Doors opened to Brian Malarkey’s new Bend restaurant, Hawkeye and Huckleberry Lounge, on June 16.

Malarkey said he considers the new venture “a great homecoming.” After making his mark on the culinary world in the Golden State with restaurant concepts such as Herb & Wood, Anime, Herb & Sea and Herb & Ranch, he’s returning to his Central Oregon roots.

He grew up on a ranch in Tumalo, earning high school state rodeo champion three consecutive years before graduating from Redmond High School in 1990. The business is in partnership with his brother James, an entrepreneur, marketer and graduate of Central Oregon Community and Oregon State University, according to a press release.

“Opening Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge in Bend is a deeply personal endeavor and a dream come true for my brother James and me. This restaurant is a heartfelt celebration of our Central Oregon heritage, the ranching and rodeo traditions that have shaped us,” Brian said in the release. “From the beef, chicken and produce raised and grown on our own nearby ranch, to the locally sourced ingredients from our community partners, each dish tells a story of home.”

Inspiration for the restaurant’s name was found in one of the most memorable lines of the 1993 Western biopic “Tombstone,” in which Val Kilmore said, “I’m your huckleberry,” Brian said.

What’s on the menu?

The menu includes hot and cold appetizers, pizzas, entrees and meat cuts with sauces and add-ons for an additional charge. One of the entrees listed on the menu is a “whole roasted suckling pig,” served at the table with all the fixings. It’s sold at market price and requires two days of advance notice, according to the menu.

Appetizers involve beef tongue tostada ($14), cracked skin pork belly ($17), campfire cornbread ($10) and an Oregon Bay shrimp cocktail ($19).

Happy hour will be available in the bar and lounge daily from 4-5 p.m. with specials that include a $10 Hawkeye burger and a $2 discount on specialty cocktails.

According to a press release, the former 11,000-square-foot Walt Reilly’s building has been updated to reflect a modern cowboy aesthetic with canvas tents in the dining area, wood-fire ovens and a stage for live music.

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Details

What: Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge

Location: 225 SW Century Drive, Bend

Contact: hawkeyeandhuckleberrylounge.com, 541-728-2802, @hawkandhuck

Hours: 4-9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Price Range: Appetizers $10-$22, entrees $27-$35, meat cuts $24-$145