The Shanty Restaurant

If the area around Wadsworth, Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and Waukegan is sort of its own sub-region of northeastern Illinois, The Shanty is its unofficial centerpiece restaurant. Located off US-41 just past the WI/IL border, I’ve been here five times now and have had nothing short of a great experience every time I’ve come here. There’s something at every price point, depending on whether the vibe you’re going for from your meal is “elevated chain restaurant” or “supper club”. Highly recommend their lamb burger and olive oil gelato.

Our waitress and atmosphere were good. The soup of the day and sweet potato fries were definitely the highlight; I highly recommend them. I can't quite remember, but it may have been chicken with lemon.

Wow! Today was our first time going to The Shanty as we live about 45mins away, and were headed to Milwaukee for an event…this was on the way! Let me tell you, it’ll be worth the drive to return! Nothing was bad, the food AND drinks came out quickly and at proper temperature, which is huge for me, as I usually will make dinner and still microwave it when it’s prepared as it isn’t warm enough. That was not an issue here at The Shanty. We had the orange tequila salmon and the lobster 🦞 ravioli, to drink I had an espresso martini! I will say I prefer them without Baileys, being a lactose intolerant girly, but it was listed on the menu. The food portions were exquisite for the price. Service was prompt and friendly! We were so happy with our experience here, and hope to back.

Very disappointing. I selected this place, based on the Google ratings, because it is half-way between Chicago and Milwaukee to meet a customer for dinner. I think 4.9 is completely overrated!!!! Maybe most people give rating based on the size of the plates which are generous? In my opinion, food was below the average and my expectation. To be fair, the Lamb Lollypops were good but the Goat Cheese Wontons (all starters) melted completely the goat cheese. I think that these wontons are that tasty than goat cheese toasts (their picture). The walleye was OK but not enjoyable. The worse was the side salad that was dry and not fresh, probably sitting in the kitchen for hours waiting for customers, I barely touch it. When I walked out my boss spontaneously said to me, "the restaurant was just OK", which confirmed my own thoughts.

Absolutely loved our visit to The Shanty! The restaurant had a great vibe—cozy, inviting, and well put together. I ordered the shrimp quesadillas, and hands down, they were some of the best I’ve had anywhere. The staff was courteous, attentive, and made us feel welcome from start to finish. Definitely a spot I’d recommend and plan to return to!

Great place for seafood and fun atmosphere. Service was great and the food good. It’s a little noisy in bar area to eat but the menu has a nice selection of seafood and daily specials.

We stopped by this place because the restaurant next door had a one-hour wait, but it turned out to be much better than expected. I was looking forward to the snow crab, but surprisingly the steak was incredibly tender and delicious. The onion soup and mushroom risotto we ordered on the side were also excellent. On top of that, the server was friendly, making it a really satisfying dinner.

I had the opportunity to visit The Shanty Restaurant on a Saturday night recently and so should you. Located on Route 41 and Wadsworth Rd, The Shanty is minutes away from the IL-Wisconsin border on (toll free) Route 41. I had the Mediterranean salad with grilled chicken which was well portioned and contained fresh greens and vegtables. The other people in my party enjoyed the chickem parmesan and chicken versuvio which were well portioned and flavorful. The fresh bread and butter are a nice touch as are the dinner salads (see the photos) I enjoyed a titos vodka and lime as well as a Whiskey Manhattan. Reservations are recommended during usual busy dinner times. Service was good, atmosphere, woody, rustic and welcoming. Stop in sometimes, you will return.

I have been dining at The Shanty for many years. They've expanded and updated but the food is still great. The restaurant is always spotless and the service is pretty good, even when they're really busy. Lunch or dinner, the place is always hopping! Due to their expansion, you don't usually have to wait long to get seated, though. They have a very eclectic menu with "exotic" dishes, steaks and seafood, or you can just choose from a variety of awesome burgers. Everything I've tried has been delicious and you HAVE to try their "famous" sautéed mushrooms. They have a full bar and "sports area", where you can sit, and enjoy a beer and a game, or you can order a cocktail at your table, to savor while waiting for your meal. Date night, family dining or lunch with friends, you can't go wrong at The Shanty.

The Shanty - Honest Review I ate at The Shanty four times during my weekend in Wisconsin, so I had the chance to try a variety of dishes. Here's my honest, unfiltered take: * Poor Man's Lobster (ordered twice): This was the standout dish. Buttery, tender, and full of flavor. If you eat nothing else here--eat this. It's incredible. * Fried Fish: Tried it once and wasn't a fan. It was greasy and lacked flavor. Definitely not something I'd order again. * Barramundi with Rice Pilaf: The fish itself was decent--flavorful but slightly overcooked. The rice pilaf, though, was disappointing. Dry, bland, and just didn't add anything to the meal. * Service: A little on the slow side. Not a dealbreaker, but if you're in a hurry, this isn't the place. It's more of a sit-back-and-relax vibe. * Ambience: Absolutely loved it. Think of an extra-large version of Cheers--cozy, inviting, and full of character. Even as a visitor, I felt right at home. Final Verdict: Would I go back? 100% mainly for the Poor Man's Lobster and the great atmosphere. Just know what to avoid (that rice pilaf) and don't expect lightning-fast service. But if you're looking for good food and a welcoming vibe, The Shanty delivers.

Took the family out for lunch. Second time here. Had the grilled chicken shanty salad which was excellent Service was great (thanks Emily) The restaurant is awesome with two different sections to sit in old or new Parking is easy Great place Thanks guys

Can't say enough about this gem. Food is above average. Service fast but not too fast.. cutely decorated .

I have always wanted to come here since seeing it on DDD. It was the second time my fiancé & her friend have been here & last time she got a great large salad. I got the Tequila & Orange Salmon. It was extremely delicious. For $28 it isn't absolutely massive but very large salmon piece. I loved it. Came with a great cup of Mushroom soup. My fiancé got the Chicken Parmesan & it was MASSIVE portions. Looked delicious. Even their burgers were real half pound burgers. I swear it may have been larger than half a pound. I would say their flourless chocolate cake was "meh" at best. I personally am not a dessert fan but my fiancé doesn't like to eat alone & since our friends got a dessert to share, she got one as well. Would definitely come back & be able to get other food types.

Nicest restaurant in the area. Atmosphere was like a lodge. Quite spacious with tall ceilings so noise was not the issue that it often is. We had calamari for our appetizer. It was a huge plate. For my entree I got the sirloin medium rare. It was really good. It was cooked more like medium but was within reason. Slightly too salty but overall a good steak. Service was great. Our waitress took extra care with my garlic allergy down to not putting the mushrooms on my steak as they had garlic seasoning. Great attention to detail.

This place had a really nice atmosphere for a lunch crowd. The staff were friendly and attentive. The menu offers a variety of options. My mom ordered the shanty salad and she loved it. It was very large and had a variety of ingredients. I ordered the Reuben sandwich. This is my go-to order for lunch. The portion size was great but it was overall lacking flavor which is surprising. It was like the sauerkraut didn't have that kick I was used to. It also needed a little more thousand island sauce. This is a great place for the area and I would go back and try something else on the menu.

We usually do not have a bad experience at this establishment. This was the second occasion the server Nicole was short with us. She was asked a simple question about the menu. She was visually bothered by the question. Basically replying to read the menu.

Went here for an early birthday with my family and had a very pleasant experience. Our server was very well informed with gluten free options on top of everything that was clearly labeled on my the menu. We were were asked for any desserts and I said no thanks since most restaurants don't offer a GF dessert besides sorbet or ice cream. I pleasantly surprised they had a flour chocolate cake that was absolutely delicious! The restaurant felt homey and I will absolutely be back!

Fried perch was excellent. Came with soup or salad and potato or veggies. Yuengling was a little flat .

Ambiance is great but Culver's is better I tasted Sysco Food ... what is happening ??? Just give up?

Beautiful restaurant. Huge bar with good selection. of beers. Expansive and diverse menu. The ravioli was quite good . Spicy chicken on salad was fresh.

I came in with a large party and our server did a great job balancing the entire group. The drinks are great - they have an extensive beer list and there are nice cocktails. I got the pot roast ravioli and it was delicious and filling - you can definitely split it. We sat in the main dining room but there is also a large bar area as well with TVs

Food was tasty. I had the pork chops and my friend had the surf and turf. Both had plenty to take home. I love the log cabin look. The bar was busy but fun music was playing. Alexis H did a fabulous job.

Hi Everyone ... We have been going to Shanty for many years, maybe 50. Perch was always our go to..Always the best. But recently (last few years) the soups.. So So .... Last week Tomato Bisque ... First .. Luke Warm ... Second ... Plaster ... Sorry ... Your Soup Sucks ... Can they raise prices anymore ??? Getting very expensive ...

I hesitate to write this review because my past experiences here have been quite good. Tonight however was just the opposite. While I tried my best, I could not slow our waitress down. The entire experience felt very rushed from start to finish. I ordered the lamb shank which came grossly undercooked and basically inedible. Our waitress did the right thing by notifying the manager and removed the meal from my check. The manager however chose not to come to our table to apologize for their mistake. This was quite unprofessional and disappointing. I will have to think long and hard before making the hour and a half trip to the Shanty again.

We stopped at the Shanty on our way back home from O'Hare. Very cool lodge like atmosphere! It was still decorated for Christmas so it had a great holiday vibe. The have a great menu with an assortment of great seafood and meat entrees. The Whiskey shrimp appetizer was amazing! I also had the Dover sole stuffed with crab and it was so delicious! Service was excellent too! It has a huge bar with 6 big screen TVs. The place is pretty big and I saw several big tables of people. Overall, a very nice place if you're looking for a casual meal with a great menu variety.

Every once in a while I decide to give The Shanty a try and every time I'm disappointed. Today my chicken tortilla soup was cold and tasted like it was pre purchase and poured out of a bag. I ordered the flatbread as well. The flatbread itself was soggy , uncooked and tasted awful. It was inedible. I sent it back. My husband's chicken Parmesan sandwich was average at best. The breading on the chicken should have been crispy. It was not crispy and had little flavor. The fries were definitely frozen not hand cut. Nothing at this place is flavorful , homemade or seasoned correctly. I think today is my last time giving The Shanty a chance. Don't waste your time or money. I'm giving it two stars because the service was good.

This is my second time here and it was delicious!! So many options for dinner. Everyone in our party of 10 all enjoyed their meal. Our dinner was even better because we were served by Alexis...a wonderfully efficient and pleasant server... She should be commended for her excellence. The ambiance was great!! Great for chatting and a beautiful

Great food. Great service. Nice atmosphere. Staff is very nice. They honor reservations which is appreciated.

We started with the crab cake and it was fantastic! The breading for the fish fry wasn't my favorite, but the fish itself was really good, as were the garlic mashed red potatoes. The service was fantastic, almost outshined the food.

Our 2nd time here. Had perch fish fry. We both agreed the food was even more delicious than last time. Reviewing the extensive menu and seeing plates being delivered to tables got us excited to come back and try other dishes. Service was exceptional and our waitress was the BEST!!!

Went in today after not going for about 8 yrs, hoping it might be better... wrong ! Me and my daughter both ordered steak butt sandwich ... with mushrooms and ajus , thinking traditional open face sandwich on decent bread! With steak and mushrooms ... nope chunk of steak on an untoasted basic white bread slice , and no mushrooms. It was rather awful! Had to flag our waitress down several times as she was over seated and not friendly ! We didn't finish our meals and she never asked if we had an issue! Not sure ill ever go back 2 x was enough ! I also asked for like a brown gravy ,, She said they dont have that, who don't have a brown gravy for mashed potatoes ?! Very very disappointed for 81 bucks so not worth the wait .

My husband and I went back to the shanty restaurant to give it a second chance , the food was excellent . My husband had the salad and 6 piece jumbo shrimp and I had a cup of tomato basil And the 14 oz New York strip steak, the steak was tender and juicy melt in your mouth the baked potato was good as well as the bread to top it off I had the key lime cheese cake. The service was good as well as the atmosphere our waitress was Emily she was very attentive and the restaurant was clean. They have redeemed their selves and we will be back.

If in the area this is a nice place to eat. The atmosphere is warm and cozy, waitress was great. Generally all of the food was good but nothing was go out of the way great. We did absolutely love the lemon blueberry cheesecake crumble.

I ordered the shanty fish fry special. The batter was stiff and not crispy, and the fries tasted like they had been sitting under a warming light for too long. While the restaurant has a 4-star rating, the food was nothing special.

Ambiance was nice. Service was great. Accommodating hostess. Lots of choices on the menu. Filet was salty and underdone. Mushrooms were spectacular! Would visit again if in the area.

Great food staff was nice and the mussels omg so delish and the app are great a lot to choose from food is off the wall

Food portions were huge. Brioche French toast was delicious. However, some of the dishes were only lukewarm. Also Not all food came out together and we had to wait for the rest of the items ordered. It was very busy and service was a little slow. All in all, it was a great breakfast.

My friend and I checked out TSR and I do think it was a one off experience as we sat at the Bar. Food: I have to say I was not overly impressed. I asked for a medium burger and it seemed to be well done. I did see someone hanging the shrimp cocktail and they agreed that it was good enough that they ordered another as my friend and I chatted with them. Service: The service was very disappointing at the Bar. The bartender offered us bread but he never brought any out for us. And we had to flag him down to actually serve us. And he was not very attentive. Sadly the starter plates we got had a film/grease to to them which we did not use. The people next to us even said the same thing that the food was not overly impressive. Atmosphere: Or Ambiance like it like to call it, was really nice. I think the decor really matched other overall look of the restaurant. Overall, I will say if someone I know wants to try TSR I might give them a try again just not at the bar.

This place is a very comfortable and cozy place restaurant! It had a lot of beautiful wood working around. Had a wonderful server and the food was delish. I had the salmon with veggies and sweet potato fries. Chardonnay aswell. Yum

Nice Ambiance, solid history as a restaurant. Food quality is subpar, the prices they are asking shouldn't be for frozen vegetables and pre made food from their supplier. Everything overly salty. $50 for a flavorless steak. Service was good. Our family of four spent $225 for a meal that would have been better at Culver's.

Filet Mignon: 4.8, It was very salty and tasted so good. Sauteed Vegetables: 4.4, Tasted amazing not much else to say Key Lime Pie: 5, Best dessert I have ever had The Shanty is one of the best restaurants ever.

Attractive inside and out, this is a compromise between a special occasion restaurant and a sports bar. Service is quite good, no matter how busy, plenty of room in the parking lot, very popular with locals. Prices are commensurate with the ambiance, but the food itself is at the okay level. Lots of choices, maybe too many. I've eaten here a couple of times, geographically it's a place where I can arrange to meet friends from Chicago, I'm coming from Milwaukee. None of what I've ordered has ever been bad, but nothing has been that special either.

From the moment you walk in you think you're in a Colorado lodge turned into a sports bar. The ambience, sadly, was the highlight of the experience. I made the mistake of ordering eggplant. After my bad experiences of having eggplant dishes made by people who don't know how to prepare it, one would think I would have learned my lesson. It was rubbery, bitter from lack of proper salting prior, and pretty awful. They did, however have an overpriced Beyond Burger that kept my happy. The beer menu was bland and mainstream. But, I was here for the company. All of us had a great time in spite of the food. But, after we asked for our check a woman who worked there informed us we had to leave because they have a 90 minute cut off. Very uncool. That sort of nonsense should be spelled out upon arrival or on big red warning letters on their website. We dropped over $300 and were told we had to go (even though we had finished and were waiting for our bill). Classless.

A safe bet for dining. Lots of business/work dinners going on at other tables validates this. Food was good, service was a tad slow, but the place was BUSY (middle of the week). Not so good for ambiance as it's loud, but like I said, it's a safe bet.

The Shanty has a lot of parking and is a beautiful restaurant. It's a big enough space where you can hold a huge event. We came for an early dinner at 430pm and only the bar was busy at that time. Service is great! We were helped by Maggie who was very patient with us and friendly. She answered all of our questions and was professional. The food was just okay. The calamari was fresh, lightly breaded, well seasoned and has the perfect crisp! The marinara it came with was delicious and not spicy. The clam chowder was decent, but I wish they would've not included carrots. I've never had an authentic clam chowder with carrots in it. It can honestly do without it. The frog legs were bland but the sweet potato fries was the best part of the dish. Highly recommend the sweet potato fries. I didn't really understand the condiments with the frog legs, especially the butter. I didn't think that was needed. Not sure I'd come back again, but glad I tried it anyway.

We have been here three times. Once for dinner, brunch, lunch. To be honest it is only good on fish fry days. The food, seating, ambiance, room temperature, etc. is inconsistent. The newer section is great. It has high ceilings, clean, good airflow, stuffy local patrons. The older portion of the restaurant is dark, dirty, and generally not as appealing. I hate to say it, but there is a strong case to gut the old section and bring it up to the look of the newer section. I understand nostalgia, but hey, time to get into the 1990's. The food is Wadsworth food. Do not look for an outstanding meal, rather a meal that just fills you up. Love the fish fry's, but every other dish beyond that is more of a truck stop feel. Little flavor, hints of a Greek diner. They have a good level of service staff, just did not feel that they were around enough. I bet if they really wanted to they could update the place and revamp the menu a bit and they would have a real destination location. We will only go back to The Shanty on fish fry days.

Way up North above Chicago, near some of the poshest 'burbs in the megalopolis. It's called a "shanty", but it's a serious place. We were here for the "Sunday Breakfast" with our Jeweler, who is also a fine Classic Rock vocalist-his choice of restaurant is as impressive as his talents. This place rocks. Started with the house-special Bloody Mary, one of those tricky ones with stuff skewered on top. I don't drink them often, except when I'm on an Airplane, or I'm confident the joint I'm in is gonna show me somethin' I ain't seen before. This one was superb. They also offered a short glass of Miller Lite as a chaser. Don't cha know, it was a perfect fit. Whisky Shrimp for Hors d'œuvre-tasty as hell. Coulda had these for entrée, but I swung with the "Mediterranean Skillet", which had a strong Greek bent, altogether fine with me. Delicious, for sure. Olives, Feta, Mountain Oregano, Basil, Prosciutto and other things with scrambled eggiwegs and potatoes. Brilliant! Wife had Eggs and Pancakes Combo, reported as excellent by her. Fine service, and surprisingly modest prices. A bit too far from Stately Breakwind Manor for casual repeat visits-but will consider a slight trip east when returning from a Wisconsin jaunt. I'd love to sample the Dinner offerings.

Came here for a birthday luncheon. Quite an interesting looking place. Our waitress told us that the Shanty has been there quite a while and has been added on to throughout the years. I liked the atmosphere there. Here's what we ordered. Special Italian steak sandwich Mussels Chicken wrap Caesar salad Crabcake salad Lamb burger I had the lamb burger, and it was really good. If you like lamb. Get it. Comes with tzatziki. I had vegetables for my side, which were great. Fresh + cooked perfectly. Everyone else liked their dishes and service. This place is not near to me, but if I'm in the area, I'm stopping in.

Great place for dinner! The restaurant is charming! We made a reservation for a table for five last weekend. We found the staff to be friendly and accommodating. Our server had great recommendations. We started with the calamari and the shrimp bruschetta. Fantastic! We ordered the Parmesan crusted Salmon. Highly recommend! The entire experience was flawless. They even had Austin Hope wines! What could be better? We felt at home. If we are ever in the area again, we will definitely go back!

Gone several times for group work events. Good food and drinks. Service has been good.

Or daughter and son in law hosted their wedding dinner here this past weekend. The food was delicious as always, the service was outstanding and our daughter's very specific cake request was taken care of. Thank you to Alyson, the servers and bartenders.

This place used to be great but now the service is awful! I've watched multiple parties walk out upset over being ignored. No fun being ignored. I've experienced it myself. Too bad. Won't be going here anymore.

Went to The Shanty yesterday afternoon but checked in later as I live in the vicinity so I wouldn't forget to write my review! We sat outside on the patio as it was a nice day. Didn't take my camera out for a meal picture . Picture is from a previous time but I didn't get to the review so Kudos to The Shanty because every time I go there it's awesome., Yesterday all day they had Wednesday fish specials so I ordered the Lake Perch which was awesome . It's hard to find Lake Perch! I ate it all the fish part not the rest. The salad was fine many dressing choices. I ordered the veggies they were very crunchy but I suppose healthy. There wasn't any appetiser bread. I believe there was is the past like a warm roll or something! Oh well this was lunch not dinner. I'll return again sometime :-)!

Our first time there and we really liked their food presentation not to mention the nice ambience. We are definitely going back.

well it's in the middle of Wadsworth the last of a before I get my assignment ended but decided to join for bar and co workers. It was much better than otooles. Food especially the meatballs and the braised rib steak was beyond the word delicious. Meatballs too. This was served more smorgasborder bar style. They're egg rolls should really be a pizza Puff delicious but they shouldn't call it egg rolls in regards to Asian cuisine. Service was very great in regards to the liquor choices since my work abbvie was paying for it. I like going I guess if I don't get let go I'll have to make this another bucket list of food to try. Thought about you if it's just up the part with steak Stevens in Gurnee Illinois. I will miss coming up here in the commute and I discovered a lot of restaurants in lake county

Not sure what's happened to the Shanty, but wow, disappointing at every turn. The bread was unflavorful and stale, the salads have shrunk significantly and what used to be my favorite dish I craved (barramundi) lacked good flavor Similarly, the pilaf lacked rice texture, definition and flavor, it looked and tasted like something you get out of a microwave bag of rice. So glad I didn't order a double portion like usual. Sadly disappointed in the changes the Shanty has made. I don't mind the price point because it was a great meal, this was not worth half the price. As far as the service, despite it being a very slow night, our waitress disappeared for long periods of time and left us multiple times having to find another server for help.

The food is amazing, the service is excellent and the tables are far enough apart to not have to listen to another table's conversation. Gentle lighting and comfortable seats.