Hi-Way House — Restaurant in The Dalles

We walked in and were seated in the bar which was ok because it was brighter in there, the restaurant is dark. It took 6 minutes to get water and the little basket of cold bread. The bread had potential but was super dense and should have been served warm. The butter was unsalted and tasted a bit off. Then we waited another 20 minutes for a server to come and take our order. We were going to just get a drink and leave but we were hungry so we decided to try the burgers. My husband got a double burger, one of the patties was well done and the other was too rare for him to eat. He said all of his food had a fishy taste to it, from his fries to his burger. I got a single burger. It was cooked all the way through and was a giant of a burger but absolutely tasteless. Just a giant ball of meat smashed and boiled in its own juices on the grill. There was no char, no crispy carmelization, no spices, no flavor. Both burgers were served on cold, cheap buns. I loved the salt and pepper on the French fries and they would have been amazing if they had been cooked all the way and not just warmed up and put on the plate. They still tasted like raw potato. The bill was $56 for 2 burgers and 2 draft beers. When the server first approached us I thought she was another customer because she was wearing open toe sandals. She was very sweet. The bartender was fun to talk to. We look forward to going back and having a...

WOW! My wife & I were blown away by this phenomenal find located just off highway 30 in The Dalles. We had hoped the cuisine would be on par with the decor in this classy but comfortable retro-vibe restaurant the is reminiscent of cool joints from a bygone era. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary and the quality of the food surpassed all of our expectations. The next surprise was our server Mary Ann who may actually be an advanced AI by the way she recited 6 or more appetizer specials and at least that many dinner specials; yes, count them: 6 specials each! The precision and articulation were superhuman and a sight to behold. Raving about a super-fresh salad dotted with strawberry & blueberries, parmesan cheese and real-chunky blue cheese dressing may sound like a reach, but wow, when you taste FARM FRESH you then realize how you've been missing out. The crown jewel of tonight's dinner, however, was the perfectly prepared generous razor clams, lightly fried and BURSTING with coastal flavor. My gaaad those were AMAZING. I had the mash and my wife had the baked potato side. HUGE fresh cherries and delicious green beans adorned and rounded out the entree. Craft Beer and stunning Italian Sav Blanc with generous pours capped the evening. The Hi-Way house, its cuisine, decor and service easily earned 10 stars. What are you...

I asked for my food to be dairy free and both courses came with cheese on top which wasn't even listed on the menu. I have a pretty intense dairy allergy and the waitress and I went over it thoroughly and chose food accordingly. I gave my salad to my mother, but was forced to send my entree back. By the time I got my food the rest of the table was finished and in the middle of their dessert. I asked to have my food brought to me in a to go box. I ate three pieces of vegetables and two tiny bites of salmon, and something (I think it was the vegetables) was cooked in butter. After 15 minutes I could hardly stand my stomach hurt so much. On top of that, the salmon was dry and over cooked.

They also, don't make several items in house. I asked about a couple different appetizers and they couldn't tell me what was in them, because "they came pre-made and frozen and they no longer have the boxes". One, you have to know what is in the food you are serving. Two, at the prices they are charging, everything should be fresh and made in house. But the first infraction really is ridiculous and inexcusable. The waitstaff should know, but the cook MUST know what they are serving...