The Hook & Plow Bend — Restaurant in Bend

The previous reviews has to be from their friends because this restaurant is JUST NOT QUITE RIGHT.

We really wanted this place to be fantastic - but it’s not. I’ll start by saying the buildout is beautiful - nice job. However… The food is not organic or farm to table. We buy / cook organic at home so we know what it tastes like. This place cuts too many corners. For starters, as we were walking up we noticed the servers putting together a table which meant the table itself was exposed… it was a card table! They disguise it to be upscale by putting a white cloth over the table but it just didn’t look right or feel the same. It was weird. The servers are dressed like they are serving at a county fair. I know it’s Bend and Bend is casual but come onnnnn… you are charging a lot of money for your food so dress the part. The servers also know nothing about food and wine which was kind of disappointing. The charcuterie was filled with cheeses and meats you get at Safeway…nothing special or organic about it. The owners need to take their staff to Ladybird or Dear Irene (two new restaurants that have opened in Bend this past year) to see what good food looks and tastes like. Their staff knows what they are doing. You guys do not. The pictures on your website look wonderful but your food simply does not live up to what those pics look like. Another problem was when we arrived our table wasn’t ready which was no big deal. We proceeded to go grab a drink at the bar - there were 7 seats available. They said that they were reserved seating so we had to stand outside and wait. We should of walked away right then. There was plenty of room for us to grab a drink and sit but they just didn’t want to accommodate … oh and they never filled those seats at the bar the entire time we were there… money lost.

I do not see your restaurant surviving in Bend if you don’t step it up. Like I previously stated, you charge a lot of money for your food but the quality and overall experience is not there…Very frustrating and...

Came here for a birthday dinner. Reservation asked if we were celebrating anything and we were — a birthday. Host looked at the iPad, zero acknowledgement of our occasion. Not a big deal. Server was incredibly slow, even though the restaurant was slow. She obviously didn’t care, and didn’t even offer us her name. There were maybe 4 other tables in the entire restaurant. 10 min for a glass of wine. Got apps, tuna poke was good. Server said she’d be back to clear our plates — never came back. Dinner came and it was good. Nothing super special. We got the steak and scallop entree. Scallops were a little spicy, finished my water and had to start drinking my boyfriend’s since our server was no where to be found and even upon another trip to our table, didn’t offer to refill my water.

We were done & ready for our check by 8:20 (reservation was at 7pm). Restaurant closed (according to google maps) at 9 pm. Second to last table got up, and then we were the only table left. Still waited a while for our check. Server came back with check, and within 30 seconds we put our card in and waited another 10 min. Obviously these people are ready to get out of here, and we were trying to get out of their way, but our server was leaning over the bar counter 5 ft from our table scrolling on her phone. Then we hear the kitchen’s rap music. Finally she came to retrieve our cc and eventually we got out. No one told us goodnight, thanks for coming in, nothing. Pretty deflating birthday dinner.

My boyfriend and I are both in the service industry in another incredibly busy tourist town. We get it’s slow. We get you want to go home, but please at least give some sort of effort and don’t make us feel like a burden when we’re out on a date for a birthday dinner. We know our bosses would’ve been extremely disappointed in the service we received, had we given that service to one of our customers. He and I even talked about how we had better service at a brewery for lunch that was...

TL:DR - Hook & Plow is, hands down, one of my favorite restaurants of all time. The menu is ever-changing but some stalwart highlights for me are the crabcakes, ahi poke, braised shortrib and the brick chicken.

Now... Full disclosure: I am married to one of the owners. Fuller disclosure: we are married because of just how good this restaurant/menu is.

I used to frequent the original Hook & Plow in Hermosa Beach at least 5 times a week for years because it was the perfect blend of terrific food, amazing staff and a warm, inviting atmosphere that made you want to hang out all night...

...which I did... a lot.

Now, all of these years later, I better understand the alchemy that Lisa and Lauren have been able to achieve repeatedly - they're wonderful human beings and amazing owners/bosses to their staff (which is why they boast such a high retention rate in an industry notorious for employee churn); they collaborate with gifted young chefs who are certainly experimental but recognize the importance of and put their focus on perfecting the basics day in and day out.

But perhaps most importantly, they genuinely care about us... their guests and it shows... in how they train their staff, the environment they create for their guests and the food that's placed on the table.

I am not guaranteeing your experience will be perfect by any stretch - the restaurant just opened and due to certain ongoing supply issues, they're having to create some interesting workarounds (why one reviewer criticized linen-covered temporary tables during the soft opening without a mention of the food says more about her than it does the restaurant but I digress) - I can guarantee you this: it will be fresh and friendly in an exceptional atmosphere that was designed to be approachable yet upscale, perfect for families and date nights alike. Go. See for yourself. You...