The Pine Tavern has been feeding people on the banks of Mirror Pond since 1936, making it Bend's oldest restaurant and one of the oldest in Oregon. The building was constructed around a ponderosa pine tree that was already there, and the tree — now enormous — grows up through the dining room floor and out through the roof. It is one of those genuinely charming accidents of American restaurant history.
The menu runs to American classics — prime rib, grilled salmon, chops — done with care and sourced locally where possible. The setting on the creek side, with views over Mirror Pond to the park beyond, is particularly good in summer when the patio opens. Service tends toward the old-fashioned: unhurried, attentive, and slightly formal without being stiff.
Reservations are recommended for dinner; lunch is more casual. The popover bread that comes with the meal has its own local following.