The Local Option
Categories: Cajun/Creole, Seafood [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, DePaul1102 W Webster Ave
(between Kenmore Ave & Seminary Ave)
Chicago, IL 60614 (773) 348-2008
- Nearest Transit:
Fullerton (Purple Express, Brown, Red)
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: No
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Good for: Dinner
- Alcohol: Full Bar
32 reviews
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
"This restaurant was the perfect place for a Sunday night dinner to finish off a crazy weekend. It was laid back and casual. I felt like I…" read more »
51 Reviews for The Local Option
The Local Option has great cider. It's flavor isn't like some cheap bar crap. It's a bit more complex and oh so delicious.
The food is excellent as well. They have an extensive meat menu, but they even have some tasty veggie options
I like The Local Option. It has not let me down the multiple times I have been here. I agree with another review that it is a tad pricey, but not that bad though... and definitely worth checking out for dinner sometime. Great looking menu choices.
I got tried the tuna steak sandwich and salad with their house soy/sesame dressing and all the food was very tasty. I will eat here again for sure. Lots of beers on tap to choose from also.
Plus: good food, many beer choices, decent music, cool old photos on the walls in the back, good overall feel.
Minus: Pretty small so it gets too packed on weekend nights full of the DePaul locals, usually is too loud to talk at a normal volume, semi-high drink prices (considering these are more unusual beers, maybe that is just a given - still, it hurts)
I've lived down the street from the local option for 20 years.
We used to eat there once a week. It was truly excellent. They had a branch for the restaurant and then later pulled it back into the back of the bar. After it went under new management something NASTY happened to the wait staff. We were treated Very very very rudely. We have not been back.
I miss the veggie sandwich with the warm goat cheese. But who knows if they even make that any more.
I feel I'm being very generous with the 3 stars.
A couple friends and I went in for dinner on a Saturday night. The place was empty except for three people at the bar who were screaming at each other. The place is really tiny, so their 6pm belligerent argument made hearing my friends nearly impossible. The waitress soon made up for it by suggesting some beers that were all awesome.
It was very surprising that a place that looks like a dive had such a creative menu. After tasting 3 entrees, I realized that they might've been a little ambitious... all were ALMOST ok.
Skip the food, and try an exotic beer- but wait til' payday cuz this place is pricier than it looks!
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The Local Option has a womderful grilled cheese sandwich - a double decker with tomatoes and avocado - yum! They have some excellent avocado and corn quesadillas too. A "cajun' inspired menu -- lots of seafood and I've never been disappointed. You should also order the green beans as your side dish - coated in garlic and so good - just don't talk to anyone after you eat them.
Beer wise - this place is pretty awesome too. They get new beers all the time. Love to go here to try new stuff. Better selection that the Hopleaf, Clark Street Ale House or Map Room.
The bartenders are pretty cool too. Noah, Tony, and Dox are super friendly. They know a ton about the beers they are schlepping all night long.
Not your average Lincoln Park bar. Great food, great beer, great service.
Yes, yes, yes -- Awesome beers on tap. We had a smashing time and received excellent service from everyone there.
We wanted to order food, but the kitchen was already closed (it was after 11 pm.) The owner came over and told us we could order food to the bar, no problem. Cool guy. Cool place. I can't wait to go back and try the food, too.
Awesome beer selection. We went there mainly for the excellent tap selection but ended up having food too. The blue crab quesadilllas were so good that I might go back just for those. Usually quesadillas are good in a greasy cheesy way but these were not greasy and were so good. Definitely worth checking out for the beer selection alone but the foods pretty good.
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I'll start off by mentioning how amazing their beer selection is. SERIOUSLY. If they had a club where you had to drink all of their beers and get initiated into some super cool fraternity with a jacket or a plaque, I would be all about it. I would work my way all the way up to the President. With all the choices I had, I had a couple pale ales and plotted my choices for next time.
Unfortunately, my experience here was marred by a kitchen staff/bar staff blunder that just happened to bring out the I-will-rage-on-you side of me, which usually only happens a couple times a year. I had my friends from college in town and our group of 5 planned for a quick dinner around 8. At the suggestion of one of my other friends, we reneged on my initial decision to go to Goose Island and chose this place because of the close proximity to all and the supposedly excellent beer selection. We wanted to keep it kind of quick so we could spend a full night out drinking.
We got there, and saw every table was filled with people, but the place probably only had about 50 people. My friend suggested we just walk somewhere else to grab a bite, but the 5 barstools at the bar looked like they needed to be less lonely. We sat down, asked for menus, ordered some beers, and placed a food order. About 10 minutes later, a table from the front moved on out, so we transplanted ourselves over there and kept chatting.
After about 30 minutes, we hadn't seen any food come out. The same after 40. 45 hit and I was starting to get really antsy. On top of that, no one had come to take a beer/drink order. I walked up to the bar to figure out what was going on. After rudely explaining myself, I was told that there was a party of 8 and 10 ahead of us, but "yes, it is ridiculous to wait this long" and that he would go check. Lots of talking, frantically looking at the computer screen, walking to the kitchen window, etc. Suddenly, we have a waiter taking our drink orders, and I figured out that they likely didn't run our order. After about 20 minutes, we ended up getting our food. The waiter told us that someone must have hijacked our food and apologized. Then he went on to mention that, because we moved from the bar to a table, it confused the system. OK. Whatever. All you have to do is press a button to switch the ticket, and the restaurant is about the size of a 3 bedroom apartment - we moved to a table 10 feet from the bar, not in another galaxy.
We pounded our food down quick and asked for the check. I was shocked to see that we were still charged fully for everything, maybe a beer or two missing from the final tab. When I was a waiter, even the slightest mix up warranted at least some sort of discount. This was ridiculous. I would have said at least a free round for everyone. Oh well. Next time I want something fairly quick I guess I'll have to hit up McD's.
While I am a little bitter about this, I would like to go back and try all their beverages out in the hopes of finding a new summer favorite. The food WAS good after all, and if there is a way I can get take out, I would consider it. It's definitely worth taking a look at, but beware of eating in... and moving tables.
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I must not be a po' boy kinda gal. I took a bite of the raved about scallop po' boy and I just didn't fall in love, not even like. But then I sit and watch the people I'm with and they didn't really love their food either (which consisted of a crab cake sandwich, fish tacos, and shrimp po' boy). I do have to say that the French fries were *amazing*. I don't know how they make them, but they had some sort of coating on them that made them crispy in a very different way.
I don't think I'll be back for food, other than the fries, but I would go back for the sake of the beer selection.
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I believe this place was created just for me and my fiance. Rogue, Founders, Three Floyds, Two Brothers, (and my favorite) Great Lakes all on tap??? Really? I didn't even turn to see all the beers on the wall. There are so many beers I must try!
But the beer pales in comparison to the seafood. I want to have crab and goat cheese quesadillas every day. Two very strong flavors that somehow don't over-power each other. I could have had 5 plates more.
Oh, but there's more! I had the gumbo (c'mon, there's swordfish in it! I can't turn that down). It was just the right amount of heat, with so many tasty flavors in it. The boy had a scallop po' boy and dill potato salad. He was in seventh heaven and threatened to leave me for the sandwich.
As to the service, it was pretty obvious that there was only one guy working the ENTIRE front of house (bartender and server!) and he was running around like a maniac. So yeah, our beers took a minute, but c'mon, the guy's only human. For his sake I hope this was only a one-time thing.
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LOVED this place. Our group of 8 went here a few weeks ago, and I can't wait to go back. Huge, excellent beer selection, big menu with wonderful food. I had the jambalaya with jalapeno cornbread, and it rocked. Our server was very fun and attentive and gave us some great recommendations. My dad is coming in town next week, and I am definately taking him here!
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This place is a hole in the wall and you're likely to miss it if you're not looking--but, it's a good place for lunch or dinner and has authentic New Orleans style food and nice service. I tried the scallop po' boy (despite the fact that I don't usually like the consistency of scallops) and, I loved it. Also, the wings had serious heat and the fries were super crisp.
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Went there for an engagement party a few weekends back. The beer selection was fantastic! Although I can't speak for the food, it looked quite good. The prices seemed reasonable.
The staff was more than friendly. One guy even went out of his way to arrange tables and hold them for our party of 10. When the lucky (engaged) couple showed up and said they'd rather stand w/ friends by the bar up front, he was more than cool about it. No 'tude whatsoever.
I can't wait to go back.
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The food is much better than you would expect from such a small bar. They have good drink prices and I love the seating they have - would be a good place to watch a game. One of my favorite moments of my visit was when I was discussing what was a better meal to choose, and which meat to put in that meal. The server just grabbed my menu away from me. "Crawfish it is", she said. A real pro.
I can't explain what the food is like - very different ingredients in each plate - you will be sharing and eating your guests meals as much as your own.
Highly recommended. Just go there, enjoy the food, and come back here and let me know what you think.
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Been here too many times to count, and for some reason, much to my regret, I keep forgetting to Yelp it! But better late than never, so here it is:
This is not your typical Lincoln Park Yuppie bar- in fact, it's a great place to chill, have some great brews, and enjoy their terrific food!
My Flavor-O-The-Week and I had been seriously craving some gumbo, and the only places we could think of were too far away to be of any good to us. Then one night, before heading out to B.L.U.E.S. I was looking up places to meet and eat and remembered Local Option, and ALSO remembered that they have Gumbo and Jambalaya. We had one of each, and were NOT disappointed. The service there is also really good- our server new some good beer to recommend and we went away, as always, with a full stomach, a good buzz, and a smile. Be back soon!
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Holy crap I cant believe I missed writing a review about the Local Option!
OK, so it looks like nothing from the outside (is there even a sign?). The inside is typical Chicago bar. If you are a non-smoker, stick to the back room - trust me.
You will never want to order anything else for the rest of your life after you order the Sea Scallop Po'Boy. The scallops are humongous, perfectly seasoned, and are so sweet and juicy they just melt in your mouth. On a crusty roll with Creole style mayo it is heaven. The sandwich as a whole is insane though, don't even try to be dainty eating it, as you cant pick it up without everything falling out. It comes with your choice of side, but after sampling this sandwich, you don't even care about it. They could give you a gold sovereign on a plate and you wouldnt look twice at it.
The waitress told me about this ale they also offer - its a chocolate ale that had some crazy high alcohol content. "equal to 3 1/2 Miller Lights" is how she put it. Nonsense! Says I. Bring it on, there has not been a beer brewed yet that can make me tipsy after just one.
But oh damn! She wasnt joking! Thankfully I had food in my stomach or I would have really been loopy! But wow was it good though.
If you like seafood, good drinks, and Cajun/Creole cuisine - you gotta check out the Local Option!
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Best neighborhood bar in the entire city. I spent many many years trying to find a place that I always looked forward to going to and I finally found it. I hear the food is fantastic, but haven't tried it yet. Their beer selection is excellent and never fails to get me pretty lit. I like trying new beers every time I go - they make great recommendations if you have no idea what to order. It's become my most favorite hang out. Good people - check, good music - check, good food - check, good beer- check.
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I can't articulate how disappointing this was for me. I've been dying for a good po' boy to replace those from my beloved New Orleans Take-Out in Madison. The reviews here were so overwhelmingly positive, I thought I'd found my answer. I had the much raved-about scallop po' boy. The bread was basically just a toasted bun, and the scallops were clearly some cheap freezer fare. Their consistency didn't resemble anything like I've come to associate with scallops. It was edible, to be sure, just not memorable in any positive way. It's partially my fault; I shouldn't have expected so much from bar food.
Despite my profound dissatisfaction with the sandwich, I was delighted by the dozens of beers on tap and the quiet, yet entertaining bartender.
Now I just need to find the time to make it down to Heaven on Seven. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!
We all went to Local Option to grab a quick bite and some beers before the Super Bowl. First, I have to compliment our bartender/ server. She was very attentive, nice, and fun. They have a really good selection of about 25 beers on tap. As for the food, I was a little disappointed. I had heard great things but was not that impressed with what I had. It was a grilled chicken sandwich. I would have to rate it as average. Everyone else felt that way about their food with the exception of my girlfriend. She had the crab and goat cheese quesadilla. She loved it, I ate some of it as well and it was awesome. That dish is what I would recommend.
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I have to preface this by saying that I broke up with the Local Option for about a year, but like all true loves, I couldn't stay away and have made my peace -- and I am so happy we are friends again! I really missed what the Local Option brings to my life.
Which is, really freaking good food. I do live in the neighborhood but I am not hugely into this as a night scene for myself, though i will say I've had pleasant experiences (it's more about my habits); I mostly come for lunch. I'm actually getting hungry thinking about it.
The seared tuna fish tacos are amazing; their white sauce is the perfect addition, along with the wedge of lime. I am also a huge fan of the shrimp po boy, which is beautiful and delicious and gigantic (and not very dignified to eat, so bear that in mind). The bayou burger is another great choice. In fact, I've liked everything but the crab cakes, and I am not a huge fan of crab cakes in general so...
I've also had time to get over their remodel, I really miss the old slightly divey feel. But, it is very clean and not overly new now, although rather loud as another reviewer mentioned. The breakup -- well, let's just say it was a combination of factors. Which turned out to be a dumb reason to not have the excellent mayo-free cole slaw and the amazing fries that remind me of my trip to Belgium.
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So, my coworkers and I are putting together an event on DePaul's campus. We are told we have an hour dinner break. We go to The Local Option, and order dinner. Our food arrives just as we get a text message that we need to be back five minutes ago. We flag down the waitress for the bill. Two minutes later, the bill arrives. Oh, and my catfish po' boy is gone, gone, gone. I don't think I've ever eaten so fast, but there was no damn way work was going to get between me and every delicious bite of that thing. Yummy.
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Fried Fish Po'Boys are amazing. While I've never been there my fiancee always has left overs when she went their for lunch with her girlfriends.
And I'm always willing to eat the leftovers before she gets a chance to put them in the fridge
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I've never "gone out" here but I've gone for lunch or dinner and beers a ton of times. This place is great. It's low-key, laid back, and the food is incredible. It's a little pricier than your average bar fare but trust me it's worth it. The po' boys are amazing, and the creole mayo is so delicious. There's a jukebox and darts too!
I never knew I was a cajun food fan until The Local Option, so definitely give it a shot!
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We had our book club meeting here last Friday. I'd been in here before, prior to the remodeling or the change or whatever. This place has improved so much since then.
The food was phenomenally good. I had the seared tuna salad which was but filling and tasty as heck. My fellow book clubbers all enjoyed their meals which included the crab cake, bacon cheese burger, the fish tacos and more.
Their beer selection can be a bit overwhelming for those who are not used to these types of selections. I mean, yes it was nice to be able to try an array of different types of beers, but literally after about 8 or 9 it's just easier to say something like Miller Lite than trying to remember what the previous $7 beer's name you just had.
The music selection could have been better. The back room provided a great place for our book club to meet and since most of us like to drink after wards moving into the bar provided us that option. The waitress was really friendly and even recommended us some books (I think we made her an honorary member that night too).
I'd have to say this place is setting itself apart from the normal bars in that they have delicious foods and great beer at a reasonable price. Conveniently located between the Armitage Brown line and the Fullerton Red line, this is a great place to meet some friends.
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I am so torn on my rating- I love the food at Local Option, and in my opinion, have the absolute best wings in Chicago. They aren't traditional spicy wings- they have a barbeque sauce which is absolutely delicious.
However, I absolutely cannot stand the atmosphere here after they remodeled a few years ago. And the noise level- it is excessively LOUD. Really unnecessary. They do have the seating area in the back, which is less loud (and I think is considered non-smoking). I still liked it better before the remodel and they tried to make it "cool". Regardless, I will be back because I love the wings!
Go here if you love food as much as I do- very good bar food with a southern twist (fish tacos, etc.). It's also a good neighborhood joint, but is geared more towords deaf smokers and sports fanatics.
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Stopped in for lunch today and enjoyed the mahi mahi sandwich. It's always great to get a sandwich on a brioche bun. You would never know it from outside, but this place takes a seafood spin on bar fare up a notch. Other items are fish (tuna or swordfish) tacos and also burgers and other meaty items. I spoke with Tony, the owner, and plans are to make the bar into a craft beer mecca a la The Map Room and Hopleaf. They now have about 10 beers on tap, including Two Brothers, Hoegaarden, Allagash, and Unibroue. They want to double the amount of tap beers. Can't argue with that! The prices are slightly higher than expected for bar fare, but given the quality of the seafood and the Lincoln Park locale, it's worth a visit here.
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When I first walked in here I thought for sure the menu would consist of dreary, unimpressive bar fare. Not so fast! When I got my menu I noticed a vast selection of simple to jazzed up Creole dishes. Interesting. I don't know if it was the divey-bar feel or the big bulb colored Christmas lights but the decor does not scream, "Ahi-tuna Po' Boys! Come and get it!"
Somehow, this place still works. They have a big beer selection but I uncomfortably ordered a glass of wine making sure to request "whatever red you have." Our waiter (who by the way looked like he had just stepped off the golf course) was cool about it and even came to our table with the bottle when I needed a refill. For food, we started with the cheese quesadillas and honestly they were some of the best quesadillas I've ever had. I think it was the added avocado - somehow brilliant. I also had the big mixed greens salad with blackened Amish chicken. Yum. It was huge and as my boyfriend noted, "now that's a $9 salad."
I would totally hang out at this bar for just drinking and if the eats are good, well it's an added bonus.
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I used to go to this place way back when they hosted the annual Chicago Pugs Against Hunger group. I'd bring my pug, Hal; he'd snort around for a bit and I'd munch on the wings or whatever they had available.
Now, I'm over 21 and I've been paying regular visits to this place for dinners in the past couple of years. They have incredible swordfish tacos. Unfortunately, swordfish gets a bad wrap, but these beauties are really worth a try. Just stay away from them if you've got a bun in the oven, I guess.
But swordfish or no, almost everything on the Cajun menu is a hit: the fries rock, catfish is delish, and po' boys---come on. You can't really go wrong with a food that has a hyphenated word in its title.
That said, The Local Option is a great neighborhood bar if you just want to throw back a pint or spend a couple of hours eating some good grub.
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Wow, this place is really impressive for Lincoln Park. Living here has been a hassle, as I generally have to make the trip west, south, or north to get to a good beer bar. But the Local Option is an exception in the Park - there is a great selection available both on tap and in bottles. Their boldness in not having any Miller, Bud, or Guinness product on tap a block away from McGee's is admirable. Do not be deceived, though - this bar is just as valuable for its food as it is for its beer. They have a ton of seafood - shrimp, scallops, tilapia, tuna, catfish, crab, and more - as well as a variety of burgers, salads, and sandwiches. Everything I've had so far (blue crab quesadilla, shrimp tacos, guacamole) has been delicious. The fact that I can wash it down with an Anchor Bock, a Rabbid Rabbit, or even a Brooklyn Dark Chocolate Stout (draft?!) is spectacular. The two block walk home makes this the official Local Option for me.
Solid bar with great food. Go for the flounder sandwhich, it will make you strong and healthy. Wash it down with a few $2 PBR's and feel even better.
If you are looking to get away from the fratastic scene of Lincoln Park and get a solid meal, this is the place.
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Good. Nice neighborhood location, tasty food. I had a burger, which was basic and good. I tried the Creole coleslaw too, which I didn't like. It didn't seem to be nuanced. It was cabbage and heat, and the heat pretty much overwhelmed any other flavor it had. Too bad, because I really, really like non-mayo-based coleslaws. Our appetizer was guacamole, and it was good. But I don't know what Katie R was talking about, because it was INCREDIBLY oniony. It was good--but the onion chunks were out of control. Beware.
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We just moved to the neighborhood, and Local Option is definitely on the top of our list for easy dining in the neighborhood. Everything we've had is good. The seafood is excellent. However, my staple meal is the chicken tacos. You get a choice of sides and they have plenty to choose from. Brian usually gets the beer-battered fries and I usually have the creole coleslaw (not mayonnaise-based).
The calamari is good (not tough), the crab and goat cheese quesadillas are good, B gets the chicken fingers and really likes them (but that's not a hard thing to make). The burger is also really good. Seared ahi tuna tacos are excellent. Really, all the food is good.
They have over 97 beers at local options, which in my humble opinion is plenty.
Another added bonus...we're going so often that the waitress, Meg now knows I need extra napkins and extra limes!!
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Great, hole in the wall bar. They have awesome music and surprisingly good food. I had the vegetarian salad, which had chunks of avocado and marinated mushrooms - very tasty. I only had half an hour to eat lunch and the bartender made it happen. I paid under $13.00 without tax and tip for my salad and diet coke. If I'm ever in the area, I'll check this place out again and you should too.
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Far better than average bar food. And much more diverse menu. The fish tacos are awesome as are the mashed potatoes. Huge salads too and great beer selection. If I lived closer I'd definitely make this my neighborhood spot.
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The food here is amazing for the price! I had the Ahi Tuna sandwich and the fish was really fresh. The decor of this place leaves something to be desired though. It is a serious dive bar with beat up tables and bar. If you are looking for good decently price seafood though in a neighborhood bar type atmosphere, this is a great place to check out.
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Had a nice time here, with the windows open there was a lovely breeze. It wasn't too loud and our small party was able to happily chat and have a little book club meeting here.
Started with the guacamole, which I actually liked a lot. It wasn't all that oniony (which I really don't like). For dinner I had a grilled cheese (triple decker, super exciting!) that was really satisfying. My choice of a side dish was a big dill pickle which was only really a whole dill pickle (not that big) but it was tasty...
Great customer service, friendly place. We visited the local option for dinner on Saturday night. Enjoyed the 1/2 pound Local Option burger and the seared tuna fish tacos. Fries are crispy and addictive, and High Life to wash it all down. Flat screen TVs everywhere to watch game, golden tee for avid players and a jukebox. It's a really laid back neighborhood bar, perfect to kick it on a date or enjoy with friends.
We're in the 'hood a lot and, of the places in that area to eat, Local Option has become our "go-to" place.
I never go there for drinks because parking over there is a nightmare. However, I will eat there if I'm in the 'hood and it doesn't disappoint. The menu has food with flavor! Not every thing is deep fried or grilled pub food. It has been seasoned!! So the fish or chicken tacos are nice. The Po-Boy is good (you're not going to mistake it for NOLA good but still...) and the easy menu just goes on.
Service is usally pretty good. The wait staff can focus on the bar section a little too long and forget that you're over there. They have even cleaned up the place some, maing it a little less a live than it was before.
A great spot if you want good sandwiches, salads (with really fresh greens!), fries and drinks...and fresh tasty seafood! I recommend the calamari salad or the catfish poor boy...deLISH! As you would expect from its name, Local Shack's got a low-key pub feel and the wait staff is generally friendly and helpful. Definitely stop in here if you want nice portions of updated pub food. But be forewarned, during peak times, (since there is a bar up front), dont come in expecting silence or clear, smokeless air.
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I always loved the food here. Great chowder. Killer scallop po-boys. Diverse crowd.
However tonight I was informed that the place is under new owners, and it's trying to turn into a sports bar. Hmmm. I dunno about that, as I haven't been there in a while.
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