Shrimp Barn's Grilled Menu Makes it Worth the Trip
Go to this new restaurant for the food, but don't miss the wine.
When The Shrimp Barn first opened, I was so excited I posted an invitation to take someone out for Dining with Dawn right away. But when readers pointed out that the menu at the time had only fried offerings, I waited. The Shrimp Barn added a grilled menu and it was from that menu that my dining companion and I selected last week.
I chose the jumbo shrimp. At $13.49, I got a 1/2 pound of seafood, a small salad, garlic bread, hush puppies, sauce and slaw. I opted for the traditional slaw.
My dining companion, Reveneal O'Brien ordered the tilapia. She opted for the kidney slaw. Both of us ate all the seafood on our plates. Each of the grilled or sauteed items on the menu is prepared one of three ways - regular, cajun or blackened. I chose regular, but the shrimp still had a nice flavor. I am a purist and just squeezed lemon onto my shrimp, so sauce was not an issue. But, The Shrimp Barn offers honey mustard, shrimp barn sauce, cocktail sauce and tartar sauce. The honey mustard was good. It was little smokey. I liked it on the potato pancakes, which are also gluten-free. O'Brien ordered the bacon-wrapped jalapeno shrimp, which comes as an individual serving.
The appetizers at The Shrimp Barn are small, as I mentioned, the bacon-wrapped shrimp came as an individual serving. it's a cool concept that allows for mixing and matching more than if the orders were six or more pieces.
In addition to the food, which I would go back for, The Shrimp Barn has a full offering of Illinois wines. In addition, they offer dessert and I highly recommend the fried banana, also gluten free.
eileen
8:59 am on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Dawn, I have to disagree with you on this one. We tried it, not verygood at all for 50.00 we spent. The fish was so soggy with oil it had to be thrown out. This usually happens when the oil is not hot enough or at a steady temperature. Thanks, but no thanks.
Brenda
2:15 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
When we went to The Shrimp Barn and saw everything was fried, we were upset. But when they brought us plastic ware to eat off of, we got up and left.
AH
4:49 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
We had a nice dinner a couple Fridays ago. We ordered ala cart for the entire family(2 adults,2kids). That way we could try fish, shrimp, and chicken. Everything was fried well, not greasy. Salads were average. Slaw was tasty, a little too soupy. We will go back again. When ever I think of a fish place, yummy Johnson's Door County Fish on Roosevelt Rd, I think of fish served in a basket. I'd like to see more variety of Illinois wine from the Southern Illinois Wine Trail.
AH
4:51 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
I have to add that although I like the eclectic look of the restaurant, the old upholstered chairs in the dining area gave me the heebie jeebies. There is no way the chairs can be sanitary, and should be replaced with hard surface chairs.
Beaner
6:00 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
No thanks to Shrimp Barn. Our town is in desperate need of good chain restaurants: TGI Fridays, Olive Garden, Applebees, etc.
Mike
4:51 pm on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Have you ever looked at the population requirements to have some of those? Buffalo Wild Wings wants 40,000 people to allow a franchise store. Channahon, Minooka, and Morris together would struggle to meet that.
From BWW site:
"Minimum 40,000 population, 80% or greater between the ages of 20 and 50 within the trade area, $30,000 or greater median household income within the trade area
Minimum daytime/lunch population of 10,000"
Sam
9:01 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
and we have a Giordano's that seems to never be packed anyways! Why would another chain restaurant do any better?
smm1014
11:17 am on Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wasn't very good. I won't be going back. I was soooo looking forward to it and ended up being completely disappointed. I ordered Lake Perch and Fried shrimp. The shrimp was just okay, and the perch was the worst I have ever had. 1/2 lb of lake perch ended up being one thick piece of bony fish. Not what I expected when I ordered lake perch. The fried cauliflower was good.
ltts
9:50 am on Friday, March 16, 2012
My family and I can't stop going back......Finally a seafood restaurant in the area..The food is always good and I can't choose what to eat each time I go...its all good...Keep up the good work. Love the atmosphere, and the different beer selections. The people are also very friendly, love the small town feel.