The Whale Wins

"We had dinner here on a Tuesday. The menu is all locally sourced ingredients with a European twist to the preparation of the food. Think upper class hipster. The wait staff was extremely friendly. We had the salmon dip as an appetizer. Delicious notes of spice at the end of the dip. The chips were freshly cooked and perfectly seasoned. For a main course we split the Tuesday special of The Cassoulet for Two. The flavors of each; the sausage, the duck and the lentils were amazing. The only negative comment is that the dish should have come out of the 700 degree oven about 2 minutes earlier. That being said, the meal was still amazing. The texture of a purposefully ground sausage was refreshing. The fact that the duck itself was not oily or greasy and that the meat fell off the bone was appetizing. While the integrity of the lentils was compromised by being overcooked, the bread crumbs replenished some of the lost texture. Overall an amazing meal. I was pleasantly surprised by how full and delicious the table red wine was. It complimented the European feel of the meal perfectly without overpowering your senses. While you’re there, be sure to check out the goods from local vendors and European ones."

"We had an appetizer, gnocchi entree, bread pudding and cocktails. I would only go back for the cocktails and dessert. The food was ok but relative to the price it wasn’t necessarily worth it. Similar priced places in the area offer better food."

"I like this place a lot. I ordered the serrano ham and potato leek soup. Both were yummy but both were also very heavy on the olive oil.. It's kind of like the high-end version of restaurants who just add a lot of salt or sugar to food. There must be a balance with the amount of olive oil as well. The environment is nice and casual. Oddly, they have hip hop music over the speaker which I like but is an interesting fit with the rest of the place. The service is friendly, fast and excellent. Overall, I would come again and bring your friend."

"Wonderful dining experience at The Whale Wins! Very similar ambiance and experience to The Walrus and Carpenter in Ballard, without the oysters. We loved the family style ordering so that we could try several things on the menu that were all fantastic and carefully crafted. Our server coursed our picks out for us and was very attentive and kind, even going out of her way to make our anniversary dinner special. Cocktails were all a hit, so much so that I had to try all four that they had on their menu, and the servers champagne choice was delicious as well. They even have a little storefront right by the entrance of the restaurant that you walk past if you use their restroom. Carrying things from locally made gelato, craft beers, wines, to kitchen ingredients and merchandise from the restaurant. We couldn’t help but grab a few things on our way out. Ill definitely be curious to come back in the future to try any new menu items and I’d absolutely recommend this place to anyone in the Fremont area looking for a good meal."

"To start, I have got to say that I had one of the best dining experiences at The Whale Wins. The entire serving staff went above and beyond what was needed or required to give a wonderful dining experience. They were able to answer any question, help with allergy and dietary restrictions, as well as suggestion great food. The food itself was great, as to expect from this restaurant. The shareable plates were all unique, fresh, and thoughtfully plated. My significant other tried the half chicken, and it was the best chicken she has ever had. I have no idea how they were able to cook the chicken so tender. I would recommend getting a reservation a few days out in advanced as it can get busy on the weekends."