Mardi Gras dining 2022: Restaurants ready for Fat Tuesday celebrations

Business was slow at Tuscan Market in Arlington Heights in January, so Tracy Lipari and her staff brainstormed a way to bring in some customers while also providing a bit of cheer during the bleak winter weather. They came up with a plan to host a crawfish boil on Saturday, Feb. 26, as an early celebration of Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, which falls on Tuesday, March 1.

“It's cold and dark and rainy and snowy and gray,” she said. “Why not add a little purple and yellow and green to liven it up and throw some red little crustaceans in there?”

Tickets for the event, which provides all-you-can-eat crawfish, shrimp, corn, potatoes and kielbasa, plus beer and wine, for $65, have been selling quickly. For dessert they'll be serving a traditional King Cake from Central Continental Bakery in Mount Prospect. If you find a plastic baby hidden in your slice of cake, you'll win a $25 gift certificate. Everyone will get beads and masks to wear.

While Mardi Gras parties are most associated with New Orleans, they've become popular throughout the Chicago area. Hey Nonny in Arlington Heights is hosting a free concert by Chicago jazz musician Bruce Blanck at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 1. Sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, the show will feature traditional jazz and swing music popular in New Orleans. Hey Nonny also will be celebrating the flavors of the Big Easy with food and drink specials including $12 gumbo, $17 shrimp po'boy and $13 Sazerac.

“Everybody likes to have a celebration,” said Hey Nonny owner Chip Brooks. “A lot of people give up some pleasures during Lent. Whether you're in New Orleans or you're in Chicago, it's fun to have a pre-Lent party.

“Chef Tony is going to be serving up some great Fat Tuesday eats, and we're excited to hear the sweet New Orleans sounds of Bruce and his band,” Brooks said.

Tuscan Market is at 141 W. Wing St., Arlington Heights, (847) 392-9700, tuscanmarketandwineshop.com/.

Hey Nonny is at 10 S. Vail Ave., Arlington Heights, (224) 202-0750, heynonny.com/. Reservations are required for the Mardi Gras dinner.

Want to get in on the fun? These are some of the other suburban spots celebrating Mardi Gras.

Arrowhead Golf Club

26W151 Butterfield Road, Wheaton, (630) 653-5800, arrowheadgolfclub.org/

A Big Easy Bash at 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 26, features a Cajun buffet serving chicken and andouille sausage gumbo, jambalaya, and red beans and rice, plus live music from Zydeco Voodoo. A cash bar serves Sazerac, hurricanes and Abita beer. Tickets are $55 at eventbrite.com/.

Bub City

5441 Park Place, Rosemont, (847) 261-0399, bub-city.com/rosemont/

Dig into a bowl of Cajun gumbo with shrimp and house-smoked andouille sausage ($13.95) or a muffuletta made with cured meats, provolone, mozzarella and olive salad on a Sicilian sesame loaf ($15.95). The specials are available for carryout, dine-in and delivery through Tuesday, March 1.

Half Day Brewing Company

200 Village Green, Lincolnshire, (847) 821-6933, halfdaybrewing.com/

On Fat Tuesday, order up the specialty jambalaya and King Cake while sipping on $6 hurricanes and mai tais and $5 Voodoo Ranger Agent 77 IPA.

Lynfred Winery

15 S. Roselle Road, Roselle, (630) 529-9463, lynfredwinery.com/winery-events/.

From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 1, the winery will be hosting a Paczki Pairing featuring a flight of four wines (Zinfandel 2018, Sparkling Almond, Spiced Apple, Ciruela) paired with a raspberry packzi from Central Continental Bakery. It's $20 per person, $16 for members. Reservations are required.

Shaw's Crab House

1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 517-2722, shawscrabhouse.com/

A special menu available for dine-in, carryout and delivery Friday through Tuesday, Feb. 25 through March 1, includes seafood gumbo ($8 cup/$11 bowl), New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp with jasmine rice ($23), chargrilled oysters with garlic and Parmesan ($18), shrimp po'boy with french fries ($17), shrimp and crawfish étouffée ($25), Crazy Cajun Roll with spicy shrimp and crawfish ($17), and oysters Rockefeller with spinach, fennel and Jarlsberg cheese ($18).

Tokio Pub

1900 E. Higgins Road, Schaumburg, (847) 278-5181, tokiopub.com/

Tokio Pub is hosting a four-course, $64 per person Mardi Gras cocktail dinner at 6:15 p.m. Monday, Feb. 28, fusing Japanese and Cajun fare and accompanying each course with Suntory Japanese Spirits. Dine on the Po' Bao (fried oysters, giardiniera aioli and bahn mi slaw on a bao bun) paired with a Sriracha Bloody Mary; the Crazy Cajun Roll (spicy shrimp, crawfish, cucumber, jalapeño, avocado, tobanjan and tempura crumbs) paired with a Tsunami Slammer; and Creole Ramen (crawfish, shrimp, andouille and corn in a spicy shrimp broth) paired with a Gin Gin Fizz. And for dessert, indulge in bananas Foster paired with a Shinshu Sazerac. Reservations are required.

The Town Bar & Grill

2681 E. New York St., Aurora, (630) 499-9975, thetownbar.com/

Sip New Orleans drinks, including rum runners and hurricanes, while grooving to house music from DJs Steve Poindexter, Rick J Lenore and George “G-Spot” Jackson from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Feb. 25. The cover is $15.

The Venue

21 S. Broadway, Aurora, (331) 212-8490, themusicvenue.org/

Chicago Blues musician Brother John Kattke performs at a Mardi Gras celebration at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25. Hot Fish 65 serves Cajun and regular wings, catfish sandwiches and fries. Admission is $15-$25.

Village Squire

4818 Northwest Hwy., Crystal Lake, (815) 455-4130, and 4512 W. Elm St., McHenry, (815) 385-0900, thevillagesquire.com/

Celebrate Mardi Gras now through Tuesday, March 1, with specialty cocktails such as the Bourbon Street Rum Punch or Hurricane (both are $7.50) while dining on chicken gumbo; fried shrimp, fried chicken or blackened catfish po'boy; jambalaya; and blackened catfish.