A server walks to your table holding a whole fish encased in salt. They set it down, raise a mallet, and crack it open. That’s how a dinner starts at Riley’s Fish + Steak.
The Vancouver chophouse, Michelin-recommended and part of the Glowbal Group, just opened at 155 Wellington St W on April 9 — the old Shore Club space, right beside the Ritz-Carlton, a block from Roy Thomson Hall. Oh, and it is already getting rave reviews from Toronto foodie influencers.
What’s actually on the menu
Steaks and seafood, with some tableside drama built in. The cowboy steak is $285. Seafood towers run $110 to $190. The salt-baked cod arrives whole and gets cracked open at your table. So does the prime rib, carved in front of you. The lobster pot pie sounds impressive and delish… with a price point to match. The rest of their steaks are more in line with expectations, ranging from $79 to $94.
Apps start at $11. Oysters are $4 to $4.50 each. Happy hour runs 2–5 pm with drinks from $7, which is a different price point than the rest of the menu but a good way in.
The room
Not the usual steakhouse dark wood situation. They have thought of everything here. Elegant, amber lighting, walnut, marble, velvet seating, and a live music stage is an added bonus. Bag hooks under the bar. The details suggest someone walked the room before it opened.
CEO Emad Yacoub said, “The restaurant has to feel fresh but timeless.” Yeah, it does.
The kitchen
Henry Wong runs it. He came from the Vancouver original. Scott Saunderson, 25-plus years in Toronto, is alongside him. Wong’s description of the cooking: “taking familiar products and presenting them with care and detail.” The menu is exactly that.
Should you go?
If you’re in the Financial District for business or coming off a show at Roy Thomson Hall, this makes sense. Hey, if Michelin recommends it and you or your company are looking to impress, then the answer is a resounding yes. And even if neither applies, the tableside fish thing alone is worth experiencing once. Order it.
Riley’s is located at 155 Wellington St W, Toronto and open daily for lunch and dinner from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm.
lead photo Riley’s Fish & Steak
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