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El Cangrejo

4.0 (72 reviews)
ModerateSeafood
Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

El Cangrejo Photos

Business Info

EL CANGREJO ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Very loud
Casual
Good for groups
Good for kids

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Rice
Monika W.

Oh. My. Gosh. I came here on a date and the food changed my life. First they start your off with a complimentary fish ceviche served with tostadas and crackers. You know a place is gonna be good when the first thing they bring you before the menu is ceviche! This was my first time having langostinos in Nayarit sauce and I'm worried I'll never find anything as good as how this restaurant does it. Their Nayarit sauce is absolutely flavorful and delicious, I could not get over it. Put it on your rice, dip your tortilla in it, dip some bread in it and it all pairs nicely. The langostinos were cooked perfectly, the sauce was flavorful but not to the point that it overpowered the flavor of the langostino as well. The service was fantastic and they're BYOB as well! We washed everything down with agua de jamaica. I can't wait to come back and bring my friends!

Pulpo a la diabla Langostinos Chicken nuggets

To start off with it's packed for the hype It's not that great We got the langostinos and they where too salty We got the pulpo a la diabla and they tasted like bar barbecue sauce and some hot sauce and weren't that good And on top of that my little girl got some nuggets and didn't even eat them she said McDonald's nuggets were better Only pro it's byob but they took my miche mix cuz they said they sell it

12 oz shrimp ceviche, cooked

4/5 Food 4/5 Service 3.5/5 Atmosphere / Seating Arrangement 3.5/5 Value (good but better at other places) 4/5 Cleanliness I was really craving some fresh ceviche on a hot 80 degree day in May. El Cangrejo did not disappoint! We were given fish ceviche as an appetizer which was enough for 2 tostadas. The small 12 oz shrimp ceviche was a great size, enough for 3-4 tostadas more. After 2, I was full so I took the rest home.

Osiris R.

I'd give them more stars if i could! Best seafood in all of the Chicago area ! Bit of a wait on weekends , but trust me it is very much worth it !! The restaurant is BYOB friendly and they have live music . Make sure you check it out

Raw oysters
Angie 'Nana' M.

You must try the cucaracha style/sauce. It is straight FIRE. I eat it on its own. It's amazing on tostadas, shrimp, langostinos...haven't tried it, but for sure would be bomb on oysters. The restaurant is BYOB. The waitresses are really nice and professional. The restaurant is clean and adheres to social distancing and reinforce wearing masks. The aqua mineral preparada (with salt and lime, served in a salt- rimmed cup) is my go- to drink.

Lino I.

Bro this shit it bad 20 dollar for the this shit. I might as well go to Los Magueyes Seafood there pasta taste better and it's more for sure. This is how I got it my plate all I did was push everything together. Not even for three bits I have her in the dish. It's a rip off

The sign.
Damian P.

This place at one time was La Isla Maria's and wow the seafood was awesome. With that said: We decided to come on down on a Sunday afternoon for some seafood soup and a shrimp/octopus cocktail, since we do live about 5 minutes from their front door. Now, back in the day (a few years ago actually), we use to come and have the above concoctions and be so satisfied and always we would leave with a smile. Of course, they are BYOB so that was a plus. Today was different..... We came in and of course my partner wanted the Sopa de Mariscos which is seafood soup. I, on the other hand wanted a cold and cool dish such as a cocktail of shrimp and octopus. We brought in our beers, from the outside. And they seemed warm so of course, the waitress gave us glasses with ice, ummm corona's so don't taste good when they are watered down. So I asked: "Miss Waitress, what is the Mendiga Especial"? It was in the section with the cocktails so this had to be good. Of course, she said it was minced up jalapenos, octopus and whole shrimp. Okay this is an easy hit, I want it. My partner of course got his seafood soup ("Why am I not surprised), so I was happy. Until she came with a cocktail glass and HOT SOUP! Oh no, I thought this was a cocktail, and I didn't really bitch about it because it took a while and I didn't want to wait any longer. But she did state, would you like something else instead. Ummmm no I am hungry! (YELPers, we never compromise on a meal and I am sorry to say, I broke that mantra, I COMPROMISED)!!! It was weak, the shrimp still had their shells on and their feelers looked so unappetizing. What is wrong with me? But I take full blame, but it still doesn't help the taste. They just don't have that. So of course I give it a 3 Star, yes my friends, a rarity, but it happens. Next time we go to a real seafood joint that we are familiar with. So not worth the $30+ tip we spent. *(Well the partner spent). Go somewhere else if you want seafood that has flavor. It just didn't make the cut. But you be the judge,

Krystal R.

Wow!! From BYOB (family had micheladas, in which the place gave them the mix and they brought their modelos), to the live music, and of course all of the yummy, spicy seafood!! I'm just mad I haven't found out about this place sooner!! P.s don't go with a large group on a Friday because you'll wait a while for a table. Pic of the stuffed pineapple I had but family had way more delicious food as well.

Platillo de chapuzon...spicy! But yummy!
Stephanie R.

This is my favorite spot for langostinos! Every time we've come here we are sat immediately and the service is usually good. Beside the delicious langostinos, the shrimp empanadas and the chapuzon are among my favs on the menu. The patrons are always served an appetizer of ceviche and tostadas to share and an unbelievably spicy (but also delicious) habanero salsa. El Cangrejo is a BYOB restaurant which is a major plus but it's does tend to get pretty loud when there's a band playing, so if you're looking for a nice romantic date night spot this is NOT the place for you lol. But it is great for large groups.

Camarones a la Diabla
Andrea R.

This little restaurant has delicious spicy seafood to fill your cravings! The presentation and taste of the food was al cien! I arrived before 3:30pm on Friday and there was plenty of tables available but were immediately filled so my suggestion is to arrive timely! Since it's BYOB, tables take a lot more time to empty.

Coco Relleno

Soo so good! The shrimp ceviche, mussels, stuffed coconut and paella are delicious! It's a BYOB restaurant so it keeps the bill low and they don't take reservations.

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5 years ago

Everything has been delicious and on point. Never had a bad experience. The waitresses are always fast and well mannered.

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8 years ago

They're still open they just moved down archer closer to Kedzie. (: The best longostinos and mejillones.

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9 years ago

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6 years ago

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12 years ago

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7 years ago

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11 years ago

Great food and service, best langostinos and mussels in Chicago! Shrimp and cheese stuffed chicken is one of my kids favorites!

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10 years ago

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

Great taste bring your own beer fast service and bream restaurant . Ordered shrimp cocktail and lagostinos and fries were great !

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12 years ago

Simply the best Mexican seafood place. The prices are cheap and the food is excellent.

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9 years ago

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6 years ago

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Wentworth Seafood House - Shrimp n eggs.....great dish......couldn't make it my own tho....

Wentworth Seafood House

4.3(215 reviews)
4.8 miChinatown
$$

We came during Thanksgiving for brunch. We came around 11ish an was able to get the last 4 top…read more We ordered a few dim sum dishes, fried rice, gai lan and a few drinks. Service was quick and we had no issues with the food nor service. They are consistent with our last visit and are a dependable place for dim sum when we something other than the bigger places. We will be back!

Quick trip to Chicago with just enough extra time to hit Chinatown. Wentworth Seafood House came…read morehighly recommended by some locals nearby. Definitely worth the stop. There were a few small two tops, but mostly those big round family size tables with the giant center lazy susans. Got a paper menu for dim sum items and a regular menu. Had to go with the dim sum goodies since it had so many things we'd never seen in any Michigan Chinese restaurants. Sweet walnut buns, fried bean curd skins filled with deliciousness, brisket with rice noodles that looked like Korean rice cakes, meatloaf, and more. Everything was outstanding, with various sauces presented with different items. This was new for us as well. A deep red vinegar with some fried dumplings, a tasty black sauce with the fried stuffed bean curd skins, a sweet plum sauce with the fried skinny shrimp rolls, it was really fun food. They have a barista making coffee, espresso and even milk tea, but the wait was like 10 minutes. Clean restaurant with very good service. Wish we lived closer so we could make it regular stop.

Photos
Wentworth Seafood House - Interior of the restaurant

Interior of the restaurant

Wentworth Seafood House - Nice shrimp rolls

Nice shrimp rolls

Wentworth Seafood House - Dim sum menu

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Dim sum menu

Shaw's Crab House - Oysters, East coast

Shaw's Crab House

4.2(2.8k reviews)
6.8 miNear North Side
$$$

Loved it - again! We…read morewere here last night for dinner as a party of 5 and dinner was fabulous. As we no longer live in the Chicago area and we're staying downtown, we felt we should pop back over here for lunch today so glad we did. Our server, was quite pleasant and attentive. The support staff were efficient. My wife and I shared the following: - Lobster Mac and Cheese - Seafood Salad - Parkerhouse rolls and butter - Hot tea - Iced tea See you this summer Shaw's Crab House!

(Kari's Rating 7/10)…read more TLDR: -Louder atmosphere -Good for corporate events -Price is average Came in around 7:30pm on a Friday and it was busy! We waited like 5 minutes for a table but were seated at a small two person booth/table. Our server was pretty busy but attentive and knew a lot about the menu. We ordered the wedge salad and the yellowtail sushi roll. It was spicy and had a nice touch of yuzu on top and the fish was relatively fresh. The wedge salad had plenty of dressing on it and it was pretty good. For the main we got the Chilean sea bass which was very sweet and savory. The scallops had a perfect sear and they were pretty very rich and buttery. The broccolini was steamed and fresh. He finished off dinner with the crème brûlée and the Keylime pie, both of us we had to take home because we were so full. I think overall this experience is pleasant, not something very memorable, but I'm happy I've came here!

Photos
Shaw's Crab House - Inside main dining room

Inside main dining room

Shaw's Crab House - Full Dozen Oysters

Full Dozen Oysters

Shaw's Crab House - Lobster Roll

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Lobster Roll

JM Seafood Restaurant - Beancurd and oxtail stew

JM Seafood Restaurant

4.4(77 reviews)
3.5 miBridgeport
$$$

My family has been coming here for the last few years. It's our favorite Chinese restaurant in the…read morecity. It does get quite busy since their lobster sticky rice went viral a bit ago. The space is lean and there's a decent amount of seating. Paid street parking is plentiful outside the restaurant. Go-tos: -301 lobster sticky rice (save the shells to make delicious congee later!) -401 bean sprouts -402 green beans -345 Japanese tofu and vegetables -350 sizzling beef Pro tip: -come an hour or so after they open so you don't have to wait (since the wait can be long), or during "off hours" and you shouldn't have a problem being seated

Came here for my mom's birthday. The staff really went above and beyond to make her day feel extra…read morespecial. They played a birthday song over the speakers and let us bring a cake to the restaurant. Service wise, would give this place a 10/10. The food was really unique and special, you don't see a lot of these dishes at Chinese restaurants. The menu had many many different options to choose from. We shared the twin lobster sticky rice (came with 2 lobsters for $88), the salted yolk pumpkin, and the pork belly chicken soup. The soup was good but the white pepper taste was a bit too strong. The other dishes were on the heavier, oily side but they were really delicious. There were generous portions of lobster. They served a really nice, fragrant jasmine tea with dinner which they kept refilled and pipping hot. Bathroom was clean and the restaurant has a beautiful design inside that's nice for parties of 4 or larger groups for family style dining. There's plenty of paid street parking options, around $5 for 2 hours. I would recommend giving it a try!

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JM Seafood Restaurant
JM Seafood Restaurant - Lobster

Lobster

JM Seafood Restaurant - Vegetable

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Vegetable

La Palapa - Chicken taco

La Palapa

3.3(395 reviews)
2.2 miMcKinley Park
$$

We were driving home from an event looking for a place that was still open at 8 pm and drove past…read morethis brightly lit up restaurant so we made a U-turn and were pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness, service and delicious food! The portions are huge and filled with flavor. We definitely needed to go boxes and the food tasted amazing even the next day. The green salsa is to die for! Sad we didn't order a container to go, but will definitely be back. Seems like the summer time is a great time to visit given all the outdoor space they have.

I had no idea this place even existed until a friend invited me for dinner. I pull up to La Palapa…read moreto find a spacious restaurant with cute, lit palm trees outside, reggaeton music blasting through the speakers and fast and friendly service. My friend was already there munching on ceviche and once I sat down, our friendly waitress came over right away and gave the menu rundown/highlights. I was overwhelmed by the all the amazing offerings and finally decided on a large Jamaica (a refreshing hibiscus tea/kool-aid like drink and the rompecolchon, a delicious grilled seafood and rice dish. My friend ordered the pineapple chicken, which was half a pineapple grilled and stuffed with chicken, seafood and veggies. Our food came out quickly and we proceeded to pig out. The rompecolchon was similar to a paella but with more seafood, more citrus and lots of cilantro. I was in heaven. The portions were so generous, we had enough to take home for lunch the next day (or a midnight snack). I've already been back and can't wait to go again.

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La Palapa - Dining area

Dining area

La Palapa - Chicken Taco Carne Asada Taco Rice and Beans

Chicken Taco Carne Asada Taco Rice and Beans

La Palapa

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Langosta Nayarita - Chapuzon

Langosta Nayarita

3.9(29 reviews)
1.8 miMarquette Park, Chicago Lawn
$$

Avoid This Place: A Dive Bar Masquerading as a Restaurant…read more​If I could give this place zero stars, I would. We came to Langostra Nayarita expecting a decent meal, but what we got was four and a half hours of pure frustration. ​We arrived ahead of our group and were seated quickly, but that was the only efficient part of the entire experience. They dropped off a tiny cup of ceviche and some tostadas, and then we effectively ceased to exist to the staff. ​The service was nonexistent. Our waitress (the one with blonde hair) was the definition of unprofessional. She spent the entire afternoon doing shots with other customers and lounging at their tables rather than doing her job. In the nearly five hours we were there, we only saw her twice. ​To make matters worse: ​The Food: Completely average. Nothing justifies the lack of service. ​The Atmosphere: They're acting more like a messy dive bar than a professional restaurant. ​The Exit: We have currently been waiting for our check for over an hour. ​It is insulting to pay for a meal when you have to beg for the bare minimum of attention. Save your time and your money--skip this place. I will never be back.

The vibes here are always great! Musicians come in and play and then you can find karaoke playing…read moreas well. It's always a fun and great time. Now the food is amazing as well. We always come for family events or for a good dinner here. Good always hot and tasty. Their mussels and shrimp are flavorful. Also BYOB so perfect place to come to eat and drink and enjoy. Service is always good too as the workers are super friendly and nice.

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Langosta Nayarita - Fixed water

Fixed water

Langosta Nayarita - Chapuzon

Chapuzon

Langosta Nayarita

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Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Dry Aged Bone In Ribeye

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf

4.5(3.5k reviews)
6.5 miRiver North, Near North Side
$$$$

Was in town for pleasure and business and decided to try this spot after hearing so many great…read morerecommendations. When I arrived the line was out the door so I recommend making a reservation or come early. Since it was so packed, I ended up sitting at the bar, which turned out to be a great experience. I ordered the waygu burger and definitely recommend adding lettuce, tomato, bacon and a egg which really takes the burger to another level. I also ordered the fries and that were cooked perfectly, and a salad, to make it seem as if I was making healthy choices lol. The total cost of the burger was around $50 but totally worth it. I would definitely try this place when I'm back in Chicago.

The service here was immaculate--easily the highlight of the entire experience. Attentive without…read morebeing overbearing, the staff truly elevated the night. We ordered a spread: the wagyu burger, short rib stroganoff, truffle mac and cheese, Brussels sprouts, elote-style corn, fries, and the hot fudge sundae royale, paired with Kir Royales. Every dish delivered. The short ribs quite literally melted in your mouth, rich and perfectly cooked. The wagyu burger was everything you'd expect--tender, juicy, and indulgent. Also the ice cream was amazing! The standout for the table, though, was the Brussels sprouts--crispy, flavorful, and gone within minutes. Reservations are notoriously hard to secure, but if you're willing to take a chance, try your luck at the bar. It's absolutely worth it.

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Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Waiting area and first floor dining

Waiting area and first floor dining

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Bone Marrow

Bone Marrow

Bavette's Bar & Boeuf - Truffle Mac & Cheese

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Truffle Mac & Cheese

El Cangrejo - seafood - Updated May 2026

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