Chums Shrimp Shack

Chums Shrimp Shack is a semi-fast-food gem that strikes the perfect balance between casual dining and elevated flavors, making it a must-visit for seafood lovers. The coastal chic ambiance, with rustic wooden tables and nautical decor, creates a laid-back yet trendy vibe, ideal for a quick bite or a relaxed meal. The menu offers a variety of seafood dishes to please every palate, paired with generously portioned sides that perfectly complement the main offerings. The service is impressively efficient, with friendly staff ensuring your meal is fresh and satisfying. Prices are reasonable, making this spot a great value for those seeking delicious seafood without the formality of a sit-down restaurant. Chums Shrimp Shack is the ultimate catch for fresh, flavorful seafood on the go!

The food is delicious. I love the lobster roll. It's perfect every time. The food tastes great every time we eat here. Service is good but the poor guy tonight needs help, he managed to prepare for 7-9 guests by himself. 3 stars for atmosphere due to the lack is heat in the restaurant area. Although chef was sweating from working so hard, we were a bit cold. All in all 4.5 stars!

Update 03/2025 It’s Lent Season, meaning, it’s Chum season. I have been ordering for the past couple of weeks via UberEats. I thought the quality has changed but in my mind, maybe it is because it was ordered and travel time affected the quality. So, I went ahead and picked it up myself and made sure that I’ll be able to eat it the soonest possible time, within 10 minutes. The batter seems very different and a little bit burnt. It was not the crispy cod that I used to enjoy in my Chums Sampler. Half of the shrimps were a little bit burnt, too. The fish was greasy. We still enjoyed their Boom Boom wrap. The batter definitely has changed. Did they change their recipe/chef? The staff were pleasant as always, however, they need to be mindful of their door tag. It was showing “closed” even though they were open so, one customer left. I also experienced that when I ordered a pound of calamari, I only received half in a paper bag. It has become greasy, too compared in the past. Review: 03/2023 It is my first time in this restaurant. I was hesitant to go as my experience with other seafood restaurants weren’t great. I am glad I tried. I ordered the Chum Sampler with shack, tartar, pina colada sauces and the other one I forgot haha. It contains 2 coconut, 2beer battered and 2 crispy shrimps and 2 cod. You may choose fries, coleslaw as a side or hush puppies (for extra $) They gave justice to the seafood as it was cooked perfectly. It wasn’t dried and though it was fried, it wasn’t greasy. The seafood to batter ratio was great and it was perfectly seasoned. I think their coleslaw was one of the best I had. The vegetables were crunchy and fresh and weren’t swimming in the dressing. I love the side sauces especially the Shack sauce. If you love spicy, it has the right amount of spice in it. I ordered some items to go and will update this review once I try them. Oh, the service was great, too. They are so friendly and very accommodating.

I used to go to Chums all the time when it was in East Dundee and LOVED it! So when my boyfriend and I were passing the new location I convinced him to go and told him this place was great. Boy was I wrong! We were the only people there at dinner time on a Saturday night, should have been my first sign. The restaurant was FREEZING and I had to get my jacket out of the car. Staff was fine, seemed like a couple of kids working. I got the 1/2lb lobster mac and cheese and bf got the 1/2 lb catfish and fries. He got two very small pieces of fish over fries. My mac and cheese had two pieces of lobster in the whole thing and was also completely inedible. I don’t know what kind of cheese they use but this was not like any mac and cheese I have ever eaten before, it felt like I was eating zesty glue, absolutely gross. This place has tanked from its glory days, I do NOT recommend!

First visit to Chum's Shrimp Shack at the St Charles location and found the seafood to be so delicious! Had the lobster roll and beer battered shrimp with shack sauce. Everything was well prepared. Friendly service and reasonably priced. Three stars for the atmosphere because it was cold in the dining area and the single bathroom cleanliness was only fair. Again the food was delicious and I'm going back again. There are additional locations too.