Grazing Oregon Restaurant & Catering — Restaurant in Albany

They have a very small sign on the front door that says "reservations prefered" which should say "RESERVATIONS REQUIRED".

I stoped in to inquire about the restaurant and review the menu and became intrigued. I asked the hostess to to tell me about the establishment which she explained to me that they were a restaurant that uses every bit of food they bring in so that there is no waste. She also explained to me that they serve local sourcd ingredients and food. I became more intrigued and asked if they could accommodate seating me since they were a "reservation preferred" restaurant. She went and talked to her manager which seemed to take quite some time to get approval to do so, probably because they had several different reservations pending for the evening but she also stated that they were very slow for that evening as well. They accommodated my seating, and after I reviewed the menu further I decided what I wanted to have. The server stated that the items that I wanted for the main course was not available and that they only could serve me the most expensive thing on the menu, elk rib.

While I'm sure that this is a fine dining establishment. It is very clear to me that after my experience and reading through some of the reviews that this is a restaurant that is operating on razor thin margins and are unable to accommodate on the fly, blue line meals to walk-in customers. Furthermore I got a sense of a hoity-toity type atmosphere after my observations and experience.

I immediately, politely, and quietly excused myself.

I do understand that it is tough to be in the restaurant industry these days but if you really truly want to make a profit it would be best to serve all customers coming in through the door regardless of whether they have a reservation or not.

If you want to be a reservation establishment do you expect for your customers to know what they are going to eat before they arrive???

After totaling up the items that I was going to order, I figured my bill for one person was going to come to about $85... This would have included an appetizer $15, main course $40, beverage $15, and glass of wine $15...

Plan for a $200 evening for two including a modest tip...

Unfortunately I will not be revisiting this establishment, the entrees provided seem to be very interesting and may have...

Everything from the moment we walked in and even AFTER we left, we had the best experience that we have had in a LONG time! The food is AMAZING, the drinks were fantastic and the service was NEXT LEVEL. My husband and I went on a date night and it was a perfect time. We started with the Soup was made in honor of indigenous peoples day, and it was made with venison, bison and a host of veggies that were EXACTLY what the tribes ate then and still to this day. And the owner got the recipe and ingredients from one of her dearest friends who’s native american and loves to make food for the soul! We were honored to share that! My husband has been obsessing over this soup ever since lol! My husband had the Picana Steak and I had the venison steak, And once again, this food was absolutely amazing. Perfectly seasoned so that you could taste the flavors, without being overly salty, like most restaurants tend to do. The meat was tender and juicy, and cooked perfectly. We each had the Mango Fuego margarita, and then my husband had the Hello Handsome Martini, and I had a Lavender Lemondrop. The drinks were the BEST that I have ever tasted in the 15 years I have been in Oregon! The Owner is NOT ONLY an amazing person, but she’s the bartender and a HELLUVA mixologist! I can’t wait to try more of her creations! We finished our dinner with a tuxedo cake and it was just like the rest of the meal, FANTASTIC! Not overly sweet so you can taste the rich and full flavor of each layer. The music is perfect, and matches the decor. We will be back again for sure! This place is amazing! AND the owner LOVES to support...

This restaurant experience was a mixed bag. While our table was ready on time and the food was generally enjoyable, several service and menu issues detracted from the overall experience.

The food was good and of a very high quality.

Firstly, a "Sparkling Wine" ordered was flat. While the waitress informed us and offered to bring it anyway, we were surprised to be charged full price for a subpar drink. Also why didn't they open another bottle or offer an alternative.

Secondly, the "Table Sides Ceasar Salad" was unavailable as the staff were not trained to prepare it. This was disappointing as several of us were looking forward to ordering it.

Thirdly, the "Carpaccio Salmon Salad" arrived without the advertised stone ground mustard. Unfortunately, we didn't realize this until it was to late. Despite this omission, the salad itself was delicious.

Additionally, bar service was consistently slow, with both our initial drinks and a second round taking an excessive amount of time to arrive. The second round of drinks didn't reach our table until the bill was presented. The bartender seemed to be away from the bar quite frequently, even while our orders we waiting to be made.

Finally, while the waitress offered to split the bill, she informed us that only two (3 checks) credit cards could be processed, which then required the third to paid in cash. Who carries cash...?

Individually, these issues might have been minor inconveniences. However, the combined effect of these service lapses and menu inconsistencies created a frustrating and less than ideal...