Cascade West Grub & Alehouse — Restaurant in Bend

I absolutely prefer the "dive bar" vibe to sports bars and cocktail lounges. I do like sports and cocktails, but it all comes down to the atmosphere for me. This place was an oasis in the desert of corporate Bend. Their selection of beers on tap was strong on IPAs, which is another massive plus. I ordered a 4-piece fried chicken and jo-jo potatoes... it was incredible. Crispy skin, juicy andvtender meat, potatoes that were fluffy on the inside... Sure, it came with some dipping sauces, but it really didn't need them. The fry sauce was hard to resist, though... just a hint of horseradish!

Service was super solid. The bartenders took excellent care of me. They had knowledge of their taps and never left me dry.

I had three pints and half a chicken, yet the price was...

I was with my little brother this weekend and the bartender would not serve to him due to his ID looking "suspicious". I was appalled because one I'm a bar manager in Florida and was visiting my little brother who is also a bartender and we have years of experience in the industry. My little brother was not allowed to drink but my ID was okay??, but we obviously didn't stay due to the experience. The bartender even threatened to take his ID away from him. They didn't have a scanner to make sure his ID was legit (which is a requirement in every state before a bartender is EVEN ALLOWED to take someone's ID). What's ridiculous about all of this is my brother is 26! Not a great experience at all, and I would advise management to train their bartenders accordingly or...

Cascade West: Where romance goes to die (and possibly vomit)

Went here on a first date nightcap, hoping for a fun, lowkey vibe. Instead, we walked into what can only be described as a wall of puke stench absolutely repulsive. My date, in a tragic twist of fate, contributed to the mess within seconds. The bouncer casually mentioned this is a regular occurrence? then handed us a coupon for cheese sticks. Not even fried chicken to soften the trauma just sticks.

The place was nearly empty on a Saturday night, with maybe four people who didn’t seem fazed. If you’re cool with mystery smells and awkward memories, this might be your spot. Otherwise… maybe...