This restaurant is so cozy and welcoming. Very friendly staff and the food was amazing! We split a rib-eye steak and was plenty for 2. The owner/chef came out and visited with us. A must restaurant when you go through John Day! read more

Snaffle Bit Dinner House - Huckleberry cheese cake - Steakhouses Near Me - John Day, Oregon

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With a place so highly recommended, we were excited to try the Snaffle Bit. It was said to have some of the best food in eastern Oregon. That might well be true, but we never got that far. When it comes to politics in business, we live by a simple rule. Keep it to yourself, and it's none of our business to ask about it. Put it on some form of display, and if not too obnoxious, we might overlook it. We come to restaurants to eat, not to think about political stuff. Plaster it everywhere on the outside--thus washing our faces in it--and that's a big flipped bird at anyone who doesn't share those politics. They are perfectly entitled to their choice of decor, but in turn we are perfectly entitled to turn around and drive away. Nailing their colors to the mast is a choice, and it tells some customers that they are not welcome. One of two things is true: Either the owners are great with that, or they are unable to see the harm. A lot of money has probably flowed away from this place over the years for this reason, and it's not like the John Day community has a massive population base. Two stars because, while the presentation was so hideous it made us not want to support their business, we can't judge the food or service. But hey, if that's fine with them, duly noted. read more

Visited March 2024 If you come to Snafflebit, you must come very hungry. The size portions are enormous. I had the sweet potato and cricket. The steak was very tender. There was a lot of sauce; however, I enjoyed every drop of it. A few minutes later the cook came out. What a pleasant woman. She looks so cute with her two pigtails. I also had the cheesecake with strawberries that was enough to feed two people seriously. The price point was very reasonable for the portions that you get. My server was named Jackie. She was so awesome and she had the biggest smile. I will definitely come back while I'm visiting read more

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One of our best dinners we have had in a long time! Candidly, we travel all over and always hoped that we would have a dinner like this! read more

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Great food! We raise our own beef so our standards are quite high for a good steak. They exceeded our expectations. We have a 5 and 7 year old and they were more than accommodating. SO much food! read more

Snaffle Bit Dinner House - Crabby steak - so good ! - Steakhouses Near Me - John Day, Oregon

Decided to check out this place in John Day , Oregon. Oh my gosh, the food is absolutely mouth watering delicious. We had the burgers and bbq short rips and topped it off with cheesecake with blackberry sauce. The waitress , Bailey was very sweet, polite and attentive. read more

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Delicious absolutely the best food and service around Grant County. Always come back.

We came on a Wednesday night. Glad there was only 2 of us because it seemed reservations are highly suggested. It's a small place as you'd expect in John Day. We were able to get a small table and the staff was friendly and attentive. The "cowboy salad" with blue cheese crumbles, candied pecans, and cranberries was to die for. Probably the best salad I've had at a restaurant. I ordered fried chicken and my son the copper steak. It was all very good! We will come again (with reservations) if we are ever in the area. read more

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We were a bit worried about going into this place. Got past that stuff. Great menu. The food was good. Portions huge. Prices fair. The cowboy salad a must. I had the chicken fettuccine. When it arrived I joked with the server that the portion was just not big enough. Haha. I ate my dinner and the leftovers were enough to feed my husband and I a meal. I'm guessing there was a pound of butter involved... read more

The best steaks and house salad I have had in a long time!! Cooked absolutely perfectly and great quality beef. Brenda was super accommodating for us coming in late with no reservation, called ahead and she really took care of us. The waitress was also great!! Very comfortable inside and nice vibe. We love the USA as well ! read more

Snaffle Bit Dinner House - Filet 8oz Tenderloin with Shrimp Mushrooms and Cream Sauce - Steakhouses Near Me - John Day, Oregon

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Pretty good food, friendly waitstaff. Signage inside and out announces this is a 110% MAGA stronghold. I managed to survive the experience despite being 110% non-MAGA. read more

Went there last night, we had a party of 10. Every one of us raves about the food service! What a fun place, I highly recommend

Our first visit but will not be our last visit. 4 out 4 steaks we're cooked perfectly & meat quality was on point. Can't wait to share with our friends on our next trip to Canyon City. The staff was excellent & Brenda the owner came by our table to say thanks for coming in. Make plans to eat here ! read more

I have visited John Day many times and never tried this little gem before. The quality of the food was very good and so was the service. In fact the lack of service at other places is what prompted me try out the Snaffle Bit. Seems so popular that reservations are common place. read more

Over priced for not very good food. I also prefer my meals without political opinions being shoved down my throat. Amongst the worst places in town. Pass. read more

I was looking forward to grabbing a steak at the Snaffle Bit, once we decided to head to John Day for a vacation to the fossil beds. I wish we could have eaten here but we weren't comfortable going inside when we pulled up. I was extremely disappointed to see that the large anti-vax sign out front that warned people not to vaccinate their children / don't turn them into a science experiment. Once I saw this sign I knew I wouldn't be taking my family into the business, especially my child who is too young to get vaccinated for now, but will be vaccinated as soon is it is available to them. The language suggesting our children were being experimented on was offensive, as we've worked as healthcare workers to protect them and others over the last year and were on a much needed vacation. In the end, I'm thankful they telegraphed their feelings about being vaccinated so I didn't put my child at risk due to their ignorance. read more

The tenderloin steak was amazing. perhaps the best I have ever eaten. Cooked to perfection. the sale was fresh and loaded with vegetable. the baked potato was large and generous with the additions. There was an error on one of the orders and they corrected it happily and quickly. I have to say however, that I almost did not come in because of their multiple political statements on the outside billboard and at the door and on the porch. The only reason I came in was because we were part of a group and had reservations. I would encourage this business to stop making divisive political views part of their busines if they want more business. read more

This is a top contender for the BEST steakhouse We have ever been to! It's runner up being a double eagle steakhouse. The owner and chef Brenda was amazing! She creates extraordinarily incredible dishes in a small kitchen. She doesn't miss a beat! Nicole the waitress is wonderful and provided an enjoyable and fun experience. We had premium steaks all a bit different style. The copper, steak Diane, and one with just the button mushrooms. The sauce on the copper was fantastic! The drinks were so good too, a berry margarita and a grannie which was so creamy like a desert! We did also get cheesecake but I failed to get a picture! Absolutely must go !!!!!!!! And no political shenanigans was had as per other posts. They have their political signs outside and it's their right to do that at their business. We will definitely be back next time we are in this area! Thank you for making our anniversary celebration a blast! read more

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Incredible! Great food, beautiful presentation. Staff are awesome. Would recommend to anyone passing through John Day. Maybe as a destination. read more

We wanted to eat here while visiting the area, but the numerous political postings inside and out made it quite clear that as non-locals who did not share their political views, we were not welcome. Far be it for me to want to eat somewhere that doesn't want my businesses. They need to concentrate on serving food and keeping the commentary to themselves. read more

Fantastic find in a small town. We were on our way through while traveling and decided to give it a try. Boy were we happily surprised! We decided to split the 16oz rib eye. The waiter not only gave us each side salads they also split the steak and that's it! We each received full loaded baked potatoes and mushrooms. This may have been one of the better steaks we've had. Great flavor and very tender. They get their steaks from a ranch on the panhandle of Idaho even! Our little one got their Mac&cheese and that was also delicious. Their menu was very diverse. Worth a stop for sure! read more

Very small you are sitting on top of each other, food was like any frozen food you can get at the store and very high prices. AND THEY CAN KEEP THEIR POLITICAL OPINIONS. NEVER AGAIN read more

Pretty disappointing. The waitress tells me steak is their specialty but they were out of it. This was actually the reason I wanted to try this place. For dietary reasons I asked for no bread products: no croutons, no bread, no chips, etc. My salad was served in a fried tortilla bowl which was confusing and frustrating since we had just had this conversation. Was also offered a brownie for dessert. The soup and salad were decent after picking around the tortilla bowl and the servers were friendly enough. Just not enough to make me want to come back. read more

Recently ordered the guacamole and chips, and dang, it was awesome! I've been there multiple times and enjoy their hamburgers and the ribeye is the bomb. Brenda, the owner and cook, is a delightful and very patriotic woman who has a great love for our country. Highly recommend. read more

I heard for years about this steak house called The Snaffle Bit in Eastern Oregon that was said to be one of the best. Last night we finally made it over there. We weren't disappointed. All I can say is a definite 5 STAR dinner house. From the decor to the service from the salad to the desert...oh man yummy! The steak was the best so juicy and tender prepared perfectly. We also had a pair of White Russians with dinner. I can't say enough about this place. The owner Brenda is so friendly and her staff all got an A+. Can't wait to go back. This place is a one of a kind find read more

My boyfriend and I were traveling about Eastern Oregon when the owner at a tiny family-owned store told us about this place. We always ask locals where THEY go and recommend and try to avoid the tourist traps. So, this place was literally a hour outside of our way, but the gentleman guaranteed it would be worth it. Man, was he ever right!!! This is a very tiny place, so calling ahead for table is greatly recommended. But their food is to die for! We shared one plate of food, ordering the smallest steak. When it arrived, the plate was huge, the steak was definitely at least twice the size stated on the menu and it was buttery, melt in your mouth delectable. Honestly, I have NEVER had a better steak ANYWHERE!! The service staff was great, friendly, and talkative, taking the time to point us to a couple good places to stay the night. It was like dining at a friend's house. We honestly could not find a single problem and the extra couple hours drive out of our way was well worth it! In fact, this place will be on our trip agenda every time we come within a 100 miles of it. Oh, and the prices? Also unbelievably awesome! The whole steak dinner, with extra salad, massive loaded baked potato, veggies and several alcoholic drinks was a great steal at under $25!! Easily this was a dinner that any other place would have cost us over $50 for the amount of food and impeccably quality we received! read more

Best place to eat in John Day or Grant County. Be sure to call ahead. The sides are large and echo the midwest (boring 3-stars at best) but the steak is brilliant, especially for the price! Still, I only rate 4-star to set it above the other places in John Day. Not quite comparable to a 4 star in LA. read more

This was hands down the best steak I have ever eaten anywhere I loved everything about this place I will continue to visit in the future

We were traveling through the area, and the host at the Strawberry Mountain Inn recommended the Snaffle Bit as the best restaurant in Grant County. We made reservations for a late dinner, and when we got there, an outdoor table was available. The outdoor seating area is nice, backed into the hillside with a little artificial waterfall that is built to look very natural. The food was good. It seems like the steaks would be the best reason to come here, given that John Day is in the middle of cattle country. I had the 12oz Sirloin, with a 1/4 rack of BBQ ribs on the side, probably the most meat-heavy meal I've had in years. The steak was cooked perfectly medium rare, and I've bought 1lb+ steaks at the market that were smaller, it was huge. The ribs were very good as well. My wife had the tenderloin, and hers was also good. The salads that opened the meal were huge, they weren't organic, but fresh and tasty. The steaks were accompanied by baked potatoes, topped with butter, sour cream, cheese and green onions, a couple of onion rings and a vegetable. The sides were average at best, but the steaks were worth the trip read more

My only complaint with the Snaffle Bit is they are no longer open for lunch. I get over to John Day/Canyon City for business every so often but they are usually day trips. They used yo be open for lunch on certain days but it appears they are only open for dinner now. I will say I have had amazing fresh salads, sandwiches and other items to eat there and they were always very very good. read more

Was passing through, planning on going to Grubsteak. As luck would have it- Grubsteak was closed. I was SO GLAD! Brenda was awesome!! The steaks are top quality. I had the ribeye and HOMEMADE tomato soup with baked potato. Highly recommend the Copper style. It is WELL worth the money. I promise you haven't had anything similar before. I'll definitely try to be back at some point!! read more

Friendly server. The best burger bun --- a pretzel bun. Excellent home made beef patty. Cut western decor.

Having moved to Dayville end of 2018, we had eaten here on our trip to check out our new property in the summer of 2018. We have eaten there three times total since then & now in early 2019 and EVERY time was amazing. We are beef producers and love the steaks. Everything I've had here is amazing. The owners are awesome people. I do believe the owners are somehow connected to the Silver Spur in Mt Vernon OR down the road, which is the same class of excellence regarding food. I will come here as often as I can. read more

We ate here during our road trip through John day and Snaffle Bit did not disappoint! The portions were huge and the food was very tasty with delicious home cooked flavors. The owner, Brenda, was very welcoming and accommodating. We will definitely be back! read more

Took awhile to get seated. Our waitress was very friendly. Food was amazing and came out in a timely manner.

Amazing steaks, great service! Brenda treats you like family (the good kind!).

I came here with the family during our family vacation we decided we would stop for dinner in John day. I split a 16 ounce ribeye with my mother with the side salad and loaded baked potato and a black berry lemonade and everything was AMAZING! Honestly one of the best meals any of us had in a very long time. The service was fast and the staff were friendly. We split the lemonade and they brought it in 2 separate mugs which was plenty for each of us. Apparently their drink sizes are massive normally. Then we got the salad and again they brought it in 2 separate plates plenty for each of us and it was some of the freshest, most delicious salads I've ever had. Then we got the main dish the ribeye with loaded potato and broccoli. The ribeye was super juicy and we'll seasoned and the mushrooms that came on top were fried to perfection. We were surprised that they gave us each a whole loaded potato and it was delicious. And the broccoli was also delicious. My father got the soup of the day which was their house tomato soup. We were surprised as they had made it completely from scratch. It was flavorful and rich and like a tomato bisque. He also got the pan fried oysters which he said were good. Can't comment on dessert because we left too stuffed. We were totally surprised by this little hole in the wall place and would totally come again. read more

Very good service, western theme decor, good food, kind of dark.

Wow. That was a surprise. Great service and great food. If you are ever nearby take the 2 minute drive from John Day and enjoy a real meal. Had the Chicken Alfredo Pasta dish. Homemade sauces .......: read more

Nothing bad to say it's a great experience great food great friendly staff good cocktails excellent steak! Highly recommend if your in John day! read more