Wow. Soooooooooo slow... I'm a super frequent diner at black bear diner locations across NorCal and Reno. This was my first time at the Davis location and it was horrible!!! The service was slower than molasses...our server kept telling us she would bring us more coffee...she must've told us that at least 5 times before she brought it. I didn't even ask for napkins...I understand that she was trying to anticipate our needs...but she kept repeating it over and over again and ended up bringing us one napkin? So confused. Our food took 30+ minutes. How do i know this? I checked when I checked in to the place. The table next to us ordered, ate, and received their check before we got our food. I asked for medium for my burger...it came out well done. I saw the guy take my burger to the back area and grab a bunch of lettuce and tomatoes onto my plate with his hands. I have no clue when he washed his hands and he was previously helping out bussing tables. Wifey ordered her eggs over medium...they came out extremely runny with the egg whites still raw. It was just bad all around...I'll never come back to this location again. What a shame. read more

If I could leave negative stars, I would do so for the first time ever. Let's just say my visit here was a disaster. We were promptly seated and service was downhill from there. We ordered and I went to wash my hands as I always do after ordering anywhere. I'm a creature of habit and I know how disgusting menus can be. The restroom was completely out of soap and I have seen a number of gas station restrooms that looked better than theirs. Luckily my wife made sure the coast was clear and I quickly washed my hands in the ladies restroom. I notified the hostess about the restroom and they did not bother to thank me or say it would be taken care of. When my hot turkey plate arrived a short time later, it wasn't very hot. I didn't want to complain as I was a part of a decent sized party. The food tasted okay but was lukewarm at best. After eating, I returned to the restroom to wash my hands a second time. This was over a half hour later and it was not taken care of whatsoever. I didn't bother to say anything this time because it was obvious they could have cared less. As we exited, a plumber was entering their back door to address some issue. Having worked in restaurants for over twenty years, I can only wonder and speculate what their issue was; however the health department requires you to immediately shut down for any blockages and the like. I ended up with salmonella poisoning from the turkey plate and was severely sick for a week. It was the worst experience of my life. As a courtesy, I called the restaurant to inform them and to let them know in case there was an outbreak which can happen in instances such as these. I was promptly given a number of poor excuses and told that I wasn't going to be compensated even though I did not ask for anything nor did I imply that was what I was seeking. Go elsewhere. You deserve better. You will be treated with dignity and respect and I can't imagine they will be any dirtier than it was here. Lastly, your stomach will thank me and you won't risk vomiting for almost a week straight. read more

My experiences here are usually pretty good but tonight I ordered the two egg combo with sausage links and hash browns but when I got home the container only had a single sausage (they should have 3), and it seems like they just piled on extra hash browns to either try and obscure that fact or make up for it. Either way it's annoying because driving back to the restaurant for two links feels pointless. If you are short on an item just let us know when we arrive so we can order something else. Kind of a weird thing to do. read more

Oh Black Bear Diner, I remember those Saturday and Sundays where the wait was well over 30 minutes to an hour long. Luckily, it was always worth it! I recently came back over the summer with a few of my friends from back home who were craving eggs! We looked over a few restaurants on Yelp, but ultimately decided on Black Bear Diner due its its luxurious portions. We came in on a Thursday around noon and there was no wait at all. Though the wait for food was a different story. It took around 30-40 minutes even though it was not rush hour. It was all worth it as my friends enjoyed their food very much! My go-to item on the menu is always the Tri-Tip Scramble. I was very disappointed to see my favorite item off the menu! But the lovely waitress said they can still make it, so you can still order this! My friends ordered the Turkey Sandwich, which had real turkey meat and not the nasty prepackaged ones, the Fit and Focused Chicken and Apple Sausage Scramble, and the California Omelet. They all enjoyed it with some leftovers for the next morning. Overall, the staff is very nice and attentive and food is a lot better than the other diners in Davis. With cheap prices and large portions, this is definitely the place to go when you are feeling hungry! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Tri-tip Scramble! No longer on the menu, but you can still order it! - American Near Me - Davis, California

Black Bear, oh Black Bear. This is the spot... and I just gotta say: SWEET CREAM PANCAKES. Hits the spot every time. My mouth salivates at the thought of these bad boys being served up to me. When I go I opt for the addition of blueberries (obviously this is to get my nutrient intake up and get those antioxidants in because I'm health conscious like that.), but I'm sure if you're feeling particularly naughty go for some chocolate chips on dat bad boy. These pancakes are HUGE. I mean all their portion sizes are huge. They are not your normal pancakes, they're so fluffy and indulgent and so bad but so good and so just yes. Alright, I'm done... just get these & thank me later. My friends got the club, french toast, and some corned beef hash, and a side of hash browns were involved. All us ladies were pleased with our food & stuffed beyond belief. Needless to say, you're gonna need a takeaway container unless you've starved yourself prior to your BB experience. The coffee however is not my favorite and they don't let you order off the kid's menu, even if you're truly 12 at heart. :( Oh yeah, and they have a healthy section for those trying to get grub without the self hatred afterwards... but seriously, just get the pancakes and pretend like it's broccoli or something because they are dizzzamn good. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - sweet cream pancakes aka heaven - American Near Me - Davis, California

Came in around 6:30 PM on a Monday. Was greeted as I came in and seated right away. What can I say about this restaurant? One of my favorites in Davis for their great tasting food. I usually always order the country fried chicken with hash browns, pancakes and eggs and it's delicious!!!! The only reason why I'm giving it a 4 stars is because the portions have gotten smaller over time. This is a big No no for that's why all my friends come here for we are starving college students. In all, I love this place and the fact that they are opening up more locations in SoCal read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Chicken fried steak and NEw York Steak in the back - American Near Me - Davis, California

Food is good but you never know who the cook will be. In our case the young guy was busy listening to his music and not so much on making food. It took forever to get our food and there were only a few people in the restaurant. The food was plentiful and it was warm/hot so that's something. You roll the dice at this place because of the high turnover. read more

I'm sorry, but this place is just not for me. While many Davis students rave about this breakfast spot, it is a PASS in my opinion. Yes the portions are big, the restaurant interior is cool and interesting, and the ambiance is fun, and the menu is comprehensive, but the food just doesn't cut it for me. Last time I was here, I ordered the pancakes. There really was nothing wrong with them, but the taste just wasn't there. I couldn't finish my meal, as I didn't really find it appetizing. Maybe I'll give this place another try in the future, but it definitely isn't at the top of my list. Some people love it, so I guess you can give it a try if you've never been. Just don't blame me if you feel the same as me after! read more

A little more expensive than Denny's, but exceptionally better. This is pretty quality diner food, not to mention monstrous portions! I've been here a few times with various people and along with my own food have tried bites of theirs. I haven't been too disappointed. One of the reasons I docked a star is because I've ordered my eggs over medium a few times and they've been either over or under-cooked every time. Another is because the place feels somewhat crowded, claustrophobic. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - THE VOLCANO. BOOOM. - American Near Me - Davis, California

If there is one thing I like about America, it's American breakfast. I came here with my family for birthday and we had a HUGE breakfast. I am very satisfied with my pancakes, The Volcano, also including two link sausages, two bacons and two eggs. It's my favorite! We also order New York Steak, with a huge biscuit, two eggs and hash brown. I love the steak medium well cooked. It was tender and juicy. My husband said his Chicago burger was good too. In the end we could not finish and have to take some back. I pass by the Black Bear Dinner many times in past one year and can't believe I didn't come in and try. I love it immediately the first time. Can't wait to come back! read more

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This place has REALLY stepped up its game! Fast and friendly service. Huge portions and delicious food. Highly recommend!

If I had to pick between IHOP and Black Bear, Black Bear wins hands down. They have comparable prices to IHOP, but definitely bigger portions. They also somehow make diner food look more appealing -- as in, it doesn't look limp/burnt/old. I had the bacon cheeseburger, which came with a huge side of fries. The burger was pretty small (not even In-n-Out sized), but the fries filled me up. My friends said they were a little dry, but they were okay for me. The burger was good -- I only wish it was bigger. My friends shared one of the specials for the night, which was prime rib for $12.99. It came with two sides and salad (I think); they had cooked vegetables, fries, and ranch dressing for the salad. When his meal came, I was impressed with how much food there was -- the side salad itself was a meal for one person! Definitely try the advertised specials! Tip: To get the most bang for your buck(s), try not to pick soup as a side -- you'll feel ripped off if you do. The soup comes in this super tiny cup. read more

I always have random black bear cravings!! After leaving Davis I had genuinely been missing this restaurant and finally got to revisit this past weekend. Still good as ever. As others have mentioned, the big foot chicken fried steak is totally worth every penny. It is 11.99 and for me personally, it accounts for two meals. You have so many choices of sides as well from fruits, hash brown, eggs, etc etc. The service is amazing too. Everyone is always helpful, cheerful, and smiling. At the end you can also pay individually at the counter so there's no hassle if you want to split the check! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Chicken fried steak :) shrimp does not come with the meal. - American Near Me - Davis, California

Every time I visit this place, I get so impressed and satisfied, descent prices always nice personnel. But the best about black bear dinners is huge portions!!! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - American Near Me - Davis, California

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For Valentine's Day there was quite a rush, and our server was just amazing and working his butt off to give us the best experience possible. My boyfriend and I were extremely impressed. Despite them being a server down, we still had excellent service and were treated with respect. 11/10 excellent experience! read more

Great breakfast! Huge portions. Fast and friendly service. Best omelet I've ever had! 2nd visit to BBD was not so good. Waited over an hour for food, 2 groups after my group got their food before us and ordered the same meals. 1 of the groups were done before we started eating. I asked the waitress to bring me a pie before they were gone...needless to say she forgot and they ran out. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - American Near Me - Davis, California

Last Sunday I woke up craving pancakes. I convinced my roommates to go to Black Bear diner because I heard about how amazing their breakfast food can be. The pancakes did not disappoint. The reason I bestowed 4 stars instead of 5 is because the non-breakfast food is about 3-4 star quality. What to try: Pancakes, Waffles, BISCUITS!!!!!!!!!! The eggs were well made and the potatoes were crispy and delicious. They have a HUGE bear claw and an assortment of pies for sale as well. The menu is like newspaper and when you fold it up they'll take your order. Not much else to say about Black Bear. GREAT place for breakfast but I wouldn't highly recommend it for much else. read more

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We came here as a large group and even though it took us awhile to get seated, that made sense because there was roughly 30 of us. Our server was Alonso, who did his very best take care of us along with a couple of other employees. I got the corned beef hash which was amazing - it specifically listed on the menu that it was "not from a can, folks!" which was what encouraged me to get it. I had it with a side of hash browns, over-medium eggs and a pancake. My eggs were closer to over-easy, but it was fine. It was a pretty large portion and I ate every last bit of it - including the lettuce and the orange garnish lol. Some of the food for my other friends took a little longer and some of us had finished our food before the others got theirs. But again, expected for such a large group. The best part of it was that our server split ALL of our checks. That's right, all 30 of us had separate checks - which means no hassle for us in figuring out who to pay back who! I have yet to go to a restaurant that will split a bill so many ways - usually 4-5 maximum. Customer service is the #1 most important thing in my book next to good food (obviously) when I go to a restaurant and they get 10/5 stars for customer service! Besides that, its a great atmosphere - cozy and warm with a little shop on the side of some of their merch that's branded with bears and their restaurant. The type of food you would find here is just your good ol' diner food. Come thru for good food and great service! read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Corned beef hash with hash browns, over-medium eggs and a pancake! - American Near Me - Davis, California

Very disappointed. It took forever to get our food and they hadn't even made it correctly. My boyfriend ordered the California Bacon Eggs Benedict and the waiter came out with an omelet. My hash browns were burnt to a crisp and my boyfriend's hash browns came out very undercooked. Thankfully our waitress gave us a small discount - but $40 definitely wasn't worth it for this meal. read more

I've been here quite a bit in the past year. I used to really enjoy the breakfast, especially the corned beef hash, but the quality has unfortunately tanked in the past couple of months. The hash browns are undercooked, and pretty gross. The corned beef hash is dry and disgusting now. Eggs, forget it. The coffee doesn't really speak to me. The OJ remains good, but yeah. I'm gonna take a break from this place. (Bring back the old cook!) read more

ONLY FOR THAI! We came into the restaurant and were seated and given water by a brunette lady and she abandoned her table and stood at the counter on her phone. Thai saw us looking for help and claimed her table. He had no issue making us feel like actual customers. read more

Black Bear Diner is always on and off for me. Either they are really good that day or really bad. I love how they serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the day and their portions are always so HUGE! The food isn't that bad, its quite good. I've tried their omelette and their special chicken fried steak. I love their food, but sometimes the server tends to forget little details of how you like your food to be. It is kind of my pet peeve, I guess. So before you go into Black Bear, you prepare yourself with irritated slow service. Even if it seems like its family run, they have a lot of customers throughout the day but they don't seem to mind the slow service. Their food is good when the waiter remembers to bring it to you when its hot. There are times when they forget to bring the food the table and the food actually gets cold and don't taste as good. You kind of have to constantly nag them for refills or more water. Although, they won't give you attitude or anything, its just a hassle you know? This is a great place for some comfort food, but beware of the slow service! read more

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One of the best locations I've given my business to. Food came out hot, great service from the staff. Wonderful experience.

Stopped in on our way home from vacation. Hostess took our drink order and brought them very quick. Took a bit for waitress to get to us to take our food order, even though the restaurant was not busy. Once she came over, she was very friendly. Food came out quick and hot and the waitress came by several times to check on us. We like that we can count on Black Bear no matter where we go for good food and generous portions. We stick with a handful of our favorites when we visit other locations, this time the burger basket and little lite breakfast and were not disappointed. read more

Thank you Black Bear for being open on Christmas day and serving good diner food and quickly.

4 years at davis and I've never been to the baker's square once. Driving by one day I saw a sign that said Black Bear Diner and was intrigued. I had no idea it was a chain until I went there. The place was very accommodating, we had a mini dorm reunion there and had about 24 people when we only made reservations for 18 or so. The staff was very helpful and friendly. The service was great the location is good and they have their own parking lot. The bad thing about this place is it's mediocre-at-best food. I came here twice and the first time I had the chicken fried steak dinner which was nothing to write home about. My sides were rather bland - the macaroni and cheese was particularly disappointing. The second time I came here the food was absolutely terrible. I had an open faced turkey sandwich. The meat was dry, the fries were tasteless like cardboard, and the gravy had a burnt taste to it. During that meal I heard someone complaining about the taste of his hamburger to the owner. The food is cheap and plentiful... but you get what you pay for. read more

After a morning of debating (or just me deciding) between what type of food to eat, it came down to going between IHOP and Black Bear. This was my first ever visit to Black Bear and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by both the portions, which many of have already heard about, and the quality of the food. This was honestly one of the best chicken fried steaks I have had to date. Maybe that's not saying much, but between the years of going to Mel's (for those from the Bay), to Denny's and IHOP...I have never had such a large, nor tasty chicken fried steak. The side of has browns, eggs over-easy, and english muffins were also done very well (mind you, they shouldn't be hard to screw up but Denny's manages to do it all the time). They did not seem to have this overly greasy and sodium infused taste to them. They were left up to me to season, which is something I prefer in this setting. All in all, I felt happy with my choice in picking Black Bear over IHOP today. As a strict health-nut....these were 1200 calories I did not regret devouring. read more

The food is pretty good and the hunk of bread they give you is gargantuan (hell, all the portions are pretty big). I think the way they decorated it and the menus are a nice touch. However, the second-last time I went there for lunch with my roommate (I had a class; she had to work), it wasn't very busy, but they took over 15 minutes to seat us. We told them we were in a hurry and ordered immediately, and they took an unbelievably long time (over half an hour?) in getting the food to us. I kinda thought they'd forgotten about us. We did eventually get our food, but ended up having to pack it to eat later, since it was already so late. The last time I went, things were fine, so I guess it's kinda hit or miss with this place? read more

Generous, generous portions. I got the albacore sandwich with potato salad. The salad was good, but the albacore sandwich was a bit bland... the service was great (barely anyone there at the time we went- around 3pmish) The give HUGE portions at reasonable prices, perfect for hungry and starving college students. Parking may be a bit hard while school is in session (during the weekdays). read more

I love Black Bear Diner. The bear claws are great at every other location I have been to. I have been to the Davis location three times this last month and each the bear claw had hardly any filing. They seem to be cost cutting no butter was even served or offered. The Tulare location great claws and food just No access to the wifi. If you want a good claw go to a different location. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - American Near Me - Davis, California

so I'm leaving Davis in a few days, I decided to get back to Yelp and do a mass review of all the places I've been over the past year. Pretty solid place. Massive portions, decent prices, typical diner food. If you're a cook and you can't cook diner food, quit the job! Came here for breakfast, eggs were properly cooked, bacon perfect- seems like they throw it in the deep fryer :) Service is good too, everyone's very friendly. read more

Okay, forget IHOP and Denny's. If you want some quality diner food, this is the place. The portions are pretty big and the ingredients are fresh. They have the cool orange squeezing machine which guarantees perfect orange juice. I wish they brought back the steak and eggs combo. I always used to pass by the restaurant and see that sign, thinking it was a daily thing. read more

This place definitely gives big portions! Though it could be a bit pricey but I always have some leftovers in the end. The times I have came here I had to wait a long time to be seated. The service here is really good; people are friendly. I love their clam chowder soup of the day and their cornbread. I have had their Chicken Fried Steak and it was pretty good and big! I've also had one of their sandwiches and it was decent; nothing to fancy. The specials here are usually pretty great so you can never go wrong with that! read more

A solid go-to diner for dependable traditional American breakfast/brunch. It's a very popular spot in Davis with a constant flow of students and families with growling stomachs. Amongst us, we had some steak & eggs, corned beef hash and the Acapulco scramble. The corned beef had great savory flavor with some mild spice, though pretty one note on the whole. My scramble was a fine mix of chicken, cheese, veggies and avocado mixed into the eggs - didn't expect much from one of the "healthier" options and it got the job done. Service was decent and I did enjoy some of the little touches like having the menus printed in newspaper. read more

Best pancakes ever! What is in them? Crack?! I have no idea but they taste amazing. Nice breakfast-all-day spot and plenty of parking.

The smell of bacon upon entering, warm,-cozy,-and-casual surroundings, generous portions of nicely presented and tasty breakfast entrees (only complaint: my requested "over-medium" eggs were more like "over easy")... hit the spot for a casual breakfast. I was impressed with their biscuit (huge, soft, and warm -- unlike many which are stick-in-the-throat dry and dense)! Service was impressively friendly, both at the table and the front counter. Definitely preferred over Denny's. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - American Near Me - Davis, California

You certainly can judge a place's food by their quality of coffee. The coffee was nothing great and neither was the food. Pros: Pretty good and friendly service, low cal options for breakfast Cons: A seemingly glamourized Dennys, kinda pricy Would not return, but would not complain if there was no other choice. read more

We came here last Friday night after driving around and finding that everyplace seemed mobbed. We waited just a few minutes before getting a table. We are familiar with Black Bear Diners after visiting a few around the state. My daughter liked her burger. I ordered the taco salad. It was very large, piled high with lots of ingredients. I asked for no salad dressing so they brought me extra salsa which was perfect. It was really good, though I tried not to eat the fried shell. I'm really glad to have had this experience to know how good this salad is. I'll probably try it the next time I'm at a Black Bear Diner! read more

Great atmosphere! Chicken fried steak is the best here! The huge biscuits are very good also. The habanero hot sauce is amazing I decided to take two bottles home. Great service, waitress was very friendly. read more

Black Bear Diner Davis - Chicken fried steak! - American Near Me - Davis, California

Oof, found a long strand of hair in our pasta, and our "medium rare" tri tip came out very well done... portions are big though, just missing on the execution. read more