We had dinner here on the Fourth of July. It did not disappoint. We began with cocktails. The bar here offers a number of clever variations on established drinks and you ought to try one. Two might be pushing it if you're driving. My wife had a couple of berry martinis that she described as excellent. I had a "Wood" which is basically a Manhattan made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Vermouth and the best damn dried cherry garnish you can imagine. The on-site-made bread and crackers they offer with butter while you decide on your meal are both memorable. For entrees, I had theTagliatelle, my wife had the chicken and polenta. Take my word for it: you'll run out of superlatives before you adequately describe either of these dishes. Flavorful, perfectly done, just the right size, delivered hot and fresh, wonderfully seasoned in an innovative way. . .you have to taste them. They are really that good. I drank a glass of Elk Cove Blended Red wine (Barbara and Cab) with my pasta and I'll be getting a case if I can get my local liquor store to order it. Desert was a chocolate volcano cake, which we had with espresso. Both divine, the cake light and rich, the center hot, liquid and bittersweet. I notice a couple of prior reviews remark unfavorably on the service. Our server was Bruno and his work was a fitting accompaniment to the quality of the food. The place was fairly busy tonight and the staff all seemed efficient and attentive. We will be back anytime we get to Hood River. read more

Swung through town and stopped at this charming restaurant with an easy-but-elegant atmosphere. Terrific food start to finish. Began with wine, mussels and the cheese plate. Entrees were the chicken, pork, steak and antelope ragout. We all ate every last bite! Skipped dessert but menu looked great too. Service was outstanding. They were able to accommodate us over an hour earlier than our reservation. We will be back! read more

Took my man for his birthday on a Friday night after a day of pampering at the spa. It was 8pm and the restaurant was 1/3 full. Drinks: Woody martini (manhattan) Blood Orange martini (AMAZING) Apps: Gravlox salad, my boyfriend loved it, (very garlicy) Scallops: really good, cooked perfectly Dinner: Bouillabaisse: The best I have ever had, perfect base,chock full of delicious seafood Prime Rib: cooked perfectly, seasoned to perfection Dessert:: Chocolate Volcano: to die for. Tipped us over the edge we were so full. This restauarant would have gotten 5 stars except for the service. Our waitress gave us very little attention, and rarely came by, period. She was busy flirting with some folks at the bar, then talking to her friends, and completely ignoring her tables. The 2 diners next to us up and left as she never even got to their table. She knew it was a birthday dinner and never said a thing. We even asked for a dessert that was good for a birthday....she just dropped it by. Apparently she was too busy to care. Go for the food! The service was frighteningly BAD during a NOT busy time. We will go back and ask for someone who actually takes pride in serving their clientelle. read more

Weekend getaway/first trip to Hood River with my partner. Made a reservation ahead of time (thank you for offering reservations, by the way). Beet Salad was refreshingly earthy, sweet, not over-dressed. Pasta with Chanterelles was flavorful, just the right combination of salt, crushed red peppers and herbs. Perfectly shaped and cooked Torchio pasta to hold the flavor of the sauce and accompany the mushrooms. And, thank you for making Vegan accommodations without making me feel like I was a chore. All things considered, priced appropriately. read more

I travel through Hood River, OR quite a bit for work, and I always seem to pass through around lunch time which is great because this town is full of great pubs and restaurants. This place was no exception, and is located right on a quiet little corner in downtown Hood River, OR. I parked on the street which is metered, I didn't see any off-street parking or lot parking, no big deal. When I entered Celilo I was greeted immediately, and I chose to sit outside along the sidewalk. They had plenty of seating and a nice bar inside, but it was such a nice day out and I needed to get some sun. The restaurant was slow, but I did notice an A-list celebrity that was sitting near a window eating lunch. Pretty neat to be in that kind of company out here in Hood River, although I am aware plenty of Hollywood types hang out here, I've never seen any. I did wait a few minutes for my waitress to come out and greet me, but it wasn't too long. She was very nice, brought me water and silverware and informed me of the special which I ended up ordering. I had a turkey and bacon club sandwich on ciabatta bread, with a side salad and a nice cold draft IPA. Usually I'm hesitant to order anything on ciabatta bread, because it's always too thick and chewy and I hardly taste the other ingredients. Not this time, the ciabatta was nice and thin on both sides, and I could tastes the turkey, cheese, and bacon and a perfect amount of olive oil and possibly pesto had soaked into the ciabatta nicely. It was a pleasant surprise! The salad was also nice and fresh, it was loaded with micro greens and had a terrific red wine house dressing. I had a very nice lunch and a beer for around $15. I would recommend this place to anyone for a nice quiet and tasty lunch, and who knows, maybe a run-in with a Hollywood celeb! Enjoy! read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - The sign above the sidewalk - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Very dissatisfied with our experience at what we had hoped would be a wonderful experience. We had a reservation for 6:30. We were seated promptly. We waited until 7:15 until our food was served. Seemed like a long wait since the restaurant was not busy. When I was trying to decide between the chicken and the steak, the waitress told me that the steaks are one and one half inches thick. When the steak came it was only one half inch thick. I cut it open and saw that 1/2" thick was not adequate to have a nice juicy medium rare cook on it. The steak also had stringy fibers in it. Not what one expects for a $37.00 steak. I sent it back. The food was served with great sauces . My husband and I both had too much fat on the meat in our dishes. Serve was extremely slow. We left the restaurant at 8:00. Won't go back! read more

Celilo is unspeakably wonderful. Its biggest problem is that it's 3000 miles away from my house. Still, we've visited 3 times, on 3 separate trips---it's worth coming back for. Everything tastes fresh and bright; they support local farmers and foragers and it shows! On our last visit, my handmade pasta with lamb bolognese was a delight; my husband's hanger steak didn't last long. The spinach soup appetizer was surprising and lovely, too. On a previous visit we began with the cheese-and-jam plate, which didn't last long... I can't actually remember what our entrees were on that trip (I just vaguely recall chasing the last few lentils around the bottom of a shallow bowl), but I remember spending the whole meal giggling with glee, and being compelled to leave a giant fat tip just because eating there made me so happy. You're thinking I was drunk---not unless they spiked my water. It's a beautiful, welcoming restaurant too. Inviting colors, and expensive-looking solid hardwoods (curly maple and cherry I think). Even the music works well---on our first visit we asked what was playing, and our server said he wished he could tell us but it was a mix CD that'd been made by another staffer who wasn't at work that night. So we'll never know, but whatever it was added to the surprise of finding what felt like a very sophisticated, "big city" restaurant in---of all places---Hood River, Oregon! We'll keep coming back every time we're in the right time zone. read more

One word... reservations! I had a bit of trouble coming up with how many stars I wanted to give Celilo. The food was excellent, there is no denying that. My steak was cooked to perfection and the muscles were as tasty as I've had anywhere. The atmosphere/decor appeared to be very upscale and the wait staff was pretty friendly. Where Celilo really fell flat and deserved its 3 star rating is in how it handles walk-in customers. My wife and I entered Celilo at about 7:30 on a Friday to find an almost empty dining area. We requested a table for two and were told that since we didn't already have reservations, the only place we could be seated is in the bar. This was annoying, remember I said that the restaurant was pretty much empty, but acceptable since there were a couple of open tables in the bar. Over the course of our meal we saw the same situation repeat itself to the point where people were now being turned away because the bar was full. To top it all off, when we left the restaurant at around 8:30, the dining area was still only about half full. So in review, Celilo is a really good restaurant food wise, but make dang sure you have a reservation ahead of time. read more

My wife and I found ourselves here this last weekend, as we walked around the city and either saw an unsatisfying menu or closed store fronts. I'm quite happy that we did stumble on this place. The food was excellent and the cocktails were a real delight. Just reading the menu was enjoyable, and fortunately the plating matched the descriptions. My wife got the Torchio Primavera. A very excellent meal. Heavy on the sauce and I'm sure it was heavy on all that o-so-delish fats and oils, but who cares.......it was our vacation and it was really tasty. I got the Paella. Not something I normally get. I don't even think I knew exactly what Paella was when I order it. But I could not have made a better choice. It came out to the table sizzling on a Cast Iron Skillet. All the flavors melded together perfectly, but the best part was all the extra crispy rice that burned to the bottom of the skillet. Yummy. The cocktails were a so unique. I don't remember exactly what I had, but I do recall enjoying it as a perfect ending to the night. read more

Have to knock it down a couple of stars. The last three times I've been, the service has be good but it takes so long. Especially to get drinks. Each time I was able to get a cocktail before my meal yet that was it. After that no more. So no drink with my actual meal even though the order was in. This time the excuse was a wedding party (of six). Last time was during the week with only three or four of the tables occupied..?? The food is still great but they need more bar help. read more

My husband had the $30 steak, which to him was just "okay", and the two bites he let me try were both very fatty. I got the gnocchi, and was very disappointed. It had so much sauce, I had to pick through it to find the few that were actually in there, and they were okay, but not great. When someone came to clear out dishes, they actually asked if I wanted a box for the rest of my meal, but the plate only had sauce on it! The pomegranate cider was good. That was the only saving grace. read more

Oyster Po Boy was ok, but oh my loooordddd, how do I explain how ridiculously delicious the Pendleton BBQ Steak Sandwich was?!? REALLY? I don't know how to explain. Seems from Yelp like you should get whatever the option is that includes hangar steak, so at lunch, that's the aforementioned sandwich. It had the most mouthwatering BBQ sauce, wonderfully caramelized onions, and the perfect bread. It was really saucy and delicious. So outrageously good, and at lunch it's only $10.75! A beautiful restaurant with lovely decor and ambiance, but without the price you usually get with that! read more

Celilo would fit right in to the more cosmopolitan environs of Portland, or even maybe L.A. (maybe), so surprising that it's nestled into teeny-tiny Hood River, a small town that's startlingly hipper than its larger neighbor The Dalles, where I'm from. And let's just say that whenever I make it home for visits, I get Hood River envy -- such a cool place! Anyway, Celilo. Their menu is small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in spades in execution. Seasonal ingredients accent signature dishes of fresh-caught fish and great cuts of meat. I ordered the hangar steak, which came with greens, new potatoes and cloves of roasted garlic. The steak was the perfect shade of red and they were generous with the greens, which, after three days of my mom's (awesome but heavy) home cooked food, I definitely appreciated. They also have a kick-ass cocktail menu and right now (July) they have a golden raspberry parfait, of which I had a few bites, and it was awesome. Light and creamy and slightly citrusy and those golden raspberries were delicious and so unexpected! Definitely one of my favorite places to go when I'm at home, for sure. read more

Beautiful restaurant and fantastic food! Everything was delicious and the staff was super friendly and accommodating.

Our experience here was just average. I came with a group of 7, and I'd say the highlights of dinner were the service (our server was very nice) and the ambience, which was nice and Hood River-ish, although a little too dark for me. The food left a little to be desired. My friend's paella was a salt lick (according to her). Beet salad had too few beets and way too many greens. Then came the salmon which was also heavy on the greens. I mean, I can make some serious damage in leafy greens, but this was too much. The salmon, while not necessarily fishy tasting, was just really potent. On a good note, the pork suey (?) was pretty yummy and the pork belly appetizer was quite good! Seems like Hood River has the (tourist) population to support some excellent dining options, so I was surprised to be a little bit disappointed. I wouldn't necessarily return here for dinner, but perhaps we caught them on an off night. read more

Delicious. Was offered a nice glass of sparkling wine upon arrival. Had the clams as well as the meat and cheese plate for starters. Ordered the Pork Trio... AMEN TO THAT! Belly, Loin, and Braised shoulder. This dish was amazing. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes meat. We accompanied our dinner with a nice bottle of Ken Wright Pinot Noir. read more

This was our best meal of the trip. We began with the skillet clams appetizer (a solid start to the meal) and the spinach salad ( just ok as it was a bit bland, especially compared to the other dishes). My girlfriend got the fettuccine meat pasta which she liked (me too). I got the seafood skillet, which was my favorite dish of the trip. Flavorful and fresh flavors. Service was attentive and our server was helpful with a local red blend to go with all the dishes. Worth going back to! read more

This was just a mediocre restaurant. We went based on reviews from others and photos. The decor was nice and staff friendly. We both started with the corn soup. It literally had 4 pieces of corn in it. The waitress recommended the homemade pasta dishes. I had the Paparrdelle with Chanterelles. House made pappardelle, sautéed chanterelle mushrooms** and Oak Rose Farm sweet peppers. Served with Grana cheese and extra virgin olive oil. It was extremely salty. I really just couldn't eat much of it. The other dish was the Pasta Bolognese. Cascade Natural beef and pork Bolognese served over house made pappardelle pasta with fresh basil. Finished with Grana cheese and extra virgin olive oil. It was dry. We were really disappointed in the food. read more

We had read about this restaurant in the fabulous magazine dedicated to Oregon, 1859, and they had written a glowing review.....right on the mark! Hood River is one of our favorite destinations, only a little over an hour from Portland, the options of driving up one side of the river, coming back the other. Making this restaurant part of the destination proved to be a stellar idea, and we were delighted we had lunch there. I chose the smoked trout salad, my husband enjoying the chef's NW version of a BLT using current vegetables. We topped it off with a blackberry cobbler, dressed with freshly made vanilla bean ice cream. Marvelous. Our waitress was extremely pleasant, and very professional. We would recommend Celilo to everyone. read more

Ben and his team have this place dialed in. The food is great (the New York has been my go too), the creative drinks are abundant and the beer & wine menu is also very well thought out. I also have to mention the large crackers that come with the bread, amazing pre dinner treats. Keep up the great work all around over there! read more

Fantastic Food! We had the special this night,..Mussels w/fennel and it was so good, I never cared to try mussels but outside of it sounding amazing, it was! Which brought us to choose the oyster, shrimp, scallop bake, came in a cast iron skillet,..,over a toasted orzo, amazing, the flavor a would not stop! Our waiter was perfect in timing and serving us, we love that! We did a to go for dessert which also sounded amazing, yet I would not know because I fell asleep early to wake up to them all being devoured by my husband,.. Must have been excellent because there is not even a crumb or morsel in sight to nibble! We will be back for sure! read more

Oh how I love this place! I had always been afraid to come here as it looked out of my price range.... My group of friends wanted to eat here, so... I caved... and now I love it! First trip here I tried the Portobello Sandwich... HECK YES! Second time, I tried the burger... done just the way a burger should be done! And last time, I had the Salmon Burger... DELISH! I've got my eye on the pulled pork next time, and can't wait! The staff is accommodating and patient... one of my buddies has very specific dietary needs, and they patiently and helpfully worked with her without making her feel ridiculous. Too bad I can only give them 5 stars.... For those who like a cocktail... They have a full bar. read more

We had a wonderful dinner here. We sat outside and the service was perfect! The food was delicious and we can't wait to go back.

I haven't actually eaten a proper meal here, so it's a little strange to be writing a review. I have come in a few times for dessert and drinks, though, and if their food is anything like their dessert offerings, I really should go back for a normal-person's meal. The chocolate volcano they offer is simply divine. That is really all you need to know. read more

Had an incredible dinner with friends. The drinks are wonderful and all of our food was spectacular. Highly recommend. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - Blood Orange Margaritas were so good!!! - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

Probably one of my favorite restaurants in Hood River, the place is lively but quiet enough to have a nice dinner with a friend. I have only been in town for about 2 weeks now and have been back 3-4 times now. My favorite dish it the Braised Pork which literally needs no knife and falls apart with just a fork. The kale salad is also a nice starter with fresh pomegranate mixed into it with a subtle but flavorful sauce. My favorite though is the Classic Old Fashioned - I have travelled all over and these guys know how to make a very satisfying old fashioned. Perfectly balanced and the crater lake whiskey is fantastic. The wait staff is very attentive, super outgoing and prompt with their service. They were able to accommodate a party size change without any problems and my fellow coworkers had a blast. I will definitely be back again! read more

The most perfect happy hour! Delicious cocktail, fantastic meal. The 2 of us had 2 yummy cocktails (plus a pint of equally delicious beer), and exceptional burger and fries AND steak frites. It was all perfect and about $40 (before tip). AND we had a lovely half inside/half outside table. read more

Celilo Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Hood River, Oregon

My second visit and again it was awesome service, amazing creative menu. Very impressive wine list. The muscles and chorizo skillet is a must. We will definitely return. read more

My boyfriend and I went here for dinner on a Tuesday night. It was amazing. Super cute inside since it was the week of Christmas, there were white Christmas lights on the railings which I liked a lot. He had the chicken which he said was really good, I had the sugo pasta and it was amazing. I ate it all. Our drinks were tasty (he had the blood orange martini and I have the pear puree brandy with champagne) and our service was excellent. I will definitely be back! read more

A very nice restaurant and bar with excellent service and great food. We went there for a birthday dinner and the food was fantastic. Their pasta, wild rice and mushrooms were extraordinary. There is metered parking on the streets but the meters were non-operational in the evenings. read more

We really do like to stop here whenever we are in town. The specials are always special, different and creative and the food is always top notch. Plus the menu is always seasonal, so it's never the same. I love that. The service sometimes can be not so good, but this last time it was fine. We ordered the rib eye special. I don't order steak often, simply because I can make a dang good steak, but the way they prepared this and presented it won me over, and it was delicious. Great beers on tap, super wine selection. read more

A group of friends went for dessert after dinner at a different restaurant. We ordered 3 desserts...chocolate volcano cake, cookie plate and cherries dessert (cherries, balsamic vinegar and basil). The cherries were awful! The chocolate volcano cake was the best! Bruno was our server and he was delightful! Next time I think we'll try dinner here as well... read more

We took my parents-in-law to Celilo this weekend and had an amazing time and amazing meal. First, the beet salad and salmon mousse. Beet salad: Delicious. Also predictable. Salmon mousse: Delicious and not at all predictable. Balanced flavors, completely smooth and surprisingly light. For dinner I had the tuna, my husband had the tomato and mozzarella chitarra (pasta). If I had ordered the pasta, this might have been a 5-star review. The tuna was good, but not great. A bit on the salty side, and overwhelmed by the heavy (and delicious) polenta. The pasta on the other hand was perfect. It was memorably amazing. I went home and tried to recreate it the next night, it was not successful. I can't believe the perfection of this dish. I love when a restaurant can take such a simple dish and turn it into something so outstanding. Then to end a perfect evening, I had the chocolate volcano cake. It was every bit as delicious as one would assume a melty, gooey, warm chocolate cake would be. I'm still dreaming out it. My in-laws loved the ambience- Spacious and relatively quiet. The service was good, the wine list was fantastic. read more

I went here with a large group and we all shared plates to try as much as possible. Food was amazing! We started with some apps. My favorite was a potato and leek soup that was packed with flavor. I sampled 4 different entrees and they were all delicious. My favorites the salmon and the ravioli with mushrooms. And don't skimp on the desserts. They had a spiced cake with a homemade strawberry sorbet that was really good. The whole experience was great and I'd highly recommendable it to anyone in the area. The dishes are unique and it's clear the ingredients are top notch. Can't wait to go back next time I'm in town. read more

The food that Celilo catered for our wedding was absolutely delicious!! We went to a tasting event at the restaurant a few months before the wedding, which was just plain fun! After the tasting I knew the food would be good but the food we got on the day of the wedding was beyond good, it was spectacular. The quinoa and roasted vegetables had flavor, the chicken was juicy, and the service was incredible. Heather, the catering manager, was extremely patient and responsive throughout the planning process. I am SO glad I chose Celilo. read more

For a last second lunch stop and grab, not bad! Sis and I were headed out of town and wanted a bit to eat. We had passed Celilio previously while cruising the shops and had mentioned that it looked nice from the outside. The inside did not disappoint, the interior designer had taste. We were seated right away, but it took a little bit to get water and the run down of the day's specials. We both decided on burgers. My burger came out perfect, but my sister's was very under done compared to her order of medium- well. She chose not to complain however. The fries were hot and crisp, and the organic ketchup was a nice touch. Against my better judgment, I ordered dessert. A lovely pear tart. It was very good. I really should not have eaten it all. read more

The best black bean veggie burger we have ever had!!! Wonderful location and service. Can't wait to come back and try more read more

My daughter and I loved this spot! Our oven roasted clans were packed full of flavor. We shared asparagus soup that needed a bit more seasoning and acid, still very satisfying. Our favorite was arugula pesto risotto. This was so creamy, cooked perfectly leaving your pallet very happy and satisfied. We didn't have room for dessert but I'm sure it would've been epic. Service was very attentive and friendly. Highly recommend and will go out of my way to come back when I return to the area. read more

I am a very health conscious, local eater and I am fond of Celilo. I love their use of wild foraged foods, organic items, properly raised meats. I don't eat gluten, and I'm never worried I will have an issue with gluten dining here. I also never feel deprived of a delicious starch with my meal. There are a variety of vegetable options available. The first thing that always comes to mind when I think Celilo, is a perfectly cooked piece of protein - whether that be wild caught salmon, pastured pork, pastured steak. I see Celilo as local comfort food - made with fresh, real ingredients - cooked perfectly - and served by friendly, knowledgable servers. One of my favorite appetizers ever at Celilo, was a pork belly, fried egg with hot sauce served in a miniature cast iron skillet on a block of wood. Adorable, delicious, fun, nutritious. One of my favorite meals ever at Celilo was a rare, rare perfectly cooked steak served atop local, seasonal greens and mashed potato. I focus on healthy fats in my diet, and I've been assured by servers that cooking oils include extra virgin olive oil or butter, sometimes animal fats (I assume from high quality sources, in line with the rest of their offerings). This is one reason Celilo's appetizers and entrees have such clean, fresh flavors. I appreciate that Celilo's kitchen lets the flavors of the real foods they serve speak for themselves. I've never experienced anything less than an exciting flavor spectrum dining at Celilo. Celilo is in a category all its own, as far as ingredient quality and tender cooking technique. There are talented people in the kitchen seeing to the freshness, the textures, the flavor combinations, the presentation of the meals they serve. The price point may be higher than a restaurant serving up less quality, but I am happy and willing to pay that extra to support someone who support local, real food. I appreciate the work that goes into a meal I sit down to at Celilo - from the farm to my plate. I see the feedback on some reviews that a downside to Celilo is that they don't offer a kids menu. I don't see why kids wouldn't love any of the entrees I've ever had at Celilo. read more

This is my second visit to Celilo and once again they did not disappoint. We were a large party celebrating my father's 70th birthday. Every one of us loved our food from beginning to end. The polenta with vegetables was a standout for me as a vegetarian and I heard others remark on the steak being delicious. I also appreciated how welcoming they were to our well behaved 2 year old, as it's not somewhere I'd typically recommend for children. Our waitress was a complete doll. All in all a great spot! read more