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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2022)
PAGE 18 • GO! MAGAZINE THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022 • THE BULLETIN REVIEWS, DINING DEALS & FOOD NEWS bendbulletin.com/goeat On Wednesdays the weekly special is $5 Jack Daniels and Pendleton. Specials every day of the week at Tumalo Tavern Story and photos by JANAY WRIGHT • The Bulletin FOOD If you enjoy pool and killer drink specials, make a stop at Tumalo Tavern. There’s a drink special every day of the week, in addi- tion to happy hour from 4-6 p.m. on week- days. I walked through the doors on “whiskey” Wednesday, when the weekly special is $5 Jack Daniels and Pendleton, so my fiancé and I both ordered a Jack and Coke — his tall and mine short. With drink specials this good, food is more of an afterthought, but even then I wasn’t disappointed. The food menu was written in shorthand on a dry erase board on the side of the bar with a variety of fried of- ferings including “cheez” tots ($5.50), “mott sticks,” ($5.50) and “ckn” tenders ($8.50). The wings were gloriously crispy and arrived at the table piping hot. They were out of cheese tots, so we munched on mozzarella sticks and wings ($7) instead. The wings came out first. They weren’t covered in sauce and arrived at the table piping hot and gloriously crispy with two sides of ranch. When the server offered additional dipping options, I asked for the blue cheese dressing, and he brought out two small cups of that as well. The mozzarella sticks came to the table minutes later, also in a basket with red and white checkered parchment. They were sim- ilarly fried to perfection. The cheese had es- caped its coating in spots, making certain bites all the more satisfyingly chewy. The cup of marinara sauce on the side enhanced the fried goodness. SERVICE It was up to one server to single-handedly manage the bar and both the indoor and MORE INFO outdoor dining areas. He deftly managed the juggling act. If we were in need of some- thing, all I had to do was catch his eye, and he’d be over in an instant. ATMOSPHERE This pub is located at the Tumalo Junc- tion right off of Highway 20. The front of the tavern is mostly a garage door, waiting to be opened on warm, sunny days. There are pool tables, a video lottery and other arcade games. In addition to the beer signs lining the walls, there’s an old-timey cut-out of a sheriff’s office and gamblin’ room. It’s the perfect place to leave inconvenient niceties behind and just let loose. A sign be- hind the bar handwritten in chalk reminded patrons, “When life shuts a door … open it again. It’s a door. That’s how they work!” Location: 64670 Strickler Ave #103, Tumalo Contact: 541-330-2323 Hours: 11 a.m.-12:30 a.m. daily Price Range: $5.50-$8.50 Happy Hours: 4-6 p.m., Monday-Friday Happy Prices: $3 domestics, $4 microbrews, $3.75 house wine Weekly Specials: Sunday: $6 Bloody Mary’s and $1 off all drafts; Monday: $5 all vodka; Tuesday: $2 off all tequila; Wednesday: $5 Jack Daniels and Pend- leton; Thursday: $4 all draft beers and White Claw; Friday: $5 Fireball and $6 Jameson; Saturday: $4.50 all well drinks Cuisine: Full bar with limited food menu Reporter: 541-383-0304, jwright@bendbulletin.com The menu includes a variety of fried offerings including cheese tots ($5.50), mozzarella sticks ($5.50) and chicken tenders ($8.50).
