The pork belly bites on the appetizer menu are tender and slathered in a strawberry chipotle sauce. 

Food

10 Barrel Brewing Co. is the first to brew Out Loud Beer, expected to be released this week leading up to the Central Oregon Pride! Festival from noon-5 pm. Sunday in Drake Park.

The beer is in support of queer communities and is a collaboration between Everywhere is Queer, a worldwide map of queer-owned businesses, and Gold Spot Brewing, a queer-owned brewery in Denver.

Last Thursday, I stopped by 10 Barrel Brewing on Bend’s east side. My partner and I arrived squarely at 6 p.m. and were told there’d be a 45- to 60-minute wait.

With 10 Barrel Brewing’s other location only 12 minutes away, we figured it’d be faster to drive to Bend’s west side, so we hopped in the car and drove over.

We were standing in line when I received a text that a table on the east side was ready. Luckily, the wait on the west side was just 20 minutes.

I ordered the Put the Lime in the Coconut house cocktail ($9) with rum, key lime, coconut and a dash of cinnamon on top. It was creamy and reminded me of a Pina Colada, but it could have used a little more zest from the key lime.

From the list of appetizers, we ordered the pork belly bites ($9). They came out on a metal tray with a side of barbecue chips and pickled carrot coleslaw. The smoked pork belly was slathered in a strawberry chipotle sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onion. The pork belly tasted tender and was well-balanced by the acidity of the carrot coleslaw.

I tried scooping the pork belly with the barbecue chips, but although the flavors paired well together — the textures weren’t quite as complementary. The chewiness of the pork belly made for an odd combination with the crunchiness of the chips. Nevertheless, the appetizer was delicious — and perfect for sharing.

Service

Had we been patient and waited at for a table the east Bend location, we would’ve been seated faster. But the wait staff handled a packed Thursday evening with professionalism. Our server didn’t miss a beat and made a point to check in on us throughout the meal.

Atmosphere

The popular brewpub becomes noisy when the bar is full. Both 10 Barrel Brewing locations offer outdoor seating with a wood-burning fireplace, but it’s usually the first seating to fill up on a busy summer evening.

More info

10 Barrel Brewing West Side

Location: 1135 NW Galveston Ave., Bend

Contact: 541-678-5228, 10barrel.com

Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday-Saturday

10 Barrel Brewing East Side

Location: 62950 NE 18th St., Bend

Contact: 541-241-7733, 10barrel.com

Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 1-7 p.m. Sunday

Price Range: $7-$22

Cuisine: Brewpub