Holy Mackerel!, the first full seafood restaurant from the Harry Caray's Restaurant Group, is an upscale eatery wedged between a Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse and the lobby of the Westin Lombard. The place specializes in fresh seafood and cocktails, but patrons are also welcome to order from the neighboring Harry Caray's.
After entering through the hotel lobby, visitors are greeted with swanky, vintage decor and an eye-catching wall of waterfalls. However, the bar is rather boring; with no TVs and a lame soundtrack, you may just get lost staring at that good-looking mug in the mirror behind the bar. The restaurant certainly aims to appeal to a different crowd than the sports-inspired Harry Caray's right next door, but the quiet bar could benefit from a TV or at least some music that doesn't drum up images of a toe-tapping Charlie Chaplin.
Holy Mackerel! is open for breakfast (traditional breakfast fare for $5-$10), lunch ($9-$19) and dinner ($14-$43). Maybe it was just a case of bad ordering, but the lunch menu's seafood sandwiches didn't live up to expectations. The blackened tilapia sandwich with remoulade sauce ($11) and the Maine lobster roll with tarragon mayonnaise ($18) sounded great on paper. But a tilapia filet doesn't go too well with lettuce, tomatoes and onion on thick French bread (not to mention, it's hard to eat) and the mayo was a little too heavy with the lobster roll. For a safe bet, stick with the more traditional seafood entrees and appetizers like the jumbo lump crab cakes, whole red snapper or one of the half-dozen oyster choices.
One more thing working against Holy Mackerel! is the large number of upscale seafood restaurants in the same general area. There's Parkers' Ocean Grill, McCormick and Schmick's, Braxton Seafood Grill and the Reel Club all within a short drive. Holy Mackerel! is an attractive place with an attractive menu and friendly service, but that's also the case with its competitors.
Centerstage Reviewer: Jim Collins
