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The Fish Market Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- No
11 reviews for The Fish Market Restaurant
11 reviews in English
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Review from Allen S.
5/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
The arctic char I had was excellently prepared. The server was pleasant and made me feel at home.
Several reviewers have complained about service. From what I have observed Canadian restaurant service isn't as "in your face" as USA restaurant service. If you take that in consideration you will have fun at the Fish Market.
While at dinner I struck up a conversation with a neighboring table. All of us liked the experience.
If you want good food and a nice environment consider the Fish Market Restaurant.Comment from Barbara M. of The Fish Market Restaurant 5/25/2012
Hello Allen S. Thank you sincerely for your comments about… More » -
Review from Cal Z.
5/6/2012
This restaurant is the embodiment of a tourist trap. It's on a busy corner, the prices are extremely overinflated, and the food is worse than the average Red Lobster. In fact, Red Lobster serves much better food in comparison honestly. The tiny sliver of chocolate cake they have the nerve to charge $9 for was the last piece of insult before we got our bill. We paid $2 less at Cafe Spiga and received a huge square of tiramisu.
The restaurant's management had better heed the bad reviews both here and at http://Tripadvisor.com and do something to improve the food if they insist on charging extortionate prices. Word of mouth, especially nowadays with the internet, can either make or break a place. Apparently the management doesn't realize this; either that or they chose to ignore it. I suppose they could care less as they seem to think that their prime location will draw in unsuspecting victims (er, visitors) forever.Comment from Barbara M. of The Fish Market Restaurant 5/25/2012
Thank you for your comment. As successful operators for over… More » -
Review from Sergio B.
Etobicoke, ON
2/23/2012
If they want to stay open then they have to treat every customer like the dinner crowd. Serving hard crusty potatoes at 9:30 makes the whole dinner crap and even if the fish was good maybe ok at best the rating is shot because of that. Takes only one thing to ruin it.
Also if you don't have something available because it sat under the heat lamps then don't bring it out. Worst mistake ever made by restaurants is sending obvious sub par food out to customers. Better to tell them you are out than to risk getting this review. -
Review from George V.
5/23/2012
I had a good fish and chip here. The fish nor the chips were too greasy. The Alexander Keith's red amber ale complimented the meal nicely. The service was excellent and the ambiance nice. My main issue while the meal was good, it was not wow and you pay wow prices here.
Comment from Barbara M. of The Fish Market Restaurant 5/25/2012
Thank you George V. for your comments. Barbara Owner The… More » -
Review from Nandan F.
Ottawa, ON
1/22/2011
Went here for dinner and place was pretty dead considering it was a Friday night. The greeter was friendly and the ambiance is okay. Reminded me of Red Lobster!
They have a basic wine list. Their olive oil dip with the bread is pretty good. Ordered a few apps which were all good. The calamari was notably good. The coconut shrimp okay and bacon scallops above average. I got the special and I looking forward to some real good clam chowder....result...meh!
What really got to me was the service, or should I say the server. I felt like I wasnt welcome to their elite establishment (ahem) and I am pretty sure I can atleast pretend to fit in most places!!!
Food: 2.75 stars
Service: lets not go there...Comment from Barbara M. of The Fish Market Restaurant 2/25/2011
Thank you so much for your comments....I will contact you… More » -
Review from Nicole B.
Ottawa, ON
12/11/2010 1 photo
I have to agree with others on the Fish Market, that though I expected great seafood, I found it to be mediocre.
I grew up eating great fish, because of my East Coast background and am used to it being flavourful and fresh.
I found the fish here to be sort of bland. The fried options were tasty, but really, I find that having things fried masks the real taste of the fish.
Everything was ok, but just not great. I find that I have better luck with fish in good restaurants that don't specialize in fish, they usually seem to have more fresh options, since they usually offer a fish of the day special.Comment from Barbara M. of The Fish Market Restaurant 2/25/2011
Thank you for your comments, I will contact you privately to… More » -
Review from Colin G.
Ottawa, ON
3/19/2011
For a restaurant that specializes in fish we were really hoping that they knew how to cook it. At the prices that they charge, there's no excuse for a slow kitchen and bad food.
Ordered a calamari appetizer and it arrived rubbery and overdone. Since this is pretty much par for the course everywhere, I chose to ignore it and soldier through. Enough crispy fried breading makes almost anything pretty tasty.
After waiting an hour, our mains arrived. My companion's $27 Florida swordfish steak arrived dry, tough, and under-seasoned with a mushy coating. The roasted potatoes were sprinkled after cooking with dried rosemary; it was like chewing sewing needles. My battered scallops and shrimp were fine but the baked potato was microwaved. That's okay at home but when you're paying $20 for a main it's inexcusable. Even the 'house seafood sauce' was just Heinz ketchup with the tiniest speckling of what I can only hope was horseradish. I don't know; I couldn't taste it.
The inedible swordfish was sent back to the kitchen; the server told us that it had been under a lamp for some time while the scallops were being fried. Having lost confidence in the chef we asked for crab cakes as a replacement. They arrived dense as hockey pucks but to the restaurant's credit they were served with enough sauce to get them down.
The server actually brought out the manager which we didn't expect and he ended up comping the food portion of the meal. I was a little surprised considering we didn't ask for or expect that, and it was a very kind and conciliatory gesture, but I don't think we'll be going back. The server and manager were excellent and friendly but they need to clean house in the back. The era of Byward Market tourist traps needs to come to an end.
tl;dr version- Food was overpriced crap. Stay away. -
Review from Jamison U.
9/12/2010
My meal here at the fish market was, I would call it average or so in the sea food department.
I started with Escargot, normally a good measure and they were fair (not great not terrible, just acceptable).
Having the oysters next I found about the same, they were acceptable in quality.
The scallop dish that was the main course was good, the scallops were properly washed and cooked.
Overall this was a pretty good place. -
Review from Chris E.
Toronto, ON
11/10/2009
Wow. Rarely have I been so shocked and disgusted by a restaurant. This place received rave reviews in the local press. It's in a great location in the heart of the ByWard Market...I love seafood, so I looked forward to going. The menu looked scrumptious!
Someone must have been having a bad night. I dunno. Maybe someone died? Anyway, I ordered the "Fried Seafood Selection: Lightly breaded shrimp, oysters, scallops, seasoned calamari, and a fillet of halibut served with crispy onion rings, mushrooms, tartar and cocktail sauce with lemon"
Mouthwatering! At least that's what I expected.
This dish was SO thoroughly awful that I complained and left. Thankfully, they didn't make me pay. Here's the rub:
The calamari were thin, impossible to chew...like when Charlie Chaplin eats his leather boot for dinner when he's starving, stranded in a Yukon blizzard.
The "lightly breaded" seafood was so deeply encrusted in an armour-plate of hard, crunchy, burnt breadcrumbs, that when I finally made contact with seafood, I was tired of chewing. I had absolutely no idea what one of the specimens on my plate was...until I detected the oh-so-slightest hint of an oyster upon my tongue.
Now, consider the oyster. A plump, juicy, squishy little molusc that is a delight upon the palate. Mine were rock-hard. I called the waitress over and said exactly that: "How does a plump, squishy little morsel turn into this?" And with that, I knocked it loudly upon the plate. She, god bless her, was equally as shocked. The only saving grace was the halibut...but by the time I'd decided to try that, I was so put off by the other questionables on the plate that I left.
It really ruined what was supposed to be my one very nice dinner out in Ottawa.Listed in: Restaurants
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Review from Kwoky L.
2/21/2011
I found this place in the advertisements in one of those free maps while I was visiting Ottawa. Not sure if it was good, so we decided to give it a try. I had the bottomless steamed mussels and my mom had the fish and chips. The mussels were small and the broth that came with it was just A-OK.Let's just say it's not the best seafood that I've ever had. The service was good though. She brought out the second bowl of mussels even before I asked, which was very nice of her. Food might not be fantastic but at least I enjoyed myself there.
Comment from Barbara M. of The Fish Market Restaurant 2/25/2011
Thank you for your comments... I will contact you privately… More » -
Review from Sonia T.
12/27/2010
Food was disappointing. Service was prompt and friendly, though it was pretty dead. They brought us water right away and some hot fluffy rolls and yummy olive oil dipping sauce. My bf ordered the special. His clam chowder was disappointing: tasteless and way too thick (he's REALLY not picky so this is saying something). His fries were so-so and his rainbow trout was the highlight of the meal. I ordered the cajun shrimp pasta with whole wheat fettucini. I started to ask the waitress if i could get a side of salad or veggies and she was so quick to say yes i didn't get a chance to ask her what they were. Unfortunately she brought out potatoes and other roots swimming in butter. I think when someone asks specially for veggies they're probably not looking for starch swimming in butter. My pasta was well cooked, shrimp was over and SO oily that even my bf noticed (again he's not picky and likes oily food). So for the price, it was disappointing. When we got home we found out his dad got food poisoning there once. Guess we won't be going back .
