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  5. Lincoln Park

Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed

4.4
4.4
2160 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
  • 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
  • Phone number
    (312) 867-3888
  • 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
  • Area
    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 2,160 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.4
4.4 based on all time ratings
  • 4.3Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 1.1Value

NoiseEnergetic

2,160 Reviews
  1. TerryG

    Tampa

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 8 August 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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  2. Janine

    Detroit

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 6 August 2017

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent! Would highly recommend

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  3. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 6 August 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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  4. Nikki

    VIP

    Orlando

    79 reviews

    3.0

    79 reviews

    Dined on 6 August 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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  5. Stephen

    Chicago

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 6 August 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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  6. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    29 reviews

    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on 4 August 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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  7. StevenA

    Chicago

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 2 August 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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  8. OpenTable Diner

    New York City

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on 2 August 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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  9. ChicagoK

    Chicago

    15 reviews

    3.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on 30 July 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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  10. Foodie

    Toronto

    25 reviews

    4.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on 29 July 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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FAQs

Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed is rated 4.4 stars by 2160 OpenTable diners.

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

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
Google Map for Balena Italian - Temporarily Closed

1633 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    North Ave
  • Area
    Lincoln Park
  • 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
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria, Wine Bar
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    $14 cash
  • Public transit
    The North/Clybourn Red Line stop is one block SW
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Chris Pandel
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar Dining, Beer, BYO Wine, Chef's Table, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine
  • Phone number
    (312) 867-3888
  • 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
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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