I love this place!!! We have introduced several of our friends to this restaurant because they never disappoint. The small plate concept means you get to try more great dishes. The atmosphere is intimate. Great place for date night or girls night out. read more

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OK. I'm giving Dancing Marlin 5 stars (which I typically reserve for the especially excellent execution or crazy unique) because it amazes me that we're able to get the small-plates Chicago quality out here in the South burbs. Yes, in the land of churches and restaurants = itallian or fast food. I feel a personal obligation to come here on weeknights to ensure they stay in business although they likely prefer I leave my 2- year-old at home. What can I say that hasn't been said in the other 80 reviews? My favorite, when it's in season, is the friend green tomato sliders. Hubby loves the chicken dish with the black quinoa. Coffee and Donuts dessert is always a crowd pleaser. Finally tried the fried kale app last visit and it was really really good. Most dishes are very good if not excellent and we commend DM for the high quality, unique and plentiful seafood options (again, considering location and coming from a fish-business family, that is saying something). If you have not been here yet, you are missing out on Frankfort's best. read more

I have been hearing excellent things about this place. I finally was able to get a reservation. I ordered the marlin sampler which is flight of any 3 cocktails which consisted of a margarita, bikini bottom, and gin & juice. My boyfriend and I started with gnudi and sausage flatbread. I loved the gnudi! The sausage flatbread was okay. I thought the flatbread was really crispy but a little too much sausage. We kept seeing people order the fried kale so we decided to try it. My favorite of the night! A must try! I will go back just for the fried kale. We also ordered the pork tenderloin. Very small portion and neither of us cared for it. We ended up getting the dessert of the day which was chocolate bread pudding. It was just okay. For being in the suburbs...a little overpriced. My boyfriend told me he wouldn't go back because of the small portions and he was still hungry after we left. I would go back with girlfriends and get the fried kale again. read more

A charming, warm, friendly atmosphere catering to small plates and everything was delicious. The service was top of the line. Can't beat it for a get-together with friends! It's busy and maybe a little rowdy, but no fear, you will enjoy it! read more

Let's get something straight. The marlin is mounted on the wall, gaping over patrons. The depth of his endless stare is accented by his onyx marble eyes, reminding all who dine that he will haunt their dreams for an eternity. THE MARLIN DOES NOT DANCE!!!! He doesn't even flop while singing the filet-o-fish jingle. Food was very good. PS - parking was ample read more

Perfection. Literally. The wait staff was amazing. Stephanie was so accommodating to my gluten free needs. Bone marrow was fantastic, octopus ala plan cha was not my favorite, Porcher ta was great, the fig and pig was by far the best thing of the night. Fried kale was great! My cocktail was delicious the name of it was Tom likes cucumber and paleo! I would give this place 6 stars if I could. read more

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The Dancing Marlin was definitely moving to its own groove. There are not many restaurants in the Southwest Suburbs that dare to venture beyond the usual pub food, sandwiches, dogs, pizza or bad Chinese. Although the tapas phase has raged on for quite a few years, Marlin's venture into this style of eating was new to the area. The menu was fun and whimsical. Kitchy headings for food included "a little somethin"", "sugar, sugar" "flat breads", "play nice, share," and other more straight foward references. The decor and atmosphere were super cozy and casual. Even though there was a lot of wood used, it still maintained a sense of warmth. The wine on tap concept rocked and it was super fun to do "flights" of cocktails not just beer and wine. We decided to do the "share concept" so we could taste as much as the menu as possible....mushroom flatbread (roasted wild mushrooms, braised leeks, montamore cheese, cream sauce and truffle oil, cheese platter (three cheeses, house cured meats, arugula, house crostini, and cranberry jam, burrata (iberico ham, crostini, sea salt and olive oil, scallops (seared with corn & brown butter puree, caramelized leeks, pickled corn and pistachios, and lastly crab stuffed piquillo peppers (pickled shallot remoulaude, tarragon & chili oil and micro greens). The flat bread was a rich, woodsy mouthful. With all those heavy elements, it was nice that the ratio between the ingredients and the dough was spot on. The cheese plate was very well received. Who doesn't love some salt, some tang, some sweet, some creaminess and crunch to sip along with their wine? We loved this plate. The burrata and the ham received similar accolades. The scallops, though sounding phenomenal on paper, just didn't have any interesting qualities to it. The "sear" wasn't quite there and the other ingredients just didn't add anything to the dish. When you have such vivid characterizations on the menu, your palate expects to savor each and every ingredient. This is where the Dancing Marlin just couldn't deliver. Dreaming of the stuffed peppers we have on the East Coast, we were expecting the crab to be the star of the night but it wasn't. The peppers were not roasted, just raw, which did nothing to highlight the seafood, and the accoutrements again offered nothing to elevate the dish. I would go back, but I would be more careful with my selections. They have a decent sized menu, so I would expect we could find more winners than losers. read more

Oh how I wanted to LOVE this place...I really really did. It was recommended by a colleague who lives about 25 minutes away...must have been worth the drive for him. Looked it up on YELP and felt the promise...then... It's an adorable dining venue. Loud, but the decor is great. If we were with a larger party, the community table would have been perfect, but it was just the two of us so we stuck with a plain ole table. BOO! Our server was simply lovely. She knew the menu inside and out. Her descriptions of the menu items, ingredients and preparations were very knowledgable. We had a tough time deciding...ended up with fries with garlic aioli duck pierogies ahi wontons charcuterie salad crab stuffed peppers coffee and caramel doughnut holes I hate to say it but the fries won with the most flavor. The pierogies were just....no...they were not good. Ahi wontons lacked flavor...too much mayo not enough quality tuna flavor. Charcuterie salad was actually really good...I just don't like chorizo...so that one was personal. Crab stuffed peppers - missed the flavor. The crab was deli tuna consistency and too warm. Like invoke nausea warm. Not right. dessert - okay, not very sweet, none of the flavors really hit it. All in all, most things were underseasoned. I would really like to try the restaurant again and just hope we hit them on an off night and maybe ordered some of the wrong things. We will cautiously return. Oh and all the people that said they were too expensive...really people? Maybe subway is more your speed. read more

We checked out Dancing Marlin for the first time last night and truly enjoyed it. The smoked trout tacos, clam fritters, mushroom and sausage flat breads, and doughnut desert were delicious. The wine was good and reasonably priced. The list of beers offers good choices. The in-house distilled water tastes great!! Our server was good and attentive. Two opportunities for improvement - one dish we ordered was brought out after we had already received our desert. The server took that off our bill without question. Second, please put paper towels in the bathroom! Nice restaurants should not be using air dryers and doors that open in. Please put paper towels with a trash can by the door. read more

You walk in and are taken out if the cold winter into a nice Floridian restaurant. Not fried pink and aqua, but ambience and knowledgeable staff. The food is tapas style-meant to be shared, so it's pricier-cause it's shared. The wait staff is knowledgable and informative. The steak was cooked to perfection. The mushrooms sliders are to die for-but I didn't eat the bun. The sloppy Joseph wasn't so great. But the himachi yellow fin tuna was DELICIOUS! Worth the money. We'll be back. read more

Well we visit this establishment often..and this was bye far not a good visit and we have always had wonderful experiences... We order the fish speical and the rice that came with it was so under cooked we didn't even eat it...told the waitress and she said she'd let them know....we never heard anything more about it.. Usually we are greated at the end of our meal as we are having are last drink and that never happened..I was so superised...I hope this isn't going to be the beginning of a a-ok resturant... read more

Love the dinner menu but not a fan of Sunday brunch here. The crab dip is wonderful and the scallops are a favorite. The cauliflower here is one of my top picks. Great wine selection and the outdoor seating is very nice. read more

Was here last night! It was seriously so good. The food is awesome, and the atmosphere was great. Jay was our server and he was fun and attentive! Get the baked onion dip! It was really busy, we made a reservation and had to wait like 10 min, but the wait for walk-ins was an hour. I would suggest making a reservation! The wine on tap was really cool too. I had the marlin mule which was really good. The margarita wasn't the best I've had, I would stick with the mule. Order the bistecca! This place is better than most tapas places I've been downtown. read more

Super fun place great food and atmosphere! Cocktails on tap how can you go wrong! Downtown fell in the south suburbs. 5 stars highly recommend sitting at the bar or community table. read more

I stopped in for lunch on a Sunday afternoon after reading all of the great reviews. I must admit, I was hesitant to try this place out solely based on the cheesy name and logo. I'm glad I put my prejudice aside and gave it a whirl. Ambiance: When I walked in I was immediately impressed by the decor. You would never know it was a beef joint before the renovation. Food: We started with the kale that everyone raved about and we though it was just meh. I was worried but my worry was quickly washed away when the smoked trout tacos arrived. Amazing! We had the burger sliders, fried green tomato sliders and a few salads. All were delicious. Drink: I don't usually drink mixed drinks but I am a sucker for a flight of any kind. I opted for the cocktail flight and I can't remember each one but one was the Tom loves cucumbers and another was "something blossom". They were all good. Really good. If it wasn't a Sunday afternoon and I didn't have my kids I would've enjoyed a few more. I can't wait to go back to try out the rest of the menu. I already have a few dishes picked out ;) read more

I had high hopes after reading the reviews from others but I did not have the same experience. My biggest issue is with the service starting from when we were seated all the way to the end when the server was told of a problem. The hostess, Katie, was great and then the service went downhill. -waited 10 minutes for someone to come to the table -food was not hot when brought to the table -we were told the hangar steak was prepared medium rare which was exactly how we wanted it yet when it was brought to the table it was medium well land lukewarm -when we told the server the problem with the steak, she did nothing -the limes in the drinks were not fresh, looked as if cut the day before If this restaurant is trying to bring a better dining experience to the Frankfort area so people don't have to drive to the city or north suburbs, they need to pay mo attention to the details. I can pretty much say I will not be going back. read more

Nice little chill spot in the south suburbs. Made reservations because I figured it would be busy on a Saturday night. Didn't really know what to expect going in, but drinks were just right. Ordered the Dancing Marlin Flight which were small but mighty in alcohol and tasty. Kale chips were decent as well. Couldn't figure out if they were salty or bitter, but still very light and good for an appetizer. Also ordered the crab stuffed pepper which was delicious. Will def go back to try there other entrees. read more

Dancing Marlin - Kale Chips - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

The menu is fantastic. Plus, the gluten free options are incredible. Once inside, you think you are sitting in Charleston, SC..

Holy. Smokes. What can I say about this place. It's a tapas restaurant, so you pick a bunch of dishes you'd like to enjoy and you share amongst the table. Every single thing we ordered was perfection. From the crab dip with crostini, scallops, spicy garlic shrimp, crab stuffed peppers, gyro meatballs, UGH! It was all amazing!! We went on my birthday and everyone was amazing from the second we stepped foot in the restaurant! The hostess was great, our waitress Lexi was on point, the manager stopped by our table to help run food at one point. You can really see the team work! The drinks were great as well, seriously I cannot recommend this place enough. This was our second time here and it's a must for everyone! read more

Good drinks and a selection for vegetarians w/o being weird if you're with meat eaters. They describe it as tapas style, but at 2 plates each, we were stuffed. Great cocktails too. We had fried calamari, General tsao's Cauliflower, burrata, and fried kale. Would order each of those again in a heart beat and eat that kale everyday if I could. read more

Very, very close to 5 stars. Love the small dish idea as it makes everything easy to share, which is what we did. And I really loved the cocktail sampler. I can't think of anywhere that does this, and it was an awesome opportunity to sample their on-tap cocktails. I knocked off one star because our prawns came out raw. She quickly got us a new dish but it was still a let down. I think the next time we go it may be a 5 star event. 138/365 read more

Yummmmmm. Was really spectacle about this because it seemed too good to be true - for Frankfort, at least - but it was all just awesome. We had crab cake stuffed peppers, chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, sliders, tuna nachos, gnudi, braised duck pierogis, chocolate cheesecake and omg the donuts!!! I'm not a sweet person and the donuts were out of this world. Wanted to order a second plate. Minor complaints were the small portion for gnudi & tacos were forgettable but I can't wait to go back and try more! Oh, and cocktails and wine on tap. Fancy and tasty!!! Pricing is probably more than the average suburbanite would want to spend, but you get quality with it and a great ambiance. Give this place a chance, it was busy on a Tuesday, so you're missing out if you haven't been. read more

Small plates...expensive...a little disappointing..good flavored..but you have to spend a lot .. Ex.. 2 pulled pork sliders.. $8.00.. really...overpriced! Not gonna make it a regular stop.. So we returned April 2016.. Still expensive... Still small plates but I think the food is better and a larger selection. A late night haunt for the GenX crowd read more

This is not your standard American dining experience, so-to-speak. When ordering, you must have in mind that the dishes are extremely small so that your friends can try the dish, and you basically order several entrees. It's all about the tasting experience. I have to admit, though, the food was pretty darn good. I highly recommend the Gnudi. Plus, it's refreshing to have such a unique restaurant in this area. I definitely will be back. I came here for my birthday and was not disappointed with the experience. The only "complaint" I have is that it would have been nice to get a free dessert or something for it being my birthday. I guess that's where the restaurant loses a star... read more

Another gem in Frankfort! The food is always interesting and fantastic. I love there concept of sharing smaller portions of food!! And there wine is nummy! read more

Dancing Marlin - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

Came here for a girls night and sooo happy we did. I love how different this restaurant is and the variety of unique food you get to try. We tried: general tso cauliflower, spicy garlic shrimp, calamari, ahi tuna, and gnudi. Every dish was delicious. We particularly liked the cauliflower and shrimp. Love that you can order drink & wine flights. Their prices are great also, even after all the food + drinks it was less than $40 a person for a great night out! read more

This is like nothing else Frankfort has to offer. The wine, small plates and desserts were superb. Service was enthusiastic. I recommend the fries if you want really good gourmet fries. The pickled shallots definitely added to the wow factor. The fish was fresh and properly prepared. The "Coffee and Donuts" for dessert were amazing; I would have even been satisfied with a bowl of the sea salted caramel that was drizzled over them. One warning: the only cocktails offered are on tap--most fall into to the fru-fru category, so don't get your hopes up if you are in the mood for your CC Manhattan or Brandy Old Fashioned. Nonetheless, the selection of wines and bottled import/craft beers is ample. read more

My folks and I had a great meal start to finish. Great ambiance. Server was very friendly and helpful. Will dine there again for sure. Whitefish dip: Folks ordered and devoured before I got to dinner. They loved it. Sausage Flatbread: Perfectly cooked flatbread. I like a little char. Sausage, caramelized onion, and blue cheese strike a nice balance. "aka" Pierogis: Mom thought dough was thick. The short rib had a ton of flavor. Nice gravy. Crab Stuffed Piquillo Peppers: Solid but not stunning. Beware cayenne kick. Risotto Etouffee: Unique take on Etouffee. Rich and tasty. Risotto just a touch underdone. Pork Belly w/Mashed Rutabaga: The "belly gravy" on these is magic. My favorite dish. Will come back just for this!! Coffee and Donuts: Mocha mousse to strong flavor for mom. Doughnuts were great. Would've loved some chocolate sauce to dip em in. Rum banana bar: Too sweet for me. A little decaf balanced that out. Carrot cake: Dense and rich, more brownie than cake. Sad the cream cheese mousse was so liquid. I had pictured "fluffy frosting". Still great, especially for gluten free. I picked up a strange sewage-y smell on the step down to the bathroom. Not sure what's up with that? read more

Always an excellent experience. No worries with the kids too! The cauliflower is soo good. Even the French fries!!they have a frequent diner card too! Go on Thursday for the wine deal! read more

Great dinner! The wait was quite long, even with reservations, but this is a place worth the wait. A tapas-style restaurant isn't one that you want to rush, anyway. Our group was impressed with the menu, the bone marrow was the most delicious thing I have ever tried! We also tried the smoked duck flatbread, fig-and-the-pig, and a few others. The waitress was knowledgable, the food was amazing, the bathroom is fun (but really far). The only thing that could make this place better is to come in the summer when you can wait outside for your table instead of being squished inside! read more

Always have fun here! Delicious food.l, amazing drinks and great service. It's become our go to spot for drinks and delicious food. There outside sitting area is relaxing and fun and they don't shy away from the kiddos. read more

This place gets very busy during the weekends. Food is very delicious and their service is great. Small plate style which is easy to share among friends. It can get expensive quickly if you order too much. read more

The food was very good. I had the burger (which was fantastic - fries were just ok). I sampled the spicy garlic shrimp and stuffed peppers, which were both very good. The staff was very friendly and the atmosphere was good. Only negative was COVID protocols (for those who care about these things) - they have an open kitchen and only about 1/3 of the kitchen staff were properly wearing masks (most had them on but pulled down over the chin). Just a little concerning if they so blatantly shirk those health and safety requirements, what else is happening behind the scenes? read more

In the Orland park area there isn't really a stand out restaurant. This is as close as it gets to the best restaurant in the Orland park area. It's far better than many many restaurants in Orland park. The food is fresh. The menu is very diversified. We tried the Mac baby cheese, the chicken flat bread, fries, and the Korean shrimp. The Mac and cheese was hearty and filling. The flat bread was crispy and light. The fries are definitely the best part of the meal. Must try. Extra crispy, and with some herbs. The Korean shrimp was definitely jumbo shrimp but the sauce was a bit too salty. Overall prolly the best cuisine in our area. read more

Been here twice and can't have enough! Pro tip: don't come too hungry, bill will climb fast for the small quantity you receive. I enjoy the special way they can cook fish and the odd menu items you can't find at most places. Get the bone marrow. It's awesome, if you've never had it try it! This is tapas style, remember that. I had fun coming with a small group of friends, we could eat and try things from everyone's plate and just split the bill. Now I just need a night off to go see the dueling pianos they advertise! read more

Such a cool place! Even though they have "small plates," I promise you won't leave hungry! Their dishes are so unique, you'll want to try more than one! I went with 4 people and we had the kale chips, smoked whitefish dip, meatballs, pig and a fig (bacon wrapped dates), crab stuffed peppers, and the mushroom flatbread. We also had a few desserts: donuts and coffee, turtle cheesecake bites, and the banana rum bar. Needless to say, we were so full, but it was worth it Oh, and the best feature: cocktail flights! The owner makes his cocktails fresh daily and then has them on tap! They have a flight option where you get 3 samples and they are wonderful! The margarita was definitely my fav! read more

Dancing Marlin - Cocktail flight - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

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My gf and I went to Dancing Marlin for our 1st time last night. We ordered the scallops, the Ahi tuna, the crab stuffed peppers, then the pork tenderloin. All 4 dishes were absolutely delicious. We finished with the donuts and coffee mousse and a cup off coffee. A great finish to a great meal. The portions could probably be a little bit bigger for the price, or the price could be a little less. Either way, every dish was unique in texture and flavor and all were extremely flavorful. Regardless of the cost, we enjoyed every bite of the food and the friendliness of the staff and the owners Tom and Ed so much that we will absolutely be going back. It's like a downtown experience in the south suburbs. The restaurant is not elegant like you might picture, but it's not a dive either. It's understated. Very comfortable atmosphere and well run. Our server Desiree was one of the friendliest servers we've ever had at a restaurant. She was on top of everything and always with a smile. She's fantastic. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars was the portion to price ratio. Otherwise, the atmosphere, friendliness, comfort level, and number one, the food, were all 5 star across the board. I am looking forward to going back. Ok, we came back the following day for brunch. Got the morning tacos, the salmon scramble, & the chicken and waffles. Once again, all delicious and not disappointing in any way. This place is worth the trip. read more

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I love everything about this place. The farm to plate food is inventive and outstanding. The cocktails flights are yummy. I highly suggest that you come to this wonderful new restaurant and while you're there try the ahi nachos, whatever is on special, and end with coffee and donuts. Fun for a date or with a big group. You really can't go wrong here. Enjoy. read more

This place is amazing!! Although they do the small plate concept (which the south burbs have been severely missing out in), nothing else is small in comparison; everything is full of flavor & creativity! The food is always fresh and tasty and the on tap cocktails I've tried have all been wonderful as well. read more

This place is spectacular in every way. The decor, the service and most importantly the food. We had Becky as our server and she was awesome - very knowledgeable and available yet not pesty. She was awesome. The design of the place is really cool and totally has the feel of a seafood place. The wallpaper in the women's bathroom is amazing. That may seem like a crazy thing to mention but the wallpaper honest to God stood out that much. And now the food. WOW!! The bone marrow, fried chicken bites, onion spread, oysters and beets were all absolutely to die for. We had a 7:45 reservation and thank God we did because the place was jammed and hoppin'! This place is a must try for sure! We ubered from Burr Ridge for less than $40! read more