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  5. Lincoln Park

Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed

4.4
4.4
2151 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
1633 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

About this restaurant

  • Romantic
  • Innovative
  • Good for special occasions
Balena has been executing honest, Italian cooking in Lincoln Park since 2012. Led by Executive Chef/Partner Chris Pandel, the restaurant is the first collaboration between Boka Restaurant Group and B Hospitality. Balena's many accolades include Best New Restaurants in America by Gayot and Bon Appetit, 3 stars by the Chicago Tribune, and a James Beard semi-finalist nomination for Best New Restaurant at the James Beard Awards. In addition to its 150 seats, Balena contains a chef's table right across form the hearth of its brick oven. as well as a gorgeous 18 seat leather topped bar, and a section dedicated to walk-ins.

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria, Wine Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Monday: 5:00pm-9:00pm Tuesday-Thursday: 5:00pm-10:00pm Friday: 5:00pm-11:00pm Saturday: 4:30pm-11:00pm Sunday: 4:30pm-9:00pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Chris Pandel
  • Private party facilities
    Please reach out to us to inquire about our private wine cellar for your next special event!
  • Neighborhood
    Lincoln Park
  • Cross street
    North Ave
  • Parking details
    $14 cash
  • Public transit
    The North/Clybourn Red Line stop is one block SW
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine

What 2,151 people are saying

Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4
4.4 based on all time ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 1.1Value

NoiseEnergetic

2,151 Reviews
  1. TerryG

    Tampa3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on August 8, 2017

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food, but a bit pricey. 2 pasta entrees, 2 beers, 1 wine, 2 desserts $120

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  2. Janine

    Detroit2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 6, 2017

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent! Would highly recommend

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on August 6, 2017

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Wasn't impressed with the food. Expected more. Great ambience and decor.

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  4. Nikki VIP

    Orlando80 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on August 6, 2017

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    This place is beautiful. Food could use some improvement. Pizza was just ok, pasta was alright. Food does not match the grander of the decor!

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  5. Stephen

    Chicago4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 6, 2017

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My girlfriend and I had a wonderful meal at Balena. Compared to other restaurants serving similarly high quality food, the value is good. The pasta is clearly made in house and is delicious, as were the vegetables and the spicy lamb meatballs. Great place to visit for great Italian food!

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago29 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 4, 2017

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I think Balena is my favorite Italian restaurant in Chicago. Everything we ordered was great. I loved the pasta especially the tagiolini nero and orecchiette. The spumoni inspired dessert was also excellent. Can't wait for it to reopen!

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  7. StevenA

    Chicago12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 2, 2017

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a delicious meal with great service. Highly recommended Italian fare.

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  8. OpenTable Diner

    New York City11 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on August 2, 2017

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great decor. Attentive server. Great food recommendations. Courteous staff and updates. Superb.

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  9. ChicagoK

    Chicago16 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 30, 2017

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    It's no where close to what it used to be. but it was decent.

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  10. Foodie

    Toronto26 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on July 29, 2017

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The menu was very interesting. Food fresh but way overly salted. Wine selected by waiter was very good. A little noisy due to high ceilings.

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FAQs

Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed is rated 4.4 stars by 2151 OpenTable diners.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?
Claim this listing
Google Map for Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed

1633 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Additional information

  • Cross street
    North Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Lincoln Park
  • Hours of operation
    Monday: 5:00pm-9:00pm Tuesday-Thursday: 5:00pm-10:00pm Friday: 5:00pm-11:00pm Saturday: 4:30pm-11:00pm Sunday: 4:30pm-9:00pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    $14 cash
  • Public transit
    The North/Clybourn Red Line stop is one block SW
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Chris Pandel
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine
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