or, The Whale

Name: or, The Whale
Address: 38 Main St, Nantucket, MA, United States, 02554-3531
Telephone: (508) 825-5897
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.8

4.8 (615)

$30 and under

American

38 Main St, Nantucket, MA 02554-3531

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

11:00 PM

Booked 66 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Lively
Great for brunch
Charming

or a lively brunch, or, The Whale is your destination on Nantucket's Main Street. This bistro and bar offers a vibrant atmosphere and a menu that reflects the island's diversity. Start your day with a delicious brunch featuring classics like eggs Benedict and pancakes, along with unique options such as the veggie mushroom bowl topped with a fried egg. For lunch, enjoy choices like the blackened swordfish sandwich or a classic turkey BLT, and don’t miss Manny's refreshing bistro frisée salad. As evening falls, the dinner menu shines with dishes like lobster cavatelli, made with homemade pasta, and roasted chicken with crispy potatoes. The bar features an extensive selection of wines and cocktails, perfect for relaxing after a day of exploring. Sip on local craft beer or a signature cocktail on the spacious outdoor patio and soak in the island's charm. Whether for a casual lunch or a romantic dinner, or, The Whale is the perfect choice.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American
Hours of operation
Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm
Phone number
(508) 825-5897
Website
http://www.otwnantucket.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Manny Rojas

Location
38 Main St, Nantucket, MA 02554-3531
Neighborhood
Nantucket
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Gluten-free Options

Experiences

Drag Brunch 👯‍♀️🪩🍾
$10.00 per person
Prepaid
Jun 15, 2025 only
Celebrating Pride with our 3rd Annual Drag Brunch! This year we have two performers, our beloved veteran, SheShe Fogo & newcomer to the scene, Rose Hips. Please come, enjoy, dance & support our performers and community!

Popular dishes

Crudite$20.00
Spring vegetables - sikil pak - pepitas
Burrata Toast$21.00
Fava bean hummus - mint - olive oil - toasted sourdough
Crispy Artichoke$18.00
Yuzu aioli - green harissa - Calabrian chile
Taiwanese Fried Prawns$24.00
Thai basil - soy sauce - sesame seeds - lemon
Tuna Tostada$27.00
Pickled jicama - aji amarillo - charred cipollini & sesame puree - shallot - corn tortillas
Lamb Wontons$24.00
Spiced lamb sausage - chili crisp oil - sesame

Salads

Asparagus Salad$22.00
Haricots vert - confited oyster mushroom - cured egg yolk - buttermilk dressing
Spring Salad$20.00
Mesclun greens - snow peas - fava beans - pickled rhubarb - herbs - passionfruit vinaigrette
- Chicken$16.00
- Steak$26.00
- Falafel$11.00

Mains

Grilled Halibut$41.00
Orzo - shiitake mushroom - spring peas - pea shoots - txakolina sauce
Chicken Under a Brick$41.00
Bitter green & citrus salad - pecorino - salsa verde - cara-cara port dressing
Spicy Rice Cakes$37.00
Eggplant & tofu ragu - Chinese broccoli - fried shallot - scallion
Grilled New York Strip$48.00
Crispy smashed fingerlings - watercress & bulgur wheat salad - pea romesco - truffle oil

Table

Duck Carnitas for 2$82.00
Raw tomatillo salsa - curtido - herb salad - blue corn tortilla
Korean Pork BBQ for 4-6$170.00
Sushi rice - cucumber kimchi - Korean bbq sauce - ginger scallion sauce

What 615 people are saying

or, The Whale reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.8Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Greater Boston
American
Cape Cod and the Islands
Best Service
Cape Cod and the Islands
Good for groups
Cape Cod and the Islands
Hot spot
Cape Cod and the Islands
Lively
Cape Cod and the Islands
American

615 Reviews

B
BERNADETTE VIP
New York City24 reviews
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We had the Korean pork and shared it amongst our party of four. As always, delicious. Service as slow getting refills on the condiments that go along with the meal. Other than that it’s always a great experience there.
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C
Charles VIP
New Orleans / Louisiana5 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Halibut was delish as well as the appetizer. Had good wine and cocktail selection.
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S
Scott VIP
New York City30 reviews
5.0
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great outdoor patio. Super service and food. Wine way yummy.
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J
Jonathan
Unspecified2 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I have come here a number of times for lunch and never have had a bad experience. The staff is friendly, the food and drinks are great and the ambiance and overall vibe is very warm and comfortable. The OTW wings are a must try in my opinion. I highly recommend or, the whale to anyone who comes to Nantucket.
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E
Elizabeth VIP
Greater Boston13 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best brunch burger on the Island and the service was great
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N
Nathaniel VIP
London5 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was DELICIOUS…. Try the tuna tostadas and the crispy artichoke… the Chicken under a Brick is a “must”
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l
lisa VIP
New York City1 review
5.0
Dined on May 24, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Christina was lovely—friendly and super helpful . Definitely a great place while on Nantucket !! Amazing food , great outdoor patio and service outstanding
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G
Grover
Greater Boston5 reviews
5.0
Dined on May 21, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Dining at or, The Whale was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. Every dish was a masterclass in flavor and presentation, earning a well-deserved five stars across the board. The roasted duck carnitas were a standout—succulent, rich, and beautifully complemented by a delicate balance of spices. The tuna tostadas were fresh and vibrant, with just the right touch of heat and acidity to make every bite pop. I was particularly impressed with the lamb dumplings, which were tender and packed with bold, savory flavor—comforting yet refined. The prawns were plump and perfectly cooked, served in a way that truly elevated their natural sweetness. Service was equally exceptional: attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely warm. Every interaction with the staff made the experience feel personalized and welcoming.
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J
Jason VIP
New York City35 reviews
4.0
Dined on May 17, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
All of the food was delicious - there were 4 of us and we shared a bunch of things. The cocktails, however, were table. Among the 4 of us, we ordered 3 different cocktails, and none of them liked them. They had no flavor. I would definitely recommend going because the food is so good, but order wine instead of cocktails.
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L
Lauren VIP
Greater Boston131 reviews
5.0
Dined on April 26, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Daffodil day at Or the Whale was fantastic. The cocktails and food (falafel wrap, fried artichoke hearts and Kelly Kapowski cocktails) were delicious and the service was attentive. Thank you!
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FAQs

or, The Whale is rated 4.8 stars by 615 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jun 14, 2025

11:00 PM

Booked 66 times today

Experiences are available.

38 Main St, Nantucket, MA 02554-3531

Additional information

Neighborhood
Nantucket
Hours of operation
Thu–Sat 5:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 10:00 am–2:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Manny Rojas
Additional
Gluten-free Options

Website
http://www.otwnantucket.com/
Phone number
(508) 825-5897

or, The Whale

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Experiences

Drag Brunch 👯‍♀️🪩🍾

Popular dishes

Korean Pork BBQ for 4-6

Korean BBQ Bowl

Steak & Eggs

Menu

To Start

Crudite$20.00

Burrata Toast$21.00

Crispy Artichoke$18.00

Taiwanese Fried Prawns$24.00

Tuna Tostada$27.00

Lamb Wontons$24.00

Salads

Asparagus Salad$22.00

Spring Salad$20.00

Mains

Grilled Halibut$41.00

Chicken Under a Brick$41.00

Spicy Rice Cakes$37.00

Grilled New York Strip$48.00

Table

Duck Carnitas for 2$82.00

Korean Pork BBQ for 4-6$170.00

What 615 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

How is or, The Whale restaurant rated?

Is or, The Whale currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information