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The Whelk, Westport, CT

The Whelk

4.7
4.7
260 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 6 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
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive Chef
    Bill Taibe
  • Neighbourhood
    Westport
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Westport Train Station Metro North
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • 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
  1. Marc

    Greater Boston

    8 reviews

    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 15, 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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  2. Lindsay

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 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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  3. Susan

    New York City

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on October 30, 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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  4. joelle

    Alabama

    37 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    37 reviews

    Dined on October 26, 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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  5. Elliot

    New York City

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on October 5, 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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  6. Kate

    New York City

    49 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    49 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 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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  7. Hillary

    New York City

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 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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  8. Foodmad

    New York City

    40 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 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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  9. Roberta

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We were pleasantly surprised by the whole experience.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    Philadelphia

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 28, 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 reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Whelk

575 Riverside Ave, Westport, CT 06880-5934

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    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
    AMEX, Cash not accepted, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Bill Taibe
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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