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Rodney's Oyster House
Category: Restaurants Seafood Seafood [Edit]
1228 Hamilton StVancouver, BC V6B 6L2
Neighbourhoods: Downtown, Yaletown
(604) 609-0080
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11:30 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11:30 am - 12 am
Sun 4:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
165 reviews for Rodney's Oyster House
Review Highlights
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"And try the pan fried oysters, soooo good." In 18 reviews -
"They don't do reservations during low-tide." In 7 reviews -
"...and came with heaping piles of fresh grated horseradish." In 4 reviews
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165 reviews in English
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Review from Christine Y.
3/22/2012
Such a great spot!! I fervently wish I could transplant this restaurant to Los Angeles. We sat at the front bar, and the service was super friendly and fast, not to mention handsome and charming! :) Eric and Mike were just great. But moving onto what's important - the food! Best oysters in VanCity is not an exaggeration.
My friend and I split the scallop pasta and a dozen oysters, along with a couple beers each. I had the wheat ale, which was really great with the sweet plump West Coast oysters I had. Eric recommended some East Coast ones that I have to say I loved, despite having not liked those types in the past - he knew his stuff! Their sauces are all fantastic too; best mignonette I've had and the super spicy sauce was great. I even took some of the Espanola (banana pepper) one home with me! The pasta was in a flavorful creamy tomato sauce and the scallops were perfectly cooked - yum! I can't wait to come here again! -
Review from Tanis S.
Vancouver, BC
5/17/2012
RODNEYS you are getting to big for your own birches !
you only serve two types of oysters when its busy -- hire more people if you are so busy
you dont split bills --- tell your tables a head of time or its just sneaky
you don't do interact - then at least have a cash machine on premise we live in a cashless society at lease make sure you tell your tables a head of time . again sneaky .
all though the food and atmosphere is great i feel as though Rodneys while trying not to become a pretentious yaletown restaurant it has become the worse with all these sorry we dont do that here .
i wanna love you but i fear we have come to an impasse as i think you are to stuck up to change
and i really hate hearing thats just how it is . your a restaurant for god sakes get over your self ! -
Review from Meana k.
4/28/2012
4:30 on a Friday and the place is already nearly packed -- so get there early for the Low Tide menu specials.
The oysters are fantastic, served with heaping piles of horseradish and a tray of various hot sauces. Love love love.
The mussels and clams were pretty good, but I would have loved just a touch more flavor and salt in the broth.
The scallop galette was excellent and came with a ton of fresh mixed greens ever so lightly dressed.
The ceasars looked amazing and got rave reviews from all my dining partners, but I was sticking to wine. I forgot about the tumblers here.... Still not a fan of drinking my wine from a tumbler as I described in my Chewies review.
Not a big fan of the service here. There's just something very superficial about the waitstaff. I can't quite put my finger on it as they were not rude or unpleasant, but really, it's like they know there's a steady flow of customers coming through and they don't really need to try at all.
I suppose the guys are attractive and I should add this to my list of restaurants where the men are as yummy as the food, but really, they're a bunch of muscley dudes with pretty faces. Not really my type. I'd rather go to Chewies for the view. :) -
Review from Rohan S.
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is a great Yaletown establishment that's actually worth wait if you're craving oyster and other sea food.
They always have a great selection of oysters (both local and from elsewhere in the world) and the wait staff is always helpful in pointing you in the direction of what's good that day. The whole array of sauces to go with your oysters is staggering. I'm a huge fan of spicy food and enjoy their habenero jelly.
Their Caesar's are fantastic. They come garnished with a jumbo shrimp and plenty of horse radish. It makes for a fantastic compliment to a tray of oysters.
The atmosphere here is loud, fun and casual. It's a great place to kick back on a weekend/evening after work or a lazy dog dangling Sunday afternoon. -
Review from Sherry A.
5/10/2012
Yummmmy oyster bar!! Slurp down some slimy juicy oysters with a cold glass of Ceaser. LIFE IS GOOD
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Review from John G.
5/8/2012
By far the best seafood in Vancouver. The potato encrusted halibut is the best I've ever had. If in the Yaletown area of Vancouver B C, Rodney's is a must.
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Review from Loon E.
5/7/2012 4 photos
3.5, pretty pricey for a HH, but I guess that is standard in this part of town? Service is a bit aloof, he forgot our drink orders, so got a couple free beers out of that. Had oysters, on the half shell and pan fried, mussels, and the garlic prawns (which I would pass on). Love that they have so many different sauces and the fresh grated horseradish was a plus. Not great, but not bad either.
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Review from Yoony P.
3/1/2012
My five stars is based on my experience at Rodneys for this happy hour "low tide menu."
It was the 5 of us and we all ate ourselves silly - starting with 3 dozen oysters and working our way down the low tide list. I would recommend the pan fried oysters, fresh shocked oysters , the mussels, but I would pass on the clans. Tasty but so tiny compared to the big juicy mussels!
I will probably come back for the happy hour again. Yummy!!!!! -
Review from Amelia Y.
Vancouver, BC
5/4/2012
I absolutely adore Rodney's for everything (fresh oysters, tasteful dishes, casual ambience) except for their service. Staff seems awfully pretentious and seem to have a cocky attitude about them. Perhaps the steady stream of customers enabled their unappealing behaviour but I am turned off by them and will not go back unless I have severe craving for their raw oysters (I like that their oysters are served with at least 5 types of hot sauce/vinagrette). The last time I was there, the server insisted I needed to order at least 6 raw oysters because 'the oyster bar is extremely busy'. He then proceeded to only give me a choice to select two types of oysters because the restaurant is 'too busy to shuck too many varieties'. Don't ask me how that is logical as it still baffles my mind. I fear that their good business (typically I have to wait an hour for dinner) is getting to their servers' heads. Don't ever forget that customers always come first.
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Review from Emilie C.
2/5/2012
Having eaten here multiple times, I can say that every visit has been such a fun time! The waiters are super friendly and obviously hard-working (constantly shucking oysters right behind the bar).
The food is a seafood-based tastebud party. Gotta start with the Haida Gwaii candy, maple-sweetened and perfectly chewy! The crab cakes are unreal and the mussels...OHHH the mussels. The simple wine, garlic and herb bath they sat in is the perfect compliment to the fresh tasting mussels. Sometimes, mussels taste all weird and seawater-y, but not these ones! They are delish, having been infused and steamed with the wine, garlic and herbs. Great drinks selection here too.
The decor has some rustic ship-like elements, including netting and beatup wood tables and countertops. Trendy yet rustic and welcoming, busy, loud, bustling atmosphere. So if that environment sounds like your thing, or something you could get into, I advise you to eat here. Be wary that there may be long wait times to be seated on weekends. The food won't disappoint if you dig quality seafood! -
Review from Gary C.
1/22/2012
We've heard so much about this restaurant so we decided to spend the evening here. The greeter was extremely rude to us like she doesn't care. We had a reservation and still end up waiting for 20 minutes.
There was only 1 person opening oyster, what the hell? The restaurant is full and only 1 person is doing his job, all the other waiters are being a douche and trying to hit on all the customers.
Finally we waited 40 minutes for the oysters to come, the waiter asked us to trust him but he ended up picking the most expensive oysters there are. Come on now, $4, 5 dollars for an oyster?
Also, they never wash the oyster, i understand it's fresh from farm and all that, but at least wash the outer shell please? This is a restaurant, not a farm. There were worms lingering on our plates and it was so disgusting.
Overall this oyster restaurant sucks. So much for our high hope. -
Review from Carol L.
1/5/2012 3 photos
Can you tell I just got back from Vancouver and am on a reviewing spree?
Rodney's has DELICIOUS oysters. This is a must go if you are an oyster fan. We got three kinds: Fanny Bay, Shigoku, and Village Bay. They serve their oysters with a tray of delicious sauces, including a habanero one.
We also had their dinner entrees which were good, especially the shrimp pasta. However, the must-go is for the oysters, so if you don't have a lot of time in Vancouver, then just stop here for happy hour and have their oysters with their famous "Caesar" drink. The oysters are cheaper before 6 anyway! :)Listed in: Vancouver Eats
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Review from Tori T.
1/11/2012
I total must for anyone wanting the maritime dining experience of the Pacific Northwest. What's great, though, is you can tell this is not a touristy, gimmicky, place, but full of locals. The place oozes authentic charm. I would tell anyone to grab a seat at the oyster bar where all the magic happens, or opt for one upstairs overlooking all the action. The coastal theme is apparent, though not nauseatingly so. It helps that the amber glowing lights provide a very nice ambiance.
The oyster choices are aplenty and they have several great options for those who don't care for oysters (salads, shrimps, crab cakes, steak, fish, and lobster.) That being said, everything we ordered was fantastic. I thought the prices were high but were what I expected for a place of such caliber. We tried a variety of oysters from 6 differing locations and it was interesting that they were all distinct in flavor. I loved the variety of sauces, as I'm totally a sauce girl!
I can see why the servers may have been called douchey- they totally have a "I graduated from college but got a job serving" snobby vibe. Weird, I know! Either way, one of the servers found out we were from Texas and having lived here for like 6 months with his ex-girlfriends parents, or something random like that, he chatted us up and brought us free shots! Rock on!Listed in: the Great Pacific Northwest!
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Review from Douglas E.
4/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Mussels were amazing staff friendly great stop
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Review from Helen Q.
11/14/2011
You guys, really?
How did this place get such great reviews?
The place smelled like a Red Lobster, which for our neighbors up north not blessed with Red Lobsters, means tartar sauce and lemon juice. It was also decorated like a Red Lobster (really, fish nets strewn about?)
Our waiter was...skeezy, to say the least. He definitely used the line "oh, you two must be sisters" to a mother-daughter table sitting next to us. I...didn't know people actually used that line.
We planned to order dinner, but when our orders of iced teas came in the form of two plastic Nestea bottles (compliments of Law & Order, according to our waiter???), we decided to just get a dozen oysters and forage for food, and our self-respect, elsewhere.
The dozen oysters took over 45 min to arrive. If you specialize in oysters, maybe you should hire someone who knows how to shuck them a little faster. The fresh horseradish was a nice touch, but other than that, the "special selection" our waiter picked out for us (sans menu, and prices) were good but nothing out of the ordinary - Kumamotos, some oysters from Prince Edward Island, etc.
We gratefully got the check (another 20 min), but not before the final blow...a dozen oysters ended up at $52.75 CAD. That is over $4 an oyster, y'all. I've had cheaper oysters in Beverly Hills, and at restaurants that didn't make me feel like an extra on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean Part 10.
Look, guys. I'm so okay with trendy. I'm great with pretentious and I've had perfectly delicious meals in Hollywood, where much of the clientele of Yaletown would not be out of place. But this place is just awful. -
Review from Chrissy H.
Vancouver, BC
1/31/2012
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Absolutely the best oyster house in Vancouver (I have heard that Chewies is a close second but have not tired them yet).
I was trying to decide where to go for a late dinner and I have been surfing for about an hour trying to find some inspiration...when I came across a website for another oyster bar and I immediately thought...duh, perfect night for a date with Rodney's and my boo. That my friends is as close to a menage et tua as it's going to get.
The oysters are uber fresh, the waiters are a breath of fresh air in the silicon valley of waitresses that makes up for most of Yaletowns restaurants. Image, tips by giving good service as apposed to 'acciednetal' wardrobe malfunctions.
Side Note: Did I mention that they have the best caesar in town...salty/spicy goodness, oh yeah!
If you love oysters, caesars and seafood you MUST I repeat MUST go!
PS: I agree with one of the reviewers when they said one of the greeters was rude, I have also experienced this. I guess they need to keep some TnA at the door to lure the Yaletown guys in (half kidding) but note, she works the door and the wait list, what else can a shorty with bad Tude do...
(If the shorty at the door wasn't so socially inept and the raw oysters and the burrowing owl pino gris not quite as expensive, I would have given them 5 stars). -
Review from Jennifer L.
Vancouver, BC
12/5/2011
The food is amazing here - you can't really go wrong with a franchise Oyster bar as you can expect a certain level of quality.
BUT... the location in Vancouver- although nice and friendly in decor - is majorly lacking in service.
The servers are kinda douche-bags.
The Caesars are so worth the money - Horseradish blended with shrimp on the side!! It is a meal on its own!
The wine however is not worth it - it is expensive for a teeny 5oz mini-kiddie cup. No joke.
Their oysters - raw or fried - are delish.
I heard the soup was good too... i'd be back but would probably advise myself (and others) not to sit directly at the bar because you are too close to the douche-baggy servers... -
Review from Jeff S.
Vancouver, BC
3/17/2012
Miyagi and kumamoto kaki (oysters) paired with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.....it doesn't get any better than that, and Rodney's is the best place to have it.
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Review from Amy C.
9/13/2011
If you're an oyster fan, you definitely need to check out Rodney's. Located in trendy Yaletown, this restaurant serves all kinds of oysters and seafood.
Our group ordered an array of oysters and all of them were delicious! They also have a huge selection of sauces that range from mild to ass kicking.
You also have to try their Cesar, aka Bloody Mary. It comes with chunks of wasabi in the drink to make sure it's got a kick. I liked the colossal shrimp that it came with on the side of the glass.
The other fish entrees were good, but I don't remember much of what we ate since we were drinking so much.
You know it's a good time when you forget what you ate. I'll definitely come back to Rodney's next time I'm back in Vancouver. -
Review from Sean D.
3/10/2012
Very good food
Very long wait (1-3 hours)
If you want to avoid the long wait make a reservation. This is not to be confused with on the wait list. That being said. This place has amazing food. -
Review from Bobbin W.
9/29/2011
Some locals urged my travel partner and me to avoid pricey seafood establishments like Kirin and Blue Water, and enjoy more value for our money at Rodney's instead. The decor reminded me of South Florida mixed with Red Lobster; the food left me equally underwhelmed.
The lumping of all the hot food under one category confused me, as some are appetizer sizes and others, entree portions. Nonetheless, our oysters rockefeller stimulated my appetite for my main meal: the scallop galette. Breaded with shredded potato, the scallops crunched on the outside, leading to a tender center. The seafood sat atop a heap of mixed greens, along with an Asian-inspired plum vinaigrette.
Thick and meaty, my boyfriend's potato-encrusted halibut elicited neither a yay nor a nay.
Rodney's was good but left me disappointed per the locals' recommendation and high praise from Yelp Elites. -
Review from Melissa K.
Vancouver, BC
1/5/2012
3.5 stars for the food, 0.5 for the service = 2 stars overall
I rarely review places that are bad but I feel so compelled to write something just because the service is SO HORRID. I don't even know why I keep coming back to this place to be given terrible service and attitude. To the staff that is reading this, you are NOT being cheeky and you are NOT funny.
The first bad experinece I've had was a friend who rented out their private room for a birthday party, where she paid for food supposedly made for 40...where literally food for 15 was brought out. When she spoke to the manager, she was told that "people were not supposed to eat so much." Seriously? My friend ended up having to order way more off the menu. Rip off.
Second experience was when we reserved a table for 20 for the happy hour club I run, people were coming and going...but the staff was bringing out food that nobody even ordered and just kept putting it on the table. They even put an additional 60 $5 oysters on the bill we clearly didn't order. Why would anyone get $5 oysters during Low Tide? A bunch of people paid with visas then left early, and there was a pile of receipts that magically disappeared when the final bill came. When we said they overcharged us, AND a bunch of pre paid bills disappeared, their response was "So WHAT? YOU'RE NOT GOING TO PAY??" Then they proceeded to arguing that they didn't overcharge the bill and that they LOST the receipts. OK, well is it OUR fault you lost the receipts? After half hour they ended up finding the pile, and took off about $400 off the $2000 bill they originally charged. It was ridiculous, They lost our bills and added items to our table, then accused us of not paying before even trying to understand the situation.
Third experience was when we went for happy hour this week and upon walking in we were told to seat ourselves upstairs and grab some menus on the way up. When I said seriously?? The guy was iike, you haven't been here before? You'll get used to it. He then came to talk to us and his opening line was "how's the princess? (refering to the fact that I was shocked we had to get our own menus) and chatting up my friend who was playing with her phone, he said "So are you going to talk to me or are you just going to look at your phone?" Dude, we are NOT friends. Go away. He started off giving us a lot of attitude and trying to be cheeky, but I think he felt our annoyance and got better after. Our server took our order without any enthusiasm and made it obvious that he didn't want to be there. When my friend asked for extra horseradish for her caesar, they brought out a plate with a MOUNTAIN of horseradish that was clearly overdone -- rude.
I'l probably end up coming back again because it's a great place to grab a drink and small bites, but I will be equally disturbed with the horrid service I'll be getting. -
Review from Annie W.
10/14/2011
It's an oyster shack with an expensive zip code, and a frequent hang out of Vancouver's well-heeled ladies and well-paid men.
The Good:
- Oysters (I don't even like them, but will eat them here)
- New England Clam
- Steamed Mussels
- "Thank you Lord" Pan Fried Oysters
- Low Tide Happy Hour (3-6pm)
The Bad:
- Service is inconsistent
- Shrimp Cocktail is no good
- Ocean Salad is also no good
- Long waits without a reso
Definitely worth checking out if you've never been, just remember to make a reso and do your best to avoid the weekend mob. -
Review from Pia W.
9/16/2011
Came in on a weekday after work just in time to catch the happy hour for...alcohol? No, hand shucked raw oysters of course!
Happy hour is raw oysters at $1.50 each. Mind you, these aren't dinky little oysters, they take up quite a mouthful ( tasting fresh and juicy too)!
The establishment was pretty packed by the time we sat down and eyeing the food that other tables were ordering, I'd definitely consider coming back for dinner soon!
Having 2 dozen oysters washed down with some beer afterwards, my tummy was full and happy. I will have to come back for dinner/lunch to try
their other seafood items. Mmmm...pan fried oysters...
...but for the happy hour oysters, I'm always game! -
Review from Dee B.
Updated - 11/9/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Twice last week I visited Rodney's.
Second time is a charm, so is the first. We had the pleasure of having Ty (sp?) serve us. He was shamelessly full of himself and quite charming. We devoured $200 worth of bevvies and oysters and I loved every penny spent.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/4/2011
Solid. Completely effing solid.
Oysters, crab cakes, mussels, even salad = put in mouth and write a… Read more »
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Review from Sebastian P.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 8/15/2011
This update is merely based on the ridiculous behavior of the staff incl the 'manager' who obviously does not understand who pays their salary and tip.
A relatively quiet afternoon, being put on the list with a ~15 min wait... absolutely acceptable. Then a bunch of people arrive one by one and the manager starts messing with the waitlist, crossing names and squeezing more and more guest in front of us and other waiting guests. This was a late business lunch with a client and I felt more than uncomfortable about this treatment so I questioned the girl who takes down the names about this whole thing. She starts to play stupid ala 'what do you mean.. bla bla' then the manager comes back and makes some rude comments.
Would I have been in different company or alone this wouldn't have ended pretty... that's for sure. Also, my guest was hungry and looking forward to this particular food otherwise that would have been buh bye.
A shame as the food as well as the service from the waiters was excellent as always. I recommend they start giving their staff some instructions on how to communicate with customers, especially those who seemingly come there for a purpose. I expect not to receive a Tourist Treatment at a place where my bill is always in the 3-digits even for a lunch. Thumbs down for this visit!Listed in: Best Yaletown Foodie Spot's
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/30/2010
THE place to be for Oyster and seafood lovers !!
First time I've been to Rodney's was past OCtober… Read more »
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Review from Hootie J.
Vancouver, BC
10/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
Get here early and , bring your appetite and your wallet... as one fills the other empties!!
Some of the best Oyster bars in town (and we have a few) Tiny and cramped this Iconic Oyster shack is always busy.
I have to agree with other Yelpers bitchin about the wait staff... but really it is a Yaletown problem, self important and clueless are well worn descriptions of allot of places and they all roam around.
The best advice I have is take lots of good friends so that you will be having so much fun you won't even notice them.
If you can get past the wait staff Rodney's is a great place. It is Very small and very popular ( I have been turned away with a two hour wait!) -
Review from Rachel W.
10/28/2011
I went to Rodney's without reading any of these reviews and I'm glad things worked out that way because I truly enjoyed the staff ALMOST as much as the food. There is something to be said for a clean slate (or a clean plate, which is what I had by the end of my meal).
I showed up around 2:30 and sat at the bar. Looking around I was immediately aware that I was the only woman in sight. This crew is hyper-masculine and were clearly enjoying the Friday afternoon lull. They took a never-inappropriate interest in me and the bartender was especially kind, eventually sharing interesting info with me about local seafood including a sample of a young oyster and a scallop WHICH WAS AMAZING. Watching him prepare the whole thing made it that much better. I had a small sample of various oysters and the variety of house-made sauces is impressive! Very tasty.
The best thing, though, was the slapjack chowder. I made audible yummy noises as I worked my way through the bowl. Delicious chunks of soft potatoes, butter, and some faaat oysters. So good. I'm in town for a few more days and may go back for another helping.
As I finished up my second Honey draft, one of the servers set two places at the bar beside me. A few minutes later two obvious regulars showed up, sat down, and they were quickly served fish and chips. I like that personal connection and the banter between these people who seemed to truly enjoy being together.
The food was great and I really, truly thought the staff was a lot of fun. Their energy is infectious and I actually left grinning ear to ear. Thanks, dudes. -
Review from Jen H.
11/27/2011
Sat at a bar table during Low Tide, watching NHL games and chomping on a dozen or two or three. I felt super Canadian. Fantastic raw oysters (don't even bother with anything else) and dry whites by the glass. Can't wait to come back every time in Van.
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Review from Jacquelyn S.
11/13/2011
2.5 stars. came for happy hour on friday and was seated within 5 minutes. we got a great table on the second floor overlooking the oyster bar. our server was loud but funny and charming. made a really good bloody caesar (huge shrimp, nice and spicy without tons of horseradish, and strong). good start but went sour after that.
after getting our drinks, we waited an HOUR for 3 dozen oysters. people who sat well after us ordered, received food, ordered a SECOND round and still received theirs before us. our second server (bc our first one mysteriously vanished) explained 'everyone's ordering oysters.' no shit, it's happy hour in an oyster house.
servers are jokesters so caught up in having a good time yelling at each other across the restaurant that customer service takes a sideline. when we asked about our oysters, our new server yelled down to the shucker, pointed at me and said 'she's the one complaining!' while the shucker invited me to come down and shuck them myself.
all in good fun? maybe when the food is free.
anyway, the oysters themselves were great. $1.50 each during 'low tide' of the daily selection (phantom creek), came with 5 types of sauces ranging from mild to spicy (banana pepper was my fave), freshly grated horseradish and several hot sauces.
didn't try any other food, but if i had to put up with that kind of service again, i would think twice about going to rodney's for dinner. -
Review from Lan G.
8/12/2011
It depends on what you are getting there..
We went there just for the oysters. You only need to tell them how many oysters you want and they will put together a combination of different types of oysters for you. We told our waiter that we want local BC oysters and we were quite happy with what we got!
We also tried their shrimp cooktail...it's a waste of money! -
Review from Ben F.
8/1/2011
Rodney's is a great place for firsts.You see, before Rodney's I'd never tried mussels or oysters. I had never even had shellfish before I came here. For someone who was in the dark, and has 'seen the light', I can safely say that their staff was knowledgeable and made me feel safe eating outside my comfort zone.
The decor is enthralling, it feels like you're on the inside of a yacht/fishing boat. It doesn't smell of sea-life--as some fish focused restaurants do. Which hints to freshness and a command of their product.
We ate on the top floor, looking down on some of the prep area. An entertaining site while you're eating.
The restaurant was quiet which was great for conversation as well as drinking the weissbeer-- which was recommended(spot on guys) to me.
All in all, I love Rodney's and though I'm
Not in the area as much as I should be, I think this establishment has a great future. Cheers. -
Review from Mark D.
7/10/2011
Is it loud? Yes
Can the staff be brusk? At times
Are the oysters fantastic? Always
Is there a wide range of oysters? Always
Is the ambiance relatively basic? Yep, pretty much.
Do they have cool sauces to mix and match? Always
Do their pan fried oyster make me cry? Always
Is it festive? Always
If you love oysters, should you go to Rodney's?
Yes - OftenListed in: My Vancouver List
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Review from Linda C.
4/18/2011 5 photos
Some of the best oysters and mussels I've had. This place also has an excellent "Low Tide" happy hour M-Sat 3pm-6pm with $1.50 oysters! Limited menu but they have all the goodies on there like mussels, oysters, clams, and prawns. Being from the San Francisco Bay Area, I've had plenty of good seafood, and Rodney's is top notch.
Overall simple design to the place with typical fisherman decor, some planks with random phrases, and wooden tables, yet the place still maintains a clean organized feel to it. They also have a great variety of beers available. Their honey beer is good. The bread they serve is thick and hearty. Service was friendly and sarcastic, kind of like their t-shirt phrases.
- Oysters: I forgot the exact type they served us but they were good and fresh. no bits of shells either, but if you call yourself an oyster house, you better know how to shuck 'em!
- Mussels: fresh and big. the dill butter garlic wine sauce is delicious and just compliments the mussels without over bearing the natural flavors
- Wild Sockeye: salmon was good but nothing amazing and its served with cream cheese, capers, and thin bread -
Review from Linzi M.
3/4/2011
This might be one of my favourite places in Vancouver. Scratch that. In the world.
Despite being a large restaurant, it feels cosy, and sort of wraps itself around you. I love the funky maritime feel, the maps on the wall and the way it transports you to the ocean. I also love the ridiculously sexy and charming waiters. I'll take two, please.
They very graciously indulged our drunken chatter, the endless vodkas we were knocking back and all our loud laughter. When my caesar cocktail was too spicy for me, they took it away and brought me another drink.
Newish to oysters, we wanted to try all the varieties. So we got a few different kinds, can't remember them now, but some were from Vancouver Island. They were fantastic. As was the cheesey, spinachy oyster dish we ordered.
I'd love to come back here, have a bunch more oysters to start and then order some seafood. The pasta sounds incredible. -
Review from Quang T.
2/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I would rate this place higher but the service on that day was somewhat dodgy (dodgy? Vancouvian slang for iffy, sketchy, WTF?). First we were treated like tourist who never had any experience with Oysters and Beer. Come on! Being from the California Bay Area Oysters and Beer are included on all social events. From shucking raw oysters, to baked, to bbq we have done it all. Maybe it was a Canadian vs. USA thing. Didnt you guys win Hockey gold?
Our server instead of giving us a complete menu decided on that day to play guessing games on what to order. So we played along. 18 oysters later, a plate of the mussels and the pan fried oysters (which we saw on the actual menu on a different table), one beer, one mixed drink that was specially made (vodka cran) total cost you would think would be $60-$80. Nope. Since we were not given prices $105. Noticed we basically ordered appetizers with no hot entrees.
Food:
Oysters were fresh with a good mix of sauces to choose from. They have a real habanero sauce thats screaming hot. They even provide fresh horseradish. Yum. Price? Who knows? Just guess and play along.
Pan Fried Oysters - Really should be called deep fried. The best dish we ordered.
Mussels - I have had way better. The sauce was lacking flavor.
Drinks - No mixed drinks? An Oyster Bar that does not serve mixed drinks? Just order beer and that wannabe bloody mary they serve.
Water - Yeah right. Your lucky if you get water. Try the Habanero Sauce and just suck it up. Or you can run around the bar until you pass out.
Service: None. This is what happens when you hire a whole bunch of Abercrombie & Fitch models to run a restaurant. Some of the staff were taking shots and drinking beer. Go figure. Im paying for food so someone else can get drunk on my dime. At least give me a couple of complimentary shots of that cheap Sky Vodka to make up for your lack of service. I rather pay the Harmony Sales Tax (HST) for Oysters elsewhere. -
Review from WaYnE c.
Maple, ON
3/5/2011
Funny how the first Rodney's I visit was in Vancouver rather than Toronto. Also Funny how we agreed fully with the Staff to leave our Table prior to 6pm. It was intentionally that we only go for "Low Tide", otherwise known as Happy Hour value Menu.
$1.50 Local Raw Oysters on Half Shell. Dozen them please!
Fresh Horse Radish is a nice touch but those who know me knows what I needed. The selection of Bottled Sauces & Condiments are offered as per usual. I'm not exactly sure what Oysters we got but supposedly local. They sure weren't some of those TINY Malpeques I tried on the East Coast.
Clams steamed in their own Liquor & Butter. Nothing special about these as they were done exactly in the simplest form. I think I should have stuck with more Raw Oysters. I got one of those TINY Glass Bottle of Coca Cola. Interesting choice and I'm still mystified why they chose that over Canned, Fountain or Plastic.
We got to sit upstairs near the railing that allowed us to look down on the action as the Shuckers shucked away and others made Clamatos with Fresh Horse Radish or cooked up various other Steamed Foods from 1 of 3 small Steampots.
4 stars stand simply because I have nothing negative to report for once.Listed in: 4+ ****Stars****, Vancouver'ing for the Week, Where I see food
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Review from Lynne H.
Vancouver, BC
1/20/2012
Excellent fresh seafood and fabulous service! Girls will love the waiters :)
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Review from Amy T.
3/14/2011
If you want a casual, unpretentious, funky restaurant for OYSTERS... Rodney's is the place to chow down.
I love the fact that their list of oysters are so long, that by the time I try everyone of them, I'm done. Oh, but oysters aren't the only items that they serve, they have a really great halibut dish, mussels and other delicious-ness. And don't expect any fancy smacy drinks here because they only serve beer, wine, ceasars and shots.
Check out their happy hour as well from 3:00PM-6:00PM Monday - Saturday. You leave with a happy stomach and wallet.Listed in: My Faves
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Review from Ron C.
Burnaby, BC
1/16/2011
I read that the best time to have oysters is when the name of the month has an "R" in it. Seeing as how it's January, how can I go wrong?
If you're a fan of oysters on the half shell, there's no doubt you have to pay them a visit. They always have a large selection of fresh oysters and they make it even better by offering tons of difference sauces including 5 of their own homemade ones.
The scallop pasta is one of my favorites at Rodney's. The scallops are cooked perfectly and the sauce has great flavor without masking the natural flavor of the scallops. The most amazing thing about this dish is the way they can cook it so consistently. I've ordered this dish my last few visits to Rodney's and each time the scallops are cooked perfectly and pasta is al dente.
The dish that was the least impressive was the scallop galette. Not to say it wasn't good but the oysters on the half shell and scallop pasta were just that good. I've never had scallops done this way but the easiest way to describe the dish is that it was like eating a scallops wrapped in hash browns. It's definitely an interesting taste and was executed well. My only gripe with it is that the flavor of the potato overpowered the weak flavor from the scallops and the scallops should really be the star of the dish.
Every time I go to Rodney's Oyster House, its packed with people. I suggest anyone planning on going to reserve ahead of time. Rodney's earns five stars from me because of my admiration for their consistency. I can walk in Rodney's every time and expect the same level of quality and so can you.
