Concierge.com's insider take:

The place to be at the Sandbar, a boisterous 300-seat Granville Island seafood spot, is the rooftop patio. Literally tucked beneath the Granville Bridge, it has gorgeous views of the city—plus heat lamps, a roaring fireplace, and blankets to wrap up in during the winter. No reservations are accepted on the roof, so if you can't come early to get a spot, grab a table in the beamed, lodgelike indoor dining room. Here, a crowd of tourists and locals tucks into small plates like crispy wok-fried squid and grilled scallop kebabs—average at best. Better bets include lobster pulled live from the tank, fresh-harvested mussels, and the house specialty: salmon fillet baked on a cedar plank and glazed with brown sugar, soy, and lemon. But the best-kept secret is the sushi bar downstairs run by Chef Hoshi, a contemporary of Tojo's, where the sushi prices start at $2.50.—Kasey Wilson

Open Sundays through Thursdays 11:30 am to 10 pm; Fridays and Saturdays 11:30 am to 11:00 pm. Sushi bar open Tuesdays through Saturdays 5:30 to 10:30 pm.