Riley's Fish & Steak

Went here for the first time for a group dinner and it was great! I have a gluten allergy (Celiac), amd the staff took great care of that. Our server, Alex, was helpful asking questions and how tolerable I was with cross contamination, cleared it with the cooks what modifications could be made to items, and a seperate staff member bring out my dishes. Food I ordered included: cesear salad (no croutons), sablefish (mashed potatoes instead of fingerling potatoes), and basque cheesecake. The food was amazing, definitely recommending Riley's to friends and family.

Went to Riley's recently and boy, was I DISAPPOINTED. Spent over $300 with $50 tip and I was sorry I spent that money. #1. Husband got the prime rib for $106 that didn't even have sides included; cooked all wrong, was full of gristle and just a chore to eat. Had better prime rib ar Hilton in Burnaby. #2 I had the seafood rigatoni. Geez. So bad. It was super spicy, the sauce looked like it was painted on and no texture whatsoever, with 2 shrimps and 2 scallops placed on top. The seafood pasta White Spot used to feature was 1000% more tasty and at half the price. I couldn't eat it, and worse, the pasta needed another 2-3 minutes cooking it was still overly chewy and not perfectly al dente. Getting pasta wrong is a clear sign of how bad the food is at Riley's. #3 friend had steak and fries, and even despite her telling the waiter she had to avoid gluten and dairy, there was PARMESAN CHEESE on her side of greens! She has a serious disease that causes severe symptoms if she eats the wrong foods. Atmosphere was fine, but the layout is goofy and cramped. Service was 4/10, with our waiter rushing through recommendationsand needed reminding for small requests. He did clear the table with his scraper, but only the half he could reacgeasily, leaving my portion of the table dirty. Being a "Micheline recommended" restaurant basically means nothing. Riley's was disappointing and not worth the pricing. My husband and I have no problem with spending on food and service, but we feel we were really let down by the food and service at Riley's. Go somewhere else, like Earl's, they never get the same dishes wrong.

I’ll admit, I was skeptical walking into Riley’s. I wasn’t looking for an over-the-top, pricey lunch. But I am so glad I gave it a shot. The staff were incredibly accommodating with gluten free substitutions and genuinely knowledgeable. We started with the Tuna Crudo, and they even made the crispy nori in a dedicated GF fryer. It was thoughtful and honestly delicious, but very filling. My partner went for the Salt & Pepper Calamari, which was such a unique take on the dish. Crisp, different, and absolutely worth ordering. He followed that with the Seafood Rigatoni, which was also very, very good. The real showstopper was the Miso & Maple Sablefish. TRUST ME: just order it. Gluten free or not, it is easily one of the best things I have eaten in Vancouver. Perfectly cooked, packed with flavor, so tender and juicy I could have happily licked the plate clean. Accommodating, delicious, and surprisingly memorable. Riley’s is a gem I will be coming back to.