The Fish Man - Richmond

We ordered raw marinated spot prawns, spicy stir-fried clams, and lobster sticky rice. All the dishes were delicious, and the seafood was incredibly fresh. However, the service left something to be desired. The staff seemed more focused on chatting with each other than attending to the customers, and we had to repeatedly signal for their attention.

The food was absolutely delectable, but it does come with a hefty price tag. Depending on how hungry your group is, you should expect to spend at least $60 per person (note that we didn't order any drinks). Reservations are a must; if you don't have one, you could end up waiting over an hour to be seated. Even with reservations, our group had to wait an extra 30 minutes beyond our scheduled time. The parking situation leaves much to be desired as well. I’m giving it one less star due to the limited service, high prices, and lack of parking availability.

This was my second time dining at this restaurant. My first visit didn't go so well, but this time was absolutely fantastic! The portions were ample, the seafood was incredibly fresh, and the flavors were outstanding. I particularly want to highlight the service—the staff was attentive, frequently checking on us, and our meals arrived quickly. Two people in our group were celebrating their birthdays that day, and the staff graciously acknowledged the occasion and even brought them small gifts! I was happy to leave a 15% tip, as it was well-earned, and I will definitely return!

The grilled fish is definitely fresh and delicious, with nice crispy skin, but the flavor is fairly standard for a Mala style dish. I found the price for the grilled fish to be a bit steep, especially considering the sides—$16 for just some Napa cabbage, bean curds, seaweed, and lotus root. However, other dishes were quite impressive. I really enjoyed the geoduck, fish maw, and an intriguing seafood mix that included scallops, oysters, a shrimp, and some sea urchin. Next time, I think I'll skip the grilled fish and try all the other offerings instead. My partner did experience a bit of food poisoning, but I was fine; she tends to be more sensitive to raw foods (possibly from the oyster juice or sea urchin), so your experience may vary.

I dined at this restaurant twice. During my first visit, I found the food to be quite good. On my second visit, I decided to try the shrimp. Overall, the food was fairly decent, although it did contain a fair amount of MSG—which doesn't bother me. The seafood fried rice was a fantastic value at $18, featuring large shrimp and fresh clams. Just don't expect top-notch service—it's a Chinese restaurant, after all.