The Fairmont Hotels & Resorts have a legacy that extends well beyond its buildings of stature in the Pacific Northwest, from sea to shining sea across the U.S. and Canada and from Cairo to Bali and Hamburg. Each location is befitting of its surroundings: the Empress as regal as the queen herself in Victoria, British Columbia, the Chateau as alpine as Whistler Blackcomb and the Olympic, situated in downtown Seattle and anchoring one of the city’s oldest and ageless oysters bars—Shuckers.
Walking distance to Pike Place Market where the fish fly, Shuckers Oyster Bar takes its guests back in time to the 1930s with era-themed pub-style decor of carved oak panels, cozy tables and tin ceilings, and a seafood menu that has kept its regulars for decades. Its unassuming 4th Avenue entrance is modest, hosting two small patio tables and a simple sign beneath the mighty Olympic Hotel. The clientele of Shuckers is a loyal one, some coming to sit in the sections of tenured servers who have also been at Shuckers for double-digit years.
By name, oysters are a priority and one the eatery takes pride in. From more than a dozen regular varieties, local oysters of all shapes and sizes don the half shell on crushed ice or can be prepared nine different ways, from Olympic (topped with Dungeness crab meat, hollandaise, bacon, bell pepper) and Provencal (tomato, roasted garlic, herbs, Parmesan) to smoked and pan-fried. The remainder of the menu is respectfully fish-heavy, with starters like the meaty jumbo prawn cocktail, addictive chili-spiced popcorn shrimp and gooey-delicious Dungeness crab and artichoke gratin with crispy focaccia crouton that goes fast. The Lusciously Loaded Louie salad is famously plated in the Fairmont’s Georgian Room restaurant as well as Shuckers, and should not be mistaken as a lighter fish fare—one must be hungry to finish the greens topped with crab or shrimp, grilled asparagus, tomato, kalamata olives, hardboiled egg, cucumber and thousand island dressing.
Main courses sate all palates, from an unctuous crab melt sandwich topped with citrus crab salad, white cheddar, tomato jam and
bay shrimp coleslaw, served with salt and vinegar fries, to traditional seafood paella and beer-battered fish n’chips. Of course, a grilled American Waygu burger and buttermilk-fried free range chicken are also available for those needing meat.
Outside of shellfish, crustaceans and other gilled friends of the sea, there are libations to wet all whistles and ring all bells. The restaurant showcases a light honey ale made by Pike Brewing using honey from the hotel’s rooftop beehive and also shakes up classic martinis and pours lovely seasonal wines by-the-glass. Pop a bottle from the expansive wine list, one that Shuckers makes a dedication to local beverages while expanding minds with Old World gems and New World techniques.
No frills, no foam nor any flair will be found at this Depression-era haberdashery but Shuckers and all of those inside—from the diners to the staff and menu—are an institution unto themselves that is yet to be outdated.
