The Rainbow Cafe is a staple of the community with longtime loyal patrons in downtown Pendleton. The bar offers breakfast, lunch and dinner entrees and provides live music entertainment.

Thousands of people come from all over the world to participate in the spectacle that is the Pendleton Round-Up.

And they all have to eat.

With all those people in town it’s good to know ahead of time where you and your friends and family are going to head out for a bite to eat or a drink. The Round-Up Grounds have various food vendors operating out of trucks and trailers, plus several bars and venues, but venture a bit further for a true taste of the town.

A breakfast fit for a cowboy (or girl)

Start your day with a hearty and filling breakfast at the local’s favorite morning meal joint, The Saddle Restaurant and Lounge.

This place is famous for its chicken-fried steak breakfast and biscuits and gravy, both of which you will find on their consolidated menu during the week of Round-Up.

While the restaurant at 2220 SE Court Ave. is a popular place for locals to eat year-round, the establishment gets some special visitors during Round-Up, including rodeo courts.

Local watering holes and chuck wagons

Downtown Pendleton offers a variety of delicious options.

The Rainbow Cafe is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and slinging drinks from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday and from 6 a.m. to midnight on Sundays. A local fixture, “The ‘bow,” 209 S. Main St., stakes a claim as oldest tavern in Oregon, though there has been some recent debate, having operated in the current spot since perhaps 1883.

Although they do now accept cards, bring cash if you can — during the evenings of Round-Up, like much of the rest of town, The Rainbow turns into a sea of people packed shoulder to shoulder.

The bar itself is full of not just Pendleton but Round-Up history. Memorabilia and photos cover the walls, including the All-Around Cowboys back to 1910.

Down a cool one at The Packard

The Main Street Cowboys put on live music and other entertainment on Main Street, adding to the party ambience at The Packard Tavern.

If you are only looking to shoot some pool and grab a beer while in town for Round-Up, look no further than The Packard. A beer bar with two pool tables in the back and a jukebox, this local spot can become crowded during Round-Up week. However, because The Packard doesn’t serve liquor, you might find this to be a nice spot to break away from some of the busier locations in downtown Pendleton.

Rustle up a steak at Virgil’s

If you want to eat like Round-Up royalty head to Virgil’s at Cimmiyotti’s Restaurant & Lounge, 137 S. Main St. It helps to make a reservation, but you can add your name to the list and wait outside for a table. The regionally famous steakhouse opens their back patio area to serve three times their average capacity during Round-Up week.

Virgil’s provide a classic old West feel with its crushed red velvet wallpaper in the dining room and the wait staff and bartenders dressed to the nines in bow ties and sparkly gowns.

Get the full treatment

The Great Pacific, 403 S. Main St., has a chill and cozy vibe and boasts a large menu that includes appetizers, small plates, hot and cold sandwiches, soups, salads and some of the best pizza in town.

Round-Up week can be a bit crazy, and the nights, depending on how hard you party, can be long. The Great Pacific has you covered with espresso and coffee from open to close.