Best Trendy Seafood Restaurants in Chicago
46 hand-picked restaurants, critic-reviewed and ranked
Last Updated: February 2026
Our Top Pick
Mako
A chef-driven omakase with a serious cooked-course bench.
Essential Picks
#1
Mako
9.1
A 22-seat, reservation-driven omakase built around pristine fish, tightly paced courses, and cooked interludes that keep the meal from becoming a pure nigiri parade. This is destination sushi for when you want chef-led progression, quiet focus, and a night that feels deliberately composed from first bite to dessert.
Must-Try Dishes:
Omakase tasting, Chawanmushi (seasonal savory custard), Braised abalone (cooked course)
What Makes it Special: A chef-driven omakase with a serious cooked-course bench.
#2
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
8.8
Lowcountry Lakeview is a lively seafood boil house where peel-and-eat shrimp, snow crab, and lobster tails arrive in bags slicked with garlicky, Cajun-leaning sauces. Cubs fans, neighborhood groups, and date-night couples all use it as a go-to spot when they want a messy, shareable seafood feast with strong drinks and loud energy.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shrimp & snow crab seafood boil with Everything sauce, Lobster tail combo with corn and potatoes, Jalapeño cornbread
What Makes it Special: High-energy seafood boils with customizable sauces in a picnic-style, party-ready room.
#4
Tanta
8.8
Tanta is a high-volume Peruvian restaurant where ceviches, tiraditos, and seafood-forward share plates headline alongside a deep pisco cocktail list. It’s loud, colorful, and consistently busy, making it a go-to when you want seafood with more spice, acidity, and nightlife energy than a traditional raw bar.
Must-Try Dishes:
Cebiche Trio, Pulpo Acebichado, Arroz con Mariscos
What Makes it Special: Peruvian ceviches and seafood plates matched with pisco cocktails in a clubby, colorful room.
8.7
Gibsons Italia is a riverfront Italian steakhouse pairing gold-extruded pastas, Prime beef and seafood with skyline views from multi-level dining rooms. Downtown diners use it for client dinners, occasion meals and polished date nights where service and execution are tightly controlled.
Must-Try Dishes:
Spicy Rigatoni, Cacio e Pepe, Roasted Mediterranean Branzino
What Makes it Special: Italian steakhouse where serious pastas meet river and skyline views.
8.7
An intimate, subterranean boîte earning eleven consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards since 2014. Chef Alisha Elenz prepares refined Catalan and Basque coastal dishes with a seafood focus—think boquerones, fideos, and whole grilled prawns—in a 28-seat space with whitewashed brick and a devoted neighborhood following.
Must-Try Dishes:
Boquerones on Toast, Fideos with Mussels, Cataplana
What Makes it Special: Eleven consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards with Jean Banchet Best Neighborhood Restaurant honors
8.7
A Ravenswood omakase-minded room where the focus is clean cuts, careful seasoning, and a tasting-menu flow that’s designed to feel indulgent without being stiff. It shines when you commit—go omakase, add one premium nigiri upgrade if offered, and let the pacing do its job.
Must-Try Dishes:
Omakase tasting menu, Otoro (fatty tuna) nigiri, Uni (sea urchin) nigiri
What Makes it Special: Omakase-led sushi with premium fish and a polished, modern room.
Vibes:
Girls Night Out Approved
Birthday & Celebration Central
Trendy Table Hotspots
Group Dining Gatherings
The Hampton Social - Streeterville is a coastal-inspired New American spot where frosé, seafood plates, and shareable snacks anchor lively brunches and dinners just off the Mag Mile. Guests use it for pre-show meetups, group celebrations, and upbeat nights built around cocktails and comfort food. The bright, beachy room and consistent crowds make it one of Streeterville’s most dependable social restaurants for American fare.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Roll, Truffle Fries, Fish & Chips
What Makes it Special: Coastal-inspired American plates and cocktails in a bright, party-ready room.
8.6
Coast Sushi Bar is a long-standing Bucktown BYOB spot known for generous maki, polished nigiri, and a menu that balances Chicago-style specialty rolls with cleaner, fish-forward plates. Crowds use it for birthday dinners and BYOB dates, and its sustained volume over many years makes it one of the most relied-on sushi options in the area.
Must-Try Dishes:
White Dragon Maki, Po Boy Maki, Hamachi Carpaccio
What Makes it Special: A high-volume, BYOB sushi institution where big maki plates and steady execution keep locals returning.
8.6
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Family Friendly Favorites
Trendy Table Hotspots
A Bridgeport Cantonese-leaning seafood room that’s strongest when you order like you’re building a table: one sticky-rice seafood centerpiece plus one rich, salty side dish. It’s a go-with-a-group spot where the best plates are share-first and fork-friendly.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster sticky rice, Salted egg yolk fried pumpkin, Hong Kong–style jumbo shrimp
What Makes it Special: Seafood-centric Cantonese dishes built for big-table ordering, anchored by sticky rice.
8.6
A polished Pilsen mariscos room where the kitchen treats aguachiles, tostadas, and ceviches like chef-driven small plates—bright acids, clean seafood flavor, and confident heat. The menu rotates, but the best meals balance chilled bites (tuna tostada, scallop aguachile) with one warm, shareable plate before dessert.
Must-Try Dishes:
Hokkaido scallop aguachile, Tuna tostada, Butter oysters
What Makes it Special: Chef-driven Mexican seafood with rotating, technique-forward aguachiles and tostadas.
#12
Ocean Prime
8.6
A high-volume, reservation-driven surf-and-turf room where the steakhouse side is most reliable when you keep the order classic: broiled steaks, one rich side, and a clean starter. It reads more modern-lounge than old-school clubby, making it a strong downtown choice for polished nights out and client dinners.
Must-Try Dishes:
Filet mignon, Chilean sea bass, Black truffle mac & cheese
What Makes it Special: Modern surf-and-turf polish with a consistent steakhouse backbone.
8.6
A BYOB Andersonville sushi counter where chef-driven rolls and omakase-style pacing are the main draw, not a big dining-room production. Come with a plan—sit at the bar, let the chef guide the sequence, and treat the signature starter bites as part of the experience, not filler.
Must-Try Dishes:
Sushi Mike’s “Fish & Chips” (spicy tuna salsa chip), Chef’s choice omakase / tasting progression, Tuna truffle-style specials (ask what’s on)
What Makes it Special: BYOB sushi-bar energy with chef-led pacing and signature starter bites.
8.5
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Trendy Table Hotspots
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Tucked beside Gibson's on Rush, Hugo's runs a lively Gold Coast room where crab cakes, seafood towers, and its namesake frog legs share space with steaks and martinis. It’s a go-to for upscale seafood that still feels clubby and high-energy late into the evening.
Must-Try Dishes:
Maryland-style crab cakes, Hugo's seafood tower, Sautéed frog legs
What Makes it Special: A Gold Coast seafood house with frog legs, towers, and steakhouse-level energy sharing one block with Chicago’s power-dining institutions.
#15
Kubo Chicago
8.5
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Hidden Gems Heaven
Trendy Table Hotspots
Kubo is a cozy Filipino spot in Lakeview where Kamayan “boodle” feasts, fried pampano, and seafood-forward platters share the table with ribs adobo and halo-halo. It doubles as both a neighborhood hangout and a destination for hands-on, family-style meals built around shrimp, baked mussels, and ceviche.
Must-Try Dishes:
Kamayan Boodle feast with fried pampano, shrimp and baked mussels, Salt and pepper shrimp, Kinilaw-style tuna ceviche
What Makes it Special: Filipino Kamayan feasts and seafood platters served family-style over banana leaves.
#16
Lure Fishbar
8.5
The Chicago outpost of New York’s Lure Fishbar brings a yacht-inspired dining room, serious raw bar, and a full sushi program to Rush Street. Beyond its seafood towers and lobster rolls, the menu’s crispy rice tuna and signature sushi rolls make it one of the neighborhood’s more polished options for sushi-centric nights out.
Must-Try Dishes:
Tuna on Crispy Rice, Lobster Tempura Signature Roll, Classic Lobster Roll
What Makes it Special: Seafood-focused restaurant with a nationally recognized sushi and raw bar program in a glamorous hotel-adjacent space.
#17
The Publican
8.5
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Comfort Food Classics
Brewery & Beer Garden Republic
Trendy Table Hotspots
The Publican is a beer-focused hall where farmhouse-style pork, seafood, and bread anchor communal tables. It has evolved into a long-running West Loop fixture for big groups, hearty shared plates, and serious Belgian-leaning beer lists.
Must-Try Dishes:
Publican farm chicken with frites, Charcuterie and cheese board, Crispy pork rinds
What Makes it Special: Beer hall–style room where pork, seafood, and beer share top billing.
#18
Baha Restaurant
8.4
A mariscos-forward spot that leans into bold coastal flavors—think bright ceviches, saucy shrimp plates, and seafood that’s meant to be paired with a cocktail. It’s strongest when you order like a table: one chilled starter, one hot seafood main, and keep the drink lane moving.
Must-Try Dishes:
Aguachile, Ceviche, Salmon
What Makes it Special: Mariscos-driven menu built for ceviche + cocktail pairing.
#19
Bar Mar
8.4
Vibes:
Trendy Table Hotspots
Happy Hour Hotspots
Girls Night Out Approved
Business Lunch Power Players
Bar Mar is José Andrés’ seafood-centric restaurant on the ground floor of the Bank of America Tower, built around oysters, ceviches, and luxed-up classics like lobster rolls. Office crowds and destination diners use it for lively dinners, cocktails, and pre-theater seafood in a bright, nautical room.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster Roll, Hamachi Cones, Sea Scallops
What Makes it Special: High-energy José Andrés seafood bar with modern takes on classics.
#20
Mariscos El Kora
8.4
A Nayarit-leaning mariscos dining room that’s best when you order in its cold-bar and shellfish lanes—ceviches, aguachiles, oysters, and big shareable platters. Portions and flavor tend to deliver when you keep the ticket focused and let one “centerpiece” item lead the table.
Must-Try Dishes:
Aguachile, Jumbo shrimp ceviche, Oysters
What Makes it Special: Nayarit-style mariscos with a strong cold-bar and share-plate focus.
8.4
Raiz Kitchen Sushi Bar is a compact Fullerton spot pairing bright, modern rolls with a short list of cooked share plates. The menu leans toward composed specialty maki and playful starters, pulling in neighborhood date nights and small groups who want more energy than a traditional sushi counter.
Must-Try Dishes:
Medusa Roll, Black Monster Roll, Poke Tacos
What Makes it Special: A modern sushi bar where creative rolls and snacks feel built for casual nights out.
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.
#23
El Cangrejo
8.3
A busy mariscos stop where the safest move is to lean into the house strengths—shrimp-forward plates, ceviche, and big seafood entrees that hit best when they’re ordered simply. It’s a lively, no-fuss experience that rewards a tight order over an everything-for-the-table approach.
Must-Try Dishes:
Langostinos, Ceviche, Red snapper with shrimp and garlic
What Makes it Special: Shrimp-and-ceviche mariscos that’s built for high-energy dining.
#24
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.
8.3
A bib-on, hands-first Cajun boil spot built for customizable seafood bags and group-friendly pacing. The best orders lean into snow crab and shrimp with a sauce-and-heat combo you’ll actually taste, plus cornbread and sides that help soak up the run-off.
Must-Try Dishes:
Combo #4 Crab Cluster, Combo #5 Pay Day, Deep Fried Oreos (4pc)
What Makes it Special: Customizable Cajun boil bags with sauces and heat levels dialed to your table.
8.3
Mariscos La Costa focuses on Mexican seafood—think shrimp empanadas, whole fried fish, and aguachile—served in a lively Ashland Avenue dining room. It’s a go-to for groups who want micheladas, big shared platters, and coastal-style flavors without leaving West Town. Consistently strong reviews highlight generous portions and bold seasoning more than polished service.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shrimp Empanadas, Whole Fried Fish with Shrimp, Mixed Ceviche Tostada
What Makes it Special: Seafood-forward Mexican plates and micheladas built for sharing and celebrations.
8.3
A roomy West Loop sushi restaurant that works when you want flexibility—nigiri, rolls, and a reservation-only omakase option—without committing to a tiny counter format. The menu rewards a curated approach: choose either a chef’s-choice path or a tight nigiri-and-handroll lane and keep the add-ons minimal.
Must-Try Dishes:
14-course omakase (reservation-only), 10-piece dressed nigiri + handroll set, Chef’s choice nigiri (customized)
What Makes it Special: Choose between à la carte sushi or a reservation-only omakase lane.
#28
Kayao Restaurant
8.2
A compact Old Town room with a buzzy soundtrack and a Peru-meets-Nikkei menu that’s strongest in bright, citrus-forward lanes. Build your meal around one ceviche, one hot wok or skewer dish, and one rich rice plate to keep the pacing clean.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ceviche, Lomo saltado, Smoked duck breast rice
What Makes it Special: Peruvian-Japanese flavors in a small, high-energy room.
8.2
A Lincoln Square standby that mixes creative maki with a broader Japanese menu—ramen, skewers, and small plates—so the table can zigzag without losing momentum. The move is to anchor the meal with one signature roll, add one hot item, and let the happy-hour mindset do the rest.
Must-Try Dishes:
Dragon roll, Tonkotsu ramen, Chef’s choice nigiri/sashimi set
What Makes it Special: A sushi-and-ramen hybrid that keeps roll creativity and hot-food comfort in balance.
8.1
A polished Loop brasserie that earns its seafood credentials through a dedicated raw bar—oysters, tartare, and coastal French mains like bouillabaisse. It shines when you order in a tight sequence: raw bar first, then one seafood main, so the table doesn’t sprawl across too many lanes.
Must-Try Dishes:
Oysters, Bouillabaisse, Salmon tartare
What Makes it Special: A Loop raw bar wrapped in a stylish brasserie setting.
8.1
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Girls Night Out Approved
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
A Nayarit-style seafood dining room that’s most satisfying when you treat it like a “one signature platter plus one cold item” spot. Go for bold, coastal-leaning flavors and shareable plates, and it lands as a festive option for groups rather than a quiet, precision-seafood night.
Must-Try Dishes:
Aguachile, Seafood ceviche, Grilled fish zarandeado-style
What Makes it Special: Nayarit-style mariscos built around shareable coastal platters.
#32
Las Islas Marias
8.1
Vibes:
Birthday & Celebration Central
Group Dining Gatherings
Live Music Showtime
Trendy Table Hotspots
A high-energy Mexican-seafood room where the order is meant to be loud, shareable, and sauced—shellfish plates, fried fish, and big coastal flavors. It shines as a celebration table: commit to one signature mariscos platter, add a starter, and let the drinks do the rest.
Must-Try Dishes:
Langosta Presidente, Langostinos, Oysters
What Makes it Special: Big-portion Mexican mariscos built for group-style ordering.
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.
A Michigan Avenue French brasserie with a raw-bar and classic brasserie core that works best when you order in clean lanes: oysters and starters first, then one bistro main to anchor the table. It’s strongest as a downtown occasion spot with a polished room and a menu built for familiar French comfort rather than deep-cut regional cooking.
Must-Try Dishes:
French onion soup, Steak tartare, Chef’s choice oysters
What Makes it Special: A brasserie-with-raw-bar format built for oysters-to-bistro-main pacing.
8
Vibes:
Group Dining Gatherings
Birthday & Celebration Central
Late Night Legends
Trendy Table Hotspots
Nayarit-style Mexican seafood built around big-format plates—fried whole fish, ceviches, and shareable hot stone/molcajete-style presentations—plus a lively late-night bar energy. It’s best when you order in the mariscos lane (one cold dish, one fried fish, one hot seafood platter) and treat it like a group table.
Must-Try Dishes:
Shrimp Ceviche, Mojarra Frita (Fried Whole Fish), Molcajete de Mariscos
What Makes it Special: A high-volume Nayarit mariscos menu with both ceviche and whole-fish power plays.
#36
Provare
8
Vibes:
Date Night Magic
Girls Night Out Approved
Trendy Table Hotspots
Birthday & Celebration Central
A polished Creole-leaning room that mixes seafood-heavy pastas and starters with a cocktail-ready, date-night pace. It lands best when you commit to one signature seafood dish and one shareable starter, rather than ordering across the entire menu’s mix of surf-and-turf options.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seafood trio pasta, Fried lobster tail, Salmon egg rolls
What Makes it Special: Cajun-Creole flavors channeled into seafood-forward comfort dishes and cocktails.
Worthy Picks
Briny Swine is a South Carolina–born smokehouse and oyster bar that brings low-country barbecue, peel-and-eat shrimp, and crab cakes to a lively Clark Street space. Opened in 2024 with late hours, cocktails, and occasional live music, it’s a newer option when you want oysters alongside ribs and brisket.
Must-Try Dishes:
Peel & Eat South Carolina Shrimp, Carolina Blue Crab Cake, She Crab Soup
What Makes it Special: A low-country–inspired mash-up of smokehouse plates and oysters with a bar-forward, late-night feel.
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.
#39
Tala House
7.9
A polished, reservation-friendly dining room where seafood shows up in modern, composed plates and a cocktail-paced rhythm. It’s best when you order in waves—one seafood-forward starter, one focused main—so the meal stays balanced instead of scattered.
Must-Try Dishes:
Seafood-focused starter (seasonal), Fish main (seasonal), Cocktail pairing
What Makes it Special: Seafood-leaning modern American plates with a cocktail-first pace.
#40
Diego
7.7
A cocktail-led Mexican spot where the seafood shines most in ceviches, tostadas, and fish-and-shrimp tacos that pair naturally with the bar program. Best results come from ordering one chilled seafood plate plus one taco set, then stopping before the table turns into a pile-up of sauces and fried bites.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ceviche, Tuna tostada, Gobernador taco (shrimp)
What Makes it Special: Seafood-leaning Mexican plates built to match a serious cocktail program.
7.7
A lively Mexican seafood room that shines when you lean into cold, bright starters and a couple of cooked specialties rather than trying to cover the whole menu. The smartest path is one ceviche plus one hot item, then stop—so the meal stays sharp instead of muddled.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ceviche mixto, Shrimp ceviche de camarón, Ostiones especiales
What Makes it Special: Party-leaning mariscos with ceviche-and-oysters energy.
7.6
Madai is a sushi counter inside Time Out Market Chicago where chef-driven maki, nigiri, and chirashi bowls put pristine fish at the center of a busy food hall. It’s a flexible way to work high-quality seafood into a group visit, from quick salmon rolls to more elaborate specialty maki.
Must-Try Dishes:
El Baja specialty roll, Salmon avocado roll, Chirashi bowl
What Makes it Special: Chef-led sushi counter serving inventive seafood rolls inside a curated food hall.
#43
Pez Blanco
7.6
A newer seafood spot that can work for a low-key romantic dinner when you want a quieter room and a straightforward menu. The best approach is picking one fried item, one grilled plate, and one agua fresca so the meal stays balanced.
Must-Try Dishes:
Filete empanizado, Arrachera, Agua de pepino con limón
What Makes it Special: A straightforward seafood menu in a calmer, newer setting on Pulaski.
#44
City Social
7.5
Vibes:
Happy Hour Hotspots
Business Lunch Power Players
Group Dining Gatherings
Trendy Table Hotspots
A big, workday-friendly Loop bar where seafood shows up in sandwich form—lobster roll, shrimp po’ boy, crab cake—built for lunch runs and post-work drinks. Come for the convenience and the large-room energy, and treat the seafood as a practical order rather than a deep-dive destination.
Must-Try Dishes:
Lobster roll, Shrimp po' boy, Crab cake sandwich
What Makes it Special: A roomy Loop bar that sneaks in seafood sandwiches alongside cocktails.
7.5
A conveyor-belt sushi format in Uptown that’s best for variety seekers who want to sample lots of small plates without overthinking the menu. Go at off-peak times, focus on the classics coming through the rotation, and use one or two made-to-order items to round out the meal.
Must-Try Dishes:
Salmon nigiri, Spicy tuna roll, Seared salmon belly (when available)
What Makes it Special: Conveyor-belt format that makes variety-driven sushi nights easy.
7.5
A coastal-Mexican mariscos lane where cold seafood dishes and bright sauces are the headline—think ceviche energy first, cooked plates second. Order for balance: one chilled seafood plate for acidity and heat, plus one warm shrimp or fish plate so the meal doesn’t skew one-note.
Must-Try Dishes:
Ceviche, Aguachile, Shrimp tacos
What Makes it Special: Mariscos menu built around bright, sauce-driven seafood.