Great little dive bar with all day breakfast plus bar food. I was thrilled to find this place open on Christmas day. I had a pancake that was better than most regular breakfast places. The bartender and locals were friendly. Don't be put off by the unassuming exterior. read more

The Embers - Xmas eve breakfast dinner - Salad Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

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Prices are way too high food quality has gone way down super toxic environment incredibly poorly managed

I do not understand. On Wednesday Nov 12th. In the morning, I played some songs on the jukebox. It came on the bartender turned the volume down so she could use HER PHONE. Not the bar phone her phone. I have to ask for her to turn the volume back up. Why do they have a jukebox if they don't want you to use it? read more

Chun is a very attentive waitress she attempted several time to make our prime rib and rib eye eatable. We had trouble cutting the meat let alone eating/chewing it. This place was recommended to us, they recommend the liver and onion we should have had that. My baked potato had horse radish in it in. Chun tried her best and we really appreciate her. The cook tried, he is the owner. read more

Food is great. Service is great. The building and area is waaaaay old. I have no idea why they don't invest in the building. It's an easy to access building with lots of parking. read more

The prime rib is the best! Love the live band. It's definitely affordable place to eat. The service is always amazing.

Went there with a friend for my birthday dinner. Wow they were busy and very short staffed but still managed to take good care of us food was correct hot and reasonable fast. The server was friendly and attentive. Great job and delicious food read more

The Embers - a plate of food on a table - Salad Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

I wanted a French dip so that's what I ordered. I didn't care for the cut of the beef. I'm not sure if it was old, but it didn't have flavor. The au jus as well. Beer battered fries were good. Salad was good& ranch. Also got a prime rib and it came with veggie, salad, side and toast that was great. Good service, live music and got to watch the elders dance the night away. read more

Awful food, terrible atmosphere terrible service, this place is the worst restaurant in town

After years of driving by, we decided to try their breakfast today. We were not disappointed. Their breakfast was excellent. The service was friendly and inviting, the gravy and chicken fried steak was very flavorful, the bacon was thick, and the eggs were cooked just right. We are taking the rest of the family next time. read more

It might be a little early to say after only one visit, but this is exactly the kind of hidden gem in Eugene that I fall deeply in love with. I came for the broasted chicken I had heard good things about, but they didn't do the full dinner menu for a little longer than I felt like waiting. I went with the club sandwich with crinkle cut fries (my favorite and they are so hard to find?) and it was great! I shared a half order of biscuits and gravy with my boyfriend just to try them. Always on the search for good gravy, I'm happy to report they're delish. The cherry on top, and what really made my dining experience so memorable, was our server Heather. She was a delight, made us feel welcome and excited to come back! Really made my day. read more

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I love any bar that allows kids! I didn't know kids were allowed in bars, but this kid was amazing at singing karaoke. And he was adorable. Next time I go there I will make sure I bring my littles with me so they can also join karaoke. My twins Lalay and Jarod would have an amazing time. They love singing. Thank you Embers! read more

The Embers - Thank you Embers for allowing children to participate in karaoke night! He was adorable! - Salad Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

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I cannot believe I haven't done a review for this place yet. I am the Duchess all the time!! HA HA I love love love Embers. First of all Sara and Sahara are AMAZING servers. Definitely request one of the two of them. This location is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have a bar area that is open LATE night and serves classic late night snacks etc... There is karaoke on Sunday and Mondays and always a good time. Lots of OG regulars here... There is live music on weekend nights and some weekdays too. Because the location is somewhat intimate it can get loud. Where to start... let me just go over a few dishes.. . The mushroom in wine sauce with crustini is outstanding -- a modest portion and soooooooo yummy! The owners son (maybe he is the owner now) created it and it is YUMMYLICIOUS. Onion rings are some of our favorites in town next to Dairy Queen. The Quesadilla is FANTASTIC -- yummy and huge. Lots of cheese and meat with veggies. I like to get this for dinner. Nachos -- okay Sorry Embers do NOT get this. It is sorely lacking in what Nachos should be. Regular store bought chips with some cheese sauce that wasn't very cheesy. First thing I have had here that is not good. Go to Rivas down the street and get Carne Asada Chips or Nachos from Burrito Amigos. Breakfasts are all good here -- we are known for ordering a pancake or two at dinner just because they are really good size and YUMMY perfectly made. Bacon is cooked crisp and is big thick slices.. I crave it from here. They make their own Strawberry Jam and it is out of this world good... I can't stop eating it. They have a Mango one too but it tastes, to me, that it is made with green mangos and I like sweet mango flavoring. Mom says the chicken fried steak here is her favorite in town. It is okay. It isn't my favorite but it is good. Nothing terribly wrong just the gravy isn't exactly what I like for CFS. The Broasted Chicken here is fabulous and typically is a great portion. Every now and then they must use a smaller chicken otherwise it is FANTASTIC. Order it right away if you want it because it takes 20 minutes to make. It comes with salad, potato thing and vegetables with texas toast. All in all a fabulous value for $11.95. Their salads are all good -- the cobb is my favorite. They used to have two sizes and since I can put away salad I used to get the large. I think they must have found most people were wasting some so they now only offer small and it is good and only $8.95. Their dressings are awesome. They make homemade ranch that is fantastic!!! I like their burgers -- all good and cooked right. I am currently on a burger steak kick and I get it with gravy, bell peppers and onions topping it with mushrooms and cheese... ummm yum. Dinners all come with a potato item and vegetables and a salad. I LOVE their mixed veggies. I also love their baked potatoes but I am a tater tot lover and this place has them and makes them crunchy just like I like them. The Halibut basket is one of my favorites. Pieces of perfectly fried halibut in this basket -- I just love halibut. The Club sandwich here is one of the best in town -- if not the best. It is huge. We cannot ever finish it. We ask them to not toast it as much and then it doesn't cut your roof of your mouth all up ha ha. Mom like the french dip here too okay... Desserts are all ok... the carrot cake is out of this world good but it has gotten to be smaller pieces than it used to be so that is disappointing. For the gluten free peeps almost everything can be made gluten free here and their flourless chocolate torte/cake is YUMMY but a tiny tiny piece although rich. Tiramisu is pretty good as is the chocolate mousse. Drinks are always refilled quickly -- they do NOT brew their own iced tea so stick with soda or their coffee is outstanding too! The bathroom is always clean and smells great -- note there is ONLY one stall for women. read more

If cussing and lottery games and a full bar is what you are looking for, you are in for a treat. Go to Embers. Food was hot. Low prices for smaller portions. read more

How this place could have a four star review? Is beyond me! They obviously have someone salting the tip jar! I ordered four pieces of bacon two pieces of toast and a cup of coffee on Veterans Day for $10. Hardly anybody was in the place and it took 15 to 20 minutes. The place is dirty and run down, the service is mediocre, they don't offer a single discount on Veterans Day, nothing special about this place whatsoever... The owner is obviously not a veteran or gives a rip about Veterans Day. This is kind of bizarre because this place is so run down it has a lot of aging clientele... you'd think they might offer something? Nope I don't think this owner would give a duck a drink on a rainy day. Do yourself a favor and just keep driving to the next restaurant! It will probably be cleaner, faster, and better priced. read more

On 6/12/2023, at 6:30pm, a best friend and his wife and i went here for dinner. WE we're the 1st ones there! They only had 1 waitress and instead of helping all the people that were there, she just kept typing in orders, orders, orders, and more orders. IGNORING the 26 people total that were in there waiting for food. We finally were waited on after 30 minutes. Then we waited another 1 hour. Now it's up to 1 1/2 hours waiting for our food. Then the waitress told us she punched in the button to put our order in ( and actually told us she hit the wrong button), and gave us each a bowl of chicken noodle soup and said our food would be out. So another 1 hour goes by and the waitress LIED to us about bringing out our food. Instead she brought out food to both tables of 10 people each. NOTHING for us! Finally after 2 1/2 hours, we walked out!!! The waitress that night NEEDS TO BE FIRED!!! We will NEVER go to the Embers again, for dinner at night!!! Very bad experience. (The ONLY decent days to eat there, are: Monday and Tuesday mornings. That's it)!!! read more

Was Karaoke night. Make no doubt. This place is a dive bar. Was warned to avoid the food. The pitcher of beer was overpriced, at $16! The Karaoke crowd was clearly made up of regulars. It was bizarre to see a large group of near middle-aged women with babies in strollers sitting at one of the tables. Starting their kids on the path to Karaoke early? read more

Just a perfect southern breakfast. French roast Anne pancakes with yummy meats. This is definitely a great place to stop. read more

The Embers - Salad Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

I love this place but Layla and Mandy were not nice Laylas boyfriend was clearing my table and he doesn't even work there, creepy.... Why??

The atmosphere is lacking but their chicken sandwich and hamburgers are amazing. We go there for takeout burgers every few weeks. We had and incident recently with our burgers being overcooked and my husband called to let them know they were very kind about it and told us they would refund or remake our meals no problem. They were very nice about it so if you do feel that your service was not what you were hoping for, tell them they seem eager to please their customers. read more

Very good food! They often have specials that aren't normally on the menu that are very good. The prices are very very reasonable. You can get a ribeye, New York, or prime rib dinner with soup or salad, veggies, a side, and garlic toast for $21! and all the meat is grass fed and super tasty. Some other things they are famous for is chicken fried steak, liver & onions, and heavy pours in the bar. The staff is all very nice also. It may seem run down, but this place is an awesome find. They also have something going on almost every night. Either a live band or karaoke. read more

This is going to be one the strangest reviews I have ever written. The Yin and the Yang to this place is difficult to describe, but I will certainly do my best. My expectations of this place were that it would be like a Elks or Moose Lodge with primarily 65+ year old regulars who spend every day of their retirement hanging out. My girlfriend and I are in our 30's, but I'm all for trying new places, especially if the food is good. We weren't sure if you had to be a member of some kind, but we went there anyway. We begin with a recent trip to try this place out. The parking area was fairly packed as my girlfriend and I pulled up, but as I peeked in the windows to the dining room, there wasn't a soul around. If the place is a restaurant, where are the people eating the food? My girlfriend saw a door farther to the right, so we walked over there. As we approached the door, my girlfriend stopped and asked what the sound was that we were hearing. I could hear music of some kind, but she identified it as karaoke. I looked up reviews of the restaurant again really quick and sure enough, on Sunday and Monday nights there is karaoke. That really isn't my thing, but I wasn't going to turn back now. At the very least I needed to find out if this is a member's only establish or not, so I boldly opened the door and walked in. The first thing you see is a row of gambling machines in front of you. To your left are tables and an open space (for dancing). There was an elderly woman singing a karaoke tune and not doing a terrible job of it. Past the tables are a few more tables and a bar. There is some raised seating that is not at the bar and we sat there. This place hasn't really been touched much since the 1970's, so it definitely feels old and appears to cater to older clientele. When we arrived, there was not anyone within 20 years of our age. About 15 minutes after we got there, a woman arrived who was probably in her 40's and she played a gambling machine by herself for a while. Most of the people there were obvious regulars as the bartender spent extensive time pandering to these customers while new, younger customers were left waiting. My girlfriend and I were acknowledged by the lone bartender, a blonde woman, who was making a few drinks. It was at least 15 minutes before she got over to us to ask if we needed a drink. The bartender just isn't very fast. And working alone doesn't help a ton if it is busy (which it really wasn't this night) because she can only make one drink at a time. On the plus side, my girlfriend said her drink was great and ordered another - but the 2nd one wasn't quite as balanced and while she finished it, she said it wasn't nearly as good as the first. A long gap later and the bartender checked on us again and we got menus. Later we ordered food. Personally, I wasn't impressed. I got the pulled pork and bites of it were decent and the rest was bland. I got tots, but never got the ketchup we asked for, so I ate a few and they had zero flavor on their own. My girlfriend got the club sandwich I believe and it was a big portion. She said it was fine, but wasn't anything special. We were told the cook was new, so perhaps that's why our food was very average. Certainly nothing like what was boasted on reviews I had read before visiting. Meanwhile, we stayed in our seats and listened to karaoke. The one guy I saw in his early 50's was massively hitting on the woman that arrived by herself to gamble that was in her 40's. I imagine he would have been all over my girlfriend too if I had not been there. One woman in her 80's sang a very sultry rendition of "Santa Baby" and my girlfriend loved it. Loverboy and another dude tried to sing "Bohemian Rhapsody" and that's one of my girlfriend's favorite songs, so she enjoyed that even though they stumbled all over each other. I went up to pay my check and for two drinks and the two dinners it came out to around $38.00. That isn't too terrible since alcohol was involved. The place seemed reasonably clean (but old) and it was kind of loud when the karaoke was going on, but not too loud that we couldn't converse to each other. There are certainly regulars there because when people would leave, they would stand up and wave and everyone bye to the people by name. This place is really tough to provide a star review for. I would have given it a 3-star because it looks old, it caters primarily to its regulars, the food is average, and the service quite frankly wasn't very fast. On the other hand, the bartender was nice, the place was clean, people there seemed to be having a good time, the drinks weren't bad, and the price wasn't terrible. The real tipping point on the scale is that my girlfriend enjoyed listening to some of the karaoke songs and said she had a good time. So we will err on the side of a higher score, although I think most people will experience a solid 3-3.5 star experience at The Embers Club. read more

I'm giving a 5 star because of the service and the food we received. We came here because we have had a rough few weeks and really didn't feel like cooking on Thanksgiving, so I looked on Yelp and had seen they were serving a turkey dinner. I was craving it. We have not been here in years but I remember I did like the food. I'm not sure what kept us from going back. I ordered the turkey dinner, and it was really good! They smoked the turkey, and had home made cranberry stuffing with fig. I came in hungry because I almost cleaned my plate. It came with a slice of pumpkin pie and I was so full I had to take it home. We chatted with the owner about food which was cool because we are foodies! We will be back my other half wants to try the home made corn beef hash for breakfast. I want to try the chicken fried steak. It sounds really good, as well as the strawberry salad. We have been back several times, and ordered several menu items and have still been impressed! One of the best rib eye steaks at a restaurant you can get besides making it at home. I am picky about my steak because I personally think it's better grilled in your own back yard if you know what your doing. But seriously. It's good here! And so is the corn beef hash! I am glad we went back. read more

This is one of Eugene's hidden gems. It seems old school and struggling but it's a very active and great place to eat. Look at the online menu, it's ridiculous. So many options all made with good ingredients in an amazing kitchen. The dining room is split from the bar. The bar is always packed and offers live music or karaoke or a DJ every night. Drop your attitude, open your mind and come enjoy some great cooking and funny workers and customers. After 20 years living near here we finally stopped in. That was 3 years ago. Fun and music? It's here. Great food? It's here. Take out? IT'S HERE. Good stuff. read more

The Embers - DJ playing some tunes while I wait for my Liver and Onions to be made to perfection. - Salad Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

When me and my family went there homeless people were outside. When we went in there was a homeless girl talking to herself they did not try to get her out. Someone who was eating had to get up and get her out. We sat down and our waitress was obliviously on drugs she was running around doing nothing. So we left after 30 minutes read more

My aunt Susie was a bartender here for years. Even as a young child I absolutely loved their food. I went back a few months back and had my favorite Chef Salad. It didn't disappoint. Even though I heard from friends they lost a lot of business after my Aunt left as bartender and a younger much ruder girl took over. I can see why. Her demeanor seemed like she wasn't to fond of female patrons. Bottom line If your not looking for something four star, don't mind decor from the 70's, and aren't planning on going to the bar (unless your a male) then the food is worth the stop. read more

We love the Embers, Recently thought they changed and the menu is different and more expensive. Food is still great, decor is still 1940s. Its clean and they are friendly. Feel like maybe the price doesn't match things anymore though.... read more

I ordered a margarita on the rocks and got a tequila sunrise. I drank it because I saw Mandy poured way more than an ounce! Then I ordered another one, got it, went back and asked her why it had orange juice and she said "because we make real margaritas here, not with sweet syrup" and she was mad. Then she heard me tell others and she got real mad. And when I closed out the bill she yelled at me that she has been a bartender for 20 years and knows how to make a margarita. And I was still wanting service to cash out my lottery machine ticket, she was going into the kitchen, and was yelling at me to get the fuck out of there, and continued on a rant. I told her I wanted to cash out and she said I just did. Then she ran in the kitchen cussing, very mentally disturbed, and the cook came out to cash me out. I told the cook that Mandy made me a margarita with oj. She looked dumbfounded. Now, it was Mandy's birthday, and I don't know if she was already celebrating and on something, or if this is her personality. She is a horrible bartender. I called Embers this morning and asked how they made margaritas. She told me the proper way. I told her mine was made with oj. She said "oh, that's how Mandy makes them". I didn't realize this wasn't a real business, and more like someone making a random drink at their house. So weird. I only go in a few times a year. So, if you go in and want a margarita, ask how it is made first. I hope they get rid of that horrible bartender (she doesn't wait on people who have been waiting, she goes to the new ones that just walked up!) and when I told the person I talked to this morning, she said she had heard that about Mandy. Mandy definitley needs mental health care. Embers needs to call Bar Rescue to learn how to bartend properly. Their food is good though. read more

My friend and I came here at 11pm. The band (who sounded GREAT) was just finishing up. We sat down at the bar and waited just a couple of minutes for the bartender to acknowledge us. She smiled and seemed friendly. I ordered a drink which was way too strong (wondering if that's normal, I didn't order a second one). While I was there the bartender was singing, dancing, and joking with the other patrons, some of which obviously worked there. She didn't check in on us agaib. But she was a character (we felt she was on something or drunk, but I don't know, she had a drink but we didn't see her make it). Some older women were at the bar and the bartender told them there was a discount for working in the service industry, I made a joke to my friend about how I work in service (customer service). The bartender immediately got defensive and told me she didn't serve liars. She doesn't know where I work. So I stopped talking and we just watched her. She took money from someone and started beating up the register. So a guy next to me says "must be giving her a hard time". I didn't respond. The bartender spins around and looks at me and says that I don't understand how their bar works, and then starts talking to her regulars about how I need to be taught. I didn't say anything to the man. So my friend and I left, feeling very uncomfortable). This bar is over pouring, UNCLEAN, RUDE, IRRESPONSIBLE at staffing and with the money and clearly catering to the older aged regulars. The band was great, they really sounded awesome, the only thing going for the bar at ALL. We will not only not go back, but encourage others to not as well. read more

The Embers - Pile of money the bartender had left on the counter for over 10 minutes while she was on the other side of the bar. - Salad Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

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Placed a pick up order, then came to the restaurant. The girl who took my order over the phone never submitted it to the kitchen. I left with no food read more

Great big portions of food. Great country style breakfast. The service is awesome. We hade some bloody Marie's with breakfast. A must stop place. read more

Older generation finds this place enjoyable and props for that but it's not suited for a younger crowd. Drinks are subpar and the meals are not worth the money. I would drive right by but tell my Mom to visit. read more

$17 for a ribeye! And it was properly cooked medium-rare, not excessively fatty and well seasoned! I guess I had better luck with this steak than my husband did last year when he ordered it, but the dining room was fairly slow at 3 in the afternoon, so that may have made a difference. I thought the cut was a decent portion and my mashed potatoes were made from real potatoes, not flakes, with a nice brown gravy on top. Vegetables on the side were simply zucchini and carrots with nice grill marks. My salad was good, and I like that the dressing comes on the side in a large squeeze bottle so that you can apply exactly as much as you like. Hubby got the Philly steak sandwich, loaded with provolone and veggies and accompanied by a large portion of crinkle-cut fries. Our waitress was the same as we had last year, and she was super attentive and competent. She brought horseradish sauce for hubby's steak sandwich, which was much appreciated, and she kept our N/A bevs refilled regularly. No room for dessert this time, but I'll keep this in the rotation for when I'm craving a steak and I don't want to pay steakhouse prices. The decor is quaint and outdated, but it doesn't detract in any way from the experience. read more

People used to flock to places like this, a traditional sit-down restaurant with down-home favorites on the menu, some fancy cocktails and a band set up on the stage across from the bar with enough room for a dance floor. From the looks of the place on a Friday night, I'd say the same folks who came here 30 years ago are still coming here for their monthly night on the town, and maybe driving the same car. The décor is straight out of 1979, with leatherette chairs, ratty carpet, wood paneling and popcorn ceiling. They may as well call it Ambers, since it seems preserved from a bygone age. Believe it or not, they just renovated the kitchen, but didn't touch the dining room. The same can be said for the menu, with breakfast served anytime, simple sandwiches, and lots of broiled, fried and roasted items. DLW wanted to try this place for the broasted chicken, their signature item. It's something that lots of restaurants used to offer, but it's fallen by the wayside over the years, maybe because it requires a special piece of equipment to fry and pressure cook at the same time. Entrees are quite large; the broasted chicken was half a chicken served with mixed veggies, choice of starch, soup or salad, and garlic bread. I had a ribeye, which was fairly grisly, and too thin to cook to the requested medium. DLW liked the chicken, but put it somewhere down the list of best chicken she's had. Her cucumber and mint gin and tonic was quite good, however, and the wine list, though small, is not bad. You can also get something better than Coors Light on tap. Tiramisu for dessert was serviceable and seemed homemade. Server was the sort of highly friendly type you used to see in these places all the time, calling regulars by name and advising us not to get an appetizer. Who doesn't upsell anymore? We had leftovers for the next day and paid a relative pittance for the meal. Sturdy recipes and low prices are what keep this place in business, I'm sure. read more

When you walk in, you feel like you are stepping back in time. Choose the door on the left and it's hard core old time diner style, complete with yellow leatherette rotate style seats with stainless steel studs, and sturdy cafeteria tables. Choose the door on the right and you are back in the 70s, in a dark lounge/dive, complete with patrons who probably have been in attendance since at least that long. We were there for the food with our toddler so the diner was the place for us. I chose the broasted chicken lunch, a piece of the french toast (only $2) for our little one, and my husband went with the special of the day - a spinach, bacon, and chive omelet. Okay, so this is not Morning Glory Cafe folks. And when you choose food that is fatty and off-the-nutritional-grid, you want it to be drippy tasty good. And man, was it ever. Broasted chicken involves the process of frying marinated chickens under pressure. It's sinfully good and crispy skin was something I hadn't tasted in 20 years since this one place I found on the way to Tybee Island, near Savannah, Georgia. Food that can transport you in time deserves a special kind of mention. My daughter's french toast was equally sinful with real butter and maple topping, and my husband's omelet groaned with crisp bacon. I didn't know places like this existed anymore. We left paying $23 and that included the tip. What a deal. Parent's Note: They have real Graco high chairs available, well cleaned, but only a few. We had our clip on and the table supported it fine. The wait is a bit long, which they warn you about up front if you get the broasted chicken, so make sure you bring along some entertainment. read more

Updated after many visits ... I live nearby so I go there every couple of weeks. I've taken my parents, aunt and uncle. All really enjoyed it and were surprised given that it is a very old school club/restaurant combo like they hadn't seen since the 70s. Service is often iffy after 1pm, especially at night, as they are under staffed (past 7pm there is 1 server for the bar and restaurant). On later visits, around 8pm or so, I go with the expectation that I'll need to walk up to the register to pay. No big deal. While the server may be slow, the kitchen is efficient on cooking times. The food is tasty. They buy as much local food like beef and veggies as they can as well as make their own jams. Their broaster is in good condition. They serve breakfast all day (and I like their buttermilk pancake recipe, rare for me, with their strawberry jam sauce instead of syrup). They have -excellent- corned beef hash and eggs. Their specials are often new and done well. Veggies with dinner are fresh, lightly pan fried in oil and salt/pepper which is a method I like as they retain a lot of flavor. Can't remember any times my food has been off except for one time a pancake wasn't quite done and that was quickly replaced. Oh, and one reason I go back often is because I have some spine problems and they have comfortable dinner chairs with cushioning and rollers. Not a fancy place by any means, but I kind of like that as it is always laid back. Except on the occasional live band night, but just get there by 7 and you'll be done with your meal before they start to play. Out of a couple dozen visits that's only happened twice and late in the evening. read more

I had a great bar night experience here (4 stars for what it was). A lively and engaging barmaid, Coupe de Ville playing live music, and an order of chicken fingers that was the best I've ever had. I had a great time at the bar neighboring with the other folks there and enjoyed three drinks and two sets of music. Another night, I went about 7 or 7:30 on a Sunday to get dinner. I had read so many great reviews, and I had enjoyed so much my chicken fingers, that I had high hopes. The restaurant seating area was nearly empty, but the bar was full because it was karaoke night. Wasn't what I was after, but OK. As I walked in a nice young guy encouraged me to order the special, which was beef stroganoff. I wasn't in the mood for pasta especially, but he was pretty insistent that I wouldn't be sorry. So I ordered it. I also ordered a glass of the Altos Malbec which is a popular wine choice in a lot of Eugene restaurants. At first taste I wondered if the wine had turned. It got a little better, and I'm no fancy wine connaisseur, so I let it go. It took forever for my food to arrive. The preoccupied if not indifferent server dropped it on the table and disappeared. It was barely above room temperature. It took at least five minutes for her to come into view so I could ask that it be reheated. That took forever too, but I am grateful that it wasn't microwaved. The server, to her credit, was apologetic and discounted my bill without me asking. The gravy was tasty, and the texture of the pasta was OK. It was full of fresh mushrooms which struck me as extraordinary. The morsels of meat were likely leftover prime rib, and were tender and tasty. Both of them. Seriously, there could not have been more than one or two ounces of meat in my entire serving. So close to a really good dish and yet so far! I will try Embers again. The food reviews and my experience with the chicken fingers have been too strong not to give it another shot. The website says they're open until ? But I would not go on a Sunday night. While they were technically open, by 7 PM neither the server nor the kitchen were interested in serving dinner. I'll try again when it's busier. I stopped in one weeknight to grab a drink. There were a couple other folks at the bar- a friendly guy next to me and I chatted a bit. It was a different barmaid this night, and she was efficient but not friendly or congenial. $5 for a Maker's Manhattan is a bargain- a little smaller than a more expensive place but a bargain nonetheless! I went to the Embers again last night but just for drinks and to listen to the band (Coupe de Ville). Definitely not a Gen X crowd but I'm a Boomer so it was fine. Sara at the bar did a great job in an intensely busy setting. I had cocktails which she made very well and was very pleasant although slammed. Kudos! I need to have a satisfying meal before I'll raise my rating further but my sense is I'm going to like this place a lot. So my net on Embers is very mixed. Like I said above, I'll give it another try and then update this review. read more

Not completely up-to-date to look at, but the food is AWESOME. Gene and Sarah have done a great job updating and perfecting the menu. I had the chicken fried steak with hash browns and eggs. Easily the best I've had. I was just mentioning to my wife a few days ago that I miss Cracker Barrel. This'll do. Due to their location on the other side of Eugene (I'm in Springfield), I had not known about The Ember's except from Groupon. Now that I have eaten there because of Groupon, I WILL be back. read more

This place is kind of intimidating in its non-intimidation when you walk up to it. As my mom said, "This looks like the Elks Club." Which is to say it doesn't have a standard restaurant entrance--no "seat yourself" or "wait to be seated." The bar/lounge sounded busy. It's separated by a Ducks curtain from the restaurant! They're probably more set up to greet people over there. But the staff was all very charming, and you could see that it would be easy to feel like a member of "The Club" once you've been there once. The steaks we ordered were good. The desserts (my moms both had a flourless torte deemed VERY GOOD) were, well, very good. Anyway, the place makes you feel like part of the group. Part of the people who know this great place. The whole staff was awesome--including the son of the owners, who seems to have just come in to help and tell stories! My mothers tried to marry me off to him so he'd come over and tell them stories all the time! Cracked me up! The moms have added it to their "usual restaurants" they frequent, and I hope to visit there when I'm visiting them. It was better than those fancy Italian places my moms are always taking me to downtown! read more

Embers is one of those places that makes you feel like, somewhere between your car and the front door, you stepped through a portal that has thrown you back to a different era: Wood paneling, ficuses draped in Christmas lights, 60s style leather arm chairs around the table. (Actually, I suspect they're not '60s style' but original 1960s chairs). Embers is a cross-over between a bar, club and diner. The menu is too. Grab a diner style breakfast, a sandwich, or some fried bar food. Their star dish is something called 'Broasted chicken'. Our incredibly friendly waitress explained the process to me, which involves frying and pressure cooking at once. Sounds a little like an explosion waiting to happen to me, but hey, if it produces delicious crispy-yet-tender chicken and pork chop, I'm all for it! Our waitress gave us a full introduction to Embers, including an overview of their live shows which include everything from country to jazz. On weekdays (except Monday) there's karaoke. I think Embers has known better days, in previous decades, but it seems they still get their share of loyal regulars. I suspect they fill up pretty well on weekend nights. The food is fairly typical for a diner/bar. My friend had the spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread. It was not bad, the sauce was chunky and fresh tasting, but the spaghetti was a little overcooked. The garlic bread was good but not spectacular. I decided to go for the all-out fried plate of steak fingers (or are they finger steaks?) with fries. Their fries come in 'beer battered', 'waffles', 'sweet potato' and 'tater tots'. I was tempted to ask for a bit of each but decided to restrain myself and opt for the beer battered fries. And they were very good! Seasoned, crispy, freshly fried. No complaints there. The steak fingers (finger steaks?) were fabulous and tender, though they did need a good sprinkling of salt. Best part about Embers was undeniably the service (well, and the strangely comforting old-time feel). Our waitress told us about the history of Embers, which includes a previous incarnation as a chicken farm (!). Apparently the dining area and bar were the chicken coup. I'd hoped there were photos, but the waitress didn't know of any. It doesn't seem like Embers has changed a whole lot from its initial conversion from chicken farm into a diner and club, but Embers has survived thanks to its loyal customers, and as James says: It has a very authentic dive-y charm! I can't wait to come back for some live music and more $3.50 ultra alcoholic cocktails. read more