El Cangrejo seafood restaurant

Stopped by while visiting family and it did not disappoint. The place was packed, but the wait time moved quickly. Service was great and the food was absolutely delicious. Will definitely visit again when I’m in town!

they have a parking lot available right next to the building. when we went, there was no wait for a table. our server didn’t speak a lot of english but was nice and tried her best to communicate with us about the menu. we weren’t a huge fan of the platillo. the langostinos were salty and the rice was hard. however, we really liked the charola mixta el cangrejo. there were four types of seafood, and the flavor was great. also to note, they are a byob establishment. i would definitely go back to try more of their menu items

Food it’s delicious, as well as big portions super recommended this place also the service 10/10

5 star food 5 star service!!! As always Rosa is the best!!! Can’t wait to come back!!! She always is on top of everything.

They greet you with some ceviche at your table very flavorful 5/5 Red snapper covered in shrimp and lots of garlic was 5/5, the octopus and shrimp was very good a bit on the salty side 4/5, we did ask for that dish to have the sauce that they put on the prawns but didnt get that. Prawns were our favorite 5/5 very flavorful. Rice was very good along with the fries and garlic bread. Miche mix was okay wished they would add more lime and tajin to it. Your allowed to bring 3 beers per person drinking. Price was fair we will be back for a re review! The only down side is the wait time try and arrive early anytime after 4pm it starts tp get real busy up to a 45 minute wait Tip your servers.

Best seafood restaurant for us so far!!! Food & seasoning is flavorful. It's BYOB and service is exceptional. There is usually a wait time on weekends so be prepared. It's the worth the wait!

Took my parents for dinner, small place but service moves quick. We loved it and will be going back.

Wow! Incredible place that I wish I knew about sooner! It's first come first serve but they put you on list and will call when your table is ready. Been here TWICE in same week! The shrimp were HUUUGE and packed with so much flavor. Their staff is nice and it's BYOB. WOOOOOO!

A mi familia y a mi nos encanta este lugar, hemos esperado una hora de espera por que la comida que venden es 100/10 honestamente. Hemos probado otros restaurantes pero nadie le gana a El Cangrejo!Y el servicio ni se diga. My family and I love this place, we have waited over an hour to get a table in here and we wait because the food is phenomenal honestly. We have gone to other restaurants in the area and nothing like this one, El Cangrejo takes the spot. Service is also good. BYOB just fyi.

I love it. It's the second time I come to El Cangrejo. This time I tried the shrimp cocktail and the oyster shots. Both very rich. I feel that all the seafood in this place is very fresh. The service is always excellent, the waitress is alea taking care of you and I love is BYOB and enjoy.

I was an amazing experience my family loved it we were having the time of our lives eating sea food but it was the ceviche that was the best for me everything was amazing would recommend

They have fresh seafood flown at least every other day. The waitresses do speak English as a second language. They also try very hard to make your meal enjoyable rather than ignore you. We had shrimp, lobster, octopus and scallops. Unfortunately this time the scallops were not as fresh or as large as they usually are. We also had a very tasty soup and oyster shooters. Apparently only the locals really know about this place.

Service was not bad but the food was oily :( not worth returning. I ordered lagostinos and pastas

The food is fabulously delicious and most importantly, fresh! I've had the grilled octopus, both the shrimp and fish ceviche(you can ask for the shrimp to be cooked first) and the shrimp coctel. And believe me when I tell you, neither will disappoint! One of the best seafood responses chicago! Note/it is byob and gets extremely busy!

Oh. My. Gosh. I came here on a date and the food changed my life. First they start your off with a complimentary fish ceviche served with tostadas and crackers. You know a place is gonna be good when the first thing they bring you before the menu is ceviche! This was my first time having langostinos in Nayarit sauce and I'm worried I'll never find anything as good as how this restaurant does it. Their Nayarit sauce is absolutely flavorful and delicious, I could not get over it. Put it on your rice, dip your tortilla in it, dip some bread in it and it all pairs nicely. The langostinos were cooked perfectly, the sauce was flavorful but not to the point that it overpowered the flavor of the langostino as well. The service was fantastic and they're BYOB as well! We washed everything down with agua de jamaica. I can't wait to come back and bring my friends!

To start off with it's packed for the hype It's not that great We got the langostinos and they where too salty We got the pulpo a la diabla and they tasted like bar barbecue sauce and some hot sauce and weren't that good And on top of that my little girl got some nuggets and didn't even eat them she said McDonald's nuggets were better Only pro it's byob but they took my miche mix cuz they said they sell it

4/5 Food 4/5 Service 3.5/5 Atmosphere / Seating Arrangement 3.5/5 Value (good but better at other places) 4/5 Cleanliness I was really craving some fresh ceviche on a hot 80 degree day in May. El Cangrejo did not disappoint! We were given fish ceviche as an appetizer which was enough for 2 tostadas. The small 12 oz shrimp ceviche was a great size, enough for 3-4 tostadas more. After 2, I was full so I took the rest home.

I'd give them more stars if i could! Best seafood in all of the Chicago area ! Bit of a wait on weekends , but trust me it is very much worth it !! The restaurant is BYOB friendly and they have live music . Make sure you check it out

You must try the cucaracha style/sauce. It is straight FIRE. I eat it on its own. It's amazing on tostadas, shrimp, langostinos...haven't tried it, but for sure would be bomb on oysters. The restaurant is BYOB. The waitresses are really nice and professional. The restaurant is clean and adheres to social distancing and reinforce wearing masks. The aqua mineral preparada (with salt and lime, served in a salt- rimmed cup) is my go- to drink.

Bro this shit it bad 20 dollar for the this shit. I might as well go to Los Magueyes Seafood there pasta taste better and it's more for sure. This is how I got it my plate all I did was push everything together. Not even for three bits I have her in the dish. It's a rip off

Wow great food, great costumer service, I've been consuming for years my only complaint is and it may be little but no sauce to Take on the side for an order of charales! Damn! You should be DAMN proud of the sauce you make that people want to take more, I was very disappointed about this!

This place at one time was La Isla Maria's and wow the seafood was awesome. With that said: We decided to come on down on a Sunday afternoon for some seafood soup and a shrimp/octopus cocktail, since we do live about 5 minutes from their front door. Now, back in the day (a few years ago actually), we use to come and have the above concoctions and be so satisfied and always we would leave with a smile. Of course, they are BYOB so that was a plus. Today was different..... We came in and of course my partner wanted the Sopa de Mariscos which is seafood soup. I, on the other hand wanted a cold and cool dish such as a cocktail of shrimp and octopus. We brought in our beers, from the outside. And they seemed warm so of course, the waitress gave us glasses with ice, ummm corona's so don't taste good when they are watered down. So I asked: "Miss Waitress, what is the Mendiga Especial"? It was in the section with the cocktails so this had to be good. Of course, she said it was minced up jalapenos, octopus and whole shrimp. Okay this is an easy hit, I want it. My partner of course got his seafood soup ("Why am I not surprised), so I was happy. Until she came with a cocktail glass and HOT SOUP! Oh no, I thought this was a cocktail, and I didn't really bitch about it because it took a while and I didn't want to wait any longer. But she did state, would you like something else instead. Ummmm no I am hungry! (YELPers, we never compromise on a meal and I am sorry to say, I broke that mantra, I COMPROMISED)!!! It was weak, the shrimp still had their shells on and their feelers looked so unappetizing. What is wrong with me? But I take full blame, but it still doesn't help the taste. They just don't have that. So of course I give it a 3 Star, yes my friends, a rarity, but it happens. Next time we go to a real seafood joint that we are familiar with. So not worth the $30+ tip we spent. *(Well the partner spent). Go somewhere else if you want seafood that has flavor. It just didn't make the cut. But you be the judge,

If I could rate 0 stars I would There was no people inside today so why would our food be so hard ? Then we call to let them know and they say they can give us another tray ? Hello why would it be better the second time get your orders right the first time never eating here again nasty ass food

Wow!! From BYOB (family had micheladas, in which the place gave them the mix and they brought their modelos), to the live music, and of course all of the yummy, spicy seafood!! I'm just mad I haven't found out about this place sooner!! P.s don't go with a large group on a Friday because you'll wait a while for a table. Pic of the stuffed pineapple I had but family had way more delicious food as well.

This is my favorite spot for langostinos! Every time we've come here we are sat immediately and the service is usually good. Beside the delicious langostinos, the shrimp empanadas and the chapuzon are among my favs on the menu. The patrons are always served an appetizer of ceviche and tostadas to share and an unbelievably spicy (but also delicious) habanero salsa. El Cangrejo is a BYOB restaurant which is a major plus but it's does tend to get pretty loud when there's a band playing, so if you're looking for a nice romantic date night spot this is NOT the place for you lol. But it is great for large groups.

This little restaurant has delicious spicy seafood to fill your cravings! The presentation and taste of the food was al cien! I arrived before 3:30pm on Friday and there was plenty of tables available but were immediately filled so my suggestion is to arrive timely! Since it's BYOB, tables take a lot more time to empty.

Soo so good! The shrimp ceviche, mussels, stuffed coconut and paella are delicious! It's a BYOB restaurant so it keeps the bill low and they don't take reservations.

It's pricey but very delicious . They're silverware and plates are updated. We had the cucharaches , guacamole and oysters with the ceviche on it . Everything was clean and seasoned deliciously ! The only thing I hate is when they let the mariachis in and the guy is singing with his amp next to the table while we are trying to talk ! I would def return , Clean establishment, I came very early 4pm and it started getting packed after 7pm with a line .

First time at this place and overall was a good experience. Just wish I had known it was BYOB. The food was delicious, very fresh. The complimentary ceviche was on point and the habanero hot sauce which comes complimentary as well was good and very spicy. I recommend anything except for the shrimp empanadas. That is where I was disappointed. It was bland and had no flavor. I was expecting so much more. But it was just shrimp with no seasoning. So for that reason I'm taking a star away. But highly recommend if you're looking for some good seafood.

Man this place is fire the food is awesome the service 5 stars and its byob I brought my own tequila made my own drinks to my liking and had a blast with live music perfect vibe. Wifey loved this place so yes we will come again.

Best Mexican seafood in Chicago! Staff is great and its BYOB! Best Langostinos & Red snapper, both must try...

Sunday dinner plans led us here. We walked in didn't know if he had to sign in because people were waiting already and I waited there and they kind of ignored me but I spoke up and she put us on list. Decor was nice and it was clean. We got seated a little after. Service was great I didn't catch her name but she was friendly and attentive. Didn't know it was BYOB so missed out on that but food was good. We ordered Charola de Langostinos and rice.

This is a great place the food is cooked perfectly. The Saturday nights karaoke is a great time.

Friendly staff, great food, portions are just right. Establishment is BYOB. They do offer a michelada mix, all you do is pour in your beer. Highly recommend their michelada mix. Place is a bit small and despite the large number of people waiting we were seated fairly quick.

Have driven by this place times and always full of people.Finally decided to stick in for dinner ...the food was great so was the service. I'm picky about my camarones ala diabla & this place nailed it. I'll definitely go back to try something else. Ambiance was loud busy but worth it :-)

I went in on a Saturday evening, and I loved that the restaurant was BYOB. Let's get a couple of things out of the way before I review the food: The layout and decor of the restaurant is not impressive, but it wasn't a deal breaker. (Although I'm still trying to understand why the women's restroom has two toilets in one room and no privacy stalls) I was also told there would be live music, and although there was music playing from the jukebox, there was no one playing live on this particular day. Okay, now for the good stuff: As soon as you are seated, the waitress will serve you Tostadas and a small sample of fish Ceviche with their homemade green Habanero Salsa. Super spicy but good! To start off, we ordered Shrimp Empanadas, served with avocado slices and a mayo dressing that made the appetizer delicious! After eating two, I was left wanting more because they were so great. We then ordered the famous Langostinos, which were tasty, but were also slightly salty with a little too much oil. I expected more from these Langostinos because everyone raves about how good they are at El Cangrejo. However, I would go back just for that Piña Rellena! Served with fries, white rice, and a salad; the pineapple is hollowed out and filled with crab, scallops, and shrimp with a creamy white sauce served over -that perfectly compliments the flavor of the seafood. I scraped the entire pineapple to eat every last bit of that sauce. We also ordered Camarones Al Mojo de Ajo, but like the Langostinos, did not blow my mind. The garlic bread they serve is always perfectly seasoned and crunchy on the outside but soft and warm in.The service here is okay; the waitresses were friendly, but because they were busy, we never got our bucket of ice for the beer we brought in. Overall, I would definitely return for that delicious Piña Rellena.

Literally the best seafood place in Chicago. Everything on the menu is FIRE! Cucarachas and garlic bread is my fave!!!

Shrimp Cucarachas are fire!!! And it's BYOB! I went on a Sunday the wait wasn't to bad and the food is perfect for your hangover. Lol

Came here with high expectations due to the reviews but wasn't really checked on through out the whole time I was here, waitress never came by at all to check on my table of 5. The food tasted gross, 4/5 plates we ordered tasted like ketchup because it was over done! I asked for out check and left and the waitress rolled her eyes at us. Don't come here unless you want really bad customer service! The only good thing here were the mints they give you on the way out.

This is literally the most delicious seafood joint I have been in Chicago. When ever my family from California, Mexico and Indiana come the whole family gets together here brings their drinks and sing with the people who offer songs ! Love spending time here!

This is by far the best Mexican sea food restaurant I have been to in Chicago and surrounding area. The food is flavorful and fresh. We had the shrimp and fish ceviche, shrimp cocktail and the langostinos. By far the langostinos were the best. Its BYOB and reasonably priced. A must!

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion but I LOOOVVVVEEEEE this place!!! My husband and I love to try different restaurants all the time but we just can't cheat on El Cangrejo with another seafood restaurant. We have always received the best service ever and the food is just too good. I love the Botana Cangrejo. I can never let that appetizer pass us up. My husband loves the Chapuzon or the Filete Relleno. Really anything you try is very tasty and extremely fresh. Even the shrimp in the shrimp cocktails are extremely good and not gummy at all. Try it out. Take your wine or beers and have a blast.

The place has a huge menu of cocktails! They are a BYOB establishment. The are usually quick to serve & the staff is consistently nice. The only reason I didn't give it full stars is that most times, because it gets ridiculously full most evenings, it is way too loud to enjoy & as a result, you wait even longer for assistance & food delivery. Other than that, the food is great

Food is so good! I ordered ceviche mix, langostinos and some other food and I really cannot complain. I think they are short staff like most businesses so they did take a little while to give me my food and took a while to place an order but staff is kind and friendly. Tip them well!

Hands down the best sea food joint!! BYOB, cans, bottles anything. No charge or fee (unlike El Kora). Feast your eyes upon this juicy picture

My parents go to place for mariscos. They are very timely and quick with orders during covid.

We love this place. Before we had a love hate relationship with it. At their old location, service was pretty bad. We kept going back cause the food was great but we always left pretty mad because out service was bad. Since they've opened the new location we go at least twice a month. (Since we live in the suburbs) Everything is delicious. We have tried mostly everything on the menu. My favorites are the filete relleno and the ostiones preparados. I highly recommend this place. Service is great, food is great!

Everything has been delicious and on point. Never had a bad experience. The waitresses are always fast and well mannered.

They're still open they just moved down archer closer to Kedzie. (: The best longostinos and mejillones.

Maybe we went on their off night, but we tried to like this place so bad. Writing a negative review is never easy, but I thought we should share our experience: We ordered oysters, garlic breaded tilapia and deep fried red snapper: they all tasted like cheap, old meat. The place was decent offering good space and tables were set up to seat up to 6-8 per table. Very accommodating to larger parties. We visited on a Thursday night expecting to be seated without a wait. We waited approx 15 min to be seated- even then, no biggie. But the place was obviously shortly staffed. We had one waitress for the entire place (approx 8-9 tables). The poor thing was running all over the place between serving, waiting on her customers, ringing people, hosting, cleaning up etc. this review isn't to reflect her service and is only review the type of food we received. The wait for our food was reasonable but the taste was way off. Their appetizer sauce is very spicy, which is supposed to be their signature sauce, this one is like tasting fire. They don't offer liquor, it is a byob place and there is a limit on 3 beers per person. If you bring a bottle of wine, they do charge you a bottle fee. FYI Shortly after taking a few bites, I could taste that the food was not fresh or prepared as it should. They had overused the seasoning to cover the Gamy taste/texture of the fish. I've eaten at a plethora of Mexican seafood restaurants, I am not opposed to eating at those places since they're reasonably affordable for what they offer. However, cangrejo did not reflect that. Needless to say, we won't be returning. Id rather wait longer and go to another local business.

This is by far the best sea food restaurant I've been to. The staff is always friendly and the food is always good. I highly recommend this restaurant

My husband and I have visited several times. The service is great, the food is sometimes on the saltier side, yet yummy! We asked the server and she said we can request it to be less salty. It is crowed on weekends, yet, they are pretty good about handling the flow of customers. Weekly is decent crowd, no wait. Overall we prefer it over other Marisco restaurants.

DO NOT come here! I loved this place but the last couple of times I've been here I have been disappointed and today I was just plain mad with the terrible service I received. I had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated, only to get the smallest table in the entire restaurant and mind you it was four of us dining in. We were super hungry so we just let it slide, we again had to wait for our order to be taken which was again another 20 minutes or so, and this was after we waved the waitress over a couple of times. She finally took our orders and in all seriousness it took about 40 minutes for just our appetizers to come out, I don't know if it's because they are understaffed or they are just unorganized. We weren't the only table that was impatiently waiting for their food to come out. When it finally did my order was wrong, I was very upset! I will NEVER be coming back to this place!

So obsessed with this place its almost concerning. Such good food, spacious, and a live cute little one man band on the Friday we came. Love the stuffed pineapple and a la diabla. Pretty much anything on the menu you'll be happy with. Nice staff as well as fitting prices for large portions! Always wishing I had more left overs for dayssssss!

Probably my favorite mariscos place. The Langostinos are super flavorful along with the camarones a la diabla and the shrimp cocktail. Overall they have Great food, good service. I definitely recommend this! It is BYOB also!!

I've been coming here and 1 other seafood spot for years. It was always good, location spacious and food always on point. I get crab legs and langostinos, there seafood tostadas is free that is so delicious with that hot a** habanero salsa so good. Since they moved maybe 2 blocks down the location is too small I wish they find a bigger location so I don't go there as much and if I do I'll go when I'm off work in afternoon.

The only thing missing is a bad ass salsa but who cares! Everything else here is delicious! They do it better than any other mariscos place around so be prepared to be delighted with the food. My favorite is langostinos but the stuffed pineapple was soo good! Oh and their ceviche is very fresh and yumm!!!! Its byob so drink it up and enjoy some good ol Mexican seafood.