There's something about food from the ocean and other bodies of water that people are drawn to. Perhaps it's the seemingly endless variety of delicacies or maybe it's the brininess of each bite that evokes images of sandy beaches and radiant skies. For chefs, there are waves of opportunities to create diverse and complex dishes. Though Chicago is far from the East and West coasts, many places fly in fresh catch daily so the city is still home to some of best seafood restaurants in the country. Behold the city’s best options for oceanic delights. (Sushi, a culinary genre in its own right, is not included in this map. It has its own guide.)
Read MoreChicago’s Top Seafood Restaurants
Where to find the freshest catches in town
LeTour
The latest collaboration between Amy Morton and James Beard Award-winning chef Debbie Gold, LeTour offers plenty of fish options among its fusion of French and Moroccan fare. Nibble oysters on the half shell during weeknight happy hour then stay for dinner, which features sea bass crudo, mussels in spicy harissa broth, and seafood platters with lobster tails and snow crab claws.
Boston Fish Market
Head out to Des Plaines for a trove of fresh seafood. Folks can see the products for themselves as the restaurant also doubles as a fish market. The kitchen will prepare anything it sells and that includes a Greek- and Cajun-style lineup of shrimp, scallops, octopus, lobster, and various fishes. A second outpost is located in Wheeling.
Hagen's Fish Market
This legendary Northwest Side shop has both fresh and smoked seafood available for the home cook. They’ll smoke fish upon request. Crispy fried fish and shrimp are ordered by the pound, as are the smoked items — the barbecue salmon is a treat. There’s a fried pollock sandwich worth checking out.
Half Shell
It has the ambiance of a dive bar, but the food at Half Shell makes up for the environment. The Lakeview oyster bar has operated since 1968, providing diners with bivalves, king crab legs, soft shell crabs, and fish for less than what comparable places charge. During summertime, the front patio is a busy attraction. Bring some bills because it’s cash only.
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Hidden below ground level, this intimate Spanish-influenced restaurant in Lakeview captures the essence of seaside eating through coastal delights like seared sea scallops, boquerones, seafood fideos, and Basque cake. It’s won a Michelin Bib Gourmand Award every year since opening in 2014.
Brown Bag Seafood Co.
A great choice for customers who want a healthy lunch option, Brown Bag Seafood Co. has emerged as a reliable restaurant for satisfying fresh fish. With seven locations around Chicago, Brown Bag lets you build your own meal by choosing proteins like grilled salmon, seared tuna or their rotating daily catch served in tacos, with veggies and grains, or over salad. There are also fried options available for those who want a little crunchy indulgence.
Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop
Dirk and Terry Fucik have operated a gourmet fish shop in Lincoln Park for 20 years. Dirk’s Fish & Gourmet Shop expanded during the pandemic and it now offers a wider selection of groceries along with a full lunch menu including lobster rolls, crab cakes and shrimp tacos. Sign up for a BYOB cooking classes for inspiration on how to best use their fresh, seasonal fish.
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Ina Mae Tavern & Packaged Goods
Chef Brian Jupiter takes diners down to the bayou at this New Orleans-inspired corner store tavern. Drawing upon his heritage and recipes passed down from his grandmother, the Louisiana native delivers soul food rife with seafood. The fresh catch can be enjoyed blackened (salmon, shrimp) or fried (catfish, oysters, crawfish, shrimp). To sample a bit of each, order the seafood tower that is large enough to feed several people.
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The Angry Crab Wicker Park
Angry Crab was the restaurant that helped launch the Asian-influenced Cajun seafood boil trend in Chicago. Many have imitated the formula, where customers pick flavors, spice levels, and a type of seafood for their messy bagged feast. The original location closed in September 2023 on Lincoln Avenue, but the Wicker Park restaurant remains.
Azul
Located near the Salt Shed in Goose Island, Latin American spot Azul offers lovely views of the Chicago River. Menu options including huachinango (whole red snapper with veracruz sauce), lobster empanadas and cocktails by the pitcher. Spring brings the return of its rooftop and popular weekend brunch.
Alegrias Seafood Chicago
Mexican seafood — mariscos — has seen a spike in popularity over the past few years in Chicago. But let’s not lose sight that there’s a great tradition of mariscos restaurants in the city, particularly in West Town. Try one of the family platters with heaping portions of Nayarit-style stuffed lobster, prawns, and more. Also, fans of fried snapper should be ready to stuff their stomachs. Alegrias is BYO.
Big Star Mariscos
Seafood is the focus at Big Star’s West Town spinoff, which offers plenty of space indoors and on the patio. The menu from culinary director Chris Miller and executive chef Paul Kahan features both beer-battered and achiote-marinated tilapia tacos using handmade corn tortillas, plus tuna tostadas and a variety of ceviche. Visit during brunch for oyster shooters and a mezcal-cured salmon scramble. Order online through Toast.
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Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab has been a go-to spot for business dinner and special occasions for more than two decades. Florida stone crab claws cracked at the table and served with mustard sauce are the signature dish, but the restaurant offers a wide variety of fish ranging from Chicago classic Shrimp de Jonghe to miso-glazed Chilean sea bass. Everything is served by tuxedo-clad staff in a space that delivers old-school elegance. Make a reservation through OpenTable.
Shaw's Crab House
Lettuce Entertain You’s venerable crab house is still a standard bearer for pristine seafood more than three decades after opening. The space is split into a formal dining room and a lively oyster bar, where diners can crack into crab legs, lobster, and seasonal specials like fried soft shell crab and stone crab claws.
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RPM Seafood
This jewel by the Chicago River is a beautiful restaurant from giant Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises. It’s a place to be seen with gorgeous views of the Loop. But what about the food? The charcoal-grilled specialities are worth the hassle of downtown dining for locals. Ignited table side, the mixed seafood grill with octopus and blue prawn is both tasty and worth a social media snap.
Leña Brava
At Leña Brava, the flavors of Baja California come through on sustainably sourced seafood. It’s available in cold preparations – oysters, ceviche, aguachile – and as hot dishes that are cooked on an open hearth or wood-burning oven. The can’t-miss item is the whole Spanish branzino, which is served with avocado-tomatillo and habanero salsas. The beverage list highlights tequila and mezcal plus Baja wines.
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Bar Mar by José Andrés
José Andrés combines land and sea in one address, with Bazaar Meat upstairs and Bar Mar on the first floor. A giant octopus hangs above the main bar, which provides a perfect place to enjoy the view through the floor-to-ceiling windows while sharing snacks like cones stuffed with smoked hamachi and oysters on the half shell paired with a glass of Spanish wine. For larger bites, try the lobster roll or walleye pike with grilled gem lettuce.
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Lowcountry South Loop
Put on a bib and get ready for a Southern boil at Lowcountry. Diners order shrimp, snow crab, mussels, crawfish, or lobster tails by the pound, which are served in a bag with different sauces and add-ons like corn and sausage. It’s a communal experience that includes eating directly off the table. To finish, there are beignets and deep-fried Oreos.
Lawrence's Fish & Shrimp
Satisfy those late-night cravings with fried seafood at this 24-hour spot. Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp has fried up crispy shrimp, fish, oysters, scallops, clam strips, and more since 1950, and still uses the original family hot sauce recipe. The restaurant has a dock behind the building to cater to boaters and kayakers and rents a pontoon for cruising down the Chicago River.
Two Fish Crab Shack
Two Fish has accrued a loyal following in Bronzeville where it delivers its own spin on bagged seafood. There are no plates or utensils offered, so don a bib and prepare to get messy by digging into lobster, crab, shrimp, crawfish and mussels coated with jerk, lemon pepper or garlic butter sauces. The BYOB spot also serves fried bites including oysters and catfish daily and grilled lobster and oysters on Saturdays.
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Daisy's Po-Boy and Tavern
James Beard Award-winner Erick Williams brings a taste of New Orleans to Hyde Park with Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern. The namesake sandwiches are made with barbecued gulf shrimp, fried oysters or catfish with Cajun slaw, and diners can also warm up with a bowl of gumbo featuring crab, shrimp and andouille sausage. Embrace the Big Easy vibe with a frozen hurricane or strawberry margarita made with jalapeno-infused tequila.
Calumet Fisheries
This Chicago landmark dates back to 1948. Visit the southern city limits for seafood that’s smoked on site in a roadside shack. There’s limited seating, so prepare to eat outside or in the car. But it’s a small price to pay to try the James Beard-recognized selection of shrimp, sable, salmon, herring, trout, and whitefish.
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Asador Bastian
Asador Bastian, from the husband-and-wife duo of Doug Psaltis and Hsing Chen, is one of Chicago’s biggest restaurants openings of 2023, a two-level Spanish restaurant that imports beef and seafood from Spain. The dimly lit space sports exceptional service, and while the “boutique” beef grabs headlines, the fish is just as delicious. Look for specials, but the core menu includes greats like sole amandine and turbot, all expertly prepped with a hint of smoke from the grill.
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Diego
Executive chef Stephen Sandoval’s take on Baja mariscos has proven so popular that what was meant to be a six-month pop-up at Soho House has been extended to January 2023. Sandoval has since left the club and opened a bar, called Diego, which incorporates some of the same raw fare and wood-fired seafood with dishes including oysters with cantaloupe mignonette, beer-battered cod tacos and octopus skewers with chimichurri. The drink menu from Danielle Lewis (Boka) builds on the Latin flavors with micheladas and Mexican beer and wine. It’s not a “dive bar,” but it’s a fun spot and a prelude to Sandoval’s upcoming full-service restaurant.