The Brown Bear
278 N Hancock St, Pentwater, MI, 49449
The Brown Bear Menu
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Address :
278 N Hancock St
Pentwater, MI, 49449 - Phone (231) 869-5444
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Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Erica D.
LOVE this place. I have to get their deep fried cauliflower!!! I don't know what they use for their ranch, but it is awesome!! All of their food is great!
(5)shannon m.
The single most delicious cheeseburger I've ever had in my entire life. This is worth a serious roadtrip from just about anywhere. I don't know what they use, Lawry's? The best ground beef ever on a well seasoned grill? Whatever it is, these burgers are fantastic. Wait as long as you have to (although it's usually not all that long) and come from wherever you have to. Get this burger. It's available in three sizes- Wimpy, Cub, and Bear. The Bear is a true showstopper. And the Bear with all of the ultimate fixings (including a giant slice of ham!?!) is as big as a dinner plate. Oh man, I'm starting to get a hankering, but make mine Cub sized...
(5)Rose A.
A disappointment !!! I ran into a lady while camping in Mears, she made this place sound wonderful and informed me that they have the best burgers hands down. Well, after trying them I've come to the conclusion that I was chatting with a crack head. The staff was good, the portion size was good , however the burgers were average. I had their homemade chips that lacked any flavor and were burnt. The rest of the family had their french fries and stated that they were " just ok." Definitely not a place I would try again.
(2)TJ J.
Ordered medium rare olive burger, got medium well to well done... um, you guys serve mainly burgers right? But considering how overcooked it was, it wasn't horrible. Rueben was really thin on meat (given the price and that it comes with just some chips -- no pickle even or maybe a little thing of slaw??), but it was fine. My check had a beer on it that no one ordered. Marginally OK experience, but apparently cook & wait staff are trained by monkeys. I'd go to Antler Bar way before going back to BB -- and probably GoodStuffs for the rueben.
(2)Travis F.
People, I have lived in Pentwater and frequented this place at least 3-4 times a week for a long time. For those of you that seem to be 'drinking the Kool-Aid', put your cup down. Everyone else, I hope this helps. Service is 5 stars, food is 1-2 stars (burgers are 4-5) and ownership hovers around a 2. Some bullet points for quick viewing: Pros: *Wait/bar staff - This crew is great. They do a great job of keeping the place afloat amidst comically poor management and avoidable issues that customers often complain about (NASTY bathrooms, ubiquitous ripped bar stools and chairs, bad/non-existent managers/ownership). I know service industry folks are supposed to be 'happy' all the time, but if you knew what these guys/girls had to deal with behind the scenes you'd forgive them if they are ever less than super friendly (very rare). *Good burgers. They are not great as many folks would try and tell you (I surmise that the "best burger ever" reviews or those like them are from people who don't eat at too many restaurants that don't serve tons of fried food), but they are solid. Unlike high quality beef, if you were to eat these burgers without condiments or toppings you'd find them fairly mediocre, but the toppings and size of the patties seem to trick most people, myself included sometimes. *Fairly cheap prices for the large serving sizes Cons: *Management is terrible, when there is even a manager. Again, it's a testament to the staff that the place runs as well as it does, because they have very little guidance or formal training from their hire date on. *Ownership seems like they read a manual on "how to run a restaurant:", but skipped the chapters called "how to manage people" and "how to set your employees up for success". I know people that gave this establishment at least $200 a week in business through this winter (2010/2011) and didn't get so much as a "thank you", much less a free drink/app/whatever from the owner. Classy, very classy. *Facebook page managed by the owners is often laughable. Not only do you get little gems from employees saying how great their shift was (are we really to believe that's done on their own volition without any suggesting from the owners??? Hint: I know for a fact it's not), but you also get unintentionally hilarious posts like "...that's 33.3% off the normal price!" Seriously? Do you really think breaking down some numbers that you just read from your calculator (while looking at your own profit margin no doubt) is going to attract customers? Just tell people what the special is and let them compare the price vs. the standard menu price. Again, a rookie move clearly based on concerns about their own bottom line. *Food is often not fresh. Seeing soup on the white board for a full week is not super appetizing! *Bathrooms that are smelly and unclean, and chairs that are so ripped apart that they look like they were stolen from an alley behind student housing at a college. Look, I have much love for the Brown Bear, especially for the employees. What I don't love is the fact that ownership is WAY more concerned with their own bottom line than they are with providing high quality fresh food, and a genuinely caring attitude towards their employees. I fully understand that a restaurant is in business largely to make money, but it is absolutely possible to make money while also keeping the food fresh, the furniture not ripped, and the restrooms a step above "hold my breath as long as I can until I'm done" status. Seriously.
(3)Dave B.
Absolutely, hands down one of the WORST restaurants that I have ever been to. The price:food quality ratio is extremely high. You definetely get much less quality than what you pay for. A true RIPOFF! The staff met the basic expectations of filling the order, delivering it and attending to our needs and were pleasantly indifferent. The quality of the food however is the Brown Bear's shortcoming. The food is so terrible that it is as if a Sysco truck dropped off the cheapest processed crap right onto my plate. I had the "broasted" chicken thinking that it would be less greasy and tasty as broasted chicken is (if it is truly broasted) supposed to be. The claim on the menu is false, misleading and provides you with the greasiest nastiest chicken that was probably reheated in a fryer and neglected enough to soak up globs of oil. If your looking for a place to get a mediocre beer and watch sports in a wooden pub atmosphere then this would be a decent place to go. If you are looking for a meal, do yourself a favor and skip the Brown Bear and look elsewhere or go without. I suspect that the only reason that this restaurant is still in business is because it is a local watering hole and the reputation of being the home of the big burger baits the carnivorous gluttons into patronizing this culinary disaster. If you must go to this horrible dive get stinking drunk first so your senses are distorted before you eat there.
(1)Ryan M.
Go here on an empty stomach! The medium sized Brown Bear burger is very delicious and filling. Their french fries are excellent too. Only downside is they get busy and you have to wait around fifteen minutes to half an hour to get a seat. Also it's crowded up to the point like everybody are cramped sardines. Customer service wasn't too bad. I'm coming to the conclusion every waitress no matter what the restaurant is trained to be a little snooty. She did her job, nothing more nothing less. That's all I'm going to mention about the service, but great food.
(3)Darlene R.
i went here while staying in mears, michigan. i knew that the internet had not lied when i was a block away and could smell the grilled meat. i got a "wimpy" bear burger supreme. the only reason i did not give this place five stars is the bun for the wimpy was truly wimpy. also all burgers are served deluxe which apparently means they come with mayo. i hate mayo and had to ask for a new bun. besides those two points i loved the food. my boyfriend had the olive burger and the bun held up nicely to the huge piece of meat! i love burgers and this place had one of the best burgers i've had.
(4)Anne H.
You haven't lived until you've had a Brown Bear hamburger. I recommend their olive burger--have friends who drive here from all over the state for them. The infamous Bear burger is a whopper--it could serve a family of four but I've seen it eaten by a single person. The Brown Bear was recently remodeled but the seating is limited. Go earlier than you planned for lunch and dinner, especially on the weekends.
(4)Nichole F.
The ONLY thing that could make this place better is better buns. Otherwise - love this place!! Great service, cold beer, good burgers!
(5)Cris R.
Never heard of this place.. staying at the Comfort Inn 3 miles down (nice place in themiddle of nothing). with visiting beautiful Michigan. Desk clerk suggested Brown Bear. Wonderful.. our service was superb..beer cold...Tanya suggested the Black and Blue Burger- cajun spice and blue cheese burger - yum!!! Hubby is fat free vegan and she worked with him to get a sub sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onion, banana peppers and olives! He was in heaven.. I want to go back, had the cubby size.. would like the next one up.... Sam Adams on Tap....they also have specials - today was choose 2 for 12.99 - 20 shrimp, 6 oz steak, or rib tips... dining room was pretty full for a Thursday night off season,
(5)J R.
As usual the food and service were great. The Irish Potato Skins are awesome.
(5)Tery H.
I realize that this review is written in the midst of busy season, but won't go back. Everyone thinks this place is great, but the meat was over cooked, over salted and uneatable. The fries were fine, the service was good. I went home and promptly got sick. Sorry guys, but this place wasn't good AT. ALL. :(
(1)Diane Z.
We ate lunch here while coming to visit Pentwater while staying at Silver Lake. This place was great, bar atmosshphere, cold inside while hot outside. Service was fast. We visited last year while camping in Ludington too. I got the same thing each time...the olive burger. It was wonderful, would get it again in a heartbeat.
(4)Steve T.
The full size bear burger is more than most reasonable people will want to take on. If you're looking to impress your friends with how much you can eat, then by all means.... go for it. I've got a decent appetite and the cub burger is where I draw the line. All their burgers are excellent, with a wonderful char-grilled flavor. The onion rings are outstanding, as is the rest of their food. I go there for the burgers because I can't say no once I get there. Be advised that the Pentwater location may close down during the winter months (it's a lakeside tourist town), so call ahead if in doubt. I'm told that they operate a couple restaurants in that area and some stay open year round.
(5)Danielle S.
This place does not disappoint! The Big Bear burger is huge. I recommend splitting it with a couple of people. I got the olive one- it was so delicious. I also recommend the breaded pickles...yummy with ranch dressing. Plus the atmosphere has a very home town feel. The Brown Bear is surronded by a lot of cute shops and close to the water. Worth the drive for a mini vaca!
(5)Frank W.
This is a fantastic bar! After a terrible night down the street, The Brown Bear totally saved our night. Belinda, Kelli, and Barbie made our night fun! Atmosphere was great, food was great, and cocktails were fantastic. The Brown Bear is a "must" on your list in beautiful Pentwater.
(5)Lauren P.
Not super duper fantastic, but not super duper awful either... I was really hoping to be blown away by the burger I ordered (the Pine-A-Peno burger), but I was only half blown away... I loved the interesting combination of ingredients (pineapple, jalapeño and blue cheese), but the burger itself didn't come out as fresh tasting as it should have... Maybe it was the bun? The burger was pretty soggy... My friends ordered appetizers, which came out piping hot and fresh, so that was a plus. As for the selection of beer on tap, it was just eh... Nothing too exciting... I'm sure I'll be back, but I'll hope for a better burger and selection of beer on tap next time...
(3)Pete G.
Awesome joint...best burger ever! I've lived in West Michigan 15 years and this was my first visit. Great location in a very cool little town. If you are within a 1-2 hour drive, I would recommend the trip!
(5)Rachael W.
Brown bear, brown bear, what do you see? I see a solid base but much room for improvement. Our server Barbie saved The Brown Bear from a 2 star review. We were served cold fries, given a dirty extra plate with bits of food on it for splitting our food, offered chips instead of the fries we ordered, and served cold grilled mushrooms on the burger. Barbie was clearly a bit frustrated with the kitchen, and advocated for us. We ended up with a two full orders of hot fries, a clean plate, and a hot burger with toppings, all fixed quickly. Thanks, Barbie! Overall, though, yelpers, I don't think this place deserves the high rating it has (the high rating prompted us to drive here from a nearby town). The upstairs has thin, drab carpet, where we found a pile of chips ground into the carpet when we walked in--and they were still there when we left. Decor is mismatched. The outdoor balcony seating is nice, but tiny, so you can't count on getting a seat here. Burgers were tasty, however, and cooked perfectly to order. My brother got the chicken strips, and he liked those as well.
(3)Russ H.
I grew up north of Pentwater and while visiting this summer was told of the huge "Wimpy" burger. Challenge accepted. They were pretty busy, so the upsatirs was open. They have a balcony that you could sit on, but if the sun is out, and its warm, forget it (sweat city). I noticed several people sitting there at first, and then moving inside. Great staff, a little wait on getting our drinks was ok as they were running to keep up. The burger was huge, piled high with everything but the kitchen sink (although I would have loved it more if they had avacados on it too). I ate every bit and downed a Sam Adams. Only improvement I would reccomend is having the other specialty burgers in "Wimpy" size would be great! I will be back.
(5)Ross N.
Blazing saddle burger... Yum and first bite is a sensation of satisfaction. My wife got regular bear burger and it was delicious... Only complaint was the bun was a bit small for size of the burger. Home made potato chips crunchy fresh and really a great accompaniment
(4)Tom K.
We have been to Pentwater at least 10 years, but have never eaten at the Brown Bear. We've been missing out. We managed to get a seat in the outside balcony, overlooking the street. My wife had a pretty mundane dish, fried shrimp, but it was quite good. I had the Dixie Burger, a burger with pulled pork, barbecue sauce & cole slaw. I had seen it on menus, but never had it, delicious. Would definitely recommend the BB for a casual meal. Reasonable prices.
(4)Logan F.
The service was less than adequate. My water (with no lemon) was served to me with a lemon seed at the bottom of the cup. I ordered a Cub Burger Supreme with NO tomato or ham. When I got the burger there was a tomato on it and the bun was soggy. In addition, the onion rings I got as a side were terribly undercooked and full of grease. Definitely ruined the Brown Bear for me.
(1)Lisa I.
The spicy burgers are magically delicious. My son ordered the Spicy Jack Burger and I ordered the cub with jalapenos. Both outrageously good and despite making a real effort, neither of us could manage to finish! Great value. We loved the sports and the vibe reminds of our favorite spots in N. Tahoe.
(4)Julie H.
We sat on the upper balcony and had a wonderful view of the lake and town. The waitress was friendly and service was fairly timely. The menu was mainly limited to burgers and sandwiches. Crab bisque soup was listed as a special, but was not available. My husband got the huge burger which was good. I got the cuban which had too much bread. The food was decent, but not outstanding. The view was the best part.
(3)Dan J.
My family and I have been eating at the two area locations for years and have always walked away impressed with the food and completely stuffed. At times there can be a small wait but service is usually prompt.
(4)Sheila J.
The Irish potatoes are great. I don't love the burgers so much. Or the deep fried asparagus as far as the burger I like mine cooked thoroughly(well) but to get that it ends up charred on the outside. Which I don't care for at all. So then went with 'medium well' and it was just not quite done enough on the inside. Maybe I'm to picky but they just aren't my style of burger. I'm a five guys burger girl!
(3)Matt M.
Sat in their upstairs area. Took a few minutes to get menus and our drink order in. Their burgers are awesome! I got the Dixie burger and it came cooked to perfection, and the waffle fries are pretty good as well. I will be making another trip to this bar
(3)Mark B.
Consistent great food. Cold microbrew on tap. Reasonable prices. Best giant ham sub anywhere. Never had a bad meal there!!!!! Eaten there 20+ times.
(5)Erica D.
Upper outdoor balcony seating sealed the deal for me when picking where we'd eat for lunch on our first Pentwater visit. Our meals were all very delicious and brought to us without any add ons or take offs that we didn't request (we are very picky eaters and always customize!). We all had different variations of burgers. I liked the slight charred taste and interior juiciness, probably one of the better beef burgers I've had in a long time. We split the fried pickle spears which were amazing! The batter was so crispy and had a little kick to it. The menu is a little on the small side, serving mostly burgers, sandwiches, wings, but it seems like they've really perfected those choices. The only issue I had was that the red bull & vodka drink I ordered came out tasting anything but. I felt nauseas after one sip - it was truly disgusting. I had one of my tablemates try it and they also nearly puked. It was like old non carbonated something (not red bull, maybe seltzer water?). I've never sent a drink back before, but the waitress took care of it without fuss and offered to bring out something else. My replacement, a basic rum and coke, was just fine!
(4)Kristen D.
My husband loved his 1/2 lb burger. The burgers are huge and a must order. I had the quesadilla which was pretty standard. We got to sit at on of the few outdoor tables on the upper level. It was a great spot for sight seeing. The waffle fries were also tasty.
(4)J N.
Very nice place. CLEAN, friendly and open at 2 in the afternoon in the winter serving good food. Menu is fairly simple but they at least do what they do well. I like the atmosphere. It feels like you might be a little farther north than you are with a comfort you can usually only find in a out of the way small town bar (but cleaner than most). If they can still serve good food with a friendly staff in the middle of a slow afternoon they must be doing most things well. I had a burger and fries with a coffee and all were above average with the highlight being the burger.
(4)Brett G.
The "Bear Burger" is a must at least once. Great bar food with a TV for every major sporting event. Friendly staff, and a great location!
(4)Jeff T.
OK...so I really struggled with 4 or 5 stars, and the only reason why I ended with 4 is because I haven't dined in any other restaurants in the Pentwater area. However, based on the two times I have been there and quality of food, I just had to stand tight on my rating. My last outing there was wonderful. 4 of us ate, and a 2 year old, but my sandwich was amazing, completely manified, and filling beyond belief. I'm not going to describe their food in detail except that their burgers are good to great, fried chicken is delicious and cheap, but their prime rib sandwich with provolone and mushrooms added was terrific. Au Jus was spot on. I barely could finish and get lots of napkins. Great job Brown Bear, see you very soon!
(4)Carol S.
I am pretty much copying my review for the Antler Bar, because these two establishments were our favorite places to eat while we vacationed in Pentwater. It seems that most of the local restaurants employ high school/college kids who are clearly just around for a summer job, so it was refreshing to have a server who knew the art of waiting tables We ate here twice, and both times the food was excellent and the service was very attentive. I got the Spicy Jack burger the first time and it was so good almost everyone in our party ordered it on our second visit. It's a pretty busy place, so I suggest getting lunch as soon as they open or taking a late lunch after 1:30. We stopped by a couple of times between noon and 1 and the waiting list for a table was way too long.
(4)Sherry L.
Took a roadtrip over 4th of July weekend, and tried this place for the first time.. ended up with the wimpy burger one of the best burgers if not the best I've ever had.. waiter was very good, we will definitely be back.... next time were in Pentwater
(5)Jodi K.
Homey, slightly chaotic place, packed (on a Sunday night), friendly service, just ok food (that said, neither of us had a burger, which was obviously the big draw for the place and from what we could tell from our view of the kitchen. it looked like EVERYone else in the joint was having a huge juicy Bear Burger...) my waffle fries were undercooked, the fish and chips didn't have much fish, and the pickle spears were weirdly overcooked.. But service was friendly, the beers were cold, and it turned out to be a good place to watch the game. Folks at neighboring tables were friendly, and the whole place had a really family feel to it. Cleanliness wasn't the best, everything in there's on the grimy side and run down, but it wasn't the kind of dirty that would make you worry about the food or anything - it's just a little on the dive-y side. We'll probably be back and I'll definitely try one of those burgers... But probably only one of the smaller ones, the big ones are INSANELY big!
(3)Jay K.
Good hamburgers and salads. Krab bisque (notice k) had chopped Raw celery throughout. Nachos were dry and the cheese not melted. Drink.service slow. I had to get another drink at bar myself, waitress was their and could tell she was miffed. They were not busy. Waffle fries were cold and undercooked to say the.least. Menu is boring. Will not be returning.
(1)Nick H.
The Brown Bear is home to the "Notorious Bear Burger" which got me thinking - how exactly does a particular menu item from a restaurant become "notorious" or a restaurant become "world famous"? Who gets to make that distinction? ...well marketing departments, I suppose. I just HAD TO, of course, pick a burger when I came here to eat on my vacation. And, I will say, the burgers are large and the price is reasonable - I had more than enough to eat. But, beyond that, there's nothing that I found to merit any additional fame or notoriety to the food. Nothing was bad and I dug the authentic rustic / up north / village pub feel and setup of the joint. But, really, nothing that I would write home about. However, in a town of 900, with only a few other venues like it within 30 miles...if you are in Pentwater, MI and find yourself hungry for a big burger - I definitely recommend it.
(3)Meg K.
Classic small town burger joint done right. Juicy, flavorful burgers. Crispy and yummy handmade potato chips. Friendly service. It's a destination spot for us when we're on the west side of the state. You're an animal if you can polish off the one pound burger. My guys get the cub-size, us girls do the wimpy.
(4)Carla C.
If you have never been here, get the notorious bear burger. My sweetie and I split this and some fries and it was more than enough! ! ! My son had the chicken dinner, which was very good. Our server was also the bartender. Her name was vitalua Forebear and was good at her job. The place was an average type bar inside......except the bathrooms.....they need some work! Go for the burger and a beer... use the bathroom before you leave home and when you get back and you will love the place:)! ! !
(4)