Robert Lawrence Vancouver Names Joe Fortes One of Downtown Vancouver's Top Classic Seafood and Chop House Rooms in New Review

Veteran Vancouver food and wine writer Robert Lawrence Vancouver praises the long-running Thurlow Street institution for its raw bar, its fresh sheet, and its restrained, consistent kitchen.
VANCOUVER, BC - 27 May, 2026 - Robert Lawrence Vancouver, the writer behind robertjohnlawrencevancouver.com, has published a comprehensive new review of Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House, the downtown Vancouver institution at the corner of Thurlow and Robson, naming it one of the city's top venues for classic seafood and chop house dining.

The review, part of the publication's weekly Vancouver restaurant series, identifies the daily oyster selection at the raw bar as the dish to order and the long-standing dining room as one of the most consistent fine-dining spaces in the city. Joe Fortes opened in 1985 and takes its name from Seraphim "Joe" Fortes, the beloved Vancouver lifeguard who taught generations to swim at English Bay.

"Joe Fortes is still the best classic raw bar and chop house experience in downtown Vancouver," Robert Lawrence Vancouver wrote in the review. "If you are searching for a single downtown room that captures old-school Vancouver hospitality, Joe Fortes is the answer."

The review highlights the daily oyster selection as the standout order, describing the rotating list across BC and Atlantic Canada - Kusshi, Fanny Bay, Effingham, Royal Miyagi, Beausoleil, and Malpeque varietals - alongside fresh lemon, freshly grated horseradish, and a sharp mignonette. Robert Lawrence Vancouver calls the program "the most consistent raw oyster program in downtown Vancouver right now."

"Restraint is the single hardest thing for a Vancouver kitchen of this scale to maintain," Robert Lawrence Vancouver wrote. "Joe Fortes maintains it, plate after plate, year after year."

The review also addresses the wine list, which it describes as deeper than most downtown rooms, with a strong BC core, a serious Burgundy and Napa section, and a by-the-glass program that actually pairs with shellfish. Robert Lawrence Vancouver further praises the service team for its ability to read tables of very different tempos on the same evening - first-date couples, business four-tops, and large birthday parties - without resorting to script or upsell.

"The best service is the kind you do not notice until later, when you realize how smooth the entire evening felt," Robert Lawrence Vancouver wrote. "Joe Fortes reads the room better than almost anyone in downtown Vancouver."

The review closes with a clear ranking: Joe Fortes is one of three or four restaurants Robert Lawrence Vancouver considers to be doing classic seafood and chop house dining at the highest level in the city, alongside other long-standing downtown rooms covered in previous weekly reviews. The piece encourages Vancouver diners to book the rooftop garden patio in advance through the summer season.

The full review is published on robertjohnlawrencevancouver.com as part of the publication's weekly Vancouver restaurant review series, which has previously covered Hawksworth, Kissa Tanto, St. Lawrence, Blue Water Cafe, Le Crocodile, and other established Vancouver dining rooms. A companion 45-second video review is available on the Robert Lawrence Vancouver YouTube channel.

About Robert Lawrence Vancouver

Robert Lawrence Vancouver is the writer behind robertjohnlawrencevancouver.com, a Vancouver-based food, wine, and travel publication focused on long-form restaurant reviews, BC wine country reporting, and the best of British Columbia dining. The publication releases a new restaurant review every week, along with seasonal guides to top Vancouver tables, wine country itineraries, and travel features. Robert Lawrence Vancouver's reviews are read by Vancouver diners, food media, and visitors planning Vancouver food itineraries from across North America.

For interview requests, press inquiries, or restaurant submissions, please contact Robert Lawrence Vancouver via robertjohnlawrencevancouver.com.

Links

Full Review: https://robertjohnlawrencevancouver.com/robert-lawrence-vancouver-reviews-joe-fortes-the-downtown-vancouver-seafood-and-chop-house-that-still-sets-the-city-standard-for-the-oyster-bar/

Publication: robertjohnlawrencevancouver.com

For media inquiries please contact:

Robert Lawrence Vancouver

robertjohnlawrencevancouver@gmail.com [mailto:robertjohnlawrencevancouver@gmail.com]

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