Gasthaus Berliner Baer in Beeville, TX

German Food on the Road, in 2017

I dug this memory from my drafts! Time to give it a spotlight!

Don and I stopped for lunch, when passing through Beeville in January... that would be 2017. We had heard great things about authentic German food at Berliner Bear, but the somewhat dreary little building looked like it was out of business.  The old drive up window made me think this could have been a Long John Silvers.

Open
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As we parked, we noticed a few men in cowboy hats exiting. Good sign.

Inside looked much cozier, with table cloths and roses on each table.  A woman with a German accent ushered us to a table and scurried back to the kitchen.

Menu
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Moments later, the woman hurried back to our table with some cute menus... or should I say speisekarte! I think she was Gabby, the owner. I'd read about her in some reviews. She was pleasant and efficient, but not at all gabby with conversation.

We were pleased to see the offerings inside the menu. This was no fast food restaurant for sure. The dinner menu offered 8 kinds of schintzel!

Maps and Flags
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The big windows gave me a good spotlight on a few things around the restaurant. The yellow and red booth was empty, so I took advantage and studied the wall.

You have to love the pair of Berliner Bear flags.  And I love a little map study with my meal. That is not sarcasm at all. This was a fun little booth and I imagined sitting there, on cozy evening, with a cold beer... mapping out a trip to Germany. 

Closer Look
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Here are two of my favorite prints! Is that a grandpa in the washtub? I wished that I had my friend Sigi with me. She could have read the words under the line up of happy children!

Our Feast!

​Don and I couldn't have been happier with our meals. Don got the Berliner Schnitzel with fried egg. The meat was yummy-tender. We heard that Gabby pounds the schnitzel meat, herself. There was something extra special about the warm, red cabbage. Bacon!

I read that the Reuben was so good that they often sell out. That was a good reason to order. It was perfect and the slaw also delicious. Sweet and vinegary!

​Cozy Cafe
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By the time we finished the sweet little cafe was cleared out of diners. We paid at the counter and I tried to snoop a bit more.

German Knick Knacks
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​I checked out the little kissing statues and the stuffed bears with German dress. 

 I also peeked inside the kitchen window, where the chef worked in his red hat. Was he related to Gabby? I hated to assume and I hated to ask.

Music and Atmosphere
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​Without the chatting diners, I could better hear the music playing. Was that German pop music? It wasn't your typical Oompah band.

I've been to German restaurants that cater to tourists, with polka bands and lederhosen. This seemed to be a German restaurant that was all about the food.

Some More Fun Stuff
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Nothing seemed overdone at Berliner Bear. The menu was simple and the service was efficient. The decor was pleasant, but not dripping in German goodies. I loved the cuckoo clock and colorful beer stein.

Heading Off

By the time we paid, the place was empty and quiet. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to ask Gabby a few questions.  

I wanted to know more about Gabby and how she first came to Beeville... known as "A Honey of a Town".

I started a conversation, complimenting the meal.

Gabby was happy to hear we enjoyed our food, but it became clear that she had lots to do. I took a quick glance around and reminded myself that I had only seen her and the man in the red chef's hat.

Don and I had a great lunch, in a relaxed and interesting atmosphere. Sometimes that is just all we need!