Big River Restaurant & Bar
101 NW Jackson Ave, Corvallis, OR, 97330
Big River Restaurant & Bar Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Corvallis for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
101 NW Jackson Ave
Corvallis, OR, 97330 - Phone (541) 757-0694
- Website https://www.bigriverrest.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Joan F.
Big River has been consistently good for the 20 years I've been visiting there. Last night was no exception when I ate in the bar. I ordered ginger wings and a Caesar salad--both were delicious. My friend ordered dinner salad and crab cakes, also very good. My margarita was freshly muddled and perfect for a hot summer night; my friend's martini looked wonderful. The service was outstanding, just the right amount of attention and great timing. The waiter was professional and friendly. This rests taunt never disappoints.
(4)Timothy B.
The food is good, and they have good variety, but it is a little too spendy for my taste. This isn't a "college budget friendly" place. I got the burger, which was the cheapest thing on the menu by a long shot, and it was $12. Probably a good place and price for a date, provided you don't go there too often.
(4)Brent M.
Good food, GREAT COCKTAILS, fun atmosphere, long wait times. On game days expect an hour or more wait, check in, go for a walk and wait for them to text you that your tables ready.
(4)Lydia S.
The only thing I like here are the desserts. Everything is over priced and lacks flavor, or it comes cold. LOVE their desserts though. A good place to go after you've had dinner elsewhere.
(3)Stefani C.
The food is ehhh. Nothing stands out expect their massive dessert list. The ambiance leaves something to be desired and the wait staff is on the slower side for large parties. Of places to eat in Corvallis, I would choose something else. Positive note, the staff is very friendly.
(2)Katie G.
This is a beautiful restaurant. Love the vaulted wood ceiling! The menu includes pizzas, pasta, salads, and larger plates of seasonal meat and vegetable entrées. Service is a little slow, but it is a great atmosphere for groups and families with kids. My gnocchi and Caesar salad were just ok, but the desserts are out of this world!
(4)Lorean W.
Happy Hour is crucial here--the cocktails are fantastic, the Brussel sprouts amazing! Crowd is a bit old, but a fun spot nonetheless.
(4)Gregorio P.
Atmosphere was cool, fun and chill. Food portions and taste were just ok. Don't know if it's the small town aspect or lack of attracting great chefs, but my lamb wasn't all that. Don't know if I will return.
(3)Carol C.
I love this place. Food is delicious, and service has been great every time. Seafood chowder is worth trying, and we haven't been disappointed with anything we've ordered so far. As for complaints from others: Serving sizes are a good proportion -- I appreciate not receiving a trough of food. Don't bitch about ordering overpriced pasta... pasta is always overpriced, unless you're making it at home. Prices are a little higher, but they use local, quality ingredients.
(4)I E.
What happened to the OLD Big River? This used to be my "go to" restaurant in Corvallis, but no more. The past several times I've eaten here have been very disappointing. Take my last experience for example: The GF and I arrived on a busy, but not crowded evening (a Tues.) Despite numerous empty booths we were seated at the end of the long tabled "communal" section, near the front door. I'm not sure why they put us there? Maybe we looked like we were hot, and would enjoy being blown by cold air every time someone came or went? (I needed to wear my coat while we ate as a result). Puzzlingly, every waitress working was over 60 years old (or so it looked). There certainly nothing wrong with this, but they did tend to have some of the self-entitled attitude so common in that generation. I simply found this odd for a restaurant in a college town. Nonetheless, our orders were taken fairly promptly and our appetizers arrived in short order. But then, after only finishing 1/4 of our appetizers our main courses were shoved onto our table. This meant that they were turning cold by the time we started them and stone cold by the time we finished (I've heard one too many stories from people who work in restaurants, and never send food back). And just to top things off, my dish (small dish prawns) was saturated in salt. I love salt, and often get grief for this from the GF, but this dish was like eating a salt lick. In contrast, my GF's ravioli was totally lacking in any flavor. It must have been made from only water, clear jello and some food coloring? It's a shame. This used to be such a nice place. But to now spend $50 and receive what we did? No...not again for a very long time (if ever again).
(2)Andrea P.
Most amazing place, food, ambience, bartender, music, and anything else. Cannot wait to come back next year!
(5)Everett B.
No crackers with the soup. Rigatoni. Chicken is a little dry. Too much sauce. Waiter was slow to bring water. For a high end restaurant I was not impressed.
(2)Kenny C.
All Aspects 5 Stars. Staff, Food, Service & Quality ...... You will leave Happy and Full
(5)Annette S.
We went because they have a beautiful outdoor dining area. Should have known better. Food was always mediocre and the prices high. Waitress (nice!) asked how we wanted lamb cooked (really?). We asked for medium rare. She came back and said "they have changed something, it can only be medium"... Ok... Lamb came, totally overcooked, dried out, even black. The beautiful spot outdoors unfortunately does not make up for the food.
(1)Karen K.
Update: I went here over Thanksgiving break with some older friends of mine. I got a pasta dish (~$20) and it was so so. It was a big dish, but it didn't seem to have much sauce. My husband got a salad that was supposedly an entree, but the waiter suggested he get something else because she didn't think the salad was big enough to be an entree (it was a steak salad, would someone really want that as a side?). I still think it's a bit overpriced and could have better selection of meat dishes.
(3)Mary B.
What's going on at Big River/101?? The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, but not in that order The bad We went for lunch on a Friday. They weren't busy, but service was so slow. We ordered soon after we arrived. Then waited and waited and waited. About 30 minutes after placing the order, the non-attentive waiter came to say "I just checked on your order. It should be out any minute."My response was "Well, if it's not ready in 5 minutes, we're going to have to leave." Five minutes later, he came with my food, but not my husbands saying that they had lost the order and were just starting to make his. We had to leave without eating. We were dressed in our work clothes (suit, tie) so one would think the waiter would know we had to get back to work at some point that afternoon... Why did it take him so long to check on our lunch? Even more disappointing, people who arrived and ordered long after we did got served before the waiter checked on our order. The good As we walked away from the Friday lunch experience, we were pondering whether we'd go back, when I got a tap on my shoulder. The manager had run after us and apologized and gave us a gift certificate to come back another time. We were pretty impressed by that and decided to write off the experience and go back at some point. The ugly We decided to go back, but to 101 (the restaurants are connected and I think they use the same kitchen, and we could use the gift certificate at either place). We went for dinner with friends and the food was, I really hate to say it, awful. The sliders were so charred that they couldn't and probably shouldn't have been eaten. So I sent them back. I asked for something else instead and the waitress was happy to bring me something else. When that food arrived (quesadilla), I laughed it was so terrible. I tried to eat it, but couldn't. All this was after my friend had sent back her soup and asked for something else. We left wondering what's happened in the kitchen? Losing an order and making bad food. I don't think we'll ever go back to either restaurant. Sigh.
(1)bebe p.
Horrible! We had reservations and the wicked hostesses (there were two of them) sat us at a table near the hallway that leads to the restrooms and the kitchen. I asked the hostess who seated us if we could have one of the empty booths, and she told us that those had been reserved. When I pointed out that we had reservations, she said that you had to specifically reserve a booth. Seriously?! Needless to say, we only ordered two small entrees to split - no appetizers, salads, desserts or drinks as we had originally planned - and rushed through our meal as we were jostled by busboys, waitresses, and other patrons on their way to the restrooms and kitchen. We told the waitress our problem and she was polite and apologetic for the hostesses behavior and said she would pass our message on to management. I hope she did. In general, I'm very tired of the lack of good customer service in this town, the high level of greed, and the overall mediocrity of the goods and services provided. This goes for ALL the Corvallis restaurants. Where's the integrity? Where's the sense of pride? Doesn't anyone care about quality anymore? Geesh!
(1)Jon H.
The menu is printed new every day which I thought was impressive. The dishes were pretty good but the accompanying salads were a bit disappointing. The server was top notch and graciously served a birthday cake we had brought with us even though their deserts seemed to be their specialty. I would go back and I recommend it if in town.
(4)Stephanie S.
I've been to big river on two occasions. The first I ordered the lamb, which was wildly expensive, but I ordered it anyway because well...I love lamb. I received my dish, and the lamb was overcooked, and also came in a one inch square portion. I was surprised as it was almost a forty dollar plate. I also had a cake, which was dry, but not the worst thing I have ever had. All in all, unimpressed and overpriced. However, I will note that the service in this occasion was phenomenal, especially since we were there well after close. (which I normally wouldn't do, but it was a friends birthday) The second time I went to big river, I went with my boyfriend. We were seated fairly quickly, and only went for dessert. I ordered the hazelnut torte, which was presented beautifully, although was served cold. I'm not sure if this was how it was intended, I would have preferred it warmed, but that is a preference, so not necessarily a mark against them. My significant other had the creme brûlée which was flavorless and had almost a soupy consistency which I thought was weird. He also ordered an espresso, which we received well after our desserts, and it was cold by the time we received it. We never saw our server again until she brought the check. I know I am a college student, and in this town it is very disheartening to serve college students as they often tip poorly or not at all, but I pride myself on tipping very well, which I did regardless of quality of food or service. I just feel that my experience here have never left me wowed. or even satisfied. I will probably be back at some point, but I am definitely in no hurry.
(2)Nicole G.
I think this place is way over priced for the quality of their food. I've been here twice and don't really plan on coming back.
(2)Scot M.
This used to be our go-to restaurant, but after taking my mom out to lunch here and splitting a salad and appetizer (that came out to over 10$ a person) we got some seriously poor service, and usually service is not an issue for me one way or the other. If you do go, sit at the bar since the bartender is much friendlier.
(2)Chris L.
Food was great! Service was great! I will go back for sure.
(4)Jeff H.
I would love to try the food here. A night on the town in Corvallis with some friends, we made plans to hit a number of places. Big River was our stop for desert. The lemon tart my friend had was amazing. I had the creme brulee. Sweet, light, custardy, with a perfect burnt sugar glaze. I would say so much more...but my time here was limited. The decor was nice, there were plenty of tables, and even though it was a Friday night, it was also during Spring Break, so the place was almost dead empty for this college town joint. Their food menu looked pretty impressive and is definitely something I will have to look at trying. But as for the deserts...amazing!
(3)James T.
Food = 4 (the mini pepper aioli sauce was really great) Price = 4 Experience = 4 (super attentive bar services... best place I saw in town)
(4)Doug V.
2 stars for the pricing and the noise. 4 for the food. Three overall. We used to come here all the time when it first opened. A great place then, and the first one on the riverfront. Now there are several restaurants to chose from. Competition has not driven down the price, if anything it's a whole lot higher than it was when it was the only one around. Come on, folks, I've eaten as good or better in Seattle, Portland, SF and NYC for way less money. A fine establishment, but spendy enough it makes you shake your head and ask - why? It is not on a mountaintop, or a skyscraper, it's an old bus-barn in Corvallis for jiminy sakes. The acoustics makes for a raucous din, (concrete floors and walls) and after you are impressed by 'the buzz' it gets old. Real old. The food is great; the service is good; the bar is good -- nothing about the dining experience disappoints, except the absolutely jarring prices and the decibel level. A nice meal for two, with drinks and tip, probably in the $120+ zone. Maybe more if you like good wine and/or cocktails. If I spend that much, I expect more of something that is missing here.
(3)Joseph B.
Big River has excellent food at a high decibel level. I really like the variety of food and the quality but I prefer to go there during during the off hours when the crowds are thin. I haven't had a bad dish there.
(3)Frank G.
Food not bad to good. Ambiance: At LEAST 85 dB. Service slow but pleasant. Big River is participating in the Corvallis Culinary Week, so we went in to try their $10.00 entree. The first thing you notice is the noise, which was loud enough at times to be actually painful. After a 5 minute wait for the table that we had reserved, we were seated by the pleasant young woman. Our waiter was prompt with water, took our order ("The special" plus salad). The salad arrived after too long, then the waiter went away. And stayed away. For 40 minutes (they MUST have known they'd have a hundred people ordering that item). Leaving us in a painfully noisy situation. No bread to nosh on, far too loud to have a conversation. When the meal did finally arrive, it was good, not great (but hey: $10.00), and a little small, with no sides (but hey: $10.00). Eventually, we were able to order the lemon tart for dessert. The waiter went away. And ignored us for about 10 minutes until the "dessert chef" deigned to put the pre-cut tart onto a plate with the fancy raspberry syrup to make it pretty. It was very tasty, but the crust was so tough that we actually gave up trying to cut a piece with the side of the fork. The total for all this ($20 for a meal, plus a shared salad and shared dessert) was more then $36.00. We tipped well: I think the waitstaff probably will incur permanent hearing loss from working there, and I'm sorry for them. We won't be going back any time soon.
(2)Jason P.
The food is sourced locally and tastes fantastic. I had the lamb meatloaf and it was fantastic. Five star food. However, I got two star service. Service was quite slow at times and we never did get our coffee. Some request had to be made multiple times.
(3)Kim E.
Underwhelming. Went here with my husband last night for Valentine's Day. We had called weeks before requesting a reservation and were told they were only accepting reservations for large parties. They were keeping all of the smaller tables open so there would be plenty of room. Rigggghhhht. We got there at 6:30 to behold the exciting news of a two hour wait time for a table. Ouch. We figured we'd wait it out and give it a shot as we hadn't been here in years. Went next door to 101 and were able to snag two seats at the bar within minutes (drinks and appetizers there were awesome, by the way). After an hour and 20 minutes, we were alerted that we finally had a table. Went back next door and were shown to our table in the back with our chairs facing a lovely view of the wall. Meh. We passed multiple empty tables and booths along the way...maybe multiple parties just left at the same time??? Anyway, to sum up the rest of our evening: service was good, food was slightly above average, drinks were OK, but prices were too high overall based on quality, atmosphere, experience, and service. We were finally out of there at 9:30, weighing in at a three hour dinner excursion. Although we made the best of it and had a nice evening, I don't feel the need to rush back and would rather go to numerous other "upscale" restaurants around town (I put the upscale in quotes because we are in Corvallis).
(3)David N.
If you have any doubt, just don't go. There are many better restaurants in Corvallis. The service was blah and the food wasn't that great. For example, I ordered the lamb (medium rare) and it came out beyond well done. When I complained to the server, I was actually surprised that she didn't take it back. The first words out of her mouth should have been "I'm so sorry, let me get them to fire another one." Instead there was an awkward exchange--I could tell she didn't want to take it back so I caved in and didn't send it back. Also, when she brought out the bread, the plate was wet so the bottom crust of the bread was sitting in standing water. I will never be back
(3)Dylan S.
Blackened cod salad was a expensive disappointment little piece of sad cod on a simple bland salad, the service was good and sitting outside was really nice
(2)James J.
I was excited to eat here, my fiancé took me here for a date night and we were both looking forward to it as she had grow up locally and said it was amazing. This was not the case, after waiting in a nearly empty restaurant for 35 minutes to be seated, we were lead to a dirty table in the spider infested back corner. I should say this now too, we were looking for a good rehearsal dinner location and told them so, why we were seated in the dingy dark corner with dusty tables and spider is beyond me. We ordered crab cake appetizers, they were dumpy, cold, and tasted funny. Next we ordered steaks and when they arrived I knew right away we were in trouble. My "rare" steak was charcoal, her steak looked rare, but was so tough and dry it made it inedible. The potatoes taste like they were from a box. And there was more grease on my plate than I would have liked. When I politely pointed out my problem to the wait staff, they argued with me and told me it looked fine. Total cost of an appetizer, two steaks, and two soda's $65.00. I did not tip as i don't reward awful service or shoddy cooking. Needless to say I am not holding my rehearsal dinner here.
(1)James F.
According to my local sources, this is one of the few upscale restaurants in Corvallis, where they often take prospective new faculty to dine. We hit it up with some family and friends that we were staying with and had a great meal. One of our local friends pointed out that they use a lot of locally grown ingredients, so that's a plus. I got a calzone, i forget which, but it was rather good. Some of the ladies got salmon salads, which they enjoyed. My wife got some sort of pasta dish, which she thought tasty. One of our local friends tried one of the daily specials, black pepper gnocchi with bacon, which certainly looked delightful, but didn't seem very filling. Then again, it was an ala carte item. We tried some local wine, which worked out ok, but then we dove in for dessert. Desserts: wow! We split three desserts: the peanut butter cup (wow!), the tira misu (wow!) and i think a berry cobbler (which would probably earn a wow, but i didn't actually try it since i was in love with the peanut butter cup) nice decor, friendly and helpful staff, nice location. it is pricey, but if you want fancy in Corvallis, this place fits the bill quite well. My advice: save room for dessert.
(4)Harry L.
Expecting the best based on the menu prices but was disappointed. Maybe this is what is expected from restaurants in a college town. The noodles and dungeness crab entree dish that I ordered had undercooked noodles. The trout entree was overcooked. The salad was expensive but was a simple garden salad with a simple dressing and grill asparagus thrown on top. Glad I didn't order the $30 salmon entree.
(2)LadyYelper P.
Expensive! But high quality! I got a $30 salmon plate and really liked it but don't expect huge portions
(4)DJ J.
Big River WAS hands down the best restaurant in town circa 1999. Unfortunately the food is not what it use to be in quality, quantity, & creativity, while the prices have gotten very high. There is more competition in Corvallis now that is far better for this price point, or just as good but more affordable. Also, many people have commented on the wait staff / service being poor or too formal, one review suggested the wait staff appear depressed. From what I hear, this is a challenging (to put it politely) place to work so give em a break. Anyhow, if u want a pizza go to American dream, if u want a good pasta dish @ 1/3 the price in a friendly atmosphere go to Pastinis, if u want a super fancy night out... I'll get back to ya!
(2)Chester I.
Tolerable food with a high price tag served by slow servers in a loud environment. Comfortable bar with space for live music. Good cocktails. Still -- no reason to go there even though dining options in Corvallis are sparse.
(2)Eric E.
Been coming here since it opened -- before all those other "local" restaurants. Nothing to complain about. Smart dishes, great drinks, insane desserts.
(5)Mary G.
Love this restaurant! Menu changes with what is fresh and local. The bread is incredible and the desserts are devine. I have no problem with the noise level but for a more quiet experience, sit upstairs.
(5)john j.
Let's make a list. 1. Blue cheese vinaigrette will haunt your dreams; it is a revelation. I have never licked a plate before... 2. Crusty bread and good olive oil = all gone 3. Always busy/always have a line. There is a reason. 4. Spendy, but truly the only 'fancy' place in town. 5. Espresso chocolate cheesecake. It is like they milk baby kittens for their tears under a full moon or something.
(4)Ed C.
Good food, decent portions. dessert portions are on the large side, but good Pork with brussel sprouts and bacon was yummy. the big river 4 layer cake hit the spot This is probably the best restaurant I've been to in Corvallis, of course I have only visited Corvallis a few times.
(3)David O.
1. Slow service. 2. Poor service. 3. Tiny portions. 4. Pretentious food with too many ingredients. And I love excellent, creative, inventive, complex food. 5. Tiny portions. 6. Waited more than one hour for our food, when they weren't especially busy. 7. The blue cheese in my salad tasted of bread mold. 8. I've had far better high-quality food at far less exuberant prices.
(2)Linsay C.
Ordered ravioli and it was underdone. They offered to recook and it came back still underdone and with pieces from the first order still in it. No compensation offered and no apologies. Paid $20 and left hungry after cutting undercooked parts off.
(1)Alan P.
OMG! Went here tonight first time since they have changed chefs. I ordered the lamb two ways, wife the bar chicken fried chicken. Upon arrival, i notice that the lamb sirloin looked a bit odd. I took a small bite and.....beef! Just to be sure I found some fat and tried it as well,...beef! When the server finally returned to check on things I told him I felt like I was being tested on the pass of Hell's Kitchen for quaility control. Told him it was beef and not lamb. (I did win the Australian Lamb Boards BBQ cook off for the entire USA last year so I know lamb!) He returned the plate to the kitchen where the chef assured him it was lamb and was "lamb sirloin" which is a cut, not a different taste profile. The server told me the chef would not come discuss it because he doesn't fee comfortable tallking to customers". They did not charge me for my meal, but we will NOT be back! Go to LUC, Del Alma, Magenta or Aqua for a meal in Corvallis! PS Wife's chicken fried chicken smelled burnt!
(1)Kathleen H.
Had a great lunch today - Big River Salad not just a bunch of lettuce! Service was excellent. #CorvSMB
(4)Rose V.
My favorite Happy Hour in Corvallis, with the yummiest--and spiciest-- mac and cheese in town (aside: do not go to Down Dog or Flat Tail for mac and cheese because it's beyond terrible, as the price reflects). The desserts here cost more than the cocktails, but when you see them in the case when you walk in, you'll see why!
(4)Stephanie K.
This place is a solid 3.5 star restaurant. We didn't get the warmest reception right off the bat which kind of turned me off from this place. I had been here before, but mostly for cocktails rather than their actual food. But Fireworks wasn't open for lunch on a weekday and our options for decent food seemed limited. I planned on taking the parents here for a nice dinner, but we opted for a late lunch instead. Their food is good, but it does seem slightly overpriced. A $10+ bruschetta appetizer that only had three slices is a little ridiculous. And while it was delicious, split between three people, it didn't really satiate anyone's hunger. The same can be said for the rest of the menu. Pretty quality food, though the pizza was just meh, I felt like I was overpaying for everything. I would skip this place for food, and just come here for the drinks and dessert, and possibly another cheese plate.
(4)Adam S.
Portions are large and desserts selection is huge. But expensive for what you get inconsistent food prep and service makes this a pass. Several times I have been the food was prepared poorly. The most recent time the pork was massively overcooked and then massively undercooked. Management didn't seem to care or really address the problem. This isn't the only game in town.
(2)Jim T.
Our dinners were very good in a nice restaurant in a nice location. We were in Corvallis on a Friday night before an OSU football game and the band came into the restaurant and did a couple of songs!
(5)Claudia H.
Great lunch service back patio. 10 dollar lunch is the bomb. B L T and salad w raspberry vinaigrette. Potato chip cookie to go. Yum!
(4)Kat D.
I'm a sucker for drinks on a patio. Big river has that. The food? Well, I'm never intrigued enough to try most of it. The desserts are good, but overpriced. but, if you have a patio, well.... I'll look past most of that.
(3)Jeff M.
3 1/2. What can you say about Big Liver? Service is inconsistent, as is much of the food. Many of the vaunted desserts taste like they've been sitting around for a while. HOWEVER: if you really get on their cases you can get a good drink here, and the pizzas are really good. The polenta dish is usually good, as are the salads. Big River and Evergreen are our go-to places when we go to Corvallis to see a movie or something. Service can be sped up if you nag em a bit. Prices are completely out of line relative to the quality of the food ($26.00 for a really so-so piece of fish). Hence: consider sticking with the less expensive entrees - pizza etc. Save your money for a really good meal in McMinnville, etc. That said, if you are going to be in Corvallis anyway, this is a decent place to dine before a movie.
(3)C. R.
Overpriced, overrated, and pretentious. This place fancies itself a big city restaurant, or at least that's how they price their food and drinks, but they forgot that they have to offer higher quality fare. For a while, there weren't a lot of showy places in town, unless you were 70 years old and thought of The Gables as the end-all-be-all, but there are so many new places in town that are far, far better.
(1)Jason B.
OK, Big River. Welcome back to my good side! After some rough outings that you can read about in my previous review my wife and I took a trip back to Big River on 5/21/10 for one last try. I must say, Big River came through in a big way. We arrived around 6pm and headed straight to the bar to grab a pre-dinner cocktail. All of the tables were full, so we sat at the bar and were immediately greeted by bartenders Griffin and JD. Not only were they entertaining to observe in their element, but both of them went out of their way to strike up conversations with us and made us feel very welcome. Griffin enlightened us that they had several breads available to try (I always thought there was just one house bread) and he brought out his favorite which was a rosemary sea salt crusted loaf. We were fans. We were enjoying our numerous cocktails so much that we decided to start with an appetizer at the bar and ordered the Manila Clams ($15.95) off of the dinner menu. They were good, not spectacular, with a nice broth that made finishing up a second plate of bread easy. We finally made our way to a table and were met by Dan, our server for the evening. Dan was a very friendly and helpful waiter with a good knowledge of the menu. We were both in the mood for steak, so I ordered the Rib Eye ($34.95) and my wife had the Sirloin ($25.95). Both came with delicious sides, the best of which were the cheesy scalloped potatoes with my Rib Eye. Both steaks were cooked perfectly to order and were tender and flavorful. My only complaint was that the wife's sirloin came sliced, but since that was hers and not mine, not really a big complaint. The port reduction on my Rib Eye was fantastic, and even though it was delicious I could not quite finish it all. Probably too much bread at the bar, but oh well. After dinner we pondered a try at dessert, but we were really way to full to even think about it seriously. Overall, we enjoyed 6 drinks at the bar, an appetizer, two main courses and an after dinner coffee for a total of $109.65. Of course $33 of that was in booze, so roughly $75 for dinner was not too hard on the wallet. But the big news here is that Big River redeemed itself for us on that night. Everything clicked, which is an experience that we have not had there in some time. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, food was well seasoned and well prepared, ingredients were fresh. So it is only fair that I update this review and give credit where it is due. A 4-star seems a bit premature, but 3 seems not enough. Welcome back to my good side, Big River. I hope you stay there! I would once again recommend Big River.
(4)Becky F.
Generous portions of delicious and pretty food, attentive staff, comfortable seating...Big River is still one of my favorite local restaurants. If that beautiful space muffled sound a little bit more, I'm not sure I could think of any negatives.
(4)Angela B.
delicious bread, freshly made by someone local for them. Different flavors so ask them. Great lunch deal for $10 get soup/salad, entree (selected) & small dessert.
(3)Eric P.
This would have been a four star but for 18 bucks for the size of half a dollar bill, just does not sit well with me. The food itself tastes great. The salmon was moist and well seasoned. However as I said for the amount paid the portion was a rip off. The desserts were fabulous had the berry cobbler. Very nice. A lunch for two which included two cups of chowder, two salmon specials and two desserts with no alcohol consumed came to over $70.00 for lunch! Are you @&$"ing kidding me. Forty maybe, but when I saw the bill I think I shit myself just a smidge. The food was good but definitely not worth the price. Might need a second job if I plan on ever going there for dinner.
(3)Coral C.
For these kind of prices, I had hoped for a little higher quality of food. While most of the food was good, there were parts in each of our dishes that were terribly wrong: for my chicken dish, the chicken itself was great, but the sauce that came on it was ice cold. Husbands ravioli dish was tasty, but there were several very hard mushroom stems or something in it that was a little odd. Father in law had eggplant, and it had way too much cheese, and something green that was extremely bitter and gross, still haven't figured out what that was supposed to be. Service wasn't that great, especially for a slow night. Dessert was pretty good though, but again, overpriced. Had a pretty good selection both in the dessert menu and dinner menu, that's always a plus. Don't think I'll go back, way too pricey for what it was. I have no problem paying $30/plate for something that will blow my mind, but Big River was doing nothing of the sort. Though maybe I will have to go back and try some more of their desserts.....
(3)Jessye G.
I absolutely love the happy hour here! Great drinks, the small plates are the perfect size, and $2.50 for a micro brew? You really can't beat that. Also a really great place to go for dessert. However, I have had dinner here many many times and have always been extremely disappointed with the service. Its not that the servers aren't friendly, but the service takes sooo long. Expect to spend a great deal of time here. The pizzas are really good and I had some really excellent lamb but honestly, I do feel the meals are a bit over priced for what they are.. On the other hand this is Corvallis, and this is about as good as it gets.
(4)Ramanda L.
I've been a few times, all for an occasion, but it hasn't been all that impressive. I've gotten their individual pizza, and it usually lacks something. I got it hoping to be impressed, but both times I've been disappointed. Last time I went, I got their gnocchi. The meat it is was 75% fat and half of the gnocchi was burnt! They have a nice drink selection though. I'd suggest going to the other restaurant they own, 101, if you'd like that kind of atmosphere. The desserts are delicious, but a little over priced. The wait hasn't been too bad, but we have called ahead each time. The wait staff isn't phenomenal for their high prices though. My point, I've had much better. It's not bad though.
(2)Andrew T.
- atmosphere was great - portions were large for pasta dishes but small for specialized fish and pork dishes. ex. the halibut and pork ragu. - slightly over priced - it wasn't crowded, yet it took a long time to receive our main dishes, went through sever
(3)Cheryl H.
We came here for Valentine's Eve dinner, since we couldn't make it on the 14th. We were seated upstairs in the loft area, which was pretty cool. We were served yummy bread with olive oil for dipping. The salads had some of the best red wine vinaigrette I've ever tasted! Our entrees were delicious. My pizza was splendid and his fish stew was quite tasty. I took home most of the pizza, though, because I was saving room for dessert. We got a slice of the four-layer chocolate cake and a slice of one of their special cakes: red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Oh man, so so so good! We will definitely be coming back here!
(5)Colleen S.
Glorified Applebees? The person that said this is 'truly the only fancy place in Corvallis' should check out Luc or del Alma. At least there you'll get good food for your money. The place is huge and densely packed, so it's definitely not a romantic dinner setting. The plates were way overpriced. I got the Halibut salad and my fish was dry and the salad was uninspiring. My sig-o got a steak, which was nothing to write home about. The drinks were good and the wait staff friendly, but we won't be returning.
(2)Sheri D.
Big river has the biggest selection and the highest quality desserts in Corvallis. It can get really loud in there, so if you're going there on a date, try to get seated in a quieter area, go at a slower time, or go in the summer, get your dessert to go, and sit out at the adjoining riverside park. They have the best kids meals in town; great quality and price. The rest of their food is pretty good, and I've never had a problem with their service. #CorvSMB
(5)Kira E.
I think this restaurant is a bit over rated. Reservations are a must, and there's still ususally a wait. The drinks are pretty good and always changing, but everythings's a bit pricey. There's better pizza in town, but their other entrees are pretty good. I love the salmon. I love their beet salad! Don't get the figgy pudding cocktail... yuck! Biggest mistake over the holiday! My parent's love this place, for me it's just...meh, not as good as the price.
(4)Truen P.
Food is always good quality and the service is prompt. This is a good choice for a nice meal or a casual evening. Solid drink menu and great prices during happy hour.
(4)Stephen I.
They say a good restaurant can revitalize a neighborhood, and in the case of Big River in downtown Corvallis along the Willamette River this is defintely the case. Hostess was a bit aloof, so I can see where Blair's review about the staff could be accurate. Fortunately, our waitress was pleasant and effecient (she looked like current day Heather Locklear). We went for lunch and had no problems (Dinner looked a little too $). This is a good place for first dates, business meetings, or treating your OSU college kid. I ordered the King Salmon and was very happy with the seasoning and flavorful grilling. Table bread was really yummy! After lunch we took a walk along the "big river" and enjoyed the revitalization efforts the city is putting into their downtown. Needless to say good restaurants like Big River are key to making it happen!
(5)D J.
Hmm. Big River: Meh, I've had better. For less than half the price!!! Sigh. I've been living in Corvallis for nearly 4 years now, and I've come to appreciate the good restaurants in town. There simply are not any "great" places to eat here, and I am unable to whole heartedly recommend any dining establishment in this town without a list of qualifiers first. But Big River? I've been here several times (mostly on OSU's tab, because I'd rather just make a donation to the local food bank and sit at home and eat a can of chef boyardee mini ravioli than actually spend my own cash at this place ), and I'd say that maybe it is the "finest" dining in corvallis, but that's really not saying much. I love this town, but that's just a cold hard fact. Good things about Big River: once I had a perfect gin martini here-in the restaurant, not the adjoining 101. Also, their bread is fantastic. But you can buy that at most grocery stores in town. At $5 a loaf it's not cheap, but it's really the only game in town, and it's excellent bread. Although I can't say I've received "bad" service at this establishment, I've never had "good" service. The service has always been more than adequate, but on each of my 7-8 visits here I've always sensed a really, really negative vibe coming from the server. Maybe all of the food servers here are just depressed. Maybe they none of them are able to mask the disappointment in the general lack of quality/creativity present in the dishes. Maybe there is some manager who regularly doles out really nasty tongue-lashings to the waitstaff. There's just some real negativity happening here. It's palpable. More Bad things? It's just overpriced. I don't mind paying a lot for a good meal-- I'll save up my money for that. But this place charges way too much for the quality of food (and quality of service) that is provided. Salads are not that great. Wine and beer are priced on the high side. Entrees are not that bad, relatively speaking. Desserts? ha ha. I think they're up to $9 a piece now, and while the desserts are not "bad"--they're made with some care, and composed of OK quality chocolate, heavy cream and butter and the like (as opposed to cool whip) All of the desserts available just sit in a refrigerated case all day- which means things like the attempt at dacquoise consists of meringue squares covered in 1/8th inch of refrigerator-hardened chocolate to keep them from melting away. Other desserts are similarly "preserved"--hardened and chilled to death - any sort of whimsy or moussy wonderfulness created by the pastry chef has been pounded away by many cold, hard hours spent in the pastry case, spending many a night under layers and layers of saran wrap.... so sad. well, I've depressed myself just writing this. Forget Big River. Just go get a banh mi at Baguette or a burger at Squirrel's.
(3)Marti B.
Okay. Had dinner there a few night ago again. I cannot tell anyone enough how this place mixes amazing food and atmosphere. All the ingredients that make up their delicious dishes are truly local from farms nearby - no kidding. Check out their local sign hanging above the desserts and you'll know where your fab food comes from. The juicy local New York Steak with blue cheese never disappoints nor does the dessert case. P.s. don't forget the copper river martini.
(5)Jason H.
Overpriced. Lackluster food. Too stuffy for the service and food offered. Go next door to 101 and you'll enjoy yourself more and have access to the better parts of the menu in a much nicer atmosphere. The one saving grace is the bread... which is sold all over town, so get it somewhere else instead.
(2)Jill K.
This is a great venue for NW cuisine. The food is solid and high quality. The highlight for me are their desserts. You see them in the dessert case as you pass by the hostess station on the way to your table, a reminder to save room. It's gotten to where I have just a light dinner, a salad maybe, so I can indulge on the desserts. They also have a bakery that sells bread all around town. It's good artisan bread, though I wish they'd put a little more effort into making a whole grain loaf.
(3)PF M.
Recently enjoyed Big River. To start, a tremendous wine and bev list, with breadth and depth, including local vintages and worldwide options. We opted to use some small plate options for dinner along with salads and entrees. Small plate crab cakes were really great, on a bed of salad with unique flavors, perhaps anise. Wonderful taste and textures. I also opted for the aphrodite pizza, make with locally produced feta and heirloom tomatoes. The restaurant strives to use locally produced materials and this yields some wonderfully unique flavors. Dessert options were plentiful and we shared chocolate-raspberry sin (great!) and the hazelnut turtle (a wonderfully salty-sweet mixture with strong caramel). Overall, the server was most attentive. If this venue doesn't satisfy the foodie in you, you're not paying attention. I don't give a lot of 5-star ratings, but Big River earned one from me. Enjoy!
(5)Fresh M.
No better ambiance food drink variety!!!
(5)jason b.
Great draught beer choices and friendly bartender.
(4)Forrest T.
Food was great as usual, although they messed up my order with a Pizza instead of a calzone, it still tasted delicious. I have been here several times and the food consistently tastes good.
(4)Ben P.
I love the place, great atmosphere. Prices are high, but it's not supposed to be BK. If you want cheaper, happy hour is 5-6:30 Monday-Saturday. Additional happy hour is 10-11:30, prices go way down at those points, easy to eat a good meal for 10-15 bucks. Bread is awesome, wine is great.
(5)Jennifer E.
The only good thing about this place, the bread! The first time I ate here I regretted wasting my money... Two of my friend got steak and I got fish, all of it was over cooked. The only good thing about that experience was the decent bottle of wine we ordered. I did end up going back a second time because a couple of friends wanted to eat there for lunch. This time the food was tasty (I got the Cuban sandwich), but it was completely overpriced! I don't mind dropping bucks on good food, but this place wasn't worth it.
(3)John H.
Excellent dinner for the four of us. Pinot Gris selection limited to one winery and incredibly sweet. Food good, dessert excellent, service moderate. 101 next door (same owners) seemed to be much more hopping, maybe sign of the times.
(3)Carly I.
This restaurant receives a full 5 stars for a number of reasons. Tonight my boyfriend and I dined here (on a business trip out of town) and received exemplary service from our server, Nicole. She really went above and beyond with her welcoming personality and her genuine recommendations. She applauded our dinner selections as well as my wine choice, but more than anything she was incredibly personable. To compliment the outstanding waitstaff (and host), the food was divine. Our steamed clams were a delightful start to an incredible evening. Fresh garlic and white wine butter sauce? Yes please. Next I enjoyed a classic Caesar salad with an anchovy-garlic dressing (ooh! and per Nicole's recommendation, a side of their signature bleu cheese vinaigrette). My date enjoyed THE BEST ribeye steak we have ever tasted. Honestly, we have tasted many a ribeye, Big River took the cake. I chose their risotto dumplings with fresh dungeness crab for my entree, and that too was superb. Not to mention a couple glasses of tempernillo encouraged an even more incredible evening! To top it off, our fantastic server recommended that if we were too full for dessert, (we were), to take something home with us. Good GOD. We chose their freshly baked apple crisp a la mode. What a suggestion! We were soooo pleased to say the least. So with that said, THANK YOU Big River, for your five star service, atmosphere, and above all, your unbelievable house specialties. If we find ourselves back in Corvallis, Oregon, we know where we'll be dining.
(5)Caroline Q.
One of the few upscale restaurants serving excellent food in Corvallis (why this place deserves 5 stars). A fellow Beaver alumni, I was able to dine a few times at Big River. This restaurant reminds me of a classy, chic restaurant that would be located in Portland. The food is fresh, organic, and made to order. I also highly recommend ordering one of the many desserts post meal, as they are delicious. The dessert selection always reminded me of Papa Haydn's in NW Portland. This is an excellent place for parents to take their college students when visiting their son or daughter, or for those living in Corvallis, a wonderful place to take out-of-town guests.
(5)Chris N.
My wife and I love going to Big River for dessert. The lounge in the back is our favorite. Nice to relax with coffee at the end of a date night and share a Boccone Dolce Ala Big River or a Coconut Macadamia Tart. The desserts are simply fantastic.
(5)Leslie R.
I enjoyed eating here on a recent trip to Corvallis. I want to highly recommend the desserts. I had the pan roasted chicken for my main dish (a solid B). For dessert, I ordered the lemon tart. Absolutely delicious. Very nice, friendly environment. Great for groups. I will go back.
(4)Em C.
I like this place a lot. Outdoor seating in the summer is terrific, right on the waterfront. Delicious deserts, which are legendary if you haven't been there. Staff are very nice.
(4)Craig A.
Wanted a nice place for our son's graduation dinner. Made a reservation for 7:15. Arrived and told it would be another 25-30 minutes. Not too bad for the night before graduation but they could have just told us 7:45 at the outset. Three entrees ordered: grilled rib steak $35, pan seared chicken $24 and the "Bent" pizza $17. House salads were excellent. Fresh, almost "in season" tomatoes and a light red wine vinaigrette. Steak was excellent. Prepared perfectly to order, flavorful and tender though a bit overpriced at $35. The accompanying scalloped potatoes were inedible. Highly oversalted to the degree it was difficult to swallow a mouthful. In fact, the salt crystals were actually palpable in the potatoes. The chicken was also excellent. Well seasoned and tender. My wife said it was perhaps the best chicken she has ever had. Unfortunately, the side, white turnips, were undercooked, bland and like the potatoes unpleasant. The pizza was a total disappointment, especially at $17 for what amounted to a small pizza at any chain restaurant. And if it were a chain pizza it would have been better. The crust was well done but the red sauce was almost non existant and the each slice was overpowered by the flavor of bacon and gristly sausage. My wife equated the quality of the toppings to that of a frozen 99 cent store brand product. We had a microbrew - Caldera ale from Ashland at $5 and a "Forget your Blackberry" martini at $9. The martini was average - a bit oversweet. The waiter was efficient prompt and courteous. Overall the meal was acceptable with a total bill including tip at $110. While a nice spot I would suggest that for $110 you can fund a much better experience at another restaurant in Corvallis.
(3)Blair C.
The dinner menu at Big River is one of the best in Corvallis. However, the lunch menu has always left me a little perplexed; there are simply not many choices for a medium size lunch. It seems like you can have a steak or a salad, they should really put some more sandwich choices or light pastas for lunch. Just a minor gripe as far as food fair is concerned...however the wait staff leaves a lot to be desired. They are often uptight and overly proper for the clientle at the restaurant. Overall I would say check it out just don't expect too much from the staff who seems to struggle with even simple requests.
(3)Megan D.
It is positively the nicest place in Corvallis. Big River offers seasonal northwest cuisine that is a little on the pricey side, but its worth the wait and you will wait if you don't get there kind of early for dinner. This is the kind of place you go to for a special occasion. They have the best desserts (For everyone who love Papa Haydn's, Big River is so much better.). During the week and on the weekends they have live music in the bar, which can be rather loud at times due to the open floorplan, but nevertheless a great restaurant.
(4)Susanna S.
What a disappointment. I recently moved to Corvallis from Denver and was worried about finding good restaurants in this town. Every time I brought up this concern with the locals, they said I had to try out Big River. So, I did and became very worried about spending the next few years in a town where this is thought to be the ultimate dining experience. The food wasn't bad, really, and if I was rating this on food alone, I would consider 3-4 stars, but seriously, for those prices and that service?! The ambience is more like a tired P.F. Changs and of the six entrees at my table, only one was close your eyes and moan good--a $35 NY Strip, that I still never would have paid $35 for. I would love to see this restaurant try to succeed in a more competitive market. It really irks me that they think their food is worth the cost. I think they just have a captive audience in a small town that is understandably hungry for some really great food. I feel like they're taking advantage of people. Maybe I'm taking it a little too personally. Before I sound like a total snob, I will say that I have now gone to other restaurants in Corvallis that I absolutely adore [they shall remain nameless out of my small sense of tact]. I will also note that I had a wonderful time at 101 next door which is owned by the same people.
(2)john B.
We have been going to Big River for about 9 years now and it continues to be a great place to get incredible food and experience great atmosphere. We try to take our out of town guests here before any other place in town. I highly recommend it to visitors and natives alike.
(5)Cynthia C.
Came here unexpected. Thrilled with this place! Didn't eat here. Saw lots of good food pass us though. Had great drinks. Bartender was awesome! Blue cheese stuffed olives! OMG! Don't believe negative reviews. We are from California. WAnted to find a good place to have some drinks with Atmosphere. This is the place. Enjoy.
(5)TL C.
Big River provides an atmosphere that is at once casual and elegant lending itself to a nice dinner out or a quick bite just as easily. I've eaten there several times and the food has never disappointed. For my latest dining experience at Big River, I ate the cavatelli along with a salad while my husband ate the River Salad. My salad was, well, a salad. It was fresh enough, but nothing particulary exciting. The cavatelli was so delicious, I ate every last morsel! The corn included in the dish gave it a nice surprise and really completed the dish, and this from someone who doesn't particularly like corn. My husband enjoyed his salad as well. For dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Tier and a cappuccino and my husband ordered the Tiramisu. The Chocolate Tier was fabulous and the cappuccino a nice accompaniment to its sweetness. My husband liked the Tiramisu. Both desserts were so big, we got boxes and brought them home to have after dinner the next night! Our server was excellent! He was very accommodating about moving us inside when the temperature dropped even though we'd requested to eat on the patio. It was a delightful dining experience as is typical of Big River! One thing to keep in mind, Big River is a restaurant to go to for special occasions as it can be rather spendy!
(4)Ralph K.
We found this place while walking along the river park. It had outdoor seating, that was exactly what we were looking for. We were seated quickly. The food was good, I got the steak frites, ordered the steak rare but got it more on the medium side ( but that happens at almost any other place, too ). The frites were gorgeous, crispy, with rosemary and blue cheese. I highly recommend this dish. The wife had a beet-greens-hazelnut salad, my daughter the 3 cheese ravioli with lemon sauce. Both were happy. Dessert was good as well, Creme Brulee was standard, the berry cobbler above standard. The only downside was the waiter, he seemed to be new in the business. He was very slow, forgot things, and didn't get any support from co workers. With better service, I would have given 4 stars. Since we will be visiting Corvallis a couple more times over the next 4 years, I will give the River Inn another try, probably. The food was worth the visit.
(3)Ed K.
Fairly good food selection and relatively pricey. Service wasn't anything to rave about (too impersonal). We had a couple of Pizza's, which weren't any better than American Dream, but more expensive. Drink prices were high. Inside is way too loud to have an intimate dinner.
(3)Mary S.
Good, food, I thought, as did my partner. I had a delicious tuna dish, perfectly prepared. My partner chose a calzone, full of meats, which he thought was excellent. The dessert selections are incredible. Excellent service and no excessive noise (lunchtime).
(4)J. W.
A friend and I just had lunch at Big River Restaurant: we ordered a juicy Pork Tenderloin with parsnip & pear puree, fresh spaetzle, grilled radicchio and pork jus, and a moist, crispy Duck Confit with root vegetable galette, acorn squash puree, frisee, radicchio and a pomegranate reduction...so yum! We both relished our perfectly-prepared lunches. For dessert, we split a Banana Delight (layering of bananas, pastry cream, bits of banana cake, a pastry round & mascarpone cream in a white chocolate shell). As always, the service was impeccable. Big River Restaurant and companion 101 Eat & Drink--sooooooo good!
(5)Jason P.
Just wonderful. I love this place. Can get loud, but a great place for a date or a group. The bread is great. The calazones are awesome (share!). The fish and steak is great as well.
(5)Jason H.
Overpriced. Lackluster food. Too stuffy for the service and food offered. Go next door to 101 and you'll enjoy yourself more and have access to the better parts of the menu in a much nicer atmosphere. The one saving grace is the bread... which is sold all over town, so get it somewhere else instead.
(2)Gregorio P.
Atmosphere was cool, fun and chill. Food portions and taste were just ok. Don't know if it's the small town aspect or lack of attracting great chefs, but my lamb wasn't all that. Don't know if I will return.
(3)Carol C.
I love this place. Food is delicious, and service has been great every time. Seafood chowder is worth trying, and we haven't been disappointed with anything we've ordered so far. As for complaints from others: Serving sizes are a good proportion -- I appreciate not receiving a trough of food. Don't bitch about ordering overpriced pasta... pasta is always overpriced, unless you're making it at home. Prices are a little higher, but they use local, quality ingredients.
(4)Everett B.
No crackers with the soup. Rigatoni. Chicken is a little dry. Too much sauce. Waiter was slow to bring water. For a high end restaurant I was not impressed.
(2)Lorean W.
Happy Hour is crucial here--the cocktails are fantastic, the Brussel sprouts amazing! Crowd is a bit old, but a fun spot nonetheless.
(4)Kenny C.
All Aspects 5 Stars. Staff, Food, Service & Quality ...... You will leave Happy and Full
(5)Annette S.
We went because they have a beautiful outdoor dining area. Should have known better. Food was always mediocre and the prices high. Waitress (nice!) asked how we wanted lamb cooked (really?). We asked for medium rare. She came back and said "they have changed something, it can only be medium"... Ok... Lamb came, totally overcooked, dried out, even black. The beautiful spot outdoors unfortunately does not make up for the food.
(1)Karen K.
Update: I went here over Thanksgiving break with some older friends of mine. I got a pasta dish (~$20) and it was so so. It was a big dish, but it didn't seem to have much sauce. My husband got a salad that was supposedly an entree, but the waiter suggested he get something else because she didn't think the salad was big enough to be an entree (it was a steak salad, would someone really want that as a side?). I still think it's a bit overpriced and could have better selection of meat dishes.
(3)Jason P.
The food is sourced locally and tastes fantastic. I had the lamb meatloaf and it was fantastic. Five star food. However, I got two star service. Service was quite slow at times and we never did get our coffee. Some request had to be made multiple times.
(3)john j.
Let's make a list. 1. Blue cheese vinaigrette will haunt your dreams; it is a revelation. I have never licked a plate before... 2. Crusty bread and good olive oil = all gone 3. Always busy/always have a line. There is a reason. 4. Spendy, but truly the only 'fancy' place in town. 5. Espresso chocolate cheesecake. It is like they milk baby kittens for their tears under a full moon or something.
(4)Frank G.
Food not bad to good. Ambiance: At LEAST 85 dB. Service slow but pleasant. Big River is participating in the Corvallis Culinary Week, so we went in to try their $10.00 entree. The first thing you notice is the noise, which was loud enough at times to be actually painful. After a 5 minute wait for the table that we had reserved, we were seated by the pleasant young woman. Our waiter was prompt with water, took our order ("The special" plus salad). The salad arrived after too long, then the waiter went away. And stayed away. For 40 minutes (they MUST have known they'd have a hundred people ordering that item). Leaving us in a painfully noisy situation. No bread to nosh on, far too loud to have a conversation. When the meal did finally arrive, it was good, not great (but hey: $10.00), and a little small, with no sides (but hey: $10.00). Eventually, we were able to order the lemon tart for dessert. The waiter went away. And ignored us for about 10 minutes until the "dessert chef" deigned to put the pre-cut tart onto a plate with the fancy raspberry syrup to make it pretty. It was very tasty, but the crust was so tough that we actually gave up trying to cut a piece with the side of the fork. The total for all this ($20 for a meal, plus a shared salad and shared dessert) was more then $36.00. We tipped well: I think the waitstaff probably will incur permanent hearing loss from working there, and I'm sorry for them. We won't be going back any time soon.
(2)Kim E.
Underwhelming. Went here with my husband last night for Valentine's Day. We had called weeks before requesting a reservation and were told they were only accepting reservations for large parties. They were keeping all of the smaller tables open so there would be plenty of room. Rigggghhhht. We got there at 6:30 to behold the exciting news of a two hour wait time for a table. Ouch. We figured we'd wait it out and give it a shot as we hadn't been here in years. Went next door to 101 and were able to snag two seats at the bar within minutes (drinks and appetizers there were awesome, by the way). After an hour and 20 minutes, we were alerted that we finally had a table. Went back next door and were shown to our table in the back with our chairs facing a lovely view of the wall. Meh. We passed multiple empty tables and booths along the way...maybe multiple parties just left at the same time??? Anyway, to sum up the rest of our evening: service was good, food was slightly above average, drinks were OK, but prices were too high overall based on quality, atmosphere, experience, and service. We were finally out of there at 9:30, weighing in at a three hour dinner excursion. Although we made the best of it and had a nice evening, I don't feel the need to rush back and would rather go to numerous other "upscale" restaurants around town (I put the upscale in quotes because we are in Corvallis).
(3)David N.
If you have any doubt, just don't go. There are many better restaurants in Corvallis. The service was blah and the food wasn't that great. For example, I ordered the lamb (medium rare) and it came out beyond well done. When I complained to the server, I was actually surprised that she didn't take it back. The first words out of her mouth should have been "I'm so sorry, let me get them to fire another one." Instead there was an awkward exchange--I could tell she didn't want to take it back so I caved in and didn't send it back. Also, when she brought out the bread, the plate was wet so the bottom crust of the bread was sitting in standing water. I will never be back
(3)Mary B.
What's going on at Big River/101?? The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, but not in that order The bad We went for lunch on a Friday. They weren't busy, but service was so slow. We ordered soon after we arrived. Then waited and waited and waited. About 30 minutes after placing the order, the non-attentive waiter came to say "I just checked on your order. It should be out any minute."My response was "Well, if it's not ready in 5 minutes, we're going to have to leave." Five minutes later, he came with my food, but not my husbands saying that they had lost the order and were just starting to make his. We had to leave without eating. We were dressed in our work clothes (suit, tie) so one would think the waiter would know we had to get back to work at some point that afternoon... Why did it take him so long to check on our lunch? Even more disappointing, people who arrived and ordered long after we did got served before the waiter checked on our order. The good As we walked away from the Friday lunch experience, we were pondering whether we'd go back, when I got a tap on my shoulder. The manager had run after us and apologized and gave us a gift certificate to come back another time. We were pretty impressed by that and decided to write off the experience and go back at some point. The ugly We decided to go back, but to 101 (the restaurants are connected and I think they use the same kitchen, and we could use the gift certificate at either place). We went for dinner with friends and the food was, I really hate to say it, awful. The sliders were so charred that they couldn't and probably shouldn't have been eaten. So I sent them back. I asked for something else instead and the waitress was happy to bring me something else. When that food arrived (quesadilla), I laughed it was so terrible. I tried to eat it, but couldn't. All this was after my friend had sent back her soup and asked for something else. We left wondering what's happened in the kitchen? Losing an order and making bad food. I don't think we'll ever go back to either restaurant. Sigh.
(1)Scot M.
This used to be our go-to restaurant, but after taking my mom out to lunch here and splitting a salad and appetizer (that came out to over 10$ a person) we got some seriously poor service, and usually service is not an issue for me one way or the other. If you do go, sit at the bar since the bartender is much friendlier.
(2)bebe p.
Horrible! We had reservations and the wicked hostesses (there were two of them) sat us at a table near the hallway that leads to the restrooms and the kitchen. I asked the hostess who seated us if we could have one of the empty booths, and she told us that those had been reserved. When I pointed out that we had reservations, she said that you had to specifically reserve a booth. Seriously?! Needless to say, we only ordered two small entrees to split - no appetizers, salads, desserts or drinks as we had originally planned - and rushed through our meal as we were jostled by busboys, waitresses, and other patrons on their way to the restrooms and kitchen. We told the waitress our problem and she was polite and apologetic for the hostesses behavior and said she would pass our message on to management. I hope she did. In general, I'm very tired of the lack of good customer service in this town, the high level of greed, and the overall mediocrity of the goods and services provided. This goes for ALL the Corvallis restaurants. Where's the integrity? Where's the sense of pride? Doesn't anyone care about quality anymore? Geesh!
(1)Jon H.
The menu is printed new every day which I thought was impressive. The dishes were pretty good but the accompanying salads were a bit disappointing. The server was top notch and graciously served a birthday cake we had brought with us even though their deserts seemed to be their specialty. I would go back and I recommend it if in town.
(4)Stephanie S.
I've been to big river on two occasions. The first I ordered the lamb, which was wildly expensive, but I ordered it anyway because well...I love lamb. I received my dish, and the lamb was overcooked, and also came in a one inch square portion. I was surprised as it was almost a forty dollar plate. I also had a cake, which was dry, but not the worst thing I have ever had. All in all, unimpressed and overpriced. However, I will note that the service in this occasion was phenomenal, especially since we were there well after close. (which I normally wouldn't do, but it was a friends birthday) The second time I went to big river, I went with my boyfriend. We were seated fairly quickly, and only went for dessert. I ordered the hazelnut torte, which was presented beautifully, although was served cold. I'm not sure if this was how it was intended, I would have preferred it warmed, but that is a preference, so not necessarily a mark against them. My significant other had the creme brûlée which was flavorless and had almost a soupy consistency which I thought was weird. He also ordered an espresso, which we received well after our desserts, and it was cold by the time we received it. We never saw our server again until she brought the check. I know I am a college student, and in this town it is very disheartening to serve college students as they often tip poorly or not at all, but I pride myself on tipping very well, which I did regardless of quality of food or service. I just feel that my experience here have never left me wowed. or even satisfied. I will probably be back at some point, but I am definitely in no hurry.
(2)Nicole G.
I think this place is way over priced for the quality of their food. I've been here twice and don't really plan on coming back.
(2)Jeff H.
I would love to try the food here. A night on the town in Corvallis with some friends, we made plans to hit a number of places. Big River was our stop for desert. The lemon tart my friend had was amazing. I had the creme brulee. Sweet, light, custardy, with a perfect burnt sugar glaze. I would say so much more...but my time here was limited. The decor was nice, there were plenty of tables, and even though it was a Friday night, it was also during Spring Break, so the place was almost dead empty for this college town joint. Their food menu looked pretty impressive and is definitely something I will have to look at trying. But as for the deserts...amazing!
(3)Chris L.
Food was great! Service was great! I will go back for sure.
(4)James T.
Food = 4 (the mini pepper aioli sauce was really great) Price = 4 Experience = 4 (super attentive bar services... best place I saw in town)
(4)Doug V.
2 stars for the pricing and the noise. 4 for the food. Three overall. We used to come here all the time when it first opened. A great place then, and the first one on the riverfront. Now there are several restaurants to chose from. Competition has not driven down the price, if anything it's a whole lot higher than it was when it was the only one around. Come on, folks, I've eaten as good or better in Seattle, Portland, SF and NYC for way less money. A fine establishment, but spendy enough it makes you shake your head and ask - why? It is not on a mountaintop, or a skyscraper, it's an old bus-barn in Corvallis for jiminy sakes. The acoustics makes for a raucous din, (concrete floors and walls) and after you are impressed by 'the buzz' it gets old. Real old. The food is great; the service is good; the bar is good -- nothing about the dining experience disappoints, except the absolutely jarring prices and the decibel level. A nice meal for two, with drinks and tip, probably in the $120+ zone. Maybe more if you like good wine and/or cocktails. If I spend that much, I expect more of something that is missing here.
(3)Joseph B.
Big River has excellent food at a high decibel level. I really like the variety of food and the quality but I prefer to go there during during the off hours when the crowds are thin. I haven't had a bad dish there.
(3)Dylan S.
Blackened cod salad was a expensive disappointment little piece of sad cod on a simple bland salad, the service was good and sitting outside was really nice
(2)James F.
According to my local sources, this is one of the few upscale restaurants in Corvallis, where they often take prospective new faculty to dine. We hit it up with some family and friends that we were staying with and had a great meal. One of our local friends pointed out that they use a lot of locally grown ingredients, so that's a plus. I got a calzone, i forget which, but it was rather good. Some of the ladies got salmon salads, which they enjoyed. My wife got some sort of pasta dish, which she thought tasty. One of our local friends tried one of the daily specials, black pepper gnocchi with bacon, which certainly looked delightful, but didn't seem very filling. Then again, it was an ala carte item. We tried some local wine, which worked out ok, but then we dove in for dessert. Desserts: wow! We split three desserts: the peanut butter cup (wow!), the tira misu (wow!) and i think a berry cobbler (which would probably earn a wow, but i didn't actually try it since i was in love with the peanut butter cup) nice decor, friendly and helpful staff, nice location. it is pricey, but if you want fancy in Corvallis, this place fits the bill quite well. My advice: save room for dessert.
(4)James J.
I was excited to eat here, my fiancé took me here for a date night and we were both looking forward to it as she had grow up locally and said it was amazing. This was not the case, after waiting in a nearly empty restaurant for 35 minutes to be seated, we were lead to a dirty table in the spider infested back corner. I should say this now too, we were looking for a good rehearsal dinner location and told them so, why we were seated in the dingy dark corner with dusty tables and spider is beyond me. We ordered crab cake appetizers, they were dumpy, cold, and tasted funny. Next we ordered steaks and when they arrived I knew right away we were in trouble. My "rare" steak was charcoal, her steak looked rare, but was so tough and dry it made it inedible. The potatoes taste like they were from a box. And there was more grease on my plate than I would have liked. When I politely pointed out my problem to the wait staff, they argued with me and told me it looked fine. Total cost of an appetizer, two steaks, and two soda's $65.00. I did not tip as i don't reward awful service or shoddy cooking. Needless to say I am not holding my rehearsal dinner here.
(1)Harry L.
Expecting the best based on the menu prices but was disappointed. Maybe this is what is expected from restaurants in a college town. The noodles and dungeness crab entree dish that I ordered had undercooked noodles. The trout entree was overcooked. The salad was expensive but was a simple garden salad with a simple dressing and grill asparagus thrown on top. Glad I didn't order the $30 salmon entree.
(2)LadyYelper P.
Expensive! But high quality! I got a $30 salmon plate and really liked it but don't expect huge portions
(4)DJ J.
Big River WAS hands down the best restaurant in town circa 1999. Unfortunately the food is not what it use to be in quality, quantity, & creativity, while the prices have gotten very high. There is more competition in Corvallis now that is far better for this price point, or just as good but more affordable. Also, many people have commented on the wait staff / service being poor or too formal, one review suggested the wait staff appear depressed. From what I hear, this is a challenging (to put it politely) place to work so give em a break. Anyhow, if u want a pizza go to American dream, if u want a good pasta dish @ 1/3 the price in a friendly atmosphere go to Pastinis, if u want a super fancy night out... I'll get back to ya!
(2)Mary G.
Love this restaurant! Menu changes with what is fresh and local. The bread is incredible and the desserts are devine. I have no problem with the noise level but for a more quiet experience, sit upstairs.
(5)Chester I.
Tolerable food with a high price tag served by slow servers in a loud environment. Comfortable bar with space for live music. Good cocktails. Still -- no reason to go there even though dining options in Corvallis are sparse.
(2)Eric E.
Been coming here since it opened -- before all those other "local" restaurants. Nothing to complain about. Smart dishes, great drinks, insane desserts.
(5)Ed C.
Good food, decent portions. dessert portions are on the large side, but good Pork with brussel sprouts and bacon was yummy. the big river 4 layer cake hit the spot This is probably the best restaurant I've been to in Corvallis, of course I have only visited Corvallis a few times.
(3)David O.
1. Slow service. 2. Poor service. 3. Tiny portions. 4. Pretentious food with too many ingredients. And I love excellent, creative, inventive, complex food. 5. Tiny portions. 6. Waited more than one hour for our food, when they weren't especially busy. 7. The blue cheese in my salad tasted of bread mold. 8. I've had far better high-quality food at far less exuberant prices.
(2)Linsay C.
Ordered ravioli and it was underdone. They offered to recook and it came back still underdone and with pieces from the first order still in it. No compensation offered and no apologies. Paid $20 and left hungry after cutting undercooked parts off.
(1)Alan P.
OMG! Went here tonight first time since they have changed chefs. I ordered the lamb two ways, wife the bar chicken fried chicken. Upon arrival, i notice that the lamb sirloin looked a bit odd. I took a small bite and.....beef! Just to be sure I found some fat and tried it as well,...beef! When the server finally returned to check on things I told him I felt like I was being tested on the pass of Hell's Kitchen for quaility control. Told him it was beef and not lamb. (I did win the Australian Lamb Boards BBQ cook off for the entire USA last year so I know lamb!) He returned the plate to the kitchen where the chef assured him it was lamb and was "lamb sirloin" which is a cut, not a different taste profile. The server told me the chef would not come discuss it because he doesn't fee comfortable tallking to customers". They did not charge me for my meal, but we will NOT be back! Go to LUC, Del Alma, Magenta or Aqua for a meal in Corvallis! PS Wife's chicken fried chicken smelled burnt!
(1)Stephanie K.
This place is a solid 3.5 star restaurant. We didn't get the warmest reception right off the bat which kind of turned me off from this place. I had been here before, but mostly for cocktails rather than their actual food. But Fireworks wasn't open for lunch on a weekday and our options for decent food seemed limited. I planned on taking the parents here for a nice dinner, but we opted for a late lunch instead. Their food is good, but it does seem slightly overpriced. A $10+ bruschetta appetizer that only had three slices is a little ridiculous. And while it was delicious, split between three people, it didn't really satiate anyone's hunger. The same can be said for the rest of the menu. Pretty quality food, though the pizza was just meh, I felt like I was overpaying for everything. I would skip this place for food, and just come here for the drinks and dessert, and possibly another cheese plate.
(4)Adam S.
Portions are large and desserts selection is huge. But expensive for what you get inconsistent food prep and service makes this a pass. Several times I have been the food was prepared poorly. The most recent time the pork was massively overcooked and then massively undercooked. Management didn't seem to care or really address the problem. This isn't the only game in town.
(2)Jim T.
Our dinners were very good in a nice restaurant in a nice location. We were in Corvallis on a Friday night before an OSU football game and the band came into the restaurant and did a couple of songs!
(5)Kat D.
I'm a sucker for drinks on a patio. Big river has that. The food? Well, I'm never intrigued enough to try most of it. The desserts are good, but overpriced. but, if you have a patio, well.... I'll look past most of that.
(3)Claudia H.
Great lunch service back patio. 10 dollar lunch is the bomb. B L T and salad w raspberry vinaigrette. Potato chip cookie to go. Yum!
(4)Jeff M.
3 1/2. What can you say about Big Liver? Service is inconsistent, as is much of the food. Many of the vaunted desserts taste like they've been sitting around for a while. HOWEVER: if you really get on their cases you can get a good drink here, and the pizzas are really good. The polenta dish is usually good, as are the salads. Big River and Evergreen are our go-to places when we go to Corvallis to see a movie or something. Service can be sped up if you nag em a bit. Prices are completely out of line relative to the quality of the food ($26.00 for a really so-so piece of fish). Hence: consider sticking with the less expensive entrees - pizza etc. Save your money for a really good meal in McMinnville, etc. That said, if you are going to be in Corvallis anyway, this is a decent place to dine before a movie.
(3)C. R.
Overpriced, overrated, and pretentious. This place fancies itself a big city restaurant, or at least that's how they price their food and drinks, but they forgot that they have to offer higher quality fare. For a while, there weren't a lot of showy places in town, unless you were 70 years old and thought of The Gables as the end-all-be-all, but there are so many new places in town that are far, far better.
(1)Kathleen H.
Had a great lunch today - Big River Salad not just a bunch of lettuce! Service was excellent. #CorvSMB
(4)Rose V.
My favorite Happy Hour in Corvallis, with the yummiest--and spiciest-- mac and cheese in town (aside: do not go to Down Dog or Flat Tail for mac and cheese because it's beyond terrible, as the price reflects). The desserts here cost more than the cocktails, but when you see them in the case when you walk in, you'll see why!
(4)Jason B.
OK, Big River. Welcome back to my good side! After some rough outings that you can read about in my previous review my wife and I took a trip back to Big River on 5/21/10 for one last try. I must say, Big River came through in a big way. We arrived around 6pm and headed straight to the bar to grab a pre-dinner cocktail. All of the tables were full, so we sat at the bar and were immediately greeted by bartenders Griffin and JD. Not only were they entertaining to observe in their element, but both of them went out of their way to strike up conversations with us and made us feel very welcome. Griffin enlightened us that they had several breads available to try (I always thought there was just one house bread) and he brought out his favorite which was a rosemary sea salt crusted loaf. We were fans. We were enjoying our numerous cocktails so much that we decided to start with an appetizer at the bar and ordered the Manila Clams ($15.95) off of the dinner menu. They were good, not spectacular, with a nice broth that made finishing up a second plate of bread easy. We finally made our way to a table and were met by Dan, our server for the evening. Dan was a very friendly and helpful waiter with a good knowledge of the menu. We were both in the mood for steak, so I ordered the Rib Eye ($34.95) and my wife had the Sirloin ($25.95). Both came with delicious sides, the best of which were the cheesy scalloped potatoes with my Rib Eye. Both steaks were cooked perfectly to order and were tender and flavorful. My only complaint was that the wife's sirloin came sliced, but since that was hers and not mine, not really a big complaint. The port reduction on my Rib Eye was fantastic, and even though it was delicious I could not quite finish it all. Probably too much bread at the bar, but oh well. After dinner we pondered a try at dessert, but we were really way to full to even think about it seriously. Overall, we enjoyed 6 drinks at the bar, an appetizer, two main courses and an after dinner coffee for a total of $109.65. Of course $33 of that was in booze, so roughly $75 for dinner was not too hard on the wallet. But the big news here is that Big River redeemed itself for us on that night. Everything clicked, which is an experience that we have not had there in some time. Service was friendly and knowledgeable, food was well seasoned and well prepared, ingredients were fresh. So it is only fair that I update this review and give credit where it is due. A 4-star seems a bit premature, but 3 seems not enough. Welcome back to my good side, Big River. I hope you stay there! I would once again recommend Big River.
(4)Angela B.
delicious bread, freshly made by someone local for them. Different flavors so ask them. Great lunch deal for $10 get soup/salad, entree (selected) & small dessert.
(3)Becky F.
Generous portions of delicious and pretty food, attentive staff, comfortable seating...Big River is still one of my favorite local restaurants. If that beautiful space muffled sound a little bit more, I'm not sure I could think of any negatives.
(4)Eric P.
This would have been a four star but for 18 bucks for the size of half a dollar bill, just does not sit well with me. The food itself tastes great. The salmon was moist and well seasoned. However as I said for the amount paid the portion was a rip off. The desserts were fabulous had the berry cobbler. Very nice. A lunch for two which included two cups of chowder, two salmon specials and two desserts with no alcohol consumed came to over $70.00 for lunch! Are you @&$"ing kidding me. Forty maybe, but when I saw the bill I think I shit myself just a smidge. The food was good but definitely not worth the price. Might need a second job if I plan on ever going there for dinner.
(3)Stephen I.
They say a good restaurant can revitalize a neighborhood, and in the case of Big River in downtown Corvallis along the Willamette River this is defintely the case. Hostess was a bit aloof, so I can see where Blair's review about the staff could be accurate. Fortunately, our waitress was pleasant and effecient (she looked like current day Heather Locklear). We went for lunch and had no problems (Dinner looked a little too $). This is a good place for first dates, business meetings, or treating your OSU college kid. I ordered the King Salmon and was very happy with the seasoning and flavorful grilling. Table bread was really yummy! After lunch we took a walk along the "big river" and enjoyed the revitalization efforts the city is putting into their downtown. Needless to say good restaurants like Big River are key to making it happen!
(5)Ed K.
Fairly good food selection and relatively pricey. Service wasn't anything to rave about (too impersonal). We had a couple of Pizza's, which weren't any better than American Dream, but more expensive. Drink prices were high. Inside is way too loud to have an intimate dinner.
(3)Mary S.
Good, food, I thought, as did my partner. I had a delicious tuna dish, perfectly prepared. My partner chose a calzone, full of meats, which he thought was excellent. The dessert selections are incredible. Excellent service and no excessive noise (lunchtime).
(4)J. W.
A friend and I just had lunch at Big River Restaurant: we ordered a juicy Pork Tenderloin with parsnip & pear puree, fresh spaetzle, grilled radicchio and pork jus, and a moist, crispy Duck Confit with root vegetable galette, acorn squash puree, frisee, radicchio and a pomegranate reduction...so yum! We both relished our perfectly-prepared lunches. For dessert, we split a Banana Delight (layering of bananas, pastry cream, bits of banana cake, a pastry round & mascarpone cream in a white chocolate shell). As always, the service was impeccable. Big River Restaurant and companion 101 Eat & Drink--sooooooo good!
(5)Jason P.
Just wonderful. I love this place. Can get loud, but a great place for a date or a group. The bread is great. The calazones are awesome (share!). The fish and steak is great as well.
(5)Ralph K.
We found this place while walking along the river park. It had outdoor seating, that was exactly what we were looking for. We were seated quickly. The food was good, I got the steak frites, ordered the steak rare but got it more on the medium side ( but that happens at almost any other place, too ). The frites were gorgeous, crispy, with rosemary and blue cheese. I highly recommend this dish. The wife had a beet-greens-hazelnut salad, my daughter the 3 cheese ravioli with lemon sauce. Both were happy. Dessert was good as well, Creme Brulee was standard, the berry cobbler above standard. The only downside was the waiter, he seemed to be new in the business. He was very slow, forgot things, and didn't get any support from co workers. With better service, I would have given 4 stars. Since we will be visiting Corvallis a couple more times over the next 4 years, I will give the River Inn another try, probably. The food was worth the visit.
(3)Jill K.
This is a great venue for NW cuisine. The food is solid and high quality. The highlight for me are their desserts. You see them in the dessert case as you pass by the hostess station on the way to your table, a reminder to save room. It's gotten to where I have just a light dinner, a salad maybe, so I can indulge on the desserts. They also have a bakery that sells bread all around town. It's good artisan bread, though I wish they'd put a little more effort into making a whole grain loaf.
(3)PF M.
Recently enjoyed Big River. To start, a tremendous wine and bev list, with breadth and depth, including local vintages and worldwide options. We opted to use some small plate options for dinner along with salads and entrees. Small plate crab cakes were really great, on a bed of salad with unique flavors, perhaps anise. Wonderful taste and textures. I also opted for the aphrodite pizza, make with locally produced feta and heirloom tomatoes. The restaurant strives to use locally produced materials and this yields some wonderfully unique flavors. Dessert options were plentiful and we shared chocolate-raspberry sin (great!) and the hazelnut turtle (a wonderfully salty-sweet mixture with strong caramel). Overall, the server was most attentive. If this venue doesn't satisfy the foodie in you, you're not paying attention. I don't give a lot of 5-star ratings, but Big River earned one from me. Enjoy!
(5)Fresh M.
No better ambiance food drink variety!!!
(5)jason b.
Great draught beer choices and friendly bartender.
(4)Forrest T.
Food was great as usual, although they messed up my order with a Pizza instead of a calzone, it still tasted delicious. I have been here several times and the food consistently tastes good.
(4)Ben P.
I love the place, great atmosphere. Prices are high, but it's not supposed to be BK. If you want cheaper, happy hour is 5-6:30 Monday-Saturday. Additional happy hour is 10-11:30, prices go way down at those points, easy to eat a good meal for 10-15 bucks. Bread is awesome, wine is great.
(5)Caroline Q.
One of the few upscale restaurants serving excellent food in Corvallis (why this place deserves 5 stars). A fellow Beaver alumni, I was able to dine a few times at Big River. This restaurant reminds me of a classy, chic restaurant that would be located in Portland. The food is fresh, organic, and made to order. I also highly recommend ordering one of the many desserts post meal, as they are delicious. The dessert selection always reminded me of Papa Haydn's in NW Portland. This is an excellent place for parents to take their college students when visiting their son or daughter, or for those living in Corvallis, a wonderful place to take out-of-town guests.
(5)Chris N.
My wife and I love going to Big River for dessert. The lounge in the back is our favorite. Nice to relax with coffee at the end of a date night and share a Boccone Dolce Ala Big River or a Coconut Macadamia Tart. The desserts are simply fantastic.
(5)Leslie R.
I enjoyed eating here on a recent trip to Corvallis. I want to highly recommend the desserts. I had the pan roasted chicken for my main dish (a solid B). For dessert, I ordered the lemon tart. Absolutely delicious. Very nice, friendly environment. Great for groups. I will go back.
(4)Em C.
I like this place a lot. Outdoor seating in the summer is terrific, right on the waterfront. Delicious deserts, which are legendary if you haven't been there. Staff are very nice.
(4)Jennifer E.
The only good thing about this place, the bread! The first time I ate here I regretted wasting my money... Two of my friend got steak and I got fish, all of it was over cooked. The only good thing about that experience was the decent bottle of wine we ordered. I did end up going back a second time because a couple of friends wanted to eat there for lunch. This time the food was tasty (I got the Cuban sandwich), but it was completely overpriced! I don't mind dropping bucks on good food, but this place wasn't worth it.
(3)John H.
Excellent dinner for the four of us. Pinot Gris selection limited to one winery and incredibly sweet. Food good, dessert excellent, service moderate. 101 next door (same owners) seemed to be much more hopping, maybe sign of the times.
(3)john B.
We have been going to Big River for about 9 years now and it continues to be a great place to get incredible food and experience great atmosphere. We try to take our out of town guests here before any other place in town. I highly recommend it to visitors and natives alike.
(5)Susanna S.
What a disappointment. I recently moved to Corvallis from Denver and was worried about finding good restaurants in this town. Every time I brought up this concern with the locals, they said I had to try out Big River. So, I did and became very worried about spending the next few years in a town where this is thought to be the ultimate dining experience. The food wasn't bad, really, and if I was rating this on food alone, I would consider 3-4 stars, but seriously, for those prices and that service?! The ambience is more like a tired P.F. Changs and of the six entrees at my table, only one was close your eyes and moan good--a $35 NY Strip, that I still never would have paid $35 for. I would love to see this restaurant try to succeed in a more competitive market. It really irks me that they think their food is worth the cost. I think they just have a captive audience in a small town that is understandably hungry for some really great food. I feel like they're taking advantage of people. Maybe I'm taking it a little too personally. Before I sound like a total snob, I will say that I have now gone to other restaurants in Corvallis that I absolutely adore [they shall remain nameless out of my small sense of tact]. I will also note that I had a wonderful time at 101 next door which is owned by the same people.
(2)Cynthia C.
Came here unexpected. Thrilled with this place! Didn't eat here. Saw lots of good food pass us though. Had great drinks. Bartender was awesome! Blue cheese stuffed olives! OMG! Don't believe negative reviews. We are from California. WAnted to find a good place to have some drinks with Atmosphere. This is the place. Enjoy.
(5)TL C.
Big River provides an atmosphere that is at once casual and elegant lending itself to a nice dinner out or a quick bite just as easily. I've eaten there several times and the food has never disappointed. For my latest dining experience at Big River, I ate the cavatelli along with a salad while my husband ate the River Salad. My salad was, well, a salad. It was fresh enough, but nothing particulary exciting. The cavatelli was so delicious, I ate every last morsel! The corn included in the dish gave it a nice surprise and really completed the dish, and this from someone who doesn't particularly like corn. My husband enjoyed his salad as well. For dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Tier and a cappuccino and my husband ordered the Tiramisu. The Chocolate Tier was fabulous and the cappuccino a nice accompaniment to its sweetness. My husband liked the Tiramisu. Both desserts were so big, we got boxes and brought them home to have after dinner the next night! Our server was excellent! He was very accommodating about moving us inside when the temperature dropped even though we'd requested to eat on the patio. It was a delightful dining experience as is typical of Big River! One thing to keep in mind, Big River is a restaurant to go to for special occasions as it can be rather spendy!
(4)Megan D.
It is positively the nicest place in Corvallis. Big River offers seasonal northwest cuisine that is a little on the pricey side, but its worth the wait and you will wait if you don't get there kind of early for dinner. This is the kind of place you go to for a special occasion. They have the best desserts (For everyone who love Papa Haydn's, Big River is so much better.). During the week and on the weekends they have live music in the bar, which can be rather loud at times due to the open floorplan, but nevertheless a great restaurant.
(4)Coral C.
For these kind of prices, I had hoped for a little higher quality of food. While most of the food was good, there were parts in each of our dishes that were terribly wrong: for my chicken dish, the chicken itself was great, but the sauce that came on it was ice cold. Husbands ravioli dish was tasty, but there were several very hard mushroom stems or something in it that was a little odd. Father in law had eggplant, and it had way too much cheese, and something green that was extremely bitter and gross, still haven't figured out what that was supposed to be. Service wasn't that great, especially for a slow night. Dessert was pretty good though, but again, overpriced. Had a pretty good selection both in the dessert menu and dinner menu, that's always a plus. Don't think I'll go back, way too pricey for what it was. I have no problem paying $30/plate for something that will blow my mind, but Big River was doing nothing of the sort. Though maybe I will have to go back and try some more of their desserts.....
(3)Jessye G.
I absolutely love the happy hour here! Great drinks, the small plates are the perfect size, and $2.50 for a micro brew? You really can't beat that. Also a really great place to go for dessert. However, I have had dinner here many many times and have always been extremely disappointed with the service. Its not that the servers aren't friendly, but the service takes sooo long. Expect to spend a great deal of time here. The pizzas are really good and I had some really excellent lamb but honestly, I do feel the meals are a bit over priced for what they are.. On the other hand this is Corvallis, and this is about as good as it gets.
(4)Ramanda L.
I've been a few times, all for an occasion, but it hasn't been all that impressive. I've gotten their individual pizza, and it usually lacks something. I got it hoping to be impressed, but both times I've been disappointed. Last time I went, I got their gnocchi. The meat it is was 75% fat and half of the gnocchi was burnt! They have a nice drink selection though. I'd suggest going to the other restaurant they own, 101, if you'd like that kind of atmosphere. The desserts are delicious, but a little over priced. The wait hasn't been too bad, but we have called ahead each time. The wait staff isn't phenomenal for their high prices though. My point, I've had much better. It's not bad though.
(2)Andrew T.
- atmosphere was great - portions were large for pasta dishes but small for specialized fish and pork dishes. ex. the halibut and pork ragu. - slightly over priced - it wasn't crowded, yet it took a long time to receive our main dishes, went through sever
(3)Cheryl H.
We came here for Valentine's Eve dinner, since we couldn't make it on the 14th. We were seated upstairs in the loft area, which was pretty cool. We were served yummy bread with olive oil for dipping. The salads had some of the best red wine vinaigrette I've ever tasted! Our entrees were delicious. My pizza was splendid and his fish stew was quite tasty. I took home most of the pizza, though, because I was saving room for dessert. We got a slice of the four-layer chocolate cake and a slice of one of their special cakes: red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Oh man, so so so good! We will definitely be coming back here!
(5)Colleen S.
Glorified Applebees? The person that said this is 'truly the only fancy place in Corvallis' should check out Luc or del Alma. At least there you'll get good food for your money. The place is huge and densely packed, so it's definitely not a romantic dinner setting. The plates were way overpriced. I got the Halibut salad and my fish was dry and the salad was uninspiring. My sig-o got a steak, which was nothing to write home about. The drinks were good and the wait staff friendly, but we won't be returning.
(2)Sheri D.
Big river has the biggest selection and the highest quality desserts in Corvallis. It can get really loud in there, so if you're going there on a date, try to get seated in a quieter area, go at a slower time, or go in the summer, get your dessert to go, and sit out at the adjoining riverside park. They have the best kids meals in town; great quality and price. The rest of their food is pretty good, and I've never had a problem with their service. #CorvSMB
(5)Kira E.
I think this restaurant is a bit over rated. Reservations are a must, and there's still ususally a wait. The drinks are pretty good and always changing, but everythings's a bit pricey. There's better pizza in town, but their other entrees are pretty good. I love the salmon. I love their beet salad! Don't get the figgy pudding cocktail... yuck! Biggest mistake over the holiday! My parent's love this place, for me it's just...meh, not as good as the price.
(4)Truen P.
Food is always good quality and the service is prompt. This is a good choice for a nice meal or a casual evening. Solid drink menu and great prices during happy hour.
(4)D J.
Hmm. Big River: Meh, I've had better. For less than half the price!!! Sigh. I've been living in Corvallis for nearly 4 years now, and I've come to appreciate the good restaurants in town. There simply are not any "great" places to eat here, and I am unable to whole heartedly recommend any dining establishment in this town without a list of qualifiers first. But Big River? I've been here several times (mostly on OSU's tab, because I'd rather just make a donation to the local food bank and sit at home and eat a can of chef boyardee mini ravioli than actually spend my own cash at this place ), and I'd say that maybe it is the "finest" dining in corvallis, but that's really not saying much. I love this town, but that's just a cold hard fact. Good things about Big River: once I had a perfect gin martini here-in the restaurant, not the adjoining 101. Also, their bread is fantastic. But you can buy that at most grocery stores in town. At $5 a loaf it's not cheap, but it's really the only game in town, and it's excellent bread. Although I can't say I've received "bad" service at this establishment, I've never had "good" service. The service has always been more than adequate, but on each of my 7-8 visits here I've always sensed a really, really negative vibe coming from the server. Maybe all of the food servers here are just depressed. Maybe they none of them are able to mask the disappointment in the general lack of quality/creativity present in the dishes. Maybe there is some manager who regularly doles out really nasty tongue-lashings to the waitstaff. There's just some real negativity happening here. It's palpable. More Bad things? It's just overpriced. I don't mind paying a lot for a good meal-- I'll save up my money for that. But this place charges way too much for the quality of food (and quality of service) that is provided. Salads are not that great. Wine and beer are priced on the high side. Entrees are not that bad, relatively speaking. Desserts? ha ha. I think they're up to $9 a piece now, and while the desserts are not "bad"--they're made with some care, and composed of OK quality chocolate, heavy cream and butter and the like (as opposed to cool whip) All of the desserts available just sit in a refrigerated case all day- which means things like the attempt at dacquoise consists of meringue squares covered in 1/8th inch of refrigerator-hardened chocolate to keep them from melting away. Other desserts are similarly "preserved"--hardened and chilled to death - any sort of whimsy or moussy wonderfulness created by the pastry chef has been pounded away by many cold, hard hours spent in the pastry case, spending many a night under layers and layers of saran wrap.... so sad. well, I've depressed myself just writing this. Forget Big River. Just go get a banh mi at Baguette or a burger at Squirrel's.
(3)Marti B.
Okay. Had dinner there a few night ago again. I cannot tell anyone enough how this place mixes amazing food and atmosphere. All the ingredients that make up their delicious dishes are truly local from farms nearby - no kidding. Check out their local sign hanging above the desserts and you'll know where your fab food comes from. The juicy local New York Steak with blue cheese never disappoints nor does the dessert case. P.s. don't forget the copper river martini.
(5)Carly I.
This restaurant receives a full 5 stars for a number of reasons. Tonight my boyfriend and I dined here (on a business trip out of town) and received exemplary service from our server, Nicole. She really went above and beyond with her welcoming personality and her genuine recommendations. She applauded our dinner selections as well as my wine choice, but more than anything she was incredibly personable. To compliment the outstanding waitstaff (and host), the food was divine. Our steamed clams were a delightful start to an incredible evening. Fresh garlic and white wine butter sauce? Yes please. Next I enjoyed a classic Caesar salad with an anchovy-garlic dressing (ooh! and per Nicole's recommendation, a side of their signature bleu cheese vinaigrette). My date enjoyed THE BEST ribeye steak we have ever tasted. Honestly, we have tasted many a ribeye, Big River took the cake. I chose their risotto dumplings with fresh dungeness crab for my entree, and that too was superb. Not to mention a couple glasses of tempernillo encouraged an even more incredible evening! To top it off, our fantastic server recommended that if we were too full for dessert, (we were), to take something home with us. Good GOD. We chose their freshly baked apple crisp a la mode. What a suggestion! We were soooo pleased to say the least. So with that said, THANK YOU Big River, for your five star service, atmosphere, and above all, your unbelievable house specialties. If we find ourselves back in Corvallis, Oregon, we know where we'll be dining.
(5)Craig A.
Wanted a nice place for our son's graduation dinner. Made a reservation for 7:15. Arrived and told it would be another 25-30 minutes. Not too bad for the night before graduation but they could have just told us 7:45 at the outset. Three entrees ordered: grilled rib steak $35, pan seared chicken $24 and the "Bent" pizza $17. House salads were excellent. Fresh, almost "in season" tomatoes and a light red wine vinaigrette. Steak was excellent. Prepared perfectly to order, flavorful and tender though a bit overpriced at $35. The accompanying scalloped potatoes were inedible. Highly oversalted to the degree it was difficult to swallow a mouthful. In fact, the salt crystals were actually palpable in the potatoes. The chicken was also excellent. Well seasoned and tender. My wife said it was perhaps the best chicken she has ever had. Unfortunately, the side, white turnips, were undercooked, bland and like the potatoes unpleasant. The pizza was a total disappointment, especially at $17 for what amounted to a small pizza at any chain restaurant. And if it were a chain pizza it would have been better. The crust was well done but the red sauce was almost non existant and the each slice was overpowered by the flavor of bacon and gristly sausage. My wife equated the quality of the toppings to that of a frozen 99 cent store brand product. We had a microbrew - Caldera ale from Ashland at $5 and a "Forget your Blackberry" martini at $9. The martini was average - a bit oversweet. The waiter was efficient prompt and courteous. Overall the meal was acceptable with a total bill including tip at $110. While a nice spot I would suggest that for $110 you can fund a much better experience at another restaurant in Corvallis.
(3)Blair C.
The dinner menu at Big River is one of the best in Corvallis. However, the lunch menu has always left me a little perplexed; there are simply not many choices for a medium size lunch. It seems like you can have a steak or a salad, they should really put some more sandwich choices or light pastas for lunch. Just a minor gripe as far as food fair is concerned...however the wait staff leaves a lot to be desired. They are often uptight and overly proper for the clientle at the restaurant. Overall I would say check it out just don't expect too much from the staff who seems to struggle with even simple requests.
(3)Matt T.
Although service can be slow at times, don't let that put you off, just make sure to plan accordingly. The variety and quality of food makes this one of the better places in town. Personally, it is one of my favorites and I am pretty picky about what I give 5 stars to in my reviews. Both lunch and dinner have never disappointed. First off, the bread is baked in house (I stand corrected! I thought it was delivered from New Morning Bakery.) which makes it even better! Nothing like dipping fresh kalamata olive bread in seasoned virgin olive oil. Steamed Manila clams and crab cakes are some of the best appetizers to start off with. Should you get soup, the seafood chowder is one of my favorites. The salads are fresh; the pear and steak salad being highly recommended. The pasta dishes are quite good, though the last time I had the rigatoni it was a little bland. The seafood pasta and the seared scallops have been excellent choices however. At lunch, the sandwiches are flavorful and filling with the pulled pork and the Big River ruben definitely worth having. The pizzas and calzones are pretty good and expect to have leftovers to take home. And for dinner, the New York steak is very good. Many of the items are staples on the menu, but there are a few things that rotate through. The leg of lamb (if you like lamb) is heavenly when it's on the menu. If you're saving room for dessert, make sure to order the creme brulee. You won't be disappointed, though the variety of selections should be enough to please even the pickiest of dessert aficionados. Happy hour menu items are just as tasty as lunch and dinner, and Big River has a fine selection of spirits, including a nice selection of single malt Scotch whiskies.
(5)Susan C.
Stopped by after the Beaver baseball game for a nice dinner in the bar. Great duo playing, Seymour Baker. We ordered margaritas and share the crab fettuccine. This came with a salad as well. Really delicious. We will be back!
(4)Frank O.
I enjoyed the Manila Clams and Gnocchi at the bar during Happy Hour. The food was wonderful. Micah, my server, did a great job with his suggestions and comments. The meal was a bargain. I will return when in town. F
(5)Rebecca B.
Food was delicious, but over priced for the serving sizes. I mostly filled up on bread. Drinks (cocktails) were tasty. Dessert was the best part (lemon Marionberry cake) and we shared it.
(4)Hulk I.
Staff is great and polite. They know the food and the drink menu. Five star for the wait staff!! I grew up in Corvallis and have been coming for years. But tonight dinner was terrible. The chef had no idea how to cook steak. I got the two way lamb and the wife got ribeye. Both were over cooked and very dry. The table next to us returned both their rib eye. At $36, steak needs to be good and tender. I felt I ate beef jerky. Black char all over the steak. I won't be coming back, they lost a loyal, local, long time customer. The desert is still good.
(1)Joan F.
Big River has been consistently good for the 20 years I've been visiting there. Last night was no exception when I ate in the bar. I ordered ginger wings and a Caesar salad--both were delicious. My friend ordered dinner salad and crab cakes, also very good. My margarita was freshly muddled and perfect for a hot summer night; my friend's martini looked wonderful. The service was outstanding, just the right amount of attention and great timing. The waiter was professional and friendly. This rests taunt never disappoints.
(4)Lisa L.
The service was terrible. Our waitress did not come back to our table once. There was no one I could tell that they did not bring my food. We were a group of 5 and half the place was still empty. I would NOT recommend this place, EVER, TO ANYONE.
(1)Timothy B.
The food is good, and they have good variety, but it is a little too spendy for my taste. This isn't a "college budget friendly" place. I got the burger, which was the cheapest thing on the menu by a long shot, and it was $12. Probably a good place and price for a date, provided you don't go there too often.
(4)Brent M.
Good food, GREAT COCKTAILS, fun atmosphere, long wait times. On game days expect an hour or more wait, check in, go for a walk and wait for them to text you that your tables ready.
(4)Lydia S.
The only thing I like here are the desserts. Everything is over priced and lacks flavor, or it comes cold. LOVE their desserts though. A good place to go after you've had dinner elsewhere.
(3)Stefani C.
The food is ehhh. Nothing stands out expect their massive dessert list. The ambiance leaves something to be desired and the wait staff is on the slower side for large parties. Of places to eat in Corvallis, I would choose something else. Positive note, the staff is very friendly.
(2)Katie G.
This is a beautiful restaurant. Love the vaulted wood ceiling! The menu includes pizzas, pasta, salads, and larger plates of seasonal meat and vegetable entrées. Service is a little slow, but it is a great atmosphere for groups and families with kids. My gnocchi and Caesar salad were just ok, but the desserts are out of this world!
(4)I E.
What happened to the OLD Big River? This used to be my "go to" restaurant in Corvallis, but no more. The past several times I've eaten here have been very disappointing. Take my last experience for example: The GF and I arrived on a busy, but not crowded evening (a Tues.) Despite numerous empty booths we were seated at the end of the long tabled "communal" section, near the front door. I'm not sure why they put us there? Maybe we looked like we were hot, and would enjoy being blown by cold air every time someone came or went? (I needed to wear my coat while we ate as a result). Puzzlingly, every waitress working was over 60 years old (or so it looked). There certainly nothing wrong with this, but they did tend to have some of the self-entitled attitude so common in that generation. I simply found this odd for a restaurant in a college town. Nonetheless, our orders were taken fairly promptly and our appetizers arrived in short order. But then, after only finishing 1/4 of our appetizers our main courses were shoved onto our table. This meant that they were turning cold by the time we started them and stone cold by the time we finished (I've heard one too many stories from people who work in restaurants, and never send food back). And just to top things off, my dish (small dish prawns) was saturated in salt. I love salt, and often get grief for this from the GF, but this dish was like eating a salt lick. In contrast, my GF's ravioli was totally lacking in any flavor. It must have been made from only water, clear jello and some food coloring? It's a shame. This used to be such a nice place. But to now spend $50 and receive what we did? No...not again for a very long time (if ever again).
(2)Andrea P.
Most amazing place, food, ambience, bartender, music, and anything else. Cannot wait to come back next year!
(5)