
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1530 Willamette St, Eugene, OR 97401
Phone: (458) 201-7044
Website: http://barpurlieu.com/
Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Bar Purlieu
Hours, Contact & Location — Welcome – Bar Purlieu
Bar Purlieu (@barpurlieu) · Eugene, OR – Instagram
Reviews
Upon arrival, it seemed they had to scramble to find and prep a table despite our reservation, as we were visiting from out of town for our anniversary. Which was totally understandable and no problem at all, except they sat us directly behind the prepping station for the plates and silverware, and it was incredibly loud and very uncomfortable as we could hardly communicate with each other over the noise. Servers were standing directly behind my head handling that station on and off the entire time, but after the initial sit down not going well we didn’t want to seem like a burden by asking to move.
That wouldn’t have been so bad if the service wasn’t so rude each visit to the table. The restaurant was busy, but we were aware that our table was being seen far less frequently than those around us. We tried to get the attention of the staff in the kindest manner possible to no avail.
Our server questioned our entire order, made comments that it was a lot of food for two people, and when the check arrived we noticed she added the large portion of an item we asked for the appetizer size of, but we still paid for it to avoid yet another hassle.
We ordered several dishes and some of it was great. We were most excited about the steak tartare which may have been seasonal, but it was definitely the best item we were served. We enjoyed the charcuterie board, and the mushroom tart was unique but flavourful.
What sealed the deal on the experience was the octopus soup(?) and the steak and fries. I’ve never seen octopus served in a soup/stew style like that, which was quite disappointing for an octopus dish, but even more so it was one of the most chaotic dishes I’ve ever been served at any restaurant. It didn’t make much culinary sense and wasn’t enjoyable at all unfortunately.
That being said, the steak came out literally cold to touch. We ordered medium rare, and it arrived inedible. It took over 15 minutes for the server to look in our direction. When she finally stopped by, she offered to cook the steak on the plate longer, but that was it. There was no acknowledgement of how undercooked it was, instead she seemed annoyed. At that point we were so ready to leave we just kindly asked for the steak to be removed from the tab as it was still untouched. The bill was quite expensive even without the steak, which we expected, but the experience being so stressful was unexpected and made the price point not worth it.
We didn’t try any desserts due to how uncomfortable and unpleasant our visit was. I’m hoping this experience was a one-off for this establishment as it seemed to have a lot to offer.
The service truly stood out. We arrived slightly early for our reservation and were graciously seated at the bar, where we enjoyed excellent cocktails while we waited. Even after closing, the experience left an impression. Seeing the staff gather to share a meal together spoke volumes about the atmosphere and care behind the scenes.
Thank you for such a memorable evening. We will definitely be returning.
My steelhead entrée was beautifully plated, but the fish was bland and lacked any real seasoning or complexity. The pistachio streusel added some texture, but couldn’t rescue the dish. Thankfully, the potatoes were the highlight of the plate. My date’s game hen leaned too heavy on the greens and too light on actual meat, which left us both underwhelmed.
We saved room for dessert, hoping for redemption, but the chai carrot cake missed the mark. The flavors didn’t blend well and felt oddly mismatched.
Bar Purlieu has delivered incredible meals in the past, but this visit was disappointing. Gorgeous presentation can’t make up for food that falls flat. I’m hoping it was a bad night.
The fresh oysters were well-prepared, and at $4.00 each, the price was reasonable given the quality of handling and the opportunity to compare two different varieties. However, the escargot dish was a major disappointment. It is a signature dish at many French restaurants, yet this was the first time I saw escargot served outside of its shell at a French establishment. Whether canned escargot was used or not, the portion size was far too small, and the bitter taste—possibly due to incomplete removal of the digestive tract—made it unpleasant. I would absolutely not recommend this menu item.
The scallops were grilled well, but the risotto was completely overcooked and lacked the proper texture. Risotto should always be cooked al dente to provide a layered texture, but that wasn’t the case here. While the sauce was flavorful, the price felt too high. The dish was simply labeled “sea scallop” without any special features, and considering the retail price of wild-caught scallops, the cost seemed excessive even when estimating wholesale pricing.
The mussel dish lacked overall balance, and the **guanciale** was burned, which left a bitter aftertaste.
Once again, I was reminded that French cuisine starts and ends with butter—without wine, the dishes felt overwhelmingly rich. It reinforced my belief that French food must be paired with wine.
I also believe that a restaurant offering a **Chef’s Special** menu should not feel overly casual. There were two large tables occupied by lively groups, and their loud conversations and laughter made it difficult to even hear the dish explanations. This is not a place would visit for a special day dining for all . This was my first and last meal here. In other words, it is not a place I would recommend.
So if you’re hungry, you would probably need multiple dishes. What I go back? Probably to try the different menu because it does change.