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.

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*****

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!

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.

This place is awesome to hang out and try drinks, live music, etc…read more Joanne in particular is a bright spot at this place. She is great. Ask for her!!

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.

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.

gorgeous view and delicious food!!! menu is very diverse…read more prices are great also! we loved loved loved it

We had an absolute fantastic experience at this restaurant…read more 1. The view of the lake is phenomenal. On the night we were there we saw fish, jumping, kids running around and playing, and lots of boats. 2. They had an amazing beer selection (although I wish it had been significantly colder). 3. I had the salmon cilantro salad, which was delicious, crisp, fresh, and very filling. 4. The server was very busy, but we never felt neglected. I will absolutely go back

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.

Food was AMAZING! SERVICE was phenomenal…read more Definitely stop here when your in Big Bear.

Is there anything better than a tasty pizza made with fresh quality ingredients and friendly people…read morewho actually seem excited to serve you?! You find all this and more at Maggio's Pizza. On our visit to Big Bear we ordered pizza from Maggio's not one, not two, but three times!!! We were there for 5 weeks, so don't judge. Anyway, we had never eaten here before so we decided to give it a whirl and it was a hit! From the moment they answered the phone it was like chatting with an old friend taking my order (this happened every time). The atmosphere is so incredibly friendly and welcoming it makes you want to stay a while and make friends. We ordered large pepperoni, cheese and mushroom pizzas as well as a Cesar salad and it was all delicious. The pizzas were huge and the sauce, ingredients and bake of the pies had our tastebuds dancing a happy dance. Prices are more than reasonable, we fed our family of 4 for $30 and it was good! Next time we come to town we will have to try all the other specialties on the menu. I highly recommend Maggio's for the food, ambiance, and the service. You'll leave with a full tummy and might make a few friends as well.

First impression, I wanted to leave the place because I was told to be seated at a restaurant with…read morethe occupancy being less than 5 customers. Ten minutes went by and "Van" the server had deeply apologizing and seated my party immediately. Being raised in Italy like myself, I judge Italian food very heavily, also not to mention this was our first time visiting Big Bear. Hospitality was more than perfect, felt like I was family. Food was genuinely GREAT for being in a small town in California. If it wasn't for Van(server) I promise this review would be totally different. I'm just glad to have found a place I feel comfortable and enjoy going to. Pergola will be the destination to go to if I'm ever in the Big Bear area. P.S. NOBODY goes to any restaurant, and goes "I'll have the soup." BUT....i would definitely ask for the soup at this place.

I hadn't been here in at least 4 years, and tonight we randomly decided we were in the mood for…read morepasta... which is funny because I ended up ordering the shrimp cocktail instead. For some reason, I remembered the portions being small from my last visit, but I was totally wrong! Everything was a great size & fresh. We ordered: Chicken Parmesan Shrimp Cocktail Pizza Everything was delicious! The restaurant is beautiful, clean, modern, and nicely decorated. We sat outside, and the atmosphere was perfect with views of the Village and the mountains in the background. Our waitress (Shy) was very sweet, and the service was on point from start to finish. This is a great spot for a date night, a nice dinner with family or friends, or even celebrating a special occasion. They have a big menu with lots of options, an awesome location, and an overall great atmosphere. We'll definitely be back!

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.

I'm local and I have been here many times but it's a bit hit and miss. Today we ordered the chicken…read moreparm and mine was two flat piece of chicken ends, so mostly I had breading that didn't even taste like parm. My chicken appeared to be 2 end cuts, the thin end they cut off two other pieces and weird it wasn't a single chicken breast. My friend had the same thing with a single big moist chicken breast. Totally different presentation of the same entree. The meal came with homemade garlic mashed potatoes. Since I am not a big potato fan I asked if I could just have a little angel hair paste instead of potato. The guy told me it would be an "UP CHARGE"! Really? I had no drink and my entree of two thin half pieces of chicken and garlic mashed potatoes was $36.....and they wanted to charge me to switch potatoes to pasta.....no they don't make their own pasta so this is just angel hair out of a package and boiled. Take the tourist money, I won't be back.