Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed

4.4 (2062)

$30 and under

Italian

1633 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

OverviewReviewsDetails

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
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!

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

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed.

4.4

(2062)

4.3Food
4.3Service
4.4Ambience
1.1Value

Noise • Energetic

2,062 Reviews

TG
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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J
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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OT
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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N
Nikki Gold
Orlando84 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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S
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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OT
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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SA
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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OT
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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CK
ChicagoK Gold
Chicago19 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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F
Foodie
Toronto27 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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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
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!

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

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