Opened in the summer of 2025 on the Five Pines campus, The McArthur Restaurant and Bar is located in the same building as the Sisters Athletic Club in the former home of Rio Mexican restaurant. This new spot aims squarely at elevated Pacific Northwest dining without forgetting that people also want to relax, linger and maybe order another drink.
The McArthur is the latest project from longtime Central Oregon restaurateur Paul Mercer, whose résumé reads like a local dining hall of fame. Over the past 30 years Mercer has owned and operated The Victorian Café, The Kokanee Café in Camp Sherman, The Trout House in Sunriver and The Pig and Pound in Redmond. For this venture, Mercer teamed up with chef Morrie Christiansen, naming the restaurant after Tam McArthur Rim, the iconic hiking trail and geographic landmark that looms large in both local lore and weekend plans. The name alone signals that the restaurant wants to be rooted in place, proud of its surroundings and grounded in regional flavor.
The McArthur bills itself as an elevated dining experience built around locally sourced and organic ingredients, presented through a Pacific Northwest lens. The menu reflects that ambition, offering everything from hazelnut crusted trout and halibut cheeks to elk sliders and duck breast finished with an apple cranberry glaze. Burgers sit comfortably alongside more refined plates, and the dinner menu shifts seasonally, giving the kitchen room to play with what is fresh and available.
On my visit, I opted to sit at the bar, which is open to walk-ins all evening and outfitted with notably comfortable padded stools complete with backs. This may seem like a small detail, but it matters when you are settling in for multiple courses. The bar area itself is narrow and a bit tight, with a few tables opposite the bar, but the color palette is warm and inviting, and the bar back is handsome and well stocked. The lighting throughout the restaurant felt slightly off to me, a bit brighter than expected in the dining room and not quite dialed in at the bar, but neither issue detracted too much from the overall experience.
The layout of the space is a little unconventional. You enter directly into the dining room, which is fairly plain at first glance, with the kitchen immediately to the left. To reach the bar, you walk through the dining room toward the back right corner. The dining area is not large, but it was packed with diners clearly enjoying themselves, a good sign for a restaurant still finding its rhythm. Reservations are recommended for the dining room, and based on the crowd, that advice seems wise.
The starter menu is where The McArthur really shows off its range. Options include hand-cut fries cooked in duck fat and served with black garlic aioli, fresh oysters, crab cakes, steamed mussels, ground elk sliders and tempura vegetables with kimchi mayo and ponzu. Salads are thoughtful and hearty, from the Blue Harvest with butter lettuce, bacon, apple and candied walnuts to a braised red and golden beet salad.
I ordered several appetizers, starting with the crab cakes. The cakes themselves had a lovely texture and were not overly breaded, allowing the crab to shine. However, the sauce they were served on, while tasty on its own, felt too heavy for the delicate crab. It was a rich, almost spicy sauce that overpowered the dish rather than complementing it. The crab meat was also darker than my personal preference, as I tend to favor white lump crab, though that is very much a matter of taste.
Next came the French onion soup, which was as hearty as promised. The bowl was generous and packed with onions, topped with a thick layer of melted cheese and bread. The cheese cap was a bit hard to break into, and the soup leaned thicker than I usually like, but it delivered on comfort and depth of flavor.
The clear standout of the night was the Risotto Croquette. Creamy rice mixed with wild mushrooms and bacon, fried to perfection, then dressed with a blue cheese cream sauce and balsamic reduction. A soft egg perched atop one of the croquettes added richness and visual appeal. It was indulgent, balanced and deeply satisfying, the kind of dish you keep thinking about long after the plate is cleared.
I also ordered the sweet potato gnocchi side, though it could easily pass for an entrée. The portion was generous enough to share, especially for those who enjoy small plate dining. The gnocchi were small, tender dumplings, nicely seared and coated in a creamy, well-seasoned sauce. It was filling without being heavy and offered a perfect bite every time.
When I asked the bartender for recommendations, he enthusiastically endorsed the gnocchi and mentioned the duck breast, which is now firmly on my list for next time. He also noted that the tempura vegetables are a crowd favorite, a colorful assortment served with kimchi mayo and ponzu.
The beverage program is solid and well curated, with a wine list highlighting Willamette Valley and other Pacific Northwest producers, alongside premium beers and a lineup of signature cocktails. The cocktails feature spirits like vodka, gin, rye, bourbon and mezcal, with playful names referencing local landmarks such as Sidecar to Hoodoo and Suttle Lake. As someone who leans toward tequila, I wished for an agave forward option, but the list still offers plenty to explore.
Service throughout the evening was excellent. The bartender was attentive and knowledgeable, and Mercer himself was on the floor chatting with diners, an encouraging sign of hands-on ownership. Prices reflect the current reality of casual fine dining, with starters ranging from $14 to $20, cocktails averaging $16 and main dishes spanning from a $19 burger to nearly $50 for higher end entrées. It is not inexpensive, but it is very much in line with what diners expect for this level of quality and sourcing.
Will I return? Absolutely. I enjoyed the bar area and appreciated the thoughtful menu and warm hospitality. Next time, I am eyeing a fish dish, the coconut shrimp curry and that duck breast, assuming they are still in rotation. And if not, I trust The McArthur to offer something new worth trying. In a town that values both tradition and a sense of adventure, The McArthur feels like a restaurant ready to become a regular stop, whether you are celebrating a special occasion or simply hungry after a long day on the trail.
The McArthur Restaurant and Bar
Wed-Sun Bar opens 4pm/Dining Room 5-9pm
1011 E Desperado Trail, Sisters, OR
541-390-2885
themacarthurrestaurantandbar.com/
This article appears in the Source January 1, 2026.
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