Some days, it’s Bank of the Cascades employees. They’ll flood into High Tides in groups of two or three diners, who then talk across tables during lunch like kids in a school cafeteria.

Other times seem to be ”legal days, all judges and lawyers,” says Mary Lynne Hamlin, who owns the Bond Street seafood restaurant along with her husband, Jon, a Culinary Institute of America-trained chef.

”And then, sometimes, it’ll just be all women,” Mary Lynne says.

”It’s a seafood restaurant, so different currents and tides bring in different groups,” explains Jon.

To make sure it’s a waxing tide and not waning, a restaurant must make a good first impression – and then make good on it, say the Hamlins.

The two have endeavored to do that for six-and-a-half years at High Tides Seafood Grill. They have owned a second seafood establishment, Tidal Raves, for twice as long in Depot Bay.

On the coast, business is always feast or famine, with the feast reliably happening during tourist season, say the Hamlins. There, hungry diners willingly wait around for a table to open.

In Bend, they’ve had to be more savvy, lest someone’s hunger compel them to choose another restaurant on a block loaded with choices.

”I’ve always said, everybody will do all right during tourist season, but if you don’t have the locals, they won’t take care of you during the slow times,” Jon Hamlin says. ”You have to stand out a little bit. You have to have a product that’s a little better, consistent.”

Because High Tides can secure food from its two suppliers six days a week, Hamlin says he’s able to serve quality food at a reasonable price, despite what he calls the ”skyrocketing” price of seafood.

Before owning their own restaurants, the Hamlins worked for high-end resorts and clubs. The two met while Jon was doing an externship from the Culinary Institute of America at Sacramento’s Del Paso Country Club.

”We have a lot of customers who feel like this is their restaurant,” Jon says. ”It’s important for me that, like the members of the clubs, our customers feel that this is their restaurant, that they’re a part of it.”

Patrons have a varied menu to choose from in ”their” restaurant, which seats 48 and is open for lunch and dinner on weekdays and dinner on Saturdays.

The lunch menu begins with house soups (cup, $3.50; bowl $4.50) like the Smoked Salmon Chowder and Spinach Oyster Bisque. Specialty soups include Thai Fish Soup, with halibut, rice, coconut milk, cilantro and lemon grass in curry broth (cup, $3.95; bowl $5.95).

A variety of salads also are served, including the Shrimp Louie, which comes replete with relishes and fresh fruit ($7.50).

Sandwiches available include surf items such as Razor Clam ($6.95), the Halibut Burger ($7.50) and Crab and Shrimp Salad ($7.50) as well as turf fare like the Breast of Turkey ($5.95 full; $4.75 half) and Latin Chicken, rubbed with spices and grilled with onion, peppers and pepperjack cheese ($6.95).

Included in the Express Lunch menu are ever-popular items like Fish Tacos ($6.50) and Fish and Chips ($7.95), both made with halibut.

Dinner appetizer offerings include Pacific oyster baskets, deep-fried or pan-fried (half basket, $5.50; full, $8.50) and Scully’s Sampler, with tiger shrimp, scallops, oysters and halibut, garlic sauteed or deep-fried ($8.50).

The same soups and salads served during lunch are available at dinner.

As for dinner entrees, you have your choice of traditional items including the Dungeness crab and rock shrimp casserole in white wine sauce with penne pasta and havarti cheese ($16). The Tiger shrimp can be garlic sauteed or Cajun sauteed with olive oil and served with Basmati pilaf. It comes in servings of 8 ($15) or 12 ($18).

Chef Jon also makes specialty entrees such as lemon-caper sturgeon, grilled with lemon baste and served in a light sauce of capers and shiitake mushrooms ($16). Thai barbequed Tiger shrimp features curry and peanut sauce on pan noodles in servings of eight ($15) and 12 ($18).

All entrees are served with house soup or green salad and are also available a la carte, and desserts are also served if you have the room.

Given that the Hamlins appear to run a tight, sturdy ship – High Tides’ 10 employees have worked there an average of four years – is anything about their restaurant like the leaky, creaky Rocco’s, depicted in the NBC ”reality” show ”The Restaurant”?

”It’s high-pressure sometimes. It can be chaotic at times,” Jon says. ”But I like to think it’s controlled chaos.”

”It’s something I absolutely love to do. It’s either in your blood or it’s not. But I’m glad they’re not doing the reality show here.”

David Jasper can be reached at 541-383-0349 or djasper@bendbulletin.com.