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Take a Trip to Hayden Island for Seafood and a Side of Picturesque Views

At Pal’s on the Columbia River, grilled fish, Oregon bay shrimp cocktail, and local raw bar selections are the stars of the show

In 2025, the team atSuttle Lodge in Sisters, Oregon, opened another off-the-beaten-path destination — this time, in the form of amanicured seafood shack on Hayden Island. Whether you’re snacking on shrimp cocktails or cracking Singapore-style Dungeness chili crabs, thePal’s ambiance stays intimate and picturesque year-round thanks to its Columbia River marina waterfront views. I don’t think I had a full grasp on the importance of “fresh seafood” until I dined here; zingy salads bright with acidity and thoughtfully seasoned sauces truly showcased every textural component of a just-caught fish.

• I’m still thinking about the firm yet buttery grilled rainbow trout ($30) on the dinner menu; it’s seasoned with acqua pazza or “crazy water,” an Italian seafood stock reduced with peppers, oregano, white wine, and garlic.
• Pal’s commits to keeping it local, offering Oregon bay shrimp piled atop a bed of diced cold celery and cocktail sauce in a parfait glass.
• Oysters on the half-shell ($3 each or $36 per dozen) are a must-eat at any establishment that prides itself on fresh seafood. A majority of Pal’s seasonal selections come from theHama Hama Oyster Company.
• The radicchio and bleu cheese salad ($19) is the ultimate Oregon-local experience; its greens (radicchio, frisée, chicory), apples, and bleu cheese are sourced from nearby providers like Organically Grown Company, Rogue Creamery, and Kiyokawa Farms.
• The focaccia ($5) is baked to order, sliced into five slabs, and served alongside a nori compound butter.

• The refreshing ...It’s All One Song (tequila, salty grapefruit, aperitivo, lemon) is best served on a sunny day.
• The boozy Tuxedo No. 2 is a leveled up martini (making it apt to pair with oysters), whose lighter and brighter profile is characterized by the additions of maraschino, orange bitters, and absinthe.
• If you’re trying to pair seafood with tropical vibes though, you can’t go wrong with the Gil’s Mai Tai.

You don’t have to order the seafood tower to get your selections on tiered plating. We ordered several individual items from the raw bar, including the shrimp cocktail, calamari salad tostada ($15), and a dozen oysters, which gave us autonomy over our tower selections and still allowed us to get that prized shot for the ’gram.

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