The Raw Bar & Grill

After looking in the internet for seafood places to eat on a Saturday night, driving 10 miles, paid for parking, walking a few blocks on an extra cold & windy night, it would have been nice to know it was closed for 2 weeks for remodeling.
Checked their website the next day. Nope nothing about being closed. Saw they had a Facebook link. Nothing there either.
Went to Shaw’s by the way. But at least I can help fellow Unilocalers to make other plans for now.
Update: I looked through their Facebook Visitor’s Posts. Based on that, they have been closed since at least December 2^nd and there is no set date for re-​opening.

In town on vacation and went to Wrigley for the game. Wife had a craving for fresh oysters after the Cubs game and this place popped up on a Unilocal search as close by Wrigley Field so we took a chance. Kind of a dark feel to the place and quite the eclectic menu for sure but they had what we were looking for at a great price. We got in easily and the food was great. Will bookmark it for the next trip back!

I should preface this by saying that we came on a Wrigley concert night, so I’m sure they were busier than normal.
A friend and I walked in around 6:45, and were greeted by a host/​barback/​manager who seemed overwhelmed by the number of people in the restaurant. He informed us that it would be at least a 25 minute wait, but his tone almost insinuated that we should’ve known better than to walk in, and that our presence was a direct affront to him.
We sat at the bar to wait for out table, and the bartender was nice enough. We ordered a Green Line draft and a Knob Creek old fashion. The drinks were good, but at 20 dollars were slightly over-​priced, even for the neighborhood.
We were seated in about ten minutes, and had to wait another 10 minutes before being greeted by a server who was clearly in over his head. My friend was in the bathroom when the server came and I didn’t know what he wanted to eat, so I ordered a dozen blue point oysters, which I was informed they were out of. So instead we ordered half a dozen each of the two oysters they carried. There was a slight language barrier with the server, so our communication was a little strained.
My concerns about the server being overwhelmed were confirmed when it turned out he wasn’t supposed to pick up our table in the first place; the manager on duty questioned him on why he picked it up, and the server whose section we were in came over to take our order and seemed surprised when I told him we had already been helped.
When the oysters finally came, we tried to place our entrée orders and were straight up told we couldn’t. The server had other things to do, and asked if we could wait 8 minutes before ordering. At the point, based on the quality of the oysters, we decided to just ask for our bill and pick up some sandwiches down the street; we were in a rush, and might have stuck around if we hadn’t been.
The reviews I’ve read of this place really indicate that our experience was atypical, and I know that when there are large events around a restaurant, it’s unfair to judge the restaurant based on them. I’m giving this place three stars because it was cute, half of our staff experiences were ok, and I do want to get back and try it on a slower night.

So we orig wanted to go to another seafood place but the line was ridiculous and Raw Bar was recommended by my fellow Unilocalers. Simple wine list but overall good choices. We went with a bottle of malbec, very happy with it.
We got a dozen of the raw oysters, I admit I’m addicted to this things, I pretty much ate all of them myself. (They make their own cocktail sauce with fresh shaved horseradish!!!) The Cajun calamari didn’t have much kick but seasoned very well. The alligator was said to be the fave so we tried it but a bit too sweet for me, we actually enjoyed the ostrich so so much better! We split the special of the lemon sole filet with cous cous and saffron, super delish. I’m very happy we came here and surprised that it was pretty empty but then again the cubs did play earlier today. Our server Andy was absolutely wonderful and great at providing tips, very attentive. I will def return here.

My friend and I walked in, we were greeted well. The seafood was fresh.
He had two types of oysters, some from Canada and some from New York. The oysters from Canada were described as sweeter, and the ones from New York were saltier.
We went with the ones from New York. The presentation was great. The oysters did have a salty taste to them, I added lemon and some of their house cocktail and sliced horseradish sauce. The only thing that I was not too happy about was the horseradish. The horseradish was sliced in about 3 inch slices and was not easy to chew. It took away from the experience.
The Seafood Fiesta was refreshing and delightful. I would suggest that you order two entrees and split them to enjoy more food. It was a very healthy portion, if I would’ve finished this plate on my own I would’ve been stuffed.
I recommend this establishment to anyone who is looking for good seafood.

I was pleasantly surprised by this place. When I learned it was in Wrigley Ville I did not have high expectations.
We ordered the alligator as an appetizer and it was great! We also had great service. The waiter knew exactly what he was talking about and knew the menu front and back.
My only complaint would be the prices being a little high, but it’s Chicago so I should have expected that.
Overall, great food and service. I also really enjoyed the decorations and atmosphere.

Great date night place! We go almost every Tuesday for half off oysters, $ 11 for a dozen! There entrée’s a great as well.
The bartender is awesome she always gives up a complementary peach shot before we close out.
Oh yes, I almost forgot the Martini’s are the best around!

Not sure why this place was so empty when I came in but this place is so good! We had some oysters on the half shell and it was pretty good. For my entrée I had Crispy Filet of Salmon and it was divine. I mean I can see why there’s not that much people because it was pretty pricy but I did see some GroupOn deals online so people should give this place a try. My entrée was so good I couldn’t get over how amazing the taste was. I was so glad my boyfriend took me on my birthday because it was so good!

This place was incredible. My husband and I only shifted to Chicago not quite two years ago now, and we’ve been taking advantage of groupon to discover more of this town’s eateries and such. This one was the best yet! Every single item we ordered was out of this world, rich in flavour, perfectly seasoned, and scrumptiously mouth-​watering, to say the least. The décor is eclectic and fun, and the ambience is not in the least pretentious or snooty. You can enjoy a romantic evening out without paying the high prices or having to endure affected and soul-​numbing vibes from the other patrons or staff, such as what you’d likely experience in fine seafood restaurants located in Lincoln Park or the like. And the price was right, even without the groupon. We hope that this will be our go-​to seafood restaurant, provided nothing changes about its unique presentation, menu, or fun vibe.
P. S. THURSDAYS: Half price oysters.

Came here for a dinner of two people and ended up spending around $ 90, and it was $ 90 too much. The cocktails we ordered were good but the oysters didn’t taste fresh and the entrees (steak and salmon) were just mediocre for the price. The meats were covered in a lot of other veggies and seasonings which just distracted you from the sub-​par flavor of the meat itself. I felt sick later on from the oysters I assume so I probably wouldn’t return unless the quality of the food (especially the raw) options is improved. It’s just too pricey for what you end up getting.

I had high hopes for this place despite the already mediocre Unilocal rating. I should have went with my gut and stayed away. We Had a groupon for a dozen oysters and 2 cocktails for $ 22 which seemed like a pretty good deal.
Unfortunately, they didn’t even have the types of oysters that were listed on the menu, but since I have had the types they did have I went ahead and ordered a second dozen because the server said they were $ 11/​doz. When the oysters finally came they were pretty dry, and weren’t separated from the bottom shell like most places that specialize in raw oysters.
The worst part was that when the check came, the oysters were $ 22/​doz despite the fact that the server said otherwise when we ordered (the menu just says market price). When I asked him why the price was different, he essentially said I was lying and he wouldn’t ever say that. My girlfriend who was with me heard the same price I did.
To summarize, lied to about the server by the price, mediocre oysters, and poor service. We won’t be back.

I came here with some girlfriends to use a groupon deal of $ 22.00 for two cocktails and a dozen fresh oysters. Unfortunately the day we went (Feb. 14) was a black out date and I had no idea (Valentine’s Day is a legit holiday now??). Our server was truly apologetic but nonetheless, my galentines and I had a fabulous meal here and we still got our oysters and cocktails.
I ordered the Pomegranate cocktail which was delicious and my friend ordered the chocolate martini. Both are $ 11.00 so if you do use the groupon deal, you basically get a free dozen oysters ([$ 11/​cocktail] x2 + oysters on the half shell).
After fresh bread sticks, olive oil and parm were placed on our table, we ordered half Blue Point and half Naked Cowboys and they were as fresh as you can get being in the Midwest. They were served with sides cocktail sauce, lemon, slivers of ginger, Tabasco sauce and crackers. These were one of the highlights of the evening.
For a party of three, we ordered a variety of tapas and specials. We got the crab cake ($ 8.00), a pasta special with white wine and garlic sauce tossed with shrimp, squid, mussels and topped with a red heart-​shaped pasta.
We also ordered a creamy shrimp, squid and scallop risotto which was divinely rich and also topped with several heart-​shaped pastas. Live music started at 7pm and the relaxed ambiance with candles and low lighting reminded me of a Nawlins’ jazz club.
Had a fabulous meal here with great company and an attentive server. Even though I didn’t get to use the groupon I am eager to come back and enjoy their oysters and a cocktail again!

We were very pleased with the food we ate & the prices weren’t too bad either. We stared with the cold seafood combo platter which came with 3 pieces of raw oysters topped with caviar, 2 pieces of clams, a set of crab claws, and a king crab leg with Cajun butter. Just squeeze the lemon on everything and dip it in that Cajun butter & you’re set! It was delicious! There’s something about that Cajun butter that makes it all taste better! The crab cake was ok. I wasn’t a fan of the pinkish orange sauce they put on top though. For our entrée we ordered the seared scallops and lobster ravioli. The seared scallops with asparagus was cooked to perfection & was seasoned well. The lobster ravioli tasted fresh & you can taste the lobster flavor. It was topped with shrimp which was also cooked very well. My only complaint is that it came with a dark teriyaki like sauce drizzled on it, which I wasn’t a big fan of. I could’ve done without it or just have done a red, white, or lemon butter wine sauce instead. The service was great. Our server was very attentive & gave us everything we needed for our meal.

Bold, amazing flavors. We got the oysters, smothered alligator, and grilled prawns and loved it all. The server was very personable and helpful. The martinis were very good as well. They even treated us to a free plate featuring softshell crab. I’m giving it 4 instead of 5 stars because the place needs some TLC and general maintenence and cleaning. You almost want to walk out as soon as you walk in, but DON’T because the food and service is worth it!

From the moment we walked into this restaurant/​bar we were treated like royalty. Upon arrival, the door attendant told us that they were closed due to a private party. He could tell we were all dressed up and pretty disappointed (we were celebrating a birthday). He told us to hold on a moment and came back out with another employee, Tony (Owner/​Manager?) who ushered us in and sat us at a table. He told us that our server, Andy would be with us momentarily.
Andy came over and told us about the menu specials and wine & drink specials. It was half off bottles of wine and we ordered a malbec which was amazing and complimented the food quite well.
The menu consists mostly of seafood so I’m assuming this is their specialty. Unfortunately I don’t eat seafood so I can’t comment on it but my dinner companions seemed to absolutely love it. They had oyster shots, frog legs and fish dinners.
I shared the following with another diner and absolutely enjoyed every bit of it.
Appetizer:
Cheese Ravioli — This was perfect for two people to share. There were a total of four ravioli and had plenty of marinara. Even enough for us to use the complimentary bread to finish it with.
Baba Ghannouj — It should be noted that we did not order this. The aforementioned employee (Tony) brought it over to us before dinner arrived as a courtesy. This appetizer was made fresh with smoked eggplant, tahini sauce, garlic, parsley and fresh lemon juice and was served with sliced pita bread. It was some of the best baba ghannouj I’ve had in the city.
Dinner:
Egyptian Chicken with Dill Rice — This was also shared. We told Andy we were going to share it and he had the kitchen split it on two plates without us even asking. Great service for sure. This dish came with grilled red and green peppers and tomatoes. The dill rice was terrific and the Chicken was AMAZING! Cooked perfectly, it was tender and juicy but the flavor was what made this dish. I’m no foodie so all I can really say is it had a lemony type flavor and was perfectly seasoned.
We ended up having a few bottles of wine and after we were offered dessert and had to turn it down, Andy brought a cordial of Cuarenta Y Tres for the birthday boy. Here’s the best part, it was on fire!
Such a great experience from the moment we arrived until we left. A huge thank you to the entire staff for making my friends birthday dinner and our entire dining experience one we will all remember!!!

I went to this restaurant several times and saw this place on check place. The last time I went is with my husband since he never try it. Each time I went the food was great and the prices were reasonable. We had the grilled baby octopus for an appetizer and it was great. I had the salmon robob for an entrée with the dill rice and it was delicious. My husband had the lamb shank for an entrée with the dill rice and also delicious. I will go back to this place anytime if I am up in the wrigleyville neighborhood. I am so glad I saw this restaurant on check please.

Update: We just moved back to Chicago and the first place we are going to dinner is The Raw Bar…
Went last night and shared the back room with the Foo Fighters.
Tony– you are the best!!!

Definitely not a fan! We went here prior to the Zac Brown Concert at Wrigley. I asked about a beer on tap and was told it was 3 different types of beer. I’m not sure how you confuse an amber, an IPA and a lager, but I was told the same beer was each of these.
We ordered the burgers simply because we were short on time before the concert and we also got an order of their cajun calamari off the hot tapas menu. Unfortunately our burgers showed up before the calamari. When I asked about the calamari the waiter said they were swamped because of the concert. Even though there were several tables open in the dining room at the time. When the calamari did show up it was cold.
Thank goodness for us we were just looking for a quick bite to eat before the concert. In the future when you have an event across the street with 40,000+ people showing up make sure you staff properly.

The food was amazing! My fiancé and I bought a Groupon for the raw bar. We really enjoyed the food. But the martinis were not so good. They did look good, but did not taste good. The Martinis were also over priced ($ 16 really)! We should of known because they didn’t have a price listed for it. I will go back just for the food, but I don’t plan to drink there.

We came here long ago in November probably with a groupon or some deal
This was the 1^st place I tried alligator, ostrich, and oysters. All were pretty good.
I wish the place was better lit. The ambiance seemed off as it is a decent restuarant trying to be a divey/​lounge/​bar place or vise versa. If it changed the décor and lighting and/​or the food, the place could turn into a good return place.