Sam Bond's was the ultimate end-of-day locale for PIELC, since when that conference used to be called ELAW back in the day. Casey Neill and his Norway Rats infested the place, occupying many holes stubbornly, much to our delight and ultimate benefit. For 20-plus years I've been making the pilgrimage to Eugene every few years (usually on the occasion of PIELC) -- and without fail, at some point we would end up at Sam Bond's Garage. But this year -- no Sam Bond's. It's turned into the Whit franchise of a pizza place, apparently. (No disrespect to their pizza. It's delicious.) But. What happened to my favorite bar/music spot in Eugene?? Such an unspeakable loss, if this venue is actually permanently closed. I will remain hopeful that it will be reborn... somewhere else? But if not: RIP Sam Bond's Garage. We, from near and far, loved you. Thank you for the good times you gave us all. read more

This is our favorite place to hear live music. It's casual and rustic and not full of itself. There's plenty of tables to sit with friends and enjoy a drink (the bartenders can actually make good drinks) or a beer. The food options are great. Sandwiches, hummus plate, soft pretzel, soup, and slices of pizza. Vegan and meat options and something for everyone. We've seen some great music here sitting at a table and dancing up front. There's a nice area outside that's dominated by smokers, but to each their own. We just love catching a show here! read more

This was my first time coming here. It's a smaller bar with good food and a fun atmosphere. They have a stage to bring in performers of all sorts. read more

I've been here a couple times for the Irish music nights every fourth Saturday of the month. The music is great and the company is better. They play inside sometimes and outside others, depending on the weather. The outside area is pretty nice, the vibes are really great. Smokers do like to sit by the walkway between the outdoor seating and the door into the building and smoke nonstop, so that can be irritating as someone with respiratory issues. The employees here are super nice and attentive. The food is good - I've had the regular mac and cheese and the pesto mac and cheese and they are both good. The pesto mac is a bit more oily than I would prefer, but pesto is oily in general so that may be more of a personal preference than anything else. The bathrooms are about what your expect from a pub - they aren't sparkling but aren't disgusting either. There's a small parking lot behind the building that fills up quickly and there is a decent amount of street parking both on Blair and Fourth. Sam Bond's was set to close at the end of this year and I'm so glad they've decided to stay open for now. I look forward to future Irish music nights here. read more

Always enjoyed visiting the Garage when I was in the neighborhood. It's a long way from Corvallis, but oh there's so many memories of bluegrass, beer, and happy people all around. It will be sad to see the day when they aren't there for me. Maybe I better show up soon and have a last chance to enjoy when I'm in town. That might be sooner rather than later, so.... See you there! read more

Great summer spot for good drink, great food, and a nice porch to hangout on! Loved the cocktails here and for sure will be back for the pesto mac&cheese and the pesto pizza! The bartender was super fun and this place feels like 'your friendly neighborhood bar'. Also, can't complain with seeing all the dogs walking bye- maybe if you're lucky, you'll make a new furry friend! read more

Sam Bond's Garage - Pesto Mac and pesto feta slice - Vegetarian Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Uniquely wonderful bar with an inventive drink menu, great food, and a patient and caring staff. They also all wear masks and ask for proof of vaccination at events, which is so nice in today's world. It's a special local place that makes customers feel truly safe and respected. read more

Go there. It's good. What else can I say to meet my 85 required characters. Great free usage of paper napkins. All the tables had legs.

Allows cats indoors but doesn't allow dogs on the patio. Give that just two seconds of your cognitive ability.

The ambiance is cool, laid-back and casual: plenty of seating, both indoors and out. A few things weren't so great: servers more interested in chatting than actual serving, super-rickety tables (took 3 (three!) tries to find one that didn't slosh our beer/drinks all over) and a so-so menu with several items "not available." Thinking that this might be more of a late-night spot for great drinks and music. Could see how that might work out better for them. With varying seating levels and locations, anyone can find a "good spot." My pear drink was strong and my Rueben was actually very good. Not like NYC, where the sauerkraut gets piled on extensively. Instead, there was a nice balance. They must butter the grill before putting the bread down: nice salty flavor without being soggy. My friend liked the meatloaf but couldn't finish it. read more

See all

Awesome food and drinks. Staff is great. The Sunday Irish Jam is fun. Lot's of different folks just enjoying the local, friendly pub...and Buddy the Bar Cat! Want to try the Bingo and experience some of the other music/comedy nights, but haven't had the opportunity.. read more

This is a fun place to stop for a beer light meal and local entertainment. Not fancy but a good night out. The food is pretty good basic bar food. read more

Sam Bond's Garage - Saturday improv. Just add a panini and a few beers. - Vegetarian Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

My husband and I went out for date night on a super freezing evening, had some mead (the oldest kind of alcohol ever made), beer, pupus (uhh...appetizers), we really enjoyed the music! Different....very Eugene-ish. A bit of culture...whatever that culture is called I don't know. Kinda hippie, kinda bluegrass, college joint. The disco ball was fun. Very enjoyable, we will be back! And maybe we'll dance next time! read more

Came here after beer garden. Found this place on Yelp when I searched for live music. Pulled up to the parking lot and met one of the bands outside who were looking for parking. All of the bands were good. One was alt rock fresh out of college. Another was a love duo with cool synth sounds. The last was the band I met outside in the parking lot and the lead played a violin. Fucking awesome. I had a slice of garlic pizza for 3 bucks. In SF they would've charged $5000. read more

See all

First and last time ever going here. Firstly, we got hounded by the bouncer and he tried to make us pay our cover charge three different times. Then it took FOREVER to get a drink...then went to the bathroom and some chick tried to get me to "pee" with her - someone I didn't even know and was insistent about it to the point that another male patron said, "What is this a Trumpster moment? You trying to grab somebody you don't know by the p****?" ...obviously, that wasn't cool. Then, I waited to see the band I actually CAME to see after watching another band I didn't like too much, honestly - and the bartender went outside and found the other member of my party who was smoking a cig and told him he had to leave - so she threw us out right when the band I wanted to see was about to start playing. SHITTY BAR - I WILL NEVER, EVER GO BACK. AND THE DRINKS WERE OUTRAGEOUS. I'll stick to places like Axe&Fiddle in CG. read more

Last fall, my partner and I were visiting Eugene to see some friends and family. We went down the street to have some dinner and a drink, then proceeded to go to sam bonds for some music. First of all, I want to say that I loved the environment and the music and was enjoying my experience initially. I was absolutely shocked and lived from the following situation; my partner went to the counter to order a drink (our first drink at the location), he gave the Bartender $20 and received no change. After waiting a while, he asked where the change was. The bartender acted like he was crazy. She pretended like she had no idea what he was saying and proceeded to claim that he was drunk, and confused, and cut him off entirely. We had one drink with dinner prior to arriving at Sam Bonds.. far from drunk. My partner speaks with a Spanish accent ( very clear. I believe entirely that this was racial profiling as we were the only non-white people in the establishment at the time. Assuming that you can take advantage of people without consequences. My partner is very non confrontational and mild mannered, and insisted that we let it go as I was ready to confront the staff. I would say this place is not safe for marginalized people, as you may be profiled and taken advantage of by the staff looking for a few extra dollars. I hope the owners of the establishment are better, but untill this is corrected I don't feel I can support this bus read more

One of, if not my favorite bar/venue in Eugene. Great beer that changes constantly and is served in mason jars. Usually some great live music and always a great time to be had in this eclectic and cozy space. Food ain't too shabby either. Sam Bond's rocks!!! read more

Great neighborhood bar with kick ass music almost every night. When my Prius died in December 2017, I got stranded in Eugene and my stepdad paid for a few weeks at the Econolodge nearby. I started walking to Sam Bond's Garage for their Irush Jam on Sundays at 4:00 and the Bluegrass Jam on Tuesdays usually 9:30 or 10:00. I started playing mandolin because my granddaughter was using my saxophone. I got to know many people through connections here, lots of wonderful musicians. I grew up in Creswell and I have a 5 year old daughter and so to most people, I just appeared on the scene out of the blue because I did. I've been homeless since March 2017 with no income but food stamps. The music has helped heal me during some sad times. I look middle class and people wonder why I'm no spending money, I wish I could, I used to be generous but many have stolen my income in a variety of ways and I'm not on Disability benefits. I have Complex Post Traumatic Disorder since bad things happened to me as a child. I used to be scared all the time and have social anxiety, extremely shy. I appreciate this establishment for understanding the healing powers of marijuana. I had several people bully me in the bar and almost stopped coming but kind people rallied around me. I have faith people will find out who I really am and accept me.I started featuring Sam Bond's Garage in my streaming show and I know they will be a stop for many an International traveler. Please remember, it's an adjustment for people used to their small neighborhood crowd so please be patient as they make the adjustment and watch their profits get high fast. #realdawnsly @sambondsgarage #sambonds @dawnsly read more

"Live music , Organic food, Pacific Northwest microbrews, cocktails, and a beer garden make this place unique and a must for music lovers. Every night they have live music, Mondays free, Tuesdays Bluegrass (free), and Wednesday thru Sunday they feature artist from all corners of the world. Cover is normally $2 - $5. Organic pizza varieties vary on each night. Shrimp, fish Jambalaya is excellent, even for a New Orleans Native. Red Beans and Rice is also on the menu. Comes with chips. They have the flavor of Louisiana, and they got it right, BAM !" read more

Sam Bond's Garage - Vegetarian Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

My band, Stay Tuned (www.staytunedtheband.com -- we're a television tribute band from Seattle) played Sam Bond's on the first stop of our West Coast tour in Sep. of 2007, so this review is from the perspective of both customer and entertainer. First off, Sam Bond's Garage is located in a pretty nice little area (from what we could tell), with a couple other restaurants/night-spots within walking/hearing distance. We had the Mac and Cheese, and it was killer, especially after 6 hours on the road. There were several other items on the menu that I wished I was hungry enough to try, especially the Lobster Pizza. The beer selection was pretty good, but generally that's true for any bar in the NW. There was plenty of seating, both inside and out, for different sized groups. Parking in rear, and a wheel-chair accessible ramp to the front door. I'm not sure about the acoustics in the room, as we were on stage, but there were folks who initially moved back as to not be deafened, and there were other folks who moved forward to rock out with us... so... we're guessing it was like any other venue. As a musician, we were able to back our trailer up to the rear gate in the parking lot and load in directly to the back of the stage. That was awesome, we saved some energy for playing and also felt comfortable our vehicle was safe. The stage was a good size, though there are three of us we have a large setup, but we were able to fit everything pretty comfortably on stage. There was a friendly cat who came in and checked out our gear, that was fun. The sound guy was awesome, lots of experience and very friendly. The only downside is that a big crowd of people remained outside in the really cool back patio, as they were able to hear us just fine, (we loaded onto the stage through a sliding door from the back patio), but we had no idea they were there. The staff kept an excellent tally of people who came in, gave us a great deal on food and drinks, and paid us afterward. All in all, it was a great experience, and we'd love to play there again. read more

See all

The location and look of this place is great. The bar food is just "ok" and the beer not too bad. I have a small service dog, which of course they allow. That being said, they do not allow pets on the outside deck, which to me is very strange. We were traveling through on our way back home to Portland and wanted to find a cool place, but sad to say this wasn't quite it. read more

Bar bingo, one of the more fun nights I've ever spent in a bar. A few dollars gets you a 6 pack of PBR with limes classing them up. I had a fantastic time, anywhere that serves drinks from jars is fine by me. das is good. read more

Sam Bond's Garage - Bar bingo. It's good. - Vegetarian Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

EXACTLY what I was looking for. Dive happiness! Good people with great taste in beer, a salute to simple goodness with the celebration of PBR and a pretty good couple of whiskeys for it not being known as a whiskey town. Got there early, so no music, but could see it getting pretty awesome in the wee hours. People that run the place are pretty awesome. Super chill as you would expect for Eugene and damn welcoming. It is a ZERO douchebag zone, which as always, makes my heart smile in defiance of all things douchey. Menu is solid. Hummus, sandwiches, etc. good stuff for soaking up some malt. Parking, even at 6:00PM... is terrible. No really good solution. Bottom line, expect a walk if you don't luck out close on the street. Very much worth it. read more

Sam Bond's Garage - Serving the hops, barley and malt in my favorite silica based receptacle. - Vegetarian Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

I arrived in Eugene late at night and after getting settled into my hotel I decided to venture out for a bite to eat. I found this place on yelp and thought it sounded cool. I'm not really the college age music jamming crowd, so I thought I could order the food to go. They were very accommodating with this, and when I asked for vegan options they were more than helpful with suggesting some good stuff. In the end I got a Pretzel with a delicious tahini garlic sauce. Also got some garlic bread. While I was waiting for food to get ready I did hear some of the music. The local band that was playing was actually pretty talented. And the place was packed. Everyone seemed to be enjoying the music and it actually sounded really nice and mellow. I think it's awesome that Eugene has a place like this for college age kids to get together and hear their local bands and enjoy some good food with a great atmosphere. I also think that they were really awesome and accommodating for me to get some food and get me out the door so I could get back to my hotel and finally get some sleep after a very long day of driving. read more

I love going to this bar when I have the chance. My friends band plays here whenever they travel down from Portland, and it's always a good time. The bar staff is amazing. The last show I saw had a very reasonable cover, the bouncer was kind while my partner had to go back to grab their Vaccine card, remembering who he was upon returning. I feel comfortable at events here knowing they require vaccines because I know a lot of immune compromised friends and I feel confident in inviting them here for shows. Thank you for doing your part for the community and being a great bar with great drinks!! read more

I am not sure how their food is, I was told it was delicious. However, we arrived an hour before opening, noticed how early we were and decided to leave. 4 p.m. open time isn't uncommon for a bar. They have outdoor seating, some with shade, good prices for food and drinks....but earn a poor star rating due to unprofessional staff, rude behavior and a personality that encourages me to never return. Yep, that's correct while noticing we were really early we were not greeted with a smile, but rather a snide remark. read more

I saw the bouncer beat the living crap out of a man on the front porch ramp. This bouncer was on edge the whole time (like he just wanted to fight) and he was beating the man in the face. I was there and just to say..........that makes me very uncomfortable. I liked the music, but, after witnessing that scene, I do not want to return. read more

I live close by and have visited several times. It's cozy inside, fun place to hang out. I have never enjoyed their food, so cannot give an opinion. One criticism, every time I go into Sam's, the bar staff doesn't look at me when I come in, or in some way acknowledge my presence. I stand for a long time, waiting to order...I'm over 50, so likely invisible? read more

I love Sam Bonds so much. It isn't overdone with posh decor or any of the pretentiousness that usually keeps me away from the bar scene. I like the diversity of people you see there: old, young, tattooed, toothless, hipster, art geek, middle-aged, punk, vintage, whatever. There is music every night and it is hit or miss on that. I have seen some pretty awesome and terrible shows there. Bingo night is hilarious and really fun. It's not your average bingo, it's run by two comedic beer-loving dudes who turn it into a comedy routine replete with readings from romance novels and velvet paintings of Jesus. The pizza is pretty damn good for a bar, there is always something covered in garlic which makes me happy. My husband hates going here simply because he is a bit of a recluse and doesn't enjoy going out to a bar. I wouldn't say it's the venue's fault, he just doesn't like loud music and crowds of strangers. It's his problem really, so I guess it isn't pertinent to this review. I wouldn't say any bar is for the shy types, but especially not one that is as intimate as Sam Bonds. It's rather small inside and can get really crowded during a show. And there is usually a carefree middle-aged hippy dancing with abandon and complete lack of rhythm. That might scare some people, but that is part of the fun for me. I will always have a special place in my heart for Sam Bonds. read more

We looked for Sam Bond's Garage because of a mention of vegan pizza on the Happy Cow site. We were also looking for dinner on New Year's Day while visiting Eugene. We were thrilled when we found the place and walked in. This is a comfortable and very friendly place with a nice selection of great beer served in pint jars. We were sad to not find cards left on the game shelf, but some locals invited us to join them and taught us a quick, fun card game. The vegan pizza of the moment had mashed yams instead of sauce, roasted garlic, cranberries, and slices of pear. It was very tasty from the bite I had, my partner enjoyed the rest of it. I had ordered a vegan sloppy joe. This was made with tempeh crumbled into a sweet, tangy sauce served on a sprouted-grain bun with a salad of baby greens with a tahini dressing. The sandwich was very satisfying, very filling, and satisfying. The salad dressing was great, reminding me of the tahini dressing at some of my favorite places around PDX. read more

So the hippie rating here is through the roof, and that can be a negative for some people. But even being not so crunchy, I love this place. They have sweet live music, a lot of local flavor, great beer, good food, a really nice patio area and super-nice people on staff. This place is the definition of "community fixture." Plus, they frequently host the Tom Waits tribute night and are great friends of the poetry community. I've even seen puppets and art auctions here! Variety is definitely good. And the hippie quotient doesn't really matter if you can make decisions that aren't based on broad views of large communities. Or if you actually give a damn about real community space. This place has solidarity by the boatload-- and even if you must pigeonhole the clientele, you've got to appreciate that. read more

I'm not sure if this place is technically a dive (my favorite "genre" of bar), but regardless, I do really like this place. The patio is really comfortable and almost as big as the actual inside. They've got a huge range of events, like has already been stated, and they get a wide mixture of people - young and old, hip and hippie. Mainly I like this place because of the beer selection. It may not be extensive, but they don't waste their taps with Bud and Curs. And what I find really awesome is that they actually rotate the beers they have on tap (which I'm sure can be disappointing if you find a beer you really like) so you can sample a variety of beers and have something new to try each time you come in. This is probably (one of) the best place(s) to go in Eugene if you like sampling really really good beers, and that's saying something. read more

Hipster paradise in the heart of the whiteaker. That being said, this bar rocks! Great food, great entertainment, a wonderful outdoor patio and $9 6-packs of P.B.R long necks. I love the mish-mash of musical genres, tasty brews, extremely edible bar food. This is a local institution that is beyond worthy of support. Monday night bingo is a blast! Tuesday's bluegrass jam is great fun. read more

I am wavering between a 3 and 4 here. To me, Sam Bond's is sort of a Eugene institution or really to be more accurate I should say it's more like a Whiteaker institution. I come here a lot. It's my neighborhood place. It sometimes feels a bit like a home away from home. I have always loved the ambiance here. The food is great and so are the drinks and of course the bartenders here are great. In the last couple of years Sam Bonds started brewing their own beer, so all of the taps are Sam Bonds brewing. While I enjoy their beer, I sort of wish they still did maybe one or two guest taps (that aren't cider). They have some fun weekly events like Bingo on Mondays (get here early to actually get a seat as it gets packed!) Tuesdays they usually do an open acoustic jam and most of the other nights there is almost always some sort of live music. All in all this is a great place to come and relax after a day at work or on the weekend. read more

I knew a wigger in high school with the same name. I was wary to come here. But silly me, this place was a delight. The bartenders treat you like you are a regular person and not a 'customer', ya know what I mean by that? Friendly like they are about to share a drink with you instead of serve one to you. Outdoor area is adequately purdy and functional. Nix one star for somewhat pricey booze, but maybe that's unjustified. read more

Purely and utterly daaaaank! Great food, phenomenal service (especially Kelsey!) Great drinks, awesome prices and there are no accurate comparisons to their atmosphere. Go; enjoy; be happy! DOOOOOO IT!!! YOU'LL NEVER REGRET IT read more

Sam Bond's consistently books some excellent bands, ranging from fairly conventional to downright strange...but usually in a good way. It attracts a mixed crowd from age 21 to 81, full of nice people (I always run into people I know there, and seem to meet new friends each visit), and located in the Hood. The establishment has a funky sort of cool to it, one that feels comfortable and familiar yet different from anyplace else. All those things warm my heart and keep me coming back. The service is just okay. The people are nice, but there aren't enough of them and they're not especially focused or polished in how they go about their work. They routinely run out of food early; if you arrive expecting to grab a late bite during the first set, you are likely to go hungry. The layout is really poor. It's difficult to move around, and Sam Bond's is one of those places where if there were a fire, 10% of the people would get out and the other 90% would get trampled and meet a fiery agonizing death. Seating is very limited; only a third of the people in the place get a chair but every one of them has to pay a cover charge, even if they arrive 10 minutes before the last set ends...and no, the guy at the door will not tell you there's only 10 minutes of music left. Climate control is non-existent so it gets pretty hot and funky inside, which can be kind of sensuous sometimes but sucks in the summertime, when you get dehydrated and some of your fellow patrons smell (you guessed it) hot and funky. Five stars are for places that are GREAT, folks. No offense, but if you think Sam Bond's is great, you need to get out more and maybe leave the city limits occasionally. Still, I generally have fun when I go to Sam Bond's, and I'd give it four stars on the Eugene scale but for one thing: The sound blows, and that's just not right in a music venue. Sometimes it sounds like there's a blown speaker...sometimes it is hopelessly imbalanced...sometimes it is overpoweringly loud or disappointingly quiet. The only thing you can count on is that it's consistently poor; the sound guy spends more time socializing with the band and the patrons than he does doing his job. There's no excuse for this in a music-centered place. Definitely go, but get there early, get a table near the side door where you can get a little air and won't have to wind through too many people to get a drink or use the restroom, and if you really love a band and want to hear them at their best, catch them somewhere else. read more

It's easy to rant and rave about a place that has Monday night bingo followed by Tuesday night Bluegrass, serves good micro brewed beer, makes late night vegan pizza (could be a hell of a lot better), and has an atmosphere and customer base that are both warm and friendly. The interior space of Sam Bond's is what sets Sam Bond's apart from every other bar in Eugene. Stretching out on the old behemoth timber benches, you quickly will see the draw of the place. People will come and go, and in just a matter of minutes you will see a slice of Eugene life, a slice of the Whiteaker. Check out: Irish Jam every Sunday afteroon read more

Sam Bond's is one of the defining places of Eugene. When I think of the bars that I love in this town Sam Bond's is right up there at the top of the list. They have great drinks and atmosphere. The food is awesome and vegetarian friendly (if you're down with that sort of thing). And, as has been said in other reviews, they serve your drinks in a jars. That's the Whit for you. The music is often a showcase of the some of the best artists from the local scene. Oddly enough, I saw one of the best jazz shows of my life here a couple years ago. Some musicians from New York and The Poisonous Birds (a local jazz group from the U of O) played their sets and then got together for a jam session afterwards. I'm tellin' ya, it was magic. And of course there is bingo night, can't forget that. There are just so many things that this bar has that gives it the extra "oomph" into that special five star category. Oh and . . . THERE ARE NO TELEVISIONS! Booyah. read more

This place is okay. The food is okay. The beer is okay (though the new ones are promising). The atmosphere is nice. The music is usually pretty good, and pretty intimate. Sometimes I go here to mix up my routine, but I never leave thinking "Damn, I should always go here." Meat-centric menu, for what that's worth. Not sure why it's listed as a vegetarian place. The best part about this place is the friends you bring with you. read more