You can give up anything from cursing to candy for Lent, but one of the most traditional sacrifices is to abstain from red meat.
Chicago’s large Catholic population means there are plenty of restaurants helping to make the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter a little less painful by offering seafood-focused specials. These fish fries and dinners are so good, you might want to stop in even if you’re not forgoing beef.
Want to add your Lenten special to the list? Email food editor Ariel Cheung at [email protected].
Bonefish Grill
Dine on hand-battered crispy cod and panko-battered jumbo shrimp served on a bed of french fries with coleslaw and tartar and cocktail sauces for $19 Fridays through April 8. Multiple locations, bonefishgrill.com
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Rotating specials offered Fridays throughout Lent include mussels with noodles March 3 and seared haddock with melted greens March 10. 2024 N. Halsted St., 773-935-5000, cafebabareeba.com
Carrabba’s Italian Grill
The restaurant has rolled out new dishes ahead of Lent including linguine tossed in champagne cream sauce with shrimp, red bell peppers and sauteed mushrooms. 1001 75th St., Woodridge, 630-427-0900, carrabbas.com
Epic Burger
If hamburgers are off-limits, you can try the new $9 Epic fish sandwich made with IPA-battered cod, lettuce, pickles and tartar sauce. Locations vary, epicburger.com
Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Special seafood tapas including roasted branzino with tomato salad and Spanish sardine conservas are available daily from March 2 through April 14. 441 N. Clark St., 312-985-6909, lilbabareeba.com
Mac’s Wood Grilled
Meat-free specials offered daily from March 2 through April 15 include beer-battered whitefish with fries and house-made tartar sauce ($13) and a fried fish sandwich served on a potato bun ($14). 1801 W. Division St., 773-782-4400, www.macswoodgrilled.com
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Osteria Via Stato
The River North restaurant offers its signature seafood stew made with shrimp, scallops, fish and tomato broth and served with crusty ciabatta garlic bread for $24 Fridays during Lent. 620 N. State St., 312-642-8450, osteriaviastato.com
Shaw’s Crab House
At the Schaumburg location, dine in on Ash Wednesday or Fridays through April 15 and you can order a three-course meal including a cup of clam chowder, fish and chips and a slice of key lime pie for $27. You can also take home a family fish fry featuring a quart of clam chowder, eight pieces of beer-battered Atlantic cod, french fries, coleslaw and chocolate cake for $65 or a $95 crab cake dinner that includes rolls, Caesar salad and creamed spinach. At the Chicago location, various $35 fish fry entree options come with clam chowder, salad and a choice of dessert. 1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, 847-517-2722; 21 E. Hubbard St., 312-527-2722, shawscrabhouse.com
Tuman’s Tap & Grill
The Ukrainian Village bar offers $16 beer-battered cod with hand-cut fries and tartar sauce from 4-11 p.m. Fridays through April 15. On Wednesday you can also try Church Street Brewing Magisterium Maibock/Lentebock for $7. Tuman’s will be offering a rotating selection of seasonal beers throughout Lent including Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier, a German lager inspired by the tradition of monks making strong beers to get them through their Lenten fasts, when they could drink but not eat. 2159 W. Chicago Ave., 773-782-1400, tumanstapandgrill.com
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