Wrangler Dani

You really can’t visit Bend without trying a brewery (or five), and what makes our breweries so special is how central they are to Bend (and really, Northwestern) life. You can’t attend a backyard BBQ or church campout without craft beers making a celebrated appearance, and there’s hardly a weekend without a festival, tasting or pouring of some hoppy, foamy, this-weekend-only brew from one of our local favorites. Even though good beer is so prevalent, it’s not commonplace – locals and visitors alike have a reverent respect for craft brews and are always eager to lend a sip, an opinion and a sigh of satisfaction to any beery proceedings.

This is part of what makes 10 Barrel Brewing Company so special – it’s widely regarded as the best brewery in Bend, and it’s not like there’s no competition. The wait times at almost any hour for their Westside Pub and the fanaticism their beers engender proves that they’re not a fad, a gimmick or an easily toppled empire – this is a brewery that has cracked the code for imaginative pub food and surprising, boozy, flavorful beers.

What’s imaginative pub food, you ask? It’s nachos made with steak, bacon, gorgonzola cheese and surprise! homemade potato chips – an appetizer that adequately fills up a party of four and yet leaves us all wanting more. Their best burger is made with lamb and feta cheese, their cheeseburger pizza will satisfy any In-N-Out craving and their sandwiches, salads and wraps all have that “it” factor: classic bar food, removed toward artisan flavors without losing that greasy, brewpub essence.

Their beers are also astoundingly tasty. They tend to have a higher alcohol content than most, but also have more distinct flavor as well. This is not the place for bland pale ales or shrug-worthy stouts – you either love or hate these beers – the massive flavor profiles and distinct styles leave no room for ambiguity. My personal favorite is the ISA (India Session Ale) a citrus-y, bitter, light beer that tastes like summer perfected. Their IPAs are almost universally loved, and even some of their weirder beers (such as Swill, a sweet seasonal lager) have their own set of devotees.

10 Barrel also succeeds in that it’s a chic place to hang out. Located on the west side of Bend, the pub is easy walking distance from shops and restaurants and the open patio gives it a casual, house-party vibe.
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There are four garage doors on the building that slide open when the weather is nice, giving the inside of the pub an open, breezy feel. There’s even bar seats that are technically outside but face in – a brilliant move for summer in Bend, where everyone wants to be outside all the time. Tables, chairs and barstools are ridiculously heavy, made from welded metal and thick, weathered wood – but they have a cool, updated look without losing the casual, my-daddy-was-a-logger vibe of the Northwest. The outside patio has a firepit and strung lights, and if you’re lucky, the black metal smoker will be belching out delicious scents and fresh, IPA-drenched pulled pork. The staff is courteous, knowledgeable, well-trained and on-time – we’ve never had a bad service experience, missed order or forgotten beer.

If you come see us, we’ll likely take you here – not just because it’s a great place to get good food and beer, but because it feels like Bend – laid-back but still reliably excellent, every time.