8 Restaurants In Oregon That Are Hard To Get In… But Totally Worth It

We've all seen those restaurants with long lines that extend all the way down the sidewalk and around the corner. Oregon is no exception, and we have several must-visit restaurants for any foodie's bucket list! From Apizza Scholls to Bowpicker Fish & Chips, these eight unique restaurants in Oregon have cult followings that rival "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," but once you’ve tasted what they have to offer, you’ll completely understand what the hype is all about. Queue up at these unique restaurants in Oregon, and get ready to have your taste buds explode with goodness.

1. Apizza Scholls

Apizza Scholls is a busy Portland pizza joint that serves thin-crust hand crafted pizza so good it will blow your mind. Seriously -- this pizza is life changing!

2. McKay Cottage Restaurant

McKay Cottage Restaurant in Bend is super popular and delicious, serving "Creative comfort food".

3. Word Of Mouth Neighborhood Bistro

Word Of Mouth Neighborhood Bistro is an absolutely amazing New American restaurant in Salem. They have an especially popular brunch, with dishes such as creme brûlée French toast. Yum!

4. Screen Door

This Southern eatery in Portland has gotten a lot of attention in the past few years, and rightly so. They serve decadent meals that have people lining up down the street, especially for brunch (for which they serve dishes such as buttermilk fried chicken over sweet potato waffles). Screen Door will take your brunch game to the next level!

5. Jaspers Cafe

Jaspers Cafe has limited seating and long lines but just about everyone who tastes it is blown away by their amazing, unique burgers. Jaspers bills itself as creating "burgers with attitude," and indeed, these crave-worthy carnivorous creations have bite! (Vegetarians, not to worry -- Jaspers has lots of options for you, too!)

6. Kaleidoscope Pizzeria & Pub

Kaleidoscope Pizzeria & Pub is a delightful pizza shop in Medford that's well loved and often has a line out the door. Try the taco pizza -- just trust us on this one!

7. ¿Por Que No?

With sustainable meat and fish and overall amazing tacos, this taqueria is not to be missed. The lines are long but tend to move quickly, and the restaurants themselves are colorful and decorated wonderfully with all kinds of knick knacks, art, hanging lights, and idols. Also, the margaritas here are to die for!

8. Bowpicker Fish and Chips

This fish and chips joint in Astoria has long lines, but their fresh, perfectly fried, not greasy fish and french fries are totally worth the wait. We wax poetic on Bowpicker Fish and Chips in this article.

Have you been to these unique restaurants in Oregon? Which one is your favorite? We'd love to hear about your top picks! If there's a favorite eatery you'd like to see featured on Only In Oregon, nominate them here!

One restaurant not included on this list that deserves mention is Soter Vineyards. In 2021, Oregon was launched into the national culinary scene in a big way with "Top Chef Portland" -- and the show featured two Oregon chefs: Gabriel Pascuzzi, chef and owner of the Portland restaurants Mama Bird and Stacked Sandwich Shop, and Sara Hauman, who leads the culinary program at Soter Vineyards, creating some of the most innovative and delicious fare in the Willamette Valley. While neither of these Oregon-based cheftestants took the coveted title, simply competing in this competition was a huge honor; and since the show's airing, Soter Vineyards has had record reservations, as folks clamber to try Chef Sara's inventive, produce-forward, authentically PNW cuisine.