Best Outdoor Dining Seafood Restaurants in Chicago
14 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
RPM Seafood
Multi-level riverfront seafood house where towers, whole fish, and skyline views all land at once.
Essential Picks
#1
RPM Seafood
9.1
RPM Seafood is a riverfront showpiece from Lettuce Entertain You, built around seafood towers, charcoal-grilled whole fish, and polished service overlooking the Chicago River. It runs like a special-occasion machine, with a lively, dressed-up crowd, sharp wine program, and one of River North’s most dramatic patios.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grand Seafood Tower, Charcoal-grilled black bass, Wild Alaska halibut with brown butter
What Makes it Special: Multi-level riverfront seafood house where towers, whole fish, and skyline views all land at once.
Notable Picks
8.6
Alegrias Seafood is a Nayarit-style mariscos house where platters of langostinos, whole fried snapper, and ceviches land on big tables in a loud, BYO-friendly room. Locals use it for celebratory seafood feasts when they want serious shellfish, big portions, and a rowdy West Town atmosphere without heading downtown.
Must-Try Dishes:
Chapuzon Del Mar mixed seafood platter, Whole fried red snapper (huachinango), Langostinos Estilo Nayarit
What Makes it Special: High-volume Nayarit-style seafood platters in a loud, festive room.
8.6
Opened in 1980, King Crab House is Chicago’s oldest crab house, serving snow crab, king crab legs, and shrimp boils in a casual, TV-lined Lincoln Park dining room. It’s where locals splurge on AYCE crab nights, seafood platters, and cold beer without a white-tablecloth vibe.
Must-Try Dishes:
AYCE Snow Crab Special, King Crab Legs Dinner, Seafood Boil Platter
What Makes it Special: A decades-old crab house where AYCE snow crab and king crab legs anchor the experience.
8.3
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Girls Night Out Approved
Trendy Table Hotspots
Outdoor Dining Oasis
A riverside, party-forward mariscos room built around shareable coastal Mexican seafood, tequila-driven cocktails, and a high-energy rooftop/patio scene. The best ordering strategy is to mix one composed hot plate with one chilled seafood item, then finish with a larger shared platter so the table doesn’t skew all small bites.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster empanadas, Piña rellena (stuffed pineapple with octopus, lobster & shrimp), Build-your-own mariscada platter
What Makes it Special: Coastal Mexican mariscos with a waterfront, nightlife-leaning rooftop energy.
8.3
Chicago’s original sushi bar, Kamehachi has anchored Old Town since 1967 with a sprawling menu of maki, nigiri, hot appetizers, and combo platters. It’s less about avant-garde omakase and more about reliable rolls, bento-style meals, and a neighborhood crowd that spans families, regulars, and pre-Second City dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Crouching Tuna Hidden Crab roll, Spicy Tuna Deluxe roll, Kamehachi Combo
What Makes it Special: Long-running Old Town institution where generations of Chicagoans had their first sushi.
#6
La Palapa
8.3
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Live Music Showtime
A McKinley Park destination for loud, festive Mexican seafood—big portions, beach-theme energy, and a menu built for groups who want variety without overthinking it. Go in with a plan: one signature bowl (Rompecolchón/Mariscada style), one grilled shellfish plate, then let the complimentary ceviche set the rhythm.
Must-Try Dishes:
Rompecolchón, Langostinos, Ceviche (complimentary starter)
What Makes it Special: Big-portion mariscos with party energy and a patio-forward vibe.
#7
Leña Brava
8.3
Leña Brava channels Baja California’s wood-fired seafood tradition with a menu built around raw and flame-kissed fish, shellfish, and mezcal-focused cocktails. Since opening in 2016, it has become a West Loop destination for seafood platters, whole grilled fish, and vibrant salsas in a design-forward room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Wood-grilled whole striped bass, Baja Mariscada seafood platter, Ceviche with salsa macha
What Makes it Special: Baja-inspired wood-fired seafood and raw bar plates with serious mezcal.
8.2
Brown Bag Seafood Co. in Roscoe Village is a fast-casual counter where grilled salmon, crispy cod, and shrimp bowls are built to order with grains, greens, or tater tots. It’s a reliable, lighter-feeling seafood option with sustainable sourcing, patio seating, and quick service that works for weeknight dinners or lunch near the Brown Line.
Must-Try Dishes:
Salmon Powerbox with grains and greens, Fish and chips, Crispy cod tacos
What Makes it Special: Sustainably sourced seafood served in customizable bowls, boxes, and sandwiches at counter-service speed.
A compact, pet-friendly counter built around Maine-style rolls—best as a quick Loop reset when you want seafood without committing to a long sit-down. The move is to keep it simple, eat it immediately, and treat it like a focused lunch stop rather than a leisurely meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster roll, Crab roll, Clam chowder
What Makes it Special: A dog-friendly seafood-roll stop with outdoor tables downtown.
8.1
Motorshucker is a roaming raw bar residency at natural wine bar Easy Does It, where founder Mico Hillyard brings pristine oysters and seafood snacks to a casual patio setting. Founded in 2021 as a mobile oyster operation, it now anchors certain nights at this Logan Square address with seasonal oysters, shrimp, and fish dishes for wine-focused crowds.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oysters on the Half Shell, Shrimp Boil, Spicy Fried Peanuts
What Makes it Special: A serious raw bar and seafood program tucked into a natural wine hangout instead of a stand-alone restaurant.
#11
Highway House
8
A compact Norwood Park bar-and-kitchen that earns repeat business with dependable execution and a cozy, neighborhood rhythm. For seafood, treat it like a comfort lane: fish and chips or fish tacos alongside a strong drink program and a patio-ready vibe when the weather cooperates.
Must-Try Dishes:
Fish and chips, Fish tacos, Fried salmon
What Makes it Special: Small-room neighborhood bar that stays reliable on seafood comfort staples.
Worthy Picks
7.9
Brown Bag Seafood Co. is a counter-service spot where grilled, blackened, or crispy fish get dropped into boxes, salads, and sandwiches at lunch-friendly prices. Office workers and nearby residents use it as a reliable way to eat seafood on a weeknight without committing to a sit-down, white-tablecloth experience.
Must-Try Dishes:
Grilled salmon powerbox, Crispy fish tacos, Hot lobster roll
What Makes it Special: Fast-casual seafood bowls and boxes where you pick your fish, style, and base.
7.9
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Trendy Table Hotspots
El Barco Mariscos is a long-running Mexican seafood institution known for its whole fried red snapper, towering seafood cocktails, and frozen margaritas. The space is big, boisterous, and built for groups, making it a go-to for casual celebrations and patio dinners when diners want quantity and energy as much as finesse.
Must-Try Dishes:
Whole fried red snapper, Seafood parrillada platter, Coctel de camarón shrimp cocktail
What Makes it Special: Decades-old Mexican mariscos spot famous for whole red snapper and big platters.
7.7
Vibes:
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Happy Hour Hotspots
Outdoor Dining Oasis
Legal Sea Foods’ first Midwest location brings a Boston-born seafood institution to Marina City, with New England clam chowder, lobster rolls, and a broad raw bar served over two levels facing the river. It functions as an upscale-casual catchall for business lunches, pre-theater dinners, and tourists wanting classic East Coast seafood in River North.
Must-Try Dishes:
New England clam chowder, Legal Lobster Roll, Fisherman’s Platter
What Makes it Special: Bi-level New England seafood house with chowder, lobster rolls, and full raw bar overlooking the Chicago River.