Calumet Fisheries, Seafood restaurant in South Chicago, US.
Calumet Fisheries is a seafood counter on the 95th Street Bridge in South Chicago, known for its on-site smokehouse where fish and shellfish are smoked over oak wood. The menu is short and focused, offering smoked and fried seafood to take away from a small walk-up window.
The smokehouse opened in 1928 and has stayed at the same spot on the 95th Street Bridge ever since. Over the decades, most commercial smokehouses in Illinois closed down, leaving this one among the very few still operating in the traditional way.
For many people on the South Side, this spot is a landmark tied to the taste of smoked fish the way it used to be made. Regulars often order at the window and eat right there on the bridge, making the visit feel more like a neighborhood ritual than a restaurant experience.
This spot is cash only, so it is worth stopping at an ATM before arriving. Orders are placed at an outdoor window, so visiting on a mild day makes the experience more comfortable.
In 2010, the James Beard Foundation named Calumet Fisheries an America's Classic, a recognition given to only a handful of family-run spots across the country each year. The smokehouse also appeared in the TV show Check, Please!, which brought it to a wider audience beyond its regular customers.
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