Finally Tried Dungeness Crab Toast—Pricy But Worth It 🦀

After wrapping up my trip to Cannon Beach, I asked my guide, “What should I eat on my last night… and specifically, no Asian food!” (😂 Let’s be real, most of Portland’s delicious restaurants are Asian spots—haha 😂). Without hesitation, he said, “Go to Jacqueline!” 🤩 (He actually recommended other restaurants and travel tips along the way—I’ll talk about those in my next post!) Even funnier: Chatting with the driver on the way to the restaurant, they also said, “This place has great seafood, but it’s one of Portland’s pricier spots too!” 🤪 I walked in without a reservation and got a bar seat—lucky me! The bartender was super helpful, walking me through the menu and pointing out what’s good. I’d been craving crab for SO long! But every time I went to a seafood spot before, servers never recommended their crab dishes, so I never got to try it… until NOW!! 🦀 Their Dungeness crab toast is basically their signature, so I ordered it right away—and finally took that first bite! 🦀 Must-Try Signature: Dungeness Crab Toast—Gets Better the More You Chew! That long-awaited Dungeness crab toast finally arrived! The bread was crispy on the outside, soft inside, piled high with picked Dungeness crab meat, plus a sprinkle of herbs and lemon juice. The first bite was “yeah, that’s good”—but the more I chewed, the better it got! 😋 It’s such a unique preparation—I’ve never had anything like it. They don’t skimp on the crab, so every bite has that solid, sweet crab texture, paired with the crunch of the bread. I struck up a conversation with Ashley, a girl from San Diego sitting next to me, and she mentioned that Dungeness crab is actually a Portland specialty too 😯. Hearing that made this bite even more special—finally checked “eating crab in Portland” off my list! 🦪 Other Picks: Oysters + Huckleberry Juice—Refreshing & Light Besides the crab toast, I also got a half-dozen oysters—super fresh! Squeeze a little lemon on top, and you taste the briny ocean sweetness mixed with citrus tang—no fishiness at all. The bartender said the oysters were shipped fresh that day from local bays, which explains why they tasted so good. I also tried huckleberry juice—pale purple in color, sweet with a hint of tartness, not cloying like some fruit juices. It paired perfectly with the oysters and crab toast to cut through the richness—I finished the whole glass without realizing it! 🥤 💡 Quick Heads-Up: Ambiance & Cost Details Ambiance: The restaurant is mostly a “bar + seafood spot,” so it’s super dark inside 😂—took me a minute to adjust. Great for sipping drinks and chatting, but if you want to take photos, you’ll need to find a good angle (phone flash might cause glare!). Tip: A 20% mandatory tip is automatically added to the bill 🤪—I didn’t notice at first until I saw the check, but the service was good (shoutout to the helpful bartender!), so it felt fair. Price: For the crab toast, half-dozen oysters, and a glass of huckleberry juice, it cost me around $60 alone. Not cheap, but the fresh ingredients and unique flavors make it worth trying once. If you’re in Portland and want to try “authentic non-Asian seafood,” and don’t mind a little splurge or dim lighting, Jacqueline is worth a visit! Especially if you’re craving crab—this crab toast will hit the spot. 📍 Jacqueline: 2500 SE Clinton St, Portland, OR 97202 #Portland #PortlandEats #PortlandTravel #PortlandFoodie #PortlandSeafood #DungenessCrab