Had heard about this restaurant from a number of people and thought we'd try it out ... especially for the fish on a Friday evening during Lent. Three of us dined in and had a number of items. One in our party had the Lobster Rolls with a side of fries (a 5 star offering for the lobster rolls which were perfectly done and piled into soft rolls); another in our party had the Halibut (a 3 star meal which was a very nice piece of fish but unremarkable otherwise ... and certainly not shareable size as the waitress had told us); and the last in our party had the shrimp cocktail (another 3 star offering, mainly because they were on the small size and plated instead of put in a cocktail glass ... which is more customary for finger food). They advertise that meals are shareable, and this we found was only correct sometimes. The lobster rolls were certainly shareable, but the normal fish portions were not. Nice ambiance in this little restaurant, sort of like a medium sized fisherman's shack. Two rooms ... one side quieter and more romantic, and the other side more noisy and families with kids oriented. They have a nifty way of serving wines in that they are all in much larger containers and are essentially out of a tap. If you want a bottle, they can do that but it really came out of a tap. Nonetheless and regardless of packaging, the wines were very nice. Best part of the meal was the Lobster Bisque Shooters (5 star offering of luscious Maine lobster, cream, and brandy) ... served in what looked like a demitasse cup. Worst part was the price points; we know seafood is expensive but roughly $70 per head before tax with only 5 drinks among 3 people was a bit pricey. Anyway the food was good and we'll be back, but just not right away. read more

Lovely ambiance, I especially appreciate the variety of gluten free dishes (marked on the menu.) The Little Bit of Chicken Fried was delicious and tender - - that Louisiana hot sauce spice/kick clearly makes its distinct presence. Main dish was the St Louis Cut Bbq Ribs - awesome home made bbq sauce was a win, although the apple cole slaw side was a bit of a dud, thankfully I didnt need it. Fries were good. I was with a large group, food came fast after the orders were made. Much appreciated, great service from Andrew. Had read more

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In the area and I decided to check out spots that were bookmarked. This place appeared to be what we wanted. We ordered a few different items. We got drinks, and the Sunny Daze was good. I got a NY strip that was $63.00 with no side items, lol. Salmon that included white beans and spinach. And to share, we had birria tacos and mashed potatoes. Everything was good, prepared fresh and hot. They brought out my mashed potatoes at the end of our meal, so I packed them to go instead of enjoying them with my steak/salmon entrees. Service was ok. I live an hr away, so I wouldn't venture out of my way, but I'm glad I checked off a bookmark. read more

Dancing Marlin - NY Strip $63.00 - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

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I actually like this place the food and location BUT it can be very expensive. I also ordered carry out for lunch one time just for myself and my bill was nearly $100! read more

Dancing Marlin was quite a wonderful experience. The decor and general vibe of the restaurant was great and very fitting to the type of restaurant. The atmosphere was welcoming and fun. The waitress was very quick and 'on it', coming up with helpful recommendations. The food was delicious. The Tuna Tataki and Chilean Sea Bass had such wonderful flavors, can't go wrong with either. I'll be back certainly. read more

Dancing Marlin - Downstairs dining area - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

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We had a bridal shower in the party room downstairs Stephanie was out planner. Sheade our party so smooth and uneventful. It was set up so pretty and every detail was as we asked. She contacted us few times to make sure everything was good. Justin and Elsa were our servers. Very polite and efficient. They were also friendly and accommodating. They made this party the best ever The food came hot and delicious. I was overly impressed with this place. Thank you Stephanie Justin and Elsa for a wonderful day. I definitely will plan my next event here. My guests are even calling me after to say how fun this was. Whoever did the decorating ,thumbs up too. read more

Dancing Marlin - Party room perfect for any occasion. So elegant and pretty - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

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Great vibe, service, drinks and food. It's a great date spot or just for dinner. I recommend the scallops. Can't wait to go back to try other items. read more

Decided to do a random search for lunch places on maps and found this hidden gem tucked up in a area I pass often. The restaurant is very nice with a great outside seating patio area. Staff was very friendly and attentive. Our server did a great good of explaining the items and drinks on the menu. The food came out pretty timely. The drinks were extremely good. They have a sample drink flight that a highly recommend you try. You get to pick three different drink options. Order a few items just to try and get a feel for the spot. Some I really enjoyed and other I would not recommend. But over all the food was very good and fresh. Chicken bites were my absolute favorite. Because they use chicken thighs and not beast! The Spicy shrimp were good also. The brisket tacos I didn't care for...favors were good but the meat was not as tender as I like. Plus they are served on corn shells only. I prefer flour shells. Mac & cheese with crab meat was pretty good. Lobster pasta was extremely good Lobster Roll ( which was a special ) was very good also. I definitely plan on going back to try a few more things that they didn't have in stock. The atmosphere was great. Highly recommend you try this spot! read more

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Took my wife for her birthday. The food and the service were excellent. I will definitely come back.

Everything was great! My bf took me here for dinner recently and all I can say is you can't go wrong when choosing an item off the menu. We tried the crab stuffed peppers and the fig glazed bacon wrapped sausage. The place is expensive but worth it for a once in a while treat. read more

Absolutely amazing. This was our first time at this place and our server Stephanie was the MVP! Every suggestion was perfection. We had meatballs, spicy shrimp, lobster rolls, Thai peanut sliders and more. The desserts topped it all off perfectly. Flourless chocolate cake with ancho chili whip and warm cookies with ice cream and Black Forest cheesecake. It was a festival of yummyness read more

The food was pedestrian. The sea bass was almost tasteless. It must have been put into a cold pan because the oil was dripping off of it.

Best place for Tapas style in the southwest suburbs. Always good and consistent. Would recommend to all!

Ok...I'm kind of obsessed with this placce! First impression of the curb appeal was great. Am I in West Palm? I'm sorry I took no pics but you'll get the idea. White Floridian cottage look with big windows all around. It was cold so the outdoor wooden patio deck with glass bottle light fixtures and a welcoming Marlin mount was out but I dreamed of warm afternoons enjoying a lunch and a drink. Inside did not disappoint bright dining area on the right was the main dining area with a welcoming bar opposite the further end. to my immediate right was an adorable private dining room that called to me with what looked like an under-the-sea mozaic that covered the entire back wall of the turquoise, (calming turquoise color not IN YOUR FACE turquoise) We came here to check out the food as they are one of the caterers for the nearby wedding and concert venue, CD&ME. This restaurant offers among other things, tapas type dining with smaller sized, sharable entrees. My kind of place. No food FOMO here, everyone is sharing and thank goodness! The food was phenomenal! We started with Lobster Rolls: out of this world! Buttery and sweet AND savory. Wanted to order more but, we had more exploring to do, in the form of the specials. Seafood Risotto! This had a mix of fish in it including lobster. This was good but there was one type of fish and I'm sorry I cannot name it that gave me a bad taste. However, went we scooped it out and had just the stock lobster and other fish, it was great. The Smoke salmon dip with homemade pita chips brought me right back to Jupiter Florida...DEEEELECTABLE. We finished with the trio of Mahi Mahi tacos; so good. I washed it all down with the House Beer, Gone Fishin. It is a Pale American Lager and it is the PERFECT answer to the ever so tired Summer Shandy. This is a very light beer for those who actually like the taste of beer. It was a great pairing with all of the food we had that day. I must add that although we stuck to a seafood fare, there are burgers, sandwiches and all other kinds of appetizers and main dishes that are not seafood. NOW, did I mention the service? TOP NOTCH. The young lady that waited on us yesterday, Saturday, was sweet, friendly and ever so helpful! She explained to us how the small plate sharing idea worked and was always ready with a new plate of food, for a new order of food or drink or a refill. We wanted and waited for nothing. FINALLY, and I cannot overstate my excitement about this find when I ventured to the lower level for the bathroom (NEVER FEAR! There is an ELEVATOR) a PRIVATE PARTY ROOM! Complete with widescreen TVs showing underwater scenesm dreamy glass light fixtures on the ceiling and walls and a couch seating area! Hello-birthday parties, graduation, confirmation, wedding rehearsal dinners! It is beautifully decorated and private. If you haven't by now, this is my new favorite restaurant! Next time, I'll share photos but don't wait; check it out yourself! read more

Food is ok service usually very good. I like most items. Stay away from The Calamari Crab cakes very good. read more

Great variety. Our waitress was on top of it. As a first time diner, it was a little confusing. Only downside was it was very loud. It was difficult to hold a conversation. read more

Met a friend here as it was in the middle place to meet between both our neighborhoods, and it didn't disappoint. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable of the menu items. We sat outside as it was a lovely day. Cocktails were delicious and food choices were outstanding! My only complaint was the apartment complex (?) next door seemed to have multiple pickup trucks coming & going out of the parking lot that were unusually loud & obnoxious revving their engines at the time we were there for some reason. Wasn't the restaurant's fault, but it did make me wish we were inside instead of out that day. read more

Our server, Andrew, was amazing! Very helpful in suggesting delicious options and attentive to us the entire time. The dm burger (added avocado per Andrew's recommendation) was absolutely delicious and the fries were so good! My partner enjoyed the beets salad and the crab cakes were tasty, even the next day. Will definitely be returning! read more

Terrible catering service, changed prices on us once we had already picked our wedding venue and food

We dined here for a group Valentine's Day dinner on Saturday February 12th. Our waiters Shane and Ali were incredible. The food was outstanding. I would have to say my favorite dishes were the crab cakes and general tsao's cauliflower. Being a pescatarian, this was a great restaurant to try out a handful of dishes as it is tapas style. The group I went with enjoyed the fried chicken as well. The only issue we had was I had ordered the scallops as a "main" dish along with everyone else. When the tables "main" dishes arrived my scallops did not. I was honestly already full at that point so it was not a big deal. I let him know he could remove them from the bill and not to cook them up if they haven't been made already. I shared the crab Mac and cheese with my boyfriend. Shane was nice enough to send me home with the scallops for free! We will definitely be back. Next time we will have to save room for dessert. I recommend making a reservation as it does get busy, especially on the weekends. read more

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Only giving this four stars because it was my first visit and I only had wine and appetizers. That said, the service at the car was great: prompt and friendly. They have 18 wines on tap (yes, WINE!) as well as a nice variety of apps. I had the Ahi tuna nachos with a spicy aioli, a St. Supery Sauv Blanc (on tap) and capped it off with three oysters on the half-shell. All in all, I was quite impressed and would not hesitate to go back. read more

Dancing Marlin - St. Supery Sauvignon Blanc, one of 18 wines on tap. - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

I enjoyed the appetizers here. Sat outside. Nice vibe. Good service and clean restaurant.

Really enjoyed our afternoon appetizers and drinks. My SIL and I ordered the General Tso Cauliflower, the chicken and the lobster rolls with truffle fries. The restaurant was completely empty so we had super quick and quality service. After over eating, I had to try dessert. We had the chocolate chip cookie and strawberry crème brûlée. Highly recommend both. read more

It has long been one of my favorite hidden gems, but Dancing Marlin is in Frankfort and I live in the city so seldom do I get to dine there. I wanted to get together with my high school buddies and knew none of them had ever dined at Dancing Marlin so I decided to introduce my friends to Dancing Marlin. A big hit indeed. I must say that our waitress Stephanie was equal if not superior to the wait staff I've encountered in the finest dining establishments. The Marlin Mule was a favorite by all--we each had our two drink limit! Prepared with pearl pomegranate vodka, pomegranate juice, fresh lemon juice, and ginger beer. The food was spectacular! Everything was perfectly prepared and seasoned well. The star of the evening was our starter dishes--Lobster Rolls prepared with lobster claw & tail meat generously proportioned, and Crab Cakes prepared with Chesapeake bay jumbo lump crab, pickled shallot remoulade, tarragon & chili oil. We approached this dinner utilizing the tapas bar share every dish style and ordered several dishes: 1) Fried Kale - crispy tuscan kale, truffle salt, and grana padano; 2) The Fig & The Pig - house bacon rolled & stuffed with italian sausage, preserved figs, fennel, honey & goat cheese (THIS WAS OUTSTANDING & THE BIG HIT WITH THE FELLAS); 3) Italian Meatballs - oregano spiced meatballs, tomato basil sauce, house made ricotta and torn basil; 4) Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail - gazpacho cocktail sauce & house made pickled red onions; and, 5) Little Bit of Chicken Fried - buttermilk brined & fried chicken bites, Louisiana butter & hot sauce, house pickles (ANOTHER MUST TRY). We also shared an order of crispy calamari and onion rings. One of my buddies went solo on an entree the fresh-caught seafood special pan-seared faroe island salmon, and teriyaki glazed vegetables. I tasted everything including the salmon and EVERYTHING WAS FANTASTIC! read more

Well for years I thought this was a dance studio like Fred Astaire. Until one day I was searching the web for seafood restaurants near me and Dancing Marlin popped up. To my surprise, this IS a restaurant! I wanted fried green tomatoes and some other seafood (can't remember now) In any case, I ordered the General Tso cauliflower and the tacos. Simply delicious. I've been back every week since my first visit about a month ago. I took my husband last week and he also enjoyed it. We've found a new go to restaurant in our community and it's wonderful! read more

Dancing Marlin - General Tso's Cauliflower - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

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First time here. Came for the Bone Marrow and they were out. Smh. But overall, the place is great!!! All the food we ordered was great! Lobster rolls Salmon Ceviche Chicken bites Mussels Crab cakes Oysters Fries A+. I hope they have bone marrow in stock next time!! read more

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Excellent food & service recently for Valentine's Day & other very enjoyable meals... read more

Dancing Marlin - Networking event that was delicously-catered for us by Jessica McHugh - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

Everything you want... and then some. The wife and I wanted to make the best of a nice day, so we picked a restaurant near the shops that we were planning to visit. This actually is in Frankfort, IL so, a little out of the way of the major shopping centers, but boy was it worth the drive. The place was nice inside and out and plenty of parking for patrons. Its not huge inside but they have multiple spaces for dining on 2 levels, including for private parties. Staff is really great, some of them have been there for many years so they know the place in and out providing good info. The star of this restaurant is definitely the food, I mean... so much food. The options are so vast and varying its hard to describe. Mostly seafood, anyway you want it. Pasta, soup, salad, burgers, pizza, appetizers, entrees, all custom, all seasonally fresh, all made in-house specialties. CAUTION: you can be overwhelmed with good options, don't take the bait! We did. Crab & bacon mac n cheese, Lobster rolls, fig & beet salad, and a bunch of stuff I couldn't resist. And then we did dessert; pecan pie made in-house. Totally pigged out. I can't tell you what my reaction as result of mixing that many foods, but I can tell you I'm dying to go back and next time I'll show a little restraint. Just a little. read more

excellent food choices, the cooked kale is superb! I ordered the calamari and it did not disappoint, made it dinner twice that week, keep up the great service! read more

I don't know about the food because the waitress kept ignoring us. She was also ignoring another couple who came in at the same time. So in the time that we waited for our waters, she was able to serve another party who came in well after. She got them waters, drinks, and spent some time catching up. It was nice to see. We walked out. Asked for another server, but she came back, apologized, and proceeded to go back to the other table to chat. ‍. Oh well. read more

Good service. Brought a birthday treat. Food was good and came out quickly. Server remained attentive even when the crowd increased. Several GF options too. Would definitely eat here again. read more

I've been to this restaurant numerous times. I feel the food is is somewhat expensive and the service is generally very good. As far as ambience it's a little noisy. I may go back, but I can go to other restaurants that I prefer I would suggest if you haven't tried it that you did so you can make your own decision. read more

Definitely one of the best places in the general area for better service, thoughtful atmosphere and a scratch kitchen with talented chefs. Shareable plates work for 2 people but trying to get more than a bite-sized portion out of those plates for 3 or more is not realistic for most menu items (the cauliflower is an exception). It's pricey ($16 for carrots) and some of the cocktail sizing is laughable. We ordered a type of margarita which was mostly ice - I'd guess the cocktail was 4 ounces. There are zero inspired patios around here so this one is notable but the temps last night were really chilly. We asked about patio heaters and the hostess looked like we asked the sit at a chef's table. Expect $50 pp including drinks and expect to get the munchies before bed, it's not a belly-filling experience but it's the only upscale place with better service around here. read more

The food and service were perfect! Excellent small plates for sharing. The cocktails were perfect. We love this place!

Amazing food and service!! We love this place! The ambiance outside is my favorite! Don't pass this place up! Tapas food is so good! read more

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Carly was amazing! Very attentive and so dedicated in making sure we had a great time and great food. Thank you for being patient when we couldn't decide on what to order. I'll be back! read more

Dancing Marlin - Sisters! - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

This is a pretty cool restaurant. It kind of reminds me of "The Hampton Social" as far as the decor or theme but that's about it. The food isn't like theirs or the drinks. This is a really cool place to go with friends and family. It's great because it's the type of place where you have the ability to share your food with everyone at the table, Tapas style. I was excited to go here because there was so much on the menu I could eat. I don't eat meat so my options are often limited. At the dancing Marlin I had SOO many options! So many options and everything I tasted there was so Good. I mean everything. From the drinks to the appetizers. I would defintely go here again and try a few other things on the menu. I highly recommend this place if you're in the area. Try them out, you will not regret it. read more

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Great food. Kid friendly. Good drinks. Orders are smaller and meant to be that way, real high quality. You get to try a number of different foods read more

Dancing Marlin - Downstairs has been redone and looks great - New American Near Me - Frankfort, Illinois

THIS BURGER MESSED ME UPPPP i had barely taken one bite before i was clutching my stomach... that being said it was scrumptious and i enjoyed every bite. tummy feel is meaningless when the food is so beautifully crafted. its so beautiful in there and the decor is beautiful. the vibes in there are AMAZE!!! read more

Service was awesome. Food was overrated. Drinks were great! Ambiance was nice enough. read more