Fin Fish

Too pricy… food was okay. The mussels was great. though

I love their lobster and oysters! It tastes great but if you broke like me, its gonna be a bit pricy. So unless you get some comps from the casino, I dont recommend you coming here and dropping bills to eat here unless its comped or you got some discount.

What a wonderful dinner we enjoyed at Fin Fin! We were staying at Grand Sierra for an event and were too tired to rove about Reno for dinner so we did something we normally do not do and decided to eat at a restaurant on site. I’ve eaten at Charlie Palmers and loved it, so we settled on Fin Fin; since it’s a sister restaurant to CP we figured it would be great. And it was! We had a fantastic (albeit a bit pricy) experience.
Even though this restaurant is quite small, it’s been cleverly decorated to appear upscale sparse and roomy, and we didn’t feel cramped in any way. We loved the interesting ambiance! The waitstaff was above reproach the entire evening. We were seated and served expediently and were very well taken care of during the entire meal.
We started with the Calamari with spicy remoulade/​chipotle aioli ($ 13) It was wonderful. Served piping hot, very nice crispy outside (the batter was a bit thick for me but my dining companion loved it) with a very tender, moist squid inside. The sauces were divine, and I was very happy with the large portion size, though I did think the price was a few dollars much for a basic calamari appetizer.
For dinner, I had the Seafood Pan Roast ($ 22). I was surprised to see it cooked in the steam kettles and brought to the table as a «soup/​stew»… for some reason, the name had led me to believe it would be fresh pieces of seafood on a platter, perhaps drizzled with a cream sauce; instead, it was chunks of seafood floating in a bowl of herbed loster cream sauce that was absolute heaven. The seafood itself was plump and fresh, and I felt there was a nice variety, and the sauce /​soup was so decadently thick and rich I could not eat it all. But that’s okay! It’s better to have something be so great you can’t finish than so bad you can’t finish, right? :D For this dish, I think the price was perfect.
My dining companion had the Seared Ahi Tuna ($ 28). Now, while this was a spectacular piece of tuna, one of the best we’ve ever had, I did feel it was a modest portion for the price. But oh my gosh was it great. Their signature slaw and lemon-​scented couscous that accompanied the fish were both divinely complex and we slowly savored very bite, trying to puzzle out how they’d been created.
I love the fact that Fin Fin is a sister restaurant to Charlie Palmers because you’re able to order items from there as well; since I had experienced the CP twice baked truffle potato, and my companion had not, we ordered it so he could taste it ($ 8) Now THAT item is worth absolutely every single penny. It is luxurious, creamy and rich, and loaded with cheesy truffle-​y goodness — you MUST try this at least once, either at Fin Fin or CPs, you won’t regret it.
Our drinks were yummy, but they, too, were way over priced, especially for our being in a casino. But other than the fact I felt the drinks and some of the items were just a little pricey for the portion size I really do feel this meal was outstanding in every other way. Yes, eating at Fin Fin was a financial splurge, but for us this night, it was really worth it.

Bloody delicious, albeit a bit pricey, but it is no secret that you have to pay for exceptional food. The wait staff was on top of their game and catered to our needs perfectly. Had a slightly underdone cut of meat that was immediately corrected and compensated for. Great beer and wine selection as well. Normally i wouldn’t hype a restaurant in a casino, but we were very well satisfied with our meal.

Nay to the naysayers, we stopped here over the weekend without reservations and even for eating at the counter the experience was excellent. Could I rank it 4.6 instead of 5.0? Perhaps but truthfully the food was first rate and — here’s a tip — it’s co-​located with the Charlie Palmer steak house, so I ordered the Filet without needing to get a CP reservation & it came from the same kitchen :)

We were tired and hungry after a day on the slopes, so we headed downstairs to our hotel’s «restaurant row» for a bite to eat. We kept seeing ads all over the hotel on how they feature Reno’s only top chef at their hotel restaurants. Apparently, chef Charlie Palmer, who’s steakhouses earned him three michelin stars and one michelin star for Aureole in Las Vegas, recently opened a Charlie Palmer Steakhouse, Fin Fish (a seafood restaurant), and Biscola (an Italian restaurant) in our hotel. We were excited to see what this michelin star chef had to offer.
We decided on Briscola, but unfortunately they were closed. So we headed to option #2, Fin Fish. We loved the wall of drift wood that surrounded the dining area and the large over head metal fans. We were seated right away, since the restaurant was pretty empty. I decided on the Scallops with the corn salad with a glass of pinot grigio and he decided on the Barramundi in the lobster sauce with a Hefewiezen. The salt & peppered flatbread sticks that they bring out instead of bread were really good. I had to face them away from me so I wouldn’t keep munching on them. Good thing I wasn’t that hungry since my entrée consisted of 5 scallops over a bed of corn kernels. Thank goodness, for the cilantro green salsa and ponzu sauce that was brought by our waiter. I had to pour both of these sauces on my entrée to add flavor. The BF’s barramundi also lacked flavor and it was a small portion without any sides too! At prices like $ 20 – 40 an entrée, it was really disappointing and not worth it.
Service was slow, and it wouldn’t have hurt the waiter to smile a little. He seemed like he hated his job.
So if you happen to find yourself at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, skip Fin Fish!

The food was pretty good. The staff was really nice too. When one of them screwed up part of my order, they comp’d a glass a wine. The only problem I have are the prices. I wanted to watch the 49ers play arizona and this place had a big tv right infront of an empty bar. I intended to only have an appetizer or two, and a glass of wine. I ended up getting a dozen oysters, the calamari, the beef skewers, and a few glasses of wine. I was out a hundred dollars by the end of the game. But hey, the niners won and I was on my way to the sportsbook to collect.

At these prices, my fish should not be this dry.
The service was very attentive when it came to trying to get us to order more stuff, but not so attentive when it came to making sure what came out on the plate was what we ordered.
I like the idea of a high-​end seafood restaurant, but I’m dumbfounded why this place can’t achieve the level of quality seen at chain restaurants like McCormick and Schmick’s or Legal’s.

I thought Fin Fish was just ok… Maybe I had higher expectations since it was a Charlie Palmer restaurants. The service was just ok… A little lack-​luster and non-​motivated.
The food was pretty good, but the couscous and slaw that comes with most entrees was SO BLAND! I had to ask for salt and pepper which I never do, not even at home! So, I knew it was very underseasoned at that point.
The best part was probably the complimentary dessert tray they brought out at the end…
Overall, I may go back but it’s not at the top of my list…

1 Star is for the friendly service and modern deco BUT –4 for the disgusting food. They’re a seafood restaurant but they apparently think fish, like my Swordfish, should have the same consistency as overcooked chicken. Seared Ahi Tuna was rubbery and unfresh. Salmon was salty and flavorless. Crab cakes were edible and oysters were allright. Desserts were average.
I hate giving bad reviews but this restaurant really pissed me off with their food quality.
TERRIBLE food, expensive prices… this restaurant has no redeeming quality.

I do NOT like the name of this place. I think Fin Fish is a name that did not get tested properly during market research. Or something.
I prefer my salmon FULLY cooked through. Like obscenely so. Others at my table like a more tender cooking. They were happier than I at Fin Fish!
Not bad! I would go here again.

The BF and I were staying a the Grand Sierra for a few days and are starting a tradition of just sitting around casino lounges and having a drink, talking about whatever. We chose Fin Fish/​Charlie Palmer Steak rather than the two lounges because it was a weekday and both Reserve and whatever 2500 East looked sad and lonely.
The Fin Fish/​CPS area is very smartly designed, with a modern palette and very perpendicular angles. Strategic lighting and simple upholstery keep with the clean color scheme, and the music and flat-​screen TVs don’t interrupt the ambiance too much. The chairs in the lounge area were pretty comfortable, and the restaurant is nested away from the action, so even though the lounge area is on the outer side of the restaurant, you don’t get too much annoying noise pollution from video slots.
We ordered the crème brûlée, which was a duo of what appeared to be a standard crème brûlée and a chocolate crème brûlée. We paired it with a glass of Amontillado. The original crème brûlée had a little too much egg-​white flavor, and a little of the proteiny texture was evident. The chocolate one, however, was very cocoa-​y, smooth, and had such a light, airy feel to it that it was actually refreshing compared to the chocolate-​covered raisin flavor of the Amontillado.
The two things that ding this review are: 1. service and 2. prices. Our waitress was pretty suckville and she paid very little attention to us. How we were dressed might have factored in, but come on — it was ten o’clock on a Monday! Everything was pretty dead and I wasn’t going to dress up for what was mostly the 55 and up set. Dessert was $ 8, which is fine, considering how upscale everything was and how rich and somewhat large the dessert was. However, they didn’t have a single non-​varietal dessert wine under $ 7 for a tiny glass! Am I asking too much here?

Bottom Line: Good Food, Expensive, Inconsistent
The New England Clam Chowder was very good, I would go back for just this. It was a large portion; consider sharing. The bacon base had a strong presents, and wasn’t overly creamy. Ample clams, and the potato chunks were smaller (less than 1 cm cubes) than I like, but they were soft, but not over cooked.
The Paella was disappointing. Flavorless. The sofrito (broth) didn’t come through at all. The broth lacked tomato and garlic flavors. It seemed under salted. The rice was over cooked, and the kernels and starch had burst into a somewhat pasty mush. The saffron was front and center, but was left out by itself. Since the other flavors weren’t there, the saffron had nothing to harmonize with. Difficult dish to make well, but then again I prefer the latin take on this dish.
The service was good, polite, and very considerate. I had to step out for a phone call, and she offered to take my chowder back to re-​heat it. I felt taken care of.
The drift wood wall was creative, and complimented the modern surroundings. The open kitchen was a nice touch. You can watch the cooks prepare seafood roasts. A little noisy, but still allowed for a standard conversation.
It was good enough, for me to feel that I would go back to try other things on the menu. I suspect that this restaurant could really be a 4 start, but I just had a bad luck that night.
Full Disclosure: I’m allergic to shellfish. I’m unable to try shrimp, crab, and lobster dishes, and so I’m not able to fully review dishes such as these.

Unusual for me to speak highly of a hotel restaurant. But I have to say, the place was very good. Good service, great menu and presentation. The ahi tuna appetizer was some of the best tuna I ever had. I had low expectations going in but was very impressed afterwards. I’d certainly suggest going if you are staying there at the Grand Sierra Resort hotel.

Well, Fin Fish must have heard the 1 star disappointments of the previous 2 reviews 4 months ago, and stepped up their game big time!
I came on a weekday evening, and sat at the many counter dining seats. Joe was my service person, and he was quite knowledgable and attentive. They have a variety of seafood, but I opted for the 3 course fixed price menu with wine pairings, entitled «Nova Scotia Coastal Passport».
1^st Course: Wild Atlantic Smoked Salmon slices on a crisp potato cake with Horseradish Crème Fraiche. A duet of these were served, nicely plated and presented with minced basil leaves and sprinkled with olive oil, and included red raddish slices. It was paired with a
Maso Canali Pinot Grigio, which had nice apple/​pear flavors and a clean finish. This was a nicely suited combo, although I would have prefered a slightly crisper potato to contrast the textures and reduce the oiliness.
Course #2: Bacon wrapped Cod, Chanterelle mushrooms, served on a bed of Sweet Corn. This was nicely paired with a Syrah, from the Okanagen area of BC Canada. The Syrah, being from a cooler climate, limited its tanin and body, making it a nice compliment to the Cod, and the crisp bacon wrap added texture and more flavor, which was well balanced by the mushrooms and especially the sweet corn.
Course #3: Spiced Ginger Bread, Carmelized Maple Syrup and Blueberry preserves. This dessert course was paired with a nice Jackson Triggs Niagara Peninsula Vidal Ice-​Wine. I am not big on desserts, but this was a nice combo. The ginger bread would have been good without the overly sweet icing on its layers, because the sweetness of the Ice Wine, so called due to the very late harvest (ergo Ice, when the water content is low but the flavors and sugars are stronger) was sweet enough for my palette.
All pairings were well executed and elegantly plated without too much pompous stacking. You would expect to pay perhaps $ 100 in SF or LA for this 3 course meal and wine pairing.
The cost? Only $ 44 per person, and only $ 33 without the pairings. Excellent value!

Fin Fish shares a common kitchen with the Charlie Palmer Steakhouse next door. Too bad it is a step below in execution, management, and dining skills. I had dinner at Charlie Palmer three months ago and it was good not great. Fin Fish was a huge disappointment.
for starters the hostess lectured our group for not specifying the regular tables vs. the high chairs in the reservation. this is an idiotic concept for a sit down restaurant at these prices in the first place but I digress.
I had the featured menu of the evening which included a tuna spaghetti dish; the dish had good flavor and texture but lacked a memorable punch to it.
here is the killer to this dish and the rest of the featured menu. the wine pairing was a single ounce pour.
I have had many wine pairings over the past 20 years and never have I experienced a spit pour like these three wine pairings.
the next course was a tomato based bass dish.
the bass skin was pan fried very crispy which made it very tasty but the dish itself was plain and lacking.
the final course was a decent lemon torta cake.
again served with a thimble of limoncello (a vodka lemon liquor)
this dish took forever to arrive. at least 30 minutes and prior to being served, my young server Trevor dropped ranch sauce, utensils including a knife on me.
a weak apology followed, but no offer of a complimentary coffee or dessert to calm me down.
not that it would have changed the evening’s other missteps but in the ultra competitive food industry, Charlie Palmer’s seafood restaurant in Reno is in serious trouble if my experience is typical.