Tucked away in a bright blue house on Lincoln Street lies Yardy Rum Bar, Eugene’s most exciting new spot for fine dining. After being mentioned in the New York Times Top 50 restaurants in the country, Yardy has risen to new heights and is getting nationwide attention for their establishment. With a constant line around the corner and customers singing nothing but praise for the food, service and ambiance, saying the restaurant is a success is a wild understatement. This is due in no small part to Isaiah Martinez, head chef and co-owner of Yardy.
Martinez grew up in Crown Heights, New York City, and was raised on WestIndies and Caribbean cuisine from his family. When he came out to Eugene to help a mentor open an Italian restaurant in town, he was obligated to stay much longer than expected due to the COVID pandemic. Realizing he was more or less stuck in Eugene, he decided to open up his own food cart, the first iteration of Yardy, to deliver his home-grown Caribbean food to the people of this city. Within a few years, Martinez was able to open up a brick-and-mortar restaurant in a tight nook on Lincoln Street.
“I was really motivated to see my friends help my dreams come true,” he said. Upon acquiring the property for the restaurant and with the help of the Eugene community, there was only a 3-week turn-around to get the building restaurant-ready. Martinez went into business with fellow owner and bar manager Nico Centanni, University of Oregon alum and highly-acclaimed bartender, and opened their doors in February of 2024.
“It’s important for history… most people don’t know about Caribbean food and culture,” Martinez said, and with the constant line out of the door, it’s easy to see that the people of Eugene agree. Upon speaking to customers leaving Yardy, everyone had nothing but amazing things to say about the restaurant, whether it be the quick and attentive staff, the comfortable dining experience, or the delicious food.
“Everything there makes you feel at home and closer to the people seated around you,” said Noah Gagnier, a customer at Yardy. The restaurant is located in what seems to be a regular house, and the energy they provide embodies that homey feel perfectly. The sound of conversation and laughter fills the building, accompanied by warm lighting and beautiful decor that makes everyone feel at home while eating there. One customer mentioned that their drinks came in mismatched glasses, only adding to the homemade energy that Yardy embraces fully.
“It’s hard to be that good with that many options,” said Chloe Gallagher, a customer leaving Yardy after a meal, giving some insight into the vast selection that Yardy offers as well as her experience with Martinez himself. She spoke about going to Yardy when it was just a food cart, getting to know the staff and even bringing Martinez mushrooms that she had foraged for some of his dishes. Gallagher even reached out to Martinez on catering her wedding, but after being unable to help, he still recommended another local restaurant that would be up to the task.
“You could tell it was handcrafted,” one customer said in reference to the Tí Punch cocktail that she ordered, but that reflects the philosophy of the whole restaurant. All recipes are hand-crafted by Martinez himself, inspired by Caribbean cuisine and including many vegan and gluten-free options, so that anyone who’s hungry is welcome. Folks mentioned the vegan potato salad, fried chicken sandwich and jerk chicken as standout items on the menu, but people enjoyed every aspect of the restaurant and their offerings. Gallagher noted Yardy having in-house fermentation, resulting in “the best pickles” she’s ever had.
“Everything’s original, like me,” Martinez said. He doesn’t go out of his way to obtain original ingredients that would normally be used in the Caribbean dishes he serves, opting instead to get Pacific Northwest ingredients from local farms in the area. Yardy partners with several Eugene farms, such as Lively Organic Farm, Hive On, Laughing Stock Farm and a multitude of others, showing not only their dedication to bringing organic food to the people as well as their deep connection to the community of Eugene.
Martinez credits a lot of the success of Yardy to the community of Eugene, but it’s his own entrepreneurial spirit that is the driving force behind the restaurant. During our interview, he never stopped working, always tinkering with something that needed fixing to maintain the carefully crafted ambiance of the place.
Beyond that, Martinez emphasized the importance of running the restaurant like a business above anything else. “I’ve known really talented chefs who know how to make great food, but don’t know how to run a restaurant,” he said. Martinez’s restaurant, as well as every aspect of his life, is debt-free, giving a break on the stress-inducing life of a wildly successful chef.
Yardy celebrates their two-year anniversary in February of next year, and it’s hard to picture it ending anytime soon. The only complaint that could be gathered from those waiting outside is that the line can be long, as Yardy does not take reservations and opts for exclusively walk-in seating, but that is only a sign of the growing popularity of the restaurant as well as Yardy’s dedication to serving anyone and everyone they can.
With an ambitious and incredibly talented owner, amazing staff and a wide array of delicious food, Yardy Rum Bar has become a Eugene staple and should without a doubt be the next stop on any foodies list.
