Sign of Whale Review
Sign of the Whale
1706 E Warner Rd
Tempe, AZ 85284
(480) 777-1414
This is my first in what I hope are many reviews of local Tempe establishments.
When I went out for lunch the other day I had every intention of ending up at the Sign of the Whale, but now I am very happy with the unexpected developments that lead me there.
The original Sign of the Whale was founded in 1980 in Washington, D.C., and a year ago they opened a location in Tempe on the northwest corner of Warner and McClintock in South Tempe.
Sign of the Whale of course is known for their seafood as you would guess, but they also have a reputation of making a good "Whaleburger." With their classic American theme menu, Sign of the Whale offers seafood, pasta, burgers and more.
When I first arrived at the Sign of the Whale I was greeted at the door by restaurant owner Bruce Sandground who treats every customer like they are a frequent patron. Sharon, who works behind the bar obviously took after her boss and was very friendly.
Being a cheeseburger lover I decided to try one of their Whaleburgers to see if they lived up to the hype. There were 10 burgers on the menu, and of course you can always try their "Build Your Own" and chose between any two of the following options:
Bacon
BBQ
Chili
Jalapeno
Onion Rings
Sauteed Mushrooms
Onion
or for $2.00 you can add Shrimp
I chose the T.T. Burger which is an 8oz. burger with cheddar, sautéed onions and remoulade sauce for $9.95. The burger is served with whale fries and coleslaw. While the crowd was a little light being lunch time, the service was still very quick and only took ten minutes from order until delivery.
The burger was fresh, hand-patted ground beef, charbroiled to taste. It was served on a fresh roll and was cooked to perfection. The sautéed onions and remoulade sauce added a flavor that gave the burger a little kick.
The coleslaw may have been the surprise of the meal. While I am not usually a slaw fan, the homemade slaw was an unexpected added something to the meal. The surprise came in the first taste when I realized the slaw was made with a vinaigrette, which Bruce told me was from his mom’s recipe. If I had one complaint I thought the french fries may have been an little overcooked for my taste.
This was my first meal at the Sign of the Whale and after my experience it will not be the last.
You can become a fan of the restaurant at their Facebook page.
