Black Bear Diner Review

My favorite style of restaurant can best be described as ‘simple and plentiful’. In other words, just home-style comfort foods. I do not care for spicy or fancy or exotic. Just give me simple plain food in a family friendly atmosphere. My family calls me ‘Plain Jane’ due to my boring food preferences. 🙂

Because of my food likes and dislikes, finding restaurants I enjoy is not always easy. But last week I found the perfect one and after two visits in less than a week, it has now become my ‘go-to’ favorite. 

In case you are thinking you would not be able to enjoy my new favorite restaurant, you will be pleased to know that it is part of a franchise which includes 161 diners in 13 states…. And growing.  It’s called the Black Bear Diner.

The Black Bear Diner Celebrates Thirty Years 

The first Black Bear Diner opened in September 1995 in Mt. Shasta, California. The owners, Bruce Dean and Bob Manley, believed in a welcoming place where friends and families could gather for abundant portions of quality food at a fair price. 

Each Black Bear Diner has a bear-themed, cabin-like cozy environment. They believe in serving large portions of favorite homestyle meals of good old-fashioned comfort food such as homemade meatloaf, chicken fried steak, chicken pot pie, pot roast and fish & chips. Naturally, there are also hamburgers and chicken fingers and specialty sandwiches, soups and salads on the menu. Plus, they also serve fantastic breakfast meals and breakfast is available all day! 

A favorite line from the Black Bear Diner advertising says:

If your big bear-sized dinner just didn’t quite fill you up, don’t forget to check out their amazing display of desserts for just $5-6  

Check out a sample menu at Black Bear Diner - Menus.  

Personal Opinion

My first visit with my family was for brunch on Easter Sunday where I had a platter of delicious french toast made with sourdough bread. Yum! 

Later that week, we returned to our local Black Bear Diner for dinner. I had the Fish & Chips served with French fries, homemade coleslaw and homemade tartar sauce. The tarter sauce was fantastic and the lightly battered and fried Cod fillets were the best I’ve ever had. 

Each of the meal choices of the rest of my family (son, daughter-in-law, and two grandsons) were just as well received and definitely thoroughly enjoyed, even though their food preferences include a much wider range of foods than mine do. :) And, because of the very generous portions served, we each brought home leftover takeaways! 

Summary

The 160+ chain of Black Bear Diners are currently serving the Western side of the United States. Since the chain began in California, the largest number (over 60) can be found there, particularly in the northern part of the state. Quite a few Black Bear Diners are found in Arizona, Colorado, Washington State, Utah and Oregon. 

Another large grouping of these diners are now found in Texas, with a smaller number in Nevada, Idaho and Oklahoma. At last count, we discovered there are two Black Bear Diners each in Kansas and Missouri. 

*It is interesting to me to note that the two Kansas diners are in the two Kansas towns I have lived in (Garden City where the hubs was from and where two of our children were born, and Olathe ~ a suburb of Kansas City ~ where I currently live). 

The Black Bear Diner concept states that they are always growing and continuing to expand east with a goal of being coast-to-coast.  Meanwhile, if you live in or are traveling to one of the western states which have Black Bear Diners, I highly recommend them. 

• Click here for a list of Black Bear Diner locations. 

• For more Restaurant Reviews click on:  Restaurant Reviews: US

Black Bear Merchandise

Black Bear Diner Black Bear Family Giclee Art Print Poster from Original Travel Artwork by Artist Paul A. Lanquist 12" x 18"

Tree-Free Greetings lm43117 Vintage Black Bear Diner Nostalgia by Paul A. Lanquist Ceramic Mug with Full-Sized Handle, 15-Ounce, Multicolored

Black Bear Wildlife Animal Wilderness Graphic T-Shirt

Wild Republic Black Bear Plush, Stuffed Animal, Plush Toy, Gifts for Kids, Cuddlekins 8

*Black Bear Diner Restaurant Review was written by Wednesday Elf

 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Flying Fish Bar & Grill - Restaurant Review

SLOGAN: “Where the Fish Fly” 

We spent 13 years living on Tybee Island, Georgia, then later lived another 6 years on Wilmington Island located off Highway 80 east of Savannah and just minutes from Tybee Island.  As you can imagine, we had a lot of visitors over the years drawn to the area the same way we had been.  Between the historic sights of Savannah and the Atlantic Ocean off Tybee Island, not to mention the temperate winter weather in Georgia, our northern friends loved to come visit. 

As a result, we quickly found our favorite restaurants to take our visitors to.

Flying Fish

(c) Elf

One of our favorite restaurants was the Flying Fish. This was especially true during the years we lived on Wilmington Island, GA. It is located less than 2 miles away from where we lived, conveniently located on Highway 80 between Savannah and Tybee Island, just a short 15 minute drive east from downtown Savannah. 

Locally known as simply “The Fish”, the restaurant was started by Mike McMahon in 2007. Mike is a local Savannahian who has worked in the seafood industry all his life. Because Savannah is known for a wide variety of tasty local seafood, Mike took his knowledge of seafood and applied it to a tasty menu of fresh Georgia Shrimp, Flounder and Oysters, along with crispy fried calamari and crab claws.  And, of course, the famous Low Country Boil, consisting of spicy peel-and-eat shrimp, sausage, corn and new potatoes, which is a classic Southern recipe along the Georgia and South Carolina (low country) coasts!

If you are not a big seafood lover, The Fish also caters to “landlubbers” with dishes of Chicken Alfredo & Pasta, chicken fingers and wings and beefy burgers. They also feature a full service bar. 

Our Favorite Dishes 

Image Source: Pixabay

Love their fried shrimp or fried oyster dinners and several times have had their Shrimp for 2 meal, which is a very plentiful platter of fried shrimp with French fries, cole slaw and hush puppies. (Mmm, I could go for a plate of that right now!)

For many years, the Flying Fish was open daily, beginning with lunches, and had 'lunch specials'.  My brother and I loved going out to lunch on Mondays when the 'special' was pork chops deliciously prepared (our favorite non-seafood dish).  Due to the circumstances of the past couple years, I see that the hours have been reduced to just 5 days a week and not opening until 4:30 p.m, except on the weekends. It is still an eatery well worth visiting. And I have truly missed the Flying Fish since moving back to the Midwest.  I still have their menu, which is occasionally fun to 'drool' over. Click here for the Menu to see for yourself.

Location: 

Flying Fish Bar & Grill

7906 East US Highway 80

Savannah GA 31410 

(912) 897-2009

Hours: Open Wednesday and Thursday 4:30 and Fri thru Sun 11:30 am … until the party stops! 

Website: Flying Fish https://www.flyingfishsavannah.com

Summary

So, if you are a snowbird planning a trip south in the winter, or vacationing in the Savannah, Georgia area, add The Flying Fish Bar & Grill to the “restaurants” section of your itinerary. You won't be disappointed in the food or the relaxed atmosphere. And Tell Mike hi for me.  :)

Related Links:

My family & I do seem to seek out seafood restaurants wherever we may find ourselves. I may miss the Flying Fish Bar & Grill in Georgia, but have since found another here on the Mississippi River in my current location. Another FISH-named restaurant equally as tasty ~ the Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill.

Flying Fish Bar & Grill Restaurant Review written by Wednesday Elf

Seafood Restaurant Recipes to Make at Home can be found right here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Restaurant Review of Go Fish Marina Bar and Grill

On the banks of the Mississippi River in Princeton, Iowa sits a delightful and delicious restaurant called Go Fish Marina Restaurant and Bar. Or simply “Go Fish” as the locals call it. 

Go Fish is built up on stilts like a lot of coastal property due to flooding. It has a good size indoor seating area, a bar, and a lovely outdoor deck.  The deck has tables with umbrellas and a covered Cabana. The restaurant bar also opens to the outside deck. 

On warm days, the outside deck is an especially delightful place to eat ~ the food is very good and the scenery is charming.  Last week my son & I had a birthday lunch there. The sun was shining, the sky nearly cloudless, the temperature a warm Fall day, and the river mesmerizing to watch. A very pleasant and peaceful place to eat. 

Go Fish Menu

The menu has a wide variety of options with many items made from scratch with fresh and local ingredients. The dishes range from chicken to steak to seafood, and from pork chops to burgers.  

The Go Fish Cowboy Burger is a filling treat. It's a half-pound of flame-grilled Black Angus Iowa Beef topped with pepperjack cheese, crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms and onions. 

The pork chops are wonderful. They are the Iowa Pork Chops our area is known for. I've never had better pork anywhere – not just that served in restaurants, but any you buy at the grocery stores. Iowa pork is terrific!  

On this particular day, I had the batter fried fish & chips and they were delicious. Their 'chips' (french fries) are listed as Crispy Battered Fries and they were outstanding! The fish consisted of two good sized Haddock filets and the batter was fantastic. Served with cole slaw, the fish & chips was a very tasty dish for sure. 

Oh, did I mention the desserts? Homemade ice cream and Key Lime Pie.

Check out the Go Fish Website here for more culinary delights. 

Go Fish Location

The Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill is located at 411 River Drive in Princeton, Iowa. They also state that they are located in Pool 14 of the Mississippi River at Mile Marker 502. That terminology is new to me (being a new Iowa resident), but I looked it up. The term Pool (or Navigation Pool) is used to describe the area between navigation dams on the Mississippi River. For instance, Pool 1 begins in the Upper Mississippi River at St. Paul, Minnesota. 

Most probably the reason Go Fish specifies the river location on their website is because you can approach by river, dock your boat and walk up to the restaurant. 

Their operating hours are seven days a week year round. 

• Mon-Thu : 11am-10pm
• Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm
• Sun: 11am-9pm 

Summary

So if you find yourself traveling through Iowa or taking a boat ride up or down the Mississippi River, consider stopping at Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is only a few miles north of the Quad Cities almost straight over from Chicago. Dining on the banks of the Mississippi is a charming experience. 

If  you do not live near rivers, lakes or oceans where you can enjoy delightful 'dockside dining', create your own at home with the delicious recipes in these cookbooks on Dockside Dining.

For more food and restaurant reviews, check out 

Food Reviews on ReviewThisReviews

Quick Links:

Go Fish Marina Bar & Grill website


More Places to visit in Iowa:

• Field of Dreams - Dyersville, Iowa
• Tycogo Vineyard & Winery - DeWitt, Iowa
• Figge Art Museum - Davenport, Iowa

(c) Wednesday Elf 10/26/2019

*Photos & Photo Collages Created by Wednesday Elf 

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Five Guys Restaurant Review

(c) Wednesday Elf

The holidays brought lots of cooking and baking for holiday guests and celebrations. Now the cook(s) need a day off. Your nearest Five Guys restaurant will provide you with a quick, inexpensive and delicious meal of those good old American standards of hamburgers, hot dogs and French fries.

Five Guys Restaurant is known as a fast casual restaurant as opposed to your typical fast food place. Fast-Casual restaurants typically offer higher quality food at a slightly higher price level. The difference is made-to-order, fresh cooked food. 

Five Guys Beginning

The  restaurant founders, Janie and Jerry Murrell, began Five Guys in Virginia in 1986.  The name "Five Guys" comes from the couples' five sons, Jim, Matt, Chad, Ben and Tyler, who are all involved in the restaurant chain that today includes over 1,000 restaurants throughout the United States and Canada with more than 1500 more planned.  Since 2013, several have opened overseas in England, the Middle East and Europe. 

Menu

Five Guys (restaurant) Cheeseburger. Source: Wikimedia

The Five Guys menu is simple and centers on hamburgers (offered with American cheese or bacon), kosher style hot dogs, grilled cheese and vegetable sandwiches. 

Five Guys uses buns that are sweeter and "eggier" than normal buns. 

Fresh-cut French fries are the sole side item, available "salted only" (in Five Guys style) or seasoned "Cajun style".

The burgers are available as 'single' or 'double' with 15 fresh toppings to choose from. The toppings are available at no extra charge and you can have as many or as few as you want. My favorite is a single burger with mayo and tomato slices.

Five Guys also features Milkshakes in a variety of flavors!

Peanuts Galore

(c) Wednesday Elf

Complimentary roasted in-shell peanuts are offered for on-site consumption while you wait for your order.  Signage is provided alerting customers who may have a peanut allergy.


A Five Guys restaurant typically consists of red-and-white checkered decorations, open kitchens, a single counter for purchasing and picking up food, and tables and chairs for customers.

Five Guys has won numerous awards over the years and signs are posted showing some of them.

(c) Wednesday Elf

(c) Wednesday Elf

(c) Wednesday Elf

So, take a well-deserved break from your kitchen and pick up dinner tonight from Five Guys! My closest one is just 2.4 miles away!

Bonus Idea for Gifts

(c) Wednesday Elf

Teenage boys like nothing better than food, so for Christmas for my three teen grandsons I sent Five Guys Gift Certificates. They love Five Guys Burgers as much as I do. These gift cards work equally as well as birthday gifts. 

Pick up a gift card at your local Five Guys while you are waiting for your order.  Or grab a gift card online at the Five Guys website and send either a physical card or an eGift Card to your favorite Five Guys fan! 

Five Guys (Free) App for Androids

Get the Five Guys App for Android phones and place your order in a minute!  The app is free to download and is a very handy way to have your order ready when you arrive at your favorite Five Guys restaurant! 

Happy Eating! 


*Restaurant Review written by Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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