The atmosphere here is amazing, upscale but comfortable and welcoming which is a fantastic combo to find! They have a well behaved pet friendly patio. (Bring your four legged family members) there's a beautiful yard of2f the patio to enjoy as well. I ordered the beef brisket which came with bread, Cole slaw, home style mashed potatoes, and beans. Excellent sides and the brisket was fork tender, and tasty. I don't usually eat the bread that accompanies momeals, but this bread was exceptional! I indulged in their exclusive "huckleberry" martini - yum!! I loved the berries in the bottom of the glass. The service was attentive and friendly. Huckleberry brule for dessert!! If I lived here, they would know me by name. .... Two days later... I liked this place so much, I went back for another amazing dinner. This time I had the crab stuffed tenderloin, and sauteed mushrooms. Those mushrooms were fabulous, and the toast served with them was Devine!! The crab stuffed tenderloin was cooked perfectly. Such good, satisfying food, drink and service. read more

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This is the first time my wife and I ate here. My wife had the brisket and I had the chicken fried steak. The brisket was excellent. I wish I had gotten it. My steak was over cooked on both sides. The chef tried to cover it with gravy but it was obvious from the first bite. The mashed potatoes and snap peas were perfect but the main dish was "meh". The parts that weren't char-grilled were pretty good so it had potential. read more

Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q - Bars Near Me - Pendleton, Oregon

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We had dinner at the Sundown on Saturday, February 16th. We were the only table there until one other party came in. So it wasn't busy. Service was not very good and neither was the food. My husband had the brisket which is supposed to come with slaw. Our waitress said they were out of slaw (really?, a run to the grocery store could easily solve this). He asked if he could substitute the slaw for a side salad and was told no, they didn't offer side salads. He would have to have snow peas. A few minutes later out came 2 side salads for the other two diners in the place. Go figure! I had the fish and chips. I've certainly had better fish and the fries were shoe string fries. They were so thin and served cold. We shared the chocolate cake for dessert. It was served with vanilla ice cream. It was the cheapest, gummiest ice cream ever and the cake was practically flavorless. Not house made, probably shipped in from some distant factory. Next time we are in Pendleton we will look for another place to have dinner. It seems like many of the reviewers enjoy their deck in the summer which would certainly be a draw especially if traveling with dogs. read more

I went here with my parents and gf, and we were pleasantly surprised! We were going to go to Hamley Steakhouse, but we didn't feel like spending money on overpriced steak, so we found this place instead. We came in at about 5pm and they said it was the slow time of the year, and it was - there was literally 1 other party in the entire restaurant when we came in. First we ordered the Sauteed Mushroom appetizer (with a 50% off on yelp checkin!) These were great. The mushrooms themselves were great, but the sauce they were in was so good that we sopped it all up with the bread! I'll give that an A. I ordered the brisket (with beans/mashed potatoes sides). Everything was good, and although I've had better brisket, it was still very good. A-. My gf ordered the Almond Chicken, and that might have been the best thing I tasted. The chicken was very juicy and tender, and it complemented the sauce very well. I'll get that next time if I ever come here. A. My dad ordered the BBQ Beef Sausage. I didn't taste any of it, but he said he really liked it. My mom ordered the BBQ baby back ribs. This was a real disappointment. The ribs were really kind of flavorless - it almost tasted like they were boiled in a pot of hot water instead of BBQ'd. I felt bad for my mom because she was really looking forward to having some ribs, and this was a real letdown. I'd give it a D+. Even the baby back ribs at a typical Chili's had more flavor than these ribs. Bleh. Overall, we'd definitely come back - the service was good, and the food (with the exception of the ribs) was very good. read more

Our family was passing through Pendleton around dinner time and traveling with our dog -wondering where we can eat and at a dog friendly restaurant? We did a quick search and the Sundown Grill had a picture of patio dining with a pooch! We B lined it and boy did it exceed our expectations! The garden patio was lovely and the food was fantastic! My boys all agreed- they have the BEST French fries ever! read more

Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q - Oscar at Sundown Grill - Bars Near Me - Pendleton, Oregon

The dining experience was appalling! I have had great dinners there in the past, but it has fallen low. Although the prices have not. We only learned of the dinner specials when they were offerred to a different table after we had pur entrees. Although beautiful little butterballs adorned the table, we were offered nothing to put them on. I paid $24 for a salmon salad that had a TINY pprtion of salmon, endive, a scant few chopped nuts and dried cranberries in a pile on the bottom. My dinner guest, that was there to celebrate an achievement, appearred to have the rest of my salmon and a mound of unseasoned, partially smashed potatoes. The 3rd menber of our trio, after finding they had no bbq ribs and prdering a hamburger, got cold fries and a sad excuse for a burger @ $17. The drinks were sad, the wait time was 90 minutes, the dinner was an expensive and comical disappointment. Needless to say, we DID NOT stay for the desert I had been so looking forward to. As a Pendleton resident, I am sad to say, "I won't be back." read more

Let me tell you as a trained chef and a foodie gal, I had such a great experience with Everything from the walk in the door to the last bite and the ambience along with the charming hostess the history imparted to us by the lovely owner, it was one of nicest dining experiences in my 67 years!! Please don't miss an opportunity to dine and learn a rich history of this unique home and wonderful owner hostess read more

The atmosphere was elegant but made you feel warm and at home. The service was very attentive and very friendly. The little butter balls on the table we very soon found out were for the little loaves of tasty soft warm bread that was quickly served. I had one of the burgers - the first time ever I got a burger that was well done but not dried out - excellent and very tasty indeed. The house salad with the house dressing (sour cream & dill) was delicious. The rattle-snake & rabbit sausage was seasoned very well and served with a very tasty but mild sauce. The stuffed mushrooms were excellent - excellent portion and sauce. All this was quite good. Now, for the bad news: we ordered the ribs only to find out 10 min. after we ordered them that they were out of them - something the server should have known upfront. Consequently, we ordered the brisket - a major disappointment: well cooked but the taste was nothing to "write home about" and we didn't. The mashed potatoes could be cut with a knife - dried out and with little taste. The cold slaw . . . well, enough said. Over all, the experience was enjoyable and is something we would do again . . . except for the brisket dinner that is. read more

This place came highly recommended by a local Pendletonian I met at another restaurant (Elvis's)we ate at the night before. As it turned out, the owners of Sundown once owned that establishment, too. We ate at Sundown at what has to be the busiest weekend of the year----the weekend of the Pendleton Round-up. Though my party of four had reservations for 7pm, we arrived early, hungry and thirsty after a long day of watching the last day of the rodeo. Based on the recommendation we had gotten, along with an online view of the menu, we looked forward to something reasonably special. The lady at the podium was most accommodating and seated us earlier than planned, though the room had yet to fill up, which it eventually did. After a round of drinks, we got around to ordering. What was immediately noticed was that the evening's menu was abbreviated down to a handful of entrees, which was disappointing. The regular menu was not offered to us. Clearly this was done because of all the "plus" business they planned for during Round-up weekend, but we plowed onward. We tried out the rabbit and rattlesnake sausage appitizer, which was tasty and spicy. I ordered the BBQ'd brisket ("cooked for 16 hours," said the menu), anticipating something really tender. What arrived looked beautiful on the plate but after a single bite this meat was like shoe leather. It was virtually inedible. When the young girl attending our table asked the normal "How is everything?" I told her, as nicely as I could, that this brisket was terrible, she immediately offered to replace it with another dish. I told her to just take it away, which she did. (I here will say that that was the first time in my life I had ever sent something back at a restaurant.) The co-owner (Rafael?) came to our table and apologized, offering another dish, but by that time I was no longer interested in eating. The charge for my plate was also removed from our bill. The other three in my party were considerably underwhelmed by their food, with a few exceptions: One person ordered a salmon/pasta/cream sauce dish which was fairly bland and surprisingly served using farm raised Atlantic salmon instead of a Northwest chinook or sockeye wild-caught fish. That was particularly bothersome considering the price the house was asking for it. Two persons ordered "elk tenders" ($38) in a raspberry/barbecue sauce of some kind which he felt was also more or less tasteless because of the strong presence of the sauce, though it was tender to the bite. Three of the plates also came with mashed potatoes, also passable but...well...they were mashed potatoes, for heaven's sake! For dessert, I shared a creme brûlée with my partner and it was indeed terrific, with a sauce made of huckleberries folded into the cream. Overall, this establishment has a lot going for it, aside from my low marks on the food. The staff, including Rafael, were most friendly and attentive. They handled my problem as well as could be, and expeditiously so. The restaurant itself is beautiful in its ambiance, very homey and inviting, with inside and outside dining. Nevertheless, it is expensive. Diners should plan on spending a hundred bucks for dinner and drinks for two. (A margarita I had cocktail was 11 dollars. I realize the bar is a money maker in rhe business, but 11 bucks for a shot or two of tequila is irksome to me.) Sundown is not a typical "barn grill," as it claims. (The bar is about 6 feet long in a room the size of a closet) Nor is its menu. You can't find elk at most bar and grills. So what is Sundown? I'd call it an upscale white tablecloth restaurant (for sure, in Pendleton) which, on this night, really fell down on the food. Rafael evidently had other complaints on the brisket as she took it off an already limited menu that night. Simply put, the value simply wasn't there, food-wise. I really think this place could have been one of the highlights of our trip from Eugene but it just wasn't. We came away feeling we paid too much for too little. I personally hope Sundown and its owners can find their balance. They obviously have an enormous investment in their restaurant and I think they genuinely will do what it takes to succeed because to not fix the food problem will ultimately catch up to them. Would I return? Yes, based on the staff and the physical plant----and the hope that the food problem is rectified. I want small business restaurants to succeed. There has to be more to dining out than the Olive Gardens of this world. read more

Our first time here. We are from out of town and this was our first visit to Pendleton. Food here was really good and service was great! I had the elk medallions in raspberry sauce and my wife had the halibut. The medallions were spicy, but really good! We definitely would return and dine here again. read more

Dog Friendly. Good Food. Decent value. We ate here when passing through and would eat here again. read more

This is one of those nights where you know you simply ordered the wrong thing! I will be back because I want to try the BBQ. It smelled delicious coming out to the other tables. But instead I ordered the salmon, a fish I cook extremely well at home and have never found a restaurant that can do it as well - why do I even try to order it? The broccolini was delicious, as were the mashed potatoes. Service was delightful. I look forward to going back and trying the BBQ the next time. read more

Can't say enough about the owners and staff went above and beyond to accommodate my request to see a basketball game plus gave me the history and tour of the building. Signature cocktail "buckaroo" is delicious. Bourbon peppercorn salmon is awesome too read more

Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q - Buckaroo - Bars Near Me - Pendleton, Oregon

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I went for dinner during Roundup week, making sure to avoid a crowd. The restaurant was half empty. I was seated promptly. Then I waited, and waited, and waited as multiple staff served other guests. Finally, as I was about to leave, the hostess recognized that I had not even received a glass of water and spoke to a waitress. Better that I had just left then. The waitress rushed straight to my table and, with no introduction or courtesy, abruptly asked "what do you want to order." I ordered a glass of wine and baby back pork ribs based on the description of the "long, slow smoke". Then again I waited, and waited, and waited without any attention from my waitress or my glass of wine. The ribs were suspicious from their pale color. I could not remove the meat from the bone with a sharp knife. The pink color, texture, and juices confirmed that the ribs were not "long-smoked" - they were substantially undercooked. I can't believe that a chef could not recognize, or did not care, that they were serving undercooked pork. My waitress finally came to my table where I showed her the incisions. She acknowledged that yes, the kitchen knew the ribs had not received the full cook as described on the menu. She offered brisket as a substitute. The brisket came out immediately with the same vegetables from my previous plate, which made me think the brisket was from some other guest's order or had been hurried in a microwave. The brisket was cut so thin and was so over-cooked that bbq sauce could not rescue it. The mashed potatoes contained chunks that were not fully cooked. The green beans were the best part of my meal, being quite ordinary. I was offered no recompense, except that a different and very thoughtful waitress intuited my disappointment and spoke to me afterward to express her understanding and sincere apologies. But it was not her problem to remedy. It would not be possible for me to recommend Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q to anyone given my experience and Pendleton's other far better choices and values for dining. read more

What an incredible surprise! We stopped at Prodigal Sun first but were underwhelmed by the menu options so we walked over to Sundown instead. Wow!! The food was amazing (favorites included sauteed mushrooms, shoe string French Fries and the ribs - YUM)! Better yet, we found a perfect sanctuary out on the patio. The kids loved running and playing in the grass. Caitlin was a great server and everyone was incredibly friendly. The restaurant is actually a historic house built in 1904. It's beautiful and well kept. Can't wait to stop here again on our next road trip past Pendleton. Highly recommend going here! read more

I wanted to like this place, but it was overpriced and the food was comparable to 3 day old leftovers warmed up in the microwave. The staff was friendly enough, but I'm quite sure even the waitress knew she was serving crappy food. Considering there were only a handful in the restaurant I couldn't understand how they were "out of" menu items. I hate writing poor reviews, but I'm quite certain the pizza rolls at the gas station down the street would have been comparable in quality and 5% of the price. read more

Attention to detail... That's what it felt like with every bite I took off the dinner I had there last Saturday. Jalapenos were present in small quantities in portions of my meal, but were so well utilized that they didn't add heat, so much as spice to the food where used. A fair variety of dishes available, a friendly if harried staff (given how busy it seemed the night I went!), And an overall very pleasant dining experience at Sundown grill! read more

We went here and really loved it. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The owner came out and chatted with us for a little while too. The drinks were really good. The food was delicious with great sides. The building has a great history and was really fun to look around. read more

Had a nice lunch, food was great, server was attentive and knowledgable. Would have liked to sit outside, but temp was over 90 and didn't feel like roasting. We had the Jackson Burger and special of the day Roast Beef sandwich, both were great. Burger came with Cole slaw and sandwich with pasta salad, each had a unique twist and were delicious. Only 4 stars because the hostess never seated us and continued to chat up the other patrons, even sitting down at their tables, but never a word to us, so felt a bit unwelcome. Thank goodness the server was bubbly. We'll be back, but wont to be a regular on our rotation. read more

First off, the server was extremely friendly and attentive. The food was excellent. I ordered the beef brisket and it was extremely tender. My girlfriend ordered the chicken fettuccine and she enjoyed it. I saw on a previous review to try the huckleberry creme brûlée; glad we did. read more

Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q - Sunday's menu. - Bars Near Me - Pendleton, Oregon

We had 7:00pm reservations. They don't have anywhere to sit if your early other then the bar. We were given a table a little before 7:00pm. We were not served our dinner until a few minutes after 8:00pm. We ordered steaks and they honestly were tasteless. These steaks could not have been prime cuts. Maybe the grade used for canned food. Also, we felt our waitress was very rude so we did not leave a tip. That was a difficult decision for us, but we were so unhappy with the wait, service and quality of the food. The rest of the staff was very pleasant and nice. The young lady serving water was very attentive and another lady in a black cowboy hat who happened to be helping out was very nice too. read more

Heard it was a wonderful place to eat and I'm not disappointed food is great Service was wonderful and even the. Dogs enjoyed the patio, Tom had fish & Chips I had the NY steak and salad everything tasted fabulous !! We will come back read more

Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q - Yummo - Bars Near Me - Pendleton, Oregon

GREAT food - really good service! It was really hard to not give 5 stars. However, we ordered salads with our meals and they forgot them. It wasn't a huge deal because we ordered appetizers and desert so we were definitely full but I can't in good faith give a 5 Star review with forgotten items on our orders. We had the Mushrooms for an appetizer and they were phenomenal- and I don't like mushrooms! I ordered the Elk and have never had Elk before and it was very good! We ordered the cream brûlée and the chocolate cake - delicious! All four of us left full and happy! I would definitely recommend. read more

Pendleton has a few fine dining establishments that will knock your socks off. But Sundown is unfortunately not one of those places. I made reservations for my girlfriend and I on valentines day for 7:30. When I called they asked if I would like roses brought to our table for an extra $15 and I said yes. We ended up not getting seated until 8, they even seated a couple who didn't have reservations before us. And at the very end of our meal I asked about the roses and was brought out 3 half dead flowers that they had obviously thrown together, they looked nothing like the bouquet the other couples received. For starters we ordered drinks. I had the love potion which was actually really light and tasty. Then we waited for about 20 minutes to have our food order taken. Then it took about 45 minutes for the food to get to our table. I had the New York strip which tasted like I was drinking liquid smoke. The fettuccine that came as a side was decent but nothing to write home about. My girlfriend had the shrimp scampi which was pretty much flavorless. The food was poorly plated as well. Then we sat and waited for the desert menu. I ended up having to go back to the kitchen to order desert. Though I will admit the Creme brûlée was superb and the highlight of the evening. Then we had to wait for another 25 minutes to get the check. So needless to say I was very, very disappointed that what was supposed to be a nice romantic evening turned into a lot of waiting and bad food. We will not be returning. read more

Sundown Grill & Bar-B-Q - The only reason I would ever return. - Bars Near Me - Pendleton, Oregon

A colleague and I stopped here for dinner. We were quite impressed with the flavor of the food and the lovely outdoor garden. The mushrooms in sherry and sour cream appetizer was delicious. The rabbit and snake sausage was not a full-flavor meaty sausage, but still a good size and (I assume) meant to be adjusted in flavor by the guest via the tangy house BBQ sauce and house mustard. The menu and cocktail list are limited, but pared down to classic BBQ options and a few specialties. I loved my whiskey and huckleberry vodka cocktail (a little sweet, FYI). The berry tart and berry ice cream was amazing, hands down. Also, I found the food to be a great value for the price. The service was a little slow, but so friendly! I would definitely recommend Sundown. read more

As part of our cowboy experience at the yearly Pendleton Roundup we decided to take in the local Streak & BBQ fare. The Sundown Grill turned out to be good (not great!) food in a wonderful setting with excellent friendly service. Salad was truly a plain Jane affair, butter leaf lettuce & croutons with a simple creamy dressing. Steak was good, but undistinguished. The smoked meats (BBQ ribs & Brisket) were OK (not much of a smokey flavor), and the BBQ sauce was really not much better than store bought (no earth-shaking signature product here). The sides, green beans & mashed potatoes, were above average. The Indian rice was tasty & chewy, & a joy for my vegetarian wife. Would I return?? A definite maybe. (For all that was said above, the place was sold out, packed to the gills). read more

After a poor meal at Virgil's at cimmiyotti's, we went to the Sundown for dessert. 1). Hostess was awesome, very welcoming. 2). The Huckleberry Creme Brûlée was awesome. 3). Saw other people's meal and read the menu and history of the chef, looking forward to coming back here. 4). Although restaurant is not on the main drag, it is a short walk, and worth it. read more

We stopped In the other day for a coworker's birthday meal. Our waitress had a boot cast on yet still was friendly, fast, and attentive. We had great pasta and some absolutely killer mushrooms. I highly recommend this place. read more

This place was an oasis on a hot and exhausting day. I found this restaurant using Yelp. I was looking for a dog friendly restaurant in Pendleton, Oregon and this wonderful place came up with a high star rating. The staff and the owner were so friendly and welcoming, settling us at an outside table on the front porch. They welcomed our dog Molly too and gave her a dish of cold water. We had drinks and then ordered the bbq chicken wings to go to take back to our hotel room for later in the evening. Good grief those wings were good!!! They are truly bbq'd there fresh on the premises. We couldn't believe how delicious they were. I wanted more! We will be returning to Pendleton in May and plan to eat here again. Gotta try the brisket next time. I'm certain it will be absolutely fabulous! read more

Disappointed, as we sat down we were informed they were out of ribs. The reason we went in the 1st place. Left and went to Dickeys

Always great service; wonderful people and good food! Beautiful building with a nice outside patio ! Love stopping in here for food; nice quiet sitting large rooms that separates everything to help create a more private dining experience ! read more

Stumbled on this place coming through town on a road trip. Exceptional service and delicious food.

This is a very good place but be prepared to pay for the quality of the food. We have a new dog so decided to find outside dining. This place has a nice outdoor area. There was lots of space and umbrellas helped. The staff was dog friendly. There was an interesting drink list with a sort of high price. The menu was interesting but high priced. The food was slow to arrive but very good. In defense of the service: an owner had died, staff was organizing for a celebration of life, things were confused... this could be an undiscovered gem on the right day. I would try it again. read more

Everything we had was simple but prepared exceptionally well. The breakfast with a Bloody Mary and a mimosa was out of bounds!

Attended a reception at the Sundown grill. Service was fabulous. Signature huckleberry drink was very tasty. Food was really good (especially the mushrooms). Would definitely come here again for dinner or to host a small gathering. read more

I was there a few days ago with my wife, daughter and a friend. We went because my wife had a gift certificate that was soon expiring. She called to make sure the certificate was good and they said it was. When we arrived my wife double checked with the hostess and made sure the certificate was good. And it was.Hostess/server was very welcoming and attentive. She didn't treat us any different from someone without a gift certificate. We've experienced that in the past from other establishments.The environment was really warm and inviting. The menu was very well balanced. Some cheaper options, some more spendy and everything in between. Their mac and cheese is the best in Pendleton. Their ribs are amazing. Portions are sized perfectly. Drinks were good too. I can't wait to go back. read more

Great find while visiting. Lovely history of the old house and famous bronc rider. Loved the crazy cocktails. Try the mushrooms!

Rafael's is back, smokey style! Admittedly, in my years in Pendleton, I never got the opportunity to partake in a meal at Rafael's. It had been THE upscale spot of Eastern Oregon, prior to closing up shop a few years ago. The doors have now reopened, owned/run by the same folks, but with an entirely new motif. They're now all about BBQ. They feature a lunch and dinner menu, and entrees are at fair market prices ($10 for a smoked sausage, $18 for a brisket dinner); somewhat high by Pendleton standards, but comparable to Cimmy's). The lunch menu has a few sub-$10 options, though I haven't visited for that yet. The seating is comfortable, and relatively spacious considering the layout. Service is quite attentive, and always very friendly. They make you feel like they truly want you to enjoy your visit. I have visited twice; once for drinks, and once for a meal. The drinks are well-prepared, and the bartenders seem to have a grasp of what they're doing. The bar selection is a bit slim, however, and the drinks are spendy. The Wild Turkey-101Manhattan ($8) I ordered was very enjoyable. Would certainly order one again. For those of you trying to imbibe on the cheap, happy hour is M-Th, 4:30-6. For the meal visit, I opted for the smoked rabbit sausage. It was very juicy on the inside, and had a nice, light char on the casing. Far superior to the sausage sampling I had tried but a week prior at Dickey's. It does not come with a side, but fries can be supplemented (for $4 or $5, kinda a rip-off). They're shoestring fries, so if you do order them, expect thin and crispy, not large steak-fry style. They're tasty, but again, $4 for a side of fries, added to a ~$10 item, is steep. I have not had the brisket, though I have heard good things from many friends/colleagues. I'll drop in and give it a try sometime soon. I'd recommend ya give it a shot, too! read more

One of my favorite places to eat in Pendleton. The restaurant is in an old beautiful house across the street from the courthouse, it's beautiful inside and out. Very nice patio and deck dining with a beautiful yard. Good variety of smoked meats and delicious side dishes. My absolute favorite is the salmon Caesar salad love it. Very tasty signature drinks. The best part is the owners of this restaurant are very friendly and personable and they will see that you have a great time! read more

I ate here just recently ordering the ribs. They are tender, moist, just the right amount of smoke. Good sauces. You are served in what must have been one of the better homes in town in its day. The owners seem like they are having fun running the place. My waitress seemed really indifferent, unfortunately. read more