Came here for Grandma's marathon, and was able to get a room for two nights for a half decent price, specifically for Grandma's weekend. It was really close to busing to and from Duluth and overall a decent experience. I don't think that I would personally stay here if I was doing a Duluth trip just because it is around 20 to 25 minutes out of the city... But specifically for Grandma's weekend it was great! read more

The Seven Fires Steakhouse in the Black Bear Casino (Carlton MN) has excellent food and service. My sister and I visited on August 5, 2026, and we were very happy with everything we ordered (it's rare for us to love everything we order). I had the chicken wild rice soup (best I've ever had) and their house salad (more like a dinner salad with a variety of cherry tomatoes and homemade croutons). My sister had a side salad (about 1/3 the size of mine but still a good size) and an 8 oz. steak. She ordered it medium rare, more on the rare side, and was so happy when that was exactly what she got. It almost always is straight up medium - and she said it was perfect. We splurged and shared a piece of tiramisu which was also delicious. With drinks (an ice tea and a cocktail), the bill was about $50 (minus tip). We are happy to recommend this restaurant. We even complimented the chefs afterwards. read more

Been going to blackbear since I moved to Northland yesterday and friend and I stopped there between one and 430 pm some whear in that time someone vandalized my car in the parking lot. Guess its time to go elsewhere. read more

Medium sized casino 1.5 hrs from the Twin Cities metro area. I loved the cheap drinks and easy parking. I don't gamble much, but came out here to see a comedian's event. The event center had the comfiest stackable chairs that gave great lower back support. I would prefer stadium seating for a comedian's event, but could easily see the venue being used for large weddings. Tried to eat at the Steakhouse at 8:45pm after the event, but disappointed they couldn't seat us since they closed at 9pm on a Friday night. read more

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A very sassy first encounter at the VIP line. Which I guess is not the VIP line at all. Not even recognizing the priorty line. We spend a lot of money at this casino. We were very disrespected as longtime stewards of this casino. This rude girl should lose her job read more

I did not stay here. My family and I ate at the buffet here Thursday evening for crab legs. Definitely use the open table app for a reservation if you want to eat at 3 when they open, reservations become available at 2pm. You really don't need to get there that early though. It wasn't packed and they keep bringing out more crab legs, no need to rush and stack your plate high as some people did. Our servers were great. Soft drinks, milk and chocolate milk are included in the price. Everything was fresh and hot. The prime rib was perfection. read more

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What a nice casino - clean - very small town with a local casino Traveling for work. I was tired of driving back and forth to Duluth - stayed here for two nights and will stay here when I return In A few weeks Hotel room was clean and had a nice decor - if you have to stay in cloquet this was a last minute thought and I'm glad I stayed here - front desk guy was fun and friendly - valet parking Thu - Sunday otherwise parking is free and right outside the doors I did not eat here but there is food in site too I have to rate this place higher due to the cleanliness of the hotel and the room itself - what a hidden gem near Duluth. read more

Stayed at Black Bear Casino for the first time. Room was great, it seemed new. Thermostat did not work well and took an extensive amount of time to get to the desired temp. Very quiet and clean. Casino was great and clean, there is no smoking and I left up quite a bit of $$. Biggest issue is that the restaurants are closed Monday and Tuesday. No options except the deli. That's a problem, especially when you were expecting the buffet. read more

The casino was nice and clean. The buffet restaurant was also good. We stayed for the weekend and the rooms were really nice.

This is just a review for the buffet and casino only. Originally, I was only going to stop by to use the restroom while on the way back from Voyageurs National Park... but I ended up realizing I was kinda hungry. My partner and I decided to wash up and then wander around the casino. Keep in mind, this is a smoke-free facility, which is great! The casino itself was also really clean. My boyfriend was honestly really sad that there was only 1 blackjack table open (and was full). Plenty of slot machines, though. The buffet itself has themes for each day. Since we went on a Friday, it was shrimp themed. The shrimp was fairly bland, but there was a large variety of dishes that served shrimp. Shrimp scampi, butterfly shrimp, shrimp tempura, and more. There were other dishes that were more fish-themed, but you get the gist. The desserts were fairly decent, it was mostly a soft serve ice cream machine with vanilla or New York cheesecake flavors, and you had a large tube of whipped cream and some toppings you could add on top. There are also a medley of slices of cake you can choose from. There were also fruits and salad - the fruits were decent too. My boyfriend said the best dish from the buffet were the grapes. LOL read more

This place is not great. The casino, while new, is some how still dated. They have generic slot machines, no craps, no roulette and only had two table games open on the night I was there, which was very disappointing. Also, all the restaurants were closed. The deli was open, but when we went, it was closed for 30 minutes for a break. We had to order pizza. All in all it was very disappointing. There was no breakfast, and no coffee. Not sure how they thought that was acceptable. The hotel was fine. The beds were ok. The rooms were clean. However, all in all, I would not go back. read more

What can I say, its a casino and I barely made my money back. Its a clean casino that still has smoking and non smoking rooms, and trust me when I say that not everyone follows those rules, so if it fails the sniff test, the front desk will move you into another "no smoking" room. There is a buffet, several bars and some real mediocre midnight entrees that taste pretty damn good after a night of drinking. They prefer everyone sign up for the players club and definitely frown upon outside alcohol from being brought in, other than that its a relaxed environment. If you care to venture away from the casino after a few to many drinks, Cloquet has NO reliable cabs, the casino has NO shuttle and app based rides literally do not exist, so keep a sober driver nearby. It is a fun place to visit and toss a few bucks around, we will be back. Cheers! read more

Was pretty shocked by the state of the rooms. Outdated. Dirty. Stains on beds. I felt gross my whole stay. Towels are horrible. Don't let the outside fool you. Can't speak on the casino, I don't gamble. Was put here for a work event. read more

Black Bear Casino Resort - Casinos Near Me - Carlton, Minnesota

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I spent the night here while visiting friends and family in Duluth. The room I stayed in was run down with broken bed frames and worn out furniture, burn holes in the carpet. I was expecting more up kept rooms from a casino resort- The "old" part of the hotel has been torn down- this newer part has definitely not been kept up. I did not use any amenities offered so i have No reviews on that- just that their rooms appear to in desperate need of a makeover or real maintenance to consider this a resort read more

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We were so excited to get out of the twin cities for a couple nights and relax and gamble and explore Duluth. First we stand in line to get our Temps checked, no problem. The machine flashes green so I back up, per the bouncer's instructions. he then tells me it didnt register. My temp is still on the screen and the light is green. Mind you, while he is telling me im doing it "wrong", his mask is down below his nose!!!! Get over yourself... If you're looking for a comfy hotel this NOT the place....no where to eat in the hotel/casino. The only drinks are at the bar on the casino floor.THERE IS NO ROOM SERVICE OR MAID SERVICE!!!! The buffet and deli are closed due to Covid and they could not / would not get us a reservation at the steak house...they close at 11 but stop taking reservations at 9, we called at 7??? When we walked past it, it was EMPTY!!!!!! we had to drive into Cloquet and get Arby's. Then we had to go up to our DISGUSTING room and eat it awkwardly on a side table. The shower was fine, low water pressure and the towels felt like they were made of sandpaper. The sink was my biggest pet peeve. There was absolutely no water pressure and no hot water. The pipes are so old in this hotel,all we listened to all night was squeaking and echoing sounds! Super relaxing when you're paying hundreds of dollars to sleep somewhere. The TV in the room is a joke....why the heck is it so SMALL???? And why is the outlet above it? Did they used to have a bigger TV in there and they replaced it with a miniature sized one last minute?? Its a joke. Whoever manages this hotel needs to be reading all of these reviews and reach out to their customers! We paid a lot of money to visit your hotel and from what I am seeing no one is getting any responses. Very disappointing. read more

I would like to share my disappointment and unhappiness with my recent stay at your hotel and casino. We came for the rock the otter: -Not told no hot tub or pool -not told no arcade -not told no food available for late night dining -not told no sit down breakfast available- styrofoam deli food is not Saturday breakfast -no fridge in room -low quality food at seafood buffet -a band cancellation with no discussion or apologies etc -horrible WiFi -dated unclean rooms -no lounge entertainment or activities on a Friday night?!? -a small shelf of snacks among overpriced earrings in the gift store?!? -why did I buy expensive third row concert tickets when then entire front filled in in front of me?!? This was the worst money I've ever spent and it won't happen again; I'm going to make sure and spread the word, your GM needs to be updated ASAP read more

Did not stay here, review is only for the buffet. The legs were perfectly cooked. I mean PERFECT. Just those alone were worth the price. I was surprised with the chicken kiev. Nice and small enough portion and quite good. I noticed there was duck, I wanted to try it but I didn't want to waste it if it wasn't my thing. Dessert portions really need to be smaller. Just a bite or two would be perfect. The only downside is we were not able to order a bottle of wine with our dinner as the 7fires was closed. read more

Very disappointed with the conditions of the room. For a casino "resort", I'd expect better. Won't be staying here again. read more

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This place is ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!! You have to show a players club card and ID to get in first off. Then if you go to play blackjack, you HAVE TO HAVE a players card, yet THEY DON'T GIVE YOU POINTS FOR PLAYING!!!!???? The "security guards" are WAY OVER VEALOUS and think they are the end all, be all. The food here is mediocre, at best and for what you have to pay $29.95/person, you would think it would taste better!! I could go to McDonald's and have the same quality!! The rooms are ridiculously small, the beds are horrible and they too are ridiculously priced!! The overall experience would get a 0 from me if I could, but me giving them a 1, they are lucky!! STAY AWAY!!!! read more

Way way, overpriced, just average rooms, no pool, no continental breakfast, towels were one-sided, shower, barely allows water all because of their energy saving, tub side walls are very high for elderly or disabled, issues with the elevators one employee stated, since they started, tearing up the yard, casino has way too many old machines and many that were out of order, no smoking in the building, but they allow it right outside the entrance, which really is rather sickening when entering or leaving read more

Thought we would spend a night away from the kids, gamble, have a steak and enjoy the hotel. STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE! The buffet and deli are closed due to Covid and they could not / would not get us a reservation at the steak house. I asked the front desk perplexed how a guest of the casino and hotel could eat. They handed me a piece of paper with four restaurants that deliver. We have a choice of pizza, pizza, pizza or pizza. How extremely disappointing. Would leave if we had not checked in a couple of hours ago. This is not a full service experience with the restaurants closed. We should have been warned when we called to reserve the hotel room. They also claim that the hotel is non smoking, we could smell smoke in our bedroom. We won't be back. read more

We checked in Friday and stayed the weekend. Our room was in the "new" tower and although there were nicks in the walls it was very clean and updated. We had no problems with our room, the beds and pillows were comfortable. read more

The worst "seafood" buffet I've ever experienced. Crap legs were cold and that's if you could find meat inside the legs. The shrimp were creamy. Shrimp should NOT be creamy. I don't even know how you would cook them to creaminess. It wasn't just the shrimp in noodles or the peel and eat shrimp. Even the deep fried shrimp were total mush. The only thing I found that was actually really good was the clam chowder. I expected better for $40 and a two hour wait. Suck my balls black bear. Suck my balls. read more

Since I was here 4 years ago, they have gone downhill. Scratchy towels, poor water pressure and the tiniest of TVs in the room. I can forgive that, but, they also now only keep enough tables open to pack people in like sardines. Too cheap to have an extra dealer or two on hand. Oh yeah, if you buy a drink in the casino, you can't bring it to your room. To get you to lose more money. The whole place feels like a scam to bilk you of your money rather than run an honest business. I won't be back and you shouldn't go there. So many better choices. read more

We had reservations for 2 nights at the Super 8 Motel in Cloquet starting the day after the awful shooting of 3 people, including a front desk employee. Of course, they called me to let me know that our reservation had to be cancelled. The manager told me over the phone that a list of people with reservations was to be sent to Black Bear Casino etal. and that they had agreed to the same price that we were given at the Super 8. We drove up directly to the casino and went to the hotel reservation and check-in desk and explained our situation. The employee behind the desk was very understanding, but told us they had no reservation in our name. She then asked another employee,who said we were to go to the First American Inn nearby, and that they would give us a room. So, off we go to the First American Inn. It's a very small, wooden building, which didn't look on a par with even the Super 8 which, BTW, is a very clean, updated, quiet facility with friendly employees. Though the room is okay, there is no elevator and at our age and my health issues, it wasn't fun navigating those open steps to the 2nd floor. There was no casual Continental breakfast like there is at the Super 8. To top it off, we came back to our room today to find no one had emptied trash, picked up and replaced towels etc , straightened the beds, vacuumed - nothing. When my husband went downstairs to ask why and collect fresh towels, washcloths,and soap, THAT'S when we were told there is no room service. When we checked in on Tuesday, the clerk told us they were relatively recently bought by Black Bear Casino etc. Obviously, what happened was that when BBC found out about the awful murders/suicide at Super 8, they allowed Super 8 to send their customers to BBC. Then, they decided to shuffle us all over to this poor-service, second-rate facility so they wouldn't have to honor Super 8's lower prices. Too bad, because we would have played a few machines while we were there. When we were in the BBC, we noticed there were hardly any customers, given it was a Tuesday. They obviously had plenty of rooms available, but chose to send us over to their second-rate motel across the highway. We'll be sure to let our friends and relatives know about how Black Bear Casino & Hotel treated us! read more

Just returned from a 2 night stay. We use to stay a few times a year but ya know, Covid and stuff. Anyway....front desk person was by no means "friendly" not once did she smile. Room was clean but so so dated. We were told the ice machine was on our floor, yes I was but it was "making ice" for 2 days!! Sunday night buffet was very good, bland but good ( the desserts are the best!) Mondays the buffet is closed, went to the snack bar where the employees were on break, line of people waiting, food was ok but waited just about an hour to get it, after they returned from break!! The front counter lady spent way to much time talking, loudly, to the cook in back and if a casino employee is in line and theyre on break they get their food first! The slot machines were the tightest I have ever experienced, couldn't win enough to keep playing and when after plugging a couple hundred into one and finally getting into a "bonus" I'd win $20-30, thought I would have learned but no, kept trying to no avail. Finally after loosing many many $$$$$ i quit!​​​ If you plan on going just be prepared. Oh and our king size bed was like sleeping on the floor and my back was letting me know all the way home! read more

Black bear casino has gone through many changes through the years from staff, emenities, offers, etc. Changes occur naturally when directors are replaced with new ones the changes weren't necessarily good making it difficult for a new director to rise from the mistakes of the predecessor. Regular quests have the insight of observing operations in all areas with suggestions to improve the casino as a whole. . Valuable suggestions. If every department doesn't pull their weight it diminishes the appeal of the casino as a whole. The newest change is the reinstated marketing director Todd from about 6 years ago. He has a tough job getting marketing back on track but his staff and himself are up to the task and doing a great job. The casino will be rebuilding a hotel in October many reviews reflect a pool for children without a doubt when they had a pool before this brought it's own list of problems for the casino due to parents that did not necessarily watch their children. Many reviews discussed putting in a campground something that definitely should be considered the revenue from doing so would be substantial to the casino for starters. Perhaps I need a board member position. Putting a stop to the pearl players obtaining 10 times their entries for drawings when pearls outnumber the sapphires 900 to 1 and sapphires are the main ones that support the casino would greatly help to keep the sapphires whose numbers have dwindled. When a pearl player with just a couple tickets wins at a drawing and sapphires who are at black bear nearly daily are not called it creates anger and frustration especially when these players play heavily at Hinckley and declare "now they have more money for Hinckley" same thing goes for regular players at black bear who take winnings from black bear to Hinckley to ensure their diamond status there as well as better drawings. Those players at black bear that solely support black bear and don't use winnings to support their diamond status at Hinckley are the ones that should receive "special consideration executive decision perks" **A major upset with high end loyalty players right now. I attempted to discuss this but received no reply. I listened to a group of players on this with heavy heart when they informed me of the bragging of the special gift to someone that uses the black bear winnings to support diamond status at grand casino. Where's the executive decision to award high end black bear casino players that solely support black bear? This was done before with awards of substantial Freeplay to those players handed out by director and kept those people happy but right now they are all wearing a face. read more

Okay this is a great place to spend those moments. From bingo to dancing to shows to buffet to beverages to keep you hydrated as you enjoy your time playing games . . Personal that works there are outstanding everywhere . Don't forget the gift shop . These special unique and quality products Will amazing you out of your socks . If your looking for a souvenir to bring home and display or use for your home or personal use . Great conversation pieces as well Don't miss out . Stop at the gift shop and patronize the ones that make your experience outstanding. Fantastic service and great help . And if you have a question ask a question to the staff or security, they are there for you. Enjoy yourself and make those memories for a lifetime. read more

horrid horrid horrid rooms. I would not have stayed here however we were on our way back from up Northshore and had experienced a fire in the middle of the evening at our resort and just too tired to carry on With safety being a number one concern and not wanting to drive tired pulled over. I was afraid to touch anything in our room but did get rest and got the hell up and out of there asap. It smells and is dirty and stained all over. Never again! read more

The hotel is pricey compared to other casino hotels. No mini fridge, microwave and a tv the size of a computer screen. Pillows are flat but the bed is comfortable. They no longer have a pool, hot tub, or sauna. It is not a place to go and relax anymore. I got over 700 points in one night but no promotions for me. I will not return to this place because they are overpriced for the room and food. Nothing in the room that says guests are important, and nothing besides gambling that is fun to do anymore. read more

bed was way too hard I understand why it's to keep you on the floor spending money on the gambling floor but the thing that ticked me oXD is I hardly get to go out and have a night out then right before 8 in the morning it was time for construction on the hotel. No warning when we checked in. I woke up and had a full panic attack because of the loud sounds. if I would have known it would have been fine though read more

Sub-par hotel rooms with very few amenities for the price. Front desk also called us at 2:00 am. for some screw up they were trying to figure out. Will never use this hotel again. read more

Stay away; this casino is an absolute joke. Drove several hours on a Friday evening and was greatly disappointed to find that there were no blackjack tables with more than $100 maximum bets. To top it off, a goon in a suit accosted me at the table after about an hour and a half and asked to see my ID. I'm 50 years old, mind you, wasn't drinking or causing any problems whatsoever. When I refused his request I was told to leave and escorted to the door. Apparently I didn't leave my brain at home before playing their crappy blackjack games. read more

Woke up the next morning to my girlfriend handing me an empty condom packet that she found on the floor in the morning. I had tucked her into bed the night before and headed to the casino for some cocktails (not free by the way) and blackjack so I can only imagine her head was reeling thinking that the wrapper was mine But after investigation we determined it was in the pull out couch that we had opened that night. We were both disgusted and will remember in the future that most hotels most likely never open it up to clean. Along with that incident i can also complain about the lack of waste receptacles, carpets were dirty and stained, old tube TVs, super tiny drink cups...all at a cost of $110 The room was good size with a kitchenette and a fridge that we can actually put our own food or beverages in. Casino itself is very nice and on the weekend, did not get very busy. Ended up walking away even on the floor which is always a win. read more

Black Bear Casino Resort - Casinos Near Me - Carlton, Minnesota

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Hello this reveiw is only about the slots and the low pay back or should i say the near no pay back. On 5-19-23 I played the slots i lost well into 7K sure i hit one 1437.00 dollar win but i was already way past that down. I could put a hundred dollars in a machine with no credits in return , many machines no bonus in many many many hundreds off dollars so the only the tribe and the feds made any money, yes the feds made some money off the small win , or my i guess that was a big win from this casino. This casino in my opinion the slots are constipated. My visit was a night mare but the same useless place as it has been for years can not get worse . minnus 5 stars. read more

This place just got a HUGE remodel in the last year (or was it '09...can't seem to remember). The place is really nice, and the smoking is kept relatively at bay, partially in part due to a nifty ventilation system ports they have on the floor. Never seen that before. Nice distance just south of Duluth on I-35, and 1 exit south of Cloquet. Stop here if you're feeling lucky. Enormous parking lot. Alcohol served inside. Nice automated cash-out machines to break down change or cash in your winnings tickets. Staff when you want them. Rewards program and very easy to sign up for. read more

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We have been to Black Bear many times and have always stayed in the "new" section. But this time, to save a little money, we stayed in the "old" section. It was disgusting. Floor was filthy, ceiling in the bathroom was falling apart, patched holes in the wall, broken/dirty tile, etc. I wouldn't even walk around without shoes on as I was so disgusted. I asked about changing rooms but apparently it was full. Pay a couple extra bucks to stay in the "new" section!!! On the bright side: the food is just ok and the casino is very clean. read more

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There are quite a few bad reviews of this place that all seem to come down to one thing - the hotel. The key here is you HAVE to stay in the Tower. The Tower is nice, clean, modern. The low hotel is a DUMP and they really, really need to renovate. They shouldn't even be letting people stay in those rooms. It seems they've upgraded their slot machines a lot since the last time I was here - lots of fun new games. HOWEVER, I think it tends to mean tighter slots. Gotta pay for upgrades! The BEST thing here is the Thursday night seafood buffet. For a RIDICULOUS $17 per person they have great snow crab legs, fried clams/calamari/shrimp/fish, soft shell crabs, oysters on the half shell, etc. PLUS, I'm pretty sure they had prime rib at the carving station! Holy cats man, what a deal!! $40 for dinner + $60 hotel room = Cheap week night get away. Just make sure to watch your gambling! read more

Black Bear is basically a three star casino 30 minutes south from Duluth. Driving by in the daytime, it looks kinda average, but at night, the building is lit up with multicolored lights showcasing some funky architecture. I have to admit, the place caught my eye the very first time I saw it from the highway. Anyways. My dad insisted that we go for the buffet since he can stuff his mouth with all you can eat prime rib. I myself am not a fan of buffets since the food seems to taste the same at every buffet, and it's a hit and miss with the food being fresh. You know, sometimes you can get the mystery meat, or the crusty noodle. You just never know. We arrived at about 4:30 and there wasn't a line, except one or two other people in front of us. We had a party of 4, and the total cost was $15 a person, = $64. I thought that was a bit pricey. So the best way to get the most bang for your buck would be to eat as much prime rib as you can. Because you know the restaurant makes its money off of the people who eat cheap stuff like noodles and mashed potatoes. I myself tried the following: prime rib, mashed potatoes, meat balls, mac & cheese, & chocolate cake. My favorite thing for sure was the cake. It was so rich, chocolately goodness. It was so rich that I couldn't finish the side or the top because of the added on chocolate chips. The prime rib was alright, it was good, but not something where I would be stoked on coming back on. Overall, the food wasn't that special. But then again buffets don't suit my fancy. Oh & the place didn't feel clean, or maybe we got a booth that didn't get washed. I found an old noodle on the seat, and there was old food on the walls. When we left (sometime after 5:30) there was a long line. We went on a Friday. So get there before then to avoid the line. Funny note: 90% of the people there weighed 200+ lbs. read more

Honestly I'd give it a zero if possible. The casino area looks nice and fancy, but the hotel accommodations were awful. The worst part was the smell. Smoke odor everywhere even in our no smoking room. The heater was horrible. Super hot with no adjustments other than off. The shower made strange noises when turned on and wasn't very strong. The carpeting was worn. Paint on the walls was scraped and the furniture very dated and old. The pillows were flat and the mattress was rock hard. The only positive I have is the price. If cheap is your thing and you're a smoker, you may be satisfied. read more