Alaskan king crab legs are rarely the subject of specials at restaurants, and when they are, they tend to be during off-hours or off-days.
Shaw's usually has king crab, and their website says that this time of year they have them fresh rather than frozen. But they are not bargain priced. This time of year they have several appetizer platters that might be suitable for happy hour dining:
Platters Serve 4-5 People
Grand Hot Shellfish Platter ............................. 71.99
Crab Spring Rolls, Crispy Calamari, Mini Crab Cakes, King Crab Bites, Oysters Rockefeller
Grand Cold Shellfish Platter .......................... 79.99
1lb Whole Maine Lobster, Half Shell Oysters, Jumbo Cocktail Shrimp, Alaskan Red King Crab Bites
The Alaskan King Crab Platter........................ 89.99
3 pounds of Chilled Alaskan Red King Crab Legs, Cocktail Sauce and Mustard Mayonnaise
It won't work for dining at the end of a work day, but the Sunday buffet brunch at Shaw's is quite the bargain for lovers of king crab legs. It's served at both locations, River North and Schaumburg, and it's $40. Among the many items are "king crab bites", which are king crab legs served bite-size, cut into pieces one to three inches long for easy shelling, available on both the hot bar and the cold bar. There are plenty of other good items as well (click
here for menu).
Another place, but one which is not downtown, is
Davis Street Fishmarket in Evanston, which features "King Crab Thursdays", with a pound of Alaskan king crab legs for $19.95, which is an excellent deal.
Steamed Alaskan king crab legs are also not hard to make at home, especially if you have a steamer. You can often buy them at various places (including Costco and Sam's Club) for around $10/lb.