First place: Sky High Brewing

Sky High Brewing was voted the best date night location in Corvallis, Ore. for 2019. This combination restaurant-brewery is located in the heart of downtown on 106 NW Jackson Avenue. 

Sky High’s location is compartmentalized into multiple sections, including a pub on the second floor, accessed by elevator, which provides a view of the city. Calling themselves a “Four-Story Brewpub” on their website, Sky High Brewing aims to provide a classy, formal dining atmosphere, while maintaining their identity as a small-town pub. 

Jess Davenport, hostess and food runner at Sky High, said, “It has a romantic feel, where you can look out over the city. There’s great customer service, and the people here have made a really friendly environment.” 

Regarding Sky High’s ranking as best date night location in Corvallis, Kitchen Manager Hoyt Willard said, “I think it’s the vibe. We’re an open space, and there’s a lot of different sections. The tap room, roof top, dining room and bar give a lot of options.”

The location is under 10 years old, and the building has been added to since Sky High has purchased the location, which was originally part of the Corvallis bus route. Due to the building’s history, the first story is curved to accommodate the buses. 

As to the aesthetic Sky High Brewing is aiming for, Willard said, “We’re more northwest contemporary. Obviously we’re a pub, and have that fare of food. We try to source local food and run specials often.” 

According to Willard, Sky High aims to give the food the respect it deserves. They pride themselves on sustainability, he said. 

On the “sustainability” tab of Sky High’s website, the restaurant lists ways that they strive to help the environment, like using 20% less water than industry averages, generating their own nitrogen, recycling and composting, among other activities. 

Their menu includes a combination of formal dinners and pub fare, including “Pacific Northwest mussels,” the “Four-Story Macho Nacho,” and classic fish and chips, as well as vegan and gluten free options.  

As for their beer, they stock a wide variety of beers on tap, including beers brewed in-house and from other local breweries. 

At the time of publication, Sky High features12 beers on tap, which include Monks Mana Belgian Strong, a strong honey ale, the “fruity and floral” Freewheel IPA, and St. Filbert’s Porter, which includes “Kiger Island Hazelnuts in a rich, robust porter.” 

David Patterson, front-of-the-house manager at Sky High Brewing, said the restaurant was founded six years ago as just a brewery and delivery company. The taproom was opened the following year, and the dining room and rooftop were subsequent additions.

Patterson said he feels that the choice of rooms adds variety to the dining experience. “We have a lot of unique areas, you can have a lot of different experiences if you sit at the dining room, porch, or bar. I think the most unique thing is the building itself, especially the rooftop.”

“I think it’s awesome,” Patterson said, in regards to Sky High being voted best date night location in Corvallis. “We strive to give people a good experience when they come in, and to make them feel welcome.”

Sky High Brewing’s pub closes at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Second place: McMenamins 

McMenamins Pub polled as one of the best date night locations in Corvallis. Mcmenamins has two Corvallis locations and can be found on both 3rd street and on Monroe Avenue, near the Oregon State University campus. 

Though both locations serve beer and have space for sit down dining, the 3rd street location is a pub, and McMenamins on Monroe is styled primarily as a sit-down restaurant.  

McMenamins on Monroe is open from 11 a.m. to midnight and is a combination restaurant-bar. They host tailgate parties before OSU football games, and encourage patrons to bring their pets by allowing dogs in all outside seating locations. 

McMenamins pub decorates in an vintage style that includes many astrological paintings and murals, and resides in an English-style building formerly owned by the “Tower of London Fish and Chip House.” 

As to what sets McMenamins apart from other bars, Bar Manager at the Monroe location, Riley Woldeit, attributed their success to McMenamins’ dynamic as not quite a bar scene or an uptight restaurant, but rather, as something in the middle.

McMenamins aims to provide a laid-back and creative atmosphere, making it a common location for dates in Corvallis. “We do get a lot of dates here, we’re close to campus,” Woldeit said. 

Third place: Block 15 

Block 15 was voted one of the best date night locations in Corvallis, Ore. 

Block 15 is a locally-owned brewpub that’s been open in Corvallis since 2008, and aims to provide a variety of artisan food and brews to its patrons. 

Seth Steiling, marketing director for Block 15, spoke on behalf of the brewpub when he said he felt that they were excited by the results of the poll. 

“As a brewpub that’s passionate about pairing thoughtfully produced food and drink with a warm, welcoming environment, we’re excited to be voted on as one of Corvallis’ best date destinations,” Steiling said in a statement via-email. 

Since its start as a brewpub in downtown Corvallis, Block 15 has expanded to open other locations, including a brewery and tap-room in south Corvallis, and a European-style pub called Caves Bier and Kitchen, according to the Block 15 website. 

Steiling listed Block 15’s diversity of options, including fresh ingredients and customer service, as ways that make Block 15 different from other brewpubs in Corvallis. 

“From our diverse lineup of beer and seasonal cocktails to house-made sodas and elevated pub fare made from scratch with regional ingredients, we’re aiming to create a dining experience that can appeal to just about everyone. Combine that with our amazingly friendly and knowledgeable staff and you have the makings of a meal that will leave you and your date walking away smiling,” Steiling said over email.