Good place for shellfish..and my grandmother?

I lurk more than I post but this is one I'd appreciate any help with. My grandmother is turning 75; we'd like to take her out. The problem is, the parameters for what she would like are rather murky. I think: shellfish; not that expensive; not that cheap-looking; not crowded; not that loud. For example, she went with us to Nha Hang and was fine with food but didn't like atmosphere. Random thing she liked? Paella at Emilio's Tapas.

I was thinking Glenn's Diner, but that's more fish-oriented and might be busy/crowded. GT Fish & Oyster probably too expensive/fancy for her.

Any recommendations at all? Anywhere in the city or north/northwest suburbs good.

This might work:

King Crab
1816 N Halsted St.
Chicago, IL 60614
(312) 280-8990
http://www.kingcrabchicago.com

Half price gift certificates for this place are usually available on Restaurant.com

Just my opinion but when it comes to "seafood" restaurants, in Chicago, particularly, I think you get what you pay for--I've just never been very happy with the offerings or atmosphere at the more downscale places like King Crab, Half Shell or Cy's.

Instead, maybe focus on places that do seafood well in a moderate price range, though it may not be their primary focus--Anteprima, Big Jones, the new uptown Lao Sze Chuan are a few that come to mind in the general vicinity of Nha Hang. I'm partial to the $29 you choose 3-course option at Anteprima--a lot of very good seasonal food for the money and I usually go with seafood selections for most, if not all, of my courses.

Below are a bunch of recommendations. My top recommendation, though, would be to take her to Shaw's for their Sunday brunch, either in Schaumburg or downtown. They serve an all-you-can-eat buffet, and it's wonderful. Click here for the menu. They have breakfast specialties (including the usual egg dishes, benedicts, and amazing thick-cut caramelized bacon), hot seafood specialties (great crab cakes, stuffed shrimp), cold seafood specialties (Alaskan king crab "bites", shrimp cocktail), a carving station (filet mignon and either turkey or ham), and terrific desserts (creme brulee, chocolate pot de creme). It was $48 when I went earlier this year. The atmosphere is like a casual New England place near the ocean, quite casual, and festive but not overly noisy. Make reservations in advance, as they often fill up with reservations and turn down walk-ins. Go on the early side if you want to avoid it seeming too crowded for her.

boudreaulicious wrote:Just my opinion but when it comes to "seafood" restaurants, in Chicago, particularly, I think you get what you pay for--I've just never been very happy with the offerings or atmosphere at the more downscale places like King Crab, Half Shell or Cy's.

I agree. And I don't consider GT Fish to be particularly expensive OR fancy. I've typically spent $30/pp at lunch and $70/pp at dinner (including moderate alcohol, tax, and tip), which isn't a lot for great seafood. Attire is casual; you'll see some diners in blue jeans, while others dress up. Yes the decor is snazzy but it's not a fancy place.

Two other city places specializing in seafood come to mind. Shaw's downtown is still reliably excellent, and Piccolo Sogno Due, the new Italian seafood place, is thoroughly outstanding. Both are in River North. (EDIT: Fixed reference to location.)

In the north or northwest suburbs, Shaw's has its Schaumburg location, and as noted above, it is reliably excellent. Davis Street Fishmarket in Evanston has had its ups and downs; my recent visits have actually been very good. And their Wednesday special of a pound and a quarter lobster dinner for $19.95 is friendly on the wallet. They're having crab specials through the end of October. Oceanique in Evanston has great seafood, but can be rather pricey, although their lobster specials and prix fixe specials and coupons from their website can reduce the total; you may want to check their website to see whether it might or might not meet your needs. (It's another place that seems fancy but you can go casual too.) Michael in Winnetka is also generally pricey (and somewhat "fancy") but they run e-mail specials on Fridays that are bargain priced and usually involve lobster or sole. I'm not a fan of Bob Chinn's or McCormick & Schmick, and Bonefish Grill is just okay.

When I want really great seafood, I sometimes head to the western suburbs, for Parker's in Downers Grove (with some of the best seafood in Chicagoland IMHO) or Reel Club in the mall at Oak Brook.

None of the above places is particularly noisy, although the two city places are louder than the ones in the burbs.

One other word about shellfish - lately lobster has been ridiculously cheap (so there are lots of lobster specials), whereas Alaskan king crab has been ridiculously expensive.

boudreaulicious wrote:Just my opinion but when it comes to "seafood" restaurants, in Chicago, particularly, I think you get what you pay for--I've just never been very happy with the offerings or atmosphere at the more downscale places like King Crab, Half Shell or Cy's.

I completely agree. Sure, location (rent) factors into the ultimate price, but it's not like there's some restaurant that simply has found some amazing deals that other restaurants are not getting. Now Bob Chinn's in Wheeling may be a small exception given the volume they're doing, but you may find the atmosphere/decor unappealing.

I would add one other spot to consider (albeit a pricey one): Shaw's. High quality shellfish, and I've never found it too loud (compared to Joe's).

Good luck!

BR wrote:
I would add one other spot to consider (albeit a pricey one): Shaw's. High quality shellfish, and I've never found it too loud (compared to Joe's).

Although it may be priced a little higher than what you were thinking of, if it were my Grandmother (and she happened to eat shellfish, which neither of my Grandmothers did while they were alive), I'd splurge and take her to The Cape Cod Room for a taste of the "good old days". Maybe not the best seafood in town, but the atmosphere can't be beat, and who knows, maybe one of her old high school boyfriends might be working there as a waiter.

Cape Cod Room
The Drake
140 East Walton
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 787-2200

nsxtasy wrote:Below are a bunch of recommendations. My top recommendation, though, would be to take her to Shaw's for their Sunday brunch, either in Schaumburg or downtown. They serve an all-you-can-eat buffet, and it's wonderful. Click here for the menu. They have breakfast specialties (including the usual egg dishes, benedicts, and amazing thick-cut caramelized bacon), hot seafood specialties (great crab cakes, stuffed shrimp), cold seafood specialties (Alaskan king crab "bites", shrimp cocktail), a carving station (filet mignon and either turkey or ham), and terrific desserts (creme brulee, chocolate pot de creme). It was $48 when I went earlier this year. The atmosphere is like a casual New England place near the ocean, quite casual, and festive but not overly noisy. Make reservations in advance, as they often fill up with reservations and turn down walk-ins. Go on the early side if you want to avoid it seeming too crowded for her.

boudreaulicious wrote:Just my opinion but when it comes to "seafood" restaurants, in Chicago, particularly, I think you get what you pay for--I've just never been very happy with the offerings or atmosphere at the more downscale places like King Crab, Half Shell or Cy's.

I agree. And I don't consider GT Fish to be particularly expensive OR fancy. I've typically spent $30/pp at lunch and $70/pp at dinner (including moderate alcohol, tax, and tip), which isn't a lot for great seafood. Attire is casual; you'll see some diners in blue jeans, while others dress up. Yes the decor is snazzy but it's not a fancy place.

Two other city places specializing in seafood come to mind. Shaw's downtown is still reliably excellent, and Piccolo Sogno Due, the new Italian seafood place off Michigan Avenue, is thoroughly outstanding.

In the north or northwest suburbs, Shaw's has its Schaumburg location, and as noted above, it is reliably excellent. Davis Street Fishmarket in Evanston has had its ups and downs; my recent visits have actually been very good. And their Wednesday special of a pound and a quarter lobster dinner for $19.95 is friendly on the wallet. They're having crab specials through the end of October. If I don't mind spending a bit more, Oceanique in Evanston is a good choice, but even with their lobster specials and prix fixe specials and coupons from their website, it never turns out to be inexpensive. (It's another place that seems fancy but you can go casual too.) Michael in Winnetka is also generally pricey (and somewhat "fancy") but they run e-mail specials on Fridays that are bargain priced and usually involve lobster or sole. I'm not a fan of Bob Chinn's or McCormick & Schmick, and Bonefish Grill is just okay.

When I want really great seafood, I sometimes head to the western suburbs, for Parker's in Downers Grove (with some of the best seafood in Chicagoland IMHO) or Reel Club in the mall at Oak Brook.

None of the above places is particularly noisy, although the two city places are louder than the ones in the burbs.

One other word about shellfish - lately lobster has been ridiculously cheap (so there are lots of lobster specials), whereas Alaskan king crab has been ridiculously expensive.

GT Fish & Oyster, at $70 pp as you acknowledge, just isn't what he's looking for. Shaw's price range is the same or higher. I think we do a disservice to make recommendations clearly outside someone's stated price range or preference just because we think it provides food or atmosphere that we think is superior. Just my opinion. Although, I will say that Steve's nostalgia suggestion of the Cape Cod Room is a fun one

oceanique might work.

boudreaulicious wrote:GT Fish & Oyster, at $70 pp as you acknowledge, just isn't what he's looking for. Shaw's price range is the same or higher. I think we do a disservice to make recommendations clearly outside someone's stated price range or preference just because we think it provides food or atmosphere that we think is superior.

There was no "stated price range or preference". All he/she stated was "not that expensive", along with a few other qualifications. IMHO, GT Fish and Shaw's are both "not that expensive" (less than some places, more than some others - and furthermore, the estimates I posted noted that they include alcohol, so that prices would be even lower if grandma doesn't drink). I think we do a great service when we make recommendations that we feel fit someone's stated price range and preference to a T, which is exactly what I was doing. It's an even greater service when we can state approximate prices, so that the OP can judge for himself/herself whether or not it fits his/her own definition of "not that expensive". Again, which is exactly what I was doing. Thanks for your "kind words" in response to a long post that took time to write and was intended to be constructive, with recommendations that IMHO meet the poster's needs as stated.

Oh Steve- you hit my nostalgia button.
I went to the Cape Cod room for my first anniversary, followed by (heaven help me)
a horse and buggy ride.
It was sweet because we spent our honeymoon on Cape Cod...
The food was delicious
Lobster Thermidor-so rich and wonderful, a true classic.

Speaking from my experience: I think women and men of a certain age (especially those who lived through the Great Depression) can be very sensitive to pricing, particularly at restaurants. When my then-80-year-old mother was visiting and wanted to go out for fish/seafood, I tried to take her to dinner at Oceanique (my treat), but she about passed out when she saw the menu prices posted in the window and refused to go. It's difficult to gauge. What may seem par for the course to someone who dines out frequently in Chicago may be over-the-top to someone who doesn't dine out that often or who lives elsewhere. (My mom spent almost her entire life in Cincinnati and always measured everything according to her Cincinnati standards.) We ended up at Davis Street Fishmarket where she was very happy--and kept saying all evening, "Now isn't this just as good?" Of course it wasn't the same, but it was fine and she was happy, and that was the objective.

I have not been personally, so take this for what it's worth, but Urban Union may fit the bill. Pricing looks reasonable and the menu includes a heavy dose of shellfish options.

Urbanunionchicago.com
1421 W. Taylor St.

My mom is 85 and does not care too much about prices although she lived through the great depression. she does not get out that much so when she goes, she wants what she wants and price is not a top consideration but she would not be game for something like Alinea.
I like Glenns but I know she would hate it. She likes places like McCormick and Schmitt, she likes Parkers Seafood House. I think she would like Shaws but never goes downtown. She does not enjoy buffets anymore because she walks with a walker and can't make the trips back and forth and also she does not eat that much anymore I think to feel she gets her moneys worth. Its important for her to have a relatively quiet place without loud music and of utmost importance is a table rather than a booth and no stairs. Other places we go are Macaroni grill, and also she liked the Wellington in Arlington hts but it closed. The Cape Cod room sounds nice, I would not mind going there myself.

I agree with the Shaw's and Cape Cod Room reco's and would toss Balsan into the hat. Utterly impeccable seafood and shellfish in a lovely setting.

It may be a do-over for her (because you mentioned Emilio's) but Tapas Gitana in Northfield has the usual slew of shellfish dishes (mussels, shrimp, oysters, etc.) that you find in Spanish cuisine as well as paella options that include lobster/scallops/clams, etc. Reasonably priced and very good.

One other thought - and it might be a miss on ambience - is Wellfleet at The Fish Guy (he's a fish retailer/wholesaler). They do an "occasional" restaurant which means they have a chef preparing meals at the store on a sort-of pop-up basis - more regular lately than it used to be. It's BYOB and has a limited menu but it's kind of neat and the quality is great. Sort of like a private chef event.

http://www.fishguy.com/dinners.html

Ursiform wrote:I agree with the Shaw's and Cape Cod Room reco's and would toss Balsan into the hat. Utterly impeccable seafood and shellfish in a lovely setting.

I love Balsan too, but I do believe it is more expensive than the OP is looking for.

HI,

I realize this outside of what you asked, but hey that doesn't stop anyone else from commenting, does it?

You might want to consider entertaining Grandma at home. A steamed lobster, depending on size, is 11-15 minutes. For quite a while H-Mart has been offering lobsters around $5-6 per pound. You can buy a pound (or more) of 20-25 shell-on shrimp for around $6-7 per pound, which you can make a very generous shrimp cocktail or Shrimp de Jonghe or whatever she may like. If you belong to Costco, scallops and King Crab are decently priced. You can design a menu around precisely what Grandma likes and keep some money in your account.

After dinner is done, you can use all the seafood shells to make bisque. This can be frozen for the holidays or as a cook's treat the next day. If you do treat her in a restaurant, you can doggie bag the shells to make the bisque at home.

Please wish the dear lady a happy birthday from a bunch of strangers who really did worry over how well she would eat.

Regards,

I think cooking at home may be an excellent alternative. Great suggestion, Cathy.

Incidentally, as I mentioned, Alaskan king crab has been very expensive lately. A year or two ago, it was selling for around $10/lb at Costco and Sam's Club. As of a few days ago it was $25/lb at Sam's Club, and I'm sure Costco is similar. Their prices are undoubtedly some of the best around, but unless she's adamant about king crab, you might be better off with lobster or shrimp or other seafood, given the current prices.

I hate to pile on Nxstasy, but I can't let this go unchallenged:

Piccolo Sogno Due, the new Italian seafood place off Michigan Avenue

WAY off Michigan Avenue - it's in the former Singha space on the west side of Clark St., roughly half a block north of the river. Michigan Avenue is a five-long-block hike away, and since neither Carroll St.. nor Kinzie St. go through, one must cut well north, all the way to Hubbard St., to directly access a direct route, as the river curves at the Wrigley Building and throws off the street grid. Just sayin' - I've been working in the 'hood for a very long time, just across the river from Singha/Piccolo Sogno Due. It's a long, very windy, and not particularly scenic walk.

sundevilpeg wrote:Michigan Avenue is a five-long-block hike away.

Of course, you are correct.

I have fixed the location reference in my previous post. Thanks for bringing it to our attention!

Thanks for all the recommendations so far. I am familiar with GT and Piccolo Sogno Due (which I haven't been to yet but love the original), etc and most of those likely she wouldn't feel comfortable in. But I'll take a look. We have actually taken her to Davis St Fishmarket, and I think all of us thought it was just OK. I like the idea of a buffet, I think she might like the variety and be more comfortable with the setting. Or maybe we'll take a chance and go somewhere nicer, which we'd all enjoy. Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions and I welcome any more.

I'm wondering how she might feel about a Chinese restaurant. I know several restaurants in Chinatown will do a seafood dinner for x number of people, and you can usually ask for 1 less than you have if a large group, with multiple dishes, served on a lazy susan at a round table. It might be printed only on the Chinese menu, or not at all, but I have been told by a friend who is Chinese that it is a common option, so you can call your favorite place and ask.

Another suggestion--how about Avli, in Winnetka? It's excellent Greek food that includes shrimp, scallops, octopus, and fresh whole fish on the menu. They also have a lobster pasta on the regular menu now, I believe. It's a lowkey and pleasant room, although perhaps not super-quiet on a busy weekend night. Any non-seafood eaters would also be happy there.

Avli Estiatorio
566 Chestnut
Winnetka, IL 60093
847.446.9300
http://avli.us/

Bob Chinn's? Might not meet the "not crowded" criterion. Depends on when you go.