Lunch at Jake’s Famous Crawfish

When I entertain visitors to Portland, I try to always provide a mix of visiting some restaurants that are trendy and new but also some Portland classics that are tried and true. While my mom was visiting for a few days, I decided to fulfill her request for a salad with avocado. That at first flummoxed me as I tried to rack my mind for outstanding avocado salads, but then I suggested also along  with avocado perhaps some seafood for lunch, and boom our destination is a classic lunch at Jake’s Famous Crawfish.

Did you know that Jake’s Famous Crawfish was founded in Portland in 1892 by Jacob “Jake” Lewis Freiman? Or that the current Jake’s Famous Crawfish and its predecessor is Portland’s second oldest continuously operating restaurant? This location is also on the US National Register of Historic Places, and although Jake’s was bought out and now owned by McCormick & Schmick’s, when the purchase was made in 1972, William “Bill” McCormick was still on his own and hired Doug Schmick as his manager for Jake’s, and they later after Jake’s formed the famous partnership that is now known as the famous restaurant chain McCormick & Schmick’s.

Jake’s is open for lunch and dinner, and offer a happy hour as well. This was my first for lunch, and it really is a great power lunch location with its classy old school atmosphere and white linens and vested waiters, or a family friendly visitor stop with its historic art on the walls and large menu including kid’s menu that can satisfy any one’s diet or taste. My mom had requested a salad with avocado, perhaps with some seafood, and this was among the first I immediately thought of because of their Oregon Bay Shrimp and Avocado Salad that boasts a bountiful amount of Wild Oregon Bay Shrimp, Avocado and Grapefruit Segments Tossed in a Lime Avocado Vinaigrette that makes it a big, bright salad enough for two people.

To add some crab, since my mom loves crab, I additionally ordered for us to share a warm dish, Dungeness Crab and Artichoke Dip that was chock full of lots of chunky crab. And we treated ourselves with some fancy non-alcoholic drinks of Grapefruit Cucumber Limeade and Pomegranate Palmer (shown here with their complimentary bread service while we waited for our dishes).

They have lots of more significant dishes, varying from fish and chips and crab cakes and shrimp cakes to pecan crusted catfish, crab and shrimp stuffed Pacific Salmon, Dungness crab legs saute, and daily specials featuring seafood in pasta, a sandwich, or just as catch of the day or special seafood dish of the day. And of course Jake’s Étouffé featuring crawfish is on the menu too.

Did you know about the history of Jake’s Famous Crawfish, have you been in before? Where would you think to go for an avocado or seafood salad?