For Deana and Jeff Berger, owning Beltzville Bar and Grill, or known locally as the "The Creek" has become a dream come true. Beltzville Bar and Grill is located on Pohopoco Drive, at the north side of Beltzville Lake. The building is the former Wild Creek Inn.

The engaging couple opened the bar/restaurant on Jan. 9, with an emphasis on good food, good service and catering to families."When we added outdoor seating for the summer time, our restaurant took off," said Jeff. "We're delighted with the way people have responded to our philosophy of good food, good friends and good times."Deana said that she has instructed the staff to let people linger, so Beltzville Bar and Grill is becoming the number one gathering place in Carbon County for families."We love having people stay and enjoy talking to each other," said Deana. "We are personalizing our business with friendliness."Jeff agreed. "We often stop by and talk to our customers. We want to get to know our customers and what they like. We want everyone to feel at home."Jeff said there really is no place in Carbon County like Beltzville Bar and Grill for people to gather and wine and dine their friends with this much friendliness and fun.Apparently their focus on friendliness, plus having a warm atmosphere and classy decor has brought them some well earned customers."We are really proud of our place," said Jeff. "We've put a lot of thought into the remodeling and we're pleased with the results."The restaurant offers plenty of space for small wedding receptions, Christmas parties, anniversary parties, class reunions, birthday parties, bridal showers and baby showers. The large 1,900 square foot upstairs room has space for at least 100 people to sit comfortably.The upstairs room was fitted with a wide bar, which makes hosting a party in this area convenient for staff and customers, who want to stay where the fun is, but also want to be close to the refreshments. The bar is as handy to sit at for liquid refreshments as it is to enjoy a meal. The bar was designed and installed by Brian Sheckler, who used the lumber the couple had been saving for their hardwood floors for their home, as the room's focal point. The grain in the wood gives the bar a distinctive custom look.The downstairs area has another comfortable 1,300 square feet that allows people to gather together for lunch, dinner or drinks.The upstairs room also has a full size pool table, which can be moved about to provide extra seating, but is usually busy during regular hours."We built this room for entertainment," said Jeff. "We want people to come and stay for while. We'll be installing large screen tvs so people can catch up on their favorite shows. The room also gives the Bergers the opportunity to offer some entertainment for adults after dinner. They will be offering Tim Johnson Band on Friday, which is a Southern Rock/Country music band and Saturday, Bad Influence will perform. Evening entertainment begins at 9 p.m.In the past, Old Friends and Bone Daddy have played at Beltzville Bar and Grill to appreciative crowds.All the food served at Beltzville Bar and Grill is made to order, so everything is fresh, tasty and appealing. They feature fresh cut french fries."We serve good old fashioned Pennsylvania Dutch food," said Deana. "My mom helps in the kitchen and my dad is always around helping, too."Jeff said that meals start at $6.95, with some higher priced entrées that include lobster and steak."We also want to give back to the community," said Deana. "We plan to host a free Christmas party on Dec. 19 with Santa for children during the day and in the evening, for adults.Beltzville Bar and Grill is open Monday through Thursday at 3 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday, business hours start at noon. The restaurant menu offers a full line of platters, including steaks, lobster and poor man's lobster.For more information about Beltzville Bar and Grill, call (610) 681-8181.