An unfortunate event lead to our trying this most excellent restaurant. A broken piece of artwork…read moreneeding restoration necessitated a trip to Bend, OR. Between the exceptionally good food at Hook and Plow, a most pleasant hotel experience, and a memorable trip to the High Desert Museum; our trip to Bend turned out to be a pleasure instead of the miserableness I expected. We had the Steak Tartare, the Chef's Board, the Blackend Crabcake, the Pear and Burrata Salad, and the Bone-in Pork Chop. We each got the cheesecake for desert and split the other dishes. This was more than enough for the three of us and we left full, happy, and with three large to-go boxes. The flavors of the various dishes were amazing. While all the dishes were vvery good, the standouts to me were the steak Tartare, the Pear and Burrata Salad, and the Cheesecake.

Bend, OR has its share of delicious fine dining restaurants and The Hook & Plow is no exception…read more While the food is on the high end side, the vibes were definitely more casual. We were greeted by the host and seated quickly. We started our meal with a delicious non-alcoholic drink and the Chef's Board: a charcuterie with an assortment of cured meats, rustic bread, and various spreads. That came out pretty quickly. Unfortunately, our main courses came out much, much later and lukewarm. Luckily, the food was good enough that it made up for the temperature. I had the NY strip steak. The steak and the Boursin mashed potatoes alone were very good. The pickled onions and chimichurri complemented the meat very well. The meal was supposed to include brussel sprouts but came with a grilled broccoli cauliflower assortment instead. My wife had the Scallop Risotto which was also a great recommendation from the server. In reality, The Hook & Plow deserved 3 1/2 stars but that's not an option on Yelp. It may have been an off night for the staff, so I will give them the benefit of doubt. We would be open to trying it again sometime in the future.

Wonderful, cocktails, generous portions, delightful weight staff. Highly recommend this…read moreestablishment.

Street Side Comfort Food Done Right at Zydeco…read more On a cool night in Bend, my family made a last-minute decision to grab dinner at Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails, and honestly it turned into one of our favorite meals of the trip. We were lucky enough to snag one of the last available tables, outside no less, but the overhead heaters kept the patio perfectly warm and cozy. Sitting street side watching people wander through downtown Bend while enjoying good food and cocktails gave the whole evening a relaxed and memorable vibe. One thing worth noting: make reservations if you can. Even on a cooler weekday evening this place was absolutely packed, and after eating there it was easy to understand why. The vibe walks a fine line between upscale and approachable. Busy without feeling chaotic, energetic without being loud, and the kind of place where you can just as easily have a family dinner as a date night. Great spot for couples, groups, or even grabbing a seat solo at the bar. Pricing felt right in line with the quality of food, cocktails, and overall experience. We started with cocktails, and it was immediately obvious the bar team knew what they were doing. The espresso martini was smooth and rich without being overly sweet, the Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned was balanced and spirit-forward, and the dirty martini had this savory umami quality that gave it a deep earthy finish that lingered in the best way. For appetizers, the BBQ shrimp over the southern grit cake absolutely delivered. Rich, buttery, smoky, and packed with flavor. The Village Baker bread with olive oil and the cane syrup butter topped with flaky smoked salt was another standout. Based on how quickly the plates were cleaned off the table, I would say both were a unanimous success. For dinner, I ordered the smoked pork chop and it was excellent. Thick cut, juicy, perfectly cooked, and paired with a bright salsa verde that cut through the richness perfectly. The dirty rice underneath carried a ton of flavor and rounded the dish out nicely. My daughter ordered the crispy half chicken and here's the pro tip: order it early because they do run out. We were told there were only a few left for the evening. The skin was beautifully crisp while the chicken stayed incredibly juicy, and the mashed potatoes and asparagus were simple but executed really well. My son-in-law went with the steak frites and was more than happy with the choice. The steak had a great crust, was cooked exactly to temperature, and the rogue smoky blue butter melted right into the meat giving every bite extra richness. The fries were thin, crispy, and impossible not to keep stealing off his plate. We also shared the cornbread with homemade butter and, as we say back home in Hawaii, it was "broke da mouth" good. Moist, slightly sweet, crispy around the edges, and dangerously easy to keep eating. What really stood out to me was the pacing of the meal and overall hospitality. Nothing felt rushed even with a full house. Drinks came out quickly, plates were timed well, and the staff genuinely seemed proud of the food they were serving. We especially enjoyed chatting with our waitress after finding out she had lived in Hawaii for six years. As visitors from Hawaii ourselves, it instantly gave the night a little unexpected "home away from home" feeling that made the experience even more memorable. Those little moments are what separate a good restaurant from one you genuinely remember after the trip is over. Zydeco delivered the kind of experience that makes you immediately start talking about when you can come back. Great food, thoughtful cocktails, strong hospitality, and an atmosphere that makes you want to stay awhile. Solid four-star experience and absolutely worth a stop if you are spending time in Bend.

Bad news. Good news…read more Bad news first is this: The Drake has been sold to new owners and TONIGHT, APRIL 12, WILL BE THE LAST DAY OF SERVICE at The Drake with the original owner and the current menu. So if you're hankering for the mac n cheese or shrimp n grits or veg burger or any of the menu items, after today they are history. I started eating at The Drake in their first week of business and had many, many, many meals there over the years but things change and so, it seems, has the popularity of The Drake. Now the good news. The new owners are a trio and one of them is also one of the owners of the inestimable Ken's Artisan Pizza in Portland that opened its' Bend location last year. (Go! Even if you have to stand in line for 45 minutes like I did.) The first news of this ownership change was that they would keep the name and current focus of The Drake. But local television news reports that after The Drake closes today it will be reimagined with a new name and design and menu. The opening for the new place is currently said to be Memorial Day weekend. I don't live in Bend anymore but there is still a family home there and so I visit on occasion and knowing a "Ken's" owner is involved in the new enterprise may make me brave the wicked-bad downtown parking to try this new place. In the meantime, I remember how fun and delicious it could be to eat at The Drake.

Very nice place we were trying to do something out of the norm because this was our first year…read morevisiting Ben without kids. They had a nice happy hour and very good drinks on it. They were simple and well-made and relatively strong. Very cute little location seating wasn't an issue, even though we didn't make reservation reservations ahead of time Just overall a very solid little spot, we got some sliders and some other little sides and everything was put together well and price right. Definitely acquired a place so probably good. We didn't bring the kids.

You can't call yourself a Bend local without paying respects to the place that started it all…read more Yeah, the wait can get long on summer weekends, but grabbing a pint of Black Butte Porter and a pub burger at the downtown house just never gets old. Always solid, no matter how much the town grows.

These days it's getting harder to find a veggie burger that isn't full of chemicals and trying to…read moresimulate "meat"; so we were thrilled when we came across Deschutes that had a veggie burger that was made from jackfruit and pinto beans! Yay! It was the best veggie burger my husband has had in a long time... he added avocado and vegan cheese (which did make it a bit pricey). Awesome that you can do many different sides including regular fries, Cajun fries, salad, chips, and more options... do wish they had onion rings however. I got the hummus plate which was good but not the best I've had. It came with a baguette which was more like garlic bread so I would have, personally, liked pita more. It also had a few olives on the side with a red pepper type sauce. I got it with no pickled onions. They had a great beer selection and even a few tasty non-alcoholic beers. Also had kombucha on tap which was delicious (from Humm). Everyone working was super sweet and the vibes were relaxed and casual. Our food came out quick and exactly how we ordered it. They also seemed to have spaces for larger parties, too. They also have a little gift shop if you wanted to pick anything from shirts, to bottle openers, to beer candles and more! Would come back again!

From the decor and atmosphere to the unique cocktails and attentive service, Dear Irene is one of…read moreBend's best restaurants. They offer a fixed menu with great starters, salads, and entrees. We ordered the scallops which were full of buttery deliciousness, the chicken which was cooked to perfection with crunchy breading on the outside, and a creamy polenta dish. You can't go wrong but be sure to order one of the salads. Our favorite was the baratta and citrus salad with olives and pine nuts. It has all the textures and sweet-salty goodness you could want. As for cocktails, our favorite was the pear and side piece drinks. The presentation is beautiful and they really are one of a kind. We'll be back!

I randomly stepped inside this place noticing the pretty decor and classy interior. The service was…read moreexceptional from start to finish. I was served by a tall male bartender who was incredibly personable--we talked quite a bit, and honestly, I'd go back just for that experience alone. That said, the drinks he crafted and the food that came out of the kitchen gave me plenty more reasons to return. I ended up ordering an impressive amount of food, and by the time I hit my fifth large course, he joked that he'd have to pinch himself if I actually finished it. I couldn't help it--everything was that good. He also pointed me toward the owner, who clearly knows exactly what he's doing in the kitchen and carries himself with confidence and intention. Every aspect of this place felt immersive, like stepping into a classy, well-directed film. The atmosphere, the food, the service--it all came together seamlessly.

Just tried J Dub for the first time. It was excellent! As a family of 6 it can be hard to eat out…read moreand not break the bank. J Dub had great food and very reasonable prices, especially the kids meals which were a great size and only $6! I also loved that they serve breakfast all day and I got the Cowboy breakfast for dinner and it was amazing!

Great selection of creative yet classic breakfast lunch and dinner options, appealing to the brunch…read morecrowd yet also such great vibes you could bring your grandmother! Parking is tricky but the blocks are short. Connor was a perfect host! We both loved the cowboy breakfast, eyeing the new special pork belly tacos. Will be back!

Very wonderful happy hour; and...the best espresso martinis in town!!…read more Went back for dinner; delightful experience!

Unimpressed. Loved the interior, the drinks were fine, the brussel sprouts were good...but service…read moreis what makes a spot and a cute interior can't make up for lack of good service. We were seated at the low seats at the bar but weren't given menus, so I had to walk up to the hostess stand for them after waiting for a decent amount of time. The red-headed bartender/server tried to walk away after taking our drink order and had to stop him from walking away to order food. There were no check-ins at the table, a hostess walked around once filling everyone's water but that was it (so we had empty water for about half the time we were there), I had to flag down the bartender by staring at him from across the bar to get his attention for a check, once I got the check he again tried to immediately walk off even though I had the card & wallet on the table and nearly immediately put it in the book, and in general he was not amiable. I actually asked my friend after the first interaction of 'do you think he's having a bad day or hates it here?'. Lastly, the oysters are listed as 'oysters' with no description but they are not normal oysters - they have green vinaigrette, some roe type orange topping, and personally weren't enjoyable. 2.5 for service and not listing ingredients. 3 because the brussel sprouts and drinks.

Service was amazing. Host was a very nice lady with blond hair and she was SO SO attentive. She…read moredidn't even know we weren't from here and still treated us so amazingly like we fit in! As a minority it's a scary thing not knowing what to expect in terms of how you are treated at a public establishment and this place deserves all the recognition!! I was greeted, offered coffee, not rushed. What a beautiful place and beautiful people who work here!

Very nice attentive service. I got the gluten free eggs ala Vinny. Buttery. Nicely poached eggs…read more The thick ham was a great addition and I liked the flavor of the gf bread. I got the sweet potatoes on the side and they tasted and looked like fries to me. My friend agreed with me that they were very dry. I'll try a different side next time. My friends got the huevos rancheros and the chicken bacon ranch sando and they both really loved their food!

I'm not a big steak person. In my years in Bend, I'd yet to go to any of the many steakhouses in…read moretown (except Blacksmith for burger and drinks at the bar), and there are quite a few. On a whim I decided I wanted a steak and Brickhouse was recommended by friends who do eat steak a lot. Good choice. I sat at the bar and ordered a 6oz filet mignon off the 4-5 PM menu. Absolutely no negatives. Everything was top tier including the service at the bar and cocktails. The space is quite comfortable and you're not subjected to loud music. I may become a steak eater.

I entered the doors in a full sprint, escaping the laughably powerful gusting walls of sleet…read morerolling down the street. I was glad to be greeted warmly before heading to the bar. I took a moment to study the vintage photo of the original firehouse that now serves as the brick bones of the restaurant. Awesome seeing the original garage doors and recognizing where the fire trucks would have sat in waiting. They even kept the fire pole above the bar. I found myself wishing other areas of the restaurant had been designed or decorated more intentionally to honor its soulful past. It wants to be a high class spot, but something about the interior design feels underwhelming. I enjoyed the drinks I tried although the menu seems a bit unimaginative. The energy was strange, maybe it was that night, but bar staff seemed to be a bit "altered" and on edge. One was wearing what may or may not have been an intentional cologne that smelled like the overpowering essence of hot rubber mixed with cigar smoke, and leather. I ended up ordering the fresh steelhead and it was amazing. Caesar salad was lovely. And the drink of the night was called something like a White Christmas but was sort of a wintery margarita. Awesome night in the end. But I prefer the Redmond location.

This is hands-down the best restaurant in Bend, Oregon--maybe even the best in the entire state…read more Everything you order here will be incredible. But if you go for the tasting menu, you're in for something special. It's not just dinner--it's an experience you'll remember. Honestly, it might be the best meal you'll ever have. And I don't say that lightly--I grew up in restaurants and worked in the industry for 10 years. We come here for every special occasion. It's absolutely worth it.

Ariana Restaurant was hands down one of the best dining experiences we've had. I took my…read moremother-in-law and she absolutely loved it as well, which made the night even more special. The food was perfectly cooked--thoughtful, refined, and incredibly delicious. Every dish felt intentional and beautifully executed. The staff was friendly, attentive, and struck that perfect balance of being present without being intrusive. Truly one of Bend's finer dining experiences. Elegant, warm, and memorable. We'll absolutely be back.