Rye
444 E 3rd Ave, Eugene, OR, 97401
Rye Menu
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Starters
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Salads
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Entrees
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Sandwiches
Healthy Meal suggestions for Rye
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Starters
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Salads
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Entrees
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Sandwiches
Visit below restaurant in Eugene for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Eugene for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
444 E 3rd Ave
Eugene, OR, 97401 - Phone (541) 653-8509
- Website https://ryeon3rd.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Richard B.
Ordered the poutine which was very tasty,(confit duck & cheese curds on fries) however it was crazy glue sticky and when the waitress asked for my feelings on the food she didn't take me seriously. Foods still good though definitely going back.
(3)Alida B.
I was very happy with my full experience at Rye. The waitress was very attentive, the food was very well done and tasty, the atmosphere was pleasant and interesting. I like that there is a wide variety of foods to choose from and that it is a local restaurant.
(4)Kirk F.
Very cool looking place...but you know what bugs me? Going in and sitting down and having the wait staff talking to each other, talking to the bartender, just kind of fiddling around and not coming over and saying 'hi how can I help you?' Just not worth the trouble in a town full of friendly people/places.
(2)Crystal S.
We LOVE this place. This is probably my favorite spot in Eugene at the moment. I've always had either the lamb tagine or the lamb daube, and let me tell you, I DREEAAMM about it for days afterwards. They're fantastic. My friends also really enjoyed the coq au vin, and we love love love the salad w/ the goat cheese fritter. We've brought friends visiting from Portland and Seattle here, and we appreciate how pleased/impressed they all were with the food and cocktails. The outside seating is also great when the weather is nice. Also, they have a waiter here who is easily one of the best in town. You'll know him if you get him.
(5)M K J.
I'm not sure why the 3and a half stars on Yelp. We went here after seeing it on Trip Advisor rated very highly and checking out the menu. It was excellent. Liked the house made pomegrante soda-had a pleasnt amount of tang. Tunisian pork was flavorful and tender. Catch of the day was salmon and it was so fresh it was hardly "salmony" at all. And we went to town on the desserts-I can reccommend the candy bars and chocolates and the pot du creme which was closer to creme brule than pudding. Fun ambiance with a porch and a garage door that opns up to make the rest of the restaurant fresh air.
(5)Jay W.
had the poutine to start = Delish next a warm chevre salad = scrumptious then on to a Filet Mignon with duck fat smashed potatoes = perfect all while having the best gimlet's EVER I thoroughly recommend this restaurant!!!!!!
(5)Isocephaly B.
Open on Mondays: good! Atmosphere v. nice: I echo Tianyi's review below. Food: uneven; the duck confit on the poutine is indeed stringy and dry, but my muscles were excellent (though strangely served with micro-thin, ultra-hard toasts rather than soft bread to sop the sauce). The mayonnaisey crab salad seemed straight out of the 60s, but the pork chop was of excellent quality. Cocktails: tasty and served in cute glassware. The biggest disappointment was the alluringly titled sage-potato soup; not sure what I imagined, but in fact it was blended and overly salty and tasted more like boxed chicken broth than anything else. Biggest surprise: the size of the dessert chocolates - they could easily half the portions and they would still be sufficient. Service also a little uneven; sort of slow at key points - but the owner stepped in to help speed things along and she was v. personable, making up for otherwise generic reception.
(4)Alberto L.
DISCLAIMER : my review only concerns drinks, since we came after dinner on a busy Saturday night. On my quest for good cocktail bars in Eugene, a place called Rye seemed like a promise. They delivered. Ho ho ho. They delivered. If you don't like strong drinks, prepared by the book, just stay away from this place. Or come for the food, which I'm sure it's delicious. Sometime in the future I'm gonna try the food too. The cocktail menu itself could be enough. It's split between 6 dollar drinks---not 6 dollar drinks---really not 6 dollar drinks and each category has "pre-Prohibition classics" "Prohibition and after greats" plus "our bright ideas" of what we tried the Old Pal was bitter as an old lady with red lipstick making a snazzy comment the Daisy was the kind of cocktail that your grandpa made for your grandma when returning home after a week selling brushes door-to-door the Long Island tasted like 2am, when you're not drunk yet but you need to catch up with your friends who arrived a couple hours ago, and you wanna do it in style, without anybody noticing the Scofflaw was sweet enough to cover the fact that a classy lady does not order sweet drinks (and these are all 6 dollar drinks) next time I rob a bank I'll try the really not 6 dollar drinks, I promise great place if you're in your late 20s like me, expect your presence to beat the average age in the place by a couple decades, which doesn't make it any less fun to be there (the place is nice and so is service)
(5)Michael D.
We heard great things about Rye and decided to try it for dinner. Wow! Starting with cocktails (the House Manhattan is a winner), then to appetizers (wonderful muscles and fine salads) to fantastic main courses (The duck breast was magnificent. Salmon was remarkable. Pork tenderloin could be cut with a fork before it melted in your mouth),finished with homemade chocolates that were out of this world. Now it's our turn to say good things about this excellent restaurant.
(4)Cole K.
Best restaurant in Eugene! I come regularly and it has never disappointed. Always delicious and with great proportions of food, not too much, not too little.
(5)Jon C.
Dinner at Rye Friday night-I have a better experience each time I go. We started out with drinks- a Rob Roy and a Sauzerac-both were well balanced-great start. Dinners consisted of the cassoulet which was also well done-not too heavy and the boudin was very flavorful. My wife had the salmon belly pasta special which was the perfect portion size and pleasantly light on the cream sauce. Both dinners were excellent and the service was outstanding.
(4)Michelle R.
Just ate at Rye tonight. Had the Italian meatballs, yummy. Had the house salad, generous portion. Had the Portuguese pork stew, spicy and yummy also.
(4)Celia T.
I've been dying to go to this place since my brother told me about it. The bar has an excellent drink selection that is made up of pre-prohibition and prohibition drinks. My mother and I decided that we needed a few hours out the house. We'd been spending too much time on the couch binge watching Supernatural on Netflix. Getting drinks and lunch at Rye felt that the go to move I ended up getting a Jack Rose. Let me tell you, that thing was strong but damn was it good. It was sweet, I find the best way to drink it is to hold it in your mouth for a little and push towards the front teeth. In doing that you can experience the sweetness of the drink as well as the mixed flavors. My mother had the Daisy, which provides you with with a choice for the bitters. She went with the lemon bitters, resulting in the drink being very much like a spiked lemonade. For an appetizer, we got the fried Goat cheese balls. Those were great and came with a lovely assortment of things. Some leafy greens in a sweet vinaigrette, pickled onions, and toasted slices of bread. It was more than what we planned, but it was good. And the goat cheese when very well with the french fries that came with our sandwiches. I decided to ordered the griddled chicken sandwich. It was a ground up chicken patty, topped with leafy greens, herb aioli, and pickled leeks. The flavors were subtle, and the leeks were a nice touch, sort of a sharp burst of flavor and extra crisp. My mother got the pork vindaloo sandwich. The pork has a decent flavor and pulled apart nicely. Though I think the sandwich would have been better with naan bread instead of the flat bread. Flat bread can be a bit blandish while naan is a bit more flavorful and it compliments the spices used to achieve the a blending of the spices in the way the pork was cooked. Vindaloo, to my knowledge, is normally a style of Indian chicken curry, so it seems only natural that naan be the choice of bread to make the sandwich. When it came time for dessert, we decided to give the in house made chocolate a try. We shared one chocolate, which was the "Candy Bar Du Jour." Today, it was ganche with whole hazel nuts coated in a dark chocolate and salted with a bit of sea salt. I actually really enjoyed the chocolate, I'm a huge fan of the use of salt in chocolate. Provides a bit of a bite with chocolate so that sweetness is not entirely overwhelming. The dessert menu actually provides a guide to chocolate and brandy pairings. I have every intention of come back to Rye to partake in their chocolate drink pairings, seeing that I am a chocolaholic. All in all, I found Rye to be a spectacular place, a good atmosphere, very polite service (though a little slow to checking in on us while waiting for food, and a little overwhelmed by the many many specials that the restaurant provides). I have a definite interest in coming here again to try out their dinner menu, seeing that they have duck on the menu. For anyone that knows me, I can't resist a well prepared duck.
(5)Emma O.
Excellent service, attentive but not over barring. We had the salmon special and the pork loin, both cooked perfectly. We also sampled a few superb cocktails. All expectations were surpassed by this place.
(5)Tianyi S.
Rye is A-OK. It's not a destination (ie: I wouldn't drive across town to eat here) but as it's conveniently located near my house, it serves as a cozy joint for first dates and semi-casual nights out. I come for the comfy copper tones, fireplace, soft lighting, carpets, and pillows strewn across seats, and stay for a drink (the Grumpy Monkey and Moscow Mule are good choices) plus the house-made chocolate (orange cream is my favorite!) and a mug of coffee, served with raw sugar cubes. The savory offerings are less appealing to me. The duck conft poutine sounds more decadent than it is (dry, stringy duck and gummy, salty gravy are only acceptable because the large portion offsets the cost), and mussels in a white wine, garlic and tomato broth are fresh, but not fragrant or memorable. Still, Rye serves as a fine place to chat over drinks and dessert. I like to hear my conversations, and Rye provides just that, plus a fireplace and chocolate. :)
(3)Glenn B.
2 entrees, 1 appetizer, 2 beers and a glass of wine= $70. Well worth it if the service and quality of food was present. However, upon arriving we had to wait to be greeted by the maitre d'. Long story short, we ordered the chèvre frite as an appetizer($10 for two),lamb chops( $23 for 2 extremely small pieces once removed from the bone), a chicken dish($20 as Identified on the bill). For the price point in the eugene area, i would have expected more flavor for offsetting the portion size but that was not the case. Turns out it's just small portions of overpriced food with mediocre to dismal flavor. Would I eat there again? No but the ambiance for drinks is terrific!
(2)Mark A.
I have been here for lunch and dinner now, and I've always come away happy with the experience. The cocktails are cute and tasty. They offer interesting things on the menu and as specials. I always recommend the Portuguese pork, which is offered as a sandwich at lunch and sometimes as an entrée at dinner. The $2 chocolates for dessert are a fabulous idea, a little sweet bite instead of a giant slice of cake, and they are very good quality. Service can be slow, so make time in your schedule.
(4)Ethan A.
Nice ambiance, but the overall experience left me wanting a lot more. We were a group of four arriving at 6:30 on a Thursday. Service initially was attentive and we ordered some cocktails and appetizers which arrived quickly. At this point we ordered dinner and the wait began. I wasn't timing it exactly, but certainly 45 minutes to an hour elapsed before the food arrived. At no point during this wait did a server come to the table to recognize the lengthy wait. A simple "I apologize for the wait, the food will be up soon," would have been sufficient. But when I asked how the food was coming the retort was "it's coming." Ooookay. I could have accepted the wait if was a busy Friday night, but the restaurant was perhaps 1/3 full. Is it always like this here? I am not a snob, nor a foodie, but I work hard for my money and a little recognition that we are hungry; and have been waiting for an inordinate amount of time would be appreciated... The onion soup wasn't bad, it tasted fresh and homemade, but it did not register highly on the OMG list. I also had a steak which I asked to be cooked medium, and it was waaay on the rare side. I considered sending it back to be re-fired, but I didn't want to risk losing the meal for another 30 minutes so I ate some and figured I'd throw the leftovers in a frying pan in the morning for steak and eggs. The dessert menu arrived and shockingly I could not find one item that appealed to me. Is it that hard to include a few more traditional items? Who knows, Rye may actually sell some of them! I know this is Eugene, but the gender neutral, dairy-free, soy-free, cruelty-free, equal opportunity, no H8, smoked alder sea-salt pudding blessed by the Dalai Lama himself just didn't have much appeal. There's no chocolate cake in France?? Prices seem fair and in line with other restaurants in Eugene. In the end Rye would make a fine spot for a few drinks, but for dinner this was a one and done affair.
(3)Claudia Bailey L.
Incredible menu. Delicious , perfectly prepared dishes. Great drink Menu. Loved the Rye cocktail. Great. Venue. Wait staff friendly and very knowledgeable. All around really satisfying meal.
(5)Caine O.
I ate at Rye last night for the second time. Two years separated my first visit from my second, which would indicate I didn't feel compelled to go back. Both times I sat at the bar as I dined alone. I checked them out online before going and was impressed by their list of wines by the glass including a Cotes-du-Rhone among other medium-bodied reds. But alas, the bartender glibly informed me that "that's really out of date- we don't have those." Hhhmmm- someone here doesn't understand web marketing. Minus one star. The menu was varied and had some unusual items such as a Portuguese stew- add one star. Prices were "reasonable" for a "fine-dining" restaurant, but Rye comes across to me as more casual than that. The barkeep was VERY quick to respond- too much so, i would say. Greqt guy who was "on it" BUT- You couldn't finish a sentence making a request before he would cut you off and hasten to execute. Great for responsiveness but a little abrupt. Food was good overall. Clam chowder is a recomendation. Lots of clams, not pasty at all. But it carried a flavor of cheddar cheese which would not be my personal choice although i recognize that many enjoy cheese in soup. Portuguese stew had a lot of meat (pork) and good flavor but a bit salty for my preference. I would give it 3-1/2 stars if that were an option. It's not a bargain but not pricey either. Chowder, dinner and two glasses of wine came to about $50. And I think maybe that is the point of my review- I had a good experience, but maybe a $40 experience. I'll try it again.
(3)Sunshine C.
I have been waiting a few weeks to eat here. Upon ariving a was seated with a small child and offered nothing to help accommodate me with her. My waitress "Roxanne" is possibly the rudest and worst waitress in all Eugene. There were three of us and we were given 2 napkins and 2 glasses gor water. She never checked on us and I had to get up many times to.ask someone else for things that were needed at the table. Her face was grim her attitude sucked and its pretty amazing how one person can ruin something for others. To top it off she never once asked if anything was okay and left us to fend for ourselves. This how a place looses buisness. Get rid of people who dont help your buisness flurish. We wont be returning or recomending this to any friends.
(1)Derek J.
I did not realize how terrible service could get. We were stuck there for over two hours waiting for our main dish. They came over and offered to box up our appetizer so I figured our food should be done soon. Wrong! We waited almost another hour after finishing our appetizer before our entree came. As for the food. Pretty terrible. Mediocre at best. I looooove French cooking, but this was not enjoyable. Definitely not coming back ever.
(1)Lily H.
From Starters to Sweets, insanely fabulous food and outstanding service. Candies are made by the in-house chocolatier / Pastry Chef. Normally paired with Whiskey(s), we opted for Bailey's and Coffee. Heaven... Early dinner 5:30p or so. No happy hour specials, but NICE cocktail menu and broad selection thru all courses. Every single dish was tasty and fresh. Low noise level, ambience, decent prices. Perfect if you want to impress or just stop in for starters/cocktails or dessert/coffee. They've obviously adjusted from the bad reviews of last year.
(5)John M.
Went for lunch, service was slow. We ordered the Moroccan lamb meatball sandwiches, they were a total disappointment. Very bland there were no Moroccan spices in the meat. Wasn't anything we'd go back for, unfortunately one poor experience will not bring us back. Did I mention the service was slooooow!
(2)Chris B.
I have been to Rye perhaps a dozen times over the years since they opened and have never had an experience there that was less than excellent across the board. The ambiance, the staff, the drinks, the food, the subtle sense of humor imbued in the menu and in other aspects of the place, all indicate a depth of experience on the part of the owners and concern for the customers experience that that is exceptional. Several times I have had food that could only be described as 'transcendent', and have, on numerous occasions, sent compliments to the kitchen for their level of creativity and execution. So when I read several of the ridiculously over-blown one-star reviews here, I could only imagine one thing - someone wants to tarnish the name of this place for some personal reason. For a review of this restaurant to suggest that the food is in any way bland or comparable to a greasy spoon, even on a 'bad' day, is completely laughable. Some punter carrying on for SIXTEEN PARAGRAPHS about $5 that was supposedly "stolen" from them by the restaurant, strains credibility to say the least, and the numerous grammatical and spelling errors therein are clearly reminiscent of spam emails from Nigeria. People that complain about serving size in a fine dining establishment should stick to writing reviews for Burger King, to whose standards and methods they are very likely more accustomed to. As a certifiably hopeless foodie who has spent time in fine dining establishments across the NW and the globe for over twenty years, Rye is, all-around, easily one of the best restaurants in Eugene, a gold standard against which others can be judged.
(5)Cathy E.
Went in for a late dinner mid-week. Wonderful staff that made me feel warm and welcome. Great drink started off the perfect experience. The recommendation for the pork chop was "spot on". Best pork chop ever, huge Carlton farms cut that was cooked perfectly. What was really unique and special was the finishing sweet menu with custom chocolate pairings, you choose how much you want, I had three delicious treats.
(5)Jayme V.
Salad: ridiculously tiny; a few sprigs of mesclun (?), literally; a thin slice of beet chopped into tiny squares. Soup: perhaps a gumbo? Greasy. Pork chop: large, but tasteless; accompanying spaetzle and veggies very greasy. All around poor meal. It's apparent it just wasn't an accident on the part of the cook; that person just doesn't know how to cook, period. One doesn't expect greasy-spoon food at these prices. In Eugene, one has far better options. We didn't quaff any of the mixed drinks; perhaps it excels in those; perhaps most clients are snoggered when they eat there and don't notice the food...
(2)Michelle Y.
we've been here probably a dozen times - it's become our favorite "bring people from outta town" place. the food: always a hit. lots of variety - amazing new/unexpected flavors to try. i like that. the drinks: funny! $6 drinks. not $6 drinks. shows a great sense of humor. delicious, too. they've got their very own chocolatier!?! $2 goodies with whiskey chasers - amazing concept. a few of the staff members seem a bit standoffish - but the food & cocktails & chocolate always win out. i am a fan.
(5)Najla A.
The worst experience!! STOLE our money. + Bad food / Bad Service The Story: Me and my husband deiced to celebrate his birthday by trying out a new restaurant, bad luck we choose Rye since its new in town. We went there around 6 PM, our server name David made our experience the worst. We were seated after standing for a while even though the place was not THAT full, we were seated in dark area which is behind the bar, in your right hand when you enter the place, the light was off since NO ONE were sitting in that side. Then he came back and open the light for us! brought the menu and left, after really really while he came asking us if we deiced, passed more than 8 mints till he came back. He finally came and took our order and didn't offer any drinks for us and meanwhile four couples had arrived. Surprisingly enough, those two table had their order very early before us. Our food came out to us really cold!! and really taste bad. The Server, had been checking with the other tables for any needs or if the food were satisfying to them or not, while us never been checked or asked for any need. My husband had to rise his hand slightly little up waiving to him because he wanted a salt !! I didn't finish my order because it didn't tested good to me. The other two table were finishing up and the server came to them asking them for boxing any desert, and he barely came back to us and when he did he looked at us, and we asked for the bill and didn't offer a box or a desert, at least like the other tables. Still we were thanking him and smiling while he acted very rude to us. OUR Bill came out with $51.00 total and we decided to add $0 as a tip, no tip at all, because we felt bad and an welcomed and the whole experience were sad. This is the most bad experience I had in any restaurant in my whole life. So, my husband singed the tip line as $0 and wrote the total $51.00 which was our order only. And we left. After few days when my husband check his account it showed DIFFERENT total than the one we SINGED up!!! Our order was $51.00 and They TOOK $56.10 !!! %10 has been stolen from our account without any respect! we went back to the restaurant talked to the manger explained to her the whole situation, she went back after asking us which day was our visit and came back with all the receipts for that day. She said it shows that you didn't left any receipt !!! Which was not true and we assure to her that we actually did and we wrote a $0 as a tip because we wanted to show that we were not satisfied with the experience. SHE SAID: " if the waiters didn't see the receipt they will assume that the customers had left %10 which is the minimum ".! I told her it would be safer if they didn't assume anything at all, since its other people's money!! She offered our money back unless we want to make it up for drinks !!! She thanked us for coming back and added: " Even though its only $5.10 but its good you came all they way back" I told her its our money even if its a dollar we would come back, this is stealing money and not acceptable behavior in any level, its like someone had putting their hands in your wallet and took your money!! Finally, She sent us the money cash via mail after one week. I have added a photo taken from our account indicating that they took $56.10 and another photo shows the mail we got from them which is the %10 ( $5.10). CHECK The PHOTOS I added!! I would never recommend this place for anyone they have no respect for their costumers. JUST avoid and keep in mind that your money really counts.
(1)Michele R.
Newly opened (March 2012) by local people with experience at Eugene top end restaurants who know what they're doing and have a passion for getting it right. There was a lot to like here for us. We will be back and recommend Rye to others. CONVENIENT LOCATION Just over the (First Street? Ferry Street?) Bridge and within a couple of blocks to Inn at the 5th and 5th Street Market. Large lot provides ample parking. WELCOMING AND PLAYFUL AMBIANCE / VIBE Interior design is a nice blend of light and dark. Claim to fame here is the bar making authentic specialty cocktails from pre prohibition through modern day and the interior fits that eclectic blend. An "all people are welcome / come as you are" vibe. Mellow music mix on the sound system. There is also sense of playfulness here. As example, there are two unisex loo and one is marked "People" and the other "People Too". Also on the night we were there, one section of the restaurant was roped off with a sign posted that read "Closed - SNAKES!!!" I forgot to ask our server about that. (Maybe Indiana Jones fans? ) We took a seat at one of the copper topped tables in the bar and noted that seating at the front of the restaurant might be a good choice on another day when warmer weather allowed the roll up door there to be open. There is also outside seating on a moderate sized deck. SERVICE Pitch perfect blend of friendly-familiar and professional service was provided by Daniel. He made us feel welcome from the moment we sat down, he could make recommendations on the cocktail and food menu, he perfectly timed the service of the plates we shared and he even enticed us to try the house made chocolates for dessert. The chocolates are excellent and we would have missed out without his encouragement. LIBATIONS We were surprised to find there was no happy hour menu for bar service. No matter, because the cocktails are so reasonably priced ($6). (We'd pay 50% more at least for these in our hometown.) Great quality drinks. The bar is staffed not by a bartender but by a true mixologist if what we had is indication. Cocktail menu is broken up into three parts; pre-prohibition, post prohibition, and "our bright idea" creations. My husband is a Rye whiskey fan and he ordered a Szerac. I ordered their "top secret" libation called The Pink Chick Drink thanks to a fetching Yelp photo. The Szerac (which used herbsaint and not absinthe) was served straight up with ice water back and the ice was that which had been used to shake the drink. Of many Szeracs I've had, can't think of another served like this. The vodka based pink drink (also maybe fresh lemon, juice, simple syrup and amerena cherry) was tasty, although a "once is enough" try for me. This bar is a good place for cocktail fans of any kind of liquor but if you like Gin (as I do) you are in particular luck here for cocktails on the list. The wine list, by the glass and bottle, was short-ish but thoughtfully crafted and reasonably priced. Our by the glass with dinner and were only $7 each. A good value for the quality and size of the pours. MENU / FOOD Menu is where our constructive criticism comes in. Somehow it didn't quite weave in the playfulness of the other elements of Rye. That may have more to do with our dining style than limitations of Rye as we typically prefer to graze our way through small plate options rather than order entrees. If we could put our finger on it, we hoped for more small plates with sort of "surprise us" elements. We also wish there were more options for folks who lean to vegetarian eating as do we. We eat meats on occasion and did here. But limited meatless options may keep away vegetarians and vegans and that is a loss to customers and the restaurant both. That said, the food was delicious. We shared an appetizer of salmon cakes ($9) served with a perfectly dressed arugula, fennel and citrus salad and a creole aioli. We shared an entrée of lamb tagine ($19) with apricots and North African spices with the surprise elements of being served on soft polenta and topped with feta. We liked that the dessert menu was limited to crème caramel, pot au crème (both $5?) and several housemade chocolates ($2 each). We chose a dark chocolate covered salted caramel and a special that day that was like a mini Mounds bar. Delectable . VALUE: Shared appetizer and entrée, two chocolates for dessert, two cocktails and two glasses of wine clocked in at about $57 before tip. A good value for the quality of beverages, food and service. THIS N THAT 1. ACCESSIBILITY: Both the bar entry and the main restaurant entry are accessible. Only accessible parking we saw was at the bar entry. Everything is on one level inside. 2. FREE CORKAGE FOR A WHILE: A note on the bottom of the wine list said that while they are tuning up their list, they'll provide free corkage if you bring in a bottle of your own. Nice.
(4)Claire V.
I've had kind of an up-down relationship with Rye in the year or so that they've been around. Some things I loved, other times my visit would be disappointing. Today I went again with two friends and had an awesome time. (good company helps) The boar bolognese was magnificent. Succulent and savory as a Bolognese should be, not too tomato-y as it often is in America. Just perfect. The little chunks of boar meat were perfect and the pasta was beautiful. I can highly recommend it! The Pink Chick Drink was also even better than I remembered, and larger than last time. Nice. Service was good, and they kindly let us stay LONG past closing time. We sat there for at least an hour longer, with all previous guests gone. Probably for the best, since our conversation was perhaps not suitable for all ears. (Sorry to the server for subjecting her to that, in our loud voices, from a distance haha) I'll be back more often again!
(4)Dawn C.
Welp, it's official: I love Rye! To be perfectly frank, I have a hard time with many of Eugene's "finer" dining establishments. Service is typically blech, food can be hit or miss (especially in the more expensive places). So when the man asks me out for date-night, I always feel perplexed. To that feeling now I will say, "no more!" Rye has the best service in town; never rushed, always attentive, very knowledgeable of the menu. Rye also has the best cocktails in town. The bartender here is OCD in the very BEST way. The cocktail menu is something to be explored and appreciated. For the extra adventuresome, I'm told that on a quiet evening off-menu concoctions are available. I held off on my review for awhile because I hadn't really tried much of the food. Boy am I glad I remedied THAT situation. I've now sampled several of the apps. Chickpea cakes with harissa and tzatziki; asparagus with duck egg; and goat cheese frites now top my list of small-plate faves. The chef here appreciates seafood and cooks it well. There are always at least two stellar vegetarian options. But the kicker has to be the desserts. Rye makes chocolates in-house (e.g., butter toffee, caramel, fruit-nut cluster, etc.) for $2 each. This is my perfect dessert: decadent bite of chocolate, all to myself. I know we've got some good things coming in our downtown, but on special occasions, Rye tops my short list.
(5)Rachel E.
I was debating about how to rate this place but I couldn't think of anything wrong with it! The first time I came here was about two years ago for my birthday; I had a reservation for 15 people and they were really accommodating. The food all came in a timely manner and everything was so good - that time I remember having the poutine with duck confit and borscht as well as several cocktails that were great. I just came back here a few weeks ago for dinner and I can't believe I waited so long to return! It's like I forgot Rye was here, it's all tucked away behind 5th Street Market. This time everything was equally, if not more, delicious. We started with some of their cocktails; they have a lot of unique old-timey/Prohibition-era stuff which I really love and all of the drinks we had were well-made. We had quite a bit of food since I was starving and once I saw the menu I couldn't make any decisions: Smoked Salmon Cakes - perfectly cooked, excellent sauce; Chevre Frites - so tasty, anything chevre is usually okay by me and I really liked the onion marmalade. For an entree I had the duck breast entree which was just phenomenal - the meat was tender, juicy and so tasty and the mushroom risotto was the perfect complement; my friend had the petit sirloin which was cooked exactly as ordered. Both dishes came with mixed vegetables which I loved because they had asparagus and parsnips and people don't use parsnips enough these days. Last thing I'll mention (I can get a bit long-winded in these, I know): one of their chefs is a chocolatier and for dessert they offer homemade chocolates, and since they are a whiskey bar (hence the name) each is paired with a different whiskey! This was definitely my friend's favorite part, he said it was "breathtaking" but that may have been the whiskey. I should also mention that the service was excellent, our waiter was on top of everything and the owner came out and chatted with us too. We'll definitely remember to come here often from now on.
(5)Josh W.
Rye earns 2 stars from this Yelper. My wife had wanted to get a few drinks and some grub, she suggested Rye and I told her I would meet her there. The wife arrived around 4:30pm on a Friday. I got here at 4:45. My wife was sitting in a booth patiently waiting our arrival. She already had a martini and I was ready to have an IPA. I was bummed with their beer selection. Rather piss poor in my opinion. I'm sick of everyone featuring TOTAL DOMINATION. Yes, it's a great IPA, but for God's sake....there's SO MANY other good IPA's out there. Do your research! Sooooo I had me a Total Dom. This place is rather proud of the food they make. As fancy as most of it all sounded...nothing sounded too appealing. The only thing I figured would work was the "Pasta of the day" I don't remember all the multi-syllable words they used, but it's what I settled on. For $17 I got a mediocre plate of pasta. My wife asked how it was, I explained that garlic is a wonderful ingredient, and should be used as ONE of the flavors in the profile...it shouldn't be THE FLAVOR of the dish alone. I'm a HUGE fan of garlic, but even I wanted to toss this dish to the floor...and if you put fresh Parmesan on a plate full of noodles, you cant leave it under the food warmer that long. It dries out and turns into a nasty crust. Once our food was delivered the waiter disappeared. I was getting pretty irritated being all I wanted was another beer and I was looking at 5 servers bullshitting at the register. My wife had to use the restroom so she actually went out of her way to grab our server and ask for a refill. When it comes to waiting on tables, you ALWAYS keep an eye on the drinks. You don't have to hound about the food, but at least make sure the drinks are taken care of. I told my wife our server was hurting his tip, and she pointed out that he was VERY attentive UNTIL I showed up. Oh great....so the hubby shows up and now we don't get service? Classy. I did give Poutine a shot. The Duck Confit was minuscule, the gravy was watery and very thin, there was hardly any cheese on it, but the fries weren't that bad. I wont judge what Poutine ACTUALLY is until I try some up in PDX. We spent almost $70 on 3 drinks, 1 app and 2 Entrees. Sure as hell not worth it.
(2)Becca S.
I have so many feelings right now, I cannot even believe how good this place is. I read the reviews when trying to figure out what "kind" of place to expect and was confused, needless to say. We went in at 7PM on a Thursday and it wasn't quite full, it was when you arrive and you get that "last" table, feeling like you're just that lucky to not have to wait. At first I thought it may be a little uncomfortable, it feels really warm but a little higher class than I'm typically used to, it's Eugene after all. The wait staff however were outstandingly welcoming. The bartender saw us walk in and was quick to say "We'll be right with you!" and then the hostess appeared to seat us, a nice quick welcome without feeling too "scripted", you know? We got a lovely two-top and I got a nice view of the place. It's a lot smaller on the inside than you'd expect looking at the building itself. I could see the kitchen window where the food came from and it got me excited to try their food. Listen. Poutine is cheese curds, gravy and shoe string fries. I'm like a Canadian expert, you can trust that. But I was wooed by their spin on it, fries, melted cheese and gravy with duck sprinkled on top. We got the 'small', I don't want to know what the larger one was, two of us couldn't quite bring ourselves to finish the small dish. It was delicious. My cocktail of choice was the Long Island Ice Tea. The bartender is a magician. Fantastic, please do continue to be awesome, kind sir. My mother got the salmon and I got the duck. We both took a bite, she's usually not too impressed or at least a little apprehensive about new places. We both had that moment where we started quickly cutting up pieces of our dinners and sharing "try this, you have to try this right now!" Their treatment of a simple pear, you can't even imagine it, you just have to put it in your mouth and sigh with joy as it sinks in. The portions are perfect. People are so used to getting mounds of food on their plates...it's sort of weird and I guess just ingrained at this point. We were able to share an appetizer, an entree and then have a delicious chocolate for dessert without feeling that uncomfortable "stuffed" feeling. It's an amazing feeling, I like having so many courses and tastes, without having to take something home in a box and poke at it a few hours later. Speaking of the chocolates. They are worth their "hefty" price. They are house made and so good it's silly. They also host an array of "dessert cocktails". They offer a Jack, sugar and peach bitters cocktail that I couldn't talk myself out of and I'm glad I didn't. It's just so good. It may not be to everyone's tastes but it was full for dinner on a Thursday night, everyone stayed for almost two hours, peacefully enjoying their entire experience. So take that into consideration when deciding if this is a place for you.
(5)Michael J.
Had another great dinner at Rye last night. Our waitress was great, she sensed our mood, played along with us and paced our meal perfectly. She provided a fantastic wine recommendation to go along with our meal as well as perfect pre-dinner cocktail. Both our entrees were very good but it was really the vibe of the evening that made the night enjoyable.
(4)Trisha H.
This is my new favorite restaurant in Eugene, I can't say enough good things about it! The service was great, the food was not only fast but absolutely delicious, and the prices were very reasonable for that kind of quality. Everything I ate from the drinks and appetizers to the entrees to the desserts including handmade candies was far above the expectations I had. Rye is everything that other restaurants in Eugene are trying to be but have been getting wrong.
(5)Vanessa R.
Great drinks and wonderful happy hour drink menu. The aviation is fantastic. The service is also good. The servers are friendly and prompt. I like the ambiance too. I'm not a fan of their food, yet. There's nothing wrong with it, but the portions are way too small for the prices. I had dinner here with a friend for her birthday along with five other people, all vegetarians. The options for vegetarians are slim. We ordered two plates of butternut squash ravioli for $16 each along with appetizers. Seriously, three pieces of ravioli on the plate with butter sauce. Three pieces! We assumed there would be enough to share along with the also very expensive and small appetizers. Anyhow, I will be back for sure but I hope they make some changes. I don't mind paying these kind of high prices for a good dinner as long as I feel the value meets the price. Seriously great happy hour though. Even if I never have dinner here again, I will come back frequently for drinks.
(3)N H.
Excellent service. Superb drinks. Unique good food. Great design and atmosphere. I definitely recommend this place to others. Don't let a few poor reviewers taint your opinion!
(5)Tanaz P.
FINALLY!!! A dining experience to shame myself into overeating and bliss. What great food. I ordered mussels and the ahi tuna salad. Both were cooked perfectly, full of flavor and caused a seriously Pavlovian response. The rye bread was just the right amount of crustiness to sop up the broth from my mussels. Jae's rabbit pasta dish was full of subtle flavors, perfect textures and down right delicious. She enjoyed both of her cocktails, which were packed full of boozy delight. Added bonus for the house made maraschino Cherry, it packed a punch. Then there were chocolates, oh my goodness they were sinfully good. Just the right balance of sweetness, with a touch of salty love. I especially enjoyed the peanut butter cup with chipotle (sp?) salt. Our server was extraordinary! He took the time to answer our never ending questions. He brought us a sample of one the the liqueurs to make sure Jae liked it enough to try the cocktail that only seemed to enhance the aforementioned sample. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better experience. We'll be back!
(5)Charli D.
Rye was one of our go to restaurants in Eugene. When Rye first opened my husband and I were very pleased to see a new nice restaurant opening in Eugene, for Eugene is a one trick pony town with not enough nice places to go out to dinner. We had very good experiences our first 3-4 times going to Rye. However our most recent visit ensured we will not be back. Why, you ask. I found a live worm in my salad. That alone is not why we will not be back. It was the way it was handled. I was told " well, we use only organic local vegetables and so that is to be expected. Would you like another salad?" "No? Well, we will take that off your bill" that was it. My $5.00 salad was taken off the bill. Big Deal. Of Course You Are Taking It Off! No other compensation, no apology. I sat there waiting for at least a drink or a complementary desert. Nothing. The salad greens were obviously not washed well. I grow my own organic salad greens. I wash them well. Because no matter organic or not you still need to wash your fruits and vegetables well, due to the organic materials used to help the veggies grow. I am very sad to say I do not recommend Rye. Marchè is just a couple blocks away. Go to Marchè.
(1)Ryan E.
I went to Rye with friends for lunch on a Monday afternoon, having heard good things about it--lunching with new people seemed like the perfect excuse to give it a try. I will admit that I was a bit suspicious when I noticed that, aside from a table of blue-haired old people and the random couple on the deck smoking, there was no one else in the restaurant--aside from the waitress and the bartender, who largely seemed content to keep to themselves. Indeed, it was probably ten minutes after I arrived before I was asked about my drink order, which I found a bit annoying. The drink selection is quite good, though, but this isn't a spot for tap beer (the selection is entirely imported and somewhat unfamiliar)--cocktails, though, are a specialty. My friends seemed to really enjoy their meals; I did, too, for the most part--the goat cheese salad was really terrific, but the chicken salad sandwich (which was randomly served open-faced, for no apparent reason) was quite salty and topped with a generous handful of crumbled feta, which just made it all the more salty. I was unable to finish it simply because it was so overseasoned. The desserts, however, made up for it. After we finished making fun of the word "chocolatier," we ordered a few of the chocolates and sat in silence enjoying them. Three stars for now but I'm sure I'll be back!
(3)Bill D.
WOULD RATE IT A 4.5 STARS IF ABLE. The Rye, after coming here three different times and reading some of the radically different reviews is one that deserves a closer look. First, the decor has class and style. These folks have done a great job redoing the old Bridge (which I had heard was left like a band of Cossack's had been through it). The seat are comfortable, the tables, have copper tops, have a nice look to them. The service is probably where perhaps there is at times a disconnect. I had one minor problem once, all other times no problem. The thing a restaurant does NOT want to do is under-staff or over-staff and I pity any restaurant owner trying to walk that line. The menu is limited. The problem there is that they prefer to serve fresh, locally purchased items. As my one review touched on, if you want 50 items on a slick-menu, this isn't your place. If you want a heaping tray of food you won't find that here nor if you want food over-spiced, MSG laden food with too much salt, this still isn't your place. I had the Duck with fresh veggies and it was cooked to perfection with great flavor. The veggies were fresh and cooked how I would had at home. What was cool was how they cooked the carrot with about 3mm of the green still on it and the root/stem still on it. Great presentation! For desert I had the Chocolate Covered Cherry. WOW! The salt they use lingers on and off after you ate the Cherry. This is one of the unique ways they use high-end salts and I saw that one dish used a smoked salt even. When the salt is deployed it is for a reason with these folks. Out of our group of seven with an age range of 15 to 94, EVERYONE loved what they had and said they would be back. My wife who is usually very picky kept talking about once we got home and my 94 year old Grandmother ate everything on her plate (she had the fresh Salmon that had been caught less than three hours ago at Charleston). The crowd seemed nice, the food, service and setting nice so armed with that, it gets a 4.5, if able. When in Bend, Oregon, and wanting to try a place similar, try Zydeco. Neither place can you go wrong at!
(4)Beca C.
I'm not sure what is my favorite thing about Rye. It's a toss up between their drinks and their desserts. These are the types of drinks I like; well balanced and crafted with good ingredients, flavor, acidity, and sweetness. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, PLEASE KEEP THEM CONSISTENT!!!!! Their ice options are so cool- the linen bag full of ice that gets crushed with a massive bad-ass wooden mallet, or the singular, perfectly square and huge ice cube served in the classic old fashioned cocktail. I loved their Mai Tai, the jalisco smash with tequila, lime and fresh raspberries, and the elusive but delicious mint julep, served with a heap of crushed ice. For those who prefer wine and beer, patrons who appreciate good imports will be happy. My fiancee was raving about the German Pilsner they served on tap, saying it was the best summer beer he had seen in town. Food features good ingredients, and is somewhat innovative and indulgent. Presented nicely, cooked well; I didn't need to add any extra seasoning, although I was asked by the server if salt and pepper shakers were needed after my first bite. Service was warm, seasoned, and able to make good recommendations. Now to the dessert. By far Rye has it going on here with this concept. House made gourmet chocolates. The perfect two-bite meal finisher for chocoholics or sweet toothed freaks. They have a handful of options: chocolate dipped salted caramels; haystacks with coconut; toffee; peanut or almond butter cups; and a daily special. I lucked out with the fluffy whipped chocolate nougat similar to a 3 musketeers bar, and was in heaven. Space is dark, well decorated and has some lovely and fun touches. Patio seating to the south, and mellow acoustical musical guests are sometimes present. Happy 100th review to me. Nom.
(4)Maret S.
It really could score a 4 or 5, but if I'm ranking in in its weight class it's a 3 or 4. This is a newer restaurant with some growing up to do, but if you order right, you won't be disappointed. I wouldn't say I ordered wrong, but I wasn't blown away by my very small portion of french onion soup, and I think I wish I had ordered the coq au vin instead. My husband's duck, on the other hand--WOW. Delicious. Cooked medium rare with a pile of the tastiest veggies I have ever had. The dessert was good. Just good. There is a selection of $2 chocolates and a few other options. We settled on a chocolate covered toffee and the creme caramel. The toffee was nicely done. The creme caramel was good, but much sweeter than it needed to be. The salt on top saved it from being overpoweringly sweet. Our waiter was very attentive and knowledgeable. Excellent service. Stuff that could improve: Those benches are left over from the previous restaurant and they are un-padded, awkwardly angled, and generally interfere with one's digestion and well-being. Avoid them if you can. The bathrooms could benefit from improved lighting and toilet seat covers and general sprucing. We weren't drinking, and I agree with another reviewer that there should be some options there. I'd love to see a selection of Dry sodas or...uhm. Anything, really. I'd definitely visit again in a few months as I see all the signs of a restaurant that's going places.
(3)Joshua W.
Rye was able to accommodate our large group of 20 for a joint birthday party when we called just a few hours ahead of time on a Saturday night. We had had reservations elsewhere that went awry, and Rye saved our evening! The staff was attentive and they took great care of us. No one ever had an empty drink. The restaurant was busy, but we were always attended to and never felt rushed. The food was delicious and everyone enjoyed their meals!!! Items that were raved about were the ravioli, steak, pork chop, and wild boar. The vegetables were amazing too. While vegetables are often overlooked as an afterthought, my girlfriend and her friend won't shut up about them. The desserts are really neat as well. They have single serving specialty chocolates that they pair with small shots of whiskey. The chocolate sea salt chili powder peanut butter cup was fantastic. Thank you so much to Rye for taking care of us and making the night special. I can't wait to go back and try something else.
(5)James L.
The creme caramel is shit good.
(3)Inga S.
A friend introduced me to this restaurant. Highly recommend. Beautiful ambiance and character, amazing food.
(5)Sophia K.
Nice spot. I like the ambiance. It's apparent that the owners or managers are involved and take an active role in the service part or maybe that's just because I came when this place just opened. However, I've been a time or two after. I think I like this place because of the drinks. $6 for a drink! The drinks have a prohibition theme, which is fun. So there are drinks that are pre-prohibition post-prohibition, and modern drinks (so I suppose prohibition nouveau or post modern?) Either way, I like them. They're fun and new and totally not like anything else in the city. While the drinks are fun and at a sweet price, the food is one step above terrible. I've had the food a few times and I believe I've had it a few too many times. I think my main beef with the food here is that it does not come out hot. I feel like the food is warm or heated up from the microwave(?). I do not know what they do in the kitchen, but it seems like the food is just not hot. Hot food is a sign of fresh food to me. While I understand food should not be scorching hot, but you know what, I can wait until it cools off. Another reason why I do not like the food is because the menu seems to have this weird cubed meat thing. I mean that because I got the provencal pork and it came out as diced pork. My friend got the pasta special, and her salmon came out cubed also! What's wrong with this place? Some obsession with cubed meats? Either way, the food is not very good. The olive oil mashers were pretty gross too. Bad mix with cubed pork. I guess any food cubed sounds off. Last little thing that bothered me about this place was the uneven table or uneven plate. I am not sure if it was my plate that was uneven or the table, but it kept rocking as I ate. While I forgot about it later, I thought it was pretty cheap how a table or a plate was not even balanced!
(3)Nicole B.
I would probably give Rye 2 1/2 stars. The food is just okay. The poutine was just okay. The meatball sandwich was just okay as well. The drinks are pretty tasty. I would probably just go for drinks next time. Rye has a decent patio.
(2)Sam C.
Same great service! Same great drinks! Same great food! This was our third visit here and we love the place! If you haven't had the chance to come here for food and drink yet then you better get going!
(4)C C.
I had such high hopes for this restaurant and have gone several times for Lunch, drinks and appetizers. It's a nice atmosphere, especially in the winter, with it's crackling fire and cozy tables. Sadly, dinner disappoints. Four friends of mine recently went to Rye based on my recommendation. Of the four of them, only one had an enjoyable meal. The ribs were stringy and over-spiced and the steak was full of gristle. No matter how talented the chef is, you can't make good food out of bad ingredients. In spite of their experience, I went in the following night with a friend. Ugh. First off, the $5 salad is just a handful of boring salad greens. Come on, Rye. Even a dinner salad can be a signature dish. How about some house-made croutons or carrot or radish curls? Anything that shows the slightest interest in the diner's experience. Either that, or charge $3 for a handful of greens. Charging $2 for bread is another annoyance. Offering your guests bread is an age-old custom signifying welcome. Bread is inexpensive to supply is expected as part of the meal in all gracious restaurants. Then comes the main meal. We both ordered the salmon special ($22). When it arrived, things went downhill fast. The presentation was unappetizing since the salmon was very, very pale grayish pink. It was atop a pile of sauteed vegetables that were so mushy and overcooked it was hard to discern what we were eating; winter squash mainly, all beige and mushy. The worst, however, was the salmon itself. It was dry! Dry salmon is unthinkable, especially in the Pacific Northwest. I might overlook dry salmon in the midwest but, then again, I wouldn't order salmon in the midwest. The dry salmon and mushy veg were served on top a slice of grilled polenta which was, hands down, the best thing about the entire meal. Rye has so much potential but it is sliding past mediocrity rapidly into bad. Add on Rye's high prices and I'd rather go to any number of other Eugene restaurants where I know the food will always satisfy.
(2)Tricia H.
My first meal at Rye and it was delicious!! I had the Tunisian Pork with pasta. The pork was very tender and the African spices were not understated nor overwhelming. Just right. Even the side vegies were excellent. Best cooked carrots I've ever eaten! The $5 glass of sparkling wine was good and the bite of salted caramel chocolate was the perfect touch of sweet dessert. I'd return here in a heartbeat. Great place for an upscale dinner if you have the funds.
(5)Elizabeth V.
I would review Rye but after a while 15-20 minutes without any service we left. The hostess greeted us right away and brought us menus and water. The waiter never showed. We had waiters working around us as we were seated near two other tables. The staff walked around us the entire time we waited but were not spoken to until we were walking out. Thank you staff at Rye I will "Have a good night" at Meijis where the food and service is always excellent.
(1)Cynthia A.
Last night was the third time I have eaten at Rye. The food gets better every time. We had great service, great drinks, and our dinners were simply fantastic. This is NOT a place for someone who is not willing to try something new or interesting for dinner--but you won't be disappointed if you do.
(4)River A.
I'm willing to name myself an early advocate of Rye. I began coming shortly after they opened and it has become my favorite restaurant in town. Rye's drinks are a revelation: based on research into vintage recipes, they craft delicious, varied, potent, and affordable beverages. They feature house-made mixers (including my favorite: orgeat) and top shelf liquor. In the "spirit" (ha!) of their name, water carafes are whiskey bottles. Rye also features very strong starters and salads, changing to reflect seasonal, local ingredients (like their whole menu). A perennial favorite is the poutine; I think they were the first to serve it in town and they are the best. Crispy golden fries topped with cheese curds and a duck Demi glacé...a delicious polished version if the Canadian street food. The Moroccan meat balls, chèvre frites, and clams (in season), are also stand outs. My favorite salads are the summertime beet chèvre and their composed salad. Rye's dinner menu generally offers a mix of French and PNW cuisines, inflected with Moroccan and Lebanese touches, such as Harissa and an awe-inspiring melt-in-your-mouth tagine. They also excel at pork dishes and flavorful fish and seafood stews. Their chicken dishes need a little fine tuning to make the flavors really pop. In addition to superior chocolate pot de Creme and the best Creme caramel, the in-house chocolatier makes individual chocolates, including a candy bar if the day. My favorites are the almond butter cup and their spin on a Mounds bar. To top it all off, the atmosphere is warm and relaxing. Wendy greets you with a smile and shows you to a copper topped table wrapped in suede covered benches. Wood paneling and soft lighting make you feel like you've stepped into an elegant but comfortable den. Check it out, try the Mai Tai or a Martinez...or a Japanese cocktail so you can taste that orgeat!
(4)Randy L.
Rye. A good solid 4 stars. Can't say much that other favorable reviews haven't already. Fun, well priced pre-prohibition cocktails, charismatic bartender. Good "vibe", lots of dates - little black dresses, laughing, nice. Noticeably good soft jazz. Interesting menu, hard to choose, always a good sign. Settled on smoked rabbit fettucine (very good) and lamb daube (even better). Mild, tender lamb and perfectly cooked veggies served over polenta with an intriguingly delicious broth, mopped up every last bit. Finished with a couple of "two bite" chocolates (really candies - think Heath Bar Crunch and Reeses Cups gone gourmet...). Really good ending. We'll be back, with pleasure.
(4)Erin N.
My drink was alright, not great. Never once got asked if I'd like a other or if it was to my liking. My salmon was over-cooked and the polenta was extremely dry. The seats are terribly uncomfortable. The pricing in no way represents the food or quality of service. Our waitress must have been on her first day of EVER being a waitress. I will never come back.
(1)Emily S.
I'm torn about Rye. Love what they've done with the place - it's a warm, cozy and modern feel. Cocktails, as other reviewers noted, are amazing. Really interesting and fun - the Sazarac was served in 2 glasses, one with the booze and other with the water back that comes from making the drink. I'm not explaining that well. The Witch was savory and unlike anything I've had. Then there's the food. Really pretty good, but... the portions seem a little inconsistent. The duck confit poutine blew my mind but it seems like the amount of duck is dwindling. My friend and I ordered the seared tuna when it was in season a couple months ago and it came completely overcooked. It was late, we were starving, and we tried not to eat it as we waited for our server to return so we could explain that we were looking for seared, not overcooked tuna. It took him 30 minutes to come back. He did order us new plates, and that tuna was amazing. But those plates of obviously very cooked fish never should have made it to us. I'll definitely return for cocktails and poutine.
(3)Elaine L.
Great cocktails, crave able poutine, nice atmosphere. Had a braised beef with roasted veg dish that was more like a down home pot roast which was under seasoned. However, that was my only negative experience and would certainly recommend and go back.
(4)Christina H.
Excellent service, good and drinks every time I've visited. The duck poutine, chèvre fritte, and aviator cocktail are my go to items every time I visit . I have never had a bad experience- Wendy and her team do an amazing job with a great mix of classy classic cocktails and delicious bar food. Highly recommended by Chris the concierge attendant at the Valley River Inn.
(5)Carolyn S.
This place does not really impress me. I have been there twice. The first time we got the poutine, which I know many people love, but I thought it was pretty gross. I also for my main meal got the fish special (salmon) it was mediocre at best. The 2nd time we went there was just for drinks, and a light meal. I ordered the French Onion Soup, a dish I used to LOVE when I was younger. I don't see it much on menus around here so I was excited. It was $8 so I imagined it would be in a big bowl with cheese melted over the brim of the bowl. When it came out I was shocked to see how small the bowl was! And the cheese was not melted over the brim but a very thin layer melted over just the surface of the soup. It should have been priced, in my opinion, at $4 or $5. I was just shocked, shocked that they would try to get away with pricing such a teensy weensy bowl of soup for $8. I actually looked on the menu again and then on the bill to see if maybe I mistakenly got the cup size portion. Nope, it was the $8 soup I saw on the menu. These are the things that make customers, like me, never go back! Side note: the wait staff and bartender were super friendly.
(2)Emily R.
We went here on a Saturday night with our close friends. Belly was packed and so we went to Rye. I assumed the worst. I expected mediocre food and figured good conversation would redeem the evening. Which it did, but so did the food and drinks. I felt concerned walking in. There were only a handful of occupied tables. It felt cavernous. My husband and I split an order of salmon, after circulating three great appetizers. I've had Marché's salmon numerous times. But this was the best. Perfectly cooked. Not over seasoned. Slightly smoky and crisp on the outside. Drinks and wine were great. The service was exceptional. We peppered our waitress with questions. She furnished thoughtful, thorough responses. We spoke with other staff, some Marché alumni, who had wonderful things to say about Rye. Watching the bar tenders make drinks seemed to preoccupy customers. They served strong Caffé Pacori coffee after dinner, a sign they've thought through every detail of their culinary experience from beginning to end. I'm curious to see if our next visit will match this one. What consistently amazes me is how Belly delivers phenomenal meal after meal. I hope Rye can do the same. They've got a good thing going.
(4)Maggie R.
I want to come back again and again to try every one of their cocktails, food items, and desserts!! They specialize in "pre-prohibition cocktails" - I tried the Bramble and it was wonderful! All three of us were extremely happy with our meals - the lamb stew, the pork chop, and the seared halibut were all delicious. Their fresh bread was fantastic. The goat cheese salad was yummy. And for dessert, they have their own chocolatier! A fantastic salted caramel dark chocolate and a rich dark roast decaf coffee was the perfect finale for my meal! I have family in Eugene, and I will not miss a chance to eat at Rye whenever I am in town visiting!
(5)John S.
My wife and I are the good friends that Emily R. cites in her review, below. I agree with her review; their Salmon was out of this world. Our dish, the mismishaya lamb tagine, was good but not *as* good. (The secret of the tagine is to get all components of the dish--especially the punchy feta--on your fork at the same time, as each of the components alone are a bit on the bland side. Mix your dish up like a little kid and you'll have a better time of it.) A couple of other notes: Go to Rye's facebook page. In addition to their lunch and dinner menus, they post their drink menu. The drink descriptions on their facebook page are much more thorough than on the drink menus in the restaurant. Study up and you can avoid peppering your waitress with questions, as Emily R. puts it. The chevre frites is one fried ball of cheese. One. Very good, but just one ball of cheese for six dollars? Come on, Rye, two would be better. Get the poutine instead. Lastly, yelp has this place marked as "good for kids." I don't know what the lunch scene is like, but for dinner? No. If you can sit outside, I'd list it as a maybe with kids. Older kids. Older kids who dig warm goat cheese salad or a chick paillared sandwich. Otherwise, forget it . . . unless you like to bring your kids to hipster bars with you. Overall, we had a good time and great service. I'd go back.
(4)Robin H.
I tried Rye for the first time this weekend while I was in Eugene visiting friends and I have to say I am very impressed. The decor is great with a chic upscale feeling without being pretentious. The menu will be a little strange for the average American with a lot of Duck, Rabbit and Lamb on it, however there is a couple dishes with Chicken or Pork and even a Steak if you really want. I tried a pork dish and a chicken dish and they were both very tasty, my friends had some rabbit dishes that they say were amazing. Portions were perfect, filling me up without leaving me with that over-stuffed feeling. Prices are really impressive for both food and beverage, everything on the beverage menu is $6 and the drinks are well mixed and very tasty. All in All it was a great experience.
(5)Peter A.
Fabulous atmosphere - warm, cozy, inviting. Helpful, informative wait staff. Wonderful cocktails, fair priced and tasty - we loved the Vancouver. Fresh bread was outstanding. Appetizers were memorable. The pate and terrine were delicious. We loved the spinach / goat cheese salad. So glad to finally have a "Portland quality restaurant" in Eugene. It would help to be informed of the ingredients in the wonderful drinks. They could serve more bread with their creative meat appetizers.
(4)Steve M.
I'm a big fan of this place. Best bartenders in town. Menu offerings are interesting and well executed, especially the salmon. Ambiance is comfortable. I think it suffers from the location a bit, which is less conspicuous compared to the other downtown restaurants, but I like that it's tucked back on 3rd. Away from all the hubbub, it's usually easy to walk in and get a table, order up some sazeracs, and just enjoy the evening.
(5)Elizabeth R.
THIS IS A FRENCH FOOD RESTAURANT. No matter what it says above. Pros: great atmosphere, friendly staff, huge selection of drinks and wines! Good place to bring business colleagues and whomever else. Cons: Very expensive, and mediocre food. Not impressed with the food at all. I tried an appetizer, a salad, a meal, a dessert. Stick with the salads. I could have made the rest of the mush at home. If taste is not important, then bring them here.
(3)Sola L.
The first time I came here, Rye had just opened. Came here for a friend's bday and they were very accommodating with seating, getting our orders with people coming in at different times, explaining their drinks, etc. The space is good for small and larger parties, but not for too many large parties. The ambiance was relaxed and friendly. The service was good too. The food for the most part was tasty and worth trying. I would say that some of their dishes are a bit pricy especially being in Eugene. I do like their drink menu though.
(4)Mary M.
We went there to celebrate our anniversary on the wettest day this month, figured we'd skip our usual stop of Sushi and go for something warm, and upscaled. We walked in to the place, which upon entry (honestly), with one side blocked off (confusing) and so dark, we weren't sure if they were open...We were seated at a table near the door (not usually a good sign) on a small round copper table, with lots of rings on it from previous drinkers, which is interestingly different. The bench round seating needs padding, (oh dear lord my rear)...the chair wasn't used. We were seated by the bartender (who I can tell fixes mean drinks, very, very professional), the waiter was so busy schmoozing with the 6 or so patrons who were drinking, that he took 20 or so minutes to come over. This turned out the be the pattern for the whole meal: he left us with dirty dishes, we sat forever waiting for our check until the owner noticed I was putting on my coat! No one asked about the food quality. They need to remind there staff that non alcoholic drinker's tip as well as those drinking. My husband ordered a Pomegrante (sp) spritzer which wasn't on the menu. In fact no non alcoholic beverages were listed anywhere. Which I understand bar ordering, but really they should have some menu explanation of what they offer non drinkers, since we went for the French/Mediterranean food concept, not the alcohol; I am the only driver, and as such, I don't drink and drive. The Pom. drink was out of this world, really, the Mexican coke I got, flat, warm and with ice separate. Not the best concept. Food: really folks, we can do so much better! We ordered the pate plate, because we both love duck pate. Sadly the name of the item was duck/olive pate plate, the reality? we got 1 quarter scoop of duck pate on a plain crustini, no butter, no rubbed garlic, nothing, more like melba toast. The second pate which was a full slice rather than a scoop (more like a tablespoon serving), was the Olive Pate. It tasted like it could have been chicken based, but unknown origin. The third was no mistaking the taste; (my husband is from the midwest) it was scrapple. Which is all kinds of mixed organ meat jumbled with usually some kind of fruit/nut and has some kind of base. But again, no listing of 'what it was' other than my husband leaning into me and yelling (the music was THAT loud--not jazz, Carlos Santana, whom I have talked to, nice guy and love his music, but not so loud you have to scream to be heard by your party at the same table!), Pan Puddin'! That's not a compliment. It was so hard, you could not put it on the 6 melba rounds (I know crustini's but really melba rounds), without it bouncing off your fork onto the table. It wasn't spreadable. The Main Courses were Rabbit in a Gumbo/bean stew, with chicken and andouille sausage (3 small slices of sausage), with braised rabbit hind quarters, as a stew. Husband had the steak with potatoes and fall veggies. The steak: over cooked in areas, undercooked in places, not consistent. The butter, while tasty on the steak (didn't seem like real butter, because of it's lack of melting, nor the headache my husband paid with for the next two days after....It was in all fairness a pretty poor steak, the cut seemed like it was a prepackaged steak, no bone, no fat, and pre-done smoke/and char marks not from a real grill. It also wasn't hot. The veggies were horrible; undercooked carrots, kale and broccoli (dear god the gas), the potatoes were so over done (fingerling potatoes) they were leathery. My stew was a combination of two meals I saw on the list: 1. Pork in local bean stew, and the 2. Their gumbo. The Rabbit tasted like it didn't belong, as if they just kind of threw it on top of the gumbo, just because. The rabbit was severely undercooked, tough and should have (if it were braised) fallen off the bone, instead I had to fight for every bite of it. We didn't bother with dessert...With a 2 hour dinner that could have been relaxed rather than wondering what happened to our server, and husband having to drink my second coke because he never got his second drink, we just decided to call it quits. You know the concept is a good one, the idea of using local foods, is fantastic, giving people rabbit and duck is almost unheard of anymore, and greatly appreciated, if the food is executed well. Bottom Line: food needs to be cooked consistently, and taste like it belongs together, otherwise, it's not worth the philosophy, it all has to go together. For a early night dinner (4:30) and not getting full service is just bad waiter staffing who should know better. We tipped our "we're ticked off" tip of 15% just because there was no reason the food should be this bad, the staff keeping us two hours on a basic dinner. Keep dirty plates off tables that are made for drinking only, and please, please consider listing your non alcoholic drinks, rather than making us 'guess' what it is. same with food.
(2)Robert C.
One of the best and freshest meals I have had recently. The prices are very reasonable and the service if prompt and polite. Great bar! I eat there often and have never been let down.
(5)Cody P.
We went straight to a table on a Tuesday night, and immediately realized it was a great choice. Very warm decor in what looked like it might have been an automotive garage years ago. We were anxious to try the drinks, and they didn't disappoint. I had a Scofflaw and my wife had a Mai Tai - both really interesting and delicious. I watched the bartender carefully, and he was very skilled. Later I had a Lost in Barbados, which trumped the others. If you can handle a hint of clove, you will find it one of the most refreshing drinks you've ever tasted. For food, we had the chevre frites, which are pricey for being golf-ball-sized hunks of fried cheese, but we doubled up on them and it was a great choice. They were kind of stingy on the little tostinis, and more so on the insanely delicious onion marmalade, but that's a minor nit. For entrees, my wife had the rabbit pasta, which came in a delicately sweet piquillo pepper sauce and was very good. I think rabbit is just meh, so I had the bourbon-brined pork chop. I dare say I got the better deal. Big, thick chop with a potato-corn succotash and fresh sauteed carrots and zucchini. It was in the top two chops I've ever had, not just because of the seasoning and the brine (which is the only way to do chops anyway), but because they were "brave" enough to leave it a little pink in the middle. Ordering pork in a restaurant is always a risk because they feel like they have to cook the hell out of it, but Rye got it exactly right. Stupendous. Finally, we ended with some of the house-made chocolates. Oh my. My wife had the salted caramel and dark chocolate, and the salt was right out in front, which is exactly what you want. I got the peanut butter cup, which turns the whole concept on its head. Though they used milk chocolate instead of my preferred dark, the chipotle salt on top and the surprisingly spicy character of the peanut buttah kept the sweetness perfectly in check. They're a steal at $2 apiece, so mix and match for a terrific end to a terrific meal. Service was uniformly excellent and enthusiastic. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Gary J.
Food has gone downhill since the first time we visited a few months ago. The duck confit poutine I had as an appetizer was heavy on the fries, meager on the duck, and much too heavy in the stomach to have as an appetizer. But it was tasty, nonetheless. The problem came with my entree: Portugese pork stew with mussels. Instead of the mussels being incorporated into the stew (Portugese-style), they were served steamed on the side of the plate, overcooked and clearly not at all fresh (very strong fishy taste). The stew itself was over-salted and over-seasoned. Although the appetizers came promtly, we waited seemngly forever between appetizer and entree. I'm torn as to whether ever to come back. There are much better restaurants in town.
(2)Chris B.
Every key element at "Rye" is creatively planned and flawlessly executed. It is so nice to have a restaurant in town that is so focused on the customer experience. From the Decor, cleanliness and friendly staff to a bar that has not only trendy cocktails but historical drinks with the story to go with, to a fabulousness menu chalked full of appetizers, main courses and deserts designed to feed the soul. I had the duck fries appetizer, AMAZING! one of the best New York steaks ever! A few interesting drinks, and a confection from their own Chocolatier! Every course was a mouth watering experience like I have never had before. Nobody is perfect but the food here is so delicious that it was hard to notice anything they could improve. I give "rye" 5 stars because they are out of this world!
(5)Ari D.
Well, what can I say. We didn't love it, and we really wanted to. We arrived around 7 on a Friday, and the place was hoppin'. The bar looked low key and intimate but not-claustrophobic, so we opted to sit there rather than wait the projected 20 minutes for a table. The atmosphere really is wonderful - dim, warm, understated decor, cozy. The staff are clearly pros - saw some familiar faces - and I am confident that this place will be successful. That said, more than once we were left for (what seemed) a long stretch with nothing to drink and had to flag someone down. Hopefully this is not the norm. The staff did seem to be doing their best on a busy evening. Our appetizers came out quickly - even before our drinks. The steamed mussels were huge and absolutely divine. More than two tiny slices of bread would have been nice to sop up the broth. They, and the inexpensive yet delightful Portuguese white, were the highlight. A note on the wine: the red pours are much larger than the white, if that matters to you. The "poutine" left much to be desired. The fries were okay, but the amount of duck was skimpy, no cheese curds were present, just melted cheese, and nothing that I'd call gravy. Instead, the fries appeared to have been moistened with some kind of au jus. Fortunately, we had yummy mussel-liquid to dip them in. Definitely not worth ten bucks. Guess we'll have to head up to PDX to get the real deal. We then sat for a very long time before our entrées arrived. The next table, seated just after us, had finished their second course, paid, and left before they arrived. The staff recognized this, was contrite, and comped us a round of drinks without being asked. I had the rabbit cacciatore, which was tasty (as I invariably find bunnies) but frankly bland. More 'shrooms, please. A coupla slices of bread would have been a nice accompaniment. My companion's coq au vin got about the same verdict. Several other items on the menu sound enticing, so we'll return, to be sure, but we won't hurry. In the meantime, I just realized it's been entirely too long since I last made coq au vin.
(3)Hannah K.
The drinks were tasty, and they seemed like a good price, but they seemed really small. Rye is on the pricier side, but they have reasonably priced appetizers/small plates (Can't remember what they called them) and you can split them with a few people and still end up full. We tried the grilled asparagus with duck egg, which was amazing, and the poutine with duck. So very good, I'd go back.
(4)Virgil B.
Very limited menu so of selection is something you're looking to satisfy a group don't count on it. The food was basic and good but no more. As I read the other reviews the common thread was that the interior is nicely decorated! It has a very chic feel and I too, thought it was very tastefully done. But it's all about the food! The menu is very limited and slightly eclectic, unless the menu is expanded this will be a memory. The French Onion soup was good, the salmon was good, and not over cooked as is often the case. Once the food was served, we didn't see our server until the food was gone when she delivered the bill. No drink refills, no "how's it taste" or anything.
(2)James W.
This is my kind of bar! I like being able to say to a bartender "I like gin, herbal and bitter flavours, nothing too sweet and preferably served short" and leaving it to them to create something for me. It pushes me to try things I may not ordinarily try. The food was wonderful and the wait staff was A++. Great place to bring a date!
(5)D. H.
Found the Rye, by accident, during a trip through Eugene. Went to the old standby Yelp! and stopped for lunch. Mmmm, Rabbit Fettucini and Arugula. The Rabbit was perfectly tender, not stringy or tough. Even the wife liked it (we have a pet rabbit, so she was a little difficult but after a taste stated she was pleasantly surprised). Fettucini was, What! kitchen made, paper thin and al dente, dressed with a mushroom, shallots, garlic sauce, and best of all toasted WALNUTS, just the right touch of crunch and nutty flavor. Crazy good at $18 for a dinner plate full. My wife had a Jalisco Smash, Tequila, simple syrup, lime juice, and muddled strawberry, and did I mention all cocktails are made from scratch, everything is house made so don't plan on seeing any bottled mixers. House drink price is $6, if you call for a premium alcohol expect to pay, price went to $11. My wife ordered the seared Albacore Tuna. Three big chunks of tuna, dressed with a citrus,ginger aolil, served over a bed of green beans. Seared Cauliflower was the second vegetable on the plate, served at $20. We also had the house dinner salad at $5; mixed greens and a great blue cheese dressing, but no tomatoe? House made sourdough Rye bread came with the meal. Dessert too full to eat it there but we wanted to try one of their chocolates. Ordered the Caramel bar? The dessert and lack of tomatoes on a salad is why my review didn't reach four stars, we were charged .50 for a togo box for a $2 chocolate caramel? and on opening the box it was a 1/4 the size of a hotel bar of soap. I was somewhat surprised as everything else indicated quality. Too sum it all up, please use tomatoes; even if you have to run to the grocery store and buy a box of cherry tomatoes. Also if you charge for a togo box, please advise the customer first and maybe display a platter of the chocolates so the customer knows what they are paying for. I'll return on my next trip through Eugene and take the time to have a Gin Rickey which seemed a big hit with the table next to us. Friendly and enthusiatic staff, there's a lot of good things happening at the Rye.
(3)Oregon G.
We arrived at 7:15 just as early diners were leaving and were seated almost immediately. Otherwise the restaurant had only a few seats open at the bar. The old fashioned drinks we ordered were excellent and the charcuterie plate was delicious with a duck pate and a country pork pressed meat slice served with cornishon, a sweet pear relish, shaved onions and mustard, excellent. My house salad was fresh and delicious. The duck and lamb dishes from the regular menu were prepared as ordered, flavorful and satisfying with great vegetables and cooked fruit. The wait staff were energetic, smiling and efficient. All in all this was a great experience for a first visit to Rye. We will be back.
(4)Tee C.
Great menu, great atmosphere! The interior had a cozy feel to it with the fireplace. I especially liked the decorations on the walls--gold plates, birdcage. Very different, very remarkable. I especially liked the drink menu, which was divided into pre-prohibition, post-prohibition, and house specialty drinks. I ordered something I thought was the least strong, called something like that pink girly drink. Unlike the other drinks on the menu, this drink's ingredients were "top secret"! If anyone can figure out what they put in the cocktail, I'd love to learn how to make it. The dessert cocktail we ordered, "20th century," was also delicious--our waitress told us that she has one every night. My tempeh dish was pretty good, although I thought it was a bit overpriced compared to the rabbit my boyfriend ordered. Tempeh seems extremely popular in Eugene, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't cost as much or take as much preparation as the cacciatore. I thought the drinks were cheap at $6 considering the type of establishment this restaurant is, and the the price of the entrees (~$20). When I come back to Eugene, I would definitely come back to Rye.
(4)Della H.
A ditto of Michele R's review! We will be back. So much to love about this cozy place!
(4)Barbara H.
great cocktails and the food is good but a bit expensive. it was fun though.
(4)Nate W.
Went here on Saturday 8/18/12 - and was impressed by the drink menu, appetizers, atmosphere and the daily food specials (a salmon one, and a braised rabbit special). The drinks were good and pretty reasonable for a restaurant ($6). Also, the chocolates at the end of the meal were amazing, definitely worth the $2. Our waiter did an amazing job of explaining the menu/drinks to us, and he made some solid recommendations. All in all, this was a great dining experience and I would come back for drinks, or for dinner again.
(5)Mimi P.
Wonderful atmosphere, a great place to meet friends and have a home cooked meal. I ordered the poutine (fries with duck) and was pleasantly surprised how tasty and light it was. A great wine selection and the bartender makes an excellent martini. The people around me all seemed to be enjoying themselves and having an overall good time. Will certainly visit them again.
(4)Gavin M.
I am thrilled with this new restaurant. Having eating in many fine restaurants in my time, I am somewhat jaded. The night we went it was full, but they found us a table and seated us quickly. The service was excellent, our drinks came promptly, as did the appetizers. The Sazerac cocktail was on the money, and it was accompanied by ice water made with the cubes used in chilling the drink, so it was a homeopathic version and made a great chaser. The fried goat cheese was just right, and the onion chutney that went with it was wonderful and not sweet. The green salad was dressed with a delicate dressing that was a great foil for the fresh mesclun. Our entrees - the coq au vin and the mushroom-tempeh ragu were complex and fulfilling. The desert chocolates with specialty salts were uniquely delicious and a bargain. Actually, all the food and the cocktails are fairly inexpensive, particularly for the quality. The service, the food and the ambience were all first rate. I look forward to sharing this place with friends and visitors. Eugene is truly blessed to have Rye in the community!
(5)