This smoke shack was born when the steel industry was thriving and the area was populated by hungry day laborers. Set at the base of the famous Blues Brothers bridge, this little white box brings in customers from all around for smoked shrimp, trout and sable, which are always on offer. You’ll see folks sitting in their cars eating their picks out of paper bags, a quintessential part of the experience.
Although Lake Michigan supplies Chicagoans with plenty of pleasures, a varied selection of seafood is not one of them. However, that slight disadvantage hasn’t stopped local restaurants and chefs from offering pristine shellfish and other aquatic treasures. There’s no need to hop on a plane to enjoy fresh catch—many of the products at the following spots are flown in from the coasts. A couple of places even smoke their own seafood on site. Money is no object? Then visit RPM Seafood or Bar Mar to splurge on caviar and Alaskan king crab legs. If you’d rather get your hands messy, put on a bib and get to cracking at Half Shell or Lowcountry. You can also indulge in raw fish over rice with the best sushi in Chicago or have it fried in the best tacos in Chicago. No matter how you like it served, the city’s best seafood restaurants will reel you in.
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