Not good service. The manager said we are closed until 4. When we arrived at 4 we were told they aren't taking walking. Awful

My wife and I enjoyed a fabulous snack at Baleen kitchen for lunch last week. We ordered ahi tuna tacos and a large charcuterie plate to share. The combination of great food and great service, we will definitely be back. Our waiter, Graham, added the extra little touch that made our experience a delight. We look forward to coming back! read more

BALEENkitchen - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I had dinner and brunch here. Right across from hotel I was staying at. The best truffle fries I ever tasted and the key lime pie I took one with me both times, it tasted awesome‼ I had an issue with my French toast , but management made accommodations to give me that experience of being appreciated. It's a Great view of the harbor. read more

Beautiful bar in lounge area. Everything we tasted - from the wine and appetizers to the salad to the entree - was full of flavor and freshness. Will definitely return! read more

Terrible service. This place has so much potential so it's really disappointing. We waited 20 mins for a table when the restaurant was only half full. After that, the hostess had to take our drink and food order because our waitress was no where to be found. As soo as we sat down, we ordered immediately since we had already been waiting for a table for so long. We then had to wait another 50 minutes for food to come. We were told by the manager that the reason for the hold-up was that there was a difficult table that had ordered a lot of food, and so it was their fault that the restaurant was so behind. He then pointed to the table that was the "issue". This was the final straw for us...we just thought that it was unacceptable for the manager of a restaurant to blame the poor service on another group of customers. Anyways, food was okay, but the service and wait staff was mediocre at best. read more

As we continue to brunch our way around the beach cities today's stop was at the Baleen Kitchen, in the top 10 water front restaurants in Los Angeles. Service was relaxed and on point, attentive, never intrusive. Food menu was, as it to be expected given its location, mainly sea food and fish based. We had a lobster slider with truffle oil and Parmesan fries from the starter 'tapas' menu (as a main) and the Cuban chicken handheld (comes with fries). Wasn't too busy between 1pm & 2pm, we were seated in the lounge. Pricey though at $50 for what we had. read more

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We had a Sunday brunch for four people. We sat upstairs and it was a really relaxing and chill vibe. It's so refreshing to find a restaurant where you can have a conversation. It feels very open and uncrowded so we didn't worry about COVID. The food was great. Three of us had the Huevos Redondos and one had the cornmeal pancakes. We also had a plate of fruit to share. I had a pineapple mimosa which was good but I prefer the classic orange mimosa. One person had the mango mimosa and really liked it. One person had a bloody Mary and thought it was way too strong and couldn't drink it, but that was the only negative in our meal. read more

I had brunch at Baleen yesterday afternoon inside the Portofino Hotel seeing as Baleen's stand alone structure was under construction. The view is phenomenal on a sunny day like it was. The waitstaff had a slight "I am better than you lowly customer" vibe to them. I requested to be seated by the window and we were seated at the windowsill. Very comfortable seating. I was warding off a cold so I skipped the tempting mimosas (bottomless $20) and bloody marys ($11 each). I had a glass of fresh squeezed OJ ($4) and greek yogurt parfait ($10). The parfait was fresh and yummy with strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries. The granola topped it off making it a heartier meal. My friend had the bloody marys and eggs benedict with crispy potatoes ($12). This made for a large breakfast and looked great. The American Breakfast also looked good - 2 eggs, breakfast meat, toast and arugala. The hotel dining room has live music for brunch on Sunday. The solo guitarist was there until about 3 pm on Sunday. It made for excellent background noise. When he stopped playing it the atmosphere was very quite. After I asked a few times, our waitress was always checking to make sure I had enough water. Can't wait to come back. I would dress up a bit for brunch... read more

BALEENkitchen - Best brunch atmosphere looking out over the RB Harbor and live music. - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

5 stars! The chef's menu included QUALITY and DELICIOUS plates- I would highly recommend the burritos (both Breakfast & the Cali!). What made my experience even better was that the chef greeted us personally and ensured that we were well taken care of. Try the calamari appetizer, wings, and the breakfast pancakes (if you get the chance, the menu may change!) The outdoor seating area is awesome and provides a great view of the marina. The restaurant provides a nice sheltered view away from the wind and faces the water. Great place to take a date to go for a stroll around the ocean afterwards (you're already there!) This is the place to go if you want good quality, locally supported, organic food with great service. read more

Always great food and drinks every time I go (which has been several times now) and will be coming back.

What a disappointing experience! I tried to come here for lunch. The arrogant hostess couldn't be bothered to seat us or give us menus. All she said was, "You can go seat yourselves anywhere." Ok... We sat down at a table by the windows with no menus and for ten minutes watched the staff bus tables, greet and bring water to other tables and the same hostess came over and sat a family--with menus! She quickly went back to playing on her phone behind her podium afterwards. We had to go ask for menus and then just continued to wait while not a single person working acknowledged our existence. We took the hint that they didn't want us to stay there so we left and went to a much friendlier spot nearby. I wonder how the food is because the service sure is disgusting. Do yourself a favor and avoid this mess. There are many places nearby that are welcoming to patrons. It's a simple concept. Baleen should take note. Pass! read more

Hidden secret surprise Surf&Turf on your birthday!Excellent food, cosmopolitan, atmosphere and service. Thank you to our server Jared H! read more

I didn't like the attitude of the most of the waiters there except one and food was not good surf and turf was descent hamachi was only 4sashimi for 20$ and they put celory on it :/ read more

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ABSOLUTELY AMAZING EVENING AT BALEEN....Delighted to share our exceptional dining experience at Baleen Kitchen! Chef Hung Quan's fusion of Vietnamese tradition and local ingredients is truly a culinary masterpiece. From the thoughtfully crafted Birthday Menu to the heavenly desserts, every dish showcased expertise. The bone-in tenderloin was a standout, perfectly cooked, and the side pairings elevated the entire dining experience. A five-star celebration at the Portofino Hotel's gem in Redondo Beach! Also Big Shout Out to our waiter Danny, exceptional service. Thank you Chef Quan and Team ..... read more

Amazing food, great ambience and harbor views, and excellent service! We absolutely love this plus place and have come back multiple times to take our friends and family out. Would highly recommend the squash blossom tempura (so crispy) and poke tacos for starters. For the main dishes, our favorites are the King Harbor Bouillabaisse (so much fresh seafood) and the skirt steak with chimichurri sauce! Love that they use fresh local seasonal produce from Torrance farmer's market and change the menu seasonally. Our waiters are always super helpful and friendly too! read more

Jared 4 is an absolutely incredible server. Really, really nice person, not to forget how handsome he is. My fiancé and I are celebrating my 70 th birthday Calamari, Caesar salad, lobster and fillet. Lovely Chardonnay, half price Incredible dinner with fabulous service, I love this place! Did I mention he was a wonderful server? read more

The ambiance is nice, and the food pretty tasty, but two things greatly marred our dinner. First, it was nearly two hours long... Because the service was so slow! It took 30 minutes for my cocktail to arrive; it was absurd. Second was the desert. I ordered the Banana Fosters expecting something like I'd seen in the pictures. Nope. It was a scoop of gelato with sliced bananas on a piece of toast. It looked like something my grandma would have given me. We won't be coming back. read more

This is a really good place to have a great meal!! Right next to the marina with all the boats right there, and we even saw a couple is seals swimming around!! My wife had the "coffee rubbed" skirt steak, and it was super delicious!! I had the mushroom risotto. I would give my dish an 8 out of 10 cuz I prefer my risotto more cheesy. But it was good. I can't wait to go back and have another date night with my wife!! Our server was awesome by the way. read more

BALEENkitchen - Zoka Coffee Rubbed Skirt Steak - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

I am not a happy customer. I visited a week ago with a large party and virtually all aspects of our experience were a problem. To start, the place is noisy. I ran a test using a db meter, it averaged 80db without the live music. That's garbage disposal level constant noise. I was hard to have a conversation. We were yell talking... not the best situation for a group meal. We were a part of 10 (or about 10) and two members of our party did not get food. Their orders had been forgotten by the waitstaff and kitchen. This was after waiting an hour between the time the order was placed and the food arrived. We had to flag down service and ask for the manager to get the situation resolved. They comped us for the missing food, but the lack of follow up just compounded the problem. Drinks... do we really need to tackle a server to get a refill or order another beer? Service was so bad. For a nice restaurant, it is a huge gap. Food... I had scallops. The dish looked perfect. Unfortunately, I ate it cold as we were trying to eat a meal together and ended up waiting for the food delivery situation to be resolved. I think it would have tasted better hot. :) Another comment on the menu... I always have a problem when skirt steak is served as an expensive premium steak... Skirt steak is the only beef option unless you want the expensive surf and turf. If I wanted to eat fajitas, I would have went to a Mexican restaurant. I left before desert. My ears were ringing. This is my third visit and the worst so far. I always ask myself if I would bring my family here for a special meal. Unfortunately, it is a firm no. I eat here because I have to as part of a work group or work function, but I would choose to eat someplace else if given the option. There is nothing special going on here. There are much better options within walking distance. read more

Stopped in for a last minute family dinner. Had their drink recommendation and while it would not normally be my jam, it was delicious. So when our waiter Trig, made a dinner recommendation, I ordered it. Wow, the grilled rib eye was cooked perfectly and so flavorful, especially with the chimmichurri sauce. I was a little hesitant because of the coffee rub (I'm not a fan of coffee flavoring), but it did not disappoint! My other three guests loved their meals of lobster Mac, risotto, and the blackened cod as well. We rounded out the meal with the key lime pie and sticky toffee pudding which are now on a favorites list also. Trig did an excellent job at seeing to our needs while making recommendations with a smile on his face. The manager was kind to come by the table, say hello, and make wine recommendations as well. Overall, it was an A+ experience, so much so that I plan on hosting a group of friends here later this week. read more

Service was good (friendly) BUT there was more than one server that had their mask only covering their mouth and chin. So much for CDC COVID REGULATIONS! Not to mention, there's a walk way that leads to the dining area so theres random people walking by you while you're eating (when you're not wearing your mask). GET IT TOGETHER BALEEN! The restroom was out of service. I ordered the fish tacos...Bad mistake! Most of what I was eating was fried batter. There was hardly any fish and the tacos were flavorless, no sauce either. It wasn't worth my money or the calories. And it just came with two tacos, Might as well have been À la carte. Oh and did I mention my avocado slices were brown. I'm never going back. read more

BALEENkitchen - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Good food excellent service and best location. Live music on weekends and awesome marina views.

We had dinner at Baleen this evening for the first time in more than a year. We had been there three or four times prior. When we were seated 15 minutes after our reservation time, we were told that reservation times were on a "first come first served" basis. We shared a hamchi appetizer, a Caesar salad, miso blackened cod and a key lime pie. The appetizer took 15 minutes or longer to appear and the subsequent courses were of similar time intervals, including at least 10 minutes for a slice of pie. The server was no where to be seen to ask about status. The food quality was very good, no complaints. I had an opportunity to express my concerns to the manager regarding the undue wait times for food courses and he advised that the restaurant was under new ownership and provided me with his own resume of management experience at South Bay restaurants, but no explanation for the slow service at Baleen. No apologies offered. My conclusion is that this is a place for wonderful views, above average food, and inattentive and inexcusably SLOW food deliver. Buyer be ware! read more

Great food and awesome ambiance. It's currently (temporarily) located in the awesome lobby of the hotel. We were able to grab a table that had a couch on one end. Super comfy. And there is a fire place (on the other side of the room). Ended up ordering: Beet, avocado, blue cheese, walnut and kale salad and the tuna tacos (appetizer) The tacos were amazing, yet extremely small and you only get two tacos. They are about 1-1.5 bites per taco and $15 for the plate of two. Besides that I loved the place. read more

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Kyle was a great mixologist who kept our group happy with a few different hand made cocktails throughout our dinner. The Lobster Mac n cheese is amazing, the cocktails are amazing, and again big thanks to Kyle the bartender upstairs for ensuring our group had delicious cocktails all night! read more

Service wise this is a major fail. I can't comment on the food since we haven't seen any yet. I probably should have followed my instincts when I tried calling 3 times today for a reservation and nobody answered the phone. That was the clue that great service isn't a priority here. We are into about a 45 minute wait for our salads and they haven't refilled our water despite the fact that our empty bottle has been at the edge of the table for about 20 minutes. By the way, I am writing this in real time. At the 55 minute point the manager just dropped by to tell us our salads would be right out and he will take care of us. Let's see what that means. It's now 10 minutes since the manager said the salads would be right out. Finally they have arrived and the Caesars have barely any dressing. Let's see how long it takes to bring out the dressing. Also the Kale Salad has only a drop of cheese. He told us he was comping us for the salad but so what they are awful. With the additional dressing the Caesar went from awful to very good. The Kale was sent back. We were told they are comping the salads as well complimentary dessert. They just brought out another Kale and this one looks better. Fingers crossed on the mains although I am not particularly optimistic. Hope I am wrong. Our mains came, hanger steak and snapper, and they were pretty good. I did have to ask the manager for my chimichurri sauce after 2 servers seemed unable to comply with my request. The main courses, while tasty, were on the skimpy side. On to the comp desserts I guess. Apparently they have decided for us which comp desserts they are serving us instead of letting us select from the menu. On the other hand what they served us, bread pudding and key lime pie look and tasty very good. On the bill they charged us for the free glass for checking in on Yelp. The manager fixed that one too. Good food but inexcusable service. They did try hard to fix it but still..... read more

Cute spot for brunch. Lots of delicious options on the menu and I definitely recommend checking out their specialty cocktails. Was also impressed by their friendly service and great views of the harbor. We'll be back! read more

Our evening at Baleen has met beyond our expectations. Came in celebrating my best friends birthday as a friend recommended this hidden gem. Our servers were Eric and Nick who catered to us since we arrived. Not knowing what I wanted to drink, Eric kindly asked what spirit I preferred and if I liked it sweetened. He made me a tequila based mango with coconut milk margarita! The best margarita I have ever had. He also created two other drinks for my friends. The food was SPECTACULAR! We had the Surf and Turf, Mushroom Flat bread, clam chowder, and fries. Everything was sooo delicious especially the steak on the surf and turf. It was tender and soooo Juicy, perfectly cooked at a medium temperature. They have a band on Friday nights from 8 to 11. They also mentioned they come on Thursdays from 7-10pm an on Sunday for their Sunday funday event. Beyond pleased with tonight's service. read more

BALEENkitchen - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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4 stars for exceptional service! Food I would give it a 2.5 Sunday was my sis' birthday, so we decided to have dinner here and have her surprise party at the hotel across the street. We had our reservation at 6, and we got there a little early so we were able to hang at the lounge for a bit. They had happy hour during this time as well :D . It has a great view of all the boats and what not, but too bad it was all gloomy and rainy. Anyway, we were finally seated..and our waiter for the night was awesome. Young kid who happens to know my cousin..but he went above and beyond for us, which I really appreciated. I'll explain more later. As far as drinks, this is what I got for the night: Whiskey Sour from their HH- It was okay. Your basic Whiskey Sour..maybe a bit too sweet, but good nonetheless. Burbon Baked Apple Makers mark, organic apple juice, cinnamon spiced syrup, lemon (all cocktails are $12) -Literally just tasted like ginger. It wasn't that great. Kentucky Buck Wild turkey, muddled strawberries, ginger beer -Mm, it was alright. Much better than the Baked Apple, and the strawberries made it refreshing. Proper Old Fashioned Bulleit bourbon, angoustoura bitters -Holy strong..I don't even know how I finished it..but I ended up downing the whole damn thing lol. Bf got: Sazerac Bulleit rye, absinth, peychaud & angoustoura bitters -I was surprised to see this on the list. He enjoyed it. For appetizers, my dad ordered a bunch of these: Killer Wings Blue cheese 8.00 -So..I thought they were going to be spicy, but they weren't. They have this like blue-ish coating and it tasted like berries. Idk what it was..it wasn't bad, actually pretty enjoyable. Just super duper messy to eat. The chicken had a good crunch to it. Shrimp 'Ajillo' Toasted garlic 10.00 -Overall a good appetizer. I feel like it's something anyone could make at home. Bf and I got their: BALEEN sliders Avocado, bacon, cheddar, crispy onion ea 5.00 -So for 1 puny slider..it's $5..that's a little overly priced IMO. Not to mention, they were so below average that it's even more disappointing. They had no flavor, and I would recommend no one get it. Waste of money lol. For entrees, I got: Skillet Roasted 1/2 Chicken Vegetable ratatouille 22.00 -I believe the description has changed..I had mine with potatoes & some veggies. It was..decent. Chicken was moist, but the flavor wasn't there. That didn't stop me from eating it, though. Bf got: Grilled Pork Chop Grain mustard mash, roasted apple 26.00 -The sauce they put on top tasted like pure maple syrup and I could not eat it. It smelled of maple syrup, too. Didn't like at all. They brought out complimentary champagne to celebrate my sis' bday, and since we had to go across the street..the waiter voluntarily said he'd take us all there..with his own car. If that isn't service, then I seriously don't know what is. I wouldn't expect anyone to do that. It was overall a good experience at the restaurant, but the food could improve. read more

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My best friend, his wife and I met up (a bit late) for a nice holiday dinner and this was the location they chose. It's part of the very nice Portofino Hotel, but it doesn't feel like a "hotel restaurant". http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#fiFLMode_FFgVqlLKxMeew http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#9AkvZ2uBIgpiKAJtak3QbA LOCATION / PARKING: Baleen Kitchen is in a separate building directly across from the hotel and backs up to a private marina. Complimentary valet parking (+tip) is the main parking option. The restaurant has a modern upscale elegance about it. The ambiance is comfortable, inviting and can be romantic with the dim lighting. Plus you have the beautiful views of the marina just outside, bringing the whole experience up another notch. 5 stars for the atmosphere! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#gSF1RuLXYvWfXS4FREr7MQ SERVICE: Our server Nick was friendly, polite and did a great job checking on us regularly and topping up our wine glasses. On that note, they have a good selection of wine ranging from $24/bottle up to a $350 bottle of Opus One. If you bring your own, the corkage fee is $15. FOOD: After ordering Nick brought out some warm, crusty sourdough bread and butter. Yum! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#h6TViIqtukQ2FC6Fc7JI3A What we ordered: Ahi Tuna Tacos: avocado, chili aioli ($6 each). These were light, full of flavor, simply exquisite! They're a bit pricy, but SO worth it! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#koXrxnfJ0yDO7-IWyPN4eQ Duck Carnitas: cornmeal crepes, chipotle blackberries and apple slaw ($15). Another uh-may-zing flavor bomb in my mouth... So wonderful!! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#HxoAwERO3H7B-UBOg2Makg Lobster Mac & Cheese: elbow macaroni, white cheddar cheese sauce & herbs ($16). Creamy, cheesy and a nice crunch from the toasted bread crumbs/panko on top, very, very tasty. My friends however, felt the lobster was overcooked. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#tjWHTUlhOW8V1eyDrbC9Fw Arugula Pear Salad: candied walnuts and blue cheese ($12). Lightly dressed, great flavor, a solid, very tasty salad. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#7vHnLS4ViY6EW1R_ymwCYQ Wedge BLT Salad: 3 different types of tomato under the lettuce and sugar braised smoked bacon on top ($13). My friends ordered one and had it split. It looked delish. I was able to taste the bacon and it was elevated to the next level of baconliciousness! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#STh_kWVp1xH4psgn9biTOw I chose the Grilled Pork Chop: mustard maple glaze with mustard seed mashed potatoes ($26). The glaze really made this dish. My friend tasted it and said "Oh, that's good... I almost like it better than my steak... almost!" The chop was nearly perfectly cooked; it should have been taken off the grill about 30 seconds sooner. Even then it was still delicious. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#eshxkxI3GxE714j_osVC2w Pan Roasted Salmon: garlic green beans & roasted new potatoes ($27). The salmon was perfectly cooked with a beautifully crispy skin. The green beans were a little on the "al dente" side, but wonderfully garlicky, yum! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#q0jaeE1kcvS8avZN22gLqA Rib Eye special: w/mashed potatoes ($36). When served, it looked more like a filet mignon than a rib eye, smaller around and taller, but my friend absolutely loved it. He gave me a small piece and wow, awesome flavor and SO tender! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/baleen-kitchen-redondo-beach#ifOCZCTXgaAJQ8Ks2qahSA OVERALL: Yes this is a "hotel restaurant", but with wonderful food, really good service and beautiful marina views, it deserves to lose that stigma. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 stars. read more

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Decided to check out Baleen Kitchen for dineLA! My friend and I wanted to try out a local spot we've never been to before, and we ended up here on a Friday night. The prix fixe dineLA menu sounded really appealing! Parking: Valet parking at the roundabout or self-parking on either side of the road leading up to the restaurant. Additional parking in the lot located in front of their banquet hall south of Baleen Kitchen. Ambiance: When you enter the glass doors, you have to walk up the stairs to reach the restaurant. To the right is the bar and lounge area where they have live music Thursday through Saturday nights. To the left is the main restaurant seating. We were seated at the first two-person table across from the stairs and hostess booth. Even though the doors were closed and I'm not usually one to get cold, it was FREEZING! I had to put my coat on! At the end of dinner, my friend and I wanted to see the view further into the restaurant. There was a fireplace, and it was SO much warmer in there! We wish they would have seated us in there instead...There's a nice view of the boats in the marina, so at least we enjoyed seeing that! Food: - 900 Walnut Salad - Baby organic greens, candied walnuts, pears, and grapes with a hazelnut vinaigrette. The salad was pretty sizeable. There were lots of walnuts and grapes, but I think I only got one sliver of pear. I enjoyed the dressing! - Bistro Tots - My friend let me try one of these potato balls. They were drizzled in the most delicious truffle aioli and reggiano cheese. Yum! - Lobster alla Carbonara - My friend and I both ordered this dish, and we LOVED it! Parpadelle, house cured bacon, peas, organic egg, and parmesan. The noodles were flat but super long, so I had to cut them. The egg was cooked over-easy, and though I like this type of egg, I though that when the runny yolk covered the noodles, it took away from the flavor of the carbonara. - Banana Foster Banana Split - For dessert, I had a trio of gelato--raspberry, vanilla, and cinnamon--topped with whipped cream, sliced bananas, and Morello cherries. There were way too many flavors going on in this dessert. The fruity gelato did not pair well with the vanilla and cinnamon flavors. Also, the Morello cherries were quite strong and overpowering. I would not recommend this dessert. While I really enjoyed my entrée and the starters, everything else was eh...but I'm willing to give them a second chance! read more

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I booked this super cute restaurant for dinner with a physician who has sail boat in the Marina- it was his choice. It has a beachy but elegant feel- wood floors, white table cloths, plush upholstery. Comfortable but classy. Dinner this particular evening was for 8 people, so we were seated at a long table with a view of the marina view. It was nice and cozy. Baleen has a great little bar with some awesome cocktails. I didn't have any since I was working but others in the party did and I was jealous. They have a great wine list though and we shared a couple of good bottles- most notable Stags Leap cab. For dinner I had the fillet mignon served with arugula, and potatoes- it was fabulous. Others in the party raved about the pasta with shrimp, the grilled salmon and the braised short rib. Everyone was happy with their meals and all the dishes looked great. Service was on point and over all this place was just lovely. Its a little hard to find but just drive all the way to the back of the lot toward the Portofino Hotel, go right at the very end and you will see the valet. Valet was free with dinner by the way. I really liked this spot. I recommend Baleen for dinner with friends, a special occasion, or a special date night out. Happy hour in their cozy bar would be fun too. "For whatever we lose (like a you or a me), It's always our self we find in the sea." ~ e.e. cummings read more

BALEENkitchen - Stag's leap. Yes please. - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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This is one of my favorite dinner date spots in the area. Get a table by the fireplace, order the Cioppino and one of each dessert with coffee. Especially, the sour cream gelato (my absolute favorite) and the lemon meringue. +1 star for valet parking in redondo beach so thats a total of 6 stars. actually wait.. there is one thing i do not like about Baleen.. the restroom stalls are tiny. For tall girls like myself who like to wear platform heels and carry bulky purses... it may be a bit uncomfortable. read more

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$5 for parking.. I was really unhappy about that since the lot had plenty of spots, I ended up finding street parking which was about a 15 min walk for me which I didn't mind, dropped the gf off so she didn't have to walk The rest of the experience was great! I have to give shout-outs to hostess Cindy, she was extremely helpful and accommodating. They were initially full the day we wanted to go so she squeezed me into lower level seating area, she then spent time with me on the phone looking through yelp photos to make sure I was okay with the sitting area. I definitely consider this going above and beyond what was expected. Then she told me to check in later to see if we could get moved up to the 2nd floor. I called day of our reservation and it turns out she already moved us up without even me having to call! A+! Our server, I believe his name was Taylor was great as well. Very nice, provided outstanding service and checked on us the perfect amount. Food was great, I had the seafood pasta which I highly recommend, and also the clam chowder (great portion for it's price). I forgot the name of the dish my girlfriend got but it was a seafood mix with a tomato based sauce, she said it was pretty good as well. :) read more

My husband and I got married in May 2016 and had our rehearsal dinner at Baleen Kitchen at the Portofino Hotel & Marina (our wedding venue). We absolutely loved our rehearsal dinner! We had our own personalized menu and we had a selection of some amazing foods! Our guests had the choice of one each of severals starters, salads, appetizers, entrees, desserts, and delicious drinks - wine and specialty cocktails, etc. We were all thoroughly satisfied and stuffed by the end of the dinner. Our food selection included: Starters: -New England clam chowder (fennel, leek, bacon, potato) -Shrimp Ajillo (garlic, olive oil) Salads: -Caesar Salad (shaved parmesan, croutons) -Market Salad (cucumber, radish, plum tomato, carrot, herb balsamic vinaigrette) Appetizer: -Tuna Taco (ahi, guac, crispy wonton shell, chili aioli) -Baleen Slider (guac, crispy onions, tomato, bacon) -Lobster Slider (crispy jalapeno) Mains: -Pan Roasted Salmon (haricot vert, new potato, parsley butter) -Grilled Pork Chop (grain mustard potato puree, roasted apple, maple) -Chicken a la Plancha (potato puree, braised greens) -Iron Skillet Hanger Steak (chimichurri, arugula, papas bravas) Sweet: -Chocolate Marcona Almond Torte (chocolate ganache, chantilly cream, strawberry) -Key Lime Pie (raspberry coulis, fresh berries) It was perfect for about 20 people and we all sat at a long table overlooking the marina (though we had the choice to configure our room setup in a different way). The Baleen Kitchen affords a lovely direct view of the marina and its clear blue water. So beautiful and such a fitting location for a rehearsal dinner! We had fallen in love with Baleen Kitchen (located in the building right across the Portofino Hotel's lobby) from the first time we saw our wedding venue. When we first viewed our wedding venue in May 2015 (a year before our wedding), our wedding site coordinator actually treated us to a complimentary meal at the Baleen kitchen. Very classy and professional! We absolutely loved the food there (we both got burgers, as it was lunchtime). We also visited Baleen Kitchen on a separate occasion, when we were visiting our venue again, and had brunch there and absolutely loved it! They make an amazing eggs benedict and their breakfast potatoes are otherworldly! Service has been excellent every time I've visited! Very attentive and nice. Just classy all around. Just about the only negative experience we had was that we only had the rehearsal dinner area from 4:00-6:30pm (and rehearsal dinners go by in a flash!) and had to leave right at the 6:30pm mark (and ask our guests to leave, which was awkward), but that's ok - we had contracted for that amount of time anyway. I absolutely LOVE Baleen kitchen. It's the perfect restaurant (we've eaten there twice aside from our wedding rehearsal dinner) and perfect site for a rehearsal dinner (beautiful view, delicious food, reasonable price), especially if you are getting married at the Portofino Hotel & Marina as we did (it's just a 5-minute walk from the wedding ceremony area, where we had our rehearsal). It's also fitting that this is my 1,999th Yelp review! :) As you can imagine, my 2,000th will be our wedding venue, the Portofino Hotel & Marina :) read more

BALEENkitchen - Smoked salmon benedict with roasted breakfast potatoes! - Seafood Near Me - Redondo Beach, California

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Came here for a weekend brunch and was excited for the beautiful harbor views and crisp, California breeze that awaited us. But everything after our first impression seemed to be nothing short of disaster. We waited around for a good five minutes before someone actually acknowledged us and said we'd be seated shortly. The place didn't seem TOO busy as we saw quite a few open tables, but the waitstaff seemed to be scrambling about rushing from one end to the other. We finally got seated and got a nice view of the harbor - a plus about this place is you'll likely get a great view regardless of what table you get seated at. Then, our waiter proceeded to forget about us... "tick tock goes the clock"... where are youuu?? He finally comes around apologizing profusely and asks us if we're ready to order drinks. We order two coffees ($3 each) and say we're also ready to order, so he scrambles to get his pen and pad out. Talk about chaotic. The nice, relaxing brunch I envisioned is obviously not happening. It took forever to get our food, and we had to hunt down our server to bring us ketchup and then had to remind them about the toast that came with our meals. We both ordered omelets and they come with homefried potatoes and your choice of toast (rye, wheat, white, sourdough, or english muffin): Omelet with Bacon - basically, this is a "make your own omelet". The plain omelet costs $7, and you can add items like cheese and various meats and veggies for $2 more or you can get the smoked salmon or blue crab for an additional $4. Nothing special about this dish - it could easily be made at home. The eggs weren't even extra fluffy or buttery or anything like that... Garden Omelet ($10) - comes with tomatoes, arugula, onions, and boursin cheese. I'm surprised at how much I liked the arugula because I hate salads with arugula, but when cooked, it added a lovely herb taste to the omelet. However, it is The Cheese that makes this omelet! I've never had boursin cheese in an omelet and it made it soo creamy with a light, delicate flavor... delish! 4 stars for Ambiance 3 stars for Food 2 stars for Service What made up for the bad, slow service was how apologetic our server was. When our bill came, he also comped 25% off our entire meal because he felt so bad! read more

The only reason why I'm giving this place one star is because there isn't a choice of giving NO stars. This has been a long awaited review that honestly I didn't want to do because I think this is just such a beautiful place but the recap of the reservation and even the aftermath makes it all just a horrifying experience to remember! So we came here on the news of a groupon deal and it was for a brunch deal. The choices were okay and they really did look appealing. The eggs benedic that I believe that I had were beautiful but the eggs were overcooked. I mean seriously? Why even serve me crappy food? The huevos that my boyfriend had was interesting to look at and of course, messy. It was well, huevos rancheros! Hah. The pre dishes were gross to say the least. The calamari was gross, I mean gross. The salmon that I had was just not fresh. I mean, hello? The water is right there and the hotel seems so beautiful and well, pricey? But you can't even serve me fresh seafood? The service was lame. The server came over sometimes and then when I asked for some salt and pepper, it literally took over 15 minutes. I watched him behind the bar doing ... nothing. I reminded him and his answer was that he told someone to give it to me? Seriously? YOU, my server, told someone to get me what I asked? And I'm suppose to understand? They sat us in the bar area which was cute but we were obviously eating and a table that we didn't have to bend over to enjoy -meh- food was just another downer to it all. That night, my boyfriend experienced horrible food poisioning and I really think it was from the calamari. So note to you, save yourself the money, the experience and the view. Walk over to another restaurant, spend it there for the view, service or whatever else because this place is not worth it. read more

Amazing place! Everything from the views to the decor inside. I went here last night with the girls for happy hour. We stayed at the kitchen a couple hours and then made our way over across the path to their lounge on the other side which was even more gorgeous. The happy hour specials here are so cheap and I have to say it is worth it. We each had about 3 glasses of wine (don't judge, it was happy hour). Each one priced at $4 and they weren't too bad for house wines. We also has the fries which were okay. The chips with bacon and blue cheese which were sooooo delicious. That was my favorite snack during happy hour. We also tried the nachos which were okay. And my friend tried the fish tacos but said they were not good at all :-/. Each dish ranged from $5-$6. Overall I have it the 4 stars for ambiance. We also really enjoyed the live music they had going in the lounge. This is such a great date spot. Too bad I was with my lady friends instead :p read more

Went here the other night because I've passed it for quite some time now! To start, finding the place is a bit tricky because it's hidden from the main streets. And the sign of the restaurant actually faces the water, so unless you're coming up to the restaurant via boat you won't see the name of the restaurant as you're driving up to the buildings. Luckily one of the building is the actual hotel and the restaurant is just across the way. It was Thursday night so it wasn't too crowded. They had their $38 pre-fixe dinner menu for the given in addition to the regular menu. I opted for the regular menu because I wanted to try their scallops but the next time I come here I might try their pre-fixe. To start I had the clam chowder, yummy! It was very good and lots of clams!! Most places tend to make the clam chowder way too creamy and you end up getting sick of the consistency or you just get full way before your entree comes out. But Baleen makes it perfectly! I like! I order the surf & turf: scallops and ribs. The scallops were good. The plate came with two short ribs, the length was about the size of my thumb and the width about an inch. It was very juicy, and the meat separately easily from each other. Although I have to say it was prepared a little bit on the saltier side, I have always preferred my food to on the "lighter" side with a hint of butter! ::: Yummm::: butter::: :drools:::: My boyfriend had the duck carnitas, he loved i! The duck meat with marinated and shredded. When I have duck I like to have slices of it drizzled with some sort of sauce. So the marinated and shredded really didn't do anything for me. For his entree he had the bouillabaisse. He liked his entree, and I had a couple of bites myself and I have to say it was very good. Reminds me of paella but it wasn't too overpowering with seasoning. And they gave him ALOT. He didn't finish it, although he said it was very good. So if you do order this perhaps two people can share it. I had mango sorbet and I was expecting 1-2 scoops. Get this they gave me 5!!!! What in the world???!! Okay!! =) So just know that their other desserts might lean towards the bigger portions as well. I'll come back to this place, because the first time I thought was just okay and I want to give them a second chance. It wasn't anything spectacular although their menus do light up with you open it. Which I thought was sooo cool! (Call me cheesy!) lol read more

I have been wanting to try Baleen Kitchen for ages! It's so close to my house yet somehow I've never made it down there. I had a friend in town who wanted to go someplace near the water, finally the perfect opportunity. First of all they have happy hour every day from 3-7! EVERY DAY! Why doesn't everyone have happy hour every day? We were able to make it to Baleen Kitchen in time for happy hour so we sad in the bar area. Almost every night of the week they have some special going on, on Thursdays it's half off wine and they had live music in the bar area as well. Really cool decor in the bar area, I loved the look and feel of it. It was a bit packed last night, not sure if it is always like that or if it was because Hermosa had the tree lighting going on as well. We still were able to find a table in the bar area and take advantage of some happy hour specials. They have a great happy hour menu, I wanted to try everything! We ended up getting 2 orders of fish tacos, hummus, calamari, patatas bravas & a Caesar salad. We got all that and 2 rounds of drinks each (a party of 3) and the bill ended up being $60. A great deal if you ask me! I can't wait to go back. read more

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