Whalesbone (on Bank) has been my favourite restaurant for years. It comes at a price but you can always expect perfectly executed fresh and flavourful dishes. I personally enjoy sitting at the bar and watching the staff prep oysters and interact with them. Everyone is very friendly and the atmosphere is on point. We always do reservations on the weekend given the limited seating. Highly recommend!
Love Whalesbone Oysters - probably the best you can get in the city. The Bank Street location is, however, cramped, and they only do reservations for tables on weekends. Seating at the bar is an option - although it is also very limited. The place has a hipster, NYC SoHo restaurant kind of vibe to it. Music is played on a record player. There is a single row of tables, right next to the bar, where you can easily see oysters being shucked right in front of you. Even though I prefer the Elgin location, the quality of the food doesn't differ between the two. My friends and I were lucky to get a table on a Friday without a reservation. We split the 18 oysters (the beach gems from BC are my favourite!), clam chowder and mussels. Worth every penny for what we got. Definitely a splurge, but you won't regret it.
Staff are friendly and helpful. Oysters were a mix of local and more exotic choices (I.e. New Zealand). Mussels with coconut milk broth were delicious. All seafood very fresh. Would recommend without reservation.
What can I say that already hasn't been said? This is one of Ottawa's best restaurants not only when it comes to seafood, but when it comes to a restaurant concept and presentation. A small restaurant that has managed to stand out in the crowd because of its excellent food and signature oyster dishes.
Even after all these years, there is still a crowd and a lineup so simply arrive early if possible.
Naturally, if you an oyster lover you will definitely want to sample the menu. Other seafood dishes are certainly worth trying as well.
I came here for my birthday and I definitely would do it again. Everything is so fresh in this restaurant. The oysters were very clean and fresh and the main courses were great too. We ordered a variety of things and all tasty.
Their Bank St. location is small, warm and cozy. It does get very crowded on a Friday night so be sure to make a reservation. They have a small but very diverse menu which gives a lot of options. Some of their appetizers are quite big and filling, like the mussel bowl I ordered. It was a delicious bowl of mussel, cooked with coconut milk and Thai flavours (lemongrass, Thai basil, ginger) and it wasn't too spicy. Staff is very friendly and attentive. Will definitely come back.
The new location is great, everything is wonderfully laid out and it is very enjoyable. The food was prepared to perfection and everyone enjoyed their choices. The staff are friendly and very helpful.
The only down side is the noise level. The restaurant was not full but we had a hard time to hear each other in our party of 5.
Hands down the best restaurant we have ever been to. Cool casual pub like feel. The best high end food you will find anywhere. The staff is friendly and helpful. We are from 6 hours away and we will most definitely be back.
We sat at the bar as it was a busy Sunday evening we decided to visit. This place is pretty small so many I would recommend having a reservation. The oysters were fresh and served with many tasty sauces. I had the lobster risotto and thought I had died and gone to heaven. Great food,
great service!
This place is quite amazing! The oysters are fresh and delicious, and I would recommend this place for any seafood lover. The waiter was knowledgeable of each type of oyster, which made it interesting to know the background of the food. Would definitely recommend!
We had a great evening here. One of the best assortments of oysters I’ve ever had. Ate at the bar and had a great conversation with the staff. Very engaging and attentive. One the best aspects was the scotch in the oyster shells. That will be my go-to. Music was outstanding and overall vibe terrific.
Angel Le (hiAngelBytes)
+5
This is my ultimate place to go for oysters! Always fresh and soooo delicious. They have so much sauce to choose from for your oysters! I always eat like 50$ worth of oysters every time I come here haha! Their salmon and soup is very good and the deep fried ice cream is my favourite! Love love love it! The staff is very chill and friendly and seems like they love working here! Nice and cozy with great food, excellent place for any kind of occasion.
Good location, fun atmosphere, and delicious food. The staff are also knowledgeable about their offerings and drinks.
This is one of the go to places for oysters in the city. Definitely a must, if you're a fan.
Their other meals change through the year with local foods incorporated into it.
One downside of this location is that there is no AC, so it gets quite hot in there.
Great food and friendly staff. Loved the apps we ordered and the main course. Flavors are well balanced. Seafood is definitely good here.
Went on a Sunday and it wasn't too busy and we got great service.
We went to the original Whalesbone restaurant on Bank street. Always great service and food. OMG, I love oysters. C'mon down and try a plate, or two. The Bank street location is smaller, but has great decor, atmosphere. Am I in Newfoundland?? Maybe. Thanks for great food. Loved the salmon. Yummy.
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We just finished a museum visit and started walking around the area looking for a place to eat. Did a quick search for seafood restaurants nearby on Google Maps. Nearest was " Whalesbone " merely a few hundred meters away, and it had great reviews. So we began our journey. The instant we walked in the door, my godchild and I knew we were going to enjoy our decision. The charm of the restaurant was in it's decor, the staff and the best part, besides the wonderful food, was the nostalgic feeling I got once I saw the bartender putting on music. He was using an actual record player and we listened to great vinyl albums from the 70s and 80s. We both enjoyed our choices, Mariana had the Atlantic salmon and I enjoyed the Shellfish Risotto. They made adjustments to my meal to comply with my food intolerances without hesitation. Probably should mention that, one needed to have a reservation because of limited seating. Without knowing this, they still served us. They asked a couple of clients to give up a little space at the bar and we all shared it and it made for good conversation. Top notch service and staff, with great food. What more do you want from a restaurant?
Friendly, personable, attentive staff made this high end restaurant accessible to tourists. If you know nothing about oysters, but enjoy seafood fine dining, come here! Everything was excellent. No dress code required. Expect to spend about $40-50 per person.
The Best trout dish I have Ever had! Staff was incredible! Dishes were beyond Fantastic, just an absolutely Amazing experience. I was told Whalesbone was great but you have to experience it for yourself! Wow!! Blew my mind!
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