Fancy Pants Foodie

Foodie news, reviews and how-tos from Arkansas and beyond.

Mr. Dunderbak’s Opens This Week

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Final details of the Mr. Dunderbak’s store being put in place earlier this month.

Update: Wednesday’s soft opening didn’t happen, reportedly moved to Friday due to some equipment not being in yet. See you then!

Mr. Dunderbak’s, a popular German/Bavarian restaurant in the 1970s and 80s, will finally make its long-anticipated reappearance in North Little Rock’s McCain Mall this week.

A “soft opening” is scheduled for Wednesday, December 12, and the grand reopening is on Saturday, December 15.

If you missed our earlier story on the whole thing, including info on the menu (think amazing soft pretzels, cheese spreads, sausages and more, plus new vegan items) you can read about it here.

Basically, North Little Rock native Scott Kaufman started a Facebook group page titled, “Mr. Dunderbak’s in McCain Mall — Bring it Back!”, which started a movement to re-open the restaurant. The original owner, Richard Davidson, found out about it and came out of retirement to bring the restaurant’s famous soft pretzels and cheese spreads back to the masses.

The Facebook group feed itself is a bit of an emotional roller coaster, going from reminiscing to solid plans, then a few roadblocks, such as when a crooked contractor took off with Davidson’s money, with no work to show for it. The last few posts are celebratory and even a little bit crazy. One poster asks if they’re allowed to camp out before the opening, and others are planning their days off so they can eat at the restaurant several times in one day.

Davidson’s daughter, Laura Stanley, recently posted this letter on the Facebook group page that started the restaurant’s comeback:

‎12 days Wow… the power of Facebook.

I hope y’all know, this facebook page has played a major role in my dad and I reopening Mr. Dunderbak’s. I wasn’t aware of this group until my friend Dawn Phelps sent it to my facebook page. I was SO surprised it existed!!! It still blows me away!!! To see that so many of you missed Mr. Dunderbak’s like my dad and I missed it was heart warming.

For years, Dad and I would jokingly toss around the idea of reopening our store. It was in our hearts, but it seemed beyond reality that we ever would actually reopen. It began to become reality when I told him about this facebook group and sent it to his facebook page. At that point our tossing around the idea of reopening became an investigation of what it would take to reopen.

You are the fuel to the fire of reopening!We would like to thank Scott and each of you who are members of this facebook group.YOU brought us back!THANK YOU!!See you soon!!!Mr. Dunderbak’s
IN McCain Mall

Comments

    • REALLY. I'm not terribly surprised, from what reviews I've heard lately. Just goes to show, nostalgia can only get you so far with substandard service and/or product.

  2. That was disgusting nats in my food, the guy behind the counter was rude and picking his nose, looks like they not gonna last

  3. Will Reba was right I ate there, the food was disgusting and the staff was rude, everything was over priced, fruit flys were everywhere In my food , the business died in the past for a reason, you can't resurrect something that died. I'm sorry to say but to me it is worse than the 80-90's but good luck to y'all I wish you nothing but the best intentions.

  5. Mr. dunderbaks- Lets just hope they leave off the roaches they were famous for the last time. It was embarrassing

    • Reba, from what I hear, that was under the store's last management in the 90s, after the original owner (and now owner again) sold it. Things got dirty! I'll bet the new place is spic and span.