Dear Irene is hands-down our favorite restaurant in Bend. Chef Johnny isn’t just an incredible chef—he’s also a phenomenal human being who makes every visit special.
We’ve dined at nearly all of Bend’s high-end restaurants, and nothing compares to Dear Irene. The food, the atmosphere, and the genuine hospitality all come together to create an experience that truly stands above the rest.
If you’re visiting Bend (or even if you live here), dinner at Dear Irene is an absolute must. It’s the kind of place that reminds you why you love great food and great people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
stacy shaw
It was a beautiful day so we sat outside. We ordered the prawn dumplings and tuna tostadas. The food was delicious and not only was it delicious but it was beautiful. We ended up ordering another plate of the tuna tostadas they were so good. The service was excellent. Our waiter was awesome. Unfortunately we didn't take and photos . We were very happy with everything here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
gibran moreno
“Brian, our bartender, was amazing! Great customer service, and the food was excellent. Must try this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ralph Holdig
Really nice place that went above expectations. Food was wonderful and portions were larger than expected.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Nick
Intimate restaurant with a fabulous cuisine, impeccably quiet and understated service, and background music lifted straight from Pink Martini. The salmon tartare was delightfully fresh, bright with accents, and virtually a meal in itself. The scallops were beyond tender, albeit with a nicely crusted surface, and were served alongside a wonderfully creamy sauce. The flourless chocolate cake was superb, swimming in a tart raspberry sauce. And the Monkey Business cocktail, Austrian white wine, and espresso were all great accents to a terrific meal. Well done.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Tiffany Griffin
We went here for my birthday and the service was wonderful. We shared a few starters and the crab, bone marrow and the short rib and asparagus! They were all amazing!! We love the atmosphere. Definitely will be back on our next trip to Bend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chloe Gibson
Yummy cocktails & food + great service! Highly recommend coming here if you’re visiting Bend! Plus the inside of the restaurant is such a vibe :)
Kathy Collins (Kath)
Ahhhhhmazing! We had the shrimp dumplings and Salmon tar tar and a extra dirty martini! The drink was delightful and the food put my tastebuds into a sensory overload. Kudos to the wonderful chef
Jeremy Taylor
TLDR: This place is a 10/10 and a must try in Bend.
We arrived just before opening and were actually greeted at the gate with a friendly hello and handshake from the owner/chef, Johnny.
As an Art School grad who had to study a lot of design, I really appreciate all the little details they put into the quasi-Speak Easy/Art Deco interior design: from the draped chandeliers, to the velvet chairs, cross-complimentary color schemes, and the thoughtful lighting of the bottles on the shelves in the bar. Simply beautiful. Walking in and sitting down makes you feel like you are leaving Central Oregon and are entering a restaurant in NY or SF. Despite the restaurant quickly filling up and having brick walls, we could still hear each other talk without having to raise our voices. They must have some covert sound dampening.
Our server, Serena (sp?) was a perfect representative of what Dear Irene is: super hip and cool, without trying too hard. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the food and drinks they have to offer. She coursed everything out and guided us along for a very memorable experience. The mocktails she recommended were amazing, too. The biggest hit of the night was definitely the Prawn Dumplings.
This was our first time trying Dear Irene. We'll definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kimberlee Biagini
We had a fantastic anniversary dinner from start to finish! So delicious and great atmosphere!
A posh inviting atmosphere for good drinks, appetizers, and entrees. Adults only with a vibrant atmosphere that is also intimate. Service started at the door with a proper host to seat you. Followed with attentive staff and bartender. Appetizers/drinks only this but there were a small selection of entrees too. The appetizers were excellent and the menu featured items such as foie gras. They were large and shareable. Drinks were properly prepared and mixed to perfection, no bruising here. Prices were upscale. Reservations required. Parking is downtown. This is a more fancy date night option for adults or perhaps for celebrations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
OG, Inc
Overhyped mids tbh
Dana Coleman
We were blown away by the food at Dear Irene. This was easily one of the most memorable meals we've had in a long time and we especially loved the Mediterranean influence in many of the dishes we tried. We started with the sourdough and kalamata olive butter, followed by the roasted asparagus, strawberry & burrata salad, and the braised short ribs for our main course, which were incredibly tender and flavorful. We finished with the cannoli tiramisu for dessert which was also phenomenal. We were just in Bend for the weekend, but Dear Irene made such an impression that it’s officially a must-visit for every trip back. Cannot recommend it enough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Roger Tabet
Literally the best meal I have ever had in my whole life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Erin H
Simply delicious! The scallops were perfectly cooked. Ingredients were fresh and seasonal which I appreciate. Bartender was personable and great service. Would definitely eat here again.
Dear Irene is hands-down our favorite restaurant in Bend. Chef Johnny isn’t just an incredible chef—he’s also a phenomenal human being who makes every visit special.
We’ve dined at nearly all of Bend’s high-end restaurants, and nothing compares to Dear Irene. The food, the atmosphere, and the genuine hospitality all come together to create an experience that truly stands above the rest.
If you’re visiting Bend (or even if you live here), dinner at Dear Irene is an absolute must. It’s the kind of place that reminds you why you love great food and great people.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was a beautiful day so we sat outside. We ordered the prawn dumplings and tuna tostadas. The food was delicious and not only was it delicious but it was beautiful. We ended up ordering another plate of the tuna tostadas they were so good.
The service was excellent. Our waiter was awesome.
Unfortunately we didn't take and photos . We were very happy with everything here.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
“Brian, our bartender, was amazing! Great customer service, and the food was excellent. Must try this place.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Really nice place that went above expectations. Food was wonderful and portions were larger than expected.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Intimate restaurant with a fabulous cuisine, impeccably quiet and understated service, and background music lifted straight from Pink Martini. The salmon tartare was delightfully fresh, bright with accents, and virtually a meal in itself. The scallops were beyond tender, albeit with a nicely crusted surface, and were served alongside a wonderfully creamy sauce. The flourless chocolate cake was superb, swimming in a tart raspberry sauce. And the Monkey Business cocktail, Austrian white wine, and espresso were all great accents to a terrific meal. Well done.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
We went here for my birthday and the service was wonderful. We shared a few starters and the crab, bone marrow and the short rib and asparagus! They were all amazing!! We love the atmosphere. Definitely will be back on our next trip to Bend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Yummy cocktails & food + great service! Highly recommend coming here if you’re visiting Bend! Plus the inside of the restaurant is such a vibe :)
Ahhhhhmazing! We had the shrimp dumplings and Salmon tar tar and a extra dirty martini! The drink was delightful and the food put my tastebuds into a sensory overload. Kudos to the wonderful chef
TLDR: This place is a 10/10 and a must try in Bend.
We arrived just before opening and were actually greeted at the gate with a friendly hello and handshake from the owner/chef, Johnny.
As an Art School grad who had to study a lot of design, I really appreciate all the little details they put into the quasi-Speak Easy/Art Deco interior design: from the draped chandeliers, to the velvet chairs, cross-complimentary color schemes, and the thoughtful lighting of the bottles on the shelves in the bar. Simply beautiful. Walking in and sitting down makes you feel like you are leaving Central Oregon and are entering a restaurant in NY or SF. Despite the restaurant quickly filling up and having brick walls, we could still hear each other talk without having to raise our voices. They must have some covert sound dampening.
Our server, Serena (sp?) was a perfect representative of what Dear Irene is: super hip and cool, without trying too hard. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the food and drinks they have to offer. She coursed everything out and guided us along for a very memorable experience. The mocktails she recommended were amazing, too. The biggest hit of the night was definitely the Prawn Dumplings.
This was our first time trying Dear Irene. We'll definitely be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a fantastic anniversary dinner from start to finish! So delicious and great atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
A posh inviting atmosphere for good drinks, appetizers, and entrees. Adults only with a vibrant atmosphere that is also intimate. Service started at the door with a proper host to seat you. Followed with attentive staff and bartender. Appetizers/drinks only this but there were a small selection of entrees too. The appetizers were excellent and the menu featured items such as foie gras. They were large and shareable. Drinks were properly prepared and mixed to perfection, no bruising here. Prices were upscale. Reservations required. Parking is downtown. This is a more fancy date night option for adults or perhaps for celebrations.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Overhyped mids tbh
We were blown away by the food at Dear Irene. This was easily one of the most memorable meals we've had in a long time and we especially loved the Mediterranean influence in many of the dishes we tried. We started with the sourdough and kalamata olive butter, followed by the roasted asparagus, strawberry & burrata salad, and the braised short ribs for our main course, which were incredibly tender and flavorful. We finished with the cannoli tiramisu for dessert which was also phenomenal. We were just in Bend for the weekend, but Dear Irene made such an impression that it’s officially a must-visit for every trip back. Cannot recommend it enough.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Literally the best meal I have ever had in my whole life.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Simply delicious! The scallops were perfectly cooked. Ingredients were fresh and seasonal which I appreciate. Bartender was personable and great service. Would definitely eat here again.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Loading...