The pancakes were rubbery and tasted like cardboard. Not at all fluffy like mine at home even though they did look pretty. The chicken fried steak was excellent. It was freezing cold in there as it was a cool day outside but they didn't seem to care about our complains and didn't want to turn the heat up. We ate quickly and left. Very little customers. It was questionable as to why. read more

They went out of their way to make me a Tri Tip sandwich early in the morning so kudos for that. The sandwich as I feared was not the same as it usually is at other Black Bear Diners Ive been to. I ordered deluxe and was regular. The sandwich bread was super soft and not crispy like it should be for an Au Jus sandwich. They barely gave me any dip and my fruit bowl had lettuce in it. The vanilla coffee was also unremarkable and tasted like bitter water. I'd try it again though and maybe stick to breakfast food during the morning. read more

Super excited that Black Bear Diner decided to open a location in McAllen! It was my first time going there and it felt like going to a more upscale iHOP. The interior is well-decorated with log cabin trinkets and the service here is excellent! My friend and I came here for a dinner and it was a wonderful experience. The waitress was knowledgeable and attentive. We ended up ordering the huckleberry lemonade (it only comes with 1 free refill) and it provides a refreshing and tart sensation. The huckleberry is in thick syrup, so make sure to stir your huckleberry lemonade well before drinking it. I ended up ordering the Chicken Fried Steak 2-egg classic combo with hashbrowns. The Chicken Fried Steak was crispy and the inner steak was juicy. The country gravy was thick and hearty, which paired well with the Chicken Fried Steak. The hashbrowns were a bit lackluster because they were not crispy and tasted slightly soggy. For the combo, I got both my eggs sunny-side up and the yolks were perfectly runny! Priced at under $12, the 2-egg classic combos are a tremendous value because the portion sizes are HUGE! My friend got the Chicken Avocado Club with fries. The club was packed with chicken, bacon, lettuce, and avocado. It was on the saltier side, but overall the chicken was juicy and tender. The fries were also an excellent pairing because they were crispy and seasoned well. Overall, Black Bear Diner is a wonderful and affordably priced addition to the McAllen food scene, I will be sure to stop by for Breakfast soon! read more

I will start by saying that the food took 40 minutes and in the end the food is nothing special, the portions are very large and I think the only good thing on the menu are the biscuits, I think I will never return to this place read more

Came fairly early and was seated instantly didn't get to order until about 20 mins after being here which was odd taking into account there was only two other tables. Other than that service was great. I ordered the steak and eggs with a side of grits and a order of the pancakes. I the grits were amazing the eggs were just eggs nothing crazy but the steak was absolutely horrible it wasn't seared and was very dry i do not recommend. The pancakes were amazing though i will come back but will probably stay away from the steak and get something else. read more

Food service was great!!! Thanks to OSCAR! Was on top of everything Would come back again! read more

Black Bear Diner McAllen - Diners Near Me - McAllen, Texas

The food was excellent, the service was good by waitress. However I was sat under a leaking air conditioner vent that dripped on me and my clothes and when we tried to check out the register computer and was restarted several times. An additional 30 minute wait. The attendant was apologetic however I was already upset by being under a leaking AC vent. The food was the saving grace. read more

Food substandard. Kitchen is slow. Service is poor. Been there twice. First time my order never came out. Second time, fried chicken was cold and hard. Not going back. read more

Upon first glance the "Double-B"(as the locals call it), is in a small and unassuming A-Frame building which appears almost hidden in the dense Wilderness which is called Interstate 2 in McAllen, TX, but once you grab those woodcut handles your taken back to a simpler time. A time when people said "Yes Mam" or "Yes sir" and people opened the door for their elders. You are then chauffeured to your table as if you are Lewis and Clark being guided by Sacagawea to a nearby pond to feast on the foods that nature has provided. Upon receiving the newspaper styled menu, you expect to look at the front page and see iconic headlines like "Japanese Plane Strikes USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor" or "Neil Armstrong Lands on the Moon" while drinking your freshly brewed coffee but instead your greeted by an extensive and detailed menu where every pick looks even more appetizing than the last.... Then the food is delicately prepared and deliberately presented as if you were in a log cabin in 1850's and dinner bell just rang. Bacon as if mee-maw went out back and killed the hog herself and pancakes the size of the Louisiana Purchase. The Black Bear Dinner does not disappoint. read more

Food was good. A lot of variety on the menu so good for families. Salads were fresh. Service was average, no complaints.

Nah this is crazy lmao. This having 4 stars is so on brand for the RGV. Look the service is fantastic. Always wonderful. But ambiance? Food? This is literally Denny's. Like literally probably same parent company. Imagine rating dennys a 4. read more

It is nice to have a new restaurant in town that isn't another Mexican restaurant with the exact same menu as every other place. It has a classic American diner menu. Not dissimilar to a Denny's or Cracker Barrel but a stepped up version. We tried the fried chicken which was very good, probably the best we have in this town. And the serving was huge. Basically an entire half of a chicken. We also had the chicken fried steak which was also very good. Finally we tried the chocolate cream pie which we enjoyed, but honestly the crust is too thick. Also the service was very friendly. We will come back. The only complaint I have is that the meals are very high calorie so not the place to go if you are watching what you eat. read more

Black Bear Diner McAllen - Chocolate Cream Pie (490 cals.) - Diners Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Excellent, glad that we finally got one in McAllen. Everything was amazing, from their fork tender CFS, to their loaded hashbrowns. My entree came with 2 biscuits, and they came on their own platter. My guest got the Cinnamon Roll French Toast meal, and she loved it. They provided us a sample their fresh squeezed OJ, and it was delicious. I'm definitely coming back for their lunch/dinner offerings. Bring your appetite, the portions are huge! read more

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Had a bad experience Christmas day me and my cousin went to have breakfast at McAllen location got there early, was told by staff that they were not open until 8am so I turned around to let my cousin know as I walked out the lady locked the door behind me .that was very rude of her she could have offered us to wait in seating area until they opened but didn't. I work at a restaurant myself our seating area is small but I make my customers feel wanted and this lady didn't care.so I'm not sure if I will be turning to restaurant, owner texted me Text him back never heard from him or her yet . read more

Had a delicious brunch here the other day, I loved the Classic eggs benedict and my son really enjoyed his chicken strips. There was a wait when we got there, but the best part was we were able to leave and track our place in line online. Highly recommend here. read more

Black Bear Diner McAllen - Diners Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Decided to do an impromptu breakfast date and now I'm obsessed! I got the sweet cream pancakes with sausage, and scrambled eggs. The pancakes were so delicious, the sausage links had a little kick to them which I loved and the eggs were fresh. I also got the biscuits and gravy and let me tell you, that had to be my favorite! I'm so happy that I have leftovers! My daughter got the same and hers came with fresh fruit. My husband got chicken fried steak and it was very hearty! He even had leftovers. One thing I was impressed about, was the fact that the orange juice is fresh squeezed! There's something about that little detail that shows me they really put effort into the meals they bring out to you. This is my new favorite breakfast spot, you won't regret trying it! I should also add the decor is so cute and cozy! Black bears all over and even a little section to buy shirts and stuffed animals! read more

Enjoyed this place today, everything was perfect. The food was delicious, place was clean and service was amazing from the greeting to checkout. read more

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Delicious! Great customer service. The staff was very accommodating and kept checking up on our table. The food was 10 out of 10. Big portions. I definitely recommend and will be returning. read more

Black Bear Diner McAllen - Crispy Chicken Cobb Salad (1060-1560 cals.) - Diners Near Me - McAllen, Texas

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Our server was friendly and efficient, which made the overall dining experience that much better. I got the Bear's choice with 2 over medium eggs, bacon, sweet cream pancakes, and an added side of hash browns. The bacon was cooked to perfection and the pancakes were a 10 out of 10. The eggs were runny just how I like them. I asked for Cholula sauce, however, Black Bear Diner manufactures their own spicy sauce (similar to Cholula), so I drizzled that over my eggs. The spicy sauce had just a hint of spice and added some excitement to the eggs. The hash browns were cut thick and had a nice crunch/texture and tasted delicious. My cousin ordered the avocado toast entree with a side of fruit and she really enjoyed her meal as well. I'd say the food and service was without a doubt superior to IHOP and Denny's. I will be dining here again sometime. read more

Black Bear Diner McAllen - Bear's Choice with 2 over medium eggs, Thick-Cut Smoked Bacon, Sweet Cream Pancakes, and an added side of Strip-Cut Hash Browns - Diners Near Me - McAllen, Texas

Walked over from our hotel. Service is so great. Food is good ole home style cooking , salad was so very fresh n crisp. I ordered the tri strip steak. Was good, baked loaded potatoe was incredible, best green beans ever. Husband had chicken fried steak which I took a few bites from was beyond great tasting. Best part was coconut pie we took to go. So so so good!! read more

Black Bear Diner McAllen - Outdoor decor - Diners Near Me - McAllen, Texas

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This was our second choice last night. First place was closed. We had a group of ten people and they had no warning. The staff handled it pretty well. Our waiter was good st handling the orders even though we did have some perpetually picky people. (Like mayo in place of thousand island on the reuben,half ranch half blue cheese etc.) The food was not great but not terrible. It was what it was supposed to be but nothing outstanding. That said we would probably go back if we were really hungry. The portions are LARGE. read more

Their breakfast is good. Last time I went for lunch I ordered the meatloaf, 10 minutes later they came to tell me they were out. I ordered their fried fish, to me, no flavor. read more

This place is a big step up from any other. The food is magnificent with every bite being worth it. If you try this place please don't let a small detail bother you cause there is just so much that out weighs the cons. The staff is friendly and the service is great even on a busy day. If you decide to try it out, I highly suggest the cream waffle. It has a sweet flavor that melts in your mouth. Definitely my favorite place in McAllen. read more

I want to give a shout out to Rosario, Fanny, and Eric! Three top-notch servers at Black Bear! They really strive to make your meal is prepared right and they are very attentive. I never have to worry about my order being wrong whenever they are working. We need more servers like them! read more

Wait staff was very pleasant BUT we left after 30 minutes and no food! Apparently one of the cooks was out - we should've been told when we arrived so we wouldn't have wasted our time! Coffee was on the house which was a small consolation- Frst and last time there. read more

We stopped by on a Sunday night about 1 hour before closing. The waiter and manager were very helpful, very accommodating. The egg scramble was delicious. I didn't really care for the amount of potatoes on the plate, but the eggs were great. Fruit was fresh too. Would visit again.. Since closing time was approaching and there were maybe a handful (maybe less) of customers, the kitchen staff started to play their Spanish music, but the manager advised them to lower the music or turn it off completely. He appeared to have a good handle on managing the staff. read more

So not to sure about these types of places but we were really surprised. The coffee is no Starbucks, but it is definitely flavorful diner coffee. The chicken fried steak and eggs were great. The steak was well seasoned a cooked nicely and served with THREE eggs!! Now, the clincher was the waffle! Order the waffle! The best waffle we've had at a restaurant! Go try it! read more

Service was good but the food was not up to par on this visit. I guess I'll stick to breakfast!

This place is newly opened at this location, for about four months. It wasn't too busy for dinner on a Friday. Perhaps Texans aren't familiar with Black Bear yet. Having been to many of these in California, they have the same great menu and large portions. Plenty big portions even by Texas standards. Can't go wrong with their comfort food options. They also serve breakfast all day. They make their own salad dressings and the warm corn muffins are tasty as well. Service was great and the ambiance clean and well suited for the holidays. read more

They yelled at us because we wanted a different seat and they had their backs on us they were talking about us.w

Plates are well proportioned .... Make sure you go with a big appetite .....Avocado Toast1 Egg* & 2 Slices of Thick-cut Smoked Bacon

It's Mother's Day and every restaurant we tried had long wait lines. Decided to try Black Bear, wait was only 20 minutes. Once we were seated, our waiter Isaiah was friendly, polite and handled our orders with ease. In spite of the crowd, he came by our table several times asking if food was to our satisfaction. We all enjoyed our meals. Looking forward to our next visit. read more

Due to an early morning meeting last Wednesday I arrived here at 10:35 for a late breakfast . Food was pretty good but wow i ordered a simple western omelet , it took at least 30 minutes if not a little longer for it to be delivered to my table . It was not crowded either . Not sure why it took so long but I asked the server to please check on the order . Food was pretty good but i find that too slow for an omelet ! read more

We went on a really busy morning and the food came out super fast and tasted great! Service was friendly! Highly recommend!

Service was fast and friendly. Food was delicious. Lots of variety to the menu. Was there for breakfast and had eggs Benedict. Woodland decor. read more

Excellent place. I recommend the waffles. The service was great and there not to many people during the week.

Totally a breakfast place! Had lunch and was not impressed... The coffee was very tasty and the waitress very polite! If I had to choose between this restaurant or Cracker Barrel (cb) .. lunch for CB read more

Omg, i love breakfast and am very picky with my food. I am critical to get what i want. This place is EXCELLENT!!!! PERFECT!!!! Bring uour appetite. The food taste grt. U will be stuffed. WELCOME TO THE RGV. read more

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Waiting time around 9am for 3ppl was about 5mins. Customer service was great, respectful and attentive Meals were served within 10 mins of ordering Kids meals: chocolate chip pancakes w/ whipped cream, fluffy buttery Egg Benedict (creamy sauce, avocado, bacon and spinach on top of English muffin) flavorful! read more

Went in for lunch and the restaurant was packed. We sat at the bar area and watched as the kitchen and staff interacted. Their manager is on point with the food going out and made sure food was hot and the orders were correct. Their staff was very friendly and attentive to our needs. They asked if we had a time limit so they could make sure we were out on time. Food was delicious! Definitely going back! read more