Shaw's Crab House

July 25, 2009 My wife and I dined at Shaw?s Crab House Sat night, and it was fantastic. We have eaten out at a lot of seafood restaurants, and we can honestly say that Shaw?s (either Chicago or Schaumburg) still has it going on, and is top of our list for consistent, quality seafood and shellfish. The food is always prepared right, with great service, and the dining room is comfortable, where you can relax and enjoy your meal. Here was our dinner/all worthy selections: Start with their hand-shucked dozen assortment of oysters (Chicago Magazine just voted ?the best? oysters), then their famous jumbo lump crabmeat crabcake (North Shore magazine voted ?best crabcake?), then their wonderful Lobster Bisque soup, then split an order of their steamed Alaskan King Crab legs with side of melted butter, then try the in-season special, three delicious soft shell crabs saut?ed in lemon, garlic butter, all with great veggie sides, and end it all with Key Lime Pie and Homers Peppermint Ice Cream with Hot Fudge sauce. Hot Intelligentsia coffee drinks and specialty tea capped it all off, and we were very happy. Shaw?s has the seafood dining experience down to a perfect science.

Pros: Shellfish, seafood, service

The 4-6 1/2 oyster special is one of the best Ive ever been to in any city. Very good atmosphere and attentive, excellent service. Great raw bar with chalkboard specials for fish in season. Front dining room is very classy and very nice bar too. Def. worth your time.

Pros: Oyster happy hour special, raw bar, nice bar in front

Cons: Premium drink prices

This is one of my go-to late afternoon lunch spots downtown. Nothing better, in my opinion, on a cold winter late afternoon than a bottle of white wine, a dozen oysters and a bowl of lobster bisque. Love it.

Cannot wait to go back.

Pros: Great food, casual scene, great service

Cons: Mmmm ...

We went to Shaws twice during our 5 day stay in Chicago and loved it. The oyster menu has some of my favorite Northwest oysters, including the Kusshi from BC. The prices are average at $13/dozen. They had just received some bay scallops from Nantucket and we thought they were very good, albeit xpensive at $34 for the entree. We also tried the spicy crab/salmon roll covered with thinly sliced lemons. It was very tasty. Overall the atmosphere is relaxed and the bartenders are very friendly and know their stuff. I'd definitley go there again.

Pros: fresh PNW oysters and other great sushi

Cons: None that I could see

Shaw's, which is just down the street from the Billy Goat Tavern, has a dual personality. The main restaurant brims with old-fashioned ambience: muted lighting, wood accents, etc., and is plenty respectable for a dinner with mom or grandma. A power meal with the boss would work here, too. But if mom, grandma, or your boss is a drinker or cusser, then you want the other half of Shaw's, which is the adjacent oyster bar. Most recently, I ate at the oyster bar, which I prefer for the relaxed atmosphere. (The patrons tend to be more relaxed and convivial as well.) I went late (9pm), so I can't attest to the crowds. The bartender was solicitous to a fault. In addition to all the conventional fresh seafood in this place (the daily catch -- both fish and shellfish -- is posted on the wall), they have sushi, which is like having a second menu of appetizers. I had a dozen oysters and some sushi, chased with a beer (OK two) and a shot. The bartender helped me select oysters that I like (sweet and plump, not too briny) which on this occasion were the PEIs from Canada. They were delicious, though I was a bit disappointed with their size -- I used to think this was a seasonal thing, but an oysterman in Seattle once explained to me that it has more to do with who the restaurant buys its oysters from. I also like an oyster bar that gives a baker's dozen; this one does not. The sushi was very good and fresh, and the rice had the right su mixture (the sweet vinegar mixture that is folded into the rice). Drinks are pricey, but nothing unexpected for an old-time downtown seafood house. Good place for a date. If you want a more down-to-earth seafood house, head for the Half Shell on Diversey.

Pros: oyster bar, solicitous service

Cons: a bit pricey

On our first night in Chicago, I wanted to surprise my boyfriend with a nice seafood dinner. We arrived at Shaws and sat at the bar to wait for our table (Make reservations - even with reservations, we had a 10 min. wait) We each ordered a Goose Island beer -- the ta came out at $22 -- are you serious?! For two local beers - we already were worried.

We were presented with a corner table with only one table about a foot away from us. The layout of the restaurant isn't the best - the tables are too close together for comfort. About 10 minutes into dinner the "pride" of Chicago walked in and were sat next to us. For the rest of our dinner we had to hear these three individuals swear, sing, yell and be very condescending to the waitress. Quite honestly, it ruined dinner and we knew we had no chance of being reseated.

On the positive side, our server Lindy was delight. She was very knowledgeable of the dishes and really took care of us. The food was average - I think a little too expensive for the prices. My boyfriend had Pike while I had the house specialty Alaskan King Crab Legs. We split a scalloped potato side which was horrible. The fish was ok.

I don't recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for a romantic dinner. Quite honestly, we went to Hugo's Frog House the next evening and had an excellent dinner for about the same price. It was a shame that the food didn't trump the annoying company we had next door to us....

Pros: great service all around

Cons: tables too close together - feels stuffy, food average and overpriced

I always eat and drink in the Oyster Bar. The service is professional, knowledgeable, and can always recommend something delicious to eat or drink. I've never had to wait longer than 20 min for a table or for food, so if you're in a rush, eat in the Oyster Bar. I love the crunchy BBQ eel rolls, I seriously recommend them!

Pros: valet, great food, friendly service

Cons: busy

We went to Shaw's Crab House to celebrate our anniversary after 20 years away from the US (fortunately, we live in Australia and my partner is an Australian). We got our reservation a few days before our Saturday night dinner, arrived on time, and were seated within 10 minutes. After great drinks service we ordered chowders to start and lobster for our main meal. We were both shocked and delighted to receive the bibs seen in all the movies. The food was great, the drinks were great (although better Australian wines could be chosen) and the service was fantastic. We decided on coffee, and the waitress brought out complementary key lime pie to celebrate our anniversary. It was fantastic.

For all of those who think Shaw's is expensive, try dining out in Paris, London, or Sydney. We found our bill was about $US 150 for two -- but two people having ALL of the best we could order. With good ambience and great service, what more could you want? We are definitely going back in June 2008 to meet with US friends to celebrate a significant birthday. Well done Shaw's!

Pros: Food, drink, ambience, price, service

Cons: Busy on a Saturday night -- but this good a restaurant will be!

shaw's crab house in schaumburg, il. first off, the place was too dim and too loud.. i felt like i was in some club rather than a restaurant. secondly, they burnt all of our steaks. last, but certainly not least, service was okay throughout the night, until our server had to ruin it all. we finished our dinner, paid, and left tip on the table. right before we stepped out of the door, our server had the nerve to stop us and ask for his tip. i guess he didn't check the table. despite that, gratuity is certainly optional and no server should bombard customers for money. you best believe i will never step foot in that restaurant again

Pros: nothing

Cons: everything

Ate at Shaw's last Sat. night . Place was very busy but fun. We were a party of 8 and had to wait for a table and ended up eating in the Oyster Bar . Not at all unpleasant as it was busy and a fun place to be.
The food was outstanding but even better was the service. Armando , our waiter , was outstanding. He along with the great food made the trip from Michigan well worth it. Can't wait to come back .

Pros: Great ambience , outstanding service .

Cons: Parking !

Forget the food. Go just to see the managers! The wine sommelier is hot in a James Bond kind of way. The manager that works the dining room has that teddy bear thing going; oh so cuddly. And don't forget their GM. Talk about hot and funny! Ask for him!

By the way, the food is good too. Try the BBQ eel maki or maybe a halibut filet. Always sit in the Oyster Bar if you can. More casual, not too stuffy. Dining room staff can be a bit catty when pushed the wrong way.

Pros: Hot managers

Cons: $$$

My wife and I stopped in for a quick lunch bite and were blown away by the delicious King Crab appetizer, dynamite chowder, and mind-blowing lobster sandwich. Has a really cool old school ambience without coming off as stuffy, and the thickest hand towels of all time in the bathroom. Awesome.

Pros: Cool atmosphere, delicious food

Cons: Expensive

This past sunday a few friends of mine were in from Boston and we wanted to grab some seafood, and relax. Having been a fan in the past I thought that it could be a great place to take the easterners. We decided to sit in the oyster bar and it definitly did not dissapoint. There was a quartet playing in the corner ,which turned out to be very nice.(I hate it when the music is so loud that you can't hear the person sitting next to you at dinner.) Ever since the Boston days I just love oysters and we started out with the sampler platter of oysters. We then quickly moved on to the main course. My friends did the family style crab dinner. It turned out to be a good amount of crab for the price,$39pp. THough the waiter forgot my salad he was more than gracious in his error an it didn't ruin the dinner at all. After all was said and done, a great place to spend a Sunday night out for dinner.

Pros: Great place to spend sunday night, great oysters

Cons: can get pricey

My girlfriend and I went to Shaw's because i have heard from others that they have the best crab legs in town. We weren't disappointed. Reservations were made for 6pm on a Saturday. We arrived on time and was seated immediately. The concierge offered to check in our coat for us which i thought was a nice touch. I can tell they wanted us to know we'll be taken care of at Shaw's. The waiter was very knowledgeable of the menu, very polite and did a fabulous job. The food was incredible. We both ordered the Alaskan king crab. The sizes of these legs were so huge and delicious. We both felt we have eaten the best crab ever in our lives. I definitely got my moneys worth. Hands down the best in the city, if not the entire Midwest. I highly recommend Shaw's Crab House for its fresh food and excellent service.

Pros: Best Fresh Seafood

I went to Shaw's over Labor Day weekend to celebrate my sister's birthday. We were promptly greeted and although we arrived 20 minutes before our reservation, they seated us almost immediately. We had a very nice and knowledgeable waiter, who was attentive, but didn't rush us through our meal. The food was very good. I particularly enjoyed the blue crab that was stuffed in a lobster. And the homemade raspberry pie with vanilla ice cream was excellent! My sister ordered the peach and bluberry cobbler and they brought it to her on a plate that had "Happy Birthday" written on it in chocolate. The waiter said it was on the house. We thought that was a nice touch. We really enoyed the dinner and would definitely recommend it for great seafood. I know I'll be going back!

Shaw's needs to get smaller serving trays for their cold seafood appetizer plate. My date ordered the appetizer plate for 2 and it was so sad. The shrimp and crab claws were the smallest I've ever been served. The sections of king crab legs were a joke. The only acceptable item on the platter was the oysters. We asked the server to make sure that this was indeed for 2 people!
I have been to Shaw's several times and have enjoyed the food and service. Something has definately gone wrong.

Pros: Atmosphere

Cons: Food

We've been to Shaw's (Chicago) and SHaw's (Shaumberg) a number of times each. In Shaumberg we seem to get fairly consitant meals that are prepared and taste decent. While in Chicago it seems that they always seem to overcook everything.

Now granted...the dishes at Shaw's aren't over the top and shouldn't be described as fine cuisine by any stretch. But they do have a decent meal for a good price, if you aren't drinking. Shaw's has actually become a stand by of mine for a decent meal out. But I won't be going out of my way to make it to the Chicago location. Overcooked seafood and some of the worst service I've had in the city.

Ther are far to many other places to go>>> Heck...go to Shaumberg if you have a taste for Shaw's

Happy eating,
dan

Cons: overcooked seafood, rude wait staff, poor service

Don't mind paying for food when its good but mix it with cold, slow service and it becomes a problem.

Pros: awesome oysters

Cons: bad service

Waitress was haughty (probably a college student who felt waiting tables was beneath her superior intelligence). Busboys hovered over and stared like vultures, pouncing on our plates before we had finished our meals. Also, scraping off the table while we were still eating, as if to say, we were too messy. Very rude! Their signature rice tasted mushy and as though they used stale curry for seasoning. Very blah. As far as quality, I've had much better seafood at Red Lobster, no joke. The prices are OUTRAGEOUS considering everything was alacarte. An underpaid staff and an overpriced menu give rise to overstuffed wallets to some underdeserving restaurateurs. I guess it survives on reputation alone. Anyone who thinks it's a good place to eat belongs in the book, The Emperor's New Clothes. I've never filled out a restaurant survey before but felt so strongly disappointed in Shaw's I felt compelled.

Pros: music, leaving

Cons: service, quality, price

I have been going to Shaw's for years. I have eaten in the oyster bar and more formal dining room many times. Took a friend of 25 years to the best seafood restraurant I know in Chicago on Sunday night. Food was great, the jazz combo was great, the cocktails would have made my mother proud, but the service was lousy.....Didn't see a waiter for ten minutes, took 20 minutes to get the oysters, I had to find the waiter to have our order taken, and then had to prompt for the check. Boy was I embarassed, go for the food, cocktails and ambience, but don't expect much from the waitstaff. It will be a while before I go back.....

Pros: great food, ambience, coctails

Cons: service, service , service

The prices were extremely high for what you got. Soft shell crabs were great but not worth the $13 per very small, skinny crab. Seating was horrable. It was 5:30pm and they didn't open any of the dining rooms. We asked for non-smoking and they sat us in the 'bar' table area. We were only a few feet from the actual bar. The smoke freely wafted over the few feet to our table. THAT MADE ME MAD! I wont be back for that one reason! For 2 people our tab was nearly $70 w/o any of the marked-up wine. The seafood bisque was good but had too much tomato sauce in it. There are many other places that are better for a nice seafood dinner!

Pros: soft shell crabs

Cons: expensive, seating (see review), high wine mark-up

First restaurant eating in Chicago. Disappointed by the service and slightly overcooked lobster. Expected to melt in my mouth, had to chew a little on the lobster meat. Waiter forgot our seafood bisque soups until after entrees were served. However manager Comp'ed the soups. Dessert was the best part. Also noticed different service was applied to the next table with older people.

Pros: location

shaw's is unmatched with the freshness of their fish and seafood. the thing that puts them above other seafood restaurants in chicago is that they filet your fish to order. it isn't already cut up sitting there losing flavor. try the king salmon. the best i have ever had. even better than when i was in seattle!!!!!!

Pros: fish, seafood, freshness

Cons: service can be slow

The food is generally pretty fresh, but the portions are rather small in proportion to the price charged. Much better for lunch than dinner.

Pros: Fresh fish, Atmosphere, Conversation-friendly

Cons: Price to value, Portions

Outstanding experience last night. Fresh oysters in the fun Blue Crab Lounge were a great start. The king crab was excellent. The servers were well versed on the menu items. Great Food, Great Wine, Great time.

Pros: Great Service, Comfortable Environme

Been to Shaws several times while in town on business, all before I moved here. Being from Maryland, I consider myself a qualified expert on seafood and I found Shaws to be completely lacking. The food is fresh, but these guys act like they have never heard of seasoning. I was especially disappointed by the "Maryland Style" crab cakes. Shaws are broiled! A true Maryland style Crabcake is pan fried with generous amounts of red pepper and old bay seasoning.

Pros: Location, comfortable

Cons: Food lacks pizaz!

I've been to Shaw's on 4 other occassions and have always been impressed with the food and the service. On my 5th visit, we were seated 45 minutes after our reservation on a Saturday night. At first service was prompt, but the wait time between our fresh oyster appetizers and our entrees was about 45 minutes. I ordered the Alaskan King Crabs, as always, and they were served cold with a side of mayonnaise. In past visits, they have always been served steamed with a side of drawn butter. I had to wait another 10-15 minutes for a new entree of STEAMED crab legs. I ordered a 2nd glass of wine (when our waiter FINALLY showed up to ask about our meals) and it took 15 minutes to arrive. Service on the weeknights (including Fridays) is much better.

Pros: Very Tasty

Cons: Wait is LONG, Pricey

I've been hearing about Shaw's for years, and was looking forward to my visit, but left disappointed. While I liked the atmosphere, the food and service were both below par. The crab cake was very good, but everything else was just average, and the service was definitely below average for fine dining. Seafood gumbo- only a few small pieces of fish to be found. The scallops were small and not the best. The steak was average, and the king crab legs were good, but not extraordinary. Overall, I was very underwhelmed.

Pros: location, decor

Cons: average food, poor service

Excellent is the word that comes to mind when I think of Shaw's. The food is freash, and the atmosphere is great-whether you chose the more elegant dining side, or the fun and happening bar side.

Bob Chinn's number one? Are you nuts? This is the only place I'll eat oysters in Chicago, and their fish is the best. Everything is the best here. Don't miss Luis and Arturo, the bartenders on the Blue Crab Lounge side.
It ain't cheap, but you definitely get what you are paying for.

Three words. Lobster. Lobster. Lobster. Followed by: Money. Money. Money. My husband and I ate delicious Austrailian lobster and ordered a 5 pounder, with other dishes, broke our bank for the month, but it was worth every penny.

I know this is a trap because I, for some reason, went back a second time. I can safely say I had my worst Lobster experience here. And my second-to-worst Lobster experience was also here. The clincher, I paid more for the lobster than most any other place I have visited. The lobster was small, rubbery and just lacking in flavor. The service can fool you. The knowledegable waitstaff will impress with their menu descriptions -- but don't wait for them to come back around. Order everything at once because odds are you will only see them twice -- first for the order, then for the bill.

Pros: beautiful reastaurant

Cons: service, food, price

The clam chowder was full of flavor and very good. It's probably the best I've had in a long time. The service was just OK, with lots of room for improvement in the smile department.

We tried Shaw's for the first time and found it to not live up to all of the rave ratings. The service was extremely poor, which is unacceptable for food that expensive. The food was okay but certainly not worth the prices charged. We've had much better for much less. The wine list is overpriced; the wines by the glass are limited. Not an experience we care to repeat and certainly not a good value for the money spent.

Pros: valet parking, atmosphere

Cons: price, service, value