Lowcountry South Loop — Restaurant in Chicago

My friend and I came here after a full day's work on 3/4/2025 for a Fat Tuesday event that was advertised on social media. This was our first time visiting this establishment. We came around 5:45 p.m. and the event was to begin at 6 p.m. We check in with the hostess who told us it would be a 35-40 minute wait. We decided to wait - they text you when your table is ready. They have barstools to sit in but all of them were full. It got supercrowded in there and many people were standing in the entrance and walkway area because there wasn't really anywhere else to wait.

After waiting an hour, we finally get a text message and we were so relieved. One of the hostesses seated us at a table and asked us if we know how things work here. We said no. She showed us the QR code on the table to view the menu and also showed us our table number. She explained that when we are ready to order we needed to get up and go over to the section to physically place an order (remember your table number!). If you want drinks, that is a totally separate line. My friend and I looked at each other like we wanted to leave at that point. That meant after all that time waiting, no waitstaff comes to take your order, everything is self-instructed which was ridiculous! If someone working at their establishment had let us know that in all the time we were waiting to be seating, we could of just ordered our food TO GO! What a waste of time. Both lines to order food and order drinks were LONG and people were not happy as it was a bit chaotic. At one point, you couldn't tell what line from what because so many people were wrapped around the same area.

After you order, you go back to your table and they bring you your food by your table number. They don't take long to bring you your food which was one of the few pluses of the evening. The other plus was the majority of the food was good. We had:

Fried Shrimp - Excellent. Lightly breaded. Plump and good flavor Jalapeno Cornbread - Moist, dense and delicious Gumbo - Meh. Gumbo gravy was too watery, needed thickness to it. No sausage - there was seafood but you had to struggle to find the pieces of it. Not much rice in the gumbo Beignets - Good. Served warm-they are a nice size with powdered sugar on top Hurricane Drink - needs help. Doesn't taste anything like the drink in New Orleans - NOTE: at the drink station, they charge an automatic 18% gratuity on your bill. All the guy did was pour from a huge plastic container that had the drink pre-made it so how does that call for 18% tip?

I don't know if it's heavy foot traffic like this on their non-event days but there needed to be more planning here to handle the crowd or making the decision to turn some people away (the pictured advertisement says "plenty of beads" but, we weren't given any). It definitely was a fire hazard the amount of people standing around the entrance - if there was an emergency where people needed to evacuate, there would have been a problem that could of resulted in something really bad happening.

The Radium band they had for the event was GREAT, enjoyed them.

I would come back to order food since I enjoyed most of it but TO GO! This place makes alot of extra money because they don't have to pay waitstaff but at what expense? When I go out to eat, I want to be served, not wait in three lines between being seated and ordering food/drink. A big lesson was learned by...

We came here Saturday 7/17 to celebrate a birthday, so we had 11 adults and 1 infant in our party. My sister called earlier in the week and they said no reservations, so we planned to arrive at or near opening to get a table. Please look at the picture I posted of a virtually empty restaurant. My family arrived first whilst the others were on their way, so I told the waiter we will have a big party of 11 plus infant. He looks around, consults with his team members, and turns back to me and says ONE HOUR WAIT. HAHAHHAHAHAHHAHA. I looked at him incredulously and asked him how can it be 1 hour wait? Your restaurant is virtually empty at 5:15PM (on Saturdays they open at 5P) and I see many small tables along with 2/4 long bench tables. The waiter told me “those 2 tables are reserved.” HOLD ON WAIT A MINUTE. y’all don’t take reservations because we called to ask earlier this week. He responds “oh that is for the manager’s party.” So special treatment for the manager? Where are they? Why do they get special treatment and even if they do, you admit it to a customer? I’m usually a forgiving one, but this situation was too hilarious. So I get on my phone and start telling my sister the hilarious conversation I had, when the wait staff figured out how to “accommodate” my party with split seating on one of the supposedly reserved tables for the manager along with another table against the wall across from that table.

Besides that faux pas, I think the food was ok. That’s why I gave it an additional star. We got 2 double double combos, a create your own bag, and many sides. One thing I have to say is that the teriyaki chicken wings was not teriyaki flavored. I don’t know what the heck it was but it was more vinegary than soy. If you get garlic, beware it is SUPER garlicky and the flavor is still marinated in my mouth this morning. This was fun, but it was chaotic running back and forth between the tables. I don’t think that even if the seating debacle did not happen, this could have been avoided unless they sat us at the inner dining room’s picnic tables.

I would try the other locations over this one in south loop. I do want to say that it was not the wait staff’s fault. They did their best with what was told and dictated to them. The situation was just preposterous and I called them out. I was ready to walk out the door but was glad to have been seated to have the experience here. Just that the situation dominated my experience of...

I heard great things about this establishment. Made the decision to patronize the Lowcountry South Loop restaurant on September 4, 2021. I was very disappointed with my experience and plan to share my feedback with the establishment directly, but on other platforms as well so that consumers know what to expect and can decide from themselves if they want to give this place a try.

You do not have a server taking your order or serving you. This place is designed like a fast-food restaurant. You have to place your order at the counter and then they bring the food to you.

The food was not seasoned very well. I felt like it was seasoned with Mrs. Dash that gives the impression that it's seasoned, but is still very bland. I asked for salt because I needed to bring out the flavor somehow and they were out of salt.

I also do not feel I received what I paid for. The food is overpriced and under delivered. I asked for a lb of shrimp, a lb of mussels and a lb of crawfish. Compared to other seafood establishments, what I received was significantly less than a lb. I truly feel I received 1/2 a lb for each item. Everything was also a la cart. I had to pay for the eggs, potatoes and corn separately (which I did not receive the corn). I didn't even bother to go back up to request the corn at that point. Owners, if you care anything about your establishment and consumers continuing to patronize your restaurant, please give your customers what they pay for. It's dishonest and completely dissatisfying.

Lastly, which is not a mark on the restaurant, but parking is horrific. After driving driving around the block a few times, I decided to park in the garage next to the restaurant and had to pay $30 for parking as I had no other choice. I leave this review as some may not be familiar with South Loop and the parking situation.

Overall, I feel this place was overpriced for the type and amount of food I received. I don't mind paying $100 for a meal if I am going to receive exceptional service, tasty food and hefty portions. I will not patronize this establishment again until I hear they've made changes. I urge you to please take heed. Save your money and go somewhere else. There are many seafood restaurants they charge less, you receive more and it tastes so much better. You've...