The first time I visited Tillamook’s JAndy Oyster Company, I thought that the researcher for the Oyster Burger Test Team (OTT) was playing a prank on me. Her directions carried me to a suburban neighborhood on the outskirts of town. We pulled up before the open door of what appeared to be a large garage or a small shop.

This is an oyster burger restaurant? I wondered. Is this a joke?

It wasn’t. The JAndy oyster company is a purveyor of fine oysters grown on the mud flats of Netarts Bay. In addition to being a scenic stretch of water—herons and egrets fish the inshore waters while seals bask on the back sands of Netarts Spit—it is also said to be the cleanest estuary in America.

Prime oyster country.

JAndy’s is a local success story, a business growing rapidly. They’ve transitioned from selling oysters wholesale to direct sales to the public. It is only a small step to opening a small oyster bar in your garage, and if you are going to do that, why not serve oyster burgers alongside the oyster shooters and oysters on the half shell?

So, on my first visit, I took a seat at one of the four long plank tables, gussied up with sheets of butcher paper. When open for business, the owners had to pull the boat out of the garage to make room for the diners. It was a primitive operation, only open on the weekends.

Business was good, the company continued to grow, and last year JAndy moved into a more permanent domicile, located out by the Tillamook Air Museum. They now have a real restaurant, attached to a greenhouse. I can’t say I fully understand the synergy of the two operations, but who will argue with success?

Did I mention that the new domicile is by the Air Museum? The museum is housed in an old blimp hangar. During World War II, US Navy blimps patrolled the Pacific coast, hunting Japanese submarines. Blimps had the advantage of being able to stay aloft for three days, whereas fixed wing aircraft could only make short sorties.

A fire claimed one blimp hangar. The remaining building contains 3.2 million board feet of lumber. Standing 1,072 feet long, 192 feet high, and 296 feet wide, it is one of the largest wooden structures in the world. If you happen to be near JAndy’s, the museum is also worth a visit.

But back to the oysters.

The JAndy Oyster Po’Boy arrives on a wooden plank. The central ingredients sit on a hoagie bun. From bottom to top I found a layer of homemade coleslaw, which incorporated dried cranberries and sunflower seeds, four deep fried Netarts Bay oysters, pulled that morning from the rich waters a few miles away, and a layer of remoulade sauce—a mixture of mayonnaise, mustard, and other secret ingredients.

The price for this offering is $15.00, which strikes me as a little high for the market. It is also a bit pricey when we factor in the side dish: a small bag of Sea Salt-flavored Kettle Chips. Not too impressive.

The oyster burger, however, is fantastic. A deep-fryer is a risky machine for fine oysters—it can quickly destroy the essential juiciness and tenderness that set oyster burgers apart from the more pedestrian offerings. But JAndy’s cook is a master of her craft—the oysters are fried to perfection; they practically melt on my tongue. The innovative slaw and remoulade sauce also set this burger apart from more conventional competitors. I may be growing jaded, but after a summer of lettuce, tartar, and tomato, I did appreciate the creativity and originality.

Verdict: Highly Recommended. The best oyster burger in Tillamook, if not the entire Oregon coast.

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