You can give up anything from cursing to candy for Lent, but one of the most traditional sacrifices is to abstain from red meat. Chicago’s large Catholic population means there are plenty of restaurants helping to make the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter a little less painful by offering seafood-focused specials. These fish fries, pepper and egg sandwiches and seafood dinners are so good, you might want to stop in even if you’re not forgoing beef.
South Side & Near South Side
Dolce Arte
The Bridgeport restaurant offers Lenten specials including fish and chips ($19) and pepper and egg ($10) for lunch and seafood risotto ($33) and mahi mahi in white wine butter sauce ($30) for dinner. 3622 S. Morgan St., 312-380-0089, dolceartechi.com
Fabulous Freddies Italian Eatery
Get a pepper and egg sandwich ($8.76) throughout Lent along with other specials including a tuna melt ($11), eggplant parmesan sandwich ($9.22) and fried shrimp from Lawrence’s Fish Market ($12). 701 W. 31st St., 312-808-0147, freddieson31st.com
Pleasant House Pub
Visit Fridays for $17 beer batter-dipped fish served with triple-fried chips and house-made tartar sauce. 2119 S. Halsted St., 773-523-7437, pleasanthousepub.com
The Loop and Near North Side
River Roast
Visit on Fridays for mussels in garlic white wine sauce served with grilled crostini ($21) or beer-battered cod accompanied by french fries, dill tartar sauce and house-made pickles ($38). 315 N. LaSalle St., 312-822-0100, riverroastchicago.com
Shaw’s Crab House
A three-course lunch menu offered from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. March 5 through April 17 features fried shrimp with french fries, shrimp fettuccine and pan-seared Alaskan cod. 21 E. Hubbard St., 312-527-2722, shawscrabhouse.com
North Side & Northwest Side
Fat Cat
Come early, because the bar often sells out of its $16 Friday fish fries, which feature beer-battered cod served with Champagne slaw and house-made herb tartar sauce or on a Kaiser roll with avocado and lemon aioli. Both come with a side of fries. 4840 N. Broadway, 773-506-3100, fatcatbar.com
Irish American Heritage Center
Irish dance schools perform weekly at the fish fries running 6-9 p.m. Fridays March 7 through April 18, which include fried cod, french fries, coleslaw and a vegetable for $20 or $15 for kids under 12. 4626 N. Knox Ave., 773-282-7035, irish-american.org
Lark
Feast on an all-you-can-eat fish fry Fridays from March 7 to April 18 that includes fish and chips with coleslaw, french fries and tartar sauce for $19. Add on a $35 Nutrl bucket. 3441 N. Halsted St., 773-799-8968, larkchicago.com
Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar
A Lenten seafood happy hour offered from 5-6:30 p.m. Fridays March 7 through April 11 includes $4 smoked fish dip, $2 oysters, $2 shrimp cocktails and $5 draft bubbly. Stay for dinner with weekly specials including lobster ravioli and squid ink fettuccine with lump crab meat. 5553 N. Clark St., 773-654-1432, uvaechicago.com
West Side & Near West Side
Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar
A Lenten menu offered from noon to 10 p.m. Fridays from March 7 to April 18 features a pepper and egg sandwich served with salt and vinegar fries ($18), a butter-poached lobster roll with Old Bay fries ($24), and a filet-o-fish accompanied by a quarter tin of caviar ($32). 2700 W. Chicago Ave., 773-661-9577, heritage-chicago.com
Mac’s Wood Grilled
Fish and chips ($18) and fried fish sandwiches ($15) are served daily from Ash Wednesday through Good Friday. 1801 W. Division St., 773-782-4400, macswoodgrilled.com
Tuman’s Tap & Grill
Monks in the Middle Ages would brew strong beer to get them through the Lenten fast and you can get a taste of the tradition with a $7 Aecht Schlenkerla Fastenbier. The bar also offers $19 beer-battered cod with hand-cut fries on Ash Wednesday and Fridays through April 18. 2159 W. Chicago Ave., 773-782-1400, tumanstapandgrill.com
Suburban and multiple locations
Aboyer
The American French restaurant serves whole roasted Dover sole with toasted almonds, brown butter, fried parsley and grilled lemon over wild rice pilaf with a side of grilled broccolini ($39) on Fridays March 7 through April 18. 64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, 847-441-3100, georgetroisgroup.com
Bonefish Grill
The Angler’s Catch, a plate of tempura-style cod, battered shrimp, fries, coleslaw, and cocktail and tartar sauce, is available for $20 March 5 and Fridays through April 18. Multiple locations, bonefishgrill.com
The Budlong Southern Chicken
The chain serves a fish fry sandwich throughout March and April, offering a buy one, get one free deal on Ash Wednesday and Fridays during Lent. Multiple locations, thebudlong.com
Buona
The Italian beef chain serves pepper and egg sandwiches laced with cheese ($7.49-$9.49) on Ash Wednesday and Fridays through Easter. Multiple locations, buona.com
Lowcountry
In addition to their regular seafood boils, Lowcountry offers a Friday fish fry featuring two 4-ounce pieces of beer-battered cod served with fries and coleslaw ($18) March 7 through April 18. Multiple locations, lowcountryrestaurant.com
Pomeroy
Indulge with wild Dover sole ($73) served Fridays during Lent or try some of the restaurant’s regular seafood dishes including trout amandine ($34) and Mediterranean sea bass ($38). 844 Spruce St., Winnetka, 847-999-3090, pomeroywinnetka.com
Portillo’s
Get a pepper and egg sandwich served on French bread or a croissant on Ash Wednesday and every Friday through Easter. Other meat-free options include the breaded whitefish sandwich or plant-based garden dog, which are offered year-round. Multiple locations, portillos.com
Twin Peaks
Pair fish and chips with either Coca-Cola or tea for $10 or a 22-ounce Miller Lite or Coors Light for $12 Fridays March 7 through April 18. 17W744 W. 22nd St., Oakbrook Terrace, 331-307-7940 and 28252 Diehl Road, Warrenville, 630-393-9747, twinpeaksrestaurant.com
Samantha Nelson is a freelance writer.
