Troha's Chicken & Shrimp House, Chicago

Open for over 95 years, family-run Troha's Chicken & Shrimp House takes great pride in its food and service. Lightly-breaded golden-brown shrimp, catfish, perch, chicken, and frog legs emerge fresh from the fryer, making full meals when accompanied by handfuls of fries and scoops of coleslaw.

More than 95 Years of History

"How a humble bar founded five generations ago became Chicago's classic fried-shrimp house is the story of a restaurant that adapted to changing times and stayed exactly the same." — Chicago Tribune

• 1917: Troha's first opens its doors, which advertise "A Stein of Beer and a Bowl of Chili for 5 Cents!" Later, Prohibition and the Great Depression put an end to both the beer and the chili, made from increasingly expensive meats. Smoked fish and fresh fish become the new focus.
• 1935: Shrimp appears on the menu for the first time. Chicagoans initially have to be coaxed into trying free samples of this unfamiliar crustacean. The tide finally turns when New Orleans-born trend of deep-frying shrimp finally makes its way north several years later.
• 1959: Customers get a new treat when they are first able to buy Troha's fried chicken to-go. This cements the eatery's reputation as a destination for home-style comfort foods.
• Today: Troha's never even considers changing its original family recipes. As Robert Troha told Chicago's Best, "If if isn't broken, we don't fix it."

An Old-School Interior

Grabbing a meal to-go continues to remain a Troha's tradition. However, the restaurant's small seating area features plenty of history on its own. Black-and-white photos of Chicago landmarks adorn the wood-paneled walls, and an antique register from Troha's first days in 1917 continues to exude vintage charm from its spot on the counter.