I've looked forward to coming here since I saw it featured on the FNC. It was such a let down. Â Ok the pretzel bread and bean salad were a nice complimentary starter. Â We ordered the whiskey shrimp since that was featured on the Diner...show, but when we got the plate the food was room temperature to cold. I ordered the special for the day which was lobster tail and steak. Â The steak was good an average steak that is nothing to brag about. The place is known for their seafood so I was looking forward to the huge lobster tail on my plate. It was tough. Â I think it got over cooked and lacked that sweet flavor lobster usually has. Â Out of everything I ate the bread and steak were the best. That's sad seeing as it's supposed to be a good seafood restaurant. Maybe I'll try the attached bbq place next time.
Review Source:I was super excited to eat here, as it seemed to have a pretty large selection of seafood at decent prices.  We were a party of 7, and we got seated at an oddly placed table in a corner next to the bar.  We got complimentary bread and a bowl of beans.  The bread was fluffy and yummy with the sweet whipped butter.  The bowl of beans was good too...except one small, half-filled bowl is not enough for everyone in a party of 7 to get a spoonful.  For appetizers, we shared frog legs (it was a fish fry day), and calamari.  The two were overly battered and heavy.  However, the fries that came with the frog legs were awesome, and the sauteed vegetables even better.  Whatever they season the vegetables with totally hit the spot.  Most entrees come with a soup or salad.  Normally  I don't comment on the side salad...but the balsamic dressing here was so loaded with oil, that even vigorously mixing didn't seem to help.  My poor sister-in-law pretty much got a salad with what seemed like straight oil with a drop of balsamic as dressing.  I had the tequila orange salmon with sauteed vegetables (opted for no rice).  The flavor was nice at first, but it got too sweet near the end.  The delicious sauteed vegetables were drenched with the sweet sauce, and they were no longer so delicious.  Also, the sides of the salmon were overcooked and dry.  I also forced the husband to order the filet mignon, but unfortunately he ordered the wrong one - I wanted to try the DDD featured conch filet mignon.  I tried the one that he did order, and it was OK. Â
Our waitresses were attentive - refilled our water constantly and checked on us enough.
I had high hopes for the place. Â I am still willing to return and try other dishes though.
I am surprised by the comments dissing the atmosphere here. It is cute and quaint. It reminds me of the sort of place your Grandparents would take you out to growing up. Knowing it has been on DDD certainly should confirm that the atmosphere won't exactly be high class.
I really enjoyed the pretzel bread with cinnamon butter! My fried walleye had the perfect amount of crust and was not even slightly greasy. One issue I have is that the garlic mashed potatoes seem to be instant! Ah, never a fun discovery, but I imagine there are still folks in this world who are sentimental for those institutional potato flakes. Oh well, I will pick a different side next time.
Overall, I would say it is worth a stop if you are headed up to Wisconsin.
Great tasting food at an affordable price. Popularized and placed on the social map by Guy Fieri (on the Food Network's popular show), this place has enjoyed some recent notoriety. Â So much so that when you look at the menu they have a star next to each item featured on the show. Â The great thing is that every item on the menu is cooked well and tastes homemade, not just the ones that made it to national TV.
I will comment on the things I have tried... all of which are absolutely mouth-watering. Â The burgers are juicy and cooked to order and come with a variety of toppings. Â My personal favorite is the wild boar burger as well as the buffalo burger. Â That extra gamey flavor elevates their already perfected burger recipes to the next level. Â The fried alligator is also a great appetizer to start with since the taste is not off-putting (in fact, it tastes a lot like chicken but superior) and again, has that added flavor and comes with a Tabasco-like dipping sauce that goes well with the Cajun style alligator. Of course, my ultimate favorite is their beef and steak... the New Orleans Blackened Conch Filet. Â I have never tried conch before but it tastes a bit like scallops with a more fishy taste. Â The meat is 5-star Steakhouse quality, juicy, full of taste, darkened perfectly on the outside. Â Try it.
The atmoshpere is interesting... it's deceptively large on the inside, seated quite a few people in close quarters. Â Rustic style with an interesting pulley system for a front door...does give you the "Shanty" feeling.
Good selection of beers to choose from to wash that dinner down.
One of my favorite restaurants now...even if it made the national debut on the Food Network. Â After all, that's how I found them right next to home.
Don't order the cajun catfish. Â It's just a mediocre fish fry with hot sauce poured over the fish. Â My wife's fish with a cream sauce was barely edible. Â Not like the meals we saw on triple D. Â Only good thing is the drinks are strong so it helps compensate for below average food.
Review Source:We've been to the Shanty twice and it is a great local eatery. The place is always packed which is a good sign and definitely does not disappoint. The food is always great and service is always friendly. The atmosphere is really neat and it has been featured on a lot of different tv programs. It is a little pricey, but well worth it as it is definitely good stuff.
Review Source:I don't have high expectations as a rule. I'm a simple girl who just likes my food to taste good. I was let down from start to finish here.
The server, first of all, seemed like she just couldn't be bothered with my piddly little party of two when there were larger parties to fawn over. Especially after we presented our <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> gift certificate. We had to flag her down for everything. And then wait until she was finished fawning over the larger parties.
The complimentary pretzel bread, while warm and soft, was plunked on the table without any of the butter (honey-flavored or otherwise) that I've read in other reviews is supposed to accompany it.
I have to first address the appetizer "Organic Goat Cheese Wonton". I admit, it was described in a manner that sounded yummy. But what was presented to us was in fact, sort of gross. Their "chili" sauce tasted like generic sweet and sour sauce. And had we not had the certificate, there would have been NO WAY IN HELL I would have paid $8.95 for this crap. Imagine 4 pitifully bland, over-fried, anorexic faux-crab rangoons, now imagine $8.95 of your hard-earned money flying out of your wallet into thin air. Trust me, the thin air deserves your $8.95 well before this dish does. Blech.
On to the bison burger. Â It is listed on their menu as being served medium-rare. The server reminded us of this when we ordered. But was actually served to us was RARE. Bloody, juices leaking everywhere and getting the bun and fries soggy. Do bisons moo? Because if they do, this one would have been still doing it on our plates. And since the server was back to fawning over larger parties, we couldn't flag her down to ask for them to be cooked a little more. On the upside, there was no ill effects from eating this under-cooked meat.
Our server magically appeared to try and sell us dessert. When we declined and asked for the check, it took flippin' forever. And why not. She got her guaranteed 18% gratuity.
And I got the lesson to never set foot in this place again.
I stopped here on the way home from a wisconsin trip, after reading all the great reviews.
I had the pulled pork sandwich, and I definitely know my way around one of these sandwiches. The sandwich was barely edible. Â What is with the nasty stuff they call "bbq sauce"? Â It is disgusting and all it tasted like was cloves. Out of four people at our table, not one person even remotely enjoyed the sauce. Â I can't imagine anyone else could even like that?
I guess they are known for the steaks and seafood. My mistake
We stopped in here after a day at the Renaissance Fair in Bristol Wisconsin. Â This place seems to be a favorite among the locals but I have to say I was not very impressed.
The atmosphere is casual and cozy. Â We were seated at a booth that seemed a little small for four adults. Â We were not served the pretzel basket that seems to be popular with a lot of folks... maybe it's a dinner thing. Â
Three of us ordered burgers which came with fries, pickle and barbecue sauce.  I ordered my sauce on the side and I'm glad I did.  The sauce is a peculiar mixture and seems to have cloves in it.  Definitely not your average BB sauce.  The  burger, however was fresh and tasty.
My son is an aficionado of pulled pork sandwiches, he almost always orders it anytime it is on the menu. Â We had not eaten all day and he was REALLY hungry. Â As soon as he tasted it, his disappointment was obvious. Â It seems they use the same sauce in their pulled pork as they do on everything else, as many places do. Â It was among one of the worst pulled pork sandwiches he had ever experienced. Â
I can't speak for the rest of the food, but if it comes with BB sauce, be prepared for something definitely different that I honestly have a hard time believing most folks would like.
We went to The Shanty for a break from cooking and a brief midweek celebration of our wedding anniversary (with plans to treat ourselves to a leisurely dinner at a fine dining destination over the weekend). Our waitress greeted us with a mini-loaf of pretzel bread with a side of honey-flavored butter, and two bread plates which, at first glance, were very obviously dirty and encrusted with food that evidently had been baked on during a dishwasher dry cycle. Our waitress looked at the plates and replied "Oh my! You're right! I'll bring new plates."... no apology; not even an expression of regret. (We should have seen this as an indication of what to expect as our experience unfolded and left while the getting wasn't as bad as it would get.)
My wife ordered a saute of scallops, shrimp and vegetables that was so salty that she could not bear to finish it. When we told our waitress about it, she thanked us and advised that she would tell the chef to ensure that others would not receive a meal like my wife's. We admittedly were a bit perplexed that our waitress seemed more concerned about customers that had yet to arrive and order, but not about a customer who was present, was served an unsatisfactory meal, and voiced her dissatisfaction.
I ordered pasta and mussels with a sauce that the menu listed would be comprised of wine, olive oil and lemon juice; a simple sauce that is commonly served as linguine with white clam sauce. However, the yellow hued sauce that came with my meal had the consistency and flavor and appearance of Greek egg-lemon chicken-rice soup; thick, creamy and tart, but unlike the soup, it also was cloying and unappetizing, especially when paired with overcooked linguine. It was everything that a sauce of wine, olive oil and lemon over al dente linguine should NOT be. To add insult to injury, most of the in-shell mussels were also covered with the viscous sauce, which made retrieval of bits of overcooked mussel flesh from their shells a messy, slimy endeavor. We wondered if the chef may have been angry about something as he prepared our meals.
Considering the response that we received regarding my wife's meal, we did not bother to waste our time on also reporting our dissatisfaction with both meals. I just paid our check, we left, and within 15 minutes, we were in our kitchen enjoying a far superior dinner of scrambled eggs, bacon, English muffins and mixed fresh berries. Had there been an option to not issue ANY stars, no stars, ZERO, would have been issued.
Food is average, nothing too special for the most part. Every now and then you'll order something good but the burgers, pastas, steaks etc. are just "meh".
The Shanty is exactly what it sounds like... a shanty... a hole in the wall... a dive. Which is why it was featured on the Food Network (Diners, Drive-thrus and Dives). Don't expect too much from the decor, or from the staff. The servers seem to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off the whole time and the manager is yelling at them in the back kitchen, which can be heard in the dining room.
There isn't MUCH at ALL in Wadsworth besides the nearby McDonalds, so of all the places I suppose this place is a good option. However, Libertyville isn't too far away if you want some GOOD food :)
A quirky little joint that was featured on Diners and Drives. The menu leans heavily towards fish and seafood. There are also steaks, burgers and pasta dishes. I had the stuffed pepper soup for starters, followed by a bison burger. The soup was really good and the bison very good. I tasted the cream of spinach soup and that also was good.
Live entertainment on Fridays and Saturday's. This night they had a guy singing karaoke, covering a lot of Sinatra, Â Dean Martin, Neil Diamond among others. A fun lively crowd inhabited the bar, some were also dancing.
Friendly servers.
Went here because I saw it on triple D...why do I listen to this Guy?? Â Pun intended...
The whiskey shrimp they are 'know for"
RIP OFF
You get 4 shrimp...yes, 4....large at best....on some toast for like $13.. no way.
The "fish fry' on Friday was the same thing  they always have on the menu, its NOT all you can eat...
I had the coconut shrimp, good amount in this one, hence the 3 stars.... a touch burned, and the sauce was a sweet chili tasting one from the bottle, no yummie pina colada like the well known chain for seafood serves up  :(
French onion and chowder soup, meh....
Not impressed, priced too high for a shack in the middle of no where wadsworth....
THe best thing here is the pretzel bread at the start of the meal
I have to admit, we went because of the food network. So maybe we expected more than we should have, the episode was in 2009 after all. Why should they keep up the quality?
The shrimp appetizer was salty, the crab cakes tasted like breadcrumbs...not crab, the salmon entree was almost flavorless, and while yes, the small pieces of conch on the filet were tasty, I was still looking for the conch.
We went early in the evening and our waitress didn't seem too thrilled to be serving us.
Still, the funniest thing was when the table next to us asked for separate checks, saying "to make it easy on you, we'd like separate checks". To which she replied. "to make it easy on me?". Â
hmmm, maybe we need to have a chat about customer service skills.
We were definitely not too excited about this place and don't plan on being back. (it's a trek from Chicago and there are so many better restaurants within walking distance from our home)
I don't see what all the fuss is about this restaurant. Â We went there last Saturday and it was just okay.
Good: Â service was outstanding. Â Friendly waitstaff and overly enthusiastic about us being there.
Bad: Â I ordered the crab-stuffed shrimp. Â It came deep fried in batter and the crab stuffing had a mixture of food in it that was just bland and gross. Â It just wasn't what I was expecting and for all the hype not that good.
The atmosphere is actually kind of neat. Â It's very very cozy, as in you're between a wall and the table and your guest is right next to you. Â But it actually was fun and I didn't mind it. Â However, if you're looking for some spacious, elegant restaurant, this is not for you.
Overall, go there and try it for yourself. Â My guests enjoyed their meals: Â prime rib and Caribbean chicken.
Conveniently located near Great America and the outlets in Gurnee this place looks like a local hangout from the outside. The inside is cozy and quaint, country kitsch at its best. I wasn't expecting much in terms of service or the quality food but was impressed with both!
Our waitress could not have been nicer. At lunch she had a bunch of regular clients and some visitors who'd heard about The Shanty from "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". I loved the old-school cracker basket that came with butter, because really who doesn't want to butter their crackers? The side salad was a bountiful bed of mixed greens - something totally unexpected at a side of the road sort of joint. I ordered the local fish fry and was pleasantly surprised with the portion size and quality of my fish.
I would definitely come back! The location on 41 makes this a quick stop on the way into WI too!
I've been to The Shanty twice now and there are two things that I will have every time I return. #1 the mussels, they are some of the best mussels I've ever eaten in the Midwest. The appetizer serving is enough for 4 or a healthy dinner portion for 1. The broth is amazing from its thickness to its chunks of garlic. A must for anyone who goes. #2 is the apple pie. It's got great flavor and you can tell the crust is homemade. Just the right amount of cinnamon.
Anything seafood on the menu has been a hit with my companions but I feel like the rest of the food is hit or miss. The prime rib stands out as a hit on the menu and the pulled pork was a miss for me. I wasn't a fan of the sauce. I prefer a more vinegar based sauce.
If you're anywhere near Wadsworth go and have what they're famous for, seafood.
SHAME on this place, seriously. My husband and I are mini-foodies, and have been wanting to go to this restaurant ever since seeing it on a travel channel foodie show. What an amazing let down - it's extremely doubtful, given the inflated prices and the so so food, that we will ever go back.
ATMOSPHERE
TIGHT. The place is extremely, uncomfortably small. Dark, almost like a rat hole bar converted in to a would-be restaurant. The lighting is very poor, I felt like I was eating in a train tunnel. Very unappealing in most every way. The atmosphere gets a definite "fail".
SERVICE
Mediocre, and I'm being nice. The Shanty gained notority from the show I mentioned, and it appears to have given them a chip on their shoulders (they don't deserve). The waitress, while not totally unpleasant, knew nothing about the menu. We asked for suggestions, house "specialties" and so on, and we got nothing - no suggestions, just a blank stare, and an "ummmmm". Service "fail".
FOOD
Fair. Not at ALL what it was promised on the show. We had 2 different steaks and 1 fish entree, and they ranged from acceptable to bad. The steaks, at more than $22.00 a piece, were on the dry side, underseasoned, and difficult to swallow.
The fish was "fishy" smelling, overcooked, and a bit rubbery. We were left to wonder if we'd made a mistake, and there was somehow another Shanty in the immediate area that we should have gone to instead. Again, huge let down. No innovation in the cooking, no mastery of the proteins, in all a poor experience. I'd give the food a "C-", and that's probably being nice.
VALUE
Atrocious. Anyone who's willing to pay $22.00 for a steak of the quality that we had should be ashamed of themselves. The prices for the entrees we had were not just bad, they were ridiculous. We won't be returning - I can get an equivalent or better steak at the local Outback, Fridays, or any other chain, USA for a sliver of the cost and a whole lot more atmosphere.
As other fellow Yelpers have stated, this place is small and the seating it tight... BUT, you should not let that turn you away. Â Although a bit cramped, it works out well as the service is really good, the food is great, and after a bit you no longer feel cramped, but nice and cozy. Â
The menu here has a variety of items ranging from steaks, burgers, chicken and seafood. Â Â On our first visit started out with the whiskey shrimp as suggested by fellow Yelpers. Â I must say when it first came to the table I was a bit surprised as it has a creamy sauce all over it and I was expecting something a bit different, but when it hit the taste buds, I knew then and there that once again my fellow Yelpers did not let me down and we were on our way to having a great dinner. Â
The soup (clam chowder) was nice and creamy, the bread they bring to the table is just outstanding and great to dunk into the soup. Â The main course was a bit slow in coming to the table as the place was packed, but as mentioned above we didn't really notice as we felt comfortable and were well engaged as a family talking amongst ourselves. Â During the entire time our soft drinks remained full at all times. Â Once the food did arrive none of us were disappointed... in fact I just about stopped talking as I cut thru the tender beef and savored every bite. Â
The bar also looked very inviting... something for the wife and I to try out. Â
Thanks fellow Yelpers for pointing me to the Shanty!
Food: 3
Decor: 2
Service: 3
I came here with a group of friends for dinner on a weekday night.
1. Walleye Fish tacos, 11 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/UNFc3O1PJ9_cXXqDwU5uwg?select=n1ilUi7CKJKTIs0tiuzdpA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Okay. I wasn't blown away from the quality or taste of the tacos, but they were decent.
2. Alligator tails, 13 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/UNFc3O1PJ9_cXXqDwU5uwg?select=R_FA-TVCRLCmqGf2r_Un7A">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Not bad. They're deep-fried, so you can't taste too much of the alligator.
3. Mussels, 11 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/UNFc3O1PJ9_cXXqDwU5uwg?userid=2fN8mN7uUjOw-QqtcgYqXQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
Pretty good. Mussels were fresh, and the broth was good.
We LOVE LOVE LOVE the Shanty. Â My husband and I first saw this restaurant on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. Â When we realized this was just down the street, we had to try it.
Today -- every chance we get to find "date night", we head to the Shanty. The owner is always on-staff, the pours are always perfect and heavy...the food is stop you in your steps -- fantastic.
My husband and I have decided that the Whiskey Shrimp can never be missed. Â I am a sucker for the Conch Filet...it never fails. Â
The atmosphere is rustic and familiar. Â Nothing pretentious, just delicious food & drink, quick service and worth many return visits.
I'm purely a fan because of the live music and rustic feel of the place. I was on my way back from Outlet Shopping, and heading back to Chicago, it's a perfect place to stop by for dinner. Yelped it and decided puuurely bc it was on Diner, Drive Ins and Dives. Why NOT?
When you order, ONLY get what's marked with the DDD on the menu. That means those are le best, and I believe them.
Was in Chicago for work and looked up the DDD's in the area. Â This one is a bit of a trek, out in the suburbs North of Chicago. Â I got what I saw on the show (I'm a nerd that way); alligator and the steak+conch.
The alligator was really good. Â I did not know what to expect. Â It comes out rather like small pieces of fried chicken (a little bigger than "popcorn chicken") and tastes similar, but the meat is softer and with a subtler flavor. Â
The steak+conch was GREAT. Â I expected conch to be hard and rubbery but it had a beautiful melt-in-your-mouth texture and buttery flavor. Â The filet mignon was cooked perfectly on the inside and had a nice char to it on the outside.
I would definitely go back.
The restaurant is next to another seafood place and in front of a gas station, across from a McDonalds, if you can believe it!
Being in Chicago for 2 weeks, I decided to turn to Diner, Drive Ins and Dives to find some good places to eat. Without even seeing the show, I went on and headed out to The Shanty. It's a small place right off of the highway. Atmosphere is great, food is even better.
Food Network's site said Guy had tried the Fillet with Conch Salsa on top, so that is what I ordered. The Fillet was cooked PERFECT Med. Rare. The Conch meat was tender and delicious. The Bread they serve reminded me of a soft pretzel, just in a loaf. It was pricey, but well worth it. I have a feeling I may take the trip out that way again to try the shrimp they showed, on the show. A must try while you're in the Northern Chicago area.
I, like most, first saw the Shanty on DDD and I actually passed it for the first time last September when driving to Milwaukee. Well, I found myself 10 miles south on 41 this past weekend, so I headed up with my Mom and a friend.
I was immediately taken by the outside. I liked that the building is made of wood as is the BBQ spot right next door. It reminded me of a big log cabin. We walked in and it definitely felt like the local neighborhood dive. The small bar was right in the middle, the atmosphere was dark, and classic rock was playing. Very homey.
First, we had the whiskey shrimp and believe the hype, it was tremendous. Each shrimp came on small toast point that was not too crunchy, it was crisp, yet still soft enough so it could soak up that awesome bright yellow Jack Daniels tarragon cream sauce. I liked the touch of the veggies on the side as well. I would go back for this alone.
For my meal, I had the pulled pork sandwich. I liked that it came on a toasted brioche bun. I also liked the BBQ sauce well enough, it was really tangy. The smoked pork had a good flavor, but it was almost too mushy for me, like a sloppy joe texture. Would like the pork a little firmer, to be totally fair. The fries were fine, nothing special.
The service wasn't the best, in terms of drink refills and attentiveness.
It's a long drive for me, maybe an hour and 15 minutes, but if I found myself in the Wadsworth area again, I would stop in for some whiskey shrimp.
Say this restaurant on 3D, and thought it looked interesting. Â It is close enough for a quick trip for lunch for me and my wife. Â
Seafood is not often good in the midwest, and it is a specialty of the shanty. Â We ordered the Scallops and Shrimp Saute, and the Tequila Orange Salmon which was a Drive-ins, Diners and Dives selection.
I requested the shrimp and scallops, blackened.  The scallops were cooked beautifully, very fresh and sweet.  The shrimp were ok, but not nearly as good as the scallops.  The blackened seasoning was just sprinkled over the top at the end of cooking  :-/
My wife had the tequila orange salmon. Â While the flavor of the salmon was complimented by the tequila orange marinade, the salmon was hopeless overcooked, Â The fish was so dry, the edges were like jerky.
The scallops and shrimp saute was ok, but the tequila orange salmon was very over cooked. Â Overall, a little disappointing. Â We won't bother going back.
Took my mom here last week while I was visiting home. She had remembered that I mentioned seeing The Shanty on the Food network a few months back, so we decided to make the drive and give it a shot and... IT WAS PRETTY AMAZING!
We started, well, I started with their fried alligator appetizer. I had had alligator once before and thought to try it since it's relatively rare that I come across it. It was incredibly good, though; almost indistinguishable from chicken. A little bit more tender than chicken perhaps and the batter on the alligator tail was seasoned perfectly and uniquely. My mom then had their coconut shrimp and I tried their Porky's Pulled Pork Sandwich.
Everything was truly amazing from the service, the prices, the portions, the cleanliness, the food... nothing could have been done any better. What I liked the most was how the menu was familiar, Mid-West cuisine, yet they took the menu a step further and mixed in some true culinary expertise, thus making each dish their own. Just great!
One of Guy Fieri's stop on Diner, Drive-ins, and Dives. Â This place isn't to far off the freeway if you are actually headed north. Â I was starving when we got there, so I tried the varieties of saltines on the table. Â All of the crackers were stale, not a really big deal, but ugh when your hungry.
My boyfriend got the meal that was featured on the show with conch and bacon...it was tasty. Â My dish on the other hand, I was not impressed with, breaded shrimp & crab. Â What this meal consisted of was a piece of a shrimp with some imitation crab meat mushed on top and then breaded, it just didn't work. Â I really wish I got the burger, which looked amazing, but I had wanted to try something more unique than your typical burger & fries.
For being in the middle of nowhere, I was a little surprised at how high our bill was, but I did enjoy our adventure to the place and the staff was very friendly.
When you open the front door you are greeted with an extremely heavy door that has a pulley with a huge bag of sand attached!! Â Get through the door and the restaurant has a low ceiling, is dark, and small. Â
We were seated immediately and the appetizer was delivered pretty quick. Â The alligator tail was absolutely awesome. Â The batter was unique and seasoned perfect. Â The dipping sauce was hot and good.
I ordered fresh Icelantic Cod that was cooked just right. Â Flakey, fresh, and so tasty. Â
We were there on a Wednesday and they had a specials menu that were discounted regular menu items. Â It gave us a savings of 2-3 on each of our entree's. Â
The food was delicious and if we had spent another day in the north Chicago area we would have gone back.
4.5 Stars actually
This place was a very pleasant surprise. Â I was visiting a friend who lives in Gurnee. He had said there was a place he wanted to try when we got up there. Â He only had word of mouth recommendations (I watch triple D and don't recall this place). Â So we hit the door at about 4:30pm on Saturday after a long day of driving/sitting by the lake/in the lake and what not. We were starving.
Appetizers:
1. Whiskey Jumbo shrimp... these were just okay. I would probably not get them again
2. Calamari... very nice
Dinner:
1. Texas Orange Roughy.... I'm usually a steak guy but after a long day in the sun and a couple adult beverages I opted for something a bit lighter. DAMN it was good!!!! This one of a few times where I was totally blown away.
I can't wait to go back the next time I'm in the area. There is one thing I will do different. I will get the garlic dressing for my salad. Do not get me wrong, my ranch was good. Â My buddies had the garlic dressing and wow was it good
If you're spending at day at the outlets, don't waste your money on food court bourbon chicken. Just a few miles up the road is a delicious Shanty  with seafood, burgers, prime rib ... and it was featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. What more could you ask for?!
They're remodeling right now but the large "Open During Remodeling" sign outside reassures you that their kitchen is open for your belly. You get warm, tasty pretzel bread at the table. So good. We started with the fried alligator tail. The accompanying cajun sauce is so good. I had the tequila and orange salmon as my entree. The fish was cooked perfectly and the sauce was tangy and tasty. Hubs had the rum soaked pork chop. Ummm ...... this put my yummy salmon to shame. The pork with pineapples and salsa was out of this world.
There are a lot of seafood dishes that are worth a trip back to The Shanty. Definitely a nice end to a day of shopping.
For years I drove down US-41 to bypass the ridiculous tolls of Chicago, without giving much thought to the little restaurants that dot the sides of the roads of my travel. Leave it to Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives to showcase The Shanty as a bastion of good eats that I've been ignoring for so long.
The place is a dive bar (more like a dive restaurant with a bar), but with the popularity of the show, they've started construction on a significant addition to the restaurant. It occurred to me that once the new addition is complete, "shanty" would probably not be a very appropriate term to describe the building, but such is the cost of success.
As it was Friday during my visit, I went with a selection from their fish fry menu - Lake Michigan Perch, in fact. I received several large pieces of the fish with a nice fry on each - not too greasy. It was fried in the traditional flour batter of the Midwest, but I typically find it to be a little lacking in flavor. This was no exception, which was disappointing, but the restaurant didn't become popular for its different takes on the classics. Many side options were offered, but I went with the steak fries. They were not prepared in house, unfortunately, and I regretted not trying some of their other choices.
As I ate I watched as the regulars came in for lunch and were chatting with the owner about their holidays. I suppose when you're situated in (relatively) the middle of nowhere like The Shanty, it's better to stick to making the classics well and keeping your main clientele happy. The Shanty offers classic Midwestern home cooking, and it's doing it well.
A flash into the Northern Chicago Suburb past...oh yes, alllll the way back to it's opening year of 1971. Â Don't pass up your initial thoughts you have when you vocalize the name "Shan-ty" because its everything that comes to mind (dusty, old, wood, hut...). Â I've always known it as a smoky neighborhood bar where all the Wadsworth smoking locals hung out. Â Since the IL Smoking Ban, I was able to relive my childhood without the side effects of secondary smoke.
The Shanty shows its age with off-white walls that are strategically covered by ancient farm antiques. Â I wasn't sure about the random pieces of what looked like drift wood planks nailed to the ceiling, but I didn't put it past the owners if they were put them over holes. Â NOW I came to the realization that it probably fits the restaurant/pub's name as in a Shantytown--an improvised dwellings (in this case tavern) made from scrap materials. Â I must add, without the crime. Â Very few changes have been made since my first visit but one would be the nice flat screen TV in the bar area.
This Midwestern classic still sells the odd, and pricey, alligator tail appetizer. Â You won't see me pay for something like that...unless you want to double dare me (and pay, of course)! Â The Shanty is also known for its seafood, hamburgers and prime rib. Â I'd recommend you taking advantage of their fish fry. Â If you're in the area (Gurnee Mills shopping/Six Flags Great America riding), it's worth a stop.
Great atmosphere here filled primarily with Wadsworth locals. Â Great place both for dining in any sized group or just having a few drinks at the bar with some friends.
The food is fantastic and the menu isn't too big but has a great amount of variety. Â You can get the classics like burgers as well as something like crab legs. Â If you're a prime rib person then you'll be in heaven here. Â The Shanty was basically put on the map by its prime rib as well as its steak.
The service is also great as well. Â The charasmatic owner is in the restaurant helping in every task from the mundane (busing tables) to tending the bar, etc. Â He's usually good for stopping by every table to chat and ask about the meal and if there's anything he can do to make your dining experience more enjoyable.
There really isn't any reason to pass this place up if you're around, really.
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