Latest Reviews
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Having grown up in Villa Park where Portillos started and remember when the man who started the place was serving hot dogs and fries and tamales. Ever…
Prayanshu Gill
Balena
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First off, I love the decor of this place. We sat upstairs tucked in a back corner and the energy was vibrant! I couldn't pick a cocktail from the ext…
Erin Thor
Balena
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When I was planning my solo trip to Chicago, I had my eyes on Balena. I just could not resist anything with Sea Urchin and Tagliolini Nero just sounde…
Jennifer K
Balena
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Balena is open for Casual Dining. Balena serves Italian dishes. Incorrect or missing information? Make a report, or claim the restaurant if you own it!Details
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7 Reviews on “Balena”
Having grown up in Villa Park where Portillos started and remember when the man who started the place was serving hot dogs and fries and tamales. Every time I come to Chicago I go to Portillos. The quality, the service, please dont ever change a thing. Has always been great for the over 50 years Ive been coming to the various restaurants
First off, I love the decor of this place. We sat upstairs tucked in a back corner and the energy was vibrant! I couldn’t pick a cocktail from the extensive list, so I told my server I liked whiskey, tequila, and mezcal as my drink-bases. They made me a drink that was outstanding. We had the burrata appetizer which was highly recommended from other reviewers, and it did not disappoint. The portions were very generous and we had plenty left over. We split two pastas: hen egg, sage, and brown butter and the crab, sea urchin, and chili taglioni. Both were outstanding. Would order both again in a heartbeat. Pricey but not outrageous!
When I was planning my solo trip to Chicago, I had my eyes on Balena. I just could not resist anything with Sea Urchin and Tagliolini Nero just sounded so good. I got lucky as 2 of my friends joined my eating Chicago trip so I got to try out a few more items at Balena.I like how the menu is seasonally and they has some specials that offers depends on season. So we ended up order a few items to share.Duck Liver Bruschetta ($10)Tripe Fettunta ($11)Chitarra ($16)Tagliolini Nero Seafood ($19)Strotzapetti with Razor Clams ($16)Frillman Farms Carrot ($8)Nougat Semifreddo ($9)Every dish was cooked and prepared with care. Love the Razor Clams pasta which is not even on the menu. I found the Tagliolini so so compared to other dish.Service is amazing! Attentive, Outgoing and Knowledgeable! I am so glad I included Balena as one of the stops and dragged my friends along with me!
Balena has it all and theyre number one my list. Chef Chris Pandels knows his way around amazing pastas. Theyre original, perfectly executed and unlike anything youll get in Chicago. A stand out dish and menu staple is the briny squid ink tagliolini nero, with crab, sea urchin and chili flakes. I also recommend the simple, silky hen egg tajarin with sage and brown butter. Balena also churns out outstanding pizzas, oven roasted meats, fresh fish dishes, superb cocktails and tasty side dishes. Their wine list is deep and the service is always friendly and attentive. thebreadandbuddha.com
Balena is one of my favorite Chicago restaurants. It was also one of the Time Out Eat Out Awards nominees. The food at Balena isnt overly complicated. It is true to the ingredients and lets each one shine.We started with several appetizers. The first to come out was the focaccia which was served with a creamy ricotta drizzled with olive oil and topped with fresh black pepper. Sometimes focaccia can be really heavy or too crunchy or drown in olive oil, but Balenas focaccia was light and bready and seasoned with a great blend of herbs. The other items were ordered were a bit better, but only because even a well composed focaccia can only be so exciting.In anticipation of our meal Adrian tweeted a photo of the cheese plate he had enjoyed during his last visit to Balena. Surprisingly I hadnt tried Balenas cheese plate and had to try it after seeing the photo. We chose a cheese plate with a blue cheese and goat cheese blend, pecorino with honeycomb, and a cheese blend similar to a brie. The cheese platter came with very thin slices of crunchy bread. I especially loved the pecorino gran riserva that was served drizzled in honey.The bruschetta at Balena is a bit famous. The New York Times just wrote an article about it (and shared a recipe). The waitstaff will come around and give everyone large steak knives before the bruschetta is brought out. The bruschetta is made with thick slices of bread and is generously piled with toppings. We ordered the ricotta, pea and watercrest bruschetta. The bread was gently toasted, the ricotta and peas were creamy, and the watercrest added a nice subtle crunch. One thing Balena gets right is the texture of foods. The bruschetta is the perfect combination of crisp and crunchy and smooth and creamy. The flavor was outstanding. Adrian said that is tasted clean, in that the ingredients taste really pure. And that is a good thing.Next up was the Arugula Salad with Pine Nuts and Dante Cheese. This is the perfect example of how Balena doesnt over complicate things. With just three ingredients and a light dressing, the ingredients didnt over power each other and you could enjoy each one.Balenas pizza has one of the best crusts out there. It is crisped to perfection, but bread like and chewy in the middle. We chose a mushroom pizza with thyme and fontina and taleggio cheeses. The mushrooms had such a rich flavor. The mushroom pizza is one of their more traditional offerings. Last time I went to Balena we had the Brussels Sprout Pizza with Pancetta, Pecorino, and Red Onion and I absolutely loved it. I love that Balena offers classic pizzas along with more unique creations.Balenas pasta is homemade in house. It has that wonderful fresh pasta taste that instantly reminds me of that semester I spent in Italy. We tried Adrians favorite pasta, the Tagliolini Nero, which is a squid ink pasta that was served with Crab, Sea Urchin and Chili. Everyone else loved this, I enjoyed it, but maybe squid ink isnt my thing?This is what a $69, 36 ounce porterhouse steak looks like. I am the type of person who goes to a steakhouse if I want a steak. I had never ordered a steak at an Italian restaurant before, and apparently I have been missing out. Ordering this giant steak was a group decision and we all shared it. The crust of the steak is what is important. It needs to be crisp, thick, and well seasoned; this steak was and it was phenomenal.A porterhouse doesnt cook totally evenly, and I think that makes it great for sharing. We ordered it medium rare, and they cooked it perfectly. The thick middle of the steak was medium rare, while the thinner end pieces were more medium.A steak is worth $69 if you immensely enjoy every bite, and eat every bite. It may be too much for just two people to order, so we might have to bring friends to Balena so we can order it again.We ended our meal with one of Balenas Composed Sundaes. I love this concept, of taking the classic ice cream sundae to the next level. This had the most incredible vanilla ice cream, warm homemade chocolate chip cookies (sorry Mom, but they might have been even better than yours), and chocolate sauce. It was the perfect end to our meal.If you have the chance, go to Balena. I promise you that you will love it. In addition to having some of the best food in Chicago, the space is gorgeous. I told my husband that I wanted to move in. The space has high vaulted ceilings with a sky light and you feel as though you have entered a church. It is grand without being stuffy. It feels like home, and maybe that is why I wanted to move in. Balena is a great place for a date, or dinner with friends. It is the perfect place to go before a show at Steppenwolf Theatre, since it is right next door.Balenas menu is focused on what is seasonal and locally available, which means the menu changes frequently. The items I wrote about may not be on the menu for long. My photos arent great… so head over to Balenas website. My friend Danas father took absolutely stunning photos for Balenas site.Balena is located in Chicagos Lincoln Park at 1633 North Halsted Street. It is a short walk from the North and Clyborn Red Line stop. thekittchen.com
Hands down- best pasta/pizza combo I’ve ever had in my life. In fact, this is the first restaurant review I’ve ever written because it was THAT good. You have my recommendation.
Good times. Really good food, and excellent service. Balena has a great atmosphere, and we’ll definitely be back!!