Whale & Ale

The Whale & Ale brings some class to San Pedro. The food is always superb and the service is always friendly. Anyone looking for a wonderful time dinning out should discover The Whale & Ale.
Wow. Terrific beer selection, live music on many of the weekends I've gone. I have had such a good time, I go back as often as possible. Sit by the fireplace, you'll feel as if you're in London. Dishes I've enjoyed include fish & chips, welsh rarebit, salmon, sticky toffee pudding, bread pudding. I've had nibbles off other people's plates and always liked their food. People I know, - I'm not grazing from stranger's tables.
I had one of the best Beef wellingtons here - and they have a really impressive wine list for a 'pub'. The fish & chips are delicious. Fish, (Atlantic Cod), has a crisp, buttery batter surrounding perfectly flaky but firm white fish, and it comes with a glorious tartar sauce. The prime rib with horseradish is juicy and flavorful, and I'm a particular fan of the creamed spinach that comes with it. Try their house burger with blue cheese....it's absolutely delicious. The meat is superb, it tastes like ground steak, but the texture is perfectly tender and top notch.
Beautifully oak-paneled place with aged decor.
Upstairs they have darts and a giant metal whale. And, yes, I mention bathrooms in almost every review. That's important to some people. The bathrooms here are numerous enough that you won't have to wait, and clean.
Great service, great drinks, great food, AND the best salad dressing in the history of the world.
It was August's First Thursday in San Pedro, and the joint was jumping. Not to worry, though, we were treated royally. The kids enjoyed Shirley Temples, fish & chips, pasta. My man and I loved the New Zealand Red Snapper with rice and Asian Veggies. We also had the chilled pea soup with spicy crabmeat - to die for!!!

Pros: Friendly, efficient, interesting dishes well prepared

Cons: None

Posted 09/05/08

Excellent service, great food and family-friendly. My son love it. Nice place to have a great time with family and friends.

Pros: Service, Big portions.

Posted 08/23/08

Reminded me of pubs in England (although, of course, I'm not a Brit so I might not be the best judge - I did spend three months in London, though). I ordered a snakebite (half beer, half cider) and it tasted authentic. The food was also really good as was the service. I would definitely return, great atmosphere too! I think I got a chicken sandwich, cajun spiced maybe, and it was good, as the was the fried calamari.

Pros: food, snakebites, service, ambience

Cons: parking, area

Posted 01/29/07

Last week, my parents were in town and were very impressed with our 'little treasure' of a find in the Whale & Ale. They have been to London many a time, and were quite impressed with the whole experience, of their visit to our favorite San Pedro restaurant.

Over the past few years, we've enjoyed many a wonderful evening of dining at this unique establishment, from intimate dinners for two to our rather large family group of 12!! You can always count on being greeted by the owner Andrew, with warmth and a genuine expression of care and gratitude. Wait staff is always ready to ensure you have a great meal. And the food is TERRIFIC, each and every visit!!

Pros: Reasonably priced, inviting atmosphere, friendly staff

Cons: no espresso/latte

Posted 02/09/06

The Whale and Ale is a delightful place to visit. Not only is the service and the food great but the people are friendly and you can not help but have a great time.

Pros: fair price, friendly people, good service

Posted 06/05/04

Andrew, the owner and proprieter has created a true English Pub atmosphere. He personally welcomes guests, stops to chat at the tables and makes everyone feel just as if they were dining in their small town English pub. The food is superb, the wait staff awesome and the prices very reasonable. Andrew is also actively involved in the downtown San Pedro improvement project.

Pros: Good Value, Quaint Area, Authentic British Pub

Posted 06/03/04

Outside and inside The Whale & Ale, you'll discover the special ambiance of this lovely place. The original owner (retired) chose this exterior and interior very carefully with segments of it shipped from Britain. A friend from Wales disclaimed to me that it looked like an 'english country house'. Yet, from the 2nd level you get a commanding view and the feeling of being in a Castle like the White Tower of London.
A grand piano and attending player play a variety of tunes on certain nights. The current owner (Andrew) has brought the 'Old World' charm and blended it well with American tastes.
Unlike stiff upper lip Brits, Andrew is outgoing and frequently checks and services his guests. His beer, wine and spirits selection is top notch along with his Bill of Fare. I particularly like the Beef Wellington- you can't get it better in London.

Pros: Wonderful Decor, Great Meat Menu, Great House Salad

Cons: , No Fish &Chips to go

Posted 06/03/04

Whale and Ale has fixed price holiday meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas which are an amazing value. For $27.50, you get an appetizer or salad, the main entree, including standards like roast turkey, prime rib, beef Wellington, or salmon, and dessert-try either the trifle or the sticky toffee pudding. It's never terribly crowded, and the staff are terrific. Andrew (the owner) and his staff are always very attentive.

Posted 12/08/03

The Whale and Ale offers a truely unique dining experience. The food is delicious, and there is something for every taste, all prepared in the continental style by their master chef. If you
care about presentation, it is there as well.

The owner, Andrew, knows his Scotch, so if you want to try some of the exotic single-malts he can give you chapter and verse on the wide range of lables he stocks.

Finally, on a weekend night there is great music and a wonderful sense of a shared secret - we all belong to an exclusive club of those in the know about the Whale and Ale, an upscale British pub transplanted smack into the middle of San Pedro.
Once you try it you;ll no doubt be back again and again.

Pros: Inexpensive, Great food, Great atmosphere

Cons: Parking can be tough

Posted 12/06/03

We have been customers for years and always enjoy the Whale and Ale. It's especially great when you get a group together and go on a Friday or Saturday night when the piano player is there. The prime rib with horseradish is simply great. Another favorite is the steak and mushroom pie. Have that along with the Whale and Ale Pale Ale and it's a treat.

Pros: service, value, entertainment

Posted 12/06/03

My husband and I went here last night for the 4 course wine dinner. We both agreed it was one of the finest dining experiences we have had in a long time. The service was fast, friendly and anticipated our needs before we had to ask. The food was incredible. It was very relaxing and there was someone playing the piano and singing while we were there. They did a fantastic job pairing the wine & ale with each course and were very generous refilling our glasses. Excellent value, and we cant wait to go back.

Pros: SERVICE!!!, FOOD, VALUE

Posted 07/13/03

This place has terrific ambience! It's a few blocks up from the harbor, and has the look and feel of an English pub as well as terrific bistro style restaurant. The owner and his chef and crew are very gracious. I highly recommend going for brunch, or to hear live music at night. This one's a keeper and well worth the quick trip to San Pedro!

Pros: great food, great service, brunch

Posted 08/23/02

Solid Pub... with solid food. The staff was very friendly but a little lax on promptness.... I suggest the bangers and mash, if your up for it.

Pros: Food, Beer, Food

Cons: Service, Too much beer, Too much food

Posted 05/16/02