Big Bear Lake Village presents an eclectic mix of ice cream and gift shops, restaurants, the…read moretop-rated Yelp restaurant in America, nearby access to Big Bear Lake and Big Bear Mountain Resort, and boutiques! Street parking is predominantly available and a handful of businesses also offer parking lots. Visit during winter and enjoy the holiday lights on trees and lining the street... or visit during the summer months and spend even more time exploring the outdoors! *****FIVE STARS*****

Just 2 hours away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles and your in a quaint mountain village…read more Small but packs a punch in the little village. It's right in the heart of town near the slopes. The village itself isn't that big. Maybe a few blocks radius. It's all walking distance from beginning to end. Depending on which end you start. There's a good amount of parking with public lots scattered around. Also street parking but those tend to go really fast. It's a lot of mom and pops shops. Basically catering to all the tourists that visits year round. You have a good amount of restaurants from traditional all around food, to the the one and only Thai restaurants in the villages. There's Italian, pizza shop, ice cream, breakfast place, Mexican, noodle place and a good amount of bars. There's also wine and beer tasting as well as a brewery. A pretty good selection of places to eat. Plus a small movie theatre right in the middle of the village. You could walk straight to the marina as the road lead you straight to the waterfront. Weekend and holidays is very lively. During the week, it's pretty quiet. Heads up, a lot of places closes early so if you're wanting a meal. Come early as majority does close by 9pm. In the morning, even at 8am, there was no one on the street. Maybe one or two coffee shop was open as most businesses don't open till later on. It's still a cute quaint town. Not only during the ski season when it does get pretty busy. Summer is beautiful here as well.

Bears play a pivotal role in my life: they are one of my spirit animals, my name means "Little…read moreBear" in Latin which is also a pet name moniker, I have a tattoo with a bear and another of the Ursa Minor constellation, my deceased father was obsessed with bears, etc. When I was a teenager before evening living in the state of California (which obviously has its own bear connection); I was obsessed with MTV just like every other hot-blooded teenage girl. One year, MTV production went to Big Bear for a winter skiing getaway. I was instantly drawn to Big Bear per the name and somehow felt my soul tugged (the same as to the entire state which is why I moved here nearly two decades ago). I vowed to someday visit Big Bear. I am also one of the proud members of the 'Eagle Fam' who is faithfully devoted to the world-famous bald eagle couple Jackie & Shadow watching their nest cam every day. My adult vow, added to the teen one regarding visiting, was to see Jackie and Shadow's nest in real life sans camera. Well, the day has come and Little Bear has finally visited Big Bear! If those of us living in Los Angeles aren't spoiled enough; we have the amazing San Bernadino Mountain range village of Big Bear just a two-hour drive away where we can escape the hustle-bustle of stressful LA and enjoy the alpine splendor that is Big Bear. Big Bear is known for its skiing season but is also a summer retreat with cabin life, hiking, boating, fishing, zip lines, shopping, etc; 7000+ feet above sea level surrounded by pine trees and mountains that kiss the sky. Even the drive to Big Bear is glorious on the winding road up the mountain that famously reveals Big Bear and its centerpiece model the lake in the distance glittering blue surrounded by mountains. Big Bear is breath-taking even before you formally arrive. As an Angelino, the energy and vibe of Big Bear can't be ignored. Not only is the air clean and devoid of smog, but it is peaceful, slow-paced and calming: a genuine retreat that feels worlds away from the LA proper. At the center of it all is the main showpiece: Big Bear Lake, itself. The lake is 7 miles in circumference but manages to appear sweepingly larger and is surrounded by cabins, boat docks, shopping, skiing, hiking trails, Big Bear Village (the central mountain tourist-y district) and the commercialized village center with everything from Vons, Starbucks, Dollar Tree, Marshalls and Grocery Bargain Outlet to nearby Big Bear Courthouse, post office and library. The lake is the prom queen of Big Bear. If you're thinking that it is probably just any old lake; you are sorely mistaken as it is a thing of beauty. As a Jackie and Shadow fan club member; I went to the Captain John's Marina/Dana Point Park shoreline Fawnskin section of Big Bear Lake which is the official, legal viewing point of the bald eagle nest (the land directly surrounding the nest and their famous roost trees is federally protected especially during nesting season and is a criminal act to trespass). Bring binoculars because looking up from the ground is further optically then from the nest cam in reverse. While I was there, Jackie was on the nest with the two babies but I was hoping to catch Shadow, the King of Big Bear either fishing or flying-in. I had waited and just when I literally verbally stated, "Shadow show yourself!"; I kid you not that he flew right over from the other side of the lake and soared above in circles only approximately 60 feet above for a minute in duration. I cried and this was one of the most magical moments of my life and a true spiritual encounter with the celebrity Shad Daddy. Big Bear is also magical in that even in the skiing off-season of April when I visited; a snowstorm hit and the pine trees and lake turned into a Christmas Card. Even I, this Los Angeles sun girl who loves heat and hates the cold; had snowflakes in my eyes and felt like a child surrounded by magic dust has I haven't truly been in snowfall in 17 years. A very dire and controversial topic effecting Big Bear at the time of this review is the fight against land developers who purchased the 'Moon Camp' parcel of land very close to the nest and want to bulldoze over 2k trees, create 50 boat slips and luxury housing even though there is NO housing shortage in Big Bear. The developers have agreed to sell Moon Camp to the Friends of Big Bear nonprofit/San Bernadino Trust for the hefty sum of $10 mil by July 31st to save Moon Camp and forever protect Jackie and Shadow's home area. The cause has gone worldwide viral and at the time of this review is up to $3 mil in donations (failure is not an option and financing will be the next step is $10 mil isn't reached). Big Bear Lake and the entire mountainous retreat city now hold a piece of my heart and I am chomping at the bit to return. This peaceful and heavenly mountaintop lake and city is the must-see of all Angelinos whether for skiing, boating or visiting the King and Queen, Jackie and Shadow.

Year round fun and beauty - not just the winter! Big Bear offers so many different activities that…read moreis sure to please. Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, someone who enjoys shopping, eating, or enjoying a slower pace vacation with your family pet, Big Bear offers it. Some activities our family makes sure to enjoy for our Big Bear visits have been: Holloway's Marina to rent a dog friendly pontoon boat to enjoy lunch on the lake (they also offer Pirate Ship Charters), popping over to The Village to stroll with our dog and do a little shopping and eat some good foods (there's also many good food places outside of The Village - like the Grizzly Manor Cafe and Blanca and Pierres!), visiting the Big Bear Discovery Center, strolling along the Stanfield Marsh Boardwalk, and horseback riding at Baldwin Lake Stables. In July, Big Bear puts on their "Fireworks Spectacular" which explodes over Big Bear Lake every July 4th and is FREE to spectators. A helpful tip: always check for road closures and road conditions before visiting/leaving and on the day of your travels. CalTrans has not been reliable, but Big Bear's website (Big Bear Mountain Resort dot com) has been. Just click on the "Road Conditions" tab and it'll take you to a page listing real time road updates and conditions. Enjoy beautiful Big Bear!

Great ambiance was great , the food was delicious, the service was great! We love the patio!read more

Love this vibe Brad Rick laying awesome tunes Americana and well executed music…read more and bartender Cowgirl Joanne dang she's sassy sweet and great. Good food, good vibe and huuuuge selection of beverages. Get the grilled cheese and fries !! Place is clean and says Big Bear essence. Go there! Beautiful

We had an absolutely delicious dinner at Jakobe's. We started with the soup and salad, which were…read morecomforting and fresh, but the real star of the start was the freshly baked bread. It was warm, soft, and honestly to die for. For our mains, we ordered the lobster ravioli and the scallops with angel hair pasta. The lobster ravioli was rich and silky with a beautifully balanced sauce, while the scallops were perfectly cooked and paired with a creamy sauce that had a subtle spicy cilantro kick. That unexpected Southwest heat added so much depth and made the dish unforgettable. Overall, the fusion of classic Italian comfort with bold Southwestern flavors was incredible. Service was slow but absolutely worth the wait. Cozy, flavorful, and absolutely worth the visit.

The service wasn't particularly friendly, but it wasn't rude either. We were the only customers…read moredining at the restaurant, and the waitress seemed a bit impatient with us. The food was very good; I have no complaints about the quality. What we ordered: - Chorizo plate - Chocolate chip pancakes - Churro French toast - Belgian waffle - Two sides of hash browns - Three sides of bacon - A side of eggs The restaurant is also very cute and clean.

Stopped in for a pre Mother's Day Dinner. 6pm reservation; glad we made reservations. By 7:30 the…read moreplace was packed! Hostess and server were very courteous, friendly, and helpful. Food was amazing! Generous servings, food cooked to perfection. We ordered the calamari appetizer, vegetable lasagne, and clam chowder. DELISH AND WAY MORE FOOD THAN WE COULD EAT. Bring an appetite!

Do not come with a family or group larger than 5. We came with two families wanting to eat at a…read morenice steak restaurant. 9 total people and the hostess repeatedly told us only 4 people can be at any booth or table. They wouldn't allow our small children to sit at a table with us. She was not willing to solve a problem and was very stern that we couldn't eat there with 9. Only two other tables in the entire restaurant were seated so it was practically empty. Do NOT EAT HERE

Starting with the negative as to why it's not a 5 star review:…read more The decor on the inside and the theme is very very busy. It kinda seems like an entire hobby lobby was purchased and put into the restaurant. 3/5 design The salad was not anything special. It was good lettuce but just that, some croutons, and dressing of choice. 3/5 salad When we got there, no one came to greet us and we were waiting in the main entrance area for about a good 10 Minutes while I saw what looked like all the staff members on the left side of the restaurant hanging out and joking around. Once I went over to say that I was there, the server was attentive and polite. 3/5 service I felt the price was too high. For 2 meals and water we ended up paying around $50. I would have been more pleased with around 35-40. 3/5 price The good: The portions are really great. I love to have big portions and this place did not disappoint. The food was better tasting than expected: I was nervous with such a giant place and only 2 other parties were there. However, I really enjoyed my chicken Parmesan and my wife's nachos were good with a good amount of cheese. I would come back but not every time I visit big bear on vacation. Maybe like every 3rd visit.

Food: I ordered the salmon cilantro salad & I really liked it. Salmon was cooked well and the…read morecilantro sauce was bomb. I also got a glass of Josh wine. Service: super slow. There's indoor and outdoor seating. I sat outside for the view. When customers sit outside, servers are supposed to check up on them often. I know because I used to be a server. She only came out twice during the hour I was there. I wanted more napkins and was going to go inside and ask for it but I just patiently kept waiting and then finally when she came out I asked for it. At the end of my meal when I got the check, she still didn't come out, so I just went inside so I can hurry up and pay and leave because the bugs were attacking me outside. For the record, the restaurant was empty too. If it was busy, I'd understand the slow service. But it was pretty empty, like 5 tables filled, and the restaurant is big because there's indoor and outdoor seating. Also there was another older white lady (not my server) who I think might be a manager or owner, who came outside to ask the white couple sitting next to me if everything was good. It was only me and that couple sitting in the outside patio at the time because the sun had set. And after asking them she just went back inside. She never asked me how I was doing or if I needed anything. Because of that I thought she was racist but that's just my assumption. Either way, it was rude. I really did not like the service here as you can tell from this long review. Ambience: I found this place on yelp because I wanted to eat with a lake view. The view is cool. It's not WOWW. But there's not many lake view restaurant surprisingly in Big Bear. It sucked because the sun was setting on the left side, so it was behind the trees. So you couldn't see the sunset. However their lake view to the front and right is nice. I ate at De La Nonna yesterday, which also had a view. And their view is wayyyy better. So overall, view was nice. Not horrible. Not the best. But at least you get a view. Now onto my biggest ick of the night, which was worse than the service, and the reason why I will never return here or recommend this place to anyone.. the BUGS. Oh my GOD!! They were attacking me and even if you shoo them away they don't go away. And it was like 5 different types of bugs. This small little fruit fly looking one, this huge fly/bee size one, this small green mini grasshopper looking one. These bugs kept hitting my face as I was eating I had to keep slapping my face and use the napkins to keep waving them around to keep them away but it didn't work. One landed in my wine, one landed in my water, 2 landed in my salad, a bunch on my face and body. It was insane. I would think they would know this and put some type of outdoor bug zapper for the customers. Or bug traps or repellent. Anything to deter the bugs away. It ruined my experience and I couldn't even enjoy the view because I was too busy slapping and killing these bugs. This place has potential but it's not it. I'm just glad my salad tasted good so at least I had a satisfying meal. If my food sucked I would've been PISSED at the whole experience. I'm giving it a 2 star for the salad and decent view.

I contacted Carissa with a very generic idea of what I wanted and she was so receptive and kind. I…read moregave her an idea of the floral design I wanted on the side of my Little Free Library and she provided a proof. She met me within my budget, did what she said she would do, and produced absolutely stunning artwork. She knew the correct products to use for this outdoor project and really cared about making sure it would last. I would recommend her over and over again! Carissa is the kind of person you WANT to work with: communicative, friendly, and incredibly talented.

We couldn't be happier with the mural painted in our hallway! From the very beginning, [Artist's…read moreName] took the time to truly understand our vision -- and then went above and beyond to bring it to life. Her creativity, attention to detail, and professionalism were exceptional every step of the way. If you're looking for someone who will not only meet your expectations but exceed them, Carrisa is the one. Her talent speaks for itself, and her passion for her craft truly shines through.

It has been five years since we've been in. Glad we came back. This will be a normal stop when…read morewe're up at the cabin. This place is a unique pizza shop. Not sure where to start. My last review I gave them a five out of five and this time if I can give them a 10 out of 10, I definitely would. The restaurant had a fair amount of people in it when we walked in. We were promptly greeted given some menus and told we could find a seat and when we were ready to order come back to the counter. At her seats, we looked over our menu and decided what we want, and I went back to the counter to order. The young lady who took my order was just delightful. She was very friendly and asked some clarifying questions about what we were ordering gave me a number and our cups and the transaction was made. When we sat down, we came back up to get our drinks, and there was a young man at the drink station who was very polite willing to help with anything we needed. We went back and sat down after a few minutes. Our pizza was delivered by the same young man. He was very attentive asking if we needed anything. And went back to the front of the drink station. He immediately bust and clean tables as they became available and checked on people periodically. There was another young man there with him. Both of them were extremely polite and professional with all of the guests. The service is out of this world. We had our pizza and it is amazing. There is a huge difference between pizza cooked and a pizza oven and pizza cooked on a conveyor belt. The pizza had a crisp bottom crust which always sets pizza apart. The crust was amazing and the toppings were abundant. The wife ordered a salad, which was your typical run of the meal salad for a pizza place. The food was outstanding. We will definitely make this a stop when we're up here. Can't wait to bring the grandkids.

NO SLICES HERE. I…read moredrove across town to come here because they sell by the slice (called to confirm ahead of time). I'm very short on time, so needed a grab and go place that sells slices. Super annoying to be told that, pay, and then be told it's going to be a 15 minutes wait. Sorry, that's not a "sell by the slice" pizza shop.

I don't understand why the yelp reviews are as low as they are, but this place is definitely…read moreunderrated. My boyfriend and I came out here on Valentine's Day and had a wonderful time. The ambience is really nice, both inside and out. We only needed to wait for about 20 minutes on Valentine's Day and we didn't even make a reservation. The food was excellent! We each got a glass of wine, and for our main entrée - we ordered chicken piccata, and the chicken Parmesan pasta dishes. We also got the fungi pizza + garlic truffle fries (both requested well-done), and they were absolutely delicious! We would definitely be willing to come back again the next time we visit Big Bear!

Had a nice visit at La Pergola Trattoria. I ordered the chicken piccata -- it was good and very…read morefilling. We also shared the fresh bruschetta and cheesy garlic bread, which were both delicious and perfect for sharing. They're dog-friendly, which was a huge plus. My Stella came with me and, as always, was a total lady. I'm incredibly thankful she's my ESA because my anxiety was definitely overloaded with the extremely rowdy kids seated next to us, playing with silverware like swords. Having her there helped keep me calm. The food did take a bit longer to arrive, but overall it was a pleasant experience with good food and a welcoming atmosphere. I'd come back again.

Food was wonderful. Services was good. Would return 100%. Family friendly. It was def noisy in…read morethere.

New to this where do I start? How about with WOW! I'm a…read moreflatlander from the OC area, who went up to see friends in Big Bear they invited us out for a lovely Italian meal at a friend's place this place is truly a diamond in the rough. When in a sleepy mountain town, you never expect to find a fabulous place like this. Quality, well prepared and properly presented with reasonably priced menu. I have eaten some of the best family run small Italian places throughout Orange county and this one rivals all of those. It is absolutely a go-to destination for a proper meal made with love. All with fresh ingredients and presented properly, generous portions served by a small family oriented staff the owner Allison is charming smart and knows true value of quality food and ingredients. After some fabulous conversation we came to understand that she has a great knowledge of food and preparation don't ask her to speak Italian but she will talk to you in French if you like! Do not miss chance to be part of something that is bigger than being on the mountain. Cheers to the Sweet Basil bistro family.