BBQ Jumbo Shrimp nicely done. Served on a plate. The silverware is old and some plates are chipped. read more

Rayan Poissonnerie & Restaurant - My table view while at Meadows - Seafood Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Love love this place.. sadly when pandemic hit we heard it will close down forever.. when things opened again we were so keen to pay him a visit.. all the way from kanata to Orleans. Food never disappoints.. very fresh very yummy.. everything! Even their fries is soooo good.. we were a party of 5 and sat on 2 different table. Yet the server was very helpful to split everything we ordered to 2 plates so we can share the food. Food came fast and service was ok, we had to ask for water, extra plates and stuff but they were happy to bring it! I really hope they stay open and our community can support them read more

See all

I went to Rayan with my boyfriend cause he had been raving about it and I WAS NOT disappointed . The food was amazing to say the least . Everything is made fresh and the side portions are generous . You pay according to the weight of the food(prices are fixed for sides) . The service was lovely and the restaurant is pretty casual but still quite nice . GET THE POTATOES. read more

Food is delicious. Fried bass was definitely the best item. but the restaurant is messy (floors are slippery and chairs are super sticky) and the service is below average, read more

I haven't been here recently, but I noticed their hours appear to be reduced! They close so early now. I wish they would have regular hours again because this place is delicious!! You order the seafood by weight and tell them how you want it cooked (grilled, fried, etc.). It's very fresh, and so good. The sides are ok, nothing special. Love coming here with a big group so we can have a bit of everything! read more

I love combo seafood markets and restaurants in one: the food is fresh and arrives to your table hot. Rayan is a good size restaurant that would be able to accommodate big groups. When you enter, you need to walk to the back to select your seafood (whole fish and lobsters on ice on the left and scallops, shrimps and fish filets in a refrigerated case on the right). Each of the items have two prices listed: uncooked in black and cooked in red, weight is per pound. You then need to decide how you want to have them cooked (fried, sauteed, grilled or baked); you can ask the person behind the counter for recommendations. Choose a side: fries, salad, yellow or brown rice or seafood soup (small $5.99, large $7.99). Take your number, grab a drink from the refrigerated case, pick a table and put your number in the holder. The waiter will come and give you a pitcher of water. Don't forget to ask your waiter for some complimentary bread. I had 1/2 lb of shrimp (headless, cleaned with the shell on) with 1/4 scallops sauteed in butter. Hubby had a Basa filet and 1/2 lb of calamari fried (served with home made tartar sauce and spicy ketchup that tasted like cocktail sauce) and we split a large salad. Everything was flavorful and fresh; but what I enjoyed the most was dipping the bread in the butter sauce that was flavored with lemon, garlic, onions, capers and herbs: fragrant and delicious. The wait staff are very sweet, helpful and attentive; they even wrap up your leftovers for you to take home. You pay at the cashier when you're finished with your meal. The more you know how the system works the more enjoyment you'll get out of your experience here. Thanks to Jennifer P and Leila M for your helpful and informative reviews which brought us here. A solid 3.5 rounded up for their wonderful service and hospitality. read more

See all

The people are great, the food is great and we go at least once a month. Truly a fun little place for a good meal.

This Egyptian restaurant is well hidden in this strip mall. A great find. Also this restaurant is a Montreal founded restaurant and this was their resto introduction to Ottawa. Nice and different. You order fresh fish, octopus, shrimp, squid like in a fish market and afterwards they will cook it for you based on the type of meal you get. The service was great. The only bad thing was they forgot my salad side order...so the cook taker not attentive. Great for dinners, family and groups! $$-$$$ read more

Rayan Poissonnerie & Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I had dinner here with my mom recently and let me tell you, this is one strange little place! So there is no menu. You walk up to the counter and look at raw seafood on ice. You pick what you want. They weigh it and tell you the price. Then you tell them how you want it cooked (grilled, pan fried, deep fried, etc.). Then you order some sides. Sides are all a la carte (but no prices were listed anywhere). So I got grilled salmon and my mom got deep fried shrimp. I got rice and salad as my sides and my mom got fries. They give you a number and you go sit down and put your number on the empty stand at your table so they know which table to bring the food to. They brought us our sides first and the sides were huge. We should have just ordered 1 side for the 2 of us, but we didn't know. When we got our bill we realized that each side that we ordered was $5.99 (so we ordered $18 worth of side dishes!). My salmon ended up costing $10.79 and my mom's shrimp were $12.59. My salmon was nicely cooked and it tasted really fresh. I liked how it was slightly crispy on the outside but it was soft and flakey on the inside. My mom's shrimp were fried with the shells on (!) I thought that that was weird. The legs were still on too, obviously. At least they didn't have the heads still on. I would have preferred the shrimp to be peeled. However, the flavour was good. The salad was unremarkable and was mostly romaine lettuce with some cucumbers and tomatoes. The vegetables were fresh though. The rice was soft and had bits of bell peppers and carrots in it. It was too oily, but had good flavouring. The fries were more like potato wedges. They were battered and very flavourful and piping hot! Needless to say, we did not finish our sides, so we took the rest home. The staff there are very polite and nice. The restaurant is clean and despite having raw seafood and fish out in the open, the place did not smell like fish. Overall, the food was good, but I would have liked smaller sides for a lower price. I don't see why they can't have a menu listing the types of seafood they have, the options of how it can be cooked and the prices and sizes of the side dishes. I realize that they don't want to print the prices of the seafood in the menu because the prices fluctuate and they charge market prices, but they can at least print what I mentioned above and then put "market price" for the seafood and have a whiteboard or a chalkboard where they can write the prices on daily for the seafood. Anyway, that's just my suggestion. This place is in a strip mall (it's next to Bulk Barn) in Orleans, so lots of free parking. read more

See all

This place just does not disappoint! Am I partial to Rayan because it was the first restaurant I visited when I first came to Ottawa? You tell me..... So I have been here about 5 times now, each time bringing new friends and family because I just really love this place. A few things to keep in mind: 1. The food is all served family style so don't think about the 'what do I want?' But rather, get a bunch of things everyone will like. 2. They charge by the weights for the seafood so budget accordingly. 3. If you are choosing fillets, as them to cut them up into pieces and then cook them - it will make it easier to share. Now I will go on to list some of the things that I think are fantastic that aren't the seafood; 1. The potatoes are wedges and have this delicious coating that has a crispy crunch to it. Don't miss them. 2. The salad is really nice - they have some kind of herb that they sprinkle on top that makes it so good. 3. Don't miss the rice - you will thank me. They serve their fish grilled, deep fried or fried in garlic butter, I usually do fried but I don't think there is a wrong answer here. Lastly, always make sure you get the fried calamari and shrimp.... you will thank me. read more

Everything here is delicious, I don't each much seafood but I love their scallops and salmon. The restaurant is set up family style, you order at the counter and can share fish, seafood, fresh salads, potatoes (they are mouth watering) and rice. Everything is great for sharing, extremely well priced and service is fast. read more

Good food at reasonable price. Variety of fresh fish prepared according to your taste. The seafood is accompanied with an amazing fries and delicious salad. The ambiance is nothing to shout about compensated by good food. read more

Best food & service ever just wish we could make your hours so that we can come more often Hopefully you will open at least til 8 pm read more

Really good food. Fresh, tasty and affordable for seafood.. we loved it and will be back. Deco is basic along with the service. It is all about the food. Mediterranean inspired seafood that you order by weight. read more

See all

Orleans is a bit of a travel for me but going to Rayans is defiantly worth it! You order at the counter where they weigh the seafood (priced by weight)and then you tell them how you like it cooked. All the food was fantastic very fresh and cooked perfectly. Don't usually make it out to orleans but for rayan's I would definitely make the trip, possibly the best seafood in town! read more

See all

I got the chance to come back to Rayyan a few times this year during my trip to Ottawa. I must say the quality of the food, the service and the atmosphere are as good as ever. I was impressed by how clean the place was, even the bathroom. I wish there was a Rayyan closer to home. read more

I'm going to start off by saying: yes, the food was quite good. We ordered BBQ jumbo shrimp (so-so), seabass (good), and fries and rice. Fries were my favourite! Came here with family and while it is a family friendly restaurant, keep in mind that it is LOUD. I left with a splitting headache. The service here is TERRIBLE. I can understand this was a busy weekend but the service was literally non-existent. The Man behind the counter (to order fish) was incredibly rude - he seemed disinterested in helping us and didn't want to even recommend any dishes. Also, we had to ask 4 times to get bread and for some reason we're given salad when we requested bread? Super disorganized and slow wait times. Also my husband said the washroom is horrendous. One of the worst he's seen in North America. Do yourself a favour and just order take out. However, be expected to wait a LONG TIME to pay for your meal. read more

We came to Ottawa for a day for work and decided to drive out to this part of town because my husband and I love seafood! The fact that you can choose the fish you want and then they cooked it there and then sounded appetizing to us because fresh fish is the best tasting fish.Choose your own fish. Loved the idea! The fish we chose was already marinated with Mediterranean spices. We ordered it with a side of fries. In addition, we ordered a lobster. When you come to this place, be prepared to wait a while because they cook everything fresh. And if cooked right its worth the wait. The fries was ok. They were not crunchy. The fish was good, you really don't need to do a lot to make it good. The lobster was good too but not the best lobster I have had. Then it came time to pay. Turns out they only accepted debit and cash. Being in Canada in a dead part of town, with our GPS not cooperating we kind of had to find the nearest ATM to withdraw cash with a fee. Was it worth the drive and the trouble? Not really! I wouldn't come back here. read more

So good. So fresh. Yes yes yes yes yes! Ok, yes this place is a little odd if you don't know how the ordering works there. Let the folks know you're new and they will walk you through the process. Ask about prices ahead of time, including the price of sides, etc. It works like this- it's set up like a fish market. The seafood of the day is laid out behind the counter or up front resting on ice so you may examine it yourself. You choose whatever combination of fish, shrimp, calamari, scallops, oysters, etc you want, and they weigh it in front of you. The prices for each seafood is labeled, so you can ask them to reduce the amount or add to it (I don't believe they cut the whole fish, though). Then, you specify how you want it prepared: sauteed, deep fried, grilled, broiled, etc. You let them know what sides you want and they give you a number to place on your table and will bring it to you when it is ready. Keep in mind that the size of the sides can easily be considered large enough for three or four people, so it's always a good idea to go in with friends and split the sides together. The service there was excellent. The gentleman who seated us managed to find us a table during the busiest time of the year- during the fast-breaking time during Ramadan. The place was packed, yet the establishment was clean, sparkling, the food came in a timely manner, and all the men working behind the counter were very helpful and friendly to our entire group. The bathrooms were very clean and nice, and the Ramadan decorations were a fun touch for the season. We all ended up splitting a good sized red snapper and had it grilled, as well as having deep fried calamari and shrimp. Our sides for the evening were the salad and the fries. Everything was excellent! The seafood was utterly delicious, and it's probably one of two places in the city with really good calamari. I think this may have actually been the superlative one. The fries were just plain addictive, being cute little savory potato wedges that one could mindlessly pop into the mouth without second thought. The salad may have been a basic romaine based simple salad, but it was super fresh (I judge my salads based on lettuce quality!), and the lemony vinaigrette on it was very good. I'm definitely coming back there soon once the fasting rush is over, and I'll add some photos of the place later on. I spent a bit more than I originally planned, but I didn't regret one cent of it. read more

The best fresh fish. And I love the friendly atmosphere both from staff and patrons. I can't wait to go back. read more

Rayan Poissonnerie & Restaurant - Amazing food. Great atmosphere. The freshest fish I've had outside of my own home. - Seafood Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I love the food!! The restaurant was clean and well put together. The staff are polite but could stand to be more cheerful. The meal I had was amazing and the sides were great. I had battered fish and salad/wedge fries. My husband had the salmon and he said it was the best he ever ate. The only downside was that there was no menu and it was confusing.Certainly one of the more unique restaurant experiences I've ever had. Note: Although the raw seafood was out there was no bad smell. You have to try it! :) read more

Rayan Poissonnerie & Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

See all

My husband and I have been to this resto several times now. The decor is pretty simple, however the food is what makes this restaurant special. It is a seafood only restaurant and all the items are fresh and laid on ice. You order your food directly at the fish counter towards the back of the restaurant. It is an Arab style restaurant, My husband is from the Middle East and said that the food was cooked in the traditional Egyptian style. You can order side dishes, they offer 3 choices (be aware that the portions are large). You can order rice, salad or hand made potato wedges. The restaurant also serves their own tartar sauce and spicy ketchup which is apparently a middle eastern type of ketchup. Both dipping sauces were some of the best I've ever had, they gladly provide more if you ask. I must admit that I don't normally enjoy seafood, however this particular restaurant serves the most amazing seafood I've ever had. The only con (if you can call it that) is the fact that you cannot order tea or coffee. Instead they offer soft drinks and juices as well as bottled water etc. read more

I love their grilled fish and fried shrimp. The rice is amazing especially the sayadya. Friendly staff and God's service every time I visit. read more

Rayan Poissonnerie & Restaurant - Grilled shrimp - Seafood Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Me and my guy stopped by yesterday. Immediately we got greeted with such courtesy and friendliness. You do need to pick the seafood you want to eat straight from a counter. We ordered salmon, a kind of white fish, rice, salad and fries. Everything was delicious, fresh and hot. And the portions were quite generous. Go there if you want fresh seafood and good service. read more

LOVE LOVE LOVE... the food is delish! Food is incredible and you have the choice of any fish or seafood cooked the way you like. Salmon, Tilapia, and shrimp are our absolute favorites. Choice of grilled, fried or oven baked and a variety of seasonings. Apparently they have the best calamari ( I don't eat it but everyone raves about it) The salad is always fresh and seasoned to perfection and then you have their signature potatoes.YUM YUM YUM! Middle Eastern atmosphere and very friendly staff. Not your typical restaurant with menus; you choose your seafood and add your sides of salad, potatoes and rice. A must try! read more

Went to Rayan as an out of towner at the recommendation of a friend. This restaurant offers some of the best seafood ever. We got fried calamari, grilled shrimp, and fried fish steak. Everything was delicious, flavourful, and fresh! There is no menu. You walk to the cash where they have the fresh fish on display and you can pick out what you want and pay by weight. We also ordered a side of salad and rice both of which complimented the fish nicely. My favourite dish was the fried calamari and fish filet. And their house sauce for dipping was addictive that I got some to go. Staff were friendly and helped us with what fish to pick according to our tastes. Interior of the restaurant is nondescript but clean and there is plenty of room to sit. read more

This was our first experience ordering from this restaurant and it was terrible! To start off, when I called to place an order for takeout, I was asked to call back in 10 minutes as the chef was very busy and couldn't take my order. Alright. I had to call back 3 more times (15 minutes later) to get through to someone. The person taking my order (the chef I believe) was extremely rude and couldn't even hear what I was ordering as it was so loud in the background. Then, it cost 68$ for 4 orders of fish and chip for takeout (ouch). And to top it off, it was the worst fish and chips we have ever tasted. They didn't have haddock so the battered fish and chips we ordered was some very dry tilapia that was hardly battered at all, with some taters instead of fresh fries. Overall, very disappointing! The one good thing was the salad that came with it. read more

I called them in the morning to make a reservation at 6:30pm for 2 people. When we arrived (at 6:25), there seemed to be a few people outside and that was the first sign that it would be busy. We waited for a host and were greeted by being asked if it was for take-out or dine-in (by leaning in despite need to socially distance). I mentioned my reservation and the gentlemen looks around inside and there seemed to be no available tables. He then tells us that the way it works, is that you approach the counter to order. Now, I want to mention, this place was absolutely packed. There was no social distancing and I've never been somewhere so noisy. All I could think was how would I even order with this much noise. Truly abhorrent. After waiting in line for a few minutes to order, the noise became to much and I had a migraine and had to leave. A shame because the food looked so good, but I could NOT give my money to a place like this. If you can, avoid it. read more

This place is by far the best place to come to for seafood. They don't have a menu, so you have to go up to the front and pick what you want and how you want it cooked. They can cook fish however you please, grilled, fried, baked, anything. Everything is fresh and clean, and you don't feel bombarded by the staff, which is nice when you go out to eat. The prices are great too, two fish dinners costs around $30! Another thing that I felt is important to mention is that it's very clean here. When they clean up after the tables they sanitize them, which is rare to see, so you know it's a clean table when you sit down. read more