Little Whale

What an absolute treat. Perfectly paced meal from the chilled oysters, fried clams to steak frite. Beautiful ambient whale theme shows a true love for the sea. Off the crowed street, the quiet and quaint restaurant had a bustling staff working toward an excellent dining experience. I would suggest an espresso machine to complete the experience.

Went here a couple days ago with one of my friends! The downstairs location of the bar was quiet and had a nice relaxing slow-paced atmosphere. The service was fast and friendly with the waiters checking in on our table frequently. Lunch time seems to be a great time to go to this location as there aren’t too many people sitting down then. The food itself was great! We had the oysters, beet salad, branzino, and lobster roll! The flavor combinations were unique and delicious. There was a lot of good colors present on the plate and the oysters tasted fresh and juicy!

Grand tour is absolutely delicious! Truly remarkable spot in Boston and great for brunch. Came here with a friend and we went all out and getting many things on the menu. Personal favorite is the caviar omelette, Also the mushrooms are delicious! tried the lamb and the duck too. I wish the duck was a little bit crispier and seared but otherwise it was good. Lamb was also prepared well. Across the board however, seem like all the dishes needed a little bit more salt barring the caviar omelette. It’s a simple fix, I’d recommend getting salt at your table as you will need it. Food - 16/20 (Great tier) Atmosphere - 6/10 (good. Boutique style, but feels cramped) Service - 8/10. Friendly and attentive staff Overall - 30/40 - excellent score, must try

This was a last minute random stop for me last week, while on a stroll on Newbury street. I had no idea what to expect, but came away very satisfied. I sat outside now that the seasonal sidewalk seating is open, and it felt great. Cannot opine on the atmosphere of the restaurant as I did not go in, but the food was delicious, with a decent menu to appease a variety of seafood fans and palates. I started with four Oysters, one each from Duxbury and Welfleet , MA, and two from Damariscotta, ME. They were amazing and the appetizer that followed, Broccolini with Anchovies was just so savory, with a salty edge which I happen to like. Plus it tasted very fresh and wholesome. The Flatbread with Clams and Arugula was very unique and different touch, and also very flavorful. The service was great and overall I could not have been more pleased to have a meal here. A great stop if you want a causal but quality seafood place on this street, albeit a bit on the pricey side.

It was a beautiful car-less Sunday evening. Up ahead in the distance, there was a tik tok group dancing. The sun was shining. And the sudden urge for an outdoor half a dozen oyster break smacked us in the face. We came here and was placed on the sidewalk which was perfect for people watching. The staff accidentally moved the umbrella and I was blinded for a moment but it was all good because when I came to, half a dozen oysters were beautifully placed in front of me (along with a salmon tostada and a pilsner). 10/10 would def come again.

From the service to the food, we had an amazing experience eating there. The oysters were super fresh and clean in the mouth. We couldn’t resist ordering more. Great wine selection as well! Will be back next time we’re in town.

Great restaurant. Select Oyster used to be my goto Oyster Bar in this area, but I think I like Little Whale a little more now. Although in truth it's the same owner so there are many similarities. Service is great. Atmosphere is a little loud indoors but that seems to be the trend. Everything on the menu is great, with exception to the dressed lobster and ceviche which were very sour, probably soaked in lemon juice too long. Aside from that, highly recommend!

My husband booked this restaurant for my birthday. Before visit, I looked at the reviews and thought about which menu to order. We ordered the grilled cauliflower, steak frites and Maine mussels and our choice was excellent. But the thing is... If I hadn't been pregnant, I would have had Oyster and wine... 🤤 When my husband asked the server to take a picture for me saying it was my birthday and then she happily congratulated me. As we were finishing our meal, the waiter brought us two drinks with a birthday candle. She said "we don't have any dessert, so I prepared a drink. Happy birthday!" Their service was amazing and very thoughtful. A 20% tip is included in the price. They say guests can cancel anytime they want, but we think it's worth it. We will visit here on another special day.

Absolutely outstanding experience at Little Whale Oyster Bar! The oysters were incredibly fresh, and the clam chowder was some of the best I’ve ever had—rich, creamy, and packed with flavor. The hamachi crudo was equally amazing, with perfect texture and exquisite taste. We sat at the bar and were served by Bridgette and James, who were both fantastic and very friendly. Their excellent service added to the overall delightful experience. We will definitely be returning! Five stars!

This undergroung oyster bar is a hidden jem I would never miss!!! What a suprise. The food was absolutely incredible, TOP quality oysters and raw bar, excellent wines, the place and music are great, and the best service from Jaqueline :))

Our server was very accommodating to our orders and requests, allowing us to thoroughly enjoy our lunch here. Although the restaurant isn't particularly large, during busier days, they may open the second floor to accommodate more customers. We were informed of a 20% gratuity charge and a 3% service fee, totaling 23% in tips. We were pleased with this, given the attentive and courteous service we received. I will certainly revisit this establishment; it's a fantastic spot for oysters. I highly recommend the "Island Creek" oysters, which have become my top choice based on my extensive oyster experience.

I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The staff was friendly and attentive, providing excellent service. As first-time customers, we appreciated their detailed explanations and patience.

Little Whale oyster Bar is a very nice restaurant with good food and excellent friendly service. I had lunch with several friends and enjoyed several appetizers; by the time the main meal came, I was pretty full Would I go back again ? Absolutely !!!

Had a wonderful time here. Excellent service, very friendly staff, and even the owner was walking around helping people choose wines (and even cleaning up!). The wine he helped us choose (cab franc) was absolutely incredible and paired well with our meal. The bavette steak was cooked perfectly (recommend med rare). The duck was delicately prepared with full flavor and not dry at all. Small but cozy venue, recommend making reservations. We had to wait a little for our table, but were greeted with free wine while we waited, and we never felt rushed once we were seated. Look forward to coming back!

OMG this place was fabulous! We came on a Tuesday evening with a large party of 7 and they were able to accommodate us. We had appetizers, dinner & drinks. They had a private party upstairs so we ate downstairs. Francesca was our amazing server and she was super attentive, friendly & just THE BEST! We started with drinks & appetizers: a selection of 4 types of oysters (all delicious), mussels (with chunky pieces of bread, roasted cauliflower and beat salad. I really could have eaten a dozen oysters by myself but I had to save room! For dinner, we ordered the lobster roll, fish sandwhich, halibut, swordfish, crabcake, steak, & mussels. Everyone enjoyed their meals - nothing bad to say about any of it! Then it was time for dessert - sad to say this is when Francesca informed us they don’t serve dessert. My waist line & love handles thanked her. She was so sweet and gave us a round of Rose shots to finish off our meal. If we had 2 more people, we could have tried every entree! Francesca graciously declined to join our rowdy group but we would have bought her dinner too! What a great meal to end our week in Boston for work. Can’t wait to come back!

The lobster roll at Little Whale is easily one of the best in the city. It has heaps of lobster but it’s cut up small so it’s easy to eat. Lobster aside, the French fries here are absolutely amazing. They taste like McDonald’s used to in the 80s. If you come at off hours walk ins are easy but if you are coming at prime time make a reservation.

This is a review of the staircase, and it is gorgeous. It sets the tone for the whole experience! Followup: on an exterior day, the umbrellas are wonderful too! Glad to see the American Gruet Sauvage featured with the Lamburger. Update 2024: still stunning food, and service at the bar from Jackie and team was superior. Great to see large groups discovering it too!

Loved everything about this underground seafood spot from the food to the whale tail coat hangers. The oysters were as fresh as can be. The starters were all magnificent. Family style is definitely the way to go here.

Our favorite spot of our Boston trip! Came for lunch during week time, not crowded Had a few oysters, the tuna sandwich was thick and well seasoned, but we came for the avocado crab roll and it was delicious! Service was great too!

Johnathan was a phenomenal server. Explained the menu in great detail and was very attentive. 10/10 would recommend. Food was amazing!

Delicious food, fresh oysters, loved our mains. Service was excellent. Cute place on Newbury street. Highly recommend.

We wandered in on a Friday afternoon and were very pleasantly surprised. The service was quick and attentive. We had oysters, tuna tartar, lobster roll, and crab toast. All was great but the tuna and lobster rolls were the best. Definitely stopping in on my next trip!

Out of town folks that came to this bar for some delicious seafood. Everything was so good we seriously considered coming back the next day. The chowder, oysters, mussels, and the wine selection were all amazing. Our bartender, bridget was friendly and attentive, would recommend this spot to anyone visiting Boston or the back bay!

Solo traveller. Amazing lobster roll and sparking rose. It had been a DAY. But Melissa gave time and attention and I felt like I ended it on a positive note. Working on customer experience, those small moments can make the difference in someone’s day. The food was stunning but the service capped it off.

We waited about an hour for our clam-chowder and fish and chips. The waitress took care of our second drinks so that made up for it. The fish n chips is amazingly delicious and large. I recommend it. The Clam-chowder was lacking seafood. It was just creamy potato soup. I do recommend this place despite the hiccups, it was delicious and the staff were friendly. But if your food takes longer than usual, ask for a complimentary pour.

Little Whale features a beautifully designed interior, and while the food doesn't quite match this high standard, it's still great. I had a great experience, although the service was the only aspect that didn't quite meet expectations. Despite this, I would still visit Little Whale again if I were in town.

The first time coming here was on a Wednesday night, the atmosphere was very comfortable, the decor was modern and the lighting was perfect for a casual dine with friends, a date or a place for after work drinks. The service was great, the food was good but not amazing. I had the shrimp, tuna tartare, and the lobster roll (coated with butter) w fries on the side (didn't take a pic). I just had chardonnay for drinks. Would come again.

Had a lovely time at this cozy and stylish spot on Newbury St. Stopped in for snacks and bevvies and was pleased to find vegetarian offerings. Though French food and I don't usually get along due to muted flavors in my opinion, I would come back to try other items as the two dishes I had weren't too memorable. Chocolate dessert was melt in your mouth tho. Great wine selection and the staff were super pleasant.

Among myriad of oyster bars around the city, Little Whale stands out with its modern series of inspired dishes drawing from Italian and American cuisines. Recently took a visit with my friend to try this new place on Newbury. We started off with a dozen oysters, and as expected, they were extremely fresh and delicious. Out of the six different oysters we tried, our favorite was the beau soleil from New Brunswick. They were the smallest yet were more creamy and sweeter than the ones from Maine and MA. Wrapped in a delicate buttermilk batter, the fried clams were also exceptional. Similar to its sister restaurants, Little Whale’s signature caviar omelette displayed high-low aesthetics that immediately caught our attention. Huge pile of caviar was gorgeous to behold, and it went surprisingly well with the cheesy omelette. Its price tag still did seem excessive, but it was worth the experience. For the entrées, we shared the swordfish and the lobster spaghetti. The swordfish was plain and slightly overcooked, but the lobster spaghetti was delicious. The toasted garlic breadcrumbs added a nice crunchy texture, and the roasted ragu sauce was also on point. While this place probably won’t be my go-to for modern seafood fares in Boston, they still did a great job with creating interesting menus that adhere to their culinary philosophy. Would recommend coming here for some light drinks and appetizers.

Ventured into this oyster bar nestled on Newbury Street, amidst a sea of seafood eateries, with modest expectations given the abundance of similar offerings in the area. To our pleasant surprise, this establishment elevated the seafood dining experience to a whole new level. We kicked things off with half a dozen oysters each, followed by a selection of starters including ceviche Atlantico, salmon curado, and tuna tartare. Each dish was a delightful exploration of flavors, setting a high bar for what was to come. The Greek branzino, my main course, was a standout, perfectly roasted to enhance its natural flavors. My dining companion opted for the halibut, paired exquisitely with honshimeji mushrooms, making for another exceptional dish. Despite the culinary excellence, our experience was marred by disappointingly poor service. It seemed as though the automatic inclusion of a service charge on our bill might have diminished our server's motivation to provide a welcoming and attentive experience. Her demeanor was off-putting from the start, giving us the unwelcome impression of being a burden rather than valued patrons. While the food was undoubtedly exceptional, warranting a return visit to explore more of the menu, the service left much to be desired. It's disheartening when the warmth of the hospitality doesn't match the quality of the cuisine, and one can't help but wonder if the experience could have been more enjoyable on a different day.

We had lunch on the patio on Sunday during Open Newbury St. It was so pleasant not having cars all around us! The food was great overall. We had clam chowder, fish sandwich, crab toast, and broccolini. Everything was very flavorful and well balanced! The fried fish was cooked perfectly and the clam chowder was some of the best I have had in Boston (although my dining partner found some bits of sand in his.) Suggestion: Offer an alternate smaller cup size of the clam chowder in addition to the bowl size. The service was very attentive and friendly. They kept our water glasses full and made sure we always had everything we needed. The atmosphere was quite nice overall. We love outdoor dining whenever we have the opportunity. My only small complaint was that there wasn't quite enough shade in the parklet patio, and the sun was very intense. (There were a few umbrellas, but I think they could use some more!) The prices were definitely on the high side, but I kind of expect that these days in Boston, especially on Newbury St. I would say this is a nice place for some high quality seafood if you're willing to splurge a little bit.

We went on a Friday at 1pm so it wasn’t too busy. The waitress was attentive. The oysters were good, we ordered ones from Maine and Nantucket. The ones for Maine were bigger as expected but overall the oysters were great. If there’s anything I can recommend to improve the restaurant, it would be to offer more toppings for the oyster, but I would come again for a quick bite.

Popped in for a Sunday afternoon snack. 2$ oysters, clam chowder + and hot lobster roll. No complaints. Have eaten here and Select and would easily recommend both experiences!

Oysters were good. We shared two dozen. 2.00 each during happy hour..however, not knowing the 2nd dozen Oysters were full price we paid 50. Also, they only serve wine and beer which was disappointing. No mix drinks. So I ordered one beer and my wife and daughter had one glass of wine each. I also ordered the Blue Crab Tagliatelle dish...the pasta itself was good, however the dish had hazelnuts that overpowered the dish and I didn't taste or see any blue crab whatsoever, it was a very pricey dish for hazelnuts and I was very disappointed. My wife had the clams and pasta....made with a white wine. She was disappointed and thought it was a very bland dish with the wine dominating the flavor of the dish..our daughter ordered the tuna sandwich which was cooked perfectly. We felt it wasn't worth $102. Per person sorry!

Good oysters, but a mandatory 20% service charge is added automatically. It comes as an unpleasant end-of-meal surprise and leaves a bad impression. This practice feels unfair, especially given the service: we were made to feel rushed out while our glasses were still half full.

Oysters are fat and taste buttery/fresh. 38 dollars for saltwater pasta and measly clams is crazy. Barely any pasta and it was like someone dropped the salt shaker on the plate. No flavor besides salt. Do not get this.

We spent around $130 for two people, and the overall experience was disappointing. First, an automatic 20% gratuity was added to the bill without being clearly disclosed on the menu. There was almost no service to justify this charge, which made it feel misleading rather than standard practice. Second, the prices are inflated for what you get. The food was fine, but nowhere near the level that would justify the cost. What really left a bad impression was the birthday experience. We noted the reservation as a Birthday, and when I reminded the staff about this, what I got in return was “ we don’t have any dessert at all.” No alternative, no suggestion, no acknowledgment. For a restaurant in this price range, that level of indifference is surprising. Overall, expensive, minimal service, poor transparency, and zero effort in customer experience. I wouldn’t return.

First, let me say, we LOVE select oyster bar, their sister restaurant, but couldnt get a reservation one night so we went here to try it instead. TLDR: apps and starts amazing, mains letdown, service was horrible. Food: the oysters were solid as to be expected. The hamachi crudo was fantastic. The mussels were some of the best we have ever had. Truly special dish. From there, the mains went down hill. Underwhelmed by the swordfish and tuna burger. Tuna was dry, my wife is gluten free so she ate it with out the bun as the tuna steak its self was not good. Bites of the swordfish, if you got the middle of the fish and everything around it were good and balanced, but other bites were overbooked and dry. Service: this made me want to never come back no matter how good the mussels were. Hostess just pointed us to our table, didnt walk us over. Our waiter was grump, rolled his eyes several times, not friendly at all. I get people can have bad days, but this was too much. None of the staff looked like they wanted to be there. Idk if something happened earlier in the night or what but every person working there loomed like they were counting the minutes until they could escape. Truly odd feeling. We will not be going back.

disappointing to say the least. My sister and I are visiting and saw this place and decided to get food, the host greeted us and was very nice and sat us at the bar. Immediately when we are settling down, one of the staff members who was carrying food stood staring at my sister to sit down when the polite thing was to say excuse me instead of looking visibly annoyed at her taking a bit. On top of that the girl who was by the bar and the bar tender did not say one word to us or greet us, it’s really unwelcoming when you come across as welcoming to others and NOT everyone because it makes you think why aren’t we deserving of the same treatment? We immediately left because of the service , we already knew where it was headed.

I have had two experiences with little whale. I decided not to write about the first one, but have since encountered another bad experience. About 2 years ago I had a business dinner here with a very severe lactose allergy. I expressed this to the staff multiple times. They assured me while ordering and while serving my main dish that it was lactose free. To spare the details, it was not. I alerted the staff and they apologized, asked for my email and phone number. No follow up after that, though. It’s been 2 years, I set a reservation for 10pm on a Friday night due to a show my family is attending. They called me 5 hours before my reservation to cancel, because “the last reservation before you guys is at 8:30, sorry”. I will certainly not give this place another chance, and plan to alert all my friends, family, and coworkers that service is not worth spending money on here.