The best seafood restaurants in Chicago

This smoke shack was born when the steel industry was thriving and the area was populated by hungry day laborers. Set at the base of the famous Blues Brothers bridge, this little white box brings in customers from all around for smoked shrimp, trout and sable, which are always on offer. You’ll see folks sitting in their cars eating their picks out of paper bags, a quintessential part of the experience.

Arguably the freshest seafood around can be found in the suburbs (Des Plaines and Wheeling) at Boston Fish Market. This marketplace is one of the Midwest’s largest processors of salmon and whitefish and also doubles as a restaurant. The kitchen offers an expansive list of choices, which range from Chilean sea bass, mahi-mahi and swordfish to Georges Bank scallops, lobster tails and Alaskan king crab legs. A number of items can also be prepared Cajun-style. When it’s alfresco dining season, try to snag a table on the bustling patio for the finest experience.

Our go-to spot for seafood, Shaw's Crab House is a Chicago classic. Choose from two seating experiences: the traditional white-tablecloth–equipped dining room or the lively oyster bar, where you'll find us sucking down bivalves, cracking open crab claws and dunking lobster tails in butter. The menu also includes a terrific lobster roll, bound up with the barest hint of mayo, and sushi and sashimi. Pair your seafood feast with a local beer or a classic martini, which goes perfectly with oysters.

The Chicagoland institution packs in crowds every day of the week, and serves up massive quanities of crab, shrimp, lobster and fish. The meal begins with super buttery, garlicky rolls, but don't have too many, since there's a lot more on the menu worth eating. King crab bites come served with butter or citrus crab sauce; plump shrimp come prepared in a variety of ways, including tempura fried; and sweet Mai Tais are served in plastic tiki mugs that practically resemble buckets. Go hungry.

Northwest Side residents cherish this longstanding fish market that’s been around since 1946. Hagen’s is notable for being one of the last remaining hardwood smokehouses in Chicago and you’ll see choices like salmon, shrimp, sable and trout in the display case. There’s also a menu of deep fried specialties— order the killer crispy pollock sandwich—and the shop even offers a smoking service for customers who want their own seafood smoked.

“We close when we feel like closing” and “Nothin’ but cash, no exceptions” are among the oh-so-perfect-for-the-setting sayings we overheard in just one night at this more than 50-year-old subterranean spot. Stake out a table in the tiny Christmas light–strewn room, and start with the half-shell Mulligan and an order of deep-fried oysters. For more crispy goodness, order the “Thirty-Two Pointer” for an entrée—a crunchy pile of smelts, perch, frog legs, clam strips and fat shrimp. And if you’re looking to crack some crab, splurge on the massive, meaty king legs.

José Andrés and Gibsons Restaurant Group joined forces to open a two-pronged concept in the Bank of America Tower in 2021. On the building’s ground floor sits Bar Mar, an upscale, seafood-centric restaurant that catches your attention with a giant octopus sculpture hanging over the main bar. The luxe food lineup features a selection of small snacks, such as caviar cones and mussels in escabeche, and hearty items like a buttery lobster roll and salmon Veracruz.

An intimate, basement spot that provides a throwback to a time of unfussy cooking, mfk. allows great ingredients to shine through a less-is-more approach. Here, boquerones come with piperade and fennel slaw on a grilled baguette, and a seafood "fideos" features toasted capellini noodles and shellfish in a saffron cream. At mfk., you can take a trip to the Catalan coast without ever leaving Chicago. And it doesn't hurt that the restaurant has earned the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand designation annually since it opened in Lakeview East in 2014.

Take in views of the Chicago River from the terrace or through one of the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows while you dine on miso black cod or charcoal-grilled black bass at Lettuce Entertain You’s RPM Seafood. Start your meal in spectacular fashion by ordering a seafood tower featuring prawns, Maine lobster, Alaskan king crab legs and East and West Coast oysters—but save some room for the banana cream Napoleon served with sliced bananas covered in warm caramel. The drink menu emphasizes tequila and mezcal cocktails but also offers plenty of bubbly by the glass if it's a festive occasion.

You should feel like a king when you’re paying through the nose for a steakhouse experience, and you will here. Start with an order of the sweet, cool stone crabs, the sugar prawns (Madagascar shrimp) and a delicious chopped salad that could easily feed two. Go straight to the top with the bone-in ribeye, perfect when ordered charred medium-rare, or the Alaskan king crab legs served chilled. Key lime pie is puckeringly sweet for those who like a hit-you-over-the-head finish, and the fried chicken is the best secret in town.

This seafood fave not only shares the kitchen of Gibson’s Steakhouse but also the slick tie-and-blazer crowd that loves them both. The boardroom-meets-Rat-Pack decor is full of dark wood, leather booths and career servers hoisting huge trays spilling over with succulent and sweet Alaskan king crab legs, giant Australian lobster tails and massive porterhouses. Old-school classics are prepared well; a few even qualify as addictive. We like the frog legs with lemon butter.

The team behind Obelix, Taqueria Chingon and Le Bouchon took over Dusek’s former space in Pilsen’s Thalia Hall in 2024, adding to the growing list of Chicago restaurants focused on Mexican-style seafood. Order individual cod or shrimp tacos or build your own from whole crispy snapper or dorade served with tortillas and salsas. Oysters are served cooked with achiote butter or chilled with passionfruit mignonette and you’ll even find them garnishing the michelada. It’s a great place to grab a bite before a concert, but also worth the trip by itself.

Baja-style wood-fired seafood is the specialty at Leña Brava, and you don’t have to choose a favorite when you order a platter of shrimp, scallops, mussels and lobster seasoned with lemongrass-infused white wine. The menu also features chilled oysters and grilled octopus, but our favorite is the whole butterflied striped bass covered in red adobo, green mojo or lemon mojo and served with tortillas so you can make your own tacos.

Chef Stephen Sandoval put himself on the map in 2022 with Sueños, a Baja-inspired concept that operated out of Soho House for over a year. He’s since found a permanent home in West Town with the opening of a bar and restaurant, Diego. The menu focuses on street fare from the Baja region so expect plenty of seafood options like ceviche and pescado tacos. But in our opinion, the absolute must-try is the tuna tostada—we suggest ordering multiple because it’s a dish you won’t want to share. Everything is best paired with a light and breezy cocktail, and if you grab a seat on the patio, you can almost imagine yourself on a beach south of the border.

Chef Doug Psaltis showcases the bounty of the Aegean Sea, presenting diners with the chance to gape at a tray of fresh fish when making their selections. Start with an order of oven-roasted sardines, nibbling the crispy skin and flaky meat with a glass of Greek wine before sharing simply seasoned grilled wild caught whole fish with a side of lemon potatoes. The selection of seafood priced by the pound changes daily, making it the closest you can come to shopping at a Greek market in Chicago.

If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck, it’s hard to beat this Mexican seafood eatery. Diners are given complimentary ceviche tostadas to munch on (careful with the habanero salsa—it’s extremely spicy) as they look through the extensive menu. You’ll definitely want to bring a group because the massive portions are meant to be shared. Options include king and snow crab legs, stuffed lobsters, shrimp, langoustines, whole fried fish and more. There’s also a generous BYOB policy so come prepared.

Go beyond Vietnamese staples like pho, bun and banh mi at Chinatown’s Ocean Grill & Bar, which offers all of those favorites plus a wide selection of seafood dishes you won’t find elsewhere in the city. Crack into Dungeness crab stir fried in tamarind sauce, fresh oysters grilled with scallion oil and sea snails steamed in lemongrass. The dishes are all affordable, making it easy to try a few new things.

The influences of Chinese and Japanese cooking traditions on Peruvian fare are on display at Kayao, which opened in Old Town in June 2024. A rotating selection of fish are served as ceviche along with sweet potato emulsion and Peruvian corn, or rolled into sushi with shrimp tempura and acevichado sauce. Come for brunch to sip passion fruit mimosas while noshing on crispy whole red snapper or red miso glazed salmon.

Chef John Manion of El Che Steakhouse & Bar demonstrates his passion for live-fire cooking at his latest restaurant in West Town, where the grilled fare includes oysters with citrus garlic butter, prawns with pickled mango relish and swordfish with eggplant puree. His spin on surf and turf combines wagyu picanha with a grilled half lobster served with miso chile garlic butter, best enjoyed with something from Brasero’s extensive selection of South American wines.

Can't decide between oysters, sushi, caviar and tuna tacos? At Lure Fishbar, you don't have to, thanks to a menu that presents an ocean of seafood options. If you crave variety, shellfish platters stacked with oysters, shrimp, crab claws and clams offer a way to sample a bit of everything (as are the sushi and sashimi plates). More decisive diners can enjoy entrees such as a lobster roll or a crispy Asian snapper for two, served with stir fried veggies. And if you're not a fan of seafood, you'll also find steaks, burgers and  mushroom ravioli on the menu—though we'd be a little confused about why you came to a place called "Lure Fishbar."

This isn't a hoity-toity seafood restaurant—prepare to get your hands dirty at Lowcountry, with outposts in Lakeview, Chinatown and the South Loop. Steam-filled bags are stuffed with shrimp, snow crab clusters, mussels and other sea treasures and tossed with sauce and veggies. All of the combos come with some honey butter jalapeño cornbread, but you can also add on Cajun waffle fries and beignets for a proper feast.

Inspired by the casual seaside shacks common on the East Coast, DMK Restaurants' 3rd Coast Fish Bar is always a good bet. Though the menu changes seasonally to highlight the freshest sustainable products, reliable favorites like the lobster roll and the crabby patty—a crispy blue crab cake sandwich—shouldn’t be missed. The lovely outdoor patio is also a nice amenity when weather permits.

Seafood and fast food don't typically go hand in hand, but the folks at Brown Bag are trying to change that. The quick-service restaurant has seven locations throughout Chicago—from Roscoe Village to River North. Simply pick your protein (salmon, crispy cod, grilled shrimp, seared tuna, etc.) and a base (veggies, grains, salad, tacos, etc.), and you'll be on your way in no time. The seafood here is deliciously fresh, whether you go with the seasonal special or the grilled shrimp. There’s tofu and chicken for those who aren’t feeling like seafood. You can't beat the price: Most meals ring up under $15.

Enjoy Latin takes on seafood such as shrimp ceviche, lobster and cheese empanadas or seared ahi tuna tacos at this bright spot along the Chicago River—not far from Goose Island. Share a pitcher of spicy mango margaritas or white peach sangria while checking out murals from Mexican artist Senkoe. The full menu is also available in the restaurant's rooftop space, which takes on a lounge-like feel after dark, complete with bottle service and shot trees.

New York-based Luke's opened its first Chicago location in spring 2015, and serves a solid lobster roll for $25 to $47. Four to eight ounces of meat is lightly dressed with both lemon butter and mayonnaise, sprinkled with spices, then tucked into a well-buttered bun. For a real deal, order the seafood roll flight, which includes half rolls of crab, lobster and shrimp for $28.50. And if you’re extra hungry, add on a bowl of clam chowder or lobster bisque.

Louisiana native Brian Jupiter brings a taste of the bayou to Chicago at this corner tavern in Wicker Park. The chef’s frying skills are on full display with oceanic treats like crackly shrimp, catfish and lump crab cakes. Start the meal with crab & artichoke dip or oysters topped with Creole butter, breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Drink in the New Orleans flavor with a hurricane pitcher or try the tableside absinthe drip.

Popular for both business gatherings and celebratory meals, this Michigan Avenue spot serves a mix of traditional fare like Alaskan crab legs and jumbo shrimp cocktails along with more novel seafood preparations like a "Surf N Turf" featuring scallops and braised short rib in gremolata and blackened snapper accompanied by corn spoon bread and Swiss chard. Visit on Fridays for $20 glasses of Veuve Clicquot and $3 oysters in the lounge or patio.