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The Whelk, Westport, CT

The Whelk

4.6 (294)
$31 to $50
Seafood
575 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880-5934

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 31 times today

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • Hot spot
  • Neighborhood gem
The Whelk is a seafood and oyster bar located on the Saugatuck River. We offer a locally sourced and meticulously crafted menu Tuesday through Saturday. Hope to see you there!

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, American, Oyster Bar
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Zach Hinman
  • Neighborhood
    Westport
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Westport Train Station Metro North
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 294 people are saying

The Whelk 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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Connecticut

    Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Whelk offers "always fantastic food" with inventive, "delicious and creative" dishes, particularly excelling in seafood options like "outstanding" oysters and crudo. Patrons appreciate the "great service" and "beautiful atmosphere," while the new brunch menu receives high praise. However, some find the menu limiting, and automatic gratuity can be off-putting.
294 Reviews
  1. SharonF

    San Francisco Bay Area2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very long wait after ordering and between courses even though it was early and the restaurant was only half full. Portions were small and prices high. The roasted oysters were the only dish that was exceptional. Everything else was good but not memorable. As it was early, we could have conversation but I know it gets unbearably loud when the restaurant is full.

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  2. Jessica

    Las Vegas1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Delicious!! I have celiac disease and there were gluten free options. Ask to see the GF menu. Oysters and crudo were so good!

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  3. Arthur VIP

    Connecticut12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always an excellent meal - roasted oysters, mushrooms and Branzino were outstanding.

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  4. Steven VIP

    New York City72 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 12, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Overall, the food was good. We liked our appetizers. That said, the entrees were only ok and didn’t really meet our expectations. I would add, I don’t like 20% automatically added to the check. We were a party of two, so I find that a little bit aggressive.

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  5. Marie

    New York City1 review

    3.0

    Dined on July 1, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience. I found the menu to be a bit limiting, but it was a nice vibe for a casual birthday dinner. The one thing I hated, however, was the house dirty martini...worst thing I've ever tasted. As someone who loves a good dirty martini, this was awful. The house brine sounded interesting, but what was delivered tasted like cheese in a glass...stick to another cocktail or a wine to be safe.

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  6. Stephanie VIP

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I love this spot! Consistently good food and great service. Nice ambience

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  7. Donna VIP

    New York City29 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on June 21, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    I usually like the whelk. I was disappointed in the food this time.I ordered the lobster orchiaetta. Lobster was not at all fresh, and very chewy; like it was over cooked. I didn’t care for the sauce much either. Our appetizer of smoked trout dip came with old-fashioned white bread. That was a big turn off and I would never eat white bread. We had to order a side of raw vegetables which cost extra.

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  8. Chrissey

    New York City1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The Whelk continues to be a delight. New menu items are even better than before, even the home made brine for dirty martinis is incredible. Innovation at its highest to date, I’m making a weekly reservation because it’s just that good.

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  9. andrea VIP

    New York City3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of Westport's best. The food keeps getting even better. One of our families favorites.

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  10. Lucas

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always fantastic food and beautiful inside and outside.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

The Whelk offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (203) 557-0902.

The Whelk is rated 4.6 stars by 294 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Connecticut
  4. Fairfield
  5. Westport

Make a reservation

2 people
8:30 PM
Booked 31 times today
Google Map for The Whelk

575 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880-5934

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    Westport
  • Hours of operation
    Tue–Thu 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Sun 11:30 am–3:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, American, Oyster Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Westport Train Station Metro North
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Zach Hinman
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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