bnreel "Making the world a better place, one review at a time."

Worth going, once, for the fabulous wraparound view.

Unfortunately the fab view is served with the worst kind of snobbishness, and “I can’t believe I just paid THAT for THAT” prices. Not to say the food is bad, it’s fine (miniscule, but fine). But you’ll find dozens of excellent restaurants in the Northwest with equal or better food, sans the attitude and laughable prices. (That joke was on us, of course, when we pulled out the mastercard. Haha.). Check out my other reviews for a couple excellent restaurants alternatives in the vicinity.

Also – one caveat about the view. If you really want to see it you should probably sit outside on the deck – the architect chose a baffling window design including crisscrossing “beams” that basically block half of the inside diners’ views. What a waste.

All that really stood out from our dinner was the Scallop Rockefeller, which disappeared fast.

Jak’s has no need of my review – they are already legendary in the area for outstanding fine food, great service, and a funky dark and mysterious atmosphere that we all love. However, I had to give a shoutout for the great service we received recently when we took my mother-in-law to dinner at Jak’s for her birthday. The server took it upon herself to put a candle on mom’s dessert, made sure mom had a special drink, and took pictures for us – we never even had to ask, she offered. And, though we stayed until closing, she never made us feel rushed or unwelcome.

And about the food – you really can’t go wrong with anything you choose. Jak’s is known first for its steaks, with seafood a very close second. One thing I’ll mention is for the many vegetarians out there – the grilled veggie entree is delish, and the garlic mashed potatoes are so rich they should be on the dessert menu. I don’t think I could have dinner at Jak’s without ordering them. Enjoy!

If you like wonderful eclectic northwest lodge-style interiors, warm roaring fireplaces, a great view of Mt. Si, and quality food at really reasonable prices, this is the place you want to be. We love to stop in on the way back from skiing in the winter, or hiking in the summer, but often we make the trip out to North Bend purely for the food and atmosphere at the Grill. If you’re a bit mussed up, no worries, no one makes you feel as if you need to go home and shave. The wait staff is friendly (although usually quite busy). They have a full bar and do some fun après ski drinks, or you can just sit in the bar and watch sports on the tellie and drink a light beer or three. My fiancé swears by the prime rib – always done perfect and with a fine price that keeps us driving past other prime rib joints to get to the good stuff in North Bend. And if you want something veggie and filling, but not too filling, you might try the Little Si Flat Bread appetizer, which has no meat and is a great price. Well worth the drive!

XXX Root Beer Drive In is THE place to be if you have kids, teenagers, or you’re just a kid at heart. The massive burgers and giant shakes on the menu are part of the reason folks go, but the great jukebox music, burstin’-at-the-seams-with-auto-nostalgia interior, and extensive outdoor seating are what really draw the crowds. Oh and don’t forget the root beer – it really is the best. Their burgers are a bit more about quantity than quality, so if you’re a real gourmet beef burger connoisseur you might be a little dissapointed. This is based on what friends I’ve had lunch with at XXX have told me – I don’t eat red meat, so I usually order the Elvis, described below, and a root beer, which are both consistently good. This place is a good time year ‘round, but the summer is the most fun, sitting outside in the sun at a table under the big XXX sign with a yummie shake, and green mountains all around. Feels like summer vacation all over again!!
(Also – check out their website for the weekend car shows XXX hosts – they happen almost every weekend of the summer.)