The Whelk

4.7

260 Reviews

$31 to $50

Seafood

Make a booking

2+ people

26 Nov 2024

19:00

Booked 16 times today

Innovative
Great for creative cocktails
Neighbourhood gem

The Whelk is a seafood and oyster bar located on the Saugatuck River. We offer a locally sourced and meticulously crafted menu Tuesday through Saturday. Hope to see you there!

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Seafood, American, Oyster Bar
Hours of Operation
Tue–Thu 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm
Phone number
(203) 557-0902
Website
http://www.thewhelkwestport.com/
Payment Options
Cash not accepted
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Bill Taibe

Location
575 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880-5934
Area
Westport
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Westport Train Station Metro North

Popular dishes

Deviled Eggs w/ Fried Oysters {4}US$15.00
pickled onions
Roasted Oysters {4}US$16.00
kimchi butter, parm, crumbs
BBQ Clams {8}US$16.00
bacon, bbq sauce
Smoked Trout DipUS$18.00
dill, trout roe, toast
Mussel ToastUS$17.00
lemon butter, garlic, escarole
Hand Cut French FriesUS$10.00
smoked mayo
Crab ToastUS$20.00
jalapeno mayo, celery, sourdough

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Young LettuceUS$16.00
radish, sunflower seeds, lime creme
BroccoliUS$17.00
toum, pickled mustard seed, feta, mint
BurrataUS$21.00
asian pear, verjus honey, rosemary, pine nuts, toast
Maitake MushroomsUS$21.00
nduja & garlic butter, egg yolk

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Fish SticksUS$18.00
mateo's potatoes, cherry peppers, malt vinegar tartar
OctopusUS$22.00
gigante beans, paprika, serrano gremolata
Seafood StewUS$21.00
pollock, clams, shrimp, fregula, aioli

-------------------

Whole TroutUS$45.00
charred lemon vinaigrette, chilled marinated garbanzos {typically available thurs-sat}
CodUS$35.00
salsify puree, kale, chestnut, ras el hanout {not available at lunch}
Black BassUS$35.00
bulgur, leek tops, mussel butter {not available at lunch}
Shrimp & GritsUS$26.00
shrimp jus, jalapeno, prosciutto
Squid Ink CavatelliUS$26.00
shrimp, chorizo, tomato
LeFarm's Roast ChickenUS$32.00
farro verde, bacon-braised kale, parmesan, jus {may not be available at lunch}
Dry Aged Beef BurgerUS$25.00
pickles, bacon, onion mayo, cheddar, brioche, fries
Fried Chicken SandwichUS$22.00
pimento cheese, b&b pickles, cabbage slaw

Lunch Exclusives

Items below are available exclusively at lunch, Friday + Saturday starting at Noon in addition to our main menu above.

Blackened Pollack SandwichUS$21.00
slaw, old bay mayo, brioche, fries

SWEETS

Chocolate Pot De CremeUS$12.00
dark chocolate custard, hazelnuts, caramel, whipped cream
Olive Oil CakeUS$12.00
cherry compote, whipped cream
Almond CakeUS$12.00
amaretto brown butter, whipped cream

What 260 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.7Food
4.6Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

Connecticut
Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Whelk offers a delightful dining experience with its "fresh, tasty appetizers and entrées," set against a charming waterfront backdrop in Westport. Known for "fantastic service" and consistently "delicious food," the restaurant features standout dishes like oysters, fish stew, and crab toast. Despite some noise, its vibrant atmosphere and attentive staff make it a local favorite.

260 Reviews

M
Marc
Greater Boston
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on 15 November 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Went for lunch. Great service, fish & chips were tasty, but cool. Maybe better at dinner time.
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L
Lindsay
Greater Boston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on 9 November 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Recommend fried oysters, blackened cod sandwich, fish and chips, maitake mushrooms
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S
Susan
New York City
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on 30 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Food was fantastic. Lots of interesting selections on the menu.
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j
joelle
Alabama
37 reviews
vip
5.0
37 reviews
Dined on 26 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
The whelk is a family favorite and the food and atmosphere never disappoint! It was my husband’s birthday and we were all happy to be at one of the best local restaurants in Westport! Last night we had one waiter who was exceptional, he engaged and was helpful and knowledgeable and then sadly another waiter who was awful, she just didn’t want to be there. It won’t keep us away from the whelk but she was a bad reflection on the rest of the servers who are always fantastic at all of Bill’s restaurants!
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E
Elliot
New York City
17 reviews
5.0
17 reviews
Dined on 5 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Lovely lunch spot with the Saugatuck River as a welcoming backdrop
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K
Kate
New York City
49 reviews
vip
5.0
49 reviews
Dined on 4 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The Whelk is consistently one of my favorite restaurants. Great service, delicious food and a vacation like atmosphere. I love it!
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H
Hillary
New York City
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on 4 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
One of the few restaurants worth going to in CT. Very innovative and VERY reasonably priced. Love that the tip is included in the bill! Nice pro waitstaff
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F
Foodmad
New York City
40 reviews
vip
5.0
40 reviews
Dined on 3 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Haven’t been to The Whelk since the first few years it was opened as we always found it a little fussy. However, so enjoyed our meal last night and super happy we finally went back. Food was amazing (a little over salted) and the menu is fresh and varied and caters to all dietary needs. Will be definitely be going back and highly recommend!
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R
Roberta
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on 1 October 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We were pleasantly surprised by the whole experience.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
Philadelphia
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on 28 September 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
We had Otsters, Brussels sprouts, deviled eggs, French fried to share. For dinner we had the chicken, the seafood stew and the shrimp and grits. My only complaint is how long we waited for our first round of drinks. It took about 15-20 minutes for them to come out and then the food came out very fast.
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FAQs

The Whelk offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (203) 557-0902.

The Whelk is rated 4.7 stars by 260 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2+ people

26 Nov 2024

19:00

Booked 16 times today

Order delivery or takeout

575 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880-5934

Additional information

Area
Westport
Hours of Operation
Tue–Thu 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–9:30 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Seafood, American, Oyster Bar
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
Westport Train Station Metro North
Payment Options
Cash not accepted
Executive Chef
Bill Taibe

Website
http://www.thewhelkwestport.com/
Phone number
(203) 557-0902

The Whelk

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

Shrimp & Grits

Roasted Oysters 4

Octopus

-------------------

Deviled Eggs w/ Fried Oysters {4}US$15.00

Roasted Oysters {4}US$16.00

BBQ Clams {8}US$16.00

Smoked Trout DipUS$18.00

Mussel ToastUS$17.00

Hand Cut French FriesUS$10.00

Crab ToastUS$20.00

-------------------

Young LettuceUS$16.00

BroccoliUS$17.00

BurrataUS$21.00

Maitake MushroomsUS$21.00

-------------------

Fish SticksUS$18.00

OctopusUS$22.00

Seafood StewUS$21.00

-------------------

Whole TroutUS$45.00

CodUS$35.00

Black BassUS$35.00

Shrimp & GritsUS$26.00

Squid Ink CavatelliUS$26.00

LeFarm's Roast ChickenUS$32.00

Dry Aged Beef BurgerUS$25.00

Fried Chicken SandwichUS$22.00

Lunch Exclusives

Blackened Pollack SandwichUS$21.00

SWEETS

Chocolate Pot De CremeUS$12.00

Olive Oil CakeUS$12.00

Almond CakeUS$12.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Whelk offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Whelk restaurant rated?

Is The Whelk currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information