Wow. $7 for a cajun chicken sandwich. Mcdonalds uses higher quality ingredients then this place. One of the worst things I've ever eaten. Frozen, pre-cooked chicken, and the cheapest bun you can buy. read more

I first went to Bearden's in 1962 when I played on their team in the Rocky River Little League. It was fantastic, and it seems like I've been there a jillion times ever since. Even after I left the Cleveland area for warmer climes, I always, always would stop by Bearden's when visiting my parents, still living in River. When I heard Bearden's was shutting down I was devastated, but thrilled when I learned it was to be reopened. Since then I've been back to town twice, making my traditional visit to the place each time. It's natural and inevitable that I compare the old Bearden's to the new Bearden's, and the latter comes up short, unfortunately. The new method of ordering at the counter creates a fast food vibe, big time. The waitresses, over the years, always had a lot of character and brought a lot of charm to the restaurant. That's gone. (And so much for creating jobs.) The Beardenburger still uses the same great cut of meat, and is value priced, but I they no longer put a pat of butter atop the burger, and the buns aren't lightly toasted, as they used to be. The famous onion rings are still great but the portion size was a bit chintzy. The menu has expanded notably. Perogies were put on the menu to pay homage to Cleveland's large population of folks of Slovak or Polish descent, I suppose, but this was a giant mistake, as their perogies, deep fried, were absolutely terrible. Eating one of these was the first time in fifty years of Bearden's dining that I has something that was bad. Check that, call it embarrassingly horrible. One great thing about the menu expansion was the addition of Birch Beer. Now that's a home run. The new turquoise upholstery is fine, but again lends to the fast food chain ambiance. Serving food in plastic baskets doesn't help the experience. Alas, it seems an institution since 1948 is now just another burger joint. read more

I was hungry for a hamburger and my husband suggested Bearden's. YUCK ! The clam chowder soup was lukewarm at best. The onion rings were greasy,tasteless and had to much batter on them. Steakburger? - seriously, the meat was paper thin and had absolutly no taste . Milkshakes were OK. We eat out at least once a week and granted some places are better than others but this Bearden's was not worth the $30.00 we spent. read more

Peanut butter milkshake. Check. Mushroom & onion cheeseburger. Check. Slim Jim fries. Check. First time here and I loved everything about this place. The food was simple, cheap and above all else...GOOD!!! We were greeted with a smile when we walked in and throughout our visit. In my opinion, folks complaining about having to place the order at the counter...I say COME ON, really? The prices are sooo low, I truly didn't mind placing my order and have them bring it to my table. When we are back in the area this is sure to be on our list of stops before heading to the lake. read more

An oldies diner theme. Burgers, fries and shakes. I have to say, it was damn good. The burgers are better than Five Guys (plus it is locally owned so I will always give the nod to that over a chain). Fries are underwhelming...I should have ordered the onion rings. Did I just give myself a reason to come back? I think so. Charming atmosphere with a crowd ranging from kids to seniors. read more

It has been about a year since we visited Beardens. I actually thought it had closed. We always have the peanut butter burger which is yummy. And I do crave it. However the service always seems less than pleasing. read more

I won't choose to go here. After waiting 30 minutes for a to go order, that they still got wrong, the food was getting cold and soggy. They had the food ready before the shakes, then put the shakes in a glass, had to redo then and then they were ready to go. Meanwhile the onion rings were mushy. The fries were really good. But I asked for ketchup from two different people, and no one got me any, they just pointed to an empty bin on the counter. The place was not that busy, and I'd hate to see what happens if they had a large crowd. While waiting, I had ample time to look around. Its decked out in retro teal booths with a train running over head. You order and pay at a counter and then they take you your food. Another family was waiting really long for their food and when they tried to get at least the portion that was ready, the employee insisted on taking that to the table. My burger was good, the soup was blah, I have it sitting in my fridge and just hate wasting food by throwing it out. The malt was horrible, it had huge lumps of malt powder in it, I think it was malt powder, it wasn't very malty either. My companion had her burger messed up. She ordered a double and got a single. In a way it worked out cause she did not like it at all. She would not go back at all. If I'm with someone who really wants to go to Bearden's, then I'll go back, but it will NEVER be my choice. Its diffenatly not as good as it was when I was a kid, eating here at least once a month. read more

Used to be my favorite burger in Ohio. They renovated and it looks like a cute 50's diner but took away the waitresses. And changed the food. Doubt I'll come back to spend $28 on two burgers and drinks. Food was ok. Place looked clean as we were the only customers at 5:30pm. read more

Very disappointing. Showed up on a Saturday a little after 11am. Saw sign out front saying we open at 11 daily. Door was locked. Waited 10 minutes door still locked. Took a quick ride and returned at 11:30am. Place now open but freezing cold inside. Staff that was present looked like they just rolled out of bed after a rough night. Place was disorganized. Waited for someone to come take our order, and then thought better of it and just left. We use to come here every week in the 80s, but clearly that Bearden's is long gone. read more

Have read about Bearden's in the past. Today I decided to visit Bearden's for the first time. Thought I would get a discounted price being Wednesday. Actually, the price specials are discounted only on Wednesdays during Spring months. OK! Still wanted to try this 1948 rather famous restaurant. The workers were very friendly which is the what I like restaurants to be...I felt very welcome! The decor is 50's. Rather interesting as I grew up in the 50's... Being a 73 year old white haired senior citizen I was happy receiving a discount! Ordered a double steak burger with lettuce, tomato, onion,and mayo with the beef done medium. Also, ordered an order of fries. Was pleased that the double steak burger was hot and tasty...the way I love my food. The fries were hot and tasty as well! The portions were a good size! I was not hungry leaving this place! Will be back at another time for another great eating experience! Thank you Bearden's. George P. Cleveland read more

Really disappointing! I took my kids for a train and good milkshakes but....milkshake machine was not working and the train was broken! Food was not the best fries were cold, burger was meh. I was told by other patrons its not usually bad. But based on first impression, I would not go back. I was there at peak lunch time 12:30 - 1 pm and nothing seemed fresh. Very disappointed! read more

I haven't been here since I was a kid - but I'm sure glad I came back! The experience was better than I remembered! The inside has been remodeled and looks fantastic. Done in a diner style I thought it was really clean and cute inside. I swear the food is better than I remembered too. It was a great cheap & quick place to grab dinner with my toddler son and grandma. Also, the young gentlemen that helped me at the counter was so kind and helpful. I really appreciated his amazing service! Single burger was enough food with some fries. Perfect easy meal! read more

Bearden's has very good burgers they also have very good milkshakes. There service is also very good. You will get your food in 5 mins. You should try it. It's the only on so if your visiting or live in rocky river you should stop by. read more

Way over priced! $50.00 for two kids and two adult hamburger meals. It's joke!! I would not come here!!

The hamburgers are awesome! This place is great. They give you plenty of food, the food is tasty. The atmosphere is nice, and they don't charge you an arm & a leg like every other burger joint in River! read more

Been here a few times with my wife and 13-month old son. Very comfortable, family-friendly environment. The burgers live up to the hype, food is reasonably priced, and the wait staff is prompt and friendly. Splurge and get the onion rings, they are very good. Love the selection of Great Lakes beers, too. That was a pleasant surprise. read more

We had to check it out now that it has been remodeled (looks great by the way) and back open for business. Felt it was expensive, well not expensive but for what we got and the way they charge. They have a price for the burger and if you want cheese $0.50 and $0.10 to add lettuce & tomato each...just add that cost to the price of the burger instead of the additional charge. Five Guy's you pay one price and can add 10 toppings for no extra charge. The onion rings were really good and the burgers were really good too. It was a nice change of scenary and I am sure we will return in the future. read more

Tried a strawberry milkshake from their food truck and it was ok. The consistency was off- strawberry syrup in a vanilla milkshake.

My family has lived in this area for decades and Bearden's has also been around for decades (mostly) so we have eaten in several incarnations of this place. I remember the Bearden's of my childhood in the late 60s/ early 70s as a dark and slightly dingy place with bears on the sign and napkins, little trains running around the ceiling (if they were working that day) and uneven quality of both food and service. The current rejuvenated edition of Beardens is, in my opinion, a vast improvement. It's bright, light and shiny white, like a modernized version of a retro 50s diner. Lots of booths in addition to some tables. You order at the counter, which reduces the risk of bad table service, and they've kept all the bears and little trains.(By the way, as a little girl and a big girl, I LOVED THE TRAINS.) Your food comes in a plastic basket similar to old-time drive-ins. Personally, I'm impressed that they kept this place going since its neighborhood is not a hot area for restaurants and is wealthy enough that maintaining this location is probably expensive. I imagine that nostalgic loyalty is part of the draw, but also the burgers and fries are great if you like that kind of burger and fries - I do! The burgers are on the thin and greasy side. I love 'em. If you prefer the thick, rare-in-the-middle, mile-high, topped-with-fresh-veggies burgers, perhaps on some fancy brioche or pretzel bun o' the moment, go somewhere else, but please understand that not all of us like 'em that way. Me for the nice, wide, flat burger, on a traditional burger bun, with pickle and a side of crispy (not limp) fries. The milkshakes are on the retro thin side here too which made my mom happy because she does not like thick milkshakes and cannot get them up her straw. Onion rings are crispy and battered and do not taste like they came from a bag or a microwave. There are many creative toppings offered for burgers here but as you may have guessed I'm a very basic burger person. A cheeseburger or a peanut-butter-topped burger with pickles (the traditional specialty of the house here) does me just fine. Overall I leave quite happy with my meal and with the fact that I did not have to drive to some trendy foodie bar area or go to an overhyped overpriced chain like 5 Guys for a burger, especially since Bearden's has its own fairly spacious parking lot so no need to finagle with traffic congestion, street parking or meters. Some of the older people I know who remember the old Bearden's have complained that they don't like having to order at the counter or not having table service (although a waitress did bring over some of our food and also checked up on us to make sure we had all needed condiments, etc. during our last visit - I'd note that this was during a time when restaurant was not very busy). This is not a problem if you take at least one able-bodied person to make runs to the counter. I don't know if I would want to bring little kids here though. People do, but it's not really a "kiddie" kind of place, since the prices are higher than your typical McDonalds and also the dining room is small and kids hollering or running in the aisles are going to be in everyone's hair. In short, I like the place and give 4 stars for food and another star for effort and persistence in keeping a local business on the map. read more

Beardens is a great spot to grab a burger, fries (the skinny ones are my favorite) and a shake! I like to call in an order and pick it up to go for lunch. Simple, classic and delicious ! read more

The onion rings here are Devine and fresh but the burgers are over cooked. They are well done and large but not juicy or flavorful. The skinny fries are good and so are the shakes. The 50s atmosphere is also cute. It's a nice place to take kids but I wish they didn't cook the burgers for so long. read more

We used to eat at the old Bearden's a lot and were always satisfied. They were closed during the Lake road construction, and are now remodeled and open under new ownership. We were driving by one day to see if they were open and they were not but were training to open. The new owner invited us in gave us a tour and offered us a burger for free. We have been back and have always been satisfied. Great burgers onion rings. Try the peanut burger. Sounds strange but is great! read more

This is your classic greasy spoon diner. Service is OK, environment is OK, but the food is pretty good. They definitely have the best onion rings around. read more

I love Beardens SO much but they recently changed their menu and took the chicken Caesar salad off of the menu. They have the best chicken Caesar I've ever had and that's the only reason my boyfriend and I ever go there. BRINGGGG BACK THE CAESAR read more

Best burgers in the area, hands down. Their golden fries are better than their other fries. Onion rings are huge and amazing.

Great staff, great food and quick service! They stick closely to the diner theme which is great!

Family friendly. Great burgers. And kids loved the chicken and french fries. Awesome lunch with my beautiful family at a very nice place .

Great burgers (especially with grilled onions). Old time family eatery (with a great model train that little kiddies and big adults love to watch.) Try it at least once. read more

My dad has lived in Rocky River for all his life, and I lived there up until I graduated from college. Beardens remained the same for all of those years until they did a small remodel a few years ago. If you're a peanut butter fan-I definitely suggest getting the peanut butter burger. So, so good. read more

Caught up with Bearden's on a sunny afternoon in November. A fine fresh double and very big onion rings were delivered to my table in under 10 minutes. Quaint and bright dining room. Very clean and family friendly spot. Would love to try a shake next time. Much better than average burger. A little pricey, but they are offering half price Wednesday burgers for a limited time. Look forward to coming back soon. read more

First thing to note: Wednesday after 4 pm is half priced burgers, wish I had known that before I came here! I'm always searching for a deal I ordered a double with cheddar, bacon, and bbq sauce, along with onion rings and a chocolate shake. The burger was great. The bacon is nice and thick and the barbeque sauce was a nice mix of sweet and tangy. The order of onion rings gives you three large rings which were good. I didn't stay long, but the inside of the diner is nice. It definitely has that old school feel with the colors and the decor. They have a toy train running along the tracks of the ceiling and the jukebox is free, which is a nice touch. read more

Hoping to find a Swensons-esque burger place actually in the 216 area code, I went to Beardens once (one time too many). Gross. The burger literally disintegrated under the sheer weight of its grease; the shoddy bun didn't help either. The place in general looked like it had last been cleaned prior to my birth. Not getting food poisoning was a serious concern at the time, although in Bearden's defense I did not actually receive that gift. It sure was cheap though! read more

The Bearden burger is wonderfully juicy! The clam chowder is very good.

The set up- once you walk in you are directed towards the front counter, which is where you order. If you choose to dine in feel free to grab a seat after you place your order and a food runner will bring out your meal. I've been reading reviews of this place for years and finally decided to try it out today. I ordered the double steak burger meal with fries and a drink, my girlfriend ordered the same but without a drink. The food came out about 5-10 mins after we ordered and everything was cooked to perfection. The burger patties are on the smaller side but the fry portion was larger than expected so I left without any residual feelings of hunger! Overall the burger was pretty good--not the best burger I've had around here but certainly not the worst. My issue (and the reason I gave it 3 stars) was the price. Our meal came out to $19 dollars and my girlfriend didn't even get a drink (and we skimped on the "add-on's". I figured a meal like this, at a place like this would be $10 or $15 max but I ended up paying B Spot prices for a Steak n Shake burger. The burger wasn't anything special for the price they charge so I likely won't be back. read more

Love the food, really brings you back to good quality diner food, and the shakes are amazing!!!

3rd time here. Got the double buger with onion rings, chili and a malted shake. Everything was really good and fresh tasting. If I had 1 critisim it would be that my shake needed more malt to bump up the flavor. Otherwise, can't wait to visit again. read more

Just had dinner here and we were really disappointed. We waited an hour for our food. The milkshakes came out 45 minutes before our food. I still don't see why it took an hour to get fast food. Now to the good part, the only hot dish we ordered came out cold. The rest of us had BLT's. When we brought it to their attention they offered nothing but a refund which showed no regard to the fact that we waited an hour for food that came out cold and we were starving. read more

Vegie burger and beef burger are good and big. Their web site is not up to date, no avocado! The toppings add up & don't add too much to the burger, they're great w/out all the extras. The blue cheese topping was barley there, the cheddar was a good amount. The French fries & onion rings (which they're "known for") weren't necessary. Shake was good. 3 burgers, 1 shake, 1 French fry/onion ring split = $20 +. Next time I'm going on kids eat free night, getting a vegie burger w/ lettuce, tomato, extra dill pickles, maybe sauté onions & that's it. Free 60's Juke box, Toy train circles the ceiling. The vegie burger was even excellent the next day re-heated in a toaster oven. read more

I love this place. Very much just like the old time diners with a moving train. The food was good also. Had a blt sandwich that hit the spot. read more

it's been over 15 years since i'd last been to Bearden's. i remembered it being good but nothing specific. all these years later i really wanted to go back and check it out. Danielle and i went this last Saturday and, to be honest, we were a little underwhelmed. in fact, Danielle didn't like hers at all. she ordered fish and chips and the fish was still cold/frozen in the middle. she took it back and they remade it but the new plate was greasy. in fact everything that was fried was way too greasy. they need to check the temp of the fryers because their probably set too low, or they're trying to fry too much at one time. i had onion rings that were soggy from sitting in grease. when i paid at the counter i tipped expecting some sort of service and really got nothing. one girl dragged herself away from the Cavs game for a single minute to walk our food out to us. no one stopped to ask how the food was or anything. i'd ordered a hot dog (got 2 for some reason) and a Peanutburger. the hot dogs were nothing special - not real good, in fact. however, the Peanutburger was incredible. it's the sole reason for the 3 stars. had i just gotten this sandwich (to go) we'd have a 5-star review. the burger was delicious and i've been thinking of it since we left. normally i'd not care too much about getting back to a place after a visit like this but to be honest, i'm gonna go back for another burger. no doubt. read more