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    Oystertale

    4.0 (31 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

    Oystertale Photos

    OYSTERTALE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Outdoor seating

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    Caprese and San Juan Salad
    Gregory B.

    YES!!!! Spur of the moment dining after disembarking ferry in Friday Harbor and checking in at hotel. Love these kind of local fare tables offering intimate dining and outstanding service. Prob seating for less than 50 people including the outdoor "community" tables. Quiet, great laid back vibe inside. Started with an excellent red Pinot Muniere from Dundee Hills on Oregon. Fantastic wine list. Good "local" Washington and Oregon choices. Our server Pillar gave us great overview of menu and the oyster choices. Helped me pick 6 ranging from sweet to briny. Loved them all, particularly with the vinaigrette style dipping sauce, so much better than the heavy ketchup and horse radish mix you get at most oyster places. Small plate orientation so we went with San Juan Salad and Caprese Salad. Good choices. The Caprese was fresh, local tomato's. So fresh and flavorful. Really enjoyed both, but the Caprese was a standout. Continuing on to a bowl of salmon chowder, and I have to say this might have been the best chowder I've ever had. Pink Salmon. Just outstanding. Then on to 3 REALLY good salmon cakes. For dessert a blackberry cobbler with locally made ice cream. Service was amazing. Everyone friendly and knowledgeable. Again kudos to Pillar, an outstanding, delightful experience. With really good bottle of wine, $2XX with tip for 2 and worth every cent. I LOVE THIS PLACE!!! A must stop for anyone visiting San Juan Island.

    Smoked crab dip with chips. Ok . I'd skip that
    Genna G.

    Pretty little restaurant right near the water in Friday Harbor . Food was decent. Oysters were great however quite pricy. The rest of our food was good. Not fantastic but solidly good. We had the crab potato waffle - elegant looking, glad we tried it once but sort of bland and well, unusual. Had the smoked fish dip which was ok/ good ( might skip that one ) Overall I thought the meal was good however we left a bit unsatisfied and not full. Pretty expensive to leave feeling that way. Service was friendly and efficient. Overall an enjoyable experience in the heart of Friday Harbor .

    Dungeness crab waffle in question along with a delicious Paper Plane
    Erin-Elizabeth A.

    Very cute spot right next to the harbor that promises to casually spoil you with local seafood bites. Servers were great, very attentive and informative when it came to helping us make menu choices. The cocktails and oysters we got were phenomenal, loved the mignonette that they served with our sliders. However, we also got the Dungeness crab waffle that sounded delicious in practice, but the burnt oil taste of the waffle overwhelmed the delicate flavor of the crab and other toppings. It had to be drenched with the lemon-honey sauce it comes with to be edible. Really disappointing since it sounded so good. Avoid the waffle and I think this spot still has a lot of great options!

    Marielle J.

    This is such a cute place near the ferry terminal! My boyfriend and I came during Labor Day weekend and while we made a reservation for the next day at Downriggers since it was crowded, we saw this place and loved what the menu had to offer as well as the interior/ambiance of the place. We enjoyed the strawberry frose and peach bellini - both were very good but I loved the Frose more (I could drink like 3 of those!) It was the best I've ever had. We had the charcuterie board - I got one of the flatbreads and my boyfriend got the Gryffin Bay sandwich which has smoked salmon and arugula. Ashley is the owner and told us her story about owning this wonderful place! She also baked these splendid lemon macadamia cookies (if they're there -- try one, you'll be hooked!) :) This is a great place and they even do catering so might consider that in the future! They have a lot of wine selections too.

    a sign in the window of a restaurant
    Erin B.

    The decor of this place is so cute! They've got a great selection of local oysters -- all of them were delicious! A winner here is the Dungeness crab waffles, and we also enjoyed the scallop crudo. The cocktails were fine for us this time but I'd try others. Stop by for some oysters, bubbly or a cocktail, and a Dungeness crab waffle and you won't be disappointed!

    Our selection of oysters and cocktails.
    Jim C.

    Not our first visit here, but had been a year or so. Very nice cocktails to start with a lavender lemon drop and a barrel aged Negroni both were great. Then on to a sampler of the oyster offerings. 5 different varieties from sweet to briney.....all were super fresh and flavorful. Don't forget the bread served with a seasonal blackberry butter, very good. We then enjoyed their house salad with blackberries and goat cheese, crisp and flavorful without being over dressed. Then it was on to the potato waffle with smoked sockeye salmon, fried capers and more goat cheese, a very generous portion. Finishing it off with a blueberry cobbler with Lopez Island Creamery ice cream, a very nice finish. We also tried several different glasses of wine from their selections, all were good. The service. Was great with several people checking in on us and helping. We are already looking forward to our next visit (unfortunately next summer/spring).

    Cocktail menu

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    2 years ago

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    9 months ago

    The food was average at best. Steak was okay. We expected more from a restaurant of this caliber.

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    9 months ago

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    9 months ago

    Great restaurant, great food, great people! Loved the variety and the tastiness of the food.

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    11 months ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    We didn't care for the warm water bottle on our table, the mostly fat lamb and the crab potato waffle did not taste good at all.

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Every bite was like heaven. The fresh oysters were the highlight. Healthy simple and delicious foods. The best!

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    2 years ago

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    3 years ago

    A short walk from the guest docks at the marina, this quaint shop offers a unique menu and friendly service. Highly recommend!

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    Ask the Community - Oystertale

    Downriggers - New Year day special

    Downriggers

    (739 reviews)

    $$$

    If you find yourself in Friday Harbor, you absolutely have to visit this spot. My top tip: make a…read morereservation. This place fills up fast, and after dining there, it's easy to see why! Our party of three visited for lunch at noon on a Thursday. Since we had a reservation, we were seated immediately at a lovely table right by the window. The atmosphere was great, and the staff were incredibly courteous and friendly throughout our meal. We initially thought about starting with some small plates, but we were so eager for seafood that we jumped straight into the entrees. We weren't disappointed: Bouillabaisse: This was our first time trying this dish, and it was the highlight for us. It was incredibly flavorful--exactly what we were craving. Spicy Prawn Mac and Cheese: It definitely lived up to its name! It wasn't "blow-your-head-off" hot, but it had a perfect, noticeable kick that really elevated the dish. Blackened Cod Tacos: These were fantastic. The cod was perfectly prepared and worked so well with the rest of the taco ingredients. We also enjoyed a couple of non-alcoholic drinks that hit the spot, though I'll admit that since I'm writing this a couple of weeks later, I forgot to snag photos or the specific names of the drinks! They also have a really nice patio area if you prefer dining outdoors. Whether you're a seafood lover or just looking for a great meal with a view, this place is a must-visit!

    A lovely restaurant tucked at the edge of Friday Harbor…read more While the views were stunning, the service was just ok. For the nature of the restaurant, we had hoped for our waitress to be more friendly and genuine. However, it felt like they just wanted to fulfill our order and be done. I ordered the South Sound Clams and Snapper Sandwich. Bathing in an umami-packed and rich Thai curry broth, the clams were tender and fresh with a bit of brine. Very good and shareable with one other person. The snapper sandwich wowed me! The bright escovitch and creamy avocado paired wonderfully with the snapper. Every bite was delightful. The house-made potato chips, however, were disappointing. They were thin, not crispy, and sticking to my teeth. If you can, substitute for fries or salad. Despite our subpar service, the delicious, well-priced food and beautiful scenery still make this the perfect date spot.

    Oystertale - tapasmallplates - Updated May 2026

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