Fresh From the Tank: Dungeness Crab and Cajun Crawfish Pie at Fisherman’s Market
“It’s juicy, it’s succulent—you don’t even need the butter, it’s so wonderful.”
That’s Guy Fieri describing the Dungeness crab at Fisherman’s Market in Eugene, Oregon, a seafood joint that’s been doing things differently since 1997. Located just an hour and a half from the Oregon coast, this place has turned freshness into an art form—and a spectacle.
A Seafood Market That Cooks What It Sells
Owner Ryan Rogers isn’t your typical restaurateur. He’s spent decades hardcore fishing in Alaska while running Fisherman’s Market, and his connections show. As Guy put it, describing the operation: “All the fish that’s here is coming from mostly all from Oregon. You have all your buddies and all the hookups… it’s like it was swimming yesterday. Some of it still is.”
Don't lose this list! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy next time you're hungry or planning a trip.
The setup is unlike most restaurants. Guy described it as “kind of a crazy place—you got tanks making noise, coolers, people buying fish, dudes cooking right there.” Live crab sits in tanks until a customer orders, then gets cooked in a crab pot right out the front door. You’re watching your dinner go from tank to plate.
The Dungeness Crab Dinner
Guy tried the crab dinner with fries and slaw, featuring crab cooked fresh to order. His verdict? “Without question, the most seafood-flavored crab… I think has to be the Dungeness.” He noted that Dungeness crab is especially sweet with a really good flavor.
The meal came with a crunchy slaw that Guy said “really refreshes the palate.” He squeezed some lemon juice on the crab and took a little dip in butter, though he emphasized the crab was so good it didn’t need the butter at all. Similar to the care that goes into dishes like Duck L’Orange, this is cooking that respects its ingredients.
The Cajun Crawfish Pie
Then came the showstopper: the Cajun Crawfish Pie. Topped with sour cream and served alongside a house salad featuring house-smoked salmon, this dish had Guy calling the operation “gangster.”
His breakdown of the pie was detailed: “Great crust. Not soupy, not too thick. Tender—as tender and succulent, and the texture was awesome.” The sour cream topping surprised him: “I didn’t know about the sour cream thing you’re doing, but it’s excellent.” The spice level hit the sweet spot—”just enough spice to have a little kick.” His final take? “This is to die for. It’s so flaky.”
Fish and Chips Your Way
The menu flexibility caught Guy’s attention too. When he learned you can get fish and chips with any kind of fish—seriously, any kind—he noted, “You can’t get bored. You can always try something new.” Unlike grabbing something quick from a place like Back to *Bodacious* Hot Dog Food Truck, this is a destination where the variety runs deep.
The Verdict
Guy summed up Fisherman’s Market as “a full seafood culinary experience—from the live tanks to the fresh seafood market doing the food dishes like that.” He was so impressed he joked about how much seafood he could fit in the back of his car for the eight-hour drive home.
The philosophy here is simple: “It just can’t get any fresher unless you caught it yourself.”
Looking for more Triple D spots to visit? Check out our complete restaurant directory to find your next destination.