Best Seafood Restaurants in Vancouver

From oysters bars, to salmon, to Dungeness crab

One of the perks of living by the Pacific Ocean in Vancouver is the fresh seafood that’s available. There is local Dungeness crab, salmon, and halibut flown into Vancouver daily from nearby areas of BC. This has attracted seafood chefs to the city and you’re spoiled for choice. Fresh oysters, fresh sushi from local fish, epic fish and chips, and surf and turf await you. Many of the restaurants source out daily catch options. There are some epic seafood restaurants here that honour the seasons and right now, it’s crab and salmon season. What’s so great is you can eat fresh seafood on any budget here. There are high-end seaside restaurants on Granville Island, beachfront restaurants, and more modest options on Commercial or Main Street.

Under the Granville Island bridge you’ll find Sandbar, one of Vancouver’s most well-known upscale seafood restaurants. The location is as good as the sushi made-to-order. There’s live music every night with an extensive wine menu to pair with amazing seasonal dishes like shrimp fettucini paired with local mussels and Salmon Cobb Salad. The Seafood Boil for Two on Sundays is an event in itself. They have a robust oyster bar and a wood-burning grill or frying pan for their seasonal fish offerings.

Savoury Chef Foods is rated #1 for catering in Vancouver and they offer seasonal seafood menus delivered to any of your occasions. Beautifully created dishes like Smoked Salmon Tartare and Ginger Chili Prawns are just some of the current seasonal specials. You can opt for delivery that includes fish of the day decadent food delivered to your door. While there are plenty of options for this in Vancouver, these guys do it best. Fresh seafood thoughtfully prepared to your door.

Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House is a staple of Vancouver society and a great place to come for any occasion. It’s somewhat upscale but offers a buzzing atmosphere with amazing seafood offerings like their popular oyster bar that you can enjoy on the rooftop patio. This is our top pick for surf and turf in Vancouver. You can pay a little for delicious fish and chips or go for Joe’s Seafood Tower on Ice. This incredible ensemble includes chilled Atlantic lobster, local oysters, marinated clams and mussels, scallop ceviche, albacore tuna crudo, and chilled jumbo prawns.

The Vancouver Fish Company offers up East and West Coast oysters, Olympia Oyster and the Pacific Oyster, and the Atlantic Oyster daily ordered by the half dozen. Located on Granville Island, they’re offering up a brand new take with their super fresh seafood. They’ve got all the greats here though like a surf and turf that includes Two Rivers AAA Tomahawk steak, King crab, 1.5 lb whole lobster, grilled prawns, scallops, roasted garlic potatoes and some seasonal veggies. They offer local wild salmon, crab and shrimp fritters, and local Salt Spring Island mussels. They offer traditional seafood with refreshing recipes, incorporating more than just butter and lemon. Enjoy extra taste experiences like chimichurri, Southern remoulade, and horseradish.  Memorable meals are made here and an extra bonus is they have space for large groups.

Blue Water Cafe is in the heart of Yaletown and is highly recommended by those who love seafood. We love the vibe here as it’s set in a heritage warehouse, the sign of a well-established Yaletown destination. The menu is unassuming but dazzling with the freshest, highest quality daily catches around like char, lobster from the tank flown in from the Atlantic daily, and sablefish. Executive chef Frank Pabst offers a legendary Seafood Platter for 2, which includes Dungeness crab and baby shrimps, albacore tuna tartare, bay scallop ceviche. This is the seafood restaurant for foodies that love seafood offered up in a thoughtful, sustainable way.

Hook Seabar by English Bay is a waterfront eatery with an airy by-the-sea feel to it. There are few locations in Vancouver that offer such a stunning view of the beach and ocean. They have some small plates you can enjoy with friends like prawns, calamari and crab dip. They also have a plethora of craft beers along with a good few oysters on the half-shell options. This is a great place to come with friends and enjoy the sunset. 

Oddfish Restaurant on W. 1st has an ever-changing menu based on what the sea and farmers present to them.  Enjoy features like Tuna Tataki, Lumacone Prawns Diavolo, and daily fish specials with sole, ling cod, and halibut. They have their menu written on chalkboards because everything changes daily. This is a casual seafood option with plenty of your favourite seafood options based on the season. For example, right now it’s crab and salmon season so you can bet their chefs are cooking something special. 

Tony’s Fish and Oyster Cafe is unassuming but it’s always busy at lunch and dinner. It’s considered by many Vancouver locals as the “hidden gem” of Granville Island. They don’t have a fancy restaurant, but they do what the higher-end seafood restaurants do. By supporting the local market, they offer up fresh seafood daily like mussels, clams, chowders, and seafood platters. Meals are served in a traditional way with the blue-and-white checkered paper in a basket. We love that it’s a family-owned business and reservations aren’t required. Prices are really reasonable and we recommend their famous fish and chips with cod, salmon, or halibut.