Calumet Fisheries

Tried the smoked shrimp, & I loved it! :) I cannot wait to come back and try the smoked salmon and lake perch! Everyone should check Calumet Fisheries out. You won’t be disappointed!

Fantastic divey little fish stand on the far south side.
Stellar smokey selection of pretty much anything that swims in the Great Lakes. And somethings that don’t. I.e. my favorite: Smoked Shrimp
Boating Tip: you can dock for free at Crowley’s across the river and walk across the bridge.

I made an hour trip and the Catfish was bland and tasteless. Also got the fried mac and cheese, it tastes like easy mac. Despite the other raving reviews, I would not recommend or go back

Although the location is a bit odd and out of the way from most of downtown, it’s well worth making your journey out. The smoked salmon was amazing and the place just feels like a historical and cultural gem. I can’t fully recommend the fish dinner as it’s not the salmon and the price was high for what it was. But if you’re looking for the best smoked salmon in Chicago, look no further.

Great fried seafood in a family run spot. The location is in the most unlikely of places and finding it is half the fun. No tables, takeout only, so be prepared to eat in your car or outdoors if the weather permits. I haven’t tried any of the smoked offerings but definitely plan to on my next visit!

I’m not big on fried food so I go for their smoked shrimp that I highly recommend, delish! It’s worth every penny and the shrimp are big. If you like spicy, get their hot sauce to dip the shrimp in. Thank me later :)

If you’re ever in Chicago and want to venture out from the city, this place is definitely worth the trip! It’s location is kind of random but not too hard to find. They only have 1 picnic table to sit at outside so either come prepared to possibly eat standing or come prepared to wait until you get home to eat.
Smoked shrimp (¹⁰⁄₁₀) — large shrimp, smoked perfectly with so much flavor
Smoked salmon (¹⁰⁄₁₀) — nicely cut, smoked the same way as the shrimp
Fried oysters (⁶⁄₁₀) — I’m not a fan of the texture of fried oysters so this may not be completely accurate but I didn’t feel like their fried oysters tasted any different from ones I’ve had in the past
Fried shrimp (⁸⁄₁₀) — if you’re not a fan of smoked foods, then I would recommend to go with the fried shrimp, medium/​large shrimp, fry batter was nice and crispy
**They will give tartar sauce and cocktail sauce with your order

It took me toooooooo long to get here and I am only kicking myself! GREAT no the BEST… smoked fish I have ever had :)!! YUM. Go now and try it all… bring a cooler and fill it up, trust me!!! Smoked salmon was my favorite. the peel and eat shrimp were also great! Bring Cash…

Remember this place when I was real young. My dad and his best friend next door neighbor and his son (my best friend), and my brothers and even mom, use to fish near here on Wolf Lake… fun times! Brought back memories! Best Fried shrimp that I have had in a long time! Just the right amount of breading and seasoning. Service is quick and food is always freshly hot. Be careful… parking just on the side of a busy road but worth it! During the summer time, it i nice place to just eat at the outdoor table and watch boats go by and view the river/​lake! This place has been here for a long time and still doing it right! They are truly famous for their smoked fish… a must try! Many famous/​television chefs have visited this spot and rave over it!

Can someone who is a chicago native tell me if there is a way to get from downtown to this place without paying the toll? because we really didn’t go on the bridge we passed the toll, drove like 3 steps ordered our food and U turned to get back to down town… such a waste of a toll. I did my research on Unilocal before coming here so i had an idea of what i wanted to order, there is no dining inside but there was a few seats outside (chicago is way too cold to eat outdoors in late october eary november imo) the fragrant of smoked fish consumes you as soon as you open the door, this is a small shop with lots of options. As per my fellow Unilocalers recommendations i ordered the fried scallops, the shrimp and the smoked salmon. The salmon was sooo good! you get a big portion for just a few bucks, i thought it was totally worth it! the smokiness is in every bite and i never had smoked fish before but i am now a fan! The scallops were small but juicy and they don’t go cheap on it either, you get alot (they were a bit pricey if you asked me but i am glad i got to try it) the shrimps were HUGE i swear it was like they were on steroids but hey i am NOT complaining… i am just amazed. There was so much meat in each of these delicious shrimp, i could eat these all day. If i had to come back i would definitely get MORE shrimp and try some of their other smoked pieces of fish… If i was only allowed to chose one item i’d go with SHRIMP!

I watched Anthony Bourdain chow down on some seafood here and then found myself in Chicago for a wedding a couple of weeks later. My husband had been in the city shortly before this and demanded that we go to Calumet Fisheries – obviously I had no problem with this!
We were all fairly full from brunch earlier in the morning and we were short on time, but we made sure to stop here for some smoked salmon. This. Salmon. It was rich and flavorful and absolutely amazing. I described it at the time as a sort of salmon jerky – kind of like beef jerky in the flavor profile, but obviously not a chewy strip of meat. I’m not acting out when I say this was life changing and I can’t wait to go back and feast on more!
Tips:
Cash only
Keep an eye out for bones in the fish

Very, very good scallops and shrimp! I finally tried the smoked salmon, it was too die for! The location is small, but the memorabilia on the wall keeps you entertained while they prepare your order.
It is cash only, so come prepared.

I had been wanting to stop here when my wife and I flew into Chicago on our way to IN. Now we live in IL and I finally had an opportunity to stop.
This place is simply perfect! Great prices for a super quality product! It really is hard deciding what to try when you first walk in. We tried the pepper salmon and the smoked shrimp. Both were heavenly.
Next time I am bringing a six pack of good beer and a bigger appetite. Great job to all those that run this place!

Went there recently for catfish, smelled good until I realized the food was under cooked. We’ll be calling the location to see how they respond, but I took a chance and visited this place regardless of my mind saying NO because of the appearance! Goes to show you about going with your first thoughts. Eat at you own risk!!!

This place is good!!! We got fried shrimp, smoked shrimp, fried oysters, fried scallops, and smoked salmon. My husband likes the fried shrimp, I’m not a big fried shrimp person so it as just okay to me! The fried oyster wasn’t that good either, I think because it was kinda soggy I don’t know. But like earlier reviews the smoked salmon and smoked shrimp is to die for! SERIOUSLY! It’s that good! I want to try the black pepper and garlic smoked salmon now and other smoked stuff. The fried stuff is just okay but the smoked seafood here is where it’s at!
This place is just a little join on the side of the bridge. You order and you get out! But you need to try it, it’s good!

Solid 3.5 stars on Calumet fisheries. I stopped by here on the way back from a brewery voyage in Gary and stopped in really quick to grab some fried goodness for my trek back to the north burbs. Decided on the fried shrimp and asked for a recommendation on something else and got the catfish. Catfish was a wee bit too fishy for me, but the shrimp were $$$$. I need to come back and try the smoked salmon and trout, and perhaps the smelts as well.
I also thought the cocktail sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking. Not enough bite (horseradish). I also didn’t receive fries at all, and realized this as I was too far away to turn back. Oh well, next time, Gadget.

I’ve been wanting to check out Calumet Fisheries FOREVER, so I was pretty excited to finally swing by! This smokehouse has been family-​owned and –operated by the Kotlick-​Toll family since ’48, where the fish is brined overnight and special oak logs are used for the smoking. Fish, such as catfish, chubs, eel, rainbow trout, sable, salmon, sturgeon, white fish, and herring are some that are available. They also have fried seafood (shrimp, fish, catfish, scallops, and crab cakes), as well as sides and salads. I tried their Pepper & Garlic smoked salmon, a half order of the fried shrimp, and a half order of their fried smelts. The smoked salmon was pretty good; just use a strong fork to flake it apart; they have packages of saltine crackers available, but you can bring you own. It had a lovely smoked flavor, and the garlic and the peppercorn was not too overpowering. Just having the fish with the crackers can be a little dry, so having some mayonnaise to spruce it up is a good idea. The fried shrimp was forgettable, and the fried smelts were okay — the batter was more like ground cornmeal-​like, rather than the crispy batter I was expecting. Service was super friendly, and everything is made fresh-​to-​order (besides the smoked fish). This is a cash only joint, so keep that in mind. It is a carry-​out only, but there are a couple of picnic tables in the front to enjoy your meal (I prefer to just chowing down in the car — that’s how you do ittttttt) :P I’d love to come back and try out their smoked sable, sturgeon, and the trout: D
+Pepper & Garlic smoked salmon
+friendly staff
+cash only

Worth driving out of your way for. Seriously. This was easily a half hour drive outside of Chicago, and I’d do it again. Smoked and fried fish aplenty, right on the water. It really doesn’t get much better than this. If my endorsement isn’t enough for you, the many awards on the walls should be. Anthony Bourdain is among their fans, too.
Smoked is the way to go here. I’m sure their fried fish is fine, and the smelts we tried were tasty, but the smoked fish was by far the star of our meal. They sell by weight, so come hungry and plan to buy a couple of pounds to split with a group. There’s some outdoor seating available or you can take it with you, but be sure to bring cash– I’m not a fan of cash-​only businesses, but at least there’s an ATM here.
SMELTS: Grab a half order, available with a spicy or mild dipping sauce not unlike a buffalo wing sauce. They’re hot and crispy, and plenty for sharing even with the half order. But I’d take these to go and make a garlic sauce to serve them with, as done in European cuisine.
GARLIC PEPPER SMOKED SALMON: This was tasty, and by far the most recommended fish in the reviews. It was good, but not amazing. If your only knowledge of smoked fish is the lox on your bagel at a chain restaurant, you might really like this massive step up in quality.
SMOKED TROUT: Go classic. The smoked trout is divine. No pepper or garlic needed, just simple, smoked fish. It’s flavorful, with plenty of skin, and I could eat it for days.
CRACKERS: Whatever you buy, grab a tube of crackers (they’re 55 cents) to eat your fish with. And don’t forget to grab napkins, because you’ll be eating all this tastiness with your hands.

Awesome smoked salmon & smoked shrimps!!!
Not a fan of their fried oysters, though! But overall, it was great food! :)

I had a really great experience at Calumet Fisheries.
THE AMBIANCE:
Calumet Fisheries is a small seafood shack with an outdoor smoke house. You walk in and pick your food off of a menu on the wall and from the glass counters. It is super small and the venue is meant for you to walk in and order. Outside by the smoke house there are long tables bleacher-​style for you to sit and enjoy your pickings.
THE FOOD:
It was three (3) of us on this food trip and we ordered garlic smoked salmon, garlic smoked trout, fried scallops, fried catfish, and macaroni salad. A thing to note is that they don’t have lemons (sigh) and they don’t sell beer (double sigh). Lucky for us we had packed some brewskis. We set up food camp on the table and dug in. The seafood, especially the garlic smoked trout, was AMAZING. It was delicious! Calumet Fisheries provides a hot sauce that had a tangy-​ness to it. Other than that you might want to bring your favorite hot sauce as well. The macaroni salad was not good. It had so much mayo. None of us liked it/​ate it.
Carlos, who works there, came over and talked to us a bit about the history of Calumet Fisheries and he brought us some fresh cooked salmon, which he broke apart in front of us so we could taste some of the most buttery and juicy parts. He is awesome. We also got a tour of the smoke house. Super cool. During our trip the crew of Man Fire Food on the Cooking Channel was there and I got to meet the host, Roger Mooking. Super sweet and down to earth guy.
THE TIPS:
It can get really hot so wear sunscreen! I would pack some lemons/​limes, cold beer, and your fave hot sauce! Street parking.

Yes yes yes. 100% love for this place.
The service is excellent and family owned.
The fish is QUALITY. Don’t bother with the fried stuff, just get yourself a slab of the salmon with garlic and pepper. It is life changing.
I honestly can’t put this place into words, it became one of my favorite Chicago restaurants in the course of one meal.
(Disclaimer: Ignore those people who are terrified of anything past Hyde Park. I’m all about safety, but sometimes I think people are too prejudiced against the South Side. This place is definitely worth the «risk.»)

It’s hard to go wrong here… the big thing was just committing to make the drive here, but once I got in, I could see why the reviews here are so great.
Tried the fried perch, fried catfish, fried clam strips, and the fried shrimp, while others in my party also got the fried oysters. Besides the fact that I’m surprised I’m still alive and able to write this review, the food was amazing and all of the dinners come with fries so you’ll find a way to leave full here for sure. The space is small and not sexy, and there’s nowhere to sit, and it’s cash only. But if you are in the market for smoked fish of almost any type, this is the place to go and between Bourdain showing up here and Calumet being a Beard award finalist a few years ago for being an historic eatery, you know it’s legit!

Yes and yes… I’ve made it to this place. It has been a long wait for me.
It was a bit difficult to trek all the way down from Albany Park during the winter season. As I’ve announced publicly in one of my previous reviews, my «foodie hours» have been extended seasonally!
I had a quick nap in my hubby’s work fleet, and I woke up with yummy fish and «smokin’» hotties in front of me. You know fish can be just as hot as good-​looking dudes or dudettes. I consider them gender-​free after being bathed in smoke.
Normally you would think a place like this that has won so many accolades from the big-​foodie people (yeah I’m talking about Anthony Bourdain) wouldn’t render a friendly service like I received this afternoon. The young man immediately greeted us and was ready to take our order. We chose the smoked shrimp dinner and fried fish dinner. The total was $ 18.88 after tax.
For a seafood fry place, the price we paid was reasonably fair. Well, how were the tastes of our food? I’ve never been that «moved» and «agitated» in my mind after tasting their smoked shrimps. That 70-​year-​old smoker really is an excellent machine to deliver such aromatic smoke on these jumbo shrimps. I believe I consumed five (5) or six (6) large, if not, jumbo shrimps. Once again, the value for the quality of food I received wasn’t a bad deal at all!
All dinner combos came with fries, coleslaw, crackers, a choice of sauce (hot or cocktail), and salt/​pepper. All other side dishes were solid.
Hubby also enjoyed his fish, but you all need to try other smoked products! How many exclamation marks have I used in this review? Well, here’s one (1) more for you!
I also noticed that there are three (3) city of Chicago public trash cans in front of the Calumet Fisheries. I guess that’s where my taxation goes… my foodie trash.
We will be back when we do our summer weekend Metra trips around the far-​end Chicago and nearby suburbs. I know the Metra station isn’t too awfully far away; I can walk as long as there is food to entice me!
There’s an ATM onsite if you drop your cash in the river accidentally.