The Bears’ Den at the Hershey Lodge
2325 University Dr
Hershey, PA 17033
1-800-HERSHEY (437-7439)
Direct: 717-533-3311
http://www.hersheylodge.com/dining/bears_den.php
Open Daily 11:30 AM – 1 AM
The Bears’ Den is located inside the Hershey Lodge and is a Sports Bar themed around the local AHL Hockey Team, the Hershey Bears (my wife and I are Bears fans – Go Bears!). While dining in The Bears’ Den, you will be able to watch different sports channels on their TV’s and the decor makes you feel as if you are dining on the ice of a hockey rink.
This was our first time visiting The Bears’ Den. Dress is casual and the atmosphere is lively. The restaurant was a little difficult to find at first in the Lodge, but signs point the way right to the restaurant. This was also our first time in the Lodge and we found the lobby very nice and warm. All of the staff members (inside the restaurant and at the Lodge) were very friendly and helpful.
To start off our evening, we were asked if we would like a basket of popcorn. We, being popcorn lovers, of course said yes. This was a nice start to a wonderful experience. Our waitress then came for our drink orders. Normally we do not order drinks, but after a long day, I ordered a Macallan 12 year scotch and my wife ordered their Hershey Kisses Chocolate Martini (note the drink menu is not published on their site and subject to change). My scotch was good scotch and a good portion (I have had Macallan 12 many times before and is one of my favorite scotches). My wife loved her martini and said that it did not taste like alcohol. Instead of an olive, a Hershey’s Kiss was placed in the drink. With my wife’s drink she was given a souvenir glass which contained dark chocolate kisses.
We also decided to order an appetizer of the Bavarian Hot Pretzels. My wife and I will almost always order this type of pretzel appetizer. These pretzels were some of the best we’ve had. They were soft on the inside with a small crunch on the outside. They were nicely salted and came with cheddar cheese sauce and honey mustard for dipping. Both sauces were good and complimented the pretzels well.
For our entrees, I was undecided between three entrees, the Cocoa Jack Burger, the Three Little Pigs, and Mac and Cheese Burger. I asked our server and she recommended the Mac and Cheese Burger. This burger did not disappoint. Of course, it is hard to go wrong with a cheeseburger topped with bacon and mac and cheese. But this burger is probably in the top 5 burgers I’ve ever had. The mac and cheese was creamy with a great flavor. It was easy to tell that it was home made and done very well. The mac and cheese alone would have made a great meal in itself. The burger was nicely cooked to order and juicy and all of the flavors complimented each other nicely.
It was served with homemade chips, which were excellent. None of them were soggy but nice and crispy. Our server left the honey mustard and cheddar from the pretzels, which were great with the homemade chips.
My ordered the Cocoa Espresso-Rubbed Chicken. At first, the dish sounds like it could be overpowering with the espresso and cocoa rub. However, the flavors of the cocoa and espresso offered just a nice hint of flavor to the chicken breast and complemented the natural flavor very well. The chicken itself was cooked perfectly and not dry at all. She was using the last bites of chicken to wipe up as much of the juice and rub left on the plate as she could.
Her meal came with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes and string beans. The mashed potatoes were very nicely done. A few chunks of potato were in the mash adding just the right about of texture. A few of the skins were also left on in the mash. My wife does not care for string beans, so we did not try them this trip.
Overall, we loved dining here. The food and service was excellent. The price point for the meal was a little higher at a total of $66.71 without tip (this did include our alcohol which was $23.25 of our bill). I would recommend if you are in the Hershey area stopping in and giving The Bears’ Den a try, especially if staying at the Lodge.
Our rating for The Bears’ Den for this trip is a 4.5 out of 5 stars.