“Go for the oysters and stay for everything else on the menu” say aficionados who “forget the prices and feast” at this “outstanding” Seattle Waterfront seafood “heaven”; “seafaring” decor with “amazing” views of Elliott Bay. Along with the “great vibe”, make it a “must-visit” for locals and tourists alike, there is also a much-appreciated valet service after 5 PM.

See the full list here (registration required for full reviews and scores).

To some people, it’s just plain old happy hour at Elliott’s Oyster House. To sous chef Jorge Hernandez, it’s time for championship-style shucking.

The hundreds of oysters Hernandez speeds through with his shucking knife — a quick move to insert the tip, a characteristic “snickt!” sound as the shell opens, and swift clean cuts to sever the meat — are done at the same clip he’ll bring to the International Boston Seafood Show in March, where he’ll defend his title as the nation’s fastest oyster shucker. (He’s also the three-time Washington state champ.)

We checked in with Hernandez the other day to see if he could share some of his tips. Watch the video above to see how he does it – first the slow and basic way, then a few at the end at top speed. To win the national title, he shucked a dozen oysters in 96 seconds, a feat one follower dubbed the “oyster shucking shocker.”

Hernandez had never eaten an oyster, let alone shucked one, when he first came to Elliott’s 12 years ago. He was raised in northern Mexico, and remembers thinking “People eat these rocks?” the first time he saw them on the plate. But he learned fast, though he’s soft-spoken and modest about his accomplishments.

Some of his favorites to eat now are Penn Cove Select and Kusshis, with their clean, full flavors. Kusshis are also among the easiest to shuck, with their small size and deep cups. He’s got plenty of opportunities to discern the differences; at Elliott’s he might shuck 100 to 150 dozen per day.

“You just go by feeling the oyster….” he said.

“I’m still learning.”

Elliott’s 18th annual sell-out event—and the biggest oyster party on the West Coast, featuring 30 varieties of local oysters shucked to order at our 90-foot oyster bar; our Oyster Luge; a fresh seafood buffet; over 50 wines; beers from Maritime Pacific Brewing Company, and Boundary Bay Brewery, live music and more. All proceeds from this event benefited the Puget Sound Restoration Fund.

Seattle’s seafood mecca expands partnership with Puget Sound Restoration Fund to support recovery of the only native abalone species in Puget Sound

Through March 31, the Puget Sound Restoration Fund is raising $50,000 to help rebuild the Salish Sea’s only native abalone population – the mighty Haliotis kamtschatkana – or Pinto abalone. Currently considered functionally extinct in Washington waters, there are too few left in the wild to reproduce successfully and recovery is not possible without human intervention.

The Puget Sound Restoration Fund will match donations up to $25,000 to help fund the reintroduction of 2,500 abalone in March, identification of two new out plant sites, follow-up surveys, and preparation for an even bigger out plant in 2012.

Eat Your Way to Helping the Cause

Throughout the month of March, Elliott’s will serve an abalone ceviche supreme appetizer of thinly sliced Monterey Bay abalone in lemon grass marinate with cucumber-jicama salad and blood orange and tangelo citrus supremes for $12. For each appetizer sold Elliott’s will donate 25% to Puget Sound Restoration Fund.

“With the help of Elliott’s Oyster House and its guests, The Puget Sound Restoration Fund is committed to restoring iconic species that have defined coastal life in the Northwest for thousands of years,” said Betsy Peabody, executive director of the Puget Sound Restoration Fund. “Pinto abalone are a vital component of a dynamic ecosystem and without them the overall health of the system declines. Their population has declined in Washington because of overharvest combined with illegal harvest, so it’s very important that people don’t go out and harvest abalone on their own.  The sport fishery was closed in 1994 due to low population levels.”

“We are so fortunate at Elliott’s to have so many fantastic products close to us, and it is exciting to explore the possibility of adding abalone to our menu,” said Robert Spaulding, executive chef at Elliott’s Oyster House.  “Our relationship with Betsy Peabody and the Puget Sound Restoration Fund has been both productive and educational and we have the utmost confidence that Betsy and her team will be successful in reintroducing abalone locally.  We know that abalone recovery will take many decades.  In the meantime, we are committed to offering sustainable products to our guests and farm grown abalone will be a wonderful addition to the oysters, clams, mussels and geoduck that we currently offer on our menu.”

Dinner:
Monday–Thursday 5pm–10pm
Friday-Saturday, 5pm–11pm
Sunday, 4pm–10pm
Entreé Price Range:
$17.95-$37.95

Happy Hour:
Monday–Friday, 3pm–6pm

Brunch:
Sunday, 11am–4pm
Entreé Price Range:
$10.00-$35.00