Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Whalen Cafe

    4.4 (17 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs
    Closed 9:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)
    Updated 2 months ago

    Whalen Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    WHALEN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - Whalen Cafe

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Cash only business. ATM on site charges 3.50 per transaction.
    Jen W.

    On the recommendation of another Yelper we stopped in here on the first Thursday of the month for their corned beef night. They were right. This is some very good corned beef. You can get it as a dinner or sandwich. If you want fries with the sandwich, order them as a side. From the beginning: located at the intersection of W. Shore road and Sandy Bottom, it's easy to pass. There is a sign on the side of the building that states Whalen Pub in letters too small to really notice. You have to be looking for this spot. There is some parking behind the building and on street in the neighborhood behind. A big empty lot next door has 'do not park' signs all along their border w/ the pub property, but everyone seems to park there. It was Super busy when we arrived around five pm. Every bar stool was filled, as were the high tops and all but one low top. One barkeep (Jaimie) was holding down the fort on her own and somehow making it all work. Well done. The regulars went up to the bar to order their drinks. About 6pm a waitress showed up to take table orders. The food came out pretty quickly. Thin sliced, lean corned beef over a mound of cabbage with onion, carrot and potato on the side. We were offered mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and butter for the meal. We used them all. This is a very well prepared, brine-y, tasty meal. Cash only, they have an ATM on site in case you don't know. The ATM charges three fifty per transaction. We did not get a receipt for our order but were told our one beer, one cocktail and two dinners came to thirty-eight dollars. This is very much a neighborhood dive bar. About 6:30 it became a country music dive bar I'm guessing due to the juke box. Restrooms, right off the dining area are acceptable. Staff are busy and nice.

    Great time with great friends

    See all

    6 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 7
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Very casual- don't need to dress up but food is always good! Service is usually speedy but depends on who waits on you if it is friendly.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Love their chilli. Drinks are good. Always have a good time. Everyone is friendly. Jaimie is our favorite barmaid.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 6
    Thanks 1
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Joe C.
    2816
    1621
    802

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Great food, nice and cozy. Cash only. The bartender was the cook. Small but just a classic pub.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ted H.
    0
    11
    7

    9 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Super cheap, no frills bar. But that's a good thing! Nice change from paying 7 for a beer... Cash only though

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Liam S.
    149
    113
    5

    9 years ago

    Unassuming little dive with cheap, cold beer and big, satisfying plates of Ocean State fare. Grab a Gansett and the snail salad.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Ask the Community - Whalen Cafe

    Do they have com beef and cabbage this weekend and how much?

    Yes March 17 all day

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Whalen Cafe

    Was it the best snail salad I've ever had (Uncle Tony's in Cranston still has that rank for me)?

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

    Read more highlights

    You might also consider

    Cork and Rye - Buff chicken dip with pitas a lil extra hot veggies

    Cork and Rye

    4.2(314 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    Such a well run restaurant and bar. Walked in was told a 20 minute wait. About 10 minutes later a…read moretable opened up and the staff cleaned and prep it right away. The service was fantastic, the hostess, served and food runners were excellent Our dishes were prepared to perfection. Medium well burger prepared to the correct temperature. Fries were hot and perfectly seasoned. Check out was easy. Love it here we will be back.

    Tried this place with friends last night. We had a reservation, so we were seated upon arrival…read more It's very small. The table we were seated at had one side against a small wall. It was very cramped. I sat in the inside chair, in order for me to get out, my husband had to get up and move his chair totally out and around the end of the table for me to get out. The table on the other side had the chairs right up against the chairs behind it. Whatever. We got settled and looked at the menu. First item on the app menu was a bread basket. 4 rolls of bread for $8. Most places just bring bread. Ok, we aren't getting bread. Ordered drinks. I got an apple cinnamon mule. It was very tasty, but 2 sips and the drink was gone. The cup was filled to the top with ice once the drink was gone. Ordered the sirloin sandwich. Server said it's her favorite thing on the menu. I ordered the horseradish on the side because too much is overwhelming. It came smothered in horseradish. The person who brought it food placed it and was gone, so I didn't have a chance to say anything. I managed to take the steak out and wipe off the horseradish... there was soooo much. I couldn't eat the bread. By the time the server came over to ask how everything was, the rest of my party was almost done eating. I mentioned that the horseradish was supposed to be on the side and she said "oh no! It's ok though right?" I said I guess it will have to be, as she can see most of my dinner was untouched and I was eating my wiped off steak with a knife and fork. She didn't say anything else and left. No manager came by. She never came back other than to drop the check. After we ate my husband told me his ahi tuna bowl had a ton of soy sauce in the bottom and the rice was swimming in it, so he didn't finish that. We won't be returning. I have written many yelp reviews and almost all our positive. If I don't like a restaurant, I usually just don't review it. But after reading other negative reviews for this restaurant, I figured I should warn people. Had I read the reviews first, I probably wouldn't have gone. Lesson learned.

    Photos
    Cork and Rye - View of the bar from our table

    View of the bar from our table

    Cork and Rye - Drunken Mussels

    Drunken Mussels

    Cork and Rye - Choco Tuesday Imperial Stout

    See all

    Choco Tuesday Imperial Stout

    Iron Works - Birria Ramen

    Iron Works

    4.0(774 reviews)
    2.1 mi
    $$

    Our party of 5 visited Iron Works for dinner last night and had a great experience here. We had a…read morereservation and were seated immediately. Our server, Jenna, visited our table soon after we were seated and brought us water. We were waiting for other members of our party, and she never made us feel rushed or pressured. While waiting, we put in drink orders and the "Lavender Fields Forever" cocktail that I ordered (Rhodium Gin, lavender syrup, fresh lemon juice, snap pea simple syrup) was so delicious, and garnished with a beautiful sprig of lavender flowers. We ordered two appetizers: Point Judith Calarmari and Corn Arepas. The calamari had too many tentacles and not enough rings for me, but the arepas were excellent. The cornmeal base was crispy and hot, and there was just the right amount of meat and toppings. For entrees, our group ordered the Chimichurri Grilled Chicken sandwich, The rigatoni with pink sauce and sausage with crispy chicken as an add on, the short ribs over mashed potatoes, the Wood-Grilled Bone-In Pork Chop, and the Rib Eye Steak. We all enjoyed our entrees. It is evident that Iron Works uses high quality ingredients and puts a great amount of care into the preparation fo their food. We split three desserts amongst the five of us: The flourless chocolate torte, the cheesecake, and the Banoffee Sundae. The flourless torte was rich and very chocolately, and the cheesecake was very good as well. I'm not a fan of bananas, so I didn;t try the Sundae, but the friend who ordered it enjoyed it. After dinner, we sat and chatted for awhile,, and we never felt rushed or pressured to leave. This was a very enjoyable evening in a great restaurant environment with delicious food.

    Ambiance is excellent, but my meal was quite literally inedible…read more I ordered a Caesar salad with shrimp and a side of truffle fries. Most egregious: the shrimp that came with the Caesar salad was POPCORN SHRIMP coated in SWEET-AND-SOUR sauce. I truly couldn't believe it. Why wouldn't the server at least warn me? To add insult to injury, my salad was overdressed and soggy. Also, the dressing was revolting. I don't mind anchovies for flavor, but the dressing tasted like an anchovy puree. I think it was maybe past its prime. I had one bite and couldn't continue. Inedible. And the fries. The parmesan truffle fries were drenched in mayonnaise??? I don't really care for mayo but I don't mind a drizzle or an aioli dipping sauce. However, the mayo to fry ratio was literally 2:1. I tried to wipe it off and it was still like a mayo-fry soup. Inedible. I took everything to go and just trashed it. I've NEVER done that before. This is a delayed review (meal was a few months ago) and I'm still rattled by how bad it was.

    Photos
    Iron Works - Restaurant

    Restaurant

    Iron Works
    Iron Works - Pomegranate paradise

    See all

    Pomegranate paradise

    McKinley's Pub - Exterior with outside bar area to the left and the main entrance to the restaurant

    McKinley's Pub

    3.8(93 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    I've been coming to McKinley's my whole life, so writing this genuinely stings…read more The food is still good and the location is unbeatable -- but something has gone wrong behind the scenes, and it's starting to show. On St. Patrick's Day, I watched multiple bartenders yelling at each other in plain sight of the customers. It was uncomfortable and honestly just sad to witness at a place I've always loved. We left and went elsewhere. It also made sense of something I'd been noticing on recent visits, the place has been unusually quiet for what it had always been. Having been a regular through many staff changes over the years, I can say with confidence that the current bartenders simply don't represent what McKinley's is and what it stands for. I am not the first to state this. The right staff sets the tone for the whole place -- and right now, this group is chipping away at the local reputation and vibe that it's known for. I say all of this as someone who genuinely loves this place and wants to keep coming back. I really hope ownership and management take a hard look at what's happening, because the people behind the bar right now, I believe, are the reason regulars are walking out early, not coming back as often, or even coming back at all. They're definitely starting to get a reputation in our small town. There are too many great local spots to settle for an experience like this. It's unfortunate to write this, but the talk is getting very loud and somebody had to.

    Always descent food consistent and service always very good. Little hideaway place with great views…read morewould recommend for a pub style lunch or dinner great beer and liquor selection as well.

    Photos
    McKinley's Pub - Healthy serving sized

    Healthy serving sized

    McKinley's Pub - Exterior from the front of the building

    Exterior from the front of the building

    McKinley's Pub - I spy with my eye a boat sticker.... and license plates and other cool memorabilia

    See all

    I spy with my eye a boat sticker.... and license plates and other cool memorabilia

    Grainsley's Kitchen + Drinks - Bar Pie

    Grainsley's Kitchen + Drinks

    4.6(119 reviews)
    2.2 mi

    The Lord of the Wings brought me here last night, but it's not my first time at this establishment…read more When you walk in, it smells like bread baking. A cute hostess area for pickup orders, but we headed to the small dining room and grabbed a table. I ordered garlic Parmesan wings and a meatlovers pub pizza. Our server/bartender was pleasant and attentive the whole time. Our food arrived looking great. The wings were cooked nicely, jumbo sized with super crispy texture and juicy on the inside. The garlic Parmesan was... Interesting. I believe it's a mayo based sauce, similar to an Alabama white BBQ sauce. I could see the appeal in it but it wasn't for me personally. The pizza was great as usual. I love the combination of the toppings on the meatlovers with the sauce. I enjoyed every bite. While I don't need an excuse to come to Grainsley's as it's in my semi regular rotation, I didn't mind the chance to come back sooner than later for some awesome wings and pizza!

    Ohh what a delightful little hole in the wall. This place is definitely worth more than what they…read morecharge. They make all of their food fresh and it taste so good, let me tell you. We started with the mozzarella triangles, the cheese pull was serious! Then the bacon jalapeno pizza and the chicken parmesan sandwich hit the spot. This restaurant is family owned and the first day that I ever tried it happen to be there five year anniversary and they were giving out free cake too! The service here was great &the staff is very friendly. I definitely would like to return to tryout the bar area too. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

    Photos
    Grainsley's Kitchen + Drinks
    Grainsley's Kitchen + Drinks - An order of fries with a small hot honey pizza, Conimicut Point Park

    An order of fries with a small hot honey pizza, Conimicut Point Park

    Grainsley's Kitchen + Drinks - St Patrick's Day drinks

    See all

    St Patrick's Day drinks

    Whalen Cafe - pubs - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...