One of the few oceanfront Cannon Beach restaurants, the Wayfarer offers Oregon coast travelers a sophisticated, family-friendly atmosphere with delicious local seafood and a beautiful view.
Cannon Beach, Oregon has long been one of my family favorite destinations on the Oregon Coast.
Growing up in Oregon, my parents would often take us here as kids for day trips. We'd always bring visiting friends and relatives to the Oregon Coast, eat clam chowder, and take photos in front of Cannon Beach's famous Haystack Rock.
Cannon Beach is absolutely gorgeous, with wide sweeping, seemingly endless sandy beaches, rocky alcoves that are fun to explore, and of course, the stunning Pacific Ocean.
One of the only oceanfront Cannon Beach restaurants where you get the beautiful beach view you see above is the Wayfarer.
Cannon Beach Restaurants: Wayfarer
Located right next to the Surfsand Resort with perfect views of Haystack Rock, the Wayfarer Restaurant and Lounge has a large dining area with plenty of seating suitable for families, as well as a lounge area for adults.
The restaurant focuses on fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients on its menu. Produce, seafood, and meat hails from some of my own personal favorite Oregon- and Washington-based producers, such as Albeke Farms, Beecher’s, Evonuk Oregon Hazelnuts, Gales Meadow Farm, Jacobsen Salt Co., Kingfisher Farms, Oregon Olive Mill, The Meadow, and Zweifel Farm’s Eggs.
Their beverage menu is quite lengthy given the size and location of the restaurant. I can always find a favorite Pacific Northwest wine or beer on the menu.
I've dined here several dozen times over the past 41 years, and have had the pleasure of enjoying meals from their breakfast menu, lunch menu, and dinner menu.
Here's a look at some of the dishes my husband, kids, and I enjoyed on a recent visit. All of the prices listed are for the current lunch menu items; please remember that their menu and prices are subject to change and availability.
The house salad ($7.95) here is one of my favorites on the Oregon Coast, because it's more than just a plate of iceberg lettuce and shredded carrots. The greens are always fresh, topped with sunflower seeds and marinated red onions, with fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and carrots.
As you can imagine, being one of the oceanfront Cannon Beach restaurants, seafood is the highlight of the Wayfarer menu.
For lunch, we often enjoy an appetizer of fried calamari ($12.95), but I also recommend the garlic fries ($7.95) and I have heard amazing things about the Dungeness crab cakes ($21.95) and the Northwest Cheese Sampler ($13.95).
As far as entrees go, I can't remember ever having a dish I did not enjoy here. Stick with any of the seafood entrees, and you really can't go wrong. We love the Local Rockfish Tacos (pictured above, $15.95), which featureCumin-scented rockfish breaded in cornmeal, seared and folded into warm corn tortillas with pico de gallo, fresh corn, topped with pepper jack cheese. It's served with shredded lettuce, sliced avocado and black beans. So delicious!
Their Beer Battered Fish and Chips ($21.95) are made with fresh Alaskan halibut, with tender and flavorful fillets inside and fried with a perfect batter crust on the outside. If you've never enjoyed Pacific Northwest salmon before, then I recommend trying their Pinot Noir Salmon ($29.95) if it is available at the time of your visit. It's finished on a cedar plank and served with their custom house-blend rice and fresh, seasonal vegetables.
The Wayfarer Restaurant has a great kids' menu, with really delicious breakfast items (the Teddy Bear Pancake for $5 is adorable and tasty!) and a good selection of lunch items that are just the right size.
My kids usually go for the Cheezer Pleezer ($5) which is made with my whole family's favorite: Tillamook cheese, and comes with french fries that get the nod of approval from my french fry-afficianado son.
My daughter also loves it and is clearly annoyed with me in this photo because she really just wants to continue diving into her grilled cheese.
Family food blogger confession: sometimes I will pretend to keep taking photos just because I like to bug the kids.
Mom, are you done taking photos yet?
No honey, just one more... nope that didn't work, so I just need to take another one, hold on...
Mooooooommmmm!
Meanwhile, I have 3 photos that are perfectly fine and 10 subsequent photos of them looking more annoyed. Hee hee! Shh: don't tell them. I just like to mess with them sometimes because they're just so darn cute. It's the little things, folks. ;)
Anywhoo... moving on to dessert. And, you MUST have dessert when you dine at the Wayfarer.
Some seasonal items change, but the chocolate cake appropriately called Heaven is, well, heavenly. 
Details
PRICE & RESERVATIONS
The prices at the Wayfarer are higher than many of the local cafes but on par with similar restaurants along with coast who offer full all-day menus, a full bar, a nice kids' menu, fresh local ingredients, and quite frankly, the view cannot be beat. This is perhaps not a place you can dine for breakfast, lunch, AND dinner during your entire stay at the Oregon Coast, but I highly recommend budgeting ahead of time and making it here for at least one of your meals. I also love that they take reservations, which I highly recommend making since the restaurant can fill up quickly during busy tourist seasons.
WHAT TO WEAR
Dress is casual here. It's the Oregon Coast: you can wear your beach attire, such as t-shirts and shorts, but don't walk in here in just your swimsuit. It is a nicer establishment than many of the other restaurants so feel free to dress up a little if you're here for dinner. That said, jeans and sweaters are just fine.
FAMILY-FRIENDLY
It is kid-friendly, and the waiters and waitresses have always been so great with our kids here. We've taken them when they were itty bitty babies through now, and have always felt comfortable dining here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with our kids. We've also dined here with large groups, and it's been great.
SERVICE
We've personally always had great service here. The staff has been friendly, attentive, and accommodating.
Jenn says
This restaurant looks delish! We visited Cannon Beach a couple of years ago and are due back for a trip. Will add it to the list of places to try! :)
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Hope you get to go back for a visit, Jenn! Thank you for stopping by!
michelle says
this looks and sounds like the type of restaurant that i would love to dine at. i will keep this in mind for my trip to Oregon
Elaine says
OMG That dessert looks to die for!! I'm a choc-aholic! :-)
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
It really is amazing, Elaine! Thanks for stopping by!
Melinda says
I would love to try this place. Actually, I would love to try any place at Cannon Beach that isn't called Mo's, but we always seem to end up there. Sigh....one of these days....
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Ahh yes, Mo's. My parents used to love taking us there when we were kids and while it is a good spot, it's also great to branch out! And, price-wise, I think we spend just a tad bit more at Wayfarer than Mo's.
Erin @ Platings and Pairings says
I have actually not yet made it to Cannon Beach. We always head for Pacific City, since we have a place there, but I would so love to go someday! I'll definitely keep The Wayfarer on the list for when we head out here - It looks delicious!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Oh I hope you get to visit Cannon Beach soon! It's lovely, and there are a lot of spots that are still not as crowded if you explore even just a little bit out from Haystack Rock. We have always loved Pacific City too and go there often but it's definitely started getting overrun with tourists the past few years...like everyplace else on our beautiful coast, I suppose ;) Thanks so much, Erin!
Pech says
OMG that chocolate cake!!!!! I've been to Cannon Beach many times, but since usually F strongly strongly urges a stop at Camp 18 (50% because he has been seeing their same cats for years... if that's a reason). We don't have room in our stomach for a meal at Cannon Beach since it's so soon after. But maybe I'll force a stop for dessert next time.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
We always drive right on by Camp 18 because it's so crowded but I hear it's wonderful! I'll need to stop by sometime this year!
Rachel Osborn says
Beautiful pictures and what great memories! I've never been to Oregon, but seriously considering going just for that Tillamook grilled cheese sandwich! :)
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Tillamook grilled cheese sandwiches just down the highway from Tillamook cheese factory are definitely a reason to visit! :) Thanks, Rachel!
Katie says
I live on the east coast of Canada and haven't been to many US states. Oregon has suddenly jumped to the top of my travel wish list!! Looks like such a fun and beautiful place to visit :)
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
I've only been on the west coast of Canada and would love to see your side of Canada, Katie! If you ever get to Oregon, drop me a note on Twitter or Instagram @UrbanBlissLife!