The Whalesbone Oyster House - Ottawa

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. <br/ <br/ Even after all these years, there is still a crowd and a lineup so simply arrive early if possible. <br/ <br/ Naturally, if you an oyster lover you will definitely want to sample the menu. Other seafood dishes are certainly worth trying as well.

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.