The one that started it all. The Angry Crab brought the seafood boil craze to Chicago in 2015 and attracted hoards of hungry fans when it began serving crawfish, clams, lobster, and four different types of crabs by the pound. Get them in lemon pepper, garlic butter, Cajun sauce, or a “maniac” combination of all three. There's a second outpost located in Wicker Park.

The Lincoln Park spot capitalizes on the East-meet-South fusion with spiced crawfish and even snails. Like its competitors, guests have the option of various shellfish seasoned in one of eight spices, ranging from ginger lemon to Thai chili. It also offers takes on pad Thai, loaded with seafood, and crawfish fried rice. There's a second location in the South Loop.

Step aboard this Lincoln Park ship and discover the flavors of the sea. Nosh on fried oysters, soft shell crab, fish po’ boys, and fresh catch like king crab legs and head-on shrimp. To finish, all guests receive a complimentary beignet.

One of Chinatown’s best restaurants doesn’t just specialize in dim sum and Peking duck. Instead, Dolo makes good use of its fresh catch for a signature boil that features five pounds of crab leg, crawfish, shrimp, sausage, corn, and potato tossed in Cajun sauce.

With a five-day-notice, guests and 24 of their friends can dig into just about all the head-on shrimp they can eat (one-and-a-half pounds per person, to be exact). As part of its whole animal service program, New Orleans-native chef Brian Jupiter offers up a traditional shrimp boil with potatoes, corn, and onions. The restaurant also regularly hosts communal crawfish boils with live music and drink specials.

Located just a few blocks away from the Madhouse on Madison is a similarly frenzied operation. Head to Mad Boiler before or after an event at the United Center to recharge on seafood-y treasures. King crab legs, whole lobsters, and Dungeness crabs can be doused in coconut curry or Cajun dry rub, making for an exquisite oceanic spread. They’re accompanied by items such as shrimp po’ boys, fried scallops, and crab fried rice. Save some room at the end, though, as the chocolate chip cookie dough eggroll provides a satisfyingly sweet sendoff.

At the western end of Chinatown Square sits this traditional malatang restaurant. The specialty here is a type of Sichuanese hot pot but the kitchen also dabbles in seafood boils. Enjoy lobster, crab — king, blue, or snow — crawfish, shrimp, and more swimming in sauces like garlic butter and lemon garlic. For those seeking spice, they’ll find it in abundance at Mr. Wang.

The Big Easy comes to Uptown by way of this Argyle Street spot. Its basic menu boasts little aside from seafood and the usual add-ins (corn, potatoes, sausage), but the lineup includes seasonal specialties like Dungeness and blue crabs. Patrons should order a side of white rice to soak up all the extra juices and bring their own booze for a good time.

The South Side isn’t rife with seafood boil purveyors like other parts of the city but Two Fish is a shining example of how to do it well. Order lobster tails, crab legs, shrimp, and crawfish — marinated in jerk or Cajun seasonings — and get ready to feast. There’s a selection of fried items as well, including catfish, tilapia, and oysters. Alcohol is BYO.