Chinn’s 34th St Fishery

This place is so much worse than Bob chinn’s crab house in wheeling, although they serve a very similar Manu. The food quality is day and night. The gumbo has a weird taste, clam chowder tastes like canned food, calamari has too much batter, all the other seafoods are salty and not fresh. Definitely not worth the price, will not come back for sure.

Poor service. even worse food, This was our first time here and it will be our last.
Date of visit: Sunday, Feb. 21, 2016, 5:30pm
SERVICE: Our waiter got 6 tables pretty much at once, just after we got sat… he always seemed rushed and somewhat inattentive, trying to juggle it all, while other wait staff (who could have helped) strolled leisurely in their sections. We had to flag him down several times for service and when we did, he seemed like WE were being an imposition to HIM!
FOOD: The mini crab cakes were small discs of mush on shredded head lettuce, looking like something from a 1960’s diner. Not nearly worth the $ 12 they charge for them.
Oysters Rockefeller had a decent taste, however what ever they put on top was NOT a hollandaise sauce… still not sure what it was! But in fairness, it didn’t taste bad at all.
Coconut shrimp for $ 25 came out BURNT. We took it home and decided to throw it into the garbage! As it was a Sunday night, perhaps the fryer grease was dirty from the weekend… I’d be embarrassed to bring it out to a table. We would have sent it back, except we never saw our waiter again until we flagged him down for a check.
My surf n’ turf… this 6 oz filet, while smaller than 6 oz. (more of a medallion!) was cooked perfectly… I cannot say the same for my rocjk lobster tail which was overcooked to the point of a textural nightmare… definitely NOT WORTH THE $ 55 they charged for it.
When «Steve» brought it to our table, I asked for extra lemon for the lobster, and the look I got from him was one also of «Can’t you see I’m busy!!!» as he huffed off to get me a few wedges.
All in all our $ 188 dinner for two (with tip) was an expensive experience we’ll remember… for all the wrong reasons. Terrible service, terrible attitudes, terrible food.
IF YOU WANT A GOOD SEAFOOD EXPERIENCE WITH PROFESSIONAL SERVICE WHERE YOU ARE TRULY VALUED AS A CUSTOMER AND NOT JUST A WALLET, GO ELSEWHERE!
In an extremely competitive industry, there are COUNTLESS other restaurants that will treat you better and provide a MUCH better dining experience.

I always have great service and wonderful food when I come here with my mom. I enjoy the festive atmosphere and the fish tank. The prices are inexpensive for the amount of food! And those ROLLS!!! Wow!

One star because no stars is not an option… I heard great reviews from friends about Chinn’s so when a Groupon became available I jumped at the opportunity. I love seafood and all the food looks so delicious online. I decided to take my family for dinner. I called ahead for preferred seating which pretty much didn’t make a difference we still waited over 30min. After finally being seating I felt rushed to order there was someone walking around looking at tables like the warden at a prison. The garlic bread was extremely salty. I ordered the Shrimp and Pasta the noodles were dry and there was half of a cup of some sort of broth maybe water mixed with small pieces of garlic at the bottom absolutely no flavor. I was very disappointed wasn’t worth the 45 min drive.

Not impressed! Plain no flavor. Kids had fried shrimp & they stated that the shrimp wasn’t good. Shrimp & pasta with Alfredo was my meal. House bread bowl was full of liquid and garlic. Too much garlic

This was our first time at Chinn’s after driving passed it for years. And it will be our last. I’m all about first impressions. Tonight’s first impression failed miserably and the quality of the food didn’t even matter. I called the day before to ask about reservations. The girl stated they took pre-​seating names which meant if we got on the list we wouldn’t have to wait very long when we arrived. We also made a pretty early evening considering any place that only offers pre-​seating is sure to be a place that is crowded. We arrived promptly at 6:15 for a 6:30 sitting. We were told it would be about 20 mins and to check back in 15 since they were plum out of those fancy lobster things that lit up when your table was up. There had to be 100 folks waiting and ones without pre-​seating were told an hour wait. Needless to say our 20 mins turned into an hour and 15. Then when they said they had a table the guy sitting people didn’t realize it was for two people when we had four. So again we waited. Finally they led us back and lo and behold the table wasn’t ready so we were stuck standing next to and crowding other people while they were eating. We felt terrible. The service was slow and the food, when it arrived 30 mins later, although it was decent, the servings weren’t worth the money. Next time we won’t be so lazy to venture out to other towns. I’m hardly ever one to complain but this was one of the oddest and worst dining experiences. Unless you can arrive at the moment of doors opening with more than two people, be prepared to wait longer than you would to see a movie and have dinner. Truly.

There are lots of decent selections, but I wasn’t too impressed with anything. I personally ordered the Alaskan King Salmon. It wasn’t bad, but could have used more flavor. That is how I felt about everything I tried of the things ordered in our large party. The atmosphere was cozy, but it wasn’t as nice of a place as I expected.

We went around 5 pm but for some reason the restaurant was completely devoid of people. Our server was slightly slow (even though we were the only customers) but was very kind and talked to us warmly. We ordered a whole florida black sea bass steamed oriental, house salad, seafood italiano and shrimp. The food was fairly average. The whole fish was great as was its sauce and it was also nice to have unlimited salad but the cole slaw tasted slightly funky and the seafood italiano did not seem like it warranted its price tag. However, the complimentary garlic bread was delicious, it was probably my favorite out of everything we ate.
Pros:
–Lots of seating
–Garlic bread
–Nice service
Cons:
–Price on certain items

Trying out of this place with a groupon. It is a scent place but nothing very impressive. Oh I took that back. The complimentary garlic bread was pretty impressive.
We got baked scallops and oysters for the appetizer. Scallops were fine. Oysters were pretty fresh. Lobster bisque were barely average.
Entrees are seared ahi tuna, sautéed frog legs, and BBQ shrimps with a side spinach salad. All of these were good but not super delicious.
The services were decent. Atmosphere was comfy. Felt like I have not ordered my favorite dish. Might give this another try next time the groupon has something.

Having not been to Chinn’s for quite some time, I thought they were due for a more recent visit. Friends consistently rave about the food, and having forgot that their Maine Lobster, Stone Crabs, sauteed frog legs and Crab Legs, are some of the best you’ll get anywhere in the Chicago area, and rival Joe’s Stone Crab, especially with a better price. If you can snag a Groupon, even better, as they offer $ 60 for $ 30 — nice! A friend and I decided to go. So, so glad we did! First, the place is brighter and cheerier and visibly updated, which is quite nice. Staff is helpful, professional, attentive and perfect for the occasion.
Where the venue may lack (as do most seafood joints in New England, mind you) fanciness and upscale accessories, service is top notch! Chinn’s was packed, yet our server, Missy, never missed refilling our drinks and making sure we didn’t need anything else and to check to see how we were enjoying our meals. Attentive, helpful and friendly is an understatement. We received the service of a 5 star restaurant without the sometimes uppity attitude.
The garlic rolls at Chinn’s are delicious! So much of the bread basket carb on the table is cold and tasteless. Not these! They may be drowning in butter, warm and loaded with fresh garlic, but that’s what makes them great. When I couldn’t decide what to order, server, Missy C. gave a fabulous run-​down with a perfectly detailed description of the wonderfulness Chinn’s has to offer. Surprisingly, no crab or lobster ordered for this visit, but the stuffed shrimp with a side of Alfredo pasta. Decadent beyond explanation! The 6 jumbo shrimp were moist, flavorful and delicious, as was the pasta with just enough fresh parsley (I believe) to make a difference. My friend ordered the lamb chops with white rice and steamed veggies was a perfect mix of fresh flavors. At least ½ of our meals were packed as doggie bags, yet we wanted to try the baked pumpkin cheesecake. WOW! Homemade on the premises never tasted so good!

While the food is pretty good, I think one could do a lot better with your hard-​earned cash than Chinn’s 34^th Street Fishery.
The place seemed like it couldn’t quite figure on what it wanted to be. The décor is pretty much family friendly, diner-​type stuff. Cheap tablecloths, plastic fluorescent cups, etc. but the menu prices are decidedly gourmet upscale restaurant.
The food was pretty good. The garlic knots they give you before dinner were just okay — they were basically dough nuggets sitting in a pool of butter with way too much raw garlic on top. I actually like Red Lobster’s rolls much better, and that’s a chain restaurant. I got the Shrimp DeJonge, which again was super garlicly, but the shrimp was tasty and they were huge. The potatoes I got on the side were really bland though, as was the coleslaw.
Overall it was fine, but if I wanted to spend that kind of money on a seafood place I’d try Catch 35 or McCormick & Schmick before coming here.

Fantastic place for fresh fish and seafood. I used to live a few miles from there and had dinner there once or twice every month for 17 years (I started going there 1 year after they opened). Food is marvelous and the staff friendly, courteous and quick to please. I moved to Tucson two years and really miss this place and try to find a reason to go to that area of Illinois once or twice per year.

Just an ok experience. Went here for lunch and ordered the lobster roll. It wasn’t that good. Filled with mayo and fillers and not too much lobster. The slaw side looked unappetizing so didn’t even try it
Got some fish tacos also that were decent. Average taste.
I felt this restaurant was overpriced.
The garlic bread was so yummy. Ate two of them.
Lunch vibes were ok, but I hear it’s more of a dinner place. I saw an ad for a full 4 course meal for $ 75 that looked good but expensive.
I felt dirty after I ate here and had to literally go home and shower. The ambiance is pretty casual. But still expensive. Not really good bang for the buck.

Eh! I’ve heard great reviews so we decided to try it for an anniversary dinner. We made a reservation but they were not very busy for a weekday dinner. Our server was below average. It took awhile for her to bring certain things and she did not show any interest in any of the guests.
I ordered a steak and lobster tail. The lobster tail was pretty good but my steak was over done. A different server delivered the food to the table… I lifted my salad plate and tried to hand it to him but he walked away. The salad plate and my husbands empty beer glass sat on the table the entire time.
Overall– I was not impressed and I will not rush to go back. There is another seafood restaurant in the area with similar prices– might be the better option.

My family has been coming to Chinn’s for years and we have never been disappointed. We have tried everything from their lobster to their crab to the different types of fish to their steak. Yes! Steak! This last time we were here my son ordered the surf n turf and got a nice steak. It wasn’t huge as it was part of a combo, but he managed to exclaim that it was the best steak he’s had in a very long time!
I usually order the Hawaiian monchong fish and find that they do a wonderful job keeping the fish moist and tender. This is an unusual fish to find on a menu but we always find it to be fresh as with all of the other seafood. Chinn’s posts their airbills in their lobby and you can see for yourself which seafood is FLOWN IN fresh each day! This is what sets Chinn’s apart from other seafood restaurants — you can see for yourself the expense that was paid for your meal.
In general it is difficult to get a table without a wait when you come later in the evening or on a weekend. However, we usually have good luck when we eat early, arriving at the restaurant before 6pm. By the time we finish eating and leave the restaurant, it is usually packed. You will find people there from all walks of life, senior citizens, families, ethnic Chinese, etc… Although the restaurant itself can seem low-​key, with people wearing casual shorts and t-​shirts, you will also find other patrons dressed up for a special night out, celebrating birthdays and just having a nice romantic dinner. Very eclectic mix of customers!
The servers are generally well-​trained and attentive but not overbearing. I’m glad to see that Chinn’s, an old-​fashion seafood restaurant, is still flourishing amongst the trendy diners that I see come and go everyday.

This. Was. Perfect.
Last week, while visiting Napa, we met a young man, a family member of this restaurant who’d recommended it. The presumed grandfather warmly greeted us at the door.
The seafood orgy was on. We started with both
bisques, lobster and crab. Their cup is the size of everyone else’s bowl. And it was good, but not great.
Their seafood ‘tower’ is actually a large plate of fresh crab legs, shrimp and clams and/​or oysters (huge Blue Points).
Here’s the best part: both bisques, the tower and 6 additional oysters was $ 60.

After reading fellow Unilocalers’ reviews, I was a little bit nervous about coming here and the service. I was pleased though with my experience. The place was not overly crowded, so we were seated in a small booth by the window. The host joked about our lovely view of Ogden Ave, and they adjusted the shade promptly when the sun started glaring in.
Our waitress was very attentive in checking in on us, none of the service issues that other people mentioned in the least.
I wanted to order the lobster roll sandwich, but they were out of the rolls, I guess for that. I then chose the coconut shrimp with fries. The order came out VERY quickly– to the point that I said a prayer of no food poisoning before I ate it. The jumbo shrimp really were huge! The coconut flavor was prominent but not over powering– they were pretty fantastic with or without the mango chutney. The fries were «steakish» style, not as huge wedge pieces, but not shoestring, and I really enjoyed them. The garlic roll was good, a little too messy/​greasy though.
The waitress sold us quickly on the mai tais. They were big and pretty dangerous. One was enough! Definitely the best mai tai experience I’ve ever had, not too heavy on one particular ingredient.
The ambiance there is something I didn’t get. The prices and food options said ‘semi-​fancy’ to me, but then the neon plastic cups for water and mai tais did not. It looked funny to see those cups next to wine glasses all on one table. It was a bit of a disconnect, but overall enjoyable.

I love Chinn’s 34^th St. Fishery and have for over 20 years! Garlic Rolls !!