Half Shell has operated out of the same below-ground space on Diversey Parkway since 1968, when Danny "The Turk" Denizman opened it as Half Shell Oyster Bar. He ran it alongside his daughters, Deborah and Candie, and his son, Ali, building the kind of loyal, regulars-first following that small neighborhood seafood spots rarely sustain for decades. The restaurant has stayed in the family since; Danny's grandson Anthony took over as owner in 2019.
The menu centers on king crab combinations, served over fries, in a setting that leans loose and unpretentious rather than polished. The patio picks up energy in the warmer months, turning the underground dining room into more of an outdoor scene.
Half Shell has built a reputation as a Chicago institution across generations of regulars, and The Infatuation scored it an 8/10.
The menu centers on king crab combinations, served over fries, in a setting that leans loose and unpretentious rather than polished. The patio picks up energy in the warmer months, turning the underground dining room into more of an outdoor scene.
Half Shell has built a reputation as a Chicago institution across generations of regulars, and The Infatuation scored it an 8/10.