Chaotic Black Bear Saloon aims to be the granddaddy of all sports bars.
(Credit: Michelle Marinelli Prindle)
Somehow, the Black Bear Saloon manages to be all of these without alienating anyone. This cavernous, multi-level, dual room, dual bar, flat screen TV-loaded emporium of good-timery is anything but subtle. It's a place for fun, for revelry, for raising glasses with friends, for forgetting about the stressful day at work, and above all, for watching the game. This can be done by turning your head to any angle and focusing on any of the several screens that will inevitably crowd your periphery. TVs hang above the bar, from the ceiling as projection screens, and are even posted on the wall at each individual booth. Television aside, there are certainly other (though less prominent) reasons to visit the Black Bear.
Food: The menu is pretty standard bar and grill fare, featuring burgers, sandwiches and steak and pork entrees. The appetizer list offers the usual suspects as well, and runs the gamut from fried calamari to boneless wings to the specialty, Black Bear sliders (looking suspiciously like four White Castle burgers). The wings are solid, though unspectacular, and come in your choice of sauce. As for the main dishes, the waiter's suggestions of the black boa (pork sandwich) and the Black Bear club (a toasted club sandwich with burger patty substituted for turkey) proved satisfactory, though the pork was dry and the combination of burger and white bread a little less than harmonious. But bear in mind (pun absolutely intended) that you're here for the fun, not the food. That said, you'll get a satisfying—though maybe not stellar—meal should you get hungry at halftime.
Service: The service is responsive and accommodating in every way. The hostess smiles and is happy to chat, and the servers are apt to call their patrons "buddy" even if they are not, in fact, buddies with the clientele. Most importantly, the bartenders are friendly, and can fill a glass before the next batter's up.
Drinks: With a fine list of beers on tap (including Magic Hat!) at two full bars, The Black Bear is well equipped to serve the various needs of hordes of thirsty sports fans.
Crowd: The bulk of the patrons are friendly folk clad in T-shirts and baseball caps who keep one eye on the nearest screen while chatting amongst themselves. Weekend evenings, the attention shifts from the TVs to the sizable stage, where local bands drown out the ball games with bar-friendly rock 'n' roll.
Bottom line: This isn't the spot to take a first date, or to bring your grandparents for a nice meal. But somehow, we don't think the folks at the Black Bear Saloon will be bothered by that. This place aims to be the granddaddy of sports bars. However, if sports (or distraction) isn't your thing, you may want to look elsewhere, as there's literally no escape from the chaos.
Black Bear Saloon
80 Washington St., Norwalk
203-299-0711
Sun.-Thu., 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Happy hour: Thu.-Fri., 5 p.m.-7 p.m.
