A whimsical theme lightens the mood at this posh, softly lit eatery on the quiet Grove waterfront.

by Rick Munarriz

In Short
The elegant kitsch of the dining room plays well despite the chimpanzee candleholders and peculiar chandeliers made of monkey sculptures. Tucked away on the quiet gated waterfront community of Grove Isle, captivating bay views await a well-dressed crowd with fancy appetites, pampered by an ample staff of attentive servers. A succulent fried snapper, parted by a sea of creamy and sweet coconut rice, is as tasty as it is colorful.

• Pros: spectacular views

04/29/06

An engagement I will never forget

by vision305

Baleens was magnificent!!!! My boyfriend now fiance took me there for my 25th bday/ marriage proposal. There are no words to describe this place. The ambiance was unbelievable we could not stop talking about it. The fire pit and the view were so romantic that we will definitely go back to dine. Even if you are just looking for a place to have drinks and enjoy the view this is it.

• Cons: Expensive

01/05/06

WOW!

by nicholelo7

Okay, I was there a while ago now, but I just want to tell you all that this place GREAT! Whenever I go to a place I compare it to Baleen's. This place was the most beautiful place with dining RIGHT ON THE BAY!! It was very romantic and the waitress and bussers were ALL very polite and prompt. My favorite thing there was the mussles, they were sooooo good! My boyfriend also got the lobster bisque.....LOTS of lobster chunks and really tasty. If you really like atmosphere when eating, this is the best by far with the best food I have had ever.

• Pros: atmosphere, food, service
• Cons: pricey

12/13/05

NOT WORTH IT

by mred565

Took my wife there on 12/10/05 for our anniversay, had the tuna & wife had the Grouper, Tuna was served a tad cold & was a very small portion, the rice cake that it cliamed came with it must have gotten lost in transit becouse i never saw it, my wife grouper was also cold & her filet was very dry, i guess they over cooked it, also we had r the Lobster Bisque, they claimed it had chunks of lobster, that also must have been lost i never saw one chunk of lobster meat and it was also served cold and the portions were small as well. I had ordered a bottle of Reisling and that was $51, my total expense there was $210 with tip. With that amount of money i could have eaten a very nice dinner with wine and desert at Chart House twice!

• Pros: romantic, great service, nice views
• Cons: food, portions, tempeture

11/29/05

Beautiful Intimate and Romantic

by myriamh

Just went there yesterday and had to comment on this place. My fiance took me there for my birthday and it was beautiful, (evening dinner 9pm). We were seated immediately in front of the bay, service was excellent, food amazing. Try the Tasting menu I loved it. Very romantic, felt intimate- like we had the entire isle to ourselves. Excellent music.

Amazing.

Expensive but you get your money's worth in the quality and quantity.

• Pros: Beautiful, Romantic, Humble Staff

11/25/05

"The Royal Treatment."

by bigtimela

I must say, when I and my date entered the restaurant, we was greeted by the manager, chef, and hostess very graciously. Everywhere I turned, there were smiling faces and warm complements. My date had her dress complemented often by the staff and manager throughout the course of the evening. The food, service, and ambiance were hands down, one of the best I've ever experienced. Luckily, none of the staff or guests of the restaurant interfered with my dinner disrespectfully for an ill-timed conversation, photograph, or anything. Very respectful and classy crowd. No other restaurant in Miami can compare for its unique style. Simply put, it was from start to finish, "The Royal Treatment." -L.A.

• Pros: Everything.
• Cons: None.

07/12/05

SIMPLY AMAZING

by jesdua13

My boyfriend and I ate at Baleen and we both agree this is an amazing restaurant. We arrived late, about 10 pm. We were sat very quickly, I wasnt even able to finish my glass of wine by the bar. We were seated outside, which i must say was beautiful. The porch is covered in white canopy but you can still manage to see the stars through it. The food was incredible, i ordered the lobster and my boyfriend ordered the salmon. Our water was very helpful and very nice.It was pricey, but definatly worth it.

• Pros: beautiful view, nice staff, amazing food
• Cons: very expensive

04/26/05

Special experience

by cmrowegoinmobile

Beautiful, romantic location, exceptional service, very good food. Very expensive! Nice for a special occasion. Value boarders on diminishing returns when considering the prices - everything ala carte too.

• Pros: Ambience, Service, Food
• Cons: Value

04/02/05

Joke's on you if you eat here!

by williambitterman

Robin Haas, the chef who opened this place, is long gone. Any review of the food prior to this year is meaningless. On my visit in February, the food was mediocre. The service, worse. The view is not that great to justify these prices! $95 for a tasting menu and $45 for the 'matching' wines. (Both are listed incorrectly on the website!) The server would not walk around the table to serve me, thus sticking his arm in my wife's face a dozen times. It was my wife's birthday, and we had a long conversation about it with the hostess, and the waiter. No acknowledgement ever came. When I emailed to complain I got no response. Even if you are staying at this resort, I recommend you eat elsewhere. BTW, with two Martinis and a Tuna Tatake appetizer, our tab, including tax and tip was $400. Horrible!

• Pros: Security's tight, Defibrillator's handy
• Cons: Expensive Bad Food, Bad Service, Expensive Wine List

05/14/03

Incredible!

by Shane5791

My Wife and I have eaten at many wonderful restaurants from Miami to Palm Beach but this is truly the best experience we have had in South Fla.

The Atmosphere and view is incredible. This along with the background music made us feel as if we were in another part of the world.

The food was excellent from appetizers to dessert and the dinning pace leisurely which was perfect for our anniversary. This Place has restored my faith in the fact that a truly good restaurant does exist on the water.

• Pros: Great View, Excellent Food, Wonderful Service
• Cons: None