A hallway leads into The Walrus, where the mood changes quickly from an unassuming arrival to a dining room of brushed gold, dark-and-white walls, leather booths and playful walrus artwork. It is cozy but polished, with retro styling and art deco touches that give a simple night out a little visual lift.
Faux-marble tables keep the room from becoming too precious. The effect is relaxed rather than formal: a place for a full pasta dinner, a pizza and drinks, or a table crowded with several orders from a menu that moves comfortably between Italian-inspired cooking and American comfort food.
A broad menu with pasta at the center
Pasta is a good place to begin. The selections include chicken Dijon tortellini, pesto tortellini, Cajun pasta, Cajun tetrazzini, vegetable penne rosé, Alfredo, chicken Florentine ravioli and pasta with sausage. Portions are notably generous, so a bowl of tortellini or pasta can easily turn into tomorrow’s lunch.
The Cajun tetrazzini has been a particular standout on a multi-dish table, which says something in a restaurant with a lot of competition for attention. Chicken parm is another satisfying option for diners in the mood for a familiar Italian-American classic.
Even the utensil detail has personality. Pasta dishes arrive with a twirling spoon, a small touch that makes a big plate of noodles a little easier to manage and gives the table setting its own wink.
Pizza, wings and comfort-food detours
Pizza is not an afterthought here. The crust is crisp and flavorful, with toppings applied in a balanced amount rather than piled on until the slice loses its shape. It works well for a shared table, especially when a group cannot agree on one pasta direction.
The menu makes room for plenty beyond red sauce and mozzarella. Gochujang wings bring a different kind of heat, while Italian sausage pizzaiola keeps one foot in the restaurant’s Italian-inspired side. Crab cakes can arrive over a salad, and the Tuscany salad offers a lighter counterpoint to the richer plates.
Sandwiches also have a place on the menu. The turkey sandwich pairs pepper jack cheese with a fresh bakery-style loaf, a useful choice when someone at the table wants a substantial lunch or dinner without committing to a bowl of pasta.
For younger diners, a child’s pizza has been made to order with fresh toppings. That flexibility is helpful for family meals, though the broader appeal is simply that diners with different appetites can order very different things without anyone settling.
Bread, mussels and the pleasures of ordering too much
Before the main dishes settle in, complimentary table bread with herb butter gives everyone something to work on. It is a modest opening gesture, but it suits the restaurant’s generous approach.
Mussels in scampi broth make a good shared starter, particularly with an order of crispy garlic fries nearby. The broth gives the table a reason to linger over the first course instead of rushing toward the entrées.
The menu is built for a little overlap. A group can order pasta, a pizza, wings, perhaps a salad, and spend the meal passing plates around. Larger parties and families fit naturally into that rhythm, with enough food to share and enough leftovers to carry out.
A good room for a beer or something sweeter
The drink list extends the menu’s anything-but-narrow approach. Craft beer is a major presence, including tap selections from Drekker Brewing, giving beer drinkers plenty to consider alongside pizza or a richer pasta dish.
Non-beer choices do not feel like an obligation. Italian sodas, pineapple cider, huckleberry seltzer and hot tea give the table several other directions to take. A huckleberry seltzer is especially fitting when the meal has already covered plenty of cheese, sauce and garlic.
Dessert continues the generous portioning. House choices include homemade tiramisu, chocolate peanut butter cake and blueberry cheesecake. The tiramisu can be large enough to share, which is fortunate after a full entrée and a basket of bread.
Service with some conversation built in
The service style is personable and attentive, with staff able to explain menu items and help steer a diner through the long list of options. That matters here, where choosing between Cajun tetrazzini, ravioli, pizza, wings and a sandwich can become a pleasant but legitimate decision.
The room can be easygoing and comfortable for conversation on quieter occasions. At busier times it grows more energetic, with a fuller, noisier dining room, though table conversation remains possible without shouting.
The practical side of dinner
The Walrus has a free parking lot with ample parking, a welcome convenience when dinner includes leftovers. Lunch visits have not required reservations, and many visits have involved no wait or only a short one; larger groups can take longer to seat.
For a restaurant with art deco polish, leather seating and gold-toned details, it maintains a pleasantly unpretentious spirit. Order the pasta that calls to you, add a crisp-crust pizza if the table is hungry, and leave room for the tiramisu if sharing sounds sensible.