diff --git a/packages/table/preview/index.html b/packages/table/preview/index.html
index e8ccfab06b..795dd13f48 100644
--- a/packages/table/preview/index.html
+++ b/packages/table/preview/index.html
@@ -126,6 +126,10 @@
       margin-left: 15px;
     }
 
+    .sidebar > .pt-button + .pt-button {
+      margin-top: 3px;
+    }
+
     label.tbl-select-label {
       margin-top: -3px;
       margin-bottom: 7px;
diff --git a/packages/table/preview/mutableTable.tsx b/packages/table/preview/mutableTable.tsx
index b43caaae6f..79167420b5 100644
--- a/packages/table/preview/mutableTable.tsx
+++ b/packages/table/preview/mutableTable.tsx
@@ -647,6 +647,9 @@ export class MutableTable extends React.Component<{}, IMutableTableState> {
                 {this.renderButton("Resize rows by tallest cell", {
                     onClick: this.handleResizeRowsByTallestCellButtonClick,
                 })}
+                {this.renderButton("Resize rows by approx height", {
+                    onClick: this.handleResizeRowsByApproxHeightButtonClick,
+                })}
 
                 <h4>Cells</h4>
                 <h6>Display</h6>
@@ -989,6 +992,15 @@ export class MutableTable extends React.Component<{}, IMutableTableState> {
         this.tableInstance.resizeRowsByTallestCell();
     };
 
+    private handleResizeRowsByApproxHeightButtonClick = () => {
+        this.tableInstance.resizeRowsByApproximateHeight(this.getCellText);
+    };
+
+    private getCellText = (rowIndex: number, columnIndex: number) => {
+        const content = this.store.get(rowIndex, columnIndex);
+        return this.state.cellContent === CellContent.LARGE_JSON ? JSON.stringify(content) : content;
+    };
+
     // State updates
     // =============
 
diff --git a/packages/table/src/locator.ts b/packages/table/src/locator.ts
index 915045e87e..63020df07c 100644
--- a/packages/table/src/locator.ts
+++ b/packages/table/src/locator.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export interface ILocator {
 }
 
 export class Locator implements ILocator {
-    private static CELL_HORIZONTAL_PADDING = 10;
+    public static CELL_HORIZONTAL_PADDING = 10;
 
     private grid: Grid;
 
diff --git a/packages/table/src/table.tsx b/packages/table/src/table.tsx
index e9bd02167f..473d3567a5 100644
--- a/packages/table/src/table.tsx
+++ b/packages/table/src/table.tsx
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ import * as Classes from "./common/classes";
 import { Clipboard } from "./common/clipboard";
 import { Direction } from "./common/direction";
 import * as Errors from "./common/errors";
-import { Grid, IColumnIndices, IRowIndices } from "./common/grid";
+import { Grid, ICellMapper, IColumnIndices, IRowIndices } from "./common/grid";
 import * as FocusedCellUtils from "./common/internal/focusedCellUtils";
 import * as ScrollUtils from "./common/internal/scrollUtils";
 import * as SelectionUtils from "./common/internal/selectionUtils";
@@ -46,6 +46,36 @@ import {
 } from "./regions";
 import { TableBody } from "./tableBody";
 
+export interface IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions {
+    /**
+     * Approximate width (in pixels) of an average character of text.
+     */
+    getApproximateCharWidth?: number | ICellMapper<number>;
+
+    /**
+     * Approximate height (in pixels) of an average line of text.
+     */
+    getApproximateLineHeight?: number | ICellMapper<number>;
+
+    /**
+     * Sum of horizontal paddings (in pixels) from the left __and__ right sides
+     * of the cell.
+     */
+    getCellHorizontalPadding?: number | ICellMapper<number>;
+
+    /**
+     * Number of extra lines to add in case the calculation is imperfect.
+     */
+    getNumBufferLines?: number | ICellMapper<number>;
+}
+
+interface IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightResolvedOptions {
+    getApproximateCharWidth?: number;
+    getApproximateLineHeight?: number;
+    getCellHorizontalPadding?: number;
+    getNumBufferLines?: number;
+}
+
 export interface ITableProps extends IProps, IRowHeights, IColumnWidths {
     /**
      * If `false`, only a single region of a single column/row/cell may be
@@ -396,6 +426,18 @@ export class Table extends AbstractComponent<ITableProps, ITableState> {
         selectionModes: SelectionModes.ALL,
     };
 
+    // these default values for `resizeRowsByApproximateHeight` have been
+    // fine-tuned to work well with default Table font styles.
+    private static resizeRowsByApproximateHeightDefaults: Record<
+        keyof IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions,
+        number
+    > = {
+        getApproximateCharWidth: 8,
+        getApproximateLineHeight: 18,
+        getCellHorizontalPadding: 2 * Locator.CELL_HORIZONTAL_PADDING,
+        getNumBufferLines: 1,
+    };
+
     private static SHALLOW_COMPARE_PROP_KEYS_BLACKLIST = [
         "selectedRegions", // (intentionally omitted; can be deeply compared to save on re-renders in controlled mode)
     ] as Array<keyof ITableProps>;
@@ -490,6 +532,63 @@ export class Table extends AbstractComponent<ITableProps, ITableState> {
     // Instance methods
     // ================
 
+    /**
+     * __Experimental!__ Resizes all rows in the table to the approximate
+     * maximum height of wrapped cell content in each row. Works best when each
+     * cell contains plain text of a consistent font style (though font style
+     * may vary between cells). Since this function uses approximate
+     * measurements, results may not be perfect.
+     *
+     * Approximation parameters can be configured for the entire table or on a
+     * per-cell basis. Default values are fine-tuned to work well with default
+     * Table font styles.
+     */
+    public resizeRowsByApproximateHeight(
+        getCellText: ICellMapper<string>,
+        options?: IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions,
+    ) {
+        const { numRows } = this.props;
+        const { columnWidths } = this.state;
+        const numColumns = columnWidths.length;
+
+        const rowHeights: number[] = [];
+
+        for (let rowIndex = 0; rowIndex < numRows; rowIndex++) {
+            let maxCellHeightInRow = 0;
+
+            // iterate through each cell in the row
+            for (let columnIndex = 0; columnIndex < numColumns; columnIndex++) {
+                // resolve all parameters to raw values
+                const {
+                    getApproximateCharWidth: approxCharWidth,
+                    getApproximateLineHeight: approxLineHeight,
+                    getCellHorizontalPadding: horizontalPadding,
+                    getNumBufferLines: numBufferLines,
+                } = this.resolveResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions(options, rowIndex, columnIndex);
+
+                const cellText = getCellText(rowIndex, columnIndex);
+                const numCharsInCell = cellText == null ? 0 : cellText.length;
+
+                const actualCellWidth = columnWidths[columnIndex];
+                const availableCellWidth = actualCellWidth - horizontalPadding;
+                const approxCharsPerLine = availableCellWidth / approxCharWidth;
+                const approxNumLinesDesired = Math.ceil(numCharsInCell / approxCharsPerLine) + numBufferLines;
+
+                const approxCellHeight = approxNumLinesDesired * approxLineHeight;
+
+                if (approxCellHeight > maxCellHeightInRow) {
+                    maxCellHeightInRow = approxCellHeight;
+                }
+            }
+
+            rowHeights.push(maxCellHeightInRow);
+        }
+
+        this.invalidateGrid();
+        this.didUpdateColumnOrRowSizes = true;
+        this.setState({ rowHeights });
+    }
+
     /**
      * Resize all rows in the table to the height of the tallest visible cell in the specified columns.
      * If no indices are provided, default to using the tallest visible cell from all columns in view.
@@ -2023,6 +2122,30 @@ export class Table extends AbstractComponent<ITableProps, ITableState> {
     private handleRowResizeGuide = (horizontalGuides: number[]) => {
         this.setState({ horizontalGuides });
     };
+
+    /**
+     * Returns an object with option keys mapped to their resolved values
+     * (falling back to default values as necessary).
+     */
+    private resolveResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions(
+        options: IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions | null | undefined,
+        rowIndex: number,
+        columnIndex: number,
+    ) {
+        const optionKeys = Object.keys(Table.resizeRowsByApproximateHeightDefaults);
+        const optionReducer = (
+            agg: IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightResolvedOptions,
+            key: keyof IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightOptions,
+        ) => {
+            agg[key] =
+                options != null && options[key] != null
+                    ? CoreUtils.safeInvokeOrValue(options[key], rowIndex, columnIndex)
+                    : Table.resizeRowsByApproximateHeightDefaults[key];
+            return agg;
+        };
+        const resolvedOptions: IResizeRowsByApproximateHeightResolvedOptions = optionKeys.reduce(optionReducer, {});
+        return resolvedOptions;
+    }
 }
 
 function clampNumFrozenColumns(props: ITableProps) {
diff --git a/packages/table/test/formatsTests.tsx b/packages/table/test/formatsTests.tsx
index 5dc7fef7ba..4854157783 100644
--- a/packages/table/test/formatsTests.tsx
+++ b/packages/table/test/formatsTests.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { JSONFormat } from "../src/cell/formats/jsonFormat";
 import { TruncatedFormat, TruncatedPopoverMode } from "../src/cell/formats/truncatedFormat";
 import * as Classes from "../src/common/classes";
 import { ReactHarness } from "./harness";
+import { createStringOfLength } from "./mocks/table";
 
 describe("Formats", () => {
     const harness = new ReactHarness();
@@ -183,7 +184,3 @@ describe("Formats", () => {
         });
     });
 });
-
-function createStringOfLength(length: number) {
-    return new Array(length).fill("a").join("");
-}
diff --git a/packages/table/test/mocks/table.tsx b/packages/table/test/mocks/table.tsx
index 5a06e7096e..0f90347a79 100644
--- a/packages/table/test/mocks/table.tsx
+++ b/packages/table/test/mocks/table.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@ import * as React from "react";
 
 import { Cell, Column, IColumnProps, ITableProps, RenderMode, Table, Utils } from "../../src";
 
+export function createStringOfLength(length: number) {
+    return new Array(length).fill("a").join("");
+}
+
 export function createTableOfSize(numColumns: number, numRows: number, columnProps?: any, tableProps?: any) {
     const columns = Utils.times(numColumns, Utils.toBase26Alpha);
     const data = Utils.times(numRows, (row: number) => {
diff --git a/packages/table/test/tableTests.tsx b/packages/table/test/tableTests.tsx
index fd2c33bb10..5aaa636c17 100644
--- a/packages/table/test/tableTests.tsx
+++ b/packages/table/test/tableTests.tsx
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import { IRegion, Regions } from "../src/regions";
 import { ITableState } from "../src/table";
 import { CellType, expectCellLoading } from "./cellTestUtils";
 import { ElementHarness, ReactHarness } from "./harness";
-import { createTableOfSize } from "./mocks/table";
+import { createStringOfLength, createTableOfSize } from "./mocks/table";
 
 describe("<Table>", () => {
     const COLUMN_HEADER_SELECTOR = `.${Classes.TABLE_QUADRANT_MAIN} .${Classes.TABLE_COLUMN_HEADERS} .${Classes.TABLE_HEADER}`;
@@ -146,6 +146,53 @@ describe("<Table>", () => {
     });
 
     describe("Instance methods", () => {
+        describe("resizeRowsByApproximateHeight", () => {
+            const STR_LENGTH_SHORT = 10;
+            const STR_LENGTH_LONG = 100;
+            const NUM_ROWS = 4;
+
+            const cellTextShort = createStringOfLength(STR_LENGTH_SHORT);
+            const cellTextLong = createStringOfLength(STR_LENGTH_LONG);
+
+            const getCellText = (rowIndex: number) => {
+                return rowIndex === 0 ? cellTextShort : cellTextLong;
+            };
+            const renderCell = (rowIndex: number) => {
+                return <Cell wrapText={true}>{getCellText(rowIndex)}</Cell>;
+            };
+
+            let table: Table;
+            const saveTable = (t: Table) => (table = t);
+
+            beforeEach(() => {
+                harness.mount(
+                    <Table ref={saveTable} numRows={NUM_ROWS}>
+                        <Column name="Column0" renderCell={renderCell} />
+                        <Column name="Column1" renderCell={renderCell} />
+                    </Table>,
+                );
+            });
+
+            afterEach(() => {
+                table = undefined;
+            });
+
+            it("resizes each row to fit its respective tallest cell", () => {
+                table.resizeRowsByApproximateHeight(getCellText);
+                expect(table.state.rowHeights).to.deep.equal([36, 144, 144, 144]);
+            });
+
+            it("still uses defaults if an empty `options` object is passed", () => {
+                table.resizeRowsByApproximateHeight(getCellText, {});
+                expect(table.state.rowHeights).to.deep.equal([36, 144, 144, 144]);
+            });
+
+            it("can customize options", () => {
+                table.resizeRowsByApproximateHeight(getCellText, { getNumBufferLines: 2 });
+                expect(table.state.rowHeights).to.deep.equal([54, 162, 162, 162]);
+            });
+        });
+
         describe("resizeRowsByTallestCell", () => {
             it("Gets and sets the tallest cell by columns correctly", () => {
                 const DEFAULT_RESIZE_HEIGHT = 20;