I was coming back towards the Sacramento area with my crew last week after finishing field location work further south in Modesto. We needed some dinner quick and I checked the GPS and this Black Bear Diner came up nearby. I've had pretty good luck with Back Bear in the past, so I decide to come here. The inside looks similar to all the other Black Bears, you'd expect that with a big chain like this. The server was over ight away and took my order. I've seen the fish and chips on the menu before, but never had it , till now! It arrives with 3 pretty decent sized fried fish pieces. It's some white fish, not sure which one, pretty sure it's not halibut though. It's probably pollock I think. It came with a big pile of chips (fries in American!) It included coleslaw and a salad. The salad was decent and had good tomatoes. The house 1000 island dressing was good too. The coleslaw was a bit too wet for my taste, but it is what it is here, I'd get more fries instead of the coleslaw. Someone else on the crew got the steak and eggs and another got some slad with meat on ot, I forgot wha tit was called. Overall it was a good experience and I'd come back. read more

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Horrible I tried calling no answer I ordered pot roast I received hardly nothing No fork napkins nor food Corn was disgusting Tossed it away I will never go back Complete B.S. read more

Came here on Easter morning because we were craving French Toast and didn't want to cook. We were promptly greeted upon entry with a smile. We were quickly seated at a freshly cleaned table. The restaurant was pretty busy however, our server took our order within minutes. The food came out in a pretty quickly for how busy it was too. The food itself was pretty good. I really liked the Bread Pudding French Toast. We substituted the bananas for strawberries. I personally liked it better without the fruit on there altogether, on the side is fine. The French toast was crunchy on the outside yet. Had a delicious soft yummy layer on the inside. I think the praline bits really set it off. Since the French toast was lacking protein, we ordered Joe's Hobo Omelette and added bell peppers to it. The omelette was decent, but tasted a little dry. The potatoes were soggy / mushy. I wish they were cooked longer and crispier. The flavor was good though. The biscuit was huge! Which only made it that much more disappointing how dry it was. Overall the meal was great, the ambiance was nice, the service was delightful. I will definitely be back here for breakfast, but I would love to explore the rest of the menu as well. Bread Pudding French Toast = 4.7 out of 5 Joe's Hobo Omelette = 3.9 out of 5 read more

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Stopped back in to grab a quick breakfast to go & I ordered the blackened salmon again. Yes you can order it even at 10:30a. Staff who assisted me was super patient and nice. It was busy. I stopped in Sunday morning around 10:30. Still haven't tried their desserts but next time. While waiting for my order, I was reading all the signs and pictures posted. They have someone who carves all the cute bears all over the restaurant. The little merch bears are too cute. I almost bought one while waiting but I really don't need it. Super cute for kiddos though. read more

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Always nice coming here. The parking lot is a good size for this smaller than usual Black Bear. Most of the ones I have been to are a lot bigger. no worries here. It's what you would expect from their restaurants. All good comfort food. It was really busy on this day so my wife and i took seats at the counter. I think around 8 seats here so no waiting. If we would of waited for the main dinning area it was long. We were already eating by the time we would of gotten a seat. They had a new bread pudding French toasts. So I had to try it. i added eggs and bacon too. It came out and looked great but the bread pudding was over cooked and kind of hard. So a bit of a fail. I think if they cooked it right it could of be good. I wish I just stuck with the bear claw French toast. The wife got breakfast combo with a waffle . She liked it a lot . Nice place for breakfast and we will come here again read more

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Came here last week for some lunch. We had the chicken and avocado club with fries, tri tip sandwich with peppers, onions and cheese and a side salad with blue cheese dressing. The food was fresh, tasty and served hot to order which was appreciated. Our server Rita was attentive, kind and gave great customer service! Everyone was very nice! We will be back for sure. read more

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My first time here. The newspaper menu and restaurant history was a nice touch but made me feel old. Lol The Shasta Scramble and hash brown was cooked perfectly and delicious. Seasoning is on the lower side which is perfectly fine because not everyone wants or needs all that sodium. The biscuit and gravy was a huge disappointment. Biscuits were more a roll and the gravy didn't appear to have any sausage bits. Green beans were good, as well as the waffle, eggs and chicken sausage. I met up with an old friend to catch up. We wanted to be able to sit a while and catch up. We were not there long but it was obvious that they didn't want us to stay longer than we were as they stopped topping off our coffee, water, brought the check and boxes while we were still eating. They really didn't check on us after they dropped off the food. *warning* double check the tip recommendation. My bill was $34.54. The tip recommendation for 18% was $10 and change. We did it at the counter, so I just went with it because I didn't want to hold up the line. But, $10+ on $34.54 is not 18%. I really should have taken my time and think about it next time instead of going off what they recommended. read more

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A good place when you're craving diner food. Came here for brunch on a the weekend and was seated quickly. Their menu is big and you can customize a lot of options so there is something for everyone. I got 2 eggs poached with ham. Ham is a decent cut and not skimpy thin. Biscuit and potatoes were pretty standard. I think I like the crispness of the hashbrown more though. Service is pretty standard. Prices are good for the portions you get. read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - 2 eggs with ham and The GRIZZ in back - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

We're back again. No wait time. Nice Halloween decorations. This is all you can eat Fish Fry Friday at 4pm. This is our first fish fry and I must tell you that it's delicious and served heat hot. The order comes with 2 pollock fish, Hush Puppies, Coleslaw & French Fries. Our server Fatima was excellent always checking in on us making sure that everything was ok. For dessert we ordered Chocolate Cream Pie & Chocolate Cake to go. We will be back. read more

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If you want diner comfort food, this is the place. Good size portions and a lot of items to choose from. I read somewhere or heard Black Bear Diners are always located close to a highway. I've only come to eat breakfast once in a while. I think the breakfast is ok to pretty good. It's hit or miss. Depends on what you get and if the cooks made it well. I've only tried their Chicken pot pie for dinner. That was ok, not great. Service is not consistent but most of the time they the servers are nice and pretty good. This place does get busy over the weekends. You have to get there early. read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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Kids love the pancakes and sundae they get with their meal. I've been a couple of times. The portions are decent. But it's pretty standard for black bear. The steaks are always good, but they didn't cook it to my desired temperature on my last outing. Good family restaurant with good service. read more

Made a return visit while back in town and went with the Breakfast Club this time. Definitely a much better choice than the burger from my last review. Generous portion and ended up taking half home for dinner that night. I really wanted to give the place 5 stars, but our very friendly server rarely stopped at our table to check up on us and see if we needed a drink refill. Better luck next time. read more

Went a couple weeks ago with my grandaughter. Ordered the fried chicken. The batter was burnt.

Went here for quick breakfast while visiting family. Service - server was prompt and attentive. He was also friendly and patient as I changed my mind several times about what I wanted to order. Food - loved my bread pudding French toast. It was moist on the inside and had crispy outer edges. It was perfectly creamy with the custard interior, and it was sweet without being over the edge. I'd come back for it. My husband liked his pancakes, and our older son liked his sprinkles pancakes off of the kid's menu too. Value - huge portions for diner prices. Nothing fancy but just decent food. We'd return. read more

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Dropped in for a quick breakfast this morning. We've been here many times before and we are usually satisfied with the food and the service. However, today we encountered Rita our server. She greeted us shortly after being seated and took very good care of us the entire time during our meal. She was friendly and attentive during our visit and made us feel special. We got seated in the room off the main dining area and it was empty. No noisy conversations to contend with or screaming kids! LOL THANKS RITA!! 10 stars for you! read more

Food was amazing, service was great. Perfect sound level for us to enjoy our meal. Rachel had the Eggs Benedict and it was quite delightful. I had the Western Bbq Burger cooked to perfection. Mom's blackened Salmon was a hit and she ate all of her plate and she rarely eats all her plate. read more

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We went on a Sunday at 11:30. It was packed, but we only had to wait 5 minutes for a table. Everyone was friendly! My 1 year old got the Happy Cub cake. She seemed to enjoy it and it came with an ice cream sundae! :) I had the fish and chips. It came with 3 pieces of fish. The first 2 were great, but the last fish was inedible :( it was super rubbery and I couldn't even cut it with my fork so I had to take away a star. Our server was nice, but barely stopped by our table :( They also have high chairs available. The bathrooms were clean and it does have a baby changing table. read more

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Wow! I still can't get over how big the portions are here! I came here for my free birthday meal and ordered the biscuits and gravy with sausages and scrambled eggs. My husband ordered the French toast with sausages and over easy eggs. Everything tasted good, but I have to say the biscuits were too dry and tasted like they were not made to order. I think next time I'll order the waffles instead. Other than that, staff were friendly, but understaffed. We waited long for the food to come out! read more

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The perfect diner experience. I've tried Black Bear all over the state- and they never miss. They have tons of menu options- even a "lighter" meal that is one egg- which is perfect for me. Coffee is always hot and refilled. I can also drink their coffee black- which I don't find at many restaurants. The best part? The BACON!! It's actually thick cut bacon- so rare to find nowadays especially at a casual diner like this!!! Friendly staff. It's a family staple- so happy they opened one here in Elk Grove. Although they have a parking lot- it can get full fast! So just be mindful of that. It can also get very busy, especially during peak hours, so don't be surprised if there's a wait. Ps - if you / are dining with a Veteran they give a discount at the register (just make sure to let to them know, and thanks for your service!) read more

Edit: original review still left under the edit. They are quick to reach out with their stock response, but as you see in my review images I ALREADY reached out to their corporate email with the location, as well as my phone number and I have yet to hear back from anyone. Ignore their instant response, they don't gaf about customers, nor their allergy protocol. Original review: Well, i used to love black bear diner, mainly the vacaville location, and I will NEVER return due to the experience I had in the Elk Grove location. I messaged their corporate email and have never gotten a response, included is the first email i sent them. We had an onion allergy at the table and were told the cooks would be upset for having to follow an allergy protocol by our server. The manager came out to guarantee that there is an allergy protocol they follow but the included pictures will show otherwise. So again, if you have an allergy STAY AWAY from Black Bear, because they seem to care more about a cook throwing a temper tantrum than someone's life read more

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This time I ordered the Bacon Avacado Eggs Benedict. Under cooked bacon and overcooked Eggs Benedict left me underwhelmed. Staff was very nice. read more

Black Bear Diner is surprisingly good and consistently serves up solid meals. There's always a line out the door because everyone else knows they have reasonably priced meals, good portions, tasty dishes, and the service is great. We've had countless brunches at this location in Elk Grove and I've not been disappointed. It's a bit loud inside, the decor is kitchy with country/black bears everywhere, there's plenty of parking, and you'll leave with a satisfied smile. My favorite dishes are the basic brunch dishes (fried eggs, sausage) and their pancakes. read more

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Brought over my Mom's patient to past the time away. He's in his late 70s and I wanted to take him out for dinner for fun. He hardly goes places sometimes I wanted him to be happy. I got the Prime Rib and he got the Roasted Turkey. In my observation, I've enjoyed my Prime Rib. So tender and delicious. It was nice seeing my Mom's patient enjoy himself. He looked happy and commented what he loved about his Roasted Turkey. He said, "yes this is very good!" - The waitress was kind and patient. It was wonderful to do something nice for someone who is cooped up in the house all day. read more

Fantastic service, great food, huge portions, and a welcoming environment for kids! Great place for breakfast! Our kids love coming here. I also highly recommend the dish in the photo. I forgot the name but it's new, has banana and caramel, and it tastes like amazing, moist French toast! Will definitely be back and would recommend for families! read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - New item! - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Had breakfast there today and was thoroughly happy and sufficiently full. The food was delicious and the plates were plentiful. Our server was great!! I definitely will go back to try other entrees. They have a really large menu. Today we did breakfast... we had the Hungry Bear, a hearty plate of food, 2 bacon, 2 sausage, a nice piece of ham, 3 eggs, one side (country potatoes), and two of the best-tasting pancakes I've ever eaten, and I don't eat them often. The orange juice was freshly squeezed.... delicious All food is prepared as ordered so the wait to eat was a bit long and the entree cost is well worth it for the amount of food. They have ample parking. Satisfied Customer!! read more

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We had breakfast here and ordered The Grizz, one item from the kid's menu, and Bear's Choice. The portion sizes seem to have gotten smaller compared to how I remember them. The pancakes were thin and not as fluffy as before, and the ham that came with the dish was very small. The food was okay, but it didn't feel like the same quality or value from past visits. read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - Bear's Choice - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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I've been a fan of the Bear for years, but on a recent visit to this location they really really screwed up. This is NOT a well done hamburger. Pissed me off because this was a takeout order and after my 30 minute drive home my other half (who is severely immunocompromised) took a bite, chewed it up and swallowed it. That's when we learned it was pukeworthy raw. Had there been any pathogens in there my other half would be DEAD. Sacramento County's health department didn't do squat, and Black Bear's Corporate Office refused to respond. Fuck you BEAR! read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - This is Black Bear's definition of well done. - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Me and my wife did a pick up order for breakfast. My wife ordered me a chicken sausage scramble with eggs, vegetables and potatoes. The customer service was great and helpful. The scramble was very delicious and flavorful. The ambiance is customer service friendly. read more

Large portions, fresh food, and service are great. You can always count on black bear to get full, and I love that you get free breakfast as a member of their rewards club. read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

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I have eaten here 3 times. First time i was there, they were amazing in both food and service. However, my last 2 visits weren't like that. Servers weren't attentive because they said they were too busy. Our food was half cooked. I told the server about it, they remake it and still weren't cooked properly. I like their newspaper menu, but their food is not worth the price they charge. read more

Great parking, greeted by a very friendly nice lady with big smile, good seating, immediate service, ordered Tuna melt and fries. Disappointed by food: Tuna smelled and tasted fishy, not fresh. Fries were probably precooked and reheated. meh. read more

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The LARGEST serving of food on a plate !!! I've NEVER been to a diner that serves as much food on a plate as Big Bear Diner. I am visiting the Sacramento area and decided to visit this restaurant since a diner always has something for everyone! We dined in around 2:30pm during a midweek. Some of us ordered breakfast, lunch, and dinner entrees. To me, each plate is equivalent to 2 meals. YES, that is exactly how much food we each received! LOTS! The assistant manger was surprised at our amazement . I ordered a veggie omelette, very filling. I do prefer the veggies to be more cooked, less raw. It was too crunchy. Same with the hash brown, bc although the potatoes were shredded, it needed longer cooking time since these are wider shreds (1/4", as oppose to the traditional 1/8".) My mom ordered a taco salad. I am NOT joking, their taco bowl was like a taco bucket! HUGE! The kitchen kindly gave my mom extra salsa and dressing, which is much needed with the portion of food! Side note, even their biscuit is the size of a softball. Normally biscuits are the size of a baseball. We had a great experience, and customer service is TOP notch! We automatically got extra napkin replenishments and water refills. Definitely check out this restaurant when you are extra hungry, or pack the leftovers to go! They do not disappoint! read more

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Love coming here for a breakfast T- bone and eggs Staff is amazing and fast I always get the perfect pie recommendations and I never leave without 1 Shout out to the seniors menu a balanced meal options at a great price read more

Even though we pass by this place like thousands of times, today is the first time we actually try their food. We ordered take out online. The process is very smooth and easy. As I entered the store, I am like a kid amazed by the decors both outside and inside! And yes all those stuff animals! If I were a kid and had a birthday or special occasion, I will beg my parents to take me here! The young lady behind the counter is super nice and friendly! In case she is so nice she made my day and I felt as if I were living in the southern states! Superb service! She greeted me as I entered, ask for my name as I indicated I was here for the take out, and handed me my order with a cheerful greetings. The food is well packed and that brief interactions is just great! We ordered the burger, fish and chips with salad, and a slice of cake. Everything is well packed! The taste is average, and thus the four stars review. It might be because we went around 4 pm when the cook is not around or something. They are definitely eatable, but not wow. The meat in the burger is well done (we ordered medium). The fish and chips is seasoned well but not that awesome. We think maybe also because we got take out. If we dine in there it is probably better. The cole slaw is blend. The salad is crisp but the thousand island dressing is not good (but then they didn't make the dressing probably so not their fault). The fries, because we had it as takeout, could have been better. Lots of butter provided for the cornbread. No ketchup provided, which is actually fine for us as we have a very preference on a specific Portland branded organic ketchup (seriously best ketchup ever!). We think if they use paper boxes instead of plastics, it will definitely enhance the take out experience (those poor slice of lettuce under the fish). We looking forward to return and dine in for a better food experiences! read more

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Another Bear diner we always stop at them. Love the oldies music.. from start to finish great service. Rita was right with us asking for our drink order a little conversation to see how we are how our day was going.... Place was clean. We ordered corn beef hash Rita came out to tell us they were already out and promptly took another order. The sausage patty was really good not overly spiced. The biscuit and gravy are to best fluffy biscuits with the gravy hot and tasted great. Great experience. read more

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Love the service and hospitality here! On the weekends, it can get packed from the weekend I was here. Came in for brunch and I adore the rustic camp-like feel of the restaurant. Such a great selection for brunch! I ordered my classic chicken and waffles and eggs Benedict. You gotta add their homemade hot sauces as each as their distinct flavors. I believe they mentioned their hot sauce mama bear, papa bear, and baby bear hot sauce can be sold. Too bad I had other errands, otherwise, I definitely wouldve bought it as a set. thanks Black Bear diner! I shall be back! :) read more

Our Hostess was wonderful, the servers were funny and entertaining, BUT the food was absolutely amazing. I LOVE the "Grid" bacon , eggs, chunk of ham, sausage, potatoes , AND 2 fluffy pancakes !! Fantastic breakfast and lunch for later read more

This morning had Breakfast/ lunch. Food was Excellent. We were greeted by (Nicole) our waitress, nice smile, professional and knows her job ! While eating (Luis) I think manager came by to see if everything was fine. That makes you feel important , like he is looking out for you. The place is nice and clean. Will do it again !! read more

My friend and I came to Black Bear Diner after work to redeem our free Bear Choice rewards from signing up to become their e club member. It gives you the option to pick two eggs cooked your way, 2 pancakes or waffle, and 2 slices of bacon or 2 sausage link. We both got pancakes, over easy eggs, and she got bacon and I got sausage so we could try both. I haven't had black bear in years but I alway remembered how gigantic their pancakes were. They gave us two FAT pancakes, they were delicious. I didn't love that they had a piece of lettuce underneath it because my pancake absorbed a slight lettuce taste. Other than that, I loved the pancakes! They were so fluffy. The eggs were cooked perfectly! The sausage and bacon was also scrumptious. I usually am more of a sausage girl than bacon, but their bacon was a killer. I would come back and try their other breakfast goodies! I love breakfast for dinner and Black Bear Diner was really yummy! read more

Black Bear Diner Elk Grove - Bears Choice with Pancakes, Sausage Link, and Two Eggs. - Diners Near Me - Elk Grove, California

Service was fast and quick ! Even though this place is always mostly packed . Lots of options to choose from the menu and the food is overall good compared to other chain restaurants. Cute decorations on the inside and nice restaurant to take the kids , family friendly read more