Outpost Pizza Pub & Grill — Restaurant in John Day

Great food and reasonable prices. Highly recommend visiting this restaurant. Fish & Chips + Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch Sandwhich + Fried Pickles were delicious!

Back story - We visited the Outpost Pizza Pub & Restaurant while passing through John Day, along OR Hwy-26, hoping to grab some local eats for the road. It was 8/21/17 - the day of the Great American Eclipse.

The special menu they had crafted was noteworthy for the sake of the eclipse, and they had gone out of theor way to.make one ... albeit the comfort food options made for some high priced choices. That said, someone had to be compensated for all the would be tourists come to take in the celestial spectacle, present company not excluded ... but I digress.

We placed an order for Fish 'n' Chips; a Crispy Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich with a side salad; along with an order of fried pickle spears. The total came to just over $30. The food arrived about 20 minutes later - Not bad for a packed sit-down restaurant on a frenzied weekend. With our bundled piping hot clam shells in hand we, climbed back into the JEEP and motored Westward.

Moments later, we were astonished as we had just been treated to the best road food feast we'd ever gazed upon! The kitchen and dining room staff of the Outpost had their "A" game on! Everything was prepared with care ... homemade, or atleast they did a damn fine job of making it look and taste so!

The Fish 'n' Chips were actually (x3) whole filets of fish (~12" long each) ... dusted with a house tempura, and deep fried, rendering it cooked through, firm, but moist. It was also dressed with seasoned fries, and a house made coleslaw along with a couple lemon wedges. Nearly perfect for my own taste buds, save for the tartar sauce being a bit on the sweet side.

The crispy chicken sandwich was hearty and tasty. It's chicken filet was dredged numerous times through a buttermilk batter reminiscent of the best that the deep south could offer, and upon being fried, tightly wrapped the filet which remained juicy and succulent. Topping it was perfectly grilled bacon strips-crisp, a slice of cheese, some house ranch, and "all the veggies" meaning lettuce, tomato & red onion, sandwiched between a bun that was perfectly matched (potatoe or egg?...not sure, but it was soft and perfectly paired). One half of this sandwhich was enough to make me take a break. This made way for the side salad that came along with it, which was equally satisfying....a perfect blend of leafy greens, cucumber, & tomato, with a few restaurant style crutons atop.

Last, but not least...and actually the first thing we gobbled down, were the fried pickles! Or were they baked?! They were crisp, but not oily ... with the pickles remaining moist, having been batter dipped with what seemed to be the same sort of batter used for cheese sticks. There might have even been some parmigiano cheese grated in there for good measure. They tossed in some ranch dressing on the side for dipping l, of which, much to my surprise, put my purist taste buds over the top.

Clearly, the Outpost made a lasting impression on us. And as we made our way home with bellies full, I felt that the bar had been raised for all small town, comfort food eateries of the PACNW, including those scrambling for acclaim in the Willamette Valley and Puget Sound.

Epilogue*: With so much to eat, left overs were inevitable. By the time we hit Biggs junction, several hours later, what remained of our feast was about to be gobbled down. I don't know how they did it, but the last of the fish filets were still delicate, the sandwich - moist and succulent, and the one fried pickle we saved for later, was just as crispy and tasty as the first bites taken, outside of John Day.

Thank you, Outpost!

*Yes, this meal deserved an epilogue - seriously folks! I would have taken pictures, but, that would have required putting...

I have never seen a waitress/manager so miserable in my life. My two toddlers sat nicely for the VERY long dining experience Outpost provided. The food was good, I will say that. Due to the long wait, naturally our kiddos got restless, so I let them quietly look out the window, while we recieved our bill. While I was getting ready to pay, the manager approached my 2 year old and 4 year old that was looking out the window, pushed my two year old away from the window and mumbled under her breath to me that she was going to bring her kids to my house and smudge my windows. I was in absolute disgust with what she said because the windows were one, already smudged, and two my kids were not doing anything but looking out the window. On top of it all she thought she had the authority/right to physically touch my child. I also found it ironic that she tried to portray that she kept a "tight ship" but the table that she was wiping down during the incident, had not been wiped down for over an hour and the dirty rag sat there on the table.

Another customer followed me to the restroom and said she saw how rude she was to me, and that my boys weren't doing anything wrong. She also said that the owner probably wouldn't do anything because she said she has been there a long time and that hasn't been the 1st time she has been that way to customers.

Owner, you know I spoke to you and you know what your manager did was unacceptable. She had no right speaking to me like that, and TOUCHING my child. I hope you did talk to her, we love supporting small businesses but I was not the only customer that has experienced her inflicting her misery on others. If you do not embrace families as customers, please be transparent because she is lucky I just come from church and was reminded on how important forgiveness is. Otherwise she would have...

I had the absolute pleasure of dining at The Outpost, and let me tell you, it was an extraordinary experience! Our server, Heidi was our server and she was excellent. To start off my culinary expedition, I opted for the Diablo burger, a veritable masterpiece infused with jalapeno and topped with the delightful and scrumptious pepper jack cheese. Every bite was a symphony of flavors, leaving me in awe of the culinary wizardry at play.

Now, my dear daughter and fellow gastronome, she embarked on her own delightful adventure with the strawberry mountain pancakes. These delectable treats were met with nothing short of adoration from her discerning taste buds. The fluffy pancakes were adorned with a generous serving of succulent strawberries, offering a burst of sweet tanginess that she couldn't resist.

One cannot overlook the reasonable prices that grace the menu at The Outpost. Among its many virtues, this establishment delivers exceptional value that is sure to please even the most meticulous of budget-conscious diners. And let us not forget the legendary fries that accompanied our main courses. These golden wonders were a true testament to the mastery of the culinary staff, offering a crispy exterior with a fluffy interior that was simply divine.

Oh, and let me not forget to mention the side of ranch they serve alongside their splendid dishes. It truly is an accomplishment that not every establishment can attain. The creamy and savory goodness of their ranch perfectly complements and elevates the flavors of every morsel, leaving an indelible impression on even the most seasoned connoisseur.

In conclusion, The Outpost is an enchanting destination for all epicurean enthusiasts. With its diverse and tantalizing menu offerings, exceptional value, and mastery of taste, it is a culinary haven that should...