If you’ve been treating Scotch & Soda as merely that dependable watering hole on the Bentonville Square where you grab a quick post-work Manhattan, it’s officially time to reconsider your evening plans. While this contemporary tavern has been an NWA staple since 2015, its Executive Chef, Cheyenne Evans, is executing a full-blown culinary makeover—and her vibrant new menu is giving this longtime favorite a serious second wind.
Evans isn’t your average kitchen lead. Originally from the San Diego area, she honed her passion at culinary school in Las Vegas before spending nearly two decades as a chef for the Tyson family and Blessings Golf Course.
Evans explains her long stint with the Tyson family is abnormal for most chefs. “Typically, a chef moves around every other year, collecting different experiences. It wasn’t until after a longboarding accident where I was out of work for months that I decided I needed to leave and try something new.”
Following a pop-up project with breakfast bar Prelude, Good Spirits Co. owner Joshua Widner invited Evans to run an in-house concept for Scotch & Soda. She didn't just take the job—she designed an all-new dining experience, tapping an all-female culinary crew to pull it off.
“Josh gave me full control of the menu, but he wanted to do something inspired by East Coast steakhouses,” Evans explains. Working alongside her sous chef Ruth, with her mom handling prep, Chef Evans’ new menu is channeling raw culinary flex, sourcing pristine filets from Missouri and flying in world-class seafood directly from East Coast legends like Island Creek Oysters.
The result? A hyper-craveable, disarmingly playful lineup built for both casual happy hour grazers and full-blown dinner dates. Think crispy salmon fish & chips that redefine the genre, a decadent crab cake BLT, perfectly seared lamb racks, creamy fresh burrata, and an array of shareables designed specifically to play nicely with the bar’s legendary cocktail program.
Scotch & Soda has spent almost a decade being your "old reliable." But under Chef Evans’ leadership, it’s morphing into the most exciting table in town. Don't let your old memories keep you away—grab a booth, order the oyster spread, and taste what happens when a classic spot gets a brilliant second act.