Eugene’s Yardy Rum Bar named one of New York Times’ 50 best restaurants in the US

Eugene restaurant Yardy Rum Bar is one of two Oregon restaurants featured on the New York Times’ 2025 Restaurant list.

Yardy started as a pop-up in 2020 before becoming a food cart. It moved into its current location at 837 Lincoln St. in downtown Eugene in January 2024.

Chef and owner Isaiah Martinez said he thinks there’s a certain magic in how food can introduce people to a culture that they may otherwise never experience.

“I’m happy to be a part of a space and a restaurant where we get to educate people about certain parts of West Indian/Caribbean,” he said.

This is the second honor of the year for Yardy. Martinez was a semifinalist for the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Northwest & Pacific in January, so he and his staff are familiar with the rush of customers that come from a noteworthy accolade.

“Everyday was a Saturday for a couple of months and we got annihilated, and my team did really well, front and back team and my business partner, and so we’re pretty good at that,” he said.

Martinez’s bigger concern is making sure his regulars continue to get the quality of service and food that they are accustomed to.

The recognition comes at a time when Yardy often sees a slow-down in business, Martinez said, so it will be good time to have the added demand.

Zac Ziegler is a reporter with KLCC. This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.

It is part of OPB’s broader effort to ensure that everyone in our region has access to quality journalism that informs, entertains and enriches their lives. To learn more, visit our journalism partnerships page.