food and drink - 
Picks and Pans of road food found in Oregon (and beyond)

My opinions are my own. I get no compensation for my review from any of the restaurants you'll find here. In the interests of full disclosure - I built and maintain the website for Oklahoma Smokehouse BBQ. Does this relationship color my review?
No way. If the food is good and the service matches - I'll tell you.
If the food was horrible - I'll tell you that too.
If I'd never set foot in the door again - you'll know without a doubt..

Click the link, read the review. They're not presented in any
particular order. 

Oklahoma Smokehouse BBQ

Yeongs Place

Lighthouse Deli & Fish Company

Lorane General Store  Linda's Deli

The Steamboat Inn

Bene' Gourmet Pizza

Alsea General Store

Local Ocean



Mo's Restaurant and Chowder House

McMennamin's

Rogue Ales Public House

Arctic Circle (Newport, OR franchise)

The Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach

Bliss Hot Rod Grill

Bend Brewing Company

Ring of Fire

Ocean Sky

Oklahoma Smokehouse BBQ 1055 Hwy 99 North Eugene, Oregon (541) 912-9674 meat-me@oklahomasmokehousebbq.com oklahomasmokehousebbq.com	I'm going to go out on a limb here. This may well be the finest barbeque in the west. The owners of this tiny roadside stand are absolutely devoted to providing authentic Oklahoma style barbeque to their growing legion of fans. Whether you love a thick slice of beef brisket or a stunning full rack of tender pork ribs...this is the place for you. There is no inside seating, everything is 'to-go' but that's ok. The barbeque is well worth the inconvenience. The the Okie Bowl for a taste treat. Sandwiches, dinner plates, catering packs, sides both small and large. Lunch, Dinner, Catering Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $ - $$$
Yeongs Place 1120 Virginia Ave North Bend, OR 541-756-1914	My wife and I were in North Bend last week. It was time for lunch and while we were wandering around looking for a local cafe instead of one of the horrid chains, we couldn't help but notice the jammed parking lot of this former Arctic Circle drive-in. What a pleasant surprise to find a bright, clean and full of happy patrons dining area, a well rounded menu, friendly service and absolutely massive portions of good, well made food at a fair price. Judy had the fresh Halibut fish 'n chips, I enjoyed the massive bacon cheeseburger basket with onion rings. The fish was  very obviously fresh in a light beer style batter, the chips hot and crisp. Home made tarter sauce and a spicy red seafood sauce were served on the side. My burger was simply put - huge. The bacon was tender, plentiful and freshly cooked. The meat patty was at least 1/3 lb of chuck steak. Condiments, pickes, lettuce and fresh tomato topped the nearly 6in diameter burger. The onion rings were home made, in a panko style breading. Served perfectly cooked, hot and crisp they may have been among the best onion rings I've ever had. The fact is, the burger was so large and the onion rings so delicious that I wasn't able to finish the burger. You won't be disappointed. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $ - $$
Lighthouse Deli and Fish Company 3640 SW Coast Hwy Newport, OR (541) 867-6800	Fresh caught seafood. Fresh crab steamed to order. Generous portions. Good variety of local NW seafood. Indoor or outdoor casual dining. If you eat out at the picnic tables you can watch the crab take their final swim. If you eat indoors be prepared for cramped seating. There's not much in the way of ambience since you're basically sitting in the foyer of a seafood market counter. There's little int he way of service other than a shouted "Double Fish 'n Chips!?" as your order reaches the counter. You'll have to jump up and grab it before someone else grabs your order.  My only complaint is the prices seem to be a bit on the 'tourist trap' side of the roadside food stand equation. Is it worth it? Yes. I'd say it is. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Food - Five Stars Service - Three Stars $$-$$$
Lorane General Store - Linda's Deli 80233 Territorial Highway Lorane, OR 97451 (541) 942-2074	Tiny, obscure, quaint, rustic (established in 1888!). All of these describe the facility. None of them describe the quality of the food or the level of the friendly service you'll experience here. Even Sunset Magazine agrees. A visit to The Lorane General Store on a wet and cold Oregon morning will find a cheerful and warming wood stove cranking out some serious BTUs in the back corner. The work of local artisans hangs on the walls to inspire your own creative juices. So, go and grab that giant round table, hang up your wet gear and settle in for a relaxed cup of hot coffee and a piece of home-made pie to nosh on, while the rest of your home-style breakfast is prepared. From hot breakfast to a fabulous prime-rib diner stye dinner on Friday nights, you'll enjoy true hospitality and that amazing 'authentic' touch of real home cooked food. If you don't see what you want on the menu - ask Linda and if she has the ingredients it'll be out to your table in a jiffy. Espresso, bakery, breakfast, lunch, dinner. Dine in family style, take-out. Beer / Gifts / Art. Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $-$$
Steamboat Inn 42705 North Umpqua Hwy, Steamboat, Oregon 97447-9703 Toll Free: 800.840.8825      Phone: 541.498.2230 SteamboatInn@Hughes.net www.thesteamboatinn.com	38 miles east of Roseburg on OR38, the Steamboat Inn is a combinatin of a destination hotel and a limited service diningroom The location is remote, the facility is a hunting and fishing lodge style building located right on the bank of the river, with family-style cookhouse or single table service. With a diverse menu and a local reputation for excellence, I was surprised to find that the food at lunch was nothing spectacular. Worse, the service was slow with very little positive interaction between the 'waiter' and the customers. When my burger finally arrived it was  cold and over-cooked (I still haven't figured out how they managed that trick.) To be fair, I rode there with a group of eight other motorcyclists, we all arrived at the same time and we didn't have a reservation (though, I did call them a couple of days before our ride to let them know we'd be arriving in a group). I guess I may have been thrown by the rather harshly worded "Dining Room CLOSED to non guests" sign posted on the main entry door. Maybe the service and food is better if you spring for the $295 per night weekend couples get-away. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Lodging. Food - Two Stars Service - One Star $$-$$$$
Bene' Gourmet Pizza 2566 Willamette Street Eugene, OR  97401 541.284.2702 Bene' Gourmet Pizza 4 Oakway Center Oakway Center Mall Coburg Rd at Oakway Eugene, OR  97401 541.284.2701 Bene' Food & Friends 1665 W. 18th Ave. Eugene, OR 97402 541.284.2700 www.benegourmet.com	Finding pizza that is above the chain store standards can be a challenge. Imagine my surprise at finding this wonderful cafe' style pizza parlor . My first visit was on a Thursday evening. Walking in the door at 5:30, I was the eighth person in line. Every table and all of the surrounding stools were full. I wasn't sure if there'd be a place to sit once the pizza was ready but like magic, a two top cleared just as our pizza came out of the oven. Magic! I swear! Light crisp crusts, flavorful without being overbearing sauces, fresh toppings and perfect prep. Single slice, salads, multiple 'ready to go' pies and both meat-eater and veggie pizzas and sandwiches. My second visit was to a new Bene' location - Bene' Food & Friends. Located in a former bank building this Bene' is more oriented to sit-down dining with a genuine wait staff and a deeper menu. Fast service, with a good attitude and the same high quality food. I was taken by how genuine the family / neighborhood feel of this restaurant was. Highly recommended for a 'weekly visit' type place. The only negative is the noise level. The restaurant is visually entertaining but all of the hard surfaces make the place suffer a bit from the 'din of dinning'. Lunch, dinner , take-out, catering. Beer / Wine / Spirits. Food - Five Stars Service - Four Stars $-$$$
Alsea General Store aka John Boy's Alsea Mercantile 186 E. Main Alsea, OR 97324 541-487-4462 johnboysmerc@hotmail.com	Finding myself in Alsea after a brisk ride across Alsea Falls Rd. I thought I'd give the Alsea General Store (aka John Boy's Alsea Mercantile) deli counter a try. I shouldn't have bothered. While the cultural experience of any visit to Alsea is on the entertaining side of the spectrum, the food from the hot-case was truly horrible. Sure the clerk was friendly, the other customers were...uh...entertaining.  If you're on the hunt for that special fishin' lure this might be the place to find it. For road food the prices were right in line. A buck for a jo-jo seems to be the standard at hot-case equipped delis from all corners of the country. The unfortunate side of this is - with the exception of a cold drink and a candy-bar...don't waste your money unless you're just stopping for a break and a cold beverage. Take-out only. Food - No Stars Service -  Two Stars $
Local Ocean Seafood 213 SE Bay Rd Newport, OR 97365 800.574-7959 541.574-7959 info@localocean.net www.localocean.net	Enjoy gourmet Pacific Rim seafood, cooked in a 'presentation style' kitchen right in front of you. This is one of my all-time favorite seafood restaurants. From spicy crab-cakes to coconut encrusted tiger prawns in a sweet-hot dipping sauce as appetizers to fresh dill encrusted halibut steaks served with a crisp salad, you'll always find the food here to be exemplary. Located at the east end of the Bayfront, directly across the street from the new board-walk. Indoor and out-door 'al fresco' seating, the whole side of the building opens so that everyone can enjoy the pleasant view and fresh air. A full and varied menu, a wonderful chilled case of 'to-go' condiments and friendly as well as attentive staff. From a quick fresh seafood lunch to a delightful and romantic dinner you'll enjoy any meal at Local Ocean Seafood. Go. You will be amazed. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Fresh, canned, flash frozen seafood and bottled seafood condiments to go. Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $-$$$$
Mo's Seafood and Chowder House Various Locations - Oregon Coast www.moschowder.com	A traditional destination for motorcyclists out for a day ride. Mo's Seafood Restaurant and Chowder Houses are a small 'Oregon only' chain with a good reputation and very pleasant locations. I've stopped in Florence, Newport and Lincoln City. All offer the same high quality chowder with plenty of clam, in a delightful base. No over-thickened chowder here! Bayside dining tables at the Florence location can be hard to get if you're there on a busy weekend. Visit during the week and the pace is notably more relaxed. Good service, great food and fantastic views. Some day I'll have a chance to do dinner instead of lunch. I'll add my comments here after. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Limited distribution of chowder in local grocery stores. Food - Four Stars Service - Four Stars $$-$$$
McMennamin's Restaurants and Pubs Various Locations - Oregon www.mcmenamins.com	One of the larger and more successful home-grown chains of restaurants and pubs. McMenamins prime attraction is their unique choices of locations. McMenamins offers locations ranging from former school buildings to re-purposed private club-houses to more traditional restaurants adjoining a McMenamin owned and managed hotel. Each McMenamins location offers a different dining experience. All offer beer on tap and a generic 'pub' menu. Some locations offer local brews and special that location only menu items. The food is good, the beers are varied, and the service...well, the service quite frankly is attrocious. Slow doesn't even begin to describe the pace.   Oh sure, the staff is friendly, but their lack of attention to the diner is way beyond unacceptable. I was very disappointed and probably won't go back unless someone else offers to pick up the tab. I really wanted to like McMenamins too. I'm bummed. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Beer / wine / full bar (some locations). Food - Four Stars Service - One Star $$$ - $$$$
Rogue Ales Brewery and Public House 748 SW Bay Blvd. Newport, OR 97365 (541) 265-3188 Fax: (541) 265-7528 Plus various other locations from San Francisco, CA to Issaquah, WA www.rogue.com	A gem. Fabulous brews. Hot, fresh food served with a smile. The place is always packed and for good reason.  Traditional Pub fare with a seafood leaning. Chowder, fish 'n chips, even a seafood linguine. All nicely presented and served while still hot. Just as it should be. Rogue Ales is gaining a world-wide following, with a reputation for creative and flavorful brewing with a decidedly NW twist. It'll be busy on a weekend evening but ignore (or enjoy) the clamor. Before long you'll find yourself a member of the Rogue Nation. Lunch, dinner, take-out. A plethora of fresh brewed beer on tap with seasonal varieties offered. (Check out their Oktoberfest for a treat.) Lunch, dinner, take-out. 35 taps just brimming with yummy Beer. Bulk beer to go. Food - Four Stars Service - Five Stars $$ - $$$
Arctic Circle 340 North Coast Highway Newport, OR 97365	Don't go. It's that simple. I've eaten at many Arctic Circle restaurants across the west. This one has turned me off to all of them. We received surly service, plus we were over charged and served under sized portions. Imagine Judy's surprise when she unwrapped her 'Fresh Halibut Burger Special' to find, a tiny piece of canned halibut passed off as 'fresh' on a plain hamburger bun. Hey at least it was only $7.95.  Oh, at  she got a 'large' soda (flat and diet when she asked for regular) served in a 12oz cup for only $1.95 more. I revelled in my over-cooked micro patty on my 'Jumbo Burger'. No need to worry about dripping any sauce on my shirt. There wasn't any. My chocolate milk shake? Huh, now that I think about it, I never did see that. I could go on, but we left in disgust and I think I've blocked the memory. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Drive-in 'car-hop' service. Food - NO Stars Service - NO Stars $$-$$$
Chowder Bowl at Nye Beach 728 NW Beach Drive Newport OR 97365 541-265-7477	Fresh chowder. Genuine, rich, creamy, loaded with clams and flavor. It simply put doesn't get any better anywhere on the west coast. If you think you've had good chowder elsewhere, you'll find yourself stunned after a bowl at Chowder Bowl. Be prepared for crowds, listen for foreign languages (I heard  French, German and Chinese on my last visit) and you may find the wait to be a little on the long side. Gut it out. It's worth every minute. Friendly staff, fantastic chowder in an enviroment full of happy chatter and the sounds of delighted slurping. Lunch, dinner only. Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $$ - $$$
Bliss' Hot Rod Grill 1179 Highway 101 Florence, OR 97439 (541) 997-6726	Hunks of classic hot-rods protrude out of the walls, hang from the front of the building and whole cars make up some of the seating booths. '50s era Rock 'n Roll plays on the Juke  Box. Black and white tile floor. You get the idea, this cafe is yet another portrayal of "American Graffiti" come to life.  You almost expect the Fonz to come out of the back." Heyyyyy".  The building and it's decor is unique and memorable. The food, not so much.  At least not on my visit. It wasn't bad mind you, but pretty much 'typical' for this kind of cafe.  A fairly diverse menu with a strong lean towards burgers does have a couple of surprises. The Chili Burger is made with _good_ chili and there's no shortage of options when it comes to ice-cream based milk shakes. I'll go back and try the barbeque since that's one of my special missions in life. You'll find crowds and long waits if you end up at Bliss' on a Florence Rod-run weekend.  Of course, that's when the best viewing of real hot-rods occurs. Lunch, dinner, take-out. A Gearheads delight. Food - Three Stars Service - Three Stars $-$$$
Ocean Sky Chinese 1601 Chambers St Eugene, OR 97402 (541) 342-4848	There are some in Eugene who would consider the food at Ocean Sky to be among the best chinese food in the area. I'm not of that persuasion. Oh, don't get me wrong. The food was served hot and promptly. Maybe too hot, and too promptly. Almost as if it'd spent a minute or so in a micro-wave oven. I don't have actual evidence of this abuse of chinese food, only a hunch. That and the ability to recognize what re-heated chinese tastes like. I was disappointed. With a location that's tucked behind a grocery store, with a parking lot that is difficut to access there are a few strikes before you walk in the door. Once inside you'l find the dining area is large and without personality. The wait staff was cursory and without personality. (I sense a theme.) The food was generic and without personality. Even the 'General Tso's Chicken' was bland. There has to be better chinese food in the south Willamette Valley. There has to be. Please. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Food - Two Stars Service - Two Stars $$-$$$
Bend Brewing Company 1019 NW Brooks St. Bend, OR 97701 (541) 383-1599 www.bendbrewingco.com	BBC (never to be confused with Bend Burger Company) shines as one of the top brew-pubs in Oregon. Take equal parts great beer, a diverse menu that goes beyond 'pub fare' and add a friendly, attentive wait staff. Blend it all with an attractive decor in a very nice building located on Mirror Pond and the DeChutes River, toss in a wonderful sense of positive energy and you have a hit.   My visit occured during an early summer day ride. By the time I'd found the BBC, I was ready for a cold pint. Service was prompt and the beer....oh....the beer. I had a Hophead IPA and I was in heaven. Frosty, crisp, full of a fresh hoppy after-taste. A perfect choice when served with a very nice Club Sandwich. I'll be back, you should take the time to go also. Lunch, dinner. Hand crafted Beers on tap and by the bottle. Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $$-$$$
Ring of Fire 1099 Chambers St Eugene, Oregon (541) 344-6475 www.ringoffirerestaurant.com	Ring of Fire is a good Thai restaurant. I don't say that lightly. There are a lot of Thai restaurants that aren't very good at all. I take my Thai seriously and Ring of Fire answers with blazing hot food, full of flavor and character. Genuine friendly  service staff and a delightful dining room added to rich spicy food conspire to make this one of my favorites in Eugene. Don't miss the Panang Curry, or the Phad Thai with chicken.  Ring of Fire is a 'lets go again!' kind of place. Make it a regular for you too. Lunch, dinner, take-out, banquet room, catering. Beer / Spirits / Lounge. Food - Five Stars Service - Five Stars $$ - $$$$
Fisherman's Market 830 W 7th Ave, Eugene, OR (541) 484-2722 www.plankfish.com	One of the 'pleasant surprises' you'll find around Eugene. Lots of fresh seafood, great variety, good energy among the staff. The dining facility leaves a little to be desired and the wait-staff may smell a bit fishy...but there's something to be said for watching the live crab and lobster tank as you dine with plastic forks and spoons. From Cioppino (not always on the menu) to Halibut n' Chips the menu has a depth to suit every seafood palate.  If they're on the board - you have to try the fresh crab-cakes. Be aware, there is usually a dinner plate special up on the board - it's not uncommon for that special to sell out early. Also, remember that Fishermans Market is a working fresh seafood market. You can do your own cooking if you're so inspired. (You'll have to take the fish home though first.) The variety of tarter sauces is available to go, don't miss out on trying each. Dine in, take-out, ready to cook. Fishermans Market offers the full gamut. Lunch, dinner, take-out. Beer / Raw Seafood to go. Food - Five Stars Service - Three Stars $ - $$$