Fishermen’s Galley now open

Local catch is the key

The Fishermen’s Galley sign has been up for eight or so months, but now at last the lights are on and the kitchen is fired up and ready.

 

Dave Olney and his wife, Ann, bought the old Mugs and Jugs Bar & Grill last summer and planned to open their new restaurant, Fishermen’s Galley, soon thereafter. But the best laid plans of men and mice ….

 

Olney said the two had some other business to tend to and added they were perhaps a little nervous about opening a restaurant, their first ever.

 

But Olney knows seafood. He’s been a commercial fisherman all of his life, including 30 years in Dutch Harbor. The two moved to the peninsula five years ago to semi-retire.

 

The restaurant is “just something we wanted to try,” he said.

 

Redoing the building — bringing it up to a new standard — was no easy task. They largely gutted the former space, leaving in place the old bar, a stage and a wood-burning stove. But they also pulled up the old floor and replaced it with a new one. And they scraped and painted the walls — 100 gallons of paint was required, Olney said.

 

The do-over includes new light fixtures and walls filled with photos of northwestern fishermen, some donated, and some from Olney’s own collection.

 

The menu matches the theme, with Olney relying on “friends and acquaintances” to supply much of the seafood. That includes prawns or oysters with French fries or clam strips and fries, which they dish up for under $10.

 

When there’s fresh seasonal seafood available they’ll serve that up, too, including Dungeness crab. “If it’s fresh and tasty, we’ll try it,” Olney said.

 

Not in the mood for seafood? Check out the burgers, onion rings, sweet potato fries and more.

 

The menu is complemented by a small selection of wine and beer.

 

Fishermen’s Galley, 735 W. Washington St., is open seven days a week, from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

 

            

Reach Mark Couhig at mcouhig@sequimgazette.com.