Let me tell you right up front, I love shrimp. Â Almost an issue, but I can't stop myself! Â They have great fried food here. Â And they have a very clean business. Â The service is always great. Â My only issue is (with all shrimp places) I feel they are priced high. But that doesn't stop me from going there at least once a month.
Review Source:I found this place by accident. Â A friend was driving me home from a meeting in the area, and he said it's the best shrimp. I brought some home for my mum one night, and she said they were fabulous. I went to eat in this evening with a friend.I absolutely adore frogs legs. Â I had a 1/2 pound order tonight, and they were spot on. My fiend had a taste for shrimp, Â She recently found out she has the Egyptian Flu...Yes, she's going to be a mummy. :) Â The food is spectacular. More fries than you can possibly stand, and a small side of either cole slaw, or maccaroni salad. Just the right amount. Â While you're there, do have a go at the lobster game. Â $2, you get the chance to catch a live lobster. Â They will cook it up for you. Â I will definately be back. The place is clean, the restroom well kept up, and I highly reccomend it. Â Just fabulous.
Review Source:Making our way back from the city after getting off the crowded Stevenson highway, we stopped in at The Shrimp Shack by chance today for lunch. The Shrimp Shack is a very nice restaurant. It really is super clean. The employees are courteous and attentive.
They give you an abundance of fresh seafood choices. Â There were so many options, I could hardly decide what I wanted. They give you an choice of coleslaw or macaroni with your order, and each order also comes with a generous portion of cocktail sauce and a quartered lemon wedge.
Every table has vinegars, hot sauces and paper towels available for their guests.
We had the fried scallops which came on a huge bed of fries and a slice of fresh garlic bread on the side. The presentation was very good and the food was freshly prepared.
I also ordered a 1/2 lb. of Shrimp Cocktail which was also very good.
A very nice place. Clean bathroom, rug on the floor in dining room (don't know why that was important) Ever walk into a fish house and the smell is over powering? Not here. The girl who took our order was nice, the food was hot , very hot and it taste good. Lake perch I chose, my son chose shrimp and my uncle Lake Perch, was delicious. We'll be going back again. One last thing you could see out the windows.........
Review Source:MOVE OVER, LAWRENCE'S! Â This place became my favorite for wonderfully deep fried seafood....well...within distance. Â If you want to head over to Howard, then my top place would be The Fish Keg. Â But since I live on the Southwest Side, Shrimp Shack is my local fav. Â I passed this place a few times when going down Archer and I thought it looked decent enough from the outside. Â So when I stopped by on Halloween a couple years ago, the first thing I noticed while walking in the door was the space. Â This isn't a large place but finding seating in a shrimp house nearby is already a plus. Â They have a good amount of tables with condiments provided. Â The place looks inviting and clean. Â You'd think the black wooden chairs and tables would clash with the clay colored walls but it actually works. Â
  So I stroll up to the counter and was greeted warmly by the girl behind it.  Already, I liked this place better than the grumpy robots that work at Lawrence's.  Example greeting from Shrimp Shack: (Smile on the face) "Hi,  what can I get for you?"  An actual greeting I got from Lawrence's Fisheries: (Serious face like I ran over your dog recently) "Next!  (I walk forward)  Yeah?"  I don't expect everyone to be super friendly, but seriously, don't bring your problems to work and take it out on the customers.  You don't have to smile, but don't look like I'm the cause of your problems.  So, as your can see, I appreciate the service.
  So me and my girlfriend made our orders for 1/2 lb shrimp and catfish.  The shrimp and breading seem to go together better than the somewhat flavorless shrimp from Frank's.  The shrimp also tastes fresher than most other places.  The catfish was good as well.  On my next couple visits, I've tried the popcorn shrimp dinner and the walleye.  I'm not a big fan of walleye, but only because the texture of the fish itself is a little too rough.  The popcorn shrimp is bigger than the salad shrimp I get from some places but still bite sized.  They give you a HAYSTACK of fries so it's best to share or take home.  I don't like wasting food.  The dinner also comes with bread and a side.  The bread used to be soft dinner rolls though my visit earlier this month shows that they switched to garlic bread which was made fresh and was better than the usual cheap butter and garlic powder bread from some places.  The sides are small.  They come in little cups that will leave you wanting more.  You get a choice of cole slaw or macaroni salad.  I'm not a fan of creamy coleslaw or sweet macaroni salad but this stuff is pretty decent.  And the cocktail sauce is close to how I like it.  Tangy, with a bite, and not watery.  Speaking of water, they have water, iced tea, and other beverages along with slices of Eli's in the fridge. Â
  All in all, I'm happy with the Shrimp Shack and I will frequent their establishment as often as I can and try to cover the whole menu.  I plan on trying the gator bites next.  Funny how they are right across the corner from another shrimp place.  One would hope they can co-exist just like McDonald's and Nicky's do on Kedzie and 58th.  But if not, may the better shrimp win.  And one more thing about this place....their bathroom is ACTUALLY CLEAN!!!  HOLY POO POO!!!
Tip: Â Looking for the ketchup, catsup, Cat Soup? Â It's in the fridge on the side. Â Looking for cat soup? Â You're out of luck and far from rural China.
It used to be good; all the way until tonight. I went there on Good Friday and got my food quicker than I did now. I waited almost 20 minutes for two 1/2 lb. dinners. And there were 4 people manning the orders. But that wasn't the only bad thing.
I was waiting in line (2nd person) when the couple in front of me  was finishing their order and the phone rang. She put them on hold and finished the couple up. Instead of taking my order next, she took the phone order instead. I was next in line but she took the 2 minute phone order first. I finally placed my order and waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. Look, I know it takes time to cook it, but this was ridiculous.
So I got it home and noticed there was a small dried out piece of garlic bread. What? Since when did they start doing this? I don't care, I'm sure I could've asked for regular bread. But WHY WASN'T I GIVEN THE OPTION???
On to the rest of the dinner:
The fries. I haven't seen this many wasteful fries since I ordered a hot dog at Nicky's. One bag is plenty for at least two people to share, let alone one. Very good fries (if you don't mind a lot of salt on them) although half of them ended up in the garbage.
The macaroni salad. Way too small. What they should do is give less fries and more macaroni. It was very good, though.
The seasoned shrimp. Not bad. A little too salty as well but decent flavor.
But all in all it'll be some time before I go back. I think I'll be turning the Korner for awhile, if you know what I mean.
I travel to Midway Airport a few dozen times per year...been doing this for ten plus years now...I have went by the Shrimp Shack lighted sign so many times...wanted to try, just never happened...until now. I had just returned from New Orleans, so a fried seafood taste challenge was on!
I will start off with that the facility is well lighted, bright. This revealed how clean the restaurant is. Some might be dated, such as carpet, but obviously well cared for. This is good also. Kitchen and work area also right in sight lines for customers...also spotless. Good again.
So what about the food? I ordered the shrimp and fish special. It was HUGE. Portion was enough for two hungry people. So, for around 15 dollars, you can feed two. I ordered the seasoned fried shrimp and added walleye. The walleye is 1.50 add on. The walleye was fair...I travel to Canada so I am tougher to please. There were four large pieces of fish in the order. Included are enough French fries to feed a small army and either cole slaw or Mac salad. I loved the Mac salad. Cold and creamy. Obviously it was properly refrigerated. The shrimp took me a few bites...but I came to like it more as I eat them. I did enjoy the shrimp with the cocktail sauce. All in all...good. Good enough to return!
If I have a craving for some good fried shrimp this is the place I usually go. Â The jumbo shrimp are huge for a decent price.....it's no lawrence fisheries, but still very good and the place is extremely clean with a fresh product. Â They also cook your food to order which is a plus.
Review Source:Ive tried them 3x now and am not impressed. To be fair, their new place is done really nice and service is friendly...but....
1. Price - So so...Franks is slightly cheaper - price point isnt a deal killer though.
2. Gulf shrimp - Their gulf shrimp isnt nearly as sweet as Franks..or as big
3. Â Seasoned - Â Nowhere near as seasoned as Franks. I tried their Cajun catfish which was really good...heres a tip..offer that cajun breading for your shrimp and you WILL have a winner!
4. Clam strips - TOUGH....again, Franks has them beat..This place needs to change wholesalers.
I will be back. Two visits and the first thing I notice is how clean the place is. A very good sign indeed. The second thing I notice is that I'm the only one there. Not too surprising since my visits have been outside peak dining hours.
On both occasions I ordered the Shrimp Trio dinner. Once with fries, once with hush puppies. The order of fries you receive is huge. The hush puppy order is very small by comparison.
On both occasions the shrimp were outstanding. These guys know how to properly bread and fry shrimp. They taste so fresh and are coated just right. A lot of fried shrimp I've had is just thick with breading. These are perfect. The jumbo shrimps are huge! When you bit into these you get just the right amount of crunch and the shrimp are so juicy. Outstanding!
I would love to be able to place a phone order and have it ready to be picked up, but they will not make your order until you come in and pay for it. It's probably best. While the shrimp stay hot for a while I can imagine them losing quality fast if they sat too long.
I love this place and whenever I get a hankering for fried fish or shrimp this will be my first choice. Gotta try the smelts when I go next!
I just ate 1/2 lb of regular fried shrimp and it was amazing, I devoured it. I had it a couple months ago after hitting up Guides on archer; I was a little tipsy but as far as I remembered very good. So, again today more so wanted shrimp cuz of lent and it was super packed, but well worth the wait. I have to say it's the BEST fried shrimp I've ever had. Enjoy!
Review Source:Oh my...drove by Shrimp House and Shrimp Shack on Archer last night after a stop at Archer Liquors for some awesome craft beers, and had a hankering for fried shrimp for lunch today. Â Thought about going all the way to Trohas or Frank's (would be first time visits), but decided on the Shrimp Shack since it was closer. Â Oh my, I may have had the best fried shrimp I have ever had today! Â Very good, crunchy, fresh, high quality and just the right amount of breading. Â Had the Trio Dinner (3 jumbo, 3 regular and 3 seasoned) - great hushpuppies and cole slaw too. Â Friendly staff as well and the place is immaculately clean. Â Will definitely be back. Â The jumbo shrimp were unbelievably good. Â Clam strips were pretty darn good too. Â And I have enough left overs for dinner - pretty decent deal.
Review Source:For shrimp, no one on Archer avenue can touch Shrimp Shack. They moved here from a few blocks down and so glad they did. The place is still rocking it out but in a nicer venue. The plasma TV with food channel is the perfect sit down and eat here ploy. I loved it, munching on shrimp and fries while watching Ina make some kind of concoction out of jello. The 80's theme "art prints" could be updated but the nice atmosphere and the food of course works the look out!
Tell them you seen them on YELP!
If you want fried, they have it. Just about anything that you can get here is fried. I personally like seafood, just not all fried. I think that this place has potential to become something better than a-ok. Like if you have fried shrimp and fried clam strips come up with a delicious po'boy sandwich. I also think that the seasoning in the batter could be bumped up a notch. So this place is alright, just doesn't do a whole lot for me.
Review Source:kinda costly for the quality and portions and not too flavorful either. trohas and franks are better, i like franks the best. the place is clean, probably cleaner than franks and the oil looks like it gets changed regularly but  nothing is special or great here, the shrimp just isnt that great and the sides are subpar.
Review Source:We've been going here for a few years to get some decent food, especially during Lent. The place is CLEAN, which I really appreciate. I take issue with restaurants that aren't clean--I don't want my food being prepared in an arena that's a breeding ground for God-Knows-What. Shrimp Shack? Spotless.
The food is decent. Like another reviewer said, it's lacking a little "wow" but overall it's good food for a good price. If it was a dine-in, 5 star restaurant I'd be wicked pissed about the food, but it's not. This is a neighborhood joint. They've been in business forever, and they've got great customer service to boot. Food is good, place is clean, and people are friendly. Overall, you can't complain!
Last Sunday, my friend wanted to stop at the Weber Bakery for some kolackes and bread. Â We bought bread and cookies, but unfortunately they were out of kolackes. Â We had a bit of time before I needed to get to Midway Airport, so we decided to try one of the several shrimp houses that exist along Archer Avenue.
The Shrimp Shack caught our eye so we decided to give this place a go.  When you first get in, the first thing that hits you is how clean this place is, usually shrimp joints subscribe to the philosophy that if a place is clean, you're not spending enough time worrying about the food.  This place sparkled, the tables were glossy black laquer, the floors were a  bright tan color, the walls white, and you can see the entire kitchen gleaming with freshly sanitized stainless steel.  And no stale vegetable oil smell.
The menu is posted on a billboard on one wall. Â They offer a variety of fried shrimps and fish. Â We decided to go with a fried shrimp combo plate and a shrimp cocktail. Â We seated ourself at one of the tables and noticed that each table had a different brand of hot sauce used to kick up the seafood.
Our shrimps arrived in about five minutes. Â The shrimp cocktail was OK. Â The shrimp was fresh and firm, they do a great job of cleaning the shrimp so there were no veins or tail. Â The sauce however was a bit bland for my taste, not enough horseradish. Â The hot sauce was no subsitute for the nose burning sensation of cocktail sauce with fresh horseradish.
The fried shrimp platter was supposed to be a combination of three different types of fried shrimp, seasoned, spicy and plain. Â The breading was a conventional corn meal breading. Â The difference between the different seasonings was pretty subtile, my freind and I had trouble telling which was which.
Overall, the place was OK, it was clean, the staff was freindly and the food was fresh. Â However, the shrimp seemed to lack a certain "wow" factor. Â Maybe it is because I have a preference for shrimp made with tempura batter as opposed to corn meal batter. Â It would be fine if you lived in the neighborhood but I wouldn't say it was a "must stop".
Hugely disappointed in Shrimp Shack.  Sparkling clean, good service, really bad food.  I love lake perch, the ones about the size of your thumb...but the ones served were questionable (ocean perch) and were large and not tasty.  The filets were impossible to cut with the plastic  (!!!)knife and fork provided and so I had to eat them by hand.  My hand smelled of the fried odor the rest of the day.  Asked for malt vinegar for my fish (as every fish house has) but they said they had none!  Never heard of that.  I'd never go back
Review Source:I'm sorry Shrimp Shack. Â I wanted to love you, and I mean REALLY love you, but I just don't think it's going to work out between us. Â I mean, I LIKE you and all. Â You are very, very good.... Â
Okay, I loved that the lady at your counter was very friendly and knew right away that we must have been the people to call in our order -- meaning you probably get a lot of regular visitors (you're quite the catch). Â I love that you sell bottles of different kinds of hot sauce at the counter, just in case a to-go order may need a little kick in the pants (you're so thoughtful that way). Â I also love that you kept and posted the sign that you once had up at your old location telling people you were moving to this current one (so sentimental)...but...
I still can't get over Troha's, I'm sorry. Â When I bite into your crispy-on-the-outside and juicy-on-the-inside scallops, I can't help wishing that I was biting into a Troha's scallop, and think maybe your scallops are a bit TOO juicy and eager to please. Â And when I savor your catfish I enjoy it, but wonder if there's too much talk about breading and not enough succulent love from the sea. Â Well....
We can still hang out and be friends, you know. Â I mean, I'll come visit every now and again because you ARE very good and treat me kindly, but I'm afraid Troha's has my heart. Â Even if Troha's drains my purse dry, it has me under a spell and I will keep going back, and back, and back...sorry. Â
But I'll never forget you Shrimp Shack. Â And I will see you again sooner or later, I promise. Â Please be well.
Yours truly,
Clarissa J.
Shrimp Shack. Â How can you go wrong with a name like that? Â I pictures an old wooden shack in the deep South with two guys in it making the cornmeal breading from scratch and then deep-frying the fish and shrimp to a golden brown perfection. Â Eh, kind of close. Â It's just a corner restaurant on West Archer in Garfield Ridge with a wooden screen door added onto the standard Chicago double glass front door (which is kept open to keep the air flowing during the summer months).
Had the scallops, seasoned shrimp, walleye and catfish. Â All fried. Â The scallops and shrimp were pretty good. Â The walleye a little dry, and the catfish tasty but too much breading. Â I do like that all of the fish (to-go) is served up in those little wax paper bags that say "French Fries" on them. Â A true bag of fish is handed to you as you pay!
Shrimp Shack is good. Â Not excellent, but quite good. Â It's no Trohas, but then again, in my recent quests to find the ultimate Chicago fish house, I'm starting to think that nothing will match Trohas. Â But, I'll probably go back here sometime.
So after my El Muelle experience last night I made my husband stop at one of the two fried fish places nearby and this is the one we chose! Â And I am so happy we did!! Â I was so disappointed with my dinner and this totally made me feel better! Â We ordered some jumbo shrimp, lake perch and clam strips...and everything was delicious!! Â I am partial to Johnson's Fish in Lombard, but this is a close second! Â The shrimp were huge...so huge that we ordered a half pound and it only came with 5! Â And they were delicious! Â The clam strips were meaty and very flavorful and the perch was tender and not fishy at all!! Â I can't rave about this tiny little place anymore! Â I will definitely be going back in the near future to get some more fried goodness!
Review Source:The Shrimp Shack is a diamond in the rough. Â The facilities are clean and neat. Â There is parking outside. Â And most of all, the shrimp is really damn good. Â I'm a fan of Frank's Chicago Shrimp and Lawrence's, but this, imo, wins. Â Had the jumbo shrimp, seasoned shrimp, hush puppies, and clam strips. Â All were fabulous. Â They gave us a sample of their crab salad too, which was really damn good.
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