Shaw's Crab House

My husband and I have been going here for dinner & happy hour for several years. My initial thought was that it might be a hodgy-podgy stuffy place (w/ the retro feel of the place) but I was quickly proven wrong. From the hostess, to the bartenders, to the waitstaff, everyone is friendly, knowledgeable and gracious. Attire ranges the gambit from casual to date night dressy and ages range from young love birds to families to "more mature" clientele! :) I came to like it so much I hosted my husbands 50th bday party here for about 50-70 guests. Again, from the beginning to the end, the event coordinator (Jason at the time) was thorough and professional. We reserved the 2nd floor party room w/ private bar & everythinge was just perfect! I even requested a certain bartender & he accomodated! He checked in throughout the evening of the party and the next business day he followed up to see if we were satisfied. When I mentioned that my husband & I had such a great time, we didn't even have a chance to eat, he immediately offered to make it up to us! It was by no means their fault that time got away from us! He enolled us in the Frequent Diner program & gave us credit for the $ spent on the party! That enabled us to visit more frequently and even turned our friends on to this place! We have since discovered that this place CONSISTENTLY offers fresh seafood, perfect steaks and THE best brunch in the area, not to mention the ambiance & service! When in season, the stuffed flounder is TO KILL FOR!!! and the Bananas Foster French Toast on the Sunday brunch menu is equally memorable! The martinis are perfect for listening to the Jazzy music at the bar and the wine list offers a great selection of reds, whites, & after dinner drinks (no headaches from this wine selection!). Even the washrooms offer creature comfort details like the superior hand towels that feel like 500 thread cotton, but are actually paper! I've lived in the city as well as the suburbs and this is one place that tops our list. It is a little pricey for todays economic conditions, but SO worth it! Skip the chain restaurants and save your pennies for this place! You will come to make it a favorite too! Pros: Ambiance, food, service, perks Cons: Need more locations! more

We highly recommend the Shaw?s Sunday Brunch, a hotel-style colossal buffet spread that is totally over the top, and affordable (much cheaper than the fine hotels) at $40 for each adult and $20 for kids (took my 11 and 8 year old kids recently and they loved it). I had a great make-your-own Bloody Mary for $5 more, which included good vodka and all the possible garnishes, including a plump jumbo shrimp, pickle, and bluecheese stuffed olives. Life is good. Pros: Food, endless brunch buffet, kid friendly more

This place is great for seafood. Very nice quiet setting. You get what you pay for here! You get a ton of food and its very good! Its on the pricey side and you'll need to dress up here! more

My husband and I dine here all the time.. We love it.. The food is great and so are all the waiters.... They are very accomodating to our needs as we will only sit in a booth.... This place is only for people who are willing to appriciate a good meal and great service..... The portions are very large and the drinks are above the rest. We dine all over the world and it continues to be one of our favorite places when we are close to home... The cost is very reasonable for the quality of sea food that can be shipped to Illinois from another state. more

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 more

This place is wonderful! We average about once a month here and never get tired of it. First off when you call for reservations they see your previous preferences on their computer and they try to accommodate them. This goes along way in ensuring that the maitre'd (Tricia) knows your likes and dislikes and she can make sure your evening goes smoothly. And when you get there she also makes sure if you have to wait that she keeps you updated on the status of the table. She doesn't leave you in limbo. She also makes an effort to go around to all the tables to see how everyone is doing & if they need anything. Our all time favorite server is Maria E. She is one of the best servers we have ever had anywhere. She's professional and knows her stuff. We have asked her questions about different oysters and she can describe each one to you and once she knows what you like, she has no problem letting the kitchen know and then customizing your order to your tastes. She also knows the wine menu and the entree menu. She always seems super busy, but yet she's efficient and can do multiple tasks and therefore never leaves any of her tables waiting for her attention. We have received equally great attention from other servers, but she's the one we always seemed to get (not that we are complaining, she's great!). The fish is always incredible! It's so hard to pick one when they are all so good. Their basic house salad is really incredible tasting and the sides are absolutely huge. Both the house salad and sides are enough for 2. It is a pricey night out, but it's such a great experience it is worth it. Shaw's is excellent for a date night because it is slighty on the dressy side and the lighting is soft yet adequate. The main dining room is always busy, yet it has good enough acoustics so you never have to raise your voice or strain to hear. We love this place! Pros: food, service, atmosphere Cons: parking, pricey more

Ate here last year at this time for sweetest day and it was AMAZING!!! We are returning again and will make this a tradition...The food is great, the service is great, and I will continue to return! Pros: Awesome assortment, great seasonings.... Cons: A little on the expensive side, but worth it more

I've eaten at both the Chicago Shaw's and this one a couple of times each. Both the food and service were better here than in the city. Pros: decent food, good service more

my wife and i ate here on our anniversary. the food and service was very average. what really burned me was the bill! we had one (SMALL) appetiser, a meal each, a drink each and desert and the bill was more than $80 and that was with a $25 gift cert. we went out for pizza later. Pros: great location, nice atmosphere Cons: average food, overpriced menu items more

Shaw's is split up into a finer dining area and an oyster bar- we dined in the oyster bar and were glad that we did. The service was amazing, as was the food! The lobster accompanied with red potatoes and corn on the cob is an absolute must have! We were able to get in at 8:30 on a Sat by calling ahead. Expect a casual atmosphere that you can really enjoy yourself in! Pros: Great food, Friendly staff Cons: Parking more

This place is a very nice place, it has great seafood but you pay for what you get. The portions a reasonable and Shaws Crab house and the inside is very pretty. more

We had lunch in the Red Shell Lounge on Nov. 12, 2004. Though we are from CT, this was at least our 10th time here. The shell fish prices are higher than on the east coast, but the oysters and clams are very fresh. We love the ambiance of the Red Shell, it is casual, but classy with a great feel. The Fisherman's platter is a good value. I had Nantucket scallops which were small and sweet, but quite expensive especially for lunch. Always great cocktails here and wait staff with pizzaz. Pros: fresh oysters, service, decor Cons: , parking more

I have ate here 4 times total and have not recieved a meal less than perfect. Food is great, drink selection is great, price is a little high but overall worth it. Pros: Food, Drinks Cons: Price more