Feed your inner bear at Black Bear Diner
Jan. 14—A unique dining experience can be had at Burleson's newest restaurant, Black Bear Diner.
The Burleson location was the launch of 14 new venues planned across the United States this year. Five of those will be in Texas.
Burleson's 5,000-square-foot location opened Dec. 13 and is the third in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area.
My family and I had the pleasure of visiting the diner before it officially opened. We had a wonderful experience, with fast service and tasty food.
The first thing that struck me when I walked in the door was the interesting decor, from the beautiful woodwork throughout to right-at-home feeling provided by the bar available to sit at.
As we were seated, we were handed menus in the shape of a newspaper, which I absolutely loved. "The Black Bear Gazette" blazoned across the menu's front page, which featured stories from diners across the country. Even the kids' menu kept with the newspaper theme, and it was dubbed "The Beary Tale Times."
I was also astonished by the wide variety of dishes available on the menu. There was everything from breakfast to seafood to full-course homestyle dinners. My daughter, always a breakfast lover, enjoyed a plate with an omelette, hash browns and toast.
My husband, who always loves seafood and takes advantage of eating it nay chance he can get since I despise it, ordered a salmon plate. I stuck with one of my favorites, chicken fettuccine Alfredo. None of the meals disappointed and we were all stuffed by the time we finished, even taking leftovers home.
The store also has lots of goodies for sale as you exit the building, everything from stuffed animals to coffee mugs and coffee.
Black Bear Diner opened in California, where the first store opened in 1995. Today they have 157 restaurants across 14 states.
"The confidence in our brand is strong," Black Bear Diner CEO Anita Adams said. "Based on strong bottom-line performance, existing franchisees are investing in new diner locations, while new franchise partners have come aboard as Black Bear Diner complements their portfolio with our unique full-service brand."
One of the most interesting things at the diner are the bear sculptures, which I later found out are all custom artwork, from inside to out.
Co-Founder Bob Manley was a sculptor and art enthusiast, according to the company's website, and he wanted to share the sweeping Mount Shasta landscapes they called home.
The unique and clever bear carvings reflect the local flavor of each diner. Ray Schulz has carved about 3,000 of the bears.
In the past month since it opened to Burleson I've heard nothing but positive reviews from friends and family who have been able to visit it. I certainly know I can't wait to return!
Black Bear diner is at 12613 S. Freeway in Burleson and is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for dine-in, delivery and carryout.
