So, landed at this wonderful Cajun style bar in the middle of Forest Park, on a whim, on St. Patrick's Day. We ordered some drinks, margaritas on rocks, mango margarita, a piña colada and some beers. The cocktails were delicious, all very well done. The food was good as well. The jalapeño cheese curds were perfect!!! They were soooo good. And we ordered the BBQ shrimp appetizer which was to DIE for. It was the shrimp and crab jambalaya that ended up being a let down, it's not that it was not seasoned well, but the complete lack of salt made the whole thing not palatable. I would certainly return to this place for some cheese curds and some bbq shrimp along with some drinks, for sure, though. Service was friendly and fun was had by all! read more

Went here for a quick bite It had a short menu.... I was expecting Irish food but has more of a Cajun Creole menu was very satisfied price was reasonable and they have lunch specials soup was excellent server was very very nice [[HIGHLIGHT]]I picked a great time wasn't busy so I was able to have a conversation[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] I will certainly be back read more

The food has been consistently delicious! The service is excellent and personable. My husband and I have been patronizing this amazing place for a couple of years. We celebrate anniversaries, birthdays and certain holidays at this location. read more

Shanahan's - Love, love, love the hot toddy! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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When I have a hankering for Southern food this is where I go. Great gumbo...food is consistently good. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Comfortable old style bar with tables.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Might I add that the staff is attentive and they put their heart and soul into their food. Love it. read more

I had the worst experience. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Was enjoying a quiet meal, when we saw a mouse in the dining room. The mouse was spotted multiple times during our time there.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] The server was indifferent when we mentioned it. He didn't offer an explanation or an apology nor any discounts for the disgusting discovery. read more

Let me begin by heavily suggesting that Shanahan's rethink their entire menu and business structure/ concept. Here's why: Yesterday and my boyfriend and I went here around 3:30 pm for food. We had Shanahan's on our list and decided it's time to check it off. We entered into the establishment and were instantly greeted with warm smiles, genuine too. We were given waters and menus. Because my boyfriend was hungry, I was going to nibble. From first glance at the menu, half the menu detailed New Orleans cuisine. One fourth resembled American bar food and the other one fourth resembled slight Irish cuisine. That should've been a key factor right there. We ordered the chicken wings with sauce mojo and garlic. Half and half. We also ordered the crawfish Ettoufee and upgraded our side soup to a bowl of the seafood gumbo. Y'all... know what, I'll continue reviewing and let y'all mouths drop to the floor. The seafood gumbo - the roux was tasteless. The rice was crunchy (wasn't done cooking, and the seafood was over cooked. But also the crawfish wasn't properly cleaned. It was as if they received a bad order of crawfish and made due. The wings - these babies weren't even wing dings. They were as big as putting two quarters together. the garlic wings didn't taste of garlic. Why? Because they sprinkled the fresh garlic on top as a garnish. The mojo wings were supposed to be a dry rub that was cooked into the wing followed by a sweet spicy sauce. (Stop playing with me). This ish was bbq sauce. Specifically from KFC. I KNOW my bbq sauces because that is my favorite condiment. The crawfish ettoufee - There was no seasoning and they over compensated by putting incredibly large chunks of bell peppers and onions in the dish. There was barely rice in there and they slightly over did the amount of roux. So I didn't know if it was supposed to be gumbo or jambalaya. If I had to choose between the three, the crawfish ettoufee receives our vote with a whopping 2/5 rating. It's clear we wouldn't return unless it's for a drink because after all this is a bar. Our biggest "who wants to be a millionaire" Question is how did an Irish pub, connected to a French pastry bakery begin selling New Orleans style cuisine? I ask this because if you complete a Google search, Shanahan's, you'll see at least 2-3 other bars appears that proudly state they're Irish. I guess when you remove the O' before Shanahan's it makes a difference. Sorry for no photos but I was deeply saddened and so was my stomach. read more

Lotta disappointed here. I came years ago and got their gumbo. I remembered that this spot had the closest resemblance of gumbo to New Orleans gumbo. I lived there and missed it. NOT TODAY. Not that it was horrible it wasn't the consistency was severely lacking. Almost watery. And we all know that's not gumbo. Even ordered my favorite beverage, coca-cola. Nope it was a up m type of surgery substitute. If only you JADNT told me it was coke. Twice. read more

Shanahan's - Inside of Shanahans..... - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Diane is an absolute sweetheart . She is so knowledgeable about all food items and all activities in Forest Park / Oak Park. I had the Patty Melt and it was excellent. One of the best burgers in the neighborhood. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Sat outside on the patio and it was lovely weather to enjoy alfresco dining.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Shanahan's - Patty Melt and French Fries - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Wait : none Service : friendly but not very informative Food: gumbo was okay, but not a lot of seafood. Fried Calamari is also so so. Drink : Irish coffee was not as good as I expected. Price: fair Ambience : spaceful, quiet Overall : not worth to try food. read more

Shanahan's - Irish coffee - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Went there twice recently and loved it! Sunday brunch for shrimp and grits that are so good. Had to come back for a signature hurricane and the shrimp Pontchartrain pasta, which was creamy, rich, and delicious! My kid devoured her burger and fries too. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Nice outdoor patio.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Loved our server on both occasions. We'll be back! read more

Shanahan's is all my best NOLA feels! Hurricanes, seafood, vibe...all the best of Louisiana. I have held meetups and friends here for dinner and drinks. Service is professional and fast. Food is solid esp when I want a taste of home. Thanks Shanahan's! read more

When you hear the name Shanahan's, one would think that this is an Irish pub, but it's actually touted as a creole restaurant. I have been to this restaurant in Forest Park, Illinois many times, and have mixed feelings about it. Oftentimes, the food is delicious but there have been other times when I found certain dishes to be inconsistent; such as the Seafood gumbo (sometimes too salty but other times decent). On the other hand, the Shrimp & Grits, the Fried Calamari and the hurricane drinks are consistently delicious. Dress is casual and food prices are moderate and a good value for the amount of food served. The staff is friendly and attentive. The locals love this place (which sometimes causes a noisy atmosphere) so get there early to avoid the crowds, as well as to secure on-street parking. read more

Came here for a nightcap and I had the old-fashioned bullet bourbon. Not at all regretful as it was strong and just what I needed to bring up my mood again. This was our 2nd installment for the evening, and I was exhausted but far from being a party pooper so here we go. Although we only stood in one spot ( a table in the middle) it was nice. We got to see everyone having a good time and although there was a political party gathering in the other room, it still didn't deter from the ambience and the crowd was just right. Everyone was kind and considerate. I guess timing is everything when it comes to coming at a time when its crowded but at this point it didn't matter, as everyone was smiling and just getting along. Pleasantries ran amuck tonight, and I guess something was in the air as this spot reminds me of an old-time bar and the crowd was perfection! To be honest it's not every day I get to be part of a fun experience when it comes to bars. And today proved to be the perfect example of great food and drinks. The atmosphere just put it over the edge in a positive way so come in expecting a good time and laughs! Its seriously a great bar! read more

JAMBA-LYIN' EYES This Forest Park eatery offers lots of Creole-inspired dishes but not every item on the menu has been a winner. My first visit saw me order the voodoo pork chop, which didn't quite pack the punch I'd been promised after perusing printed publications (damn yo how's that for alliteration??) That meal was fine, but not terribly out of the ordinary. A return trip allowed me to try their chicken & andouille sausage gumbo, which was nice and rich with excellent flavor going on. The jambalaya has been consistent and a very large portion size. Same goes for the red beans & rice. On my 3rd visit our server was slow to greet us and placing a drink order took forever. Shanahan's features plenty of solid booze specials, like moscow mules and the classic hurricane. Some places will give you beads with the storm-related fruity drink -- made famous by Pat O'Brien's in NOLA -- but Shanahan's does not. After 4 visits, I've tried most nearly every cajun item on the menu and nothing has blown me away. Most recently, I was feeling bold so I opted for the pecan-crusted catfish. It was accompanied with dirty rice and potatoes (which coincidentally were better than the entrée itself). Something about the nut crust on the heavier fish didn't sit well with me and the hollandaise-esque sauce on top didn't help much. The crab and crawfish gumbo tasted great, though. LeAnn P was in the mood for pub fare, so she got the nachos and wings as we shared a plate of the jalapeno cheese curds. The wings made the grade, but the nachos were atrocious! Yeah yeah, why go to a Louisiana restaurant if you're just going to get nachos, I get it. But that's something so basic, every kitchen in the country should be able to nail 'em. Unfortunately, a handful of the chips were stale and a vast majority of the shredded cheddar cheese wasn't even melted. So those sat largely uneaten while we made short work of the cheese curds, which were actually very tasty. Enjoyed those morsels a ton. Bread = 3.5 Circuses = 3.5 Service here is okay, certainly not the best nor the worst I've experienced. Perhaps a notch or two below 'good', there have been lapses in timeliness and overall attentiveness. I've found Pappadeux's to have a more lively atmosphere with superior servers and higher quality food. These guys are locally-owned but so is Chuck's in Darien and they've got vastly better offerings (not to mention a ridiculous number of draft beers). I was on the fence about three or four stars, but the absence of any truly noteworthy dishes doesn't work in their favor. Also, a lot of the stuff on their menu is too hit-and-miss to warrant a return visit. My recommendation is to try Shanahan's once and find out for yourself. [[ side note: this is Shanahan's 100th review on Yelp, so congrats to them for hitting triple digits! Cheers to y'all! **raises hurricane glass** ]] read more

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Well. I have lived in forest park for a year now and am so disappointed that I didn't go to this place until now. I am not a huge lover of creole food so we just never thought to go. Ended up here tonight because Fat Duck is closed and o'sullivans was too full for comfort. The bar food here was the best we've had in forest park, hands down. My buffalo chicken sandwich and the side salad were awesome. Had the key lime pie for dessert also fantastic. Burger also delicious. Hope COVID doesn't shut us down too soon. We will be back, this place was really awesome on our first visit. read more

Shanahan's is located in a section of Madison Street with a multitude of eateries. Upon entering it looks like a neighborhood Irish tavern. However this is the place for some serious canjun cuisine. Service was prompt and friendly. The menu has many choices but a nice variety is the Three from the Bayou. It's a tasting of shrimp creole, chicken and andouille sausage jambalaya and crawfish etouffee. Each served over a bed of rice. The large portion allowed some take home. Each entree was tasty and tender with the right amount of spice. Some of the rice under the crawfish etouffe was a little crunchy, (under cooked). Overall a great choice. Choose one of the many beers for a delicious pairing read more

Shanahan's - Three from the Bayou - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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I remember this place to have excellent food, but not anymore Dishes look great, but they don't have any flavor. Shrimp tasted weird, calamari was tasteless and skillet was probably only dissent dish. Abita beer is great though. When you want to come for some drinks, the place is great, but not for dinner read more

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I wanted to rate this place higher, but for me, the food isn't anything worth writing home about. It's okay, some items are good, but some are just rather bland. Whatever I ordered, wasn't anything special. I don't remember finishing it but I don't really remember complaining about it either. It was just meh. My family has been there a few time and never has reported being wild about any of their dishes. My mother said this was not good: LOBSTER PONTCHARTRAIN Lobster Medallions, Gulf Shrimp, Scallops, Creamy Creole Alfredo Sauce, Fettucine Pasta One thing I did not like when I was there was their seating in the back. Sitting on their booths is like sitting on the floor. The booths are all caved in and so worn down. It is rough and not comfortable at all. I had to ask for a chair and pull it to the side of a small table. Not the best place, but not the worst. read more

Dined on 22 Oct 2019. I was uncertain whether I was going to try this place based upon the reviews. I'm glad I ignored the YELP reviews. I had the blackened shrimp and scallops, the Cajun calamari and cheese curds. All of the food was hot and tasted great. The value for money was there. I would definitely go back!! Nice job Shanahan's! You will be seeing me again! read more

Shanahan's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

That crawfish etouffee was the worst crawfish I've ever had; the food wasn't seasoned and nothing was flavorful at all. The crawfish taste like they just got it out the water, didn't wash and season it at all. The worst $18 I've spent in my life read more

Food was just okay. Service was slow but very nice. I got some type of shrimp sliders and they had little to no flavor. I wish I liked this place more. read more

I will start off by saying I am a Louisiana native. That said, I was somewhat uninterested and quite reluctant to give this place a try. But in the relationship world there is compromise, so after several requests to dine here, I acquiesced. Mr. ordered shrimp, chicken and andouille jambalaya and I ordered a cheese burger grilled cheese with a side of dirty rice. After placing the order we were told each entree comes with soup or salad. I opted for the crawfish bisque. I found the grilled cheese Thursday theme to be a good idea and my sandwich was tasty. On the other hand, my bisque and dirty rice were rather disappointing. It was way too much season salt, sodium flavor for my liking. Definitely items to avoid if you care about your blood pressure. Think week's sodium intake in one meal. I prefer fresh seasoning which provides creole or cajun flavor but I get season salt is cheaper and easier in a restaurant setting so places like this and Pappadeaux's pump lots of season salt and call it cajun. Prices were reasonable. Service was very slow but there was one person serving the entire place which had a crowd of about 15 or so. But the crowd size on a week night says this place has a few regulars and gets decent traffic on a street with several similar dining options. My diet coke was terrible even after the server replaced my original with a glass from the other tap. It tasted like a Canada Dry with a licorice flavor. I drank it anyway because I just could not bring myself to ask for anything else. Including a glass of water. Our server was as attentive as one could expect under the circumstances. But I will admit that if I could turn back the hands of time, I would avoid dining when there is a waitstaff of one with a mid size crowd. read more

I original discovered Shanahan's when walking past about two years ago. In a sea of bars on Madison the one thing that stood out to me was that they were an Irish Cajun bar....oh okay. Out of the five or six times I've been here they defiantly bring the Cajun flavor to all the dishes. Every time I've came in it usually was slow with only a few people either at the bar or outside on the patio, but the service was always attentive and very welcoming. Food. I've had mixed experience with. Some things I loved and some things I hated. Wings - I've gotten the Mojo flavor (BBQ+Hot) I've came here twice just to watch the game while eating theses wings. The only thing would be I wish they were whole wings. Seafood fondue - a little mix. I liked it but that might be more of the fondue and not the seafood part. Seafood needed more seasoning or to even blacken the seafood and added it in. but some of the seafood wasn't on point as I would have liked. Three From The Bayou - Large portion of food that I had to take home. Bit more of a miss for me. I ended up like the jambalaya the most but not so much the Creole or the etouffee. Voodoo Pork Chops - Two blackened Pork chops, over a bed of dirty rice with Jalapeño Hollandaise sauce on top with home fries on the side. Pork Chops they were good but wish my meat was warmer then how I received it. Warm/hot on the outside but medium to cold on the inside. The dirty rice had a creaminess that went well. I almost ate all my home fry's before I even touched anything else. Didn't even have to add salt as they were seasoned well. really crispy and wish I could have this for breakfast everyday with some eggs Nice size bar area stretched across a full bar and five televisions. and 1 or two behind you on the wall. (TV's needed to be updated. out of 6 TV's only 2 were the same brand. The largest TV is being run in SD vs. HD and on top of that was running about 3 sec slower than the other TV's running the same channel. One TV had two noticeable burn in's in the middle of the screen.) They changed the website and menu since I last been here recently. It looks more condensed. but one of the things that I like about this place is that they actually update the menu constantly with weekly/monthly specials. It's usually the same food that you can get on the menu but with and added twist to it. read more

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I've been wanting to try this place for a while. Definitely shouldn't be on a diet though or watching carbs if you want to eat here. I got the most excellent $5 bloody mary that was so dirty it was sinful. Probably the best part of my experience. Service was ok. Food was decent. The cheesy grits were pretty decent. Definitely will go back and try more of the regular food rather than the breakfast experience. The jumbalia was very good and made me very happy. I like that they have an outdoor seating area. It's nice to sit and watch the cars and people go by while sipping on the bm. read more

Have been coming to this neighborhood spot since I was an infant it is great food. The overall atmosphere is neighborhood vibe with many great things on the menu to choose from. I have had almost anything on the menu so it varies what I choose if I am in the mood for a good burger, red beans, and rice, and I never leave without the Gumbo. Overall, it is a great place with many options for almost any tastebuds from classic American favorites to Creole/ Cajun bites. I even have had this restaurant cater a big event of mine twice that was over 65 people and they did not mess up the order at all. The owner is a nice gentlemen that is very involded with how the restaurant operates. He always comes over to my table to see how the food taste, and if there is anything he can do for us. I see him making his way around the restaurant a lot asking the same question. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone in the area!! read more

Place is awesome for dinner and drinks. Love the Hot Wings The crew at Shanashan's are amazing and super friendly

The food and atmosphere are amazing! Definitely authentic and flavorful without being tacky or overbearing. The service needs work, ordered drinks and the waitress forgot to even put the order in until after the entrees were served. Other than that I love this place. Definitely coming back soon! Also this place was featured on Chicagos Best and I can see why, you'll love it. Go ahead and try their house haberno sauce if you're into flavorful, spicy sauces (remember a little goes a long way). read more

Shanahan's - Menu - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Sriracha event. The deviled eggs were awesome. I had the voodoo skillets. Really tasty with a cold one at lunch time. This places looks like an Irish bar but serves up some really good Cragin food read more

Shanahan's - Voodoo skillet - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

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Food was "ok" nothing spectacular. Nothing like I expected. Took a while for our order to arrive as well. I wished this place could've been better but I understand. read more

Shanahan's provided phenomenal service! Their food is always quick, delicious and remarkably reliable yet each time I'm left wanting even more! What stood out to me was that their staff knew me by name just after a couple of visits! If read more

Some places may still be open but clearly have not survived the pandemic. It seems they have cut back and changed their recipes perhaps to avoid raising prices. Sadly the Cajun food is now rather mediocre. Add to that the frequent errors in my orders for pick up and I have scratched them from my list. read more

One of our favorites. Love when Tim has a weekend Fest. Recently we were there twice for Taste of the Bayou. Great menu for the event. Oysters Rockefeller, Fried Gator Bites. We always love Tim's Etouffee . This time w/ crawfish and shrimp. Nice drink menu too. Great wait staff. read more

Shanahan's - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Went here yesterday Mother's Day The food was ok We waited for a hour for our food that came to the table warm. The waitress never came to the table to apologize or address the long wait. When the food came out we were missing an entree which was for a child. After about 15 mins I flagged the waitress (Ally) down to let her know that we no longer wanted the Chicken fingers and to please bring out carry out boxes. We were gonna take our food to go. She says they were already Made so we would have to take them....which of course we refused. She bring the bill out where she has already filled in $ 29 gratuity on the credit card receipt now I'm really confused. The bartender came over and apologized for the service and offered desert which was very nice. The restaurant didn't have a good first impression Customer Service need definite improvements read more

I've come here many times and had an enjoyable time but this visit just really took the cake. The waisters had a very melancholy attitude to issues caused by the kitchen (fries weren't actually cooked), a fly that wouldn't leave my food alone and screaming cooks when we asked for cooked fries. I'm afraid to eat the food they bring back. read more

I've been here multiple times and always leave happy. The drinks are strong, the food is delicious, and the selection is fantastic. The service is nothing to write home about, but it's adequate (this might be the time of day that I'm going... it's never all that busy when we go). The main reason we keep coming back is the brunch. Every dish I've tried has been great, wonderfully delicious and usually something that I haven't seen anywhere else (things like baguette French toast with a honey pecan sauce, or a creamy creole crab omelette). The prices are very reasonable and the ambiance is welcoming, makes me feel at home. It's also not busy at all this time of day, so we get service right away, and it feels more personal. This is definitely one of my favorite restaurants for brunch in the city or suburbs. read more

The Resturant was nice & quaint. The was good. I had the shrimp/Green tomato Po boy, friend 1 had the pork chops that she absolutely enjoyed! Friend 2, has pecan crusted Catfish thematic was pretty good. Overall, it was a nice place to stop & have a good meal & conversation. We would go back. It was a little quite for a Saturday evening, there was no waiting for tables so that was another plus!! read more

Shanahan's - The place is small & quaint. The service is friendly and pretty quite for a Saturday night. - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

My wife and I went to Shanahans for My birthday. Since my Birthday is in Feb what better way to celebrate it.. Mardi Gras style. I must say my wife and I have visited NOLA a few times and you would think if you are a Cajun style restaurant, that you would do it up for Mardi Gras.. especially if you want to give your customers that authentic feel. They did not have much decorations at all. Now on to the dinning experience. They had a party setup in the private room that seems to small for the crowd so many of the party guests were hanging around the dinning area. Which to me was very uncomfortable having people hovering around your table. The noise was obviously amplified with these guests. So if you wanted an intimate and nice evening this was not the place. Once again after visiting NOLA a few times you grow an appreciation for the food. So when we ordered our food I must I was so disappointed. The food was very bland and cold. Let's just say we will not be visiting this place again...leave much to be desired. read more

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They servers and bartender were excellent. They knew it was my first time visiting them and they were so helpful. And the drinks we're on point hate I didn't get a picture. read more

Shanahan's - Shrimp po boy and fries excellent - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Forest Park, Illinois

Great food and even better customer service. Only complaints is the drinks are not that great but the food was delicious

I've been going to Shanahan's for a few decades. The food is always good. Tonight's dinner was no exception. The dinner salad was fresh and colorful and I had it with the remoulade dressing which was awesome. Then I had the crawfish etouffee and it was really, really tasty. I took my daughter to New Orleans and after eating there, she said Shanahan's has the best shripm po boy. Not sure what the mixed reviews are about. read more