Wandering into the Bear's Den

For a bear of a burger, head to the Black Bear Restaurant on Main Street in Lake Placid, New York. With its massive picture window overlooking Mirror Lake, this country restaurant is a great spot to sit and enjoy a home cooked meal while viewing colorful Adirondack foliage.

A backdrop of Adirondack foliage sets a calming mood for a home cooked meal

Upon entering the restaurant, I was promptly seated at a table opposite the magnificent window. The waitress soon took my order, and after having trouble deciding what to choose, I settled for the black angus burger and a side of fries. Everything on the lunch menu sounded delicious, from the southwest salad—with wild and long grain rice, sweet corn, black beans, roasted red peppers, green onions, and pepper jack cheese—to the grilled steak sandwich—with lettuce, tomato, sauteed onions, and a side of fries.

Their lunch menu also offers a large selection of wraps, deli sandwiches, soups, and chili. Their breakfasts are also very popular, offering dishes like the Big Bear omelet, apple or berry crepes, and vanilla bean cinnamon french toast.

In about 15 minutes, my waitress, who was especially friendly, returned with my order. The enormous black angus burger was smothered with swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onion—just the way I asked for it. The hand-cut french fries were also terrific. A unique spin on the traditional french fry, the Black Bear’s fries are breaded with a hint of ranch seasoning on them, providing a zesty kick.

Sizzling black angus burger with the works: swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onions

After I finished, the waitress brought my check, and the total was average—about $10 a plate. Prices on the lunch menu range from about $7 for most sandwiches and grilled dishes to $10 for steak sandwiches and their Far East wrap, which is made with seared rare duck breast.

I brought my check to the register, paid, and used the rest room, which was particularly small and plain, compared to the rest of the restaurant.

Overall, I enjoyed my casual meal at the Black Bear Restaurant.

Eaten here before? Let us know what you thought!

4/5

Black Bear Restaurant
157 Main Street
Lake Placid, New York 12946
518-523-9886