Rodney’s Oyster House (Vancouver, Canada)

I was invited out for dinner to Rodney’s Oyster House. I was actually pretty pumped to go since I have heard nothing but great things about this restaurant in Yaletown. It’s been there for quite some time now but somehow I have never made it there.

And as their name reveals they serve a whole lot of oysters…raw oysters, fried oysters and baked oysters (see menu) But apparently they serve something besides oysters…. cute male waiters? As soon as I walked in I could not help but notice that most of the tables were occupied by girls (besides the bar) and that all the servers were male. Was this a coincident? I would soon find out that Rodney’s is voted to have the best male looking servers in Vancouver. Sort of the ‘hooters’ for men if I may make an analogy. But ladies before you all start planning your next trip to Rodney’s let me tell you whoever voted Rodney’s number one for their servers was probably a bit biased. Some of the servers had serious attitude problems and I guess they really took that vote to heart (sorry!). I will say though that the ambiance was excellent and the night was very fun. The decor of the restaurant is great and it was jam packed the entire night.

Ok. So I lied…there were a few men sprinkled around downstairs.

We may have been the last ones to leave…. clearly having too much fun to notice the restaurant had closed for the night.

You might be wondering about the food too? Ah yes the food.

If any of you have followed my blog entries you know by now that I have lived and eaten my way through New Orleans which is known for its delicious oysters. In fact many of the dishes at Rodney’s seem to be inspired by southern food. So clearly I was not overly impressed. However, I am not an expert on oysters… I have just happened to have some amazing oysters in New Orleans (chargrilled oysters and raw) and nothing can compare. However, we are in Vancouver and I have no basis for comparison as I have not really sought out the Oyster market in Vancouver. The Rockefella oysters were bland…. I had to dump a lot of salt and sauces to make it edible and the fried oysters were good but again nothing to die for. However, any restaurant that has a wine list including my favourite Sancerre makes me happy and I am glad to go there if not for the oysters then just for the wine.

Overall the meal was average (overpriced but you can’t expect much else dining in Yaletown). However, the ambiance was fantastic and very fun. And I do recommend a trip here if you are looking to have a nice night out dining and wining.