The Whalesbone Oyster House

I have been to the Whalesbone in the past few years for lunch at least 6 times, had a good experience each time. Dinner there however is quite a different thing. On March 28th for 8pm we had booked the large table in the front so we could introduce our friends their food. Our experience was something less than pleasant. In summary it will be impossible to ever get our friends to visit this place for dinner again. I can no longer recommend this restaurant. A detailed review is on TripAdisor

The Best of All Worlds

This is truly the best of all culinary & entertainment worlds! Obviously "the best" is subjective, and if you like big chain joints, stuffy service and soft music, this isn't the place for you. But if you like an intimate, dark and cozy atmosphere, fantastic casual service, the crackle of vinyl while MJ, James Brown or the Boss rings out across the bar all while eating some of the best food you've ever tasted...The Whalesbone is calling your name. Perhaps the best selection of oysters I've ever seen (even rare Pacific oysters from BC and NZ), professional bartenders/oyster shuckers keeping you "hydrated", fed and entertained, and a well-trained & highly talented (and VERY fun) staff make The Whalesbone a great place for lunch, dinner or just drinks with your friends! Try it out if you've never been, I know you won't be dissappointed

Oyster Lovers!

Rustic looking place. If you enjoy oysters, this is the place to be in Ottawa, Montreal or Toronto! They have the best assortment of oysters I have ever enjoyed and I have been around many places in the world. Their menu is small, but very interesting. Everything is always fresh food and the fish is amazing. The present chef, Charlotte, seems to incorporate fried eggs on a few of her plates, which I do not like, so we ask her to do it without. The previous chef had this amazing raw fish with truffle oil on a board... the best ever! They should bring this back. They play vinyls behind the bar and you can request your favorite oldies. The service is casual and friendly, and the atmosphere is great. We enjoy sitting at the bar and watch trays being loaded with freshly chucked of oysters. Pricey, but where else can you have that kind of food combined with amazing atmosphere.

I think that you have to get over the fact that the place is extremely small and the atmosphere is very casual. After that you can enjoy the very fine food, knowing that it is supposed to be enjoyed in such an atmosphere. Whalesbone is, in my view, the very best place in Ottawa to enjoy oysters. The menu is not extensive but everything on it is very much worth trying. I have always had a good time there.

The day we went the menu consisted solely of oysters and some appetizer options. The staff provided great recommendations to help us decide. We were thankful for that, having never realized the number oyster options available. We both started with the sashimi appetizer, it was very tasty. For our main we each had a large dish of oysters. They were very delicious, but this is the first time I’ve ever had all oysters for a meal – it was a bit much for my taste. .

Great Place for Oysters

This is a great place to eat oysters on the half shell. They always have a good variety of different types of oysters and they are always fresh. There are a large number of sauces available if you like to spice up your mollusks. The lobster/pork belly combination is really good too. If you have never had pork belly, don't let the name put you off! Try it. You'll like it. This is a very small restaurant and the seating arrangements are a bit cramped. The music was just a touch too loud. The service was very good and there is a very friendly upbeat atmosphere.

A+ affordable for food quality and great service

It was a special occassion, and the whole experience was amazing. I had never had oysters before and the oyster preparer was so helpful and even gave us a variety of ones to try. The appetizers are very affordable for the quality. We ordered a few to share and each was amazing. The kitchen is open and you can watch the shefs prepare the meal. If you are interested in watching them, ask for the bar seat or booth table close to the kitchen. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone with a passion for seafood. There are also non-seafood options available. Very good wine list available too. And the record player made the experience that much better.

The appetizers - oysters were great. More...

The appetizers - oysters were great. More presentation than good food. The prices were ridiculous. Why pay more for a chef when he can't produce a good meal... Save your money and pay for good food not the name of a chef! I have had better wakame sald from a plastic tub in Chinatown.

Although a little pricy for the portion size, the...

Although a little pricy for the portion size, the food was delicious. And a great place to visit for atmosphere, and friendliness. Very kind staff, full of knowledge, advice and good cheer. My GF was sold on 2 words, "Steve Vardy". Great food, awesome atmosphere, definitely want to return!

This restaurant is amazing. I have been three...

This restaurant is amazing. I have been three times and haven't been disappointed. The food is delicious and the service is very helpful and friendly.

We ate at the bar which was good as we could see...

We ate at the bar which was good as we could see the fresh oysters shucked right in front on us. The appetizers - oysters were great - good variety. Steak was not at all what it should have been. Salmon was ridiculous. The presentation was cute, but not that appealing. The prices were way out of whack for the quality and preparation of the food. It used to be better - I think they got a new cook - definitely went downhill from before. We may go back, but just for the oysters - forget the mains. Save your money and have your main course elsewhere.

This place is incredible !!! There is no other...

This place is incredible !!! There is no other place like it in Ottawa. Have the lobster bisque. Don't be shy ..... talk to the staff, have some drinks, have a great time. Congrats Josh & Cheri.

This is the best Oyster Bar in town! Always a...

This is the best Oyster Bar in town! Always a large selection of east and west coast oysters, with fresh horse radish, and a Scotch shaker to have on them too! Always a fresh menu on the board... Very fun place to be!

First - the benches - absolutely ridiculous to...

First - the benches - absolutely ridiculous to think that people would be comfortable - for sitting that long with no back support - invest in some good restaurant chairs. You are charging 5 star prices for inconsistant food. The appetizers were delicious - but $18.00 each - ridiculous. Salmon and steak were undercooked. No vegetables??? $38.00 Nice staff - but not professional. For this money you should have top of the line professionally trained staff and consistant quality of food. We won't be back. Nor will our friends.