Had dinner here last night with my fiancé and both of us were so thoroughly impressed by every…read moreaspect of our experience - that I just had to log-in to write this review. There were a a handful of people waiting to be seated when we arrived and the couple before us were seated at the last outdoor patio table available. The hostess told us that we could go upstairs to the bar area and sit anywhere we wanted and a server would be with us directly. So that's what we did. As a side note, the whole vibe of the restaurant was very comfortable and the building itself is pretty remarkable. Water and menus were delivered within minutes of us selecting our table, and our waitress Victoria maintained that same level of attentiveness the whole time we were there. The biggest shortcoming of so many restaurants in and around Big Bear is the bar and their specialty drinks. But this place just slam dunked on every other restaurant we've ever tried over the years - and not just for the drinks. I love a good old fashioned but until last night, every place I'd been to served their old fashioned in a glass full of ice like I was getting a soda at a fast food drive through. Not here. A proper big block ice cube made the "Maple old fashioned" (hands down) the best drink I've ever had. (I think they've got like 7 or 8 different varieties of the old fashioned and I will definitely be back to try them.) Our potato skins appetizer was on another level and that was before our entrees even arrived. My beef dip sandwich was perfect as was wifey's chicken Scaloppini. The timing of food arriving and the periodic check-ins from our waitress was flawless. We spoke briefly with the bartender, Doug (who may or may not have been one of the owners) to express how much we enjoyed our drinks and dinner. The hallmark of a well-run restaurant is that everyone who works there conducts themselves like it's their name on the sign out front. That's exactly what we got from everyone involved. Whoever is in charge of the kitchen staff deserves a Michelin star rating. The rest of the staff is equally impressive. I can't say enough about this place. Excellent drinks, excellent food and dynamite service. If you want a top-notch dining experience in Big Bear, this should be your first and only choice. From now on, it'll be mine.

We were quoted a 15-25 minute wait, which somehow turned into nearly an hour. Apparently, Oakside…read moremeasures time the same way airlines measure "a slight delay." We're a family of four with a well-behaved standard poodle, so we completely understood that our seating options were limited. What we didn't understand was watching two other families with dogs arrive after us and get seated well before us, along with what felt like half of Big Bear. Our "table is ready" text finally arrived 53 minutes after we joined the waitlist. If the real wait is an hour, just say an hour. At least then we could have taken our dog for a hike, grabbed lunch somewhere else, and possibly returned in time for our table.

TLDR: Cash only;…read more Portion sizes are still on the bigger side; Our favorites: buckwheat pancakes, corn beef/pastrami hash. ----- Been here many times over the last decade whenever we are in Big Bear. Our latest visit yesterday was still overall a very positive experience. Much to our delight, their buckwheat pancakes are still the best pancakes EVER (imho). These pancakes are the reason why we come to Teddy Bear every time. Something about the flavor and texture just makes them stand out. In fact, we no longer order pancakes anywhere else. Corn beef hash and pastrami hash are still so very flavorful and satisfying. The cinnamon cornbread is still good. Coffee might seem a little weak for some (like my husband) but good enough for me. Our server was super busy so service was understandably a tad slow but decidedly adequate.

Pros: We liked the feel of a "small town diner" and staff were very friendly. They have tons of…read morefood options and service was quick. Came here on a Saturday for lunch and we were seated right away! Cons: We were not expecting this place to be cash only! The chairs were uncomfortable and the bathrooms are not nice. Their soda machine wasn't working and they didn't offer iced coffee (although they did give us hot coffee and a cup of ice). Their Ceaser salad had way too much dressing to the point where it was soggy! Overall it was an alright place for our weekend getaway lunch. But we would not eat here again.

Murray's Saloon & Eatery is one of our favorite spots in Big Bear, and since we're up here often,…read moreit's a must-visit every trip. We always order the ribeye steak and split it because the portion is huge and always cooked just right. It's one of those meals we look forward to every time we come up. The karaoke is another reason we keep coming back. It's always a fun atmosphere, whether you're singing or just watching everyone else perform. The staff has always been friendly, and the whole place has that laid-back local vibe that makes you want to stay awhile. If you're visiting Big Bear, definitely add Murray's to your list!

Walked in during a power outage since they were one of the only places open…read more As soon as we opened the door it smelled like smoke and old people. Def not the place for us not to mention all the dirty looks from the locals and the staff. It's ok, won't be back!

They were so nice and we got immediate seating when we arrived. The food was really good I would…read moredefinitely come back. Also the inside had good vibes the misic was awesome.

Decent burgers and fries in Big Bear Village. For the location and price range, this is a good…read moreoption for groups of all ages. All visitors will feel welcome. Stopped by on 8/9 with four adults and two kids after a trip to the Zoo. We were seated quickly and service was friendly. Good variety of beers. To start, we had a surprisingly tasty birria quesadilla and creamy avocado egg rolls (fried well, not at all greasy). The poké nachos were light and flavorful, but could use a bit more ahi for the price. For the burgers, we did a couple of the Declaration Day and the Bat Country (favorite). One person chose Born on the Bayou chicken sandwich, and regretted it. The flattened chicken was overcooked and lacked seasoning. Fries are great along with the exceptional housemade ranch. We were told the brussels sprouts were one of the most popular items but they were not at all a standout.

SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES! My husband and I were in Big Bear for our anniversary and decided to have…read moredinner our first night at Jakobe's, a lovely little mom and pop Italian restaurant also serving more regular diner options. Patty greeted us when we came in the door and said we could sit wherever we wanted. She was lovely, very attentive and helpful. Her sister owns the place. She even gave us scads of recommendations for other local places to try and things to do. My husband ordered the chicken parmesan with a side house salad while I got the scallop fettuccine dish and splurged the $3 extra to get their Caesar salad (totally worth it, made in house). Everything is made to order and each dinner came with a board of homemade bread and house made butter for the table. Folks. That bread. Was So Good. Soft and tasty and the parmesan, garlic, parsley butter melted right on it. There was something that didn't hit my palate right on my dish, so Patty offered to get me something else. I decided against that (because the scallops themselves were stellar) but I agreed to some extra Alfredo sauce to mellow out the flavors in the pasta, which worked great! When she learned it was our anniversary, Patty gave us a slice of cheesecake on the house the likes of which I have never tasted before. I don't order cheesecake often, but this was beautifully creamy and sweet. If you want to support local businesses, I highly recommend Jakobe's. They're good people who cook great food and care about their community. SUPPORT LOCAL! DON'T LET THE CHAINS WIN!

So it's owned by the same owners as Santana Mavericks by the lake and they are changing the menu to…read moremore Chinese food with some Italian dishes. I tried the Beef Broccoli with fried rice and unfortunately the beef was tough chewy, salty side and not the teriyaki flavor I was expecting. Couldn't even finish it, but I did finish the fried rice which had crispy vegetables with scrambled eggs. Service is friendly, I was the only one there on a Saturday at 5:30pm. Place is clean, lots of inside seating with a deck outside in the back. 1 single multi gender restroom. I'll give it some time and wait for other reviews before I'll go back. Hope they improve.

Great breakfast spot! The first time we tried to come by was on a Saturday morning and there was a…read morehuge wait, but now that I've had a meal I can say it's worth it! Unique atmosphere and great food, what more is there to ask for? Service was quick and friendly. Great classic diner coffee and the pancakes are elite.

This is a diner style breakfast place that serves pancakes bigger than your head. The coffee is…read moredelicious and hot. Food comes out fast, huge portions and friendly wait staff. They all work together to keep your drinks filled and bring your food out hot. Nothing fancy here but it's a Great place if your looking for something hearty, with big portions!

Came here with my buddy visiting big bear. Baylee and leah were very great behind the bar. Super…read morewelcoming and beers were cold and cheap. New favorite spot!

Leah was an amazing bartender and server! Everything came out exactly as ordered and she made great…read morerecommendations! Our kids loved the game room, and my husband loved the TVs with all the different things to watch. Can't wait to come back and try more of the menu, we had the nachos they were great!

This is my favorite establishment in Big Bear, full stop. Huge shout out to Seaira, who was kind…read moreand thoughtful both times we visited this week. I will be back for sure

This is a cute casual stop . Enjoy wines , beers . They have live music. Seating inside. And out …read more We were greeted with enthusiasm by Joanne. And the other gal was engaging as well. They have a variety of choices with wines and beer. There something for everyone.

We had such a wonderful dinner! We sat outside, and the weather was absolutely perfect for an…read moreevening out. Our server Kailyn was incredibly sweet and kind and really went above and beyond to make our experience special. We enjoyed some wine and their Mountain Mule, which was delicious. The food was fantastic--the ribeye was cooked perfectly and full of flavor, and the short rib was absolutely wonderful. The soup, salad, and fresh bread were all so good as well. Overall, it was a beautiful evening with great food, wonderful drinks, and exceptional service. Thank you to all the staff who served us so well. We really enjoyed our experience and will definitely be back!

WARNING FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN…read more If you are planning to dine here with young children, I would strongly reconsider. Based on our experience, this restaurant is not kid-friendly at all. We felt very uncomfortable dining here as a family. The atmosphere and overall treatment did not make us feel welcome with children, and instead of being able to relax and enjoy our meal, we felt as though having young kids with us was an inconvenience. Families deserve to know this before making a reservation or spending their money here. If you are dining with young children and are looking for a warm, welcoming, family-friendly restaurant, I would recommend choosing somewhere else.

The food was great, as was the scenery. I was a little skeptical because the place was almost…read moreempty, except for one other couple who were there before us and one couple after. We assumed this was because it was a Sunday, but the lake view during the sunset was beautiful, the server was friendly and attentive, and, again, the meal was delicious. Since we were celebrating our anniversary, I told my husband I would pretend he had rented the place out for us.

Fine dining service at its worst. A ladies trip of 6 celebrating my 60th. Atmosphere was nice with…read morethe sunset through the windows. A guitarist playing really nice music in the background. Greeted by the owners, Midean and Jerry. A good start that turned horrible. Our server, Alan was sweet but didn't know what "aldenté" meant for my Clam Linguine. Sadly, the lnguini came overcooked. When one of my girlfriend went to tip the musician and asked if he could stay another hour and she would pay him, he said yes but needed to clear it with Midean. My friend was treated rudely by her. As an owner of any establishment, service, service, service is top priority to your customers. This was not the case. Midean's demeanor was short and annoyed. Mind you, restaurant hour closes at 8:00 pm. However, the bar closes at 9:00 pm. Towards the end of our dinner, it felt hurried. Additionally, staff never complimented a dessert with a candle and a birthday song. But Alan offered to box our leftovers. Jerry, the husband owner was nice. But we know who wears the pants - the mean old lady. Menu prices in other upscale restaurants, server offers these services. Next day, my mediocre, less than 6 pieces of clam linguini was not packed. Went into town to grab a bite to eat before heading down the mountain. Keep in mind, Corkage fee per bottle here is $30 per bottle. Typically, elsewhere is $15-20. Beware. Upon discovering my clam linguini was not packed, My friend who graciously paid the $600+ bill called and spoke to Midean ( elderly owner lady); again, the owner was super defensive and pushed the responsibility on us for not packing the leftovers ourselves. Polite response from my friend to Midean, "your server Alan offered to pack our leftovers," shifting the responsibility back to the restaurant. When asked if my food could be replaced, a rude response was a stern no, it's not our fault! I asked how will you address this incident to your staff? She said, " Will tell server never to offer packing leftovers to customers." Furthermore, she told us to never come back. Wowzer - indeed, we will be taking our business elsewhere and warn others not to experience your rudeness.