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Tired of the commons food? Students looking for something for dinner now have a new choice. The Bear’s Den, a pub-like restaurant with gourmet food, is now open in Memorial Union.
The Bear’s Den celebrated its grand opening last Friday and will now offer students a real restaurant with a wait staff right here on campus. Students over 21 will have access to a bar with beer and wine service. Students may pay for the food there with dining funds, but must pay with cash or a check for alcoholic drinks.
The Bear’s Den also features a plasma-screen TV, a jukebox and interactive trivia through the TVs over the bar.
“It’s a phenomenally different environment,” said Melissa Lewis, Assistant Dining Service Manager. “We were going for an Irish Pub atmosphere, where not just students but faculty and staff could come after work.”
“The Stillwater Canal was so bland,” said Benjamin Schott, a microbiology major. “This is much better.”
The restaurant will be open from 4 p.m. until midnight Tuesday through Thursday and from 4 p.m. until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. During the day, students will be able to use the space just like the dining area of the marketplace.
One of the walls features a picture of the freshman class of 1944, whose alumni made this renovation possible. The class of 1944 donated $160,000 for the project for its 60th reunion.
From the menu, Vice President for Administration Janet Waldron recommends the BBQ shrimp, onion blossom, the hot wings and the chocolate volcano.
“Those hot wings are very hot,” Waldron said. There are three different varieties of hot wings offered – hot, very hot, and “hot as hell”.
The Bear’s Den will also offer a Starbucks Coffee menu and Bahama Blast Granita drinks, similar to the Starbucks at Union Central.
Other students were taking advantage of the alcohol accessibility.
“I kept complaining because the other [bar] didn’t have beer until 8 o’clock. I figured that since they are serving it at 4 p.m. now, I’d better come check this out,” said Wayne Slade, a UMaine graduate student.
James J. Orifice, who maintains the dining area of the marketplace and has seen every stage of the Bear’s Den since the walls went up, said he looks forward to working in and with the new restaurant.
“It has a lot of potential. All the props are here. We’ll see how it plays out,” Orifice said.
Bangor Daily News