Ferocious Portions at The Hungry Bear
The small family-owned diner has a staff and menu good enough to warm even the coldest of Plattsburgh hearts
Story and photos by Kevin Fellows
A friendly bear sculpure welcome customers.
Surrounded by a dirt parking lot, the timber-framed diner looks like a large lean-to hauled North from the High Peaks. It appears out of place, sharing the parking lot with Haley Lumber and Henry’s Pool and Spa.
A large wooden bear stands by the entrance, welcoming customers. The bear can’t be too hungry, for he comes off as a pretty nice guy. I felt a small-town charm as soon as I stepped inside. Seating is tight in the dining area, but extra room is available at a wrap-around countertop near the kitchen.
The time was 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning, and the diner seemed at full capacity. It didn’t take long before my friends and I sat ourselves down amid stares that implied we were free to sit wherever we pleased. I hadn’t even warmed the chair beneath me before a waitress approached and asked if she could start us off with coffee.
The menu boasted of a sizeable breakfast selection, which seemed to have won over the locals who piled in and out. Perhaps it is because the restaurant is slightly out of the way, but we seemed to be the only college students there at the time. I had the feeling many people there were regulars after watching them joke with the waitresses. Nevertheless, the hospitality was wonderful, and the locals appeared too transfixed on their plates to notice us.
I hadn’t even warmed the chair beneath me before a waitress approached and asked if she could start us off with coffee.
The breakfast choices are broken down into combination plates, numbered one through 12. People with small appetites or hangovers can order combo one, which includes two eggs and toast. The variety and portion sizes increase until guest’s eyes reach combo 11: the Hungry Bear. Unlike the bear watching the front door, this one packs a punch. This two-egg heap includes home fries, bacon, sausage, ham, tomato, onion, mushrooms, peppers, cheese, and a stack of toast. A man at the table next to me ordered one of these behemoths; the plate smelled delicious as the waitress brushed past.
Unlike the bear watching the front door, this one packs a punch.
Bear decorations are everywhere including this bear light and paw.
While breakfast is the diner’s bread and butter, the lunch and dinner menus offer the standard sandwiches, salads, and burgers. Our food arrived no more than five minutes after we ordered. Even my conservative combo two had generous portions. The toast was lightly browned, as I requested, and it went down very easily. All of us were pleased with our meals, and only one of us was able to finish his plate; however, the blame lay on the previous night's activities, not the cook’s handiwork. In the end, I left spending less than $5, which covered my coffee and meal.
