- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Coffee & Tea |
- All
A Kettle of Fish - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
900 Pacific StVancouver, BC V6Z 2E3
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 682-6853
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
26 reviews for A Kettle of Fish
Review Highlights
"...and there's a well-balanced wine list to choose from, as..."
(in 3 reviews)
"From what I've heard it's been around for more than 20..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...it an excellent dining experience, even not knowing what..."
(in 3 reviews)
Loading...
26 reviews in English
-
Review from Joe L.
Vancouver, BC
7/14/2010 1 Check-in Here
It may not be a sexy new restaurant with hip decor and patrons to watch but I think this restaurant is an institution for a very good reason - good food.
The abundance of natural light through the skylights and plants throughout the restaurants allow diners to relax to enjoy their dishes.
For our Saturday dinner, we shared an order of crispy calamari and I had crispy sable fish with parpadelli. Our calamari came with a good mixtures of body rings and tentacles so I could divulge the legs while leaving the boring rings to my partner :) The coating was crispy and the squid was extremely tender.
Although I hate to use a cliche phrase, I have to say my sable fish was "cooked to perfection". The outside of the fillet was lightly browned and crispy and the fish itself was just right - flaky, soft and moist. The parpadelli was made fresh and was served perfectly al dente. The broth was so good that I tried to eat every drop of it with my fork! -
Review from Katie F.
4/18/2010
Came here with friends last night and it was just A-OK. I'm surprised how much people liked it since it was pretty average to me.
The decor and ambiance are unique - comfortable, lot of greenery, and quite spacious. Bathrooms are located downstairs and are older in style. Service is OK but not memorable.
I went with the $39 3-course menu - this is reasonably priced. Hubby ordered a la carte and it came out to a bit more, but still comparable, for his 3 choices.
The shrimp cake with greens was my favorite part of the meal - the light sauce drizzle over it was great, and the taste and texture of the cake was very good. Loved the presentation in the triangular dish. My BC halibut was average and oversalted. Veggies were a bit bland and a couple of my potato slices had black spots on them!!! :( Hubby's tenderloin was fine.
For dessert, he had the "rocky road" which was chocolate brownie with a caramel gelato - he loved it. My vanilla sticky pudding was nicely presented with a side of vanilla gelato. This was pretty good.
Portions are large and I was stuffed by the end of the meal.
3 stars since the service is average, there was an unusually long gap between the courses (particularly the appy and main and the restaurant wasn't full) and the food isn't enough to bring me back. -
Review from Allen W.
Vancouver, BC
7/31/2010
An interesting, quirky restaurant offering up seafood as its main focus.
The interior can be magical or campy depending on your preferences ... it contains lots of real-life trees throughout the dining room. It may be best at night but we visited during the day so it struck me as more camp than class.
Food came out hot and fresh, a solid dinner but nothing overly exciting. I had halibut which was perfectly cooked and placed on a bed of risotto. I enjoyed it.
I'm not sure why I'm not more jazzed about this place. It was good but not great. Mostly, I am put off by the overall feel of the restaurant coupled with the prices ($20-35) and just end up feeling rather 'meh' about it. -
Review from Melissa F.
Toronto, ON
1/10/2010
Starters and Ends were the BEST part.
Food:
-All the Appetizers are delicious and well priced. Go for the mussels- they are sooooo very yummy
-Mains were good but I've definitely had better at seafood specialty places- i.e. the Cannery, Rodney's or Provence
-Desserts- delicious! I highly reccommend the creme brulee- done in an original way and delish.
Service- perfect
Questionable parts of the evening.
-We made resos online and onlin eit was booked pretty solid- had to make a compromise on what time to go in because of it- but when we arrived it was DEAD. nobody there. So definitely call to make reservations OR just go!
-The wine list is SMALL- For a mid-higher end resto i'm surprised at the lack of wine choices. Not a problem because they were able to reccommend a red I enjoyed a lot- but it is curious that they don't have a fuller selection, ESPECIALLY considering they have a dedicated bar/lounge.
-The server split the bill but put the wine on one person's bill. Not a big faux pas but would have been nice for it to all be split.
Overall, I'm a fan- I would, however, reccommend it to an olderish set or family dining.
-something about the ambience and big round tables don't scream out youth to me.
great suggestion to take your parents out for dinner. -
Review from Natalie B.
2/18/2009
Oh holy crap this place is amazing. I'm not really sure how it works, but there are trees inside the restaurant. Like actual trees in the dining area. It was dark out when we went, so to walk into this foresty treed dining room was sort of surreal and dreamy.
To start:
mixed greens with dried fruit, toasted nuts, pomegranate and feta dressing. most delicious salad. Simple yet complex.
blue crab fritters. delicious.
entrees:
crispy arctic char with quinoa and preserved lemons and a tomato reduction. are you kidding me?
salmon with spatzle and pernod/lemon sauce. fabulous.
These were the type of entrees that were so good you couldn't stop eating. We ate every last bite. Everything on the plate was perfectly seasoned, perfectly cooked. Perfect perfect perfect.
Our after-dinner coffee was excellent.
dessert:
involved the brown butter cheesecake with carmelized apples. The other dessert was a flourless Mexican chocolate cake with carmel, ginger gelato and cocoa nibs. These were hands down the best desserts I have ever eaten. I'm not sure if you know, but I am kind of a dessert lover. Seriously.
Here is a direct quote from my husband upon finishing the best meal of his life:
"I just want to hold my wife and cry." Seriously, it was that good. It made me want to slap the concierge at our hotel in the face when she asked us how our dinner was and we pretty much drooled on her little podium whilst describing the experience. "Huh, I always forget that place is there." That's what she said. She obviously doesn't care very much about the most perfectly executed dining experience in Vancouver. I mean c'mon.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to clean the drool off my keyboard. Thanks. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
3/14/2009
I wish I could give half stars - hence this is a 3.5/ 5.
Went to Kettle of Fish with a group of friends for Dine Out for LIfe - and I definitely had high expectations as the West Ender had voted it the best Seafood Restaurant. Unfortunately.... I guess I shouldn't have been that over excited.
I ordered the sable fish with braised karubuta pork belly....and let's just say I wish there was better consistency of portions because my friend definitely had a much thicker and larger piece than I did....it was the size of half my palm maybe... and trust me.. i got small hands!
Not to mention.. the food took extremely long to come out.. I understand that the restaurant was busy and we had a big group... but the wait time seemed a little unreasonable. Among our other friends' meals, the seafood cioppino was delicious, along with the tuna, but the salmon was remade because it was too dry the first time.
The cheesecake dessert was delectable and I wish I had the recipe to make at home!
The service was minimal.. although the water fillers did their jobs... our waiter never checked on us except for when my friend called him over to get the fish remade. However, you can see from the pictures that have been previously posted that the ambience is beautiful and it is as if you are eating outside in Africa with lovely lights.
Good thing was - I was raising money for Aids. -
Review from Billy D.
7/4/2010
We stopped in back in February - we were totally underwhelmed at this place. The food and service were just okay. Reminded me of a chain restaurant for some reason.
That being said, the decor is really neat - so it's got that going. -
Review from Sarah M.
5/23/2009
A Kettle of Fish is my mom's favorite restaurant on our trip, probably because her entree was very tasty looking; the seafood cioppino is a chunky amalgamation of ocean delights. I had my first piece of fish in five months, with the wild salmon, which was tasty but not life-changing. Every dish on the menu has a suggested wine pairing, with severally locally produced bottles. This was one of the few times I've ever ordered white wine, but it was very tasty. Uh, the calamari salad is really delicious and the chocolate tart with gelato is also a star.
One note: I wish I would've gotten the fixed price meal because it was actually a decent deal, about $40 for salad, fish entree, and dessert.
Overall, a fairly priced, distinct Vancouver restaurant with a great atmosphere, friendly service, and fresh seafood. -
Review from Emma G.
2/4/2010
A Kettle of Fish has quickly won it's way into my heart. Every time I've been here, I've left satisfied and happy.
I had the same issue as someone else in that when I made my reservation, they asked if I could come earlier than I initially asked for, which was no problem at all. Then when we arrived, the restaurant was literally empty. I kept an eye on things and at the time we originally asked for, there were still many empty tables. I'm not sure why that happened.
The servers are helpful and courteous, although not particularly charismatic or memorable. Just nice, attentive service. They know the menu in and out, and offer good recommendations.
Drinks here are averagely priced, and pretty good. The food is awesome! I'm a big fan of the seafood cioppino, it's hearty and delicious but doesn't leave you feeling fat. A friend of mine ordered scallops and was unimpressed, but the server was quick to offer a replacement meal. Not sure exactly what was wrong with them, but I know there were only a few (maybe four?) in total on the plate, which seems a little lacking for the price.
The atmosphere is maybe my favourite part. There are trees growing inside the building, and the low level lighting makes it a really cozy place to sit, eat and drink. There are quite a few tables but they are spaced out enough that you don't feel like you're listening to someone's conversation.
It's not the place to go before a hockey game or a night out, this is more of a 'take the in-laws to dinner' type of place. -
Review from Valeda S.
2/21/2010
Ambiance, Service, Food, all absolutely A+. I'm not going to say it wasn't expensive, but it was all totally worth it - this is what a restaurant at this price is supposed to deliver. In fact, I suggest other restaurant owners in the same class and higher make a visit and take notes.
Evening went like this: 1) Made a reservation weeks ahead of time, but had to call to push it back 15-20 minutes when public transportation was running a little slow and yours truly missed the right stop - but the hostess graciously said it was fine.
2) Very attentive service (by multiple people - I counted at least 3 between our waiter, the water server, and the bus boy). Napkins were laid on our laps, forks and knives were replaced, and all questions were answered with extremely knowledgeable descriptions.
3) The food - OMG. Appetizers (shrimp cocktail), very good, and served with three different sauces (none being your standard cocktail sauce). Big fan of the originality.
4) The beverage selection was also impressive. I went with the suggested local white, two in my party went with two local Granville Island brews, and it was impossible to decide which was the best.
5) Everyone's meal was excellent. Between us we had the ling cod special, the sablefish pappardelle, the seafood paella, and there is absolutely no forgetting the dungeness crab. I'm still drooling.
By far this was the best dinner we had in the week we were in Vancouver. Go here, get spoiled, and eat some amazing seafood - you will not be disappointed. -
Review from Gary M.
11/5/2009
Save room for dessert !
In fact, if you don't like fish, the desserts should make it worth your while to go anyway.
This review is based on just one visit, during a vacation trip to Vancouver last month, but if I lived there this would be a restaurant I'd return to regularly.
Everything up to dessert was way above average (the calamari salad was exceptional), but it didn't prepare us for how good the desserts were going to be.
At the risk (or certainty) of sounding pretentious, I can remember only three desserts in the past 10 years that I've enjoyed as much as the "Rocky Road" that I had at Kettle of Fish, one at Aux Lyonnais in Paris and one at Stella! in New Orleans (the third is the "bostini cream pie" at Scala's in San Francisco, which I've enjoyed too many times to be totally objective about).
Both the "Rocky Road" and my companion's "Molten Almond Cake" (which she loved as much as I did the Rocky Road; very little dessert-sharing that evening) were new items on the dessert menu, and I see that they're not yet listed on the Kettle of Fish web site. But whichever desserts are available, you should be in good hands with the dessert chef who made those two; I envy those living in Vancouver who have the opportunity to eventually work their way through the whole dessert menu
...and if we'd skipped dessert, we'd have still considered it an excellent dining experience, even not knowing what we'd missed. -
Review from Johnny L.
Toronto, ON
7/21/2010
Ugh! The first thing I noticed with Kettle of Fish was that the place is stinky! It smells like a kettle of old fish. We should have walked out right then and there but our guests had to eat before catching their ferry back home so we were stuck. The decor is certainly not as great as other reviewers have mentioned. KoF looks like it was probably a great place a decade ago but it is no longer that. It's a large atrium that gets bright with sun but that only reveals the shabbiness of the place. The other patrons were obviously tourists that didn't know any better.
The food was lacking and, considering the price, was definitely not worth it. I won't bother going into the details. This was, without a doubt, our worst meal in Vancouver. That's a shame because there are so many great restaurants in that city. -
Review from Darien C.
BC
12/19/2008
Side note: you can see my condo from the main Kettle of FIsh picture. anyways,
My heart may my Montreal, but my stomach is all Vancouver.
Seafood, it's all I ask for. Sushi is boss, but occasionally I need the full fish.
Enter Kettle of Fish. Conveniently located behind my house, I can appetizingly stare at it from my living room window. The inside is a picture of a rainforest, likely credited to Art Knapp, their friendly neighbour.
The sable fish is beyond good, it disintegrates in your mouth. If not for the fact that it's ten to three in the morning, I'd head there right now. Excuse me Yelpers, I need to head for my balcony, only there can I lovingly stare at one of my top spots in this town. -
Review from Tim L.
8/16/2008
Another premiere seafood eatery in the city, the thing I like about A Kettle of Fish is they mark their appropriate menu items with what the Vancouver Aquariums recommends as ocean friendly.
Meaning you can eat the seafood with that mark without worrying about what damage you may be doing to our ocean wild life.
Their set menus ensures you can experience a fully enjoyable meal through all courses without busting your wallet. -
Review from Megan S.
12/19/2008 1 photo
This is a really nice restaurant. So when you're going out for something "special" consider the Kettle. From what I've heard it's been around for more than 20 years, so I think they're found something that really works.
The ambiance is great. The food is presented in an appealing way- yet also looks like a hearty portion (unlike many gourmet settings). There's a wide variety on the menu- including non-seafood and three course meals for a set price.
The tables allow for intimate discussion. You can also make group reservations, but I prefer eating here at a small table.
The food is high quality, so come and check it out. Oh- and I LOVE the ivy outside! -
Review from Steve L.
Victoria, BC
3/14/2010
We went to Kettle of Fish for a birthday dinner and everything was fantastic. The ambiance is very cozy and romantic. The plants and lowlighting made a beautiful atmosphere and we felt comfortable to stay for hours.
The food was also excellent. We shared the appetizer platter, which was mostly very tasty. We had a paella and the cioppino, both of which had a wide variety of seafood. The paella was a much smaller portion than the cioppino despite being more expensive, which was a bit misleading but both were made with quality ingredients and were served beautifully. To finish we both had cake, one of which was on the house for the birthday girl. The desserts were both fantastic and well worth a trip on their own.
The service was attentive and friendly despite being short-staffed. We were in no rush to leave so there wasn't problem. -
Review from Sheila W.
BC
12/8/2008 9 photos
Don't let the slight fishy smell put you off of this restaurant. It's a quality place to go for great fish and seafood (they're Oceanwise - an ocean-friendly choice), and they won't scale you with the cheque.
One of the biggest improvements upon my most recent visit to A Kettle of Fish was the service. I'd had problems before with a forgetful waitress and another time with a reservation mix-up for a big group. Not this time, it was top-notch from the host/coat check to the end.
It was a fairly quiet night and our server, Richard (highly recommended), was extremely attentive, friendly, helpful and a genuinely nice person. I don't think the three of us ever had to touch our bottle of wine (Blue Mountain Pinot Blanc, Mmmmm) all night. Richard always appeared at precisely the right moment to top us up.
The crowd was mainly a gray-haired bunch, but there were a couple of younger tables. The music is fairly quiet, so it's easy to hear dinner conversation. There are white tablecloths, bread plates and candles that add some class. It's been around since 1979 and some of the décor could use an update (mismatched sinks and old tile in the ladies washroom is just one example). I do love their collection of plants and trees inside, which is a big plus to the atmosphere, but adds a slightly damp-soil smell.
The main dishes (our table enjoyed salmon, sablefish and char) were so beautifully plated. They had some innovative uses of colourful reductions and purees that were eye-catching and tasty. The portions were filling, but we took a while to finish our wine so we would have room for dessert. The crème brulee and chocolate espresso cake were decadent and worth the wait. -
Review from Noa G.
Vancouver, BC
10/13/2008 1 photo
Now, it's no secret (among my friends and family) that I'm a vegetarian. Which, in this day and age means, of course, that I eat all dairy products, the occasional Oreo cookie, five-cent gummies from the corner store, and fish.
Thus, I can, as a modern-day vegetarian, review this great restaurant, which had been around as long as I can remember. I am talking, of course, about A Kettle of Fish.
For more than 25 years, this ivy-covered restaurant located just over the Burrard Street bridge (downtown side) has given Vancouver diners the freshest ingredients, imaginatively prepared meals, exceptional service, and comfortable, elegant surroundings. The Kettle, as its known, is where Vancouverites like to take their out-of-town guests for fresh seafood.
The space includes a stunning indoor garden with skylights, flagstone floors, and candlelit tables; the resulting atmosphere is of casual, upscale elegance. The chef's menus reflect the seasonal availability of fresh seafood and produce, with daily additions to the regular offerings featured on chalkboards throughout the restaurant.
The last time I dined at The Kettle, we sampled wild British Columbia salmon, seared rare Ahi tuna, and seared golden crispy Pacific halibut -- YUM! The menu also features steaks, pastas, and chicken, and there's a well-balanced wine list to choose from, as well. -
Review from Racer X.
3/27/2010
What this restaurant seems to have going for it is the ambiance, but the food left a lot to be desired, and though the service was friendly, the long gaps between courses were tiresome. We definitely had better seafood in Vancouver and while harboring high hopes for Kettle of Fish, we came away disappointed. Maybe it was just an off night for them. Live and learn.
-
Review from Lee N.
Vancouver, BC
10/5/2009
I have not been to Kettle of Fish for years and the rubber tree has grown rather large. A friend was staying up the road and wanted seafood so I though hey it's 2 blocks away and I easily got a quick reservation. It was very good, the BC sourced set menu was well priced and great, it changes weekly. The wine list has always relied on lots of BC wine which it still does but it has moved upscale and offers some of BC's best. All in all, it was a good dining experience and very fresh seafood.
-
Review from Dr. Shelley A.
Vancouver, BC
10/2/2010
Went to Kettle of Fish for my birthday and it was nice but not great.
The service for sure was great however the food was simply "fine."
It looked pretty and smelled nice but it was not great which was a little disappointing as my husband and I don't get out that much.
In the end I told him HE was the best part of my dinner.....not the food.:( -
Review from Monica H.
7/27/2010
This place was pretty good, our waiter was very friendly. It's nice restaurant, a little pricey but whatever. The only complaint I would have is that the menu doesn't have that much of a variety of different seafood/fish dishes.
-
Review from Victoria R.
BC
12/19/2008
Vancouver is the place for fresh seafood. And although I've heard that many people love the Kettle, I just did not have a good experience last time I was in, and frankly, there are so many other places I'd go to before this one to eat seafood. The ambiance is nice, it is upscale and details and presentation is key. But I feel like it's a tourist restaurant, kind of kitschy. It doesn't have a great location or view and it's a bit out of date in the decor department. I would say go for lunch or brunch with your out of town guests (who are from a really small town).
-
Review from Katy N.
3/17/2009
Nothing really great about this restaurant.......
-
Review from Christine M.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2010
Pretty much everything served was tasty and fresh (oysters were a little less than), my favorite being the Ahi Tuna special and the calamari salad. Nice place to take the parents as it's downtown but has a relaxed old school vibe (read: no loud club music or popped collars). Wine menu was reasonable and service was great.
-
Review from J T.
5/15/2010
decor was beautiful, earl grey cream brulee was perfect! the abacore tuna entree had the perfect sauce, great service, one of the best dining experiences i've ever had!
