Black Bear Diner

Reviews

• Len S.

  star star star star star 20 July 2026

  Love this place for breakfast. From the Bears outside to the bear sayings inside to the paw prints on the napkins. This place is great.
  No wait for a table our server gave us what we thought was a newspaper.
  When she returned with our coffee we asked for menus. Sorry she said your holding them. Open the newspaper with the bear articles and you will find a full menu. How much fun is this place.
  
  We were here for breakfast. Check out the pictures.  Breakfast was as good as it looks. From the creamy grits with bacon bits to the smoked brisket Benedict and the California Benedict with Alvarado  You will not leave hungry.

• Ryan W.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 11 July 2026

  Burnt burgers,  forgotten sides, bland food.
  You really have to try to screw up a cheese burger, but forgetting the cheese is the first step and over cooking it is the second.  Having to be reminded that someone ordered a shake three times doesn't get you a good tip and completely forgetting the side salad topped off the unforgettable service we recieved.  Place was slow on our Sunday afternoon visit,  service was slow and very poor.
  How you screw up three of the four orders is beyond me but you guys did it! Won't be returning!!

• Lacey T.

  star star star star star_border 3 July 2026

  I do not particularly care for diner/greasy spoon sort of restaurants, and I really don't like chains, so you can imagine my displeasure at having dinner at Black Bear Diner. No, I'd never been there before, but I know what I like, thankyouverymuch. This was one of those occasions where I really needed to not be a picky pants, however, so here we were, and I kept my complaints to myself.
  
  We arrived around 5:30 or so, and there were just two other tables occupied. I imagine this is a happenin' spot for breakfast more than other meals, though more customers arrived as we were leaving. Speaking of breakfast, you can get it all day (lunch too)! Considering this, I went for the corned beef hash, switching out my fruit/potatoes option for seasonal veggies. The waitress didn't even bat an eye when I asked! Even if you don't get all crazy with special requests (as I have a tendency to), there are many ways to customize your meal: most come with toast/biscuit/pancakes along with the previously mentioned fruit/hash brown/diced potatoes. My husband ordered onion rings and a bacon cheeseburger salad. We waited probably fifteen minutes for our meals, which seems just about right.
  
  A large part of their shtick is generous portions, and this was definitely the case, particularly with both my husband's orders. My corned beef was surprisingly well done: not too salty, eggs cooked to medium perfection, and even the steamed vegetables were pretty decent (especially with the addition of the various house hot sauces at our table). The pancake, too, was surprisingly well done: mildly sweet and quite fluffy, served with real butter (even it was packaged). Of note, they have natural jams and jellies too.  
  
  For dessert, there are pies, brownies, bread pudding, and a few other baked goods on display at the front. They didn't look all that exciting, but based on our meals I'd consider trying them next time. They also have milkshakes, malts, and sundaes. Funny story: there were some kids seated behind us, and one of them asked for a to-go box for their scoop of ice cream. Our same waitress again, didn't question it at all, just brought one over, much to the mother's embarrassed amusement.
  
  Our server checked on us just the right amount, kept waters and coffee filled, and was cheery. Prices are reasonable, and great considering portion size (seriously, my husband's salad was like some never-ending magic dish). Look, Black Bear Diner is not a four star restaurant on it's own, but compared to similar eateries, it's surprisingly good.

• George C.

  star star star star_border star_border 26 June 2026

  I am still not too impressed with Black Bear Diner but our picky dog loves the turkey dinner that my wife brings back to her and if it wasn't for Jorelle and her great service I wouldn't care if I never stepped foot in this place again.  We try to get Jorelle anytime we come in otherwise the service has always been hit or miss. My final straw was when their A/C unit was turned down and the manager left with the key to adjust the temp ( or that was the excuse) and the restaurant was pretty warm. That night my wife and I ordered the limited time top sirloin that they have been offering all month and it looked like two hockey pucks that the dog wound up with and the veggies was not the advertised sautéed bell pepper and squash. The waiter did apologize and said the restaurant stopped serving the squash (then why advertise it with your limited time only steak??). One new menu item I like is the crispy chicken salad. The cornbread croutons are a great addition. The lettuce could use a little more attention and weed out the old lettuce and chop the rest smaller so you don't have to cut everything to a normal size otherwise it's a good salad.
  Now we're back this morning and our favorite waitress is here so we're having having the Bear's breakfast. Looks good so I better dig in before it gets cold.

• Layne D.

  star star star star_border star_border 25 June 2026

  This is a diner with a cabin in the woods kind of vibe. Lots of exposed wood and bear carvings outside, probably a hit with the kids. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table around 11am on a Saturday.
  
  Once we were seated, our server appeared quickly to take our drink orders. Their menus are made to look like newspapers which I thought was cute and on brand for the place. An iced tea and cranberry juice later, we were ready to order. I got the tuna salad croissant with fries, and my partner got the chicken and waffle.
  
  The tuna salad was a large portion, with avocado, tomato and mayo on it. The fries were hot and crispy and the fry sauce was really good! While nothing really stood out about the meal it was good and I'd order it again.
  
  The chicken and waffle was okay but the waffle was average and my partner wasn't too crazy about the chicken breading. It's more crispy and almost reminded me of Panko crust (which I'm sure it's not) but it almost had a bit of a sweet aftertaste. Not bad but my partner just wasn't a fan. Just depends how you like your chicken.
  
  Overall, you get a lot of food for a reasonable price. Our service was quick and friendly and I'd return again, just nothing out of the ordinary. Not bad if you need a basic breakfast or lunch. I will say though they do well to stay on brand: paw prints on the plates, the waffle, and a little flag in the sandwich. Nice theme.