Cafe Eugene

Green eggs and Sam! So good

This place was charming and very good. Small portions so you’ll be able to try several things. The Mochi Muffin is all that everyone raves about. I wish I tried the burger with fried egg. It looked so good over at the next table!

My new favorite restaurant! The ambiance is warm and inviting with beautiful lamps and chairs. The staff is super friendly. I had the steelhead fish dish and it was amazing — so flavorful! The desserts were divine, especially the berry shortcake. I can’t stop thinking about it! The cocktails were also perfect and I loved the flower one (can’t remember the full name). I highly recommend Café Eugene!

The atmosphere was lively and fun. The food was yummmy! The pork shoulder grits were particularly good. The lentil was also really good. I should have taken pictures!

Salad was dry and absolutely no flavor. Ambience is confusing. Won’t waste my money here. Gross !

That was the best breakfast I’ve had in a year, easily.
Here’s the story: Little Star Pizza outgrew the space it was in (if you ever waited for take-​out, you might suggest they outgrew the space the moment they opened). So Little Star moved next-​door, and the owner is stepping up and trying something new, and wonderful.
We arrived around 10am, there was only one other couple in the restaurant at the time. It seems word about breakfast and brunch hasn’t gotten out yet. This is only the 2^nd weekend they’ve been open for breakfast.
The menu was intimidating for this group. It’s contemporary Pacific Northwest cuisine, inspired by the owner from Eugene. There were some things on the menu that this particular group would never have chosen, like scrambled eggs with aged jack cheese, steelhead roe, roasted radish, & grilled sourdough baguette. I’m sure it’s delicious, but pop-​pop uses fish eggs for fishing, not scrambling.
Our waiter (hey other Aaron!) took incredibly great care of our whole group. For example, when I ordered a small mug of hot water he asked if it was for our 3yo, and brought it first for her right away, along with a whole coloring book and some crayons.
He also encouraged us to try another dish that this group would NEVER have considered, the open face sandwich italian batard with tofu paté, avocado, and herb and sprout salad. We added the optional house-​cured salmon as well. This dish was spectacular, and even pop-​pop, who has a very clear no-​tofu policy, went back in for seconds.
There were so many exciting things on the menu, we all wanted to try everything, so we ordered family style.
In addition to the tofu and salmon sandwich, we also ordered the baked vanilla mochi muffin with coconut caramel sauce. I’ve never heard of a mochi muffin. The first thing wifey said to me after she took a bite: I have to learn how to make mochi muffins. It was delicious, with a crunchy crusty golden brown baked outside, and a chewy mochi texture in the center.
We also shared the sweet yogurt raspberry pancakes with whipped butter, and a generous portion of maple syrup. It was just perfect.
Lastly, I can definitely recommend Aaron and Aaron’s favorite dish: cheesy grits with tomatillo-​braised pork shoulder, chayote butternut squash, wild herb sauce, & poached egg.
Everything was absolutely delicious.
In addition to excellent food and service, the ambience was warm and welcoming, with lots of rich wood, lots of light from big windows, and a beautiful redwood silhouette on the east wall.
Thank you so much to Nique for the hot tip about this new spot, and thank you Aaron for treating us like family. What a treat. We can’t wait to come back.

Disregard last review I was having a bad day so anyone in front of me was a victim of my rant. Please forgive me, this place is great.

To start, we shared the tofu and smoked salmon toasts, both very good. I had the steelhead salmon and it was crazy good. The shortcake was also excellent. Our waitress was very nice and helpful. Can’t wait to go back!

Eugene’s took over Little Star’s old spot, so the architecture and fit and finish remains top notch.
Came for brunch and everything was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the biscuit with gravy; the gravy is ON POINT. So good. The mochi muffin was great and the cheesy grits were also amazing.
Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Service was there when we needed it but we didn’t feel rushed, which is the ideal mix you want from your servers.
Great brunch spot to come by for some good food and drink a couple mimosas. I’ll have to try the evening fare sometime soon.

Came here for brunch, and the food and service were outstanding. Mochi muffins were completely unique and blew us away. Also had the cheesy grits with pork shoulder and herbs, and the strata, both of which were fresh, clean and satisfying. Tons of flavor in everything. We’ll be back!

I would recommend this place to anyone! Staff were very friendly, location had great ambiance, and was really upscale. Menu was sophisticated yet simple and the dishes all were executed with perfection. The bar had an enormous amount of craft beers and ciders and the food came out timely with robust flavors… it seems as if the owners and managers really have a finger on the pulse of what diners like myself are looking for in the dinning experience right now and four that they get five stars hands down. PORK AND GRITS AWESOME… I’m didn’t eat tofu until I had their tofu toast… mmmmmm

Eugene’s took over Little Star’s old spot, so the architecture and fit and finish remains top notch.
Came for brunch and everything was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the biscuit with gravy; the gravy is ON POINT. So good. The mochi muffin was great and the cheesy grits were also amazing.
Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Service was there when we needed it but we didn’t feel rushed, which is the ideal mix you want from your servers.
Great brunch spot to come by for some good food and drink a couple mimosas. I’ll have to try the evening fare sometime soon.

A friend recommended this place… AND MAN, are we glad she did! We went for brunch. Let me tell you… The Mochi cupcake will make you love brunch again. We had the following:
*Strata
*French Toast
*Tofu spread with avocado on toast
*Biscuits and sausage gravy
*Granola, Yogurt, and fruit
*Shrimp roll
*Grits and pork in tomatillo
*Mochi muffin
I know it seems like a lot of food for 4 people, but the plates are perfect for sharing. I know it’s hard to believe, but we managed to finish most of it. Most of the entrees are served with a lovely salad tossed in a very light but delicious dressing. The food is clean. And while we ate a ridiculous amount, I didn’t feel too heavy (or guilty) after.
In fact, brunch was so delicious, WE CAME BACK FOR DINNER ON THE SAME DAY. We had the following:
*Buratta with salad
*Cauliflower and Brussels sprouts roasted with cheese
*Oregon toast with sardine rilletes
*Oregon toast with tofu spread and avocado
*Burger
*Cheesy grits with pork in tomatillo
*Clam chowder
*Apple cake
*Chocolate bread pudding
*Shortcake
Again, a ton of food. But all delicious. If you eat nothing else here, you have to at least try the burger (and don’t substitute or remove anything-​eat it the way it’s served). I’m a bit of a purist when it comes to burgers; but trust me, don’t change anything!
My lists aren’t doing the food any justice. We were very happy with our meals.
Bonuses: very friendly staff (Simone and Will are wonderful); delicious Old Fashioned (and a good Old Fashioned is pretty hard to find these days).

We were waiting for Café Eugene to open and went in for dinner the second night it opened! We were not disappointed! My brother and his family live in Eugene and we’ve enjoyed many good meals in that friendly town. This was just as friendly, with that great Oregon ambiance and style. Everything we tried was delicious, starting with the cocktails. Items tried: clam chowder (perfect), house cured salmon and sardine toasts (wonderful, on
Acme bread), the hamburger (my «picky» friend pronounced it delicious), and the pork (my husband loved it). We also had the apple cake, so good. Overall, it was a really relaxing, comfortable and fun place to spend an evening. We will definitely go back — andI can’t wait till my brother comes down to visit and we take him there.

I was visiting some friends in the Bay Area who took me to Café Eugene last Thursday. I know it was a new restaurant, but I was thrilled with everything. We all shared a bunch of items…
Jar of smoked salmon — So much better than we expected! It wasn’t super mushy, but rather firm and full of flavor. The pickled veggies were fantastic as well! A perfect dish for a table of 4 to share.
Oregon Toasts — We got the salmon and sardine. We like the sardine a bit better, but both were loved by the table. Again, a great sharing item.
The mussels — This dish was by far the favorite of the night. Plenty to share, but by the end, we were fighting over them. You cannot come here without ordering them (although I suggest you order an entire one for yourself because you will want every drop of that sauce on them!!) I order mussels any time I see them on a menu, but these blew me away. Such wonderful flavors!!! mmm, I want more just writing about them!
Beet salad — Wonderful salad with the pistachios and and burrata, how could you go wrong??? They didn’t!
Clam chowder — I had seen some reviews of people not loving the clam chowder, so was a little hesitant however, they were wrong. Do not expect New England style clam chowder. This one is lighter and full of flavor. Not that heavy cream you get in some places… Just nice flavors working together with the small potatoes and clams… Quite delicious… and the puff pastry on top was a nice addition as well.
Pork Shoulder — Finally, our big dish. Again, we shared. Grits were creamy and full of flavor. The pork just fell apart and the tomatillo sauce on top… well we wanted to lick the bowl clean after tasting that!
Drinks — The «Duck, Duck, Punch» was surprisingly wonderful! I had that and even with all the items in it, it wasn’t too sweet… just enough to counter the rum. I could easily have a few of those throughout the night!
OVERALL: Although Café Eugene still has some growing to do (only been open for 1 week when we visited), it clearly it on the right track. I read some reviews about the noise and I think they have turned down the music when we went because we could all hear each other and hold a conversation without problem. It was fabulous and I look forward to going back again soon!!! Can’t wait for them to start brunch in a few weeks as well!

Way too noisy– it’s impossible to hear anyone without yelling which creates a stressful dining experience. Service needs improvement– but I’m hoping that’s due to the fact that they just opened. I won’t be returning.

Time: 6:17pm/52°F clear
Purpose: Was told to come for dinner. Since I’ve catching up to do in Berkeley/​El Cerrito area. Making this as last stop before heading back seem ideal.
Ambiance: CE replace Little Star Pizza with minor changes. Not much has been done for the place as structure and seating wise about the same. Just different furnishings with darker wood use. It look although three dining section for this average size place. Even though it feel kinda cramp and small. They manage to get the most important aspect of running a restaurant nestle in. Bar counter sits about six at most, but enough to serve patron dining solo. Largest group seating would be the family booth sits six. Rest of place are table of various size that can be pull together or separate to accommodate party size. It feel warm and cozy with faux Tiffany light shades above for that even more trendy homey feel. If that wasn’t enough light kitchen partition glass shed a warming glow to mid dining area. Heated patio seating for those breezy nights and those who wants to people watch. At full capacity, its loud and busy. For those with families, it didn’t disappoint either as everyone was talking about the food. A good indication its worth coming for.
Staff: Energetic young crew good balance of both gender. Front of house workers buzzing around table to table as people started streaming in. Waiter was friendly didn’t push for high price dishes, a common practice for newly open places. I ask a series of questions before placing order. To my surprise, they seem to know what each dish consist of, and how it would taste in precise details. Even told me how its made. Keep in mind this is coming from a waiter. Very well, let me order now!
Cleanliness: Grade A, impeccably clean throughout the place. Utensils were clean no grime or residues spotted. Restroom is the same well kept soap dispenser full along with all essential.
Eats/​Drinks: Oregon toast (pick any two of three) 2pcs/​$ 8. Went with house-​cured salmon, and sardine rillettes. As much as I like toast, the salmon toast didn’t wow me. Lemon was hinted and salmon tasted no different from a 4oz Nova Scotia vacuum sealed package version. Crème fraîche was too much, it couldn’t balance out salmon and roe, tad overpowering. However, I like the sardine toast. Had a mild spiciness mixed with cream cheese. Sardines was excellent didn’t expect sardine from can to taste so yummy. The pickled chiles probably gave it that taste sensation on taste buds. Buluga lentil soup with poached egg $ 8 was just alright. Tasted like can progresso version, but with chunks of veggies and poached egg thrown in. It provided fiber and all, just wish it was more hearty. A little more lentil and less watery would make it a exceptional soup. Pork shoulder with grits $ 16 was the star of the evening. Braised pork were tender and juicy bursting flavor bite after bite. The way meat was cut tells me instantly experience butcher at work. Pieces of acorn squash along with chayote and tomatillos gave this dish a taste I’ve never encountered before. The next best thing for this dish was grits. Coarsely ground corn kernels cook to perfection not too watery or runny. Very creamy consistency, but provide a foundation to uphold the pork. I would eat grits alone if it taste that good everywhere I go. Had Victory Pilsner $ 6 to wash it down. Lots of hop flavor, but not much head. A little citrusy with subtle taste. Kind of a refresher than full out beer high ABV beer.
Main Features: Pork shoulder w/​grits, Oregon toast, grilled 5 dot ranch burger.
Products/​Services: Full food and drink meun disclosure on picture. Takes all plastic (no minimum), RSVP, bar television, heated patio, family booth.
Punch Lines: Hip and happening, warm service, pleasing flavors, high energy, drool-​worthy, loud and busy, modest cost, close-​together table, easy night out, wood paneling, well-​prepared, lively atmosphere, can’t go wrong, worth the wait, casual and delicious, engaging, festive environment, longer than usual food wait time, no slum dog, satisfactory.
Tradeoffs: Most dishes are prepared for grown ups. Therefore sharing a dish with kids will result in placing another order. That’s the drawback for not having kids menu.
Final Thoughts: Being a place of Oregon-​inspired offering, there wasn’t much beer from Oregon to choose from. Only a sour beer listed. Couldn’t get the full experience till its pair with the right beverage. Was a little disappointed, but consider the effort put towards the food. I overlooked it. Nevertheless, its a good festive place to try dishes of the Pacific Northwest inspired, if you haven’t had any before. There’s certainly more good things than bad here, but hopefully a revolving menu will keep me coming back. Worth every coin in my books.

New and trying hard; staff and kitchen skills are pretty good and for a new
Restaurant they are pretty well organized. Food is good, wine list is eclectic. My only complaint is the noise level which is just too loud: all hard surfaces so no sound absorbtion, very loud music system and the mixologist makes a lot of noise shaking exotic cocktails. The combination makes for an unpleasant experience. May appeal to those in their 30’s for whom having a conversation is not a priority and for whom having a lot of noise is a convenient cover for diving into your FB and avoiding your less-​than-​ideal dining companion, but why bother going out then? Probably not returning.

This gem of a restaurant just opened on Solano Ave in the old Little Star pizza spot, which moved next door. They do Pacific-​Northwest-​style comfort food (lots of seafood, seasonal veggies and fruit, good quality meats, cocktails) in a beautiful space, redone with cozy colored glass lighting, a lot of wood, and a well-​stocked bar. I had the Foggy East Bay clam chowder topped with buttery puff pastry leaves. It’s a light soup with a fresh seafood flavor, different from most typical clam chowders. The clam chowder pot pie really hit the spot on a cold day, as did the pork braised in tomatillo sauce over grits. My partner and I also loved the mussels in hard cider and andouille sausage, with a smoky delicious flavor. Do not miss the cold-​smoked salmon pâté appetizer. This was my favorite dish of the night– a super-​fresh, super-​mild rustic salmon spread, served in a small jar with housemade pickles, a soft-​boiled egg, and olive oil crackers. For dessert we had shortcake with whipped cream and marionberry sauce, really bright and delish. You could also skip dessert and get a Diplomatico cocktail. It’s this addictive espresso/​rum/​cream/​chocolate liqueur cocktail. We seriously had 3 of these between the 2 of us. Drop by here. You’ll love it.

Everything we tried was great! Service was even better! I’m a Eugene native and this place brought me a taste of home here in the East Bay! Love this place