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    La Canoa

    3.4 (120 reviews)
    ModerateSeafood, Mexican
    Open 9:00 am - 10:00 pm

    La Canoa Photos

    LA CANOA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - La Canoa

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    I love this place so much, I proposed to my future wife here. The staff were amazing in accommodating us (as I spoke to their management Gamaliel and security in preparations ). After a staged kidnapping, our friends met us in the parking lot (HUGE), I popped the question, and we followed with a water balloon fight :D Memories we will continue to share with generations to come. The food is amazing. Living off Lake Michigan, La Canoa does right on its seafood. The drinks are a bit pricey (but what isn't these days), but damn they're strong and delicious. Each drink feels like a meal in itself; whether poured in a pineapple, or has been flagged with a buffet of shrimp. All the staff are latino af. Solo habla espanol, ellos te tiene. You need to practice you language skills (like me), they're staff are muy amble ('very friendly'). And if you like to party, f*** you're in the right place. Live music, huge dance floor, some nights you might even catch transformer Bumblebee pouring shots. The best part of the facility is the size. The back area is a large dance club. The front to the left more restaurant style, with additional seating. The front to the right 2 bars, one island style, the other traditional (I like the island myself). They have a patio with a beautiful fountain in the front. On a Friday salsa night, it's easy to moving room to room to finding yourself in a new world to reset and vibe on. All the walls are painted with different characters, scenes, animals that are fun to take plenty of photos with. In short, come, drink, eat, dance, make memories. There's not many places like this; and I am proud to say Waukegan has La Canoa. Para Siempre!

    a plate of food on a table
    Anthony M.

    Came here after work with a few coworkers. Started off with a Michelada with modelo it was really good mix they have. They give you chips, salsa , and fish ceviche when you first sit down. Then we ordered raw oyster it was pretty good but they were kinda small. The salsa that comes with it is very spicy. Then I ordered shrimp ceviche. It was a big plate. It could probably feed 3 people. It had cucumber, onions , and avocado. It was good. I also tried some fried fish my coworker order very taste good crunch. They have a lot of seating inside, big bar area. They always have music playing . The service was good they were always on top of things. They have a big parking lot.

    12 tacos.
    Nolan A.

    I have tried 20+ things on the menu and I have never been dissatisfied. The service is always friendly and quick. A good place to go get a bite with one of the most diverse menus I have ever seen. You could eat here 50 times and still not have tried everything. 120/100

    Samantha P.

    Service varies, but the food and vibes are on point. The photos speak for themselves.

    Taco dinner
    Nancy M.

    We ordered 3 taco dinners. It took over 45 minutes. The food was good, just very slow.

    a salad with avocado and feta cheese
    Steve B.

    Got to check out La Canoa out with my coworker. Have to say the food quality was great. I really like it's and everything seemed very fresh! The ambiance was great I like how everything looked. The service wasn't that great. I would say anyone that wants great food should give La Canoa a try!

    la toxica
    Jossairy M.

    Recently went on Saturday. The carne asada was really good and quite a big portion. So well worth the $20. For drinks I got "La toxica" and a tequila sunrise. They were yummy but I do wish they wouldn't forget the garnish. We went on Saturday because a band was supposed to be coming. We were told they would be there at 9 we stayed until 10:30 and they still hadn't arrived so that was a bummer. Their bathroom was quite nice and clean and they had this cute mirror wall that I took a few pictures in. You do have to be patient with service if you go on a weekend because they do tend to get pretty busy so sometimes they might forget one or two things just kindly remind them (hence the plate with a cut orange. since they forgot my garnish) Overall my food and drinks were good. Would definitely go again.

    I asked for a medium steak. This was way overcooked. I didn't eat this.
    Mike N.

    We went here for lunch on Friday around 1:00 pm. The food is bland and the meat was not done as requested. Nothing seemed fresh and the waitress was rude. We will not return nor recommend this place. The only thing worth drinking was the sangria. Not a good restaurant. We payed $89.00 for 2 people tip included. Yuk.

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    2 months ago

    This place is magnificent never have I experienced a more friendly staff and crowd the food was amazing.

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    1 year ago

    The food is ok, but pricey. The place is nice and decorated very lively. I would go back only for the entertainment and live music.

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    2 years ago

    Food taste like moose ass margaritas were water downed and the service was absolutely awful

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    Family & Crab - Crab Bag

    Family & Crab

    3.9(38 reviews)
    1.1 mi

    So glad Waukegan finally has a solid sea food boil restaurant that locals don't need to travel to…read moreChicago for! Family & Crab is conveniently located right off Grand Ave and has been beautifully renovated to a modern restaurant with a seafood theme. We visited right when the restaurant opened and the place was super clean. Since we were there to celebrate a birthday, we ordered one of the family platters consisting of crab legs, shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. For a party of six we had more than enough food. We easily could've had two more people with us for a platter this size. The sauce was delicious as well and ranges in spice level. I will say that the seasoning was quite heavy so it was a bit on the saltier side while I prefer a heavy garlic flavor, but overall nothing to complain about. The kitchen seemed to be very accommodating so if you just told them how you prefer your sauce and seasoning I'm sure it won't be an issue. We also ordered the fried oysters as an appetizer and a simple veggie fried rice to go with the boil. The fried oysters were perfectly crisp and came out hot. I will say that the breading is more flaky, kind of like a tempura. The oyster itself was not overcooked or chewy either. Service was wonderful and super helpful at explaining the menu and what was recommended. She even brought us a complimentary cheesecake slice for the birthday celebrant. Overall, this was a great experience and I highly recommend for anyone craving seafood boil in the area to save yourself the drive and come here!

    This is my second time going, and it's been open for a while now. Quality is still good and fresh…read moreand def recommend still! Service is good and there's parking on the side and the back of the building. On the and but you won't miss it!

    Photos
    Family & Crab
    Family & Crab - Weekend Combo

    Weekend Combo

    Family & Crab - Oooh my gosh!!

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    Oooh my gosh!!

    Ocean Seafood - Huachinango Diabla

    Ocean Seafood

    4.4(34 reviews)
    9.7 mi
    $$

    The food is amazing and the staff is incredible!!! Can't recommend enough!! It's very nice inside…read moreas well. Delicious!!

    Pre-Father's Day dinner at this restaurant. Saw it when they just opened but never came around to…read moreeating here until today. So glad that we did!! Conveniently close to home. Plenty of parking space. Restaurant is spacious and clean. We had a very early dinner so we were able to choose our table. Not many customers but by the time we finished eating, more people came in. Pleasantly surprised to be served Ceviché, salsa, and chips right away since we did not order it. Even better, it was complimentary. Nice touch!! Had the Cantaritos Special. Great presentation!! It's a fruit drink with Tajín and Tamarind. A mini bottle of Tequila is laced with what tasted like Chamoy. It was delicious!! My new favorite drink!! Our food was delivered quickly. We ordered the Shrimp Empanadas with Mozzarella Cheese. Intrigued as I thought it was a weird combination. What an excellent pairing!! Generous portions of Shrimp and gooey Mozzarella Cheese dipped in a sauce that tasted like Thousand Island Dressing. So good!! My husband ordered the Huachinango Diabla. Crispy Red Snapper on the outside and moist, flaky on the inside. Diabla sauce complimented the fish very well. Mild and a touch of sweetness. I had the Mendigo Special. Wow!! So much depth of flavor in the savory soup that had generous portions of seafood; octopus, shrimp, and crab (imitation). Topping of cilantro, onions, and avocado all enhanced the already flavorful soup. The dish comes with this buttery, soft, warm bread to soak up the delicious soup. I would definitely recommend and will be coming back soon as everything tasted so delicious!!

    Photos
    Ocean Seafood - Great service!

    Great service!

    Ocean Seafood - Mendigo Special

    Mendigo Special

    Ocean Seafood - Complementary ceviche - best we be ever had.  I could have eat this for dinner everyday and be happy.  Note: Green sauce is SUPER hot.

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    Complementary ceviche - best we be ever had. I could have eat this for dinner everyday and be happy. Note: Green sauce is SUPER hot.

    North Shore Steaks & Seafood - New York Strip Steak

    North Shore Steaks & Seafood

    3.2(13 reviews)
    1.7 mi

    This was a complemtary meal from the casino for Valentine's Day. Also our first time at the…read morerestaurant. We normally go in the morning and everything is closed. Our ressie was for 9 and the gentleman was able to get us into high tops near the bar which was appreciated. However, we felt ignored seated right by the kitchen. It wasnt the bartender's fault whom waited on us,( she was bartending ) but whomever was to bring out the dishes to us. They brought us a second salad but we said we were waiting for our Mains. We waited, and waited, and waited between courses. I am not sure if the portions were small because it was a pre fixe menu, or that's how normal portion sizes are? The appetizers of polenta, super tiny. The beet salad, also very tiny. My ravioli was decent. But my hubby s steak was very small. We could also hear the front of house manager scold the staff. In conclusion, I don't know if I would pay to eat here. And rum and diet was $11 and a small pour of wine $9.00.

    We had one of the most amazing experiences while having a rare date night out without our little…read moreone. Take aways from our dinner: 1) top 3 meal I've ever had. The lobster bisque was perfect, steak, salad and dessert were 2) service was first class all the way. Our waitress Elizangela was attentive and had a great personality. 3) cocktails were so good. We talked about doing this as monthly or every other month trip to American Place for date night instead of Vegas. Because this was an absolute amazing experience.

    Photos
    North Shore Steaks & Seafood
    North Shore Steaks & Seafood - Alaskan king crab

    Alaskan king crab

    North Shore Steaks & Seafood - Bone-In Ribeye - 24oz

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    Bone-In Ribeye - 24oz

    Captain Porky's - Oysters Rockefeller with the daily greens

    Captain Porky's

    3.9(447 reviews)
    5.8 mi
    $$

    Ordered takeout after not eating here in around 5 years. The place looks great. People were super…read morefriendly and I was really excited for my order. It was ready to go when I got there, paid, left and drove home. We ordered the alligator which I have always loved in the past, smoked salmon, jambalaya, greens, and garlic potatoes. When we got home we bagged our food and the look of the food was mediocre at best. Made our plates and was very disappointed in the taste and flavor or lack there of the food. The alligator was nothing more then Big chunks of breading with very minimal meat and what meat there was very chewy and over cooked. The jambalaya was ok but not very flavorful. The smoked salmon had a very distinctive smell that was not very enticing and I've had plenty of smoked salmon before. The garlic potatoes had no garlic flavor at all, it was just roasted potatoes. The greens were definitely better than i remember and one of the better dishes out of everything. I hope it was just an off night for them but I don't know if I'll return. It's a shame but it is what it is.

    Took a quick day excursion to Chicago and found this place on my way home. What a dynamite…read morebarbecue spot. I consider myself a barbecue connoisseur.This place ranks right up at the top for me. The inside has a kind of deli feel to it. You can visually see everything you want to purchase. Tons of meat and seafood options are available. Everything is reasonably priced. The staff and chefs are extremely friendly and hard working. The food was great. I had a barbecue rib platter with a side of garlic red potatoes, greens, and cornbread. The ribs were amazing , and so were the sides. My companions tried the scallop plate with rice and also the smoked chicken and rib platter. They also thoroughly enjoyed their purchases. Soda and alcohol are also available for purchase as well as desserts. Food comes out quickly and there is plenty seating available inside of the restaurant. The barbecue sauce they use is cherry flavored. While I was there , one of the workers was taking cherries off the tree out front , which I assume are used for the barbecue sauce. Love watching restaurants use on site ingredients to make creations. Skip the tolls, take highway 41.Grab some great barbecue!!!

    Photos
    Captain Porky's - Drink station

    Drink station

    Captain Porky's
    Captain Porky's

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    La Canoa - seafood - Updated September 2026

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