Bob Chinn’s Crab House

Great variety of seafood, a s well as other options. The wait is well worth it as the product is as fresh as it gets. Service is good for a busy place like this and the servers do spend time at the table, not just take an order and disappear.

I came here on a business meeting with UL in Northbrook. I had never heard of this place but it was recommended to us by a colleague. To start, if you don’t like fish or seafood, this is still a great place to come. Yes, their menu focuses on fish and crab but they have excellent options for land lubbers as well. The garlic rolls were supposed to be the bees knees but I wasn’t overly impressed. But the meal was delicious. I ordered blackened salmon with rice and it was one of the best I’ve had. It came with some kind of teriyaki sauce that I drizzled over the fish and rice l that made it even better. I’d definitely recommend stopping by here if you have the chance. Just a tip though, I have a feeling they get really busy in the evenings so plan on avoiding the crowd.

We’re newbies here. I’ve read many of the reviews… Bottom line is that we’ll be back.
The place is very big, and has that «old school» big restaurant décor. It’s neat and clean though. Our server «Andrew» was very good, fast, and attentive. Our food was all good stuff! King Crab legs, Onaga fish, raw oyst, clam chowder. No complaints at all. I had one of their «famous» Mai Tai’s in the kitschy souvenir cup. It did its job! My wife had a Bloody Mary. Good, but Shaw’s is better… Price was reasonable.
We’ll be back!

This place used to be good. Now they are just overpriced and overrated. We met some friends there for lunch. I had the deep fried combo platter. The seafood was coated with a heavy breading and was greasy. That was seven hours ago and I’m still tasting the cocktail sauce when I belch.
Two stars for the friendly waitstaff.
Well, I guess we will stick with Boston Fish Market in Des Plaines.

I’m just not a fan of this place. Been here twice now. I don’t even remember what I ordered the first time. I know we had the garlic rolls both times but I feel like they are over rated. Went there for Father’s Day and it was super packed. I think since it took longer than usual they offered us free Cole slaw which we all said no to, but the waiter insisted and gave us 5 small orders of.
I ordered the lobster roll. Big mistake. Ive had bomb a$$ lobster rolls in my life and this was not one of them. I ate more of my sons pizza than the lobster roll. The rest of my family seemed to enjoy their meals or at least think it was decent (no one was raving or complaining about it– had a table of 8 adults and 2 kids). I would rather never return to this place again.

Bob Chinn’s has been around a long long time… but I’m not familiar with it so, having a yen for seafood, my friends and I headed over there. No reservation and we were seated in minutes. The service was excellent. The food was excellent. The noise level was… not so excellent.
I absolutely recommend this place for seafood and their chowder!!! Yowser on the chowder! I had the crab legs, the small ones, and it was more than enough. Plus, they get them out of the shell for you so… that’s a huge plus!!!
Try it, you’ll like it!

By far my favorite restaurant in all of Chicagoland. I come here for all major holidays and milestones. Today was no different being Father’s Day.
It was super busy, probably because every dad in the world would probably want to eat here on their day. As packed as it was, our party of 8 was seated in 10 minutes.
Being a regular here I knew what to get. A king crab, which you’ll have to ask your server about, a dinner for two featuring a 32oz porterhouse steak and lobster, and a dozen raw oysters. My only hang up about this visit is that the early bird specials were not valid.
It’s expensive. Expect to drop a cool $ 50 per head. But the seafood is fresh, unique, consistent. Chinn’s will never disappoint.

I’ve been here a few times and I always have a good time. Good food and friendly service!
Dinner starts with their garlic rolls. They are crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside and smothered in garlic oil.
I know that this a seafood place, but my fave are the steaks. The pork chop is also good. I have no complaints about any of the seafood items that I’ve had. The desserts are just ok but my fave is the white coconut cake, not too sweet and the coconut is not too much.
The atmosphere is family friendly and relaxed, think staff in Hawaiian shirts and khaki shorts.

My wife and I were here on 6−12−16. My wife had been here once and warned me it was expensive but I wasn’t too worried as I’m willing to pay more for a fine dining experience.
Walking into the restaurant I was immediately struck with the feeling I was at a cheap family buffet restaurant. We were herded into a line based on the size of our party, then shuffled to our table after a very short wait. The restaurant is huge inside and the décor and ambience were exceedingly cheap like any number of greasy spoon diners I’ve been to. Definitely not what I was expecting since I was already warned how expensive this place was. So if you’re looking for great ambience and a romantic dinner you can forget it here.
Once we were seated we decided to try the «world famous» Mai Tai. I’ve had better adult beverages at Chili’s. Don’t bother as I thought it was a waste of money. We were then given two garlic butter rolls. If you love an abundance of garlic you’ll love the rolls however if not you’ll hate them. I’ve never seen pieces of garlic that big on a garlic roll! WAY too much if you ask me.
For my entrée I ordered the South African lobster tail and 6 oz filet. This was the one bright spot about this restaurant. The lobster was fantastic and the steak tasted great and was cooked just as I had asked. They definitely got the entrée right. My wife had the crab legs and was also happy with her entrée. So, overall, if you can put up with the cheap furniture and awful ambience as well as plastic plates and cups and paper napkins, the main course was excellent. Just avoid the Mai Tai and dinner rolls. Our total bill was over $ 150 for 2 people and for the money I wasn’t completely satisfied with the experience.

Always an experience. Great service, unique atmosphere and the most extensive manu of fresh fish at any restaurant I can remember. It beats most seafood restaurants that are next to the ocean. I have been here twice in the past year and each visit has been memorable.

Always excellent food! If it’s not on the menu just ask. Have purchased wholesale lobsters prime steaks from Bob Chinns for years. We are on their Frequent customer plan which gets preferred seating along with points or Bob Chinn dollars. Well worth going there.
Mike Steinberger

I’ve been going to Bob Chinn’s for over 15 years and it’s still one of my favorite places to eat seafood. My family usually goes here for special occasions. On this occasion, we went for my sister’s birthday.
We ordered:
Clam Chowder
Macadamia Basa
King Crab Legs (24 oz.)
Soft Shell Crab
Orange Roughy
Halibut
Salmon Nigiri
First, we got complimentary garlic rolls. SO delicious! I also ordered a mai tai. It was very strong, but refreshing. All the seafood was fresh and great quality. I was really impressed when our server offered to shell my sister’s crab legs. That was great service because removing meat from crab legs can take a lot of effort. We ended the meal with a slice of paradise (ube pie). I felt like I was in Hawaii while eating it.
I always have a great dining experience when I come to Bob Chinn’s. The atmosphere and plating is not great, but the food is amazing. It’s a kid-​friendly restaurant and big enough to accommodate big groups. You can’t make reservations, but can call and put your name down for preferred seating for large groups. I’ll be back for another special occasion!

Here’s my 20+ years experience of dining at Chinns. Mimi is the best waitress. Ever. We request her by name and she is always anticipating our needs /​next requests. My big gripe is that Bob Chinns loves raising prices. I understand that he can get what he charges, so good business model. However, we went from being weekly customers to visiting once every few months as a result.
Lunch today was $ 21 for two smallish, sauteed soft shell crabs (one was missing the claws), $ 14 for combo au gratin, and $ 6 for salad bar w/​entrée purchase. I know that soft shell crabs are normally small in nature but these didn’t seem anything close to jumbos or whales. The sauteed soft shell crabs were so good though. I’d recommend them to anyone since they’re now in season. Also, in season is the copper river salmon. My dining companion wanted that but not bad enough to plunk down $ 39 on the lunch portion. I know, I know… supply and demand, quality, flown in daily, peak season, blah, blah, blah.
If you’re on a business account, go here and get the 5lb king crab for an appetizer, the 10oz lobster tail/​32oz porterhouse for an entrée, and a pitcher of mai tais to wash it down. The $ 11 shrimp lunch special is affordable and a good deal. Also, a good deal is the $ 5 early bird special. Can’t forget to mention the great garlic rolls, the vast selection on the salad bar and the two bite guarantee on any entrée. They stand behind their product and will replace your entrée if you’re not happy after two bites. Respect.
Dessert wise, in order of my most favorite to least: key lime pie, bread pudding, chocolate fudge pecan pie, the Hawaiian purple pie, cheesecake.

Food: good
Services: good
Price: high
Environment: good
Distance: okay
I have been there my boyfriend for 3 times and the food was good!
Although last time we went there to celebrate our anniversary they messed up my order, they apologized to us right away and bring us free food. I love it a lot and the service was awesome!
I definitely will go back again!!!

Solid food, great service.
I hit up bob chinns for lunch, so didn’t have the opportunity to try the Mai Tai, which I love. I opened with the chowder. Fantastic. Then followed up with soft shell crabs, which are in season. Excellent as well. Lastly did the oysters rockefeller. Not bad. Not my favorite, but not bad.

We had dinner at Bob Chinn’s on Saturday night and had a delicious meal!
Décor: From the outside you immediately think it’s a Red Lobster rip-​off. Then you enter and you think it’s a cheaply done Red Lobster rip-​off. Then you read the bio on Mr. Chinn and you think Red Lobster probably ripped him off haha. But, to that point, I was «warned» before we arrived that this really isn’t a «fancy» place but the seafood is amazing and more than makes up for it. There is a definite nautical theme but the place does not smell like fish at all (as tends to happen at places like this). There isn’t anything to write home about with the dining room of no-​frill tables, plastic plates, and cheap silverware but it all adds to the fun experience. It is a bit dark inside, but you barely notice.
Bathroom: relatively clean and gets the job done.
Staff: The greeter/​seater girls were a bit «set in their ways» as to which line you’re supposed to be in (we were a group of 4 and accidently got in the 5+ line. they made us duck under the rope to the correct side only to immediately open it and seat us… **confused look**) but it wasn’t it big deal. Our waiter was fantastic. He knew the menu inside and out, had no problem taking the time to explain things to us, and seriously seemed like he was always a step ahead when we’d ask a question or make a request. GREAT wait staff service! Additionally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the bus boys who did a great job of clearing plates.
Food: Man, we ate our fill here. We started with the rolls (which are LOADED with garlic and are very tasty) and a clam chowder (some of the best we’d ever had) before moving to the Fried Calamari (which was also some of the best we’ve ever had). For dinner we had the halibut (grilled to perfection with a side of tasty sweet potatoes), the Chicken Fingers (OUTSTANDINGLY good!), and a four pound King Crab. Yes, that’s right, a FOUR POUNDER. I mean, hey, we wanted a lot of crab! It was steamed to perfection and came cut up (still in the shell) in more manageable pieces. Before they cooked it they presented it to our table on a try — so you could take a picture of course! Along with the crab came four sides (rice, potatoes, green beans, fries). Everything was delicious, EVERYTHING! We were so stuffed that we skipped dessert.
Value: The prices are a bit higher here but you also can rest assured that you are getting FRESH seafood (they literally fly it in on the daily). The sides are a bit small (at least the ones that came w/​the crab) but they still tasted very good. You’ll leave here paying a bit more but it is SO WORTH IT.
This places’ reputation preceded itself (due to word of mouth) but I can honestly say it lived up to the hype. I’d certainly return again in the future.

We have been coming here for years, so I can’t believe I never wrote a review! Bob Chinn’s food is consistent in flavor and quality. The BEST clam chowder I have ever tasted — thick, full of clams and potatoes, and not too salty. Excellent garlic rolls. Surprisingly good salad bar, and only $ 6 extra if you also order an entrée. My favorite used to be the crab stuffed shrimp over pasta alfredo, but ever since I discovered Asian Sea Bass, that’s my new go-​to dish. Either Basa BV (Bob’s Version) or Stuffed Basa (with the same crab from the stuffed shrimp!). We always leave here satisfied and smiling.
We often choose this place because they can accommodate large parties, with or without preferred seating (quasi-​reservations). There are plenty of (clean) bathrooms and lots of sinks throughout the dining area to wash off shell remnants from your hands.
Today, a single employee went above and beyond for us. One member of our party accidentally left his headlights on, draining his car battery. The young valet attendant not only pushed the car into a better position and helped us jump the car, but he even ran to his own car and let us borrow his jumper cables when we discovered that ours were faulty. He was very knowledgeable and polite. My only regret is that I did not get his name so I could sing his praises to his superiors. (It was Mother’s Day 2016, around 1 or 2 pm)

We saw Bob Chinn’s on Biggest Kitchens in America and knew we had to eat here when in the Chicago area. We visited on a Sunday night and it wasn’t as crowded as we thought. We were seated right away and our lovely waitress explained the whole menu to us. We ended up ordering the Oysters Rockefeller, the Porterhouse for 2 to split between the 4 of us, and an extra order of King Crab legs. We also had 3 helpings of garlic rolls (TRY not to fill up on these, I dare you). When ordering the Porterhouse, also get the onions, they’re pretty bomb! We didnt ask for the onions but our waitress brought them out anyway to try and I probably ate the whole bowl myself since it was conveniently placed in front of me :) I think the Porterhouse was one of the best I’ve ever had, and even more worth it for the price. We come from the land of $ 100 Porterhouses in NY, so Bob Chinn’s was CHEAP by comparison! The servers really know their stuff on how to crack King Crab legs. I still don’t know how they did it, it was like magic! I just ended up eating the chunks that our waitress cracked for us :)
To finish off the meal, get a slice of paradise! aka Ube pie! It was delicious and a perfect way to cap off the dinner.

Very good place for a variety of seafood. I was dining alone, so I opted for the bar. The main floor is hustling with people and has a good, busy vibe. The bar area is a little quieter. Nice beer selection as well.
I ordered the king crab claws in their standard butter sauce. It’s was tasty.
The bartender was friendly and attentive.
If I decide to return to Bob Chinn’s, it’ll be with a group of people.

Bob Chinn’s is our go to place for celebrating birthdays, holidays, or basically whenever we’re in the area.
Per usual, they won’t seat you until all of your party is here. No worries bec you can walk over to the waiting area to order a Mai Tai while you check out their merchandise of Mai Tai mix and apparel. No reservations but preferred seating available for big groups if you call ahead.
I’ve never had a bad meal here. Surf and turf is awesome. My husband and I have split the king crab claws and porterhouse meal with plenty of left overs! Poke here is served with crispy fried wonton wrappers… really reminds me of Hawaii! Every meal is served with endless garlic rolls which is reason alone to eat here… also their coleslaw is awesome. Don’t forget to order coconut cake… it’s so fluffy!!!’