The Rock Cod

We came for lunch on a holiday weekend and really enjoyed ourselves! The service was excellent and the food delicious! I had the mates plate with cod and shrimp, so good! I really liked the batter they used on the fish, it was so flavorful even without tartar sauce. They had a nice selection of beverages, I loved the merridale cider. I can't say they had the best view of the harbor but it was still nice. I would definitely come back another day.

A good place to get good quality comfort food. The rock cod was delicious, and the clam chowder was scrumptious. I felt the garlic toast that came with the chowder was a little on the cheap side, but no big deal. Overall a good experience and I would happily come back again.

This place is 5 stars. I had the Halibut fish n chips. The fish was cooked perfectly, batter crispy but light, not greasy. Fries were excellent. My wife had Sesame shrimp bowl, it was fantastic as well. Lots of shrimp and wonderful flavours. It’s rarely I see her tuck into a meal with such enthusiasm. Go early it can get busy.

Road tripping must!!! Another place that might require a bit of waiting as this place rocks the seafood!! Wish we lived closer - I would be a regular! A family run shop, the owners wife was our waitress! So much fun to talk with, great sense of humour and local knowledge. If you haven’t been yet - GO!! You won’t regret it!! Oh yeh - order the strawberry daiquiri (with Malibu)… mmmmm!

Excellent!!!! We loved the food, service and atmosphere. My daughter is gluten free and they have a menu especially for GF. Younger daughter wanted chicken strips and onion rings and it was great and a large portion Husband and I really enjoyed Salmon and grilled fish of our choice

Fantastic fried Cod, light crispy batter wrapped around a beautiful piece of cod. The Mates Plate with Cod, Oysters, Prawns , Chips and Coleslaw is a winner and washed down perfectly with a Rock Cod lager. People who work there are super friendly and it’s a must visit spot for fish and chips on Vancouver Island.

Overall, the food is delicious! The batter on the fish is incredibly crispy and delicious. Service was friendly but the food took a while to come. The side on one order was incorrect but we didn’t want to risk waiting again so we went with it. We will come again and continue to bring visitors here but this is not where you come if you’re in a hurry.

We ended up in Cowichan Bay by chance, after turning down and following a random road, and luckily found the Rock Cod. The staff were very friendly and attentive. The food was dynamite!! I had the Seafood Chowder in a sourdough bowl... it hurt my heart that I couldn't finish it. It was delicious!! My husband had the Sockeye Salmon Burger and it was delicious! Thank you for wonderful food and service!!

You know a place is good when it looks quite shabby on the outside but is packed on the inside with very happy people. We were initially skeptical because this restaurant doesn't have the nicest building on this beautiful strip on the water. We even considered going to the hotel at the end of the strip with a better view, but we were SO glad we stuck with this place ! The food is an interesting fusion - there is some Indian, and Chinese fusion that pairs quite perfectly with the fresh fish. We got the curry dish, Asian halibut bowl, Indonesian hot pot and the tacos. My favourite dish was the curry and the Asian halibut bowl. The curry was incredibly rich in flavor and the halibut bowl was filling and wasn't oily at all (which is usually my complaint when it comes to some fast food Chinese dishes). The tacos were also great and they ask if you want one of two sauces, but you can actually request both! Best of both worlds ! I would love to come back!

We stopped here on our way through town. We were hungry and it definitely got the job done. Staff was friendly and although the sign in front asked for patience (as they only had one cook) we were served quickly and efficiently. Two members of our party got fish and chips and it was very good. Clam chowder was to my taste and good but had a little too much dill for my MIL. I got the appetizer tacos for my meal - the presentation was pretty simple and I was a little hesitant but overall they were good - the sauce (sweet Thai chili) made them. I was most excited about the salmon taco but it fell a little flat. Ended up enjoying the chicken the most. They were mostly just a tortilla with iceberg lettuce and choice of protein. At any rate I left full and everything was good enough to clear my plate so it clearly wasn't bad.

They were one of the only places open on Labour Day in the area and thank goodness they were! Even being short staffed with a few people unavailable or calling in sick, they powered on and as such ended up being inundated, but did their best to accommodate everyone. We waited maybe 20-30 mins, but it was worth it. They have awards for having the best fish and chips in the area, so to sample we got the cod bites. Crunchiest fish I've probably ever had! Quite delicious though. I had a chowder that day which was flavorful and filling without being too heavy. They had a really good kids menu too which the kids enjoyed. We saw other tables with the proper fish and chips and they were very generous portions and looked delicious. Staff were friendly, food was good. Nice casual dining by the waterfront. Would recommend for sure!

Food is always been good when I've been in services friendly my only downside to this is their hours are horrible. Every time I've gone to take customers there for dinner they've been closed so aside from that I recommend it for dinner.

Walked in and ordered at the host booth, then waited about 20 minutes outside for the order. It was a Sunday afternoon with only a couple other people waiting. Ample parking in the lot and plenty of shops and sights nearby to kill time, otherwise they offer a couple of benches out front. We had the oyster burger, yam fries, two-piece rock cod dinner with extra crispy coating and onion rings. About $40 for the lot, which seemed pricey for what we got though portions are generous enough. Ultimately, I was not a fan. The cod was dripping grease from the moment we got it -- maybe it was inevitable with the crispy coating? And salvaging the leftovers that night was no bueno. My boyfriend felt sick afterward and suspects it was the oyster burger that just didn't sit well with him. To be fair, though, we are raw oyster people and fried oysters were definitely a new experience... Definitely one and done! My boyfriend said this place is well known so I had to try it for myself. Just not my thing, but polite employees and decent fries made up for it just fine.

This used to be a favourite of ours, but now is not a nice experience. The service has been very slow and orders confused. Fish and chips were soggy with grease and the noise made it difficult to talk. Rude staff. I will not return. There are so many better options.

Rockhard café used to be so good but I have given at three chances and it has just been awful each and every time

i just had take out, sesame bowl with halibut, also one oyster on the side. absolutely the best oyster i have ever had in my life!!! the bowl was also very good. my favourite. i have been coming here for years.

service was awesome our waitress was very throughful when it came to our 3 year old she was super kind! the chicken burger was one of the best I've ever had, huge portions we ordered two meals and shared with our son and it was way more than enough for the three of us! loved it. the gin Caesar was soooo good too!

Huge changes for the better at Rock Cod with new management ! Had dinner there last night and it was superb !! And the prices were very fair !! Great job !!

The restaurant prices have increased here. For one person expect to pay near $30 for a meal and a drink not including a tip ! Just for a burger it is $20 now..Just a heads up ...

Well, we were excited to go out to dinner for the first time since Covid hit...3 months without eating out! wow! Friends came and off we went. Pleasantly surprised there was no line and we got a table right away. Found out why, though. (1) Prices...wow...$32 for two pieces of halibut and fries? $19 for a veggie burger? I get the whole Covid-hit-the-wallet thing, but trying to make it up in the first week? (2) Chairs...i still have a sore butt! Very uncomfortable...i get the no cushion/hard to disinfect thing, but my bike seat is more comfortable! (3) Music...please don't play rap when the average age of everybody there (except the staff) is at least 55 years old. Food was good...not exceptional...just good... Value for the $$ was extremely poor, sorry to say.

Nice location by the water nest seas side setting. Superb menu and friendly staff. I had the spiciest Clamato caesar of my life and loved it. Will return again .

We were very disappointed with this visit to the Rock Cod. We ordered. $35 meal (3 orders) to go and asked for extra tarter, as did our friends. When we opened meal, there was 2 small tarter with our whole meal. After running back to get the extra tarter, without my wallet, I was told they are $1.50 extra, each. The salmon burger was on 2 thick slabs of focaccia bread & very unappealing. The cod bred, while big, were horrible, with batter so thick we couldn't eat it.

Wow, needed something on our way to ladysmith, BC. Used yelp to find this place, I ordered the salmon pasta dish; my husband the fish tacos. The salmon on my pasta was cold and very little in quantity. My husband ordered better- his fish tacos, clam chowder side and onion rings where better but not worth the price.

This was on our list of places to check out. We are on an extended visit celebrating our 30th anniversary. We had a nice walk around Cow Bay to check out the shops, the floating homes and the great views. Although many items on the menu looked tempting, we had to go with the cod bites for an appetizer and the halibut for our meal. We knew the Rock Cod Cafe was known for it's fish and "when in Rome...". Absolutely worth the trip. The service was prompt and friendly and I definitely would recommend this to all my friends.

A local person recommended this place when we visited Vancouver Island. It was ok, but we won't eat here again. FOOD: 2.0 star. I had salmon dinner. Fish was fine. The roast potatoes tasted like they were from a frozen package. Wife had a salad. Regular iceberg lettuce salad with the usual veggies. Nothing special. Son had chicken curry. Waitress didn't know if it had peanuts, because "the sauce comes in a plastic bag." Made me wonder if they use the same system as Applebees. AMBIENCE: 3.0 star. SERVICE: 2.0 star. (Updating this two days after original post. If you are traveling from US and thinking of paying in US currency--rather than credit card--be sure to confirm the exchange rate being used by the restaurant before ordering.)

It was ok. We went for an early dinner and were seated quickly near the windows. Service was a little slow but they were busy. My kid had the fish and chips, $9, she didn't eat it. She was being a pain in the ass so I can't blame that on the restaurant. My friend had the vegan burger and veggie, she liked it. It's hard to find vegan food. I had the $30 plate with halibut, shrimp, calamari, oysters, salad, onion rings. It was a huge disappointment. The calamari was unseasoned. The shrimp and fish were over battered. I took the batter off. The three onion rings were greasy. The salad was good. The oysters, OMG, no. They were so fishy and one oozed green stuff. Hell no, keep your vibrio to yourself. So I left a lot of my meal on the plate. An expensive meal for all and only one meal was fully eaten. So two stars for my friend's vegan meal, one star for service, and that's it for me.

My father in law is visiting from Manitoba and we wanted to take him for some fresh fish and chips. I chose the Rock Cod because I have never had a meal there that was anything less than good, sometimes great! Today was good. We got there at 1:15 and were seated inside right away. I generally prefer to be in the sun room section but it was full. We decided on various fish/seafood/fries combinations and the food arrived hot and fast. I should mention that we have been a few times since I started this review and, though I didn't think it was possible, it is better every time. The only complaint I have (and reallly it's just my preference) is that the last two times I got the captains plate the oysters were pan fried. They were fresh and tasty but I prefer them battered.

My family of 8 arrived and receive seating 15 minutes later in the back area of the restaurant. The waitress was attentive and friendly through out the night. We ordered a variety of dishes and everything was perfect even for my picking eaters. This is my 3rd time visiting..... I make it a point to visit when I am on the island. The cod fish and chips are the best on the island!

We got this restaurant recommendation from Lonely Planet. Great restaurant over looking the Harbour. Fish tacos are great and comes with a wide selection of sides. The clam chowder is a little different from the New England style, but very tasty. We also got the Indonesian Hot Pot, very fresh seafood and a little lighter fare then the fried seafood.

Ordered the Cod Burger, I coulda stayed home and ate a Highliner frozen meal and it would've been more enjoyable. 4 small cod bites on a huge ass ciabatta bun topped with shrimp? with tasteless coleslaw and reheated french fries. The lettuce was wilted and brown and the tomato well it was pointless as it was so under ripe. My daughter had the shrimp sandwich and chowder it consisted of stale white bread with a skim of not even notable cream cheese, and what psychopath decided dillweed was a good thing to put in the chowder. NEVER AGAIN...What Happened Rock Cod, you use to be so damn good..There was no excuse for such a shit meal we got there @ 11am we were he only ones in there it shoulda been fresh..

My wife and I have been looking for good fish for 4 days, started in Seattle and then Victoria BC. We finally found it in this hidden gem of a town this is a must try for any traveler. Being from Dallas we get the typical fish dinner, unless you go to a high end restaurant. Rock Cod has good food and a comfortable atmosphere.

Always great food. Dining atmosphere is relaxed & service is great. Not a refined restaurant, but who cares if the food is good :D . I give this establishment 4 Noms Nom, nom, nom, nom..... Every time I've eaten here,. I've left a happy man Nuff said.

Great find. Packed with people who knew it was so good! Cod and Greek salad with chowder. Yum! ! Really good and fresh fish.

The town itself is super cute - this seems to be one if the only restaurants in town in the off season. If you're getting the fish and chips, it sounds like the place to go. Probably best avoided if you're looking for anything not fried. The food left a lot to be desired. The fresh sweet potato fries were great, sides were ok if bland, but the "grilled" "cedar plank" salmon was obviously thrown into the same fryer as everything else. Who wants oil-drenched deep fried and un-battered fish, on an oil-stained slab of cedar? When we asked this of the waitress, she said matter-of-factly that the cedar is "for show" and that the "cedar plank grilled" salmon always comes fried. We kind of just stared at her for a sec, mouths slightly agape, but we didn't press any further. Please don't call it grilled if it comes from the oil fryer - it tasted disgusting and considering it had bits of batter on it from the fryer, probably a health hazard to gluten free folks.

My hubby and I went here for dinner last night because I've been in the past and have never forgotten the clam chowder! Same amazing food, miserably poor service though. I ordered a bowl of clam chowder which came out quite promptly and steaming hot. It is to die for. Anyone who loves a good clam chowder will not be disappointed at all. Unfortunately we made the mistake of placing our meal order along with my soup. I was maybe a third of the way through my gorgeous chowder when out came our fish and chips. Sigh. So I had to speedily finish my chowder in order to start eating the amazing 1 piece halibut fish and chips. So buttery and flaky and with a fantastic light batter that was so flavourful. Your fish and chips come with a lovely coleslaw that seems to have just the right balance of creamy and slightly acidic dressing - yum. Like I said the food is definitely worth coming for, however, don't be surprised by terrible service all around.

Simple, laid-back atmosphere with tasty food. We had the battered halibut and 5 shrimp/prawns meal with two half sides and an order of butter curry with crispy chicken. Both were delicious and they served the local merridale cider too. It appears as if this restaurant is on the water but it is not, it is on the main road with a marina between you and the water so outdoor seating is located up front by the road. Nonetheless a good restaurant.

Still a great stop for fish and seafood . . . The crab cakes satisfied my craving - bigger, more dense, sweet and seasoned rock crab - better than what I've been getting in Victoria for same price ($17.00). Two thick cakes enough for two to share as a starter, served with sweet-hot Thai chilli sauce, which is a nice change from tartar or seafood sauce. On special was "Salt and Pepper" halibut and fries with coleslaw ($17.00). I was thinking the fried Chinese-style, super seasoned recipe. It wasn't that, but it was delicious. Mild, not much salt or pepper; A generous chunk of fresh, flakey halibut fried with a thin, crispy batter, likely corn flour; It was not greasy or soggy. Coleslaw fresh with basic creamy dressing, could use some seasoning or fresh dill. Tartar sauce on the side, fries fresh crisp, with soft centre. All in all, a yummy meal. Even better that they serve local, Cobble Hill Merridale Cider on tap. Premium dry, hard cider, full body, no sulphites. Will be back for another fish or seafood fix . . . .

Haven't been here for years and stopped in for lunch on my recent trip to Vancouver Island. I was worried it had changed but was delighted to learn it was as great as I remembered. The RC burger was delicious and perfectly paired with the RC salad...as good as ever! The staff was friendly and attentive and terrific with our 3 year old. We'll definitely be back!

There is pretty good consistency here. The food is almost always the same from visit to visit. We always take our visitors here because of the consistency of the food. Service seems to be up and down, but usually we get pleasant, friendly service staff. Important to arrive early on Friday and saturday night because it can get pretty busy. Not the best seafood on the island, but we like that it's consistent and we know what we're getting when we go.

Humble and friendly, cheap and delicious The fried halibut was far from nutritious But if you are hungry down in Cow Bay, There's no place better than Rock Cod Cafe

Ok, you know the drill by now; 5 twinklers is hard to come by in this corner. These guys came close and I might even bleed a little color over into a piece of the fifth star. Not a lot but enough to raise it a little above the 4 I chose. Cod burger was a biiiiig surprise. Worth the drive. Very, very, nicely done. Huge, very tasty and well presented. Clam chowder, Boston style, which is the only way to make it, was pretty damn good. Chowder is like women and beer, they're all good, just somes better 'n others. I've had better on the Oregon coast and at Fisherman's Wharf in Frisco. Nothing really bad to say about it...just had better is all. Clubhouse was a clubhouse. How can you screw one of those things up? They didn't. Ingredients were substantial. Big slab of turkey, thick slices of tomato, good supply of bacon and fresh lettuce. Maybe should add a little more kick or flavor to the sauce (Mayo?) just to make it a little moister and take it above ordinary. A very hearty sammich, all the same though. Service was quick and plenty friendly. Nice, genuine, small town friendly. No pretense. Everyone in the joint had big platefuls. Good value. We will return. Lots to try on an extensive menu.

An awesome place to eat seafood - any type. I would not recommend non seafood plates here, you come to a seafood restaurant for ONE thing that's seafood... and they do it good here! Don't leave without eating: Classic Fish & Chips Don't leave without seeing: Any of the Ad`s around town - they are real customers

Went for dinner here and it was amazing !!! Also had the best ceaser ever.... I got the smoked salmon carbonara and it was to die for. Prices were great and the staff were very friendly ! Would return.

We've been Rock Cod regulars and always loved it but unfortunately it's slipped a little in recent years. The quality is still pretty good but the portions seem to be smaller and $30 for 2 pieces of halibut with chips is too much. It's a shame when good restaurants get carried away with theitr success.

Have been to the Rock Cod thrice. Food quality varied, but as a local place it's nearby and it's a favorite of friends of ours. Service has ranged from excellent to terrible; the first time we went I barely had time to notice that I ran out of my drink when it was refilled. The second time it felt like you had to use flares to capture anyone's attention. Both times the restaurant seemed similarly busy. It was the third time, however, that forced me to give a single star rating. After an adequate meal, I was eating dessert when I 'found' a small watch battery in my dessert. I say 'found' like I discovered it, but what actually happened is that I bit down on something hard and foul tasting, and after I spat it out discovered what it was. I showed it to our waitress, who carefully took it away. I don't think I paid for dessert, but I definitely paid for my meal. While a quick apology and a comp'd dessert may be appropriate when a customer doesn't like the quality of your chocolate, or thinks it's too salty, it's not appropriate after nearly swallowing something toxic that should never, ever, be near any food at any time. The foulness of the taste and resulting nausea caused my stomach to eventually expel every bit of the meal into the commode once we returned home. Pretty sure I didn't get my money's worth. I will never, ever, go back again. I do wish I had the ability to give zero stars on a review, but alas a single star will have to do.

B-List. It's a touristy atmosphere down by the wharf. What you will find are a lot of hotels, shops and a few eatries. One such eatery is the Rock Cod Cafe. The food is good. The service is polite and prompt. The view is good. In fact, it's all quite good. And that's the point. Exceptional, it is not. Superb, no. Above average, not going to happen. The food is what you would expect of a larger restaurant in a touristy area - lots of deep fried this and that, they skimp on the chicken, they will give you lots of carbs - french and yam fries, breaded items galore, etc. It fills you up and the house wins. The view is terribly obscured by cars and other unsightliness. Go for a fun touristy outing. But don't expect awesome - you wont find it there.

I'm compelled to write a review after a third visit to the Rock Cod Cafe. The first two visits were sufficiently good to warrant a third visit. There won't be a fourth visit however. The food was average. I had two pieces of fish and chips. The fish portions on the outside were quite large; perhaps 3" x 5" or about the size of an index card. Under the batter however, the actual fish portions were quite small, not more than 8 oz. in total. My companion's meals were equally disappointing with overly-spiced fries and a fish burger that was overwhelmed with toppings. The service was initially friendly but deteriorated into indifferent to the point where paying the bill seemed like a bit of a bother. Among four people we had two appys and four entrees. No drinks except water. After taxes, the bill was $88. Overall, there seems to have been a significant change in the atmosphere, service and certainly the food. Too bad. It's a bit of an icon in Cowichan Bay.

A lady at the visitors center recommended the Rock Cod. The food was great - good portions and fresh fish. The ambiance and place itself was so-so, very cramped and uncomfortable. Kind of diner'ish. Worth a visit for the food, though.

A great place to eat! We ordered the 1 piece fish and chips (Halibut) and the Captains plate. The 1 piece came with a huge piece of Halibut atop a mound of fries. Delicious! The Captains plate is a great way to sample a variety of seafood and came with calamari, oysters, prawns, and Halibut atop another mound of fries. We opted for the battered fish...and everything arrived hot and not greasy to the taste buds. All and all...a great place to quench your need for fish and chips!

My sister and I had wanted to go for years but never got the chance for various reasons. Finally got the chance and it was well worth the trip. We ordered the fish tacos with rock cod, hers battered mine grilled. Our dad got the cod fish and chips and my eldest got the fish bites. We got the onion rings and sweet potato fries for appies. We were pleasantly surprised at the size of the dishes and it was all very well prepared and presentation was good. My only complaints are we were seated by the window and it was a HOT day and we ended up lowering the shades ourselves and the sweet potato fries were on the dry side. We found the service was good. Our server gave us time to order and was sweet with my kids (6 and 1). I liked how when it got busy the other servers that weren't as busy were helping our server out. Seemed like a real team effort. I will be back to try more of their dishes when I come back to BC.

Pretty busy for Easter evening. Good menu with lots of choices. Cioppino was one of the evenings special. Both my husband and I ordered it. Very tasty and a good portion. Reasonably priced definitely recommend this place!

Been here twice now on quick stop in Cowichan by boat. Great fish and chips. My wife says even better than Ivar's. I'm generally not a huge fan, but this was good. I had the Captain's Plate combo which had halibut, shrimps, scallops (the best part), oysters (not great) and calimari. Recommend it for a nice change.

I eat here a couple of days a week when working on my fish boat at the government wharf, and I never get bored with the menu items! They have funny, approachable staff who love to joke around. Overall a delicious and fun experience!

Love this place!!!!! GREAT fish and chips!!!! Great service!!! Popular with locals and visitors alike!! Cannot go wrong at the Rock Cod Cafe.

My wife and I brought my 87 year old mother to the restraunt for her birthday.The first thing we experienced was the hardest 1940's office chairs anyone could find for patrons to sit upon. With trepidation, we sat upon the devices that trapped masses of office workers until the invention of the swivel chair. However, an astute server saw that my mom was struggling to see over the table and magically produced a cushion to pad the frail tail section of my mother. This was only the beginning of the best dining we have had in a very long time. Our server was able to keep up with my rapidly changing comments spoken in English not heard since Napoleon was alive. The food reminded me of the quality and quantity of a favorite restaurant that I patronized in Blaine Wa when it had a large Canadian contingent,so much so my butt forgot the seats. Cudo's to one and all especially our server she was awesome and the back of the house for more bacon. We will definately be back and will highly recommend this establishment to all.

VERY GOOD! They sat us in a loud, crappy spot and couldn't move us to a table inside because all the tables were reserved and they had a 30-person party about to come in. So we sat outside on the back deck. It was beautiful! It overlooks the bay and was very quiet. The food was delicious! My friend and I both like what we had. I had the fried prawns which were light and crispy not oily. You get two sides with it, various choices. I had Greek salad which was excellent and clam chowder which was also delicious. Great service even though they were so busy. Staff was friendly and funny.

We were visiting up here, and tried out this restaurant for dinner. I must say, we loved everything! The food was delicious, the service was good and the staff were friendly! I would definitely recommend their house salad. It was unique and delicious. We could hardly choose between all of the desserts. Everything looked amazing. The servers were friendly, and one even gave us recommendations of places to visit on our trip. Overall, it had a nice atmosphere and seemed fairly clean.