Shaw's Crab House
Chicago
At a glance
Located in Chicago, Shaw's Crab House is a renowned destination for those with a taste for quality seafood. Emphasizing a dedication to top-notch ingredients, the restaurant's menu features seafood selections sourced daily from fishermen and farmers across the coasts. Guests can indulge in the freshness of the offerings, with preparations designed to let the natural flavors shine through. The establishment's decor reflects a 1940s aesthetic, providing a charming backdrop for dining.
Shaw's Crab House offers a unique dining experience with its two-room setup. The Oyster Bar offers a casual and vibrant atmosphere, ideal for those looking to enjoy a lively dining experience, perhaps even during the live music sessions on Thursdays. Meanwhile, the Main Dining Room provides a more traditional dining setting with white tablecloth service, perfect for those who prefer a classic dining ambiance.
The restaurant's daily operations include a three-course lunch, aimed at making midday dining a notable event. Additionally, Shaw's Crab House presents a happy hour at the Oyster Bar, featuring select offerings for those seeking a more relaxed visit. With versatile options catering to different preferences and occasions, Shaw's is ideal for seafood lovers seeking quality and variety.
Reviews
Shaw’s Crab House absolutely lived up to its reputation. The seafood was exceptionally fresh, and every dish showcased the natural sweetness and quality of the ingredients. The Alaskan king crab legs were the highlight of the meal—meaty, succulent, and cooked perfectly. The lobster was equally impressive, with tender, sweet meat that was incredibly satisfying. We also enjoyed the snow crab, chilled jumbo shrimp, and fresh oysters, all of which tasted pristine and were beautifully presented on ice. What stood out most was that the restaurant didn’t rely on heavy seasoning or complicated sauces. A squeeze of fresh lemon was all that was needed to let the seafood shine. The service was attentive, knowledgeable, and efficient without feeling rushed. The classic seafood-house atmosphere added to the experience, making it an ideal place for both special occasions and anyone looking to indulge in premium seafood. If you’re in Chicago and love seafood, Shaw’s Crab House is a must-visit. It’s not inexpensive, but the freshness, generous portions, and overall dining experience make it well worth the price. I would happily return on my next visit.
This place was outstanding! This was my second time coming to Shaw's and I will definitely be back. The service was incredible both times, and the attention to detail made the experience that much better. The food was clearly put together with thoughtful expertise! The rolls tasted like my mom's growing up, and the seafood gumbo was piping hot and flavorful. The seafood fettuccine was prepared perfectly and the sauce and detailed additions had such wonderful flavor! The drinks were excellent too! Add all this to the fact that the decor and atmosphere made you feel like you were in some kind of a classic movie! I see why my friend brings everyone to Shaw's... definitely a classic upscale experience!
Absolutely first rate perch; possibly the best I've ever had. The atmosphere in the place is very old school. The place is ozzing with traditional class. The bar was really cool. The service was top shelf and everything ran smoothly; my water glass never ran dry. I would recommend this establishment to anyone.
Shaw's has been doing this on Hubbard Street in River North since 1984 and it has that particular Chicago institution quality where everyone seems to know about it and the room is always full on a Friday night regardless. The design leans into the classic East Coast seafood house aesthetic, dark wood, white tablecloths, oyster bar running along one side of the main room, servers who have clearly been here longer than some of the tables, and a general atmosphere of comfortable, well-practiced hospitality. The raw bar is the natural starting point and it's one of the better ones in the city. The oysters are properly cold and rotated seasonally, and the shrimp cocktail is the kind of straightforward, properly chilled, snappy shrimp that reminds you why this dish exists. The New England clam chowder is thick and properly seasoned, with clams in every spoonful and a richness that doesn't tip into stodge, the kind of soup you eat slowly. The whole Dungeness crab is the showstopper order when it's available, cracked and ready to work through at the table, sweet and clean and enough for a proper shared occasion. The crab cakes are the other dish that keeps showing up in everyone's experience here, minimal filler, properly crusted, served with a good remoulade. For something more land-based the beef tenderloin is quietly excellent. The banana cream pie has been the dessert here seemingly forever and it holds up, a tall, cold slice with real banana flavor and a good pastry crust that closes things out cleanly. The oyster bar side of the restaurant takes walk-ins and is a more casual, lively way to experience Shaw's if you don't have a reservation for the dining room.
Food overall was acceptable, nothing special, the scallop was a bit salty and tiny. The complimentary sourdough bread they gave is pretty bad, it was cold and a bit too sour for my taste. Lobster bisque was ok, shrimp cocktail is so so as the shrimp texture is too solid. Portion wise is good for non American, service wise was distant but efficient. Atmosphere wise is quite good as it has the traditional American diner vibe.
