Brunch at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House

 

Our order of Salmon Cakes from Joe Fortes. 

For brunch on our last day of our Vancouver trip, we dined at Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House. Located in the middle of Downtown Vancouver, this restaurant has been open since 1985. They specialize in classic, American cuisine. They feature local seafood, including fifty kinds of fresh fish. The menu also consists of shellfish, steaks, chops, and more. The feel of the restaurant seemed very old world and reminded me of Chicago. The space is huge, with two levels, and an outdoor space for warm days. They had live music when we visited, a pianist playing some American classics. 

They have a long hallway filled with photos of celebrities posing at the restaurant. This spot is an icon in the city for locals, celebrities, and visitors like us. We started with their signature Coffeecake. I expected something fresh baked and unforgettable, but it was really lacking. The coffeecake was quite dry and disappointing. I ordered a Mimosa, a favorite brunch drink for me. My husband had a cocktail, but I'm not sure of the name. 

We weren't very hungry, since we'd had our hotel breakfast buffet a couple of hours earlier. My husband and I decided to split a Ceasar Salad and the Salmon Cakes. My son ordered the Belgian Waffles, and my other son had the Chicken Strips. We requested some complimentary bread. It was a sourdough that was on the dry side. It was accompanied by a balsamic with lobster which I wasn't interested in trying. 

The Ceasar Salad wasn't anything special and was expensive at $19 CA. I did enjoy the Salmon Cakes. I mostly enjoyed the sides. There were cooked carrots I really liked and found myself thinking about the next day, and a wonderful squash puree that also tasted really good. The Salmon Cakes were made with wild sock-eye salmon and tasted fine, but nothing crazy good for the price of $36 CA we paid. 

I'd been hearing about this spot in Vancouver for a while about how iconic is it. I'm glad I tried it, but this is a one and done spot for us. We're spoiled in Seattle with great seafood, so this place didn't stand out to us. 

Joe Fortes Seafood and Chop House 

777 Thurlow St 

Vancouver, BC