Shanahan's

A taste of Louisiana Creole in Forest Park, Illinois. We were not disappointed!

Starters: My husband and I both tried the gumbo, we had the chicken and the shrimp. We couldn’t decide which one was better because they both were so rich and flavorful we wanted seconds.

Drinks: We tried the Hurricane it was too sweet.

Main Entree: I ordered the chicken and andouille sausage jambalaya and my husband ordered the shrimp pontchartrain. The food was great, every bite was full of Louisianas creole right at home. Note: The jambalaya is very spicy! The shrimp pontchartrain was amazing I will definitely get that entree next time.

Atmosphere: cute and cozy, we went on a Sunday early afternoon, not much of a crowd and were okay with that. Servers were attentive and friendly. They have a little store that sells chocolates and wine and we definitely took a bottle of their famous leprechauns fury hot sauce! I highly recommend them and I cannot wait to return.

This is a semi OK place to visit food is average nothing so great.
Best to ask about their special and drink special.
Pattie melt was good their rice is a little bit of an exaggeration of Creole style. It was too spicey and hot to eat and very gritty. Ask for a sample or substitute. I guarantee you that it is bland, hot, gritty, and gross. Potato chips are not as stated on the menu they are not homemade and are very stale.
Don't get me started on the shrimp.
Is not a bad place to stop at, but it's not a great place either!

WARNING! Their Cajun Shrimp and Cheesy Grits with Andouille sausage are unforgettable and extremely addictive!!!!
Practically every time I order 1 entree, I end up getting 2 more to go......phenomenal!
The hand crafted cocktails / libations are irresistible and the service is up to par.

We had such a great time on Saint Paddy’s day, and the staff was amazing and the crab and crawfish gumbo and potato and leek soup were so good. It’s a very clean establishment and definitely a bit classier than some of the other “Irish” bars in the area.

Nice place to get a bite to eat. It's a little overrated, and they are heavy-handed in the spices in their food.
Outdoor patio and inside dining.

Good food well
Seasoned and a nice patio

This place is fantastic. First time being here, and shanahan's did not disappoint. The calmari was damn near perfect, it wasn't rubbery or hard it was just right. The crawfish etouffee was delicious, it wasnt over seasoned or under seasoned. The key lime pie was the bomb, I swear if they told me it was a cheesecake I would believe it. The atmosphere setting is very laid back, casual and relaxing. This is a must try place if you are willing to try something new.

I've already reviewed their burgers. Which were just simple and quality burgers.in the best way. But now I need them to make birria style Tacos with their chicken and sausage gumbo please and thank you

No better Irish Pub on the West Side!
The Irish atmosphere is friendly and cheerful. The Cajun food 2nd to none also the best of Irish cuisine.

Very good shrimp and great very well balanced cook ! Very good service, very kind people there to help you with your needs. Hats off to the chef !

Food is absolutely delicious worth every penny my compliment to the chef and I loved the bartender she was awesome.

Great food and service. Had the uptown grilled cheese, and white bean and bacon soup. Delicious and tasty! They also make the most picturesque and tasty Arnold Palmers. Yum.

This is a fun great place to meet up with friends and have a few drinks. Top notch

Such a great bar & service!

My friends and I love going here for drinks and food. A strange combination of Irish bar and Louisiana creole food... we call it the Spicy Irish! They have the best fried calamari I've ever had. Highly recommended!

The food was great!!! I got the shrimp jambalaya, and it was beyond awesome. The spicy level is really reasonable. I ended up putting some hot sauce on my food. My fiancé got the grits and shrimp, which was some of the best grits I've ever had. I ended up ordering some kind of moonshine cocktail, its basically a long island iced tea with pineapple juice, it was pretty good. The calamari was 🔥. The prices were pretty reasonable as well. Being right on Madison St as you ride through Forest Park is so convenient and paying $1.00 an hour to park was heavenly.

Brunch was very good. Quiet, and great service.

It's a great place to go and have sumthin to eat while your drinking or sumthin to drink while your eating however you wanna word it, but if you have a taste for sumthin different they serve creole cuisine like jambalaya seafood gumbo chicken gumbo fish and grits dirty rice and all kinds of special desserts

We started with an appetizer. Shrimp and grits, which were rich and creamy. We also had the Hurricane which packs a punch. He had shrimp creole and I had the blackened chicken sandwich. There was plenty of food. Sunday nights are quiet so service was great. Our waitress was very attentive and Chris the bartender was a delight. We'll definitely be back.

So my Dad is from New Orleans, so I know really good cajun food, especially gumbo. And this small spot along Madison in Forest Park in really close to New Orleans style food. I was really impressed. I don't know why this restaurant/bar with the Irish name has really good Cajun food, but it does.