Best of Seaside Dining
By Gary Hayes
Published: 06/21/2011  Updated: 06/20/2019
Gary Hayes

With abundant casual dining choices and talented chefs who lend their creative skills to Northwest specialties, here's our guide to can't miss choices for dining in Seaside.

Are you looking for the best steak, seafood, burger or chowder in Seaside? Whether you're looking for a fine dining experience or great food bargains, we've come up with a can't-miss list of suggestions for enjoying some of the best food and best places in Seaside.

Best Seafood
Seaside Oceanfront Inn
The menu can change based on what's available fresh, but you can usually count on at least a half dozen seafood entrees at Seaside Oceanfront Inn. Chef Jason Alldrin combines his classic French training and his experience with Pan-Asian cuisine to put flavorful spins on Northwest and Pacific seafood. His past experience includes PF Chang's China Bistro in Portland and time with restaurants in Kona and Waimea, Hawaii. Staples on his menu include Dungeness Crab cakes loaded with moist crab and seasonings, grilled golden brown and served with a dill aioli. Halibut is encrusted with hazelnuts, grilled and served with lemon-dill butter. Scallops are pan seared and topped with lemon caper chimichurri. His Teppanyaki Salmon is grilled, served on a sushi rice salad and topped with sesame aioli and red and black tobiko. Alldrin's signature Ahi Poke mixes chunks of sashimi ahi with fresh Dungeness Crab, spinach and hazelnuts over a wakame salad. Located on the city's famous oceanfront promenade, expect daily specials and seasonally changing menu. Runners-up: For more family friendly seafood dining, look to Dooger's or Norma's.

Best Burger
The Relief Pitcher Pastrami Burger
This long time local favorite features hand formed patties, a pile of thin cut Pastrami, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickle and Tillamook cheddar or provolone. The house-mixed sweet/spicy mustard and a horseradish mustard let you spice it up to taste. There's also the Grand Slam burger, a half-pound patty with ham, fried egg and two cheeses. The burgers come with hand-cut skin-on fries or slaw. The atmosphere is pure funky old-time dive tavern classic. Runners-up: Dundee's Full Boat and McKeown's blue cheese burger.

Best Mexican Food
The Stand
Want to eat Mexican food like a local? Find The Stand on Holladay Drive a block north of Broadway. Big burritos are king here and they can also be ordered enchilada style (with sauce). Can't miss items are the carne asada, chili verde and pork Colorado. Portions are large, prices are cheap and service is friendly. There are several great vegetarian options, including the no-meat product refried pinto or black beans. If you need proof The Stand is a local favorite, keep in mind they are not open on Saturday or Sunday and weekdays they are only open until 8pm. Runners-up: Any of the others if its Saturday or Sunday.

Best Chowder
Yummy Wine Bar & Bistro
You'll find a lot of good chowder in Seaside, so you're likely to have as difficult of a choice picking your favorite as we did. We're going with Yummy Wine Bar & Bistro's seafood chowder that is a traditional New England style with halibut, Manila clams and diced prawns. The twist here is the use of yams that adds a touch of sweetness and a nice contrast for smoky bacon. Each bowl is made to order so the chunks of seafood, yams and bacon remain firm in the reduced and seasoned cream base. A sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley finish the dish. Runners-up: Norma's and Dooger's.

Best Spicy Food
Lil Bayou
Jambalaya, gumbo, blackened catfish and crawfish pie are sure to solve any hankerin' for Cajun and Creole cuisine at Lil Bayou. Spicy tasso ham, andouille sausage and traditional spices add a kick to Cajun classics and not so Cajun entrees as well. Runners-up: Nope.

Best Pizza
The Harbor Combo at Pizza Harbor
Their sauce is peppery and not too sweet and the pizza has piles of thinly sliced linguica, hickory-smoked ham, pepperoni, black olives and onions all on the perfect crust, not too thin, not too thick. Runners-up: Fultano's Margarita pizza with olive oil, garlic sauce, fresh basil, tomatoes and onion. Angelina's Cordon
Blue featuring grilled chicken breast, smoked
ham and gorgonzola.

Most Romantic Dining
Yummy Wine Bar & Bistro
The cozy atmosphere at Yummy Wine Bar and Bistro with comfy couches and chairs grouped around the glowing fire make them our winner for romantic atmosphere. If you're not hip to the funky 60s TV trays, pick a table to the rear where the glow of candles dominates the lighting. Runner-up: Seaside Oceanfront Inn.

Best Ocean View
Shilo Inn Restaurant
With an oceanfront location right at the Turnaround, it's hard to compete with the view from the restaurant at the Shilo Inn. The restaurant in the southwest corner offers views of Tillamook Head and the ocean with all of the activity of the Turnaround and Prom. Runner-up: Seaside Oceanfront Inn.

Best Steak
Bigfoot's Filet Mignon
Bigfoot Pub & Grub's Filet Mignon is a fork-tender, choice Angus tenderloin. The beef is seasoned perfectly with a house blend, wrapped in smoky bacon and broiled. It practically melts in your mouth. Just what you would expect from filet mignon. Runner-up: Seaside Oceanfront Inn Misty Isle Filet Mignon- grilled, topped with sautéed marinated wild mushrooms, finished with an herbed white truffle butter.
Best of Seaside Dining