How is Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed restaurant rated?

Name: Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed
Address: 1633 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL, United States, 60614
Telephone: (312) 867-3888
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.4

Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed

4.4

2176 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top Tags:

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
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
(312) 867-3888
Website
http://balenachicago.com/
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!
Private party contact
Skyler Harrah: (312) 867-3888

Location
1633 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614
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 2,176 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4

4.4 based on all time ratings

4.3Food
4.3Service
4.4Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

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TG
TerryG
Tampa
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 8, 2017
overall4food5service5ambience4
Great food, but a bit pricey. 2 pasta entrees, 2 beers, 1 wine, 2 desserts $120
J
Janine
Detroit
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent! Would highly recommend
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2017
overall4food3service4ambience5
Wasn't impressed with the food. Expected more. Great ambience and decor.
S
Stephen
Chicago
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
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!
N
Nikki
Orlando
68 reviews
vip
3.0
68 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2017
overall3food3service3ambience5
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!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
28 reviews
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on August 4, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
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!
SA
StevenA
Chicago
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on August 2, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a delicious meal with great service. Highly recommended Italian fare.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on August 1, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great decor. Attentive server. Great food recommendations. Courteous staff and updates. Superb.
KT
KTEChicago
Chicago
9 reviews
vip
3.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 29, 2017
overall3food2service4ambience4
It's no where close to what it used to be. but it was decent.
F
Foodie
Toronto
21 reviews
4.0
21 reviews
Dined on July 29, 2017
overall4food4service4ambience4
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.
J
Jeff
Washington DC
10 reviews
1.0
10 reviews
Dined on July 28, 2017
overall1food3service3ambience2
Poor service. Small pasta portions. Forgot birthday request
B
Boots
Chicago
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything was delicious and the service was excellent!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
3 reviews
vip
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 25, 2017
overall2food2service3ambience2
We had nice service but meatballs were dry and the gnocchi had no taste. It also took too long, but waiter stopped by to say chef had overcooked it and was making another. Instead of comp'ing the dish, a second bland (arugula) salad was brought out. Was expecting more flavor and a more lively scene from a BOKA group restaurant. Was unimpressed and will not be back or recommending this restaurant to friends, unfortunately.
QV
QuasiVeganFoodie
Chicago
193 reviews
vip
5.0
193 reviews
Dined on July 24, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Calling all Italian-food lovers: go to Balena! The restaurant itself is beautiful, with rustic wood floors and and twinkling lights. The food is straightforward, healthy, and delicious. The house focaccia is a must-get starter, and the charred broccoli is a great side. As for pastas, you can't go wrong with any of them. Try the mafaldine with tomato fondue and basil and then go for a "craft your own" white pie. Pro-tip: this is a great place to go before or after theater at Steppenwolf, which is right across the street!
S
Sherry
Louisville
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience4
Thank you our Server was awesome! Sunday night- cannot remember her name she gave use great recommendations. Sherry
J
Joseph
Chicago
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2017
overall4food5service4ambience4
Food was excellent. There's so many great options. Tables are a little close together but that was my only complaint.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2017
overall5food5service4ambience5
Great menu, changes seasonally. The dishes are perfect for sharing, we shared the spicy lamb meatballs, two pastas, and a salad (two of us). Lovely ambiance, be back!
a
artsyone
St. Louis
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
This was before theatre dinner. The food comes quickly, (but not too)! Everything tastes great. The servers are well-informed. We split an arugala salad, the 1/2 roast chicken, and a truffle pasta. They were all great. (and we were not given the sometimes 'snub' nose you get when you ask to split). It is a relaxed atmosphere while eating good food. The menu is limited, which is fine and there were no specials, which was also fine. We've eaten there 2x and I will go back!
AS
AubreeS
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 22, 2017
overall5food5service3ambience5
The food was INCREDIBLE! Cocktail were tasty! Our waitress started off incredibly and somewhere in the evening a switch was flipped. She began literally dropping plates and beverages angrily on the table and stomping away. It was bizarre. Honestly, I'm hoping she was just have a rough evening. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, but not awesome. I would still definitely go back for the food.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 22, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
I chose to come to Balena with my sister and dad since it was right next door to the Royal George Theater where we were seeing Spamilton. I looked at a few nearby and picked this one based on the menu, as I hadn't heard of any of them. We were all so pleased!! I couldn't believe the luck of picking this awesome place. Our waitress was amazing, the food was fantastic, and the atmosphere was beautiful! It wasn't too loud, and they were very accommodating with our show time - very fast with the check when we only had a little time before the show. I would highly recommend checking out Balena!
HO
HannaO
Chicago
6 reviews
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 21, 2017
overall3food3service2ambience2
The food was mediocre. The main issue regarded the people sitting next to us that were so close and being very disrespectful to the other guests of the restaurant. Once our waitress came over she didn't address the situation throughout the evening even after they left. I couldn't enjoy anything about the experience based on how they were acting. We asked to be moved and they told us it would be an additional 30 minute wait. A frustrating experience...
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
vip
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 21, 2017
overall3food3service2ambience2
I found a hair in my food and a big fly came to say hello to me in the middle of my meal. Food was comped and free sorbet was given but I still feel nauseated.
T
Tayler
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 21, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere not too loud. Service staff was perfectly attentive and accommodating to a complicated dinner. Would highly recommend for any special occasion, date or nice dinner!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 16, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our Balena experience was outstanding. I told our server, Stacy, that I was vegan. She knew which of the menu items were vegan-friendly. She was great. The food was delicious! I definitely recommend Balena.
N
Noreenc
Chicago
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 16, 2017
overall5food4service4ambience5
would have liked more gluten free options but really enjoyed what I had and loved the ambiance.
DL
DanielleL
Chicago
33 reviews
vip
5.0
33 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
went here for a late dinner with a big group of friends. we split bottles of wine, ordered various pastas, and were there for 2.5 hours! this place is one of my favorite italian resturants in chicago. would recommend everything on the menu - and definitely split bottles of wine - great price and so worth it!
p
penguinperson
Chicago
55 reviews
vip
3.0
55 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2017
overall3food3service5ambience5
We have been several times and we're disappointed this time. The menu changes and we found very few things that seemed appetizing. The menu was very small. It's supposed to be a fish place and there was hardly any fish on the menu. The staff was nice and the ambiance is fun. May give it another try to see if they improve the menu.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
4 reviews
vip
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2017
overall3food2service5ambience5
There were 3 of us and we did not care of what we ordered although the restaurant was crowded and we had been told it was very good.
RO
RuthO
Chicago
15 reviews
4.0
15 reviews
Dined on July 13, 2017
overall4food4service5ambience5
Good food and cocktails, and excellent service. Right across the street from Steppenwolf, and right on time. I loved the roasted cauliflower, and I had a lemony pasta with greens that was delicious. The cookie plate and lovely tea were a great end to the meal.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 12, 2017
overall4food4service4ambience3
Good but food was over priced for quality. Great atmosphere though.
N
Neverpicky
New York Area
6 reviews
vip
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2017
overall3food4service2ambience4
Food was actually very good, and the people were nice but the service can certainly be improved. I made a last minute reservation for my wife's birthday on opentable. We arrived with our 2 sons and were given a nice table. The restaurant was not crowded and our server was immediately attentive. We explained that we were not in a hurry, but after receiving our cocktails we felt pressured anyway to place our food order. We ordered our food and then my wife proceeded to open some cards and gifts at the table. The food started rolling out of the kitchen. My sons were splitting a pizza and I wish the server had taken a moment to realize that my young son had ordered the fennel sausage pizza, which included chili flakes. I like spicy food, but this was way spicier/hotter than most adults would ever tolerate. Kids should not order that pizza! The server never stopped by to check to see if our food was good - he pretty much disappeared when the food started coming. I had to give my gnocci to my son and eat his pizza. We waited patiently for my wife's hangar steak to arrive, and it never did...so she nibbled on the gnocci. Surprisingly, our server never actually asked if we wanted any desert - even though we had opened presents in full view. I would have loved to have a simple piece of cake and a candle for her (actually more for my kids since birthdays are important to kids) - but I barely had a chance to speak with the waiter. Finally the waiter came by and I simply asked for the check. I told him to make sure that I was not charged for the hangar steak since it never arrived. He barely apologized and just brought the check - what a lost opportunity to simply recognize the mistake and perhaps ask my wife if there was anything he could bring her. Anyway, this place has a nice ambience and nice people, but if our server was a little more observant then I think in time he can become an excellent waiter and probably do a much better job for the diners and the restaurant.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 9, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff made our experience easy and enjoyable as we celebrated a friend's engagement. Our waiter was friendly, approachable and knowledgeable about the menu items.
b
boog
Chicago
100 reviews
5.0
100 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Second visit and it is amazing again. Great drinks and the meal was outstanding.
j
jerc
Chicago
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on July 7, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
menu selections were varied. There was something for everyone no matter what they favored Food was great and enjoyed by all
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 5, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Pretheater. Great service, food, atmosphere, beverage.
J
Jaysac
Atlanta Metro
97 reviews
vip
4.0
97 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2017
overall4food4service5ambience5
Nice neighborhood place.Very good service, nice ambience and decent prices.
M
Mrbeard
Chicago
21 reviews
vip
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on July 2, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience4
Food was excellent. Very flavorful. Everything we ate was equally great. Server was very friendly and attentive.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 1, 2017
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent meal with outstanding waiter! All good was fresh and delish!!
EB
EmmaB
Chicago
6 reviews
vip
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on June 30, 2017
overall5food4service4ambience4
The staff at Balena were great. They had asked if we were celebrating anything when they confirmed the reservation (it was my Dad's birthday) and there was a birthday card signed by Balena staff members on the table when we got there. They also made sure to get us out the door in time to see our show. I will definitely be returning.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
11 reviews
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on June 28, 2017
overall4food4service4ambience5
Faccia bread was excellent, black pasta was to salty

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Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed is rated 4.4 stars by 2176 OpenTable diners.