Of the two locations, the Schaumburg one is the new kid on the block. Parking is either valet or via the expansive parking lot in front of the restaurants. Opened 23 years after the original, this version of “Davis Street” is actually attached with another Evanston favorite, “Pete Miller’s”. Upon arriving, you’ll notice that “Davis” got the short end of the real estate stick. “Pete Miller’s” takes 2/3 of the available land, but this was the former home of “Prairie Rock”, and trust me when I tell you that “Davis” has more room than you would think.
Inside the décor is fun and slightly funky. Raised booths are adorned with an underwater backing, while the jelly fish chandeliers give that little bit of funk. Our waitress was very quick to arrive and was a welcome source of knowledge. Too many times a server doesn’t know much about the cuisine or seems in a hurry to get you in and out. That did not happen tonight. Our waitress explained the menu with great depth and passion, and even brought out the ever popular seafood tray. I have to admit that I love tray presentations at restaurants! Whether it’s the meat tray at “Gibson’s” or the dessert tray at “Wildfire”, trays take an ordinary meal and turn it into an experience!
We start the night off with the Asian firecracker shrimp and their version of the steakhouse wedge salad. The huge plate of shrimp could easily have fed four, but I tend to be a bit more hungry than most and found it to be just enough. The shrimp are tossed in a creamy chili sauce and are not spicy “hot” but rather “lots of flavor” spicy. It was so good, that you could actually pair this with a side and it would be a great meal! The wedge is a large wedge of iceberg topped with cucumber, egg, bacon, scallions, and Louis dressing. The Louis dressing is similar to a Thousand Island but with a hint of horseradish and it compliments the salad very nicely.
For our entrées we decide on the Mahi-Mahi and the Alaskan king crab legs. The Mahi-Mahi flaked wonderfully and was paired with a red pepper hollandaise. The hollandaise added a little punch to a normally mild flavored fish. Other sauces available are cucumber dill and lemon butter. The fish was accompanied by fresh cut fries that unfortunately were soggy, limp, and were not up to par with the fish. The jumbo crab legs are presented with the purpose of keeping you clean. Each leg was sliced in half lengthwise and therefore required no cracking, just remove from shell, dip in butter, and eat. While I miss the primal fun of cracking open legs to fish out meat, this is a much more efficient method. Sweet potato fries accompanied the crab and were actually crisp and delicious.
We wrap the evening up with a couple of desserts. Apple tart is the choice for my gorgeous wife, while I opt for their homemade NY style cheesecake. The apple tart is like an inside out apple pie. Crust envelopes the apple filling and is then topped with vanilla ice cream. Classic and good. The cheesecake is a large dense piece of cheesecake topped with fresh blueberries and blackberries. Big, rich, and dense the way a good cheesecake ought to be.
Final bill with tip for the two of us was $115. Overall “Davis Street Fishmarket” offers good quality seafood and outstanding service for slightly upscale prices. If you’re shopping at that big mall in Schaumburg or checking out the little boutiques in Evanston, “Davis Street Fishmarket” is worthy of a try. Rating *** out of ****.
Locations
501 Davis St
Evanston, IL 60201 Map
(847) 869-3474
1383 N Meacham Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60173 Map
(847) 969-1200
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