Offerings from Shaw’s Crab House’s 40th-anniversary throwback menu
A Chicago institution—known for its circa-1940s-style environs, top-notch seafood and signature crab legs—is celebrating 40 years in the Windy City this spring.
To commemorate its latest milestone, the eatery is hosting a weeklong celebration from Monday, April 7, through Friday, April 11, in the oyster and main rooms. Guests can indulge in an exclusive throwback menu, which brings back courses like clams casino, sautéed frog legs, blue crab stuffed shrimp, jambalaya, 12 varieties of oysters on the half shell and more.
The festivities continue with a Champagne and oyster experience from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 8. Hosted by beverage director and partner Kevin Bratt, the cocktail reception-style event features four Champagne pairings accompanied by Hama Hama and Island Creek oysters.
The entrance to Shaw’s Crab House Chicago, located at 21 E. Hubbard St.
Then, on Thursday, April 10, the restaurant will showcase a special performance by Chicago blues icon Big Dog Mercer from 5 to 8 p.m., which kicks off the return of weekly live music performances at Shaw’s Oyster Bar every Thursday.
The celebrations conclude with a full day of live blues performances in the Oyster Bar on Friday, April 11, from 12 to 3 p.m., 4 to 7 p.m., and 8 to 11 p.m. Roaming oyster shuckers will serve rare and premium selections, and guests in the main room can enjoy live music from 6 to 9 p.m. and opt for a tableside martini with caviar service.
Shaw’s Crab House partners (from left): Executive chef and partner Yves Roubard, executive partner Bill Nevruz and managing partner Steve LaHaie
Since 1984, Shaw’s Crab House has remained a leading force in the local seafood scene, dishing out lobster bisque, seafood towers and, of course, a boundless array of crab-centric courses.
As one of the first oyster bars in the city—brought to life by Lettuce founder Rich Melman, executive chairman Kevin Brown, managing partner Steve LaHaie and executive chef and partner Yves Roubard—Shaw’s has grown to epitomize its founders’ mutual philosophy, which has been written on the back of menus since the start: “It’s the quality.”
“When we set out to create Shaw’s, we knew the menu wouldn’t try to be trendy, but instead, we wanted to focus on quality first and highlight the simplicity of the seafood and oysters. The menu has always been inspired by the best of the United States seaports, drawing inspiration from Boston, New Orleans, the Florida Keys, San Francisco and, of course, the Great Lakes,” says executive chairman Kevin Brown. “From very early on, it was important to us to build personal relationships with fishermen, purveyors, oyster farmers and seafood historians and to educate our staff on the seasonality of the fish. These relationships have been the building blocks of the culinary culture that has made Shaw’s one of the most celebrated restaurants in Chicago.”
Shaw’s signature Norwegian red king crab legs served steamed with drawn butter and lemon
Maryland-style crab cakes, Norwegian red king crab legs and Florida stone crab are just some of the restaurant’s many crustacean-forward dishes, and, over the past four decades, the Lettuce Entertain You enterprise has served over 10 million oysters and ushered 8 million guests through its iconic foyer. It’s also led by example in sourcing sustainable seafood and establishing time-honored relationships with fishermen and purveyors from the West to the East Coast.
Shaw’s Crab House is located in Chicago’s River North neighborhood at 21 E. Hubbard St. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily. To make a reservation or view the menus at Shaw’s Crab House, visit www.shawscrabhouse.com or follow on Instagram @shawscrabhouse.
See also: The 14 Most Anticipated Chicago Restaurant Openings Of 2025
Photography by: Photography of Shaw’s anniversary menu items and the Norwegian crab experience by Anjali Pinto; photography of Shaw’s owners by Christina Slaton; photography of crab legs by Lindsey Eberly; interior photo by Christina Slaton
