Merino's Seafood Market — Restaurant in Westport

For many years we have been going over to Westport to fish for tuna. A large part of what we catch has been taken to Merinos where we exchanged it for canned product. What you do is give them whole tuna and, in turn, they give you the privilege of purchasing one can per pound of tuna at $2.85 per can. Up until last year we have at least been satisfied because the canned tuna was excellent - much better than you can purchase in a store. Then we brought home cans last year and it turned out to be very poor - worse than store-bought. It seemed like they totally overcooked it because the meat was dry and tough. Normally the cans are completely full of meat but these cans had voids as if the tuna had shrunk from the overcooking. We can't really take them back since we live in Spokane and it takes a day to drive each way. We brought a can to Merinos this year to show them and ask to verify that we wouldn't get more of the same if we turned in fish this year. We were told they would make it good and so we proceeded. They gave us a sample when we brought our fish. It was better than last year but no where near the quality we hoped for like we used to get. What was disturbing is that they told us every year the fish we get are actually canned a year earlier. Thus, this year's cans came from fish processed in August 2023. Very disappointing to find out the best we could get is already a year old. Please be aware. We will not be going back. I don't know how the quality of our fish compares with the cans they sell in their store for about $8.00 each (same size can that you get at the grocery store). I certainly would never pay that much for the quality of product they gave us - probably not even that much if I knew is was as good as in the early years. ...

The inside seating for the restaurant is on the second level and there is an outside on the deck seating on the second level as well. There is a great view of the harbor and breakwater as well from the second floor. I did not see handicap access (elevator) for the second floor. The food was exceptionally good. They had several different fish that they prepare as fish and chips (rockfish, Ling cod, halibut, albacore tuna, and salmon). All of the seafood is locally caught. My partner had half a Dungeness crab that was served with butter and coleslaw. I had the halibut and chips (French fries) in which you can tell that the halibut is fresh (not fishy tasting at all) and it is a generous three piece portion along with a heaping of fries. The prices are reasonable and and you can tell the fish and crab are fresh. The waiter was excellent as well as he made some good recommendations (recommended the ling cod but said to tey the halibut or salmon fish and chips if we have never tried them before) and was checking up on us to make sure we were satisfied with our food. After the meal we went to the seafood market and bought some smoked salmon along with two whole Dungeness crabs. The server packed them reallt well in ice to assure that the crab stayed cold for our long journey back home 6 hours away. I definitely recommend this seafood restaurant as it was the best meal we had in Westport. It is not fancy but it serves awesome food. I can't wait to come back and try the Ling cod...

I cannot give them one star!

My son went for a trip of a lifetime and went fishing of which he caught two King Salmon (We are from North Carolina). One of which he had filleted and the other he requested to be shipped home WHOLE so he could have it mounted.

He paid his $230.00 (quoted to him) for this service along with shipment back to NC and when we got home, he was so excited about his fish. Well, the fish that was supposed to have been cleaned, but shipped whole was in 3 different pieces, no head or tail. When my husband called about this to Merino's, he got someone on the phone and he said he did not understand the order after my son showed them on a chart exactly what he wanted.

Anyhow, to make a long story short---we can go to the grocery store here and buy salmon to eat, but this was my son's first trip out deep sea fishing and he was proud of his catch only to get home to find that this group had chopped up his catch. He saved up for almost a year for this trip and the fishing was his highlight. And his card was charged $270.00.

Do not go to this group thinking that your prize catch will arrive home...