M & J Tavern — Restaurant in Bend

5/29/14

This was our last stop at the end of a long weekend in Bend. We were visiting friends and were fortunate to be able to see lots of the town. This was the perfect place to end our visit on a high note, and was a great representation of how we felt about the town as a whole: very friendly and warm and welcoming.

We parked on the street not far away and a food truck parked nearby. (There are so many mobile food vendors in Bend!! It's amazing!) We walked into the bar and heard the awesome band playing their bluegrass songs. I ordered a couple pints of beer for my husband and I, and was happy to get ID'ed. (It was only a couple weeks ago in Monterey, CA that the bartender didn't bother to ID me but did make sure to get ID's from the girls next to me. Ouch!)

Our group of 6 found a table next to a phone booth that we all agreed took up valuable real estate in the place without adding much. We were squished into the little corner but it was still nice to finally sit down off our feet. People were playing pool at the table next to us, and in the back there was video lottery and some arcade games.

The staff was very friendly and the drinks were cheap. Will definitely stop here again next time we visit Bend, and would probably make this a regular meet-up if we...

This bar is one of the most convivial and heart warming places to get great beers, ciders and yummy bar food in Bend. The bartenders know how to keep everything moving and you won't find a better place to drink and eat and play pool -- there is one table with a great Community vibe - and for those who like the slots, well, you can find them here too. People generally are pretty chill here and I've always left with a better feeling than when I arrived. It's the quintessential dive bar but with a Bend flavor. Next door is a laundromat so you can get your socks and shirts washed while having a good brew. During COVID, it's been difficult for all servers and front line staff, as well as the owners of bars and restaurants, and I'm glad that M&J is open, esp so that great people like K., One of the bartenders, can work and help us all find our way out of this isolation. M&J is great - go there...

This was our first time at M&J Tavern. First impressions, walking in the door: The decor is tasteful. It's definitely more of a divey sports bar, and we loved the feel immediately. It's dark, and was pretty quiet at 7pm on a Wednesday evening. There were several people at the bar and we got the feeling that they were regulars. I love seeing that a place has regulars. We ordered an Angry Orchard, a Pepsi, and an order of onion rings. My husband said the Pepsi was fantastic. The onion rings came out super fast, and were so crispy!! The beer batter was very good, we ate them quickly!

There are 6 video lottery machines and a cigarette dispenser that spits out smokes for $7. The bar is very well stocked, with many different types of liquors and local beers.

We came for the open mic night. A very good experience! We...