The Grand Dame of the Columbia River Smokery, Astoria, Ore. - There are cathedrals of salt, smoke, and time, and then there is Josephson's Smokehouse, a cedar-shingled shrine on the edge of the Pacific Northwest where briny fog meets hardwood ember. Here, the art of curing is not a craft but a calling. Lunch is a liturgy. The clam chowder arrives like a maritime memory-velvety, studded with tender-cheeked clams, each spoonful a foghorn in a bowl. The salmon burger, grilled to a rosy medium, defies the dry, crumbly fates of lesser patties; it is juicy, lush, and dressed with a tartar that brightens like a lighthouse flash. But the true epiphany? The lox on a bagel--silk-smooth, brined with the precision of a jeweler, draped over cream cheese that yields like fresh snow. It is not merely eaten; it is contemplated. We depart with coolers stuffed with their cold-smoked Sockeye salmon-amber-gold, peppery, almost buttery in its melt-destined for Manhattan bagels and late-night toasts. It travels like treasure. Yet Josephson's soul isn't found in the smokehouse alone-it lives in the warm, unhurried grace of its counter staff, each one wonderfully kind. Against the coldness of algorithms, this is hospitality as rebellion. Five stars? Insufficient. This is a constellation. read more

See all

We drove past this place for years, but last Sunday we couldn't get to the restaurant we had in mind, and doubled back southward along Marine Drive, and decided to give it a try. It was a good decision. Note for fellow travelers: their menu is small. They are a smokehouse that oh by the way has a small dining area as well, which they call the Chowder House. Small can be beautiful. Specialization has its benefits. We ordered the chowder and smoked salmon on rye. First, the chowder. It's the real deal, slightly thinner than some, but not too thin, and boy howdy delicious. Seriously, its some of the best. I would say it's up there with Gracie's Sea Hag in Depoe Bay. It does not skimp on the clams, and is chunky throughout. The smoked salmon on rye exchanges a bagel for rye toast, but keeps the rest of the traditional deli staple intact. There is cream cheese, capers, red onion, and, of course, the salmon. (I don't know where smoked raw salmon ends and nova lox begins. They seem to be the same.) This is where we begin to understand those benefits of specialization. It was simply the best I've had. It was well smoked and tasted fabulous with the rye. If you have passed this place by for years as well, stop it, and stop by. It's good stuff. They also ship their smoked salmon. read more

See all

Great wine maple lox! Got it on a bagel and it was solid- would come back for the fish but I think the store bought bagel actually took away from it. The clam chowder tasted more like a potato soup but tasty at that! read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - Smoked Wine Maple Salmon (5 1/2 oz.) on a bagel - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

See all

I had two other seafood markets bookmarked, but we ended up at Josephsons Smokehouse, not once but twice while in Astoria (6/17/25 & 6/19/25). Visit #1 No luck since the clam chowder was sold out. We did buy a packet of garlic pepper salmon jerky. Nice savory treat. Visit #2 We shared a cup of clam chowder. Saw other orders being prepped like a salmon burger, bagel with smoked salmon with red onion and capers. Of course, had to buy another packet of garlic pepper salmon jerky. Pleasant staff, but can tell they get slammed during peak time. There's limited indoor seating and some outdoor picnic tables adjacent to the building and parking lot. They also support a lot of other indie purveyors looking at the vast selection of handcrafted merch. Great gifts for others, even yourself. read more

See all

These guys know how to Smoke fish. Wow! Delicious - love their salmon, albacore, lox. Canned or freeze packed, it's all great. Chowder is excellent too! read more

Oh my goodness! How have we been driving past Josephson's Smokehouse the past ten years??? The place is small but packed with the best and the most smoked fish and seafood I've ever come across. My husband is the big smoke fish fan in the family and said the hot smoked Chinook salmon was the best he's ever had. Moist, lightly salt cured and smoked over a mixture of hardwoods, the flavor is incredible and addicting. The salmon jerky is equally amazing as well. We got a small assortment to take home. The little store has a very nice selection of T-shirts, hoodies, jams, jellies, sauces & marinades as well as canned fish perfect for making salmon cakes at home (or tuna or sturgeon cakes). They have a really nice gift box that would make a great Christmas gift for that fish lover on your list. Along with the various smoked salmons, they have rainbow trout, prawns, scallops, mussels and oysters. A real treat is the smoked salmon collar. If you've never tried salmon collar, it really is the prized part of the salmon IMHO and a light smoking makes it absolutely perfect. All you need are some good crackers or bread, cream cheese and a glass of Champagne to go with it. I know Josephson's is going to be a must-stop before going home from now on. Didn't get a chance to try the clam chowder or any of the sandwiches but everything looked amazing --imagine a fresh tuna sandwich!-- so I have something to look forward to next time. read more

Stopped in for smoked salmon and walked out with smoked scallops and halibut in addition. While it wasn't cheap, I'm happy to support local fisherman and everything we tasted was yum. Would rank the scallops first and then the salmon and then the halibut per my taste!! Would have loved to tried more but the kitchen was closed a little after 400pm during our visit. The staff was very helpful on recommending. read more

Picked up two fabulous flavors of smoked salmon, sat down with some crackers and called it dinner. Just delicious. I had the coho plain smoked and Karen had the wine maple. Just clean and subtle -- not fishy at all, for those concerned about that. You also can eat a variety of salmon presentations in-house. Proud to support a local, fourth-generation family owned enterprise. read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - Wine maple salmon and crackers. It's what's for dinner. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

See all

I have been coming to this place for years and love it!! The food that sell is top notch. Try the clam chowder as that's a staple! Also pick up some lox and smoked salmon. Everything they have in their fridge section is more than worth it! The service here is wonderful. The team is informative and well fun to talk to! Wonderful staff! Ambiance is old school Astoria. Which I love! Welcoming, clean and cozy! read more

Great smoked salmon with a broad selection of items. Must stop if passing by or in town

If you are looking for both fresh fish and dried they are the place to go! They were super helpful and sweet the inside was super nice lots of history. 10/10 I would HIGHLY recommend to anyone who is looking for fish and fish alike! read more

The retail counter area is in your face when you open the door. As I was trying to decide, they offered some yummy samples. Prices are, well, high. The prices in the cooler are per pound, not package. I knew this but was still in sticker shock handing over my credit card. Anyway, they have a whole bunch of local sauces/chutneys/condiments that make great gifts. Love to support local. I got some smoked pepper salmon and a nice chunk of smoked sturgeon - the fellow helping me commented "oooohhhhh, thats good" and I shared that my wife had landed a sturgeon once but it was ONE INCH too long and had to be put back. He smiled and said "what, you've never heard of the snub-nosed sturgeon?" God I cracked up...so did my wife when I told her. Anyway, you're not going to find better tasting smoked seafood anywhere, just open your wallet. I tipped my helper $5 for the great service and humor. Merry Christmas! read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - a sign on the side of a building - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

Very bad clam chowder....Not the worst but...very...very bad. It should be called potato chowder with fish juice and ground clam bits. Ended up throwing away most of the chowder. I recommend skipping this place and going to Mo's or Hurricane Ron's which I would have done but couldn't find parking at either (should have known by the empty parking lot that this place would be a miss). Total waste of time and money. Stick to smoking fish. read more

The best chowder and smoked everything you want. Get there early. The chowder is hearty and nothing is left out. Enjoy the experience!!

I'm not one to leave reviews but credit due where credit owed. I was on a road trip and randomly stopped here. I went in to get some smoke salmon, I asked for recommendations. The woman at the counter recommended the scallops. Holy crap. The smoked scallops are absolutely insane. At first I thought they were tough(but obviously I've never had a smoked scallop) but when eating with cracker and cream cheese, perfection! Also, the salmon jerky is soooo good! When I come back up the coast, I'll be stopping here read more

We spotted this seafood store / restaurant on our way to Cannon Beach and decided before we go home we must stop and have something to eat there. The menu is not large but what they serve is over the top! My wife had their clam chowder and I had their bagel and cream cheese with lox and capers. The portions are large and you won't go home hungry the restaurant is small but very intimate Alisa is a one person show doing everything and WOW she does a great job! But before we left we just had to buy some lox, halibut, salmon collars and tips, prawn, and scallops. They are smoked and Alisa recommend various ways to serve them. Next time we go to Cannon Beach we'll be stopping here again. read more

I experienced a purchasing glitch from an online sale when I was double charged. When told of the observation over the phone, salesperson, Lisa, looked into it and discovered the transactions to be as I found. I asked for credit because the fish products are so outstanding and she agreed. We went to the store and received our credit in hot and cold smoked seafood in a variety of flavors. Lisa could not have been better in serving us. She is friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Our experience was topnotch, so we say 'thank you' Lisa. 3/25/25 read more

Another classic must-visit place in Astoria for all things smoked seafood. They have an incredible selection of canned fish - from the classic non-flavored canned fish, to their specialty: the smoked fish, to even more exotic flavors of smoked fish. They also have a variety of different types of fish. You can also get many non-canned options: smoked scallops (amazing), smoked shrimp, fish jerky, and more. The only caveat is it's definitely not your cheaply priced store bought fish. However, not only are you supporting local, but you'll get some delicious foods! read more

i did far more damage here than i expected but with good reason and zero regrets! they have fabulous smoked fish (samples were great!) but also a lot of other cute gift ideas that include but are not limited to: aprons, jams and condiments, smoked cans of fish and oysters and greeting cards. i went in to buy some smoked salmon but came out with a ton of other things for friends and family during birthday season. this is a great place to swing by if you want to bring souvenirs home from a pnw trip or just a casual weekend getaway. if you don't have a way to refrigerate smoked salmon, a great alternative is the salmon jerky they have in a variety of flavors which requires no cold storage. this was a successful stop for me on my trip and i'm sharing this post so that others realize it's a great place to check out! don't fly past it on your way to or from the bridge-put it on your list of things to do! read more

What a phenomenal spot with a ton of history! My partner found this place on our road trip and I'm so glad she did. With 100 years of history, Josephson's is *the* place for your smoked fish needs. They were happy to give us samples which is a rarity this day and age. I got to try their maple wine smoked salmon and it was so good I had to buy a package to take home. They also have a phenomenal lox bagel! Unlike NYC, where the bagel is the focus, this place focuses on the salmon, and I'm so happy they did. I got the cold smoked salmon lox for my bagel and it was to die for. Staff was extremely friendly as well. Highly recommend visiting! read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - Lox bagel - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

See all

Clam Chowder hands down very very delicious!!! They also sell smoked salmon, oysters and scallops. We threw in some of the smoked oysters in the chowder... it was to die for! We also used the smoke salmon in eggs similar to omelette as our omelette making skills are not up to par. It was delicious, smoky salmon with a little bit of sweetness to it too. We also did that with the smoked oysters, it was good but my favorites got to be the smoked oysters in the chowder. Very friendly place and delicious products. You need to go.... read more

See all

This smoked fish place near the waterfront in lovely Astoria is just what you're looking for: rows of delicious smoked fishes and a small quiet place to sample some, complete with blueberries and a lemon wedge. We loved the wine maple smoked salmon. I really like their historic building as well. We make sure to stop here every time we come up this coast to Seattle. read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - Lovely place. - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

The sweet and hot was our favorite! Also had the garlic pepper, sweet basil and maple smoked salmon were also good. Can't go wrong here!

Highly recommend for top of the line smoked fish and an intimate lunch experience. After picking up some canned smoked goods, we had a delicious cream cheese and lox bagel with some of the BEST chowder in town. Great conversation and service as well! Looking forward to returning. Thank you! read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - a variety of food items - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

was treated less than, I will never be back, am hoping to save you the trouble, I ordered a lox and cream cheese bagel with fruit, after that was gone I order chowder, I was really happy to be here for some reason, so now that my stomach is full I want to buy smoked salmon, walk up to the counter only to hear rudeness behind me, its the owner, he's telling me that "I've been in the store for long enough, and just forget about my salmon today" Worst feeling ever paid for to say the least, now no one in my family nor any of my friends will have anything to do with this place, we literally started making our own and have never been happier, cut rude people out of your daily routine if you can, and save you some money while you're at it. I hope this helps you to avoid the same experience that I paid for read more

Frankly, to have driven a thousand miles to visit the magnificent Pacific Northwest and NOT sample their finest smoked fishies, is an unforgivable sin. And when it is my time to go, I intend to saunter up to those Pearly Gates knowing that I cannot be accused of such an unthinkable act. That, folks, is how Josephson's landed on my bookmark list. Close to Astoria's historic and picturesque downtown, Josephson's is quite easy to find. It is right on the main thoroughfare in a most visible, quaint, Turn of the 20th Century clapboard sided building. You might even trip over it. Walk inside and the switch to all your senses is instantaneously flipped on. The 100 year old photographs, the dull thunk as you walk across original wood floors, the smoky scents lingering of the old smokehouse, and an eyeful of the most tasty salmon in many presentations and recipes. The little gift shop summons your curiosity, but canned salmon was not the reason we came. We came to nibble on bits of their freshest, most wondrous smoked fare. And what, fair lady, did you finally choose? Uhhhh, I have to tell you, some were better than others, but the basil smoked salmon caught unsuspecting me by surprise and lassoed me in. No argument here when it begged to come home with me. Doggone it, a few others hopped in our shopping basket as well. Us out of towners had realized this possibility, already packing our ice chest with a generous chunk of dry ice. We signed the adoption papers (for that price, yeah), wrapped it in bunting, and wisked it away. Is it tactless to say we ate those well travelled babies? Certainly not in Oregon, but in California long after our trip was just a sweet memory. They had a short but sweet life...on crackers with cream cheese. Josephson's. Can't miss it. Can't forgive yourself if you don't poke your nose inside and at least taste for free. read more

See all

Good, safe COVID-19 policies, one party allowed inside at a time. The clam chowder smelled REALLY good, but wasn't ready ! We were bummed. read more

Their smoked salmon is the best, they have different sort of flavors that is mouth watering just thinking about it again. BUT everyone should try their clam chowder, OMG it's to die for. It's the best clam chowder I've eaten in my life! It has bacon, smoky flavor and you can really taste the clam (compared to the typical restaurant/ bar / grill clam chowder that is filled with mostly starch and potatoes), and is very tasty. You guys should try this clam chowder. And trust me, you will not eat any other clam chowder anymore because this is the best and puts everyone else as a second fiddle. read more

I'm always looking for amazing smoked fish on the coast since I had the pleasure of experiencing Karla's Smokehouse. This is a front-runner! The smoked Sweet basil salmon: delicious with a pleasant sweet smoked flavor. Not too salty at all. The fish is delicate and moist. Maple wine smoked salmon: slightly sweeter and saltier than sweet basil. (This piece was a little more dry than the sweet basil, but we just have an n=1) Also delicious, but if I had to choose, I'd pick SB. Each center cut fillet was about $20, but totally worth it! We were not offered any samples, nor did we ask. They also did not have ice to pack your purchase for travel. read more

We were driving by and saw their advertisements for clam-chowder. We decided to stop and try a bite. Small store, friendly staff. Large selection of smoked fish. Not sure if we got a bad batch, but our clam chowder was in-edible. It had an overwhelming burnt smell and taste. Almost like the bottom of the barrel for our serving. The clams so so tough, we couldn't even chew them. After couple bites, we had to throw our portion away. read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - Clam Chowder 8oz - $4.99 (to-go) - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

This place is horrible! I cannot believe they are sitting on the corner of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean and they are selling smoked ATLANTIC salmon!! What a ripoff money grab! Talk about not supporting local! The products are not even good either. I paid 15 dollars for 5 or 6 smoked scallops and they were disgusting! Inedible! The salmon tastes old and nearly gone off. They are here to rip off tourists. Beware! Read the packages. Ask for product samples. Better yet, find a local product and support local fishermen. Shame on them for taking up space in beautiful Astoria. read more

Josephsons Smokehouse - Atlantic Scammin! - Seafood Markets Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

We cannot visit Astoria without a stop at Josephson's. They have fantastic smoked fish options, with the most crave-worthy item being their wine-maple smoked Salmon. Just delicious. Nope, not inexpensive, but so worth it. Always friendly service. Lot parking. Highly recommend. read more

We stop by any time we're close to Astoria. Their bagel and lox was incredible. But what really brings us is their amazing smoked seafood. We also get canned salmon to make delicious chowders. Can't go wrong with anything they sell! read more

the unexpected treat that is this place makes it even better. the five stars are all for the service and the food. the only things that matter. we had the chowder (potato based) and I wish I'd gotten the 20 oz to take home. there isn't much seating as their speciality is smoked fish and you cannot go wrong if you stick with the specialty. we also had a simple smoked lox with bagel and cream cheese... the best way to accent the amazing -ness of the cold smoked salmon read more

Stood inside 5 minutes-nobody came to take our order. I don't know what their issue is, but not wanting to wait on customers is where a bad experience begins. Their loss read more

Purchaed basil smoked salmon....it was good but very disappointed that it was FARMED fish. Also purchased regular smoked salmon. Again, FARMED fish. Because of that I won't purchase again probably. Hint....get rid of the seals barking all day and night in Astoria and maybe we could be eating good fresh caught local salmon. read more

Stopped in on the suggestion of a local. Great spot for smoked salmon. Bought some salmon jerky for the ride home. They also have canned smoked salmon and other seafood that's great for travel, but it's pretty pricey. Locally owned and operated, which I like, but the prices might be a little off putting to some. Personally, since it supports local business, I'm okay with it and it is some tasty smoked fish! read more

Bill and Kate from Outdoor Adventures recommended we try what they say is, "the best clam chowder you'll ever have". I've enjoyed a lot of clam chowder and I'll agree Josephson's serves a delicious cup of chowder. I'll be back! read more

**SAMPLE BEFORE YOU BUY** Few recommendations for the owner, sales associate, and customer service department: 1. If a customer calls with a complaint, take it in stride and don't tell them they are wrong because, "you just arent use to our smoked goods" 2. I spent a significant amount of money. 3. Tried to resolve it with you over the phone nicely and you were completely UNPROFESSIONAL and RUDE. 4. I just wanted to let you know that maybe it was a bad batch or something. It smelled EXCESSIVELY FISHY and tasted SPOILED. Was never personal. But then you refused to give my money back and told me that I was wrong. I'm all for supporting local business. But I'll shop commercial over this place. read more

Stopping here was a great reminder of a couple things--one, when you're meandering through small town after small town at a leisurely pace, you need to be ready to stop and explore things spontaneously all the time (this plays havoc with your estimated travel times, so be ready to go slow). Two, it's a great reminder of how helpful Yelp is. It just took a second to see that quite a few people rated this place highly, so, even without ever having heard of it, it was an easy choice to stop here. They're in one of those dockside buildings that kinda looks like a giant house, thanks to the way it was built (especially the siding and windows). You're right by the water, with that giant rivermouth bridge looming over you in the background. You walk up some old wooden stairs that have stood up to lots of salt air, through the rickety old door with the brass latch, and past the lady who evidently has the office right by the door of the busy smokehouse. Does she work at the smokehouse? Probably, in some officin' kinda way. Does she get grumpy when the smokehouse has customers, stare at them scornfully, and close her door? Yes, she does--we don't need to guess about that. Inside, they're mainly here to sell smoked fish out of a display case. There's a prep kitchen next to that, and a couple tables farther down the room. You can sit and have clam chowder and a salmon burger, or whatever, and that sounded pretty good. But there was only one person working, so let's focus on the to-go stuff. In the way back (practically hanging over the river at the dock end of the building), there's a little bathroom with a washer and dryer in it. Around the corner coming back the other way, there's a processing area where they package (and maybe even smoke) the fishes. It's all in house. There are a few different smoked fishes, and I will happily vouch for the sturgeon and halibut--they're delectable smoked white fish. The Hot Sweet smoked salmon was maybe my favorite, but they are mainly known for the Wine and Maple smoked salmon. Those two were in a dead even heat, for my money. Haven't tried the lox yet, but grabbed some of that, too. The staff here are nice--she was friendly and cheerful, and knew all about all their products. She did seem to be about ready to head home and savor a dab, but we've all had long days at work. Most helpfully of all from her, she pointed out that they ship, which I hadn't figured out by looking at the display case. They take orders online and over the phone. I'll probably be hitting them up for more fish, though I'd almost rather make the (very scenic and beautiful) drive to do it, rather than having it shipped. read more