Lou & Mary Anne's Bar - Bee, Nebraska

Why I Chose Lou & Mary Anne's Bar

I chose Lou & Mary Anne's Bar in Bee, Nebraska for my first post because Lou Dart, owner, is an inspiration for this blog. Lou's philosophy is centered on taking care of the people, period. I've been visiting Lou & Mary Anne's for nearly half of a century and this philosophy has always led the way. Now 92 years young, Lou appreciates seeing his friends enjoy a good meal at a favorable price.

Where You Find Lou & Mary Anne's

Bee, Nebraska is North of Seward just 12 minutes North and 1 mile East of Seward off of Highway 15. From the East, it's 30 miles Northwest of Lincoln. You'll find a post office, Catholic church, housing, a park with a ball field, and what I know as the Bee Astrodome; an old, original event center with a basketball court used for everything from grade school ball tournaments to wedding receptions and a hopping New Year's Eve party. You'll know when you have arrived because the main intersection is marked with a cement anchored bumble bee on a pole..

Must Try Menu

Lou & Mary Anne's has been famous for more than 50 years for their Friday night fish fry. As a youngster, the lines wrapped out the door and down the block to have a chance at a plate of this deliciousness! There's nothing 'canned' about a pound of fish when Lou serves it! He starts with a premium cod fish, prepares and lightly breads the fish just before it hits the fryer and serves up the pound of heavenly delight with a gaggle of fries, a warm piece of buttered rye, slaw and dill pickle chips. We love to complete the meal with a bloody mary or fresh draft of domestic beer from the bar. A well-kept secret is that if you're hungry, you can request "double fish" and get a second pound packed on that dinner Dixie plate for just a few bucks more.

There's a special for every day of the week at Lou and Mary Anne's and a full menu of burgers and the like. Most people just grab the special of the day and enjoy. Our favorites include:

• Friday; the infamous fish fry we discussed above. This is what made Lou famous!

• Saturday; steak night has a featured slab of house-prepared prime rib including baked potato, garlic toast, vegetable, and salad all for $12.50. They have ribs, rib eye and New York Strip steaks if you prefer.

• Sunday; (specifically the first Sunday of the month) Lou serves up his one-of-a-kind pork chop dinner. Call ahead for this one so they have one for you. This beast is a 2" thick special cut Lou has prepared just for him by an area butcher.

• Every day is a great day for a chicken strip basket at Lou & Mary Anne's. Lou prepares the fresh chicken breast with a buttermilk marinade. The strips are hand breaded and the basket is served heaping with chicken strips and fries. This is a ton of deliciousness for about 5 bucks.

The people

Lou & Mary Anne founded their establishment as a labor of love. Their home has been the back of the building and they have always made the front end like home for visitors. Lou has even opened up and made my family something tasty on New Year's Eve when he was closed but answered a friendly call to ask if he might have the front door unlocked. Naturally, Lou said, "Come on up." Today, Lou carries on in Mary Anne's legacy. Lou and family members keep the place all-original. Lou is a veteran and retired postal worker who found his home in this delightful little village.

Like any good establishment there are a lot of locals who stop by regularly after a hard day at work and all of these folks welcome friends from across the country who stop by when they are in the area. That's the beauty of the heartland after all!