The best seafood spots on the third coast.

Joe’s 

Joe’s may be turning 17 this year, but if you’ve ever tried to get a prime-time reservation here on short notice, you know that this steakhouse-style spot in the Gold Coast still possesses one of the most in-demand tables in the city. Joe’s standout dishes–like the Crab Bisque, Chilean Sea Bass with Miso Glaze, Seared Scallops with Caviar Buerre Blanc, and of course, its Stone Crab Legs–quickly make you forget the city is landlocked.

Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, 60 E. Grand Ave

Cold Storage 

Cold Storage is attached to trendy West Loop steakhouse Swift & Sons, but the small space (which you might wander into without ever realizing it’s a separate venue) holds its own. The raw bar literally takes center stage on the menu and off, towering up from the center of the restaurant with lobster, oysters, mussels and shrimp on ice; but offerings like Smoked Whitefish Dip, Salmon Rilette Tartine, and Braised Calamari play a notable supporting role.

Cold Storage, 1000 W. Fulton Market

Fish Bar

Need a vacation? Fish Bar, owned by David Morton’s DMK Restaurant Group, sports coastal-themed decor and a casual menu of freshly flown-in seafood–think East & West Coast oysters, Lobster Club Sliders, and a Fried Codfish Sandwich–that will hold you over until you can get to the beach.

Fish Bar, 2956 N. Sheffield Ave.

Shaw’s 

Like Joe’s, Shaw’s is owned by Lettuce Entertain You, and it’s also perennially packed. It’s perfect for seafood purists: the seasonally-dictated menu offers a rotating selection of fresh-fish and King crab, sushi rolls with an upscale twist, and one of the best selections of oysters in the city.

Shaw’s Crab House, 21 E Hubbard St.

GT Fish & Oyster

Not a purist? Try Giuseppe Tentori’s GT Fish & Oyster. While the Michelin-dubbed Bib Gourmand restaurant offers simple standouts, like its Crab Cakes, and Mussels with tomato and basil, it’s more original menu items like the Oyster Po’Boy Sliders, Koren BBQ Octopus, and the Lobster Mac & Cheese with peas that set the spot apart.

GT Fish & Oyster, 531 N. Wells St.