This Reviews is actually for Sunday September 8, 2019, I am a little late writing this review. So my Lady and I had been wanting to try Chums for some time, since I found them surfing on yelp one day. Since my Lady works all the way out in Elgin, IL and we are out in Hammond, IN we tend to see what is by her job so she can at times bring something home and try something new. So to start off, majority of all reviews I read are true, as my Lady confirmed it, the staff is very nice and awesome. So I happen to make out a list, to try and make things easier for folks, so I heard they liked my list lol. sadly only item I was unable to get as it for now is only available on Mondays is the Lobster Mac and Cheese, which we eventually hope to try some time in the future, but what we did order is below. 1 Mojito Lime Wrap 1/2 Pound Coconut Shrimp 1/2 Pound Battered Shrimp 1/2 Pound Calamari 1 Order of Hush Puppies 1 Order of Crab Ragoon Anchors 1 Order Homemade Slaw (8oz) Not to forget an assortment of their fine sauces to try them all and see Which we liked. So I got to say unlike other establishments we have had shrimp from where usually there is grease in the shrimp or some places over fry their foods, I got to say Chums is way better than that. The Coconut shrimp has awesome flavor too, I got to say in our opinion we thought the Pina Colada sauce went well with this style shrimp, and I as well thought the sweet & sour went well also. The Battered Shrimp is beer battered, you can taste the hind ot beer but not over powering as it should not be, we happen to like the cocktail sauce with this style shrimp, but I slightly liked both that and Boom Boom Sauce with that one. Of Course you can either eat the Calamari by it self, or with the Cocktail sauce, Boom Boom Sauce, and or Sweet & Sour Sauce. To be honest even though the Tartar, Sriracha Tartar, Jerk Ranch, BBQ had good flavor, We hardly used them on our dishes. Do not get me wrong they were good, but I guess it just depends what we have them with to fine tune the flavor we are looking for. I do not think we had the Honey Mustard, unsure about this one. the hush Puppies, I mean what can I say they were hush puppies, I sort of waned more, as it has been a while since I had them. the Crab Ragoon Anchors, I got to say, first time I had them, and not the last time, I thought those were truely awesome, now if you have a hard time with cream cheese I will warn they can sit a bit heavy on a person, but unlike chinese places, I have to say these are better than your typical crab ragoon. I am unsure if my Lady used a sauce on hers, but I tried a combination from Sweet & Sour to Pina Colada and both were great. The homemade Slaw, I am unsure if this will define it, but I do not thing the 8oz contained was enough for me, as I love to eat slaw, since there are different ways of making it, I loved how the flavor was there. Some items I did not list in the list as i was surprised to get them, even though we did not order them, and not an issue at all what so ever were there fries, which we both liked, I can say fries can go many ways with all the sauces depending on the flavor or combination of flavors you are seeking. I will note that, I do post photos anytime I eat out, but for some reason we did not put all our food out on a plate when eating since we sort of ordered a lot, so I took photos of eat item on my plate, next time will try to do a better job on photos. I also want to mention we split the wrap the next day, and wow, the Mojito Lime wrap seriously has some good flavors all in it. I believe unless trying something else we will definitely get that wrap again. Overall all this place is if not our #1 to go to shrimp place our #2, if You Guys and Gals were in Hammond you would Definitely be #1, but the distance is too far to make a run out to Elgin and back, so can only do it when my Lady is heading home from work and there is a craving for awesome seafood! read more

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Oh my goodness! It's really good fresh and hot. Every single item The staff that they have found really have great attitudes. I love the boom-boom sauce! It's balanced really well as not overwhelming spicy. We can't wait to have it again! read more

Food is OK but expensive, nothing great but so far the only fried shrimp shack in the area I know of. Reccomend the fried walley. Don't reccomend the lobster mac and cheese. Really ain't got much to say on this one. read more

It's not worth the hassle. I was excited for their unique offerings to come so close to where we live, and we tried it twice but are calling it quits. The ordering system is complicated and costly. If you order online there is an extra cost, but if you go in person and order with a credit card there is still an extra cost. The majority of places even comparable small businesses don't have that extra cost. Their online ordering system also isn't even always available and way more complicated than other places. We had an allergy request, and the employee came to me to talk about the fries after the order was complete 30 minutes after I ordered in person. I likely would have substituted something earlier if I had known. The employee taking the order didn't even know what gluten-free was, but she said that she was new. The food itself is decent, except for the fries which aren't very good. It's far from the best lobster roll I've ever had, but it's something that you can't really find in our area. There would be more I might have explored on their menu, but with how complicated and expensive everything is in all this is a place I won't really go back to. read more

This was my first visit to Chum's. The food was delicious, fresh and definitely exceeded my expectations. I ordered the pick 3 combo with their fried shrimp, beer battered shrimp and fried oysters. I chose cole slaw as my side. The shrimp were nice sized and you got 3 of each kind. I believe there were 5 oysters in my combo as well. My friend had the catfish po' boy. He loved it. The bread was fresh and the toppings were wonderful! This is a very casual place. Cute nautical decor. No frills. Great food! The staff was friendly and that just added to the overall experience. The only downside? This place is tiny with only 4 tables for dining in. We were there during the week around 1pm and luckily there was a table available or we would have needed to get it to go. This is not a deal breaker, but I think it is good to know in advance. Give Chum's a try! I look forward to going back. I love supporting quality local businesses, and this one is definitely worth checking out. read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - My leftovers from my pick 3 meal! - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

Being a person that loves shrimp, I had to check this out since they recently opened up a few days ago. Upon entering the shack, I was pleasantly surprised by the decor and ambience. It was well done. I definitely felt that I was in a restaurant shack near a ocean or bay. Love the seafood/ocean vibe. The menu choices were decent. Lot of great choices. I ordered the combination plate which I chose the coconut shrimp and crispy shrimp with fries and slaw. Unfortunately, I did not received the slaw. I'm chalking this as a growing pain as they work on quality control and efficiency. Overall the food was good. Good portions and the fries were seasoned well. The shrimp were big too. Great value for the money. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5. I would definitely go back again. Hopefully, I'll get my slaw this time. read more

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This place is awesome!! I highly recommend them. The decor in here made me feel like I was in Florida!! Just missing the warm weather . The service was great, the food was even better. I had the Bo Boy, my son had the fried shrimp and my other son had the chicken tenders ... everything came out hot and the boys gobbled their food. The staff was very friendly, especially the guy behind the counter, his smile is contagious. We'll be coming back. read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - Chums Shrimp Shack staff hard at work. - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

My family each enjoyed lobster rolls and fries or coleslaw. My aunt said the coleslaw was fresh and very good. I had the shrimp po'boy with fries. I really liked the breaded shrimp in my sandwich. My sandwich was so big I could only eat half of it. The service was prompt, everything was clearly made fresh, and the decorations were fish themed with lots to look at around the room. Can't wait to go back next time I'm in town. read more

Wanted to like everything here. Second time and I have to say, go with the fried shrimp or fish by the pound and you can't go wrong! Stay away from the "handhelds" as they are greasy and overly sauced and spiced. The lobster roll is more like minced lobster salad, and nothing close to what you would want or expect. The Chum sandwich sounds great on the menu, however it is very rich and just does not balance well in my opinion. Store is clean and crew is friendly. Service was reasonably quick! read more

Food was just ok. Not enough food for the price. Not worth the 45 wait for service in my opinion. Ambiance is ok. Not a do over for me.

Second visit a couple weeks after the first was much improved. We had a carry-out order during the lunch hour and it was terrific. We ordered a shrimp and fish combo. This time, the shrimp were very tasty and not at all greasy. They remembered the missing fries from our last order and made up for it with a complimentary order of clam strips. Ironically, I would never order fried clam strips, but these were truly the best part of the entire meal. Lightly breaded and coated with what I believe was a lemon pepper seasoning. I ate every last one of them. Next time we order, I wouldn't hesitate to order the clam strips. read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

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Food was hot and very tasty! It was our first time visiting, but had heard great things from friend about the place. Definitely will come back. read more

TRUST ME, YOU DON'T WANT FAKE LOBSTER... I was excited to try the the lobster rolls and lobster mac n cheese... and I couldn't have been more disappointed. I was immediately put off by a fishy smell and consistency that was not lobster. At first I thought the meat had spoiled, but later realized most of it was some type of white fish or imitation crab product. Unfortunately, the few scattered pieces of real lobster claw meat weren't enough to save either dish and I was really disappointed that I wasted $40 here. This place is literally serving chum. Save yourself and skip this place. read more

This place is great, staff-owners are super friendly, describe the food, make suggestions. I had the pick 3 - chose crispy shrimp, cod and fried oysters along with their homemade coleslaw. Cooked to order, everything is fresh and hot. Came with tartar and cocktail sauce. Hot sauces on a shelf in the dining area and malt vinegar on the table (great with the cod). My husband had the shrimp po-boy with fries. He loved it. The prices are fair for fresh seafood, the place is immaculate. I highly recommend! read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - Oysters, cod and crispy shrimp - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

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I couldn't wait to try this place. Unfortunately it does not live up to the hype. We ordered takeout and got five or six of their dishes within our family. We all shared because it was new. Everything was just OK. Nothing really blew our socks off. It's a great concept. But just not as good as we were expecting. read more

First off, the employees were really nice. We ordered the chum sandwich and boom boom wrap. The chum Sandwich was definitely better flavor wise, it had Cajun seasoning among other big differences. The boom boom wrap is good but not as flavorful, also the big difference is that in the wrap, the shrimp is fried and crunchy versus the grilled shrimp in the chum sandwich. The fries were amazing and they hooked it up!! Haven't tried the surf and turf and crab rangoons so we would like come back to try those since they were out when we went. read more

Sadly, absolutely disgusting experience. Probably haven't been here for about a year and wow have things changed. You walked in and the place smelled like disinfectant to the point of nausea. I noticed that they took the skewers for shrimp and sausage out of the freezer and Smashed them on the grill until they were done obviously obviously not fresh at all. Got the fried clams half pound, and they were simply frozen clams thrown in a fryer. Their food used to be so good. It is absolutely not anymore and obviously not the same owners. We ate outside because we couldn't stand the smell in there and everywhere you luck it's just weeds and weeds and more weeds. Clearly they don't care about the look for me outside either. I would never go there again. my daughter ordered the lobster roll and it was a total joke. I would describe it as shredded fake crab sticks with an over abundance of lemon zest and nothing else. Absolutely no sign of lobster or celery or red onion as described on their menu, the bun was not buttery. It was as if the grill was sprayed with the spray grease and then the bread was soaked on that there is no way that there was any lobster in that lobster roll! read more

Great selections at a great price!! Ordered the shrimp platter, Shrimp was nice and crispy showing signs of fresh clean cooking oil. Order was quickly prepared and the customer service was outstanding!!! If your in the area definitely check them out!! If you try it and don't agree, please let me know!! read more

We have tempted to eat here several times when they first opened but the waits were too long. We gave it a couple months and went at 2 PM. There was no line and the food was ready to go in approximately 10 minutes. The fish and shrimp were excellent! We did like the hush puppies would order again if they came in a smaller quantity. I wish they would bring the two or three protein combo plate back so We could try more options. read more

The food is fire. Simple as that. Also I messed up and accidentally provided my pescatarian significant other a shrimp quesadilla that I did not know contained bacon... the staff, without hesitation, gave me an additional order of the shrimp quesadilla without bacon free of charge. Shoutout to them for correcting my mistake. Because of them, my relationship continues another day. read more

Worst service period. Tables open. People walking in, however they won't serve you for an hour and thirty minutes. Apparently take out orders are more important than dine in customers. Support local elsewhere, these clowns don't care. read more

Kabobs next door is 10x better. Their food is ok but with the competition and their short hours they can't compete. They seem to be closed most of the time. Better selection at kabobs. read more

The food was okay, I've had better. It took far too long to get our order. We don't plan on going back.

I wanted so bad to like this place, but couldn't. None of the food was bad, not saying that at all. The name is fun, the owner was a friendly, chatty fellow, and the decor was my favorite kind of seafood shanty kitch. Sadly I was unimpressed with all of the food I got. I ordered the pick 3 because I like trying a variety of stuff. The fried catfish was soggy, and the breading just slid off as I ate it. The fried shrimp weren't bad, I've had better and worse, no complaints here. The fried oysters were too dense, and seemed very familiar to a brand of frozen oysters I've had before, definitely not hand made. The clam strips were probably the high point of the meal. What really tips the arrow downward is the price. I always spend a pretty penny in fried seafood wherever I get it. This place is no different, except I didn't feel I got my money's worth by sheer food volume and quality alone. Not a bad place, I would be fine if a group decided to go here. It would not be my first choice though. read more

My friend and I stopped by Chums after they moved from Dundee. Our meal was served quickly and came to us "piping hot". As I recall we ordered the oysters, smelt, catfish strips and hush puppies. We especially loved the oysters, and the catfish and hush puppies were outstanding. We were not fans of the smelt, but not because they were poorly cooked, just not our thing. As we were leaving, the owner noticed we were tossing the smelt, and insisted on reimbursing us. I told him there wasn't anything wrong with them but after a little back and forth I accepted his offer. It wasn't an expensive item, but for $5.99 we will be back, again and again. read more

Super delicious and fresh food! I love their quesadilla! My husband likes their "cheese steaks" and their fried pickles are also great! Def worth a stop in! read more

First of all it's decorated really adorably and everyone in there is so nice. All the main items that we had which was battered shrimp, coconut shrimp and cod were excellent but I have to say the coleslaw was lousy. I did not like the hush puppies but like I said the main items were just delicious and would definitely go again just for that. read more

Went to chums last week just to check it out and get lunch. The owner was extremely nice and very welcoming. Food was out fast and looked great. The hush puppies were very good. The Coleslaw was tasty. I had the bam bam shrimp wrap and it tasted great. I thought it might be spicier but it was not. The crab Rangoon was the best I have ever had. I can't wait to go back and try more things. I would recommend this place. Give it a try. read more

Tasty but a bit on the pricey side. This was our second visit to Chum's and I'm glad we returned after a less than stellar initial visit. The cashier was the same and he's direct and to the point, not overly friendly and doesn't really provide any recommendations. The cook was different this time around and judging by his friendliness and interactions with the guests I'm willing to bet he's the owner. All in all the meal was extremely tasty and they cooked everything perfectly. The only downfall was our lunch ran almost $40 for what amounted to 14 shrimp, some calamari, fries, coleslaw and soda. We'll certainly be back, but not as often as we would be if the prices were more affordable. read more

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What a great place, nothing else like it around this area!! Love supporting small family owned businesses. My husband and I took a drive to check it out and the food was delicious! Great portions too!! We loved the Blues Brothers playing on the TV while you eat and the shack is decorated perfectly! All around great experience!! You have to check it out and you won't be disappointed that you did!! read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - YUM! - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

I tried their clam strips and they were really good. They didn't skimp on the portion size either. I'll definitely be back to try some of their other menu options. read more

All I can say is wow. After fantasising about this place Over the last 2 weeks, I finally got the chance to try it. First of all, didn't get the name of the gentleman working the register but he was one of the nicest guys I've ever met in a restaurant no exaggeration. Service was top notch, second to none. As for the food, I had the pick 3 platter and all my shrimp was absolutely fantastic. Things were as big as my palm and meaty and delicious. Breading was perfect and it was nicely fried, not overdone. The fries were delectable, place surpassed my expectations and more. Friends had the Diablo shrimp and chum sandwich and no complaints all across the board. Found one of my new favorite restaurants in the area for sure. Chums is a winner, and I will be back many more times read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

We finally tried them for dinner. Please note the online order system is closed on the weekend, but they will take your order over the phone. Food was ready on time. I tried the beer battered shrimp and the coconut shrimp, both were good but I preferred the coconut. My husband got the fried Oysters. He really liked the House sauce! We would definitely rely for back and try some other items off the menu. read more

This place is amazing ! Definitely worth stopping by!! wish there were more seats but the food itself is amazing.

The breading is perfect crunchy not greasy I love it. Way better than your average fish fry. Well some of your average fish right it's just different. I'll definitely try some more items. We had catfish fingers, hush puppies, and Shrimp Italians, Clam strips. I definitely want to go back and try more read more

This place is absolutely amazing and has some great shrimp and catfish. I recommend everything on the menu. A little busy during lent season but is worth the wait. I been here a couple times and I'm always happy. The owners are very cool and always looking out for our kids giving them a toy from the treasure chests or a cookie. This place is the best around the area. read more

The food was amazing ! A grade food. The owner is a kind man which takes deep pride in his food. Piping hot fish for reasonably amount. Would come back again for sure! read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

It was really over priced and everything was ala cart. The shrimp was a bit over cooked. I am not sure how long the will be there with those prices. I won't say I will hurry back. I will go back eventually. read more

Chums Shrimp Shack - Shrimp were not that big!!! Jumbo Crispy Shrimp ??Jumbo Crispy Shrimp ?? - Seafood Near Me - St. Charles, Illinois

Best food everrrr!! The cook and cashier was very nice!!! She explained what all the sauces were..it was amazing! I got the 3 meat combo for 16.99..i had beer battered/crispy shrimp and chicken tenders with seasoned fries..then I ordered a half lb of garlic herb shrimp and crab ragoon..it wasn't called that but that's what it was..so delicious!!!! Everything was fresh! I can't wait to go back it sucks I live 2 hours away!!!! read more

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This place belongs in a small oceanside town. From the entrance to the inside it's a fisher man's hut. I ordered smelt and it was fresh which is important when it comes to fish. They didn't over fry it like many other places. Their fries were really good. I also ordered coconut shrimp but did not like it because the outer flavor was too strong i barely tasted the shrimp. They have so many options I want to try them all. My order was cooked fast and they were friendly. Definetly a must try place. I am just so happy I found them. Enjoy Yelpzonians! read more

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