We had been looking forward to going here! It was fantastic! The bear and wild life decor and jute box it was packed! The staff were fantastic! I has dinner there and got the fish and chips plate. They served these giant biscuits. All in all beyond 5 stars If you want dessert and choose not for a large helping try the huckleberry ice cream read more

Huge selection of menu items. Pricing is great and portions are large. Staff is super friendly. Love the decor.

Parking is terrible They need to figure that out because they're losing customers I drove around the lot for 10 minutes waiting for all the cars infront to try and find parking while everyone is honking and fighting over customer's spots when they are leaving. It's a mad house. I actually came here earlier in the week with the same issue. Got lucky with parking. Once we gave the waitress our order, food took about 20 minutes to be served, which one plate was cold. We were constantly trying to swat the flies by our table which seemed odd. Then as we were eating, we were given our check and was told "no rush" however that automatically felt like we were pushed to get out. After attempting a second try and the parking was terrible, I left and won't be coming back as well telling my friends and family about this experience. read more

Black Bear Diner - Customers trying to find parking - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vista, California

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Went for lunch at this establishment today. Ate at one in St. George's awhile back, very good. Vista location was sad. Ordered meat loaf which was good but each slice was a half inch in size if that. Portions were a complete joke. Had to ask for napkins and a fork and should have checked food before I left as they forgot my salad. They seemed disoriented or maybe needed more training. They were all nice and smiles. Ever since Covid they have shrunk the portions and raised the price. The apple cobbler's crust was hard and they use apple sauce with canned apples. Nothing here to see I wish them the best. read more

My bacon was pre-cooked and served cold same with my home fries. I go to McDonald's for pre-cooked food.The eggs were runny. Then to top it off they didn't honor the coupon because I made a substitution. Wow what a first impression I got read more

Above and Beyond Service;-) Real cheesy dining room decor "filled with all things' Bear;-)))" Humongous Portions for breakfast, "the most important meal of the day" double dare ya to clean your plate!!! read more

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I have been wanting to try this place for years now, my family is always raving about Black Bear Diner! So happy I found a moment last weekend to swing by for a quick dinner. The portions were great I even had leftovers for lunch the next day. My friend got a delicious breakfast meal for dinner and the pancakes were so good! But what really made the experience great was the service. Our server RoseAnne was exceptional, her smile lit up the room, she was on top of every detail and even though she was busy we still felt like we were her only table. She even dropped the check with this cute "Bear-y glad you came in" stamp! It's in the details for me! I would come back based on her alone and just so happy Vista finally has a BBD!! read more

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

Had the three sausage links and 2 eggs over medium with fresh fruit (pick up order). The eggs were cooked to perfection!! The fruit ripe and delicious. The sausage was yummy but I only got 2 . That is my only ding. Being that they are so new, they get a pass this time. Will be back! Hopefully get 3 sausages next time, only reason I didn't give them 5 stars. read more

We were excited to try out this long awaited Black Bear Diner. We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Our server was Kristy. She was amazing. She was very helpful. We had questions and she was wonderful. The food was abundant and delicious. The sweet potato fries were the best I have tasted. The chicken pot pie was even better than Marie Calendar's. The chicken fried steak was so crispy and yet moist. We indulged and had the fresh squeezed OJ and it was well worth the price. My husband had the macaroni and cheese with bacon - it was very rich and creamy. We definitely going back !!! read more

First time in to any Black Bear ever and used the reward they sent for signing up. Gotta say, pretty worth it and the amount of food you get for the price is totally better than most spots! Insane! Definitely will be back . Wait may be a little long depending but like most places, and whether have enough staff or not, still worth it. read more

Black Bear Diner - Black bear - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vista, California

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Terrible customer service. My family went in on Wednesday night 540pm. We were surprised to find there was no line in fact the host got us seated right away. Looking around, there were Plenty of empty tables still. After 15-20mins, we waited around before asking if our server could at least bring water or take our drink order. A few mins later we were greeted by our server who then told us the kitchen is backed up and current processing time was an hour. I felt as though, we could have been told of this delay in the beginning prior to being seated. If given that information, We would have respected that and returned at a time they were not as "busy". read more

I and a friend ordered the one biscuit and gravy with two sausage links. The amount of gravy was insufficient to cover both halves of the biscuit. Yes, I could have asked for more gravy but why and this was my test visit for the new opening. Not impressed. The wait was short enough. The service was great. The restaurant was very busy. I have heard so much about the portion sizes here. The biscuit was just OK, Just light on gravy. May try again in a month or so. read more

This was our first time at black bear diner, We love foods that are similar to denny style and Ihop so we gave it a shot. Been waiting 1hour and the people around us that JUST came got their food before us (KEEP IN MIND THEIR FOOD ARE THE TYPES THAT TAKE LONGER) we ordered simple stuff that you personally can throw in the microwave if you really wanted too, when we recieved our food it was MAD COLD like straight from the fridge. ONLY GOOD THING was the customers around us letting us know they felt bad for the amount of time we waited and let us know they made complains for us as well. We did let our server know were were dissapointed and would not be tipping. DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT EVER COME HERE EVER !!! TRUST ME !! DONT COME. (IGNORE THE ONE STAR THEY DID NOT DESERVE ANY!!! but sadly i have to add a star) read more

First of all, I live a couple of blocks from this location and had to look at the "Coming Soon" banners for at least two years. I couldn't figure out why someone would by so much signage without first ensuring they had all permits in place? Disposable money I guess. Anyhoo, when it finally opened we waited a couple of weeks as it always looked packed (a good sign?) and we went during off peak hours. Like 7:30 am on a Wednesday. The barstools were kind of cute at the breakfast counter, but overall, it was kind of drab. The entrance also is like a gift shop with cheapie-touristy bear stuff. None of that is really important though, because it's the food we're there for! BIG disappointment! Their motto is they want guests to be "WOWED " when their plates arrive. We kind of were actually, but nit in the good way, more like "wow, this is not what I was expecting." Portions are normal sized, not over, hash browns were of course not called hash browns , but rather "wide cut potatoes" basically fat hash browns, and were awful. The waffle was rubbery, French toast was NOT super thick as advertised, and eggs were just eggs, nothing exceptional. For two breakfasts with coffee, it cost us $60 with tip. The best part of the experience was the waiter, he was very friendly and helpful, I think his name was Steve? Also, the menu is kind of hard to read in its current format, which is like a one page newspaper. I will stick with IHOP where I can eat the same thing, ever better prepared, for about $25 with tip included, that's for two people! IHOP. Has a $7 value menu that's hard to find, but they give you 5 or 6 options and you might actually say "WOW" when the food arrives, ( in the good way!") read more

Poor quality food for the price. Paid for an extra side of toast and it was hardly toasted, kids pancakes missing whipped cream (small detail but kids look forward to it). Food was dropped off and I asked for silverware which took two tries to actually deliver. New opening, hopefully they work out the kinks and improve the food quality. Also, the service is so slow. We were done eating at waited about 15 - 20 mins for server to come back and give us a check or even ask if we needed boxes. Any attention would have been good. But we sat and waited patiently... read more

Black Bear Diner - $4 side of untoasted toast. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vista, California

Food is fine, it's like slightly better than Denny's. I'm vegetarian though, and they put bacon in their ranch, just FYI for anyone like me, I thought it was an accident but it's intentional. Skip this one and go to Mama Kat's if you want a breakfast spot that cares about the vegetarians/vegans. read more

I visited Black Bear Diner on Sunday for my birthday, and unfortunately the experience started off on the wrong foot. I was waiting behind another customer who was speaking with the hostess. When that customer left, I was next in line. Suddenly another woman walked up beside me and gave her name because her table was ready. Instead of helping me, even though I had been waiting there first, the hostess immediately turned her attention to the other woman. I politely said, "Excuse me, I was here before her. My table is also ready." Rather than acknowledging the situation or apologizing for the confusion, the hostess gave me a dirty look and said nothing. I even commented that I didn't realize there were two lines because I had been waiting behind the customer she was already helping, while the other woman had just walked up. The food was good, our waitress was great but first impressions matter. Being ignored and treated rudely by the hostess, especially on my birthday, left a negative impression on what should have been a special meal. I hope management addresses customer service at the host stand so future guests feel welcomed and respected. read more

Great addition to Vista area! As a Southern girl, I'm picky about my sweet tea and grits, and Black Bear Diner did not disappoint! Both were delicious. The food was delicious, and served in generous portions. My only critique is that the greens were a little underseasoned for my taste. Overall, a great experience, and I'll definitely be back! The staff were friendly, attentive, and provided excellent service. The restaurant was clean and welcoming. Looking forward to coming back! read more

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NOW OPEN! They are very busy and still learning a bit so please give them a little grace. One of our favorite casual places to go. Glad we no longer need to drive sn hour to get there! read more

We've been waiting forever for them to open, so we were excited to finally try it! Overall, the food was decent diner fare--not amazing, but not bad either. The service was great; our server, Jordan, was very attentive and made our experience enjoyable. We also liked the atmosphere and look forward to coming back. read more

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Kids loved it, eggs and bacon were really great. Coffee was surprisingly good for diner coffee! We have been waiting patiently and finally enjoyed breakfast here on the first day of summer to celebrate! read more

I just ate at the newly opened branch in Vista and i can only say one thing: the only thing you may have to really deal with is the table wait (mainly because the place is so popular). Other than that... You. Are. In. For. A. Treat! The food is reasonably priced and beyond tasty and hearty. You honestly can't lose with anything you order there; it's that good. The wait staff is attentive, friendly, and always willing to make the experience great. The atmosphere is a welcomed combination of laid back and cozy, very much a place to cool your heels. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for something good. read more

The wait was good considering how busy the restaurant was. The menu was a little different because it's printed on a newspaper. The service was pretty good. We got every request quickly. The portions were filling but not too big. The place was decorated in a country bear atmosphere which made it interesting. read more

Took my husband's family of 8 to this place. The wait to get seated was great--we were seated pretty quickly. After that, it was all downhill. We waited about 10 minutes just for a server to show up. We ordered drinks and then waited another 10 minutes for those to arrive. The server didn't come back for about 20 minutes to finally take our food order, even though tables that arrived after us were already ordering. Once we ordered, we waited a full 40 minutes before any food started coming out. The steak was the first thing to arrive. Then there was at least a 20-minute gap before my BLT showed up. Three people got sandwiches (they were among the very last), one got pie (also last), and the pancakes (also last). My kids waited 40 minutes just for their grilled cheese and pancake. By the time my husband finished his eggs and steak, my food finally came. The BLT was a huge letdown--barely any lettuce (just one sad little piece) and the avocado I paid extra for was more of a thin, mushy spread than actual slices. My fries were burnt and basically inedible. On top of everything, the server never came back to check on us once. No drink refills, nothing. We were completely ignored the whole time. Very disappointed in this restaurant. Extremely slow and disorganized service with inattentive staff and subpar food. Definitely won't be back. read more

First time, food was under cooked and hash browns were over cooked and hard to eat. Biscuit and gravy was very dry not what I expected for my first time with family. read more

Black Bear Diner - Biscuits and gravy - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vista, California

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We were so excited to go but extremely disappointed. We waited for 15 minutes and I had to ask someone if we could order drinks. Finally when someone came they let us know it would take an hour to get our food. The restaurant wasn't full but they were having to write down their orders which is why it would take so long. We left and don't plan to go back anytime soon. read more

OMG, can't believe I waited "2" years for this place to finally open. I ordered Fish & chips= cod tasted like it was a Frozen Van D Kamps meal( tasteless), Fries were under cooked, very disappointed in quality of food as it isn't cheap at $16.99, Manager came by and told me on Fridays the Fish is all you can eat after 4pm-almost threw up, hope I don't get sick tonight on the fish they supposedly caught at Mission Bay- BiG THUMBS DOWN!!!! One star only for staff as they were kind and friendly. Going back to Denny's across the Street. "Martin" read more

Went at noon for lunch. Wait was 30-45 min started seeing people that got there after us get sat. Went to ask they couldn't find my name or number that I gave them. They sat us next. A waiter came over nice girl, as she was about to take our food order the manager called her over and took her away. Waited 10 min for another waiter. We ordered chicken avocado sandwich. The sandwich had like a quarter size piece of chicken on each side should have just ordered a BLT. French toast was good. Will try again.. girl at check out couldn't even count the change right. If you're paying cash make sure you get your change right. read more

Black Bear Diner - Chicken avocado sandwich, breakfast plate - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vista, California

My Wife and I went to Black Bear Dinner when we visited Walnut Creek, CA. We enjoyed it a great deal. So when we heard a location was coming to Vista, CA we were ecstatic. "Until it opened and we ate there!" I'm not writing this review based off one experience. I'm writing this after revisiting the Vista location twice and both visits were the worst food experience in my life. I knew the food was going to be horrible when we were sitting in the restaurant watching the Cooks and servers smoking out back by the over flowing dumpster. That was the first red flag Spotty dirty utensils I had to clean myself with the cloudy water they served me second red flag We deviated from the breakfast we ordered at the Walnut Creek location and tried the dinner Not only was it not hot it was disgusting. I told my wife "I'm done!" And "I will not be eating here again!" My wife wanted to give them one more chance, because she couldn't believe the difference in the service and quality of food. So we went for Father's Day. Got there at 9am finally got our food at 11:56am food came out once again not hot, honestly it wasn't even warm, it was room temperature. Maybe because the waitress went on break and no one covered her tables. I ordered the Joe's Hobo Omelette, my Son ordered the Meat Lovers Omelette, my Wife ordered Avocado Toast scrambled eggs with fruit. They forgot my sons biscuit and when it came out 10 minutes later it came with a side order of hair hash browns burnt to rock hard perfection. Just all around disgusting and disappointing. Then to top it off their bathrooms were out of service. How are you running a restaurant and the bathrooms are out of service? And are the employees washing their hands and how? ( Forgive all typos ) read more

The food was good and bad. Taste different. Now the restaurant it self a little small. Stolls at counter, not comfortable, too far from counter. Very clean, staff friendly and helpful. Glad their here. read more

Everything was so delicious! Everyone was so kind and cheerful! Highly recommend! Arianna and karissa were so kind and helpful with helping me choose my meal since it was my first time, thank u so much! read more

The BBD had only been open for 2 weeks when we decided to venture in for dinner. I have been going to the BBD for the past 10 years, and while we were all prepared for some kinks, a few things we did not expect. Upon our arrival, clearly it was shift change, I was about knocked over by an employee barreling out the front door. So maybe it is better that all employees leave thru the back. As for our server, small things she did made it clear, she was not used to "serving" guests at a table. We all gave her grace, on not knowing the menu, forgetting our pre dinner salads, forgetting to bring to go containers, but as we were all exiting the booth, she picked this time to start to clear our table. Two of us had to slide back into our seats so she could continue to clear the table...... I am lucky enough to travel and have eaten at several BB Diners. While the food has always been excellent, it will be up to the staff to make this a great location. read more

4 of us dining and we all felt a little disappointed. Staff was friendly but the food did not deliver on quality. Sloppy plate presentation and the sides were cold. Food did not justify the higher than expected menu prices IMO. Not sure I'll be back. read more

Waiter was very attentive. Pancakes were ok but it was like wasting cake. Bacon was a bit overcooked. Hash browns are different so don't expect the typical soft, fully cooked style because they're only cooked on one side so I bit into crunchy potatoes but that's their version of HB. Would I return .. no. My son preserved hamburger French fries & said it was good... read more

Okay so typically this place is awesome. I have never ordered cinnamon French toast. But did this time .Disappointed, it was never drenched in egg. It was dry not fluffy. French toast is drenched in egg before cooking. Someone tell the chef read more

Came here for the first time since my last experience up North...the food was ok but too seasoned, the french fries were uneatable, they were too salty, the staff was all over the place, the exception is that it's their second week open so I understand the confusions. The best for me was the orange juice because it was freshly squeezed read more

hashbrowns not cooked long enough took to long for food to get was just warm need to talk to kitchen cooks i well try again Robert Reed????????? thats all read more

horrible customer service! rude staff not even worth the wait in this shit hole wont be coming back here! refused to sit us unless the whole party was here but they were sitting other families who didnt have the whole party here NOT TO MENTION I RETURNED TWO OF MY PLATES BECAUSE THEY HAD HAIR! read more

Place is way to crowded took forever to get sat this weekend! I get it's new place and going to be busy but was just a little rediculous.

We went there about 330 on a Monday afternoon for a late lunch. The hostess that was at the little stand when you walk in didn't say anything. No hi , hello, no smile she acted like she hated her job. We got seated right away. But it took forever to get our food. And there was a lot of empty tables. My sister ordered a breakfast. And ordered mashed potatoes with it. Our waiter came out and said I think we're out of mashed potatoes but let me go look. He came out five minutes later and says no we do have some mashed potatoes. He came out about 10 minutes later and said that they were out of biscuits. And if she wanted something else to replace it. I got my California burger with onion rings. My plate was drenched with oil. I left there with a nauseous stomach not a good experience. We did have a good waiter, though his name was Andreas. I give him a five star. I don't think I'll go back. I sent an email to the contact email to let them know what I thought and what our experience was. Never heard back. read more

Black Bear Diner - Oil from my onion rings - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Vista, California