Buck Bay Shellfish Farm

I found this place on Unilocal when planning my road trip through the San Juan Islands. I was really looking forward to it.
This is an authentic oyster farm. Very cool. That’s the good part.
The three star review is due to the fact that I was there when the oysters are spawning.
It had slipped my mind until I opened one and it didn’t look too appetizing. I had come across this before and was pretty sure I knew what is was. I asked the guy who helped me what it was and he just gave me a blank stare. I’m not sure if he did not know the answer, or if he just didn’t want to say…

This place is a must when you are on Orcas. Great people, great food, great view. Bring a bottle of wine too…

Best and most fresh oysters ever!!! This is a hidden gem on Orcas Island. Don’t be fooled into a restaurant experience when you can get a farm fresh to table experience. The oysters from tBuck Bay are some of the sweetest and most favorable we have ever had. The Dungeness Crab was also an unexpected treat. service was excellent and learned to shuck oysters like a pro. Do yourself a favor in mix up a dozen of different varieties of oysters. You will not regret it.

This was my first time trying raw oysters, and they got me hooked! So glad I stopped here! This is a farm so don’t expect to have fine dining and servers waiting on you hand and foot. Come here and pick a table to sit at and come inside to pick out exactly what oysters, prawns, king crab, etc. You get to pick exactly what you want to eat. They also have these $ 5 oysters that are the size of your hand. I’m regretting not trying one now. It was my first time eating raw oysters, so I didn’t want to try anything too crazy. The price is also very good as well. Ever since I ate raw oysters here, I have been trying raw oysters at many other restaurants. Nothing compares to the freshness of Buck Bay. I’m starting to drool just thinking about the king crabs and oysters I had here.

Wao~ so yummy ! It’s a shellfish farm where you can get fresh oysters, shrimps, crabs, clams & muscles ! & if you want… You can buy it here and eat it outdoor at the picnic table as well: D what a nice lunch~

If you are on Orcas this is a place you have to visit. It’s a fun and interactive experience. They have a lot of fish to try there or to buy and prepare at home. I wanted to try the oysters. They let you pick what you want (a dozen oysters for $ 18) and then teach you how to open. I picked four (about $ 5) and learned to shuck them. It was fun and interesting. They also have clams, salmon, prawns and more. It was a lot of fun, don’t miss this place.

We stopped by this afternoon and picked up fresh Buck Bay oysters and some Sockeye salmon caught today. The young man who helped us was very knowledgeable and friendly. The oysters were fabulous. Saving the salmon for tomorrow’s dinner. We have always enjoyed the fresh fish here.

There were a number of signs that enticed us to visit for food and fun, but the experience left a lot to be desired. The way the roadside signs were written implied that there was a resturant of sorts, but it was barely a shellfish market. As we neared the «farm» there was little to indicate where we should park, or where we should visit. It was basically a home on the edge of a bay, with a number of ramshackle buildings nearby. There were two small tanks in a barn with a small variety of shellfish and crabs to be bought. The help was ignorant of what was in the tanks, and they seemed to be High School girls who’s sole purpose was to watch us to make sure we didn’t steal what little was on hand. Questions were asked, but no answers were forthcoming. We drove quite a ways to visit, but it wasn’t a very friendly place with little to see or eat, and my family was disappointed. We left within five minutes of arriving. Don’t bother.

This was a special moment of Orcas Island magic for me. Deliciously happy oysters that never had to leave their water, half a crab cooked clean and fresh and a bunch of spicy radishes from the back pasture to finish it off. I’m terrible at shucking oysters and the queen bee, owner gal was gracious about showing me how (and really doing all the work).
We ate on one of the two sunny picnic tables and watched the seagulls and eagles put on a show.
Can’t guarantee this level of bliss every time but I’ll always remember it.

I was so excited to come here because my boyfriend had been talking about this place for the last two years. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a great experience. The oysters were amazing, don’t get me wrong, but the lady running the show was extremely rude to me multiple times during our short visit and she was publicly rude to her employees.
I entered excited and hopeful and left sad and disheartened. I won’t go back because she singled me out, insinuated that I was a liar that I helped myself to limes when her employee gave me a small dish, and she made me feel small by assuming that I didn’t know how to shuck oysters.
Unfortunately, I just wish we didn’t tip so much before we were mistreated. Shame on her for assumptions she made without even talking to me. Poor poor customer service. I just hope the young girls that work for her know that they shouldn’t be treated in the manner that I saw her treating them.

Fresh oysters and the prices cannot be beat! Halibut, salmon, crab and shrimp also available. Get here early, they close at 6 daily and can run out. Mother Shucker will show you how to shuck oysters and they provide all the sides!

Was confused by prior reviews, this is a place to buy seafood, not a restaurant. We did buy some fabulous halibut, caught the day before locally. No oysters on this day, so we must return again.

Love this spot! The oysters and clams are raised just out the front door in the bay. They also have shrimp, crab, salmon and tons of organic veggies as well.
I definitely recommend grabbing a dozen oysters and a lesson in how to shuck them and sitting on a picnic table while you slurp them down. At only $ 1 a piece why stop at a dozen.

Best oysters I’ve ever had. I read about Buck Bay Shellfish farm but it had slipped my mind and we happened to drive by after a hike and I yelled to pull over. A buck an oyster, as fresh as can be without having to pull them out yourself. Gorgeous views, we sucked those juicy little nuggets of sea candy down at a picnic table with views of the bay. Heaven on earth.
They also sell shrimp, crab, and produce. We came by around noon, but some friends tried to pop in later in the day and missed out. All the oysters were sold out by Friday afternoon. I would have come here every single day we were on the island if I had time. I always liked oysters but after this experience I may develop a serious oyster habit.

Fresh salmon and shellfish as well as some garden produce and eggs. We got oysters and a salmon. The freshest we’ve had on both! About a 15 – 20 minute drive from the main part of Orcas. We stopped here after an awesome kayak tour we took with Spring Bay kayaking. We were gearing up for a hearty dinner and this was perfect. They do take cc’s (visa and MC I think). Clarissa and Teri is who helped us and were very helpful and friendly.

Couldn’t be any fresher. Outstanding salmon and clams. The prawns were super good, but a bit expensive at 18.00 $ a pound with heads and legs attached. Oysters looked to be a great buy as well.
Will return again and whenever in the area.

This place is amazing, delicious king salmon, oysters and mussels. The people there are super nice and very helpful. They also have fresh eggs, chicken and duck, both were awesome for fluffy omelette.

This place was so good we went two days in a row (May 30 – 31, 2013) and it was made even better by Toni’s great sense of humor, warmness, and friendly welcoming ways. The oysters were meaty, briny, and delicious. The little neck clams on the grill were one of the most simple, yet tasty things i have eaten. We also had whole cooked dungeness crab and some type of shrimp that also were very good.
If you don’t know how to shuck oysters, don’t worry, Toni will quickly school you on how to shuck without stabbing yourself in the spleen or other important body parts.
If you like delicious oysters and clams straight from the source at reasonable prices, give this place a try; if you are one of those people who doesn’t like to get messy (you know who you are. haha) you can go to one of the many restaurants on Orcas Island serving Buck Bay shellfish. They also have dungeness crabs (live, cooked whole, in pieces), fish (salmon when we were there), shrimp, and other goodies.

This place is unreal. If you’re jonesin’ for fresh oysters, clams, crabs, etc. etc., you MUST stop here.
We were in town for a week and stopped here twice, which wasn’t enough. We had a mix of medium oysters (which were huge), little neck clams, crab and prawns.
We fought through a little rain on the first day and giggled with Toni & her new co-​worker as we struggled to get the shucking down to a science. Toni even offered the grill so we could cook up the clams and enjoy right there.
The second day it was sunny and gorgeous out, which was a great landscape to enjoy more oysters, clams and crab after a lengthy Mount Constitution hike.
There’s hot sauce, lemons and limes galore; we brought our own cocktail sauce but it’s so tasty, it’s not even needed.
This is the perfect joint to swing by and spend an afternoon digging into shellfish. Good prices, fantastic and fresh goodies and superb company — I think if I was a local, I’d keep my mouth shut so I could have it to myself :)
Looking forward to the next visit!

Toni! Toni! Toni!
It Feels Good girl…
To make a 90’s R+B reference in your honor.
Follow her cute handmade signs, and reach the mecca: Toni’s Buckbay Farm. She supplies almost all of the fresh oysters on the island (to the restaurants that know whassup).
But guess what? You can go straight to Toni’s and hand-​pick oysters yourself!
$ 8 – 10 a dozen. That’s right. And you can bring your own bottle of wine. Sit at Toni’s picnic table. Chat up one of the coolest women on Orcas. But you best show respect…
Three generations have harvested oysters in the bay that she owns. And just because she’s nice like that, she’s invites people to sit at her table, chill with her badass cat, and suck up some of the freshest oysters I’ve tasted.
She even helped us shuck. Threw in some lemons and limes. Two kinds of hot sauce. And recommendations for the best stuff to do on the island. And gave me a Bud Light. I cracked that cold baby open (having not had one since college) – and with those freakin oysters, twas the best Bud Light o my Life.
Thanks Toni! Looking forward to seeing you again!