We moved into the area and have already grabbed food here multiple times because between unpacking…read moreand chores to get the new place in order, we kept running out of time and/or energy to make a meal. I'm so grateful that they have generous hours and awesome home-cooked style food. This is like a greasy spoon had a baby with your grandma's recipes. Absolutely everything we've had from the breakfast burritos to the burgers to the Swiss dips have been so delicious, huge portions, and 100% not low calorie! We were even able to call ahead from the house for a pick up order which made it much faster to get our food because they're a small staff team so if you order in person the food can take a bit, but there's plenty to check out inside, or you can take a stroll downtown. Everyone here is also super friendly, and if you get the chance to grab one of the homemade desserts they're awesome too! I snagged a raspberry bar and took the suggestion of heating it in the microwave for 30 seconds - amazing! Highly recommend this place and I know we'll be back again and again now that we're close by!

We recently moved to the area and tried The Black Iron Grill for the first time on May 28, 2026,…read morecoming in the early afternoon for a late lunch. My husband and I came in through the back/side door to dine in, and our server, Kris S. (per receipt 5EGX), told us to sit wherever we wanted. There was only one other customer inside, so the restaurant was not busy at all. There weren't many customers sitting outside, either. We sat for about 15 minutes while Kris walked past us to assist an older gentleman who was dining in at roughly our 10:00. During this time, she never once stopped to ask if we wanted anything to drink or even acknowledge that we were waiting, yet she made multiple trips outside for reasons that were not clear. At one point the gentleman asked if he could fill his water bottle, and instead of simply helping him, Kris loudly shouted directions across the restaurant to tell him where the water station was. This went on for about 30 seconds and was quite a spectacle. After about 15 minutes, Kris finally came to our table and asked if we wanted something to drink. My husband said we were ready to order as well. Her response was snotty and dismissive--something along the lines of, "Well, I like to get your drink order first, and then we'll get your food order." After that rude interaction and the lack of basic hospitality, I pretty much lost my appetite and, honestly, if I could go back in time, we would have just left at that point. Unfortunately, we did stay and ordered food. The food eventually came, but I couldn't really eat mine because the entire experience had put such a bad taste in my mouth and I lost my appetite. My husband ordered a cheeseburger and said it was awful. We got to go boxes so as to not cause a scene, but we threw the food away as soon as we got home. Between the poor service and the disappointing food, there is nothing that would make us want to come back. I was surprised to see the good reviews for this place on Google, because our experience did not match them at all. It honestly makes me wonder if the positive reviews are mostly from bar regulars, friends, or acquaintances who might be getting different treatment than new customers. We are locals now, but unfortunately The Black Iron Grill will not be receiving any more of our business. My husband and I have lived in small towns all over this country, and we see the same pattern of predatory behavior from certain businesses: bad or apathetic service while taking advantage of locals who have fewer options and lower incomes, knowing many people can't easily drive out of town for alternatives. We're not in that position, so we choose carefully where we spend our money--and we don't have to spend it on bad service and bad people. Let's call this what it is: this was a woman on a power trip, making sure we knew who was in charge and that we were at her mercy as customers. To further highlight the predatory nature of this place, they charge $3 just to split a meal (on top of already marked-up food prices--this isn't Pelican Brewery on the coast). Given how hard times are for people these days, with inflation and everything else, and given that not everyone is a business owner, it's shocking you'd treat your community this way. We don't believe these people are clueless; we believe they are selfish and vain. Based on our experience, I cannot recommend The Black Iron Grill and would encourage others to think twice before dining here.

This is your basic old skool small town place that has been around forever but for a reason. I…read morestopped by and had their Sunday breakfast while I was in town on business. The place is basic but warm and inviting and when it's full of locals you know it will be good. As long as you are not in a hurry (think Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore) with one waitress you'll get a great meal at a great price.

We came in after a day of antique shopping. Wanted to sit down and have a nice lunch. The food was…read moregood, we ordered sandwiches with fries. The service was lacking, one of there staff members has a horrible attitude. He seems like he doesnt even want to be there. The restaurant is dirty. There's dust and greasy fingerprints everywhere. The carpet is stained with cobwebs in the corners. I overheard someone talking about ants in their soda last time they were in, so I didn't get a beverage. This feels like a local spot that caters to a regular crowd and isn't very accommodating to out of towners. I guess we should stick to what's on the main street.

Love this place! They support veterans, super friendly, and bomb food! Mandy is great!read more

It's more about family and family experience. The food is pure comfort and delicious. I don't…read morealways get pictures because with my family, we enjoy each other, no time for pics. Coffee is outta this world. They also can do veggie omelettes etc. they also honor First Responders and Veterans. As a local it's my favorite spot for quality, service, & fun!

Had a great late breakfast. The staff was very nice and pleasant along with the delicious omelette…read morethat I had. The restaurant was beautiful. Loved all the details. Next time I'm going to check out the outdoor Museum. Had a very nice chat with the owner. Definitely go come back

We drive past by here all the time on the way to and from the coast and finally decided to stop in…read morefor lunch around 1pm on a Friday. I will say that the location was super convenient for this business and it was cool to see the old logging equipment, the stream, the spacious outside patio, and the parking lot had big spaces set up for big RVs for the camping crowd. The inside had decorations for fall and a fun and cozy cabin feel. They also had a gift shop attached and 2 cute cats just hanging out and napping. With that said, I called before we got here to make sure their patio was open for dining since we had our dog with us. They said we can sit outside with our dog. When we got there, I checked in the hostess and he had to double check with maybe the waitress or manager before he sat us outside with menus. We waited over 15 minutes to get waters and our orders taken but no one came. So I went inside with my 2 little kids and let him know that no one came and if I can order with someone inside instead. Our waitress happens to be passing by and she finally took my order then. Food didn't take too long to get to us but our order was incomplete at first and she did not check in on us again for the rest of the meal after that. My daughter was missing part of her order even at the time when we went in to pay. There was another table that was seated outside after us with a dog and they got faster and better service with a different staff. I was honestly so disappointed in that experience and will likely not return because of that. We did enjoy our food of Country Fried Steak with flavorful gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. My Beef and Cheddar melt was tender and filling with the Au jus and crispy seasoned fries. And we could see why the giant cinnamon roll was $10. It was soft, gooey, and the perfect sweet treat to go with black coffee. If the service was better I would have added a star to my rating for sure. The only thing they have going here is their location and atmosphere, sadly the terrible disappointing service was not worth coming back to give their food another chance for me. You can come and decide for yourself.

What a treat!! The food and service was outstanding. The French onion soup was so delicious and has…read moreso many good layers. It's a good place to have a date. We sat outside by the river and it was beautiful!

Excellent everything, food was amazing, service, ambiance. Had the grilled New York steak and I…read morefinished everything on the plate. It's one of those dishes you want to eat slow to savor the flavors. Even the vegetables were amazing. The menu had our last name on it which was an especially nice touch and really made our valentines dinner extra special!

The BEST fish n chips I have ever tried. Great portion, fries were beautifully seasoned and fish…read morewas juicy with just the right amount of batter. The slaw is amazing too! Super friendly staff and seating along the river is refreshing! Must try: 3pc Cod with fries and coleslaw

Pricey, yet well worth it. Brother... this place smacked my fish n chips game into a new…read moreperspective. They play ball. Prices were high (I spent $20 on a 3 piece cod) albeit the quality softened that blow. I've already spread the word. This gem of a spot needs a visit. Right along the river as the name implies. Batter was right where it needed to be. Oh do I wish I could go back. Some fish n chip spots mess with the formula. I'm no specialist but when it comes to FnC it seems only few spots know how to get the batter right without drying out the fish. If you're in the Nehalem area you gotta try it.

Food was great Service was great…read moreGood environment Beer never went dry Under new ownership you gotta stop by and try it!

Ordered the Halibut Fish (the homemade tartar sauce (had some fresh dills and capers) was very…read moredelicious too) & Tots (fried to perfection), and Hungarian Goulash (Homemade Stew). Both were very good and homemade. The water is tap water.

i do really like this bar, or at least i used to. before when i came in there was darts, and video…read moregames. neither are still here. they said the video games upstairs will come back but the dart room is getting turned into video poker which i mean... i totally understand lol as a customer i want darts but as a business i get the lottery aspect (id do the same thing) the woman bartender was great, she explained things clearly and was VERY nice, she's the whole reason i even tipped. the guy was... nice? idk he didn't talk much but i have nothing negative to say about the workers at all! But just be aware they charge a $25 fee to keep your tab open. they say the fee comes back but i came into the bar with over $200 in my account, got two shots and two drinks between my friend and i, all well btw and my account miraculously is negative $25? the bartender says only one charge is from this bar but how do i come in with that much money, no bills were taken out and i still have yet to see my $25 fee come back into my account and im negative? idk something seems strange but overall the workers are mostly great! drinks are good, i'd just say be aware of the $25 fee for leaving your card open and screenshot all purchases while you're here.

Have been meaning to update this: I eventually went back and am happy I did. I haven't been…read moreyelping as much so I forgot to give me updated redeeming review. Glad I went back, we are regulars now. Food (the menu doesn't do it justice) at first looks small but then you realize there is a lot to explore Ambiance ( still cool ) Events (happening and really fun for our small/medium town)

Came in on a whim one day after one of the many events on the waterfront…read more Got a couple drinks with my brother and his fiancé, also shared some appetizers. We sat at the bar so service was excellent and everything came out quickly. The ladies working the bar were very friendly and checked in often. The spot in a typical dive bar feel. The dollar bills on the ceiling were probably my favorite part. I'm not out in Vernonia often but whenever I am I'll definitely stop back in for another drink.

I really like this dive bar. It's been here at the same location under various names for over 100…read moreyears. It's everything you could want in a dive bar. Great comfort food and lots of it for very reasonable prices. Outstanding wait staff! Parking can be a little tight but go around the corner and there is lots of parking if you don't mind walking a half a block. The sub shop next door has lots of parking but they get a bit snippy if bar patrons park there. For me it's a burger, fries and a Colorado koolaid. They do have a full menu but when I find something I like I tend to stick with it.