Every February, as winter’s chill lingers and Valentine’s Day hearts start to fade, another celebration sweeps through Chicago—one that’s as much about community as it is about culinary indulgence. Fat Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras or Shrove Tuesday, arrives on February 17, 2026, marking the last day of feasting before the solemn season of Lent begins the very next day with Ash Wednesday. While Chicago may not host the sprawling street parades of New Orleans or the glittering revelry of Rio de Janeiro, the city’s bars, bakeries, and restaurants bring their own flavor to the festivities, offering locals a taste of tradition, music, and mouthwatering treats.
According to the Chicago Tribune, this year’s Mardi Gras promises a vibrant array of events and menus across the city and suburbs. From the Loop to Evanston, venues are rolling out everything from classic king cakes to spicy gumbo, all designed to help Chicagoans savor that final day of decadence before Lent’s 40 days of restraint.
Let’s start in the heart of the city. Industry Ales, located on South Wabash Avenue, is setting the tone with a five-course Mardi Gras dinner on Friday, February 13, at 6:30 p.m. For $125, diners can indulge in crawfish boudin croquettes, blackened pork tenderloin, beignets, and expertly paired drinks—an experience that aims to capture the spirit of New Orleans right in the Loop.
Nearby, Lirica at Navy Pier is extending the celebration with a Brazilian Carnival from February 13 to 21. Specials include baked goat cheese, muffaleta sliders, crawfish dip, and beignets, with a Don Julio tasting event on February 16 between 4 and 6 p.m. It’s a nod to the global reach of Carnival, and a reminder that Mardi Gras is as much about music and dance as it is about food.
Shaw’s Crab House, a Chicago institution, is offering a dedicated Mardi Gras menu from February 12 to 17. Diners can choose from chargrilled oysters ($21), crawfish etouffee ($32), fried shrimp po’boy ($22), and classic cocktails like the sazerac ($16) and hurricane ($17). On Fat Tuesday itself, Shaw’s is hosting a shrimp boil for $50, complete with live music from the Mike Wheeler Band in the Oyster Bar from 5 to 8 p.m.—a surefire way to get into the Mardi Gras groove.
But the party doesn’t stop downtown. Across the North Side, spots like Big Jones are serving up Southern comfort with a Mardi Gras twist. Chef Paul Fehribach’s special menu features crawfish boudin balls ($15), seafood gumbo ($24), shrimp & grits ($23), red beans and rice ($10), and sizzling jambalaya ($36). Wash it all down with a hurricane, daiquiri, or sazerac, and don’t forget the mini king cake filled with espresso cream for dessert.
For those craving a true neighborhood vibe, Cody’s Public House is hosting Mardi Gras-themed music all night on February 17, with a buffet at 7 p.m. featuring gumbo, jambalaya, rice, and cornbread. Drink specials abound, from $6 Lagunitas beers to $10 hurricanes and $30 Surfside buckets. And if you fancy yourself a gumbo aficionado, Cody’s is holding a cook-off at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 15, with more drink specials to keep the festivities lively.
Junebug Cafe offers king cakes for four ($35), along with French and Creole bites like beignets and chicken and smoked sausage gumbo. Lottie’s Pub is channeling Bourbon Street with $7 Crown Royal shots, $10 gumbo, and $12 Cajun chicken sandwiches and shrimp tacos, all available from February 12 to 17.
Rogers Park’s Smack Dab is joining in with gumbo and rice ($24), jambalaya ($15), mini-king cakes ($12), and take-and-bake Mardi Gras cinnamon rolls ($16) for pickup—a perfect option for those who’d rather celebrate at home.
Sweet treats are a must for Mardi Gras, and Chicago’s bakeries are rising to the occasion. Alliance Bakery is offering a 10-inch king cake in traditional purple, green, and yellow for $40. Scafuri Bakery’s king cake ($25–$28) comes with cinnamon, cannoli, or raspberry filling, and is available for pickup on Sunday and Fat Tuesday. Weber’s Bakery keeps things classic with a cinnamon king cake topped with cream cheese and buttercream icing for just $16.
Meanwhile, Easy Bar is giving away free slices of king cake from Scafuri Bakery on Fat Tuesday, with $4 beers and half-price drinks during happy hour. Estelle’s will dole out beads, $6 hurricane shots, and host DJ Papa G from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Ina Mae Tavern, a Wicker Park favorite, is pulling out all the stops: $10 Mardi Gras cocktails on Friday, a Second Line brunch with live music on Sunday, and a Lundi Gras bash Monday with $12 po’boys and $5 Abitas. On Fat Tuesday, doors open at noon, with music from the Four Star Brass Band, a burlesque show at 9:30 p.m., and $12 hurricanes.
On the South Side, The Chicago Firehouse is hosting its ninth annual Fat Tuesday party from 6 to 10 p.m., featuring the High-Hat Second Line band, a premium open bar, and a buffet that includes red beans and rice, spicy crawfish boil, seafood gumbo, and a bananas foster station. Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern is serving up cinnamon and cream cheese bundt-style king cake ($8) through February 18, alongside other Mardi Gras specials. Norman’s Bistro is throwing a bash with a best mask contest, raffles, live brass band, and DJs from 6 to 10 p.m.
Suburban bakeries aren’t missing out either. Bennison’s Bakery in Evanston offers the French Galette des Rois almond cake and a variety of New Orleans-style king cakes through February 20. Buck Russell’s Bakery & Sandwich Shop in Wilmette is taking preorders for king cakes that serve up to ten. Deerfields Bakery has chocolate- and almond-filled king cakes, Mardi Gras-themed cookies, cupcakes, and a show-stopping drip cake. Publican Quality Bread offers a king cake that feeds 10 to 12 for $20, topped with the traditional purple, green, and gold sugar.
Restaurants like The Graceful Ordinary in St. Charles are serving New Orleans-inspired specials—think hearth-seared Gulf shrimp, fire-roasted gumbo blanc, blackened redfish with dirty rice croquette, and bananas foster-style beignets. Prairie Moon in Evanston is running Mardi Gras specials from February 13 to 17, including shrimp and grits, crawfish and Gulf shrimp etouffee, jambalaya, and bananas foster bread pudding.
But why all this indulgence? According to USA Today, Fat Tuesday is traditionally a day of gluttony and celebration before the solemn Lenten season—a period of fasting, repentance, and charity for Christians, which begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and runs until April 2. Good Friday falls on April 3, and Easter Sunday, the holiest day in the Christian calendar, arrives on April 5. For many, Mardi Gras is the final hurrah before giving up favorite foods or habits for Lent, a tradition that stretches back centuries.
Whether you’re seeking a raucous night out, a family-friendly brunch, or simply a slice of king cake with friends, Chicago’s Mardi Gras offerings this year are as diverse as the city itself. It’s a moment to gather, savor, and celebrate before the quiet reflection of Lent begins.