Shaws Crab House Restaurant

Contributor

Citysearch

The Scene
Clubby ambience and a reputation for excellent food and service draws suits and special-occasion celebrants to this classic Chicago spot. The bar fills with after-work types waiting for a table; some opt for the more casual scene of the adjacent oyster bar. In the banquet-sized dining room, handsome red-leather booths and dark-wood paneling create an upscale scene. There's a hubbub about the place that borders on chaos; no-nonsense servers remain unfazed.

The Food
Crab dishes get top billing on Shaw's extensive seafood menu, and deservedly so: Crab legs and claws are consistently fresh and satisfying. There are plenty of other reasons to visit, though, from creamy New England clam chowder and cool, shucked-to-order raw oysters to entrees like ruby-red sesame-glazed tuna and a seafood platter with garlic shrimp and sea scallops with meaty lump crab cake. There's also an assortment of fresh nigiri and maki, including excellent spicy tuna and salmon rolls.