The Oystercatcher

This is the first time I’ve had French food and it was some of the best food I’ve ever had. It was very expensive (entrée, starter, cup of soup, dessert, cocktail, small scoop of sorbet and a small cup of duck broth for $ 70) but I definitely do not regret eating here. The service was also great.

My husband & I came here on Thanksgiving weekend. We discovered this place by surprise after we had some not-​so-​good lunch by the waterfront.
Because it was a mid-​afternoon snack for us, we only tried a couple small starters and some kind of warm sweet puff dessert (sorry, I forgot what it’s called).
From start to finish, both the food & service were beyond excellent. I do not write positive reviews often, but this is one of the restaurants that kept coming back to my mind.
We can not wait to come back here again.

Perfect for lunch post bluff hike… great atmosphere, took our 10 year old, had great food and drink… awesome bone marrow.

Quite possibly me and my wife’s favorite restaurant in the entire state of Washington. We’ve been a few times on visits to Coupeville in the last year or two, and every time there’s been something interesting and delicious to try. It’s so good that we usually will order at least one or two items that don’t sound like we’d like them, just because we know that everything we’ve ever had here is fantastic. There are some other decent restaurants in Coupeville and Langley, but Oystercatcher is the best by far, and like I said at the beginning as good or better than our favorite restaurants in Seattle. Also, while I wouldn’t call it inexpensive, it’s reasonably priced for this caliber of food. Can’t recommend it enough!

I celebrated my honorable exit from The Navy here. Cozy, chef knows what he is doing, and our waiter, Trent was knowledgeable about the food and processes, which was an aid in choosing that day’s meal. I have lived here 4 years and I would have to say it is probably the best on the island, other than the view of a flat rooftop.

I can’t even begin to explain what an amazing restaurant this is. I think we had our best culinary experience in years there last night. So much attention to detail, such great service, such delicious food. INCREDIBLE. We sat at the bar and watched them and it felt like being with friends and watching them create magic. The oatmeal/​molasses bread was divine. The pickled mussles were amazing with the olive tapenade. The calamari was incredible and I literally drank the broth. The Black Cod was the best fish dish I have EVER eaten. I can’t say enough good things about this lovely discovery except, please, don’t miss it.

Dined on a Thursday night off-​season but reservations were recommended by our hosts at the nearby B&B we were staying at for the evening.
I now know why! By the time we were seated at seven the place was jammed, and judging from the surrounding conversations many were locals. As an aside; always a good sign when each table is adorned with fresh cut flowers in the middle of October!
Started off with a bottle of Sterling Merlot and half a dozen oysters The wine is a favorite of ours and we found the price point more than respectable. The oysters were superb and we would have been thrilled to simply order a couple of more dozen and call it a night.
I’ll spare you the raving about the bread. Suffice to say it is a signature offering and, with 24 hours notice, can be ordered by the loaf. A palate cleanser of miso-​style soup with ginger and garlic was offered before entrees. A nice touch and quite tasty.
My beef shoulder was sweet, tender and beautifully plated. My partner had the pan fried duck breast with cauliflower crepes. Both dishes were distinct, thoughtful, and pleasing to the eye as well as the palate.
Dessert and coffee was a leisurely affair unlike some places where one gets the impression that servers are in a rush to «turn» the table. I would pass on the dessert wines (we split a flight), but at that point we were probably just all «wowed» out!

There were a couple of reviews for this place where the reviewer gave it only 2 stars and complained! They are out of their freaking mind! This place is amazing! One of the best meals I have ever had and the black cod was cooked to perfection. I love the atmosphere and the fact I could see the food being prepared. I would definitely go back and would tell anyone else to eat there as well.

Had the best meal of a week-​long of restaurant hopping around Seattle here. Loved the vibe when my family stepped in: they take food seriously but are very laid back and down-​to-​earth; no pretenses here. We sat on the corner of the open kitchen where we got to see their chefs working their mastery. The hostess came over and offered my father some spare reading glasses after she noticed he was squinting at the menu; really attentive service here.
It all started with the fresh molasses crust bread and butter. They use locally sourced ingredients and make many things in house. The bread was possibly the best bread I’ve ever had, which I later learned was baked fresh. The grass-​fed butter was amazing. Simple attention to things people take for granted at other restaurants are what sets The Oystercatcher above the rest. There was a nice little chef’s starter with black cod and then a dozen Kushi/​Sun Hollow? oysters on the half shell with a delicious vinagrette. We also had some fresh pickled beets, celery, carrots and onions, which were also made in house.
Next were two types of rilletes: duck and ham hock. The ham hock blew us all away with how rich and moist it was, the duck was great as well. My father got the a salad and a mussel/​sausage chowder. Brother had a salad and the Penn Cove Mussels (which are from just behind the restaurant). I had tastes of both and confirmed their deliciousness. I had the black cod, which came with beans and kale and it was fantastic. We closed with rose hips ice cream and beignets with quince jam and ice cream, which may have been the most incredible thing there. Oh and they do scotch flights too, nice.

There are new owners of the Oystercatcher since our previous visit of a few years ago. Did not know, never occurred to me as the reviews still were good. Good news is the new owners have elevated this to one of the best restaurants in Washington.
They have a limited bar but all the cocktails were great. The appetizers of the beet salad and the stuffed calamari were superb. We also had pickled mussels and homemade pickles, both were great starters to our meal.
Then the entrees blew us away. Our friends from NJ said the were Manhattan quality. I had the rabbit that was served with an awesome ragout and my wife had the beef shoulder which was done to perfection. They have a corkage fee for one bottle only and that is fair.
A great dinner, great service, the new owners have raised the Oystercatcher to new heights.

Fabulous… Simply divine. Casual with the focus elegantly prepared and presented cuisine. The lamb sweetbreads are a symphony of music in your mouth! And, the honey pink peppercorn ice cream was the perfect finish to a delightful dining experience.

We arrived on a Saturday evening. We didn’t have a reservation. They made kind of a big deal about seating us. They put us in a HOT corner– even though there were other empty tables, both inside and outside. So, immediately after seating us in the sweat box corner, they bring water– warm water! It just went down from there.
My husband and I were travelling, and we just wanted to have a nice dinner and to go to our hotel.
The oyster appetizer was inedible. The entrée-(well there were four in total, so you assume that all of them are going to be great)– well not so. The steak was extremely chewy and the vegetables that came with my husband’s fish were overly «sauced.»
But the «kicker» was our «waitress.» She had all the charm of a truck-​stop bar maid. She kept asking us if we were «still picking.» She was loud and abrasive. I’m sorry, but that’s just not how one let’s their staff look and behave if they are trying to be upscale.
Skip this one– there are other choices.

I can’t quite explain why, but I was nearly put off by the uniformly euphoric Unilocal!reviews. Maybe it seemed like the Oystercatcher would be a little too fancy or somehow a bad fit for the island vibe. But I was wrong. The vibe is quite casual; a nice clean space with big windows and a view, but the view includes shabby rooftops and parking lots right along with the water, and the space is a little homey. You still feel like you’re on the island.
The food, on the other hand, is a cut above anything else on the island. The Penn Cove mussels are everything you’ve heard — tender, sweet, and delicious in an amazingly flavorful broth. The bread is terrifically substantive. And the fried green tomato appetizer (served alongside fresh red cherry tomatoes) was the best instance of fried green tomatoes I’ve ever had. The Kir Royale made with loganberry syrup. .. you get the idea. The menu is small but it has confidence.
Possibly even better than these items, though, were some of the additional amuse bouche. The very first thing we tasted, for instance, was a chilled rhubarb buttermilk soup that may have been the very best thing. If you’re on Whidbey, you should eat here once.

Great French Restaurant if your on the island. We came for lunch and had oysters, Penn Cove Muscles and stuffed calamari. The food was really satisfying, portions were good as well. We didn’t get reservations but were given seating within five minutes. Everything was clean and well presented, I would definitely recommend this place if your around and in the mood for some French.

We just had dinner there on a busy Saturday night (Art Festival weekend) and the food was just simply AMAZING. The flavors and presentation were great. Jeanie our server was very kind and accommodating too. Best place in Coupeville for a gourmet meal!

We were so excited to find such a wonderful restaurant in Whidbey while there on vacation. We had the mussels, beet salad, merguez, and cassoulet, all delicious and beautifully prepared. And I love that they source ingredients locally. The service and ambiance were also very good. We’ll definitely be back on our next visit.

Where the Chefs go! Whidbey Island Locals and Tourists alike find a true farm to table dining experience here! Everything is made from scratch. While other restaurants might have «better» views or long lasting roots … the local foodies know this is the only true choice in Coupeville.
Drinks:
Try the house Martini with Fresh Stuffed Blue Cheese Olives.
Starters:
Try the pickled pen cove mussels they are like nothing you have had before.
Pan Fried Oysters are sautéed to perfection! Nothing greasy about it.
Fried Green Tomatoes– You will feel like your in the south!
Baby Kale Salad with Steak– cooked to perfection. Ask for Medium Rare or Whatever your hear desires. It will come to the table prepared correctly! The flavor is delish!
Lunch:
The chef smokes his own pastrami! What?! Yeah– and the Rueben is out of this world.
Dinner:
Neah Bay Salmon is fresh and delightful.
Dessert
Pot De Crème — oh yeah I’m back in Paris. Magnificent!

My husband and I were spending a day on Whidbey and were recommended this place while at a local winery. I am SO glad they did!
We sat outside on the deck to enjoy the view and started with the pickles plate. They were tart, sweet, crispy and fresh, which was super refreshing on a hot day! We also had the mussels, which were nothing short of fantastic, we even asked for more bread to soak up the delicious broth they were cooked in! But the true highlight of the meal was the House Burger.
Oh. My. God… This burger was juicy and plump, made with local organic beef it is most likely one of, if not THE, best burger I have EVER eaten. While I probably would have been happy with a bucket of mussels and a loaf of bread to myself, I am so glad my husband and I decided to share this burger.
Do yourself a favor and stop at The Oystercatcher if you are on the island. You will not regret it!

Our third and last meal in Coupeville and we saved the best for last. A small restaurant with lots of character. We had several appetizers including the scallops, calamari stuffed w/​chorizo, fried oysters and mussels. Taste wise the oysters were the favorite. They were lightly breaded with and had a great flavor. The mussels were a very generous portion with very good flavor. The salmon entrée was wonderfully prepared and very fresh. Dessert was very good but not the best of the three restaurants we visited (see our review of Christopher’s). Nice wine selection and great service.

Contemporary American cuisine, NOT French.
Best meal in a very long time for 2 picky eaters! What a pleasant surprise in a (boring) small town! We loved every single dish we had, which is very very rare.
Homemade Oatmeal Molasses Bread: best bread, the chef said it’s made from Tartine Bakery book, super moist with a little sweetness, extremely good. This is a bread I’d be happy to pay for at a restaurant, and it is free! (Seattle restaurants now tend to charge you $ 5 for bad stale bread… WTF!)
Pickled Vegetables: each vegetable was pickled separately, so they taste very different. We especially loved the beet, asparagus, and mushroom among all.
Pickled Mussels: amazing flavor! We are so inspired to make our own, tart and sweet, so good.
Grilled octopus: with nicely toasted croutons, and spicy sausage. The pine nut butter and the green sauce were so amazing. This is a busy plate, maybe for a small town this was designed to make people feel they got the bang of their bucks. Could be a bit more refined, but everything tasted great.
Lamb Sweetbread: I love sweetbread but scared to order it, but these are GREAT. My problem with most sweetbread dishes is that more than often they are not fried crispy enough, or the big chunk makes the breading soggy. Here, sweetbread is cut to small pieces, great breading and fried to perfection. Star of the evening!
Rabbit stew, mushrooms, poached duck egg, and herbed biscuit: The sous-​vide duck egg was amazing on top of this rich homey stew, very hearty and comforting.
Beignet: crispy and light, with a homemade honey ice-​cream, and some rhubarb preserve. Perfect ending.
Chef and wife team here, nice people and great food. So much talent here, we predict that someday the chef will be the star of the food scene! This place makes Coupeville a destination in the future!