This place is great. The vibes are great. The service has always been great. As someone who is gluten free/ pescatarian there are plenty of options for me. The two times I have been I have gotten the barbecue jackfruit and the cauliflower entree. read more

The Whale Chicago - Cauliflower Steak WG - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

HH turned into coming back for brunch the next morning! The Trout Schnitzel was absolutely delicious, the lamb chops were cooked to perfection, and the service was excellent from start to finish. Incredible food, great drinks, and a vibe that's ! read more

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This place has no ambiance other than being a federales dupe. The music is loud, I smelled liked fries and grease after leaving, and someone was walking around taking pictures and passing them out... with no explanation. It was weird. We came here on a Friday night around 7:15pm, we had a reservation, although upon ending our meal we knew that we did not need one. It was not busy. I got the burger, which was good, an a side of fries. I also got an espresso martini. The burger was a smash style burger, it had a sauce, it was quite juicy. The fries were greasy, and I had to order them on the side. It was pretty expensive as well. read more

Went to The Whale on a Friday afternoon and was able to get a seat outside. We tried the lobster tacos, chicken sandwich, and the petite tenderloin sandwich. The lobster tacos were delicious and refreshing. The chicken sandwich was good, but needed something a little extra. I added garlic aioli to it and it made it much tastier! The petite tenderloin sandwich was also very good. Service was fast, and all of the staff was lovely. read more

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I made a reservation for 2 for 6 pm since the restaurant was new to me. It was not busy when I arrived and there was still an hour left of happy hour. The host seemed confused or unsure of things. We got a table outside and it took a very long time to have our server come to our table. The drinks were good. I had the North of Havana and it was refreshing. The bread and spreads were delicious with the roasted red pepper and walnuts as my favorite. The Sicilian crab cakes were my main course and they were delicious but quite small for over $30. I ordered fries and they were also very good. For dessert we ordered the Parrish pie. Very rich and sweet and reminded me of a pecan pie. I enjoyed the restaurant, menu, and food. The service was extremely slow for a non-busy Monday night. I'd return though because it was very good food. read more

The Whale Chicago - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Great restaurant with a well-rounded menu! Came for dinner on a Friday with two of my friends and it was a fun atmosphere, not too loud. Our server was fun and have great recommendations! The menu feels pretty classic new American with some southern nods but definitely lots of different options. Espresso martini was one of the best is had in a while. We split dishes - the steak frites, Cali-Lime salad, shrimp feta pasta, and sweet potato fries. The frites with the steak were perfect!!! And the salad was a great portion. Also ended with the pineapple upside down cake. Would definitely come back here! read more

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We had a great time at brunch on Sunday at The Whale. First, let me start by saying that you are not limited to their brunch menu. You can all order off of any of the menus. We've been to this place before and all of the servers are very nice and helpful. It's a very lively spot with mimosa flights and towers. We started off with the deviled eggs and the crab rolls. Both were very good. We moved into the lobster tacos, my favorite. The heart of Palm salad was delicious. Drinks are tasty and I'm looking forward to trying the chicken and waffles next time. read more

The Whale Chicago - Hearts of Palm Salad. Great! - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time at the whale. Wow what a great surprise. Incredible atmosphere hip cool and not too much. Food chef's kiss. Everything was amazing. Deviled eggs wings lamb chops crab cakes. And don't dare leave without trying the parish pie for dessert. Thank me later. Excellent service from the moment we pulled up. From the valet, to the hostess to the serve and those who cleared. We will definitely be back. read more

- We ordered the fried chicken. The menu says 'two chicken thighs'. What we received were chicken breasts that had been pounded out. We were expecting moist, flavorful chicken thighs, what we received were REALLY dry chicken breasts. We mentioned this to the waitress, and she checked w/ the kitchen. They told her that they 'had run out of thighs, and replaced with chicken breasts'. Had we known about the subbing, we would have definitely ordered something else. -- Mac and cheese seemed to need more salt, it was fairly bland. - Burger was good. - Service was good. - Drinks were good. read more

I recently had the chance to visit The Whale and finally see what it's all about. For the longest time, I'd driven past but never had the opportunity to stop by--I'm so glad I did this time! We came for my cousin's birthday brunch, and she had a fantastic time. My chicken sandwich was delicious, the DJ kept the energy high with great music, and the whole vibe of the restaurant was lit. The servers were also super friendly and attentive. I'll definitely be coming back! read more

The Whale Chicago - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Very cool vibes with very in depth happy hour menu. No kids menu, but still family friendly as they did an excellent job concocting some kid friendly meals. Rory, our server, was on point. I heard about the burger, so I had to have it. Happy hour only $13 with delicious fries and garlic aioli. But the best part I think were the apps: dip/spreads, lobster tacos, oysters, and bacon deviled eggs. read more

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Great ambience and menu for happy hour! The restaurant has ample seating and standing room to accommodate a large party. You can tell this is a popular spot for HH. We ordered various drinks and food options off the menu. The oysters were sadly very small, but still delicious. The most popular drink at the table was their pink/purple fruity drink. As for the service, it was very relaxed, which we expected for HH. We were seated for a couple of hours, but felt like we were able to order our next rounds in a reasonable time. read more

The Whale Chicago - Chilled Lobster Tacos - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is quite the interesting place to come for brunch. The style is "fancy Vegas" (thus The Whale). The food and drinks were surprisingly good, especially for the theming which seems to scream bachelorette party. We shared a blueberry muffin skillet which was a perfect choice. This was actually my favorite thing on the menu. I went with the shrimp and grits which was pretty good, but I wished it was a little warmer. It was also huge which I couldn't finish. Still, they gave you a sizable amount of shrimp which was nice. I tried my friend's mac and cheese and I thought that was really good. Maybe I will get that next time. The only downside is that the place is a bit pretentious and has photographers going around taking pictures so that people will buy. I am really not a fan of this at a restaurant, especially a place like this. The lady was nice enough, but it seemed like a pushy choice on the establishment. Surprisingly, the bill wasn't terrible for 6 people. Its by no ways cheap, but the way things were going, it seemed like it was going to be much more expensive. I guess thats good! We also all got a special sealed envelope to use when we come back. Nice, but odd touch. I will probably come back for brunch again! read more

We were sat for 15* minutes without placing our order which was incredibly disappointing. We sat so long we had l to go as the hostess who our waiter was and even then it took another 10 minutes. I hope management fixes this issue. The girl that helped us out the first time came back to take care of us which was nice! Food was okay? I think the Vig is consistently better read more

The Whale Chicago - Menu - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here for brunch and had a great experience. Made reservations on the restaurants website. When we got there we were immediately seated. They a nice selection of brunch items. We enjoyed trying everything we ordered. The food was freshly prepared and tasted amazing. Our server was attentive and made good recommendations. The overall vibe is very family friendly and inviting. I would definitely visit this place again. read more

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A five-star star for me reflects an ideal integration of great food, excellent service, wonderful cocktails, and a feeling of warmth, comfort, and pleasantness. Uki, our server, is excellent - attentive, friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, provided prompt service with a positive attitude, and consistently delivered a smooth and enjoyable dining experience by actively listening to us. The space and ambiance feel inviting and comfortable, created by a well-balanced combination of elements like soft lighting, inviting decor, pleasant aromas, and comfortable temperature, all working together to create a relaxing and positive mood in the space, Food for me is integral to communicating with my tribe, breaking bread, sharing about our lives, and every dish, every morsel we shared was delicious, tasty, mouth-watering, enjoyable, palatable, delightful, and satisfying Buffalo fried cauliflower, Pimento Mac n' Cheese, dry-aged Tenderloin sandwich, steak & eggs, blueberry muffin iron skillet, shrimp-pork Grits, all recommended. I definitely will be back for more deliciousness read more

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Everything is just decent. Drinks are worth the price only during happy hour and only 50% of that time. Crab cakes are dry, not worth $37. Whatever dressing on the greens is awful, and you cannot substitute the side. read more

The Whale Chicago - Sicilian Crab Cakes WG - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The Whale, used to be one of our favorite neighborhood restaurants. Since the ownership change last year, it's tanked in atmosphere and service. While the food is still good, the drinks and service are terrible. We popped in for an impromptu Father's Day dinner last night at 8pm. The restaurant was about ten percent full. It took fifteen minutes for our server, to greet us. We ordered drinks and apps right away and were told the kitchen closes at 8:45pm, so we needed to get our dinner order in. I watched the staff turn several patrons away, saying the restaurant was closed at 9pm. Online the hours are listed as, open till 11pm. Maybe an update on hours, would benefit confused patrons. We had to ask for our server, several times. We took a few bites of our dinners and took everything to go. It was a completely underwhelming experience. So sad, it really used to be a great restaurant. read more

I'm sold on this place based in aesthetics, but not all the dishes are meeting standards. We had reservations before hand. Parking can be a bit crazy. Loved the deviled eggs and Buffalos Cauliflower but the kale salad lacked some flavor. Cute spot for some bites and happy hour! read more

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Their brunch is fantastic! I absolutely loved the crab cake benny. It's a bit of a smaller portion. You might want to get a side dish if you order that and you're feeling very hungry. The chicken and waffles tasted good, too. That's definitely a bigger plate. Service and ambiance was also very good. As another review noted, the music is loud; however, I didn't find it distracting. I'd recommend making a reservation as they seem busy. read more

I love it here! It's so cute inside and the service is great. We loved everything we ordered. We were so stuffed by the time we left. I highly recommend going with a group so that you can share all the options. And the drinks are just phenomenal. There's definitely photo ops indoors and it's close to many cool spots. Can't go wrong with a stop at The Whale. read more

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The Whale is a good spot to celebrate and hang out with friends. The lox platter was refreshing, fries came with an aioli that was delightful and the shrimp and grits comforting. The waitress was very attentive and many other servers came to check on us throughout, refilling waters and providing asks. read more

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My famous photographer friend recommended we visit The Whale near Logan Square. Their happy hour is from 5-7 on weekdays and they have a ton of great items. I started with the Whale G&T, perfect balancing flavors. My friend got the north of Havana but bourbon is too strong for me. Deviled eggs were great, lobster tacos were like ceviche and oysters were fresh. We also got an order of the fries not listed on happy hour. Espresso martini was on point and her 2nd drink was the mule. Very friendly service and fun holiday ambiance. read more

Super cute place atmosphere was very chill comforting the service well, the food came out very fast. The burger was delicious. The lobster tacos were OK. I would never order them again and my salad was completely amazing. Not sure about the pinto mac & cheese but you know what when in Chi town read more

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Anytime I come to Chicago The Whale is a mandatory restaurant to attend. The theme is gambling and being a big fan of gambling myself I had to see what the vibe was like. Luckily for me the food is amazing and the vibe is like no other. The music is always bumpin and the service is top notch. Love the deviled eggs and Crab Roll to start. I usually order the Crab cakes but I saw the Pork Chop was one of the specials so had to try it and didn't regret it at all. Great food great vibes and even better cocktails. Ask for Sam if you ever go, she took good care of us read more

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Order the fried chicken, I promise you, you will not be disappointed!!! My spouse is from the south and prides himself in making the best fried chicken! Well, he was even impressed by the fried chicken! We have now found our new favorite spot to fulfill our fried chicken cravings!!!! The service was great and the restaurant itself was beautiful and trendy! We were bar hopping in Logan Square and stopped in for drinks, I ordered a Sangria . When we saw the menu we decided we had to try the fried chicken and we were so glad we did!! Fried chicken & Pimento Mac n cheese was a hit!!!!! They even serve a cute little mini bottle of hot sauce on the plate! read more

The Whale Chicago - Fried Chicken & Pimento Mac n' Cheese WG - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I went with my girls for dinner. We made a quick reservation on an open table, and as soon as we arrived, we were seated. However, the seat options were limited because they were also hosting a private event. I loved my Moscow mule, and the fries were delicious. I must say that the fish sandwich was one of the best I've had in the city. I'm excited to come back for brunch, which I've heard is famous for their mimosa towers. Also love that can you scan the QR code to pay and easily split the bill by items if needed. read more

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This was such a cute spot for Easter Sunday! Loved the decor and how festive the mimosas were served! Tried their crab cakes and while the portion was smaller than expected it was delicious with the fried egg and siracha. read more

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This is easily one of the best brunch experiences I've had in Chicago. I'm not in this area often, but came here on a whim. First off - I love the aesthetic! Very spacious, lots of seating inside and they have a small outdoor space. Once seated, I thumbed thru their menu for a bit... Solid number of lunch and brunch options. Passed on the mimosa tower due to the price, but I would highly recommend that if you're with a big group. Started off with their old fashioned which was the bomb and proceeded to try this frozen bourbon drink which was amazing. For the appetizer I went with the lobster tacos (bomb) and avocado toast for my main. This food was not only good, but plentiful. For dessert I went with the pineapple upside down cake which was super tasty. I found the service here to be top notch too. The price for two people was ~$200, so glad I brought my checkbook. That said I thoroughly enjoyed everything I had and HIGHLY recommend this place. Highly; like seriously go there ASAP. You're welcome. read more

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This place is a must-visit. The food, service, and atmosphere are absolutely amazing. I loved the aesthetics of the restaurant. It was so cute. My favorite thing was the old-school music player. Although it was not in service, it was a great addition of nostalgia to the atmosphere. The mimosa options are great. You can either order a tower or a bottle of champagne and a couple different juice options. They have a blackberry or black cherry that's so delicious. I definitely recommend trying that juice option out. It was so delicious. I tasted the fish sandwich with the coleslaw, and it was pretty good. Definitely had a good taste and was fried well with a crunch when you bite into the sandwich. The pimento mac & cheese was better than expected. It had a hint of spice. The waffle that's fried like a funnel cake was amazing. It was so good, as it was soft yet crispy. The chicken was tasty as well. It was also fried well and full of flavor. The blueberry muffin was also better than I expected. It had a lemon flavor, but not too overpowering, and was sweet but not too sweet. I would return to this place without hesitation. read more

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Came to this place for my coworker bday brunch. The interior design is given gyspy era. Love the design and the color. The brunch menu is not bad, you can order chicken & waffle, shrimp and grit, steak and egg or French toast. I order crab cake and shrimp and grit. The portion is reasonable. Street parking or valet. If you have a party would recommend reservation. read more

The Whale Chicago - Shrimp and grit - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Oh, how the mighty have fallen. They say time heals all wombs. Apparently time can also result in losing a star. Service isn't as friendly. Food isn't as good. Prices aren't justified. read more

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Saturday brunch is a W, especially at @thewhalechicago ! It was my very first time branching at the whale and it was incredible, I didn't want to leave I wanted to order a second round just to stay here in the beautiful ambience that this place is! The service was very helpful and our waitress was so sweet! The food was so delicious we got the avocado toast and steak and eggs both of which were amazing first and last bites! We even got their cold brew which came in this cute can of dark matter coffee honestly 10/10 brunch! I can't wait to come back they have different alcohol towers we just didn't want to drink today but next time we go we're definitely going to be ordering that tower! read more

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First time ever getting gaslit by server/manager at a restaurant. I ordered Steak Frites, MEDIUM RARE. When it came out, it was definitely WELL DONE. I told the server that it's well done instead of medium rare. An older gentleman with long grey hair (I assumed is the manager) came over and asked me to look through all the pieces of steak to try to find one that's pink. All the piece were well done so they took it back to the kitchen. After 5 minutes, I'm pretty sure they just brought back the same steak. It was still WELL DONE! The manager said "the steak is practically still MOOing". I showed everyone at my table the steak and everyone agree that it's well done rather than medium rare, the manager still insist it's still bleeding and "mooing" (I included photos of this "still mooing" steak) The manager lied and tried to gaslight me into thinking that they were correct. THE WHALE, DO BETTER! read more

The Whale Chicago - My supposedly "medium rare"/"still mooing" steak - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Hospitality was 1000/10. Our server Sam was also so amazing and made us feel special. Cannot go wrong with the dip trio and that ahi. I can still taste how good it was!!!! Can't wait to go back. read more

The Whale Chicago - Ahi - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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They forgot the whale burger that doesn't make it not good. As a matter of fact all our orders: the Baltimore crab roll with that perfectly toasted brioche, the Cali salad with its light refreshing dressing, and the Parrish pie were all excellent. I appreciate the fact they got rid of the mandatory 20% gratuity. This place is still pricey- you're paying for the decor. It's a place to impress your date. read more

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What a beautiful place for drinks and a meal! Service wasn't the best, we waited about 25-40mins in between times our server came, which is a long time when you just want another drink! The food was incredible though, very filling. I have celiac and felt very safe - the staff all checked in with me before submitting orders. I got the deviled eggs which were delicious and my non gf girlfriend got the chicken wings, which were enough of a meal by themselves. I got the tenderloin burger which was so delicious I was sad when it was finished, with a yummy gluten free bun. Great spot for a gluten free date night - just make reservations before! Drinks are also awesome! read more

The Whale Chicago - New American Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Eddy was a fantastic server and the food never disappoints, from wine to fun conversation just a great place!

Stopped in for happy hour with friends. Environment was nice, food was good. However service was sub bar, and the kicker was they add a 20% "service fee" to all checks (not gratuity) and never mentioned it. You are then prompted to tip 20%+ on top of that.. unfortunately my friend picking up tab didn't realize it at time. Either raise the price of your food/ drinks and remove the 20% auto service fee. Or tell your customers so you're not grifting off them. read more

The service and ambiance is very cool and hip. Food was very good and came out quickly. They also have a good happy hour that is worth checking out. Our server Emily was the best and made our experience a night to remember. read more