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    Dear Irene

    4.7 (86 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Dear Irene Photos

    Business Info

    DEAR IRENE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy

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    Recommended Reviews - Dear Irene

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    Bethany H.

    The food is incredible. The service is impeccable. I cannot wait to go back and experience more of the menu.

    Dessert
    Tami A.

    Our last evening in Bend for Valentine's Day, and this dinner was the perfect way to wrap up the trip. We walked into Dear Irene and were immediately greeted by a kind, helpful hostess who even guided us through the parking situation--a small gesture that set the tone for the night. Our table was tucked toward the back, right next to a bold, bright blue wall, with matching plush seats that were surprisingly comfortable. The whole space was full of color and light--lively without being loud, and stylish without trying too hard. Our server was personable, quick with a few jokes, and happy to answer all our questions--whether it was about the owner or the artwork on the walls. It felt like the kind of place where the staff actually enjoys being there, which makes all the difference. We shared a few small plates, each one thoughtfully prepared, and sipped on cocktails that were as unique as they were tasty. The flavors were layered and unexpected, in the best way--like the food version of a plot twist you didn't see coming but totally loved. It's not in the most obvious location, but Dear Irene is absolutely worth finding. A standout meal in a trip full of great moments.

    We will be back!
    Deb M.

    This place is lovely! They have amazing food, great service, and a warm atmosphere! I took my boyfriend there for his birthday and they gave us champagne to celebrate! The food was fabulous too!

    Braised short ribs
    Sharika M.

    This was a super cozy spot in Downtown Bend. The food was absolutely amazing. The dumplings in Thai curry is such a genius idea!! I loved the creativity with food. The salmon tartare was also nice, especially with the sweet drop peppers. The Braised short ribs were sublime. The quality of the sear and braising is unparalleled. Be sure to get a reservation to go there. It books up fast! The waiter was super nice.

    Duck confit croquettes

    Our first time dining here and the Dear Irene team did not disappoint. The music was perfect to the vibe , and every detail of the interior design is well thought out. The highlight of course was dinner, I had Chicken Milanese and my wife had scallops. Excellent layered taste in a thoughtful presentation. Possibly the best dining experience we've had in Bend. Not noisy, relaxed and helpful team. Go there and see for yourself.

    Cannoli tiramisu
    Richard B.

    Such a fun and delicious place! The cocktails are inventive and spot on, the service was excellent (attentive but not obsequious), and the food was so tasty. We went the small plate route with salmon tartare, crab arancini, duck confit with lentils, and spicy garlic shrimp, and it all rocked. And the cannoli tiramisu was to die for. Will be back!

    Bone marrow short rib
    Kimberly C.

    I must say, I wish I didnt wait this long to try Dear Irene. It's nestled in a row of shops near the parking lot of Drake Park and if youre an adventurous eater who appreciates various cuisines, this is the place that executes dishes quite well and is refreshing to the Bend Food scene. Portions are smaller but the flavors are hard to find in town. What we tried: -foie gras: melt in your mouth delicious with a nice sear paired with the bread. Wonderful mix of texture, Fat and acid. (The one image i took was blurry so I didn't post it) -duck: wow, crispy skin, tender meat nestled on a bed of cooked to perfection lentils. I wouldnt have minded something a little sweet like fig jam or drizzle on the plate with it but the duck was the best part. -lamb dumplings: so much flavor in each bite. If you're not used to the the peppercorn, it's like a slow burning menthol like heat. I'm not the biggest fan of the peppercorns itself but it truly complements the lamb and dish entirely. -short ribs: tender meat in a delicious sauce. It's not the usual brown sauce but is white in appearance. The chard paired beautifully with the meat and sauce. I wish it was served with mashed potatoes which you can mix into that SAUCE. -snapper: cooked well with crispy skin, tangy sweet sauce. I almost wish there was a little more sauce but the crisp skin may get soggy. 4/5 This spot has a vibe. If only I had the budget to dined there weekly, I would. Itll definitely be in our date nights rotations. I wish it wasn't 21+ because our son, who loves good food, would like this place too.

    Grilled Cheese
    Kris M.

    I had bookmarked this spot a few months ago, but J and I have the bad habit of returning to our favorite spots almost exclusively, so I am a bit slow at moving down my list of "must try"s Luckily I was able to reserve the last two bar seats at 5:30 on a Saturday night--and I am so glad that I did. First thing I noticed--- nice vibes. The hostess was lovely and sat us right away. Cocktails were excellent--Crimson & Clover and We ordered: Crab Arancini--best I have had, light and creamy Croque Madame-yum Diver Scallops-excellent We will definitely return soon Highly recommend.

    kirill l.

    Enjoyed my evening with my wife! Great atmosphere, delicious food, fancy drink! Cheers!

    Scallops

    The location is eclectic to say the least, the menu vast, and everything we ordered was top notch (even by Bend standards. The waitress was VERY knowledgeable on the menu and the bar.

    Monkey Business

    Intimate restaurant with a fabulous cuisine, impeccably quiet and understated service, and background music lifted straight from Pink Martini. The salmon tartare was delightfully fresh, bright with accents, and virtually a meal in itself. The scallops were beyond tender, albeit with a nicely crusted surface, and were served alongside a wonderfully creamy sauce. The flourless chocolate cake was superb, swimming in a tart raspberry sauce. And the Monkey Business cocktail, Austrian white wine, and espresso were all great accents to a terrific meal. Well done.

    Menu

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    2 years ago

    Amazing service and amazing food. They gave me VIP treatment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    3 years ago

    Stunning details in the decor, impeccable service, the food was delicious & the owner was very gracious & appreciated. I will return!

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    2 years ago

    Excellent addition to the Bend community. Service and food were amazing. Thank you. I will be back.

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    2 years ago

    Had to cancel reservation due to bad policy and not allowing children despite not saying so

    Business owner information

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    Chef J.

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    1 year ago

    one of my favorite meals in Bend; beautiful room, lovely service and very good food...definitely recommend

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    2 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Probably the best overall atmosphere in Bend. Inventive decor, friendly staff and a limited but inspired menu.

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    3 years ago

    Delicious food, impeccable service, the ambiance was relaxing and the owner was gracious & appreciative. I'll be back!

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    2 years ago

    They take a deposit to hold your reservation but unless you remember, they don't credit you back. Pretty shady.

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    3 years ago

    The food was amazing. Service was on spot. They did a really good job. Their wine list was great and the atmosphere was spot on.

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    Page 2 of 3

    Ask the Community - Dear Irene

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    Dogwood at The Pine Shed - Indoor seating and south side entrance

    Dogwood at The Pine Shed

    4.3(263 reviews)
    0.5 mi
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    First of all- I just moved here and I keep hearing this is "the bad part of town" and no, it's not…read more We passed one unhoused person who was just minding his own business. Don't be afraid to come here! Lots of food truck options which is cool. My friend and I each got zero proof cocktails. She got the sweet hemptation and liked it so much she got a second one. I got the funky cold Modena which was tart and tasty. And we got to see Miz Cracker from RuPaul's Drag Race!! So fun! The drag show was high energy and a great time.

    I'll preface by stating that this establishment is a bar with a food truck lot. It is not the…read moreDogwood downtown cocktail bar that is the subject of the prior hundreds of reviews. The owners closed up shop downtown and created this new place on 2nd Street in Bend's Central District. It's now called Dogwood at the Pine Shed. Why Yelp won't create a new, distinct page for the Pine Shed is beyond me. That said, the Pine Shed is a fine place for drinks and food truck fare. The open, spacious 'shed' has plenty of varied seating surrounding a nice bar with quite a few tables outside on the patio. Mobility-challenged folks have choices too. For those worried about 2nd Street's reputation for sketchiness, don't be. Revitalization efforts by the city have transformed the area. At times of good weather, with the big doors open, the Pine Shed is quite a nice spot to relax. Cocktails were the raison d'etre for the former incarnation of Dogwood and that emphasis transfers here to the Pine Shed. I particularly like their versions of a margarita but the other cocktails are uniformly good too. The beer tap offerings are not so spectacular, however, with only four (and a cider). On one visit shortly after they opened for business, two beer taps were tapped out, which can be chalked up to growing pains. In any case, the Pine Shed can't be seriously regarded as a tap house in the style of the many others in Bend (On Tap, River's Place, Crosscut, The Lot, The Podski, Midtown Yacht Club, etc.). Come for the cocktails. They do offer low ABV and zero ABV drinks. At present, the food truck choices are abundant and pretty decent. Being trucks/carts, and thus mobile and prone to relocating themselves, I'll not list them here. Best to check the Pine Shed's webpage for current offerings and then go to the relevant Yelp page for reviews. Parking is street only, no parking lot. The city has completed construction on 2nd Street so there are more spots available than before.

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    Dogwood at The Pine Shed - Funky Cold Modena non-alcoholic cocktail

    Funky Cold Modena non-alcoholic cocktail

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    Tiny beer with Tequila shot

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    The Bar

    Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails - Lamb chops

    Zydeco Kitchen & Cocktails

    4.4(1.5k reviews)
    0.1 mi
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    The waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable, even memorizing the drink menu and helping guide…read moreour orders. The baby back ribs were absolutely to die for, tender and full of flavor. I had them and was very satisfied. Drinks were great, and we appreciated the non-alcoholic mocktail options for part of our group. The fries were a bit salty and the steak was slightly overcooked, but that wasn't my plate. Overall, still a great experience. The ambience was great and made for a comfortable, enjoyable meal.

    We ate here on a recent trip from Eugene and we're excited to see a cajun style restaurant in Bend…read more The restaurant is nice inside and has a low key upscale feel. The menu isn't very large and I think we both settled on choices quickly, deciding to try the most "quintessential" entrees to share. I chose the Blackened Redfish, and my boyfriend the Jambalaya. Even though we had already decided, the waitress went on her whole spiel through the menu highlights, including what we had already had planned to order. Awkward, but it was fine, and we didn't stray from our original choices. The Blackened Redfish was perfectly cooked and flaky. It was served on a bed of mashed potatoes with a slightly tangy sauce. All of it was tasty, but I was a bit disappointed in the lack of spice to the blackening seasoning and the sauce. Also, serving it on grits instead of mashed potatoes would have made it feel 100% more Cajun, even with lack of seasoning. The Jambalaya fared a bit better, although my boyfriend was also left puzzled by the lack of spice to this classic dish. In all ways it was a very good representation of New Orleans style red jambalaya, with the andouille sausage being particularly notable for flavor. The cornbread it came with was pretty good. We shared a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. A very decadent concoction of chocolate, peanut butter, and caramel. It was one of the better $12 slices of cake I've had. Overall? The service was good, if not a bit awkward with the menu spiel. The food was all very well prepared, but for a Cajun style restaurant they sure could stand to spice things up a bit. It's not cheap, but at least the entrees are a full sized meal and you don't have to order many "tiny plates" to cobble together a dinner.

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    Oh the carrot cake, rich, smokey, walnuts, coconut ... Cream cheese frosting... You'll dream about it!

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    Lady Bird Cultural Society - Pear Tarte Tartin

    Lady Bird Cultural Society

    4.2(157 reviews)
    0.9 mi

    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.

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    Lady Bird Cultural Society - The pictures do not do this place justice.

    The pictures do not do this place justice.

    Lady Bird Cultural Society - Bone marrow & escargot

    Bone marrow & escargot

    Lady Bird Cultural Society - Old Fashioned

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    Bar RBC - Grilled octopus

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    4.6(32 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Absolutely the best restaurant we went to while we were in Bend for a long weekend. The service was…read moreamazing, recommendations were on par with expectations and food is second to none (at least compared to other restaurants we tried). Highly recommend any of the potato dishes and the pork. Place is sharable plates and made it great to have a family style with the group. got to try everything we ordered. When I'm back in Bend, i will definitely be coming back here even if its just me.

    Shout out to Corrine and Kim for taking care of us. Thank you Corrine for all the great…read morerecommendations! Swung by here after spending a day at Crater Lake National Park. Parking is a bit challenging. Inside the space is a little dark, and it had a nice ambiance. The noise level is a medium. You need to speak up a little but you don't need to shout to be heard. We came without reservations, luckily for us two seats at the bar opened up so we were seated right away. Since it was our first time here we asked Corrine out for some recommendations. She talked through some of the popular dishes and also some of her personal favorites. We ordered... Food - El Bulli Olive: Fun bite if you're an olive fan. Creative gastronomy creation. - Toro Radicchio: Really tasty salad, with great flavors. - Fried Anchovies and Artichoke: Delicious! If you're an anchovies fan, get this dish. One of my favorite bites of the night. - Iberico Secretto: Meat imported from Spain. Great flavors. Drinks - Pamplemousse Spritz: Refreshing n/a cocktail. Definitely would get again. - Strawberry-White Peppercorn Shrub: One of my favorite n/a cocktails I've had to date, would recommend. Dessert - Tarta De Santiago: Solid dessert.

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    Bar RBC - Fried Anchovies and Artichokes

    Fried Anchovies and Artichokes

    Bar RBC - Gelda, bacon wrapped dates and e bulli olive.  Order all of it. Trust me.

    Gelda, bacon wrapped dates and e bulli olive. Order all of it. Trust me.

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    Dear Irene - cocktailbars - Updated May 2026

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