7 Great Lobster Rolls In Chicago

After hot dogs , lobster rolls might be the unofficial sandwich mascot of summer. And while many in Chicago involve a gallon of mayo and filling that can barely be identified as lobster, here are seven standouts to keep in mind when the urge to visit lighthouses and look up real estate listings in Kennebunkport hits. Just be prepared to spend anywhere from $25 to $45 for a “market price” roll.

THE SPOTS

Gretel

Even though nothing about Gretel indicates Cape Cod realness, the lobster roll here is fantastic. You can get it cold or warm, lightly dressed with mayo or with drawn butter. And despite overflowing with tender lobster meat, the gently toasted bun holds up. The salty and crispy fries that come on the side are also a big part of why we love the roll at this Logan Square spot.

Trivoli Tavern

Lobster Bar is Trivoli Tavern’s first-come, first-served bar that looks like the hold of an old-timey ship, which seems like a perfectly appropriate place to eat a lobster roll (if the name wasn’t convincing enough). The filling in this version is creamy and appropriately salted, with a great balance of lemon, chives, and heavily dressed lobster chunks that still retain some sweetness. And while it’s fun to pretend you’re a fancy pirate, eating on the twinkly-lit Gin Alley patio is just as nice.

Bar Mar

Bar Mar’s lobster roll is comically small (and the $29 price adds a bit of insult to small-size injury), but it’s also very tasty. The shallow bun looks like a canoe from The Borrowers, with equally small amounts of butter-poached lobster and seasoning. But we’re willing to look past the diminutive size thanks to the generous blobs of mayo espuma and nice pops of crunch from the pickled celery, which make for a well-rounded bite.

Dirk's Fish & Gourmet Shop

We’d gladly eat the garlicky coleslaw from this Lincoln Park seafood market by the gallon, but the New England-style lobster roll it accompanies is just as good. The heavily grilled, buttery roll can barely contain all the perfectly cooked chunks of knuckle and claw meat, and the addition of a single leaf of lettuce adds a tiny, welcome crunch.

RL Restaurant

You might be skeptical about the food at what amounts to a tourist-filled country club, but the lobster roll lurking in a sea of navy pinstripes at Ralph Lauren’s Mag Mile restaurant is surprisingly good. Available warm or cold, the lobster—mostly claw meat—is tossed in a lemon-herb aioli that pairs nicely with a faint undercurrent of celery and chives sprinkled on top. They go together like leather-bound books and rich mahogany, both of which you’ll see a lot of in the main dining room.

Fish Bar

Lakeview’s Fish Bar is like the offspring of a New England fish shack that spent some time in New Orleans. There are po’boys and snow crabs, but the obvious move is a classic Maine-style lobster roll on the patio. The old bay mayo complements the lobster, and we like that the filling is recognizable instead of a diced-up lobster salad.

The Fishguy Market

When your menu only has three things on it, a certain level of confidence is implied. At the Fishguy Market in Albany Park , that confidence is justified when it comes to the lobster roll. Available in two sizes, you’ll get Cape Breton lobster chopped to resemble tuna salad, with a hefty dose of celery seed, on a roll that’s barely buttered. It makes for the lightest-tasting option on this guide, even though it probably weighs the most. Like Dirk’s, the Fishguy Market is a seafood store first, takeout lunch option second—so be prepared to eat while standing on the sidewalk (there are no seats).