Rodney's Oyster House

Added Oct 24, 2009 by caprice0611 of Kerrisdale, Vancouver (2 Reviews)

Delicious Taste of Yaletown Experience
My husband and I ate here for ToY, which runs till the end of October. They're offering a whole 1.5 pound Atlantic lobster and 8 oz NY sirloin steak plus your choice of dessert for $45. We started our meal off with a few oysters, which were very good. They have so many sauces for the oysters, which are also great for dipping the bread. We then had the New England clam chowder, which was also very good. We shared the lobster and steak (the server suggested sharing and I'm not quite sure how one person could eat both). Both were delicious. Lobster came with melted butter for dipping and was cooked perfectly. Steak was also seasoned to perfection and tender. We ended the evening with the cheesecake, which was delicious. The other dessert options were banana creme brulee, pumpkin pie, and chocolate mousse. A fantastic value and I may be back before ToY ends.

<More reviews below advertisement>

Added Jul 4, 2009 by sparkley of Vancouver (1 Reviews)

Rude Staff at Rodney's
I also had to smile when I read the complaints about rude staff at Rodney's, particularly the hostesses. They got rid of one really bad one and hired another from what I experienced last night. If this is part of the theme of the restaurant, it doesn't work. Also, beware of rude "first mates" telling you that you have to leave, in the middle of a new order for drinks. We had just spent $200.00 or more on food and wine. We had to find our own table by asking if we could join another, after waiting over one hour. We were not there for more than 1.5 hours and we were being ushered out the door. Very rudely handled by the "first mate" He told us he didn't care what we thought. I had a restaurant review person in my party and the review is not going to be a good one! Food is good, service can be a little lacking in diplomacy.

<More reviews below advertisement>

Added Apr 1, 2009 by chefdave of Downtown (58 Reviews)

Solid all around
Rodneys has always been a favourite or ours. Having recently just moving back to the city after working in New York was craving Oysters.
Settling back in Yaletown decided to hit Rodneys friday night. Excellent service with top notch Kushi's !
Reasonable for Yaletown and much more reasonable than eating oysters at Blue Water. Comfy joint but needs a revamp in the dining room. All in all, thumbs up !

Added Feb 6, 2009 by Onusko of Yaletown (3 Reviews)

I'll be back!
Have always wanted to try this place but never had a chance. When one of my girlfriends suggested it I jumped to the opportunity. Great Place, good service and unreal oysters! The room has a great feel to it and honestly wish I had been there sooner in my dining career. Not the cheapest place in the city, but still overall good value.
We will be going back soon!

Credit Card Debt?
Search and compare every credit card in Canada and find the best one to suit your needs at Credit Card Search.

Added Jan 9, 2009 by CaptainNemo of Vancouver (46 Reviews)

Best Oyster
I was going to Yaletown and stubled upon this place. There was a menu on the outside for "Low Tide". I was quite impressed. When I read reviews on this, I thought it was an expensive, snooty place.

The "Low Tide" menu had the raw oysters on there for half price ($1.50/each). I think it was only Sunday to Thursday. It was so......good. Their pan friend oysters were also VERY tasty.

I thought the service wasn't bad at all. The waiters there were nice and funny. However, the only complaint I have for the waitress that brought me to the table was quite rude. I wasn't too sure what was wrong, but she seems quite cranky. I thought with the spirit of the other waiters, the two waitresses would atleast have some kink of spunk, but some peeved her off and she's taking it out on the rest of the customers, which is quite unfortunate.

After the dinner, I ordered a Chocolate Mousse. I thought it was quite expensive. It was $6.25 for a small portion.

Added Dec 27, 2008 by manager of commercial drive (18 Reviews)

Really Great Chowders
I recently stopped by Rodney's on a cold winter day. My daughter and I had a couple "New England" chowders and some Panfried Oysters. The chowders were hot and hearty and the cooked oysters were lovely if not unique.

We sat at the bar which seems the place to be. The chairs are perfect height to be able to absorb the room while enjoying the banter of your neighbour or the handsome barmen.

It was lunchtime and maybe half full, but our food came promptly. Even though our lunch was put on pause a few times by some rather odd humour I would go back in a flash.

Keep it up.

Added Dec 1, 2008 by jezzme of Burnaby (65 Reviews)

Hostess needs some etiquette training.
Rodney's is substantially busy, and understandably so. Waitstaff service was exceptional - the waiters really know their menu and wine list, and have honest recommendations for every palate. The oysters (that I had a chance to try) were delicious, and I loved that there were a selection of sauces to try them with. The banana pepper chutney was my favourite! The clam chowder, however, was nothing special. It was lukewarm and had about three clams in the entire bowl.

Upon entering Rodneys, we were told that there would be a wait, and shoved into the back holding area that served a (very) limited menu. In my opinion, this is Rodney's way of gouging you. You're waiting, you're getting increasingly hungry, and subsequently you end having to order more booze and appetizers that you may not have ordered, had you gotten proper seating in the first place.

We were held ransom for over an hour. The hostess did not come by to check on us or to update us on our seating situation, while there were empty seats upstairs and in the main lounge area. When we questioned this, we were told to wait while they checked with management / waitstaff / ??? about the status of those tables. We weren't told anything by the hostess until we left fifteen minutes later when we were exiting the restaurant.

The restaurant looked like it had so much to offer, but it would take a lot for me to forget this first experience. There are loads of other places in Vancouver for raw oysters and delicious seafood - Joe Fortes, Monk McQueens, Fish House, or Provence. None of them have notably snotty, unexperienced hostesses waiting at the door.

Added Nov 3, 2008 by legendaryJ of Vancouver (4 Reviews)

Oysters!
Rodney's Oyster House is one of the best restaurants out there with the freshest oysters. They have a great selection of oysters and sauces. Crabs cakes are good but you only get two small patties on a giant bed of salad - kinda expensive. I've been there a few times and the service is alright, what keeps me coming back are the fresh oysters and sauces!

Added Jul 28, 2008 by cocoeater of vancouver (187 Reviews)

Great oysters
If you don't like raw oysters, I would not go. This is a great place to try several different types of oysters from both coasts. A bit on the expensive side at approx. $3 each but with the sauces and fresh horseradish, I think it's worth it. The other food tried included the crab cakes (too small), halibut (really good) and mussels (so-so). Good desserts but overall value for the warm food is marginal. Nice wine selection.

Added Jul 4, 2008 by distinguishedpalate of Richmond/Vancouver (3 Reviews)

Bar is the best seat in the house
I've been here numerous times during happy hour and the first order of business are a dozen fresh oysters, a pint of pale ale, and some deep fried oysters. They used to have their Fanny Bays @ $1/pc and although the prices have increased, they're still worth it. The condiments are a great addition to the oysters.

The bar is definitely where the action is. Ladies - the boys behind the bar put on a great show, are cute, and make sure you're taken care of. They even know their wine pairings with your food!

The only 2 sour things about the place are the hostess (she's incredibly snotty and rude) and the fact that this place gets packed quickly so get there early or make a reservation!

Added May 30, 2008 by RonF of Chicago, Ill, U.S.A. (1 Reviews)

Great Place to Go
I was in town at a convention. While I live in Chicago I was born and raised in Boston and drove a cab there. I know good seafood, and this place has it. Both times my friend and I sat and ate at the bar and we struck up good conversation with both the bartender and the locals. We had a plate of oysters as an appetizer both nights and the second night the bartender even gave us a couple of the specialty oysters on the house to taste. Between the two evenings we also had the soft shelled steamer clams, the steamed mussels and the fundy scallops and I can recommend it all. Fresh food well prepared, and sound and friendly service.

The appearance of the place is unpretentious to say the least. But that just makes sure you know you're not in some franchise-based restaurant. Both times we were there everyone was having a good time. If I'm ever in Vancouver again I'll be sure to go back there.

Added Apr 3, 2008 by foodzulu of Port Moody (3 Reviews)

Poor attitude
I suggested to a few friends that I had heard good things about this establishment. One of our group called to make a reservation for 8 for Friday evening March 28th. He was given 2 optional times and he chose the earlier, 6.30pm. On his arrival he was immidiately asked whether he was told the group would have to leave by 8.30pm. No, he informed them, he was not, and it was impossible to all eat and leave by then, as it was a birthday celebration.
Promptly at 8.30pm, after consuming many dozens of oysters, wine etc, and having just ordered our main meals we were moved downstairs into a back holding room. Every few minutes a server would come over to "borrow" the sauce tray as they did not have enough to go around. We kept running out of the wine we were drinking, and had to change wines several times. For our inconvenience, the server promo'd one bottle of wine.
The service was slow, obnoctious, rude. No-one cared about our group, and seemed to be more interested in the hoards of young patrons coming in to sit in the main lobby area.
Our bill was around $1200 for the evening, and we all agreed, we would never go back, or recomend this retaurant to anyone. It appears to me that the popularity of this place has gone to their heads, so if you want a fine experience, look elsewhere.

Added Feb 18, 2008 by aaronalexander of Westend (8 Reviews)

The Best Oysters!
There's not much I can say but that its the best place in the city and one of my fave restaurant's of all time. The food is to die for (try the low-tide special 3-6 everyday, 1.50 a shuck), the drinks are great (never ever has there ever been a Ceasar thats as good as Rodney's...not cheap, but worth it), the service is best and if you can sit at the bar, you get the best experience!!!! Love this place! Rodneys's rules!!!!

Added Feb 5, 2008 by christinC of vancouver (16 Reviews)

Most down-to-earth spot in Yaletown
I go here often and am never disappointed. The scallops are fantastic, and the potato-crusted halibut is certainly very good. All the reviews say this place is pricey but I don't think it really is when you see what other places with far less atmosphere charge. One picky point though.... I usually think the service is fantastic, but last week, when I went with a girlfriend, something odd happened. My very pretty friend meant to ask for a glass of water as our waiter walked away from our table. It's loud in there and hard to get their attention, so she tapped him on his very muscular arm. He turned around and started poking her arm repeatedly while he said something like "see... you don't like people doing that to you so you shouldn't do it to them...' It was very strange. He seemed genuinely annoyed. What's wrong with the guy? Did she hurt your big bicep? Dude, if a pretty girl happens to poke you gently in arm, and that's something that upsets you, you need to get a life - but I can certainly understand why you might have a hard time getting a girlfriend!

Added Dec 29, 2007 by capngus of Blaine WA (1 Reviews)

Free food & Playboy also
We have been to Rodney's several times over the past year. The first time the waiter gave us two free deserts, one for the length of time we waited for a table, and the second for my son stealing my daughters drink.
The next time my son and I met a woman who was working on a photo shoot for Playboy, and we were invited to a party the next day (could not attend)
Last week my daughter and I had dinner, and as always were impressed by the fresh oysters, great chowder and always friendly and attractive people.
The selection of hot sauces is the best I know of at any seafood place, my favorite is "Back from Hell" It has a real kick and flavor.
I will drive across the border just to have dinner at Rodney's

Added Jul 18, 2007 by David Lee of Richmond, Vancouver (26 Reviews)

Can't go wrong with Fresh Oysters!
I have to agree with a few of the reviews here, the prices do seem to be a bit on the high-end even though they make the place feel as if they shouldn't be charging as such.

I dropped in today for their Low-Tide special which is a much better deal. I personally feel they should be retaining those prices for the regular menu. Much more reasonable, not overly cheap but not eye-poppingly expensive either.

The oysters were great! Nice and fresh with a tray of special sauces to apply for different tastes! I also had the Garlic Prawns which had a nice subtle garlic butter sauce that was perfect for dipping my bread!

Servers were all very friendly if not too casual but that was the style they were going for. I applaud them for their approach towards customer service rather then the uptight servers at other restaurants in the neighboring area known as Yaletown.

Setting-wise they had this whole ocean theme going with nets and boats hung about which was quite unique. Felt like an indoor docking bay.

Overall a pleasant experience.
I would be reluctant to come during regular hours if my bill was going to be much, much higher whilst the same food, service and atsmosphere.

My ratings would have been all 5 stars IF they charged Low-Tide prices all the time, but for what most patrons are paying at regular hours it doesn't justify the food or service.

Added Jun 5, 2007 by Crawl of Burnaby (2 Reviews)

Lotsa Fun...at a price
Rodney's really gives you the feel that an Oyster Bar should. We sat on the upper level, and it gave us a bird's eye view of all the shucking down below. The nautical feel is legit, with nets and other ocean paraphernalia as decoration. Save your pennies though...cause this is not a bargain. With daily raw oysters around $3 per, a dinner for 4 of us with a couple of bottles of wine approached $300 in a hurry. That said, we all really enjoyed the experience, even when leaving yaletown with skinny wallets! :-)

Added May 13, 2007 by Trevor of Vancouver (63 Reviews)

Good
Went there w/ some friends. In general, a good experience. Left feeling full, but spent more than I had wanted to.

Ambiance was decent. Decor makes you feel like you're eating by the dock. Chairs not so comfortable and it was bit too noisy--hard to hear my friends, had to talk very very loud.

I have no complaints whatsoever about the food. Well, maybe the price~i know it's seafood, but found it a little expensive. Go between 3-6 for much cheaper oysters. We had 3 diff types of oysters (very fresh), crabcakes (no fillers!), scallops (SO good), pan-fried oysters, house salad, Manhattan chowder, and steamed mussels (tasty sauce, great to dip your bread in). Drinks were avg in price and selection.

Service was, um, interesting. First guy who came to our table used expletives. I understand this is a casual atmosphere, but there are other words he could've used. Other than that, service was okay. They could've been faster w/ the bread.

Worth going to at least once, to try it out.

Added Mar 5, 2007 by march of Southlands (1 Reviews)

I like Rodney's
I like Rodney's. I think it is an excellent choice for a quick bunch of shucked oysters and maybe a clam chowder. The food is always fresh and the waits are short. The only thing to watch out for is the service. It can be a bit aloof and sometimes surly. All in all though, you should have a good experience.

Added Jan 10, 2007 by imhungry of Vancouver (12 Reviews)

Go for the low tide specials!
It's worth it to leave work early to go to Rodney's for their low tide specials. $1 an oyster (their selection of the day), plus specials on their garlic prawns, pan fried oysters, scallops and a few other selections. Service is great if you sit downstairs but a bit inconsistent if you sit upstairs.

Added Nov 16, 2006 by epicurian of Kerrisdale (43 Reviews)

Good but xpensive
This place has all the right oysters if u luv fresh oysters. It can be very expensive ($280 for 3 girls to dine, bottle of $60 wine, tax & tip). I would suggest this to be a great place for after work drinks & appys & pre-dinner venue. I only gave the food 3 stars as opposed to 4, quite frankly due to the prices. I love kumimoto's and they are impossible to find, so I am willing to pay the $3.50/oyster price but it is quite steep. They were quite famous for their oyster slap jack, but i think it's time to pass on it now. In fact pass on the soups. The steamed clams now come on a smaller plate but are still quite yummy. My friends thought the crabcakes were great but I found them a bit fishy & not crispy enough on the outside. Still, it's a great place to pop by & have a beer & some oysters.

Added Sep 12, 2006 by rachel83 of North Vancouver (16 Reviews)

Great food and great service
I have been to Rodney's numerous times for their low-tide specials. The oysters are always perfectly shucked and come with a nice variety of sauces. Mussels and clams are always steamed to perfection and the fresh bread is perfect for soaking up the extra sauce. This is definitely not a kid friend place (it's in Yaletown for goodness sake. How many kids do you see running around in Yaletown?) but the ambiance is great. The servers are attentive, friendly, and fun to chat with.

Added Aug 15, 2006 by always_hungry of Kitsilano, Vancouver (14 Reviews)

Surf, but don't turf this joint!
Rodney’s Oyster House is a fun venue to venture to for an evening of seafood. The venue is typically Yaletown, very trendy and a cool atmosphere that also comes with a pricey bill at the end of the evening. Our party of 6 stumbled in at prime dinner time, with no reservations and still managed to get a table without waiting (the luck of a Monday night dinner I’m sure). Regardless though the place was hopping, and we still received great service with a minimal wait time, and properly timed appetizers. Between the six of us we covered a vast majority of the menu and all walked out satisfied without a single complaint. However while I’m sure most people go for Oysters, which where excellent steamed, raw, and pan fried they do secretly offer a veggie menu for those who shy away from fish, which included their house salad in a light vinaigrette, and a vegetable pasta done in a tomato cream sauce. All in all I would recommend this restaurant if you have a love for seafood and some cash to spend on a good evening.

Added Nov 10, 2005 by misterchill of West End (9 Reviews)

Happydesiac Hour
Went with a gang to enjoy a plethora of Oysters. We got there before 6 so we could get them for a bucks a piece.

They serve 7 different kinds daily, so we ordered 10 of each, along with a couple other yummy appies to share.

The beer's good, and they serve it promptly in a nice chilled glass. The ambience is okay; a little blase compared to what I was expecting though, and quite small.

The food that came first was a pile of mussels, which were the best I've EVER had, and pan-fried oysters. Again, these were fabulous. Great flavour, nice and light, and cooked to perfection.

The oysters were from all over the place, Fanny Bay, PEI, all shapes and sizes. Decent. The selection of sauces were good and the fresh grated horseradish was a yummy plus.

BE FOREWARNED THOUGH: there is only ONE kind of oyster in the happy hour special, and they switch it every day. When the bill came to almost 300 bucks for the 6 of us, we were a Depends short of pooping our pants. After a, um "discussion" with the server who initially insisted he informed us thusly, and also with the manager, they cut the price down a tad. We were quite non-confrontational; our bellies were full and we had a little buzz, so we just paid the bill and left.