Sent a message on Facebook as well but wanted to post here as I didn't get a response there. Hello, I am writing to share a recent experience we had at your restaurant and to recognize one of your servers, Ashley. My family has dined at Bob Chinn's twice in the past two weeks, and Ashley was our server on both occasions. After our first visit, I shared our positive experience with a manager, but after our most recent visit, I felt Ashley deserved to be recognized again for the exceptional service she consistently provides. We visited your restaurant this past Friday after making the heartbreaking decision to put our beloved dog down. It was an incredibly difficult day, and we were all searching for something that might bring us a little comfort. Everyone agreed that Bob Chinn's was exactly what we needed. When we sat down and realized Ashley would be our server again, we were absolutely thrilled. She is attentive, knowledgeable, and offers excellent recommendations from the menu. She is professional while also being warm, personable, and genuinely fun, creating an atmosphere that makes every guest feel welcome. On a day when we truly needed a little kindness, Ashley's outstanding service and positive attitude made a meaningful difference. Please let her know how much we appreciated her. Employees like Ashley are a big part of what keeps us coming back to Bob Chinn's. Thank you for consistently providing such a wonderful dining experience. read more

5 stars! Still the best seafood restaurant by far! Had their Friday special which was a seafood boil bag full of lobster, crab, shrimp, etc. it was so good! Their garlic rolls still amazing. Mai Tais still epic. Will always come back whenever we are visiting! read more

This place has been on my radar for about three years, and I finally made it here to it to try today. Unfortunately, it did NOT live up to the hype. The atmosphere is casual, dated, and JANKY with the table napkins being paper towels from the bathroom. The food was just average. The king crab was dry and lacked flavor, while the fish of the day (halibut) was overcooked and served in an average-sized portion. Nearly everything was smothered in butter, which overwhelmed the dishes rather than enhanced them. The only real highlights were the complimentary garlic butter rolls and the mud pie dessert. The house special Mai Tai was decent, but nothing memorable. Overall, this place simply wasn't worth the hype. I wouldn't go back--hard pass. read more

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Absolutely the worst meal I've had in a long time. It's disappointing to see how far this restaurant has gone downhill. The service was poor from the start. Our server lacked basic waitstaff skills and wasn't attentive throughout the meal. I ordered the Stuffed Crab and Fettuccine Alfredo. I've ordered this dish before when they were out of Onaga, so I knew what to expect. I also never order the basia fish because I've learned it's just tilapia, and that's not something I ever choose. This time, the four shrimp were deep-fried, dry, and overcooked before being stuffed with crab meat and topped with hollandaise sauce. In all the years I've been coming here, the shrimp were always broiled--never fried. The change made the dish far less enjoyable. I've been dining here since 1985, and it used to be one of my favorite restaurants. Unfortunately, since COVID, it has never been the same. Between the decline in service and the noticeable drop in food quality, this visit was a huge disappointment. I truly hope management can restore this restaurant to the standard it once had. read more

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I celebrate my birthday a lot during the month of July. This year my SisterFriend treated me to my favorite seafood restaurant....Bob Chinn. My first experience with Chinn's was back in 1990 and since that time they have never disappointed me. If you are familiar with this restaurant you know they are really famous for their garlic rolls and freshly made Mai Tai's. The special for the day we attended was steak & crab legs and boy was it delicious. There isn't anything I can say bad about this restaurant. I will say this, Bob they are keeping your standards, continue to watch from above. RIP Bob Chinn 1923-2022 read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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The food is always good. We came on a Sunday evening and you can count the open parking spots available. Not sure if it's because it's a Sunday or just not as busy as before Covid. We ordered a dozen oysters in which my niece tried for the first time. She enjoyed it. Three of us had halibut. My nephew had the sushi sampler. My niece had lobster and bro in law had steak with shrimp and scallops. Everyone finished their dinners. No one had leftovers. And that has never happened before. It was quiet as it was not crowded. We sat in the back area. We had our own little corner. We will come again but not for awhile as it's a drive coming from the city. read more

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I haven't been here in years. Bob Chinn's was a fantastic choice for our party of 9. The seafood was delicious all around, and there were plenty of standout dishes. The service was excellent from start to finish (I wish I remembered our server's name because he was phenomenal). One of the best touches was that he even took the crab and lobster meat out of the shells for us, which made everything easier (and honestly, much more enjoyable). We'll definitely be back. The rest of the staff was also attentive, but he was the star! Glad to see that Bob Chinn's is still a go-to place. read more

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I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE this place! So many wonderful memories here for birthdays and celebrations! I always get something me and every time I'm more and more impressed with my meal. The garlic rolls are the best start and the sides are also delicious. The shrimp fettuccine Alfredo never disappoints. Getting fish blackened is so satisfying and delicious. And the service is always top notch! Checking in on water and drinks and meals. I love going back to Bob Chinn's every time I'm in Chicago! read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Best fish I have ever eaten! - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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Second time dining here. Food was okay overall - nothing bad, but nothing that really stood out. The lobster roll was decent, fries were solid, and the pasta was creamy and simple. My spouse ordered crab cakes - one wasn't great, but they replaced it without any issue, which we appreciated. Service was friendly and the ambiance is nice, which helps the overall experience. Not a bad spot, just not one we'd go out of our way for. read more

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Fun casual place for seafood and crab. The other dishes are good, but crab is definitely the way to go here. The service is fast and the staff is nice, and this place is a legitimate suburban institution read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Lobster Meat Cantonese - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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Bob Chinn's is a staple from my childhood. It was a wonder why it took me so long to write a review. Is it as good as I remember it, let's find out: Ambiance Bob Chinn's Crab House has a big dining space. They have a salad bar, and the decor is reminiscent of a tiki setting. They have wash stations throughout the restaurant, which are convenient for cleaning your hands after handling shellfish. The decor seems similar to when I went there as a younger person. Service I really enjoyed the service. The whole establishment was pretty friendly and our waiter made sure our drinks were never empty. The food came out at a pretty good pace. Food Some of the items I grew up with are no longer on the menu. Here is the stuff we ordered: Black mussels appetizer The garlic wine sauce we got for the mussels was delicious. The sauce went great with the garlic rolls. The mussels were meaty and we did not find a bunch of "unfresh ones" which can happen with shellfish Grouper The grouper itself was fresh and tasted perfect. I would recommend getting this or any of the other fishes to be their main course. I got it grilled and it had a nice delicate taste and texture. Stone crab claws The claws had a subtle but sweet taste to them. They are served chilled. The restaurant does a good job of having the shells cracked. The sauce brings a bright citrus flavor to the crab. Dungeness crab The crab was cooked with butter. It also had a subtle sweet flavor as well. I was a little disappointed that it did not come with the innards but I can understand why people might not like it (it does not look appealing). We got the crab steamed with garlic. Crabmeat vermicelli This dish is one of my favorite dishes. The dish has a nice sweetness due to the sauce. The vermicelli had some scrambled eggs with it which helps fill out the dish. Overall This is still one of my favorite restaurants. Though there are some changes I enjoyed the freshness of the dishes and friendliness of the wait staff. I would recommend going to Bob Chinn's Crab House if you have a hankering for some seafood. read more

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For over 30 years, my daughter has wanted to celebrate her birthday dinner only at Bob Chinn's! It's easy to see and taste why: everything is 10,000/10 for best tasting gumbo with huge chunks of fish, perfectly spiced, egg rolls, outstanding crab vermicelli, must have grilled swordfish, filet mignon, etc oh and for sure his special famous Mai Tai cocktail! Though it is a 1 hour drive, it is so worth it & always feels like coming home with the beautiful clean festive familiar surroundings and exemplary staff. Our are eyes usually bigger than our stomachs so we bring home lots of fabulous leftovers to munch on the next day! Honestly, always a hit for a fabulous memorable dinner evening at Bob Chinn's! read more

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We have been coming here for years and will continue to do so. Nothing fancy and a bit tacky, but that's part of the charm. Food is always fresh and delicious. Salad bar always kept full and fresh. Garlic rolls are absolutely delicious and the Mai Tai's are tasty and strong! Service had always been top notch every time we go. A family favorite of ours for sure. read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

Such a fun, lovely atmosphere in which to celebrate a birthday with family around a big table with a lazy Susan in the middle. Started with addictive garlic rolls, crabmeat vermicelli (my favorite), and calamari. For dinner, we had a variety of dishes ranging from a hamburger to blackened grouper and crab legs. Everything was delicious! Service was good. read more

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I have visited Bob Chinn's a few times over the years, but I did not remember it very well. My husband and I recently came back with our family to celebrate my father-in-law's birthday, and we all had such a great experience. The restaurant wasn't too busy in a fun when we arrived, and even though we were seated in a very unusual spot in the dining room next to a sink, it actually became a running joke at the table and did not take away from the night. Our waiter was friendly, attentive, and great at checking in without hovering. We started with two appetizers: the fried calamari ($18) and the steamed little neck clams ($15). The calamari was perfectly crispy and not greasy at all. I did not try the clams myself, but the rest of the family ate them quickly and said they were fresh and flavorful. Everyone ordered something different for their entree, and there were compliments all around. I chose the stuffed jumbo shrimp with garlic pasta ($30), and it was outstanding. The shrimp were huge and packed with well-seasoned crab, and the pasta had a rich garlic flavor that paired perfectly with the seafood. They also plated plenty of lemon, which I loved because a squeeze of fresh lemon juice made everything taste even better. I also chose red potatoes as my side which were cooked well. My husband ordered the trifecta ($40), which came with an 8 oz prime rib steak, scallops, and shrimp in the shell. He enjoyed his food and said everything was perfectly cooked, though he made the hilarious mistake of eating the shrimp shell and was confused why he didn't like the shrimp as much as he normally does, since he didn't realize at first he should have peeled it off haha! He also got green beans and coleslaw has is sides and the green beans were his favorite because they were so buttery! Overall, it was a wonderful dinner and a great place to celebrate a special occasion. I would definitely return. read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Trifecta with side of green beans and coleslaw - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

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It's been a while since I've been here, but every time I step in, the line lanes remind me of being at Disney. Lol. There are things I didn't recall: how spacious each of the dining areas are, the jumbo tank of live lobsters, and the extensive drink list. Things I did recall from my previous visits: the signature garlic rolls, always served in a heavy pool of butter, and plentiful menu. Our bread basket was staling though, which was a let down! :( My ahi tuna was tasty, and I chose the char grilled preparation with grilled onions on top. Quite a few side selections are available, like coleslaw, potatoes, etc. I chose white rice and green beans. Hubs got the tilapia and seemed to enjoy it, though the portion was a little smaller than he expected all around. Kiddos enjoyed the kid menu options and got favorites like pepperoni pizza (likely frozen) and a hearty cheeseburger. Thanks for the complimentary mini scoop of vanilla ice cream too! I would pass on the key lime pie. It was very mediocre and still kind of frozen, and I wanted my $10 back. Not worth the calories. On a final note, our waitress Nichol was particularly pleasant and attentive. Props to her! Considering the food vs expectations, I'd give it a 2.5 stars rounded up to a 3. read more

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I ate at bob chinns and feel that I got ripped off! They are totally overpriced and crab was very watery! I was very disappointed and will not return read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Cost me 200$ for this crab barely filled me up - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

Everything is always good. Food is always delicious and the staff is fantastic. This is our go to celebration restaurant. My daughter-in-law loves the garlic rolls! read more

We moved to Georgia about 8 years ago and had to try it since this was one of our favorite restaurants. Wow best meal of the weekend. The interior was exactly the way I remembered but completely renovated exactly as it was. New signs, tables, lighting, chairs etc. great job. Don't change anything but renovate exactly the way it was. Had the famous mai Tai which was a bit watered down but still as I remembered. Started with the gumbo and raw oysters. Gumbo exactly the way I remembered. Delish! The raw oysters were so fresh absolutely no smell of fish. Fresh! Huge oysters! The garlic rolls were delicious. Ordered the blue crab claws and hubby had the filet, lobster and scallops. Everything was delicious. The steak, lobster, and scallops all cooked to perfection. Crab claws were small but tasty. The Cole slaw and potatoes were also very good. Also ordered the luau cake, it's light but good. read more

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found this place on the way back home, what a pleasant surprise! food and service were exceptional. Will return soon.

Our first visit to Bob Chinn's was very nice. We started with a cup of their chowder which was nice and thick and had plenty of meat in it. Then we had an order of there Early Bird Oysters nice size and serving. Our main courses were King Crab Carbonara which was very tasty ( but ) had lots of shells in it. Spent lots of time either taking them out of the pasta or her teeth. I had the Stuffed jumbo shrimp-pasta, and it was very good and a side of coleslaw. Service was very efficient Cesar was on top of it the whole time. The ambiance was very clean a little old but reminders me of an older classy restaurant. By the way those rolls soaked in oil and garlic were outstanding. We will for sure make the trip again. read more

Got to try this place again as I'm here for business and came in with friends. And they had a Tuesday Special menu and this dish just caught my eye and attention - KING CRAB CARBONARA. I've never seen a dish like this ever on a menu so I just had to try it coz the description on the menu was very enticing!! Lo and behold - this dish exceeded my expectations!! The pasta was cooked nicely, I would have preferred it a tad more al dente (like in Italy) but still wasn't overcooked but the overall flavor was spot on. It was pure umami where you can taste the savory briny flavor and sweetness of the crab that balanced well with the bit of saltiness from the bacon! I sprinkled some red chili flakes and it just made my dinner more enjoyable!!! We also had a few appetizers like the oysters Rockefeller which was delish and the bacon wrapped scallops was fantastic. Service was quick and our server was attentive!! The carbonara dish should be on the regular menu and not just a Tuesday special. read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - King crab Carbonara - Tuesday Specials - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

First time at this location. The restaurant is huge. Our server was okay. The food was mediocre at best. I had the California roll and a side order of calamari. Couldn't eat all the calamari. It just wasn't that good. The roll fell apart when picked up. I won't return. It did get busy. Maybe these were a lot of neighborhood folks. read more

My husband was craving Bob Chinn's and I was excited that they have a separate GF menu as of last summer. We were able to secure a 5:30pm reservation. The server asked if there were any allergies at the table. I informed her I was celiac/gluten free. She indicated the bread was not GF and also they do not have a dedicated fryer for the fries. I ordered the veggie sushi roll as an app and they even had GF soy sauce! For my entree, I had the PEI black mussel pasta and they also have a GF cheesecake for dessert. Everything was delicious!! The server was fantastic and also very knowledgeable regarding GF. Hopefully one day they will have GF bread and a dedicated fryer. read more

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Started out with garlic roll. That was tasty. The server was nice and fast We all got some different meals. We all enjoyed our items. There was shrimp , fish, and more. We had the mia tia it was tasty but very sweet. Did not taste like more than sugar. read more

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The lobster tail dinner dinner meal was good however soft shell app was terrible. It was not soft shell. The shell was almost un edible. It due to the shells be harder. read more

Always a delicious seafood meal at Bob Chinn's! Our go-to is the Bairdi snow crab (you can pick two sides). The complimentary garlic rolls are so yummy, and if the blue crab claws (seasonal) are available, we order the entree size to share. The signature Mai Tai is okay, nothing special. I prefer the Prosecco. Service is attentive. Dining room is spacious. Great place for big groups. read more

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Been coming here for over 30 years & never had a bad meal here, EVER. The very best salad bar too. Gumbo suffers from what I call the Dumb Chicago Technique of being too darned spicy & hot but their clam chowder is outstanding. read more

Seafood for the masses. Still has a casual vibe after all these decades and still, a high price point. Drink up and you won't notice the ups and downs of the meal. Having met Bob about 15 years ago, I think he would be disappointed with the current state of things. One type of oyster was available, the blue point of Delaware, large, blobby, not particularly good, and served with the basic cocktail sauce and horseradish. If this was the first time I had an oyster, I wouldn't have one again. This place must have a premium seat at the auction to get better oysters, they just don't. That kind of sums it up. If you are an unsophisticated birthday party group with an unlimited budget, this is the place for you. Cheers! read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Bob - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois

A Chicago classic with good reason! Food is still great after all these years. They still post shipping manifests for what items came in fresh that day! The menu offers something for everyone (even non-seafood lovers). There are go-to favorites and new classics to discover. My personal favorite is the whole lobster. Steamed perfectly and deliciously fresh! My pro-tip is to get a side of rice to mix with the main part of the lobster. The service is always great, even at busy times. The staff has usually been there a long time and makes great recommendations. They are friendly and quick to refill a drink. Great place to take the family, they can easily accommodate a large party. Makes a nice spot for a date night as well. Just be prepared for a throw-back vibe in regard to decor. Probably not the best choice for any vegetarians or vegans. However, ideal for pescatarians. read more

We come here once or twice per year when we are in town. We are never disappointed! We tried the tuna pillows which were new to us - spicy tuna over rice puffs. So good! I had one of their special of the day - white fish Bobs way. Bobs way is a soy sauce based light sauce. Not overpowering at all. I like it with jasmine rice to take up some of the sauce. Snow crab California was also fresh and tasty. Sometimes, snow crab on sushi can be a little fishy but this was great! Cheesecake is consistently delicious qs well. read more

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I have wanted to try this place for a long time- Finally I got the chance to go. The parking lot is big, but inside is massive!! Its a very casual vibe with seating everywhere throughout several rooms. You check in with several hostess stands and wait in lines to be prompted to the next station. I havent really seen anything like it. We were seated in the far back corner and our server was prompt and helpful. The menu has a lot of options so its kind of hard to choose. He was able to answer a lot of questions as some things aren't explained on the menu. I really like the fact that seafood is wild caught and flown in from alaska, hawaii etc. They bring to the table garlic rolls- the first batch we let sit out too long so they were cold. The second were better warm! We also had the crab eggrolls and shrimp tempura sushi. The crab eggrolls were crispy and it was paired with a sweet and sour sauce. The sushi was good but standard. I think they wet the rice a little too much and would have been better a bit dryer. For entrees we got medium shrimp (salt and pepper style) with red skinned potatoes and green beans- and filet, alfredo pasta and green beans. We decided to split a cluster of snow crab! The snow crab was AMAZING and my favorite. So fresh and flavorful. Highly recommend. My filet was really good too. The green beans also had a nice garlic flavor. My pasta was okay but standard and came out mildly warm. They were really busy and serving so many guests I can imagine things dont go as planned every single time. I would absolutely go back and try other things! Overall experience 4/5. read more

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Always love a dinner at Bob Chinn's! Garlic rolls always hit the spot. We tried the lobster pot pie (special of the day) and it was so delicious-- they definitely did not skimp on the lobster meat! I enjoyed the fish of the day chargrilled, but I forget the name of it. We also had the trio, which was great! The steak here is underrated! Service was great and super fast. It was a pretty quiet night! read more

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Had lunch today Friday and the food and service was great however when I made the reservation I stated we were celebrating my wife's birthday however no mention of this occasion if thought I mentioned it twice. While we like chinn's you would they would pay attention to details. read more

Thank you for a great birthday, the bar staff is why we keep coming back!!! Drinks are amazing and so is the food. Thank you Jose and Cindy!!! You guys are the best!!! Love you guys. read more

Got there hungry on my 20th anniversary. Left the place hungry. Got home and had golden grams. After leaving a 10 dollar tip on top of spending 107.56 I guess the waiters don't explain the ala cart and the 10 oz snow crab legs that.thats all you get. I hate bob chins.in wheeling il read more

Just updating my review after 7 yrs! This is still our go to place for celebration usually but this time, my mother in law requested to eat here before her chemo :-(. Still loving the food here! Service is superb. The place is nice and very welcoming. Though we came on a Wednesday night before their closing time 8pm, they still accommodated us. We love their steaks and seafoods here. I ordered the lobster roll this time. I chose the cold. The bread is soft, buttery and toasted perfectly. They put generous amount of lobster with their own sauce. It is so yummy! Everyone at our table enjoyed our meal. Ended my meal of course with the slice of paradise pie. Yummm my fave together with the luau and coconut cake. These are for next time! read more

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Always a good meal and friendly staff. Great daily menu with many specials...and the tasty garlic rolls. Get there early to avoid the crowds. read more

Amazing service and delicious food. The dining room is huge, so much space for groups and parties. I ordered the lobster roll and I added some of the garlic butter from the rolls to enhance the taste of each bite. Highly recommend this. Also the house made guava juice is so fresh and delicious. read more

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We usually come here on way back from Wisconsin for fall colors. It was great the 1st time here, which was several years ago. It stayed good, but then became okay, but this time made me decide it will be the last time I'm stopping by. We ordered a lot of things: crabmeat nugget, mussels, edamame, clam chowder, crabmeat vermicelli, lobster roll, and king crab lags. Other than the king crab legs and lobster roll, everything was not impressive or even bad. Crabmeat nuggets were shockingly terrible - it's mostly batter and can't taste any crab. Mussels are extremely small, the actual muscle is about 1/4 of the size of the shell. Clam chowder was too thick. Edamame has a generous layer of oil on the shells. Vermicelli was very dry and fell apart. My kiddo, who eats all kinds of French fries, wasn't a fan of theirs... The server offered to de-shell the crab, which made our lives much easier! The overall bill (pre tips) was almost $300. Given the food quality, I will never go back there any more. read more

Bob Chinn's Crab House - Seafood Near Me - Wheeling, Illinois