The Angry Crab

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (407) • $$$

"I picked up 3 "build your bag" with shrimp, corn and potatoes from here. The food was ready when promised and more importantly they had phenomenal customer service. Very friendly and full of smiles. The food itself was really good. But not very filling. Definitely on the pricier side. I ordered level 3 hot with a corn and a potato for $1 each per side. We started making our own Cajun shrimp bags at home and will most likely continue to do so. There's something you're better off doing at home and this is one of them. I can still see myself returning, just not anytime soon."

Local Option

★★★★☆ 3.7 (392)

"I am shocked by all the negative reviews about the service at this establishment. I had nothing but a great experience here as the bartender (and perhaps owner), Tony, was super friendly. He made some great suggestions for beer/food and we had some very friendly conversations.Overall, I also enjoyed the ambiance of the place. While I sway to a typical watering hole like this one, it has a lot of unique characteristics with its punk decor and old-school vibes.I didn't go crazy on the food but did have the, 'Wizard Wands' (aka cheese sticks) and they were quite good. Well fried and each had a good helping of mozzarella in them.Will definitely go back and hope that others see the great service & place that this truly is!"

Lowcountry Lakeview

★★★★★ 4.5 (717) • $$$

"I ordered two 1 pound shrimp combo bags. One bag had their "everythang" sauce with heat level 1. The other bag had Cajun with heat level 2. They honestly both tasted the same two me. Couldn't tell the difference. Most importantly, it was delicious. The heat level was just right as well as the sauce. The sauce also made the corn and the potatoes taste delicious. I hate peeling shrimp. Especially when all the sauce comes off the shrimp when you're done peeling it. So I peeled all my shrimp first, threw it back in the bag and shook it up to make sure all my shrimp was coated in the sauce before it went it my mouth. Absolutely delicious. I ordered online and this is the best service I have ever received with an online order. They text you, call you to confirm your order and call you when your order is complete. Will definitely be returning."

Provare

★★★★☆ 4.3 (331)

"Calling all Seafood Lovers!! Provaré is an Italian-Creole Fusion restaurant located in the West Town neighborhood of Chicago. We stayed at the Godfrey Hotel, so the commute wasn't far at all. Reservations are highly requested, and I second that. You will wait if you don't take the initiative. The restaurant was nicely decorated and had a cool atmosphere. The bar is beautiful. Seating is comfortable. The waitress was bubbly and met us with "Welcome Shots" after being seated. Cool!She immediately told us some of her faves and recommendations, although my friend and I had already scoured the menu before going. We received water and placed our drink orders. Drinks: I got the Randolph. My friend, the Chicago Ave. All of their drinks are named after the streets of Chicago. Charming. Soon after, we submitted our food choices. Appetizers: I went with the Crabby Fries. Friend chose the Spinach and Artichoke Dip. The dip was the star! It was so flavorful, and the shrimp was plentiful throughout. The waffle fry they use for the Crabby Fries was a wise choice. Entrée: I chose the Shrimp Cognac Scampi. I added their Trio Sauce to my dish for more spice. It was perfect. My friend had the Lemon Pepper Chicken Alfredo. She enjoyed her dish.. Their portions are huge! Our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and took so much food back to the hotel. I want to come back. I just need to fast beforehand, lol!"

Spoken Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.3 (183)

"I love this place owners are from Louisiana near New Orleans. has good coffee but if you get it to-go you have to bring your own cup. also they have gumbo for sale and have good breakfast acadian grits. best deal is a coffee for on-premises consummation in their cup."

Bluegrass

★★★★★ 4.5 (568) • $$

"This is an excellent restaurant I'd love to revisit over and over! It's 4 stars, not 5, now because the service is bordering on frustrating. That isn't to say it's anything but polite, but it is anything but timely. This restaurant has been around for awhile; they should be aware that the outdoor seating section's most remote part, with a lovely pergola shading it, is still part of the restaurant and should be visited for check ins. It took 20-25 minutes just for someone to come take our drink orders. Even in a huge restaurant (footprint wise), this would be pushing it. We had moments where my friend, who was facing more of the restaurant, would try to politely flag down our waiter (or anyone), but they would all walk right past us without any acknowledgement. We were not difficult customers in the slightest, not requesting anything odd, and giving nothing less than thank you's and smiles. 0:)Even so, the food continues to be impressive. Their menu gets different refreshes and additions, which is very cool (and a contrast with their dated interior). The jambalaya is worth ordering, whether you choose seafood or (for lack of a better term) regular. The gumbo is on the thinner side but NOT bland in any way. My friend liked her rosemary chicken sandwich. You can't go wrong with the menu, and there are many options, but not so many that it's Cheesecake Factory levels of "where are they keeping all of these seldom-used ingredients?" I just wish the service could be less frustrating, but that is something that I'm sure can change for the better!"

Soulé

★★★★☆ 3.7 (567) • $$

"Was treated to a Fathers Day dinner by my kids and wife. Wow I am so happy they picked this place.The food was amazing...mostly. The jerk wings were a killer. You only get 4 whole wings but they are tender, full of flavor. The garlic shrimp appetizer is another outstanding appetizer. So much creamy and garlic flavor with bread to soak up the amazing sauce. Mostly cocktails and spirits. No wine . Cocktails were really well done. Not shiny with the good stuff.The entrees were also outstanding. The honey fried chicken was among the top 3 fried chickens I've eaten. Perfectly cooked and moist and tender meat. crispy skin and lightly battered. OMG. I had the dirty rice and way overcooked asparagus. Couldn't eat the asparagus. others had the catfish that looked fabulous and shrimp. They both got good reviews. The mac n cheese were average. They were out of the fried green tomatoes. The food overall was 4.5 stars. Definitely would return for the food.The service was needy. The front of the room needs training on how to attend to guest. No one panned the room when they came in. We had to actually go up to the host to ask him to send our server over. They were pleasant but needed training. Also the music was so loud we had to shout to talk. We asked them to turn it down and they didn't. So maybe 3 stars for the front end."

Junebug Café

★★★★★ 4.8 (95)

"I was looking for some late afternoon coffee on my way home from work and figured it would be a good place to check out. I've had their other location bookmarked for months. Great to have one on the Northwest side that is a little closer to my place. I ordered coffee, a meat pie, and potato salad to go. The coffee was good. The meat in the meat pie was seasoned well. I would order the coffee and meat pie again. The potato salad wasn't bad, but not a must have for me. I look forward to trying other food items in the future."

Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.9 (129)

"I saw Daisy's Po' Boy and Tavern on Tik Tok and I had to try it because I love me some New Orleans style food. Me and the mister decided that we would make it a day date. We arrived and was asked if we would like a seat at the bar or a table we decided to sit at the bar. We were greeted by the bartender and asked if we would like anything to drink and we ordered a soda and it was just a can soda didn't know that. We ordered the Catfish Plate which came with Fries and a Biscuit, Fried Shrimp Po Boy with Mayo and Lettuce, Roast Beef Po Boy with Mayo, Barbeque Gulf Shrimp Po Boy, Hot Honey Chicken Sliders and King Cake.I asked for Mayo only on the Roast Beef and Received it with everything on it. They did redo it. The Shrimp Po Boy was amazing. I did end up taking the Roast Beef Po Boy home as they had to redo it. The Catfish was seasoned to perfection. The mister enjoyed his Sandwich and sliders. The King cake was okay but I had better.Overall I would definitely try there again."

Cajun Boil & Shake

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (39)

"This place was great!A few things to note.1) it has a bar type feel and they play their music loud. This is a feature, not a bug, and if you are offended by loud rap music this is just not the place for you.2) mixed drinks are strong. Again, feature not a bug. If you don't like strong mixed drinks stick to beer.3) food is a bit slow to come out. Most seafood boil places are, so it must be something about how long it takes to cook.Now, getting that out the way, the place is great. The workers are very friendly and attentive, the food delivers, and has spice levels appropriate to everyone. Wife went medium and I went fire, and medium was perfectly savory and fire definitely delivered the heat.It's got a fun vibe, it's casual enough while still giving you. Good time. Definitely recommend."

Crab King Cajun Boil and Sushi - Chicago

★★★★☆ 4.4 (106) • $$$

"My first seafood boil experience! My niece goes to school in New Orleans and took us here to give us a taste of the cajun experience. The space is cute with a nautical theme throughout. Our server was really nice and walked us through the ordering process. I got the snow crab seafood boil with garlic butter spice flavor and no heat. The flavor was so tasty! It's served with potatoes, corn, and a bib - haha! I also got to try crawfish for the first time. They are a little tricky to eat, but once you get the hang of it it's not bad. As a table we shared the gator bites and hush puppies. Neither of these impressed me much so I would probably pass next time. Would love to come back for the boil again though!"

Fork Fantasy

★★★★★ 4.5 (8)

"For years, I had passed by the Holiday Inn Express near the main downtown post office and thought nothing of any restaurant being in that location. Only recently did I think of any kind of eatery there after a friend had mentioned Fork Fantasy.I stopped in one Saturday just as they opened. There was just the bartender who was working the front of the house. She informed me that I could sit wherever I pleased and followed me to my seat with a menu. Since I was meeting a friend there, I had a whiskey sour while I waited. I found out that the bartender made the sour using lemon and simple syrup. I kept wondering why the cocktail tasted way better than any sour that I had drunk before.For our meal, we started with the soul muffins. These were miniature cornbread dressing muffins topped with turkey, greens, cranberry sauce, and gravy. This was nothing short of Thanksgiving on a platter. One thing I will note about this dish is that it could have been hot coming to the table. The other appetizer was the skewered bourbon chicken. Served over yellow and green bell pepper slices with purple onions, the colors screamed Mardi Gras, and the flavor screamed, "Eat me!" We wiped both plates clean.The entrees were truth serum. My friend had ordered the Cajun salmon with greens and string beans. She was silently into the dish until there was mention of possibly trying dessert. The silence was all I needed to know that she was enjoying all of what she ordered. As to me, the mustard fried catfish with greens and Cajun rice was a dish I would have devoured in one setting, but I had to set some aside for later so that I wouldn't have regrets about eating everything like it was my last supper.The finale was peach cobbler with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This was a real peach cobbler. There was no attempt with biscuits. There was no compote from a can. There was proper juice, homemade crust, and peaches that did not taste like they had been drowned in sugar. The bowl was not so large that there was a struggle to finish it all either. It was just blooming delicious.The food was outstanding. The service was top, and this may very well be because the restaurant was not crowded. It was certainly an enjoyable experience for my friend and me. I definitely have to get back at some point in the near future. Their good cooking deserves and encore."

Joker's Cajun Smokehouse

★★★★☆ 3.6 (54)

"We have eaten here several times when attending movies across the street at The Regal Theater. Each time has been a very laid back and chilled visit, with three of those visits sitting at the bar.Let me start off by saying that they do have a sparkling wine, Caposaldo Prosecco, so you know they already have a hook in me. Standout dish for me when I go there is the Mac and Cheese with brisket and a piece of that corn bread they make. The corn bread reminds me of Jiffy corn bread mix in terms of the sweetness. It is almost like you are eating a corn cake. That corn bread is delish and I love to crumble it up into the mac and cheese. The first time I got this dish and crumbled up the corn bread into the mac and cheese, the server was floored. He said he had never seen anyone do that before, but that it looked pretty tasty. He was not wrong.The Queen likes the Jambalaya a lot and The Doctor the pulled pork and brisket. We have had the burnt ends and those were surprisingly good. I threw some of those in the red beans and rice and that was great. The servers and bartenders are great. I have had some interesting conversations with them and they are always on top of things. If I had a complaint about this joint is that they sometimes run our of certain foods later in the day, like the corn bread or brisket. Not a deal breaker to stop me from coming back. But you know when you have your mouth fixed for a certain food and don't get it, it leaves you all kinds of hangry.There is street parking on Western, which is what I always do and never had a problem with it."

Chicago Food on the Run

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (39)

"I recently came up with a "I Can't Stop Talking About How Good They Are" list. Food On The Run is now on the list. In my usual fashion, I arrived at the restaurant just as they were opening. Ordered lemon pepper salmon with sides of collards, candied yams, and macaroni and cheese.I have gone to enough Northern soul food restaurants to not have high expectations. Food On the Run blew my mind. The salmon was tasty and juicy without being undercooked. The collards actually had flavor; Lord knows that a lot of restaurants get that wrong. The macaroni and cheese was of the variety that you bring to family dinner with bragging rights. And the candied yams only needed crust. For takeaway, I had a slice of sweet potato pie that was real deal goody-goody.Because I got to the restaurant as early as I did, the dining area wasn't quite ready to receive seatings. However, they made a quick adjustment and I was able to enjoy everything right from the kitchen.I don't know what magic ball they have. They kept telling me I'll be back. They weren't lying."

Junebug Cafe

★★★★★ 4.5 (81)

"We only came for their beignets but will definitely be returning to try their Po boys, gumbo and Muffeletta. The girl the took our order was very inviting and very quiet. A nice smile and a good morning is really all that's necessary, but received neither. The inside is small, and the decor is simple with a few Mardi Gras type decorations. In my opinion, if you're going to go for New Orleans route, you have to go all out party type theme, too get that authentic Mardi Gras feel. It's honestly not that big of a deal but just something I noticed. We arrived early on a Sunday with no one dining in. I wonder if it's gets just after lunch time. The beignets are fairly prices at 2 for $5, and were pretty tasty. You get these perfect rectangular and dense beignets. I prefer mine if a little bit more airy but these were still pretty delicious. I will definitely be trying soon to get some more."

Norman's Bistro

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (261) • $$

"Norman's Bistro is a popular restaurant in the Bronzeville community. The building itself is nicely decorated, well kept, and very spaciously. There is outdoor seating. There is a lounge in the back where they play live music. There is free street parking, which is definitely a positive! There was a party going on in the lounge area, but the noise was minimal. The patrons were a mature older crowd of people. The restroom was clean. I arrived there at around 8:30PM on Friday August 5th 2022. We were the only guests in the dining area. The service was not good in my opinion. The waitress was not friendly or helpful. She barely spoke to us. She did not check on us. The food was good overall. My mother and I ordered 2 Shrimp Po Boys, Sweet Potatoes Fries, and coleslaw. The sandwich had a good amount of fresh vegetables on top, but it could have used a few more shrimp. It was flavored well. I did not like the sweet tasting coleslaw at all. This meal cost $18 dollars. I will try this restaurant again in the future. Hopefully the service will improve."

Buffet City/Cajun Seafood Boil

★★★☆☆ 2.6 (71) • $$

"Their food was mediocre. No crawfish, or crab. Shrimp was tasty, but a little tough. The drink bar is self serve, which is fine.Busy, but not crowded. Staff was friendly. Place was clean, and inside temperature was appropriate for the outside temp.Bathrooms has graffiti all over it. Not their fault"

Fireside Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (741) • $$

"Loved the neighborhood vibes of this quaint bar near Rosehill cemetery. We visited Fireside recently for a Halloween event and had a good time. We ordered cocktails from their Halloween menu and had the Expresso yourself drink. Strong coffee flavor with a punch of vodka. We enjoyed it. We ordered their bar food and the chicken tenders with fries were pretty tasty! I would definitely order them again if we're back.It was a busy night, but our server checked in on us when she could. We were not in a hurry and luckily secured a table thanks to the husband snagging a pair of seats before the crowd arrived. From the front entrance, it looks small but it's actually long and there's extra seating past the bar in the back patio. It's enclosed and could probably seat another 50-75 people. They are a year-round operation so come in and visit anytime. Enjoy their tasty food, drink and welcoming local vibe."

Lowcountry South Loop

★★★★☆ 3.9 (447) • $$

"In my experience, a low country boil includes seafood, sausage, egg, potatoes and corn. But at this restaurant, if you want sausage or egg, you have to pay extra. I already paid over $50! Really?"

CheSa’s Bistro & Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (131) • $$$

"This place is definitely a must go for brunch when it comes to their food! It was DELICIOUS! I walked in and was greeted by Kevin - he was super friendly and I appreciated his guidance with the questions I had on the menu. See pictures for the drinks we ordered. I'd say I felt okay but for $20 I'd want more of a stronger kick cause that's definitely on the $$$ side of things. It was a tasty drink though - just add some more liquor haha!The crab was soooo soft and flavorful. I did order the lump cake and not the balls so idk if that was how they always come or what? The potatoes were soft and seasoned to perfection but they were a little greasy. The eggs were good, glad I added the cheese. The place itself gets 5 stars because they have free parking! You don't get that too often during a brunch in Chicago. The restaurant is pretty and I was surprised it wasn't full. It was my table (2 people) + 2 more tables (a group of 3 and a table for 1). I hope more people get to experience this yummy place"

Madison Crab House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (228) • $$

"My go-to order for 2 is a pound of the head-on shrimp medium with mad sauce, a side of rice and corn, and fried shrimp (comes with fries). Since this was a special occasion we also got garlic bread and Mad wings. We got this for takeout and the food was delicious eaten 20 mins after picking up.The star of the show is of course, the shrimp. I grew up eating shrimp so I prefer it with the head-on for extra flavor. The corn comes in small slices and is thrown in the bag of shrimp so it soaks up the delicious sauce. If you don't know what sauce to get, try the Mad Sauce. The Mad wings comes with 6 pieces and were surprisingly super juicy and had great seasoning. They were larger, juicier and more tender than the equivalent from Wingstop, and includes Ranch dipping sauce. For lack of better phrasing, the garlic bread was perfectly garlicky and buttery. Rice is perfect to soak up all the extra sauce from the shrimp. I usually like to spoon sauce from the bag directly over my rice. The food goes well with a squeeze of lemon to cut through all the butter. When you order the shrimp, they give you a bib and gloves so you don't have to get your hands or shirt dirty, even for takeout orders (how considerate!) You'll have to peel the shells off the shrimp, but this bit of work is so worth it because it allows the shrimp to soak up all the seasoning.Fun fact: I learned recently from Netflix's Ugly Delicious that this style of food is actually Vietnamese/Cajun fusion. Apparently the traditional Cajun seasoning doesn't include garlic or butter. This reminds me of the Boiling Crab and Kicking Crab chains from California. Do yourself a favor and pick up some shrimp from Mad Boiler, and set aside some extra time for a food coma nap afterwards!"