tried Balena for the first time today and it was amazing. loved the food of and the atmosphere. our server Ruby was amazing, 5 stars

I was lucky enough to have been served by Dan. He had great recommendations. The owner happened to be sitting near by and recommended her favorite dish the Tortellecci, which was amazing! The vibe was classy but still laid back and welcoming. read more

Balena - Bruschetta (ask for the Balsamic) - Wine Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

One meal and I'm hooked. This may be our new favorite Italian restaurant in Indianapolis. Our server, Alicia, was fantastic--attentive when needed, never hovering, and the pacing of the meal was perfect. We started with the mussels, and they were amazing. There isn't enough bread in the restaurant to sop up that broth. We followed with two pasta dishes, both excellent, and finished with the pistachio cream cake. Light, not too sweet, and the perfect ending to the meal. Great food, great service, and the kind of place that makes you immediately start thinking about what you'll order next time. Can't wait to go back and work our way through more of the menu. read more

My friend picked Balena for her birthday dinner! She said it was easy to make an online reservation, which is always nice. Located in a strip mall a little off the main road, they had ample parking and everything was well lit. We had a 6:30 reservation and we were greeted pretty early and we settled on cocktails while we waited for our final friend to arrive. I ordered the espresso martini, which I didn't even finish as I didn't think it was good. Eventually, we split a large bottle of house rosé, but I would recommend updated the wine list. It was confusing to differentiate the wines. We really enjoyed the house bread and oil, and I enjoyed the Trofie pasta. My friends both really enjoyed their entree's. Our waitress was kind enough to surprise my friend with a free birthday dessert of her choice, which was the tiramisu. Service wasn't the speediest, but we weren't in no hurry! We were having a great time, and the owner was even kind enough to assure us there was no rush. We felt very welcome and I can't wait to bring my husband. read more

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One of the best for Italian food in Indianapolis. Reservations a must. Very popular. Service is excellent with knowledgeable staff. read more

Balena - Prosciutto and mozzarella burrato - Wine Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This is a hidden gem!!! Inside a strip mall that encases an Italian restaurant that needs to be visited. You want some authentic food and great service, stop at Balena's! Manuela is in the day to day as an owner which makes you feel very comfortable in knowing that service and consistency is key! Loved that Manuela remembered me from the soft opening! Let me just say, I was not invited to the soft opening, just thought the restaurant had finally opened so we showed with another couple and were welcomed in and fed for free! (Okay drinks not included, but I am not passing up a meal!). I did not write a review that night as I wanted to experience the restaurant on a regular night to see how it went! Let me tell you, this is the spot! The food is excellent and the service is great. The music playing in the background just makes it feel authentic and great on a weekend. Went through all of the flavors from starters to dessert and nothing failed me. The carpaccio is fresh and the arugula just adds such a nice touch combined with the crostini! Moving on to the meatballs! Super flavorful and not dry at all. I then went in for the big guns and tried the bolognese! The meat sauce is so good. There are not words coming forth other than, order me and eat me! I was then moved into the dessert with the cartufo which is a lil wonderful gelato encased in chocolate that hits the spot!!! Now Dan, behind the bar knows his stuff! I will judge that he likes fernet, but he is spot on with his wine choices and flavor profiles, so trust Dan! My only negative was the old fashioned, not my favorite and would not order again, but it could have been an off night. PROS: Great menu Amazing drinks Easy parking Wonderful wine choices CONS: Still new, give space and time, they care about their customers and go above and beyond!!! read more

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Outstanding! The service was excellent and the food brought tears of joy to my eyes. Even the warm bread and dipping oil was amazing. Two cocktails an appetizer and two main meals came in under $125. We even went home with enough leftovers for a hearty lunch. The special veal with mushrooms was tasty and the pasta was even better. An upscale restaurant that delivers! read more

My partner and I were craving pasta and this happened to be the closest place to us in the moment! I didn't realize this place was a newer restaurant. The interior decor was kind of minimal but cozy. I was surprised that this place was relatively busy on Tuesday night. We enjoyed our meal and would come back! The complimentary bread was warm and yummy, I like that there was a chew but not tough (Not the most familiar with Italian cuisine just a heads up) Carpaccio 7.5/10 Garlic aioli seemed like a unique sauce? Beef was good Fritto 7/10 Seemed a little underseasoned for labeled seasoned, fried well, and the cuts of squid was fair. I didn't think the spicy garlic aioli was spicy at all Polpo 8/10 Seasoned and grilled well Caesar salad 9/10 A little savory and just enough lemon! Gamberi 8.5/10 Love the tomato sauce and the slight acidity Tonarelli 8/10 I wanted to try something different bc I usually enjoy spicy foods... the lemon sauce is creamy and mellow which allowed the ink noodles come through, the chili flakes were in there but didn't taste them. I'm glad I tried this read more

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Cute, charming Italian restaurant with excellent service. My waiter, Shawn, was personable, polite, and attentive. In a time when most restaurants no longer serve bread while you wait, it was refreshing to be served a warm basket of bread alongside olive oil topped with fresh ground pepper and Parmesan cheese. For my entrée, I ordered the Valdostana. A juicy, tender chicken breast topped with prosciutto, Fontina cheese, and a white wine butter sauce. It was served with creamy garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. Of course, when Shawn offered to top the plate with Parmesan cheese and fresh ground black pepper I said yes. Everything was delicious.The portion size was perfect. It was satisfying without leaving you overly full. As great as the food was, the service stood out the most. Shawn made the entire experience great, and I'll definitely be back. read more

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We wanted to do something special for a family member so we hosted a private birthday party at Balena, renting out the restaurant on a closed evening, something I had never done in my life. THESE PEOPLE AND THIS FOOD WERE SPECTACULAR! What a great choice that was! I cannot recommend the management or the staff highly enough. The unbelievable Italian FOOD was the best most of us in the party had ever eaten...and several of us are well-traveled, having been all over the world. One of our guests was born to Italian immigrants, Italian is his first language, and he said the food was unbelievably good. Ms. Pizzi, the owner, was so great, and so very helpful in helping us set up this special occasion for this relative who lives abroad, whom we rarely get to see on her birthday. The servers Kat and Amanda were wonderfully helpful and competent, Kat kindly taking many photos for us in addition to her other duties, and Amanda being kind enough to speak to and play with a very small girl we had with us. The ambiance was lovely. The FOOD....oh my goodness! The warm olives and the focaccia, meatballs, and bruschetta were fantastic; many loved the fried calamari too (a more niche choice!). The Bolognese pasta was phenomenal as was the Giant Tortellini with pesto sauce. Tiramasu was wonderful. We just loved the food and every bit of it left over was happily taken home by various guests. I'm chemically sensitive (thanks to a surgery drug decades ago) and the owner and staff were especially kind to not wear scents, going above and beyond to make it a perfect evening we could all enjoy. They even gifted birthday girl with a tiny tumbler/mug with lid and straw and a gift card! A+++++++++++++ Balena is my go-to place from now on. GO and eat the delicious food; you will love it! read more

I had dinner here with a friend on a Wednesday night and we were glad we made a reservation! They filled up quickly shortly after 6PM. It seems like there are already some regulars here and I can see why! The food was delicious, the atmosphere is classy but comfortable and service was excellent. Seriously, our server Kat seemed happy we were there, and had great recommendations. They have nice options for wine by the glass at very reasonable prices. I went with a classic Chianti which did not disappoint. The complimentary bread and oil was fresh and delicious. I had the Barbabiatola salad which was excellent with lots of flavorful beets, fresh greens, Gorgonzola and pistachios with a balsamic dressing. It was a generous portion and could be shareable. It was hard to decide on an entree, but was very happy with the gamberi which had lots of perfectly cooked shrimp and spaghetti in a delicious tomato sauce. I was contemplating taking some home but decided to just commit and finish the whole thing because it was so good and I mean shrimp doesn't reheat super well...so what else could I do? Then there was dessert....I was pretty full, but they had affogato and there's always room for that! Delicious gelato with a shot of espresso. Lovely end to the meal. We had a wonderful evening and also noticed that even when the restaurant was full, it wasn't loud which was a nice bonus. We will definitely be back! read more

Food was fantastic! The service was excellent. I will return when I'm with a smaller group to get a better feel of ambiance. 15 people on a long table is not the way to do it! read more

Wonderful Italian fare in the Greenbriar area. I would give it a 5, but the Mafaldine pasta dish on the menu was served with fettucine and I was looking forward to the Mafaldine which I have not seen anywhere else in the city. I reviewed their online menu a couple weeks later and saw that they no longer list the Mafaldine so it looks like they decided to go a different way. That's totally fine, as everything was delicious and top rate. Beautiful rustic cooking. The tomato based sauce on the pasta was perfectly done. I look forward to returning for their Branzino and the Brodetto sounds great-- Ligurian fisherman's stew with shrimp, calamari, mussels and clams in a tomato broth. Excellent bread served with dinner as well. Service was friendly and helpful. This is definitely a keeper for this location on the north side. read more

Food is amazing. Service is amazing. It will be hard to find better Italian food anywhere in Indiana. Best pork chop ever. You're a fool if you don't try Balena for a dining experience. read more

Balena -- Indianapolis Balena is the seafood-forward restaurant Indy has been waiting for. The tartare and ceviche are both outstanding -- fresh, bright, and the kind of thing you'll think about days later. The squid ink pasta is a must-order, and the pork chop holds its own for anyone not in a fish mood. The menu has enough variety that you could come back several times without repeating yourself. The space is beautiful without being stuffy, and there's a private room available if you're planning a group dinner or special occasion. Just go. You won't regret it. read more

Balena - Nonna and Nonno - Wine Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Balena is a much needed Italian addition to the Indy food scene. To start, their bread is incredibly good, and served with an excellent quality EVOO and fresh grated Parmesan. The Branzino was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. The veal special was very good, although the veal was a bit thicker than we would have liked. Still, it was very tender. Our server, Cindy, was very knowledgeable about the menu, gave great recommendations, and helped make our visit very pleasurable. We will definitely be back! read more

I love this place! As you walk into the restaurant, the atmosphere is softly elegant without being pretentious. The service staff all friendly yet professional. Then your appetizer comes out and you wish you had eaten a smaller lunch! My wife and I shared everything: the calamari, the prosciutto, the Mediterranean sea bass, the fisherman's stew, the tiramisu and the pistachio cake. It was all superbly delicious! Tonight was our first visit, but it won't be our last. As we unashamedly overate, we talked about which friends we would invite to share this experience. We did not try the non-seafood options but overheard others who raved about their dinner. So yes, I highly recommend Balena! read more

Service wonderful The meatballs and the tiramisu and the Rose were to die for. And a delicious beet salad. My friend had wonderful chicken piccata. Lots of seafood choices and appetizers and great bread. Definitely a return visit in order. We don't usually do Italian as don't eat much pasta, but this newer place had so many non pasta choices read more

We enjoyed a great meal and great service from Kat at Balena. Loved the no fuss service and the black squid pasta, with a light cream sauce. Spouse had seafood ravioli. Recommend! read more

The food is so good ! We had the octopus, linguine , and shrimp pasta. The staff is great and everything tasted amazing

My wife and I had dinner at Balena last evening. We sat at the bar, and was served by Dan. A very nice atmosphere and very quaint. I ordered the brodetto and my bride had the braciola, both were very good. Pricing was in range with this kind of food quality. I am thinking this will be a big hit for the 86th and Ditch area for all foodies.. read more

Balena is open! We just tried them at the end of their second full week. Went at 6:30 on a Saturday. The layout reminds of Smees, But the decor, tables and feel are new, clean and neutral. Temp was good. Sound level also okay for the number of people. We were a party of four. It was a half hour before we received our drinks and another half hour until the first entrees arrived. I don't fault the woman who cared for us; she was courteous, professional and attentive. I suspect in Indy's typical rush to try a new place, her bar and kitchen were overwhelmed. Our friends ordered ravioli, and it arrived luke warm. Popular, It was sold out so it had to be reheated. It came back perfectly heated and was well liked. My wife had a glass of the house white, It was pleasant. She ordered the beet salad, which I also picked at. Power greens with pistachios on top, the beets, thankfully, were not pickled, little dressing. Quite good. It was delicious. She ordered the mussels for her entree. Arrived a bit late. Too many for her to finish, I was glad to help. Not musty. Light and fresh. We may miss Brugge a little less. I ordered the Old Padrino. It was well bourbon with orange - okay. I, personally, would.just order an Old Fashioned next time. I also ordered a 6 oz Montepulciano and the Spaghetti Puttanesca. I love a good puttanesca. This was good. Lots of olives. Not too spicy. I brought half of it home. We were full and skipped desert. Our check was $97. In an era when a casual lunch is $50 plus tip it seemed reasonable for the quality of ambiance, food and service. We know, less harried and after more experience it will be sharper. We agreed we're glad they are open and will be back, probably many times. read more

Was a little hesitant when a friend suggested we meet here bc of seafood forward dishes (we are in Indiana). But always looking for a good place to meet up halfway for our friends that live in Carmel/Westfield and us in the loop. Wow - totally impressed. Our apps of mussels and the grilled octopus were SO good. We all could have happily drank bowlfuls of the mussels broth by itself! The four of us each had a different pasta dish and all shared bites of each others' dishes trying to figure out whose was best. And the pistachio-whatever dessert was amazing - even for this non dessert lover. Our server Kat was beyond delightful - such a happy spirit and great service!!! Made it even better. They've only been open a few months and most kinks are worked out. Can't wait til our next visit! read more

Had a beautiful experience ~ food was incredible. Excellent service from Jenny, alicia. shawn and Geno.

The food was absolutely delicious! Our server Shawn truly went above and beyond tonight, making the experience even more enjoyable. I'd happily come back here a million times. Thank you Balena for having. Truly an amazing spot with a great atmosphere. read more

Balena - Wine Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

The best new Italian dining in Indy! High quality and reasonable price -- the spaghetti sauce was the best I've had and the service was friendly and impeccable. The ambiance was warm and tasteful. read more

Balena - Wine Bars Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

Balena is a wonderful new addition with a calm, inviting atmosphere and a menu that feels both unique and thoughtfully curated. We started with the Fritto -- perfectly fried calamari and shrimp served with an incredible garlic aioli that was rich, flavorful, and hard to stop eating. For the entrée, I had the Milanese, which featured a beautifully balanced garlic and lemon sauce that complemented the dish perfectly. The staff was knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely helpful throughout the evening. Service was excellent from start to finish. The owner even stopped by our table to personally greet us and make sure we were enjoying our experience, which added such a warm and welcoming touch. We were also told that many of the dishes are family recipes passed down from her grandmother, making the meal feel even more special and authentic. Parking was easy, which is always a plus. Overall, it was an outstanding dining experience, and I can't wait to go back. read more

Overall, my experience was a good one. The staff was friendly and service was good. However, it's very expensive for what you get. I got a pasta dish and was never offered grated Parmesan cheese which would've been nice. For dessert I ordered the pistachio cake which was very good but the portion was ridiculously small, it could've been a tad bigger. It was hardly a mouthful! I will definitely be back since I know the staff is still adjusting and some still in training! read more

Good quality, service, atmosphere great. Ambiance portions amazing went well great time

so excited to have a nice Italian restaurant near us. very good food. very reasonable. owner's daughter even offered to let us special order what we want next time. wonderful place. read more