Bullock's Bistro

The food is worth writing home about! This is the best fish I've eaten anywhere! The portions are large and my wife and I shared the Arctic Char. It was pan fried and the caramelized glaze was slightly sweet and perfect. It was Saturday, so we shared a fresh cinnamon bun too. The place is small and a tourist bus offloaded just before we got there. I recommend coming outside a regular mealtime.

Love the portion sizes, we never get fish anywhere south of here because it’s really expensive for the tiniest piece of fish, but not here! Service was decent, it was weirdly empty and quiet when we visited on a Wednesday night. Most of us got the pan fried trout, the fish was sweet and probably the best fish I’ve had, above Vancouver and Japan. Also recommend the Arctic Char if they have it, though it’s imported and a fattier fish. Ask for it to be not too well done especially when it’s grilled so you can really appreciate the taste of the fish.

Excellent grilled, pan fried or deep fried fish. Famous fish and chip in town of Yellowknife. Portion is at good size and the price is reasonable. The place is kind of small so I would recommend you book a table ahead of time. The waiting was a bit cramped as everyone tried to squeeze inside without standing in the cold. Service was good overall.

Definitely the spot to try when you are in Yellowknife. The food was great, decent portion. The fish were tasty and fresh. Service was poor, we only had 2 staff members for the whole restaurant. Absolutely no breaks for them. It really feels like the owners just barely hired anyone to cut cost.

It’s crowded Saturday night so try and eat an early dinner if you can. Safe to say the hype is real. That fish is so fresh and a big portion and the chips are cooked really nice. The salad also adds a good freshness in between! Would recommend and come back if I’m ever in the area

Busy restaurant serving the freshest Arctic Char, served the way you like it deep fried, grilled or pan fried. Fresh crispy fries and of course a healthy salad. I can see eating more salad when you have a delicious herb and garlic dressing. I see more salads in my future as I had to get a bottle.

It was worth waiting for half an hour! I ordered the panfried white fish, and the buffalo ribeye served at the next table also looked amazing. It was a shame I was dining alone and couldn't order both menu. The line got especially long between 3:30-4:30pm so I'd recommend arriving before or after tht time.

This place is insane!! I’m not even a big fan of fish, but it’s so famous that I had to try it — and wow… this is life-changing fish 😂 You have to come and try it for yourself!!!! The sauce was so good that I even bought it from the airport vending machine lol.

I know there's been some controversy recently about the staff/management changes. However, I had a really great experience here on Saturday and the food still holds up! I had the whitefish because that is the best IMO. The dressing was amazing as always. Food and service wise, I had a really good experience. I would recommend tourists coming to this place and I wanted to bring my partner here because it was his first time in Yellowknife. I think the main thing I noticed is that the prices are very high now. I haven't been for about 5 years but was pretty shocked at the markup. I think this place is great for the novelty but there is a reason why it's more of a touristy thing now vs. locals actually eating there frequently. It is very expensive. We paid for 7 people to eat there with no drinks and it was $350. So that is quite the meal.

The food here is outstanding. Excellent fish with your preparation choice. Don't miss the buffalo stew!

Wouldn't say this was the best place I had while being here in Yellowknife, but it was one of the better meals I had. Went with a big group but they handled it the best they could. Meals were made pretty much one meal at a time so if you go with a big group (esp a tour) be one of the first ones to order or you'll be waiting for a while. Also do note what you have ordered and make sure everything is correct when you pay for it incase of some discrepancies at the end of the meal. This place is hella small so probably would not recommend for really big groups, but it is manageable. service was good cept for a couple of hiccups here and there which i expected with the amount of people i came with. overall, if i were to come to Yellowknife again, I would come here and try their fried fish and chips (what they are known for).

Great selection of fresh fish and everything is so flavorful! The portions are HUGE so you may want to order one to share and then order more if you are still hungry. Service is super fast and friendly

Incredible offering of fresh local fish grilled, fried or sauted. Fries are fresh cut in house. Simple but good! A do not miss if you like fish. Local beer offered, wine, soda and bottled drinks.

Super funky atmosphere with writing and mementos all over the walls and ceiling from visitors past. We even left our own mark on the wall to come back to someday :) The pan-fried whitefish was AMAZING. It was cooked to perfection and the sauce was delicious, reminiscent of a misoyaki style flavor. Our friend had the bison steak, which was also very good. Even the salad dressing was delicious! We were recommended to eat here by a tour guide and we are so glad that we went. It was great!

A must try when in Yellowknife, think dive-bar meets fresh catch of the day! All of the random pictures with drawings on them, funny posters, and stickers give this place a fun dive bar feel. The staff is great, we had a female server who was quick and very pleasant. The kitchen is open, basically right in front of the bar. For fish, you have an option of: whitefish, Great Slave cod, Lake trout, Arctic char, Icconu, pickeral. You can have it cooked: pan fried, open flame grilled, or deep fried. The fish is all wild caught locally. I ordered the white fish deep fried, and it has to be the best I've ever had, and I've had some great tries in London and Dublin. The fries and tartar sauce that came with it were also super delicious. Arctic char grilled was also super yummy, and probably a bit on the healthier side. Is it a bit pricey? Yes, but seafood anywhere will be pricey, and it's rare that you will find it wild locally caught, especially in these portion sizes. I also tried the cinnamon buns, which is a great little treat to finish off the meal. They remind me of a homemade version of the mini cinnamon donuts you get at the mini mart.

Ssso good and tasty food. I recommended this bistro to first time at yellowknife's vistors.

Awesome restaurant in Yellowstone. Fun vibe with great food. Bison rib eye was amazing and the trout was huge! Definitely worth stopping in.

Amazing steak Unique atmosphere Really fast service Chef is chill Best restaurant at my trip

Bullock's Bistro is a must-eat location when you visit Yellowknife. The fish and fillet specialists cook the freshest fish caught right at Great Slave Lake. Friendly, warm, unique, and comfortable are some of the words that I think of when at BB. You may think the menu appears pricy, but trust me, the fish and portion is well worth it! You should also consider that things don't come easy in the north, especially during winter. I had the Great Slave Cod - Pan Fried (you can choose between Grilled, Deep-fried, and Pan-fried), the tender and juicy fish, topped with the tasty sweet sauce is simply unforgettable. I wanted to order their chowder, but that is apparently available during winter. This is an excellent way to experience Yellowknife's lifestyle and culture, dining at Old Town's local restaurant. It is more than the delicious fish. You may want to reserve ahead or come early due to lots of people wanting to eat here, tourists or locals alike.

We were told by many people that we must try Bullock's! You have to make reservations (2-3 people) if you want a table. It was packed at 6pm when we went in! Maybe not the greatest looking place but you can't beat the fish (caught that day)!

food was good, but the server was impatient and rude. he gave us the wrong food and wasn't willing to replace until we insisted multiple times. he then called us confusing several times and threw the plate on the table. also he told us not to order more than once because they are too busy. very rude amd terrible experience

I was only going to go 4 stars because the menu is limited but then I realized fuck it, its supposed to be a limited menu its fresh fish!! So ya only go if you like fish. The service is fast and friendly. The portions are amazing & the overall ambience is great. Plus well the food is awesome! A must try in Yellowknife!

Delicious fish in Yellowknife! We were in town for four days and went twice it was so good! My favorite deep fried fish is here (and I live in the Pacific Northwest, USA), so I have had a bunch of yummy fish and chips over the years. This is better! Their pan fried fish is delicious also. Generous portions. Everything is super fresh. Reservations recommended but sometimes hard to call in to make reservations during business hours.

Make a reservation! They'll seat those with reservation first. Other half of the seating will be for walk-ins. If you don't come at least half an hour before opening, it is likely you'll be waiting for 45 min to 1:30hrs. Now you might ask, is it worth it? Answer: absolutely yes if you like fish in general. Freshest catch from the Great Slave Lake and others from the north Pacific sea are featured on the menu. The deep fried cod (fish n' chips) will be one of the best you'll ever have. You won't regret it.

Good food and nice places. You need to be there early to wait in line. Not many tables inside. Outside seating is nice on a sunny day

Like the fish and fries! Really good local food! Definitely going to recommend it to everyone who is going to visit Old Town in Yellowknife

If you go to YK, Bullocks is a must stop place. There is nothing I can say that will prepare you for the interior of Bullocks. It has business cards, writing, boarding passes, napkins, and pretty much anything else stapled to the walls ceiling and any other flat surfaces. The place is small. If they have enough space for 30 people, it would be crammed. There is an odd collection of tables, chairs, stools, etc. Came here on a Wednesday night, and fortunately there was space for our group of 4. We were able to be seated right away without waiting. If you are a group larger than 4, I would say good luck. I've been to Bullock's but years ago. The place hasn't changed. The service has gotten much better. The food as good as ever. Our server was very pleasant, unlike in the past where they would berate you. But that was part of the 'experience'. Our meals were served up hot and fresh. Portion sizes are huge. So go hungry. I ordered the Arctic Char and fries. Was grilled to perfection. Loved it ! Overall, when in Yellowknife, put this on your must go to places to eat at. Value for $ is average, as meals are expensive, but portion sizes are large too. Unique atmosphere. Take your time after or before your meal to just read all of the stickers, banners, etc on the walls. If there is a queue to get in, you may have to make a Plan B.

The quintesential Yellowknife must do. Friendly, cramped, but fun and interesting. Not cheap, but what in Yellowknife is? I had the buffalo rib eye and fries with salad, my coworker had the inconnu fish dish. His was mouth watering tender and was cool to watch being cooked from the big bar table facing the grill. My ribeye was pretty grainy even for buffalo. But what i wasnt keen on was the rather sweet mix of peppers and mushrooms that was soaked on top. If your in to that youll find it nice im sure. Dropped off my card to say I been here. You could spend a day just readi g the comments all over the wall. The owner apparently sneaks in at 2am just to make the amazing dipping sauces and he wont cough up thr recipe to the staff... Damn good btw. Wirth a visit to say youve done it. Make sure you get a rez well ahead of time.

This is the kind of place you would fly all the way to Yellowknife just to eat. Everything every-time is so damn good. The service is amazing and the cook is amazing and skilled.

VERY SATISFIED!! and the reservation HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! First, the bread and butter are served while you are waiting for the dishes. BE AWARE OF NOT filling your stomaches with them because they are just so good. you'll get at leave one more refill of them ! Fish and chips are very exquisite ! cooked well. the fish was very big and THICK, each bite was very pleasant ! Buffalo steak was also okay. It didnt have distinctive or a unique flavor you would've expected from the word"buffalo" but it was just like a regular meat steak. Not bad, good for an experience :) We are visiting this place once more just for the fish and chips before we take off !! :)

My three friends and I were in Yellowknife visiting another friend who's there for work. It was a great opportunity to check the Northern Lights off our bucket list. Our friend J has already tried out all the eateries in Yellowknife and Bullock's Bistro was on the top of her list for us to checkout. The restaurant had a lot of character, and we got front row seats at the bar. The lady behind the bar was brilliantly efficient, just watching her cook all the food by herself and still chat with us was absolutely amazing. Our group thoroughly enjoyed watching her cook. We ordered the buffalo steak, arctic char, and their local white fish and their reindeer stew. The buffalo steak was my favourite and the sauce on it was delicious. Their home-made bread was perfect for dipping into the stew and soaking up all the delicious sauce. It was a great meal to keep us going on our next snowy adventure.

In the old town in Yellowknife Bullock's has been around for a long time. For some reason it seems to be a "must do" for tourists. It is in the same building, the decor has not changed, it takes forever to get your food, it is still outrageously expensive. The attitude of the servers has improved but not enough for me to pay 20 dollars......25 with tip.......for a bowl of chowder and soda bread. The chowder was good as was the bread. The prices on the rest of the menu deterred me from ordering anything from it.

You have to go here at least once. Because it is different. They make blue collar salads and fish on a plank. It's expensive but so is everything in Yellowknife. It's located on old town. Very interesting on the inside. It's an experience and the decor is interesting with all kinds of things stapled to the walls. And yes they have a real caribou on the wall for selfies! Low ceilings. It's always busy. Staff were friendly. Very casual inside.

Apparently, I've heard that if you go to Yellowknife without visiting Bullocks, it's like you never even went to Yellowknife. We had to wait for a table. There was a clipboard of names pinned up in their small vestibule. We signed our name on the clipboard and waited to be called in. It was about 20 minutes of waiting with two parties ahead of us. Once inside, I admired the local aesthetics of the restaurant. It was a tourist hot spot with thousands and hundreds of previous tourists who had left their marks with notes, photos, business cards, receipts, airplane ticket snubs, and messages all over the wooden table, wall panels, and ceilings. It was definitely a cool spot to dine in. I've never seen anything like it before! The only server (who was also the hostess and cashier) gave us utensils and the menu right away. She illustrated with a marker to the laminated menu of the items that were available to us that day. It seems they had a rotating menu of available items. The menu came with an accompanying sheet that showed how grilled, pan fried, or deep fried looked like in photos and which corresponding items matched up with which type of cooking. It made it easy especially for those who don't speak English well to order effortlessly and this method breaks the language barrier a bit. This is also when you know you have ventured into a popular tourist spot catering to many non-English speakers. The server also gave us a plate of bread with butter and cinnamon bread balls. I couldn't resist and tried one of the cinnamon balls immediately. It was good! We then placed our orders with the server. I tried the sliced bread with the butter and it was so good! (The tour guide also mentioned their bread was good.) It was soft and a bit chewy :). I realized after making the order that instead of 'half and half' or salad and fries, I wanted one plate with 'half and half' and another with just salad. When I informed the server, she said they usually just serve with 'half and half' as the norm and implied she wouldn't be able to make the change. The food arrived shortly. The portions were large and the food looked so good. The Deep Fried Arctic Char was like a salmon and I was glad that the meat was moist enough and quite tasty. The tartar sauce here was impeccable and improved the arctic char's taste by a lot. Their tartar sauce was provided in a small container with a spoon. The Grilled Buffalo Ribeye turned out to be the highlight of the meal despite Bullocks Bistro being most well-known for their fish and chips. The buffalo ribeye was so tender and not chewy at all. It came out in a nice medium rare as I had asked for. Best of all, it came in a pool of sauce with sautéed red peppers and onions. It was so delicious! The salad was nice and fresh with the salad dressing self-serve on the table in a glass bottle. I was so impressed with the fries too. They were extra delicious when sopped up with the steak sauce. It was a satisfying meal (we couldn't even finish everything and doggybagged it). Good thing we didn't end up ordering the Buffalo Stew after the server told us our order would be too much with a third item). So glad that I got to try Bullocks Bistro! It really is a must-visit for tourists who come to Yellowknife. If you come with a group, definitely share the dishes so you can try more of what's on the menu!

I did not eat here. The review is based solely on the service. It was the coldest day in December, so cold that the dogs could not run for the dog sledding. -45c windchill in the afternoon. We got there around 3+pm and it was packed. We asked if we could get a table and were told they were full. Then the waitress added it would be highly unlikely we would get a table even if we decided to just wait (for the window of opportunity when a party left and before the other party arrived at the reserved time). She told me they were fully booked for two months and not to bother coming back on other days. So my friend asked if they do take out. She replied they never do take out and never will, it was said in such an arrogant manner that it really just rankled. To rub salt into our wounds, our other friends called on Boxing Day morning to try their luck in getting a reservation and they managed to get it for themselves. So maybe we should not believe everything the staff said. According to our friends, food was ok but expensive. Most entrees were at $39.95. Arctic char was not that great (they preferred the taste of salmon and found arctic char to be very mild). They liked the reindeer stew.

The service wasn't the best, but the food made up for it all. The Arctic Char was delicious and tasted extremely fresh.

Best fish and chips ever! Prices are a little high, but portions are big. It is very crowded though, and there is always a line outside. Be sure to make a reservation! Unfortunately, they run out of a lot of items on their menu, so don't come with only one choice in mind. Fish and chips (5/5) The pickerel was amazing. Definitely get the pickerel. I ordered pickerel because I read one Yelper raving about it. I don't remember who you are, but shoutout to you. I also overheard the server telling a guest that pickerel is hard to catch, so if it is on the menu, you're in for a treat! The salad dressing was really good, and the fries were amazing. Grilled Arctic char (4/5) Pretty good, but it was a little dry. Buffalo steak (4/5) Sauce was good, and it was a nicely-executed dish. I'd say it's worth the hype, but I'm deducting one star because I got an allergic reaction right after (this always happens after I eat really intensely flavoured things, and it might've been the sauce/cooking oil/fish, I'm not too sure).

Being in Yellowknife for the first time, I had no expectations of the restaurants but Bullock's took me by surprise. I'm a huge fish lover and the order they delivered is was nothing short of my expectations! You can choose the healthier options of having pan fried or grilled, and if you're in for a cheat meal you can get it deep fried. The portions were huge and the quality of the fish was great. Unfortunately they ran out of reindeer and bison ran out on the day we were there so we couldn't try them. If you're looking for something homey and fresh try this local place out! We wouldn't have known it was a restaurant from the outside though. Also be sure to make reservations since they do get packed really fast during dinner!

We waited an hour at least with no explanation from the server which was really disappointing. When I went to ask if it would be coming soon he brushed me off rudely and said up next. It's a good thing the great slave cod was so good or it would not have been worth the wait. Please please keep customers informed if there is a large order ahead and that it will be a bit longer. Server didn't even ask how meal was or if we wanted anything else.

friendly welcoming services and environment, the food is delicious, a bit pricey, but the portion is huge!!!! Was very satisfied! Deep fried White fish is a must! Pan fried char is very flavorful! Bafflo stew~the best I've ever had!!!

Soo good! The salad dressing is amazing it all it! Quality food for great Price and the spot is a trip

The meal was absolutely delicious, highly recommended!!! Yummy！ Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!

A lovely place if you're looking for a fresh, healthy meal! 90% of the menu consists entirely of seafood. The only non-seafood items you'll find is the buffalo and reindeer stew. For lunch, I ordered the Fishermans lunch which came with fish chowder, salad and fries. I'm not the biggest fan of seafood but I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the chowder, however it was less of a chowder and more like a thin curry. My bf had their panfried trout which he also enjoyed. Their fish are locally caught and you can request to have it prepared in 1 of 3 ways- deep fried, pan fried or grilled

A must in Yellowknife! We got everything the waitress recommended and we loved it all! The staff is SUPER friendly and the food quality is amazing. The fish is clearly very fresh, the bread is homemade, the fries are great and the salad is HEAVEN (whatever dressing they use on it is SO good, we ordered another bowl of it because we loved it THAT much!). Be ready for about an hour wait and wear A LOT because it gets REAL cold outside. I thought I was going to get frostbite while waiting but thankfully I was okay, it's real nice and toasty inside too but waiting is just awful so stay warm!

The fish was quite nice, we liked it pan fried better than grilled, grilled was more dry, but overall was nice ;)

The most delicious fish that I ever had! Large portion with absolutely amazing flavours. The starter bread is a highlight!!

The first impression I got from this place is how unique and warm the place was. The menu is simple, choose your fish and choose whether you want it grilled, pan-fried or deep-fried. All dishes were served with a side of vegetables and fries. We chose grilled kingfisher (a sample of the different types of fish), pan-fried cod and pan-fried white fish. The wait for the food was pleasant, just because we were seated right across the open 'kitchen' and could see how the owner/cook handled the 3 ways of cooking all by her lonesome. When the food came, it was so delicious, even the vegetables were delicious. The group's favourite is the pan-fried white fish, this fish absorbs the sauce the right way making every bite so heavenly. This place is a definite must-visit in the small city of Yellowknife even with the higher-than-usual cost of food in this area.

This is probably the MOST often recommended place from locals for us, it's a family-run heritage restaurant since the 1920's that specializes on seafood and rare meat. We had the Arctic char, a type of pike and bison meat. They are all cooked to perfection, with their secret sauce! Didn't expect the bison steak to be so tender and flavorful. Beer selection is also awesome, we tried several Yukon Breweries beers.

We stopped in here for our first meal in town, after recommendation from most people we encountered. The grilled Arctic char and fries and salad, was a great piece of fish. The bison ribeye was cooked medium rare, and was great. Overall food was great! Also ambience was great, walls and ceilings were covered with notes and plane tickets of people who had been there prior. Also 90s dance music was blasting. I enjoyed it.

I loved this place! I would say this is a restaurant you for sure need to eat at in Yellowknife! It's a very authentic vibe and relaxed atmosphere. The walls are covered with business cards from travelers around the world, which is super cool. We ordered the bison steak and the arctic char. The meats themselves were amazing. Both dishes came with the same sides, salad and fries (not bad). Each meal with a drink was about $50, so be prepared to pay, however I still really enjoyed each dish. I heard the cinnamon buns are unreal, especially if they are fresh out of the oven. Make sure to call in advance and go when they are making cinnamon buns! I went three times and still never got any. Will be back on my next trip to Yellowknife!!

The best fish and chips I have ever had!! The fish was soooo fresh that I expected it to start flopping around on my plate. Very fun, interesting interior. Cards and hand written notes all over the walls and ceilings. The cook, Anna, interacts with customers. Wicked sense of humor. We loved it!! When we ever go back to Yellowknife, this is a must go food destination!!

I love this place! Yes it's not fancy or like any other 5-star place but the experience combined it's 5-star at YK in my book. First of all, the decor. It's rustic plus punk pub plus your creativity :) the music playlist was a killer. I could sing to all the songs! While I know that may not be everyone's cup of tea, if you could get pass that and just enjoy the surrounding, you would get the 5-star experience. Food, I love the pickerel they did there, grilled & deep fried. Artic char & trout were tasty too. Very fresh! The chef's special mix of spices just made the fish shines. Also my favorite is the buffalo boned in ribeye; grilled to perfect medium rare and tasted better than the one I had in the Aurora Village restaurant. The fish chowder, oh so good, I've never had better. It's no wonder it's a busy little spot. I would recommend to anyone who visits YK.

Food is not delicious. The fish was cooked with too much oil and too little salt. The restaurant is full of asians but the female cooker is extremely unfriendly and cold to Asian guests. This is definitely not personality issue because she was nice to white ppl. Asians are recommended not to visit this restaurant any more. There is senior discount for ppl older than sixties and DO tell them in advance! They will not refund afterward. They charge tips automatically at 19% for table bigger than six, though the services are not good at all. This is our worst meal experience after staying in US and Canada for so many years.

Best place in Yellowknife to eat fish! I had a grilled artic char, really well cooked. Ask for their home made sauce and cheese sauce to go with your fish. A bit expensive but totally worth it.

Best fish and chips ever!! The service was super friendly and attentive! We came here around 3 so the line was not bad at all. Highly recommend if you are staying in the town!

It's a MUST visit if you are in YK. This little casual place has its own character. Start with homemade bread and butter, for me it is more like--butter with bread ;) and pick one of their fabulous choices in their menu. I like fish to be fishy so I went with: Pan fried Arctic Char served with house salad and french fries. Great choice!! very Yummy. I was full (unusual for me). Some of my friends tried: deep fried whitefish (non fishy and popular choice) with salad/fries, Fish Cowder and buffalo stew. It was all delicious. That I know there are no many vegetarian choices: salad and fries at most. In summer time, it is bright inside, they have a back patio, with a couple of tables with view to the lake, and another one just in front. The service was nice if you come early, it gets a little bit congested later on so good luck trying to catch your server. Overall it was a good experience I enjoy the food, service and ambiance. However, I must say it is a little bit overpriced. My meal was $40+ drink+tip.

I have the best pan fry fish here!!!!! I had the white fish and it was to the prefection!! They are not cheap, in-fact their price is on the high side consider it was only fish but the portions are big and I was sharing with my aunt! Reservations is a must! I was there before 5p and was lucky enough to get a table without but we got the last table inside and everyone come in after us have to seat outside which is ok if on a nice weather but this is Yellowknife so it most likely to be too cold to sit outside!!