Briciola, Chicago

"We have happy shrimp here. They talk to us. They sing to us," answered the Chef when asked why Joey's Shrimp House is one of Chicago's best. That question was posed by Chicago's Best, a program that spotlighted Joey's in a segment on the city's top seafood. Host Brittney Payton declared, "Bubba Gump ain't got nothing on Joey," after indulging in one of Joey's po' boys. Those hearty, two-fist sandwiches, which pack a baguette with literally dozens of those jolly singing breaded shrimp, are just one of the many savory surprises at this Humboldt Park restaurant.

Like if New Orleans and Puerto Rico gave birth to a shrimp shack, the menu takes tongues to corner of creole and Caribbean. Classic seafare, such as crispy or sautéed shrimp or grilled mahi-mahi, gets kicked up a notch with island spices, and Puerto Rican favorites such as the jibarito sandwich or the mofongo (that's a garlic and plantain mash) come packed with skirt steak or creole shrimp. Classics like surf 'n' turf get a flavor punch of arroz con gandules (that's a tasty combo of rice, pigeon peas, and pork). And although it offers take-out and delivery, the colorful dining room is covered in nautical charm and makes for a perfect place to hear the happy shrimp sing their swan songs.