Calumet Fisheries

Calumet Fisheries at 3259 E 95th Street is a small smokehouse and fish shack at the 95th Street bridge in the South Chicago neighbourhood of Chicago, Illinois. The stand sells smoked fish and fried seafood for takeout from a compact counter beside the Calumet River, in an industrial area far from the downtown tourist district. It has become a destination for food-minded visitors, earned national recognition as a James Beard America's Classic, and appeared in a well-known bridge scene in the 1980 film The Blues Brothers. The signature dishes are the fried shrimp, which is cooked to order and served in a paper bag with a seasoned crust, smoked salmon and a range of other smoked fish prepared in the shop's own smokers. Customers order at the window and take food away, eating in their cars, standing nearby or at the river's edge; there is no indoor dining room and no table service, so the experience is informal and weather-dependent. Hours are Sunday to Wednesday from 10AM to 9:45PM, Thursday from 9AM to 9:30PM and Friday and Saturday from 9AM to 9:45PM, with the shop closed on New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. No reservations are taken. Lines can form at lunch and on summer weekends, but service is quick. Prices are low, in the inexpensive range for a casual meal, and the generous portions make it a good value. There is no wine or cocktail programme; beverages are limited to soft drinks. Because the shack is on the far southeast side, most visitors reach it by car or ride-share, and the surrounding area is largely industrial, so it is best visited in daylight. Smoked fish sells out on busy days, so earlier visits are more likely to find the full selection.