The Shanty Restaurant

4.7

1717 Reviews

$30 and under

Contemporary American

Top Tags:

The Shanty offers rustic appeal with great-tasting food. It is the ideal spot for a quick midday bite or relaxing dinner with friends. Live music on the weekends ensures an entertaining experience. The Shanty's building was reconstructed in 2010 with reclaimed barn wood from the area. The restaurant was also featured on the hit show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, as well as numerous other outlets, such as Food Network's "Let's Dish", NBC's "Around Town" and ABC's "Windy City". With an continuously evolving menu of customer-inspired dishes, The Shanty aims to please their guests. A top favorite is the whiskey shrimp appetizer, which includes fresh jumbo shrimp in The Shanty's signature Jack Daniels cream sauce. Another hit is the tequila and orange grilled salmon.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Mar 23, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 45 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Seafood, Steak
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm Breakfast Sun 8:00 am–12:30 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(847) 336-0262
Website
http://www.theshantyrestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Private party facilities
The Shanty offers 5 beautiful timeless designed private event spaces for gatherings of 20 guests to 500 guests!
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (847) 999-7202

Location
38985 North US Highway 41, Wadsworth, IL 60083
Neighborhood
Gurnee
Cross street
Route 41 and Wadsworth Rd.
Parking details
Public Lot
Entertainment
Live Music every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm in the new East Bar.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

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Popular dishes

Cheese Quesadilla$10.00
Blend of cheeses, tomatoes and onions
Grilled Chicken Quesadilla$13.00
Grilled chicken, tomatoes, onions and cheese
Vegetarian Quesadilla$12.00
Assorted sautéed vegetables, tomatoes, onions and cheese
Grilled Shrimp Quesadilla$15.00
Grilled shrimp, tomatoes, onion and cheese
Cajun Steak & Cheese Quesadilla$15.00
Cajun beef sirloin, tomatoes, onions and cheese

Wraps

Teriyaki Salmon Wrap$16.00
Wild Atlantic salmon, teriyaki glaze, tomatoes and lettuce
Chicken Caesar Wrap$15.00
Strips of grilled chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese blended with Caesar dressing
Chicken Ranch Wrap$15.00
Strips of breaded chicken, lettuce, tomato and cheese blended with Ranch dressing
Veggie Wrap$14.00
Fresh vegetables sautéed in balsamic vinegar with tomato, onions and lettuce
Turkey BLT Wrap$16.00
Slices of turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise

Big Salads & House Soups

Dressings: Ranch, French, Mango Vinaigrette, Creamy Garlic, Raspberry Vinaigrette, Thousand Island, Honey Mustard, Creamy Caesar, Bleu Cheese, Balsamic Vinaigrette. Bleu Cheese Crumbles $0.95

The Shanty Salad$15.00
Fresh spring greens and crisp romaine topped with bleu cheese, dry cranberries, mandarin oranges, bacon and raspberry vinaigrette dressing
- Add Grilled Chicken$18.00
- Add Grilled Shrimp (Four)$20.00
Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna Salad$19.00
Sesame seed encrusted sushi grade Ahi tuna seared rare over spring greens and romaine drizzled with our sweet chili sauce. Wasabi cream and balsamic vinaigrette served on the side
Chipotle Crab Cake Salad$20.00
Panko-dusted seared crab cakes drizzled with chipotle cream over fresh spring greens served with split hard-boiled egg and mango vinaigrette dressing
Chef Salad$17.00
Julienne strips of ham, turkey, mozzarella and American cheese served over spring greens and romaine with split hard-boiled egg
Avocado Roasted Corn Black Bean Salad$16.00
Freshly sliced avocado, fire roasted corn, black beans, roasted red bell peppers and corn tortillas over fresh spring greens and romaine served with southwest cilantro lime vinaigrette and cheese on the side
- Avocado Salad Chicken$18.00
- Avocado Salad Shrimp$20.00
Spicy Chicken Salad$18.00
A breaded chicken breast dipped in buffalo sauce topped with crumbled bleu cheese over fresh spring greens and romaine served with ranch dressing
Caesar Salad$10.00
- Add Chicken$18.00
- Add Shrimp (Four)$20.00
Fresh Spring Salad
- Small$4.00
- Large$8.00
Homemade Soup of the Day
- Cup (6 Oz.)$4.00
- Bowl (12 Oz.)$8.00

Crafted Burgers & Sandwiches

Served with choice of sweet potato fries ($1 up-charge), Shanty wedge fries, sautéed vegetables, red skinned garlic mashed potatoes, jasmine rice or baked potato. American, cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella or pepper jack cheese available for $1. Onion roll bun available for $1. Gluten-free bun available for $2. Baked potatoes available after 5:00pm

The Classic Shanty Burger$15.00
10 ounces of fresh ground sirloin served on a toasted bun
Junior Burger$13.00
6 ounce version of our Classic Shanty Burger for the smaller appetite
Chicken Parmesan Sandwich$15.00
An Italian favorite on a toasted bun with mozzarella and homemade sweet marinara sauce
New York Strip Steak Sandwich$19.00
8 ounce Certified Angus Beef New York strip charbroiled to order and served on French Bread
Classic Butt Steak Sirloin Sandwich$19.00
8 ounce Certified Angus Beef butt steak served open-faced on white bread topped with wine mushrooms and au jus
Patty Melt$16.00
A classic 10 ounce fresh patty with caramelized onions and Swiss cheese on marble rye bread
Reuben$15.00
Roasted corned beef and Swiss cheese with sauerkraut and homemade thousand island on grilled marble rye bread
Meatball or Italian Sausage Bomber$15.00
Homemade meatballs or sausage in sweet marinara on French bread topped with mozzarella
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich$15.00
A breaded chicken breast dipped in our spicy buffalo sauce, topped with crumbled bleu cheese
Chicken Sandwich$13.00
A grilled or breaded chicken breast served on a toasted bun with a side of mayonnaise
Veggie Sandwich$14.00
A vegetarian sandwich with sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, honey, roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese on toasted white bread
Fish Sandwich (Fresh Cod)$15.00
A hand-breaded fresh Icelandic cod fillet served with tartar sauce and lemon. Cheese is also available
Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna Steak$16.00
Sesame seed encrusted 6-ounce sushi grade Ahi tuna seared rare with sweet chili sauce, wasabi and vegetable. Not served with bread
BLT Club$15.00
Toasted white bread, double smoked applewood bacon, fresh lettuce, fresh tomatoes and mayonnaise prepared traditionally
Turkey Club$15.00
Toasted white bread, smoked sliced turkey, smoked applewood bacon, fresh lettuce, fresh tomatoes and mayonnaise prepared traditionally

Farm To Table All-Natural Burgers

Natural KOBE Beef Burger$15.00
USDA-certified American Kobe Beef flamed to order on a potato bun and served with cabernet sauvignon blackberry rouge Dijon mustard
USDA Organic Bison Burger$15.00
Locally raised certified organic buffalo flamed medium rare on an onion roll bun and served with our homemade smoked tomato ketchup
Plant Based Arugula Burger$12.00
Plant based burger topped with onion balsamic jam and organic arugula served on a vegan bun
Farmhouse Burger$16.00
Naturally raised beef topped with cheddar cheese, bacon marmalade and a Tempel Farms organic fried egg served on a potato bun
Kallianis Farm-Raised All-Natural Lamb Burger$15.00
Personally raised by owner Dino Kallianis, this certified lamb is flamed medium rare on a potato bun and served with our homemade cucumber garlic cream sauce

Our Famous Shanty Burger Dressed Up

Rancher Burger
Sautéed wine mushrooms with caramelized onions and pepper jack cheese
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00
Fungus and Swiss
Sautéed wine mushrooms and Swiss cheese
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00
New Orleans Burger
Spicy Cajun seasoning, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions and red peppers
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00
Blue Moon
Bleu cheese with caramelized onions
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00
Porky Burger
Smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and our homemade barbeque sauce
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00
Italian Burger
Homemade marinara sauce with mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00
South-Of-The-Border Burger
Pepper jack and cheddar cheeses with guacamole, salsa and caramelized onions
- 6 Oz.$14.00
- 10 Oz.$16.00

What 1,717 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

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Filters

KR
KristineR
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall2food1service2ambience2
Very disappointing. Food was average. Rice came with almost every dish as a filler. Veggies were mass produced. Just very warehouse and not original.
PW
PamW
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall4food4service5ambience4
To be fair about the noise, we went on a Saturday night and there was a live band. The band was decent and some may really enjoy that. We went to catch up with people we haven't seen in awhile and had a hard time with conversation. We were a party of 4: two had fish and two had steak. The main courses and rice pilaf were good. My vegetables were broccoli and carrots and had to be cut with a knife. A little underdone for my taste. The pre-meal bread was good. The staff was attentive and helpful and the ambiance was nice. We will try again.
s
surneb
Chicago
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service4ambience4
I have reviewed my meals at The Shanty several times. I have never been disappointed in a meal here... on the contrary, I always leave satisfied and in love with whatever it was I chose to eat that day.
RB
RandyB
Chicago
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall3food2service4ambience4
Went fo the Friday Fish fry , it was just "OK" , I'd try something different on the next visit. Live music, very busy overall good time
c
cjktwin2
Milwaukee
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was great as usual. Service was outstanding. Such quick service for a holiday. They did a wonderful job
BM
ByronM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 5 days ago
overall5food4service5ambience5
Came to hear the Big Dog Mercer Band and have dinner with friends. He was great, dinner was ok and friends said they would be coming back. We had a god time.
M
Murphy5
Chicago
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful as always. Ok band but was looking for Irish tonight as it was St Paddys day
JG
JerseyGirl
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
The four of us decided to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day out. We all like The Shanty and have been here many times over the years. We had reservations and were seated on time. The service was excellent and prompt only bested by the meal. Three of the four of us had the corned beef dinner and it was delicious! There was a live band in the bar area, which heightened the noise level, but - hey - it was St. Patrick’s Day so that was to be expected. We did not feel rushed at all and enjoyed our dinner as always.
SS
SusanS
Chicago
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had reservations for St. Patty's Day Corn Beef and Cabbage. We arrived a few minutes early and stopped to have a drink at the bar. The drink pour was generous and there were several baristas so we were waited on very quickly, which is rarely the case when a bar is super busy. We were seated at our table within a few minutes and loved being seated in the original Shanty space. We've been residents of Wadsworth for many years and love the quaintness and familarity of the original space. Our waiter, Roe, was so personable and efficient, making our meal a wonderful experience; but then it always is when we come to The Shanty.
C
Craig
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience4
Everyone in our party ordered different fish. All were very good. Liked that the fried fish was only lightly battered (not a mass of batter). Cod, walleye, perch & redfish all very tasty. Free Jameson shots for St Patrick’s day was a nice touch.
TF
TeddyFoodie
Chicago
52 reviews
vip
5.0
52 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
Food awesome. Server delightful. Hostess stuckup and pretentious.
SR
SaraR1
Chicago
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on March 15, 2023
overall4food4service2ambience4
Made a reservation for lunch and sat in a corner table in the bar. Food was good. Our waitress seemed to forget about us quite often.
JF
JenniferF
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We absolutely love this restaurant!! Amazing food and the best employees!!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on March 13, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Food took a while. Other than that it was good as always but
CY
CashmereYeti
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The waitress Stephanie was amazing and super helpful with accommodations. Really great food and lovely service. Was seated right away at a clean table with a great waitress. 10/10
JR
JulesR
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Shanty is one of our favorite local eateries. The food is fantastic and the ambiance is totally chill. It's our go to restaurant when family is in from out of town or we want a fabulous family dinner. We love The Shanty!!
LS
LexieS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We love how close it is to the house to get great food. We really do love the whole place.
w
wsjt
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always love Sunday brunch with friends
M
Megan
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic Sunday brunch!
PW
PatW
Chicago
12 reviews
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food and service were great. We both had the Shanty salad with Shrimp. It was so huge I couldn’t finish it.
GH
GaryH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a good experience. Glad they take reservations. We recommend The Shanty to anyone in the area looking for a place to eat or celebrate something.
JR
JenniferR
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience3
The filet dinners we ordered both came at the wrong temperature. Along with that, the seasoning was underwhelming.
RP
RPMo
Las Vegas
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was great! The shrimp, burgers, rib tips, and pasta was awesome! The gelato and pie is some of the best around!
AM
AliciaM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Excellent food and service, background noise still a bit loud but better than the last 2 visits.
LO
LisaO
Chicago
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great meal and fantastic service.
CS
CarrieS
Chicago
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was delicious and service was top notch. Thanks Michelle you made our meal more enjoyable!
MP
MargoP
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
The food was delicious and our server was great! We were there for a friends birthday and she allowed us to visit without pushing us to leave.
JM
JesseM
Chicago
40 reviews
vip
5.0
40 reviews
Dined on March 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food as always, service was fast and food came out quickly! Food is pricey but you get what you pay for and I would rather spend my money on quality food and drinks.
CR
CherylR
Chicago
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on March 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fresh ingredients and prepared perfectly. I highly recommend The Shanty! Very happy to have found this gem.
DR
DiRoNA
Chicago
52 reviews
vip
4.0
52 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience3
Everyone was very accommodating as we had a large party that kept growing. The restaurant had a big event also so it was very crowded. Wendy was a great waitperson and did a awesome job!
A
Ana225
Memphis/West TN
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
AMAZING food!
TL
TLBOCB
Chicago
32 reviews
vip
5.0
32 reviews
Dined on March 3, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
Enjoyed the Friday night fish fry! Great service and good quality food!
DK
DanK
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Good service. Quality food.
M
Murphy5
Chicago
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great meal as always. Today was brunch. Locally sourced organic eggs and a fabulous Bloody Mary
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Great food and drinks as always at The Shanty. Happy to be sat in the back original space. So much charm. Our server Carrie was prompt and attentive.
MI
MICHAELF
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 25, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience3
The noise level to much. The TV’s should have bedn lower. Everthing else was good . Dinner for six was seated at bar room with a high top table.
G
Guest
Nashville
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Shanty is one of our favorite restaurants! The food & atmosphere are excellent!!
MB
MaryB
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Vickie Wass our waitress and as always she was great. Knew what we'd drink and brought out the soup before the Walleye came out. Everything was nice and hot with the exception for the Raspberry Ice Tea, of course. For a wet and rainy day, lunch was just wonderful.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Milwaukee
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We went to have Fat Tuesday fare. It was so delicious. Our server was helpful and efficient. My friend and I were able to talk in a normal voice. Good time.
MB
MariaB
Chicago
7 reviews
vip
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was our second time dining here and it was fantastic! Last time, went with some seafood items - this time, we all tried different burgers - natural beef with egg on top, lamb burger and bison burger - all delicious (my daughter even got a gluten free bun and said it was excellent, which is not always the case at other restaurants!). Definitely will be a regular stop when in the area!

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

FAQs

The Shanty Restaurant is rated 4.7 stars by 1717 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Mar 23, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 45 times today

38985 North US Highway 41, Wadsworth, IL 60083

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Route 41 and Wadsworth Rd.
Neighborhood
Gurnee
Hours of operation
Daily 11:00 am–9:00 pm Breakfast Sun 8:00 am–12:30 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
Cuisines
Contemporary American, Seafood, Steak
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Public Lot
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Entertainment
Live Music every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm in the new East Bar.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Dancing, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.theshantyrestaurant.com/
Phone number
(847) 336-0262
Private party facilities
The Shanty offers 5 beautiful timeless designed private event spaces for gatherings of 20 guests to 500 guests!
Private party contact
our Private Dining Coordinator: (847) 999-7202

Featured in

The Most Famous Restaurants in Chicago

The Shanty Restaurant

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

The Most Famous Restaurants in Chicago

Broiled Walleye

Friday - Fish Fry

The Shanty Salad

Quesadillas

Cheese Quesadilla$10.00

Grilled Chicken Quesadilla$13.00

Vegetarian Quesadilla$12.00

Grilled Shrimp Quesadilla$15.00

Cajun Steak & Cheese Quesadilla$15.00

Wraps

Teriyaki Salmon Wrap$16.00

Chicken Caesar Wrap$15.00

Chicken Ranch Wrap$15.00

Veggie Wrap$14.00

Turkey BLT Wrap$16.00

Big Salads & House Soups

The Shanty Salad$15.00

Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna Salad$19.00

Chipotle Crab Cake Salad$20.00

Chef Salad$17.00

Avocado Roasted Corn Black Bean Salad$16.00

Spicy Chicken Salad$18.00

Caesar Salad$10.00

Fresh Spring Salad

Homemade Soup of the Day

Crafted Burgers & Sandwiches

The Classic Shanty Burger$15.00

Junior Burger$13.00

Chicken Parmesan Sandwich$15.00

New York Strip Steak Sandwich$19.00

Classic Butt Steak Sirloin Sandwich$19.00

Patty Melt$16.00

Reuben$15.00

Meatball or Italian Sausage Bomber$15.00

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich$15.00

Chicken Sandwich$13.00

Veggie Sandwich$14.00

Fish Sandwich (Fresh Cod)$15.00

Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna Steak$16.00

BLT Club$15.00

Turkey Club$15.00

Farm To Table All-Natural Burgers

Natural KOBE Beef Burger$15.00

USDA Organic Bison Burger$15.00

Plant Based Arugula Burger$12.00

Farmhouse Burger$16.00

Kallianis Farm-Raised All-Natural Lamb Burger$15.00

Our Famous Shanty Burger Dressed Up

Rancher Burger

Fungus and Swiss

New Orleans Burger

Blue Moon

Porky Burger

Italian Burger

South-Of-The-Border Burger

Overall ratings and reviews

Sort by

Filters

Cleaning & sanitizing

FAQs

How is The Shanty Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is The Shanty Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

The Most Famous Restaurants in Chicago