Named for co-founder Brett Evje’s great-grandfather, Joseph Walter Heist, the restaurant draws directly from a Montana ranching story that began near Yellowstone in the Cinnabar Basin. J.W. later raised prize-winning Hereford bulls near Manhattan, and that family history became the foundation for a steakhouse meant to feel established, regional and lasting.

The build brought that story into a late-1800s downtown Bozeman building, where the facade was rebuilt in a more traditional style and original brick was brought back inside. Oak paneling, locally quarried Paradise Valley basalt, a custom coffered ceiling and a salvaged 1896 Brunswick back bar shape the interior, while the open wood-fired hearth anchors the kitchen and dining experience. Much of the millwork was done locally, helping give the space the depth and permanence of an older Montana steakhouse rather than a newly finished restaurant.