Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar — Review by The Endless Adventure
Seattle, United States — Seafood
Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar is a casual seafood spot where you can watch workers shucking oysters at the bar. The oysters are exceptional and among the best ever tasted, the dungeness crab is incredibly fresh with a delicious tangy sauce, and the fish and chips are perfectly fried. The geoduck sushi was disappointing due to its overly salty and fishy taste.
What was great: Fresh oysters described as some of the best ever, incredibly delicious dungeness crab with tangy zesty sauce, perfectly fried fish and chips with phenomenal fries, fresh and tender crab meat at perfect temperature
What could improve: Geoduck sushi was very salty and tasted too fishy, consistency was unpleasant despite being crunchy
The Dishes
The meal at Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar was a comprehensive seafood experience. The fish and chips arrived first, featuring tender fish that completely fell apart with each bite. The reviewer praised the perfectly fried batter and phenomenal fries, noting it was a flavor explosion to start the meal. The standout protein was the dungeness crab, which came pre-cracked for convenience. Dipped in a tangy, zesty sauce served inside the crab body with noticeable lemon notes, the crab meat was exceptionally fresh, tender, and served at the perfect temperature. The oysters were treated as individual courses, with the server explaining the story behind each one, their origin, growing time, and unique characteristics. One oyster with a mushroom-like consistency was described as a delight and potentially the best oyster ever tasted. The geoduck sushi, a peculiar sea clam served raw, was less successful. Despite initial curiosity about this unusual creature, it proved very salty, tasted strongly of ocean, and had an unpleasant consistency that reminded the reviewer of poorly prepared calamari rather than something enjoyable.
The Experience
The atmosphere at Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar is super chill and welcoming. The real highlight is watching the oyster shuckers at work behind the bar, which adds an interactive and engaging element to the dining experience. The server provided detailed, educational information about each oyster, sharing stories about their origins and characteristics. The restaurant provided a thoughtful finishing touch with piping hot towels at the end of the meal to clean hands covered in seafood.
Value and Pricing
While specific prices were not mentioned in the transcript, the meal appeared to be a premium seafood experience with multiple courses including various oysters, crab, fish and chips, and sushi preparations. This suggests a mid to upper-range price point typical of quality oyster bars.
Notable Moments
This is called gooey duck. This little guy is actually a sea clam, and it is one of the most disgusting creatures I've ever seen in my entire life.
That on the other hand is incredibly delicious. The crab meat is obviously super fresh and tender and like the perfect temperature, too. But this sauce here, very tangy and zesty.
Well, that is a delight. I definitely know that oysters are not everyone's jam and they are absolutely disgusting to a lot of you, but if you like them, you like them. And these are fantastic. Maybe the best oyster I've ever had in my entire life right there.
The Verdict
Taylor Shellfish Oyster Bar comes highly recommended for seafood lovers, particularly oyster enthusiasts. The oysters and dungeness crab are exceptional and worth the visit alone. The fish and chips are also a reliable choice. However, adventurous eaters should be cautious about the geoduck sushi unless they particularly enjoy intensely briny, ocean-forward flavors. This restaurant is best for those seeking authentic, fresh seafood in a casual, educational atmosphere where you can learn about the origins of your meal.