Tony’s Fish & Oyster Café

Place looked a bit small at first but the wait wasn’t long. I’m glad we came! Clam chowder was BOMB! We also had a pint of Granville Island Pale Ale which was spectacular. Aya ordered the cioppino which was awesome! I got the lunch special, good until 2 pm, which is a cup of clam chowder and one piece of fried cob with fries. Totally worth it! Recommend for sure.

We had to have fish and chips while in Vancouver. Tony’s is small, but the food it turns out hits the spot. They serve local beer and cider, their «chips» are crispy and greasy, and the fish was on point. The batter could have been salted a bit more for my taste, but the fish was cooked perfectly while the batter made a crunchy shell around it. Perfect for a day on Granville Island.

Great cioppino! Fresh oysters.
Worth the wait — friendly and you should go.
Kids welcome
Cold beer
Would come back to this place

AMAZING! Clam chowder was delicious. Breaded oysters were very tasty. Triple bonanza with cod, salmon and halibut was quite nice. Small restaurant but huge in taste and friendliness. It is a must when you go to Granville!

Tony’s Fish and Oyster Café’s blackboard sign outside boasts that it has the best fish and chips. I’m not a fan of beer batter so I wouldn’t call it the best but it does have good, fresh and tasty seafood, including their fish and chips. I tried my friend’s fish and chips and the cod was moist, light and flaky, cooked perfectly, while the beer batter crackled. Her meal came with clam chowder, thick, creamy and packed with flavor. I ordered the oysters fried in panko, another tasty dish where you could taste the freshness. The panko batter was delicate, but fried so the coating was hard and crispy. They weren’t as plump or as gooey like the Nola fried oysters I love, but that quality I guess comes from the oysters used and the way they are done in Nola, with only the lightest of batter. these were different, but delicious. Nothing was overly salted but had flavor. Portions are good. Food took a bit to come, but we saw only one cook besides the one waitress and the place was full.
The place is colorful, seemingly always packed, and you do come out smelling like fried food. When busy, the place can get loud. Service was super friendly, and accommodating, especially after the sole waitress got my order incorrect and offered so many times to change it, though I opted against it. An oyster platter is just as good as an oyster sandwich, though I did get rice on the side, which I’m guessing is a concession to all the Asians living there and visiting. The waitress was also hip to ethnic preferences to ask me if I wanted hot water! It would be nice if management go her help, especially during busy times. She really hustled. If you’re in Granville, a nice place to stop for a bite.

Came here because my friend wanted raw oysters. I only tried the calamari. Service here is not that great. It’s only one lady doing everything and she forgets who is next to order. Calamari was kind of meh. My friends also thought one of the raw oysters tasted funny.

The place may be a bit of a dive but the food was good. Chowder very good and fish & chips decent and not at all greasy. Much better than the fancy joint next to it. Kinda crowded given the lunch special but decent enough.

Fish= Crispy and delicious;
Tartar sauce= homemade and awesome;
Fries= Not too many, but just enough;
‘Coleslaw’= a bit of grated cabbage and carrots with no sauce? Weak.
Love the staff, service is fast but be prepared to wait on busy weekends to be seated.

Skip the oysters here — they were gritty and dirty, ew. We had the lunch special with the fried cod — it was good, not great. The one thing they have going for them is great clam chowder

the cod in the fish and chips has a thicker than normal batter, thus holding more grease and giving it a soaked, heavy sponge feel. It was wet, but not gross enough for me to stop eating. Fries and tartar sauce were good.

I am baffled that the great Celine’s restaurant/​take away inside Granville Island market gets so very little promotion online — less promotion than the totally unworthy Tony’s? For that matter why is huge online emphasis given only to the Sandbar when you type in «seafood Granville Island» and why are there positive things to say about Tony’s when no such praise is deserved?
I had the misfortune of going to Tony’s a month or two ago — it certainly wasn’t what I expected — a hole in the wall in a lousy, traffic thoroughfare, location — I could have easily forgiven that — indeed I was sure that they would make up for it by the excellence of their food — how naïve I was.
This was one of the worst disappointments I have had in a restaurant — I ordered the seafood platter for one which cost $ 21.99 before tax and tip. I eagerly anticipated all of that scrumptious seafood, but what turned up on my table was a moderate portion some second rate fish and chips along with a few meager ounces of nasty stringy stuff being passes off as crab and prawns. I would also receive one, very small, burnt oyster which I would ask to have replaced — and I think I could perceive the shame in the waitress as she did so.
Celine’s in Granville Island Market by the False Creek dock is the place that Tony’s is the pretender to — it delivers! And It will satisfy your seafood fantasies and in a lovely — seafood savoring supportive ambiance to boot — go there instead! (please see my Unilocal review of Celine’s) PS — that’s delivers satisfaction and not seafood — delivering this seafood would be asking too much.

Great clam chowder, great fish and chips (I had salmon and sweet potato fries, just to jazz it up a little bit) and boy, it was delicious! It’s a small place… I think I counted 12 – 15 seats total, including a small bar table. It’s a «quick bite» type of place but it is delicious and affordable. Don’t miss!

I’m not sure why this place is rated lower than the neighboring restos. People complain about how greasy the food is. You came into a fish and chips place, so that’s a dead giveaway. Tell me a place that serves fish and chips with zero grease. Duh.
Their fish and chips are honestly not the best I’ve had, but still pretty good. The highlight of my meal was their cioppino. Damn. That was so good in a cold winter afternoon. I also had the Granville Pale Ale on tap, and it was a perfect pairing.
The service was efficient and the ladies were generally nice. It was really cramped inside, but that’s expected since this is not your usual seafood grill.

The hubby and I spend a cold and rainy weekend in Vancouver. We had a lot of fun at Granville Island and when it was lunch time we popped in to Tony’s. We were lucky we got in early because by the time we left every single table was taken. And the food is why — it is yummy. I got the lunch special which came with a tasty bowl of clam chowder. And the fish and chips were delicious. Great beer batter. The hubby got the seafood platter which had a little bit of everything. He liked his food as well.

Good seafood platters for sharing.
Was not a fan of the oysters, though.

Great bang for your buck! We tried a seafood soup and their seafood plater, perfect for two people. Way cheaper than their neighbor next door.

My husband and I LOVED the clam chowder that we got with our lunch special fish and chips. We recently visited Seattle and had clam chowder at Pikes Place Chowder but wasn’t as Impressed. The fried cod batter was light and crispy with fresh fish (no fishy smell). We loved the waitress, although she had to do a lot and was rushing around, she was still very attentive and kind. Definitely will come back next time when we are in town.

I gotta say this was the best deep fried cod I had in quite some time, perhaps even the best! The batter wasn’t doughy but actually light and thoroughly crispy. The fish was cooked to perfection. While the chips weren’t really much to rave about, I will definitely go the distance to eat that delicious fish again. Service wise, i think the server did what she could but was stretched too thinly to enjoy what she does. I give her kudos for doing as well as she did.

This seemed like a good place to eat and prices were reasonable. My only concern was the service was slow for our table. It seemed that the other tables just before and after us all got very prompt service. There was no explanation even after a few quizzical looks to our waitress who didn’t seem to respond with any kind of acknowledgement. Overall good quality was okay, nothing spectacular, standard fare. I will say that the butterfly prawns were very good though, the only saving grace here. Not likely to come back though.

Great fish and chips plate! Highly recommend that. I’m not from Vancouver, so I’m not sure how Tony’s compares with other seafood venues, but Tony’s was enjoyable for me. I went to Tony’s twice during my visit to Vancouver (once for take-​out and again for dine-​in); both experiences were great. However, prepare for a crowd if you come at lunch time and dine-​in. It’s a small venue and gets crowded.

Our visit was a solid 3 stars. We visited the restaurant right when they opened, and were seated immediately. There was only 1 couple in there with us, but shortly after, the crowd built, and there was a line at the door. The place is really small, with seating for about 20 – 25 people, so if it’s full, be prepared to wait.
Initially we were considering ordering the fresh, raw oysters, but it was red tide and they didn’t have any available. We decided to go with the seafood platter for 2, which was comprised of both fried and steamed seafood. It came with fried cod, fried oysters, fried calamari, steamed clams, mussels, and 2 crab claws and grilled shrimp. All in all, it was a good plate, with plenty of food for the 2 of us, including the rice pilaf. The shrimp were a little small, and a tad bit overdone, as well as the crab claws. Those were actually pretty tiny. The fried seafood was tasty, and not too oily.
Service was good. There was one waitress who pretty much did everything, so she was running her tail off. She was friendly, but seemed stretched thin. She was still really efficient.
Everything was reasonably priced, considering all the seafood you get. I just wish the shrimp and crab legs were better.

We visited here for lunch. We put our name on waiting list located outside of the restaurant and waited for 10min. The restaurant is quite small (about 7 – 8 small tables). The waitress was friendly but not comfortable. We ordered the seafood platter for two and diet coke and Granville Island Pale Ale. Crab claws looked nice but it served more of decoration purpose; scallops and mussels were excellent; prawns were okay; deep fried oysters were over-​fried; Tony’s Famous Cod was huge and fresh but not tasty. They accept credit cards but there was small sign on the counter that they prefer debit payment or cash (I used debit card). I would come back here next time but I will order Mussels and scallops only. Btw, their beer was not cold and served in plastic cups. Skip your beer and just go to the Granville Island Brewing Co next door.

After our stroll though Granville public market and the surrounding area, we came to Tony’s for lunch. We had the seafood platter for two. The fish was fresh and tasty. However, I will never understand why you would batter fish and deep fry it, rather than just quickly grill it. But for a kinda fish and chips meal it was very good and much better than what you usually get. Not to greasy either. The slaw and sauces were very nice. The place was packed, but the waitress didn’t let the stress show and was very nice.

Loved it. Nothing to complain about here other than no A/​C… we went on 5he hottest day of the year but it was still pleasant. Food was quick and great value… very fresh. Service was attentive and friendly. Seafood Platter was delicious. Will definitely be back.

Was craving for fish n chips while strolling in Granville Island and ended up here. Now having fried oysters on their menu was a definite plus!
Although the place is tight, the gentleman who took our order was indeed pleasant-​kindah made up for the 20 min wait time to be seated.
So we decided to order calamari, cod plate and their seafood platter for two which includes: muscles, clams, prawns, crab-​claws, fried cod, fried oysters, & scallops. Sides of cole slaw, fries, and rice pilaf pretty much completed this hearty lunch for us hongry tourists.
I actually enjoyed the fresh tasty seafood especially the cod. Thank goodness it wasn’t all batter and the fried oysters were my fav! I wish they would ve at least served 4pcs in this platter.
The rest were yum especially their light and crunchy calamari but I can care less for the clams.
I’m glad we were able to dine in one of Granville ’ s hole on the wall spot.
Definitely bookmark this spot if ever in Granville Island!

Great little spot on Granville Island. My wife had the solo sampler with oyster, cod, etc. while my son enjoyed a large Salmon plate. Kudos for having Vinegar on the table for the fried dishes. Not being a seafood guy, I had some simple apps and beer to carry me over. One of the better, more affordable spots on GI.

My husband and I had lunch here over the weekend. We both had 1 fish and chips. The whole lunch was totally greasy. The paper at the bottom of the fries were drenched in grease. We both didn’t feel so good afterwards. The waitress was mediocre.

Always long line up but great food. You can always order take out and enjoy under the sun.

Small restaurant on Granville Island specializing in deep fried seafood. We ordered the sampler for 2 that came with cod, shrimp, oysters, calamari, and fries. The first few bites was amazing however, I got sick of it quickly. I also felt grossed after eating so much deep fried foods. It was also pricey for the quality, about $ 33. It was a cramped space so all tables were very close to one another. There was about 6 inches of space separating us from the next table so there was no privacy.

Team Tastic came here on a rainy Tuesday evening and we ordered the Seafood Platter for Two (Crab Claws, Scallops, Prawns, Clams, Deep Fried Oysters, Mussels, Haddock, Coleslaw, and Fries). Normally the platter comes with cod but our server was really nice and let us sub in Haddock (my personal preference) for free. This was a really great platter. Coming on a giant plate, there’s lots to do for everyone. The fish is fried very well and doesn’t come off as overly oily. My favourite part was the deep fried oysters which came nicely breaded and extra hot on the inside. The juices from the clams and mussels were also tasty and went great with the fries (there was ketchup of course). The coleslaw was as good as other chain restaurants. Overall I think this is a great platter for general seafood lovers to share since it’d be more expensive to get the components separately.

We stopped in to Tony’s for lunch on a cold fall day this year. We were drawn in by the very full (also very small) restaurant and the sticker on the window touting that they had the best fish and chips in town faccording to Trip Advisor in 2014.
We started out siting at a somewhat awkward bar seat facing the wall right next to the entry door and after a few minutes got moved to a real table. After looking over the menu of mostly fried seafood we both decided to get the lunch special — fish and chips with a cup of clam chowder for I believe $ 12CA.
The chowder came out right away. We devoured it as we were quite hungry from walking. It was salty and delicious with nicely textured clam bits. The fish and chips also came out quickly and was piping hot out of the fryer. I had to break apart my filet into a few pieces and allow it to cool for several minutes before biting in. The fish was perfectly cooked inside and had an excellent crispy batter shell. The fries were basic. I’m not really a chowder or fried fish aficionado, but I did very much enjoy this meal.
Definitely worth going to if you’re on the island and craving some fried seafood.

Benefitting from its choice location at the entrance to Granville Island, Tony’s gets nice write-​ups in the Vancouver tourist guides. At least the ones we had.
But the best thing about Tony’s on the day we were there was our Morrocan-​born hostess/​server, whose name I regrettably forget. But she was a force of nature: hugely hospitable and friendly, and apparently sincerely enthusiastic about her job. Charming little café, too.
At the time we were there, Tony’s had an $ 11.99 lunch special with fish & chips, slaw, and clam chowder. The food was not bad, but also not memorable. Nice crusty English-​style batter on the fish, but the fish itself was kinda blah, and the chowder didn’t have much punch to its flavor (and few clams, incidentally). Fries/​chips and slaw were little more than pedestrian.
Nice stop-​in if you’re roaming around Granville Island, but if your heart is set on great fish and chips, I’d bet the mortgage payment that you can do better elsewhere in town.