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Swift & Sons’ Cold Platter
Boka Restaurant Group

Chicago’s 15 Top Spots For Sterling Seafood Towers

Where to find the city’s freshest raw bar selections

by Kat Odell
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Swift & Sons’ Cold Platter
| Boka Restaurant Group
by Kat Odell

The summer sun brings a renewed interest in chilled foods, and one of the best ways to fill up while cooling off is via raw bar options and seafood towers. And luckily, Chicago is rich in both. From Maude’s and Bavette’s sophisticated presentations, to the luxe towers by RPM Steak, below a guide to the city’s most prized chilled ocean animal offerings.

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Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House

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Steakhouse Del Frisco’s Shellfish Plateau is arranged to feed two or more guests, with the market price ranging between $95 to $100. The assortment includes about one pound of Alaskan King Crab legs, six shrimp, and four pieces of chilled crab claws. Cocktail sauce and mustard sauce land on the side, and guests can add on a chilled lobster cocktail for $18 or Jumbo Lump Crab Louie for $16.

58 E Oak St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 888-2499
(312) 888-2499
Del Frisco's

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Margeaux Brasserie

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Celeb chef Michael Mina’s Parisian-inspired Margeaux Brasserie within the Waldorf Astoria serves The Grand Shellfish Tower during both brunch and dinner. The $149 ocean animal collection is built for four to six guests, and involves 12 oysters, 12 shrimp, Prince Edward Island mussels escabeche, chilled Maine lobster thermidor, and Alaskan king crab salad paired with three sauces (gin cocktail, avocado green goddess, and house mignonette) for dipping.

11 E Walton St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 625-1324
(312) 625-1324
Margeaux Brasserie

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Devon Seafood Grill

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Grab a seat at the upstairs oyster bar within aquatic-leaning Devon Seafood Grill for two chilled shellfish platter options. The $55 arrangement suits two to three guests, while the $98 engagement involves more for four to six. Expect to score shrimp cocktail, oysters, lobster claws, king crab legs, roasted tomato cocktail sauce, and white balsamic mignonette.

39 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 440-8660
(312) 440-8660
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Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar

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As its name suggests, Chicago’s first caviar bar hinges on eggs from the sea. In addition to a wide-spanning selection from Golden Osetra to wild Illinois Hackleback, the eatery also offers preserved fish and a handful of oyster options. Typically $4 a pop, drop in on Mondays for the $28 Red Lobster-inspired all-you-can-eat special from 4 to 9:30 p.m.

2700 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 661-9577
(773) 661-9577
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar

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GT Prime Steakhouse

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Boka Restaurant Group’s contemporary steakhouse helmed by chef Giuseppe Tentori offers a bunch of chilled seafood options, like wasabi tobiko scallop ceviche and jumbo shrimp with beer mustard. The single seafood tower, which hit the menu four months ago, run $150 and includes a pound of Maine lobster, half a pound of Alaskan king crab, six shrimp, six East Coast oysters, two ounces of tuna tartare, and two ounces of scallop ceviche.

707 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 600-6305
(312) 600-6305
Boka Restaurant Group

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Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

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Miami export and stone crab enthusiast Joe’s goes big with The Whale, a seafood tower assortment priced $27 per person. Each human nabs one shrimp cocktail, two ounces of shrimp and scallop ceviche, two ounces of king crab and half a lobster tail. Old Bay corn chips, cocktail sauce, drawn butter and lemon wedges on the side.

60 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 379-5637
(312) 379-5637
Anjali Pinto

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GT Fish & Oyster

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Boka Restaurant Group’s GT Fish & Oyster specializes in all things raw. On the menu since day one (back in March 2011), chef Giuseppe Tentori organizes a $125 seafood tower stocked with one pound of Maine lobster, two ounces of king crab, two large shrimp, three snow crab claws, four mussels, six East Coast oysters, two clams, plus tuna ceviche. But there’s also a bunch of other chilled options, like tuna poke, hamachi crudo, and shrimp cocktail.

531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 929-3501
(312) 929-3501
Eric Kleinberg

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Shaw's Crab House

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Classically-styled seafood seller Shaw’s Crab House assembles two seafood platters that serve four to five guests, one hot, one cold. The Grand Hot Shellfish Platter comes with calamari, mini Crab Cakes, fried oysters, oysters Rockefeller, Alaskan red king crab bites, and steamed lobster tails for $85. The Grand Cold Shellfish Platter is stocked with Maine lobster tails, oysters, jumbo shrimp cocktail, Alaskan red king crab bites, and blue crab fingers for $90.

21 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-2722
(312) 527-2722
Christina Slaton

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RPM Steak

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Surf and turf staple RPM Steak’s Grand Seafood Platter is one to behold. For $155 patrons nab a two-tier silver tower with a half dozen oysters plus mignonette (currently serving Clevedon Coast oysters), tiger prawns, half a pound of Alaskan King Crab legs, and a whole lobster. The kit and caboodle comes with drawn butter, classic cocktail sauce, and wasabi-mustard mayo. Protip: A smaller lunch version is offered Monday through Friday for $78.

66 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 284-4990
(312) 284-4990
John Stoffer

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Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

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Hogsalt Hospitality’s French-accented sultry steakhouse Bavette’s offers pretty much the same raw bar options as its Parisian bistro Maude’s not too far away, minus à la carte shrimp cocktail. Which means that patrons can prick between three Chilled Seafood Plateaux options — $125, $165, and $175 — plus lobster cocktail, and king crab as singular orders. In terms of towers, the most comprehensive, of course, is the $175 option, which includes a dozen of each East and West coast oysters, two ounces of cured Scottish salmon ceviche with espelette and pickled Serrano peppers, a dozen shrimp cocktail, half a pound of Stonington Maine lobster, one pound of Alaskan king crab legs, plus cocktail sauces: mignonette, Dijon mustard aioli, and clarified butter.

218 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 624-8154
(312) 624-8154
Tara White

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Cold Storage

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Boka Restaurant Group’s chilled seafood locker Cold Storage lives up to its name, with a number of raw bar options and shellfish towers. Patrons can order little neck clams and scallop ceviche individually, or go whole hog with a tower priced at $20, $40, or $75. The largest of the bunch is studded with three oysters, marinated mussels, three shrimp, three ounces of king crab, scallops, half a lobster and a rotating seasonal item.

1000 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 638-6280
(312) 638-6280
Boka Restaurant Group

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Swift & Sons

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Chef Chris Pandel over at Boka Restaurant Group’s sleek seafood and steak specialist Swift & Sons prices his seafood power per person. The cost is $32 a head and comes with shrimp cocktail, mussels, bay scallop leche de tigre, king crab, and oysters.

1000 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-9420
(312) 733-9420
Boka Restaurant Group

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Flight Club

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Newly-minted dart bar Flight Club hit town with the Queen’s Castle seafood tower. Think 12 oysters, 12 shrimp, one pound of king crab, one pound of lobster, plus seafood salad with fisherman’s toast. Chef Rick Gresh is behind the collection, which runs $125.

111 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 284-2474
(312) 284-2474
Flight Club

Maude's Liquor Bar

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Beloved West Loop Parisian bistro Maude’s, by Hogsalt Hospitality, offers one of the city’s most prized and vast seafood tower selections. The Plateau de Fruits de Mer options come in three tiers—$125, $165, and $175—with shrimp cocktail, lobster cocktail, and king crab available à la carte. The grandest of affairs is the Maude’s Tower, equipped with a dozen of each East and West coast oysters, two ounces of cured Scottish salmon ceviche with espelette and pickled Serrano peppers, a dozen shrimp cocktail, half a pound of Stonington Maine lobster, one pound of Alaskan king crab legs, plus cocktail sauces: mignonette, Dijon mustard aioli, and clarified butter.

840 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 243-9712
(312) 243-9712
Tara White

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Dusek's Board & Beer

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Michelin-starred gastropub Dusek’s has a $160 seafood tower, but you’ve got to pre-order it 48 hours in advance. Chef Michael Galen will then assemble a rotating selection of 12 oysters, six little neck clams, a pound of mussels (cooked then marinated in olive oil, lemon zest, beer vinegar, tossed in chives), six ounces of crab legs, about a pound of lobster, six shrimp cooked in Port bouillon, three ounces of hamachi crudo with rhubarb jam and red onion, plus drawn butter, cocktail sauce, Dijonaise and saison beer mignonette.

1227 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 526-3851
(312) 526-3851
Dusek's Board & Beer

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Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House

58 E Oak St, Chicago, IL 60611

Steakhouse Del Frisco’s Shellfish Plateau is arranged to feed two or more guests, with the market price ranging between $95 to $100. The assortment includes about one pound of Alaskan King Crab legs, six shrimp, and four pieces of chilled crab claws. Cocktail sauce and mustard sauce land on the side, and guests can add on a chilled lobster cocktail for $18 or Jumbo Lump Crab Louie for $16.

58 E Oak St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 888-2499
(312) 888-2499
Del Frisco's

Margeaux Brasserie

11 E Walton St, Chicago, IL 60611

Celeb chef Michael Mina’s Parisian-inspired Margeaux Brasserie within the Waldorf Astoria serves The Grand Shellfish Tower during both brunch and dinner. The $149 ocean animal collection is built for four to six guests, and involves 12 oysters, 12 shrimp, Prince Edward Island mussels escabeche, chilled Maine lobster thermidor, and Alaskan king crab salad paired with three sauces (gin cocktail, avocado green goddess, and house mignonette) for dipping.

11 E Walton St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 625-1324
(312) 625-1324
Margeaux Brasserie

Devon Seafood Grill

39 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Grab a seat at the upstairs oyster bar within aquatic-leaning Devon Seafood Grill for two chilled shellfish platter options. The $55 arrangement suits two to three guests, while the $98 engagement involves more for four to six. Expect to score shrimp cocktail, oysters, lobster claws, king crab legs, roasted tomato cocktail sauce, and white balsamic mignonette.

39 E Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 440-8660
(312) 440-8660
Facebook

Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar

2700 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

As its name suggests, Chicago’s first caviar bar hinges on eggs from the sea. In addition to a wide-spanning selection from Golden Osetra to wild Illinois Hackleback, the eatery also offers preserved fish and a handful of oyster options. Typically $4 a pop, drop in on Mondays for the $28 Red Lobster-inspired all-you-can-eat special from 4 to 9:30 p.m.

2700 W Chicago Ave, Chicago, IL 60622
(773) 661-9577
(773) 661-9577
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar

GT Prime Steakhouse

707 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654

Boka Restaurant Group’s contemporary steakhouse helmed by chef Giuseppe Tentori offers a bunch of chilled seafood options, like wasabi tobiko scallop ceviche and jumbo shrimp with beer mustard. The single seafood tower, which hit the menu four months ago, run $150 and includes a pound of Maine lobster, half a pound of Alaskan king crab, six shrimp, six East Coast oysters, two ounces of tuna tartare, and two ounces of scallop ceviche.

707 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 600-6305
(312) 600-6305
Boka Restaurant Group

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

60 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611

Miami export and stone crab enthusiast Joe’s goes big with The Whale, a seafood tower assortment priced $27 per person. Each human nabs one shrimp cocktail, two ounces of shrimp and scallop ceviche, two ounces of king crab and half a lobster tail. Old Bay corn chips, cocktail sauce, drawn butter and lemon wedges on the side.

60 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 379-5637
(312) 379-5637
Anjali Pinto

GT Fish & Oyster

531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654

Boka Restaurant Group’s GT Fish & Oyster specializes in all things raw. On the menu since day one (back in March 2011), chef Giuseppe Tentori organizes a $125 seafood tower stocked with one pound of Maine lobster, two ounces of king crab, two large shrimp, three snow crab claws, four mussels, six East Coast oysters, two clams, plus tuna ceviche. But there’s also a bunch of other chilled options, like tuna poke, hamachi crudo, and shrimp cocktail.

531 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 929-3501
(312) 929-3501
Eric Kleinberg

Shaw's Crab House

21 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60611

Classically-styled seafood seller Shaw’s Crab House assembles two seafood platters that serve four to five guests, one hot, one cold. The Grand Hot Shellfish Platter comes with calamari, mini Crab Cakes, fried oysters, oysters Rockefeller, Alaskan red king crab bites, and steamed lobster tails for $85. The Grand Cold Shellfish Platter is stocked with Maine lobster tails, oysters, jumbo shrimp cocktail, Alaskan red king crab bites, and blue crab fingers for $90.

21 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 527-2722
(312) 527-2722
Christina Slaton

RPM Steak

66 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Surf and turf staple RPM Steak’s Grand Seafood Platter is one to behold. For $155 patrons nab a two-tier silver tower with a half dozen oysters plus mignonette (currently serving Clevedon Coast oysters), tiger prawns, half a pound of Alaskan King Crab legs, and a whole lobster. The kit and caboodle comes with drawn butter, classic cocktail sauce, and wasabi-mustard mayo. Protip: A smaller lunch version is offered Monday through Friday for $78.

66 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 284-4990
(312) 284-4990
John Stoffer

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

218 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Hogsalt Hospitality’s French-accented sultry steakhouse Bavette’s offers pretty much the same raw bar options as its Parisian bistro Maude’s not too far away, minus à la carte shrimp cocktail. Which means that patrons can prick between three Chilled Seafood Plateaux options — $125, $165, and $175 — plus lobster cocktail, and king crab as singular orders. In terms of towers, the most comprehensive, of course, is the $175 option, which includes a dozen of each East and West coast oysters, two ounces of cured Scottish salmon ceviche with espelette and pickled Serrano peppers, a dozen shrimp cocktail, half a pound of Stonington Maine lobster, one pound of Alaskan king crab legs, plus cocktail sauces: mignonette, Dijon mustard aioli, and clarified butter.

218 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654
(312) 624-8154
(312) 624-8154
Tara White

Cold Storage

1000 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Boka Restaurant Group’s chilled seafood locker Cold Storage lives up to its name, with a number of raw bar options and shellfish towers. Patrons can order little neck clams and scallop ceviche individually, or go whole hog with a tower priced at $20, $40, or $75. The largest of the bunch is studded with three oysters, marinated mussels, three shrimp, three ounces of king crab, scallops, half a lobster and a rotating seasonal item.

1000 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 638-6280
(312) 638-6280
Boka Restaurant Group

Swift & Sons

1000 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

Chef Chris Pandel over at Boka Restaurant Group’s sleek seafood and steak specialist Swift & Sons prices his seafood power per person. The cost is $32 a head and comes with shrimp cocktail, mussels, bay scallop leche de tigre, king crab, and oysters.

1000 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 733-9420
(312) 733-9420
Boka Restaurant Group

Flight Club

111 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601

Newly-minted dart bar Flight Club hit town with the Queen’s Castle seafood tower. Think 12 oysters, 12 shrimp, one pound of king crab, one pound of lobster, plus seafood salad with fisherman’s toast. Chef Rick Gresh is behind the collection, which runs $125.

111 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 284-2474
(312) 284-2474
Flight Club

Maude's Liquor Bar

840 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607

Beloved West Loop Parisian bistro Maude’s, by Hogsalt Hospitality, offers one of the city’s most prized and vast seafood tower selections. The Plateau de Fruits de Mer options come in three tiers—$125, $165, and $175—with shrimp cocktail, lobster cocktail, and king crab available à la carte. The grandest of affairs is the Maude’s Tower, equipped with a dozen of each East and West coast oysters, two ounces of cured Scottish salmon ceviche with espelette and pickled Serrano peppers, a dozen shrimp cocktail, half a pound of Stonington Maine lobster, one pound of Alaskan king crab legs, plus cocktail sauces: mignonette, Dijon mustard aioli, and clarified butter.

840 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60607
(312) 243-9712
(312) 243-9712
Tara White

Dusek's Board & Beer

1227 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Michelin-starred gastropub Dusek’s has a $160 seafood tower, but you’ve got to pre-order it 48 hours in advance. Chef Michael Galen will then assemble a rotating selection of 12 oysters, six little neck clams, a pound of mussels (cooked then marinated in olive oil, lemon zest, beer vinegar, tossed in chives), six ounces of crab legs, about a pound of lobster, six shrimp cooked in Port bouillon, three ounces of hamachi crudo with rhubarb jam and red onion, plus drawn butter, cocktail sauce, Dijonaise and saison beer mignonette.

1227 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
(312) 526-3851
(312) 526-3851
Dusek's Board & Beer

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