O Y S T E R T A L E — Restaurant in Friday Harbor

My recent dining experience at Oystertale was nothing short of disappointing and frustrating. I had made a reservation for what was supposed to be a delightful evening of seafood indulgence, but unfortunately, it turned out to be quite the opposite.

Upon arrival, we were ushered into a room that felt like it had not seen fresh air in ages. The lack of air circulation was immediately noticeable, and the stifling atmosphere made it difficult to even concentrate on the menu. Flies and gnats seemed to have claimed this space as their own, buzzing relentlessly around our heads and even the oyster bar itself. It's hard to imagine enjoying a meal while swatting away pests.

Our hopes for a redeeming experience took another hit when our waitress arrived at our table. Not only was she inattentive, but her level of disinterest bordered on outright indifference. She failed to provide recommendations, barely managed to take our orders, and seemed to disappear for extended periods without any explanation. It was clear that customer service was not a priority here.

The proverbial cherry on top of this unfortunate evening was the Whipped Feta appetizer we ordered. It's difficult to find the words to describe just how unappetizing it looked. The dish resembled the remnants of someone else's meal, and it seemed like a haphazard assembly of odds and ends. The presentation was lackluster, and it was evident that little care had been taken in preparing it. Needless to say, we lost our appetite almost instantly.

In light of these accumulated disappointments, my party and I made the difficult decision to cancel our orders and seek sustenance elsewhere before our ferry departure. Oystertale's subpar dining experience left us feeling frustrated, unsatisfied, and questioning the validity of its reputation. I wouldn't recommend this establishment to anyone seeking a quality dining experience.

In conclusion, my visit to Oystertale was marked by uncomfortable surroundings, lackluster service, and unappetizing food presentation. This dining establishment fell far short of expectations, and I left with a sense of regret for choosing it in the first place. It's a stark reminder that appearances can be deceiving, and not every reservation leads to a memorable...

TL:DR:,This place is excellent.

Sweetie and I spent 3 fabulous days exploring charming Friday Harbor. After disembarking from an exciting whale watching trip with Western Prince Whale Watching Adventures (highly recommended!), we spotted Oystertale. Since we love fresh WA and BC oysters, we walked over and were lucky to get seated at a high-top without reservations.

The restaurant is small, clean, and modern. Also unpretentious. Everyone working there was friendly, knowledgeable about the food, beverages, the surrounding area, and professional.

The oyster selection was compact (4 of 6 types on the menu were available that evening), local, and quite good. We shared a mixed dozen, topped with a satisfying mignonette. I washed mine down with an impeccable “Salish Sea” local Gin Martini, while Sweetie opted for a crisp Sancerre.

We then shared: a beautiful, locally sourced, SJI Salad; their “famous” Goat Cheese Waffle (3/4 of which became my breakfast the next morning); and a fantastic, fresh, local White King Salmon in a shiitake mushroom sauce. Petite eater, Sweetie, elbowed me out of the way for a disproportionate portion of Salmon and mushrooms, they were so good!

We live and dine regularly in Portland, a well known ‘foodie town’, cook fresh fish at home, and are thoughtful about eating local, seasonally harvested food. So we know food. Clearly Oystertale knows more than we do because their chef took everything to the next level.

Though dinner with drinks can get pricey, this locavore fine dining spot is spot on in all dimensions. If you’re on a budget, stop in for a 1/2 dozen fresh oysters and a glass of wine. If not, do what we did and enjoy their culinary delights and quality service. You’ll be...

Host and server were very nice. We were able to walk in on a Tuesday night. The food took longer than expected to come out (their kitchen seems to be tiny), and had interesting flavor combinations, not all of which I agreed with.

The good: oysters were well shucked and the caprese salad was delicious.

The okay: cod and crab dip came out cold and with chips and I think it would be better served coming out hot (with more salt) and with a more neutral dipping vehicle (e.g. bread or crackers).

The uninspiring: the potato waffles with crab combination didn't seem to work at all. The sweetness of the potato waffle + the cheese + the room temperature, unsalted crab disagreed with one another. My opinion is that a saltier, hashbrown-like potato base and a sweeter sauce would have been a better vehicle for the crab.

For the price point, I would have wanted more flavors that agreed with one another instead of expensive ingredients.

The wine flights are an amazing deal to taste 3...