Portland may not be a coastal city, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its fair share of delicious seafood restaurants and oyster bars.
Thanks to Oregon’s location on the west coast, its estuaries are served by the pacific waters that oysters love. Both Pacific and Olympia oysters grow happily on the beds of many of Oregon’s estuaries.
These oysters are moved instate to the oyster bars and restaurants of Portland where they are enjoyed by the many tourists and locals.
Many of the oyster bars also get fresh shipments of Washington grown oysters from the Puget Sound. These oysters are some of the best in the country and are a must-try if you’re visiting the pacific coast!
Portland is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the US. Its thriving art and music scenes draw hundreds and thousands of visitors every day.
The city is home to a huge number of microbreweries and coffee houses which means that you have plenty of options when it comes to washing down those oysters!
So, whether you’re in Portland for the music or beer, make sure you check out some of these oyster bars!
Dan and Louie’s Oyster Bar
208 SW Ankeny Street, Portland, Oregon, 97204
503-227-5906
Established in 1907, this oyster bar is actually the oldest family-owned restaurant in Portland. It benefits from its downtown location which sees it situated near many tourist favorites and clubs.
The oysters are shipped fresh from both Oregon and Washington waters. You can sample them raw by the half dozen or a dozen. These are served with the usual horseradish and cocktail sauces for that deliciously sharp oyster taste.
If you prefer them cooked, you can get oysters baked with spinach, shallots, garlic, bacon, and Gruyère cheese when you order the oysters Rockefeller.
You could also go for the oyster Parmesan, which sees the oyster baked with garlic butter and Parmesan cheese.
The rest of the menu is equally delicious. It is a hearty seafood menu that offers perfectly steamed mussels and clams as well as rich, comforting chowders and stews.
This place is a little slice of Portland history that should be on everybody’s visit list. The restraint may have been there forever, but the food is wonderfully fresh and the atmosphere as inviting as ever.
Pepe Le Moko
407 SW 10th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97205
503-546-8597
Located below the Clyde Common and Ace Hotel, Pepe le Moko is literally a subterranean bar. It is mostly a cocktail bar, but it does offer beautifully fresh oysters by the half dozen and the dozen.
Served with horseradish and champagne mignonette, these oysters come fresh from Oregon estuaries and make the perfect accompaniment to the incredible cocktails.
The bar is incredibly intimate, seating only 37 patrons at a time. You find yourself nestled in a coved basement with a massive 16-foot zinc bar.
The professionally trained bartenders are the center of the show as they make the house specialty cocktails.
If you can get yourself a spot in this tiny cocktail and oyster bar, you will be in for an incredible treat.
St. Jack
1610 NW 23rd, Portland, Oregon, 97210
503-360-1281
Crafted as a homage to the cafés of Lyon in France, St. Jacks is a little slice of French dining located on the west coast.
Oysters can be found on the ‘Fruits De Mer’ or fruits of the sea section of the menu. They are served by the half dozen or a dozen with a shallot mignonette.
Served on ice, these oysters come fresh from the Oregon coast and estuaries. They’re beautifully paired with the sharp mignonette and go well with any one of the French wines on the menu.
The rest of the menu features a mixture of French bistro classics and Americana staples. It’s an interesting intersection of classic French dining and modern American food.
St. Jack is probably the only place you can find smash burgers alongside tripe à la mode de Caen which is a stew that is traditionally made from all four chambers of the cow’s stomach.
The staff here are knowledgeable, accommodating, and eager to please. They help to create an incredibly warm and inviting atmosphere that locals and tourists love.
EaT: An Oyster Bar
3808 N Williams Avenue, 122, Portland, Oregon, 97227
503-281-1222
EaT Oyster bar is a Cajun inspired restaurant that has a hip, chill, no-frills atmosphere. The big screen TVs cover the entertainment while you feast on any one of the wonderful meals on the menu.
If you want oysters, you can slurp them down by the half a dozen or a dozen. These are locally sourced oysters straight from Washington and Oregon coast waters.
Oysters come served on ice in a metal platter, complete with lemon wedges and a vinegar drizzling sauce. The chili infused lemon and lime oyster shooter gives you a spicy taste of the southern states while still using local fresh produce.
If you’re after something more substantial, tickle your taste buds with blackened catfish, jambalaya, or Cajun BBQ shrimp. These meals are beautifully prepared and excellent value for money.
EaT has become a bit of a haven for oyster lovers in the Portland area. If you consider yourself a fan of these bivalves, you do not want to miss Eat: An Oyster Bar.
Cabezon
5200 Northeast Sacramento Street, Portland, Oregon, 97213
503-284-6617
Cabezon is a small neighborhood bistro that focuses on fresh, local, and sustainably sourced produce. This includes the fresh Oregon and Washington oysters that grace the top of their menu.
Oysters are available on the half shell for $3 a piece and are served with champagne mignonette.
These oysters are delicious, and the restaurant offers a variety of local breeds to choose from. This variety rotates on a daily basis, so be sure to ask your server for info.
The restaurant itself is intimate, cozy, and incredibly welcoming. While the restaurant has a casual and laid-back vibe, there is nothing casual about the food. All dishes are impeccably prepared and served.
Perhaps our favorite ever dish name features on the Cabezon entrée menu. For $29 you can get ‘Creative King Salmon.’
The name likely derives from the Creative Salmon company that sells sustainably sourced salmon, but we like to think that this regal fish has a creative streak.
Flying Fish Co. Oyster Bar
3004 E Burnside Street, Portland, Oregon, 97214
971-806-6747
Originally starting out as a mobile truck selling the fresh catch of founder Lyf Gildersleeve, the Flying Fish Company has diversified into restaurants as well as fish markets.
The Flying Fish Co. Oyster bar offers an enormous selection of fresh oysters. Most hail from neighboring Washington state, though a few come from Canada and even Maine.
The oysters are freshly shucked in front of you and served with lemon and mignonette sauce.
They cost $18 for half a dozen and $32 for a dozen. If you get there in time for happy hour, the oysters cost as little as $0.50 a piece! It’s well worth the trip to Laurelhurst.
This quaint little oyster bar is actually located inside the Flying Fish Company market. This means that you can stop off for some oysters after you’ve bought your seafood groceries for the week.
It also means that the staff, most of which are family, are incredibly knowledgeable about the oysters and the seafood on offer.
Jake’s Famous Crawfish
401 SW 12th Avenue, Portland, Oregon, 97205
503-226-1419
Established in 1892 by a local legend called Jake Lewis Freiman, Jake’s Famous Crawfish has been a haven and magnet for locals, tourists, and VIP guests.
Everyone from Madonna to Humphrey Bogart have dined at Jake’s. It has a special place in the hearts of many in the city and around the world.
Jake’s crafts the menu every morning once they’ve received the seafood and shellfish delivery. Food is brought in from the Pacific, Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico to create a varied and delicious menu.
Oysters are served for lunch and dinner by the half dozen. The restaurant stocks four varieties including Pacific oysters from Washington, Kumamoto oysters from California, and Fanny Bay and Buckley Bay oysters from British Columbia.
During happy hour, which runs from 3pm-6pm, you can get oyster shooters for $3.
You can also choose from a limited happy hour menu. If you’re on a budget, we recommend you hit happy hour as Jake’s is not the cheapest location on our list.
If you want a warm meal, you could check out the classic oyster stew, clam chowder, Alaskan Cod fish and chips, or Jake’s traditional bouillabaisse.
Whatever you choose from Jake’s, you can be sure that it will be incredible.
Final Thoughts
Portland might not be the first city you think of when you think about oysters, but there are plenty of fantastic oyster bars and restaurants here.
If you’re visiting our City of Roses, make sure you visit at least one of these fabulous locations. And don’t forget, leave a review to let others know how it was.
