Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House

We had dinner at Hugo’s Frog Bar last night (a Tuesday night) and had a very enjoyable meal.
Décor: The bar and dining room (s) are pretty decent sized but not massive. They should be able to accommodate any size group you have but the tables are placed a bit close together. Overall the feeling is one of an upscale dinner restaurant. It is not stuffy or pretentious, just very nice and classy. The cool features are the little things: the appropriate wall decorations, the small «telephone booth» table, and the semi-​nautical themed bathrooms. It’s a fun place that doesn’t take itself too seriously (even thought they could b/​c it is a money spot!).
Bathroom: very clean and inviting w/​a gentlemanly bathroom attendant
Staff: The bar staff, host, our waiter, and the bus boys were all exception. Everyone was spot-​on with their duties and never far away when needed. Our waiter seemed especially adept at handling larger groups as he did so with our like a breeze! Our water glasses also never dropped below half-​full! Great service.
Food/​drinks: We all started with a round of drinks (they have an extensive wine list and a nice selection of «homemade» cocktails) and moved right to dinner; no appetizers surprisingly. Being a large group there was a variety of items ordered so I can only speak for myself: I had the Chilean Sea Bass and it was outstanding; it’s miso glaze was exquisite. On top of that I had a house salad (standard) and we also had a few sides: brussel sprouts (delicious), asparagus (very thick and tasty), fries (yum), spinach (standard) and corn (tasty). No dessert, as most were full.
Value: The bill was not paid by me but I saw the prices on the menu… like I said, this is a nicer place that is upscale — plus it’s seafood — so the prices are going to be higher. However, the food quality is spot on. I would, however, like to see the portion-​sizes increase — my sea bass was a pretty small piece…
We have been to another HFB in Naperville and this place is not much different: GREAT food, good people, nice atmosphere. I’m a fan and am looking forward to coming back again.

Great atmosphere and delicious eats! My first time eating Frog’s Legs, along with a tasty Crab Cake.

New years eve dinner before out celebrating. It was a good choice! Packed but we all enjoyed the drinks and food! I say trying the frog legs is a must, be adventurous. My husband enjoyed his porter house and I enjoyed my stuffed lobster.

Food is good and service is good. Old style Chicago venue with tip-​paid bathroom attendants!!! My wife, who is from China, still can’t get over that one, hahaha.

What a great restaurant should be. The food, ambience, location and service here were all great.

Love Hugo’s Frog! Every time we’ve been there the food has been fantastic and service has been great and friendly. Will definitely be back!

I have been here four times now and it’s definitely become mine and my husbands go to spot for quality seafood and steak. The service is always impeccable and the food never disappoints. I spent five years living in Baltimore and consider myself somewhat of a seafood snob. Their seafood is always fresh and delicious. One of the only places in Chicago I will actually order a crab cake.
I only gave four stars because the last time we went here they failed to wrap up my husbands steak in our carry out bag. He only had eaten half so we were disappointed to have spent a decent amount of money on a steak to have had it accidentally tossed out.

I was brought her for my birthday dinner. The atmosphere was loud and cheery, and the first positive thing I have to say is about our waiter. He was attentive but knew when to leave us to eat, extremely helpful and gave us some great recommendations both on the food and the wine. We ended up ordering a mid-​range bottle of wine and we tasted it first and were satisfied with his recommendation.
For starters, we ordered the crab cakes and the bookbinder soup. They came out and were a great size — more than enough for two people. The hot pink sauce it came with was a great compliment to the cakes, and we downed them really quickly. As for the soup, I really wish that more places had bookbinder soup — we got it because it was recommended from here by a friend and it lived up to the recommendation.
For the main meal, I ordered the crab stuffed lobster, and my boyfriend ordered a New York sirloin steak. The lobster was great, and although I liked the crab filling, I could have done without the addition of apple to it. My boyfriend enjoyed his steak, it was cooked exactly the way that he had requested it. We also ordered a side of roasted brussel sprouts, which had bacon and were absolutely delicious. The waiter recommended that we order a half portion since the sides are huge, and even then we ended up taking leftover brussel sprouts home (to my joy). All in all, it was an extremely pleasant dining experience for a nice night out.

I found this place on Unilocal and am glad I did. Great stone claw crab! The mac and cheese = divine.

I had dinner here the other day. It was my first time with my girlfriend. We shared a crab cake, she has the Lobster with truffle polenta, and I had the stuffed lobster. Everything was amazing… the FOH staff especially including our server, the food, atmosphere, etc. I used to be a Chef but I was impressed with the food, I dont remember the last time I was this impressed with food before.
There was a little mix up with my server but he and the manager went above and beyond to fix it. I was too full that I barely touched my entrée. I thought he was going to box it, he thought it was garbage but no big deal. However, the manager did go above and beyond to fix that issue for something as simple as mis-​communication.
I recommend this place and I think I found my favorite place to visit in the city.

I made reservación for a special night with my date who loves sea food. I have to say that this restaurant wasn’t my first option but after reading the reviews we decided to give it a try.
We arrived a little early so we headed to the bar and order some cocktails, I ordered a martini which was very well prepared, no complains at all.
Once our table was ready our host showed us their special selection of fish, crab legs and lobster which was very impressive. We started with some appetizers and feeling a little adventurous we decided to order the sautéed frog legs in garlic butter (never had them before), spicy grilled corn and Pan-​Roasted PEI Mussels in tomatoe sauce. The frog legs were delicious as wells as the corn, a little spicy for my date but since I love spicy food I found it perfect, the mussels are something else, the plate is huge, we couldn’t finish them. Overall the appetizer portions were very generous so be careful when ordering the appetizers specially if its a small group.
As for the main course we opted for the Miso Marinated Chilean Sea Bass with mushrooms and peas. The fish was cooked to perfection and the balance of flavors between the fish and the mushrooms and peas couldn’t be better.
Sorry but no room for dessert.
The service was outstanding and the prices are not bad after taking into consideration the whole experience. I will definitely come back to this place.
And a final suggestion, please make reservations, this is a busy place, it’s located in one of Chicago’s most trendy and expensive neighborhoods and it is visited by locals and tourist equally. Chances of finding a table without reservations will be very difficult specially during the weekends.

Adjacent to famous Gibson’s Steakhouse simply a good time very lively! The sea bass dish was to die for! So many creative options definitely have to visit again! Superb service, great place to entertain clients and friends!
I love the way they treat the guests! Happy place!

Standard fare, good drinks, and it somehow manages to be a friendly, neighborhood-​type bar in the middle of the Viagra Triangle. It’s low key during the week, hopping on weekends. Good food and snacks.

This place is excellent. Wanted to go back to Gibson’s but it was booked the hostess when I called which was a month in advance said try our sister restaurant I said sounds good. Same menu few things different.
We traveled from New York and we were hungry we were seated writhing 10 mins. Bar is great have an oyster bar and the beer is ice cold.
We had frogs legs which were outstanding. Lots of flavor. The whole table loved them. They give you and order of 5 which has two legs on each.
I had the rib eye Chicago cut which was maybe one of the best steaks I have had. Melted in my mouth. Fantastic!!!
We had sides of the Mac and lobster which was very good and the other sides were good.
For dessert we had two pieces of cake bigger them my head and my head is big. One piece can feed 5 people.
The crab cakes are amazing also
I recommend you try this place it’s a great place.
Enjoy.

A great place to enjoy an awesome steak and fish. I ordered the WR Chicago Cut and it was out of this world. My wife ordered the Chilean sea bass and it was fresh. My boys ordered the cheeseburger with French Fries and they said it was very delicious. Finally, we ordered the Macadamia fudge cake and it was as huge as a house. It feed all four of us. It was so huge that we didn’t finished it.
Our waiter was very professional and he make sure we were well taken care of.
Great atmosphere. Great Food. Good Times. #SeñorFood

First, it is very expensive. Second, it is worth every penny. Phenomenal food, great service, fun atmosphere… and this is from someone who generally dislikes seafood. But, I was corralled into coming for a friends birthday (small group) Very happy I did. Amazing Oysters Rockefeller, fresh oysters tasted like the sea, mini slider was amazing (although not a fan of the overcooked potato sticks), mussels were great, fried shrimp were very good. My one disappointed was the burger (see above, I dont eat much seafood so I had to get some beef) It is cooked over at Gibsons, but the brioche bun had completely disintegrated by the time it reached me and the mashed potatoes and gravy were, frankly, really unappetizing. But even with that, I would come back and just avoid the burger.
Oh, one other thing. We were there when two different singers were on — we ate at the bar. They both played a TON of Billy Joel. It was amusingly annoying. Maybe they can touch base with each other on play lists to avoid duplication.

Loved coming here! The atmosphere was wonderful — they had a piano man who sounded just like Stevie Wonder belting out hit tunes. The restaurant was packed but we were able to find a spot at the bar. Our bartender Keith was great! He gave great recommendations and was frequently checking on us.
We enjoyed a couple glasses of red wine and fresh oysters. Some of the best oysters my boyfriend and I have ever had. The sauces served with oysters were excellent. Hugo’s is attached to Gibson’s which is also a famous hot spot on Rush St. Loved the vibe here and would definitely recommend it to others. Especially if you love fresh seafood!

Ho. Lee. Crap.
Well, first of all, make sure you have a reservation. It’s apparent the day of the week really has nothing to do with how packed this place may or may not be — IT ALWAYS IS! My dining partner and I happened to luck up on a table in the bar area, which was not bad at all and quite close to the live music.
Service — Great. Our waitress was very attentive and constantly checked on us. I was hoping I didn’t embarrass myself as she brought out others food and I drooled while trying to stick my finger in their plates. Everything that came out of the kitchen looked like it had been created with love and fresh ingredients.
Food — I hadn’t had frog legs in soooooooo long. The last time I had them, it was at some random buffet in some random part of town. Not a good experience. However, with frog legs being one of their specialities, I decided to go for it. What a heavenly combination between the taste of chicken and crab meat (hey, leave my comparison alone!). I then had the Cajun Chicken and Crab, with Andouille sausage and garlic butter. I could’ve asked the chef to marry me. Male or Female. I only had a French Martini and didn’t indulge in any other libations since I wanted to leave room for the stuffage of my face. Next time, I will definitely get desert!
Parking can be a hassle, so the valet is totally worth it. Or carpool/​über if you can. Try and get a reservation or show up and take a gamble in the bar area. Try the frog legs and snail!!! Enjoy!
#WhoNeedsLoveWhenYouHaveFood

Came here from Los Angeles on a recommendation. We met up Nicole at the bar who made the night for us.
The drinks were very well crafted and the food was tasty. I had the lobster roll which was chock full of massive chunks. No skimping here and for 14 bucks it was well worth it.
Awesome service and a really fun time.

Delicious food in such a great part of town. I was in a business meeting with 5 executives here and it was the perfect mix of a professional dinner but still a place where you can laugh and enjoy yourself. We had a few drinks at the bar before being seated. While there was room at the bar the restaurant was crowded so I would highly suggest reservations. The service was amazing, the waiter was hysterical and my glass of water never got below half way. :)
The only odd thing was that there were a number of birthday’s when we were having dinner, all of which required loud songs which interrupted our tables conversation on multiple occassions.

What a fun place! I like the deviation from standard steakhouse theme. Hugo’s adds a hint of a Cajun splash to the menu. I went for my moniker «last meal» of:
Vesper
Oysters Rock
Spinach
Bone-​in Sirloin — wish it had been the Porterhouse but too big for one person
Had to try the Frog Legs
Topped it off with «Muddy Bottom Pie» which is obscenely huge!

Came here for a work dinner where I could freely indulge in the fresh, fanciful seafood options, but I’m giving four stars because the prices would be too high for me to go on a regular basis, the seating/​table was really cramped and the server seemed a too busy for us. When we walked in, there was an awesome piano player and it felt like good vibes all around!
My table split a bottle of wine, frog legs and a round of oysters to start. The frog tasted like chicken but coated in a decadent butter garlic sauce — my coworker ended up having a plateful for her main meal. For the oysters, we got six of both the small and medium ones which were paired with cocktail sauce and some herby sauce (not sure what it was exactly but it was great). I got the lobster roll as my main. Buttery toast filled with succulent chunks of lobster — yummy! The horse string fries were kind of like chips and I should’ve asked for normal fries. I also got a side of broccoli that came with a surprisingly good cheese sauce. We were too full for dessert but my coworker said they come in giant portions.
Overall, we all came out really satisfied and Im glad I had the chance to eat at Hugo’s Frog Bar!

It was a Saturday night, and I was trying to make dinner reservations for two. It seemed like none of the restaurants in Chicago had any availability until 10:30 pm. Hugo’s was the only restaurant that would accommodate us at 9, and that was the only reason why we decided to eat here.
Nothing on the menu appeared to be particularly innovative or creative; it was all pretty standard steak and seafood fare, and everything that we tried, tasted pretty good. Nothing stood out, but we had no complaints either. Hence the A-​OK rating.
The jumbo lump crab cake, served with a hot pink aioli, is the signature appetizer. It is a rather large sized crab cake that I found to be quite satisfactory in terms of taste and quantity.
All dinner entrees are offered with a choice of soup or salad, and we both opted for the red king crab bisque. Again, pretty good, but nothing outstanding.
The sauteed steelhead trout was topped with king crab, grilled asparagus (which was a little overcooked for my taste) and a creole mustard hollandaise sauce, which gave it a nice sharpness.
The whole Maine lobster, stuffed with king crab and green apples with a lemon butter sauce, was similarly enjoyable, and I liked the tartness lent to the dish by the addition of the apples.
The valet parking is $ 14, which I think is a fair price for the convenience.
Overall, I would not mind returning to Hugo’s when I am in the area.

1. VERDICT/​VALUE: For good seafood in downtown Chicago with great service, check out Hugo’s! (Just be sure to save up a little before going!)
2. FOOD: I could tell you how the Spicy Tuna Tartare ($ 14.75) was delicious, combining the smooth, soft tuna meat with the crunchy wonton chips.
Or about the Fresh Point Judith Fried Calamari ($ 12.75) was even better (and much bigger).
Or about the Alaskan Red King Crab Bisque ($ 6.50 for a small bowl) and how it chunky enough without being too salty.
Or about the Pan Seared Georges Bank Sea Scallops ($ 34) and how they were giant, tender, and worth $ 34.
Or about the Miso Marinated Chilean Sea Bass ($ 41.50), which was good, larger than what you get at Roy’s in Honolulu for the same price. The Sauteed Mushrooms ($ 7.75) and Chipotle Roasted Corn ($ 6) seem simple yet worth doing again.
But…I will tell you instead about dessert and the Black Forest Cherry Cake ($ 17.25). What monstrosity of a dessert does the price of nearly a whole cake give you? See my pic for details — 5 layers of fresh, soft chocolate cake, interlaces with light and airy whipped cream with shaved chocolate, cherries, and extra cream to boot. 6 of us could only finish the top half (ahem, actually, only the top two layers) of this beast. Not for the faint of heart, you either need to sign up for diabetes when you order this thing on your own or have a cardiologist as a good friend thereafter!
3. SERVICE: What might be the best part of the restaurant is the service — our waiter was fantastic and humorous from start to finish, and if he wasn’t trying to impress you with repeating back what all six of us ordered (appies, salads, entrees, and customizations), then he was super attentive and also stationed (literally) close to our table and other two he was caring for. The bathroom attendant was also super pleasant and helpful (bring $$ for tips).
4. ATMOSPHERE: If you like Chicago-​style steakhouses, you’ll find yourself at home in Hugo’s older décor, dim lighting, and loud ambiance. Small and large groups fit well here.