Went here for the first time last night and am highly impressed! Chef Ben Stenn has created a true fine dining experience with Celilo. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The atmosphere is casual and inviting but the food, both quality and presentation, steals the show.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We tried a gin cocktail that was as beautiful as it was inventive. We followed this with the brussel sprouts salad which was lightly roasted but still tasted and looked green in the most delightful way, with some kind of light dressing that celebrates the vegetables in the salad medley without overpowering them. We took Calvin's recommendation and ordered the special which was a three mushroom fettuccine: it was perfection. The pasta was served al dente, the mushrooms included shitake, hedgehog, and one other and all had a unique flavor that stood out with each bite. The pasta sauce was buttery but somehow almost effervescent, embracing but not suffocating, with just enough cheese to know it's there but not enough to have it overpower the dish. At this point we didn't think the meal could get any better but then we ordered the pear, huckleberry, and pluot sorbet made at Celilo and we're now committed to coming back. The sorbet featured locally sourced Bosc pears and that flavor may have been my favorite as it was unlike any other sorbet I have ever tasted. All were sweet but complex. Simply an amazing dining experience that I recommend to anyone fortunate enough to get a table here! read more

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The hostess was indifferent. The food quality was average. The wait staff was excellent. The Bar cocktails were excellent read more

My husband and I had high expectations for Celilo after making dinner reservations for Friday, July 3. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The restaurant has a great NW woodsy vibe & is situated in the heart of downtown Hood River.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We were seated at a pleasant window table & our server could not have been more pleasant or attentive. We ordered glasses of locally produced Chardonnay & liked it so much that we ordered a bottle. For an appetizer, we enjoyed fried oysters served over organic greens in a lovely sauce. However, the entrees that we ordered were a disappointment. My husband had the Rigantoncini. He ordered a full order but the portion size was still pretty small. Also, the sausage (which I sampled as well) was bland. Overall the dish was just dry & the ingredients, which looked tasty in the menu description did not come together as a cohesive dish. My entree was the fettuccine peas & fennel and it was a generous sized portion. It was served piping hot and fresh, but the combination of ingredients - pesto, chili flake & fennel as well as fresh herbs, were bitter and off. I know all restaurants have off nights & perhaps this is what happened. But for such simple dishes it's surprising how things could have gone so wrong. For a restaurant with such an excellent reputation and prices that reflect a fine dining experience, we know that Celilo can certainly do better. read more

Had dinner here last night. I had the Black cod - good flavor, but the portion of fish was very small for the price. Table service could use some improvement, not for lack of attention, but for too much of it. My companion's plate was immediately whisked away while I was still only half way through mine, which made me feel as if I was being rushed. On top of that, our server brought a dessert menu while I was still eating my main. Then another server came and asked if he could take my plate while was, again, still eating. [[HIGHLIGHT]]And it was a midweek night, the place was maybe half full.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] It's as if they were trying to set record time for getting us in and out the door. To management - please be mindful of your portions and give your customers space, and time, to enjoy their meals. read more

We had a super nice and knowledgeable waiter. [[HIGHLIGHT]]I liked the vibe of the restaurant. Upscale without the snobbery.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Food was excellent. The fall harvest veggies were fantastic. Wish I lived in this area and could revisit. read more

First time in Hood River and at this restaurant. We sat at the bar. Bartender was not very friendly or welcoming. Poor attitude and kind of snippy. Ordered cheese plate and uncharged for gluten free crackers. My husbands burger was dry and tasteless and very small. The fries were delicious though. I ordered Italian sausage pasta with gluten free pasta. The gluten free pasta was decent but it came with cooked radishes, who cooks radishes?? And a baby boy choy on top very strange combination. We had rhubarb ice cream for dessert very tasty but again the rude bartender was only going to give us one scoop to share until he informed us that it was served in a tiny espresso cup so luckily we ordered our own. Will not go back. read more

The food was marginal. We had a change of servers mid stream while the original server was still there. Seemed a little strange. The show they do with the flatware is a little over the top and wasteful. Each course they exchange the flatware. We have had better experience there in the past. We aren't sure we would go there again. read more

We didn't have reservations on a Saturday night, but was quickly seated. [[HIGHLIGHT]]We weren't thrilled that it was a very small round table tucked in a corner next to the bar.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We joked that "Nobody puts Baby in the corner!" Despite our disappointment, our server, Calvin (?), was excellent, as well as the young man who brought us our beverages. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Ambiance is quaint, low key and relaxed. We didn't feel rushed or hovered over. Loved it![[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We started with fries, crispy! And they were very crispy and yummy. Our mains consisted of the salmon and rice pilaf with baby bok choy. My cousin had the oyster mushrooms with orzo. We shared with one another and thoroughly enjoyed both dishes. We finished with dessert, recommended by Calvin: a steamed lemon pudding with huckleberry ice cream. Oh my word! Amazing, and perfect way to end the meal. We can highly recommend Celilo and then take a stroll downtown. Adorable! read more

The food was fantastic and the service the same. In support of local farms and purveyors this casually nice restaurant in charming Hood River should not be missed if you care about local food. Had a special appetizer of Humboldt blue, Gus and berries I can't stop thinking about and the fried oysters as well. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The only thing that de-elevated the experience were the quality of chairs. Comfortable but felt cheap and not deserving of this restaurant.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Highly recommend! read more

We love Celilo and would eat here every night if we could! Tonight they were closed for a private event and we ended up having a less than stellar experience elsewhere. The service is top notch. Wine selection is top. We love everything they offer but our consistent favorite is the Steak and Frites. Just like France. Thank you! read more

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As good as it gets! Suggest this is must chow down memorable time for delectable cuisine, superb service with convivial ambiance. We loved it! The plated fare is eye-poopin - looks fresh and delish. The taste of flavors on the plate is jaw-dropping - tastes even better than it looks. Way to go Chef's in the kitchen. Check out the pics. It's so mouthwatering lookin! Here's what we thought was just out-of-this world delish delish delish dishes we recommend: Fall vegetables - Saur Farm grilled bok choi, glazed turnips, and green beans over ginger-carrot puree, Raisin Hill Farm fig, and frisee. Finished will fig vinaigrette and tarragon aioli. Never have I tasted a plate of vegetables cooked and blended all together so good. The fig and aioli dressing made this vegetable pop on my taste buds. Pan seared Pacific Coho salmon served over flageolet beans, smoked bay shrimp, Steppingstone Farm confit tomato, scallion, and Calabrian chili aioli. Finished with summer squash slaw. Amazingly scrumptious! For desert fig cake and sour cream ice cream with strawberries was lip smackin light and right on tasty too! It was a perfect meal! Divine dining! We arrived at 5PM to grab one of the few first good first serve tables so we had time to get to know our server with some rapid fire tete-a-tete chit chat while the crowds flowed in. Thursday through Saturday you will need a reservation. Make it advance! read more

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I'm very glad a lot of locals like this spot. I'm neither local... nor like this spot. First time here, just passing through. Look, this is a nice place. But it's absurd to pay $19.00 for a BLT and have it come out and, if anything, it's HALF of an appetizer. I included two pictures herre to show how small it is. The darned thing looks like a dinner roll. A day later, I ate at the Oswego Grill in Lake Oswego, Oregon. It had the same vibe to it, in terms of how nice it was. My meal was four times bigger and the cost was two dollars cheaper. This was just insulting. BUT... 01. This was one of those "fancy" places where the light is left dim and the tables are all right on top of each other (at least ours were). 02. You can't really complain without it coming across like you're an a-hole or some Karen because everyone around you hears the whole conversation with the staff. 03. I tried to let our server know, in a good-natured way, when the item was brought out. I **did** say, "oh... how cute!!! That's pretty small." And the server laughed. I'm sorry she wasn't trained well enough to take a step back and read the signs. Or when she came back after I had the little fennel salad and asked how everything was and I said "I'll start on this in a bit, it's just so small I want to make sure I savor every bite." Nothing. 04. That means the only recourse left is to go from good-natured to more assertive. This puts the customer in an awkward, uncomfortable position, especially in 2023, when people are labeled as Karens and things are always recorded. On another review site, the owner responded and said: "It seems unfair to publish such a negative review about an issue we could have corrected had you brought it to our attention." Except, I DID bring it to my server's attention, but she had no ability read the signs... read the clues... As "unfair" as the owner may think about "such a negative review," it pales in comparison to the unfair nature of putting a customer in the position where they are forced to go from good natured to more assertive. Again, the area we were sitting had no space between us and the other three tables. Why would that have been right? The reaction to the review is everything I need to know to also know that, no, it probably wouldn't have been handled well at that time and would have created a worse experience. Also everything you need to know? Look at the pictures! If you feel worse about the review than you do about sending this $20 BLT out to a full-grown man, then that's all I feel anybody needs to know about the restaurant. End of story. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - Look at your own hand and you'll realize how small this was. - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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[[HIGHLIGHT]]Probably the fanciest restaurant in town.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] All the food was good and [[HIGHLIGHT]]it has a great upscale vibe.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Service was fair but nothing to write home about. Decent wine list and full bar. [[HIGHLIGHT]]Perfect spot for date night.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

The Caprese salad with peaches & Burrata destroyed me in the best way possible. Absolute perfection. Additionally, I got the wild mushroom fettuccine which did not disappoint, so delicious. Do not, I repeat do not get the half portion unless you are a child. It would be perfect for my grandmother who eats like a bird and can't handle more than five bites of food, but I wish I had gotten the full portion Brownie dessert was so so. I will absolutely go back. Service was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. read more

[[HIGHLIGHT]]Amazing ambiance with beautiful woodwork.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] We had delicious cheeses, shishito peppers, pesto, salmon & a burger. The service was attentive and friendly. At the end we got to try in-house made sorbets that were superb and moist cake. Highly recommend both deserts, make sure to save room! We love the ever-changing menu and can't wait to go back again! read more

We so wanted to have a great meal here - a favorite place since 2008 or 2009. And it is still! First - great martinis, followed by semi-light/shared dinner. Steak frites for me and a gem salad and pork tourine and house made coppa for Wayne. Host, service and bartender were great. Wine - local red blends that worked really well w/the food. Frankly, the only time we have dessert is if they have a crème brûlée- oops, they did! And it was sooo amazing!!! And Mike, our server was so good. read more

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I have lived in Oregon for 4 years and travel all over the state for work. With no exaggeration, this is the single best meal I have had since moving here. The service was amazing, every question answered, and I felt well taken care of. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The open doors on a perfect summer night set the mood and made the place feel welcoming and comfortable.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Such amazing use of fresh and vibrant ingredients made every single bite as good as the last. 10/10 why have I not been here before? read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - Peach and huckleberry tart with fresh fruits and ice cream. It was a seasonal item and the best dessert I have had in a long time. - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Love Celilo and stand in line for the 5:00 pm opening (7 my dinner time at home) for their Happy Hour and dinner. I have dined here every time I visit Hood River to check in and say hello to their amazing staff....Joshua, John, Lindsey, Tina, Rachel and a new person, Charlotte. They are so warm and welcoming. Hope I didn't miss anyone. I recommend highly! read more

I had such an amazing experience here ! We had a male server who was great and quick and efficient. We ordered our kids meal ASAP which they had a cheeseburger and fries . And it came out quickly . For us adults we ordered the bread which was to die for ! Then had two glasses of wine each they were both riesling , ordered two rare steaks which had so much flavor ! They were cooked perfectly ! and delish creme brûlée for dessert . Best service amazing food ! Everything was farm to table and it was phenomenal. The atmosphere is calm and chic ! Kid friendly . I brought three kids with me and my husband. I had a great time here ! Will definitely be back read more

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I ate here with my family and we ordered a cheeseboard, steak frites, New York Strip, Shrimp Fettuccine, and Lamb. The food was decent for its price, however both steaks were slightly over seasoned. We all really enjoyed the shrimp fettuccine, which featured a thick onion broth (soubise) rather than a cream sauce. The star of the dinner were definitely the cocktails and dirty martinis. I would definitely recommend to go here for a drink before or after dinner! It did take some time to receive our food and drinks after we ordered. Service was very relaxed. read more

Best dinner I have had in a while! Our waitress was fabulous and help us pick out food and drink. I had a ruby slipper mocktail, delicious. We had the carprese salad to start, died and gone to heaven! Then our entrees were amazing. [[HIGHLIGHT]]The inside is very cute.[[ENDHIGHLIGHT]] Everyone was super attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. I cannot wait to go back! read more

Incredible fare, great cocktails, nice chill environment. A welcomed change of pace from pub and brewery food that dominates the area. My husband's steak was perfectly seasoned, my shiitake pasta dish was fresh and delicious. Absolutely recommend to anyone visiting or who lives in the area and wants to take guests out for a nice dinner. read more

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This place was fantastic ! I highly suggest making reservations . But the scallops and steak were fantastic and. So we're the salmon cakes! The service And staff was also great! I would come back to this place next time I am in town! This is place is so delicious! read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Food is good but not great. I ordered the Cod and my husband ordered the steak, the steak came out dry. My cocktail is pouched swing tasted like Long Island ice tea, bland. Service is amazing read more

In a time when my expectations for excellence in dining is reduced Celilo shocked me with knowledgeable friendly staff, perfect timeliness, and precision. read more

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What a wonderful meal and beautiful restaurant in this lovely town! The service was excellent, the server recommended the baked clams, which we loved. I asked to delete the red pepper flakes, which they did. We split the pork shoulder and they plated it beautifully individually for each of us. And the fruit tart was scrumptious. Definitely on my list of to go restaurants while visiting Hood Ri read more

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Excellent friendly service, nice ambiance, delicious food that was fresh and flavorful

After 10+ years of steady reliance on Celilo's Happy Hour menu based on their mushroom pasta, steak friets, shrimp skewers, cornmeal oysters & green salad we were stunned to see a complete change in the menu tonight. Gone is the pasta, the steak friets, shrimp skewers & salad. Whyyyyyyyyh....??? The blood orange drops were perfect, & the oysters fine. But this new menu... not so much. Bring back the staples... please.l read more

Wow! Great service, and the most delicious meal I've eaten in a long time. I had the chicken with the chicken tamale, which came with Swiss chard and a mole sauce. I paired it with the their hard cider that was on tap. So good. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - Chicken tamale dinner with Swiss chard and mole sauce. - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

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Great dinner spot in Hood River. Went here with a coworker earlier this week. Really cool spot in the heart of town. Good atmosphere and great service. Quality local beer selection with a good wine list as well. I had the NY Strip with a local red wine suggested by our server. Everything was great, an overall awesome experience. I highly recommend for dinner. read more

Bland is an understatement. $32 pappardelle was over-cooked, paper thin and as flavorful as flour. The meat was sparse, had almost no flavor and was poorly ratio'ed to the dish. Overall, I'd place Stofers frozen lasagna a few clicks above. Two stars because the service was good. For those of you taking local recommendations. Or reading Eater or Yelp reviews. They are biased, bought, and paid for. Hit Walmarts frozen aisle before you spend money at this place. read more

My food was initially not at all hot enough so I sent it back. In about 5 min a hot meal came back that was very good. The service was good as well. read more

Increadible service staff, with a very inviting atmosphere. We had their fries, pickle plate, seafood risotto, and their morel mushroom pasta special. The seafood risotto was absolutely abundant with and fresh seafood, and the morel pasta was so simple and delicious. Also, a hidden gem was the pickle plate. Each vegetable had a different flavor profiled paired well with everything else. We also ordered drinks which we also loved. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - Seafood Risotto - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Celilo catered my daughters wedding this weekend. They built out a lot of high expectations with months of very positive, friendly support with the event preparations and several tasting experiences for us. They exceeded all expectations on the evening of the wedding. Food was hot, fresh and really well prepared. Food for 110 is rarely great just due to the volume cooking. Our food did not taste mass produced... beef, salmon, salads etc, all superb. We couldn't have asked for more or better read more

Tasty mushroom pasta on the 1/2 pride happy hour menu was very good. Nice place for finer dinning in Hood River. Friendly service right downtown. Street parking only. A few tables outside during summer hours. It's Oregon so casual dress with the luxury of a beautiful atmosphere. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - tables and chairs - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Not always are do things meet your expectations especially when expectations are super high. My Hood River friends had been singing the praises of dining here and I was pumped because their advice is almost always spot on. So one can assume that perhaps the kitchen was not having a good day. The ambiance is a little bit on the formal side for me. It is a quiet place and well furnished. So what went wrong. My dining companions ordered the salmon and I went for the ravioli with porcini. The ravioli was delicious served in a bowl with a tasty broth. However, the serving size was quite small. Looked like a half order to me. The salmon was totally over cooked. That's almost a rookie mistake and one that is sacrilegious to commit in a place like Cecilo. Had a chance prior to our meal to chat with the owner-chef Ben. Nice guy! Certainly will give it another shot on my next visit. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - Ravioli: excellent. - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Yummy. Super yummy. Love that they incorporate fresh greens in all entrees. Eclectic menu. Pork belly w mole, New York Steak w red wine Demi glacé , springtime ravioli w ricotta- everyone enjoyed their meal for sure. My son might be a little tipsy from the Tiramisu (I'm still high on the French press (decaf of course) - I absolutely love resto's w French press! Celilo is right in the heart of downtown - next to Hood River Hotel - wine list is decent and service is swift n friendly- a wonderful welcome for a foodie looking to explore new jaunts. Order a bottle (or two to take back w you to your hotel) - I've just arrived in #hoodriver and am totally #crushin on you! #celilo you are so my jam! I'll definitively be back! read more

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Here's the thing. Good food doesn't outweigh very slow service. It ruined the experience. Our dinner took 2 hours from appetizer to dessert- and there were only two of us. Each course was so painfully slow. I like taking my time to dine- but, let's move it along... Our appetizer took a little more than a 1/2 hour to get to the table- it was only a variety of dips and room temperature bread slices. Thankfully the food , kale caesar salad, pasta, steak frites were all delicious. We ordered dessert- but almost canceled it since, again, our waitress was elsewhere? Yes, the restaurant was busy. As we waited, noticed no rhyme or reason who how the servers were working the tables- everyone was scattered. They were pretty steady on getting our water to us but not our meal.Nonetheless,we've been in many busy restaurants as we enjoy eating out, it seemed this restaurant was disorganized and it showed in their service. Plus did not like the 3% fee to use credit cards. Just absorb in your cost of doing business or tack in somewhere seamlessly. Prices for the food seemed high enough. Never saw this fee in any other restaurant. New trend? With all that, it's at a great location and nice decor. Will we visit again? Not so sure. read more

So money can't buy happiness right? Maybe, but it can buy you something pretty close at this establishment you'll just need lots of it. If you can afford the place you can't miss everything is top notch. Food, service, drink, atmosphere... You literally get what you pay for here. Even on an engineer and social workers combined salaries well reserve this place for very special occasions it's so expensive, but yeah it's really really good. The entree prices may seem only reasonably expensive but after some wine, appetizers, tip, etc... I believe our bill for two approached $150-200 it's been a while so I can't remember. It's the service they provide not faulting them for it. read more

My husband and I stopped in for Valentine's Day; we were able to get a pretty last minute reservation which was nice. We were seated towards the back and ordered a bottle of wine- Poggerino Chianti Classico 2015. It was very good. We weren't very impressed with the menu, but figured what it lacked in creativity would be made up in the actual preparation. We both ordered a hanger steak- he would normally have ordered fish but the only option was fried. The steak was very good, along with the cocottes, although one of my cocottes was somehow hollow. Where we felt let down was in the service and the dessert. Our wine glasses were never refilled, which is a pretty basic element of service in a nice restaurant. We ordered the creme brûlée and were served a burnt and runny dessert. It was very disappointing, especially since we usually don't opt for dessert. The ambiance was fine, but there were strings of lights taped up next to our table, battery packs exposed and all. Overall a very average dining experience. read more

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