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The Whale Wins, Seattle, WA
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The Whale Wins

$31 to $50
American

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 13 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Charming
  • Neighborhood gem
  • Great for fine wines
The Whale Wins: A Culinary Oasis in Seattle Located in Seattle's Fremont-Wallingford neighborhood, The Whale Wins is a culinary experience led by award-winning chef Renee Erickson. This James Beard Award-winning restaurant combines rustic charm with modern elegance. Upon entering, you'll find a warm atmosphere and an open kitchen that showcases culinary artistry. The light-filled dining room creates a tranquil setting. The menu highlights the Pacific Northwest's bounty, featuring wood-fired dishes made from the freshest seasonal ingredients. From succulent roast chicken to delectable trout, each dish reflects Erickson's dedication to quality and creativity. Be sure to try the signature butter-roasted zucchini bread, a delightful sweet and savory treat. The Whale Wins also offers an impressive wine list with local and international selections. Whether you're a wine expert or a novice, the knowledgeable staff will help you find the perfect pairing. Ideal for romantic dinners, casual lunches, or celebrations, The Whale Wins is a must-visit.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Renee Erickson

From the OpenTable editors: The Whale Wins was the third hit restaurant for Renee Erickson, the James Beard Award–winning chef and author who’s become synonymous with the Pacific Northwest. In a cottage-core space with ocean blue trim, tuck into her simple and seasonal fare with nods to French and English country classics. Think smoked black cod dip, sardines on toast, crisp roast chicken, and lettuce dressed in pistachios and herbs. Don't leave without an order of the sticky toffee pudding for dessert.

Additional information

  • Location
    3506 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103
  • Phone number
    (206) 632-9425
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, European, French
  • Hours of operation
    Wed, Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking is also available in a lot behind the building, accessible from both Stone Way and 35th.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Featured in

Experiences

  • Dining Room Reservation

    Multiple dates available
    Drawing inspiration from some of Renee Erickson’s favorite places in southern Europe and England, our dining room evokes a lively, light filled, cottage-like space with a view of our kitchen and wood-fired oven.

  • Larder Reservation

    Multiple dates available
    The Whale Wins' larder is stocked with our favorite wine, spirits, and specialty items. Dine in this intimate space with peek-a-boo views of our kitchen and bar.

  • Patio Reservation

    Multiple dates available
    Dine on our lush, garden patio - both covered and heated for your comfort year-round.

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 939 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.7Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Seattle

    American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Whale Wins offers a "wonderful go-to destination" for gatherings, with "exceptional service" and "fantastic" food. Highlights include Matiz Sardines on Toast and Zucchini Bread. The ambiance is cozy and ideal for celebrations. While some critique portion sizes and pricing, the overall dining experience remains "sublime and delightful."

939 Reviews

  1. dougs

    Orange County

    9 reviews

    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great meal and good service but the mandatory 22% service charge is outrageous.

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  2. catherine

    Seattle

    190 reviews

    5.0

    190 reviews

    Dined on February 23, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This is a wonderful go to destination when meeting family, out of town guests, a group of friends. The food is always delicious and beautifully presented whenever I’ve dined there. The ambiance is lovely. The 22% auto service charge is not what I want tacked on my tab, but the way of the world seems to go that way now. The service matched the service charge today, so we didn’t mind it too much.

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  3. Danielle

    Seattle

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The whale wins is a nearly perfect restaurant. I simply could not love it more, and the service is exceptional.

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  4. Ron

    Seattle

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our Happy Hour orders were perfection. Sardines, salads, clams. Our dinner orders were superb. My wife’s fish was perfectly cooked. Moist & tender meat & crispy skin. My chicken was cooked very well. Soft & tender meat. Only complaint was our bread was cold & it took awhile for our main course to arrive. But other than that hiccup, everything was great. Our servers were attentive to our table. Would mind going back at all or trying the other Sea Creature restos

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  5. JoyAnn

    Seattle

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on February 14, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The goat cheese and clams were delicious. The gnocchi was bland and the texture was too uniform or something. The lemon merengue dessert was not very flavorful and very annoying to eat because the merengue was way too hard. It was much too expensive a meal to not blow us away. Speaking of, the NA cocktail was overpriced in general but especially for the size.

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  6. Leslie

    Seattle

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Really fun experience! Enjoyed the winemaker stories, intimate dining experience and meal. Only suggestion for improvement: dessert. With all that red wine at the end, I needed more than a light biscuit to finish off the night. (The biscuit was SO good!! But more of a side to a cup of coffee than a dessert at a pricey multi course wine dinner.) Will definitely do more events like this!!

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  7. Merissa

    Western NC

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a phenomenal time at The Whale Wins. We sat at the bar and received exemplary service from the bar tender as well as the wait staff. The food was incredible. We particularly enjoyed the Matiz Sardines on Toast and per our waiter's recommendation, the Zucchini Bread was to die for. Though I would have loved a little more crème fraiche ;-) We plan to return as we had such a delightful time.

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  8. Jeanne

    VIP

    Seattle

    45 reviews

    5.0

    45 reviews

    Dined on January 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Crispy cassoulet and a simple lettuce salad dressed perfectly, topped off with toffee pudding, served efficiently by pleasant waiters, what more could two chilled pilgrims seeking solace in darkest winter possibly desire?

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  9. Joy

    VIP

    Seattle

    32 reviews

    5.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on December 22, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Went for brunch and it was excellent -- food, vibe, service. Great place to enjoy a meal with friends on a rainy Sunday. Have been at least 4-5 times to this restaurants and it has been very good each visit.

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  10. clay

    VIP

    Seattle

    52 reviews

    4.0

    52 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Just isn’t what it once was. Pork shoulder was unremarkable, a bit dry and on a bed of overcooked cabbage. Service was fine, wine list is scant. No one was there. Is this place going down?

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FAQs

You can order delivery directly from The Whale Wins using the Order Online button.

The Whale Wins is rated 4.8 stars by 939 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 13 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Whale Wins

3506 Stone Way N, Seattle, WA 98103

Additional information

  • Phone number
    (206) 632-9425
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    American, European, French
  • Hours of operation
    Wed, Thu 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri 12:00 pm–9:00 pm Sat, Sun 10:00 am–9:00 pm
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking is also available in a lot behind the building, accessible from both Stone Way and 35th.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Delivery & takeout
    Order direct

Featured in

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