Food 4/5: the duck noodles taste like Indomie. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, but not really worth the $20. The noodle they used seems like instant too. (Maybe it’s pre-deep fried to appear that way?). The sauce was way too salty. As a Chinese person I have high tolerance for MSGs, but this is just too much.Atmosphere 3/5: we sat at the main dining room which was crowded and loud. Had to shout the entire conversation.Our server and the entire service team was wonderful. We enjoyed the dinner despite the loud environment & duck noodle.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Alex ngl
Went here for my Birthday and it was an excellent experience! First of all, the staff was amazing and put up with my family. They even brought out a blanket for my little sister upon request. Second, the decor was amazing with an updated backyard and a jaw-dropping inside decor. Finally, the food was awesome. We practically ordered half the menu. The only thing I didn't like was that the manager (or staff), was giving me a cold or hard look. I may have been because I'm a child, but it put a damper on the evening.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Peking Duck Salad, Xiao Long Bao, Wasabi Tiger Prawns, Sesame Prawn Toast, XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodle
Wook Chung
There are hints of wonderful joy at Blue Whale. They are aiming to be a high-end somewhat fusion and progessive Hong Kong cuisine, while preserving some of the elements that are essential to the tradition. Blue Whale largely succeeds in that and combined with a modern blue-ish decor and pleasant service, it is a great place to hang out with friends and colleagues. Very hip. And you certainly pay the premium for the upscale ambience.Unlike a wannabe Asian fusion, food at Blue Whale is solid and stays truthful to the traditions. The Xialong Bao is well made, juicy, and their truffle version absolutely is delightful. Packed with flavor, well balance, and delicious. The spicy, sour mango salad was interesting. Very progressive. Quite a bit of Thai influence. Unique but doesn't put you off. Again most dishes had that one "twist" built into the concoction, like pomengrate in a salad with crispy duck, and they work out well. The noodle with the duck and roasted peanuts were also one of the highlights.There were some blemishes too - not major but also not forgivable at that price point. The dough of the baked bun was bland, The steamed vegetables in oyster sauce really played it safe like a microwave food. The wasabi prawns barely had wasabi in them to live up to its name. And for these meh dishes, what was disappointing was it was literally not discernable from a cheap down-to-earth restaurant in Chinatown, but at 1/3rd the price.Dessert was also a bit stilted, not to mention it not generally harmonizing with the rest of the menu. Banana mango cake didn't have any bananas and wasn't made fresh - it had sat in the fridge for days I'd think.Oh and finally, Blue Whale charges hefty prices and gives small portions - completely the opposite of what you'd want from a Chinese restaurant.Despite all of this, I still give Blue Whale 4 stars. My party had a wonderful time there. Perect atmosphere with appropriate music and vibes. Wonderful service. Great cocktails and drinks. And again, all of this does make anything taste good if semi decent.I'd return to Blue Whale, but not quite for the food. I'd be back with good friends for a fun time.Parking: Parking is available in the Union Street Plaza Garage, which is practically the same building as Blue Whale.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodle, Crispy Duck Salad
Max Zhang
The food is not bad actually, some dishes are pretty good. The service is wonderful too. However maybe because of its narrow layout, it is very loud. To have a conversation we had to yell, and obviously the other tables are doing the same trick.Parking: It is hard to find street parking at dinner time. There is an underground parking garage at the very next door. The catch is that the garage closes at 9:15pm, and cars could be locked inside over night if not leaving by close time.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Xiao Long Bao, Poke, Stir Fry
David Lawrence
Incredibly overpriced and bland food with small portions. $52 for a few small pieces of overcooked steak that's drowning in a really off-putting sauce is ridiculous. The fish was also overcooked and bland. The pumpkin puff, one of their most popular items, was tasteless and really oily with no contrasting textures or flavors. Overall not a good experience and cannot recommend at all.
Not going to lie, like others I expected a lot more visiting the Blue Whale. The restaurant is stunning but I was left underwhelmed when it came to the food. Spent over 100 dollars per person and wouldn’t do it again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
Lauren Green
I visited this restaurant with high hopes due to its promising ambiance and decor, but unfortunately, it fell short in almost every other aspect. The food was severely overpriced for its lackluster taste, with meats drowning in sauce to the point where the meat itself was overshadowed. I ordered the Wagyu, hoping for a premium experience, but it was disappointingly unevenly cooked and smothered in sauce. The saving grace was the noodle dishes, but even those can be found at better quality and lower prices in Chinatown. To top it off, the presence of gnats in the restaurant was quite off-putting. Overall, a subpar experience that does not justify the cost.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Wasabi Tiger Prawns, XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodle
Sona Tigranyan
Cocktail was top !! We ordered wagyu, Beijing dumpling and ginger chicken. Everything was testy !! And we did desert which was not bad :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Noji Nojima
ONE AND DONE.Title: Mixed Experience at Blue WhaleBlue Whale boasts a captivating ambiance with its lighting and decor, but the food quality falls short of expectations. Despite the inviting menu descriptions, dishes lacked depth, leaving me wanting more. Additionally, the higher prices don't align with the culinary experience provided. While the ambiance is impressive, Blue Whale may not satisfy those seeking both a visually stunning and flavorful dining experience. Disclaimer I am Asian and my views are based on getting better tasting food for 10 percent of the price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Guido Verweij
Surprised they do not accept Apple Pay or any payment with your phone.
Beautiful decor, delicious cuisine, nice service. Highly recommed for special occasions, date nights, family or group celebrations.
Melanie W.
What a hidden gem! Had lunch here with some friends and it was truly wonderful. The weather was nice enough for us to be able to sit out in their back patio area, which is really lovely. The menu items are innovative and interesting and we decided to just order a bunch of shareable items all of which were delicious and very different so it made for an interesting and varied lunch. We had (and recommend) the seasonal mushroom noodles, Malaysia Rojak salad (fabulous!), pork & shrimp wontons, Beijing dumplings, and Thai-style crispy chicken. The portions were also quite generous, considering they were "shareable plates" -- there was definitely enough to go around between the three of us with some leftover on a few of the dishes. Our waiter was very knowledgeable when we had questions about certain items, and even recommended a few other things. The vibe is really cool inside with a bar/lounge area on one side and the restaurant on the other. The only thing that I could suggest to the managers or owners of this great establishment, is they definitely need to do a little bit more advertising out front---perhaps a stand with a menu? Or an A-Frame sidewalk sign? There is nothing that indicates that this is a restaurant, as it seems to be tucked away in the back of a little bit of an alley. It's very easy to walk right by unless you know it is there and or have a definite planned meal here. That said, highly recommend trying The Blue Whale or going back if it's been a minute.
Grace M.
Might be the worst food that I've ever had in the marina and the service is super slow. The location on Union of course is prime. Nice vibe inside, good drinks but wouldn't eat here.
Jonathan C.
tl;dr Come for the drinks and ambience. Chinese food was okay, but pricey for what it is. If you want fancier Asian food, you'll get better quality from Din Tai Fung. Parking in the area can be a challenge so you may need to circle a few times. The ambience is quite nice and the lounge is a good place to grab a drink. Ordered a cherry blossom and the pandan and rose water gave it a nice floral flavor. Menu is meant to be shared family style. Crispy duck salad: Very playful and liked the sweetness from the pomegranate and crispy texture of the lotus root. Not sure if it's worth $36 Crispy pumpkin puffs: These were also delightful. Pumpkin flavor gave a nice slight sweetness to the duck. Would order again. Mushroom noodles: Nice umami flavors. Grilled halibut: Super soft and coated in honey. I'm torn on whether I would order it again. Thai-style chicken and papaya salad: slightly spicy and flavors were good. Eggplant and tofu: Very basic dish with black bean sauce. Would not recommend: Pork and shrimp wonton: Nothing special. For the price, would have expected more than 6 dumplings. Shanghai pan fried dumpling: Very disappointing. Instead of coming out crispy with soup inside, the skin was fluffy and no juice in the inside. Would skip
Joe Boys
Knowledge waitstaff, great energy inside, and quieter heated backyard dining space built in what was for a long time vacant. Front seating in the bar are quieter while the main dining area on the other side is much more lively. Varied dining spaces and huge overall footprint for San Francisco restaurant spaces. Great addition to the neighborhood, and I assume it will see success long-term. Steamed buns were amazing! Food had better portions than anticipated for the type of cuisine and upscale nature of the space. Great prices for the setting and location too.Parking: Neighborhood has free street parking. Union can be difficult to find a spot, but the neighboring streets have spaces if you don’t mind a short walk, and there is a paid lot located next door.
Food 4/5: the duck noodles taste like Indomie. Don’t get me wrong, it’s good, but not really worth the $20. The noodle they used seems like instant too. (Maybe it’s pre-deep fried to appear that way?). The sauce was way too salty. As a Chinese person I have high tolerance for MSGs, but this is just too much.Atmosphere 3/5: we sat at the main dining room which was crowded and loud. Had to shout the entire conversation.Our server and the entire service team was wonderful. We enjoyed the dinner despite the loud environment & duck noodle.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Went here for my Birthday and it was an excellent experience! First of all, the staff was amazing and put up with my family. They even brought out a blanket for my little sister upon request. Second, the decor was amazing with an updated backyard and a jaw-dropping inside decor. Finally, the food was awesome. We practically ordered half the menu. The only thing I didn't like was that the manager (or staff), was giving me a cold or hard look. I may have been because I'm a child, but it put a damper on the evening.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Peking Duck Salad, Xiao Long Bao, Wasabi Tiger Prawns, Sesame Prawn Toast, XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodle
There are hints of wonderful joy at Blue Whale. They are aiming to be a high-end somewhat fusion and progessive Hong Kong cuisine, while preserving some of the elements that are essential to the tradition. Blue Whale largely succeeds in that and combined with a modern blue-ish decor and pleasant service, it is a great place to hang out with friends and colleagues. Very hip. And you certainly pay the premium for the upscale ambience.Unlike a wannabe Asian fusion, food at Blue Whale is solid and stays truthful to the traditions. The Xialong Bao is well made, juicy, and their truffle version absolutely is delightful. Packed with flavor, well balance, and delicious. The spicy, sour mango salad was interesting. Very progressive. Quite a bit of Thai influence. Unique but doesn't put you off. Again most dishes had that one "twist" built into the concoction, like pomengrate in a salad with crispy duck, and they work out well. The noodle with the duck and roasted peanuts were also one of the highlights.There were some blemishes too - not major but also not forgivable at that price point. The dough of the baked bun was bland, The steamed vegetables in oyster sauce really played it safe like a microwave food. The wasabi prawns barely had wasabi in them to live up to its name. And for these meh dishes, what was disappointing was it was literally not discernable from a cheap down-to-earth restaurant in Chinatown, but at 1/3rd the price.Dessert was also a bit stilted, not to mention it not generally harmonizing with the rest of the menu. Banana mango cake didn't have any bananas and wasn't made fresh - it had sat in the fridge for days I'd think.Oh and finally, Blue Whale charges hefty prices and gives small portions - completely the opposite of what you'd want from a Chinese restaurant.Despite all of this, I still give Blue Whale 4 stars. My party had a wonderful time there. Perect atmosphere with appropriate music and vibes. Wonderful service. Great cocktails and drinks. And again, all of this does make anything taste good if semi decent.I'd return to Blue Whale, but not quite for the food. I'd be back with good friends for a fun time.Parking: Parking is available in the Union Street Plaza Garage, which is practically the same building as Blue Whale.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodle, Crispy Duck Salad
The food is not bad actually, some dishes are pretty good. The service is wonderful too. However maybe because of its narrow layout, it is very loud. To have a conversation we had to yell, and obviously the other tables are doing the same trick.Parking: It is hard to find street parking at dinner time. There is an underground parking garage at the very next door. The catch is that the garage closes at 9:15pm, and cars could be locked inside over night if not leaving by close time.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Xiao Long Bao, Poke, Stir Fry
Incredibly overpriced and bland food with small portions. $52 for a few small pieces of overcooked steak that's drowning in a really off-putting sauce is ridiculous. The fish was also overcooked and bland. The pumpkin puff, one of their most popular items, was tasteless and really oily with no contrasting textures or flavors. Overall not a good experience and cannot recommend at all.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Pumpkin Puff, Wasabi Tiger Prawns
Not going to lie, like others I expected a lot more visiting the Blue Whale. The restaurant is stunning but I was left underwhelmed when it came to the food. Spent over 100 dollars per person and wouldn’t do it again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 4
I visited this restaurant with high hopes due to its promising ambiance and decor, but unfortunately, it fell short in almost every other aspect. The food was severely overpriced for its lackluster taste, with meats drowning in sauce to the point where the meat itself was overshadowed. I ordered the Wagyu, hoping for a premium experience, but it was disappointingly unevenly cooked and smothered in sauce. The saving grace was the noodle dishes, but even those can be found at better quality and lower prices in Chinatown. To top it off, the presence of gnats in the restaurant was quite off-putting. Overall, a subpar experience that does not justify the cost.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Wasabi Tiger Prawns, XO Roasted Duck Thin Noodle
Cocktail was top !! We ordered wagyu, Beijing dumpling and ginger chicken. Everything was testy !! And we did desert which was not bad :)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ONE AND DONE.Title: Mixed Experience at Blue WhaleBlue Whale boasts a captivating ambiance with its lighting and decor, but the food quality falls short of expectations. Despite the inviting menu descriptions, dishes lacked depth, leaving me wanting more. Additionally, the higher prices don't align with the culinary experience provided. While the ambiance is impressive, Blue Whale may not satisfy those seeking both a visually stunning and flavorful dining experience. Disclaimer I am Asian and my views are based on getting better tasting food for 10 percent of the price.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 4
Surprised they do not accept Apple Pay or any payment with your phone.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
Beautiful decor, delicious cuisine, nice service. Highly recommed for special occasions, date nights, family or group celebrations.
What a hidden gem! Had lunch here with some friends and it was truly wonderful. The weather was nice enough for us to be able to sit out in their back patio area, which is really lovely. The menu items are innovative and interesting and we decided to just order a bunch of shareable items all of which were delicious and very different so it made for an interesting and varied lunch. We had (and recommend) the seasonal mushroom noodles, Malaysia Rojak salad (fabulous!), pork & shrimp wontons, Beijing dumplings, and Thai-style crispy chicken. The portions were also quite generous, considering they were "shareable plates" -- there was definitely enough to go around between the three of us with some leftover on a few of the dishes. Our waiter was very knowledgeable when we had questions about certain items, and even recommended a few other things. The vibe is really cool inside with a bar/lounge area on one side and the restaurant on the other. The only thing that I could suggest to the managers or owners of this great establishment, is they definitely need to do a little bit more advertising out front---perhaps a stand with a menu? Or an A-Frame sidewalk sign? There is nothing that indicates that this is a restaurant, as it seems to be tucked away in the back of a little bit of an alley. It's very easy to walk right by unless you know it is there and or have a definite planned meal here. That said, highly recommend trying The Blue Whale or going back if it's been a minute.
Might be the worst food that I've ever had in the marina and the service is super slow. The location on Union of course is prime. Nice vibe inside, good drinks but wouldn't eat here.
tl;dr Come for the drinks and ambience. Chinese food was okay, but pricey for what it is. If you want fancier Asian food, you'll get better quality from Din Tai Fung. Parking in the area can be a challenge so you may need to circle a few times. The ambience is quite nice and the lounge is a good place to grab a drink. Ordered a cherry blossom and the pandan and rose water gave it a nice floral flavor. Menu is meant to be shared family style. Crispy duck salad: Very playful and liked the sweetness from the pomegranate and crispy texture of the lotus root. Not sure if it's worth $36 Crispy pumpkin puffs: These were also delightful. Pumpkin flavor gave a nice slight sweetness to the duck. Would order again. Mushroom noodles: Nice umami flavors. Grilled halibut: Super soft and coated in honey. I'm torn on whether I would order it again. Thai-style chicken and papaya salad: slightly spicy and flavors were good. Eggplant and tofu: Very basic dish with black bean sauce. Would not recommend: Pork and shrimp wonton: Nothing special. For the price, would have expected more than 6 dumplings. Shanghai pan fried dumpling: Very disappointing. Instead of coming out crispy with soup inside, the skin was fluffy and no juice in the inside. Would skip
Knowledge waitstaff, great energy inside, and quieter heated backyard dining space built in what was for a long time vacant. Front seating in the bar are quieter while the main dining area on the other side is much more lively. Varied dining spaces and huge overall footprint for San Francisco restaurant spaces. Great addition to the neighborhood, and I assume it will see success long-term. Steamed buns were amazing! Food had better portions than anticipated for the type of cuisine and upscale nature of the space. Great prices for the setting and location too.Parking: Neighborhood has free street parking. Union can be difficult to find a spot, but the neighboring streets have spaces if you don’t mind a short walk, and there is a paid lot located next door.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5