The Great Grizzly Bear reopens in Soulard

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Courtesy Great Grizzly Bear

Long-running Soulard institution The Great Grizzly Bear reopened July 9. The bar and restaurant is now under new ownership and offering rebooted lunch/dinner and brunch menus from chef Neal Bukiet, as well as regular live music.

Photo by Iain Shaw

The Great Grizzly Bear was one of many venues to fall victim to the pressures of the pandemic. The bar and restaurant closed its doors in October 2020, but the venue’s closure would only be temporary. Customer Joe Schulz was sad to see the place close, so he started exploring the possibility of reviving it.

“I loved the patio and the general ambiance of the place,” says Schulz, noting that it opened in 1978, making it one of the longest-running venues in Soulard to operate under the same name. “I didn’t want to see it change into anything other than what it’s always been.”

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Photo by Iain Shaw

By March 2021, Schulz had put together enough of the pieces to finalize the purchase of the bar. Bukiet, who joined as part owner and chef, is originally from Chicago and spent time working in Denver and Atlanta, where he headed the kitchen at One Eared Stag and was the sous chef to James Beard Award winner Steven Satterfield at Miller Union. In St. Louis, Bukiet has worked at Brasserie, Three Flags Tavern, and Café Osage.

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Photo by Iain Shaw

Schulz and Bukiet set out to shape a menu that utilized the chef’s experience in fine dining while remaining true to The Great Grizzly Bear’s down-to-earth traditions. “It’s still comfortable bar food that someone going into a bar would want,” Schulz says. “But Neal makes everything from scratch and uses top ingredients.”

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Photos by Iain Shaw

Some of Bukiet’s fresh additions include a white bean hummus, topped with giardiniera and served with toasted ciabatta from Companion Baking. The crispy cheese curds are another highlight (and an item that Schulz, a Wisconsin native, recommends). The chicken nuggets are served in portions of six or 10 pieces, along with a sweet sesame sauce.

Photo by Iain Shaw

Bukiet flavors dishes with house-made pickles, sauces, and condiments that draw on influences from diverse culinary traditions. For instance, the selection of smashburgers includes a German-inspired Beer Brat Burger and a vegetable burger with Middle Eastern flavors. The kimchi chicken sandwich features a sweet chili–marinated chicken thigh, fried or grilled and topped with kimchi coleslaw and pickled red onion. Longtime customers will also appreciate such menu favorites as the fish and chips and soft pretzels.

Schulz was also determined to preserve the inviting atmosphere. “A wide variety of people could come and have a good time and feel comfortable,” he says. “So there'll be a range of [customer who are] 60-plus to people freshly turned 21, all hanging out and having a great time.”

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Photo by Iain Shaw

Photo by Iain Shaw

The patio remains one of the venue’s standout attractions, with a separate bar and space for outdoor performances. The patio is also dog-friendly, with a separate alleyway entrance for dog owners.

The alfresco space is ideal for Sunday brunch, with a menu that includes egg-and-cheese–based breakfast sandwiches—hanger steak, giardiniera, crispy bacon, or cured tomato—as well as buttermilk pancakes, chilaquiles, and avocado toast. Be sure to add a spicy bloody mary or a mimosa. Both are $6 per glass or $17 bottomless. Brunch runs 10 a.m.–2 p.m. every Sunday.

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Photo by Iain Shaw

Schulz, Bukiet, and the rest of The Great Grizzly team are building out the event schedule, with live music two nights per week and a Tuesday trivia night that's set to launch over the next month or two. Weekday happy hour runs 2–5 p.m. and includes $5 appetizers, $10 sandwiches, and drinks deals starting from $2.50 for domestic beers and $3.50 for rail drinks.

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Courtesy Great Grizzly Bear