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

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

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

Stopped here on Memorial Day for a late dinner since we were traveling back home. I loved that they had an empty table when you walked in dedicated to the Veterans. I can tell they were really busy and the waitress was a little behind but still kept her cool. We were seated very quickly and I did overhear the waitress that they needed to wait to sit new people so she could catch up since she had a couple big groups. She still came over and was pleasant to us. But I loved the fact that there was another lady and totally jumped in to help without hesitation. Soon enough it changed the mood and everyone was back on the same page. The restaurant was clean and typical for a busy night. The food came out pretty quickly and it was pretty good. We will definitely be back if we are ever in the area just on the fact that we got great customer service. read more

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

See all

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

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

See all

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

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

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

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

See all

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

This was a last minute decision during a stop off the highway. Got the veggie burger, fries, and a Dr Pepper with a side of ranch and though I didn't get a picture of it, the ranch was soooooo good. I think they make it from scratch and you definitely need to get some. The service was good even though I only stopped in to pick up my order, all the staff interacted with were very nice. The place wasn't packed since is was only about 2pm on a Friday but the restaurant looked very clean and gave off a chill vibe! All in all, a choice is you ask me. read more

See all

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.

If you are not in the mood for fast food when at the Outlets at Tejon then this is your place, not too busy on a Saturday afternoon, however like many businesses they are short staffed and there may be a little bit of an extra wait for a table or your order so be patient and kind to the staff. We were greeted immediately when we walked in, put in our name and told it would be about 15-20 minutes, which it was, we were seated and again great immediately by our server Sunshine, orders in and to the table in about 10 minutes, food was hot and fresh, ordered the Open faced turkey sandwich and a patty melt with the side of chili, both meals were delicious and filling, price was reasonable at around $36 + Tip for 2, portion sizes are a little on the large size so you get what you pay for. Highlight of our visit the attentiveness of the staff, not just our server but the host, the bus staff and the servers everyone was very aware of the customers and was always making sure that everyone had what they needed and that their expectations were being met. Highly recommended read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Open faced turkey Sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

See all

The staff was friendly and worked with us on accommodating a large party. The food came out fast and they made our order correctly. They did forget one item for my kiddo but, once they remembered, they came back and made sure that he was happy with it. Everything was clean and warm, chill vibe and good music. Lost a star for the staff not removing a pet, NOT a service animal. read more

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

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

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

The server was very nice and seated us almost immediately when we arrived. She checked on us a couple of times and made sure that we had our coffee cups filled. Food was delicious as always and maybe even fresher than the Black Bear diners that I normally visit. This location was busy and the server was juggling many tables but she was attentive to her customers. When you arrive, you are greeted with a fridge of desserts that you can buy to take home (or an idea of what to order for dessert!) There was plenty of tables and bathrooms which is great to get yourself ready for more driving if you're on your way to LA. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - The Mini Volcano (1100 cals.) and Chicken Avocado Club (970-1130 cals.) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

We had a couple burger and fries which were very good. The fish on the fish and chips platter was mushy and not crispy, not good. The service was incredibly slow. It seemed more important to clear tables in a nearly empty restaurant than get our order, and it took far too long for the food to arrive, making us late. It had a typical diner atmosphere. read more

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

Food was good but both steaks were closer to blue than medium rare. There were at least 5 flies circling are table. Service was great as usual. read more

Service was amazing, waitress was friendly and engaged. Suggested how I could alter certain meals to be gluten free. Kept our drinks filled up and even gave us to go cups . Food was excellent , it was a nice break on our road trip. read more

Food was good, thanks to good cooks! Our server Ashley had to be stoned off her butt. We sat for 25 mins before anyone asked for drinks, had to get up and request for service , then when she came over we knew instantly she was high and that's why she probably didn't notice us in her section. We place our order then she brings somone else plate to us, let her know it wasn't our then she tried to take my food away like she wasn't comprehending what I'm was trying to nicely explain. The lady working in the same room , half her head was shaved, didn't catch her name but she was extremely friendly, we actually enjoyed watching her interact with her customers. I don't say this rudely about Ashley because we still left her a good tip and just hope in the future she can be a better waitress cause she has potential with more smiles and less pot. read more

Sat down, ordered and left after 30 minutes of waiting for food to arrive. The wait staff didnt seem to care

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

Hello stop by my favorite spot on way to Fresno for work black bear dinner and ordered patty melt sweet potato fry's and of course was greeted by Carolyn and Tashia and service was perfect as always I really appreciate how welcoming they make me feel make me feel right at home thank you so much Carolyn and tashia see you guys soon on next road trip from john peraza read more

Decent restaurant located at a convenience location just off I5 highway. A great area to get some food, get gas, and stretch your leg. I wasn't expecting much for the restaurant. The food turned out to be decent, and quite a big portion. The service is okay. You can't really ask much for a restaurant along the highway. It delivers as a good stop for travelers. read more

Nearing the end of my road trip, I was craving real food, so I was pleasantly surprised to find a Black Bear Diner amid the myriad of fast food options. I asked the waitress what she recommended, and she pointed to everything on the menu containing tri-tip. So I ordered tri-tip. Now, here's the thing, I ordered from the smaller options menu, 6oz of beef, they said. It was a wonderful filling portion. I almost couldn't finish my food. But trust me, I cleaned the plate. The tri-tip had excellent flavor. I love country gravy on everything, so that was a no-brainer for my mashed potatoes, which also had the perfect amount of texture (I want something to chew, not mashed potato paste!). The garlic parmesan toast was a lovely burst of flavor as well. I wish I could remember the waitress's name, because she was fantastic at appearing just often enough to see if I needed anything and refill my coffee, but also didn't rush me to finish my meal. It was as close to perfect service as I've had in some time. I'll remember this place and likely stop again when my route takes me to the area. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Santa Maria Tri-Tip, garlic parmesan toast, and mashed potatoes with country gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

The food is always good, but the service was sub-par. The server never came by to see if everything was ok or to see if we wanted more coffee. Actually, none of the servers were attentive. I didn't see any of them walking around with a coffee pot offering refills. So, I was very disappointed. read more

We LOVED our service! Carolyn was amazing she was so sweet and warm as soon as we walked in the door, we got our drinks right away as well. She checked on us throughout our whole visit even though she was so busy, we saw her running around cleaning tables, sitting others, helping people cash out, running food all while checking on us and others. I love her personality and her work ethic we will definitely be back and will be asking for carolyn everytime! read more

Went in yesterday and had another great experience. I got the same waiter Ismael. He was very nice and very fast service.. The food was excellent.. read more

2nd Black Bear Diner we've been in within last month with equipment problems. This one had "computer not working " so they couldn't put in our order we were told. While promised they would get it "soon" after waiting 30 minutes we finally got breakfast. Appears either staff training or investment in equipment appears to be sorely lacking at this c read more

We were here 2 days ago on day 1 of our road trip. Now we are heading home, we decided to stop by here again. It was a busy night but our server Trish was very pleasant and appreciated our patience. She made it a point to check on us and updating us when will the food be ready. It was hot outside but the place was cool and clean. Our food was good too and big portion. Aside from to go boxes, Trish offered us if we wanted to go cups for our drinks. And the end of our dinner, she thanked us for our patience and for dining in. Black Bear Diner is one of go to places of me and my husband. read more

Black Bear Diner Arvin - Tuna Chef Salad (520 cals.) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Arvin, California

See all

Nice employee Ismael and Marsella prompt and efficient. Delicious food helpful staff beautiful atmosphere

Just left this location with my wife and son... although it was rush hour... we were able to sit at the bar.... I want to start by saying the food was delicious. Salvador and crew at in kitchen were fast and efficient.... Ashley brought us our food , Our waitress was attentive and kind. The food was way better than the Merced Location. Will visit again next time. Ambiance was great also. read more

Best Black Bear I have had so far! Food came hot, and everyone on shift was so nice, and all in their Christmas shirts! Would recommend for anyone on a road trip looking for somewhere nice to stop and some food:) My dad said the New York and eggs were made perfectly even! read more

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