Cowboy up!
Zeller’s brings their comfort food and comfortable style to Lincoln City
Story by Andrea McCabe
Walking into Zeller’s makes you want to slip on some boots, plop a cowboy hat on your head and do a little jig before sitting down on the cushioned booths to devour a massive 24 inch cowboy steak or a dig into homemade fettuccine alfredo. You may wonder for just an instant where you tied your horse outside before realizing you parked your honda civic out in the parking lot. You may look around for Grandpa to tell a story about his farming days or Grandma presenting you with fresh, straight out of the oven biscuits. Owner Adina Zeller and her son Dean Zeller want their restaurant to exude this classic family-like country style atmosphere through food and decor.
“Comfort,” Dean said. “I want them to feel comfortable and at home.”
The family-owned restaurant has been serving up large homestyle meals in Otis for almost three years. Now, the family provides the same delicious food style and genuine service at their newest location in Lincoln City, which opened in March.
Each restaurant has their own spin on food: Riverside features pizza, prime rib and taco Tuesday, while Lincoln City offers more steak and seafood options.
The Zeller family has seen much success since transforming the Otis Bean Box coffee shop into their family style restaurant in 2020. When Mariah and Doug Strickland presented Adina and her husband with a business proposal to replace Maxwell’s Bar and Grill with Zeller’s they took that as an opportunity to spread their love of good food.
Biscuits and gravy, eggs benedict, french toast, omelets and other assortments of country style tastes and portions provide an abundance of breakfast options. The espresso bar is a new addition Adina is excited to offer customers. From white chocolate mochas to caramel americanos, from hot to iced, there are a variety of choices.
Dinners of half-pound hamburgers, made-from-scratch clam chowder and the ever popular country-fried steak will help fuel line dancing lessons Wednesday nights. Various country style bands perform every Saturday and a local DJ provides karaoke music five to six nights a week. Hungry after grooving it out on the dance floor? Food is available to order from the lounge bar until closing.
Doordash delivers any menu item including drinks from the espresso bar, milkshakes and alcoholic beverages.
Adina and her husband, their three children and two grandchildren all have roles within the business, from washing the dishes and fixing appliances to cheffing it up in the kitchen.
“We are family,” Adina said. “We want the community to know we are here for you.”
The family-like atmosphere matches the country style decor. Portraits of John Wayne and other cowboy movie stars line the lounge area walls where homemade barrel tables are placed. Antlers on the underside of fans, old game machines placed against the wall and neon lights shining down on pool tables and glinting off billiard balls emphasize the oldies ambience.
“We live in the country and I kind of grew up that way with my family,” Adina said. “It is beautiful if you look at the decor. It is all natural and fun.”
Adina takes much pride in the country style portions and taste to match the restaurant's distinctive aesthetic.
“If I won’t eat it, I won’t serve it,” she said. “When you are riding out in the country and you find a little bar on the side of the road we want you to think of us.”
While their experience at the Otis location has provided them knowledge to start up their Lincoln City location, a transition from a 2,000 to 9,000 sq ft building has been a learning experience. Dean humorously compared running the two restaurants as “night and day.” Luckily, Mariah and Doug Strickland have assisted with this transition from Maxwells to Zellers every step of the way. Their support has helped the Zeller family succeed and contribute to the community.
“It is absolutely helping the community,” Dean said. “It has brought new ideas and new life. It relivened what Maxwell's was in the beginning and grew on that foundation.”
Adina finds it exciting to see her restaurant gain popularity as the town continues to expand. She hopes each customer, whether a community member or a traveler passing through, remembers fondly the food and atmosphere of Zellers.
“We want to be the first thing you think about in the morning when you want coffee and the last thing you think about at night when you want clam chowder,” she said.
Zeller’s Bar and Grill Lincoln City is located at 1643 NW Hwy. 101 and is open from 7 am to 1 am, Sunday through Thursday, and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Zellers Riverside is located at 6576 Salmon River Highway in Otis and is open from noon to 10 pm, Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 11 pm, Saturday and Sunday.
For more information go to zellersbarandgrill.com.