Have you ever walked into a restaurant and immediately known you’d be back? I mean, before tasting the food, sampling the cocktails or just chilling for an hour or three. Walking into The Emerald Loop, I realized that not only would I be back, but that I was a little sad I didn’t live across the street. If it were in my neighborhood, The Emerald Loop would be my neighborhood pub, without question. Maybe they’ll adopt me.
“I’ve always believed that a proper Irish pub should feel like an extension of someone’s living room,” says owner Janette Goodship. “We worked with the building’s existing layout to create comfortable spaces, using booths, warm lighting and fireplaces to give the rooms that cozy, inviting feeling. We wanted somewhere people could settle in, enjoy themselves and not feel rushed.”
Hidden from Third Street behind a Valvoline and near the bright green goodness of Tacos Pihuamo lies a homey Irish pub and sports bar in the spot formerly occupied by Kelly D’s. Let me get this out of the way right up front: if you miss Kelly D’s but aren’t spending time at The Emerald Loop, then you’re only really hurting yourself. From the wonderful food to the warm service to the perfectly poured Guinness to the inventively delectable cocktails, The Loop impresses on all fronts.
Goodship wanted to bring something authentically Irish to Bend when she first opened. “I was born in the Highlands of Scotland and raised in Devon, England, before moving to the United States about 18-and-a-half years ago,” says Goodship. “Through my travels and the time I’ve spent in Ireland, I’ve always had a special love for Irish pubs. There’s something about them that you don’t find everywhere. They’re warm, welcoming, full of character, and have a wonderful sense of community. Having the opportunity to open one of my own really was a dream come true.”
I can’t stress enough that you need to start with the Reuben Rolls. They are fried to the perfect crisp like an egg roll, but packed with corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss and Thousand Island. You hear “Reuben Egg Roll,” and you think, “huh, not sure that will work,” and then you take that first bite and realize it’s what you’ve been missing your entire life. I rarely have time to go back to a restaurant a second time before writing a review, but I was back at Emerald Loop within just a few days because I couldn’t stop thinking about these little babies. The texture, the balance, the perfect ratio between the corned beef, Swiss, kraut and dressing…these things are dangerous and just writing this has made me start plotting when I can get more.
“When this location was Kelly D’s, the Reuben was a well-known and much-loved sandwich,” says Goodship. “We wanted to honor that history and carry on something people already had a connection with. Our Reuben Egg Rolls actually came from noticing that not everyone could finish a full Reuben sandwich. We thought, why not take those same wonderful flavors and offer them in a smaller, shareable version? Something people could enjoy as an appetizer or alongside a pint.”
Don’t let that discourage you from trying the Reuben proper, though. With perfectly crisped marbled rye and a thick pile of tender, rich corned beef, Emerald Loop’s Reuben stands easily alongside the best I’ve had in Central Oregon. Whether you get that or the Irish Filly (packed to the gills with corned beef, onions, mushrooms and a decadent Guinness beer cheese on a toasted hoagie), you should probably plan on sharing with your table mates.
If you want something more traditional, I did my due diligence and tried not just the Fish & Chips, but the Bangers & Mash and Irish Stew as well. If I’m going to do the job, I might as well do it right. They classically execute the fish with a 10-ounce, beer-battered cod, fried crispy and golden brown, paired with wonderful fries and sides of pineapple-craisin slaw and some good old-fashioned, savory mushy peas.
The Irish Stew is delectable and thick with tender, mouth-melting tri-tip, potatoes, peas, carrots and a darkly rich Guinness gravy. Meanwhile, the Bangers & Mash come with massive, classic English sausages, perfect mashed potatoes, onions, more of that gravy and what is easily the best soda bread I’ve ever had. The bread is so fresh and subtly sweet that it reminded me of a classic Mexican sweet bread, but quintessentially Irish.
“To me, the heart of a great Irish pub is family, friendship and community,” says Goodship. “It’s a down-to-earth place where people of all ages feel welcome, where conversations happen naturally, and where strangers can become friends. We also believe in giving back to the community whenever we can, because being a neighborhood pub means being part of the neighborhood. We’re not trying to be the fanciest restaurant in Bend. We want to be the kind of place people return to because they feel at home here.”
I love the intentionality of that statement because that’s exactly what The Emerald Loop has achieved. I can’t wait to go back and slowly sip a proper pint while chatting with friends and family…almost as much as I want an endless supply of those Reuben Egg Rolls.
The Emerald Loop
1012 SE Cleveland Square Loop, Suite #2, Bend
Mon–Thu 11am–10pm, Fri 11am-11pm, Sat 7am–11pm, Sun 7am–9pm
theemeraldloopbend.com
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