Where do I begin? Seated right away as it was not busy. Waiter finally arrived and gave us water then disappeared. Finally came back and took our drink orders. Disappeared again. Finally came back to take our orders. Drinks still not served. Bartender was yukking it up with someone and watching the World Cup game. Waiter had to be flagged down to get the drinks, which had not been made. Then the food comes. Never had a Caesar salad quite like this one, with tomatoes, red cabbage and no Parmesan. Big chunks of core too btw. Friend's salad came...dry. No dressing. Couldn't find waiter. Crab legs good, but served with cheap rice and a dry vegetable medley that was weird, sliced cauliflower, edemame, couple other things that looked like leftovers mixed together. Never did get refills, the entire experience was chaotic and frustrating. DO NOT GO!! read more

Went to Whale's Tail for trivia and had a blast! The drinks were unique including mocktails for folks who don't drink. There were excellent appetizer finger foods to snack on during a high stakes game of trivia where you could win up to $1000! We didn't win big but do recommend trivia night with apps and drinks for a great atmosphere and fun night out in Anchorage. read more

Right next to tower 1 and stairs to the gym area with very nice staff and some events on certain nights (weekends) very decent sized with a nice bar top area. Food is good but drinks are a little pricey. Super convenient place for a good drink and bite to eat and some entertainment at night (they had a dj playing music on the weekends with people dancing) read more

This place sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!! The waitstaff suck, bugs in your food, dirty silverware, dirty dishes, terrible place, the waitstaff are lame, lazy, dirty not clean at all. The supervisor Tiffany is terrible she need to go to customer service school and learn to speed it up-super slow. This place will leave you hanging for a long time and not wait on you. Don't eat there or Fletchers, same thing. Go to the Brewhouse or the 49th state in Anchorage, forget going to the Captain Cook Hotel. read more

I love going to the Whale's Tail. It's a lovely place with a range of comfortable seating. Whale's Tail drinks are AWESOME. Their non-alcoholic drinks look and taste almost like the original, and they are beautiful. The service is classy. On Friday nights the jazz from 6-9 is great and lets you have a conversation with friends. But the food...is mediocre. Servers say they have a tiny kitchen, but I don't know why they can't make a salad look pretty instead of just throwing lettuce and tomatoes into a bowl with croutons (note: a Caesar has Romaine lettuce, not iceberg). And if it's impossible to cook a good hamburger or serve crispy, hot fries, maybe they could deliver orders from somewhere else. I recommend jazz night, but warn friends we have to eat in advance or afterwards. Once I asked a bartender what he would suggest, and he said he couldn't tell me because he didn't eat their food. At the time, I thought he meant that he ate healthy, but over time, checking different menu options with family and friends, I have come to realize that he was probably holding back a negative opinion. Granted, we don't usually order from the expensive side of the menu, but the less-expensive choices are so mushy or cold that we don't want to risk paying a lot for sub-par food. I recently watched a group devour two Charcuterie Plates, so that might be the best option. Go to Whale's Tail. Meet up with friends. Have a great drink! And tip the musicians. read more

Walked in.. no hostess at the stand for a while so we sat ourselves. No acknowledgement from the bar staff that we sat down and were ignored. Seemed the staff was having issues since we overheard someone left their shift early. I think this place has potential but perhaps just short staffed. read more

Always a good time, excellent food, bartenders and service are top notch. I live a few blocks away but would come regularly even if I didn't. Recent menu change and better than the last which was also good. Shoutout to Allie, Will and Kyle, great service always. Just a really comfortable and fun experience every single time. Vibe is making friends at the bar, but also a great setup for a private table or dinner date for food and drinks too. read more

Tijana is charming, professional, wonderful server. Shared her Serbian culture. Great dinner experience.

I had an incredible experience thanks to Allie at Whale's Tail. From the moment I walked in, she was attentive, friendly, and went above and beyond to make me feel welcome. She has an amazing ability to recommend the perfect drink based on your tastes, and everything she crafted was perfectly balanced and delicious. You can tell Allie is passionate about mixology and takes pride in each creation, from the garnish to the glassware. The attention to detail, engaging personality, and ability to make everyone feel like a regular are what set Allie apart. I left feeling like I'd had a unique experience and can't wait to come back. If you're looking for a bartender who really knows their stuff and can make your night unforgettable, Allie is the one to ask for! P.S. She can make a mean Paloma! read more

Amazing. Great new menu and the staff is fantastic. The bar and management staff makes me want to bring friends and family next time. Thank you Whales tail read more

Very average food and the wait staff was not particularly fast moving although they were friendly. Significantly over priced given the mediocre quality. read more

The lounge style environment - - - 4 stars. - nice chairs - stellar jazz - great Malbec - small, but solid draft selection Food - - - two, maybe three stars. The chicken tacos tasted like the chicken came from cans of chicken. The tortillas has a weird, bland taste...its like they weren't fresh or the toasted them too long on a weird grill. The spicy ramen was super salty! The egg and cabbage was a nice touch. The calamari was the best thing we tried and the sauce that came with it. This is the only thing I'd recommend. The portion did seem a tad small for the price. I'd definitely come back here for the ambiance, but I'd eat somewhere else. read more

Whale's Tail - Date night! - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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This is perfect date night or girls night out! Always great music and drinks! We love the vibe!!

Terrible service. Took over an hour for a steak and fries. Bartender was extremely rude. Had to ask for the manager who was full of excuses with no accountability. Don't recommend read more

There's a certain feel you get when you step foot into the Captain Cook. The old charm and elegance has become nostalgic and yet very comforting. Head just past the reception desk and a few beautiful art galleries and you'll find yourself at Whale's Tail, a bar/restaurant where good food, great drinks and live music stand out. You'll always find a good drink and there's "nothing gross on the menu" as one waitress put it. I have found their staff to be highly knowledgeable in wine and drink selection, happy to answer any questions. Their food is really good and at Alaska prices (there's always a theme here with my reviews) you pretty much break even. It's comfort food but served in a more elegant fashion. It might just be the white table cloths, candles and dim lights, who really knows it still tastes great. If you're in the mood for some delicious comfort food with healthier options and not at Crow's Neat prices, you might just find Wail's Tail is your place to be! The accept reservations too and keep and eye out for their music line up. Jazz night is also fun. read more

Some people chide the ambiance of the Captain Cook and its many eating establishments. I am NOT some people. I love the ambiance of the Captain Cook! While I would never stay here, because I live a mere 5 minute walk away, it is the #1 hotel I'd recommend staying in for those visiting Anchorage. It's unique. It's historic. It's got a cool, dark, rustic interior. It looks like you're on a freakin' ship except you're not eating sea turtle for weeks on end, rationing out grog, hallucinating that manatees are mermaids, and generally fighting scurvy. The eating establishments that lie within? I'm not so sure about them. Like the hotel as a whole, I LOVE the ambiance/interior of the Whale's Tale. It's dark and it's classy and it's only smidge pretentious. This is where you take someone "for a drink" that you want to impress...and maybe do other things with at a later date/time. IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. They also have a "self-serve" wine bar. You buy a card and then you can go use that card to get wine at various taps. It's like putting a quarter in a gumball machine. BUT THE ADULT VERSION. Very cool. But. I'm a beer-swilling ruffian. Not to worry, as they have some very unique stuff on tap like a smoked beer from 49th state brewing up in Healy (super-rare!). The prices are a bit high for drafts, even for Anchorage, but that's to be expected at a hotel bar. But, the food here: is just OK. It's not bad, but it won't blow you away either. It's similar to the food at neighboring "Fletcher's" except it's a tad cheaper and a tad less inspired. I got a burger, and it was alright. The fries were disappointingly luke-warm. I like my fries to be SUPER HOT so this made me frown. The food is, more-or-less, high-quality SYSCO faire. Not bad, but not something you shout from the mountaintops either. If you go here, just go for drinks. Eat somewhere else. read more

Whale's Tail - burger - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

This is a nice little spot to come grab a glass of wine and relax, but I don't really think it's all that great. They do have cool wine dispensers where you can purchase a wine card and pick and disburse your own wine. But the wines are a bit overprice for what they charge for each pour and they don't really have a great selection. Food wise, it was okay. I had the mac and cheese which was pretty decent. They have a wide range of appetizers and even a cheese plate. The cheese plate didn't come with any crackers which I didn't like. Instead, it came with these small pieces of cut up toast. I would probably prefer going to Crush over Whale's Tail. read more

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Met with coworkers and clients tonight. Had a group of 10 of us. No food tonight just a couple of cocktails. Just business after hours. Had a great drink called The Alaska Night Starter ... Bourbon, pomegranate puree, sour mix and ginger beer with candied ginger. Balanced, not too sweet and I could taste the bourbon. Can't stand drinks you can't taste the beverage of choice - Bourbon! read more

I love the Captain Cook- and I love the classy small unique bar that can be found inside, and to the left, of the main entrance door; Whale's Tail. This classy little bar has low ambiance lighting, a corner fire place, booth seating (for small groups), large table seating (for big groups), and small comfy chair corner seating for more intimate couple experiences. The place is always clean and rarely crowded. Some weekends it can get relatively loud, but most of the time it's a quiet and calm atmosphere that's great for a relaxing girl's night out or a romantic evening date. My boyfriend and I go here about once a month and almost always sit in the back corner seating on the left side of the restaurant. Comfy chairs, candle-light lighting, and a warm fireplace close by. Perfect. The staff are always prompt, friendly, and professionally dressed. They know their menu and the drinks perfectly. I've never asked a question they couldn't answer or made a request they couldn't complete. Drinks are always served very quickly and menu items are as well. They do tend to put quite a bit of alcohol in the drinks, but it isn't always consistent. Some drinks are much lighter than others- which I suppose is probably just a difference amidst bartenders. Personally, I come to this place for the wine bar. You can purchase a wine card through your waiter/waitress and then grab a glass and go around to multiple different wine vending machines, choose a bottle you'd like to try, and pay for a glass (you can also decide how full you'd like the glass). I have a wine card that I use all the time and I love it. It also never expires- so if you're visiting Alaska and purchase the card you can keep it until you come back and use it again without it expiring. The menu is mostly small fine items. I order the cheese plate almost every time I come in and it's by far the best cheese plate I've had- ever, at a wine bar. They feature three different cheeses, gourmet crackers, fresh strawberries (with a chocolate and strawberry sauce), fresh blueberries, pistachios, and dried cranberries. I'm not sure what kind of cheeses they use, but they go with all kinds of wine perfectly. They have a green marbled cheese, a white cheese, and two soft versions of blue cheese (although I'm not sure what the difference is between each of them). SO delicious and well-worth ordering with your wine, even if it is a bit pricey. They also have other unique options like sweet potato fries, calamari, fish tacos, and even a burger. I love the ambiance of this place. I love the wine selection. I love the cheese plate. I love the professionalism of the waiters. I love having a place that I can dress up in Anchorage and not look out of place. I love the fact that it's quiet. I love the dim and romantic lighting. I love the comfy seating. I don't have a single complaint about Whale's Tail. By far my favorite place to visit on a Saturday night in Anchorage. read more

Whale's Tail - Wine bar selection on the south wall. - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

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It's a very nice place clean and very attentive staff. They do have live entertainment depending which night you go. I'm giving it 3 stars. Every time I've ordered food something's always a little off. Once I ordered the cheese platter everything was good but the pistachios were stale. First couple of times I ordered oysters the were fabulous then one time not. Last night I ordered calamari the menu describes it having the tentacles and rings when in fact it looked more like fingers strips. They were greasy from not allowing the excess oil to drip off before serving. Then I ordered the avocado tomato salad that has very little avocado. I really like this place but the food could certainly improve. read more

Whale's Tail - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

The food is great, the atmosphere is one of the classiest in anchorage, and the wine is innovative....the two things I might want to criticize is that they seems to be short staffed all the time ...and its a bit pricey. However, this is still my favorite place to just chill on the weekends. read more

Whale's Tail - The best nachos that exists in anchorage. It's the curry chicken for $12. They deep fry wontons for the chips. - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

The Kobe sliders are awesome! Only 21 and older in this place. The novelty is their self dispensing wine bar. You get a chance to taste various wines at 3 different wine glass sizes. So if you wish to have a self directed wine tasting, then this is the place for you! read more

The Kobe slider was alright. Meat was a little dry. The Hawaiian bread bun always speaks for it's self. Nothing special about their Kobe slider. Waitress did not know her beers. In her defense she did hustle and it was a busy night. Also when I got the check. Usually they leave a comment card. Well their comment card dated 4/5/14 the date I ate there was 7/26/14 :( Go there to drink that's it!!!! read more

Whale's Tail - This dated back three months ago - American Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

First time there, wonderful food and drinks, attentive service, and great ambiance. A bit pricey but worth it!

I enjoyed the food here. I've only been here once. It can get crowded. There is a bar area here as well. Its been almost a year since I've eaten here and can't remember exactly what i had. All I remember is that the food was good and that someday I should go back lol! This restaurant is on the ground level of the Captain cook hotel and in downtown Anchorage where there's lots to see and do. read more

Do you ever just want to go crawl under a rock and get somewhere where no one can see you? Well then Whale's Tail is the place for you. If you've ever felt like a plastic bag, floating though the wind, hoping to start again, then you know what it's like to stand in line at the bar and wait for a drink at Whale's Tail wishing you would've chosen a different bar to drink at. If you walk into this place wearing an outfit that doesn't top $600 in price, don't expect to get served. They will look into your eyes all the way to your soul after you've been waiting for 30 minutes and then turn the other way and serve the rich old white guy who just got to the bar. Definitely don't recommend this bar if you're trying to drink alcohol. Highly recommend though if you're just trying to stand around awkwardly with no drink in your hand. read more

Can we call this 1 1/2 stars? We went to check out some local music with friends and the whole thing turned into a circus of overpriced ridiculous. I ordered a White Russian and popcorn as it seemed everyone at the bar had some (I assumed it was complimentary - never assume, you know what happens), and we were not planning on having dinner. After a little music and a few more friends straggling in over the course of an hour and a bit, the waitress informs us that her shift is over and that we have to pay our tabs. I was amazed to find that my White Russian was $11.50 (?!? I still would like to meet the cow they obviously hand milked for that cost), and the popcorn was $5. Yes, the 'truffle popcorn' that weighed in at approximately 2 handfuls, was $5. But it gets better! The waitress automatically added the 20% gratuity to my husband and I as well as the 3 other checks in our general vicinity. We were not together, we were not eating dinner, we were most certainly not subject to the gratuity without at least being consulted. I called the next day to contest her blatant over-tipping and the manager was rightfully appalled and apologetic - I was told we would get the money back....and then I waited.....and called again...and waited....and called a 3rd time. It has been almost 2 months and I have yet to get my measly $7 back. It's not a lot, it's the principle of the thing. I think the wine machines seem like such a cool idea, it's a pity I'll never be able to play with them as I won't be back until they refund my money. read more

This is a great bar with a more mature clientele than most I've been to. Since I am more mature, I fit right in! Great atmosphere with a DJ who kept the volume at a level where you could still carry on a conversation. Pour your own wine bar that meters out portions and debits a card you purchase at the bar. Neat idea. Friendly staff too! read more

I was told this re-opened fairly recently, so I'm guessing the previous two reviews maybe don't reflect the current situation. I went out here Friday and Saturday night this past weekend. They had an event the Friday before and were closed that Saturday for maintenance, so re-scheduling was necessary. There were 32 different wines to try in self-serve machines. You buy a $10 or $25 card and you can try a 1, 2, or 4 oz serving at prices that are based on how expensive the bottle of wine is. It's probably not the best deal if you know what wines you like, but for someone wanting to try some new wines, it's really great. I found four new ones that I liked. The food was great. In fact, everything we tried, we would get again. The bistro tomato salad was one of my favorites. It was diced tomatoes, bacon and blue cheese mixed together with likely some kind of vinaigrette in there, too. The mushroom toast was my second favorite. The combination of the cheese on the toast and the sauce around it really complemented the mushrooms well. The curry chicken nachos were by far the largest portion. They were good, but probably my least favorite of the ones we tried. the Kobe sliders were excellent and filling. My friends liked the salmon sliders and the fish tacos. The truffle popcorn was good, but if you don't know what truffles taste like, I'm not sure you'd be able to tell that it was in there. The mussels were good, but frankly, Bear Tooth's steamer clams are much better, sauce-wise. The cheese platter had a lot of choices on it, but only a few toast points and no crackers. Points off from me there. The service Friday was much better than Saturday. It was busy Friday, but packed on Saturday and we had to flag our waitress down to get more food. It didn't really bother us, but if it is packed, be prepared to wait. I just don't think they have enough waitstaff to cover well when it's packed. It's also very loud when it's busy. If you want to be able to talk, try to get a table farthest from the main bar area as you can. We were fairly close to the bar and had to talk really loud to be heard. The previous night we sat by the fire and had no trouble hearing each other, but we'd get gusts of cold air coming from the door as people went in and out of the main entrance to the hotel. All in all, I'd go again, but would make sure to go early so I could get a spot where I wouldn't get cold (and I never get cold) and where I can actually hear my friends. read more

Wine bar?! Where?! Wow!! The concept is simple ... get a plastic car, put a minimum of $25 on the card, then walk around and check out the different selection of wines. See one that looks interesting but don't want to pay $8 for the entire glass? No need to commit, just select a sample amount for $4. Kinda sorta like it? Move on to the next one. Can you tell that I'm a sucker for trying new wines? Yes, I am. The food looks and sounds promising but is only ok (3 stars max). Menu sounds promising but the food itself needs to be tweaked. The sesame tempura mushrooms ($10) were good at first, but after the fifth tiny morsel, I started feeling the queasiness that often accompanies fried food. They got soggy FAST. Dipping sauces were ok, but need work. Fish tacos ($15) were tasty, and the fish was moist. AK Winter salad ($8) was delicious but it's hard to go wrong with berries, feta cheese, and candied almonds. Dessert was a delicious brownie with ice cream ($3) ... great price for their version of the classic dessert. I'll definitely be back for the wine!! read more

The Golden Corral of wine bars. I heard there was an interesting new wine bar newly redesigned at the Whale's Tale, that should really have been described as different, not particularly interesting. The concept is self serve after you purchase preloaded debit cards in $10 or $25 incriments, essentially purchasing wine from a vending machine. I could get past the concept as a novelty, to experience on the odd occassion, if it were not so poorly executed and drastically over priced. With a $25 dollar card in hand you are able to obtain a half pour of a fairly pallatable wine, or if you just want a full glass of anything resembling wine you can eek one out by exhausting the entire card on their basement priced pours. I was accompanied by my fiance and a friend, between the three of us we spent $70 on wine and each had what would equate to one glass a piece. I enjoy wine and don't mind paying a decent price for a decent glass, but this experience left me feeling completely unsatisfied. On a posative note the apps were good, meeting the expectations Captain Cook, sadly there is only so far a nice cheese plate can go. read more

Love the ambiance...it's dim, there's music, and tastefully decorated. Their drinks were spot on and I have yet to try any food here but it looks very promising. I'm not the biggest fan of the music but it still seems like a nice place for drinks. You're definitely going to have to speak up when talking because the music is a bit loud. I look forward to trying the food sometime :-) read more

This is one of my favorite spots to visit after work for a round of drinks with friends. You can spend as little or as much money as you would like depending on the quality and quantity of wine you select. The atmosphere is quite pleasant as well. I have only tried a couple of their small appetizers, which were all tasty, but other than that I can't really comment on the food itself. EDIT: I prefer to visit for after-work drinks because it can be rather loud (especially the music) on Friday and Saturday nights. read more

We had the best time here. Fresh oysters, wonderful martini's and sangria, and small plates. We really had a fantastic time.

I live in Anchorage. I have for 29 years. I live downtown, walking distance from the Hotel Captain Cook. I went to the Thursday night comedy open mic night, made it a date night with my hubby. Ordered a tequila and soda, he ordered a rum and coke. I asked for clear tequila and the waitress said I guess that is Patron. We decided since it was a packed house to order doubles because we assumed the server would be busy. We also ordered halibut and chips to snack on. Soggy fries and just ok halibut, batter was not to thick but a bit greasy, they need to change the oil. We are ready to pay the bill when it arrives my 2 drinks were $58! His 1 was $19.50, fish and chips $20 and we bought 1 beer for a comic $12 for a total of $109!!! WTH! We called the manager over (it was not the servers fault), I totally lost my temper. I was shocked at the price of 2 beverages. No where else in Anchorage do they charge that for a beverage, those are summer tourist prices and even then I don't think it would hold up. I stormed out and the hubby had to deal with the bill. In the managers defense he did take the 3 cocktails off and we did tip our server on the full bill. I guess the Hickel's must not be doing well and are sticking it to the locals or maybe that gingerbread village is so expensive they have to raise the prices. The comedy night is great, the house was packed, people were eating and drinking, The Hotel Captain Cook is doing great on an otherwise dead weekday night. Never again will I go to any Hotel Captain Cook restaurants or suggest to friends and family to stay or eat there........Never. read more

Food was still as delicious as I last remembered it. Very beautiful and classy place. Love the atmosphere! The price was a bit higher than other places but definitely worth it. They have a great set of wine selection as well. Did I mention that the staff was terrific? Over all a very nice place to relax, have wine & dine. read more

Our bartender also served as our waiter at the bar. The pizza was amazing and so was the service. It was just perfect for the occasion since we were looking to just grab dinner the night before getting on a cruise ship. read more

I am a new fan of the take out salads that they keep in the cooler. I've been getting the Cobb salad for $7.50 and it's large with fresh bacon, egg, blue cheese, etc. Gobs of toppings. The blue cheese dressing you can get with it is LOADED with blue cheese. Grab some free crackers and your plastic cutlery and napkins and you are good to go, back the office for lunch on your desk. The sandwiches in the cooler, which include smoked salmon club, look good too. read more

Love this bar. The food is good, but does come in small portions. The drinks are perfect. It's a wine bar, but I'm not a wine drinker. I like that after 9, the dance floor opens up. It's a classy bar. It feels safe. Quieter atmosphere than most Anchorage bars. The DJ is hit or miss on the music. Sometimes it's great and other times it's all techno. I keep going back, though. read more

This is an example of a place that you go to based on specifics needs. For example, I was recently at a silent art auction benefit in one of the ballrooms at the cook. After a couple glasses of wine and the clock ticking towards 8, my companions and I realized two things: 1) we were starving/careening on drunk and 2) the auction ended at 9 and in order to come back and get our last minute bids in, we needed to eat somewhere close. A suggestion was made for fletchers which I quickly doused and we settled on whale's tail. This was probably my 4th time there after the whale's tail went from a breakie/lunch joint to a late night wine dispensary hipster joint. I had a small kale ceasar to start. The use of kale was intriguing to me. It was tasty enough for $6 and served in flash fried Parmesan "bowl". I could have done without the bowl and felt if the salad would have been presented on a small plate, it would have been a touch bigger, too. I then had the uptown burger which was freaking delicious. I wasn't even fully committed to a burger, but had become hangry and knew they should be able to cook it up quickly. It was the right choice - cooked at my requested medium perfectly, it was a generous patty dripping with bleu cheese, coleslaw, grilled red onion AND bacon. It was a decadent explosion of flavors. The fries were a mix of shoestring and sweet potato and equally yummy. My companions and I shared a bottle of red wine - the PetitPetit which was very affordably priced. My friends seemed to really enjoy their meals for the most part, though I think there was some serious dinner choice envy for my burger. My times prior to this visit came with less flare and some disappointments. The cocktails here are outrageously priced and although a fun (yet somewhat trivial) wine dispensary, that too lacked in the pay for what you get category. Because the restaurant is trying to push said dispensary, there's only one option each for a white or red wine by the glass (last time I checked anyway). The apps I had had (wonton nachos and truffle popcorn) were just so so. Which brings me back to specifics. Stop in here for an early evening or late night snack and shared bottle of wine and you likely will not be disappointed. read more