The Agate Alley Bistro

Possibly one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. Superb eggs Benedict with just the right amount of everything in sauce, components, and quantity. Bacon was perfect.
Will be back!

After a horrible customer service experience including being forgotten about outside, I won’t be back. The food isn’t worth the money and unless you just want a beer there are better, more consistent places in Eugene to grab some food. The employees just don’t seem to care maybe because they are so close to the campus but they’ve lost a few local customers and referrals.

One our very favorites in town. Always a unique menu feature great combinations of favors!

Disappointing service. We went for breakfast. After we noticed that a large party got their food and we (2 of us) had not been served, we tried to get the attention of the wait staff. That was nearly impossible. We had to get up from the table to track them down. We thought that they had forgotten to put in the order as we still had to wait for our food. However, when the food came, it was cold! The food may have been good if it was warm. We talked to the server and the manager, who did the right thing and comped our meal. If you do go there, stay on top of the wait staff. I recommend going somewhere else.

I’ll say this — I am a breakfast connoisseur. It’s my favorite meal of the day. We tried to go to Studio One next door, but they’re remodeling. I’m so glad we did, because I’m IN LOVE with the Car Bomb French Toast. It is literally the best French toast I’ve ever had. And I’ve had a lot of French toast. Do yourself a favor and just order it. Trust me. Jamie was a great server and we left happy and full. I wish I could take the chef back home to LA because I’ll be dreaming of that French toast for years to come.

5 stars for decent chilaquiles and gender neutral restrooms. Love from two transgender customers!

I would have given Agate Alley five stars had our waiter been more attentive.
I dined with two others and I think they enjoyed their lunches. I didn’t even think to ask because I was so ENTHRALLED with my salad. It’s been three weeks since I was there and I’m still salivating over that damn salad.
Do yourself a favor and order the GOLDEN BEET SALAD. It’s delicious! It’s no ordinary beet salad. The delicata squash/​goat cheese purée sets it apart from every other beet salad I’ve had. The crostini served with the salad had a grilled/​smokey taste to it – really good! I was in heaven.
Again, if the waiter had not forgotten about our water glasses, I would have given our experience a five star review!

Bloody Marys were bomb and there’s something about bacon soaked vodka in a dark lounge environment that fixes a hangover. The food was only ok, but the bacon and coffee were solid. Come here for a Bloody Mary and go across the street for food.

Didn’t realize I had to order poached eggs runny in my eggs Benedict. Plus, the food was cold and service lethargic when it wasn’t very busy. Only went there because Studio 1 was closed. Won’t be going again.

There were tons of parents in town for family weekend so the restaurants around Eugene were just packed. The Agate was not our first choice but they had openings without reservations. The place is really unique… Let’s call it Garage Sale Chic. Nothing matches but it all fits together. Cool bar area and a couple of different rooms offering a different atmosphere.
Service was a bit slow but efficient enough for a casual night out. Unique cocktails, excellent Buffalo Trace bourbon and a tasty calamari appetizer. Kind of small pieces but a delicious tangy dipping sauce. Between the four of us we had a salmon special, steak, gnocchi and ravioli. We all really enjoyed our meals.
Fun atmosphere, decent prices for the area and some pretty tasty dishes.

Good food. Very good Bloody Mary.
We showed up at 10, got seated at 10:15,
Walked out at 11:30 with To-​Go boxes.
Sounds great right? No. We walked out of there without even touching our food.
We had to be at the airport by Noon so you can imagine our rush, come 11:15 and we hadn’t even seen our waitress since the one time she checked in on us at 10:45.
None the less, an hour wait for food was enough to keep us from going back.

Fun campus place.
Food is always quality and drinks are exceptional.
There are great deals on different days, includes a happy hour.
Service is about what you’d expect from a campus restaurant but usually polite.

Agate Alley is good again!
When Aa first opened, they were fun, funky, and functional. Food was good; so were drinks. Calamari was outstanding. It was even an accident the first time we ordered it. We asked if it was good, and were assured it was. We didn’t realize we had ordered it, but were glad when it came because YUM. Calamari done right is excellent. If it isn’t done right, it’s garbage. They create some interesting fusion dishes that please the pallate. The staff is very friendly and helpful.
But… A few years ago, they opened a second location called The Laboratory. It was also fun, but the food quality just wasn’t quite the same. The sad thing was, the second location became a drag on the first, and quality declined. They even switched the raw material for their calamari. I didn’t go for quite some time. The Laboratory closed a year ago or so.
So I was pleasantly surprised when we stopped by last week. It seems that Aa has come back to being what the were originally. The only thing I hate is deciding what to order. So many interesting options. I guess I have to go back. I’ll probably always get the calamari, and we can split one or two other dishes.
On Sunday they have brunch and an excellent Bloody Mary bar. Go! I know I will…

Originally planned to eat Sunday brunch at Studio One, but our group didn’t want to wait 30 minutes so we came to Agate Alley instead. I’m glad I didn’t read the reviews before coming.
We were seated immediately and the waiter was prompt and friendly throughout the meal. Good selection of brunch items. My fiancé and I split the fish tacos, sweet potato fries, and chilaquiles. Portions were large and the food was delicious! Our friends had the burrito and the classic (eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast) and were very happy with their selections. Of note, they offer gluten free bread for those with gluten intolerances.

Agate Alley appears to be a confused sort of business. On one hand, it’s a trendy restaurant with good food and drink, quiet and decorated with beautiful plants. On the other hand, it’s a site for college bacchanalia.
Fortunately, my family visited during the summer, when the college student vibe wasn’t so much in evidence.
I ordered a seafood sandwich that was just incredibly delicious. My companions, however, were not entirely pleased with their choices. Some of the dishes were quite inventive.
I thought the service was fine and the prices reasonable.
It seems to me the trick is to know what events are going on at Agate Alley, so you can visit when the crowd you want is there.

Good food and decent deals. Half price wine night is great.
Menu runs from hamburgers to blackened salmon.
Come here for a long chat and some inexpensive wine (for a restaurant).
Service is ok. Wait staff seems to cycle through quickly.

My husband and I have visited Agate Alley half a dozen times, and we’ve been mostly pleased.
This place is kinda kooky. On the one hand, they have decent food and some nice nightly specials. The venue is pleasant; AC indoors with new booths and pretty plants, and they allow dogs on their covered patio. But just across the dining room is a darkened bar with some lumpy stools and a projector playing old movies in the waiting area. It’s like these are two separate places attached by a kitchen. And the kitchen seems kooky, too. Like they think of themselves as Top Chefs — they have the head chef’s and sous chef’s names on the back of the menu like they’re celebrities or something.
Still, most of the food is good, and some of it is inventive. The ravioli is golf ball sized, and the flavors are surprisingly lovely. The ocean melt is good, the crab cakes are delicious, and the burger is spot-​on. Also, half-​price bottles of wine on Monday is a great deal.
The one bad menu item I’ve had so far was the jerk chicken sandwich (Nate’s a Jerk). It had maybe a quarter cup of shredded chicken (thigh meat) on a rather large ciabatta bun, and I mostly tasted the mango chutney and got zero spice — on a jerk chicken sandwich, that’s a big fat fail. Fries are good, tho.
I’ll come back and try new stuff. Their chefs take chances and hit the mark most of the time.

I ordered the gnocchi with asparagus & zucchini because it sounded like a relatively healthy pasta dish. I was extremely confused when my food arrived and instead of potato dumplings, it was a log of undercooked dough covered in sauce with deep-​fried asparagus on top. I even asked my server if he’d brought me the right thing. He replied «yes» gruffly and walked away before I could ask any more questions. He never came back to ask if my food was alright either. I feel bad for the staff that has to serve something like that. So I still left him a tip. But I will not be returning to Agate Alley.

This place is amazing! They have happy hour 3 – 6 so it’s perfect for an early dinner or late lunch and they have a great selection on their happy hour menu. I had the Mac n cheese and it was definitely the best I have ever had! My boyfriend had the BLT with fries and it was also amazing. This place is great and I would definitely recommend it!

I trekked over to Agate Alley Bistro & Bar (Aa) this afternoon for lunch during my break. The parking is a bear for Aa; customers must rely only on the street’s limited 2-​hour spots. The entrance is clearly marked on the side of the building with an optional entrance (seasonal?) just off of the patio dining area.
The menu is displayed on the exterior near the front door. It’s pricey, but on par with other area restaurants. I saw bar and lunch-​type fare mixed in with fancier vittles. One sandwich in particular caught my eye, the «Ocean Melt,» which boasted crab and bay shrimp in a garlic-​parmesean sauce over grilled sourdough. JOYGASM!
The interior of Aa is very modern and classy, if dark. I came in at 1:40 p.m. and barely any of the lights were on except in the back, which looked very well-​lit, warm, and inviting.
I was greeted almost immediately and told to sit anywhere by a waitress blowing through the podium area. When she blew back through, I told her I needed to place a to-​go order. She got me a menu and said she would find someone else to take my order.
When I was a waitress, I took orders whether they were to-​go or dine-​in, so I was a little confused. To-​go orders are far less work– turn in the ticket, hand over the food, no muss, no fuss, no drink refills, no cleanup. After a moment, the waitress returned and told me I could order at the bar when I was ready.
I sat in the cushy waiting-​area couch (sooo cushy and comfy it was hard to get up!) and was invited by another waitress to «sit where ever I wanted» as she blew through the area. I don’t think they are accustomed to to-​go orders. :)
I waited a moment at the bar and tried to order the Ocean Melt, not finding anything else that sounded *nearly* as mouth-​wateringly delicious or garlic-​free. I asked the waitress who helped me if it was possible to have it with cheddar or some other form of cheese, forgoing the «parmesean-​garlic sauce.» She told me it comes pre-​mixed, which (to me) equates to pre-​made and refrigerated until needed– a HUGE possible «ew!» Not that I need my crab freshly cracked upon ordering, but if they’re going to charge $ 13 for a sammich and side, I don’t want a pre-​fab mixture heated up, ya know? I may as well go to a deli case.
I ordered the BLT, without the garlic aioli (seriously?!) and added avocado. I double-​checked that this was real and actual avocado and not guacamole crap that is too-​often billed as avocado (see previous reviews– GRR!) I let the waitress know I am allergic to garlic (just in case– one never knows where else they might sneak it in!) I had the option of sweet-​potato fries, regular fries, salad, or soup. I ordered a salad with ranch on the side (never know how much garlic is going to be used in the ranch– especially in a restaurant whose chefs aren’t aware of any other seasoning to use in its dishes.)
I waited on the patio and was swarmed with flies, which were not a problem on the interior of the restaurant despite the open door.
After waiting for 20 minutes (to recap: for a SANDWICH and SALAD.) I went in to check on the progress and find the ladies’ room. My waitress let me know it was «on its way» and pointed me toward the back of the restaurant for the restroom.
The bathroom was awful! It was completely dark, save two very dim mood lights, and no light switch. An elderly patron could have a very difficult time, particularly if there were any water spilled on the floor. I’m shocked– this seems like a fairly serious liability concern.
Still no food. I waited next to the doorjamb across from the bar t.v. for another five or so minutes. From my vantage point, I had a clear view of much of the kitchen. Umm. ew– the floor was filthy. I saw a couple of paper towels laying near the exit where wait-​staff would be walking through (slip hazard) and watched a couple of people just walk right on through ignoring it. I could see, through dim lighting, that the kitchen floor was grimy as hell. The counters were fairly clean but neither chef was using gloves of any kind. I saw one chef eating while he was preparing food, which seems unhygenic.
A different waitress brought out my food in a box, paused, and asked if I would need a fork or napkins or anything. CLEARLY they are not accustomed to take-​out orders. She handed me a fork and napkins. Common sense would have told me to include the order along with accoutrements in a bag for ease of carrying, but what do I know?
Got back to my office with 10 minutes left on my break. The sandwich was gorgeous– piled high with greens, thick bacon, tomato but no avocado. I realized about 4 bites in that the «tang» that was causing my mouth to itch and my throat to swell was, yep– garlic aioli.
So, I get to spend the rest of the afternoon babysitting my inhaler and crunched over with stomach cramps. What’s the opposite of «awesome?» Oh yeah, THAT.
Pretty restaurant, ok service, inattentive to customer’s (my) needs, expensive. Not coming back.