Quimby's Restaurant is Closed
Circa 2004
QUIMBY'S full service lounge featured a full bar with all of your favorite cocktails and after dinner drinks.
A fine selection of Northwest wines to choose from, with microbrews on tap in a warm, comfortable, casual setting. You could enjoy a meal or an appetizer in a delightful smoke free environment.
This was their website. Content is from the site's 2004 archived pages.
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Satisfy your appetite with our hearty dinners.
Chef de Cuisine Armando Martinez combines local and Northwest ingredients for the very best in fine yet casual dining.
The freshest seafood, meats, herbs, and produce, all artfully prepared.
Quimby’s Catering, the premier Central Oregon Coast caterer, will take the guesswork out of your next catered event. We begin by meeting you, discussing your needs, and subsequently planning your meal from appetizers to desserts. Fresh ingredients, local whenever possible, are always used in preparing for your event.
Quimby’s Catering offers you the choices needed to make your special event a truly memorable affair. The menu ideas below or your own custom crafted menu will enable you to enjoy a superb, hand crafted meal at the location of your choice
Availability of Our Restaurant for Your Event
Quimby’s Restaurant is available for your special event. We will close the restaurant to accommodate larger parties. Our capacity is 70 seated and approximately 90 standing. Please call for more information.
Tasting
Given adequate advance notice, we can arrange a tasting of our catering menu before you decide to order. We charge $10 per item, providing enough for 2 to sample. We will deduct 50% of these charges if we cater an event for you.
Our Menu Ideas
Quimby’s offers buffet, plated, or meals dropped off for you to serve. You may even pick-up your food service at the restaurant. Below are some ideas to give you an example of the type of food we prepare. Prices will be dictated by your choices and the amount of items you require. Luncheons are available and can be discussed when you call.
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HOW TO FIND US
FROM HIGHWAY 101:
Turn west at the light at the corner of Highway 20 (Olive Street) and Highway 101. Continue toward the ocean for three blocks. Cross SW Coast Street. Quimby's Restaurant is on the right at the corner of Olive and Cliff Streets, across from the Newport Performing Arts Center.
In Historic Nye Beach.
FROM THE INTERNET:
Thanks to the magic of SEO, we are very findable online. Search for our name, our menu, of location or go directly to quimbysrestaurant.com. TNG/Earthling's Bob Sakayama made that possible and is probably the reason you're reading this right now. He found us when he escaped New York City on a summer vacation in the NorthWest, and has taken upon himself to help us become more visible on the internet. He always orders the wild mushroom risotto and crispy oysters, w/ horseradish on the side.
PRESS
Oregon Coast can warm your heart in the winter
LATITUDES AND ATTITUDE ALISON DAROSA
August 7, 2005
I'm hooked on the Oregon Coast. For more than 20 years, my husband and I hibernate annually for two or three weeks on the central Oregon Coast. We go in winter, when tourists are scarce and weather inspires cuddling.
We stay in the same room at the same place: nothing fancy, a former Best Western – but the Surfrider Resort in Depoe Bay is perfectly situated on an oceanfront bluff, and breakfast is served until 2 p.m. The tides and weather determine how we spend our days: At low tide, we walk wide, sandy beaches that stretch for miles, often finding no imprints in the sand but our own when we backtrack. When the tide is high or the weather isn't cooperative, we scavenge used bookstores, explore galleries or curl up in recliners by the fireplace in our room to read novels we've stockpiled during the year. Or we simply watch storms.
We know neighborhood restaurants up there as well as we know our favorite hangouts at home. On sunny afternoons, we hunker at a picnic table at The Crab Cooker along Newport's harborfront and stuff ourselves on fresh-from-the-pot Dungeness crab, slathered in butter. Former San Diego attorney Steve Halsey, burned out on practicing law, is the chief crab cooker. We consider his lifestyle change as delicious as the crab. Steve intoduced us to Don Duncan, refugee from the Big Apple and previous life running a neighborhood carpet cleaning NYC business, who pointed us to Quimbys. Don still plies his rug cleaning service part time on the OR coast for restaurants & bars, so he knows them all.
The hands-down best clam chowder on the coast is at Quimby's in funky Nye Beach. Mike Downing is owner-chef – the same Mike Downing who was owner-chef at Quimby's in Rancho Santa Fe. When he closed down that longtime Ranch staple in the early '90s, he put all furnishings into storage. In 2002, he transplanted the booths, bar, stained-glass windows, even the front door to Nye Beach. These days he's smoking salmon, serving killer crab cakes and winning chowder cook-offs. A Quimby's oyster dish just took first place at the Newport oyster cook-off. Is he happy? As a clam.
The family-owned Italian Riviera is where we go when we need a hearty fix of baked ziti or calzone – or feel the urge to slow dance. Piano man Ric DiBlasi is co-owner of the Riviera with his wife, Valerie. Her mother reigns as maitre d'. DiBlasi's domain is the lounge adjacent to the dining room. Larger-than-life cutouts of jazzmen pop on the walls. A curtain of rose-colored tinsel crowns the stage. There's a small patch of dance floor and a tier for dining. Think suburban Jersey Italian-American home away from home.
DiBlasi has taught us to time our getaways: The last Saturday of each month is Torch & Swing night at Italian Riviera. Regulars include guys like Dave Hutson, who played sax with Harry James and plays just about everything for DiBlasi. Patty George is the earthy gravel-voiced crooner. Sometimes her father, pianist Pat George, who played with Leroy Vinegar and Duke Ellington, sits in. During one visit, vacationing members of the Miller Brothers Blues Band from Portland took over the stage. Sometimes performers headlining at the Indian casino up the coast slip in. Jammin' at the Riv': "It's great fun," said Wayne Thompson, editor of Jazzscene magazine, who shared our table this winter.
On our last night before heading home, our routine is to reserve a window table at Tidal Raves on Depoe Bay. We sip a Willamette Valley pinot noir, order mussel spinach bisque, clam steaks and slaw, a big chocolate chunk cookie for the road.
The next morning, when we check out, we book the same room for the same time next year.
Menu
| Dungeness Crab and Avocado Cocktail Dungeness crab, diced avocado, salsa fresca, and crème fraîche |
12.95
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| Chef Mike’s Steamer Clams 1# of steamer clams in a broth of white wine, lemon, tomato, green onion, lots of garlic, chili flakes, butter, a touch of cream and garlic bread for dipping |
9.95
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| Chef’s Crab Cakes The best crab cakes you will ever taste – crab, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, garlic, shallots, roasted bells, lemon, and panko crumbs, with rémoulade sauce |
8.95
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| Armando’s Grilled Prawn and Avocado Salad Baby mesclun greens, char grilled prawns, diced avocado, diced tomato, fresh basil and a lemon-balsamic vinaigrette |
9.95
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| Fried Calamari Thinly sliced tubes with tents, pressed into spicy flour and quickly deep fried to a golden brown, served with chipotle mayonnaise |
7.95
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| Goat Cheese, Roasted Garlic, & Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Freshly roasted garlic, sun dried tomato and pecan pesto, herbed goat cheese, and foccacia bread; put it together for a wonderful appetizer for two! |
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Served with freshly baked foccacia bread
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| Quimby’s Louis Salad greens topped with Dungeness crab, rock shrimp, artichoke hearts, tomato, egg, and avocado, served with traditional Louis salad dressing |
15.95
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| Smoked Salmon Caesar with Rock Shrimp Chopped romaine hearts, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and croutons, tossed with our rich Caesar dressing, topped with house smoked salmon and rock shrimp |
13.95
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| Plain Caesar |
7.95
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| With Grilled Chicken Breast |
9.95
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| Spinach Salad with Candied Hazelnuts Baby spinach leaves tossed with candied hazelnuts, red onion, sliced mushrooms, bacon, chopped egg and our raspberry balsamic vinaigrette |
9.95
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| Quimby’s Chef Salad Baby mesclun greens, sliced ham, turkey, Swiss cheese, cheddar, grape tomatoes, Kalamata olives, egg, and sliced avocado, with 1000 Island dressing |
12.95
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| Everything But The Kitchen Sink Salad Avocado, diced tomato, chopped egg, bacon, chicken, salami, green onion, hearts of palm, bell peppers, mushrooms, tossed with our balsamic vinaigrette and topped with cucumbers and crumbled gorgonzola cheese |
12.95 |
| Thai Peanut Pasta with Chicken Tender chunks of chicken breast in a saute with bell peppers, onions, button mushrooms, and a sweet and hot peanut sauce tossed with udon noodles |
16.95
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| Neptune’s Risotto Salmon, prawns, bay scallops, and Alaskan cod in a lemon cream sauce with green onions, diced tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and saffron risotto |
18.95
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| Chicken or Rock Shrimp Alfredo Tender bites of chicken breast meat, or rock shrimp, sautéed with mushrooms and green onions, in a rich parmesan cheese cream sauce with penne pasta |
15.95
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| Baked Smoked Salmon with Crab Shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, house smoked salmon and Dungeness crab, tossed in a cream sauce with penne pasta, and baked with a Parmesan cheese crust |
19.95
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| Wild Mushroom Risotto Sweet Arborio rice, slowly simmered in white wine and fresh vegetable stock, filled with wild mushrooms, chanterelles, porcini and shiitakes, shallots, garlic, lots of freshly shredded Parmesan cheese, finished with butter and topped with frizzled leeks |
16.95 |
| Chicken and Prawn Pesto Pasta Tiger prawns and bite sized pieces of chicken breast in a sauté with onions, tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, fresh basil pesto, white wine and penne pasta |
17.95 |
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MEATS
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| Italian Pork Cutlets Thin slices of pork loin stuffed with smoked mozzarella, prosciutto ham, and fresh sage, served with house mashed potatoes and a sauce of white wine, lemon, garlic, shallots, and toasted pine nuts |
17.95
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MEAT ENTREES
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Served with freshly baked foccacia and your choice
of our soup, clam chowder or house salad |
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| Friday and Saturday are Prime Rib Nights at Quimby’s !!! Mouth watering prime rib, served with a cheese and bacon filled twice baked potato, horsey sauce, freshly made au jus, and today’s vegetable Our Cut, 10-11 ounces |
15.95
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| Smoked Rib Eye Steak We quickly smoke a whole prime rib for the alder wood flavor, then cut the ribinto 11-12 ounce steaks; these are char broiled to your liking, then toppedwith a Gorgonzola cheese and rosemary compound butter, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables - a huge favorite brought back for you! |
19.95 |
| Chicken Napoli Sautéed and oven finished breast of chicken, with a light sun dried tomato pesto cream sauce with prosciutto ham, fresh basil and garlic, served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables |
15.95
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| Quimby Burger - (without soup or salad 8.50) One-half pound fresh ground chuck, our dressing, lettuce, tomato, sweet pickle chips, and red onions, served with house fries; we cook our patties medium rare, or to your specifications |
10.50
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| Stuffed Double Pork Chop Stuffed with a roasted caramelized apple and shallot stuffing, sauced with maple-balsamic glaze, served with roasted garlic mashed and vegetables |
16.95
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Filet Mignon with Tempura Prawns |
25.95
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FISH ENTREES
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| Crab-Stuffed Boneless Trout Completely boneless, sauteed trout fillet with crab stuffing and a shrimp cream sauce, with lemon thyme Basmati rice pilaf |
18.95
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| Chef’s Salmon Oven roasted Atlantic salmon fillet with a marionberry Port wine reduction,roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables |
17.95
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| Crispy Oysters Cold water oysters lightly dusted in rice flour and fried until crispy, served with our spicy chipotle mayonnaise, house rice pilaf and today's vegetable |
17.95
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| Alaskan Cod Fish and Chips Tempura battered Alaskan cod pieces, served with house fries and spicy slaw |
13.95
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| Chef Mike’s Steamer Clams 2#’s of steamer clams in a broth of white wine, lemon, tomato, green onion, lots of garlic, chili flakes, butter and a touch of cream, served with a dish of today’s fresh vegetables, and garlicky grilled foccacia bread for dipping |
19.95
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| Chef's Crab Cakes Crab, capers, roasted pepperes, fresh herbs, shiitake mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon and panko bread crumbs, served with our remoulade style tartar sauce, rice pilaf and today's vegetable |
18.95
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| Prawn Sauté Large prawns, diced tomatoes, green onions, sliced mushrooms, capers, garlic, and shallots in a white wine lemon butter sauce |
18.95
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| Quimby’s Seafood Stew Today’s fresh fish, prawns, rock shrimp, calamari, scallops and clams, slowly simmered in a rich broth of tomatoes, onions, saffron, lemon and white wine |
18.95
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| Australian Cold Water Lobster Tail Firm lobster meat, baked to absolute perfection, served with drawn butter, lemon, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and tonight’s vegetable selection |
Market Price |
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Wine List
By the Glass Redwood Creek Chardonnay 5.50 By the Bottle White Wines Chardonnay, Hogue (WA) 18.00 Chardonnay, Edna Valley (CA) 22.00 Sparkling Korbel Brut, 187 ml. (CA) 7.00 Red Wines Pinot Noir, Stangeland (OR) 22.00 |
Quimby's Restaurant in Newport, Oregon is pleased to offer e-mail reservation requests to our dining guests.
Our e-mail is checked daily. Please send your request a minimum of 24 hours prior to your intended visit. You will receive a confirmation of your request via e-mail. Reservations must be confirmed by our office to get into the reservation book.
When sending your request, please include your name, the number in your party, and of course your requested date and time. We will do our very best to accommodate every request.
You can also phone in your reservation at (541) 265-9919 or toll free at 1-866-QUIMBYS (784-6297).
Thank you for contacting Quimby's Restaurant. We look forward to serving you!
Owner-Chef Mike Downing and The Quimby's Staff
More Background On QuimbysRestaurant.com
QuimbysRestaurant.com served as the digital home of Quimby’s Restaurant, a well-regarded independent dining establishment located in Newport, Oregon’s historic Nye Beach district. Though the restaurant has since closed, its website remains an important archival artifact—preserving a detailed snapshot of early-2000s Pacific Northwest coastal dining culture, chef-driven regional cuisine, and the growing role of the internet in shaping small, destination-based hospitality businesses.
During its active years, QuimbysRestaurant.com functioned not merely as a marketing tool, but as a comprehensive public record of the restaurant’s culinary philosophy, menu development, event services, and place within the cultural fabric of the Oregon Coast. Today, the site continues to be accessed through archival platforms, restaurant history projects, and digital preservation efforts, offering valuable insight into an era when independent restaurants began asserting strong online identities well before social media dominance.
Ownership and Culinary Leadership
Quimby’s Restaurant was led by owner-chef Mike Downing, a seasoned culinary professional whose reputation extended beyond Oregon. Prior to establishing Quimby’s in Newport, Downing was associated with a namesake restaurant in Rancho Santa Fe, California. When that earlier venture closed in the early 1990s, many of its physical elements—booths, bar fixtures, stained glass, and even the front door—were preserved and later transported north, forming the physical backbone of the Nye Beach location.
This act of relocation was symbolic as well as practical. It represented continuity of vision and craftsmanship, grounding the Newport restaurant in a lineage of chef-owned dining that emphasized personal accountability, hands-on leadership, and consistency. QuimbysRestaurant.com reinforced this identity by presenting the restaurant as chef-driven, ingredient-focused, and deeply connected to its coastal surroundings.
The site also highlighted the contributions of Chef de Cuisine Armando Martinez, whose role underscored the collaborative nature of the kitchen and its commitment to Northwest-inspired menus that balanced refinement with approachability.
Location and Geographic Context
Quimby’s Restaurant was located at the corner of Olive and Cliff Streets in Newport, Oregon, directly across from the Newport Performing Arts Center and within the historic Nye Beach neighborhood. Nye Beach has long been known as one of Newport’s most culturally vibrant districts, blending galleries, independent shops, performance spaces, and locally owned restaurants into a compact, walkable enclave overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
QuimbysRestaurant.com placed strong emphasis on this setting, providing detailed directions and contextualizing the restaurant as part of a broader cultural itinerary. Visitors attending performances, gallery openings, or seasonal festivals were encouraged to integrate dining at Quimby’s into their experience of the coast.
The proximity to Highway 101 made the restaurant accessible to both locals and travelers, while its placement within Nye Beach aligned it with a community that values creativity, authenticity, and small-scale enterprise.
Menu Philosophy and Culinary Identity
One of the most substantial and enduring contributions of QuimbysRestaurant.com is its extensive documentation of the restaurant’s menu. The site presented a wide-ranging selection that reflected the culinary trends of the early 2000s while remaining firmly rooted in Pacific Northwest ingredients.
Seafood played a central role, with dishes featuring Dungeness crab, oysters, prawns, salmon, cod, scallops, and clams sourced from cold coastal waters. Preparations emphasized freshness, balance, and technique rather than excessive ornamentation. Signature offerings such as crab cakes, steamer clams, seafood risotto, and crispy oysters were frequently cited in reviews and press coverage.
At the same time, the menu accommodated diverse tastes. Pasta dishes, risottos, meat entrées, and composed salads reflected influences ranging from Italian and Mediterranean traditions to contemporary American bistro cuisine. The presence of prime rib nights, smoked rib-eye steaks, and carefully prepared pork and chicken dishes reinforced the restaurant’s appeal as both a special-occasion destination and a reliable local favorite.
The website’s detailed menu listings—complete with descriptions and pricing—offer modern readers a rare level of transparency into how independent restaurants structured their offerings during this period.
Wine Program and Beverage Offerings
Quimby’s beverage program was carefully curated to complement its food menu while showcasing regional producers. The wine list emphasized Oregon varietals—particularly Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris—alongside select offerings from Washington and California.
QuimbysRestaurant.com presented wines by the glass and by the bottle, making the program accessible to casual diners while still appealing to enthusiasts. The inclusion of Northwest microbrews on tap further reinforced the restaurant’s regional focus and alignment with local tastes.
The full-service lounge, highlighted prominently on the site, positioned Quimby’s as a social gathering place as well as a dining destination. Cocktails, after-dinner drinks, and a relaxed bar atmosphere played an important role in the restaurant’s identity, especially during evenings and special events.
Catering, Events, and Community Use
Beyond regular service, Quimby’s operated a significant catering arm, which the website described in depth. Quimby’s Catering was promoted as a premier option on the Central Oregon Coast, capable of handling events ranging from intimate gatherings to large receptions.
The restaurant itself was available for private events, with capacity figures clearly outlined. Tastings were offered to prospective catering clients, reflecting a professional, customer-focused approach that was still relatively uncommon among smaller independent restaurants at the time.
QuimbysRestaurant.com framed catering not as an auxiliary service but as an extension of the restaurant’s core philosophy: high-quality ingredients, thoughtful preparation, and personalized attention.
Reviews, Reputation, and Public Reception
During its operational years, Quimby’s Restaurant enjoyed a strong reputation among locals and visitors alike. It was frequently cited in travel writing and lifestyle journalism focused on the Oregon Coast. Reviews praised the quality of the seafood, the warmth of the service, and the restaurant’s ability to balance sophistication with comfort.
Food writers highlighted standout dishes such as clam chowder, crab cakes, and oyster preparations, and noted the consistency of execution across visits. The restaurant’s success in regional food competitions, including oyster and chowder cook-offs, further cemented its standing.
QuimbysRestaurant.com amplified this reputation by presenting excerpts from press coverage and situating the restaurant within broader narratives about coastal travel, seasonal migration, and the rhythms of Oregon Coast life.
Audience and Clientele
The restaurant attracted a diverse audience. Local residents considered it a reliable staple for dinners, celebrations, and out-of-town guests. Tourists discovered it through word of mouth, travel articles, and online searches, often incorporating it into annual or seasonal trips.
The site’s tone suggested an audience that valued quality and experience over trendiness. Quimby’s was positioned as a place where repeat visits were expected and relationships mattered—between kitchen and diner, between restaurant and community.
Digital Presence and Early SEO Awareness
QuimbysRestaurant.com is notable for its early embrace of search visibility. At a time when many small restaurants relied solely on printed guides or hotel referrals, Quimby’s invested in a standalone website that provided exhaustive information: menus, directions, reservations, event policies, and background narratives.
This comprehensive approach anticipated later best practices in hospitality marketing. The site treated online visibility as an extension of hospitality itself—making the restaurant “findable” and understandable before a guest ever walked through the door.
As a result, the site continues to appear in search results and archival indexes long after the restaurant’s closure, extending its digital afterlife.
Closure and Archival Afterlife
Like many independent restaurants, Quimby’s eventually closed, a fact now reflected in third-party platforms and local business listings. However, closure did not erase its impact. The preservation of QuimbysRestaurant.com through web archives ensures that its menus, philosophy, and role within Newport’s dining history remain accessible.
For researchers, food historians, and digital archivists, the site provides unusually rich documentation of a regional restaurant at a specific cultural moment—before social media, before delivery apps, and before standardized online templates reshaped how restaurants present themselves.
Cultural and Social Significance
Quimby’s Restaurant occupied a meaningful place in Newport’s social ecosystem. It was a gathering spot for locals, a discovery for visitors, and a contributor to Nye Beach’s reputation as a cultural hub. The restaurant supported local fisheries, showcased regional wines, and helped define what “Northwest cuisine” meant in practice rather than abstraction.
QuimbysRestaurant.com preserves this legacy in text form. Its language reflects pride without pretension, hospitality without excess, and professionalism rooted in personal stewardship. In doing so, it offers insight into how independent restaurants once narrated their own stories—directly, thoroughly, and with confidence in the value of what they offered.
Legacy and Continuing Relevance
Today, QuimbysRestaurant.com stands as more than a defunct business website. It is a case study in early restaurant web presence, a record of coastal culinary culture, and a reminder of the human scale that defined much of American dining before consolidation and algorithm-driven discovery.
Its continued accessibility underscores the importance of digital preservation—not only for major institutions but for local businesses whose stories are deeply woven into regional identity.