of two) and more than you can eat.
I do have a problem with this place though..and that would be pricing. Last night I got the 6oz fillet and crab legs combo. "the signature". For $53 you would think you would get decent portions and maybe some sides, but you don't. For $53 you get a tiny steak that is nothing like any fillet mignon I have ever had. It was tough(even though it was rare), not juicy, and nothing I like in a steak. The crab legs were delicious, but we only got a few bites. I was left very very hungry. And our service was just 'ok'.
It would be nice if shaw's offered some seafood pasta options.
Shaw's is completely overpriced, but if you have the money to do the $40 three course meal...i recommend it.
It was date night. . . so point me in the direction of seafood, garcon! (I don't know how to make a cedilla magically appear under the "c". . . but under the sea we go anyway. Yuk yuk.)
The Oyster Bar is far more inviting than the restaurant, but I'm twenty-something (for a few more months) and when I hear blues music, ship bells ringing and spy sushi chefs that's where the olfactory, aural and gustatory sense head.
Our server, Jessica, was out of this world. She had a rockin' team assembled to assist with all the finer points of good customer service. Quite literally. Our busser had a mullet. I felt like the three of them made up the IDEAL group for Rock Band. I will assemble avatars right after this.
The place was bompin' and the food was delicious. Lobster bisque, calamari, cajun shrimp, pasta (with lobster, brie and spinach, right??), King Crab Legs. Oy.
You can't go wrong, but you can go right-er. Don't get the crab cakes. They were good, but it would not be a repeat ingestion for me.
DO get the dessert sampler. Get it and savor it with a cappuccino. Wow, the raspberry pie is other-worldly. This is a great place to take a gaggle of folks and eat communally, which is totally my schtick anyway.
Meh.
Good atmosphere.
Service is too fast / jumpy for my taste...yet friendly and nice. Waitress rattled off information like she's said it in her sleep....and recommended the three priciest dishes when asked....always a giveaway that you're not going to have a special-foodie-local time or relationship with waitstaff. No wine suggestions either....just pointed to the list written above the kitchen. Too many different people coming by constantly interrupting asking to take dishes off the table....no one watched us, and for the price, i'd like to be watched.
Food is good....got much better after i waited a good 10 minutes to let it cool. Got the whitefish horseraddish encrusted and buttered....they should clarify the butter so the sweetness doesn't clash with the spice. Boyfriend got the Surf n turf....Club Special i think it was called. Excellent turf. Surf's scallops were ok....both of us agreed. The butterflied shrimp were ok. Mine was $20, his $37. The Oysters Rockefeller were odd....totally smothered in stringy cheese and large bits of shallot....not too refined. I've never had cheese in a Rockefeller, but maybe a little parm. It was like kid-food. No spice, no subletly....VERY dinerish...al la Chicago (too much heavy cheese!). And the oysters were extremely small....MAJOR bummer also b/c i was introducing oysters to my guy - he was not impressed. $15 i think.
After my whitefish cooled off, though, that along with my California Sauvignon Blanc were a PERFECT pairing! Really nice foodie moment there that lasted. Large fish portion and lots of fresh spinach. Very nice. I'd get it again.
I'll go back, but won't spend the bucks on many dishes ...i mean one dish had a potato and rice pairing....weird. I'd recommend, but with caution depending on preferred service for price range and quality of food preparation. I'll definitely try a FRESH oyster night sometime.
Two martinis, two glasses of wine, two entrees and an app....$150plus.
I love places like this old traditional yet hip and up to date.
The food was very good and they know how to make sea food come alive. The service at the Oyster Bar sitting at the bar was the best of the best. Props to Carlos the Bar Tender and the Man from Mexico City originally. This guys make the entire experience worth every dime. Best Clam Chowder ever. I use to thinks that this little place in Pismo Beach CA had the best but it just doesn't compare. The Oyster are wonderful and the Salmon I had was very good. Not as good as Elliott's in Seattle but close.
Now the main reason I came to this establishment. To see Morry Sochat & The Special 20's an incredible Blue's / Jazz band. These guys are great and if you're ever in Chi town and these guys are playing some where make the time to see them. If they are playing at the The Oyster Bar or Shaws Crab House one in the same but separated by name and dinning seating don't miss it. It's a double win great food, environment, the heart of Chicago and great live music.
Food is 4.5 the feel of the place and service 5 and the live musics is a 6 off the charts. Can you tell I'm a music lover yes sir. No cover charge only enjoyable food and bar tab.
My fiance and I ate here while spending a weekend away from Indianapolis. We ate at one of the hi-tops in the main bar area, which we thought had a lot of character. The Oyster Bar section looked casual and interesting as well, but the main dining room seemed a bit stuffy for our taste.
Our server was courteous, quick, and very helpful when we asked him for suggestions. We actually went with his recommendation for Cotuit half-shell oysters to start, which were fantastic; the shallot champagne vinaigrette they served on ice was great with them. Next, we split a double Maytag iceberg wedge salad...also excellent. For our main entrees, we shared the seafood platter and the fresh walleye with horseradish crust. The platter came with a crab cake, some scallops, and three garlic grilled prawns. The prawns were the highlight of the entrees, but all of it was good. We also ordered a side of au gratin potatoes--they were a bit underseasoned but were otherwise good. I also found the draft beer selection to be very nice (Goose Island Matilda and Blue Point Hop were great!).
Overall, we had a very nice dining experience. I would go back and suggest to friends.
"ughhhhhhhhh" that's the sound I make when I'm super full and satisfied, and after leaving Shaw's that exactly what sound I was making.
My aunt and I decided to have a nice lunch together today and decided to go to Shaw's. I had never been to this place before but my aunt spoke highly of it. It's pretty upscale and the professional crowd definitely are the majority in this restaurant but the service and the food was above and beyond my expectations.
The only problem with Shaw's is the parking, if you go during dinner time you may find yourself in a bit of a pickle if you don't want to go via valet or a garage. But during the time we went (around 1 pm) meter parking was easy and service was so fast we were only there for an hour.
So my first impressions:
1. The place was packed! You wouldn't of thought so by just passing by the restaurant but it was! A ton of people were having lunch.
2. I loved the decor, very much of a sail boat/fishing feel, there was a huge atleast 8 foot model of a swordfish hanging on the main dining area wall, there were hooks, nets, and spears on the walls. It was all done tastefully.
3. I thought the portions looked pretty big.
4. My only real complaint, some of the bread was super SALTY. I'm not a fan of overly salty bread, but there was a selection of different ones, but eh half of them were salty.
So the meal:
DELICIOUS! I opted to go with the daily special which I couldn't help myself it was alaskan king crab legs that came with your choice of a small ceasar salad or choice of the daily cup of soup. And it also came with dessert, a mini key lime pie!
The salad was really fresh and they dressing was flavorful. The crab legs stuffed me, and I thought they wouldn't! They were steamed to perfection and the butter served made the crab more succulent. The key lime pie was great and perfectly cleansed my palate.
I really like this place and would highly recommend it to anyone that had a craving for crab legs or seafood.
It is kind of pricey so I wouldn't suggest this as an everyday eatery, unless you were Oprah or Bill Gates...
Shaw's probably deserves a 5 star rating but I have only eaten here once. It is a bit difficult to find and definitely a "local's" spot! They have great live jazz, fantastic oyster bar & great service! "I started with the Chilled Crab King bites and the Lobster Bisque, D'lish! I had the fresh seasoned fish for my entree. Everything was very fresh , good quality. After all of that great food I was full.... but left enough room in my tummy for the creme brulee. girl's gotta have dessert!!
I look forward to my next visit to Chicago and will be having another rendezvous at Shaw's!! Enjoy
I understand that Shaw's is something of an institution - it's been here for a while and has a reputation for great seafood. Fine. Great. Super. But when I walked into the Oyster Bar here for lunch yesterday, I felt like I actually walked into a real institution...Dated, dirty walls, and a tiled floor that looked like it hasn't been scrubbed since it was installed. I'm sorry, I thought this is the same place people go in suits and dresses for really nice dinners? Oh, wait, there's a fine dining room over there, you can sit here and deal with terribly slow service and small portions for too much.
No I didn't order the crab legs. No lobster. I actually went there for sushi (perked my interest) but ended up passing up their $38 sushi platter which included 6 'small rolls' (I guess not full rolls?). So I figured, 'Okay, Shaw's Crab House, they have a lot of fish here too, oh look, fish tacos, I like fish tacos and I bet their really good here because it's Shaw's and Shaw's is supposed to be amazing.' So I ordered the $14 fish tacos. What I got was three deep fried fish balls on three small tortillas with a trio of bottled salsas and a cucumber slaw. Seriously, three balls sitting on tortillas. How is this fish tacos when I have fish meatballs?
Disappointing. Didn't help that our server decided to take 20 minutes (I timed it) to return after we asked for a few minutes to decided after aforementioned sushi answer. I was trying to eat before work, but ended up walking out before my friends finished their meals. It's just unacceptable.
I'm sure the finer dining place is great, the crab legs looked great, and I'm sure the sushi must be good or else they wouldn't offer it. But my experience was slow, small, and sobering.
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: Near North Side
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Seafood
Chicago, IL
Category: Seafood
Neighborhood: The Loop
Category: Chinese
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