Original Skiff Fish + Oysters — Restaurant in Burlington

Located inside the Champlain Hotel, Original Skiff Fish + Oysters offers a refreshing taste of the coast in the heart of Burlington, Vermont. For seafood enthusiasts, especially oyster lovers, this spot is a gem. Sourcing oysters from Wellfleet down the Cape 🌊, they deliver a briny, fresh experience despite the inland location. I’d give the oysters a solid 8/10 🥂 — highly recommended for anyone craving a touch of the ocean.

For main dishes, we sampled the Fish Fry with cornmeal crust, fries, slaw, and remoulade. The fish was perfectly cooked, though a tad heavy-handed on the salt 🧂. The coleslaw, on the sweeter side, may appeal to those who like a touch of sugar with their crunch 🥗. Overall, a satisfying plate, though I wish it were less salty — 7/10 🍟.

Next, the NE-Grown Ribeye with crispy onions and blue cheese was a flavorful and hearty option 🥩🧅. The onion rings were a highlight, adding a great crispy texture, and the blue cheese, though an interesting choice, leaned heavily into the salty side. Still, a solid 7/10.

The Atlantic Swordfish came with tomato, arugula, and black olive, complemented by a tasty squash on the side 🐟🍅. Again, the seasoning was a bit too much, but the squash was a standout. Another 7/10 dish.

For dessert, we couldn’t resist trying them all! The Key Lime Pie was a zesty delight 🥧, rating an 8/10, and the Rum Caramel Truffles with Sea Salt were a fun, flavorful treat 🍫, also an 8/10. Finally, the daily soft serve flavor 🍦 is a must-try, a whimsical ending to the meal.

Our cocktails were well-crafted and refreshing 🍹. The Three Sheets (Jamaican Rum, Orange Spice, Pineapple, Lemon, Grapefruit) was tropical and lively 🌴, while the Joy Ride (Tequila, Mezcal, Aperol, Lime, Grapefruit, Seltzer) had a smoky, citrusy punch 🍊.

The ambiance has a cozy, nautical vibe with warm wood accents, making you feel as though you’re on a boat 🚤 — perfect for a seafood restaurant! I’d give it an 8/10 for atmosphere. Though the prices are high 💸 (4/10 for affordability), the quality and freshness of seafood, especially considering Burlington’s distance from the ocean, make it a worthwhile splurge. If you’re staying at the hotel 🏨, stopping by for oysters and cocktails is a must: overall food...

First off- wanting to start this review saying the service was kind, and due to the lackluster experience they offered to cover our dessert. This was a gesture of good faith and one that meant a lot to the dinnergoers. That being said I feel compelled to write this review. This experience was unique for me in terms of timing- haven't been out for a nicer dinner in a little while, was very excited at the prospect of seafood, especially a new place. Potentially, expectations were high. We opted for the smoked dip and the deviled eggs to start. For me, the deviled eggs were the standout of the night. They were cutesy, demure, and predictable but unique. Love the little roe. The dip came with what had to be saltines- but we needed to end up asking for more of them because lots of dip was left. This is a double edged sword, as it shows the portion of dip was enough but the crackers were not. I decided to splurge and get the swordfish. I felt this was my biggest error, as our meals took a very long time. No erroneous accusation of minutes here, just that it felt disjointed with the reasonable swiftness of the appetizers. I am guessing that this is because the swordfish was very overcooked. Chicken-like in its texture, I felt insecure eating as much of it as I did but I was hungry. Dinnermate had the chowder but felt it was "meh" for the wait and cost. The courses were sandwiched in between very kind service, and our waitress did let us know a couple of times in our wait for our entrees that she checked the kitchen and they were still making our food. At the end of the evening while we about to pay, we are told she cannot take cash. This prompted the folks sitting next to us to say they had also planned on paying in cash and they were appalled at their inability. For us, it wasn't as big of a deal and I used my card. Potential advice: upgrade the saltines, more widely advertise you are a cashless institution, work on timing because the same folks mentioned before got their entrees before their starters. I won't say lower the prices but perhaps indulge a little more for...

I would have given the "OS" 1 star but they have a large bowl of match boxes out for people to take...or at least I assume so. They make a great souvenir to commemorate your visit to the worst sea food restaurant in Burlington. The matches can also be used to diffuse the grease and fry oil induced farts of yours or your significant others. The menu is HEAVILY fried oriented so consider yourself warned. We opted to try half a dozen raw oysters after our server described them as "large and deep". Well we must have come on the wrong night because the words small and shallow more come to mind once they were presented to us. If you want oysters go to Hen of Wood where during certain times of the day you can get them for 2 bucks compared to 4 at OS. In general the amount of coin you're about to drop at this place is almost comparable to the of Hen and you will get a truly fantastic dinner. To make it even easier Hen of the Wood is literally right around the corner. The OS is as much of joyless cash grab as Men In Black 2 and that of people staying at the hotel who may not know the area and know what Burlington...