Gracies Sea Hag Restaurant and Lounge (also known as Gracie's Sea Hag Food and Grog) in cozy Depoe Bay is another of my all-time favorite places to eat. I don't remember the first time that I ate there, but I do know that the great food and small-town atmosphere is what keeps me coming back. I've always had a respect for owners who put themselves out in the public such as Portland's Tom Peterson and Scott Thomason. Gracie is one of those type of people and I love that.

Gracie Strom and her husband, Dick, opened Gracies Sea Hag some 40 years ago. Only a few years after that, Dick suddenly died and left Gracie to fend for herself. Running a restaurant while raising three children all alone was quite a struggle. With the help of friends and the town banker, Gracie turned the Sea Hag into a smashing success.

She wanted to give her establishment a very unique personae, so she came up with the motto, "seafood so fresh that the ocean hasn't missed it yet." It's catchy and I've always remembered it. This caught on as well as her regular weekend gimmick of playing the bottles. People came from far and wide to see Gracie whack out tunes on the bottles behind the bar in the lounge. She has been featured on national television and has won a Public Service Commendation from the US Coast Guard.

Gracie lived in a house directly behind the restaurant (I'm not sure whether she still does) and, from what I understood of her days in the restaurant business, rarely took a vacation. She said that she was afraid she may miss some of the excitement. She loved what she did and had many loyal employees that stuck around for many years. There are even more regulars that haunt Gracie's Sea Hag every day, to this day.

She always claimed that there are no strangers, only friends that she hadn't met yet. I like that. The food is great and the service is friendly.

In June of 2006, Ms. Strom decided it was time to step down and sold Gracies Sea Hag to Clary and Jerome Grant. One of the conditions of the sale was that Gracie had to teach the both of them how to extract tunes form those legendary bottles! hehe!

Everything on the menu that I've tried so far is really good, but the clam chowder is one of the most popular choices. Since breakfast is my favorite meal, a big, fluffy Dungeness crab or shrimp omelet always hits the spot. A nice cup of coffee is a must too. I don't know what it is, but there is just something especially delicious about the Oregon Coast's coffee. It may just be a mind-thing (and probably is), but I love it.

There are rare times that the service is a little slow, but it is only because the place is so popular and always packed. They have a huge Friday night seafood buffet that you simply have to try. It's very yummy! ;)

So, when you're in Depoe Bay, stop by Gracies Sea Hag Restaurant and Lounge for a good meal. You can hit the web site and find all the menu items listed so you know exactly what to expect when you get there. If you see Gracie, tell her that you read about her at romantic-oregon-coast.com. ;)

Gracie's Sea Hag Food and Grog 58 North Hwy. 101 Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341 Phone: (541) 765-2734

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