Papa Bears

Finally!!! The catfish Gods have saved us! Being from South Louisiana, I have searched all over the DFW metroplex for some truly, flavorful catfish. Some have come close, but Papa Bear’s in Plano has finally won me over! I had my reservations since I have been disappointed so many times but Chris, the owner, reassured me I would not be disappointed and he was right. The fish was fresh, it had a crunchy cornmeal (not flour) bite, and the biggest thing of all, it was SEASONED! And that’s just the main course. The homemade fries were delicious and not greasy at all, the homemade tartar sauce was just right, not too sweet. And the grilled Mac and cheese was in a league of its own. So let’s review my the W.O.W. factor
Customer service –5 stars (owner was awesome)
Food– 5 stars
Location– 5 min away from my home =5 stars
So the next time someone tells you let’s go get some catfish at The Boiling Crab, Pappadeaux’s, or any other big chain, tell em C’MON MAN! I’m going to take you to Papa Bear’s!

The short story: unassuming place with a very basic menu that is tasty, reliable, and served up by wonderful people. Leave your pretense at the door and give it a shot. As of this writing, they are closed Mondays, fair warning. Top picks — pulled pork and catfish (I liked both the fried and grilled; obviously very different taste/​experience); try to talk them into giving you some grilled macaroni and cheese (it’s pretty amazing, you will be sad that the serving is so small).
AMBIANCE
OK, let’s get the ambiance out of the way. This is a mom & pop place started on a shoestring budget in a strip mall. So, yeah, you might think it’s a bit like a dive, but if it’s a dive, then it’s a happy, fun dive. They painted nicely inside and have a lot of nice little personal touches, vinyl LPs on the walls, a poster of Jimi Hendrix, a Foosball table, etc.
BACK STORY
We have lived nearby for a while and were sad to see the old place in this location die, but not shocked. Because of the low visibility from the street, we did not realize a new place popped up until many months after it opened.
When we did discover it, we were hooked. Basic food, but lovingly well made.
Chris (the owner), a former teacher, tells of starting the place with a hundred bucks, which is pretty amazing.
THE PEOPLE
Chris and his family are amazing. They exude friendship and happiness. Just cool people to be around. So far, this seems to attract/​infect customers with a similar attitude, so there is usually a really good vibe.
The service is great. Everything is made from scratch, so, yes, you do have to wait for it be cooked. But it’s worth it.
THE FOOD
For us, I would rank our choices for meals like so:
*1) Pulled pork (you can ask to have it without the bread)
*2) [Not on menu; rarely available] Brisket
*3) Catfish (grilled or fried)
*4) [Not on menu] Grilled Macaroni and Cheese — yeah, I know it’s not a meal, but it’s vital that you understand that it exists, so shut up and eat it
5) Burgers — only tried singles so far; a good, solid, from-​scratch burger
6) Everything else
7) Salads — the meat will taste great, but the salad itself is very simple (iceberg, tomato, etc.); it’s okay, but just okay
I starred some items. These are the things that I feel really stand out, the stuff where you would say, «oh, if you want [insert item], then you should try Papa Bears».
I have not tried «The Papa» nor the fried pickles yet, it is a gigantic monster of a burger.
The grilled macaroni and cheese is *really* good. It usually only comes out in a ramiken (the little dishes you usually serve a dipping sauce in), so it will be gone all too soon…
The french fries are made from fresh-​cut potatoes and the serving is always abundant.
BOOZE
This is a BYOB place, which we love, BTW. As with any BYOB place, sometimes a free drink manifests, but you should probably bring your own, unless they are advertising otherwise.
PRICES
Pretty good. Maybe a hair cheaper than you might expect.
JUST GO ALREADY
We need more places like this. Please go check them out.

Really impressed with the bacon cheese burger. It didn’t need any condiments, seasoned just right. The owner was great and spent sometime with me chatting. Already making plans to go back and try something new. I was really excited to see all the positive reviews for a business that has only been open for 11 months.

Great Mom and Pop place tucked in the middle of a strip shopping center. Indoor and outdoor seating. Vast variety of music-​something for pretty much everyone. Wanted a good flavorful burger and wasn’t disappointed, but the pulled pork was something else! Smoked out back in a homemade smoker by a North Carolina pit master — better come early or they might sell out!

Family owned, friendly and fantastic! I’m a very picky eater, so when I say the food is good – TRUST ME.
Everyone at my table had something different, so I was able to taste the BabyBear bacon burgers D the pulled pork sandwich while enjoying my own catfish sandwich. Yummmmmmmmm.
There were three generous piping hot catfish fillets poking out from a buttery grilled bun — yesssssss! The pulled pork was tender and juicy — meat spilling out everywhere. And my son’s bacon burger was a tasty little preview of the adult burger that is offered.
The owner was even kind enough to bring me out a side of the grilled Mac and cheese when he saw me eating from my hubs plate! (Thank you, sir – I will be back!)
We did make the mistake of ordering cheese fries for an appetizer — excellent choice for taste, but was not practical because the portions at Papa Bear’s are no joke – you don’t need an appetizer, ever.
Now – you will get a little hangry waiting, but I reassure you it’s well worth it. Your food is cooked to specific order and made with love and unicorn dust. For real. :)

This 4 ½ star (rounded up to 5) almost never happened…
Pull up at 7 pm on a Saturday night after driving around the parking lot trying to find it (the sign is unlit). It was empty and looked sketchy and I drove away. But then I looked at those Unilocal reviews again… 51 with a high rating? And those pictures of the food looked great. So I reluctantly went in.
More red flags when I went inside… I always get a little scared when I see a menu with grammar mistakes or canned sodas (and even worse tea in a milk jug like you get at Walmart). But I ordered anyway and I’m glad I did.
The hand cut fries were cooked perfectly and they were a little thicker than you find at most places so you get extra potato flair inside. Burger was good too — green leaf lettuce with a toasted bun, melted cheese, and some good thin style patties with that flavorful carmelization you only get from a fresh patty (vs that rubbery texture you get from a frozen one). And at $ 8 for a double party with fries it was a good deal too.
The staff was very friendly as well (I assume the husband and wife ownership team). There were some things I saw on Unilocal (like the grilled Mac n cheese) that weren’t on the menu which I was a little curious about. This is the kind of neighborhood place you want to make sure succeeds and I think with a little improvement on the business side (more professionally looking menus, soda fountain, higher quality napkins vs the cheap picnic ones you find at Dollar General, better signage) they could have a bright future).

Really nice family! Great burgers and fries tucked away in the shopping center. Glad we took a chance on the place. We will definitely go back.

Charming little family joint where they clearly care about their customers. Limited menu of burgers, catfish, and BBQ, but the chef clearly knows what he’s doing. I had the pulled pork sandwich, the pork was juicy and tender and the barbecue sauce delicious, just a little spicy, a little sweet. The nice folks working are what won me over, hoping to see them succeed.

Great place! Burgers are huge and don’t need sauce. The double had me stuffed. Give it a try.

Been there twice. These have to be some of the best burgers you can get in Plano.

Let’s get the one problem I had with my visit to the establishment out of the way. It is hidden and very easy to miss if you blink. Don’t let that keep you from this little gem of a restaurant.
We did the burgers and fries, and have to admit were pleasantly surprised. The buns were toasted well, and meat was well seasoned and delicious. The fries were just as good as they had a great seasoning to them. My son had the chicken tenders and we were happy to see that they weren’t simply Dino nuggets. The music and décor were just as fun, nothing helps a dinner like Hendrix. The other thing that made for a fun time was the foosball table, which helped the little ones while we waited for our meals. The one thing that stood above the rest however, was the service the owners provided. You could tell they had a love for their business and it showed in their conversation with the diners. Papa Bear made his way to each table asking how everything was and if there were any way to make it better. I hope the establishment is around for a long time.
I

I truly like this place. The food was fresh and it is byob… I had the catfish platter and I had more than enough food. The fish was fresh and the fries were fresh cut. The basket came with coleslaw and Mac cheese! Oh and the hot sauce «bang». The only suggestion I would have is to turn on the heat it was pretty cold there, I had to eat with my coat on.

I so wanted to love this place because Papa is one of the nicest owners we’ve ever come across. He was very, very friendly and had a great time just visiting with him.
Fries were well seasoned, but a tad more greasy than I like. The burgers were not for us.
Not bad, but not great.

Great catfish, awesome hot sauce. Mom said fries were best she ever had.
We were the first ones there when they opened so we were worried since it was empty, but it quickly filled up with tons of people.

Had the double burger with bacon and fries. Everything was well seasoned and hot and tasty. This is a growing hole in the wall. Looking forward to trying the barbecue next time.

Its a little hard to find but, but its worth searching for it.
Try the pork burger
Staff are very friendly

Loved it! Burger great fries great catfish great (even grilled) coleslaw great and the Mac and cheese sinful! Can’t wait to go back and try his bbq!!!

Delicious food and an amazing family that owns the place. I brought my son and both Papa and Mama Bear came out to great him and talk to him. They are both school teachers and really I couldn’t be happier to spend money eating here. They are awesome people and the food is excellent. I highly recommend this place to anyone if you have a chance. :)

Hey gang! Looking for a pulled pork sandwich with fries (the kind that are rival that burger chain who makes them fresh with their own secret season)? Then this is your spot! Meat was tender with a not too sweet, not to spicy (just right for my kids) sauce that warrants a return visit SOON. Bun was not your average white bun and I believe it was warmed with butter to hold everything in place.
I’m at a «3−4» star for my nuggets as they were very small (although the order itself of fish and fries was very filling). I think I’ll order again before passing full judgement on them. Seasoning was southern cornmeal goodness that did not disappoint.
Lastly, I got this to go and it held up well in transport. Décor is «beginner restaurant «tables & chairs with signage on one side and records on the other. Nothing fancy about it, but I’d like to think the décor is part of the overall charm of this restaurant.

Amazing food + friendly, family owned place = Plano’s hidden gem. Go to the SE corner of Parker and Alma, find the front door of Pancho’s and look right. There you will find nestled in the corner a place that prides itself on good food and friendly interaction. You’ve found Papa Bears.
I had the Catfish Platter which was amazing. It came with plenty of fish (4 pieces), homemade fries, homemade cole slaw, and grilled mac N cheese. Everything was perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Tarter Sauce was excellent. It wasn’t the sweet kind. It had that savory bite that I love. Also don’t forget his homemade hot sauce. It was so good I drank the last few drops after I had run out of food. My wife and daughter got the burgers which were well seasoned and buns were toasted on the flat top. Onion Rings were hand breaded to order. I would have liked a touch more seasoning in them but that’s just me being picky. For dessert, we tried the peachy Heaven. Bread puddling meets peach cobbler with caramel. It’s as the name says, Heaven! Rich and buttery. Plan to share this. It’s rich!
The place holds a max of 52 people so it’s a nice quaint place. The kitchen was spotless. They have plastic silverware and drinks are from a can or water bottles. This didn’t bother my family but some people have not liked that. Also, realize this is not fast food. Everything was cooked to order so we waited a little bit. Who cares, the food was worth it.
This is my favorite kind of restaurant. A small menu with everything done right. Next time, I going for the pulled pork. You can’t go wrong. Drive to Parker and Alma in Plano. Find the SE corner and stop here. You won’t be sorry.