Guide: Where to Dine During Lent

The Lenten season is upon us and those who observe it may soon find their dining options a bit limited at times. Luckily we've compiled a list of places with several meatless offerings so you don't have to go hungry during the next few weeks. As is the custom, fish frys are aplenty alongside other seafood specials. If you were scratching your head wondering where you could possibly dine, then take a look at one of the following restaurants.

1) Shaw’s Crab House
Where: 21 E. Hubbard
Eat: Grilled wild Alaskan king salmon, Georgia’s bank sea scallops, steamed Alaskan red king crab legs, and chilled Florida stone crab claws.
Call: 312-527-2722

2) Duke of Perth
Where: 2913 N. Clark
Eat: “The Duke’s Favorite,” cod fried in beer batter and served with peas, chips and malt vinegar. The Wednesday and Friday special is all-you-can-eat for $10.25.
Call: 773-477-1741

3) L. Woods
Where: 7110 N. Lincoln
Eat: Wisconsin Fridays bring back the old days of supper clubs with a special menu of favorites. Try fried cheese curds to start, and then the Schlitz beer battered fried haddock or the famous fried Lake Perch with salt and vinegar fries, homemade coleslaw and tartar sauce. Don’t forget to cap it off with a fluffy cream puff.
Call: 847-677-3350

4) Fish Bar
Where: 2956 N. Sheffield
Eat: Raw oysters, rock shrimp, cod sandwich, Maine lobster roll, and oyster po’boys.
Call: 773-687-8177

5) Big Jones
Where: 5347 N. Clark
Eat: “A Creole Lenten Supper, circa 1890” will be a family meal drawing on 19th-century cookbooks by Lafcadio Hearn and The Christian Women's Exchange of New Orleans. It will be available nightly from 5-9 p.m. for $25 per person.
Call: 773-275-5725

6) Markethouse
Where: 611 N. Fairbanks
Eat: On Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m., enjoy six courses of sustainable seafood that includes Florida stone crab claws, Hawaiian Kampachi crudo, Alaskan Pollock fish and chips, salt baked yellow eye snapper, and Copper Shoal Red Drum fermented shrimp dirty rice.
Call: 312-224-2200

7) Bob Chinn’s Crab House
Where: 393 S. Milwaukee, Wheeling, IL
Eat: This Wheeling institution serves up Alaskan king crab legs and Alaskan Dungeness crab as just two of its crab offerings. Or try a Maine lobster, Asian bass, or some jumbo shrimp.
Call: 847-520-3633

8) Owen & Engine
Where: 2700 N. Western
Eat: Haddock fish and chips with malt vinegar aioli, pea puree, and sauce gribiche.
Call: 773-235-2930

9) The Gage
Where: 24 S. Michigan
Eat: The fish and chips consist of a Guinness batter, malt tartar sauce, and lemon. Also try the wild striped bass with cauliflower, pomegranate, and pickled shallot.
Call: 312-372-4243

10) Rio’s D’Sudamerica
Where: 2010 W. Armitage
Eat: Enjoy Lent specials based on Quinoa such as Peruvian style stir fry, Quinoa seafood paella, and Quinoa salad.
Call: 773-276-0170

11) Moe’s Cantina
Where: 155 W. Kinzie
Eat: Meatless specials include taco salad with shrimp, fish tacos, and a tilapia and shrimp plate with spicy Diablo sauce.
Call: 312-245-2000

12) John Barleycorn
Where: 3524 N. Clark
Eat: Lent specials include $8.95 all-you-can-eat fish and chips, $6 pepper and egg sandwich, $9 fish tacos, and $12 fried shrimp.
Call: 773-549-6000

13) Cleo’s
Where: 1935 W. Chicago
Eat: $5 fish and chips special on Fridays, 3 beer battered cod fillets served with tartar sauce and coleslaw.
Call: 312-243-5600

Eater Chicago intern Jeffy Mai contributed this article.