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Just like the name implies, Oasis Cafe and Motel is an oasis in the Oregon desert, located on U.S. Highway 20, about halfway between Burns and Ontario. The restaurant serves some of the best home cooking to be found in the Oregon outback, and if it's time to rest, you'll find a small, comfortable motel and an R.V. park. Oasis Cafe is truly an "oasis" in the Oregon desert! As with all of reviews that I publish, I have no affiliation with the restaurant reviewed, and there is no monetary gain on my part, as I am simply a person who likes to eat, and I love to write-up, and publish my dining experiences.
Photo: It's a little after 10:30 in the morning, Wednesday, February 16, 2022, and I've arrived at Oasis Cafe, located in Juntura, Oregon, to enjoy an amazing breakfast. Oasis Cafe truly lives up to it's name, as it's truly an oasis in the Oregon desert. The restaurant and R.V. park offer the only services for over an hour in either direction, on U.S. Highway 20, as Juntura is located about halfway between Burns and Ontario, in east-central Oregon.
Photo: When was the last time you saw a working pay phone, albeit is a decrepit state and tagged with graffiti? This lonely pay phone stands next to Oasis Cafe, and leaves no doubt that you're in rural Oregon. As I was curious, I picked up the receiver, went off hook, and drew dial tone. It worked!
Photo: There is a R.V. park located behind he restaurant, that offers full hookups, showers, along with a small store. If you're so inclined, there are a few spaces where you can pitch a tent. Note the large pile of wood next to the cafe, as the building is heated from a wood-burning stove.
Photo: As you enter the restaurant, you'll be greeted by friendly Mya to a rustic, country diner.
Photo: Oasis Cafe features a long counter, with ten stools, so you can enjoy the fine, "Americana" cuisine, diner-style. Our friendly server, Mya, was doing chores behind the counter, and greeted us with a cherry "hello" and truly made us feel welcome. The kitchen is located directly behind the counter, complete with a window where the serving staff relays orders to the kitchen staff. The decor of the dining room could best be described as "old school diner," and besides the counter, the furniture is a mixture of tables and booths. Naturally, floor is tiled with linoleum.
Photo: A white board is located next the counter, where the daily specials are listed. It also gives the name of the restaurant staff on duty.
Photo: The decor is pure "old school diner," complete with knotty pine wood, linoleum tiled floor, and a long counter. The dining room is spacious, spotlessly clean, and offers a very pleasant, rural dining atmosphere.
Photo: The dining room is long and fairy narrow, and reflects the rural atmosphere of eastern Oregon. Note the mule deer and the pronghorn antelope mounted on the wall, as they're native to the area. Eastern Oregon is known as a big-game hunter's paradise.
Photo: At the end of the dining room there is a large room, which features a wood-burning stove, which glowed a welcome and cheery warmth on this chilly morning in mid-February. This end of the dining room, and the restaurant, are heated by wood, which adds to the rustic nature. There are a couple of large tables which are popular gathering spots for Juntura locals, and residents and guests of the R.V. park, located behind the restaurant.
Photo: In a separate room, next to the dining room, Oasis has a small gift shop, that offers snacks, canned sodas, apparel, souvenirs, along with handcrafted gifts, made by locals.
Photo: Oasis Cafe is open from 08:00 in the morning until around 08:00 in the evening, depending on business, weather and what they have on hand. The menu offers breakfast, lunch and dinner selections and features everything a lover of fine diner cuisine could hope for. All listings are homemade, in-house by the talented kitchen staff. This is one small section of the breakfast menu... to view the complete menu, click on the image of the menu.
Photo: Fountain drinks, sundaes, milk shakes, cones and more are listed on an "old school" menu on the wall behind the counter. Oasis Cafe is famous for their homemade fudge, but after enjoying my breakfast of "Chicken Fried Steak," I didn't have room for fudge, or any desert!
Photo: The window to the kitchen is just behind the counter, and features an "old school" order wheel, that's actually in use. Like the decor of the restaurant, if you closed your eyes, you'd think it was 1972 rather than 2022. The wall is decorated with vintage pots, pans, and cooking utensils, along with many humorous signs. I really got a laugh out of the sign, "The Chef is Always Right." How true!
Photo: Meet Tammy, the chef, who brought our breakfast to us with a smile. This lady was simply amazing, as her service, along with the fine cuisine she created, was simply wonderful. Not only is Tammy the chef, and part-time server, she happens to own the restaurant, motel and R.V. park. This was not "fast food" as Tammy prepared our breakfast completely from scratch, as nothing is "pre-cooked" at Oasis Cafe, and there are no warming lamps to keep your food warm. Our breakfast arrived hot from the kitchen, perfectly cooked and presented, in only about twenty minutes after placing our order. That's FAST!!! Actually, considering the quality of this breakfast, that's LIGHTNING FAST!
Photo: I'm a happy guy and I smile, as I know I'm about to enjoy one of the best chicken fried steak breakfasts that I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy. Oasis Cafe serves truly fine home cooking, in the wild, Oregon outback.
Photo: From the "Omelettes" section of the "Breakfast Menu," Sharlene ordered a "Denver Omelette." You get to choose if you want cheese on your omelette, and Sharlene went with Cheddar cheese. Like most breakfasts on the menu, this fine omelette included hash brown potatoes, and choice of toast. Sharlene's choice of toast was an English muffin.
Photo: From the top of the "Breakfast Menu," I went with "Chicken Fried Steak." As the menu states, "Homemade with delicious gravy." That's an understatement, as this was simply an amazing breakfast! Along with the steak, my breakfast included homemade hash brown potatoes, two eggs, and choice of toast. I went with eggs over easy and sourdough toast. This breakfast was HUGE and it took two plates! The large chicken fried steak arrived on it's own plate, resting on top of a generous helping of sausage gravy, and garnished with a few white onion rings. The piece of beef was HUGE - probably 8-oz or so - pounded flat, juicy/tender, perfectly breaded, and fried to a perfect golden brown. The breaded crust was just enough to enhance the flavorful meat, but not to overpower or distract. The meat-to-crust ratio was perfect! What is an amazing chicken fried steak without gravy? The gravy was thick, flavorful and delicious, with lots of small pieces of juicy sausage, and made for the perfect accompaniment for my wonderful chicken fried steak. Two fried eggs, over easy, a mountain of Tammy's homemade hash browns, and two slices of sourdough toast made up the second plate. The attractive presentation included a patriotic garnish of Oregon blueberries, half strawberry, topped off with a tiny rendition of "Old Glory." One trademark of a talented breakfast chef is perfectly fried eggs over easy, which can be tricky to fry properly. Chef Tammy "nailed" my eggs, as my eggs were fried, as ordered, over easy. The chef has talent. The homemade hash brown potatoes were coarsely chopped up, seasoned with salt and pepper, and fried on the griddle to a perfect, golden brown on the outside, and a juicy, tender white inside. These aren't your "corporate diner" variety of hash browns, these amazing hash browns are worthy of the description of "they taste like the hash browns my grandmother used to make when I was a kid." These delicious hash browns were definitely homemade, and were the type of potatoes your grandmother would be proud of. They were simply delicious! My amazing breakfast included two slices of buttered, sourdough toast, and like the rest of my breakfast, were absolutely perfect. How many ways can you say "breakfast perfection?" My breakfast was simply amazing, as everything was skillfully made from scratch, homemade, and cooked perfectly. Not only was this breakfast absolutely delicious, but it was HUGE, and would satisfy the appetite of a lumberjack or a linebacker. When you enjoy breakfast at Oasis Cafe, you'll leave satisfied, with a full stomach and a smile on your face.
Photo: The "Chicken Fried Steak" itself arrived on a plate of it's own, sitting on top of a large helping of Tammy's homemade sausage gravy, and garnished with white onion rings. The knife was simply window dressing, as the meat was tender and easily cut with my fork. This has to be one of the most delicious chicken fried steaks that I've enjoyed in a long time!
Photo: The second plate included homemade hash brown potatoes, two fried eggs, two slices of buttered, sourdough toast, and trimmed with a tasty, patriotic garnish. The plate of hash browns, eggs and toast by itself would satisfy most breakfast lovers, but when you added to plate of meat, it made for an "over the top" breakfast.
Photo: After placing my breakfast on the table, Tammy asked if I was interested in homemade salsa. Naturally! Homemade, fresh salsa, with tomato, onion, cucumber, bell pepper, in a thick, tomato sauce, and garnished with a sprig of cilantro. This salsa made an amazing accompaniment to my breakfast, especially with the hash brown potatoes.
Photo: Super friendly Maya brings out an order of "Biscuits and Gravy" for fellow diners at another table, with a smile.
Photo: A classic, "comfort food" breakfast, of a homemade biscuit, rich, in-house-made sausage gravy, two sausage links, garnished with white onion rings, and trimmed with a patriotic garnish.
Photo: Homemade "Turkey Noodle Soup" was on today's special board, and Tammy gave me a sample of her delicious soup. This soup was mouth-watering delicious, as you could taste the homemade turkey broth, which really made the soup standout delicious! Of course the delicious turkey, thick noodles, carrot slices made the soup delicious and filling. Like the breakfast I had just enjoyed, this soup was pure "Americana" and would make your grandmother proud. When you're traveling U.S. Highway 20, and enjoying the scenic Oregon outback country, a stop at Oasis Cafe is a MUST, for some of the best food in the state, and for a welcome break from the highway travel. The home-cooked "comfort food" is simply delicious, the portions are GIGANTIC, and the super-friendly staff will welcome you and treat you like a member of the family. Oasis Cafe... for outstanding "Americana" cuisine in the wilds of eastern Oregon! Oasis Cafe and Motel Copyright(c) 2022 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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