Camp 18 Restaurant

My wife and I stopped in after being at Cannon Beach.02−22−16. The service was good but don’t eat the french dip. My wife had a burger and said it was OK. The prices are high for what you get. Wish I had checked Unilocal first.

There was hair in my food.
Not one but several.
All up in my cinnabon.

Love this place! Food hits the spot, great for kids (lots to look at) and a great start or end to a trip to the coast. Reuben is good (not mind blowing) fries are good, service good. Architecture and history is cool. Check out the logger memorial too. Bring a hanky.

When you pull off the road in the way from the coast you are struck by the beauty of the location. They have really given you that lodge feel and decorated the entire parcel with old logging equipment.
Once inside the building is beautiful with open beams and fireplaces.
Then the quality drops off. The food is nothing special, the usual comfort food found at any diner. And the service was slow. At one point I got up and went to get the pitcher of water on a nearby table the were using for storage. After pouring water for the table the server showed up and grabbed another pitcher and offered to leave it there. Kind of on the expensive side as well.

Camp 18 Restaurant is a must go to destination on the trip to Seaside. Adorable log cabin lodge restaurant, home style feel, cozy and quaint atmosphere. It is almost like you are stepping into a whole new world of Oregonian nature.
I travel to the coast with family and friends almost every summer, and stopping at Camp 18 is one of our favorite traditions. The atmosphere is beautiful inside and outside. The menu is big, portions are generous, and service is super friendly.
The most recent time I visited with a group we got to sit in the back by the window and watch lots of colorful birds outside the window by the bird feeder. Super fun! They even have some little games to play on the table to enjoy while we were there.
The food is classic and I love their breakfast. My favorite dish is the waffle with strawberries. The waitress does great to keep the coffee flowing.
Overall love Camp 18 Restaurant, and look forward to visiting again next trip to Seaside:)

Standard artery-​clogging diner food, with amazing cinnamon rolls. Slow service, which can be a little grating, but it seems like most people aren’t in any rush anyway, as they’re on their way to or back from the coast.
Honestly, the food is probably more of a three-​star experience, but I bumped it up a star for the awesome interior — this place is just that cool.

Good place to stop. Inside is lovely. Looks great and has a warm fire. Food was yummy. Hot chocolate was very good. Fun statues outside to look at or take photos with and has a little gift shop. No real complaints. Gave a 4 because I feel it was a little high in price (was about 35 for a sandwich, an omelet, a coffee and a hot chocolate) also the hostess (might have been a owner or manager) wasn’t super welcoming. Didn’t acknowledge us or people in front of us for a few minutes despite walking by several times and coming to the counter to get someone change.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve driven past Camp 18 on the way to and from Seaside. I always say «that looks fun, I should stop» and never have! I was driving back recently with friends, and was stoked when they pulled in for a pit stop.
Camp 18 is large, rustic feeling, and very comfortable inside, like a lodge. Good coffee, large menu. I got french toast, which was good. I sampled my friend’s chicken fried steak and the gravy was really tasty. After seeing the amazing made-​from-​scratch cinnamon roll another friend got, I took one to go. Oh woooooow. One whole star for that. That was a killer cinnamon roll (probably literally too, as it was the size of a dinner plate!). Good food, friendly service, fair prices. I’ll definitely make it a point to stop more often!

I have lived in Oregon since 1980. I have driven to and from Seaside and the Oregon coast a few times each year, before this trip I had eaten at Camp 18 as a young high school kid on a return from spring break in Seaside. I remember nothing of the food. But i did remember that the interior of the building was an incredible ‘lodge” experience.
Fast forward 30 years. I was invited to have a dinner there to celebrate a friends birthday, so we packed up the kids and made the 45 minute drive from Forest Grove. What a waste of time.
Now in the last 30 years I suppose my tastes have progressed from diner food to 4 star restaurant fare. That being said, I have no problem with eating at a food cart, or popping into a hole in the wall diner, if the food is good, the food is good and I am happy.
This place did not make me happy
The first problem, advertised on the «wine list» was Eola Hills pinot noir, we ordered it. What we got was some Columbia brand pinot that smelled of mildew… Strike one.
The menu looks fantastic! lots of home-​style comfort food, chicken fried steak, ribs, burgers, and the «signature» rib eye steak. Our party covered almost all the choices. kids had burgers and chicken strips with loads of fries. Adults ran the gambit, all of the aforementioned chix fried steak, ribs, pork chop, and I had the $ 38 «signature» Lumberjack rib-​eye steak.
What a complete letdown! my steak while technically a rib-​eye in the most basic butcher sense, was literally the worst steak I have ever eaten. It was very thin, full of fat and gristle, very over cooked and almost flavorless. I am not sure what the source of their meat is, but I suspect it’s from the same vendor federal prisons use.
The rest of our party had similar experiences, meats were all thin and over cooked. BBQ sauce tasted like it came from a 1 gallon jug. the gravy was clearly from an envelope and the potatoes reminded me of my youth and the powdered mashed potatoes mom used to make, mmm mmm.
All of this plus the prices. Every entrée was 3 times more expensive what you would expect it to cost. Needless to say, this will be the last time we ever eat there again. Such a shame too. great location, great ambiance but terrible food.

Date of service: Feb 16, 2015
Meal: Lunch, eat in
All Ratings out of 10:
Quality of food: 8
Food to Spend Value: 7
Quality of Service: 8
Overall Rating: 8
I have driven by Camp 18 on a number of occasions heading to the northern Oregon coast, but I had never actually eaten there. It looks quite intriguing from the outside, and some research whetted my intrigue (and appetite!) even more when I discovered their specialty was good home Southern cooking. It was lunch time on the way back from Cannon Beach, so it seemed like a perfect time to check it out.
The restaurant itself doubles as a museum, so after you park there are lots of cool old things to look at, take pictures of, and more. There is even a hiking trail along the river that runs behind the restaurant, and a gift shop as well. The restaurant is a massive log cabin and has a pretty amazing ambiance, with lots of cool things hanging on the walls and very rustic looking tables and chairs. The place was busy when we arrived, but we didn’t have to wait too long before being seated.
They have a good sized menu consisting of appetizers, a large number of sandwiches, burgers, and a variety of dinner entrees. We started with deep fried zucchini, and it was fantastic. I have typically had fried zucchini as wedges, but Camp 18 serves them chip style like you would typically get fried pickles. The batter was done very well with a nice crisp and flavor, complementing the zucchini just nicely, and the ranch dressing served as a great dipping sauce. Definitely a great way to start the meal!
There were a number of things ordered at the table for lunch, but I will highlight two of them. My son ordered the Lumberjack Burger with a side of potato salad. This beast of a burger came topped with cheddar cheese, bacon, onion rings and BBQ sauce. It was huge and apparently quite delicious. Once I saw that country fried steak was an option, I knew what I was going to order. The steak itself was a huge portion, both in overall size and in thickness. It was served over mashed potatoes and literally smothered with their homemade sausage gravy. It also came with a veggie, and that day it was carrots. The steak was very flavorful and battered perfectly, and the gravy was scrumptious and tasted like it was made for the steak. The mashed potatoes were also quite good, and the carrots, though nothing special, were prepared well and also tasted good. It was a delightful and hearty meal.
At this point I was quite stuffed, but we learned that Camp 18 is famous for the cinnamon rolls. Knowing this, how could one not get ordered? The waitress warned they were huge, so we only ordered 1 for the table. I kid you not, this thing was as big as my son’s face, oozing with icing and even a dollop of butter on top. And boy was it good, like utterly ridiculously good. There were probably more calories in that one roll than in all the other food ordered combined, but it was well worth it, and I savored every bite. I would go back again just to get one.
The place was quite busy, but we were quite pleased with the service, as it was attentive and very helpful with questions. The quality of the food was great, and the portions were quite large, all while not being too expensive, so I felt like the food to price ratio was very good. The ambiance is about as cool as you can get and is quite different for the Pacific NW, and the extracurricular stuff you can do, including working off that cinnamon roll with a short hike along the river, really provides a unique and fun experience. Camp 18 is a bit off the beaten path, but if you are on Highway 26 heading to or from the beach, it is a fantastic spot to enjoy a delicious meal.

We have always meant to stop here and finally did on our way to the coast. Tourist trap sure but not bad. My husband was pretty disappointed because he got canned corned beef. I was very happy trying a bit of everything else. I got the eggs with bacon and sausage and they offer flatcars (pancakes) or French toast — OR one of each which was the way to go though I like the pancake way more than the French toast. They were pretty busy and we were able to score a table upstairs at the bar where the woman was beyond friendly and our food came pretty fast.

This is one of those establishments I go to for simply the ambiance, to sit within their lovely themed dining area. Camp 18 is beautiful, to say the least. They have plenty of seating and there’s always people here. The inside is amazingly constructed, it is one of a kind. Most people in Oregon know what Camp 18 is. It’s like a tradition in my family to stop here along the way when we visit the coast. The breakfast here is simple with an ample amount of choices; reminds me of the Biscuits Café in the Bethany area of Beaverton. I’ve heard they’re renowned for their cinnamon rolls but I haven’t had the chance to try one yet!
The bar area upstairs is a lovely little area to sit in if you don’t have children! Quiet and quaint. Our server today was phenomenal! We left very happy with the overall experience!

Pretty good breakfast food. Big place. However, made you sit and wait even though there are plenty of tables open. Also slow on the service. Food comes fast but you might go thirsty! Ran out of water at the beginning and they didn’t come check on us once during the whole meal at a not busy time.

We were on the way to Seaside and decided to stop here for a late breakfast. I got the cinnamon roll and my husband got the chicken fried steak. My cinnamon roll was delicious. I’d give that a solid 4. It would have been a 5 if there weren’t raisins in it. I couldn’t even finish it because it was way too big! My husband ended up eating it. He wasn’t too crazy about the chicken fried steak. The steak was really tough and the fried coating would fall off the steak as you cut it. The only thing that made it edible was the sausage gravy on top and some Tabasco. I’d give his a 2. That’s why I went with a 3 rating to average it all out. I’ve been coming here since I was a kid and will continue to but won’t be ordering the chicken fried steak.

Got some good burgers to go and ate outside at the picnic tables with our dogs. Lots of people stopped here with their dogs as it’s a good place to stretch ones legs. The burgers were good. The view and surrounding area was full of interesting things to see, such as the creek, train cars, lumber yard tools, carvings, and flowers.

After experiencing a ton of wine while in the Willamette Valley, we decided to take a few hours off and head out to the Oregon Coast and Pacific Ocean. Jeff, from Oregon Select Wine Tours, suggested we forego breakfast in the Valley and stop here instead. What a great suggestion!
At the bottom of the mountain on your way to the ocean lies Camp 18. The building is so unique and massive. As we pulled in, we found numerous chainsaw carvings outside. We did the tourist thing and took pictures with the bears and lumberjack carvings. I really got a sense of the ‘lumberjack’ days of old.
As we entered the inside, we were greeted graciously by our hostess who promptly seated us by a window looking at the back woods. It is very warm and inviting, at least to me, on the inside with everything being rustic. There is a large wood burning fire place going, giving you that inviting down home smell (something I love). Other than the fireplace, the thing that stood out immediately to me was the huge Antler chandelier. It was like nothing I have ever seen before, at least from a size perspective.
The breakfast menu looked quite appetizing. It offered huge omelets, pancakes, waffles, french toast, biscuits, gravy, ham, sausage, bacon… etc, you get the idea. The portions were huge, but I had no problem polishing off my breakfast. The food was really good here, nothing earth shattering, but no disappointments. Food was good and the coffee was hot and plentiful.
This is one of those places that you would never really put on your to-​do list, but when you see it, you have to stop. I am very glad it was suggested to us. We liked it so much, on our way back into Portland, we decided to stop in again to check out the gift shop and to take more pictures. We did not eat this time as I was still full from breakfast and we were heading to Eidelweiss Sausage and Delicatessen in Portland (had to save room). I would have eaten off the lunch menu though for sure!

Not sure how people are checking in, here. We had no cell service for about the surrounding 10 miles. By the time I was in service Unilocal said I was too far away to check in.
Anyway, I’m going to assume that if you are Unilocaling this place it’s because you are either from out of state or you live under a rock, so here it goes.
Camp 18 is an homage to the lumber camps that lined the highway before it was your route to the coast and named after the local camp. The owner uses proceeds from the restaurant to fund the museum. I’m using the word «museum» here loosely. It’s a bunch of neat rusty crap strewn about the yard that would get you evicted by the HOA if you did it at home.
It’s a nostalgia thing. You do it because it’s tradition and the food is reasonable, rather than having exceptional cuisine. Although, the soup of the day today was actually quite spectacular.
You see, this is how it works. I order a chicken fried steak meal, and the guy, pleasant, chatty and charming offers me a bowl of stew as the soup of the day. Like, this place reminds you of Grandma’s house before she lost her mind and had to be put in a home. Back when she loved you with food, like a normal person. When at Grandma’s it’s the only time it’s acceptable to have 3 entrees on your plate after eating a thick sausage stew that is a meal in itself, and then she still offers you a 4 pound cinnamon roll for desert.
If you leave hungry, you’re doing it wrong. Everything is a solid take on classic comfort food and everything I’ve had out of the dozen or so times being there has been pretty spot on. While not exceptional in most cases it does hit the mark in almost all cases.

So, we stopped at Camp 18 on the way back from Seaside to Portland yesterday, and my one regret is that I didn’t get a cinnamon roll to go. Damn it.
The food is good. Think diner fare with a coastal emphasis — hearty, comfort food where you’ll find chicken fried steak on the menu but also fried trout. The interior is a spacious log cabin, which on our visit yesterday was decked floor to ceiling in Christmas décor with a huge tree in the middle. Our table was next to the fireplace, perfect on a drizzly, gray typical PacNW December day.
The pancakes (which aren’t called pancakes there but I can’t remember the name… all of the menu categories are logging-​themed) were very good. Tip: unless you are starving or a logger yourself, the short stack is probably just fine. The pancakes were very good — try the warm marionberry syrup with them. The BF had a bacon cheeseburger and fries, which he said was just fine and hit the spot.
Service was friendly and helpful. Bonus points for a carafe of coffee on the table, warm syrup… stuff like that isn’t 100% necessary but sure makes for a better experience. Prices felt reasonable. 2 of us ate for around $ 30 including drinks.
Full from our brunch, we walked around the grounds looking at the old logging equipment and wandered through the loggers memorial before driving the hour or so home. We wouldn’t make the drive out there just to eat, but would stop again when driving hwy 26 to or from the coast.

We stopped here on our way home from Cannon Beach because there was no where else along the hwy and frankly it looks cool!
There was a 20 min wait I’m not sure if it’s because it was a Sunday or if it’s the norm around here but there is a gift shop to help kill the time.
We ordered a cinnamon roll, well because they just looked delicious and I had to try a bite! My only complaint would be is that it’s not served with a spatula to help make it to your plate with out making an ooie, gooey, mess! I don’t normally order chicken fried steak but I did here and it was pretty tender and had decent flavor. My other half had the kiebosa skillet and it was really good! Great place to stop if your going to or from the Coast!

This is simply a awesome place to stop on your way to or from the coast. It is a isolated, massive lodge. You will be welcomed with old time logging equipment, a lot of history, and several cozy cats lying about. The food is down right good. The French toast is wonderful, they have homemade biscuits and jam, and we always take two of their famous Cinnamon Rolls home with us. These rolls are the size of a chicken, and they taste of sweet, cinnamon buttery goodness.
There is a solid fan base of travelers. They have a cute shop to the side of the large lodge. They sell commodities and some local artist’s work. You can enjoy your meal while watching the birds feed on the large deck lined with bird feeders. It is a true organically Oregon destination. You will never feel crowded there because the main lodge (dining room) is so spacious.
The staff is friendly, the lodge is beautiful and intriguing. It is a great place to try and judge for yourself. I highly recommend stopping in if you are making a trip to the coast. Good food, great historical stop, and a lot of fun for family.