Beautiful facility and tasting room.. Fabulous view of countryside. Â Interesting graveyard also on property with grav es from the 1800's. We ate in the restaurant, servers were excellent, food above average. The reason I am not rating it higher is because we were seated near tasting bar which is noisy. I noticed a separate dining room with a fireplace off to the side. Â it was empty. Â I asked if we could be seated there and were told no because it was booked for a private party. We were actually with a wine club member but were stilled turned down. Â The entire 2 hours we were there, only one table of 4 was seated in this beautiful little room, I saw no big private party and all the other tables remained empty. Â Only as we were leaving, parties of 2's and 4's were being seated there. In fact, as we were paying our bill, another couple requested that they be seated in the private dining room. We told them we had been turned down and don't expect to be seated there, but lo and behold, they were moved right into the "special room". Â Too bad Erin the manager couldn' t have made a better decision that would have improved our experience!
Review Source:Oct 2013 - We went on a very rainy day. It is a pretty long drive and you pass several other wineries so we expected it to be quiet there. Â Nope. Â Pretty busy. Â The wines were good - not exceptional although I did enjoy the Signature Pinot Noir. Â Wished we could have enjoyed the view but rainy and cloudy so no sitting outside. Â Menu looked good but pricey. Â The most spectacular attribute is the winery building itself. Â High on a hill and magnificent. Â Go to taste and enjoy the architecture.
Review Source:Of course, the reason to go to the King Estate is for their wide selection of some really good wines, but King also offers a restaurant with some wonderful food. I think the food is pricey, but I also think the higher prices were justified by the outstanding quality of the food. The pastrami sandwich I enjoyed was the best I have ever had, a distinction previously held by a tiny little sandwich shop in Santa Barbara, CA whose pastrami had a more delicate flavor than I usually find and that really enhanced the meal. However, the pastrami at Kings was notable for its freshness, tenderness and for the light hint of smokey flavor (unique among any pastramis I've ever had) that supplemented the already wonderful pastrami flavor. Moreover, the portion size was great, probably another justification for the price. I followed the meal with coffee which was fresh, strong but not too strong, and delicious. And, of course, the view from the dining room out over the vineyards made the entire experience memorable. I rarely give a 5 rating because I really want them to go to only the most top notch of places and this one certainly earned it.
Review Source:We live in Alaska but make it a point to go here every time we are in Oregon. The food and wine is out of this world. However, the customer service is the real treat. This place has twice given us the most amazing service when shipping our case of wine to Alaska. They went out of their way to get us a shipping box the first time we were there. When we arrived home they had sent us a 50$ gift card because we had to wait for our box.......
The second time they told us they no longer had the boxes available so they offered free ground shipping to Alaska. They called a few days later with bad news that they could not ship for free. I told the lady that if we could just have a box I could check it on the plane. They offered to bring us the wine to our door that same day so we could take it on our flight. That saved us a 30 minute drive back out there to pik up our goodies! I just can't say enough about this place. We are impressed every time we are there. FABULOUS!!!
They have made us lifetime costumers and we will return with every trip to Oregon. Thank you!
Whoever is in charge of customer service training at this place deserves a raise!!!
The restaurant serves delectable meals, however, the wines are not the most impressive. Although, If I have to buy one i would get the Pinot Gris. Â The last time we were there, we received poor service. We seemed to be the youngest looking diners in the restaurant and most people think we're only in our 20s. The server and floor manager? kept passing us by, asking everyone around us if they need anything even though we've been out of water and our wine glass is empty. Â We feel that we have been discriminated against due to our age. No vineyard in Napa has ever treated us this way. It might just be the narrow mindedness of the employees in that winery.
Review Source:Best burger and fries for lunch I have ever had (and probably will ever have) (and cheap too) I've probably eaten over 20 of them over the past 10 years. The salads are great too and the dressing is light and yummy. Haven't been for dinner too many times, it is more pricey and smaller portions but the food is very good and you can't beat the ambiance. I live right nearby (in the sticks) and it is wonderful having such a great option for takeout so close by.
Review Source:This place is one of our favorites from the spectacular view to the great food to, of course the wonderful wine, it's just a hit on all cylinders. Â We love it.
We like to order the charcuterie and cheese plate appetizers and share it around the table along with their fabulous Pfeiffer Pinot Noir or, my favorite, Paradox Pinot Gris.
And then there's the view! It's just wonderful sitting on the deck overlooking the vineyard - in any season.
The two things I will give King Estate is that the winery itself is beautiful and the wine is good. The service, however, is different. I had been here twice before and service was decent, they poured my taste samples and explained what flavors I should be looking for and the aromas etc., but when I went here yesterday, July 21st, apparently I didn't look like I had any money because I bought the taste sampler and they just poured it for me and told me which wine it was and then sat in the back of the bar area just wiping down glasses with a cloth, looking very bored.
I definitely would have purchased a bottle or two of wine if they had paid any attention at all. It was almost like I was inconveniencing their day by being there.
7/21/13 Kristin K.
I went here today with my parents and two family friends (their last name just happens to be King!) for Sunday brunch. Â We split a bottle of the 2005 Signature Pinot Gris which was very good. Â My parents and I split a mesclun salad with blue cheese. Â That was very good. Â I was very impressed with my dish containing salmon and scallop sausage on house made pasta and some other good stuff. Â Look at the brunch menu on the web site, or better yet, go to the winery and try it out.
We went wine tasting in a gorgeous setting and then had a delicious gourmet lunch on the patio with a beautiful view of green rolling hills and blue sky. Â It was AMAZINGlLY a great time. Â The menu was interesting and prices were very reasonable. Â I highly recommend King Estate for a special occasion lunch or just for a fun outing.
Review Source:Gorgeous location and view! Â They don't take reservations for the patio. Â One rainy day, we forgot to make lunch reservations; I called before we left (thank goodness) & their first opening wasn't for another two hours! Â Of course we made a resie; it was worth the wait. This place is a hotspot. Â We went today; it was a gorgeous sunny Tuesday, and only had to wait 20 minutes. Â We enjoyed a flight of wine samples which were delicious! Their signature Pinot Noir (2010?) and NXNW Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 were exquisite! Â I had Alaskan Seared Scallops and a mesclun salad with hazelnuts and goat cheese. Â Perfect. For dessert, I had a chocolate flourless torte with strawberry-balsamic ice cream with caramelized or toasted pistachios. Â OMG! Â Perfect compliment with the half bottle of their signature Pinot Noir. Â I would give this 5 stars if there were a few more seasonal menu choices; I found the menu a little small.
Review Source:This place was absolutely beautiful. Bring a camera and spend some time around the property.
We came here to do some wine tasting. The wine was average and nothing special. We were not very impressed. The server was knowledgeable but not very personal. It was busy but they seemed well-staffed at the time with about 4 people behind the counter. However, the servers would pour the wine and answer questions if we had any...but they would then all convene in a group and chat with one another instead of with the customers.
The wine tasting was $5 for I think I remember 5 wines which I think is a good price. The size of the pour our server gave us was very generous. They make you pay for your wine tasting in advance which was a little off-putting. The wine bottles were averaged priced...a few of them were overpriced.
Again, it was beautiful and wine was okay. We didn't get ignored and the service was okay as well. It is worth a stop.
I've been many more times to King Estate to eat and drink wine and I'm updating to 4 stars. Their food is often quite good. Some of the items don't hit the mark, but it's not hard to have a great, fairly price meal in a beautiful setting at King Estate. I love their simple, local approach to food. I wish more local restaurants followed this mold.
I've also fallen in love with their pinot gris', some vintages and classes of which are world class wines. I avoid their other wines, which have been consistently disappointing.
I love wine and visited on my most recent trip to Eugene (I visit several times a year). The visit started off well: beautiful grounds, beautiful view, friendly hostesses, friendly wine tasting - wait! Not quite.
The visit started off well. I checked in on Foursquare and they have a coupon for a complimentary flight of their wines. Once I busted this out, the friendly wine tasting went sour. The gentleman working began to ignore me. Another group walked in and they were club members. Instant ignoring from the gentleman began. Luckily the nice girl working the tasting filled my glass. She was slammed, so it took an extremely long time for the tasting. I tipped her well because she was great.
We then had some appetizers, which were delicious. The server was very friendly.
I was looking to buy 8 bottles of wine to take home. Due to the sour taste of being ignored, I only bought 3. I loved the Pinot noir: both Acrobat and signature. Not sure if I will be back. Sweet Cheeks and Silvan Ridge were both slammed, but remained attentive and kind. Between these two, I bought 9 more bottles.
What an incredible place! we just had a wonderful evening at this huge winery to celebrate my best friends son's graduation, and we did the whole thing, from starting by having a great outdoors table for 14 people, our own server that has so much knowledge about wine; we started with the whites (being the  Pinot Gris the best of them, and move to the reds having to choose between the Cabernet and the Pinot Noir)
I had the dry aged filet of beef, that melted in my mouth as I savory the juicy syrah pickled cherries, as a main course, crab cakes to start and their well known Warm Brioche Bread Pudding, I ate it all! Yummy....
I will love to go back to Eugene just to have an other dinner at this Castle Restaurant again.
If you go to Eugene I highly recommend it.
If you are considering visiting King Estate Winery, I highly, highly suggest you do, for I am confident it will be a meal you will remember and likely cherish for a long time to come. That may seem like a grand statement, but I really do mean it; King Estate Winery is so incredibly pleasant that I would find it hard to have a poor experience there.
To begin with, the food is excellent, which of course is always one of the most important factors. The lead chef is very skilled, as all the dishes are excellently presented and of a premium quality. While the plates have a definite level of sophistication, the portions of the main dishes are generous and enough to contently fill most (including guys who need more than a little food to be satisfied like myself). Additionally, the restaurant focuses on using local products for their dishes, which I always think is great when it's executed well. The excellent food is only heightened by a great variety of wines that King Estate provides, using grapes from both its own vineyards and those in the surrounding region. The servers are very friendly and helpful, and each knows the food and wine very well. In truth, it is likely that this is the highest quality dining you can find in and around Eugene.
Perhaps most importantly, though, is that the setting is absolutely fantastic. Situated on top of a large hill surrounded by rows of grapes, the castle-like winery has a stunning view in every direction. The elegant ,yet understated landscaping is lovely, and the winery and restaurant itself is a joy to be in. Both times I've been to the winery I've eaten on the patio, which really is a beautiful as well as intimate setting. If it gets chilly, blankets are handed out promptly.
King Estate Winery is not cheap, but it's certainly not outrageous, and I think most people will find that this is an excellent setting to splurge just a little. Even if you don't want to eat there, the drive to the winery and the building itself is worth the trip itself.
My suggestion is to go during the evening before sunset. It really is a gem.
The Food: The food is usually very good, but it is terribly expensive and is cold about half of the time. The serving size is about 2/3 of what one is used to getting, so if you are hungry, this is probably not the best place to go...unless you want to fill up on bread.
The Wine: Probably the best among the wineries near Eugene, but again, not saying much. They have so many different varieties and there is usually a pretty interesting story about the place from which the grapes are sourced. The problem, like with the food, is that it is so darn expensive. I would say that most bottles are overpriced by at least $15 - $25.
The Service: The wait staff is friendly and knowledgable, but it really has to be the absolute slowest in town, which is saying quite a lot for Eugene. The servers don't always pay the best attention to you, which I guess helps keep the bill down, but is likely not a strategy they are told to employ. The last lunch I had there literally took 2.5 hours. Â
The Ambiance: Absolutely beautiful views. Amazing, if you're outside. The inside is pretty nice too.
Overall: Way overpriced, great food but not always consistant. Terrible service and a beautiful venue. Oh, and the wine...meh.
We went on an absolutely beautiful evening for our anniversary. Â We started the evening by taking the tour of the winery and enjoying a tasting of six of their wines. Â The vistas of the orchards and vineyards below are beautiful, and the architecture is very nice. Â
 After the tour, we were seated in the dining area at a teeny little table.  It was slightly uncomfortable, but acceptable.  The dining area itself is nicely adorned and comfortable, but it is extraordinarily loud, which distracts from the overall experience.  It would help if the bustling tasting area were further removed from the dining area or, even better, separated all-together. Â
 Then came the food.  We started with a charcuterie plate featuring a duck breast speck, pork and truffle pate, and a lamb sausage all of which were made in-house, and delicious, with especially high marks going to the speck.  The bread (also baked on-site)was fresh and excellent as well.  We followed the appetizer with salads accented with a good quality blue cheese and hazelnuts.  They were very nice, but should have probably been included with price of the entrees.  That being said, the waiter did bring by a complimentary plate of gougeres(a $7 value) which was a very nice gesture.
 On to the main courses.  My wife had a pan roasted quail with a fettuccini carbonara that was on all accounts a wonderful dish.  I had the tasting of lamb which was comprised of four preparations of lamb all but one of which were fantastic(that is if you're into sweetbreads, which I am).  The one lamb dish that missed the mark was the confit cheek, which was far too salty to enjoy.  The kale was also very salty.  It was dissapointing, but a small blemish on an otherwise wonderful meal accompanied by some fantastic wines.  Standout wines were the signature pinot gris, signature cabernet, and the dessert riesling.
 So, while I cannot honestly rave about it, I really enjoyed it and would definitely go back for a special occasion.
This is my favorite restaurant in Eugene. Period. Even though it's not in Eugene. I like everything about it. The drive there. The spectacular view. The architecture. The in-door and out-door spaces. The tasting rooms before lunch or dinner. The service. And most of all, the food. Lunch is a particularly good value - I remember a few years ago having a (great) twelve dollar cheeseburger with a hundred dollar bottle of wine, both excellent. So many memorable dishes - scallops, pork chop, smoked chicken, and everything else. This is where we bring our guests, and where we celebrate. For the quality, surprisingly inexpensive too, especially at lunch.
Review Source:Incredible lunch today. Service excellent food outstanding, I have never had a bad meal at the restaurant. Wines are incredibly good as well. A very enjoyable experience once again. Thank you Jordan and Sara for taking such good care of us.
A flourless chocolate cake with and incredible scoop of strawberry balsamic ice cream. So so tasty accompanied by a super delicious cabernet.
I highly recommend the restaurant for a fabulous place to dine.
We couldn't get reservations for dinner on Friday night so we decided to try for lunch while we were out wine tasting on Saturday. Â Driving up left me feeling as though I was approaching one of those large corporation owned vineyards. Â The views are spectacular and scenic. Â The outside and the inside is like a castle in the U.K. Â Most of it is dedicated to the restaurant, which given the imposing size from the outside is surprisingly small on the inside. Â The tasting bar thou beautifully built in an oval fashion, is way to small, and I noticed while eating that people had to form a line to taste because it only held 10 to 12 people tasting at a time.
I will only describe the two meals on the menu that my partner Steven and I had. Â I had the best damn hamburger of my entire 60 years. Â I had the "Foie Gras Bacon Cheese Burger served with White Truffle Pommes Frites" Â No it didn't come with a "toe tag" as my friend Meryl Smith suggested, but even if it had I would have died and gone to heaven it was that good (I am posting a picture). Steven had the "White Fish and Scallop Sausage" served in the most delectable broth along with a Wine Flight of their best wines. Â This meal is now one of my favorite meals ever, and I would travel back to Eugene just to have this hamburger.
King Estate is so many things for Eugene.
It's a place to go, after the new year has dawned, and stuff one's face with Dungeness Crab.
It's a place to go, mid-summer, to eat ribs (or salmon!) straight off the grill. Wiping greasy fingers on cloth napkins, people soak in the heat and pretend, just for awhile, that it's truly "hot" outside. Then, cover up with thin sweaters before the real chill of an Oregon summer evening sets in.
It's a place to have a Thanksgiving meal, cooked family style, when you've been too knocked out with flu virus to even think of cooking for yourself.
And it's a place to take out-of-towners who you really love, at strategic points during a visit, to see if you just can't swing the vote and get them to become Oregonians again after all.
KE is all of these things and more, to me. I love their vision, commitment to sustainability, and to Oregon. I love their lack of pretense... even though, let's be honest, not all of their guests shine that energy back to them. I'm thrilled that they let me run a 5k through their vineyard with Mo Kafleski for only $5...and then serve me a glass of pinot gris and a veggie burrito afterwards (even though I had to decline both on account of the side ache).
So, yes, King does make wine, and very very good wine (especially if you go for their more boutique varieties). But they are bigger than even their grape empire indicates. I'm  happy that they're my neighbor. I can't wait to go back.
I give this place one star for it's scenery and another for it wine. Â I give it 0 for service. Â The sommelier gave us tiny tiny tiny tiny pours. Meanwhile the party next to us were feasting on half glasses worth of ours for the exact same tasting. Â We were also interested in purchasing several wines and when we inquired more information about them it was like pulling teeth. They were not interested in our small group so just beware of that.
Review Source:Pulling up to King Estate Winery (which is basically a castle on top of a hill) had me convinced that I was in for some creepy Rocky Horror Picture Show type of night. I did NOT end up in transsexual transylvania, but I did have a great experience despite the lack of corsets and electric meat cutters.
Our table wasn't ready when we arrived so to compensate we were told to go to the tasting area and enjoy a free tasting. We had a wonderful time tasting some wines and chatting with our wine expert, who made some suggestions for dinner as well.
I get the sense that it really doesn't matter what you order at this restaurant. Everything is bound to be spectacular, romantic, and satisfying. We sat next to a fireplace, we lingered, we had dessert. We shut the place down without anyone rushing us out. Stellar service, stellar food, stellar night.
I had my first dinner at King Estates last night.  I had been there for lunch  before so already knew about the beautiful setting and buildings.  We started with wine tasting and the servers were so nice and very knowledgeable.  There were a couple of new wines I had not seen before and my favorite was the Acrobat Pinot Gris.
There were four of us for dinner. Â Entrees we ordered were tuna, salmon, lamb, and filet mignon.
We were all very happy with the presentation and taste.  As an added bonus, we got a free bread pudding  and a dessert wine since two of us were celebrating our birthday!
By far the nicest winery we visited in Eugene. Â The other wineries we visited around the same area were dumpy compared to King Estate - they also have very nice pinot gris. Â
Our friends had a wedding here and its an enormous and beautiful facility. Â The only downside is thats its about 25 minutes outside of Eugene, but a big plus is that they have a nice restaurant with a great patio where you can hang out and drink.
Miles Raymond [Sideways] - "Oh, Jesus. Don't ask questions like that up in wine country. They'll think you're some kind of dumbshit, OK?" Â
Don't worry, this isn't over-touristed Napa or Sonoma, but rather laid back and welcoming Oregon, so go ahead and ask your inane questions, even if the staff here thinks you are woefully uninformed about wine they will not show it since they are consummate professionals, approachable and not at all pretentious. Â
Wine tasting is fun, don't overthink, just relax and enjoy each sip.
The King Estate property is spectacular. Â The estate is a shiny, modern interpretation of an idealized Tuscan hill town which is sited atop rolling hills. Â The structure holds the tasting room and the restaurant, however to fully appreciate and savor the breathtaking views, one should definitely ask to be seated on the patio which offers al fresco dining and is the ideal place to linger on a sunny day.
There are over 1,000 acres of vineyards which produce some of the outstanding wines which are available for tasting as well as to purchase. My tasting, which was $5, in August 2012 consisted of:
2011 Acrobat Pinot Gris - Oregon
2010 Acrobat Pinot Noir - Oregon
2011 Signature Pinot Gris - Oregon
2011 NxNW Riesling - Horse Heaven Hills, Washington
2011 Signature Vin Gris of Pinot Noir - Oregon
2009 NxNW CV Cabernet Sauvignon - Columbia Valley, Washington
It is definitely worth spending some quality time at King Estate Winery, oenophile or not, you won't be disappointed, I wasn't.
I've held work meetings here, taken family and friends for brunch, and have gone for Tower Club events. Every time has been a spectacular experience with top notch service and, literally, world-class menus.
I didn't know what to expect when I planned my meeting here but we got a great room with lots of natural light right off of the main tasting room. The morning coffee is bold and will kick you in the butt for the rest of the day. They bring your lunch pick right in to the room and the amount we spent here was less than most Marriott locations.
Whoever the executive chef is at this dreamworld castle needs to be kissed. Every time I order the salmon, it is perfectly seared and crisped, all of the vegetables taste straight out of the estate's garden, and the desserts. THE DESSERTS. Lavender ice cream?! Chocolate cake!? Even if you don't like dessert it is obligatory to try at least one item so that you can die and go to heaven. In terms of pricing, the entire menu is half the price of what you would find in Napa/Sonoma eateries without compromising the quality.
Sure, the employees and regulars can be a tad snobby but I do think they have the right to be. The caliber of King Estate is equivalent to Napa, and who would have thought just 30 minutes outside of Eugene you could find such a place?! I'm a happy camper.
King Estate doesn't disappoint in terms of decor, view, quality of food and ingredients, when dining here at lunch for a special occasion.
The patio area is gorgeous and the grounds are lovely. The layout of the interior portion of the restaurant is a little strange, but not obstructive.
Service was better than average; attentive and polite, but reserved and not engaging. Â We were celebrating a recent marriage and never once received a congratulations when making the reservation (mentioning the occasion when doing so) or coming here to celebrate.
Food was very good; everyone enjoyed the meal thoroughly. Portions raged from reasonable (salmon entree, chicken entree, crab cakes appetizer) vs generous (sides of sweet potato chips and arancini, pulled pork sandwich, cheeseburger). It should be noted that their current charcruterie plate was exquisite with its selection of pate, terrine, cured meat, accompanying garnishes and sides, and the portions very generous, which is not often found. Proteins were cooked perfectly and well seasoned.
The only downfall was their lack of champagne/brut/sparkling wine in that regard. We were handed an extensive list of KE wine selections (lots by the glass) but when we asked what were the options for bubbles, the server described their carbonated beverages, including sodas.
WTF? We are in a MASSIVE, upscale vineyard who also offers their grounds to private wedding and parties, and there is no "champagne" (loose term being used; I know we are not in Champagne, Fr.) produced or offered here?? Le sigh. Â We settled instead for a bottle of Viognier and were reasonably pleased, considering I do not typically think KE wine is all that great.
The view, setting and atmoshpere are worthy of five stars as well as the wine, the tasting room and the tour of the winery. We went during the crush last fall and it was exciting and interesting to see the winemaking process. the tour guides are informative and fun.
I've eaten in the restaurant probably 10-12 times over the last few years, from brunch to dinner. I've hosted a few parties there as well, they have a great fireplace room that can be reserved for a large group. The fresh local menu is usually a cut above most upscale dining rooms in our area. Normally the service is impeccable as well but this last visit not so much...
We recently celebrated our our anniversary  there with some friends and family. We sat out on the patio on one of the few warm evenings we've had in a while. We enjoyed the sunset and a few bottles of 2008 Domaine Pinot Noir for a special occasion treat, it was excellent!  We ordered the charcuterie platter and the cheese plate, the house baked bread is always special too.  Several in our  party had the salmon or the filet, I had the lamb, all quality cuts, expertly prepared.  It would have been a perfect evening if it wasn't for the lackadaisical waitress!
The waitress was so subpar, we were wondering if it was her first day on the job. Â The servers and bussers were running circles around her trying to keep everyone happy as she was rarely seen... we had to ask for several things (like pepper and steak knives) from the poor girl refilling water glasses because she rarely came back to check on us. When she did she was sloth-like and indifferent...she acted like she was just waiting for her shift to end...we may have ordered dessert had she mentioned it. Â She brought the check to the table while some of us were still eating and left without saying a word! Â I felt like we were getting the "Bum's Rush" so we guessed it was time to go even though it wasn't near closing time...
Then we overheard the table next to us complaining as we were leaving that they had twice experienced her rude, and neglectful attitude and were considering not coming back again if this was going to be the trend. So then we knew we were not imagining our poor treatment.
Then, surprisingly, the next day, I received an unsolicited  courtesy call from the restaurant manager (I assumed) asking how we would rate the service we had received! I was forthright and explained our disappointment etc. She was very apologetic and explained that she was following up on several complaints they had received and assured me that the issues would be addressed.  I was impressed by the call and will be visiting King Estate again soon with some out of town guests.  Hopefully, the service will be better next time...
Sunday brunch was excellent! Nevermind that we arrived at 1:50pm and were seated at 3:15pm, 15 minutes too late for brunch proper. Pork belly hash would not be served (sigh) but I stayed to cry over my equally delicious pappardelle pasta and pinot noir wine soda. The warm knobs of goat cheese intermingled perfectly with full, soft bites of roasted garlic, and we just about forgave our 1.5 hour wait over plates of char roasted lamb and homemade pastrami. The waiter clapped for me when I pronounced "pappardelle pasta" perfectly, and refilled our bread basket three times. Â
All afternoon, the sun shone, (!!) the patio hummed with light chatter, and the tulips sunned themselves in full, iridescent bloom. The linens were soft, the glassware was elegant, and the patio umbrellas, vibrant. We talked loudly, but our voices did not carry over to the next table. I got totally drunkzorz on that perfect patio, and was not escorted off the premises. Â
This is the loveliest place to be in Eugene, and it suits me and my companions well that everything is served with a touch less pretension than that of the conventional winery. (It's hard to stay classy 100% of the time.)
For perfect service (with no wait) I would come on a weekday- even early Friday evening. (I came back Wednesday evening-- what?? I have lots of visitors stopping by these days-- and the staff was just as delicious as the duck leg confit & green bean salad; plus, we virtually had the whole place to ourselves. And by the way: King Estate's truffle fries? Sorry Little Big Burger; you've been bumped down to 2nd place in my heart...) Saturday is when the fraternal party bus arrives, Sunday is when the geriatric gentry stroll by. Stay 'til dusk for the birds of prey to come out and spread their beautiful wings. For scenery & value in Eugene, you can't do better.
Bottom Line: =)
Hopped into Eugene today to see friends. Â We thought, "Let's go out to some wineries, find some new favorite wines and have good conversation." Â
The conversation was wonderful. Â That was the only thing that deserved a star in this entire review. Â
We wanted to taste wines, but they were only pouring two for free. Â I don't drink Pinot, so that was out. Â They do a five dollar flight, but it has only a few selections, as well.
So, I told the gentleman that I like Reisling, and he said they had two years of Reisling and described it. Â Well, I couldn't decide. Â You'd think he would pour just a taste of each, woudn't you? Â Nope, I had to guess. Â I chose poorly. Â The Reisling was more like Chardonnay, and it wasn't like good Chardonnay. Â Three of the four of us paid for a glass of wine, all different. Â All of us agreed that it was not great wine. Â In my case, it wasn't even good wine. Â
As he was pouring, the gentleman said "You can take these out to the patio if you'd like." Â It was a lovely day, and so we took his advice. Â We sat down at a cafe table, and a young man came over and said, "Are you going to be eating?" Â We said that we weren't sure, we were trying to decide. Â He then told us that there was a waiting list for these tables and if we didn't eat, we might be asked to leave.
Now wait a minute. Â We are customers who bought your wine. Â You have no other place for us to sit and drink it. Â There is no one waiting on this table, in fact, you have another table free outside. Â The inside is also full of empty tables. Â Yet, you basically tell us to leave, as we sit there with full wine glasses?
I went in to complain and return the wine to them, and the young woman explained that "Well, the server who told you that you could eat out there is new and doesn't know that those tables are our overflow for the inside." Â Okay.... so where does one who doesn't want to stand up and pretend they are at a cheap bar sit? Â And could the young man who was so rude not have indicated, "Hello, May I show you a menu?" Â
The building is exquisite, and I think it has gone to their heads. Â The wine is not good, the service and rudeness is ridiculous. Â We had actually been considering dining there, and I'm from the state, so I'd love to happen back down. Â But after this, no. Â We'll never be back, and I'll never buy another bottle.
If you enjoy being treated rudely by young twenty somethings who act as if you are beneath them, this is the place for you. Â But trust me, King Estate, you aren't in France and the "experience" is not this amazing...
Went out for lunch today. The wine is over priced, the food is so so. I had to ask the waiter what is was that they put on my sandwich. She told me it was "bacon." I asked her if that looked like bacon, pointing to this thing I pulled off my sandwich and put on my plate. She said that the bacon was made on the estate, it was one of their specialties. The manager came over and I asked him the same thing. He looked at the "thing" on my plate, said he'd show it to the chef and comped me for the sandwich.
I think this is a place where no one has told them their food ... well isn't as good as they think it is ... (sucks). When you have to ask a waiter "what is this on my sandwich" and they tell you it's bacon ... and even the manager doesn't recognize it as bacon. Hmm, there might be a problem.
So if you want a nice view, over priced wine and food that you don't know what it is ... I highly recommend King Estate.
King Estate is easily the most beautiful location for an event or dinner/lunch in the Eugene area, especially on a clear summer's day. They recently expanded their Italianate style buildings and can now host receptions of all sizes, as well as having a beautiful tasting room and a good amount of restaurant space.
Pros:
- Beautiful buildings with a magnificent view of the vineyards
- Great quality food with innovative flavor combinations
- Possibly the best Pinots in the valley
- Would be a great wedding location.
Cons:
- Prices for a bottle of wine in the tasting room are vastly inflated compared with prices anywhere else. (Around $22-25 for bottles of wine that you can find for $10-14 in Oregon and $15-18 in other states)
- The chefs like to employ trendy names for culinary creations that are much simpler than they sound. Unfortunately, the waiters seem as confused by the menu as most customers probably are. When my father, despite speaking fluent italian, had to ask what gremolata and several other fashionable sounding things on the menu were, the waiter couldn't answer his question, not even descriptively. After going to the kitchen he came back with an answer that really just listed the ingredients and didn't explain the item. I've seen a changed menu since that time though, and they seem to have toned down the fashionable terms a bit.
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