I went to Black Bear Diner in Downey for breakfast with a friend, and we had a great experience! The food was delicious, and the service was absolutely 10 out of 10. Our server was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed. The only downside was the long line, but luckily there were only two of us, so we didn't have to wait too long. Overall, we had a wonderful breakfast and were very happy with the service. I would definitely come back again! read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

I really wanted to love this place because the ambiance is so cozy and inviting and the portions are always incredibly generous. However, it's consistently packed, and the long wait just isn't worth it to me. The food is decent, but nothing I've tried has really stood out. On this visit, I ordered the Original Scrambowl with a side of pancakes, and while everything was fine, it wasn't particularly memorable. The iced vanilla coffee was also much too sweet for my taste so I ended up watering it down just so I could finish it. I've had the Shasta Veggie Scramble on a previous visit, and that's still my favorite item here. Overall, it's a pleasant spot with a nice atmosphere and hearty portions, but the food hasn't impressed me enough to justify the wait or make me go out of my way to come back. read more

Black Bear Diner have become one of our favorite family restaurant for their quality of their food and their service how they treat their customers at Black Bear Diner. My wife and I love breakfast that's why we come to Black Bear Diner for their heartly breakfast that we enjoy we also like their lunch and dinner selections including their desserts. Update. Today my wife and I are celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary and decided to go to Black Bear Diner to have breakfast and celebrate our marriage. We love coming to Black Bear Diner especially breakfast time the best time of the day. We order our coffee and our breakfast of choice my wife order the Southern scramble and I go the Grizz meal we're two hungry Bear like ourselves having a hearty breakfast. After the meal we enjoy the meal and spending time with my wife and also we thanks the staff at Black Bear Diner for the service. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - The bacon plate. - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

Food was very good, Jesus our waiter was attentive and helpful. Finding parking was easy, and the booth seating was comfortable and lighting was bright. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Santa Maria Tri-Tip (330 cal) - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

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Bomb!!! Tonight I was so happy super good customer service fast on point the food was amazingly delicious. Clean and so recommend it. Who ever was making the food tonight got down delicious thank you for your service. Lourdes our server was very helpful and very good customer service. read more

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Black Bear dinner is an 'up scale' Dennys. I have been to several Black Bear dinners. A couple of times a Dennys restaurant was near by but I chose Black Bear. Service was better and food choice was as good if not better. Staff was friendly and prices, although higher than I would like, were comparable to Dennys. read more

This was by far our most disappointing visit to black bear. We usually enjoy coming for a family meal, but this visit had a lot of issues. We ordered the bears choice breakfast, and the prime rib dinner. For the bear's choice breakfast. I chose to get the biscuits and gravy and it was not very good for one thing. The biscuits seemed to be over baked and they were really hard, and there was not much gravy that came with the meal. The dish so it was really dry, which was disappointing And for the prime rib dinner the meat came out a bit overcooked, and the cornbread muffin that it came with was incredibly bad. Not only was the muffin dry, but it also has a weird taste to it like there was way too much salt in the batter. The only thing that was ok was the chocolate pie. I felt that it was mostly cream if anything, but the crust and pie that were in the tin was what we expected. On top of the food issues, I feel like the service was also disappointing. After we got our order taken, which was 15 minutes after we sat down, our waitress just disappeared for the rest of our meal and we had to ask multiple people for boxes and the check which seemed unnecessary. read more

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Black Bear Diner in Downey easily could have earned 4 stars from me, but a couple of major missteps in service were enough to bring it down to 3. I'm a part of Black Bear Diner's E-Club where you can get a free meal as a welcome gift as well as a free meal for your birthday. The free meal is typically the Bear's Choice entree. The Signal Hill location is closest to me, but I was planning to get dessert somewhere between the Downey location and home. After getting dessert, I made my way over to the Black Bear Diner on the south side of Florence between Rives and Paramount, directly across the street from The Marketplace Grill Cafe. Parking shouldn't be an issue here. The parking lot is very spacious that I'm sure if you wanted to dine at other restaurants along Florence, you could park in this lot as well. One thing I love about Black Bear Diner is the bear decor both inside and outside the diner. This is no different here, though I didn't see as much bear decor outside compared to the Signal Hill location. However, they more than make up for with plenty of bear decor and merch inside the well-lit diner. Upon entering, I saw a server behind the order counter, and I told her I wanted to redeem my birthday Bear's Choice entree. I asked her to remind me what the Bear's Choice was even though I knew what it was; I like to do this to get a feel for service. How was it? She mentioned that the Bear's Choice entree would be a pancake with a sausage link, bacon strip, and eggs, the last of which can be cooked to the customer's preference. Right off the bat, I could already sense problems. First, the Bear's Choice is supposed to be a choice of the main entree as well as the meat. For the entree, you're typically allowed a choice of two pancakes, one waffle, two French toast, or two biscuits with gravy. For the meat, you can choose from 2 strips of bacon, 2 sausage links, or a piece of ham steak. You're usually not allowed a mix between two different meats. Also, notice how I said "a pancake" as opposed to "two pancakes" two paragraphs ago? Even though I knew I should have been given more choices, I actually would have chosen the pancakes, and I also would have preferred getting both bacon and sausage in my meal, so I chose to remain silent about my inability to choose my meal of choice, except for the eggs, which I requested scrambled. I asked the server how long it'd take, and she estimated between 7 and 10 minutes. She told me I could take a seat at one of their benches, which have paw prints on them. However, I wanted to explore all the bear merch and decor they have in store. From teddy bears on the wall to bear sculptures on either side of their jukebox, it's hard not to take a photo of them! I also noticed a table that advertised catering by showing what their catering trays look like. I didn't know, but am not surprised, that Black Bear Diner did catering, and I'm sure my co-workers and I would appreciate having Black Bear Diner cater for us one day to start work off on the right foot. 7 minutes after I placed my order, a different server who was serving a table inside noticed me waiting in the lobby and offered to assist me. I told her I had already placed my order and was waiting for it. Suddenly, the server who rang me up had an "Oh crap!" moment when she realized she forgot about my order! She went to the kitchen to box and bag up my order before handing it to me. She seemed to be a little swamped, and I could tell because she forgot to include two things: utensils and condiments. Even though I noticed before leaving, I chose not to ask because I had some at home. Well, I thought I had some pancake syrup, but turns out I only had honey at home. Better than nothing, but not getting a packet of syrup was quite a downer from this Downey diner. Even though I prefer waffles over pancakes, I actually liked the pancakes here more than the waffle from the Signal Hill location. In fact, I'd say I like them better than IHOP's buttermilk pancakes, though I'm also saying that because I'm currently disgruntled with IHOP lol. The pancakes were larger and fluffier, and I unfortunately didn't have enough honey at home for the size of these pancakes. There aren't any compartments to the takeout container, so I had to separate the pancakes manually from the eggs and meat; that way, I wouldn't accidentally pour/spread honey on either/or. The sausage link tasted just like any regular sausage link, and I can say the same about the scrambled eggs as well. However, I can't say the same about the bacon because it was almost burnt! Like a few more seconds on the griddle, and I'm sure they would have had to cook an entirely new strip of bacon for my meal. I saved the bacon for last, thinking it would have tasted the best, but it turned out to be the worst, at least of the four parts of my meal :(. Overall, my experience at this Black Bear Diner met my expectations, but these missteps were definitely avoidable. read more

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Feels like cabin and bear cave feel Huge menu. Feels like you're down south. They have specials of the day and portions for varying appetites too Their pies are awesome too Better than Marie Callender's too read more

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Black Bear Diner in Downey is just great. You can have breakfast all day and they have some great sandwiches, bottomless sodas, and wonderful desserts. The place is clean and ever so comfortable. The staff is great. We always love our server. We have been a few times. They know the menu and are pretty fast, but they don't rush you out. The diner is super cute and you will be comfortable here. I love their coffee. On Friday nights they have a special, hand-breaded fish fry and it is great. The pieces are long with just the right amount of coating and never overcooked. The fries are also great. We love their breakfast. Their biscuits and gravy are great and the biscuits are always fresh. You can have that as a side or they come with some of the meals. The Bigfoot Chicken Fried Steak and eggs is cooked the way you want it and it is a lot of food. I sometimes share it and order something smaller for the table. You will love their Big Bacon Breakfast. I think it comes with 6 pieces of bacon so I always have some to take home to my dogs. It has everything you want and more. Try this one first. You can dine there and you should because it is fun, but they also have delivery and take away. You will love this place. read more

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Heard this place was good. So let's see if they're pretty good eh or ew. Vibes were on point and I got their bear's choice breakfast with scrambled eggs that had like no seasoning and were pretty stiff, fresh fruit that did not taste ok and lowkey kinda tasted rotten?, and waffle which was actually pretty good, fluffy, buttery, soaked up the sweet syrup well. but overall this place eugh. $14.99 read more

I've been to Black Bear Diners in several cities. It was actually mom's first time for brunch here. She not only enjoyed her Bear's Choice breakfast but, loved all things black bear from decor to the cute gift shop. We even purchased earrings and a key chain for her. Our family commonly redeems the birthday Bears Choice Breakdast for being on the emailing list. No shrinkflation at this corporate chain! I just got a simple breakfast of avocado toast, fruit, and scrambled eggs. Solid. Host and server were welcoming and pleasant. 4 Stars. We'll be back. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Avocado toast, eggs, and fruit. 4/9/25 - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

My family enjoys coming to this location, we always receive exceptional service. Sometimes there is a wait during peak hours but they are very efficient as far as taking orders and getting the food out. Food is delicious, love to indulge on the Big GRIZZ or a chicken steak. Restaurant is clean & staff is attentive. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Big OUR Biggest - The GRIZZ - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

I came here on Christmas Day with my mom, sisters, nieces and nephews. Family Christmas brunch at a family kid friendly restaurant is what we were aiming for and got that here at Black Bear Diner. They offer a standard American menu with comfort foods choices. The wait was about 30-45mins. They don't take reservations only first come first serve, so plan ahead especially for busy days like the holidays. The kids were entertained with their kid coloring menus so that was a plus while us adults dived into conversations. We all got nourishing plates. However, my sister claimed her biscuits and gravy were perhaps dry but didn't bother and my mom returned her steak for a medium rare as this is what she originally requested for and didn't get it. Overall, it was a pleasant experience for our family get together at a restaurant. Our server was pleasant and welcoming. No complaints. It was my surprise treat to my family. They didn't know I was paying the bill. Come here for a cozy family time and comfort meal. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Bottomless hot coffee -vanilla creamer on the side - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

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This American diner chain beats Denny's and day of the week! Food (5/5): Not only are the portions extremely filling, but also the taste is absolutely yummy. I typically get The Scrambowl which has smoked ham, bacon, sausage, eggs, bell pepper, onion, & jalapeño scrambled over country red potatoes, topped with cheddar cheese & country gravy. Served with a homemade biscuit. Yes I copied this from their website, lol). The vinegar-y taste of the jalapeno balances the great amount of meat that have a fatty taste. Service (4/5): If you don't wake up early enough, you'll be waiting for a table especially when there are more than 2 of you. I believe the bar is only for 21+ since they do serve alcoholic drinks. Ambiance (5/5): Spacious and reminiscent of a cabin in the woods. Price (5/5): While the prices don't compete with Denny's, the price isn't bad for the quality and quantity of each plate. read more

Update** I've since come back to BB a few time in the last few years and service has gotten better, still a bit of a wait though. The food has also been good with nice portions. The ambiance is load and chaotic because of how busy they are read more

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I took my family to Black Bear Diner on New Year's Day, which--according to my calculations--was already a risky operation due to people. The place was packed. We queued. We waited. Time passed in a very linear and somewhat unforgiving manner. Eventually, we were seated. Only then were we informed that they were out of chicken tenders. And hot chocolate. The hot chocolate, we were told, has been unavailable since Christmas Day, which raises several questions, none of which were answered. From a systems perspective, this is inefficient. If key menu items are unavailable, especially comfort foods that children (and frankly adults) emotionally rely on, this information should be disclosed before people commit to standing in line like obedient humans awaiting a software update. Instead, we waited, sat down, and only then discovered the truth. This is misleading, poorly managed, and a waste of valuable family time--time that could have been spent doing literally anything else, including staring at a wall. In conclusion: good bears, questionable planning. Please update your system. Or at the very least, put up a sign. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Emotion detected. Cause: hot chocolate unavailable since Christmas. System failure confirmed 01/01/2026. - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

I guess going at the peak hour for breakfast with family wasn't our best idea. It was typical for a booming establishment like this. About an hour wait for a party of 6 which was reasonable. This location was particularly small compared to others we've been to. Everything did feel very rushed, staff running around trying to stay on top of things is great and all but you lost a bit of the hospitable customer service at the same time. Our server was great, checking in on us and food came out really quick so definitely no issues there. Our table however, had fries and other crumbs of food on the floor which wasn't ideal. All in all a good experience. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Strawberry Waffle - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

Been a regular and frequent customer since Black Bear opened its doors in Downey. This morning ((Saturday, Aug 22) there quite a few people waiting for a table, not unusual for a weekend morning here. When we (party of two) approached the host station, there was one couple talking to the host. He told them it was a 25 minute wait for a table. They said OK fine, gave him their name, then they took a seat nearby. We approached, told him we would like to sit at the counter where there were two available seats. He said sure, that's "open seating." Meaning it doesn't require putting your name on the same waitlist as a table. Meaning if it's open when you call it, it should be available to you. It's pretty much what we do every time we eat here ... for years now. As he was about to hand us a couple of menus, the couple that had just requested their name be added to the waitlist for a table jumped up, snatched the menus from the host's hand, and said "We'll take those seats." And off to the counter they were. The host looked at us sheepishly, shrugged and said, "Do you want to wait for the bar to open?" We immediately said "no" and left. It was an exhibition of low-class, entitled, and crude behavior from the sad couple. They are who they are. Class and civility are in short supply I guess. But what was really disappointing was the clumsy, clueless, incompetent handling on the part of host. We will never eat at Black Bear Diner again. Like. Never. read more

The food portions were great and taste was good. Really followed through on how we requested the food. The con is that my food wasn't that warm and my dad's food was cold. The waitress was nice and offered to get different eggs, warmer, but by the time she had checked in we were already halfway through our food. We did wait for the food for a bit and did notice a table get their food before us despite us getting seated before them. It was busy but it wasn't a long wait to get seated. The place was clean and nice. Other than that, the pancakes were really good. Better than the French toast that I've tried before read more

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I need a Lunch to go asap, ordered a BLT the bread was So hard I could barely bite it, onion rings were Like 4 pcs, what! I'm not a child? An my husbands patty melt was the worst! Marbled bread who does that not worth the money at all!!! He only had 4small onion rings, really read more

My husband and I enjoy eating out for breakfast. We have visited other Black Bear Diners and the food and service were exceptional. The few visits at this diner have been really disappointing. The food is delicious. But our servers have been very rude and always in a rush. We understand that they are very busy but nonetheless the clients should feel somewhat appreciated and respected. When my husband asked me if I wanted to visit this establishment for breakfast today, the service outweighed the savory food. I had to deny his offer. Reading the other reviews maybe we will asked for Ysis to attend our table. read more

The only good was the service. I ordered Biscuits and Gravy with sausage. The gravy was very bland and the sausage was served cold. The server rectified the sausage situation. So kudos to her. It's a shame, because I had wanted to try this restaurant for some time. read more

I ordered a medium steak and the experience was very disappointing. They clearly precook the meat first and then just quickly sear it on the grill before serving. As a result, the texture felt off and it lacked the firmness and juices of a steak cooked fresh to order. If you are expecting a good steak made the traditional way, this isn't the place. Would not recommend. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - USDA Choice 10 oz New York Steak* (830 cal) - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

Met up with my mom and sister for a quick breakfast. It was my first time here, place was bigger than the signal hill location and it has tall ceilings, which I like. Right away, the host sat us down, there was no wait. Got our menus and drink orders were place. We ordered a few things: red, white and blue pancakes, the scramBOWL, the grizzly and a one egg combo. We each enjoyed our meal and everyone agreed that our meal was yummy. My pancakes were soft and flavorful, I believe I read that the pancakes are made with sweet cream, not 100% but they were tasty. I appreciate the cleanliness and welcoming environment. Plenty of people walking in while we ate, so its a busy place. read more

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Love this breakfast spot! Service is always a pleasure. Food taste very homemade and portion sizes are big. If you're looking for a diner spot this is your place. read more

One might think that with the huge crowds at this BBD location, the food must be phenomenal but I have to say that after coming here regularly (I live a few blocks away) the food is just alright. It's definitely a step above Norms/Denny's but I wouldn't say it's amazing. The item I've liked most is their veggie scramble. On another occasion I had the tuna melt and it was good. On my last visit I had the egg sandwich (I can't remember the actual name) and it was meh. It was a little cold which was odd because we went at 7am before the restaurant gets packed and we were only one of 2 maybe 3 parties there at that time. My partner got their waffle and it was so bland, it tasted like nothing. I am also not a fan of their coffee, it's super watered down. I do like that their OJ is fresh squeezed, so that's a plus. Overall I will probably continue to come back because my husband is a rewards member and he gets a free entree on his birthday but other than that, I won't say I recommend it especially because of their huge crowds and long wait times for food that's just okay. read more

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The food was absolutely awesome. Super large portions, made fresh and the chef actually knows how to cook. Large restaurant, fantastic parking, if this is not one of the best places to stop on the way to Vegas, nothing is very, very happy with this place. Great service, great food, great restaurant. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - longview the booths - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

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Short wait. Large portions. Friendly service. Love their Apple and Banana Cream Pie desserts!

I absolutely loved returning to black bear after almost 4 years of not visiting the Downey location! My server Ysis went above and beyond during my visit, and mind you it was a packed house and not once did i feel like i wasn't being taken care of! I also have to add that it was during St Patrick's Day and she was the ONLY one in spirit!! Actually reminded me that it was a holiday. The food was amazing, had chicken fried steak and the orange juice was spectacular!! I will definitely be coming back to this location and look for that server again!!! Bravo!!!! read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - BIGFOOT Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs* - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

Kyle was a fantastic server. He was friendly, attentive, and was smiling which you hardly see servers like that especially during rush hour. The food was great too. Overall, great food and friendly service... Beary much recommend! read more

The minute I stepped in, I was hit with an awful odor, I immediately noticed this restaurant has carpet which I figure that's where the odor was coming from. But as I was seated, I noticed the counters, light fixtures filled with dust. The newspaper menu is a cute idea however filled with germs, maybe they should consider laminated them for cleaning purposes. Touching newspaper like menus then touching your food is not sanitary. Overall, I couldn't stay to eat, the place in general grossed me out with its strong awful odor and dust everywhere. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Furniture in the downey location fill with dust, expected for customers to eat. - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

My sister and I frequent this diner a few times a month. We always sat in Michael's section which he is just an AMAZING person he had a wonderful personality which is why we kept coming back. Come to find out this business had fired Michael for being a little late a few times and calling off on Mother's Day for being sick. My sister and I will not be returning to Black Bear. read more

This place has cooks who don't know how to cook steaks. About a month ago, I ordered a medium rare steak, and twice they brought it to me Well Done, Today I returned to give them a second chance and ordered the steak and eggs special. They told us at 9:00 AM that the special was already sold out. This is the kind of place that attracts customers with specials and then doesn't deliver. This is called bad advertising, bad management, bad employees, and terrible service. I will never return to this place. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - NY Steak Eggs and Coffee - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

This food is bomb! Everything is so fresh and tasty! I love getting the breakfast special! I add the hot italian sausage and its perfect! I highly recommend it and the decor is just so cute with all the bears! Seriously, they have the nicest people working there! They are all so nice and are always checking in on us. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Breakfast choice - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

Great customer service since the moment I walked in food was amazing and great prices

Kyle deserves major praise for his outstanding service. He was incredibly attentive, professional, and made the entire experience exceptional. The ambiance was great comfortable, welcoming, and made the whole visit even better. Easily one of the best I've had. The banana cream pie was the cherry on top of my visit! read more

I was working from home and decided to be a lazy and order breakfast and lunch from Black Bear Diner. I placed my order online early on a Tuesday morning, a time when the place wasn't crowded so I wait it would be ready in 15 to 20 mins, and found the entire experience smooth and efficient. For breakfast, I ordered Joe's Hobo Omelette omelette (link sausage & thick-cut smoked bacon, jack cheese, cheddar cheese, spinach & onion) which was perfectly cooked. The portion size was generous which filled me up for most of the day. Lunch consisted of a cheese burger wrapped in lettuce with sweet potato fries. The burger was flavorful and generous portion size for the sweet potato fries. The order was ready for pickup in less than 20 minutes, as promised. Finding parking was hassle-free, and the food was prepared exactly as ordered. The staff was friendly and had my order ready to go when I arrived, ensuring a quick and seamless pickup. Black Bear Diner delivered on quality and convenience. Whether for take-out or dining in, I will definitely return. read more

Black Bear Diner Downey - Cheese Classic Diner Cheeseburger Basket wrapped in lettuce (1110/1350 cals.) - Diners Near Me - Downey, California

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During a visit to celebrate my wife's birthday, we received exceptional service that deserves recognition. Dafne, our server, delivered one of the most welcoming and attentive dining experiences we've had in a long time. Her professionalism, warmth, and natural ability to make guests feel at ease created a comfortable, family-like atmosphere from the moment we sat down. She consistently checked on us, anticipated our needs, and elevated the entire experience. Her service was truly outstanding. In addition, Justin, the manager, approached us after the meal to let us know he had adjusted the bill. His courtesy and transparency were appreciated and added to the positive impression of the staff. While the team as a whole was commendable, Dafne's exceptional hospitality stands out as the defining element of our visit. She helped make a special day even more memorable. We look forward to returning. read more

All they have going for them is service...they are friendly but how can a chain be so different when it comes to product. The food was bland cold and just terrible. The location in L a Habra is 1000xs better read more