Taylor Shellfish Farms

This is a great farm-to-table dining experience for seafood lovers who don’t mind a road trip to get there. For the effort of getting all the way out to this location, you get to enjoy fresh food and cool drinks over a pretty bay-side view. We ordered cold beers, a salad, and freshly shucked oysters but glazed over the multitude of catch varieties on offer. The best decision for us was to just ask for a sample of every kind of oyster, which made for a fun meal. Both the horseradish and vinegar were amazing pairings while the good ol’ lemon was also there. We also brought with us a cooler box to take a stash of fresh oysters home for my wife’s colleague. The staff happily packed our box using a sealed plastic bag and plenty of ice. Everything made it across the Canadian border and held up well the next day. For the curiously-minded, the coastal surroundings had plenty of photogenic sites to wander around and to take a few shots before setting off. Overall, a great destination experience that we heartily recommend.

Such a fabulous way to spend an anniversary; in the sun on the Salish Sea with the freshest seafood and kindest people. Isabel was a gem!The view was fabulous. Make time to support this local treasure, especially right now when part of Chuckanut Drive is down making it harder to get to but even more important to visit! Go out of your way to show up and show them some love, you will not be disappointed!

The best and freshest oysters! You're literally right by the water with a spectacular view — such a perfect getaway from the city. I love that you can stop in, enjoy the scenery, and also take home oysters on ice. A must-visit spot for any seafood lover!

If you are an oyster connoisseur, this is THE place to go. While I don’t like them, my sister does, and so I took her there on our way for a girls' night in Bellingham. It was a busy Saturday afternoon, but the wait wasn’t long (maybe 15-20 minutes). You order at the counter and get your water, plates, and cutlery. They bring you your food and buss your table. We sat at the outdoor bar with a nice view of the water. My sister ordered one of each oyster on the menu (served with lemon and mignonette) and was still raving about them the next day. I ordered the Smoked Fish, including smoked salmon, potato salad, and rainbow radishes. The salmon was a bit too smoky for my palate, and the potato salad wasn't what I expected (not sure what it was made with, but it was very different/non-traditional). I'm not saying others won't think it’s good. It just wasn't for me. Great place to explore the little beach there. Cute little shop to purchase seafood, sauces, and swag. Other menu items included geoduck, prawns, crab, and pickled herring with varying sides. They also offer a variety of both alcoholic and N/A beverages. Fun stop if you’re out that way!

The food was delicious and we loved sitting at the heated patio! The view was beautiful and it was cool to see where they farm their oysters. It was a bit of a drive for us but we’d highly recommend it!

This is a oyster lovers place to go. There were so many kinds, and they were incredible. My favorite one was called, Shigoku it was briny and small the oyster is a japenese oyster, the name means ultimate. Absolutely delicious. The leek and potato soup with clams was perfect for a rainy day. Incredible! It was perfect with the bread and butter. The grilled oysters were good with a basil pesto. The service was incredible.

Variety of oysters, good shrimp....good selection of beer. nice outdoor space. Only 2 negatives-bib salad with apple an acquired taste due to seasoning they put on it and bathrooms needed a very thorough cleaning.

You turn off Chuckanut Drive onto a small, suspiciously narrow road, so twisting and graveled it feels like you’ve made a terrible mistake. You haven’t. You’ve simply begun your pilgrimage. Down the lane, the sky opens. Salt air wraps around you like a wool blanket drying in the breeze, and the Skagit tide flats, vast and glinting, sprawl before you like something from a painting you once saw and could never quite forget. There are no neon signs here, no servers in black aprons reciting specials you can’t pronounce. There is only the sound of gulls, the soft chime of oyster shells as they are stacked into baskets, and the hush of the tide creeping in, reminding you that you are right on the ocean, not near it, but on it. Here at Taylor Shellfish Farm, you eat oysters so fresh they still taste like the sea is telling you a secret, briny and cold, kissed with a squeeze of lemon, maybe a dash of mignonette if you must, but you don’t have to. The sweet, mineral snap of a Shigoku, the clean cucumber note of a Kumamoto, the silken brine of a Pacific—each one a reminder that you are alive, and you are here. You buy a cold glass of white wine there, sit at your table in the salty breeze, and watch the tide rise while the sun drifts down over Samish Bay, wondering how something so hidden could be one of your most favorite places on Earth. Don’t let the scary little road in fool you. Taylor Shellfish Farm is a hidden gem, yes, but also a cathedral of sorts—one built on tidelines, barnacles, and the crisp snap of an oyster shell beneath your thumb. And when you leave, you will carry the taste of the sea with you, and you will find yourself planning your return before you even reach the highway

VERY COOL spot. You can dress up, you can dress down, this place is so chill so it doesn't matter. Oysters are SO fresh and delicious. We went in May (not a month that ends in -er) and oysters were still incredible. It was also our first time trying Geoduck, which I hear is a PNW speciality. It was really good!! First time ever trying a Muscadet and this wine was incredible with the oysters! It was recommended to us by one of the guys that works there and I'd recommend it to anyone! Pro tip: if you get there a little later (like after 1?) they will serve you beer and wine while you wait in line. Which is SO smart! So look out for that.

Great food and ambiance here at this spot on the water. The oysters are great. Dog owners should know this is service dogs only now. Previously you could bring dogs and sit on the patio but that is no longer accurate.

It was more than a bit of a drive to get here from central Seattle but this is as where we were told the best oysters from the northwest are. Worth the drive and there were some nice places to stop on the way back so we made a day if it Pretty busy despite its out of the way location but we ordered after 10 minutes or so in line and had no trouble seating. I'd have preferred the terrace but my companions preferred inside to eat. Obviously great selection of the freshest just out of the water oysters. Helpful advice for those whom did not know the regional varieties They also had some soups and other shellfish & fish , and remarkably perfect wines by the glass including a French Muscadet the classic wine pairing in France where most of my oyster consumption has been.

This was such a fun experience! First we hiked oyster dome and then we got to eat oysters! Idk if oysters are my favorite food, but it was fun to experience. The place was very busy since it was the weekend and the weather was beautiful but the line moved fast and you get your drinks at the beginning of the line which is nice so that you can have a drink while you wait for your food. The bread and butter were so yummy as were the salads and fish dishes. We liked all the food! The workers seemed to be having a great time. There were also signs that taught all about oysters which was fun to learn!

went here after hiking oyster dome at 1 and the line was a bit long but went surprisingly well, seems like turnover is quick to grab a nice table. I thought the multiple lines and stations to order is confusing and wish they had better signs, wasn't too bad but just bit confusing. You have to wait for a bit to order in a line and then they seat you and you can order drinks while in line and after you go through and get seated you can order more food through a different line. Overall I thought all thr food was pretty good and I had a great time. We loved the grilled oysters and ordered 1 initially and ordered 2 more servings. The oysters were also good, we got the shuckers dozen so they picked for us and I enjoyed all of them. I thought the salad was just okay, I felt like the thinly sliced apples stuck together too much and there would just be chunks with apples. Rice was whatever, I guess good side. We all liked the crudo. Cocktails were alright as well, they had a spicy strawberry marg which I don't care for but is fun you can see the chilis in the drink. I got the special drink which I wanted to be more refreshing and light but that's maybe just me. Overall would def go back if I was in the area and had some time to kill, vibes were very nice!

Great, fun, casual location by the water, but was shocked at the price we paid for a couple dozen oysters and beers- $130. The waiter who delivered our oysters didn't know what oysters were what. I think there's room for improvement at this potentially cool place.

Beautiful views. Friendly staff. Quick service. Oysters were fresh and there's an option to shuck the oysters myself by buying a bag but I just bought the shucked ones.

The drive was stunning and I highly recommend it. The location is pretty special too. That said, the food was really absolutely nothing special. I tried the gumbo, I've had much better in New Orleans (duh). I also tried the baked oysters and again, I've had leagues better in New Orleans. I enjoyed the drive and the beautiful location but next time I might just bring my own food with me.

We visited Taylor Shellfish Farm in November 2024 (catching up on my reviews) during our PNW mini vacay. We wait until the -er months to indulge in raw oysters and indulge is exactly what we did. Note: dress warm and comfortable because the weather is briskly cold, rainy and windy in November. We arrived early thinking they open at 11:30 am but they actually opened at noon. We were the 1st customers of the day and luckily were blessed with sunshine. We ordered 36 oysters for the 2 of us: 6 Shigoku, 6 Kumamotos, 18 Sunseekers, and Pacifics. We grabbed almost all of the Sunseekers (petites) they had available. Fresh and cold, these oysters were amazing as expected. We ordered their gumbo (which is seasonal) with some bread also. Recommend both. They have hot sauce for $1, but if you like Tabasco specifically you might want to byob. Great service. Beautiful view.

The oysters were ridiculously delicious!! Kumamoto oysters were our favorite. The roasted bokchoy is recommended. We sat outside and had a wonderful view of the ocean and forest. The service was great with friendly staff. Can't forget to mention the geoduck crudo was very nice! First time I had it and was not let down. Highly recommend this hidden place.

The location is epic and super fun!! Oysters were great! The rest of the food was awful, honestly and we didn't eat it.

I found the staff to be very disrespectful of persons with disabilities. As a handicapped person who doesn't eat seafood I had brought a slice of pizza with me to eat on the patio while my wife tried the oysters. However I was approached and told that I would need to leave as outside food is against state food safety laws. I would understand if this was at an inside table, not an outside picnic table, especially one with bird droppings on it!

The oysters were fresh and tasted amazing. We got the gumbo, shrimp, and a salad, everything was great. I loved the gumbo, it was flavorful and perfectly spiced. It's such a cool location, you feel like you stumbled on a secret. Will be going back on a nice day to enjoy the beautiful view and fresh food.

Great fresh oysters, great ambience! The best place for oysters. If you're near Chuckanut, it is a must!

Farm-to-Table spot serving raw and grilled foods right off of Chuckanut Drive. The 6 oysters varieties were all unique and fresh, the grilled oysters were marinated in a delicious Japanese-inspired sauce, the halibut ceviche was light, and the kale salad was crisp and packed with walnuts. The place was busy on a Saturday night and we had to wait around 30 minutes to order, but I appreciated that they take drink orders while you're waiting in line and that they seat you after ordering and don't allow people to hold tables. Also, they have a reorder line that is super quick so if you need to order more, you can without having to wait in the long line again. Views are phenomenal and it's really cool to observe the working oyster farm. They offer demonstrations sometimes too.

This is the spot!! Perfect for a cute date, or like me, post 8 mi hike fuel. There's a number of wines, beer and even a slushy margarita to choose from. Seafood includes oysters (duh) on ice or grilled, prawns, crab, salad, charcuterie (cold fish with crackers and dips, bread and more. I loved the charcuterie. There were two types of cold fish. One savory one a little sweet. A unique item I haven't seen on other menus. In the middle of July, there's nothing hot on the menu (besides grilled oysters). Must love chilled seafood! Great views and a fun bustling industrial, busy vibe. Grab some oysters to shuck at home! Get a bottle of wine too! Dog friendly :) I wouldn't suggest taking a picky eater here, they will annoy you, so leave them in the car ;)

Tucked away from the main road is this amazing farm. Parking next to train tracks and industrial exterior slowly fades as you sit next to the bay w an amazing view. We ordered: Charcuterie; geoduck; 5x Kumamoto; was supposed to be sweet. Our batch was a bit briny. 3/5 5x fat bastard; was ok, briny and medium sized. 3/5 5x pacific. Delicious hearty oysters. Creamy and great flavor. Our favorite by far. 5/5 As we were leaving noticed the take away oysters. Same selection but $1-2 cheaper per oyster! We are getting take out next time!

Such a fun place!! It can get a little windy so bring a jacket just in case. Everything was so good I actually drove out an hour twice while on vacay haha. Geoduck crudo was good, but not my personal favorite. But the oysters? Yummmm!! I was always a die hard Kumamoto girl but was recommended the shigokus when they ran out of Kumamoto's and I think I have a new favorite! Honestly all of the oysters were good in their own ways. And they have the best migonette I've probably ever had in my life

You cannot travel the Chuckanut Scenic Drive without stopping at Taylor Shellfish Farms in Samish. It's a fantastic respite in the middle of the 20 mile stretch of winding roadway along the coast. The farm offers a retail shop selling oysters, clams, crabs, as well as various condiments. The restaurant serves a wide variety of seafood dishes, offering seating both indoors and out. Taylor Shellfish Farms posts lots of signage offering information on the history of the region, the farm, and details on how they raise cultured oysters at this site. If the tide is out, there's also a path leading to a demonstration bed showing how the oysters spend their final months before harvest. The driveway is a single lane with several turnoffs for passing cars, but the road is a steep downhill grade that can be dangerous during busy summer months. The farm is a beautiful site, with delicious food, and makes for a pleasant visit.

Great place! So unique and fresh seafood all day! Friendly staff! Why not give stars? Prices are really high! The wait at the register is really long as well. The person at the register takes your order, then gets your drinks, then walks you to your table. I feel like there needs to be another person who does that for the register person. It's about 5-6 minutes a party to order at the register so even if you are third in line, it's about a 15-18 minute wait to place an order. Also, salad was very small for the price.

Best oysters ever! The girls are helpful and informative as to the different flavors. Super chill spot

This place used to be awesome back in the day - THEY DO NOT ALLOW DOGS. Their kitchen is considered outdoors and you can't bring dogs. Such a bummer.

It's 14 min to 2024 and I will finish 2023 with one of the best places I visited on my holiday vacation. Taylor Shellfish Farms. I would not have known about this place had it not been for a conversation I had the night before at dinner with this couple who happened to be locals and frequent this place. They mentioned it to me as they knew I was driving up to Vancouver from Seattle. The drive over here is very peaceful and once you get there, it's really serene and nice. I wish I could've spent more time here, but it got dark very quickly, and this is a place that I really really enjoyed and you would too. Lots of great oyster choices and the pickled herring is really good too. Service was excellent and attentive. The view was phenomenal. A great place to take a date or family and friends or even if you wanted some alone time. It's like you're away from all the chaos and bologna. Well Happy New Year to you and here's to a great 2024! 10 minutes to go!

Honestly, I don't get the attraction. Parking sucks. They only really have seafood. No fries, salads, etc. Service is lame. You order and pay a lot first. They demand a tip upfront but you have to get your own drinks and silverware. Seating and tables are nasty. Not for me. We ended up going someplace else after because we were still hungry.

I do not eat shell fish, but everyone in my family does so I went along while on a trip to the Bellingham area. They had a great, hot potato leek soup that was really well made, that could be ordered without any fish, in this case clams. Its possible to enjoy the rugged beauty of this area and the character of this local eatery that sits right on the water with a beautiful view of the surrounding area even if you don't enjoy shellfish. Everyone else enjoyed the super fresh clams, that they had a good variety. We were there in March, and it was chilly, and rainy at times, so pack a sweater and a slicker.

About 20 miles miles outside of town along a railroad track you have an iconic oyster shack. It was a cold day but perfect for sitting outside with fresh, salty oysters and with a fire pit going and some cold white wine ready to be drunk you have a great seafood setting. Over a dozen different were being served the day we were there all from within a 50 mile radius. Really delicious!

Vibes are as PNW as it gets. They have fires going and blankets to help keep you warm. Its outdoor seating and some inside covered (but not warm). Food was great minus some kale salad that you could tell the kale was past its time. Enjoyed the oysters and gumbo!

Such a fun spot for lunch! Get in line 45 mins early or be prepared to not have parking and wait for a longer time. We love the Shrimp and the Oysters. We didn't prefer the crab or the cooked oysters.

Awesome experience. Incredibly fresh oysters, great scenery. Anyone who considers themselves an oyster lover, this is a must visit!

Agree with the other reviewer! Make this a stop You can't pass on the menu and the fresh seafood- location and service is wonderful

Must stop if your doing the Chuckanut Dr. between Seattle and Vancouver. Besides the nice restaurant with ample indoor and outdoor seating, it's an oyster farm with some informative exhibits. Fresh oysters for sale for immediate consumption and also by the pound.

This is really my favorite place to take out of town visit. Its just a unique treat to have fresh oysters at the location. You can smell the salty ocean from the table. I am disappointed that you can't shuck your own oysters anymore, which I found was one of my favorite part of the experience eating there. They come shuck now, not sure why they changed it or if it was a liability thing. Maybe people were getting hurt with the oysters knives? I also notice that they have less side food items from their menu. I would have liked more side options for those guest that come along who don't eat seafood. Yes, I know its why you go there, but often you will have 1 person in the group who can't or won't eat oysters or shellfish. Just a thought to have an option outside of a salad. I think they had rice and bread at one time. Maybe some fruit or hummus or cheese plate? Definitely a must for any out of town guest you want to treat and give them a taste and smell of the PNW living.

Ah, the oasis on Chuckanut drive. It's been a destination for me for years. There is something about time tested places that tugs at your heartstrings. There is a big selection of oysters and gooey duck clam dishes. I love the fact that they have survived through the years and it is has been a mecca for locals and tourists and I hope it always will be. Service was great as they explained the differences between the type of local and none-local oysters I chose a porter beer with Shigoku oysters, they were so good and a great pairing with the beer on a lazy meandering drive up from Edmonds to Fairhaven.

Stopped by for a snack on our way back to Vancouver from Seattle. The free parking was nice but be careful of the road - single lane traffic so be careful going in and out. We got the shuckers dozen and the oysters were very fresh and delicious. On the pricey side - restaurant prices. Pineapple cider was tasty and refreshing. Wish there were more hot food options.

LEGENDARY! If you're into oysters, a trip up to Taylor Shellfish Farms is well worth the visit. However, driving is sketchy as all get out because there's a long one lane road. I strongly recommend you take a motorcycle or bike or at least a smaller vehicle -- the infrastructure just is not there for a bunch of cars to be going to and fro and parking. Other than that, it's perfect. Awesome staff, food (obviously you go if you're into shellfish, namely oysters!), ambiance, vibes, good selection of drinks. literally everything is great besides the one lane terrifying road.

We visited Taylor Shellfish farms on a beautiful Thursday afternoon. It was a very quiet and beautiful spot to enjoy some of the freshest oysters out there! The staff was so helpful guiding us on what to try based on their offerings that day. We ended up getting the special Thursday crab boil which was packed with flavor! Luscious crab, shrimp, clams, sausage and veggies. Next time we'll go for the full crab because we wanted more when we finished! For oysters we snagged the shuckers dozen. Loved their selection that included both briney and sweet options. Their house made hot sauce on top was the perfect compliment! Can't wait to make our way back over to beautiful bow and try some more incredible seafood.

The place is on the scenic drive between Seattle and Vancouver and is a small shop where you have to pull off the main highway to enter. The road is only enough for one car, one way, so you may have to wait for others as you try to route here. Down by the train tracks with a lovely view of the shore. It appears that locals or other tourists order a bunch to go and the person serving us was very helpful in her oyster recommendations. A bit pricy and tourist targeted but still a wonderful experience. Their hot apple cider is pretty good too! Try the local oyster the Olympia!

Went on Monday, July 7th. Got there about 1:30 and all seating types were available for the 2 of us. We had 2 x schucker's dozens, smoked fish, 2 x potato loaves, and 2 IPA's. Temp was about 69 in the sun with a light, cool breeze. Awesome day!!

I hadn't been there in years, live out of state now. Went to get some oysters, grillers and some to have fresh but didn't have the ones I knew so the young man behind the counter helped me pick some (took his recommendation) they were awesome & even got some newbies to try some.

Great oysters. And fresh. Buy them straight from a shellfish farmer. Batches of 50 on up to whatever you want. Special orders taken if you need it. Chargrilled is yummy!

Fresh as it can be. Right next to the farm. You get variety of choices of oysters. Bring your own hot sauce. That's one thing that was missing out of this place. Luckily came here at the right timing when we had nothing but sunshine at 70 degree weather. I can see how it can be not such a nice place to be if the weather is questionable.

Beautiful location, accommodating staff, freshest seafood! I came down to the states to come here specifically for my dad's 70th birthday. It was the most beautiful day to be sitting outside and the wood fire they have burning was the icing on the cake. Our favorites were the sumo kumo oysters and geoduck sashimi. We moved seats three times but the staff were soo patient with us . I would definitely drive back down for this!

Popped in on a Monday and the service was good, good came out quickly and there was a line despite it being chilly. Got the shuckers dozen and they were high quality oysters, our favorite was the small ones...also got a crab and it was so good, fresh, tasted amazing- the best thing we ordered. Also got the charcuterie board because last time I remembered how incredible the pate was...we didn't get pate, we got pickled herring? Or some kind of pickled white fish and smoked cod. The cod was fine, dry but fine. I didn't realize the charcuterie changed daily, had I known, I probably wouldn't have gotten it.

Make the drive! This place is so worth it. A super friendly staff.... A view that takes your breath away The oysters are amazing!!!!

I loved this place!!! I visited from California and it was such a great experience :)

Worth the road trip to and from Seattle as great oysters, service and venue. It takes about 2 hours to get there and got there 15 minutes before opening. A few folks ahead of us, at least one reminding me where the line ended, there's always one of these, right. Got a great seating in the shade and they have plenty of places to enjoy the view of the sound. Ordered some Sunseekers, sumomoto, kushi and fat bastards. Guess we did 4 dozen oysters that came with a trio of sauces. Had a few beers, ate up and ate back on the road trip back to Seattle with a stopover at Snookums.

I've been wanting to go back to Taylor Shellfish Farms for a few years now, and while initial plans to re-visit them fell through, it was good to finally be back. The place was pretty busy on a perfectly sunny August afternoon. But it did not come as much of a surprise. Still, the oysters (and I put together a mini "tasting menu" for us to enjoy) were super fresh and delicious. The pescatarian charcuterie plate was pretty good too (although I'd've preferred to see a bit more variety in addition to pickled herring that dominated the plate). The menu is not extensive, but it works as long as you are after oysters. If you are not, your choices might be limited. We were there for lunch, and the main non-oyster course (Halibut) was already sold out. They have a selection of wines and beers to go with the oysters, and sitting outside looking at the PNW coast was idyllic. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience that is worth an annual repeat.

Delicious Kumamoto Oysters with a beautiful sunset. Stop by on your way to Vancouver or to enjoy the sunset. Lovely wood fire with seating on the deck.

Are you a fan of oysters? Because if you are, then you should stop by @taylorshellfish! Freshly shucked oysters right by the waters, and it can't go wrong with a glass of beer and some geoduck. This is in Samish, which is about 20 minutes from the BC-WA boarder! Family owned, from generation to generation. They also have several locations! A good selection of various oysters and other seafood. There's both outdoor and indoor seating.You can enjoy the view if you sit outdoors, although there's no covering so you'll be burning if the sun is out. Make sure you bring your hat if you don't want the sun in your eyes! Usually a long line, but it moves pretty quickly :) Give it a try if you like fresh oysters!