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I had assumed that a restaurant in Stanley Park was a money trap for tourists but when their mussel platter came highly recommended by a friend, I had to give it a chance.
We sat on the patio and felt a relaxed vibe throughout the place - no suit and tie needed - and our server (Corwyn) was immediately likable. The restaurant was classy and professional with a sense of ease to it.
Instead of going for a set of entrees, we went for a mix of appetizers. The recommended Sizzling Cast Iron Mussels was 16 bucks and arrived on a sizzling pan with chorizo sausages, pine nuts and capers. I found it best to rub the mussels into the browned butter and make sure at least one pine nut and caper came with it.
The strawberry spinach salad was nice and light with nuts and avocado slices on top. It was the perfect size for sharing between two - $10.95
We also tried the Salmon Frites ($8.75) but couldn't finish them, they were so rich. I still would recommend them for deep fried salmon goodness but share them between 3 for 4 people.
This also came with complimentary bread with a Lobster Oil and Balsamic dip. We liked it so much that we bought a bottle of the oil for cooking at home ($23.81). I thought that was a bit pricey for 375ml of oil and looked online for a cheaper source but apparently the stuff is made right here in Van and can be ordered online for pretty much the same price.
For this delicious experience, I have to give 5 stars.
Restaurant in a park? That's for tourists ... It may be but you are missing out if you think that's what Fish House is all about.
After being disappointed at a rather uneventful Pride Picnic in the Park on a beautiful Saturday morning, we forged on along the Seawall. Although we were planning on trying a particular restaurant in mind on Deman for brunch, we decided to check out the menu at the Fish House when we walked passed the restaurant just before English Bay. My partner had never been there and my last time there was probably almost 20 years ago.
After being seated in an intensely sunny spot in the patio, we decided to move inside which was a lot cooler and our table by the window still offered a great view of the park and False Creek. Both of us ordered from the brunch menu. My partner had ham benedicts and I had a 3-egg omelet with 3 filings of my choice (bacon, sausages and shrimp). I made sure there was no vegetable on my plate :) Both dishes came with heavenly pan-fried smashed Yukon gold potatoes. They were crispy on the side and creamy and smooth inside. They were just delightful.
A great place for brunch in the most beautiful park in the city.
It's hard to fathom why there is a pork belly entree option on their special deal menu. Fine, I can understand that the restaurant wants to cover all their bases, but why would you bother coming to a place called the "Fish House" if you aren't going to be getting fish?
On that note, that is basically all you should be ordering at this place. A good variety of salmon (Sockeye, Coho, pink) is available, and the cedar plank preparation had us all drooling over our neighbour's plate as the smoky fragrance drifted mercilessly over into our midst. I personally did not have the salmon wellington, but the two friends who did could attest to a wonderfully moist and flavourful piece of fish that was not overwhelmed nor suffocated by the surrounding puff pastry.
The BC sablefish was my personal favourite. Although the sticky chili rendition was a nice twist, I was a big fan of the "simply prepared" version. Simply pan roasting it really let the sablefish shine, as it really didn't need much more to make it any more delicious than it already was.
So fill up on the fish and pass on the modest desserts. If you need to satiate your sweet tooth, I'd make the short trip out of Stanley Park and into downtown Vancouver for many other more interesting options. And please, for the love of all that is good and true in this world, don't order pork belly at a place called the Fish House.
We always enjoy driving in to eat here for special occassions. Never disappointed. Actually planning to go for afternoon tea soon. Food and service is always good. Pay parking of course it's in the park.
After 2 solid decades of dining here (whenever I can remember it exists), I can confidently say that this is a great place for any occasion. However, stick to the staple seafood pieces. Parking can be a bit tiresome.
Listed in: General Services
Great food.. in a perfect location.. Stanley Park..
I had a breakfast here and planned to return for a fish dinner but there are so many good restaurants around the city that I never did it. As having a breakfast here, I cannot help to compare the experience to other places for that purpose, but even with 3 stars I think the place is totally worth the visit.
But the breakfast was good anyway! I had the Huevos Diablo, partly due to it's name, but in addition to my imagination it also satied my appetite and taste buds.
I enjoyed also the old-fasnioned interior, the fireplace and view to the park. Staff was friendly and effective. Little on the pricey side but not overly expensive though.
I did not catch the bartender's name, but he and his family emigrated from Poland when he was but a wee child. Be sure to sit at the bar and order plenty of cocktails! The guy not only pours a great drink but you'll want to spend some time listening to all of his crazy adventures.
The staff is very friendly, even with random crazy people asking for a glass of hot water to drink.
Don't bother. There is so much to choose from in this city, you should not waste your time or money. Service was painfully slow. Food mediocre.
I came here with my family after a long stroll in Stanley Park for lunch. The atmoshpere was really nice, food was okay. The waitress came out with bakery items for bread selection. The apple muffin & scones were really good. So that was a very nice surprise! We order a couple different dishes. The fish and chips was ok, the fish wasn't that fresh. The clam chowder was good and freshly prepared. The salmon salad was decent. The fish was well prepared. The dressing could be a little different. I liked the baked oyster. It was really nice.
The wait staff were helpful!
Very friendly service in a nice environment .
We had the lunch special, halibut & salmon.
Halibut was perfect. Salmon overcooked.
@ 20$ a dish it' ok, but far from excellent.
So, if you walk by, it will remove your hunger and rest you fully, but it will barely satisfy your food lover palate. Don't go an extra mile for it.
from what i remember, i enjoyed dining here. Great view of vancouver. The restaurant is clean, the people are friendly.
since i'm in vancouver and i'm in a fish house restaurant..of course i ordered a salmon. it was indeed fresh!
yes, that is all i can remember about this place. I'll update this post the next time i visit The Fish House again.
The first impression was the fish house caesar. Any drink that comes with a big juicy plump shrimp can't be bad. They should serve a shrimp instead of a pickled onion in a gibson - now that would be worth trying.
Unfortunately I didn't find the food quite so inspirational. I went for a halibut special, it being halibut season. The sauce was pretty nondescript (I can't even remember what it was supposed to be) and the other accompaniments were ho-hum - a slightly sticky mash, a wedge of golden beet and a couple of asparagus.
The creme bruleé was fine. They didn't make the mistake of trying to do anything with it. Just creme brulée with a leaf of mint. However, the mint leaf was a little wilted and that's kinda how I felt at the end.
It's a great location, though... I'd certainly give it a second chance.
The Fishhouse is a bit of an anomaly in Vancouver. It's a great seafood restaurant that seems to only be known to tourists. Most Vancouverites steer clear of Stanley Park except for short excursions and often miss The Fish House and it's great menu.
Being a tourist destination known as much for its teas as its seafood The Fish House has a very elegant, Victorian interior. That's also quite odd for a city that's all steel, glass and brick when it comes to fine dining.
On top of the coziness though is a really great menu that features all sorts of seasonal delights and some solid standbys. It doesn't go too far out of the way to produce anything crazy but the meals are all solid takes on standards.
The one downside of the fish house is the great food costs about as much as you'd think. You're getting premium food for a premium price. That said, if you want some good grub or to impress a foodie with a place they may have not tried , bring them here.
OK this gets full stars, even though I have only eaten off the menu once (it was good, but not among the best in Van). The other four times it was my father in law for champagne and oysters (best in Van). He dreams about them and when he comes for a visit he insists on this great lunch combo. I do too. Sunny afternoon, cool oysters, and crisp champagne....
We ended up at the Fish House for a late lunch, as the Prospect Point Cafe stopped serving lunch at 2pm.
We had just completed a casual bike ride around the park (about 6 miles) with 3 kids, so we weren't dressed for a fancy restaurant, but no one gave us a second look. Had there been some one in a ballgown, they wouldn't have been out of place either.
The menu was great and even had salmon on the kid's menu! The desserts were great - we shared the Buttermilk Pie (sort of like a cheese cake crossed with a creme brulee) and a berry dessert.
The service was great and the food excellent. A great place to eat in Stanley Park if you spent the day there or if you come just for the dining experience.
Unlike the previous reviewers, I didn't visit the Fish House for the fish. Since having an amazing tea experience in Victoria I'd come to the conclusion that Canada knew tea in a way that American restaurants would never catch onto. I chose the Fish house because it was located in the ever exulted Stanley Park and supposedly served a good Afternoon Tea.
So this past weekend, after hours of driving and in the rain, we stopped by for a nice cup of tea with some yummy finger foods. My friend, who normally doesn't even drink tea, and I had a splendid time. The environment was pleasant, the waiter nice, the food tasty, the tea well brewed and the views were made even more soothing by the rhythm of rain. If I lived in Vancouver I would probably make this charming building a regular haunt. As it was I was 100% satisfied with the light yet delicious respite. They only receive 4/5 because I only visited once (I can't guess at consistency) and because the tea was a bit overpriced.
Went there last night for dinner. Food is really not worth the money. We left with a $275 check for four. Seems *very* touristy. Best thing was the cocktails... Decent Mai Tai for $6.50. Overall not impressed.
Lovely atmosphere. We had lunch here recently. A good mojito, delicious fresh oysters, fishy sable fish, pretty good pad thai, tasteless sort of coconut cream pie. Wish I had ordered more of those heavenly raw oysters and the halibut. Would try again because it is just so darn pretty. Pricey, too. But it is Vancouver.
While the food was good, it was not great, especially for the price and the serving size. Service was good.
According to many a local, my hotel concierge, and friends, this was a not-to-miss stop after a leisurely stroll through Stanley Park. Leisurely stroll being around 5 miles or so..
Which by the end of the last mile, my favorite Canadian, the bf, and I were hungry, a tad frostbitten, and ready for some nourishment. We loved the majesty of SP, and were happy to remain in it's glory while replenishing our energy.
The Fish House has a beautiful view, and even though we were a bit 'dressed down', no one seemed to mind. We enjoyed yam fries, a bit of bisque, sable fish prepared exactly to specification, and salmon. All fresh, and absolutely exquisite. The fish entrees came with a side of butternut squash, which was so incredible I had to ask for the recipe. I now do a 'poor' version of it, which is not exactly The Fish House's, but still quite tasty.
The service, the atmosphere, the company - all splendid. If you are out trekking in Stanley Park, this is definitely a place to feed your body as well as your spirit.
Haven't been back for many years but do recall my first time there and the food was A-Ok. Definitely different since you are inside the heart of famous "Stanley Park"
This is a lovely setting and the menu doesn't hurt either. West coast cuisine which, as the title suggests, includes a lot of fish though there are many other things to choose from too. A perfect date spot.
This restaurant is a great example of Vancouver.......clean, friendly and great!!! The seafood dishes are outstanding. Great libations and the wait staff is very attractive.....beautiful women!!
We went there for lunch a couple of days ago. The service was friendly and attentive. My husband's Alaskan halibut was very fresh and cooked perfectly. Unfortunately, what they called the 'lemon and butter preparation' turned out to be a very rich beurre blanc sauce that really over powered the delicate fish. I suspect cream was added to the beurre blanc sauce, and apparently it's more of the norm now. The cream helps keep the sauce from separating, so the sauce lasts longer. I had one of the specials of the day which was the curry seafood angel hair pasta; it was just okay. The shrimp and clams were good, but the fish was overcooked. The prices are definitely on the expensive side; the halibut was $29 and the pasta was $19. If you're in Stanley Park and want to dine at a more formal restaurant and don't mind spending the money, then this place is for you. I wouldn't make a special trip just to dine here.
I have never been disappointed with a meal at The Fish House in the six or so times I've been. The atmosphere is causal nice, making a romantic dinner for two or a good meal with friends or family all plausible. It's one of my favorite spots!
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Downtown
Neighborhood: Granville Island/False Creek
