Shaw’s Crab House

There's nothing wrong with splurging on lobster or king crab and wanting to enjoy it in the white-tablecloth setting of this River North institution's formal dining room. We just prefer the freedom of getting down and dirty in the adjacent bar, where we can slurp fresh oysters, crack open crab claws and dunk our lobster tail in copious amounts of butter—all without earning a sideways glance from a stiff suit. The quality remains just as high (after all, it's all coming from the same kitchen), and there's no pressure from dressed-up waiters to splurge on wine. (All the better since we like to wash our seafood down with beer anyhow.)