We stopped here to grab a bite to eat and although our waitress was very nice our table was next to a screaming child. Not the waitresses fault, that's the hostesses fault. I know I should have asked her if could move but they were half way done figured they would be done sooner rather then later. The biggest issue was our hash browns were burnt & cold at the same time. While the rest of our food was barely warm. If the wait for our food haded been so long, I would have sent it back to be warmed up but by the time they warmed it up and brought it back it would have taken ages. read more

Really great stop with good food and wonderful service! Ismael was awesome, quick, and so nice! Highly recommend, much better than all of the fast food nearby. read more

Great service from Ismael. Our food was great. They even had gluten-free buns and bread.

I like Black Bear Diners but not this one. I've given this location a few tries and every time it's disappointing. Lack luster food and service. The staff without fail leaves the food on the counter for 10+ minutes before running it, so by the time they get around to serving you it's cold and unappealing. I'm left leaving like I wasted my money. Will not be returning. read more

On the way from OC to Pebble Beach, we stopped by Black Bear for bfast. This location is at the base of the Grapevine. I had bacon & eggs w/ fruit and their signature biscuit. The bacon was thick cut and excellent: None of that store bought skinny bacon here. In addition, the biscuit was large, warm and moist. You can also get the biscuit w/ gravy. Regarding the ambiance, its old skool centering around black bears. The local sheriffs were present so you know its good. Our waitress was friendly and accommodating. Two of the four of us had not arrived yet, and she timed the two later orders to be ready based on their eta. I must have ordered the wrong thing at the last Black Bear I went to, bc I don't have a positive memory. After this experience, I'm going to seek out other Black Bears along my routes to pay them a visit. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Bacon and eggs w/ fruit ($16.99) excellent bacon - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

We have had a long trip and expected a great meal since the one back home is always great. An employee came out with our food, 2 of the 3 plates were wrong. We sent them back, then they told us they came out like this because they ran out of broccoli. Fair, but no one notified us about the change to see if we still wanted the veggies or another item. Came back one of the plates was still incorrect. The waitress came back and placed some bear bucks I think on our table that can be used at any black bear. No apologies for the wrong plates. None of the employees we encountered were welcoming it was like we were bothering them with what we ordered. $87 of food and the fries were more like either chips or fries that have been sitting in oil for hours. We notified the server and all she said "was my cooks are having a day I guess". Do better please ... read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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Chicken Fried Steak review! I stop here on those early socal to norcal rides infrequently. I can usually sit down at the counter, order immediately and be on my way back to the 5 in twenty minutes or so. My fathers day breakfast treat was really good Tge CFS was some of tge best ive ever had at the BBD ir anywhere. I must have ordered tge regular vs big bear portion cuz tge steak was medium in size. I opt for gravy on the side (GOTS) so it stays crispy. The breading was light and especially tasty. The eggs were excellent, the hash browns mostly well done but tasted a little off like old oil. The rye toast was thick and heavy. Service was friendly and speedy so thanks. read more

Didn't think I'd ever be writing a review about Black Bear Diner. You know what you're getting when you go to one. It's our family tradition to stop at this location on our way home from Disneyland (and we've been at least one a year for the last nine years.) Yesterday we had Ismael as our server and dude was awesome. Super attentive and delivered above and beyond. I've been working in restaurants for almost three decades so it takes a truly special experience for me to want to write a Yelp review about service. If you're reading this Ismael, thank you so much. If you're a higher-up at Black Bear Diner reading this, Ismael is worth his weight in gold. Please treat him as such. read more

The food was AMAZING. The staff were very friendly and nice to us and other guests dining there. We were thankful that they gave us to go cups. The Inside was very artistic and detailed. The menu has a lot of different options for customers dining. Sprite amazing Please come to this restaurant!!!! read more

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I had such a wonderful experience at Black Bear Diner, and I have to give a special shoutout to Carolyn for making it unforgettable! From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and full of that cozy, cabin-style charm that Black Bear is known for. The rustic décor and friendly vibe make you feel right at home. It's the perfect place whether you're stopping in for a hearty breakfast or a relaxed dinner with family. The food was absolutely delicious -- generous portions, cooked perfectly, and served hot and fresh. You can really taste the quality and care that goes into each dish. But what truly stood out was the service. Carolyn went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. She was attentive without being overbearing, kind, professional, and had such a positive attitude the entire time. You can tell she genuinely cares about her guests and takes pride in her work. She made us feel valued and appreciated, which is rare these days. If you're dining here, I highly recommend asking for Carolyn. She's a big part of what makes this location so special. We'll definitely be back! read more

Gets pretty crowded here I had the chicken avocado club it was pretty good the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh the chicken was tender but it did lack something. What I did like was there homemade ranch dressing for the salad now that was good. The service was good it's like everyone helps each other out our drinks were never empty. We would stop by again. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Chicken Avocado Club (970-1130 cals.) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

Stopped by here on the way to Fresno... breakfast was just ok , the eggs you can't really go wrong , the bacon had a good flavor but if you like it crispy, make sure to let them know. The hash brown was below average, lacking in flavor, dry and almost burnt. Service was good and the ambience with its news paper like menu was fun.. wil try lunch or dinner next time. read more

We had brunch there today. We've eaten there numerous times on our way home from Burbank. We were seated quickly. The dining room was sparsely populated. No one came to our table for 10 minutes. I had to get up and ask if we had been forgotten. The waitress came with a frown on her face and brought us water. We ordered a Shasta scramble omelette with country potatoes and corned beef hash with a side of fruit. Both came with very dry biscuits. The country potatoes were Al dente. We asked for potatoes that were cooked more done. The waitress came back with a service plate and scraped the potatoes on and left for the kitchen. Really. She returned about 10 minutes later with the same potatoes that were heated up somewhat, but not well cooked. She never displayed any kindness or smiled from beginning to end. read more

I had shared a sandwhich and bowl of soup with the surf and turf dinner. Both were good. The soup of the day was broccoli cheddar and I also tried the green beans side and Mac n cheese side. I was a little disappointed about the upgrade for Mac and cheese as the server didn't reiterate that as we ordered so the extra charge on the bill was unexpected. The ambiance was cute. Kinda like a Dennys with forest cabin decor. The sandwich surprised me since the turkey was not deli meat but carved turkey which was great. I found the green beans plain and greasy. They probably came from a can. But the steak and shrimp were good. Very peppery steak and crispy hot shrimp. If I come back to this west coast chain, I'll be sure to get more fried seafood as that was the best thing I tried. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Surf & Turf* (480 cals.) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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The food is good the service was excellent. Just had my car window broken into so be careful if you leave anything inside your vehicle. The sad thing is the parking lot is well lit and there were people eating next to the window where our car was parked. The thieves don't care. The assist manager apologized but was unable to provide the video footage for us to see. Recommended we come back out the next day to speak with the main manager. I didn't want to drive an hour back out and decided nothing would be done anyway bc it's California. The assist manager also told me there had been a kidnapping and car theft in the month before. I didn't realize this area was so bad especially since it's next to the outlets. If you choose to eat here keep safety in mind. read more

Ismael is a great waiter always friendly and treats us like family also restaurant is always nice and clean great service

Good food and portions are worth the prices. Just a chill quiet place to eat and relax

Service was fine food was good. We paid with our max card and 20 minutes later we got a fraud alert for southern Ca. I called the restaurant and spoke with a woman who said it happened yesterday as well. I asked to speak with a manager she put me on hold and came back and stated she told him. In my mind I was speaking to the thief and the manager has no clue! read more

Made a stop on our road trip for breakfast. Simple goodness. Can't go wrong with the diner vibe and food. Daughter loves her bear cub pancake. Server was on point. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

We went here at 4pm today, we had a really disappointing experience at this restaurant. My meatloaf was spoiled/tasted bad. What made it worse was that our server never checked on us after dropping off the food, so we didn't even have a chance to mention the issue or get it replaced. It felt like we were completely ignored. Definitely expected better service and basic quality standards for the price we paid. Not planning to return. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - my meatloaf is spoiled, the server didn't check back on us, didn't refill the water either - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

Food . Service. Ambiance. All warm & wonderful. I would go back there anytime. Good Good Good read more

5 stars for the hostesses and waitresses. We arrived for brunch around 10 am when the restaurant seemed backed up: lots of available tables but 30 or so customers waiting to be seated. They were waiting for the kitchen to catch up before seating us and they all hustled hard once they started doing so. Like other Black Bear Diners, the restaurant was huge as were their menu selections. There were ample parking spaces available, too. Because we were seated near the path to the bathrooms and near a large back dining area, people kept kicking the back of my husband's chair as they walked by: annoying! The hostress took our drink orders and brought them to our table quickly. It seemed like there were only 2 waitresses taking care of a large number of tables. So, after they sorted out who was waiting on our table, things went more smoothly. Maggie took our food orders and the food arrived after a short wait. Our family ordered: The Shasta Veggie scramble (2 eggs with spinach, tomatoes, avocado, bell peppers, onions with a side of country red potatoes) plus a side of biscuit and gravy; The Grizz (2 eggs, 2 pancakes, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, 1 ham, and hasbrowns); and, 2 eggs with 2 bacon, hasbrowns, and English muffin. Overall, the food was good. Except the bacon was really salty and the biscuit was too hard. The portions were decent and I liked the veggie scramble. This truck stop/gas station/outlet mall area has a large number of dining stablishments to choose from in the area but I see why Black Bear is very popular: good food portions, a large selection of items, and a hard-working front of the house staff as well as the kitchen staff. read more

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Breakfast was good! Service was excellent , we had to wait but once Ty ( not sure of spelling) was able to get to us it was great . Ty provided an excellent service and she was professional. read more

On a 10 hour drive up I-5 North, we decided to get out of LA and stop after the Grapevine. When a big percentage of customers are just stopping by during a long drive, it's important for the service to be smooth and efficient. Unfortunately, while our server was friendly, the service was EXTREMELY slow during breakfast even though the restaurant was pretty empty. From ordering to getting our check, every step took a really long time. The food was mediocre but we expected that coming in. The pancakes were pretty dense and not airy. Chicken and waffles, grits, eggs, all of us thought the food was okay but probably won't stop here again in the future. Clean bathrooms and large dining room. Comfortable ambiance and cute little gift shop. read more

Food: Honestly, there's nothing wrong with roadside diner food. It's nothing fancy but after a long night on the road, a good BLT and a hot cup of coffee is just perfect. Service: Attentive to a few bleary-eyed travelers. Our server was kind and kept the coffee coming. A much appreciated gesture. Ambiance: Very typical, old-school coffee shop decor. Right down to the souvenir and gift shop in the lobby. read more

Went here several times between 2018 to 2024, so I'll write about my visit on June 2024. Came in for lunch around 12PM. Lots of patrons and the wait was 10 mins. Ordered Bob's Big Bear Burger with everything on it and a lemonade. The burger was big, juicy, and had a bit of char. There were lots of fries, which I took to go afterwards. The tall cup of lemonade was cold, sour, and refreshing, a must-have when eating something greasy. Would come here again. read more

This review is for Rosa! The restaurant got very busy when I came in with my coworkers, and we were sat right away. Rosa took our orders and was fast, kind, friendly, and had a great sense of humor. She was even so thoughtful as to bring our food out in stages (we ordered French toast and she brought it last as our desert :)) I live in LA, and to my horror I found I'd forgotten my wallet at the restaurant as soon as I was home. I called and Rosa remembered who I was and said she'd look for it. An hour later she had found it and mailed it to me . What an incredibly awesome person. She went above and beyond to help me out. Thank you so much Rosa! You are wonderful, and I hope to see you next time. read more

Came here for a late lunch on Easter Sunday, driving home from L.A. They were busy but no wait. They did not have a special Easter dinner meal. Got the pot pie and Cobb salad. I was able to substitute grilled chicken for the fried chicken. Both entrees were fine for the price. This is a CA chain with average diner food. Service was ok--was not offered refills on our drinks. Nice rustic ambiance. Plenty of parking in the lot. Close to Tejon outlets. Easy access to the 5 freeway. read more

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We love this location. We drive 60 miles when there are others much closer. Ismael is such a great waiter and knows the menu well. We ask for him eveey time. Glad that it is close to Hard Rock Tejon. The food is so much better at Black Bear than at the casino. read more

Great service Large servings You will be full when you leave Plenty of meals to choose from Always delicious My favorite is their salmon dinner Prices are a little high but you get your moneys worth Doggy bag to go read more

The waitress Ashley did great service and Great personality really very nice. I would tell all my friends and family and business partners to go there and stop for lunch whenever they're in the area. Great job. From John And Irene read more

I'm not sure where to start. Well the restaurant has 6 credo's which one I saw in action I couldn't tell you. The Black Bear Diner seems to have started with great intentions of great food, and excellent service. It seems to me sometimes growth can hinder a good thing. This morning 04/05/2025 I went to the Black Bear looking forward to a great experience with delicious food, and great service. I was disappointed with both. First of all my sever must have been dealing with things in her life that kept her from being very pleasant. Secondly the food, I ordered 3 eggs over medium, bacon, and sour dough toast, and coffee. I love a runny yolk to mop up with my toast. Well that was ruined by runny whites. I can't do runny whites! The toast was not toast it was greasy, warm, soggy, bread. See the photos. The bacon was okay. I ate the bacon. I ate part of one egg, until I saw the runny whites. I pushed the plate to the other side of the table. My sever came back glancing at my almost completely unfinished meal. She laid the check on the table and walked away. She never asked if there was an issue with the food. I asked for the manager. He came to my table, and was very pleasant. I explained everything about my experience with my sever and my food. He offered another plate of food. I declined, my appetite was ruined my the runny whites. Then he asked me if I wanted dessert or to the food to go. WTF! In the end he completely took care of my bill. I'm in the area for business, and will be here until Monday morning the 7th. I was planning on having dinner here. Also my Sunday meals. The only other places in close proximity are fast food. If this was my establishment I would offer a gift card or voucher, and ask the customer to please come back and give us another try. I continue to lower my expectations for the world in general. Billy Wild The Bougie Trucker. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - That is not toast! After seeing this plate of unfinished poorly cooked food the sever just laid the bill on the table and walked away. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

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Almost all of our order was inedible food. We got a veggie omelet, a Ruben sandwich, Caesar salad, broccoli cheddar soup, and a kid's chicken strips and mac and cheese. My omelet was completely tasteless and watery, and the hash browns were burnt and completely inedible. The soup was served at lukewarm temperature had a bad aftertaste. My dad took a few bites of his sandwich and couldn't finish it. The kids took a few bites of the mac and cheese, which looked like it had been sitting out for quite some time, and didn't touch the rest. The area near the window above our table was covered in dust. We were really hungry from our drive and unfortunately couldn't even eat, let alone enjoy, most of what we ordered. read more

7.6.2024 Always a nice place to stop, clean and quiet with good well stocked restrooms . Friendly and efficient wait staff, this time it was 'Rosa' who made sure I had whatever I needed right away . Easy parking and right off the i5 freeway make this a regular stop for me when I'm traveling in the area . Always good food, when traveling I tend to eat salads mostly . -Nate read more

I went in with my family and waited over an hour for our food, while watching other tables who came in after us get served first. When I asked what was going on, I was told they were "short staffed," but that doesn't explain why others were getting their food before us. When I tried to get an update, the manager raised his voice at me, saying "it'll be two minutes," as if that somehow fixed the fact that we had already been waiting over an hour. When the food finally came, the entire order was wrong. I tried to explain my side and my experience, but over and over they said there was nothing they could do -- even after wasting our time and serving us incorrect meals. This place clearly needs new management and better-trained staff. Very disappointing experience -- I won't be returning. read more

Ismael was the best server we have had anywhere in a long time. We stopped in on our way home from Yosemite, and the food was fresh and delicious! The bonus was great service that went above and beyond. Stop in for a great meal and ask for Ismael; he goes above and beyond for his customers. read more

Such a great alternative to fast food and truck stops when you're on the road. It's a favorite stop when we are going to or from SoCal.

I ordered their black bear burger with cheese. It was not good, something was off. The sweet potato fries were good and the huckleberry lemonade. I've been to other black bear diners and the food was great. This one the food was not good tasting. The service was bad too, she was not very polite. I'm ok with direct but she was not pleasant. She forgot dinnerware and I had to ask for it. I don't think I was rude. She gave me a bad look when I asked. I don't think she realized we never got dinnerware or napkins. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - I ordered their black bear burger with cheese. It was not good, something was off. The sweet potato fries were good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

I went in with my family and waited over an hour for our food, while watching other tables who came in after us get served first. When I asked what was going on, I was told they were "short staffed," but that doesn't explain why others were getting their food before us. When I tried to get an update, the manager raised his voice at me, saying "it'll be two minutes," as if that somehow fixed the fact that we had already been waiting over an hour. When the food finally came, the entire order was wrong. I tried to explain my side and my experience, but over and over they said there was nothing they could do -- even after wasting our time and serving us incorrect meals. This place clearly needs new management and better-trained staff. Very disappointing experience -- I won't be returning. read more

Meat was raw, we asked for medium rare and it was more of a blue the best in the middle was cold read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California