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Where to Let the Good Times Roll This Mardi Gras

by Brett Hickman Feb 26, 2014, 4:36am CST

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by Brett Hickman Feb 26, 2014, 4:36am CST

Mardi Gras is fast approaching (this year falling on March 4) and Chicago's restaurants and bars are gearing up for Fat Tuesday celebrations. So before Lent hits (if that's your bag), check out these noteworthy spots to chow down on some Cajun/Southern Creole food and knock back a hurricane (or ten).

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EL Ideas

If you're looking to live it up right this Mardi Gras, make your reservations now to Michelin-starred EL Ideas' celebration on March 4. Expect 12-14 courses for your $145 (per person). Alcohol is BYOB.

2419 W 14th St, Chicago, IL 60618

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Dusek's

Dusek's and Punch House are celebrating Fat Tuesday with Jared Wentworth's Cajun twists, cocktail and beer specials, and live New Orleans-themed music on March 4.

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1227 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

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Shaw's Crab House

Shaw's Crab House will host their Sunday brunch on March 2 with Louisiana flair. For $55 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. guests can enjoy special Mardi Gras dishes such as Cajun oyster benedict and Hoppin' John.

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21 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60611

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Davis Street Fishmarket

Head to Evanston on March 4 for a cooking class at 5:30 ($25), as well as live music, free psychic and Tarot readings and prizes for best costumes.

501 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

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Also featured in:

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Commonwealth Tavern

Newly opened Commonwealth gets into the Fat Tuesday action with $7 Hurricanes and $12 jambalaya from executive chef Kevin Church.

2000 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

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Untitled

Untitled is hosting a Sailor Jerry rum event with a live brass band, a crawfish boil, and Sailor Jerry cocktails, of course, from 4:30 until midnight on Fat Tuesday. No cover.

Open in Google Maps

111 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Visit Website

Trellis

Trellis is serving up a whole new menu for Mardi Gras. Sous chef Josh Hutton, who lived in Louisiana for a number of years, has a hand in crafting dishes that include seafood gratin, gumbo pizza (?!), as well as an assortment of po' boys.

2426 N Racine Ave, Chicago, IL

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Also featured in:

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Newport Bar and Grill

Newport's the place to be for $4 Abita beer and Cajun, Brass Bands and Zydeco themed music this season.

1344 W Newport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

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Bub City

Bub City will have its regular BBQ menu on March 4, but will also feature their take on gumbo, as well as an oyster po' boy ($9.95).

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435 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60610

Visit Website

Carnivale Restaurant

Featuring a special three-course prix fixe menu March 1 through March 4, Carnivale is mixing its Latin roots with N'Awlins cooking on dishes like Maine lobster etouffe featuring huitlacoche risotto.

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702 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60661

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Nouveau Tavern

Nouveau Tavern will kick off Mardi Gras festivities on Feb. 28 with the opening of their Bourbon Street Lounge. Look for activities leading up to Fat Tuesday, including a New Orleans Jazz Sunday Brunch on Sunday, March 2.

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358 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60654

Visit Website

Frontier

Check out Frontier chef Brian Jupiter's shrimp boil ($33 per person) on Tuesday, March 4. Guzzle down a $8 New Orleans gin fizz or a Sazerac.

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1072 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

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Takito Kitchen

Celebrate Mardi Gras beginning Thursday, Feb. 27 at Takito Kitchen. Chef/partner David Dworshak will serve up a jambalaya taco ($15/$19 for 3/4) and try the bar's new blood orange margarita (get the BIG for $16).

Open in Google Maps

2013 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Visit Website

Sunday Dinner Club Event Space

Sunday Dinner Club's upcoming dinners on February 28, March 1, 5 & 6 will feature a 6-course meal that includes black pepper popcorn shrimp salad, boudin balls and king's cake for $85 per person.

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3361 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

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LuxBar

Grab a Hurricane from Luxbar's Matthew “Choo” Lipsky to go with your corn meal crusted shrimp with spicy Creole sauce.

18 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60610

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Cactus Bar & Grill

$20 gets you into Cactus' fourth annual crawfish eating contest on March 4, benefitting New Orleans Habitat for Humanity. The first-place winner receives a $100 gift certificate to the restaurant.

404 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607

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Also featured in:

Division Ale House

This neighborhood staple is serving up jambalaya and a spicy shrimp po' boy for $10.99 each, as well as a special gumbo along with their drink specials from February 27-March 4.

1942 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Visit Website

Also featured in:

Fat Cat Bar & Grill

Come out to Fat Cat on Saturday, March 1 for their Mardi Gras beer dinner featuring crawfish etouffee with mascarpone grits and braised greens along with three additional courses for $45 per person. Contact ChicagoEvents@Rocketmail.com for tickets.

4840 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60640

Visit Website

Also featured in:

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EL Ideas

2419 W 14th St, Chicago, IL 60618

If you're looking to live it up right this Mardi Gras, make your reservations now to Michelin-starred EL Ideas' celebration on March 4. Expect 12-14 courses for your $145 (per person). Alcohol is BYOB.

2419 W 14th St, Chicago, IL 60618

Visit Website

Dusek's

1227 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Dusek's and Punch House are celebrating Fat Tuesday with Jared Wentworth's Cajun twists, cocktail and beer specials, and live New Orleans-themed music on March 4.

Open in Google Maps

1227 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Visit Website

Shaw's Crab House

21 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60611

Shaw's Crab House will host their Sunday brunch on March 2 with Louisiana flair. For $55 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. guests can enjoy special Mardi Gras dishes such as Cajun oyster benedict and Hoppin' John.

Open in Google Maps

21 E Hubbard St, Chicago, IL 60611

Visit Website

Davis Street Fishmarket

501 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

Head to Evanston on March 4 for a cooking class at 5:30 ($25), as well as live music, free psychic and Tarot readings and prizes for best costumes.

501 Davis St, Evanston, IL 60201

Visit Website

Commonwealth Tavern

2000 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

Newly opened Commonwealth gets into the Fat Tuesday action with $7 Hurricanes and $12 jambalaya from executive chef Kevin Church.

2000 W Roscoe St, Chicago, IL 60618

Visit Website

Untitled

111 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Untitled is hosting a Sailor Jerry rum event with a live brass band, a crawfish boil, and Sailor Jerry cocktails, of course, from 4:30 until midnight on Fat Tuesday. No cover.

Open in Google Maps

111 W Kinzie St, Chicago, IL 60654

Visit Website

Trellis

2426 N Racine Ave, Chicago, IL

Trellis is serving up a whole new menu for Mardi Gras. Sous chef Josh Hutton, who lived in Louisiana for a number of years, has a hand in crafting dishes that include seafood gratin, gumbo pizza (?!), as well as an assortment of po' boys.

2426 N Racine Ave, Chicago, IL

Visit Website

Newport Bar and Grill

1344 W Newport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Newport's the place to be for $4 Abita beer and Cajun, Brass Bands and Zydeco themed music this season.

1344 W Newport Ave, Chicago, IL 60657

Visit Website

Bub City

435 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60610

Bub City will have its regular BBQ menu on March 4, but will also feature their take on gumbo, as well as an oyster po' boy ($9.95).

Open in Google Maps

435 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60610

Visit Website

Carnivale Restaurant

702 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60661

Featuring a special three-course prix fixe menu March 1 through March 4, Carnivale is mixing its Latin roots with N'Awlins cooking on dishes like Maine lobster etouffe featuring huitlacoche risotto.

Open in Google Maps

702 West Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60661

Visit Website

Nouveau Tavern

358 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60654

Nouveau Tavern will kick off Mardi Gras festivities on Feb. 28 with the opening of their Bourbon Street Lounge. Look for activities leading up to Fat Tuesday, including a New Orleans Jazz Sunday Brunch on Sunday, March 2.

Open in Google Maps

358 W Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60654

Visit Website

Frontier

1072 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Check out Frontier chef Brian Jupiter's shrimp boil ($33 per person) on Tuesday, March 4. Guzzle down a $8 New Orleans gin fizz or a Sazerac.

Open in Google Maps

1072 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60642

Visit Website

Takito Kitchen

2013 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Celebrate Mardi Gras beginning Thursday, Feb. 27 at Takito Kitchen. Chef/partner David Dworshak will serve up a jambalaya taco ($15/$19 for 3/4) and try the bar's new blood orange margarita (get the BIG for $16).

Open in Google Maps

2013 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Visit Website

Sunday Dinner Club Event Space

3361 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Sunday Dinner Club's upcoming dinners on February 28, March 1, 5 & 6 will feature a 6-course meal that includes black pepper popcorn shrimp salad, boudin balls and king's cake for $85 per person.

Open in Google Maps

3361 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Visit Website

LuxBar

18 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60610

Grab a Hurricane from Luxbar's Matthew “Choo” Lipsky to go with your corn meal crusted shrimp with spicy Creole sauce.

18 E Bellevue Pl, Chicago, IL 60610

Visit Website

Related Maps

Cactus Bar & Grill

404 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607

$20 gets you into Cactus' fourth annual crawfish eating contest on March 4, benefitting New Orleans Habitat for Humanity. The first-place winner receives a $100 gift certificate to the restaurant.

404 S Wells St, Chicago, IL 60607

Visit Website

Division Ale House

1942 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

This neighborhood staple is serving up jambalaya and a spicy shrimp po' boy for $10.99 each, as well as a special gumbo along with their drink specials from February 27-March 4.

1942 W Division St, Chicago, IL 60622

Visit Website

Fat Cat Bar & Grill

4840 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60640

Come out to Fat Cat on Saturday, March 1 for their Mardi Gras beer dinner featuring crawfish etouffee with mascarpone grits and braised greens along with three additional courses for $45 per person. Contact ChicagoEvents@Rocketmail.com for tickets.

4840 N Broadway St, Chicago, IL 60640

Visit Website

Related Maps