Review Merivale Fish Market - Ottawa

The best seafood restaurant I have ever been to. Absolutely everything from the menu is delicious, I had no complaints. The fish and chips were perfect, it wasn't crazy battered so you can actually see and taste the fish. Highly recommend getting the sweet potato fries, they are the best I've ever had. The clam chowder was delicious, so was the calamari and the crab cakes with a sweet mango chutney like dip. Highly, highly recommend. You also know everything is fresh here since you can buy the seafood right next door!

Really loved the crab cakes from the Merivale Fish Market restaurant! It eas flavorful, good texture and had a nice crunch. Also, really loved the fish and chips. It’s a classic but so delicious. It came with a pile of fries and coleslaw. The batter was light and crispy, and the fish was flaky and buttery. It was savoury and very tasty.

Excellent seafood here, especially Oysters🦪, fresh and plump! Oysters are not on the menu, don’t forget to ask the waitress what’s new today for off-menu dishes from the market next door. They’re owned by the same owner. Reasonable price. We really like it here!

Check out my food blog Instagram for more reviews: @mimi.munches 💖 I find myself in the Nepean area of Ottawa often when searching for value eats, or for the huge variety of bubble tea available in this area, and have always wanted to try Merivale Seafood Grill! I've purchased their fresh seafood products before (sushi-grade salmon/tuna, as well as their oysters), and found them very fresh and fairly priced. So I finally dropped by to dine-in on their outdoor patio on a gorgeous day! . I actually went on two different occasions recently, and will share all the dishes I tried! . Appetizer - Calamari ($17): I kept seeing the calamari in their Google reviews, and had to get it. I was not disappointed - it was a good amount, tender, and the batter was light and not thick. . Soups - Tony's Bouillabaisse ($22): This was so good, I had it TWICE on two separate days. The broth is rich but light and tomato-based, with a generous amount of seafood (fish, mussels, shrimp). The portion was a good size, and was so comforting. . Mains - Pescatore ($35) Linguine, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, rosé sauce: This REALLY hit the spot for seafood pasta. The sauce was flavourful, and it had a good amount of seafood. I'd say portions here are good value overall, and the seafood is SUPER fresh. . Mains - Lobster Poutine (~$18?) This was one of the recent Blackboard specials, and if you know me, you know I LOVE poutine, so I HAD to try this, as I love lobster as well. It was a really interesting take on a poutine, with a lighter sauce, well-cooked fries, and chunks of lobster. So good, I finished it all in one go on my own! Pro tip: make sure to check their Blackboard specials on the inside of the restaurant, as they'll often have unique dishes not on their regular menu! The dipping sauce had a nice kick as well. . I recommend dining on their outdoor patio if it's a nice day, as it is covered, and cooler than the interiors. . Next time, I want to try their crab cakes, Paella, and grilled fish!

Omg this place is awesome! Hidden gem in Ottawa! Paella and fish soup (forgot the name) were delicious! I wish there was something like a 7 course sampling menu from them, I would pay good money to be able to try more dishes!

I went to the Seafood Grill because of the reviews. They were not wrong. After a short wait we got our table in this cozy restaurant. I ordered the Pescatore Pasta, which had an amazing rose sause loaded with seafood. The sause was so great that I ate it with a spoon after the pasta was done. It was the best rose I have ever had. My husband had the cod fish and chips which is the best he's had in the region. The prices are reasonable and if there is a wait, it's worth it. I'll be back.

One of the best seafood place in ottawa. The sushi was also great and cheap. The place was filled when we were there in the evening.. The staffs were also nice. They have a fish market within the restaurant were we can buy fresh uncooked fish aswell.

Wow! Been a while since we had a great seafood dinner. Highly recommend. The family loved the good. The wife had paella. The son had Pescadore (noodles and mussels). I had fish and chips. Paella had a great subtle spicy flavor. The Pescadore had a smooth tomato sauce. The fish and chips were light and heavenly. One thing is a definite must have...the appetizer calamari. Loved the breading and the flavor. Highly recommend. Unfortunately no reservations taken. So get there early.

The foods are great and very fresh. <br/>Price is standard (not too pricey and not too cheap).<br/>The ambience is very cozy.<br/>Their service is quitely good.

I love this place !! I have been going to this restaurant for a few years I never had a bad meal every thing I order from mussels to fish and chips to sushi . The food is fresh and excellent !! The Calamari is to die for. The Service always comes with a smile and prompt . Ive introduced many people to this restaurant and they have loved it too and now they make it a regular affair to eat there .<br/>

Came here for a Birthday Dinner. The ambience of the place is very cosy. We were a big group and they accommodated us by having two tables. The variety of food that they have was great. Ranging from seafood grills, to appetizers... and don’t be fooled they have a dessert menu you just have to ask the waiters what it is, they change it up (I think). I ordered the grilled calamari which was very tasty and had two oysters; which were fresh! I then ordered the maple and sesame salmon, with roasted potatoes on the side. The potatoes and veggies were delicious. And the salmon was cooked to perfection. Overall I recommend this place! The staff was very friendly as well.

I had a great bouillabaisse here before but this one today lacked some zip. But the fish and seafood in the broth was fresh and plentiful. The broth was a bit bland. Two of us had the bouillabaisse! another friend had scallops that were good but not outstanding. The side dishes were cooked to perfection. Rosemary potatoes and veggies. The best part of the meal were the crab cake appetizers. A 5. !!!! We also shared fried smelts. I am not fond of these but my brother loved this dish. They were delicious!!!! My friend had tartufo lemon ice that was most refreshing.

Always good. Needs a separate entrance from the market section cause I almost barf every time I walk into the restaurant, but push through.

Honestly, was not expected much when I first came to this place, but the food was absolutely phenomenal. Definitely some of the best seafood I've had in the city.

Best seafood in Ottawa. The fish is fresh and delicious. I once brought someone here who hates seafood and he loved the breaded shrimp and always wants to go for shrimp now. Be warned the dining room is tiny and crowded so if you do not like small places this might not be for you.

So, i was craving a good clam chowder. A search on the net and Zomato directed me to this restaurant. What a great place. I was not expecting a fancy dining room full of people just after noon. The clam chowder was excellent. My co-worker loved the halibut fish & chips. I will definitely go back to have a proper meal there and probably buy some fresh seafood.

Came here based on the reviews. The fish and chips was pretty good and fresh. If you're not a fan of stuffy dining rooms, I'd say move on to the next fish restaurant.

No surprise to see a line up when we arrived here for dinner on a Friday night.  We asked if we could eat at the bar which meant we waited only 5 minutes.  Our meal began with calamari - very, very good!  The calamari was fresh, lightly breaded and the portion was more than generous.  My photo only shows half the portion.  I had the seafood linguine.  There were clams all the way around the dish!  Shrimp and scallops too.  The pasta was beautifully cooked and the sauce perfect for the dish.  My husband had the paella and thoroughly enjoyed it.  We chatted with the owner while we ate, it is a favourite neighbourhood spot.  We enjoyed it very much and will be back again, and again.

If you are looking for calamari that melts In your mouth this is the place to go! I've never been disappointed with their calamari or grouper! Foods amazing but there's not much seating and the place is usually packed.

We were regulars and dined here several times a month   The last couple of times we went for dinner, we found that the grouper dishes we ordered did not taste like grouper.  The last visit we questioned the waiter about the grouper as it tasted a lot like basa fish.  The waiter enquired with the chef and finally disclosed that the fish was indeed not grouper but basa.  The waiter apologized but offered no reason as to why they were misrepresenting the fish on the menu.  Nor did any of the management come out to speak to us. Apparently basa is often used as a cheaper substitute for grouper. Beware!  I should point out that this is not just a restaurant; the main business is a fish store which has been operating for some time.  They know exactly what they are serving and knowingly deceive customers.  This is deploreable and they will not be seeing us again.  Not as restaurant patrons or customers in the fish store. <br/>Beware ! Can you really believe they are serving you what they say they are?!

The volume of the courses are good, and the taste of the calamari is quite fresh and delicious. Two main courses, fish & chip and sesame salmon are unexpectedly good. The room of the resto is a bit tight, is not good for private gathering, but for family and casual occasions, it is not a bad choice at all.

Small restaurant but food is fresh and delicious. Very limited menu but large portions an something for everyone

The calamari.. Try it. You'll thank me later. <br/><br/><br/>Probably the best calamari I've had in Ottawa. <br/><br/>Edit: Definitely the best.

The Best Fish and Chips Ever!. I have eaten hear several times, never have I had bad Fish&Chips. Better than LaPoints's. The fries are freshly cut and the fish melts in your mouth. So good! You will not be disappointed. Price is afforadable, Service is courteous! Want more fish? On your way out you can purchase it fresh to take home:) Try it you will love it!

It's good service as usual. The server is very friendly. However I do noticed that they have change the menu recently, not much changes in food, but the price$ has been increased quite a bit. I don't think it worth the value of going - place for a nice meal any more, unless they make reasonable change.

After reading much reviews about this place, I was really excited to bring the family. Upon arrival we were told to pick a seat. It was fairly quiet. First glance not impressed. Not the fancy seafood place you would bring your wife or gf on a date. After waiting a while for a server to come along we finally ordered. My wife and kids ordered fish n chip while I on the other hand ordered scallop and rice and veggies. At no time did the waitress come back to refill our water or ask us if we needed anything else. I forgot to mention me and my wife had ordered crab cakes. Was not pressed at all for 8$ each. As our main dishes came out our crab cake plates was not picked up during the whole meal. First glance at my plate of scallope's was extremely dissapoiting. Plain rice with chicken broth powder thrown in, lots of red ognions with a few zucchini's. Now came the time to taste the medium size scallop's, ,,,,, over cooked, and not even cleaned properly as the muscle was attached on 3 of my 5 scallops that I received on my plates. Now you think our waitress would of caned by to ask how things were , but nope, not once! As for my wife's grouper it was cooked perfectly with a light batter. My daughter's shrimp were cooked great but lacked seasoning and my sons fried halibut was nice too. Over all I would not be coming back as service was absolutely hideous !

Great Lunch. Just took my mom for lunch. I'm glad we went early (only because we were on a timeline -- had to get her to the airport). Aside: I did note that though the restuarant was full by the time we finished, the kitchen was clearly moving well -- I was constantly seeing people gettin their food.<br/><br/>The food was great and it came quickly. We had the crab cakes (the best I've had this far inland) and we both had the boullabaisse for lunch. I've never had it before, but OMG so good! The little bowl was loaded with fish and mussels plus a perfectly done shrimp on top. Warm bread to soak up the spicy broth. Mmm. Plus super coffee. We would have been stuffed but we found room for tiramisu which was delicious. Bill came to just north of $40 -- not cheap, but the food wasn't cheap and it was delicious. Highly recommended and I can't wait to go back.

Lovely little place! The food is amazing and it's such a good atmosphere! My SO and I had the Sambuca Shrimp on a whim and it was delicious. Prices are what you expect for seafood and well worth it.

This was my first time going to this place. Friendly service. Fast service. However, be careful when ordering to go if you are hungry. Got home with my takeout order. I was dissapointed . I ended up paying $23 for a seafood linguini that was barely enough to feed a child. The amount of pasta barely fit on the palm of my hand. Lots of mussels to cover the empty takeout container. Also, only two shrimps and two scallops. Might return to this place. Not sure anymore.

Luke. I love this place.

Fantastic fish and chips. My husband is from England, and this is the one place in town where the cod is fresh and fantastically fried. They will also do gluten free, grilled. Anything available from the fish monger there is also available from the kitchen upon request. Enjoy.

The most crispy and tasty fish and the fries are always fried perfectly. This time the coleslaw was a bit dry but from previous visits it isn't always that way. Would definitely recommend if you're in the mood for seafood

Excellent Meal. I am relocating from Vancouver to Ottawa and while I am working here temporarily I am trying restaurants that have gotten good reviews on Urbanspoon. This was a very good one. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal (Sea Scallops) and the waitresses were terrific and obviously proud of where they work. I'll be bringing my family back to this one.

Neighborhood Jewel. I like this place a lot. The atmosphere is unassuming and attentive, the fish is fresh and the service is friendly. You can't go wrong with their fish and chips or their daily specials. I've dropped into this family-run establishment several times and have always been warmly greeted.

Waaaay good. Went twice in the last two weeks.The fish and chips rocked and the scallops melted in my mouth.It s a gem.

The only thing I don't like about Merivale Fish Market is their parking. And even that is overshadowed by how pleasant the staff, food, and atmosphere are. Great place if you enjoy fish.

The best seafood place I've ever been too. Better than Red Lobsters and better than any seafood place I have been too! They have the best clam showder, the best seafood. Price is very good too compared to other seafood places. <br/><br/>Love this place, would recommend it to all seafood lovers :-)

Some of the best fish & chips!. Been there numerous times for their fish & chips. My husband's from Nova Scotia and is incredibly picky about his fish & chips but the Seafood Grill definitely won him over. Delicious cole slaw as well! nom nom nom.

First time shrimp lover. When our daughter was younger and was tested for allergies, shrimp was a HUGE red flag. Naturally we stayed away from seafood restaurants during family outings. Recently the allergist said that shrimp was no longer an issue. That evening we went to The Seafood Grill so she could have her first taste. She had the Garlic Shrimp on linguine. SHE LOVED IT!!!!!!<br/>And with good reason, this place has the best, freshest, plumpest shrimp in the city. The Shrimp Sambuka is to die for, as are the shrimp won-tons. As for the rest of the menu, the special of the day - any of them - are always satisfying. Dessert and coffee are as satisfying as the main course. We always leave there satisfied, and dream about the next time we will be visiting.

Fairly Good. Its a bit expensive, but everything worth anything is now a days. The food is fresh and tasty, and they don't over-feed you like the tendency is. The scallops were excellent, and the Red snapper was only a little greasy.

I've been dining for 3 years. Always my favourtie seafood restaurant. It is bit pricey but the quality is superb! :D Especially the soup is really really good.

Got dine in instead of take out. Good customer service. Halibut and chips was $15.95 dining in (apparently the same for take out). For this price, you get two paultry pieces of fish and a fair share of chips (18.03 with tax). While the halibut was flakey and white, there was a grainyness to the flesh and it just didnt taste like fresh fish at all, which is a shame at such a high price. I know quality fish and chips (e.g., The Crab Shop in N. Vancouver, BC, which unfortunately is too far to go for descent F&C). Overpriced and low quality. I would not recommend this place, unless you like the taste of frozen Highliner quality fish and want to pay too much for it.

So good. Really good. Some of the best fish and chips I've ever had. I'll be back.

A+++. Great service, food and atmosphere @ a affordable price!<br/>What more can you ask for. They also let us customize our own dish.!!!<br/><br/>Will definitely be returning for more great seafood!

Fresh. Great fresh seafood. Had the smelts and crab cakes and loved them. The mango salsa was a nice added touch to the crab cakes. The order of smelts was substantially larger than what I was expecting for the price and I could not finish it.

Impressive. Great sea food at reasonable prices. The chefs always have some amazing daily specials , I'd recommend to try the daily specials

WOW!. Amazing friendly welcoming staff. Food is the best, made my daughter love fish. So impressed will 100% go back. Very busy place but well worth the wait.

Conveniently located right next to a fish market, the Seafood Grill exudes fresh-deliciousness! Try the halibut. It's a couple of dollars more but well worth the price. They also offer a catch of the day dish.

Our Friday lunch spot. 4 weeks in a row so far, and every time is a delight for the taste buds. We always order off the daily specials board, and the food is always served quickly. It never fails to please. Today we had Shrimp Sambuca followed by the Grilled Marlin with salad and Key Lime cheesecake for dessert. Can't wait to see what will be served next week!

I have been going to the Seafood Grill for a few years now and over the last year or so I've noticed the customer service lacking, even during mid-aft when there was absolutely no rush to contend with. That said, if you are looking for some great seafood, incredible clam chowder, and have some patience (and time) to spare, I would definitely recommend it...just try to keep a close eye on your server, cell phones seem to be a bit of a distraction at times.

Great fish and well cooked.

Excellent service!! Grilled tuna with veg was cooked to perfection! Definately will return.

My fish was fresh and excel­lent, and so was Feng’s. The ser­vice wasn’t great though: no one checked on us, our glasses of water were not refilled and it took a long time to flag the wait­ress to ask for the check and actu­ally get the check, even though by then the restau­rant wasn’t busy any­more. A lot of cus­tomers seemed to be reg­u­lar and you could tell the staff was much friend­lier with them.

Have you ever wondered about that ubiquitous phenomenon of craving Fish and Chips? It is a regular occurrence on Twitter to see 'I'm craving fish and chips. Where is the best place to go in Ottawa?'. And the usual cast of characters shout out their favour