Thatababy by Paul Trap for May 24, 2024

Man. Bonanza was the closest thing to a nice restaurant my parents ever took us to as a kid, and the source of a lot of nostalgia for me as an adult. I don’t have a family of my own, but much like this strip I DO occasionally drive 100 miles (round trip) just to eat at the Bonanza in Chambersburg, PA. There are SORT OF more than three left though—at some point, Bonanza and Ponderosa steakhouses merged, and their food is the same.

The show was also the inspiration for the Ponderosa steakhouse chain.

I find Chambersburg and New Columbia, both in central PA. So where’s the third?

There was a Ponderosa in the greater Burlington, Vermont aria.

There used to be a lot of Ho Jos around to, and Friendly’s as well.

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I never been to Bonanza but I used to love Rustlers Steak House.

I remember eating at a Bonanza steakhouse. The food was pretty good, for a restaurant chain.

I remember one of the first print ads for this chain. It was something like "For when you’re as hungry as a — " and then there was a photo of Dan Blocker as Hoss. Sadly, it wasn’t long afterward that he passed away."

I remember there being a Bonanza in Killeen, Texas. The building is still standing, but it’s been vacant for a very long time.

Bonanza was one of my favorite restaurants as a kid in South Jersey. It is not one of the three locations remaining.

There must be an adequate steak house closer. Thirty-six hours of travel for a nostalgia hit at a mid grade restaurant? Are they going to get this excited over the last Sirloin and Brew?

the episode with the leprechauns was my favorite and a classic

According to the “Pon-Bon” website there are five.

St. Cloud, MN (The only one west of the Mississippi, Ponderosa OR Bonanza)

Lebanon, VA

Chambersburg, PA

New Columbia, PA

Hazle Township, PA

I always wanted to see a crossover with The High Chaparral.

I learned about this show in college. My sister and I had to stay on campus one spring break, and we had colds, and instead of getting ahead on homework, we binged a bunch of episodes =P

If it’s still there, it’s only about 4 hours away from me in Idaho Falls, ID. My parents took us there when we’d vacation in I.F.