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Toronto isn’t on an ocean. Although, sometimes Lake Ontario seems that way. But somebody should tell the restaurants, because the best seafood restaurants in Toronto are flying whole fish in from the Greek islands and shucking oysters by the dozen like the rent isn’t insane.
Yes, this is going to cost you. We’re not pretending otherwise. But every so often, you want a night where the platter arrives on a tower of crushed ice, and you don’t look at the right side of the menu.
These eight locales are where to do it. From a Michelin-recommended surf-and-turf room to a Summerhill spot run by an 11-time oyster-shucking champion, here’s where your money goes to die happy.
Estiatorio Milos
Financial District
Address: 330 Bay St.
The whole fish selection rests on ice displayed in the middle of the room, and you go pick yours out like you’re at a market in Mykonos.
That’s the Milos thing. The catch is laid out on crushed ice, some of it flown in from the Greek islands, Spain and Portugal, and you choose how it’s cooked. Charcoal-grilled is the move.
What to order: The Milos Special to start. It’s paper-thin zucchini and eggplant, lightly fried, with saganaki and tzatziki. Then comes the charcoal-broiled octopus.
Vibe check: Airy, white, expense-account energy. This experience is for a closing-the-deal dinner or a serious anniversary.
It does not apologize for the price. Fish is sold by the pound here, so the bill has a way of sneaking up on you. Worth it when the fish was in the Aegean just a day or two ago.
Riley’s Fish and Steak, King West
The old Shore Club space sat empty for a while. Now it’s marble, archways, a massive bar, and live music every night.
Address: 155 Wellington St. W., King West area
Riley’s opened in April 2026, the Toronto debut of a Vancouver surf-and-turf room that’s been Michelin-recommended out west for four years running. It seats 175 and it knows it.
What to order: It’s right there in the name. Get the fish, get a steak, split the difference. Of course, by all means, add the seafood tower if your table is celebrating something.
Vibe check: Loud, glossy, a tad theatrical. Come for a birthday, a bonus, or a date you’re trying to impress.
Prime Seafood Palace, Ossington
Don’t let the name fool you. Matty Matheson’s Michelin-listed room is more modern surf-and-turf than seafood shack, and the dining room, all slatted maple and brass, is one of the prettiest in the city.
Address: 944 Queen St. W.
What to order: The lobster and spaghetti is the one people talk about. The Sicilian crudo and tuna tartare hold their own, and the lobster and ricotta dumplings are quietly excellent.
Vibe check: Hushed, designed to the millimetre, special occasion. Book ahead.
It’s a splurge built around restraint. The menu is short on purpose and every plate earns its spot. Want fireworks? Go to Milos. Want a perfect room and a perfect plate of pasta? This is it.
Rodney’s Oyster House, King West
The Toronto oyster institution. Rodney’s has been the answer to “where do we get oysters” for so long it’s basically a landmark with a raw bar.
Address: 469 King St. W.
Depending on the season they’re shucking anywhere from nine to 26 varieties. The decor is gloriously kitschy: nautical everything, a wall of signatures, an oyster garden tucked into the side courtyard.
What to order: A dozen mixed oysters, obviously. Then the lobster, which Toronto Life once called one of the city’s essential dishes.
Vibe check: Fun, unfussy, been-here-forever. Good for a group, great for a long afternoon.
Seahorse, Summerhill
The newcomer everyone’s talking about. Seahorse opened in 2026 and promptly got named Toronto Life’s best new restaurant of the year.
Address: 1226 Yonge St., Summerhill
The team is stacked: Richard Renaud of Piano Piano, restaurateur Simon Bower, a former Quetzal sous-chef, and Eamon Clark, the 11-time oyster-shucking champion from the Rodney’s family. The menu is tight, around ten items, and it changes.
What to order: Whatever’s on the rotating raw bar, the seafood tartare, and the pasta of the day.
Vibe check: Small, SoHo-cool, neighbourhood-y. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 4 to 10 p.m. Book it. This one’s hard to get into.
The Chase Fish & Oyster, Financial District
Hamptons by way of Bay Street. The Chase Fish & Oyster sits on the ground floor of the historic Dineen building, with its glossier rooftop sibling, The Chase, upstairs.
Address: 10 Temperance St.
What to order: The Large Seafood Platter, around $105. You get oysters, clams, shrimp, tuna, crab and salmon deviled eggs, with house sauces and fresh horseradish. There are po’ boys, lobster rolls and chowder too if you want comfort.
Vibe check: Bright, breezy, suited-up lunch crowd. Good for a power lunch or a pre-show dinner.
Pearl Diver, St Lawrence
A little tucked-away oyster bar where the owner is a champion shucker and the menu rewrites itself daily.
Address: 100 Adelaide St. E., St. Lawrence Market area
It’s intimate and low-key in the best way, the kind of place you take someone when you actually want to hear them talk. Oysters come from all over, and what’s on tonight is whatever was best today.
What to order: Whatever’s fresh. Ask. The oyster selection is the whole point.
Vibe check: Cozy, date-night, no scene. Closed Mondays, so plan around it.
John & Sons Oyster House, Financial District
One more downtown oyster bar, because you can never really have too many. John & Sons does fresh, sustainable seafood with an East Coast accent.
Address: 56 Temperance St., Financial District
It’s around the corner from The Chase, which makes Temperance Street a genuinely absurd little stretch of oysters. Come for an after-work dozen and stay for dinner.
What to order: Oysters and the East Coast plates. They lean seasonal and local.
Vibe check: Easygoing, downtown, good for a weeknight that turns into a thing.
So who’s actually worth it?
Got one big night? Make it Milos or Prime Seafood Palace. Want oysters and a good time? Rodney’s and Seahorse won’t let you down. And if Temperance Street is closer, you’ve got two solid oyster bars within a block of each other.
Either way, your wallet knew the risks. But it’s worth it. Have you been to any of these? Tell us your go-to in the comments on our Facebook page.
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