There’s something appealing about a place where you can order a craft cocktail, grab a sliced brisket sandwich, pick up bone-in chops or ribeyes for the grill and leave with provisions for your next mountain adventure. That is exactly the niche The Way West hopes to fill. The new collaboration between Bend Brewing Company and Sisters Meat & Smokehouse has officially opened inside The Jackstraw on Southwest Industrial Way. Equal parts neighborhood gathering place, butcher shop, deli and smokehouse, it is unlike anything else currently operating in Bend.
Guests can browse a walk up butcher counter stocked with Sisters Meat & Smokehouse specialties, order sandwiches to go or to eat on-site, settle in with a pint or cocktail at the expansive horseshoe bar, or relax on the spacious patio overlooking the mountains. A full dinner menu is still on the way, but for now the focus is sandwiches, snacks and drinks.
For longtime Central Oregon residents, the partnership feels natural. Sisters Meat & Smokehouse has built a devoted following since opening in Sisters in 2016 and later expanding to Redmond. Bend Brewing Company has been pouring beer since 1995, making it Bend’s second oldest brewery. The location is excellent. Sitting adjacent to the Box Factory and just a short stroll from both the Old Mill District and downtown, The Way West is an easy stop whether you’re heading to the river, grabbing supplies for a picnic or looking for a casual meal.
The space is what impressed me most. Warm wood tones, abundant natural light and an eye- catching tumbleweed ceiling fixture create a modern Western aesthetic without feeling gimmicky. Large garage doors blur the line between indoors and outdoors, opening onto a partially shaded patio with plenty of seating and beautiful mountain views. The atmosphere is relaxed and social, with enough room to spread out whether you’re meeting friends after work or lingering over lunch.
Walking through the front doors, guests first enter the butcher shop, where refrigerated cases display the high quality meats, smoked cheeses and specialty products Sisters Meat & Smokehouse fans already know well. Nearby, grab and go coolers offer packaged fish, beverages and prepared items that make it tempting to stock up before even reaching the restaurant.
The menu currently centers on sandwiches built on Sparrow Bakery’s excellent hoagie rolls. Options include the Smokin’ Gun Chicken with pulled smoked chicken, white barbecue sauce and kale slaw, along with a sliced brisket sandwich topped with caramelized onions, Western sauce and provolone. There’s also a beef and cheddar and a verde turkey sando and a roasted broccoli snack.
On my first visit, the smoked chicken sandwich had already sold out, which was disappointing since it was at the top of my list. Then again, selling out of smoked meat shortly after opening probably says as much about customer demand as anything else. I tried the Cowboy Cubano, which is not a traditional Cubano despite the pulled pork and tangy yellow mustard. Instead of sliced ham, it uses Cotto salami, pepperjack replaces Swiss, and sliced jalapeños stand in for dill pickles. The pork was tender and moist, and the Sparrow hoagie roll was the highlight of the sandwich. However, the mustard was applied so heavily that the salami’s flavor was mostly lost, and I found myself missing the sharp pickle punch of a classic Cubano.
Sandwiches come with chips and a cookie. My plate arrived with only a small handful of chips and a chocolate chip cookie. It was a surprisingly modest accompaniment, especially given the otherwise generous reputation of Sisters Meat & Smokehouse. The Peachy Pecan salad looked very enticing at my neighbor’s table, with fresh greens, peaches, goat cheese, candied pecans and blueberry balsamic vinaigrette. That will likely be my order next time.
The beverage program goes beyond beer, although Bend Brewing staples such as Tropic Pines IPA, Oregon Summer Ale and Cascade Crisp Apple Lager are all available. Wine drinkers will find a concise but appealing by-the-glass selection that includes Spanish cava and an Oregon Chardonnay. Cocktails deserve attention as well. The Sundance Kids combines tequila, basil, strawberry, lime and Tajín salt for a bright summer sip, while the floral Paper Daisies blends gin, chamomile, lavender, honey and lemon. Those wanting something with a little more bite can opt for the Gunsmoke, made with rye whiskey, Scotch whisky and tobacco bitters. Non-drinkers have not been forgotten thanks to zero proof creations such as the cleverly named All Hat No Cattle.
The first few weeks of opening a new restaurant inevitably comes with a few growing pains, and The Way West is no exception. As the butcher shop, bar and restaurant share one building, first time visitors may need a moment to orient themselves. During one visit a host greeted guests and explained the process; on another, it was less clear whether diners should seat themselves or wait. I did discover that you order sandwiches at the counter while drinks are ordered separately at the bar.
Parking is another small hurdle. Visitors to the Box Factory lot should know they need to park first, head inside The Way West and scan the posted QR code to validate their parking. Those minor inconveniences seem likely to smooth out with time.
Both Bend Brewing Company and Sisters Meat & Smokehouse have spent years building loyal customer bases through quality products and friendly hospitality. Even before the full dinner menu arrives, The Way West already feels like more than another restaurant opening. It’s a gathering place, a neighborhood butcher shop and an easy stop for everything from a quick sandwich to supplies for your next Central Oregon adventure or backyard cookout.
So my suggestion is to grab a drink, settle onto the patio and soak up the view, and plan on leaving with a bag full of smoked meats and cheeses for later.
The Way West
Daily 10am-Close
Happy Hour 3-5pm
At The Jackstraw
310 SW Industrial Way, Suite 114, Bend
thewaywestbend.com
IG: the_waywest
This article appears in the Source August 6, 2026.
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