Dogwood is a must visit when in Bend. Missing their old location downtown but they sure brought the…read morevibes bigger and better to the shed. Taking over a whole corner block, the shed offers indoor/outdoor seating with an antique flare, rustic yet funky. Huge wrap around bar and little random nook seating. They host multiple food trucks and live music on the weekends. You won't be disappointed especially with a one of their incredible craft cocktail in hand.

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.

The drinks are consistently great, always made with care. The atmosphere is a fun alternative vibe…read more When it gets busy, it gets busy--but that's why it's nice to visit on the slower days for even more attentive service, just like anywhere else. Thanks so much to the San Simon staff for all the wonderful experiences!

Follow the alley. Trust me…read more You know those places you stumble into and immediately think, "Yep...this is my kind of spot"? That was San Simón for me. At first, walking down the alley in downtown Bend, I honestly was not sure what we were about to find. Then we started seeing little fire pit pods, heated huts, glowing candles, and people tucked away having cocktails. It instantly felt cool without trying too hard. Walking into San Simón felt like stepping into some funky speakeasy hidden in plain sight. Dark lighting, moody atmosphere, David Bowie playing in the background, wild artwork on the walls that makes you stop and stare for a second. Just a great vibe all around. The kind of place where you sit down and immediately relax into the evening. The cocktails were excellent. Not overdone, not syrupy, just really balanced and well made. One of our favorites was the "Some Positive Feedback," which came with this sugar rim that looked awesome and added just enough sweetness without overpowering the drink. Bright citrus flavor, refreshing, smooth, and dangerously easy to drink. Then we asked the bartender if they could just make us something off the cuff. We said vodka, lemon and lime forward, not too sweet, maybe a little spice. They absolutely nailed it. Crisp, refreshing, layered citrus flavor with just enough heat on the back end to keep it interesting. Honestly one of those cocktails where everybody at the table takes a sip and immediately goes, "Oh wow." As a bourbon guy, I was also pleasantly surprised with the whiskey selection. The bartender recommended Stafford's Reserve, an Oregon bourbon, and I am glad I listened. Smooth, approachable, a little sweet up front with some spice on the finish. Easy sipping bourbon that fit the whole vibe of the place perfectly. What really made the night though was the staff. Everybody was friendly in that genuine way where you feel welcomed instead of "served." By the end of the night it honestly felt like we had been there before, even though it was our first visit. The outdoor setup deserves some love too. Bend cooled down at night, but the fire pits and heaters kept everything comfortable. We could have easily stayed another couple hours just hanging out. Pricing felt fair for the quality of drinks and atmosphere. This is not a dive bar pretending to be fancy. It is a genuinely cool cocktail spot that knows exactly what it is. If you are in Bend and enjoy craft cocktails, bourbon, cool music, quirky atmosphere, and places with personality, go find San Simón. Half the fun is finding it tucked down the alley in the first place.

The most stunning cocktail bar hidden in an unassuming business park. The servers were friendly and…read moreknowledgeable and it's the perfect place to get a drink with the gals

I went with a group of friends. The place is so super cute. I love the bazillion plants. I don't…read moredrink so I got the papa don't peach. I was torn between that and the only other mocktail, the great gazoo. The peach one tastes like literally nothing. And the gazoo had flavor but wasn't good (the person who ordered it agreed). Also the bamboo straws crack if you try to stir your drink at all and become unusable. My other friend got the lamb dish and it was good.

First day of my work trip arriving in town. The hotel highly recommended visiting here. Sunday 7pm…read moreis quiet but I'm not upset. Bartender was friendly and knew his mixology well! I didn't order food but I'm sure it's delish! My drink was yummy and the decor is rustic and modern. I liked that the place felt clean too.

I've loved Velvet for years, at least the idea and aesthetic of it. Really well curated interior…read morewith a great ambiance. The owner is the only person I've felt good vibes from. The rest of the team, especially recently, have unfortunately always had frankly unwelcoming, bored, avoidant, unenthusiastic, dead expression attitudes no matter the time or stress level. I've even been in when zero customers were in the entire building and based on the sole interactions with the bar, or lack thereof, the magic gets leached away from the place. Without the bartenders, it's just an empty building after all. A welcoming attitude or some conversation is the warm hearth that brings cold travelers back over and over again; people remember how they feel. Then again, even when the place is packed with people, I don't feel any warmth or connection from anyone here. Maybe it's a sign of the times, maybe it's Bend in general. I'll keep trying and coming back nonetheless.

The restaurant looks nice and has a good vibe but that's all it has going for it. We can hear a…read morewhile back and the food was great but they changed the menu and it's horrible. I ordered the chicken and fries. The chicken is super dry with no flavor and tastes like it's fried in old dirty oil. Also the beer options are seriously lacking. Whatever they were doing years back they need to return to. The baked mac and pulled pork sando they used to serve was out of this world.

Such a gorgeous place to go to! The interior of this place with the wood is very cool…read more Popped in for lunch and was not disappointed. The falafels were home made. Fresh, delicious, authentic. Not the greasy and dry ones you can get. The tzatziki /yoghurt dressing was just as fresh and delicious. We met the guy that owns the place, along with his daughter who worked there. So friendly to chat with. Turns out he's also the chef there and he was the one who makes the falafels from scratch. A must try!!! Also had the Buddha bowl with chicken. Fresh and delicious also. 10/10

From the decor and atmosphere to the unique cocktails and attentive service, Dear Irene is one of…read moreBend's best restaurants. They offer a fixed menu with great starters, salads, and entrees. We ordered the scallops which were full of buttery deliciousness, the chicken which was cooked to perfection with crunchy breading on the outside, and a creamy polenta dish. You can't go wrong but be sure to order one of the salads. Our favorite was the baratta and citrus salad with olives and pine nuts. It has all the textures and sweet-salty goodness you could want. As for cocktails, our favorite was the pear and side piece drinks. The presentation is beautiful and they really are one of a kind. We'll be back!

I randomly stepped inside this place noticing the pretty decor and classy interior. The service was…read moreexceptional from start to finish. I was served by a tall male bartender who was incredibly personable--we talked quite a bit, and honestly, I'd go back just for that experience alone. That said, the drinks he crafted and the food that came out of the kitchen gave me plenty more reasons to return. I ended up ordering an impressive amount of food, and by the time I hit my fifth large course, he joked that he'd have to pinch himself if I actually finished it. I couldn't help it--everything was that good. He also pointed me toward the owner, who clearly knows exactly what he's doing in the kitchen and carries himself with confidence and intention. Every aspect of this place felt immersive, like stepping into a classy, well-directed film. The atmosphere, the food, the service--it all came together seamlessly.

For reasons unrelated to restaurant quality or reputation, we'd avoided Zydeco. Recently, however,…read morealong with a couple friends, we decided to give it a shot. Verdict: Zydeco is an outstanding restaurant in virtually every way. No negatives to report. The place is popular - arriving just before opening on a weekday, there was a line to get in. Reservations are definitely a good idea here. Our early arrival in line allowed us to choose a good table in the back, where it wouldn't be too hectic. That too was a good idea as the place gets loud with conversation when it fills up. Music wasn't loud, just the people. The menu isn't huge but there are quite a few, varied choices. Given the meal was a bit of a splurge for us, I essentially ignored the prices, which are not trivial by any means. Fine dining entails spending money. Zydeco has a ton of reviews and as the menu apparently doesn't change, I'll just say everything we ordered was great. Cocktails too. The Bramble Down is exquisite. Service was top tier as well. Timely, attentive, professional without being stiff. The capstone to our experience involved the bill. We actually had a gift card from 2017 - nine years ago. While it certainly didn't cover the whole bill, or even half, it was a nice way to defray costs. Unfortunately, when the server ran the gift card, it showed no balance. Not sure why but perhaps over the years, the card had been erased by stray EMF. Despite that and given we provided the card receipt, the restaurant honored the card for the full amount anyway. Well done. Highly recommended.

WOW‼ Our fourth visit, whenever we stop in Bend…read more Service is outstanding. ALL WINNERS: Beet Salad BBQ Shrimp - gotta get the bread Blacked Red Fish Carrot Cake Key Lime Pie Pass on the Fried Green Tomatoes.

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.

Pretty good whiskey bar quite a big menu and something for everyone I wish they had a speakeasy in…read moreRedmond

Charming eclectic retro vibe. Fast service, great creative drinks. Don't shy away from the featured…read moreagave/tequila drink - it was wonderful. We didn't nt eat but food looked good. Great drop in cocktail spot.

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.

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.