Elmer&#x27;s Restaurant

Rainy Day, Great Bar Seat, and One Memorable Meal…read more It was a cold, rainy Oregon afternoon when I stumbled into Castor, and I'm glad I did. There happened to be one open seat at the bar, which is my favorite place to dine when traveling. Sitting at the bar lets you talk story with the bartender, learn the menu, and watch the cocktails come together. If you're eating alone, I highly recommend grabbing a seat here. The bartender was friendly, easy to talk with, and clearly knew both the menu and the craft behind the bar. One thing that stood out right away was their use of fresh local ingredients, which really shows up in the flavor of the dishes and drinks. I started with the Golden Manhattan, made with a pecan-infused bourbon that was fantastic. It had a rich, slightly nutty flavor with warm vanilla notes and just the right touch of sweetness. Smooth, balanced, and a great way to kick off the meal. Alongside that I ordered the chorizo clam chowder, which brought a creamy base with just the right amount of spice from the chorizo. Comfort food with a little personality. For dinner I switched gears and ordered the Creole Sour. This one really stood out. Bright citrus up front, a smooth bourbon backbone, and a subtle spice note that tied perfectly into the Creole theme. It had that classic sour balance, tart, slightly sweet, and refreshing without overpowering the drink. Dinner was the gumbo with hot bread and butter, and it delivered. Deep flavor, a nice slow warmth from the spice, and hearty enough to make the rainy Oregon weather feel like part of the experience. To finish things off I kept it simple with a neat pour of Ben Holladay, which made for the perfect nightcap. The staff were welcoming and relaxed, which made the whole experience feel easy and comfortable. This is the kind of place that works whether you're dining solo, meeting friends, out with someone special, or grabbing dinner with a group. The price point landed right where it should be for the quality of food, cocktails, and service. If you're in Corvallis and can grab a seat at the bar at Castor, take it. Order a cocktail, settle in, and enjoy the ride. It turned a rainy afternoon into one heck of a meal.

My first visit here was yesterday afternoon. Drinks were great. Service was great. Almost…read moreeverything I had was great...except for the pork chop which was so dry, I could barely get it down. Dry dry dry. Not the slightest bit juicy. I would never order that again. $37 isn't cheap and I expect more out of a nice piece of pork than being cooked to death. Couldn't really tell it was bourbon and brown sugar marinated. No trace of either of those flavors. Left half of it on my plate and let my server know it was dry. The Summer Maque Choux, which was underneath the pork chop was so off-the-hook good I got just an order of that to take home! They do serve the Maque Choux as a "Snack" and I highly recommend you try it. The pickled tomatoes served on top of the pork were sweet, juicy, and slightly pickled. Yum! The Crispy Pork Belly with the housemade mustard was delicious - the mustard has a great kick to it. The Trout with crispy capers, green beans, and hazelnuts was very tasty. Would get that again, for sure. The sliders were good...I'm not sure $5/each good...but good. Crème Brûlée was excellent. And they make the best Piña Colada I've had in a long time. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could, because that pork chop was soooooooo disappointing, but 4 it is. Everything else was tasty. I'll come back, but not go anywhere near that pork chop.

Bar

Amazing bread pudding!

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Full bar / inventive cocktails including no alcohol creations / great wine choices

Bodhi Bistro

4.4(48 reviews)

Came here on a beautiful August evening and the ambience is incredible. Phenomenal outdoor seating…read morewith plenty of space overlooking the river with decent parking. Inside is a decorative interior with plants and wooden walls in the summer time that looks very bright and inviting. Service can take a while because there are usually 1-2 people running the front and carrying out food. I didn't mind it at all because the place is so nice. Menu is decent size with lots of options to choose from. I got the Cajun Penne which has Tri color bell peppers, house made sausage, chicken,, chorizo, andouille, cream, garlic, parmesan, Cajun spice, and 2 slices Bodhi Bread. Cost me about $20 bucks and worth every penny. Good amount of spice, rich and flavorful. Overall a lovely place to eat and more than happy to come here and eat again.

Convenient downtown location--directly across the street from the Courtyard hotel. Friendly service…read moreand great quality coffee and food. Highly recommend as a breakfast spot and it looks like it would be a fun lunch or early dinner spot as well with the outdoor seating.

Ordering at the counter

The gorgeous plants outside dining

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Acai Bowl

The Brass Monkey

4.2(187 reviews)

0.9 mi

Great little bar hole, like a movie set, the furnishings were clearly designed to reflect a sort of…read moregarage/punk-ish music vibe but still welcoming to college town families. Loved it. Chicken nachos were a generous portion, easy to share with three people. The corn fritters were a delight - something different and delish for bar food. It is an order-at-the-bar establishment, so no true table service. Still pleasant overall.

On a Labor Day evening walked in for the first time. Extremely eclectic decor, a few tables and a…read morefew booths. Ample stocked bar, your basic good pub food. Some local delights, the menu is a couple of pages with your higher end standards. The service was quick and the food came out hot and appropriate order. Nothing was forgotten and was quite a pleasant experience. I will be back to have some more of their variations, they have two or three different Mac and cheese options which is always a favorite for me.

Lots of tables and some fun decor

Chicken sando sandwich (fried)

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Interior

Squirrel's Tavern

4.2(167 reviews)

0.9 mi

•$

Best burger I've ever had!…read more Bartenders are always kind. Love the place, situated downtown and decorated to perfection.

I had the regular burger with an espresso stout. Both were delicious. Cool vibe here with loads of…read morecool art. Historical spot. Cool folks working the bar.

What Ug sees at bar.

Curly fries and veggie burger. Ranch of course.

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Sky High Brewery and Pub

3.6(460 reviews)

Great variety on their menu, especially the unique salad meals, fresh ingredients and combinations…read more(mine was spinach, avocados, peppadew peppers, gorgonzola and crispy fried onions). The sweet potato fries as an appetizer set the mood perfectly, done to perfection. Others in my party had various burgers and sandwiches and everyone was pleased. The dining room is open and airy with large windows and plenty of spacing between the booths and tables. Comfortable for our noisy group, yet not infringing on other diners. The food was prepared quickly and served hot. Shout out to our server, Kiley B. a very pleasant young lady. She was efficient, friendly and professional and made our Ladies Lunch outing feel welcome. The perfect place to have a good meal on a rainy Oregon afternoon. Highly recommended.

We were in Corvallis for Parents Weekend and expected restaurants to be packed, but we found Sky…read moreHigh Brewery and walked right in around 11:30 AM. The place is huge, with multiple seating areas and bars, and we were immediately greeted and seated on the enclosed balcony with heaters -- super comfortable. Ordering from the table via the app was easy and convenient, and our food came out quickly. We had the clam chowder, fries, and a beer -- all delicious! By the time we finished, the place was buzzing and there was a long wait, but it's so spacious that it never felt crowded. Great atmosphere, good food, and excellent service -- we'll definitely be back next time we're in town!

Nachos and rooftop margarita

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Beer menu

Murphy's Restaurant & Lounge

3.8(135 reviews)

This place is very good. The h'ordevours were excellent. The entrees were delicious and the…read morecocktails were good. I want to come back next time we are up this way.

Very kind service! Good size outdoor dining by the waterfront. The food was good but not super…read moreflavorful. Would definitely come back to try more though!!

Inside

Black and Blue Burger

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Chocolate Kahlua Cheesecake

Bo & Vine Burger

3.8(263 reviews)

Taylor was so welcoming and attentive to our needs. We had a great time and will be coming back…read morenext time we are hankering for a burger! Can't recommend enough.

I'll weigh in. In general, burgers are good. So there's that…read more Today was my second visit, both via Door Dash, with each being a 4/5 experience. Just being a burger makes the review start at 3/5, at a minimum. Today's double burger with cheddar was very photogenic...big and sloppy, impressively falling out of the bun. Plenty of mustard (awesome). Photogenic. But, the meat was overcooked and dry, and there wasn't a single napkin in that huge bag. So, 4/5 stars, which was rounding up from 3.75/5.

Burgers, loaded fries, sauce and soda. Bo & Vine Rodeo, Blue Buffalo

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Updated menu

Angry Beaver Grill

3.6(88 reviews)

1.0 mi

This was our third visit. Haven't been in a couple of years. Appears they are changing the decor…read moreinside. Gone is any reference to OSU except for the beaver name. I miss the old decor. We came because it was an OSU inspired place. The new deco looks nice - just nothing Beaver inspired. Food was OK. Not great. Husband had wings and I had a chicken quesadilla (no salsa or sour cream - just a bunch of ingredients inside a tortilla). Didn't seem complete. And neither of us were all that impressed. I'm not a huge fan of the "order at the bar" model. The staff was friendly but I prefer having someone check on us to get drink refills, order more food, etc. Not really planning a return visit. I miss the old model. And the old prime rib special on Friday nights.

Fun place to watch sports and good food! There were enough options and our meal tasted great.read more

Dance floor and sporting area

Fried Cheese Curds

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McMenamins Corvallis Pub

3.5(166 reviews)

0.6 mi

My favorite hole in the wall Mcmenamins location! I say this a lot, but this location is so cozy!…read moreNice dim light and a fire pit. No pool tables like the other locations which is probably my biggest hang up but it's still a great place to get some of Mcmenamins great food options and enjoy the ambience. Service has always been excellent here.

Best burgers, okay fries, great ambience and incredible staff. I love the iced tea. Service by two…read moreawesome gentlemen that were perfect hosts and wait staff. I typically get the ol' Wilbur burger aka JR. but got the turkey sandwich, incredible. My wife's communication breakdown burger was super tasty. Eat inside or outside, depends on my mood. Clean, great food, on par from a cost perspective which means a tad spendy. The peanut butter pie was incredibly tasty and presentation was amazing. Highly recommend.

The bar

Peanut butter pie

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Block 15 Brewing

4.2(1.1k reviews)

1.0 mi

Had dinner with my husband at Block 15 last night. Our server was amazing! So attentive and gave…read moregreat recommendations! We had the magic mushroom appetizer which was delicious! I had the meatloaf sandwich which a side soup (beer cheese potato), also so good, would highly recommend! My husband had the icon burger which he said was just ok. There are SO MANY customization options which is also so nice! We did both try to get their seasonal strawberry chèvre burger but it was sold out Comfortable seating, but definitley a loud restaurant, so not the most romantic date night vibe if that's what you're looking for.

Block 15 offers something for everyone: a diverse array of foods including vegan and vegetarian…read moreoptions as well as traditional pub fare such as burgers and fish & chips. They also offer freshly brewed beer & cocktails. The seating is laidback with a modern vibe. The service is prompt and friendly. Prices are reasonable.

Interior

Lunch special

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Fish and chips

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12 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Jullie S.

199

9 years ago

This is by far my favorite breakfast place in Corvallis, I do love the Broken Yolk as well, but this one is open for longer, it has amazing food. The hot chocolate is the best hot chocolate Ive ever had! This is a great family restaurant and an awesome place to just relax and enjoy time. Everyone is very nice, service is great. I recommend the german pancakes and make sure to call and order ahead of time because it usually takes a while to make them. I also recommend the pancakes if youre looking for a simple normal pancakes and eggs breakfast. The eggs are always the best along with the crispy bacon and juicy sausages. The flavors are just amazing when it comes to Elmers. I love this place and In going to continue coming here for a long time! read more

Kevin S.

11 years ago

Never been to Elmers before, but i received a $5 off coupon so my wife and I decided to try it. Unfortunately I forgot my coupon at home. I asked the waitress if she could make an exception and her response was a sad face. I understand its my responsibility to bring in my coupon for redemption. With that said, the purpose of the coupon is to bring customers in, well im here wouldnt you want my customer experience to be exeptional? I run a local business and my response to this same situation would not only to have given the coupon discount, but to provide another coupon for there next visit. With that said the restaurant was clean, had good food and service was average. read more

Gerrie C.

14 years ago

I eat at Elmer's a lot, the staff is fantastic, from the owner's down to all of the staff. It feels like home to me every time I go there. They have learned that I go to Weight Watchers and they all do everything they can to work with me on adjusting certain items on the menu to fit into my weight loss plan and they all do it with a smile. One server, Jackie, knows exactly what I want whether it is breakfast or lunch, with out me saying anything. She provides wonderful service, but the entire staff or very good. I would recommend Elmer's to anyone, in fact I have taken many friends in there and they are now loyal customers. read more

Jacksen E.

8 years ago

This place is really nice and welcoming. When you are ordering expect a lot of food. There food has a super nice presentation and tastes really good. It would get a better rating if the eggs tasted better and the bathrooms were more well kept. The hash browns and the crepes were awesome. They also have really fast service. I would love to go there again and really hope to. You will definitely not leave hungry. read more

Brooke N.

14 years ago

I love this place! When I came here I was a little grumpy and Elmers workers cheered me right up! The food I ate was the best EVER!!!!!!! I loved it!! Then as we were leaving I didnt notice that I left my sunglasses. One kind man ran out, came to our car and gave them to me. Without that, I would have worried forever!!!!! Now I call THAT good service!!!! read more

Victor W.

12 years ago

Literally heard a manager yell at a waiter for not writing good enough on his notes after digging them out of the trash...in front of all the customers read more

Jullissa S.

Elite 21

9 years ago

My favorite breakfast place by far, the food is amazing! The service is great, the prices are pretty great too, great for families.

Tits M.

9 years ago

worst place ever. the manager sucks. Never coming back here because it all sucks!!! Get your ducks in a row!!!!!!!!!!!

Nancey L.

8 years ago

Nice place! Friendly place and great food! Our favorite meal is breakfast so this place is a treat to visit! read more

Mary Z.

3 years ago

It was good breakfast food..service was good..they were very busy, friendly waitress.

Andrew D.

11 years ago

This place is the worst I would never go back there,food sucks

Matt T.

17 years ago

Similar to Sheri's but more bland.

Elmer's Restaurant - diners - Updated September 2026

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