How it started

The Original Island Shrimp House (TOISH) opened its doors for business in late July of 2015. The restaurant was founded on the belief that really good, really fresh seafood served in a casual atmosphere was possible in the great Midwest. The casual atmosphere and interior design are meant to emulate those little gems one finds along the seaboard states from Maine to Florida, mostly when on vacation; you know - the places you never forget. The Original Island Shrimp House brings you the fresh taste of lobster, chowder, clams, scallops and calamari from New England; shrimp and jambalaya from the Gulf of Mexico; and king and snow crab from the icy waters of the Bering Sea. The overwhelming majority of our seafood comes from the United States; only our cod, haddock and salmon come from outside of the U.S. All of our seafood is wild caught, certified sustainable and almost all chemical free. Never farm raised and nothing from countries with questionable food practices.

Our founding partner was born on the East Coast and attended law school in New England. It was here that he was exposed to many of the specialties served at TOISH. With a degree in Biochemistry, he is acutely aware of chemicals used in the production and processing of lesser quality seafoods. Consequently, at TOISH, we only use super premium seafoods free of chemicals. You can taste and appreciate the differences. Even our produce is purchased from a local farm when in season. Yes, it might seem a little more expensive, but, frankly, we believe it’s worth it. We will never compromise quality.

Your time and your money are precious commodities and we certainly understand you could spend both at any one of the thousands of restaurants in the Chicagoland area. If you are reading this, you are spending those commodities with us. It is our sincere hope that your experience at The Original Island Shrimp House will supercede your expectations on this visit and all future visits.