Rodney’s Oyster House

UPDATED REVIEW:
I have a friend who insists on coming to Rodney's every time he is in town. We've had some good and bad experiences here, but over the years I'd say more good than bad, and in fact the last time we were here it was just incredible. James was an absolute treat to have as a server.

It's a bit on the pricier side, but you can absolutely tell that the seafood is fresh, fresh, fresh. I like that they have a little bit of everything so if you're not a seafood fan, there's still things you can eat.

OLD:
I like some seafood but I'm not a big fan of oysters, but one of my friend loves to come here whenever he's in town, so I'm glad they expanded the menu some. We've come a handful of times, but this past experience we had was terrible. A group of us went, and spent well over $300 yet we were treated like absolute scum. We tried to make conversation with the servers and shuckers and we were either ignored or given short, one word answers brushing us off. They didn't seem to have any problems conversing with the other patrons, but they clearly had a problem with us.

Now I'm sure people may read this thinking maybe they ignored us because we were drunk and belligerent. Well I personally was sober, and my other friends had a few drinks but were not even loud, let alone belligerent. And if for some reason the servers thought they were too drunk than they should have stopped serving them alcohol rather than taking our money yet treating us like we didn't deserve to be there.

It's really unfortunate, because in the past, we have had great experiences talking with the staff and eating the deliciously fresh food. After this experience, however, I will not come back.

There are about 20 types of oysters, and if you ask the staff, they will choose the one that suits your taste.
The staff were friendly and explained everything carefully, and the food and drinks were delicious!

I'd say all the dishes we ordered were pretty good.

Crab cakes, mussels, onion rings, oysters and beer!

I loved the oysters. The big platter of lobster rolls, mussels, a side salad and pasta with shrimp and a side of crab cakes for starters. It was all very delicious. Definitely will be coming back.

Knocked it out of the park again!
This continues to be our favourite restaurant to frequent as a couple, probably of all time. It's well worth the commute from Waterloo. The bartender/shucker working in front of us even helped negotiate a bit of extra space between us and the people seated next to us when he could see that we were a bit cramped. Service is always proactive here, well fed and well boozed (responsibly of course) :) You set the bar high and consistently keep it there. Thanks again. Saving up our shekels for our next visit.

Excellent oysters. Also had Fundy scallops, absolutely delicious. Friend had lobster roll which was very nicely done as well. Overall, very happy to have dined there. Good atmosphere, and our server was friendly and cheerful.

We always have an enjoyable time at Rodney's for their amazing selection of Oysters, seafood, and service. We were a party of four, ordered sides, thin French fries, clam chowder, and I believe we tried 6-7 types of Oysters, including thise from japan, New Zealand and western and atlantic Canada. We narrowed down to 3 that we order 3 dozens to share. It was a great evening and a place great for celebrations and dining with friends.

My number ONE restaurant in terms of every aspects you can imagine.
Dine in or take out won’t matter, the quality is above great

Previous review:
Basically, I loved it. You can’t even compare it with other restaurants even the high end restaurants.
Food was Fresh and Delicious.

This restaurant is fab! We had an amazing server, Kayla, who helped us with what to order and made some excellent recommendations. We wanted to try everything so she recommended this sharing board which had everything and was the perfect amount. It was my mum and dads 25th wedding anniversary so they even brought out desert and some whiskies on the house! Would defo be back and in such a good location too

Hosted an event at my place and the oysters from Rodney’s wholesale made a blast to start the party in style. The communication and service experience with Edgar at Rodney’s Wholesale was excellent (order, packaging, delivery). Quality of the oysters and price are the best in town. Thanks Edgar!

Nice oysters - altho staff try to force you into a selection. Fried fish of the day was above avg. Service is a bit too artificially nice for my taste

Hands down the worst seafood I've ever ordered. I ordered the "mussels" in a toddler sized cup that tasted like it was from a can. I could have eaten the portion in two scoops.

It said they were marinated so I imagined un-shucked mussels in an olive oil based marinade like in a photo I saw on the menu. They ended up shucked and smelled and tasted like they were sitting in a refrigerator for at least 5 hours. (Cold).

I also ordered skinny fries and they literally tasted like they were sitting there for about an hour (stale) and just thrown back into hot oil to re-heat them.

For some odd reason I was given a pack of crackers and some pinkish cream cheese that literally made my partner heave. I eat crackers when I'm nauseous so I guess the crackers were the best part of the meal. Never again.

Fantastic Oysters with great sauces selection. I like the sweetness of the west coast ones better but all are delicious. Tuna tartar and steamed musales are also really good. The chocolate mousse is a let down, super sweet and nothing special. Overall a good seafood place. Will recommend.

Hey there, seafood lovers! Let me dish the deets on Rodney’s Oyster House in Toronto, which I checked out recently. First up, this place screams sea vibes – like you’ve just docked your boat and decided to dig into some fresh catch. And the staff? Super friendly, giving you all the good vibes you need.

Now, onto the main event: the lobster. Guys, it was really delicious! Picture this: you crack open the shell, and there’s this juicy, tender meat just waiting to be enjoyed. Every bite was a flavor party, making my taste buds do a happy dance. The seasoning was just right – not stealing the spotlight but rather letting the lobster shine in all its glory.

But here’s the thing that gave me pause: the price tag. Don’t get me wrong, I get it, lobster isn’t your everyday, budget-friendly ingredient, but Rodney’s charges made me think I was funding an expedition to personally catch the lobster. It was steep, folks!

So, here’s the scoop: Rodney’s Oyster House is the place to go if you’re feeling a little fancy and ready to splurge on some top-notch seafood. It’s a treat-yourself kind of place, but if you’re searching for a spot with great seafood that’s also kind to your wallet, you might wanna keep sailing.

Staff were helpful and friendly. The lobster wasn't as I remembered it 10 years ago. It came to us cooled. My friend's lobster seemed to not be so fresh tasting. Still expensive though. The side dishes were great and hot!

Remarkably good experience: good selection of oysters, clams on the shell to die for, good wines and beers, all in all, memorable - for the good reasons!

Always and forever one of my favourite Toronto spots. Best oysters in town and love the chowder

This is the best oyster house I have ever been to! The quality is phenomenal and I love that the atmosphere is relaxed and not too pretentious. The quality of their oysters is the best I’ve ever had downtown Toronto! Can’t wait to come back

Amazing! The food is fresh, the service is superb and the place is just at another level. We were served by Lauren, an absolute delight! She made our experience a special one. This is definitely a hidden gem.check out their washrooms!

Heart of downtown. Half a story down. Not a formal setting, friendly hospitality and service, fresh/delicious seafood powerhouse. Good complimentary wines. Prices are very decent. I already want to come back.
One word on the chowder.portios are massive but needs more seafood inside.

Oh man! This place was incredible. First off, the oysters here were outstanding, they tasted so fresh and delicious! The seafry was pretty good but the shrimp and grits? ! OH EM GEE, that dish, by far, is one of my absolute favorite!

Pair this entire food experience with an amazing service? ! Our server (Court - I really hope I heard him right) was an absolute AMAZING individual. I am so glad I asked for his recommendation because the Mystic oysters were phenomenal, and his suggestion of the shrimp and grits was probably the best thing I was ever recommended at a restaurant.

1000/10, would definitely go back to this amazing restaurant!

Our Server was very helpful and pleasant. Based on my preference she recommended a few options for oysters and all 4 options proved to be satisfying. The Cajun crab soup and the Nice fundy scallops were superb also. It was an enjoyable experience for all of us.

Best oysters i’ve had! Also the crab soup is so heartwarming and the lobster roll is a must-try - i’ll be back!

We have been craving oysters for quite a while, so we decided to stop by spontaneously for a bite. The wait for a table was only around half an hour, which we were pleasantly surprised by. The staff were very friendly, responsive, and attentive. In terms of food, their oysters and clam chowders were delicious as always. The grilled scallops and sea urchin on the seafood plate were really good, but we felt the fried mussels did not match the quality of the rest of the dish.

Update:

Terrible Service. Food Excellent but over priced. If you are going to charge that much, you ought to have your servers trained or restaurant staffed to provide appropriate “steps of service”.

After last weeks incident (see below) I thought I would provide them the benefit of the doubt (based on their response). That was a mistake.

Although the food was excellent, the service was not. Bread was never refreshed, table not cleaned between courses, water never replenished, never took more then one drink order over a two hour period, didn’t replace cutlery between course after taking dirty away (had to half my meal with an oyster fork), and forgot items and refused to ask the kitchen to fix the mistake. Worst of all, we spent $250, for two people, and left hungry…we would have ordered more food (even at those prices) but our server was non-existent all night. Ultimately, when you pay this much money for food, the service should match. As much as I enjoyed the food, I can’t see myself returning.

Old Review:

Commuted into the city for my reservation. When I arrived I was told that the power has been out for an hour. No phone call. Nothing. Just wait until everyone shows up to let them know. When I was 5 minutes late for my last reservation…they called right away. Clear where their priorities are. Selfish. Unprofessional. Will not be returning.

Oysters are incredible. Everything else we ordered was mediocre - if that. The lobster meat (in the lobster roll) was rubbery and almost flavourless. Had been there for an hour and was approached by probably 5 servers…

Really enjoyed our visit today. Had assorted oysters, crab cakes and seared scallops. Everything was delicious and our server was very friendly and knowledgeable. Unfortunately, unexpected power outage happened in the neighbourhood but the way staff handled the situation was spectacular. They were quick to bring candles on the table as well as serve free champagne. Will be returning soon for awesome seafood!

Visited Rodney's for a dinner. Oysters were amazing. Service not so much. Had to remind the waitress to bring forks, glasses for water, or take away dirty plates. Visited this place several years ago and it was perfect on every count.

Amazing food. The oyster selection post covid isn't as good as before but still excellent. Super friendly. A bit of a reduced menu as compared to before but still some of the best oysters in Toronto.
Highly suggest the octopus! Best octopus I've had!

Great service and delicious food. We ordered a bunch of different dishes: lobster rolls, ceviche, oysters and the seafry. Everything tasted super fresh.

Our apps were a bit late however our waitress was kind enough to offer us a dessert for waiting. She was super friendly and attentive as well.
Thank you!

P.s. Only have a picture of the oysters because we devoured everything lol

Dined on the patio and ordered the Sea Fry, Branzino, Fanny Bay Oysters, Eastern Gale Oysters, Noank Cocktail Oysters, and Domaine Laroche Saint Martin Chablis 2018
*
Had a lovely evening here. Friendly service and they guided us in picking oysters from their selection. Food was delicious. The fav of the night was the fresh branzino - whole European sea bass pan seared with vegetables.

The. Best. Oysters. Ever!
The quality, size and taste of their oysters is outstanding! The list to choose from is quite long. Other food is pretty good too. Very friendly staff. I came back here 3 times already, and surely will be back again.

Nice clean, following covid 19 protocols, place was clean staff was friendly and knowledgeable, food was good, great time for family fun

The food was outstanding, especially the oysters, tuna tartare, and bread. The ambience was also great. My only issue was it took over an hour for us to get our food.

This place is a favorite - so much so I had to go back twice in a month. Everyone who works there is clearly passionate and educated on oysters so it is completely fine going in without really knowing what you're looking for. I really can't say enough good things about the staff, who are so great and can really help you chose a dish if you're having trouble not chosing everything on the menu. Outside of oysters, they also have pasta and other plates that are all incredible. Don't let the kitschy decor fool you, they take food very seriously.

Very disappointed. I use to love Rodney’s, and after my last visit, won’t be returning. It’s lost it’s charm. The staff seem disinterested to work there, and have no knowledge of what they are serving. Usually oyster tray offers a variety from different regions and they explain it. They even give out a tray of sauces to experiment with, maybe they’ve stopped this? Our server kept forgetting to punch in our apps and our drinks, so we had to order it multiple times until I asked another server for it. Oh and get this, the very thing we came for was crab—and it was sold out! That’s like going to a Japanese restaurant and the restaurant running out of rice! If you have any special occasion, or want an enjoyable evening, go somewhere else. You’ll thank me for this tip.

Maybe I came here on an off night but the food quality was just above passable- which is fine but not when you charge the prices you do. Lobster roll for $30 I ate it in 2 bites and it was pretty uninspired.

Oysters were good, large selection.