I used to live within walking distance and visited Shanahan's on a regular basis after they opened. The food was great. After a 10 year or so absence, I've been back a few times over the past 6 months, and I must say the food has gone downhill. I've had crawfish etouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice, and everything tastes the same, with some weird, smokey flavor overpowering whatever is on the plate. Even the appetizer we had recently (blackened shrimp/scallops in a creamy spinach sauce) had that taste to it.
(1)
Brian S.
Love this place. It has great food, good beer and friendly staff. I don't eat seafood much, but my friends who do really like it here. I also really love the 99 spice chicken.
(4)
Victoria h.
My husband and I had an early dinner there. I had their burger and bread pudding, my husband had their ruben. The burger was bland and nothing but a piece of meat. The bread pudding was very tightly baked and, again, nothing special. My husband's ruben had very little sourcrout (sp?) and, again, nothing special. They did have Blue Moon on tap, and that always deserves an extra star. Also, to be fair, we didn't try any of their cajun specialties. Maybe if we did, the rating would be higher. They have outdoor seating and a nice bar inside. The servers are fast and nice.
(3)
Tanya S.
I like this place. It's strange mixing Irish/ American/ and Cajun into one, but I do like they have the diversity on the menu and drinks. It seems to be a New Orleans bar which is nice because sometimes you just need to get away and have a hurricane! Food was good too. Nothing to complain about. Oh, and in summer they had outdoor seating so BONUS!!!
(4)
Bobby D.
The last time I was here, Things weren't quite as good. However, The Oysters on the half shell were pretty good. But the Gumbo the last time somehow wasn't as good, Maybe it was just the last of the fixings, Since it was close to closing time. But my friend ordered a Po Boy & The one sandwich slice had practically close to raw or undercooked steak. It seemed like the chef was sleeping at the wheel at that time.
(3)
Kathleen C.
We love Shanahan's, it's always a winner! This weekend was Lobster Fest, though the menu changes up with specials regularly. Drinks have specials also, my husband had an Oktoberfest beer imported from Germany that neither of us had heard of that was really good. Their Key lime pie is made on premise, it's very good, garnished with fresh whipped cream. From Cajun creole to burgers it's a fit for any crave!!
(4)
Mike S.
I like the place a lot. Great food and nice atmosphere. It's comfortable place!
(4)
Melanie H.
If you want some good creole in the chicago suburbs this is your place! Chicken gumbo is amazing! I happened to get a tuna sandwich as well and that was also quite tastey.To top it off they own a little chocolate shop too! Soooo be sure to stop in there for some truffles and delicious goodies!
(5)
Jeff S.
We had seen a previous picture which had Green awnings- so when we were kinda looking for it yesterday, we couldn't find it. Black awnings now, so we actually looked up the address. Good food! We both went with the lobster ponchatrain- lobster scallops and shrimp with fettucini, in a lemony alfredo sauce. Some kick to it! It comes with soup or salad, and I had the Pepper Pot soup. Very peppery with lots of sausage in there. A new taste I quite enjoyed. We're not drinkers, so I was happy when the waitress brought over a carafe of water, it's just so much easier then going for refill after refill. Great Irish pub feel, dark wood, outdoor seating as it was late spring. Cajun/Creole is so hard to find, and this place is a gem. You'll enjoy your vist, sho' nuff.
(4)
Michael M.
Shanahan's knows hospitality. I've been there on multiple occasions and have always been greeted warmly and treated very well by the staff. I was there the other night, and enjoyed their whiskey flight and seafood plate. The atmosphere is very comfortable - just what you'd want in a neighborhood bar, with lots of local character. I've always had a good time, and will definitely be going back!
(5)
Andy S.
I write this review as my stomach continues to gurgle and my orifices spew with violet merciless anger. My sweetheart and I went there for lunch today for the first time. As you walk in the atmosphere is nice with dark wood trim and a good looking bar on the right with...hold on I have to go to the bathroom. Ugh..I'm back. So where was I? Oh yeah, we walk in and the place was well designed. People were at the bar and a family was eating in the back. We grabbed a booth and were immediately approached by the waitress who greeted us and brought menus (stomach gurgling). Got some drinks and we ordered our lunch. The wait was reasonable as we started with our garlic stuffed mushroom cheese appetizer. It was OK nothing to rave about. (stomach gurgling). Then I had a Garlic Creaser Salad with salmon. The potions were good and the salad looked great a lil overdressed but I know that's just me. We had a nice lunch, finished and continued home. Now I'm at home and my stomach is possessed by the devil and sounds of the undead moaning and bubbling. I feel horrible and this is immediately after we came from Shanahan's. Hold on I have to go to my throne room. Ugh. If you don't get the idea that I'm not retuning to this place. Then I dunno know what to tell ya.
(1)
M W.
I should have known when we were the only ones eating there that i had made a mistake. While the decor's not bad-lots of old timey photos on the walls. The service was AWFUL. Seeing as we were the only people she waited on, that's a little ridiculous. Our waitress was more interested in the game on the tv than us. She was literally faced away from us the entire time, so when she got my order wrong my boyfriend had to actually WALK UP to her to tell her. Very aggravating. The bacon cheeseburger I ordered was eh. I've had much better burgers at other places on Madison, like Duckfat. The bacon wasn't crispy and was kinda undercooked, which is definitely not the way I like my bacon. The fries were decent, though. Definitely wasn't a burger worth $8.50. Probably won't return.
(2)
Angus W.
Stopped here today for a quick lunch. Lisa and I both had Gumbo, mine was the Chicken/Andouille and she had the Seafood. I tried hers and it was delicious, mine was probably the second best gumbo that I have had in the Chicago area. Lisa also had the Bayou Blackened Shrimp and Scallops (appetizer but with the Gumbo... plenty for lunch) She really enjoyed it. I had a bowl of their chili, it was tasty but had a sweetness (BBQ sauce?) to it that I can't make up my mind about. I brought some of it home and will have it over rice for lunch tomorrow. I asked for hot sauce and the server brought out two types of Tabasco, Cholula (very tasty, but not hot enough for me..) and a Habanero Sauce that they apparently make (or have made?). I used the Habanero, it's a pretty weak one, it's thick and I used a lot, but it wasn't too vinegary and you could taste the pepper in the sauce. I wish that they offered a half portion of their Jambalaya, I would have liked to try it. But I'll head back some day and give that a shot... and maybe something with some VooDoo sauce...
(3)
Armando K.
I love cajun food and I really like Shanahans. I've been to New Orleans many times and I cannot get enough of the food there, the funny thing is I've never eaten at Shanahans in New Orleans, but I was lucky enough to find this location thanks to yelp. I have eaten here several times, their gumbo is delicious and I really enjoy their breakfast. Especially the voodoo skillet and the eggs sardou. They have lots of seating inside and in the summer they have a nice area sectioned off for outdoor dining. They also make an excellent bloody mary.
(4)
D S D.
For the good part, the hurricane was delicious so I expect that the drinks are good. The food on the other hand needs to be improved. I ordered a shrimp po-boy which needed more flavor. We had the baby back ribs and it tasted like it was re-heated and which I could not enjoy after one bite.
(2)
Inbalsp S.
Stoppef in for an early dinner on Sunday with my Mom. Didn't have any expectations coming in, and were very pleased with the high quality food and generous portions (I'm currently finishing my leftovers for lunch). My pecan catfish was absolutely delicious, and my mother was raving about the creole shrimp (couldn't try as I'm allergice). We went all out and ordered dessert, which we don't usually do, since neither of us could say no to bread pudding. The bread pudding is moist, drenched in whisky, and sprinkled with dried fruit - yum! Overall it was a great meal and we will return!
(4)
Allison K.
Shananhan's is definitely a hidden secret of Forest Park. Just like other reviewers had said, When you first see the establishment you really do think it's just another Irish Bar on Madison Street. In reality, this place has MANY awesome dishes to offer. Everything from there appetizers, soups, and their "Cajun" main courses are all amazing. My friends and I can't stop eating here, it's always just as great as great of an experience as the first time we ever ate here. Last time I was there they even offered this "cheeseburger soup"....OMG soooo delicious!!! Oh and as always, I always always get the baked clams here.....Ok so I'll stop raving about this place, because it's just making me want to go back now...soooooo please do try out Shannahan's, you will not regret it.
(4)
Michael M.
Was in downtown Forest Park, Il. on Monday afternoon. Was a bit hungry so stopped by Shanahan's Irish Bar & Creole Restaurant. The establishment had a large Clover leaf on the door which made this Irish guy feel welcome. Inside the bar it had medium lighting with a wood bar and hard wood floor. It had a Northern Ireland appearance to it. There was Bar seating, booths and tables in the rear. The waitress Robin immediately greeted me and seated me. The establishment was decorated with was Tabassco paintings and endorsed over 30 different hot sauces. I ordered a bowl of Gumbo and a club soda. On Tuesdays the establishment has $3.00 Hamburgers from 11am-10pm for Hamburger Happy Day. Domestic pitchers are $6.00 on that day. From January 21st thru January 23rd is Louisiana Oyster Fest serviving ten different serving typesof Oysters. With my Gumbo I tried the house Shanahans Leprechaun's Fury hot sauce. I love hot spice in my life and this brought it to me. As for beer they have a great selection, Domestics, Hacker PschorrWeisse, Blue Moon, Smithwicks, Guinness, Stella Artois, Negro Modelo and my personal favorite Harp. The Gumbo was excellent and Robin was an outstanding server. For $4.00 I purchased a bottle of Leprechaun Fury to go. As for the price a little on the high side but I think it was well worth it. When in downtown Forest Park try it out. In the warmer months they have great outside seating. This place is a must, try it.
(4)
Mark M.
I'm not one to frequent Irish Pubs (too many in college), but I was pleasantly surprised by the great Cajun food. I agree the mix is kind of odd. I much prefer Cajun over corn beef and potatoes.
(3)
Erin V.
We went to Shanahan's for lunch. Everyone in my group seemed to like it okay but me. My parents had po' boy sandwiches which they said were really good. I had a burger which was just okay. Kind of mushy. The fries were good, though. I would like to go back and try some of their Creole offerings. Maybe when it gets colder out, though. Or maybe for dinner. Creole food always seems so much more heavy and winter-y to me. The atmosphere of the place could have been better. I guess, though, it's really more of a bar with an extensive menu. Also, towards the end of our meal the bartender turned the volume up on one of the tvs so loud that we could barely hear each other talk. Granted, there were only two other tables in the place but I thought it was really rude.
(2)
Cynthia G.
I agree with other posters that the soup is good. Other than that, their food appears to be bland. Also, if you sit in the dining section of the place, be prepared to wait quite some time for the wait staff to take your order and to have to practically tackle the staff to get anything further once your order's brought out. This isn't necessarily the wait staff's fault, they just need more servers back there.
(3)
rob h.
It's true, if you want bland food at prices that are just a little higher than they should be coupled with relatively poor service, this might well be your place... if you are able to wait a good long while to get all of this. (And secretly pay for refills on soda, who does that?) Seriously, I went there with a group of five adults, a three year old and a ten month old for lunch. There was only one other table but it still took the waiter an oddly long time to take our orders, a dangerous game to play with a table with kids as young as mine. Then the oddly long wait for six simple sandwiches. When they came there was nothing wrong with the food, per se, but there was also no evidence that anyone had really bothered to care much about it either. Phoned in food. The fries are nothing to write home about either. I have to say that it is a pet peeve of mine when I am given refill after refill with no notice, written or spoken, that I will be charged for them. They did bring a coloring book and crayons for my three year old during one of the long waits, after we took out the ones we had brought. Perhaps it is different if you order creole for an evening meal... but I am not inspired by this experience to chance going back to find out.
(2)
Justin G.
Not bad for what it is. It is on the Madison Bar Strip, and with the name, you'd think it's just a bar. It's more of a sit-down sandwich and cajun food place. It's a little high priced for that, I think on average you'll pay $10 for a sandwich and fries and it might come with soup, but the sandwiches are pretty good and worth a try if you want a good sandwich.
(4)
Kimberly W.
I did want to wait to write this review until AFTER we'd sampled entrees. Unfortunately, we've discussed it and we just don't want to try the entrees. Sorry, Shanahan's. It's too expensive to gamble on it. Allow me to explain. We've stopped in twice for drinks and appetizers. First experience: It was hot and they had a sign out front promoting their own lemonade to the sidewalk shoppers. I wanted one. With vodka in it. Easy? Give me your cold to-go lemonade, add a shot of vodka, and charge me for both. Instead I got one of those shorty cocktail glasses that you get the rum-and-coke well drinks in. It was 'spensive. We also ordered the artichoke fritters. They were delicious. And tiny. A teenytiny delicious appetizer for $8. Awwwwww what a waste. (Side note: Really nice server.) Second experience: On this hot-ass day, we thought we needed some afternoon refreshments and tried again. The drinks were better; some kind of Southern-style Long Island Iced Tea and a beer--hard to go wrong. We thought we'd order an appetizer and see if we wanted to venture further into the menu, but when the appetizer came... wah wah wah wahhhhhh... It was the seafood fondue. It needed seasoning on most levels: the spinach on the bottom (which is a GREAT idea because it adds bulk to the plate), the seafood, and the brothy sauce that surrounded it. Cool idea, executed poorly. If I'd made it at home, I would have made a million notes on how to make it better next time. They should do the same. (Side note: Another nice server!) We thought about getting an entree but weren't convinced we'd get our money's worth. Darn. Some of the stuff looked yummy. But so did the fondue!
(2)
Laura N.
Creole food in an Irish pub? Sold! The inside is nice, not anything special, nor dive-like. Standard dark wood, nice. It's the food and the server's acerbic wit that are the source of your dining enjoyment. Plus, in May 2011 they have a Crawfish Fest and it should be advertised as BYOB - bring your own bib. I had a glass of white wine, pinot grigio. It was decent, worth the $7. I enjoyed a cup of soup (which came with my entree), the Louisiana Crab & Crawfish Gumbo. Yum, yum, yum. I sampled one of my friend's appetizers, the Artichoke Fritters - tasty but fried, very fried. Not doughy or soft on the outside. Be prepared for that. Good but you'll be tasting the fried part, that's for sure. For my entree I had the Shrimp Creole - very tasty but the tomato base was more pasty in texture (like tomato paste) than sauce-like. Good but I wasn't expecting that part. The other two out of the four of us had: Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo (Soup) - the vote was for more! 1) Entree was the Three From the Bayou: a tasting of Shrimp Creole, Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etoufee. Delicious! 2) House Salad - Standard Entree was the special (Pork Chops w/Crawfish Etoufee and Dirty Rice) - two giant pork chops = doggy bag or a night curled up in fetal position. Two man enter one man leaves? He said it was very good, but took one of the chops home for leftovers. A wise decision. This is a place to go to if you are in the area or close enough to drive there. Or if you are craving Creole food with whiskey. The combo is amusing. I'll be back.
(4)
Jesse K.
Oh Shanahan's, how far you have fallen! The last time we raved about the the Turtle Soup, now we wish we didn't order it again. It was sour-lemon-tasting this time, and had a terrible mushy texture. Even the added sherry didn't perk it up. This recipe was nothing like what we had before. It seemed as if they just switched to a canned version. My buffalo chicken sandwich was small, expensive, and dry. The seasoned fries were delicious. Our waitress. a large and surly woman, was abrupt to the point of rude, and gave me a nasty glare when I asked for the change from our paid bill. (No way was I giving her a 25% tip, what was she thinking?!) We don't feel any reason to go back here again. Disappointing.
(2)
Christina R.
Best jambalaya ever. And I'm a fan of any place that has cider on tap. Beyond that, I've had some really good food (e.g. Garlic Fest) and some really bad food (I wanted to like pecan catfish, but I don't.) The sidewalk seating is a great place to people watch in the summer, albeit there's a lot of street noise. The service is usually decent, but I find the menu is risky. The specials are usually good, but other than those, I stick with the jambalaya. Have I mentioned they have really good jambalaya?
(4)
Kelly S.
Another review that will require another visit to make a full assessment of the place. It's Mardi Gras. This is an Irish bar with a cajun/creole menu. Go figure? They have just about every kind of Abita. +1 Star Mardi Gras beads and hurricanes +1 Star An overly overwhelmed staff who only accommodated seating 1 table of 2 people in 45 minutes -1 Star (I know it was Mardi Gras, but they knew they were going to be slammed.) Meeting a random fellow Loyola New Orleans Alumn +1 Star We left after waiting for a table for an hour. -1 Star I had this review at 3 stars. I had to +1 star for the second line parade that came out of the bar and marched down the street as we were sitting in the restaurant down the way.
(4)
Jake B.
I've been here for brunch twice with my fiancee. Meh. The brunch menu needs a lot of work. There are a few items that sound good but those that I've tried were poorly executed. I am sad to count the Bloody Mary among those losses. The first time we went I had a "skillet". This was actually a scramble with a side of potatoes. Their breakfast potatoes were a mess. They were way overcooked and under-seasoned. The scramble was inoffensive and ultimately forgettable. The second time we went I had the ham and cheese crepes. I guess my expectations were a little too high because what I was served was half of what I thought I was getting for the price. The plate presented to me was large and noticeably bare. The crepes took up less than half of the space and there was nothing but two orange slices to fill the emptiness. What they did give me wasn't bad but, once again, my brunch was ultimately forgettable. As a bar the place makes more sense. Their selection of bottled beers includes many by Abita Brewing out of Louisiana. The Jockomo IPA is quite nice. They also have lots of blended drinks for the Parrotheads and sorority girls to enjoy. All in all, I don't hate this place. The only reason I will be returning, however, is that it is within walking distance of my place and the beer list is fairly unique. I doubt I will ever eat here again.
(2)
David Y.
I've been here several times and have always liked it, mostly cuz I really love cajun food. But last night I was ready to walk out of there. After we were seated (a lone table next to the kitchen), we waited for 10 minutes for our waitress to come by. We ordered drinks and then she never came back, ever!!! After waiting another 15 minutes, we flagged down a waiter named Ryan who got our drinks, dinner orders and generally made this dining experienced less than horrid. I had their gumbo and for some reason, they put in a tremendously large amount of garlic. There was no taste but garlic. There was no smell but garlic. I still smell garlic on my breath 24 hours later and 3 toothbrushings after. It was an awful cup of soup. My entree was Louisana Beans and Rice, which was decent. The service was mixed. The one blonde waitress really, really needs to get fired but everyone else was great. I'll probably stop going here as I've been soured by hate.
(1)
Timothy D.
Food is good and really the only place to get creole food in the area. They have a lot of creative burgers and po-boys and the fries are amazing! Chicken and Andouille sausage gumbo is excellent. Only down side, the service is usually pretty shitty. The waitresses are usually slow, forgetful and generally seems pissed off that you are there...never understood that when you are working for tips. Main dishes are pretty pricey but generally big enough to split between two people...unless your date is a deuce and a half.
(4)
Sonja T.
Been here twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. Both times good service. Food sounded better on the menu than what I actually received (lack of flavor). Good not great. With so many more places to try, I probably won't be back unless only to drink and maybe try an appetizer.
(3)
Bridgette K.
Horrible with accomidating people especially on st. Pattys day cmon. The wentch of a waitress horrible, seemed as if she didn't want to work. I like my fries and bacon cooked well wtf. She litterly told me to sit on it. How can you say that to a paying customer who's gonna give you a tip. Tip this BITcH seriously sorry if its degrading but quit acting like a BiTCH. Will I come back NO NEVER. You can SIT ON THIS! Oh my god then they ran out of table bread. You knew you were gonna be busy its ST. Patricks Day and its Madison ST. It gets better the chair they were having customers sit on were broke. Are they looking for lawsuits? We told their Hostess for the night he just laughed. Oh wow you ignorant DOUCHE are you serious? You don't care about your place of employment or customers shows were your brains are at. Good luck
(1)
Katrina H.
All I can say, Lovely! I took my mother and daughter here for an impromtu lunch while we waited for our spa appointments and the staff was fantastic and well attentive. The price for the food was great. and coming from a louisiana family, My mother approves their red beans and rice dish. I will certainly return for an alfresco dining experience here.
(4)
Brigid S.
Please do not go to Shanahan's your Heath depends on it. I have been a fan for years . On 12-2-11 I went with my Parents, Husband & Sister. They were crowded (forest park had a Christmas special event). We ordered up the soup was good and all if us had sandwiches. My Mom had the Ruben the sandwich did not look right. The meat was brown not the signature Ruben pink. She took a few bites and did not like it. My Dad took one bit and spit it out. My Mom wanted to let the server know the sandwich was not good. All of the other plates were removed the smell of ROTEN neat was overwhelming it made me gag and I had too leave the Restaurant. The table next to us could even smell the horrible smell and said something. When my father called later to let the owner know he was so rude. He told my dad he asked the staff to keep the sandwich and he heated it up the next day and it was fine. Not only was the food bad but the Jerk owner is out of his mind cuz no one would had eaten the sandwich. The complaint the next day was only to make the owner aware the food was bad. We did not want anything since never ever will I or my family risk going to Shanahan's again. Zero . Zero stars dine at your own risk
(1)
Pam F.
If you want to pay $6.75 for a mediocre bowl of chili, then by all means stop in. If you want to be charged for a beer you didn't have, then by all means stop in. If you want an argumentative bartender, then by all means stop in. Go in on a festive Saturday and you will experience depression as the music was on so soft you couldn't hear it and the volume on all the TVs was off. BORING! I am through with Shanahan's and their overpriced food.
(1)
Jane H.
5 stars for their desserts! Their homemade key lime pie is the best I've ever had. Perfectly creamy with the jazzy, snazzy taste of key limes. Crumbly graham cracker crust. I specially ordered a whole one to bring on a PLANE to San Francisco to my family for Thanksgiving. (The airport screeners tried to steal a piece from me. :)) Their pecan pie is also made in house with finely chopped pecans and crumbly crust as well. Doesn't have that gloppy sugary stuff found in subpar pecan pies.
(5)
Cindy R.
This is a place you'd never expect - an Irish bar serving cajun food. Personally, I've eaten there several times and their food is just OK. If there's a sports game you want to watch while you eat, they've got TVs, so a lot of the guys here at work do that sometimes.
(3)
Trina J.
I will start off by saying I am a Louisiana native. That said, I was somewhat uninterested and reluctant to give this place a try. But in the relationship world there is compromise so after several failed attempts I finally agreed to check this place out. 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 good. The soup 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. My diet coke was terrible but she replaced the original with a glass from the other tap and it was better but far from what is should taste like. I drank it anyway because I could not bring myself to ask her to get anything else. Including a glass of water.
(3)
Nektaria R.
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.
There's something kind of cute about a Irish Pub that sports Cajun food. I've tried the place a half a dozen times, being a fan of Cajun, in the hopes of finding something good. Unfortunately, after the last time, I've given up. I cannot recommend the food here or the pub at all. If you enjoy seafood gumbo that has little seasoning and no actual pieces of seafood in it then this is the place for you. I mentioned the lack of actual seafood to my waiter and he said "that is how it is". If you are craving for a Crawfish Ettouffe or Jambalaya which requires a bottle of hot sauce to give it any flavor at all then stop here. If you want to frequent a place where the service is poor, noone greets you when you enter, and noone seems to care when you leave then by all means don't waste your time elsewhere. Yep, I'm done with this place.
(1)
Christopher K.
Saturday night my parents and I were watching some TV (Duck Dynasty none the less) and they were eating some homemade Cajun food. It hit me - I hadn't had Cajun food in forever. Maybe not really since the old Cajun Kitchen used to be in the Schaumburg area, and my parents haven't really had Cajun since their last trip to New Orleans. So at 7:30 at night we hopped in the car and headed on down and over to Forest Park, an area that I have not frequented often, if ever. Nice little strip of a TON of Irish bars, tiny restaurants, and shops. From the outside, Shanahans left me wondering if I was going to get anything more than bar food inside - its just a quaint little bar. The outside deceives. The inside sets the perfect atmosphere for a group going to grab a late bite (or an early bite) of some of the best food I have ever gotten in or out of a bar. Bar in the front, booths and tables in the back. Perfect lighting and setting. So on to the food... There are some other reviews on here from whining people - complaining about this or that. They are wrong. They are just wrong. Not only was the food flavorful and spicy, but it was INCREDIBLE! I am someone who loves spice and depth of flavor (I have the palette of a snob I am told), and everything I ate was fantastic. And the food left me super full (huge portions), but feeling great! We went all out. Who knows when we will get back to Forest Park. We ordered the Artichoke Fritters which were delicious in a shallot lemon sauce, served over dirty rice. The seafood gumbo was incredibly flavorful - and mine was full of crawfish. Delish! I ordered the Three from the Bayou which had a very generous serving of Creole Shrimp (had probably 10 HUGE shrimp), a huge serving of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, and a large portion of Crawfish Etouffee. The food was a 10, but what clinched the entire evening for me was the service! Our waitress was the perfect combination of attentive, kind, and personable, while also giving us plenty of space and time to enjoy each others company and the conversation. In the end, all I can say, is I have not had this good of an experience in a new restaurant in a very long time. I will be coming back to Shanahan's, and telling everyone about it!
(5)
Leonard W.
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.
(4)
Suzanne Z.
Cute bar with a small outdoor patio. Has a lot of Cajun flair including tons of Mardi Gras decorations. I appreciate they seem to be Sox supporters too. The bar has a fair craft beer selection, seeming to favor Abita brand with lots of those selections on draft. The menu is extensive, with all sorts of Cajun food options, most which I was not familiar with, but they also have some American bar standards like sandwiches/burgers. My guy got the Cajun Combo- Rice/beans and Jumbalaya. The portion was huge, and both had good flavors and heat. I ordered the remoulade salad with shrimp. I requested it to be served on romaine, as Iceberg is the worst, but a lot of the lettuce was a little white, and I wasn't totally convinced it was all romaine. The shrimp were large, plentiful and deveined. The dressing was creamy and a little sweet, which I liked. I love salad with a hard-boiled egg in it, but these were wayyyyyyy over done, with a solid border of grey aroudn the yolk. I tried a quarter of it, and it tasted funny. I was worried it was an old egg so I stopped eating it there. My stomach did feel a little icky for a while after that, too, so I'm glad I stopped early. The salad was OK, but definitely not amazing. I might try this place one more time, but it'll have to be on someone else's suggestion. I wouldn't think of going here on my own, it wasn't super memorable.
(3)
Rosie D.
I really like this place. They kinda look like an Irish pub (like most of the bars in forest park) but once you see the menu you'll see they specialize in southern cuisine. Specifically Louisiana fare. So think crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, po'boys, shrimp and grits, etc. The drinks are the same. On Fridays they have $5 hurricanes. Basically a run punch but damn is it good! They have a very small patio out front that can get full at times. Especially on Saturdays. Went last week and got the jumbo jerk wings. Baby......they were slap your Auntie good! But they are definitely jumbo so bring an appetite or a friend if you go for these. I've had a few other things off the menu too. They have great gumbo, I love the red beans and rice and their catfish is decent too. And the best part is it's so reasonably priced. You can for sure get a good down home meal and a knock out drink for the low low. But the tip here is go on Fridays and holla at those $5 hurricanes. You won't be sorry.
(4)
Tom W.
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
(4)
Jackie E. G.
I've passed by this place before but never had a chance to eat here until last night. I thought the food was really delicious and the waitstaff very attentive. I had the jambalaya and the portion size was huge with lots of flavor. By the time dessert came around, I was stuffed and only managed a few bites of pecan pie and bread pudding but both were delightful. I will definitely be back...good food and good atmosphere...who can beat it!
(5)
Dominique S.
Came here on a beautiful day where i sat outside on their patio and ate. Had the watermelon mojitos, the bowl of gumbo, the bayou platter which game with etoufee, jambalaya and I substituted the last dish for red beans and rice. The drinks here were amazing and if it wasn't a Sunday I could have had a few more rounds. The Gumbo needed some more seasoning and unfortunately was bland. Thr best dish on my entree was thr red beans and rice which I thought was extremely good. The other dishes which were the etoufee and jambalaya both tasted the same and I added alot of hot sauce to give it some additional flavor that it was lacking. I was really hoping this place was going to be amazing because I love cajun/creole food, but unfortunately it was pretty bad. The two stars are for the outdoor patio seating and the great cocktails. I would try it again but would need them to first modify their recipes to get that true new Orleans taste in their food.
(2)
Nicole E.
Gumbo and jambalaya were good, but my partner ordered a turkey burger. The turkey burger stated it had applewood smoked bacon on it. The bacon was not as advertised, the patty tasted freezer burner and was not well seasoned. The creole foods is pretty good, but the ingredients used are not very fresh.
(3)
Sharon R.
My heart always beats faster when I even think of this establishment. Is it because this is where the old ball and chain took me on our first date 16 years ago? A little maybe. But the Real reason my pulse quicken's at the mere mention of this restaurant is because I have sampled every single dish on the menu at least two or three times and still am a smitten kitten. Many restaurants have decent bars but this is a bar that is magnificent they can stand on its own merit but this is more a restaurant in an amazing bar that also too stands on its own merit. Now the facts; this is a snazzy all wood dark Irish pub that sells the most delicious authentic creole/Cajun food in the Chicagoland area. It is one of the few places where every bite is delectable. The drinks are strong and delish. In the summer there is nothing better than sitting on the front outdoor patio sipping a cocktail and people watching. The cast of characters is amazing because right next-door is a very busy military store that advertises gas masks, so you can only imagine the type of clientele that walks in there. Back to the food; the jambalaya , the red beans and rice and shrimp Po boys are to die for. The seafood fondue is my absolute favorite. It is shrimps, scallops, and lobster in a light creamy sauce that is so good that I'd lick the bowl if I wasn't sitting outside where everyone can see me. But if it's cold and you're sitting in the dark bar I definitely recommend you lick that plate. We always finish our food with a shared piece of Key West lime pie. To die for. Hands down my fave restaurant in the whole universe.
(5)
Donald a.
Darn decent food of the Cajun variety. My wife had the shrimp and crawfish Po boy while I had the crawfish boil. She loved hers and I was in the zone. Sucking the heads and tails out of over 2 pounds of crawfish created a zombie like state in me and it felt like I was down in Nawlns. There's plenty of options for non-Creole food in fact my daughter had a cheeseburger the tasted like a nice classic bowling alley cheeseburger from the 1970s - a crispy bun nice grill on the beef. I would get that as well myself except I love Cajun food and I am unlikely to deviate from there unless it's to steal a bike from my wife or daughter. Her poor boy I think was 11 bucks and it came with fries and slaw. My crawfish boil was 26 bucks and came with two perfectly cooked large new potatoes and a chunk of mushy corn on the cob but that's to be expected in a shrimp, crawfish or crab boil. I also got a salad which was perfectly simple with a nice creel vinaigrette on the side. The drinks are not overpriced my wife got an 8$ Hurricane and I got a vodka tonic - they were both perfectly fine. We got great service from our server Kate and other servers also asked us if we were okay multiple times we never wanted for anything. They were mildly busy it was around 7 o'clock on a Saturday night. I know they put the sound on for Blackhawks games. I also know that have a great selection of beer and they're not overcharging for anything across the bar like some of places do in Forest Park. This is also not a meat market kind of place. The staff and the patrons are diverse they have nice outdoor seating right on Madison.
(4)
Lindsey D.
Well, I have never had Cajun before coming to Shanahan's so I have nothing to compare it to, but I am a fan!! The patio was packed so we decided to sit in the back to the restaurant. There was only one server, so the bartender waited on us. I thought that was a bit odd. She was really nice though, and helpful since I had never had Cajun/Creole before. The sausage gumbo was sooo good! I'll be back for more!
(4)
Ramone B.
Shanahans intrigued me from the moment I learned of this place. I thought it was kinda strange that an Irish pub served Cajun food, but not strange in a bad way. I'm trisexual when it comes to trying new things. I will always try something once. Except like heroin. Lol I don't EVER want to know what that feels like. (way off subject! #Next) Anywho I liked the interior of the pub. Very cool laid back vibe. Our waitress was pretty cool also. I placed my order for a catfish dinner. My waitress told me the daily soups and she mentioned a creamy avocado soup. This intrigued the hell outta me, and I wanted that ish! Lemme tell you it was pretty Freaking awesome. I would stick my fork into any B*tches forehead who dared try and take my soup away lol!! You know my greedy ass tried my boyfriends food as well. He ordered a gumbo that was nothing short of spectacular! Just the right level of spice! I couldn't wait for my catfish to arrive. My catfish came with dirty rice. I hadn't had dirty rice in years! My Aunt from Baton Rouge needs a masters degree in Cajun cooking honey cuz that B*tch can throw down.(Auntie if you see this B*tch is a term of endearment coming from me) So I had high standards for that rice........ My dinner arrived, and I have to say I was kinda let down by the portions. My catfish dinner was expensive for what I got. One piece of fish and dirty rice. #DoBetter that meal shouldn't be $17 dollars. Hello catfish is a bottom feeder. One of the cheapest fish Out there. This markup is ridiculous. Dinner Verdict- my catfish fish- Bland. My dirty rice- Bland. A double whammy. The person cooking really needs to study Cajun food closely because Shanahans has potential. I challenge Shanahans to kick the spices up a notch. I see other yelpers have said the same. It's creole food so its expected to have some heat! I wouldn't have minded paying so much for my food had it tasted better. I was so disappointed. I really wanted to like this place. I'm going to try to give this place another shot. Maybe it was an off night. to be contined........ Wait!!!! I almost forgot we ordered blackened chicken wings. They were absolutely horrendous. Not even kidding. It was like someone just poured a container of powdered seasoning on top of grilled wings. They were NOT good. Okay now I'm done.
(2)
Matt M.
Another great Forest Park place to get something delicious to eat in true FP fashion. The booth by the window was awesome and perfectly time for winterfest. We had a great dinner, affordable, friendly, and fun. I really like this place and will be back for sure. The only down side is it really isn't as spicy as I hoped - but we will see what they stir up next time I come in.
(4)
Carl D.
I went there last night with a couple of friends. The food was terrific! Great "Creole" cooking. I had the gumbo and and also the shrimp,chicken,andouille jambalya for $16.50..well worth it! One of my friends had the "voodoo" pork chops which were also very tasty. They have a decent selection of beers/ales to wash down your food. Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. Located in the heart of the Madison street strip of pubs and restaurants. I would highly recommend this place! I know I will go back
(4)
Anthony R.
really good! Owners are really nice too!
(5)
Steve H.
Both kinds of Gumbo were delicious. Got a dual plate to share and was plenty with 2 small bowls of Gumbo for a lunch for 2. Very tasty.
(5)
Michael N.
Great place wonderful staff food is is awesome met a forest park newspaper writer that flat out and said this place is great and a go to place will be going back there real soon
(5)
Margaux D.
I've been a regular at Shanahan's for quite a while now. Their food is always delicious and it's one of those places that always spices things up with a different "-fest". What I mean by that is they have "Lobsterfest," "Crawfishfest," etc... on top of St. Paddy's day celebrations and the like. Now that it's summer, they have outdoor seating on Madison Street. They also have drink specials. Wednesdays (my favorite day for Shanahan's) are Whiskey Wednesdays.
(4)
Kristen V.
Tired of Guinness and fratty guys in Blackhawks jerseys, we went into Shanahan's, a Cajun place with a very Hibernian name on a street filled with Irish bars. The place smelled like New Orleans. By that, I mean it smelled like dirty washcloths stuffed in an abandoned beinet shop, surrounded by the abandonment of the federal American government. The burnt plate of grits and shrimp as we walked in the door added to the subtle Louisiana feel, but less like I was at Mardi Gras and more like I was Rust Cohle about to stumble onto a dead body in a swamp. My fiance ordered the catfish platter, and 35 minutes later (which was annoying, as we were two of eight people in the place, come on it's not the Saints were playing) his lukewarm fish piled majestically on a pile of dirty rice, with a side of fries, arrived. My Iberia Grilled Cheese arrived as well. It was advertised as having Tabasco Onions with Andouille sausage...mmmm! It had onions. They were less spicy then a Mild packet at Taco Bell. It had Andouille sausage. Nice and big and juicy and put some more innuendos here. Had the onions been spicy, and just put on the Andouille sausage with no cheese, it would have been delicious. The bread was cheap and fell apart quicker then Bush's promise to the city of New Orleans in 2005. That being said, the appetizer we had was great! Articoke fritters with a Lousiana sauce; perfectly spiced, not too heavy, and nice and HOT! The drink specials were great; $5 hurricanes are crazy. If you're looking for dinner, I'd suggest something else. If you just want snacks and drinks, this place is good.
(2)
Maria C.
Came here on a Sunday for their brunch special and was so disappointed!! I was STARVING and love Cajun food so I was super excited to give this place a try. Literally had to wait ONE hour to get my appetizer and then the waitress wanted to bring my food within 5 minutes of serving the appetizer, so annoying!! I asked her if she could wait until I finish the appetizer before bringing my food, big mistake I didn't see her again for another 30 minutes. I could understand if the place was super busy but it wasn't. Food was just ok, the breakfast po'boy was nothing fancy, their mimosas were actually pretty good. Definitely will NOT be returning. I'd hate to see what this place is like when it's actually busy.
(1)
Carol M.
Having lived in New Orleans for 5 years or so I know what good Cajun/Creole cooking should taste like. this is the description of this entree: Three From the Bayou $18.00 Creole tasting of shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and chicken andouille sausage jambalaya. it was all jumbled together and all looked the same basically....Etouffee is a delicate shrimpy tasting sauce that tends toward being a tad thick even. What I think may have been etouffee tasted totally of green pepper and tomato and was watery. ( The shrimp taste comes from using shells and heads for stock.) There was some andouille and chicken strewn over the whole thing. I was especially disappointed for that price. Redeeming quality, the seafood gumbo was very good, it had the right amount of seafood and that wonderful fishy goodness that comes from a perfect roux and stock.
(2)
Matt R.
Great drinks. And good food if you want the blandest meal you've ever had! I've been here twice and I haven't had any flavor in my food. Which is really disappointing for a cajon place. Don't waste your time at this place especially with axcan across the street. What a dive! Should be shut down!
(1)
Grace N.
My favorite meal of the week is brunch, and I am really starting to love Shanahan's brunch. They have a great, flavorful brunch menu - Voodoo Skillet? Yes please, with tons of spicy, creamy flavor. Great benedicts and crispy potatoes, and they're willing to let me swap some of the ingredients around. And drumroll please....great bloody marys that come in a tall glass with a pickled green bean (don't knock it 'til you crunch it). I even asked for a beer back and they were very accommodating. This brings me to the service. We have always had wonderful service here, and this is even when we bring our 7 month old. Add outdoor seating to the mix, and we have the ingredients for a perfect, leisurely, weekend afternoon.
(4)
Steffani S.
Shanahan's offers such an incredible dining experience. Their menu is unique and peppered with dozens of flavorful creole options. I HIGHLY recommend their brunch. From crawfish crepes to shrimp and grits to breakfast Po Boys, you can never go wrong with anything you pick and you'll only be counting down the days until the next time you can come. When you walk in, ask for Kate. She knows the menu front and back and will make you feel like an old friend who's always belonged here.
(5)
Danyell P.
Food was ok the service was disappointing though. Ordered take out and saw the food come out and it wasn't busy. The bartender did not even bring food he was too busy talking. Had to ask waitress about food the bartender brought the food and the check and then he walked away was ready to pay finally had to bring him the check so I could leave. Will never go back again. I'll stick to Dixie kitchen their food and service is better.
(1)
John S.
Located in Forest Park on what I refer to as the hidden block of restaurants and bars. We stopped in on Tuesday, which just happens to be $5 burger night. The place was relatively empty and the Hawks game was on. We sat down in the only half-round booth, which is leather, comfortable and actually a little reminiscent of the old, heavy duty booths at the Pump Room (now located at the Wolf's Head Inn). Our waitress was friendly, accommodating and had several excellent suggestions about the menu and drinks. We opted for a pitcher of Louisiana craft-made amber ale, while my daughter ordered apple cider with Myers Dark Rum. The beer was first-rate. Shanahan's has half a dozen $5 burger choices on the menu and we all followed suit, each ordering a specialty burger - and according to everyone they were "excellent". When a place starts emptying out I'm usually offended when they start turning off the lights and putting chairs up on tables while I'm still eating. This particular booth backs up to their back room, so when they closed that room down and turned off the lights we were left bit in the dark. Since the bar is generally dark anyway, it really didn't matter - it was still comfortable. This is an Irish place that specializes in Louisiana Cajun cooking. Even though we didn't sample that portion of the menu we quite enjoyed the atmosphere, the service and our "common American fare". Recommended for couples, families, just about anyone!
(4)
Susie C.
My friends and I came here for dinner on a Saturday. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday evening, which we were surprised. We got to choose whereever we wanted to sit. It's kind of like a bar setting where there's TV, bar with stools, and booths on the side. Our waiter was nice. Inside is dimly lit. It was okay. The three of us ordered the chicken/sausage jambalaya. We liked it. We like the spice in the rice. It was pretty tasty. It also came with a side..I had a side of salad (nothing special), and my friend had the shrimp bisque. Her bisque actually had lots of shrimp chunks compared to most shrimp bisque so that is a plus. My husband ordered their shrimp creole. He said it was just okay - wasn't that great. He did like my jambalaya a lot though. He had a side of seafood gumbo soup which he liked. Overall decent dinner.
(3)
Jean K.
Forest Park! Had no idea you were hiding such great places! Stumbled across Shanahan's after a trip to the Brown Car - another Yelper treasure! Absolutely love New Orleans style fare...so we knew we'd be back! That op came that following Sunday, looking for a place open for brunch. Chose to sit outside, gorgeous day out...and started with two Bloody Marys. Usually not a fan, generally much too thick for my liking! these were a perfect blend with some great veggies - chilled green bean?! Loved it! Was starving, so we also ordered up some Gumbo. Husband had the sausage, while I tried the seafood - love my seafood! Both were Great! Although, was loving the seafood a little more..was thicker, and not overpowering with taste. A few dashes of hot sauce, and it was perfect! Main course, my hubby had to try out their voodoo skillet - of course! And I tried their spinach and mushroom crepes. Both were as delicious as they sounded!! In fact, we brought food home because we were super stuffed...and ended up digging in after getting back home! Was that good! Staff was super friendly and attentive. My only regret? We never did get dessert! Have been to New Orleans many occasions, and have never eaten here. Found a new favorite! Very happy there's one close to home!
(4)
Ronny M.
When I go to Shanahan's I have to, have to have at least a cup of their Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo. I love it! I went once wanting a bowl and I think I ended up eating four bowls. It was that good, and hitting the spot that day. I haven't been in a while, but I don't think their bowls are all that big either. There is a bar with tvs so you can totally come in to watch a game. Their menu isn't exactly typical bar food. It's bar food with a bit of a seafood, cajun dusting to it. Looking for more of a meal time and not game time? There's tables and booths too. Come on in and enjoy your friends. On your way in our out, there is a chocolate store attached. Go in! They get me every time. Nicely done, and interesting chocolate treats. Grab a bag for yourself, loved one, or is you forgot a birthday gift for someone. When I'm craving some seafood, cajun spice, comfort food, this is one of the places I go.
(4)
Heather H.
The cajun food was disappointing. My husband's shrimp po' boy wasn't very good, and I can make better red beans and rice that what I was served. I'm still giving the place 3 stars (1) in the hopes that their burgers will be good; (2) they had some good beers on tap that were quite cheap; and (3) it had a good atmosphere and several TVs for watching sports.
(3)
LaToya A.
I'll start with the positive - The drinks were good. They were New Orleans themed and blended well. Watch out for the berry mojito because this delicious number will sneak up on you if you have the right amount. The first time that I went, I had the shrimp creole dish. It was delicious. It was flavored well and wasn't too salty. On to the negative- The second time that I went I decided to try something different for a food options. I tried the calamari as an appetizer. I've never had calamari so bland before. It didn't even taste like it was fried at all, but lightly dusted (very lightly) with a seasoning and served. It was quite chewy and lacked any sort of flavor or taste. I was also disappointed because their website mentioned a fish fry and other items that they didn't actually have. The response was that the website has been outdated for months. I don't think that's a good excuse because someone should have updated the site before months passed. So I ended up getting the cajun combination which was a blend of jambalaya and red beans and rice. Again, it was bland and didn't taste that good. I'm not sure if my bad experience the second time was due to a new chef in the kitchen or what, but I haven't been back since October. I guess that bland food left a bad taste in my mouth after all.
(3)
Charnetta B.
Let me preface by saying....I'm from New Orleans and I know good cajun/new orleans cuisine. I recently stumpled into this place while walking around forest park. I love the ambiance of the place. The drink selection reminds me of home so much! Abita Beer, Daiquris, Hurricanes!!! I ordered the Seafood Gumbo, since that's always my test item for New Orleans cuisine. The gumbo was actually really good, I was very impressed. I would definitely recommend going back! I look forward to trying more items on their menu.
(5)
Lucy L.
Wonderful !!!! Service was the best ! Food was Great ..... ( in my Tony the Tiger voice ) A+ ! Best Valentine Special ever !!!!
(5)
Amanda G.
I love the fact that Madison Street in Forest Park has been receiving a facelift the past few years. Upscale bars/restaurants, boutiques, etc...have surfaced. As for Shanahan's: a-ok. This bar is "old school" compared to other businesses in the area. I still don't understand how Cajun food is served in an Irish Pub. The mish-mash of the two are slightly confusing. There are several beer choices; but stay away from the wine, has the makings of a post-morning sugar headache. The bartenders were fine, but difficult to flag down at times. This place is fine to visit, but I think I would visit some of the other places on the strip first.
(3)
Michelle S.
Extremely disappointed. The lobster ponchotrain sauce was good but the shrimp, lobster, scallops, and crawfish were scarce. The dinner salad was on a dessert plate and the dressing was so watery I thought it was ranch and not bleu cheese. $100. for three people and a special birthday dinner it was really not worth it. The waitress didn't come out of the back for about ten minutes actually no one but the people at the bar even knew we existed. The waitress was not attentive and was more interested in the people at the bar and the game. Definitely won't go back.
(1)
Nicole E.
Gumbo and jambalaya were good, but my partner ordered a turkey burger. The turkey burger stated it had applewood smoked bacon on it. The bacon was not as advertised, the patty tasted freezer burner and was not well seasoned. The creole foods is pretty good, but the ingredients used are not very fresh.
(3)
Leonard W.
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.
(4)
Zakiya P.
We came here for lunch on a Saturday. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive. We ordered the calamari. It was okay. I've had worse but I've definitely had better as well. It was cooked to perfection but the calamari itself needed a bit more seasoning and the dipping sauce was bland. We ordered the shrimp and grits along with the shrimp, chicken, and sausage jambalaya. The grits were cooked perfectly. Although there were a lot of peppers and onions that could probably have been omitted from the dish. I only tried a few bites of the jambalaya because they initially brought me the wrong dish. The staff immediately rectified the situation but by then we were ready to go. The chicken and sausage gumbo was quite good. I would definitely order again. Overall the food was a little mediocre. The staff were nice and the restaurant was very cozy. They also had a nice outdoor patio area. I would not come here again.
(2)
Trina J.
I will start off by saying I am a Louisiana native. That said, I was somewhat uninterested and reluctant to give this place a try. But in the relationship world there is compromise so after several failed attempts I finally agreed to check this place out. 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 good. The soup 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. My diet coke was terrible but she replaced the original with a glass from the other tap and it was better but far from what is should taste like. I drank it anyway because I could not bring myself to ask her to get anything else. Including a glass of water.
(3)
Nektaria R.
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.
Cute bar with a small outdoor patio. Has a lot of Cajun flair including tons of Mardi Gras decorations. I appreciate they seem to be Sox supporters too. The bar has a fair craft beer selection, seeming to favor Abita brand with lots of those selections on draft. The menu is extensive, with all sorts of Cajun food options, most which I was not familiar with, but they also have some American bar standards like sandwiches/burgers. My guy got the Cajun Combo- Rice/beans and Jumbalaya. The portion was huge, and both had good flavors and heat. I ordered the remoulade salad with shrimp. I requested it to be served on romaine, as Iceberg is the worst, but a lot of the lettuce was a little white, and I wasn't totally convinced it was all romaine. The shrimp were large, plentiful and deveined. The dressing was creamy and a little sweet, which I liked. I love salad with a hard-boiled egg in it, but these were wayyyyyyy over done, with a solid border of grey aroudn the yolk. I tried a quarter of it, and it tasted funny. I was worried it was an old egg so I stopped eating it there. My stomach did feel a little icky for a while after that, too, so I'm glad I stopped early. The salad was OK, but definitely not amazing. I might try this place one more time, but it'll have to be on someone else's suggestion. I wouldn't think of going here on my own, it wasn't super memorable.
(3)
Rosie D.
I really like this place. They kinda look like an Irish pub (like most of the bars in forest park) but once you see the menu you'll see they specialize in southern cuisine. Specifically Louisiana fare. So think crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, po'boys, shrimp and grits, etc. The drinks are the same. On Fridays they have $5 hurricanes. Basically a run punch but damn is it good! They have a very small patio out front that can get full at times. Especially on Saturdays. Went last week and got the jumbo jerk wings. Baby......they were slap your Auntie good! But they are definitely jumbo so bring an appetite or a friend if you go for these. I've had a few other things off the menu too. They have great gumbo, I love the red beans and rice and their catfish is decent too. And the best part is it's so reasonably priced. You can for sure get a good down home meal and a knock out drink for the low low. But the tip here is go on Fridays and holla at those $5 hurricanes. You won't be sorry.
(4)
Tom W.
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
(4)
Dominique S.
Came here on a beautiful day where i sat outside on their patio and ate. Had the watermelon mojitos, the bowl of gumbo, the bayou platter which game with etoufee, jambalaya and I substituted the last dish for red beans and rice. The drinks here were amazing and if it wasn't a Sunday I could have had a few more rounds. The Gumbo needed some more seasoning and unfortunately was bland. Thr best dish on my entree was thr red beans and rice which I thought was extremely good. The other dishes which were the etoufee and jambalaya both tasted the same and I added alot of hot sauce to give it some additional flavor that it was lacking. I was really hoping this place was going to be amazing because I love cajun/creole food, but unfortunately it was pretty bad. The two stars are for the outdoor patio seating and the great cocktails. I would try it again but would need them to first modify their recipes to get that true new Orleans taste in their food.
(2)
Ramone B.
Shanahans intrigued me from the moment I learned of this place. I thought it was kinda strange that an Irish pub served Cajun food, but not strange in a bad way. I'm trisexual when it comes to trying new things. I will always try something once. Except like heroin. Lol I don't EVER want to know what that feels like. (way off subject! #Next) Anywho I liked the interior of the pub. Very cool laid back vibe. Our waitress was pretty cool also. I placed my order for a catfish dinner. My waitress told me the daily soups and she mentioned a creamy avocado soup. This intrigued the hell outta me, and I wanted that ish! Lemme tell you it was pretty Freaking awesome. I would stick my fork into any B*tches forehead who dared try and take my soup away lol!! You know my greedy ass tried my boyfriends food as well. He ordered a gumbo that was nothing short of spectacular! Just the right level of spice! I couldn't wait for my catfish to arrive. My catfish came with dirty rice. I hadn't had dirty rice in years! My Aunt from Baton Rouge needs a masters degree in Cajun cooking honey cuz that B*tch can throw down.(Auntie if you see this B*tch is a term of endearment coming from me) So I had high standards for that rice........ My dinner arrived, and I have to say I was kinda let down by the portions. My catfish dinner was expensive for what I got. One piece of fish and dirty rice. #DoBetter that meal shouldn't be $17 dollars. Hello catfish is a bottom feeder. One of the cheapest fish Out there. This markup is ridiculous. Dinner Verdict- my catfish fish- Bland. My dirty rice- Bland. A double whammy. The person cooking really needs to study Cajun food closely because Shanahans has potential. I challenge Shanahans to kick the spices up a notch. I see other yelpers have said the same. It's creole food so its expected to have some heat! I wouldn't have minded paying so much for my food had it tasted better. I was so disappointed. I really wanted to like this place. I'm going to try to give this place another shot. Maybe it was an off night. to be contined........ Wait!!!! I almost forgot we ordered blackened chicken wings. They were absolutely horrendous. Not even kidding. It was like someone just poured a container of powdered seasoning on top of grilled wings. They were NOT good. Okay now I'm done.
(2)
Sharon R.
My heart always beats faster when I even think of this establishment. Is it because this is where the old ball and chain took me on our first date 16 years ago? A little maybe. But the Real reason my pulse quicken's at the mere mention of this restaurant is because I have sampled every single dish on the menu at least two or three times and still am a smitten kitten. Many restaurants have decent bars but this is a bar that is magnificent they can stand on its own merit but this is more a restaurant in an amazing bar that also too stands on its own merit. Now the facts; this is a snazzy all wood dark Irish pub that sells the most delicious authentic creole/Cajun food in the Chicagoland area. It is one of the few places where every bite is delectable. The drinks are strong and delish. In the summer there is nothing better than sitting on the front outdoor patio sipping a cocktail and people watching. The cast of characters is amazing because right next-door is a very busy military store that advertises gas masks, so you can only imagine the type of clientele that walks in there. Back to the food; the jambalaya , the red beans and rice and shrimp Po boys are to die for. The seafood fondue is my absolute favorite. It is shrimps, scallops, and lobster in a light creamy sauce that is so good that I'd lick the bowl if I wasn't sitting outside where everyone can see me. But if it's cold and you're sitting in the dark bar I definitely recommend you lick that plate. We always finish our food with a shared piece of Key West lime pie. To die for. Hands down my fave restaurant in the whole universe.
(5)
Matt M.
Another great Forest Park place to get something delicious to eat in true FP fashion. The booth by the window was awesome and perfectly time for winterfest. We had a great dinner, affordable, friendly, and fun. I really like this place and will be back for sure. The only down side is it really isn't as spicy as I hoped - but we will see what they stir up next time I come in.
(4)
Donald a.
Darn decent food of the Cajun variety. My wife had the shrimp and crawfish Po boy while I had the crawfish boil. She loved hers and I was in the zone. Sucking the heads and tails out of over 2 pounds of crawfish created a zombie like state in me and it felt like I was down in Nawlns. There's plenty of options for non-Creole food in fact my daughter had a cheeseburger the tasted like a nice classic bowling alley cheeseburger from the 1970s - a crispy bun nice grill on the beef. I would get that as well myself except I love Cajun food and I am unlikely to deviate from there unless it's to steal a bike from my wife or daughter. Her poor boy I think was 11 bucks and it came with fries and slaw. My crawfish boil was 26 bucks and came with two perfectly cooked large new potatoes and a chunk of mushy corn on the cob but that's to be expected in a shrimp, crawfish or crab boil. I also got a salad which was perfectly simple with a nice creel vinaigrette on the side. The drinks are not overpriced my wife got an 8$ Hurricane and I got a vodka tonic - they were both perfectly fine. We got great service from our server Kate and other servers also asked us if we were okay multiple times we never wanted for anything. They were mildly busy it was around 7 o'clock on a Saturday night. I know they put the sound on for Blackhawks games. I also know that have a great selection of beer and they're not overcharging for anything across the bar like some of places do in Forest Park. This is also not a meat market kind of place. The staff and the patrons are diverse they have nice outdoor seating right on Madison.
(4)
Carol M.
Having lived in New Orleans for 5 years or so I know what good Cajun/Creole cooking should taste like. this is the description of this entree: Three From the Bayou $18.00 Creole tasting of shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and chicken andouille sausage jambalaya. it was all jumbled together and all looked the same basically....Etouffee is a delicate shrimpy tasting sauce that tends toward being a tad thick even. What I think may have been etouffee tasted totally of green pepper and tomato and was watery. ( The shrimp taste comes from using shells and heads for stock.) There was some andouille and chicken strewn over the whole thing. I was especially disappointed for that price. Redeeming quality, the seafood gumbo was very good, it had the right amount of seafood and that wonderful fishy goodness that comes from a perfect roux and stock.
(2)
Matt R.
Great drinks. And good food if you want the blandest meal you've ever had! I've been here twice and I haven't had any flavor in my food. Which is really disappointing for a cajon place. Don't waste your time at this place especially with axcan across the street. What a dive! Should be shut down!
(1)
Carl D.
I went there last night with a couple of friends. The food was terrific! Great "Creole" cooking. I had the gumbo and and also the shrimp,chicken,andouille jambalya for $16.50..well worth it! One of my friends had the "voodoo" pork chops which were also very tasty. They have a decent selection of beers/ales to wash down your food. Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. Located in the heart of the Madison street strip of pubs and restaurants. I would highly recommend this place! I know I will go back
(4)
Anthony R.
really good! Owners are really nice too!
(5)
Jackie E. G.
I've passed by this place before but never had a chance to eat here until last night. I thought the food was really delicious and the waitstaff very attentive. I had the jambalaya and the portion size was huge with lots of flavor. By the time dessert came around, I was stuffed and only managed a few bites of pecan pie and bread pudding but both were delightful. I will definitely be back...good food and good atmosphere...who can beat it!
(5)
Grace N.
My favorite meal of the week is brunch, and I am really starting to love Shanahan's brunch. They have a great, flavorful brunch menu - Voodoo Skillet? Yes please, with tons of spicy, creamy flavor. Great benedicts and crispy potatoes, and they're willing to let me swap some of the ingredients around. And drumroll please....great bloody marys that come in a tall glass with a pickled green bean (don't knock it 'til you crunch it). I even asked for a beer back and they were very accommodating. This brings me to the service. We have always had wonderful service here, and this is even when we bring our 7 month old. Add outdoor seating to the mix, and we have the ingredients for a perfect, leisurely, weekend afternoon.
(4)
Jean K.
Forest Park! Had no idea you were hiding such great places! Stumbled across Shanahan's after a trip to the Brown Car - another Yelper treasure! Absolutely love New Orleans style fare...so we knew we'd be back! That op came that following Sunday, looking for a place open for brunch. Chose to sit outside, gorgeous day out...and started with two Bloody Marys. Usually not a fan, generally much too thick for my liking! these were a perfect blend with some great veggies - chilled green bean?! Loved it! Was starving, so we also ordered up some Gumbo. Husband had the sausage, while I tried the seafood - love my seafood! Both were Great! Although, was loving the seafood a little more..was thicker, and not overpowering with taste. A few dashes of hot sauce, and it was perfect! Main course, my hubby had to try out their voodoo skillet - of course! And I tried their spinach and mushroom crepes. Both were as delicious as they sounded!! In fact, we brought food home because we were super stuffed...and ended up digging in after getting back home! Was that good! Staff was super friendly and attentive. My only regret? We never did get dessert! Have been to New Orleans many occasions, and have never eaten here. Found a new favorite! Very happy there's one close to home!
(4)
Danyell P.
Food was ok the service was disappointing though. Ordered take out and saw the food come out and it wasn't busy. The bartender did not even bring food he was too busy talking. Had to ask waitress about food the bartender brought the food and the check and then he walked away was ready to pay finally had to bring him the check so I could leave. Will never go back again. I'll stick to Dixie kitchen their food and service is better.
(1)
Amanda G.
I love the fact that Madison Street in Forest Park has been receiving a facelift the past few years. Upscale bars/restaurants, boutiques, etc...have surfaced. As for Shanahan's: a-ok. This bar is "old school" compared to other businesses in the area. I still don't understand how Cajun food is served in an Irish Pub. The mish-mash of the two are slightly confusing. There are several beer choices; but stay away from the wine, has the makings of a post-morning sugar headache. The bartenders were fine, but difficult to flag down at times. This place is fine to visit, but I think I would visit some of the other places on the strip first.
(3)
Michelle S.
Extremely disappointed. The lobster ponchotrain sauce was good but the shrimp, lobster, scallops, and crawfish were scarce. The dinner salad was on a dessert plate and the dressing was so watery I thought it was ranch and not bleu cheese. $100. for three people and a special birthday dinner it was really not worth it. The waitress didn't come out of the back for about ten minutes actually no one but the people at the bar even knew we existed. The waitress was not attentive and was more interested in the people at the bar and the game. Definitely won't go back.
(1)
Ronny M.
When I go to Shanahan's I have to, have to have at least a cup of their Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo. I love it! I went once wanting a bowl and I think I ended up eating four bowls. It was that good, and hitting the spot that day. I haven't been in a while, but I don't think their bowls are all that big either. There is a bar with tvs so you can totally come in to watch a game. Their menu isn't exactly typical bar food. It's bar food with a bit of a seafood, cajun dusting to it. Looking for more of a meal time and not game time? There's tables and booths too. Come on in and enjoy your friends. On your way in our out, there is a chocolate store attached. Go in! They get me every time. Nicely done, and interesting chocolate treats. Grab a bag for yourself, loved one, or is you forgot a birthday gift for someone. When I'm craving some seafood, cajun spice, comfort food, this is one of the places I go.
(4)
Heather H.
The cajun food was disappointing. My husband's shrimp po' boy wasn't very good, and I can make better red beans and rice that what I was served. I'm still giving the place 3 stars (1) in the hopes that their burgers will be good; (2) they had some good beers on tap that were quite cheap; and (3) it had a good atmosphere and several TVs for watching sports.
(3)
LaToya A.
I'll start with the positive - The drinks were good. They were New Orleans themed and blended well. Watch out for the berry mojito because this delicious number will sneak up on you if you have the right amount. The first time that I went, I had the shrimp creole dish. It was delicious. It was flavored well and wasn't too salty. On to the negative- The second time that I went I decided to try something different for a food options. I tried the calamari as an appetizer. I've never had calamari so bland before. It didn't even taste like it was fried at all, but lightly dusted (very lightly) with a seasoning and served. It was quite chewy and lacked any sort of flavor or taste. I was also disappointed because their website mentioned a fish fry and other items that they didn't actually have. The response was that the website has been outdated for months. I don't think that's a good excuse because someone should have updated the site before months passed. So I ended up getting the cajun combination which was a blend of jambalaya and red beans and rice. Again, it was bland and didn't taste that good. I'm not sure if my bad experience the second time was due to a new chef in the kitchen or what, but I haven't been back since October. I guess that bland food left a bad taste in my mouth after all.
(3)
Charnetta B.
Let me preface by saying....I'm from New Orleans and I know good cajun/new orleans cuisine. I recently stumpled into this place while walking around forest park. I love the ambiance of the place. The drink selection reminds me of home so much! Abita Beer, Daiquris, Hurricanes!!! I ordered the Seafood Gumbo, since that's always my test item for New Orleans cuisine. The gumbo was actually really good, I was very impressed. I would definitely recommend going back! I look forward to trying more items on their menu.
(5)
Lucy L.
Wonderful !!!! Service was the best ! Food was Great ..... ( in my Tony the Tiger voice ) A+ ! Best Valentine Special ever !!!!
(5)
Brian F.
There's something kind of cute about a Irish Pub that sports Cajun food. I've tried the place a half a dozen times, being a fan of Cajun, in the hopes of finding something good. Unfortunately, after the last time, I've given up. I cannot recommend the food here or the pub at all. If you enjoy seafood gumbo that has little seasoning and no actual pieces of seafood in it then this is the place for you. I mentioned the lack of actual seafood to my waiter and he said "that is how it is". If you are craving for a Crawfish Ettouffe or Jambalaya which requires a bottle of hot sauce to give it any flavor at all then stop here. If you want to frequent a place where the service is poor, noone greets you when you enter, and noone seems to care when you leave then by all means don't waste your time elsewhere. Yep, I'm done with this place.
(1)
Christopher K.
Saturday night my parents and I were watching some TV (Duck Dynasty none the less) and they were eating some homemade Cajun food. It hit me - I hadn't had Cajun food in forever. Maybe not really since the old Cajun Kitchen used to be in the Schaumburg area, and my parents haven't really had Cajun since their last trip to New Orleans. So at 7:30 at night we hopped in the car and headed on down and over to Forest Park, an area that I have not frequented often, if ever. Nice little strip of a TON of Irish bars, tiny restaurants, and shops. From the outside, Shanahans left me wondering if I was going to get anything more than bar food inside - its just a quaint little bar. The outside deceives. The inside sets the perfect atmosphere for a group going to grab a late bite (or an early bite) of some of the best food I have ever gotten in or out of a bar. Bar in the front, booths and tables in the back. Perfect lighting and setting. So on to the food... There are some other reviews on here from whining people - complaining about this or that. They are wrong. They are just wrong. Not only was the food flavorful and spicy, but it was INCREDIBLE! I am someone who loves spice and depth of flavor (I have the palette of a snob I am told), and everything I ate was fantastic. And the food left me super full (huge portions), but feeling great! We went all out. Who knows when we will get back to Forest Park. We ordered the Artichoke Fritters which were delicious in a shallot lemon sauce, served over dirty rice. The seafood gumbo was incredibly flavorful - and mine was full of crawfish. Delish! I ordered the Three from the Bayou which had a very generous serving of Creole Shrimp (had probably 10 HUGE shrimp), a huge serving of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, and a large portion of Crawfish Etouffee. The food was a 10, but what clinched the entire evening for me was the service! Our waitress was the perfect combination of attentive, kind, and personable, while also giving us plenty of space and time to enjoy each others company and the conversation. In the end, all I can say, is I have not had this good of an experience in a new restaurant in a very long time. I will be coming back to Shanahan's, and telling everyone about it!
(5)
Armando K.
I love cajun food and I really like Shanahans. I've been to New Orleans many times and I cannot get enough of the food there, the funny thing is I've never eaten at Shanahans in New Orleans, but I was lucky enough to find this location thanks to yelp. I have eaten here several times, their gumbo is delicious and I really enjoy their breakfast. Especially the voodoo skillet and the eggs sardou. They have lots of seating inside and in the summer they have a nice area sectioned off for outdoor dining. They also make an excellent bloody mary.
(4)
M W.
I should have known when we were the only ones eating there that i had made a mistake. While the decor's not bad-lots of old timey photos on the walls. The service was AWFUL. Seeing as we were the only people she waited on, that's a little ridiculous. Our waitress was more interested in the game on the tv than us. She was literally faced away from us the entire time, so when she got my order wrong my boyfriend had to actually WALK UP to her to tell her. Very aggravating. The bacon cheeseburger I ordered was eh. I've had much better burgers at other places on Madison, like Duckfat. The bacon wasn't crispy and was kinda undercooked, which is definitely not the way I like my bacon. The fries were decent, though. Definitely wasn't a burger worth $8.50. Probably won't return.
(2)
Angus W.
Stopped here today for a quick lunch. Lisa and I both had Gumbo, mine was the Chicken/Andouille and she had the Seafood. I tried hers and it was delicious, mine was probably the second best gumbo that I have had in the Chicago area. Lisa also had the Bayou Blackened Shrimp and Scallops (appetizer but with the Gumbo... plenty for lunch) She really enjoyed it. I had a bowl of their chili, it was tasty but had a sweetness (BBQ sauce?) to it that I can't make up my mind about. I brought some of it home and will have it over rice for lunch tomorrow. I asked for hot sauce and the server brought out two types of Tabasco, Cholula (very tasty, but not hot enough for me..) and a Habanero Sauce that they apparently make (or have made?). I used the Habanero, it's a pretty weak one, it's thick and I used a lot, but it wasn't too vinegary and you could taste the pepper in the sauce. I wish that they offered a half portion of their Jambalaya, I would have liked to try it. But I'll head back some day and give that a shot... and maybe something with some VooDoo sauce...
(3)
Kathleen C.
We love Shanahan's, it's always a winner! This weekend was Lobster Fest, though the menu changes up with specials regularly. Drinks have specials also, my husband had an Oktoberfest beer imported from Germany that neither of us had heard of that was really good. Their Key lime pie is made on premise, it's very good, garnished with fresh whipped cream. From Cajun creole to burgers it's a fit for any crave!!
(4)
Mike S.
I like the place a lot. Great food and nice atmosphere. It's comfortable place!
(4)
Melanie H.
If you want some good creole in the chicago suburbs this is your place! Chicken gumbo is amazing! I happened to get a tuna sandwich as well and that was also quite tastey.To top it off they own a little chocolate shop too! Soooo be sure to stop in there for some truffles and delicious goodies!
(5)
Inbalsp S.
Stoppef in for an early dinner on Sunday with my Mom. Didn't have any expectations coming in, and were very pleased with the high quality food and generous portions (I'm currently finishing my leftovers for lunch). My pecan catfish was absolutely delicious, and my mother was raving about the creole shrimp (couldn't try as I'm allergice). We went all out and ordered dessert, which we don't usually do, since neither of us could say no to bread pudding. The bread pudding is moist, drenched in whisky, and sprinkled with dried fruit - yum! Overall it was a great meal and we will return!
(4)
Jeff S.
We had seen a previous picture which had Green awnings- so when we were kinda looking for it yesterday, we couldn't find it. Black awnings now, so we actually looked up the address. Good food! We both went with the lobster ponchatrain- lobster scallops and shrimp with fettucini, in a lemony alfredo sauce. Some kick to it! It comes with soup or salad, and I had the Pepper Pot soup. Very peppery with lots of sausage in there. A new taste I quite enjoyed. We're not drinkers, so I was happy when the waitress brought over a carafe of water, it's just so much easier then going for refill after refill. Great Irish pub feel, dark wood, outdoor seating as it was late spring. Cajun/Creole is so hard to find, and this place is a gem. You'll enjoy your vist, sho' nuff.
(4)
Michael M.
Shanahan's knows hospitality. I've been there on multiple occasions and have always been greeted warmly and treated very well by the staff. I was there the other night, and enjoyed their whiskey flight and seafood plate. The atmosphere is very comfortable - just what you'd want in a neighborhood bar, with lots of local character. I've always had a good time, and will definitely be going back!
(5)
Andy S.
I write this review as my stomach continues to gurgle and my orifices spew with violet merciless anger. My sweetheart and I went there for lunch today for the first time. As you walk in the atmosphere is nice with dark wood trim and a good looking bar on the right with...hold on I have to go to the bathroom. Ugh..I'm back. So where was I? Oh yeah, we walk in and the place was well designed. People were at the bar and a family was eating in the back. We grabbed a booth and were immediately approached by the waitress who greeted us and brought menus (stomach gurgling). Got some drinks and we ordered our lunch. The wait was reasonable as we started with our garlic stuffed mushroom cheese appetizer. It was OK nothing to rave about. (stomach gurgling). Then I had a Garlic Creaser Salad with salmon. The potions were good and the salad looked great a lil overdressed but I know that's just me. We had a nice lunch, finished and continued home. Now I'm at home and my stomach is possessed by the devil and sounds of the undead moaning and bubbling. I feel horrible and this is immediately after we came from Shanahan's. Hold on I have to go to my throne room. Ugh. If you don't get the idea that I'm not retuning to this place. Then I dunno know what to tell ya.
(1)
D S D.
For the good part, the hurricane was delicious so I expect that the drinks are good. The food on the other hand needs to be improved. I ordered a shrimp po-boy which needed more flavor. We had the baby back ribs and it tasted like it was re-heated and which I could not enjoy after one bite.
(2)
Scott P.
I used to live within walking distance and visited Shanahan's on a regular basis after they opened. The food was great. After a 10 year or so absence, I've been back a few times over the past 6 months, and I must say the food has gone downhill. I've had crawfish etouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice, and everything tastes the same, with some weird, smokey flavor overpowering whatever is on the plate. Even the appetizer we had recently (blackened shrimp/scallops in a creamy spinach sauce) had that taste to it.
(1)
Kimberly W.
I did want to wait to write this review until AFTER we'd sampled entrees. Unfortunately, we've discussed it and we just don't want to try the entrees. Sorry, Shanahan's. It's too expensive to gamble on it. Allow me to explain. We've stopped in twice for drinks and appetizers. First experience: It was hot and they had a sign out front promoting their own lemonade to the sidewalk shoppers. I wanted one. With vodka in it. Easy? Give me your cold to-go lemonade, add a shot of vodka, and charge me for both. Instead I got one of those shorty cocktail glasses that you get the rum-and-coke well drinks in. It was 'spensive. We also ordered the artichoke fritters. They were delicious. And tiny. A teenytiny delicious appetizer for $8. Awwwwww what a waste. (Side note: Really nice server.) Second experience: On this hot-ass day, we thought we needed some afternoon refreshments and tried again. The drinks were better; some kind of Southern-style Long Island Iced Tea and a beer--hard to go wrong. We thought we'd order an appetizer and see if we wanted to venture further into the menu, but when the appetizer came... wah wah wah wahhhhhh... It was the seafood fondue. It needed seasoning on most levels: the spinach on the bottom (which is a GREAT idea because it adds bulk to the plate), the seafood, and the brothy sauce that surrounded it. Cool idea, executed poorly. If I'd made it at home, I would have made a million notes on how to make it better next time. They should do the same. (Side note: Another nice server!) We thought about getting an entree but weren't convinced we'd get our money's worth. Darn. Some of the stuff looked yummy. But so did the fondue!
(2)
Laura N.
Creole food in an Irish pub? Sold! The inside is nice, not anything special, nor dive-like. Standard dark wood, nice. It's the food and the server's acerbic wit that are the source of your dining enjoyment. Plus, in May 2011 they have a Crawfish Fest and it should be advertised as BYOB - bring your own bib. I had a glass of white wine, pinot grigio. It was decent, worth the $7. I enjoyed a cup of soup (which came with my entree), the Louisiana Crab & Crawfish Gumbo. Yum, yum, yum. I sampled one of my friend's appetizers, the Artichoke Fritters - tasty but fried, very fried. Not doughy or soft on the outside. Be prepared for that. Good but you'll be tasting the fried part, that's for sure. For my entree I had the Shrimp Creole - very tasty but the tomato base was more pasty in texture (like tomato paste) than sauce-like. Good but I wasn't expecting that part. The other two out of the four of us had: Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo (Soup) - the vote was for more! 1) Entree was the Three From the Bayou: a tasting of Shrimp Creole, Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etoufee. Delicious! 2) House Salad - Standard Entree was the special (Pork Chops w/Crawfish Etoufee and Dirty Rice) - two giant pork chops = doggy bag or a night curled up in fetal position. Two man enter one man leaves? He said it was very good, but took one of the chops home for leftovers. A wise decision. This is a place to go to if you are in the area or close enough to drive there. Or if you are craving Creole food with whiskey. The combo is amusing. I'll be back.
(4)
Jesse K.
Oh Shanahan's, how far you have fallen! The last time we raved about the the Turtle Soup, now we wish we didn't order it again. It was sour-lemon-tasting this time, and had a terrible mushy texture. Even the added sherry didn't perk it up. This recipe was nothing like what we had before. It seemed as if they just switched to a canned version. My buffalo chicken sandwich was small, expensive, and dry. The seasoned fries were delicious. Our waitress. a large and surly woman, was abrupt to the point of rude, and gave me a nasty glare when I asked for the change from our paid bill. (No way was I giving her a 25% tip, what was she thinking?!) We don't feel any reason to go back here again. Disappointing.
(2)
Christina R.
Best jambalaya ever. And I'm a fan of any place that has cider on tap. Beyond that, I've had some really good food (e.g. Garlic Fest) and some really bad food (I wanted to like pecan catfish, but I don't.) The sidewalk seating is a great place to people watch in the summer, albeit there's a lot of street noise. The service is usually decent, but I find the menu is risky. The specials are usually good, but other than those, I stick with the jambalaya. Have I mentioned they have really good jambalaya?
(4)
Kelly S.
Another review that will require another visit to make a full assessment of the place. It's Mardi Gras. This is an Irish bar with a cajun/creole menu. Go figure? They have just about every kind of Abita. +1 Star Mardi Gras beads and hurricanes +1 Star An overly overwhelmed staff who only accommodated seating 1 table of 2 people in 45 minutes -1 Star (I know it was Mardi Gras, but they knew they were going to be slammed.) Meeting a random fellow Loyola New Orleans Alumn +1 Star We left after waiting for a table for an hour. -1 Star I had this review at 3 stars. I had to +1 star for the second line parade that came out of the bar and marched down the street as we were sitting in the restaurant down the way.
(4)
Jake B.
I've been here for brunch twice with my fiancee. Meh. The brunch menu needs a lot of work. There are a few items that sound good but those that I've tried were poorly executed. I am sad to count the Bloody Mary among those losses. The first time we went I had a "skillet". This was actually a scramble with a side of potatoes. Their breakfast potatoes were a mess. They were way overcooked and under-seasoned. The scramble was inoffensive and ultimately forgettable. The second time we went I had the ham and cheese crepes. I guess my expectations were a little too high because what I was served was half of what I thought I was getting for the price. The plate presented to me was large and noticeably bare. The crepes took up less than half of the space and there was nothing but two orange slices to fill the emptiness. What they did give me wasn't bad but, once again, my brunch was ultimately forgettable. As a bar the place makes more sense. Their selection of bottled beers includes many by Abita Brewing out of Louisiana. The Jockomo IPA is quite nice. They also have lots of blended drinks for the Parrotheads and sorority girls to enjoy. All in all, I don't hate this place. The only reason I will be returning, however, is that it is within walking distance of my place and the beer list is fairly unique. I doubt I will ever eat here again.
(2)
Bridgette K.
Horrible with accomidating people especially on st. Pattys day cmon. The wentch of a waitress horrible, seemed as if she didn't want to work. I like my fries and bacon cooked well wtf. She litterly told me to sit on it. How can you say that to a paying customer who's gonna give you a tip. Tip this BITcH seriously sorry if its degrading but quit acting like a BiTCH. Will I come back NO NEVER. You can SIT ON THIS! Oh my god then they ran out of table bread. You knew you were gonna be busy its ST. Patricks Day and its Madison ST. It gets better the chair they were having customers sit on were broke. Are they looking for lawsuits? We told their Hostess for the night he just laughed. Oh wow you ignorant DOUCHE are you serious? You don't care about your place of employment or customers shows were your brains are at. Good luck
(1)
Katrina H.
All I can say, Lovely! I took my mother and daughter here for an impromtu lunch while we waited for our spa appointments and the staff was fantastic and well attentive. The price for the food was great. and coming from a louisiana family, My mother approves their red beans and rice dish. I will certainly return for an alfresco dining experience here.
(4)
David Y.
I've been here several times and have always liked it, mostly cuz I really love cajun food. But last night I was ready to walk out of there. After we were seated (a lone table next to the kitchen), we waited for 10 minutes for our waitress to come by. We ordered drinks and then she never came back, ever!!! After waiting another 15 minutes, we flagged down a waiter named Ryan who got our drinks, dinner orders and generally made this dining experienced less than horrid. I had their gumbo and for some reason, they put in a tremendously large amount of garlic. There was no taste but garlic. There was no smell but garlic. I still smell garlic on my breath 24 hours later and 3 toothbrushings after. It was an awful cup of soup. My entree was Louisana Beans and Rice, which was decent. The service was mixed. The one blonde waitress really, really needs to get fired but everyone else was great. I'll probably stop going here as I've been soured by hate.
(1)
Timothy D.
Food is good and really the only place to get creole food in the area. They have a lot of creative burgers and po-boys and the fries are amazing! Chicken and Andouille sausage gumbo is excellent. Only down side, the service is usually pretty shitty. The waitresses are usually slow, forgetful and generally seems pissed off that you are there...never understood that when you are working for tips. Main dishes are pretty pricey but generally big enough to split between two people...unless your date is a deuce and a half.
(4)
Sonja T.
Been here twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. Both times good service. Food sounded better on the menu than what I actually received (lack of flavor). Good not great. With so many more places to try, I probably won't be back unless only to drink and maybe try an appetizer.
(3)
Brian S.
Love this place. It has great food, good beer and friendly staff. I don't eat seafood much, but my friends who do really like it here. I also really love the 99 spice chicken.
(4)
Victoria h.
My husband and I had an early dinner there. I had their burger and bread pudding, my husband had their ruben. The burger was bland and nothing but a piece of meat. The bread pudding was very tightly baked and, again, nothing special. My husband's ruben had very little sourcrout (sp?) and, again, nothing special. They did have Blue Moon on tap, and that always deserves an extra star. Also, to be fair, we didn't try any of their cajun specialties. Maybe if we did, the rating would be higher. They have outdoor seating and a nice bar inside. The servers are fast and nice.
(3)
Tanya S.
I like this place. It's strange mixing Irish/ American/ and Cajun into one, but I do like they have the diversity on the menu and drinks. It seems to be a New Orleans bar which is nice because sometimes you just need to get away and have a hurricane! Food was good too. Nothing to complain about. Oh, and in summer they had outdoor seating so BONUS!!!
(4)
Bobby D.
The last time I was here, Things weren't quite as good. However, The Oysters on the half shell were pretty good. But the Gumbo the last time somehow wasn't as good, Maybe it was just the last of the fixings, Since it was close to closing time. But my friend ordered a Po Boy & The one sandwich slice had practically close to raw or undercooked steak. It seemed like the chef was sleeping at the wheel at that time.
(3)
Brigid S.
Please do not go to Shanahan's your Heath depends on it. I have been a fan for years . On 12-2-11 I went with my Parents, Husband & Sister. They were crowded (forest park had a Christmas special event). We ordered up the soup was good and all if us had sandwiches. My Mom had the Ruben the sandwich did not look right. The meat was brown not the signature Ruben pink. She took a few bites and did not like it. My Dad took one bit and spit it out. My Mom wanted to let the server know the sandwich was not good. All of the other plates were removed the smell of ROTEN neat was overwhelming it made me gag and I had too leave the Restaurant. The table next to us could even smell the horrible smell and said something. When my father called later to let the owner know he was so rude. He told my dad he asked the staff to keep the sandwich and he heated it up the next day and it was fine. Not only was the food bad but the Jerk owner is out of his mind cuz no one would had eaten the sandwich. The complaint the next day was only to make the owner aware the food was bad. We did not want anything since never ever will I or my family risk going to Shanahan's again. Zero . Zero stars dine at your own risk
(1)
Pam F.
If you want to pay $6.75 for a mediocre bowl of chili, then by all means stop in. If you want to be charged for a beer you didn't have, then by all means stop in. If you want an argumentative bartender, then by all means stop in. Go in on a festive Saturday and you will experience depression as the music was on so soft you couldn't hear it and the volume on all the TVs was off. BORING! I am through with Shanahan's and their overpriced food.
(1)
Jane H.
5 stars for their desserts! Their homemade key lime pie is the best I've ever had. Perfectly creamy with the jazzy, snazzy taste of key limes. Crumbly graham cracker crust. I specially ordered a whole one to bring on a PLANE to San Francisco to my family for Thanksgiving. (The airport screeners tried to steal a piece from me. :)) Their pecan pie is also made in house with finely chopped pecans and crumbly crust as well. Doesn't have that gloppy sugary stuff found in subpar pecan pies.
(5)
Michael M.
Was in downtown Forest Park, Il. on Monday afternoon. Was a bit hungry so stopped by Shanahan's Irish Bar & Creole Restaurant. The establishment had a large Clover leaf on the door which made this Irish guy feel welcome. Inside the bar it had medium lighting with a wood bar and hard wood floor. It had a Northern Ireland appearance to it. There was Bar seating, booths and tables in the rear. The waitress Robin immediately greeted me and seated me. The establishment was decorated with was Tabassco paintings and endorsed over 30 different hot sauces. I ordered a bowl of Gumbo and a club soda. On Tuesdays the establishment has $3.00 Hamburgers from 11am-10pm for Hamburger Happy Day. Domestic pitchers are $6.00 on that day. From January 21st thru January 23rd is Louisiana Oyster Fest serviving ten different serving typesof Oysters. With my Gumbo I tried the house Shanahans Leprechaun's Fury hot sauce. I love hot spice in my life and this brought it to me. As for beer they have a great selection, Domestics, Hacker PschorrWeisse, Blue Moon, Smithwicks, Guinness, Stella Artois, Negro Modelo and my personal favorite Harp. The Gumbo was excellent and Robin was an outstanding server. For $4.00 I purchased a bottle of Leprechaun Fury to go. As for the price a little on the high side but I think it was well worth it. When in downtown Forest Park try it out. In the warmer months they have great outside seating. This place is a must, try it.
(4)
Mark M.
I'm not one to frequent Irish Pubs (too many in college), but I was pleasantly surprised by the great Cajun food. I agree the mix is kind of odd. I much prefer Cajun over corn beef and potatoes.
(3)
Erin V.
We went to Shanahan's for lunch. Everyone in my group seemed to like it okay but me. My parents had po' boy sandwiches which they said were really good. I had a burger which was just okay. Kind of mushy. The fries were good, though. I would like to go back and try some of their Creole offerings. Maybe when it gets colder out, though. Or maybe for dinner. Creole food always seems so much more heavy and winter-y to me. The atmosphere of the place could have been better. I guess, though, it's really more of a bar with an extensive menu. Also, towards the end of our meal the bartender turned the volume up on one of the tvs so loud that we could barely hear each other talk. Granted, there were only two other tables in the place but I thought it was really rude.
(2)
Cynthia G.
I agree with other posters that the soup is good. Other than that, their food appears to be bland. Also, if you sit in the dining section of the place, be prepared to wait quite some time for the wait staff to take your order and to have to practically tackle the staff to get anything further once your order's brought out. This isn't necessarily the wait staff's fault, they just need more servers back there.
(3)
Cindy R.
This is a place you'd never expect - an Irish bar serving cajun food. Personally, I've eaten there several times and their food is just OK. If there's a sports game you want to watch while you eat, they've got TVs, so a lot of the guys here at work do that sometimes.
(3)
rob h.
It's true, if you want bland food at prices that are just a little higher than they should be coupled with relatively poor service, this might well be your place... if you are able to wait a good long while to get all of this. (And secretly pay for refills on soda, who does that?) Seriously, I went there with a group of five adults, a three year old and a ten month old for lunch. There was only one other table but it still took the waiter an oddly long time to take our orders, a dangerous game to play with a table with kids as young as mine. Then the oddly long wait for six simple sandwiches. When they came there was nothing wrong with the food, per se, but there was also no evidence that anyone had really bothered to care much about it either. Phoned in food. The fries are nothing to write home about either. I have to say that it is a pet peeve of mine when I am given refill after refill with no notice, written or spoken, that I will be charged for them. They did bring a coloring book and crayons for my three year old during one of the long waits, after we took out the ones we had brought. Perhaps it is different if you order creole for an evening meal... but I am not inspired by this experience to chance going back to find out.
(2)
Justin G.
Not bad for what it is. It is on the Madison Bar Strip, and with the name, you'd think it's just a bar. It's more of a sit-down sandwich and cajun food place. It's a little high priced for that, I think on average you'll pay $10 for a sandwich and fries and it might come with soup, but the sandwiches are pretty good and worth a try if you want a good sandwich.
(4)
Allison K.
Shananhan's is definitely a hidden secret of Forest Park. Just like other reviewers had said, When you first see the establishment you really do think it's just another Irish Bar on Madison Street. In reality, this place has MANY awesome dishes to offer. Everything from there appetizers, soups, and their "Cajun" main courses are all amazing. My friends and I can't stop eating here, it's always just as great as great of an experience as the first time we ever ate here. Last time I was there they even offered this "cheeseburger soup"....OMG soooo delicious!!! Oh and as always, I always always get the baked clams here.....Ok so I'll stop raving about this place, because it's just making me want to go back now...soooooo please do try out Shannahan's, you will not regret it.
(4)
Steve H.
Both kinds of Gumbo were delicious. Got a dual plate to share and was plenty with 2 small bowls of Gumbo for a lunch for 2. Very tasty.
(5)
Michael N.
Great place wonderful staff food is is awesome met a forest park newspaper writer that flat out and said this place is great and a go to place will be going back there real soon
(5)
Steffani S.
Shanahan's offers such an incredible dining experience. Their menu is unique and peppered with dozens of flavorful creole options. I HIGHLY recommend their brunch. From crawfish crepes to shrimp and grits to breakfast Po Boys, you can never go wrong with anything you pick and you'll only be counting down the days until the next time you can come. When you walk in, ask for Kate. She knows the menu front and back and will make you feel like an old friend who's always belonged here.
(5)
Lindsey D.
Well, I have never had Cajun before coming to Shanahan's so I have nothing to compare it to, but I am a fan!! The patio was packed so we decided to sit in the back to the restaurant. There was only one server, so the bartender waited on us. I thought that was a bit odd. She was really nice though, and helpful since I had never had Cajun/Creole before. The sausage gumbo was sooo good! I'll be back for more!
(4)
Kristen V.
Tired of Guinness and fratty guys in Blackhawks jerseys, we went into Shanahan's, a Cajun place with a very Hibernian name on a street filled with Irish bars. The place smelled like New Orleans. By that, I mean it smelled like dirty washcloths stuffed in an abandoned beinet shop, surrounded by the abandonment of the federal American government. The burnt plate of grits and shrimp as we walked in the door added to the subtle Louisiana feel, but less like I was at Mardi Gras and more like I was Rust Cohle about to stumble onto a dead body in a swamp. My fiance ordered the catfish platter, and 35 minutes later (which was annoying, as we were two of eight people in the place, come on it's not the Saints were playing) his lukewarm fish piled majestically on a pile of dirty rice, with a side of fries, arrived. My Iberia Grilled Cheese arrived as well. It was advertised as having Tabasco Onions with Andouille sausage...mmmm! It had onions. They were less spicy then a Mild packet at Taco Bell. It had Andouille sausage. Nice and big and juicy and put some more innuendos here. Had the onions been spicy, and just put on the Andouille sausage with no cheese, it would have been delicious. The bread was cheap and fell apart quicker then Bush's promise to the city of New Orleans in 2005. That being said, the appetizer we had was great! Articoke fritters with a Lousiana sauce; perfectly spiced, not too heavy, and nice and HOT! The drink specials were great; $5 hurricanes are crazy. If you're looking for dinner, I'd suggest something else. If you just want snacks and drinks, this place is good.
(2)
Maria C.
Came here on a Sunday for their brunch special and was so disappointed!! I was STARVING and love Cajun food so I was super excited to give this place a try. Literally had to wait ONE hour to get my appetizer and then the waitress wanted to bring my food within 5 minutes of serving the appetizer, so annoying!! I asked her if she could wait until I finish the appetizer before bringing my food, big mistake I didn't see her again for another 30 minutes. I could understand if the place was super busy but it wasn't. Food was just ok, the breakfast po'boy was nothing fancy, their mimosas were actually pretty good. Definitely will NOT be returning. I'd hate to see what this place is like when it's actually busy.
(1)
John S.
Located in Forest Park on what I refer to as the hidden block of restaurants and bars. We stopped in on Tuesday, which just happens to be $5 burger night. The place was relatively empty and the Hawks game was on. We sat down in the only half-round booth, which is leather, comfortable and actually a little reminiscent of the old, heavy duty booths at the Pump Room (now located at the Wolf's Head Inn). Our waitress was friendly, accommodating and had several excellent suggestions about the menu and drinks. We opted for a pitcher of Louisiana craft-made amber ale, while my daughter ordered apple cider with Myers Dark Rum. The beer was first-rate. Shanahan's has half a dozen $5 burger choices on the menu and we all followed suit, each ordering a specialty burger - and according to everyone they were "excellent". When a place starts emptying out I'm usually offended when they start turning off the lights and putting chairs up on tables while I'm still eating. This particular booth backs up to their back room, so when they closed that room down and turned off the lights we were left bit in the dark. Since the bar is generally dark anyway, it really didn't matter - it was still comfortable. This is an Irish place that specializes in Louisiana Cajun cooking. Even though we didn't sample that portion of the menu we quite enjoyed the atmosphere, the service and our "common American fare". Recommended for couples, families, just about anyone!
(4)
Susie C.
My friends and I came here for dinner on a Saturday. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday evening, which we were surprised. We got to choose whereever we wanted to sit. It's kind of like a bar setting where there's TV, bar with stools, and booths on the side. Our waiter was nice. Inside is dimly lit. It was okay. The three of us ordered the chicken/sausage jambalaya. We liked it. We like the spice in the rice. It was pretty tasty. It also came with a side..I had a side of salad (nothing special), and my friend had the shrimp bisque. Her bisque actually had lots of shrimp chunks compared to most shrimp bisque so that is a plus. My husband ordered their shrimp creole. He said it was just okay - wasn't that great. He did like my jambalaya a lot though. He had a side of seafood gumbo soup which he liked. Overall decent dinner.
(3)
Margaux D.
I've been a regular at Shanahan's for quite a while now. Their food is always delicious and it's one of those places that always spices things up with a different "-fest". What I mean by that is they have "Lobsterfest," "Crawfishfest," etc... on top of St. Paddy's day celebrations and the like. Now that it's summer, they have outdoor seating on Madison Street. They also have drink specials. Wednesdays (my favorite day for Shanahan's) are Whiskey Wednesdays.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Scott P.
I used to live within walking distance and visited Shanahan's on a regular basis after they opened. The food was great. After a 10 year or so absence, I've been back a few times over the past 6 months, and I must say the food has gone downhill. I've had crawfish etouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice, and everything tastes the same, with some weird, smokey flavor overpowering whatever is on the plate. Even the appetizer we had recently (blackened shrimp/scallops in a creamy spinach sauce) had that taste to it.
(1)Brian S.
Love this place. It has great food, good beer and friendly staff. I don't eat seafood much, but my friends who do really like it here. I also really love the 99 spice chicken.
(4)Victoria h.
My husband and I had an early dinner there. I had their burger and bread pudding, my husband had their ruben. The burger was bland and nothing but a piece of meat. The bread pudding was very tightly baked and, again, nothing special. My husband's ruben had very little sourcrout (sp?) and, again, nothing special. They did have Blue Moon on tap, and that always deserves an extra star. Also, to be fair, we didn't try any of their cajun specialties. Maybe if we did, the rating would be higher. They have outdoor seating and a nice bar inside. The servers are fast and nice.
(3)Tanya S.
I like this place. It's strange mixing Irish/ American/ and Cajun into one, but I do like they have the diversity on the menu and drinks. It seems to be a New Orleans bar which is nice because sometimes you just need to get away and have a hurricane! Food was good too. Nothing to complain about. Oh, and in summer they had outdoor seating so BONUS!!!
(4)Bobby D.
The last time I was here, Things weren't quite as good. However, The Oysters on the half shell were pretty good. But the Gumbo the last time somehow wasn't as good, Maybe it was just the last of the fixings, Since it was close to closing time. But my friend ordered a Po Boy & The one sandwich slice had practically close to raw or undercooked steak. It seemed like the chef was sleeping at the wheel at that time.
(3)Kathleen C.
We love Shanahan's, it's always a winner! This weekend was Lobster Fest, though the menu changes up with specials regularly. Drinks have specials also, my husband had an Oktoberfest beer imported from Germany that neither of us had heard of that was really good. Their Key lime pie is made on premise, it's very good, garnished with fresh whipped cream. From Cajun creole to burgers it's a fit for any crave!!
(4)Mike S.
I like the place a lot. Great food and nice atmosphere. It's comfortable place!
(4)Melanie H.
If you want some good creole in the chicago suburbs this is your place! Chicken gumbo is amazing! I happened to get a tuna sandwich as well and that was also quite tastey.To top it off they own a little chocolate shop too! Soooo be sure to stop in there for some truffles and delicious goodies!
(5)Jeff S.
We had seen a previous picture which had Green awnings- so when we were kinda looking for it yesterday, we couldn't find it. Black awnings now, so we actually looked up the address. Good food! We both went with the lobster ponchatrain- lobster scallops and shrimp with fettucini, in a lemony alfredo sauce. Some kick to it! It comes with soup or salad, and I had the Pepper Pot soup. Very peppery with lots of sausage in there. A new taste I quite enjoyed. We're not drinkers, so I was happy when the waitress brought over a carafe of water, it's just so much easier then going for refill after refill. Great Irish pub feel, dark wood, outdoor seating as it was late spring. Cajun/Creole is so hard to find, and this place is a gem. You'll enjoy your vist, sho' nuff.
(4)Michael M.
Shanahan's knows hospitality. I've been there on multiple occasions and have always been greeted warmly and treated very well by the staff. I was there the other night, and enjoyed their whiskey flight and seafood plate. The atmosphere is very comfortable - just what you'd want in a neighborhood bar, with lots of local character. I've always had a good time, and will definitely be going back!
(5)Andy S.
I write this review as my stomach continues to gurgle and my orifices spew with violet merciless anger. My sweetheart and I went there for lunch today for the first time. As you walk in the atmosphere is nice with dark wood trim and a good looking bar on the right with...hold on I have to go to the bathroom. Ugh..I'm back. So where was I? Oh yeah, we walk in and the place was well designed. People were at the bar and a family was eating in the back. We grabbed a booth and were immediately approached by the waitress who greeted us and brought menus (stomach gurgling). Got some drinks and we ordered our lunch. The wait was reasonable as we started with our garlic stuffed mushroom cheese appetizer. It was OK nothing to rave about. (stomach gurgling). Then I had a Garlic Creaser Salad with salmon. The potions were good and the salad looked great a lil overdressed but I know that's just me. We had a nice lunch, finished and continued home. Now I'm at home and my stomach is possessed by the devil and sounds of the undead moaning and bubbling. I feel horrible and this is immediately after we came from Shanahan's. Hold on I have to go to my throne room. Ugh. If you don't get the idea that I'm not retuning to this place. Then I dunno know what to tell ya.
(1)M W.
I should have known when we were the only ones eating there that i had made a mistake. While the decor's not bad-lots of old timey photos on the walls. The service was AWFUL. Seeing as we were the only people she waited on, that's a little ridiculous. Our waitress was more interested in the game on the tv than us. She was literally faced away from us the entire time, so when she got my order wrong my boyfriend had to actually WALK UP to her to tell her. Very aggravating. The bacon cheeseburger I ordered was eh. I've had much better burgers at other places on Madison, like Duckfat. The bacon wasn't crispy and was kinda undercooked, which is definitely not the way I like my bacon. The fries were decent, though. Definitely wasn't a burger worth $8.50. Probably won't return.
(2)Angus W.
Stopped here today for a quick lunch. Lisa and I both had Gumbo, mine was the Chicken/Andouille and she had the Seafood. I tried hers and it was delicious, mine was probably the second best gumbo that I have had in the Chicago area. Lisa also had the Bayou Blackened Shrimp and Scallops (appetizer but with the Gumbo... plenty for lunch) She really enjoyed it. I had a bowl of their chili, it was tasty but had a sweetness (BBQ sauce?) to it that I can't make up my mind about. I brought some of it home and will have it over rice for lunch tomorrow. I asked for hot sauce and the server brought out two types of Tabasco, Cholula (very tasty, but not hot enough for me..) and a Habanero Sauce that they apparently make (or have made?). I used the Habanero, it's a pretty weak one, it's thick and I used a lot, but it wasn't too vinegary and you could taste the pepper in the sauce. I wish that they offered a half portion of their Jambalaya, I would have liked to try it. But I'll head back some day and give that a shot... and maybe something with some VooDoo sauce...
(3)Armando K.
I love cajun food and I really like Shanahans. I've been to New Orleans many times and I cannot get enough of the food there, the funny thing is I've never eaten at Shanahans in New Orleans, but I was lucky enough to find this location thanks to yelp. I have eaten here several times, their gumbo is delicious and I really enjoy their breakfast. Especially the voodoo skillet and the eggs sardou. They have lots of seating inside and in the summer they have a nice area sectioned off for outdoor dining. They also make an excellent bloody mary.
(4)D S D.
For the good part, the hurricane was delicious so I expect that the drinks are good. The food on the other hand needs to be improved. I ordered a shrimp po-boy which needed more flavor. We had the baby back ribs and it tasted like it was re-heated and which I could not enjoy after one bite.
(2)Inbalsp S.
Stoppef in for an early dinner on Sunday with my Mom. Didn't have any expectations coming in, and were very pleased with the high quality food and generous portions (I'm currently finishing my leftovers for lunch). My pecan catfish was absolutely delicious, and my mother was raving about the creole shrimp (couldn't try as I'm allergice). We went all out and ordered dessert, which we don't usually do, since neither of us could say no to bread pudding. The bread pudding is moist, drenched in whisky, and sprinkled with dried fruit - yum! Overall it was a great meal and we will return!
(4)Allison K.
Shananhan's is definitely a hidden secret of Forest Park. Just like other reviewers had said, When you first see the establishment you really do think it's just another Irish Bar on Madison Street. In reality, this place has MANY awesome dishes to offer. Everything from there appetizers, soups, and their "Cajun" main courses are all amazing. My friends and I can't stop eating here, it's always just as great as great of an experience as the first time we ever ate here. Last time I was there they even offered this "cheeseburger soup"....OMG soooo delicious!!! Oh and as always, I always always get the baked clams here.....Ok so I'll stop raving about this place, because it's just making me want to go back now...soooooo please do try out Shannahan's, you will not regret it.
(4)Michael M.
Was in downtown Forest Park, Il. on Monday afternoon. Was a bit hungry so stopped by Shanahan's Irish Bar & Creole Restaurant. The establishment had a large Clover leaf on the door which made this Irish guy feel welcome. Inside the bar it had medium lighting with a wood bar and hard wood floor. It had a Northern Ireland appearance to it. There was Bar seating, booths and tables in the rear. The waitress Robin immediately greeted me and seated me. The establishment was decorated with was Tabassco paintings and endorsed over 30 different hot sauces. I ordered a bowl of Gumbo and a club soda. On Tuesdays the establishment has $3.00 Hamburgers from 11am-10pm for Hamburger Happy Day. Domestic pitchers are $6.00 on that day. From January 21st thru January 23rd is Louisiana Oyster Fest serviving ten different serving typesof Oysters. With my Gumbo I tried the house Shanahans Leprechaun's Fury hot sauce. I love hot spice in my life and this brought it to me. As for beer they have a great selection, Domestics, Hacker PschorrWeisse, Blue Moon, Smithwicks, Guinness, Stella Artois, Negro Modelo and my personal favorite Harp. The Gumbo was excellent and Robin was an outstanding server. For $4.00 I purchased a bottle of Leprechaun Fury to go. As for the price a little on the high side but I think it was well worth it. When in downtown Forest Park try it out. In the warmer months they have great outside seating. This place is a must, try it.
(4)Mark M.
I'm not one to frequent Irish Pubs (too many in college), but I was pleasantly surprised by the great Cajun food. I agree the mix is kind of odd. I much prefer Cajun over corn beef and potatoes.
(3)Erin V.
We went to Shanahan's for lunch. Everyone in my group seemed to like it okay but me. My parents had po' boy sandwiches which they said were really good. I had a burger which was just okay. Kind of mushy. The fries were good, though. I would like to go back and try some of their Creole offerings. Maybe when it gets colder out, though. Or maybe for dinner. Creole food always seems so much more heavy and winter-y to me. The atmosphere of the place could have been better. I guess, though, it's really more of a bar with an extensive menu. Also, towards the end of our meal the bartender turned the volume up on one of the tvs so loud that we could barely hear each other talk. Granted, there were only two other tables in the place but I thought it was really rude.
(2)Cynthia G.
I agree with other posters that the soup is good. Other than that, their food appears to be bland. Also, if you sit in the dining section of the place, be prepared to wait quite some time for the wait staff to take your order and to have to practically tackle the staff to get anything further once your order's brought out. This isn't necessarily the wait staff's fault, they just need more servers back there.
(3)rob h.
It's true, if you want bland food at prices that are just a little higher than they should be coupled with relatively poor service, this might well be your place... if you are able to wait a good long while to get all of this. (And secretly pay for refills on soda, who does that?) Seriously, I went there with a group of five adults, a three year old and a ten month old for lunch. There was only one other table but it still took the waiter an oddly long time to take our orders, a dangerous game to play with a table with kids as young as mine. Then the oddly long wait for six simple sandwiches. When they came there was nothing wrong with the food, per se, but there was also no evidence that anyone had really bothered to care much about it either. Phoned in food. The fries are nothing to write home about either. I have to say that it is a pet peeve of mine when I am given refill after refill with no notice, written or spoken, that I will be charged for them. They did bring a coloring book and crayons for my three year old during one of the long waits, after we took out the ones we had brought. Perhaps it is different if you order creole for an evening meal... but I am not inspired by this experience to chance going back to find out.
(2)Justin G.
Not bad for what it is. It is on the Madison Bar Strip, and with the name, you'd think it's just a bar. It's more of a sit-down sandwich and cajun food place. It's a little high priced for that, I think on average you'll pay $10 for a sandwich and fries and it might come with soup, but the sandwiches are pretty good and worth a try if you want a good sandwich.
(4)Kimberly W.
I did want to wait to write this review until AFTER we'd sampled entrees. Unfortunately, we've discussed it and we just don't want to try the entrees. Sorry, Shanahan's. It's too expensive to gamble on it. Allow me to explain. We've stopped in twice for drinks and appetizers. First experience: It was hot and they had a sign out front promoting their own lemonade to the sidewalk shoppers. I wanted one. With vodka in it. Easy? Give me your cold to-go lemonade, add a shot of vodka, and charge me for both. Instead I got one of those shorty cocktail glasses that you get the rum-and-coke well drinks in. It was 'spensive. We also ordered the artichoke fritters. They were delicious. And tiny. A teenytiny delicious appetizer for $8. Awwwwww what a waste. (Side note: Really nice server.) Second experience: On this hot-ass day, we thought we needed some afternoon refreshments and tried again. The drinks were better; some kind of Southern-style Long Island Iced Tea and a beer--hard to go wrong. We thought we'd order an appetizer and see if we wanted to venture further into the menu, but when the appetizer came... wah wah wah wahhhhhh... It was the seafood fondue. It needed seasoning on most levels: the spinach on the bottom (which is a GREAT idea because it adds bulk to the plate), the seafood, and the brothy sauce that surrounded it. Cool idea, executed poorly. If I'd made it at home, I would have made a million notes on how to make it better next time. They should do the same. (Side note: Another nice server!) We thought about getting an entree but weren't convinced we'd get our money's worth. Darn. Some of the stuff looked yummy. But so did the fondue!
(2)Laura N.
Creole food in an Irish pub? Sold! The inside is nice, not anything special, nor dive-like. Standard dark wood, nice. It's the food and the server's acerbic wit that are the source of your dining enjoyment. Plus, in May 2011 they have a Crawfish Fest and it should be advertised as BYOB - bring your own bib. I had a glass of white wine, pinot grigio. It was decent, worth the $7. I enjoyed a cup of soup (which came with my entree), the Louisiana Crab & Crawfish Gumbo. Yum, yum, yum. I sampled one of my friend's appetizers, the Artichoke Fritters - tasty but fried, very fried. Not doughy or soft on the outside. Be prepared for that. Good but you'll be tasting the fried part, that's for sure. For my entree I had the Shrimp Creole - very tasty but the tomato base was more pasty in texture (like tomato paste) than sauce-like. Good but I wasn't expecting that part. The other two out of the four of us had: Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo (Soup) - the vote was for more! 1) Entree was the Three From the Bayou: a tasting of Shrimp Creole, Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etoufee. Delicious! 2) House Salad - Standard Entree was the special (Pork Chops w/Crawfish Etoufee and Dirty Rice) - two giant pork chops = doggy bag or a night curled up in fetal position. Two man enter one man leaves? He said it was very good, but took one of the chops home for leftovers. A wise decision. This is a place to go to if you are in the area or close enough to drive there. Or if you are craving Creole food with whiskey. The combo is amusing. I'll be back.
(4)Jesse K.
Oh Shanahan's, how far you have fallen! The last time we raved about the the Turtle Soup, now we wish we didn't order it again. It was sour-lemon-tasting this time, and had a terrible mushy texture. Even the added sherry didn't perk it up. This recipe was nothing like what we had before. It seemed as if they just switched to a canned version. My buffalo chicken sandwich was small, expensive, and dry. The seasoned fries were delicious. Our waitress. a large and surly woman, was abrupt to the point of rude, and gave me a nasty glare when I asked for the change from our paid bill. (No way was I giving her a 25% tip, what was she thinking?!) We don't feel any reason to go back here again. Disappointing.
(2)Christina R.
Best jambalaya ever. And I'm a fan of any place that has cider on tap. Beyond that, I've had some really good food (e.g. Garlic Fest) and some really bad food (I wanted to like pecan catfish, but I don't.) The sidewalk seating is a great place to people watch in the summer, albeit there's a lot of street noise. The service is usually decent, but I find the menu is risky. The specials are usually good, but other than those, I stick with the jambalaya. Have I mentioned they have really good jambalaya?
(4)Kelly S.
Another review that will require another visit to make a full assessment of the place. It's Mardi Gras. This is an Irish bar with a cajun/creole menu. Go figure? They have just about every kind of Abita. +1 Star Mardi Gras beads and hurricanes +1 Star An overly overwhelmed staff who only accommodated seating 1 table of 2 people in 45 minutes -1 Star (I know it was Mardi Gras, but they knew they were going to be slammed.) Meeting a random fellow Loyola New Orleans Alumn +1 Star We left after waiting for a table for an hour. -1 Star I had this review at 3 stars. I had to +1 star for the second line parade that came out of the bar and marched down the street as we were sitting in the restaurant down the way.
(4)Jake B.
I've been here for brunch twice with my fiancee. Meh. The brunch menu needs a lot of work. There are a few items that sound good but those that I've tried were poorly executed. I am sad to count the Bloody Mary among those losses. The first time we went I had a "skillet". This was actually a scramble with a side of potatoes. Their breakfast potatoes were a mess. They were way overcooked and under-seasoned. The scramble was inoffensive and ultimately forgettable. The second time we went I had the ham and cheese crepes. I guess my expectations were a little too high because what I was served was half of what I thought I was getting for the price. The plate presented to me was large and noticeably bare. The crepes took up less than half of the space and there was nothing but two orange slices to fill the emptiness. What they did give me wasn't bad but, once again, my brunch was ultimately forgettable. As a bar the place makes more sense. Their selection of bottled beers includes many by Abita Brewing out of Louisiana. The Jockomo IPA is quite nice. They also have lots of blended drinks for the Parrotheads and sorority girls to enjoy. All in all, I don't hate this place. The only reason I will be returning, however, is that it is within walking distance of my place and the beer list is fairly unique. I doubt I will ever eat here again.
(2)David Y.
I've been here several times and have always liked it, mostly cuz I really love cajun food. But last night I was ready to walk out of there. After we were seated (a lone table next to the kitchen), we waited for 10 minutes for our waitress to come by. We ordered drinks and then she never came back, ever!!! After waiting another 15 minutes, we flagged down a waiter named Ryan who got our drinks, dinner orders and generally made this dining experienced less than horrid. I had their gumbo and for some reason, they put in a tremendously large amount of garlic. There was no taste but garlic. There was no smell but garlic. I still smell garlic on my breath 24 hours later and 3 toothbrushings after. It was an awful cup of soup. My entree was Louisana Beans and Rice, which was decent. The service was mixed. The one blonde waitress really, really needs to get fired but everyone else was great. I'll probably stop going here as I've been soured by hate.
(1)Timothy D.
Food is good and really the only place to get creole food in the area. They have a lot of creative burgers and po-boys and the fries are amazing! Chicken and Andouille sausage gumbo is excellent. Only down side, the service is usually pretty shitty. The waitresses are usually slow, forgetful and generally seems pissed off that you are there...never understood that when you are working for tips. Main dishes are pretty pricey but generally big enough to split between two people...unless your date is a deuce and a half.
(4)Sonja T.
Been here twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. Both times good service. Food sounded better on the menu than what I actually received (lack of flavor). Good not great. With so many more places to try, I probably won't be back unless only to drink and maybe try an appetizer.
(3)Bridgette K.
Horrible with accomidating people especially on st. Pattys day cmon. The wentch of a waitress horrible, seemed as if she didn't want to work. I like my fries and bacon cooked well wtf. She litterly told me to sit on it. How can you say that to a paying customer who's gonna give you a tip. Tip this BITcH seriously sorry if its degrading but quit acting like a BiTCH. Will I come back NO NEVER. You can SIT ON THIS! Oh my god then they ran out of table bread. You knew you were gonna be busy its ST. Patricks Day and its Madison ST. It gets better the chair they were having customers sit on were broke. Are they looking for lawsuits? We told their Hostess for the night he just laughed. Oh wow you ignorant DOUCHE are you serious? You don't care about your place of employment or customers shows were your brains are at. Good luck
(1)Katrina H.
All I can say, Lovely! I took my mother and daughter here for an impromtu lunch while we waited for our spa appointments and the staff was fantastic and well attentive. The price for the food was great. and coming from a louisiana family, My mother approves their red beans and rice dish. I will certainly return for an alfresco dining experience here.
(4)Brigid S.
Please do not go to Shanahan's your Heath depends on it. I have been a fan for years . On 12-2-11 I went with my Parents, Husband & Sister. They were crowded (forest park had a Christmas special event). We ordered up the soup was good and all if us had sandwiches. My Mom had the Ruben the sandwich did not look right. The meat was brown not the signature Ruben pink. She took a few bites and did not like it. My Dad took one bit and spit it out. My Mom wanted to let the server know the sandwich was not good. All of the other plates were removed the smell of ROTEN neat was overwhelming it made me gag and I had too leave the Restaurant. The table next to us could even smell the horrible smell and said something. When my father called later to let the owner know he was so rude. He told my dad he asked the staff to keep the sandwich and he heated it up the next day and it was fine. Not only was the food bad but the Jerk owner is out of his mind cuz no one would had eaten the sandwich. The complaint the next day was only to make the owner aware the food was bad. We did not want anything since never ever will I or my family risk going to Shanahan's again. Zero . Zero stars dine at your own risk
(1)Pam F.
If you want to pay $6.75 for a mediocre bowl of chili, then by all means stop in. If you want to be charged for a beer you didn't have, then by all means stop in. If you want an argumentative bartender, then by all means stop in. Go in on a festive Saturday and you will experience depression as the music was on so soft you couldn't hear it and the volume on all the TVs was off. BORING! I am through with Shanahan's and their overpriced food.
(1)Jane H.
5 stars for their desserts! Their homemade key lime pie is the best I've ever had. Perfectly creamy with the jazzy, snazzy taste of key limes. Crumbly graham cracker crust. I specially ordered a whole one to bring on a PLANE to San Francisco to my family for Thanksgiving. (The airport screeners tried to steal a piece from me. :)) Their pecan pie is also made in house with finely chopped pecans and crumbly crust as well. Doesn't have that gloppy sugary stuff found in subpar pecan pies.
(5)Cindy R.
This is a place you'd never expect - an Irish bar serving cajun food. Personally, I've eaten there several times and their food is just OK. If there's a sports game you want to watch while you eat, they've got TVs, so a lot of the guys here at work do that sometimes.
(3)Trina J.
I will start off by saying I am a Louisiana native. That said, I was somewhat uninterested and reluctant to give this place a try. But in the relationship world there is compromise so after several failed attempts I finally agreed to check this place out. 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 good. The soup 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. My diet coke was terrible but she replaced the original with a glass from the other tap and it was better but far from what is should taste like. I drank it anyway because I could not bring myself to ask her to get anything else. Including a glass of water.
(3)Nektaria R.
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.
(3)Rob W.
Wow, reviews all over the board on this place. I guess I'm a lucky one because overall my experience was really good. Pretty decent selection of beers. I went there to eat though - looking at the menu I eyed the jambalaya, which is noted on their sign out front of the restaurant. Ordered it along with a cup of seafood gumbo, which added $2 to the $16.25 or so entrée. The soup tasted great, though it could have been a tad hotter temperature wise. The jambalaya was really good - I got the version that included shrimp w/o the tails which is exactly what I wanted - less mess. Great flavor and a pretty large portion. Another positive part of the visit, was the bartender who served me, Diane. Really pleasant and kept me "well stocked" with food and drink. Places that have good food are a dime a dozen nowadays, it's the staff that can make or break a place. A definite edge with her behind the bar.
(4)Brian F.
There's something kind of cute about a Irish Pub that sports Cajun food. I've tried the place a half a dozen times, being a fan of Cajun, in the hopes of finding something good. Unfortunately, after the last time, I've given up. I cannot recommend the food here or the pub at all. If you enjoy seafood gumbo that has little seasoning and no actual pieces of seafood in it then this is the place for you. I mentioned the lack of actual seafood to my waiter and he said "that is how it is". If you are craving for a Crawfish Ettouffe or Jambalaya which requires a bottle of hot sauce to give it any flavor at all then stop here. If you want to frequent a place where the service is poor, noone greets you when you enter, and noone seems to care when you leave then by all means don't waste your time elsewhere. Yep, I'm done with this place.
(1)Christopher K.
Saturday night my parents and I were watching some TV (Duck Dynasty none the less) and they were eating some homemade Cajun food. It hit me - I hadn't had Cajun food in forever. Maybe not really since the old Cajun Kitchen used to be in the Schaumburg area, and my parents haven't really had Cajun since their last trip to New Orleans. So at 7:30 at night we hopped in the car and headed on down and over to Forest Park, an area that I have not frequented often, if ever. Nice little strip of a TON of Irish bars, tiny restaurants, and shops. From the outside, Shanahans left me wondering if I was going to get anything more than bar food inside - its just a quaint little bar. The outside deceives. The inside sets the perfect atmosphere for a group going to grab a late bite (or an early bite) of some of the best food I have ever gotten in or out of a bar. Bar in the front, booths and tables in the back. Perfect lighting and setting. So on to the food... There are some other reviews on here from whining people - complaining about this or that. They are wrong. They are just wrong. Not only was the food flavorful and spicy, but it was INCREDIBLE! I am someone who loves spice and depth of flavor (I have the palette of a snob I am told), and everything I ate was fantastic. And the food left me super full (huge portions), but feeling great! We went all out. Who knows when we will get back to Forest Park. We ordered the Artichoke Fritters which were delicious in a shallot lemon sauce, served over dirty rice. The seafood gumbo was incredibly flavorful - and mine was full of crawfish. Delish! I ordered the Three from the Bayou which had a very generous serving of Creole Shrimp (had probably 10 HUGE shrimp), a huge serving of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, and a large portion of Crawfish Etouffee. The food was a 10, but what clinched the entire evening for me was the service! Our waitress was the perfect combination of attentive, kind, and personable, while also giving us plenty of space and time to enjoy each others company and the conversation. In the end, all I can say, is I have not had this good of an experience in a new restaurant in a very long time. I will be coming back to Shanahan's, and telling everyone about it!
(5)Leonard W.
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.
(4)Suzanne Z.
Cute bar with a small outdoor patio. Has a lot of Cajun flair including tons of Mardi Gras decorations. I appreciate they seem to be Sox supporters too. The bar has a fair craft beer selection, seeming to favor Abita brand with lots of those selections on draft. The menu is extensive, with all sorts of Cajun food options, most which I was not familiar with, but they also have some American bar standards like sandwiches/burgers. My guy got the Cajun Combo- Rice/beans and Jumbalaya. The portion was huge, and both had good flavors and heat. I ordered the remoulade salad with shrimp. I requested it to be served on romaine, as Iceberg is the worst, but a lot of the lettuce was a little white, and I wasn't totally convinced it was all romaine. The shrimp were large, plentiful and deveined. The dressing was creamy and a little sweet, which I liked. I love salad with a hard-boiled egg in it, but these were wayyyyyyy over done, with a solid border of grey aroudn the yolk. I tried a quarter of it, and it tasted funny. I was worried it was an old egg so I stopped eating it there. My stomach did feel a little icky for a while after that, too, so I'm glad I stopped early. The salad was OK, but definitely not amazing. I might try this place one more time, but it'll have to be on someone else's suggestion. I wouldn't think of going here on my own, it wasn't super memorable.
(3)Rosie D.
I really like this place. They kinda look like an Irish pub (like most of the bars in forest park) but once you see the menu you'll see they specialize in southern cuisine. Specifically Louisiana fare. So think crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, po'boys, shrimp and grits, etc. The drinks are the same. On Fridays they have $5 hurricanes. Basically a run punch but damn is it good! They have a very small patio out front that can get full at times. Especially on Saturdays. Went last week and got the jumbo jerk wings. Baby......they were slap your Auntie good! But they are definitely jumbo so bring an appetite or a friend if you go for these. I've had a few other things off the menu too. They have great gumbo, I love the red beans and rice and their catfish is decent too. And the best part is it's so reasonably priced. You can for sure get a good down home meal and a knock out drink for the low low. But the tip here is go on Fridays and holla at those $5 hurricanes. You won't be sorry.
(4)Tom W.
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
(4)Jackie E. G.
I've passed by this place before but never had a chance to eat here until last night. I thought the food was really delicious and the waitstaff very attentive. I had the jambalaya and the portion size was huge with lots of flavor. By the time dessert came around, I was stuffed and only managed a few bites of pecan pie and bread pudding but both were delightful. I will definitely be back...good food and good atmosphere...who can beat it!
(5)Dominique S.
Came here on a beautiful day where i sat outside on their patio and ate. Had the watermelon mojitos, the bowl of gumbo, the bayou platter which game with etoufee, jambalaya and I substituted the last dish for red beans and rice. The drinks here were amazing and if it wasn't a Sunday I could have had a few more rounds. The Gumbo needed some more seasoning and unfortunately was bland. Thr best dish on my entree was thr red beans and rice which I thought was extremely good. The other dishes which were the etoufee and jambalaya both tasted the same and I added alot of hot sauce to give it some additional flavor that it was lacking. I was really hoping this place was going to be amazing because I love cajun/creole food, but unfortunately it was pretty bad. The two stars are for the outdoor patio seating and the great cocktails. I would try it again but would need them to first modify their recipes to get that true new Orleans taste in their food.
(2)Nicole E.
Gumbo and jambalaya were good, but my partner ordered a turkey burger. The turkey burger stated it had applewood smoked bacon on it. The bacon was not as advertised, the patty tasted freezer burner and was not well seasoned. The creole foods is pretty good, but the ingredients used are not very fresh.
(3)Sharon R.
My heart always beats faster when I even think of this establishment. Is it because this is where the old ball and chain took me on our first date 16 years ago? A little maybe. But the Real reason my pulse quicken's at the mere mention of this restaurant is because I have sampled every single dish on the menu at least two or three times and still am a smitten kitten. Many restaurants have decent bars but this is a bar that is magnificent they can stand on its own merit but this is more a restaurant in an amazing bar that also too stands on its own merit. Now the facts; this is a snazzy all wood dark Irish pub that sells the most delicious authentic creole/Cajun food in the Chicagoland area. It is one of the few places where every bite is delectable. The drinks are strong and delish. In the summer there is nothing better than sitting on the front outdoor patio sipping a cocktail and people watching. The cast of characters is amazing because right next-door is a very busy military store that advertises gas masks, so you can only imagine the type of clientele that walks in there. Back to the food; the jambalaya , the red beans and rice and shrimp Po boys are to die for. The seafood fondue is my absolute favorite. It is shrimps, scallops, and lobster in a light creamy sauce that is so good that I'd lick the bowl if I wasn't sitting outside where everyone can see me. But if it's cold and you're sitting in the dark bar I definitely recommend you lick that plate. We always finish our food with a shared piece of Key West lime pie. To die for. Hands down my fave restaurant in the whole universe.
(5)Donald a.
Darn decent food of the Cajun variety. My wife had the shrimp and crawfish Po boy while I had the crawfish boil. She loved hers and I was in the zone. Sucking the heads and tails out of over 2 pounds of crawfish created a zombie like state in me and it felt like I was down in Nawlns. There's plenty of options for non-Creole food in fact my daughter had a cheeseburger the tasted like a nice classic bowling alley cheeseburger from the 1970s - a crispy bun nice grill on the beef. I would get that as well myself except I love Cajun food and I am unlikely to deviate from there unless it's to steal a bike from my wife or daughter. Her poor boy I think was 11 bucks and it came with fries and slaw. My crawfish boil was 26 bucks and came with two perfectly cooked large new potatoes and a chunk of mushy corn on the cob but that's to be expected in a shrimp, crawfish or crab boil. I also got a salad which was perfectly simple with a nice creel vinaigrette on the side. The drinks are not overpriced my wife got an 8$ Hurricane and I got a vodka tonic - they were both perfectly fine. We got great service from our server Kate and other servers also asked us if we were okay multiple times we never wanted for anything. They were mildly busy it was around 7 o'clock on a Saturday night. I know they put the sound on for Blackhawks games. I also know that have a great selection of beer and they're not overcharging for anything across the bar like some of places do in Forest Park. This is also not a meat market kind of place. The staff and the patrons are diverse they have nice outdoor seating right on Madison.
(4)Lindsey D.
Well, I have never had Cajun before coming to Shanahan's so I have nothing to compare it to, but I am a fan!! The patio was packed so we decided to sit in the back to the restaurant. There was only one server, so the bartender waited on us. I thought that was a bit odd. She was really nice though, and helpful since I had never had Cajun/Creole before. The sausage gumbo was sooo good! I'll be back for more!
(4)Ramone B.
Shanahans intrigued me from the moment I learned of this place. I thought it was kinda strange that an Irish pub served Cajun food, but not strange in a bad way. I'm trisexual when it comes to trying new things. I will always try something once. Except like heroin. Lol I don't EVER want to know what that feels like. (way off subject! #Next) Anywho I liked the interior of the pub. Very cool laid back vibe. Our waitress was pretty cool also. I placed my order for a catfish dinner. My waitress told me the daily soups and she mentioned a creamy avocado soup. This intrigued the hell outta me, and I wanted that ish! Lemme tell you it was pretty Freaking awesome. I would stick my fork into any B*tches forehead who dared try and take my soup away lol!! You know my greedy ass tried my boyfriends food as well. He ordered a gumbo that was nothing short of spectacular! Just the right level of spice! I couldn't wait for my catfish to arrive. My catfish came with dirty rice. I hadn't had dirty rice in years! My Aunt from Baton Rouge needs a masters degree in Cajun cooking honey cuz that B*tch can throw down.(Auntie if you see this B*tch is a term of endearment coming from me) So I had high standards for that rice........ My dinner arrived, and I have to say I was kinda let down by the portions. My catfish dinner was expensive for what I got. One piece of fish and dirty rice. #DoBetter that meal shouldn't be $17 dollars. Hello catfish is a bottom feeder. One of the cheapest fish Out there. This markup is ridiculous. Dinner Verdict- my catfish fish- Bland. My dirty rice- Bland. A double whammy. The person cooking really needs to study Cajun food closely because Shanahans has potential. I challenge Shanahans to kick the spices up a notch. I see other yelpers have said the same. It's creole food so its expected to have some heat! I wouldn't have minded paying so much for my food had it tasted better. I was so disappointed. I really wanted to like this place. I'm going to try to give this place another shot. Maybe it was an off night. to be contined........ Wait!!!! I almost forgot we ordered blackened chicken wings. They were absolutely horrendous. Not even kidding. It was like someone just poured a container of powdered seasoning on top of grilled wings. They were NOT good. Okay now I'm done.
(2)Matt M.
Another great Forest Park place to get something delicious to eat in true FP fashion. The booth by the window was awesome and perfectly time for winterfest. We had a great dinner, affordable, friendly, and fun. I really like this place and will be back for sure. The only down side is it really isn't as spicy as I hoped - but we will see what they stir up next time I come in.
(4)Carl D.
I went there last night with a couple of friends. The food was terrific! Great "Creole" cooking. I had the gumbo and and also the shrimp,chicken,andouille jambalya for $16.50..well worth it! One of my friends had the "voodoo" pork chops which were also very tasty. They have a decent selection of beers/ales to wash down your food. Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. Located in the heart of the Madison street strip of pubs and restaurants. I would highly recommend this place! I know I will go back
(4)Anthony R.
really good! Owners are really nice too!
(5)Steve H.
Both kinds of Gumbo were delicious. Got a dual plate to share and was plenty with 2 small bowls of Gumbo for a lunch for 2. Very tasty.
(5)Michael N.
Great place wonderful staff food is is awesome met a forest park newspaper writer that flat out and said this place is great and a go to place will be going back there real soon
(5)Margaux D.
I've been a regular at Shanahan's for quite a while now. Their food is always delicious and it's one of those places that always spices things up with a different "-fest". What I mean by that is they have "Lobsterfest," "Crawfishfest," etc... on top of St. Paddy's day celebrations and the like. Now that it's summer, they have outdoor seating on Madison Street. They also have drink specials. Wednesdays (my favorite day for Shanahan's) are Whiskey Wednesdays.
(4)Kristen V.
Tired of Guinness and fratty guys in Blackhawks jerseys, we went into Shanahan's, a Cajun place with a very Hibernian name on a street filled with Irish bars. The place smelled like New Orleans. By that, I mean it smelled like dirty washcloths stuffed in an abandoned beinet shop, surrounded by the abandonment of the federal American government. The burnt plate of grits and shrimp as we walked in the door added to the subtle Louisiana feel, but less like I was at Mardi Gras and more like I was Rust Cohle about to stumble onto a dead body in a swamp. My fiance ordered the catfish platter, and 35 minutes later (which was annoying, as we were two of eight people in the place, come on it's not the Saints were playing) his lukewarm fish piled majestically on a pile of dirty rice, with a side of fries, arrived. My Iberia Grilled Cheese arrived as well. It was advertised as having Tabasco Onions with Andouille sausage...mmmm! It had onions. They were less spicy then a Mild packet at Taco Bell. It had Andouille sausage. Nice and big and juicy and put some more innuendos here. Had the onions been spicy, and just put on the Andouille sausage with no cheese, it would have been delicious. The bread was cheap and fell apart quicker then Bush's promise to the city of New Orleans in 2005. That being said, the appetizer we had was great! Articoke fritters with a Lousiana sauce; perfectly spiced, not too heavy, and nice and HOT! The drink specials were great; $5 hurricanes are crazy. If you're looking for dinner, I'd suggest something else. If you just want snacks and drinks, this place is good.
(2)Maria C.
Came here on a Sunday for their brunch special and was so disappointed!! I was STARVING and love Cajun food so I was super excited to give this place a try. Literally had to wait ONE hour to get my appetizer and then the waitress wanted to bring my food within 5 minutes of serving the appetizer, so annoying!! I asked her if she could wait until I finish the appetizer before bringing my food, big mistake I didn't see her again for another 30 minutes. I could understand if the place was super busy but it wasn't. Food was just ok, the breakfast po'boy was nothing fancy, their mimosas were actually pretty good. Definitely will NOT be returning. I'd hate to see what this place is like when it's actually busy.
(1)Carol M.
Having lived in New Orleans for 5 years or so I know what good Cajun/Creole cooking should taste like. this is the description of this entree: Three From the Bayou $18.00 Creole tasting of shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and chicken andouille sausage jambalaya. it was all jumbled together and all looked the same basically....Etouffee is a delicate shrimpy tasting sauce that tends toward being a tad thick even. What I think may have been etouffee tasted totally of green pepper and tomato and was watery. ( The shrimp taste comes from using shells and heads for stock.) There was some andouille and chicken strewn over the whole thing. I was especially disappointed for that price. Redeeming quality, the seafood gumbo was very good, it had the right amount of seafood and that wonderful fishy goodness that comes from a perfect roux and stock.
(2)Matt R.
Great drinks. And good food if you want the blandest meal you've ever had! I've been here twice and I haven't had any flavor in my food. Which is really disappointing for a cajon place. Don't waste your time at this place especially with axcan across the street. What a dive! Should be shut down!
(1)Grace N.
My favorite meal of the week is brunch, and I am really starting to love Shanahan's brunch. They have a great, flavorful brunch menu - Voodoo Skillet? Yes please, with tons of spicy, creamy flavor. Great benedicts and crispy potatoes, and they're willing to let me swap some of the ingredients around. And drumroll please....great bloody marys that come in a tall glass with a pickled green bean (don't knock it 'til you crunch it). I even asked for a beer back and they were very accommodating. This brings me to the service. We have always had wonderful service here, and this is even when we bring our 7 month old. Add outdoor seating to the mix, and we have the ingredients for a perfect, leisurely, weekend afternoon.
(4)Steffani S.
Shanahan's offers such an incredible dining experience. Their menu is unique and peppered with dozens of flavorful creole options. I HIGHLY recommend their brunch. From crawfish crepes to shrimp and grits to breakfast Po Boys, you can never go wrong with anything you pick and you'll only be counting down the days until the next time you can come. When you walk in, ask for Kate. She knows the menu front and back and will make you feel like an old friend who's always belonged here.
(5)Danyell P.
Food was ok the service was disappointing though. Ordered take out and saw the food come out and it wasn't busy. The bartender did not even bring food he was too busy talking. Had to ask waitress about food the bartender brought the food and the check and then he walked away was ready to pay finally had to bring him the check so I could leave. Will never go back again. I'll stick to Dixie kitchen their food and service is better.
(1)John S.
Located in Forest Park on what I refer to as the hidden block of restaurants and bars. We stopped in on Tuesday, which just happens to be $5 burger night. The place was relatively empty and the Hawks game was on. We sat down in the only half-round booth, which is leather, comfortable and actually a little reminiscent of the old, heavy duty booths at the Pump Room (now located at the Wolf's Head Inn). Our waitress was friendly, accommodating and had several excellent suggestions about the menu and drinks. We opted for a pitcher of Louisiana craft-made amber ale, while my daughter ordered apple cider with Myers Dark Rum. The beer was first-rate. Shanahan's has half a dozen $5 burger choices on the menu and we all followed suit, each ordering a specialty burger - and according to everyone they were "excellent". When a place starts emptying out I'm usually offended when they start turning off the lights and putting chairs up on tables while I'm still eating. This particular booth backs up to their back room, so when they closed that room down and turned off the lights we were left bit in the dark. Since the bar is generally dark anyway, it really didn't matter - it was still comfortable. This is an Irish place that specializes in Louisiana Cajun cooking. Even though we didn't sample that portion of the menu we quite enjoyed the atmosphere, the service and our "common American fare". Recommended for couples, families, just about anyone!
(4)Susie C.
My friends and I came here for dinner on a Saturday. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday evening, which we were surprised. We got to choose whereever we wanted to sit. It's kind of like a bar setting where there's TV, bar with stools, and booths on the side. Our waiter was nice. Inside is dimly lit. It was okay. The three of us ordered the chicken/sausage jambalaya. We liked it. We like the spice in the rice. It was pretty tasty. It also came with a side..I had a side of salad (nothing special), and my friend had the shrimp bisque. Her bisque actually had lots of shrimp chunks compared to most shrimp bisque so that is a plus. My husband ordered their shrimp creole. He said it was just okay - wasn't that great. He did like my jambalaya a lot though. He had a side of seafood gumbo soup which he liked. Overall decent dinner.
(3)Jean K.
Forest Park! Had no idea you were hiding such great places! Stumbled across Shanahan's after a trip to the Brown Car - another Yelper treasure! Absolutely love New Orleans style fare...so we knew we'd be back! That op came that following Sunday, looking for a place open for brunch. Chose to sit outside, gorgeous day out...and started with two Bloody Marys. Usually not a fan, generally much too thick for my liking! these were a perfect blend with some great veggies - chilled green bean?! Loved it! Was starving, so we also ordered up some Gumbo. Husband had the sausage, while I tried the seafood - love my seafood! Both were Great! Although, was loving the seafood a little more..was thicker, and not overpowering with taste. A few dashes of hot sauce, and it was perfect! Main course, my hubby had to try out their voodoo skillet - of course! And I tried their spinach and mushroom crepes. Both were as delicious as they sounded!! In fact, we brought food home because we were super stuffed...and ended up digging in after getting back home! Was that good! Staff was super friendly and attentive. My only regret? We never did get dessert! Have been to New Orleans many occasions, and have never eaten here. Found a new favorite! Very happy there's one close to home!
(4)Ronny M.
When I go to Shanahan's I have to, have to have at least a cup of their Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo. I love it! I went once wanting a bowl and I think I ended up eating four bowls. It was that good, and hitting the spot that day. I haven't been in a while, but I don't think their bowls are all that big either. There is a bar with tvs so you can totally come in to watch a game. Their menu isn't exactly typical bar food. It's bar food with a bit of a seafood, cajun dusting to it. Looking for more of a meal time and not game time? There's tables and booths too. Come on in and enjoy your friends. On your way in our out, there is a chocolate store attached. Go in! They get me every time. Nicely done, and interesting chocolate treats. Grab a bag for yourself, loved one, or is you forgot a birthday gift for someone. When I'm craving some seafood, cajun spice, comfort food, this is one of the places I go.
(4)Heather H.
The cajun food was disappointing. My husband's shrimp po' boy wasn't very good, and I can make better red beans and rice that what I was served. I'm still giving the place 3 stars (1) in the hopes that their burgers will be good; (2) they had some good beers on tap that were quite cheap; and (3) it had a good atmosphere and several TVs for watching sports.
(3)LaToya A.
I'll start with the positive - The drinks were good. They were New Orleans themed and blended well. Watch out for the berry mojito because this delicious number will sneak up on you if you have the right amount. The first time that I went, I had the shrimp creole dish. It was delicious. It was flavored well and wasn't too salty. On to the negative- The second time that I went I decided to try something different for a food options. I tried the calamari as an appetizer. I've never had calamari so bland before. It didn't even taste like it was fried at all, but lightly dusted (very lightly) with a seasoning and served. It was quite chewy and lacked any sort of flavor or taste. I was also disappointed because their website mentioned a fish fry and other items that they didn't actually have. The response was that the website has been outdated for months. I don't think that's a good excuse because someone should have updated the site before months passed. So I ended up getting the cajun combination which was a blend of jambalaya and red beans and rice. Again, it was bland and didn't taste that good. I'm not sure if my bad experience the second time was due to a new chef in the kitchen or what, but I haven't been back since October. I guess that bland food left a bad taste in my mouth after all.
(3)Charnetta B.
Let me preface by saying....I'm from New Orleans and I know good cajun/new orleans cuisine. I recently stumpled into this place while walking around forest park. I love the ambiance of the place. The drink selection reminds me of home so much! Abita Beer, Daiquris, Hurricanes!!! I ordered the Seafood Gumbo, since that's always my test item for New Orleans cuisine. The gumbo was actually really good, I was very impressed. I would definitely recommend going back! I look forward to trying more items on their menu.
(5)Lucy L.
Wonderful !!!! Service was the best ! Food was Great ..... ( in my Tony the Tiger voice ) A+ ! Best Valentine Special ever !!!!
(5)Amanda G.
I love the fact that Madison Street in Forest Park has been receiving a facelift the past few years. Upscale bars/restaurants, boutiques, etc...have surfaced. As for Shanahan's: a-ok. This bar is "old school" compared to other businesses in the area. I still don't understand how Cajun food is served in an Irish Pub. The mish-mash of the two are slightly confusing. There are several beer choices; but stay away from the wine, has the makings of a post-morning sugar headache. The bartenders were fine, but difficult to flag down at times. This place is fine to visit, but I think I would visit some of the other places on the strip first.
(3)Michelle S.
Extremely disappointed. The lobster ponchotrain sauce was good but the shrimp, lobster, scallops, and crawfish were scarce. The dinner salad was on a dessert plate and the dressing was so watery I thought it was ranch and not bleu cheese. $100. for three people and a special birthday dinner it was really not worth it. The waitress didn't come out of the back for about ten minutes actually no one but the people at the bar even knew we existed. The waitress was not attentive and was more interested in the people at the bar and the game. Definitely won't go back.
(1)Nicole E.
Gumbo and jambalaya were good, but my partner ordered a turkey burger. The turkey burger stated it had applewood smoked bacon on it. The bacon was not as advertised, the patty tasted freezer burner and was not well seasoned. The creole foods is pretty good, but the ingredients used are not very fresh.
(3)Leonard W.
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.
(4)Zakiya P.
We came here for lunch on a Saturday. The staff were extremely friendly and attentive. We ordered the calamari. It was okay. I've had worse but I've definitely had better as well. It was cooked to perfection but the calamari itself needed a bit more seasoning and the dipping sauce was bland. We ordered the shrimp and grits along with the shrimp, chicken, and sausage jambalaya. The grits were cooked perfectly. Although there were a lot of peppers and onions that could probably have been omitted from the dish. I only tried a few bites of the jambalaya because they initially brought me the wrong dish. The staff immediately rectified the situation but by then we were ready to go. The chicken and sausage gumbo was quite good. I would definitely order again. Overall the food was a little mediocre. The staff were nice and the restaurant was very cozy. They also had a nice outdoor patio area. I would not come here again.
(2)Trina J.
I will start off by saying I am a Louisiana native. That said, I was somewhat uninterested and reluctant to give this place a try. But in the relationship world there is compromise so after several failed attempts I finally agreed to check this place out. 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 good. The soup 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. My diet coke was terrible but she replaced the original with a glass from the other tap and it was better but far from what is should taste like. I drank it anyway because I could not bring myself to ask her to get anything else. Including a glass of water.
(3)Nektaria R.
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.
(3)Rob W.
Wow, reviews all over the board on this place. I guess I'm a lucky one because overall my experience was really good. Pretty decent selection of beers. I went there to eat though - looking at the menu I eyed the jambalaya, which is noted on their sign out front of the restaurant. Ordered it along with a cup of seafood gumbo, which added $2 to the $16.25 or so entrée. The soup tasted great, though it could have been a tad hotter temperature wise. The jambalaya was really good - I got the version that included shrimp w/o the tails which is exactly what I wanted - less mess. Great flavor and a pretty large portion. Another positive part of the visit, was the bartender who served me, Diane. Really pleasant and kept me "well stocked" with food and drink. Places that have good food are a dime a dozen nowadays, it's the staff that can make or break a place. A definite edge with her behind the bar.
(4)Suzanne Z.
Cute bar with a small outdoor patio. Has a lot of Cajun flair including tons of Mardi Gras decorations. I appreciate they seem to be Sox supporters too. The bar has a fair craft beer selection, seeming to favor Abita brand with lots of those selections on draft. The menu is extensive, with all sorts of Cajun food options, most which I was not familiar with, but they also have some American bar standards like sandwiches/burgers. My guy got the Cajun Combo- Rice/beans and Jumbalaya. The portion was huge, and both had good flavors and heat. I ordered the remoulade salad with shrimp. I requested it to be served on romaine, as Iceberg is the worst, but a lot of the lettuce was a little white, and I wasn't totally convinced it was all romaine. The shrimp were large, plentiful and deveined. The dressing was creamy and a little sweet, which I liked. I love salad with a hard-boiled egg in it, but these were wayyyyyyy over done, with a solid border of grey aroudn the yolk. I tried a quarter of it, and it tasted funny. I was worried it was an old egg so I stopped eating it there. My stomach did feel a little icky for a while after that, too, so I'm glad I stopped early. The salad was OK, but definitely not amazing. I might try this place one more time, but it'll have to be on someone else's suggestion. I wouldn't think of going here on my own, it wasn't super memorable.
(3)Rosie D.
I really like this place. They kinda look like an Irish pub (like most of the bars in forest park) but once you see the menu you'll see they specialize in southern cuisine. Specifically Louisiana fare. So think crawfish, gumbo, red beans and rice, po'boys, shrimp and grits, etc. The drinks are the same. On Fridays they have $5 hurricanes. Basically a run punch but damn is it good! They have a very small patio out front that can get full at times. Especially on Saturdays. Went last week and got the jumbo jerk wings. Baby......they were slap your Auntie good! But they are definitely jumbo so bring an appetite or a friend if you go for these. I've had a few other things off the menu too. They have great gumbo, I love the red beans and rice and their catfish is decent too. And the best part is it's so reasonably priced. You can for sure get a good down home meal and a knock out drink for the low low. But the tip here is go on Fridays and holla at those $5 hurricanes. You won't be sorry.
(4)Tom W.
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
(4)Dominique S.
Came here on a beautiful day where i sat outside on their patio and ate. Had the watermelon mojitos, the bowl of gumbo, the bayou platter which game with etoufee, jambalaya and I substituted the last dish for red beans and rice. The drinks here were amazing and if it wasn't a Sunday I could have had a few more rounds. The Gumbo needed some more seasoning and unfortunately was bland. Thr best dish on my entree was thr red beans and rice which I thought was extremely good. The other dishes which were the etoufee and jambalaya both tasted the same and I added alot of hot sauce to give it some additional flavor that it was lacking. I was really hoping this place was going to be amazing because I love cajun/creole food, but unfortunately it was pretty bad. The two stars are for the outdoor patio seating and the great cocktails. I would try it again but would need them to first modify their recipes to get that true new Orleans taste in their food.
(2)Ramone B.
Shanahans intrigued me from the moment I learned of this place. I thought it was kinda strange that an Irish pub served Cajun food, but not strange in a bad way. I'm trisexual when it comes to trying new things. I will always try something once. Except like heroin. Lol I don't EVER want to know what that feels like. (way off subject! #Next) Anywho I liked the interior of the pub. Very cool laid back vibe. Our waitress was pretty cool also. I placed my order for a catfish dinner. My waitress told me the daily soups and she mentioned a creamy avocado soup. This intrigued the hell outta me, and I wanted that ish! Lemme tell you it was pretty Freaking awesome. I would stick my fork into any B*tches forehead who dared try and take my soup away lol!! You know my greedy ass tried my boyfriends food as well. He ordered a gumbo that was nothing short of spectacular! Just the right level of spice! I couldn't wait for my catfish to arrive. My catfish came with dirty rice. I hadn't had dirty rice in years! My Aunt from Baton Rouge needs a masters degree in Cajun cooking honey cuz that B*tch can throw down.(Auntie if you see this B*tch is a term of endearment coming from me) So I had high standards for that rice........ My dinner arrived, and I have to say I was kinda let down by the portions. My catfish dinner was expensive for what I got. One piece of fish and dirty rice. #DoBetter that meal shouldn't be $17 dollars. Hello catfish is a bottom feeder. One of the cheapest fish Out there. This markup is ridiculous. Dinner Verdict- my catfish fish- Bland. My dirty rice- Bland. A double whammy. The person cooking really needs to study Cajun food closely because Shanahans has potential. I challenge Shanahans to kick the spices up a notch. I see other yelpers have said the same. It's creole food so its expected to have some heat! I wouldn't have minded paying so much for my food had it tasted better. I was so disappointed. I really wanted to like this place. I'm going to try to give this place another shot. Maybe it was an off night. to be contined........ Wait!!!! I almost forgot we ordered blackened chicken wings. They were absolutely horrendous. Not even kidding. It was like someone just poured a container of powdered seasoning on top of grilled wings. They were NOT good. Okay now I'm done.
(2)Sharon R.
My heart always beats faster when I even think of this establishment. Is it because this is where the old ball and chain took me on our first date 16 years ago? A little maybe. But the Real reason my pulse quicken's at the mere mention of this restaurant is because I have sampled every single dish on the menu at least two or three times and still am a smitten kitten. Many restaurants have decent bars but this is a bar that is magnificent they can stand on its own merit but this is more a restaurant in an amazing bar that also too stands on its own merit. Now the facts; this is a snazzy all wood dark Irish pub that sells the most delicious authentic creole/Cajun food in the Chicagoland area. It is one of the few places where every bite is delectable. The drinks are strong and delish. In the summer there is nothing better than sitting on the front outdoor patio sipping a cocktail and people watching. The cast of characters is amazing because right next-door is a very busy military store that advertises gas masks, so you can only imagine the type of clientele that walks in there. Back to the food; the jambalaya , the red beans and rice and shrimp Po boys are to die for. The seafood fondue is my absolute favorite. It is shrimps, scallops, and lobster in a light creamy sauce that is so good that I'd lick the bowl if I wasn't sitting outside where everyone can see me. But if it's cold and you're sitting in the dark bar I definitely recommend you lick that plate. We always finish our food with a shared piece of Key West lime pie. To die for. Hands down my fave restaurant in the whole universe.
(5)Matt M.
Another great Forest Park place to get something delicious to eat in true FP fashion. The booth by the window was awesome and perfectly time for winterfest. We had a great dinner, affordable, friendly, and fun. I really like this place and will be back for sure. The only down side is it really isn't as spicy as I hoped - but we will see what they stir up next time I come in.
(4)Donald a.
Darn decent food of the Cajun variety. My wife had the shrimp and crawfish Po boy while I had the crawfish boil. She loved hers and I was in the zone. Sucking the heads and tails out of over 2 pounds of crawfish created a zombie like state in me and it felt like I was down in Nawlns. There's plenty of options for non-Creole food in fact my daughter had a cheeseburger the tasted like a nice classic bowling alley cheeseburger from the 1970s - a crispy bun nice grill on the beef. I would get that as well myself except I love Cajun food and I am unlikely to deviate from there unless it's to steal a bike from my wife or daughter. Her poor boy I think was 11 bucks and it came with fries and slaw. My crawfish boil was 26 bucks and came with two perfectly cooked large new potatoes and a chunk of mushy corn on the cob but that's to be expected in a shrimp, crawfish or crab boil. I also got a salad which was perfectly simple with a nice creel vinaigrette on the side. The drinks are not overpriced my wife got an 8$ Hurricane and I got a vodka tonic - they were both perfectly fine. We got great service from our server Kate and other servers also asked us if we were okay multiple times we never wanted for anything. They were mildly busy it was around 7 o'clock on a Saturday night. I know they put the sound on for Blackhawks games. I also know that have a great selection of beer and they're not overcharging for anything across the bar like some of places do in Forest Park. This is also not a meat market kind of place. The staff and the patrons are diverse they have nice outdoor seating right on Madison.
(4)Carol M.
Having lived in New Orleans for 5 years or so I know what good Cajun/Creole cooking should taste like. this is the description of this entree: Three From the Bayou $18.00 Creole tasting of shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and chicken andouille sausage jambalaya. it was all jumbled together and all looked the same basically....Etouffee is a delicate shrimpy tasting sauce that tends toward being a tad thick even. What I think may have been etouffee tasted totally of green pepper and tomato and was watery. ( The shrimp taste comes from using shells and heads for stock.) There was some andouille and chicken strewn over the whole thing. I was especially disappointed for that price. Redeeming quality, the seafood gumbo was very good, it had the right amount of seafood and that wonderful fishy goodness that comes from a perfect roux and stock.
(2)Matt R.
Great drinks. And good food if you want the blandest meal you've ever had! I've been here twice and I haven't had any flavor in my food. Which is really disappointing for a cajon place. Don't waste your time at this place especially with axcan across the street. What a dive! Should be shut down!
(1)Carl D.
I went there last night with a couple of friends. The food was terrific! Great "Creole" cooking. I had the gumbo and and also the shrimp,chicken,andouille jambalya for $16.50..well worth it! One of my friends had the "voodoo" pork chops which were also very tasty. They have a decent selection of beers/ales to wash down your food. Our waitress was friendly and very attentive. Located in the heart of the Madison street strip of pubs and restaurants. I would highly recommend this place! I know I will go back
(4)Anthony R.
really good! Owners are really nice too!
(5)Jackie E. G.
I've passed by this place before but never had a chance to eat here until last night. I thought the food was really delicious and the waitstaff very attentive. I had the jambalaya and the portion size was huge with lots of flavor. By the time dessert came around, I was stuffed and only managed a few bites of pecan pie and bread pudding but both were delightful. I will definitely be back...good food and good atmosphere...who can beat it!
(5)Grace N.
My favorite meal of the week is brunch, and I am really starting to love Shanahan's brunch. They have a great, flavorful brunch menu - Voodoo Skillet? Yes please, with tons of spicy, creamy flavor. Great benedicts and crispy potatoes, and they're willing to let me swap some of the ingredients around. And drumroll please....great bloody marys that come in a tall glass with a pickled green bean (don't knock it 'til you crunch it). I even asked for a beer back and they were very accommodating. This brings me to the service. We have always had wonderful service here, and this is even when we bring our 7 month old. Add outdoor seating to the mix, and we have the ingredients for a perfect, leisurely, weekend afternoon.
(4)Jean K.
Forest Park! Had no idea you were hiding such great places! Stumbled across Shanahan's after a trip to the Brown Car - another Yelper treasure! Absolutely love New Orleans style fare...so we knew we'd be back! That op came that following Sunday, looking for a place open for brunch. Chose to sit outside, gorgeous day out...and started with two Bloody Marys. Usually not a fan, generally much too thick for my liking! these were a perfect blend with some great veggies - chilled green bean?! Loved it! Was starving, so we also ordered up some Gumbo. Husband had the sausage, while I tried the seafood - love my seafood! Both were Great! Although, was loving the seafood a little more..was thicker, and not overpowering with taste. A few dashes of hot sauce, and it was perfect! Main course, my hubby had to try out their voodoo skillet - of course! And I tried their spinach and mushroom crepes. Both were as delicious as they sounded!! In fact, we brought food home because we were super stuffed...and ended up digging in after getting back home! Was that good! Staff was super friendly and attentive. My only regret? We never did get dessert! Have been to New Orleans many occasions, and have never eaten here. Found a new favorite! Very happy there's one close to home!
(4)Danyell P.
Food was ok the service was disappointing though. Ordered take out and saw the food come out and it wasn't busy. The bartender did not even bring food he was too busy talking. Had to ask waitress about food the bartender brought the food and the check and then he walked away was ready to pay finally had to bring him the check so I could leave. Will never go back again. I'll stick to Dixie kitchen their food and service is better.
(1)Amanda G.
I love the fact that Madison Street in Forest Park has been receiving a facelift the past few years. Upscale bars/restaurants, boutiques, etc...have surfaced. As for Shanahan's: a-ok. This bar is "old school" compared to other businesses in the area. I still don't understand how Cajun food is served in an Irish Pub. The mish-mash of the two are slightly confusing. There are several beer choices; but stay away from the wine, has the makings of a post-morning sugar headache. The bartenders were fine, but difficult to flag down at times. This place is fine to visit, but I think I would visit some of the other places on the strip first.
(3)Michelle S.
Extremely disappointed. The lobster ponchotrain sauce was good but the shrimp, lobster, scallops, and crawfish were scarce. The dinner salad was on a dessert plate and the dressing was so watery I thought it was ranch and not bleu cheese. $100. for three people and a special birthday dinner it was really not worth it. The waitress didn't come out of the back for about ten minutes actually no one but the people at the bar even knew we existed. The waitress was not attentive and was more interested in the people at the bar and the game. Definitely won't go back.
(1)Ronny M.
When I go to Shanahan's I have to, have to have at least a cup of their Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo. I love it! I went once wanting a bowl and I think I ended up eating four bowls. It was that good, and hitting the spot that day. I haven't been in a while, but I don't think their bowls are all that big either. There is a bar with tvs so you can totally come in to watch a game. Their menu isn't exactly typical bar food. It's bar food with a bit of a seafood, cajun dusting to it. Looking for more of a meal time and not game time? There's tables and booths too. Come on in and enjoy your friends. On your way in our out, there is a chocolate store attached. Go in! They get me every time. Nicely done, and interesting chocolate treats. Grab a bag for yourself, loved one, or is you forgot a birthday gift for someone. When I'm craving some seafood, cajun spice, comfort food, this is one of the places I go.
(4)Heather H.
The cajun food was disappointing. My husband's shrimp po' boy wasn't very good, and I can make better red beans and rice that what I was served. I'm still giving the place 3 stars (1) in the hopes that their burgers will be good; (2) they had some good beers on tap that were quite cheap; and (3) it had a good atmosphere and several TVs for watching sports.
(3)LaToya A.
I'll start with the positive - The drinks were good. They were New Orleans themed and blended well. Watch out for the berry mojito because this delicious number will sneak up on you if you have the right amount. The first time that I went, I had the shrimp creole dish. It was delicious. It was flavored well and wasn't too salty. On to the negative- The second time that I went I decided to try something different for a food options. I tried the calamari as an appetizer. I've never had calamari so bland before. It didn't even taste like it was fried at all, but lightly dusted (very lightly) with a seasoning and served. It was quite chewy and lacked any sort of flavor or taste. I was also disappointed because their website mentioned a fish fry and other items that they didn't actually have. The response was that the website has been outdated for months. I don't think that's a good excuse because someone should have updated the site before months passed. So I ended up getting the cajun combination which was a blend of jambalaya and red beans and rice. Again, it was bland and didn't taste that good. I'm not sure if my bad experience the second time was due to a new chef in the kitchen or what, but I haven't been back since October. I guess that bland food left a bad taste in my mouth after all.
(3)Charnetta B.
Let me preface by saying....I'm from New Orleans and I know good cajun/new orleans cuisine. I recently stumpled into this place while walking around forest park. I love the ambiance of the place. The drink selection reminds me of home so much! Abita Beer, Daiquris, Hurricanes!!! I ordered the Seafood Gumbo, since that's always my test item for New Orleans cuisine. The gumbo was actually really good, I was very impressed. I would definitely recommend going back! I look forward to trying more items on their menu.
(5)Lucy L.
Wonderful !!!! Service was the best ! Food was Great ..... ( in my Tony the Tiger voice ) A+ ! Best Valentine Special ever !!!!
(5)Brian F.
There's something kind of cute about a Irish Pub that sports Cajun food. I've tried the place a half a dozen times, being a fan of Cajun, in the hopes of finding something good. Unfortunately, after the last time, I've given up. I cannot recommend the food here or the pub at all. If you enjoy seafood gumbo that has little seasoning and no actual pieces of seafood in it then this is the place for you. I mentioned the lack of actual seafood to my waiter and he said "that is how it is". If you are craving for a Crawfish Ettouffe or Jambalaya which requires a bottle of hot sauce to give it any flavor at all then stop here. If you want to frequent a place where the service is poor, noone greets you when you enter, and noone seems to care when you leave then by all means don't waste your time elsewhere. Yep, I'm done with this place.
(1)Christopher K.
Saturday night my parents and I were watching some TV (Duck Dynasty none the less) and they were eating some homemade Cajun food. It hit me - I hadn't had Cajun food in forever. Maybe not really since the old Cajun Kitchen used to be in the Schaumburg area, and my parents haven't really had Cajun since their last trip to New Orleans. So at 7:30 at night we hopped in the car and headed on down and over to Forest Park, an area that I have not frequented often, if ever. Nice little strip of a TON of Irish bars, tiny restaurants, and shops. From the outside, Shanahans left me wondering if I was going to get anything more than bar food inside - its just a quaint little bar. The outside deceives. The inside sets the perfect atmosphere for a group going to grab a late bite (or an early bite) of some of the best food I have ever gotten in or out of a bar. Bar in the front, booths and tables in the back. Perfect lighting and setting. So on to the food... There are some other reviews on here from whining people - complaining about this or that. They are wrong. They are just wrong. Not only was the food flavorful and spicy, but it was INCREDIBLE! I am someone who loves spice and depth of flavor (I have the palette of a snob I am told), and everything I ate was fantastic. And the food left me super full (huge portions), but feeling great! We went all out. Who knows when we will get back to Forest Park. We ordered the Artichoke Fritters which were delicious in a shallot lemon sauce, served over dirty rice. The seafood gumbo was incredibly flavorful - and mine was full of crawfish. Delish! I ordered the Three from the Bayou which had a very generous serving of Creole Shrimp (had probably 10 HUGE shrimp), a huge serving of Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, and a large portion of Crawfish Etouffee. The food was a 10, but what clinched the entire evening for me was the service! Our waitress was the perfect combination of attentive, kind, and personable, while also giving us plenty of space and time to enjoy each others company and the conversation. In the end, all I can say, is I have not had this good of an experience in a new restaurant in a very long time. I will be coming back to Shanahan's, and telling everyone about it!
(5)Armando K.
I love cajun food and I really like Shanahans. I've been to New Orleans many times and I cannot get enough of the food there, the funny thing is I've never eaten at Shanahans in New Orleans, but I was lucky enough to find this location thanks to yelp. I have eaten here several times, their gumbo is delicious and I really enjoy their breakfast. Especially the voodoo skillet and the eggs sardou. They have lots of seating inside and in the summer they have a nice area sectioned off for outdoor dining. They also make an excellent bloody mary.
(4)M W.
I should have known when we were the only ones eating there that i had made a mistake. While the decor's not bad-lots of old timey photos on the walls. The service was AWFUL. Seeing as we were the only people she waited on, that's a little ridiculous. Our waitress was more interested in the game on the tv than us. She was literally faced away from us the entire time, so when she got my order wrong my boyfriend had to actually WALK UP to her to tell her. Very aggravating. The bacon cheeseburger I ordered was eh. I've had much better burgers at other places on Madison, like Duckfat. The bacon wasn't crispy and was kinda undercooked, which is definitely not the way I like my bacon. The fries were decent, though. Definitely wasn't a burger worth $8.50. Probably won't return.
(2)Angus W.
Stopped here today for a quick lunch. Lisa and I both had Gumbo, mine was the Chicken/Andouille and she had the Seafood. I tried hers and it was delicious, mine was probably the second best gumbo that I have had in the Chicago area. Lisa also had the Bayou Blackened Shrimp and Scallops (appetizer but with the Gumbo... plenty for lunch) She really enjoyed it. I had a bowl of their chili, it was tasty but had a sweetness (BBQ sauce?) to it that I can't make up my mind about. I brought some of it home and will have it over rice for lunch tomorrow. I asked for hot sauce and the server brought out two types of Tabasco, Cholula (very tasty, but not hot enough for me..) and a Habanero Sauce that they apparently make (or have made?). I used the Habanero, it's a pretty weak one, it's thick and I used a lot, but it wasn't too vinegary and you could taste the pepper in the sauce. I wish that they offered a half portion of their Jambalaya, I would have liked to try it. But I'll head back some day and give that a shot... and maybe something with some VooDoo sauce...
(3)Kathleen C.
We love Shanahan's, it's always a winner! This weekend was Lobster Fest, though the menu changes up with specials regularly. Drinks have specials also, my husband had an Oktoberfest beer imported from Germany that neither of us had heard of that was really good. Their Key lime pie is made on premise, it's very good, garnished with fresh whipped cream. From Cajun creole to burgers it's a fit for any crave!!
(4)Mike S.
I like the place a lot. Great food and nice atmosphere. It's comfortable place!
(4)Melanie H.
If you want some good creole in the chicago suburbs this is your place! Chicken gumbo is amazing! I happened to get a tuna sandwich as well and that was also quite tastey.To top it off they own a little chocolate shop too! Soooo be sure to stop in there for some truffles and delicious goodies!
(5)Inbalsp S.
Stoppef in for an early dinner on Sunday with my Mom. Didn't have any expectations coming in, and were very pleased with the high quality food and generous portions (I'm currently finishing my leftovers for lunch). My pecan catfish was absolutely delicious, and my mother was raving about the creole shrimp (couldn't try as I'm allergice). We went all out and ordered dessert, which we don't usually do, since neither of us could say no to bread pudding. The bread pudding is moist, drenched in whisky, and sprinkled with dried fruit - yum! Overall it was a great meal and we will return!
(4)Jeff S.
We had seen a previous picture which had Green awnings- so when we were kinda looking for it yesterday, we couldn't find it. Black awnings now, so we actually looked up the address. Good food! We both went with the lobster ponchatrain- lobster scallops and shrimp with fettucini, in a lemony alfredo sauce. Some kick to it! It comes with soup or salad, and I had the Pepper Pot soup. Very peppery with lots of sausage in there. A new taste I quite enjoyed. We're not drinkers, so I was happy when the waitress brought over a carafe of water, it's just so much easier then going for refill after refill. Great Irish pub feel, dark wood, outdoor seating as it was late spring. Cajun/Creole is so hard to find, and this place is a gem. You'll enjoy your vist, sho' nuff.
(4)Michael M.
Shanahan's knows hospitality. I've been there on multiple occasions and have always been greeted warmly and treated very well by the staff. I was there the other night, and enjoyed their whiskey flight and seafood plate. The atmosphere is very comfortable - just what you'd want in a neighborhood bar, with lots of local character. I've always had a good time, and will definitely be going back!
(5)Andy S.
I write this review as my stomach continues to gurgle and my orifices spew with violet merciless anger. My sweetheart and I went there for lunch today for the first time. As you walk in the atmosphere is nice with dark wood trim and a good looking bar on the right with...hold on I have to go to the bathroom. Ugh..I'm back. So where was I? Oh yeah, we walk in and the place was well designed. People were at the bar and a family was eating in the back. We grabbed a booth and were immediately approached by the waitress who greeted us and brought menus (stomach gurgling). Got some drinks and we ordered our lunch. The wait was reasonable as we started with our garlic stuffed mushroom cheese appetizer. It was OK nothing to rave about. (stomach gurgling). Then I had a Garlic Creaser Salad with salmon. The potions were good and the salad looked great a lil overdressed but I know that's just me. We had a nice lunch, finished and continued home. Now I'm at home and my stomach is possessed by the devil and sounds of the undead moaning and bubbling. I feel horrible and this is immediately after we came from Shanahan's. Hold on I have to go to my throne room. Ugh. If you don't get the idea that I'm not retuning to this place. Then I dunno know what to tell ya.
(1)D S D.
For the good part, the hurricane was delicious so I expect that the drinks are good. The food on the other hand needs to be improved. I ordered a shrimp po-boy which needed more flavor. We had the baby back ribs and it tasted like it was re-heated and which I could not enjoy after one bite.
(2)Scott P.
I used to live within walking distance and visited Shanahan's on a regular basis after they opened. The food was great. After a 10 year or so absence, I've been back a few times over the past 6 months, and I must say the food has gone downhill. I've had crawfish etouffe, jambalaya, and red beans and rice, and everything tastes the same, with some weird, smokey flavor overpowering whatever is on the plate. Even the appetizer we had recently (blackened shrimp/scallops in a creamy spinach sauce) had that taste to it.
(1)Kimberly W.
I did want to wait to write this review until AFTER we'd sampled entrees. Unfortunately, we've discussed it and we just don't want to try the entrees. Sorry, Shanahan's. It's too expensive to gamble on it. Allow me to explain. We've stopped in twice for drinks and appetizers. First experience: It was hot and they had a sign out front promoting their own lemonade to the sidewalk shoppers. I wanted one. With vodka in it. Easy? Give me your cold to-go lemonade, add a shot of vodka, and charge me for both. Instead I got one of those shorty cocktail glasses that you get the rum-and-coke well drinks in. It was 'spensive. We also ordered the artichoke fritters. They were delicious. And tiny. A teenytiny delicious appetizer for $8. Awwwwww what a waste. (Side note: Really nice server.) Second experience: On this hot-ass day, we thought we needed some afternoon refreshments and tried again. The drinks were better; some kind of Southern-style Long Island Iced Tea and a beer--hard to go wrong. We thought we'd order an appetizer and see if we wanted to venture further into the menu, but when the appetizer came... wah wah wah wahhhhhh... It was the seafood fondue. It needed seasoning on most levels: the spinach on the bottom (which is a GREAT idea because it adds bulk to the plate), the seafood, and the brothy sauce that surrounded it. Cool idea, executed poorly. If I'd made it at home, I would have made a million notes on how to make it better next time. They should do the same. (Side note: Another nice server!) We thought about getting an entree but weren't convinced we'd get our money's worth. Darn. Some of the stuff looked yummy. But so did the fondue!
(2)Laura N.
Creole food in an Irish pub? Sold! The inside is nice, not anything special, nor dive-like. Standard dark wood, nice. It's the food and the server's acerbic wit that are the source of your dining enjoyment. Plus, in May 2011 they have a Crawfish Fest and it should be advertised as BYOB - bring your own bib. I had a glass of white wine, pinot grigio. It was decent, worth the $7. I enjoyed a cup of soup (which came with my entree), the Louisiana Crab & Crawfish Gumbo. Yum, yum, yum. I sampled one of my friend's appetizers, the Artichoke Fritters - tasty but fried, very fried. Not doughy or soft on the outside. Be prepared for that. Good but you'll be tasting the fried part, that's for sure. For my entree I had the Shrimp Creole - very tasty but the tomato base was more pasty in texture (like tomato paste) than sauce-like. Good but I wasn't expecting that part. The other two out of the four of us had: Chicken & Andouille Sausage Gumbo (Soup) - the vote was for more! 1) Entree was the Three From the Bayou: a tasting of Shrimp Creole, Chicken & Andouille Sausage Jambalaya, and Crawfish Etoufee. Delicious! 2) House Salad - Standard Entree was the special (Pork Chops w/Crawfish Etoufee and Dirty Rice) - two giant pork chops = doggy bag or a night curled up in fetal position. Two man enter one man leaves? He said it was very good, but took one of the chops home for leftovers. A wise decision. This is a place to go to if you are in the area or close enough to drive there. Or if you are craving Creole food with whiskey. The combo is amusing. I'll be back.
(4)Jesse K.
Oh Shanahan's, how far you have fallen! The last time we raved about the the Turtle Soup, now we wish we didn't order it again. It was sour-lemon-tasting this time, and had a terrible mushy texture. Even the added sherry didn't perk it up. This recipe was nothing like what we had before. It seemed as if they just switched to a canned version. My buffalo chicken sandwich was small, expensive, and dry. The seasoned fries were delicious. Our waitress. a large and surly woman, was abrupt to the point of rude, and gave me a nasty glare when I asked for the change from our paid bill. (No way was I giving her a 25% tip, what was she thinking?!) We don't feel any reason to go back here again. Disappointing.
(2)Christina R.
Best jambalaya ever. And I'm a fan of any place that has cider on tap. Beyond that, I've had some really good food (e.g. Garlic Fest) and some really bad food (I wanted to like pecan catfish, but I don't.) The sidewalk seating is a great place to people watch in the summer, albeit there's a lot of street noise. The service is usually decent, but I find the menu is risky. The specials are usually good, but other than those, I stick with the jambalaya. Have I mentioned they have really good jambalaya?
(4)Kelly S.
Another review that will require another visit to make a full assessment of the place. It's Mardi Gras. This is an Irish bar with a cajun/creole menu. Go figure? They have just about every kind of Abita. +1 Star Mardi Gras beads and hurricanes +1 Star An overly overwhelmed staff who only accommodated seating 1 table of 2 people in 45 minutes -1 Star (I know it was Mardi Gras, but they knew they were going to be slammed.) Meeting a random fellow Loyola New Orleans Alumn +1 Star We left after waiting for a table for an hour. -1 Star I had this review at 3 stars. I had to +1 star for the second line parade that came out of the bar and marched down the street as we were sitting in the restaurant down the way.
(4)Jake B.
I've been here for brunch twice with my fiancee. Meh. The brunch menu needs a lot of work. There are a few items that sound good but those that I've tried were poorly executed. I am sad to count the Bloody Mary among those losses. The first time we went I had a "skillet". This was actually a scramble with a side of potatoes. Their breakfast potatoes were a mess. They were way overcooked and under-seasoned. The scramble was inoffensive and ultimately forgettable. The second time we went I had the ham and cheese crepes. I guess my expectations were a little too high because what I was served was half of what I thought I was getting for the price. The plate presented to me was large and noticeably bare. The crepes took up less than half of the space and there was nothing but two orange slices to fill the emptiness. What they did give me wasn't bad but, once again, my brunch was ultimately forgettable. As a bar the place makes more sense. Their selection of bottled beers includes many by Abita Brewing out of Louisiana. The Jockomo IPA is quite nice. They also have lots of blended drinks for the Parrotheads and sorority girls to enjoy. All in all, I don't hate this place. The only reason I will be returning, however, is that it is within walking distance of my place and the beer list is fairly unique. I doubt I will ever eat here again.
(2)Bridgette K.
Horrible with accomidating people especially on st. Pattys day cmon. The wentch of a waitress horrible, seemed as if she didn't want to work. I like my fries and bacon cooked well wtf. She litterly told me to sit on it. How can you say that to a paying customer who's gonna give you a tip. Tip this BITcH seriously sorry if its degrading but quit acting like a BiTCH. Will I come back NO NEVER. You can SIT ON THIS! Oh my god then they ran out of table bread. You knew you were gonna be busy its ST. Patricks Day and its Madison ST. It gets better the chair they were having customers sit on were broke. Are they looking for lawsuits? We told their Hostess for the night he just laughed. Oh wow you ignorant DOUCHE are you serious? You don't care about your place of employment or customers shows were your brains are at. Good luck
(1)Katrina H.
All I can say, Lovely! I took my mother and daughter here for an impromtu lunch while we waited for our spa appointments and the staff was fantastic and well attentive. The price for the food was great. and coming from a louisiana family, My mother approves their red beans and rice dish. I will certainly return for an alfresco dining experience here.
(4)David Y.
I've been here several times and have always liked it, mostly cuz I really love cajun food. But last night I was ready to walk out of there. After we were seated (a lone table next to the kitchen), we waited for 10 minutes for our waitress to come by. We ordered drinks and then she never came back, ever!!! After waiting another 15 minutes, we flagged down a waiter named Ryan who got our drinks, dinner orders and generally made this dining experienced less than horrid. I had their gumbo and for some reason, they put in a tremendously large amount of garlic. There was no taste but garlic. There was no smell but garlic. I still smell garlic on my breath 24 hours later and 3 toothbrushings after. It was an awful cup of soup. My entree was Louisana Beans and Rice, which was decent. The service was mixed. The one blonde waitress really, really needs to get fired but everyone else was great. I'll probably stop going here as I've been soured by hate.
(1)Timothy D.
Food is good and really the only place to get creole food in the area. They have a lot of creative burgers and po-boys and the fries are amazing! Chicken and Andouille sausage gumbo is excellent. Only down side, the service is usually pretty shitty. The waitresses are usually slow, forgetful and generally seems pissed off that you are there...never understood that when you are working for tips. Main dishes are pretty pricey but generally big enough to split between two people...unless your date is a deuce and a half.
(4)Sonja T.
Been here twice, once for dinner and once for lunch. Both times good service. Food sounded better on the menu than what I actually received (lack of flavor). Good not great. With so many more places to try, I probably won't be back unless only to drink and maybe try an appetizer.
(3)Brian S.
Love this place. It has great food, good beer and friendly staff. I don't eat seafood much, but my friends who do really like it here. I also really love the 99 spice chicken.
(4)Victoria h.
My husband and I had an early dinner there. I had their burger and bread pudding, my husband had their ruben. The burger was bland and nothing but a piece of meat. The bread pudding was very tightly baked and, again, nothing special. My husband's ruben had very little sourcrout (sp?) and, again, nothing special. They did have Blue Moon on tap, and that always deserves an extra star. Also, to be fair, we didn't try any of their cajun specialties. Maybe if we did, the rating would be higher. They have outdoor seating and a nice bar inside. The servers are fast and nice.
(3)Tanya S.
I like this place. It's strange mixing Irish/ American/ and Cajun into one, but I do like they have the diversity on the menu and drinks. It seems to be a New Orleans bar which is nice because sometimes you just need to get away and have a hurricane! Food was good too. Nothing to complain about. Oh, and in summer they had outdoor seating so BONUS!!!
(4)Bobby D.
The last time I was here, Things weren't quite as good. However, The Oysters on the half shell were pretty good. But the Gumbo the last time somehow wasn't as good, Maybe it was just the last of the fixings, Since it was close to closing time. But my friend ordered a Po Boy & The one sandwich slice had practically close to raw or undercooked steak. It seemed like the chef was sleeping at the wheel at that time.
(3)Brigid S.
Please do not go to Shanahan's your Heath depends on it. I have been a fan for years . On 12-2-11 I went with my Parents, Husband & Sister. They were crowded (forest park had a Christmas special event). We ordered up the soup was good and all if us had sandwiches. My Mom had the Ruben the sandwich did not look right. The meat was brown not the signature Ruben pink. She took a few bites and did not like it. My Dad took one bit and spit it out. My Mom wanted to let the server know the sandwich was not good. All of the other plates were removed the smell of ROTEN neat was overwhelming it made me gag and I had too leave the Restaurant. The table next to us could even smell the horrible smell and said something. When my father called later to let the owner know he was so rude. He told my dad he asked the staff to keep the sandwich and he heated it up the next day and it was fine. Not only was the food bad but the Jerk owner is out of his mind cuz no one would had eaten the sandwich. The complaint the next day was only to make the owner aware the food was bad. We did not want anything since never ever will I or my family risk going to Shanahan's again. Zero . Zero stars dine at your own risk
(1)Pam F.
If you want to pay $6.75 for a mediocre bowl of chili, then by all means stop in. If you want to be charged for a beer you didn't have, then by all means stop in. If you want an argumentative bartender, then by all means stop in. Go in on a festive Saturday and you will experience depression as the music was on so soft you couldn't hear it and the volume on all the TVs was off. BORING! I am through with Shanahan's and their overpriced food.
(1)Jane H.
5 stars for their desserts! Their homemade key lime pie is the best I've ever had. Perfectly creamy with the jazzy, snazzy taste of key limes. Crumbly graham cracker crust. I specially ordered a whole one to bring on a PLANE to San Francisco to my family for Thanksgiving. (The airport screeners tried to steal a piece from me. :)) Their pecan pie is also made in house with finely chopped pecans and crumbly crust as well. Doesn't have that gloppy sugary stuff found in subpar pecan pies.
(5)Michael M.
Was in downtown Forest Park, Il. on Monday afternoon. Was a bit hungry so stopped by Shanahan's Irish Bar & Creole Restaurant. The establishment had a large Clover leaf on the door which made this Irish guy feel welcome. Inside the bar it had medium lighting with a wood bar and hard wood floor. It had a Northern Ireland appearance to it. There was Bar seating, booths and tables in the rear. The waitress Robin immediately greeted me and seated me. The establishment was decorated with was Tabassco paintings and endorsed over 30 different hot sauces. I ordered a bowl of Gumbo and a club soda. On Tuesdays the establishment has $3.00 Hamburgers from 11am-10pm for Hamburger Happy Day. Domestic pitchers are $6.00 on that day. From January 21st thru January 23rd is Louisiana Oyster Fest serviving ten different serving typesof Oysters. With my Gumbo I tried the house Shanahans Leprechaun's Fury hot sauce. I love hot spice in my life and this brought it to me. As for beer they have a great selection, Domestics, Hacker PschorrWeisse, Blue Moon, Smithwicks, Guinness, Stella Artois, Negro Modelo and my personal favorite Harp. The Gumbo was excellent and Robin was an outstanding server. For $4.00 I purchased a bottle of Leprechaun Fury to go. As for the price a little on the high side but I think it was well worth it. When in downtown Forest Park try it out. In the warmer months they have great outside seating. This place is a must, try it.
(4)Mark M.
I'm not one to frequent Irish Pubs (too many in college), but I was pleasantly surprised by the great Cajun food. I agree the mix is kind of odd. I much prefer Cajun over corn beef and potatoes.
(3)Erin V.
We went to Shanahan's for lunch. Everyone in my group seemed to like it okay but me. My parents had po' boy sandwiches which they said were really good. I had a burger which was just okay. Kind of mushy. The fries were good, though. I would like to go back and try some of their Creole offerings. Maybe when it gets colder out, though. Or maybe for dinner. Creole food always seems so much more heavy and winter-y to me. The atmosphere of the place could have been better. I guess, though, it's really more of a bar with an extensive menu. Also, towards the end of our meal the bartender turned the volume up on one of the tvs so loud that we could barely hear each other talk. Granted, there were only two other tables in the place but I thought it was really rude.
(2)Cynthia G.
I agree with other posters that the soup is good. Other than that, their food appears to be bland. Also, if you sit in the dining section of the place, be prepared to wait quite some time for the wait staff to take your order and to have to practically tackle the staff to get anything further once your order's brought out. This isn't necessarily the wait staff's fault, they just need more servers back there.
(3)Cindy R.
This is a place you'd never expect - an Irish bar serving cajun food. Personally, I've eaten there several times and their food is just OK. If there's a sports game you want to watch while you eat, they've got TVs, so a lot of the guys here at work do that sometimes.
(3)rob h.
It's true, if you want bland food at prices that are just a little higher than they should be coupled with relatively poor service, this might well be your place... if you are able to wait a good long while to get all of this. (And secretly pay for refills on soda, who does that?) Seriously, I went there with a group of five adults, a three year old and a ten month old for lunch. There was only one other table but it still took the waiter an oddly long time to take our orders, a dangerous game to play with a table with kids as young as mine. Then the oddly long wait for six simple sandwiches. When they came there was nothing wrong with the food, per se, but there was also no evidence that anyone had really bothered to care much about it either. Phoned in food. The fries are nothing to write home about either. I have to say that it is a pet peeve of mine when I am given refill after refill with no notice, written or spoken, that I will be charged for them. They did bring a coloring book and crayons for my three year old during one of the long waits, after we took out the ones we had brought. Perhaps it is different if you order creole for an evening meal... but I am not inspired by this experience to chance going back to find out.
(2)Justin G.
Not bad for what it is. It is on the Madison Bar Strip, and with the name, you'd think it's just a bar. It's more of a sit-down sandwich and cajun food place. It's a little high priced for that, I think on average you'll pay $10 for a sandwich and fries and it might come with soup, but the sandwiches are pretty good and worth a try if you want a good sandwich.
(4)Allison K.
Shananhan's is definitely a hidden secret of Forest Park. Just like other reviewers had said, When you first see the establishment you really do think it's just another Irish Bar on Madison Street. In reality, this place has MANY awesome dishes to offer. Everything from there appetizers, soups, and their "Cajun" main courses are all amazing. My friends and I can't stop eating here, it's always just as great as great of an experience as the first time we ever ate here. Last time I was there they even offered this "cheeseburger soup"....OMG soooo delicious!!! Oh and as always, I always always get the baked clams here.....Ok so I'll stop raving about this place, because it's just making me want to go back now...soooooo please do try out Shannahan's, you will not regret it.
(4)Steve H.
Both kinds of Gumbo were delicious. Got a dual plate to share and was plenty with 2 small bowls of Gumbo for a lunch for 2. Very tasty.
(5)Michael N.
Great place wonderful staff food is is awesome met a forest park newspaper writer that flat out and said this place is great and a go to place will be going back there real soon
(5)Steffani S.
Shanahan's offers such an incredible dining experience. Their menu is unique and peppered with dozens of flavorful creole options. I HIGHLY recommend their brunch. From crawfish crepes to shrimp and grits to breakfast Po Boys, you can never go wrong with anything you pick and you'll only be counting down the days until the next time you can come. When you walk in, ask for Kate. She knows the menu front and back and will make you feel like an old friend who's always belonged here.
(5)Lindsey D.
Well, I have never had Cajun before coming to Shanahan's so I have nothing to compare it to, but I am a fan!! The patio was packed so we decided to sit in the back to the restaurant. There was only one server, so the bartender waited on us. I thought that was a bit odd. She was really nice though, and helpful since I had never had Cajun/Creole before. The sausage gumbo was sooo good! I'll be back for more!
(4)Kristen V.
Tired of Guinness and fratty guys in Blackhawks jerseys, we went into Shanahan's, a Cajun place with a very Hibernian name on a street filled with Irish bars. The place smelled like New Orleans. By that, I mean it smelled like dirty washcloths stuffed in an abandoned beinet shop, surrounded by the abandonment of the federal American government. The burnt plate of grits and shrimp as we walked in the door added to the subtle Louisiana feel, but less like I was at Mardi Gras and more like I was Rust Cohle about to stumble onto a dead body in a swamp. My fiance ordered the catfish platter, and 35 minutes later (which was annoying, as we were two of eight people in the place, come on it's not the Saints were playing) his lukewarm fish piled majestically on a pile of dirty rice, with a side of fries, arrived. My Iberia Grilled Cheese arrived as well. It was advertised as having Tabasco Onions with Andouille sausage...mmmm! It had onions. They were less spicy then a Mild packet at Taco Bell. It had Andouille sausage. Nice and big and juicy and put some more innuendos here. Had the onions been spicy, and just put on the Andouille sausage with no cheese, it would have been delicious. The bread was cheap and fell apart quicker then Bush's promise to the city of New Orleans in 2005. That being said, the appetizer we had was great! Articoke fritters with a Lousiana sauce; perfectly spiced, not too heavy, and nice and HOT! The drink specials were great; $5 hurricanes are crazy. If you're looking for dinner, I'd suggest something else. If you just want snacks and drinks, this place is good.
(2)Maria C.
Came here on a Sunday for their brunch special and was so disappointed!! I was STARVING and love Cajun food so I was super excited to give this place a try. Literally had to wait ONE hour to get my appetizer and then the waitress wanted to bring my food within 5 minutes of serving the appetizer, so annoying!! I asked her if she could wait until I finish the appetizer before bringing my food, big mistake I didn't see her again for another 30 minutes. I could understand if the place was super busy but it wasn't. Food was just ok, the breakfast po'boy was nothing fancy, their mimosas were actually pretty good. Definitely will NOT be returning. I'd hate to see what this place is like when it's actually busy.
(1)John S.
Located in Forest Park on what I refer to as the hidden block of restaurants and bars. We stopped in on Tuesday, which just happens to be $5 burger night. The place was relatively empty and the Hawks game was on. We sat down in the only half-round booth, which is leather, comfortable and actually a little reminiscent of the old, heavy duty booths at the Pump Room (now located at the Wolf's Head Inn). Our waitress was friendly, accommodating and had several excellent suggestions about the menu and drinks. We opted for a pitcher of Louisiana craft-made amber ale, while my daughter ordered apple cider with Myers Dark Rum. The beer was first-rate. Shanahan's has half a dozen $5 burger choices on the menu and we all followed suit, each ordering a specialty burger - and according to everyone they were "excellent". When a place starts emptying out I'm usually offended when they start turning off the lights and putting chairs up on tables while I'm still eating. This particular booth backs up to their back room, so when they closed that room down and turned off the lights we were left bit in the dark. Since the bar is generally dark anyway, it really didn't matter - it was still comfortable. This is an Irish place that specializes in Louisiana Cajun cooking. Even though we didn't sample that portion of the menu we quite enjoyed the atmosphere, the service and our "common American fare". Recommended for couples, families, just about anyone!
(4)Susie C.
My friends and I came here for dinner on a Saturday. It was pretty quiet for a Saturday evening, which we were surprised. We got to choose whereever we wanted to sit. It's kind of like a bar setting where there's TV, bar with stools, and booths on the side. Our waiter was nice. Inside is dimly lit. It was okay. The three of us ordered the chicken/sausage jambalaya. We liked it. We like the spice in the rice. It was pretty tasty. It also came with a side..I had a side of salad (nothing special), and my friend had the shrimp bisque. Her bisque actually had lots of shrimp chunks compared to most shrimp bisque so that is a plus. My husband ordered their shrimp creole. He said it was just okay - wasn't that great. He did like my jambalaya a lot though. He had a side of seafood gumbo soup which he liked. Overall decent dinner.
(3)Margaux D.
I've been a regular at Shanahan's for quite a while now. Their food is always delicious and it's one of those places that always spices things up with a different "-fest". What I mean by that is they have "Lobsterfest," "Crawfishfest," etc... on top of St. Paddy's day celebrations and the like. Now that it's summer, they have outdoor seating on Madison Street. They also have drink specials. Wednesdays (my favorite day for Shanahan's) are Whiskey Wednesdays.
(4)