Our experience with Dancing Marlin left us with a bitter taste, and it wasn't from the food. Dancing Marlin recently catered our wedding. The food was great- the ahi tuna apps, shrimp, steak, chicken... they nailed pretty much every animal product. The execution of serving at an event, however, was an absolute nightmare. They were so slow that dinner took an hour longer than it should have, which is a big deal at a wedding. New dishes were brought out without first clearing the table, and thus our guests ate part of their dinner off of dirty plates. It was gross and embarrassing. Worse yet, when we talked to the staff about it, they blamed the venue and didn't apologize for any of it. This was surprising since they were expensive and had been helpful throughout the planning process. Overall, Dancing Marlin left a blemish on an otherwise wonderful day. read more

First, the food here is absolutely wonderful. HIGHLY recommend. Secondly, our server was an absolute gem. She was friendly, attentive, helpful, and an all-around joy. Was she Andrea? Sheesh, I'm old. I can't remember. Anyway, we got one item mistakenly delivered to our table that looked like it could have been what we ordered, so we ate it and realized the mistake. She was so gracious, and fixed it immediately. Even the mistaken item was scrumptious. Basically, give these people your business. It is so worth it to you, and they deserve all the good things. I didn't take any pix because I'm an old lady, but the presentation is as delicious as the flavor. read more

Wow and not a good Wow. We were very excited with the menu we viewed online and had high expectations. Just some observations when you're charging premium prices; Servers in jeans, battery operated "candles" on the tables, a kitchen brigade of a Culinary Director, Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine???? Hey guys, with that much fire power for such a small operation you better set the bar higher, much higher. If you're charging $$$$ for your menu, make it happen on the plate. Lobster bisque shooter with no pieces of lobster just as one example. FOH, train your servers on steps of service. Your servers need to present the Specials before the guest orders, not after they place their order. Plate presentations needs work, too. Finally, when noted that your guests are their for a special occasion, please recognize that otherwise do not ask. read more

This place was delightful. I came here for a friend's wedding reception, and the food was phenomenal. I had a fish entree, and it was moist and flavored just right. My husband's beef was also cooked very nicely and had a nice flavor to it. I would say that there were a lot of people crammed into a small space, which got to be a little claustrophobic and became a bit warm. Otherwise, I loved the dim lighting, which gave off somewhat of an intimate vibe during the event. The servers were delightful and great. Great place to visit! read more

We had our daughters bridal shower here today. We reserved the room downstairs and had brunch. What an awesome venue!!! From working with the event manager to the amazing waitress - it was so easy. And most of all the food was delicious. Kudos Dancing Marlin. Great venue for small parties!!! read more

Ever changing menue, great food, great service. Large indoor, and outdoor dining areas available as well. Also a great spot to just have a drink with your lady. read more

Dodd wasn't that great. If you want tapas then this is the place for you. Not a great option for little ones.

This place was small, cozy and Intimate. The food was delicious. I order the impossible burger it was very yummy and tasty. The customer service was pleasant for a busy Saturday night. read more

The dancing marlin is a wonderful restaurant that takes a modern twist on many classic seafood dishes. The big difference between here and most other seafood restaurants is that they serve smaller portions of foods and essentially make it a tapas style meal, but with seafood. This is not the kind of place you should go and order one entrée to hoard all to yourself. The benefit of eating tapas style for those who don't know, is you are able to try a wide range of different things on the menu. The more people you have the more things you can try so I would suggest coming here with a group of people if possible. I started the meal with an order of their roasted bone marrow. As a self proclaimed foodie this is a dish that has long been on my bucket list of things to try so it was a must despite the hesitation from the rest of my group. The Dancing Marlin is also one of only 2 restaurants in the south suburbs to serve this dish so to pass on this delicacy would have been a tragedy. The marrow was served with grilled bread, rock salt, lemon and a homemade bacon jam. The marrow was rich in umami and fatty beef flavor that when combined with s pinch of salt and lemon was the perfect combination of rich and savory with a hint of acid to round it all out. The bacon jam was good but in my opinion it overpowered the taste of the marrow so I didn't have much of it. After that we had the baked crab dip. This dip reminded me of the classic dips I would have on a football Sunday, but had a nice elevation to the dish with the sweetness coming from the crab. The dip was so good people in my group were dealing at the bowl it came in trying to get every last ounce out of it. Next case our main course(s). My choice for the table was an order of shrimp and grits (which is my Achilles heel whenever I see it on the menu). The shrimp were cooked and seasoned perfectly and the "grits" were actually polenta which elevated the dish in a wonderful way. The beurre blanc that was on it was beautifully rich and velvety and was a nice contrast to the spicy andouille sausage that added a nice kick to the dish. The next dish we got was the bacon wrapped shrimp. Once again the shrimp was cooked perfectly and the bacon on it was extremely crispy, just how I like it. The even amount of crispness on the bacon is rarely seen when I have anything that's wrapped in bacon. The skewers were topped with a mango chutney which brought a perfect balance of sweetness to what would have otherwise been a fairly savory dish. Our side of corn ragú came out shortly after the shrimp. The brown butter, parmigiana regiano and sweet corn all came together with a beautifully rich, sweet and almost nutty flavor from the brown butter. The side reminded me slightly of and American take on elotés (which is another one of my favorites). Finally we got our order of brisket. The brisket itself was very tender but the shining stars of the dish were the peach bbq sauce and cornbread purée. The purée was velvety and creamy and was a great modern take on a classic bbq side dish. The peach bbq sauce was nice and sweet and complimented the beef in a perfect way. The only downfall to the dish was that the grilled apple sauce was very salty and not that pleasant. Sadly after all of this food we were too full for dessert, especially since the options they had sounded amazing. Overall this is a wonderful restaurant that has taken many classic dishes and elevated them with a wonderful modern twist. I can't wait to go back. My only hope is that I'm able to go with a group of more adventurous eaters! read more

Dancing Marlin - Roasted Bone Marrow - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

I picked up curbside yesterday 3/20 on the way home from work. I was there maybe 4 minutes. My order was delivered to my car, I paid cash and was headed home. Everything was as expected, a true Dancing Marlin experience at home. The food was hot and NOT lacking a damn thing we've come to expect from DM. The Salmon was perfect, the Impossible Burger was delicious as well. Bulgogi sliders...wow. Thank you for offering the kids meals as well, it made for one stop shopping. They even give you a coupon for $20 off of dinner when the world gets back to normal and $10 off of Brunch. Please don't feel compelled to keep hout coupons, your food speaks for itself. See you all next Friday! Update......this was our 2nd Friday of quarantine/shelter in place whatever. This was also our second Friday of Dancing Marlin takeout as well. Same great results. Damn that salmon is good! Thanks guys, thanks for churning out great food even while the world is a little uncertain. Thanks for giving us those amazing flavors we've come to expect and crave. Happy wife....happy life :-) See you soon! read more

Love it here! The food is great and service is very good. They should get a new rewards program bc that stinks but everything else is wonderful. read more

One of my favorite places in the area to eat! Love the outdoor dining area and the the various choices of food. Haven't had a bad thing on the menu yet! read more

Just attended a beautiful baby shower brunch at Dancing Marlin. First of all kudos to my friend who threw a beautiful shower for her daughter and Son-in-law. The food, room, and service was all spot on!! The food was served tapas style which allowed us to try a lot of different things. We had monkey bread, biscuits and gravy. House made sausage and bacon. Breakfast flatbread, mac and cheese, scrambled eggs, breakfast fingerling potatoes, pulled pork hash. Every thing was fresh and delicious!! Our deserts were house made doughnuts with a whipped coffee creme and a delicious cheesecake bite. Can't wait to return for dinner. They have a beautiful outside seating area as well as a lovely inside dining room. read more

We stopped here because of the positive Yelp reviews. We visited on a Saturday night just after they opened. Madison was our server and she was knowledgeable, attentive and very personable. We had never dined at a tapas restaurant before and she put us at ease and made the experience enjoyable. We ordered a cocktail flight and all 3 choices were delicious. It was a fun way to pick a favorite! We started with the beet salad which was divine! We had scallops, fish tacos, pierogies, and ended with bone marrow. Everything was perfect...from portions to flavor...from speed to wonderful service. I live 2 hours away and am planning a trip back with my sisters! read more

Definitely a foodie experience. Service is great, food and drinks are fantastic. It's a fun atmosphere too. This restaurant is a treat!

This place is an absolute gem. Went here fir my birthday dinner and I'm glad we did. Me and my fiancé are stuffed. We grazed spicy garlic shrimp (damn spicy), carnitas taco, fried kale(damn delicious), Mac daddy, burger slider, and scallops. Don't worry...it sounds like a lot if food but this is a tapas restaurant. The drinks are pretty good, laid back atmosphere. Needless to say we will be back! read more

Dancing Marlin - The Marlin Mule..... - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

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Oh my, where do we start! We were welcomed like the hostess had known us forever. When she learned it was our first time visiting we were able to sit at the chef's table to see the food coming out. Servers were out of this world, not just friendly, but genuinely interested in us and our dining experience. The food, the AMAZING food! The owner came to the table, although he was busy working to expedite food to the tables. He was so kind and must be so proud of his staff, presentation of EVERY dish, and let's not forget the incredible taste of EVERY dish. Perfection from the moment we walked in to our exit. read more

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By far my favorite restaurant! Having a wheat and gluten allergy, I feel very safe eating here. My favorite is the fried chicken, which I hadn't eaten in years, but now I can! read more

Probably one of the best dinners I've had in a long time. We had a group of eight and we literally ate our way through small plates. We tried some of the apps, flatbreads and other dishes. Service was attentive and prompt. Our server helped determined the size of orders we needed as well. If we're to return I would definitely order the General Tso's Cauliflower, roasted bone marrow (so good), the fig & pig and for dessert get the S'mores - you would not be disappointed with just these dishes but we had others and they too were great - I.e. flatbreads, fries and scallops. Whole heartedly recommend enjoying a meal at Dancing Marlin and bring some friends. read more

I have only been here once so far but I plan to return soon, in fact we have reservations. All of the small plates we had were really really good but my favorites were the pasta salad with crab (real crab - I have only recently discovered the sad fact of the existence of artificial crab) and the scallops. Service was friendly, prompt and efficient. They have food runners all over this restaurant and I don't know about you but I am pleased that someone is running my food to me! I can't wait to go back and try the sliders, just wondering if the runners will slide into the table. That would be pretty entertaining. read more

I've been dying to return to Dancing Marlin after a Yelp Elite event in 2013. When some friends suggested getting together here, I couldn't say no. I made reservations on a Saturday for 6:45 p.m., and we were seated almost immediately. The restaurant was very busy though, so I wouldn't go on a weekend without a reservation. I made mine the same morning, so while a reservation is recommended it isn't a must. It's a little noisy in here, and the tables are squished somewhat close together, but I didn't have any trouble hearing anyone at our table and none of that took away from our experience. Two of us shared six plates: Calamari Tacos Shrimp & Chorizo Tacos Mushroom Flatbread Artichokes Ahi Tuna Nachos Risotto Etoufee Coffee & Doughnuts ^All of those plates, plus two cocktails and a beer, for around $100. My favorites were the Ahi Tuna Nachos and Risotto Etouffee. The ahi tuna melted in my mouth like butter. The portion for the nachos was really small, I could have eaten them all (and more) by myself! The Risotto is a good shared plate or entrée, it had a kick of spice to it and would be comforting on a cold day. It was probably 80 degrees outside that day, but it was still really good. The Coffee & Doughnuts dessert is a winner as well. I would not order the tacos again - the calamari taco was chewy and dry, whereas the shrimp & chorizo tacos fell apart and had to be eaten with a fork. The tacos are 2/$9, so I felt this wasn't the best tasting or best value dish. The waitress made me a little uncomfortable. We had a group of five, but my husband and I threw caution to the wind and wanted to try so many of the dishes. We placed an order for six plates (the menu recommends that two people share 4-6 plates), and the waitress' reaction was odd. She suggested that maybe we were ordering too much food, but at the time she also assumed that the FIVE of us would share those SIX plates (in addition to the few others that our friends ordered). Some of the small plates here are too small to pass between more than 2-3 people, so her surprise just boggles my mind. After our meal, I was really impressed by the willingness of the owner/manager to give us a tour of their cocktail room (they rent it out for private events and it's very affordable) and their taps. Dancing Marlin does something else others don't: cocktails and wine on tap! Try the Marlin Margarita or the Tom Likes Cucumber, I loved them both. Can't decide? They do a mini sampler of 3 cocktails. I don't know that I would go back to Dancing Marlin for a full dinner, but I'd definitely recommend it as more of a happy hour or pre-dinner option. read more

I came here earlier this week for an impromptu Girls Night Out with my mom, Kathleen M. and Candice G. It was my favorite night out in a very long time. I knew Z was in good hands with my Dad watching her so I could really enjoy myself. We had great food, tasty drinks, and hilarious conversation. I couldn't be happier that Dancing Marlin has opened in Frankfort. I wasn't sure how they were going to transform the once fast food building, but they did, and with gusto. The decor is beautiful. I love the subway tile, the art on the walls and the layout of everything. Thank goodness it is small plates because then we could share a bunch of dishes and I didn't have to worry about ordering the exact right thing. We tried a variety of menu items: fried kale (delicious - who knew?), octopus, mushroom flatbread, sliders, tacos, gnudi, scallops, beet salad, and the coffee and donuts. It was all super delicious and each dish had its own unique flavor combinations. I was really impressed. I can't wait to go back because all though we made our way through much of the menu, I know there is still plenty to be explored. read more

I'm so happy my parents live in Frankfort so I can visit this place often. I'm forced to live in the SW Burbs for work and the restaurant choices make me seriously consider relocating most of the time. Dancing Marlin makes me want to move back to Frankfort! I'm in love with the whole space and concept! They did quite a transformation on the interior. I've tried a little of everything. I don't think I've ordered anything that I haven't been happy with. I've had the fried kale, fries, burgers, chickpea tacos, sausage flatbread, scallops, belly buns, carrot cake, chocolate chess pie and my favorite coffee and doughnuts. I won't be happy until I try everything on the menu. The drinks are awesome. I could easily stop in there just to drink. The wine selection (all on tap) is nice and the craft cocktails are delicious and give me a nice buzz. I think my favorite is the pomegranate blossom. The service is friendly and I'm already eyeing that party room downstairs. It's gorgeous! Everything here is so fresh and it's great to see someone pull this off in the suburbs for a change. This is one of those restaurants that's absolutely worth driving for. I wouldn't hesitate to make this a destination spot! read more

Fantastic small plates restaurant! Food is all fresh, beautiful presentation, and everything we had was delish!! 26 drinks on tap including cocktails, beer and wine! My new favorite place!!! read more

Dancing Marlin - Ahi bruschetta - toasted multi-grain bread, topped with edamame puree, sprouts, avocado, heirloom tomatoes ahi tuna and balsamic - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

I am quite surprised at all of the outstanding reviews here on Yelp regarding Dancing Marlin. While the food was not horrible, the surrounding factors listed below did not make up for the cuisine. 1. We had reservations yet still had to wait 40 to sit at out table (party of 4) Once seated it took another 15 minutes for our drinks to arrive. 2. This place is very small and way too many tables for a comfortable atmosphere. The over abundance of patrons makes for an EXTREMELY loud dinning experience. This coupled with the close proximity of the tables meant that I could converse with my neighbor more than my party I was sitting with. 3. Since this place is so small, patrons waiting for a table are literally standing next to you while you dine. I felt uncomfortable while people were looking at me like a starving refugee looking for bread that I dropped off the table. 4. Now for the food (I will save the service for last). The concept is for parties to share their meals with one another to better enjoy more than one dish. Sounds like a wonderful idea, however there wasn't enough food to pass around. My wife ordered the sliders and I the Cod. My fish was tasty, however it contained a mere three nugget sized bites and a scoop of potatoes. (for $12). While the price is not out of line, it was impossible to fill up on the food much less "pass it around." 5. Service - Well, what can you say when your restaurant is packed to the gills (no pun intended), unfortunately service is usually the first to collapse. Our server was friendly but stretched too thin with the amount of patrons in the dinning room. We only had one drink order and never had the opportunity to order again. 6. Ambiance - The restaurant is a converted fast food building of some sort as you can tell by the old drive up windows. The decor was nice and modern, tables constructed of wood were a bit bland however functional. TIP to the Owner - painting over the acoustical fixtures mounted to the ceiling renders them non-functional. Conclusion - Definitely not my cop of tea. While I do enjoy trying new restaurants and dinning experiences, I find little to rave about. Finding the time to go out to dinner with family/friends is hard enough but having to compete vocally with 100+ people made for an extremely unpleasant experience. Finally, being a professional career firefighter, I would bet the restaurant exceeded their occupancy load based on the number of patrons at the bar, waiting in the make-shift foyer and dinning room. If I had to place a guess, I would estimate the guests at more than 150+ (in the size of Taco Bell restaurant). Not safe. read more

This is our go-to restaurant when we are on double dates because there's something for everyone and since it's tapas and everyone is sharing, it's like an activity and a meal in one. They also have a creative cocktail list. I highly recommend reservations, even for small groups. read more

I had dancing marlin bookmarked for quite a while and I finally had a chance to try it out while meeting a friend in the dirty south. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. I took advantage of the $5 cocktails and got the 3 minis. I let the waitress pick my drinks and overall they were ok. The alcohol is definitely cheap because you can smell and taste the "rubbing alcohol." I love tapas and I get that they are typically overpriced, but I felt most of our dishes were a rip off. We got the bacon and date flatbread ($10) and what a disappointment. The favors were all over the place and didn't compliment each other at all. The piquillo sauce and green olives stuck out like a sore thumb. whats worse, the dough wasn't crispy but more chewy. We didn't even eat half of this, felt like a total waste. We had the supper club salad ($8) which was pretty good. I like arugula but it's better when it's mixed with other greens, for me. The dressing was light and refreshing, a delicious dish. Mimmo's burrata was hands down the big winner of the night ($11). This came with 5 or 6 pieces of crostini and my new favorite burrata cheese. It's mozzarellas creamier, more tasty older brother. The tomato jam was phenomenal and the combination was perfect. I wish we got 3 orders of this. Another good dish was the fig and the pig ($11) and they didn't skimo on the bacon. There were only two pieces on this, and although large, didn't seem worth the price. The biggest disappointment of the night was the gnudi ($11). This came with 5 quarter size balls. They were OK, I enjoyed the very small amount of butternut squash at the bottom of the plate. We ended with the peanut butter semifreddo ($7) and this was pretty solid. The banana foam is mind blowing, it tastes like real bananas.......in foam. The semifreddo had a great consistency and flavor. I would have added a little more chocolate to this though, out of preference. although the decor was great and some dished were good, I'm not sure I'll be back in the future. read more

This restaurant is OKAY, not sure what the big deal is about. The food is pretty good, except for the fries. We had to ask our waitress to bring another batch out that was HOT. The donuts were indeed fabulous, and so was the flatbread. I was disappointed in our server Kathy, she started off ok, but was caught slouched over with her hands under her chin like she was bored, this was while we were both waving to get Kathy's attention for some ketchup. We were there for a couple of hours so she started to get annoyed but the bill kept growing from us ordering drinks. I really don't have to come back to this place, that's unless of course I get the food to go. Oh and thanks Kathy for rolling your eyes when we requested our last glass of wine, very classy! read more

Dancing Marlin - Donuts!!! Yummy! - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

I have been here a few times now and would definitely recommend! I love tapas style eating, as I love to sample everything without making a huge commitment. I'm pretty much addicted to the fries with mayo dipping sauce and the PBJ dessert (peanut-butter mousse with marsala grapes and breadcrumbs with peanut-brittle to dip). I could do double ordres for both and be a very satisfied girl! We have tried probably half of the menu and everything is good, fresh and made with quality ingredients. I haven't tried anything I hated but there's a few I wouldn't order again (just because of personal taste preferences). I would recommend trying anything on the menu though! Always good to try new things! The atmosphere is great and is good for groups. They also have a huge party room in the basement and I bet they'd host a great get-together! read more

Great food rooms are small but worth the wait. I had a steak that was unbelievable. Great drinks too.

When I go to sleep tonight I'm going to be walking through a field full of kale, and it will be covered in sea salt and parmesan cheese. My friend Jen makes baked kale, which I've always held as the standard; but I'm sorrynotsorry to say that she's been knocked down a few pegs after I tried the fried kale at Dancing Marlin. So after hearing about the recent Yelp event at the DM, and reading the reviews and seeing the pictures this was really the ONLY place I could have possibly had dinner tonight. And I'm so ridiculously pleased with the meal I had. I've not really loved tapas in the past. I never know how much to order. And I've been disappointed with the what I've ordered in the past too. But here, EVERYTHING was good. And thankfully, with three of my family members along for the ride, we did a dance around Dancing Marlin's menu comprised of the following: We started with the shrimp potstickers. They came with a delicious drizzle of miso butter and garnished with fantastic pickled celery and spicy peanuts. The flavors were totally unexpected but worked really well together. These aren't your average Chinese place's potstickers, which we soon realized would be the case with everything we ordered. Next on our dance card (I'm going to keep using that pun, so get used to it) were the cheddar bites. You mostly taste potato, but the smokey cheddar cheese and apple butter really made my tastebuds slide across the dance floor (did it again, this could be a drinking game if you take a shot each time I use a dance comparison). The clam fritters came up next, and they were the only thing I didn't care for. They were kind of doughy and not clammy enough for me. Nuff said. Sloppy Joseph sliders tangoed to our table shortly thereafter, which had tender beef brisket in a nice sauce. They were good, but not dancing in the streets good. Now the fried green tomato sliders, those were something that made me want to boogie. Seriously, get these even if the fried green cha cha isn't normally in your repertoire. They were lightly fried, not too greasy like most places, and the batter was tasty. But I think it was the pepper and pimento that made this dish. It gave it just a tiny kick of flavor that the normally average tomatoes need. My two favorite dishes of the evening, the fried kale and fried chicken tacos did a ballet straight into my heart. I started this review talking about the kale, and lemme tell ya, I'm still thinking about it. It's light, crisp and covered in salt and parmesan. It kind of had the consistency of popcorn and I could see myself eating bowl after bowl of it. Now these fried chicken tacos, (who doesn't love fried chicken? If you don't, we can't be friends anymore) were to dance for. Yummy corn tortillas, jalapeno, red cabbage, a lil' cheese and salsa made me start tapping my feet to the flavor. I admit...I had to get a second order cuz they were too good to eat just one. All in all, I'm a big fan of the DM. We were too full for dessert, so just knowing that I haven't had the opportunity to taste the magic that is peanut butter mousse makes me a little sad. OH! I almost forgot my drink flight. Yeah, they do all their cocktails on tap. Ever heard of such a thing? What a truly cool concept. And they don't use super cheap alcohol so you can actually taste what you're drinking, instead of just burny alcohol. I tried a flight of 3 (yes, a cocktail FLIGHT!) which consisted of a Gin & Juice, Ruby Cooler and Bikini Bottom. Look, before you get into pointing fingers and calling them girly drinks. You can just put that finger in the air and wave it like you just don't care, cuz I ain't into these gender stereotypes, especially when it comes to drinking tasty cocktails. Vicki (Vicky?) our waitress took very good care of us, and the plates came out at a really good pace. A few minutes after we finished each one, the next one waltzed out to fill our bellies. I left very full and very satisfied. This is a place I'd bring a dance troupe to for a nice night out on the town. I don't think there's a dress code, but the majority of the folks in there were dressy casual. You don't have to wear your sparkly leotards, but maybe something nicer than your off-the-shoulder cutoff sweatshirt and bandanna. But that's just me. So jitterbug down to the Dancing Marlin. You'll be happy and high-stepping in no time. Enjoy! (So how many dance references did I actually throw in there, or are you too drunk now to have kept count?) read more

I want to give this more stars but it would not do the other eateries justice if I gave 4 stars...maybe 3 1/2 would be more accurate. I heard from a friend that the Dancing Marlin would be a great place to take the kids for eats she brought her kids here often and thought I should try it out. We discussed the fare a little and I decided it may be good for my children who are also foodies who enjoy a wide variety of foods old and new. No chicken nuggets for my crew. So I take the brood ages 13, 11, 11, 10 here last night. We ordered-sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, new York strip and octopus. The steak was ordered medium and took fore-ever to come out. We literally started our second course before this dish arrived. The sweet potatoes were grilled and not very tasty or sweet, the mac and cheese was very good and the octopus was good but very spicy. UPDATED 12/2016 I've been here a few more times and have had a great time! It isn't the best place to go with the little ones. But it was great for date night. The drinks were good and I enjoyed sharing with my significant other...my children's palate may not be advanced enough for this experience. But overall this is a great place to eat. read more

This restaurant has hit its stride and is absolutely worth a trip. It's a shared plates experience and we were a group of 3. We dine often in the west loop and think this place can hold its own with that calibre of restaurant, which was not the case when it first opened. We ordered: Whitefish dip Bone marrow (ours was pork) Escargot Marlin (special) Pork belly pastrami Coffee and donuts ice cream sandwiches Turtle bites Wine (bottles are very affordable) Every single dish was excellent and there are other dishes that came recommended by our waitress that we were just too full to try. Our waitress was fantastic and well trained, which is a definite improvement over our visits when they first opened. I would go back in a heartbeat. The prices are higher for the suburbs, but lower than comparable restaurants in the west loop. Our total bill was a good $75+ lower than it would have been in the city. They just started serving Sunday brunch and have a lovely new outdoor patio, but the rain kept us indoors. Go and enjoy! read more

I love this place. I have only been here with my boyfriend; I have not been here with a group of people, but I think it's perfect for two people (since the whole experience is about sharing). Service has been great every time I have come in, and the food is delicious. Their menu changes with the seasons, but last time I dined here, I enjoyed sharing the following: Oysters of the Day Shishito Peppers Burger Royale with Cheese Seared Ahi Tuna Roasted Bone Marrow (No joke, I was a little grossed out by the idea, but you have to try this!) *I cannot say enough about these picks... I'll keep it simple and just say that I was completely satisfied with all of the above! I cannot wait to go back! read more

This was a fun restaurant. We made a reservation on open table, didn't have to wait. We each had a cocktail, they were very good. Our waitress gave us good recommendations. The general TSO's cauliflower was awesome, as was the shrimp and grits. I highly recommend both of these dishes. We got the impossible burger just to try the meat substitute, it was OK. Service was nice and quick. I will definitely check this place out again if we end up back in the area. read more

Way expensive for the quality. That pretty much sums it up. My family has been raving about this place so we finally went and I was truly disappointed. I have reviewed a lot of places and you can see I am a fairly generous reviewer, this place just missed the mark. The food was good. My favorite dish was the steak. It was cooked to perfection. I suggest the scallops as well. Everything else was just ok... and we tried most of the menu. read more

This place was pretty much exactly what I expected from a suburban tapas-style restaurant. It has an apparent trying-too-hard to be like a downtown tapas bar vibe. Having been to many tapas restaurants downtown, this place misses the mark for me. Some food items are good but nothing was so good I would have to go back. Take it: Kale chips (simple but delicious), Mushroom flatbread. Leave it: Chickpea tacos (good concept but not enough textural contrast), BBQ octopus (yikes). They don't have a full service bar here, all of their alcoholic drinks are on tap. It's a pretty cool idea but I tried many of the cocktails and was not impressed. Most of them were overly sweet & tasted very similar. It's a shame it isn't better, because it's a beautiful looking place, even the restrooms are striking. Oh well, what can you expect from a suburban restaurant trying to be an edgy tapas bar.. read more

Oh man. I wanted to LOVE the Dancing Marlin... but I think I need to give it another chance. Came in for dinner and we were the first to arrive. When we asked to sit in a booth instead of at a table, we were accommodated. I think I was so disappointed with the service. The receptionist was lovely, but I just wasn't getting good vibes from our waitress. She seemed a little impatient with us and a little judgmental about our order. Not sure what it was, but it made me uncomfortable! The food was okay. The mushroom flat bread was below average. I seriously think the frozen one at Trader Joes tasted better! =( The scallops were actually pretty tasty. And my favorite was the figgy & the piggy although it was kind of tricky to actually eat. For dessert we did the donuts and also the turtle cheesecake. The turtle cheesecake bites were great; the donuts were also good but the coffee that comes with it just wasnt for me. Overall, it was just average for me. I want to give it another try though- especially to check out their wine on tap. read more

Carly, our waitress was great! General tsaos cauliflower, fried kale & ahi nachos were great!

It's so refreshing to find a restaurant like this in Frankfort! From the inviting dining space to the inspired menu that lets the seafood shine, Dancing Marlin is not to be missed. Menu highlights included the shrimp nachos (these are SO good I wouldn't recommend leaving without trying these), the chicken pesto flatbread and the tacos (salmon with peaches was the special of the day for me.) Though the menu boasts small shareable plates I was pleasantly pleased with the portion sizes. Some tapas places leave you wanting much more after just a bite, but the quality of the food here left me satiated. I'd definitely recommend coming here with a small group to share several items. I love that there's live music too - what a lovely spot for Frankfort and Chicagoland overall! read more