Oregon's Best Seafood Dives

Bandon Boatworks, Bandon
What to expect: Pretty view at the mouth of the Coquille River, and a nice variety of locally caught seafood.
Check it out: 275 Lincoln Avenue Southwest; 541/347-2111

Pacific Oyster, Bay City
What to expect: The café at this waterfront seafood-processing plant supplies great food and live entertainment. Big windows let diners watch oysters being shucked (with incredible speed) and packed. Not surprisingly, the menu emphasizes oyster dishes, including a wonderfullly, rich stew, plus several variations of fish-and-chips.
Check it out: 5150 Oyster Drive; 503/377-2323

Tidal Raves Seafood Grill, Depoe Bay
What to expect: The kitchen does a superb job with such West Coast stalwarts as cioppino and pan-fried oysters. “Superb” doesn't do justice to the oyster spinach bisque.
Check it out: 279 Northwest Highway 10; 541/765-2995 or tidalraves.com

Pirate’s Cove Restaurant, Garibaldi
What to expect: While you wait for the clam fritters and eggs, or the Alaskan halibut burger topped with flame-roasted peppers, or the grilled Tillamook Bay oysters, or the triple-whammy dungeness, king, and snow crab platter, let your thoughts drift over Tillamook Bay and across to the Bayocean Peninsula.
Check it out: 14170 Highway 101 North; 503/322-2092 or piratesonline.biz

Righetti’s Sporthaven, Harbor
What to expect: Start your day with a crab or shrimp omelet breakfast.
Check it out: 16372 Lower Harbor Road; 541/469-5200

Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach, Newport
What to expect: Try the namesake house specialty, of course.
Check it out: 728 Northwest Beach Drive; 877/433-9881 or newportchowderbowl.com

Scampi's Fish Wagon, Harbor
What to expect: A trailer-turned-kitchen huddles in a corner of a parking lot. The fried fish, most of it caught that morning, comes lightly battered, nongreasy, and delicious.
Check it out: 16333 Lower Harbor Road; 541/412-9530

Mo’s Restaurant, Newport
What to expect: The original in an Oregon chain renowned for New England-style (creamy) clam chowder.
Check it out: 657 Southwest Bay Boulevard; 541/265-7512 or moschowder.com

The Riverhouse Restaurant, Pacific City
What to expect: Steamer clams simmered in garlic butter, parsley, and vermouth lend new meaning to the term “rich.” The clam chowder comes spiked with paprika and laced with cream. If you still have room, try the Dungeness crab or Pacific shrimp sandwich, broiled open-face on a French roll and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.
Check it out: 34450 Brooten Road; 503/965-6722 or riverhousefoods.com

Norma’s Ocean Diner, Seaside
What to expect: Excellent clam chowder and pan-fried local oysters.
Check it out: 20 North Columbia; 503/738-4331 or normasoceandiner.com

South Beach Fish Market (Lighthouse Deli and Fish Company), South Beach
What to expect: Try the fish-and-chips combo for a good sampler of halibut, salmon, and tuna.
Check it out: 3640 South Coast Highway; 541/867-6800 or southbeachfishmarket.com

Local Ocean Seafoods, Newport
What to expect: as usual, local fare―Dungeness crab po’boys and soup, fish tacos, oysters, Pacific Northwest wines, and Oregon microbrews. The view is a bustling harbor and the graceful Yaquina Bay Bridge.
Check it out: 213 Southeast Bay Blvd.; 800/574-7959 or localocean.net