Everybody in Bend seems to be talking about Runaround Sue Barbecue right now. Either they’re planning their first visit, raving about the brisket they inhaled over lunch, or comparing the smoked turkey to the barbecue they grew up with back in Texas, Memphis or the Carolinas. Around here, a new restaurant that’s generating this much chatter, this quickly, usually means one thing. You need to go immediately.
As someone born south of the Mason-Dixon, I grew up eating a whole lot of whole hog barbecue so I approached Runaround Sue with both excitement and a little skepticism. Great barbecue inspires loyalty bordering on religion. Everybody has their benchmark. Mine happens to involve smoky pork eaten at picnic tables somewhere humid, with sweet tea sweating nearby.
Still, hope springs eternal, especially when the folks behind El Sancho are involved. Bendites already know the team has a knack for casual food done exceptionally well, and their new barbecue concept has taken over the former El Sancho space on NW Galveston Avenue.
I arrived shortly after the 11 a.m. opening on a Thursday and was greeted by a line already stretching toward the patio. Construction workers on lunch breaks mingled with tourists wrangling kids and locals craning their necks toward the smoker like pilgrims approaching a sacred site. Thankfully, the line moved steadily because I needed every extra minute to make a decision.
The menu reads like a choose-your-own-smoke-adventure. Beef brisket, smoked turkey, beef machaca, pulled pork and pork hot links can all become tacos, sandwiches or meat plates served with white bread, onions, pickles and house barbecue sauce. My usual instinct is to order tacos because, frankly, I have very few defenses against a good taco. But for the sake of barbecue journalism and my Southern conscience, I wanted the experience closest to what I’d order back home.
After a solid internal debate, I landed on the beef brisket sandwich. Partly because I’d heard the brisket sells out quickly every day. Partly because Texas brisket might be my favorite barbecue format on earth. And partly because the sandwich offered the full experience. Big Ed’s potato roll. Coleslaw. Pickles. Sauce. The whole glorious package.
It was the correct decision.
The bun was soft without disintegrating. The coleslaw struck that ideal balance between creamy and crisp. The pickles carried enough tang to cut through the richness of the meat. And the brisket itself was deeply smoky, incredibly tender and impressively juicy. Maybe even a touch wetter than traditional Texas purists expect, but flavorful enough that nobody at my table was complaining.
The house barbecue sauce also deserves praise for avoiding extremes. Not candy sweet. Not aggressively spicy. Just balanced, smoky and versatile. I’ll probably ask for extra next time because I like my sandwiches practically swimming in sauce, but the base version works beautifully for a broad audience.
On the side, I ordered the noodle and cheese, which may honestly be one of the creamiest mac and cheese variations I’ve encountered in Central Oregon. Velvety, rich and carrying just a faint whisper of smoke, it offered the perfect cooling contrast to the savory brisket.
Other sides include barbecue beans, potato salad, coleslaw and brisket chili. Extra toppers range from smoked and pickled jalapeños to escabeche and even pickled eggs, which feels exactly chaotic enough for a barbecue joint with personality.
If you arrive extra hungry, Runaround Sue also offers cracklins, Frito pie, queso, guacamole, salads and chicken wings. More than one trusted foodie friend has already declared the wings among the best in Bend. Smoky, crispy and packed with flavor. I didn’t manage to try them this visit, but they’ve officially moved to the top of my must-order list.
I’ve also heard repeated praise for the smoked turkey, which can so often become the forgotten dry cousin at barbecue restaurants. Apparently not here. Multiple people have described it as juicy, tender and surprisingly flavorful. The pulled pork has earned similar enthusiasm.
There’s also a thoughtful kids menu with noodle and cheese, grilled cheese and quesadillas, plus desserts including banana puddin’ and ice cream sandwiches. The banana pudding especially feels nonnegotiable for a future visit.
The drinks lean playful and summer ready. Slushie margaritas come in lime, peach and strawberry. There’s ranch water, palomas and a peach bourbon lemonade that practically begs to be paired with smoked meat on a sunny patio afternoon. Beer options include Texas staple Shiner Bock alongside Modelo Especial, plus cider and wine offerings. Nonalcoholic choices include lemonade, iced tea, agua fresca and soda.
And really, the patio is half the point. The vibe mirrors El Sancho’s easygoing charm with colorful details, picnic tables, umbrellas and counter service that encourages lingering rather than rushing. The outdoor seating places diners close enough to the giant smoker to fully appreciate the operation. Watching smoke curl through the patio while trays of brisket emerge from the kitchen feels like dinner theater for carnivores.
Prices remain refreshingly reasonable, especially given current restaurant economics. My generously piled brisket sandwich cost $13.50. The small noodle and cheese was $5. Meat plates start at $9 for a quarter pound and $18 for a half pound. In 2026, that qualifies as downright merciful.
By the time I left, the line had grown even longer and every picnic table seemed full of smiling, sauce-streaked faces. There was laughter, clinking drinks and that unmistakable sound of people collectively deciding they’d found their new summer food obsession.
Bend has no shortage of good restaurants. But barbecue carries a different kind of emotional weight. It’s comfort food. Celebration food. Patio food. Road trip food. Nostalgia food. And judging by the crowds gathering daily on Galveston Avenue, Runaround Sue Barbecue may have tapped directly into exactly what Central Oregon was hungry for.
Runaround Sue Barbecue
Wed-Sun 11am-10pm
1254 NW Galveston Ave, Bend
IG: runaroundsuebarbecue
runaroundsuebarbecue.com
This article appears in the Source May 28, 2026.
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